Author: NHL Hockey News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

With the 2025 NHL Draft just two weeks away and free agency to follow directly after, the trade market is beginning to heat up.

And the Pittsburgh Penguins seem to be near the center of it all. 

As reported by hockey insider Pierre LeBrun of TSN, the Penguins appear to be the only "true sellers" in the NHL this offseason, which puts them in a prime position to gather a lot of assets - and, possibly, some prior to and during the draft.

Forward Bryan Rust's name has been thrown around a lot over the past several days, as has Rickard Rakell's - both of whom are fresh off career years. The other guy in the spotlight is defenseman Erik Karlsson, who originally came to the Penguins via a blockbuster trade with the San Jose Sharks during the summer of 2023. 

There is an overarching sentiment from many fans and people around the organization that expect Karlsson to be dealt as soon as this summer. While the Penguins may be wise to get out of the $10 million they owe Karlsson for two more years during a period of transition - or, at least, a large portion of it - it may not be as simple as it seems.

And, really, this has nothing to do with immovability or trade value. Yes, Karlsson has a full no-movement clause, and he would have to approve any potential destination. But the 35-year-old three-time Norris Trophy winner - who recorded 11 goals and 53 points to go along with a minus-24 last season - certainly still has value to contending teams looking for a puck-moving defenseman.

Actually, the issue lies within the Penguins' roster.

As reported by The Athletic's Josh Yohe - and as gathered from general sentiment throughout the organization - the Penguins realize that Kris Letang's role as a top-pair defenseman are likely behind him. While this is no fault of Letang's - Father Time is unbeaten - it does pose a problem for the Penguins if they truly are trying to deal Karlsson. 

Right now, they have no other defenseman on their roster or in their system who can handle top-four minutes. But - assuming Matt Grzelcyk walks in free agency - they also have no one on the left side who is capable of playing consistent top-four minutes.

Bryan Rust Is In High Demand. But Is Trading Him The Right Call?It is sure to be an active, interesting offseason for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Therefore, if Karlsson is dealt, the Penguins - even if they're not planning to be contenders next season - would need to somehow get their hands on three top-four defenseman prior to the onset of the 2025-26 season. Again, playing top-four minutes isn't only about skill, ceiling, and ability. It's also about physically and conditionally being able to handle the demand of top-four minutes.

Even for a team in the basement, that's a steep hill to climb. Sure, Owen Pickering and Harrison Brunicke may be in the roster conversation next season, but neither are ready for a full-time top-four role, nor should the Penguins expect them to be.

In other words, if the Penguins are to deal Karlsson, they need to make sure they have a plan to replace him. If they don't, there's a good chance that would be a massive, massive problem for Pittsburgh.

Penguins Have Prime Opportunity To Target Lightning's Top Forward ProspectOn Saturday, news about the potential departure of the Tampa Bay Lightning's top prospect from the organization became one step closer to being confirmed.

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Photo Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

The good news for Edmonton Oilers fans is Connor McDavid scored. The bad news is that Brad Marchand scored more for the Florida Panthers.

Florida took another step toward a repeat Stanley Cup thanks to a 5-2 victory on Edmonton ice to push the series to 3-2.

"The more times you're in a situation like this, the more comfortable you're going to be," Sam Reinhart told reporters post-game. "We've been staying in the moment very well all post-season, and it's just about handling your day."

Edmonton came out with vigor, and Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky had to be sharp. Connor Brown got the first good chance of the game with an early breakaway, but 'Bob' was there to make the stop. When Bobrovsky needed help, his defensemen and forwards did a great job either clearing pucks out of danger or getting their sticks in lanes to deflect away potential Oilers chances.

That solid play paid off midway through the period when Marchand made an incredibly heady play off a center-ice faceoff.

Marchand anticipated the draw and grabbed the puck, losing Vasily Podkolzin in the process. Marchand then snuck through the Edmonton defense and put a wrister past Calvin Pickard for a 1-0 Cats lead. No. 63 nearly helped Florida get another when he sent a pass across Pickard to a wide-open Eetu Luostarinen, but the big Finn couldn't get enough on the puck. 

The Panthers would indeed get their two-goal lead late in the first, however. Edmonton D-man Evan Bouchard blocked a Matthew Tkachuk shot, but the rebound went to Sam Bennett, who rifled one in from between the hashmarks.

Florida got into a bit of penalty trouble in the second, but came out unscathed. Bobrovsky bobbled a shot and had to be sharp on the Corey Perry rebound and McDavid hit the post another time, but close doesn't count.

