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.
Kucharcik is a lanky forward who played for Slavia Praha in the Czech junior system, and played for his country at the Under-18’s before being selected by the Sabres in the fourth round (103rd overall) at the 2025 NHL Draft. The 19-year-old forward was born in Italy, as his father (a 1991 Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick) played throughout Europe during his career.
Who will pick up the offensive slack for the Sabres next season?
The youngster is described by Elite Prospects 2025 Draft Guide as “a smart two-way center who excels at facilitating others through his strongly ingrained supporting habits. He backtracks to intercept passes in the neutral zone, pickpockets opposing defencemen on the forecheck and takes the right routes to provide his teammates with passing options. There’s also a clear defensive upside with Kucharčík. His motor is solid, but it’s how he angles and positions that really drives his defensive value.”
Instead of remaining in Czechia, Kucharcik played for the Sabres favorite USHL club. the Youngstown Phantoms last season, and scored 16 points (9 goals, 7 assists) in 35 games. He is moving on to the NCAA to Miami (OH) University, where he will play with Sabres 2026 first rounder Ilya Morozov.
EA Sports' NHL 27 player ratings are out - and there is a member of the 99 Club for the first time.
That belongs to Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid, a three-time Hart Trophy winner who was runner-up for the NHL's MVP award last season.
McDavid was the highest-rated player in NHL 26, at a 97. He then finished the 2025-26 season with a league-best 90 assists and 138 points, the sixth time he has led the league in scoring.
EA Sports released only forward ratings on Tuesday, Aug. 18. It will unveil defenseman ratings and overall ratings later.
McDavid is followed by Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov, the 2025-26 MVP, and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon at 97 each.
If Patrik Laine wants to save his NHL career, he may have no choice but to finally bet on himself.
Reality Has Finally Caught Up
Laine remains unsigned on Aug. 18, nearly seven weeks after NHL free agency opened, and that is becoming increasingly difficult to dismiss as a simple case of patience.
The former No. 2 overall pick still possesses one of the most dangerous shots in hockey. He has scored 224 goals in 537 career regular-season games, including a 44-goal explosion with the Winnipeg Jets in 2017-18.
But NHL teams aren't paying for what Laine used to be.
They're paying for what they believe he can be.
And right now, the league appears increasingly skeptical.
Stefan Rosner, of The Hockey News, reported earlier this summer that the Islanders had conversations with Laine's camp but weren't prepared to offer him an NHL contract, with a professional tryout being the most they were willing to consider.
This is for the same player who signed a four-year, $34.8 million contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets just a few years ago.
It becomes even more understandable when looking at his recent availability.
Laine played just five games for the Montreal Canadiens last season, recording one assist before undergoing surgery for a core muscle injury. Despite being medically cleared late in the season, he never returned to the lineup.
That continued a troubling pattern.
He played 52 games in 2024-25 and just 18 games the season before that. Over the past three seasons, Laine has appeared in only 75 games. That lack of availability has become impossible for teams to ignore.
Colorado Has A Reason To Listen
This is where the Colorado Avalanche become interesting.
Colorado needs a top-six winger. There is no mystery surrounding that. The Avalanche need more offensive depth, particularly after another disappointing postseason, and they don't have the luxury of throwing significant money at every potential solution.
Laine, however, could represent a fascinating exception.
The talent is still there. His release is still elite, and his power-play ability could give Colorado another legitimate scoring threat. At 28 years old, he isn't some aging veteran hoping to squeeze one final season out of his career.
But Colorado shouldn't be interested in Laine because of what he accomplished in Winnipeg. It should be interested only if it believes he can still become that player again.
That's a significant distinction.
The Avalanche have too much at stake to take a major financial gamble on someone whose biggest question is whether he'll actually be available. But if Laine is willing to accept that his market has changed, the equation becomes considerably more appealing.
Laine May Have To Bet On Himself
A one-year contract with a modest base salary and performance bonuses could give both sides exactly what they need.
Colorado would get an opportunity to add an incredibly talented scorer without making a significant long-term commitment, while Laine would get something perhaps even more valuable: an opportunity.
And there could be another factor working in Colorado's favor: the chance to play alongside some of the best offensive players in hockey.
If Laine were willing to take less money for a season, he wouldn't exactly be walking into an offensive wasteland.
He'd have the opportunity to play alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas, giving him the kind of supporting cast that could make it easier to rediscover his scoring touch. Laine wouldn't have to carry an offense in Colorado. He'd have elite playmakers around him, dangerous players commanding defensive attention and potentially more opportunities to do what he does best — shoot the puck.
