Category: NHL

Welcome to The Hockey News Vancouver Canucks site's 2026–27 player preview article series. This series will outline the expectations for every player projected to play for Vancouver during the 2026–27 season. Today's player is Canucks goaltender Nikita Tolopilo. 

Tolopilo's 2025-2026 Season 

Tolopilo started to establish himself as an NHL goaltender last year with Vancouver. The 26-year-old started 18 games and finished with a record of 6-11-2. Tolopilo also posted a save percentage of .881 and a goals against average of 3.61. 

Last season, Tolopilo also played 19 games in the AHL. He finished with a record of 8-8-3, pushing his all-time record to 48-35-6. During his time with the Abbotsford Canucks last year, Tolopilo also recorded a save percentage of .897 with a goals against average of 3.07. 

Tolopilo's 2025-26 Letter Grade 

For his efforts in the 2025–26 season, The Hockey News' Canucks site gave Tolopilo a C grade. While he took some steps forward in his development, he also had some difficult games in both the NHL and the AHL. It is also important to note that Vancouver's defensive system caused Tolopilo issues as he faced plenty of odd-man rushes throughout the campaign. 

Tolopilo's 2026-27 Predictions  

Tolopilo is in a difficult situation heading into the 2026-27 season. If Thatcher Demko is healthy, he will most likely be the Canucks' third stringer, which could limit his play time. While he is on the older side, Tolopilo needs as many reps as possible to show that he can be an impactful backup at the NHL level. 

As for the AHL, that is not tricky scenario as Tolopilo requires waivers. Based on his pedigree and size, another team will likely put in a claim if he hits the wire. Unless injuries occur, Tolopilo will most likely be used as a practice goaltender next year. 

Bold prediction: Tolopilo plays at least 15 games in 2026-27. 

Canucks 2026–27 Player Previews: 

Victor Mancini

Kevin Lankinen

Filip Chytil

Thatcher Demko

Jonathan Lekkerimäki

Elias Pettersson (D)

Marco Rossi

Max Sasson

Jamie Oleksiak

Drew O'Connor

Luke Schenn

Paul Cotter

Brendan Gallagher

Liam Öhgren

Tom Willander

Jake DeBrusk

Zeev Buium

Brock Boeser

Filip Hronek

Elias Pettersson

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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While the 2026 offseason was, on the whole, a disappointment for the Philadelphia Flyers, they still managed to acquire some intriguing pieces nonetheless.

Specifically, the Flyers do have a logjam on the wings, for example, but they paradoxically had some openings to address as well. What do I mean?

Prospects Denver Barkey and Alex Bump are graduating to the NHL level full-time next season, and veteran tough guy Garnet Hathaway departed Philadelphia via trade earlier this offseason.

Plus, journeymen Rodrigo Abols and Luke Glendening were left behind, Anthony Richard signed overseas, and Bobby Brink was traded for David Jiricek at the NHL deadline.

Quietly, the winger (and center, speaking to the versatility of Abols and Glendening) position underwent a facelift in 2025-26, and that wasn't without consequence for the Flyers.

The AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, who ranked just 23rd in the league with 210 goals and missed the Calder Cup playoffs as a result, badly needed help offensively, and that is especially true now without Bump, Barkey, Richard, and leading scorer Lane Pederson.

While they may have missed out on Leo Carlsson with their aggressive offer sheet attempt, the Flyers did make some beneficial signings still, adding Nolan Foote and Danila Klimovich as organizational depth to help the Phantoms.

Foote, 25, brings some intrigue as a former first-round pick, but Klimovich is the name people need to be talking about more.

Rick Tocchet reunites with former Canucks prospect

Klimovich, 23, is still quite young and comes with the pedigree of being a former second-round pick (41st overall in 2021), but he has yet to make his NHL debut after four full seasons with the Vancouver Canucks organization.

Sure, it is a bit of a head-scratcher that the bottom-feeding Canucks cut the Belarusian winger loose at his age before finding a role for him at the NHL level, considering Klimovich has scored 43 goals for the AHL Abbotsford Canucks over the last two seasons.

At the same time, Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet, obviously, came to Philadelphia from Vancouver last year, and he's someone who has had Klimovich at his training camps multiple times over his years there.

The Flyers, with Tocchet's familiarity, went out of their way to sign this player for a reason.

Conceivably, with a big step that never came in Vancouver, Klimovich could carve out a depth role for himself at the NHL level if the Flyers' development staff taps into his potential.

