An NHL Summer Update

It may only be July, but hockey season is only three months away. First puck drop is October 2nd, but the drama has already begun as the summer progresses. The Draft and Award Show were some of the biggest highlights; now as free agency starts, the league is going to be way different. Many of the current rosters won't be together as the trade wars and free agency bids begin. So let's take a look around the league at some of the biggest stories.

1) Hughes and Kakko go #1 and #2

It shouldn't be a surprise that Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko got picked first and second overall in the Draft. They had been hyped up for months going into the Draft and they are easily the best players in the prospect pool. The Devils and Rangers struck gold with their new forwards, especially when they are two teams in need of an extreme offensive upgrade. Hughes will give the Devils a legitimate two-line center arsenal. He and Nico Hischier will provide excellent playmaking and scoring in the 5-on-5 and power play. Kakko will give the Rangers some depth at winger and will be the genuine goal scorer they have been searching for since trading Rick Nash in the 2017-18 season. It wouldn't be surprising to see Hughes and Kakko in the NHL roster come Opening Night. 

2) Rangers Fleece Winnipeg for Trouba

One of the first big trades of the summer was the Rangers trade for Winnipeg Jets' defenseman Jacob Trouba. Trouba was part of the new Winnipeg team that led the Central Division this year, but with Jets planning to re-sign Tyler Myers to a long-term deal, the Jets simply didn't have the cap room for Trouba's extension. The Rangers got exactly what they needed: a real Top-4 defenseman with an exceptional two-way game. And all the Rangers had to give up was Neal Pionk and the 20th pick in the Draft. When you look at it, the Jets really only got 3/4 of the value Trouba was probably worth. But as a Rangers fan, I'm not complaining. They got a serious upgrade on D, and with a large pool of prospects coming in like Vitali Kratsov, K'Andre Miller, and Kaapo Kakko, the future is bright for the Rangers.

3) PK Subban Traded to the Devils

This summer has been unbelievable for the Devils. Drafting Jack Hughes was a big deal, but they continued to strengthen themselves with the addition of All-Star defenseman PK Subban from the Nashville Predators. Subban is easily one of the best players in the NHL and the Devils only gave up two players, a 2019 second-round pick and a 2020 second-round pick. That seems low for a player of Subban's caliber. The Predators are definitely offloading his contract to sign more forwards to become an offense-first team, a counter to how they used to play out from the defense. The Devils will be getting an All-Star defender who can score and provide a huge presence on the powerplay. Those boys in New Jersey are looking fierce and the league should be worried

4) Nikita Kucherov Wins Hart Trophy

The man who tallied 128 points this year won the NHL's MVP. Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning had his best statistical season ever and possibly of any player in history of the league. The Lightning right-winger will be needed to get the Bolts back to the playoffs after they were swept out by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round. While fans should feel more estatic about Kucherov's award, the sting of the playoffs still linger in Tampa. The Lightning have a stacked roster so it is hard to see them not making it back to the playoffs. But they need to figure out how to win in the postseason and bring the Stanley Cup back to South Florida.

5) Kevin Hayes Signs Seven-Year, $70 Million Deal with Flyers

The first big free agent signing of the summer was Kevin Hayes’ deal with the Philadelphia Flyers. Worth $70 million over seven years, Hayes is cashing in on a season where he tallied 55 points (19 Gs, 36 As) in 71 games between the Rangers and the Jets. Philly gets a tall, dominant center who can get the puck moving between the wings and can score a couple goals. However, I think the Flyers overpaid Hayes. I saw him play in New York and while I saw flashes of his greatness, I don't think he is worth $70 million over seven years. That seems like an overpayment for a guy who hasn't broken 60 points once in his career. Plus, he will be competing with Sean Courtier for the second-line center position. The Flyers get some more help on offense as they look to get back to the playoffs. 

6) Phil Kessel to the Coyotes

Ahhh, Phil Kessel...the NHL's most-loved hot dog eater. Kessel was traded from the Penguins to Coyotes for Alex Galchenyuk, two prospects, and a 2021 fourth-round pick. For a trade, it was a pretty decent deal for both sides. The Penguins get a young Galchenyuk who is going to his third team in two seasons; while the Yotes get a two-time Stanley Cup champion who put up 82 points this year. Arizona is putting together a team of veterans and young, tested talent in the hope of becoming a real Cup contender. They look pretty good on paper with the addition of Kessel, as he will join Derek Stepan, Clayton Keller, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Kessel could help them get some more goal-scoring and hopefully enough wins to get Arizona back to the playoffs. As for the Penguins, they just want to get the most out of Sidney Crosby before he retires, but to do so, they will need to surround him with talent. It is hard to tell if Galchenyuk is the answer they are looking for. 

7) Free Agents to Watch: Panarin, Bobrovsky, Pavelski

Free agency is open and meetings are already happening. While there a multitude of free agents, the big names to keep an eye, in my opinion, are Artemi Panarin, Sergie Bobrovsky, and Joe Pavelski. I would've included Erik Karlsson, but that was before he signed an eight-year, $80 million dollar deal to stay with the San Jose Sharks. Which is why I switched to Pavelski. It seems like the American center is out in San Jose after failing to lead the Sharks back to the Stanley Cup Final or any trophy during his time in teal. There are reports Pavelski will sign with the Dallas Stars, which would basically be like replacing Jason Spezza with a similar player that's only a few years younger. Bobrovsky is a more interesting story. He has already met with the Florida Panthers so it is becoming clear he probably won't be playing in Columbus come October. Bobrovsky is looking for max money after he played a major role in Columbus's small postseason success. Since the Blue Jackets can't seem to get past the second round (and they have only made it to the second round once), the Russian goaltender is seeking greener pastures. As for Panarin, he has already met with the Panthers, but reports still suggest the Rangers are the favorites for his signature. He is looking for a seven-year deal and the Rangers have the cap space for him.