Exploring three Detroit Red Wings prospects that could make the jump to the NHL in the 2025-26 season.

The Detroit Red Wings are known as having one of the best prospect pools in the NHL since starting their rebuild with some players finally getting to the point where they are old enough and have been developed to a point where they have the potential to make their NHL debut.  

Whether it’s a highly touted first-rounder or a late-round gem turning heads in the AHL or overseas, the opportunity is there for fresh faces to earn a spot on the roster. With training camp around the corner and roster spots potentially up for grabs, here are three Red Wings prospects who could make their debut next season. 

Amadeus Lombardi, C

Detroit's fourth-round pick back in 2022 has found his game this past season with a near point-per-game average with the Grand Rapids Griffins. The 22-year-old Newmarket native recorded 40 points, tying for fourth on the team in points with winger Sheldon Dries. His 19 goals was also tied for third on the team with former NHLer Austin Watson. This is all with Lombardi having played just 44 games compared to the others around him that played closer to the full 72-game AHL season. If an opportunity becomes available with an injury that would require the team to call up a center for the fourth line, we can count on Lombardi getting a chance to make his debut.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Nate Danielson, C

The most highly anticipated prospect in the pipeline could finally make his NHL debut in 2025 as the former ninth overall pick in 2023 NHL Draft showed signs of a relatively seamless transition to pro hockey last season. After recording 12 goals and 27 assists for 39 through 71 games, it's safe to say that if he continues to develop as fast as he is, we will likely see him in a Red Wings jersey in a just a few short months. 

At least that's what EliteProspects thinks as they have the 20-year-old Alberta native projected to make Detroit's main roster for this season. The center position remains relatively open, with only Dylan Larkin, Marco Kasper, and Andrew Copp firmly ahead of him in the lineup for next season. We could see Danielson in the lineup as soon as October 9th versus the Montreal Canadiens. 

More Red Wings: After Jab At Red Wings, Klim Kostin Hopes To Play For Former Club

Shai Buium, D

This appears to be a near identical case to Carter Mazur last season. After spending less than a handful of games following the conclusion of his junior career in Grand Rapids, Mazur got accamlated to the style of play and helped him focus his training for the following season. He would go on to play his first full season and impress the Red Wings. It wouldn't be until the following season however that Mazur would get the call 20 games into the season. 

Buium has walked almost the same path as he excelled with the Griffins last season, playing big minutes and now has a full season of pro hockey under his belt. The Red Wings defense core is one of the weakest points on the team and is the most likely to see movement. If Buium can continue to impress like Mazur did in his third pro year, we can expect a call-up at some point in the season.

SHAI BUIUM FIRST PRO GOAL🚨 #LGRW#GoGRGpic.twitter.com/wOzjqWpAfm

— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) March 4, 2025

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For the Los Angeles Kings, this season might mean more than just another year of hockey on the ice; it could be the last shot they have for a Stanley Cup title. 

After four consecutive first-round exits to the Edmonton Oilers, the Kings face a daunting challenge. Year after year, the same storyline has surrounded the Kings, with each year promising a breakthrough, only to end in disappointment. 

Again, this is still a very talented group of players that is filled with not only veterans who have playoff experience, but also young, talented stars who have the potential to be great. But there comes a moment where your window closes, not because of the talent, but from the psychological element of repeatedly falling short of expectations.

29 days until the @LAKings' home opener.

Pictured: Pheonix Copley, who is the fastest goaltender in franchise history to record 20 wins in a season, which he accomplished in 29 games in 2022-23. Copley has a record of 28-7-5 in 46 games with the #LAKings.#GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/IAsqEb6j5v

— The Kingstorian (@Kingstorian) September 8, 2025

Aging Core Nearing the End

The Kings' identity still revolves around two franchise legends: Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty, who have been with the franchise for over a decade, with two Stanley Cup titles under their belt.    

But, given their age and attrition, it might be time to move on from both Doughty and Kopitar this season. Many die-hard Kings fans and experts have been advocating for this move to happen earlier, as they believe the young talent in LA can lead them to the promised land. Now, we just have to wait and see if the Kings will deal them at the trade deadline or next summer. 

This season could be the last where we both see them on a Kings uniform, or at least play at a solid level. Kopitar was still great, playing 81 games at age 38 with 21 goals, 46 assists, and 67 points. He can still play at a high level, but he most likely will take a step back this year, given his age, and so will Doughty, who missed time with injuries last season. 

Years of Playoff Heartbreak

The recent playoff history of the Kings is a maddening one. While they've assembled competitive rosters, Los Angeles has lost to the Oilers in the first round in four straight playoffs. Every series has uncovered the same issues: failure to close with superstar talent, infuriating up-and-down goaltending, and an inability to stop Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

That consecutive failure has created an impression that the Kings have remained constant. If they cannot progress this season, fans and management could expect changes to the roster.

The Goaltending Question

Goaltending has been a big question mark come postseason for the Kings in recent years. Last offseason, the Kings acquired Darcy Kuemper, bringing in his veteran experience to provide stability and strength under the net.