DANILA. KLIMOVICH. DOUBLE. OVERTIME. 😵@abbycanucks | #ABBvsTEX | #CalderCuppic.twitter.com/4t56Saf63h

— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) June 5, 2025

The 6-foot-2 winger's game is built around his hard shot and puck skills, though he has long struggled defensively and isn't that great of a skater.

To make a name for himself, Klimovich will have to continue to learn to impose himself physically while improving defensively; the latter is the hallmark of any successful depth forward in the big leagues.

Fortunately, the Flyers have had some success with this in the past, even with veterans.

Players like Rasmus Ristolainen, Jamie Drysdale, Trevor Zegras, Owen Tippett, and Tyson Foerster all stand out as examples--none of those guys were drafted to play defense, but they all improved considerably in that aspect upon arriving and spending some time in Philadelphia.

With his traits, Klimovich is not dissimilar to Foote, but time is on his side being two years younger. 

If absolutely everything goes right, though, Klimovich could find his path in the pros as a Foerster lite: a big-bodied winger who makes up for his lack of pace and playmaking with details, dogged defending, and a powerful shot.

The once-promising Canucks prospect is only under contract with the Flyers for one year, but with so many outgoing players at his position, Klimovich will have all the opportunity in the world to make an impact with the Phantoms, and then, potentially, with the Flyers.

Sitting at No 6 in TheHockeyNews.com's Toronto Maple Leafs prospect ranking is Alexander Bilecki.

The players in this ranking do not have extensive NHL experience and are all under 23. Therefore, players such as William Villeneuve, Artur Akhtyamov and Easton Cowan, among others, won't feature in this ranking for either or both of those particular reasons.

In terms of where these players fall in the rankings, it is a mix of their ceiling and potential, as well as how they've performed in the past year with their respective clubs. 

The Maple Leafs selected Bilecki in the second round of this past 2026 draft with the 60th overall pick.

Bilecki, 18, is coming off his second season in the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers, with the left-handed defenseman's stock trending upwards with how his campaign ended.

His regular season was decent as he registered nine goals and 29 points in 66 games. Bilecki is a blueliner who can really move the puck and can be effective in power-play situations. This past season, he was further down the depth chart on the back end with Cameron Reid and Jared Woolley in the Rangers' lineup.

Maple Leafs NHL Prospect Ranking: No. 7, Noah ChadwickThe 21-year-old defenseman Noah Chadwick slots in at No. 7 in THN's Toronto Maple Leafs prospect ranking.

Luckily for Bilecki, Reid is joining the University of Michigan, and Woolley is projected to join the Ontario Reign in the Los Angeles Kings' system. So if he decides to remain with Kitchener for 2026-27, he'll be the No. 1 defenseman with all the power-play time and the other luxuries that come with that role.

Nonetheless, his numbers jumped when it mattered most. In 18 OHL playoff games, Bilecki posted a pair of goals and 11 points. In the Memorial Cup, the 6-foot-2 defenseman continued to provide for the Rangers with three assists in four outings.

'I'm A Winner': Maple Leafs Selected Memorial Cup Champion Alexander Bilecki At Pick No. 60With the 60th pick in the 2026 NHL draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs selected defenseman Alexander Bilecki. Here's what you need to know about the Mississauga, Ont., native.

Kitchener went on to win the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions, and the Memorial Cup later in the year. The Rangers finished the regular season atop their division and Western Conference. So even with just two seasons of junior hockey under his belt, the young blueliner can already call himself a winner.

Bilecki is still in the early stages of his hockey career, and it will certainly take some time before he's ready for the Maple Leafs. In The Hockey News' latest issue, it was predicted that Bilecki would be ready to enter the NHL for the 2030-31 season.

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The Penguins have unveiled the second class of individuals who will enter the team’s Hall of Fame this coming fall, highlighted by longtime goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.

Fleury, along with Larry Murphy, Jim Rutherford and Jack McGregor will be inducted into the Penguins Hall of Fame this November, joining last year’s inaugural class of inductees.

Having spent 13 of his 21 seasons playing for Pittsburgh, Fleury was a unanimous selection to the Penguins Hall of Fame and won three Stanley Cups with the Penguins.

Larry Murphy, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004, helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 1991 and 1992.

