EL SEGUNDO, CA – The Los Angeles Kings of old were defined by stalwart veterans and Cup-winning experience. The team had homegrown their championship centerpieces in the form of Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, Dustin Brown, and Jonathan Quick, carving out a golden era in Kings hockey. Under their vigil, they delivered championships while forging an identity of defensive grit and clutch goaltending. 

While some of that grit and defensive legacy remains, the championship element remains an enigma. The team has been operating in a challenging environment, marked by limited playoff success, as it balances the integration of new core elements with its legacy components.

What should have been an outright transitional period, the Kings find themselves in an underlying and quiet transition of power. With the most recent signing, three names have emerged as the centerpiece of a new foundational young core: forward Quinton Byfield (22), winger Alex Laferriere (23), and defenseman Brandt Clarke (22). All three represent more than just draft-day wins or developmental checkboxes. They symbolize the organization's shifting identity, moving from the days of old towards one relying on a crop of homegrown, youthful players ready to take the baton.

Quinton Byfield: The Evolution of a Two-Way Force

Selected second overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, Byfield entered the league carrying heavy expectations. Comparisons to elite power forwards came quickly, but his path has been less about flashy dominance and more about steady refinement. After a developmental start to his career, which was also plagued by injury and illness, Byfield has increasingly shown he can impact games beyond the scoresheet.

At 6-foot-5 with exceptional skating ability, Byfield has grown into a viable shutdown centerman. His length and awareness make him a versatile asset in all zones, capable of absorbing top-line matchups and providing critical penalty-kill minutes. Offensively, his playmaking is blossoming, as it was his standout trait in the Ontario Hockey League. While he hasn't fully unlocked his scoring ceiling yet, given that his most regular linemates last season weren't high-end offensive weapons, his hockey IQ and vision create optimism that he will produce at a high clip.

If Kopitar represents the Kings' past at center, Byfield represents its stylistically evolved future: one rooted in responsible two-way play, modern mobility, and an expanding offensive toolkit. Byfield almost matched his complete output from a season prior in the most recent NHL session, but this time, while dedicated to a full year at center. This was enough for Team Canada to extend an invitation to him to attend Canada's Olympic camp for 2026.

Drew Doughty and Quinton Byfield have been invited to Team Canada’s orientation camp in preparation for the 2026 Italy Winter Olympics.

They are among 42 total invited players.#GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/HlnKAYAV9H

— Lak.Daily (@DailyLak) August 1, 2025

Alex Laferriere: The Motor on the Wing

Laferriere may not have been a top draft pick, but he has quickly become a critical piece in the Kings' youth movement. Drafted in the third round in 2020, the Harvard product plays a relentless, high-energy game that has translated well to the NHL level. While still adjusting to the rigors of the pro schedule, Laferriere's motor, forechecking intensity, and scoring upside made him an easy choice to be re-signed recently to a three-year extension.

He may never be a 40-goal scorer, or even a 30-goal scorer, but his consistency, attitude, and offensive instincts have made him a viable top-six option. More importantly, he brings a contagious competitiveness that aligns with the Kings' long-term vision. Laferriere looks to be a key complementary piece that elevates the play of his linemates and can be trusted in tight playoff-style games. However, the young Ivy League product has yet to really make his presence felt in the playoffs, having only one goal in 11 games played. 

As he continues to develop, he will likely remain a reliable defensive forward with some offensive upside, especially if he gets more minutes in April and beyond. Three years might not shout out 'long term core piece', but his age and alignment towards the team's pursuit signals otherwise.

THREE MORE YEARS! 👑

Alex Laferriere has signed an extension with the @LAKings! pic.twitter.com/TqghVuyetn

— NHL (@NHL) August 2, 2025

Brandt Clarke: The X-Factor on the Blue Line

Few prospects have drawn more buzz in Los Angeles than Clarke. A dynamic, offensively inclined defenseman with elite puck-moving capabilities, Clarke represents a stylistic departure from the stay-at-home defenders of the Kings' past and present situation. In a defensive corps that contains defense-first or defense-only players like Mikey Anderson, Joel Edmundson, Brian Dumoulin, Cody Ceci, and, of late, Drew Doughty, Clarke practically represents the team's sole source of offensive output on the backend.

His brief play in the AHL and last season's NHL showcase with Doughty out most of the season showcased his ability to quarterback a power play, transition the puck with authority, and jump into the rush when given a loose leash.

However, Clarke's challenge lies in defensive consistency. His ceiling is undeniable, but the team has exercised caution in his deployment, opting for growth through sheltered minutes and controlled environments. Warning: This same treatment and the emergence of Clarke would eventually lead to the departure of Jordan Spence, who had previously been included in this list of future core homegrown players.

Still, at the end of the day, if Clarke is appropriately developed, he has all the makings of a modern top-pairing offensively leaning defenseman. While not likely ever going to be an 'Evan Bouchard-Quinn Hughes-Cale Makar' output type of defenseman, he should easily replace the offensive void that will emerge when Doughty eventually retires. It's almost a certainty that the defensive gap between Clarke and Doughty will stay extensive for the entirety of Clarke's career.

Nobody is ready for the season that Brandt Clarke is about to have. #GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/3EzbSfNmrS

— Josh Kendall (@turcotte2point0) July 27, 2025

The Goaltending Question: No Successor in Sight

Where the Kings' future core begins to blur is in the crease. For over a decade, Quick was an absolute rock, a fortress behind the Kings' defensive structure. But since his departure, the team has rotated through options like Joonas Korpisalo, Cam Talbot, and now Darcy Kuemper. While Kuemper's resurgence has been critical, as he was the first Kings Vezina finalist since Quick himself, he is 34, and the team lacks a clear and succession plan.

