Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have shifted the focus to youth and development.

With more talent in the system than Pittsburgh has had in years - and 13 picks in the 2025 NHL Draft - top prospects lists are becoming more competitive and more difficult to discern. Since the prospect pool is deepening, The Hockey News - Pittsburgh Penguins takes a look at the top-20 prospects in the organization. 

At this point, we have reached the top-five on our list. And right at No. 5 is a young netminder who continues to garner the attention of many and has pretty much done nothing but dominate up to this point: Sergei Murashov.

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#5 G Sergei Murashov

For any goaltender anywhere, it is extremely difficult to not only have a save percentage of .913 or higher at every level of professional hockey so far, but also to show signs of dominance almost effortlessly.

Yet, this is something that 21-year-old Penguins' goaltending prospect Sergei Murashov has managed to accomplish.

To be clear, the one and only season Murashov has had a sub-.913 save percentage was for Loko Yaraslovl of the MHL as a 16-year-old, when he posted a .909 save percentage in eight games. Since then, he has been nothing short of spectacular.

From 2021-24 between the MHL and KHL, Murashov never posted a save percentage below .925. In fact, during the 2022-23 season with Loko Yaroslavl, Murashov went 24-7-5 with 11 shutouts, a 1.53 goals-against average, and a .948 save percentage. And that was the season following his draft year in 2022 (118th overall).

Who Will Be The Starting Goaltender In WBS This Season?The NHL goaltending situation for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2025-26 already figures to be an interesting one.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound goaltender's impressive numbers in Russia preceded his move to North America for the 2024-25 season - and he did not miss a beat with the move.

In 26 games ECHL games with the Wheeling Nailers last season, Murashov posted a 17-7-1 record to go along with a .922 save percentage and a 2.40 goals-against average. Because of injuries at the AHL level, Murashov was called up to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) during the second half of the season, and he made franchise history. 

He won his first 11 starts at the AHL level, setting a new franchise rookie record and tying the general franchise record for consecutive wins. In 16 total starts at the AHL level last season for WBS, Murashov went 12-3-0 with a .913 save percentage and a 2.64 goals-against average.

In other words, there is no doubt that this kid has talent. His quickness and athleticism is unmatched by any other netminder in the Penguins' system, and Murashov carries himself with a certain confidence and calm that isn't typical of goaltenders his age.

On Hershey's first goal, Sergei Murashov came up with a RIDICULOUS rebound save seconds prior to the 3rd attempt going in. @InsideAHLHockeypic.twitter.com/96Sfwao58i

— Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) April 12, 2025

He is still raw, and he needs to work on his rebound control and refining the sharp edges in his game. He also had a tough three games in the ECHL playoffs, even if it was largely the result of the team in front of him failing to execute.

But it's hard to deny the upside of a guy who has proven he can get it done at every level of hockey up to this point.  Goaltending has been a problem area for the Penguins since their back-to-back Stanley Cup runs in 2016 and 2017, and they have an abundance of goaltenders in their system. Murashov will be competing with the likes of Joel Blomqvist, Filip Larsson, and Taylor Gauthier for the AHL starting job this season, which will be a fascinating battle to keep an eye on in training camp.

Murashov has put a little bit of distance between himself and the rest of them, and it would probably be best for his development to be full-time in the AHL this season. But - regardless of where he laces them up this season - this is certainly a prospect Penguins' fans and NHL fans should be keeping an eye on.

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2025: Defenseman Should Be Full-Time In The NHL This SeasonHeading into the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have shifted the focus to youth and development.

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The list so far:

- No. 6: D Owen Pickering
- No. 7: F Tanner Howe
- No. 8: G Arturs Silovs
- No. 9: G Joel Blomqvist
- No. 10: F Tristan Broz
- No. 11: F Will Horcoff
- No. 12: F Mikhail Ilyin
- No. 13 F Filip Hallander
- No. 14: F Bill Zonnon
- No. 15: F Melvin Fernstrom
- No. 16: D Emil Pieniniemi
- No. 17: F Avery Hayes
- No. 18: F Cruz Lucius
- No. 19: D Finn Harding
- No. 20: D Peyton Kettles

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The NHL’s 2025-26 season is almost here, and it’s a great time here at THN.com’s Buffalo Sabres site to continue this player-by-player series in which we break down expectations for each Sabres player in 2025-26.

