Category: NHL

Big trades at the beginning of an NHL season are already uncommon, but this fall already stands out.

After the first seven months of 2025 saw Mikko Rantanen, Mitch Marner, Nikolaj Ehlers, Brad Marchand and Noah Dobson switch teams, there aren't many notable names available to acquire as the 2025-26 season nears.

That means the Pittsburgh Penguins – which have the third-worst odds of winning the Stanley Cup, according to BetMGM – are in an excellent position, in a seller’s market, to reap the rewards of moving some veterans as they focus on the future.

The most likely Penguins veterans to be dealt are a pair of right wingers – Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell – who have affordable cap hits for most teams and could fetch a large return. So whether the Penguins trade them soon or later, this thin NHL trade market will only help the team

Rust, 33, doesn't have any trade protection in his contract, and he had a career-high 31 goals and 65 points last season. Rakell, 32, only has an eight-team no-trade clause, which means there are still 23 teams Penguins GM Kyle Dubas can trade Rakell to without getting his permission. The right winger also had a career-high 35 goals and 70 points last year.

Given that Rust is signed for $5.125 million per year and Rakell carries a $5-million cap hit, at a time when the cap ceiling will rise until further notice, Dubas will continue to be one of the most popular GMs on the trade front.

Rakell and Rust are under contract for two seasons after this one, making them cost-controlled, highly valuable assets.

NHL's Biggest Trade Bait With 2025-26 Season Almost HereIt is an exciting time for hockey fans with the new season approaching. Soon, NHL teams will be back to playing regular-season hockey, as it officially begins Oct. 7. 

Look around the rest of the NHL, and you’ll see there are very few players of their caliber presumed to be available via trade. Calgary Flames veteran defenseman Rasmus Andersson is the exception. So too could be Nashville Predators right winger Jonathan Marchessault, but GM Barry Trotz dismissed those rumors in June, and Marchessault has four years left on his deal at $5.5 million per year, making him harder to move.

Other than that, there’s a clear dearth of high-end talent available. So the price for Rakell and Rust will continue to be sky-high, and teams may not be willing to meet the asking prices for them – at least, right now.

Once the season begins and holes start to open up for organizations, you’re going to get more GMs who are willing to pay the price GMs like Dubas are asking to acquire in return for those players. But if the Penguins have a strong start to the season, it might be even tougher for teams to pry Rust or Rakell away from Pittsburgh.

Report: Price For Penguins' Top Winger 'Especially High'With few intriguing forward pieces remaining on the free agent market, many teams are turning to the RFA market and the trade market to upgrade their top-six.

There’s nothing wrong with GMs who have movable pieces waiting to trade them until weeks and months down the line. Teams like the Penguins, Flames and Predators can bide their time before someone comes across with a high-end package of draft picks and prospects to help them with their respective rebuilds. Nobody is forcing them to make those moves right now, so patience will be a virtue for teams with veterans who can be difference-makers.

If the Pens, Preds or Flames shock the NHL and come out of the gate very strongly, it will be easier to keep their veteran players around at least until the trade deadline. But at present, the future of some veterans is going to be cloudy for the short term. The GMs who control the future of those players are going to wait for the most opportune time to move them.

So, don’t hold your breath that teams will make notable trades anytime soon. For several reasons, teams are reluctant to make major deals at this stage of the hockey calendar. The lack of available talent will also make the price for the players who are available extremely costly. 

But if some ambitious team does convince one of those clubs to trade those players now, it will be massive news in the NHL.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

On Wednesday, following their first preseason game of the season, the Chicago Blackhawks announced their first wave of roster cuts. It is a small one, as they sent four players back to their respective major junior teams. 

• F Nathan Behm (Kamloops Blazers/WHL)

• F Parker Holmes (Brantford Bulldogs/OHL)

• F Jack Pridham (Kitchener Rangers/OHL)

• F Marek Vanacker (Brantford Bulldogs/OHL)

Pridham and Vanacker each played a limited role in the first preseason game, while Holmes and Behm will go back to junior without any NHL preseason action for this year. 

This is all a part of the process for these four players, who all have bright futures in pro hockey ahead of them. The Blackhawks will continue to make roster cuts as camp goes along.

Marek Vanacker and Parker Holmes will be teammates with the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL, which has become a prominent team for the Blackhawks organization lately, as they've had a handful of Blackhawks prospects come through.   

Nathan Behm, who the Blackhawks drafted at the 2025 NHL Draft, will play for the Kamloops Blazers this season before playing for Arizona State in 2026-27. Behm announced his decision to move onto the NCAA after this year on his social media. 

Jack Pridham was supposed to play college hockey this year at Boston University, but he de-committed to stay with the Kitchener Rangers, where he feels more comfortable in his development. 

Following these cuts, Chicago's roster now sits at 49 players (26 forwards, 17 defensemen, and 6 goalies).

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

NHL teams seeking goaltending depth for the coming season are rumored to be turning to Carter Hart for help.

