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

In any playoff series, the stars will be the stars, and the goaltending duels will be integral to wins and losses. 

However, most series also have an unsung hero or X-factor that needs to step up for a team to win. In Edmonton, that could be Trent Frederic. 

Frederic, who joined the Edmonton Oilers this season at the trade deadline, is no stranger to rough stuff. Against the Florida Panthers – a gritty and rough team that has the edge physically on paper in this series – that might be a critical element Frederic must embrace. 

During Frederic’s time with the Boston Bruins, he attempted to reignite tensions during the NHL season opener by trying to fight Matthew Tkachuk. That moment wasn’t just about early-season fireworks – it was a clear callback to last year’s heated playoff series between the Bruins and Panthers. In that second-round matchup, Florida center Sam Bennettknocked Brad Marchand out of the series, fuelling animosity that hadn’t faded. 

Ironically, Marchand now finds himself as a teammate to Bennett and Tkachuk. But for Frederic, this is a chance to prove he’s willing to light those fireworks again. 

The rugged forward has already made his presence felt this post-season, especially during the Oilers’ hard-fought series against the Vegas Golden Knights. 

Frederic dropped the gloves and went slightly viral when he snapped his stick over his own head like it was a twig. He wasn’t an offensive force, but his willingness to stand tall in the face of an aggressive forecheck helped push the Oilers past Vegas. 

Against Florida, he might be ready to raise his impact even higher.

One incident that highlighted Frederic’s ability to get under opponents’ skin came when Vegas forward Nicolas Roy was ejected after cross-checking Frederic in the face, earning a five-minute major and a game misconduct in overtime. 

That sequence showed how Frederic’s physical play and agitator style can force opponents into costly mistakes – a skill that could become even more valuable in a tightly contested Cup final.

While he hasn’t yet delivered his best offensive performance, with one goal and four points in 16 games, this series against the Panthers might be his opportunity to step up and become an unlikely difference-maker. 

Edmonton needs nastiness and physicality to combat Marchand, Tkachuk and Bennett. 

As for facing his former teammate, Marchand, Frederic said it was a bit weird and didn’t really know how to feel about it. 

“If you asked me 10 months ago, I would have jumped on a grenade for the guy, and now, it’s the complete opposite,” he told NHL Network’s E.J. Hradek on Tuesday. “It’s very weird, but that’s the hockey world.”

Frederic will need to put past friendships aside, forget about former teammates and play a key role, one he was brought in to play. 

The Oilers need him to hit and forecheck. Better yet, they need him to try to intimidate players who aren’t easily intimidated. If he can do that, he becomes an X-factor Florida will have to contend with.

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The excitement is building ahead of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final.

This year’s championship series offers a rare rematch of season’s epic seven-game series, which pitted the Florida Panthers against the Edmonton Oilers.

Florida won the first three games, convincingly, before dropping the next three, even more convincingly, and eventually emerging victorious in a Game 7 the hockey gods would’ve been proud of.

The Panthers won that seventh game on home ice, which is a luxury they won’t have this time around should the series go the distance again.

That shouldn’t be an issue for these Panthers, however.

Paul Maurice’s crew has been historically good on the road during this postseason, winning eight of the ten games they’ve played outside of Sunrise by a ridiculous goal differential of plus-27.

That’s right, in those ten away games, Florida has scored an eye-popping 48 times while allowing just 21 goals against.

Conversely, they’ve given up the same amount of goals at home, 18, as they have scored, which makes sense when seeing as though they hold just a 5-4 at Amerant Bank Arena.

One thing that many can agree on is that both teams arrive at this year’s Final better than they were a season ago.

Edmonton is averaging a league best 4.06 goals per game this postseason while the Panthers are putting up 3.88.

Defensively, Florida is allowing 2.29 goals per game, lowest of any playoff team, while the Oilers have given up a similarly stingy 2.81.

It’s to no one’s surprise that Edmonton remains one of the best in the business on the power play.

They enter the Final operating at a 30.0% success rate while on the man advantage, which is actually a tick higher than last postseason.

Florida is also executing at a higher rate during this year’s playoffs than they did last year, rising from 18.5% to 23.2% this postseason.

One of the big differences from last June to now is on the penalty kill.

While the Panthers have remained consistently solid on the PK – last playoffs they killed 88.0% of penalties and this year they’re killing 87.9% - it’s the Oilers who have seen a significant drop-off.

Last year they were lights out, allowing only four power play goals during the entire postseason while killing 94.3% of the power plays they faced.

We’ll see if that element comes into play when the series kicks off on Wednesday night.

Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. ET from Rogers Place in Edmonton.

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Photo caption: Jun 21, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) controls the puck against the Edmonton Oilers during the third period in game six of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)

It appears the Pittsburgh Penguins' organization has gotten even deeper at the goaltending position.

