Category: NHL

Ukrainian-born Swedish winger Dmytro Timashov, 28, has signed a two-year contract with Admiral Vladivostok, several Swedish media outlets have reported.

Timashov, who has a Ukrainian mother and Russian father, created quite a sensation in Sweden – where he was raised – last summer when he signed with KHL club HC Sochi. After recording four points in 22 games, he was released in December and then in January signed with Swiss club Genève-Servette, where he put up nine points over 22 games during the rest of the season.

Now he’s headed back to the KHL.

“I want to play in the KHL to get closer to my family who lives there,” he told Swedish website HockeySverige.se.

Depending on exactly where in Russia his family is located, Vladivostok is an interesting choice. The city lies in the far east of Russia on the Pacific coast – approximately 9,000 km from Moscow.

Timashov was born in Kropyvnytskyi in central Ukraine but left the country with his mother at age seven and grew up in suburban Stockholm, Sweden, which is where he started playing hockey. He played for Djurgården in Stockholm and then went overseas at age 17 to play junior hockey for the Quebec Remparts, where he won the QMJHL rookie-of-the-year award and he was drafted in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Dmytro Timashov Leaves KHL, Signs In SwitzerlandUkrainian-born Swedish winger Dmytro Timashov, 28, has signed a short-term contract in Switzerland with Genève-Servette, the National League club announced on Friday. His contract runs until Feb. 2 with an option to extend it until the end of the season.

He played 45 NHL games with the Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and New York Islanders, scoring four goals and adding five assists, but spent most of his time between 2016 and 2021 in the AHL. Since then, Timashov has played two seasons in the SHL with Brynäs IF and then one season with HC Ajoie in Switzerland’s National League.

Internationally, Timashov represented Sweden at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Vladivostok finished eighth in the KHL’s Eastern Conference last season and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. The team also has under contract for 2025-26 Slovak goaltender Adam Húska, Czech defenseman Lukáš Šulák and Slovak national team defenseman Mário Grman.

Photo © Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images.

Slovak Ex-Rangers Goalie Returns To KHL Slovak goalie Adam Húska, 28, has signed a one-year contract with Admiral Vladivostok, the KHL club recently announced on social media.

Matthew Knies won't go as far as saying the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights will be rivals after Mitch Marner joined their organization.

The 22-year-old appeared on the Morning Cuppa Hockey podcast with Jonny Lazarus on Wednesday, sharing his thoughts on the upcoming season, his time with the Maple Leafs, and what it'll be like to face Marner when Toronto rolls into Vegas on January 15.

Marner was dealt to the Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade on June 30. He inked an eight-year, $96 million contract with Toronto before being shipped to Vegas for center Nicolas Roy.

"I don't know if it's going to be a rivalry," Knies said.

"I love the guy. He did a lot for me in his two years here. He made me so comfortable, made me a better player, better person. I don't think it's a rivalry. You know, obviously, I want to beat him, but I think it's just business as usual."

Report: Nick Robertson's Arbitration Hearing Date With Maple Leafs RevealedThere's a date for restricted free agent Nick Robertson's arbitration hearing with the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

Knies is coming off a career year where 58 points (29 goals and 29 assists) in 78 games, plus seven points in 13 playoff games. He scored five goals through two rounds, tied for the second-most alongside John Tavares.

The Phoenix, Arizona-born forward signed a massive six-year, $46.5 million contract on July 1 with the Maple Leafs. The deal, which carries an annual average value of $7.75 million, is the third-highest AAV on the team, only behind William Nylander and Auston Matthews.

Maple Leafs Honor Rock Legend Ozzy Osbourne, The NHL’s Most Unexpected Hockey FanOn Tuesday, the world mourned as Ozzy Osbourne, the iconic frontman of Black Sabbath, passed away at age 76. Osbourne, who had been dealing with several health issues in recent years, including Parkinson’s disease, had performed in Birmingham, England, where he reunited with Black Sabbath in a performance dubbed his “final show”.

Knies has spent the majority of his time in Toronto playing alongside Matthews and Marner on Toronto's top line. The young forward added that he'll be excited to see Marner again and be able to talk with him when the two teams face off in January.

"I think maybe off the ice it'll be nice to chat with him and get to say hi. I haven't seen him in quite a bit with the summer now, and obviously we're not going to be on the same team during the year. Just getting to chat with him a little bit would be cool."

After playing in Vegas on January 15, the two teams will face each other again in Toronto on January 23. It'll be the only time Marner will play in his hometown next season. Expect that matchup to be circled on a lot of people's calendars.

