The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, and the organization’s developmental model has begun to yield results, with 2023 first rounder Zach Benson making an impact in the playoffs, and 2024 top pick Konsta Helenius appearing as one of the AHL’s top prospects the last two seasons.  

Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. These players are all 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 82 NHL games. 

Other Sabres Stories

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6. Colten Ellis - Goalie (Buffalo - NHL)

The Sabres showed how much they soured on the professional prospects of Devon Levi based on their roster maneuvering to start the 2025-26 season. With starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen injured before and during training camp, the club chose instead of keeping Levi on the NHL roster to back up Alex Lyon, to claim Colten Ellis off of waivers when the St. Louis Blues attempted to send him to the AHL, and demote the waiver-exempt Levi to AHL Rochester. 

The 25-year-old was a 2019 fifth round pick of the Blues, who played four years in the QMJHL with Cape Breton, Rimouski, and Charlottetown before turning pro in 2022 with AHL Springfield and St. Louis’ ECHL affiliate. Ellis played full time in ECHL Tulsa in 2022-23, and split time between the two leagues again in 2023-24, before breaking out as a full time AHL starter in 2024-25, posting a 22-14-5 record, 2.63 GAA, and .922 save % with the Thunderbirds. 

Both former GM Kevyn Adams and Kekalainen indicated that the young goaltender’s puck-handling abilities was one of the attributes they liked. Because of his inability to clear waivers, the Sabres were forced to carry three goalies on their roster, but injuries to Luukkonen and Lyon throughout the season made having Ellis there a necessity. In 16 games, he posted an 8-4-2 record, 2.90 GAA, and .903 save %.

Barring a trade for Connor Hellebuyck, it is expected that Buffalo will carry three netminders again this upcoming season, but with Lyon entering the final year of his contract, it is possible that Ellis will see more action this year in preparation of being Luukkonen's primary backup next season. 

Follow Michael on X, and Instagram @MikeInBuffalo 

 

Michael Hutchinson may have retired from professional hockey, but the former Winnipeg Jets goaltender certainly hasn't left the game behind.

Just over a month after officially calling time on an 11-season NHL career, Hutchinson has landed his first coaching role, joining the Manitoba Junior Hockey League's Selkirk Steelers as goaltending coach for the 2026-27 season. 

For Hutchinson, it's another indication that his post-playing career will unfold in the same province where his NHL career truly took off.

The 36-year-old Barrie, Ont., product has made Winnipeg his permanent home after a professional career that took him across North America and eventually overseas. Now, instead of packing his bags for another training camp, Hutchinson will make the roughly 30-minute trip north of Winnipeg to work with the next generation of Manitoba goaltenders.

It's a fitting next step for a player whose connection to Winnipeg has long extended beyond the crease.

Hutchinson signed with the Jets organization in 2013 and eventually appeared in 102 games over parts of five seasons with the club. His breakout came in 2014-15, when he posted a 21-10-5 record, 2.38 goals-against average and .914 save percentage while helping Winnipeg qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the franchise relocated from Atlanta. 

He ultimately appeared in 154 NHL games between Winnipeg, Florida, Toronto, Colorado, Columbus and Detroit before finishing his professional career with SaiPa in Finland.

But no matter where hockey took him, Winnipeg remained home. Hutchinson's wife, Jenna, co-founded Winnipeg-based Jenna Rae Cakes with her twin sister, Ashley Kosowan. The bakery has since grown from its original location into one of the city's most recognizable local brands.

The Hutchinsons also maintained their roots in Manitoba throughout Michael's hockey travels, eventually building their permanent home in Winnipeg and returning to the city following the conclusion of his playing career.

And it hasn't taken Hutchinson long to find ways to remain involved in the sport.

He launched Hutchinson Goaltending in Winnipeg, offering private and semi-private lessons, team skates, consulting and video analysis to local netminders. His new role with Selkirk now provides another opportunity to pass along knowledge accumulated through more than a decade of professional hockey.

The Steelers announced the hiring this week, pointing to Hutchinson's 154 games of NHL experience and five seasons with the Jets as reasons for their excitement in adding him to the staff. 

His return to Manitoba hockey won't be limited to coaching, either. 'Hutch' is also the lone goaltender currently listed on the Winnipeg Jets roster for the 2026 Alumni Game against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 24 at Canada Life Centre. He'll share the ice with a collection of familiar Jets 2.0 names, including Blake Wheeler, Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little, Mathieu Perreault, Paul Stastny and others. 

