2025 NHL mock draft: Best fit for Bruins, every team's first-round pick originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The 2025 Stanley Cup Final concluded Tuesday with the Florida Panthers beating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 to secure their second straight championship.

And now the offseason has officially begun.

The most notable event on the calendar is the 2025 NHL Draft, which starts in eight days. This year’s draft class is impressive, especially at the center position. That’s good news for the Boston Bruins, who will pick No. 7 overall after failing to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Check out our 2025 NHL mock draft below:

32. Calgary Flames (via Panthers): Bill Zonnon, RW, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)

Zonnon ranked fifth in assists and tied for seventh in points among QMJHL players last season. The Flames scored the fourth-fewest goals of any team in 2024-25 and could use a dynamic offensive player like him in their prospect pool.

31. Philadelphia Flyers (via Oilers): Benjamin Kindel, C, Calgary (WHL)

Kindel doesn’t have a ton of size, but his speed and playmaking ability would be a nice boost for the Flyers, who currently own three first-round picks in this draft.

KINDEL STRIKES FIRST FOR CANADA TONIGHT 🚨🚨

Off a beautiful pass from Schaefer, Kindel locks in Canada's first goal of the night against Sweden #HlinkaGretzkyCuppic.twitter.com/8a2G2wLmDi

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 8, 2024

30. San Jose Sharks (via Stars): Shane Vansaghi, RW, Michigan State (NCAA)

After taking a couple centers with first-round picks (including the No. 2 pick below), it’s time to add some depth on the wing in San Jose. Spartans forward Shane Vansaghi would be among the best available at the position this late in Round 1.

Shane Vansaghi tips this one in the waning seconds of the power play – his third goal of the season. Larson and Andrews get the assists. pic.twitter.com/TIeJSgqYZu

— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) January 19, 2025

29. Carolina Hurricanes: Milton Gastrin, C, Modo Jr. (SWE-JR)

Gastrin is a reliable, two-way center who can excel in all situations. He could maybe be a Jordan Staal replacement at some point in Carolina.

28. Winnipeg Jets: Henry Brzustewicz, D, London (OHL)

Brzustewicz is poised with the puck, he has a high hockey IQ and enough offensive skill to generate scoring chances at the NHL level. He played a huge role in the London Knights winning the 2025 Memorial Cup.

A back-to-back #OHL champion before hoisting the #MemorialCup earlier this month in Rimouski, #NHLDraft prospect Henry Brzustewicz developed into an integral part of the @LondonKnights' blueline 🎥 pic.twitter.com/xHp3JafyhV

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) June 13, 2025

27. Washington Capitals: Cullen Potter, C, Arizona State (NCAA)

Potter’s goal-scoring ability and speed make him an exciting prospect. In fact, if he falls all the way to the late first round, he could end up being a huge steal. The only concern is his lack of size at 5-foot-9.

26. Nashville Predators (via Golden Knights): Joshua Ravensbergen, G, Prince George (WHL)

Ravensbergen is considered by many experts to be the top-ranked goalie prospect in the 2025 draft class. With veteran Juuse Saros signed long-term, the Predators could allow Ravensbergen to develop at the right pace and not rush him to the NHL. His size (6-foot-5), athleticism and poise are all impressive.

25. Chicago Blackhawks (via Maple Leafs): Sascha Boumedienne, D, Boston University (NCAA)

Boumedienne was the youngest player in NCAA hockey last season and showed tremendous improvement throughout the campaign. His hockey IQ is fantastic. After taking Artyom Levshunov at No. 2 overall last year, the addition of Boumedienne would give the Blackhawks really strong depth and high-end talent at defenseman in their prospect pool.

24. Los Angeles Kings: Daniil Prokhorov, RW, Dynamo St. Petersburg Jr. (RUS-JR)

Prokhorov is a talented goal scorer with excellent size (6-foot-6 and 220 pounds). His power forward kind of style would be a nice fit on the Kings.

23. Nashville Predators (via Lightning): Malcolm Spence, LW, Erie (OHL)

The Predators were the second-lowest scoring team in the league last season. Spence would be among the best goal scorers available at this stage of the draft, and his top-end speed is a nice bonus.

