A lot can happen in just a short period of time in any facet of life, so you can imagine the twists and turns that have fundamentally altered the history of hockey equipment manufacturing since the early 1990s, when Canstar Sports and its many brands – namely Bauer – dominated the industry.

Canstar is a predecessor company of Roustan Sports Ltd., and to say that it dominated is really an understatement.

An article published in The Globe and Mail in 1992 referred to Canstar as “the Wayne Gretzky of hockey gear.” And although the article also referred to the game of hockey “as Canadian as maple syrup,” this wasn’t entirely a case of a writer simply searching for easy metaphors. (1) Rather, the author used the Gretzky comparison to illustrate how the company, like The Great One himself, had achieved tremendous success at home in Canada before being successfully exported all around the world.

The various Canstar brands – Bauer, Cooper, Micron, Mega, Lange, etc. – generated approximately $80 million worth of sales in the United States and Europe in 1990, representing more than half of the company’s total revenue that year. Significantly, it was devoting two to three percent of its sales to research and development, which the article pointed out was “more than double the Canadian average.” This commitment to innovation and manufacturing, most of which was happening at home in Canada, was expected to help Canstar Sports remain a global industry leader. (2)

It was around this time that Canstar’s historic hockey stick factory in the Hespeler section of Cambridge, Ontario, under the direction of plant manager Ross Huehn and Canstar product manager Larry Koabel, evolved to begin producing high-end wooden Bauer sticks for use by NHL players.

For many years, the factory had produced budget-priced Cooper sticks and Hespeler-branded sticks before that.

The early 1990s marked a change in how things were done, and the marketplace responded.

“We always seemed to have pent-up demand on the stick side (of Canstar), and they kept growing every year,” Koabel, who is now Roustan Sports’ costing and purchasing manager, said in an interview. “And that's what drives the profits is volumes and the stick business. It's all about volumes.”

Roustan Sports still maintains spreadsheets of Bauer’s NHL clientele back in the mid-1990s, and it reads like a Hockey Who’s Who of the era. Bauer produced sticks for players from each of the 26 teams in the league at that time, including superstars like Mario Lemieux, Eric Lindros, Pavel Bure and others. Even Gretzky is on the list, although that was his Easton era, so it’s not clear if he ever used his Bauer sticks in games. (See the sidebar below for a more comprehensive but by no means complete list of players.)

Canstar Sports had something else in common with Gretzky in that its remarkable success made it a target of bigger fish in the comparatively small pond of sports equipment manufacturing, which was going to go through a massive upheaval. Gretzky had to leave the Edmonton Oilers in 1988 due to changing market factors that were going to hinder the Oilers’ ability to keep paying him what he was worth. Likewise, footwear giant Nike became aware of Canstar’s success and decided to make its principals an offer they wouldn’t be able to refuse.

By this time, Canstar president and chief executive officer Gerry Wasserman, the man who was most responsible for its success, had left the company. He began his exit by transitioning first to the position of vice-chairman, replaced as president by Donald MacMartin, but he eventually left Canstar entirely and began running Weider Health and Fitness in Los Angeles – Weider fitness empire co-founders Joe and Ben Weider were, like Wasserman, natives of Montreal. MacMartin did not remain with Canstar long, though, and on Wasserman’s recommendation, he was succeeded in February 1994 by Pierre Boivin.

Hockey's Oldest Business – Since 1847: Chapter 9 – Canstar Sports 1 As a practice goalie with the Montreal Canadiens in the late 1950s, Gerald Wasserman put his life on the line every time he saw Bernie 'Boom Boom' Geoffrion coming down the wing and winding up for a slap shot.

Boivin is also a Montreal native and, like Wasserman was, he is a career executive with a deep interest in sports. One of his early roles was president of a Montreal-based sporting goods distributor called Norvinca. (3) He was working alongside Wasserman with Weider in California when he was invited to return to Montreal and take the reins of Canstar Sports.

One of his first tasks as the company’s new president was to meet with Nike and negotiate a research-and-development and licensing project that would see the shoe company distributing some of Canstar’s projects. That deal didn’t pan out, but in October 1994, the two firms began talking again. This time, though, the stakes were much higher.

In December, it was announced that Nike would buy Canstar Sports for a whopping $545.8 million. (4)

Nike chairman and co-founder Phil Knight was quoted as saying Canstar’s success in hockey was a major factor in the takeover.

“Canstar’s dominance in the elite ice skate market is unsurpassed, with more than 70 percent of NHL players wearing Canstar skates,” Knight said in an article published by the Kitchener-Waterloo Record. The article said Canstar would “remain an autonomous unit in the Nike’s worldwide empire,” but noted in reference to the company’s hockey stick factory in Hespeler and the Bauer skate and equipment plant in nearby Galt that it was “still uncertain what impact, if any, the deal might have on the Cambridge operations.” (5)

Nike was adamant that Canstar would keep running as it had, “without any change to its structure, operations, management or personnel.” Boivin certainly seemed convinced, assuring a Montreal Gazette reporter at the time of the sale that he could “take that to the letter... We’ll be fully autonomous and a stand-alone company. When it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” (6)

But he was singing the exact opposite tune less than three years later, after Nike had begun to dismantle the Canstar Sports empire piece by piece.

“I’m an adherent of the philosophy, ‘If it’s not broken, break it.’ The time to reinvent is when things are going well, not when your business is struggling,” Boivin, now the president and CEO of what had been renamed Bauer Inc., told The Financial Post Magazine in June 1997, by which time the business was indeed struggling.

“The reality was that we had peaked with our internal competencies and financial capabilities. We felt that Nike would liberate us and give us the opportunity to advance to the next level,” Boivin said. (7) There was no elaboration of what he meant by “liberate,” and there was no explanation in this burst of corporate jargon for his apparent change of heart.

It may have come from the same place that others, like Larry Koabel, had resisted going to. Soon after the sale was completed, Koabel was sent to Nike corporate headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. Koabel was a successful product manager working in the marketing department in Canstar’s Mississauga office after having begun his career at the hockey stick factory in 1974, when it was owned and operated by Cooper Canada. He had long been accustomed to working in environments where he was encouraged and trusted to perform his various duties in ways that made sense to him, based on his experience and his knowledge.

Now it was made clear that Canstar employees would be expected to do things differently – the so-called Nike way – even though Nike executives had no comparable experience or knowledge in the fields where people like Koabel excelled. He saw the visit to Beaverton for what it was.

“They sent me to be reprogrammed,” he said. “I knew when I walked out of there, there wasn’t going to be one factory that was going to survive. These people were in no way going to do anything good for hockey.”

Koabel made his exit soon after, as overtures to move to Montreal didn’t interest him, nor did other opportunities to stay with what remained of Canstar as it transitioned to Bauer Inc. and eliminated Canstar’s other brand names, including legendary Cooper. (The company would soon be renamed again to Nike Bauer Hockey Inc.)

“Nike, they were so far out to lunch when it came to hockey. It was ridiculous. And their attitude was just, you couldn’t tell them anything, because they were Nike,” he said, adding that Boivin didn’t help matters as a chief executive because, while he did have a sports background, he was really not a hockey guy. “Boivin didn’t know as much about hockey as he did about the ski business.”

It was in January 1997 when Nike announced that Bauer was “underperforming” and would be “repositioned.” A Montreal Gazette reporter noted that Nike had a history of outsourcing its production to Asia and wondered if Bauer would be following that path. Boivin managed to answer that question with “no” and “never say never” in the same interview.

“We have an ongoing responsibility to make sure that we’re globally competitive,” he said. “But the bottom line is that there are no plans for layoffs.” (8)

If anyone believed that statement, they were in for an unpleasant surprise when it was announced only three months later that the skate and equipment plant in the Galt section of Cambridge would begin to wind down its operations, putting more than 400 people out of work. The plan then was for Canadian skate and equipment production to be consolidated at the company’s factory in Saint-Jerome, Quebec, but it was made clear that no jobs would be added at that facility. A spokesperson confirmed the obvious, that outsourcing would be the outcome, claiming it was “because of very competitive pricing” by rival manufacturers already operating overseas. (9)

Another reporter, quoting a disgruntled worker who was losing his job in Cambridge, alleged that, “Nike never had any interest in preserving Bauer’s operations. All it wanted was the legendary Bauer name and access to the company’s technical expertise, so it could teach workers in Asia how to make hockey skates.” (10)

That point of view would have been hard to refute when, within four years, the Saint-Jerome factory had also been gutted, and the Nike Bauer head office in Montreal was closed and moved across the US border to Greenland, New Hampshire. Only a skeleton crew was being maintained in research and development in Saint-Jerome so that the company could continue to qualify for tax credits from the province of Quebec. (11)

As Chris Zimmerman tells the story, there’s more to it than that.

