Sabres Competition For Hellebuyck – New Jersey Devils
If there was any doubt about Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck's intentions heading into next season, the Hart and Vezina Trophy winner made it clear late last week when he confirmed through his agent that he has requested a trade. The 33-year-old had knee surgery, and a career-worst .895 save % with the Jets last season, but still played 57 games (23-23-11) and was the key to Team USA’s gold medal victory at the Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina.
The Buffalo Sabres were connected to Hellebuyck around the NHL Draft in late June, but Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen and Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff could not find common ground on a deal. The conventional wisdom is that now that Hellebuyck has made his trade request public, that Cheveldayoff is not in as strong a negotiating position to get the best deal for the netminder, but he reportedly is open to going to a wide swath of teams.
Unless Hellebuyck is prepared to hold out, Winnipeg could wait into the season for the right return for such a valuable commodity.
The Sabres could be in the mix for Hellebuyck, but deals that had previously been offered that included goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen might be off the table, since he has a five-team no-trade clause that could block a trade to Winnipeg. It is expected that any deal involving Buffalo would include one of their young centers (Noah Ostlund or Konsta Helenius), one of their top prospect defenseman (Daxon Rudolph or Radim Mrtka) and/or an established NHL forward (Jack Quinn or Ryan McLeod).
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Other teams could be in the mix for the veteran netminder, either to get them into the playoff mix, or to elevate them from a consistent postseason entrant to a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
New Jersey Devils
Team Status: The Devils let go of Lindy Ruff in 2024 in favor of Sheldon Keefe, and the former Leafs coach succeeded in making the postseason in 2025, but last season missed the playoffs again with a 42-37-3 record (87 points), due in part to center Jack Hughes missing over 20 games with a hand injury and getting subpar goaltending from veteran Jacob Markstrom.
Current Goalie Situation: Markstrom was traded to Florida in June, leaving the Devils with a three-headed monster between the pipes (similar to the Sabres) of veterans Jake Allen, David Rittich, and youngster Nico Daws, who had subpar numbers with AHL Utica the last three seasons.
Assets To Trade: Reportedly, Cheveldayoff is looking for a young goaltender as part of any trade, but the main focus would be getting help up the middle. GM Sunny Mehta could put Daws as part of a Hellebuyck trade, and 24-year-old pivot Dawson Mercer would be an attractive get, but there is some indicators that Mehta is keeping his powder dry in case Quinn Hughes does not agree to an extension with Minnesota.
If the Hughes contract situation is resolved with a deal with the Wild, the possibility of the Devils engaging on Hellebuyck increases exponentially.
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Sabres Top 40 Prospects – #11
The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, and the organization’s developmental model has begun to yield results, with 2023 first rounder Zach Benson making an impact in the playoffs, and 2024 top pick Konsta Helenius appearing as one of the AHL’s top prospects the last two seasons.
Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. These players are all 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 82 NHL games.
Other Sabres Stories
Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss
11. Ilia Morozov - Center (Miami (OH) - NCAA)
The Sabres' failed acquisition of Michael Kesselring led Kekalainen to send the right-handed defenseman to the San Jose Sharks in a swap of their 27th overall pick to move up seven slots in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft. After selecting blueliner Daxon Rudolph with the fourth overall pick, Buffalo chose center Ilia Morozov at #20.
The 18-year-old is a physical specimen at 6’3”, 200 lb., and that size is likely a large part of what will make him an effective pro. The Moscow native came to North America at 15 years old to play youth hockey, played with Tri-City in the USHL at 16, where he scored 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in 59 games, and played in the NCAA with Miami (OH) at 17, where he scored 20 points (8 goals, 12 assists) in 36 games as a freshman.
Morozov’s strength is at the defensive end of the ice. According to Elite Prospects, he is a “true defensive stalwart, who angles rushes to the outside and emphatically runs over the puck carrier.” He does not lack for energy, and offensively uses his physicality to be a menace in front of the net.
Most believe that Morozov will be an NHL checking center, but his maturation over the next two or three years in college could result in something more than that.
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Canadiens Former Director Of Amateur Scouting Gets Promotion
For almost 20 years, Trevor Timmins was the directing mind behind the Montreal Canadiens’ draft picks, but when Geoff Molson decided to clean house in 2021, he got his marching orders along with Marc Bergevin and Paul Wilson. It didn’t take long for him to find a new job, however, and in 2022, he was hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets as an assistant to the director of amateur scouting, Ville Sirén.