Responsible for helping build the Pittsburgh roster that won the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017, Jim Rutherford will enter the Penguins Hall of Fame in the Builder category. Rutherford’s acquisitions like Phil Kassel, Patric Hornqvist, Nick Bonino, Justin Schultz, Carl Hagelin, and others will forever hold a spot in Penguins lore.

Jack McGregor was a key figure in helping bring an NHL team to Pittsburgh and served as the Penguins’ president from 1967 to 1970.

The induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, November 14 before the Penguins face off against the Ottawa Senators at PPG Paints Arena.

A third class of inductees next year will include Tom Barrasso, Jaromir Jagr, Chris Kunitz and Ray Shero.

Every year, The Athletic puts out an article about how much confidence fans have in each NHL front office. Unsurprisingly, the Montreal Canadiens have fared well in those rankings. Last year, Kent Hughes and co. were fifth, but this year, they moved into second place. The article grades each team in six areas: roster building, cap management, draft and development, trading, free agency, and vision.

The Habs grades given by the public are generally better than those given by the Canadiens’ fan base; they’ve always been a demanding bunch, and it’s never been as clear as in this exercise. While the public deservedly gave the Canadiens an A+ for cap management, Montreal fans gave them an A. It’s hard to imagine what Hughes could have done better in that respect. He’s got his young core locked up to lengthy and team-friendly deals that have positioned the Canadiens extremely well to add quality pieces around that core.

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So far, four and a half years into his appointment, Hughes has shown that he’s the kind of man who makes a plan and sticks to it. Rather than pouncing on big-name free agents with big contracts (when some were available), he has decided to trust his team’s internal growth, and so far, it has worked; there’s no denying that. Montreal has made the playoffs in the last two years, and they even made the Eastern Conference final this past season, but drafting and developing can only go so far.

It’s impossible to use all of the prospects one’s organization drafts. Eventually, the pipeline gets too crowded because of the contract limit. If you want to have a balanced team, you can’t just keep adding the same kind of players and hope that they will bring you to the promised land (see the Toronto Maple Leafs or the Edmonton Oilers, for instance). At one stage, all that unexploited potential in the pipeline has to be turned into immediate help if you want to get over that hump.

It’s like Dom Luszczyszyn says in his article about the confidence rankings when he discusses the Florida Panthers:

The one downside of trading every pick? Getting a tough grade for drafting and developing. No worries – the Panthers have figured out that when the window is wide-open, talent now is better than talent tomorrow.

- Luszczyszyn on the Panthers' front office's strategy

The Canadiens' draft last year made it clear they were trying to get bigger and grittier. However, prospects need time to develop, and by the time this class comes to maturity and is ready to make an impact, Nick Suzuki’s contract will be nearly done. Furthermore, chemistry takes time; kids don’t tend to perform all that well in their first few years as professionals (though there are exceptions like Lane Hutson or Demidov).

To get over the last few hurdles, the Canadiens will likely need to get some immediate help while sacrificing some of their futures, but that’s easier said than done. When other GMs see how well a team is doing, they’re in no hurry to give them the last few pieces they need to become Stanley Cup champions, and eventually, the GM who has a near-complete puzzle ends up having to bite the bullet and accept that they cannot put too high a value on their assets, making them untradeable.

The other GMs are seeing Hughes coming from miles out now; they know the Canadiens have built a strong foundation, and they will force the Habs to pay dearly for those needle-moving pieces. There comes a time when a GM has to be ready to overpay, and knowing when that time has come isn't always easy. When the finish line is within reach, you have to dig deep to improve your roster.

Hughes won’t be dealing every pick; he’s made it quite clear that he wants to build a perennial contender, but he’ll have to be ready to sacrifice some of them. Such is the reality of a team whose contention window is open. Is the Canadiens’ contention window open? It certainly feels like it is, given that they were one of the last four teams playing hockey this Spring. However, their evisceration by the Carolina Hurricanes shows a few pieces are still missing from their puzzle, and logic dictates those elusive pieces can’t all come from the draft.

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A reminder of Flyers' key dates leading up to 2026-27 season opener originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

With September around the corner, so is Flyers hockey.

Let’s look at the key dates.

The Flyers open rookie training camp Friday, Sept. 11, before kicking off their series against the Rangers’ prospects at PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The rookie games are Saturday, Sept. 12 (7:05 p.m. ET), and Sunday, Sept. 13 (5:05 p.m. ET).

The club opens main training camp Thursday, Sept. 17, and starts its preseason slate Monday, Sept. 21.