At 35, Kuemper is a short-term solution rather than a long-term answer. If he falters, the Kings lack a proven young goalie ready to take the reins. In a Western Conference where elite goaltending often swings playoff series, this could be the factor that determines whether the Kings finally break through. 

Why the Window Isn’t Completely Closed

Despite the concerns, Los Angeles still has reasons for optimism. Their younger core, led by Quinton Byfield, Adrian Kempe, Brandt Clarke, and Alex Turcotte, is young, elevating pieces entering their prime. 

Kings fans on Kempe's contract, Kopitar's future and more on the latest "Locked on #LAKings" podcast and YouTube show. #GoKingsGohttps://t.co/uxgXsYrHu1 via @YouTube

— Locked On LA Kings (@LockedOnLAKings) September 7, 2025

If two or three of these players take significant leaps this season, the Kings could balance their veteran leadership with youthful energy and skill.

The Pacific Division, while competitive, remains winnable. Vancouver has emerged as a contender, and Edmonton continues to be the biggest obstacle, but the Kings finished second place in the division last season and were just two games back of the first-seeded Golden Knights. 

Suppose LA has enough depth and talent to stay in the mix. A key trade deadline move could push them over the top.

The Los Angeles Kings are heading into the 2025-26 season hoping to improve on their previous campaign and finally get past the first round. One player who might be earning a professional tryout (PTO) deal somewhere in the NHL is Klim Kostin, who supposedly has had conversations with the Kings at this point. 

In a recent interview, Kostin confirmed his interest in joining the Edmonton Oilers again, considering how well he fit with them in his previous stint, but confirmed the Kings have reached out to him. The way he worded it made it sound like they had made an offer, but that's not confirmed just yet.

Kostin, who is 26 years old, played 35 games with the San Jose Sharks last season, scoring one goal and adding six assists for seven points. Throughout his career, he has played 190 games, scoring 25 goals and adding 28 assists for 53 points.

He hasn't been able to find a full-time home and has bounced around the NHL for several seasons, but his next destination could be somewhere he tries to stay and make a home for himself, and it seems as though the Kings are going to be a serious consideration for him. 

Stay tuned in with your Los Angeles Kings here at The Hockey News, as the 2025-26 season inches closer.

A year after finishing at the bottom of their division for the first time in modern memory, the Boston Bruins need a lot of things to go right for them to have even the faintest hope of challenging for a Stanley Cup playoff berth.

If one thing in particular doesn’t improve for them – the performance of starting goalie Jeremy Swayman – the Bruins are destined to wind up in the Atlantic Division basement for the second straight year.

Just about everything that could’ve gone wrong for Swayman did go wrong last season. The 26-year-old missed Boston’s training camp due to a financial stalemate. Although he did get a new contract done in time to start the Bruins’ second game of the season, he never got into a groove and finished with what were by far his worst individual numbers of his five-year NHL career, including a 3.11 goals-against average and .892 save percentage in a career-high 58 appearances.

Granted, some of the blame for Swayman’s bloated numbers must be attributed to Boston’s porous defensive game when Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm were injured. But when Swayman asked for and received a pay raise to $8.25 million per season, he invited the criticism of him that had harangued him all season long.

Now, he must help the Bruins exceed expectations in 2025-26.

"We have an endless belief mindset, and that's gotta be set from Day 1," Swayman told reporters last Thursday. "We can't go in the future, we can't predict what's gonna happen, but the thing is that we can control what we can control, right here, right now."

With Bruins backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo being no serious threat to take playing opportunities away from him, Swayman didn’t have the competition pushing him to elevate his own performance.

Boston Bruins Netminder Jeremy Swayman Ready For Rebound SeasonLast season was a tough year for the Boston Bruins, and perhaps nobody took that harder than Jeremy Swayman. 

Now, he has some competition for another coveted goalie spot.

Not only does Swayman face intense pressure to backstop the Bruins into playoff contention, but he also must try to secure playing time on Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The Americans have plenty of options in net, including Winnipeg Jets superstar Connor Hellebuyck and Dallas Stars counterpart Jake Oettinger. The three of them were on the 4 Nations Face-Off squad, but only Hellebuyck and Oettinger played.

"That's always the hardest problem with being a goalie," Hellebuyck told NHL.com at the United States' Olympic orientation camp. "There are multiple guys but only one net."

So while Swayman can’t lock up the starter’s job for the U.S. with strong play out of the gate, he can definitely push himself down the pecking order if he struggles early on. Other Olympic hopefuls, such as Joey Daccord and Thatcher Demko, could even push Swayman off the team. 

"I have to compete all out in order to get the best out of them," Swayman told NHL.com. "And that's the best part, because we are on the same team. We know that one goalie plays at the end of the day, but they'd be (angry) at me if I was taking shifts off, or if I was taking a practice off, and I'd be the same with them.

"And 100 percent we all want to play, we all want to be in that net come gametime in Milan, and that's exactly what we're going to do. And that mindset is going to really elevate us."

