While the Detroit Red Wings prospects got off to a winning start Saturday evening against the Dallas Stars prospects, the Pittsburgh Penguins prospects handed them a setback Sunday.
The Penguins defeated the Red Wings 4-3 at the BELFOR Training Center inside Little Caesars Arena, evening Detroit’s record in the 2026 Prospect Tournament at 1-1.
The Red Wings were without forward Nate Danielson and defenseman Anton Johansson, both of whom played Saturday evening. They are both expected to return to the lineup for Tuesday's Prospect Tournament finale.
Detroit got on the scoresheet first, with Theo Rochette converting a pass from Carter Bear on an odd-man rush and beating Penguins goaltender Xavier Wendt.
Pittsburgh soon tied the game on a goal from Carter Sanderson, but Detroit regained the lead when a point shot from Jacob Truscott eluded Wendt through traffic.
Tomas Galvas tied the game again after cutting through the Detroit defense and beating goaltender Michal Orsulak with a backhander. Brayden Edwards then gave Pittsburgh its first lead of the game shortly afterward while the Penguins were shorthanded.
Late in the period, Detroit's Adam Levec jammed a loose puck across the goal line to tie the game once again. However, Pittsburgh's Jordan Charon scored in the third period to give the Penguins a lead they would not relinquish.
The Red Wings had multiple power-play opportunities late in the third period but struggled to gain the offensive zone or generate any meaningful pressure.
Orsulak stopped 29 of the 33 shots he faced, while Wendt turned aside 22 of 25 shots. Bear, Rochette, and Truscott each recorded four shots on goal.
Detroit will conclude the Prospect Tournament on Tuesday afternoon against the Columbus Blue Jackets; puck drop is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. ET.
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A prospect game is typically uneventful. It’s competitive and a fun way to get back into the hockey season, yet the players are still getting into shape and finding their footing again. It’s how the prospect game between the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders started.
Then there was the hit by Anton Silaev at the end of the first period. It got the crowd into the game and brought some much-needed energy. Silaev’s defense partner, Seamus Casey, had quite the quote about it after the game. “I think the whole building felt it. Some people probably in Jersey City and Hoboken might have felt it, too.”
The hit was a glimpse into Silaev’s game and what he can become. The game showed what the Devils hope to develop him into. Likewise, it showed his deficiencies and where he must improve before he’s ready for the NHL.
Silaev As A Bigger Bruising Defenseman
When he’s on the ice, he’s a noticeable presence. He’s a bigger defenseman and plays like one too. For some hockey fans, he’s a throwback to a previous era, when every team had its physical presence who was eager to set the tone with a big hit (Scott Stevens was that player for the Devils during the Stanley Cup years).
Defensemen who deliver the big hits are exciting. They also don’t last long in today’s NHL. Suspensions don’t help, but more importantly, the injuries take their toll. The Islanders, who faced the Devils on Sunday, will be quick to point to Alexander Romanov. He’s their version of Silaev and has battled injuries over the years. At 26, Romanov is already wearing down and not the same player he once was.
It’s one reason the Devils will want Silaev to use his strength wisely. They want him to use his size and, at the same time, focus on becoming a shutdown defenseman who blocks shots and cleans up pucks in the net front.
Silaev Ideally Becomes The Devils’ Next Shutdown Defenseman
The Devils have their scoring defenseman, or at least they hope that Luke Hughes becomes one this season. They might add another in the near future, with the possibility of a Quinn Hughes addition on the horizon.
They need more stay-at-home defensemen, specifically young ones, to build around for the future. While Brett Pesce, Jonas Seigenthaler, and Johnathan Kovacevic play that role, all three are 29 or older.
If Silaev develops into one, it changes the Devils' outlook. Suddenly, they have a young stay-at-home option to build around who blocks shots and forces turnovers, while his defensive pairing can play more aggressively and focus on offense. Most playmaking and offensive-minded defensemen need a shutdown defenseman playing alongside them. The Devils are hoping they can develop a few with Silaev leading the way.
Silaev Still Has Room To Improve
Silaev, like many of the Devils' young defensemen, will allow opponents to get into the dirty areas and the net front for scoring chances. Likewise, he’ll allow open looks in the high-danger areas, which was on display in the exhibition game against the Islanders.
It’s not a knock on him. Many defensemen struggle at his age, especially coming from overseas. It’s why Silaev will likely spend this season developing with the Utica Comets in the American Hockey League.
The plus is that the Devils have the right players around him to help, including Seamus Casey as a defensive partner and Mikael Diotte, who understands the adjustment a rookie like Silaev is going through. “He’s got everything to have a good career. So, just trust himself, move his feet, and use his body, and I think he'll have success for sure,” Diotte mentioned when asked about the advice he gives the Devils prospect.
Silaev has made plenty of progress already, and he’s on the right track. The key for the Devils is keeping him on that track. “He's really attentive. He wants to learn. He wants feedback. He's responsive to anything that we're telling him on the bench. So, it’s been a pleasure to be working with him,” Comets head coach Ryan Parent noted after Sunday’s game.
It's not just Parent who was excited to work with Silaev either. "Seeing how he progressed in the KHL and the player he became is kind of impressive. So, he was somebody I was looking for at this rookie camp," Diotte added.