Things really revved up in the third and once again, Marchand was in the thick of it. On a very similar play to his first goal, the veteran jumped on the puck off a faceoff and dashed down the ice. This time, he flipped the puck through defenseman Jake Walman before going backhand on Pickard, all with Perry right on his back.

"It started with a great stick at our line from (Luostarinen), and then I just tried to get inside and get the puck on net," Marchand said. "I don't really, to be honest, know what happened. I haven't seen a replay. It just found its way in, so it's a good feeling."

The 3-0 lead was shortlived, as McDavid finally got a goal in the series (though for the record, his assists have been all-timers). The Oilers captain took a nifty pass from Bouchard and buried one in tight on Bobrovsky.

Undaunted, Florida pushed the lead back when Aleksander Barkov stole the puck off Perry behind the Edmonton net, centering a pass for Sam Reinhart, who made no mistake with a wrister to make it 4-1.

In desperation, the Oilers pulled their goalie with five minutes remaining and it nearly paid off soon after, when Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' shot deflected off Niko Mikkola's stick and hit the post.

But it was Perry getting the next goal, spinning around from near the blueline with a shot that fooled Bobrovsky with a little more than three minutes to go.

The drama ended with a little more than a minute to play when Luostarinen air-mailed an empty-netter from his own zone to give Florida a comfortable 5-2 lead.

The Oilers are now on the brink of elimination in the Cup final yet again. Last year, they won three straight games to force a Game 7. They just need to win one to tie the series at 3-3, but their opponent is on the edge of glory.

"Knowing that we're in a difficult situation, win our last two games, is something that we're confident that we can do that," Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. "We've been through difficult situations before, and it was just another one that we'll overcome.

Florida has a chance to clinch back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in Game 6 on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET in front of its home fans.

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The Florida Panthers are one victory away from winning the Stanley Cup.

Florida continued their excellent play on the road during the postseason, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.

The Panthers now return to South Florida holding a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

It was Florida who cracked the ice, and the goal came on an amazing individual play by veteran Brad Marchand.

Directly of a center ice faceoff that Anton Lundell pushed through Leon Draisaitl, Marchand jumped past the Oilers’ front line and snatched the puck from behind Draisaitl.

Marchand then made a great juke to get by Mattias Ekholm and speed in on a semi-breakaway, lifting the puck over the glove of Calvin Pickard to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead at the 9:12 mark.

Shortly after Florida killed off an Oilers power play, Matthew Tkachuk came flying down the right side of the ice and into the Edmonton zone, but his shot was blocked by Jake Walman.

Sam Bennett was right there to pick up the puck and quickly fire it past a suddenly out of position Pickard to double the Cats’ lead late in the opening period.

The story of the middle frame – much like in Game 4 – was Florida’s penalty kill.

This time, the Panthers picked up a pair of massive PKs and didn’t allow Edmonton to gain any momentum, holding on to their two-goal lead and carrying it into the third.

Early in the final frame, Marchand scored what could very well end up being the goal of the Final.

Once again right off a faceoff, this time in the Florida end, Marchand came flying through the circle and pushed the puck up the ice.

After it was poked ahead by Eetu Luostarinen, Marchand sped into the Oilers zone, dangled the puck through Walman’s legs and beat Pickard five-hole to extend Florida’s lead to 3-0.

Just over two minutes later, Connor McDavid gave the dormant Rogers Place crowd some life, making a nice inside-out move and beating Sergei Bobrovsky, getting the Oilers on the board with 12:36 to go.

Unfortunately for the home fans, the excitement would be short lived.

An absolute snipe of a wrist shot by Sam Reinhart went through two Oilers defenders and past a screened Pickard, restoring Florida’s three-goal lead just 46 seconds later.

With Pickard on the bench, Corey Perry fired a long slapshot that got past a screened Bobrovsky, cutting Florida’s lead to 4-2 with 3:13 left. 

With 1:19 to go, Eetu Luostarinen sealed the victory with an empty net goal from all the way in Florida’s zone.

The Panthers now head back to Sunrise with a chance to win their second straight Stanley Cup.

What a time to be alive.

On to Game 6.

QUICK THOUGHTS

Florida has scored the first goal in four straight Final games.

Marchand has now scored six goals during the Stanley Cup Final, the first player to do that in 37 years.

As for the playoffs, Marcahand is up to ten goals and 20 points.

Reinhart has scored goals in each of Florida’s past three games. He has six points during the run.

Anton Lundell has points in four straight after picking up an assist on Marchand’s goal.

