Category: Ice Hockey

In a feature article, The Athletic’s staff wrote a piece focusing on one jersey each NHL team should bring back, but there were two exceptions. The writers explained that the Utah Mammoth hadn’t had time to wear that many jerseys and the only one they had worn aside from their current one was the “painfully generic” one that had Utah written on the front. They looked just like the PWHL initial jerseys, and it’s quite understandable that nobody wants to bring that back. The other exception? The league’s most storied franchise, the Montreal Canadiens.

Unlike the Mammoth, the Canadiens have worn a lot of different jerseys, but none has come close to their now-regular jersey, which has a classic look and is a sign of respect to the oldest franchise in the league. During their centennial year, the Habs wore six different jerseys: a blue one featuring a simple C, a red and green one which had a C in a maple leaf, the barbershop one, which had red, white and blue stripes, a maple leaf and a C, a red, white and blue one with a C that contained an A, and two more which are closer to the current look.

There were also a few Winter and Heritage classic jerseys; the ones they wore in 2003 against the Edmonton Oilers and in 2011 against the Calgary Flames weren’t special, but their 2016 one against the Boston Bruins was a slick one. It was white with a big blue stripe between two small red stripes, featured a white C with an H inside in a vintage font, and had the planet on the sleeve stripes. Their first game wearing it was a 5-1 domination of the Bruins in Foxboro and will always bring nice memories back to Canadiens’ fans.

Then there was the one the Habs wore for the NHL 100th anniversary and in which they lost 3-0 against the Ottawa Senators. The performance was atrocious, but the jersey was slick, with an added silver stripe on the sleeves featuring the years in which the Habs won the Stanley Cup.

Of course, Montreal took part in the NHL’s retro reverse trend, putting out a bright blue jersey for the first year, which was actually quite pleasing to the eye, but didn’t bring them much joy. As nice as the jerseys were, they had to wait for their fifth game wearing them to finally get a 5-4 shootout win over the Vancouver Canucks, and then their last game with the blue jersey had to be postponed because of the COVID protocol.

Finally, last AND least, the famous baby blue jerseys the Canadiens wore in the second year of the retro reverse trend. Those were a tribute to Montreal’s defunct MLB team, the Montreal Expos, but the Habs really struggled to find success wearing them, with Martin St-Louis even saying:

I think the hockey gods- I mean, this is an historical franchise (and) the guys who wore those jerseys 50 years ago, red and white, are looking down and saying: 'What are you guys doing? We probably get what we deserve, based on how historical this franchise is. I don’t know what next year will bring, but I hope it’s not those jerseys.

The coach’s dislike came from the fact that in their first seven games wearing the alternate jersey, the Habs had a 0-6-1 record. They finally managed to break the curse with a 4-3 overtime win over the New York Islanders in their eighth game wearing the powder blue jersey, but nobody in their right mind would want to bring them back; it’s bad enough that second mascot Metal wears one.

Personally, I wouldn’t be against bringing back the 2016 Winter Classic jersey, and the first retro reverse might have been a close second had it not been for all the losses it led the Canadiens to.

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As the National Hockey League enters the second month of free agency, a number of former Buffalo Sabres still remain unsigned. At this point of the offseason, players who have not latched on with an NHL club might consider playing in Europe, or taking a short-term deal or professional tryout to earn a one-year deal. 

One of the most surprising players to still be on the market is big blueliner Logan Stanley. The former Winnipeg first rounder played nearly six seasons with the Jets before being traded at the deadline along with Luke Schenn to the Sabres for Isak Rosen, Jacob Bryson, and two draft picks. With Buffalo, the 6’7”, 231 lb. defenseman played mostly in a third pairing role and posted five assists in 17 regular season games, and eight of Buffalo’s 13 playoff games. 

Other Sabres Stories

Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss

There had been speculation that coming off a career-high 26 points last season, and with a very thin crop of free agents on the market, that the 28-year-old was in a prime position to get overpaid and get some term on a deal. Veterans like Jacob Trouba got that kind of offer, but Stanley, with some glaring holes in his game, is still out there.

Outlook: With it being the first week of August, most of the money out there has already been spent. It is likely that Stanley is looking for a one-year deal in a good landing spot, where he can get plenty of ice time, have a good season and hit the open market again next July. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, and the organization’s developmental model has begun to yield results, with 2023 first rounder Zach Benson making an impact in the playoffs, and 2024 top pick Konsta Helenius appearing as one of the AHL’s top prospects the last two seasons.  

Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. These players are all 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 82 NHL games. 

Other Sabres Stories

Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss

33. Ryan Rucinski - Center (Youngstown - USHL)

It often occurs that when clubs are watching over their own prospects, they see another player that intrigues them. The Sabres prospect Luke Osburn made Team USA at the 2026 World Junior and had an excellent freshman season at Wisconsin. Prior to that, he played for the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms, where he won the  USHL Defenseman of the Year. On that same club that was center Ryan Rucinski, who the Sabres selected with their final pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. 

