The Chicago Blackhawks have numerous trade targets that make sense for them. The 2025 NHL Draft isn’t producing NHL-ready players out of the gate, and Chicago may not consider pursuing the big-money free agents due to its place in the rebuild. 

That leaves trades as the next option to improve the roster headed into next season. One target that made sense for the Chicago Blackhawks, JJ Peterka, is now off the board. 

The Buffalo Sabres traded Peterka to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan. Buffalo is getting two good players with upside, but Utah is getting a blossoming star who also happens to be young. 

Peterka, 23, is a forward who just had a breakout season on a struggling Sabres team. He scored 27 goals with 41 assists for 68 points in 77 games. He is blossoming into a legitimate star in the NHL. With him on the block, every team was interested. 

Peterka would have looked nice alongside talented players like Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar, but that can’t be the case anymore. Instead, he will join forces with Logan Cooley, Clayton Keller, and a Mammoth team ready to take a step in the standings. 

This isn’t, however, the end of the young talent line on the trade block in the NHL. Kyle Davidson and his staff have options to consider; the first big domino is just off the board. As the draft gets closer, moves will continue to be made across the league. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

LOS ANGELES -- The odds of the New York Islanders drafting Matthew Schaefer No. 1 overall and then finding a way to trade back into the first round to draft Long Island native James Hagens were slim.

But it wasn't zero, and a late trade on Wednesday night may have opened the door for that pipeline dream for the fan base to be a reality. 

Before midnight, the Buffalo Sabres parted ways with young stud forward J.J. Peterka, sending him to the Utah Mammoth. The question was, was Utah's fourth overall pick in play?

It was not. Instead, the Sabres acquired Josh Doan, the son of Arizona Coyotes legend Shane Doan, along with right-side defenseman Matthew Kesselring.

Hearing the JJ Peterka deal to Utah is for Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan.

Three players, no picks.

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) June 26, 2025

Now, the Islanders and the Sabres had talked Peterka for right-side defenseman Noah Dobson. 

Buffalo wanted to acquire a RHD who could play alongside Owen Power. Kesselring isn't that guy, and had Utah moved the fourth overall pick to the Sabres, there was probably still dialogue to be had between Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche and Sabres Kevyn Adams. 

However, with the pick staying in Utah, with them needing a top-flight RHD, is there a situation in which the Islanders could send them Dobson for pick No. 4?

The talk since arriving in Los Angeles has not only been that Utah is actively shopping their pick, but also the fact that Hagens could slide down to as far as No. 10, given the needs of the teams drafting prior. 

It wouldn't be an issue for the Islanders to draft Hagens at No. 4, but it just sounds like he will, in fact, fall on draft night. The farther Hagens does fall, the cheaper it will be to make a deal.

But, an opposing team should be asking for Dobson in any deal for the Hagens pick. 

Keep an eye on the Boston Bruins, who select at No. 7, if Hagens falls that far. There's been dialogue between them and the Islanders. 

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PHOTO: David Reginek-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Blues and New York Islanders are apparently each testing the market on key pieces of their core.

Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche is doing his due diligence on 25-year-old defenseman Noah Dobson, who is a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

And there is word that the Blues are one of those teams that have inquired about the D-man, and general manager Doug Armstrong is quietly seeing what the market is for 27-year-old Jordan Kyrou, who is entering the third season of an eight-year deal worth $8.125 million.

His full no-trade clause kicks in July 1, and there is no indication – yet – that the two are tied together, but it is an intriguing possibility.

Both are talented players, but each provides an obstacle for his respective organization.

Dobson, who recorded just 39 points (10 goals, 29 assists) in 71 games, is now a year removed from his 70-point campaign. He and his agency have given the Islanders their number, per industry sources. They can either match that number – the price tag is closer to $10 million than $11 million, which was reported – or they can move him.

Ironically enough, Kyrou reached the 70-point mark this past season, the third time he’s done so in his seven-year NHL career. He recorded 36 goals, one short of his career high, and 34 assists in 82 games.

There is no indication the Blues are willing to move Kyrou, more so listening to see what teams would offer for him before making the full commitment of the remainder of his contract, which includes five years of a full no-trade and the final year of a modified 15-team no-trade list.

Kyrou and Robert Thomas signed matching eight-year contracts July 13, 2022.

Here’s Armstrong on Monday when asked about Kyrou’s no-trade kicking in July 1.

“It’s just part of the process,” he said. “When you’re signing contracts to young players that you think are going to be in your top four forwards or top three D, it’s just standard. They don’t sign it without that. Dates come and go in our business. Whether it’s a no-trade clause kicking in or a trade deadline or whatever. It is what it is.”

