The NHL’s 2025-26 regular season is nearly here, and here on THN.com’s Buffalo Sabres site, we’re approaching the end of our player-by-player series in which we break down expectations for each Sabres player this coming season.

We’ve worked our way through Buffalo’s starters, including goalies, blueliners, and forwards. And in this file, we’re looking at the expectations for depth defenseman Zac Jones. The 24-year-old came to the Sabres after the New York Rangers cut him loose, but he could play a more important role in Buffalo.

That said, let’s move on to our breakdown of Jones and what’s reasonable to expect this season:

Player Name: Zac Jones

Position: Defenseman

Age: 24

2024-25 Key Statistics: 46 games, 10 assists, 11 points, 17:15 average time on ice

2025-26 Salary:$900,000

2025-26 Expectations: For the past five seasons, Jones was a spare part with the New York Rangers, appearing in approximately half the season in Manhattan last year while being a healthy scratch for most of the other games. The Rangers cut him loose in the spring, and the Sabres swooped in and signed the 24-year-old to a one-year, two-way contract. 

Nothing has changed for Jones in that he’s coming into the season with no guarantee about playing time at the NHL level. The Sabres have other, more experienced hands to fill out their top-six defensemen spots, so unless Jones has a terrific pre-season and one of Buffalo’s aforementioned veteran blueliners is injured or an under-performer, Jones is going to see the inside of the press box more often than not.

Jones has shown some promise as an undersized blueliner who can pile up assists. In 2022-23, playing for the American League’s Hartford Wolf Pack, Jones generated 23 assists and 31 points in 54 games, and the season before that, he had 26 assists and 35 points in 52 games. Jones has 115 games of NHL experience to his credit, but he only put up 24 assists and 28 points in those games. So you can see why the Rangers chose not to qualify him contractually and part ways with him.

Sabres 2025-26 Player Expectations: Will Fourth-Liner Kozak Assert Himself As A Full-Time NHLer?The NHL’s 2025-26 regular season is just about here, and on THN.com’s Buffalo Sabres site, we’re almost done with our player-by-player series in which we analyze expectations for each Buffalo player this coming season.

At 24, Jones’ NHL career is not likely to be at an end. Some team is going to give him a chance to contribute in hockey’s top league, and the question is whether that team is the Sabres, or whether Western New York is but a pit stop for Jones as he bounces to another team. Given that he’s earning less than a million dollars, Jones will fit in as a depth player in many markets, so Sabres GM Kevyn Adams could hear from other teams trying to add Jones to their mix as insurance on the back end.

But that fate won’t befall Jones sooner than later. Right now, he’s got to show he can do more than he did in Manhattan. And if he can’t do that, Jones will have a ticket to Buffalo’s AHL affiliate in Rochester, N.Y.. 

Sabres 2025-26 Player Expectations: Can First-Year Sabre Live Up To Expectations For His Star NHL Dad?The NHL’s 2025-26 regular season is almost upon us, and here on THN.com’s Buffalo Sabres site, we’re close to the end of our player-by-player series in which we break down the expectations for every Sabres player during this coming season.

Jones could ultimately wind up being a tweener – too good for the AHL, and not good enough for the NHL – but he’s still got time to salvage his NHL career by being a good citizen in Buffalo and a solid influence on offense.

More patience may be what this player needs to solidify himself as a day-in, day-out NHLer. But the pressure is squarely on Jones to show he was worth Adams’ investment.  

Aatu Räty forced the Vancouver Canucks’ hands last year. He performed so well during the Canucks’ 2024 Training Camp that he earned himself a spot on the roster on opening night, and ultimately turned that into an impressive 33-game season in which he scored seven goals and four assists. He managed to do so despite the Canucks already having four centres slotted into their lineup. 

This year looks like it may be different. 

Elias Pettersson, Filip Chytil, and Teddy Blueger look primed to fill their respective roles as first, second, and a bottom-six centre. While that final spot in the lineup could be anyone’s, many believe that position is now Räty’s to lose. It's an interesting twist from the position he held the year prior, but not something that he'll let take over his mind as the team enters the pre-season.

Räty's 2024-25 season was impressive, though he unfortunately wasn't able to build on this in AHL postseason play. The 22-year-old is currently coming off an unfortunate string of charley horse injuries that limited his Calder Cup Playoff stretch to only six games. 

“Even though we won, winning is hard,” Räty told The Hockey News on the final day of Canucks Training Camp. “There’s so many guys playing hurt, I got hurt too, but just the grind that it is. It’s a long time to be playing games or the opponent’s trying to hurt you every shift, and you’re trying to do the same thing. It’s just a battle but it’s so hard to win them, and so many guys from that team just absolutely banged up after, even injured or barely playing after that final game. So it definitely takes a toll to win those playoff games.” 

The injury bug may have caught him, but it hasn’t seemed to hinder his shot at a full-time NHL role. Pius Suter’s departure in free agency dropped the organization’s centre depth substantially, though the fact that the team didn’t make the move to remedy that works heavily in Räty’s favour. It indicates to both the players — and the fans — that their faith currently rests in the players already within the organization. 