The Sabres need desperately to get into the Stanley Cup playoffs. But as individuals, each Sabres player has their own expectations. 

We’ve gone through Buffalo’s goalies and defensemen in this series. And in this file, we’re focusing on Sabres No. 1 center Josh Norris, who came to the Sabres in the deal that sent Dylan Cozens to the Ottawa Senators. But Norris will have to stay healthy to justify the trade, and that’s something that hasn’t been easy for him to do in five NHL seasons..

Player Name: Josh Norris

Position: Center

Age: 26

2024-25 Key Statistics: 56 games, 21 goals, 35 points, 18:36 average time-on-ice

2025-26 Salary:$7.95 million

2025-26 Expectations: Norris was enjoying a bounce-back season with the Senators, posting 20 goals and 33 points in 53 games when he was dealt to Ottawa. And after he arrived in Buffalo, Norris appeared in only three games before the Sabres’ season ended. 

But at that point, Sabres fans were willing to cut Norris some slack.

That said, the goodwill will end  if Norris can’t get into groove as a key contributor. He’s got to appear in at least 70 games, and be Buffalo’s catalyst on offense on a top line. 

Nothing short of career-best numbers will satisfy Sabres fans’ desire to get back to the playoffs. And ideally, Buffalo should – should expect a 35-40-goal season out of Norris. He’s the Sabres’ highest-paid forward, and he needs to play like one. And playing on. a top line with star winger Tage Thompson shoulhelp Norris to achieve that goal.

At 26-years old, Norris no longer has time on his side. But his salary and skills package dictate he be afforded every opportunity to succeed. He needs to prove to everyone (himself included) that he can stay healthy and contribute throughout the regular-season.

Because he’s signed through the 2020-30 season, Norris isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. But time could drag on for Norris if he can’t right the ship and plays a full regular-season, Norris has no-trade clause protectio in his current deal, but that doesn’t kick in until next summer.

For now, though, the challenge for Norris is clear – be an effective number-one center, and make his teammates around him better. If he can’t do that and Buffalo struggles in the standings, Sabres fans will be rueing the day Buffalo  GM Kevyn Adams acquired him. 

There are still a handful of notable unrestricted free agents (UFAs) looking to find their new homes at this point of the off-season, and one of them is former Philadelphia Flyers forward Cam Atkinson. 

Atkinson signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning this past off-season after the Flyers bought him out. The 36-year-old forward followed that up by having a tough season with the Bolts in 2024-25, where he had four goals, nine points, and a minus-4 rating. He was also placed on waivers back in March by the Lightning.

Although Atkinson had a tough year, the possibility of him landing a professional tryout (PTO) before NHL training camps start is there. Given his strong resume, he could be a good low-risk player for an NHL club to bring in. 

With training camps being so close to starting an NHL teams starting to sign players to PTOs more frequently, Atkinson will be an interesting player to keep an eye on over the next few weeks. Time will tell if he does at least land a PTO from here. 

Recent Flyers News 

Flyers' Goaltending Gets New Ranking

Flyers' Jett Luchanko No Longer Guelph Storm Captain: OHL Trade Coming?

Predicting The Flyers' Plans at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline 

Between Igor Shesterkin, Connor Hellebuyck, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Sergei Bobrovsky, you could really make a case for any of them in terms of the debate for the top goaltender in the NHL.

From a salary perspective, Shesterkin is technically valued as the best goalie, having earned an eight-year, $92 million contract extension from the Rangers last season, making him the highest-paid goalie in the NHL. 

Despite the New York Rangers regressing as a team and Shesterkin’s stats taking a dip, former NHL goalie Cory Schneider believes Shesterkin is still the most dominant netminder in the league. 

" He’s the highest paid goalie by a wide amount and I think rightfully so.. “I think [Igor Shesterkin], for my money, is the most talented goalie in the league,” Schneider said on NHL Network. 

Mike Sullivan has A Lot To Prove With The Rangers While Mike Sullivan is an already established NHL coach, he has a lot to prove as he begins this new opportunity with the New York Rangers. 