The 5’10”, 176 lb. forward is from Broadview Heights, OH (south of Cleveland) and has hockey bloodlines through his father, Jeff, and maternal uncle Steve Duke, who both played NCAA hockey at Western Michigan and had long minor league careers. 

Ryan Rucinski (#LetsGoBuffalo) finds Cooper Simpson (#NHLBruins) to start the scoring at the American Cup

Rucinski leads the USHL with 33 points. Simpson is right behind him with 32.@YtownPhantoms | #USHLpic.twitter.com/Z2yfmCslGK

— USHL (@USHL) December 5, 2025

The 19-year-old scored 42 points (19 goals, 23 assists) in 49 games with the Phantoms in 2024-25, and last season finished second on the club with 62 points (27 goals, 35 assists) in 59 games and was named to the second USHL All-Star team. Rucinski is headed to Ohio State this fall. 

Elite Prospects Draft Guide describes Rucinski as “A detailed, versatile forward with an edge, who creates through puck protection, net-front skill, and winning battles. His preferred scoring tools: An instant inside leg wrister off the rush and quick hands in tight on the power play. And when neither of those is an option, he crashes the net and whacks away until he finds an opening.”

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There has been a rather interesting development regarding the Toronto Maple Leafs and a former prospect of the franchise, who has spent the past three years playing in the KHL.

Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, drafted by Toronto 76th overall in the 2018 NHL draft, has expressed interest in rejoining the Maple Leafs and playing in the NHL.

The latest on Der-Arguchintsev is that he was traded in the KHL from Dynamo Moscow to Vladivostok, but doesn't plan on playing for the team that has acquired him, according to his agent, Shumi Babaev, who spoke to RB Sport. This highlights Der-Arguchintsev's intentions to return to North America.

Der-Arguchintsev's trade and his decision to decline to play for Vladivostok came after his representative's initial comments to R.org on April 28. In this instance, before Toronto hired John Chayka as the GM, Babaev revealed that he had been in contact with former Leafs GM Brad Treliving.

"Semyon is considering the option of returning to Toronto," Babaev told R.org. "We contacted former general manager Brad Treliving and expressed our desire to return to the club’s system. Now we are waiting for the appointment of a new general manager and to understand his position," Babaev said.

Most recently, last documented on Sunday, Babaev commented to RB Sport that there has been a certain process that has been underway with the Maple Leafs.

"I can't comment on it," Der-Arguchintsev's agent said.

Why Semyon Der-Arguchintsev Is Interested In A Return To Maple LeafsDer-Arguchintsev spent two seasons with the Marlies, from 2021 to 2023, scoring 25 goals and 72 points in 101 games.

It's clear, based on what Babaev has been revealing, that Der-Arguchintsev wants to return to playing hockey in North America, and preferably for the Maple Leafs. But just how realistic is that?

Babaev truly sees an NHL future for Der-Arguchintsev, but knows the path won't be linear.

"I believe Semyon is ready for the NHL," he said. "Of course, he has to be ready for the possibility of playing in the AHL, but there is no point in going there just for that. We are talking about a one-way contract with a salary closer to the league minimum."

Even on a flexible contract like the one-year, league-minimum deal that he suggested, it would be fairly challenging for Der-Arguchintsev to crack the Maple Leafs' NHL roster.

The right-handed center hasn't played in North America since the 2022-23 campaign. He featured in 50 contests with the AHL's Toronto Marlies and scored a solid 12 goals and 40 points. He also made one appearance for the Maple Leafs on Dec. 6 against the Dallas Stars.

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In a perfect world, for the player and the team, Der-Arguchintsev would get a look in the bottom six with Toronto. That would allow management and the coaching staff to truly evaluate him at the NHL level and decipher if he could contribute as a roster player.

The issue with that scenario is that there already isn't much space on the NHL roster. On July 1, Chayka added forwards Nick Paul, Jack Roslovic, Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger and Brandon Duhaime, most of whom could have a role in the bottom six.

Jack Roslovic Excited To Reunite With Auston Matthews After Choosing Maple LeafsJack Roslovic is already skating in a Leafs practice jersey and leaning on old friend Auston Matthews for housing tips and locker-room intel ahead of his August arrival in Toronto.

If the Maple Leafs and Der-Arguchintsev agreed on some sort of contract and plan, it would likely involve him seeing a lot of time in the AHL. That would allow Toronto to have frequent tabs on him and call him up at any point, including the purpose of filling in for injuries.

However, despite Babaev understanding that AHL time for Der-Arguchintsev is very likely and expected, he's not interested in his client spending an extended period of his stint in the minors.

At the end of the day, there is value in bringing Der-Arguchintsev aboard. After all, he'll still be 26 years old going into this coming season and is a talented offensive player known for his playmaking. 

