The Nashville Predators' future will be showcased on a league stage in September as the team announced its roster for the 2025 NHL Prospect Tournament.

The tournament will take place at AdventHealth Center Ice in Tampa, Florida, and will run from September 12 to September 15. The Predators' prospects will face the Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, and Florida Panthers. 

Players will report to Nashville on Sept. 11 for practice before heading to Tampa. 

The showcase will feature the following prospects: Joakim Kemell (2022), Brady Martin (2025), Kalan Lind (2023), Reid Schaefer, Hiroki Gojsic (2024), David Edstrom, Joey Willis, Cole O'Hara (2022), Matthew Wood (2023), Ryder Rolston, Alex Kostov, Austin Roest (2023), Oasiz Wiesblatt, Tanner Molendyk (2023), Jack Matier (2021), Cameron Reid (2025), Ryan Ufko (2021), Hayden Barch, Andrew Gibson, Alex Huang (2025), Ethan Haider (2019), T.J. Semptimphelter and Jakub Milota (2024). 

Martin returns to Nashville after recently signing his entry-level contract with the Predators. The center from Elora, Ontario, was selected fifth overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Predators' highest pick since 2013. 

The tournament will also feature 2025 draft picks Cameron Reid (21st overall) and Alex Huang (122nd overall). The 26th overall pick, Ryker Lee, will not be playing as he is currently at Michigan State. 

All the Predators games from the Prospect Tournament can be streamed at NashvillePredators.com. 

Following the Prospects Tournament, NHL training camp will commence on Sept. 17 with physicals and team meetings. On-ice practices begin Sept. 18 and the Predators will play their first preseason game against the Florida Panthers, which will be a split-squad doubleheader, on Sept. 21 at Bridgestone Arena. 

As the NHL offseason rapidly comes to a conclusion, one former Philadelphia Flyers trade acquisition has joined the Metropolitan Division rival Carolina Hurricanes on a professional tryout offer.

Longtime AHL-NHL tweener and enforcer Givani Smith, added by the Flyers in the trade that sent Stanley Cup champion defenseman Erik Johnson back to his beloved Colorado Avalanche, joined the Hurricanes on a tryout offer Wednesday afternoon.

Smith, 27, never played for the Flyers despite replacing a player on the NHL roster in Johnson.

Instead, the 6-foot-2 former second-round pick finished his season with the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, scoring one goal and one assist in 10 games.

Smith appeared in seven playoff games for the Phantoms, racking up 19 penalty minutes and a -4 rating.

Ironically, Smith will best be remembered by Flyers fans as the player who fought... Erik Johnson in a Nov. 11 game between the Flyers and San Jose Sharks after attempting to start a problem with rookie sensation Matvei Michkov.

Johnson, of course, threw off his gloves, stepped in, and took care of the rest. The two were traded for each other a few months later.

Smith has found his next NHL destination, while Johnson, 37, remains a free agent late into the offseason.

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The Allen Americans, along with Head Coach and General Manager Steve Martinson, announced the team has signed an agreement with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators and AHL’s Belleville Senators for the 2025-26 season.

The Americans will begin their 17th season of professional hockey this October. Over the previous 16 years, first in the Central Hockey League and then in the ECHL, the Americans have made five trips to the league finals and won four championships.

“We’re proud to once again team up with the Allen Americans as our ECHL affiliate for the 2025-26 season,” Belleville Senators general manager Matt Turek said in a statement. “Having a solid affiliate will be significantly beneficial to both clubs and provide a clear pathway to the NHL.

“We have the utmost trust in the leadership of Coach Steve Martinson and his staff, and we’re confident they’ll provide the right atmosphere for Senators players to continue to grow.”

This marks the third time the Americans and Senators have signed an affiliation agreement. Allen worked with Ottawa/Belleville in 2022-23, and 2023-24.