After four exhibitions games, the Flyers host the Penguins in their regular-season opener Wednesday, Sept. 30. With the shortened preseason and the NHL extending its schedule to 84 games for every team, this will be the earliest the Flyers have ever started a regular season.

The Flyers are trying to reach the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since the 2010-11 and 2011-12 campaigns.

Offseason reading

• Vansaghi aiming for more offense, says experience with Martone was ‘unbelievable’

• Pucks and books have Ruohonen developing as a Flyers prospect at Harvard

• Flyers agree to terms on deal with final restricted free agent of offseason

• Flyers believe Michigan-bound Nesbitt could develop into a ‘handful’ for opponents

• Flyers return most of defense, but two youngsters are pushing

• A taste of pro hockey adds to ‘high expectations’ for Flyers’ prospect

• ‘He mauled me’ — Flyers feel and see Sokolovskii’s huge presence

• A look at why Flyers prospect Berglund will play on loan in Sweden

• Grebenkin has new contract as Flyers near the end of their offseason work

• Flyers have ‘lots of faith’ in Luchanko, who could benefit from a few things

• With Vladar the key, Flyers formed new goalie picture in two summers

• Barkey, Bump have plenty of motivation after playoff run with Flyers

• ‘You don’t see that very often’ — Martone’s rise could serve as Flyers’ splash

• Briere’s bold offer sheet for Carlsson leads to Celebrini payday

• Flyers didn’t make huge addition, but Drysdale sees ‘great lineup’

• How Zegras accepted challenge from Flyers, ‘took charge’ with new contract

• Coming off career highs, Drysdale agrees to new 4-year contract with Flyers

• Early date with Ducks, Black Friday home game and more on Flyers’ 2026-27 schedule

• Flyers make Zegras highest-paid player on their roster with new contract

• Flyers host rival to open 2026-27 regular season in September (!)

• Acciari has seen Flyers fans up close, says ‘choosing Philly was an easy decision’

• No Carlsson for Flyers as Ducks match huge offer sheet

• No Giroux reunion as former Flyers captain returns to Senators

• There’s a telling aspect of Flyers’ stunning offer sheet to Carlsson

• Briere makes a bang as Flyers try to snatch Carlsson with offer sheet

• Flyers add former Penguins forward to their bottom-six picture

• Flyers, Foerster agree to terms on big contract extension

• Vladar earns long-term contract after becoming massive answer for Flyers

• Flyers keep veteran depth winger on 1-year deal

• Flyers extend qualifying offers to 4 RFAs, part ways with 6

• Flyers trade back, grab 6-foot-7 defenseman in first round of NHL draft 2026

• Flyers draft a defenseman whose dad has a Flyers-themed jeep

• Flyers draft a goalie for first time since 2023, use second-round pick on Psohlavec

• Flyers go with a second goalie on Day 2 of NHL draft 2026

• Flyers hope to hit on another fifth-rounder from Minnesota high school level

• Flyers close out NHL draft 2026 with seventh-round defenseman

• Flyers trade Hathaway, acquire picks day before NHL draft

• Flyers release shortened preseason schedule for expanded 2026-27 season

• Flyers acquire backup goalie, send Ersson, Andrae to Leafs

• Flyers bring back depth center coming off consecutive 20-goal seasons in AHL

• Flyers elect to not sign 2022 seventh-rounder, lose prospect’s rights

• Flyers sign Russian winger to his entry-level contract

• Konecny has two important things he’ll remember from Flyers’ playoff exit

• No slowing down for Martone, who is just getting started with Flyers

• ‘I was getting more and more mad’ — Vladar has plenty of fuel for offseason

• Can Flyers capitalize on being ‘more of a destination’ in offseason?

• After playoff run, Flyers release injury list with 10 players on it

• Tocchet on Michkov just a few days into offseason: ‘Like a vengeance tour’

• Michkov shows some frustration — and that’s not the end of the world

• Tippett missed second round of playoffs because of internal bleeding

• A ‘taste of it’ could go long way for Flyers’ long-term goal

The Islanders finally have their lighthouse project.

After days of fan voting on the fan-designed Islanders alternate jerseys for the 2027-28 season, the team announced the final uniform Thursday evening, with the navy lighthouse uniform emerging as the winner.

The design features orange and teal piping on the bottom and arms of the jersey, white and orange numbering, and a lighthouse in the middle.

