The earliest NHL teams can sign one of the five players acquitted in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial is Oct. 15. But that hasn’t stopped fans from organizing online petitions and threatening to cancel their season tickets in hopes of pressuring ownership to pass on them.

Apparently, it might be working.

So far, no team has publicly said they intend to sign either Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote or Alex Formenton.

Quite the opposite, actually.

Shortly after the NHL outlined the details for allowing the players back into the league — players can return to action no earlier than Dec. 1 — teams started to dissociate themselves from the players.

The Devils and Flames indicated they would not be bringing back former players' McLeod or Dube, respectively. As well, the Flyers and Senators both used the term, “fresh start,” to explain why they were not re-signing Hart or Formenton, respectively. As for Foote, he hasn't been linked to any teams.

That being said, there has been interest, particularly with the 27-year-old Hart, who had been a No. 1 goalie in Philadelphia before police in London, Ont., laid a sexual assault charge on him. A judge found him and the other four players not guilty of the charges.

NHL Confirms It Will Reinstate Players Acquitted In Hockey Canada Sexual Assault TrialThe five players from Hockey Canada's 2018 world junior team who were found not guilty of sexual assault this summer will eventually be allowed to return to the NHL.

The Carolina Hurricanes were reportedly close to signing Hart and McLeod. But their interest reportedly waned after significant public backlash, which included an online petition that garnered 1,776 signatures, an open letter to the front office, as well as threats to stop attending games.

“By choosing not to sign these players, the Hurricanes can reaffirm their commitment to all their fans and send a powerful statement that they prioritize a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment over winning games at any cost,” the petition stated. “Such a decision would not only resonate with fans who have survived similar traumas but also set a precedent that could influence the broader sports community towards greater accountability and respect.”

The Athletic and others are now reporting that the Hurricanes are now out on both players.

With Carolina no longer an option, The Athletic reported on Thursday that Vegas is interested in signing Hart. That is, unless the team also caves to public pressure.

Like Carolina, fans in Vegas have also started a petition, which has already more than 1,100 signatures, in hopes of preventing the team from taking a chance on Hart.

“Letting Hart on to this team would not only cause mass controversy and cause potential fans to turn against the team, but also it would be a permanent stain on the teams history – a stain they would never be able to get rid of,” the petition stated. “Despite being found not guilty, Carter Hart does not represent the values and morals that the Golden Knights organization proudly stands by, and makes sexual violence victims feel like this is an environment they cannot be apart of.”

Therein lies the difficulty in signing Hart or any other player involved in these sexual assault allegations.

The NHL is all about second chances.

Anaheim Ducks Explain Why They Hired Joel Quenneville As Their Next CoachJoel Quenneville is returning to the NHL as the 12th coach of the Anaheim Ducks.

Though it's not the same, Milan Lucic, who was charged with a domestic violence charge (which was then dropped) was recently granted a professional tryout with the St. Louis Blues. Logan Mailloux, who was charged in Sweden for allegedly taking and distributing offensive photos without consent, was drafted in the first round by the Montreal Canadiens. And Joel Quenneville and Stan Bowman are back in the league after a two-and-a-half year ban for how they mishandled sexual assault allegations involving a former player and staff member. 

The fact is that all five players involved in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial were acquitted on all charges. And yet, the NHL still chose to suspend them, because it found their actions following a world junior celebration in London, Ont., to be "deeply troubling and unacceptable." While they were not found to be criminal, the players' conduct still did not meet the standard of moral integrity, the NHL said.

That being said, on Oct. 15, the players will have served their time. But for some fans, it's still not enough. And so, the challenge for Vegas and any other team that is interested in Hart, McLeod, Dube, Foote and Formenton is weighing the competitive advantage of adding a player with the public backlash of turning away fans.

NHL Made The Right But Difficult Decision With The Five Former WJC Players Found Not Guilty When a London, Ont., judge ruled on Thursday that all five players involved in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault trial were not guilty on all charges, the NHL found itself at a crossroads of moral decency. 

For Vegas, Hart could be the difference between winning a championship or losing in the second round again. Then again, he could be the difference between dissociating itself from a fan base that has up until now been loyal.

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Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell exited Thursday's pre-season game against the Tampa Bay Lightning with an upper-body injury and did not return.

Following the Panthers' 5-2 loss in what was a very chippy affair, coach Paul Maurice mentioned that Lundell would be evaluated tomorrow, and the injury he sustained was to the upper body.

“He’ll get looked at tomorrow.”

Lundell played just 8:40, recording a shot on goal and a hit before he was forced to exit the game and did not return for the third period. The hope is that the injury is nothing serious and he'll be ready for the season opener against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday.

With both Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov out long-term, Lundell will see his ice time rise, his role increase and feel the pressure to fill in the shoes as a top-six center. The as of today 24-year-old has stated that Barkov's absence is awful news for the team, but he is ready to step up and take on a larger role.

He and the Panthers want that to be from Game 1 of the regular season, which is why his health is imperative. The best-case scenario is that the Panthers removed him as a precaution and he is day-to-day. The Panthers are facing enough long-term injuries and don't need to add their young center to that list.

Penalty-filled contest consumes Panthers preseason loss to Tampa BayThe preseason continued for the Florida Panthers on Thursday night in Tampa, but it felt very different than any of the Cats’ previous exhibition games.

Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Birthday Backcheck features two Florida Panthers turning one year older on Oct. 3: Seth Jones and Anton Lundell.

Jones turns 31 just more than three months after he became a Stanley Cup champion for the first time. Lundell, who turns 24, is already a back-to-back champion who set a franchise record in the plus-minus rating last post-season.

 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.

It is preseason game number five and preseason home game number two for the Chicago Blackhawks. This time, they will play host to the Minnesota Wild. 