On Tuesday, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins - Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate - signed goaltender Maxim Pavlenko to a one-year AHL contract. 

The Penguins have signed goaltender Maxim Pavlenko for the 2025-26 season.https://t.co/dkMY34dN8vpic.twitter.com/irKrdenQep

— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) June 3, 2025

Pavlenko, 22, represented Kazakhstan at the IIHF World Championship and appeared in seven games, posting an .881 save percentage behind a defense that didn't offer him much support. He has been in Russia's VHL for the past two seasons with Ryazan HC and has earned a .919 save percentage and two shutouts in that span.

The 6-foot-5, 181-pound netminder will join a goaltending prospect pool that is already pretty deep for Pittsburgh, as Joel Blomqvist, Sergei Murashov, and Filip Larsson - in addition to Taylor Gauthier if he re-signs as a restricted free agent - will already be jostling for positioning in WBS barring any major goaltending shakeup at the NHL level.

Will Joel Blomqvist Be On Penguins' Opening Night Roster?Between injuries and inconsistency, the 2024-25 season was one of ups and downs for Pittsburgh Penguins goaltending prospect Joel Blomqvist. 

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Photo/Logo Credit: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

The NHL’s Stanley Cup final starts Wednesday, and players on the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers are making a strong case for winning the Conn Smythe Trophy.

Whether it’s piling up the points like nobody else, coming in with timely contributions, playing well at both ends of the ice or combining skill with grit, the front-runners for the NHL’s playoff MVP award should give us some entertaining hockey in the final.

Here’s more on the Conn Smythe Trophy contenders for each team.

Florida Panthers’ Conn Smythe Contenders

The Panthers didn’t need a Conn Smythe winner to win the first Cup in franchise history last season, as Oilers superstar Connor McDavid took home the trophy despite losing the final. 

If Florida comes through once again, there are three clear candidates from the Panthers to win the award.

The Panthers’ best all-around player is captain Aleksander Barkov, who was just named the winner of the Frank J. Selke Award as the NHL’s best defensive forward for the second straight season. 

Barkov has six goals and 17 points in 17 games, but his play at both ends of the ice sets him apart from most NHLers. Last year, Barkov posted eight goals and 22 points in 24 playoff games, so he’s essentially on the same point-per-game pace. He deserves all the laurels that come his way.

Another candidate is goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who has a .912 save percentage, 2.11 goals-against average and three shutouts in 17 games. Bobrovsky hasn’t been perfect, but he’s made big saves when needed, including outplaying Frederik Andersen in the Eastern Conference final, and that counts for something. 

However, our pick for the Panthers’ Conn Smythe front-runner is center Sam Bennett. He has 10 goals, including one game-winner, and 16 points in 16 games. That’s already better than the seven goals and 14 points Bennett had for Florida in 19 playoff games last season. Bennett also has four more playoff goals than the next-highest-scoring Panther. 

Bennett’s done it all for Florida, especially his hard-nosed play, which makes him so effective. It’s why he will be one of the most coveted free agents this summer. Bennett has already done enough to be the Conn Smythe winner this year, and an individual honor on top of his second Cup win would be icing on the cake for the 28-year-old.

Edmonton Oilers’ Conn Smythe Contenders

The Oilers have thrived because they’ve gotten terrific contributions from up and down the lineup, including from defenseman Evan Bouchard, the injured Zach Hyman, center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and greybeard left winger Corey Perry. That said, we like three other Oilers as the Conn Smythe winner this year.

Believe it or not, that includes goaltender Stuart Skinner. 

Yes, Skinner has been in the lineup only for 10 playoff games this season and was not good against the Los Angeles Kings. But he came up strong in Edmonton’s Western final win over the Dallas Stars, and another strong performance against the Panthers would improve his .904 SP and 2.53 GAA.

He probably won’t win the Conn Smythe, but Skinner does deserve credit for his turnaround this post-season.

That said, it should be obvious that Edmonton’s most valuable players in this post-season are superstar centers McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. 

McDavid – who posted an incredible 34 assists and 42 points in 25 games last post-season – is currently the Oilers’ top scorer, with 20 assists and 26 points in 16 games. 

McDavid is also far and away the most involved Oilers forward, averaging 23:16 of ice time – nearly a minute-and-a-half more than Draisaitl. The Stars, Kings and Vegas Golden Knights had no answer for McDavid, and he’s intent on imposing his will on the Panthers.

McDavid and Draisaitl are tied for the team lead in game-winning goals, with two apiece. But McDavid looks determined to ensure the Oilers come out of this year’s Cup final in the winner’s circle. 

At 28 years old, he’s in the prime of a Hockey Hall of Fame career, and he’s essentially putting his team on his shoulders and showing a tenaciousness and hunger that Edmonton needs to be able to knock off the Panthers. 