Several key players have made stops in DFW during that span, including Goalie Leevi Merilainen, who has played a total of 14 games with the Ottawa Senators. 12 of the 14 came last year when he produced a record of 8-3-1 with a 1.99 GAA.

Defenseman Donavan Sebrango and Goalie Kevin Mandolese have also seen action at the NHL level.

Since becoming a Double A franchise in 2009-10, the Americans have worked with the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche while in the Central Hockey League, and the Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, Minnesota Wild, Seattle Kraken, and Utah since joining the ECHL.

“This affiliation has so much potential for the Americans,” Martinson noted. “Having many conversations with Matt Turek (Belleville Senators GM), and Sean McCauley (Manager of Hockey Operations Ottawa Senators), we know that they like the same style of play as we do in Allen. It’s great to be able to work in concert to add elite players to our roster.”

NHL players know full well that nothing lasts forever.

Even the best of the best will eventually have to hang up their skates and look back on the old memories of their careers.

Speculation about retirement intensifies when older NHL veterans reach the end of their contracts, suggesting it may be an appropriate time to retire. However, that isn’t the case for every player, with the rare exception of some playing into their 40s.

Here are six NHL players who are at least 38 years old and going into the final year of their contracts.

Alex Ovechkin, LW, Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time regular-season goals leader, is entering the final year of his five-year, $9.5-million contract. Ovechkin is one of the game's greatest players and is still performing at 39, turning 40 on Sept. 17.

Last season, the Washington Capitals captain scored 44 goals and 73 points in 65 games, his best goals-per-game average since the 2019-20 season when he recorded 48 tallies and 67 points in 68 appearances.

In late May, the Capitals corporate sales department made an error in an email to season ticket holders. The promotional email said the 2025-26 season would be Ovechkin’s “final NHL season.” However, Washington’s PR team quickly stepped in to say that it was a mistake and that no decision had been made.

All eyes will be on Ovechkin next season to see what he decides to do at the end of his current contract. He remains an essential part of the Capitals as they try to win the Cup, although Ovechkin's odds of winning the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP make him a long shot at 501.00 (+50,000), according to BetMGM. The next two players on this list have the same odds.

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Evgeni Malkin, C, Pittsburgh Penguins

While he's spent his career with franchise legend Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin will go down as one of the best Pittsburgh Penguins and Russian-born players to play in the NHL. The 39-year-old is entering the fourth and final year of his contract at a $6.1-million cap hit.

Malkin dealt with upper- and lower-body injuries last season, forcing him to play in only 68 games for the Penguins. He recorded 16 goals and 34 assists for 50 points, finishing fifth on the team in scoring.

"He's probably the most underrated player, maybe, to ever play," Penguins GM Kyle Dubas said earlier in August on the Cam & Strick Podcast. "I think just because of the fact that he has always kind of been a little bit in the shadow of Sid, but – at his best – one of, if not the best, player in the league."

In 19 years with Pittsburgh, Malkin has won three Stanley Cup championships, the Conn Smythe Trophy, Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy twice, Calder Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award. It’s safe to say he’ll earn a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame when his time comes around.

Dubas told NHL.com the Penguins' focus is on treating Malkin right and continuing to communicate with him on where he stands with the squad in the future. He also said at some point, the team must usher in the youth movement.

This could be Malkin's last year with the Penguins, but whether he signs elsewhere or retires remains an uncertainty.

Anze Kopitar, C, Los Angeles Kings

Anze Kopitar is one of the longest-tenured captains among active NHL players. He’s worn the “C” for the Los Angeles Kings for the last nine seasons. However, Kopitar is entering the last season of a two-year contract worth $7 million annually.

Kopitar has long been one of the best two-way centers in the NHL. On top of his two Stanley Cup championships, he’s won the Selke Trophy twice as the best defensive forward in the NHL.

With that, the 38-year-old has been consistent throughout his 19-year career. Aside from the COVID-19 shortened season in 2020-21, he’s scored at least 60 points in the last eight campaigns. He’s only missed four games across those eight seasons, showing no signs of slowing down.