Erik Portillo, 24 years old, remains the most promising internal option, having performed well at the AHL level. But he is still viewed as a work-in-progress, not yet ready for the responsibilities of an NHL backup, let alone a starter. This potentially exposes the Kings should Kuemper falter or have his age/past demons in Washington catch up.

Unlike Byfield, Laferriere, or Clarke, there's no blue-chip netminding prospect clearly on the trajectory to become the next franchise goaltender. The Kings have long been able to lean on dependable goaltending, but that cushion is vanishing, raising serious long-term concerns.

The Pipeline: Once Towering, Now Tapered

Just a few seasons ago, the Kings were heralded as having the league's deepest prospect pipeline. Names like Gabriel Vilardi, Arthur Kaliyev, Rasmus Kupari, Alex Turcotte, and Tobias Bjornfot gave the fanbase hope for a prolonged window. Yet, only a few of those names have blossomed, remained with the team, or developed into prospective core contributors.

In some cases, such as Kupari and Bjornfot, trades and free agency pickups have stunted growth and blocked roster spots. Kaliyev, while one of the more intriguing prospects the Kings have drafted in this century with his pure and lethal scoring ability, struggled with consistency while suffocated in the bottom six. Turcotte, once a top-tier prospect, has battled injuries and stagnation. 

The result? A once-sprawling farm system has been trimmed to a few emerging stars and hopefuls.

More recently, there's Liam Greentree, the team's 2024 first-round pick, who could change that narrative. A big-bodied, skilled winger with scoring instincts, Greentree has the potential to complement Byfield or Laferriere in future top-six roles. But he's still years away and shouldn't be viewed as an immediate fix. It's also a clear-cut need for him to expedite his breakout sooner rather than later, playing above his expected threshold for the team to be viewed as a serious contender down the road, something of an anemic trait of these Los Angeles Kings prospects.

League Comparison: Where Does LA Stand?

In comparison to rebuilding or retooling teams, the Kings' emerging core is promising, but perhaps not elite. The Anaheim Ducks boast names like Mason McTavish, Leo Carlsson, and Olen Zellweger. Buffalo has built a core around Owen Power, Rasmus Dahlin, and Tage Thompson. Detroit is brimming with upside through Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider.

Anaheim and Buffalo were cellar dwellers and could be again. Detroit made a surprising run for the playoffs last year with former Kings bench boss Todd McLellan, but they aren't necessarily in the same category as the Kings.

The Kings aren't relatable to these teams in their up-and-coming cores simply because they are neither rebuilding nor retooling. They are rolling the dice on championship legacy while balancing out the next generation. Their closest comparable is the Pittsburgh Penguins, who chose to stand behind an aging trio of Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and the ageless Sidney Crosby. That didn't fare well.

The Kings have a blend of NHL-ready youth and established elite veterans. That mix can be potent if managed correctly, but when matched up against clubs with their core talent in their primes, there's a dilemma. The challenge has been and continues to be threading the needle between competing now with aging stars like Kopitar and Doughty, and nurturing players like Byfield and Clarke without rushing them.

With the window narrowing on their Cup-winning veterans, the Kings must decide to invest in short-term competitiveness through trades and veteran additions, or double down on development and ride the wave of their emerging stars. Either approach carries risk, but also the potential to extend LA's relevance or irrelevance (see player-option UFA's/free agents/other players wanting to come to LA) into the next era.

Conclusion: The Foundation Is There

The Kings aren't short on talent; they're short on time. Byfield, Laferriere, and Clarke are legitimate pieces to build around, Greentree offers a promising addition to that future, and there's talent in the goaltending pipeline, but an unknown timeframe for readiness. Without an apparent goaltending heir and with a diminished pipeline, the pressure on this trio to succeed in the short term, surrounded by Rob Blake's legacy moves and now Ken Holland's vision, is immense.

If handled correctly, they could usher in a new era of Kings hockey—one that trades grit for glide, and age for athleticism. But if their development falters or injuries strike, the team may find itself in a more daunting next five years than expected.

For now, the future looks bright, but fragile. Los Angeles has its next core. Now they must make it count.

The Minnesota Wild traded forwards Marat Khusnutdinov and Jakub Lauko, along with a 2026 sixth round pick, to the Boston Bruins for forward Justin Brazeau at the traded deadline. 

Lauko played in 18 games with the Bruins after the trade and just signed a three-year deal in the Czech Extraliga League. Khusnutdinov re-signed on a two-year deal with the Bruins after the trade. 

Brazeau, 27, played in 19 games for the Wild following the trade. He had one goal, one assist and 34 hits. He played in all six playoff games for the Wild on the fourth line with Marco Rossi and Yakov Trenin.

The 6-foot-5 forward had two assists and 22 hits in six playoff games. Trenin and Brazeau combined for 56 hits in the playoffs. 

Minnesota elected not to re-sign Brazeau so he entered free agency and signed a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $1.5 million with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He is reunited with Penguins General Manager Kyle Dubas, who signed him in 2019 with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Other Wild News

Former Minnesota Wild Forward Signs Multi-Year Contract In Czech Extraliga LeagueAfter just 139 games in the NHL, the former Minnesota Wild forward Jakub Lauko is heading to Europe to play for Dynamo Pardubice, in the Czech Extraliga League.  Wild's Marco Rossi Training With Hall Of Famer Joe Thornton The offseason is in full swing and players have begun to start training with training camp and preseason just under two months from now.  Who's In Charge? Wild's Power Play Has Three CommandersST. PAUL, Minn - The Minnesota Wild enter the 2025-26 season with a good problem on its hands. Who runs the top power play? In previous years, the Wild never really had a sure-fire number one type of defenseman who could run the top unit. 

