Tavares can begin talking with interested teams Monday - one week out from July 1, when he's set to become an unrestricted free agent. The fact Tavares has elected to speak with other teams does not rule out the possibility that he could re-sign with the Islanders, as LeBrun notes.
Tavares is coming off his ninth season with the Islanders. He tallied 37 goals and 84 points in 82 games for the second-most productive campaign of his career.
The deal is reportedly comes with an average annual value of $6.25 million, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.
Kovalchuk is 35 years old and five years removed from the NHL, but he has remained productive overseas, collecting 31 goals and 63 points in 53 games this past season with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL.
"We are excited to add Ilya to the LA Kings organization. He gives us an added element of skill and scoring along with a desire to win. We will withhold further comment until July 1," said Kings general manager Rob Blake.
One thing immediately stands out with Noel: his size. The 17-year-old has an NHL frame, and along with a reliable set of hands, has potential to develop into a steady net-front presence in the pros.
Noel is still a raw prospect, likely a couple years away from NHL service time, but holds the tools to be a worthwhile gamble. He entered the draft as the 10th-ranked North American skater, but his consistency in shooting the puck could use some work as he continues his path in the Panthers's organization.
"He's a young kid and it's scary to think about the player he'll be when he's fully developed. His skating is as close to NHL ready when he wants to skate. He can drive you wide and get around you, and he's got quick acceleration to separate himself from anyone," Karl Stewart of NHL Central Scouting said.
There is room for only 31 on Day 1, but Day 2 of the NHL draft is a totally different animal.
In rapid fashion, 186 players will be selected over the final six rounds Saturday.
Here are five names to watch.
SERRON NOEL, forward
Pre-draft projection: Rounds 1-2. He was listed 10th on NHL Central Scouting’s ranking of North American skaters, while HockeyProspect.com put him 21st among draft-eligible players.
The backstory: Noel is the son of Dean Noel, a former CFL running back. He calls Canada's capital home, and grew up in the Ottawa Senators' minor hockey system. Describing him as a Day 1 "faller" might be a stretch, but he's the type of player who will be labeled a steal once the madness wraps up in Dallas.
The draft info: Noel is raw - and that's a compliment. He is a tremendous skater for his size (6-foot-5, 205 pounds) and has improved all aspects of his game by leaps and bounds over the past couple of seasons. The right winger racked up 28 goals and 25 assists in 62 games with the Oshawa Generals last season and is due to wreak havoc on the OHL in 2018-19. A feather in Noel's cap: six points in five games at the highly competitive world U18 tournament in April.
BODE WILDE, defenseman
Pre-draft projection: Rounds 1-2. He was listed 17th on NHL Central Scouting’s ranking of North American skaters, while HockeyProspect.com had him 31st among draft-eligible players.
The backstory: Wilde's been a highly touted blue-liner since his early teens. The dual citizen was born in Montreal but grew up and still lives in the Detroit area. He is a product of the USNTDP and, in many scouts' opinion, a first-round talent. A son to skiers, Wilde is named after Olympic skier Bode Miller.
The draft info: Wilde checks off many boxes. He has a pro body (6-foot-4 and 198 pounds at 18), is a great skater, and brings game-breaking abilities. However, he lags behind his peers in the cost-benefit department. Oftentimes, Wilde chooses the riskier option, rushing the puck or forcing a pass instead of playing it safe. His 2018-19 whereabouts are in limbo, as news leaked last week that the right-hander will not attend the University of Michigan this fall. The Saginaw Spirit own his OHL rights.
JAKUB SKAREK, goalie
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
Pre-draft projection: Rounds 2-3. He was listed second on NHL Central Scouting's ranking of European goalies, while HockeyProspect.com had him 53rd among draft-eligible players.
The backstory: Skarek has honed his skills exclusively in the Czech youth, junior, and pro systems, climbing the ranks without a hitch. Though this year's crop of goalies is considered so-so, there are some intriguing netminders, including Skarek. Upper-echelon goalie prospects tend to go off the board in bundles on Day 2 - once one team pulls the trigger, the floodgates open.
The draft info: Skarek's name may ring a bell due to his poor showing at the 2018 world juniors. The big-bodied, athletic Czech allowed 14 goals on 92 shots for a team headlined by Filip Zadina and Martin Necas. Back home, Skarek posted a .913 save percentage in 21 games in the top domestic league before his club, HC Dukla Jihlava, was relegated. Next season, the 18-year-old is Finland-bound, as Liiga's Lahden Pelicans inked him to a deal in May.
BLADE JENKINS, forward
Pre-draft projection: Rounds 3-5. He was listed 26th on NHL Central Scouting’s ranking of North American skaters, while HockeyProspect.com had him 164th among draft-eligible players.
The backstory: Jenkins is a true Michigan boy. He was born in Jackson, played his minor hockey in Detroit, spent a season with the USNTDP in Ann Arbor, and now skates in Saginaw for the OHL's Spirit. His dad is ex-ECHLer Todd Jenkins. Bonus: his fantastic name sounds like something straight out of a fictional hockey book.
The draft info: One of the youngest prospects in the entire 2018 class, Jenkins doesn't turn 18 until August. The right-handed center posted solid numbers for an OHL rookie this past season, contributing 20 goals and 24 assists in 68 games. He is lauded by scouts for his superior hockey sense. At 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, size is not an issue.
LIAM KIRK, forward
Pre-draft projection: Rounds 6-7. He was listed 65th on NHL Central Scouting’s ranking of European skaters, while HockeyProspect.com had him 113th among all draft-eligible players.
