Every hockey fan goes down a YouTube rabbit hole once in a while, especially on long summer days out of boredom or in search of entertainment. The prime example is Pavel Datsyuk, who isn’t the greatest player of all time but is the ideal YouTube rabbit-hole highlight-reel machine. 

A plus for the New Jersey Devils being great in the 1990s and onward is that all of their best moments are on YouTube (the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers aren’t as fortunate). So, who are the best players to watch? What highlights have fans hooked? Below is a ranking of some of the best, although, like any ranking, there are certainly plenty of great highlight players who will be left off the list (so comment below on who or what was overlooked). 

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Honorable Mention - Martin Brodeur Empty Net Goals

This is a very niche category. Martin Brodeur is one of the greatest goaltenders of all time and holds just about every record a goalie can hold. Sure, his greatest saves are worth rewatching, as are his greatest moments. However, those don’t stand out. 

What stands out is his goalie goals record. Brodeur has three empty-net goals in his career, and while two came by default, the other is a reminder of how great a puck-handler he was (and why the NHL changed the rules). Watch all three below!

5) Patrik Elias

The Devils' all-time leader in goals and points will have his fair share of highlights. Patrik Elias had all the skills to beat a great threat offensively, and on a dynasty known for defense and goaltending, he was the constant scoring threat. 

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It’s hard to pick out one or two goals from his career, making him the type of rabbit-hole player worth watching full highlight videos of (often with heavy metal music attached to them for some odd reason). That said, his most significant goal was his game-winner in Game 7 of the 2000 Eastern Conference Final against the Philadelphia Flyers. While not a fancy goal by any measure, it sent the Devils to the Stanley Cup Final on their way to their second title in five years. 

Interestingly, another career highlight came in that same playoff run. When the Devils faced the Dallas Stars in the Final, Game 6 went to double overtime. Elias collected the puck along the boards, and a backhanded centering pass to Jason Arnott set up the game- and Cup-winning goal. 

Along with the highlight goals and assists are the shootout dandies. Elias has plenty of them, as does the next person on this list. 

4) Ilya Kovalchuk Shootout Goals

There was an era when the Devils were the best shootout team in the NHL, or at least top three in the league. Ilya Kovalchuk was one of the reasons why. The fun thing about Kovalchuk’s shootout style is that he’d fly up the ice and skate so fast that the goaltender wouldn’t have enough time to react. 

Like this goal against the Washington Capitals, where he was skating fast enough to freeze goaltender Michal Neuvirth and fire the puck right past him to the top shelf. 

Or this goal against San Jose Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi. He just flew right past him and backhanded the puck into the net (huge shoutout to DevilsHQ for providing many of these highlights). 

Of course, Kovalchuk wasn’t just a shootout specialist in his four years with the Devils. He was also one of their most skilled players and a key part of the 2012 run to the Stanley Cup Final. However, his goals stand out and can make a hockey fan who hates the shootout appreciate it.

3) Zach Parise 

Like Kovalchuk, Zach Parise has plenty of shootout moments, albeit his goals came from his stickhandling, not his skating. It’s a part of the Parise rabbit hole, which features highlight goals and plenty of iconic moments from the 2000s era. 

Parise is also one of those players who has an iconic non-Devils moment. In his case, it’s scoring the game-tying goal in the 2010 Gold Medal game against Canada, which was one of the best USA hockey moments until the past Olympic Games. While Parise’s game-tying goal didn’t give the USA a Gold, the next player on this list did. 

2) Jack Hughes

At 25, Jack Hughes still has plenty of hockey left in him. That said, he’s already established himself as a highlight-reel player, not just on the Devils but around the NHL. 

Hughes creates plenty of fun goals to rewatch. Most of them come on odd-man rushes where his speed and skill take over the play, but he’ll also do something special when the game slows down in the offensive zone and the Devils need a big-time play. 

He’s already put together a career's worth of highlight moments with the Devils. That said, his most iconic moment came at the Olympics. It’s the Golden Goal against Canada, where he got the open look in overtime and fired it past Jordan Binnington to give the USA their first Gold in 46 years. It’s not just the biggest moment of his career but arguably one of the best hockey moments of this century (certainly, a top-five moment). 

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1) Scott Stevens Hits 

Scott Stevens inspired this list in the first place, specifically his bone-crushing hits. As one of the greatest Devils and greatest defensemen in league history, he had his fair share of big hits, some of which make any hockey fan wonder whether he’d be allowed to play in the NHL these days (without receiving too many multi-game suspensions). 

The biggest is his hit on Paul Kariya during the 2003 Stanley Cup Final. To put it bluntly, Stevens knocked him out cold. Of course, this hit was followed by the “off the floor on the board” goal scored by Kariya. 

There’s also the big one on Flyers forward Eric Lindros in the 2000 Eastern Conference Final. Lindros was big and hard for anyone to take down. But he skated into the offensive zone and didn’t catch Stevens, who not only leveled him but also changed the complexion of the series. 

The other memorable hit was in Game 2 of the 1995 Stanley Cup Final against the Detroit Red Wings. Slava Kozlov didn’t see Stevens coming and paid the price. Like the hit against Lindros, this one fueled a Devils series victory, as they swept the Red Wings on their way to their first Cup title. 

There are plenty more Stevens hits to dive into. The bottom line is that back in the day, when someone cut to the middle through the neutral zone, they kept their head on a swivel. 

Like any list or ranking, there are sure to be a handful of players who were overlooked. So, which ones were missed? Comment below!