Sasha Barkov has three assists over his past two games. He had the primary helper on Reinhart’s third period snipe.

Luostarinen has multi-point outings in two of his past three games. 

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Photo caption: Jun 14, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) celebrates his goal with teammates against the Edmonton Oilers during the first period in game five of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)

It goes without saying that NHL franchises often find their future stars in the early rounds of the draft. That includes the Ottawa Senators, whose best three players, Jake Sanderson, Tim Stutzle, and Brady Tkachuk, were all top five overall selections.

But several popular and productive players were drafted after the third round, well after a lot of the NHL media had left the draft and gone home.

Here’s a look at the top 10 Senators draft picks (along with a few links from our archives) who were selected in the fourth round or later, yet went on to make a lasting impact with Sens fans. We steered away from excellent late Sens picks like Pavol Demitra or Brooks Laich, who made their names elsewhere.

1. Daniel Alfredsson – 133rd Overall (6th Round, 1994)

No surprise here. Alfredsson remains the greatest player in franchise history. Drafted in the sixth round, Alfie racked up 1,108 points in 1,246 games and served as team captain for 13 seasons. He won the Calder Trophy in 1996, led the team to the 2007 Stanley Cup Final, and went from sixth-rounder to Hall of Famer.

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2. Mark Stone – 178th Overall (6th Round, 2010)

The Senators had only four draft picks in 2010 and had they known Stone would turn out so well, they probably wouldn't have chosen Jakub Culek and Marcus Sorensen before taking Stone in round six with their third pick. Stone became one of the best wingers in franchise history before being traded to Vegas in 2019.

Gotta See It: Former Senator Mark Stone Leads Vegas to the Stanley CupSenators fans weigh in on their emotions Tuesday night after Vegas captain Mark Stone was presented with the Stanley Cup.

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3. Chris Neil – 161st Overall (6th Round, 1998)

Chris Neil was the heartbeat of the Senators for over a decade. A physical force and enforcer, Neil played 1,026 NHL games, all with Ottawa, and became a fan favourite. He provided grit, leadership, and was always ready to defend teammates.

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4. Drake Batherson – 121st Overall (4th Round, 2017)

Drafted in the fourth round as a bit of a project, Batherson has blossomed into a top-six forward. With great vision, hands, and offensive instincts, he's quickly become a key piece of Ottawa’s current group. He’s already cracked the 20-goal mark three times and continues to develop.

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5. Jean-Gabriel Pageau – 96th Overall (4th Round, 2011)

Born in Ottawa and drafted by his hometown team, Pageau made his name with strong two-way play and timely goals. None more memorable than his four-goal playoff game against the Rangers in 2017. A solid playoff performer and dependable center, Pageau was a late-round steal.

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6. Mike Hoffman – 130th Overall (5th Round, 2009)

Hoffman was one of Ottawa’s most consistent offensive threats in the 2010s. Known for his deadly shot and skating, he scored six straight 20+ goal seasons and was a mainstay on the power play. Though his time in Ottawa ended amid controversy, his on-ice production made him one of their best late-round finds.

Has Former Ottawa Senator Mike Hoffman Played His Last NHL Game?In just five years, the 34-year-old winger went from being a 70-point NHL scorer to not being able to find a contract.

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7. Ryan Dzingel – 204th Overall (7th Round, 2011)

Dzingel turned heads with his speed and energy, cracking Ottawa’s top six after being a seventh-round pick. He scored 20+ goals in back-to-back seasons before being traded in 2019. He later returned for a second stint, but it was his early impact that showed off his draft-day value.

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8. Magnus Arvedson – 119th Overall (7th Round, 1997)

Nicknamed "The Machine" by Jacques Martin, Arvedson was a reliable two-way forward who brought consistency and smarts to Ottawa’s lineup in the late ’90s and early 2000s. He scored 47 points in his second season and even received Selke Trophy votes that year, finishing second for the award in 1999.

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9. Mark Borowiecki  – 139th Overall (5th Round, 1989)

Borowiecki played nine seasons with the Senators. Over his 12-season NHL career, he appeared in 458 regular-season games, recording 15 goals, 41 assists, and 848 penalty minutes. He became a fan favourite for his tireless work ethic, leadership, and willingness to take on anyone. Boro came back and settled in Ottawa with his family and works in player development with the Nashville Predators.

Former Senator Mark Borowiecki: "My Career as a Pro Hockey Player Has Come to an End"The man they call "Borocop" in Ottawa has announced his retirement and, after a fine hockey career, he's now looking to "pay it forward."

