NHL Insider Darren Dreger said last week that the Edmonton Oilers were interested in hiring disgraced former Columbus Blue Jackets "Head Coach" Mike Babcock.
Well, Oilers fans, get ready, because it's happening.
ESPN's Emily Kaplan and NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman reported on Thursday that the NHL investigation into Mike Babcock's actions while coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets is wrapping up, and he will be cleared to coach again.
The NHL released a statement on the investigation.
"The league has completed its review of Mike Babcock's tenure in Columbus, and of certain alleged conduct associated therewith. Our investigation has concluded that, even in the light least favorable to Mr. Babcock, there is no current basis to restrict his employment in the league."
The Edmonton Oilers are expected to hire Mike Babcock.
Sources: The Edmtn Oilers are consulting with the NHLPA to see if there are objections that must be resolved before potentially hiring Mike Babcock. Amid allegations of invading players privacy, Babcock resigned in CBJ as Head Coach in 2023. Further investigation may be required.
A couple of weeks ago was the third anniversary of the rumors that the CBJ were going to hire Mike Babcock.
A few weeks after the rumors started, Mike Commodore came out with a blistering video about Babcock. He publicly bashed both Babcock and the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Commodore went on a calm, NSWF rant about how "disappointed" he was to see "Babs the Bully" back in the NHL. Commie asked, "Am I surprised? No, I'm not!" Commodore went on to say that he never believed Babcock was retiring. He said he also feels Babcock went into the CBJ front office and told them "whatever they wanted to hear," "blah blah blah," so he could get the job, claiming he changed; meanwhile Commie thinks otherwise. " Babs the bully ain't changing."
Commodore went on to say he hopes this experiment fails miserably. "With all due respect to my buddies that are in the Blue Jackets Organization, I hope this Babcock experiment is a complete disaster, on every single level."
Let's hope Commodore keeps the same energy that he had back in 2023.
Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14.
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With our first change in the first-round draft order, the Philadelphia Flyers have a new team to keep an eye on in the 2026 NHL Draft.
On Thursday, the San Jose Sharks traded the 20th overall pick to the Buffalo Sabres, who have now jumped the Flyers in the draft order, in exchange for the 27th overall pick and defenseman Michael Kesselring.
By moving down seven spots, the Sharks acquire a defender in Kesselring who is just 26 years old and one season removed from showing legitimate second-pairing promise.
The Sabres, who turned a dreadful start into a wildly successful season, have now interestingly moved up in the draft order, rather than trading that first-round pick to further improve the team... at least for now.
There has been some wide speculation as to what the Flyers were planning to do with the 21st overall, be it taking a center like Ilia Morozov, a power forward like Maddox Dagenais, or a dynamic defenseman like Xavier Villeneuve.
Should free agent Alex Tuch not return to the Sabres and leave for another team, Buffalo could opt to add a more robust combination of size and skill, via Morozov or Dagenais, to replace him in the long-term.
Behind breakout star Konsta Helenius, the Sabres also don't have a sure thing at center for the future.
Josh Norris has had health issues, while Ryan McLeod is best served reprising his role as one of the best third-line centers in the NHL.
The Flyers have been linked to both Dagenais and Morozov and met with both players at the recent NHL scouting combine, and there aren't players with equal size and skill quite like them in the draft slots that follow.
Of course, the Flyers will still be left with their choice of the two, but Dagenais is seen as more of a winger at the next level, despite his ability to play in the middle and on the flank.
If the center in Morozov goes, the Flyers' remaining options at the position would include Jack Hextall, a distant relative of Flyers legend Ron Hextall, the 6-foot-7 Brooks Rogowski, CHL scoring champ Markus Ruck, and Yegor Shilov.
It's worth reminding, too, that the Flyers moved up in the draft last year, and they could certainly do so again if needed, even if it's just to beat the Sabres to the punch.
The New Jersey Devils finished in the bottom third of the NHL standings in 2025-26, and there are a lot of reasons to explain this. Between an off-ice injury to Jack Hughes early in the year, subpar goaltending, and a gauntlet of an Eastern Conference, making the playoffs just wasn’t in the cards.
With all those reasons that kept them down, there's plenty to believe it won’t happen again. However, they can’t run it back with the same group of philosophy. With Sunny Mehta leading the way now, things will be different.
Part of their path to getting better is making trades. The Devils don’t have the elite pipeline of young players they did when Tom Fitzgerald was earlier in his tenure, but they do have assets other teams would want. These three would be the most enticing to other organizations:
12th Overall Pick
The 12th overall pick may be in play for the New Jersey Devils. There is a chance that this pick would turn into a complete stud, but it isn’t as sure as selecting in the top three. For a team that is trying to get over the hump into the playoffs, it might be a pick better served as trade bait.