On Thursday, Columbus announced that Sirén had been reassigned as director of European scouting and that Timmins would now be the director of amateur scouting. It’s been a few years since the Jackets hit a home run at the draft, and while Adam Fantilli was a nice selection in 2023, the decision to draft Cayden Lindstrom fourth overall in 2024, just before Ivan Demidov, was a grave mistake. Back then, there were doubts about Lindstrom’s health and more specifically about back issues, and since then, he has played four playoff games with the Medicine Hat Tigers in 2024-25 and 31 games in the Big 10 with the University of Michigan last season, where he could only muster 10 points.
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Timmins will find himself in a role he knows very well, having worn the director of amateur scouting hat with the Canadiens, and it will be interesting to see if he does better in Ohio than he did in Montreal. Back in 2006, he was behind the Habs’ decision to draft David Fischer 20th overall while the Philadelphia Flyers claimed Claude Giroux 22nd overall. Then, in 2018, he orchestrated the selection of Jesperi Kotkaniemi third overall, leaving Brady Tkachuk on the board for the Ottawa Senators to take.
That’s not to say he only made bad moves; under his reign, the Canadiens did select Carey Price, Max Pacioretty, Brendan Gallagher, Arturri Lehkonen, P.K. Subban, Cole Caufield, Jakub Dobes, Kaiden Guhle and Oliver Kapanen to name a few, but he also selected a great defenseman who never played for the Habs, Ryan McDonagh. He was selected 12th overall in 2007, but GM Bob Gainey then famously traded him to the New York Rangers to get Scott Gomez, a trade which the Canadiens definitely lost.
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Red Wings Reportedly Engaged In Discussions With Panthers' Brett Peterson For GM Vacancy
Brett Peterson's name has once again circulated among NHL GM vacancies, as trusted insider Elliotte Friedman revealed on his podcast, 32 Thoughts, that the Detroit Red Wings have potentially engaged in discussions with the Florida Panthers' assistant GM.
Peterson was in the running for several job openings this summer, highlighted by the Toronto Maple Leafs job, which was eventually taken by John Chayka, and the Nashville Predators job, which Chris MacFarland took.
Peterson has worked with the Panthers since the 2020-21 season as their assistant GM. During this time, Peterson has served as a GM for Team USA at the World Championship twice.
The Red Wings GM job became available when Steve Yzerman stepped down as GM and moved into a senior advisor role. The Red Wings now own the longest active playoff drought in the NHL, and their captain, Dylan Larkin, requested a trade this off-season.
The team has consistently failed to meet expectations under Yzerman, and the fans in Detroit have grown restless. The direction of the team has become unclear, and whether the team is entering a rebuild or attempting to compete is unknown.
Could Panthers Assistant GM Brett Peterson Be In The Running For The Red Wings GM Job?The Detroit Red Wings are without a GM after Steve Yzerman stepped down. Could Florida Panthers assistant GM Brett Peterson be in the running to land the job?Alongside Peterson, Friedman mentioned Jeff Keatly, a San Jose Sharks assistant GM, as an option for the Panthers GM job. Keatly has worked in the NHL since the 2001-02 season, holding multiple roles with the Predators, including amateur scout, director of amateur scouting, director of scouting, and assistant GM.
While Keatly has superior NHL experience to Peterson, Peterson has had plenty of success in his short time in the NHL.
Jeff Greenberg, the current GM of the Detroit Tigers in MLB, has also been named a potential suitor. Greenberg worked as an assistant GM of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2022-23.
The GM search for the Red Wings has been ongoing since Yzerman stepped down on July 15. The Red Wings are undergoing a thorough process as they enter a critical, fragile era for their storied franchise.
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Red Wings' David Perron Remains Unsigned as Training Camp Approaches
At the trade deadline, the Detroit Red Wings looked to make a couple of moves that could help keep them in the playoff picture, headlined by the addition of offensive defenseman Justin Faulk, along with a smaller pickup that saw them give up a conditional fourth-round pick to bring back veteran forward David Perron.
The now 38-year-old arrived with the idea of being a steady veteran presence who could slot into Detroit's bottom six and provide the kind of depth scoring the roster needed. That didn't materialize the way the team hoped.
The near 20-year NHL veteran battled injuries down the stretch, appearing in just 16 games with Detroit and finishing with three goals, no assists and a minus-nine rating, a noticeable cooldown after posting 10 goals and 25 points in 49 games with Ottawa earlier in the season.