Zimmerman, now the St. Louis Blues’ president and CEO of business operations, had joined Nike in 1995 as the company’s advertising director for North America. He remembers that Nike had taken notice of the booming inline skate market, which Wasserman had cultivated as he built Canstar into an industry giant. Nike was still very much a footwear and apparel company but saw inline skates as a natural progression in footwear. Unfortunately, they were late to the game and did not foresee that the roller-blading boom was, in reality, a fad that had played out.

“I think about a week or two after Nike bought Bauer, that market started a decade-long crash,” Zimmerman said in an interview.

“When Nike bought Canstar, they didn't really buy it for the hockey business. They bought it for the roller blade business,” Mark Duggan, another Nike executive of the era, said in a separate interview. “Nike wanted to get into that business because it was something that everybody had told them – you need to get into this business because it’s so big. At one point, I think Rollerblade, the company, was worth almost a billion dollars, so it couldn't be ignored.”

In retrospect, Koabel’s memory of being sent to Oregon to be “reprogrammed,” as he put it, bears out because it appears that Nike was still trying to figure out its own strategy at the same time. It was trying to build revenue in products and in a market it didn’t understand as well as it should have.

“The hockey part of it was important, but it wasn't the priority as I understand it,” Duggan said. “And the business model that Canstar had was not necessarily the same business model that Nike was familiar with, meaning that Canstar owned a lot of factories. Nike doesn't really own factories – they lease them, or they contract exclusively with factories.

“It was an interesting acquisition. The problem became that the roller blade business died quickly. I mean, it went from, I want to say it was a $200 million business with Bauer, and it ended up being worth about $15 million when Zimmerman took over. So it went from a significant revenue to almost, what's going on here?”

In retrospect, then, it’s understandable that Bauer was “underperforming” by 1997 as far as Nike was concerned. Boivin, having overseen the beginning of the end of the good times, left the company in 1999 to become president of the Montreal Canadiens. His replacement didn’t last, and Zimmerman eventually stepped in to become president and chief executive officer of what was soon renamed Nike Bauer, with the parent company putting its stamp – or, more accurately, its swoosh – on its subsidiary.

Unlike Boivin, Zimmerman was a hockey guy, with serious credentials. A native of Waccabuc, New York, he had played hockey since childhood and was good enough to play four years of NCAA Div. I at the University of Vermont, where he earned a BA in economics. He then served as an assistant hockey coach at Babson College, a Div. II program, while studying for his MBA. In fact, being given the opportunity to coach at the end of his playing days was what drew him to Babson, where the coach was future New York Islanders bench boss Steve Stirling.

“I would say I was mostly a third-line kind of guy, working up and down and nothing flashy, but trying to maximize whatever talent I had,” Zimmerman said when asked to describe himself as a player. He is credited with having played 123 games with the Vermont Catamounts between 1977 and 1981, scoring a total of 22 goals and 60 points.

“I had an amazing experience, and then I got to coach. I had done a lot of hockey camps and had a passion for coaching, and so when I went to get an MBA, I spoke to them about working as an assistant coach, and I did that at Babson for two years.”

Zimmerman worked in the advertising business in New York City for a decade before joining Nike as its North American director of advertising in 1995, just after the deal closed to buy Canstar. He took over Nike’s golf business in 2000, and then in 2003, he was invited to head up the Nike Bauer division. The hockey equipment industry was continuing its transformation, as other shoe and apparel companies were moving into sport and creating an even more crowded marketplace alongside the traditional players.

Earl Takefman, the former president and chief operating officer of Charan, had quickly found his way back into the world of hockey after that company sold off what had been Cooper Canada and imploded. In 1990, he became the co-chief executive officer of SLM International Inc., a Montreal-based firm that acted as a holding company, similar to Canstar Sports’ predecessor, Warrington Products. One of the firms it had acquired was Sport Maska Inc., which – small world – owned CCM after snatching it away from Jack Cooper and Cooper Canada in the early 1980s.

Unfortunately, Takefman hadn’t learned much about hockey equipment manufacturing in the interim, and SLM International went bankrupt in 1995.

Enter Gerry Wasserman, the turnaround expert who, after leaving Canstar Sports and successfully operating Weider Health and Fitness in California, was living in retirement in Malibu. Wellspring Associates LLC took control of SLM and, in late 1996, enticed Wasserman to come aboard as the new chairman, CEO and president.

“I wouldn’t have come out of retirement for any other company,” he told the Montreal Gazette. “I think I know a little bit about hockey, and they convinced me this is an opportunity to resurrect a company that was truly in dire straits.” (12)

Hockey's Oldest Business – Since 1847: Chapter 10 – Canstar Sports 2The business world mostly remembers the early 1990s as a difficult time due to a significant recession in North America that lasted for more than two years, but the sporting goods industry in Canada was a sector of the economy that surprisingly thrived during that time.

As he had done with Warrington Products/Canstar Sports, Wasserman oversaw SLM’s transformation into a new entity called The Hockey Company, and its brands eventually included not only CCM but also Canadien, Jofa, Titan and Koho.

By the time Wasserman exited the company and retired permanently, it billed itself as the world’s largest manufacturer of hockey equipment and had an exclusive licence to make and sell jerseys for all 30 NHL teams at the time. (13)

The Hockey Company had three manufacturing centers around the world, the largest being in Montreal, and approximately 1,000 of its 1,300 employees worked in Canada. It claimed that its share of the global hockey market was 30 percent, compared to Bauer’s 19 percent, and that at least 99 percent of NHL players were using its equipment. (14)

But, as with Canstar, The Hockey Company’s success made it a target for acquisition.

It went public in June 2003, and Reebok, following Nike’s lead from a few years earlier, came forward with an offer that was too good to turn down. In April 2004, it bought The Hockey Company for $436 million. (15)

Unlike Nike, however, Reebok committed to Canada by moving its Canadian head office to a new headquarters in Montreal and maintaining research and development and some manufacturing there. That’s still largely the case even though there have been a few ownership and name changes over the years, beginning in 2005 when Reebok itself was acquired by Adidas. The hockey sector of the business was first renamed Reebok Hockey, then Reebok-CCM in 2007, and then simply CCM in 2016. It has been owned by two different private equity firms since 2017. The manufacturing of hockey equipment has mostly left Canada, but CCM’s head office remains in Montreal, in a new headquarters building.

Other new players in the industry included yet another footwear company, New Balance, and its subsidiary Warrior Hockey (now Warrior Sports), which right from the beginning manufactured composite sticks, made of carbon fiber, resin and foam.

Easton had entered the pro market in the 1980s with its aluminum-shafted sticks – Brad Park is believed to have been the first NHLer to use them – and then made a huge splash in 1990 by convincing Wayne Gretzky to drop his wooden Titans and play with them, joining other all-stars like Brett Hull, Brian Leetch and Scott Stevens. (16) Easton eventually started building its own composite stick, the well-received Easton Synergy. Even Canstar Sports had dipped its toes in the water as far back as 1994 with its own composites, produced at a factory near Ottawa. (17)

This early experimentation was apparently not successful and, as Zimmerman notes, Nike Bauer’s business when he took over in 2003 “was not strong.” The company lagged behind Easton and CCM in general, he said, “and the stick business, they just didn’t have a meaningful composite stick offering, and the wood stick market had crumbled.

“We had to make some significant changes... Nike had lost over $100 million (on Nike Bauer) by the time I joined the business.”

Players of all ages and abilities were finding that they could shoot faster and more accurately with lighter composites than with wooden sticks, and it didn’t matter that they weren’t as durable and cost significantly more.

The writing was on the wall as far as wooden sticks were concerned. There would always be a market for them, but it wasn’t going to be as it was before. The NHL clientele that plant manager Ross Huehn and product manager Larry Koabel had carefully cultivated in Hespeler was shifting away from them.