If the Devils are going to trade this pick, you can be certain that they are getting something of significance back. Whether it’s used in a huge blockbuster or even some top-six help on the wing, it will serve the Devils well if they are correct in their process.
Simon Nemec
Obviously, stars like Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt are the most valuable players in the organization. However, they are not trading any of those three anytime soon. Of the players that they may actually move, Simon Nemec is at the top of the list.
The second overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft has had some ups and downs to begin his NHL career. He has mostly been unhappy with his usage, but he is also a 22-year-old defenseman with under 200 games played in the NHL.
It is going to take some time, as it does for all young defensemen, but Nemec has the tools to be a star. This upside may be what lands the Devils a good return if they do decide to move on.
Dawson Mercer
Simon Nemec isn’t the only good, young player that the Devils have to offer. Dawson Mercer isn’t as impactful or has the same upside at a premier position as Nemec, but he does have, as a former first-round pick himself, the tools to impact NHL games as a middle-six goal-scoring forward.
Mercer is good for 20 goals a year with no issue. However, he did have one career year in that department (2022-23) with 27 goals. Mercer is also good for just about every game. He has played in every single game to begin his NHL career: 410 consecutive games played. That includes the COVID-19 era, where players were being shut down for days at a time due to illness. He never missed even once.
Unfortunately, he didn’t take the steps that the Devils were hoping he would, but he is still a solid middle-six forward who can play center or wing. Mercer doesn't drive offense, but he can make plays with great linemates if presented the chance.
As part of a big trade with layers, there is no reason another contender wouldn’t love to have him. He won't move the needle on a deal, but he'd be a notable sweetener.
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NASHVILLE — The Nashville Predators hired longtime NHL player and former Boston Bruins executive Jamie Langenbrunner as a special assistant to new general manager Chris MacFarland.
Langenbrunner, who scored 243 goals with Dallas, New Jersey and St. Louis during an 18-year career that included a pair of Stanley Cup victories, will focus on professional scouting, collegiate free-agent scouting and recruiting, and special assignments with the Predators.
The 50-year-old Langebrunner spent more than a decade with the Boston Bruins after retiring in 2013. He worked in various capacities with the Bruins, including stints as a development coach and director of player development before becoming assistant general manager in 2022.
A member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, Langenbrunner won the Cup with Dallas in 1999 and New Jersey in 2003. He also served as captain of the silver-medal-winning U.S. Olympic hockey team at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
The Montreal Canadiens are aware of the fact that finding good right-shot defensemen is no easy task, and stockpiling a few in the pipeline wouldn’t hurt. At the 2025 draft, they picked Bryce Pickford out of the WHL, and they weren’t disappointed as the right-shot blueliner put up 83 points in 55 games in his last season in junior hockey. The Habs could be tempted to drink from the same well if Vancouver Giants rearguard Ryan Lin is still available when they take to the stage.
The 5-foot-11 and 198-pound defenseman isn’t the biggest player, but his skill set is both impressive and intriguing. Despite his young age, he has shown he is leadership material and was rewarded with the Giants' captaincy last January, when he was only 17. In his first season in the WHL, he was a rookie of the year finalist, putting up 53 points in 60 games, but he did even better this past season, increasing his production to 57 points in only 53 games.
The offensive defenseman is a smooth skater and an elite puck-mover who loves leading the attack and joining the rush, but he can at times be overenthusiastic and be caught up ice. That’s not overly worrying as it’s a tendency that many youngsters have. Learning to pick your moments as an offensive defenseman is something that’s, more often than not, on young blueliners’ to-do lists; even Lane Hutson had to do that when he joined the Habs.
He’s been the Giants’ power play quarterback all season long and has demonstrated that he can walk the line with the best of them while scanning the ice to find the best available play, whether it’s passing the puck to a teammate or finding a shooting lane. While his shot isn’t exactly devastating, he’s good at getting the puck on net and creating rebounds for the forwards to feast on.
While he’s not on the same elite level as some of the higher-ranked defensemen in the draft, such as Chase Reid or Daxon Rudolph and doesn’t have their size, he still has a lot of potential, and his ceiling remains to be established. He’s got the vision and hockey sense that would make him a great candidate to play the Martin St-Louis brand of hockey, if it ever came to that.
Head coach Jay McKee, who was hired by Hamilton on May 9, brings aboard Vince Laise, who had served on his Brantford Bulldogs staff.
Hamilton also hires Kain Tisi as the club's goalie coach.
