ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MAY 08: Chris Kreider #20 of the Anaheim Ducks reacts after the game against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Three of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center on May 08, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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MONTREAL (AP) — Chris Kreider agreed to terms on a contract for this season with the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday after mutually terminating his previous deal with the Anaheim Ducks earlier in the week.
Kreider, a Massachusetts native, wanted to get back to the Eastern Conference to be closer to family after playing last year in Southern California following a trade from the New York Rangers. The 35-year-old winger joins a young team that is coming off reaching the East final before losing to eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina.
Kreider has been booed in Montreal since colliding with Carey Price during a playoff series with the Rangers in 2014. Price did not play again that spring because of a resulting knee injury.
After going a perfect 3-0 in last year's Prospects Showcase in Buffalo, the Pittsburgh Penguins looked to build on that during this year's Prospect Tournament in Detroit.
And, on Saturday, they got off to a good start.
The Penguins' prospects defeated the prospects of the Columbus Blue Jackets, 2-1, in a shootout to open their three-game tournament slate. Brayden Edwards scored for the Penguins on the power play with less than 30 seconds remaining in the first period with assists from Jordan Charron and Tanner Howe, while defenseman Tomas Galvas and forward Pierce Mbuyi scored a pair of nifty goals in the shootout to bring the Pens to victory.
Free agent goaltender Carter Casey stopped 19 of 20 Columbus shots, and the Penguins outshot the Jackets, 52-20. The lone goal from Columbus was scored by Jack Williams.
There were a lot of positives to pull from this game, especially since the Penguins pretty much dominated from start to finish. From the drop of the puck, they had the ice tilted in their favor, and aside from the lone goal, they never relented.
That said, there were a few players who stood out above others. Here are three standouts from Game 1:
Tomas Galvas
Out of everyone in Game 1, Galvas stood out the most.
The 5-foot-11, 168-pound left blueliner's mobility and skating were on full display, as he skated around defenders with ease and glided through the neutral zone in transition effortlessly. Obviously, the offensive highlight was his crafty shootout goal that led to the 2-1 win, but there was a play late in regulation that helped show off his two-way prowess.
With only four seconds left in regulation, Columbus was pressuring. Positioned near the net front, Galvas was able to get his stick on the puck first to thwart a scoring chance on a reobund opportunity, preventing a last-minute goal by the Jackets.
With about four seconds left in regulation, Tomas Galvas saves the day on the defensive end! pic.twitter.com/1rPQfxCxsM
Galvas was far and away the best player in this game, and it will be interesting to see how he builds on this performance the rest of the way. The way he was able to command the offensive blue line was remniscent of Harrison Brunicke, who the Penguins hold in high regard and who did not play in this game.
The Ruck first selected in this year's draft, Liam was all over the ice. He seemed to be involved in every significant play offensively, even if he didn't end up with a point in this game.
What was most surprising was Ruck's speed through the neutral zone. Liam is ahead of Markus in terms of skating, and that much has been clear for a while. But he can get himself up ice surprisingly quickly, and he was able to generate as a result.
But his offensive smarts are what stand out most. His playmaking ability was right up there with the level of his brother, Markus, and he clearly has a scoring touch, too. He even had a semi-breakaway opportunity at one point that he was stymied on.
There is still some growth that needs to happen for both Rucks, but Liam was already pretty advanced and clearly one of the best players on the ice.
Like Galvas, the left-side McGowan should be one of many in the mix for a final NHL roster spot once training camp begins on Sept. 17.
And there were a few glimpses of him flying up and down the ice and imposing his will.
McGowan can really, really skate, and it's the bread and butter of his game. He even said as much when we spoke with him during development camp. He was blowing by the opposition through the neutral zone, and on one opportunity, even carrying the puck 200 feet all the way down through to the net front for a scoring chance. He also almost scored on a wraparound attempt.
Maleek McGowan can really skate, and he catches the defender a little off guard. pic.twitter.com/he3CG1MgC2
He's physical, he's fast, he's good on the walls, he wins a whole lot of battles for positioning and puck battles, and he has the ability to defend well with his stick. His mobility and aggressiveness, though, is what he showed throughout Game 1.
The Penguins liked McGowan enough to sign him to an AHL deal at the end of last season. Look for him to keep making an impression, especially in these games, where he thrives with his motor and his chippiness.
The San Jose Sharks were back on the ice for the first time in a competitive environment this season on Saturday evening as they played the Los Angeles Kings in their first game at the 2026 Rookie Faceoff.
The Sharks didn’t take long to get on the board, as Filip Bystedt was able to deflect a Jake Boltmann shot past the Kings’ netminder Carter George to make it 1-0.
George denied Bystedt’s attempt to score a second halfway through the first save, extending his body across the crease to stop a one-timer. Moments after the spectacular save, Carson Wetsch shot a bouncing puck that evaded George, making it 2-0 for the team in teal.
Less than a minute later, Wetsch would add an assist to his stat line after he found Andre Gasseau on a two-on-one rush, extending the Sharks’ lead to 3-0 just over halfway through the period.
The Kings cut the Sharks’ lead to 3-1 with roughly six minutes remaining in the first frame, with a goal from Vojtech Cihar.
The Sharks’ “veteran line” created a chance late in the period as Igor Chernyshov sprung Michael Misa on a breakaway, but Misa was unable to get a shot off.