The first real sign of trouble was a shutdown of the factory that lasted seven weeks in the summer of 2003 due to unexpected lower demand for sticks. Production had only just begun again when it was announced in early October that the plant would close for good no later than March 2004. The decision had been made at Nike Bauer headquarters in New Hampshire, but Zimmerman, much to his credit, showed up to deliver the bad news in person.

“It wasn’t really a discretionary decision,” he says now. “It was really one that had to happen along with other facility reductions or closures.”

Zimmerman might have been heartened by what he didn’t know at the time. He would definitely have been surprised to know then that not only would the business still operate in 2025, but he would also still be connected to it.

Even though Nike Bauer was closing the doors, the Hespeler hockey stick factory still had almost two decades of life left in it, thanks to the employees who put their hearts into every stick they made. They were the key to saving the wooden hockey stick business and paving the way for its revitalization at its current home, Roustan Sports Ltd. in Brantford. The next chapter will tell how they did it.

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The historic hockey stick factory in the Hespeler section of Cambridge, Ontario, was in its heyday in the 1990s, when it manufactured Bauer sticks and blades for players from every NHL team. According to records maintained by Roustan Sports Ltd., this is a sample of just some of the skaters and goalies – among them numerous Stanley Cup champions and more than a dozen future Hockey Hall of Famers – who received sticks and/or blades from the Hespeler plant.

It should be noted that the players listed here did not necessarily use their Bauer sticks in games and may have ordered them for promotional or other purposes. For instance, it’s well known that Wayne Gretzky mainly used Easton sticks during the last decade of his playing career.

*Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa Senators

*Ed Belfour, Chicago Blackhawks

Rod Brind’Amour, Philadelphia Flyers

*Pavel Bure, Vancouver Canucks

Wendel Clark, Toronto Maple Leafs

Eric Desjardins, Montreal Canadiens

Shane Doan, Winnipeg Jets

Adam Foote, Colorado Avalanche

*Grant Fuhr, St. Louis Blues

*Doug Gilmour, Toronto Maple Leafs

Adam Graves, New York Rangers

Travis Green, New York Islanders

*Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles Kings

Bill Guerin, New Jersey Devils

Derian Hatcher, Dallas Stars

Kevin Hatcher, Dallas Stars

*Dale Hawerchuk, Philadelphia Flyers

Kelly Hrudey, Los Angeles Kings

Curtis Joseph, Toronto Maple Leafs

Kenny Jonsson, New York Islanders

Ed Jovanovski, Florida Panthers

Sami Kapanen, Hartford Whalers

Nikolai Khabibulin, Winnipeg Jets

Saku Koivu, Montreal Canadiens

*Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins

Trevor Linden, Vancouver Canucks

*Eric Lindros, Philadelphia Flyers

Kirk Maltby, Detroit Red Wings

Markus Naslund, Vancouver Canucks

Michael Peca, Buffalo Sabres

*Chris Pronger, St. Louis Blues

Mike Richter, New York Rangers

*Denis Savard, Chicago Blackhawks

Ryan Smyth, Edmonton Oilers

*Scott Stevens, New Jersey Devils

*Mats Sundin, Toronto Maple Leafs

Darryl Sydor, Dallas Stars

Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins

Rick Tocchet, Los Angeles Kings

*Mike Vernon, Detroit Red Wings

Peter Zezel, St. Louis Blues

* - Honored Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame

Jonathon Jackson is a hockey historian based in Guelph, Ontario.

Follow along as we post new chapters of Hockey's Oldest Business – Since 1847 on TheHockeyNews.com.

Read the previous chapter:  Chapter 10 – Canstar Sports 2

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(1) Harvey Enchin, “Canstar pirouettes across the big pond,” The Globe and Mail, February 10, 1992.

(2) Enchin, “Canstar pirouettes.”

(3) Pat Hickey, “Habs fill Corey’s post,” Montreal Gazette, August 28, 1999.

(4) Francois Shalom, “Nike to buy Canstar for $545.8 million,” Montreal Gazette, December 15, 1994.

(5) Tom Nunn, “Nike to buy top area sports gear company,” Kitchener-Waterloo Record, December 15, 1994.

(6) Shalom, “Nike to buy Canstar.”

(7) Shona McKay, “Marriages of convenience,” The Financial Post Magazine, June 28, 1997.

(8) Francois Shalom, “Changes are afoot at skatemaker Bauer,” Montreal Gazette, January 11, 1997.

(9) Carol Goodwin, “400 lose jobs at Bauer,” Kitchener-Waterloo Record, April 11, 1997; François Shalom, “Nike just does it to Cambridge plant,” Montreal Gazette, April 12, 1997.

(10) John Heinzl, “Nike’s hockey plans put Bauer on thin ice,” The Globe and Mail, July 2, 1997.

(11) Francois Shalom, “Olympic great Boucher among turfed workers,” Montreal Gazette, June 6, 2001.

(12) Francois Shalom, “CCM is back in the game,” Montreal Gazette, February 17, 1997.

(13) “Hockey Co. snags NHL deal,” Montreal Gazette, June 1, 2000; “The Hockey Co. gets financing,” Montreal Gazette, February 20, 2001.

(14) David Bruser, “Reebok laces up CCM deal,” Toronto Star, April 9, 2004.

(15) David Bruser, “Reebok laces up CCM deal.”

(16) Don Campbell, “Aluminum sticks, Gretzky approved,” Ottawa Citizen, February 3, 1991.

(17) Oscar Rojo, “New hockey stick packs a lot, Canstar Sports says,” Toronto Star, June 10, 1994.

We’re less than two weeks away from Opening Night.

With a new season quite literally right around the corner, the Florida Panthers and Scripps Sports announced their local television programming plan for the 2025-26 NHL season.

Scripps will be airing 69 of the Panthers regular season games, as well as each game in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

It was previously announced that Florida will be featured in 15 nationally televised games, and now we know that Scripps will have the rest of the broadcasts covered.

Each game on Scripps will include the returning Panthers broadcast team of play-by-play voice Steve Goldsten, analyst Randy Moller, sideline reporter Katie Engelson, studio host Jessica Blaylock and studio analyst Ed Jovanovski.

There will be a 30-minute pregame show for every game broadcast and postgame coverage with player interviews as well.

Fans will also be able to enjoy the second season of “Primetime Panthers.”

New episodes of the behind-the-scenes access show will air every Wednesday, starting Oct. 1.

For more information on watching the Panthers on television in South Florida, visit FloridaPanthers.com/HowToWatch.

All five of the Panthers remaining preseason games will also be broadcast on Scripps Sports, including Wednesday night against the Carolina Hurricanes.

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Photo caption: Jun 12, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Overview of fans in the stands during warm up between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers in game four of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

Atro Leppänen is quickly becoming one of the most intriguing storylines of the Edmonton Oilers' training camp and preseason. The 26-year-old Finnish defenceman is set to play in his third straight preseason game tonight, earning more looks after a string of impressive performances.

Leppänen arrives in Edmonton with a record-breaking season in Finland’s Liiga, where he set a new benchmark for points by a blueliner with 21 goals and 63 points. That offensive ability has carried over into camp, and names like Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer have been impressed, "Atro Leppanen can make plays," said Stauffer. @DobberHockey noted, "I'm adding him to my watch list."

Oilers' Early 2025-26 Season Projections: The Defense

Leppänen has also earned praise from head coach Kris Knoblauch, who said the defenseman's puck play is “definitely” at an NHL level.

The problem is fit, or the lack thereof. 

DobberHockey also noted, "I don't like the team fit, because of [Evan] Bouchard and [Jake] Walman...and [Mattias ] Ekholm and [Darnell] Nurse scooping up any available PP time. And the fact that they already have four LD."

That's an intriguing point and it begs the question, what is Edmonton's plan for the young defender? He's a pending UFA and the Oilers will need to make a decision. Most don't expect him to get NHL time, but if he's ready, are the Oilers willing to see how much this player has to offer?

It seems like the organization is giving him a healthy look now. Can he be the unexpected surprise out of camp?