The Buffalo Sabres could go a number of different ways as the NHL is in the midst of trade season following the NHL Draft and the opening of free agency on July 1. With the departure of winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram, GM Jarmo Kekalainen is expected to seek out offensive reinforcements to make up for the 44 goals lost by their departures. 

We are continuing to look at potential options for the Sabres, now that veteran Patrick Kane has returned with Chicago.  Some of the possibilities are not going to match Tuch’s stats, but any additions could provide some relief to the pressure that youngsters Konsta Helenius, Jiri Kulich, or Noah Ostlund will be under to make up the deficit.

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Kekalainen ideally is looking for someone who could make up as much of the 60-to-70 point production that he lost with Tuch, or someone who can fill the leadership gap and/or add some snarl and sandpaper to the middle-six, either before the start of the season or before the NHL Trade Deadline. 

Veteran Teuvo Teravainen has 90 games of Stanley Cup Playoff experience, something that will likely not be a factor for the Blackhawks, who will be without star center Connor Bedard to start the season. The 31-year-old was a first round pick of the Hawks in 2012, and won a Cup in Chicago in 2015, before being dealt for cap reasons to Carolina in 2016.  

Teruvainen spent eight seasons with the Hurricanes, where he scored more than 20 goals four times, and more than 50 points five times. In 2024, the rebuilding Hawks looked to surround Bedard with veteran talent to take some of the offensive burden off of the top overall pick. After scoring 58 points in his first season, his numbers dropped to 35 points (14 goals, 21 assists) in 75 games. 

The Hawks are expected to be at the bottom of the Western Conference once again, which would put GM Kyle Davidson in the position of being a seller at the deadline, as he was last March when he dealt Jason Dickinson, Connor Murphy, and Colton Dach to Edmonton, and Nick Foligno to Minnesota. 

Davidson and Kekalainen already made a significant transaction with the Byram/Greenway deal last June, and the Sabres could be looking to add a versatile veteran forward (who the Sabres GM is familiar with based on his playing internationally for Finland) on an expiring contract closer to the deadline.

Teravainen has an eight-team no-trade list and a $5.4 million cap hit in the final year of his deal, which might make it necessary for Chicago to retain salary to get an asset, but the cost of a draft pick might be what Buffalo is willing to give up for some late-season offensive help.  

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

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

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

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5. Brodie Ziemer – Right Wing (Minnesota - NCAA)

Ziemer was the Sabres third-round pick at the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas after scoring 70 points (27 goals, 43 assists) in 61 games as part of the US National Development Program’s Under-18 squad, and after posting a dozen points and serving as team captain of Team USA at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Under-18s.

The Minnesota native was a standout for Team USA at the 2025 World Junior in Ottawa last January in their gold medal-winning effort, and he put up good numbers (12 goals, 11 assists in 38 games) as a freshman at the University of Minnesota. Ziemer is a high-motor player with good two-way skills and possesses leadership abilities.

Those abilities led to him being named captain of Team USA for the 2026 WJC, where he scored six points in five games. The 20-year-old winger led the Golden Gophers in scoring in his sophomore campaign, posting 36 points (23 goals, 13 assists) in 36 games. 

After his third Development Camp in July, Ziemer indicated that he hopes to work on his skating during his junior season, and it is expected that the Sabres will try to get him to turn pro and sign his entry-level deal after his junior season. 

Follow Michael on X, and Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

It’s the end of the road for netminder Dustin Tokarski. The 36-year-old didn’t exactly leave his mark in the NHL, having played only 86 NHL regular-season games with the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Montreal Canadiens, the Anaheim Ducks, the Buffalo Sabres, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Carolina Hurricanes. He finishes his career with a 27-36-12 record, a 3.08 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage. 26 of his regular-season contests were played with the Tricolore, but Tokarski will be best remembered by Habs fans for his role in the 2014 playoffs.

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When Chris Kreider collided with Carey Price in the first game of the Eastern Conference Final against the New York Rangers, Peter Budaj came in relief. When it was announced that Price was done for the playoffs, fans and pundits alike believed that the Slovakian goaltender would be taking over between the pipes, but the Sainte-Flanelle opted to turn to Tokarski instead.

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The then-24-year-old put up a great fight in the five games he started, and although the Rangers won the series 4-2, Tokarski earned the only two playoff wins of his career and posted a 2.60 GAA and a .916 SV. Those playoffs will forever remain one of the biggest “what if” scenarios for the Canadiens: just how far would they have gone had Price not been injured? We’ll never know. However, it’s not as if they were obliterated because of subpar goaltending; Tokarski did well, and when the Habs were eliminated in Game 6, it was by a score of 1-0.

The goalkeeper spent most of his career in the AHL, playing parts of 16 seasons in that league, and picked up 208 wins (ninth all-time), 30 shutouts (eighth all-time) and two Calder Cup championships with the Norfolk Admirals and the Charlotte Checkers.

Tokarski last played in the NHL with the Hurricanes in 2024-25, and he will now work with the organization as a goaltending scout.

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Once one of the most efficient playmakers in the NHL, former Florida Panthers and current Calgary Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau has faced another setback.

Huberdeau will not open training camp with the Flames after undergoing hip surgery in March for a resurfacing injury.

Since he was traded to the Flames in 2022, Huberdeau has failed to match the production that made him such an offensive threat with Florida. Originally drafted third overall by the Panthers in 2011, Huberdeau scored 263 goals and 807 points in 962 games with the organization. 

Huberdeau was a consistent point producer, but he also had his highs, most notably notching 30 goals and 85 assists for 115 points in the 2021-22 season, just before he was traded. Since being dealt, Huberdeau's career high with the Flames is just 28 goals and 62 points, both of which came during the 2024-25 season.