Tisi had served as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's goalie coach for the last two seasons after a four-year stint as the Pittsburgh Penguins developmental goalie coach.
There was a vacancy at the AHL goaltender coach level ever since Sergei Naumovs replaced Piero Greco as Islanders goalie coach on Oct. 22.
Former Islanders and NHL netminder turned MSG and NHL Network analyst, Cory Schneider, had been helping out the AHL goalies since then.
That, of course, makes life a little different for the club’s amateur scouting staff leading up to the 2026 NHL draft. Barring a trade, the Flyers will pick at 21st overall. It’s their lowest first-round spot since 2020.
So the Flyers know the draft is still critical to what they want to do, even when they’re lower in the order.
“We’ve said it for a long time, we wanted to build a team that was going to be here for a long time; not just to go for it for a year or two,” general manager Danny Briere said last month. “That’s still the same approach on my end.”
After the recent trade with the Maple Leafs, the Flyers have only four picks in this draft, which will be held June 26-27. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11 a.m. ET.
“I’ll tell you how I feel about drafts and I’ll be totally blunt with you,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said June 2 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think it’s f—ing bulls–t when I hear about, ‘Oh, this draft isn’t as good.’ Here are the numbers. Approximately 45 players from any draft will play 350 games or more in the NHL. It might be 47 one year, 42 another year. That’s the number — you get 45 players that’ll play 350 games or more with varying degrees of success.
“And I know this about the draft. The teams that get good players from the draft say it was a good draft. The teams that don’t get good players from the draft say it wasn’t a good draft. So when people start telling me about a draft ahead of time, I call bulls–t.”
“What you’re trying to do is find a player that you feel has the potential to be an NHL player,” Button said. “That might be a third-line center, that might be a second-line scoring winger. Hey, listen, maybe you get David Pastrnak, who’s a superstar (drafted 25th overall in 2014).
“But the focus has to be on, ‘OK, what type of player do we like, what type of player do we think the guy can be?’ And then get after it and understand what the development path is, and then try to help that player be the best he can be. Put a stake in the ground and celebrate who you’re drafting.”
Before the draft arrives, we’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers.
Next up:
Nikita Klepov
Position: Winger Height: 6-foot Weight: 180 Shoots: Left Team: Saginaw
Scouting report
There’s a swagger to Klepov, who looks like he was born to score.
He won the OHL scoring crown this season as a 17-year-old rookie, amassing 97 points (37 goals, 60 assists) in 67 games for Saginaw. Klepov put up 38 power play points and three shorthanded goals.
The Michigan State commit had six games of multiple goals and five games of four or more points.
“There were a lot of plays where it’s like, ‘OK, that’s an interesting decision to get rid of the puck here, what are you doing?'” Ellis said. “And then he would skate around everybody, get into scoring position and score. He would do that a lot. This is a guy that thinks the game at a high level.”
Klepov is the 19th-ranked player on Ellis’ top-100 draft board. It’s uncertain if the right winger will play one more season at the junior level before going to college. The knocks on his game are that he’s not very big and the skating isn’t always there.
“His skating is something where it’s more about how he uses it,” Ellis said. “He has actually got some good speed and he does move a lot, but it’s not enough. It’s not every shift. I think that’s kind of the issue. There are a lot of times where he’s just kind of out there and not doing a whole lot and needs to be doing it.
“It’s just kind of that shift-to-shift consistency. There are some points in games he looks a little checked out; he can’t do that at the next level. But I do think that the offensive ability there is very exciting.”
The Flyers have liked players out of the OHL. Four of their last five first-round selections have been OHLers.
Klepov’s prowess on the power play should attract the Flyers. He sees the ice and can execute at a high level. With the NHL’s worst power play over the last five seasons combined (14.1 percent), the Flyers have needed more answers there.
The organization already has a lot of young wingers, but the Flyers will go with a best-player-available approach at No. 21. If they were to take Klepov, he’d add to a promising outlook on the wing. Just on the right side alone, the Flyers would have Martone, Klepov and Matvei Michkov.
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 4: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his goal against the New York Rangers during the third period at the TD Garden on March 4, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins won 4-2. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In a move that was merely a matter of time, the Bruins announced Thursday morning that they’ll be retiring Patrice Bergeron’s #37 during the 2026-2027 season.
Bergeron’s jersey retirement comes on the heels of the B’s retiring Zdeno Chara’s #33 last season, and the Bergeron honor likely isn’t the last one from that golden (modern) era of Bruins hockey.
The B’s released the graphic below along with their announcement, one that they’ll use to promote the retirement in the run-up to the actual ceremony:
The graphic has plenty of nice details, including a silhouette of the Selke Trophy at the top and six gold stars, a nod to his six Selke Trophy wins.