This past season, in 59 regular-season games split between Dynamo Moscow and Vladivostok, Der-Arguchintsev scored six goals and 36 points.

His best season in the KHL was in 2023-24 when he recorded 17 goals and 34 points in 57 regular-season contests, as well as 10 points in 13 playoff games.

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Because the Detroit Red Wings lost the 57 points scored by Patrick Kane last season when the future Hall of Famer departed to return to the Chicago Blackhawks, they're going to need other players to elevate their respective performances. 

One of those players they'll be looking toward is Lucas Raymond, who experienced a dip in production in 2025-26 compared to the previous campaign.

That being said, Raymond still made it onto the NHL's 20 Best Wingers list released earlier in the week.

Lucas Raymond (@DetroitRedWings) kicks off NHL Network's Top 20 Wings Right Now list!

📺: #NHLTopPlayers on NHL Network pic.twitter.com/DqdPKrH2WW

— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) August 2, 2026

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

Although Raymond looked limited late last season, often passing up shooting opportunities and finishing without a goal over his final seven games, he dismissed the idea that he was dealing with a specific injury when speaking to the media after the campaign came to a close. 

In 80 games during the 2025-26 season, Raymond scored 25 goals and added 51 assists, finishing with four fewer points than he recorded the year before. His shot total also fell from 192 to 173, a decline that did not go unnoticed by head coach Todd McLellan.

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“He's 92nd in shots on goal....he shouldn't be in there," McLellan said of Raymond in mid-March. "He should be in the top 50 at least, top 40 in my opinion, with the amount of ice time and opportunities, the looks at the net." 

For the Red Wings to maximize their chances for success in 2026-27, they'll need Raymond to deliver - not only to help ease the burden of Kane's departure, but especially if Dylan Larkin's trade request is granted by whoever succeeds Steve Yzerman as GM. 

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ST. PAUL, Minn. - Former Minnesota Wild defenseman Alex Goligoski is taking on a larger role within the organization's hockey operations department.

The Wild announced Monday that Goligoski has been promoted to Player Development Coach after serving as Player Development Advisor during the 2025-26 season.

Goligoski retired following the 2023-24 season after spending the final three years of his 17-year NHL career with Minnesota. Rather than stepping away from the game, he remained with the organization last season, working with the Wild's player development staff to help mentor young prospects.

In his new role, Goligoski will continue working closely with the organization's defensemen as they progress through Minnesota's development system.

The Grand Rapids, Minn., native brings plenty of experience to the position after appearing in 1,078 NHL games with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Dallas Stars, Arizona Coyotes and Wild. He recorded 87 goals, 388 assists and 475 points during his career while adding 21 points in 47 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Goligoski also captured a Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2009 before returning to his home state in 2021 to finish his playing career with the Wild.

His promotion is part of a series of hockey operations changes announced by Minnesota on Monday, as the organization also added Dan MacKinnon as Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting, Janik Beichler as a European Amateur Scout and Elizabeth Hudson as Executive Assistant to the President/General Manager and Hockey Operations, following three key members leaving to join the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj has been given the No. 10 spot on Lyle Richardson's latest NHL Trade Targets Big Board for Bleacher Report.

"The Montreal Canadiens were expected to make a significant trade for a second-line center or winger this summer. So far, however, that deal hasn't happened yet. If it does, they could use defenseman Arber Xhekaj as part of a trade package," Richardson wrote.

When noting that Xhekaj has come up in the rumor mill this off-season and remains a restricted free agent, it is not necessarily surprising to see him being highlighted as a trade candidate to watch. There is no question that many teams would love to add his size and toughness to their blueline if he is officially made available by the Canadiens. 

Yet, while Xhekaj has been continuing to be the subject of trade speculation, trading him would come with some real for the Canadiens. Big and tough defenseman like Xhekaj are never bad to have around, so it could hurt the Canadiens if they ended up moving him. 

Furthermore, at just 25 years old, Xhekaj is still young enough that he could improve his game further. Due to this, there is certainly an argument to be made against the idea of trading Xhekaj.

In 65 games this past season with the Habs, Xhekaj posted one goal, four points, 116 penalty minutes, and 178 hits. 

The Chicago Blackhawks spent the entire 2025-26 season celebrating 100 years of hockey in Chicago. It was a transition year on the ice, but many all-time great moments were celebrated throughout the entire campaign. 

On Monday, the team announced how they would end the centennial celebration. November 17th will mark the 100th anniversary of their first game in franchise history. It came against the Toronto Maple Leafs, who will be in the building on that night in 2026. 

Chicago’s first game 100 years ago was also Toronto’s first game as the Maple Leafs, as they were the Toronto St. Patrick’s before that. It is the perfect matchup to commemorate that anniversary. 

The modern-day Blackhawks will be hoping to have Connor Bedard back by the time of this game. It actually lines up right where the timeline of his recovery says he’ll come back, but anyone who knows Bedard understands that he'll try to come back well before then. 

