NHL Draft Ends With 224 Picks as Leafs, Sabres Lead Trade-Fueled Shakeup
Updated
Updated · ESPN · Jun 27
NHL Draft Ends With 224 Picks as Leafs, Sabres Lead Trade-Fueled Shakeup
3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Jun 27
Summary
Toronto emerged as one of the draft’s biggest winners after taking Gavin McKenna at No. 1 and remaking its roster with trades, including Darren Raddysh’s eight-year, $68 million extension.
Buffalo also drew strong reviews: Jarmo Kekalainen turned Michael Kesselring, Bowen Byram and Jordan Greenway into higher picks, $9.35 million in cap space, Zach Benson’s seven-year $52.5 million deal and defenseman Olen Zellweger.
Michigan State’s resurgence showed up on the board with five commits taken in the first round, while the Rangers boosted their outlook by drafting Alberts Smits at No. 5 and acquiring 37-goal winger Pavel Dorofeyev on a seven-year, $77 million contract.
Vegas landed in the losers column after moving Dorofeyev for picks and forfeiting the 63rd selection, while Chicago was criticized for paying the No. 4 pick to acquire Byram, who can become a free agent next summer.
The week’s wider message was that the seven-round draft became as much about roster power shifts as prospect selection, with rejected extensions and star trade demands reshaping several teams’ plans.