When these two met in St. Paul last week, the Hawks defeated the Wild by a score of 4-1. In that match, the Wild only had a handful of their top players in the lineup while the Blackhawks dressed a fair number of their NHL regulars. 

This is Minnesota’s last dress rehearsal before the 2025-26 season begins. For Chicago, this is their second-to-last exhibition game as they play the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. Head coach Jeff Blashill confirmed that an NHL group would go against the Wild on Friday, while the Blues will be facing an AHL-caliber team a day later.

The roster for preseason game 5 looks like this:

Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xsecond to last preseason game🏒 🆚 @mnwild ⏰ 7:00PM CT 📺@CHSN__ https://t.co/3io3UBwW49

Notably, Ethan Del Mastro is not playing in this one. He was paired with Louis Crevier in practice, and it seems like he might be one of the odd men out when it comes to making the team. 

Alex Vlasic was cut by a skate last weekend and remains out. The Blackhawks remain optimistic that he will play against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday. If Del Mastro goes to the AHL and Crevier remains on the team as the seventh defenseman to keep him off waivers, that leaves Nolan Allan and Matt Grzelcyk for the final spot on the blue line. The opportunity to earn it is there.  

The practice forward line of Lucas Reichel, with Oliver Moore and Ryan Greene, is also not participating in this game. It is unclear who will be the extra forward to make the team, but there is still Saturday's game to play as well. One may be the 13th forward out of camp, and the others could be off to the AHL. 

Projected Lines

Donato-Bedard-Burakovsky

Teravainen-Nazar-Bertuzzi

Slaggert-Dickinson-Mikheyev

Dach-Foligno-Lafferty

Grzelcyk-Rinzel

Kaiser-Levshunov

Allan-Murphy

Knight

Soderblom

How To Watch

Those looking for the game in the Chicago area can find it on CHSN. Out-of-market viewings can be found on ESPN+. The puck will drop at the United Center at 7:00 PM CT.

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

The New York Rangers are not planning on taking any risks with J.T. Miller and Artemi Panarin as training camp comes to a close. 

Both Miller and Panarin have been dealing with their own respective lower-body injuries. 

During Monday’s practice, Miller lunged to save the puck from exiting the zone as he dove and was slow to get up, appearing to favor his leg.

The 32-year-old ultimately limped his way off the ice and into the locker room. He did not return to practice. 

While Miller hasn’t practiced or played in a preseason game since suffering this injury, he’s listed as day-to-day, and his condition isn’t considered to be serious. 

Panarin suffered a lower-body injury early on in training camp, which resulted in him missing a couple of practices. 

Brett Berard Reflects On The Past And The Future Going back to last training camp, Brett Berard was the new kid on the block for the New York Rangers. 

The 33-year-old forward is yet to play in a preseason game, but is yet to play in a preseason game. 

Sullivan made clear on Thursday night that he intends to take things slow regarding Miller and Panarin’s health before the Rangers’ season opener on Oct. 7 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

"We're going to err on the side of caution with both him and J.T,” Sullivan said. 

Both players should be ready to play next week to kick off the regular season.

The New Jersey Devils' new contract with defenseman Luke Hughes raises more questions about Dougie Hamilton's future with the club.

Hughes, 22, agreed to a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $9 million, tying him with the 32-year-old Hamilton for the highest average annual value on the Devils. The latter is signed through 2027-28.

Hamilton surfaced in the rumor mill earlier this summer as negotiations between the Devils and the Hughes camp were ongoing. TSN's Pierre LeBrun recently asked how many power-play quarterbacks one team needed in today's NHL.

On Sept. 23, Hamilton addressed the trade conjecture, saying he didn't pay much attention to it. He reminded everyone that he signed with the Devils because he believes he can help them win the Stanley Cup. Nevertheless, Peter Baugh and Chris Johnston of The Athletic wondered about Hamilton's future in New Jersey.

Most of the trade rumors regarding Hamilton had the Devils peddling him in a cost-cutting move to free up salary-cap space for Hughes' new contract. They now sit above the $95.5 million salary cap by nearly $4 million ($3.983 million, according to PuckPedia).

However, James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now pointed out that defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic ($4 million AAV) remains sidelined indefinitely after undergoing knee surgery during the summer. The Devils are expected to place him on LTIR, which should make them cap compliant before their regular-season schedule begins on Oct. 9. They could also place injured forward Stefan Noesen ($2.75 million) on LTIR.

Those moves will only provide short-term cap relief for the Devils. At some point, Kovacevic and Noesen are expected to return to the lineup this season, meaning the club must shed salary to become cap-compliant.

That could resurrect the Hamilton trade speculation, but his $9 million cap hit won't be easy to move during the regular season. He also carries a 10-team trade list, which narrows significantly the number of potential trade partners for the Devils.

NHL Rumor Roundup: Updates On Jacob Markstrom And Yegor ChinakhovThe New Jersey Devils took care of a big piece of business on Wednesday, re-signing RFA defenseman Luke Hughes to a seven-year, $63-million contract.

Meanwhile, former Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart could be joining a new NHL club soon.

Hart, 27, was part of the five former members of Hockey Canada acquitted of sexual assault charges stemming from a 2018 incident in London, Ont. They are eligible to sign with NHL clubs on Oct. 15 and can return to action once their suspension with the league ends on Dec. 1.

Chris Johnston of The Athletic reported Wednesday that Hart is “almost certain” to sign with the Vegas Golden Knights. He had drawn interest from several teams, but he'll play meaningful minutes with a contender in Vegas.

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Going back to last training camp, Brett Berard was the new kid on the block for the New York Rangers. 

One year later, everyone knows the name Brett Berard, as he has established himself within the Rangers organization and among fans.  

Berard feels different this time around. 

