Is Brett Kulak’s Avalanche Contract Really One of the NHL’s Worst? [Sports Illustrated]
After helping Colorado win the Stanley Cup in 2022, Jack Johnson is beginning a new chapter by joining one of college hockey’s premier programs at Ohio State. [The Hockey News]
The Avalanche announced last week that the team has signed forward Georgii Merkulov to a one-year contract for the 2026-27 season. [Colorado Avalanche]
Former Colorado Avalanche forward Andrew Agozzino announced his retirement from professional hockey on Tuesday after 14 years. [Col Hockey Now]
News Around the League
Top remaining NHL free agents: The best 2026 UFAs still on the board. [The Daily Faceoff]
Larkin, Hellebuyck appear on ‘Celebrity Family Feud’ with fellow gold medalists. [NHL]
President Trump’s new 50% U.S. tariffs hit Canadian hockey: How Bauer, CCM, and Sherwood will be affected. [Yahoo Finance]
Former Maple Leafs, Oilers goalie Jack Campbell ‘walking away’ from hockey. [Sportsnet]
Hockey Canada coach Donskov praises Celebrini: ‘Touched by the hand of God’. [TSN]
Kane rejoined Blackhawks to win, not ‘ride off into the sunset’. [The Score]
The Toronto Maple Leafs have taken on a slew of new contracts this off-season. That comes from their abundance of free-agency acquisitions, trades or even Gavin McKenna's entry-level contract that he signed on the final day of development camp on July 3.
Some contracts are better than others, and some are easy for the team to handle if a certain player needs to be moved. The constant growth of the salary cap helps with the way organizations handle the bigger contracts, and for the Leafs, it's tough to say there is a very horrible contract that's holding the franchise back.
Nonetheless, that doesn't mean there aren't challenging contracts on the team's payroll. Whether that be how long the deal is, the salary cap hit, or even the clauses that are included for each player.
Here are the three most challenging contracts on the Maple Leafs' roster going into the 2026-27 NHL season, in alphabetical order.
Dakota Joshua, LW
Dakota Joshua has two more years left on the four-year contract that he originally signed with the Vancouver Canucks in June 2024. Joshua and his $3.25-million salary cap hit became the Maple Leafs' responsibility when he was traded to Toronto for a 2028 fourth-round draft pick last off-season.
The main issue with this deal is that Joshua hasn't played up to the standard of his salary and has been bumped down the Leafs' lineup as a result. Even with the cap rising, it's not ideal to have a player earn above $3 million as a fourth liner, unless they provide another dimension to their game that's rare around the league.
It's fair to say that Morgan Rielly hasn't been playing up to standard over the past couple of seasons. However, he doesn't perform much lower than how a $7.5-million defenseman should.
After all, he still logs important minutes for Toronto, averaging the second-most minutes on the team for the past two seasons at 21:08 in 2025-26 and 21:23 in 2024-25. And frankly, he's a top-four defenseman on most teams in the NHL, despite only notching 36 points in 78 games this past year.
Therefore, the issue is not his salary. But if Toronto wanted to move off Rielly to change up the D-corps and for the veteran to receive a change in scenery after 13 seasons with the Leafs, the length of the deal and his clause might be what scares potential trade partners away, or at least from providing a sufficient return.
Rielly has four more years left on his contract, which will take him to the age of 36 when it expires. With that, he has a no-move clause for the rest of his deal, with a modified 10-team no-trade clause attached to the final two years of the agreement, according to PuckPedia.
For the Maple Leafs, Sissons' contract isn't all that back-breaking, just like much of the roster, thanks to the salary cap. However, his cap hit is a little high considering the stature of the player he is.
Sissons has never been a difference-maker offensively, and that attribute is the common denominator in paying a high price tag for a skater, even defensemen. Instead, the 32-year-old is known more for his two-way game and efforts on the penalty kill and faceoff dot. Those are still very much helpful tools to his new team, but it's not a rare talent.
Still, his cap hit isn't blasphemy, as he's still an effective player. But the fact that Sissons' salary is just about $140,000 less than what John Tavares makes - who is a consistent 30-goal scorer - is slightly puzzling, even if Tavares took an obvious pay cut.
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While it may have taken some time, the shockwaves the Philadelphia Flyers sent through the Anaheim Ducks with their $90 million offer sheet to Leo Carlsson are starting to form visible cracks.
Because the Ducks matched the five-year, $18 million AAV deal signed by their 21-year-old budding star, they are now severely limited on cap space, left with just $9 million to sign young 40-goal-scorer Cutter Gauthier to a new contract--an amount not expected to be nearly enough.
