Category: NHL

The Pittsburgh Penguins' system possesses some of the league's best goaltending prospect depth, as there is talent at all levels of the organization and in junior leagues for drafted prospects.

Sergei Murashov - the organization's most highly-touted goaltender - figures to be in the NHL full-time next season to tandem with Arturs Silovs. Joel Blomqvist is still putting up numbers at the AHL level and is on track to split the net with Taylor Gauthier, who has had an outstanding ECHL career with the Wheeling Nailers up to this point. The Penguins also just selected Belarussian goaltender Matvei Nikonovich 160th overall in this year's draft.

Then, there is 19-year-old prospect Gabriel D'Aigle, who saw a handful of games with the Wheeling Nailers last season and is preparing to be a full-time part of the Penguins' organization. The 19-year-old - who turns 20 in November and is AHL-eligible next season - figures to be a big part of Pittsburgh's ECHL squad, whoever that ends up being next season. 

And his ECHL experience last season has prepared him for the road ahead.

"I improved a lot in many aspects," D'Aigle said. "I just worked on everything [I had to work on], and my year with Victoriaville, I think it was great. And after that in Wheeling, that was great, too. I got good experience in Wheeling."

The 6-foot-4, 213-pound native of Sorel-Tracy, Quebec - the same hometown as Penguins' goaltending legend Marc-Andre Fleury - was selected 84th overall in the 2025 Entry Draft, and he has experienced a lot of growth in the year since. He suited up for the QMJHL's Victoriaville Tigres, who went 23-36-5 last season.

Of course, that was not because of D'Aigle, who faced the fourth-most shots of any goaltender in the QMJHL (1,451) and still managed a .908 save percentage in his 39 games despite getting peppered on a nightly basis. It's also worth noting that his shots faced per game average of 37.2 shots per game was much higher than the three goaltenders above him in shots faced, as they all appeared in 50 or more games. 

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But D'Aigle didn't necessarily mind the fact that he faced a lot of shots. Well, except for the fact that it tired him out. 

"Yeah, it's always fun to have a lot of shots," D'Aigle said. "Sometimes, you get a little bit tired. I mean, just it's fun to have a lot of shots. It's your job as a goalie to stop pucks, so, like, 30-plus shots a night is pretty cool.

"I think just having a lot of shots can help because you learn about every type of shot, you see a lot of scoring chances, so it's helped me a lot. In Wheeling, where the guys - they've got a way better team in Wheeling - they told me just to calm my game. But you know what type of shot, and I always see it."

D'Aigle did take a lot from his limited professional sample size last season. In three regular season appearances with Wheeling, he went 1-2 with a .925 save percentage, and he also appeared in one playoff game in relief of starter Taylor Gauthier, allowing one goal on 11 shots. 

He knows that professional hockey is a different kind of game, and he learned a ton in those four games. 

"I learned to play with older guys," D'Aigle said. "Guys from, like, 30 years old, so it's just fun, the difference between the junior and pro hockey. And every guy in Wheeling was really good with me, so it was cool to be part of the team that went to the [ECHL Eastern Conference] final.

This Penguins Prospect Goalie Is Major Breakout CandidateThis Penguins goalie has the potential to break out next season.

"I would say that the guys are more mature. They have way more experience, so they have better shots, they do better plays, and even defensively, the guys are better defensively, too. So, I would say just the game is just more mature."

The young netminder is aware of the fact that there is a lot of internal competition for precious playing time within the Penguins' system and on their affiliate squads. With Murashov likely to graduate to the NHL level next season - and Gauthier likely to fully graduate to the AHL - he already knows his likely landing spot will be the ECHL. 

He trusts the process, and he trusts the organization's development staff, who have a very hands-on approach with him.

"Last year, there's two guys from the Penguins who came to Victoriaville and helped me a lot, and I talked to a couple of guys from the development group throughout the year," D'Aigle said. "So, I'm in really good hands with the Penguins."

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The staff certainly believes in his talent, too, and they worked with him on the ice, in the video room, and in the gym at the Penguins' annual prospect development camp last week. The staff also knows exactly what he needs to work on in order to be successful long-term at the professional level.

"I think just building the consistency in his game and making sure he's got off-ice pro habits to set him up for the on-ice practices and games that he'll be in," said Tom Kostopoulos, Penguins' director of player development. "You can see he's got the nice, big frame, and he moves well. It's controlling some of those pushes and some of that movement so that he's always in position and ready for the next puck."

And, well, when a goaltender faces as many shots as D'Aigle, it can, naturally, put them in a constant survival state. If anything, D'Aigle understands that he just needs to master the skill and the art of calmness, which should help him master those other elements, too.

