The Montreal Canadiens have had a quiet start to the off-season when it comes to adding new talent. Although this is the case, it is possible that things could change on that front before the start of the season.
The Canadiens could use another skilled winger to solidify their top six. Their options in free agency are not the strongest at this stage in the off-season, so they would need to address this need through the trade market if they wish to before the season.
If the Canadiens want to add a top-six winger before the start of the campaign, they should strongly consider doing business with the Pittsburgh Penguins. This is because both Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell are intriguing trade candidates on Pittsburgh's roster.
If the Canadiens acquired Rust, he would give them a two-time Stanley Cup champion who is coming off another strong season in 2025-26. In 72 games last season with Pittsburgh, the 34-year-old winger posted 29 goals, 36 assists, and 65 points. This was after he had 31 goals and 65 points in 71 games for Pittsburgh in 2024-25. With numbers like these, he would be a strong pickup for Montreal's top six.
Rakell, on the other hand, posted 24 goals and 48 points but in 60 games last season. This was after he posted 35 goals and 70 points in 81 games for the Penguins during the 2024-25 season. He would also be a nice addition to Montreal's top six if acquired. This is especially so when noting that he can play both wings.
Both Rust and Rakell would be more than one-year rentals for Montreal if acquired. Rust has a $5.125 million cap hit through the 2027-28 season, while Rakell has a $5 million cap hit through 2027-28. These are bargain cap hits for what each player provides, so they could be worth targeting for Montreal.
The Buffalo Sabres could go a number of different ways as the NHL is in the midst of trade season following the NHL Draft and the opening of free agency on July 1. With the departure of winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram, GM Jarmo Kekalainen is expected to seek out offensive reinforcements to make up for the 44 goals lost by their departures.
Over the next few weeks, we will continue to look at potential options for the Sabres, now that veteran Patrick Kane has returned with Chicago. Some of the possibilities are not going to match Tuch’s stats, but any additions could provide some relief to the pressure that youngsters Konsta Helenius, Jiri Kulich, or Noah Ostlund will be under to make up the deficit.
Kekalainen ideally would like to make up as much of the 60-to-70 point production that he lost with Tuch, but also possibly someone who can fill the leadership gap or add some snarl and sandpaper to the middle-six.
Someone who has yet to be signed, but is one of the youngest free agents still available is winger Eeli Tolvanen. The 27-year-old was a first round pick of the Nashville in 2017. After spending a year in Finland, the young Finn finished the 2017-18 season with the Preds and played most of the next two seasons in AHL Milwaukee.
Patrick Kane returns to Chicago instead of joining the Sabres.
After briefly returning to Finland during the COVID pause, Tolvanen returned to Tennesse and scored 22 points in 40 games, but only scored 23 points in 75 games in 2022. After playing 13 games in 2022-23, the Preds tried to sneak the winger back down to the AHL on waivers, but he was claimed by the Seattle Kraken.
Tolvanen’s totals increased with more responsibility and ice time. He scored 16 goals in 48 games to finish off the 2022-23 season, increased to 41 points in 2023-24, snd scored a career-high 23 goals in 2024-25, before taking a downturn last season to 36 points (12 goals, 24 assists) in 78 games.
The 5’10”, 182 lb. winger projects more as a middle-six forward with skill, which the Sabres could use if their plan is to promote from within and elevate someone like Zach Benson, Jack Quinn, or Kulich into the top six. Tolvanen is not strong defensively (he was -18 last season with Seattle), but could fill a role on a second power play unit and would likely score in the teens, based on his average goal scoring six of the last seven seasons.
Less than a year after being hired, former Vancouver Canucks pro scout and 19-year NHL veteran Jack Johnson has departed from the organization. Johnson was hired by the Canucks back at the start of January, with this being his first official post-playing career NHL role.
Johnson’s 1228-NHL game career resulted in a grand total of 77 goals, 265 assists, and one Stanley Cup as a member of the Avalanche in 2021–22. In his most recent season, 2024–25 as a member of the Blue Jackets, the defenceman put together six assists in 41 games.
Now departing from the NHL, Johnson will continue his post-playing career as the associate coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes’ women’s team in the NCAA. Ohio State most recently won NCAA championships in 2022 and 2024.
Apr 6, 2025; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman jack Johnson (3) skates with the puck in the first period against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images
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As the Detroit Red Wings prepare for the 2026-27 season, one of the biggest questions surrounding the organization is what the next phase of the rebuild will look like and which young prospects are ready to establish themselves as full-time NHLers.
Last season marked a significant milestone for Detroit's youth movement with Emmitt Finnie, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård all earning spots on the Red Wings' opening-night roster, offering fans a glimpse of the organization's promising future.
Finnie emerged as the lone rookie to secure a long-term role in Detroit, while Brandsegg-Nygård returned to the minors after a brief NHL stint. Sandin-Pellikka remained with the Red Wings for 68 games before also heading back to continue his development, gaining valuable NHL experience along the way.