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10. Ray Emery – 99th Overall (4th Round, 2001)

Emery’s fiery personality and style made him a fan favorite. Drafted in the fourth round, he was the Senators’ starting goalie during their run to the 2007 Stanley Cup Final. Though his time in Ottawa was relatively brief, his postseason heroics left a lasting legacy.

Looking Back on the Life and Career of Former Ottawa Senators Goalie Ray EmeryJust a month before the fiery Ray Emery backstopped the Senators' run to their only Cup Final, The Hockey News profiled Emery's extremely interesting life and career to that point.

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Drafting is a mix of smart scouting and luck, but Ottawa’s past success with players outside the top three rounds drives home how crucial scouting and development are. From a franchise icon like Alfredsson to players like Stone and Batherson, the Senators have unearthed more than their fair share of late-round gold.

Fans are hoping they have a few more solid sleepers in mind at this year's draft June 27-28.

Banner image credit: Imagn Images

Steve Warne
The Hockey News - Ottawa

Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.

After each game of the Stanley Cup final, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines and read your opinions.

On tonight's show, Katie Gaus and Michael Traikos react to Game 5 between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers with Avry Lewis-McDougall joining live from inside Rogers Place.  

During the game, join the conversation in the comment section and send in your questions. They may end up on the post-game show.

Florida Panthers vs Edmonton Oilers Game 5 - Playoff FrenzyWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live by The Hockey News presented by STIX.com, where we give our live reactions and break down the latest news to all the biggest g...

Stay tuned to The Hockey News and Playoff Frenzy Live throughout the Stanley Cup final.

Check out the show here.

Promo image credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

According to PuckPedia, the New Jersey Devils have signed forward Juho Lammikko to a one-year, $800,000 contract for the 2025-26 season.

The #NJDevils signed 29 y/o UFA F Juho Lammikko to 1 year 800K 1-way deal.

38P in 48 NL GP

Last played in NHL in 21-22 (15P in 75GP for Canucks)https://t.co/R3GponvqTu

— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) June 14, 2025

Lammikko, 29, spent each of the last three seasons with the ZSC Lions of Switzerland's National League. In 48 games this campaign with the Swiss club, he posted 13 goals, 38 points, and a plus-23 rating. Now, after three seasons overseas, Lammikko is heading back to North America.

Lammikko last played in the NHL during the 2021-22 season with the Vancouver Canucks. In 75 games with the Pacific Division club that season, he recorded seven goals, 15 points, 93 hits, and a minus-6 rating.

Lammikko was selected by the Florida Panthers with the 65th overall pick of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. In 159 career NHL games split between the Panthers and Canucks, Lammikko has recorded 11 goals, 26 points, and 188 hits. Now, he will look to improve upon his career stats with the Devils from here.

With the Devils' bottom six needing clear help, there is no harm in them taking a shot on Lammikko with this one-year contract. At a minimum, the 6-foot-2 forward will provide them with more depth and grit, which is never a bad thing.

Photo Credit:  © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Panthers beat Oilers 5-2 in Game 5, one win away from repeat Stanley Cup champs originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Brad Marchand scored twice, Sam Bennett had his NHL playoff-leading 15th goal and the Florida Panthers moved to the verge of a second consecutive Stanley Cup title by beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 5 on Saturday night.

The Panthers improved to 10-3 on the road this playoffs. They can hoist the Cup again as soon as Tuesday night if they win Game 6 on home ice in Sunrise.

Florida this time built a multigoal lead and built on it, unlike a couple of previous games in the final. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 19 of the 21 shots he faced, making some important saves when needed, and was aided by lockdown defense that took ice away from the Oilers.

Marchand, Bennett and Sam Reinhart provided the offense. Marchand joined Mario Lemieux as the only players in the past half-century to score five-plus goals in a final multiple times, and his 13 career goals in the final are the most among active players.

Connor McDavid scored his first goal of the series after the Oilers fell behind 3-0. Reinhart’s came 46 seconds later to restore the Panthers’ three-goal lead, and by the time Corey Perry scored with 3:13 left, it was too late.

Eetu Luostarinen sealed it with an empty-netter with 1:19 left, silencing the once fired-up crowd for a final time.

Edmonton’s power play went 0 for 3, a product of the Panthers’ aggressive penalty kill knocking McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the rest of the top unit out of their usual rhythm.

Calvin Pickard lost for the first time in eight starts this spring, allowing four goals on 18 shots. He got the nod over Stuart Skinner after entering in relief and winning Game 4 to improve to 7-0, a record that is now 7-1.

