Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs had some ups and downs in his first season with the Penguins last year.
When he was on, he was really on, but when he was off, he was really off. It all culminated in him finishing the regular season with a 19-12-8 record, a 3.07 goals-against average, and an .888 save percentage.
Silovs backed up Stuart Skinner for the first three games of the Penguins' first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers before he was thrust into the lineup in Game 4. The Penguins were down 3-0 in the series and needed a spark, so they went to Silovs.
Silovs has a history of showing up in the big moments, and he sure did in the series. Yes, the Penguins lost the series in six games, but he still played out of his mind, finishing with a .939 save percentage and a 1.52 goals-against average.
He would've had a shutout in Game 6 if the Penguins had found a way to put one shot past Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar.
Despite the playoff series loss, the Penguins rewarded Silovs with a one-year extension after the season. They want to see what he can do as the 1A goaltender this year before they commit to him for multiple years.
He'll also potentially be pushed by Sergei Murashov after the latter lit up the AHL this past season. Murashov is the favorite to win the backup/1B job, though he will still have to earn it. Joel Blomqvist won't just give him the job during training camp and preseason.
Going back to Silovs, he played in 39 games last year, so if this is going to be a true 1A/1B situation, he's likely going to have to play in at least 42 games since it's now an 84-game season. If he gets to that number, he'd set a career-high in appearances
If Silovs can finish the 2026-27 season with a save percentage around .905, a goals-against average between 2.50 and 2.70, and be positive in goals saved above expected, it'll be a pretty solid success. The Penguins would also have a decent chance at qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs again if Silovs plays that well.
With 29 days remaining until the Detroit Red Wings open the 2026-27 season, we take a look at the top player to have worn jersey No. 29.
The Top No. 29 In Red Wings History: Mike Vernon
Just as it was with Chris Osgood and No. 30, it wasn't a hard choice for who the top player in Red Wings history to have worn jersey No. 29.
That title easily belongs to goaltender Mike Vernon, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player during the 1997 Stanley Cup Playoffs, leading Detroit to their first title in 42 years.
Vernon, who was selected with the 56th overall pick in the 1981 NHL Draft by the Calgary Flames, would spend the first several years of his career with the franchise, helping them upset the Montreal Canadiens and win the Stanley Cup in 1989.
But his time with the Flames came to a close in the summer of 1994, as he was traded to the Red Wings in return for defenseman Steve Chiasson.
With Vernon in goal, the Red Wings advanced to the 1995 Stanley Cup Final, but were swept in stunning fashion by the New Jersey Devils. Vernon then helped the Red Wings win a record 62 games the following season, though Chris Osgood got the bulk of the starts in the postseason.
Vernon forever endeared himself to Red Wings fans for his role in the infamous "Fight Night at the Joe" on March 26, 1997 when he fought Colorado Avalanche rival Patrick Roy.
While Osgood also got the bulk of the starts for Detroit in the 1996-97 season, head coach Scotty Bowman turned to Vernon's experience in the 1997 postseason, and it paid off in spades.
With a 16-4 record, a 1.76 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage, Vernon was the obvious choice to be named postseason MVP.
Detroit then stunned fans by shipping Vernon to the San Jose Sharks in August of that summer, where he would play the next two and a half seasons before being traded to the Florida Panthers.
Upon completion of his time in Florida, Vernon would play the final two years of his NHL career where it all began - with the Flames. He then retired, having won 385 career games, and would later be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
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Undoubtedly, the strength of the Philadelphia Flyers and the future of the organization lies in their expansive prospect pool, which has grown quite large in recent seasons and became one of the best in the NHL.
The center position is, of course, still seen as a weakness for the Flyers, even after the allocation of three first-round picks to select Jett Luchanko and Jack Nesbitt in back-to-back years.
In a new prospect tier list ranking by Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, with review and some input from scouts and personnel around the league, the two Flyers prospects didn't even make the cut of the top 150 prospects in the NHL right now.
Luchanko and Nesbitt, as well as Alex Bump, were in the group of players who "were considered or generated some conversation but ultimately didn’t get enough love for Tier 5C projections," and that group still features some good talents, such as Luca Cagnoni, Sandis Vilmanis, Quentin Musty, Lenni Hameenaho, and Maveric Lamoureux.
In any case, the Flyers have a projected future superstar, contrary to popular belief, in the eyes of Wheeler and his caddy of NHL scouts and execs.