It’s easy to overreact to preseason hockey, especially a prospect game that doesn’t have many implications in the big picture. That’s the type of game the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders played on Sunday afternoon at the RWJ Barnabas Health Hockey House.
That said, the surprise of the game was that the Devils kept up with the Islanders. The Islanders have multiple elite prospects in their system, some of whom will be on the NHL roster at the start of the season.
The Devils went toe to toe with the Islanders and had a 4-3 lead in the final minute before losing it in overtime. The game, while an exhibition, shined a bright light on the Devils' farm system, which has some pleasant surprises in it.
Devils Depth Stepping Up
The Devils found the back of the net four times, with Mikael Diotte and Matyas Melovsky particularly stepping up. Diotte is a depth defenseman who got the Devils on the board, while Melovsky found the back of the net twice.
The hope for the Devils is that both players develop into NHLers. For Melovsky, he’s starting to hit his stride as a 22-year-old forward who has found a scoring touch. This season, he’ll make his impact in the American Hockey League but down the road, he’s someone who can fight for a bottom-six spot.
The big name, however, in the Devils' system and on the ice Sunday afternoon was Anton Silaev. He’s not a scoring defenseman but showed flashes on the defensive end and made his biggest mark with a hit in the first period. “He’s got everything to uh to to have a good career. So, just trust himself, move his feet, and use his body, and I think he'll have success for sure,” Mikael Diotte noted after the game on what the young defenseman must do to make it to the NHL.
The Depth The Front Office Brought In Is Changing The Culture
The most impressive part about the Devils pipeline wasn’t on display in the Sunday game. It’s what’s happening in Utica with their AHL affiliate. First-time general manager Sunny Mehta brought in Braden Birch as the AHL GM, and the new-look front office brought in multiple borderline NHLers. It included players like Riley Tufte, Declan Chisholm, Amadeus Lombardi, and Ben Steeves.
These players aren’t prospects per se. However, they can fill in if the injuries pile up, and the Devils won’t experience a major drop-off. They’ll also become the veterans and mentors for the prospects who are on their way to the NHL.
It’s something that gives Utica Comets head coach Ryan Parent optimism. He’s entering his second full season behind the AHL bench and is finally getting a boost from the front office. “We talked about the organizational depth, and it's not just the guys that are in New Jersey. It's in Utica as well,” Parent noted after the prospect game, adding, “It just creates a lot of depth, and it surrounds everybody. It makes our team better and surrounds our prospects. So, we can get the most out of developing those guys.”
The Devils weren’t expected to improve their farm system overnight. It takes time to draft and develop. That said, bringing in the vets and changing the culture at the AHL level are how an NHL team moves the needle and makes progress.
Taking The Devils Pipeline With A Grain Of Salt
Parent said it best when trying to read into these games, even though he was talking about Silaev. “It’s a small sample size for us so far.” It’s only one exhibition game, and the 84-game season is still around the corner and more telling about this team.
The Islanders also switched goaltenders halfway through the game, swapping Josh Kotai for Burke Hood. It’s no coincidence that all four of the Devils' goals came after the change. In games like these, it’s always important to adjust for inflation.
It’s also worth adding that the Devils struggled defensively. Aside from allowing five goals to lose the game in overtime, they allowed the Islanders' prospects to find open looks in the net and bury second chances in the net front.
All that being said, the game left a strong impression. The Devils, who aren’t known for their prospect pool, might have a few players to keep an eye on, even if they spend next season in the AHL.
On Sunday afternoon, the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders met inside RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House in Newark, New Jersey, for the first game action of the season.
As the stands filled with an energized group of fans, the Devils’ rookies took the ice, including top prospect Anton Silayev, marking the beginning of their preseason slate and the first opportunity to see the organization’s young talent on the ice.
After 60 minutes, the teams were tied at 4-4 with the home team getting goals from Mikael Diotte, Luke Wifley, and Matyas Melovsky (2). With 56.9 seconds remaining in overtime, Islanders forward Cole Eiserman scored the game-winner.
“We talked about making sure that at the end of the game we're looking back and the feedback that we were getting was that we were a competitive team, and make sure that was on the forefront,” Utica Comets head coach Ryan Parent said after the game. “I think the start of the game was as expected. There was a lot of energy, a lot of emotion, and guys were just anxious to get out there and play again. The game was a little bit choppy, but I thought the second period settled down, had a little more poise with the puck, and got some good opportunities from it, and then the compete to get back into it and make it a competitive game towards the end. I think the guys played hard.”
Devils lineup vs. Islanders
Ben Steeves - Matyas Melovsky - Lenni Hameenaho
Shane Lachance - Gabe Klassen - Cam Squires
Josh Filmon - Quinn McKenzie - Jeremy Wilmer
Cristophe Tellier - Luke Wifley - Nathan Lecompte
Anton Silaev - Seamus Casey
Ethan Edwards - Eamon Powell
Etienne Morin - Mikael Diotte
Jakub Málek
Game Notes and Observations
— Casey, Hämeenaho, and Melovsky were the three players wearing an “A”.