"I think just to calm my game a little bit and to stay in the crease a little bit and the blue paint," D'Aigle said. "Yeah, just calm, because they know I have the skills to stop the puck." 

Penguins' 3-Year Deal For Chinakhov Tells Story Of Shifting MarketThe Pittsburgh Penguins bet on the talent of an enticing young player in Egor Chinkahov when they signed him to a three-year, $18.75 million extension Sunday, and it is yet another signifier of a rapidly changing landscape in the NHL.

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The Montreal Canadiens should be looking to add to their forward group this off-season. When looking at their roster, it is fair to argue that they could use another skilled forward in their top nine.

There are plenty of NHL forwards creating conversation in the rumor mill this off-season. Among them is Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary, and he is a player who the Canadiens would be wise to pursue.

Zary is a former first-round pick who would benefit from a change of scenery. The 24-year-old forward had a tough 2025-26 season with the Flames, as he posted 12 goals and 25 points in 74 games. Yet, when looking at his previous campaign, he certainly has the potential to bounce back. Due to this, Montreal should consider kicking tires on him.

Back during the 2024-25 season with the Flames, Zary recorded 13 goals and 27 points in just 54 games. This after he recorded 14 goals and 34 points in 63 games with the Flames as a rookie in 2023-24. With numbers like these, Zary has already shown that he has the potential to provide decent offensive production at the NHL level.

Furthermore, with Zary being in his mid-20s, he is still young enough that he could improve as he continues to gain more experience. With that, he could be a good young player for the Canadiens to buy low.

If the Canadiens acquired Zary, he could work well in their middle six. This is especially so when noting that he can play both on the wing and down the middle. 

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Something about coaching in the Atlantic Division seems to agree with former Detroit Red Wings bench boss Derek Lalonde.

Lalonde, who spent last season as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs, wasn't retained by the club after they hired former Red Wings forward Daniel Alfredsson.

But it didn't take him long to land a new position. According to NHL Insider Eric Engels, Lalonde is joining the coaching staff of the Montreal Canadiens following the departure of Trevor Letowski.

The Montreal Canadiens are hiring Derek Lalonde to join their coaching staff as an assistant. He will be replacing Trevor Letowski, who's decided to step off the bench to have more time with his family. It's the Canadiens' desire to keep Letowski in the organization.

— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) July 8, 2026

Lalonde wasn't the only subtraction to the Maple Leafs' staff on Tuesday, as fellow assistant coach Mike Van Ryn was also let go.

They were replaced by Alfredsson, Brad Werenka, and John Gruden, the latter pair of whom have key Michigan ties. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

The Maple Leafs completely reshaped their coaching staff under new general manager John Chayka, who was hired to replace Brad Treliving (fired on March 30). 

Former Red Wings Coach Derek Lalonde Let Go By Maple Leafs Former Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde, who joined the Toronto Maple Leafs as an assistant coach, wasn't brought back by the club.

The Canadiens are Lalonde's fourth stop in the Atlantic Division after Toronto and Detroit. He began his NHL coaching career as an assistant under Jon Cooper with the Tampa Bay Lightning, helping them win the Stanley Cup in consecutive seasons in 2020 and 2021. 

He was then hired by the Red Wings as head coach and the successor to Jeff Blashill in the summer of 2022, and was eventually dismissed in December 2024.  

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Try this on for size.

The Islanders are letting fans design the team’s alternate jersey for the 2027-28 season, down to the tiniest details like shoulder patches and trim — and the winner gets to be there in person to see their product debut on the ice.

“In the end, you’re going to end up with a jersey that the fans like, and the players like — and hopefully that’s the one that you want to win a Cup in,” Isles president of business operations Kelly Cheeseman told The Post. 

The team launched an online portal, islesjerseybuilder.com, where diehards can begin with a jersey-style layout in familiar formats like the 1990s-revived fisherman wave and classic NYI style. 

It also introduces fresh takes on former looks, like repurposing the font format from the team’s fan-panned black, gray and orange jerseys circa 2011. 

There were more than 11,000 entries in the first four hours of going live Wednesday, well ahead of the July 24 deadline. 

Cheeseman said fans have been rabid with “conspiracy theories” about the Islanders’ jersey future and past — like the team’s sweaters that featured only an “NY” without the backdrop of Long Island — well before the contest launched.

“You see a lot of debate about an all-orange jersey, and whether that should be back,” added Cheeseman of the popular mid-2000s alternate.

“I just love all that chatter. It just brings the passion of the fan base forward. When there’s that irrational talk about anything in sports, that’s what real fan bases dream about.”

Unusual hues of gold, red, green and purple are up for grabs, in addition to the Islanders’ usual blue-and-orange palette and its variations. 