The biggest in-season arrival, however, came when the Red Wings finally called up 2023 ninth-overall draft pick Nate Danielson.
With Detroit continuing its search for an impact center, expectations were high when the 21-year-old from Red Deer, Alberta, made his NHL debut. While flashes of his potential were evident, Danielson's first taste of NHL action proved to be more of a learning experience than an immediate breakout.
Danielson recorded two goals and five assists for seven points in 28 games before an injury prematurely ended his season. Although the offensive production fell short of what many fans had hoped for, the young center gained valuable experience adjusting to the speed and physicality of the NHL.
Heading into training camp, Danielson appears poised for another opportunity as Elite Prospects currently projects him to make Detroit's opening-night roster, and a strong offseason could significantly improve his chances of securing a permanent role.
If Danielson can build on the lessons learned during his first NHL stint and arrive at camp stronger and more confident, he could become an important piece of Detroit's lineup when the Red Wings open the season against the New York Rangers.
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The St. Louis Blues have hired Sergei Zubov as an advisor to hockey operations, the team announced on Friday.
The former NHL defenseman, inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019, was previously with the organization as a consultant in 2012-13.
"We are excited to bring in Sergei with the incredible resume he built over his Hall of Fame career as a player," Blues general manager Alex Steen said in a release. "As a coach, he brings a unique skillset and experience that will be a valuable asset throughout our hockey operations group."
The 56-year-old has held a variety of positions in coaching and hockey management since finishing his playing career in 2010.
Zubov served as an assistant coach for multiple KHL teams from 2011-15 before being promoted to head coach of SKA Saint Petersburg in 2015-16.
Zubov also held head coach roles with HK Sochi (2017-19, 2024-25) and Dinamo Riga (2021) of the KHL and the Russian U-20 team in 2021-22.
Zubov was named senior consultant to hockey operations for the Dallas Stars in 2019; he played in 1,068 regular-season NHL games with the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Stars over a 16-year career, winning two Stanley Cups (Rangers, 1994 and Stars, 1999).
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Another classic in the summer months is for writers who specialize in prospects to do redraft exercises. This week, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler did the exercise for the 2023 NHL draft. That year, the Montreal Canadiens had picked fifth overall and elected to select David Reinbacher, leaving talented Russian winger Matvei Michkov on the board.
The pick wasn’t well received by fans and sparked a social media storm, with an incredible number of disappointing comments from largely uninformed people. It certainly wasn’t the best way for Reinbacher to be introduced to the Canadiens’ intense fan base, but he was a victim of his position. Fans were foaming at the mouth at the thought of landing a Russian offensive dynamo and were upset at the acquisition of a blueliner that wasn’t exactly known for his offensive and electrifying style.
Three years on, Wheeler is off the view that the Habs should have used the fifth overall pick on Michkov, meaning he would have been selected two ranks before where he was actually picked up, seventh overall by the Philadelphia Flyers. Initially, before the draft, Wheeler had him going second overall, and he conceded that he was charmed by the mix of hockey IQ and skills. Michkov is already an established NHLer, but he hasn’t been a perfect acquisition for the Flyers either.
After finishing his rookie season with 63 points in 80 games and receiving the 4th-highest total of voting points in the Calder Trophy race, his sophomore season didn’t live up to the expectations. He showed up to camp in less-than-impressive form and ended his season with 51 points in 81 games. While some believed that not having to play under John Tortorella would serve him well, it turned out that playing under Rich Tocchet was no better for him.
While Michkov was indeed an impressive prospect at the draft, the Canadiens have very good ties in Russia and had perhaps an inside track to evaluate Michkov not only as a player, but as a person and a character, which is something the organization highly values, as they keep telling us, most recently, when Ivan Demidov signed a team-friendly contract.
As for Reinbacher, Wheeler believes he should have gone 16th overall to the Calgary Flames. Before the draft, he had him 12th overall on his list and adds that, in any case, the right-shot defender belongs in the teens, not in the top-10, let alone on a top-five list.
While it’s fair to say that Reinbacher hasn’t lived up to his draft rank so far, that has been influenced by the fact that he has had to deal with numerous injuries. So far, he’s only played 78 AHL games and 2 NHL games in the last three seasons. There’s plenty left to see and assess in Reinbacher, and this season will be incredibly important to him. It feels like the organization still believes that he could eventually blossom into Lane Hutson’s ideal top-four partner. At this stage, it’s much too early to say that the pick was a bad one, not only because of the injuries, but also because it can take longer for defensemen to come into their own in professional hockey.
Interestingly, Wheeler has the St. Louis Blues drafting Jacob Fowler 10th overall, a 59-spot bounce for the netminder whom the Habs actually drafted 69th overall in the third round. That year, the Canadiens didn’t have a second-round pick since they had traded it to the Colorado Avalanche to acquire Alex Newhook.