The image of Bergeron used in the graphic comes from a famous photo of what was arguably Bergeron’s most memorable Bruins goal, the game-winning OT goal in Game 7 against Toronto back in 2013.
Bergeron was a lifetime Bruin, spending his entire 19-season NHL career in Boston. He was drafted by the B’s in 2003, making his NHL debut at just 18 years old.
Over the course of his career, Bergeron played 1,294 regular season games for the Bruins, recording 427G-613A-1,040PTS totals.
It’s worth noting that those totals would likely be significantly higher had Bergeron not missed the equivalent of just about a full season between 2007-2009 as he dealt with the effects of multiple concussions, most notably the one that came via a dirty hit by Randy Jones of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Bergeron also had 119 points (44G-75A) over the course of 163 playoff games.
One of the most complete two-way players of his generation, Bergeron was recently inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame, and an induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame isn’t far off.
From a press release from the Bruins:
“To have my number retired by the Boston Bruins is an honor that is difficult to put into words,” said Patrice Bergeron. “When I arrived in Boston as an 18-year-old, I could never have imagined receiving this recognition one day. I have always believed that any success I had was only possible because of the people around me. I was fortunate to play alongside incredible teammates, learn from outstanding coaches and staff and be supported by an organization that believed in me from the very beginning. I am especially grateful to my family for the sacrifices they made that allowed me to pursue my dream. This honor belongs to all of them as much as it belongs to me. To Bruins fans across New England, thank you for welcoming a young French Canadian and making this place feel like home. Every time I stepped onto the ice, I felt the privilege and responsibility that comes with wearing the Spoked-B, and I always tried to represent this organization and community the right way. I am deeply humbled and grateful to be connected to the history of the Boston Bruins. To know that No. 37 will forever be part of that history is something I will cherish for the rest of my life.”
Bergeron’s #37 will be the 14th number retired by the Bruins.
The date and time for the retirement ceremony hasn’t been set yet, but will likely be announced as we get closer to the start of next season.
If you want to experience a wave of nostalgia, here’s a sampling of highlights from Bergeron’s storied career:
With the Vancouver Canucks naming Ryan Johnson as General Manager and Henrik and Daniel Sedin as co-Presidents of Hockey Operations, we may finally see the Canucks enter a proper rebuild.
Outside of winning a Cup, rebuilding has seemed to be the one thing Vancouver hasn’t managed to do; at least not the proper, old-fashioned way of drafting and developing prospects while selling veterans for young players and draft picks. But with a new regime, there finally seems to be a sense of optimism around the team for the first time in what feels like forever.
At his introductory press conference, Johnson had this to say about the Canucks' process for the rebuild:
“We’re going to do this step-by-step, and we’re not going to race through it. We’re going to be very strategic with everything we do. We’re going to be aligned with everything we do so that, as a group, we are sticking to the vision that was talked about in May of 2026 and not ever get outside of that vision.”
Fans and media will have their own opinions on what moves the Canucks should make during this rebuild, but one thing is certain: this year’s draft, in which Vancouver holds 10 picks, including the third overall selection, will be a huge part of this team moving forward.
During the Patrik Allvin and Jim Rutherford era, the Canucks never tanked correctly, but they still drafted a high-end defensive prospect in Tom Willander and acquired another one in Zeev Buium via the Quinn Hughes trade. Outside of Buium and Willander, Vancouver still lacks the blue-chip prospects other rebuilding organizations have. The best way to acquire elite prospects is by drafting them.
For Montréal, much of the discussion has been about their young stars producing for them. While Lane Hutson was a second-round pick and Nick Suzuki was acquired via trade, the Canadiens picked in the top five from 2022 to 2024, drafting Juraj Slafkovský first-overall in 2022, David Reinbacher fifth-overall in 2023, and Ivan Demidov fifth-overall in 2024. From 2019 to 2025, Montréal had eight first-round picks. Accumulating draft stock is crucial in the early stages of rebuilding.
Chicago has done the same. Since 2018, the Blackhawks have had seven top-10 picks and 17 first-round picks. As for the Sharks, from 2021 to now, they have had five top-10 picks and 10 first-round picks.
The Canucks have another nine picks in the 2027 and 2028 drafts, but they only have one first-round pick. The lack of first-round picks brings the focus to the Filip Hronek dilemma. Canucks fans, and surely management too, are torn on whether to trade the star defenceman or not.
Acquiring More Draft Stock Will Require Parting Ways With Established Players
Hronek is locked in at $7.25 million for the next six seasons, with a full no-move clause for the next two. He is, without a doubt, Vancouver's biggest trade chip and their best chance to net another first-round pick and potentially other assets as well.