Scoring 33 goals in his third #OHL season, @ErieOtters winger Malcolm Spence plays the game at high speed, bringing a high-powered motor to the 2025 #NHLDraft 🎥 pic.twitter.com/bCd9xfnhrV

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) June 17, 2025

22. Philadelphia Flyers (via Avalanche): Blake Fiddler, D, Edmonton (WHL)

The Flyers desperately need to find a No. 1 defenseman of the future, and Fiddler would be a nice get for them with the No. 22 pick, even if he’s a few years away from making a real impact at the NHL level. His skating ability for a player listed at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds is quite impressive.

21. Ottawa Senators: Jack Nesbitt, C, Windsor (OHL)

The Senators got back to the playoffs for the first time since 2017 but lost to the Maple Leafs in the first round. They scored more than two goals in just two of the six games. A well-rounded center with offensive upside in Jack Nesbitt would be a safe choice for the Senators.

20. Columbus Blue Jackets (via Wild): Logan Hensler, D, Wisconsin (NCAA)

Hensler is a good skater and a strong defender who could excel in a shutdown role. His offensive skill set needs to improve if he’s going to maximize his potential, but there’s a lot to like in his game.

19. St. Louis Blues: Braedon Cootes, C, Seattle (WHL)

Cootes led Seattle in scoring with 63 points in 60 games, nearly doubling his offensive output from the previous season. He also has strong leadership skills and captained Canada to a gold medal at the 2025 U-18 World Championship. His play style is actually pretty similar to Blues captain Brayden Schenn.

18. Calgary Flames (via Devils): Cole Reschny, C, Victoria (WHL)

If you look at the top 10 prospects in the Flames’ system, not many of them are centers. Reschny had a strong second half of the season for Victoria and his draft stock has risen as a result. He also showed dramatic improvement offensively with 92 points (26 goals, 66 assists) last season — 33 more than he had in the 2023-24 campaign.

Goals? He scores them.
Assists? He collects them.

18-year-old Cole Reschny can do it all!@victoriaroyals | #NHLDraftpic.twitter.com/kp95iwBpr3

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) June 11, 2025

17. Montreal Canadiens: Cameron Reid, D, Kitchener (OHL)

The Canadiens exceeded expectations this season by making the playoffs as a wild card team, and they have two first-round picks to add more premium talent to their organization.

Reid’s two-way skill set and high hockey IQ make him a good fit for Montreal in this spot.

16. Montreal Canadiens (via Flames): Justin Carbonneau, RW, Blaineville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)

Carbonneau’s 46 goals were tied for the second-most in the QMJHL this past season. And he’s not just a scorer. He plays a hard, heavy game and is relentless on the forecheck. It wouldn’t take long for him to become a fan favorite in Montreal.

15. Vancouver Canucks: Victor Eklund, RW, Djurgarden (SWE-2)

If the Canucks keep this pick, Victor Eklund would be a smart choice here. The Swedish winger would add some much-needed speed, skill and toughness to the Canucks forward group.

14. Columbus Blue Jackets: Carter Bear, LW, Everett (WHL)

Bear’s elite offensive skill and high compete level would help make him a nice fit with what the Blue Jackets are building.

Step 1: Draft Carter Bear.
Step 2: Kick back and relax. @WHLsilvertips | #NHLDraftpic.twitter.com/KbXOLvvHKG

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) June 9, 2025

13. Detroit Red Wings: Lynden Lakovic, LW, Moose Jaw (WHL)

You don’t see many 6-foot-4 forwards show the kind of puck-handling and scoring prowess that Lakovic did in the WHL this past season.

A 6-foot-4 forward who can tickle twine like no other?

Yes, 18-year-old Lynden Lakovic is the whole package!@MJWARRIORS | #NHLDraftpic.twitter.com/skj5TSW3VG

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) June 18, 2025

12. New York Rangers: Jackson Smith, D, Tri-City (WHL)

A 6-foot-3 defenseman with a polished two-way skill set is exactly what the Rangers need.

11. Pittsburgh Penguins: Kashawn Aitcheson, D, Barrie (OHL)

The Penguins need to find a No. 1 defenseman of the future, and Aitcheson fits the bill. He ranked third among all OHL defensemen with 59 points in 64 games last season.

10. Anaheim Ducks: Radim Mrtka, D, Seattle (WHL)

The Ducks are in the top 10 of the first round for the fifth straight year. Three of their previous four picks in this range were forwards, including Beckett Sennecke at No. 3 overall last year. With so many of the top forwards off the board, it would make the most sense for the Ducks to add a blue-chip defenseman prospect in Radim Mrtka. He plays a lot like Lightning star Victor Hedman.

