Czech goaltender Aleš Stezka, 28, has signed a three-year contract with Kometa Brno, the Czech Extraliga club announced on Wednesday.

Stezka had played the last two seasons in North America in the Seattle Kraken organization.

“After the end of the season, my agents and family started discussing what to do next,” said Stezka. “Mr. Zábranský approached me and asked if I would be interested in signing a contract with Kometa. The negotiations were very pleasant, positive, and I have to say that the agreement was great, fast, and fair. I liked the vision for the future. We had talked about it some time ago, but I decided to stay overseas. I am very happy that Mr. Zábranský contacted me again and that I can become part of a club with a great tradition and great fans.”

Originally from Plzeň in Western Bohemia, Stezka played youth hockey in Tremosna and Liberec before playing two years of junior hockey in the USHL with the Sioux Falls Stampede and Chicago Steel. He was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

After playing six pro seasons back home in Czechia, which included 112 Extraliga games for Bílí Tygři Liberec, Piráti Chomutov and HC Vítkovice.

Former NHL Goalie Chris Driedger Signs In KHL Canadian goaltender Chris Driedger, 31, has signed a one-year contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk, the KHL club announced on Tuesday.

Over the past two seasons, he played one NHL game for the Kraken on Feb. 24, stopping 20 of 23 shots in a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He spent the rest of the time playing in the AHL for the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

He’s coming to a Kometa team that is the reigning Extraliga champion, and has under contract for 2025-26 former teammate Peter Mueller and also 25-year-old defenseman Filip Král, who played two games for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2023-24 and whose NHL rights are currently retained by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“It’s clear to me that I’m going to a club that has the highest ambitions, is followed by the media and the pressure is huge from all sides,” said Stezka. “But I’m ready for it. I’ll try to do my best for Kometa. We want to play good hockey, to get results and entertain our fans.”

Photo © Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Kometa Brno Returns To Top Of Czech Extraliga Kometa Brno is once again the champion of the Czech Extraliga, defeating Dynamo Pardubice 3-0 in the seventh and decisive game of the finals on Tuesday night in Pardubice. It was the second series in a row that the team won a seventh game on the road.

The Florida Panthers have won their second consecutive Stanley Cup following a 5-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers Tuesday night. Once again, the ECHL was well-represented on a Stanley Cup Champion team.

For the 25th consecutive year, the ECHL is represented on the Stanley Cup champion with Panthers Assistant General Manager Brett Peterson; Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations Paul Krepelka; Assistant Coach Jamie Kompon; Goaltending Coach Robb Tallas; players Vitek Vanecek and Carter Verhaeghe; Professional Scouts P.J. Fenton and Sean Backman; Amateur Scouts Dillon Donnelly, Josh Monk and Ken Morin; Assistant Athletic Trainer Brian Riedel; Assistant Equipment Managers Thomas Anderson, Dakota King and Joe Wiezczek and Radio Broadcaster Doug Plagens.

Peterson skated in 317 career ECHL games over five seasons with Atlantic City, Johnstown, Florida and Phoenix from 2004-09. He is in his fourth season in the Panthers front office, and upon hiring in November 2020, he became the first Black assistant general manager in NHL history.

Krepelka played two seasons in the ECHL with Hampton Roads from 1991-93, tallying 33 points (14-19-33) in 85 games. He went on to serve as Director of Player Personnel for Norfolk in 2017-18 before joining the Panthers front office in 2018-19 as Vice President of Hockey Operations.

Kompon, who previously won Stanley Cup titles as an assistant coach with Los Angeles in 2012, Chicago in 2013 and Florida in 2024, totaled 17 points (4-13-17) in 59 games with Hampton Roads, Cincinnati and Winston-Salem from 1989-91.

Tallas, who is in his 16th season as Florida’s goaltending coach, went 21-9-3 in 36 appearances with Charlotte during the 1994-95 season with a 3.40 goals-against average and a save percentage of .882. He went on to appear in 99 career games in the NHL with Boston and Chicago from 1995-2001.

Vanecek appeared in 34 career ECHL games with South Carolina during the 2015-16 and 2017-18 seasons going 19-8-6 with four shutouts, a 2.02 goals-against average and a save percentage of .918, while earning a spot on the 2015-16 ECHL All-Rookie Team. He is 96-56-21 in 188 career NHL appearances with Florida, San Jose, New Jersey and Washington.

Verhaeghe captures his third career Stanley Cup title after previously winning with Tampa Bay in 2020 and Florida in 2024. He had 57 points (20-37-57) in 36 games with Missouri from 2015-17 and has posted 302 points (147-155-302) in 411 career NHL games with the Lightning and Panthers.