If Hronek waives his no-trade clause, the Canucks need to jump on it, because waiting to trade him will only hurt them. He is a right-shot defenceman on a great contract who can play in all situations. Asset management has hurt Vancouver in the past, and if Johnson and the Sedins want to avoid repeating those mistakes, they should move Hronek if given the opportunity.
As for the future, a large part of who the Canucks trade may be determined by who they select this year. If Vancouver finds themselves in a position where Ivar Stenberg is on the board at three, they get an potential first-line winger. This could make trading Jake DeBrusk more viable. If they draft a defenceman at three, trading Hronek becomes more of a possibility. Lastly, if they can land Caleb Malhotra, they may be more willing to part ways with center Elias Pettersson.
For the first time in years, the Canucks finally seem willing to prioritize patience over shortcuts. With 10 picks in this draft, they have set a good foundation for this rebuild. If they can acquire more picks in the next two drafts and get some lottery luck, it would be a successful start to the Johnson and Sedin management era.
Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; A general view inside the venue prior to the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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The Montreal Canadiens’ rebuild is progressing as well as one could have expected, or even better than expected. They made it to the third round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and were just seven wins away from winning the whole thing. Still, their swift dismissal by the Carolina Hurricanes showed that pieces are missing in Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton’s puzzle.
The Habs brass have a long to-do list this summer, which includes finding a real second-line center who will be able to make Ivan Demidov shine, getting a right-shot defenseman who’ll be able to handle top-four minutes and getting some depth on the blueline that coach Martin St-Louis will trust. Those things are easier said than done, and as anyone who follows hockey, or any professional sport, will tell you, you have to give something to get something.
If the Canadiens do not want to move one of their core pieces, such as Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson, or Noah Dobson, they’ll likely have to open up the prospect cupboard. One of the names that has been floating around of late is Alexander Zharovsky, the team’s second-round pick and first selection in the 2025 draft.
In an episode of The Sick Podcast on Tuesday night, Tony Marinaro’s guest Craig Button urged the Canadiens to tread carefully when it came to the idea of trading Zharvosky, given how close Demidov is to the youngster.
It’s a valid point. After all, from day one, the Canadiens have involved Demidov when it came to Zharovsky. Hughes called the youngster before drafting his countrymen and asked him about his work ethic. The Habs have been selling their top guys on the fact that they are all building something together; that’s how they’ve managed to get so many players to sign team-friendly deals. That’s also how Hutson ended up speaking to Demidov about how important it is to stay long-term to build a winner, and that’s how the young Russian finds himself playing a mentoring role for Zharovsky.
Demidov has said that he’ll be spending a significant amount of time with the prospect this summer, training with him, showing him around the city, and even having him stay at his home. Letting Demidov handle those responsibilities is a great way to make him feel like he’s part of the group putting this team together. Slafkovsky really blossomed this past season when he was put on a line with Demidov and Oliver Kapanen and had to take charge, take ownership, and lead it.
Having Demidov play that role this summer is big for the team's culture and the player’s development; that’s why Button’s comment makes sense. If Demidov spends his summer essentially grooming Zharovsky to become a part of the Canadiens’ core, it would be tough for him to see his childhood friend and summer assignment leave. This is not a Slafkovsky-Mesar kind of situation. Zharovsky shows far more promise than Mesar ever did, and Demidov is a year older than Zharovsky. Slafkovsky was brought into the fold at the same time as Mesar and was never asked to be his guide and mentor.
Alexander Zharovsky & Ivan Demidov back in Brossard today, alongside Adam Nicholas pic.twitter.com/JjhDOtGGk4
Should the Canadiens decide to move on from Zharovsky, it won’t be a decision they’ll take lightly, as they’ll be fully aware of the repercussions. Given how high the youngster was on their draft list (they would have taken him with one of the first-round picks they had if they didn’t trade those in the Dobson trade), it feels like the return would have to be huge for the Habs’ brass to even consider the idea.
