The Montreal Canadiens acquired the 21st overall pick in Friday's draft from the Los Angeles Kings for the 26th, 57th, and 198th selections, the teams announced.
Montreal also holds the fifth overall pick and has eight additional choices after the second round.
Los Angeles is set to make six selections this weekend.
Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes hopes to add another top-10 pick and is open to moving up or down from the fifth slot, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.
This will be the third consecutive year the Canadiens have held a top-five pick. They drafted Juraj Slafkovsky first overall in 2022 and landed David Reinbacher fifth overall in 2023.
The Philadelphia Flyers announced Friday that they will buy out the final year of Cam Atkinson's contract.
"When it comes to someone with the accomplishments and character of Cam, this was an exceptionally tough decision to make," general manager Daniel Briere said.
Atkinson had one year remaining on his deal at a $5.875-million cap hit. The forward will be eligible to sign anywhere on July 1.
He'll count for $2.36 million on Philadelphia's books this season and $1.76 million in 2025-26, according to Cap Friendly.
The Flyers were reportedly exploring all options for Atkinson earlier this offseason, including trade. The San Jose Sharks were among interested clubs, but the player wasn't keen on a move to the Bay Area and had a 10-team no-trade list.
Atkinson arrived in Philadelphia via trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2021. He had a strong debut campaign with the Flyers but missed all of 2022-23 due to injury, then saw a huge decline in production this past season. The 35-year-old registered 28 points in 70 games and was in and out of the lineup as a healthy scratch.
Atkinson has appeared in 770 NHL games over a 12-year career. His best campaign came in 2018-19 when he bagged 41 goals for the Blue Jackets.
Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois continues to work on re-signing captain Steven Stamkos, but a new deal isn't imminent despite free agency opening Monday.
"As we stand here right now, we haven't been able to reach an agreement yet," BriseBois said Friday, according to Bally Sports' Gabby Shirley.
"I don't know if we will be able to reach an agreement, but we met with Steven's agent again yesterday, and both sides are still interested in getting a deal done, but we have not been able to agree to terms that are satisfactory for both sides. I think, at this time, it's probably best if I leave my comments to that for the time being."
Stamkos' agent, Don Meehan, told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun on Friday that his client will be a free agent come July 1.
Stamkos' eight-year, $68-million contract signed in 2016 reached its conclusion at the end of this past campaign. The Lightning have about $5.3 million in cap space this offseason, per Cap Friendly, which likely isn't enough to retain Stamkos even on a team-friendly discount as he gets set for unrestricted free agency.
Tampa Bay currently has 10 forwards and six defensemen signed for next season. While Stamkos inking a deal is uncertain, BriseBois said he's hopeful of announcing an extension for Victor Hedman, a UFA in 2025, in the coming days.
The Lightning drafted Stamkos with the first overall pick in 2008. He's a two-time Stanley Cup winner and the franchise's all-time leader in games played (1,082), goals (555), and points (1,137).
Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Finland each announced their first six players for the 4 Nations Face-Off on Friday.
Here are the core players for each country:
Canada 🇨🇦
Player
Position
Team
Sidney Crosby
F
Penguins
Nathan MacKinnon
F
Avalanche
Brad Marchand
F
Bruins
Connor McDavid
F
Oilers
Brayden Point
F
Lightning
Cale Makar
D
Avalanche
United States 🇺🇸
Player
Position
NHL team
Jack Eichel
F
Golden Knights
Auston Matthews
F
Maple Leafs
Matthew Tkachuk
F
Panthers
Adam Fox
D
Rangers
Quinn Hughes
D
Canucks
Charlie McAvoy
D
Bruins
Sweden 🇸🇪
Player
Position
NHL team
Filip Forsberg
F
Predators
William Nylander
F
Maple Leafs
Mika Zibanejad
F
Rangers
Gustav Forsling
D
Panthers
Victor Hedman
D
Lightning
Erik Karlsson
D
Penguins
Finland 🇫🇮
Player
Position
NHL team
Sebastian Aho
F
Hurricanes
Aleksander Barkov
F
Panthers
Mikko Rantanen
F
Avalanche
Miro Heiskanen
D
Stars
Esa Lindell
D
Stars
Juuse Saros
G
Predators
The 4 Nations Face-Off was announced earlier this year and will take place in February 2025. The event was designed to launch a new international hockey calendar that will alternate between Olympic participation and full-scale World Cups starting in 2026.