When Hutchinson announced his retirement in July, the Jets' message to their former netminder included a telling line: they couldn't wait to see him at the Alumni Game.

It turns out fans won't have to wait until October to see Hutchinson involved in hockey again. After years spent bouncing between organizations, cities and countries in pursuit of the next opportunity between the pipes, Hutchinson has finally stopped moving. Manitoba is home.

As most fans are aware, one of the Senators’ strengths as they enter another season will be their depth at centre.

Tim Stützle, Dylan Cozens, Shane Pinto and Stephen Halliday will likely occupy the four centre positions to begin the season. But the Sens also have several wingers with varying degrees of NHL experience in the middle, including Claude Giroux, Ridly Greig, William Eklund, Nick Cousins, Michael Amadio and André Burakovsky.

Now, the organization’s depth chart at centre may be about to get even deeper.

London Knights winger Jaxon Cover was selected by the Senators in June with the 32nd and final pick of the first round. His amazing story has been well told this summer. He grew up playing roller hockey in the Cayman Islands before making the switch to ice hockey as a teenager.

Because Cover has only been playing ice hockey for less than six years, his potential for improvement is already extremely high.

So that already makes him a fascinating prospect, but he may be adding another intriguing dimension to his game.

As Henry Brown at @SensProspects pointed out, Dale Hunter and company are currently auditioning Cover as the Knights’ second-line centre. He played there during his first two OHL preseason games, and clearly his saucer pass game is on point.

#AppleSauce

Jaxon Cover picked up an assist in his second OHL preseason game 🍎

He’s lined up as the 2C both times, recording 1G, 1A, and a fight pic.twitter.com/P3anMmx0OO

— Sens Prospects (@SensProspects) September 5, 2026

The Victoria Royals are hosting the Knights in a rare two-game interleague series they've billed as “Clash of the Kingdoms." The Royals won the opener 7-2 on Friday night, and the second game is set for Saturday at 7 p.m. Eastern.

Sens fans can stream Saturday's game here.

This could simply be the Knights kicking tires on possibilities, as most teams do in preseason. However, if the experiment continues, and especially if he thrives in the role, it would be an intriguing development for the Sens.

Success in the middle this season could even lead to Cover playing there again when he begins his freshman season at Penn State next year.

All else being equal, centres are generally valued more highly than wingers at the NHL Draft because of the additional responsibilities that come with the position. It is fair to wonder whether Cover might have been selected even earlier had teams already viewed him as a potential centre.

The Sens drafted Cover as a winger after he recorded 20 goals and 32 assists for 52 points in 67 games with London during the 2025–26 season.

Even if he eventually returns to right wing, spending time at centre should benefit his development. The position demands greater defensive awareness, more responsibility down low, and a stronger understanding of all three zones.

Learning those details could help Cover become a more complete two-way player.

If he takes to the position, it would also make him valuable as an organizational asset. Every NHL team is searching for additional depth down the middle, and that would only increase Cover’s value, whether it's in Ottawa or as a future trade chip.

While in Victoria this week for exhibition games, Cover spoke to the OHL’s digital team about attending his first Senators development camp shortly after being drafted.

“Going to the Ottawa camp, just seeing the next level that those players have, and just how much stronger and faster they are… I want to just try to bring that level (to the Knights) and do the best I can with it.”

Again, two preseason games at the position do not make Cover a full-time centre, but the experiment is worth monitoring. First-round picks all enter professional hockey with major value. Some maintain it and become NHL players; others see their stock fall off.

But Cover now has two potential sources of untapped upside: his limited experience on the ice and now, the possibility that he could develop into a centre.

Few prospects from the 2026 NHL draft have more room for their stock to rise.

Looking to help lead ⚔️@LondonKnights forward Jaxon Cover discusses the trip to Victoria and how he's approaching it!@Senators | #Senspic.twitter.com/ViD8TWutEe

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) September 4, 2026

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was first published in The Hockey News. For more Sens coverage at The Hockey News, click on one of the latest THN Ottawa headlines below:

Brady Tkachuk Tribute Will Feel Like Watching The Wedding Video After The DivorceThe Senators will play a tribute video for their former captain in what promises to be a complicated homecoming.

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Brendan Brisson’s time with the Vegas Golden Knights never quite turned into what either side hoped it might.

Vegas selected Brisson with the 29th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, betting on the Los Angeles native to eventually become an important piece of its forward group. He would go on to appear in 24 games with the Golden Knights across two seasons, scoring twice and adding six assists.