Hart, 27, was among the five members of Canada's 2018 world junior team who were acquitted in July of sexual assault charges stemming from an incident in London, Ont., in 2018. They are eligible to have contracts registered with the NHL by Oct. 15, but they won't be able to play until their suspensions end on Dec. 1.

It was rumored that the Philadelphia Flyers might be interested in bringing back Hart, who played with them from 2018 to 2024. However, GM Daniel Briere indicated the goalie's representative informed them that it would be better for his client to have a fresh start elsewhere.

The Edmonton Oilers were rumored to be a potential destination for Hart, but GM Stan Bowman ruled out that option. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas shrugged off a rumor linking his club to Hart.

On Monday, Chris Johnston of The Athletic reported Hart had narrowed down his choices to a handful of teams, including the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights.

Johnston indicated that Hart wants to find a destination where he can get playing time on a team built to succeed. The Golden Knights have qualified for the playoffs in seven of the last eight seasons, while the Hurricanes reached the Eastern Conference final in two of the last three seasons.

The Utah Mammoth were also thought to be a suitor for Hart, but Johnston reported they're no longer in the bidding.

Speaking of the Oilers, Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal reported some recent speculation tied them to Yegor Chinakhov of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Chinakhov, 24, created a stir in July when his agent requested a trade, citing “misunderstandings” with Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason. The young forward is participating in training camp but hasn't rescinded his request.

Leavins observed that Chinakhov is in the final season of his two-year contract with a cap hit of $2.1 million. However, the Oilers' limited cap space and Chinakhov's injury history are among the reasons why he's unlikely to land in Edmonton.

The Hockey News' Jason Newland recently reported Chinakhov seems open to staying with the Blue Jackets. In a response to a question from The Athletic's Aaron Portzline, Chinakhov told reporters he and Evason have a better understanding following a recent meeting between the two.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

The Ottawa Senators' first week of training camp isn't off to an ideal start in the injury department.

Winger Drake Batherson has now joined the list of injury concerns after "pulling something" during Tuesday morning's skate, forcing him to leave practice early. Sens head coach Travis Green said he wasn't sure exactly what happened with Batherson, only that he pulled something. 

Batherson has been a model of health for the Senators, not missing a single game in the past three years. In fact, if you look at his track record over five full years in the league, the only season when he's missed some time was 2021-22, and it only happened because of a cheap shot. Batherson suffered a high ankle sprain when goalie Aaron Dell stepped into the winger's skating lane and shoved him into the end boards.

** Update: According to TSN 1200, the Sens announced at practice on Wednesday that Batherson pulled a muscle somewhere in his upper body and will miss at least two weeks. That means he's out of commission until the regular season begins on October 9th. And the words "at least" certainly put his availability for opening night in doubt.

Batherson is only the latest name on the Sens list of injury concerns.

On Sunday, Sens defenseman Tyler Kleven got dinged up due to an awkward fall into the end boards during the preseason opening 4-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Green said on Tuesday the prognosis was good and that Kleven should be back on the ice in the next day or two.

Finally, the Senators entered training camp a week ago today with injury concerns about Nick Jensen and Lars Eller, who weren't ready to start camp on time.

Eller and Jensen are skating with the team, but it's unclear whether they'll be available to start the season. Eller had a minor abdominal procedure in the offseason, and the Sens don't seem to be too fazed by it. Jensen had hip surgery in May, which he described quite thoroughly after yesterday's skate. It sounded exactly like the kind that Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane had at the same age in June 2023 and he couldn't play again until December of that year.

Kane, who'll be 37 in November, is still going strong after the surgery, but his six-month recovery timeline suggests that an opening night return for Jensen, which would be roughly the five-month mark, may be an overly ambitious target. While Green remains encouraged by Jensen's progress, he said on Tuesday that he hasn't even thought yet about whether he'll use him in a preseason game.

The good news is, the four dinged-up Senators still have 15 days of healing time before the games begin to count.

In the meantime, as camp continues, the club is now preparing for a preseason trip to Quebec City with games there on Sunday and Tuesday. With 49 players still in camp, fans should expect a major cutdown between now and then.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

More Sens Headlines From The Hockey News Ottawa:
Shane Pinto Plays Hero In Senators Preseason Overtime Win Over Leafs
Senators Send Prospect Gabriel Eliasson And Two Others Back To Junior
After Two Broken Clavicles, Kaliyev Targets Capital Comeback
Senators Lose 2025 Preseason Home Opener To Toronto
Senators Winger Fabian Zetterlund Ready To Prove Himself This Season
Ranking the Senators' 10 Best Prospects

EAST MEADOW, NY -- The New York Islanders announced on Wednesday morning that they had sent defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson back to the OHL’s Barrie Colts. The 17th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft played in two preseason games, totaling 35:57, recording four shots on goal and a hit.

Aitcheson Right Back In Islanders Lineup After Sunday's Injury; Preseason Lines vs. New Jersey DevilsEAST MEADOW, NY -- After sustaining a lower-body injury in the New York Islanders' 3-2 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday, there were concerns about Kashawn Aitcheson's availability for the rest of training camp.