One of the biggest question marks of the offseason for the Detroit Red Wings was whether or not future Hall of Fame winger Patrick Kane would return to Hockeytown, and on Thursday, the answer finally arrived.
The 37-year-old Buffalo native is heading back to where his hockey journey began, agreeing to a two-year, $16 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks, the franchise that made him the first overall pick in 2007 and turned him into a franchise icon over 16 seasons and three Stanley Cup championships.
It was a fun three seasons with Kane in the Motor City, and Chicago appears to be about the only other team Red Wings fans can't be upset to see him leave for. Kane produced 57 goals and 103 points in 189 games as a Red Wing, and along the way he authored some moments Detroit fans won't soon forget. With his return to Chicago official, here's a look back at his best moments in the Winged Wheel.
Still Elite After Major Injuries
Kane's first season in Detroit may have been his most improbable. After undergoing hip resurfacing surgery in June 2023, he didn't make his Red Wings debut until December, but he still finished the year with a near point-per-game average at 47 points in just 50 games, showing he could still perform at an elite level despite the layoff and recovery.
That stretch run helped keep Detroit in playoff contention into the final weeks of the season and set the stage for three more productive years in the Winged Wheel, ones that Red Wings fans will remember fondly even as Kane heads home to Chicago.
Showtime Returns
Kane's first game back at the United Center as a visiting player, on February 25th, 2024, turned into one of the most emotional nights of his career. A sellout crowd of gave him a lengthy standing ovation during a video tribute in the first period, and things only built from there.
With the Red Wings and Blackhawks tied 2-2, Kane found himself alone at center ice in overtime, skated in on a breakaway, and beat goaltender Petr Mrazek glove side to win it.
Kane called it a night full of emotions, saying he simply wanted to show Chicago fans he'd always have his heart there. It marked the first time in nearly two decades that Kane had faced the Blackhawks, and he became just the sixth player in NHL history to score an overtime winner in his first game against a former team he'd played at least 1,000 games for.
Two days after tying the mark with an assist against the Los Angeles Kings, Kane recorded another helper against the Washington Capitals on this past January, reaching 1,375 career points and officially becoming the highest-scoring American-born player in NHL history, passing Hall of Famer Mike Modano.
The moment came on a secondary assist on a Ben Chiarot goal, and it set off a celebration as Detroit's bench emptied to mob Kane at center ice. Modano, who had held the record since passing Phil Housley in 2007 and who finished his own career with the Red Wings in 2010-11, sent Kane a prerecorded video message of congratulations that played on the videoboard at Little Caesars Arena.
500th Career Goal
Three weeks earlier, Kane reached another milestone against the Vancouver Canucks, scoring twice in a 5-1 Red Wings win, including an empty-net goal that made him the 50th player in NHL history to score 500 career goals.
He became just the fifth American-born player to reach the mark, joining Modano, Keith Tkachuk, Jeremy Roenick and Joe Mullen. Kane said afterward he was relieved to get the milestone out of the way, and Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin gave a speech in the locker room honoring the achievement as teammates wore commemorative T-shirts.
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The NHL free-agent market is only continuing to decrease as the summer rolls on. On Thursday, Patrick Kane became the latest player off the board, signing a two-year, $8 million AAV contract with the Chicago Blackhawks.
With Kane now signed, it is clear that former Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine is now, without a doubt, one of the best free agents still available for the taking.
Teams looking for scoring help could become more interested in Laine now that a big-name player like Kane is off the board. The only other notable UFA forwards besides Laine at this stage of the off-season are Vladimir Tarasenko, Michael Bunting, Eeli Tolvanen, and Reilly Smith.
With that, it would not be particularly surprising if Laine can land himself a one-year, prove-it deal in the near future. Although he played just five games last season for the Canadiens, the six-time 30-goal scorer's past success could lead to teams calling. If he bounced back and stayed healthy, he would be a nice pickup for a team that needs more offense and skill.
In 57 games over two seasons with the Canadiens from 2024-25 to 2025-26, Laine posted 20 goals, 14 assists, and 34 points.
LONDON, ONTARIO, CANADA - NOVEMBER 26: Quinn Beauchesne #13 of Team CHL smiles before the CHL USA Prospects Challenge between USA and CHL at Canada Life Place on November 26, 2024 in London, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Michael Miller/ISI Photos/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The amount of young talent in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization is filling up quickly. CapWages has 21 players on Pittsburgh’s reserve list for unsigned drafted players and the team has 22 others under contract that will be playing in the pro ranks next season. Once upon a time, finding 25 players to even rank was a tall task, now there are some decent enough names that won’t draw a mention at all for this year’s list considering that there are over 40 options between signed players and the reserve list. Today hopes to appease that with an honorable mention of five players on the cusp of making the list, all of whom show the potential to be ranked next year with favorable upcoming seasons.