Now, several years after hearing his name called by Vegas, Brisson is moving on to another opportunity.

The 24-year-old forward signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs after spending the 2025-26 season between the New York Rangers and their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Brisson made three appearances for New York last season, picking up one assist. The bulk of his production came in Hartford, where he finished with 19 goals and 18 assists for 37 points in 66 games.

While his NHL opportunities have been limited, Brisson has been a productive player at the AHL level. Across 244 career games with the Henderson Silver Knights and Hartford, he has recorded 145 points, including 66 goals and 79 assists.

His professional career began with high expectations after Vegas made him a first-round selection, and Brisson arrived in the organization with an impressive amateur résumé.

At the University of Michigan, he produced 63 points — 31 goals and 32 assists — in 62 games over two seasons. He helped the Wolverines win a Big Ten championship and was named to the conference’s Second All-Star Team in 2022.

Brisson also represented the United States on the international stage. He scored twice in four games at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and was part of the American team that won gold at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, recording two goals in seven games.

Before making the jump to college hockey, Brisson established himself as one of the USHL’s top young players with the Chicago Steel. During the 2019-20 season, he scored 24 goals and added 35 assists in 45 games, earning USHL Rookie of the Year honors along with spots on the First All-Star Team and All-Rookie Team.

For Vegas, Brisson ultimately became one of those prospects who showed flashes but never secured a permanent spot in the NHL lineup.

His next chapter will come in Toronto, where he’ll get another opportunity to prove that the potential that made him a first-round pick can still translate into consistent NHL production.

On Friday, the Montreal Canadiens revealed the 23 players who will take part in their rookie camp from September 11 to September 15, and the consensus online is that it’s underwhelming. This shouldn’t have come as a surprise to anyone, however, since the Canadiens’ most exciting prospects are either playing in the KHL (Alexander Zharovsky, Gleb Pugachyov), in the NCAA (Michael Hage, Timofei Runtso), or elsewhere in Europe (Vinzenz Rohrer). Even Hayden Paupanekis, who missed last year’s camp because of mononucleosis, won’t be attending since he left the Kelowna Rockets for St. Cloud’s University.

As for top defenseman prospect Bryce Pickford, he’s still recovering from shoulder surgery and isn’t on the list either. The offensive blueliner wasn’t on the ice for development camp either, and he’s still recovering.

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All these absences opened the door for several undrafted players who will attend camp on a tryout basis: seven of the 13 forwards were invited on that basis: Alexander Donovan from the St. John Sea Dogs, Kody Dupuis from the Shawinigan Cataractes, Braydon McCallum from the Peterborough Petes, Mavrick Rousseau-Hamel from the Quebec Remparts, Thomas Rousseau from the Sherbrooke Phoenix, Alexey Vlaskov from the Victoriaville Tigres and Brady Wassilyn from the London Knights. Of the lot, Vlaskov and Rousseau had the best offensive numbers out of the players from the QMJHL last season. The former put up 80 points in just 64 games, while the latter had 52 points in 60 games. As for Donovan, he had 53 points in 63 games in the OHL.

Four of the Canadiens’ picks from the 2026 draft will be attending: Wesley Royston (190th overall), Parker Trottier (189th overall), Jean-Samuel Daigneault (221st overall) and Brayden Klimpke (117th overall).

Even though the roster lacks top prospects, it will still be interesting to see how they hold their own against the Winnipeg Jets (September 12, 1:00 PM) and the Ottawa Senators (September 13, 6:00 PM) rookies. Don’t expect too many cuts by the end of camp, however, since the Canadiens will be playing two split-squad games during the preseason: September 19 against the Toronto Maple Leafs and September 26 against the Ottawa Senators.

---

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

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have 26 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #26. 

Let's take a look.

Andrej Nedorost - 2002-2003 - Drafted by Columbus in 2000.

Nedorost played 28 games for Columbus from 2001 to 2004. He also played parts of three seasons with the Syracuse Crunch. After his time with Columbus, he would never play another NHL game.

He left for Europe in 2004, where he began playing in Russia. He also played in Czechia, Sweden, Slovakia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Poland. His last professional season was in 2015. 

Todd Marchant - 2004-2006 - Drafted by the New York Rangers in 1993.

Marchant played 95 games for Columbus and totaled 43 points after signing in 2003.