Outside of that campaign, his point totals with the Flames have been 55, 52, and, most recently, just 25 in 50 games. The 33-year-old is already struggling, is beginning to age, and is now dealing with a major injury. 

There have been conflicting reports surrounding Huberdeau's health situation, but Flames GM Craig Conroy recently cleared the air after he himself caused a stir.

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Conroy mentioned that Huberdeau “had a little bit of a setback, maybe two weeks ago, with his skating," but Conroy wanted to clarify.

“It was a poor choice of words on my part,” Conroy told Sportsnet.ca. “It's not that there was a setback. It was more the hope in me that he was going to be ready for camp. What I meant was it was a setback that he won't probably be ready for the first day of camp. That's where I made my mistake. 

“There’s an appropriate timeline for this, between seven and nine months, and obviously we were hoping for the earliest return possible. But everybody is different."

Conroy also mentioned that Huberdeau is skating with teammates, but no timeline has been set for his return. 

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The surgery Huberdeau has had is one that many NHL players have undergone. Players like Patrick Kane and John Klingberg have returned to action following the procedure, but others like Ed Jovanovski, Carl Hagelin, Ryan Kesler, and Niklas Backstrom had their careers end shortly after. 

The hope is that Huberdeau can return for the start of the season, play pain-free, and return to his best. On a rebuilding Flames roster, that might be a tough ask, but entering the fourth year of his eight-year, $10.5 million AAV contract, he has ample time to make his mark in Calgary. 

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The Rangers worked hard to retool their roster over the offseason. 

They made some trades to bring new faces into the mix, but still have young talent on the cusp of the pro lineup. 

While it’s more of a long shot for some, here are few who could potentially contribute at some point this season…

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Alberts Smits

Smits was viewed by many around the game as one of the most NHL-ready defensemen in this year’s draft class. 

That’s one of the reasons New York took him with the fifth overall pick. 

The 18-year-old shined skating in men’s pro leagues in Germany and Finland, and was the youngest skater to compete in the 2026 Olympics, where he recorded two assists. 

GM Chris Drury kept the door open for Smits to crack the Opening Night roster, but also said that the team will not rush him for the sake of getting him to the NHL. 

New York also has a bit of a logjam at the bottom of their defensive core.

Smits will be an intriguing one to keep an eye on, though, as he looks to prove that he’s ready to take one of those spots. 

Drew Fortescue

Fortescue figures to be a young D-man in that mix, as well. 

The 21-year-old enjoyed a strong cup of coffee in the NHL last season, appearing in nine games down the stretch after signing his entry-level deal. 

He recorded just two points, but slotted in nicely on both ends of the ice. 

Fortescue now finds himself facing a bit of an uphill battle for a roster spot with the team already crowded on the backend with lefty-shooting D-men.

The youngster appears destined to begin the season in Hartford, but could build his case with a strong showing in camp.  

Adam Sykora

Skating alongside good friend and fellow prospect Jaroslav Chmelar, Sykora provided a spark to the Rangers’ bottom-six down the stretch last season. 

The 21-year-old winger quickly became a favorite with the tenacious play and contagious energy he brought on both ends of the ice each and every night. 

Sykora also scored three times and added his first pro assist in 11 games. 

Though he clearly still has some steps to take in his development, he showed in his cup of coffee that he has what it takes to carve out a role in the NHL.

With the additions the Rangers made the youngster will be down in Hartford to begin the year, but if they struggle he could work his work into the lineup at some point.

Liam Greentree

Greentree came to the Blueshirts at last year’s deadline in the Artemi Panarin deal, and he immediately carried over his big-time production. 

The former first-round pick has scored 30+ goals each of the past three years. 

He was limited to just 52 games last season, but put together 74 points and then added another 14 during the playoffs. 

Greentree participated in Prospect Development Camp this offseason, and will be in training camp with the squad after signing his entry-level deal. 

Like Sykora he’ll begin the season getting his feet wet in Hartford, but his playmaking-pedigree could be enough to give him a legitimate look at some point. 

Dylan Garand

Garand was the clear favorite to be Igor Shesterkin’s backup heading into this season. 

The netminder took full advantage of his first opportunity at the pro level, winning two of his three appearances, allowing no more than two goals in each of them. 

He earned some himself some high praise from Sullivan and the coaching staff. 

Still, the Rangers elected to bring in veteran competition, landing Joonas Korpisalo in a deal with the Bruins. 

The two will now compete for the spot behind Shesterkin. 

While Korpisalo owns a higher cap hit and brings another year of control, he is coming off back-to-back down seasons with Boston. 

Perhaps with a strong camp, Garand can steal that spot back. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 25 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #25. 

Let's take a look.

Bruce Gardiner - 2001 - Drafted by St. Louis in 1991. 

Gardiner scored the first goal in franchise history at 7:34 into game one of the 2000 season. He played 73 games as a Jacket and had 22 points. Gardiner only played seven more NHL games after he left Columbus.

Gardiner left for Europe, where he played in Russia and Finland. He retired in 2005. 

These days, Gardiner is a police officer with the Barrie Police Department. He was charged with criminal harassment and extortion on Feb. 4, 2022, but the charges were dropped in July 2024. 

Andrew Cassels - 2003-2004 - Drafted by Montreal in 1987.

Cassels signed with Columbus in 2002. He played 137 games for the CBJ over the course of two seasons, scoring 26 goals and totaling 94 points. Cassels signed with Washington in 2005, which would be his final professional hockey season. He was released in January of 2006. 

After retiring, Cassels stuck around Columbus and has been a coach for the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets since 2018. His son Cole currently plays in Slovakia and was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in 2013. He also spent a year with the Cleveland Monsters in 2021-22. 