“I think I feel a little more comfortable knowing all the guys and having been here kind of half the year last year, up and down, but feel like I've built some great relationships upon everybody,” Berard said. “So it's definitely been a lot more comfortable being here, but the same mentality coming in, still trying to fight for a spot and to stick around. I mean, mentality wise, on the ice, it's the same new coaching staff, big first impression. So in that regard, the same, but definitely more comfortable off the ice with the guys in lock and all that stuff.”

In his 35-game audition with the Rangers last season, Berard recorded six goals, four assists, and 10 points. 

Throughout the year, Berard was sent up and down from the NHL to the AHL, helping learn the business side of the game. 

“I mean it stinks to get sent down. Obviously, your dream is to get to the NHL and kind of stay around here,” Berard said. “I think I definitely got a lot stronger mentally with that stuff and trying to go down there and work in my game and to get back up. It was hard, but I think definitely that I got better as the year went on, and then just learning what I did up here, the game is faster. Just keep trying to build and get better at that and take pride in it. So it's some things I've been focused on that I think I'm getting better at.”

Shortly into his stint with the Rangers last year, Berard suffered a torn labrum, which could have easily kept him sidelined for a long period of time. 

However, Berard played practically the entire season while dealing with this injury. 

As a younger player and fifth-round pick, Berard had a chip on his shoulder and felt he had to play through the pain. 

“It stunk, but I give a lot of credit to our trainers and getting me able to play. It took a lot to get used to tape and brace on my shoulder,” said Berard. “Getting to play in the NHL, it’s a dream growing up. When you finally get here, you don’t want anything to set you back. It was something that I could play through and that I wanted to play through and needed to play through. I feel like I was playing really good hockey at that point too, so was just trying to get back as fast as possible and grind through it.”

Brett Berard Feels Fully Healthy After Suffering Torn Labrum Last SeasonThe health of Brett Berard was a question going into training camp for the New York Rangers after what transpired last year. 

Despite standing at just 5-foot-9, Berard plays a ferocious, hard-nosed style of hockey.

His fiery play has caught the eye of Mike Sullivan as he looks to make a positive first impression on the new coaching staff. 

Berard is prideful in the way he approaches the game of hockey, which is reflected in his play on the ice. 

“I might be a little smaller guy, but I think for me, it’s something that I take a lot of pride in,” Berard said of his physical style of play. “I think it has become more of a strength of mine to become physical. Maybe they don’t think it’s coming from me, so it’s good to get physical like that.”

Now that Berard played a handful of games for the Rangers last season, the next step for him is to earn a permanent roster spot with the Blueshirts. 

With just a few days before the Rangers’ season opener, Berard has not been sent down to the AHL, and he seems to have a real chance at securing an NHL spot.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 10 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #10. 

Let's take a look.

Serge Aubin - 2001-2002 - Drafted by Pittsburgh in 1994.

Aubin played 154 games for the Jackets and had 60 points.

He left for Europe in 2006 and played in Switzerland and Germany until he retired in 2012. 

He's currently the head coach for Eisbären Berlin in Germany. 

Trevor Letowski - 2004-2006 - Drafted by Phoenix in 1996. 

Played 154 games for the Jackets and had 60 points.

He finished his career by playing two seasons in the KHL. He is currently as assistant coach for the Montréal Canadiens, where he's been since 2021. 

Duvie Westcott - 2007-2008 - Westcott was undrafted and signed by the CBJ in 2001.

Wescott played in 201 games for the Blue Jackets from 2001 to 2008. He scored 11 goals and totaled 56 points. Wescott was described as "a gritty defenseman with a solid all-around game. Has good passing ability and powerplay skills." 

After playing for Columbus, Wescott went to Europe and played the next seven seasons in the KHL, DEL, and Swiss National League. He retired in 2015. 

Kris Russell - 2009-2012 - Drafted by Columbus in 2005.

Russell played 288 games in Columbus and had 79 points. He was traded to the St. Louis Blues on November 11, 2011, in exchange for Nikita Nikitin. 

He went on to play 912 NHL games and total 254 points. After playing 6 seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, Russell retired in 2022. 

Marián Gáborík - 2013-2014 - Drafted by Minnesota in 2000. 

Gáborík played only 34 games as a Jacket and had 22 points. He was traded to the LA Kings on March 5, 2014, in exchange for Matt Frattin. He officially retired in 2021 after playing 1,035 career games.

One scout said of Gáborík, "One of the best skaters in the world, Gáborík is known for his explosive speed. He is a highly offensive winger and thanks to good hands and an extremely sharp shot, an excellent finisher. On the downside, Gaborik doesn't always think team-first and has also had issues with commitment to defensive play."

Mark Letestu - 2013 - Undrafted out of Elk Point, Alberta.

Letestu was traded to Columbus by Pittsburgh for Columbus's 4th round pick on November 8, 2011. He played in 255 games in two different stints with the CBJ, scoring 44 goals and totaling 102 points. He also played 64 games for the Cleveland Monsters during the 2018-19 season, where he scored 50 points. He would play his last NHL game on October 13th, 2019, for the Winnipeg Jets.

In 2021, he was hired as an Assistant Coach by the Monsters, where he served until 2025. In the Summer of 2025, he was hired by the AHL's Colorado Eagles as their next head coach.

Jack Skille - 2015 - Drafted by Chicago in 2005. 

Skille played 61 games for Columbus and had 12 points. On July 6, 2013, Skille was signed as a free agent by the CBJ, but the following summer, he left in free agency. On October 5, 2014, Skille was claimed off waivers by Columbus, where he would play in 45 games. He left Columbus again, and would play a season in Colorado, and a season in Vancouver. 

In 2017, he left for Europe, where he played in Russia, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. He retired in 2021 and went into coaching. He's currently a skills coach and the Director of Skills Development for the ECHL's Utah Grizzlies franchise. The Grizzlies are moving to Trenton, New Jersey, at the end of the 25-26 season. 

Alexander Wennberg - 2017-2020 - Wennberg was drafted in the 1st round of the 2013 NHL Draft as the 14th overall draft pick.

