Most of the NHL’s top free agents have new contracts.
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.
There were two trades on July 10. The Dallas Stars sent veteran defenseman Matt Dumba and a draft pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok. Also, the Toronto Maple Leafs dealt tough guy Ryan Reaves to the San Jose Sharks for defenseman Henry Thrun.
The New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes pulled off the biggest trade of July 1 with Carolina acquiring defenseman K’Andre Miller and signing him to an eight-year contract.
The Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights also made a major deal on June 30, sending Mitch Marner to Vegas, which signed him to an eight-year, $96 million deal,. The Golden Knights sent forward Nicolas Roy to the Maple Leafs.
Tracking the latest trades from the NHL offseason:
July 10: Maple Leafs trade Ryan Reaves to Sharks
Reaves, 38, has 1,100 career penalty minutes but he had been used less and less by the Maple Leafs. He appeared in only 35 games last season and was waived and sent to the American Hockey League in March, playing three games with the Marlies.
“He will bring energy, personality, physical play and toughness to our group,’ Sharks general manager Mike Grier said in a statement. ‘He has been a part of many winning teams, and I witnessed firsthand the positive impact he can bring to a group when I was with the Rangers.”
Defenseman Henry Thrun, 24, is heading to Toronto in the trade after recording 12 points in 60 games last season.
July 10: Stars trade Matt Dumba to Penguins
This deal helps the Stars’ cap situation because Dumba makes $3.75 million and is in the final year of his contract. They also send a 2028 second-round pick to Pittsburgh. According to PuckPedia, the Stars now have about $2 million in cap space. Dumba, 30, had only 10 points last season, but did have 70 hits and 60 penalty minutes. Kolyachonok, 24, who makes $775,000, had seven points in 35 games between the Penguins and Mammoth last season.
July 8: Oilers acquire Hobey Baker winner Isaac Howard
The Oilers acquired the rights to Michigan State forward Isaac Howard from the Lightning and signed him to a three-year entry-level contract in a trade of prospects.
Howard was the No. 31 overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft. He had 26 goals and 26 assists in 37 games last season to win the Hobey Baker Award as top men’s college hockey player. He’s considered NHL-ready and could play alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl.
Edmonton sent forward Sam O’Reilly, the 32nd overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, to the Lightning in the trade. He helped the London (Ontario) Knights win the 2025 Memorial Cup title and reach the final in 2024.
July 1: Hurricanes acquire K’Andre Miller from Rangers
The Hurricanes landed 25-year-old defenseman Miller and gave up defenseman Scott Morrow, 22, a conditional first-round pick and a 2026 second-rounder. Carolina signed Miller to an eight-year deal with a $7.5 million cap hit.
Trading Miller gave the Rangers the cap space to sign Vladislav Gavrikov, the top defenseman in the free agent class. The Hurricanes were changing up their blue line with veterans Dmitry Orlov and Brent Burns hitting free agency. The Hurricanes also signed free agent defenseman Mike Reilly.
July 1: Sharks acquire Alex Nedeljkovic from Penguins
Nedeljkovic is entering the final year of his contract and he struggled this past season with a 3.12 goals-against average and .894 save percentage. He and Yaroslav Askarov could split time in San Jose.
July 1: Blackhawks acquire Sam Lafferty from Sabres
The forward is returning after previously playing in Chicago for parts of two seasons. He struggled in Buffalo with seven points in 60 games. The Sabres get a 2026 sixth-round pick in return.
July 1: Bruins acquire Viktor Arvidsson from Oilers
The Bruins acquire forward Viktor Arvidsson from the Oilers for a 2027 fifth-round draft pick, Arvidsson had signed a two-year deal with Edmonton last season and did not work out. He was in and out of the lineup in the playoffs. But he did score 26 goals two seasons ago and could fill a middle-six role in Boston. Edmonton saves $4 million in cap space.
July 1: Canadiens-Blues trade
The Canadiens acquire forward Zachary Bolduc for defenseman Logan Mailloux. Bolduc adds secondary scoring after scoring 19 goals and 36 points in his first full season. Mailloux, who was taken in the first round of the 2021 draft despite asking not to be drafted, has played eight NHL games. The Canadiens recently acquired Noah Dobson, who fills the role of offensive defenseman.
