The Los Angeles Kings were recently linked to Sidney Crosby, but it's time to shut any speculation down before it gets out of hand.
Frank Seravalli: Re Sidney Crosby: I think there's been some teams, or a short list, Montreal, LA Kings, Avalanche, those are the teams have been talked about, but he hasn't shown any interest...in moving - Bleacher Report (Jul 15)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) July 17, 2025
Sorry to say, but there isn't a short list, there aren't any teams being talked about, and pundit Frank Seravalli has made this up. Crosby has been very clear that he doesn't want to play anywhere but for the Pittsburgh Penguins, so claiming there are teams behind the scenes, or "have been talked about" that are interested is simply clickbait.
He did start it off with "I think," which turns this away from being a true report, but Crosby has stated numerous times he won't play anywhere else. To think differently is wrong.
I would love to have Crosby on the Kings as well, considering how strong his playoff performances have been in the past, but it's not realistic at all; he will never leave the Penguins.
A new Chelebration Event and Community Request cards are live now in NHL 25 Hockey Ultimate Team.
The four Community Request cards are 97 overall Eric Daze, Milan Hejduk, Kaiden Guhle, and Rasmus Ristolainen. A screen will pop up when players open NHL 25 and you make your vote there.
The five new master set players for the Chelebration event are 97 overall Doug Weight, Matt Rempe, Sheldon Souray, Tyler Myers, and Jacob Markstrom.
These MSPs can be acquired by trading in any thre 94+ Chelebration cards and any two 94+ cards. Players can also trade in MSPs with their corresponding team jersey for a fan pack.
Players can trade in any three 90+ cards for a 92+ Chelebration card and any three 92+ Chelebration cards for a 94+ player.
A free redeemable collectible pack is available daily in the HUT Store. Players can trade in collectibles for Chelebration player packs.
The Chelebration base cards are full of tall players and are led by 97 overall Henrik Tikkanen, 96 Gordie Howe and Logan Stanley, and 95 overall Tyler Seguin and Valeri Nichushkin.
The NHL put together a list of the top ten forwards in the league who are under the age of 25. One Minnesota Wild player made the list at No. 3.
Tim Stutzle of the Ottawa Senators was first on the list and Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils was second. Wild's Matt Boldy ranked third on the list.
Boldy, 24, is coming off his fourth season in the NHL all with the Wild. He has 102 goals, 142 assists, and 244 points in 285 career games.
The 6-foot-2 forward posted a career-high in games played (82), assists (46), points (73), game-winning goals (10), shots (271), and overtime goals (2) during the 2024-25 season.
This past season, the Washington Capitals were the second-best team in the NHL (111 points), but then there was a major drop with the remaining Metro Division playoff teams.
The Carolina Hurricanes finished at No. 10 (99 points), while the New Jersey Devils (91) came in at No. 16.
So, what about the 2025-26 season and Rupp's claim?
The Capitals are coming off a magical season, but there's no way they can do it again, right?
The Hurricanes, regardless of what they do in the summer, always find a way to have strong regular seasons, so it wouldn't be a shock to see them finish atop the Metro this season. They did land Nikolaj Ehlers and get a full season of Logan Stankoven
While the Devils didn't make any crazy splashes in free agency -- they'll be getting Quinn Hughes sooner rather than later -- their success sits on the shoulders of Jack Hughes and his ability to stay healthy. They should be a playoff team.
The Rangers didn't do much and are going through a bit of an identity crisis at the moment, but when you have Igor Shesterkin in goal, defying odds is always possible. They did add Valdislav Gavrikov, who should help the defense.
First-time general manager Mathieu Darche filled holes this summer, but will the new additions be strong enough to get this team back to the postseason?
Coming off an emotionally driven season, the Blue Jackets could be a playoff team this upcoming season, while the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers aren't likely to be ultra competitive.
The Islanders are likely to be fighting for a wild-card spot again, as they always seem to do. That projection can change if the Islanders can show some consistency out of the gate, as they've been anything but since Patrick Roy took over behind the bench mid-way through the 2023-24 NHL season.
To get back to Rupp's claim, the Metro could very well be the weakest division in the NHL this season, which means an even stronger chance for the Islanders to find a way to get back into the postseason.
Projection:
CAR
WSH
NJD
NYI
NYR
CBJ
PHI
PIT
Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
According to Puckpedia’s numbers, the Montreal Canadiens have the most expensive goaltending in the NHL this season. They devote $14.8 million in salary to masked men, which accounts for the three goaltenders they have on NHL contracts and who aren’t waivers exempt: Carey Price, Samuel Montembeault, Kaapo Kahkonen, and Jakub Dobes. That works out to 15,5% of their cap.
The New York Rangers are in second place, with Ivor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick commanding a combined salary of $13 M, 13.7% of their cap. The Anaheim Ducks are in third place with $12.9 M for Lukas Dostal (who was just signed to a five-year contract with a $6.5 M cap hit), Petr Mrazek, and Ville Husso. The trio takes up 13.6% of the cap. The New York Islanders are in fourth place, having devoted $12 million to Ilya Sorokin, Semyon Varlamov, and David Rittich. That counts for 12.6% of the cap. Finally, the Boston Bruins wrap up the top-five with $11.2 M devoted to two goaltenders; Jaremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo that amounts to 11.8% of the cap.