Jason Chimera - 2006-2010 - Drafted by Edmonton in 1997. 

Chimera was traded to Columbus by the Phoenix Coyotes. He played in 331 games for the Jackets before being traded to the Washington Capitals on December 28, 2009, in a trade that brought current Cleveland Monsters GM Chris Clark to the Columbus organization. 

He last NHL season would be the 2017-18 season. 

Kyle Wilson - 2011 - Drafted by Minnesota in 2004. 

Wilson played 32 of his 39 career NHL games with Columbus during the 2010-11 season after signing on July 2, 2010. He spent the rest of the season with the Springfield Falcons. 

He left North America for Europe in 2013 and played until 2017 in Latvia, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, and Germany. He retired in 2017. 

Ryan Russell - 2012 - Drafted by the New York Rangers in 2005. 

The twin brother of former Blue Jacket and long-time NHLer Kris Russell, he played 41 games for Columbus during the 2011-12 season after being traded to the Jackets on July 7, 2011. He spent most of that season and the next playing for the Springfield Falcons. 

He left for Sweden, played two seasons, and then played in England for one season before retiring. He has spent the last nine seasons as an Amateur Scout for the San Jose Sharks. 

Luke Adam - 2015 - Drafted by Buffalo in 2008. 

Adam played three games for Columbus after his trade from the Sabres on December 16, 2014. 

In 2016, he left for Europe, where he would play seven years in Germany, and then a year each in Czechia and Slovakia. 

In 2024, he returned to North America, where he signed with the Tahoe Knight Monsters of the ECHL. He has been the Captain of Tahoe for the last two seasons. 

William Karlsson - 2016-2017 - Drafted by Anaheim in 2011.

 It's a common misconception that Karlsson was drafted by the CBJ. Taken by the Anaheim Ducks in 2011, he was traded to the Jackets in March 2015. He played 165 games for Columbus and had 47 points, mostly as a fourth-line grinder and penalty killer.

He was chosen by Vegas in the expansion draft of 2017 and has been there ever since. His career in Vegas has been up and down, but he's managed to get 396 points while playing for Vegas. In 2018, he won the Lady Byng, and in 2023, he helped his team win their first Stanley Cup. 

Mikhail Grigorenko - 2021 - Drafted by Buffalo in 2012. 

Grigorenko signed with Columbus in July of 2020. He played in 32 games and had 12 points. He left for Russia again after his time in Columbus and still plays there today. 

He is signed to play for Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL and serves as the Captain. 

There are 25 days until opening night at NWA. 

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Colorado Avalanche News

• The Drive – Conor McGahey talks Colorado Avalanche, Makar’s contract and Denver Broncos. [TSN]

• The London Knights have dealt Avalanche prospect defenseman Linus Funck, paving the way for a major import deal to take place. [The Hockey News]

• Makar’s record 8-year deal was a necessity. ‘You can’t win without superstars,’ Sakic says after deal with elite defenseman, [NHL]

• A look at who is already back in Denver for informal skates. [Colorado Hockey Now]

• Colorado Avalanche face brutal travel schedule in 2027-2027. The Avalanche will have plenty of frequent-flyer miles to rack up during the NHL’s 84-game season. [SI]

News Around the League

• Semyon Varlamov healthy, ready to roll for Islanders camp: ‘It’s almost a miracle’. The veteran hasn’t played in an NHL game since Nov. 2024. [SNY]

• Hamilton NHL prospect Matthew Mayich “needs a miracle” after training collapse during a brutal workout. [CBC]

• A dispute over whether a 13-year-old boy should be allowed to play on a Whitby, Ont., minor hockey team has exposed broader questions about how youth sports organizations should respond when a parent connected to a team has a history of sexually abusing children. [CTV]

• TVA Sports renews NHL rights for 12 years, will broadcast more Canadiens games. [Montreal Gazette]

• Pronger has played alongside some of the greatest defensemen in NHL history. He knows what an elite blueliner looks like. So when a Hockey Hall of Famer looks at Cale Makar’s record-breaking contract and sees little reason for concern, it is worth listening. [The Hockey News]

The KHL season is kicking off this weekend, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed that the Montreal Canadiens’ first-round pick in the last draft, Gleb Pugachyov, has failed to make Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod’s roster for its four-game opening road trip. Alexei Isakov’s men took on Spartak Moscow on Saturday, then face Dynamo Minsk on the 7th, CSKA Moscow on the 9th, and Lada Togliatti on the 11th before returning home to host Ak Bars Kazan on the 14th.

Given the fact that Pugachyov is only 18 years old, there’s no reason to panic because he could play in the lower leagues (MHL, VHL) this season. Besides, the fact that he’s not in the initial roster doesn’t mean that he won’t be in the near future; there’s a lot of movement in the KHL, and players go up and down levels easily. It’s also worth remembering that in the KHL, rookies do not have it easy; they need to earn their ice time. Even Ivan Demidov struggled to get ice time while playing under Roman Rotenberg at SKA St. Petersburg. It wasn’t as tough for Alexander Zharovsky with Salavat Yulaev Ufa, but it wasn’t as strong a team.

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It’s important to remember that Pugachyov was only picked 26th overall by the Canadiens. While Montreal has been blessed with a lot of early selections over the last few years, the team’s emergence from its rebuild means that they won’t get to speak so early at the draft. Pugachyov can play hockey, but he brings size, grit, and energy; he’s not the kind of player who’ll fill the net, which makes it even harder for him to earn a roster spot in the KHL.