The fact that Aitcheson was able to play on Tuesday night against the New Jersey Devils after being knocked out of Sunday night's game against the Philadelphia Flyers due to a knee-on-knee hit shows his willingness and competitive level. 

"He's a great guy. He plays the same style as me," Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov said. "He hits hard. He's just young, but a great player. They're all going to be top NHL players, but they're just young right now."We didn’t get to see any of Aitcheson’s open-ice hits, but we did see a player with a bright future—if he can improve certain aspects of his game, such as his skating.

"I'm very happy with him," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said. "I like his physicality out there. I mean, it was a lot for him [against the Devis]. Let's not kid ourselves. It was like this from my first NHL training camp. I was happy. I went home, and I knew I could play in the league, and I'm sure he feels the same, you know? I'm sure he learned a lot. I'm sure he's going to go back to juniors with a big cheese on his face and feel excited about how things went for him."

Aitcheson returns to Barrie to serve as a top defenseman, playing big minutes. He was suspended for three OHL  preseason games for a hit to the head, serving that suspension while at Islanders training camp. 

Islanders Prospect Kashawn Aitcheson Suspended Three Preseason Games For Illegal Check To The HeadBack on Sept. 1 against the Owen Sound, New York Islanders No. 17 overall pick at the 2025 NHL Draft and current Barrie Colts defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson received a major penalty for an illegal check to the head during a preseason game on Sept. 1.

Depending on the NHL rule for the 2026–27 season, there’s a chance that at 19 years old, he’ll be eligible to play in the AHL.

Expect Acheson to sign his entry-level contract following the conclusion of this season.

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

As Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz moves toward making his roster younger, Brady Martin and Matthew Wood are doing their best to accelerate that plan.

Both have looked solid in training camp, and boosted their stock even more in Tuesday night’s 3-2 shootout loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

If neither player is on the Predators’ opening night roster, it won’t be because they didn’t make the most of their opportunities.

Finding The Net

. Stephen Kerr/The Hockey News

Martin has been turning heads since he was taken fifth overall in the 2025 NHL Draft. Tuesday night, he not only scored his first (unofficial) NHL goal, but put himself on hatty watch.

Wood, the Preds’ 15th overall draft pick in 2023, picked up an assist on Martin’s first goal after notching three points against Florida last Sunday.

The 18-year-old Martin almost got that first goal in the opening period. After taking a nice pass from Cole Smith, Martin attempted to go to Lightning netminder Brandon Halverson’s glove side, but was stopped.

Martin wasn’t to be denied in the second period, however. Following a turnover on a forecheck, Martin received a pass from Matthew Wood at the goal line.

This time, Halverson had no answer for Martin, who went top-shelf to put the Predators in front 1-0 at the 2:13 mark.

Just over two minutes later, Martin lit the lamp a second time, this one coming on a power play. Michael Bunting fed Martin from the left goal line, who fired a one-timer too high for Halverson to make the save. Nashville took a 2-0 lead, and the hatty watch for Martin was officially on.

“He moves great,” Bunting said after the game, referring to Martin. “He skates really well for a bigger kid, he thinks the game really well and has that offensive touch. He's not really afraid. It doesn't seem like he's shying away at all out there.”

Alas, a Martin hat trick was not in the cards on this night. But that didn’t lessen the impact the young prospect had on Brunette.

“He’s putting his best foot forward, making hard decisions for everybody,” Brunette said during his post-game presser.

Martin’s two goals may not officially count, but it was a thrill to get them, especially in front of the home crowd.

“It’s the biggest crowd I’ve ever played in front of,” Martin said. “Pretty cool to score in front of a crowd like that.”

Wood Chips In

Wood, meanwhile, picked up an assist Tuesday after potting two goals and a helper in the second game of Sunday’s split-squad doubleheader sweep over the Florida Panthers. He also showed great poise while overseeing the Predators’ penalty kill on Martin’s second goal Tuesday.

Unlike Martin, Wood has a handful of NHL regular-season games under his belt. He skated in six contests for the Predators last season, and while he didn’t tally a goal, he did record an assist and created numerous other chances to score.

With Luke Evangelista currently away from the team while he negotiates his next contract, the door for those final roster spots has cracked open a little wider for Martin and Wood. No matter what happens by the time the Preds break camp and those final roster spots are nailed down, both players are making a statement that they belong in the conversation.

“It’s fun to see every time you see Brady and ‘Woody’ play,” Brunette said. “They’re really pushing here. So, that’s fun to be a part of.”

After Tuesday night’s game, the Montreal Canadiens announced that Owen Protz had been assigned to his OHL team, the Brantford Bulldogs. The 19-year-old blueliner was a fourth-round pick at the 2024 draft and had an excellent rookie camp. His play at the Prospect Showdown earned him an invite to the main camp, but he didn’t get to skate in a preseason game.

Clearly, the Canadiens felt he had done well enough to earn a spot in a professional training camp, but as soon as the training groups were rearranged, he was placed in Group C with the players destined for the Laval Rocket.