Flyers' Martone draws comparisons to Rantanen, Robertson
Porter Martone is the highest-ranked Flyers youngster on this list, and for good reason. The 19-year-old dominated the NCAA with 25 goals, 25 assists, and 50 points in just 35 games last season, then jumped on the proverbial moving train that was the Flyers in the middle of their playoff push.
The 2025 No. 6 overall pick was a star off rip, scoring four goals, six assists, and 10 points in nine regular season games, then added five more points in 10 playoff games.
"Martone's excellent freshman year and, maybe even more importantly, his strong play in the NHL at the end of the regular season in particular, really sold the league on his status as one of the game's future top power forwards," Wheeler wrote.
"Mikko Rantanen and Jason Robertson, who are both Tier 2 wingers in Player Tiers this year, feel like attainable — if a little lofty — projections for Martone."
Martone isn't quite as dynamic as Rantanen, but his style of play and strengths closely resemble both of the 100-point wingers.
He's not a center, no, but the Carolina Hurricanes just proved that you can win a Stanley Cup without one of the five best centers in the NHL.
If Martone can even approach the heights Rantanen and Robertson have reached in their careers, the Flyers are going to be in a really good spot going forward.
Only Ivar Stenberg, Gavin McKenna, Lane Hutson, Leo Carlsson, Connor Bedard, Matthew Schaefer, and Macklin Celebrini ranked higher on Wheeler's tier list.
The Michkov of it all
Michkov was the Flyers' best player to end the regular season. (Photo: Eric Hartline, Imagn Images)
Somewhat surprisingly, Matvei Michkov, still just 21 years old, is included in the ranking, though he dropped a full tier from 2B to 3B from this time last year.
Wheeler notes that his NHL peers are aligning themselves more with Rick Tocchet's side of this coin: that Michkov will have to iron out the defensive kinks and fitness issues before knighting the Russian phenom as a future star player in the league.
But, again, with all the negativity and publicity around Michkov last year, he still finished the year with 20 goals and 51 points and led the Flyers in scoring after the Olympic break.
"If those [flaws] persist evaluators won't even care if he becomes an 80-point version of that player, because he won't be viewed as a winning player," Wheeler said of Michkov.
It's not to say that hockey people are wrong or fans are wrong, but that is just how people in and around the game see Michkov right now, and Tocchet, as a former player and current coach, is one of those people.
Fortunately, it seems as though Michkov took the 2025-26 season to heart throughout the summer, and the Flyers have recognized his efforts ahead of the start of training camp.
The fruits this ultimately bears still remain to be seen.
The best of the rest
Because Luchanko and Nesbitt (and Maksim Sokolovskii) didn't make the cut, things drop off for the Flyers from here.
The next tier a Flyers prospect appears in is way down in 5B, which is above only 5C on the remainder of the list.
Goalie Egor Zavragin, who is still highly regarded by the Flyers after a trying season the organization does not put on him, clocks in at 5B for Wheeler. A tier-5 goalie is considered an "above-average starter," which is still a very good outcome for the Flyers.
Don't sleep on Denver Barkey heading into the 2026-27 season. (Photo: Eric Hartline, Imagn Images)
Marek Sklenicka, Carson Bjarnason, and Martin Psohlavec still have time to develop and get their names on the radar to make this list, and Dan Vladar, Joseph Woll, and Aleksei Kolosov can buy the above prospects time to become ripe for NHL action.
Ankle-biter forward Denver Barkey complements Martone and Michkov at 5C, making the ranking after being left off last year on the heels of an improbably successful first year playing pro hockey in the Flyers organization.
We can expect Barkey to become a full-time NHLer moving forward.
Most interestingly, and to round out the list, defensemen Oliver Bonk and David Jiricek rank right next to each other at the bottom of the 5C tier, with Wheeler questioning Bonk's true upside as a player and not whether or not he'll become an NHLer.
As for Jiricek, Wheeler, like the Flyers, acknowledges that the talent and tools are there, but the end result has not. The 22-year-old is now playing for his third organization in four years since being drafted in 2022.
"David Jiricek is an AHL player at this point, I don’t see him being on this list," a scout told Wheeler.
Jiricek badly needs to fix his skating, reads, and defending in open space to reach his full potential as an NHL defenseman, and the Flyers will likely want him to unleash his physicality more, too, for a 6-foot-4 body.
That said, the Flyers also know that Jiricek can aid their 32nd-ranked power play, and given that the Czech rearguard is no longer waivers-exempt, Jiricek will probably be given every opportunity to prove himself and make an impact.
The Buffalo Sabres’ 2025-26 season was its best in generations, as they won the Atlantic Division, then beat the Boston Bruins in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Buffalo fell to the Montreal Canadiens in a Round 2 exit, but for the first time in a very long time, there was genuine positive vibes in Sabres Land..