In the NHL Network’s most recent list ranking the top goalies in the NHL, Shesterkin ranked third behind Hellebuyck and Vasilevskiy, but ahead of Bobrovsky.

The Chicago Blackhawks would have been a perfect match with the Montreal Canadiens to acquire Carey Price's contract.

They could afford the cap hit, and it would keep them above the floor if they shed some veterans ahead of the trade deadline. Price is already retired and a future Hall of Fame goalie. Trading his contract is nothing more than a financial move for the Canadiens. 

On Friday, the San Jose Sharks made that move to acquire Price's contract from Montreal. They sent defenseman Gannon Laroque to Montreal and got a 2026 5th-round pick back. 

San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) on X🔀 TRADE ALERTCanadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) on XThe Canadiens acquire defenseman Gannon Laroque from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for goaltender Carey Price and a fifth-round pick in 2026. News release ↓ #GoHabsGo https://t.co/hnwKBe7FE0

This wasn't the only salary-addition move that the Blackhawks could make. There are other deals like this out there, including one with the New Jersey Devils. 

New Jersey has been trying to trade Ondrej Palat since the beginning of the off-season. He is still a playable bottom-six forward, which makes this a different scenario than Price, but he is not producing like a $6 million forward. 

Outside of getting some salary added to their books, the Blackhawks would also likely acquire a draft pick or a prospect in exchange for taking on Palat. 

Palat is a former two-time Stanley Cup champion who was always clutch in the playoffs, but his game hasn't been at a high level since signing with New Jersey. 

New Jersey, a team up against the cap ceiling, certainly wants to make this move so that it can extend their young defensive star, Luke Hughes. The Blackhawks are one of the teams that can take on Palat's contract and give him significant playing time.

It's a move worth considering for the Blackhawks before someone else swoops in and does it.

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

The man they call "Showtime" decided that it was time for another repeat performance in the heart of Hockeytown. 

Patrick Kane, a first-ballot future Hall of Fame forward, once again decided to forgo free agency and agreed to a one-year, $3 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings for what will be his second full campaign with the club he joined in December 2023. 

Jacked up to be back! Let’s go! https://t.co/aBoDEkTCkv

— Patrick Kane (@88PKane) July 1, 2025

Both Kane and GM Steve Yzerman expressed mutual interest in another extension, which was finalized on June 30. The new contract includes multiple performance-based bonuses.

While the Red Wings’ 2024–25 season ended in disappointment as they fell short of securing what would have been their first Stanley Cup Playoff berth since 2016, Kane expressed optimism in the club's coaching staff and believes it will go a long way in achieving that goal next season. 

"I’m still optimistic about the group and I think we’re closer than we were at the end of last year," Kane explained during his season-ending media session. "It’s such a fine line. We were on a pretty good pace from when Todd [McLellan] came in.

"I think that will huge going into next season, the confidence in the coaching staff."

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

Since joining the Red Wings, Kane has become an integral part of their offensive attack as well as the power-play.

He put any concerns about his durability following a risky hip-resurfacing surgical procedure during the 2023 offseason to rest by tallying 20 goals and 27 assists in the 50 games he skated in, a near point-per-game scoring pace. 

While his start to the 2024-25 NHL season was slow, he immediately began regaining his form following the coaching change from Derek Lalonde to Todd McLellan this past December and finished with 21 goals and 38 assists.

PATRICK KANE CALLS GAME! 🤩

He nets the @Energizer overtime winner right off the draw! pic.twitter.com/Xu9Syx6pwb

— NHL (@NHL) January 8, 2025

Kane especially thrived playing alongside rookie center Marco Kasper as well as his former Chicago Blackhawks teammate Alex DeBrincat on Detroit's second line, a unit that will likely remain in place for the start of the upcoming campaign. 

Red Wings Players To Watch In 2025-26: Marco Kasper When Steve Yzerman returned to the Detroit Red Wings in April 2019 to take over the role of general manager, he didn’t have much to work with in terms of enticing prospects, but since then he has built one of the most highly regarded prospect pools in the NHL. 