Canadiens Prospect Is Already Standing Out
Strong Goaltending Display Leads To Shootout Win
Canadiens: The Xhekajs Have Got The X Factor

Protz never had a chance to make the team, but to get to take part in the pro camp and skate alongside professional players gave him just a little taste of what life in the NHL is like. While they weren’t real games, taking part in the scrimmages also showed him just how quick the game is when there are NHLers on the ice.

What impressed the coaches at rookie camp was the fact that the youngster knew who he was on the ice. He wasn’t trying to do too much; he was drafted because of his rugged style of play and his ability to do a good first pass in transition, and that’s what he put forward. He wasn’t trying to be something he’s not, which is excellent for a player of such a young age.

He returns to the OHL knowing what he needs to work on and having seen exactly what it takes to make the NHL, as well as how the pros conduct themselves. His timing was great to get an invite to the main camp too, since you can feel a real urgency around the team this season, there’s no easing in the players before the regular season starts, Martin St-Louis has told his men from the beginning that he wanted to see real repetitions right away and that’s precisely what he saw, making the experience even more worthy for Protz.

---

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

NEWARK, NJ -- There's a reason why New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche made sure that Emil Heineman was part of the return package in the Noah Dobson trade.

Islanders Emil Heineman On Trade To Long Island, Playing For Matheiu Darche & Next NHL StepsEAST MEADOW, NY -- Former Montreal Canadiens forward and current New York Islanders forward Emil Heineman spoke with us for the first time at Anders Lee's Jam Kancer in the Kan event on Saturday. 

While his grittiness and forechecking are standouts, his shot is tremendously underrated.

Not only is it accurate, but it's also heavy, which means that even if the goaltender is able to get into the right position, the speed and strength of the shot have a strong chance of winning the battle or, at the very least, creating a juicy rebound.

Tuesday night at the Prudential Center was the first time we were able to see that shot in game action outside of his Montreal highlight clips.

On the power play, Heineman was stationed in the high slot -- the bumper -- and after getting an on-the-money, quick pass from Calum Ritchie, he let that puck go.

Jacob Markstrom is a premier goalie, and while he got over in time, the shot was so hard that the fellow Swede could not move his blocker-side arm fast enough to stop the puck from ultimately getting behind him:

Ritchie ➡️ Heineman ➡️ 🚨 pic.twitter.com/3AM5FbFSQ7

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) September 23, 2025

With that heavy, accurate quick release and physicality, he may be as close to a Cal Clutterbuck replacement as you will see.

Last year, in 62 games with Montreal, Heineman recorded 18 points, including 10 goals and eight assists, while adding 173 hits to the ledger, averaging about 2.79 hits per game.

However, diving further into the stats, he scored 10 goals in 37 games, struggling to find the net after being hit by a car while the Canadiens were in Utah—an unfortunate event in what started as a very promising rookie campaign.

Ten goals in 37 games is a 22-goal pace, something the Islanders will gladly take from a player who is likely to start alongside Casey Cizikas and Maxim Tsyplakov on the fourth line.

But Heineman could very well be more than a fourth-line player, as it's clear he can play on the power play, and we already know he's someone who can also play on the penalty kill.

"I'm trying to be as useful as possible," Heineman told The Hockey News. "I would like to do as much as possible, and that includes both PK and PP."

Islanders forward Simon Holmstrom is excited about everything Heineman brings to the table.

"He plays with a lot of grit. He's heavy out there, and he plays with a lot of speed," Holmstrom told The Hockey News about Heineman, a player he went up against his entire life. "He's got an unbelievable shot as well."

If Heineman can get that shot off often, opposing goaltenders better watch out.

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

Miles Wood scored the only goal for Columbus on the power play in a 2-1 CBJ loss to the Sabres on Tuesday night. 

Despite some really good play by both Jackets goalies, the offense just couldn't get going against Buffalo. In Columbus's defense, they only had three NHLers playing on offense, and one on defense, so this game could have been a lot worse. 

The Buffalo Sabres had guys like Tage Thompson, Jason Zucker, Josh Norris, and Rasmus Dahlin in this game, so it could've been much, much worse. Thompson and Zucker both scored in this game, for what it's worth. 

The Blue Jackets now have four games left in the preseason, and the next game will come today against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Nationwide Arena. 

Final Stats

Player Stats

• Miles Wood scored his first preseason goal. He also led the team with 5 shots.
• Daemon Hunt tallied an assist. He led all skaters with 25:45 of ice time.
• Hudson Fasching also had an assist.
• Ivan Fedotov stopped 24 of 25 Sabres shots.
• Zach Sawchenko stopped 8 of 9 shots.

Team Stats

• The Jackets power play went 1/4 on the night.
• The Columbus PK stopped all four Sabres man advantages.
• Columbus won 32.7% of the faceoffs.

Up Next: The Jackets welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins into NWA for their fourth preseason game. 

Let us know what you think below.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.  