'Looking Forward To Playing A Long Time Here Like (Phil) Kessel': Why Dakota Joshua Will Wear No. 81 With Maple Leafs This SeasonWhen Dakota Joshua puts on a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey for the first time, he'll be wearing a number that many fans are familiar with.

Marner has spent all nine NHL seasons with the Maple Leafs, scoring 741 points (221 goals and 520 assists) in 657 games. The 28-year-old is fifth all-time on the franchise's points list, fourth in assists, and fifth in Toronto's all-time playoff points (63 points in 70 postseason games).

This article originally appeared on The Hockey News: Maple Leafs’ Matthew Knies Grateful For Mitch Marner’s Guidance, Won’t Call Games Against Golden Knights ‘A Rivalry’

(Top photo of Knies and Marner: John E. Sokolowski / Imagn Images)

The NHL free agent market is significantly smaller than it was when it opened on July 1. This is understandable, as teams often make their moves during the early part of the month when it comes to free agency.

Yet, even with this being the case, there are still some veterans who remain unrestricted free agents (UFAs) at this point in the summer. Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Tyler Motte is one of them.

Motte, 30, spent this past season with the Detroit Red Wings. In 55 games with the Red Wings, the Michigan native recorded four goals, five assists, nine points, and 72 hits. Overall, it was a bit of a quiet year from the former Blackhawk, so it is understandable that it is taking him a bit more time to land his next contract.

While Motte has yet to be signed, that certainly has the potential to change before the season is here. The 30-year-old forward has shown throughout his career that he can be a solid bottom-six player to have, as he can play multiple positions and kill penalties. He is also not afraid of the physical side of the game, so he could be a solid pickup for a team looking for more bite.

Ultimately, Motte is the kind of depth player that teams like to have around. On an affordable one-year deal, he could be a good pickup for a team that needs help in their bottom six. 

Motte was selected by the Blackhawks with the 121st overall pick of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. In 33 games with Chicago during the 2016-17 season, he recorded four goals, seven points, and a plus-2 rating. His time with the Blackhawks ended when he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets with Artemi Panarin during the 2017 NHL off-season.

Blackhawks Forward Is Bounce-Back Candidate To WatchDuring the 2023-24 season, Chicago Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson thrived. In 82 games, he set new career highs with 22 goals and 35 points in 82 games. This was after he scored nine goals and set a previous career-high with 30 points in 78 games with Chicago in 2022-23. 

Photo Credit:  © Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Penguins had the 30th-ranked power play during the 2023-24 season, clicking at just 15.3%. Only the Columbus Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers had worse power plays (15.1% and 12.2% respectively). Like the Penguins, both of those teams missed the playoffs. 

The 15.3% was shocking, given the immense talent the Penguins deployed on their first unit and how they have usually had at least an average power play, often well above average, throughout Sidney Crosby’s career. It was one of the main reasons why the Penguins missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season, before missing for a third straight year in the 2024-25 season. 

The dreadful unit cost assistant coach Todd Reirden his job, paving the way for the Penguins to hire David Quinn to coach the PP and the defense. His work with the defensemen wasn’t great, but he helped simplify the Penguins’ PP and took a unit that finished 30th in 23-24 and got it up to sixth in 24-25. The Penguins’ PP clicked at 25.8% this season, just .1% off from the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 25.9%. 

Last season’s PP looked a lot crisper, especially with the puck movement. The players were zipping the puck around with authority and also had a lot more of a shoot-first mentality compared to the 23-24 season, when they were playing hot potato at the blue line. They were also a lot better in front of the net and caused havoc, which led to some garbage goals. 

Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk wasn’t good at 5v5, but he was the Penguins’ best power play quarterback during the regular season. He ran the show at the point, finishing with 15 power-play assists. He won’t be the quarterback again in 25-26, meaning that the Penguins will likely have to rely on one of Erik Karlsson (if he doesn’t get traded) or Kris Letang to quarterback the top unit. Letang has done it for most of his career, but his game has slowed down over the last couple of seasons. On the other hand, Karlsson can still drive 5v5 offense, but isn’t as effective as a power-play quarterback. 

It will be up to Todd Nelson to determine who the best quarterback is for that unit, as he will be in charge of it this season. Nelson was brought in as an assistant coach for head coach Dan Muse’s staff after serving as the head coach of the Hershey Bears for the previous three seasons. Before that, he served as an assistant coach for the Dallas Stars for four seasons and has worked with various other teams throughout his long coaching career. 

It will also be his job to ensure that each PP group has a high level of cohesion, along with minimal confusion. It’s something he highlighted when he spoke to reporters during development camp in early July. 