Fenton had 11 points (9-2-11) in 14 games with Phoenix in 2008-09 while Backman recorded four points (2g-2a) in five games with Idaho during the 2010-11 season.

Donnelly scored one goal in 10 games with Wichita in 2018-19; Monk recorded one goal in 13 games with Worcester in 2017-18; while Morin tallied four points (1-3-4) in 19 games with Bakersfield in 2009-10.

Riedel is in his third season on the Panthers training staff. He spent one season with Greenville in 2018-19 before spending three seasons with Hershey of the American Hockey League.

Anderson has ECHL experience as an assistant equipment manager with Gwinnett in 2010-11 and 2012-13, and is in his seventh season on the Panthers staff.

King, who was named ECHL Equipment Manager of the Year with Gwinnett in 2014-15, spent two seasons with the Gladiators before joining Florida’s staff in 2015-16.

Wiezczek spent two seasons as head equipment manager with Rapid City from 2021-23 before joining Florida’s staff prior to last season.

Plagens served as radio broadcaster for Idaho from 2008-11, then spent four seasons in the same role with Lake Erie of the AHL before joining the Panthers in 2015-16.

Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; The Florida Panthers look at the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. Photo Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Here's today's NHL Nugget – Wild Wednesday Rewind goes back to June 18, 1975, when Boston Bruins blueliner Bobby Orr won his eighth Norris Trophy in a row.

Not only was Orr the NHL's top defenseman yet again, but the Bruins legend even captured the Art Ross Trophy with the most points in the league with a whopping 135 points in 80 games, including 46 goals.

Brian T. Dessart takes fans on a distinctive ride through the historic-laden NHL with the #NHLNugget. Check out NHLNugget.com to find where to follow NHL Nugget on social media. And for past NHL Nuggets, click here.    

Promo image credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

It is no secret that Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett had some intense battles with Brad Marchand when No. 63 was a member of the Boston Bruins. However, any bad blood between the two stars disappeared once Marchand was traded by the Boston Bruins to the Panthers at the 2025 NHL trade deadline.

Marchand and Bennett developed great chemistry once they became teammates on the Panthers. Following the Panthers' Stanley Cup win, Bennett dove into just how important a player Marchand was for Florida during their run.

"That guy is the biggest dog I ever played with," Bennett said about Marchand to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman. "He's incredible. This guy is the best leader. He leads by example. He speaks up. He is fearless out there, and I've been telling him this whole playoffs, 'we're following you,' and we followed him this whole playoff run. He was incredible."

"That guy is the biggest dawg I have ever played with."

Sam Bennett chats with @DavidAmber and @FriedgeHNIC about Brad Marchand and what he brought to the @FlaPanthers 🐀 pic.twitter.com/to7DHGcTQ3

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 18, 2025

Marchand certainly played a huge role in the Panthers repeating as Stanley Cup champions, as he had 10 goals and 20 points in 23 playoff games for Florida. Six of his goals came in the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers.

Bennett also had more major praise for Marchand, as reported by ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.

"What he's meant to this team... I don't think we win a Stanley Cup without him," Bennett said. "I truly don't think we win a Stanley Cup without him.

"His leadership, his will to win, it's inspiring. He's a better player and person than I ever knew, and I'm grateful that I got to play with him."

Clearly, Bennett enjoyed having Marchand as his teammate, and it is easy to understand why. Marchand proved to be a perfect addition to the Panthers' roster, and it will be fascinating to see if Florida will be able to re-sign the pair before July 1 from here.

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Panthers' Sam Bennett indicates extension coming after interaction with fans after Stanley Cup win.

Sam Bennett cemented his legacy in Florida Panthers history by capturing the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Despite being set to hit unrestricted free agency on July 1, Bennett was seen among a crowd of jubilant fans post-victory, where chants of “eight more years” erupted around him—strongly hinting at a potential return to Sunrise.

More NHL: 2026 Stanley Cup Odds: Oilers, Panthers Lead Early Contenders But One Unexpected Favourite Emerges

Bennett led the postseason with 15 goals and added 7 assists for a total of 22 points in 23 games, becoming the engine behind Florida’s second consecutive championship run.

His aggressive, unrelenting style defined the Panthers’ playoff identity, and his NHL-record 13 road goals made him the ultimate clutch performer away from home. He added five goals in the Finals alone, including crucial tallies in Florida’s decisive 5–1 Game 6 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

While contract negotiations loom, the mutual admiration between player and city suggests that both sides are leaning toward keeping the fiery forward in Panthers colors. His postseason performance will be remembered as one of the most dominant in recent memory.

Bennett was at one point a decent value to return to the Panthers at -230 but the bet has since been taken down on FanDuel. If the option is available at another sportsbook, we would suggest taking it. 