Jun 28, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Nashville Predators general manager David Poile during the 2023 NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

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Dec 26, 2022/vol. 76, issue 08

HERB FRITCH

BY DAVID BOCLAIR

THE CURRENT SEASON marks the start of a notable transition in Nashville. Chairman Herb Fritch has sold a percentage of his majority stake in the franchise to former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. The deal, which the team referred to as a “multi-phased purchase transaction,” will eventually leave Haslam as majority owner. The transition reportedly will be complete ahead of the 2025-26 season.

When the local ownership group bought the team from Craig Leipold in 2007, Fritch took on a 36.7-percent share. He’d later add more shares to become majority owner. In 2019, in a long-planned and peaceful switch, he replaced Tom Cigarran as chairman.

Fritch set out to make this latest move equally easy on all involved. He personally identified “three or four” people he believed had the interest, resources and local ties to take his spot and ensure the club’s long-term success. Eventually, he settled on Haslam, whose personal fortune Forbes placed at $2.6 billion.

Fritch, a season-ticket holder dating all the way back to the Preds’ 1998-99 inaugural season, has kept a low profile throughout his ownership tenure. In fact, he and his wife, Barb, spend the majority of their time at games in their traditional seats rather than the owner’s suite. He has never conducted annual press conferences to offer his thoughts on the state of affairs on the ice. Likewise, while he signed off on coaching changes, he is not the one who spoke publicly about them when they were made.

Fritch made his fortune in the healthcare industry and uses his wealth to indulge his appreciation for wildlife. For more than two decades, he has been licensed to own exotic animals, and his suburban Nashville farm has been home to giraffes, bison, elk, wallabies and some next-level aquariums.

His eventual sale of the Preds will stuff his coffers further. His group bought the franchise for $175 million, and a recent report said the deal with Haslam is based on a current $775-million valuation.

Haslam – whose brother Jimmy owns the NFL’s Cleveland Browns – is deeply ingrained in the culture in the state of Tennessee. Bill Haslam served two terms as Tennessee governor – assuming office in 2011 and serving until 2019. His term in the governorship came after he served two terms as mayor of Knoxville, Tenn.

NHL VALUATIONS

$810M

FORBES

$775M

SPORTICO

$800M

ROUSTAN

TOP BUSINESS EXECUTIVE

SEAN HENRY

SEAN HENRY APPLIED TO become the Predators’ CEO in 2009 when the local ownership group sought someone with experience to direct the franchise’s business operations and Bridgestone Arena (then-Sommet Center).

Ultimately, he accepted an offer to be president-COO. He then laid out a plan to make annual improvements and upgrades to the arena. He also reinforced and re-energized the team’s connection to its fan base and increased the club’s focus on community involvement.

On Dec. 1, 2015, he succeeded Jeff Cogen as CEO. Henry has brought a blue-collar, everyman approach to the role – which plays well with the fan base.

More importantly, following the 2018-19 season, Henry’s business plan for the team led to a new 30-year lease with Nashville, which will keep the Predators in Bridgestone Arena until 2049. The deal relieved the city of any financial obligation toward arena maintenance and effectively made the Predators self-sufficient.

GOVERNOR AND ALTERNATE GOVERNORS

HERB FRITCH

ALTERNATE GOVERNORS: Tom Cigarran, Sean Henry, Joey Jacobs, David Poile

TOP HOCKEY EXECUTIVE

DAVID POILE

ALREADY THIS SEASON, DAVID Poile became the first GM in NHL history with 3,000 regular-season games to his credit. A short time later, he became the first to win 1,500 games in that role.

Yet there is no getting around what he has not done. Poile has never won a Stanley Cup. The closest he came was when, in 2017, the Predators lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games in the Stanley Cup final.

Consistency is the hallmark of Poile’s career. He is a steady hand willing to make big trades, but he also avoids knee-jerk reactions. As the only GM in Predators history, having been hired July 9, 1997, he has had just three coaches head the bench during his tenure. And Poile has made just one in-season coaching change.

All but his last Washington Capitals team (1996-97) reached the playoffs, and Nashville has been to the post-season 15 of the past 18 years. Yet no Stanley Cup.

COMMUNITY INITIATIVE

THE PREDATORS’ MOST substantial community initiative is the 365 Pediatric Cancer Fund, which gets players, staff and fans involved to fund research and provides escapes for families dealing with pediatric cancer. Initially, D-man Shea Weber and goalie Pekka Rinne served as the fund’s faces, and “365” was an amalgamation of the numbers they wore in Nashville and a nod to the everyday quest to find a cure.

Created more than a decade ago – under the name Nashville Predators Pediatric Cancer Research Fund – it has donated more than $3.6 million to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. This season’s fundraising push kicked off in November as part of the greater Hockey Fights Cancer initiative, which means that number will rise by the end of the 2022-23 season.

The franchise also has been involved with the YWCA of Nashville to create Amend Together, a five-year, $500,000 partnership designed to create educational initiatives and support programs dedicated to ending violence against women and girls. The program seeks to create and foster “healthy masculinity” so that men and boys are part of the solution.

Predators CEO Sean Henry serves as an Amend ambassador, which puts him on the front lines of the effort’s planning, fundraising and outreach.

However, franchise leadership demands that community involvement goes beyond simply raising money and distributing grants through the Nashville Predators Foundation or generating goodwill through players’ initiatives. All staff members get paid for 40 hours (or more) of work annually to be involved in service projects outside of the office. Among them are annual staff outings for playground construction and holiday initiatives, but employees are free to choose their own causes to support with their time and energy.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are about to embark on Season 1 of the post-Mitch-Marner Era. But while Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving tried valiantly to fill Marner’s spot in the top-six group of forwards, he’s done particularly great work changing up Toronto’s bottom-six forward group. 