Earlier in the week we kicked off Top 25 Under 25 season by looking at the players that won’t be a part of this year’s list due to aging out, being traded or otherwise leaving the organization. As a loose rule, we’re saying for now that 2019 draftees like Elmer Soderblom (who turned 25 earlier this summer) and Nick Robertson (who has his 25th birthday in September) are ineligible this year. 2020 draftees that are under the age of 25 currently, like Hendrix Lapierre and Joel Blomqvist meet the cut-off as fair game this year.
The top 25 under 25 series was a staple within the SBN Hockey blogs a decade ago, around here it’s morphed into what I like to think about as a snapshot in time for value and importance within the organization. It’s not meant to be purely predictive of which player may be the best pro in three, five or seven years but show how the young players currently stack up against one another.
In many ways it’s an impossible task, and a very subjective one. How does one weigh a 24-year old that figures to have a short leash at making an NHL impact (like a Phil Tomasino or Sam Poulin last year) against a fresh-faced 18 year old that was just drafted and doesn’t figure to turn pro for several years? Not to mention everything in between. It’s certainly a balancing act where guaranteed contributions to the NHL level count for something, even with the real possibility of a short shelf life and some projections also have to be taken into account for expected/hoped for futures.
Since this is a value-based snapshot in time, another handy tool may be to consider a hypothetical trade. If you assume a trade is going to happen and the other side wants either prospect X or young player Y to finalize the deal, which asset would the organization be better off holding onto? The answer to that judgement can go a long way towards determining where the young players will slot in against each other for this list, though it isn’t a strict rule of thumb since some player profiles (puck moving defenseman) might have more trade value than organizational value than other spots (goalie, small winger). That consideration is at least some factor in aligning the rankings.
Deeper into the process once the proceedings get going, we’ll pull back the curtain and show a bit more of the informal tiers of prospects that give more structure to the groupings. This year, we have a few players at the top for expected NHL contributors with top of the lineup potential, followed by two broad tiers of mixed between ‘highly drafted further out players with upside’ and ‘mid-age prospects with something to prove’. Further down the line, the latter tiers include ‘far out longshots showing promise’ if you want to start getting that mindset early.
For now, players who didn’t make this year’s top-25, in what could be considered the ‘others receiving votes’ section of the AP poll. Going back as recently as 2023, any of these players on the HM list today might have ranked as high as 12th, given the weakened state of the prospect pool back then. Flip back to 2022 and any of these names they have been as high as 10th. That’s not even an exaggeration, the pool is filling up and getting better (also true: it wasn’t very deep or good back then). These names are worth watching, knowing and hoping for the best. This will be alphabetical order.
Quinn Beauchesne
Penguins director of player development Tom Kostopolous raved about Beauchesne during this month’s development camp.
“I don’t know if another prospect in our organization grew as much as he did during the season last year,” Kostopoulos said. “It was great to see. You could see him mature as a leader, as an individual, and like, really take ownership of his career and his development. Really happy with him.”
Beauchesne, a fifth round pick in 2025, was 25th in last year’s Pensburgh T25U25 list. An uneven start to his OHL year, in addition to the amount of young talent coming in during the last 12 months, has bumped him for this year but the young defender still has plenty of time to grow and continue to work his way back into the mix. The Pens brought Beauchesne on as an AHL amateur tryout after his OHL year ended, he made his pro debut for one game in Wilkes and got to see how professionals prepare and work. He’ll take that knowledge onto Boston College this fall to continue his progression.
“He’s got snarl to his game, he’ll stick up for his teammates, he’s got a nasty edge,” Kostopoulos said.
He can say that again, Beauchesne was suspended for two games in the OHL for a high slash to an opponent. He’s not very big (6’0”, 184 pounds) but plays an aggressive, fearless style and doesn’t back down from confrontations. He’s got a good motor, can skate well and play the puck a little bit – finishing his OHL season with 23 points in the last 29 games in a huge role after his so-so start to the year.
Atley Calvert
The Pens signed Atley Calvert, 22, to an NHL entry level contract this July, a nice reward for an over-achiever. Calvert went undrafted into the WHL, earned a spot and become the second highest scorer on a championship team for Moose Jaw by his final year there. After going undrafted in the NHL, Calvert signed a minor league contract with the Pens and split 2024-25 between the ECHL and AHL, playing more in Wheeling than in Wilkes. Last season was a breakout, Calvert stuck in the AHL and played 70 games, scoring 38 points (16 goals, 22 assists). Mostly a winger, he filled in admirably at center for 20 games when the team was short-staffed down the middle and needed help. In the Calder Cup Playoffs, Calvert chipped in another six points (3G+3A) in 15 games.