Among the top-five teams, only two have goaltenders who are or could be placed on LTIR, with only one who won’t ever come off it. That’s, of course, the Canadiens, with Price’s contract. Once he’s placed on LTIR or traded, the Canadiens’ cap hit for masked men will fall back down to $4.3 million, leaving them with one of the lowest amounts of money spent on goaltending.
That demonstrates the significant shift in direction the Canadiens have taken since Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton took over. Of course, they had no choice, since Price’s career was cut short by injury, but when he was hired, Hughes said in an ideal world, his team would be a fast and attacking one that would suit his coaching style. Since then, several moves have been made to achieve this goal, and there is no indication that the Canadiens will revert to a defense-first approach with the recent arrivals of Lane Hutson, Ivan Demidov, and this off-season’s addition of Noah Dobson.
When Price’s contract comes off the books, be it by expiring or being traded, that money won’t be reinvested in goaltending or defending, since the blueliner is already looking pretty solid with the prospects in the pipeline. While Habs fans enjoyed watching the face of the franchise make great saves for years, this is undoubtedly a welcome change of pace.
Photo credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-Imagn Images
Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.
The San Jose Sharks have completed most of their business for the summer at this point, and we have a rough idea of what the roster should look like on opening night. With an abundance of players fighting for a limited number of spots, though, there will be hard decisions and we’ll likely see some veterans, or even some younger players, placed on waivers when preseason comes to a close.
A lot can change over the next two months; however, we’re far enough into the off-season to start spitballing about the opening night roster, what lines will look like, as well as who will make the cut, and who will be left out.
With the forwards, for the most part, it’s pretty clear. William Eklund, Macklin Celebrini, and Tyler Toffoli should be reunited on the first line, and it’s safe to say they’re all guaranteed a spot on the roster. The Sharks have made it clear that they want Will Smith to play center moving forward, as a resul,t he’s an obvious option as the second-line center. Alongside him, I’d pencil in two newcomers, Jeff Skinner and Philipp Kurashev.
The third line is where things truly get interesting, as Michael Misa will shake things up quite a bi,t whether he’s ready for the NHL or not. Personally, I think it would be hard for him not to earn a spot in the opening night lineup; however, like Smith, it would be logical to start him as a winger in his rookie season. Alexander Wennberg would slot in as the third-line center, and veteran Adam Gaudette would be on the right wing.
Ironically, the fourth line is what gave me the most trouble. Barclay Goodrow and Ty Dellandrea are safe bets to have a spot on the Sharks’ bottom line, but the right wing spot creates some questions. Carl Grundstrom or Ryan Reaves would be the obvious choices. Both require waivers to go to the American Hockey League, and it’s very clear what each of them brings to the table. Instead, though, I envision both of them being scratched on opening night.
After heavily considering Collin Graf as an option to take that spot, instead I think he’ll start the season with the San Jose Barracuda, and Ethan Cardwell will earn the final spot in the lineup. It would be a shock to many, that’s for sure, but he impressed at both the Rookie Faceoff and training camp last season. He brings more defensive responsibility, and whether it was with the Sharks or the Barracuda last season, he always brought a ton of energy to each shift. Graf could certainly earn the job in training camp with a strong showing, but as of now, I see Cardwell just edging him out.
The first major question on the blue line is, what happens to Sam Dickinson? If any of the other defensemen in the hunt for a job were waiver-ineligible, Dickinson would almost be guaranteed to get a nine-game tryout in the NHL before Mike Grier needed to make a decision. However, now that Shakir Mukhamadullin and Jack Thompson would require waivers to go to the Barracuda, it makes things a bit more difficult, and as a result, Dickinson could head back to the London Knights.
While I don’t think the OHL is the best option for Dickinson's development at this point, it’s also hard to risk him starting in the NHL, waiving a player to make room, then realizing Dickinson isn’t ready after nine games. As a result, I reluctantly left him off the opening night roster, but that could easily change with a strong showing in the Rookie Faceoff and training camp.
Mukhamadullin is very likely to have a spot on the Sharks’ opening night roster. Given his value to the organization, it seems highly unlikely he gets waived; as a result, he’s almost guaranteed a job in the NHL. Mario Ferraro and two of the new additions, Dmitry Orlov and John Klingberg, also appear to be locks. Nick Leddy, on the other hand, could find himself in the lineup, in the press box, or even on waivers once again. Ultimately, in my eyes, it seems like Timothy Liljegren and Thompson get the final two spots in the lineup, while Nick Leddy is a healthy scratch. As a result, Vincent Desharnais would be on waivers and start the season with the Barracuda if he clears.
In between the pipes, it seems clear that Yaroslav Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic will be the tandem to start the season. I discussed the potential of that partnership earlier this week, but overall, it can be either one of the Sharks’ greatest assets or biggest weaknesses.
Lineup Projection:
Eklund - Celebrini - Toffoli
Skinner - Smith - Kurashev
Misa - Wennberg - Gaudette
Goodrow - Dellandrea - Cardwell
Reaves, Grundstrom
Ferraro - Klingberg
Mukhamadullin - Liljegren
Orlov - Thompson
Leddy
Askarov
Nedeljkovic
Of course, there are some names I haven’t mentioned who will likely see some playing time with the Sharks this coming season. Players like Cam Lund, Egor Afanasyev, Quentin Musty, Zack Ostapchuk, and Luca Cagnoni are a few that come to mind as potential recall options once injuries strike or players are moved near the trade deadline. I also left Daniil Gushchin out of the lineup, which could lead to an interesting situation with him, as he could be a player who is due a change of scenery.