June 30: Golden Knights acquire Mitch Marner from Maple Leafs
The sign-and-trade deal allows Marner to sign an eight-year deal and lands them the top free agent in the 2025 class. Toronto was going to lose Marner for nothing in free agency, so they did well to get a roster player. Roy is signed through 2027 at a $3 million cap hit.
June 30: Red Wings trade Vladimir Tarasenko to Wild
Tarasenko has won two Stanley Cup titles, but he disappointed with 33 points in his lone season in Detroit, while averaging less than 15 minutes a game. He has another year on his contract at $4.75 million, so the Wild get secondary scoring at a reasonable price. Detroit gets future considerations in the deal.
June 30: Maple Leafs acquire Matias Maccelli from Mammoth
The Mammoth get a conditional 2027 third round pick in return. Maccelli, 24, gets a fresh start after dropping to 18 points in 55 games this past season. But he can provide secondary scoring for Toronto after totaling 106 points over the two seasons before that. If he gets 51 points this season and the Maple Leafs make the playoffs, the third rounder becomes a 2029 second-round pick.
June 30: Predators-Golden Knights trade
The Nashville Predators acquire defenseman Nicolas Hague and a conditional third-round pick from the Golden Knights in exchange for forward Colton Sissons and defenseman Jeremy Lauzon. Nashville will retain 50% of Sissons’ salary. If Vegas wins two rounds in the 2026 playoffs, the Golden Knights will move a second-round pick instead.
June 28: Red Wings acquire John Gibson from Ducks
The Detroit Red Wings acquire goalie John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks for goalie Petr Mrazek, a 2027 second- round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick. Gibson had been mentioned in trade rumors for years and the Red Wings have needed better goaltending for years. Lukas Dostal has emerged as a No. 1 goalie in Anaheim and needs a new contract as a restricted free agent. Mrazek is a better fit financially at $4.25 million than Gibson at $6.4 million. Gibson, who will get more playing time in Detroit, had a solid season with a 2.77 goals-against average and .911 save percentage, a little better than how Cam Talbot and Alex Lyon performed.
June 28: Senators acquire Jordan Spence from Kings
Spence’s ice time had dropped, particularly in the playoffs, so the trade gives him more opportunity. The defenseman is only 24. Los Angeles had drafted a defenseman, London’s Henry Brzustewicz, in the first round. The Kings receive a 2025 third round pick and a 2026 sixth-rounder.
June 28: Sabres, Penguins swap defensemen
The Buffalo Sabres acquire defensemen Conor Timmins and Isaac Belliveau from the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Connor Clifton and a 2025 second-round pick.. The Sabres are changing up their defense after earlier acquiring Michael Kesselring. Clifton is entering the final year of his contract. Timmins is four years younger.
Also: The Washington Capitals acquire defenseman Declan Chisholm and a 2025 sixth-round pick from the Minnesota Wild for defenseman Chase Priskie and a 2025 third-rounder.
June 27: Blue Jackets acquire Charlie Coyle, Miles Wood from Avalanche
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. The Avalanche clear cap space.
June 27: Canadiens acquire Noah Dobson from Islanders
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 features rookie of the year Lane Hutson. Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche gets two picks in the middle of the first round. Could he use the 16th and 17th picks as part of a package to move up in the draft? He didn’t, drafting Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson. Heineman, whom the Islanders acquired from the Canadiens as part of the deal, is known for his speed and two-way ability.
June 26: Mammoth acquire JJ Peterka from Sabres
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 a 14-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 former Arizona Coyotes captain Shane Doan. He has another year left on his contract.
June 26: Panthers acquire Daniil Tarasov from the Blue Jackets
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
June 25: Oilers trade Evander Kane to Canucks
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.
June 25: Oilers trade Evander Kane to Canucks
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.
June 23: Flyers acquire Trevor Zegras from Ducks
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.
Also: The Seattle Kraken acquired two-way center Frederick Gaudreau from the Minnesota Wild for a 2025 fourth-round pick.