For the second straight season here at TheHockeyNews.com, we're analyzing the Sabres’ Eastern Conference opponents for the second season in a series we call “Know Your Enemy”. And in this file, we’re turning the spotlight on a team that has had nearly as much misery as Buffalo – the Columbus Blue Jackets.
BUFFALO SABRES VS. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
NEW BLUE JACKETS PLAYERS: Valeri Nichushkin (LW), Pheonix Copley (G), Ryan Lomberg (LW)
2025-26 SERIES: Sabres 1-1-1, Blue Jackets 2-1-0
2026-27 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: October 1, at Columbus; November 6 at Buffalo; January 8 at Columbus
CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? The Blue Jackets and Sabres kick off their season by playing each other in a showdown in Columbus at the start of October, and in the following three months, they’ll play each other another two times. So the Columbus team that Buffalo plays for the final time in the first week of January could look different by the time next year’s NHL trade deadline arrives – and the same goes for the Sabres.
That said, Columbus’ off-season was unspectacular, and that’s being kind. Veteran winger Nichushkin was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche, and while he’s a solid scorer, he’s not a game-changer, generational player, and that’s what the Blue Jackets don’t have nearly enough of.
And this is why the Sabres have to take care of business when they do take on the Jackets. Columbus is clearly one of the league’s weaker teams, and although they do have up-and-coming youngsters including center Adam Fantilli – as well as superstar defenseman Zach Werenski, at least, for now – the Blue Jackets don’t measure up well on paper against virtually any NHL team.
Columbus is fortunate in that they play in the Metropolitan Division, one of the league’s weaker divisions. But from the Sabres’ perspective, any games that are lost in regulation time to a puny rival is what could be the difference between Buffalo winning or losing home-ice advantage in the post-season.
A strong start is important for any team, Sabres included. A dominant win in Game 1 will set the right tone for Buffalo, and while the Blue Jackets could surprise people and win some games playing feisty hockey, they’re one of the teams the Sabres have to put in their place. And if Buffalo does squander some points in the standings to Columbus, Sabres fans will be rightly frustrated.
Everyone knows the Calgary Flames are rebuilding and have been fortunate enough to select some great prospects like Carson Carels and Zayne Parekh in recent NHL Drafts. However, Scott Wheeler from The Athletic doesn't see any top-tier players in the organization's pipeline; instead believes there are several All-Star, Star, and Support-level talents.
In his latest rankings of the Top 145 NHL Prospects, released on September 3, Wheeler discussed only eight Calgary prospects, with two standing out above the rest.
The All-Star Level Prospects
When Parekh played in the OHL, he performed at a level unseen in decades. He drew comparisons to Bobby Orr as one of the game's most offensively gifted defensemen of his generation. As the ninth overall pick from the 2024 Draft, he has yet to find his groove in the NHL, with just 10 points in 38 games over three seasons. It's been an adjustment, to say the least, for the 20-year-old, who compiled 240 points in just 177 games in the OHL.
Interestingly, Parekh ranks below future defensive partner Carson Carels, whom the Flames just selected sixth overall at the 2026 Draft. Although he didn't put up the same statistics in the WHL as Parekh, he had 111 points in 125 games. Carels was one of the highest-ranked defenders in his draft class, and he happened to be available for the Flames for their first pick.
The Star Level Prospects
In June 2026, the Flames made a deal with the New Jersey Devils to acquire 22-year-old Simon Nemec, who is the second overall pick from the 2022 Draft. Through four NHL seasons, he's scored 16 goals and 49 points in 155 games. Many hope that a change of scenery and a chance to be a top-pairing defenseman will help his development, especially in Calgary, which signed him to a long-term extension.
Meanwhile, the only other possible star in the Flames prospect pipeline is Matvei Gridin, a 20-year-old winger who is projected to be one on the team's top line to begin the 2026-27 season. The former 28th overall pick from the 2024 Draft just finished his first season of professional hockey and scored 16 goals and 50 points over 74 games with the Flames and Calgary Wranglers.
The Supporting Cast Members
Of the prospects Wheeler grouped into the Support category, the Flames find most of their future players. First is center Cole Reschny, a 19-year-old whom Calgary drafted 18th overall in 2025. Right now, he's still playing in the NCAA, where an injury derailed his 2025-26 campaign, and he failed to duplicate the 92 points he scored the previous year.
