Our division rivals in Buffalo made a trade yesterday. The Sabres sent defenseman Michael Kesselring and the 27th overall pick in next week’s NHL Entry Draft to the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday for the 20th overall selection. The 26-year-old Kesselring spent just one season in Buffalo and appeared in only 34 games due to injuries and repeated stretches as a healthy scratch.
After meeting with over 25 candidates, the Toronto Maple Leafs and new general manager John Chayka brought back a familiar face in Jim Hiller to be their next head coach. Hiller was previously an assistant with the Maple Leafs from 2015 to 2019. He replaces Craig Berube, who led the team to a disappointing 32-26-14 record.
The Clarence Campbell Bowl-winning Vegas Golden Knights announced on Wednesday that they have promoted Ryan Craig, who coached their AHL affiliate in nearby Henderson, to lead their NHL team. Craig, who is 44 and will be a first-time NHL head coach, takes over behind the bench for the Golden Knights after their season was ended on Sunday with a 3-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.
The Sabres trade with the Sharks changed the order of the first round of the draft. Here is the revised order.
2026 DRAFT ORDER
1. Toronto Maple Leafs
2. San Jose Sharks
3. Vancouver Canucks
4. Chicago Blackhawks
5. New York Rangers
6. Calgary Flames
7. Seattle Kraken
8. Winnipeg Jets
9. Florida Panthers
10. Nashville Predators
11. St. Louis Blues
12. New Jersey Devils
13. New York Islanders
14. Columbus Blue Jackets
15. St. Louis Blues (from Detroit Red Wings)
16. Washington Capitals
17. Los Angeles Kings
18. Washington Capitals (from Anaheim Ducks)
19. Utah Mammoth
20. Buffalo Sabres (from Edmonton Oilers via San Jose Sharks)
21. Philadelphia Flyers
22. Pittsburgh Penguins
23. Boston Bruins
24. Vancouver Canucks (from Minnesota Wild)
25. Seattle Kraken (from Tampa Bay Lightning)
26. New York Rangers (from Dallas Stars via Carolina Hurricanes)
27. San Jose Sharks (from Buffalo Sabres)
28. Montreal Canadiens
29. St. Louis Blues (from Colorado Avalanche via New York Islanders)
30. Calgary Flames (from Vegas Golden Knights)
31. Carolina Hurricanes
32. Ottawa Senator