With a roster spot in mind, Räty put himself to work during the off-season. 

“I was up and running almost right away,” he said of when he resumed his training. “I thought I had a good summer. And I think that injury also taught me a lot too.”

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The forward worked through a few things during the off-season to help further his case at a full-time roster spot. One of the things he picked out in particular was his skating, which Räty believes he has improved on since the end of the 2024–25 season. 

“I’m always trying to better everything in my game, but especially skating. I think that’s one thing that in today’s hockey you’ve just got to be good at. And I’m trying to feel like bit by bit, I’m getting better each and every day. So I think that improved this summer, and I’m excited to kind of get playing again and see how my speed is. But I think my skating definitely got better.” 

As it stands, Räty has the edge on some of the other younger centres in the Canucks organization based on his audition from the season before. Faceoffs were a notable positive from the forward’s 2024–25 season, during which he placed first on the team in faceoff win percentage of all of the Canucks’ active natural centres with 57.36%. All signs should point to Räty — but at the end of the day, the forward knows the decision is up to management. 

“Just do my best — nothing more I can do. I think I’ve worked hard for so long. I think I do my best every skate, so that’s all I can do, and just see if that’s enough.” 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

The Minnesota Wild (0-0-0) is set to play its first preseason game of the year against the Winnipeg Jets (0-0-0) on the road today in Winnipeg for a 4:00 start.

Minnesota will start Jesper Wallstedt in net against the Jets today and he will play the whole game. It will be Thomas Milic in net for the Jets.

The Wild will bring PTO players Jack Johnson and Brett Leason to Winnipeg to play. Danila Yurov will also make his Wild preseason debut today. He will center Yakov Trenin and Vinnie Hinostroza.

David Jiricek will also play today. Winnipeg native and prospect who is hungry for an NHL spot out of camp Carson Lambos will also play today. He will play on a pair with Zach Bogosian.

Newly signed players in Nicolas Aube-Kubel,Tyler Pitlick and Matt Kiersted will all play as well.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Recent Minnesota Wild Stories

'You Guys Know I Like Minny' Kirill Kaprizov Gives His Stance On Contract SituationST. PAUL, Minn - On Thursday Minnesota Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov was given the chance to talk about the recent reports that came out about him rejecting an 8-year, $128 million contract extension.

- What Is New On The Kirill Kaprizov Contract Situation.

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- Minnesota Wild Announce Helmet Sponsor For 2025-26 Season.

- Marc-Andre Fleury Signs Professional Tryout With The Pittsburgh Penguins.

For years now, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been a study in disappointment. In failing to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the past three seasons, the Penguins have failed their core of veteran star talent, including captain Sidney Crosby, center Evgeni Malkin, and defensemen Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson. But in Malkin’s case specifically, he stated time and again that he wanted to remain in Pittsburgh for his entire career.

However, recent remarks Malkin made to NHL.com seem to have opened a door for Malkin potentially finding a new NHL employer. Rather than completely shutting down the question of where he’ll be playing this coming season, Malkin talked about possibilities. You can be the judge of what he said.

“(W)e see a story, like, with Brad Marchand – looking good, you know?” Malkin said of the longtime Boston Bruin-turned-Florida Panther, who won his second Cup last year in what is likely a Hockey Hall-of-Fame career. "But…if the team trades you and you (don't) win the Cup, it's like a little bit weird, too, you know? But we'll see what's going on (with) my future. But of course everybody wants to try to play in the playoffs and have maybe one more run to the Cup."

Does that sound like someone who is 100 percent certain he’s going to finish his NHL career with the Pens? Sorry, but it doesn’t sound that way to this writer. Malkin’s desire to get into the playoffs this season could be all but extinguished well in advance of this season’s trade deadline, so if he’s truly intent on hanging up his skates after this season, and if he wants one last shot at a Cup, he probably won’t get it in Pittsburgh. 

And if he’s comparing himself to Marchand, maybe there is a universe where Malkin decides to stay with the team the Penguins trade him to for another season after this one. Malkin is still only 39 years old – and in an era where veterans like Los Angeles Kings winger Corey Perry and Colorado Avalanche defensemen Brent Burns are filling important roles at age 40, it should surprise no one if Malkin finds a way to stick around through the end of the 2026-27 campaign.

This past year, Malkin produced only 16 goals and 50 points in 68 games – his lowest totals since he entered hockey’s top league in 2006 (excluding the shortened 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons). He’s also been used more sparingly, averaging just 17:47 last season – nearly two full minutes less than his career average of 19:34. But at a point in time when a slew of teams are looking for secondary scoring and a second-line center, Malkin would bring back a king’s ransom to Pittsburgh in a trade for his services.

That’s why Penguins fans should happily accept the prospect of Malkin wearing another team’s jersey before he retires and is quickly voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. There’s always the emotional allure of a top athlete staying in one city for their entire competitive life, but given the reality of how difficult it is for teams to quickly rebuild their roster, it makes more sense to part ways with an asset – however valuable they may have once been to any particular organization – and hasten the move to a new core of top talent.