Skinner could be back in for Game 6, with the Panthers aiming to close things out following another cross-continental trip back to the other corner of North America. They are in this spot after bouncing back from blowing a three-goal lead and falling in overtime in Game 4, taking advantage of their depth to send the Oilers to the brink again.

Panthers beat Oilers 5-2 in Game 5, one win away from repeat Stanley Cup champs originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Brad Marchand scored twice, Sam Bennett had his NHL playoff-leading 15th goal and the Florida Panthers moved to the verge of a second consecutive Stanley Cup title by beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 5 on Saturday night.

The Panthers improved to 10-3 on the road this playoffs. They can hoist the Cup again as soon as Tuesday night if they win Game 6 on home ice in Sunrise.

Florida this time built a multigoal lead and built on it, unlike a couple of previous games in the final. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 19 of the 21 shots he faced, making some important saves when needed, and was aided by lockdown defense that took ice away from the Oilers.

Marchand, Bennett and Sam Reinhart provided the offense. Marchand joined Mario Lemieux as the only players in the past half-century to score five-plus goals in a final multiple times, and his 13 career goals in the final are the most among active players.

Connor McDavid scored his first goal of the series after the Oilers fell behind 3-0. Reinhart’s came 46 seconds later to restore the Panthers’ three-goal lead, and by the time Corey Perry scored with 3:13 left, it was too late.

Eetu Luostarinen sealed it with an empty-netter with 1:19 left, silencing the once fired-up crowd for a final time.

Edmonton’s power play went 0 for 3, a product of the Panthers’ aggressive penalty kill knocking McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the rest of the top unit out of their usual rhythm.

Calvin Pickard lost for the first time in eight starts this spring, allowing four goals on 18 shots. He got the nod over Stuart Skinner after entering in relief and winning Game 4 to improve to 7-0, a record that is now 7-1.

Skinner could be back in for Game 6, with the Panthers aiming to close things out following another cross-continental trip back to the other corner of North America. They are in this spot after bouncing back from blowing a three-goal lead and falling in overtime in Game 4, taking advantage of their depth to send the Oilers to the brink again.

The Buffalo Sabres currently have the ninth-overall pick in the 2025 NHL entry draft. But not every team above the Sabres in the draft order is fully intent on holding onto it. Does that mean Buffalo should be inquiring about trading up?

From this writer's perspective, Sabres GM Kevyn Adams should certainly be testing the waters when it comes to moving higher in the draft. A team like the Utah Mammoth -- who we wrote about as a potential trade partner for Buffalo in this column -- might be persuaded to give up the fourth-overall pick. But it would take quite the offer from the Sabres to get that kind of deal consummated. The Mammoth would likely want a proven NHL talent who is in the early stages of their career, and Buffalo certainly has many of those types of assets. So there's definitely a potential hook-up trade situation between the two teams.

But the bigger question is this: why would the Sabres want to get even younger? Buffalo's only goal has to be to make the playoffs, and while adding a long-term piece of the puzzle through the draft would make sense in some respects, the player the Sabres would get at the fourth slot wouldn't be much different than the one they're going to get at the ninth slot -- at least, when it comes to contributing meaningfully next season.

The Sabres definitely should be making trades this summer, but they should be looking at the same type of players as the Mammoth are looking at -- experienced NHLers with a playoff pedigree, So while it does make sense for Buffalo and Utah to collaborate on a trade, we'd guess that trade would feature players like Utah's Lawson Crouse and Buffalo's Bowen Byram. A draft pick trade between the Mammoth and Sabres doesn't make sense.

Sabres Potential Trade Partner: Utah MammothThis is the first file in what will be an ongoing series on THN.com's Buffalo Sabres site. In these files, we're going to identify a number of teams the Sabres could be making a trade with this summer, and we'll be picking out specific players who could be trade targets for Buffalo.

Other than Utah, we suspect most, if not all of the teams ahead of Buffalo are going to hold onto their pick. Adams may decide to tempt one or many of them by offering up an excellent trade package featuring the ninth-overall pick and a current Sabres player or two, but again, Buffalo's prime need at this point in its competitive trajectory is not another player who won't be hitting his prime for many a year.

So no, the Sabres probably shouldn't be trading up in the draft. If they hang onto the ninth pick, and if their draft and development team finds a gem at that slot, Buffalo's management will have done its job. And the Sabres would still have all the assets necessary to swing a major deal that will address their true needs.