The backstory: Kirk is a world champion, although he earned his gold medal in a group most hockey fans ignore. The 6-foot-2, 161-pounder helped Great Britain win the Division I tournament in April. And he might make history in Dallas - if selected, he'd become the first NHL draft pick born and trained in England. In other words, he's the quintessential sentimental choice as Day 2 winds down.
The draft info: Kirk, 18, is a speedy left-handed forward who recorded nine goals and seven assists in 52 pro games this past season as a member of the Elite Ice Hockey League's Sheffield Steelers. Next season, in an attempt to further his development, Kirk plans to dress for whichever junior club selects him in next week's 2018 CHL Import Draft.
Reports at the end of May indicated a potential rift between Pens head coach Mike Sullivan and the 92-point man over Kessel's frustration with not playing enough minutes on superstar Evgeni Malkin's wing in the postseason. And earlier this week, it was reported that Kessel would even consider a trade out of Pittsburgh.
Sullivan attempted to clear the air about their relationship on Friday.
"My relationship with Phil has been the same for three seasons," Sullivan said, according to Josh Yohe of The Athletic.
"It hasn't changed. It's evolved because we've been through different experiences both as a group and as individuals. But my relationship with Phil is the same as it's always been. It's one of mutual respect. That's how I see it."
The Penguins came up short of the final this season, but the team has been consistently successful over the last handful of years. Much of that has to do with both Kessel and Sullivan, so reports of conflict between the two came as somewhat of a surprise.
"Phil had a great season for us," Sullivan said. "He had one of the best seasons of his career. He was one of our better players for a lot of the season. He's a guy who helped contribute and put our team in position to compete for the Stanley Cup."
Sullivan added, "The reality is, our relationship is as good as it's ever been."
Regardless of Kessel's rumored willingness to accept a deal elsewhere, he remains under contract with the Penguins for another four seasons at a cap hit of $6.8 million ($1.2 million is still paid by the Toronto Maple Leafs).
The NHL draft kicked off Friday night with a touching tribute to the Humboldt Broncos. Team president Kevin Garinger accepted the 2018 E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence, given annually to the prospect "who best exemplifies the commitment to excellence through strength of character, competitiveness and athleticism as selected by NHL Central Scouting," on behalf of the Broncos team.
After tears were wiped away, things got weird.
Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka went off the board and took Barrett Hayton of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds fifth overall. The league’s other 30 GMs seemingly took that as permission to do whatever they pleased, and the resulting chaos left quite a bit of confusion in its wake.
Joe Veleno, the first player to obtain exceptional status and play in the QMJHL at age 15, fell to the Detroit Red Wings at 30th overall (he’d been ranked consistently in the top 10 by many for most of the season). Bode Wilde and Serron Noel fell out of the first round entirely. Suffice to say no one could’ve predicted exactly how the 2018 first round played out.
Here are our winners and losers after Day 1.
Winners
Washington Capitals: Before the draft began, the Capitals traded Brooks Orpik and Philipp Grubauer to the Avalanche for Colorado's second-rounder at 47th overall. The trade dumps Orpik’s cap hit and leaves Washington room to sign pending unrestricted free-agent defenseman John Carlson, which is expected to happen over the weekend. That's great news for a team that wants to try to win a second straight Stanley Cup.
Colorado Avalanche (conditionally): According to Joe Sakic, the Avalanche intend to either trade or buy out Orpik. If that happens, they got Grubauer for a second-round pick and that trade, one for one, looks good for them, too.
Buffalo Sabres: Rasmus Dahlin is a literal game-changer for the franchise. Yow.
Detroit Red Wings: Boy, things are looking up for Red Wings general manager Ken Holland after last year’s forgettable draft. Taking Michael Rasmussen when several better players were still on the board was widely criticized. He didn’t make that mistake this year. Filip Zadina fell to sixth overall, and Holland practically swan-dove onto the stage to select him. Later, Veleno fell to 30th, and you can bet Holland didn’t miss there, either. A great first day for him and Detroit.
New York Islanders: With back-to-back picks at 11 and 12, the Islanders selected Oliver Wahlstrom (who should not have fallen to 11th) and Noah Dobson (who probably shouldn't have dropped to 12th). Take a minute and imagine Wahlstrom playing with Mat Barzal.
Ryan Merkley: Lots of pre-draft chatter had Merkley’s boom-or-bust style and reports of attitude problems knocking him out of the first round. The San Jose Sharks took a chance on him at 21st overall, and if he turns into the player his ceiling suggests he could be, the Sharks will reap major benefits.
Losers
Arizona Coyotes: John Chayka knows what he’s doing in a lot of situations, but taking center Barrett Hayton at fifth overall was a head-scratcher. While Hayton is a solid player, he’s not a game-breaking, top-10 talent. Who knows, though, a few years down the road, we could be proven wrong.
Ottawa Senators: Let’s make one thing clear: the Senators aren’t on this list because they drafted Brady Tkachuk. Tkachuk, while not the best player available at fourth overall, is a very good player. But it feels like by choosing to keep this year’s pick, with the uncertainty surrounding Erik Karlsson and with chances being good the Senators are worse next year, Ottawa's sealed its fate. Next year’s first-round pick goes to the Avalanche, and the Senators are really going to regret it if that pick somehow turns into Jack Hughes. Colorado sure hopes it does.
Philadelphia Flyers: This one is a maybe, because their first pick at 14th overall, Joel Farabee, is a fantastic player. But their second pick is suspect. Jay O’Brien would be a good mid-second-round pick, but the Flyers grabbed him at 19. While no one outside the draft floor knows the chatter that took place, surely O’Brien wasn’t such a hot commodity that the Flyers couldn’t trade down and still get him.
"We're close," MacLellan told reporters after the first round of the NHL draft in Dallas on Friday night, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "Hopefully we get something done in the next couple of days."