And if Laine can stay healthy and capitalize on those opportunities, a one-year discount could ultimately become a very profitable decision.
He could sacrifice money now to put himself in position to make significantly more later.
That's the part Laine may have to accept now.
He doesn't need to get paid like the player he once was.
He needs to get paid like the player he is capable of becoming.
A short-term deal could ultimately be the bridge between those two realities.
The gamble could make sense for Colorado, but only if Laine is willing to play ball and gamble on himself first.
Mike Sullivan has high expectations for the New York Rangers going into his second season as the team’s head coach.
Sullivan, who left the Pittsburgh Penguins last year after a decade-long tenure and two Stanley Cups, admitted that he did not expect the Rangers to struggle as much as they did during the 2025-26 season when he originally took the head coaching gig.
After a slow start to the season, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury issued a letter to fans in January, outlining the team’s plan to “retool” the roster.
The Rangers proceeded to trade multiple veteran players leading up to the trade deadline, including Artemi Panarin, Carson Soucy, and Sam Carrick.
New York finished the year in last place in the Eastern Conference standings with a 34-29-9 record and 77 points.
However, Drury’s recent offseason moves indicate the Rangers’ intentions to fast-track their retool and jump back into the playoff race.
The Rangers opened the offseason with their biggest splash, acquiring Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for the No. 26 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and a conditional first-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft.
Dorofeyev has scored over 30 goals over each of the past two seasons in Vegas, as he instantly becomes the Rangers’ most lethal offensive threat.
Sullivan is now focused on pairing the 25-year-old forward with a playmaker who can bring the most out of him.
“He’s a scorer and he needs someone to get him the puck,” Sullivan said via NHL.com’s 32 in 32 series.
On top of the Dorofeyev addition, the Rangers beefed up their blueline, acquiring Sean Durzi from the Utah Mammoth as part of the Vincent Trocheck package, while also trading for Marcus Pettersson from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in the 2030 NHL Draft.
Sullivan is optimistic about the Blueshirts after a busy offseason, and he seems to be satisfied with the direction of the team.
“I’m real excited about the potential of this team and where we can go,” Sullivan said.
Uh oh. The NHL has just shared the new ranking for Connor McDavid in the EA Sports rankings. Becoming the first inaugural member of the EA Sports NHL 99 Club in NHL 27, some fans aren't happy.
Some were quick to point out that there should be no way McDavid could earn a 99 rating. "This year being the year he gets 99 shows how insanely disconnected EA is from hockey." Others said that with no Stanley Cup, this shouldn't even be a conversation.
Others then pointed out that Ray Bourque was given a 99 rating in NHL '94. Mario Lemieux was also once given a 100. They used a different rating structure back then, but you get the point...
“No one tell them about all the 99 and 100 overalls in the games in the 90s," Nick Spence wrote on X.com.
A 99 for No. 97.
Connor McDavid is officially the inaugural member of the EA SPORTS NHL 99 Club in NHL 27 👏
Others seemed to be upset that this might lead to uneven gameplay. “So, he’s basically unstoppable in the game.” – Carlo Colaiacovo wrote.
Is this really a big deal? For game historians and EA Sports gurus, it seems to be. For Oilers fans who know how good McDavid is -- especially those that aren't big into gaming -- some are wondering why all the fuss and why it took so long?
The yearly EA (Electronic Arts) NHL video game is just a month away, and with the start of the 2026-27 NHL season alongside it, ratings for a large number of players were revealed Tuesday, including a handful of Avalanche players.
This year, the biggest news in the game is that Connor McDavid has been revealed as a 99 overall, the first player ever to reach that ranking (though I think it's a bit late and should have been a 99 overall when he scored 64 goals and 89 assists for 153 points during the 2022-23 season while taking home the Art Ross and Rocket Richard trophies, but better late than never?)
While McDavid stands alone at 99, right behind him is Nathan MacKinnon at 97 overall, tied alongside Tampa Bay Lightning's Nikita Kucherov as the only 97 overall in the game.
Most notably, his top stats include his acceleration at 96, only behind McDavid's 98. His speed is 95, which is behind McDavid at 98, and his passing is 95, with guys like McDavid, Kucherov, Leon Draisaitl, and Sidney Crosby, along with a few others, whose passing stats rank higher than his.
Coming off an impressive season in which he scored a career and league-high 53 goals and took home his first-ever Rocket Richard Trophy, his stats have been boosted to reflect his successful season. Ninety-four slapshot accuracy with a 91 slapshot power, alongside a 92 wristshot power and a 96 wristshot accuracy.