The Kings got the first power play of the night with 2:43 remaining in the first, after Bystedt was called for cross-checking following a dangerous hit. That type of penalty certainly won’t help his chances of earning an NHL job in training camp.
Wetsch and Gasseau attempted to recreate their prior magic while shorthanded, but while the play ended up getting broken up by the Kings’ defense, the puck landed on Phillip Sinn’s stick and he found Gasseau in front. Gasseau found the back of the net with his second goal of the night, making it 4-1 right before the end of the first period.
Wetsch and Gasseau almost connected again near the midway point of the second period, but were denied by George.
Brendan Hoffman forced a turnover at the defensive blue line to create a breakaway for himself, but was unable to get the puck past George.
The Sharks got their first power play opportunity with nine minutes remaining in the period, as Kaleb Lawrence sat for holding the stick.
Right after the power play expired, Wetsch scored his second of the night to extend the Sharks’ lead to 5-1.
Eric Pohlkamp was called for slashing with two and a half minutes remaining in the middle frame, giving the Kings another power play opportunity. The Sharks killed off the penalty and kept their 5-1 lead heading into the third period.
Quentin Musty got a little shaken up after blocking a shot early in the period, but remained in the game. On his next shift, he took a slashing penalty though. Wetsch, despite being short-handed, attempted to get his hat trick when he earned himself a breakaway, but was denied by George.
Ivar Stenberg picked up his first goal of the tournament with 8:47 remaining in the third period, when Mack Oliphant took a shot from the point which deflected off of his skate. Just 23 seconds later, Stenberg scored again, this time off of a perfect feed from Chernyshov, to make it 7-1. The Kings took exception to the goal, causing a large scrum immediately afterwards.
Chernyshov and Henry Brzustewicz both received 10-minute misconducts for their role in the scrum.
Quentin Musty dropped the gloves with the much larger Woolley with 6:27 remaining in the game.
Alexander Karmanov threw a huge hit on Jakub Dvorak, which left the Kings’ defenseman shaken up. Liam Lefebvre came over and immediately dropped the gloves with the Sharks’ 7-foot-1 defenseman. Karmanov fired up the TechCU Arena crowd as he skated off. Boltmann then had a scrap of his own before the game came to an end. Pavel Martinu added the Sharks’ eighth goal of the night with a minute and a half remaining. The Sharks would maintain their 8-1 lead and turn it into a dominant victory when the final whistle blew.
Officially, after a long summer wait, Philadelphia Flyers hockey returned Saturday night, with the prospects going toe-to-toe with their New York Rangers counterparts, running away with a 3-2 win in a contest that wasn't nearly as close as the final score indicated.
Forward prospects Alex Bump, Cole Knuble, and Matthew Gard each got on the scoresheet for the Flyers, with Bump's third-period tally standing as the game-winner.
Gard opened the scoring for the Flyers early in the first period, wheeling around the front of the net to collect the loose change after some tidy work from Noah Powell and Alex Ciernik in the offensive zone.
For a 6-foot-5 center like Gard, playing around the net is going to be the key to his game at the NHL level, and his true offensive upside is questionable, so that was an important goal for the former second-round pick, even in an unofficial game.
As for Knuble, his impressive night, highlighted by his unrelenting motor and knack for creating offense, his second-period goal was facilitated by Bump, who alertly spotted his buddy crashing the Rangers' crease for an easy finish at close range.
Bump himself would ice the game late in the third period, cashing in on a mazy solo effort from his center, Jett Luchanko, which started in the neutral zone.
That line of Bump, Luchanko, and Knuble drove the bus for the Flyers from start to finish, as they should.
Flyers had a host of standout performers
Top Flyers goalie prospect Carson Bjarnason is looking poised ahead of his second professional season. (Photo: Geoff Burke, Imagn Images)
It was a quiet night overall for Luchanko, whose game was largely reduced to doing the detailed work he was so highly regarded for coming into the 2024 draft two years ago.
The 20-year-old former 13th overall pick had a breakaway opportunity, set up by Ilya Pautov, denied by Rangers goalie Callum Tung. That would have been a good time for Luchanko to show his scoring, but it didn't come.
Luchanko also made a high-profile, uncharacteristic defensive zone error, whiffing on a breakout pass in his own end, only to try again and put it on the tape of a forechecking Rangers player. Fortunately, Carson Bjarnason was up to the task, as he was all night long.
The two goals against Bjarnason look favorable relative to how the Rangers played; he was unflappable all game and was only beaten on the power play. One of those two goals came on a deflection through heavy traffic.
Maksim Sokolovskii, the burly defender drafted 27th overall by the Flyers in June's draft, was the player who twice put the Rangers on the power play, getting whistled once for roughing on a high hit, and another time for a retaliatory hit.
And to be fair, the roughing call was a result of Sokolovskii just being bigger and stronger. Over time, the London Knights, University of Maine, and the Flyers themselves will all work with him to help try to avoid those tacky penalties.
Other than that, it was a good night for the 6-foot-8 defender, who regularly asserted himself physically, used his stick to disrupt rushes, and tried to contribute offensively.
Sokolovskii's defense partner and draft classmate, Brek Liske, also had an impressive performance and featured as the quarterback on the first power play unit.
Although the Flyers' power play, as we've come to expect, isn't very good, Liske looked surprisingly comfortable at the point, directing traffic, moving the puck, and manipulating defenders. There may be more offense there than the WHL stats indicate.