In sum, it’s shaping up to be a boom-or-bust season for Swayman this coming year. He’s going to be the last line of defense for a B's team that is in a transition of sorts, and that’s a recipe for potential disaster. So is the fact that Swayman’s contract doesn’t have no-trade protection until next season, forcing Boston GM Don Sweeney to make a long-term judgment on Swayman far sooner than anyone may have anticipated when he signed his current deal a year ago.

Of course, every starting NHL goalie is dealing with some degree of pressure and ups and downs. That comes with the territory. But Swayman is facing significantly more pressure than most of his colleagues. How he handles it could prove there's nothing to worry about, or it could be the calm before the storm.

Swayman has got to step up and justify the Bruins’ investment in him. Because if he doesn’t, it will be an extremely long season for him.

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The Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, and Minnesota Wild will all participate in the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase.

This is a three-game tournament where each organization will have some of its best prospects compete in a round robin format. 

Last week, the Blues and Wild each revealed their roster for the tournament, which will begin on September 12th when St. Louis takes on Minnesota. Chicago will play St. Louis on the 13th and Minnesota on the 14th. 

The St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild each have talent in the organization. Their rosters for this event have high-end prospects with ceilings of NHL contributors. 

Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) on XBuium, Yurov, Haight, Heidt, Kumpalainen, Benak highlight the #mnwild rookies in the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase at TRIA Rink Sept. 12-14 vs. Blues and BlackhawksLou Korac (@lkorac10) on X#stlblues roster for the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase Sept. 12-14 in Minnesota ...

With that said, the Blackhawks have been rebuilding while the Blues and Wild compete for the playoffs, so their draft selections have typically had more value in recent years. The Blackhawks' roster, announced on Monday, features numerous players who could compete for NHL or AHL jobs immediately. 

Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xour 2025 Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase roster is here‼️ 📰 ➡︎ https://t.co/Dmhovq9tn2

This group includes players with NHL experience, such as Oliver Moore, Artyom Levshunov, and Sam Rinzel. These guys all plan on playing with the Blackhawks on Opening Night. At a minimum, they will see time in the NHL during the 2025-26 season. 

Will AJ Spellacy, Nick Lardis, or Ryan Greene play for the Blackhawks? How about the Rockford IceHogs? There is a lot to decide on with this prospect event, training camp, and the preseason. 

Many other young players will likely have wonderful developmental seasons elsewhere. In particular, notable players such as Nathan Behm, Martin Misiak, and Jack Pridham are expected to be factors in this event. 

This does not mean that the Blackhawks are going to steamroll everyone else in this showcase. All of these young players are coming in with the hopes of impressing their organizations as they look to eventually have NHL careers. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

As training camp approaches, prospects are looking to challenge for a spot on their NHL teams.

As hard as they compete, sometimes it’s best for these young players to spend some time in the AHL to mature and get more ice time than they would in the NHL. Nonetheless, they’ll bring plenty of excitement to the American League.

While it’s possible for these players to see games in the NHL, here are three players to look out for in their first AHL season.

Easton Cowan, LW, Toronto Marlies

Easton Cowan is easily the most coveted prospect in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. After trading away Fraser Minten to the Boston Bruins for Brandon Carlo and a 2026 first-round pick, Cowan stands alone at the top of the prospect chart.

The left winger is coming off back-to-back OHL championships and a Memorial Cup victory last year. Along the way, Cowan picked up many awards and accolades from his exceptional play, especially in the post-season. 

The 20-year-old has led the OHL in playoff points for the last two seasons, was named OHL playoffs MVP, Memorial Cup MVP, and led the Memorial Cup in points twice, in addition to other achievements.

Cowan has accomplished and performed like a player who should be a regular NHL player in no time, so his first season with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL should be one to watch for Maple Leafs fans and hockey fans.

Andrew Cristall, C, Hershey Bears

Andrew Cristall had a season for the ages last year for the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets and the Spokane Chiefs. He scored 48 goals and led the WHL with 132 points in 57 games. He was just as impressive in the playoffs, leading the league in goals with 21 tallies and recording 41 points in 19 games, which puts him in the top 10 for most points in a WHL post-season.

Cristall was selected in the second round of the 2023 draft by the Washington Capitals and could be set to debut for the Hershey Bears next season. 

The Bears have been a force to reckon with for the past three seasons, winning two straight Calder Cups in that span. The addition of Cristall could make their case for a third Calder Cup in four years all the more plausible.

Detroit’s Sandin-Pellikka Among Rookie Defensemen To Look Out For Next AHL SeasonNHL Training camp will be kicking off soon, and each team’s prospects will be looking to fight for their spot on that roster.

Brayden Yager, C, Manitoba Moose

Brayden Yager is a complete, two-way center who has recorded three straight solid seasons in the WHL. Last season, he registered 82 points in 54 contests between the Moose Jaw Warriors and the Lethbridge Hurricanes. 