Alongside MacKinnon is Martin Necas, who has cracked the top 30, coming in as the 28th highest overall player with a 92 overall stat. Coming off a career season that saw him finish with career highs across the stat sheet of 38 goals and 62 assists for 100 points, Necas earns himself the highest overall he's ever been in the game, and the stats have bumped up dramatically to highlight it.
His offensive stats rival some of MacKinnon's stats in certain areas. Ninety-five offensive awareness, slapshot power of 92, and a slapshot accuracy of 94. With a wristshot power of 90 and wristshot accuracy of 93. While his skating and puck handling are in the high 80s and low 90s, his physicality and general stats (durability, faceoffs, discipline, and poise) don’t rank as high as MacKinnon's.
In addition to those two, they also revealed four other forwards. Those being Nazem Kadri, ranked 173rd with an 86 overall. Brock Nelson has a rank of 192 with an overall of 85. Gabriel Landeskog ranked 248th with an overall of 85, and Artturi Lehkonen ranked 267th with an overall of 84.
The biggest outliers on the team that haven't had their overall released yet are the goaltenders and the defensemen, who will likely be released at a later date. While it will be interesting to see how they rank Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood for the success they had last season, it's going to be obvious how high Cale Makar will rank, but just how high among the rest of the forward skaters and matched up with other defensemen.
There are still a good amount of unrestricted free agents (UFAs) still looking for their next contracts.
When looking at the UFA defensemen still available for the taking, a former Columbus Blue Jackets defender is arguably the best of the bunch: Nick Blankenburg.
It is a little surprising that Blankenburg has still not been signed at this point in the summer. The former Blue Jackets defenseman just had the best season of his NHL career so far. In 61 games split between the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche, he set new career highs with eight goals, 16 assists, and 24 points.
Teams looking for a puck-moving defenseman could very well consider signing Blakenburg to a short-term deal or a professional tryout (PTO) agreement before training camp. He would have the potential to be a solid addition to a team needing more defensive depth and offense from the point.
Overall, with Blankenburg being a top UFA defenseman left, it would not be surprising if he lands a new home soon.
Blankenburg spent each of his first three NHL seasons from 2021-22 to 2023-24 as a member of the Blue Jackets. In 55 games with the Metropolitan Division club over that span, the 5-foot-9 defenseman posted six goals, 12 assists, 18 points, and 101 hits.
Every August, the NHL and NHL.com take a deep dive into each NHL team as part of their "32-in-32" series, highlighting 32 teams across 32 days.
Today, NHL.com took a look at the New York Islanders and highlighted several different pieces of the organization.
The most exciting of those deep dives has to be their ranking of New York's top five prospects entering the 2026-27 regular season.
On the flip side, Corey Pronman of The Athletic also released his annual ranking of all 32 NHL teams' prospect pipelines and then individually ranked each prospect.
Both took time to rank the Islanders' top prospects, and both came away with extremely different lists and rankings.
Eklund, seen by many as New York's top non-NHL prospect, is fighting for his spot in the NHL this fall after making his NHL Debut in Game #82 this past season.
Where he might fit in the lineup remains to be seen, but anywhere in the top nine could work:
Eklund will have every opportunity to make the #Isles out of training camp.
If he does, how the Islanders handle him will be one of the more interesting things to watch early this season.
The Islanders just selected Gustafsson with the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, while Aitcheson had a standout year one season after New York used the 17th overall pick on the defenseman.
Gamzin, a 2024 fourth-round pick, continues to shine brightly in Russia, but is locked up long-term there with CSKA Moscow and isn't expected to be in the NHL for multiple seasons. However, his skills look unbelievable, and it's very easy to see him as a starting goalie in the NHL at a minimum.
Lastly, Eiserman, a first-round pick from 2024, enters his first professional season, and will likely start with the Hamilton Hammers as he gets set to polish his game around his game-breaking shot.
Not one of those rankings from NHL.com can be considered too shocking, as it features all the big names and showcases them in what's the consensus ranking of them, though Aitcheson likely figures above Gustafsson at this point.
Then came Pronman's ranking with The Athletic, where he goes off the board with his Top 5:
1. Kashawn Aitcheson, whom Pronman lists as a "Bubble Top, Middle of the lineup player," giving him a ceiling as high as a top-pairing NHL Defenseman.