It’s admirable that Malkin wants a universe in which he stays a Penguin, goes on a deep playoff run with them this season, wins his fourth Cup and rides off into the sunset. The likelihood of that happening, though, is an entirely different story. 

Thus, it’s best for Malkin to be moved out at some point this season and cap off his NHL days with a long playoff run on a different team. Malkin’s desire to be a one-team star will make it hard to cut the cord, but he wouldn’t be the first icon to be separated from the only employer they’ve ever known, and he surely won’t be the last. Malkin’s last great gift to the Penguins is the gift of accepting a trade out of town – and Penguins fans should understand it’s an idea whose time has come.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- The St. Louis Blues are right back at it in preseason action on Sunday, another road tilt, but this time against the Columbus Blue Jackets at 4 p.m. (stlblues.com, Blues app, 101.1-FM ESPN).

The Blues will send out another group after opening on Saturday and falling 2-1 in a shootout against the Dallas Stars.

One player who will get another look is 2025 first-round pick, forward Justin Carbonneau, who scored the Blues’ lone goal on Saturday.

Justin Carbonneau was our first-round pick for a reason. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/zMX2VzqUle

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) September 21, 2025

“You know what I love about the kid is he loves to play hockey,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said of the 18-year-old. “He loves to be on the ice, and you know he loves to score goals. He’s trying always to figure out where he can go to get the puck to score. Then you know there’s areas of his game, naturally, that he’s got to get better. He loves to go to the open ice, which is outside the dots. He’s got to get inside the dots. He’s got to become a more classic goal scorer we’ve seen here in the Brett Hulls, the Brendan Shanahans, Tkachuks. Those people score goals inside the dots.”

Carbonneau skated with Dylan Holloway and 2023 first-round pick Dalibor Dvorsky and made a couple subtle, sneaky plays to free up his linemates with strong scoring opportunities.

“He’s got high-end hockey sense. That he does,” Montgomery said. “In junior hockey, you get used to having to get the puck to make something happen. Now he has guys that think the game like him, he’s got to trust that if he gets open, now he’s getting a Grade A from inside the dots, the one-timers and stuff.”

- - -

Montgomery’s overall impressions with Saturday night’s game?

“One, it’s early in camp; we’ve still got a lot of work to do when I look at the team game,” he said. “Individually, our goaltenders (Jordan Binnington and Colten Ellis) were excellent. I thought out top pairing was very good (Philip Broberg and Logan Mailloux). I thought some individuals up front looked very good, and then there were some individuals that didn’t show enough.”

Mailloux broke up a play during the overtime when the Blues were shorthanded 4-on-3 that really helped them settle into getting an important kill, and it’s roles like those that the coaches are looking to trust the 22-year-old in.

“We’ve got to see what he can handle, because his instincts are really good as a player,” Montgomery said. “Offensively, I saw some really good instincts. Defensively off the rush, I saw some good stuff. It’s his first time playing a zone, so he’s a little slow in the D-zone. That’s to be expected. There’s a little thinking going on by both teams last night. That’s why there weren’t that many scoring chances. But our goalies were fantastic.”

- - -

The Blues are taking more players on Sunday that have things to prove and not as much of a more polished lineup again, leaving a number of veterans behind.

Among those making his debut include Milan Lucic, in camp on a PTO; Nick Bjugstad is making his Blues debut; Mathieu Joseph and Alexandre Texier are in the lineup, and young guys to go with Carbonneau include 2023 first-rounder Otto Stenberg, Dylan Peterson, Jakub Stancl, 2024 first-round pick Adam Jiricek, Quinton Burns, and Tyler Tucker, playing his first game since ending his season with a lower-body injury in the playoffs against the Winnipeg Jets.

“See who’s going to start asserting themselves to wanting to make the Blues team,” Montgomery said. “It’s really that basic, who can show is the habits and details of [Nathan] Walker and [Alexey] Toropchenko, who has that dogged determination that Holloway plays with, who is the defenseman that is going to break up plays and look to jump and go like [Colton] Parayko and [Cam] Fowler and [Justin] Faulk do.”

- - -

Jake Neighbours (personal) and Juraj Pekarcik (undisclosed injury), each who hasn’t been on the ice for the start of training camp, did not practice on Sunday but each was on the ice after skaters practiced doing skating drills and conditioning.

“Yeah, he’ll be back on Tuesday,” Montgomery said of Neighbours. “He’ll do a light skate today without the team and he’ll be ready to go on Tuesday.”

- - -

Blues roster:

Forwards – Nikita Alexandrov, Sam Bitten, Nick Bjugstad, Justin Carbonneau, Hugh McGing, Mathieu Joseph, Milan Lucic, Dylan Peterson, Jakub Stancl, Otto Stenberg, Alexandre Texier, Chris Wagner.

Defensemen – Quinton Burns, Adam Jiricek, Leo Loof, Corey Schueneman, Hunter Skinner, Tyler Tucker.

Goalies: Joel Hofer, Vadim Zherenko.

