<h5><strong><img style="margin: 10px; float: right;" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/404/18769147258_46bd7a6467_b.jpg" width="270" />Penguins</strong></h5>
-It doesn't look like the Penguins will be very busy tonight <a target="_blank" href="https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/penguins/2015/06/26/Penguins-scouts-executives-will-have-ringside-seats-for-draft-but-won-t-often-take-part-in-it/stories/201506260178">during the first round of the draft</a>.
-The Penguins seem to be keen <a target="_blank" href="https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/penguins/2015/06/26/Despite-series-of-concussions-Carolina-left-winger-Jeff-Skinner-is-appealing-to-Penguins/stories/201506260164">on Hurricanes forward Jeff Skinner</a>.
-The Penguins' 2015-16 schedule <a target="_blank" href="https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/penguins/2015/06/25/Penguins-have-early-five-game-homestand-this-fall/stories/201506250167">was released</a>.
-Aggressive trading has limited the Penguins ability to draft and develop talent <a target="_blank" href="sports/2013-06-20-18-51-15/empty-netters/44437-win-now-lose-later-06-24-15">over the past decade</a>.
-Penguins forward Nick Spaling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.wellingtonadvertiser.com/comments/index.cfm?articleID=26785">will offer a hockey school in his hometown of Drayton, Ont. this summer</a>.
<h5><strong><span style="text-decoration: line-through;">Neapolitan Ice Cream</span> Metropolitan Division</strong></h5>
-The Hurricanes re-signed pending unrestricted free agent forward Chris Terry <a target="_blank" href="http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/nhl/carolina-hurricanes/article25479658.html">to a one-year deal worth $875,000</a>. Coming off a two-way contract with a salary cap hit of <span class="contract">$600,000, Terry, 26, appeared in 57 games last seaodn and scored 20 points (11 goals, nine assists). </span>
<span class="contract">-<strong>EN Says:</strong> After several seasons in the AHL, Terry broke through as an NHLer last season and reached double-digit figures in goals. He's a depth player. <br data-mce-bogus="1" /></span>
<span class="contract">-The Rangers are fielding trade offers <a target="_blank" href="http://www.northjersey.com/sports/hockey/dealing-talbot-draft-objective-for-blueshirts-1.1363805">for backup goaltender Cam Talbot</a>. <br data-mce-bogus="1" /></span>
<h5><strong><img style="margin: 10px; float: right;" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/358/18980643530_cd76645304_b.jpg" width="270" />Atlantic Division</strong></h5>
-The Senators re-signed forwards Mark Stone (<em>right</em>) to a three-year contract extension worth a total of $10.5 million and Mika Zibanejad <a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/13146464/mark-stone-mika-zibanejad-agree-extensions-ottawa-senators">to a two-year extension worth a total of $5.25 million</a>. Coming off an entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of <span class="contract">$603,333</span>, Stone's new deal will have a cap hit of $3.5 million. Stone, 23, appeared in 80 games last season and scored 64 points (26 goals, 38 assists). Coming off an entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of <span class="contract">$894,166</span>, Zibanejad's new deal will have a cap hit of $2.625 million. Zibanejad, 22, appeared in 80 games last season and scored 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists).
-<strong>EN Says:</strong> The Senators got a bit of a bargain out of each of these deals. As pending restricted free agents, Stone and Zibanejad are coming off break-out seasons. Stone had a marvelous rookie season and was a big part of the Senators' surprising run at a playoff spot last season. He's a dangerous goal scorer near the cage. Zibanejad is a strong two-way player who can play multiple forward positions and has a great skillset. These two players figure to be significant parts of the Senators' future.
-The Bruins are trying to work out a contract <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/06/25/bruins-are-intent-forging-deal-with-dougie-hamilton/OdaFFBcoc5CaIBS42zr2AN/story.html">with pending restricted free agent defenseman Dougie Hamilton</a>.
-The Maple Leafs <a target="_blank" href="http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2015/06/25/maple-leafs-say-phil-kessel-attracting-trade-interest.html">are open to trading forward Phil Kessel</a>.