Photo Credit: Kristy Flannery
— With two minutes remaining in the opening period, Silaev laid a massive hit on Tomas Poletin below the goal line behind Malek. The Islanders naturally took exception, and a scrum ensued. Casey and Luca Romano were the two players assessed penalties on the play.
— The Islanders took a 1-0 lead early in the second period, as Daniil Prokhorov scored his first of the two-game series.
— It took 41 seconds for the Devils to tie and take the lead. Diotte scored his first of the scrimmage off a great play from Melovsky. Wifley potted New Jersey’s second goal with a wrist shot that beat Hood.
— The Islanders tied the game in the opening minutes of the third period as Prokhorov scored his second of the game.
— Diotte, known for playing a physical and emotional game, dropped the gloves, going up against Kadon McCann. By that point, he had already secured a goal and an assist. Not a bad outing for the defenseman.
— Melovsky scored New Jersey’s third and fourth goals. He finished the afternoon with three points: “He’s a really smart hockey player; the puck doesn’t slow him down, he does a great job of supporting it in the middle”, Parent said. “He can transport the puck really well. But I think what I saw tonight was kind of where he was trending last year, getting a lot stronger and confident with the puck. There were some plays where he has three guys around him, and he can still keep it on his stick.”
— I need to see more from Josh Filmon. In the opening period, he had a prime scoring opportunity in the opening period, but missed the net. In the second period, he had another opportunity, but Islanders goaltender Burke Hood made the save. Last season he played 11 games in the ECHL with the Adirondack Thunder and 31 with the Comets.
Photo credit: Kristy Flannery
The Devils rookie will hit the ice on Monday for a practice in Newark before traveling to Long Island to conclude their series against the Islanders.
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The Carolina Hurricanes came up short in the first game of the 2026 Prospects Showcase, falling 4-1 to the Nashville Predators Sunday afternoon at Lane Arena.
Despite what the final score may show, it was a fairly close game (Nashville scored two goals in the final two minutes), but in the end, wins and losses aren't necessarily the point of the showcase.
"The biggest thing we're looking for is trying to establish our style of play," said Chicago Wolves coach Spiros Anastas, who was coaching the Hurricanes prospects. "Whether they're guys we're going to see in Chicago or whether they're going to be competing for a spot here with the Canes or prospects we're going to see in the future, it's just the style of play, the habits and the expectations. Wins and losses aren't that important. We went 0-3 last year and I think both of our teams did pretty well."
The Canes were icing a roster comprised of 12 of its own draft picks and eight additional invitees, who may wind up on either the Chicago Wolves or Greensboro Gargoyles rosters, but notably there are a few key players who could very well be competing for an NHL job in less than a week.
One such player is defenseman Charles Alexis Legault, who is wearing the 'C' for Carolina in the showcase and who also made quite the impression in the game as the Hurricanes' top defender.
Legault laid a bone crushing hit on Joey Willis in the opening seconds and then a few minutes later, dropped the gloves with Kalan Lind.
"Just getting back into it," Legault said with a smirk. "I thought the best way was just to get physical. I mean, hockey's a physical game, so it turned me on and I think I played better because of it."
The 23-year-old blueliner made his NHL debut last season, appearing in 12 games with the Hurricanes.
Legault is known for his physicality, but it's the growth in his overall game that has him on the precipice of really breaking into the league.
"He's becoming more of a man," Anastas said. "And it's a confidence piece too. He wants to be in the NHL and he knows he can be and we have that belief in him too."
Another two players with NHL potential close at hand are Bradly Nadeau and Felix Unger Sorum.
The two are playing on opposite wings on the Hurricanes' top line and while the two didn't connect for any goals on Sunday, you can see the way they're able to dictate play and drive offensive looks.
The lone Carolina skater who did find his way onto the score sheet though was 18-year-old Zach Lansard.
Midway through the third period, a strong forechecking shift by the Hurricanes forced Nashville into a bad turnover and Lansard was there to send the mistake right back into the Predators' faces.
It's the 2026 draftees first trip down to Carolina and while it's been a whirlwind week for the youngster, he's been enjoying the experience before he heads back to the OHL.
"It's been great," Lansard said. "Just trying to take everything in and have a smile on my face and enjoy the week here."
The Hurricanes prospects will be back in action on Tuesday, Sept. 15 as the team takes on the Tampa Bay Lightning at 2 p.m. at Lane Arena.
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 09: Gabriel Landeskog #92 of the Colorado Avalanche is recorded by TNT during the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour at City National Arena on September 09, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This weekend it was time to spotlight the Colorado Avalanche rookies before main training camp kicks off this week on Thursday, September 17th. After the release of the 25-man roster of attendees, all that was left was finally some on-ice activity.
Practice at Family Sports Center
Bright and early Friday morning the group of Avalanche rookies gathered for a brief practice before their two game set in San Jose, Calif. over the weekend. First, some news was released as the club need to bolster their roster on the back end. Great to see 2026 draftee Teddy Lechner as one of the selections, he must be on loan from the USHL. Two of the other names were in invites in attendance at development camp a few months ago.
The following players have been added to the Avalanche Rookie Faceoff roster:
Teddy Lechner Noah Jettelson Evan Friesen
Additionally, Saige Weinstein and Connor Kelley will not be participating in rookie camp activities due to injury.