Sabres Should Be Focusing On Trading For This Veteran Stanley Cup-WinnerThe Buffalo Sabres are in need of many things this summer -- but more than anything else, they need some veterans to come in and establish a winning standard for a new era for the franchise. And while it won't be a cakewalk to acquire the type of talent that can change things for the Sabres, that doesn't mean Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams shouldn't be swinging for the fences in trades and free agency. 

It's always tempting on draft day to imagine what it takes to trade up and land a prospect who could be a difference-maker for many years. But the Sabres have to stay focused on their central goal, and that goal is ending their 14-year playoff-less streak.

Anyone they get at the ninth pick -- and anyone they'd get at a pick higher than that -- probably won't get them there next season. So the trades Adams needs to make shoudn't be draft-related. The Sabres need veteran help, right here and right now, and any failure on that part may lead to Buffalo drafting just as high, if not higher next summer. And that's not where the Sabres or Sabres fans should want them to be.

The Crowned Event Week 2 is live now in NHL 25 Hockey Ultimate Team. 

The new 95/96 overall master set players are Jonathan Quick, Taylor Heise, Erik Cernak, Sam Bennett, and Denis Potvin. 

These 96 overall players can be unlocked by trading in the corresponding 95 overall card and another 95 Crowned card. 

Three 88+ cards get you a 90 Crowned player, three 90+ Crowned players get you a 92, and three 92+ and any two additional 92+ cards get you the 95 master set card. 

The 96 overall cards come with free zone and superstar abilities. 

On top of the master set players 96 overall Nikita Kucherov, Alex Ovechkin and Connor Hellebuyck were added to celebrate their real-life awards. As were 95 overall Lane Hutson, Anze Kopitar, and Leon Draisaitl. 

94 overall Matt Murray, Dominik Hasek, and Calvin Pickard were also added. 94 overall Martin St. Louis and Henrik Zetterberg and 93 overall Drew Doughty and Marian Hossa highlight new Crowned base cards. 

All of Friday's cards and the releases from earlier this week are in the video above.  

The Hockey News' Stanley Cup Final simulation predicted the Florida Panthers to win in five games here.

For more NHL 25 news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed.         

Photo Credit: EA SPORTS NHL 

With the additions of Matvei Michkov and Egor Zavragin in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers have done an excellent job of adding top Russian talent to their ranks. But, can they manage to do the same in 2025?

Bog-standard performances and a lack of improvement have cast doubt over the futures of fellow Russian Flyers Egor Zamula and Ivan Fedotov, who will each be out of contract at the end of the 2025-26 season.

Those two, who have been a great help for the younger and less experienced Michkov, might not be around forever. It's unclear when former Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nikita Grebenkin will crack the NHL lineup for the Flyers and what his ceiling is if and when he does.

With seven picks in the first two rounds of the 2025 draft, the Flyers have all the opportunities possible to find players who can socialize with Michkov and, most importantly, add the talent necessary to build the best team possible.

Ivan Ryabkin, C, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) 5-foot-11, 210 pounds

Teased in my latest big board, I think Ivan Ryabkin would be a great fit for the Flyers with his agitating, physical nature alongside Grebenkin and Michkov. Could you imagine the talent and irritation coming from that line?

The problem with Ryabkin, though, is that recent reports from the NHL Scouting Combine have indicated that the 18-year-old did not test well or interview well, meaning teams like the Flyers are going to have to spend a good portion of the development process working through immaturity and teaching him how to be a pro.

If conditioning is a real concern, that might explain why some scouting reports mention Ryabkin "gliding" during plays.

Can (or Should) the Flyers Pick a High School QB in the 2025 NHL Draft?The Philadelphia Flyers are one of a few teams towards the bottom of the NHL looking to add talent in any way they can. One NHL insider just connected them to a... high school quarterback?

At the same time, Ryabkin entered the season looking like a surefire top 10 talent. He can hit, shoot, and create. After leaving Russia, Ryabkin finished the season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, scoring 26 goals, 20 assists, and 46 points in 41 total games while winning the Clark Cup.

Ryabkin is exactly the kind of risk the Flyers should be taking with a late first-round pick or one of their four early second-round picks. Ivan Barbashev, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, is a name that comes to mind for me.

Alex Zharovsky, Inverted RW, Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL) 6-foot-1, 163 pounds

Do the Flyers need more right wings? No, not really, but they could use some talented left-shot forwards outside of Michkov, who, like Alex Zharovsky, is a left-handed right wing.