Draisaitl is an all-world player in his own right, but McDavid is our choice for this year’s Conn Smythe – and that goes whether or not the Oilers win the Cup.

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Goalie prospect Aleksei Kolosov has all the talent and experience to stay with the Philadelphia Flyers and forge a successful NHL career for himself, but will he?

That's the golden question as rumors connecting the Belarusian to a KHL return with his hometown Dinamo Minsk rage on in the early portion of the offseason. The Flyers want Kolosov to honor the contract he signed with them, but his numbers have not been particularly great, regardless of the odd flashes of brilliance and occasional strong individual performances.

Calgary Flames sniper Yegor Sharangovich, a fellow Belarusian, has been in Kolosov's shoes before. 

Sharangovich, 26, started his NHL career with the New Jersey Devils in 2018, cutting his teeth in the AHL for two full seasons before making the jump to the big leagues.

In a recent interview with Bet News, Sharangovich offered up his own experiences as a story of perseverance and advice for the Flyers goalie.

"In Calgary I play with Kevin Rooney, with whom I began my journey in AHL and who helped me a lot there," Sharangovich said. "Now we are joking about how my knowledge of the language has changed. He remembers how I approached him with my phone and asked me to give a ride through the translator."

Kolosov, like Sharangovich, has a few Russians around him to help with the adaptation, the language barrier, and the social difficulties. The Flyers had Ivan Fedotov and Matvei Michkov going through the same thing, while defenseman Egor Zamula was mostly on his own in the AHL a few years prior.

The Flyers also hired decorated KHL coach Oleg Znarok as a consultant in the front office, but Sharangovich ultimately found his way with the Devils by befriending the North Americans.

"In general, I understand him. I remember that at first it was very difficult for me in America. I also did not know the language. But here the main thing is the desire to learn English, try to make contact with the guys," Sharangovich opined. "The agent advised me not to live with Russian guys, but with Canadians and Americans, so that English is around and you have no choice in which language to contact people.

NHL Draft 2025: Flyers Won't Guarantee a Top Center This YearIf you want the Philadelphia Flyers to draft the No. 1 center of their future with the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, you've already been warned not to get your hopes up.

"In addition, in my first year overseas, my company was only Yegor Yakovlev. And he constantly shuttled between the NHL and the AHL. Yes, there was also [assistant coach] Sergei Brylin, with whom it was possible to talk on various topics and who helped with the translation when I had to communicate with the coaches. But still I didn’t spend as much time with him as with teammates. So, I had no choice but to learn the language with the help of team partners. A tutor was pushed on me, but it will not replace the practice of communicating with native speakers."

On that basis, though, the former 30-goal-scorer is just using his experiences as an example, not concrete advice. Sharangovich feels Kolosov's NHL future and Flyers career will be up to him to decide.

And with the rumors that have long circulated, there is the question of if Kolosov has the desire to make the appropriate adjustments to succeed here, regardless of his obvious talent.

"I don’t think that I have the right to advise something here. All the same, it is up to him to decide which way to go. He knows better what he wants," Sharangovich said of Kolosov. "If he still wants to prove that Philadelphia didn't sign him to a contract in vain, then anything is possible. I consider him an excellent goalie who showed his level in Dinamo and has every chance of gaining a foothold in the NHL."

Kolosov became the first Belarusian goalie in history to appear in an NHL game when he made his Flyers debut on Oct. 27; he went on to play 17 games for the Flyers this season, going 5-9-1 with a 3.59 GAA and a .867 save percentage.

Later this month, Kevyn Adams will be involved in his sixth NHL Draft as Buffalo Sabres GM. In that time, the club has made 43 selections and have been operating under a model of drafting and developing prospects, but their failure of making the postseason during Adams tenure and for 14 straight seasons can be directly connected to their failure of recognizing talent and developing NHL players. 

Adams has had some success with first rounders Jack Quinn, Owen Power, Jiri Kulich, and Zach Benson, other first rounders (Isak Rosen, Noah Ostlund, Konsta Helenius and Matthew Savoie - now with Edmonton), have not as of yet established themselves in the NHL. Many teams are able to find contributors in the later rounds, but that has not been the case with Buffalo. 

Only JJ Peterka (selected at the top of the second round in 2020) has been a productive NHLer, the other five second-rounders have not played one game in the league. The record is even more stunning when it comes to rounds three through seven. Of the 29 picks over five drafts, only 2021 seventh-rounder Tyson Kozak has made it to the NHL, playing 21 games for the Sabres this season.   