More From THN Columbus

Former Blue Jackets Forward To Be Inducted Into Syracuse Crunch Hockey Hall of FameFormer Columbus Blue Jackets forward Zenon Konopka has been named to the Syracuse Crunch Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2025. 20 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #20The Columbus Blue Jackets have 20 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #20.  Blue Jackets Trim Training Camp Roster By Four PlayersThe Columbus Blue Jackets have announced four cuts to their 2025 training camp roster.

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- When the initial floodgates to free agency opened on July 1 and NHL teams had their checkbooks out, sometimes there would always be someone that would fall through the cracks, perhaps not making a hasty decision and wanting to take some time to contemplate one’s next destination.

For Pius Suter, it was obvious he was not returning to the Vancouver Canucks, so that meant searching for the next fit despite putting up a career-high in goals (25) and points (46) for the Canucks last season.

Maybe it wasn’t the term he would have preferred while shopping through the market, but Suter knew the St. Louis Blues would be the perfect fit after he and his agent Georges Mueller spoke to general manager Doug Armstrong.

A two-year, $8.25 million contract ($4.125 million average annual value) was consummated rather quickly and the 29-year-old found himself with a team in dire need of a center iceman who found a scoring touch but is known for his reliability defensively, as a penalty killer and just a fundamentally, sound player.

“I did the homework,” Suter said. “When I talked to them, I had a great feeling what they seen of me as a player. It’s also a team that went to the playoffs last year so it’s exciting and you want to help them take another step. … In the end, you put in the work. You can only control so much. You just make sure when you show up, you do your thing and you help the team win.

“They’re well-organized. They play hard, they’re structured. As you can see in the playoffs, just a really good, overall team. They know what they’re doing. I just felt like it was a good fit and hopefully I can help them go another step.”

It was obvious the Blues needed a center, or two, and identified Suter as a target, when Armstrong said when the Blues signed the five-year veteran on July 2 that they like Suter’s versatility.

It’s not a player that is going to woo and wow you, but it is someone that will dedicate himself to a team concept and fit a piece that was obviously missing.

“You can just tell he’s reliable,” Blues captain Brayden Schenn said of Suter. “Practicing is always tough because everyone’s in the perfect position at all times. On majority of days, everyone looks good. Where guys obviously separate themselves is the game. Obviously looking forward to playing with him and he’s obviously a huge piece for us that’s just going to play 200 feet for us. The more of those players we have, the better.”

Suter, who began his career with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2020-21 as an undrafted free agent but had 27 points (14 goals, 13 assists) 55 games before joining the Detroit Red Wings the following season, also on a two-year contract, then signing with the Canucks – also for two years.

“Everybody looks at long term,” Suter said. “You see the market. You find a new team, see how it fits. It’s just one of those business things, right? In general, it seemed everyone was comfortable on the shorter side.”

The Zurich, Switzerland native has spent his entire NHL career proving himself, and he will do so again with the Blues, a team he scored his second NHL hat trick against Jan. 24, 2024. He’s not someone characterized with a tremendous amount of speed, but at the end of the night, is someone that finds a way to get the job done.

“His hockey sense. You can tell on the penalty kill, he’s going to make our penalty kill better,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “His stick is always in the right spot, he knows where he has to be. Even though he’s never been called the fastest guy in the world, he hits holes at the right time. We’ve seen that for years with the Ryan O’Reillys and the Patrice Pergerons, people that aren’t fast but they never get caught on breakaways because they know where the pucks are going before anybody else.

“He’s a player that I think makes those around him better whether he’s in an offensive role or defensive role because he just plays to his strengths. … I’ve been surprised how quickly he’s picked up all of our … their D-zone was similar to our D-zone, so I expected that, but I haven’t seen him make a mistake in the neutral zone or on the forecheck or the stuff that we were working on today, our tracking. It seems like because of his hockey brain, he just adapts. I think if the system makes sense, he’s going to be able to play quickly. Hopefully it’s a sign of that our systems that we’re implementing make sense.”

Suter made the adjustment to the NHL after spending five seasons with his hometown ZSC Lions in Zurich. Being 5-foot-11, 172 pounds, Suter has had to find his way and navigate the ups and downs of transitioning to the NHL and realized by doing that, his numbers, ice time (career high 17:21 last season) and opportunities would eventually increase and improve.

“I think around the boards, battles, 1-on-1s, those kind of things and shooting, shooting well again,” Suter said. “I had some time to really work on it. I felt like after that first year, I needed to get that kick back a little bit again and it’s been there again. I think it’s more on the confidence thing of where it’s going when I shoot it. Overall you learn the league, you learn the players you play against, what’s going on in the day-to-day, the travel. It’s a huge difference from the way it usually happened. You kind of find your way around. As anybody, you get older, you know your body well, you know what you need this today or that. It just helps you every year more.

“You’ve just got to play to your strengths. Just play smart defensively and be dangerous offensively and do all the little things right. Then it’s just kind of play a team game and play to win. The rest will kind of fall in place. One thing is you don’t want to overthink it. You just got to play to your strength. You can’t play something you’re not. That’s why they usually feel like on the team you can help.”