Calvert earned that NHL contract through a lot of hard work and versatility. As mentioned above, he was willing and able to play center in a pinch. He’s a player with a great motor that will fight for the puck all over the ice and make a bigger impact than the boxcar stats will show by being hard on the puck and reliable to make the right play. Calvert’s the sort of ‘safe’ player in a good way that a coach can trust and will latch onto as a key player to be on the ice for an important d-zone start. Considering where he started from, Calvert’s over-shot significantly already. It’s worth watching here to see what he can do in the next couple of years as he continues to grow. He doesn’t have a super-high ceiling for the NHL, but players good on and off the puck are always valuable, and if nothing else Calvert will be a staple that helps Wilkes for the next couple of seasons.
Gabriel D’Aigle
It’s difficult enough to analyze goalies, so figuring out a netminder in the ultra-offensive QMJHL, on a bad team that gives up almost 40 shots a game and is bad enough to lose no matter who the goalie is? That’s about impossible. So it’s tough to know just what the Pens have in Gabriel D’Aigle, a third round pick from 2025, but they are excited for his future and talent.
“Just his excitement to be in the net, his attitude in the net, when you see him in practice, you see him on the ice, he’s a competitor,” Kostopoulos said in July. “He wants to stop pucks. He wants to get into the net. He did a really good job jumping in there in Wheeling. We’re excited about his potential, for sure.”
Not turning 20 until November, D’Aigle is incredibly young for a pro goalie. Word from the organization seems to be guiding him to play pro next season, after signing his NHL ELC and getting some experience in the ECHL last season.
“It was good experience,” D’Aigle said. “Pro is different than junior. I play against men. It’s different. The game is faster, and the shots are heavier. I learned for the next season.”
One interesting wrinkle: D’Aigle played on a minor league ATO last season, and was given an ECHL qualifying offer by Wheeling. The Penguins have ended their affiliation with Wheeling, but due to that ECHL QO the Nailers retain D’Aigle’s ECHL rights for next season. The Pens’ new ECHL affiliate, Florida, would have to trade something to get them. How that situation unfolds could be interesting to watch and see if the Pens/Florida break something off for Wheeling to get D’Aigle for their organization, or if Pittsburgh just opts to keep D’Aigle in the AHL as a third goalie, or even send him back to the QMJHL as an over-age player and figure it out next season.
Either way, it’s a goalie, he’s 6’4” and extremely athletic, but extremely young. Let’s check back in 2-3 years and see what it’s looking like as far as his transition into the pro ranks.
Kale Dach
A seventh round pick in 2025, Dach is a prospect on the rise. He will head to Penn State in 2026-27.
“Two-way guy that produced at a pretty good clip in a pretty good League [BCHL],” Vice President of Player Personnel Wes Clark said last summer. “So, our model was high on him at that point. We’ll see where that one goes as well.”
It went really well in the first year, Dach led the Calgary Hitmen (WHL) in goals (34) and points (75) in 2025-26. Dach is a smaller player at 5’10” 165 pounds and needs to continue to add strength as he develops, but he’s been an offensive-minded player with a knack of producing at the BCHL and WHL levels. He’s the perfect profile of a Clark/Kyle Dubas pet project as a smaller prospect with some upside with great hands, hockey IQ and responsible enough away from the puck to make a positive impact for his teams at the lower levels. Now he’ll step up a rung of competition again as he begins his NCAA career and looks to create a niche not too far from Pittsburgh over in State College starting this fall.
Travis Hayes
A younger brother of Penguin Avery Hayes, Travis as a 2025 draftee from the fourth round. There are a lot of similarities between the two brothers; both are right handed forwards with about the same size profile (5’11 and 170ish pounds) with incredible motors and a touch of scoring ability. Despite the obvious commonalities, the Penguins see differences between the two.
“I don’t want to compare them other than they’re great kids,” Kostopoulos said this summer. “We love them. Their coaches love them both. Their teammates love them both. They work their tail(s) off. But on the ice, they’re different.
“Travis is a great kid. He gives you everything he has every shift. He’s been working on his shot and his puck skills. … He works really hard at this game. Will continue to do so and he’s coming on.”
Avery Hayes made a huge jump at age-19, in his third year of OHL hockey in 2022, going from 29 points the season before up to 79 points. The league has changed to make an exact comparison, Travis has been a little more advanced by getting drafted and having an AHL ATO last spring with Wilkes, though he did not appear in any games. Unlike many in his draft class, Travis isn’t going the NCAA route and will head back to the OHL and presumably look to start his pro career in 2027-28. He’s got a long road ahead with a lot of minor league time likely, but if he can stay on the path his brother has already tread, the Pens might have a player with some sort of NHL future years down the line.
Former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Jack Johnson has landed a new post-playing career job.
The Ohio State University's women's hockey team has announced that they have hired Johnson as an associate head coach.