9. Buffalo Sabres: Porter Martone, RW, Brampton (OHL)

The Sabres could opt to take the best center available here, but with so many of them already off the board, a wing with Martone’s offensive and physical traits makes a lot of sense. He would likely be a good fit alongside Tage Thompson at some point.

8. Seattle Kraken: Roger McQueen, C, Brandon (WHL)

The Kraken have drafted a center in the top 10 in two of the last three years, but McQueen is too talented of a prospect to pass on here. And frankly, he might be gone at this point depending on how teams view these centers. McQueen has drawn comparisons to Ducks legend Ryan Getzlaf with his size (6-foot-5) and two-way skill set.

7. Boston Bruins: Jake O’Brien, C, Brantford (OHL)

It’s no secret the Bruins need a center. They haven’t drafted well at that position for a long time. Luckily for the B’s, they have a top 10 pick (their first since 2011) in a draft that’s loaded with quality centers.

O’Brien is the best center available at this point in Round 1. He has a really strong two-way skill set with the high-end offensive talent to consistently create scoring chances for himself and teammates. He tallied 66 assists in 66 games for Brantford last season.

A highly-skilled playmaker with the @BulldogsOHL during hockey season and an accomplished muskie fisherman in the offseason, #NHLDraft prospect Jake O'Brien is a man of many talents 🎣@KubotaCanadaLtd | #MeetTheFuturepic.twitter.com/jLRlqpKNwM

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) June 8, 2025

6. Philadelphia Flyers: James Hagens, C, Boston College (NCAA)

Hagens didn’t score as much as some expected for Boston College, but he is an elite playmaker and a great skater. He has top-six center potential for a Flyers organization that needs more high-end talent at that position.

5. Nashville Predators: Brady Martin, C, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

Martin’s draft stock has risen quite a bit in recent weeks. He plays a lot like 2025 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett, and general managers love those kinds of players.

4. Utah Mammoth: Caleb Desnoyers, C, Moncton (QMJHL)

The Mammoth jumped 10 spots in the draft lottery, allowing them to select one of the best center prospects available. Caleb Desnoyers makes the most sense here. His offensive upside is tremendous. He also won the Guy LaFleur Trophy as QMJHL playoff MVP this past season.

3. Chicago Blackhawks: Anton Frondell, C, Djurgarden (SWE-2)

Frondell and Connor Bedard as a 1-2 punch at center long-term is an exciting scenario for Blackhawks fans. Frondell is not only highly skilled, he plays a true power forward style of hockey.

2. San Jose Sharks: Michael Misa, C, Saginaw (OHL)

The Sharks drafted center Macklin Celebrini at No. 1 in 2024 and center Will Smith at No. 4 overall in 2023. But with no defenseman worthy of the No. 2 pick in this class (assuming Schaefer goes No. 1 to the Islanders), taking another forward in Misa should be an easy choice. Misa is the No. 1 ranked forward in this draft. He is the complete package offensively and led the CHL in scoring with 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists) in 65 games.

1. New York Islanders: Matthew Schaefer, D, Erie (OHL)

The Islanders got lucky and jumped all the way up from No. 10 to No. 1 in the draft lottery. It might be tempting to take Misa here, but with veteran centers Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal signed long term, it would be hard to fault the Islanders for going with Matthew Schaefer. He could be a top-pairing defenseman for a decade.

A few weeks after it was announced that Dan Muse would become the 23rd head coach in Pittsburgh Penguins franchise history, it appears that a former Penguin will be joining his coaching staff as well.

On Wednesday, former Penguins' forward and two-time Stanley Cup champion Nick Bonino announced that he would be joining the Penguins' organization as a coach. He also officially announced his retirement from professional hockey.

Nick Bonino himself confirms he is joining Dan Muse’s coaching staff as an assistant coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins!

Welcome home bones! pic.twitter.com/2QYRWBszEw

— Scott Crowell (@scottcrowell18) June 18, 2025

The 37-year-old center spent his final season in professional hockey playing for Ljubljana Olimpija HK of the Austrian League, where he recorded six goals and 17 points in 22 games. 

Bonino was selected in the sixth round (173rd overall) by the San Jose Sharks in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. He spent three seasons with Boston University before his rights were dealt to the Anaheim Ducks in March of 2009, where he spent the first five seasons of his NHL career.