2. Malte Gustafsson, who finds himself in that same tier as Aitcheson, but for very different stylistic reasons.
At this point, you might be shocked to see Eklund slip down below both defensemen, but there are people who are extremely high on both players, which Pronman is.
Both are going to be factors soon for the Islanders, and both have elite skill sets at what they excel at.
Eklund, meanwhile, is far more well-rounded and has fewer holes in his game, hence why he's the most NHL-ready of the trio.
But Pronman doesn't have him as New York's top forward prospect.
Pronman goes way off the board and shows huge love for Prokhorov, the very raw, but physically massive Russian winger, who stands at 6'6 and has impressed at consecutive Islanders' development camp.
Prokhorov surprised some when he came to North America after just one season, but he figures to be a big piece for the Hammers, and his NHL future may not be so far off.
Pronman is the only spot to have Prokhorov above the NHL-ready Eklund, and it's due to perceived ceilings alone.
"4. Danny Nelson, 2023 second-round pick. Middle-of-the-lineup player"
Nelson, who was reportedly highly-coveted by other teams in trade talks, has seen his stock explode in the last two years.
Once thought of a future 4C, his future looks to be that of a great third-line center who is responsible on both ends of the ice, and can be depended on by their teams.
Nelson is set to play one more year in college before turning pro in the 2027 Spring.
"5. Victor Eklund, 2025 first-round pick. Middle-of-the-lineup player"
Pronman is not as low as it may seem on Eklund as it appears. Rather, he seems to be just that high on Nelson and Prokhorov's potential.
Maybe Pronman doesn't see a first-line winger, which many disagree with, but based on his breakdown, he very clearly sees a reliable, point-producing second-line winger who can play in all situations.
It's a shocking sight to see Eklund below Prokhorov and Nelson nonetheless.
Eiserman came in sixth on Pronman's rankings, just missing out on the top 5 of the non-NHL guys.
Last off-season, the Pittsburgh Penguins signed winger Anthony Mantha to a one-year, prove-it deal. This move certainly paid off for Pittsburgh, as the 6-foot-5 winger set new career highs with 33 goals, 31 assists, and 65 points in 81 games. He also played a role in Pittsburgh getting into the playoffs.
While Mantha had a very good year for the Penguins, they decided not to re-sign him. Although this is the case, they did bring in an interesting winger to replace him in Andrei Kuzmenko.
The Penguins signed Kuzmenko to a one-year, $5 million contract earlier this off-season. This comes after he posted 13 goals, 12 assists, and 25 points in 52 games last season with the Los Angeles Kings.
Overall, Kuzmenko had a decent year offensively for the Kings, but there is reason to believe that he could be another success story for the Penguins next season, just like Mantha was in 2025-26.
Kuzmenko has shown at points during his career that he can produce like a true top-six winger. During his rookie year with the Vancouver Canucks, he posted 39 goals, 35 assists, and 74 points in 81 games. He also recorded 14 goals and 25 points in 29 games with the Calgary Flames during the 2023-24 season after being acquired from Vancouver mid-season. He posted 17 points in 22 games with the Kings when they acquired him from the Philadelphia Flyers during the 2024-25 campaign as well.
With numbers like these, Kuzmenko has undoubtedly had some success in the NHL. With this, it would not be surprising if he puts up good numbers for the Penguins next season. He tends to have strong starts when he joins new teams, and that could end up being the case with Pittsburgh.
It will be interesting to see how well Kuzmenko performs for the Penguins next season. He certainly has the chance to be Pittsburgh's next Mantha.
The players in this ranking do not have extensive NHL experience and are all 23 and under. Therefore, players like Jimmy Snuggerud, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Logan Mailloux, among others, won't feature in this ranking for those reasons.
The order of these rankings reflects a mix of their ceilings and potential, as well as how they've performed over the past year with their respective clubs.
Kaskimaki is a 22-year-old, left-handed Finnish center who occasionally plays on the wing as well. Drafted by the Blues in the third round (73rd overall) in the 2022 NHL draft, Kaskimaki is a reliable two-way forward with a strong shot that he demonstrated plenty in his sophomore season in the AHL.
Kaskimaki is at his best with the puck on his stick in transition. He utilizes shot angles and uses the defenders as screens to put the puck on net. His strong second AHL season earned him a call-up to the NHL, where he skated in five games.
The Blues were at a low point in their season, playing poor hockey and dealing with a plethora of injuries, resulting in Kaskimaki not standing out and failing to record any points in those games. But earning the call-up was the goal Kaskimaki needed to achieve at that point in his career. Now, it's to earn another and force the coaching staff to keep him up in the NHL.