The Sharks have a multitude of options in every position, which is a blessing, but it can also be a curse when many of them are around the same skill level. It’ll be a tight race for many of these players hoping to make the opening night roster, which means it should be a very interesting preseason this September.
Jun 26, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Former Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne arrives on the red carpet before the 2023 NHL Awards at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
The Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: over 2,000 issues of history, stories, and features.
(Note: Due to the digital quality of some older issues, articles may contain errors).
Oct 15, 2018
Top 100 Goalies Of All Time
48. PEKKA RINNE
Drafted so late that the round doesn’t exist today, he scored one of hockey’s greatest victories for deep-dive scouting
BY RYAN KENNEDY
BORN Nov. 3, 1982, Kempele, Fin.
NHL CAREER 2005-present
TEAMS Nsh
STATS 311-168-66, 2.37 GAA, .919 SP, 51 SO
ALL-STAR 2 (First-1, Second-1)
TROPHIES 1 (Vezina-1)
GIVEN HIS MODEST roots, it’s heartwarming to see goaltender Pekka Rinne as an elder statesman in the NHL, even as he continues to play some of the best hockey of his long career. Not only was he an excellent last line of defense for the most successful Predators team ever – the edition that went to the 2017 Stanley Cup final – but he has also become one of the most veteran Finnish players in the league.
At All-Star Game weekend in Tampa, young Florida Panthers star Aleksander Barkov stood by himself in the corner of a buzzing hotel lobby while other elite NHLers moved to and fro. Barkov was alone until Rinne, his fellow Finn, came over and chatted up the humble center.
On a more regular basis, Rinne has been a mentor for his Nashville backup, Juuse Saros. While Saros is one of the smallest netminders in the NHL at 5-foot-11, he always liked the 6-foot-5 Rinne’s style and idolized him growing up in Finland. Now, Rinne influences Saros in person.
“He has helped me a lot on and off the ice,” Saros said. “Any question I have, he’s usually got the answer. He even gives me tips on some players if he knows their habits.”
The story of how Rinne was discovered is well-known in NHL circles, but an abridged version is necessary. He was taken in the eighth round of the 2004 draft – a slot that doesn’t even exist in today’s seven-round draft – as a flyer by the Preds thanks to Finnish scout Janne Kekalainen.
Other members of the Preds brass (such as then-assistant GM Ray Shero) had only seen Rinne in warmups, because the youngster played behind Niklas Backstrom for Karpat Oulu and didn’t see the crease often.
Clearly the gamble paid off, as Rinne holds Nashville’s franchise records for wins, shutouts and games by a goalie. And just as Rinne has been a mentor for Saros, Backstrom was a mentor for Rinne.
“I always looked up to him and paid a lot of attention to him in practice,” Rinne said. “The way Niklas carries himself, he’s a super-nice guy, and he was very good to me, very helpful.”
It’s impressive what an incubator those Karpat Oulu teams turned out to be. Backstrom had a stellar career with the Minnesota Wild before returning home, while Jussi Jokinen has played in the NHL for more than a decade.
Mika Pyorala eventually did a year with the Philadelphia Flyers organization, as did Mikko Lehtonen with Nashville.
“We had so much talent back then on those teams,” Rinne said. “A lot of those guys had success either in Europe or here in the NHL, and it’s awesome. I have very special memories from those days, and that being my hometown made it special.”
While his long career is winding down, it’s too early to plan the retirement party. Rinne’s past two seasons have been his strongest since 2010-11, when he was a second-team NHL all-star. Going to the Cup final in 2017 was huge for the veteran, even with all his past individual success.
“Last year, we all as a team gained a lot of confidence, going to the final,” he said. “But also, it’s expectations inside the room. It shows on the ice. We expect to win, and it’s no different for myself. I’ve always believed that it goes hand in hand with the team, just that a goalie (on his own) can never make your team successful, and together we’ve done a great job.”
With his imposing frame and bear-trap reflexes, it’s amazing to think in retrospect that Rinne almost went undiscovered. But Nashville took the risk, and the team’s most important player ever was their reward.
“A lot of people have covered that story, it’s pretty funny how I was drafted,” Rinne said. “Never in my wildest dreams…of course I dreamed about the NHL, but the Finnish League was my main goal. But as you reach certain goals, you set other goals. I’ve been extremely fortunate. If you asked me back then, I never thought I would play this long in the NHL and have the success I’ve had.”
DID YOU KNOW?
RINNE AND MIKA PYORALA have an on-ice connection from their days with Karpat and also share a family bond.
Pyorala married Rinne’s twin sister Anna. The couple has two sons, and when Pyorala’s 2016-17 season with Karpat finished, the whole family came over to watch Rinne in the Stanley Cup final.
While Rinne missed the 2018 Olympics, his brother-in-law was there repping the family, as Pyorala suited up for Finland.
Czech left winger Vojtěch Čihař, who
turned 18 in March, was drafted in the second round, 59th overall, by
the Los Angeles Kings at this
year’s NHL Entry Draft, which happened to be in Los Angeles.