Toronto’s high-end players – Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares and Matthew Knies – need to step up with big seasons next year, but if the Leafs are to improve on getting to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, there’s going to need to be some incredible competition in the Buds’ bottom-two forward lines.

For starters, you can rest assured that new Leafs center Nicolas Roy – acquired in the sign-and-trade deal sending Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights – is going to be a lock to start the season as Toronto’s third-line center. Roy was not acquired to be shunted to the wing on the fourth line. He’s there to play solid two-way hockey and make Toronto a tougher team to play against. 

Meanwhile, on the Maple Leafs’ fourth-line, there’s also a sense that the center role is already taken – in this instance, by veteran Scott Laughton. The former Philadelphia Flyers center took a while to find his stride as a Leaf, but by the time Toronto’s second-round series against the Florida Panthers was over, Laughton was one of the Leafs’ most dogged competitors. And he’s under a great contract situation, accounting for just $1.5-million against the salary cap. 

So, the real questions about the Leafs next season are essentially the wingers on Toronto’s bottom two lines. You’ve got wingers who probably are going to be in the lineup in Game 1 of the Buds’ 2025-26 regular-season – guys like veteran Bobby McMann and Calle Jarnkrok. Then, you’ve got the Maple Leafs’ most recent acquisition, former Vancouver Canucks winger Dakota Joshua. He’s not going to be a healthy scratch anytime soon. 

Finally, you’ve got a trio of forwards, only one of which will be Toronto’s other fourth-line winger. From our perspective, that will be youngster Steven Lorentz, who was an admirable soldier for coach Craig Berube last year. Then, there’s forward David Kampf, who is a natural center but who can slide over to the wing if need be. In addition, former Montreal Canadiens winger Michael Pezzetta joined the team, and he may force Berube’s hand and stick with the NHL club. And the guy more people should be talking about, Leafs prospect Easton Cowan, also intends to make Toronto’s opening-night roster.

From our calculations, there’s no room for Robertson, Pezzetta and Kampf right now – and that’s even if Cowan plays for the American League’s Toronto Marlies next season. And that’s why people are wondering if Kampf, Jarnkrok and Robertson are going to be on the trade block, if they’re not already there. Toronto has some relatively highly-paid veterans, and Treliving needs to peel off at least one or two of them to give himself cap flexibility during the season.

So, between now and training camp, don’t be shocked to see the Maple Leafs make a couple more roster moves. They’re under the cap ceiling right now, with $1.9 million in cap space. But they’ll need to accrue more cap space to be a mover-and-shaker at the trade deadline, and that’s what Berube and Treliving will want as they chart a course without Marner. 

Ultimately, while not having Marner around will hurt, Toronto now has one of the better bottom-six groups of forwards in the league. And the competition for jobs on the third and fourth lines will only help the Maple Leafs improve from the bottom up.

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Although the Toronto Maple Leafs and Nick Robertson settled on a one-year, $1.825 million contract on Saturday, could the young forward still be on his way out?

It’s been a year since the 23-year-old requested a trade out of Toronto, and after a career year when it comes to goalscoring (15 goals in 69 games), Robertson will still have a difficult time cracking the lineup consistently with all of the Maple Leafs’ moves this summer.

Toronto added Nicolas Roy via a sign-and-trade with the Vegas Golden Knights for Mitch Marner right before free agency opened. The club also acquired Matias Maccelli and Dakota Joshua through trade.

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts, there’s been chatter about Robertson potentially ending up with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“I had a couple of people ask me about the possibility of Nick Robertson in Pittsburgh, just because obviously Kyle Dubas knows him,” said Friedman. 

“They got the arbitration settled on Saturday, $1.825 million. The Maple Leafs have to clear some bodies there, they’ve got a lot of them. I had one Columbus fan ask me if [Yegor] Chinakhov or Robertson made sense. I don’t know, I think Toronto would have to do more to get that done. 

“I definitely think that the Maple Leafs have work to do here, and I don’t know what their timeline is, but nobody expects them not to do things before puck drops, that’s for sure.”

Former Maple Leafs Forward Nazem Kadri Reacts To Being Snubbed From Team Canada’s 2026 Olympic Orientation CampDespite a career-high of 35 goals, Calgary Flames forward and former Toronto Maple Leafs star Nazem Kadri was left off Hockey Canada’s Olympic Orientation Camp Roster. The camp is set to take place later in August.

Robertson was drafted by the Maple Leafs in the second round (53rd overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft and has often had challenges securing a full-time lineup spot with Toronto. He dealt with numerous injuries during his first couple of years in pro hockey, however, over time, the forward has put together a string of healthy seasons.

Robertson played 56 games in 2023-24, scoring 27 points (14 goals and 13 assists), before reaching a career-high in games-played this past season, with 22 points in 69 appearances. Although he did play more games in 2024-25, Robertson began this year’s playoffs in the lineup, but fell out of the group after two games in round one against the Ottawa Senators.

Maple Leafs' Ben Danford Praises Fellow Toronto Pick Victor Johansson On Growth Over Last YearVictor Johansson got the upper hand on fellow Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick Ben Danford at the World Junior Summer Showcase this week.

He finished the postseason with three games — two against Ottawa and one against the Florida Panthers in the second round — and two points (one goal and one assist). In 156 career NHL games, Robertson has put together 32 goals and 24 assists for 56 points.

This article originally appeared on The Hockey News: 'Nobody Expects Them Not To Do Things Before Puck Drops': Could Maple Leafs Still Move Nick Robertson After Contract Signing?

(Top photo of Robertson: Kim Klement Neitzel / Imagn Images)

Arseny Gritsyuk signed with the New Jersey Devils at the end of last season and is expected to make his NHL debut this fall. However, in a recent interview with Russian outlet Sports-Express, the 24-year-old forward clarified the timeline of his move and his expectations.

