The NHL draft is on June 27, and free agency is around the corner on July 1. But there are also trades to be made as NHL teams acquire or move players to improve their immediate future or get their salary cap situation under control. The latest was a reported trade on June 27 between theNew York IslandersandMontreal Canadiensthat also affects thefirst roundof the draft.According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Islanders are sending defenseman Noah Dobson to the Canadiens for winger Emil Heineman and Montreal's first two first-round picks (16th and 17th overall). Trades will pick up when the draft begins on Friday, June 27 and free agency approaching. Tracking the latest NHL deals: The Avalanche get back 20-year-old forward Gavin Brindley, a third-round selection (77th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft and a conditional 2027 second-rounder. This move helps the Blue Jackets' depth. Wood has a lot of speed and kills penalties. Coyle, acquired by the Avalanche at the trade deadline, had 25 goals two seasons ago. Dobson, a restricted free agent, signed an eight-year, $76 million extension as part of the deal, according to Friedman. Dobson, a skilled offensive defenseman, had 70 points two seasons ago and joins a Montreal blue line that featuresrookie of the year Lane Hutson. Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche gets two picks in the middle of the first round. Could he use those as part of a package to move up in the draft? Long Island native James Hagens is sitting out there but is expected to be among the top picks. Heineman, whom the Islanders acquired from the Canadiens as part of the deal, is known for his speed and two-way ability. The Utah Mammoth will be aggressive this offseason as they head into their second season in Salt Lake City. Peterka is coming off a career-best 68 points and totaled 55 goals the past two seasons. The 23-year-old was a restricted free agent and signed a five-year deal with the Mammoth after the trade. The Sabres, who need to adjust their roster to try to end a14-season playoff drought,get back defenseman Michael Kesselring and forward Josh Doan. Kesselring, 25, had a career-best 29 points as he got more ice time because of injuries on the Utah blue line. Doan, 23, is the son of formerArizona Coyotescaptain Shane Doan. He has another year left on his contract. The Panthers give up a 2025 fifth-round pick for Tarasov, 26, a restricted free agent who became available with Jet Greaves emerging in Columbus. Current backup Vitek Vanecek is a pending unrestricted free agent. Tarasov has a career 3.44 goals-against average but those numbers should come down while playing behind a better Panthers defense. Sergei Bobrovsky will be 37 next season and has a year left on his contract. General Bill Zito potentially has found his future No. 1 goalie. Also:The Seattle Kraken acquired two-way center Frederick Gaudreau from the Minnesota Wild for a 2025 fourth-round pick. ... In a free agency move, the Dallas Stars re-signed captain Jamie Benn for one year at $1 million, plus an additional $3 million in potential performance bonuses This was a salary cap move, saving more than $5 million with the Oilers needing to re-sign defenseman Evan Bouchard. The Oilers get back a fourth-round pick. Kane, a Vancouver native, adds help on the wing with the Canucks expected to lose Brock Boeser to free agency. Zegras wanted to play center and the Ducks didn't have room for him there in their top six. The Flyers land a creative forward who has scored several lacrosse-style goals but also has dealt recently with injuries. The Ducks get back center Ryan Poehling, who wins faceoffs and kills penalties, two areas where Anaheim needed improvement. They also receive a 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-rounder. TheChicago Blackhawkstraded for left wingAndre Burakovsky, sending center Joe Veleno back to theSeattle Kraken. Burakovsky was available after the Kraken earlier acquired Mason Marchment. Burakovsky has struggled with injuries over the past two seasons but bounced back to play 79 games during the 2024-25 season, netting 10 goals and 27 assists with Seattle. Veleno scored 17 points this season between the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings.- Elizabeth Flores The Stars needed to clear out cap space afterre-signing Matt Ducheneso they traded 22-goal scorer Mason Marchment and his $4.5 million contract to theSeattle Krakenfor a 2026 third-round pick and a 2025 fourth-rounder. In addition to his goals, he's 6-foot-5 and throws hits. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NHL trade tracker: Analyzing major deals, including NHL draft picks