More NHL: Blackhawks Reportedly Open to Trading No. 3 Pick in 2026 NHL Draft

The Florida Panthers have won back-to-back Stanley Cups, becoming the third team in the last decade to do so, joining the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Known for their physical defensive style and depth, the Panthers have decimated every team in the playoffs since losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2022-23 Stanley Cup finals. Their depth this season was highlighted by key contributions from their bottom defensive pairing and their fourth line, which included former Golden Knights players Nate Schmidt and Tomas Nosek. 

Schmidt signed a one-year contract with the Panthers in the previous offseason after becoming an unrestricted free agent on July 1 following his buyout from the Winnipeg Jets. The 33-year-old fit perfectly into what the Panthers were looking for. He played in all but two regular-season games, scoring five goals and 19 points. In the playoffs, Schmidt added another three goals and 12 points in 23 games. 

During his time with the Golden Knights, Schmidt was loved for his vibrant personality and his outstanding performances on the ice. He scored 21 goals and 97 points in his three seasons with Vegas, routinely showing off his skating ability. The undrafted defenseman has defied a lot of odds in his career, and Golden Knights fans seem proud to watch their former breakout stud win his first Stanley Cup. 

Nosek has also added his first Stanley Cup to his resume. He, too, has had a difficult past few years, struggling to hold down a spot on several teams, but his performances in the playoffs changed everything this season. He skated in 59 regular-season games and wasn't in the lineup for the Panthers' first seven games of the playoffs, but his addition started the run against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round. He recorded three assists in 16 games in the postseason, serving as the Panthers' fourth-line center. 

After Captain Aleksander Barkov lifted the trophy, the first player he handed the Stanley Cup to was Schmidt. He handed it to another first-time winner Seth Jones, before he passed the honors to Nosek. 

The former original misfits were unable to win the cup with the Golden Knights but finally fulfilled lifelong dreams.

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

The New York Rangers' shipping Chris Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks last Thursday was the first significant move in the NHL off-season trade market.

It might not be the last one for the Blueshirts as GM Chris Drury continues to tinker with his roster. 

Mollie Walker of the New York Post reported the Kreider trade freed up the left winger's $6.5 million average annual value from the Rangers' salary-cap payroll, ensuring Drury the cap flexibility ($15 million) to explore other options to improve his roster this summer. 

Walker speculated that the next Ranger to be traded is K'Andre Miller. The 25-year-old defenseman is an RFA with arbitration rights coming off a disappointing 2024-25 performance. If Drury moves Miller, Walker believes he must find a suitable minute-munching blueliner to replace him. 

The Hockey News’ Remy Mastey cited Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli, claiming “there's absolute fire” regarding the Miller trade speculation. Seravalli claimed Mike Sullivan, the Rangers' new coach, is not a fan of the young blueliner's game. 

Meanwhile, Walker's colleague Larry Brooks believes there's no guarantee that Alexis Lafreniere will still be a Ranger when the regular season begins in October. He thinks Drury wants to make multiple moves to change the mix on the ice and the chemistry in the dressing room under Sullivan. 

Arthur Staple of The Athletic considers Drury in a position where he could go the offer-sheet route to add a talented young player. He speculated that JJ Peterka of the Buffalo Sabres could be a target.

Staple pointed out that the Rangers lack their 2026 second-round pick, which would be necessary as compensation if they signed Peterka to a deal with an average annual value between $7 million and $9.3 million. They'd have to reacquire that pick from Utah beforehand. 

As the 2025 NHL draft weekend approaches, Staple indicated that Drury has until June 25 to decide if he'll send his 2025 first-rounder to the Pittsburgh Penguins. That pick was sent to the Vancouver Canucks as part of the J.T. Miller trade in January, then flipped a day later by the Canucks to the Penguins in the Marcus Pettersson deal.

If Drury relinquishes that pick, he could use his 2026 first-rounder as part of the compensation package should he sign a rival club's RFA (like Peterka) to a lucrative offer sheet.

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Ryan Bowness didn’t stay on the market for long.

The former Ottawa Senators executive landed on his feet this week with the New York Islanders, who named him Assistant GM and Director of Player Personnel.

Bowness joins the Islanders after three seasons in Ottawa’s front office. Originally hired by former Senators GM Pierre Dorion in 2022, the up-and-coming young executive served as Assistant GM for two seasons before being promoted to Associate General Manager in 2024-25. The 41-year-old was also GM of the AHL's Belleville Senators.

The Senators did not issue an official statement regarding his departure in May or the reasons for the front-office change.