Prior to last season, Suter’s goal scoring seasons were 14, 15, 14 and 14; he had 138 shots, second-highest of his five seasons in the NHL but his shooting percentage was a career-best 18.1 percent.

“It helps pretty much to play all the games,” Suter, who played in 81 games, said. “I think I took advantage of the chances I had, especially in the slot where I could get a couple extra ones in. That’s kind of what happened, buried those, put them in instead of missing a little bit, hit the post or something like that and I think that was the difference in terms of goals. … Things fell into place and it felt good at the start of the year and kept going. I had a great summer and I had a feeling it was going to be great. The year before too, just missed a couple games with an injury.”

Suter doesn’t have the greatest face-off numbers (45.9 percent career) but will work well with assistant coach Steve Ott in that department but will be a solid piece of a puzzle trying to improve a penalty kill. He was past of Vancouver’s third-ranked penalty kill last season (82.6 percent); the Blues were tied for 27th (74.2 percent).

“We’ll see how it goes. You take pride in it,” Suter said. “It can really help to give momentum. At least you’ll have the chance in the game in those big moments. As a group, it’s four guys in a role. You’ve just got to find a way. Guys are going to make plays. You just don’t want to give the one right in the middle downtown. You just take pride in it. It’s always a big part of the game.”

Whether Suter plays second-line center – that’s where he was with Dylan Holloway and Jordan Kyrou Tuesday at practice – or third-line center will be up to the coaches. He doesn’t really care. All he cares about is helping the Blues take that next step.

“You see how good they were and that first round last year,” Suter said of the Blues. “You just try and build on that. You get the feeling it’s really good players, a lot of good players, a big roster. You can tell mindset-wise, a tight-knit group. Everybody here knows it’s about winning and nothing else really matters.”

Jimmy Snuggerud Has Chance To Be Next Special Player For St. Louis BluesMARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- When the St. Louis Blues brought in Jimmy Snuggerud last season, it was the perfect storm. News And Notes From Day 6 Of St. Louis Blues Training Camp MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- In Day 6 of St. Louis Blues training camp, the lines and defensive pairings on the ice Tuesday at Centene Community Ice Center served as a glimpse of what the opening night lineup could look like on Oct. 9.

The Philadelphia Flyers never quite looked ready to play against the Montreal Canadiens in Tuesday night's preseason game, and the 4-2 final score reflected that. However, the performance wasn't all bad.

The Canadiens jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on goals from Cole Caufield and Florian Xhekaj, and Xhekaj's goal was one goalie Sam Ersson will want back for sure.

The Canadiens prospect found an open zone with Nick Deslauriers and Ethan Samson pursuing Tyler Thorpe in the corner, received the puck, and fired a weak shot through Ersson's glove side.

Prior to that, Caufield converted on a partial 3-on-2 where defensemen Helge Grans and Nick Seeler were the only two players back. Captain Sean Couturier fumbled the puck under pressure on the wall in the offensive zone, allowing Nick Suzuki to break free in the neutral zone.

Seeler was too passive in his defense on the play, as Suzuki gained the Flyers' offensive zone with his only two pass options still outside the blueline. Grans covered Lane Hutson in the middle and possibly expected winger support on the weak side, but Caufield was all alone to get his one-timer off 53 seconds into the game for a 1-0 lead.

Overall, I liked Grans's game after this play, but I'll need to see more from him to say with conviction that he deserves an NHL roster spot. Fortunately, there is still a lot of preseason left to play.

Flyers vs. Canadiens: 3 Hopefuls Will Make Their Case for an NHL Roster SpotThe Philadelphia Flyers will face the Montreal Canadiens for their second preseason game of 2025 with an entirely different roster, with the exception of two players.

As for other roster hopefuls, Dennis Gilbert surprisingly looked effective next to Travis Sanheim on the Flyers' top defense pairing. The 28-year-old journeyman helped get the Flyers on the board midway through the second period, springing Anthony Richard for a breakaway with a long-range breakout pass and getting Philadelphia within a goal at 2-1.

Aleksei Kolosov took over for Sam Ersson after one period, contrary to what Rick Tocchet said at morning skate earlier in the day, and made 12 saves on 13 shots (.923).

The one goal he did allow was the straw that ultimately broke the camel's back; Nick Suzuki's second-period goal stood as the game-winner.

Defensively, the Flyers were again a mess on this play.

Hunter McDonald didn't play Suzuki with enough urgency after Slafkovsky set up shop, and Oscar Eklind and Ethan Samson actually deflected Suzuki's shot over Kolosov's shoulder, with the Belarusian clearly expecting a low shot.

Owen Tippett mercifully delivered the Flyers a power play goal on the evening to make it 3-2, but the power play overall looked poor.

Winger Alex Bump hardly had a kick up until the third period, but finished the night as the Flyers' most dangerous offensive player.

Bump started on a line with Deslauriers and Jett Luchanko, but eventually swapped places with Richard and joined up with Couturier and Bobby Brink.

That line was too sloppy and ineffective for a preseason game, but once Bump came aboard, things started clicking more.

