Team defense was the biggest strength of the fairytale 2025-26 Philadelphia Flyers, but national media isn't as willing to give them that kind of recognition just yet.

On Sunday, the NHL Network released its list of the top 20 defensemen in the NHL right now, but no Flyers players managed to appear on that list, and questionably so.

Many of the names were the top dogs you would come to expect: Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, Lane Hutson, Miro Heiskanen, Rasmus Dahlin, Zach Werenski, so on and so forth.

The second half of the list, however, featured a young newcomer in Jackson LaCombe from Anaheim, Minnesota's Brock Faber, and ageing veteran Victor Hedman, who was a superstar in his day.

That day has passed, however, and miraculously, No.1 Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim was excluded from the list entirely.

Hedman, 35, is a two-time Stanley Cup champion and former Norris Trophy winner, but his inclusion ahead of the Flyers' Sanheim makes the NHL Network's list patently false.

Should Flyers Sign Matvei Michkov to 8-Year Contract Before It's Too Late?Time is rapidly ticking for the Philadelphia Flyers to sign Matvei Michkov to an eight-year contract extension.

This ranking is meant, by their own admission, to be of the best defensemen in the NHL "right now", yet Hedman, as the most egregious example, played just 33 games last season, scoring one goal and 17 points in just 33 games while averaging a career-low 18:52 of ice time.

The hulking Swede was producing at his worst offensive pace in over a decade, for his standards, while battling injury and Father Time.

As for Sanheim, the 30-year-old spearheaded the Flyers to their first playoff berth in six years, scoring a career-high 11 goals in addition to his 37 total points, averaging a whopping 24:13 a night, and finishing the season with a career-best +12 rating and a career-low 20 penalty minutes.

Sanheim's 24:13 ranked 16th in the league amongst qualifying defensemen, doing everything the Flyers asked of him at both ends of the ice while playing in every regular season game this season except for the meaningless season finale, as the Flyers had already solidified their place in the Stanley Cup playoffs with his help.

Flyers' Travis Sanheim Deserves Credit for This Insane StatThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> made the Stanley Cup playoffs largely through hard work and discipline, and one veteran leader took the discipline part literally.

And in addition to his NHL exploits, Sanheim was also called upon to represent Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics, tallying one assist in five games and taking home a Silver Medal after a heartbreaking loss to the United States in the Gold-Medal Game.

It's harder to argue for Sanheim against the more prolific defensemen and the established superstars, but the 6-foot-4 defender not featuring at all in the ranking of the 20 best defenders in the NHL is a dubious choice at best.

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St. Nicklas - December 18, 2007 - Vol. 61, Issue 12 - Mike Brophy

MATS SUNDIN SWEARS he has never heard anybody say a bad word about Nicklas Lidstrom.

“I don’t know him that well, but every time he’s around the group, he’s a guy you love to have on your team,” says the Toronto Maple Leafs captain.

P-J Axelsson smiles when asked about Lidstrom’s dark side.

“No,” says the veteran Boston Bruins winger with a laugh, “I do not believe you’ll ever find anybody to say a bad word about Nicklas Lidstrom.”

Oh yeah?

Remember last season when that computer dude from Vancouver tried to get Canucks spare part Rory Fitzpatrick voted onto the starting lineup for the

Western Conference in the NHL All-Star Game? He ran a rather humorous smear campaign against some of the best defensemen in the game – Chris Pronger, Scott Niedermayer and, of course, Little Nicky:

“Nicklas Lidstrom…He claims to be an all-star defenseman, but the stats show otherwise. On November 3 of the year 2000, Nicklas Lidstrom was a minus-4 in a 6-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Those aren’t all-star numbers. What else is Nicklas Lidstrom hiding?”

Gotcha, Nick!

Truth is, it is next to impossible to say anything bad about the Detroit Red Wings superstar. As great a player as the 37-year-old defender is on the ice, he is every bit a wonderful person off it.

Right, Annika?

“Yes, of course he is,” says Lidstrom’s wife. “The only thing I can say is, he might be a little bit spoiled. He has a wonderful mom who does everything for everybody. He also has three sisters, so of course he was the golden boy.”

Golden boy to his family and pure gold for the Red Wings.

The European invasion, which started in the early 1970s, has brought many colorful and skilled hockey players to the NHL – from super snipers such as Jaromir Jagr, Teemu Selanne, Peter Stastny and Pavel Bure to extraordinary two-way threats such as Jari Kurri, Peter Forsberg and Sergei Fedorov to an acrobatic stopper such as Dominik Hasek. They are all worthy candidates for the title of best-ever European-raised and -trained NHLer.

Then there is Nicklas Lidstrom. Not the fastest or flashiest skater, perhaps. Not the biggest or roughest defenseman in the NHL, most definitely. But when you add up all the good things he does, from his responsible play in his own zone to the calculated offensive contributions, you have the best and most complete European player to ever skate in the NHL.

“I’ll tell you what I told Nick the last three or four times I negotiated contracts with him,” says Detroit GM Ken Holland. “If every player in the league was an unrestricted free agent and I had the first pick in the draft and my mandate was to compete for the Stanley Cup in one year, hands down my first pick is Nick Lidstrom.

“For the last 10 years we’re near the top of the league in points, he plays almost 30 minutes a game, always against the other team’s best players, he’s always one of the highest-scoring defensemen, most years we’re near the top of the league in power play, most years we’re near the top of the league in penalty-killing and most years we’re near the top of the league in goals against. He plays every critical situation. We won three Stanley Cups and five Presidents’ Trophies. We’ve been to the final four times in the last 12 seasons and he has been the one constant.”

Lidstrom’s ascent to the top of the mountain was gradual. After being chosen 53rd overall in the third round of the 1989 draft – behind defenders such as Adam Bennett, Doug Zmolek, Jason Herter, Jason Marshall, Lindsay Vallis, Jason Soules and Steve Bancroft – Lidstrom scored an impressive 11 goals and 60 points and was named to the NHL’s all-rookie team in 1991-92.