Frederic Gets First Look As Oilers’ Top Line Loaded For Preseason Game vs. KrakenAhead of Wednesday's preseason game between the Edmonton Oilers and Seattle Kraken, the Oilers projected top line is getting some attention. Head coach Kris Knoblauch has decided to go with the combination of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, with Trent Frederic getting the first look alongside the dynamic duo this year. 

Leppänen Is Turning Heads Early

Against the Winnipeg Jets, Leppänen logged nearly 20 minutes. Granted, he wasn't playing with the Oilers' top blueliners, but he was showing flashes of high-end skill. 

Like any player first jumping into the NHL, Leppänen’s decision-making will need work. If he makes too many risky plays, an NHL-level forward will make him look unready for the NHL.  Potentially, that's where a solid season in Bakersfield, adjusting to North American ice, could prove beneficial.  At the same time, it's hard to know what the defenseman himself is thinking.

He might want an opportunity to play in the NHL. If the Oilers can't offer it, he's free to leave at the end of the season. 

Edmonton’s left side is already crowded with Nurse, Ekholm, Walman, and Brett Kulak. However, Walman might be pushed over to the right side to play with Nurse, thus potentially opening up a spot on the left. If Leppänen continues to impress, he could force tough roster decisions—or at minimum, put himself at the top of the call-up list.

For a player who just a few years ago was skating in Finland’s fourth tier, the rapid strides he is making in his development shouldn't be overlooked. Whether he makes the team out of camp or starts in the AHL, Leppänen has made one thing clear this preseason: his skillset is NHL-ready, and the Oilers may have uncovered a hidden gem.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more.   Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

There were many reasons why the Carolina Hurricanes came up short against the Florida Panthers in last season's Eastern Conference Final, but perhaps the biggest was due to the team's deployment of two rookie defensemen.

Injuries to Jalen Chatfield and Sean Walker put the Canes in a no-win position, and with no real veteran depth defenders in the organization at the time, the coaching staff was forced to turn to two players who quite simply were not ready for the moment. 

"[Having to play two rookies] is tougher than people realize," Brind'Amour said after the Florida series. "It just puts so much stress on the other guys. ... Throwing in guys who haven't played at this level, it's asking a lot."

Brind'Amour knew that the team had blundered with their blueline depth last season — perhaps also partly because the Mikko Rantanen trade went all the way to wire at the trade deadline, leaving the team with very little time for any other negotiations — and he didn't want that to be a recurring problem.

"We're going to go back this summer... when you get into the playoffs, you have to make sure you probably have a little more depth at that position," Brind'Amour said.

So when July 1 rolled around, the Canes knew that adding a veteran, depth blueliner was something that was high on their list.

Hence the signing of Mike Reilly to a one-year, $1.1 million deal.

"It's critical when it becomes critical and, you know, it became critical," Brind'Amour said. "That was obviously a big issue. One way to avoid it is brining in veteran guys at that position and that's what we did."

The 6-foot-2 blueliner brings a two-way game and over 400 games of NHL experience to the table.

Reilly has played for six other organizations throughout his career, while racking up 18 goals and 124 points.

However, there was a worry that the Minnesota native wasn't even going to be able to continue playing just a year ago.

Reilly missed the majority of last season after a congenital heart condition was discovered during testing for a concussion he suffered in a game on Nov. 1, 2024.

“It was picked up through the different echocardiograms that you do for different reasons that you go through with any post-concussion situation," said Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello back in November. "It's probably a blessing in disguise of what transpired. They detected this, something that you're sometimes born with but never knew. ... [His quality of life will be] 100 percent, and he will be able to play once this procedure is done."  

The veteran was ultimately cleared to return to the ice, playing in the Islanders final seven games of the season, but the ailment certainly didn't  do the blueliner any favors heading into free agency.

"Obviously last year was a tough year," Reilly told The Hockey News. "Didn't play much and had all that health stuff going on, so coming into free agency, I was in a tough spot. But Carolina was interested in making it happen and I was excited."

Reilly is no stranger to the Hurricanes, having played against them for so many years, including two separate playoff series (2022 with BOS, 2024 with NYI).

"I've played against them a bunch, couple of playoff series and I'm familiar with a couple of guys who are here currently or had played here as well (perhaps former roommate and Golden Gopher teammate Brady Skjei had some good things to say)," Reilly said. "I think it's a fast-paced style and structure, which I think suits me and I think there's good opportunities for the D to jump in once we get the puck going up north and moving with speed."

The veteran isn't likely to start the year, but injuries are a constant threat in the NHL, and there's a better chance than not that the Hurricanes will have to call on him eventually and he's confident that he'll be ready for that chance.

But he's okay with waiting for that moment too.

"I'm an easy-going guy and everyday I like to have a smile on my face regardless of what's going on," Reilly said. "I just try to be a good teammate."

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The Pittsburgh Penguins will look to secure their first win of the preseason on Wednesday night when they travel to Columbus to take on the Blue Jackets. 

This will be the Penguins' second preseason game after losing to the Montreal Canadiens in a shootout on Monday night. The Penguins released their roster for this game on Tuesday, which features several young players, including Ville Koivunen, Tristan Broz, Benjamin Kindel, Filip Hallander, Philip Tomasino, and Quinn Beauchesne. 

Koivunen and Hallander may be on a line together after forming some chemistry together on a line during Tuesday's practice.

Broz will likely be in the top six and has had a great September so far. After showing out at the Prospects Challenge, he carried that momentum into camp and was the Penguins' lone goal scorer in their loss against the Canadiens. He has all of his confidence right now and is making a serious push for a full-time spot. 

Fans will also get to see Justin Brazeau suit up as a Penguin for the first time after Penguins general manager and president Kyle Dubas signed him to a two-year contract when free agency opened on July 1. He was a solid depth scorer last year, finishing with 11 goals and 22 points in 76 games, and hopes to bring that to the Penguins this year. 

The Blue Jackets will be dressing some of their best players in this game, including Sean Monahan, Kirill Marchenko, Dmitri Voronkov, Zach Werenski, Boone Jenner, and Adam Fantilli.

Monahan, Marchenko, and Voronkov are expected to be on the first line, and Jenner and Fantilli are expected to be on the second line. 

Like Monday's game against the Canadiens, this will be a perfect test for some of the young Penguins players who are trying to carve out full-time roles. 

Wednesday's contest will start at 7 p.m. ET and it will be streamed on the Penguins' official website.

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On Tuesday night, the Montreal Canadiens had two Xhekajs in the lineup: blueliner Arber and center Florian. Playing on the fourth line and seeing 13:49 of ice time, the youngest made an impact and put the organisation on notice that he deserves a real audition.

He skated on the fourth line alongside Luke Tuch and Tyler Thope, two players who will likely spend the year with the Laval Rocket in the AHL, and he still shone brightly. It’s no secret that there aren’t a lot of empty chairs in the Canadiens’ lineup. The one spot that appears to be up for grabs is on the wing of Zack Bolduc and Alex Newhook.

Canadiens: The Xhekajs Have Got The X Factor
Canadiens Prospect Is Already Standing Out
Canadiens: The First Line And A Double Helping Of Xhekaj

On Tuesday night, Joshua Roy got an audition there. He didn’t play poorly; he had an honest game, but he didn’t stand out either. In his best opportunity offensively, he froze on a two-on-one and waited too long to attempt to feed Newhook on a two-on-one, and it was child's play for the defender to intercept the pass.

In both scrimmages, Newhook and Bolduc played alongside Owen Beck. He has been good in the role, played a direct game, as St-Louis would say, but he didn’t exactly stand out. All due respect to Beck, though, he doesn’t bring as much grit and physicality as Xhekaj does.

Beck stands at 6-feet and 197 pounds, while Xhekaj is 6-foot-3 and weighs 217 pounds. The latter gained a significant amount of weight this summer, but he has demonstrated that he can carry it well on the ice and has made himself an even bigger threat in the process.

If training camp serves as a way to evaluate players, then the Canadiens should do their due diligence on Xhekaj and see what he can do playing alongside NHL-level players. Even if he doesn’t manage to crack the opening night lineup and gets sent down to Laval, at least the organization will know what they have in store if they need to call in some reinforcements during the season.