Report: Ottawa Senators Shake Up Front Office, Parting Ways With Associate GM Ryan BownessFor a team that’s only five days into its off-season, the Ottawa Senators aren’t wasting any time preparing for next season. On Monday, GM Steve Staios signed RFA defenceman Nik Matinpalo to a two-year extension. On Tuesday, according to Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch, the team parted company with associate GM Ryan Bowness.

Last month, Staios hired 52-year-old Matt Turek to take over at least part of Bowness’ portfolio, most notably as GM in Belleville. Staios and Turek worked together on Michael Andlauer's OHL team in Hamilton. Most recently, Turek was the club's GM, now located in Brantford.

The Islanders also did some recent executive house cleaning, replacing 82-year-old Lou Lamoriello with new GM Mathieu Darche. With the appointment this week, Bowness becomes one of Darche's first hires in a similar role to the one he had here.

Prior to Bowness' stint in Ottawa, the Halifax native spent six seasons in the Pittsburgh Penguins scouting department, including a stint as Director of Pro Scouting. He won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2017.

Before that, Bowness worked in the Winnipeg Jets/Atlanta Thrashers organization for seven years, holding a variety of roles including Pro Scout, Manager of Hockey Operations, and Manager of Player Development.

Communications Shift: Senators Now Play It Close To The Vest Under StaiosIf the past week’s events have taught us anything about Steve Staios’ stewardship of the Ottawa Senators as general manager, it’s that he is incredibly guarded.

Bowness was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2001 NHL Draft. He played junior hockey in the OHL with the Brampton Battalion and Oshawa Generals, then continued his playing career at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.

Ryan is the son of Rick Bowness, a longtime NHL coach who previously served as head coach of both the Islanders and Senators. In fact, Rick was the first head coach in modern Senators history when they returned to the NHL in 1992.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

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Former Stanley Cup champion Alexander Georgiev will be a free agent and could be a target for a Red Wings team hungry for help in net.

The Red Wings goalie room could use some retooling. 

After finishing bottom 12 in goals against average as a team last year, it's no surprise that one of the focuses for Steve Yzerman and company is goaltending help, according to Daily Faceoff's Jeff Marek. 

We've seen how quickly some teams can turn around their goalie rooms like the Colorado Avalanche this past season. They brought in Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood to restore stability in goal, trading away former All-Star and Stanley Cup champion Alexandar Georgiev, who was sent to San Jose for Blackwood in an early December deal.

More NHL:Panthers' Sam Bennett Signals To Fans Likely Extension

The Avalanche went from the third-worst goals against average in the league at 3.55 to fifth-best in the NHL and this left Georgiev on the outside looking in.

The 29-year-old Russian netminder had his numbers further trampled on when starting games for one of the league's worst defences in San Jose. Georgiev is seemingly not returning to the Sharks next season and will be available as an unrestricted free agent on July 1st. 

He finished with a brutal .875 save percentage and a 3.88 goals against average through 31 appearances with San Jose, marking last season as his career-worst.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.

This is a netminder that had a 40-16-6 record with a 2.53 goals against average just three seasons ago and can still be a difference making goaltender in the right system. 

New Detroit bench boss Todd McLellan has a history of inserting solid defensive structures in wherever he goes and could make the Red Wings taking a low-cost flyer on Georgiev a good idea. 

More Red Wings: 3 Free Agent Defenceman That Detroit Should Target

Before this past season, Georgiev led all NHL goalies with 78 wins over the previous three years, posting a 2.77 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage during that span.

Some believe he was only successful due to Colorado's system and that the numbers are inflated but McLellan may be able to create a structure that works for him, if he was to sign in Detroit. 

McLellan’s defensive schemes played a key role in the LA Kings finishing with a top-nine defence during his five-year tenure, much like his seven seasons with the San Jose Sharks, where his ranked top six in defence. 

It's an option that the Red Wings will surely take into consideration as Georgiev is still relatively young at 29 and could work as a perfect spacer for the team as they wait for high end prospect Sebastian Cossa to develop. Until then, Georgiev would have the highest upside potential of any goalie in Detroit's current group.

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London Knights goaltender Austin Elliott is reportedly not joining the Toronto Maple Leafs for training camp after all.

After a 31-save showing in the Memorial Cup Final against the Medicine Hat Tigers, the Ontario Hockey League posted to X that the 21-year-old had earned an invite to Maple Leafs training camp in the fall.

"London Knights goaltender Austin Elliott has been a key difference maker this season," the OHL wrote, "and he earned a free-agent invite to the Maple Leafs training camp this off-season!"

However, that's actually not the case.

According to The Athletic's Joshua Kloke, Elliott has said he has not been invited to Toronto's training camp, adding he will attend Dallas Stars development camp this summer. "No plans right now to attend Leafs camp and no idea how the Leafs rumour started either," Kloke posted to X.

