As the National Hockey League enters the second month of free agency, a number of former Buffalo Sabres still remain unsigned. At this point of the offseason, players who have not latched on with an NHL club might consider playing in Europe, or taking a short-term deal or professional tryout to earn a one-year deal.
A player who has never fulfilled expectations is former top-10 pick Tyson Jost. The 28-year-old was selected 10th overall at the 2016 NHL Draft in Buffalo by Colorado, and played six seasons for the Avalanche before being dealt to Minnesota at the 2022 trade deadline. He spent less than a year with the Wild before being claimed by the Sabres in November.
Will the Sabres add any scoring help before the start of training camp?
In 102 games with Buffalo, Jost scored 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) and was part of the squad that came within a point of snapping the Sabres playoff drought, which led GM Kevyn Adams to bring back the roster in it’s entirety. The next season, after scoring only six points in 43 games, he was demoted to AHL Rochester.
In 2024, he signed a one-year deal with Carolina and split time between the Hurricanes and AHL Chicago, and was re-signed last summer, but Jost was claimed by Nashville before the regular season and played 69 games in Music City, scoring 16 points (8 goals, 8 assists).
Outlook: With it being the first week of August, it is getting to the territory where players are taking any offers from teams in Europe before their training camps begin, or pondering professional tryouts with NHL clubs. Being under the age of 30, it is possible that a club like Calgary or Vancouver, looking to fill out their roster with a veteran, could bring in Jost on a PTO to see if he can earn a spot.
The Florida Panthers were involved in one of the summer’s biggest moves.
Back in late June, the Panthers made a couple moves in a 24-hour span that reminded everyone in the NHL why Florida was the league’s biggest nuisance.
After acquiring a second first-round selection in this summer’s NHL Draft, Panthers General Manager Bill Zito sent three top picks, along with a future second-rounder, to Ottawa in exchange for their captain, Brady Tkachuk.
It was a move that was met with little surprise, as Tkachuk was long rumored to be interested in eventually teaming up with his older brother Matthew in South Florida.
Earlier this week, there was a report that the younger Tkachuk had previously turned down a blockbuster trade that would’ve landed him in a different location.
According to The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford, Tkachuk rejected a trade that would have sent him to the St. Louis Blues.
According to Rutherford, Tkachuk, “didn’t want to come to St. Louis.”
Jeremy Rutherford: The Senators’ Brady Tkachuk didn’t want to come to St. Louis. There were conflicting reports about whether the Stars’ Jason Robertson was interested - The Athletic (7/18)
This lines up with the idea that Tkachuk’s preferred destination was the Panthers, where his brother is locked into a contract through the end of the 2029-30 season.
For those wondering where the St. Louis connection comes from, both Tkachuk brothers were raised in Creve Coeur, a suburb of St. Louis, and the area is where Matthew has a home and spends time during the offseason.
Were you surprised by the news that Brady Tkachuk turned down a trade to St. Louis, or did it seem like a foregone conclusion that he would end up with the Panthers?
Photo caption: Oct 2, 2025;St.Louis, Missouri, USA; Ottawa Senators left wingBradyTkachuk(7) looks on during the third period againsttheSt.LouisBlues at Enterprise Center. (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)
Four years ago, the Vancouver Canucks made their first first-round selection since 2019, picking Jonathan Lekkerimäki 15th-overall at the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. Including Lekkerimäki, Vancouver made a total of six selections at the 2022 Draft, five of which remain within the team’s system. The lone 2022 draft prospect no longer with the Canucks is Jackson Dorrington, who was traded as part of the package sent to the New York Rangers alongside J.T. Miller. Here’s how the 2025–26 season went for the five remaining Canucks prospects drafted in 2022.
Jonathan Lekkerimäki
2022 R1, 15 OVR
Vancouver Canucks, NHL and Abbotsford Canucks, AHL
For a decent stretch of time after he was drafted, Lekkerimäki was the Canucks’ most intriguing prospect. The forward, best known for his shot and goal-scoring effort, split time between Vancouver and Abbotsford in 2024–25 after making his NHL debut on November 12, 2024 against the Calgary Flames.
Lekkerimäki was one of the players who looked like they would contend for an NHL roster spot in 2025–26 and put up a strong enough effort during the pre-season and training camp to make the team’s opening-night lineup. He scored his first goal of the season on opening night against the Flames and remained in the Canucks’ lineup until an injury sustained on October 19 sidelined him for a month. From then on, he made a couple of appearances for Vancouver, but ultimately skated in a grand total of 13 NHL games in 2025–26.
While he managed to put up consistent offensive numbers in the AHL, scoring 13 goals and seven assists in 21 games with Abbotsford through the season, Lekkerimäki’s injuries ended up keeping him out for the majority of the year. A shoulder injury cut his season off in February, with the forward’s final game of the year taking place on February 18 against the Ontario Reign.
Lekkerimäki has been a player that has gained headline attention as of late, with discourse circulating around what to do with the 22-year-old prospect heading into the 2026–27 season. While his role will ultimately be decided on a variety of roster factors, health being the biggest one, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the forward make Vancouver’s opening night lineup yet again.
Elias Pettersson
2022 R3, 80 OVR
Vancouver Canucks, NHL
Pettersson, the defenceman, may have been the Canucks’ most surprising player from the 2024–25 season. In his first stint in North America, the defenceman played himself into an All-Star nod in the AHL before earning an NHL call-up and eventually a full-time role, replacing veteran Carson Soucy. He didn’t end up back in the AHL until later on in 2025–26.
While Pettersson did play himself into a full-time role in 2025–26, this particular season was a little trickier for the defenceman. Though he did play in 70 games for Vancouver, registering three goals and seven assists, Pettersson was sent down to Abbotsford for a few games after a couple of rough stretches on the blueline. Those didn’t last long, however, as he only ended up playing in three AHL games in 2025–26.
The 2025–26 season was, of course, rough for virtually every member of the Canucks. Regardless of that, Pettersson was still able to be effective, bumping his average TOI of the season from 12:49 minutes in 2024–25 to nearly 15 in 2025–26. Depending on how 2026–27 goes, that average may only go higher.