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Perron is now a free agent, and with training camp fast approaching, he still doesn't have a team lined up. The Sherbrooke, Quebec native has said he intends to keep playing, but his options appear to be narrowing as he gets deeper into his 30s.
Detroit itself was reportedly still in talks with Perron about a new deal as free agency opened, but nothing came together, and the Red Wings don't currently appear to be circling back for another season.
It's the kind of quiet ending that plenty of longtime NHL veterans eventually face. Perron could still look for opportunities in the AHL, as a depth option elsewhere, or overseas, but it's fair to wonder whether it might be time for the 2019 Stanley Cup champion to call it a career.
He leaves the game, if this is indeed the end, with an underrated résumé: 332 goals and 480 assists for 812 points in 1,239 career games, a run that started with the St. Louis Blues, who drafted him 26th overall in 2007, and carried him through stops with the Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Anaheim Ducks, Vegas Golden Knights, Ottawa Senators and two stints in Detroit.
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One Of Linus Ullmark's Biggest Mental Health Supporters Opens Up About His Own Struggles
Victor Hedman has spent most of his 17-year NHL career looking nearly indestructible.
The 6-foot-7, 244-pound Tampa Bay Lightning captain has won two Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe Trophy and a Norris Trophy while establishing himself as one of the best defencemen of his generation.
But incredible talent, success and physical strength don't make anyone immune to mental health issues.
In an interview with NHL.com’s Dan Rosen this week, Hedman went into greater detail about his mental health struggles last season. It's a health situation that remains misunderstood and carries stigma, especially in a sport where players still feel pressure to suck it up and play through the pain.
The 35-year-old described experiencing performance anxiety and pressure in his chest as soon as game days arrived. Mistakes he would normally shake off began staying with him.
“It kind of locks you up,” Hedman told NHL.com. “You make a mistake and in the past you’d be able to shake it off, but I couldn’t do that.”
Hedman had already endured a difficult season physically. An undisclosed injury cost him 12 games in November before elbow surgery sidelined him for another 22. He returned for three games before the Olympic break and represented Sweden in Milan, but an injury during warmups kept him out of their quarter-final elimination loss to Team USA.
After returning to Tampa Bay, Hedman played 12 more games. His final appearance came March 19 against Vancouver, when he logged less than five minutes of ice time before leaving the game.
He then stepped away from the Lightning to focus on his physical and mental health. Hedman continued skating during the playoffs and believes he might have returned had Tampa Bay advanced to round 2, but the Lightning fell in 7 games to Montreal.
Hedman finished with one goal and 17 points in 33 games, easily the lowest offensive output of his NHL career.
His decision to speak publicly about his issues immediately brought back memories of Linus Ullmark's leave of absence in Ottawa.
The Senators' starting goalie also stepped away from hockey last season after experiencing anxiety and panic attacks. His leave began after he was pulled from a Dec. 27 game in Toronto and lasted about a month.
Shortly before returning, Ullmark sat down for an emotional interview with TSN’s Claire Hanna and revealed that Hedman had become one of his biggest sources of support through his battle.
“He really helped me sort out things and things that I was going through and that I’m still going through,” Ullmark said of Hedman. “So I’ve got huge love. My respect for him went even further up.”
For most Sens fans who heard that interview, it probably didn’t dawn on them at the time that Hedman may have been actively battling the same issues of his own down in Tampa.
Hedman still reached out and offered the benefit of his own experience working with a therapist and supporting mental health initiatives. When Hedman subsequently needed to step away himself, he followed the same advice he had helped provide to Ullmark.
Ullmark’s leave of absence didn't instantly solve everything. But after his leave and then the Olympic break, he was a much better goalie.
He had a 14-8-5 record with a 2.95 goals-against average and an .881 save percentage when his leave began.
However, he returned to the crease Jan. 31 and went 14-4-3 over the remainder of the regular season, improving his save percentage to .904 during that stretch. He finished 28-12-8 and helped Ottawa reach the playoffs for a second consecutive year.
Although the Senators were swept by Carolina in the opening round, Ullmark was dynamite in goal. He posted a 2.03 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage in four games while Ottawa managed only five goals in the series.
Now it’s almost time for Hedman’s comeback. He’s now preparing for his 18th NHL season and says he is healthy, motivated and confident. And Ullmark was probably right there in his corner, helping him get to this point and returning the favour.
Not only did the two men step away and get the help they needed, but they’ve made it easier for the next person to feel it's okay to do the same.