Veteran contributors like Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn, and Frank Vatrano have all emerged as trade candidates with the Ducks in dire need of cap space, and other NHL teams are aware of that fact, meaning the Ducks may not get anything substantive in return with their lack of leverage.
The Flyers have forced the Ducks into an unwinnable position, even though their true intentions were to sign Carlsson.
Credit to the Ducks for being unwavering in their stance, but we're now starting to see the unintended consequences.
The latest example is that 2026 first-round pick Nikita Klepov, who was included on Michigan State University's roster just one day prior, signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the Ducks on Saturday, making him ineligible for collegiate play.
Now, instead of playing college hockey at any point in his development, Klepov has two options: back to the CHL with the OHL's Saginaw Spirit, or make the NHL outright with the Ducks.
Because the Flyers forced such a massive contract upon the Ducks and left them in need of spare cash, the Ducks will need as many low-money contributors as they can to replace the likes of Kreider, Killorn, and Vatrano if and when they are traded.
As an 18-year-old on an ELC, Klepov has a cap hit of just $1.075 million, plus some potential for performance bonuses.
For comparison, Vatrano, the cheapest of the trio, comes with a $4.571 million cap charge.
It may very well not turn out to be the end of the world, but it certainly seems that the Flyers may have forced the Ducks to consider giving Klepov a real run at an NHL roster spot fresh out of the 2026 draft just because they needed to save some money.
Klepov, the 15th overall pick, is talented and absolutely deserving of his draft status, but being thrown right into a competitive NHL environment is far from ideal for his development.
Gauthier has the power to create a favorable outcome for the Ducks with his next contract, but that doesn't seem likely at this stage. Take it from the Flyers.
NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 04: Jake Allen #34 of the New Jersey Devils defend his net during the second period of the game against the Montréal Canadiens on April 4, 2026 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
“All in all, Mehta’s business has directly opened a plethora of different doors in the event that things don’t go as planned to begin 2026-27. From the roster to the Comets to the coaching staff, the Devils have fallback after fallback to resort to. Bar none, it should be regarded as the biggest plus of Mehta’s short tenure as the Devils’ GM.” [Infernal Access]
“Mercer is coming off a solid season, but he has failed to take that step forward many of us have been hoping for since the 2022-23 season. While it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Mercer start 2026-27 with the Devils, it may only be a matter of time before GM Sunny Mehta trades him for an upgrade.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]
“The three-goalie tandem is becoming more popular in the NHL. Just last season, the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes leaned on this system, with both teams finding success by making the playoffs, and in the Hurricanes’ case, winning the Stanley Cup. More teams look to be in a position for a three-goalie tandem this season, including the Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils. Devils’ goaltender Jake Allen joined Daily Faceoff Live last week to talk about the pros and cons of the three-goalie tandem.” [Daily Faceoff]
Hockey Links
Who is still left on the UFA market? [Daily Faceoff]
Cole Sillinger gets a three-year deal:
KEEPIN’ THINGS SILLY FOR 3 MORE SEASONS 🤩⁰
We’ve signed F Cole Sillinger to a $13.875 million contract through the 2028-29 season!
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) July 25, 2026
“Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill said signing winger Jason Robertson to a long-term contract remains his goal, after the two sides ended a contentious negotiation with a one-year deal this week.” [ESPN]
“After leading the Vegas Golden Knights on a surprising run to the Stanley Cup Final this spring, John Tortorella has no interest in walking away from the game.” [TSN]
“Who’s every team’s biggest on-ice villain from a rival opponent in franchise history? The Athletic asked its staff this week.” [The Athletic ($)]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 27: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins defenseman Chase Pietila (44) on the ice during the first period of the American Hockey League game between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Cleveland Monsters on February 27, 2026, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Getting us underway on this year’s Top 25 Under 25 countdown is rising defenseman Chase Pietila who just completed his first full professional season as a member of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the American Hockey League.
Following two seasons of collegiate hockey at Michigan Tech, Chase Pietila signed his entry level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins in March 2025 and got his first taste of professional hockey with 12 games played between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Wheeling Nailers at the end of the 2024-25 season.
After getting his feet wet in the professional game, Pietila entered the 2025-26 season looking to further establish himself and continue his development. Like many prospects, he joined the Penguins for the start of training camp before ultimately being reassigned to the AHL where he spent the entire season, developing into a solid blue line option for the Baby Pens as they made a deep playoff run all the way to the Eastern Conference Final.