At this point, Pettersson feels like a shoe-in for a roster spot in 2026–27, especially given the changes Vancouver has made to their blueline in trading Marcus Pettersson and acquiring mentor-like players in Luke Schenn and Jamie Oleksiak. The most likely spot for the defenceman would be on Vancouver’s third-pair, possibly alongside Schenn.
Daimon Gardner
2022 R4, 112 OVR
St. Cloud State University, NCAA
The 2025–26 season was Gardner’s third year in the NCAA and his second as a member of St. Cloud State University. The 22-year-old center set a collegiate career-high in points the season prior with five goals and nine assists in 32 games but wasn’t quite able to replicate that this time around. In 26 games this season, Gardner scored two goals and two assists, marking a new career-low throughout his NCAA career.
As a whole, the 2025–26 season was subpar for St. Cloud State. The Huskies went 16–19–1 on the season, including a record of 9–14–1 in-conference. They lost both of their games against the University of Minnesota-Duluth in the first-round of the NCHC Frozen Faceoff, with Minnesota-Duluth ultimately losing in the NCHC championship round to eventual 2026 NCAA-champion University of Denver.
Gardner will play for the third NCAA team of his collegiate career come the 2026–27 season, as the forward has transfered to Minnesota State University (Mankato).
Ty Young
2022 R5, 144 OVR
Abbotsford Canucks, AHL and Kalamazoo Wings, ECHL
Young entered the 2025–26 season looking to build off a rookie pro season that saw him make starts at both the AHL and ECHL level. He played in a total of 33 games, registering a .904 SV% in the AHL and .926 SV% at the ECHL level.
The goaltender’s sophomore pro season went differently, though it started with a bit of a whirlwind.
At the beginning of November, with only three AHL games under his belt for the season, Young was forced into the starter’s role after injuries to both Vancouver and Abbotsford’s lineup left the AHL Canucks with only Young available to play. The rough start resulted in Young not notching his first AHL win of the season until his ninth game of the year, after taking a near three-month stint back in the ECHL with the Kalamazoo Wings.
Once March came around, bounces finally seemed to start going in Young’s way at the AHL level. The goaltender won his first three starts of the month with Abbotsford, also ending the year with a personal three-game win-streak. As a result, he finished the year with a record of 6–10–1, a 3.36 GAA, and a .884 SV%, also recording two shutouts.
Where Young plays next season will be heavily dependent on how Vancouver chooses to approach their goaltending situation. Nikita Tolopilo will be the player in net to watch, as if he stays up in the NHL with Vancouver, there will be more room in Abbotsford’s crease for players like Young and Koskenvuo.
Photo Credit: Kaja Antic-THN
Kirill Kudryavtsev
2022 R7, 208 OVR
Abbotsford Canucks, AHL
Kudryavtsev made his pro hockey debut in 2024–25 and has only seemed to impress since then. The defenceman played his way into a full-time role in his rookie AHL season and made himself effective during Abbotsford’s Calder Cup run in 2025. He also made his NHL debut in that same season, skating in his first game on April 14 against the San Jose Sharks.
The 2025–26 season was yet another reflection of how impressive Kudryavtsev has been throughout the past couple of years. With Abbotsford’s D-core heavily depleted after the 2025 off-season, as well as movement with the NHL club, Kudryavtsev found himself taking on sizable minutes as a sophomore. While he did end up being named Abbotsford’s representative at the AHL All-Star Challenge, an injury took the defenceman out of competition for two months.
Kudryavtsev returned to Abbotsford’s lineup in March, skating with the team for about a month before he was called-up to Vancouver and made his season debut at the NHL level. He scored his first NHL point on April 12 against the Anaheim Ducks, finishing his season’s NHL run with two points in three games. At the AHL level, Kudryavtsev’s 2025–26 season ended with the defenceman potting two goals and 18 assists in 44 games.
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It’s no secret that the offseason of 2026 didn’t go according to plan for general manager Pat Verbeek and the Anaheim Ducks. After a season where they made the playoffs and seemingly turned the corner on their long rebuild, they were in a prime position to add a significant piece or two to their depth chart and take another sizable step toward Stanley Cup contention in the near future.
A historic offer sheet later, and their entire cap structure has been detrimentally altered. They’ll now have to rely on their current young core to take another considerable step in their development into stardom. They’ll also need their young secondary pieces to assume larger roles in their nightly lineups and reach their potential quicker than anticipated.
Once armed with the most projected cap space in the NHL, the Ducks will now likely be forced to move a veteran contract or two to fit star forward Cutter Gauthier’s eventual new contract under the cap ceiling before the start of the season (or at some point before injured forward Troy Terry is slated to return to the lineup in late autumn).
Heading into the offseason, the two most notable areas in need of improvement on the Ducks’ depth chart were on the right side of the blueline and at the center position, on the second line, behind Leo Carlsson.
The right side of the blueline will now mostly lean heavily on youth, with a combination of Ian Moore, Drew Helleson, Tristan Luneau, and lone veteran Nick Jensen. The center group is projected to remain the same as it was in May, when they lost in the second round to the eventual Western Conference Champion Vegas Golden Knights, and consists of Carlsson, Mikael Granlund, Ryan Poehling, and Tim Washe.
However, the Ducks may have a hidden arrow in their quiver when it comes to addressing their current suboptimal middle-six center situation.
“Well, as you see it now, we have options,” Verbeek said after the Ducks traded Mason McTavish at the 2026 NHL Draft. “Cutter’s played center before. Roger McQueen, we’re going to see what he looks like when he gets to camp. So, we have options. We’re just trying to see where these players are going to shake out when training camp arrives.”
Cutter Gauthier (22) will be entering his third full season in the NHL in 2026-27. After a rookie 2024-25 year that saw him struggle to maintain a role in the top nine under former head coach Greg Cronin, yet still managing to score 44 points (20-24=44) in 82 games, he broke out last season and established himself as a top-20 winger in the NHL and a difference-maker, leading the Ducks in scoring with 69 points (41-28=69) in 76 games. He became the first Ducks player to score 40 goals in a season since Corey Perry in 2013-14 and just the fourth Ducks player in history to do so, joining Perry, Paul Kariya, and Teemu Selanne.