Gritsyuk has spent the last two seasons with SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), where he posted impressive numbers. In 2023–24, he recorded 38 points in 50 games. Last season, he improved to 44 points in 49 games.

SKA announced on social media that both Gritsyuk and teammate Zakhar Bardakov would be leaving the club to head to North America.

Both Zakhar Bardakov and Arseniy Gritsyuk are leaving SKA.

The pair will continue their respective careers in North America.

We would like to thank them for their efforts with our club in Saint Petersburg! Good luck!#hcSKApic.twitter.com/uSpwtlOD1O

— SKA Ice Hockey Club (@hcSKA_News) June 11, 2025

In his interview with Sports-Express, Gritsyuk revealed this move was always part of the plan:

"We had it set: two years with SKA, then off to the NHL," he said.

Off the ice, Gritsyuk has also been preparing for the transition, particularly when it comes to the language barrier.

"I took lessons twice weekly before, but I've slacked off lately," he admitted. "Basic talk is fine: I know lots of words. Those small connecting words give me trouble, though."

Gritsyuk officially signed his entry-level contract with the Devils on May 7, 2025.

Grits are now a New Jersey delicacy. We don’t make the rules.

📰: https://t.co/GC5AMmirz9pic.twitter.com/x6tVaXNuLM

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) May 6, 2025

The following day, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald addressed the media:“He’s going to get an opportunity to show what he can do… He’s highly skilled. He’s going to get an opportunity to play for our team.”

Fitzgerald on Arseniy Gritsyuk: “He’s going to get an opportunity to show what he can do…He’s highly skilled. He’s going to get an opportunity to play for our team.”

— Bill Spaulding (@BillSpaulding) May 8, 2025

Gritsyuk is expected to compete for a roster spot in training camp. But if he doesn't make the NHL lineup, he made it clear he has a backup plan—and potentially a deadline for how long he’d stay in North America without securing an NHL role.

That might sound concerning, but it’s important context: a demotion to the AHL’s Utica Comets would come with a steep pay cut under his entry-level deal. Still, Gritsyuk is motivated to make the leap this fall and fulfill the NHL dream he’s been building toward for years.

Photo Credit: © George Walker IV-Imagn Images

New York Islanders prospect Daniil Prokhorov is attending Dynamo Moscow's training camp on a PTO, per Hockey News Hub. 

Prokhorov, 18, was drafted in the second round (No. 45) of the 2025 NHL Draft and was in attendance for development camp, where he was a standout, especially in the Blue & White Scrimmage. 

Islanders Select Hard-Hitting Forward Daniil Prokhorov With Their Second-Round SelectionAfter a successful first day at the 2025 NHL Draft, the New York Islanders used the 42nd overall pick to select forward Daniil Prokhorov of the MHL.

The 6'5, 209-lb right-winger's PTO with Dynamo lasts until Aug. 29, before the club has to make a decision. 

Prokhorov has played the last two seasons for St. Petersburg Dynamo Jr, in the MHL, a third-tier league in Russia, two behind the KHL. Making the KHL will be a challenge, as he'd have to jump two leagues to secure a spot.

In 2024-25, Prokhorov recorded 27 points (20 goals, seven assists) in 43 games.

#Isles fans will love Daniil Prokhorov pic.twitter.com/aMVCxzfCpw

— Hockey News Hub (@HockeyNewsHub) June 28, 2025

If Prokhorov does not make the KHL squad, he does have options. 

He can return to the MHL for a third season, as the age cut-off is 20. He could play for a VHL team, which is like the AHL version of the KHL, signing a two-way deal with a KHL squad.

But Prohkorov can also decide to come to North America, since he was selected 42nd overall in the CHL Import Draft by the Sarnia Sting.

Islanders prospect Jesse Nurmi elected to come over to North America for the 2024-25 season, playing for the London Knights in an effort to get acclimated to the game on this side of the pond and the way of life. He did win the Memorial Cup. 

Prokhorov's goal is to make Dynamo Moscow, and if he does, that will be huge for his development to become a potential NHL player for the Islanders in the near future. 

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If the Montreal Canadiens struggled against the Boston Bruins last season, the same cannot be said about the Buffalo Sabres. The Habs faced the Sabres four times last season and swept the season series with three regulation wins and an overtime one. In the four games, Montreal outscored Buffalo 21-11.

The Initial game between the two teams was an entertaining one. Twice, the Canadiens took the lead, but the Sabres pushed back before taking the lead in the second frame. Captain Nick Suzuki took matters into his own hands and scored a pair of goals to tie the game back before giving the Habs the lead once again. Buffalo came out strong in the third, scoring two quick goals to take a 5-4 lead, but Montreal rallied, scoring three goals in the last 10 minutes to win 7-5. This was an important game for the young Canadiens, one in which they learned it wasn’t over until the final buzzer and they had the talent to fight blow for blow on the scoreboard.

Canadiens: Hutson Left Off The Team USA Orientation Camp Invite List
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The Canadiens' most dominating performance against their divisional rival came in the second meeting of the season when they scored a 6-1 win on the back of Patrik Laine’s hat trick, with the three goals coming on the power play. While Buffalo’s lack of discipline was costly, since the Habs scored three goals on six opportunities, the Habs' discipline wasn’t much better since they served five penalties, but their penalty kill was flawless.

March saw the two teams battle it out in a home-and-away series, and the Canadiens won both matches, even though they needed overtime to seal the deal in the final meeting of the season. Mike Matheson scored the overtime winner just 1:21 into the extra frame.