- - -

Blue Jackets Projected Lineup:

Yegor Chinakhov-Cole Sillinger-Mathieu Olivier

Dmitri Voronkov-Luca Del Bel Belluz-Hudson Fasching

Mikael Pyythia-Brendan Gaunce-James Malatesta

Roman Ahcan-Oiva Keskinen-Jack Williams

Brendan Smith-Jake Christiansen

Daemon Hunt-Charlie Elick

Marcus Kearsey-Dyson Mayo

Ivan Fedotov is projected to start in goal; Evan Gardner is projected to be the backup.

Observations From Blues' 2-1 Preseason Shootout Loss Vs. Stars The St. Louis Blues opened the preseason with a 2-1 shootout loss against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Saturday. Blues Prospect Continues To Stand Out; Making Quite The Impression In Second Season With TeamSt. Louis Blues prospect Aleksanteri Kaskimaki took part in the opening pre-season game last night, continuing to make an impression on the coaching staff.

The Carolina Hurricanes will host their first preseason game of the season on Monday, but don't be expecting to see too many regulars on the ice.

Instead, the Canes are much more likely to ice a lineup consisting primarily of young prospects as well as a few PTOs as well when they take on the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7 p.m. at Lenovo Center.

"Planning it out right now, I've got almost all the minor league guys or guys trying to get up there playing two or three games," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour at training camp on Sunday. "Gonna get a good look at them."

The Hurricanes currently have 42 skaters and six goaltenders on their training camp roster, but they'll only need 18 skaters and two goaltenders for Monday.

However, Carolina can't just play only the prospects in the preseason as NHL rules mandate that at least eight "veteran" players must dress for every preseason game.

A "veteran" is a player who has either played in 30 NHL games the previous season, a goalie who dressed in at least 50 NHL games, any player who has played 100+ NHL games or a current year first-round pick.

The Canes didn't draft any player in the first-round this year, so that ones already out the window, but the team has quite a few other players who can fill that requirement.

For one, all three of the team's PTOs (Givani Smith, Kevin Labanc, Oliver Kylington) meet the veteran requirement.

Then there is the team's two depth defensemen, Mike Reilly and Gavin Bayreuther, who also meet the threshold. 

So right there, there's five players and the team can also have one of their two veteran netminders (Frederik Andersen, Pyotr Kochetkov) backup a younger guy like Cayden Primeau too to bring that total up to six.

Then, it's just a matter of getting a few of the regular guys a game here or there and so while you'll see primarily the young guys on Monday, there'll still be a few regulars interspersed as well.

Oh, and it seems like rising star Alexander Nikishin will get a few more games than the rest of the regulars too.

"I count him as a young kid," Brind'Amour said. "When I talk about you're going to see a lot of our younger players, he's in that group right now."

---

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EAST MEADOW, NY -- Long Island native Marshall Warren is about to live out a dream when the New York Islanders host the Philadelphia Flyers for their first preseason game. 

Hailing from Suffolk County's Laurel Hollow, the 24-year-old defenseman and die-hard Islanders fan will get his first chance to don the Blue & Orange in an actual NHL game.

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"Yeah, it's pretty exciting," Warren said. "For me, it was Nassau Coliseum, but now, like, UBS is obviously their home rink, so that'd be cool to get out there. But you got a job to do, and you got to get out there and have some fun and win the game. I'll get to enjoy it a little bit after the game. But yeah, I'm just kind of focused right now and ready to go."

His family and friends will be in attendance. The ticket count, he's not so sure on the number.

"Good question," Warren said. "I don't even know. Like, really, I think it's word of mouth. I'm sure there'll be a lot of people there, but I don't even know. My parents will be there, obviously my sister."

During training camp last season, Warren was brought to a preseason game in Philadelphia, but did not get to play. Head coach Patrick Roy said that he wanted Warren to get a taste of what an NHL warmup was like and see him work toward getting to play next time.

That time is now, and Warren is ecstatic for the opportunity, as he couldn't contain his smile during his pregame media session.

"It's a good opportunity to showcase what you have and showcase your skills," Warren said. "That's where you want to be. You want to be playing against the other top guys. So I think it's a good opportunity for me."

Islanders captain Anders Lee knows how cool getting a game in on Long Island is for Warren. 

"It's really cool. I'm pumped for him in that regard," Lee said. "And his process, going through that situation last year, and putting in the work and continuing to get better, he's earned that right to play a game tonight.

"He's looked great in camp. He's got a great attitude out there. His focus is there, and it'll be fun to see him on the ice."

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.

Milwaukee Admirals center Fedor Svechkov (40) skates away after a drill during practice Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. © Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Like everyone else associated with the Nashville Predators, Fedor Svechkov is doing his best to put the 2024-25 season behind him.

Easier said than done, especially since he was asked about it Thursday during media availability following the first day of practice.

“What happened last year? I don’t remember,” the 22-year-old Russian center said.

His response may have been tongue-in-cheek, but he made his point. Like everyone else on the roster, Svechkov is ready to move forward.

The disappointing season can hardly be blamed on Svechkov. After being called up from the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals in November, he put up eight goals and nine assists for 17 points in 52 games. He spent most of the time in the bottom six, but showed flashes of his two-way skillset that impressed the Predators enough to make him the 19th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.