Before his jump to the NHL from the NCAA at Boston College, and during his time with the USNTDP in juniors, Gauthier played down the middle of the ice as a center. He was selected at the top of the first round by the Philadelphia Flyers (5th overall in 2022) as a player who could play either forward position and provide instant offense. He did just that during his collegiate career, scoring 102 points (54-48=102) in 73 games at BC over two seasons.
Gauthier always projected as more of a winger, given his skill set and how he operates on the ice. He provides elite straight-line speed, has a feel for where to be and how to position himself in dangerous areas of the ice, and possesses one of the most deadly releases in the NHL. His shot is undoubtedly one of the best the sport of hockey has ever seen.
Gauthier’s production at a young age and the contract that his common linemate, Carlsson, is now under ($18 million AAV) have given Gauthier a high percentage of leverage in his current extension negotiations with the Ducks. Without knowledge of the range in which the final number will land, it’s entirely conceivable that Gauthier’s AAV comes in around the number Connor Bedard recently signed for with the Chicago Blackhawks, $15 million.
Assuming that hypothetical $15 million AAV, it would render Gauthier the third-highest paid (tied) player in the NHL, and it’s increasingly likely he’ll be, at the very least, within the top ten. Given the roster makeup, can the Ducks ultimately justify paying that salary to a winger?
The Ducks are already projected to ice a top-heavy depth chart on a nightly basis. Carlsson’s contract will eat 17.3% of the cap for the 2026-27 season, and if Gauthier comes in around $13-16 million, roughly 30% of their cap (minimum) will be distributed to just two players. Shifting Gauthier to center and playing him on the second line would, in theory, allow the Ducks to distribute their high-end talent more evenly throughout the lineup, allow Gauthier a greater chance to impact games, and a better opportunity to merit his projected AAV by playing a more premium position.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Faceoffs and faceoff percentages are not proven to alter the outcome of a game to a high degree, but they’re one of the minor details that coaches emphasize, and one that allows a team to begin a shift with possession of the puck. In 2025-26, when called upon, Gauthier won 102 of 208 draws (49%), good enough for fourth on the Ducks among players who took over 100 draws.
After the draw, Gauthier’s ability to play meaningful minutes down the middle comes more into question. He has the goal-line-to-goal-line speed necessary to play center in head coach Joel Quenneville’s system, one proven demanding of those who play there. In limited opportunities, he’s provided a quality defensive impact and has done fairly well to round out the disruptive aspects of his game on the defensive side of the puck in his young career.
Struggles with a potential shift to the middle may lie in an inability to transport pucks through the middle of neutral ice and drive play with change of pace or manipulative sequences with the puck on his stick. When he’d been called upon in the past to act as the trailer on the power play, he had difficulties gaining clean entry and stickhandling through traffic at high speeds. He’s also not one to quarterback offensive zone cycle sequences or create time and space for himself and teammates.
Without play-driving improvement (something he’s entirely capable of), a shift to the middle for Gauthier may only work if he’s placed on a line with wingers who rely on forechecking and winning pucks back to generate offense or wingers who can assume the playmaking duties for his line.
Sliding Gauthier from the wing to the middle and allowing him to develop those aspects of his game could ultimately provide the Ducks with more options in the present and future when constructing their lineups, allow players like Roger McQueen, Eric Nilson, or Lucas Pettersson to marinate longer in lower levels, and add needed depth as they attempt to remain competitive in the immediate future.
First things first, of course, the Ducks and Gauthier will need to come to an agreement on a new contract before the start of training camp to fully optimize him and the team around him heading into another pivotal season in Anaheim.
If there’s one position the Calgary Flames aren’t short on heading into the 2026-27 season, it’s defence.
For the first time in quite a while, Calgary has more NHL-calibre defencemen than available roster spots. That’s a good problem to have, but it’s still a problem.
Whether Craig Conroy decides to let training camp sort things out or makes another trade before opening night, somebody is going to be squeezed out. The Flames have veterans, recent acquisitions, established NHLers and some of the organization’s best prospects all competing for essentially seven jobs.
Here’s how the blue line currently shakes out.
Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
The Locks
These are the players that should have every opportunity to open the season with the Flames.
Kevin Bahl
Bahl quietly became one of Calgary’s most dependable defencemen during the 2025-26 season. His game isn’t flashy, but that’s exactly why he’s valuable. He defends well, plays with size, kills plays early and gives the Flames a steady presence while the forward group continues getting younger.
He’s as close to a lock as you’ll find.
Simon Nemec
The Flames didn’t acquire Simon Nemec to ease him into the lineup.
Last season wasn’t quite the offensive explosion many expected from Parekh.
Injuries and the adjustment to professional hockey limited him to four goals and nine points in 37 games, but none of that changes his ceiling.
This is still the same player who exploded for 107 points (33 goals, 74 assists) in his final junior season after being selected ninth overall by Calgary in 2024.
Kuznetsov may not generate many headlines, but he’s earned his spot.
After beginning the season with the Wranglers, he never looked back once he received his NHL opportunity. He appeared in 57 games, recording 12 points (four goals, eight assists), while proving he can be trusted in a shutdown role.
His value comes from playing a simple, dependable game, and that’s exactly what Calgary needs.
Jake Middleton
Acquired from Minnesota in the Blake Coleman/Olli Määttä trade, Middleton adds another element to Calgary’s defence.
He’s physical, experienced, difficult to play against and brings leadership to a relatively young group.
This is where things become much more interesting.
Zach Whitecloud
Whitecloud is an NHL player. There’s really no debate there.
The Stanley Cup champion has now played nine NHL seasons and appeared in 78 games last year, including 31 after arriving in Calgary as part of the Rasmus Andersson trade.
He immediately fit into the room and checks every box you’d want for a young team: leadership, experience and reliability.
Ironically, those same qualities are exactly what could make him valuable on the trade market.
The Flames would have no problem keeping him, but if another contender comes calling, Whitecloud could quickly become one of Calgary’s most attractive trade pieces.
Hunter Brzustewicz
Brzustewicz might be the toughest player on the entire blue line to project.
The 21-year-old has legitimate offensive upside after finishing his final junior season with 92 points (13 goals, 79 assists). He followed that with an impressive first professional season, recording 32 points (five goals, 27 assists) in 70 games with the Wranglers, before appearing in 34 NHL games last season.