Fallait bin impressionner maman 😌

That was for @SimonaXhekaj

PHI 0, MTL 2#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/91fGA2UdrD

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) September 23, 2025

Martin St-Louis has said that he wants his team to be harder to play against, not only strategically, but also physically. He quickly added that it’s not just about adding one player who can throw his weight around, but the truth of the matter is, having a player like that in your lineup makes everyone play bigger. That’s something that has always been visible when the older Xhekaj is in the lineup, and the effect would be the same if the younger were there as well.

I’m not saying the Canadiens should pick up fights every time they play, far from it, but we’ve seen in the playoffs against the Washington Capitals just how impactful a player like Tom Wilson will be. The more I watch the youngest Xhekaj, the more I feel like he’s a Wilson in the making. He’s not just a physical threat; he has the skills to put up points as well. He did it last year in the AHL, and he showed it in an exhibition game last night. He deserves a big audition, just as much as Beck and Roy did. There are four preseason games left, that’s ample time to give further auditions. Joe Veleno and Samuel Blais should also get a look.

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Each season, the NHL sees multiple players bounce back after tough years. This will undoubtedly be the case yet again in 2025-26. 

Let's look at four NHL forwards who are prime bounce-back candidates to watch during the 2025-26 season.

Elias Pettersson, C, Vancouver Canucks 

The 2024-25 season was a tough year for Vancouver Canucks star Elias Pettersson. In 64 games, the 6-foot-2 center recorded 15 goals, 45 points and a minus-10 rating. This was after he had 34 goals and 89 points in 82 games with Vancouver in 2023-24 and a career-high 39 goals and 102 points in 2022-23.

Pettersson was in the first year of an eight-year contract carrying an $11.6-million cap hit, and he was already the topic of trade rumors and speculation due to his decreased production and rumored rift with J.T. Miller. After the Canucks traded Miller, Pettersson is Vancouver's clear-cut No. 1 center.

The new season offers Pettersson a clean slate, and the possibility of him bouncing back is there. He's surpassed 60 points in a season in all but two of his seven NHL seasons, is close to a career point-per-game player, and has recovered from injuries that hampered him last year. He should be much better in 2025-26 and return to his top-end form.

Chris Kreider, LW, Anaheim Ducks 

The 2024-25 season was disappointing for the New York Rangers, and it is no secret that Chris Kreider struggled during it. In 68 games with the Blueshirts, he posted 22 goals, eight assists, 30 points and 152 shots. This was after he recorded at least 36 goals, 54 points and 229 shots in each of his previous three seasons.

Now, with Kreider getting a fresh start with the Anaheim Ducks and no longer having trade rumors surrounding him, he is a clear bounce-back candidate to watch. Just back with the Rangers in 2023-24, he recorded 39 goals and 75 points in 82 games. With this, it would not be surprising if his offense rebounds in 2025-26 with Anaheim.

Steven Stamkos, C, Nashville Predators 

Steven Stamkos had a tough first year for his standards with the Nashville Predators in 2024-25. In 82 games, he recorded 27 goals, 53 points and a minus-36 rating. This was after he had 40 goals and 81 points in 79 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2023-24.

Considering Stamkos played 16 seasons with the Lightning, it is understandable that he had some struggles hitting the ground running with the Predators.

But Stamkos did seem to improve in the final two months of last season. He had 10 goals and 20 points in 24 games in March and April after being held without a point in February. 

Now that he has completed his first year in Nashville and is more adjusted to the team, it would not be surprising if he bounces back in 2025-26. 

NHL's Biggest Trade Bait With 2025-26 Season Almost HereIt is an exciting time for hockey fans with the new season approaching. Soon, NHL teams will be back to playing regular-season hockey, as it officially begins Oct. 7. 

Trevor Zegras, C, Philadelphia Flyers 

Trevor Zegras was overdue for a change of scenery, and he got one with the Philadelphia Flyers. This comes after he had another injury-affected down season with the Ducks in 2024-25, recording 12 goals and 32 points in 57 games. 

Now that Zegras is on the Flyers, he is undoubtedly a bounce-back candidate to watch. He had two seasons with 23 goals and more than 60 points before injuries got in the way, but his ice time has a chance to increase in Philadelphia under coach Rick Tocchet. At 24 years old, Zegras can get back on track toward becoming an NHL star.

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Gabe Perreault has been emerging through the New York Rangers’ preseason and training camp, and it’s hard to ignore. 

Compared to when he arrived in New York at the end of last season, Perreault seems to be more prepared to play at a professional level. 

Through training camp, Perreault has continued to stand out during practices among some already established veterans. 

The 20-year-old forward has already recorded two goals in two preseason games, as he’s making it hard for the Rangers to deny him a roster spot. 

“I just think obviously, Gabe has NHL talent,” Mike Sullivan said. “I think that’s on display. He’s a really talented kid. I think he’s a terrific hockey player… I think he plays with courage. He's willing to go into the battle areas. I think he can get a little bit stronger, and that's going to help him and will help him in that area, but we've been really encouraged with this game.”

The big question is whether Perreault will benefit from playing with the Rangers in a more limited role or with the Hartford Wolf Pack in an expanded role where he’ll get a ton of opportunity.

While Sullivan did not commit to one direction or the other, he believes that in time Perreault will make himself a known commodity in The Big Apple. 

“I think it's important that he gets minutes and that he plays because it's probably in the best interest of his overall development, and in turn, be in the best interest of the New York Rangers,” Sullivan emphasized. “Whether that takes place in New York or in Hartford, will yet to be determined. As I said, we are really encouraged with his game. He seems to get better with each game that he plays. We're trying to reserve judgment and just kind of let the camp unfold here…

Mike Sullivan Will Be Tasked With Bringing Excitement Back To Madison Square Garden For years, Mike Sullivan has been a division rival of the New York Rangers, coaching the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

“The question with young players is, what's the best formula for that player to help him ultimately become the impact player that we all foresee him to be? Is it playing lots of minutes at the American League level, or is it playing at the NHL level? I don't know that there's an exact formula for that. I think that's a little bit of a feeling-out process. I think every player is unique. And so it's kind of a case-by-case basis, based on circumstance. What I will tell you is my impression of him, and just watching him is he's an he's an NHL player in the making.”

Perreault’s status with the Rangers for this season is still in doubt, but if he keeps playing like he has been over the past couple of weeks, it will only be a matter of time before he’s playing in the NHL.

Swedish goaltender Felix Sandström, 28, has signed a short-term contract with Kärpät Oulu as an injury replacement for the Finnish Liiga club.

The contract runs until Nov. 2 and includes an option for Sandström – who has spent the past seven seasons in North America – to leave early should he receive an NHL offer in that time.

“I’m excited about this opportunity,” Sandström is quoted in the club’s announcement. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about the team and the city and I can’t wait to get to know everyone.”

Kärpät starting netminder Niklas Rubin was injured this past weekend, leaving 20-year-old Seattle Kraken prospect Visa Vedenpää as the team’s temporary starter.

“We’ve acquired an experienced player to partner with Visa for the next six weeks – one who has played in both the SHL and NHL in his career,” said Kärpät sports director Kimmo Kapanen. “We are pleased that things were able to progress so quickly, and Felix will be able to join the team as early as the end of the week.”

Originally from Gävle, Sweden, Sandström advanced through the ranks of local club Brynäs, turning pro at age 17.

Former Flyers 2nd Rounder Signs In Germany Canadian winger Wade Allison, 27, has signed a one-year contract with the Straubling Tigers, the DEL club announced this weekend.

He was a third-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2015 and played in the organization from 2019 to 2024, appearing in 30 NHL games but spending most of that time with the AHL’s Leigh Valley Phantoms. Sandström’s NHL record is 4-18-0 with a 3.66 goals-against average, an .880 save percentage and no shutouts.

Sandström spent the 2024-25 season in the Buffalo Sabres organization, playing 19 AHL games for the Rochester Americans.

Kärpät has won two of its first five Liiga games so far this season. The team’s leading scorer is Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Roni Hirvonen with six points. It also includes Chicago Blackhawks prospect Janne Peltonen and ex-NHLers Markus Nutivaara, Marcus Björk and Aku Räty.

A club that is used to success in Finland, Kärpät had high expectations for last season but missed the playoffs, causing the club mangement to issue an apology to the fans.

