Free agent buzz: Hayes, pick traded to Penguins by Blues

Welcome to the NHL free agency buzz. Free agency begins Monday and teams are either signing their players, trading them away or making plans to move on without them. Here's a look around the League at the latest doings:

Pittsburgh Penguins

Kevin Hayes was traded to the Penguins from the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.

The Blues, who received future considerations, also sent a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft to the Penguins

The 32-year-old forward had 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists) in 79 games with St. Louis this season.

Hayes has two years remaining on a seven-year, $50 million contract he signed with the Philadelphia Flyers on June 18, 2019.

Selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round (No. 24) for the 2010 NHL Draft, Hayes has 415 points (168 goals, 247 assists) in 713 regular-season games for the Blues, Flyers, Jets and New York Rangers and 26 points (eight goals, 18 assists) in 56 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Los Angeles Kings

Tanner Jeannot was acquired by the Kings in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.

The Lightning received a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in 2025.

The 27-year-old forward had 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 55 regular-season games for the Lightning this season and one assist in four Stanely Cup Playoff games.

Jeannot had been acquired by the Lightning from the Nashville Predators on Feb. 26, 2023, for defenseman Cal Foote and five draft picks.

Jeannot has 80 points (42 goals, 38 assists) and 314 penalty minutes in 227 regular-season games for the Lightning and Predators and three assists in 16 playoff games.

Vegas Golden Knights

Akira Schmid and Alexander Holtz were acquired by the Golden Knights from the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

The Devils received forward Paul Cotter and a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Schmid was 5-9-1 with a 3.15 goals-against average and .895 save percentage in 19 regular-season games (15 starts) for the Devils last season. He is 14-18-3 with a 2.90 GAA, .899 save percentage and one shutout in 43 regular-season games (33 starts). The 24-year-old is 4-4 with a 2.35 GAA, .921 save percentage and two shutouts in nine Stanley Cup Playoff games (eight starts).

"It's quite likely that he'll be our No. 3 goaltender and play based out of Henderson (in the American Hockey League)," Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. "He is waiver-exempt, so that allows us to potentially go to the market Monday and add another goaltender that might slot in as the No. 2. That'll give us, we think, real good depth at that position."

Holtz, a 22-year-old forward, had 28 points (16 goals, 12 assists) in 82 regular-season games and has 34 points (19 goals, 15 assists) in 110 regular-season games.

"We're taking a swing at his upside and what a change can do sometimes for young players," McCrimmon said. "Still a young player we think is going to fit into our lineup, contribute and grow his game. Offensive ability, talent, goal scoring. He's got a good shot, creative offensively. ... We think Holtz has untapped potential that we feel we can unlock here, to some degree, with the opportunity."

Cotter had an NHL career-high 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists) in 76 regular-season games for Vegas this season. The 24-year-old forward has 45 points (22 goals, 23 assists) in 138 regular-season games.

Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres acquired Beck Malenstyn from the Washington Capitals on Saturday for a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

The 26-year-old forward had an NHL career-high 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in 81 regular-season games for the Capitals this season and no points in four Stanley Cup Playoff games.

He can become a restricted free agent on Monday.

Selected by Washington in the fifth round (No. 145) of the 2016 NHL Draft, Malenstyn has 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists) in 105 regular-season games.

Boston Bruins

The Bruins acquired Vinni Lettieri and a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft from the Minnesota Wild on Saturday for Jakub Lauko and a fourth-round pick in 2024.

Lettieri, a 29-year-old forward, had nine points (five goals, four assists) in 46 games for the Wild last season. he has 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 129 regular-season games for the Wild, Bruins, Anaheim Ducks and New York Rangers.

Lauko, a 24-year-old forward, had 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 60 regular-season games for the Bruins this season and one goal in five Stanley Cup Playoff games.

He has 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 83 regular-season games and two points (one goal, one assist) in eight playoff games.

San Jose Sharks

Luke Kunin signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Sharks on Sunday.

The 26-year-old forward, who could have become a restricted free agent Monday, had 18 points (11 goals, seven assists) in 77 games for San Jose this season.

Selected by the Minnesota Wild in the first round (No. 15) of the 2016 NHL Draft, Kunin has 124 points (62 goals, 62 assists) in 359 regular-season games for the Sharks, Nashville Predators and Wild and five points (four goals, one assist) in 14 Stanley Cup Playoff games. 

NHL.com director, senior fantasy editor Pete Jensen contributed to this report