The idea of eventually having both Brzustewicz and Parekh running power plays is exciting.
The problem isn’t talent. It’s opportunity.
With so many NHL-ready defencemen already ahead of him, Brzustewicz could begin the season back in the AHL. He also has enough value to headline a trade package if Calgary decides to pursue a proven top-six forward.
Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Likely Heading to the Wranglers
Unless someone forces the issue during training camp, these two appear destined to begin the year in the AHL.
Abram Wiebe
Wiebe had an outstanding season at North Dakota, earning multiple NCHC Defenceman of the Week honours, NCHC Player of the Month recognition in December and a spot on the conference’s All-Academic Team.
Acquired in the Andersson trade, he also received a brief four-game NHL look to finish the season.
There’s plenty to like, but another year of professional development with the Wranglers probably makes the most sense.
Carson Carels
Could Carson Carels make the team? Absolutely. Will the Flames rush him? Probably not.
The sixth-overall pick from the 2026 NHL Draft is coming off a tremendous season with Prince George, notching 73 points (20 goals, 53 assists) in just 58 games.
The offensive skill is obvious, but young defencemen generally need more time than forwards.
If history is any indication, Calgary will likely take the patient route, even if fans are hoping to see the 18-year-old wearing the Flaming “C” sooner rather than later.
Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Fighting for Their NHL Future
With so much depth, somebody is inevitably going to lose out.
Joel Hanley
Hanley filled an important role last season, particularly helping stabilize Parekh early in the year. But roster construction matters.
With Calgary prioritizing younger players with long-term upside, it’s difficult to find a clear path for Hanley to play regularly. He feels like a candidate to be wearing another jersey before opening night.
Brayden Pachal
Pachal handled a difficult season as professionally as anyone could. He spent much of the year as the extra defenceman, appearing in 39 games while staying ready whenever his number was called.
The issue is that Middleton now fills many of the same physical, hard-nosed responsibilities, leaving Pachal without a clear role. If he can’t win a bottom-pairing job in camp, waivers, or a trade, could be his next stop.
Final Thoughts
This is exactly the kind of ‘problem’ rebuilding teams hope to have.
Whether the Flames make another trade before camp or simply let the competition play out, one thing is certain: there won’t be many jobs handed out. Every spot on the blue line will have to be earned, and that’s a healthy place for this organization to be heading into the 2026-27 season.
The Chicago Blackhawks have two RFAs that they have to sign before the start of the 2026-27 season if they plan on having them around. Ethan Del Mastro and Kevin Korchinski, both defensemen, are the two in question.
Both of them are going to have a hard time cracking the opening night lineup for the Blackhawks, but they would both need to clear waivers to make it down to the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL. Arbitration is not an option for either of them as the two sides try to come to an agreement.
The Blackhawks entered the off-season with 4 RFAs. The other two, Connor Bedard and Drew Commesso, were able to get their deals signed. They have a clear role within the organization, which made them much easier to get done.
As for Korchinski and Del Mastro, the same cannot be said. These are the 3 biggest reasons that these deals are not yet complete:
1. Hard To Place Financial Value
What type of money do you pay players like Kevin Korchinski or Ethan Del Mastro? They are likely to get two-way deals that will have a set NHL salary and a set AHL salary.
The Blackhawks gave Wyatt Kaiser a two-year deal with an NHL average annual value of $1.7 million ahead of last season. It is hard to justify giving Korchinski or Del Mastro any more than Kaiser, who has shown a higher likelihood of being an everyday NHL player.
From the players' perspective, it would be wise to take a deal at a million per year or just under, then go out and prove why their next contract should be much more lucrative.
2. Role In The Organization
The Blackhawks traded Louis Crevier away, but they brought in Bowen Byram in return. In addition, they added veteran Ian Cole, who is on a two-year streak of playing in all 82 games. With Wyatt Kaiser, Alex Vlasic, Sam Rinzel, and Artyom Levshunov all in the mix as well, the room for Korchinski or Del Mastro to play every day isn't there.
Injuries will occur, and both of these guys will get a chance if they are on the roster, but their role right now is depth defenseman who may need to spend time in the AHL. Not being waiver-exempt makes things even tougher, because sending them to Rockford could be the fast track to a new team.
Young defensemen have passed each of these two guys by, and it is going to be difficult to catch up with their likely lack of NHL playing time. A situation like this makes it extremely hard to negotiate a fair contract.
3. There Is No Rush From An Organizational Standpoint
The Chicago Blackhawks have no reason to rush these negotiations with either player. It could help them to have as much defensive depth as possible within the organization, but they are no longer relying on either of them to be everyday players, which gives them all of the leverage.
As far as the Blackhawks are concerned, they could wait until camp or later to get it resolved. The players won't want that because they need camp and the preseason to prove themselves, but it isn't a main priority for the Blackhawks at this time.
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With all the travel, all the places and people, it would be hard to blame Jett Luchanko if he felt more like a nomad than a hockey player the last two seasons.
Consider this: Luchanko played in Philadelphia, Allentown, Guelph, Brantford, Ottawa and St. Paul. That was for five teams at various levels, from the NHL to the AHL to the OHL and the world junior championship.
All as a teenager.
“It’s definitely a little bit exhausting sleeping in a different bed a lot,” Luchanko admitted in May. “It’ll definitely be nice next year to kind of know I could be in one spot for a longer time.”
Life as an NHL prospect, especially a first-rounder, requires being on the move and ready to climb. But Luchanko has been through his experiences and adversity, perhaps more than most prospects his age.
This season, having his feet on the ground could help him. Good health could go a long way, too.
“His speed, his skill set, there’s lots there,” Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr said. “Hopefully a full summer to train and train properly this year will really help him and build his confidence for training camp.”
Luchanko, who the Flyers selected at 13th overall in 2024, was not on the ice at development camp this summer. The 19-year-old center had surgery on his core area to address a nagging issue. The Flyers, though, were not worried about his status for the rest of the offseason and heading into the fall.
“It has been lingering for quite a while, a couple years,” Luchanko said in June. “It has been dealt with and I should be good for training camp and on the ice next week, that’s the plan.”