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Here is a quick update on Buffalo Sabres selected in 2024:

Simon-Pierre Brunet – D – 123rd overall

Brunet was one of four blueliners selected by the Sabres at the draft in Las Vegas and played with prospect Vsevolod Komarov, winning a Memorial Cup with Drummondville in the QMJHL in 2024. In 60 games with the Voltigeurs this season, the 19-year-old doubled his offensive totals, with 32 points (8 goals, 24 assists) in 60 games.

Patrick Geary – D – 172nd overall

Geary was selected by the Sabres in the sixth round of the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas. The Hamburg, NY native played his amateur hockey for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres and two seasons for Waterloo of the USHL before heading to Michigan State, where he is teammates with ’24 second-rounder Maxim Strbak.

The 21-year-old played mostly a shutdown defensive role and had 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) in 32 games in his freshman year. This season, he finished with seven points (1 goal, 6 assists) in 37 games.

Vasily Zelenov – RW – 204th overall

The Moscow-born winger has been playing at various lower-level youth leagues in Austria since 2021 and posted an impressive 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) in 40 games for the Salzburg RB Hockey Juniors last season. This season, he shifted to the USHL and had 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists) in 54 games for Green Bay. According to Elite Prospects, the 19-year-old has committed to the University of Wisconsin Badgers, where he could be teammates with fellow 2024 Sabres draftee Luke Osburn.

Ryerson Leenders - G – 219th overall

A slightly above-average goalie at 6’2”, 179 lb., the 18-year-old has played two seasons for the OHL’s Mississauga (now the Brantford Bulldogs), splitting duties in 2022-23 as a 16-year-old and serving as the primary starter last season, going 24-17-4, with a 3.12 GAA, and .909 save % last season. This season, Leenders has become the primary starter for the Bulldogs and finished the regular season with a 31-14-3 record, 3.11 GAA, and .910 save %.

Brantford was the top seed in the OHL’s Eastern Conference Playoffs and eliminated North Bay five games, before falling to Oshawa in the second round.

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New Jersey Devils prospect Anton Silayev is expected to attend the team's development camp this year, per his agent. 

In a text message to The Hockey News, his agent shared they are currently working on his visitor visa. 

Selected by the Devils in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, 10th overall, the 6-foot-7, 211-pound defenseman spent last season in the KHL (Kontinental Hockey League) with the Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. In 63 games, Silayev earned a career-high 12 points (2 goals, 10 assists). 

At the time of the draft, some projected the young blueliner to go in the top five, with some scouts believing he could go as high as second or third. TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button compared the Russian to a current Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman. 

"I see a lot of similarities with the skating, the range of play, the way he defends, and the way he handles things from an overall point of view to Victor Hedman. Silayev's skating is outstanding.

"Silayev, like Hedman, is not worried about impressing anybody. He is just going to play; he is not worried about showing himself off. He's just a really good hockey player, and at 17 years of age, I can't imagine where he will be at 20."

The now 19-year-old attended his first Devils' development camp last year, accompanied by his translator.

"I am very happy to be here," he said through a translator. "I would like to stay longer, but unfortunately, I have to go back to Russia and prepare for the KHL next season there."

Silayev's skating stood out and drew praise from then-Utica Comets' head coach Kevin Dineen. 

First look at #NJDevils 10th overall pick Anton Silayev. pic.twitter.com/FGYSmItCuM

— Kristy Flannery (@InStilettos_NHL) July 1, 2024

“Our first rounder, Anton, there is a stature that you notice right away," he said, "but to see him out on the ice and see his skill set, you go, ‘ok, it is not only his size.’ The way he handles the puck, the way he shoots the puck, and just a youthful enthusiasm he carries out there.”

Silayev is signed with Torpedo through the 2025-26 season. 

The Devils have not released any information about when their 2025 Development Camp will take place. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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June 3, 2025 - Reports are circulating that Former Seattle Kraken goalie Chris Driedger is showing interest in retiring from the NHL and signing with the Kontinental Hockey League’s (KHL) Traktor Chelyabinsk. The move could be a bold new opportunity for the veteran netminder who spent little time between the pipes the last two years between injury and trades. An official statement from the player has yet to be made.

The KHL is considered to be the strongest hockey league in Europe and the second-strongest in the world behind the NHL. The KHL was founded in 2008 and includes teams from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and China, among other nations.

In March 2025, Chris Driedger was traded to the Winnipeg Jetsfrom the Florida Panthers in exchange for goaltender Kaapo Kähkönen. Drafted fourth overall by the Seattle Kraken in 2021, he signed a three-year, $10.5 million deal but was relegated to a backup role after the team added Philipp Grubauer.

The 31-year-old Winnipeg native began his NHL career with the Ottawa Senators in 2014, later signing a two-year extension with the Panthers in 2019.

In 2024–25, Driedger played 20 games for the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, posting a 10-6-4 record, a 2.97 GAA, and a .878 save percentage.