Kaskimaki's chances of earning a roster spot out of pre-season and training camp are very slim. The team's center depth is projected to be Robert Thomas, Mason McTavish, and Dalibor Dvorsky in the top nine, with Pius Suter and Dillon Dube battling for the fourth-line role.
With injuries throughout an 84-game season, there could be opportunities for Kaskimaki to earn a call-up.
The Espoo, FIN native likely won't ever amount to more than a bottom-six NHLer, but those are still valuable pieces to winning hockey teams. With a six-foot frame, positional versatility, and a trustworthy game, Kaskimaki could be a valuable piece of the Blues lineup very soon.
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On Monday night, the Victoriaville Tigres announced that winger Alexey Vlasov had been invited to the Montreal Canadiens’ rookie camp. The 5-foot-9, 176-pound left winger is 18 years old and has played two seasons in North America. In 2024-25, he skated in the USHL, scoring 23 points in 51 games with the Sioux Falls Stampede before moving to the QMJHL for 2025-26. With the Tigres, he put up 80 points in 64 games.
While Vlasov doesn’t have the size element the Canadiens desperately need, it’s an interesting invite from the Habs. The youngster is talented, has a knack for scoring goals, and was ranked 102nd among North American skaters ahead of the 2026 draft. With 44 goals, he was the highest-scoring rookie in the QMJHL this past season. He was a constant scoring threat, skating on an all-Russian line completed by Egor Shilov and Kornei Korneyev.
It’s not hard to know why he was passed over in the draft, given his size and the fact that his skating isn’t quite up to par. However, the Canadiens have excellent development coaches, and he could greatly benefit from rookie camp. This will be an exceptional opportunity for the youngster to show he can measure up to drafted players.
Rookie camp invites do not always lead to contract offers, of course. Still, some players seize the opportunity and turn it into something more, like Arber Xhekaj, who was undrafted but forced the Canadiens to offer him an ELC in October 2021.
Despite the Montreal Canadiens desperately in need of depth forwards and scoring, they have remained very patient in negotiations with former St. Louis Blues first-round pick Zachary Bolduc.
Bolduc was dealt to the Canadiens last off-season in a one-for-one deal that sent Logan Mailloux to the Blues.
Both 23-year-olds have had up-and-down seasons, but they occurred at different points. For Mailloux, the season started very poorly and resulted in a brief stint in the AHL. Upon returning, Mailloux was a different player and locked down a role on the top pairing alongside Philip Broberg.
The goal for Mailloux is to start the season strong and prove that he is worthy of keeping his role on the top pairing.
For Bolduc, he started his Habs career with a bang, scoring in three consecutive games and finding time on the top line and top power play unit. That scorching start faded relatively quickly, resulting in a 12-goal, 30-point season in 78 games.
Both his goals and points were down from his previous season with the Blues, where he posted 19 goals and 36 points in 72 games.
In the playoffs, Bolduc's ice time dipped further down to 11:23, compared to the 13:38 he averaged during the regular season.
But despite his inconsistencies, Bolduc has the tools to be an effective middle-six winger, capable of bringing a physical edge and winning his minutes. With players like Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Ivan Demidov leading the front lines, and soon-to-be-added Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky, the Habs need players like Bolduc who will bring depth scoring while understanding their role.
The expectation remains that Bolduc and the Canadiens come to an agreement before the season starts, but the clock is ticking.
"I'd love to play in Montreal for several seasons," said Bolduc to RDS. "But on the other hand, management has to make their own decisions too. Like I said, I'm not going to get ahead of myself on anything, but I trust my agent on that end and I'm confident that good things are coming."
The Canadiens have been almost scarily quiet this off-season. Could that mean a bigger move is on the horizon, and Bolduc could be going the other way? Time will tell, but what remains is that Bolduc will be a solid winger for any NHL club.
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In one of the 2025 offseason’s biggest surprises, the Anaheim Ducks parted ways with then-head coach Greg Cronin after just two seasons on the job and improving by 21 points in the NHL standings between years one and two.
Less than one month later, the Ducks hired the second-winningest head coach in NHL history, Joel Quenneville, with a mandate to qualify for the 2026 playoffs. With Quenneville inserted behind the bench, the Ducks achieved their goal, improving from 80 points in 2024-25 to 92 in 2025-26 and finishing third in the Pacific Division.
Anaheim won their opening round of the playoffs against the defending Western Conference Champion Edmonton Oilers in six games but were defeated in the second round by the eventual Conference Champion Vegas Golden Knights, again in six games.