Between Guelph and Brantford last season, Luchanko didn’t explode offensively in his final junior campaign. He put up seven goals and 36 assists in 38 games. The goal total was down from his previous season, when he had 21 in 46 games for Guelph. Last season, he was traded to league-leading Brantford in November and missed time down the stretch because of a fractured jaw.
“It’s not very fun,” Luchanko said of the injury. “You’re just eating kind of mashed up meats. I lost some weight, but I’ve been able to get it back.”
“I have lots of faith in Jett,” Flahr said in July. … “It has been lingering for about a year and a half, it has been a problem. He’s working out lots down there, he should be skating within the week and he’ll be ready to go. It has been a frustrating thing for him, but he doesn’t like to make excuses.”
Jett Luchanko said he should be back on the ice in a week and good for training camp.
Said he has dealt with this lower-body issue for a couple of years, but it has been dealt with, he said.
As we wrote in March, Luchanko’s NHL ceiling will hinge on how much offense he can provide. This season will be his first full one at the pro level. He’s projected for AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley, which would make the most sense for his development. It would allow Luchanko to get situated and build up his game.
“Where Jett plays this year is up to Jett,” Phantoms head coach John Snowden said in June. “I know he’s going to prepare himself the best that he can because he’s a very astute kid and he works his butt off to make sure he’s ready for things. So wherever he plays is wherever he plays, but for me, if it is with us, I’m very excited for us as a staff to get our hands on him and really start to help him mold his game into the NHL level.”
The Flyers will look for Luchanko to be more assertive with the puck.
“Work through his offensive touches and see if we can get that offense going that he has inside of him,” Snowden said. “He’s a very smart player, he skates like the wind, we’ve all seen that, he understands the defensive responsibilities and playing off the puck.
“We want to push that offensive side this year, really challenge him to be a threat when he’s on the ice. Be a threat to shoot, be a threat to take pucks to the net. We don’t have to pass every single time. Just be a dual threat all over. His skating is going to give him that advantage; now we’ve got to make him see those opportunities to attack.”
In the meantime, assistant GM Shawn Horcoff is handling day-to-day responsibilities, though that does not extend to making trades.
Three weeks have passed since the Yzerman announcement that stunned the hockey world. While the Wings have missed the playoffs every spring during his time in the front office, the timing was odd: Yzerman had just gone through being in charge of the draft and free agency.
But this is where the Wings find themselves as August ages: Without leadership and possibly without a captain, as Dylan Larkin has not budged on the request to be traded that he made shortly after the season ended April 15.
Ilitch, and by extension the search firm, is believed to be looking for an analytics-driven person to take charge of the Wings, similar to how his Detroit Tigers plucked Scott Harris from the San Francisco Giants to guide the Tigers as president of baseball operations in September 2022.
This is the biggest hire Ilitch will make since his father, Mike Ilitch, died on Feb. 10, 2017. At that time, Ken Holland was GM. When Yzerman announced in fall of 2018 that he was stepping back in his role as general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning in what was the last year of his contract, it immediately became clear there was a path for Yzerman to return to manage the team he captained to three Stanley Cups. That happened the following April.
Yzerman inherited a team that was in shambles, and with that came a long grace period. But what appeared to be a storybook return soured as the years piled up and the playoff drought dragged on. Now it’s seven years later, and Ilitch is poised to bring in a fresh hire whose immediate tasks will be to deal with the Larkin situation, and how to shape the team into a product that will end what has grown to a 10-year playoff drought.
Ilitch and the search firm may well look to teams like the analytics-driven Carolina Hurricanes, who just won the Stanley Cup, following a two-season Cup run by the Florida Panthers fueled by the analytics department. That run was championed by then-assistant GM Sunny Mehta, who is now GM of the New Jersey Devils; he spearheaded their analytics department in 2014. The Colorado Avalanche and Buffalo Sabres are likewise deeply embedded in analytics.
The Wings have employed analytics within their hockey operations department, but it has been in an advisory capacity, not a decision-making one. But after 10 years of missing the playoffs and seven disappointing years under Yzerman, it appears the Wings are in for a significant change in management style as the 2026-27 season draws closer.
The Senators enter the 2026-27 season next month with new expectations.
After earning a Stanley Cup Playoff berth two years in a row, they know that another quick appearance in round one won't cut it. And that's with a full understanding that they're in a brutally tough division that featured five of the top nine teams in the NHL last season.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss Travis Green's comments on Brady Tkachuk's exit.
GM Steve Staios has said that even with the loss of Brady Tkachuk, the club has no intention of taking a step backward.
So from that standpoint, the entire team has something to prove in 2026-27. But the pressure to get to the next level also applies to several individual Senators.
For some, it'll be about living up to a big new contract. For others, including a pair of newcomers, it's about bouncing back and proving Staios was right to bring them in and give them a shot.
Here are five Senators with the most to prove in 2026-27.
Shane Pinto
I was hesitant to include Pinto here because he's already proven a lot.
He plays such an important role for the Senators defensively, finishing sixth in this year's Selke voting. He also took another step offensively, posting career highs of 23 goals and 47 points, while finishing second among Senators forwards in time on ice.
So what is there to prove?
Well, Pinto's four-year, $30-million extension kicks in this season, meaning his cap hit will double from $3.75 million to $7.5 million.
At that pay grade, his scoring numbers will come under a lot more scrutiny, especially if he bumps up to the second line with higher-producing wingers. Between his new salary and the potential for an elevated offensive role, including more power-play time, Pinto will be out to prove he's earned all of it.
Jordan Spence
Few Senators improved their stock more last season than Spence.
Feeling like there wasn't room for both Spence and Nepean's Brandt Clarke on their blue line, the LA Kings sent Spence to Ottawa for a couple of picks, eventually replacing him with former Senator Cody Ceci.
In Ottawa last fall, Spence's fresh start had a false start.
The right-shot defenceman was a healthy scratch on opening night and for several others in October, but he eventually established himself as an important part of the Sens blue line and responded with the best season of his young NHL career.
His reward was a four-year, $20-million contract.
At $5 million per season, a huge leap from last year's $1.5 million, Spence doesn't have to be a Norris candidate. But he's now being paid to be the Sens' clear number four defenceman, and not just filling that role as an injury replacement. He's the guy now.
So he'll be out to prove his breakout season wasn't an outlier, and like Pinto, that he's worth every penny.