After one season with the Vancouver Canucks in 2014-15, he was traded to Pittsburgh on July 28, 2015 in a deal that sent center Brandon Sutter the other way. Known as a "tough as nails" third-line center, Bonino provided the structure, responsible play, and grit that the Penguins needed in their bottom-six and on their third line. 

He also became one cog of the famous "HBK Line" - which also included Phil Kessel and Carl Hagelin - that helped lead Pittsburgh to its 2016 Stanley Cup championship. During that playoff line, Bonino registered four goals and 18 points in 24 games, and the HBK Line combined for 20 goals and 56 points in those 24 games en route to the Cup.

Nick Bonino has announced his retirement from professional hockey, and will join the Penguins staff as an assistant coach.

Only one highlight is appropriate for this moment 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/8q4o229i2c

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 18, 2025

And in 2017, Bonino famously played through a large portion of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Nashville Predators on a broken tibia after blocking a shot by P.K. Subban. Although he missed the remainder of the back-to-back Cup-clinching series, he played a crucial role in helping the Penguins get there.

Bonino left as a UFA the following summer and joined the Predators for three seasons. He did see a brief second stint in Pittsburgh during the 2022-23 season, but he appeared in only three games before an injury ended his season. 

Throughout the course of his NHL career, Bonino registered 159 goals and 358 points in 868 games, including 27 goals and 66 points across his two full seasons in Pittsburgh. 

He is the first known addition to Muse's coaching staff for the 2025-26 season.

'I Couldn't Be More Excited To Get Started Here': 3 Takeaways From Dan Muse's Introductory Press Conference As Penguins' Head CoachOn Wednesday, Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas formally introduced Dan Muse as the 23rd head coach in franchise history at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa.

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Featured image credit: Charles LeClaire - Imagn Images

The NHL's off-season has arrived, and we're turning our attention in this THN.com series to potential trade partners for the Sabres.

We began the series by looking at the Utah Mammoth, Colorado Avalanche, Vancouver Canucks and Philadelphia Flyers. And in our newest file, we're focused on the New York Rangers. Let's get right to it.

TEAM:  New York Rangers

CAP SPACE:  $13.9 million  

FREE AGENTS:  Nicolas Aube-Kubel, RW; Arthur Kaliyev, LW; Will Cuylle, LW (RFA);  Adam Edstrom, LW; Calvin de Haan, D; K'Andre Miller, D (RFA); Zac Jones, D (RFA); Matthew Robertson, D (RFA) 

NEEDS: Depth on defense; bottom-six forwards

SABRES FIT? The Rangers were a dysfunctional mess last season, falling out of the playoffs completely after being the best regular-season team in the league in 2023-24. Rangers GM Chris Drury somehow got a vote of confidence from team owner James Dolan, and the first move he made this off-season was to trade veteran winger Chris Drury. This tracks with last year's moves to get rid of veterans (including defensemen Jacob Trouba and Ryan Lindgren) as well as youngsters Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil.

That said, the Rangers clearly aren't rebuilding -- at least, not yet -- as they acquired star center J.T. Miller from the Vancouver Canucks, and veteran D-man Will Borgen from the Seattle Kraken in trades last year. The Rangers have a decent amount of salary cap space, but much of it will have to go to D-man K'Andre Miller, an RFA who will have plenty of alternatives if someone tries to offer-sheet him and take him out of Manhattan.

So, could there be a match with the Sabres? Probably not, although we could see a scenario in which Buffalo trades defenseman Bowen Byram to the Blueshirts in return for the rights to K'Andre Miller. As an RFA, Miller has no no-trade or no-move protection, so he couldn't veto a move to the Sabres. And if Buffalo can get into the playoff picture next year, Miller may be persuaded to sign long-term with the Sabres.

Sabres Potential Trade Partner: Philadelphia FlyersThe Buffalo Sabres are likely to be active on the trade front this summer. And as part of an ongoing series on THN.com's Sabres site, we're examining potential trade partners for Buffalo.

Otherwise, there really isn't a match for what Buffalo has to offer. The Rangers have too many veterans who do have no-trade or no-move clauses, so that all but completely rules out the Sabres from landing a talent like center Mika Zibanejad or center Vincent Trochek, both of who would assuredly help the Sabres get into the post-season.