DRUMROLL PLEASE

The winning Third Jersey Design Concept is the Navy Lighthouse!

Stay tuned for the final kit design. pic.twitter.com/WE5PdM4QWZ

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) August 20, 2026

The lighthouse logo, which was only worn as a shoulder patch on Islanders jerseys in the late 1990s, emerged as an early front-runner in the voting process.

It narrowly beat out a more classic navy and cream uniform that displayed the Islanders wordmark in navy and orange, according to the team’s X account, which also posted a digitized mockup of the winning lighthouse design.

“The Islanders would like to thank every fan who contributed a design, shared their feedback, and participated in the voting process to help shape the future of the franchise’s visual identity,’’ Islanders president of business operations Kelly Cheeseman said in a statement. “This contest was launched to break down traditional barriers, giving the fans a direct voice in shaping our new look.

“We are excited to move forward and create the full uniform that our fanbase will be proud to call theirs.”

Although the uniform has been chosen, the Islanders will continue to review other design submissions to help refine the official third jersey with the help of Fanatics for the 2027-28 season.

The Islanders narrowed a whopping 80,490 submissions down to eight before holding the “March Madness-style fan vote” on social media.

Fans were able to send in submissions through an online portal created by the Islanders, which gave diehards different design templates related to some of the team’s uniforms over their history.

“In the end, you’re going to end up with a jersey that the fans like and the players like — and hopefully that’s the one that you want to win a Cup in,” Cheeseman previously told The Post.

The franchise called the project a “historic milestone” in a news release, being the first team in NHL history to enlist fans to help design an official team jersey.

Fans weren’t the only ones involved in the project, with Cheeseman saying that numerous current and former Islanders players reached out.

“We had [Matthew] Schaefer, [Bo] Horvat, [Kyle] Palmieri, [Ondrej] Palat, [Jean-Gabriel] Pageau, [Ryan] Pulock, [Mathew] Barzal, [Alexander] Romanov all actively involved in this process,” he said.

“Many other alumni reached out … [Bryan Trottier] and Matt Martin and some of those guys were actively involved in it.”

Ahead of the 2026-27 season, The Hockey News released their annual Yearbook and projected where each team in the NHL will finish in the standings. The San Jose Sharks are one of the teams expected to take major steps forward, as they were picked to finish fourth in the Pacific Division.

Last season, the Los Angeles Kings finished fourth in the Pacific with 90 points, which was just barely enough to squeak into a playoff spot. With the Sharks' improvements, specifically to the blue line, over the summer, it seems that they could jump the Kings, and multiple other teams, in the division this winter. 

In the Yearbook, The Hockey News had the Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers, and Anaheim Ducks slotted above the Sharks in the Pacific Division, but as the Sharks showed last season, they're not far off of competing with those organizations. 

If the Sharks finish fourth in the Pacific, they won't have to just worry about their division rivals. They'll be battling for a wild card spot, which means they'll have to beat out a number of teams in the always competitive Central Division, like the Utah Mammoth, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, and Winnipeg Jets, if they're going to clinch a berth to the postseason for the first time since the 2018-19 season.

The Yearbook issue also went in-depth with prospects, depth charts, and much more. The e-edition of the issue can be viewed in the THN Archive available here.

The San Jose Sharks have had a multitude of players wear the number 42 throughout their history, but it currently belongs to Luca Cagnoni who has a major battle ahead of him this coming fall.

Cagnoni is one of the few members of the San Jose Barracuda expected to put up a fight for a roster spot when training camp comes around next month. The Sharks' fourth-round selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, Cagnoni likely fell down the board due to his size, as he's just 5-foot-9. 

Cagnoni's game has always been defined by his ability to move the puck and put up points from the blue line, whether it was with the Western Hockey League's Portland Winterhawks, the Barracuda, or even during his short stints with the Sharks. If he does make the Sharks roster, he'd almost immediately become a favorite to get some opportunities to quarterback the power play, but he'd likely not be more than a third-pairing defenseman in five-on-five play. 

To this point in his professional career, Cagnoni has played 131 games for the Barracuda and recorded 95 points (24 goals and 71 assists). Meanwhile, during his nine NHL games, he's failed to score a goal but has picked up a pair of assists.

At just 21 years of age, Cagnoni's hockey career is still in its infancy. He has plenty of time to carve out a role for himself and establish himself as an NHL regular, now we'll just have to wait and see if this is the year he grabs the brass ring and forces his way into Mike Grier and Ryan Warsofsky's immediate plans. 