Cheeseman, who had similar success with the fan concept in 2013 with the MLS’ LA Galaxy, doubled down on the point that team staff and the athletes will have a final say as a fail-safe against any popular but outlandish submissions that receive high votes. 

“I think really getting the players involved, so that they’re picking what they want to wear, that’s to me always the most important part of the jersey uniform process,” he said.

“When they’re putting it on, they’ve got to feel like, ‘All right, I want to win a game’ and not to feel all goofy.” 

That’s not to say creativity isn’t encouraged, according to Cheeseman, who called the contest “kind of a tease” to the team’s hometown remix jerseys for this upcoming season.

“There’s even areas where fans can add notes at the end of their jersey. If you weren’t able to completely capture your concept and idea, tell us what notes you have,” he said.

“It’s the jersey of the people — and the team of the people.”

The Blackhawks will be shorthanded to start the 2026-27 season.

The team announced star Connor Bedard underwent surgery on his left shoulder Wednesday after he crashed into the boards during training with Kaivo Hockey in Vancouver earlier this month.

“We expect him to make a full recovery in an approximate timeline of four months,” the team said in a statement.

The recovery timeline would likely bring him back to action in November, meaning Bedard, currently a restricted free agent, would miss at least the first month of the season, which will open in late September due to the expansion to 84 games.

“Obviously a superb young talent,” free agent addition Ian Cole said of Bedard on Wednesday. “Unfortunately, yeah, it sounds like it’s going to be a little later than originally anticipated, but you know, he seems like a great guy.”

Bedard, who turns 21 later this month, has now suffered two shoulder injuries within the past year. In December, he injured his right shoulder taking a faceoff against the Blues, which caused him to miss four weeks.

It’s a sizable blow to a rebuilding Chicago, as Bedard, the No. 1 overall pick in 2023, led the team with 75 points in 69 games last season as he notched his first 30-goal campaign. Bedard won the Calder Trophy as the league’s Rookie of the Year in the 2023-24 season. Across his career, he’s recorded 203 points in 219 games.

But entering his fourth season in the NHL, he has yet to see the playoffs.

The Blackhawks finished 31st in the NHL each of the past three seasons.

They made a big offseason splash in acquiring defenseman Bowen Byram from the Sabres ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft, sending the Nos. 4 and 45 overall picks to Buffalo. They promptly inked him to a six-year contract extension worth $75 million, giving him the highest average annual value ($12.5 million) among blueliners in the league.

The Vancouver Canucks’ 2026 development camp was not the first time Austin Brimmer had come out to Abbotsford. 

It was, however, the first time he truly got to sit back and enjoy the beauty of BC’s landscape. 

The winger, who turns 25 in October, was one of six players invited to Vancouver’s development camp this year. While he may have officially gone through camp with the invitee title, Brimmer’s already officially a member of the Canucks organization, having signed a PTO and a one-year contract with the Abbotsford Canucks as a free-agent. 

“It was actually a really quick turnaround,” he told The Hockey News on the final day of development camp. “I was at Rochester Institute of Technology and had a great season there and we unfortunately got beat in the playoffs, lost back-to-back overtime games in Boston on the Saturday, and Sunday we drove back to Rochester, and by Monday I had my plane ticket booked to come out to Abbotsford, so got on the plane, landed Tuesday night, and then Wednesday I played my first pro game. 

“It was honestly just such a quick turnaround, but it was an awesome experience,” Brimmer added. 

Brimmer played in a total of 13 games for Abbotsford towards the tail-end of the AHL regular season, during which he collected his first professional-league point with an assist on Jayden Grubbe’s goal against the Henderson Silver Knights on March 15. 

While it wasn’t a whole lot of time, Brimmer noted how significant those 13 games will be in how he approaches his first full professional hockey season. 

“For me, it was huge, because I got a chance to see what it takes to succeed at that next level, and for me, I got to see areas of my game that I have to improve in the off-season in order to step into next year and be an impactful player and play the capability that I want to play at. Having that experience was huge for me in my development, and I’m very fortunate for that.” 

Between that hasty journey out to Abbotsford and the six away-games the AHL Canucks played during Brimmer’s beginning stint with the team, it’s safe to say there wasn’t much time for him to further investigate his surroundings. 

Which is why Brimmer appreciated the fact that camp started off with the daunting activity of river rafting. 

“It was a great way to kind of break the ice, getting to know all the guys, and just getting thrown into a boat with random players, random guys that you’ve never really met before — so you’re kind of forced to get to know each other and communicate with each other, as well as have fun, and kind of get to see British Columbia in the beautiful way that it is,” he said. “Great opportunity to see how beautiful BC really is.” 