Still, landing K'Andre Miller should be very tempting for Buffalo. At 25 years old, Miller isn't yet in his prime, and he could be a terrific second-pair blueliner for the Sabres. His salary last season was $3.87-million, and his modest production of 20 assists and 27 points means his asking price on a new contract isn't going to hamper Buffalo's financial picture. Indeed, a slight raise for Miller close to or right at the $5-million range would be very affordable for the Sabres. And given that Drury has been unable to sign Miller at this point, you have to figure his days as a Ranger are over.

The other option that's more of a longshot is Rangers left winger Alexis Lafreniere, who is just about to start his first year of a contract extension paying him $7.45-million per season. Lafreniere had a disappointing season of 17 goals and 45 points last year -- a major drop from his 28-goal, 57-point season in 2023-24. And like K'Andre Miller, the 23-year-old Lafreniere also doesn't have any no-move or no-trade protection. 

Sabres Potential Trade Partner: Vancouver CanucksThe NHL's off-season is more or less at hand, and teams are beginning to make significant trades. And in this new series on THN.com's Buffalo Sabres site, we're looking at potential trade partners for the Sabres.

Can the Sabres step up and offer, say, winger Alex Tuch for Lafreniere? It's true Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams would be giving up more offensive production in surrendering Tuch, but considering that Tuch will be a UFA at the end of next season, dealing him now for a cost-controlled asset like Lafreniere might be better financially for the Sabres in the long run.

Moreover, if Lafreniere bounces back with a better performance akin to the one he had two years ago, suddenly the loss of Tuch's offense wouldn't be so bad. Remember, Lafreniere was the first-overall pick in 2020 for good reason; he's still got all kinds of time to realize his potential, and he could be doing that with Buffalo.

Sabres Potential Trade Partner: Colorado AvalancheThe Buffalo Sabres are entering the 2025 off-season as one of the key NHL teams to watch. As they try to re-jig the roster with the goal of ending their 14-year streak with no playoff appearances, the Sabres are highly-motivated to make a splash. But what are they likely to do on the trade front -- and what teams are out there that could be a trade partner? That's the focus of this new series on THN.com's Sabres site. 

In sum, the Rangers and Sabres probably won't be hooking up on a major trade this summer. But Sabres fans can dream of situations in which Buffalo and the Blueshirts collaborate on a deal that shakes up the chemistry of both teams. And acquiring K'Andre Miller or Lafreniere certainly would change the mix in Western New York.

The Philadelphia Flyers do not have the best early odds of winning the Stanley Cup in 2026, but how their odds rank compared to some other teams around the NHL might come as a shock.

The Flyers, who finished with the fourth-worst record in the NHL this season at 33-39-10, are not projected to win the Stanley Cup next year by any means, but oddsmakers are clearly expecting Philadelphia, led by new head coach Rick Tocchet and star sophomore forward Matvei Michkov, to take a step forward in 2025-26.

According to FanDuel, the Flyers have +8000 odds to win the 2026 Stanley Cup, which are notably only the 13th-lowest odds and ahead of Metropolitan Division rival Columbus Blue Jackets (+8500), the Anaheim Ducks (+10000), the Montreal Canadiens (+10000), Boston Bruins (+11000), and Buffalo Sabres (+14000).

In the case of the Flyers, this is an implied probability of roughly 1.23%.

Fans of the Pittsburgh Penguins (+28000), Seattle Kraken (+31000), Chicago Blackhawks, and San Jose Sharks (+50000) can safely flush next season down the toilet if the opinions of oddsmakers mean anything.

The Flyers placing ahead of both the Canadiens and the Blue Jackets is a considerable surprise, given that the Canadiens made the playoffs with a 40-31-11 record and 91 points and the Blue Jackets narrowly missed out at 40-33-9 and 89 points.

Meanwhile, the Flyers finished dead-last in the Eastern Conference with a measly 76 points and just 21 regulation wins.

Flyers 2025 Draft Picks Officially Set with Help from Sergei BobrovskyWith help from old friend Sergei Bobrovsky, all of the Philadelphia Flyers draft picks in the 2025 NHL Draft are now set in stone, including their three coveted first-round picks.

Sure, the Canadiens could use some work up front to help ease the burden on captain Nick Suzuki and Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson, but they're about to have a full offseason and regular season of Ivan Demidov.