Next on the list is Hunter Brzustewicz, a 21-year-old defenseman whom many in the C of Red are wondering will ever reach his potential. Since making his professional hockey debut in 2024-25, he's bounced between the Flames and Wranglers, scoring just 52 points in 139 games. Heading into the new season, Brzustewicz will once again begin the year in the AHL, waiting for another call-up.
Given that Calgary is missing a true No. 1 center, Wheeler doesn't believe Cullen Potter, the team's second first-round pick in 2025, is the answer. As a kid who developed through the United States National Development Program, he's still skating in the NCAA and still looking for his first career 20-goal campaign.
Meanwhile, Ethan Wyttenbach, a 19-year-old winger the Flames drafted in the fifth round of the 2025 Draft, is another NCAA prospect with significant upside after back-to-back 20-goal campaigns in the USHL and at Quinnipiac University.
Finally, the very last prospect ranked by Wheeler is 18-year-old Tobias Trejbal. The 6-foot-4 goalie from Czechia came to the Flames as a second-round pick in the 2026 Draft and is committed to the University of Massachusetts this year. During his one season in the USHL, he was 30-9-3 with a .916 SV% and could find his way into the Wranglers' system before the end of the decade.
Do you agree with Wheeler's rankings? Is there someone he missed? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Now that it is September, most of this year's free agents have landed their new contracts. Although this is the case, there are still some remaining unrestricted free agents (UFAs) with September now here.
A former Montreal Canadiens forward is among the UFAs left, as Tanner Pearson is still looking for his new home.
Pearson still being a free agent at this point in the summer comes after he split this past season between the Winnipeg Jets and then the Buffalo Sabres. In 56 games split between the two clubs, he posted seven goals, eight assists, 15 points, 68 hits, and a plus-7 rating.
While Pearson's prime days are over, he could still be a solid pickup for an NHL club that is looking for more forward depth and experience. Due to this, the possibility of the 34-year-old landing a professional tryout (PTO) at least should not be ruled out.
Pearson spent the 2023-24 season with the Canadiens after being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks during the 2023 NHL off-season. In 54 games with the Habs that campaign, he posted five goals, 13 points, and 50 hits. His time with the Canadiens ended after they did not re-sign him that following summer.
The 2026-27 season is rapidly approaching for the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs will be looking to build off their successful 2025-26 season by having an even better campaign this year.
The Canadiens have plenty of exciting young players to watch heading into the 2026-27 season. Yet, they also have a promising prospect who has the potential to be an under-the-radar breakout candidate: Owen Beck.
Beck's smart all-around play is something that could very well get him more opportunities at the NHL level during this upcoming season. The 22-year-old center has the potential to blossom into a solid two-way center in the NHL, and it would not be surprising if he takes another step closer to becoming just that for Montreal in 2026-27.
Beck appeared in 15 games last season for Montreal, where he posted one goal, 24 hits, and a 58.7 faceoff winning percentage. This is after he recorded one assist, 23 hits, and a 53.8 faceoff winning percentage in 12 games for Montreal in 2024-25. Overall, he has yet to break out at the NHL level, but the possibility of him doing so this season should not be ruled out.
Beck has shown promise at the AHL level with the Laval Rocket, as he recorded 13 goals and 33 points in 58 games last season. He also had 15 goals and 44 points in 64 games with Laval in 2024-25. With numbers like these, he has been a solid AHL player, and it will now be interesting to see if he can translate it over the NHL level this season from here.
At the end of last season, there was some fear that the Buffalo Sabres would follow the same path as the other sports franchise in Western New York, the Buffalo Bills, and leave their longtime radio home in favor of producing their own broadcasts and finding another terrestrial broadcast option.
On Thursday, the Sabres announced that they have agreed to a multi-year partnership with Audacy to continue to be the club's official flagship radio station. Game broadcasts featuring play-by-play man Dan Dunleavy and color commentator Rob Ray will continue to air on WGR AM (550) and WGR FM (107.7) in the Buffalo broadcast market, as well as on the Sabres and Audacy Apps.
“WGR has long played a role in linking the people in our community to the Buffalo Sabres, and we are excited to extend a partnership that has continued to grow stronger over the years,” Buffalo Sabres president of business operations Pete Guelli said in a press release. “We are always exploring avenues for our fans to engage with us in meaningful ways, and this partnership has consistently provided a trusted platform for them to stay connected.
The Bills announced in May that they would be partnering with Cumulus Media and 96.9 FM radio (WGRF-FM - 97 Rock) starting this fall, and with a network of stations in New York State, Pennsylvania, Florida, and TSN Radio in Canada. The new agreement with the Sabres will also further the reach of the club through Audacy's radio stations outside of Western New York, and WGR will also be available via SiriusXM satellite radio.