Marchant refused to waive his no-trade clause, which would have allowed Columbus to send him to Anaheim as part of the Sergei Fedorov trade. After trading for Fedorov, Columbus placed Marchant on waivers to circumvent his no-trade clause. Anaheim picked Marchant up off waivers on November 21, 2005, to make him a Mighty Duck.  

Derek MacKenzie - 2008-2009 - Drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers in 1999. 

MacKenzie played 279 games over the course of seven seasons for Columbus. He signed with Columbus in 2007 and made his debut in December of that year. 

He left for the Florida Panthers in 2014 and would play there until he retired in 2019. Later that year, he was named an asst. coach for Florida. He's spent the last two seasons as an asst. coach for the Nashville Predators. 

Samuel Påhlsson - 2010-2012 - Drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in 1996. 

Påhlsson signed with Columbus in 2009 and played a total of 222 games. He was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in 2012, which would be his last NHL season.

He made a move to Europe in 2012 to play in Sweden. He played three seasons before retiring on April 16, 2015.

Corey Tropp - 2014-2015 - Drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 2007.

Tropp was claimed off waivers from the Buffalo Sabres on November 27, 2013. He would play a total of 105 games with Columbus, including 61 in 2014-15. On June 30, 2015, Tropp was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in the deal that brought Brandon Saad to Columbus. 

After spending three straight seasons in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls, Tropp left for Europe. He played a season in Germany and one in Poland before retiring. 

Kyle Quincey - 2017 - Drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in 2003. 

Quincy played 20 games with the Jackets after being traded to Columbus from New Jersey on March 1, 2017. He played one year in Minnesota before leaving for Finland to play one more season. He retired after that one season in LIIGA. 

Thomas Vanek - 2018 - Drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 2003. 

Vanel was traded to the CBJ on February 26, 2018, from the Vancouver Canucks. He played a total of 19 games and had 15 points. 

He signed a one-year deal with Detroit in 2019. That would be his final season in pro hockey. He is now a Hockey Operations Advisor for the San Jose Sharks. 

Zac Dalpe - 2021 - Drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2008. 

The former Ohio State Buckeye forward played 25 games for the Jackets and had 4 career points. 

Dalpe played in 133 games for the Monsters and had 100 points. For his career, he played 574 games and totaled 393 points. On July 7, 2025, Dalpe retired from hockey and was hired by the Seattle Kraken as a Development Coach. For this upcoming season, he was named Team Consultant by the Kraken. He will help young players find their footing in pro hockey by helping with apartments, bills, and everything else that comes with being new to the pro game. 

There are 26 days until opening night at NWA. 

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There are officially less than two weeks until the Philadelphia Flyers start training camp, and less than one week until the Flyers' rookies start rookie camp. And things are finally happening around the NHL!

Speaking of Flyers rookie camp, it should be an exciting one with Porter Martone, Denver Barkey, Alex Bump, Maksim Sokolovskii, and Jett Luchanko all included on the roster and expected to participate, starting on Sept 11 in Allentown, Pa.

The main draw will be the two Rookie Series games against the New York Rangers and their youngsters, which will be on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 7:05 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 13 at 5:05 p.m.

I'm sure Martone, Barkey, and Bump are going to be lobbing alley-oops to each other against lesser competition, but I'm most excited to see Sokolovskii's performance after a fun showing at development camp back in July.

On the topic of Martone, Scott Wheeler recently ranked the 19-year-old in the same tier of prospect as Gavin McKenna and Lane Hutson, so that's pretty neat for the Flyers going forward. Continued upward trajectory means potential franchise forward in the making.

The same cannot be said of Matvei Michkov, who dropped a full tier in Wheeler's list due to how the NHL views him as a player, and based on everything that went on with him and head coach Rick Tocchet last year.

Flyers' Path Back to Playoffs Just Got Way HarderThe latest big NHL trade proves the Philadelphia Flyers will have their work cut out for them in 2026-27.

The good news is that, heading into the new season, Tocchet seems to have a fresher perspective on things, calling it a "learning experience" for both men and acknowledging mistakes on his own behalf.

I love to hear that from Tocchet, because, if this thing is going to get up off the ground for the Flyers, Matvei Michkov is going to be there with Martone piloting the crew and helping them achieve liftoff.

Flyers draft mistake? Zeev Buium gets his bag

The big NHL news of the week is coming out of Vancouver, surprisingly, with the Canucks handing prospect defenseman Zeev Buium a hefty eight-year, $75 million contract extension that comes with a $9.38 million AAV.