On the other side will be his friend and distant relative, Gavin McKenna, whom Toronto just made the number one overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. In addition to being an incredibly special occasion for the franchise, it promises to be an incredible hockey match based on the hype surrounding players on both sides. 

Will the Blackhawks don special sweaters for this game? Will the Maple Leafs bust out their “St. Pats” throwbacks? Anything is possible, so expect the unexpected. 

Other promotions from the Blackhawks include four bobblehead nights, Friday Night Hockey, and the return of the "Best Day Ever". 

The bobbleheads given out will be Spencer Knight (November 29th vs Wild), Frank Nazar (December 12th vs Mammoth), Connor Bedard (February 20th vs Wild), and Alex Vlasic (March 14th vs Ducks). This makes it 10 bobbleheads over two seasons, as six were given away in 2025-26. 

Fans can also celebrate Military Appreciation Night on November 12th vs the Buffalo Sabres, Native American Heritage Night on November 19th vs the Columbus Blue Jackets, Hockey Fights Cancer Night on February 17th vs the St. Louis Blues, St. Patrick's Day on March 10th vs the Washington Capitals, and Pride Night on March 16th vs the San Jose Sharks. 

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

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ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Wild continued reshaping their hockey operations department on Monday, announcing three additions to the organization's front office and scouting staff.

President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin announced the hiring of Dan MacKinnon as Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting, Janik Beichler as a European Amateur Scout and Elizabeth Hudson as Executive Assistant to the President/General Manager and Hockey Operations.

The additions come at an important time for Minnesota after the organization recently saw changes within its scouting department. Former Director of Amateur Scouting Judd Brackett and Amateur scouts Dan Palango and J.P. Perpich all departed to join the Toronto Maple Leafs organization earlier this summer, creating openings that the Wild have now begun to fill.

Dan MacKinnon Brings Extensive NHL Front Office Experience

MacKinnon arrives in Minnesota after spending the past decade with the New Jersey Devils organization, where he most recently served as Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations and Assistant General Manager.

Prior to that role, he was the Devils' Senior Director of Player Personnel, helping oversee the organization's scouting efforts during a rebuilding period that produced one of the NHL's top-ranked prospect pools. The Hockey News recognized New Jersey as having the league's deepest under-23 prospect system in 2023.

Before joining the Devils, MacKinnon spent 10 years with the Pittsburgh Penguins in various scouting and player personnel roles. During his tenure, Pittsburgh reached three Stanley Cup Finals and won championships in both 2009 and 2016.

His NHL resume also includes six seasons with the Nashville Predators and a season with the OHL's Mississauga IceDogs before beginning his long front-office career.

Wild Expand European Scouting Department

Minnesota also added another experienced evaluator overseas by hiring Beichler as a European Amateur Scout.

The Germany native most recently served as Director of European Scouting for Elite Prospects during the 2025-26 season. Before that, he spent seven years scouting European talent for the WHL's Spokane Chiefs and previously worked as a European scout for FCHockey.

His addition further strengthens Minnesota's international scouting network ahead of future NHL Drafts.

Hudson Joins Hockey Operations Team

The Wild also hired Hudson as Executive Assistant to the President/General Manager and Hockey Operations.

Hudson arrives after spending the past two seasons with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League, where she worked as an Administrative Coordinator before being promoted to Manager of Team Operations.

In addition to her hockey operations experience, Hudson has worked as a personal figure skating coach and as an Occupational Therapy Coordinator with Twin Cities Orthopedics.

With the additions of MacKinnon, Beichler and Hudson, the Wild continue to reshape their hockey operations department as Bill Guerin prepares the organization for the 2026-27 season.

The swirls of player movement of this off-season reminded me about a crucial, unique time for the Penguins back in 2005 with just how extraordinary that summer was as far as pieces shuffling around the board.

The lockout that wiped out the 2004-05 season was over. There was a salary cap in place to stop teams like Toronto and the New York Rangers from spending $65+ million on player salaries, a fraction of the budget the Pens could afford. To make matters even better, Pittsburgh won a 30-team lottery to secure the rights to draft Sidney Crosby. Mario Lemieux was in the twilight of his career. Due to the lockout lasting a full year, there was an unbelievable amount of free agents looking for work.

It was such a swirl of activity. The Pens had a lot they needed to build, the 2003-04 version of their team was one of the worst in franchise history. They went 23-47-4 with eight ties, a record that belies just how bad they were. The Pens conceded 303 goals, a country mile ahead of the next highest scored upon team (Chicago at 258), while only scoring 190 of their own. Pittsburgh’s 58 points were last in the NHL, making it completely fitting that they got the 2005 first overall pick – it was surely earned and needed.