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 latest headlines below:
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Could The Canadiens Pick Up A Top Center From The Fallout?
The Winnipeg Jets are under pressure. Their Vezina-winning goaltender wants out, and he’s had enough of waiting for a trade to materialize, so he went public with the trade request. That won’t make things easier for the Jets, far from it. They won’t be trading from a position of strength, and parting with Hellebuyck could force them to either rebuild or retool. It could cause some of their top players to want out.
Take Mark Scheifele, for instance. The 33-year-old right-shot center is 33 now and must be getting eager to win. At his age, you could expect him to be declining, but in the last four seasons, he’s been on an upward trend. In 2022-23, he had 68 points. The following year, he had 72; then he went up to 87 points, and last season he reached a career high with 103 points. That’s not a guy who’s started to decline. In fact, his last two seasons were the two best campaigns of his career.
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Should the Jets decide to hit the reset button, there’s no doubt that the Montreal Canadiens would have plenty of futures to dangle in front of Kevin Cheveldayoff, but would it make sense for the Habs? It’s no secret that Montreal needs another top-six center, and Scheifele certainly fits that bill. Furthermore, he’s under contract for a very reasonable $8.5 million AAV, which wouldn’t unsettle the Habs’ salary structure and wouldn’t create friction. Not that bringing in a big earner would definitely create friction, but a reasonable contract eliminates any potential risk, no matter how small.
In a vacuum, Scheifele would be a great target for the Habs, but then there’s the small matter of the fact that he was the player who obliterated Jake Evans with a high elbow in the 2021 playoffs, sending him down to the ice unconscious. That made for very uncomfortable viewing for fans, and it could have had disastrous results for Evans’ career. Ever since then, Scheifele has been booed copiously in Montreal, understandably. Only five players remain on the Habs from those playoffs: Evans himself, Nick Suzuki, Josh Anderson, Phillip Danault and Cole Caufield. Would they be ok with acquiring Scheifele? Kent Hughes would certainly need to have that conversation with the players.
Furthermore, Hughes has said repeatedly that he won’t sign or acquire players who would prevent his young players from progressing. If the Canadiens are as high as they seem to be on Michael Hage, would it make sense to acquire a 33-year-old pivot who’s still under contract for five years? Initially, it wouldn’t be a bad thing; Hage would likely need some time to adapt to the NHL, and it’s doubtful that he will come in and be the Canadiens’ second center right away. That’s a huge step. For the first two seasons, having Scheifele would make sense, but after that? If Hage is ready to take the next step, does Scheifele accept being overtaken in the lineup? Will he react like Mike Matheson did when he was pushed down the depth chart? That’s another question Hughes needs to ponder. Would he be a good teammate if it came to that, or would that create trouble in the room? For the Canadiens, culture matters as much as talent; they would have to check whether he ticks that box.
Right now, Scheifele has a full no-move clause, which wouldn’t matter if he were to ask out of course, although that could mean he, too, would put the Jets in a precarious position by trying to pick where he’s going. From the 2027-28 season, however, he has only a modified no-trade clause, which requires him to provide a list of 10 teams he could be traded to. That’s a much bigger list than what we’ve seen players on a full no-movement clause give their team so far.
At this stage, it is all speculation, and it hinges on the Jets deciding to go ahead with a rebuild, which is far from certain. Winnipeg being the market that it is, it’s far from a given that ownership would embrace a rebuild. The Jets don’t always play in front of a packed building anymore; can they afford to bite the bullet and be bad for a while? That’s far from a given.
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When does the 2026-27 NHL season start? Here are the key dates
The Carolina Hurricanes ended their Stanley Cup drought in June, and they will raise their championship banner a month from now on Sept. 29.
The NHL 2026-27 regular season will get underway that day, kicking off a change to a longer 84-game schedule – up from 82.
Training camps will open in mid-September, and the shortened preseason schedule will begin on Sept. 19.
There will be no in-season international tournament this season, but the NHL All-Star Game will return for the first time since 2024 and feature an international theme.
Here is when the NHL regular season begins and the key dates for the 2026-27 season:
When does the NHL regular season begin?
The 2026-27 NHL season starts on Sept. 29 with the following five games. There will be an ESPN tripleheader in the United States and a Sportsnet doubleheader in Canada.
All times Eastern
- Florida Panthers at Carolina Hurricanes, 5 p.m. (ESPN): A meeting of the last three Stanley Cup winners. Carolina will raise a Stanley Cup banner for the first time in 20 years. Both teams lost their longtime goalies (Florida's Sergei Bobrovsky, Carolina's Frederik Andersen) to free agency.
- Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. (Sportsnet): No. 1 overall draft pick Gavin McKenna makes his NHL debut. The Canadiens reached the conference finals last season.
- New York Rangers at Boston Bruins, 8 p.m. (ESPN): Pavel Dorofeyev makes his Rangers debut after his draft-day trade from the Golden Knights
- Vancouver Canucks at Edmonton Oilers, 10 p.m. (Sportsnet): Vancouver's Manny Malhotra makes his NHL head coaching debut and must try to figure out how to slow down Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Coach Mike Babcock is returning to the NHL with the Oilers.
- Chicago Blackhawks at Vegas Golden Knights, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN): New coach Ryan Craig takes over a Vegas team that went to the Stanley Cup Final. Injured Connor Bedard won't be playing for the Blackhawks until November.
When will all 32 NHL teams be in action?
All 32 teams will be in action on Oct. 13 and April 10.
When does Brady Tkachuk return to Ottawa?
The former Ottawa Senators captain will return on Oct. 21. He was traded to the Florida Panthers, where he's joining brother Matthew.
When does Quinn Hughes return to Vancouver?
He never did last season after his blockbuster trade to the Minnesota Wild. He will this season on Oct. 25.
When is the Heritage Classic game?
The Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens will play in the outdoor Heritage Classic on Oct. 25 at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg.
When is the Hockey Hall of Fame induction?
Patrice Bergeron, Carey Price, Pekka Rinne, Cindy Curley, Keith Tkachuk and Brian Burke will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Nov. 9. The Hall of Fame game will feature the New Jersey Devils playing at the Maple Leafs on Nov. 7 in Toronto.
When is the NHL Global Series?
The Carolina Hurricanes and Seattle Kraken will play in Helsinki, Finland on Nov. 12 and 14.
The Ottawa Senators and Chicago Blackhawks will play in Dusseldorf, Germany on Dec. 18 and 20.
When does Frederik Andersen return to Carolina?
Stanley Cup-winning goalie Frederik Andersen, who signed with the Edmonton Oilers, will return to Carolina on Nov. 21.
When is the Stanley Cup Final rematch?
The Golden Knights host the Hurricanes on Dec. 20. Carolina will host Vegas on Jan. 17.
When is the Winter Classic?
The Winter Classic will be on New Year's Eve at University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. The Utah Mammoth will host the Colorado Avalanche, starting at 6 p.m. ET.
When is the NHL All-Star Game?
The NHL All-Star weekend will be Feb. 5-6, at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. The skills competition is on the 5th and the All-Star Game will be on the 6th. There are new formats this season.
When is the Stadium Series game?
The Dallas Stars and Golden Knights play in the outdoor Stadium Series game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Feb. 20.
When does Sergei Bobrovsky return to Florida?
The two-time Stanley Cup winner, who signed with Toronto in the offseason, will return on March 6.
When does John Carlson return to Washington?
The Capitals' all-time top-scoring defenseman was dealt to the Anaheim Ducks last season and will return with the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 15.
When the 2026-27 NHL season end?
It will end on April 10 with all 32 teams in action.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When does the 2026-27 NHL season start? Here are the key dates
Reviewing and explaining this year’s top-25 list
The 2026 Pensburgh Top 25 Under 25 listing of the best young players in the organization is now complete, here it is.
Pensburgh Top 25 Under 25: Graduates and Departed players in 2025
Top 25 Under 25: The best of the rest
#25: Chase Pietila, D
#24: Ryan Miller, F
#23: Finn Harding, D
#22: Peyton Kettles, D
#21: Zam Plante, F
#21 (bonus): Brady Peddle, D
#20: Melvin Fernstrom, F
#19: Tanner Howe, F
#18: Tomas Galvas, D
#17: Pierce Mbuyi, F
#16: Jake Livanavage, D
#15: Owen Pickering, D
#14: Tristan Broz, F
#13: Avery Hayes, F
#12: Ville Koivunen, F
#11: Hendrix Lapierre, F
#10: Markus Ruck, F
#9: Mikhail Ilyin, F
#8: Joel Blomqvist, G
#7: Liam Ruck, F
#6: Will Horcoff, F
#5: Bill Zonnon, F
#4: Rutger McGroarty, F
#3: Sergei Murashov, G
#2: Harrison Brunicke, D
#1: Ben Kindel, F
There are always obvious questions for a list like this to wonder why certain players are in a spot, ahead or behind of others. It’s a tough task to sort through players who may be years away from NHL impact (if they ever get there at all) and others with more limited windows and lower ceilings but a higher chance of adding something at the NHL level in the very near future.