Pete Guelli shares why the Buffalo Sabres are BACK to continue their partnership with WGR and broadcast Sabres games on our airwaves! pic.twitter.com/T8nWNufcF0
“We're excited to continue our long-standing relationship as the official voice of the Buffalo Sabres,” said WGR brand manager Allan Davis. “No radio station in the U.S. talks more hockey than Western New York's Voice of the Fans - WGR. And no fan base anywhere loves their team more than Sabres fans do. We look forward to bringing them every play, every game, and every story every day."
The Florida Panthers are going to look a little different in the goaltending department during the upcoming NHL season.
Gone is longtime netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, who elected to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the offseason, following a seven-year stint in South Florida that saw him win a pair of Stanley Cups.
To replace Bobrovsky, Florida traded for a familiar face, acquiring veteran goaltender Jacob Markstrom from the New Jersey Devils
Markstrom, 36, actually broke into the league with the Panthers after Florida selected him in the second round, 31st overall, during the 2008 NHL Draft.
On Wednesday, he joined The Dan LeBatard Show to chat about his return to the Panthers, acknowledging that while he has worn the Florida sweater before, he’s yet to do so since they switched to their current crest logo and away from the leaping panther.
Still, the smile on his face and the excitement in his voice were quite apparent.
“It’s a privilege and I’m super excited to be back here, to see what Mr. Vinnie Viola has done with this organization, and what Bill Zito and Paul Maurice have done with this team,” Markstrom said. “You see how hockey has grown in South Florida and the Fort Lauderdale area, it’s amazing to be back here and its completely different from when I was here the last time.”
It’s been 12 years since Markstrom was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in March of 2014, a deal that saw Roberto Luongo make his return to the Panthers.
Now, 12 hockey seasons, three teams and 535 NHL games later, it’s Markstrom’s turn to make his South Florida comeback.
Considering all the time that has passed, the miles he’s logged and the experience he’s gained, Markstrom is
“I’ve learned a lot, it would be weird if I didn’t,” he said with a smile. “When you come in here and move to North America as a 20-year-old, it’s a lot different than being 36 and played over 500 games in the league and played on four different teams, you pick up a lot. You have a lot of coaches and teammates and goalie coaches that you try to learn and take the positive from everyone, and then try to make it your own and build your game.
“So I think the toolbox is a lot bigger, and I’ve got a lot more tools in it now then when I was here, coming in with an empty suitcase, and now it’s full.”
At one point, LeBatard questioned Markstrom on playing a position that he finds “generally terrifying” asked him to explain “the real insanities that are part of your job.”
“I think the goaltending position in general is…if you win the game, you’re doing your job, and if you lose the game, it’s the goalie’s fault. That’s kinda the public opinion of people that don’t really know that much hockey.
“If a goalie makes a mistake, it’s in the back of the net. If somebody writing an essay or writing something on a keyboard and presses the wrong key, you just delete and put the right letter in. As a goalie, it’s 20,000 people in the stands cheering or booing, and that’s kind of our job and that’s why I love it.”
To watch Markstrom’s full interview with the LeBatard Show crew, check out the video below (the interview begins around the 2:20:30 mark).
Danila Yurov was solid in his rookie season in the NHL, finding himself scattered around the lineup.
With injuries to players like Joel Eriksson Ek and the trade that sent Marco Rossi to the Vancouver Canucks, Yurov was forced to play up and down the lineup, occasionally finding himself alongside Kirill Kaprizov or down on the fourth line playing more of a two-way game.
Through all of that, Yurov posted 12 goals and 27 points in 73 games, averaging 13:18 of ice time. Yurov flashed some of the skill that made him the 24th overall pick of the 2022 NHL draft and a highly regarded prospect in the Wild's pipeline.
The 22-year-old will remain an important part of the Wild's current roster and future. Most early line projections anticipate Yurov skating as the third-line center alongside Yakov Trenin and Maxim Shabonov. That trio could bode well for Yurov. Trenin is a physical force who will go to the dirty areas of the ice to win the puck, while Shabonov is more of a perimeter player with plenty of skill who can work passing plays with Yurov.
The Wild's second-line center appears to be Ryan Hartman, who will skate with Blake Coleman and Bobby Brink. With strong performances, there is an avenue for Yurov to work his way up the lineup.
TheHockeyNews.com's Jared Clinton is one of those people, as he predicts Yurov will be the Wild's breakout candidate during the 2026-27 season.