The addition of Crosby, plus a young core of players that did well in Wilkes-Barre during the 2004-05 lockout season (including Marc-Andre Fleury, Colby Armstrong, Ryan Whitney, Rob Scuderi, Michel Ouellet, Tomas Surovy, Max Talbot and Erik Christensen) had optimism abounding in Pittsburgh for a quick turnaround. Others like Ryan Malone, Brooks Orpik and Konstantin Koltsov were rejoining that core as well.

With all that young talent, the team needed sought and found some veteran anchors. Sergei Gonchar was given a rich contract in free agency after establishing himself as one of the top offensive defensemen in the game. Mark Recchi was signed up as well to rejoin the Pens. Maybe shockingly enough, a player known for his time with the Flyers and as one of the top power forwards of the 1990’s, John LeClair was also signed to Pittsburgh. The Pens added Zigmund Palffy, a player with then nine-straight point per game seasons. Jocelyn Thibault, a solid goalie from the early 2000’s, was added as a veteran partner for Fleury in the net.

Just like that the once dreadful team that limped off the ice in April 2004 was given a complete make-over by the fall of 2005 with all the individual talent and upgrades made up and down the lineup.

It all looked great in theory and on paper, which made the end result incredibly surprising. Almost everything went wrong.

Because just as dramatic as the flurry of additions, the subtractions started coming on much more than a normal year. Coach Ed Olczyk was fired early on as the train-wreck unfolded. Palffy took a hit so hard that he quit the team on the spot, never to play in the NHL again. An irregular heartbeat led to a hospitalization that ended Lemieux’s storied career. Recchi was traded at the deadline to Carolina, where he would win a Stanley Cup that year. The team by the end of the season was far different than the one that carried so much optimism and hope.

Other vets like Gonchar and LeClair performed in what looks like a decent manner statistically 20 years later but struggled to varying degrees with their new team. Most of the young players other than Crosby had uneven seasons, some had their moments like Armstrong finishing the year with 40 points in 47 NHL games, mostly a product of being propped up from playing with Crosby.

In the end, the 2005-06 Penguins finished with 58 points – amazingly the same exact total as they had in their prior year with a much more bare bones lineup in terms of talent, giving up 316 goals along the way in a more wide-open style of hockey without two line passes getting called and more penalties in the post-lockout world.

At that point, more changes were on the horizon. General manager Craig Patrick was relieved of his duties, the Pens would turn the page and try again. Jordan Staal was drafted and Evgeni Malkin was signed to further lean into a youthful build. From there, the Penguins were on their way to being one of the best teams in the cap era. Crosby would win the scoring title and league MVP at age-19 in his second season in 2006-07. The Pens would make the playoffs in 2007, go all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in 2008 and win the whole thing in ‘09.

None of that was assured in 2005, and looking back it’s wild to see just how disjointed a team could be in the spring of 2006 and eventually put together a championship pedigree in seemingly no time at all. The very first attempt of team-building in the Crosby era, centered around Palffy, LeClair, Gonchar, Recchi and Thibault had more misses than hits, though it ultimately only served to briefly delay and not completely detail the Pens’ ascent.

There could be a bigger lesson about attempting a shortcut to force in marquee players to a team, which sometimes plays out in hockey. Nashville somehow got worse immediately after adding Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei in more recent times. In short, it just didn’t work out. Olczyk never was a head coach again and was arguably out of his depths. The team’s cohesion levels, especially defensively, never matched the ambition shown by adding a handful of top players who didn’t help them where they were already weak. It’s hard to knock the Penguins for being aggressive since that type of player acquisition made them great under Patrick in the ‘90s. It just didn’t work out this time around.

Montreal Canadiens’ prospect Alexander Zharovsky spoke to RG.org’s reporter Daria Tuboltseva a few days ago and gave her some details about his Summer. The youngster confirmed that after attending the Habs development camp and spending several weeks in Montreal with childhood friend Ivan Demidov, he returned to Russia in time to attend the “Match of the Year” exhibition game, which took place on July 25 in St. Petersburg.

The match featured 45 hockey players from both the NHL and the KHL and ended in a 9-9 tie after regulation. Washington Capitals forward Alexei Protas scored the game-winner in the shootout. The charitable event raised roughly $114,000, which will go toward the rehabilitation and support of children and adults with cerebral palsy and other motor disabilities.

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Zharovsky explained that Demidov really took him under his wing this summer, giving him a room and board as well as showing him around town when they weren’t training, even though that’s what they spent the most time doing. The pair went for walks downtown, and the 34th overall pick at the 2025 draft confirmed that despite having yet to play a single game with the Canadiens, he’s already being recognized on the street; a few fans even asked to take a picture with him.

Asked about his language skills by Tuboltseva, he explained:

I still need to work on my English. I’m not learning French yet; that’s not going well for me.

That shouldn’t surprise anyone since Zharovsky needed an interpreter (goaltending prospect Arseni Radkov) to speak to the media at development camp. Furthermore, the 19-year-old already has a lot on his plate in the pursuit of his NHL dream; speaking good English is essential if he wants to succeed in the NHL, and he’ll have to adapt to the North American style of play. These two things should and are taking precedence over learning French.