Kopitar's average ice time dropped to 18:57 from 19:39 and 20:18 in the two years beforehand, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him stay with the Kings past the end of 2025-26.

Kopitar has the third-best odds of winning the Lady Byng Trophy at 8.00 (+700) and the ninth-best odds of winning the Selke again this upcoming season, at 29.00 odds (+2800), according to BetMGM.

Corey Perry, RW, Los Angeles Kings

Corey Perry has had an impressive career, and he is not done yet. Perry has played in six different Stanley Cup finals, winning the Cup in his first appearance with the Anaheim Ducks in 2006-07.

The rest of his Stanley Cup final appearances came after he turned 35. His latest attempts at the Cup were with the Edmonton Oilers in the last two seasons. This past spring, he scored 10 goals and 14 points in 22 playoff games.

Now, at 40, he signed his sixth-career one-year deal at $2 million. Perry will be looking to guide the Kings to yet another Stanley Cup final appearance in what could be his final opportunity.

Jonathan Quick, G, New York Rangers

Jonathan Quick is gearing up for a third season with the New York Rangers after signing another one-year extension on March 12. He’ll earn $1.55 million as the Rangers’ backup to Igor Shesterkin.

Quick is the winningest American goaltender in NHL history with 404 victories. He has 13 more wins than Ryan Miller, who sits behind him on that list.

Quick, 39, is also 13th on the NHL’s all-time wins list. With 20 more wins, Quick would sit alone in 11th in the rankings, surpassing Glenn Hall and Tony Esposito. Considering his last 20-plus-win campaign was in 2021-22, he may need to stick around for an extra season if he wants to earn that accomplishment.

That said, Quick had a 3.17 goals-against average and .893 save percentage with three shutouts last season. He'll need to improve a bit to remain an effective backup goalie.

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Brent Burns, D, Colorado Avalanche

The final name on this list is the only player who hasn’t already won a Stanley Cup. 

This off-season, the 40-year-old Burns signed a one-year, $1-million contract with the Colorado Avalanche in an effort to finally win a Stanley Cup to sign off on a storied career.

Burns has played 1,497 games across 21 seasons for the Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks and Carolina Hurricanes. Burns has come close to a Stanley Cup, including one final appearance and three conference finals appearances.

Who knows how much Burns has left in the tank, but joining the Avalanche puts him in a great spot to potentially hoist the Cup before he hits the end of the road.  The Avalanche have the second-best odds of winning the Cup in 2025-26, at 9.00 (+800), per BetMGM.

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On Tuesday, Daily Faceoff released its rankings of the 25 best affiliated goaltender prospects, and two members of the Montreal Canadiens organization made the ranking: Jacob Fowler and Jakub Dobes.

Fowler, who signed his ELC last spring, comes in second place in the rankings, three spots higher than last season when he was in fifth place. Sean Ellis praises the positionally sound play of the 6-foot-2 netminder, as well as his mental strength. For him, Samuel Montembeault is the top goaltender in Montreal, but it’s only a question of time before Fowler takes the crown.

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The journalist also expects the NCAA graduate to work alongside Kaapo Kahkonen in Laval this year as he tries to take the next step in his development. The 20-year-old had significant numbers last season with a .940 save percentage and a 1.63 goal-against-average with Boston College. While success at that level doesn’t necessarily guarantee NHL success, as seen with Cayden Primeau, for instance, it still says something about the kind of athlete Montreal has on its hands.

The second Canadiens’ asset on the list is Jakub Dobes, who comes in at number 24. It’s the Czech netminder’s first appearance in these rankings, and even though he played more NHL games than AHL last season, he was still deemed eligible since he has limited experience in the top league.