MONTREAL, CANADA - APRIL 05: Jacob Markstrom #25 of the New Jersey Devils tends net during the third period against the Montréal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on April 5, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Montréal Canadiens 3-0. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
“The New Jersey Devils are reportedly testing the market for veteran goaltender Jacob Markstrom. Finding a trade could be a tricky proposition. He is coming off a down season, he is set to earn $6 million for another two seasons, and he has a 20-team no-trade list. That combination could limit an already narrow list of matches. Whether GM Sunny Mehta can find a deal is anyone’s guess, but here are three destinations that could make sense.” [Infernal Access ($)]
“The New Jersey Devils had a disappointing offseason in 2025. It’s a significant reason why they missed the playoffs this season and why Sunny Mehta is taking over as GM. I don’t want to get fans too excited, but there’s potential for a much busier summer this year. There’s too much riding on next season, and I expect Mehta to make quite a few changes.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]
“Landing (Jordan) Spence wouldn’t magically fix every defensive shortcoming, but it would give the Devils balance across their pairs. Slide him into a second-pair role, and you suddenly have better depth in transition and on special teams which certainly moves the needle. With the Senators exploring options and Spence’s value still climbing, questions about (Simon) Nemec’s future in New Jersey, and the downgrade in trade protection for (Brenden) Dillon, the timing feels right.” [New Jersey Hockey Now]
“The Devils should have options — and appealing ones at that — if there is any smoke to the rumors about shopping Markstrom. The only concern that I have is that there needs to be a legitimate replacement.” [Devils’ Advocates]
Hockey Links
The Leafs and Golden Knights have new coaches:
Jim Hiller has been named the 41st Head Coach in franchise history!
Joseph Woll’s time in Toronto is over. The Leafs have traded Woll and Simon Benoit for Samuel Ersson, Emil Andrae and a 2026 third-round pick. pic.twitter.com/WmlqhyqWAg
“There are few teams more process-oriented than the Carolina Hurricanes, so it’s no surprise they finally found themselves hoisting the Stanley Cup this season. But as teams begin their annual tradition of copying the winner, what lessons should they focus on when trying to replicate the success of the Canes? Let’s look into it.” [Daily Faceoff]
“The race to July 1 is on. With the Stanley Cup now handed out to the Carolina Hurricanes, the 31 NHL teams trying to chase them down are entering a critical period for business. They will be digging through a free-agent class that lacks in star power but offers plenty of useful complementary players.” [The Athletic ($)]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.
According to Puckpedia’s Perri Pick Value Calculator, the value difference between those seven first-round draft spots is roughly a mid-second rounder, meaning that Kesselring did not come cheaply to the Sharks.
This, despite just two assists in 34 games and many healthy scratches for Kesselring this past season.
But Kesselring is just 26, enjoyed a breakout 2024-25 campaign with the Utah Mammoth, and is a mobile 6-foot-5 right-hander. There’s not a lot of those in the NHL. That season, Kesselring saw the equivalent of second-unit power play usage and notched seven goals and 29 points, averaging 17:41 a night.
Every Michael Kesselring goal from his last full healthy season in Utah.
It’s not the quantity, but the quality of these goals that’s impressive. This doesn’t highlight the rest of his game, but it’s definitely fun to see what he’s capable of when he finds a lane. #SJSharkspic.twitter.com/xoeAVWWvL0
Can he return to that form…or be better for the Sharks?
“Has top-four potential,” Scout No. 1 said. “Good size, moves well, has some upside.”
There’s a reason why the Sabres wanted Kesselring, along with winger Josh Doan from the Mammoth, in a 2-for-1 swap last summer for point-per-game winger JJ Peterka.
Scout No. 2, however, isn’t as enamored with Kesselring: “Long. Third-pairing, certainly not second-pairing potential. Maybe he kills penalties?”
Per Stathletes, Kesselring had some turnover issues with the Mammoth in 2024-25, sporting a team defense-worst 5-on-5 Neutral Zone Turnovers Per 60. His Pass Completion percentage was also position-worst.
Those numbers were worse in Buffalo.
“Offensive vision is very average,” Scout No. 3 said. “He can get busy with the puck sometimes but wouldn’t consider him careless.”
This scout came in on the middle about Kesselring: “Ideally, he’s a bottom-pairing guy, but there is upside.”
What does he like?
“Big, mobile, and has a decent puck game with a heavy shot,” Scout No. 3 said. “Two-way guy for me. Can play on a second power play unit.”
Kesselring did lead Utah blueliners with 150 shots in 2024-25. And according to Stathletes, he paced this position in 5-on-5 Stretch Carries Per 60, which are puck carries of 30-or-more feet, along with Carries Leading to Shots, his or off his pass.
So Kesselring has clear ability with lugging and distributing the puck, but also must learn to be more reliable with it.
Defensively, Kesselring did lead that Mammoth defense in 5-on-5 Puck Battles Won Per 60, so he’s effective with his size.
All three scouts agree that Kesselring should be an improvement for what was a below-average Sharks defensive corps last season.
“He’s a clear upgrade over what they had last year,” Scout No. 3 said. “Makes them better, for sure.”
How much better?