The forward signed a two-year contract extension with Torpedo in June 2025, which only expires at the end of the 2027-28 season. There’s no rush; Pugachyov has got plenty of time to develop. In an ideal world, he would develop into a middle-six type of player, but if he turns out to be a supersized third-line winger who’s a pain to play against, it will still be good news for the Canadiens.

It takes a little bit of everything to have a Stanley Cup-winning team; it’s not solely about skills and talent, as demonstrated by the Toronto Maple Leafs, who thought they could plan the parade once they had Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and Morgan Rielly. You need more than just headliners; you need depth players who can play the right type of game and thrive in your system.

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While we impatiently wait for the Philadelphia Flyers and, more broadly, NHL hockey to return, the OHL preseason is underway, and many European pro leagues are beginning to kick things off, too.

Let's start in Sweden, shall we?

Flyers forward prospect Max Westergard, who was unable to participate in development camp in July, scored a goal and an assist in 11:44 of ice time for Frolunda HC in a 6-1 win over SaiPa in Champions Hockey League competition.

Over in Russia, Egor Zavragin will likely debut for his new club, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, on Sunday (today) or Tuesday, Sept. 8, with two games against Amur Khabarovsk on the docket.

He'll have some competition from the older, more experienced Alexander Smolin, who is also a Gagarin Cup champ with Metallurg as Ilya Nabokov's backup, but we can expect the two Russian netminders to share the crease barring something unforeseen.

And here? We will soon see if David Jiricek has what it takes to stick at the NHL level with the Flyers.

Head coach Rick Tocchet and GM Danny Briere both acclaim Jiricek's shot and offensive ability, but only 12 days separate the start of training camp on the 17th and the first game of the regular season on the 30th.

Don't forget about Maksim Sokolovskii

Lost in all the prospect talk, try not to forget about Maksim Sokolovskii throughout the year. I mean, I'm sure there will be highlights, as you will see shortly here, but regard him as a legitimate prospect.

Yes, Sokolovskii is going to be a project, and yes, it will be some time before we see him take the ice for an NHL game with the Flyers, but the potential gets more and more fascinating with each watch.

This is like if Travis Sanheim had a growth spurt https://t.co/mI13Q1aIBT

— Jonathan Bailey (@ByJonBailey) September 5, 2026

In the clip above, Sokolovskii aggressively pinches up the left wall, narrowly missing an opponent en route to the 50/50 puck. After settling an attempted play up the boards from his opponent, Sokolovskii turns up the ice and immediately looks to make a play.

A smaller, more nimble 5-foot-7 Cameron Schmidt, who led the WHL with 51 goals last season, was waiting to defend in the high slot, but Sokolovskii pulled the puck back to his left side and powered past Schmidt and another defender with just a few strides.

Shielding the puck, Sokolovskii tried to make the high-percentage play, passing across the slot as time expired, but his nearest teammate was tied up, and nobody else was available at the back post.

So, despite no goal being scored, I loved this play by Sokolovskii. It proved a few things.

The 18-year-old is showing a willingness to take control, be the guy, and use his talents and tools to manufacture offense in a pressure situation.

Flyers' Maksim Sokolovskii Lifts 1,000-lb. Tire in Offseason Training VideoNew top Philadelphia Flyers prospect Maksim Sokolovskii is freakishly strong for such a young player.

The skating, which is already anomalous for his size, looked Travis Sanheim-esque as he shielded off defenders, and Sokolovskii clearly has an understanding of where the puck needs to go create a dangerous chance for his team.

Sokolovskii, drafted 27th overall by the Flyers in June, can easily outperform his draft slot just by getting in the same orbit as his full potential.

His passing and puck-handling will have to develop further, as will the decision-making, but when things go right, they look incredible.

Sokolovskii is the player I'm most excited to watch at Flyers rookie camp next week, especially as we have already seen a good bit of Porter Martone, Alex Bump, Denver Barkey, and Jett Luchanko in past years.

Labor Day weekend is the unofficial end of summer. College football is back, the NFL is about to start up. Most of the Penguins are in town, skating at the practice rink and getting ready for training camp of their own that should be ready to begin officially in about 10 days or so.

What’s gone down since the team last left the ice? Let’s get into it.

May

• Dan Muse named finalist for Jack Adams Award
• Forward Connor Dewar ($2.25 million AAV for two years) and defenseman Ilya Solovyov ($850k for one year) are re-signed
• Evgeni Malkin is re-signed to a one year contract with a $5.5 million downside. As a 35+ contract, Malkin received performance bonus clauses in the deal. He will earn an extra $250k for playing half the season (42 games), an additional $250k for playing in three quarters of the games (63), receive a $1.0 million bonus if Pittsburgh qualifies for the 2027 NHL playoffs and an additional $250k for each round the Pens win, bringing the potential total up to $9.0 million
• Wilkes-Barre defeats Hershey and Utica in the AHL Calder Cup playoffs to advance to the Eastern Conference Final against Toronto
• Wheeling is eliminated in the ECHL Kelly Cup playoffs

June

• Wilkes-Barre is eliminated from the AHL playoffs by the Toronto Marlies
• The Penguins acquire forward Oliver Okuliar from Florida in exchange for defenseman Emil Pieniniemi
• Ron Francis, recently departed from a stint in the Seattle Kraken front office, hired by the Penguins as a special advisor to hockey operations
• The NHL Board of Governors unanimously approves the sale of the Penguins from Fenway Sports Group to the Hoffman Family
• The Penguins acquire forward Hendrix Lapierre from Washington for a third round pick (2027) and fifth round selection (2028)
• Liam Ruck is drafted in the first round of the 2026 NHL draft, 22nd overall. The Pens grab his twin brother Markus in the second round (39th overall) and later add four more draftees (Tomas Galvas, Pierce Mbuyi, Parker von Richter, Matvei Nikonovich).
• The Penguins acquire forward David Gustafsson from Winnipeg for defenseman Jack St. Ivany
• The Penguins acquire defenseman Kaeden Korczak from Vegas in exchange for Parker Wotherspoon. Pittsburgh also retains the max of 50% of Wotherspoon’s contract ($500k cap hit, their first of three available retention slots for 2026-27).