Limited by an ACL injury from the 2022 World Men's Championship, he appeared in just two games for Seattle in 2023–24, going 1-1-0 with a 2.51 GAA and a .917 SV%. Following his nine-month recovery Driedger played with the Kraken's AHL affiliate Coachella Valley Firebirds during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 AHL seasons.

Driedger's former team the Florida Panthers are scheduled to play Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday, June 4th.

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Stay updated with the most interesting Kraken stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News or Join the discussion with others in your hockey community on the Seattle Kraken Forum.

Jalen Chatfield

Chatfield was subbed out for Carolina Hurricanes prospect Alexander Nikishin in the last game of Carolina’s second-round matchup against the Washington Capitals. With Nikishin’s debut, Chatfield sat out for the entirety of the Hurricanes’ Conference Final matchup against the Florida Panthers. Carolina didn’t get swept this time around, losing in five games against the Panthers instead of four like the season before. Chatfield finished his stint in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs with one goal scored in nine games played. 

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Nate Schmidt 

Schmidt has been a good defensive addition for the Panthers this season, contributing to the team’s offensive depth throughout the first three rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He is currently tied with Seth Jones for second on the Panthers in points produced by a defenceman this postseason with three goals and four assists in 17 games. With his team’s five-game Conference Final win against the Hurricanes, Schmidt is now one step closer to winning the first Stanley Cup of his career. 

Jonah Gadjovich

Gadjovich, the 55th overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, has the chance to play for his second Stanley Cup. He was part of last year’s championship-winning Panthers team despite not playing in any of their postseason games. This time, he has made a much bigger impact for his team, skating in 10 of Florida’s games and putting up two goals and an assist. He rejoined the team during their second-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs and has yet to come out of the lineup since. 

Casey DeSmith

Despite being thought of as Stanley Cup contenders this season after acquiring Mikko Rantanen at the Trade Deadline, Casey DeSmith and the Dallas Stars fell to the Edmonton Oilers in five games. DeSmith slotted into Game 5 in a somewhat controversial decision, as Stars head coach Pete DeBoer pulled starting goaltender Jake Oettinger after he let in two goals on two shots against. In the final game of the Stars’ season, DeSmith played 50:16 and stopped 20 of 23 shots faced. 

Vasily Podkolzin 

Only a season after he was traded from the Vancouver Canucks to the Oilers, Podkolzin is preparing to play in his first ever Stanley Cup Final. The forward has played in all of the Oilers’ 16 postseason games, potting a goal and five assists in that span. He didn’t register any points during the Western Conference Finals, but saw his TOI spike to around an average of 11 minutes per game. 

Troy Stecher 

Like Podkolzin, former Canucks fan-favourite, Stecher, will also be taking part in his first Stanley Cup Final. Edmonton’s D-core has been a bit unpredictable during the playoffs seeing as one of their top defenders, Mattias Ekholm, missed the first three rounds of the 2025 postseason. Stecher was able to slot in for six games — two against the Vegas Golden Knights and four against the Stars — before Ekholm came back into the lineup. Even so, Stecher played well for the Oilers during his time in the lineup. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

With the NHL draft just around the corner, the Montreal Canadiens’ brass has moved to the KeyBank Center, the Buffalo Sabres' home, for the NHL Scouting Combine. From June 2 to June 7, the most promising prospects will face the most important interviews of their young lives and gruelling physical tests.

Teams can interview the prospects from June 2 to 6, as the bulk of the physical testing will occur on June 7. That day will be reserved exclusively for the tests. On tap for the prospects on that day at LECOM Harborcenter: standing height/wingspan, horizontal jump, force plate vertical jump, bench press, pro agility test, pull-ups, and the Wingate Cycle Ergometer test. As for the Maximal VO2 test, it will be done on June 6.

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Canadiens: Potential First-Round Pick – Justin Carbonneau

After diligently scouting prospects for the past year, the Combine finally allows NHL teams to speak with the ones they deem most interesting and believe will be available when it's their turn to speak. Mind you, in 2019, the Canadiens took Cole Caufield to dinner even though his agent told them GM Marc Bergevin there was no chance the sniper would still be on the board at number 15, but lo and behold, there he was when the Canadiens took to the stage, and the rest is history.

Currently, it’s impossible to know which prospects the Canadiens will interview or take out to dinner; however, the organization has been reported as interested in Justin Carbonneau, Malcolm Spence, and Carter Bear, among others. Watch this space in the upcoming days for details on the combine.

Photo Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

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Canadian forward Chase Pearson, 27, has signed a one-year contract with the Nottingham Panthers, the EIHL club announced on Tuesday.

“I’m excited for the challenge and it’s going to be a new experience for me,” said Pearson. “I’m going to get an education and play hockey at a high level.”