Scout No. 3 thinks that Kesselring circa 2024-25 would’ve been San Jose’s third-best defenseman last year, behind Dmitry Orlov and Mario Ferraro, and ahead of John Klingberg, Vincent Desharnais, Sam Dickinson, Shakir Mukhamadullin, and company.
That’s faint praise.
But the Sharks have just two blueliners signed right now, Orlov and Dickinson, and now, a pair of RFA’s in Kesselring and Mukhamadullin.
So this is Kesselring’s chance to establish himself as an everyday NHL player…or not. Just don’t expect him to change the complexion of a San Jose defense that needs lots more help. He’s a very good gamble, that’s all.
“Like the player. Fills a need for the Sharks,” Scout No. 3 said. “Still has a good amount of upside.”
The Seattle Kraken’s off-season is underway, and while the Vegas Golden Knights fell to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Finals, it felt like a good time to launch a new series: Did you know?
This collection will feature articles about the Seattle Kraken, with facts, stories, and interesting tidbits fans may not know—or remember.
The past five seasons have produced several memorable moments. But the most interesting statistic is that, before the inaugural season even kicked off, the team had retired a jersey number.
The number that hangs in the rafters at the Climate Pledge Arena is 32.
The story behind the retired number is that Kraken fans made 32,000 ticket deposits on the team's first day of existence. The team honored its fans by placing the number in the rafters of Climate Pledge Arena before its inaugural game.
At the time, Seattle Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke shared a message with fans before the first game.
"You did it. And we will never, ever forget," Leiweke said to NHL.com. "And tonight, we will retire the number 32. We will never forget what you've done. We will always be reminded that jersey flies from the rafters of this beautiful arena, and we honor you."
The Kraken went on to lose 4-2 to the Vancouver Canucks in their home opener, after falling 4-3 to the Vegas Golden Knights in their first NHL game.
The number not only represents the fanbase but also reflects that the Seattle Kraken are the 32nd team in the National Hockey League, added in 2021-22.
In the last five seasons, the team made the playoffs once, in 2022-23.
Number 32 remains in the rafters of Climate Pledge Arena, though it was never worn by a Kraken player.
Leiweke had one more message for Kraken fans on that historic day: “Let’s go, Kraken!”
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 26: Kris Letang #58 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates in the third period during the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 26, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Vitals
Player: Kris Letang Born: April 27, 1987 (Age 39 season) Height: 6’ 0” Weight: 199 pounds Hometown: Montreal, Quebec, Canada Shoots: Right Draft: Third round, 2005 NHL Draft, No. 62 overall, by the Pittsburgh Penguins 2025-26 Statistics: 74 games played, three goals, 31 assists, 34 total points, minus-4 Contract Status: Two years remaining on a six-year. $36.6 million contract with $6.1 million salary cap number
Story of the Season
Letang is the one member of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ big three that has really started to show signs of age and slowing down.
While Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were still big-time contributors in 2025-26 and providing the Penguins with great value with their contracts, Letang simply did not. He has lost a step in his game and has not yet really adjusted to that, still having moments where he tries to play the way he did at his peak. It is not a good combination. While there were still some moments and individual games where Letang could put everything together and play like Kris Letang, those moments were few and far between.
The good news: Some of those moments came in extremely clutch situations, scoring overtime game-winning goals against both the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets to help give the Penguins key points in their push for a playoff spot against teams they were competing with in the playoff race. The game-winning goal against Columbus in late November capped off a two-goal third period comeback win for the Penguins that was one of their best wins of the season (and also one of their two multiple goal come-from-behind wins in Columbus this season).
Letang had a solid start to the season in October, recording six points with a plus-8 rating in his first 12 games of the season. He also had a solid December with nine points in 14 games. But his November and March were both especially bad, both offensively and in terms of giving up goals, and played a big role in his overall down numbers for the season.
Regular season 5v5 advanced stats
Data via Natural Stat Trick. Ranking is out of 11 defensemen on the team who qualified by playing a minimum of 150 minutes.
There is not a lot to love here about Letang’s perfomrance.
He did not score a single goal during 5-on-5 play, saw a serious drop in his playmaking with the assists, and was no longer an overly effective player in terms of driving position.
Making things even worse, he seemed to be the common denominator for a lot of his partner’s struggles.
Sam Girard was significantly better and more productive when he was not paired with Letang.
Ryan Shea was significantly better and more productive when he was not paired with Letang.
The only defenseman that seemed to have any meaningful success with Letang this season was Brett Kulak in their 278 minutes of 5-on-5 hockey together.
In other words, the 2025-26 season was finally the season that Kris Letang played like the player that his harshest critics always thought that he was. It only took 18 years, but it happened.