Leafs Prospect Returns Home To Finland Finnish defenseman Roni Hirvonen, 23, has signed a one-year contract with Kärpät Oulu, the Liiga club announced on Monday.

Goaltending has been an interesting topic of discussion around Pittsburgh Penguins' training camp this season, and understandably so. 

In July, the Penguins dealt Alex Nedeljkovic to the San Jose Sharks and acquired 24-year-old netminder Arturs Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks, and he has looked solid. Young Russian goaltender Sergei Murashov has opened a lot of eyes since training camp last season, and his 2025 camp has led many to believe he has star potential. And, of course, there's Tristan Jarry and Joel Blomqvist, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. 

But there is one guy who probably deserves to get a bit of a light shone on him, too, and that's 27-year-old Filip Larsson. 

Larsson was selected in the sixth round (167th overall) by the Detroit Red Wings in 2016, and after a few successful seasons in Sweden and a standout season with the University of Denver in 2018-19 - he went 13-6-3 with a .932 save percentage, 1.95 goals-against average, and four shutouts - he struggled in the Red Wings' organization in 2019-20 - which included an .843 save percentage in seven games at the AHL level.

After that, he returned to play in Sweden from 2020-24, and he posted save percentages at or above .920 in two consecutive seasons prior to 2024-25 - including a .929 save percentage across five playoff games in 2024 - which earned him a two-year deal with the Penguins the following summer. 

Then, there was last season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins, where - for a good chunk of the year - he looked like the organization's best goaltender. An injury in the second half thwarted him a bit, but at the end of the day, he is looking to build off of last season, which concluded with a .910 save percentage and a 12-9-3 record.

Penguins Hold Strong, Fall To Canadiens In Pre-Season ShootoutOn Monday, Pittsburgh Penguins' hockey officially kicked off for the 2025 pre-season.

And his 2024-25 season with WBS proved that he is capable of performing at the highest levels of professional hockey.

“I know I can play at that level, and, obviously, my goal is to take another step this year," Larsson said. "I know there are a lot of really good goalies in the organization right now, so I’ve got to take my chance, wherever that might be."

Larsson acknowledged that he doesn't know where he'll end up for the 2025-26. As highlighted earlier, the goaltending battle in camp is a contested one, and that's not even accounting for Taylor Gauthier - currently out with a longer-term injury - who put up better ECHL numbers than even Murashov last season.

5 Observations From First Week Of Penguins' Training CampOn Thursday, the Pittsburgh Penguins officially opened training camp for the 2024-25 season. And through three days, there has been a lot of action.

But, if anything, Larsson knows who he is as a goaltender. He also knows what he can work on to try and separate himself and add more to his repertoire, which is something that will be required if he hopes to make a push for the NHL roster at some point this season.

"A few things I can work on... obviously, when I watch NHL games, [I see] how really good some NHL goalies are with playing the puck. I think I can be better with that. I mean, our goalie coach [Kain Tisi] in Wilkes talked a lot about that last year, so that’s one area, I think, for the season.”

The biggest challenge for Larsson in camp this season - and as the season progresses, wherever he finds himself - is that he doesn't have the benefit of being a young, inexperienced goaltender anymore. Unlike Murashov, Silovs, and Blomqvist - who still have a lot of runway left in front of them - it's pertinent for Larsson to make an impact and an impression now if he hopes to be part of the organization's plans moving forward - especially as the team steers itself back toward contention.

And this is especially true for a new coaching staff that is coming into the fold with a clean slate. GM and POHO Kyle Dubas also said in his pre-season press conference that performances in camp and in pre-season - and, to a smaller degree, what they deem is best for each player's development - will "determine who the two goalies are to start with the Penguins."

Larsson will get his first chance to prove himself in game action when the Penguins visit the Columbus Blue Jackets Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. ET. And, even if he knows what he needs to work on in order to make himself stand out, he also knows what he's already good at - and he can use those strengths to his advantage against NHL-caliber competition.

“I feel like I have that calmness to read plays really well and be in the right position all the time," Larsson said. "I’m not a goalie who wants to slide to the boards when I make a save. I want to be in the right position every time. I feel like if I can continue doing that to be ahead of plays, that’s a huge play to get to the next step."

'The Young Guys Are Coming': 3 Observations From Dubas's Pre-Season Press ConferenceOn Thursday, the Pittsburgh Penguins opened their 2025 training camp with a few words from general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas. 

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There have been several stories written about Arseny Gritsyuk this preseason. As the New Jersey Devils’ most anticipated prospect, it makes sense. From his strong offensive showing in the first preseason game to his work ethic in practice, the 24-year-old Russian has gained plenty of attention.

But his name is also making the rounds for another reason: his social media.

Now, he’s not the next Nikita Popugayev. Gritsyuk isn’t planning to ditch the Devils for a career as an influencer, so no need to panic there. Still, his posts have gained traction, drawing positive attention as the young forward looks to secure a spot on the Devils roster.

Gritsyuk has taken to Telegram, a platform described as:

“A free, cloud-based instant messaging app that allows users to send messages, photos, videos, and large files, join large groups, and subscribe to channels for news and content.”

He posts in Russian, sharing his thoughts as he begins his NHL journey.

When he traveled from Russia to North America in September, he documented the three-leg trip online. Since then, he has kept fans updated throughout training camp. On September 18, ahead of Day 1, he posted a selfie with the caption:

“Off to my first training session 👍 I'll tell you how it went a little later 🤙”

Later that day, he followed up:

“Today I skated with Cotter and Lammikko ))) The first ice was tough, we ran and caught our breath. Tomorrow is a new day and new exercises, we'll see how it goes 👍 For now, I'm going home to rest 😉 Hello everyone, and have a nice evening 🤙”

On September 20, before his first NHL preseason game, he shared:

“I'm reporting to you that I skated on a line with Cotter and Glass today, and of course, me too. Tomorrow we play the Rangers at 1 p.m.; it's exciting to test my skills against other teams! Now, as usual, we're heading home and relaxing. Thank goodness, no cooking today 😂 Have a good evening everyone! A hug and a warm welcome 👋”

After the game, he reflected:

“So, I have to share my impressions ))) To say it was hard is an understatement 😂 Yes, it really was very hard + I was a little nervous, but from the second period onwards I seemed to feel more confident. And the scoring started, the 1+1 looks great, and I'm happy with that, but starting with a loss, even in preseason, is still unpleasant. Now I have time to rest, analyze what happened today, and prepare for the future 🤙 Thank you all so much for your support))) Hugs and raises”

Ahead of last night’s win against the New York Islanders, he wrote:

“Getting ready for the Islanders game tonight at 7:00 ))) I'm playing on the 4th line with Lammikko and Halonen today! It's a little easier emotionally, but I'm still a little nervous. I hope it'll all be better after I get some sleep 😉 I gave everyone a big hug and a lift 🙃”

Following the 6–2 victory, he posted again:

“Good afternoon everyone, I'm already going to bed ))) Today we played our second preseason game against the Islanders and won 6-2. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to score, but I had good efficiency and played for the team 😂💪 Today I certainly felt better and calmer 😇 We'll work on finishing, and now I'm off to bed 🤙 I gave everyone a big hug 😂”

These posts don’t just add a lighthearted note to training camp; they give fans a direct line into his experience as he pushes for a roster spot.

His personality shines through, consistently optimistic and engaging, and it’s winning people over quickly. With his play on the ice and his approachable off-ice presence, Gritsyuk is setting himself up to become a fan favorite for the New Jersey Devils.

The second weekend of the WHL season will feature plenty of familiar faces. With NHL teams reassigning players after training camp, some of the WHL's best will make their 2025-26 season debuts this week. Here is a look at which players have been reassigned to the WHL. 