It wasn't a rumor, but a post on social media from the OHL which ignited the fire.

Maple Leafs Invite Knights Goaltender Austin Elliott To Training Camp After Memorial Cup TitleLondon Knights goaltender Austin Elliott has a ticket to an NHL training camp this fall.

Elliott finished this year with a 52-3 record, his best season ever in junior hockey. He joined the Knights following parts of four seasons with the WHL's Saskatoon Blades, where he struggled to keep his save percentage above .900.

Each of Elliott's three losses came at different points of the year: one in the regular season, one during the OHL playoffs, and one at the Memorial Cup.

After joining London in October, Elliott found his footing behind a strong Knights team and finished the season with a .924 save percentage, the best among OHL goaltenders. His save percentage dropped in the OHL playoffs, but climbed back up during the Memorial Cup, concluding the tournament with a .943 save percentage through five games.

Why Two-Time Stanley Cup Champion Brad Marchand Is Exactly What The Maple Leafs NeedWhile Brad Marchand was celebrating his second Stanley Cup victory, Florida Panthers teammate Sam Bennett  spoke to Sportsnet during their lap around the ice. Bennett waxed poetic about the veteran pest. "We just followed his lead,” Bennett said. While Sam Bennett had a strong playoff performance, what the  37-year-old Marchand managed to do in a very short time with Florida was remarkable. He exhibited the perfect combination of will and skill that was required to win all four rounds of a grueling postseason.

The University of Massachusetts Lowell commit was an all-star at the tournament. He was also awarded top goaltender honors after stopping 31 of 32 shots in the Knights' Memorial Cup win over Medicine Hat.

Only two players from London's championship-winning team will now be at Toronto's training camp in September: 2023 first-round (28th overall) pick Easton Cowan, who dominated the OHL this year, and forward Landon Sim, who has a one-year AHL deal with the Toronto Marlies.

Elliott, however, has a history with Toronto; the goaltender participated in Maple Leafs development camp in the summer of 2023. Also at that camp were Toronto goaltending prospects Artur Akhtyamov and Vyacheslav Peksa, plus invites Rastislav Elias, Luke Cavallin, and Samuel St-Hilaire.

Maple Leafs Prospect Roni Hirvoven Signs One-Year Deal In Finland — What's Next For Toronto's Other Finnish Prospects?Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Roni Hirvonen is returning home to Finland.

It appears Elliott will only have training, plus the Stars' development camp this summer, before starting his college hockey career in Lowell, Massachusetts.

(Photo credit: @LondonKnights / X)

The NHL announced on Thursday that Anaheim Ducks forward Cutter Gauthier was named to the 2024-25 All-Rookie Team, voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Other Ducks to receive the honor include Paul Kariya in 1994-95, Bobby Ryan in 2008-09, and Trevor Zegras in 2021-22.

Gauthier got off to a slow start to his rookie campaign after making his NHL debut in the final game of the 2023-24 season, where he notched his first assist. He failed to find the scoresheet in his first five games of the 2024-25 season and was unable to find the back of the net in his first 15 games.

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During the first half of the season, he received inconsistent deployment throughout the lineup at 5v5 and was slowly demoted down the power play depth chart. As the season progressed, the NHL game slowed down for him as he began to grasp and comprehend how to leverage his attributes so they’d translate to the NHL style, following a remarkably successful two seasons playing for Boston College in the NCAA.

Gauthier has a unique blend of size, speed, and world-class release, skills that have a high likelihood of affording him a long, successful career in the NHL. His scanning skills improved as the season wore on, and he was more proactive when on the forecheck as well as when seeking out soft ice when his team had possession, both on the rush and cycle.

Following the NHL 4 Nations break, Gauthier finished the season with 22 points in his final 28 games and a total of 44 points (20-24=44) while playing in all 82 regular season games in his rookie year. He finished the season fifth among rookies in points, third in goals, and sixth in assists.

Joining Gauthier on the All-Rookie team are San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov, Montreal Canadiens defenseman and Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Denton Mateychuk, and Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf.

Hutson ran away with the Calder Trophy as Gauthier finished fifth in voting with six fourth-place votes and 74 fifth-place votes.

Following the conclusion of his 2024-25 season, Gauthier joined the United States national team at the 2025 IIHF World Championship alongside Ducks teammate Jackson LaCombe. Gauthier scored nine points (5-4=9) in ten games, helping the US win their first gold medal at the tournament in 92 years.

Gauthier is one of six young, potential core pieces on the Ducks roster (LaCombe, Zegras, Leo Carlsson, Pavel Mintyukov, Olen Zellweger) who will become restricted free agents after the 2025-26 season and who will be eligible to sign contract extensions on July 1, 2025.