Arguably Detroit's best stickhandler since Pavel Datsyuk, Kane remains as creative on the ice as ever and would love nothing more than to be part of the solution to bring postseason hockey to Little Caesars Arena for the first time in the venue's history. 

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After being acquitted of sexual assault in the high-profile criminal case involving five members of the 2018 Canadian World Junior hockey team in August, Alex Formenton has signed a three and a half month contract with HC Ambri-Piotta of the Swiss League.

Formenton's NHL rights still belong to the Ottawa Senators. The organization qualified him as a restricted free agent at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season, just as news became public that Hockey Canada had reached a $3.5 million settlement on behalf of the defendants.

The left winger has not appeared in a professional game in North America since the conclusion of the 2021-22 season, but he played parts of two seasons in Switzerland with the aforementioned HC Ambri-Piotta.

In 22 games during the 2022-23 season, Formenton recorded 10 goals and three assists. The following season, he tallied 10 goals and 16 points in 24 games.

The winger did not play at all during the 2023-24 season. When his lawyer filed documentation as part of the London criminal trial, he reported that he retired from hockey while living in Barrie, Ontario. Formenton pivoted to being a full-time construction worker while receiving training in the "operation of heavy equipment as well as the administration aspects of his new trade."

Formenton may have stepped away from the game as the trial played out, but he never filed formal paperwork with the NHL. Now, he will attempt to resume his professional hockey career.

Signing in Europe with an organization and city that he is already familiar with makes sense.

By signing for three and a half months, Formenton is affording himself time to shake off the rust and audition for the Senators or other NHL organizations who may be interested in bringing the speedy winger into the fold. When Formenton last played, he ranked in the 99th percentile in skating speed (24.21 mph) and speed bursts over 20 mph (298) according to the NHL Edge data.

Alex Formenton's NHL Rights Still Belong To The Ottawa Senators – What Are Their Options?Senators general manager Steve Staios appeared on the Coming In Hot Podcast on Tuesday, where no questions were posed regarding Alex Formenton out of respect for the organization's policy, which defers to the NHL and its own investigation into the London sexual assault case.

Today's news will afford him a place to play while the NHL completes its investigation into the case and the judge's findings.

At the conclusion of the criminal trial, the NHL released the following statement:

"The allegations made in this case, even if not determined to have been criminal, were very disturbing, and the behaviour at issue was unacceptable. We will be reviewing and considering the judge's findings. While we conduct that analysis and determine next steps, the players charged in this case are ineligible to play in the league."

It was always naive to believe that Formenton was stepping away from the game completely before the court case's verdict was rendered. Still, restricted free agents have to sign by December 1st to play for the remainder of the season and be eligible for the NHL playoffs.

Whether that happens with the Senators remains to be seen, but today's news is just verification that Formenton and his camp have ambitions of eventually returning to the NHL. 

By Graeme Nichols
This article was first published at The Hockey News-Ottawa

More Sens Headlines at THN:
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Ottawa Senators: Ranking The Six Best At Each Position

The 2026 NHL trade deadline is officially set for March 6, which marks another important date for the Philadelphia Flyers this season.

This offseason has featured far less trade action than many, including NHL insiders, had previously anticipated, which can only mean that crafty teams like the Flyers have things up their sleeves for later on.

A few months ago, we saw the Flyers move on from established roster players like centers Morgan Frost and Scott Laughton and wingers Joel Farabee and Andrei Kuzmenko. The team did make a few moves to replace those players, like trading for Trevor Zegras, and opened up a spot for a prospect like Alex Bump or Nikita Grebenkin.

Aside from that, though, the Flyers simply don't have as many players they would be motivated to move on from as they did in years past.

One name that is likely to generate a lot of buzz at the 2026 trade deadline is forward Christian Dvorak, who can play center and wing, is usually good for 30 points in a season, and is phenomenal at taking faceoffs.

The only complication is the $5.4 million cap hit he's drawing from the Flyers in exchange for a short-term deal that allows him greater opportunity on the ice.

Carey Price Trade Could Set the Stage for Flyers, Ryan EllisIf the Philadelphia Flyers are to consider trading Ryan Ellis and the two years left on his contract, Friday's Carey Price trade knocked down the first domino.