Ty Murchison and Spencer Gill, who played as a pair behind them, were physical and fine; they did nothing spectacular but made no mistakes. For defensemen, that's a good thing sometimes. Those two were also regularly at the center of post-whistle scrums, including two fights at the final horn.
Another player who popped against the Rangers was 2024 seventh-round pick Ilya Pautov, who signed with the Flyers this summer and came over from Russia.
Despite only being listed at 5-foot-11, 168 pounds, Pautov did some good work along the boards and flashed the creativity that enticed the Flyers to pick him in 2024.
Pautov lined up alongside grinder-types in Riley Thompson and Devin Kaplan, and his offensive potential could be better realised playing alongside more dynamic, talented players.
Denver Barkey and Porter Martone are expected to play in the second Rookie Series game on Sunday, so maybe Pautov will get his chance then.
The 20-year-old Russian is expected to spend the 2026-27 season with the QMJHL's Gatineau Olympiques, who drafted him eighth overall in the CHL import draft on June 30.
The Senators and Leafs prospects had to work a little overtime on Saturday night. But thanks to Ottawa's first-round draft pick, it was more like Covertime.
In the first game of the Prospect Challenge in Gatineau Saturday night, the Senators trailed the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 with under four minutes to play, and that's when Jaxon Cover went to work.
In a slick passing play with linemates Kasper Halttunen and Eksild Bakke Olsen, Cover got the primary assist on the tying goal by Bakke Olsen with 3:28 left in regulation.
At the club's annual golf tourney this week, Thomas Chabot was asked about the Sens captaincy.
Then Cover went end-to-end to win it.
The Senators' first round pick, 32nd overall this summer, grabbed the puck behind his own net, made his way up ice, chipped the puck in off the boards, lifted the defender's stick and then ripped home the winner, top shelf.
JAXON COVER GOES END-TO-END TO WIN IT IN OVERTIME FOR THE SENS!!! 🤯
The end-to-end rush to beat the Leafs in OT was reminiscent of Carter Yakemchuk's preseason beauty in 2024. But it was one of a kind for Cover, who told reporters after the game that it was his first overtime goal... ever.
Cover finished the evening with a goal and two assists and could have had more. He ripped a one-timer off the crossbar that stayed out. And he was denied an assist on a missed call. On a rare 3-on-0, he broke in with Djibril Toure, who was initially stopped by sprawling Leafs goalie Timofei Obvintsev.
But Obvintsev's entire body clearly rolled into the net with the puck, and if this were a meaningful game, it would have taken only a brief review to declare it an obvious goal. So let's call it, unofficially, a four-point night against the Leafs in Cover's first game in an NHL uniform.
Take that, Auston Matthews.
Cover's winner exonerated his linemate, Halttunen, who also had a fine game with a goal and an assist. But Halttunen's one blemish was a biggie. With the score tied at 2 and the Sens on the power play, Halttunen looked completely out of gas at the end of his shift.
But he stayed on and looked way too casual after Christian Kyrou hit him with a drop pass. Borya Valis intercepted the puck for an easy shorthanded breakaway, and his go-ahead goal took the wind out of Ottawa's sails and looked like it was going to stand up.
Game notes:
Despite the giveaway, Halttunen was dangerous all night and can really rifle a puck. When you choose No. 68, the one worn by the fourth-best scorer in NHL history, you clearly have confidence in your skill.
Ottawa native Jackson Parsons was sharp in goal for the Sens all night, bailing his defence out on a few tough giveaways and missed assignments.
It's only a rookie preseason game, but Toure and Gabriel Elliason, both six-foot-seven, have to be the tallest defensive pair in NHL history.
The Senators' first two goals by Halttunen and Landon Hookey were carbon copies of each other. Both were wrist shots from the same spot near the left wing dot that beat Obvintsev low on the far side, just above the pad.
But the story of the night was Cover. In a game filled with young players who've been playing high-level hockey forever, it was the guy who started playing ice hockey when he was 13 who stole the show.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published in The Hockey News. For more Sens coverage at The Hockey News, click on one of the latest THN Ottawa headlines below:
Utah's prospects made a statement in San Jose on Saturday, shutting out the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in the opening game of the 2026 Rookie Faceoff at Tech CU Arena and Sharks Ice.
The tournament, which runs September 12-15, brings together young talent from six Western Conference organizations — the Mammoth, Golden Knights, Ducks, Avalanche, Kings, and Sharks — giving each team's next wave of prospects a chance to compete outside their own development camps before main training camp begins.
Utah's power play did all the damage Saturday, and Vegas never found an answer.
The trouble started early for the Golden Knights, who ran into penalty trouble in the opening period. The costliest was a double-minor when defenseman Max Psenicka was nailed with a high-stick, an incident that unfortunately ended his night. Utah made them pay for it — and then some, finishing a perfect 3-for-3 on the man advantage.
Miko Matikka got things started, crashing the net to bang home a juicy rebound. Then, still working the same four-minute power play, Daniil But made it 2-0 with a highlight-reel effort — muscling his way through traffic and slipping a slick move past goaltender Pavel Moysevich.
Utah wasn't done. Later in the period, Artem Duda blew into the offensive zone and ripped a wrist shot from distance that beat Moysevich to complete the trifecta.
From there, the game settled down into an even-strength display of both offensive and defensive prowess.