The 21-year-old probably should have scored on a breakaway opportunity, too, but after deking Kaapo Kahkonen out of his skates, the finishing touch just went off the side of the net. You can guarantee Bump won't mess up that finish again.

Flyers Stock Up, Stock Down Heading into Training Camp Week 2Heading into the second week of Philadelphia Flyers training camp, a number of key players have boosted their stocks and chances of making the NHL roster. Others? Not so much.

For me, Bump and Luchanko should be put in more opportunistic positions by head coach Rick Tocchet in the next exhibition game they feature in.

It's nothing against Deslauriers, but he was drafted as a defenseman and is a career fighter. He's just not capable of playing a game that suits Bump and Luchanko, and especially not at his age. It wasn't fair to him or the two youngsters.

At the same time, it's only preseason and there's no need to overreact. I just believe that the youngsters should be simulating real game settings as often as possible, but wasting two periods with that combination in a building like the Bell Centre after arriving in Montreal hours earlier isn't going to work.

Overall, it's hard to say any players played poorly, because most of the team did, and it's relative, especially given the circumstances.

Alex Bump was certainly the most impressive and flashy, closely followed by Sanheim, Gilbert, and Kolosov.

Nobody else did much of anything, so we'll need to see more preseason action before considering jumping to any conclusions.

Detroit prospects Emmitt Finnie and Nate Danielson delivered impressive performances in the Red Wings’ 3-2 preseason-opening win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday.

The Red Wings' top prospects were on display Tuesday during Detroit's 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks in their preseason opener. The win extended the Red Wings winning streak in preseason openers to seven, and improved their record to 9-4 against the Blackhawks in their last 13 exhibition matchups. Stealing the show was 20-year-old Emmitt Finnie, who netted a goal and dished a highlight reel assist for the first star of the game. 

First preseason game!
First preseason win! pic.twitter.com/QvRFJelRS5

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 24, 2025

It was an exciting sight for fans in attendance as the future of the franchise was in full display as Finnie, a seventh round pick by the Red Wings in 2023, skated alongside top prospects Nate Danielson (9th overall in 2023) and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (15th overall in 2024). The trio made an impact in their second-line roles, logging around 15 minutes each, with Brandsegg-Nygard seeing closer to 17 minutes with additional time on the power play. 

Finnie proved to be a 'tenacious' player according to Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan and it showed when he forced a turnover in the Blackhawks end. He kept the offensive zone possession alive and worked the puck back to the point before a shot from the point by Ian Mitchell and a rebound off a shot from Brandsegg-Nygard, gave Finnie an open net for the go-ahead goal. 

Finnie for the lead! #LGRWpic.twitter.com/TinjwHo571

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 24, 2025

Danielson made his presence felt at both ends of the ice, connecting well with Finnie on several offensive sequences. One standout moment came when Finnie created space with a slick series of dekes and set up Danielson for a quick one-timer, but the shot hit the outside of the net. Danielson would eventually find the scoresheet, crashing the net as the puck worked its way back to Wallinder at the point. Wallinder’s shot was perfectly redirected by Danielson, beating the Blackhawks goaltender for his first goal of the preseason. 

Nate Danielson tips it in! #LGRWpic.twitter.com/fUa5Z3KaNt

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 24, 2025

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Brandsegg-Nygard was all over the ice, contributing a pair of assists, three shots on net, four hits as well as a tripping penalty that led to a Connor Bedard goal. His play earned himself the second star of the game as he made some influential plays throughout that led to scoring chances like early in the first period on a two-on-one fast break or when setting up a handful of opportunities on the power play.

Another standout came from Carter Mazur, the Red Wings’ 2021 third-round pick, who delivered a stellar performance. The 23-year-old Michigan native made headlines in the hockey world last season when being injured early into his NHL debut and suffering a season-ending injury. Mazur returned from an off-season of rehab and played well in his first action with a goal off a through-the-legs pass from Finnie for an easy goal on a one-timer.

What a slick little pass from Emmitt Finnie to Carter Mazur! pic.twitter.com/IErr5a1Fti

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 23, 2025

Mazur could've scored more than once as his physical, gritty style of play earned him several scoring chances including a breakaway in the second period that was turned away. His physicality at one point drew a cross-checking penalty from Chicago's Ethan Del Mastro. 

Building on that momentum, the Red Wings' newest first-round pick, Carter Bear, made an impressive debut. Thrust into a significant role right away, he logged nearly 21 minutes of ice time and registered three shots on goal, showcasing poise and confidence beyond his years. The 18-year-old winger was the last player off the ice in warmups and showed offensive talents that garnered his first round selection. McLellan admired Bear's first game with the Red Wings but did note that his young frame was noticeable and that he will need to age a bit more before getting regular NHL minutes. 

"We Have To Make The Playoffs": Andrew Copp Has Blunt Expectation For Red Wings in 2025-26 The Detroit Red Wings enjoyed one of the longest postseason streaks in professional sports, qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs every season from 1991 through 2016.