While he was in Montreal, Zharovsky joined a few Canadiens players for one game in the LSHL and dazzled with his quick hands in the shootout and on the breakaway; he explained why he even pulled off a Pavel Datsyuk-inspired move:

I just decided to do it. I saw that move a long time ago and watched how it’s done. I followed Datsyuk when I was young. I liked him.

If and when he makes the Canadiens’ roster, he won’t be the first to try Datsyuk-inspired moves in the shootout; captain Nick Suzuki has done that a few times already. Finally, Zharovsky mentioned that he did call Habs’ first-round pick at the last draft, Gleb Pugachyov, to congratulate him on his selection, but they didn’t discuss anything past that. By the time Pugachyov comes over to North America, the Canadiens could have an impressive Russian contingent featuring Demidov, Zharovsky and defenseman Bogdan Konyushkov.

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The Top 25 countdown continues with Tanner Howe, who is preparing for his first full pro season since undergoing ACL surgery last April.

Catch up on the previous entries for this year:

Pensburgh Top 25 Under 25: Graduates and Departed players in 2025
Top 25 Under 25: The best of the rest
#25: Chase Pietila, D
#24: Ryan Miller, F
#23: Finn Harding, D
#22: Peyton Kettles, D
#21: Zam Plante, F
#21: Brady Peddle, D
#20: Melvin Fernstrom, RW

#19: Tanner Howe, LW/C

2025 Ranking: #17

Age: 20 (February 28, 2006)

Acquired via: 2024 draft, second round, No. 46 overall pick

Height/weight: 5’11”, 183 lbs

Elite Prospects resume:

Howe was initially a projected first-round pick when playing alongside Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard in his 2022-23 season with the WHL’s Regina Pats.

His stock fell after his production dropped the next season in Bedard’s absence, allowing the Penguins to snag him in the second round.

Howe’s career since then has been impacted by injuries, including a shoulder injury early in the 2024-25 WHL season.

The forward then suffered an ACL injury while representing the Calgary Hitmen in last season’s WHL playoffs. He underwent knee surgery in April 2025.

That kept Howe on the sideline for most of his first pro season before he ultimately made his Wilkes/Barre Scranton debut in February.

“I think it was a mental test,” Howe said in February about his nine-month recovery process (h/t InsideAHLHockey’s Tony Androck). “I think going into the offseason, I wanted to focus on getting bigger and stronger, obviously rehab made a little delay on it.”

Despite that delay, Howe was a regular contributor in his shortened first season with the WBS Penguins. He scored in his fourth AHL game and went on to record 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in 27 regular-season contests.

Howe then contributed five points (three goals, two assists) in 14 playoff games while playing a key role in the WBS Penguins’ run to the Eastern Conference Final.

Tanner Howe also notches his first AHL point with an assist on this goal ⬇️ https://t.co/IZtmAdBuqL

— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) February 1, 2026

Back-to-back tallies for Tanner Howe 🔁@WBSPenguins | #WBSvsSPRpic.twitter.com/FRuBC4leMD

— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) February 19, 2026

Tanner Howe made an impact in his first pro season with the @WBSPenguins after being selected 46th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Amanda Kessel Howe: "He's a warrior, he's a winner, and you want him on your team." pic.twitter.com/1n72wCnCep

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 24, 2026

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton assistant general manager Amanda Kessel praised Howe for performing as a “versatile” player for the AHL team despite the delayed start to his pro career.

“To see him come into this year, a first-year young pro coming off an ACL surgery, he didn’t really struggle,” Kessel said, per Penguins team reporter Michelle Crechiolo. “I think it’s credit to him, he works extremely hard. Everyone loves the kid.

Kessel continued, per Crechiolo: “I think he’s versatile, he could play on the first line or the fourth line and be effective. He can play penalty kill, power play. He’s somebody who can play in multiple different roles and excel at them. He’s a warrior, and somebody that is a winner, and you want on your team.”

Howe was earning comparisons to the Florida Panthers’ Brad Marchand around the time the Penguins drafted him two years ago. As Bedard told The Athletic’s Sarah Jean Maher in 2024: “On the ice, he’s a bit of a prick.”

He started to again take on that pest-like role while becoming a regular problem for netfront opponents during the WBS Penguins’ playoff run. More time to get back to full strength on his surgically-reconstructed knee could allow Howe lean even more into that identity next season.

The Penguins will hope a full offseason to put on weight, gain strength and continue adjusting to the pros will allow for better evaluation of how close Howe is to breaking into the NHL.

It's officially another season, another prospects ranking for the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

In years past, this has been a bit easier of an exercise, as there used to be a more clear-cut line between prospects with NHL upside and longshots. However, because of the work that general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas and his staff have put in during the last several years, the line is blurring a whole lot more - and there is a substantially higher volume of talent in the system. 