Over the years he has displayed a level of consistency that ultimately gained him recognition as not only one of the league’s most dependable performers, but one of the best all-around defensemen in the history of the game. Beginning in 1997-98, he was runner-up for the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman three straight years. In the past six seasons, Lidstrom has laid claim to the award five times, third-most all-time behind Bobby Orr (eight) and Doug Harvey (seven).

He has led the Red Wings to Stanley Cups, won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2002 and has been a first-team allstar eight times.

“He is so smart,” Holland says. “If somebody who didn’t really know hockey went to Joe Louis Arena and you told them they were going to see one of the best defenseman to ever play the game, they might not get it. You’re not going to see him whipping up the ice and making highlight-reel rushes. If you watch him and you really understand hockey, you’ll be overwhelmed and in awe because of his ability to pay attention to detail and his patience with the puck.”

And he plays the game fairly, too. In his 15 seasons, Lidstrom was assessed a paltry 372 penalty minutes in 1,176 games. Although he has never won the Lady Byng Trophy, given annually to the player who exhibits sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct with a high standard of playing ability, he has been a runner-up four times. A defenseman hasn’t won the honor since Red Kelly in 1954.

“He’s a good skater,” Axelsson says. “He gets himself in the right position so he doesn’t have to cheat and take penalties.”

The 6-foot-1, 193-pound Lidstrom has one career fighting major to his credit, way back in his first month in the NHL, against Buffalo’s Brad Miller on Oct. 30, 1991. Fact is, Lidstrom took a career-high 50 PIM two years ago, followed by 46 last year. Getting a little cranky in his old age?

“Not really,” he says. “They just call things a little tighter now.”

Ask Lidstrom and he’ll tell you the way he plays today is pretty much the way he has played the game all his life.

“My positional game is why I have become the player I am,” he says. “I’m not an overly physical player. I won’t run guys into the boards or knock them over. Positional play is one of the things I have worked on over the years to get better and better at. Even back when I was a kid, that was the way I played. I was good at reading plays and I developed that as my style of play.”

Lidstrom moved away from home when he was 16 to attend a school where playing hockey was part of the curriculum.

“We had five hours a week where you could replace one subject with hockey,” Lidstrom says. “All we worked on during those practices were our skills. We didn’t do any hard skating. Instead we worked on little things like developing handeye coordination. At night we would do our regular skates. I think most of the skill I have today comes from working at it back then.”

In the middle of the 2026 offseason, the Minnesota Wild are done adding to their roster, though training camp can and will throw wrenches into the plan.

One thing we have all seen, injuries can happen. Changes can be made before camp. Last year the Wild invited Brett Leason and Jack Johnson to training camp and had them play in preseason games under a PTO.

Neither of the two were signed.

Preseason is also a chance for some young prospects to make impressions or even first impressions for the newer guys. These three could make a splash in training camp. Whether they force their way onto the opening night roster remains to be seen, but they are three to keep watch over.

No. 3: Charlie Stramel, Center

All eyes will be on Charlie Stramel come training camp and preseason. He just signed his entry-level deal and is also coming off a season-ending injury to his ankle which happened in a playoff game for Michigan State.

Stramel, 21, was the Wild's 21st overall pick from the 2023 NHL Draft. He had a breakout year for the Spartans during the 2025-26 season, where he recorded 19 goals, 25 assists and 44 points in 37 games. He was tied for ninth in points in the NCAA. 

The 6-foot-3 center will start the season in the American Hockey league with the Iowa Wild, but it will be interesting to see how he does in camp. Everyone in the Wild's organization is excited to see him in action.

No. 2: Hunter Haight, Center

The 5-foot-10 forward made a splash last year and even made the team out of camp. There is no doubt he will make another push to make the team.

If anyone on the Wild's current roster gets hurt or is unavailable to play, Haight seems like the closest player ready.

Haight, 22, played in nine games last season for the Wild and recorded one goal and one assist. In 54 games with the Iowa Wild, he recorded 18 goals, 14 assists and 32 points. 

In 121 AHL games with Iowa, Haight has 38 goals, 28 assists and 66 points. The Wild's 47th overall pick from the 2022 NHL Draft is entering the final year of his entry-level contract.

No. 1: Viking Gustafsson Nyberg, Defenseman

The 6-foot-6 defender was signed out of the University of Connecticut (UConn). He was signed to an ATO and reported to Iowa. He played two games and recorded one assist before he was signed to an NHL deal.

Gustafsson Nyberg, 22, recorded 11 assists, 47 shots and 26 PIM in 37 games with UConn before he turned pro.

Minnesota signed him to a contract and he played in the Wild's final two regular season games. He recorded three blocks and two hits in the final two games.

Daemon Hunt will be the Wild's seventh defenseman to start the season by big Swede is expected to apprear in some games this season and could impress the Wild in camp.

The Buffalo Sabres finally made the Stanley Cup playoffs this past season, ending a 15-year playoff drought. The Sabres also won a playoff round, beating an upstart Boston Bruins team before losing to the Montreal Canadiens in the second round. 

The Sabres’ success in 2025-26 means that, in TheHockeyNews.com’s grades for Buffalo’s players, coach and GM will be largely positive. An A+ grade is hard to come by, but by-and-large, Buffalo’s players have earned the praise that’s coming their way right now.

With that out of the way, in this “Sabres Grades” file, we’re examining star right winger Josh Doan. In Doan’s first season, he started turning into the dynamic young winger Buffalo wanted when they acquired him from the Utah Mammoth. Doan is just getting started in his NHL career, and he began to show why the Mammoth traded him to Utah last summer.

Let’s get to it:

Josh Doan

Position: Right Wing

Grade: A

The Skinny: When Sabres dealt winger J.J. Peterka to the Mammoth last summer, expectations were high for Josh Doan – the key player Buffalo got back in the blockbuster deal. Buffalo was hoping Doan would evolve into a stellar power forward. And in his first season as a Sabre, Doan did everything to warrant more opportunities. He produced 25 goals and 52 points in 82 games, and he established himself as a legitimate top-six forward for Buffalo.