Charts n’at
This chart speaks to the above that the decline has been real for Letang. His decade+ days of being a quality No. 1 defenseman are a memory and his WAR ranking and offensive impact has been in sharp decline lately.
However, not all hope is gone. Letang can still move the puck within the offensive zone really well to create shot and chance assists. He is good with in-zone offense once the puck gets that far. Being so low in exit success rates with the inability to carry the puck as well as failing to deny entries and prevent chances defensively shows some areas that have become drastically limited for Letang in the aging process. He also somehow managed to score zero 5v5 goals this season, a bit of an anomaly considering he’s scored 4-10 5v5 goals each season since coming back from next surgery in 2017.
Even at an older age, Letang’s skating and burst is still reasonably good relative to the rest of the league. As a notorious workout/fitness freak, there’s no doubt that Letang is doing all that he can to keep his body in as top of shape as possible. Gotta give him a lot of credit for that, and all his endless work in the gym has certainly paid off to help him keep some power in his skating, even late in his career.
Highlights
Tanger calls game in his 1,200th 🙌
With his game winner, Kris Letang has the second-most overtime goals by a defenseman in NHL history (13). pic.twitter.com/Kmj5AaISX1
The two biggest questions regarding Letang are whether or not he can rebound in any way this season and find a way to be productive in a smaller role, and whether or not he will actually be on the team next season?
Letang has always seemed like the most likely of the big three to play elsewhere, and the Penguins might be open to moving him and his contract if the opportunity presents itself. That does not seem likely for a variety of reasons, ranging from Letang having a full no-movement clause and having the ability to veto any trade he does not want, as well as the fact there simply may not be a huge market for a 39-year-old defenseman counting more than $6 million per season against the salary cap and coming off arguably the worst season of his career.
Ideal 2026-27
It still seems likely that Letang will be a Penguin, but he is going to need to adjust his style of play and his role is going to need to change. He does not need to be the focal point of the defense or be the player pushing the pace of play, mostly because he does not really possess the skating or skills to do that anymore. If he can play an 18-minute per night role in more sheltered situations, while chipping in the occasional 5-on-5 goal, there might still be something here that they can use. He just needs to know his limitations. The Penguins also need to know his limitations.
Bottom line
Letang is a giant in Penguins history and one of the best, most important players to play for the franchise. There may have been a handful of better defensemen to briefly play for the Penguins (Paul Coffey, for example), but Letang has had the greatest career of any Penguins defensemen with the Penguins. He has won three Stanley Cups here, scoring a game-winning goal in a Stanley Cup clinching game, and consistently been one of the best overall defensemen in the NHL. He is a borderline Hall of Famer. All of that will always be important, even if he is not that version of himself at this stage of his career.
I read something recently quoting somebody else who said your favorite World Cup (the soccer version) is the one that happens when you’re about 8-13 years old or so, because it’s when things still feel magical but before you grasp how cynical and corrupt FIFA is and how the world is in general.
All that aside, if you appreciate soccer at all, then the World Cup — even this bloated, peace-prize-for-toddler-favors version — is still fun as hell, for the coming together of cultures sharing party moments in celebration of a stupid game. Scots taking over Fenway Park, Uzbeks bouncing in a small group surrounded by tens of thousands of Colombians. A DR Congo fan standing still for the entirety of each match. Tourney favorite Spain running into Cabo Verde having its 2010 Jaro Halak moment. Jerry Jones keeling over somewhere, hopefully. (No?)
It will for sure pacify me until the NHL draft and free agency begins, at least.
There’s not a whole lot of news on that front just yet, but it’s coming, surely.
(P.S. Thanks to all for the encouraging words on Bear and the fun nerding out on handedness in Wednesday’s thread.)
Islanders News
Hockey’s just around the corner! Sort of not really but kind of. The prospect camp Blue-White scrimmage is on July 1, and maybe Gavin McKenna will be there after we trade Bailey, Donovan and a 5th to get him. [Isles]
Elsewhere
The Knights have hired their latest coach, promoting their AHL guy. [NHL]
And in their benevolence, they actually allowed fired coach Bruce Cassidy to talk to one team. [Sportsnet]
However, that team was the Maple Leafs, who just hired former Kings coach (and Isles assistant) Jim Hiller. Son of Bourne talks himself into thinking that’s a fine hire. [Sportsnet]
Hiller vows to make the Leafs fun again. [Sportsnet]
TRADE: Buffalo moved up from 27 to 20 in the draft by sending Michael Kesselring to San Jose. [NHL]
Jamie Langenbrunner joins the Predators’ new front office. [TSN]