As a whole, the week of learning, connecting, and developing was a big one for Brimmer, who will be returning to Abbotsford for the 2026–27 season. Having made the jump from the NCAA to the AHL within a matter of days, getting the chance to absorb knowledge and learn from both his fellow prospects as well as the development coaches has been integral to his growth as a player. 

“It’s been an awesome opportunity for me. In a way, it’s something that you’ve always dreamed of as a kid, kind of being in these spots where you get to be surrounded by all these excellent hockey minds and NHL-calibre coaches and management and facilities,” he said. “For me, I was just trying to be a sponge and just soak it all in, I was around and got to play with some unbelievable players out there on the ice, and [...] we had coaches who have NHL experience, like 15, 17 seasons, and just hearing what they have to say was just awesome for me to take that all in.” 

There are plenty of lessons Brimmer will be taking with him as he takes the next step in his professional hockey career with Abbotsford. The one thing he’s learned most from camp, he says, is the importance of the little details of the game. 

It’s something that Abbotsford fans can look forward to when Brimmer hits the ice at the Rogers Forum next season. 

“It’s one thing to have the talent and the compete level, but you’ve gotta totally love it and dedicate your whole life to it if you want to succeed at that next level. And that’s just zoning in on the little details that will separate you from the rest.” 

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

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As of writing this, it’s T-minus 48 hours until the Anaheim Ducks need to decide on whether or not to match the offer sheet extended to, and signed by, Leo Carlsson from the Philadelphia Flyers to the tune of five years and $18 million. 

As compensation, if the Ducks were not to match, they would receive the Flyers’ next four first-round picks. Like the Ducks, the Flyers took a sizable step in their build toward contention in 2025-26, making the playoffs and advancing to the second round. If the Flyers were to add Leo Carlsson (21) to their roster, it can be assumed that their next four first-round picks, though unprotected, will likely land in the 20th-32nd overall range.

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It’s widely accepted that Carlsson is worth more than four late first-round picks. It’s also widely accepted that he isn’t worth an AAV of $18 million just yet, a price that will have unprecedented ramifications for the Ducks’ cap sheet moving forward (and every team’s cap sheet moving forward). 

However, to the Ducks, at this point in their franchise history, Leo Carlsson’s value far exceeds four first-round picks and is much closer to the $18 million AAV number, potentially even exceeding it. 

On the ice, Carlsson has blossomed into the straw that stirs the drink of what the Ducks accomplish offensively. He brings a rare combination of size, skill, and speed that most teams can only dream of acquiring. 

In his 201 NHL games over the first three years of his career, he’s learned how best to build up speed in open ice and has become one of the top puck transporters in the NHL. He’s a menace when he can find open ice, which is quite often, and is deadly when attacking downhill. He’s one of the few players who can bring an entire building out of their seats. 

In 2025-26, he added change-of-pace elements to his offensive repertoire, which, when compounded with additional confidence and understanding of what works at the NHL level, rendered him a true star player. 

As far as he’s come and as impactful as he’s become on a game-to-game, shift-to-shift basis, he’s seemingly just scratching the surface of his ultimate potential. 

His new contract will make him the highest-paid player in the NHL, which might come as a surprise given his relatively modest production in his breakout year with 67 points (29-38=67) in 70 games.

However, peeking under the hood, he was in the early Hart Trophy conversation through the first couple of months of the season, scoring 41 points (17-24=41) through his first 33 games, but his production fell off as he was attempting to play through a rare thigh injury (Morel-Lavalle’s lesion) until he ultimately required surgery. 

As advertised, Carlsson was Anaheim’s best player during their run to the second round of the playoffs, where they lost to the eventual Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights in six games. He finished with 11 points ( 4-7=11) in 12 games during his first taste of playoff experience. 

If possible, what Carlsson represents to the Ducks organization exceeds his value on the ice or on the depth chart. 

He has become the face of the franchise, the face of Swedish hockey, and for rebuilding teams like the Ducks were for so long, he represents the very reason for entering a rebuild in the first place. 

True #1 centers in the NHL are rare and can typically be only acquired at the very top of the NHL draft, and only if teams are lucky enough to be drafting there in a year when one is available. If they’re acquired via trade, they’re typically extremely expensive, and if they’re acquired via unrestricted free agency, they’re likely past their true prime years (and also very expensive). 

Many rebuilds come and go without acquiring a player of Carlsson’s caliber. The Detroit Red Wings were never able to draft one during their elongated rebuild, nor were the Carolina Hurricanes, Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens, and, of course, the Philadelphia Flyers. 

At the mid-point of their painful seven-season playoff drought, the 2022-23 season, where they recorded a franchise-worst 58 points in the standings, the idea of the Ducks hitting rock bottom and earning the right to select either Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, or Leo Carlsson in June 2023 was the light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. 