Trade: Anaheim Ducks Acquire Chris Kreider from New York Rangers

Anaheim Ducks Sign Prospect Lucas Pettersson to ELC

Anaheim Ducks GM Pat Verbeek Speaks Following Chris Kreider Trade

Chris Kreider Speaks Following Trade to Anaheim Ducks

Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

“There are a lot of things I do not understand about this proposed expansion,” New York Times sports columnist George Vecsey wrote in December 1992, as the NHL wrapped up its annual Board of Governors meeting in Palm Beach, Florida. During that week’s meeting, the league received expansion proposals for two teams. One was for a team in Anaheim, California, backed by Disney. The other was for a team in Miami, Florida, put forward by waste management-and-VHS-video magnate, Wayne Huizenga. “What makes it think the Sun Belt is ready for all these hockey teams?” Vecsey wondered.

At the time, the answer was money. With more time, the answer seems to be: because championship hockey teams can be built anywhere, including in the South. On Tuesday night in Florida, the Panthers won their second-straight Stanley Cup against the Edmonton Oilers, this time in six games – one fewer than they needed last season. If anything, you could now argue that there’s no better place to build a championship NHL team than the southern US. Since 1990, the Stanley Cup has been awarded to a team based in the South nine times – but five of those have come in the last six years. And three of those have also been against Canadian teams.

Related: Merciless Panthers win second successive Stanley Cup after beating Oilers again

North of the border back in 1992, the fear of American dominance was palpable, even though, at that time, the most recent expansion to Tampa Bay and San Jose (alongside Ottawa) looked like an on-ice failure. Nevertheless, the mere presence of these teams, not to mention two more, was a concern.

“This is the age of marketing, my friends, and we’re selling image, brand names, fuzzy feelings and merchandising opportunities,” Globe and Mail sports columnist John Allemang warned after the NHL’s December 1992 meeting, sarcastically proposing changes for the increasingly Americanized, commodified game. “Let’s scrap this three-period stuff, introduce the concept of half-time,” he snarked. “Emilio Estevez learned to skate for Mighty Ducks, give him a chance, tell him the wife [Paula Abdul] can sing the national anthem. The American anthem, stupid. Is there any other?” Beyond the potential for merch sales and richer owners, “does anyone else win?” Montreal Gazette columnist Pat Hickey asked around the same time. “Then there’s the question of what these new franchises do for the Canadian psyche,” Hickey wrote. “If we ever thought this was our game, the latest decision on expansion should dispel this notion.”

It seems hardly worth repeating that Florida’s win Tuesday further extends the Canadian Stanley Cup drought to now 32 years, more or less fulfilling the worst fears of those sports columnists, and many others, who saw the NHL’s US growth as a threat to the sport’s true identity and thus by extension to that of its birth country, Canada. And they weren’t entirely wrong. This year, more than most others, the existential threat of American dominance on the ice spoke to a bigger Canadian national identity crisis that would have seemed unthinkable in 1992. The idea that Canada, including hockey, could be subsumed by the US has felt more pressing than ever. Canadians – like swimming phenom Summer McIntosh or NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – are dominating in other sports. Youth hockey numbers may be declining, loosening generational ties to the game. Yet, nothing still spurs deep national anxiety like hockey failure.

So yes, yet another Cup hoisted in the US – in Florida, again, no less – certainly stings a little from a nationalist point of view for Canadians. It fulfils all the worst nightmares of 1992’s sports writers. But the Oilers’ loss is frankly more frustrating strictly from a hockey perspective. Taken together, the Oilers’ undisciplined play, general lack of offence, uneven goaltending, and lacklustre defence in the clutch, made it not only difficult to believe they could win, but that they even should. The Panthers are a scary-good hockey club, with a roster filled with pure gamers, the likes of which other teams only have one or two. Florida play an aggressive, often suffocating offence, and are backed by elite goaltending. The Panthers play great hockey. They just happen to be in Florida. There may not be a lot else to it.

It may be, in fact, that the quality of hockey in south Florida is so high because of, rather than in spite of, all that marketing and money and commercialization the NHL welcomed in the early 1990s. Expansion meant that the league – and by extension, the game – had to find a way to appeal to new audiences, most of whom had been living just fine without it until then. This meant that the NHL had to rethink its product. It had to embrace something much of the hockey world still often reflexively rejects – change. Over the decades, the NHL gradually morphed hockey into something new. Along the way, the game lost some aspects, like enforcers, but added things like goals. It got faster, more finessed, more exciting, more watchable, even as some argued it was somehow softer. It hasn’t always gone smoothly (it’s worth mentioning here that Atlanta is looking to get a new team for the third time), but its audiences and profits also grew, more or less according to plan. And so far, hockey hasn’t lost its Canadian identity. After the NHL’s buzzy, highly commercialized Four Nations tournament this past spring, it may even be more entrenched than ever.