Ellis mentions that Dobes stealing the backup job away from Primeau last season was part of the reason why the Habs managed to return to the playoffs. While he’s not convinced Dobes will ever be more than a backup, he concedes he can still play an essential role for the Canadiens while Fowler develops in Laval.

I would even add that Dobes is only 24 years old, four years younger than Montembeault, who’s under contract for two seasons. Should the Becancour native command too high a pay raise, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities that Dobes could stick around when Fowler is ready to make the jump in the NHL.

While Dobes is very athletic and entertaining to watch in net, there are a few positioning issues that could be addressed and would allow him to play a sounder game, albeit one that is less spectacular.

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Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby simply won't slow down. During his 20th career NHL season in 2024-25, he was once again one of the league's most dominant players. In 80 games on the year, the 2005 first-overall pick recorded 33 goals, 58 assists, and 91 points. With this, he set an NHL record by having his 20th NHL season producing at over a point-per-game pace.

Now, after another excellent season, Crosby will once again be one of the best centers in EA Sports' NHL 26, which releases next month. EA Sports announced that Crosby is the fifth-best center in the game and has a 94 overall. With this, he has the same overall rating as fellow stars Jack Eichel and Auston Matthews. 

McDavid sits alone at 97 OVR in #NHL26.
Matthews, MacKinnon, Draisaitl… who’s closing the gap?
See more Ratings: https://t.co/1ZOOUJeVAzpic.twitter.com/tTHi8pov5m

— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) August 27, 2025

In addition, Crosby has a higher overall in NHL 26 than other notable centers like Jack Hughes, Brayden Point, and Mark Scheifele.

Given how wonderfully Crosby played this past season, it is entirely understandable that he has earned a 94 overall rating in NHL 26. He is still one of the NHL's best players at 38 years old. 

Ex-Penguins First-Rounder Signs With New TeamFormer Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Simon Despres has found his new home.

EA Sports has revealed the top 10 centers in NHL 26, and without much surprise, a New Jersey Devils star has made the cut. 

Jack Hughes is rightfully one of the top centers in NHL 26, as he has been given a 93 overall by EA Sports. With this, he is the eight-best center in NHL 26, ranking ahead of both Brayden Point and (92 overall) and Mark Scheifele (91 overall).

McDavid sits alone at 97 OVR in #NHL26.
Matthews, MacKinnon, Draisaitl… who’s closing the gap?
See more Ratings: https://t.co/1ZOOUJeVAzpic.twitter.com/tTHi8pov5m

— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) August 27, 2025

Seeing Hughes land such a high overall in NHL 26 is completely understandable. The 24-year-old had another excellent season for the Devils in 2024-25, as he recorded 27 goals and 70 points in 62 games. With this, he undoubtedly made a big impact for New Jersey yet again.

This was also the fourth season in a row where Hughes produced offense at an over a point-per-game pace. This includes his fantastic 2022-23 campaign, as he set career highs with 43 goals, 56 assists, and 99 points in 78 games. 

Devils New Forward Is Interesting AdditionThe New Jersey Devils have added a handful of new players to their roster this summer. Among their most intriguing additions from this off-season is forward Evgenii Dadonov. 

The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, but the organization’s developmental model has not yielded enough results. 

Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. All are 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 40 NHL games. 

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#17 - Tyson Kozak  – Center (Rochester - AHL, Buffalo - NHL)

Kozak was the Sabres last pick in the 2021 NHL Draft out of the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks, and after averaging over a point-per-game in 2021-22 and making a favorable impression at the 2022 Prospects Challenge, the Manitoba native surprisingly made the jump to the AHL instead of being sent back for another year of junior.

His two-way ability made him a good fit as a bottom-six checker and penalty killer, and as a rookie, Kozak scored only 10 points in 55 regular season games, but he had five points (2 goals, 3 assists) in 14 playoff games in Rochester’s run in the Calder Cup Playoffs. The 5’11”, 185 lb. center struggled with recurring lower-body injuries the following season  and that limited him to 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists) in 41 games.