“You don’t have to overthink the power play,” Nelson told reporters. “I think the biggest thing is working together, getting pucks to the net, attacking the net. Make sure that when you shoot the puck, you have to retrieve those loose puck battles, come with speed off the breakout, and just everybody working together. That’s the biggest thing, is trying to find the personnel that work well with each other because you are dealing with high-end skill.”

Everyone should know their exact role when participating in every PP opportunity. Players are going to make mistakes, but it’s about limiting them as much as possible so the team doesn’t get burned with countless shorthanded opportunities or goals. The Penguins only gave up five shorthanded goals last year, a stark improvement from the 12 they allowed during the 2023-2024 season, which tied for the league lead with the Montreal Canadiens. 

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Regarding personnel, the Penguins experimented with separate units for Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin at times last season. They worked at times, but this has historically been a top PP unit that works with the two-headed monster on the ice together. When opposing teams have those two to worry about, plus other players like Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, or even Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen, it quickly gets daunting. 

Koivunen, in particular, got 21:21 of PP time in eight games to end the regular season last year and never looked out of place. Three of his seven total points came on the PP, and he was using his vision and playmaking ability each time he was out there. He may get more of a look on the top unit or at least on the second unit, assuming he makes the team out of training camp and the preseason.

If the Penguins can get some fresh, innovative ideas from a new staff to build upon what worked last year on the PP, they could have an even deadlier man-advantage for the upcoming season. 

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Featured Image Credit: Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

It has now been almost once month since free agency opened, so the majority of this year's notable unrestricted free agents (UFAs) have been signed. Although this is true, there are also a few interesting players who still have not found their new homes. 

Former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk is among the top UFAs remaining, and it is pretty surprising, given the season he just had.

While the Penguins in 2024-25, Grzelcyk had the best offensive season of his career thus far. In 82 games with the Metropolitan Division club, he scored one goal and set new career highs with 39 assists and 40 points. With numbers like these, he would have the potential to be a nice addition for a team needing more offense from the point and help on the power play. 

Grzelcyk should eventually find his new team, even if it is taking him longer than most expected. Besides being able to provide solid offense from the point, his high amount of experience also adds to his appeal. 

When looking at teams around the league that could use some help on the left side of their blueline, the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, and New York Rangers are three clubs that stand out. Perhaps one of them could end up being a fit for Grzelcyk.

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what happens with Grzelcyk this summer. Although he has yet to be signed, that should change before the season begins. 

Ex-Penguins Goalie Signs With Overseas ClubThe Graz 99ers of the ICEHL in Austria have announced that they have signed former Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Maxime Lagace. 

Photo Credit: © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Each year, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler kills time in the off-season by writing a re-draft of the previous NHL draft. This year, he takes on the 2022 class, which was, incidentally, the last time the draft was held in Montreal. That year, talking heads and pundits alike agreed that there were no generational talents available. However, it was still the year the Montreal Canadiens won the lottery and secured the first-overall pick.

It was the first time since 1980 that they got the first pick. Back then, they had grabbed Doug Wickenheiser, who played only 556 games in his NHL career, spending four seasons with the Canadiens. As you know, they selected Juraj Slafkovsky with that pick as plenty of fans attended the draft wearing pre-made Shane Wright jerseys. Let’s see if Wheeler agrees with their pick.

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Unsurprisingly, in hindsight, The Athletic’s journalist believes Logan Cooley should have been the first overall pick. He uses mainly his offensive stats to back his decision, mentioning that the Utah Mammoth pivot is the only one from that draft to be his team’s first-line center and leads his draft class in goals (45), goals-per-game (0.29), assists per game (0.41), and points per game (0.69).

You can’t argue with numbers. Cooley is more productive than Slafkovsky, who currently has 111 points in 200 games for a 0.56 point-per-game average. However, the Canadiens’ power forward sample size is bigger since Cooley has featured in only 157 games. Furthermore, according to last season’s numbers, Cooley tends to score in bunches. He has had four three-point games this past season, compared to two for Slafkovsky. Cooley has the most extended dry spell with a six-game pointless streak compared to the Habs’ player, five.

Cooley has got a 30-second edge in average time-on-ice, which goes to show just how important he is for his team, to his credit. Most of Wheeler’s argument is based on statistics, though; there’s more to the game than points. As Kent Hughes said not so long ago, Slafkovsky wasn’t drafted to score in bunches; he was drafted to do more than that.

Still, if you think about it, had the Canadiens picked Cooley, they may not be trying to acquire a second top-six center this offseason; they would have Nick Suzuki and Cooley. With Ivan Demidov’s arrival, he would slot in on the first line alongside Suzuki and Cole Caufield. There would still be a hole on the wing, but one could argue that wingers are easier to find than centers.