Buium, 20, was acquired by the Canucks from the Minnesota Wild as the centerpiece of the Quinn Hughes trade and committed to the franchise after just 45 regular season games.

Buium recorded three goals, 11 assists, and 14 points in 31 games with the Wild, registering a fair -9 rating while getting 18:28 of ice time a night.

On an absolutely awful Canucks team, that ice time shot up to 20:21 a night, though Buium produced just three goals, nine assists, and 12 points in 45 games, with five of those points coming on the power play. Oh, and he was a -24 in those 45 games, finishing the season at -33.

I'm still a believer in Buium's potential, and the Canucks clearly are, too. The stats reflect how truly bad the Canucks were as a team last year: they were 9-27-5 at home.

That said, I'm skeptical the Canucks will soon build an environment conducive to the development of young players, as Buium will continue to be force-fed top pairing minutes against tough competition.

His development could stagnate, but that's not a guarantee.

On the Flyers' side of the 2024 draft controversy, Jett Luchanko is not expected to be on the NHL roster this year barring something unforeseen.

It's the right call to have Luchanko developing in the AHL, but the offensive game still has to come a long way to move the needle.

The Flyers still have the worst power play in the NHL, and they'll be turning to David Jiricek to try and get a boost from the point.

And, let the Buium contract be a reminder that prices are only going to go up for the next few years. If Michkov has a great third season in the NHL, he'll be getting double-digits undoubtedly.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltending prospect Sergei Murashov quickly rose through the ranks these past few seasons. 

Murashov was selected by the Penguins in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL Draft and had two great seasons in Russia's MHL before coming over to North America ahead of the 2024-25 season. 

He started with the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers and lit it up with them, finishing the 2024-25 season with a 17-7-1 record, a 2.40 goals-against average, and a .922 save percentage. He also made his AHL debut in Wilkes-Barre that season and didn't look out of place either, compiling a 12-3-0 record with a .913 save percentage and a 2.64 goals-against average. 

Murashov quickly graduated to the AHL full-time in 2025-26 and served as the 1A goaltender. He looked unbeatable at times down there, finishing the regular season with 24 wins, a .919 save percentage, and a 2.20 goals-against average.

He was even the guy in the playoffs, starting all of Wilkes-Barre's games before the team lost to the Toronto Marlies in the AHL Eastern Conference Final. Despite the loss, he did what many expected and played extremely well.

He even made his NHL debut during the season and showed some of his potential, especially against the Nashville Predators in Sweden on Nov. 16. He showcased strong agility, looked confident in the crease, and had great rebound control. It resulted in his first career NHL win and shutout. 

It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows in his other starts, but that's common for a young goaltender who is getting his first look at NHL action. 

It's Not About 'Nostalgia' For The Penguins. It's About Timing.Many Pittsburgh Penguins fans claim that "nostalgia" is holding GM Kyle Dubas back from doing what needs to be done to move the team forward, but that's simply not the case.

The trick for Murashov now is how he does when he makes the full-time jump from the AHL to the NHL. It's the hardest jump for any prospect. Teams and players will have film on him, and they'll try to exploit any of his weaknesses. How he adjusts to that is going to be super fascinating. 

Granted, this is all assuming he makes the team out of training camp. That is the likeliest scenario, but he will still have to earn it. 

If Murashov does earn it, he'll likely be the 1B/backup goaltender to Arturs Silovs during the regular season. He'd earn 30-35+ starts and could push Silovs for the 1A job if he plays well enough. 

Goalies, especially rookie goalies, are insanely hard to predict, but if he can finish the year with a save percentage between .900 and .905 and be at least positive in goals saved above expected, that would be a success.

Yes, those aren't the highest of expectations, but it's important to remember that this is a process. Development takes time.  

With that in mind, Murashov is an easy person to root for, and it will be fun tracking his progress during the season. 

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The NHL saw a major contract get signed on Friday.

The Vancouver Canucks signed young defenseman Zeev Buium to an eight-year, $75.04 million contract ($9.38 million AAV). The Canucks are betting on Buium's upside and will be hoping that the 20-year-old can continue to develop in the right direction after his solid rookie season. 

With the way salaries have been going up around the NHL, Buium's deal certainly has the potential to age very nicely for Vancouver. He is a promising young defenseman with very good upside. Yet, at the same time, this contract only continues to show just how good Lane Hutson's contract with the Montreal Canadiens is. 