The NHL hasn't participated in any international tournaments outside the annual world championships since 2016.
Sweden and Finland announced the core of their respective 4 Nations Face-Off rosters Friday, each naming six players to their squads for the tournament in February.
Canada and the United States will make their selections later Friday morning.
Sweden 🇸🇪
Player
Position
NHL team
Filip Forsberg
F
Predators
William Nylander
F
Maple Leafs
Mika Zibanejad
F
Rangers
Gustav Forsling
D
Panthers
Victor Hedman
D
Lightning
Erik Karlsson
D
Penguins
Finland 🇫🇮
Player
Position
NHL team
Sebastian Aho
F
Hurricanes
Aleksander Barkov
F
Panthers
Mikko Rantanen
F
Avalanche
Miro Heiskanen
D
Stars
Esa Lindell
D
Stars
Juuse Saros
G
Predators
The 4 Nations Face-Off was announced earlier this year and was designed to launch a new international hockey calendar that will alternate between Olympic participation and world cups, involving more teams starting in 2026.
The NHL hasn't participated in any international tournaments outside the annual world championships since 2016.
Most of the NHL's official honors have already been awarded and, now that the 2023-24 campaign has officially wrapped up, we're going to dish out some superlative ones to reflect on the season that was.
Best fit with new team 🏆
Nominees: Gabe Vilardi (Jets), Jake Guentzel (Hurricanes), Gustav Nyquist (Predators)
Vilardi, the centerpiece of the deal that sent Pierre-Luc Dubois to Los Angeles, proved to be a terrific acquisition for the Jets. Although he battled injury, the 24-year-old notched 36 points in 47 games. Guentzel was the big fish on this season's trade deadline board, and he delivered exceptionally well in his brief tenure in Carolina. Nyquist had more points than any player who changed teams for 2023-24, quietly posting 75 points at 34 years old.
And the winner is: Guentzel. The Hurricanes and Guentzel seemed like a match made in heaven from the start - and they were. The former Penguin put up 25 points in 17 regular-season games, then added nine in 11 postseason contests. Guentzel brought the goal-scoring punch Carolina has been seeking for years and, although it didn't translate to a championship like the Canes hoped, the rest of the Metropolitan Division should be thankful a cap crunch in Raleigh will likely cause Guentzel to find another new home.
Worst fit with new team 🏆
Jaylynn Nash / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Nominees: Pierre-Luc Dubois (Kings), Tomas Tatar (Avalanche), John Klingberg (Maple Leafs)
Dubois dropped from 63 to 40 points after finally getting his wish to leave Winnipeg, and his ice time fell below 16 minutes per game in his debut campaign with Los Angeles. Tatar scored one goal in 27 games before Colorado shipped him to Seattle, and Klingberg was minus-7 in 14 appearances with the Maple Leafs before being shut down for the season due to injury.
And the winner is: Dubois. Getting traded after the first season of an eight-year deal is not normal. While Vilardi provided everything the Jets could have hoped for and more, Dubois had the opposite effect for the Kings. He didn't live up to the hype, and general manager Rob Blake moved Dubois to the Washington Capitals after denying rumors of a potential buyout. We'll leave a spot open for Dubois on this list next year in case D.C. is another bad fit.
Funnest trade 🏆
Nominees: Cutter Gauthier to Ducks, Tomas Hertl to Golden Knights, Erik Karlsson to Penguins
Gauthier, one of the Flyers' top prospects, was suddenly dealt to the Ducks for Jamie Drysdale in January, and it was quickly revealed that Gauthier didn't want to play in Philly. Second on the ballot, the Golden Knights shocked the hockey world on deadline day by landing Hertl - even with no cap space. Lastly, the winding Karlsson trade saga saw him land in Pittsburgh to team up with Sidney Crosby and Co.
And the winner is: Gauthier. It's extremely rare to see a player work his way out of an organization before ever playing a game there, let alone one as highly touted as Gauthier. The internet went berserk when the announcement dropped, and Philly fans were incensed about the 20-year-old's decision. Rumors about Gauthier's request out of the City of Brotherly Love became so farfetched that Flyers head coach John Tortorella lashed out at a reporter - and refused to answer his questions going forward - after he asked the bench boss about the validity of one of the stories circulating the hockeysphere. It was all top-notch entertainment.