With
the obvious long-term goal of making the NHL, Čihař is currently
contemplating where to play in order to give him the best shot of
fulfilling his dream. He has already played 57 regular-season and
playoff games with Energie Karlovy Vary in the Czech Extraliga, where
he has recorded only 10 points in a rather limited role. Should he
stay there and try to earn more ice time in the pros, or should he go
overseas to play for the WHL’s
Lethbridge Hurricanes, who selected him in last year’s CHL Import
Draft?
Čihař
was a member of the Czech team that won a
bronze medal at last year’s IIHF World Junior Championship and he
recently attended a summer training camp for the national junior team
for the upcoming season. There, he spoke at length with Czech media
about the Draft and all the considerations that are going into his
decision.
First, can you explain
what kind of experience it was to attend the Draft
in Los Angeles?
“Well, I
have to say that the Draft is unpredictable
and everyone has to wait until the moment their name is called.
Speaking for myself, as soon as I heard (my
name) called by Los Angeles, I was
really excited and even a little emotional.
I had my family and girlfriend there, which was
wonderful too. For
me, the main thing was to have the people closest
to me there.”
If you had
to wait too
long, it would probably turn into a bit of an unpleasant
situation.
“Yeah,
exactly. The whole time, my agent and parents talked about not
making any predictions and just waiting for
the moment. It was better than thinking about whether I should be
taken somewhere higher. At the end of the first round, then
at the beginning of the second … I
thought to myself that it should go
in the second. I was happy that it turned out that way –
59th is decent,
in my opinion.”
The decentralized Draft
seemed a bit bizarre. Did the fact that you were selected by the
host
team
bring you any special
attention?
“I
guess so. As soon as I put on that jersey and went to do the
various things
that come next, I walked through the
theater and the
workers turned around, congratulated me and welcomed me to the City
of Angels. Then I went somewhere to get a bag with things from the
team and former
Kings players who
still work in their organization gave it to me. They also greeted me,
people at the hotel recognized me … It was nice.”
You said you treated the trip to Los Angeles as one big
holiday.
“Absolutely!
I really went there to enjoy it, thinking that if I was drafted, that
would make it even better. We were in Hollywood and also quite
close to the sign where we took the picture. We went to Beverly Hills
to see the villas there, then we were on the beach in Santa Monica. I
quite like the game GTA 5, which takes place in LA,
and we
also went to the observatory from that game. And then to Malibu
Beach. We tried to travel there and of course we couldn’t miss the
shops.”
Do you like hot weather and the beach?
“Oh
yeah. I don’t really like the crazy heat,
but the weather in Los Angeles is just right. The temperature
there suits me quite well.”
So maybe one day you’ll enjoy it as an NHL player. How
far off would you estimate that
is?
“You know
… Unfortunately, I don’t
really have an
answer for
that, because it’s just so hard to say.
Of course, I’d be happy if it were as soon as possible, but right
now I mainly want to move on to the next step.
Another year, two … I think that’s how
we’ve set it up with the people in LA, so now we’re deciding
whether I’ll stay in Karlovy Vary or
maybe move somewhere overseas.”
Did they tell you that they would
prefer you over there?
“They
did say that
because they haven’t seen me there yet. They don’t even know that
some teams here in the Czech Extraliga
have smaller rinks, so they meant it from the perspective of me
adapting better there. Now it depends on when and how the
Kings and Karlovy Vary reach an agreement.
LA has the rights to me there, Vary here. I have to wait, but then
the final decision
will be up to me.”
Do you have a personal preference?
“I’m
always talking with the Karlovy Vary management about where I would
fit in. Of course, I know that if I went to the Canadian
juniors, I would get more ice time there.
To have that in the Extraliga, I would have
to play on the first line, but
the competition is extremely demanding for a young player to get
those minutes. It depends on what their thoughts are about
me. I’ll decide whether to stay or go based on that. It depends on
where I would develop more.”
If you weigh your options between
the tough competition in the Extraliga
and playing among top juniors, where you would be more successful, which do you think would win?
“I think that in terms
of offensive development,
overseas it would be … I don’t want to say easier, but I would
have more opportunities to get chances and develop
my offensive abilities. At the same time, I
know how it works in the Extraliga,
so if I stayed here, it would be almost on the same level as playing
in the AHL, for example. If I were
given more ice time,
which I would
have to earn, it
would still be a good move to stay here. But if not and LA had other
plans for me, then unfortunately there is also the possibility that I
would leave.”
Why do you say “unfortunately?”
Would it
be a bad
thing?
“I still haven’t
planned to leave the Czech Republic anytime soon, but as far as my
development is concerned, I’ll just do what’s best for me. On one
hand, I’d be sad to leave, but on the other hand, I’d be
excited to
move on to
somewhere else.”
The Anaheim Ducks pulled off a nice bit of roster work this week, signing No. 1 goalie Lukas Dostal to a five-year, $32.5-million contract that carries an average annual value of $6.5 million. Dostal’s signing was the latest goalie news in an NHL off-season where teams quickly snapped up most of the available netminders.