While Kyrou is under contract, a long-term deal that includes a full no-trade clause, the Blues have just north of $15.5 million in available cap space and would welcome the chance to get younger on their backend.

Although the Blues have no defensemen coming off the books, Justin Faulk and Nick Leddy aren’t getting any younger.

They would have to move out a veteran or two (Faulk and/or Leddy would be obvious choices) to make the dollars make sense, and not saying that a Dobson-for-Kyrou (or more) swap has been discussed, but it makes for an intriguing option for either side.

The only reason the Blues would even consider something if they deal Kyrou is the leverage they’d lose on July 1, so the clock is ticking on whatever decision they make.

If the Blues are interested in Dobson, he would provide a coveted right-hand defenseman and would be a 1A/1B type with Colton Parayko, play lots of minutes and be an instant power-play quarterback, so it makes sense for them to inquire. In the past two seasons, Dobson has averaged 24:31 and 23:16 ice time.

For the Islanders, moving Dobson for a top-six forward who can play alongside Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat – or either one if Barzal is moved back to center – is critical, especially with the Islanders not having the necessary cap space to upgrade that position in free agency.

For the Blues, the only way they would part with Kyrou is if they were upgrading at his position. Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson’s name has been mentioned as well as a potential trade candidate. Would a Kyrou-for-Robertson trade make sense if there's no deal to be had for Dobson?

A trade would work out financially for both sides, as the Islanders could fit Kyrou’s $8.13 million on the books if they don’t have to pay Dobson. St. Louis would have north of $23 million in available cap space and could fit Dobson’s price and term.

The question is, how eager are the Blues to move Kyrou, and how eager are the Islanders to move Dobson, if at all?

The expectation is that, by Friday, there will be more clarity on how the Islanders are going to proceed with Dobson.

Right now on the Kyrou front, it’s more smoke than fire, but with their belief in 2022 first-round pick Jimmy Snuggerud and how he was utilized in his early stages of his NHL career, the organization feels he has the tools to be an offensive weapon and someone who showed an uncanny willingness to play a solid 200-foot game.

Stay tuned.

The Hockey News New York Islanders site editor Stefen Rosner contributed to this report.

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LOS ANGELES – The New York Islanders and St. Louis Blues are apparently each testing the market on key pieces of their core.

Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche is doing his due diligence on 25-year-old defenseman Noah Dobson, who is a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

And there is word that the Blues are one of those teams that have inquired -- "poked around" --  about the D-man, and general manager Doug Armstrong is quietly seeing what the market is for 27-year-old Jordan Kyrou, who is entering the third season of an eight-year deal worth $8.125 million, per PuckPedia.

His full no-trade clause kicks in July 1, and there is no indication – yet – that the two are tied together. 

Both are talented players, but each provides an obstacle for his respective organization.

Dobson, who recorded just 39 points (10 goals, 29 assists) in 71 games, is now a year removed from his 70-point campaign. He and his agency have given the Islanders their number, per industry sources. They can either match that number – the price tag is closer to $10 million than the $11 million that was initially reported – or they can move him.

Ironically enough, Kyrou reached the 70-point mark this past season, the third time he’s done so in his seven-year NHL career. He recorded 36 goals, one short of his career high, and 34 assists in 82 games.

There is no indication the Blues are willing to move Kyrou, more so listening to see what teams would offer for him before making the full commitment of the remainder of his contract, which includes five years of a full no-trade and the final year of a modified 15-team no-trade list.

Kyrou and Robert Thomas signed matching eight-year contracts July 13, 2022.

Here’s Armstrong on Monday when asked about Kyrou’s no-trade kicking in July 1.

“It’s just part of the process,” he said. “When you’re signing contracts to young players that you think are going to be in your top four forwards or top three D, it’s just standard. They don’t sign it without that. Dates come and go in our business. Whether it’s a no-trade clause kicking in or a trade deadline or whatever. It is what it is.”

While Kyrou is under contract, a long-term deal that includes a full no-trade clause, the Blues have just north of $15.5 million in available cap space and would welcome the chance to get younger on their backend.

Although the Blues have no defensemen coming off the books, Justin Faulk and Nick Leddy aren’t getting any younger.

They would have to move out a veteran or two (Faulk and/or Leddy would be obvious choices) to make the dollars make sense, and not saying that a Dobson-for-Kyrou (or more) swap has been discussed, but it makes for an intriguing option for either side.

The only reason the Blues would even consider something if they deal Kyrou is the leverage they’d lose on July 1, so the clock is ticking on whatever decision they make.