The Ducks lost the first lottery in 2023, but won the second, and that pick would become tied for the highest the franchise had ever selected (2005, Bobby Ryan). 

The public consensus had Fantilli ranked above Carlsson, after Bedard, but in somewhat surprising fashion, the Ducks selected Carlsson. They identified him as the best available player at that spot in the draft and as the centerpiece of their entire rebuild. 

He was their guy, and the Ducks would only go as far as Leo Carlsson could take them. He represented the reason for all of it: the selling of former core pieces, the bottom-of-the-standings seasons, and the growing pains of a new, young core. (To put it even more dramatically) He was tasked with bearing the torch and leading the Ducks out of the darkness. 

The decision to postpone negotiations with a player as important to the Ducks as Carlsson has seemingly cost the team millions of dollars in cap space. If they were to lose the player, it could prove far costlier in the grand scheme of the organization. 

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Ridly Greig might be the most talented player ever to wear No. 17 for the Ottawa Senators.

Fortunately for him, he only wore it for 20 games before switching to No. 71.

A look through the Sens' archive reveals that No. 17 may quietly be the most snake-bitten jersey in franchise history. According to the club's all-time sweater database at hockeyreference.com, 19 different players have worn No. 17, making it the most commonly-assigned number in franchise history.

The Senators' Five Most Commonly Worn Jersey Numbers

No. 17 – 19 players

No. 27 – 17 players (William Eklund about to make it 18)

No. 10 – 16 players

No. 23 – 16 players

No. 28 – 16 players

Despite all those opportunities, No. 17 has produced almost nothing in terms of long-term success for the player who wore it.

No captains, no all-stars, no franchise cornerstones. No. 17 has become an organizational hand-me-down, and history has been extremely unkind to those who chose to wear it. 

I'm not saying Ottawa's No. 17 is cursed. But after exploring its horrors, I'm not "not saying" it either.

The "17" Crew: The One-and-Dones

Jody Hull (1993)

Hull wore 17 with the expansion Senators, and like everyone on this part of the list, was gone after one season here. When he returned a decade later, he didn't have the option of repeating history. Forward Bill Muckalt was already in the process of proving the curse of 17 was real, scoring 0 goals in 70 games in his one season here.

Eric Lacroix (2001)

Lacroix had played 463 NHL games when he arrived in Ottawa to throw on No. 17. Nine games later, his NHL career was over.

Bill Muckalt (2002)

Again, a forward who played 70 games for the Sens and had 0 goals. That’s tough to do. But apparently not for No. 17.

Fillip Novák (2006)

0 points in 11 games for the Sens. He’d play 6 more NHL games before going back to Europe.

Denis Hamel (2007)

Hamel scored 56 goals in the AHL wearing No. 17. But the following year, when he grabbed Ottawa’s No. 17, he had 4 goals in 43 games in Ottawa.

David Legwand (2015)

Legwand wore No. 11 all through his time in Nashville, but it was kind of spoken for in Ottawa. So he made the ill-fated decision to jump on 17 and was gone after one year.

Nate Thompson (2018)

11 points in 43 career games for the Sens.

Brian Gibbons (2019)

Gibbons played just 20 games for the Sens, but had 14 points. But because he wore No. 17 (probably), he never had another NHL point after that.

Max McCormick (2019)

For parts of three years, McCormick was happily wearing 89 whenever he got looks in Ottawa, but then he offered it to Mikael Boedker when he arrived. McCormick switched to 17 and then played only 14 more games for Ottawa.

Jonathan Davidsson (2020)

Davidsson was acquired in the Matt Duchene trade to Columbus. He played six games for the Sens, wearing No. 17. Those would be his only NHL games. He’s now a full-timer in Sweden.

Alex Galchenyuk (2021)

The former Canadiens star played just 8 games before the Senators had seen enough and dealt him to Carolina. 

Adam Gaudette (2022)

In Gaudette’s first go-around with the Sens, he wore No. 17 and failed to stick with the Sens after half a season. By the time he returned in 2024-25, Zack MacEwen had scooped up 17, so just like Hull, he had to switch. He chose 81. Without the drag of No. 17, Gaudette had his best NHL season with 19 goals.

Ridly Greig (2023)

For his first 20 NHL games in the league, Greig wore 17 like his father, Mark, did with the Hartford Whalers. But when the Sens signed Zack MacEwen, Greig gave MacEwen the number and flipped his digits to 71. It was a narrow escape for one of Ottawa's top emerging young players.