Pietila began the season on the WBS second defensive pairing, but was moved up and down the lineup throughout the season to fill injury holes and experiment to see where he best fit. He saw action on both the left side and right side of the blue line, but his more regular place was on the right which is where he played in all 14 postseason contests for the Baby Pens.
Offense was not the name of the game for Pietila this season, but he did manage to contribute some, scoring twice and totaling 14 assists in the regular season. He added an additional goal and assist in the Calder Cup playoffs.
Where Pietila did excel was in the physical nature of the game. He was second on the team in penalty minutes with 85 and posted five fighting majors, equaling Boko Imama for most among the Baby Penguins.
To be certain, he had a strong — if hardly spectacular — first professional season. But there’s still plenty of refinement needed if he is to reach the NHL.
Pietila plays a by-the-book game rooted in defense, penalty killing and toughness. Any offense he provides is a bonus.
He is headed in the right direction, even if it will take him some time to get to his desired destination.
While Pietila did not particiapte in the Penguins recent development camp earlier this month, his Wilkes-Barre/Scranton head coach Kirk MacDonald was in attendance and spoke on several of his players, including Pietila who MacDonald praised for his defensive game.
Per Trib Live:
“I can kind of say the same thing,” MacDonald said. “I think they (Pietila and Harding) were top-five in the league in plus/minus (as rookies). … He competes really hard. Defends well. Penalty kills. He provides some offense, but I think he knows for him to take the next step, he’s got to continue to defend hard and consistently do that. When you can have guys like that, first-year guys, that you can lean on consistently every night on the back end, it’s great not only for our team but the organization.”
As MacDonald said in the quote above, Pietila posted a huge plus/minus this season of +27, among the best in the AHL. MacDonald was also clearly impressed by the defensive side of Pietila’s game and hopes he can continue to develop in those areas as his career progresses.
Solid defense with the occasional contributions on offense seem to be the best route for Pietila to take if he hopes to crack the NHL roster at some point in his future. Right now, the right side of the Penguins blue line is clogged with the likes of Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang, in addition to fellow prospect Harrison Brunicke.
It’s unlikely Pietila finds his way to Pittsburgh in 2026-27 with where he stands on the Penguins depth chart, but another season in the AHL where he can log a ton of ice time and play in high leverage situations will help continue his development and give him his best chance to break into the NHL down the road when the path ahead becomes a little more clear cut.
After years of fighting for a consistent NHL opportunity, Zac Jones finally delivered the type of season that made teams take notice — and earned himself a fresh chance with the Utah Mammoth.
The 25-year-old defenseman turned the 2025-26 season into a statement year, emerging as one of the most productive blue-liners in the American Hockey League and proving that his offensive upside was still very much intact. That performance ultimately led to Utah signing Jones to a two-year, two-way contract worth $875,000 annually at the NHL level.
Jones’ breakout campaign came with the Rochester Americans, where he became a driving force from the back end. In 60 games, he recorded 10 goals and 52 assists for 62 points, earning First Team AHL All-Star honors and representing the North Division at his first AHL All-Star Classic.
What stood out most was Jones’ ability to create offense. He led all AHL players in assists while also pacing the league in power-play assists with 36 and power-play points with 38. Among defensemen, he finished first in scoring and led all blueliners with 168 shots on goal, showcasing his willingness to attack and generate opportunities.
The season represented a major step forward for Jones, who had previously never reached those offensive heights at any level. His 10 goals were the most of his junior, collegiate, or professional career, while his 52 assists more than doubled his previous AHL single-season best of 26, set during the 2021-22 season.
Utah is also adding a player with valuable NHL experience. Jones spent parts of five seasons with the New York Rangers, appearing in 115 games and collecting four goals and 24 assists. He reached a career-high 46 NHL games in 2024-25, finishing seventh among Rangers defensemen in scoring with 11 points.
Before turning pro, Jones built a strong résumé at both the collegiate and international levels. He helped the University of Massachusetts win its first national championship in 2020-21, earning Second Team All-American honors while also being named to the Hockey East and NCAA All-Tournament Teams. He was also recognized as the USHL Rookie of the Year in 2018-19 after leading all league defensemen with 45 assists.
For the Mammoth, the signing represents a low-risk opportunity to add a skilled puck-moving defenseman who has already shown he can dominate at the AHL level. The next challenge for Jones will be turning that success into a permanent NHL role — something he has been chasing since the Rangers selected him 68th overall in 2019.