Brandon Wheat Kings:

• Brady Turko-  Anaheim Ducks 
• Carter Klippenstein- Minnesota Wild

Calgary Hitmen

• Brandon Gorzynski- Dallas Stars 
• Axel Hurtig- Calgary Flames

Edmonton Oil Kings:

• Blake Fiddler- Seattle Kraken camp
• Max Curran- Colorado Avalanche
• Adam Jecho- St. Louis Blues

Everett Silvertips:

• Julius Miettinen- Seattle Kraken
• Tarin Smith- Anaheim Ducks
• Shea Busch- Florida Panthers 

Kamloops Blazers:

• Tommy Lafreniere- Edmonton Oilers
• Nathan Bhem- Chicago Blackhawks

Kelowna Rockets:

• Tomas Poletin- New York Islanders
• Nate Corbet- Los Angeles Kings
• Hiroki Gojsic- Nashville Predators
• Mazden Leslie- Vegas Golden Knights

Medicine Hat Tigers:

• Kadon McCann- Calgary Flames

• Nillio Muhonen- Dallas Stars
• Jordan Switzer- Calgary Flames
• Veeti Väisänen- Utah Mammoth

Portland Winterhawks:

• Max Pšenička- Utah Mammoth

Prince Albert Raiders:

• Max Heise- San Jose Sharks

Prince George Cougars:

• Corbin Vaughan- New York Rangers
• Josh Ravensbergen- San Jose Sharks

Red Deer Rebels:

• Jaxon Fuder- Dallas Stars
• Chase Wutzke- Minnesota Wild

Saskatoon Blades:

• Evan Gardner- Columbus Blue Jackets
• David Lewandowski- Edmonton Oilers

Seattle Thunderbirds:

• Coster Dunn- Utah Mammoth

Swift Current Broncos:

• Joshua McGregor- Carolina Hurricanes

Tri-City Americans: 

• Charlie Elick- Columbus Blue Jackets
• Jaxen Adam- Edmonton Oilers
• Cash Koch- Minnesota Wild

Vancouver Giants:

• Cameron Schmidt- Dallas Stars
• Burke Hood- New York Islanders

Wenatchee Wild:

• Blake Vanek- Ottawa Senators

Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News. 

Edmonton, Spokane, Everett & Kelowna Named To 2025-26 CHL Top-10 Week 1 Rankings

Rudolph Ready For Second WHL Season With Prince Albert Raiders

Vancouver Giants Defenceman Ryan Lin Named To Team CHL For 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge

Red Deer Rebels' Chase Wutzke Signs ELC With The Minnesota Wild

Standouts From Week 1 Of The 2025-26 WHL Season

The 2025-26 season is just two weeks away, which means the NHL power rankings are back every  Wednesday. We are back, baby.

This pre-season edition ranks all 32 NHL teams based on their performance last season and also takes into account the moves they’ve made during the off-season. The two-time defending champion Florida Panthers obviously retain the top spot and will be on the hunt to accomplish something no team in the cap era has ever done before: threepeat. 

Even before puck drop, several key storylines have already emerged. There’s the pending superstar-laden free-agent class that includes the likes of Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov, Jack Eichel, Artemi Panarin and Kyle Connor, which may significantly alter the landscape, and also the NHL’s return to the Olympics for the first time since 2014.

Without further ado, let’s take stock of where all 32 NHL teams stand. 

1. Florida Panthers (47-31-4, +29 goal differential)

Even without the services of Matthew Tkachuk for the first few months, the defending champions retain the top spot and will hunt for the coveted threepeat.  

2. Edmonton Oilers (48-29-5, +23)

Always the bridesmaid but never the bride, the Oilers only made minor changes to their roster, and we shall see if that will be enough. The pressure on Connor McDavid feels even more immense this season with the Olympics and free agency looming. No player in the league can change the fortunes of all 32 teams with one decision like McDavid can.

3. Dallas Stars (50-26-6, +53)

Peter DeBoer has reached the Western Conference final six times and a Stanley Cup semifinal eight times. Glen Gulutzan has reached the Western Conference final zero times. The new coaching change will be something to watch, and hey, if you can’t beat ‘em, hire ‘em. 

4. Carolina Hurricanes (47-30-5, +33)

Hey, look, it’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s the Carolina Hurricanes winning a game in the conference finals! The Canes are running it back with the same coach and the same goalie tandem, and it’s either going to prove them right or be certifiably insane.

5. Vegas Golden Knights (50-22-10, +56)

The Knights went big-game hunting again, this time landing Mitch Marner, giving them two elite superstar forwards. We should not forget, however, how much losing Alex Pietrangelo may hurt. 

6. Winnipeg Jets (56-22-4, +86)

Always seemingly more than the same of their parts, the Jets face a difficult challenge to repeat as Presidents’ Trophy champions. Only two teams have won back-to-back regular-season titles (Canucks in ’11 and ’12, and Capitals in ’16 and ’17), and they lost Nikolaj Ehlers in free agency and gambled on Jonathan Toews being their No. 2 center.

Jonathan Toews Making Immediate Mark On Winnipeg JetsWhen longtime Chicago Blackhawks star center and captain Jonathan Toews chose to sign with the Winnipeg Jets this summer as part of his NHL comeback, the questions began about how quickly he would make his mark on his new team.

7. Toronto Maple Leafs (52-26-4, +37)

Life after Marner will certainly look different, but this can still be a strong defensive group with a captain who can be a 70-goal threat. 

8. Colorado Avalanche (49-29-4, +43)

The last time captain Gabriel Landeskog suited up in the regular season, the Avalanche won the Cup. The revenge tour after coming back from a potentially career-ending injury officially starts now. 

9. Washington Capitals (51-22-9, +56)

Just about everything went right for the Capitals in a storybook season. Sometimes, it’s difficult to get back to those emotional highs, and this season may mark the end of an exceptional era with Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson entering the final season of their contracts. 

10. Los Angeles Kings (48-25-9, +44)

Speaking of closing chapters, Anze Kopitar’s reign will end after 20 seasons and two Cups. Quinton Byfield is the ordained prince, and all eyes will be on him to carry the torch.

11. Tampa Bay Lightning (47-27-8, +75)

Following three straight trips to the finals, the Lightning have bowed out of the first round three straight times. Are they still a juggernaut team that had the misfortune of running into the eventual champions two years in a row, or are their best days over?  

12. Minnesota Wild (45-30-7, -11)

A healthy Kirill Kaprizov is enough reason to believe the Wild can be a contender. What’s scary, though, is the lack of an extension after the Wild made it clear they’re willing to make him the league’s highest-paid player.

13. St. Louis Blues (44-30-8, +21)

After Jim Montgomery took over, the Blues had the seventh-best points percentage in the league, and their offense blossomed. If there’s a dark horse in the West, it’s definitely the Blues. 

14. New Jersey Devils (42-33-7, +20)

If Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton can stay healthy, the Devils are a contender. But that’s a big if.

15. Ottawa Senators (45-30-7, +9)

A playoff appearance for the first time in eight seasons and the prospect of a new rink closer to downtown? The Senators are rising to power.

16. Montreal Canadiens (40-31-11, -20)

Excluding the pandemic-shortened seasons, the Habs made the playoffs for the first time in six seasons. With Lane Hutson, Calder candidate Ivan Demidov and the acquisition of Noah Dobson, the Habs are a young, exciting team whose GM isn’t afraid to take big risks.

Montreal Canadiens' Choice For Their Second-Line Center Raises DoubtsThe Montreal Canadiens had a game-changing off-season.

17. Utah Mammoth (38-31-13, -10)

The Mammoth have massive potential in a very new market, and their offensive talent makes them fun to watch. Ranking fourth in expected goals at 5-on-5, per naturalstattrick.com, but finishing tied for 18th in goals-for per game is a big clue this team will score goals in bunches. 

18. Columbus Blue Jackets (40-33-9, +5)

The Jackets are looking to build off a momentous season and finally – after a quarter-century – have unearthed a franchise center in Adam Fantilli. They’re in a major upswing, and the challenge is to keep the momentum going and find a reliable goaltender. 

19. New York Rangers (39-36-7, +1)

The Rangers are looking to put a tumultuous season behind them with Mike Sullivan as their new coach, J.T. Miller as captain and a revamped defense that, hopefully, won’t leave Igor Shesterkin out to dry. 

20. Vancouver Canucks (38-30-14, -17)

Speaking of tumultuous seasons, no team’s off-ice struggles took more attention away from their on-ice play as much as the Canucks. It was a relatively quiet summer, which means they’re betting on bounce-back seasons from nearly everyone on their roster.

NHL Rumor Roundup: Updates On Canucks' Hughes And Stars' RobertsonVancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and Dallas Stars left winger Jason Robertson were frequently the subject of off-season trade speculation.