If he does, and everyone can stay healthy this season, the Senators' blue line appears to be in pretty good shape.
Andre Burakovsky
The Senators didn't give up much to acquire Burakovsky, but they are paying him $5.5 million.
Burakovsky has dealt with more than his share of injuries, which have unravelled some promising seasons. He had 11 goals and 33 points last season and hasn't come close to the career-high 61 points he produced with Colorado in 2021-22.
At 31, expecting him to suddenly become that player again seems awfully optimistic, but that seems to be the club's headspace on the player.
The Senators need something more compelling from him, point-wise, than a re-run of Thirty Something. They already had plenty of guys internally who could accomplish that for a lot less money.
Burakovsky is also in the final year of his contract, so he needs to prove that he deserves another one.
Samuel Ersson
Staios isn't shy about telling people that goalie evaluation isn't his strongest suit. He relies heavily on his goalie coaches, Justin Peters and Maciej Szwoch, who like Ersson's movement and fundamentals and think he's better than his Philadelphia Flyers numbers suggest.
After Carter Hart had to step away from the Flyers during the 2023-24 season, Ersson became the number one for the next year and a half. But after a coaching change, Dan Vladar got the lion's share of starts last season.
Ersson's .870 save percentage last season and career .884 save percentage through 143 games in Philly aren't particularly impressive. But the Sens' goalie whisperers see enough potential that Staios gave him a two-year contract.
Ersson will be out to prove they were right.
If he can give Ottawa 30 reliable starts and simply make the saves an NHL goalie is supposed to make, he'll have done his job.
Linus Ullmark
Ullmark might have the most to prove of anyone on this list.
We've seen stretches where he has looked exactly like the Vezina-winning goaltender from three years ago. We've also seen stretches where he hasn't been good at all.
Ullmark has never played more than 50 games in an NHL season, and going back to his Boston days, he's clearly at his best when he's in a platoon situation and getting plenty of in-season rest.
Between his personal leave of absence and the Olympic break, Ullmark played in just four hockey games between Dec. 27 and March 3. After that, he was noticeably better over his final 17 games of the regular season, although his save percentage was still .870 or worse in seven of them.
He was then the Senators' best player in the playoffs, saving his best for last with a .932 save percentage over four games. And bear in mind, based on last season's numbers, a .910 save percentage or better puts a goalie among the NHL's elite.
Ullmark needs to prove during the regular season that he can be more consistent, more available and worth his $8.25-million salary.
Even if absolutely everything else goes according to plan, the Senators won't be able to find the next level unless their goalies do.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published in The Hockey News. For more Sens coverage at The Hockey News, click on one of the Sens headlines below:
More than a month into NHL free agency, many of the biggest names have already found new homes. Yet, several familiar faces from the Winnipeg Jets remain on the open market as August begins, including a trio of players who once played key roles in the organization's past and present.
Leading the way is former second overall pick Patrik Laine, who remains one of the most intriguing free agents available, despite appearing in just five games last season before a core muscle injury ended his campaign.
Photo by Stephen Brashear/USA Today
And as pointed out by Puck Media, thanks to an injury-related provision in the NHL's Collective Bargaining Agreement, the 28-year-old winger is eligible to sign a one-year, performance bonus-laden contract, potentially giving cap-strapped contenders a low-risk opportunity to add a player who at one point of his career was one of the league's most gifted goal scorers.
Another recognizable name still searching for work is Evander Kane, the former Atlanta Thrashers first-round pick, who spent the first five-plus seasons of his NHL career with the franchise before it relocated to Winnipeg. Beleaguered every time he returns to Winnipeg, Kane has faced a number of injuries as of late. Now 35, Kane does continue to offer size, physicality and proven playoff experience, which could serve as an asset for teams needing that extra punch.
On the blueline, Logan Stanley also remains unsigned after being dealt by the Jets to the Buffalo Sabres ahead of last season's trade deadline. The towering 6-foot-7 defenceman has played parts of six NHL seasons and, at 28 years old, could still draw interest from clubs looking for depth on the left side.
Just six months ago, certain 'insiders' had Stanley's value marked north of $25 million.
While those three headline the list, they aren't the only former Jets still awaiting their next opportunity. Veteran forwards Tanner Pearson and Gustav Nyquist also entered August without NHL contracts after finishing last season in Winnipeg.
Elsewhere, the list of former Jets from last season has continued to shrink. Defenceman Colin Miller has opted to continue his career overseas, while Winnipeg native and former Jet Jonathan Toews officially announced his retirement, closing the book on a remarkable NHL career.
Training camp is set to begin next month - will any of Laine, Kane or Stanley have a contract by that point?
Predators Ryan O'Reilly (R) attempts to score past Penguin's goalkeeper Sergei Murashov during the NHL Global Series Sweden ice hockey match between the Nashville Predators and the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Avicii Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, on November 16, 2025. (Photo by Claudio BRESCIANI / TT NEWS AGENCY / AFP via Getty Images) / Sweden OUT
The old joke that you could rename the sport of hockey goalie has some truth to it. With quality goaltending, the sky is the limit. With poor play in net, a team is basically cooked.
Last summer we looked into the changing situation in the crease for the Penguins for 2025-26. The big news was that Alex Nedeljkovic was out, having been traded to San Jose. By and large, that was an opportunity for improvement since Nedeljkovic’s metrics were poor. In was the unknown of Arturs Silovs.
Back at NST, looking at 5v5 save percentage, setting a sample of 875 minutes from last year allows 64 goalies to qualify, which adds up in theory to each of the 32 teams having a starter+backup. Nedeljkovic ranked tied-46th out of the 62 with a .902 save%, Jarry was tied-51st with .900. This is an area for primed for potential regression. Given team strength and goalie skill, you wouldn’t expect the Pens to get a .920+ 5v5 performance in the upcoming season. But if one/both can nudge up towards and past the .910% mark, there will be a noticeable change within the games themselves for the Penguins receiving the type of goaltending that should hold them in games — in theory long enough for the strength of their team to score them into wins.
In this area, the Penguins didn’t do much better in 2025-26. Stuart Skinner ended up 45th with a .900 5v5 save%. Silovs was down in 51st at .893%. The traded Tristan Jarry was just above him at .894%. Overall the Penguins finished 20th with a .901% 5v5 save percentage, due to the splits in the sample for Jarry and Skinner playing part of the season with Edmonton.