By the final horn, it wasn't particularly close in terms of who controlled the game. The scoreboard read 3-0, but the story was really about a Mammoth group that took advantage of every opportunity handed to them and never let Vegas dictate the pace.
ALLENTOWN, Pa. — It sure looked like Alex Bump wanted to make a point Saturday night.
That this training camp will be different than his last one.
With the Flyers’ front office and coaching staff watching from upstairs at PPL Center, Bump absolutely made a point. The 22-year-old winger dazzled as the Flyers beat the Rangers, 3-2, in the first of two rookie games this weekend at the home of AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.
Bump buried a goal and set another one up with an excellent pass. At this time last year, Bump went scoreless in both rookie games. He then didn’t make it to final cuts during main training camp.
Was he trying to make a point Saturday night?
“For sure,” Bump said. “It’s kind of getting to the time where you’ve got to make an impression. Obviously we’ve talked about last year. New year, see how it goes.”
This was a great start. And it came after a strong finish to last season. Bump joined the Flyers following the March trade deadline and opened eyes all the way through the playoffs.
“He got his taste last year, he was up and he got to stay up,” Phantoms head coach John Snowden said. “He got to play important, meaningful games at the end of the year and in the playoffs. He wants to stay there. That’s the kind of game that we’re going to expect from him — is that offensive upside, holding onto pucks and creating offense.”
Cole Knuble and Matthew Gard scored the Flyers’ other goals. Carson Bjarnason picked up the win in net.
Flyers’ prospects take first rookie game from Rangers, 3-2.
Noah Powell got into it with a Ranger after the buzzer. Ty Murchison then dropped the gloves (not in video). pic.twitter.com/ga7o59mgjb
• The Flyers’ top line of Bump, Knuble and Jett Luchanko was productive.
In the second period, Bump sent a pass through the Rangers’ defense as Knuble cut backdoor to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead.
“That was a hell of a pass,” Snowden, who runs rookie camp, said. “And Knuble’s finish on that one, that’s a hard pass, on your backhand, coming downhill, to be able to put that in the net is impressive.”
Knuble has been a riser in the Flyers’ system. The 2023 fourth-rounder has positional versatility and there’s chemistry with Bump.
“He’s a great player,” Bump said. “Heavy on the puck, can make plays, as well. And he can finish, too.”
Knuble, the son of former Flyer Mike Knuble, is heading into his first full season at the pro level. It wouldn’t be all that surprising if he plays well with Lehigh Valley and starts knocking on the Flyers’ door.
“Since the day I was drafted, I wanted to be a part of this organization,” Knuble said. “I grew up loving this team, so it’s a dream come true. Every practice, every game, every offseason, that was the goal, to get one step closer to this. Now I kind of took the next step turning pro. It’s real exciting.”
Bump cushioned the Flyers’ lead to 3-1 in the third period when Luchanko found him on the wing. Luchanko started the sequence by using his speed to enter the offensive zone.
“I love playing with him, with his speed, carrying the puck up the middle, I like to do that, too,” Knuble said. “I think we complement each other well. You saw his play to Bumper there. Other little plays, he’s good in the corner, he makes smart, little passes. I think we’ve got some chemistry and I’m looking forward to playing with him.”
Alex Bump with a good defensive play and then nearly adds his second goal. Has looked like the best player on the ice.
The 6-foot-7 defenseman constantly eyed hits and utilized his mobility. In the second period, he thwarted a potential scoring chance by tracking down a Ranger.
“There’s a lot to like about him and his size and what he can turn into,” Snowden said.
Sokolovskii was in the penalty box for both of the Rangers’ goals. With time and development, he’ll have to learn when to pick his spots for hits.
“He’s a big man, he skates really well for his size,” Snowden said. “I think he showed that he is not afraid to be a physical player. A couple of those penalties, he took licks. That’s the type of game that he’s going to have to play.”
Maksim Sokolovskii can cover some ground, which you see here. Later in the clip, it’s evident guys have to be aware of him because he’s constantly looking for a hit. pic.twitter.com/bKAi1eBiee
• Bjarnason, the Flyers’ 2023 second-rounder, stopped 27 of 29 shots.
“I’ve worked on a lot of things this summer,” Bjarnason said. “I just wanted to kind of emulate what I did all summer and show the work I put in.”
He laid out for a save toward the end of the first period when the Flyers were on the penalty kill in a 1-1 game. He also made a sharp glove stop in the third period to bail out Luchanko, who made an uncharacteristic turnover.
Last season was Bjarnason’s first at the pro level. He posted a 3.43 goals-against average and an .877 save percentage in 32 appearances with the Phantoms. The 21-year-old had a strong start but sputtered down the stretch. It’s worth noting that minor-league rosters can really change later in the season, which can make life tougher on a goaltender.
But this season is a big one for Bjarnason to show improvement.
“Every player thinks about how their last season went and the things that they can grow upon,” Snowden said. “I thought tonight he looked big in the net, he looked composed in the net, didn’t really get scrambled at times. He tracked the puck the way he needed to track the puck. If he couldn’t see through traffic at times, he just stayed big and pucks hit him. Overall, I thought it was a good step in the right direction for him as we start to push into training camp.”
Carson Bjarnason with a nice save here on the Flyers’ penalty kill to keep it a 1-1 game.
• Porter Martone, Denver Barkey and Oliver Bonk were among the healthy scratches.