Scott Laughton did not start the 2025-26 season with the Los Angeles Kings; rather, he was with the Toronto Maple Leafs and played the majority of his games there last season. Then, on March 6th, on trade deadline day, the Kings traded for Laughton in exchange for a conditional third-round pick in the 2026 NHL draft. Before being traded to the Kings, Laughton had registered 8 goals, 4 assists for 12 points in 43 games.
Scott Laughton's Kings Season
After the trade deadline, Scott Laughton, in the regular season, would play in 21 games for the Kings, registering 5 goals and 3 assists for 8 points. While the biggest move for the Kings was getting Panarin, Scott Laughton improved the Kings' depth and penalty kill. The Kings organization highly valued Laughton, and one of their primary goals was to ensure he could stay in Los Angeles. Laughton would sign a 3-year, $3.5 million AAV contract with the Kings.
So while the Kings were able to keep a player they valued, it also helped their center depth, which is one of the weakest points on their entire roster, especially after the retirement of Anze Kopitar. Scott Laughton's defensive ability helps the Kings both at even strength and on the penalty kill, as they trust that he can be a strong defender against some of the best offensive players in the NHL.
Overall, the Laughton trade was a positive for the Kings, as they did not have to give up much to acquire him, but his extension with Los Angeles allows them to continue focusing on adding more centermen to the roster. While Laughton is likely not going to play top-line minutes, he still shows his leadership and strong play with depth, and if the Kings can add more to the center depth, Laughton's value could get even higher for the Kings if he continues to play his strong game.
Andrew Mangiapane’s name has always carried a little irony. A player known for battling through everything on the ice is now dealing with some actual “pain” away from it.
The former Calgary Flames forward is currently sidelined with a lower-body injury, according to TSN, but the setback is not expected to threaten his availability for training camp with the Chicago Blackhawks.
The 30-year-old enters the final season of his contract looking to rediscover the form that once made him one of Calgary’s most trusted forwards — and prove there is still plenty left to give at the NHL level.
Selected in the sixth round of the 2012 NHL Draft, the Bolton, Ontario native went from long-shot prospect to a key piece of the Flames’ lineup. Over seven seasons in Calgary, he became one of the team’s most reliable competitors, earning a reputation as a player who could be counted on in difficult moments.
In 417 games with the Flames, Mangiapane recorded 109 goals and 106 assists for 215 points. He added another 12 points in 27 playoff games, including his breakout 2021-22 campaign when he exploded for a career-high 35 goals.
At that point, Mangiapane looked like a player who had firmly established himself as part of Calgary’s long-term plans.
But hockey careers rarely follow a straight line.
Since leaving the Flames, Mangiapane has bounced between three organizations while searching for the consistency that once defined his game. After being traded to the Washington Capitals, he posted 14 goals and 14 assists for 28 points in 81 games during the 2024-25 season.
That production convinced the Edmonton Oilers to take a chance in free agency, signing him to a two-year, $7.2 million contract. The hope was that a change of scenery could help unlock the player Calgary fans knew so well.
Instead, the move quickly became a difficult chapter.
Mangiapane managed only 14 points in 52 games with Edmonton, recording seven goals and seven assists before the Oilers made a deadline decision to move on.
In March, Edmonton traded Mangiapane and a 2027 first-round pick to Chicago in exchange for forwards Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach. However, his arrival with the Blackhawks did not immediately spark a turnaround, as he finished the season with just two points in 10 games — one goal and one assist.
Now, Chicago represents another opportunity.
The injury may be an unwanted obstacle, but Mangiapane has time to recover before training camp begins. Entering a contract year, the veteran forward has a chance to rewrite the recent narrative surrounding his career and remind teams why he was once viewed as one of Calgary’s most valuable forwards.
For a player who built his reputation on resilience, the next chapter could be the most important one yet.
Cal Ritchie’s time with the Colorado Avalanche did not unfold exactly how he imagined.
Selected 27th overall by Colorado in the 2023 NHL Draft, Ritchie entered the organization as one of the franchise’s most promising young forwards. His first taste of NHL action arrived sooner than expected, as he earned a spot on the Avalanche’s opening-night roster for the 2024-25 season and scored his first career NHL goal in just his third game — ironically coming against the New York Islanders in a 6-2 loss.
But Ritchie’s path to establishing himself at the NHL level was not without obstacles.
After appearing in seven games with Colorado, he was reassigned to the Oshawa Generals of the OHL, where he continued refining his game and reminded everyone why he was viewed as one of the Avalanche’s top prospects. Ritchie dominated offensively, recording 70 points in 55 games with 15 goals and 55 assists before adding another 25 points in 21 playoff contests, including nine goals and 16 assists.