Cooley’s selection would undoubtedly have been a good one, but Slafkovsky’s wasn’t a bad one, and we’ve yet to see the big Slovak’s ceiling. When he comes to camp this season, it will be interesting to see if he’ll be able to get things going right away, instead of being on the slow burn for the start of the season.

In the second place of the draft, Wheeler doesn’t have blueliner Simon Nemec, whom the New Jersey Devils originally picked (he had him going seventh to the Chicago Blackhawks) in that spot. Still, he does have another defender, Lane Hutson. The Calder Trophy winner makes the most significant jump of the exercise, going from pick 62 to pick number two.

Wheeler not only calls Hutson an elite defenseman but also confesses to having debated putting him number one overall ahead of Logan Cooley, weighing the value of a good but not superstar first-line center versus an all-star blueliner. He ultimately adds that he could change his mind if he were to redo the exercise at the decade mark.

It’s also worth noting that in his pre-draft rankings, the writer had him going 17th overall, way higher than he was picked, and he feels vindicated in that sense. All teams passed on him and even Montreal did, picking Owen Beck and Filip Mesar ahead of him. He then goes on to mention excerpts of the aforementioned pre-draft ranking. Further showing how write he was… It’s impossible to blame him there, given how tremendously well Hutson’s first season with the Canadiens went.

No other Canadiens make the first round, with Filip Mesar falling completely off the board. It’s impossible to argue that, since he has yet to make any significant impact so far. He couldn’t dominate in junior hockey, scoring 51 and 52 points in his two seasons with the Kitchener Rangers before being brought up to the AHL last season, where he put up 18 points in 42 games. During the Laval Rocket’s playoff run, he only got to suit up in one of the 13 games.

However, Owen Beck gets an honourable mention, meaning that he very nearly snuck in the first round. As you’ll recall, he was selected 33rd overall by the Canadiens, the first pick of the second round.

Photo credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

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New Pittsburgh Penguins' defenseman Connor Clifton is thrilled for his opportunity in a new place and on a new team this season.

And - as it turns out - he has some familiarity with a few people in the Penguins' organization.

On Tuesday, Clifton spoke about his connection to new head coach Dan Muse from his collegiate years. But he also has a prior connection to Penguins' assistant general manager Jason Spezza.

Spezza, 42, played 18 NHL seasons, amassing 363 goals and 995 points in in 1,248 career games. Not particularly known as a fighter - he had 604 total penalty minutes in his career - Spezza didn't drop the gloves very often at all. 

However, he did drop the gloves with Clifton during the young defenseman's NHL debut with the Boston Bruins on Nov. 16, 2018. 

 “Yeah, I’ve got to talk to him about that, too, actually," Clifton remarked. "I was just trying to survive my NHL debut - just trying to survive out there - and ended up getting a fight with him. I know he doesn’t fight often. It was quick, and we served our time in the box.

He continued: "But, yeah, it was funny… he was looking for it more than me, I was just trying to survive out there for game one. I had a little laugh with him - I think it must have been a year or two after when he was in Toronto - and I hear, ‘Round Two?’ And I was like, ‘No man, we already got ours.’"

Clifton, 30, has spent parts of seven seasons in the NHL between the Bruins and Buffalo Sabres, and he has registered 15 goals, 77 points, and 290 penalty minutes in 384 games.

New Penguins' Defenseman Looks Forward To 'Fresh Start'New Pittsburgh Penguins’ defenseman Connor Clifton missed a few important calls back on Jun. 28 while the 2025 NHL Draft was happening. 

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Feature Image Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Even if the Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t making a huge push to be Stanley Cup contenders in 2025-26, they have had a relatively active summer up to this point. 

Many are still waiting on what feels like inevitable trade news regarding at least one of Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell, or Bryan Rust, but GM and POHO Kyle Dubas has already made a lot of small moves - some, seemingly, placeholder moves to fill the roster flip at the deadline, and others upside moves for younger players in need of a change.

As it stands now, the Penguins have 13 forwards, eight defensemen, and two goaltenders on their active roster. And two players who are not listed on the roster?

That would be young forward prospects Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty. 

Koivunen, 22, and McGroarty, 21, both made strong impressions in a small sample size to close out the 2024-25 season. Koivunen was nearly point-per-game playing alongside both Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby in the top-six, registering seven points in eight games. And McGroarty wasn’t far behind, either, before a lower-body injury ended his season, as he put up a goal and three points in five games with Crosby.