Before his call-up, Svechkov put up 12 points (5-7-12) in 13 games with Milwaukee. After the Predators failed to qualify for the playoffs, he went back to the Admirals and collected eight points (4-4-8) in 10 post-season games.

More will be expected of Svechkov this coming season. General manager Barry Trotz has hinted he would like to see Svechkov eventually become the No. 2 center behind Ryan O’Reilly.

Quite a jump for a player who is still learning English and adjusting to the NHL. Fortunately, he appears to be staying in the moment.

“Today was the first practice,” Svechkov said Thursday. “I think I worked well. That’s all I can control and all I can do, so I’m not thinking about role and stuff.”

During the Predators’ first scrimmage on Friday, Svechkov was paired on a line with Steven Stamkos and Joakim Kemell. While Stamkos’s production tailed off considerably last season, he could provide the veteran experience Svechkov would need to work his way into a top-six role.

During the off-season, Trotz talked with Svechkov about how to make the necessary mental adjustments that come with having success in the NHL. On Thursday, Svechkov indicated he’s working on both his English and consistency in his game.

“This is the most difficult league in the world, and I have to be ready for every game,” he said.

One of the weaknesses in Svechkov’s game early on in his NHL career is winning faceoffs. He won just 37% of them in 2024-25, a number that needs improvement if he is to assume the No. 2 center role.

Svechkov’s 12.5 shooting percentage was a demonstration of his superior shooting. That was emphasized more specifically on Apr. 8 when his wrister from the slot gave the Preds a 7-6 come-from-behind win in overtime against the New York Islanders.

The Predators did little to improve their center depth in the off-season, other than drafting Brady Martin fifth overall in the 2025 Draft. If head coach Andrew Brunette decides to move Stamkos to the wing, Erik Haula could slide in at center, giving the club more options.

Training camp has only just begun, and a lot needs to be sorted out on the Predators’ front line before the regular season gets underway. Svhechkov will get every opportunity to move into a bigger role; he just has to prove he’s ready for it.

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St. Louis Blues prospect Aleksanteri Kaskimaki took part in the opening pre-season game last night, continuing to make an impression on the coaching staff.

The 21-year-old had a positive rookie season in the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds, notching 11 goals and 34 points in 63 games, good enough for eighth in goals and sixth in points on the team.

Prior to the pre-season opening 2-1 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars, Kaskimaki was a force at the prospects tournament and continued to show off his high energy and skill in training camp. Against a Stars team which featured NHLers Mavrik Bourque, Alexander Petrovic, Nils Lundkvist, Sam Steel and Radek Faksa, Kaskimaki finished the game with a shot on goal and a hit in 16:55 of ice time. 

The young centermen skated on a line with Nathan Walker and Alexey Toropchenko, fitting in perfectly and helping the line win plenty of small ice puck battles. Kaskimaki's lone hiccup was on an ill-advised play in overtime that was intercepted in the middle of the ice on an outlet that led to Carbonneau's penalty.

Kaskimaki was involved in the Blues' only goal, moving the puck to Dylan Holloway behind the goal and then quickly getting to the front of the net. After Holloway sent the puck to Logan Mailloux, he fed it to Justin Carbonneau, who used Kaskimaki as a pass option to sneakily beat the Stars' goaltender.

There is plenty to like from Kaskimaki's overall game. He plays with a high pace, always looking to carry the puck through the neutral zone and initiate rush offense. Offensively, the 5-foot-11, 181-pound center uses deception and his hands to create shooting chances. He likes to use the defender's legs to his advantage, sliding the puck through their legs with different release points in an attempt to change the angle and confuse the goaltenders. 

He found success with it in Liiga, Finland's top professional league, before the jump to North American hockey, recording 10 goals and 17 points in 48 games as a 19-year-old. 

The 2022 third-round pick (73rd overall) possesses several NHL-translatable skills. His skill set screams successful bottom-six player, and with some more time to refine his game in the AHL, Kaskimaki could be one of the many players who earn a call-up to the NHL sometime this season or next. 

"Kaskimaki is one of my ... I saw him at the World Junior in Sweden. There's something about that player that attracts me to him," said GM Doug Armstrong in the exit interviews following the Blues' elimination from the playoffs. "His detail. He reminds me a lot of, I hate putting comparisons out because I get held to it, but not the offense of Alex Steen; he doesn't have that offense yet, might never have that offense, but he has that understanding of the game, understanding the important times of the game, where important ice is, how to get to it. I saw that when he represents his national team. He's a guy if does what he's supposed to do, I see him getting games next year. If he does what he's supposed to do and has a great training camp, he could start with us."

Making the team is certainly a long shot, but Kaskimaki is off to a flying start in showing that he is more NHL-ready than some may believe. 

The NHL pre-season has officially arrived this weekend as another season approaches. Not only is pre-season a great time for coaches and management to test out line combinations and review their roster, but it’s a great time for the NHL and the teams to try new things.

Games have started to be held in neutral venues, where neither team participating in the pre-season outing is considered the home team. Other games will be held nearby at the home arena of an AHL affiliate, just outside of the big city.

This season, the NHL has scheduled several contests to be played at neutral sites.