The 18-year-old Zharovsky is a supremely talented forward who plays with guile, creativity, and flair. He'll break ankles and crate scoring chances for his teammates with his passing all the same, but his NHL projection can be tough to predict because of that.

Zharovsky played all of his regular season action with Tolpar Ufa in the MHL, which is a step down from Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the KHL, with whom he finished the 2024-25 season.

In the NHL, defenders are bigger, stronger, and faster and will close down the spaces Zharovsky exploits with haste. If he can make the changes and avoid doing too much too often, Zharovsky has all the tools to justify a Day 2 draft pick.

Ilya Pautov, the Flyers' sixth-round pick a year ago, had a similar draft year in the MHL and has yet to build on it. Zharovsky should be on Philadelphia's radar, but they may want to be careful of drafting him too early. The industry consensus currently sees the silky winger as mid-second-round pick.

Kurban Limatov, LHD, Dynamo Moskva (KHL) 6-foot-4, 190 pounds

Kurban Limatov, like Ryabkin, was featured in our early big board, and for good reason.

Limatov is an excellent skater for his size and could forge a career as a top-four NHL defenseman with improvements to his passing and decision-making with the puck. But without that?

He's still a strong, physical defender with the closing speed that allows him to kill plays quickly.

The Flyers have virtually no projectable left-shot defenders in their prospect pool at this time, so Limatov should be a candidate to be selected with a late first- or early second-round pick.

Flyers Coach Rick Tocchet Has Exciting, Simple Plan for Matvei MichkovNew Philadelphia Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet has revealed his simple, preliminary plan to get the most out of star rookie Matvei Michkov going forward. It's not rocket science.

Although Brad Shaw has left for New Jersey, the Flyers have done a decent job of developing defensemen in recent years. They could do worse with a spare draft pick than taking a shot on Limatov... as long as someone else doesn't beat them to the punch.

Pyotr Andreyanov, G, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL) 6-foot-2, 210 pounds

The Flyers are more than likely going to draft a goalie - maybe more than one - in the 2025 draft. Why not get Pyotr Andreyanov, the highest-ranked European goalie by NHL Central Scouting in this year's draft class?

Andreyanov, similarly to Zavragin, has been virtually unbeatable in the MHL in his draft year this season. The 18-year-old posted a 23-6-6 record for Krasnaya Armiya Moskva to the tune of a 1.75 GAA, a .942 save percentage, and three shutouts.

Somehow, in six postseason games, Andreyanov's superhuman efforts weren't enough; he stumbled to a 2-4-0 record and first-round exit despite having a 2.36 GAA, a .929 save percentage, and a shutout during that span.

Andreyanov notably plays for the same MHL team as Ilya Pautov, the Flyers' sixth-round pick from a year ago. If the Flyers have been keeping up with Pautov at all, they should have all the information they need to justify picking Andreyanov early in the 2025 draft.

Semyon Frolov, G, MHK Spartak Moskva (MHL) 6-foot-3, 200 pounds

Semyon Frolov, coming in just behind Andreyanov, is the second-highest ranked European goalie in the 2025 draft class by NHL Central Scouting.

The 18-year-old played most of his hockey for MHK Spartak Moskva this season, for whom he posted a 9-2-2 record, a 2.05 GAA, and a .915 save percentage with two shutouts.

Frolov's numbers weren't as impressive as Andreyanov's, and he played in only 18 regular season games and 25 games in total this season.

Still, the Togliatti product is a superb athlete who plays with poise and discipline, which are hallmarks of any successful goaltender at any level.

Assuming the Flyers watched Andreyanov and Pautov, they've probably seen some of Frolov, too. Frolov is more likely to be a third- or fourth-round player, but he would be a welcomed addition to the Flyers' goaltending depth all the same.

For more Flyers news and up-to-date coverage, visit The Hockey News and like our Facebook page. Follow us on 𝕏: @ByJonBailey,  @TheHockeyNews

NEVER SAY NEVER. 

After a historic Edmonton Oilers 5-4 victory, the Stanley Cup Final is deadlocked at two games a piece heading back to Edmonton for Game 5. 

“We wanted to come out strong tonight, but they put us on our heels early,” said Leon Draisaitl post game. 

“We were lollygagging around a little bit, and it’s certainly not the time to lollygag around, especially after getting spanked in Game 3.” 

So, how did Game 4 unravel? 

The first period was all Panthers. The Cats took a demanding 3-0 lead. Matthew Tkachuk netted a pair of powerplay goals, Anton Lundell potted the third. 