Then came another unexpected chapter.
On March 6, 2025, the Avalanche traded Ritchie, along with two draft picks and defenseman Oliver Kylington, to the New York Islanders in exchange for veteran forward Brock Nelson and prospect William Dufour.
For any young player, being traded by the organization that drafted you can be a difficult moment. However, when Ritchie spoke with The Hockey News in November, he made it clear that his focus was not on what happened behind him — but on the opportunity in front of him.
“I’m just trying to focus on myself and stay present,” Ritchie said. “I mean, I’m with the Islanders and not focusing on the past and what happened there. I’m just really excited to be a part of the Islanders, like I said, and staying present.”
But the trade was not the first time Ritchie had to overcome adversity during his young career.
After beginning the previous season with Colorado, Ritchie entered Islanders training camp hoping to earn a full-time NHL role. Instead, he found himself starting the year in the American Hockey League with the Bridgeport Islanders.
Rather than viewing the assignment as a setback, Ritchie used it as another opportunity to improve. After recording three points, including a goal and an assist, through his first three AHL games, he earned a recall and remained with New York for the remainder of the season.
Despite limited ice time and the challenges that come with adjusting to the NHL level, Ritchie made an impact. He finished the season with 30 points in 65 games, recording 13 goals and 17 assists.
At the end of the season, Ritchie reflected on the disappointment of starting the year in the minors. For many young players, that type of setback can become a source of frustration. For Ritchie, it became another stepping stone.
“Coming to camp, you want to make the team, and then getting sent down is obviously a bit of a disappointment,” Ritchie said. “So I went to Bridgeport, worked on my game, learned a lot, and then I got the call-up and just tried to grow my game over the season and prove to them that I can be here and have an impact and help the team. I was pretty happy with my development over the season. I thought they did a great job with me, showing me video and all that stuff. I can’t thank them enough.”
That mindset has become a defining characteristic of Ritchie’s development. Every obstacle has presented another opportunity to grow, and the 21-year-old understands that his next step will require continued improvement.
When asked what areas of his game he wanted to focus on, Ritchie had a clear list of priorities.
“Going back, getting stronger this summer — obviously you realize how much of a grind an NHL season is. Just being able to put my body through that and get stronger, improve my skating, improve my shot, everything. This summer is going to be a big summer for me. I don’t want to shut down.”
One of the biggest areas of focus moving forward will be his development at center.
Ritchie revealed that Islanders head coach Pete DeBoer, who took over for the final four games of the regular season following the firing of Patrick Roy, sees him as a center moving forward — a position Ritchie has played throughout much of his career.
While New York utilized him primarily on the wing last season, despite his limited professional experience at the position, Ritchie embraced the opportunity and used it to become a more versatile player.
“I talked to Pete when he first came in, and he said he sees me as a center going forward. I’m excited for that opportunity, but obviously planning on meeting with those guys. It was awesome and a good learning experience for me. I’ve never really played wing a ton in my career, so to be able to round out my game and know that I can play wing at this level was really big for me and really important.”
While Ritchie has his own goals for development, he also understands that versatility is what allows players to earn trust at the NHL level.
Whether it is playing center, taking faceoffs, contributing on the power play, or doing the little things away from the puck, Ritchie is willing to embrace whatever role helps his team succeed.
“It’s something that’s a work in progress. These guys are going against each other on faceoffs and have been doing it for 10, 15 years at the NHL level, so I’m just continuing to learn — whether it’s faceoffs, net front, on the power play, all that stuff.”
For the Avalanche, Ritchie’s story is a reminder that development rarely follows a straight line. The former first-round pick has already experienced being sent down, being traded, and having to fight for his opportunity.
Each time, he has responded the same way — by getting better.
Jan Jeník’s path back to an NHL contract has taken longer than expected.
When the Arizona Coyotes selected him 65th overall in the 2018 NHL Draft, Jeník was viewed as a player with legitimate offensive upside. He had the skill, creativity, and confidence with the puck that made him one of the more interesting prospects in Arizona’s system.
The difficult part was turning those tools into a consistent NHL role.
Over the past several seasons, Jeník has experienced the challenges that come with trying to establish himself at the highest level. He has moved through different organizations, spent significant time in the American Hockey League, and had to continue proving himself year after year.
But he never stopped producing.
Every time Jeník returned to the AHL, he found ways to make an impact and remind teams why he was once such a highly regarded prospect.