The Flyers likely didn’t feel the need to play their top prospects in both games. According to a source, Martone, Barkey and Bonk are expected to play Sunday (5:05 p.m. ET). Any kind of game action is valuable when you consider the preseason is only four games and the regular season has an early start.
“It is a shortened preseason this year,” Martone said Friday. “I’ve never done an NHL training camp. Just trying to get those reps, so when the regular season does start and hopefully I do crack the lineup, I’m ready to go and I’m ready to be successful.”
Flyers’ lineup for first rookie game. Porter Martone, Denver Barkey and Oliver Bonk among those not playing. pic.twitter.com/Ca4txRaCTu
Chris Kreider is getting his wish and heading back east − and north.
The Montreal Canadiens announced on Saturday, Sept. 12 that they had signed the free agent forward to a one-year contract. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports that the deal is worth $2.15 million with another $3 million in performance bonuses.
Kreider, 35, had become an unrestricted free agent when he and the Anaheim Ducks agreed to place him on waivers in order to terminate his contract. That move will help give the Ducks the cap flexibility to eventually re-sign leading scorer Cutter Gauthier with Kreider's $6.5 million cap hit off the books.
It also gave Kreider control over where he went. He had expressed a desire to return east after playing his first 13 seasons with the New York Rangers before being traded to the Ducks in the 2025 offseason.
Kreider reunites with former Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton in the move as well as Martin St. Louis, the Canadiens coach and Kreider's former teammate. He joins a team that reached the Eastern Conference finals last season and will be a veteran presence amid rising stars.
Though his numbers have dropped off recently, Kreider has scored 22 goals in each of the last two seasons.
Chris Kreider contract details
He'll make $2.15 million with a potential $3 million extra in bonuses. Kreider was due to make $5 million this season in Anaheim and already received a $1 million signing bonus.
The Colorado Avalanche prospect pool looked every bit as deep as advertised on Saturday, as the young Avs rolled to a 7-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks in Rookie Faceoff action at Tech CU Arena in San Jose. T.J. Hughes and Alex Gagne both finished with multi-point nights.
The headline performance belonged to Gagne, who capped a goal and two assist effort with a fight, completing a Gordie Howe hat trick. Hughes chipped in two assists, while Beckett Hamilton and Cooper Gay each finished with a goal and an assist. Makar, Shawn Carrier, Kalder Varga, and Matthew DiMarsico rounded out the scoring with a goal apiece.
The first game of a two-matchup showcase was also the first time Avalanche fans got to see Ilya Nabokov in action. He allowed two goals, but was largely impressive and there was no shortage of fantastic saves.
First Period
Makar put the Avalanche on the board at 3:03 of the first period when third-round pick Beckett Hamilton executed a beautiful behind-the-back pass to Makar, who was in the right place at the right time and snapped a shot past Anaheim netminder Damian Clara to give the Avs the early lead.
Just over two minutes later, T.J. Hughes carried the puck into the Ducks' zone on a 3-on-1 and stickhandled through traffic before feeding Hamilton at the back door for a slick finish, doubling Colorado's lead. Anaheim answered immediately, though, as Cruz Lucius outsmarted Nabokov in front of the net to cut the deficit.
Past the midpoint of the period, Matthew DiMarsico, who signed with the Avalanche out of Penn State last season, ripped one past Clara to restore the two-goal cushion, making it 3-1.
The Avalanche later killed off a four-minute high-sticking penalty on Makar, with Nabokov turning aside a string of highlight-reel saves, including a sprawling glove stop on Ducks forward Rian Chudzinski.
Colorado carried a 3-1 lead into the first intermission.
Second Period
The second period brought more of the same for the Avalanche, who tacked on three more goals. Cooper Gay made a gorgeous move through the neutral zone to set up Shawn Carrier for a tap-in, camp invite Kalder Varga scored off a feed from Alex Gagne, and Gagne added one of his own with a blast from the point.
Anaheim's lone response came when Noah Kosick poked a puck past Nabokov, but it was otherwise a dominant frame for Colorado. The Ducks had their moments offensively, yet were largely stifled by Nabokov, who came up with a handful of impressive stops over the 20 minutes.
Third Period
Tobias Tvrznik took over in net for Nabokov to begin the third period. However, the Ducks left Clara in net.
Just over nine minutes into the third period, Gay ripped home a rebound that trickled to the right circle, beating a sprawling Clara to make it a 7-2 game.
Next Up
The Avalanche will wrap up the Rookie Faceoff with a matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights at 2 p.m. MDT.
The Avs-Ducks game was originally scheduled to start at 2 p.m. MDT but was delayed by over an hour due to a scheduling "miscommunication."
If the Philadelphia Flyers are to enjoy a successful rebuild, they will need all of their young players, especially the wingers, to reach their full potential. Fortunately, all signs are already pointing to Porter Martone doing just that.
Despite jumping onto the moving train and joining the Flyers in the thick of their playoff push and subsequent playoff run last year, Martone, 19, looked like he belonged at the NHL level from the first shift.
In only nine regular season games with the Flyers, Martone put up four goals, six assists, and 10 points, then followed that up with two goals, three assists, and five points in 10 postseason games.
Despite his 19 total games of NHL experience, though, Martone was on the ice for the Flyers at development camp in July, and now he's on the ice for rookie camp ahead of the main training camp.
That's the kind of attitude and approach, Flyers coaches feel, will propel the teenager to stardom in the near future.