In all, an obvious conclusion to draw is that the Pittsburgh defense is too porous to support a strong statistical goaltender output in terms of save percentage. There likely is some truth to that, though perhaps not as an easy answer to completely paint over the situation. Per Natural Stat Tricks, the Pens finished 23rd in 5v5 scoring chances and high danger scoring chances allowed, yet they finished 14th in 5v5 HD save%. For that reason, Skinner and Jarry both did well in Goals Saved Above Average metrics, despite low save percentages.
Along those lines, NST tracked an expected 5v5 goals allowed of nearly 183 — and the Pens only gave up 173 5v5 goals, to indicate that positive input from the netminders.
That makes projecting 2026-27 in net a real challenge. By some measures, the Penguins goalies bailed the team out a little bit more than expectations. By about any stat, the defense allowed an above-average amount of shots and chances along the way to make it difficult for their last line of defense.
Given the lack of upgrades to the blueline, and general bent of a team that is going to lean towards trading chances and cheat for offense given the nature of the players on the roster and seeing how it worked last year with Dan Muse behind the bench, by this summer there’s a little reason to expect a huge goalie performance in 2026-27. For better or worse, the Penguins are going to open up the tempo and attempt to outscore teams. A casualty of that will likely be in the statistics for their goalies.
Half of the goalies in the league the past two years had a .906% 5v5 save percentage or better, but even if Sergei Murashov is a big hit, he likely won’t figure to be in that grouping next year. The style, scheme, strengths and weaknesses of the club aren’t designed to have a goaltender flourish individually.
There could be some reason to hope – Silovs’ best games were in the playoffs at the end of the year and he wasn’t even 100% during it after dealing with a late-season knee injury. He could be better next season than he was last year – and as we wrote last month, Silovs had better be since he now is the most veteran and experienced goalie currently in the organization, despite the fact he was still considered a rookie by NHL standards in 2025-26.
Murashov gives hope of the complete unknown at the NHL level, buoyed by an excellent AHL season last year. He certainly has the talent and athleticism to give it his all. Based on the last two years of goalie performances, it just probably won’t end up with a sterling GAA or save percentage on his stat-sheet to evaluate his performance. The Penguins aren’t going to ask or provide the path for him to excel in that area, but they can offer a lot of firepower to help out-score their team issues defending, if they can only get a goalie to keep them in games when times are tough. Silovs showed that in flashes in Games 4-6 of the playoffs last season, Pittsburgh will need to see more of that from him and some rookie magic in order to have a solid season and fight back to the playoffs again in 2026-27.
Last year’s hypothetical was phrased that “what if the Penguins get better goaltending next season” and directed towards the even strength save percentage. They didn’t get much better goaltending in that department, but overall did get enough GSAA out of their trio of goalies to have a better overall season in 2025-26 than they did in 2024-25. The challenge looking ahead in some ways will be to replicate that and give their team a chance.
At the best of times, predicting goaltending output can be a guessing game, part of the fun looking ahead to next year is seeing any number of realistic scenarios for what a completely new duo (and possibly trio if Joel Blomqvist has something to say about it) perform for the Penguins moving forward.
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 26: Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings battle for position during the first period in Game Four of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 26, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
“Lenni Hämeenaho showed some promise last season, but he could benefit from big minutes with an improved Utica Comets team.” [Devils on the Rush]
“The longer Quinn Hughes goes without an extension with the Minnesota Wild, the more it benefits the New Jersey Devils. As one source told New Jersey Hockey Now, ‘It’s not over.’ Obvious? Yes. Significant? Also, yes.” [New Jersey Hockey Now]
Hockey Links
“It’s pretty straightforward to identify teams that will probably land in the mushy middle this coming season. But the more interesting question is which teams might find themselves stuck here over the medium-term future for the next three to four seasons. I went through every NHL team’s roster, cap situation, prospect pool and more to identify clubs likely destined for this reality.” [The Athletic ($)]
“With the bulk of the off-season movement behind us, and an 84-game regular season starting next month, I thought it’d be fun to take stock of the Metro Division as a whole. I’m going to go team-by-team and share some thoughts on whether I’m buying or selling stock – there is no standing pat! – heading into the 2026-27 campaign.” [Infernal Access ($)]
A look at the top goaltenders left in free agency: [Daily Faceoff]
“The Blue Jackets are the fifth NHL club — joining the Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues — to simulcast their TV broadcasts over radio. For the past several seasons, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ radio crew has called road games from a studio in Toronto. Will more NHL teams de-emphasize radio-specific broadcasts in the years to come?” [The Athletic ($)]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
TAMPA, FL - MARCH 27: Nikita Kucherov #86 of the Tampa Bay Lightning against David Pastrnak #88 of the Boston Bruins during the first period at Amalie Arena on March 27, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Welcome to another summer edition of the Morning Skate, folks!
As we move through the first week of August, we know that hockey is the foremost thing on your mind, so thanks for stopping by.
We’re a month and 16 days away from the B’s first preseason game, so we’ll do our best to fill that space accordingly.
The second-best wing in the league?
The NHL Network’s annual offseason rankings of the best centers, wings, defensemen, goalies, hot dog toppings, pizza styles, and paint colors always generate plenty of discussion/argument, mainly because we have nothing better to do in August.
The network recently released its list of the best wings in the league, with our very own David Pastrnak coming in at the #2 spot.
The only player ranked ahead of Pastrnak? Nikita Kucherov, which…yeah, fair enough.
It’s become so routine by this point that it’s easy to take for granted just how good Pastrnak has been for the Bruins for the past several years.
He’s produced at a more than a point per game pace for the past eight seasons and has recorded 100+ points four seasons in a row, no small feat when you consider the debacle of a season we all sat through two years ago.
I’m not sure what the point of all of this is other than to make it a Pastrnak appreciation post, which we can all get on board with — except that guy we all know who insists that actually Pastrnak isn’t good and the Bruins should trade him for someone with more grit.
(I’m sure he’ll show up in the comments.)
If you want to argue some more, NHL Network will release its defensemen, goalies, and centers lists over the next three Sundays.