The Flyers, who are projected to have just $1.7 million cap space at the trade deadline, would likely be eager to shed that cap space, and it makes sense to get assets for any player on an expiring contract.

The flexibility a one-year deal offers was one of the explicitly-named reasons for signing Dvorak to that contract; this allows a player like Jett Luchanko a clear and unabated opportunity to make the NHL full-time in 2026.

One caveat, at least for now, is that the lack of activity around the league makes the trade market a buyer's market, and the Flyers have only one retention slot available to them.

This means that interest in a player like the oft-injured Rasmus Ristolainen and his $5.5 million cap hit will be even more limited, as he has two years on his contract and Dvorak has only one.

Dvorak is likely to bring in the most optimal value with that temporary slot, while Ristolainen will likely have to wait until the 2026 offseason or the 2027 trade deadline, when he'll have one year remaining on his contract.

Other players the Flyers may consider dealing include defensemen Dennis Gilbert and Noah Juulsen, though seventh and eighth defensemen may not have much value by the deadline.

For the Flyers, opening a spot for an Oliver Bonk or a Helge Grans may even be sufficient after the opening few months of the Rick Tocchet era pass.

Beyond Dvorak, don't expect the Flyers to be too active with buying or selling players at the 2026 NHL trade deadline.

With NHL rookie camps opening next week and training camps beginning soon after, a clearer picture is available of what teams will look like to start the 2025-26 regular season. There is always a transition from one year to another, with clubs regressing and falling out of one of the top eight playoff spots in each conference, and making progress to earn a post-season berth.

In the Western Conference, there does not appear to be much slippage in the majority of the playoff clubs, with Winnipeg, Dallas, and Colorado in the Central, and Vegas, Los Angeles, and Edmonton in the Pacific seemingly on an even keel or improved after roster additions like Jonathan Toews (Winnipeg), Brent Burns (Colorado), Mitch Marner (Vegas), Corey Perry (Los Angeles), and Andrew Mangiapane (Edmonton).   

Minnesota successfully re-signed center Marco Rossi to a three-year deal and added Calder contender Zeev Buium to a club that finished with 97 points last season despite not having star forward Kirill Kaprizov for half the season. The one soft target for clubs hoping to make the playoffs is the St. Louis Blues, who had to win 12 in a row down the stretch to secure the second wild-card slot, and added only Pius Suter and Logan Mailloux during the summer. 

Here are three bubble clubs that could make their move this season:

Anaheim Ducks 

Positive

The addition of three-time Cup-winning head coach Joel Quenneville to a club that has boatloads of young talent in need of direction might just be enough to put the Ducks in the playoff mix, but the acquisition of winger Chris Kreider and forward Ryan Poehling should help provide them with some veteran depth up front. 

Negative 

The potential holdout of center Mason McTavish could be a factor if it lasts long into the season, as well as goaltender Lukas Dostal being able to handle the primary starter role with John Gibson heading to Detroit.

Utah Mammoth

Positive

The acquisition of winger JJ Peterka from Buffalo should add some scoring prowess to the Mammoth’s top-six, along with the addition of free agent winger Brandon Tanev and Cup-winning defenseman Nate Schmidt, providing veteran depth. 

Negative

There is a question of which version of Karel Vejmelka will show up next season. Will it be the goalie who had a sub .900 save percentage, 3.35 goals-against average and a losing record in 2024, or the one who had an excellent 2025 (26-22-8, 2.58 GAA)? Utah will need the good Vejmelka to battle in the difficult Central Division and challenge for the post-season. 

Vancouver Canucks

Positive

The circus has left British Columbia, with Rick Tocchet heading to Philadelphia and Adam Foote taking over as head coach. The departure of J.T. Miller, the lack of an Elias Pettersson trade, the re-signing of Brock Boeser and the extension of Thatcher Demko should calm the waters a bit.

Negative

The continuing saga of Quinn Hughes will be a constant in rumor circles, especially if the Canucks struggle again. Vancouver will need both Demko and Kevin Lankinen to stay healthy to provide solid play between the pipes, and the circus could return very quickly if Evander Kane remains a distraction, as he has been throughout his storied career.  

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This week on The Hockey Show it was time to look into some changes coming to the NHL next season.