On Wednesday, longtime Detroit Red Wings beat reporter Bob Duff appeared on NHL Tonight to discuss the ongoing Dylan Larkin trade situation. 

With Steve Yzerman's departure as Detroit's general manager sparking speculation over whether it might soften Larkin's stance on his trade request, Duff offered an update as the Red Wings enter the final weeks before training camp. He explained "there's no indication that the switch in management is gonna lead him to wanting to remain here."

That assessment lines up with other reporting from around the hockey world as MLive's Ansar Khan has continued to report that Minnesota remains Larkin's preferred landing spot, though the Wild reportedly lack the assets needed to get a deal done. 

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

Larkin's list of preferred destinations also includes the Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars, but none of those clubs have been able to meet Detroit's price either. Despite all the noise, a trade still doesn't appear close to lining up with what the Red Wings are looking for in return. 

With training camp approaching, plenty of questions remain unanswered, including whether Larkin will open the season in Detroit, whether he'll retain the captaincy, and how the unresolved situation will affect the rest of the roster as the Red Wings try to move forward.

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Martin Necas looks like he’s been partying with Angel “Memo” Heredia, and he isn’t alone.

Gabe Landeskog and Devon Toews have been showing up to the Avalanche’s optional skates earlier than usual. Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Scott Wedgewood have been putting in work of their own. And Necas? He’s been grinding overseas this offseason, looking like he took the whole “bet on yourself” thing personally.

Maybe it’s nothing.

Maybe it’s simply what professional hockey players do in August.

But when this many Avalanche players are already putting in extra work nearly a month before training camp, it’s hard not to wonder if something feels different.

This team has something to prove.

And they sure don’t look satisfied with the way last season ended.

The Avalanche were swept by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final after entering the playoffs as one of the Stanley Cup favorites. That kind of ending doesn’t simply disappear when the season does.

If they didn’t feel any regret, disappointment or frustration about it, why put in the extra work?

Why show up early?

Why start grinding now instead of waiting for training camp?

And then there’s MacKinnon.

The 30-year-old center is coming off his first Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy after leading the NHL with 48 goals last season. Knowing how relentlessly competitive MacKinnon is, it’s almost impossible not to wonder what has been going through his mind since Vegas ended Colorado’s season.

Imagine being MacKinnon, finally winning the Rocket Richard Trophy after years of chasing individual greatness, only to watch another Stanley Cup opportunity disappear in a sweep.

If anything, that should make him even more dangerous.

MacKinnon doesn’t need much motivation on a normal day. Now give him an entire offseason to think about the way the season ended.

He’ll be hunting for blood.

Sure, this is their job. They’re professional athletes. They’re supposed to train.

But there’s a difference between doing what you’re supposed to do and looking like you have something to prove.

And we’ve seen this movie before in Colorado.

The last time the Avalanche were knocked out of the playoffs as heavy Stanley Cup favorites before this past season was 2021, when Vegas eliminated them in six games in the second round.

The following year, Colorado won the Stanley Cup.

Maybe these Avalanche remember how that story went.

Necas, in particular, looks like a player who took last season personally.

The most visible transformation has come from the 27-year-old forward, who has been hitting the weights hard this offseason in videos circulating across social media. He looks noticeably bigger, stronger and more physically imposing than he did a year ago.

Which brings us back to Heredia.

Why the Heredia quip?

Heredia is a renowned strength and conditioning coach whose clients have included some of the biggest names in boxing. I interviewed him in Las Vegas in February 2025 after his fighters, David Benavidez and David Morrell, squared off in a highly anticipated bout that Benavidez won by unanimous decision.

I asked Heredia what separated his training from the rest and what allowed his fighters to continue improving. One of the things he explained was how his training helps athletes better absorb punishment, which can come pretty handy in a sport where you’re beating the snot out of one another. 

That matters when you look at what Necas went through last season.

Necas took some big hits. Some of them clearly took something out of him.

And yet, he played in 78 of Colorado’s 82 regular-season games and produced the best offensive season of his career, finishing with career highs of 38 goals and 62 assists for his first 100-point season.

Now imagine what a stronger, more physically prepared Necas could look like.

That’s where this offseason gets interesting.

The Avalanche lost some quality players from last season, including Jack Drury and Ross Colton. They’ll have to replace that production, but scoring goals isn’t the only thing this team appears to be focused on fixing.