Colorado Avalanche vs Utah Mammoth, Magness Arena

The first neutral-site pre-season game is between the Utah Mammoth and Colorado Avalanche on Sunday. This game will be held at Magness Arena in Denver. While the location is still technically home for Colorado, this isn’t Ball Arena.

Magness Arena was opened in 1999 and is home to the University of Denver in the NCAA. The University of Denver’s hockey program, the Denver Pioneers, have been a force for the last 10 years, earning three NCAA championships in 2024, 2022 and 2017. 

The University of Denver is also known for its gymnastics program, as it hosted the NCAA Region Gymnastics Championships five times at Magness Arena.

Anaheim Ducks vs Los Angeles Kings, Toyota Arena

Toyota Arena in Ontario, Calif., will host state rivals the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings on Sunday. Toyota Arena is the home of the AHL’s Ontario Reign, the affiliate team of the Kings. This venue is about a 50-minute drive west to the Kings’ Crypto.com Arena. 

This is the second straight year that the Ducks take on the Kings in a pre-season affair at Toyota Arena. Los Angeles won that game 3-2 with two goals from Alex Laferriere and one from captain Anze Kopitar.

The Kings are participating in the most pre-season games held at neutral sites, with the game against Anaheim being one of three.

Calgary Flames vs Vancouver Canucks, Abbotsford Centre

Just like the Kings, the Vancouver Canucks will play in the home of the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, their affiliate club. Vancouver will take on the Calgary Flames at Abbotsford Centre in a pre-season clash on Wednesday.

The Abbotsford Canucks are coming off a Calder Cup championship. They didn’t get to hoist the Cup in the Abbotsford Centre, but it was the first championship for the franchise since they moved to Abbotsford in 2021.

Philadelphia Flyers vs Washington Capitals, Giant Center

On Thursday, the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals will face off at Giant Center in Hershey, Pa. This is another AHL home, which belongs to the Hershey Bears of the Washington Capitals organization.

Since the opening of the arena in October 2002, Giant Center has seen plenty of success from the Bears. Hershey has won five Calder Cups in that span, including back-to-back championships in 2023 and 2024, making it the home of one of the most storied franchises in AHL hockey.

Anaheim Ducks vs Los Angeles Kings, Dignity Health Arena

The Ducks and Kings are back at it again on the 27th, this time at Dignity Health Arena in Bakersfield, Calif. This is the home arena of the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. However, they aren’t the affiliates of the Kings or Ducks.

The Condors are the AHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers. The distance between the two cities is nearly 1,300 miles, one of the longest distances between an NHL team and their AHL affiliate.

New Jersey Devils vs Ottawa Senators, Videotron Centre

On the 28th, the New Jersey Devils will take on the Ottawa Senators in a venue that is home to the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL. The Videotron Centre in Quebec City is a relatively new arena, as it opened in September 2015.

Quebec City hasn’t seen competitive NHL hockey in a long time. While it has hosted a handful of pre-season games in the past, it’s been 30 years since the Quebec Nordiques were the talk of the town as the city’s beloved NHL team. 

In The Hockey News’ pre-season fan survey, Quebec City was voted as the most deserving city for NHL expansion.

Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning, Kia Center

Kia Center will host the Battle of Florida between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. This arena was opened in 2010 as the Amway Center, before it was renamed to the Kia Center in 2023.

The Kia Center is home to three teams. The NBA’s Orlando Magic, the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears - affiliate of the Lightning - and the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League.

Montreal Canadiens vs Ottawa Senators, Videotron Centre

The Ottawa Senators are back in the Videotron Centre on the 30th, but this time they match up with the Montreal Canadiens. This could be an attractive matchup for fans in the Quebec City area, as both teams participating have the largest French-speaking population.  

Another fact about Quebec City and the Videotron Centre is that they’ll be the hosts of the IIHF’s 2027 Women’s World Championship and the 2029 World Junior Championship.

Los Angeles Kings vs Utah Mammoth, Idaho Central Arena

The final neutral venue for the 2025-26 NHL pre-season will be the Idaho Central Arena. This will be the third neutral site for the Kings and the second for the Mammoth of this campaign.

The Idaho Central Arena is in Boise, Idaho and is home to the Idaho Steelheads. The Steelheads, affiliate of the Dallas Stars, are entering their 18th season in the ECHL and have played in this arena since 1997.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 22 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #22. 

Let's take a look.

Chris Nielsen - 2001-2002 - Drafted by the New York Islanders in 1998. 

After signing with Columbus, Neilsen played 52 games over the course of two seasons. After bouncing around the AHL for a few seasons, he left for Europe and played in Germany for a year. He decided to retire in 2006.

Nowadays, he's the attending surgeon at University Health Network and an Assistant Professor in the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery with the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.

Luke Richardson - 2003-2006 - Drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1987. 

Richardson, a former Captain of the CBJ, played 190 games in Columbus. On March 8, 2006, he was traded to the Maple Leafs, later signing with the Senators, and then retiring on November 27, 2008. 