Bear's offensive skillset is evident but adding weight is something he likely needs to work on. His most notable plays of the game were his scoring chances while playing on a line with NHLers in J.T. Compher and Jonatan Berggren on the first line.

The Red Wings will resume their preseason on Thursday when they host the Buffalo Sabres, before hitting the road for matchups against the Penguins in Pittsburgh and the Sabres again but in Buffalo.

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

The Calgary Flames beat the Seattle Kraken 4-1 on Tuesday night in NHL preseason action.

This team performance was a complete 180 to the one we covered on Sunday night.

The Flames handily outshot the Kraken 34-20.

Calgary opened the scoring with a deflection goal from Yegor Sharangovich off a pass from Hunter Brzustewicz at the 7:40 mark. That must have DEFINITELY felt good for the 27-year-old Belarusian after his already scrutinized five-year $28.75 million contract from a couple of off-seasons ago received even more criticism after he experienced a down season last year.

When the Flames first power play kicked in, the intensity picked up thanks in huge part to Zayne Parekh. Just like the last game, Calgary had Seattle players scurrying and panicking while undermanned due to Parekh's quarterbacking skills. The upcoming rookie got two scoring opportunities and the ensuing momentum nearly led to a wrap-around goal by Jonathan Huberdeau at the first period whistle.

Parekh WILL revolutionize the Flames power play this upcoming season.

While Calgary didn't get a power point courtesy of Parekh, they did score a game-winning PP goal  by Rory Kerins via Connor Zary and Brzustewicz 3:14 into the second period. We have mentioned how we believe Kerins will be brought up sooner rather than later in the season.

Speaking of the second period, the Flames dominated the Kraken, outshooting the away team 15-6. Of course, it helps that Calgary had two power plays and one trickling power play from the first period in the second period. In the man-advantage, the Flames outshot the Kraken 8-2 in the game. In fact, Calgary got a couple of shots at the Seattle net in the Kraken's own power play.

But the quality of shots were outstanding.

Matvei Gridin and Matt Coronato had high-danger shots in the first three minutes of the second period.

Gridin stole a fumbling puck from Seattle's Ryker Evans at the 12:11 mark and nearly squeezed the puck past goaltender Matt Murray on a breakaway.

Sam Morton had as many as three shots on goals just in the period. It was only fitting he got the empty-netter in the end.

The pace did slow down for Calgary as they put in only five shots on goal in the first 13:29 of the third period. Luckily, one of those was a Matt Coronato goal scored 39 seconds into the period for insurance.

The Flames were a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill which has just become a regular occurrence now.

Dustin Wolf who played in net for a majority of the game looked in shape and registered a save percentage of 0.923. Owen Say who came in later did not give up any goals.

Kerins was designated the player of the game.

Calgary will play their next preseason game tomorrow at Vancouver against the Canucks.

On Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins made some roster decisions - both for their training camp roster and for their next pre-season game.

Earlier in the day, it was announced that forward Travis Hayes was assigned to his junior team, the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL. Hayes was selected in the fourth round (105th overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft, and he is the younger brother of Penguins' forward prospect Avery Hayes, who remains on the training camp roster.

In addition to the roster trim, the Penguins also announced their roster for Wednesday's tilt against the Columbus Blue Jackets, which will be their second game of the pre-season.

It will feature mostly fresh faces in comparison to the players from their 2-1 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, but there are a few carryovers. Dressing for the second consecutive pre-season game are forwards Tristan Broz, Ben Kindel, and Atley Calvert as well as defenseman Connor Clifton. Otherwise, it's a new cast of characters.

Here is the full lineup for Wednesday's game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus:

---

For Penguins' Prospect, Training Camp Is A Family Reunion - And An OpportunityOn Jun. 28, something pretty special happened for Pittsburgh Penguins' forward prospect Avery Hayes. 

Forwards

– Aidan McDonough

– Aaron Huglen

– Filip Hallander

– Justin Brazeau

– Connor Dewar

– Nolan Renwick

– Tristan Broz

– Ville Koivunen

– Blake Lizotte

– Philip Tomasino

– Zach Gallant

– Ben Kindel

– Atley Calvert

Penguins Hold Strong, Fall To Canadiens In Pre-Season ShootoutOn Monday, Pittsburgh Penguins' hockey officially kicked off for the 2025 pre-season.

Defensemen

– Jack St. Ivany

– Sebastian Aho

– Philip Kemp

– Alexander Alexeyev

– Connor Clifton

– Quinn Beauchesne

– Caleb Jones

Goaltenders

– Filip Larsson

– Arturs Silovs

---

In addition to the pre-season matchup at 7:00 p.m. ET, the Penguins also added an intrasquad scrimmage to their schedule Wednesday morning. This will take place at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Pa. at 9:30 a.m. and will feature the remaining players on the training camp roster who are not partaking in the pre-season game.

That scrimmage is free and open to the public. Full scrimmage rosters can be viewed here.

Pre-season Offers Sneak Peak At Potential Future Defensive PairingWhen in the early stages of NHL training camp, it's not often wise to read into too much.

---

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!