The second period was all Oilers. Backup Calvin Pickard would replace Stuart Skinner and Edmonton would rally back and tie the game 3-3. The goal scorers were Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the powerplay, Darnell Nurse, and Vasily Podkolzin. 

Period three would, understandably, be very, very tactical. Neither team wanted to make the first mistake knowing that could be the difference. 

With just over six minutes to play, Jake Walman would blast one past Sergei Bobrovsky to give the Oilers a 4-3 lead. Just as we thought the game was over, Sam Reinhart would find the back of the net with 19.5 seconds remaining. 

Reinhart’s goal would be the second latest game tying goal in Stanley Cup Final history. The latest? Corey Perry’s equalizer in Game 2, with 18 seconds remaining. 

For the third time in four games, we have overtime. In overtime, Carter Verhaege was inches away from giving the Panthers a 3-1 series lead when his one timer went off the crossbar. 

Moments later, Leon Draisaitl would score his second overtime goal of the series and fourth of these playoffs, a new NHL single postseason record. 

The goal wasn’t flashy, but ugly goals are worth just as much as the pretty ones. Draisaitl, with one hand on his stick, was trying to throw the puck in the nets direction and a fortunate bounce off of Cats defenseman, Nikko Mikkola, redirected the puck between Bobs legs. 

When you throw pucks on net, good things happen. In a game that was as back and forth as ping-pong, what was the turning point? 

For Solon Mihas, it was Lundell’s goal that put the Panthers up, 3-0. Without that goal, late in the first period, Mihas doesn’t think Oilers HC Kris Knoblauch makes the goaltending switch he did. 

“What I noticed was a bunch of leaders we have in this room. We came in, Perry gave us a little speech, and a couple of other guys spoke up,” said Walman. 

Game 4 Stanley Cup Final Preview And What's At Stake Game 3 was nothing like the first two in Edmonton. We went from consecutive overtime games to a dominant, 6-1, Florida beatdown. 

“Just the quiet confidence we have in our room even down 3-0, to turn that game around shows a lot about our group. I don’t think we’re ever out of a game.” 

Tonight’s X-Factor? Backup goalie, Calvin Pickard. 

Before the game there was a question of who will be in net for the Oilers. The answer was NOT Pickard. 

After taking over for Skinner to start the middle frame, Pickard saved 22 of 23 shots he faced, improving his personal playoff record to 7-0. 

Without Pickard, who knows what happens after the first 20 minutes. 

“I have confidence in him (Pickard) because you look at his record… he’s been doing a lot of winning,” Oilers Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said post game. Each team has both positives and negatives to take out of this game, but Panthers Matthew Tkachuk chooses to focus on the plus. 

“Take our first period, take our third period, beginning of overtime. I thought we did a lot of good things.” 

Aside from being eventful, this series has been historic. 

The Oilers became just the first team in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup Final game when trailing 3-0 after the first period. 

Prior to tonight, teams in the Panthers position were 37-0. After tonight? 37-1. 

This series has gone from a best-of-seven, to a best-of-five, and now, a best-of-three heading into Game 5. 

The series heads to Alberta with a chance to advance one step closer to the games ultimate prize. 

With less than two weeks before the 2025 NHL Decentralized Draft in Los Angeles, there are differing opinions of who the Buffalo Sabres will select ninth overall if they do not trade the pick. A mock draft from the Athletic earlier this month and Mike Morreale from NHL.com projected the Sabres to select OHL defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson with their pick, but the Athletic’s updated mock draft and NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman have Buffalo adding a forward prospect. 

Aitcheson had a breakout offensive year with the Barrie Colts, jumping from eight goals last season to 26 goals, finishing behind only 2024 first rounders Zayne Parekh and Sam Dickinson among OHL defenseman. Aitcheson led the Colts with 59 points and scored 12 points in the OHL playoffs.  

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In their updated mock, the Athletic has the Sabres selecting Soo Greyhounds center Brady Martin at #9. The 6’0”, 178 lb. Martin nearly tripled his point output in his second OHL season with the Greyhounds (33 goals, 39 assists), and his stock has been rising after an excellent showing for Canada at the Under-18s with 11 points in seven games. 

Kimelman projects Brampton Steelheads winger Porter Martone to be selected by the Sabres. The 6’3”, 208 lb. winger had 98 points (37 goals, 61 assists) in 57 OHL games last season, and is considered the best winger in the draft class, but there has been speculation that the 18-year-old power forward could go as high as third overall to the Chicago Blackhawks, so the chances of Martone slipping to the Sabres six picks later seem unlikely.  

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