21. Calgary Flames (41-27-14, -13)

The Flames were surprisingly in playoff contention all season, which put a potential roster overhaul on hold. They will take another wait-and-see approach this season, but the ticking clock is pushing GM Craig Conroy into deciding whether he wants to keep his veteran core or focus on building a new one.

22. Detroit Red Wings (39-35-8, -21)

Will we be speaking of the Yzerplan this time next season? We’ve preached patience, but it’s been nine years since the Red Wings made the playoffs. Their promising young core needs to take a step forward, but can they do so if Steve Yzerman insists on signing veterans who are potentially blocking their paths? It’s a constant battle to decide which stage of the Yzerplan this team is in.  

23. New York Islanders (35-35-12, -36)

One of the biggest factors that will determine the Isles’ fortunes this season is Mathew Barzal’s knee. If it holds up, they can form a respectable attack to complement their elite goaltender and a budding franchise defenseman, Matthew Schaefer. 

24. Anaheim Ducks (35-37-10, -42)

Joel Quenneville returns to the NHL bench after a lengthy absence, and this is a talented roster that improved by eight wins from the previous season. Keep your head up – not only are the Ducks on the rise, but Radko Gudas and Jacob Trouba might form the hardest-hitting right-side defense in the league.   

25. Buffalo Sabres (36-39- 7, -20)

A talented roster on paper, but the annual question is if they can put it all together. They can definitely score, and they can somewhat defend, but when you sign Alexandar Georgiev in a panic, it’s not a good sign to start the season. 

26. Seattle Kraken (35-41-6, -18)

Are the Kraken running out of patience? They made a big splash in free agency last summer, and coach Dan Bylsma lasted just one season. They’re now onto their third coach, entering their fifth season, and are still nowhere close to being a contender. Fair or not, the Knights set the bar very high for expansion franchises.

27. Boston Bruins (33-39-10, -50)

The Bruins have a lot of players poised for bounce-back seasons, but will it be enough to return to the playoffs? Jeremy Swayman enters the second year of a lucrative eight-year deal, and he’s as vital to their chances as David Pastrnak after allowing a league-high 176 goals last season.

28. Pittsburgh Penguins (34-36-12, -50)

Sidney Crosby will do his darndest to keep the Pens competitive, but they’re obvious sellers at this point with Evgeni Malkin entering the final year of his contract and Erik Karlsson more likely than not to get traded at some point. Could you imagine if the Pens go Lemieux to Crosby to McKenna? Bless.

29. Philadelphia Flyers (33-39-10, -48)

Season 2 of Matvei Michkov should be exciting, but there are still so many holes in this lineup, especially the big gaping one in net. Rick Tocchet returns to Philly, where he had some of his best seasons as a player, and Trevor Zegras is reunited with his good buddy Jamie Drysdale. It’s not always sunny in Philadelphia, but there are definitely fewer dark clouds. 

30. Nashville Predators (30-44-8, -60)

The Preds were a disaster last season after many pegged them to have one of the NHL’s best offenses. Barry Trotz joked they’re out to prove the ‘experts’ wrong for the third straight season, which actually means they could go from bad to worse…

31. San Jose Sharks (20-50-12, -105)

The reason why the Sharks aren’t ranked at the bottom after finishing with a league-low 52 points is because they really bolstered their roster with multiple veterans, and their bright future isn’t difficult to see. Macklin Celebrini alone is worth the price of admission, and in the words of Yoda: “We shall watch your career with great interest.” 

32. Chicago Blackhawks (25-46-11, -70)

The narrative for Connor Bedard has changed quickly, going from the new face of the league to getting leapfrogged by Celebrini and wondering if he will live up to his potential. We forget that Bedard is just 20 years old and entering his third season, though you wonder how the Hawks are going to provide the support he needs after acquiring only *checks notes* Andre Burakovsky over the summer.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have 19 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #19. 

Let's take a look.

Mathieu Darche - 2001-2002 - Undrafted out of Saint-Laurent, Quebec.

Darche played 24 games for the CBJ over their first three seasons, totaling two points. Darche played until 2012, retiring with the Montreal Canadiens. 

He is now the Assistant General Manager and Director of Hockey Ops for the Tampa Bay Lightning. He started with Tampa Bay in 2019 and has held various positions. 

Sean Pronger - 2003 - Drafted by Vancouver in 1991. 

The brother of Hall of Famer Chris Pronger played 104 games in Columbus and had 17 points. He also attended Bowling Green State University in Ohio. 

After his two seasons in Columbus, he played for Vancouver and then left for Germany, where he played one season before retiring. 

Brian Holzinger - 2004 - Drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 1991. 

He played 13 games as a Jacket in 03-04 and had one point. The Parma, Ohio native was traded to Columbus in 2003 and never played another NHL game after that season. 

Holzinger also attended Bowling Green State University and won the Hobey Baker Award in 1995 when he had 66 points in 38 games. He retired in 2004.  

Joe Motzko - 2004 - Undrafted out of Bemidji, Minnesota.

Motzko played 11 games with the Jackets over three seasons where he had one point. After his time with Columbus, he played for the Capitals and Thrashers.

He left for Europe in 2009, and played in Germany, Austria, and Italy until he retired in 2014. 

Alexandre Picard - 2006-2007 - Drafted by Columbus in 2004. 

Picard was drafted 8th overall in 2004 by Columbus. He played 67 games over five seasons and had two points. He never played another NHL game after Columbus.

After leaving for Europe, he returned to North America in 2019 to play in The Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey, a semi-professional ice hockey league based in Quebec, where he still plays today.

Michael Peca - 2008-2009 - Drafted by Vancouver in 1992. 

Peca played 136 games from 2007 to 2009 and had 56 points. After his time in Columbus, he never played another NHL game and retired in 2009.

On October 11, 2008, he received an indefinite suspension, which was later reduced to a five-game suspension, after grabbing referee Greg Kimmerly's arm in Columbus' first game of the 08-09 season. He is now an asst. coach for the Chicago Blackhawks. 

Ethan Moreau - 2011 - Drafted by Chicago in 1994. 

Played 37 games for the CBJ in 2010-11 and had six points after being claimed off waivers by the Edmonton Oilers on June 30, 2010. 

The former Edmonton Oilers Captain and 08-09 King Clancy Memorial Trophy winner retired in 2012 after playing a season with the LA Kings. 

Ryan Johansen - 2012-2016 - Drafted by Columbus in 2010.

Johansen was supposed to be the center of the future in Columbus, and he was until John Tortorella came to town. Johansen played 309 games for the Jackets and had 193 points, including back-to-back seasons with 63 and 71 points respectively.

He was traded to the Nashville Predators for Seth Jones in 2016, where he played 533 games for the Preds. He was never able to replicate his 71-point season from 2014-15 and hit a 64-point high for the Preds in 2019. Johansen is currently embroiled in some drama with the Philadelphia Flyers. On August 20, 2024, He was placed on unconditional waivers following material breach of contract. 

Ryan Dzingel - 2019 - Drafted by Ottawa in 2011. 

The former Ohio State Buckeye played 21 games as a Blue Jacket in 2019 and had 12 points after being acquired in 2019. He left in free agency and bounced around the league after that.

He played in the AHL in 23-24 for Henderson and currently doesn't have a contract. 

Liam Foudy - 2020-2024 - Drafted by Columbus in 2018. 

Foudy played 90 games as a Jacket in five seasons, scoring 7 goals and totaling 19 points. He also had 35 points in 41 career games for Cleveland.

He was put on waivers on October 21, 2023, and picked up by Nashville. He signed with the New York Islanders for the 24-25 season and is slated to play for AHL Bridgeport this season. 

Adam Fantilli - 2024-2025 - Drafted by Columbus in 2023.

After suffering a brutal skate cut in 2024, he was forced to miss the rest of the season. He scored 12 goals and totaled 27 points. 

Last season, Fantilli got off to a bit of a slow start but really turned it on as the season went on. He would finish the season tied for the team lead with 31 goals. He also chipped in 23 assists and totaled 54 points. 

This season, Fantilli is expected to take yet another step and become the dominating two-way player everyone thinks he can be. With the tutelage of Boone Jenner and Sean Monahan, he should be able to continue to grow into the face of the franchise. 

There are 19 days until opening night at NWA. 

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