The Sabres have undergone significant changes since those four wins; however, the question remains whether these changes were for the better. It’s hard to give a positive answer to that question. Two of their best scorers against the Canadiens, Dylan Cozens (4 points) and J.J. Peterka (5 points), have been traded away.

Cozens was traded to the Ottawa Senators in return for Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker. The latter signed with the Detroit Red Wings as a free agent this offseason. Meanwhile, Peterka was sent to the Utah Mammoth for Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring. Doan is a former second-round pick with NHL bloodlines, but he remains an unproven commodity in the NHL, having played only 62 games and accumulated 28 points. As for Norris, he is a solid addition who has 239 NHL games and 158 points to his name.

Buffalo hasn’t made the playoffs in 14 years, and it appears to be tough for them to retain their biggest names. They did manage to sign Bowen Byran to a two-year deal and Ryan McLeod to a four-year pact and did bring in veteran netminder Alex Lyon, but that won’t be enough to turn the team’s fortune around.

Unless Kevyn Adams and co. make other moves, it will be another tough season in the state of New York for Sabres fans. If Devon Levi lives up to his potential and has a breakout year, the Sabres may show some signs of progress, but otherwise, we could be in for more of the same from the Sabres. As things stand, they shouldn’t even be part of the playoff race conversation, and, on paper at least, the much-improved Canadiens should dominate the match-up this upcoming season.

Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

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While the National Hockey League career of former Detroit Red Wings forward Austin Czarnik may not have been anything record-breaking, he's proving to be one of the most valuable players of his new club in Switzerland.

Czarnik, who played in 63 combined games for the Red Wings from the 2022-23 through 2023-24 NHL seasons, was recently named the regular season MVP in the Swiss National League, the country's top professional league.

Suiting up for SC Bern, Czarnik tallied 20 goals and 36 assists in 49 games played, good for first overall on his team and first overall among all players in the NL.

 

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Next up for MVP Regular Season 🏆
Austin Czarnik @sc_bern_official - Congrats 🥳 pic.twitter.com/KR7tJmWpiT

— National League (@NLch_official) July 31, 2025

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Czarnik is moving on from SC Bern, having signed a contract with Lausanne HC for the upcoming 2025-26 NHL season. 

During his time with the Red Wings organization, he also saw ample time in the American Hockey League with the Grand Rapids Griffins, tallying a total of 24 goals with 41 assists in 81 total games. 

Originally from Washington Township, Michigan (about a 40 minute drive from downtown Detroit), Czarnik played for the Detroit Compuware minor ice hockey team and first began his NHL career with the Boston Bruins in 2015, with whom he signed an entry-level contract after missing out on being drafted. 

He would also see time in the NHL with the Calgary Flames, New York Islanders and Seattle Kraken before joining the Red Wings organization head of the 2022-23 NHL season. 

He managed three goals with two assists with Detroit in the 2022-23 campaign, and would play in 34 games the following season but managed a single assist. 

If Czarnik's career in the NHL is indeed concluded, he finished it by having scored 18 goals with 33 assists in 205 games. 

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We’re now at the halfway point of The Hockey News’ NHL summer splash series with the Ottawa Senators at No. 17.

In these summer splash rankings, we’re looking at every team’s roster additions, departures, hirings and firings to see who improved, got worse and stayed largely the same.

The Senators didn’t make any massive moves this off-season, but they did take care of business by re-signing star center Claude Giroux to a one-year contract at the bargain rate of $2 million. That gives team president Steve Staios a lot more cap space to use, even if he is strategically holding on to his $4.29 million in cap space. 

This is a Sens team on the rise, and they helped their depth to a notable degree while still having some cap flexibility. Can’t say that Staios is doing a bad job, that’s for sure.

Additions

Lars Eller (C), Arthur Kaliyev, (LW) Jordan Spence, (D)

The Breakdown: The Senators went out of the playoffs in the first round against the Toronto Maple Leafs last season, but Sens management is obviously devoted to this core. Staios didn’t make a ton of additions, with greybeard Eller, reclamation project Kaliyev and blueliner Spence being the extent of the newcomers next season.

The Sens probably don’t want you to focus on this off-season, even if they are a slightly-improved squad that almost assuredly will challenge not only for a playoff berth, but to win some series. They want you to focus on Ottawa’s terrific group of young players.

Meanwhile, of the three newcomers, we’re most intrigued by the addition of Spence, a 24-year-old who averaged 16:47 of ice time with the Los Angeles Kings last season. Spence will likely start on Ottawa’s third defense pairing, but we think he’s going to make some notable strides on his way to eventually being in the Sens’ top-four collection of defensemen. 

Departures

Adam Gaudette (RW), Cole Reinhardt (LW), Travis Hamonic (D), Dennis Gilbert (D)

The Breakdown: Of all the departures, the one that hurts the most is the loss of Gaudette, who rode a career-best season – with 19 goals in 81 games – all the way to a $2-million contract with the San Jose Sharks. But it’s not as if the Senators desperately needed his offense, even at a time when the Sens averaged only 2.95 goals per game – which ranked 19th overall last season.

The Senators need their big guns to take a step forward if Ottawa is to be a playoff team to reckon with. Acquiring Spence, Kaliyev and Eller will help make the Sens a deeper team, but they need Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk and Dylan Cozens to step up and ease the pressure on the rest of the team. 

And while the Sens may have wanted Gaudette back at a less-expensive price, Ottawa can use its cap flexibility to acquire talent either sometime before the season begins, or before the next trade deadline day arrives. Staios is in an enviable position, but Senators fans are still watching every move he makes in an effort to hold management accountable. If Staios swings for the fences, Sens supporters really need a home run.

The Bottom Line

The Senators have an above-average group, a hungry group and a determined group. 

And coach Travis Green has to do whatever it takes to instill enough confidence and enough team structure to elevate the games of his best young players. 