For the practice, it was a short but productive one and lasted a little over an hour. Some ideas at lines began to form with Beckett Hamilton featuring often on TJ Hughes’ right wing. There was also some center ice battle drills leading to 2v2, which was a new look, perhaps from new Colorado Eagles head coach Jussi Ahokas. Getting the special teams units up to par was also on the agenda, first the traditional 5v4 practice but then later on a down low focus of just 3v2 was an interesting new approach.
Game 1 vs. Anaheim – 7-2 WIN
How the #Avs are going to line up today, courtesy of @CurtisPashelka on the ground in San Jose.
Ilya Nabokov will get his first taste of live North American hockey that (sort of) counts. pic.twitter.com/SOYvoY39EC
To start, this game was delayed over an hour but when the puck finally dropped, it was all Avalanche in a 7-2 victory. The top line was as suspected with TJ Hughes centering Taylor Makar and Beckett Hamilton, which was the trio that got the scoring started. For the first goal Makar received a gorgeous feed from Hamilton and then Hamilton scored himself on a one timer cross-ice pass from Hughes. Other goal scorers were from Matthew DiMarsico, Shawn Carrier, Cooper Gay and invite Kalder Varga.
Defenseman Alex Gagne had a special outing with a complete Gordie Howe hat trick plus an extra assist all while wearing the captain’s “C” on his jersey. Ilya Nabokov looked sharp in net and earned the win playing the first 40 minutes. He put on a show on the penalty kill when Anaheim was awarded numerous opportunities in the second period.
With a much thinner lineup compared to the previous tilt, the Avalanche found a tighter checking game against the Golden Knights rookies. The game unfolded somewhat similarly in the first two periods to the prior contest as Colorado built a 4-2 lead on a solid outing from goaltender Nikita Novosyolov. They received goals from invites Noah Jettelson, Kalder Varga and two from Jake Chaisson.
In the third period entered 2026 draftee Alexandre Raymond in net who was tasked with holding down the fort against Vegas’ pressure. At this point it was a total penalty-fest and Vegas evened up the game 4-4. Shortly after that Nikita Prishchepov scored on one of his half dozen penalty kill breakaways and put the Avalanche up 5-4 with only a few minutes left in the game. Linus Funck took a bad penalty and put Vegas back on the power play where they scored again and the game went to overtime.
Nikita Prishchepov on the SHORTY FOR THE LEAD late in the game! He uses all of PK skills from the AHL to take the puck away and run with it! And the video feed went to crud again. #Avs#GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/ysYnbiBNR9
Colorado was awarded a power play right at the end of regulation but couldn’t score on the 4v3. The five minute overtime concluded without a score and the game went into a shootout. Beckett Hamilton was the only tally for Colorado while Vegas put two on the board and the game ended 6-5 in their favor.
On defense it was an interesting mix both days of AHL veterans and young prospects. Teddy Lechner, who wasn’t even supposed to join the tournament as his USHL team begins their season in a matter of days, did well especially for as inexperienced as he is. Same goes for Ondrej Ruml as both were drafted by the Avalanche this summer. Linus Funck has hot and cold moments but was able to get a lot of ice time. Alex Gagne certainly will move up the pecking order with his strong showing in the first game as well. Sean Behrens set up a very nice goal in the second game but seems a bit lost in the shuffle.
It’s hard not to get excited for Beckett Hamilton who was able to show off his talents in this setting. He had looked good in camps prior to the showcase and turned it up a notch in these games by leading all Colorado rookies with 10 shots on goal over the two games. He’s still only 18-years-old and needs to get stronger on the puck but he has all the attributes of a NHL forward including a shot mentality to go along with a heavy shot but also great vision and playmaking ability, defensive aptitude and high hockey IQ. A goal, assist and shootout goal over the two days in a nice weekend of work heading into a tougher challenge against NHL competition where hopefully he can add a couple more shining moments. Also among the forward group, TJ Hughes and Taylor Makar set themselves up nicely to battle for NHL opportunity in main camp next week.
As the “starters” over the two games, both Ilya Nabokov and Nikita Novosyolov each contributed to the leads they allowed their teammates to build. Only giving up two goal each, the Russian netminders had particularly good sequences in the second periods when they were frequently on the penalty kill. Nabokov has a smoothness to his game with good reads and made an especially dramatic glove save. Novosyolov has a more aggressive style where he challenges in the crease more but was just as effective. To consider him just an ECHL goaltender would be a mistake.
The Vancouver Canucks wrapped up the 2026 Prospects Showcase with a 5–2 win against the Seattle Kraken. Adam Novotný, Bennett Schimek, Gabriel Chiarot, Braeden Cootes, and Alonso Gosselin scored for Vancouver today, while Ty Young and Aku Koskenvuo split the start and stopped a combined 31 of 33 shots faced.
After an individually successful first game the day before that saw him score his first goal in a Canucks uniform, Novotný put on an excellent performance once again, opening the scoring with less than five minutes to go in the first period. Playing on a new line with Cootes and fellow 2026 draftee Brooks Rogowski, the winger helped advance the play into the O-zone, chipping it up to Rogowski before advancing on net and beating Kraken goaltender Nikke Kokko.