It’s no small wonder that Doan and the Sabres both got what they wanted when they acquired him. Doan got a contract extension paying him $6.95-million per-season for the next seven years, while Buffalo got the cost-certainty they wanted for a core member of the organization. The 24-year-old still has to grow his game, but he’s had his breakout year, and he can now focus on taking that next competitive step and helping the Sabres win their first Cup.

Doan slots in as Buffalo’s second-line left winger. And if they can get 30 goals out of him, he’s going to be one of the league’s better bargains. Doan is being paid on potential to a degree, but that’s been the way the trend has been going around the league in that department. 

The Sabres saw potential in Doan when they acquired him, and they’ve got him at a very reasonable financial number for a long time. The new contract could be a major bargain for Buffalo, and if he gets into the 30-goal range or higher, Doan will earn a bigger payday when his contract expires when he’s 31 years old. 

Doan isn’t a superstar per se, but he can be a very effective top-six winger, and he’s still scratching the surface of what he’s capable of. Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen did good work getting Doan signed to his new extension, and now, Doan can go about his business trying to evolve into a top-level force and a major driver of Buffalo’s success.

Doan had a terrific season, but if he wants an A+, he needs to dominate the way his father, Shane Doan, did in his NHL career. But Josh Doan has the genetics to be a dangerous contributor, and the Sabres are thrilled he'll be in Buffalo for a very long time.

Over the summer, the San Jose Sharks addressed their blue line and improved significantly in that regard, despite some criticism concerning the moves they opted to make.

The Sharks now have quite a few veterans who are guaranteed to be on the opening night roster, some young players looking to find a spot for themselves, and some potential breakout candidates as well. Let's take a look at where each player falls.

Locks: Darnell Nurse, Jacob Trouba, Michael Kesselring, Dmitry Orlov

To put it simply, if the Sharks weren't planning to play Nurse, Trouba, and Kesselring on their opening night roster, they wouldn't have acquired them. All three are guaranteed to have a spot on the team this September, unless something goes terribly wrong.

As for Orlov, it's hard to say whether or not he'll stay with the Sharks for the entirety of the 2026-27 season as he enters the final year of his contract, but he'll undoubtedly be a big part of their blue line to start the season, at the very least. If they're in the playoff hunt, as they hope to be, then he'll likely stick in the top-four for the majority of the season.

On the Bubble - Sam Dickinson, Luca Cagnoni, Nolan Allan, Eric Pohlkamp, Libor Hajek

I'd say it's fair to say that there's roughly a 95% chance that Sam Dickinson is on the Sharks' opening night roster. With that being said, now that he's eligible to play in the American Hockey League due to a change in the AHL's agreement with the Canadian Hockey League, if he underperforms at training camp, there's a possibility that he gets a short time with the Barracuda to start the season, similar to what the Blackhawks previously did with Kevin Korchinski.

That's a very unlikely outcome though, and as a result, the remaining four bubble players will be battling it out for two possible roster spots. Luca Cagnoni seems like a favorite to make the roster due to his ability on the powerplay and his play at the end of the 2025-26 season when given a chance in the NHL, but he's far from guaranteed to get a roster spot. 

Nolan Allan and Libor Hajek are both on two-way contracts, so the Sharks won't be stuck with their full salary if they're sent to the AHL, but they do have the issue of waivers. Unlike Cagnoni, Allan and Hajek are both waiver-eligible. As a result, the Sharks may opt to side with keeping one, or both of them, in the NHL in order to retain them as assets. Of course, that only truly matters if Mike Grier feels that another team may try to claim them.

As for Eric Pohlkamp, he has the benefits of potential and handedness on his side. Pohlkamp likely has the highest ceiling of any of the bubble players and he's the only right-shot amongst them. With Nurse, Orlov, and Dickinson all being left-handed players, Pohlkamp would be a logical fit on the third-pairing if the Sharks wanted to keep an even number of lefties and righties. It may not boost Pohlkamp's chances of making the team much, but it's a factor that'll at least be discussed if it's a close call between two players.

Longshots: Mattias Havelid, Leo Sahlin Wallenius, Phillip Sinn

Unless one of them has a tremendous showing at training camp, Mattias Havelid, Leo Sahlin Wallenius, and Phillip Sinn all seem to be bound for the Barracuda this coming season. While it wouldn't be unheard of for a player to overcome the odds and surpass multiple players on the depth chart, it doesn't seem likely in this case. At some point in the near future, we may see one of them make a case for an NHL role, but it probably won't be now.

Former members of the Vancouver Canucks will take the spotlight in this off-season article series. From those skating with new NHL teams heading into the 2026–27 season to those who are now playing for international clubs, these featured players have skated in at least one game at the NHL level as a member of the Canucks. 

Today’s segment will take a look at the eight former Canucks that are set to compete for teams in the NHL’s Central Division during the 2026–27 season. 

Ian Cole, Chicago Blackhawks 

Cole’s tenure in Vancouver was short, only one season long (2023–24), but seemed to leave a lasting impression on the team following his departure. The veteran defenceman has been praised for his leadership even a couple of years after leaving Vancouver. On the ice, Cole made a strong defensive impact for the Canucks, particularly in their first-round series against the Nashville Predators in 2024. 

Cole’s 2025–26 season saw him skate for the Utah Mammoth for the second consecutive year, during which he put together a three-goal, 20-assist campaign. After Utah lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in the first-round of the playoffs, Cole signed a one-year, $4M contract with Chicago. 

Noah Juulsen, Colorado Avalanche

The longest time Juulsen has spent with an NHL team through his career so far has been his four-season stretch with the Canucks (2021–22 to 2024–25). A depth defender, the most games he has played in a single NHL season is the 54 he skated in with Vancouver in 2023–24. He departed from the Canucks last off-season, signing a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers. 