Another issue for the Senators is that the Atlantic Division they play in is the most competitive division in the game. And that always spells high drama as Ottawa tries as hard as it can to push past playoff regulars in Toronto, Florida and Tampa Bay and establish a new level of competitiveness they believe Sens youngsters can handle.

To be sure, there’s no reason why this Senators team can’t take that next competitive step. Staios will probably always be looking for experience to add to his young core, but with solid goaltending from Linus Ullmark and Leevi Merilainen and the continued development of some of their younger players, the Sens are almost certainly going to be a playoff contender and a team to keep your eyes on.

Staios still has another swing at the plate this year with the cap space he has at the moment. But it says here the Senators should hang onto their cap space as long as possible, because once the season begins, you want to have talent insurance, and that’s what cap space is there for. The injury bug can lay waste to your year, but having nearly $5-million in cap space assures Staios that he can react to any situation that arises during the year. 

And while the Sens landed roughly in the middle of the pack of our summer splash, we’re firm believers that Ottawa can make some noise this year. They’re low in our rankings because they didn’t do much to improve, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to disappoint their fans next season. To the contrary – this could be the Senators’ best year in recent memory.

Summer Splash Rankings

16. Ottawa Senators

17. Boston Bruins

18. Edmonton Oilers

19. Minnesota Wild

20. Seattle Kraken

21. Columbus Blue Jackets

22. Washington Capitals

23. Nashville Predators

24. New York Islanders

25. Tampa Bay Lightning

26. Toronto Maple Leafs

27. Dallas Stars

28. Calgary Flames

29. Los Angeles Kings

30. Winnipeg Jets

31. Chicago Blackhawks

32. Buffalo Sabres

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Former Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns will embark on a new opportunity at 40 years old. 

After playing three seasons for the Hurricanes, Burns signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Colorado Avalanche. 

Burns still has a desire to play hockey, as retirement is not currently on his mind. 

"I just love it. I love coming to the rink every day and working. It really is the best," Burns said after signing with the Avalanche. "There's a lot of different reasons ... obviously, the biggest one for me is there's still something to chase. I'm still super motivated for that and there's one big goal still."

While Burns is no longer the Norris Trophy-winning defenseman he once was, he has adapted and knows the kind of role he needs to play.

“The game's changed. I feel like every year, it's a little different," Burns said. "You play with different people; you pick up different things. You're always adapting, on and off the ice. That's part of what I enjoy, just trying to figure that stuff out and always trying to get better and keep playing.” 

Don Waddell Claims Adam Fox Committed To Future With Hurricanes Before Backing Out There was a time when Adam Fox committed to a future with the Carolina Hurricanes, believe it or not. 

Burns played 246 games for the Hurricanes, recording 34 goals, 99 assists, and 133 points while averaging 21:53 minutes.

Five years ago today, the Vancouver Canucks embarked on their first playoff (plus play-in) run in five years. Granted, this playoff series took place without the help of home-ice advantage and with extensive COVID-19 procedures in place — but it was still a playoff series nonetheless. Let’s take a look back at the 2020 Bubble Playoffs and how the Canucks performed during them. 

The Bubble Playoffs were the first taste of playoff action that the majority of the Canucks’ young core had been exposed to at the time. Former Canucks captain Bo Horvat had only played in six postseason games back in 2015. Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, Brock Boeser, and Thatcher Demko had no playoff experience. Prior to this run, J.T. Miller had 61 playoff games under his belt, while veterans and career Canucks (at the time) Chris Tanev and Alex Edler had 16 and 65 respectively (both of which included games played during the 2011 Stanley Cup run). 

Because of the league-wide shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, no NHL teams were able to finish their regular season. As a result, the league introduced a play-in tournament that allowed teams to clinch their spot in the playoffs by beating another competitor in a best-of-five series. The top-four teams in each conference were automatically guaranteed a playoff spot, though they still had to take part in a round-robin tournament that would later determine playoff seeding. Vancouver finished their season seventh in the Western Conference with 78 points in 69 games, placing them in the play-in group. To officially qualify for the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, they had to beat the Minnesota Wild in five games. 

Vancouver got off to a poor start to their bubble playoff run, surrendering two power play goals to the Wild in what ultimately resulted in a 3–0 loss. Micheal Ferland and Marcus Foligno kicked the series off with a fight a little over a minute into the game. A little over a minute later, Edler took a tripping penalty that sent the Wild onto the power play, where Kevin Fiala captialized on the opportunity. The Canucks took two more penalties before the end of the first period, one on Tyler Myers for cross-checking, and one on the bench for too many men.  

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The Canucks’ second penalty didn’t come until halfway through the second period, when Tanner Pearson slashed Carson Soucy, sending Minnesota on the power play once again. This time, it was Jared Spurgeon who scored for the Wild. Spurgeon also got an empty-net goal near the end of the game to seal the deal for Minnesota, who left the game with a 1–0 lead in the series. By the end of the game, Vancouver had taken six penalties as well as Ferland’s fighting major and a game misconduct for Antoine Roussel. 

This game’s result was not encouraging for Canucks fans. Minnesota goaltender Alex Stalock had stopped all 28 of Vancouver’s shots on net, with Horvat and Tyler Toffoli being held to none. The Canucks were not alone in their misery, however, as both the Nashville Predators and the Toronto Maple Leafs also lost their series-opening games on the same day. 

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The Buffalo Sabres should be in the market for an impact top-six forward after dealing winger JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth for defenseman Michael Kesselring and winger Josh Doan, but the opening weeks of free agency did not provide GM Kevyn Adams with an opportunity to replace Peterka’s production, and with the two-year deal signed earlier this month with defenseman Bowen Byram, Adams will have to try to acquire a scoring forward with younger players, prospects, and/or draft picks. 