<h5><strong>Central Division</strong></h5>
-The Avalanche acquired the signing rights to pending unrestricted free agent forward Carl Soderberg from the Bruins <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/06/25/bruins-trade-rights-carl-soderberg-colorado-for-sixth-round-pick/GpWfdt0SJWLhjTvIuIfOjK/story.html">in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2016</a>. Soderberg, 29, is coming off the last year of a contract with a salary cap hit of <span class="contract">$1,008,333</span>. In 82 game last season, Soderberg scored 44 points (13 goals, 31 assists).
-<strong>EN Says:</strong> The Bruins weren't interested in bringing back Soderberg and dealt him away for a draft asset, albeit a low one. For the Avalanche, Soderberg gives them insurance if they choose to move forward Ryan O'Reilly off the roster as has been speculated. Soderberg is a fairly versatile player who can play center and wing. A fairly large body (6-foot-3, 216 pounds), Soderberg offers a two-way game and can be creative with the puck. His biggest issue is inconsistency.
-The Wild is kicking the tires on other goaltenders <a target="_blank" href="http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_28383478/wild-looking-at-other-goalies-case-they-cant">in the event it can't re-sign pending unrestricted free agent goaltender Devan Dubnyk</a>.
<h5><strong><img style="margin: 10px; float: right;" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4142/4875405962_e3c6f9786d_b.jpg" width="270" />Pacific Division</strong></h5>
-Kings forward Jarret Stoll pleaded guilty to two reduced misdemeanor charges <a target="_blank" href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/kings/la-sp-stoll-trial-20150626-story.html">stemming from an April arrest on suspicion of possession of cocaine and Ecstasy in Las Vegas</a>. Stoll's plea-agreement sentence includes performing 32 hours of community service within 120 days.
-The Oilers hired Jay Woodcroft and Jim Johnson (<em>right</em>), a former Penguins defenseman, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/hockey/edmonton-oilers/McLellan+opts+familiar+faces+Oilers/11167620/story.html">as assistant coaches</a>. Each worked as assistant coaches in San Jose under new Oilers head coach Todd McLellan.
-The Ducks are expected to hire former Senators head coach Paul MacLean <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ducks-668795-maclean-year.html">as an assistant coach</a>.
-The Ducks signed pending restricted free agent forward Max Friberg <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ocregister.com/ducks/friberg-668785-year-contract.html">to a two-year two-way contract</a>.
<h5><strong>Patrick Division</strong></h5>
-“<a target="_blank" href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/connor-mcdavid-makes-his-rounds-in-final-days-before-draft/article25126208/"><em>As long as I can remember, playing in the NHL is all I wanted to do. I have worked hard my whole life to get to this point</em></a>.” - Erie Otters forward Connor McDavid. He is expected to be the top overall pick in tonight's draft.
-“<a target="_blank" href="http://sabres.buffalonews.com/2015/06/25/eichel-i-want-to-work-hard-and-try-to-make-the-nhl-next-year/"><em>I don’t think of myself as the next, as you guys call it, a generational player. I don’t look at that at all. I want to work hard and try to make the NHL next year and try to be an impact player. I think that’s the most important thing, but the first step’s the draft tomorrow night, and I’m super excited for it</em></a>." - Boston University forward Jack Eichel, the presumed No. 2 overall pick in tonight's draft.
-NBC Sports will air its own draft show <a target="_blank" href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/how-will-nbcsn-cover-nhl-draft-for-american-fan--by-using-tsn-stars-164242462.html">using TSN on-screen talent</a>.
-Former Lightning/Blackhawks forward Radek Smolenek <a target="_blank" href="https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=hr&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.medvescak.com%2Fkhl%2Fglumac-babovreskyja-2-dobio-ulogu-u-medvescaku-no1816&edit-text=">has joined Medvescak Zagreb, a Croatian team in Russia's KHL</a>.
(<em><strong>Photos:</strong> Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images and Penguins Hockey Cards</em>)
First Published: April 6, 2016, 6:47 p.m.