He moved into coaching in 2008 and has bounced around the NHL and AHL. His last job was with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he was fired on December 6th, 2024. Richardson will be an asst. coach for the Nashville Predators for 25-26. 

Mike Commodore - 2009-2011 - Drafted by New Jersey in 1999. 

Commodore was signed by Columbus on July 1, 2008, to a five-year contract worth $18.75 million. After 158 games, he was put on waivers on January 17, 2011, in which he cleared, and was assigned to the Springfield Falcons. He would report to the AHL and play 11 games, but that was it for the Mike Commodore experience. 

He bounced around for a few seasons and finished his career playing in the KHL. Mike Commodore is mostly famous for his very nasty feud with Mike Babcock. 

Václav Prospal - 2012-2013 - Drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1993. 

Vinny Prospal played 130 games for Columbus and had 85 points. After two seasons, he retired on January 24, 2014. 

After retiring, he moved into coaching. He coached youth in the Tampa area before returning to Czechia until 2021. In 2023, he was named an asst. coach for the Rochester Americans of the AHL. 

Sonny Milano - 2016-2020 - Drafted by Columbus in 2014. 

Milano played 116 games for Columbus over five years and totaled 42 points. He spent the majority of his time playing for the Lake Erie/Cleveland Monsters, playing in 163 games. He scored 45 goals and had 112 points. 

The Sonny Milano experiment ended on February 24, 2020, when he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks. 

Jake Bean - 2022-2024 - Drafted by Carolina in 2016.

On July 23, 2021, Bean was traded by the Hurricanes to the Columbus Blue Jackets and then immediately signed to a three-year contract. Bean only played 153 games for the CBJ, which was season in which he only played 14 due to having shoulder surgery. 

The Jackets let him walk in 2024. He signed a deal with Calgary and played 64 games last season. 

Jordan Harris - 2025 - Drafted by the Montréal Canadiens in 2017. 

Harris was traded to Columbus prior to the 2024-25 season in exchange for Patrik Laine. He only played 33 games for the CBJ last season, even though he was healthy all year. The Jackets kept a lot of defensemen on the roster, and that led him to being a healthy scratch for most of the season. 

Harris was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Blue Jackets in the summer of 2025, and he signed with his hometown Boston Bruins. 

There are 22 days until opening night at NWA. The season kicks off by the playing the first game of the season on the road against the New Jersey Devils. 

Next up is training camp, which kicks off on Wednesday, September 18. The camp will run until the preseason begins and then transition directly into the full preseason schedule. Here’s what the Blue Jackets have lined up so far.

After the first few days of camp, most rookies who received an invite will be cut and sent back to their junior teams. From there, the cuts will come more often as pre-season play gets underway.

The pre-season schedule is as follows:

Sunday, Sept. 21 vs. St. Louis Blues, 5 p.m. ET

Monday, Sept. 22 vs. Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m. ET

Tuesday, Sept. 23 at Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m. ET

Wednesday, Sept. 24 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m. ET

Saturday, Sept. 27 at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m. ET

Tuesday, Sept. 30 vs. Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET

Saturday, Oct. 4 at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET

* Games in bold are home games * 

After that, the Blue Jackets will open the regular season on the road against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena.

Let us know what you think below.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.  

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On Sunday night, the New York Islanders battle the Philadelphia Flyers to kick off their preseason slate. 

Puck drop is scheduled for 7 PM ET at UBS Arena, where Matthew Schaefer is likely to make his preseason debut. 

Here's how to watch:

Plan accordingly!

The #Isles preseason game tomorrow night will stream LIVE on the Islanders + UBS Arena app and https://t.co/II8TDuHWyn!

Download the app now: https://t.co/qun2pbQ2hXpic.twitter.com/KAjYZSPpAb

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) September 20, 2025

As of now, we do not know who is calling the game, but with Brendan Burke not returning just yet, I wouldn't be surprised if it were Alan Fuehring, who does a fantastic job. 

The Islanders will hold a morning skate and that's when we'll find out the game roster.

Islanders Tony DeAngelo Raves About Matthew Schaefer's Power Play Ability EAST MEADOW, NY -- New York Islanders No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer took shifts quarterbacking the second power-play unit at training camp on Saturday. 

Stay tuned...

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.

The New Jersey Devils will play their first preseason game today at 1 p.m. against the New York Rangers.

Team reporter Amanda Stein released her projected lineup for the contest, which closely mirrors the roster head coach Sheldon Keefe is expected to use. While not official, here is Stein’s predicted lineup:

Forwards

• Cotter – Glass – Gritsyuk
• Crookshank – Lammikko – Legare
• Gruden – Glendening – Halonen
• Hardman – Rooney – Bordeleau

Defense

• Chowolski – Casey
• Edwards – Strand
• White – Addison
• van de Leest – Osipov

Goaltenders

• Daws
• Romanov
• Malek

If these lines hold, the Devils’ first power-play unit would feature Casey, Gritsyuk, Glass, Cotter, and Bordeleau.

Sheldon Keefe confirms this is pretty close to what the #NJDevils roster will look like for the first preseason game tomorrow against the Rangers.