July

• The Penguins acquire forward Nick Robertson from Toronto for a fourth round draft pick (2028)
• The following players from 2025-26 become unrestricted free agents and officially depart from the organization: Noel Acciari (signed: PHI), Sebastian Aho (signed: Vaxjo Lakers HC, Sweden), Connor Clifton (signed: BOS), Kevin Hayes (signed: Ak Bars Kazan, KHL), Bokondji Imama (signed: FLA), Joona Koppanen (signed: Lulea HF, Sweden), Anthony Mantha (signed: NJD), Ryan Shea (signed: EDM), Stuart Skinner (signed: WPG). Rafael Harvey-Pinard is the lone UFA that comes back to the organization, albeit on an AHL level contract with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
• Just as free agency starts, reports circle that the Penguins sign defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk. The deal is formally announced as a two-year contract with a $4.0 million cap hit
• The Pens sign 26-year old free agent defenseman Declan Carlile to a two-year deal that comes with a $1.5 million cap hit
• The Pens make their highest external salary free agent signing of July, grabbing forward Andrei Kuzmenko for $5.5 million on a one-year contract
• Pens wrap up summer development camp. Zam Plante and recently drafted Pierce Mbuyi are among standouts in 3v3 action
• Recently acquired forward Hendrix Lapierre signed by Pens to a two-year contract with a $1.3 million cap hit
• Vukie Mpofu, the Pens’ director of hockey operations and legal affairs for the last three seasons, leaves the organization to move up in title to become an assistant general manager for the Nashville Predators
• The Pens re-sign forward Egor Chinakhov (three-year contract worth a $6.25 million cap hit) and goalie Arturs Silovs (one-year contract, $2.8 million)
• Nick Robertson and the Pens avoid arbitration, coming to agreement on a two-year contract with a $3.25 million cap hit
• Salary cap and legal guru Brandon Pridham, recently departed from the Toronto Maple Leafs, joins back up with Kyle Dubas as a hockey operations consultant to help replace the departed Mpofu
• The Penguins announce the end of a 29-year affiliation with Wheeling as their ECHL club
• The Penguins announce that the Florida Everblades, a team also owned by the Hoffman family, is their new ECHL affiliate
• Forward Tommy Novak is extended for three seasons. His new contract will kick in for the 2027-28 season and carry a $4.65 million cap hit

August

• In a huge surprise, the Penguins sign forward Ville Koivunen to an eight-year contract that carries a $4.0 million cap hit
• Forward prospect Cruz Lucius, acquired in the Jake Guentzel trade but unwilling to sign with Pittsburgh, is traded to Anaheim for future considerations. He later signs an entry level deal with the Ducks

—

And for now, that’s it. In a sense it wasn’t the summer of sweeping changes that many hoped for or expected when it came to adding front line players or making massive moves to overhaul the future or strength of the club.

On the other hand, it was a very active offseason once you go back and take it all in. The Evgeni Malkin question was favorably resolved with a contract extension. Ownership of the team changed hands, with a minor league affiliation switch at the ECHL taking place. Several new players (Kuzmenko, Robertson, van Riemsdyk, Carlile, Lapierre, Korczak) were acquired. Several more departed (Wotherspoon, Acciari, K. Hayes, Clifton, Mantha, Skinner). On the whole, the team got younger as a result of these changes – especially when considering they did not add any goalies and will be looking to promote a youngster from the AHL.

There were front office changes with Mpfou leaving and Pridham and Francis joining up. Several other players (Chinakhov, Silovs, Dewar, Solovyov, Koivunen, Novak) were re-signed.

Put it all together and you have the results of the last few summer months. With most of that action and activity out of the way it will soon be time to drop the puck.

With four preseason games right around the corner before the Devils host the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 1, the team's starting lineups and depth chart are coming into clearer view.

Sunny Mehta has worked hard in his first offseason as Devils general manager to build a team best suited to the traditional, highly structured playing style favored by head coach Sheldon Keefe. Most recently - and arguably, most notably - Mehta traded two draft picks to the Nashville Predators for forward Luke Evangelista.

Forwards

The top forward line of wingers Timo Meier and Dawson Mercer centered by Devils captain Nico Hischier was by far the team's best during last season, and that shouldn't change this time around, especially since Hischier was inked to a five-year contract extension this past offseason. Evangelista's playmaking prowess on the wing, combined with his tenacious work ethic to do the dirty work, makes him a perfect fit on the team's second line alongside star center Jack Hughes and steady point producer Jesper Bratt.

Free agent addition Anthony Mantha projects as the leader of the bottom-six forward group. The experienced veteran had a career year with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, and he'll look to bring his physicality and timely goalscoring to a Devils team desperate to get back to the playoffs. Evan Rodrigues, similarly, was brought into the fold after his time proving his worth as a key veteran for the Florida Panthers - not coincidentally, during Mehta's time as assistant general manager and director of hockey analytics - as they won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2023-24 and 2024-25. His well-rounded skillset should make it easy for coach Keefe to provide increased minutes for Cody Glass and Arseny Gritsyuk, who were effective linemates with the bottom six forward group for New Jersey last season. 