Novotný’s impact went farther than just on the scoresheet, however, as he was also noticeably more physical in today’s game — specifically in throwing extra jabs at the Kraken prospects after the whistle went.
“In a good way, bull in a china shop,” Abbotsford Canucks Head Coach Ryan Papaioannou said post-game of Novotný’s performance. “Everything [went] north for him, chipping pucks to areas, winning races, really tough to knock off the puck. So I think he probably just stayed to his brand.”
“He’s got an elite shot release. You saw him on his first goal today — that’s pretty sick," linemate Rogowski added. "Just with his speed too, he just creates so well. His speed opens up ice for everyone else because guys kind of duplicate on him and it just creates more space for everybody. For a guy like him, he’s such a threat. It sometimes takes the pressure off me a little bit to give me some more space to make a play.”
Just as it seemed to for Seattle the night before, once the second period came around, the Canucks’ floodgates opened up.
At the beginning of the second, the Kraken announced a change at goal, swapping Kokko with Maks Corovic.
The Kraken managed to tie things up at the five-minute mark of the second period, though it didn’t take long for Vancouver to regain their lead and then some. Schimek helped start the play that led to his goal, retrieving the puck from a Seattle team attempting to break-out. After giving it to Kirill Kudryavtsev to reset, the Abbotsford Canucks forward tore into the O-zone and flipped the puck past Corovic’s glove.
Vancouver scored once again after things got scrambly near Seattle’s crease, with the puck hitting a Kraken player’s stick before ending up in the net. Cootes tapped Vancouver’s fourth goal into the net after receiving a smooth pass from linemate Rogowski.
Before Vancouver could score their fifth, Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus found the back of the net for Seattle. Five minutes later, however, Novotný brought the puck into the O-zone, keeping it alive along the boards before passing it to Gosselin, who tucked it in for the Canucks’ fifth goal of the game.
By the end of the second period, the score was up to 5–2 for Vancouver.
The third period featured more special teams time as well as some stunning saves by Koskenvuo. This included a split-save that saw the goaltender stretch across the crease to stop the Kraken from scoring with around five minutes remaining in the game.
One of the most impactful changes to Vancouver in today’s game was the switch in lines. The new line of Novotný, Cootes, and Rogowski helped score three of the Canucks’ five goals, with each member of the line registering at least one point.
“I think [it was] just probably something that we all wanted to see, everybody in the stands included,” Papaioannou said of the Canucks prospects’ top-line.”Give those guys a look together, and whether they had a successful game or not, I think it was fun just to watch.”
Vancouver’s prospects will now look to build on today’s result by having a strong training camp next week.
Photo Credit: Izzy Cheung - THN
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
15:54 - VAN: Adam Novotný from Brooks Rogowski and Arseni Anisimov
2nd Period:
5:23 - SEA: Tyson Jugnauth from Oscar Fisker Molgaard and Jagger Firkus (PPG)
6:28 - VAN: Bennett Schimek from Kirill Kudryavtsev
7:56 - VAN: Gabriel Chiarot from Carson Cameron
9:08 - VAN: Braeden Cootes from Brooks Rogowski and Adam Novotný
11:33 - SEA: Jagger Firkus from Julius Miettinen and Ty Nelson
16:24 - VAN: Alonso Gosselin from Adam Novotný and Sawyer Mynio
3rd Period:
No Scoring.
Up Next:
The next time the Canucks will hit the ice in front of their fans is on September 17 for Day 1 of their 2026 Training Camp in Penticton. The 2026 NHL pre-season begins a couple of days after on September 19, with the Canucks facing none-other than the Kraken in Seattle.
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Former Minnesota Wild defenseman John Klingberg has officially called it a career.
Klingberg announced his retirement from professional hockey Friday after 12 NHL seasons and exactly 700 regular-season games. The 34-year-old finished his career with 92 goals, 351 assists and 443 points while playing for six different teams.
His time in Minnesota was brief, but Klingberg played an important role for the Wild down the stretch of the 2022-23 season.
Minnesota acquired Klingberg from the Anaheim Ducks at the 2023 NHL trade deadline in exchange for defenseman Andrej Sustr, the rights to prospect Nikita Nesterenko and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Anaheim also retained 50 percent of Klingberg's salary in the deal.
Klingberg appeared in 17 regular-season games for the Wild, recording two goals and seven assists for nine points. He then added a goal and three assists in four playoff games as Minnesota was eliminated by the Dallas Stars in six games in the first round.
He left Minnesota that summer and signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He underwent season-ending hip surgery during the 2023-24 season before eventually returning to the NHL later.
He spent the 2025-26 season with the San Jose Sharks and showed he could still produce offensively, finishing with 10 goals and 17 assists for 27 points in 56 games. It ultimately proved to be his final NHL season.
For Wild fans, Klingberg's stay in Minnesota amounted to only 21 games between the regular season and playoffs, but he remains part of Bill Guerin's aggressive 2023 trade-deadline push that also brought Gustav Nyquist, Marcus Johansson and Oskar Sundqvist to Minnesota.
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The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that they signed former New York Islander and New York Ranger defenseman Carson Soucy pro tryout contract.
Per a CBJ PR release, Don Waddell says of Soucy, “Carson Soucy is a big, physical stay-at-home defenseman who blocks shots, clears the net and plays an overall solid defensive game,” said Waddell. “He is a competitive, experienced player and we look forward to having him in camp.”