It is not too difficult to understand why Ohio State has hired Johnson as an associate head coach. The former Penguins defenseman put together a successful 19-year NHL career that saw him win the Stanley Cup in 2022 with the Colorado Avalanche. With this, he should be a very good mentor for Ohio State's players in his new coaching role.
This will be Johnson's first coaching job after retiring from the NHL as a player following the 2024-25 season.
Johnson spent two seasons with the Penguins from 2018-19 to 2019-20. In 149 games with the Metropolitan Division club over that span, he recorded four goals, 20 assists, 24 points, 244 blocks, and 416 hits.
In 1,228 career games over 19 NHL seasons split between the Los Angeles Kings, Penguins, New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, Avalanche, and Blue Jackets, Johnson posted 77 goals, 265 assists, 342 points, and 1,931 hits.
The Buffalo Sabres were hit with some bad news on Thursday, as Patrick Kane signed with the Chicago Blackhawks. The Sabres were heavily linked to Kane before this, but now they will need to explore their options for forward help elsewhere.
When noting that the Sabres moved on from Alex Tuch this off-season, there is no question that they should add another forward to their roster before the start of the season. However, with it now being more than three weeks since the start of NHL free agency, there are not a ton of notable UFA forwards available.
Although this is the case, one UFA winger who could make sense for the Sabres to pivot to after missing out on Kane is Eeli Tolvanen.
It is somewhat surprising that Tolvanen is still a free agent at this point in the off-season. He is only 27 years old, chips in offensively, and plays a heavy game. With these qualities, he could be a solid addition to the Sabres' forward group if signed.
If the Sabres signed Tolvanen, he would have the potential to be a strong addition to their top nine. Furthermore, due to his solid two-way play, he would give them another option to work with on their penalty kill.
In 78 games during this past season with the Seattle Kraken, Tolvanen posted 12 goals, 24 assists, 36 points, and 187 hits. This was after he scored a career-high 23 goals and recorded 35 points in 2024-25 with Seattle. He also threw over 200 hits in both 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Overall, on a short-term deal, Tolvanen could be worth taking a flier on for the Sabres. It will be interesting to see if they make a push for him from here.
The Chicago Blackhawks announced on Thursday morning that Patrick Kane was going to come back to their team on a two-year deal. They are paying him $8 million, which is a lot for a 37 year old who's best years are behind him, but some of that money is for the things he will do to help their young players.
Throughout his NHL career, which includes multiple championships and individual accolades, Kane has done a great job helping others reach the next level. The list is long, but stars like Alex DeBrincat and Artemi Panarin come to mind right off the bat.
Now, they are hoping that he can have that magic in him one more time. There are a handful of young stars on the team who have the talent to become high-end NHL snipers, and Kane is just the man to help them.
Not only has Kane scored over 500 goals in the NHL himself, but he's also one of the greatest playmakers to ever don a hockey sweater.
Young players on the Blackhawks like Connor Bedard, Anton Frondell, and Frank Nazar are all centers who will be interested in playing with Kane. However, pure snipers like Nick Lardis and Roman Kantserov would love to get ice time with the man who will best find them in the right areas.
Kane may not be a game-breaker of the highest level anymore, but he knows how to draw in defenders and take eyes off his teammates. He had 41 assists last year at 37 years old for a reason.
Kantserov led the KHL in goals in 2025-26 while Lardis played at a 20-goal NHL pace one year removed from scoring 71 goals in the OHL. The ceiling is bright for both of them as goal scorers.
Even after Kane is gone, players like Lardis, Kantserov, or any of the young centers can take things that they learned from him and apply them to their own careers. That type of mentorship (on and off the ice) goes a long way.
Patrick Kane can't play with everybody on the roster at once, but he will get different looks as the 82-game odyssey goes along. Whether it's at even strength or on the power play, all of these young snipers will be better in the long-term of their careers.
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The Pittsburgh Penguins have added many new players on their roster this off-season after their successfuly 2025-26 season. However, when looking at their current group, it is fair to argue that they should not be done making moves yet.
The Penguins could use another left-shot defenseman to solidify their blueline. Because of this, they should strongly consider signing the best UFA defenseman left: Logan Stanley.
If the Penguins signed Stanley they would be bringing in 28-year-old, 6-foot-7 defenseman who would provide their blueline with more size and grit. When noting that they moved on from two left-shot defensemen in Ryan Shea and Parker Wotherspoon this off-season, it would make sense if they brought in Stanley for more depth.
If the Penguins signed Stanley, he could be a strong fit on their bottom pairing and penalty kill. However, he could also even compete for second-pairing minutes if signed by Pittsburgh. In either scenario, the Metropolitan Division club's defensive group would get strong from a Stanley signing.
In 76 games last season split between the Winnipeg Jets and Buffalo Sabres, Stanley recorded nine goals, 17 assists, 26 points, 110 hits, and 128 penalty minutes.