In his time with the Flyers, Juulsen skated in 52 games and recorded one goal and nine assists. He logged the second-lowest TOI in his career during this time with an average of 13:49 minutes per game. The defenceman signed a two-year, $1.1M AAV contract with the Avalanche in free-agency. 

Tyler Myers, Dallas Stars

A Canuck for nearly seven full seasons, Myers first signed a five-year deal with Vancouver during the 2019 free-agency period before inking another contract with the team, this time for three years. Despite some chaotic times with the defenceman on Vancouver’s blueline, by the end of his Canucks tenure, Myers had established himself as one of the team’s leaders. 

Myers was traded to the Stars only a couple of days ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, with the defenceman having played in 57 games with Vancouver before his departure. As a member of the Stars for 16 regular-season games in 2025–26, he registered three assists and logged an average of around 17 minutes per game. His current contract will expire at the end of the 2026–27 season. 

Casey DeSmith, Dallas Stars

DeSmith’s one year as a member of the Canucks saw the goaltender post a record of 12–9–6, logging a GAA of 2.89 and a SV% of .896. Vancouver’s backup in 2023–24 ended up getting injured during the playoffs, with both his and Thatcher Demko’s injuries forcing Artūrs Šilovs into the starter’s crease mid first-round series. While DeSmith was able to back-up following Šilovs’ first game, the now-Dallas Star didn’t end up playing in any more games. 

In free agency in 2024, DeSmith signed a three-year deal with Dallas, making him the Stars’ backup to Jake Oettinger. During the 2025–26 season, DeSmith played in 30 regular season games, registering a record of 15–8–6. He logged a 2.43 GAA and .907 SV%, also collecting one shutout. 

Quinn Hughes, Minnesota Wild 

The 2018 seventh-overall draft pick, Hughes played for Vancouver for nearly seven full seasons. During that time, he collected franchise record after franchise record for club defencemen. He was named the 15th captain in franchise history at the beginning of the 2023–24 season — a year in which he also recorded his highest single-season point total (92) and won the James Norris Memorial Trophy. 

Hughes was traded to the Wild on December 12, 2025, in a move that would ultimately change the course of Vancouver’s long-term future. Upon joining Minnesota, Hughes put together a five-goal, 48-assist effort in 48 games en route to the post-season. Despite the defenceman logging 15 points in 11 games, Hughes and Minnesota ultimately fell to the Avalanche in the second round. Hughes is entering the final year of his six-year contract and will become a UFA at the end of the 2026–27 season if not signed by then. 

Nils Höglander, Nashville Predators

Höglander has only ever played for one NHL team throughout his hockey career, though that will change come the start of the 2026–27 season. The forward, who was Vancouver’s lone selection remaining with the team from the 2019 NHL Draft, has spent the past six seasons as a member of the Canucks, putting together a grand total of 60 goals and 60 assists during that span of time. 

In his final season as a member of the Canucks, Höglander skated in 38 games and put up two goals and three assists. He missed the first two months of the season due to an ankle injury sustained during pre-season. One day before the opening of the 2026 free-agency period, Höglander was traded to Nashville in exchange for a third-round pick in 2029. 

Pius Suter, St. Louis Blues 

In a surprising turn of events, Suter spent some of his time in Vancouver as the Canucks’ first-line center. After J.T. Miller was traded and Elias Pettersson and Filip Chytil were both felled by injuries, Suter wound up skating as Vancouver’s number-one center — an opportunity that helped him eventually snag a two-year, $4M AAV contract with the Blues in the following free-agency period. 

The 2025–26 season was Suter’s first with the Blues. Despite missing time due to an ankle injury, he still finished the season with 13 goals and 16 assists in 64 games, replicating the point total he registered in his first year with Vancouver. 

Nate Schmidt, Utah Mammoth 

Vancouver was one of Schmidt’s career stops en route to a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in 2024–25. The defenceman joined the Canucks during the 2020–21 season, scoring five goals and 10 assists in 54 games during the shortened season. He was dealt to the Winnipeg Jets immediately after, where he spent three seasons before heading to Florida. 

Schmidt signed a three-year, $3.5M AAV contract with the Mammoth during the 2025 off-season, with the past season being his first with Utah. He ended up skating in all 82 games of the season for the first time in his career, recording five goals and 17 assists in that span of time. He had one assist in six post-season games during Utah’s six-game playoff run. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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The Hockey News' Adam Proteau is currently in the process of ranking each NHL team from worst to best ahead of the 2026-27 season.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have officially been ranked as one of the NHL's worst teams right now, as Proteau gave them the No. 27 spot.

"Columbus needed a big 2026 off-season, and they didn’t get it. That’s why the Blue Jackets are in 27th place in TheHockeyNews.com’s off-season ranking," Proteau wrote.

"Unfortunately for the Blue Jackets, there’s not enough progress developing this Columbus team into a legitimate Cup front-runner," Proteau added. "The Jackets are fortunate that the Metropolitan Division they play in is one of the NHL’s weaker divisions. But that doesn’t change the fact that their roster isn’t imposing. And this summer did little to convince us that’s likely to change anytime soon.

The Blue Jackets being ranked as one of the NHL's bottom teams ahead of the 2026-27 season comes after they had some notable departures this off-season.

The Blue Jackets did not re-sign former captain Boone Jenner, as he signed a four-year, $23 million contract with the Washington Capitals in free agency. This was after he posted 13 goals, 38 points, and 147 hits in 67 games last season for Columbus. 

Jenner is not the only former key forward that the Blue Jackets lost this off-season, either. Mason Marchment signed a five-year, $33.75 million contract with the San Jose Sharks after being a great mid-season addition for Columbus. In 39 games with Columbus following being acquired from the Seattle Kraken, he posted 15 goals and 32 points. 