Last season, the 22-year-old played well with the Amerks and earned a lengthy look by the Sabres, scoring three goals in 21 NHL games. Kozak was sent back to Rochester to play in the playoffs, but it is expected that he will be in the mix for a fourth line job during training camp next month.   

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

Mike Sullivan coached the Pittsburgh Penguins for 10 long years and won two Stanley Cups in the process, cementing himself as one of the greatest coaches in Penguins history. 

We all know the respect Sidney Crosby has for Sullivan, but his partner in crime, Evgeni Malkin, also developed a deep appreciation for his former coach over the years. 

Malkin got to know Sullivan very well through his tenure in Pittsburgh, and what he noticed most about the 57-year-old coach was his tireless work ethic and overall care for his team.

“We know [Mike Sullivan] cares about the team. He cares about every player. 6 or 7am every morning, he’s in the office, he’s watching video and talking to other coaches,” Malkin said of Sullivan. “He’s trying to control everything, he loves hockey. He deserves everything.”

The New York Rangers signed Sullivan to a five-year, $32.5 million contract, the richest deal for a coach in NHL history, that’s how much faith the organization has in him. 

For years, Sullivan has been able to manage big-time stars, including Crosby, Malkin, and Kris Letang, while he has all of the accolades to back up his success. 

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To see a strong endorsement of Sullivan from the likes of Malkin should tell you all you need to know about Sullivan.

The Carolina Hurricanes ranked as the No. 18 team in the Athletic’s 2025 NHL prospect pipeline rankings. 

The prospects listed as the Hurricanes’ best were Logan Stankoven, Jackson Blake, Nikita Artamonov, Bradly Nadeau, Felix Unger Sörum, Kurban Limatov, Ivan Ryabkin, Alexander Rykov, and Semyon Frolov. 

Both Stankoven and Blake recently signed contract extensions with the Hurricanes, as they have already and will continue to make an immediate impact. 

In last year’s prospect pipeline rankings by The Athletic, the Hurricanes were ranked 12th, so the team has taken a slight dropoff. 

The teams ranked ahead of the Hurricanes on this list include the Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, Minnesota Wild, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, Detroit Red Wings, Nashville Predators, and New York Islanders. 

EA Sports has released player ratings for NHL 26. The newest installment of the franchise is available on September 12, but can be pre-ordered now. Of the over 300 players whose ratings were revealed, 11 play for the Vancouver Canucks, including two who rank in the top 10 in their position. 

The highest-rated Canucks player is Quinn Hughes, whose 95 overall is the fifth-highest in the game. As for defenceman, Vancouver's captain is tied for first, matching Colorado Avalanche's Cale Makar. Some of Hughes' top attributes include offensive awareness (97), passing (97), speed (96) and puck control (96). 

Thatcher Demko is also among the top 10 goaltenders, ranking tied for eighth. Despite only playing 23 games last season, he has an 88 overall rating, which is tied with Nashville Predators' Juuse Saros. Demko's highest-rated attributes include angles (92), rebound control (91) and shot recovery (91). 

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As for the highest forward, that would be Elias Pettersson, who has an overall of 87. The 26-year-old has the same overall as New York Islanders' Bo Horvat, Toronto Maple Leafs' Matthew Knies and Florida Panthers' Aaron Ekblad. Pettersson's highest-rated attributes include puck control (91), slapshot power (91), deking (90) and wristshot power. 

Vancouver Canucks NHL 26 Ratings:

Quinn Hughes- 95
Thatcher Demko- 88
Elias Pettersson (F)- 87
Brock Boeser- 86
Conor Garland- 86
Filip Hronek- 86
Jake DeBrusk- 85
Marcus Pettersson- 85
Evander Kane- 84
Filip Chytil- 84
Kiefer Sherwood- 82

Full ratings list can be found here.