Hutson is entering the first season of his eight-year, $70.8 million contract extension, where he will have a bargain $8.85 million cap hit. The young defenseman signed this deal in Oct. 2025 after he six goals and 66 points in 82 games as a rookie for Montreal in 2024-25. He also, of course, won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year. 

Buium was solid last season, as he recorded six goals and 26 points in 76 games. However, he was not anywhere near Hutson's level as a rookie and will now be making more than him. That only shows just how great Hutson's deal is.

The Canadiens clearly made the right call extending Hutson when they did. Had they waited until this summer, he could have landed himself a significantly higher payday when looking at the salaries this year's restricted free agents received. 

Evan Gold, the Islanders’ newly hired assistant general manager, dipped his toes into controversial waters last week. He did this by committing the time-honored public relations sin of telling the truth. 

“They’re a transitional team,” Gold said of the Islanders during an appearance on “The Sheet with Jeff Marek,” and the rest didn’t seem to matter much for a small-but-loud slice of the fanbase that was already upset at this acknowledgment of reality. 

So here is some more reality, of which everyone in the organization and around the NHL is well aware. The Islanders have not won a playoff series since 2021. They had 91 points last season and missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season.

The best, most important assets in their organization are almost uniformly young enough to be in college, and 10 players enter training camp with expiring contracts, giving the Islanders an estimated $40 million in salary cap space going into next summer. 

Transition is not only an accurate word to describe this situation, it is a necessary state for the Islanders to be in right now, due mainly to the stagnant operation under the last few years of Lou Lamoriello’s reign, which left them stuck in the NHL’s middle ground, needing to rebuild their prospect pipeline and get out from under a series of bad contracts. 

“To be a sustainable playoff team you can’t just patch every year and just bring one player here, one player there, you have to build it,” general manager Mathieu Darche told reporters a few days ago when asked about Gold’s comment. “But a good thing is, we have some solid veterans that can keep us relevant, keep us fighting for the playoffs as we incorporate and we always need to mix up both. You can’t win with only young guys, you can’t win with only older guys, so that’s the transitional part that he’s talking about.” 

When attendance dipped repeatedly, and fans who were at UBS Arena chanted for Lamoriello’s head, transition was — functionally — what they were asking for. You cannot get from where the Islanders were in 2025 to being an annual contender in one year, or even two, and the franchise’s solution to that problem under prior management was to insist that there was no problem at all. 

None of that is to absolve Darche for his own errors in the job, or to say that fans shouldn’t be disappointed over an offseason where waiting till next summer was the strategy, in function if not in name. 

Even if you are bullish about the Islanders’ medium and long-term outlook, it’s hard not to feel bearish about the here and now. The end of last season left a bad taste, and this isn’t the first time in recent memory that the selling points heading into training camp are a full season of a new coach and the returns of players who were injured for most of last season.

Darche saying the Islanders can fight for the playoffs is a slight step down from his introductory press conference in May 2025, when he said he believed the Islanders could make the playoffs. 

Darche, though, was hired much more to make the Islanders better in the long haul than in the short term, and the same would have applied to any other candidate. On that front, the Islanders have rapidly turned their prospect pipeline around, made big steps in building a reputable AHL operation and made a series of front office hires to help areas like analytics and development, where the club had lagged behind the rest of the league. 

Gold, who had a successful run as an assistant general manager in Boston and was a finalist for general manager jobs in Vancouver and Toronto this summer, is, ironically, part of that list. 

Whether all those seeds planted in the last 16 months pay off will be the defining question of Darche’s tenure as general manager — far more than trading for Brayden Schenn — and he won’t have unlimited time to wait and see.

A year from now, the expectation needs to be that the $40 million in waiting be put to good use, and that the prospects on whose development the franchise is staked be in position to contribute. The transitional phase, in short, needs to be winding down by training camp 2027. 

But right now, it’s where the Islanders are. That is plain to everyone who cares to look, and getting mad over honesty is a request to be sold a bill of goods.

On September 4, 1999, the Calgary Flames added one of their biggest rivals to their lineup by acquiring former Edmonton Oilers legend Grant Fuhr from the St. Louis Blues. Flames fans who grew up in the 1980s suffered through countless losses at the hands of the Spruce Grove, Alberta, native who would lead the Oilers to five Stanley Cup titles that decade. 

Fuhr debuted with the Oilers in 1981 and spent 10 years with his hometown club, becoming arguably their greatest goalie. He eventually left in 1991 to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs before a brief stint with the Buffalo Sabres. 