Player most likely to regress 🏆
Eliot J. Schechter / National Hockey League / Getty
Nominees: Sam Reinhart (Panthers), Zach Hyman (Oilers), Nyquist
All three of these players had monstrous, unpredictable offensive seasons. Reinhart and Hyman finished second and third, respectively, in the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy race by breaking the 50-goal plateau, while Nyquist scored a career-high 75 points in his 12th NHL campaign. Surely this trio is bound to come back to earth in 2024-25, right?
And the winner is: Nyquist. Reinhart and Hyman may not be 50-goal guys again next year, but both play huge minutes on strong teams. They should be able to produce again. Nyquist, on the other hand, only hit 60 points once in his career before this year's outburst. Maybe he found a perfect role on Nashville's top line, but Nyquist is unlikely to have much leeway as a prominent player in the Predators' attack if he cools off at any point next season.
The Penguins overhauled their front office, spent lavishly in free agency, and pulled off the biggest trade of the calendar year by landing Karlsson. But they still missed the playoffs and boasted an inexplicably terrible power play despite having three guaranteed Hall of Famers on it. The Senators and Sabres were popular picks to upheave the Eastern Conference playoff race, but both squads regressed in the standings and saw their lengthy postseason droughts live on for another year.
And the winner is: Pittsburgh. The Karlsson trade was supposed to turn back the clock for the Penguins, but it instead raised concerns about the future of the franchise as they battled for a wild-card spot all season.
Best online discourse 🏆
Andrea Cardin / National Hockey League / Getty
Nominees: Ridly Greig's empty-net slapper, Golden Knights LTIR shenanigans, Rempemania
Hockey fans love to react on the internet in the wake of the sport's most viral events - and there was no shortage of them this year. Our first nominee rattled the league's biggest fanbase to its core, while Vegas caught so much flack for putting captain Mark Stone on long-term injured reserve that general manager Kelly McCrimmon had to come out and say his team isn't cheating. Lastly, Matt Rempe broke onto the scene in February with some enthralling fights, but his appeal quickly turned to angst among fans after a long list of dangerous hits.
And the winner is: Greig - and it's not close. When the Senators' forward ripped a slap shot in the open cage to seal an ultimately meaningless victory over the Maple Leafs in February, social media caught fire (and so did Morgan Rielly's temper). Toronto's defenseman drilled Greig in the face with a cross-check, which drew a five-game suspension. Leafs fans were incensed at player safety's verdict, and many pearl-clutchers believed Greig had it coming for breaking a chapter of the sport's unspoken "code." It was an unprecedented time of hot takes, and it reignited a Battle of Ontario that's gone mostly stale over the past several seasons.
Best platform year 🏆
Nominees: Sam Reinhart (Panthers), Jeremy Swayman (Bruins), Seth Jarvis (Hurricanes)
This hardware is for the player who set himself up for a handsome pay raise in a contract year. As mentioned above, Reinhart hit a new level with 57 goals this season, while Swayman established himself as the Bruins' clear No. 1 option in net with a strong regular season and a dominant playoff performance. Jarvis emerged as one of the Hurricanes' most important forwards with a career-high 33 goals and 67 points this season.
And the winner is: Reinhart. Swayman and Jarvis are both restricted free agents, while Reinhart has a ton of leverage against a cap-strapped Panthers squad or in the open market. The two sides seem to be keen on an extension, though the Cats can kiss Reinhart's team-friendly $6.5-million cap hit goodbye. No state tax will likely benefit Florida, though it'll be interesting to see where Reinhart ends up on the Panthers' hierarchy if a deal is struck. Captain Aleksander Barkov leads the squad at $10 million per season, while Matthew Tkachuk sits second at $9.5 million.
Worst Utah team name suggestion 🏆
Nominees: Squall, Powder, Ice
We get it, there's winter in Utah. Thankfully the league's newest club seems to be going in a different direction.
And the winner is: Powder. Back to Arizona if this was the choice.
Pavel Datsyuk, Jeremy Roenick, Shea Weber, Krissy Wendell-Pohl, and Natalie Darwitz were named to the Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2024 on Tuesday.
Colin Campbell and David Poile were elected in the builder category.