"The No. 17 All-Stars:" The Ones Who Lasted More Than One Season

Dave McLlwain (1994-1995)
- 55 points in 110 games

Tom Chorske (1996-1997)
- 55 points in 140 games

Chris Murray (1998-1999)
- 15 points in 84 games

Colin Forbes (2000-2001)
- 8 points in 84 games

Zack MacEwen (2024-2025)
- 6 points in 51 games

Filip Kuba (2009-2012)
- No one did more with No. 17 in Ottawa than Filip Kuba, and it isn't close.

Kuba played four years here for the Senators, often alongside Erik Karlsson, then signed a two-year, $8 million deal with Florida. That's when the curse activated and followed him to Sunrise. After one lockout-shortened season, the Panthers bought him out, and Kuba retired.

These six brave souls fought off the curse longer than the others, gloriously managing to bear it across more than one Ottawa season.

It's almost unbelievable: A jersey number that's been so much, yet produced so little. 12 of the 19 players who have worn No. 17 lasted just a single season of wearing it in Ottawa. Of the six who held on to it longer, only Kuba could truly be considered a clear success.

Everyone else was either a depth player, a veteran nearing the end of his career, or someone who never established himself as a long-term piece of the franchise.

Maybe it's just a coincidence. Or maybe No. 17 really is the unluckiest jersey in Senators' history.

Either way, if you're the next Senator offered No. 17, you might want to see if there's another option available.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News 

This article was first published on The Hockey News Ottawa Senators site. For full coverage of the Senators, check out one of the latest headlines below:

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Now that we are a week into NHL free agency, a lot of this year's top unrestricted free agents (UFAs) have found their new homes. While this is the case, there are some interesting UFAs still on the market who the Montreal Canadiens could consider targeting.

One specific UFA who could make sense for the Canadiens to bring in on a short-term deal is forward Michael Bunting. 

The Canadiens could use another top-nine winger on their roster. Bunting would be an interesting player for them to bring in, as he is capable of providing decent secondary offensive production to go along with some bite. 

In 74 games during this past season split between the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars, Bunting posted 14 goals and 33 points. This was after he had 19 goals, 38 points, and 68 penalty minutes in 76 games during the 2024-25 season. He also had 55 points in 81 games during the 2023-24 campaign, so he could be a solid pickup for the Canadiens. 

If the Canadiens signed Bunting, he could be a good fit on their third line. However, he also would be capable of moving up and down the lineup because of his versatility and ability to play both wings. 

Overall, on a one-year prove-it deal, Bunting could be worth taking a chance on. From 2021-22 to 2024-25, he scored at least 19 goals each season. 

Many of this year's most notable UFAs have signed their new contracts now that it has been a week since NHL free agency started. Yet, there are still a decent number of players who have yet to land deals at this point in the summer.

A good chunk of them just so happen to be former Pittsburgh Penguins players.

Anthony Mantha, Michael Bunting, Matt Grzelcyk, Reilly Smith, and Danton Heinen are some of the former Penguins without deals at this stage of the off-season.

In Mantha's case, it is likely that he is waiting to find the right deal. He has set himself up for a nice raise, as he posted career highs with 33 goals, 31 assists, and 64 points last season with the Penguins. 

With Bunting being a gritty forward who can produce decent offense, he should be able to land his next contract soon. The 30-year-old forward posted 14 goals and 33 points in 74 games last season split between the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars. He appeared in 79 games over two seasons with the Penguins from 2023-24 to 2024-25, posting 20 goals and 48 points. 

Grzelcyk was a great fit on the Penguins' blueline during his lone season with the team in 2024-25. In 82 games, he set career highs with 39 assists and 40 points. He cooled off last season, as he posted 12 assists in 69 games with the Chicago Blackhawks. However, his experience could lead to him landing another NHL contract this summer. 

Smith spent the 2023-24 season with the Penguins, recording 13 goals and 40 points in 76 games. The veteran winger saw a dip in offensive production last season with the Vegas Golden Knights, as he posted 26 points in 69 games. He could land a one-year deal with a team if they feel he can bounce back. 

As for Heinen, he spent four seasons over two stints with the Penguins. He played in 13 games last season with Pittsburgh before being traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he had a goal and an assist. He followed that up by recording 10 points in 33 games with Columbus. Teams looking for help in their bottom six could consider taking a flier on the 10-year veteran. 

Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard had surgery on his left shoulder on Wednesday, July 8, and will be out for four months, the team announced.

Video last week showed Bedard leaving the ice grabbing his shoulder after he was hurt while practicing with other players in Vancouver.

The four-month timeline will keep Bedard out of the lineup until early November. The starting date for the 2026-27 season won't be announced until next week, but he will likely miss a month or more.

Bedard, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 draft, is a restricted free agent and will need a new contract before the start of the 2026-27 NHL season.