THN hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork got into several topics, including perhaps the most impactful alteration that could impact any and every team.

Teams can no longer use LTIR to exceed the salary cap during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, something that worked well to Florida’s advantage during their 2025 Stanely Cup run.

When Matthew Tkachuk missed much of the second half of season after being injured during the 4 Nations Face-Off, Florida was able to add to their roster thanks to Tkachuk’s AAV going on LTIR and not counting against the cap.

When he returned for the playoffs, it didn’t matter that the Panthers would’ve been over the cap, as it’s not counted against during the playoffs.

Or at least, it wasn’t. Until now.

Roy and Dave were also joined by Prime NHL host Adnan Virk to chat about Connor McDavid’s future in Edmonton, the expanding regular-season schedule and lots more.

You can check out the full episode in the videos below:

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Three Panthers Forwards Who Must Step Up In Matthew Tkachuk's Absence

Looking back at top Florida Panthers plays from past few seasons

Panthers' Sergei Bobrovsky Ranks Fourth In NHL Network's Top 10 Goaltenders Rankings

Panthers 2023 top pick Gracyn Sawchyn participates in NHLPA Rookie Showcase

Former Panthers Center Scott Gomez Features In U.S. Hockey Hall Of Fame's Class Of 2025

Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Ken Dryden passed away on Friday at the age of 78 after a long battle with cancer. The Montreal Canadiens great was a dominant presence between the pipes for Les Habitants from 1971 to 1979, winning six Stanley Cups, five Vezina’s, a Conn Smythe, and Calder Trophy, as well as being the starter along with Tony Esposito in the 1972 Canada-Russia Summit Series.   

The Hamilton, ON native had many connections to the Buffalo Sabres, the strongest one being his older brother Dave playing for the Sabres from their inaugural season in 1970-71 until 1974. The younger Dryden faced his sibling in one of his first NHL starts and was the Canadiens starter in an upset victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.    

 Other Sabres Stories

Projecting Sabres Trade Cost - Lawson Crouse 

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

After a quarter-final loss to New York in 1972, the Canadiens played the Sabres in their first playoff appearance, beating Buffalo in six games on the way to his second Cup. The following season, Dryden held out the entire year and worked as a law clerk, but returned to the Habs in 1974. 

The Sabres exacted a bit of revenge on the big netminder, as the French Connection-led club bested the Canadiens in six games in reach their first Stanley Cup Final. Buffalo was the last club that Dryden lost a playoff series, as the Habs defeated the two-time Cup winning Flyers in 1976, Boston in 1977 and 1978, and the Rangers in 1979 before retiring in 1979.      

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

One of the few remaining RFA players came off the market Friday with news from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman that Calgary Flames winger Connor Zary agreed to a three-year contract extension with an annual average value of $3.775 million. That leaves only six RFAs left who had played NHL games this past season.

Let’s break down a fun little pressure-o-meter on the six remaining RFAs. On a scale from one to five stars, with one star being the least amount of pressure to five stars being the most amount of pressure, how much will each team be feeling the heat if their RFA remains unsigned to start the season? 

1. Mason McTavish, C, Anaheim Ducks

Pressure raking: Five stars

The Breakdown: The Ducks are aiming to take a major step this season, and Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek has more than $20.5 million in salary cap space. So it’s more than a little curious that the Ducks and McTavish haven’t come to some kind of financial common ground. 

If Anaheim is going to have a hope to make the Stanley Cup playoffs, they’re going to need all hands on deck, and that includes McTavish, who has averaged 19 goals in each of his first three NHL seasons. The Ducks’ year won’t float or sink depending solely on McTavish, but if any team can’t afford to have a dynamic young player on the sidelines, it’s Anaheim. And the longer they fail to sign McTavish, the better the chance they completely burn a bridge with him and end his Ducks career before it could really take flight.

2. Luke Hughes, D, New Jersey Devils

Pressure raking: Four stars

The Breakdown: Much is expected of the Devils this season in no small part because of their deep and skilled defense corps. But not having the 21-year-old Hughes under contract feels like a fight New Jersey doesn’t need to make. And the hole Hughes leaves in his absence could wind up being the difference between the Devils securing home-ice advantage in the playoffs and being a wild-card team.