This year, the tiers get messy and feature some overlap of competing priorities and abilities. That’s where some of the art comes in to blend players further out with bright promise against others further along.
Generally speaking, this might help:
Tier One, 1-3: High-end, ready or very near-ready NHL players
Kindel is almost in a class by himself in the organization at this point, a step ahead of everyone else since he’s still one of the youngest and already established himself as an NHL lineup contributor. Brunicke and Murashov both are very close to joining Kindel as full-time NHL players that could be top of the lineup players in the near future. These players may or may not all end up being long-term first line star players, but right now they look like very strong bets to be key contributors and the cream of the current crop when it comes to young players in the organization.
Tier Two, 4-10: Bright prospects a little further away
The Ruck twins, who are scheduled to be in college for the 2027-28 season, are the outliers here where the majority of the rest of the group should be getting chances in the near future to show what they’ve got. Some like Rutger McGroarty and Joel Blomqvist would prefer to push up to the top category (though at this point their overall ceilings aren’t as high-end). Others like Bill Zonnon and Mikhail Ilyin are just getting started in the organization. In general, these players like the Rucks and Horcoff won’t be big factors in the very near future but are a little further out. They’re already well-regarded and have a lot going in their favor but most (though not all) just need a little more time to see how the developments go.
Tier Three, 11-15: Clock ticking on mid-level prospects
The players in this area (Hendrix Lapierre, Ville Koivunen, Avery Hayes, Tristan Broz, Owen Pickering) are getting on the clock for making a move in their individual careers. These players have been pros for several years, all will be at least 23 years old by midseason (some even older still). None have secured NHL spots going into the start of the 2026-27 season. The majority might even be the core players for Wilkes-Barre during the bulk of this season. At some point, it stands to figure that most if not all of these players will get their opportunity as a mid-season call-up during the year. From there, they’ll need to make the most of it to extend the audition. This tier has some guys where it would be really beneficial and perhaps a positive surprise to see a great training camp, but each individual on it is in a spot where they need something to stand out and gain some positive momentum. Only by hockey prospect standards can they be considered old, yet they’re starting to get there. Overall they still hold an amount of short-term organizational value since they should be at a minimum really good AHL players for the team this year, now it’s a matter of seeing, who if, any can make the most of their chances and elevate into something bigger.
Tier Four, 16-25: Distant prospects
At the end of the line are the players that are just starting out their pro careers within the last year (Jake Livanavage, Tanner Howe, Melvin Fernstrom, Finn Harding, Chase Pietilla) or even further out and playing outside of the Pens’ organization for at least the coming season (Pierce Mbuyi, Tomas Galvas, Peyton Kettles, Zam Plante, Brady Peddle, Ryan Miller). Unlike the tier above them, they are young or inexperienced enough to where time is more on their side as far as future developments are going, considering most in this year has been drafted within the last two years. This area needs to simmer for at least another year or two and hopefully they will put together some tractions as they work their way into the NHL picture one day from the bottom of the rankings.
—
Overall for the Penguins, the future looks bright. This T25U25 list is the best one for the Penguins in many moons, it wasn’t so long ago that admittedly there were some very long longshots found in the top-10 simply due to a lack of material in general (Isaac Belliveau, Filip Lindberg, Jonathan Gruden come to mind from 2021-23).
Further, even better is that Pittsburgh has acquired several young-ish players that are a little older than these prospects. Somewhat recent additions of Arturs Silovs, Egor Chinakhov, Nick Robertson, Declan Carlile, Kaeden Korczak and Elmer Soderblom are players now in the 25-26 age range that will contribute to the NHL this season and possibly beyond in some cases. They didn’t make the aged-based cut-off to be showcased in our summer series but they still represent a big chunk of the NHL roster that will be important for the short and mid-range future.
The other piece of good news is that more young talent should be flowing in the neat future. The Pens have all their future first round picks as of now. They’ll get the Rangers’ second round pick in ‘27 and have two additional second round picks in 2028 (Dallas and Colorado) to have as many as seven future top-50/60ish picks that will be added to the organization over the next 22 months. That’s subject to change based off any further future trades, but even that outlook could be considered to grow if any veterans are dealt away for high draft picks in the coming months and years.