With August just around the corner, the onset of NHL training camps is drawing nearer and nearer, which means time is beginning to dwindle for any kind of roster reshuffling prior to the 2026-27 season.
And, if general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins elect not to change anything up in the meantime, things will be quite interesting once the season gets underway.
The Penguins have been a relatively active team since the end of the 2025-26 season, as they have added a few players via trade and free agency. But through that addition, a bit of a logjam has been created both in the forward unit and on the blue line, even if it gives the team a whole lot of options as far as lineups.
The logjam on the forward front was covered already, but the blue line will certainly have its own intrigue. There are a lot of questions about the left side especially, particularly with the departure of Parker Wotherspoon, who played alongside Erik Karlsson on the top pairing last season. They also have a boatload of right-side defensemen, which could hinder chances of a promising young prospect cracking the roster.
Again, for these purposes, we can't assume that any trades will be made, however likely it may seem. So, barring there is no roster movement prior to training camp and the beginning of the season, what will the Penguins' defensive pairings look like?
Going into last season, there were a whole lot of questions concerning how the blue line would hold up. After all, the Penguins' defensive work was weak going into 2025-26, and it remained to be seen how the blue line would respond to new coaching.
Well, Karlsson responded very well and then some, as he registered 15 goals and 66 points in 75 games last season. He found his vintage form, playing well in all three zones, earning team MVP at the end of the season, and leading the Penguins down the stretch run of the season to the playoffs.
Last season was, by far, the best from Karlsson in a Penguins' uniform, and he has one year remaining on his current deal. He is 36 years old, but he is still very capable of playing at an elite level.
Simply put, the Penguins need that again from Karlsson if they hope to make any playoff noise. He is the best player on their blue line by a wide margin, and him regressing this season would be nothing short of catastrophic for the Penguins.
The departures of Parker Wotherspoon and Ryan Shea left a bit of a void on the left side of the blue line for the Penguins, and - techinically - they've only added one left-side blueliner in the aftermath in Declan Carlisle.
But on the right side? They have Karlsson, Letang, Korczak, van Riemsdyk, and even Harrison Brunicke pushing. There is certainly much more depth on one side, as the depth on the other side - at least, as far as traditional handedness - includes Girard, Carlile, and Solovyov.
van Riemsdyk can and will probably play the left side, and anchoring down Karlsson on the top pairing seems to make the most sense to start. So, the left side figures to consist of him, Girard, and Carlile, with Solovyov as an extra. The Penguins kind of have to bank on Carlile and van Riemsdyk to offset the losses of Wotherspoon and Shea, which is not going to be a walk in the park.
Of course, Owen Pickering could push, too, and Ryan Graves is still ever-present. But the Penguins will need to figure out a way to optimize their pairings, even with a lack of left shots.
Letang has been a fixture on the Penguins' blue line for two decades, but it's no secret that he largely struggled last season.
He did find some wind in his sails in the back half of the campaign, as he had chemistry with Brett Kulak, who was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers but then dealt to the Colorado Avalanche just two months later. It took a while for he and Girard to find chemistrry, but they got a bit better late in the season ahead of the playoffs.
However, aside from that, things didn't look too good. The best situation for Letang is to have a partner who allows him to be more stay-at-home, which Girard is on paper. But Carlile might provide the right kind of balance for him, especially if Letang isn't exactly itching to move away from the transitional and high-risk playing style entirely.
So, it will be interesting to watch how the Penguins approach Letang, his deployment, and his minutes this season. It seems like the third pairing is the best place for him at this point.
We don't talk about Bruno, no, no, no... or do we?
A bit like several other prospects on the forward front, one of the most interesting storylines to follow on the Penguins' blue line will be that of 20-year-old Harrison Brunicke.
Brunicke earned an NHL roster spot out of training camp at 19 years old last season, and he spent nine games at the NHL level dispersed across a few months. There were clear things for him to improve on - including play in front of his own net and along the walls as well as adding some size - as he subsequently went on a five-game AHL conditioning stint, played in the World Junior Championship for Team Canada, and was reassigned back to the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL in January.
Not only was he on a point-per-game pace for the remaining 24 regular season games for Kamloops - their best player down the stretch and in the playoffs - he also improved upon pretty much everything asked of him as he was summoned back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) for the rest of the AHL regular season and their playoff run. And, in the playoffs, he was arguably their best player at 19, playing top-pair minutes and headlining both special teams units while putting up two goals and seven points in 15 games to along with a plus-4.
It's not hard to deduce that, had Brunicke been AHL-eligible last season, that's where he would have spent the year, which means he would have had a full year of development there. Despite that, Brunicke looked NHL-ready in those playoff games, and given his track record at both training camps he's participated in - he almost made the NHL club as an 18-year-old, too - it won't be surprising if he has another dominant, standout camp.