"He asks a lot of questions. He's always looking to better himself, wherever it is on the ice," Lehigh Valley Phantoms head coach John Snowden said of Martone on Friday.
"In fairness, he played at the end of the season last year, got a very, very small taste of the NHL level. Like, he should ask those questions, and he should find every single resource and avenue to make himself a better player. He's a very good player, obviously showed what he can be in the NHL, but he wants to be a superstar player, and those are the types of things you're going to have to ask.
"You're going to have to find a way to get better every single day. One percent better, two percent every day, and you're going in the right direction."
When Martone spoke during a media availability at development camp, he said he wanted to get better at "everything" during his offseason training.
That's quite the long season, and for a recent sixth-overall pick who is already looking like an above-average NHL player, that's an impressively all-encompassing outlook on the work ahead.
Martone, as well as fellow youngster and Flyers forward Denver Barkey, isn't expected to play in the first Rookie Series game against the New York Rangers on Saturday night, but he'll presumably get the opportunity to play on Sunday evening as a tune-up for the main Flyers training camp, which will officially open on Thursday.
It didn't take long for Viggo Björck to make his presence felt in a Winnipeg Jets sweater.
The eighth-overall selection from the 2026 NHL Draft found the back of the net in his first game with the organization Saturday, opening the scoring against the Montreal Canadiens' prospects at the 2026 Prospect Challenge in Gatineau, Quebec.
Björck's first-period marker came during 4-on-4 action alongside fellow first-rounder Brayden Yager. The two youngsters combined on a slick sequence that ended with Björck finding the back of the net for his first unofficial goal as a member of the Jets.
Image courtesy of Jets TV
It was exactly the type of play Winnipeg hoped to see from the highly skilled Swedish centre, who arrived in Canada with plenty of attention surrounding him following a whirlwind 2025-26 season.
Despite standing just 5-foot-9, Björck has continually shown an ability to create offence against older and larger competition.
The 18-year-old recorded six goals and 15 points in 42 games with Djurgårdens IF in the Swedish Hockey League last season before playing starring roles internationally. He put up nine points in seven games as Sweden captured gold at the 2026 World Junior Championship, then added another six points while playing against men at the World Championship.
That resume ultimately helped make Björck the eighth player off the board at June's NHL Draft and Winnipeg's highest draft selection since Patrik Laine went second overall in 2016.
Saturday offered Jets fans their first opportunity to see what all the excitement was about with Björck actually wearing Winnipeg colours.
The early returns certainly didn't disappoint. Björck had spoken ahead of the tournament about resisting the temptation to alter his game while trying to impress the Jets' brass.
“Just trying to play my own game, the way I’m used to,” Björck said Friday. “Not trying to change anything and be a person that I’m not.”
That approach was evident against Montreal. Rather than looking overwhelmed in his first competitive action with the organization, Björck showed flashes of the skating, puck skill and offensive creativity that made him one of the most intriguing players available in this year's draft.
And with Jets training camp beginning next week, his performance couldn't have come at a much better time.
Björck isn't guaranteed an NHL job simply because of his draft pedigree. Winnipeg has repeatedly stressed that its young players will have to earn their opportunities, and the Swedish centre himself has been cautious about looking too far ahead.
But his first audition offered a glimpse of why there is considerable excitement surrounding him.
He'll get another opportunity Sunday when Winnipeg closes out its Prospect Challenge schedule against the Toronto Maple Leafs at noon central time.
Connor Clattenburg stood out with the Edmonton Oilers last season through his absolute acceptance of his role on an NHL team.
The 21-year-old scored his first NHL goal, threw 17 hits in just over 36 minutes of ice time and gave the Oilers a look at the physical game that got him drafted in the fifth round in 2024.
Now, with another training camp approaching and Edmonton already dealing with injuries, Clattenburg has an opportunity to put himself back in the NHL.
Clattenburg said Saturday that his five games in Edmonton gave him something to take back to Bakersfield.
“It was good to carry the experience from when I played the few games up here,” Clattenburg said. “You know, it's a quicker game, and it was good to kind of go down there and have that speed up, and just learning from the guys up there was pretty cool. And I just took it back and did what I could no more.”
His season didn't go exactly as planned after returning to the AHL. Injuries limited Clattenburg to 32 games with Bakersfield, where he scored two goals and four points, and his development became difficult to judge over an interrupted season.
“I mean it was kind of tough. Few injuries when I went back down,” Clattenburg said. “But yeah, it was definitely some parts of the game where I felt a little better and a little more confident in, and just got to carry it into this year.”
Clattenburg's physicality has always been a large part of his identity, and his brief NHL stint showed he was willing to play that way. It also happens to fit what Mike Babcock wants from his team.
Babcock has talked about accountability, work and establishing an identity since taking over behind the Oilers bench. Clattenburg's path to the Oilers is through his forechecking, physicality, and ability to be a dependable skater near the bottom of the lineup.
“Definitely I feel way more confident myself and what my skill set is, and I just kind of know where I stand with this organization,” Clattenburg said. “And you know it's helped made me feel comfortable, and I can just be myself.”
Matt Savoie and Mattias Janmark are already expected will miss an unclear amount of time, leaving the Oilers without two forwards who were supposed to be part of the lineup when camp began.
“They're in one mode now, and they're just looking for the next guy up,” Clattenburg said. “You never know what that injury could be, and it's a very high energetic team right now, so it's just keeping the energy around and just play hard.”