In the 2026 Champions edition of THN.com's magazine, Clinton believes Yurov has the most room for growth.
At points this season, Danila Yurov had his detractors. But it’s important to remember the 22-year-old’s rookie campaign was a trial by fire. He was thrust into top-six duty on club with a high aspirations. That experience should serve Yurov well, however, as it surely helped him round out his game and understand the rigors of the NHL. With the right roster setup, he might become a background player, but that doesn’t mean he can’t break out beyond his 27-point output. - Jared Clinton
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As mentioned previously, Yurov is skilled with the puck and excels at working passing lanes and give-and-gos. Yurov also showed that his skating is a strength in the NHL. According to NHL EDGE, Yurov ranked in the 90th percentile in max skating speed, posting a skating burst of 23.17 miles per hour. He also ranked in the 80th percentile for skating bursts greater than 22 miles per hour, the 68th percentile for skating bursts between 20-22 miles per hour, and the 62nd percentile for skating bursts between 18-20 miles per hour.
With plenty of tools at his disposal, including a 6-foot-1 frame, Yurov has provided every reason to believe there are additional steps he can take as his game develops.
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Yesterday, The Athletic released its NHL Player Tiers 2026-27, and the Montreal Canadiens fared pretty well. In last year’s list, captain Nick Suzuki was part of Tier 3, which is the “All-Star” tier, but this year, he has moved up to Tier 2, that of “franchise players”. The center is not the only one who made that jump, though; the same goes for defenseman Lane Hutson.
As for Cole Caufield, he was in Tier 5 “Support” last season, but this year he jumps to Tier 3 All-Star. The Canadiens have two players in Tier 4 “Stars”: Noah Dobson and Juraj Slafkovsky. This is a repeat performance for Dobson, who was in that tier last season, although he went from 4A to 4B. As for the power forward, he didn’t even make the list last year, so that’s an interesting place to first appear.
Montreal also has two players in Tier 5 this season: Ivan Demidov and Jakub Dobes. Unsurprisingly, neither was on the list last season, as they were rookies. The only Hab who was on the list last season and isn’t this year is Samuel Montembeault, for obvious reasons.
Are those rankings fair? For now, they are, since it’s about what’s been done so far and not what could eventually be done. However, one has to wonder what Suzuki would have to do to land in Tier 1 “MVP”. He may not have scored 120 points, but he still had 101 points while being the league’s top defensive forward. He’s a complete player, one who gives you offensive production but who you can also play when the game is on the line, and you have a lead to protect. Whatever the situation, Suzuki is the player you want to have on the ice. He’s also very tough to rattle; he never panics on the ice and has a calming influence on the team. The 27-year-old young veteran is the heartbeat of the Canadiens and one of, if not the, their most valuable players.
As for Hutson, the fact that he’s in Tier 2 is impressive. Oftentimes, Hutson doesn’t get the respect he deserves because people do not give him close to enough credit for the defensive side of his game, but it didn’t hurt him in this ranking. Will he ever make the jump to Tier 1? Time will tell; the article mentions that it remains to be seen if he’ll have a Quinn Hughes-like leap, but that’s not necessarily fair. After all, when Hughes first came onto the scene, he was very much a one-sided weapon, and he was shielded with easier defensive matchups; that’s not the case with Hutson, and it never has been. In that sense, he doesn’t need a Hughes-like leap; he needs to keep on steadily progressing to reach MVP status.
The Detroit Red Wings are entering a pivotal 101st season, one that arrives with more uncertainty swirling around the organization than perhaps any other point in its recent history.
The franchise is still searching for its next general manager following Steve Yzerman's departure, its captain has publicly requested a trade, and a wave of contract-year veterans and rising prospects will be tasked with reshaping a roster that finished last season 22nd in scoring and stumbled to the finish line.
Add it all up, and it's fair to say Detroit hasn't entered a season with this many unresolved questions in years. Before puck drop, here's a closer look at the three biggest storylines that figure to define Detroit's season.
Dylan Larkin's Return
Detroit's captain situation looks increasingly unresolved as training camp approaches, with fans starting to accept that Dylan Larkin may open the season still on the roster.
His trade request went public back in early June, and reports indicate he hasn't budged on the limited list of teams he'd accept a deal to, leaving the Red Wings with little room to work with as they try to find a trade partner.
There's some precedent for a strained relationship eventually healing, as fans remember the frosty reception Sergei Fedorov faced after Detroit matched his offer sheet from Carolina in 1998, only for him to win the fanbase back by helping deliver two more Stanley Cups.