This time around, making a top-20 list was challenging. So, a few criteria were put into place: To make our list, prospects must be under the age of 26 and have played less than 50 NHL games. This excludes names such as Ben Kindel, Filip Hallander, Oliver Okuliar, and Alexander Alexeyev.

Kicking off the list at No. 20 was defensive prospect Chase Pietila, who is beginning to fully round into pro form. Next up is a forward who keeps getting better and better - and who may end up, when all is said and done, being a late-round steal for the Penguins.

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No. 19: C Kale Dach

It isn't too often that a seventh-round draft pick ends up on top prospects list for any organization, as their NHL potential is, typically, still longshot potential at best. 

Funny enough, the Penguins are set to have two seventh-round picks in our top-20 this season, and both have some potential as future NHL players. And, even if the guy sitting at No. 19 is still a longshot in a general sense, he's making enough of an impression that an NHL future might not sound too crazy anymore.

Selected in the seventh round (201st overall) by the Penguins in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, center Kale Dach was quite the find for the Penguins and their front office staff. He's a product of the BCHL - notoriously, not a top developmental league, even if it has improved in recent years - and put together a dominant 2024-25 campaign with the Sherwood Park Crusaders, registering 22 goals and 87 points in 54 games. 

That was enough to get him on the Penguins' map, so they selected him, and he spent the entirety of the 2025-26 season with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL. There, he continued to progress and showed an even higher capacity for scoring goals, recording 34 goals and 75 points in 63 games. He also scored at a point-per-game pace in seven playoff games for Calgary.

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2026, No. 20: Defenseman Continues To Make Steady ProgressLanding at No. 20 on the THN - Pittsburgh Penguins Top-20 Prospects List for 2026 is a defenseman whose growth last season lent to him rising up the ranks.

There is, obviously, a lot of work to be done before the 19-year-old will be anywhere close to the NHL. He is committed to Penn State University for the 2026-27 season, and time in the NCAA should help with the next step in his progression. It will be an opportunity for him to play against bigger and better competition and, as is the case for other NCAA commits, he will also have more time in the gym to add size.

But, further development aside, there are already some things that Dach does well. In addition to being an offensive weapon who can score goals, the Penguins' front office and development staff is impressed with the growth in Dach's two-way game, which is something - along with his skating - that he'll continue to build on when he heads to Penn State. 

"It's not easy stepping into the WHL your first year, but he jumped in there and he became a leader on the team right away," said Penguins director of player development Tom Kostopoulos. "He's a guy they look to for offense. I think he's really creative on the power play, and the coaches trust him on the PK. He built his two-way game into something that's reliable, and he can finish and make plays.

"He's got to get a little quicker and work on his skating, but he's intelligent and he loves the game. He loves being around it, wants to be on the ice, and wants to work on his game."

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects: Honorable MentionsTo kick off the THN - Pittsburgh Penguins annual Top-20 Prospects list, those who barely missed the cutoff are acknowledged.

Of course, center depth is a major area of need for the Penguins in their prospect pool. Ben Kindel has given them a brighter future to look forward to on that front, but beyond Tristan Broz and, potentially, Bill Zonnon or Will Horcoff, the organization doesn't have much intrigue down the middle in their pipeline. 

Dach, like Ryan Miller, is a little farther out than those other guys in terms of NHL readiness, if he gets there. But the fact that he has taken each assignment thus far and run with it is a great sign, especially since he seems to be improving in the all-around facets of his game. 

With a strong season or two at Penn State, Dach could legitimately put himself in the conversation for an AHL roster spot in the near future. Since he only turned 19 in February, there is still plenty of time for him to add some size and round out the facets of his game that the Penguins would like to see him hone. But, if he continues to check boxes, the organization certainly won't hold him back from earning new opportunities. 

There is still a long way to go with Dach, but he's certainly a prospect to keep an eye on as a potential riser. Even if he's not that future top-six NHL center in the making that the Penguins desperately need, there is still potential for him to play a bottom-six role in Pittsburgh somewhere down the line. 

So, because of his growth and the upside, he earned a spot on this year's list. 

NHL Prospect Pool Overview '26-27: Pittsburgh Penguins Trust Youth To Bolster Aging CoreThe Pittsburgh Penguins are still transitioning from one era to the next, but integrating their prospects into the NHL over the next few years will be critical.

The list so far:

No. 20:D Chase Pietila

No. 19: C Kale Dach

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As things currently stand, San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini is set to become the NHL's highest paid player at the beginning of the 2027-28 season. Right now though, he has another season remaining on his entry-level contract. With his new deal being 12 months away from beginning, is there someone who can take his new crown before he gets a chance to wear it?

There are certainly a number of players who could surpass Celebrini's cap hit of $18.8 million if they were to hit the open market next summer. 