I have video of Connor Bedard leaving practice today with a left shoulder injury, as first reported by @RyanmcgregorCHI. You can hear him in severe pain as he leaves the ice: pic.twitter.com/MySM1UwLht

— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) July 2, 2026

Connor Bedard injury history

This is the third major injury of Bedard's young career.

The 20-year-old injured his right shoulder last season during a last-second faceoff on Dec. 12 and missed 12 games before returning. He also missed another game that season with injury.

As a rookie, Bedard suffered a broken jaw during the 2023-24 season and missed 14 games.

More: NHL free agency winners, losers: Blackhawks' big extension raises eyebrows

What does Connor Bedard injury mean for the Blackhawks?

The Blackhawks are 8-17-2 over three seasons when Bedard is out of the lineup, so him missing the first month is not a good sign for a team that finished second to last in the league last season. A slow start would be costly in the strong Central Division.

Bedard had 44 points in 31 games before last season's injury and had four points in the first eight games of his return before his production began picking up.

His 75 points were more than 35% of the Blackhawks' 210 goals.

Frank Nazar was the No. 2 center last season, so he could move up. The Blackhawks will also have Anton Frondell, the 2025 No. 3 overall pick, for a full season.

When does the 2026-27 NHL season begin?

The full schedule for the 2026-27 NHL season will be announced on July 16. The season typically begins in early October but could move earlier because the league is switching to an 84-game schedule.

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NHL draft tracker: Scouting reports on all 32 first round picks

NHL key dates 2026-27

• July 15: Opening day announced for 2026-27 season
• July 16: Full 2026-27 season schedule announced
• July 20: Arbitration hearings begin
• September: Training camps open
• October: 2026-27 NHL season begins
• December 18-20: 2026 NHL Global Series Germany (Blackhawks vs. Senators in Dusseldorf)
• February 6: NHL All-Star Game at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Connor Bedard injury update: Blackhawks star has shoulder surgery

On Wednesday, GM Alexander Steen announced that the St. Louis Blues have hired Joey Hishon as an organizational skills coach.

The 34-year-old has been working with the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack since retiring from professional hockey in 2017-18. With the Attack, Hishon began as a scout and skills coach before being promoted to assistant GM and assistant coach midway through his first season with the club. 

He held that role for the next three seasons. Hishon has not had a recorded role in hockey since 2022, but will be joining the Blues for the 2026-27 season. According to the Blues press release, Hishon most recently served as a private skills coach for NHL players, offering individualized development programs focused on all aspects of the game.

Before entering the coaching world, Hishon was a former 17th overall pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2010. Things didn’t pan out too great for Hishon in the NHL, as he played just 13 career games, all of which came in the 2014-15 season. In those 13 games, Hishon scored just one goal and two points.

Most of his career was spent in the AHL, but the Stratford, Ont., native wasn’t potent offensively there either, mustering 41 goals and 109 points in 141 career games. Following his North American career, Hishon spent two seasons in Europe, one in Russia and the other in Sweden, but his production never improved. 

Blues Promote Tkachuk, Thorburn; Hire Bortuzzo Among Front Office ChangesTkachuk, recently named to Hockey Hall of Fame, was previously director of recruitment; Thorburn was development coach; Bortuzzo hired to be pro scout

Despite struggling after being a highly touted prospect, Hishon has found his path in the coaching world and has moved up the ladder impressively. 

As an organizational skills coach, Hishon will work with the Blues’ development staff and players throughout the organization, with a primary focus on the NHL roster.

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On Wednesday morning, the San Jose Sharks announced that they had reached an agreement with former New York Rangers defenseman Libor Hajek on a one-year, two-way deal.

Hajek, who had spent the past three seasons back in his native Czechia, last played an NHL game for the Rangers during the 2022-23 season. The 28-year-old defenseman has had considerable success since returning to the Czech Extraliga as he led the league in game-winning goals by a defenseman during the 2023-24 season, led the league in postseason plus/minus during the 2024-25 campaign, and then won the Extraliga Championship with HC Dynamo Pardubice during the 2025-26 season.

Over the summer, Hajek also represented Czechia at the IIHF World Championship, failing to record a point in eight games, but finishing the tournament as a +3. 

When Hajek signed with Dynamo Pardubice, the contract was reportedly set to run through 2028, but it appears he either had an NHL out-clause in his deal or the Sharks opted to buy him out of his contract.

During his NHL career with the Rangers, Hajek appeared in 110 games, scoring four goals and 12 points in the process. He also registered 40 penalties and was a -9.

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- For those that are familiar with the sports scene in St. Louis and the landscape of baseball, the Cardinals and Busch Stadium are pillars of the sports landscape.