If the Blues are interested in Dobson, he would provide a coveted right-hand defenseman and would be a 1A/1B type with Colton Parayko, play lots of minutes, and be an instant power-play quarterback, so it makes sense for them to inquire.

For the Islanders, moving Dobson for a top-six forward who can play alongside Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat – or either one if Barzal is moved back to center – is critical, especially with the Islanders not having the necessary cap space to upgrade that position in free agency.

For the Blues, the only way they would part with Kyrou is if they were upgrading at his position. Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson’s name has been mentioned as well as a potential trade candidate. Would a Kyrou-for-Robertson trade make sense? 

A trade would work out financially for both sides, as the Islanders could fit Kyrou’s $8.13 million on the books if they don’t have to pay Dobson. St. Louis would have north of $23 million in available cap space and could fit Dobson’s price and term.

The question is, how eager are the Blues to move Kyrou, and how eager are the Islanders to move Dobson?

The expectation is that, by Friday, there will be more clarity on how the Islanders are going to proceed with Dobson.

The Utah Mammoth, who are shopping the fourth overall pick, could use a Dobson as well – a potential trade that would likely allow the Islanders to draft Long Island native James Hagens.

Right now on the Kyrou front, it’s more smoke than fire, but with their belief in 2022 first-round pick Jimmy Snuggerud and how he was utilized in his early stages of his NHL career, the organization feels he has the tools to be an offensive weapon and someone who showed an uncanny willingness to play a solid 200-foot game.

Stay tuned.

The Hockey News St. Louis Blues site editor Lou Korac contributed to this report.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly grinding away with John Tavares and Matthew Knies' camps to get contracts signed before July 1.

Tavares, 34, is an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and has consistently expressed his desire to remain in Toronto beyond this season. However, there have been reports that the veteran forward could fetch a much higher annual average value on the open market.

Knies turns 23 this October and will become a restricted free agent on July 1. Although the Maple Leafs hold his negotiation rights, any team can send him an offer sheet once he becomes an RFA.

According to TSN's Darren Dreger, Tavares, Knies, and the Maple Leafs aren't interested in letting these contract negotiations go beyond July 1.

"Well, to quote a source close to the situation, [the two sides are] grinding away, and it's been that way for the last number of days. But you can see that the end is coming, especially with Tavares, who's an unrestricted free agent as of July 1st," Dreger reported.

"He's made it abundantly clear that he'd like to stay and finish his career in Toronto, so there is a mutual appetite to get something done. I feel like progress was made on this day (Wednesday).

"I'd say the same thing with Matthew Knies. A little bit different because he's a restricted free agent, but I know that Brad Treliving, the general manager for the Toronto Maple Leafs, looks at both of those guys as priorities, and I think that he'd prefer to get something done, again sooner rather than later, so that he's got a clear deck going into July 1, and open to shop."

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Tavares fought off Father Time this season, scoring 74 points in 75 games. Tavares' 38 goals tied his second-best goalscoring season, and were nine shy of his 47-goal campaign in his first year as a Maple Leaf in 2018-19.

With his seven-year, $77 million contract concluding, the Maple Leafs reportedly hoped to extend him long-term so that his cap hit could remain low, thus allowing Toronto to add more via free agency.

On Saturday, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reported that Tavares' camp and the Maple Leafs weren't close on an extension. However, this news from Dreger on Wednesday should offer Maple Leaf fans some relief ahead of a fascinating offseason.

Mikael Granlund: A Viable Replacement If The Maple Leafs Don't Re-Sign John Tavares?John Tavares has made it clear he wants to remain a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, but the club and the player are reportedly struggling to find a middle ground on a fair contract. At market value, it’s been speculated that Tavares could fetch a 3-year, $7.5 million contract extension, much like his former New York Islanders teammate Brock Nelson just inked with the Colorado Avalanche. Alternatively, Matt Duchene's recent contract extension in Dallas, where the forward signed for just $4.5 million per season, offers a different perspective.

The same goes for the news on Knies.

After a massive rookie season, Knies followed it up with another career year. His 29 goals and 29 assists in 78 games were his highest total yet in the NHL. Pin that together with his 182 hits, the third-most on the Maple Leafs, and the forward had a monster season.

He himself expressed his desire to remain a Maple Leaf at the team's locker cleanout day in May. If he does reach July 1 without a contract, there's always a chance a team could send him an offer sheet. But from how he spoke after being eliminated by the Florida Panthers, I wouldn't say he's keen on signing an offer sheet.

And he'd need to agree to it for Toronto to be on the clock to match it.