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will drive the Oilers' offence, while Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Vasily Podkolzin, and Isaac Howard will play beside them. Babcock has several options for the rest of his forward group, though, and the depth chart is not set in stone.
Clattenburg can hit, forecheck and bring energy to a fourth line. He has already played NHL games for Edmonton, and the coaching staff has some idea of what he will bring when he is put into the lineup.
His biggest problem at rookie camp is that he can't fully show it right now.
“I'm still recovering from injury, so I'm non-contact,” Clattenburg said when asked why he was wearing a different jersey. “So that's what they gave me.”
Clattenburg needs to be healthy enough during main camp to show the Oilers the parts of his game that give him a chance to make the roster. Albeit, his five games last season should buy him some familiarity with the organization in the meantime.
Clattenburg has been inside the Oilers dressing room, played alongside their regulars and gone through the process of being called up from Bakersfield. When he returned to the AHL, he had a much clearer idea of what Edmonton would require from him the next time his name came up, which could be now.
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BUFFALO, NEW YORK - JUNE 27: Ryder Fetterolf of the United States looks on after being drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes with the one hundred and twenty fifth pick during day two of the 2026 NHL Draft on June 27, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Have you been missing hockey since the Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup three months ago?
Yes, it’s been almost three months since the Hurricanes skated off the ice in Las Vegas with Lord Stanley’s Cup. It’s felt both like ages and just yesterday because of how deep the Canes went into the season playing plus all the celebrations throughout the summer. Still, for the rest of the NHL it’s been ages since actual competative hockey has been played—and that includes fans of the two teams that will be in Wake County starting this weekend.
That’s right, folks. Actual, real hockey will be available for fans to watch kicks off this weekend, and in one week this team will go from no hockey to playing a preseason game down in Florida. That’s how quickly things are going to go from zero to 60. We are, after all, only about two weeks from the 5 PM season opener against Florida.
Let’s talk about the signs of the season getting closer and soak them all in:
First off, anyone concerned that the renovations in Lenovo Center wouldn’t be ready in time for the home opener in two weeks had their fears tamped down on Saturday morning as the team released photos of what the ice will look like. It’s a fitting setting for a team that is the defending Stanley Cup Champion, reminding everyone coming in who they’ll have to knock off in order to take the Cup this year.
The decision to leave empty space at the red line except for the occasional Hurricane Warning flag was an especially good one, it makes the design pop.
Fans will get a chance to see this logo for themselves for the first time next Tuesday, September 22nd in the only true home game of the preseason before they head to Greensboro on Thursday, September 24th.
It took until the last possible second but we now know when the actual Training Camp for the players that’ll play on that ice will start. On Friday, the Hurricanes announced the official start of Training Camp. The Wake Competition Center will host the start of camp on Thursday, September 17th at 9 AM. Along with that, we even have a schedule.
Looking at that schedule it is notable that a lot of the camp will happen at the Wake Competition Center, with only the sessions next weekend and then before the season opener to be over at Lenovo Center. Something important to note for the fans—none of the sessions will be open to the general public this camp. Media will be allowed in on all morning skates and camp sessions, so it will be worth following the usual folks on the various social media channels to get your information about how the sessions are going.
Of cousre, some of the players that’ll be participating in those training camp sessions will be on the ice starting Sunday in the Prospect Showcase. There are some big names that are going to participate. Bradley Nadeau will likely pop after getting some NHL exposure next year, not to mention it’s his chance to earn a roster spot with Seth Jarvis missing the start of the season recovering from his shoulder surgery. There’s also the Canes debut of Charlie Cerrato after a couple of successful years at Penn State.
The Canes will be taking on both the prospects of the Nashville Predators and the Tampa Bay Lightning over at the Wake Competition Center. The good news for fans is that this event is not only open to the public, it is free! This includes the event that faces off at 2:30 Sunday. If you can tear yourself away from the opening of the NFL season, you’ll get the chance to see the future of the NHL on display in a more intimate session.
That said, dropping what you are doing and driving to squeeze yourself into a freezing arena in Morrisville isn’t the easiest thing to do. So, if you want to have a feed of the event going on while you enjoy other events on Sundays, keep an eye on the social media channels for the links or head to https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/ and find the links to the feed. With the event happening locally, the familiar voices of Mike Maniscalco and Tripp Tracy will call the two Hurricanes games. The first game will be Sunday at 2:30 PM against the Predators, while the second Carolina game will be Tuesday against Tampa at 2 PM. On Monday at 2 PM the Lightning and Predators prospects will face off, and the outstanding Casey Ditzel of the Greensboro Gargoyles will call that game.
As an aside it’s been fun seeing the Gargoyles and the Canes collaborate more. Once the Charlotte Checkers moved to the Panthers, it’s great having one of the affiliates so close to Raleigh to where fans have a chance to see the future so close to the home club. The Gargoyles have been working hard as an org to embrace Carolina, and expect that collaboration to present itself further when the Canes play in Greensboro on Thursday, September 24th.
If you want to know just what to make of both the Prospect Showcase and how some of the prospects are fairing at Training Camp, make sure to follow Canes Prospects on the social media platform of your choice. This is their time to shine, and the insight will be valuable.
Actual hockey to talk about, and soon. Let the excitement build, and can we hear of other ways to watch the Hurricanes Hockey Network please?