For instance, in Philadelphia, the Flyers signed veteran Dan Vladar. In Los Angeles, the Kings signed Anton Forsberg. In San Jose, the Sharks traded for former Penguins goalie Alex Nedeljkovic. In New Jersey, the Devils re-signed experienced hand Jake Allen, and in Pittsburgh, the Pens traded for former Vancouver Canucks youngster Arturs Silovs. In Montreal, the Canadiens signed journeyman Kappo Kahkonen, the Panthers traded for former Blue Jackets goalie Daniil Tarasov, the Sabres signed Alex Lyon to ostensibly be their third goalie, and of course, Dostal’s former teammate, goalie John Gibson, was dealt from the Ducks to the Detroit Red Wings.
It’s readily apparent, then, that it’s extremely difficult to develop good netminders at the NHL level. And Dostal’s career arc is an instructive example of how teams should be signing and developing their goalies.
At 25 years old, Dostal already has 121 games of regular-season experience. He’s been brought along steadily and methodically, and his individual numbers, despite playing on terrible Ducks teams, have consistently improved.
Here’s what we mean: Dostal’s first extended taste of NHL hockey was in the the 2022-23 season, where he appeared in 19 games and posted a .901 save percentage and 3.78 goals-against average. Then, in 2023-24, Dostal appeared in 44 games, with a .902 SP and 3.33 GAA. And last season, with Gibson frequently out of the lineup with injuries, Dostal emerged as a legitimate No. 1 option when he appeared in 54 games and registered a .903 SP and 3.10 GAA.
Dostal’s evolution into a starter really couldn’t have gone better for Ducks GM Pat Verbeek. Rather than having to overpay on the free-agent market for a goaltender who didn’t come up in Anaheim’s system, the Ducks brought along their own young talent, who eventually pushed out the de facto No. 1 (Gibson) and allowed Verbeek to make a trade of his former No. 1 goalie from a position of strength and leverage. Dostal just naturally took over the starter’s job from Gibson, and that’s exactly what teams want to see from their young goalies.
As of mid-July, most of the free-agent goalies were off the market, and most teams had established who’ll be patrolling their pipes in the fall. There are a couple of options still available – former Maple Leafs and Golden Knights veteran Ilya Samsonov chief among them – but for the most part, the game of musical chairs for goalies has come to an end.
In Anaheim, Dostal has secured a strong payday for himself for the next half-decade, and the Ducks have secured goaltending reliability for that period. In bringing along Dostal slowly but deliberately, Anaheim has done very well in terms of goalie development. And as they make a push for relevance in the near future, the Ducks can rest assured they did things the right way with what is arguably their most important position.
The Sharks inked their 22-year-old star winger, who broke out with a career-high 58 points last season, to a three-year, $16.8 million extension ($5.6 million AAV) that kicks 2026-27.
That figure was in line with San Jose Hockey Now’s predictionin early June: “If Eklund and the Sharks discuss three or four-year extensions, over $5 million AAV seems like a realistic possibility.”
The Sharks, however, may regret not locking up their budding star to more years…but Eklund is also not a sure thing to develop into a playoff-caliber first-line winger. And from Eklund’s perspective, he’s sick of losing, so I’m sure that he would want to commit long-term to a winning program.
So it’s couple that’s moving in together, but isn’t sure if they’re ready to get married yet.
Grade: A
John Klingberg
Klingberg, 32, signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Sharks.
If healthy, the 6-foot-2 right-hander should prove to be a bargain. In his prime, he was one of the top offensive defensemen in the NHL, and he looked spry during the Edmonton Oilers’ Stanley Cup Final run.
But he’s also played just 25 regular-season games over the last two years because of persistent hip troubles.
The Sharks also don’t have a secure safety net to quarterback the top power-play unit after Klingberg. So he better stay healthy.
It’s high-risk, high-reward move, even on a one-year pact. But it also could have the greatest pay-off of any of Grier’s moves this summer.
Grade: B-
Adam Gaudette
The Sharks inked 28-year-old center-winger Gaudette to a two-year, $4 million contract.
Gaudette has had an interesting career track: In 2019-20, he had 33 points in 59 games with the Vancouver Canucks. Last year, he scored a career-high 19 goals with the Ottawa Senators.
In between, however, Gaudette bounced between the NHL and AHL with multiple organizations.
NHL scouts think that he’s a legitimate talent though, so if he’s finally found his consistency, he could prove to be another bargain.
At worst, he should be a usable fourth-liner.
Grade: B+
Philipp Kurashev
Kurashev, 25, signed a one-year, $1.25 million contract with the Sharks.
The 6-foot-0 center-winger is yet another reclamation project: The Chicago Blackhawks declined to qualify him after he scored just 14 points in 51 games last year. In 2023-24, he had a career-high 54 points.
So will the real Kurashev please stand up?
Grade: B
Alex Nedeljkovic
The Sharks traded a 2028 third-rounder to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Nedeljkovic.
On and off the ice, Nedeljkovic should be an excellent complement to star prospect Yaroslav Askarov.
Dealing a third-rounder seems like a high price for your backup goalie, but it was important to find a compatible personality who’s capable of stepping up between the pipes if Askarovfalters, but also has no problem taking a backseat.
Losing a third-rounder hurts, but the Sharks should be able to easily recoup that by the 2028 Draft.
Grade: A-
Dmitry Orlov
Orlov, 33, signed a two-year, $13 million contract ($6.5 million AAV) with the Sharks.