In Yager’s five-year junior career, he was named CHL and WHL rookie of the year, a Hlinka Gretzky gold medalist and a WHL champion with the Warriors in 2023-24.

He was also named captain for Team Canada at the latest World Junior Championship. Yager recorded three helpers in that tournament.

The 20-year-old from Saskatoon is ready for a new challenge next season - whether that’s a sniff with the Winnipeg Jets in the NHL or a season with the Manitoba Moose in the AHL - he’ll be one to look out for.

Check out our AHL to KHL signing tracker and AHL Free Agency signing tracker.

The Philadelphia Flyers have confirmed the schedule and roster for this year's highly-anticipated Rookie Camp.

The kids are ready to roll!

Check out the full 2025 Rookie Camp roster and schedule. #LetsGoFlyershttps://t.co/fAXFjyalMJ

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) September 8, 2025

Taking place over five days, camp will kick off on Thursday, Sept. 11, with back-to-back games against the New York Rangers rookies to follow at PPL Center on Sept. 12 and Sept. 13. The games will start at 7:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., respectively.

After a break on Sunday, Sept. 14, on-ice sessions will resume on the 15th and 16th.

Some notable highlights on the confirmed roster include talents like Denver Barkey and Oliver Bonk, who saw immense success with the London Knights in the OHL during the 2024-25 season, winning both the OHL Championship and Memorial Cup.

Jett Luchanko, who made the Flyers' NHL roster out of preseason camp last year, is also set to feature.

Fans will also get to see more of players like Alex Bump, Nikita Grebenkin, and Jacob Gaucher, who impressed with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season. 

All on-ice sessions will be open for fans to watch at the Flyers Training Center in Vorhees, N.J.

Speculation over the futures of Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell and defenseman Erik Karlsson has persisted throughout the off-season.

Rust and Rakell are signed through 2027-28 with annual average values at, or above, $5 million. Meanwhile, Karlsson has two seasons remaining on his deal with the Penguins paying $10 million of his $11.5 million average annual value.

The Penguins are rebuilding, though management is reluctant to say it out loud. That's fuelling the conjecture about where those veterans fit within management's plans.

On Sept. 2, Josh Yohe of The Athletic expressed surprise that Rust, Rakell and Karlsson were still on the Penguins' roster with training camp fast approaching. He believes the two forwards could fetch returns of prospects, draft picks, or young NHL players. Shipping out all three would improve the Penguins' chances of winning the 2026 draft lottery and the opportunity to select top prospect Gavin McKenna.

Two days later, Yohe reported Penguins GM Kyle Dubas is content to start the season with his current roster but didn't rule out Dubas attempting to make a move or two.

Yohe thinks Karlsson stands the best chance of moving, despite his cap hit, his disappointing play over the last two seasons and his no-movement clause. He claimed some teams remain interested in the 35-year-old puck-moving defenseman, provided the Penguins retain a healthy chunk of his cap hit.

Teams are usually reluctant to retain salary on an expensive contract that has more than a year remaining. However, PuckPedia projects the Penguins will have over $13 million in cap space for the coming season and a whopping $53.2 million for 2026-27. They can comfortably afford to retain up to half of Karlsson's remaining cap hit.

Yohe wondered if Fenway Sports Group's attempt to sell the Penguins could affect any attempt by management to retain part of Karlsson's salary to facilitate a trade.

Shifting our focus to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Yohe's colleague James Mirtle was recently asked if there was any truth to rumors suggesting defenseman Brandon Carlo might become a trade chip.

Carlo, 28, was acquired from the Boston Bruins before the March 2025 trade deadline.

Mirtle thinks the Maple Leafs are still looking to add to their forward group. He felt that Carlo might be a viable option because they don't have much trade capital, and they could prefer replacing the shutdown blueliner with a puck-moving rearguard.

The Leafs haven't suitably addressed the departure of right wing Mitch Marner, but there are few decent options currently available. If Carlo becomes trade bait to address that need, it might not come until later in the season when better trade targets emerge.

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 Montreal Canadiens' 2025 rookie camp is coming up, as it starts on Sep. 10 and lasts until Sep. 16.

With this, the Canadiens have announced the roster for their upcoming rookie camp, which has 15 forwards, eight defensemen, and three goaltenders.

Here is a full list of prospects who will be attending the Canadiens' 2025 rookie camp. 

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Canadiens Forwards

Owen Beck, Ivan Demidov, Will Dineen, Joseph Dunlap, Mark Estapa, Egor Goriunov, Oliver Kapanen, Filip Mesar, Israel Mianscum, Hayden Paupanekis, Vinzenz Rohrer, Luke Tuch, Matthew Wang, Florian Xhekaj 

Canadiens Defensemen

Adam Engstrom, Carlos Handel, Simon Lavigne, Andrew MacNiel, Maleek McGowan, Bryce Pickford, Owen Protz, David Reinbacher 

Canadiens Goalies 

Jacob Fowler, Arseni Radkov, Mikus Vecvanags

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This group of Canadiens' prospects will also play two games during the rookie camp against the Winnipeg Jets' prospects (Sep. 13) and the Toronto Maple Leafs' prospects (Sep. 14).