After finishing among the final eight teams in the NHL playoffs, the Ducks are expected to build off their performance and continue their evolution into sustainable Cup contenders. With several of their young players having solidified themselves as NHL stars and foundational pieces, coupled with veteran experience on the roster, the Ducks’ contending window could be considered presently open.
The Ducks were unable to make many significant moves to improve the roster in the 2026 offseason due to sudden, unexpected salary cap constraints and parting with several key roster pieces such as Mason McTavish, Jacob Trouba, John Carlson, Radko Gudas, and Olen Zellweger.
Quenneville (67) will have his work cut out for him in the upcoming 2026-27 season to build on his club’s efforts from a year ago and return to the playoffs while continuing to develop the Ducks’ core and secondary young pieces.
An interesting wrinkle to Quenneville’s short tenure thus far in Anaheim is the fact that he’s now on an expiring contract, per reporting from TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.
To Anaheim, Quenneville brought with him a resume that included 1768 games as an NHL head coach, 969 wins, three Stanley Cup rings, and (to some) a stained reputation due to his role in the scandal surrounding the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks.
He’ll be 68 years old when the 2026-27 season starts. The upcoming season will be his 27th as an NHL head coach, he’s now the second head coach in history to eclipse the 1000-win mark, and his reputation seems to have rebounded as much as it possibly could have. The questions now become: how much longer does he want to coach? And what more does he have to prove?
Quenneville brought the Ducks back to the playoffs on the backs of a young core that includes Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Beckett Sennecke, Jackson LaCombe, and Lukas Dostal, and in theory, they’ll only continue to grow and improve. However, expectations of truly competing for a Stanley Cup seem multiple years down the road, beyond the length of Quenneville’s current contract, at least.
It’s clear Quenneville’s passion for the sport and coaching remains. To the Ducks locker room and bench, he’s brought an even-keeled demeanor throughout the highs and lows of an 82 (soon to be 84) game schedule, but he also outwardly displays fiery emotions behind the bench, “going to bat” for his players and pressing proper buttons when needed.
For the most part, he’s done well to nurture and guide his most talented young roster players, coaching them through and eventually erasing predictable mistakes while allowing them to grow and flourish on their own without fear of elongated time on the bench or healthy scratches. That area of his coaching prowess will continue to be ever-important in the upcoming season, where the Ducks will rely on an even greater influx of youth on the roster in prominent roles.
Quenneville has a lot left to give the Ducks organization and roster as their head coach, and with another successful season, it can be expected that a contract extension would be on the horizon. However, at the start of the 2026-27 season, he’ll be the second-oldest in the NHL, three years younger than Rick Bowness of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and he’d be 69 years old at the start of his potential new contract. The Anaheim job seems to be his as long as he wants it, especially if he repeats or improves on the successes of a year ago.
The Ducks are in a position of luxury, as despite the ever-circulating NHL head coaching carousel, they maintained the services of their offense/power play assistant coach and one of the most sought-after candidates for the past two summers: Jay Woodcroft.
In less than three seasons as the head coach of the Edmonton Oilers, Woodcroft was let go after posting a 79-41-13 record and three NHL playoff series wins. With two seasons in the Ducks organization and a deep familiarity with the roster, Woodcroft seems the heir apparent if Quenneville were to call it a career or exit for greener pastures following the upcoming season.
The Hockey News ranked Quenneville as the NHL’s fifth-best current head coach, and the work he’s done to overhaul the systems, on-ice philosophy, and off-ice philosophy in Anaheim cannot be understated. His current contract is yet another layer to yet another all-important transition season for the Anaheim Ducks franchise in 2026-27.
Connor Hellebuyck has fallen one spot in the NHL Network’s annual ranking of the league’s top goaltenders.
But by the time the Winnipeg Jets open training camp in less than a month, where he ranks might be considerably less important than where he physically is.
Whether he will remain the Jets' No. 1 backstop much longer is the million-dollar question.
NHL Network unveiled its annual list of the league's top goaltenders this week, with Tampa Bay Lightning star Andrei Vasilevskiy overtaking Hellebuyck for the No. 1 position.
Photo by Charles LeClair/USA Today
Hellebuyck, who topped the list one year ago, fell just one spot to second, ahead of Igor Shesterkin, Ilya Sorokin and Jeremy Swayman.
On its own, the change isn't particularly surprising.
Hellebuyck endured one of the most difficult statistical seasons of his NHL career in 2025-26, going 23-23-11 with a 2.86 goals-against average and career-worst .895 save percentage.