As a free agent, Fuhr signed with the Blues on July 14, 1995, and during his first season, he would go on to set one of the NHL's most unbreakable records, playing in 79 games. That year, he missed only three games and went 30-28-16, leading the league in games played, ties, shots faced, and saves. 

Over four seasons, Fuhr compiled a 108-87-41 record with St. Louis in 249 games, the longest time he spent with any club besides the Oilers. In 1998-99, at 36, he played 39 games and went 16-11-8, while the Blues lost in the second round; Fuhr went 6-6 in the playoffs. 

Meanwhile, in Calgary, the Flames rotated through six goalies that season, including Fred Brathwaite, Ken Wreggret, Tyler Moss, Andrei Trefilov, Tyrone Garner, and future Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jean-Sébastien Giguère. They finished 30-40-12, third in the Northwest Division, and missed the playoffs. 

Flames Acquire 37-year-old Fuhr on September 4

To revamp their goaltending situation, the Flames acquired Fuhr from the Blues in exchange for a third-round pick in 2000. Coincidentally, Fuhr reunited with former Oilers teammate Steve Smith, who became Calgary's captain in 1999-2000. 

Flames fans will always be thankful for Smith, who accidentally scored on Fuhr in Game 7 of the 1986 Smythe Division Finals, ultimately resulting in the Oilers' quest for a three-peat ending with that third-period own goal. 

Unfortunately, Fuhr's return to Alberta would produce the worst statistical campaign of his career. In only 23 games, he'd earn a 5-13-2 record with a career-low .856 SV%. The Flames also had a worse record than the previous year, going 31-36-10-5 and finishing fourth in the Northwest Division.

Fuhr's last NHL appearance came on April 8, 2000, at the Saddledome against the Oilers in a 6-3 loss. He didn't start the game, but played 18:17 in relief and finished with a .714 SV%, stopping five of seven shots. The last goal he surrendered came off the stick of Doug Weight, who scored at 14:42 of the third period. 

In the deal that brought Fuhr to Calgary, the Blues received a third-round pick, which they used to select Justin Papineau, 75th overall. He played a total of 81 NHL games between the Blues and the New York Islanders, scoring 11 goals and 19 points. Papineau scored his first NHL goal against the Oilers on February 27, 2003, and played his final NHL game on April 4, 2004, against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Overall, the late 1990s and early 2000s were not a great time to be a goalie with the Flames, as they transitioned from Mike Vernon to Miikka Kiprusoff. They brought Fuhr in based on his reputation, but at 37, he didn't have much left in the tank. Unfortunately, the experiment didn't work out, and his Hall of Fame career ended on Saddledome ice. 

The Vancouver Canucks have made a massive long-term commitment to one of the centerpiece players they acquired from the Minnesota Wild in the Quinn Hughes blockbuster.

Vancouver announced Friday that defenseman Zeev Buium has agreed to an eight-year contract extension carrying a $9.38 million average annual value. The deal is worth $75.04 million in total.

For the Wild, the extension is another reminder of just how significant the price was to acquire Hughes last December.

Minnesota sent Buium, Marco Rossi, Liam Öhgren and its 2026 first-round pick to Vancouver in exchange for Hughes. Buium, whom the Wild selected 12th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, was arguably the most valuable long-term piece Minnesota surrendered in the deal.

Now, Vancouver is paying him like a cornerstone of its rebuild.

Buium appeared in 31 games for Minnesota before the trade last season, recording three goals and 11 assists. At the time of the deal, his 14 points were tied for second among rookie NHL defensemen.

He went on to play 45 games for Vancouver, adding three goals and nine assists. Between the two clubs, Buium finished his first full NHL season with six goals and 26 points in 76 games.

The 20-year-old's potential was hardly a secret to the Wild. Minnesota traded up one spot to select Buium 12th overall in 2024 after he fell further than expected on draft night. 

Buium followed his selection with another dominant season at the University of Denver, recording 48 points in 41 games as a sophomore before signing his entry-level contract with Minnesota in April 2025. He was a Hobey Baker Award finalist and NCHC Player of the Year before making his NHL debut during the Wild's 2025 Stanley Cup Playoff run.

Minnesota ultimately decided it was willing to part with that upside because of the player coming back.

Hughes was already a Norris Trophy winner and one of the NHL's premier defensemen when the Wild acquired him. Wild president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin acknowledged immediately after the trade that giving up players such as Buium was difficult, but opportunities to acquire a player of Hughes' caliber rarely become available.