This will be a great opportunity for these youngsters to show the Canadiens what they can do. Among the most notable Habs prospects to watch during it are Demidov, Reinbacher, Fowler, Beck, Kapanen, and Xhekaj.

Recent Canadiens News 

Canadiens Fourth Nearest Rebuilding Team To A Stanley Cup Win?

Canadiens: Predicting A Big Season For Patrik Laine

Canadiens: Carey Price Has Message After Trade

The 2025-26 season is now around the corner after a long offseason. The Anaheim Ducks have lofty goals and one major piece of business left on the table to take care of: Mason McTavish's contract extension.

The team has a wide array of potential outcomes and will rely on several “ifs” and “buts” to reach their full potential. Every roster player will be faced with at least one burning question heading into this pivotal year for the Ducks franchise.

How Much the Ducks are Projected to Improve in 2025-26 Standings

Report: Anaheim Ducks "Not Crazy on a Bridge Deal" for Mason McTavish, Prefer Long-Term Extension

So, let’s ask some of those questions, starting with the forwards:

Inspiration for this article was borrowed from The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz

Leo Carlsson: Can he dominate consistently?

From today moving forward, the Ducks will go as far as Leo Carlsson can take them. He is the unequivocal franchise player in Anaheim, has all the tools to become a top-five player in the NHL, and has shown flashes of what could make him truly special in his first two NHL seasons. The next step on his road to superstardom will be to become the Ducks' best player night in and night out, singlehandedly dictating outcomes.

Sam Colangelo: Can he play a fourth-line role?

When healthy and with the addition of Mikael Granlund this offseason, the Ducks have a suddenly crowded top-nine forward group. Colangelo’s last 20-game NHL stint last season saw him score nine of his ten goals, a 37-goal pace, while receiving middle-six minutes and very limited power play time. He’ll have to provide enough energy, forechecking disruption, and defensive prowess to remain in the nightly lineup as a fourth liner, and if/when the time comes to return to the top-nine, he’ll need to continue that torrid pace from the end of last year.

Cutter Gauthier: Can he solidify himself as an elite U25 sniper?

Very few players have the natural scoring ability Gauthier possesses. After a difficult transition and slow start to his rookie season in 2024-25, he managed to hit the 20-goal mark and notched 22 points (10-12=22) in his final 27 games. He already has one of the best releases in the NHL, akin to fellow young goal-scorers like Cole Caufield and Dylan Guenther, but his 6-foot-2, 201-pound frame could offer him a chance to become an elite net front producer as well.

Mikael Granlund: What will be his defensive impact?

One of the Ducks' biggest needs heading into the offseason was a two-way middle-six center. Defensively, Granlund is a case of eye test vs analytics, as the eye test suggests he’s diligent and active in his end, but the analytics suggest he’s quite porous. We’ll soon be able to diagnose if those numbers could be attributed to receiving tough minutes on a poor San Jose Sharks team or if he’s simply more offense-driven and doesn’t have the closing foot speed to be a true disruptor.

Jansen Harkins/Ross Johnston: Can they gain similar favor with a new coaching staff?

Greg Cronin was a tremendous proponent of what Harkins and Johnston brought in their individual roles as fourth-liners last season: energy (Harkins) and physicality (Johnston). They played a combined 105 games for the Ducks last year, but will have to beat out younger, more talented depth players like Colangelo, Nikita Nesterenko, and Tm Washe, who will all be vying for those precious NHL minutes. Big trading camps will be necessary to earn the trust of Joel Quenneville and Jay Woodcroft.

Alex Killorn: Can he still produce?

Killorn followed a career year in 2022-23, his final with the Tampa Bay Lightning, in which he scored 64 points (27-37=64) in 82 games with more career-typical production in his first year with the Ducks in 2023-24, when he scored 36 points (18-18=36) in 63 games. His numbers took a step back last season, as he only tallied 37 points (19-18=37) while playing all 82 games. His role on the team is simple: fill the gaps in the young, dynamic players’ games and elevate them to their potential. And he’s been pretty good at it, but part of that comes in finishing the chances they create and finding them in dangerous locales on the ice. Does he have enough left at 36 years old to lift Gauthier to his 35-goal potential or Carlsson to his 80-point potential? The Ducks are counting on him to.

Chris Kreider: How much will he bounce back?

Kreider followed his three most productive NHL seasons (2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24) with his worst. Now reportedly healthy after an injury-riddled 2024-25, in which he still potted 22 goals while dealing with a broken hand, back spasms, and vertigo, and coupled with a potentially needed “change of scenery,” he’s a prime bounce-back candidate. The question will be the extent of that bounce-back now that he’s firmly in his mid-30s.

Mason McTavish: Is he a play-driver?