Wennberg came to North America and made his NHL Debut in 2014. After having three decent seasons, including a 59-point year in 2016-17, Wennberg was signed to a six-year deal on September 1st, 2017. 

Tom Wilson would seemingly derail Wennberg's career in the 2018 playoffs when he laid a devastating check on him. The next two seasons, Wennberg would only total 47 points. In October of 2020, the CBJ would buy Wennberg out, making him a free agent. The Jackets are finally about to make the final buyout payment to Wennberg this year. 

In addition to playing with the Florida Panthers since leaving Columbus, He's played for the Seattle Kraken, New York Rangers, and San Jose Sharks. After the 59-point season he had in 2016-17, Wennberg hasn't scored more than 38 points in a single season.

Jordan Schroeder - 2018 - Drafted by Vancouver in 2009.

Schroeder played 21 games as a Jacket and had two points. He left for Europe in 2019 where he still plays today. He plays for Brynäs IF in Sweden.  

Dmitri Voronkov - 2024-2025 - Drafted by Columbus in 2019. 

The big Russian forward played 148 games and has 81 points in his first two seasons. 

He will be looking to add on to that this season if he can stay healthy. He was challenged to come into camp this year and be in better shape. All indications are that he did just that. He will be counted as one of the young players to take another big step this season to help the Jackets into the playoffs. 

There are 10 days until opening night at NWA. 

The pre-season schedule is as follows:

Saturday, Oct. 4 at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET

After that, the Blue Jackets will open the regular season on the road against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena.

Let us know what you think below.

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More from THN Columbus

Defenseman Daemon Hunt Placed On WaiversDefenseman Daemon Hunt has been placed on waivers per PuckPedia.com. Zach Werenski Looking To Join Another Elite Group Of American DefensemenZach Werenski is an absolute superstar, but people in Columbus already knew that. Most experts around the league knew this as well and knew it was only a matter of time before he popped off.  Former Blue Jacket Christián Jaroš Rumored To Be Signing In EuropeWell, it didn't take long for Christián Jaroš to get a job. 

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Staring Down The Streak - Sept. 14 2015 - Vol. 69 Issue 3 - Bob Duff

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A decade, the Detroit Red Wings will answer to a new coach, as Jeff Blashill takes over for the departed Mike Babcock. And a lengthy search for a skilled, right-handshot defenseman ended when Detroit signed Mike Green via free agency. You could make a case either will prove the key addition as the Wings seek to extend their playoff streak to a quarter-century. Based on more recent developments, however, Detroit’s other free agent acquisition, center Brad Richards, might be the most important newcomer.

Pavel Datsyuk announced that the ankle surgery he underwent in June, which was supposed to sideline him only four to six weeks, will leave him out four to five months. Suddenly, at least to start the season, Richards has been thrust into the role as Detroit’s No. 1 center.

Wings GM Ken Holland acknowledged the signing of Richards was partially driven by Datsyuk’s status. “We were looking for a No. 2 center iceman and maybe even a No. 1 center, not being sure how long Datsyuk will be out to start the season with his ankle injury,” Holland said. “So in Richards we added a guy that’s a winner with two Stanley Cups.”

Latest Valuation Sees Red Wings Franchise Value Doubled Over Last Four SeasonsA new valuation from Sportico has the Red Wings team value having doubled over the last four seasons, ranking ahead of notable sports teams. 

Even after Datsyuk is healthy, the Wings see Richards playing a vital role. “When we’re all healthy the thinking is it’s going to be ‘Z’ (Henrik Zetterberg) and ‘Pav’ together on one line, and Brad centering another line,” Holland said. “We’ve got lots of different wingers here.

“With Riley Sheahan in the three hole, we’re hoping – believing – that when everybody’s healthy we’re going to be able to roll four lines and three lines that can really provide offense on any given night.”

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

Green isn’t the same guy who scored 31 goals and 73 points for Washington in 2008-09, but, at 29, he still has lots of hockey left in him and brings a skill element to Detroit’s back end that’s been absent since Nicklas Lidstrom retired in 2012. “We were really fortunate to have guys like Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski and Chris Chelios and Larry Murphy going back,” Holland said. “We always wanted to have defensemen who could join the rush and get the puck moving. That’s part of how we’ve been able to accomplish what we’ve accomplished.”

Green’s 45 points last season would have led the Detroit defense. Niklas Kronwall (44 points) was the only Red Wing to finish among the top 40 blueliners in scoring. Green also provides the right-handed point shot the Wings have sought for their power play.

As for Blashill, Detroit always viewed him as Babcock’s successor, doubling his salary as Grand Rapids coach to $400,000 last summer instead of giving him the freedom to pursue offers from other NHL teams. Blashill has coached almost every player on the Wings roster, so the transition should be smooth. He shepherded Grand Rapids to a Calder Cup crown as AHL champ in 2012-13, and that club’s key contributors included current Wings Sheahan, Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Jurco, Luke Glendening and Petr Mrazek.

New Father Of Twins James van Riemsdyk Happy To Be With Red Wings As one of the more active teams in free agency during the offseason, the Detroit Red Wings signed multiple new players for the 2025-26 NHL campaign, one of them being veteran James van Riemsdyk. 

While Blashill subscribes to many of the same philosophies as Babcock, he shouldn’t be viewed as a Babcock clone. “I coach similar in a lot of ways to how ‘Babs’ has coached here and in a lot of the same approaches as to who we play,” Blashill said. “But I’m my own person in how I deal with players and how I deal with things on a daily basis. I’ll have my own approach, and with my own approach will come change.”

One thing that won’t change? Expect the Wings to be playoff participants again in 2015-16. It’s one of the reasons Richards chose Detroit. “I’ve been in the Stanley Cup final two years in a row, and it gets addicting when you get a taste of winning,” Richards said. “I feel this team has a great chance.” 