Radio waves
Aaron Portzline, who does a terrific job covering the Columbus Blue Jackets for The Athletic, had an interesting piece this week on the slow death of NHL radio broadcasts.
The piece may be behind a paywall, but the impetus for it was the Blue Jackets’ recent decision to scrap their radio broadcast and replace it with the audio from the TV broadcast — something four other NHL teams have also done in recent years.
Hockey is one of the harder sports to listen to on the radio, and calling a game for a radio audience is a tough task.
Baseball, for example, lends itself well to radio with the pace of play, relatively contained action, etc.
Hockey and basketball, to name a couple of sports, are different in that there is near-constant motion, limited reset opportunities (unlike the breaks between each batter in baseball or each down in football), and a lot of relevant stuff that happens away from the main action.
To me, it seems like you’re doing radio listeners a disservice by handing them audio of a TV feed.
TV play-by-play people are describing the action with the awareness that the viewer can see what they’re talking about, which is very different from someone who only has access to audio.
Bruins fans have been blessed with good to great radio teams for the better part of three decades, so hopefully there’s no change in that regard.
But a question for those who consume a lot of their hockey on the radio: do you notice a difference in the dedicated broadcast vs. simulcast setup?
Other than that, we have the Red Sox suddenly going for it, upheaval at FIFA (good), and the sudden realization in Boston that the sun is starting to set before 8 PM again.
In the last few years, the Montreal Canadiens training complex in Brossard, the CN Sports Complex, has been quite busy in the summer. It used to be that players wouldn’t be in town until the season was nearly here, but for the last two seasons, Ivan Demidov has stayed in town training hard, and last week he was joined by many of his teammates before Habs fans even began suffering from hockey withdrawal.
This summer, the Russian sensation has been joined by prospect Alexander Zharavosky for a good long while, Lane Hutson dropped in during the Canadiens’ development camp, and goalie Jakub Dobes is already back in town getting ready to enter his first camp as the Canadiens’ top-choice goaltender. On Tuesday morning, though, Demidov had an unusual guest: Utah Mammoth centerman Logan Cooley, who was apparently invited by the Russian winger himself.
No, that doesn’t mean the Canadiens are acquiring Cooley; other NHL players have always been welcomed to use the Habs’ training facility in the summer. Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang did it last season; Vegas Golden Knights’ Raphael Lavoie did it last week, and former Habs Brendan Gallagher and Joe Veleno still regularly use the training facility, but seeing Cooley on the ice with Demidov did get some fans dreaming of what could be.
🏒 Ivan Demidov a invité Logan Cooley à s'entraîner avec lui mardi matin à Brossard. pic.twitter.com/Ym1Pm1DWc4
Turns out the pivot is in town because he was attending the Omnium Banque Nationale on Tuesday night, and according to Patrick Guillet, he will be doing a photo shoot for an advertising campaign before heading home. It’s not the first time Cooley skates with a member of the Canadiens’ organization; after all, he is Habs prospect LJ Mooney’s cousin and they both train together in the summer.
Cooley's view last night. Photo credit: Logan Cooley Instagram account
Cooley was drafted third overall at the 2022 draft, two spots after the Canadiens had claimed Juraj Slafkovsky first overall, and he has developed very well since. In his rookie season, he put up 44 points in 82 games; he followed that up with a 65-point season in his sophomore year, and he had 43 points in just 54 games last season, a 65-point pace over a full 82-game campaign. He’s exactly the kind of player the Canadiens would like to land to unlock Demidov’s full potential, but that’s not happening; Bill Armstrong signed him to an eight-year deal with a $10 million cap hit last October.
Believe it or not, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust is going into his 13th NHL season this year.
He made his NHL debut during the 2014-15 season before playing in 41 games during the 2015-16 regular season. Everyone quickly found out that he was NHL-ready that year, especially when he scored some massive goals for the Penguins in their run to the 2016 Stanley Cup.
Rust got his start as a depth forward before working his way up to the top line. He's now one of Sidney Crosby's preferred linemates since he reads the latter so well.
Hard work, dedication, and tenacity are the three pillars of Rust's game, and fans see it on a nightly basis. He works his absolute butt off and embodies what it means to be a Penguin. He may not have a letter on his jersey, but there's no question he's one of the top leaders on the team.
Rust set a career-high in goals (31) and points (65) during the 2024-25 season before equaling that point total during the 2025-26 season. He was also three goals away from setting a new career-high in goals after finishing this year with 29.
Rust has scored at least 20 goals in seven consecutive seasons, and logic dictates that he will make it eight in a row during the 2026-27 season. Yes, he's 34, but he's been an incredibly consistent player these last several seasons, and I don't expect that to change this year.
Like Rakell, I expect Rust to score between 20 and 30 goals and compile 50 to 60 points. Some of his goals will come from his patented move: he takes defenders on and goes backhand-to-forehand in front of the net. He has done it countless times over the course of his career and isn't about to stop now.
He'll ride shotgun with Crosby on the top line at 5v5, but his power play deployment will be the more interesting one. He's usually on the top PP unit, but that could change this year with the continued emergence of Egor Chinakhov. Chinakhov has arguably the best shot on the Penguins, and their top PP unit could use more of it this year. He feels like the natural replacement for Rust, who can easily slide to PP2.
Time will tell if head coach Dan Muse and assistant coach Todd Nelson go down that path, but it makes a ton of sense.
Rust will still be a stalwart on the Penguins' penalty kill, which finished sixth in the NHL last season. He played 114:46 on that unit and was great at getting to loose pucks and blocking shots. His 114 minutes were the most he spent on the PK since the 2022-23 season, when he was on that unit for 129 minutes.
He has still been involved in trade rumors these last couple of offseasons, but Penguins general manager/president Kyle Dubas hasn't felt compelled to move him. Going off that, I think Rust will remain a Penguin unless Dubas gets an offer he truly can't refuse.
Rust has played a lot of meaningful hockey for the Penguins and that's expected to continue this year, assuming they stay in the race for the full season. He's also only 30 assists away from 300 for his career and is expected to hit that milestone by the end of this upcoming season, assuming he stays healthy.
He'll suit up for his 711th NHL game when the Penguins open the season against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sept. 30.