Looking back now, it’s clear that the cynical, calculated marketing — and of course the money — were indeed the point of the NHL’s expansion to a place like Florida. But they didn’t destroy hockey. Instead, it just keeps getting better.

Bennett has heartfelt reaction to winning Stanley Cup with Marchand originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett was the top villain in Boston during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs when he appeared to hit then-Bruins captain Brad Marchand in the head during Game 3 of their second-round series at TD Garden.

Marchand was knocked out of the game as a result of the hit and also didn’t play in Game 4. The Panthers won both of those games and ultimately eliminated the B’s in Game 6.

Bennett was not suspended for the hit, which angered Bruins fans. There was no penalty called on the play, either.

Fast forward a year and Bennett and Marchand are not only friends, they just won the Stanley Cup together with the Panthers. That sentence would have sounded absurd if you said it at this time last year.

But unfortunately for Bruins fans, it’s reality.

The B’s dealt Marchand to the Panthers at the trade deadline on March 7, and he played a key role in the Panthers securing their second straight Stanley Cup title, culminating with a 5-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the Cup Final on Tuesday night.

Bennett won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, and when asked about Marchand after the game, he gave a heartfelt answer on the bond the two players have created.

“As soon as he got traded here, he chirped me in the group chat instantly for our history and the (2024) playoffs,” Bennett told reporters at his press conference.

“What he’s meant to this team — I truly don’t think we win a Stanley Cup without him. His leadership, his will to win, it’s inspiring. I was telling him before every game, ‘We’re going to follow you.’ And we did. He was a dog every night. He for sure could have won this trophy.

“He’s a better player and person than I ever knew, and I’m grateful that I got to play with him.”

Marchand tallied 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 23 games during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including six goals in the Cup Final. Bennett posted 22 points in 23 games, including a playoff-leading 15 goals (five in the Cup Final).

Either one of them would have been a deserving Conn Smythe Trophy winner. Bennett won it after receiving 76 voting points (including 11 first-place votes), eight more than Marchand’s 68 voting points.

The question now is will these guys be back in Florida next season? Both Marchand and Bennett are able to become unrestricted free agents this summer.

The Hockey News is happy to bring you a comparison between the rookie seasons of three of the most exciting young defensemen to play in the NHL, in collaboration with RG.org. Our partners extracted the stats necessary to bring you this in-depth look at Montreal Canadiens Lane Hutson’, Colorado Avalanche Cale Makar’, and Vancouver Canucks Quinn Hughes’ rookie seasons.

Habs fans will be glad to see that Hutson’s rookie season compares well to the Colorado and Vancouver franchise cornerstones. It doesn’t guarantee that he’ll achieve the same status, but it’s at the very least very interesting to see.

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Hutson led all NHL rookies in scoring and finished seventh among all defensemen in total points. He broke the Canadiens’ franchise record for a rookie blueliner. Makar and Hughes also reached high production benchmarks in their first full seasons, with Makar winning the Calder Trophy and Hughes being named a finalist alongside him. The Canadiens' rookie recorded more points than the other two, but he achieved this by playing more games.

Ice Time & Usage

Interestingly, Hutson had more ice time than both Hughes and Makar, while receiving less power-play ice time than they did. The naysayers often said this year that the Canadiens’ rearguard was shielded and received too many offensive zone starts, but he got fewer than both Hughes and Makar. There’s even a significant different with the Canucks defenseman.

Unsurprisingly, none of them spent a significant amount of time on the ice when their team was down a man. Nowadays, however, Makar features on the Avalanche's top penalty kill unit, while Hughes skates on the second line for Vancouver. Will Hutson ever get there? It remains to be seen.

5v5 Advanced Metrics

This is where Makar and Hughes outperformed the Canadiens' youngster. For those unfamiliar with the Corsi metric, the Corsi number for an individual player is calculated by dividing the number of shot attempts his team receives at even strength while he is on the ice by the number of shot attempts the opponent gets while he is on the ice. Essentially, it’s a bit like plus minus, but with shots. Here, it’s expressed as a percentage that's calculated by taking the shot attempts for and dividing them by the shot attempts against.

As for the xGF%, it represents the expected goals for and evaluates the quality of shot attempts made when a player is on the ice. It’s about the likelihood that a goal will be scored. Hutson trails the other two defensemen by less in this category, which is arguably more critical than the Corsi number.

xGA/60 represents the expected goals against per 60 minutes, and of course, the lower the number, the better. Both Makar and Hughes fare better than the Canadiens’ blueliner in that department. There is room for improvement, but it's worth noting that the Avalanche (.657) and the Canucks (.565) had a higher points percentage in Makar and Hughes’ rookie season than the Canadiens did this season (.555). As Montreal improves, so will Hutson’s number in that department.