The Blue Jackets did find a replacement for Marchment in Valeri Nichushkin, though, acquiring him from the Colorado Avalanche. In 72 games last season for Colorado, he posted 17 goals and 49 points. However, he also had 21 goals and 34 points in just 43 games for the Avalanche in 2024-25 and 53 points in 54 games for Colorado in 2023-24, so he could end up being a big pickup if he bounces back. 

The Blue Jackets will now be hoping that Nichushkin can end up being a strong addition to their top six. Another way the Blue Jackets could exceed expectations is if their young players like Adam Fantilli, Denton Mateychuk, and bounce-back candidate Kent Johnson hit new levels for them. The Blue Jackets will also be hoping that Jet Greaves can continue to shine as their No. 1 goalie. 

Nevertheless, it is going to be interesting to see how the Blue Jackets perform next season. If their young guns break out and and their core players have strong years, they could very well surprise many and be far better than this No. 27 ranking. 

Why The Maple Leafs Promoted Patrick O’Sullivan To Director of NHL Development

Patrick O’Sullivan has been named Director of NHL Development by the Toronto Maple Leafs, the club announced Sunday.

The promotion elevates O’Sullivan from his previous position as a development coach, a role he has held with the organization since the 2023-24 season. Over those three years he has worked within a specialized player-development group that includes Nik Antropov, Kyle Clifford, Denver Manderson and Jake Muzzin, focusing on technical skill refinement, video analysis and individualized biomechanics across the roster.

A Toronto native, O’Sullivan arrived with a strong playing foundation. Selected 56th overall by the Minnesota Wild in 2003, he set franchise records with the Mississauga IceDogs, won OHL and CHL Rookie of the Year honours in 2002, scored the game-winning goal for Team USA at the 2004 World Juniors and captured AHL Rookie of the Year after a 47-goal, 93-point season with the Houston Aeros. He played 334 NHL games with the Kings, Oilers, Hurricanes, Wild and Coyotes before transitioning into broadcasting and later player development.

His most visible impact has come through sustained work with veteran centre John Tavares. The relationship stretches back more than two decades. As a teenager, Tavares cited O’Sullivan’s puck-handling, vision and shot mechanics as an early influence while watching him with the IceDogs. The two later connected through youth lacrosse and off-season training sessions. In Toronto, that foundation evolved into regular post-practice technical work. While now former Maple Leafs skating consultant Paul Matheson addresses linear power and edge control, O’Sullivan has focused on game-state micro-skills: lower-body leverage and blade-angle control for puck protection below the goal line, net-front redirection and tight-angle releases, and board retrievals under physical pressure.

Patrick O’Sullivan has been named Director of NHL Development.

— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) August 9, 2026

Those sessions helped Tavares maintain high-end production into his mid-thirties, including a 74-point, 38-goal campaign in 2024-25 that supported a four-year, $18-million extension carrying a manageable $4.38-million average annual value. The continuity has given the Leafs both offensive reliability and cap flexibility.

O’Sullivan’s influence has extended across the roster. Max Domi has called him “probably the best development coach in the league,” crediting the combination of on-ice micro-reps and video breakdowns that improved his transitional playmaking and neutral-zone decision-making. Auston Matthews has used optional gameday skill sessions with O’Sullivan to maintain shooting mechanics and manage load during congested stretches. 

John Tavares and Max Domi doing some skills work with Patrick O’Sullivan ahead the Leafs morning skate. pic.twitter.com/d17gW3Abgw

— David Alter (@davidalter) May 18, 2025

His approach is shaped by personal experience. In his 2015 memoir Breaking Away, O’Sullivan detailed the physical and psychological abuse he endured from his father, experiences that left lasting effects and a mistrust of rigid, hierarchical environments. That background has informed a coaching style built on clear communication, technical empathy and individualized support rather than punitive feedback.

The promotion arrives amid broader organizational change under general manager John Chayka. Elevating O’Sullivan recognizes three seasons of consistent, high-value work that has helped extend the productive windows of core veterans while supporting the technical growth of the rest of the roster. As Director of NHL Development, he will now take on expanded responsibility for how those programs scale across the NHL-level group.

For a franchise focused on both performance and sustainability, the move formalizes the contributions O’Sullivan has already made.

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

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

Other Sabres Stories

Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss

30. Riley Fiddler-Schultz – F (Rochester - AHL)

With Buffalo’s organization littered with their own drafted prospects, the chances of an undrafted free agent making it to the NHL are slim, but the Sabres gave forward Riley Fiddler-Schultz a chance he has been making the most of his opportunity. 

The 24-year-old has NHL bloodlines (his uncle Vern Fiddler played 877 games with Nashville, Phoenix, Dallas, and New Jersey), and Riley grew into a leadership role in junior with the WHL’s Calgary Hitman, becoming team captain in 2022 and leading the club with 75 points (31 goals, 44 assists).

The Sabres signed Fiddler-Schultz to a two-year AHL deal in 2023, and in his first professional season, he finished second in goals (23) for the ECHL’s Jacksonville Iceman and played six games for the Rochester Americans. In 2024-25, he played exclusively for the Amerks and posted 26 points (13 goals, 13 assists) in 51 games, which earned him a two-year, entry-level NHL contract. With more responsibility came more production, as last season, the Alberta native finished tied for second behind Isak Rosen with 21 goals in 62 games. 

With Konsta Helenius and Noah Ostlund likely graduating to the Sabres, and Anton Wahlberg dealt to Anaheim in the Olen Zellweger deal, players like Fiddler-Schultz will be relied on even more, and that could lead to an NHL opportunity if he continues to show progress. 

Follow Michael on X, and Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

The Buffalo Sabres have not been able to pull off a move to upgrade their club this summer after winning the Atlantic Division, making the playoffs for the first time since 2011, and advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. GM Jarmo Kekalainen was able to get a good future return for defenseman Bowen Byram, but did not replace the offense and leadership of Alex Tuch after he was dealt to Washington. 

