NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly reiterated to teams that discussions with pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) are prohibited before July 1, warning of potential fines and loss of draft picks due to tampering. He expressed discomfort with media commentary suggesting pre-July negotiations.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are actively seeking to trade players, including pending UFAs Lars Eller, Marcus Pettersson, and Drew O’Connor, while maintaining key figures like Evgeni Malkin and coach Mike Sullivan.

Other teams, including the Los Angeles Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets, are navigating player contracts and potential trades as the offseason approaches.