The Penguins are at a point in their rebuild where they need to start getting a feel for which of their near-NHL-ready prospects will be part of their future plans. Koivunen and McGroarty both showed a lot of promise in their season-ending NHL stints, and they certainly showed that they are NHL-ready.

The problem is that - given those moves the Penguins have made so far to fill up their roster space - it’s far from a guarantee that they’ll even make the opening night roster.

Will Owen Pickering Make The Opening Night Roster?The Pittsburgh Penguins will have a lot of decisions to make regarding some of their young players before the puck drops on the regular season Oct. 7 against the New York Rangers.

Dubas said just prior to free agency that the Penguins are not just going to hand opportunities to even their most promising young prospects and that they’d have to earn their way onto the roster during training camp. And that’s why he intended on - and followed through on - acquiring and signing players to shorter-term deals.

“I think the key thing is that we want these guys to earn it,” Dubas said. “So, if we just start handing the guys spots, we’re going to very quickly lose what I think the Penguins have been about for a very long time and what’s made the Penguins a great team in the league since the early 90s.”

He added: “It’s right there for them. We’re not going to block them, but they’re going to have to go out and prove that they can be here, and they’re going to have to earn their way here… It’s trying to find that balance between not blocking players but making them earn it and also having enough depth to be competitive on a nightly basis.”

So, realistically, who will Koivunen and McGroarty be competing against to make the roster, and do both of them have a realistic shot at cracking the roster from the jump?

To be clear, a lot of this depends on what happens with Rakell and Rust. If both are on the roster to begin the season, it definitely complicates matters for both players. But since - as of now - both are still in Pittsburgh, it’s best to operate on the assumption that they will still be around, at least, for now. 

Right now, here are the 13 forwards on the Penguins’ active roster, according to Puckpedia:

• Crosby
• Malkin
• Rust
• Rakell
• Kevin Hayes
• Tommy Novak
• Anthony Mantha
• Danton Heinen
• Noel Acciari
• Blake Lizotte
• Philip Tomasino
• Justin Brazeau 
• Connor Dewar

Can Connor Dewar Prove Penguins Right This Year?The Pittsburgh Penguins took a chance on forward Connor Dewar before the 2025 NHL trade deadline when they acquired him and defenseman Conor Timmins from the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

Assuming that no one else gets moved off the roster, the players already on the roster who figure to be in competition for spots - along with Koivunen and McGroarty - are Heinen, Tomasino, Brazeau, Acciari, Hayes, and Dewar. In addition, there will be a few other prospects competing for those same spots as well, which will include the likes of Tristan Broz, Avery Hayes, Sam Poulin, and Filip Hallander - the reigning Swedish Hockey League (SHL) forward of the year after recording 26 goals and 53 points in 51 games with Timra IK.

In other words, making the roster is certainly an uphill climb for both Koivunen and McGroarty if there are no other moves to alter the current roster prior to puck drop on Oct. 7. But, despite that, the young forwards are two of the best prospects in the Penguins’ system, and their sample size at the end of last season should give them a leg up on pretty much every other prospect who will be vying for a spot as long as they show up ready to compete at camp.

And if only one makes the roster?

Honestly, this is a tough exercise because both showed they are ready in their own right. Koivunen’s age makes it a bit more pertinent for him to be in the NHL mix now, and his AHL season in 2024-25 certainly earned him that opportunity, as he put up 21 goals and 56 points in 63 games and finished third among rookies in scoring.

But McGroarty’s all-around game is hard to ignore, as was his chemistry with Crosby. He heated up in the back half of the AHL season and experienced immense growth from the start of the season - when he made the team out of camp and played three NHL games before being sent to the AHL - to the end of the season. Him starting in the AHL probably wouldn’t be as unpalatable as Koivunen starting there, only because it would give him a chance to prove he can sustain his production and growth from the end of 2024-25.

In all honesty, however, both deserve an NHL roster spot. And, as long as they don’t fail camp, Penguins’ fans should expect to see their names on the final roster following training camp.

Don't Sleep On Filip Hallander This FallThe Pittsburgh Penguins were encouraged by what Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen brought to the table at the end of the 2024-25 season, and rightfully so.

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Feature Image Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Penguins took a chance on forward Connor Dewar before the 2025 NHL trade deadline when they acquired him and defenseman Conor Timmins from the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

The Penguins were helping the Leafs out since they were busy with other deals on deadline day and only had to give up a 2025 fifth-round pick for both players. They let both play in the lineup down the stretch before ultimately deciding to re-sign Dewar to a one-year contract on July 1.