Rumors of a deal for Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck percolated around the NHL Draft in late June, but Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff did not pull the trigger and now a trade involving the Hart Trophy and multi-Vezina Trophy winner seems to be in a state of limbo.     

Other Sabres Stories

Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss

The 33–year-old is entering the fourth year of an eight-year, $68 million deal ($8.5 million AAV), and has a full no-movement clause until next July. After that, he has a 10-team trade list. Chatter around the draft indicated that the Sabres were willing to send a package that included goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, forward Jack Quinn and the fourth overall pick, later used to select Daxon Rudolph. 

That deal seems less likely now, since Luukkonen has gained some control over his destination with a limited no-trade list, and because other potential suitors may have entered the fray. The New Jersey Devils, who like the Sabres are projecting a three-headed monster of Jake Allen, David Rittich, and Nico Daws is goal, potentially have the pieces that Cheveldayoff might be looking for in a Hellebuyck deal. 

Another possibility is the Stanley Cup winning Carolina Hurricanes, who lost veteran Frederik Andersen in free agency, and has a duo of Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov between the pipes. The Hurricanes have enough cap space to take on Hellebuyck’s $8.5 million salary, but could be a bit light on the return they could offer the Jets. 

Kekalainen could be playing a game of chicken with the Jets, hoping they will lower their pricetag as training camp nears, but that is a dangerous game that could result in the veteran goalie ending up with another Eastern Conference foe. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

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

A player who has been well-travelled since entering the league in 2014 is center Curtis Lazar. A 2013 first round pick of the Ottawa Senators, the Salmon Arm, BC native Kitchener, ON native played 2 ½ seasons in Canada’s capital before being dealt to Calgary in March 2017. After playing a full season with the Flames, Lazar spent nearly all of the 2018-19 season in the AHL, and he signed with the Sabres in the summer of 2019. 

Other Sabres Stories

Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss

The versatile depth forward split time between AHL Rochester and Buffalo in the COVID-shortened campaign and 33 games in 2020-21 before being dealt allong with Taylor Hall to Boston. Since then, Lazar has made stops in Vancouver, New Jersey, and Edmonton, where he played 45 games last regular season and five games in the playoffs.  

Outlook: At this point in the summer, and at this point in Lazar’s career, it is more likely that the 31-year-old, if he wants to play for an eighth NHL club, will have to open to accepting a professional tryout. 

 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

It's been more than 25 years since the Ottawa Senators traded Alexei Yashin to the New York Islanders in one of the most important deals in franchise history.

Yashin was the Senators' first real star in the 1990s, and still the only player in team history to be nominated for the Hart Trophy.

But after many seasons of discontent, which included contract complaints, holdouts and claims of broken promises, the Senators, just as they did this summer, traded away their team captain.

And incredibly, it's a trade that still has a chance to pay dividends today.

On June 23, 2001, the Senators sent Yashin to the Islanders in exchange for Zdeno Chara, Bill Muckalt and the second overall pick in the 2001 NHL Draft.

Later that day, the Sens used that #2 pick to select Jason Spezza.

Chara emerged as one of the NHL's top defencemen during his four seasons in Ottawa, while Spezza developed into one of the most talented offensive players in franchise history.

Chara eventually left Ottawa as a free agent in 2006, and Muckalt spent just one season here,  so two of the three branches of the Yashin trade tree came to an end a long time ago.

But the Spezza branch is still alive.

Spezza played 11 excellent seasons with the Senators, scoring 251 goals and 687 points in 686 regular-season games. He still ranks second all-time in Sens scoring.

In the summer of 2014, in the proud tradition of Sens captains wanting out, Spezza requested a trade, and Bryan Murray sent him to the Dallas Stars.

The Senators received Alex Chiasson, Nick Paul, Alex Guptill and a 2015 second-round draft pick.

That created four new branches on the Yashin trade tree.

Three eventually came to an end.

Chiasson spent two seasons in Ottawa before being traded to Calgary for Patrick Sieloff, who's best known for clobbering a recovering Clarke MacArthur in a preseason scrimmage. The Senators later flipped Sieloff to Anaheim for Brian Gibbons, who had 14 points in 20 games for the Sens before leaving as a free agent that summer.

Guptill was included in a multi-player trade with Buffalo in 2016 that brought Phil Varone, Jason Akeson and Jerome Gauthier-Leduc to Ottawa. It was strictly a minor league deal that never yielded another asset to the Senators.

The 2015 second-round pick acquired from Dallas also took an interesting path.

Ottawa packaged the 42nd overall selection with another pick to move up to No. 36 in the 2015 draft, where the Senators selected Gabriel Gagne.

Gagne was eventually traded to Toronto in 2019 for former first-rounder Morgan Klimchuk. Klimchuk played one full season in Belleville, then retired at 25.

That left Nick Paul, the fourth and final branch. Teammates would often say, "Nicky Paul does it all," and that apparently included nursing trade trees back to life.

The tree could have easily died at any point when the Sens exposed Paul to waivers on three separate occasions, but he went unclaimed and eventually became a very solid middle-six forward for the Senators.

In a trade that certainly hasn't aged well for Ottawa, the Sens deal Paul to the Tampa Bay Lightning at the 2022 trade deadline for Mathieu Joseph and Tampa Bay's fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Joseph spent two more full seasons with the Senators before Ottawa traded him to St. Louis in 2024 along with a third-round sweetener just to free up some cap room for some big changes in Ottawa that summer.

That ended the Joseph portion of the tree.

But there was still that 2024 fourth-round pick, a single remaining bud.

The Sens used it to select winger Blake Montgomery, and he's the sole reason why a trade tree that sprouted in 2001 is still alive today. 

After falling in the NCAA Final with Wisconsin, the 21-year-old joined the pro ranks late last season, signing his entry-level contract and getting into three games with Belleville.

So, in a nutshell (I've decided the tree has nuts), the history of the Spezza branch looks like this:

Alexei Yashin → 2001 No. 2 pick → Jason Spezza → Nick Paul → 2024 fourth-round pick → Blake Montgomery.