It takes a long time for an NHL team to build up and see the long pipeline take 18-year old draft picks into what hopefully becomes young NHL-caliber talent over a 3-4-5+ year development period. The Pens are firmly investing in their development and the younger side of the organization to help pickup the mantle whenever the end of the Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin era wraps up. In the big picture, the team could use a few more elite talents that project as high-end players, but this summer’s feature put a spotlight that the team is stocking up in a big way in quantity of some pretty decent talent that they will hope to develop in the period that lies ahead.
Tua Tagovailoa on being booed by Dolphins fans: "It is what it is"
Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returned to Miami on Friday night, for a preseason game. The crowd of Dolphins fans gave him an earful of boos.
Did he hear it?
"Well, of course I did," Tagovailoa told reporters after the game. "But, you know, needless to say, like, being able to come back here, like, I've had six years here, and those are probably some of the best six years of my life, being able to, you know, play for Miami, being able to be in front of the crowd.
"You know, I mean, [I] had a Pro Bowl here, like, had a good amount of accolades. So, regardless of the reaction, like, I mean, I love the city. We have a home out here. Like, we still have our house and whatnot. But, I mean, it is what it is. You know, I can't change any of what they did and whatnot, but, you know, it was really cool to see a lot of the guys after the game, and then, you know, talk to some of the guys during the game. So it was a cool homecoming, if you will."
Tua won't return to Miami during the regular season. The more immediate question is whether he'll be the quarterback when the regular season begins in 16 days with a trip to Pittsburgh — the site of his final start as the Miami quarterback.
Jamal Haynes had a near-miraculous TD run as he pushes for a 53-man roster spot
The Cincinnati Bengals’ third running back spot has been one many assumed would go to Tahj Brooks, but after a forgettable training camp and preseason, could someone else take that spot? Or could the Bengals surprise everyone and keep four running backs on the 53-man roster?
In Friday’s preseason finale vs. the Philadelphia Eagles, college free-agent running back Jamal Haynes made a play that could make the front office at least consider keeping him on the roster or the practice squad.
It truly was a sight to watch, even for a preseason game.
That run had everything. He danced around when the initial hole wasn’t there. He created his own cutback lane as the defense overpursued to contain him, breaking it outside. Tore through an arm tackle and took a few ankles before letting it rip to win the footrace to the end zone.
Haynes has had a decent camp after coming out of Georgia Tech as an undrafted product. At only 5’7, he can certainly get lost behind that huge offensive line. However, a third or fourth running back would be relied on more for special teams as either a returner or coverage player.
Maybe he catches on the Bengals’ practice squad, but he certainly will be on at least someone’s practice squad in the NFL after that one.
Arizona Cardinals blow late lead in loss to Green Bay Packers
It is finally over and now the Arizona Cardinals and the rest of the NFL prepare for the real thing.
It was another offensive showcase for the Cardinals, as Gardner Minshew and Kedon Slovis combined for 309 yards passing and two touchdowns, but Slovis did throw two interceptions in his audition for the rest of the league.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals running game was phenomenal, as the running backs ran for 166 yards on 32 carries and two touchdowns, led by Evan Hull who had 16 carries for 107 yards and two touchdowns.
Of course, in what we hope is not a preview of what is to come, the Cardinals defense gave up a late lead as the Cardinals lost 42-38. Kyle McCord threw for 226 yards and four touchdowns including the game winner to Kisean Johnson.
Let’s get to the real thing now.
Seahawks vs. Chiefs score: Jalen Milroe shines, but it’s panic time for Jason Myers
The Seattle Seahawks ended their 2026 NFL preseason on a meh note, with the rare 9-9 tie with the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Much attention was paid to Jalen Milroe’s second full start in as many Seahawks preseason finales. Would he struggle? Would he show enough to have people believing in his potential again? I’d say 16/26 for 223 yards and a touchdown does the trick, especially when he lost completions and yards on numerous drops and penalties throughout the night.
Jason Myers, though? In a contract year? A missed extra point and a missed game-winning field goal capped off a nightmare preseason for the veteran kicker, whose historic five-field goal Super Bowl performance garnered some talk that he could’ve been game MVP. Hopefully we’re not seeing Myers have a drastic fall-off and that this is just an August funk.
Unlike the Seahawks, Kansas City opted to play some starters in the early going, including Travis Kelce, Xavier Worthy, Creed Humphrey, George Karlaftis, and Chris Jones. One pass by starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier intended for Worthy was way off target and into the arms of new Seahawks corner Trevon Diggs!