Timmins was traded to the Buffalo Sabres during the second day of the 2025 NHL Draft on June 28. 

Going back to Dewar, he had no goals and three assists in 31 games for the Maple Leafs before compiling four goals and seven points in 17 games with the Penguins. He was chipping in offensively and was a pain in the butt to deal with in front of the net and the corners. He was forechecking his butt off, making it hard for opposing teams to go from defense to offense. 

The Penguins want to see more of that from Dewar this upcoming season, but he will have to earn it since there is a lot of competition for bottom-six playing time right now.

If he nails down a spot and plays well, there's a chance the Penguins could look to flip him at the trade deadline since he is only signed for this year. 

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Featured Image Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Sabres trade that sent defenseman Connor Clifton and a 2025 second round pick to Pittsburgh for Conor Timmins and minor leaguer Isaac Beliveau was made in part because the Sabres coveted Timmins, a 26-year-old native of St Catharines, ON. Another factor according to GM Kevyn Adams was that Clifton would likely not be back after the final year of his three-year, $10 million contract. On Tuesday, Clifton spoke to the Pittsburgh media for the first time and did not hold his tongue regarding his two-year stay with the Sabres organization.

“I wasn’t too happy with it. I think I was all over the place. I wouldn’t even say last year, really the past two years. My game, it’s kind of been at a standstill.” Clifton said. “There’s been a lot of mental battles along the way. There was a couple of (healthy) scratches two years ago, too. My whole time in Buffalo, I feel like I kind of lost myself.”

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The 30-year-old signed with the Sabres the summer following their narrowly finishing behind Florida for the second Eastern Conference playoff spot. Adams did not make any roster changes, other than adding Clifton – coming off the Boston Bruins record-breaking President’s Trophy campaign in 2022-23 – and veteran Erik Johnson to bolster the Buffalo blueline. Clifton was excited to join the club under Don Granato, who had coached him in the US National Development Program, and because he was slated to play a top-four role alongside either Rasmus Dahlin or Owen Power. By the end of the season, the New Jersey native was playing on the bottom-pairing, and Granato had been replaced by Lindy Ruff. 

Clifton played the same bottom-pairing role last season, finishing fifth in average ice time (16:03) and points (16) in 73 games.  

“The change of scenery, I got that call that I’m going to be a Pittsburgh Penguin, I was really excited for the change. I want to get back to my old self and how I play and the impact that I have on the game.” Clifton said. ““There’s always setbacks on your journey, I’m pretty proud of the journey I’m on. I think I have a lot left to give. I’m really excited for a fresh start in Pittsburgh and can’t wait to get started.” 

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After winning consecutive Mike Richter Awards as the NCAA’s top goaltender, signing with the Buffalo Sabres, and going 5-2-0 at the end of the 2022-23 season, the expectations  Devon Levi were extremely high. Since then, the 23-year-old netminder has not been able to repeat his success at the NHL level,  but has been one of the best goalies in the American Hockey League. 

In NHL.com’s list of the Top-10 goalies under the age of 25, Levi was ranked eighth. 2025 Calder Trophy nominee Dustin Wolf was the top ranked on the list, followed by Spencer Knight of the Chicago Blackhawks, Yaroslav Askarov of the San Jose Sharks, and Leevi Meriklainen of the Ottawa Senators.  

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Projecting Sabres Trade Cost - Bryan Rust

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

While any ranking is subjective, the concern for the Sabres has to be that the perception of Levi’s progress is that it is not as positive as other goalies, who are still in college or just entered their pro careers. Montreal’s Jacob Fowler – who played two years at Boston College before playing for Laval during the AHL regular season and Calder Cup Playoffs, and Detroit prospect Trey Augustine –, a two-time World Junior gold medalist who plays for Michigan State, are considered better prospects. Jett Greaves of the Columbus Blue Jackets was ranked just ahead of Levi, with Minnesota’s Jesper Wallstedt, and Pittsburgh’s Joel Blomqvist finishing up the Top 10. 

Levi is a restricted free agent, but was not eligible for arbitration or an offer sheet, leaving the young goalie in a situation with little leverage. With the signing of veteran Alex Lyon earlier this month, the Sabres will have an open competition, but the 23-year-old’s waiver exempt status makes it likely that Levi starts next eason in Rochester unless he impresses at training camp.  

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo 

The Graz 99ers of the ICEHL in Austria have announced that they have signed former Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Maxime Lagace. 

Lagace spent each of the last two seasons in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) with Farjestad BK. In 31 games with the SHL squad in 2024-25, he posted a 17-10-0 record, a .886 save percentage, and a 2.64 goals-against average.