SCF% represents the scoring chance percentage, basically the attempts that hit the net and are counted as a scoring chance. As for the HDCF%, it focuses on high danger chances; in both categories, the higher the number, the better. Hutson trails both Hughes and Makar in both of these categories, and the difference is more flagrant with the Colorado blueliner.

Still, Hutson’s 5v5 profile was close to neutral in possession but slightly positive in expected goals and high-danger chance generation. His numbers suggest offensive involvement despite not driving play at the same level as Hughes or Makar.

WAR/GAR Summary

WAR represents the wins above replacement and is calculated to measure a player's complete performance. It’s essentially using offensive, defensive, and other aspects of the game to calculate the number of wins a player contributes to the team. As for GAR, it represents goals above replacement and takes into account a player’s offense, defense, and penalties. These numbers show just how elite Hughes and Makar are.

You can see an overall percentile grade for Hutson in various categories in the card below. Hutson ranked in the 92nd percentile in overall WAR. He stood out in playmaking and puck movement, particularly at even strength and on the power play. His defensive impact was limited, but his ability to drive offense, draw penalties, and find high-percentage passes positioned him as one of the league’s most productive offensive defensemen in his first year.

Postseason Performance

All three defensemen made the playoffs in their rookie season and left a mark in the postseason tournament. Hutson’s sample was much smaller, with the young Canadiens being eliminated in just five games by the Washington Capitals; however, he still led all Habs defensemen in points in the playoffs, and also led all Montreal players. Cole Caufield was second with four points, and Juraj Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki, and Christian Dvorak all had two points.

Makar was a point-per-game performer, and Hughes was one point short of it. It’s impossible to know if Hutson could have remained a PPG player had the Canadiens gone deeper in the postseason, but given how he performed all through the season, it would have made sense.

Overall, this exercise demonstrates that Hutson’s rookie season positions him firmly in the same elite rookie tier as Makar and Hughes. His numbers also illustrate the importance Hutson held for the Canadiens, who trusted him in key situations. Even though he was playing in his first complete season, Hutson showed he could already be a top-pairing defenseman.

The following sites were used by RG.org to compile the data necessary to produce the numbers:

• NHL.com

• Hockey-Reference.com

• Natural Stat Trick

• JFresh Hockey (via TopDownHockey / PuckPedia / NHL Rosters)

Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

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Unless Kent Hughes pulls out yet another draft trade, the Montreal Canadiens will be picking twice in the first round. Once at number 16 in place of the Calgary Flames, thanks to the Sean Monahan trade in August 2022, and a second time with their pick.

In their history, the Canadiens have picked 16th four times. Were there good players in the lot? Were there some busts? Does history give us hope as to the value of the first of the Canadiens’ two first-round picks?

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Montreal used the 16th selection in 2020, 2000, 1998, and 1985. Nobody will be surprised to hear that they selected Kaiden Guhle with the pick in 2020 and that he has since become a part of the Habs’ young core. If it weren’t for all the injuries, he would have been close to a perfect pick.

In 2000, they opted for Marcel Hossa, Marian’s younger brother. Unfortunately for the Canadiens, the name was pretty much all they shared. Marcel didn’t have the talent or NHL longevity his brother was blessed with. He played 59 NHL games in Montreal, gathering 19 points before being traded to the New York Rangers for Garth Murray. He then spent three years with the Rangers and one with the Phoenix Coyotes before retiring from the NHL after 237 games and 61 points.

In 1998, the Canadiens used the 16th overall pick to choose Eric Chouinard, son of coach Guy Chouinard. The big winger had dominated in the QMJHL, posting seasons of 83, 109, and 104 points. His skills didn’t translate very well to the NHL, and after two and a half seasons, he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in return for a second-round pick at the following draft, which became Maxim Lapierre. In the end, Chouinard only played 90 games in the NHL, picking up 26 points in the process before heading overseas to play there.

Finally, in 1985, Montreal picked Tom Chorske. The American needed a few years before making the jump to the pros, but he broke into the Canadiens' lineup in 1989-90, skating in 14 games and picking up four points. Then, in the following season, he skated in 57 games with the Canadiens, registering 20 points. He was a promising player, but the following September, he was sent to the New Jersey Devils along with Stephane Richer for Roland Melanson and Kirk Muller. Overall, Chorsle played 596 games in the NHL across 11 seasons, scoring 237 points.

It's not the largest sample, but it does illustrate how hit-and-miss drafting can be, even in the first round. We'll have a look at picks number 17 in the coming days. 

Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

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Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.  

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