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, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

John Tavares could have commanded a higher salary had he tested the market. Instead, he signed a four-year extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs for an average annual value of $4.38 million per season. It was a significant discount from the player’s previous AAV of $11 million, and while it was clear that the 38-goal scorer from the 2024-25 season wasn’t going to match his former salary, the number he signed for was a significant bargain.

Maple Leafs teammate William Nylander — while doing the rounds at the NHL’s European Media Tour — was asked by Sirius XM’s Dave Pagnotta and Dennis Bernstein about Tavares’s commitment to staying in Toronto.

“He took an unbelievable deal for the team. He wanted to stay and showed his commitment to winning the (Stanley) Cup in Toronto,” Nylander said. “I think everybody on the team appreciates that a lot, and that shows leadership, for sure.”

#LeafsForever William Nylander joined @TheFourthPeriod & @DennisTFP at the NHL European Player Media Tour

Catch the full interview on Wednesday at 10am ET pic.twitter.com/X3fC3fOOVw

— SiriusXM NHL Network Radio (@SiriusXMNHL) August 25, 2025

Nylander has spent a majority of his NHL career playing on the right wing of Tavares on Toronto’s second line, and it’s possible both reprise their roles for the upcoming season.

“He’s been an incredible leader for me and I’ve learned a lot from him both on and off the ice,” Nylander added.

The Leafs’ other big free agent from the summer, Mitch Marner, ended up with the Vegas Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade completed on June 30. Marner went on to sign an eight-year, $96 million contract with Vegas. With Marner’s departure, the club loaded up on depth, acquiring forwards Nicolas Roy, Matias Maccelli, and Dakota Joshua, among others.

Nylander is eager for camp to begin next month to see how everyone fits on the new-look Leafs.

“You get to that first team dinner, have some fun with the guys. Then just get out there and compete and battle with each other and build that chemistry with everybody,” Nylander said. “Building that through the season until you get to the push there at the end to try to go.”

The 29-year-old Nylander is coming off a career-high 45-goal season and has hit the 40-goal mark in three consecutive years.

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The Winnipeg Jets receive no nationally televised games in the 2025-26 season despite popularity being ahead of other notable teams.  

The NHL announced their national television schedule with 172 games being broadcast across ESPN networks and TNT, starting with a triple-header on October 7th for Opening Night. Some notable takeaways from the release show the league putting faith into some teams and their rising stock like the Detroit Red Wings, who will be featured in 17 nationally televised games this upcoming season despite not making the playoffs for nine straight seasons. 

When it came to the Winnipeg Jets, they didn't make the cut for any of the 172 games despite coming off a franchise-best season in which they won the President's trophy as the league's best team during the regular season. They’ve shown they can deliver an electric home atmosphere with their signature Whiteout tradition on select nights. Plus they’ve proven capable of producing unforgettable moments like when Cole Perfetti tied Game 7 of Winnipeg’s first-round series against the St. Louis Blues with just seconds remaining, creating one of the NHL’s most viral clips in recent years. 

The move by the networks was surprising considering the rise of the Jets as one of the league's top Stanley Cup contenders. It is worth noting that Winnipeg ranks near the bottom of the league in game attendance, however that’s not the case on social media. 

As of July 2025, the Jets have more Instagram followers than several teams that secured nationally televised games for the upcoming season, including the Ducks, Predators, and Sabres. On TikTok, the Jets rank among the NHL’s top eight teams, with just under 420,000 followers, surpassing the Penguins, Avalanche, and Golden Knights, all of whom also received national TV slots. 

EA Sports Reveals Josh Morrissey's Ranking Among DefencemenThe popular sporting video game series by EA Sports, NHL 26, is set for a September 12 release for Playstation and XBOX. 

There are Winnipeg fans that should should be getting to see their team on nationally televised games in the United States but the networks aren't receiving the message and it leaves these fans in the dark, having to pay extra money for subscription services if they want to see the Winnipeg Jets at all. The growth of the NHL is still on the rise but isn't at a level that American fans can even watch certain teams on broadcast networks that the league has deals with. 