The name of Columbus winger Dmitri Voronkov has continued to circulate in trade chatter in spite of the 25-year-old signing a two-year contract extension last month. The hulking 6’5”, 227 lb. forward was a fourth-round pick of the Blue Jackets in 2019 and spent four seasons in the KHL before breaking out with 18 goals with Ak-Bars Kazan in 2023. After signing a two-year entry-level contract, he posted the same number of goals as an NHL rookie in 2024 and set a career-high with 23 goals last season. 

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There are reasons to be skeptical of Columbus having any interest in trading Voronkov, as he is locked up for two more seasons at a $4.175 million AAV and is retainable for another year as an arbitration-eligible RFA. Unless he is not happy with the Blue Jackets like fellow countryman Yegor Chinakhov is, GM Don Waddell will want to make a hockey deal involving an NHL player. 

What Would It Cost?

The Sabres again would have some insight on Voronkov with Jarmo Kekalainen as a senior advisor, and undoubtedly would be interested in the 24-year-old, since he has size and would be able to plug the hole created by the trade of Peterka to Utah. The cost would likely have to be a young forward with years of control, since the Blue Jackets have four defensemen making over $4 million signed for multiple years. Zach Benson, Jack Quinn or Jiri Kulich would have to be part of the deal.   

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The Chicago Blackhawks have plenty of intriguing prospects in their system. One of them is goaltender Drew Commesso, as many feel that the 23-year-old netminder could become a nice part of the Blackhawks' future.

Commesso appeared in his first two NHL games this past season with the Blackhawks, where he sported a 0-1-0 record, a .846 save percentage, and a 3.36 goals-against average. The Norwell, Massachusetts native spent the bulk of the campaign in the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs, however. In 39 games with the AHL squad in 2024-25, he had an 18-15-4 record, a .911 save percentage, and a 2.54 goals-against average.

During his first season with the AHL club in 2023-24, Commesso had a .906 save percentage and a 2.65 goals-against average in 38 games. Thus, the 2020 second-round pick took a bit of a step forward in his development this past season with Rockford. Now, his goal from here will be to continue to improve to increase his odds of getting more NHL time in 2025-26. 

When looking at the Blackhawks' current goalie depth, it is likely that Commesso will start the season in the AHL. However, if he continues to trend in the right direction, it certainly should open the door for him to get more chances with the Blackhawks. The potential for him to become a good NHL goaltender is there, and it will be fascinating to see if he can hit a new level next season from here. 

Blackhawks: 3 Teams Who Could Target Connor MurphyChicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy is a player to keep an eye on. The right-shot blueliner is entering the final season of his contract, so he certainly stands out as a potential trade chip for the rebuilding Blackhawks. This is especially so when NHL teams are often willing to pay more for big, right-shot defenseman.

Photo Credit:  © Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Flyers have been connected to a host of different centers in trade rumors this offseason, but there's still one nobody is talking about.

Young centers like Mason McTavish and Marco Rossi are drawing most of the attention these days, but rarely, if ever, does the Florida Panthers' Anton Lundell get brought up in these discussions.

But, why should he after winning the Stanley Cup in back-to-back years?

The answer is simple: the Panthers may not be able to afford to keep him due to their salary cap situation; they're currently $3.725 million over the cap ceiling.

Forward Evan Rodrigues has been floated as a trade candidate due to his $3 million cap hit. The Panthers can then make up the difference by assigning another forward to the AHL if and when necessary.

But, teams know the Panthers need to shed money to become cap compliant. That's where a team like the Flyers, with all their prospects and future draft capital, can strong-arm the Panthers into giving up a higher value asset like Lundell.

Lundell, 23, is signed through 2030 at a $5 million cap hit and doesn't have trade protection at any point in the deal.

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Despite slotting in behind Sam Bennett and captain Sasha Barkov in the Panthers' lineup, Lundell has still impressively managed 44 and 45 points, respectively, in two of his four NHL seasons so far.

Most importantly, at least for the Flyers, is the Finn's playoff performances thus far.

Lundell has already played 77 playoff games, reaching the Stanley Cup Final in each of the last three years and winning the Cup in 2024 and 2025.

In those 77 games, the former No. 12 overall pick has 12 goals, 34 assists, and 46 points, including nine goals, 26 assists, and 35 points in his last 47 games, which culminated in two Stanley Cups.

Between Lundell, Trevor Zegras, Jack Nesbitt, Jett Luchanko, Jack Berglund, and Heikki Ruohonen, the Flyers should be set down the middle for the long haul.

As for a potential Flyers trade package, Philadelphia doesn't have much, at least for the sake of saving cap space, of use to Florida, though a player like Bobby Brink could make some sense, just not on his own.

The 24-year-old winger has one year remaining on his contract at an extraordinarily reasonable $1.5 million cap hit and will be an RFA upon its expiry next summer.

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Brink quietly posted a career-high 41 points last season, even while primarily featuring on a checking line alongside Noah Cates and Tyson Foerster.

That would bode well for the Panthers, given the style they like to play.

So long as Brink continues to develop, or even maintains this level of play, he's as much of a long-term asset as Lundell, just at a different position.

It should be noted that the Flyers have their first three picks in each of the next three drafts, including two first-round picks in 2027.

They more than likely won't be willing to move their 2026 first-round pick, which could land them Gavin McKenna, but the Flyers have plenty of draft capital to pony up for the Panthers.

The Panthers can then, in turn, convert those assets into a player at the trade deadline to aid them in their quest for a three-peat and beyond.

Panthers GM Bill Zito is smarter than to be coerced into giving up a young stud like Lundell, but even Tom Brady had bad games.

Let's see how the next few weeks unfold if the Flyers attempt to stay active.