Indeed, what drew Pearson to the club was the Panthers’ partnership with Nottingham Trent University. Pearson previously played and studied for three years at the University of Maine and presumably left without completing his bachelor’s degree. Two of his former Maine teammates, Mitch Fossier and Tim Dougherty, are already under contract with the team.

“I talked to Mitch about coming to Nottingham and he said it’s one of the craziest atmospheres he’s ever played in and the fanbase is behind the team the whole time,” said Pearson. “That’s another big reason for me coming. I want to play in a fun atmosphere in front of fanbase that is passionate about the game.”

“Chase’s pedigree speaks for itself,” said Panthers coach Danny Stewart. “He’s a big center that can play all situations. He’s a great player on both sides of the puck and very difficult to handle for opposing players.”

The son of former NHLer Scott Pearson, Chase was born in Cornwall, Ont. and was drafted in the fifth round, 140th overall, by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Between 2019 and 2023, he played primarily for the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins but 2021-22 played three NHL games for Detroit, failing to record any points or penalty minutes.

In the past two seasons, Pearson has played in Slovakia for Dukla Michalovce and in Austria for Villacher EV.

Photo © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Finnish Ex-Avalanche Goalie Signs In Scotland Finnish goaltender Sami Aittokallio, 32, has signed a one-year contract with the Glasgow Clan, the Scottish-based EIHL club announced on Thursday.

The Hockey News Big Show is here to look around the NHL playoffs and beyond with former NHL player and coach Bruce Boudreau providing some unique insight

Stanley Cup Final Preview With Bruce Boudreau by The Big Showundefined

Here’s what Michael Traikos, Katie Gaus and Bruce Boudreau discussed in this episode:

1:10: What are the Florida Panthers' greatest strengths?

5:08: What are the Edmonton Oilers' greatest strengths?

10:22: What areas of the Panthers’ game could be considered a weakness? Is there a particular area of Florida's game that Edmonton should focus on exploiting?

14:42: What matchups should Florida look at to attempt to control the Oilers' star players? 

20:09: Is there any advantage the Oilers might have gained from last year's Game 7 Stanley Cup final loss? 

26:19: Predicting the Stanley Cup final and how many games it will take

29:24: We saw what happened in Dallas with Peter DeBoer's goalie pull decision. How much coaching comes into play throughout a series?

34:41: Adam Foote is a first-time NHL coach in Vancouver. What are the challenges of going from being an assistant or associate coach to a head coach?

39:00: Where will Mitch Marner end up?

40:28: As a coach, what superstition did you have? 

43:40: Why did Bruce Boudreau volunteer to serve minor penalties with the Maple Leafs as a player?

44:39: Boudreau was a part of the “Plumber Line” on the Maple Leafs. Where does that rank among favorite line names ever?

 Watch the full Episode here 

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Winnipeg Jets goaltender Chris Driedger has reportedly signed with Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL.

The Jets acquired Driedger at the trade deadline from the Florida Panthers in exchange for Kaapo Kahkonen, bringing the Winnipeg native home for the first time in his career.

The 31-year-old didn't play in NHL games with the Jets, but dressed in five games with the Manitoba Moose, recording an .872 SP and a 3.30 GAA. 

Driedger was drafted in the third round (76th overall) in the 2012 NHL Draft by the Ottawa Senators. He would go on to play 67 games in the NHL, posting a .917 SP and a 2.45 GAA. His career was split with the Senators, the Seattle Kraken, the Panthers and the Jets, but he was never able to lock down a consistent role, playing a career-high 27 games with the Kraken in 2021-22. 

Driedger will join a Traktor team which lost in the Gagarin Cup finals this season. Their roster consisted of top free agent Maxim Shabonov, former top-10 pick Vitali Kravtsov and Canadian goaltender Zach Fucale. 

Fucale is pursuing a roster spot on an NHL team, which should present the opportunity for Driedger to fight for the No.1 spot. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Jets stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

Jets Lose Forward Rasmus Kupari to SwitzerlandWinnipeg Jets forward Rasmus Kupari has opted to continue his professional career overseas.

With Steve Staios seemingly looking to build the Ottawa Senators’ roster along the lines of the Florida Panthers’ model, how does he intend to deal with his six unrestricted free agents as July 1st approaches?

With UFAs Claude Giroux, Nick Cousins, Adam Gaudette, Matthew Highmore, Travis Hamonic and Anton Forsberg all needing new deals, the main question for Staios should be:

“How do these guys fit with what we are trying to do here?”

If the Panthers are the prototype, clearly the Senators are looking to become more difficult to play against through physical play, puck possession and structure. Those are three things that the Panthers have in abundance, and their three playoff opponents to date can attest to that.