Report: Clubs View Vegas Golden Knights As 'Team To Beat' In Mitch Marner Sweepstakes As Maple Leafs Free Agent Hits MarketWith the NHL Draft and free agency fast approaching, the league is buzzing with activity, and no name is generating more speculation than Mitch Marner. While teams prepare for the draft, there is widespread debate about where the top free agent will end up.

The Maple Leafs drafted Knies in the second round (57th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft. After two full seasons, Knies has proved he's beginning to understand how to use his massive 6-foot-3, 227-pound frame against his opponents.

With Mitch Marner likely on the way out (according to reports), Toronto has $25.7 million in cap space available. That number will decrease if, and when, Tavares and Knies agree to extensions with the Maple Leafs, but it's turning out to be an intriguing offseason for Treliving and co.

(Top photo: Dan Hamilton / Imagn Images)

In one of his latest pieces for The Athletic, insider Pierre LeBrun wrote that Montreal Canadiens’ GM Kent Hughes is particularly active in the run-up to the draft. He confirms what most have been suspecting for a while, given how shallow the market is for a second-line center, the Habs may decide to go for an impact top-six player even if he is not a center.

Given how Jeff Gorton spoke at the end-of-season press conference, this shouldn’t come as a great surprise to anyone. In early May, the Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations said that a talented winger can be the driving force behind a line.

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With Matt Duchene re-upping with the Dallas Stars, Jonathan Toews electing to make his comeback with the Winnipeg Jets, and Trevor Zegras being traded to the Philadelphia Flyers, the market for a second-line center is getting even more shallow.

According to LeBrun, the Canadiens are seeking a trade partner interested in a package of one or both of their first-round picks and prospects. The insider warns that they won’t push it; if the price tag is higher than what they’re comfortable with, they’ll walk away from the table. That also makes perfect sense, given that both Hughes and Gorton were adamant at the end of the season that the surprise qualification for the playoffs wouldn’t prompt them to rush their rebuild.

There have been rumblings recently about the Canadiens being interested in Brock Boeser, who is set to hit free agency on July 1st, and they are also in the running for Rasmus Andersson on the blueline. More often than not, though, Hughes has a knack for surprising everyone with his deals, making it hard to predict which way the Canadiens could be looking right now.

Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

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Yeah, the Philadelphia Flyers can't simply go out and trade for everyone they want, but the J.J. Peterka trade between the Buffalo Sabres and Utah Mammoth will leave many fans scratching their heads.

On Wednesday night, multiple reports indicated that the Mammoth and Sabres had agreed to a swap of players, with Peterka heading to Utah and forward Josh Doan and defenseman Michael Kesselring heading to Buffalo.

Immediately after, it was reported that Peterka agreed to a five-year contract with the Mammoth worth $7.7 million annually.

Peterka, 23, scored a career-high 68 points this season in addition to 27 goals. The young German isn't much of a power play producer and is equal parts defensive liability and speed demon.

All in all, Peterka is a buccaneering player with some warts, but also dynamite offensive potential that allows him to turn games on their heads in a flash - literally.

Peterka had previously been linked to Philadelphia in some very recent Flyers trade rumors, though the price was said to be too great.

Flyers Have New Trade-Up Possibility in NHL DraftIf the

Well, unless the Flyers were adamant about not giving up a specific player, the price really wasn't that great.

Doan will become a good middle-six winger at his peak, though his true ceiling in terms of production remains questionable. Kesselring is who he is: a big, 6-foot-5 right-shot defender, which the Sabres need, and a player with good underlying analytics at that.

After the Trevor Zegras trade, the Flyers didn't get greedy with Peterka, though the price, at least on the surface, appeared to be more than reasonable.

Hypothetically, if the Flyers traded for and signed Peterka in addition to Zegras, they'd still have roughly $7.3 million in remaining cap space to sign Cam York and Jakob Pelletier.

And that's with Ivan Fedotov still on the NHL roster and Ryan Ellis not on LTIR.

Given Peterka's player profile, it's likely the Flyers see Owen Tippett as their own version of him, and they've already invested in Tippett with an eight-year, $49.6 million deal.

The big difference is that Tippett, who is, in fairness, much more physical, has yet to flirt with 60 points, while the younger Peterka nearly reached 70 points playing on the disaster that was the Buffalo Sabres this season.

Regardless of if it's Tippett or Peterka, the Flyers, now led by a new voice in Rick Tocchet, still need to find ways to coax more consistency out of their rush-dependent forwards.

If they can't, it doesn't matter which players they trade for and how cheap they came on the NHL trade market.