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Just like The Hockey News last week, NHL.com has included the Montreal Canadiens in its first power rankings of the new season. Where did the Habs land in those rankings? Two spots higher than on THN’s rankings, in 14th place.

Journalist Jean-Francois Chaumont writes that the rebuild is now a thing of the past for the Canadiens and that they are ready to make another push for a playoff appearance. For him, the summer’s new arrivals will be key to the Habs' fate this season. Montreal edged both the Minnesota Wild and the New York Rangers, who finished 15th and 16th, respectively.

Former Montreal Canadiens Forward Placed On Waivers
Canadiens: Back At It In Quebec City
Canadiens: Hutson Clan Must Have Taken Notice

Given how well the Canadiens did in the preseason, this is not surprising. Although the Habs did have one game where they came out flat and didn’t put in the appropriate level of effort, they bounced back, and Ivan Demidov has been a standout in every game or scrimmage he has played in.

The young Russian has demonstrated that he can confound opponents with his ability to create space and time for himself through twists and turns. He’s also shown that even if he doesn’t have either, his deceptiveness can allow him to try a pass that very few players would attempt and even fewer would succeed in making. Looking one way, he can send a picture-perfect pass to the other side of the ice without breaking a sweat. His presence on the power play should really have a significant impact on the special team unit's success rate.

As for Zack Bolduc, he has impressed with both his speed and defensive play since the start of camp. He’s the perfect player to deliver the kind of play Martin St-Louis was after; he’s intense at both ends of the ice, and he worked on his defensive play in his rookie season, and it shows.

Noah Dobson made a good impression in his first preseason game, but unfortunately, he had to leave the second game with a minor groin injury. Judging by what we’ve seen at practice since then, though, it’s likely that he will suit up on Saturday for the Canadiens’ last preseason game.

On top of the new arrivals from outside the organization, I feel it’s important to mention the performance of Oliver Kapanen, Owen Beck, and Florian Xhekaj at camp. The three managed to see the Habs camp through the end, and whichever final decision is made by St-Louis, they can all be proud of their performance and how they handled themselves.

Right now, Kapanen appears to be the likely choice to stay with the team for the start of the season, but Beck and Xhekaj won’t be far behind on the call-up list if injuries start to complicate matters for the Habs. Beck has lost out to Kapanen because of the Finn’s better offensive game and readiness. The coach says he played a mature game and has taken a step in the right direction last season. As for Xhekaj, there’s still room to improve his defensive reads, but he has shown that just like his brother, he can bring some grit and sandpaper to the lineup. After the Washington Capitals and Tom Wilson roughed up the Canadiens in the playoffs, it’s a relief for the organization to see that they have a player who could eventually become their version of Wilson in their ranks in the younger Xhekaj.

On the blueline, Adam Engstrom has also shown interesting flashes, and he, too, saw the camp to the end, but the fact that Dobson and Kaiden Guhle dealt with injury helped in that respect. The 21-year-old Swede has developed very well in his first season with the Laval Rocket last year, but he can still use some seasoning and needs a lot of ice time, which he wouldn’t get now with the Canadiens.

For a second camp in a row, David Reinbacher didn’t end camp the way he would have liked since he sustained an injury against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Still, the injury is much less severe than the knee injury he suffered last season, and he’s only been ruled out for four weeks. However, even if he hadn’t been, he’s not ready for the NHL yet. The game was clearly coming a bit too fast for him in exhibition games. He needs to work on making decisions faster with the puck if he is to meet the lofty expectations the Canadiens have in him.

Still, the Canadiens have been impressive enough at camp to find a berth in the NHL’s Super 16, and it’s fully deserved. St-Louis wanted a more intense training camp that would see his men be ready for the season start on October 8, and that’s precisely what he got.

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Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

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The Chicago Blackhawks have had a heavy presence in college hockey over the last couple of years. They have used first-round picks on college hockey players or young men committed to the NCAA  frequently since Kyle Davidson took over. 

Oliver Moore, Sam Rinzel, Artyom Levshunov, Drew Commesso, and Ryan Greene, amongst others, have all played in the college ranks at one point or another. 

This year will be no different. There will be a handful of Blackhawks prospects playing across the college hockey landscape, and their scouts will be watching all of the top prospects eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft with a close eye. 

At The Hockey News, our Ryan Kennedy ranked the top 100 NCAA players to watch in 2025-26. The Blackhawks and the players they will be scouting are all over the list. 

The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) on XWe have one of the most highly anticipated college hockey seasons of all-time coming up! @THNRyanKennedy’s Top 💯 NCAA Players to Watch: https://t.co/9NNtvLKBiD

For one, forward Gavin McKenna of Penn State and defenseman Keaton Verhoeff of North Dakota are the undrafted players to watch if you're dreaming of drafting in the top two. For the Blackhawks, there is a chance that this is their reality in 2026. 

McKenna is the number one-ranked player on this list, and Verhoeff was fifth. Of course, although the latter is projected to be a great NHL player, the former is labeled as a generational talent. Getting their hands on him would be another franchise-altering draft pick for Chicago. 

Although the Blackhawks are incredibly strong when it comes to underage defensemen, it is hard to see them passing on Verhoeff if they had the second overall pick. In that instance, you may take the best player available if the gap between two and three is that large. You can address the surplus at the position for help in other spots later. 

As far as players already drafted, the Chicago Blackhawks have four players in this top-100 ranking. Those players are:

25. Vaclav Nestrasil, RW, U-Mass

Vaclav Nestrasill will head to U-Mass after being selected in the first round (25th overall) by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2025 NHL Draft. His game as a scoring winger in the USHL should translate to success in Hockey East, where he will prepare to become a contributor in the NHL.