McTavish is already a quality 2C in the NHL who made vast improvements to his 200-foot game last year. Like Gauthier and Carlsson, he ended his 2024-25 on a high note, scoring 33 (16-17=33) points in his final 36 games. Now will come the question whether he can become the play driver that most elite second line centers in the NHL are, or if he’s more of a complimentary/1B piece on a line. There are many ways players can “drive” a line, and McTavish is already an above-average small-area battler, but if he’s to be that secondary piece of the 1-2 punch with Carlsson down the middle, he’ll need to command puck touches, create, and establish lethality with it on his stick.

Nikita Nesterenko: Is he an NHLer?

Nesterenko will be 24 years old when his third full professional season gets underway. He’s proven to be a productive AHL player, but hasn’t been able to stick in the NHL after multiple stints. It’s unlikely he’ll become a top-nine player, so developing a tenacious forechecking and/or defensively diligent “B” game will be necessary if he’s to carve out a depth career in the best hockey league in the world.

Ryan Poehling: Is he a long-term depth option?

Poehling is the roster piece acquired in the Trevor Zegras trade with the Philadelphia Flyers, but he only has this year remaining on his contract that carries an AAV of $1.9 million. He’s projected to fill a role as the fourth-line center and be a key component toward turning the Ducks' lowly penalty kill around. A contract year could provide some added motivation, and the fit is undeniable. One hopes that a critical piece of a trade involving a former core member has more than a one-year shelf life.

Ryan Strome: Does he score 41 points for a fourth straight season?

Strome has now played three seasons in a Ducks sweater and has scored exactly 41 points in each of them. Natural progression from young players and a couple of veteran additions could slot him in a more conducive role in the Ducks’ middle-six. However, that could also mean fewer offensive zone starts and power play time, limiting his production ceiling. Either way, his $5 million cap hit could now be seen as a bargain for what he provides, as it could be argued he’s become an underrated piece. An eyebrow-raising aspect of Strome’s contract is his lack of trade protection. If the Ducks get off to a poor start, could he be a desirable trade piece for a contending team?

Troy Terry: Is there more to unlock, and can Quenneville unlock it?

An argument could be made that at 28 years old, Terry is what he is at this point: a reliable 50-60 point second-line winger. In the right environment, he can drive a line and is one of the Ducks’ better defensive forwards despite not having received many defensive assignments or much penalty kill time. He posted back-to-back 60-point seasons in 2021-22 and 2022-23 on a line mostly with Adam Henrique and either Ryan Getzlaf or Trevor Zegras. On a line with a battling/net-front forward (Kreider? McTavish?) and a puck-dominant distributor (Carlsson? Granlund?), while being afforded the opportunities to create quick-strike offense from disruptive defense, a 70-point shutdown winger could be a reasonable projection.

Frank Vatrano: Can he take fewer minor penalties (or will they be less impactful)?

Vatrano has become a sufficient middle-six producer during his three years with the Ducks, averaging 48.9 points per 82 games. However, during his last two seasons, he’s led the NHL by taking 75 minor penalties, not ideal for a team with the 29th and 31st-ranked penalty kill in those seasons. The hiring of Ryan McGill to run the defense and penalty kill, coupled with the additions of penalty killers like Ryan Poehling, Chris Kreider, and Mikael Granlund, should boost those numbers naturally. Staying out of the box is the best way to stifle power play goals against, but if Vatrano’s PIMs remain constant, his trips may not be as costly.

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Former Carolina Hurricanes forward Derek Ryan has announced his retirement from hockey.

Ryan, x, played in parts of 10 NHL seasons for three organizations (Carolina, Calgary and Edmonton).

In 606 career regular season games, Ryan scored 82 goals and registered 209 points as a very solid bottom-six center.

Ryan's path to the NHL was one of the most unlikely ones you'll see.

The centerman broke into the NHL with the Hurricanes in 2016 at the age of 29, but before that had played four seasons in the WHL  with the Spokane Chiefs, four seasons at the University of Alberta and then four seasons in Europe.

Carolina signed him in the 2016 offseason and after some time in the AHL, he finally got to become an NHL player and what a path he carved out for himself once there.

Ryan was a six time double-digit goal scorer and broke 30 points two times. He had a career faceoff percentage of 55.3% and he even received Selke Trophy votes in 2019.

Congrats to the 'DR!'

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have 35 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #35. 

Let's take a look.

Jean-François Labbé - 2003 - Labbé was undrafted out of Sherbrooke, Quebec.

Jean-François Labbé played in 14 games with the Blue Jackets over the course of two seasons. He went 3-5 with an .890 SV%. He spent the bulk of his time playing in the AHL for the Syracuse Crunch. 

He left North America in 2003 for Russia. He then played in Germany and Poland before returning to Canada in 2009. After playing a season for Sherbrooke Saint-François in the Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey, he would retire. 

Labbé was primarily an AHL goalie, playing in a total of 261 games. He had a record of 131-97-25 and had 13 shutouts. He has won numerous awards in the AHL, including Best Goaltender and Most Valuable Player. For his efforts, Labbé was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2016. 

After retiring, he moved into coaching, where he was either a head coach or a goaltending coach at different stops. 