It's one of the more intriguing trade trees in Senators history, and whether it ends with Montgomery or not remains to be seen.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

Future Watch: Blake Montgomery Turns Pro With Senators, Then Dazzles With Highlight-Reel AHL Goal Friday NightAfter NCAA heartbreak, then signing with the Sens, Blake Montgomery scored his first AHL goal, showcasing elite speed and a slick finish.

This article was first published in The Hockey News. For more Sens coverage at The Hockey News, click on one of the Sens headlines below:

2025 Senators First-Rounder Shares 'Gnarly' Details Of His Long Road Back
Drake Batherson Wins His Club Championship, Taking Trophy From His Dad
Senators Newcomer Recognized For NHL's Best Goal Of The Year
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Jordan Spence On Tkachuk's Exit: 'I Think That It's Going To Make Us Better'

Tomáš Nosek is going home.

After 11 seasons and stops with five different NHL teams, the former Vegas Golden Knights forward appears ready to close out his professional career where his hockey journey began.

Nosek has signed with HC Dynamo Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga in recent weeks, returning to his hometown club after more than a decade in North America.

For Golden Knights fans, Nosek will always have a special place in the franchise's early history. He joined Vegas for its inaugural 2017-18 season and spent four seasons with the Golden Knights, appearing in 240 games and recording 31 goals, 34 assists and 65 points.

Nosek was never expected to be a star in Vegas, but he became a reliable part of the team's bottom six and played 240 games for a franchise that was still establishing its identity. He brought size, versatility and a willingness to do the less glamorous work that comes with playing a depth role in the NHL.

After his time with the Golden Knights, Nosek continued his career with several other NHL clubs before eventually landing with the Florida Panthers.

His final two NHL seasons couldn't have ended much better.

Nosek helped Florida win the Stanley Cup during the 2024-25 season, appearing in 16 playoff games and recording three assists while throwing 44 hits during the Panthers' championship run.

He returned for one more NHL season in 2025-26, appearing in 21 games and finishing with two goals and two assists for four points.

Now, at 33 years old, Nosek is heading home.

A native of Pardubice, Nosek joined HC Dynamo Pardubice's system in 2007, beginning with the club's U18 team. Nearly two decades later, he's returning to the organization as a Stanley Cup champion and a veteran of 11 NHL seasons.

It's a fitting ending for a player who never forgot where he came from.

When Nosek got his day with the Stanley Cup following Florida's championship, he made sure to bring it back to Pardubice. He visited his childhood rink and former high school before eventually sharing the trophy with thousands of people in the city's historic Pernštýnské Square.

Now, after playing for five NHL teams, winning a Stanley Cup and building a career that lasted 11 seasons in the world's best hockey league, Nosek appears ready for one final chapter in his hometown.

And if this is indeed the end of the road, he couldn't have picked a better place to finish it.

Montreal Canadiens former first-overall pick at the 2022 draft, Juraj Slafkovsky, had a breakout season last year. For the first time in his young career, he broke the 70-point and 30-goal barriers. The big Slovak winger scored 30 goals and logged 43 assists for a total of 73 points, but beyond the points, he also finally realized what his identity needed to be on the ice.

Thanks to a couple of spells playing on a line with Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov, Slafkovsky realized that he could be a play driver in his own right and that he wasn’t just a complementary piece for linemates Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. The forward really started using his pace when chasing the puck and laying big hits in puck retrieval, and he learned to make his way to the busy areas in front of the net to create havoc. With his 6-foot-3 and 225-pound frame, he can be a real nuisance for the goaltender, obstructing his view and putting pressure on the defence, but also being ready to jump on any rebound. Once he sets up camp somewhere, he’s hard to displace, and that’s how he was able to beef up his points total.

Canadiens’ Prospect Zharovsky Had A Good Summer With Demidov
Canadiens’ Hughes May Have An Interesting Comparable For Bolduc
Canadiens’ Caufield Named 9th Best Wing In The NHL

The playoffs were a good reminder for the 22-year-old that intensity ramps up when teams are competing for the Stanley Cup, and he needs to be aware of that on the ice. He was rocked by a Max Crozier hit in Game 4 of the Canadiens’ first-round duel with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

He needs to remember to keep his head up and not watch himself play, so to speak. His fight with Brandon Hagel also hurt the team; he was challenged by the Bolts winger and answered the bell, but ended up on the receiving end of a haymaker that sent him down to the ice. That’s not the kind of impact he should be having.

Juraj Slafkovsky vs Brandon Hagel | Apr 21, 2026 | [Montreal Canadiens at Tampa Bay LightningJuraj Slafkovsky and Brandon Hagel drop the gloves in tonight's matchup between the Montreal Canadiens at Tampa Bay Lightning on APr 21, 2026. Who won that t...

The main point of improvement has to be consistency, however. Once again, last season, he had a slow start and took some time to reach his cruising speed. Expect a big start from the power forward as he’ll be keen to bounce back from underwhelming playoffs.

As things stand and unless the Canadiens do manage to find some outside help before the start of the season, he should still be riding shotgun with Suzuki and Caufield. Look for him to play a bigger role now that he has seen what kind of impact he can have if he plays the game the right way and focuses on his strengths rather than trying to emulate what the likes of Caufield or Demidov can do. Look for new career highs in both points and goals for the big winger.

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OPENING NIGHT COUNTDOWNS

59 Days Until Opening Night: The Yegor Chinakhov SagaThe Columbus Blue Jackets have 59 days until the home opener at Nationwide Arena. Today, we talk about Yegor Chinakhov and the drama that surrounded him.&nbsp;

Chinakhov had only played junior hockey in Russia before being drafted, and he would make his KHL debut during the 2020-21 season for Avangard Omsk. In his first pro season in the KHL, he scored 10 goals and had 17 points. Chinakhov played so well that he was elevated to Avangard Omsk's top line. After one season in the KHL, Chinakhov was signed to a three-year NHL ELC in May of 2021.