This is the Senators’ current depth chart of players who are under contract on one-way deals for next season.

Forwards

Tkachuk-Stutzle-X
Perron-Cozens-Batherson
Greig-Pinto-Amadio
X-X-MacEwen

Defence

Sanderson-Zub
Chabot-Jensen
Kleven-Matinpalo

Goalies

Ullmark
Sogaard

So let’s take a look at the Senators’ pending UFAs and each of their situations.

Claude Giroux

RFA Fabian Zetterlund will surely get a qualifying offer that he can decline so that the Senators maintain his rights and then work with him to avoid arbitration.

The acquisition of Zetterlund, a gritty player with offensive upside, at the trade deadline last season came at the expense of losing a less-developed but more raw and gritty player in Zack Ostapchuk.

Given his age (25), right shot and commitment to physical fitness, it almost feels like Staios is planning for life beyond Giroux. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t want both in the lineup, but Giroux has much more past than future remaining, and the Senators aren’t likely to take a step forward with him in the top six.

At first glance, it would seem that rather than going after higher-priced free agents, Zetterlund might be signed to a longer-term deal to fill that hole in the top six.

Given his low level of production after being acquired, it would be normal to question such a move. However, the same thing happened when Zetterlund was acquired mid-season by the Sharks from the Devils in 2022-23. He only registered three points in 22 games.

The following season and this past season, he was trending upward until he got traded. Perhaps he just takes a little longer to get acclimated.

If that's what the Sens are counting on, is there a place in the current configuration for Giroux on the kind of contract he’ll want? There is talk that the veteran winger and the team are interested in making a deal and the number being bandied about is $3 million with some bonus structure.

Would Giroux accept a bottom-six role if he still got to be on the power play, penalty kill and to play up in the lineup when injuries arise? If the Sens sign Zetterlund to a longer, higher-paying deal, it may further diminish Giroux's role here.

Will RFA Fabian Zetterlund Get Paid On His San Jose Numbers Or The Ones In Ottawa?Fabian Zetterlund has only been an Ottawa Senator for a couple of months, and he’s already asking the club for a raise. That wouldn’t fly in a normal workplace, but that’s how it goes in the NHL when you bring in a pending restricted free agent at the trade deadline.

Nick Cousins

Cousins came in on a show-me contract for one year after winning the Stanley Cup. Cousins’ 15 points in 50 games were better than the 15 in 69 he had the year before. His veteran presence has value to the team, to be sure. However, if Zetterlund and Giroux are back, how many of the same guys are going to return?

The Senators can’t just ice the same squad that lost to the Leafs in round one.

Cousins would likely be re-signed if the money made sense. But he’s almost 32, and probably looking for more than one year at more than league minimum. With $16.6 million in projected cap space, the Zetterlund and Giroux deals, if they happen, might eat up close to half of that. Also, his being healthy-scratched in game one of the Leafs’ series was conspicuous to say the least.

Adam Gaudette

Gaudette established himself as a full-time NHLer last year, and it was a great story of reinvention. He may also want more term and money than one might want to pay. Gaudette may fit with what the Senators are trying to do, but again, what is his ceiling? And does he truly fit with a team trying to become harder to play against in a playoff series?

Look for Gaudette to find a home elsewhere and get a nice video tribute in his first game back.

Matthew Highmore

Highmore may not be a full-time NHLer, but Travis Green clearly likes him, and teams do need depth. Look for Highmore to return on one of those higher-paying AHL contracts with a league-minimum cap hit when he's in the show.

Travis Hamonic

It was all class the way the Senators made sure that Travis Hamonic got his 900th game in game 82 against the Hurricanes. With all due respect, if he gets to 901, it should be with another team.

Anton Forsberg

With Forsberg having a $2.75 million cap hit last season, it’s likely that the Senators will take those savings and let Sogaard and Merilainen battle it out for the backup job.

Why Is Ottawa Senators Defenceman Nick Jensen So Guarded About His Lower-Body Injury?Ottawa Senators defenceman Nick Jensen has reportedly undergone surgery for a lingering lower-body injury. Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reported this week that, according to league sources, Jensen had the procedure done in New York on Monday and admitted the injury was something he played through for the final few months of the season. He rarely participated in practice because of it.

One big wildcard is Nick Jensen. Jensen isn’t a UFA, but the state of his health could affect the team’s spending plans. He’s projected to be ready for training camp, but the team was very cagey about his health status in the second half of the season. If the Sens have to bring in some impactful right-handed defence help, that could alter plans.

No matter what happens, it's going to be an interesting month.

Pat Maguire
The Hockey News Ottawa

Recent Senators News

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Building A Contender: What The Ottawa Senators Can Learn From The Oilers And Panthers

Even before the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers start the 2025 Stanley Cup final on Wednesday, they’ve already appeared in more post-season games than any other team in the league since the NHL went back to its regular playoff format in the 2021-22 season.