Datsyuk earned the call in his first year of eligibility. The dynamic Russian was one of the most skilled players the NHL has ever seen and racked up a boatload of accomplishments over a 14-year career with the Detroit Red Wings. He notched 918 points in 953 games, won the Stanley Cup twice, the Selke Trophy three times, and the Lady Byng on four occasions. He was named one of the league's top 100 players ever in 2017 and won Olympic gold in 2018.
Roenick has been eligible since 2012. He notched 513 goals and 703 assists in 1,363 career games but had to wait for induction likely due to never winning a Stanley Cup or major individual award. He played on five different teams over a 20-year career and is the fifth-highest-scoring American-born player in league history.
Weber is another first-year inductee. He was one of the league's most feared defensemen over a 16-season career with the Nashville Predators and Montreal Canadiens. Weber was a four-time All-Star and three-time Norris Trophy finalist and produced 539 points in 1,038 NHL games. While he never won the Stanley Cup, Weber has two Olympic golds, a World Championship gold, and a World Cup of Hockey title on his resume.
Wendell-Pohl is a former captain of the American women's national team. She earned five World Championships and two Olympic medals in a prolific international career. Wendell-Pohl also had a 100-point collegiate season with the University of Minnesota in 2004-05.
Darwitz's induction marks the first class to feature two women since 2010. She won three World Championships with the United States and earned three Olympic medals.
Campbell is currently the executive vice president and director of hockey operations for the NHL. Before joining the league office, he was a player and head coach.
Poile was a general manager for 40 years, split between the Washington Capitals and Nashville Predators. He stepped down from his position in 2023 as the only person in league history to oversee 3,000 games as GM.
The Detroit Red Wings traded defenseman Jake Walman and a second-round pick to the San Jose Sharks for future considerations, the teams announced Tuesday.
Detroit signed Walman to a three-year, $10.2-million extension in February 2023. His contract featured a 10-team no-trade clause, according to Cap Friendly.
Walman notched 21 points in 63 games this past season while averaging just under 20 minutes per contest. Detroit originally added the 28-year-old from the St. Louis Blues in March 2022.
Detroit acquired the second-round pick it sent to San Jose earlier Tuesday in a trade with the Nashville Predators. The selection originally belonged to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper will lead Team Canada at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Olympics in Italy, Hockey Canada announced Tuesday.
A management team featuring Doug Armstrong of the St. Louis Blues, Jim Nill of the Dallas Stars, and Don Sweeney of the Boston Bruins selected Cooper for the national team head coaching position.
"Jon is a world-class person, coach, and leader, and his impressive resume and success in the NHL make him the perfect person to lead Team Canada over the next two years at the 4 Nations Face-Off and 2026 Olympic Winter Games," Armstrong said.
"Our management group knows that Jon will represent our country with pride while bringing his winning pedigree to the international stage, and we look forward to working with him as we build teams with the best NHL players in Canada at two marquee events."
Cooper has coached the Bolts for the past 12 seasons, making him the longest-tenured coach in the NHL. He's guided Tampa Bay to 10 playoff appearances, a Presidents' Trophy, four Eastern Conference championships, and two Stanley Cups.
The 56-year-old served as an assistant coach with Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Cooper was also named Canada's bench boss for the 2022 Olympics in Beijing before the NHL pulled out of the Games due to the pandemic.
The 4 Nations Face-Off will be played in February 2025 and feature Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Finland. The first six players for each team will be announced later in June.
The NHL agreed to send its players to the 2026 Olympics after missing out on the past two tournaments.
Colorado acquired Mittelstadt from the Buffalo Sabres before this year's deadline in a blockbuster deal that sent defenseman Bowen Byram the other way. Mittelstadt filled a hole at center for the Avalanche, producing 10 points in 18 games before adding nine in 11 playoff contests.
"Casey was a great fit for our lineup and a big contributor to our team down the stretch and in the playoffs," general manager Chris MacFarland said. "His game has improved every season, and he took yet another big jump this past year. We believe he has an even higher level to reach, and it was important to get him signed for several years. Casey is an exciting, playmaking center with good vision and hands and, at just 25 years old, is going to be a big part of our team moving forward."
Mittelstadt will be a UFA when his new deal expires in 2027.
The Avalanche have roughly $10.4 million in cap space left, according to Cap Friendly, with a 2024-25 roster size of 13 players.