Soucy has played 441 career NHL games and has 99 total points. He played 30 games for the Islanders last season and had 4 points.
NEWS: #CBJ have signed defenseman Carson Soucy to a pro tryout contract.
The blueliner has recorded 32-67-99 in 441 games over eight NHL campaigns. He split the 2025-26 season between the NY Rangers and NY Islanders, combining for 5-7-12 in 76 games.https://t.co/CJ1qJ6otnT
NEWARK, NJ -- On Sunday, the New York Islanders' prospects battled the New Jersey Devils' prospects.
After a scoreless first period, Daniil Prokhorov, whom the Islanders selected in the second round (No. 42) of the 2025 NHL Draft, lit the lamp to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 5:56 of the second.
Off the rush, Luca Romano, whom the Islanders selected in the third round (No. 74) of the 2025 NHL Draft, fed Prokhorov in the low slot before he beat Jakub Malek under the glove for the opening tally at 5:56 of the second:
The Chicago Blackhawks have a surplus of young defensemen. Some are already in the NHL, while others are in development leagues around the world.
There are also some good ones at this year’s prospect camp, where a group of Blackhawks prospects is preparing for the 2026 Prospect Showcase against the St. Louis Blues.
Leading the way for that group on the blue line is Taige Harding. Chicago selected Harding with their 3rd-round pick (91st overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft. At 24, he is one of the older players at the tournament, and he is standing out.
Harding is a big player. At 6’7” and 236 lbs, he’s one of the largest players in the organization. He uses every bit of that size on the ice as well. For being as big as he is, he skates well, too.
During these practices, he has looked like the number one defenseman at the event. It is lining up as if he is going to be on the top pair against the Blues. Jake Furlong is his likely partner on the ice. During drills of all kinds, Harding seems to have a grasp of what’s expected, and he feels good about it.
"Everything's kind of just getting ready for mini-camp," Harding said about what he's working on. "Help the younger guys; this is my second one now, so I feel pretty comfortable. Just kind of work on the details and get back into game shape."
Throughout the year, Taige Harding is going to spend his time with the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL. This is another good opportunity for him to develop down there and learn for another year.
"For me, personally, it's making an impression," Harding said. "Everything I can so the staff knows who I am; prove I belong here."
If Harding were a perfectly sound prospect, he would be in line to make his NHL debut this season, but it isn't likely. There is a lot for him to work on within his game, and he recognizes that.
"Being a big guy, skating," Harding said. "At this level, everyone skates so well. I think I do skate pretty well, but just being more fluid, being a little quicker in some areas. [I have to] continue working on that and just using my brain; make sure I don't get caught."
When Harding was asked who he models his game after, he mentioned St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko. Of course, that is a high ceiling for a large defenseman with that skill set. Parayko was a top-pair caliber defenseman on a team that won the Stanley Cup in his prime, so it's a good goal for him to have.
"Taige took huge strides last year," IceHogs head coach Jared Nightengale said of his defenseman. "With his size, when he plays with an edge, I think he's going to make us a heck of a hockey team."
The plan for Harding in Rockford is for him to be on the penalty kill, play against top lines, and bring a physical presence to the team at even strength. When asked who Harding's ideal partner would be, coach Nightingale said he didn't have one particular person in mind.
Of course, there is a lot of fluidity to AHL lineups due to the nature of the league, but Nightingale did say that an offensive defenseman would work well with someone like Harding, who leaves a lot of "outs" with his stay-at-home nature.
There are not many players of Harding's size in pro hockey. Just because a player is big doesn't make them good. When Harding is on the ice, there are other big players, but his game is much more noticeable than most.
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The Buffalo Sabres will open training camp with GM Jarmo Kekalainen and head coach Lindy Ruff meeting the media on Wednesday. One of the questions that Kekalainen will undoubtedly field will be why the club did not make any additions to their roster after losing veterans Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram around the NHL Draft in late June.
The Sabres made a proactive move by dealing Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks for a pair of high draft picks (used to select Daxon Rudolph and to trade for Olen Zellweger) and defenseman Louis Crevier, and recouped a third round pick in a sign-and-trade with Washington for Tuch, but the club did not make any acquisitions to fill the leadership or scoring gaps.
While it is still possible that Kekalainen will add a veteran forward on a professional tryout between now and the start of camp, or perhaps pull off the much-rumored trade for Connor Hellebuyck, other teams in the Atlantic Division are not sitting on their hands.
The Montreal Canadiens added some experience to their forward corps, signing 35-year-old winger Chris Kreider, to a one-year, incentive-laden contract. The veteran forward scored 50 points (22 goals, 28 assists) last season in Anaheim, and agreed to a termination of the final year of his deal last week, in hopes of finding a landing spot out east.
TSN’s Pierre LeBrun indicated that three clubs were interested in Kreider, but he chose being reunited with former Rangers GM Jeff Gorton and teammate Martin St. Louis in Montreal.