Hughes has produced 75 assists and 91 points over the past two seasons, and those totals could’ve been higher if he’d played more than the 71 games he played in 2024-25. Having Hughes miss any time because of a financial stalemate will not do the youngster any favors as he tries to grow his game. And that’s why New Jersey is facing considerable pressure to get him signed.

3. Luke Evangelista, RW, Nashville Predators

Pressure raking: Three stars

The Breakdown: The Predators were a huge letdown last season, but the development of the 23-year-old Evangelista was a bright spot. Despite playing 12 fewer games last season than he did in 2023-24, Evangelista still put up 32 points. And while Nashville has $9.3 million in cap space, they’re under no urgent need to throw a lot of it at Evangelista.

Thus, the Preds can afford to be more patient than the Ducks and Devils are being with McTavish and Hughes, respectively. Nashville needs more out of all its players, Evangelista included. But there’s no point rushing things with Evangelista. If it takes another few weeks to sign him, the Predators will be fine with it. They shouldn’t let it drag out forever when it comes to Evangelista, but the clock isn’t ticking quite so loudly as it is for the aforementioned two players on this list.

4. Rasmus Kupari, C, Winnipeg Jets

Pressure raking: One star

The Breakdown: The Jets may not have had a high ceiling for Kupari when they acquired him from the Los Angeles Kings, and as part of Winnipeg’s bottom-six group of forwards, his individual numbers (including five goals and eight points in 59 games last year) aren’t going to get him a big-money, long-term contract.

Kupari isn’t regarded as being especially crucial to the Jets’ playoff hopes, so if he doesn’t agree to a new deal by the time the season begins, there won’t be a huge outcry from Winnipeg fans. The 25-year-old Kupari may eventually grow into a more valuable player, but for now, he’s more of a fringe contributor, and the Jets’ slow movement to get him signed is a reflection of that reality.

5. Alexander Holtz, RW, Vegas Golden Knights

Pressure raking: One star

The Breakdown: The Golden Knights are a team built to win now, and so young players like the 23-year-old Holtz are a supplemental talent. Holtz posted only eight assists and 12 points in 53 games. Meanwhile, every salary cap dollar is hugely valuable to Vegas, and given that the Golden Knights are currently over the salary cap ceiling, they’ll need to keep Holtz’s raise to a minimum.

So, while Vegas got a 16-goal, 28-point season out of Holtz two years ago, they don’t have to break the bank for Holtz. A short-term, low-money deal will probably be as good as it gets for Holtz, at least right now. And Vegas clearly is in no rush to get him signed.

6. Wyatt Kaiser, D, Chicago Blackhawks

Pressure raking: One star

The Breakdown: The Blackhawks are mired in rebuilding hell, but money isn’t a problem for Chicago, which currently has $18.6 million in cap space. But handing out a lot of money on a long-term deal for the 23-year-old Kaiser doesn’t make much sense from the Hawks’ perspective.

Kaiser did play a career-high 57 games for the Blackhawks last season, but that’s not going to translate into a huge financial windfall for the blueliner. They can afford to take their time getting Kaiser under contract, and only the hardcore Hawks fans will notice him not being in the lineup if it comes to that. But we see Kaiser getting a new deal done before the season begins. The Hawks can afford to give him a decent raise and let him earn a bigger payday down the road.

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Former Minnesota Wild defenseman Marco Scandella announced his retirement from the National Hockey League (NHL) on Thursday. The 14-year NHL defenseman was orignally drafted by the Wild with the 55th pick in the 2008 NHL Draft.

Scandella, 35, recorded 27 goals, 62 assists and 89 points in 373 games with the Wild across seven seasons. He was eventually traded to the Buffalo Sabres in a trade that also sent forward Jason Pominville to Buffalo in exchange for forwards Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno. Some draft picks were also included on both sides.

The 6-foot-3 defender played 176 games with the Sabres before he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens. He played 20 games for the Canadiens before he was moved to the St. Louis Blues that same year.

He played four more seasons in the NHL after that, all with the Blues before he played his last NHL game during the 2023-24 season.

In his career, Scandella recorded 51 goals, 119 assists and 170 points in 784 games.

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