The hope is that the game continues to grow throughout North America and the rest of the world but as of the time being, Jets fans outside of Canada are seemingly left behind and will be forced to go out of their way to support their team.

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The start of the 2025-26 NHL regular season inches closer as the Walt Disney Company and TNT announce their broadcasting schedules for this upcoming season. 

Between the two, the Nashville Predators will play two nationally televised games, both of which will be in December. 

The Predators' matchup against the Colorado Avalanche on Dec. 9 in Nashville at 9:30 p.m. EST will be broadcast on TNT. On Dec. 23, the Predators game against the Minnesota Wild in St. Paul at 8 p.m. EST will be broadcast on ESPN+ and Hulu. 

This represents a substantial decline from last season, as the Predators played nine nationally televised games last year, largely due to the hype generated by the team's free-agent acquisitions in the 2024 offseason.

Nashville played nine nationally televised games last season, six of which were on ESPN+ and two that were on ESPN. 

The Washington Capitals will have the most nationally televised games with 18, followed by the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche, all of whom will play 17 times on national television.

The defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers will play on national television 15 times. 

The Predators are also the American team with the lowest number of nationally televised games, followed by the Anaheim Ducks with five.

Even the Toronto Maple Leafs (14 games) and Edmonton Oilers (16 games) will play more games televised across the United States than the Predators. 

The Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens, Winnipeg Jets, Vancouver Canucks and Ottawa Senators won't play any regular-season games on any of the ESPN networks or TNT. 

The NHL season is a month and some change away, and the Pittsburgh Penguins are heading into it with a true mix of youth talent and veterans, which is a nice change of pace from the past several seasons.

Many of the young players will be vying for roster spots and hoping to supplant some of those veterans, while some of the veterans will either be looking to play for an opportunity with a contending team by the trade deadline or trying to find new life in Pittsburgh.

And some have more to prove than others. Here are four Penguins’ players with chips on their shoulders in 2025-26.

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Philip Tomasino

When the Penguins decided to take a chance on Tomasino last season - surrendering a more-than-likely inconsequential 2027 fourth-round pick to acquire him from the Nashville Predators in November - they were hoping to help the former first-round pick (2019) round out some of the details of his game and improve his play in the hard areas of the ice.

While Tomasino did show flashes last season - and he did display some chemistry, at times, with Evgeni Malkin - he was not consistent enough, and those details are something that is still a work in progress. The Penguins non-tendered him as a RFA then brought him back for one year in unrestricted free agency.

At the end of the day, the trade will always end up looking like a good one for the Penguins. Tomasino, 24, needs to either prove to the Penguins that he can be a valuable asset in their future plans or prove to a contending team somewhere that his services are worthwhile. Because of all of the youth coming up in the Penguins’ system, Tomasino is short on time - and he needs to take advantage of every second of it on the ice.

2 Penguins Who Could Be Nice SurprisesThe 2025-26 season is rapidly approaching, and it is going to be interesting to see how the Pittsburgh Penguins perform after their busy off-season. When looking at their current roster, they have some under-the-radar players who could end up being nice surprises for them in 2025-26. Let's discuss two of them. 

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Joel Blomqvist

As Penguins’ goaltenders go, it would have been easy to spotlight Tristan Jarry here. Jarry, 30, actually finished the 2024-25 season strong in the home stretch, which was in massive contradiction to the rest of his season that - at one point - involved being waived.

But, honestly? The organizational goaltender with the biggest chip on his shoulder this season is youngster Joel Blomqvist. 

Blomqvist, 23, made a strong impression in his first taste of NHL action, which happened right out of the gate last season due to an injury to former Penguins’ netminder Alex Nedeljkovic, who was traded to the San Jose Sharks this summer. Aside from one rotten outing against the Dallas Stars on Nov. 11, Blomqvist seemed to show he was ready for the NHL.