The Toronto Maple Leafs also continued their organizational reshuffle, adding free-agent defenseman Nick Blankenburg on a PTO. The 28-year-old righty played for Nashville and Colorado last season, posting 24 points (8 goals, 16 assists) in 61 games. The Leafs have defensive questions on the right side of the blueline with veteran Chris Tanev coming back from concussion issues and core-muscle surgery.
With NHL pre-season beginning in just less than a week's time, the excitement for the 2026-27 NHL season is at an all-time high.
With pre-season, fans receive a glimpse of what possible line combinations could look like when the season starts, and they are also provided with an opportunity to watch young players and prospects who could don their team's colors in the near future.
But with all the positives, there are still some downsides. As roster cuts begin, NHL teams risk losing players on the waiver wire. Besides players on entry-level contracts, any player who is sent to the AHL, and in the Panthers' case, the Charlotte Checkers, must clear waivers.
Waivers are a 24-hour period during which the other 31 NHL teams could place a claim for any player on waivers. If successful, they would acquire the player and his contract.
With that being said, here are three players the Panthers risk losing on waivers this season.
Cole Reinhardt, LW
Cole Reinhardt is an obvious risk to be lost on waivers for several reasons, but most notably because the Panthers acquired him from the waiver wire.
The 26-year-old joined the Panthers late in the 2025-26 season and looked every part of an effective bottom-six winger. He had the speed to generate offense off the rush and was reliable enough in his own end to play some defensive minutes. With the Panthers' forward group looking relatively healthy, aside from Brad Marchand, Reinhardt is left on the outside looking in.
Although Reinhardt is more skilled than Jonah Gadjovich and Garnet Hathaway, they bring physical elements he doesn't. With a strong pre-season, Reinhardt could find himself as the 13th forward, but competing with Sam Lafferty and Cole Schwindt is a tough task. Lafferty brings more NHL experience, and Schwindt has the positional value as a center.
If Reinhardt does end up on waivers, it wouldn't be surprising to see multiple teams place claims.
Donovan Sebrango found himself playing in far more games with the Panthers than he likely expected, which is why he received a contract extension. Despite that, the Panthers went out and signed Radko Gudas, taking away Sebrango's role as the seventh defenseman.
Gudas slots in on the bottom pairing with Dmitry Kulikov and pushes Uvis Balinskis into the seventh defenseman role that Sebrango was occupying.
Like Reinhardt, the Panthers claimed Sebrango off waivers. With the never-ending need for NHL-caliber defensemen, Sebrango is certainly a risk to be claimed when the Panthers make their final cuts.
Tobias Bjornfot has spent the past three seasons with the Panthers, providing excellent relief during injury crises. Last year, he played 19 games, scoring two goals and four points while averaging 14:11 of ice time.
With the Checkers, Bjornfot has blossomed into a leader and vital piece of their blueline, which is why the likelihood of him passing through waivers has decreased.
The 25-year-old has proven to be capable as a replacement-level defenseman and, like Sebrango, is on the outside looking in for an NHL role within the organization. Passing through waivers would be critical to maintaining the Panthers' organizational depth.
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On Player Empowerment and Being In The Middle Of It:
"I think it’s different for everyone. I don’t want to speak on specific situations just because I don’t know all the facts and details, and I feel like everyone’s situation is different. I do think it’s definitely more vocal than it’s been in years past. I think everyone would probably agree with that. I just know personally, for me, where I was at, where I’m at now. I’m just happy with how everything worked out for me and that I’m still in Columbus."
In the photos, the reigning Norris winner is wearing the "A". Many people speculate that Werenski should be given the Captaincy as a way to lure him to stay in Columbus after his deal is over. I think, while being named Captain is quite the honor, I don't think it can be used as a bargaining chip to keep a guy with a team, and it's a bit overrated. Who's to say Werenski even wants to be the Captain?
It will be interesting to see what kind of season Voronkov can have in 2026-27. If he has a strong season, it will help his chances of landing a nice payday for his next contract.
If Fabbro can be dependable defensively while chipping in a bit of offense from the point, he will be a nice part of the Blue Jackets' blueline this season. It will be interesting to see if he can be just that from here.
It will now be interesting to see how many opportunities Copley gets with the Blue Jackets this season. In 78 career NHL games, he has posted a 44-17-8 record, an .898 save percentage, and a 2.85 goals-against average.
Overall, if Heinen can provide similar offense to this as a depth forward for the Blue Jackets, he could end up being a sneaky good signing for them. There is no risk in the Blue Jackets bringing him back on his two-way deal, and it will be interesting to see what he can do in 2026-27.
Dick Tärnström - 2008 - Drafted by the New York Islanders in 1994.
Tärnströmwas traded on February 1, 2008, to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Curtis Glencross. He played 19 games with the CBJ and had 9 points.
After one season in Columbus, he left for Europe and never returned. He played in Sweden until he was forced to retire in 2013 due to a neck injury. Nowadays, he's the Director of Youth Hockey for MB Hockey in Sweden.
Chris Nielsen - 2001-2002 - Drafted by the New York Islanders in 1998.
After signing with Columbus, Neilsen played 52 games over the course of two seasons. After bouncing around the AHL for a few seasons, he left for Europe and played in Germany for a year. He decided to retire in 2006.
Nowadays, he's the attending surgeon at University Health Network and an Assistant Professor in the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery with the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.