For most of his career, Orlov has been one of the better two-way defensemen in the league and was the No. 2 blueliner for the 2018 Stanley Cup-winning Washington Capitals. Orlov, however, had an up-and-down last two seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Like many of the Sharks’ acquisitions this off-season, Orlov will have to find the fountain of the youth, but the 5-foot-11 left-hander is still a quality blueliner, and should be a steadying force for what’s been one of the league’s worst defenses over the last three years.
And if his decline is real, a two-year commitment won’t hurt. Orlov is also regarded as a solid locker room presence, which the young Sharks always need.
Grade: A-
Nick Leddy
The Sharks claimed the 34-year-old blueliner off waivers from the St. Louis Blues.
In his day, the 6-foot-0 left-hander was also one of the better two-way defenders in the league. Leddy slipped last year, but still retains most of his trademark skating chops.
He’s in the last year of his contract, $4 million AAV. Just two seasons ago, Leddy still provided top-four caliber work, so hopefully he was just banged up last year.
Grade: A
Ryan Reaves
The Sharks acquired the 38-year-old enforcer for Henry Thrun.
On the surface, swapping a 24-year-old defenseman for a limited and older skater — Reaves played 7:48 a night last year — seems like an obvious no-no.
But honestly, both Thrun and Reaves are considered low-value trade assets, and Reaves brings a very particular set of skills to the Sharks that they don’t have.
Thrun is a fork, which the Sharks have plenty of, while Reaves is a meat tenderizer, one of the few around the NHL.
Although Reaves has slowed down on the ice, non-Sharks league sources believe he’s still one of the most feared enforcers in the NHL, will protect San Jose’s many young stars, and will also inject a one-of-a-kind energy into a quiet locker room.
Grade: B
I’d give the Sharks a B- grade this offseason.
Individually, Grier has made a series of good-to-great moves. But collectively, I’m not sure that these moves will take the Sharks out of the cellar.
On one hand, it’s not necessarily Grier’s fault, it’s hard to sell the top free agents on a last-place team. Grier, wisely, also exercised caution with his free agent expenditures, not overextending himself in the middle class of the market — there’s a danger in overspending on free agents and ending up with a better-but-ultimately-mediocre team.
On the other hand, Grier built the team that has finished last in back-to-back seasons. If San Jose is still unattractive to free agents, it’s Grier’s short-term pain for his vision of long-term gain.
The Sharks need to get out of last place sooner than later, and hopefully, this is the group that does it. Right now, that’s very much still in doubt.
A look back at the intense rivalry and infamous clashes between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche.
There are storied rivalries in hockey like the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens, the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Lightning, or even the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings. But in the late 1990s and early 2000s, there was one that defined the league as a whole and took many by surpise as it came out nowhere.
It was a violent war on ice whenever the Red Wings would clash against the Colorado Avalanche as cheapshots and dirty plays would ignite grusome saga. The 1996 Western Conference Finals had left a bitter taste in Detroit’s mouth as the newly competitive Colorado Avalanche eliminated the Red Wings in six games.
The most notable part of the series is a hit that many Red Wings fans remember as the final game of the series saw forward Kris Draper of the Red Wings get blindsided by a vicious check from Colorado’s Claude Lemieux. Draper’s face required reconstructive surgery and when Lemieux didn't apologize and was suspended for only two games. Detroit knew they were going to have to take things into their own hands when they faced off again.
On March 26, 1997, it was clear the Red Wings had a score to settle as the brawls ensued halfway through the first period with Red Wings forward Darren McCarty finding Lemieux and pummeling him near the boards while Lemieux turtled, unable to respond.
The brawls extended to the goalies as Detroit's Chris Osgood and Colorado's Patrick Roy fought center ice. Brendan Shanahan laid out Roy with a flying check. Igor Larionov and Peter Forsberg got into it. It was pure chaos as the crowd in the Joe Louis Arena erupted.
More than 18 fighting majors were handed out with the Red Wings happy that they got to exact their revenge. Detroit would go on to win the game 6-5 with McCarty scoring the game winner in dramatic fashion. From there, the rivalry only escalated.
The two teams met in the playoffs five times between 1996 and 2002, including the 2002 Western Conference Final, where Detroit obliterated Colorado in a 7–0 drubbing during Game 7 in which Roy was embarrassed by a glove save where he got up and celebrated thinking he had the puck, only to realize it was in the back of the net.
During their years of hatred from 1996 and 2002, either the Red Wings or Avalanche won the Cup five times with both side elevating their play solely to beat the other. With loaded rosters including several hall-of-fame players, the rivalry was one of the greatest in hockey history and will always be remembered when the Red Wings and Avalanche face off again.
Not that I blame them, but the Blueshirts talk optimistically about a revival because that's what they're supposed to do but we – feet firmly on the ground – take their "talkin' the talk" with two grains of salt and a glass of Ovaltine.
What matters about Rangers futures is what independent NHL thinkers have to say. One such Wise Man is Joltin' Joe Dionisio, former Newsday columnist. Now running the Hockey Program at Santa Barbara's Ice In Paradise rink, Joe D does not hold back.
"Most of the Rangers' challenges are mental," says Dionisio who points a pinky at Mike Sullivan. "If the coach can cultivate a better attitude from his players, they'll behave better on the ice.
"If Sully can quell the bad locker-room karma lingering from Trouba, Goodrow and the like, he might well steer his club back on course."