The Los Angeles Kings are the latest team willing to give him that chance.
Los Angeles signed Jeník to a one-year, two-way contract worth $850,000, adding a forward who has quietly built a strong professional resume and continues to search for a permanent NHL role.
Jeník has always been at his best when he is allowed to create.
Jeník’s game has always been built around his ability to create with the puck. He has quick hands, sees the ice well, and is willing to take chances to make something happen. Whether it is beating a defender or finding a teammate in a tight spot, he has the skill to create offense.
That offensive ability has been the biggest reason teams have continued to keep an eye on him.
Jeník spent most of the 2025-26 season with the Belleville Senators, where he scored nine goals and recorded 17 points in 40 games before joining the Kings organization after a March trade. Although he has only appeared in 24 NHL games, his production in the AHL has shown why teams still believe there is more to his game.
Through 260 career AHL games, Jeník has put together 166 points. His best season came in 2021-22 with the Tucson Roadrunners, when he tallied 17 goals, 30 assists, and 47 points in 51 games.
That year showed the type of impact Jeník can have when he's confident. He drove the offense, created chances, and looked like a player who wasn't giving up on another chance to play at the top level.
Before turning pro, Jeník was already showing those same offensive traits with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League. He recorded 86 points in 54 games between 2018 and 2020, establishing himself as one of Czechia’s better young players and earning opportunities to represent his country internationally.
Now 25 years old, Jeník enters Los Angeles at an important stage of his career.
He has experienced the highs and lows of professional hockey and understands how difficult it can be to earn a permanent NHL role. Reminiscent of Fabian Lysell's ongoing reclamation project with the Colorado Avalanche, this is Jeník's chance to erase the demons.
The talent has never been the question. The challenge has been consistency and that's what makes this signing worth it for the Kings.
That is what makes this signing worth watching for the Kings. Jeník has already shown he can produce. The question is whether he can bring that same level of confidence and creativity into an NHL lineup on a regular basis.
For Jeník, this contract is another chance to show that the skill that made him a third-round pick seven years ago is still there.
For the Kings, it is an opportunity to find out if a player who has spent years fighting for his spot can finally put everything together at the NHL level.
For Yegor Yegorov, the next step toward the NHL isn't just about changing leagues. It's about finally chasing the dream he's been working toward from the same side of the Atlantic as the team that drafted him.
After spending the past several seasons developing in Russia, the Calgary Flames goaltending prospect will make the move to North America for the 2026-27 season, joining Miami University in what could prove to be one of the most important chapters of his development.
For Calgary, the transition carries obvious benefits. The organization will be able to watch him far more regularly, and communication with the Flames' development staff becomes much easier. For Yegorov, it's the opportunity he's envisioned for years.
“I always dreamt to play in North America,” Yegorov recently said at Flames Development Camp speaking to NHL.com's Chris Wahl. “Obviously the NHL has always been my dream, and now, when I finally took this little step forward to coming over here, it inspires me a lot and gives me motivation and power to move forward and follow my dreams.
“It’s a step forward, and I'm super excited to make it.”
The 20-year-old netminder arrives with a solid foundation already in place. Calgary selected the 6-foot-3 goaltender in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft, and he has spent the past four seasons sharpening his game in Russia. Last season marked his strongest campaign yet, as he posted 13 victories and a .918 save percentage with Spartak-MAX after previously making his professional debut with HK Tambov in Russia's second division.
Just as important as the numbers has been the relationship he's built with Calgary's development staff despite the distance separating them.
Yegorov has remained in regular contact with Flames director of goaltending Jordan Sigalet and development coach Mackenzie Skapski, reviewing games and receiving video breakdowns designed to refine different areas of his game. While that process has been productive from overseas, he believes being in North America will allow those relationships to become even more valuable.
“We've been in touch with Jordan Sigalet and Mackenzie Skapski after almost every game,” Yegorov explained. “I had a chat with Jordan, and sometimes with Mackenzie as well. He sent me video presentations of his vision, how goalies should play, what should I improve.
“It’s been a huge help, actually, and I'm looking forward to coming over to North American and playing here, because it will be way easier to stay in touch with the Calgary coaches.”
The adjustment to college hockey should be smoother thanks to some familiar faces. Miami's roster already includes fellow Russians Ilia Morozov and Vladislav Lukashevich, giving Yegorov built-in support as he settles into both a new team and a new country.