Martin Prusek - 2006 - Prusek was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the 6th round of the 1999 NHL Draft.

Prusek played in 9 games for Columbus during the 05-06 season and had a record of 3-3. He also played 23 games for the Syracuse Crunch that year.

He returned to Europe after his time with Columbus, where he would play in Russia and Czechia until he retired in 2011. He moved directly into coaching, where he has been a goaltending coach in Czechia with various age levels ever since. 

Brian Boucher - 2007 - Boucher was in 1995 with the 22nd overall pick by the Philadelphia Flyers

On February 27, 2007, he was acquired on waivers by the Blue Jackets from the Chicago Blackhawks. He played in three games for Columbus and went 1-1. That would be the only games he would play for Columbus, as he would sign elsewhere the following season.

He played in the NHL until 2013, and then left for Switzerland, where he played one season before retiring. 

Nowadays, you can find Boucher doing Flyers games on NBC Sports Philadelphia, and doing between the bench work for TNT during National games. Boucher has turned into a very respected member of the hocket media. 

Ty Conklin - 2007 - Conklin was undrafted out of Phoenix, Arizona.

Conklin's time in Columbus was short but somewhat eventful. He was signed by Columbus on July 1, 2006. He was expected to be the starter for the Jackets, but head coach Gerard Gallant went with Frederik Norrena instead. So, Conklin was put on waivers and sent to the AHL. 

He was recalled by Columbus in December of that year when Pascal LeClaire went down with an injury. He played in 11 games and went 2-3-2 during his time with the CBJ. On February 27, 2007, he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres, and immediately had a 42-save win. His last season in the NHL would be the 2011-12 season. 

He moved into coaching, where he worked for the Blues and Univ. of New Hampshire for several years. 

Jan Hejda - 2011 - Hejda was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 4th round of the 2003 NHKL Draft.

Hejda signed with Columbus in 2007 after playing one year with the Edmonton Oilers. In all, he played with Columbus for four seasons and totaled 302 games. He scored 11 goals and 67 points playing on the Columbus blue line. 

He left for the Colorado Avalanche in 2011 when free agency opened. He would play there until 2015. He signed a PTO with the Lake Erie Monsters in December of 2015 and was released in January of 2016 and would retire.

Veini Vehviläinen - 2021 - Vehviläinen was drafted by Columbus in the 6th round of the 2018 NHL Draft. 

Vehviläinen was supposed to be the goalie of the future in Columbus, or at least that's what many people thought. It turns out, he was a forgotten goalie. 

Due to COVID, and the Blue Jackets having Elvis Merzlikins, Joonas Korpisalo, and Daniil Tarasov waiting in the wings, he never really had a chance. After appearing in just one relief appearance, he would never sniff the NHL again. 

In March of 2021, he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He would play in a few games for the Marlies, picking up a single win, but that was it. 

He left to play in Sweden in 2021 and now plays in his home country of Finland for TPS. 

With 35 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena, the anticipation for the season is in full swing. Take a look at the schedule of events below.

Blue Jackets Participate in 2025 Prospects Challenge in Buffalo

The Blue Jackets will take part in the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo from Thursday, Sept. 11 to Sunday, Sept. 14. They’ll play three games and have one day off.

The schedule looks like this:

Thursday, Sept. 11 7 p.m. vs. New Jersey Devils

Friday, Sept. 12 `No Game Scheduled

Saturday, Sept. 13 7 p.m. at Buffalo Sabres

Sunday, Sept. 14 3:30 p.m. at Pittsburgh Penguins

This will be the second year Columbus has participated in the Prospects Challenge. Before that, they played in the NHL Prospect Tournament in Traverse City. As for the roster, it won’t be released until closer to the tournament.

Let us know what you think below.

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More From THN Columbus

36 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #36The Columbus Blue Jackets have 36 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #36.  Former Blue Jackets Forward Signs PTO With HurricanesAccording to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, former Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kevin Labanc has signed a professional tryout (PTO) with the Carolina Hurricanes.

For the first time since relocating to Manitoba, the Winnipeg Jets will participate in the annual Prospect Showdown.

The 2025 Prospect Showdown will take place in Montreal and feature the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, the hometown Canadiens and the Jets.

Winnipeg, however, will not see the Leafs' prospects, but face each of the Senators and Canadiens during the two-day event.

The teams will converge on the Bell Centre for the September 13-14 event, to which the Jets will play Montreal on Saturday at 5:00 PM central, before regrouping for another 5:00 PM tilt against Ottawa the following evening. 

Suiting up for the Jets at the Prospect Showdown will be Nikita Chibrikov and Elias Salmonsson, first round picks Brayden Yager and Colby Barlow, as well as a handful of Winnipeg's 2025 NHL Draft picks (Owen Martin, Edison Engle and Jacob Cloutier. 

Both games will be available for fans to view live on the official website of the Winnipeg Jets.