58 Days Until Opening Night: Lumber Jacket David SavardThe former Lumber Jacket was fun to watch.

Savard won a Stanley Cup after he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021. He then left to sign a contract with his hometown Montreal Canadiens in 2021, where he would play for four seasons. Although his Habs teams weren't very good, Savard remained a steady presence on the Montreal Blue Line. He had 76 points over four seasons while blocking 646 shots over those four years.

57 Days Until Opening Night: Steve HeinzeThe Columbus Blue Jackets have 57 days until the home opener at Nationwide Arena. Today, we talk about Columbus Blue Jackets Original Steve Heinze.

Heinze was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, grew up in North Andover, Massachusetts, and played college hockey at Boston College. It was only right, then, that he played the first nine years of his career for the Boston Bruins after being chosen 60th overall in the 1988 NHL Draft.   

56 Days Until Opening Night: Marko DaňoColumbus drafted Marko Daňo in the 2013 NHL Draft.

Daňo made his NHL debut in 2014 and played 35 games. He scored 8 goals, totaled 21 points, and was a plus-12 in his first NHL season. It seemed that Marko Daňo had arrived and was ready to be a good player for Columbus. That was until the following season.

55 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #55With 55 days until opening night at NWA, we look at the jersey history of #55. Who was your favorite player to have worn #55? Let us know in the comments below.&nbsp;

Ole-Kristian Tollefsen - Drafted out of Norway in 2002, Tollefsen was known for his heavy fists. In his first season with Columbus, he played in 70 games and had a whopping 123 PIMs. In his second season, he played in 51 games and had 111 PIMs. After those two years, he would only play another 19 games for Columbus and another 18 for the Philadelphia Flyers. He returned to Europe in 2010 and retired in 2017. Tollefsen is now the head coach for the Norway U20 team.

54 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #54The Columbus Blue Jackets have only had two players wear #54, and none since 2019.&nbsp;

Columbus originally drafted McQuaid in the 2nd round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. McQuaid would never play for the CBJ, though. While he was still in the OHL, he was traded to Boston by Columbus for Boston's 5th-round pick in the 2007 NHL Draft on May 16, 2007. The pick the Jackets sent to Boston turned out to be Jamie Benn.   

NEWS & NOTES

On This Date: The Adam Foote Saga Revisited 18 Years LaterFoote played 187 games for Columbus in parts of three seasons.

Adam Foote had a private plane waiting for him, and everything he needed was waiting for him in Calgary. Some say Foote got nasty because everyone knew his plans, and when the CBJ didn’t want to accommodate those plans, that’s when it went off the rails.

This New Blue Jackets Forward Is A Sneaky Good AdditionRyan Lomberg has the potential to be a solid addition to the Blue Jackets' roster.

During this past season with the Calgary Flames, Lomberg threw 129 hits. This marked the fifth season in a row that the 5-foot-9 forward recorded over 100 hits. He also threw 90 hits with the Florida Panthers in 2020-21, but that was only in 34 games played.

Blue Jackets Breakout Defenseman Is Just Getting StartedKeep an eye on this Blue Jackets defenseman in 2026-27.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Denton Mateychuk was undoubtedly a nice bright spot during the 2025-26 season. In 75 games this past campaign with the Blue Jackets, the 2022 first-round pick set new career highs with 13 goals, 18 assists, and 31 points.

2 Blue Jackets Forwards Featured On New Trade BoardCould the Blue Jackets end up trading these two forwards?

Two Columbus Blue Jackets forwards are continuing to be viewed as trade candidates as the summer rolls on. In his most recent trade board for Bleacher Report, Lyle Richardson included Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko and Kent Johnson.

Columbus Blue Jackets Name Wheeling Nailers ECHL Affiliate After a few years of having no ECHL affiliate, the wait it over.&nbsp;

The Columbus Blue Jackets will be aligning themselves with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL, per a CBJ announcement. The agreement is for two years through the 2027-28 season.   

Former Cleveland Monsters Forward Signs In SwedenFormer Cleveland Monsters right winger Hudson Fasching has signed with Skellefteå AIK&nbsp;in the SHL. The deal is for one-year. The team plays in&nbsp;Skellefteå, Sweden.

Former Cleveland Monsters right winger Hudson Fasching has signed with Skellefteå AIK in the SHL. The deal is for one year. The team plays in Skellefteå, Sweden.

Blue Jackets Winger Is Bounce-Back Candidate To WatchKeep an eye on this Blue Jackets forward next season.

Following being traded to the Blue Jackets, Garland recorded five goals and seven points in 21 games. This was after he had seven goals and 26 points in 50 games with the Canucks before the trade.

Former Monster Defenseman Signs In AustriaFormer Cleveland Monsters defenseman Ole Julian Bjørgvik-Holm has signed a deal to play with the&nbsp;Graz99ers of&nbsp;ICEHL in Austria. The team plays in&nbsp;Graz, Austria.

Former Cleveland Monsters defenseman Ole Julian Bjørgvik-Holm has signed a deal to play with the Graz99ers of ICEHL in Austria. The team plays in Graz, Austria.

Blue Jackets Have PTO Target To Consider In Ex-Sabres DefensemanThe Blue Jackets should consider taking a chance on this defenseman with a PTO.

Now that it is August, NHL free agents should soon be signing professional tryout (PTO) agreements with teams. When looking at the Columbus Blue Jackets' roster, it is fair to wonder if they will sign anyone to a PTO before the start of training camp.

Former Columbus Blue Jackets Defenseman Gavin Bayreuther Aims To Help Young Hockey Players "Be The Best Versions Of Themselves""Right now I’m really focused on players who want to take the next step in their game. That includes youth players all the way through junior, college, and pro."

Bayreuther has launched the Bayreuther Hockey Club. The club will be designed to develop complete hockey players and to "help every player become the best version of themselves."