32. Sacha Boisvert, C, Boston University

Sacha Boisvert was one of Chicago's first-round picks (18th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft. He transferred to Boston University after an incredibly strong freshman year at North Dakota. Boisvert is a two-way center who should thrive in his development under BU head coach Jay Pandolfo. 

52. Julius Sumpf, C, Providence 

Julius Sumpf, a fourth-round (98th overall) pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, is already looking like a solid selection by Kyle Davidson. Sumpf playing for Providence will make this an exciting team to watch. The program keeps adding talented players who want to play for them, which adds to the competitive balance taking place in Hockey East. 

83. Adam Gajan, G, Minnesota-Duluth

The Chicago Blackhawks selected Slovakian goaltender Adam Gajan with a second-round (35th overall) pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. He is now entering his second season with the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Gajan didn't have a great year in 2024-25, so he is hoping that another year older will allow him to start looking like a highly drafted net-minder. 

This year's group of Blackhawks playing NCAA hockey might not be quite as strong as it was in recent seasons, but this is still a great group. All four of these guys will likely be given the opportunity to be Blackhawks one day, and playing well in college is a key to their journey to the top. 

The first weekend of the college regular season is coming up. For those looking to check out Gavin McKenna's Penn State debut, it can be seen on the NHL's YouTube or NHL Network. That is only one of many reasons to check out the game at this level. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

The Philadelphia Flyers may have lost to the New York Islanders in Thursday night's preseason game, but their continued struggles on defense are of much greater concern.

With prospects like Emil Andrae and Helge Grans, at least temporarily, out of the picture, the Flyers have left themselves with Egor Zamula, Adam Ginning, Dennis Gilbert, and Noah Juulsen as their options to comprise the third defense pair.

If head coach Rick Tocchet prefers to keep eight defensemen and the Flyers oblige, then all four players will stick around.

Zamula, 25, is the incumbent in that battle, but his status might not last very long after a series of poor and uninspiring performances in the exhibition games.

On Thursday night, Zamula struggled greatly with unforced turnovers and stumbled to the tune of a 5-1 scoring chance differential and 17-8 shot attempt differential at 5-on-5 on Thursday night - both in favor of the Islanders - according to Natural Stat Trick.

Both Ginning and Zamula are 25 years old and on expiring contracts, but one player is clearly trending up and the other down.

Flyers Working to Turn Nikita Grebenkin Into 'A Force'While it's still early, the Philadelphia Flyers may have found themselves a hidden gem in winger prospect Nikita Grebenkin, who continues to impress in the NHL preseason and training camp.

Tocchet has taken notice of Zamula's struggles, too, and bluntly addressed them after the loss to the Islanders.

"Yeah, he's gotta pick it up," Tocchet plainly assessed. "Yup, definitely."

That's not exactly a ringing endorsement from your head coach with as many as three teammates battling with you for playing time, a place in the lineup, and, potentially, a place on the roster altogether.

Much to the chagrin of Flyers fans, the organization appears to have already made their final decision on Andrae until something changes, and we're left to wonder what a healthy Oliver Bonk could do with this competition had he been available to play.

As for the injured Ethan Samson, I spotted him sporting a brace or cast of sorts on his right hand in the elevator after the game, and he was declared out 6-to-8 weeks by the Flyers last week anyway.

This is all to say that the Flyers have what they have at this point, but if Zamula doesn't tread carefully, Tocchet's patience with him could run out sooner than later.

Last Minute Draft Strategies for the Upcoming NHL Season

The NHL season begins Tuesday, and while some of you have already had your drafts, this weekend will be the busiest time for poolies.

Maximizing Value with Elite Goaltenders and Blueliners

There are many different strategies for drafting a team. I enjoy going after positions of weakness first.  There are not many goaltenders whom you can rely on year after year. Connor Hellebuyck, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Igor Shesterkin, Jake Oettinger and Ilya Sorokin come to mind as the best netminders -- I have discounted Sergei Bobrovsky due to his age and the amount of hockey he has played over the last three seasons -- I would wait on goaltenders after these five. One big thing to remember when drafting this season is that there will be an Olympic break. Since the Russians will not be in Italy, I would upgrade all Russian players -- especially Nikita Kucherov, Artemi Panarin and Alex Ovechkin -- as they will be well rested while the remainder of the NHL's best will be tired coming off the gruelling two-week Olympic Games. That also goes for everyone who does not make their respective National Team, as they get a big break in the action.

I also would take defensemen early, as there are not a bunch of high-scoring blueliners. I would tap Cale Makar as a top-five pick this season, taking Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Kucherov in front of him. There are some forwards who will outscore Makar, but by not a big enough margin to make them worth taking, as there are always plenty of forwards to choose from, especially in shallower pools.

There were 49 players who had at least 70 points in 2024-25, including just three defensemen, Makar, Zach Werenski and Quinn Hughes. That's the importance of selecting blueliners. To make the point even greater, there were only five defensemen who had from 60 to 69 points. Rasmus Dahlin, Evan Bouchard, Victor Hedman, Josh Morrissey and Adam Fox. That's eight of the top 85 scorers.

If you play with forwards, rather than specific centers, left wingers and right wingers, I would load up with centers as they definitely get more points than wingers on average. If you play with those positions, I would wait on your centers, focusing on wingers, as there will be plenty of good centers available in the eighth round and later. I scored Jack Hughes three seasons ago in the eighth round, and he finished with 99 points. I also selected Nico Hischier in the same draft in the 17th and final round, and he managed 31 goals and 80 points in 81 games after missing Opening Night.

In most pools, there are between 160 and 225 players taken, including 20-28 goalies, 48-84 defensemen and 92-112 forwards. As mentioned earlier, 77 forwards managed to score at least 60 points. If you want players who scored at least 45 points in 2024-25, then add another 81 players to the list, including 10 defensemen. Of the top 166 players, you have 148 forwards (more than enough to fill all rosters and then some) and only 18 defensemen. While defensemen can help out in other categories, you can definitely see the importance of taking blueliners early and often while waiting on forwards.