Vancouver, meanwhile, clearly viewed Buium as a potential successor to Hughes on its blue line. Former Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin called Buium an “extremely talented offensive-minded defenseman” after the trade and pointed specifically to his potential to eventually quarterback Vancouver's power play.

The Canucks' new front office has now backed up that belief with an eight-year commitment before Buium has even turned 21.

For Minnesota, Buium's new $9.38 million cap hit doesn't change the calculation behind the Hughes trade. The Wild knew they were giving away a potential star defenseman to acquire an established superstar.

But Vancouver's $75 million commitment makes one thing increasingly clear: Buium wasn't simply another piece of the Hughes trade.

The Canucks believe he can become one of the players they build their franchise around. As the Wild are hoping to agree on an extension with Hughes.

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The Buffalo Sabres could go a number of different ways as the NHL is in the midst of trade season following the NHL Draft and the opening of free agency on July 1. With the departure of winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram, GM Jarmo Kekalainen is expected to seek out offensive reinforcements to make up for the 44 goals lost by their departures. 

We are continuing to look at potential options for the Sabres, now that veteran Patrick Kane has returned with Chicago.  Some of the possibilities are not going to match Tuch’s stats, but any additions could provide some relief to the pressure that youngsters Konsta Helenius, Jiri Kulich, or Noah Ostlund will be under to make up the deficit.

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Kekalainen ideally is looking for someone who could make up as much of the 60-to-70 point production that he lost with Tuch, or someone who can fill the leadership gap and/or add some snarl and sandpaper to the middle-six, either before the start of the season or before the NHL Trade Deadline. 

Veteran Mats Zuccarello was surprisingly not brought back by Minnesota last season, after playing seven seasons with the Wild. The 39-year-old has remained remarkably productive when most of his contemporaries are retiring. Playing alongside Kirill Kaprizov, the diminutive winger has averaged 63 points over the last five seasons and last season posted 54 points (15 goals, 39 assists) in 59 games, along with nine points in eight playoff games. 

Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff is familiar with the winger, as he was an assistant in New York from 2017-19 while Zuccarello was with the Rangers. He signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Kings on July 1, with a $1 million base salary, $5.5 million in performance bonuses, and a full no-trade clause. 

The Kings are considered a club that will challenge for a wild card spot in the Western Conference, but if they struggle, it is possible that GM Ken Holland will shop his rentals (Corey Perry, Joel Armia, Darcy Kuemper, and possibly Drew Doughty) before the trade deadline.

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With the 2026-27 season almost here, former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph is still an unrestricted free agent. 

Joseph still being unsigned at this point in the summer comes after he spent the 2025-26 season with the Vancouver Canucks. In 31 games with the Pacific Division club during last season, he posted one goal, six points, and a minus-16 rating. 

With Joseph having a decent amount of NHL experience, the possibility of him landing a professional tryout (PTO) from an NHL team before the start of the season should not be ruled out. He could be a decent depth addition for an NHL club if he earned a contract for the season. 

Joseph appeared in 171 games over two stints and five seasons with the Penguins, where he recorded eight goals, 30 assists, 38 points, 114 blocks, and 186 hits. He also had the best season of his NHL career with the Penguins in 2022-23, as he set career highs with five goals, 16 assists, and 21 points in 75 games.

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see where Joseph ends up landing. At just 27 years old, he should be able to find a new home, whether it is with an NHL team or overseas.

The 2026-27 NHL season is rapidly approaching, as it is now September.

However, with the new campaign getting closer, a former Chicago Blackhawks forward is still looking for his next contract: Brandon Saad.

Saad still being a free agent comes after he had a tough 2025-26 season with the Vegas Golden Knights. In 49 games with the Pacific Division club last season, he recorded just three goals and nine points. This comes after he had 13 goals and 30 points in 72 games split between the St. Louis Blues and Golden Knights during the 2024-25 season.

While Saad had a tough year in 2025-26, the possibility of him landing at least a professional tryout (PTO) from an NHL team should not be ruled. He has had a solid NHL career and could be a decent addition for a team that is looking for more forward depth and experience. 

Due to this, it would not be particularly surprising if Saad is able to land a PTO or even a contract from an NHL team by the start of training camps. If not in the NHL, he could be a nice addition for an overseas club if he wants to continue his career. 

In 428 games over seven seasons and two stints with the Blackhawks, Saad posted 114 goals, 127 assists, 241 points, and a plus-27 rating. He also won the Stanley Cup twice with Chicago.