Lagace was with the Penguins organization during the 2020-21 season, where he primarily played in the AHL. In nine games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins that campaign, he had a 4-3-2 record, a .907 save percentage, and a 2.30 goals-against average. He also made one appearance with Pittsburgh, where he recorded a 29-save shutout in their season finale against the Buffalo Sabres. 

Lagace's time with the Penguins ended the following off-season, as he signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning in free agency. In 20 career NHL games over four seasons split between the Vegas Golden Knights, Penguins, and Lightning, Lagace had an 8-9-1 record, a .870 goals-against average, and a 3.90 goals-against average. 

Ex-Penguins Forward Signs With New TeamFormer Pittsburgh Penguins forward Daniel Sprong is heading overseas, as he has signed a one-year contract with CSKA Moscow of the KHL.

Photo Credit:  © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Of all the NHL teams that improved this off-season, the Montreal Canadiens may have improved the most. 

Trading for a No. 1 defenseman, Noah Dobson, from the New York Islanders really elevates Montreal’s game, and acquiring up-and-coming right winger Zack Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues improves the Habs’ attack up front.

But looming not too far in the distance is a showdown we anticipate could be one of the most compelling battles in the league next season – the Canadiens’ rivalry with the Ottawa Senators. If things shake out in the standings the way we think they may, Montreal and Ottawa could wind up fighting it out for one of the last Stanley Cup playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.

This past season, Ottawa got into the post-season with a fourth-place finish in the highly competitive Atlantic Division. Montreal squeezed into the playoffs with their fifth-place finish in the Atlantic. 

Next season, however, there may be only four Atlantic teams that get into the playoffs, as the Metropolitan Division’s New York Rangers could bounce back and give the division four representatives in the post-season. If the Columbus Blue Jackets prove last year’s improvement was for real, they may even end their drought.

If that’s what comes to pass, the battle in the Atlantic will be ferocious. The back-to-back defending Cup-champion Florida Panthers are locks to be a playoff team in 2025-26. The Toronto Maple Leafs – which led the Atlantic this past season – are also all but guaranteed to be a playoff team this coming year. The same goes for the Tampa Bay Lightning, which bolstered their lineup in 2025.

That leaves a slew of teams – the Canadiens, Senators, Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins – competing for what could only be one playoff berth. And out of those five teams, we feel that Ottawa and Montreal are best-positioned to return to the playoffs. But if only one of them can make it, that will certainly crank up the heat of an already-hot Montreal and Ottawa rivalry.

Make no mistake: this rivalry is already intense.

Senators fans don’t forget Arber Xhekaj hitting and injuring former prospects Angus Crookshank and Viktor Lodin in the AHL and a rookie tournament, respectively. A high pre-season hit that knocked Tim Stutzle out of the game and earned Xhekaj a major penalty last fall caused a stir as well. And Canadiens fans, along with Brendan Gallagher, have accused Stutzle of embellishment in the past. Both teams virtually forgot about the play to tussle during an important game this past April.

This upcoming season, the Canadiens and the Senators will square off four times – once at the start of November, again at the start of December, once in mid-January and one final time on March 11. That final game will be particularly important, as it will come after the league’s 2026 trade deadline. At that point, Montreal and Ottawa’s lineups will be as good as they can be, and fans of both clubs will pack the Senators’ arena to watch them battle.

The close proximity between the Senators and Canadiens and playoff matchups from the last decade have already built a strong rivalry. But if either club puts a dagger in the heart of its rival and prevents them from making the playoffs, this rivalry will be scorching. That’s good news for league executives whose blueprint for success hinges on building up rivalries within divisions.

If we’re being honest, we think the Canadiens have a shot at leapfrogging over the Senators. Montreal has been proactive in improving its lineup, while Ottawa has largely stood pat with its group from last year and filled the gaps. We’re not suggesting teams that make big off-season moves are guaranteed to do better than teams that have been static with their lineup. But the Canadiens’ dynamic attack might just prove to be better than that of the Senators.

Time will tell whether this prognostication is correct. But if a heightened Sens/Habs rivalry is in the cards this season, their battles will be epic. One lost point here or there might just be the difference between a team making or missing the playoffs, so every Canadiens and Senators game will have major repercussions on their season. That’s exactly the type of development that will boost the league’s business.

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The Hockey News’ NHL summer splash rankings continue with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

As part of this ongoing series, we’re analyzing every team’s off-season, examining which teams improved, stayed the same or got worse with their moves (or lack thereof) this off-season. Each column will break down additions and departures, including hirings and firings.