Jesper Boqvist, a versatile forward acquired from the Panthers alongside Rodrigues in exchange for goaltender Jacob Markstrom, will compete with wingers Connor Brown and Stefan Noesen as well as center Nick Bjugstad for the remaining two spots in that bottom six. 2023 second-round draft pick Lenni Hameenaho, who featured sparingly last season and is still just 21 years old, headlines the players on the outside looking in at a full-time roster spot.

Overall, a strong forward group with a nice blend of youth and experience, and I believe Evangelista's fit as a potential top-six play driver could be a real X-factor this season.

Defensemen

The defensive line projections are quite murky, and the key to the team's success or failure at that end of the ice will be how Keefe chooses to deploy 22-year-old left-handed defenseman Luke Hughes. As a light, nifty puck carrier and a modern offensive-minded defenseman, partnering Hughes with a bruising right-handed D-man like Brett Pesce or Jonathan Kovacevic makes a lot of sense. Last season, those partnerships were much more effective than Hughes playing with veteran left-hander Brendan Dillon or fellow youngster Simon Nemec, who was traded to the Calgary Flames this offseason.

It would seem that Dillon's most likely defensive partner is right-handed point generator Dougie Hamilton, as Dillon's no-nonsense physicality can cover for Hamilton and give him the freedom he desires offensively.

The odd man out of Pesce and Kovacevic - meaning whichever of the two does not partner Jack Hughes - will partner with left-handed all-rounder Jonas Siegenthaler, who appeared in all 82 games of the regular season for the first time in his career last season.

That would leave 26-year-old Declan Chisholm as the seventh defenseman on the depth chart. Chisholm was acquired by the Devils the day before the 2026 NHL Draft from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick. The left-hander recorded seven points in 26 games for the Caps last season, and assuming he plays for the Devils next season, New Jersey will be his fourth team in his five NHL seasons.

Goaltenders

Out of the three position groups, goaltender is the biggest question mark on the Devils roster. The Devils pulled the plug on the ill-fated Markstrom experiment when they made the aforementioned trade which sent the Swedish netminder to Florida, and the front office - barring a potential trade for want-away American hero and Winnipeg Jets star Connor Hellebuyck - chose against finding a way to significantly bolster the goaltending department this offseason.

Instead, New Jersey is seemingly choosing to promote Jake Allen from part-time starter to full-time starter between the pipes. In a season of turmoil last year, Allen was a rare bright spot, saving 0.17 goals saved above expected per game across 36 starts. Allen, 36, is entering his 14th season in the NHL, and hasn't started in at least half of his team's regular season games since his 2022-23 season with the Montreal Canadiens.

To serve as Allen's backup, 34-year-old journeyman David Rittich will battle German-born Nico Daws, with Rittich likely having the upper hand based on career resume and recent performance.

Rittich started 28 games for the New York Islanders last season as the main backup behind 2025-26 Vezina Trophy runner-up Ilya Sorokin. Rittich recorded a similar mark to Allen last season with 0.15 goals saved above expected per game.

Drafted in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft, Daws, still just 25 years old, has featured sparingly in his three seasons with the Devils thus far. In fact, he has started just seven total games across the last two seasons. He was waived in October of 2025, but cleared waivers to remain within the organization, going 2-1 in his three appearances with the Devils last season. Now, it seems that Daws will get the chance to prove he's worthy of a full-time roster spot.

It is worth noting, however, that it is becoming relatively common for teams to carry not just two, but three goaltenders on the NHL roster. As such, don't be surprised if Rittich and Daws are both trusted with starts for the Devils, at least early on in the season.

Although last season largely ended in a surprising success, the Philadelphia Flyers still have some specters looming over them ahead of the 2026-27 season, and perhaps the biggest of them all is on defense.

A deeply uninspiring training camp battle last year ended with veteran Noah Juulsen overtaking prospect Helge Grans, as the latter made far too many gaffes in the defensive zone for a young player to prove himself under first-year head coach Rick Tocchet.

In his second year as head coach of the Flyers, Tocchet will again have a group of young players pushing for one roster spot on defense, with newcomer Simon Benoit acting as the replacement for the departed Juulsen.

Top Flyers defense prospect Oliver Bonk, a first-round pick in 2023, will be in that mix, as will trade acquisition David Jiricek, who was drafted sixth overall in 2022.

Jiricek, 22, will have a leg up over Bonk and some of his other peers if for no reason other than the fact that he is no longer waivers-exempt, meaning that, if he's waived and cut from the roster, another NHL team can pick him up for free.

That would mean, by extension, that the Flyers had traded a promising player like Bobby Brink for nothing.

Fortunately, though, Jiricek sounds ready to work, and the Flyers sound optimistic that the Czech defenseman will develop further under their vigil.

Flyers, Jiricek anticipate a big training camp

"We don’t have many guys like you here, so shoot the puck. That’s maybe why I am in Philly," Jiricek told The Athletic at the NHLPA European Player Tour in Munich. "I try to make it work. I try to shoot as much as I can right now, and shoot everything. If I have a pass for one-timers, I’m going to shoot it.

"Camp is quick this year, really quick," Jiricek said. "We have just four games in preseason, so you have to start from the first day (of) training camp as game-ready, I would say. That's the plan."

Acknowledgment is the first step.

Jiricek doesn't need to be reminded that he is battling for an NHL roster spot, now playing for his third organization in four years.

To that end, the 22-year-old has played 85 career NHL games, but produced only two goals, 11 assists, and 13 points, with none coming on the power play.