Might be a slight tweak or two, but very close to this: https://t.co/t1u9m6RbkB

— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) September 20, 2025

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Players to Watch

Arseny Gritsyuk The highly anticipated Russian forward will make his Devils debut today. Drafted 129th overall in 2019, Gritsyuk spent the past several seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League before joining New Jersey this fall. After an impressive showing at training camp, today’s performance will be an early indicator of where he might fit in the lineup.

Nico Daws A reliable depth option in recent years, Daws has stepped in multiple times when the Devils’ top goaltenders were sidelined. With Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen ahead of him, his NHL role likely won’t change this season, but his preseason play will show how much progress he’s made during the offseason.

Juho Lammikko Lammikko last played in the NHL during the 2021–22 season with Vancouver. Known for his two-way game, he has an opportunity to earn a role in New Jersey’s bottom six.

Angus Crookshank After leaving the Ottawa Senators and testing free agency, Crookshank signed a two-year deal with the Devils on July 2. He’s looking to prove he belongs on the NHL roster and could use today’s game as a showcase.

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Keefe’s Emphasis

Coach Sheldon Keefe made it clear what he expects from his players in the preseason opener:

“We’re at the portion of the program here where I want to see effort, speed, pace—it’s a very fast league. Tomorrow isn’t going to be the NHL in terms of speed, but it’s a good way to stand out. That’s been the emphasis for us from our very first meeting: ability to skate, pressure the puck, and do all the things when the puck isn’t on your stick, which is a very large percentage of the game.”

---

The puck drops at 1 p.m. The official lineup will be confirmed closer to game time.

If the first few days of training camp are anything to go by, the Philadelphia Flyers could have a new-look defense under first-year head coach Rick Tocchet.

Through three days, Tocchet has done nothing short of glow about Cam York, who was the recipient of a five-year, $25.75 million contract extension from the Flyers this offseason.

The potential for the 24-year-old defenseman, and the hope, perhaps, is that he can "carry his own pair," in the words of Tocchet.

That would certainly imply far less minutes with frequent defense partner Travis Sanheim, the Flyers' de facto No. 1 defenseman and leader on the back end.

York has spent most of his training camp reps alongside prospect defenseman Helge Grans, a young player of similar age who is looking to finally establish himself as an NHL regular after playing six NHL games for the Flyers last year.

Grans, 23, is no longer waivers-exempt, so this training camp is functionally a now-or-never thing for him in a Flyers uniform.

Flyers Training Camp: Nikita Grebenkin Continues to Shine as Roster Battles Get RealAfter three days, forward prospect Nikita Grebenkin has been the one constant in Philadelphia Flyers training camp, flashing his intriguing potential at seemingly every turn.

It says a lot about the Swede that he's playing with York, who has been talked up so much by Tocchet and the organization this summer.

It should also be noted that Grans, a right-shot, makes sense as a natural 1:1 replacement for the injured Rasmus Ristolainen as a tall, rangy defender.

So, while someone like Emil Andrae might have played more NHL games and played better in most of those games (including on a pair with Sanheim), the 5-foot-9 size and left-handedness will work against him. Fortunately, Andrae is still waivers-exempt for 34 more NHL games or until the end of this season.

As for Sanheim, it's been a little harder to get a read on his role this early into training camp.

The 29-year-old has spent time so far with prospect Spencer Gill, who, while impressive, is still too young and has virtually no chance of making the team this year, and veteran Noah Juulsen, who has struggled mightily and already profiled as a No. 7 or No. 8 defenseman if and when Ristolainen is healthy.

"I think I've already played with two different partners here through three days, so I'm not quite sure whether I'm playing left or right or who I'm with," Sanheim said Saturday. "I think I have the capability of being able to play with a lot of different guys, so whatever they do with me and my pair, I feel comfortable being able to play with whoever back there."

During Saturday's training camp scrimmage, Sanheim also featured on the second power play unit, which consisted of himself, Tyson Foerster, Owen Tippett, Noah Cates, and Bobby Brink.

Flyers' Travis Sanheim Poised for New Leadership Role in 2025-26The Philadelphia Flyers have had a leadership opening since the NHL trade deadline, and Travis Sanheim is a prime candidate to step in and step up.

York and center Christian Dvorak rotated in for Sanheim and Cates at times.

So, while this isn't all to be taken as gospel at this stage, it's a potential new role for Sanheim, and a departure from the days of Ristolainen and Egor Zamula getting valuable power play minutes.

"I think there's more offense to my game," added Sanheim. "I think you saw I was on the power play today, and if that's something I'm asked of this season, I think that excites me."

As for Zamula, he was interestingly paired with Jamie Drysdale on Saturday, swapping places with Nick Seeler, who was next to Gill.

Zamula and Drysdale did spend some time together last season, though not nearly enough to draw conclusions one way or another on their chemistry and performances.

What is clear, though, is that Tocchet recognizes that he may not be able to get the most out of York and Sanheim when they're on the ice playing together at the same time.

How York rises to the challenge remains to be seen, but if the Flyers can manage to give themselves two legitimate top-four defense pairs, it lightens the load on everyone and should allow other guys, such as Grans, to step up and play more comfortably.