His move also reunites him, in a way, with a coaching staff that understands how to help European prospects adapt. Head coach Anthony Noreen previously coached Flames forward Adam Klapka during his time with the USHL's Tri-City Storm, helping prepare the towering Czech forward for his own North American journey.
Yegorov has already experienced a taste of Calgary through multiple development camps, and each visit has only reinforced where he hopes his career is headed. Every summer has brought more familiar faces, stronger relationships and another reminder of the opportunity waiting in front of him.
Now, instead of returning overseas, he'll be taking the biggest step yet toward making that opportunity a reality.
The days of the NHL's traditional "goon" serving as the team's on-ice enforcer are long gone, but the league still features plenty of players willing to drop the gloves.
During the heyday of the postseason streak for the Detroit Red Wings, fans at Joe Louis Arena regularly watched players like Darren McCarty, Joe Kocur, Brendan Shanahan, and Martin Lapointe settle scores with their fists.
Older fans also fondly remember the legendary fights involving the late Bob Probert, one of the most feared enforcers of his era.
Today's NHL, however, is built far more on speed and skill than intimidation, with fighting down nearly 70 percent compared to just 20 years ago.
In 2025-26, not only did the Red Wings miss the playoffs for the 10th straight campaign, but they were also revealed as the least aggressive team in the NHL according to a study commissioned and collected by Casino Guru.
The rankings were based on a custom aggression rating that measured several aspects of physical play. Weighted values were assigned to categories including penalty minutes, fighting majors, total hits, major penalties, and any league-issued fines or suspensions, with each player's final score calculated on a 100-point scale.
In Casino Guru's Aggression Index for 2025-26, Detroit finished 32nd overall with a 6.80 ranking, behind the 31st-place Colorado Avalanche (10.71) and 30th-place Seattle Kraken (10.87).
As a team, Detroit registered 1,480 hits, ranking 29th in the NHL. Only the Chicago Blackhawks (1,346), New Jersey Devils (1,514), and Seattle Kraken (1,517) finished with fewer hits.
The Red Wings also recorded just 11 fighting majors, the second-fewest total in the league, just ahead of Colorado's 10.
Newly acquired Red Wings forward Keegan Kolesar, who arrived from the Vegas Golden Knights, dropped the gloves five times alone last season - more than double the combined totals of Ben Chiarot and Travis Hamonic, who had two fights each.
Meanwhile, Alex DeBrincat, Moritz Seider, Marco Kasper, Simon Edvinsson, J.T. Compher, Jacob Bernard-Docker, and Dominik Shine each recorded one fighting major during the season.
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Once again, the Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadiens find themselves linked to each other in a trade rumor, but the latest report on a potential target just doesn't pass the sniff test this time.
It has been rumored many times in the past that the Flyers had interest in rugged Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj, a heavy bruiser with a tendency to drop the gloves with even the toughest customers the NHL has to offer.
That, of course, included the likes of former Flyers tough guy Nick Deslauriers, who has fought Xhekaj while on the Flyers in the past.
According to NHL Network and The Fourth Period NHL insider David Pagnotta, the Flyers are still interested in unsigned restricted free agent, as they have been over the past several years, with potential competition from other clubs.
"There are other teams that have expressed, over the last few weeks, interest in trading for Arber Xhekaj," Pagnotta said on Wednesday's episode of DFO Rundown. "Philadelphia has been one. They had interest in him for the last couple of years, and still the case now. But nothing imminent on that front just yet."
Now, it has been public knowledge, as well, that the Flyers had a desire to make upgrades on their defense this offseason, and nothing has truly come to fruition just yet.
The Flyers had traded Emil Andrae, Sam Ersson, and a third-round pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit, but outside of Benoit, no further additions have been made to the NHL roster at the position.
But that's why this rumor simply doesn't make sense anymore.
Flyers not a fit for Xhekaj
Looking at the Flyers' roster as things currently stand, they could certainly use another enforcer, having lost Nick Deslauriers at the NHL trade deadline and shipping Garnet Hathaway off to Florida earlier this offseason.
The key here is that those two players were forwards, and Xhekaj is a defenseman.
On defense, the Flyers already have two stand-up guys in Benoit and veteran Nick Seeler who can bring the sandpaper and fight if and when called upon.
Adding an eighth defenseman to the mix, when the Flyers are already hoping to integrate youngsters like Oliver Bonk and David Jiricek, would be counterproductive.
It works in Xhekaj's favor that he is only 25 years old and younger than Benoit (27) and Seeler (33), but again, the Flyers would have to pay assets to trade with the Canadiens, and then re-sign the Hamilton, Ontario, native to a new contract.