Vasilevskiy, meanwhile, captured his second Vezina Trophy after going 39-15-4 with a 2.31 goals-against average and .912 save percentage for Tampa Bay.
But Hellebuyck's placement at No. 2 is another reminder of the enormous question hanging over Winnipeg with training camp now less than a month away.
The Jets have one of the two best goaltenders in the NHL, according to NHL Network. They just don't know whether he'll be there when camp opens.
Hellebuyck's future has remained uncertain since Winnipeg's disappointing 2025-26 season came to an end.
The 33-year-old made no secret of his frustration following a year in which the Jets missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs, just one season removed from winning the Presidents' Trophy.
General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff later acknowledged publicly that the Jets were willing to listen to trade offers for their longtime starter, although he stopped short of saying Hellebuyck had formally requested a trade.
The situation has gone relatively quiet since the NHL Draft and opening of free agency, but that shouldn't necessarily be mistaken for a resolution.
Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman recently reported that there has been little movement on the Hellebuyck front of late, while maintaining his belief that the three-time Vezina Trophy winner will eventually be traded.
There also remains an expectation around the situation that Hellebuyck may not be present when the Jets gather for training camp next month.
That would turn what has largely been an offseason storyline into an immediate problem for Winnipeg.
The Jets have already provided themselves with some insurance in goal.
Winnipeg signed Stuart Skinner to a two-year, $7.5-million contract on July 1, giving the club an experienced NHL starter should Hellebuyck ultimately be moved. A move that Skinner surely wouldn't sign up for if he anticipated serving solely as Hellebuyck's backup (15-20 games a season maximum) for the next two years.
Oh, and Skinner also shares an agent with Hellebuyck and former Jets backup Eric Comrie. So he clearly has some inside info on the situation.
Cheveldayoff has maintained that Hellebuyck's uncertain future was not the reason for Skinner's addition and, technically, there is nothing forcing Winnipeg into making a deal.
Hellebuyck has five years remaining on the seven-year, $59.5-million contract he signed with the Jets in October 2023.
That contractual control gives Winnipeg considerably more leverage than it had during the last round of Hellebuyck trade speculation three summers ago, when he was approaching unrestricted free agency.
But there is a difference between having contractual control and having certainty.
The Jets are coming off a 35-35-12 season in which they finished seventh in the Central Division. They have made changes around the edges of the roster this summer and have repeatedly maintained that the goal remains to win.
Doing so becomes considerably more difficult without Hellebuyck.
Even following the worst statistical season of his career, NHL Network still considers him the second-best goaltender in the sport. One year earlier, Hellebuyck captured both the Hart and Vezina trophies after a remarkable 2024-25 campaign.
Across his back-to-back Vezina-winning seasons, Hellebuyck went 84-31-7 with a 2.19 goals-against average and .923 save percentage.
That is not a player Winnipeg can simply subtract and expect to replace. It also justifies why Cheveldayoff can afford to remain patient.
If the Jets ultimately move their franchise goaltender, the return will need to help reshape a roster that still intends to compete. Winnipeg has long sought additional help among its top-six forwards, and a Hellebuyck trade represents its most significant opportunity to acquire an impact player (preferably a centreman) without entering a full-scale rebuild.
The difficulty is finding a team with the need, cap flexibility and assets required to make such a massive deal work.
For now, Hellebuyck remains a Winnipeg Jet. On paper, anyway.
NHL Network's latest ranking confirms that his standing among the game's elite hasn't disappeared after one down season.
Whether the No. 2 goaltender in hockey actually takes the ice with the Jets when training camp opens is another matter entirely.
But for those keeping score back home, Hellebuyck has been wearing his Winnipeg Jets branded practice gear while skating during the offseason back home in Michigan. And to no surprise his Lake of the Woods Sports Headquarters outdoors gear.
Does it mean anything substantial? No. But it doesn't scream, "I'm ditching this place forever," either.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have 44 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today we look at the history of jersey #44.
Let's take a look.
Rostislav Klesla - 2001-2004 - Klesla was drafted 4th overall in the 2000 NHL Draft.
Klesla's scouting report went like this: "Klesla is a very physical, defensive defenseman. Has solid hockey sense and positional skills. Doesn't score as many points as he possibly could. Also, he is rather prone to injury." Despite that last part about injuries, former GM Doug MacLean drafted Klesla at #4 anyway.