Larkin could go down a similar path to reconciliation with Red Wings fans isn't out of the question. It leaves plenty of open questions heading into camp like whether Larkin sits out, whether he keeps the captaincy, and how he performs with more scrutiny on him than ever before.
The Red Wings enter 2026-27 with several contract situations hanging over the roster, all against the backdrop of a franchise still searching for its next general manager.
Justin Faulk, acquired at a steep cost from St. Louis, is entering the final year of his deal and will need to bounce back after a rough finish to last season if he hopes to cash in on his next contract, while also serving as a veteran mentor for Detroit's young defensive core.
Andrew Copp, a Michigan native who signed with his hometown team in 2022, is also entering a contract year, bringing defensive reliability, leadership and will look to build off a career-best season.
Alex DeBrincat is in a similar spot, but the outlook there looks considerably brighter. Coming off a career year with 85 points, DeBrincat has reportedly made clear he wants to stay in Detroit long term, a comforting sign for a franchise navigating plenty of uncertainty elsewhere, backed further by a 16-team no-trade list that gives him real say in his future either way.
Whoever takes over as general manager will inherit a roster full of homegrown or adopted Michigan talent looking to be part of the solution as Detroit tries to finally end its decade-long playoff drought.
Overhauled Offense
After a rough finish that saw Detroit go 9-15-5 down the stretch with one of the league's worst offenses, the Red Wings enter season 101 with a noticeably reshaped attack. Newcomer Viktor Arvidsson steps into the second line alongside Alex DeBrincat and Copp after a 54-point bounce-back season in Boston, effectively replacing departed forward Patrick Kane.
Detroit also added grit up front in Keegan Kolesar, a physical, hard-forechecking winger acquired from Vegas who brings championship pedigree and one of the league's heaviest hit totals in recent years.
Beyond the veteran additions, Detroit is counting on internal growth from young forwards Nate Danielson and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard to round out the retooled offense.
Taken together, it's a significantly different-looking group than the one that finished 22nd in scoring last season, and the Red Wings are hoping this new mix of proven scorers, physical depth and rising prospects is enough to finally end the NHL's longest active playoff drought.
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With training camp now fast approaching, the Philadelphia Flyers revealed their rookie camp roster for their upcoming rookie camp, which will kick off with the 2026 Rookie Series against the New York Rangers prospects on Sept. 12.
Fans making the trip to the PPL Center in Allentown, Pa., for the Rookie Series or Flyers Training Center for camp will be in for a treat, as quite a few talented prospects and fan-favorites will be participating this year.
Included on the rookie camp roster are top Flyers prospects Porter Martone, Jett Luchanko, and Maksim Sokolovskii, as well as wingers Alex Bump and Denver Barkey, who starred down the stretch for the Flyers last season.
Right wing Devin Kaplan is the only other forward on the roster with NHL experience, and he will be joined by Riley Thompson, Alex Ciernik, invitee Sawyer Dingman, Noah Powell, Cole Knuble, invitee Brady Berard, Nathan Quinn, KJ Sauer, free agent Owen McLaughlin, Matthew Gard, and Ilya Pautov.
Having not agreed on an entry-level contract, the Flyers lost the signing rights to McLaughlin last month, but the 23-year-old former seventh-round pick will be back looking to fight for a future in the Flyers organization throughout rookie camp and training camp.
On defense, Sokolovskii, the Flyers' first-round pick in 2026, and Oliver Bonk are the crown jewels, and the latter will likely be pushing for an NHL roster spot throughout camp and the preseason.
Completing the group of defensemen are Spencer Gill, Brek Liske, Luke Vlooswyk, invitee Riley Steen, Jackson Edward, and Ty Murchison.
A suddenly deep goalie pool will feature Carson Bjarnason, Marek Sklenicka, and Martin Psohlavec, who returns from an adductor strain suffered at the end of development camp on July 3.
As they get ready for their respective pro and college seasons, the Flyers won't have prospects like Jack Nesbitt, Jack Berglund, Carter Amico, Shane Vansaghi, Jack Murtagh, Heikki Ruohonen, and Max Westergard available for rookie camp.
The players in this ranking do not have extensive NHL experience and are all 23 and under. Therefore, players like Jimmy Snuggerud, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Logan Mailloux, among others, won't feature in this ranking for those reasons.
The order of these rankings reflects a mix of their ceilings and potential, as well as how they've performed over the past year with their respective clubs.
Deciding between Carobonneau and Adam Jiricek was difficult, but it feels like Carobonneau has a more attainable floor than Jiricek, while having similar ceilings.