Earlier this week, NHL.com released its Top 26 prospects list, and the Montreal Canadiens have three players on the list: forward Michael Hage, defenseman David Reinbacher and goaltender Jacob Fowler. Hage is ranked at number eight, while Reinbacher lands at number 20 and Fowler gets the 24th spot. Hage and Reinbacher weren’t on the list last season, while the netminder was 24th back then as well.
Hage gets the eighth spot thanks to his stellar performances in the NCAA last season (52 points in 39 games) and his part in Canada’s bronze medal World Junior Championship finish (15 points in seven games, leading all scorers in the tournament). The article highlights the fact that he could be the answer to the Canadiens’ long-running search for a second-line center. The hype around the 21st overall pick in the 2024 draft is very real in Montreal, and his performance at development camp did nothing to temper expectations.
It sure feels like the front office believes that, especially since their reported targets in the trade market have been top-six wingers rather than centers. While it was a disappointment for the fans to hear that Hage decided to go back to Michigan for his junior year, ultimately it should help get him ready to make the steep jump between the NCAA and the professional level, likely at the tail end of this season, once the NCAA season and the Frozen Four Tournament are over.
Knowing the Canadiens, they’ll likely break him in slowly and not throw him into the deep end right away, a bit like they started Lane Hutson on the second power play in his first season rather than make him quarterback the first unit right away. Even Demidov, when he made his debut at the tail end of the 2024-25 season, wasn’t thrown on the second line right away. Still, the Habs brass will hope Hage takes to the pro level like a fish to water and his ready to step into a top-six role quickly.
As for Reinbacher, who was the fifth overall pick at the 2023 draft, NHL.com has him in 20th place and projects him as “a reliable second-pair defenseman who can kill penalties, retrieve pucks and make efficient outlet passes. His best fit would be alongside an aggressive, puck-moving, left-shot partner.” In other words, a partner for Lane Hutson.
Clearly, that’s what the Canadiens are hoping for when they drafted him, but three years later, one has to wonder if he will live up to his potential. He’s had a plethora of injuries over the years that have hindered his development. If he can get one fully healthy season, we may finally see exactly what Reinbacher is about. Montreal already has another defenseman whose health is hit-and-miss, and they don't need another defenseman who struggles with the same thing.
As mentioned recently in another article, if Guhle cannot start the season, Reinbacher should get an extended look at camp and could very well make the opening night roster.
Finally, the article calls Fowler “one of hockey's premier young goaltenders” and praises his composure and positioning, adding that his success at all previous levels suggests above-average starting potential. The netminder will hope to make the team out of camp, but the fact that Samuel Montembeault is still with the Canadiens might make it hard to do.
Fowler doesn’t have to clear waivers before being sent down to Laval, which makes assigning him to the Rocket the easy answer. However, his performance last season suggests he is ready for the NHL, and while he’s only 21 years old (22 in November) and needs to see plenty of ice time, being sent down to the AHL may not be great for motivation. Still, it’s hard to imagine a world in which he outduels Montembeault at camp and the Canadiens decide to waive their former starter.
Kent Hughes is not the type of GM who enjoys losing assets for nothing through waivers. When he couldn’t send Cayden Primeau down without going through waivers anymore, the GM elected to keep three netminders on the roster rather than biting the bullet. Despite Montembeault’s disastrous last season, he still holds more value than Primeau ever did, and it would be an absolute shock if Hughes decided to gamble that he would go unclaimed.
Still, even if Fowler is sent down to start the season, if Montembeault falters, he won’t have as long a leash as he had last season, and the Canadiens won’t wait until December to try to address the issue.
While fans will likely have to wait until the end of the season to get their first taste of Hage, they should see plenty of Reinbacher and perhaps even Fowler unless Montembeault finds a way to get back to his former self.
DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 05: Nick Blankenburg #37, Zakhar Bardakov #93, Parker Kelly #17 and Logan O'Connor #25 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrate after a goal against the St Louis Blues during the first period at Ball Arena on April 05, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
After an early July whirlwind of activity with transactions and trades around the league things have now settled down as NHL rosters are mostly set heading into training camps next week. Though Colorado said goodbye to most of their former players via trade such as Val Nichushkin, Jack Drury and Ross Colton, there’s always a few that slip away during free agency. Here is where several former Colorado Avalanche players landed once unrestricted free agency opened on the 2026-27 league year.
Defenseman Nick Blankenburg sat on the market until September but ultimately couldn’t find a firm contract offer, thus he’s expected to land a try-out with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Depth forward Joel Kiviranta didn’t return for a third season with the Avalanche. Instead, he returned to his other former team in the Dallas Stars on a one-year contract worth $1 million.
Victor Olofsson was sent to the Calgary Flames in the Nazem Kadri trade but as a free agent the 28-year-old Swede made his way back to the Vegas Golden Knights on a one-year deal.
With so many Eagles free agents hitting the market, there was bound to be some turnover on the AHL club. Chris MacFarland brought another familiar face with him to the Nashville Predators organization with the signing of minor league depth defenseman Jack Ahcan who received 11 regular season and three playoff games with the Avalanche.
Howdy boys 🤠
We've signed defenseman Jack Ahcan to a two-year, two-way contract and defenseman Hunter Skinner to a one-year, two-way contract.
In other minor league news, former players who appeared in an Avalanche sweater and also moved on include Jason Polin who was signed for one-year by Pittsburgh, Jacob MacDonald received a one-year deal from Washington and Matt Stienburg was signed to a two-way contract by Vancouver.