Jalen Milroe was backed up in his end zone following a celebration penalty and a Beau Stephens hold, but he made perhaps his best play as a Seahawk by finding Cody White down the field for a 40-yard gain.
Milroe ripped one over the middle to Elijah Arroyo for another 24 yards, putting the Seahawks in scoring position. An end zone shot to Cody White just missed, while a third-down throw was tipped for an incomplete pass. Jason Myers capped off Milroe’s second series (and arguably his best as a Seahawk) with a 46-yard field goal.
Some poor kick return coverage allowed Brashard Smith to get into Seahawks territory, giving Kansas City a short field and a chance to tie or take the lead. A screen pass to the 1-yard line was called back for holding, which stalled out Nussmeier and company in the red zone. Harrison Butker knotted the score at 3-3.
There were some more good plays from Milroe, who completed a dart over the middle to Cody White into Chiefs territory. Unfortunately, a fluky turnover occurred when a screen to Jacardia Wright was dropped. It was close, but the replay booth upheld the initial call that Milroe’s pass was a lateral and the Chiefs recovered the loose ball.
Nussmeier marched the Chiefs into the red zone again, but consecutive quality reps from Nehemiah Pritchett shut off any thought of a touchdown. Harrison Butker’s second chippie put KC up 6-3.
Seattle’s last drive was promising up until the Seahawks committed two penalties on one play, both of which were declined because Logan Brown and Elijah Arroyo got whipped and gave up a strip sack to second-round rookie R Mason Thomas. Somehow, the Seahawks recovered but had to punt.
After Harrison Butker missed a 58-yard field goal early in the second half, the Seahawks were blessed with great field position for a chance to tie or retake the lead. Milroe hit a big-time throw to Emmanuel Henderson Jr in the face of pressure to set up first-and-goal at the 1. A read-option keeper by Milroe ended up in a negated touchdown due to a holding penalty on Nick Vannett. You know how you atone for the error? You catch a touchdown from Milroe. Jason Myers missed a PAT so the Seahawks lead was just 9-6.
The Chiefs seemed poised to take the lead early in the fourth quarter, but the Seahawks defense made a heroic goal-to-go stand on a night when they were struggling to stop the run. D’Anthony Bell, who was flagged for a harsh personal foul penalty, stymied Brashard Smith on 2nd and goal, then Jalan Gaines swarmed from the backside to deny Smith on 3rd and goal. Andy Reid decided to kick a 19-yard field goal with Butker for some trollish reason to knot it up at 9-9.
With a chance to atone for last Sunday’s limp finish to a game-winning drive, the Seahawks hit one more explosive pass play to get into fringe field goal range. Jalen Milroe hit an over route to rookie Emmanuel Henderson Jr for 30 yards for his final completion of the evening. A few runs gave Jason Myers a 52-yarder from dead center with a chance to end the preseason with a win. He pushed it wide right in a total screwball kick. Game over.
Full Seahawks-Chiefs box score
The Seahawks’ next opponent
The games count for real starting Wednesday, Sept. 9. It’s the Super Bowl rematch against the New England Patriots at 5:20 pm PT on NBC and Peacock. There will be a new banner unveiled at Lumen Field!
Kevin Stefanksi: Tua Tagovailoa "did a nice job" in preseason finale
The Falcons still haven't named a starter for their Week 1 game at Pittsburgh, even though Michael Penix Jr. only recently received clearance to participate in team drills after his latest ACL tear.
On Friday night, Tua Tagovailoa got the start in the preseason finale at Miami. Although the assembled Dolphins fans booed him, his current head coach offered a more favorable assessment.
"I thought Tua did a nice job operating," Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters after the game. "Obviously, [he] moved the football there for a couple drives, plenty to clean up. You know, unavoidable center-quarterback exchange, which we have to clean that up. And we will. But I thought, by and large, operated."
The center-quarterback exchange to which Stefanski referred resulted in a fumble, which the Dolphins recovered.
For the night, Tua completed seven of eight passes for 95 yards. In three first-quarter drives, he led the Falcons to a touchdown.
"Tua's a pro," Stefanski said. "I thought he handled the game really well. You know, there's a lot of emotion that comes when you come back into a place that you've been before, and he compartmentalized it, and, you know, other than being on an opposite sideline, I thought he really did a nice job of handling all of it."
Whether that's enough to make him the starter to start the season remains to be seen. If he's getting the assignment, he hasn't been given it yet.