When at his best, Carbonneau plays physically, engages himself in the forecheck, and finds plenty of lanes to fire shots on goal. Listed at 6-foot-1, 203 pounds, Carbonneau isn't necessarily a true power forward like Tom Wilson, Brady Tkachuk or Matthew Knies, but he has shown a willingness to play that brand of hockey throughout his junior career.
The 19-year-old completed his final year of junior hockey with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the QMJHL last year, scoring 51 goals and 80 points in 60 games. His 51 goals were tied for the league lead, although he did play three fewer games than Maxim Masse, the Anaheim Ducks prospect he was tied with.
Carbonneau was a surprise omission from Team Canada's world junior team, but it wasn't the first time Carbonneau was snubbed. Carbonneau's only international appearance for Team Canada was at the U-17s in 2022. He was left off the world junior Team, U-18s, and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup roster in each year of eligibility.
Nonetheless, Carbonneau is set to begin his professional career. He played in three playoff games for the Springfield Thunderbirds in the AHL to end last season, but failed to record any points. Carbonneau will have the opportunity to compete for a roster spot out of training camp, as he did last year, but with the sheer number of NHL-caliber wingers on the roster, it's more likely than not that Carbonneau will begin the season in the AHL.
In the AHL, Carbonneau should immediately find a role within the top six, alongside other prospects like Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, Otto Stenberg, Juraj Pekarcik, and Zach Dean. There is a chance Carbonneau excels and, due to injuries, earns a call-up and stays in the NHL, but the more probable case is that Carbonneau spends the 2026-27 season in the AHL before becoming a full-time NHLer in the 2027-28 season.
The former 19th overall pick of the 2025 NHL draft has all the tools of a top-six player and could become a complementary top-line winger as his game continues to round out.
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The Seattle Kraken spent the summer making sure their players will have more people in their corner when the 2026-27 season begins.
Some of the changes are obvious. Others will be noticed only inside the walls of the organization.
Seattle added a former NHL general manager to its front office, brought in a veteran coach with extensive NHL and AHL experience, promoted members of its performance staff and added new specialists in nutrition, mental performance, physical therapy, analytics and player development.
Perhaps the most notable addition is Patrik Allvin, who joins Jason Botterill as the Kraken’s vice president and assistant general manager.
Allvin spent the past several seasons as Vancouver’s general manager and was a finalist for NHL GM of the Year in 2024. He and Botterill also know each other well, having worked together for a decade in Pittsburgh while helping build three Stanley Cup-winning teams.
That relationship gives Seattle another experienced voice in a front office looking to take the next step.
The Kraken made a similarly significant addition behind the bench.
Pascal Vincent replaces Jessica Campbell as an assistant coach after spending the past two seasons running the Laval Rocket. Vincent won AHL Coach of the Year in 2025 after leading Laval to a 48-19-5 record and brings seven seasons of NHL assistant-coaching experience with him.
Head coach Lane Lambert was deliberate in finding Campbell’s replacement, and Vincent’s résumé ultimately checked the boxes Seattle was looking for.
The organization is also putting more resources into what happens away from the rink.
Nate Brookreson has been promoted to director of sports performance, while Jake Jensen becomes head strength and conditioning coach. Brandon Wickett returns to Seattle as an assistant strength and conditioning coach after spending last season with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Madison Yerigan has also joined the Kraken as their full-time lead dietitian, giving players dedicated support for nutrition, recovery, hydration and meal planning throughout the season.
There is a similar emphasis on the mental side of the game.
Matt Brown takes over a newly created position as director of mental performance. Brown has spent three decades working with elite athletes, including Canadian national team athletes, and will work with Kraken players, prospects and the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
Seattle is also adding physical therapist Mike Funyak to its athletic training staff and expanding its research and development department with Dan Cassario and Sabrina Escalona.
Then there is Dolan Gilbert, who may have the most unusual job of the group.
Gilbert will work in research and development while serving as Seattle’s emergency backup goaltender, a newly mandated NHL role that requires him to practice and travel with the team.
The Kraken have made changes to their development pipeline, too.
Former defenseman Justin Schultz has joined the player development staff and will work primarily with young defensemen, drawing on a 12-year NHL career that included two Stanley Cups.
Seattle also added amateur scout Brad Ginnell, while the Coachella Valley Firebirds hired Scott Ford as an assistant coach and Mike Crocock as a skills coach.
None of these moves guarantees anything once the puck drops.
But they do reveal where the Kraken believe they can improve.
The organization is adding experience, specialization and depth to the people responsible for developing, preparing and supporting its players.
Now comes the harder part: turning all of those additions into results.