For one St. Louis Blues prospect who got to witness the scene for the first time, it was an eventful experience, and one he won't soon forget.

Dmitry Buchelnikov, acquired from the Detroit Red Wings in the Match 6 trade as part of the Justin Faulk deal, and fellow prospects -- as part of their experience of being in St. Louis -- took in the experience of baseball for the first time and was amazed.

"It was a great experience for being in baseball stadium," the 22-year-old said. "I've never been before. We were catching; never did that before. And what is that, like swinging (a bat)? This is an amazing time spending here. Then a little soccer. We were doing penalties with MLS goalies. I scored, yeah, 100 percent! I really liked this."

Yes, there was a visit to the facilities of St. Louis City SC and Energizer Park. Soccer is more familiar in Russia than baseball, if at all, but it was an opportunity for the second-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft to soak in the experience of even a glimmer of life in the NHL.

It was Buchelnikov's first in-person experience with the organization that took a liking to him after being traded, a trade that didn't surprise him, and a trade he welcomed.

"No, not really," Buchelnikov said. "They just call me that I got traded. I told them, 'Thank you for everything.' But this is a new (chapter) for me.

"It was like a good feeling, the same when you were drafted. You just have an opportunity to be here. This is amazing. This is for what you want to be. This is why the people here believe in you."

It was a key reason why the Nizhny Tagil, Russia native felt it was important to come to North America and spend a few days with his new NHL organization, to get to know the city and a new fan base that will be pulling for him.

"No, I just know about this team before. It's kind of a cool moment for me," Buchelnikov said. "I'm just switching (teams) and I'm here and at development camp. It's been amazing, my first time here. I like the city, I like what we (did) here for this week. Fun time."

The 5-foot-10, 173-pound left wing, who has played the three seasons in the KHL after a 10-game stint there as a 19-year-old in 2022-23 with SKA St. Petersburg. Last year was a bit tumultuous after spending three months from Nov-Feb. rehabbing a surgically-repaired shoulder that limited him to 44 games with CSKA Moskva (25 points; 14 goals, 11 assists) plus another 10 games competing for the Gagarin Cup.

Buuuuch! Dmitry Buchelnikov fires 7th goal in last 8 games! pic.twitter.com/SV6RTAArCh

— KHL (@khl_eng) October 20, 2025

"It was a really good year. Yeah, I had the injury in the mid-season," Buchelnikov said. "I spend like three months for doing my rehab. I played 10 games before playoffs started and it's good having that new experience for me. I just played first time in playoffs in my adult career. Before I just played in juniors league or minor league. It was a really good experience for me and for what I need to work (on) and what I need to do."

And make no mistake, Buchelnikov said his aspiration is to play in the NHL, and he fully understands there are areas of his game that need to meet the standards before subjecting himself to what he terms "the best league in the world."

"Be more physical," he said. "That's probably first because this is a tough league. You need to be ready every time. Also thinking more quick. This is why they call (the NHL) the best league in the world. I just need to be ready for that."

And playing in another season in the KHL best suits him for this, he feels, because the KHL competition is top notch.

"Probably yes. This is the kind of league where you have guys that can give you that kind of experience and opportunity for being better," Buchelnikov said. "I like this league. My team was believing in me, giving me ice time, so yeah. I like it."

Buchelnikov, who has 108 points (42 goals, 66 assists) the past three seasons, signed on for one more year with CSKA; he didn't want to say without having those discussions with the Blues what his future beyond the upcoming season would be, but he sure sounded like someone committed to coming to North America, a kid that had a dream of playing in the NHL that now wants to make that a reality.

Goodness! Dmitry Buchelnikov!#GagarinCuppic.twitter.com/iqfWtyf5ko

— KHL (@khl_eng) March 25, 2026

"I just don't know what I want to say for that. I have a contract in Russia," Buchelnikov said. "This is like when I was a kid, the dream to play in the NHL. This needs to be goal, not to be (just) a dream right now because you (feel) you have the skill, you have the potential. You need to work with that and be better every day.

"This team believes in me. It's a great opportunity for me. I have one more year in Russia. I need to spend (that) time to be better, more physical. I need to work for that."

Mason McTavish Has Plenty of Motivation Coming To St. LouisThird overall pick in 2021 didn't have strong finish in Anaheim last season, eager for fresh start with Blues after being traded to St. LouisConnor McMichael One Of 15 Players To File For Salary ArbitrationNewly acquired forward, Blues had until 4 p.m. (CT) Sunday to sign offer sheet, elect to go to arbitration if not signedBlues Release 2026-27 Preseason ScheduleWith NHL season at 84 games starting with upcoming season, teams' preseason schedule reduced to four games; Blues to play Stars, Blackhawks twice each

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