After Jarry was waived, Blomqvist got his second chance - and it didn’t quite go as swimmingly. He was eventually optioned, spent the majority of the final two months of the season nursing an injury, and was partly to blame for an early playoff exit for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins of the AHL.

Penguins Facing Uncertain Goalie Split Entering 2025-26 SeasonOnce again, the Pittsburgh Penguins face goaltending questions heading into a season. 

Then, this summer, the Penguins went out and got Arturs Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks - another young, mostly unproven goaltender who has come up big in some big situations and likely has the inside track to the NHL roster this fall alongside Jarry.

With Silovs now in the picture - and some legitimate talent on his heels in Sergei Murashov - this is pretty much a make-or-break year for Blomqvist. If and when he is given an NHL opportunity next season, he has no choice but to seize it.

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Anthony Mantha

Mantha, 30, has had a rough couple of years on the injury front.

After signing a one-year deal with the Calgary Flames last summer, Mantha tore his ACL during a game in November, causing him to miss the remainder of the season and limiting his 2024-25 season to 13 games. It was a tough break for the 6-foot-5, 234-pound winger, who signed the one-year "prove it" deal with the Flames after a disappointing back half of the 2023-24 season with the Vegas Golden Knights following the trade deadline. 

Mantha can score goals, and he has three seasons of 20-plus goals to show for that. His current one-year, $2.5 million contract with Pittsburgh is yet another opportunity for him to prove that he is still a valuable, effective middle-six player who can manage to stay healthy. 

But that's the challenge: Ever since his 2017-18 season with the Detroit Red Wings, he hasn't been able to remain healthy. Mantha's health will be as much of a "prove-it" kind of thing as any sort of performance measure. Hopefully, he can play up to capacity with games in Pittsburgh, and perhaps he will earn himself an opportunity with a contender post-deadline - as well as fetch the Penguins a nice piece in return.

Penguins Made Good Move Signing Big ForwardThe Pittsburgh Penguins have made multiple moves this off-season. This included bringing in several new players, including winger Anthony Mantha. The Penguins signed the 6-foot-5 forward to a one-year, $2.5 million contract earlier this month.

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Evgeni Malkin

It may seem crazy to have a 39-year-old future Hall-of-Fame center on this list. 

But the reality is that this may very well be his final NHL season. And - lucky for him - he will probably have better linemates this year, and he has the chance to go out with a bang, should he decide to retire at the end of the 2025-26 season.

Let’s be clear: Malkin has nothing left to prove to anyone. He’s earned everything he’s gotten up to this point in his career, and no matter how this season shakes out for him, he is always going to be a Penguins’ legend and will be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer. 

But this is more so about proving that he remains a difference-making player at his age and that - with the right combination of teammates around him - he can still change the shape of games. This is about beating some of the “washed” allegations and showing that he is still a very capable second-line center. Malkin doesn’t need to prove all of that to the masses, but he’d probably love nothing more than to prove that to himself and his teammates. 

2 Penguins Make NHL Network's Quarter Century TeamThe NHL Network has revealed their quarter century team, and without any surprise whatsoever, two Pittsburgh Penguins have made the cut. 

Last season, Malkin registered 16 goals and 50 points in 68 games, which followed up a 27-goal, 67-point campaign the season prior. He showed sparks at the end of the season playing with Rickard Rakell and Ville Koivunen.

If Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty make this roster, Malkin should have no problem reaching the 65-70 point plateau again. They’ll likely both play in the top-six, as well as Rakell and Bryan Rust, assuming they aren’t dealt, but even if they don’t, there are good options in Anthony Mantha and Tommy Novak. 

Malkin is fine either way, but one last big season from the second-greatest Russian player of all time would be a treat to watch. And, who knows? Perhaps a big season will make Malkin want to stick around just a bit longer beyond this season.

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