Jiricek was highly-regarded heading into the NHL draft due to his 6-foot-4 size, heavy shot, and poise with the puck, but his already average mobility was further affected by an ACL injury suffered in his draft year.

Upon joining the Flyers organization in March, Jiricek was an instant hit in Allentown for the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, ripping off two goals, 11 assists, and 13 points in just 15 games, blowing past the 10 points he recorded in 24 games with the Iowa Wild.

The Flyers are hoping his experience with the Phantoms can be parlayed into a continued upward trajectory that makes him a useful NHL player for years to come.

Flyers' Rick Tocchet Shares Refreshing Perspective on Matvei MichkovPhiladelphia Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet reflects on his first year with Matvei Michkov and what he would do differently.

"He had a really good stint in Lehigh Valley. He proved that he's ready for the next level. For him, it's gonna be a battle for ice time. It's going to be up to him. Big summer for him. Yeah, he needs waivers. We're aware of that, and he's going to get a good look, and we hope that he's ready for it," Flyers GM Danny Briere told The Hockey News in a June Q&A.

"We feel he's ready for it, but he's going to have to show it on the ice. We know the offense is there, the big shot is there, the size is there, and that's just for him to round out his game, where he becomes a player that the coaches trust every night."

Tocchet, like Briere, is hoping that Jiricek's long-range cannon can be of great importance to the Flyers next season.

At the same time, like Jiricek said, camp is going to go quick, and it's going to be a race between him, Bonk, Hunter McDonald, and Ty Murchison as Tocchet sees it currently.

"The (short camp) does complicate it because we don’t have time to look at guys. You’ve got to make your mind up fairly quick," Tocchet told The Athletic in a recent interview.

"Jiricek, we want that big shot. Can he add that to us, and (have) patience with the puck... Four guys that have a chance. It’s a matter of who can get there quickest."

Time is ticking on Jiricek faster than any of the other hopefuls at his position, and it's now up to the once-esteemed draft pick to make this chance count. The Flyers believe he can.

The Buffalo Sabres’ 2025-26 season was largely a success, with the Sabres winning the Atlantic Division, as well as their first-round Stanley Cup playoffs series against the Boston Bruins. Buffalo fell to the Montreal Canadiens in the second round, but at long last, there was real reason for optimism in Western New York. 

This is why, for the second straight year at TheHockeyNews.com, we're breaking down the Sabres’ Eastern Conference opponents in a series called “Know Your Enemy”. And in this particular file, we’re focused on a team that’s fallen from being the gold standard of NHL teams to the bottom of the Atlantic – the Detroit Red Wings.

BUFFALO SABRES VS. DETROIT RED WINGS

NEW RED WINGS PLAYERS: Viktor Arvidsson (RW), Keegan Kolesar (RW) Daniil Tarasov (G)

2025-26 SERIES: Sabres 2-1-0, Red Wings 1-1-1

2026-27 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: December 28, at Buffalo; February 21 at Detroit; March 12 at Detroit; April 10 at Buffalo

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? The Sabres handled most of their business with the Red Wings last season, but this year, Detroit will be a desperate team – and the way the schedule-maker has put together Buffalo’s 2026-27 campaign, the games against the Wings could prove to be the difference between home-ice advantage – or worse, the difference between making or missing the playoffs.

Indeed, the Sabres play their final regular-season game against the Red Wings this coming year when they host Detroit. If pre-season projections are correct, the Wings will be well out of the playoff picture by that final game. So they could be in prime spoiler mode at that point, and Buffalo has to be ready to play high-stakes hockey from Game No. 1 through Game No. 84.

By the time the Sabres play their first game against Detroit this coming season, the Wings should have another GM in place as Steve Yzermans’ successor – or at least, you’d hope. As a matter of fact, you’d have hoped the Red Wings would’ve already had a new GM. But that speaks to the organization’s problems. 

That said, the Wings team Buffalo will see in December could be significantly different than their current roster. Certainly, Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin’s trade request will almost certainly result in him moving on. But the new Wings GM will have to start trading off more veterans as they try to chart a new course for the franchise.

The Wings used to be the measuring stick by which all teams were judged, but those days are long ago. And the Sabres have to take advantage of that.

Taking it to Detroit is an absolute must for this Buffalo team, and if they don’t do that, the Sabres are liable to regret it at season’s end.

The Buffalo Sabres are hoping to build on their success last season, and reach the postseason for the second straight year. That will require some of their young talent to fill the void left by the departure of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, and their core group continuing to play at a high level. Team captain Rasmus Dahlin persevered through personal adversity to score a career-high 74 points and led Buffalo to their first playoff appearance in 15 years, earning nominations for the Bill Masterton and Norris Trophies. 

In their annual rankings of NHL players, The Athletic slotted Dahlin in the top tier, tied with Florida’s Aleksander Barkov, San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini, Boston’s David Pastrnak, and Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Hart Trophy winners Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon were ranked at the top of Tier 1, with Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl, and Norris winners Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar in the middle of Tier 1.    

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Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss

Other Sabres listed were center Tage Thompson (Tier 3B), wingers Zach Benson (Tier 5A), Josh Doan (5B), defensemen Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson (Tier 5C). Former Sabres also listed were Cup winners Jack Eichel (Tier 2A), Sam Reinhart (Tier 3A), and Ryan O’Reilly (Tier 5A). 

Former Sabres Tuch and Byram were each listed in Tier 5, as players who offer “strong support to a contending or championship core, but who wouldn’t be an integral piece within it”. Tuch was the highest paid unrestricted free agent, signing at $10.5 million AAV by Washington in July, while Byram was made the highest paid NHL defenseman by Chicago until Makar’s $20.4 million AAV eight-year extension last week.

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