Here’s the top five:

1. Florida Panthers: 72 games
2. Edmonton Oilers: 69 games
3. Dallas Stars: 63 games
4. Carolina Hurricanes: 55 games
5. Colorado Avalanche: 45 games

Meanwhile, eight teams missed the playoffs entirely in all four of those seasons, and three more have played just a single series. That’s more than a third of the league.

The Stars and Hurricanes may still be hurting from their eliminations last week. But their spots in third and fourth place on that list serve as a good reminder of how much both those teams have achieved over the last four years.

Plenty of their peers would trade places in a heartbeat.

Multiple long playoff runs tell other players and agents that you’ve got a good thing going in your dressing room and your organization. That helps attract new talent and generates lots of valuable playoff gate revenue and merch sales, which keeps your owner happy.

So, despite the Stars’ dramatic flameout in Game 5, which opened up a potential rift between coach Peter DeBoer and franchise goaltender Jake Oettinger, Dallas owner Tom Gaglardi backed his bench boss in a big way when he spoke to Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News the very next morning. 

“He’s a top-three, top-five coach in the league,” Gaglardi said. “You think I want to be going into the coaching market right now, do you see who’s getting hired? Pete’s a seasoned coach. I’m just one voice in the discussion, but I don’t see (firing) Pete being on anyone’s agenda.”

DeBoer, 56, doesn’t have a Cup and has never been a Jack Adams finalist. But he did reach the Stanley Cup final with the New Jersey Devils back in 2012 and has made the conference final six times in the last eight years with the San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights and now the Stars.

That’s why he has never been out of work for long. And while DeBoer has become the league’s seventh-longest-tenured coach after just three seasons in Dallas and is now heading into the final year of his current contract, Gaglardi would prefer not to make a change just for the sake of change.

That being said, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported on Monday that other voices in the organization are not happy with DeBoer. Can they calm the waters, or will this tidal wave of emotion and frustration sweep the coach out to sea?

In terms of their roster, the Stars are at a bit of a natural crossroads. With less than $5 million in available cap space, per PuckPedia, and longtime captain Jamie Benn heading toward UFA status just weeks before his 36th birthday, there’s an opportunity to reframe the team’s leadership. 

That said, GM Jim Nill told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic they wanted to keep Benn last September. 

“We’ll figure something out. He’s going to be a Dallas Star for life,” Nill said.

Even at a lower price tag, bringing back Benn would mean cutting back elsewhere. Decisions will need to be made on veterans Matt Duchene, Mikael Granlund and Evgenii Dadonov, who are also pending UFAs. 

Young stars Jason Robertson and Thomas Harley are also one year away from becoming RFAs with arbitration rights. They’ll both be eligible to sign extensions starting on July 1.

With inflation expected to hit NHL salaries in a big way once the cap starts climbing this summer, history may eventually show that Nill got good value when he signed Mikko Rantanen and Wyatt Johnston to long-term extensions in March. In the meantime, those moves will leave him operating from a position of weakness as he tries to retool his group to take that elusive next step without sliding backward.

Damage Limitation In Carolina

As for the Hurricanes, they have plenty to be proud of. 

In 2023-24, they only won one playoff round, and then they lost Jake Guentzel, Brady Skjei, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Teuvo Teravainen, Stefan Noesen and Brett Pesce during the off-season. Superboss Don Waddell also moved on to Columbus, handing the GM reins to first-timer Eric Tulsky. 

In the aftermath of July 1, most observers thought the Canes’ window had closed – including coach Rod Brind’Amour. 

“When I walked into this summer, with the pieces that left this organization, I was like 'I don't think we're going to make the playoffs,' ” the coach said during his exit interview last week. 

And while the Hurricanes did drop by 12 points in the regular-season standings and endured six weeks of drama during Rantanen’s brief stay, they cruised through their early series against the Devils and Washington Capitals in impressive fashion before falling to the mighty Panthers. 

They even snapped their long conference final losing streak with a decisive Game 4 win against the Panthers.  And having three conference final appearances on their resume in the seven years since they returned to the playoff picture in 2019 is a feature, not a bug, in the Tom Dundon era.

After last year’s major roster reconstruction, this summer should be less of a storm surge and more of a gentle breeze in Cane country. 

Brind’Amour has most of the pieces in place that he needs to run it back, and Tulsky has $28 million in cap space to chase after another superstar, if a fit is available.

The NHL likes to promote its parity and how any team can win on any given night. For now, the Stars and Hurricanes have separated themselves from the rest of the chase pack when the games really matter. 

Job 1 for next season will be to avoid backsliding. Then, they can take another run at building on what they’ve learned from their battle scars.

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