As for the Blue Jackets, they have an outstanding young core of forwards like Kirill Marchenko, Dmitry Voronkov, Yegor Chinakhov, Adam Fantilli, Kent Johnson, Cole Sillinger, and Gavin Brindley in addition to superstar defenseman Zach Werenski and prospects like Jet Greaves, Corson Ceulemans, Cayden Lindstrom, Denton Mateychuk, and Stanislav Svozil.

Even a slight step forward from these young guns, combined with some additions in free agency to smooth over the edges, should easily spell a playoff berth for Columbus.

The Flyers, on the other hand, don't have the No. 1 centers the Canadiens and the Blue Jackets have, and they don't seem to be optimistic about the prospects of landing one via trade this summer, either.

After all, GM Danny Briere has already said that teams are not giving away centers outside of fourth-line guys, and some of those same teams are also jockeying with the Flyers to move up in the 2025 NHL Draft order.

So long as Briere and the Flyers remain stagnant, they have no chance of making good on these odds, as dismal as they may already be.

With the Florida Panthers’ 5–1 win in Game 6 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals, former Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo is officially a two-time Stanley Cup champion. He, along with former Canucks Jonah Gadjovich and Nate Schmidt, won the championship after four grueling playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes, and Edmonton Oilers. 

This is Luongo’s second Stanley Cup in as many years, as he and the Panthers also won against the Oilers in the 2023–24 season. Prior to that, he and the Canucks came only a hair away from their first in franchise history with a seven-game Stanley Cup Finals series in 2011. Cory Schneider was his goaltending partner at the time and, ironically enough, interviewed Luongo on the ice after his second Stanley Cup win. 

“It’s surreal, does not feel real. Last year was crazy, this year even crazier, to do it again,” Luongo told NHL Network analysts and former players Schneider and Brian Boyle. “When the time came they stepped up and they played the way we know how to play, an unbelievable performance.”  

Energy from the home crowd can be a big part of a team’s playoff wins, as seen from the Abbotsford Canucks’ home-ice success. Luongo, who banged the drum for the Panthers ahead of Game 6, jokingly noted how he was “more nervous for the drum than the game.” 

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Now that the dust has settled around Game 6, one of the most polarizing images to come from the Panthers’ celebrations the night before was a photo of Luongo and Brad Marchand posted from the former’s X account. Marchand, a member of the 2011 Boston Bruins team that took Vancouver to seven games, was acquired by the Panthers at the 2025 Trade Deadline for a conditional second-round draft pick that has now become a first. 

“Bill [Zito] and the team, we get together and work together as a team, we identify guys, we talk it over, we have disagreements, but at the end of the day we always find some guys that we think fit the way we play — we call them Panthers,” Luongo told Schneider and Boyle of Florida’s trade deadline acquisitions and how they have been able to fit seamlessly with the team. 

Now that the Stanley Cup has finally been awarded for the 2025 season, all teams will shift their focus onto the oncoming NHL Entry Draft and Free Agent Frenzy on July 1. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

The Devils made their first big move of the offseason Wednesday, trading veteran forward Erik Haula to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Jeremy Hanzel and a 2025 fourth-round pick.

New Jersey now has seven picks in the 2025 NHL Draft: two second-round picks (NJ and Edmonton via Utah), one third-round pick (Vegas), two fourth-round picks (NJ and Nashville), and two sixth-round picks (NJ and San Jose). The draft begins on Friday, June 27 and goes through Saturday, June 28.

Haula, 34, was entering the final year of his three-year contract ($3.15 million AAV). Over three seasons with the Devils, he totaled 41 goals and 56 assists (97 points) with 140 penalty minutes across 227 games. He was originally a seventh-round pick by the Minnesota Wild in the 2009 NHL Draft and spent time with them, the Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Predators, and Boston Bruins before being acquired by NJ in the Pavel Zacha trade in 2022.

The forward recorded 21 points (nine goals and 12 assists) over 51 games during his first stint with Nashville in the shortened 2020-2021 NHL season.

Hanzel, 22, was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft. He was then acquired by the Predators in March 2024 and spent the 2024-2025 season with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) and Gwinnett Gladiators (ECHL), registering two penalty minutes over four games with Milwaukee and three goals and 19 assists (22 points) with 28 penalty minutes for Gwinnett.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, Hanzel was part of the Seattle Thunderbirds' WHL championship-winning team in 2023. He amassed 149 points (39 goals and 110 assists) in 218 games with Seattle over four seasons, plus 35 points (seven goals and 28 assists) over 41 playoff games.