Reigning Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov, for example, could have a strong case to make upwards of $20 million if he so chooses. He's been a finalist for the Hart Trophy each of the last three seasons, winning it at the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign, he won the Art Ross Trophy for the most points in the NHL in two of the last three seasons, and he's one of the most dynamic forwards in the NHL.

With that being said, Kucherov is in a bit of a tough situation in that regard. If he wanted to remain in Tampa, the organization where he's spent his entire NHL career, he'd have to take well below market value in order to make things work. At most, the Lightning would likely be able to pay him around the $15 million range, but anything more than that would mean a meaningful piece would have to be moved. As a result, it's unlikely he's going to take Celebrini's spot as the highest paid player, even if he absolutely could. 

Jason Robertson is another name that comes to mind when thinking of a player who could demand a king's ransom on the open market. There was quite a bit of talk about Robertson leaving the Dallas Stars this summer, however, he reached an agreement with the team that walks him directly to unrestricted free agency. 

Robertson's $12 million cap hit is certainly below what he could've gotten this summer, as it has been reported that he turned down a contract worth $15 million per season from the Seattle Kraken. As an unrestricted free agent though, he could make an enormous amount of money if he so chooses. The can has been kicked down the road a bit and Robertson doesn't seem like the type of player who should be the highest paid player in the NHL, but it's certainly a possibility if July 1, 2027 comes around and he hasn't gotten a new contract from the Stars. 

On the blue line is where we truly see threats for Celebrini's crown emerge, although that's a bit of uncertainty in that regard. Currently, the highest-value contract signed by a defenseman belongs to Bowen Byram of the Chicago Blackhawks, which carries a $12.5 million cap hit and begins at the same time as Celebrini's deal. Of course, he won't be the highest paid defenseman for long.

Cale Makar is the last piece of the Colorado Avalanche's core group that has yet to be extended beyond the end of the current decade. Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, Devon Toews, and even MacKenzie Blackwood are signed until some point in the 2030s. It's important to note though, there's not much cap space to get a deal done with Makar at this point, but next summer the cap will rise significantly.

Regardless, it's hard to see Makar ever choosing to voluntary leave the Avalanche and he'll likely follow in Nathan MacKinnon's footsteps and take less than market value to keep the group together for as long as possible.

Through the first three players we discussed, there's not a player who truly stands out as someone who can take over the top spot on the salary leaderboard. Quinn Hughes, however, is the wild card. If Hughes becomes the NHL's first $20 million player, it won't be overly surprising to anyone. It would be somewhat surprising if that deal was signed in Minnesota, as it would mean a considerable amount of roster turnover to make it work, but it would be possible.

If Hughes hits the open market, which seems the most likely to happen of the players we've discussed, there will be one of the biggest bidding wars we've seen in recent history. There's the long standing rumor that he'd be willing to take a pay cut to join the New Jersey Devils alongside his brothers Jack and Luke. But there's also the possibility that a team in desperate need of an elite caliber defenseman will hand Hughes essentially a blank check in free agency.

After leaving the Vancouver Canucks, Hughes has hinted that he wants to remain in Minnesota, and doing so would require him to take less than market value. Joining the Devils with his brothers would also take him under market value as well. With any other team though, Hughes would undoubtedly pose the biggest threat to Celebrini's top spot. 

Based on the class of 2027 unrestricted free agents, it seems very likely that Celebrini will retain his spot as the NHL's highest paid player for at least one season. While any of these players could easily deserve the title, their circumstances make it unlikely to happen. Of course, anything can happen and if one of those players makes an unexpected decision, the NHL could turn into chaos.

The Islanders added to their front office Monday while also completing their AHL overhaul, hiring Evan Gold as an assistant general manager and the general manager of their affiliate in Hamilton, the team announced.

Gold, who spent the last 12 years with the Bruins and said in a release that it’s “an honor” to join the Islanders, will replace Chris Lamoriello — the son of the former Islanders executive — as GM of AHL Hamilton, but Lamoriello will remain as one of Mathieu Darche’s assistant GMs alongside Ryan Bowness, Steve Pellegrini and now Gold.

And Gold will be tasked with overseeing an AHL team moving from Bridgeport to Hamilton, playing under first-year head coach Jay McKee and trying to build on a season where it clinched a spot in the postseason tournament for the first time since 2021-22.

“Evan brings a rare combination of experience, intelligence, and results to our Hockey Operations department,” Darche said in the Islanders’ release. “Over the past several years, he has excelled in nearly every facet of building a successful franchise at the NHL and AHL levels — from contract negotiations and cap management to leading the Providence Bruins to the best record in the AHL this past season.”

Gold, who also worked in hockey operations with the Capitals, stepped into an assistant general manager role with the Bruins for the 2019-20 season and then became GM of AHL Providence for the last three seasons.

The Bruins’ affiliate made the playoffs in each of those three campaigns and collected 110 points in 2025-26. He’d also served as the Bruins’ director of legal affairs since 2015.