Klesla made his NHL debut in 2000 before he was sent back to Junior. He would come up in the next season and be there full-time. He would then go on to play in 515 games for the Jackets over the course of 10 seasons. On February 28, 2011, he was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes and played the next four years.
In 2014, he would return to his home country of Czechia and play the next two years for HC Oceláři Třinec. After a four-year break from playing to coach for HC Vítkovice, he would play a season in Czechia's fourth-tier league before finally retiring.
Peter Sarno - 2006 - Sarno was drafted in the 6th round of the 1997 NHL Draft by Edmonton
Sarno played a single game for the Blue Jackets during the 2005-06 season. He also played 39 games for the Syracuse Crunch that season.
After his year with Columbus, he left for Europe, where he would play until 2010.
Aaron Johnson - 2003-07/2011-12 - Johnson was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.
Johnson played 172 games for the Jackets over two stints. Scouts said of Johnson was "A puck-moving defenseman, Johnson is a very good skater. Has good offensive instincts and can quarterback the power play. Can play a tough and physical game. Needs to improve his play in his own end."
During his time with Columbus, he also spent three years with the AHL Syracuse Crunch, where he had 73 points in those three seasons.
In 2016, he left North America and signed on with Adler Mannheim of the DEL in Germany. He then left for England, where he played for the Sheffield Steelers of the EIHL. In 2021, he became a Player-Asst. Coach for a season.
He came back home to Columbus in 2021 and joined the Jackets as a Team Consultant. He's been the Team Relations Specialist for the Jackets for a few seasons now.
Aaron Rome - 2008 - Rome was drafted by the LA Kings in the 2002 NHL Draft.
Rome played 25 games over the course of two seasons for Columbus after being traded from the Ducks on November 15, 2007. He totaled 1 goal and 3 points. He spent most of his time in Syracuse that season, playing 41 games. Rome would leave for the Vancouver Canucks in the summer of 2009 as a free agent. Rome would retire in 2014.
Rome went on to spend three seasons as a skills coach for the
Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL.
Grant Clitsome - 2010 - Clitsome was drafted in the 9th round of the 2004 NHL Draft by the CBJ.
Clitsome played in 93 games and had 36 points for Columbus. In 2012, he was placed on waivers in order to be sent to Springfield of the AHL. But he was claimed by the Winnipeg Jets and would play the next three seasons for the Jets.
He announced his retirement from professional hockey on June 1, 2016, after undergoing back surgery.
Justin Falk - 2015-2016 - Falk was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the 4th round of the 2004 draft.
Falk played 29 games for the Blue Jackets and totaled 6 points.
On March 2, 2015, Falk requested a trade that sent him and a fifth-round pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Jordan Leopold. The following summer in 2016, he would sign with the Buffalo Sabres.
After retiring in 2019, Falk went into coaching and is a scout for the Sabres.
Taylor Chorney - 2018 - Edmonton drafted Chorney in the second round of the 2005 draft.
Chorney would play a single game for Columbus after being picked up on waivers on February 21, 2018. After that one game, he left for Europe, where he played until 2021. He retired after the 2021 season.
Vladislav Gavrikov - 2019-2022 - Gavrikov was drafted in the 6th round of the 2015 NHL Draft.
Gavrikov played 256 games for the Jackets over 4 seasons. He totaled 15 goals and 73 points. Gavrikov is widely considered one of the best late-round picks to ever play for the Jackets, despite his short time in Columbus. He played great defense and would always seem to show up on the scoreboard.
After he signed a three-year, $8.4 million contract extension with the Blue Jackets in November of 2020, former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen decided to trade Gavrikov to the LA Kings in March of 2023. A decision that a lot of CBJ fans hated and wondered why it happened. Kekäläinen knew Gavrikov was going to want a hefty raise and didn't want to pay him.
Gavrikov signed a two-year extension with LA just a couple of months after the trade. In the summer of 2025, Gavrikov would get his big contract. He signed a 7-year, $49 million deal with the New York Rangers, which will take him into his mid-30s.
Erik Gudbranson - 2023-2025 - Gudbranson was drafted 3rd overall in the 2010 NHL Draft by the Florida Panthers.
Gudbranson is more than just a defenseman; he's a protector and intimidator. Gudbranson rarely fights but will when he has to. Mainly, he'll just stare at guys until they back down from him.
Gudbranson just finished a 4-year deal he signed with Columbus back in July of 2022. He has played 201 games and has 46 points. Despite his final two seasons with Columbus being riddled with injuries, Gudbranson was re-signed to a one-year contract for the 26-27 season.
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