The Calgary Flames have acquired forward Jonathan Huberdeau from the Panthers in exchange for forward Matthew Tkachuk. The Flames will also receive defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, forward prospect Cole Schwindt, and a conditional first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft in the deal. Huberdeau, the former third overall draft pick in 2011, has spent his entire career with the Panthers and put up his best production with 30 goals, 85 assists and 115 points through 80 games this past season. Huberdeau will have a chance to play alongside forward Elias Lindholm in Calgary, and the 29-year-old will be motivated to put up dominant numbers once again as he can become an unrestricted free agent after the 2022-23 NHL season.
The Florida Panthers have acquired forward Matthew Tkachuk from the Flames in exchange for forward Jonathan Huberdeau, defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, forward prospect Cole Schwindt, and a conditional first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Tkachuk has agreed to terms on an eight-year contract that will take him through the 2029-30 season with the Panthers. The deal has an average annual value of $9.5 million, and Tkachuk's move to the Panthers is beneficial for fantasy purposes as he will now get an opportunity to play on one of the league's highest scoring teams after putting up an NHL career-high 42 goals and 104 points during the 2021-22 season.
Winnipeg Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois accepted a one-year, $6 million qualifying offer from the team on Friday. Dubois, the former third overall draft pick in 2016, scored a career-high 28 goals this past season to go along with 32 assists. It was his second 60-plus point season, falling one short of the 61 points from his sophomore season in the NHL. The 24-year-old was traded from the Blue Jackets to the Jets at the beginning of the shortened season in 2021, and he will look to provide value across standard fantasy formats with his all-around production in the second full season with the Jets.
The Seattle Kraken have acquired forward Oliver Bjorkstrand from the Blue Jackets in exchange for a third- and fourth-round pick in the 2023 NHL draft. The 27-year-old had a career year during the 2021-22 NHL season, scoring 28 goals and finishing with 57 points through 80 games. The Blue Jackets needed to trade Bjorkstrand in order to stay below the salary cap after the free-agent signing of forward Johnny Gaudreau and recent contract extension for forward Patrik Laine. Bjorkstrand will have late-round fantasy draft value heading into the upcoming season as a key forward for the Kraken in their second season as a franchise.
Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine has signed a four-year, $34.8 million contract extension with the team on Friday. The 24-year-old was a restricted free agent, and the new deal has an average annual value of $8.7 million. Laine was limited to only 56 games throughout the 2021-22 NHL season, but he had a productive season with 26 goals and 30 assists to lead the team in points per game. Fantasy managers will have high expectations for Laine heading into the upcoming season as he is one of the elite goal scorers in the league when healthy. The Blue Jackets have made improvements to the team, most notably by signing forward Johnny Gaudreau to a seven-year deal at the beginning of free agency.
The Maple Leafs have signed forward Calle Jarnkrok to a four-year, $8.4 million contract, with an average annual value of $2.1 million. The 30-year-old spent the 2021-22 NHL season with the Seattle Kraken and Calgary Flames, while totaling 12 goals, 18 assists and 30 points through 66 games in the regular season. Jarnkrok added four points in 12 Stanley Cup Playoff games, and his postseason experience will benefit the team as he has been in the Playoffs each year since 2015 as a long-time member of the Nashville Predators. Jarnkrok has a chance to set career-highs in goals, assists and points as he joins a dynamic offensive team with the Maple Leafs.
The New Jersey Devils have acquired defenseman John Marino from the Penguins in exchange for defenseman Ty Smith and a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Marino has five seasons remaining on a six-year, $26.4 million contract, while the 25-year-old appeared in 81 regular season games and finished with a career-high 24 assists. Smith, who was drafted 17th overall in 2018, spent the previous two seasons with the Devils and had a solid rookie season. Marino carries more value in re-draft fantasy formats as he is established at the NHL level and the 25-year-old will help the Devils compete after a busy offseason with notable additions to the team.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired defenseman Jeff Petry and forward Ryan Poehling from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for defenseman Mike Matheson and a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Petry's production declined during the 2021-22 NHL season as the 34-year-old scored six goals and finished with 27 points, ending a streak of four consecutive seasons of 40-plus points and double-digit goal totals. Petry has three years remaining on his four-year, $25 million contract, and the veteran defenseman will gain fantasy value from his move to the Penguins heading into the upcoming season.
The Vegas Golden Knights traded sniper Max Pacioretty to Carolina. He and Dylan Coghlan were traded for future considerations, which is a salary dump for the cash-strapped Golden Knights. Pacioretty has been a consistent goal-scorer for most of his 14-year career. Spending 10 years playing for the Habs and another four for Vegas, the forward has netted 323 goals and added 319 helpers. Pacioretty could be a point-producing machine for fantasy managers come October while suiting up for a solid Carolina club.
Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen will be back with the Stanley Cup champions for the 2022-2023 season. He signed a five-year contract worth $4.5 million annually. Colorado will be a strong contender to repeat as champions next season as they have been able to sign five free agents on last year's cup-winning team. Lehkonen logged 19 goals and 19 helpers in 74 regular season contests for the Avalanche. In addition, he played exceptionally well for Colorado in the playoffs.
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