Note: The following moves occurred on June 28 before 6 PM ET. Any notable subsequent trades involving NHL players during the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft will be blogged in a separate post after that round is completed.
the New Jersey Devils Signboard Timo Meyer for eight years at a value of $70.4 million. The average annual value is $8.8 million.
Bystander note: Meyer, 26, is now the Devils’ highest paid tackler and second highest paid player after Dougie Hamilton (9 million US dollars).
Join the demons in a bargain San Jose Sharks Prior to the March trade deadline, he had nine goals and 14 points in 21 regular season games with the Devils. Including his totals with the Sharks, he finished the regular season with 40 goals and 66 points in 78 games.
Signing Meyer now gives the Devils a great core for scoring forwards and joining Jack HughesAnd Nico HischerAnd Jesper PrattAnd Dawson MercerAnd Ondrej Balat and acquired recently Tyler Tufoli. It will be difficult to contain this club offensively next season.
the Vegas Golden Knights commerce Riley Smith to Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a third round pick in 2024. They also re-signed Ivan Barbashev to a five-year, $25 million contract.
Bystander note: With salary cap room, the Golden Knights are forced to replace one of the few remaining “misfits” from their original expansion roster to free up dollars to re-sign Barbashev.
Smith, 32, was one of the six best tackles in Vegas, coming off his fourth 50-plus season (56) in six years. Holds $5 million AAV through 2024-25. He has a no-trade clause of 12 teams for 2022-23. In all likelihood, penguins did not exist.
Penguins try to build around aging stars Sidney CrosbyAnd Evgeny Malkin And Chris Letang For a quick turnaround after missing the playoffs this season. Smith should fit right in alongside Crosby or Malkin in the top two lines. It is likely to replace the suspended UFA winger Jason Zucker.
Barbashev, 27, is five years younger than Smith, and plays a more physical style. I have been removed for a year from performing 60 points with St. Louis Blues.
Acquired from the Blues before the trade deadline, he had 16 points in 23 regular season games with Vegas, finishing the season with 45 points. He also had 18 points in 22 playoff games to help the Golden Knights win their first Stanley Cup.
the Colorado Avalanche acquired straight ahead Ross Colton from Tampa Bay Lightning In exchange for the 37th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Bystander note: Avalanche wasted little time filling in after trading Alex Newhawk To the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. Colton, 26, is a versatile forward at quarterback with Stanley Cup experience and should fit in well with the Avs. He’s a restricted free agent with arbitration rights but should be an affordable re-signer.
Salary cap restrictions force Lightning to lose one more player while roster depth continues to dwindle. Some people envisioned Colton as a potential replacement for Alex Killorn If left as an unrestricted free agent.
This move also gives the Lightning one pick in the first five rounds. The second rounder originally belonged to the Canadiens, who shipped him to the Avalanche in a Newhook deal.