You can see the teams that finished lower than the Maple Leafs at the bottom. But first thing’s first – let’s get to Toronto’s changes, and see why we’re ranking them 26th overall in the NHL summer splash rankings.

Additions

Matias Maccelli (LW), Dakota Joshua (LW), Nicolas Roy (C), Michael Pezzetta (LW), Henry Thrun (D)

The Breakdown: Faced with the loss of superstar right winger Mitch Marner, Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving used Marner’s salary cap space to balance out Toronto’s group of forwards. 

First, Treliving traded for Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth. He then acquired Roy in the sign-and-trade that sent Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights. Finally, Treliving brought on two rugged wingers: Joshua in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks, and former Montreal Canadien Pezzetta in free agency.

Maccelli should start the year in Toronto’s top six, trying to make the most of his playmaking skills. Joshua, Roy and Pezzetta – the latter of whom may begin the season in the press box as a healthy scratch – will make the Leafs’ bottom six more abrasive and responsible at both ends of the ice. 

It was always going to be nearly impossible to replace the scoring Marner brought to the table, so Treliving used his cap space to make the Leafs a different type of team.

If Maccelli can rebound from his down season in 2024-25, when he had 18 points in 55 games, and if Joshua and Roy can amp up the two-way play, the Leafs will once again be a playoff team in the hyper-competitive Atlantic Division. This is an optimist’s point of view, but Treliving and Leafs brass are gambling their jobs that it will work out in their favor.

Departures

Mitch Marner (RW), Ryan Reaves (RW), Pontus Holmberg (LW), Max Pacioretty (LW), Alex Steeves (LW), Jani Hakanpaa (D), Brendan Shanahan (president)

The Breakdown: Marner was the biggest UFA on the market this summer, and in more than one respect, his departure is devastating, as it would be for any team that lost a creative and dominant regular-season performer of his caliber. 

But the losses for Toronto didn’t stop there. Treliving freed up cap space by dealing Reaves to the San Jose Sharks, while Holmberg (now with the Tampa Bay Lightning), Steeves (now a Boston Bruin), Pacioretty and Hakanpaa (both UFAs) have also become ex-Leafs.

With the exception of Marner, all of the aforementioned Leafs forwards are essentially replaceable. Holmberg bounced between Toronto’s third and fourth lines with not a lot of success, while Pacioretty, admittedly a terrific playoff performer for the Buds last spring, has trouble staying healthy. Reaves and Steeves were fringe players who finished the year with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. So in the macro picture, aside from Marner, the forwards Toronto has acquired this summer are arguably better than the forwards Toronto has lost.

Marner’s exit seemed to be in the cards for months, if not years, when he didn’t sign a contract extension. Treliving – essentially powerless to stop Marner (and his no-trade clause) from orchestrating his departure – did what he could with the talent available in free agency and trades. But when it comes to pure upper-tier talent, the Leafs have taken a major blow. And they now have to prove they can thrive in the post-Marner Era.

Toronto Maple Leafs Changed Their DNA After AllThe Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t use all their salary cap space right as NHL free agency opened, which suggested they weren’t done yet.

The Bottom Line

There may be more departures (and additions) if Treliving intends to use the $2.9 million he currently has in cap space and bring in more experience. A top-six winger is obviously the priority for the Maple Leafs, as their goaltending and defense corps are all firmed up to the satisfaction of management. After all, the Leafs won the regular-season Atlantic title last year, and they still have a lot of Grade-A talent that will keep them in the mix to win the Atlantic again this coming season.

With established stars under long-term contracts – Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares – an up-and-coming elite power forward in left winger Matthew Knies, a highly touted prospect in left winger Easton Cowan, a solid group of blueliners and a netminding tandem that’s the envy of many teams, the Leafs aren’t going to be a playoff bubble team. A bite from the injury bug may hamper Toronto’s effectiveness, but there’s a good deal of depth at just about every position with this team, and that should help the Maple Leafs weather any health-related storm.

Still, the reason the Leafs are rated so low in the NHL summer splash rankings is directly due to the loss of Marner. He was Toronto’s leading offensive force last year, had a career year in assists (75) and points (102), and the Buds didn’t have a realistic replacement for his skill set.

The Maple Leafs can still have a great year without Marner, but they’re going to be a significantly different type of team – prioritizing snot and ruggedness over offensive dominance – and the results of that change in philosophy remain to be seen.

Summer Splash Rankings

26. Toronto Maple Leafs

27. Dallas Stars

28. Calgary Flames

29. Los Angeles Kings

30. Winnipeg Jets

31. Chicago Blackhawks

32. Buffalo Sabres