Joe does not wear NHL blinders. He knows all about the Mika Zibanejad "You-can't-trade-me" issues and Iggy Shesterkin's bumpy-slumpy play last season.
Dr. Dionisio doesn't care if The Mighty Mika has Blue Cross or not, Jultin' Joe has the prescription.
"Zibanejad was mentally fatigued from his pedestal as whipping boy," Dionisio argues. "The coach needs to play shrink and rebuild Z's confidence. If he can do that, it would be a huge boost.
"As for Shesterkin, Sully has to find a cure – same as for Alexis Lafrenière – for what ails them. I diagnose it as 'Bloated Contract Syndrome.'’
Hustling back to his real job, Joltin' leans on that legendary catcher-philosopher Yogi Berra for a cool thought: "Hockey is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical!"
There is always plenty of excitement among NHL fans when their favorite teams sign a big player in free agency. It is understandable, as they are expected to make a significant impact, and in many cases, they do.
However, in some cases, there are scenarios where players end up struggling after joining a new team. This was certainly the case with a few of last year’s top free-agent signings.
Let’s now look at three notable signings from this past summer who underperformed in 2024-25 and also why they could end up turning things around next season.
Steven Stamkos, C, Nashville Predators
After signing a four-year, $32-million contract with the Nashville Predators last off-season, Steven Stamkos struggled with consistency in his first year with the Central Division club. In 82 games with the Predators, he posted 27 goals, 53 points, and a minus-36 rating. This was after he had 40 goals and 81 points in 79 games during his final year with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2023-24.
Stamkos showed flashes of his star form at times with the Predators this past season, but he also had serious offensive struggles. For example, he did not record a point in 13 consecutive games from Jan. 25 to March 2, which is simply unheard of from the future Hall of Famer. He also started the season with just one point in his first eight games.
Why Stamkos Can Turn Things Around
While Stamkos’ first season with the Predators did not go as planned, fans certainly should not sleep on the 2008 first-overall pick. He still produced like a legitimate star just back in 2023-24 with Tampa Bay and has been one throughout his NHL career. Thus, the possibility of him turning things around cannot be ruled out.
Furthermore, this was the first season Stamkos played on a team that was not the Lightning in his 17-year NHL career. As a result, it naturally took him some time to adjust to the Predators’ system, and a bounce-back season could be on the way for him in year No. 2 in Nashville.
Jonathan Marchessault, C, Nashville Predators
Sticking with Nashville, Jonathan Marchessault also did not necessarily perform up to expectations in 2024-25. After scoring a career-high 42 goals and recording 69 points in 82 games in his final season with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023-24, he had 21 goals, 56 points, and a minus-29 rating in 78 games this past season with Nashville.
Like Stamkos, Marchessault had trouble producing at the level expected of him for much of the season. When noting that the 34-year-old winger has a $5.5-million cap hit until the end of the 2028-29 season, they will be hoping that he has a bounce-back campaign in 2025-26.
Why Marchessault Can Turn Things Around
Marchessault may have had his rough moments this past season, but it is hard to believe that he can’t pick his play back up next season. He has shown throughout his career that he can produce like a star, and a clean slate next season could help things on that front.
Furthermore, the Predators as a whole simply had a bad year in 2024-25. Thus, players like Marchessault and Stamkos could improve their numbers next season if the team around them also gets things back on track.
Elias Lindholm, C, Boston Bruins
After signing Elias Lindholm to a seven-year, $54.25-million contract this past off-season, the Boston Bruins thought they found their long-term first-line center. However, Lindholm did not reach expectations in his first season in Boston, posting 17 goals, 30 assists and a minus-4 rating in 82 games.
Lindholm’s struggles this past season led to him being bounced around the lineup, and he even spent time on Boston’s third line. With Lindholm carrying a $7.75-million cap hit, this is not ideal, and the Bruins will be hoping that Lindholm can prove he can be a full-time top-six center for them next season.
Why Lindholm Can Turn Things Around
Lindholm’s finish to the season should provide some optimism. After being moved back up to the first line, Lindholm formed strong chemistry with David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie. In his final seven games of the season, he recorded four goals, five assists, nine points and a plus-11 rating. This is undoubtedly encouraging, and the Bruins will be hoping he can build off it in 2025-26.
Lindholm also revealed at the end of the season that he had been dealing with a back injury that he suffered during training camp, which negatively impacted him at the start of the campaign. Now that he is healthy, perhaps he can have that big season the Bruins will be hoping for in 2025-26.
The Anaheim Ducks and general manager Pat Verbeek crossed a sizable item off of their summer agenda on Thursday when they signed goaltender Lukas Dostal to a five-year contract that carries an AAV of $6.5 million.
“It’s a big honor,” Dostal said when addressing the media following the announcement of his signing. “I always look at myself in the mirror, and I see a kid who came from a village with 300 people in it. It’s always a good reminder that you have a dream and you want to chase it. There’s always the possibility to reach it. It’s a big milestone, but there’s a long way ahead of us. We have an amazing team.”
Dostal followed up an impressive rookie season in 2023-24 with an even better sophomore season in 2024-25, in which he solidified himself as the unquestioned number one goaltender in Anaheim for the foreseeable future.
Dostal, along with John Gibson, was part of potentially the best goaltending tandem in the NHL in 2024-25, and the pair was the most impactful contributing factor to the Ducks’ 21-point jump in the standings from the year prior.