The full roster of players attending the Prospect Showdown is listed below:

While the Carey Price era officially came to a close on Friday when the Montreal Canadiens traded their former all-star goaltender’s contract to the San Jose Sharks, the netminder marked the Habs' history in more ways than one. In a recent Instagram post, the goalie made NHLhistory’s list of best masks of the decade with one spectacular mask.

Generally speaking, the best masks in Canadiens history have a classic look to them, be it Ken Dryden’s red, white, and blue bullseye mask or Patrick Roy’s C33 one; the Montreal goalies rarely take the road less travelled, but in 2021, Price did.

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Calgary-based airbrush artist Jordon Bourgeault was the mind behind the goalkeeper’s famous biomechanical skull mask. It was so spectacular that the following season, then-Calgary Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom ordered one just like it, but in the Flames’ colours.

Price’s most original bucket was a mixture of Canadiens history and modern design. The skull and its cyborg-like quality were obvious. Still, on one side, it featured a control board and wires, indicating that Price was channeling the attributes of Patrick Roy, the late Georges Vezina, Jacques Plante, and Ken Dryden. The dates of the team’s Stanley Cup wins, a reflection of Maurice “Rocket” Richard, and on the black plate, a mention “Made in Canada-Fabrique au Canada” around the Canadiens’ old Maple Leaf logo.

Carey Price marked the history of the Canadiens in more ways than one including with this spectacular mask #GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/sDiddUvVU3

— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) September 7, 2025

The piece of art won the Best Goalie Mask Award in the 2021 NHL Fan Choice Awards, and even though it was Bourgeault’s first NHL mask, it opened the door to plenty more. In a June 2021 interview with CTV News, he mentioned that he would like to do one for local goaltender Markstrom, and his wish came to be the very next season.

Over the years, Price has had plenty of different masks, but none more original than that one. The Jacques Plante Heritage Classic was quite original, but wasn’t as well-received. Most of his other efforts featured the Canadiens’ logo and had a traditional look; of those, the one with a C31 was a nice wink to Roy’s iconic mask.

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If the Philadelphia Flyers are to make any noise in the 2025-26 season, some up-and-coming prospects will need to steal the spotlight and show some progress.

Aside from the surprise Trevor Zegras, the Flyers simply did very little to inspire confidence in their increasingly impatient fanbase for the new year.

Goalie Dan Vladar should at least partially stabilize a league-worst goaltending group, but players like Christian Dvorak and Noah Juulsen are little more than temporary, short-term replacements for outgoing players like Scott Laughton and Erik Johnson.

The rest of that mission, however, is left up to the prospects, and especially the ones who need to prove themselves and secure an NHL future. Those players will go a long way for the Flyers if they can achieve the necessary result.

No. 3: Helge Grans

Defenseman Helge Grans finally made his NHL breakthrough for the Flyers last season, picking up an assist and appearing in his first six games in the big leagues.

Logically, the next step would be for the smooth-skating 6-foot-3 Swede to build on that and make the Flyers outright in 2025-26, even if he doesn't play every single night.

Grans, 23, just re-upped with the Flyers for two years at a $787.5k cap hit, so there's time for him, but the opportunity may never be greater.

Rasmus Ristolainen continues to struggle to stay healthy, and Jamie Drysdale has not shown much improvement on the right side, either.

With Oliver Bonk and Spencer Gill coming up the pipeline, the pressure is back on Grans to build on his 2024-25 campaign and establish himself.

A thin right side for the Flyers gets even thinner if he can't make it.

No. 2: Samu Tuomaala

The Flyers have had some nice drafts in recent seasons, adding wingers like Denver Barkey, Shane Vansaghi, and Jack Murtagh to the cupboard.

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Samu Tuomaala, who was once thought to be a big piece for the future, has stalled in his development, thanks in large part to nagging injuries.

The undersized 22-year-old Finn has yet to to make his NHL debut or score 20 goals in an AHL season. Tuomaala did have 11 goals and 32 points in 46 games this season, but his season was ended by injury for the second year in a row and his -19 rating was the worst on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

The Flyers do have an opening for a winger, but that, by all accounts, is expected to be filled by either Alex Bump or Nikita Grebenkin.

If Tuomaala can't at least insert himself into the conversation by the end of training camp this fall, the last year of his entry-level deal will come and go without much fanfare.

No. 1: Emil Andrae

Emil Andrae quickly became a fan-favorite in a dismal season for the Flyers thanks to his heady play and poise with the puck, though a hot start ultimately flamed out due to an injury, inconsistent play, and re-assignments to and from the AHL.

This season, the 23-year-old will have a new NHL head coach in Rick Tocchet, and he's on the last year of his entry-level deal. A fellow undersized, similarly-skilled defenseman in Erik Brannstrom couldn't establish himself under Tocchet in Vancouver last year, and Andrae will face the same challenge.

Andrae will have to ward off Juulsen, one of Tocchet's favorites from Vancouver, Egor Zamula and Dennis Gilbert for a roster spot; only two can reasonably make it.

The Flyers have all the time in the world to wait for their younger prospects, but for the three mentioned above, it might be now or never.