Leveraging the Olympic Break for Fantasy Hockey Success

As previously mentioned, it's an interesting schedule this season due to the Olympics, as there is almost a three-week break in the schedule, from Feb. 6-26. There are four teams that play five games in a week. The Rangers play five games from Dec. 15-21, Carolina plays five contests from Dec. 29-Jan. 4, Edmonton has five games from Jan. 12-18 and most importantly, Pittsburgh plays five times from Mar. 30-Apr. 5. The Penguins' stretch will be during the head-to-head playoffs, and that will give a huge edge to a team. Don't forget to plan ahead, as trying to pick off some of these players may be difficult the Sunday before their big week.

If you are playing dynasty leagues, don't forget about players who are currently hurt, but may help you out long-term, either later in this season or next year. Aleksander Barkov (knee surgery) definitely comes to mind as he is likely out for all of the regular season in 2025-26, but will be worth his weight in gold next year, or perhaps even this season as trade bait if you are trying to improve your chances of winning this season. Others to consider are Matthew Tkachuk (groin surgery), who is expected to be out until at least Christmas and Zach Hyman (broken wrist), who is expected to return at the beginning of November. 

Navigating the NHL Schedule for Daily Transaction Pools

An important part of playing in daily transaction leagues is playing the schedule. For the most part, the NHL is a Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday league with the majority of scheduled games slated for those dates. Edmonton and Montreal lead in those dates with 60 of their 82 games played on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Boston plays 58 times, while Ottawa is at 57 and Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay are at 55. At the other end of the schedule (and these are players on teams you should target near the end of the draft) are Anaheim at only 40, Utah at 41, Chicago with 42 and the Rangers and St. Louis at 45 games.

Artemi Panarin and Nick Suzuki each had 89 points last season. Panarin is a more valuable play this season as he plays 15 more games than Suzuki on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, less popular days on the NHL schedule. It's a lot easier to find players to play on the more common days; therefore, in daily transaction pools, Panarin should be selected a full round earlier than Suzuki. Other examples are Utah's Mikhail Sergachev ahead of the Penguins' Erik Karlsson, the Ducks' Jackson LaCombe ahead of Morgan Rielly of Toronto, and later in the draft, Brayden Schenn of the Blues ahead of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (unless you think Nugent-Hopkins is due for a huge comeback).

Don't be afraid to be the leader of the pack, rather than a follower. When there is a run on a position, be at the start of the run, not at the bottom. This way – using goaltenders as an example – when there is a slew of goaltenders taken in the middle rounds, it's better to take a Sergei Bobrovsky, rather than take a chance on Buffalo's Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

Finally, here are some players I like near the end of drafts (around 180th and later) in alphabetical order: Ivan Barbashev (Vegas), Anthony Beauvillier (Washington), Zachary Bolduc (Montreal), Philip Broberg (St. Louis), Brandt Clarke (Los Angeles), Arseni Gritsyuk (New Jersey), Boone Jenner (Columbus), Anton Lundell (Florida), Matias Maccelli (Toronto), JJ Peterka (Utah), Sam Rinzel (Chicago), Jimmy Snuggerud (St. Louis), Logan Stankoven (Carolina) Danila Yurov (Minnesota) and Trevor Zegras (Philadelphia).

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Blues picked up their first win of the preseason with a decisive 7-1 win against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday at Enterprise Center.

The Blues (1-3-1) came into the game one of two teams without a preseason win, and coach Jim Montgomery made mention of that earlier in the day following the morning skate, taking about that it was a point made.

They certainly got it, despite the Senators (2-3-0) only bringing a handful of experienced NHL players, including St. Louisan Brady Tkachuk.

“In a lot of ways, there was parts of our game where we played north, the way we stretched the ice, transitioned offensively,” Montgomery said. “I didn’t like our transition defensively as much. We gave too many odd-man rushes that thankfully our defensemen handled well and ‘Binner’ made a lot of big-time saves. We’re looking to continue to build towards 60 minutes of good hockey and I thought that that was 45 minutes of it.”

Five Blues had multi-point games, including defenseman Philip Broberg, who had two goals and an assist; Robert Thomas had a goal and two assists; Pavel Buchnevich had a goal and an assist and Jimmy Snuggerud and Nick Bjugstad each had two assists.

“I think we’ve had a good training camp and I think we played pretty good today,” Broberg said. “I’m excited for the season to start.”

Here are tonight’s observations:

* Jordan Binnington doesn’t need any more work; he’s ready for Oct. 9 – This is the third straight start that Binnington has looked razor sharp.

He was a wall again, this time playing his first full game of the preseason after going two in the opener against the Dallas Stars (a 2-1 shootout loss) and a 4-2 loss against the Chicago Blackhawks, allowing just one combined goal in those games.

Binnington has played seven periods over three preseason games and will finish with a 0.86 goals-against average and .973 save percentage.

The Senators peppered Binnington with 37 shots and he stopped 36 of them, and making a number of those saves, even the high-danger ones look easy.

“It was fun tonight in that atmosphere, at home, we were scoring goals, playing hard,” Binnington said. “Nice to get a victory.

“I feel good right now. It is just preseason, a long way to go, but I’m just trying to focus on my process. That’s where my head’s at.”

* Logan Mailloux is ready for the NHL – Sometimes you have to get an extensive look at a young kid, particularly one that’s raw and one that was part of a hockey trade in which the Blues had to sacrifice one of their good, young players.

The Blues wanted to bring in someone they could build on their blue line that came with some good pedigree.

Logan Mailloux seems to fit the part, and each time inserted into the lineup, he’s passed the tests.

Mailloux had an assist and was a plus-2 in 22:50 of ice time with three shot attempts and three hits. He had one giveaway, but when put under duress against an aggressive Ottawa forecheck in this game, the 22-year-old managed to stay calm and make the right reads and right plays to transition pucks up ice. He used his stick well again in breaking up plays.