He finished the season with 49 starts and appeared in 54 games. He posted a .903 SV%, stopped 10.28 goals above expected, and tallied his first career shutout.
If Dostal hadn’t already seized control of the starter’s job in Anaheim, the trading of John Gibson in late June put any and all doubt to rest. Dostal will now head a goaltending group featuring himself, veteran and fellow Czech countryman Petr Mrazek, and Ville Husso. The latter two will likely battle for the backup role, and each will likely get NHL games in 2025-26 with the Ducks.
With his new contract in place, Dostal will carry dramatically increased responsibility and expectations on his shoulders as the Ducks have stated their intended goal for the upcoming season is to make the 2026 playoffs.
“I truly believe it. It was one of the reasons that I was willing to sign a long-term deal,” he said when asked about the outlook of the organization. “It’s always about trusting the process, and I really trust the process of what’s going on in Anaheim right now. It’s very exciting for the future.”
Now that Dostal has received the baton from Gibson as the goaltender who will backstop the Ducks’ hopeful transition from rebuilding team to contending team, a figurative statement was made league-wide that he’s “the guy” now in Anaheim, and with that, he won’t sneak up on anyone. He is no longer a “no-name goalie," he will start more games than he ever has, and he will face the toughest opponents on the Ducks' schedule.
With his $6.5 million cap hit, Dostal is now the tenth-highest-paid goaltender in the NHL. He’s still making considerably less than the tier above him that features Juuse Saros ($7.74 million) and the four goaltenders each making $8.25 million: Ilya Sorokin, Jeremy Swayman, Jake Oettinger, and Linus Ullmark. However, he now leads the next tier of highest-paid goaltenders, which includes more experienced veterans like Gibson ($6.4 million), Adin Hill ($6.25 million), and Jacob Markstrom ($6 million).
Dostal’s demeanor is as poised as they come, something even more impressive considering he just turned 25 years old less than a month ago, and he’s never expressed the slightest indication of being rattled, on or off the ice.
After a blazing hot start in 2024-25, where he was near or at the top of the NHL in every goaltending statistic, his numbers wavered as the season became longer and longer. That could either be attributed to fatigue after playing the most hockey in his life, or to uncertainty and inability to reestablish a rhythm with Gibson’s seesaw battle with injury reserve last season.
Dostal is now 121 games into his NHL career and carries a career .902 SV%, a 42-58-13 record, and two shutouts. He’s sharp on his angles in the crease, and he has full trust in them. He never swims amid flurries in front of him, remaining square to pucks in tight at all times.
His most underrated quality is his ability to track pucks throughout the zone and through traffic. Though he’s a sound, fundamental goaltender, he can flash an occasional, yet remarkable athletic save when it’s necessary and shift the momentum of a game.
Dostal’s understanding of the NHL game has improved dramatically, and he’s now displaying veteran game-management skills, reading the ice in front of him and the progression of play, freezing pucks when his teammates need a whistle or advancing pucks when opposing teams are changing or tired.
Dostal plays his best hockey when it matters most, which to this point has been for Czechia on the international stage. He was named as one of the first six players added to his home country’s Olympic roster. Still, he and the Ducks will also be looking to play meaningful games well after the Olympic tournament has concluded in February.
With this new deal and the departure of Gibson, the crease in Anaheim belongs solely to Lukas Dostal. He’s been burdened with a tremendous amount of pressure, but he’s evaded the pitfalls of that pressure in the past, and this situation seems to be no different. He’s poised to make the jump into the club of the NHL’s truly elite goaltenders this upcoming season.
Former Hershey Bears forward Pierrick Dube has signed a one-year deal in Russia with Traktor Chelyabinsk, it was announced earlier this week.
Dube, whose 2024-25 season was his second in the Washington Capitals organization, spent the entire year with the Bears. Over 58 regular season games, he scored 19 goals and added 21 assists for 40 points. With the Bears having made the playoffs, Dube put up three points in eight games.
Over his brief professional career in the Caps system, Dube did manage to make his NHL debut in 2023-24, but he went pointless in three games. Prior to making the jump to the pro game full time, Dube played in the QMJHL with the Quebec Remparts, Chicoutimi Sagueneens and the Shawinigan Cataractes.
With Dube off to the KHL, he could still realistically earn another opportunity to play in the NHL. Having proven to be a productive in the AHL, Dube has the skills needed to be a top-tier player in the KHL and draw the interest of NHL teams come next off-season.
Report: Kings' Kopitar Believed To Be Entering Final NHL SeasonThe Los Angeles Kings have made some changes to their roster this offseason, and one thing that fans have been waiting for is a potential extension for long-time forward Anze Kopitar.
Report: Kings' Adrian Kempe Asking Price On Next Contract RevealedThe Los Angeles Kings will soon have to focus on trying to re-sign forward Adrian Kempe, and while there is no indication he has any interest in leaving the organization, his asking price was revealed in a recent report from The Fourth Period, and the two sides are expected to ramp up contract talks soon.
Free Agency Recap: Did the Los Angeles Kings Get Better or Worse This Offseason?The LA Kings entered the 2025 offseason facing another year of playoff disappointment and a roster in question. With several roster questions and trades, General Manager Ken Holland has opted not to make a splash, instead staying quiet, leaving fans wondering if the Kings have truly improved.