Seeler has a cap hit of $2.7 million for the next two seasons, while Benoit has only one year on his deal at a $1.35 million cap hit. That leaves the Flyers future financial flexibility for a more substantial upgrade at the position down the road (remember Zach Werenski and John Carlson?), and Xhekaj just isn't that.
The only way such a trade between the Canadiens and Flyers works is if Seeler goes to Montreal in return; Benoit, as the newcomer, isn't going to be on the move again so soon.
Seeler's full no-trade clause expired on July 1 and can now be traded to any team at any time, but the Canadiens would have to consider that Seeler is a 33-year-old shot-blocker starting to hit his decline.
Then, the Flyers would have to bridge the gap with other assets, considering the Canadiens are getting older and slower at the position.
For the Flyers, it is hard to see the value in trading for yet another bottom-pair defenseman with the young players they already have; Hunter McDonald and Ty Murchison are deserving of that chance and those minutes and would cost nothing.
The Canadiens, according to Pagnotta, want to keep Xhekaj anyway, so what would they get from the Flyers in return that makes a trade worth it to them in their eyes?
We can safely nip this rumor in the bud until something changes.
There has only been one player to appear in a regular season game with the number 67 for the San Jose Sharks. Right after departing the Ottawa 67's of the Ontario Hockey League, Jacob Middleton brought the number 67 to the Bay Area.
Middleton was a quality depth defenseman for the Sharks after making his NHL debut during the 2018-19 season, but it wasn't until his final season in teal, the 2021-22 campaign, that he finally got a shot to play a substantial role at the NHL level. That season, he was traded to the Minnesota Wild, where he remained for four and a half seasons.
Then, earlier this summer, his time in the State of Hockey came to an end as he was traded north of the border to the Calgary Flames. At this point, Middleton has appeared in 381 career NHL games, but only 59 of which were with the Sharks.
Middleton will be looking to play a big role in Calgary, as he's entering the second season of a four-year contract worth $4.35 million per season.
If you were to assemble a list of the Top 10 Ottawa Senators who got away, Zdeno Chara would rank pretty high on that list.
Chara was traded to the Senators at the 2001 NHL Draft as part of a deal to acquire perennially disgruntled star forward Alexei Yashin. He spent four seasons in Ottawa before leaving in free agency in 2006 and signing with the Boston Bruins.
Not to torture Sens fans, but after leaving Ottawa, Chara did it all. He won the Stanley Cup as captain of the Bruins, was nominated for six Norris Trophies, winning once, and last year, he entered the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Next month, on August 21st, Chara will be honoured at an event in Trenčín, Slovakia, called "Zee's Final Shift." Organizers describe it as a farewell and "a definitive and natural end to his great career."
The farewell game will be held at the Winter Stadium in Trenčín, which is named after former Senator Pavol Demitra, who perished in the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl KHL team plane crash in 2011.
Chara is inviting mainly NHL players to his farewell, and that includes three other former Senators.
Naturally, one is Marian Hossa, his Sens teammate for three seasons. It's often been speculated that Chara might have pushed harder to stay in Ottawa if Hossa, one of his best friends, hadn't been traded a year earlier. The deal that sent Hossa to Atlanta for Dany Heatley happened just hours after Hossa had signed a three-year contract with Ottawa.
Also at the event will be Chris Kelly, who was Chara's teammate in Ottawa before they went on to win a Stanley Cup together in Boston.
And hockey trivia buffs might also remember former Sens defenceman Radek Hamr, who played 11 games with the Sens in their expansion years. Hamr never played with Chara but works for the European arm of the player agency Chara belongs to.
Other confirmed guests include Thomas Vanek, whose son Blake was a Senators third-round pick last year, and Michael Ryder, the former Bruin and Hull Olympique.
The rest of the guest list is loaded with NHL stars, mostly from the past: Patrice Bergeron, Johnny Boychuk, Ray Bourque, Andrew Ference, Michal Handzuš, Jaromír Jágr, Tomáš Kaberle, Duncan Keith, Anže Kopitar, Milan Lucic, Brad Marchand, Adam McQuaid, Daniel Paille, Žigmund Pálffy, David Pastrňák, Mark Recchi, Robert Reichel, Andrej Sekera, Dennis Seidenberg, Miroslav Šatan, Marco Sturm, Aaron Ward, and Jakub Voráček.
It's an impressive lineup for a special night honouring one of the most unique players in NHL history.
And a player that Senators fans wish they'd been able to hang on to.