James Wisniewski - Wisniewski played in 209 games for the Jackets over four seasons, scoring 26 goals and 121 points. He was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in 2015 and then went to Carolina in 2015-16, where he played only one game. He finished his career in Germany in 2016. In June of 2024, he was named Associate Coach of the Ohio State Women's Hockey Team.
Martin Špaňhel - 2001-2002 - Drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1995.
Špaňhel played 10 games for Columbus in the franchise's first two years and scored two goals. He never played another NHL game after leaving for Europe in 2002, where he played in Czechia, Denmark, and Norway.
He returned to North America in 2011 and played in the ECHL, but then retired soon after. Nowadays, he's the Commissioner of the Columbus Adult Hockey League.
Mathieu Darche - 2001-2002 - Undrafted out of Saint-Laurent, Quebec.
Darche played 24 games for the CBJ over their first three seasons, totaling two points. Darche played until 2012, retiring with the Montreal Canadiens.
He was the Assistant General Manager and Director of Hockey Ops for the Tampa Bay Lightning for 6 years before being named the GM and executive VP of Hockey Ops and General Manager for the New York Islanders last season.
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Last season, Alex Newhook played the first 17 games alongside Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov, but then he got injured, and the Montreal Canadiens faced a dilemma. Martin St-Louis first tried to put Kirby Dach on that line, but the experiment was short-lived; after just one game, he paired Juraj Slafkovsky with the two rookies, with great results. It worked because that line needed some grit, some forecheck, a big body that didn’t fear going into traffic.
However, taking Slafkovsky away from the first line wasn’t great, and Dach, Samuel Bolduc and Alexandre Texier all had the opportunity to play with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, but none of them play the game like Slafkovsky does, and the results weren’t great. Shortly after Newhook returned, the big Slovak was put back on the top line because that’s the combination that gets the best out of the team’s best players.
However, the fact that Slafkovsky worked so well on the second line made Kent Hughes look for another big-bodied top-six forward. He reportedly tried to acquire Matthew Knies from the Toronto Maple Leafs, but it didn't work. This summer, he set his sights on Kirill Marchenko from the Columbus Blue Jackets, but Don Waddell doesn’t want a package centered on futures for his top player, and the price tag promises to be hefty.
Then, when the Anaheim Ducks found themselves in salary cap hell thanks to the Philadelphia Flyers signing Leo Carlsson to an offer sheet, they were forced to cut ties with Chris Kreider. Why? Because they needed more than $9 million to sign RFA Cutter Gauthier. While Kreider is already 35, he’s still a productive top-six forward in the NHL and one who plays exactly the style of hockey the second line needs. Kreider is the low-cost solution to the fact that Hughes and co. can’t clone Slafkovsky. Details on the bonus linked to the contract have now emerged on Puckpedia, and it's important to remember that the bonus money can carry over to next season if the Habs are short on cap space.
The #GoHabsGo signed Chris Kreider to 1 year deal:
Salary 850K Signing Bonus 1.3M Performance bonuses 3.25M: *2M @ 10 games played *250K each @ 10/20/30 Goals scored *500K @ 40 Goals Scored
As things stand, the Canadiens still have $7.6 million in cap space, but they still have to unsigned RFA in Zach Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj. With Kreider now signed, could the Canadiens entertain the idea of trading Bolduc in a deal for Marchenko? Yes, they could, but would an offer that includes two roster players like Bolduc and center Oliver Kapanen be enough to tempt Waddell? Both have potential, but do they have enough to convince Waddell to roll the dice and part with his prized asset? That’s far from certain.
In the meantime, however, the Kreider signing is great news for Canadiens fans. Not only does he fill a need in the lineup, but he’s a free agent who chose to come to Montreal, despite the fact that he has long been hated by the fan base for events that need not be discussed again. Kreider wanted to be back in the Eastern Conference, and he wanted to join a team with a legitimate chance to win the Stanley Cup; for him, that’s the Canadiens. Hughes, Jeff Gorton, and St-Louis have made Montreal a destination free agents want to come to. Despite the taxes, the weather, and the language, if you build it, they will come. That doesn’t just apply to the baseball movie Field of Dreams; it also applies to a winning team.
As for those worried the Canadiens are holding a grudge over what happened in 2014, none of the players from 2014 are still with the team. Brendan Gallagher was the last one. It’s been 12 years, and if Hughes, Gorton, and St-Louis feel bringing Kreider on is the right move, it means they believe it’s time for fans to move on from what happened. Bringing Kreider on is not akin to bringing in Mark Scheifele, who once destroyed Jake Evans with a dangerous high hit. Evans is still on the team, and so are many players who skated in that 2021 series against the Winnipeg Jets.
Montreal fans know their hockey well enough to move past the grudge. According to our instant poll, which only had 95 voters, 85% of the fans polled were happy with the move last night, and that was before they had time to process it. They can appreciate what Kreider brings to the table, even though he cost them a chance to reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2014. Besides, would there be a better way to make amends than signing with the Habs and helping them to move past the last hurdle? Like him or not, Kreider is a proven playoff performer, one who can elevate his game in the spring and lead the young Canadiens into battle. The Habs lost Brendan Gallagher this summer, so an influx of experience and leadership certainly won’t hurt.