There seems to be a renewed emphasis on everything else that goes into winning hockey games.

Strength.

Conditioning.

Defense.

Checking.

Being able to win battles and, perhaps most importantly, being able to withstand them.

Colorado already has plenty of skill. Nobody needs to be reminded that MacKinnon, Makar and the rest of this group can score.

The question is whether they can become harder to play against when the games matter most.

We’ll get a much better idea once more players return for optional skates and, eventually, training camp in September.

But it would be foolish to write this Avalanche team off.

If anything, the early work suggests this group has no intention of simply showing up in September and hoping for a different result.

In this episode of Sens Nation, the official Ottawa Senators podcast of The Hockey News, Drake Batherson reportedly wants the maximum eight-year commitment from the  Senators, and with the NHL’s new CBA rules looming, there's suddenly an important early bird deadline.

Steve and Gregg discuss what Batherson could command, the idea of paying him into his late 30s, and whether his desire to make Ottawa his long-term home should put him in the conversation to become the Senators’ next captain.

Plus, The Hockey News redrafts the 2020 NHL Draft and Jake Sanderson and Tim Stützle go 1-2. What would Ottawa’s incredible 2020 draft look like if it were held again today, and in this fictional exercise, who would they now get at 3rd and 5th overall?

The guys also debate whether the Senators have enough scoring, they disagree strongly on whether Alexis Lafrenière could be a worthwhile target, and where Ridly Greig and Warren Foegele fit in the lineup.

Plus, we answer our first listener voicemail about the timeline for a new Senators arena at LeBreton Flats and discuss Chris Neil’s interesting comments about Brady Tkachuk’s new role in Florida.

Thanks for watching and listening to the Sens Nation Podcast!

00:00 Welcome to Sens Nation

04:15 Sanderson Goes No. 1 in a 2020 NHL Redraft

08:10 Would the Senators Take a Chance on Alexis Lafrenière?

13:50 Do the Senators Have Enough Goal Scoring?

17:35 Drake Batherson Wants an Eight-Year Deal

22:25 Should Batherson Be in the Captaincy Conversation?

28:15 Voicemail: When Will the New Senators Arena Actually Open?

34:30 Chris Neil on Brady Tkachuk’s Role in Florida

39:55 How Will Tkachuk Fit With the Panthers?

44:05 Is Ridly Greig Overrated?

47:15 Could Warren Foegele Get a Shot on the Top Line?

49:30 Listener Comments & Wrap-Up

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, with the trade of Jordan Greenway to Chicago.  

Smith is a five-time 20 goal scorer who netted 16 goals with the Vegas Golden Knights last season. The 35-year-old was a spot player for Vegas during their run to the Cup Final, playing only seven of their 22 post-season contests, and is not the scorer he was earlier in his career, but could still play a middle-six role on the right side, while others on the Sabres (Jack Quinn) could move up into the top six. 

This late in August, with less than a month before training camp, it is possible that the veteran winger would be open to a PTO, but with possibly a couple teams looking to add a Stanley Cup winner to their roster, a league-minimum deal may be necessary. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

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. 

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 20. Gavin McCarthy – Defense (Boston University – NCAA)

McCarthy was the Sabres third-round pick at the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville. The Western New York native is well known to former GM Kevyn Adams and the club’s scouting staff because he played three seasons with the Buffalo Jr. Sabres.

The 6’2”, 185 lb. blueliner scored 27 points (8 goals, 19 assists) and 88 penalty minutes with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL in his draft year, and moved on to play with 2024 top overall pick Macklin Celebrini at Boston University. The 20-year-old had five points (1 goal, 4 assists) in 38 games in his freshman year and was invited to Team USA’s summer camp for the 2025 IIHF World Junior squad, but did not make the WJC gold medal-winning squad last December. 

In his sophomore year at BU, McCarthy showed some offensive growth, tripling his freshman point total with 16 (3 goals, 13 assists) in 39 games. Last season, he eclipsed that as a junior with 21 points (4 goals, 17 assists) in 36 games and after the Terriers season signed a three-year ELC with the Sabres. He finished up the season with the AHL Amerks, going scoreless in five games. 

The Sabres will be looking for the young defender to fit into a young blueline group in Rochester, headed by 2025 top pick Radim Mrtka, and 2023 second-rounder Maxim Strbak. 

Follow Michael on X, and Instagram @MikeInBuffalo