If Brunicke earns an NHL roster spot, he should be on the team. However, realistically, Karlsson and Letang are locks, and there's next to no chance Korczak doesn't get regular playing time. So, it's more likely that he begins the season in the AHL, and some runway there may not be the worst thing for his development into a sure NHL-ready blueliner, anyway.
But, don't expect him to be there all that long. The Penguins believe they have a top-pairing type of talent in Brunicke, and if his rapid development has told us anything, he's going to blow his AHL assignment out of the water.
Oh, and as far as other blue line prospects go, don't discount Owen Pickering making a push, especially with the question marks on the Penguins' left side. The organization was very happy with Pickering's development in the back half of the 2025-26 season in WBS, and they believe he's developing the game-to-game consistency as a reliable shutdown defenseman with offensive upside that was lacking before.
The moment that Pittsburgh Penguins fans feared would never happen took place Sept. 5 in a packed Mellon Arena media room, when Mario Lemieux stepped to the podium and presented 20-year-old Russian hockey star Evgeni Malkin with a No. 71 Penguins jersey.
Malkin, the team’s first round draft pick (second overall) in 2004, could not contain his smile as he draped the jersey over his button-down shirt.
“I am really happy to be here today,” he said through his interpreter, Olga McQueen. “It was my dream to come here and play for the Pittsburgh Penguins.”
The Penguins’ new marketing slogan – “Experience the Evolution” – might have to be changed to “Experience the Russian Evolution” in the wake of Malkin’s incredible odyssey. In early August, he abandoned his hometown team, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, at the Helsinki Airport. He’d just signed a one-year deal with the club, but said he did so under extreme pressure from team management. He quickly realized his mistake.
One month and a few dramatic twists later, he arrived in Pittsburgh, via Los Angeles, on the night of Sept. 4. Local television stations were there to greet him, and the Penguins were ready with open arms. Malkin spent that first night dining on steak and lobster at Lemieux’s suburban mansion. New teammates Sergei Gonchar and Sidney Crosby, plus GM Ray Shero, also were among those present for the first supper.
“His dream was to come to Pittsburgh and start his career in the NHL, and he had to go through a lot in the last couple of weeks to achieve that,” said Lemieux, a player to whom Malkin has been likened.
“It’s always difficult when you’ve got a different country and a different language, and it will be tough for him for the next few months.”
Malkin immediately moved in with Gonchar, his teammate on the 2006 Russian Olympic team. The coaching staff plans to ease Malkin into the system.
Said coach Michel Therrien: “We’re going to be there to help him and make sure he’s comfortable in the city and comfortable with his teammates and the coaching staff so he’ll be able to perform well on the ice.”
It will take Pittsburghers a while to get to know Malkin, but a few things seem obvious. He’s clearly strong-minded and courageous, or he wouldn’t have fled his Russian club knowing it would cause massive resentment among team officials and fans.
“Not much flusters him,” said J.P. Barry, the agent who hid out with Malkin for five days in Helsinki as Malkin awaited his visa. “He has this ability to deal with pressure. He has a sense of humor, but he’s generally very serious.”
During those days in seclusion, Malkin, a big Internet surfer, tracked what people back in Russia were saying. He knew they weren’t pleased. That is why Barry arranged an interview with the Russian daily Sport-Express as soon as Malkin arrived in Los Angeles.
“He’s very proud to be a member of the Russian national team,” Barry said. “So he was glad to be able to openly tell his side of the story. At the end of the day, that went a long way with public sentiment. (Fans) realized the (Metallurg) team was using, let’s say, old Russian tactics.”
In Los Angeles, Malkin trained with several current and former NHL players. One was Alexander Mogilny, who picked up Malkin at his hotel each day and shared stories of his defection from the Soviet Union many years earlier.
Once in Pittsburgh, Malkin was thrilled to meet Lemieux, saying, “To tell the truth, I was a bit nervous.”
Malkin signed the same entry-level contract the man picked ahead of him in 2004, Alex Ovechkin, signed with Washington last year, Barry said. The three-year deal is worth $984,200 annually in base salary, plus bonuses that could top $2 million.
Malkin is confident things have settled down at home.
“I was always open in my desire to come to North America and become one of the best here,” he said. “My friends understood me and I am very grateful for their support.”
He’s also confident his parents are free from harassment, despite reports they might flee Magnitogorsk because of fan displeasure and pressure from team general director Gennady Velichkin.
“I definitely was a little concerned,” Malkin said. “But, knowing Velichkin for so many years, I had to believe he wouldn’t go for any harsh measures toward me. After I had my visa obtained, I called my parents and informed them everything was fine and I was doing great. They contacted Mr. Velichkin and actually now they are doing well and Mr. Velichkin doesn’t have any hard feelings against me.”
Therrien spoke for every hockey fan in the city when he said, “I can’t wait to see him on the ice.”