Bada bing, bada Buch. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/fjroVH2BAp

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) October 3, 2025

“I was really pleased with his ability with how he skates, how he makes plays, he’s a very confident offensive-defenseman, and I didn’t know how well he defended with his stick,” Montgomery said. “I did see tonight areas that we’re going to have to continue to work with him, but you expect that. As you start to watch your players more and more, you get used to them. You start to see obviously the positives. There’s so many positives with him.

“He’s a young defenseman. He’s going to play his first year full time in the league, and there’s going to be areas that we’re going to have to work with him. We’re going to see them as they develop. He was a dominant player in the American (Hockey) League and we know he’s going to be that in the NHL, but there’s going to be growing pains to get there, just like any player.”

When asked if he’s ready for the NHL, Montgomery said, “He’s ready. He’s ready to be an NHL player.”

* Broberg has ability to be strong offensive defenseman – Broberg’s two goals on Thursday came in a pair of varieties.

The first which put the Blues ahead 5-0 at 16:32 of the second period was off a Thomas pass, and Broberg showed the calmness and poise to outwait Senators goalie Leevi Merilainen to tuck home the forehand.

And then 27 seconds later at 16:59, Broberg recognizes a chance to jump in off the far side and take Buchnevich’s pass into the left circle and rip a dart top shelf:

Enjoy these two Philip Broberg goals, 27 seconds apart on the same shift. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/H1EfD5LKUY

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) October 3, 2025

Broberg, who had 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists) in 68 games last season and was a plus-21 – all career-highs.

“I want to improve offensively for sure,” Broberg said. “I still want to be responsible defensively as well and be a two-way guy. I want to improve every day and just try and take steps.”

* Top line had chance to shine, and did – For the second time this preseason, the Blues had the opportunity to showcase the Buchnevich-Thomas-Snuggerud line and it combined for seven points (two goals, five assists) on the night.

“Their transition game was top notch and each has the ability to shoot, make pinpoint passes and plays at a top-notch rate.

“Really explosive tonight, dynamic,” Montgomery said. “Still a little too careless with the puck trying to force too much. Some of that’s dictated by the score, but we’re looking to get the good habits that are winning hockey. Unfortunately when the score gets to 4-, 5-, 6-0, your players tend to flaw. They take the foot off the gas pedal so to speak and that’s something we want to build into our game. Doesn’t matter, we just keep playing Blues hockey.”

Snuggerud is known as the shooter, but he picks up the loose change off a Justin Faulk miss and finds Thomas in front for the finish at 3-0 at 7:37 of the first:

Tommer's turn. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/9WUATLFdNW

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) October 3, 2025

“He’s a great player,” Thomas said of Snuggerud. “Obviously he’s got a great shot, but when he has the puck on his stick, he likes to make moves, he likes to pass, he sees the ice really well. There’s not just shooters anymore. He can do a lot of good things out there.”

* Blues utilize their opportunities to break out with stretch passes – Mathieu Joseph and Oskar Sundqvist got the Blues on the board Thursday, Joseph scoring on a breakaway at 3:53 of the first for a 1-0 lead, and Sundqvist making it 2-0 at 5:59, but those plays came off of things the Blues like and want to do: breaking up ice quickly with the wingers so the d-men can find them in transition.

We've got some good Mojo going already. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/ban5uZcGIY

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) October 3, 2025

A little ray of Sunshine for your day. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/FaAmOnwlWE

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) October 3, 2025

“As soon as we know we’re going to get possession, whether we can do examples like that, which are like the (Jordan) Kyrou (in the second period) one was a fortunate breakaway just like the Joseph goal. But that being said, it’s more having a five-guys-go mentality of we’re sprinting north when we’re getting possession. Sometimes it’s within your own zone, but the other team knows that if they don’t get back, we’re going to have numbers and we’re going to have speed coming at you.”

-- The Blues close the preseason on Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks, a game in which they will take a lot of their Springfield players to play, and Colten Ellis, Binnington’s backup Thursday, is likely to get the start in that game.

“It was fun tonight in that atmosphere, at home, scoring goals, playing hard, and nice to get a victory.”

Jordan Binnington, Robert Thomas and Jim Montgomery speak to the media after Thursday’s preseason win over Ottawa. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/HJcJPep9B0

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) October 3, 2025

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced the roster for their final preseason game on Friday against the Buffalo Sabres. 

As expected, this game will serve as the "dress rehearsal" for the A squad, but not everyone on the roster will play. Friday's roster includes 14 forwards, nine defensemen, and three goaltenders. The morning skate at 10:30 a.m. ET will be pretty telling when it comes to who will be in the lineup. 

Here's the full roster: 

Forwards

Sidney Crosby

Evgeni Malkin

Rickard Rakell

Filip Hallander

Justin Brazeau

Blake Lizotte

Tommy Novak

Connor Dewar

Anthony Mantha

Ville Koivunen

Philip Tomasino

Noel Acciari

Ben Kindel

Avery Hayes

Defensemen

Ryan Shea

Matt Dumba

Ryan Graves

Parker Wotherspoon

Harrison Brunicke

Caleb Jones

Erik Karlsson

Kris Letang

Connor Clifton

Goaltenders

Tristan Jarry

Arturs Silovs

Sergei Murashov

All 26 of these players practiced with the main NHL group on Thursday at Noon ET. The practice lasted for 90 minutes and was intense and competitive, just like the other training camp practices. 

There will be a morning skate before Friday's game at 10:30 a.m. ET in Cranberry at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. Puck drop from PPG Paints Arena is set for 7 p.m. ET. 

Fans in Pittsburgh can watch the game on SportsNet Pittsburgh+ or listen to it on 105.9 'The X.'

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