During New York Islanders development camp, a prospect told The Hockey News that No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer’s skating was similar to that of Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes.

Schaefer’s skating is probably his greatest strength. Take a look at this video:

If Schaefer can skate like the wind and evade NHLers, making the Islanders out of training camp isn’t just wishful thinking.

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Found Money - Aug. 8 2025 - Vol. 79 Issue 1 - Murray Townsend

OLDTIMERS WILL remember the term ‘Bonus Babies’ was once used to describe young baseball players who received huge signing bonuses for their first pro contracts. Eventually, you’d have had to call everybody a bonus baby, so the term went out of fashion, just like Cooperalls.

We’re reinventing the term and bringing it back. Because we have the power to do that. Cooperalls? Not so much.

Our definition, however, has nothing to do with money. Our bonus babies are players who can provide fantasy managers an unexpected, well, bonus. Not that they will do so, just that they could. These are players who, if certain circumstances change or otherwise fall into place, could score much more than currently anticipated and who, therefore, deserve more than the regular consideration in your fantasy drafts.

Maybe a trade or injury elevates them unexpectedly up the depth chart. Maybe the recently fired coach didn’t like them for some reason. Maybe it’s a free-agency year and they know they’ve got to improve their stats. Maybe they’re starting fresh with a new team. The possibilities are endless.

Of course, we’re keeping it within the realms of reality. We’re not going to consider a player way down the Oilers’ depth chart a bonus baby just because GM Stan Bowman could trade Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid and open up a bunch of power-play time in Edmonton.

Speaking of McDavid, it was once the case that you could find your bonus babies simply by seeing who was playing on a line with a superstar. Wayne Gretzky did it for Dave Semenko and Mike Krushelnyski. It hasn’t quite worked out the same way with McDavid and Draisaitl’s linemates – save for Zach Hyman – and even that was only really the case for one year. Times change.

To that end, here are some potential bonus babies for the 2025-26 fantasy season.

More Fantasy Hockey: Why Golden Knights' Pavel Dorofeyev Will Be A League Winner in Fantasy

OLEN ZELLWEGER - ANA

Though undersized, especially for a blueliner, Zellweger has a ton of offensive ability. With new coach Joel Quenneville on board, there will be changes to what was the NHL’s worst power play in 2024-25. That could leave Zellweger – not Jackson LaCombe – as the top-unit PP defenseman. Zellweger had just 20 points in his first full season last year, but that’s just a start. There’s plenty more to come.

TREVOR ZEGRAS – PHI

Zegras floundered in Anaheim the past two seasons, partly due to injuries, but his situation changes completely with the trade to Philadelphia. He should immediately play on the top line and first power-play unit, which should give him the chance to get his burgeoning career back on track.

IVAN BARBASHEV – VEG

Barbashev could be the bonus baby of the year. He’s coming off a 51-point campaign – not bad for a secondary scorer. The thing is, 48 of those points were at even strength. What if he earns more power-play time this year? It’s not out of the realm of possibilities. After all, he has gotten some power-play time in the past, but he just hasn’t been used as a top-unit PP guy in Vegas yet. As an added bonus, he could well find himself playing 5-on-5 minutes with Mitch Marner, whose very job is to help other players score. That all bodes very well.

FILIP HRONEK – VAN

Hronek is a talented offensive defenseman who just so happens to be stuck playing behind one of the NHL’s elite offensive blueliners in Quinn Hughes. A trade would be a massive boon to Hronek’s production.

JOEL HOFER – STL

Among NHL backups from last season, Hofer is the most qualified to be a No. 1 goalie. To get there, Hofer would need a trade. Whether that trade saw Hofer shipped out from St. Louis or the Blues’ current No. 1, Jordan Binnington, being the one to go is immaterial. Either way, Hofer would be getting more ice.

More Fantasy Hockey: Jets' Perfetti Presents Sleeper Case With New Elite Linemates, Bigger Workload

JACK QUINN & ZACH BENSON – BUF

It will be either a Jack attack or a Zach attack in Buffalo. The Sabres need someone to fill the hole created in the lineup by the JJ Peterka trade. The right winger gave the Sabres 68 points last season, and Quinn and Benson are the players most likely to step up and fill the void.

Hofer is 25 with excellent credentials and stuckbehind Binnington. One trade would make him a starter.

NICK LARDIS – CHI

Look, Lardis is not even expected to play in the NHL this year, but he scored 71 freakin’ goals last year with the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs. And then he scored 11 more in seven playoff games. What if the 2023 third-round pick makes the team right out of training camp? Then we have ourselves a bonus baby.

NICK ROBERTSON – TOR

He’s never hit his stride with the Maple Leafs, and he believes a change of scenery would do it for him. Maybe he’s right. The potential is there.

More Fantasy Hockey: Who’s #1? New List Ranking the Top 50 NHL Skaters for the 2025–26 Season

JET GREAVES – CLB

Greaves is a veteran of this realm, albeit not at the NHL level. After playing with the Cambridge Hawks U-16 AAA team, he hoped to jump to the OHL. But he had to play a year of Jr. B before earning an OHL deal with the Barrie Colts, who’d drafted him the previous April. After each of his two years with the Colts, Greaves hoped to be taken in the NHL draft, but he was passed up in both instances. Eventually, Greaves earned an NHL contract after a strong 2021-22 split between the ECHL and AHL. And after a great 2024-25 season with AHL Cleveland, he was called up by the Blue Jackets and carried them down the stretch, almost helping them to the playoffs. Now, he’s in a position to play his first full NHL season – and defy expectations again.

ZEEV BUIUM – MIN

Could he be the next Lane Hutson? Buium signed with Minnesota after a great couple of seasons with the University of Denver. He didn’t get into a regular-season contest with the Wild but got in four playoff games. Hutson had 49 points at Boston University before signing with Montreal, playing a few games and then exploding this past season. Buium had 48 points at the University of Denver. Similar situations.

RYAN LEONARD – WSH

After wrapping up his season with Boston College, the 2023 draft’s eighth-overall pick struggled to produce with the Capitals. Leonard notched one goal and one assist in 17 combined regular-season and playoff games. Not exactly encouraging for fantasy players. But, make no mistake, he’s a scorer, and he’s going to score in the NHL. This year, he could play on the first, second, third or fourth line in Washington – or on the first line for AHL Hershey. He’s a wild card.

MATEJ BLUMEL – BOS

Three years in the Dallas Stars organization provided him with just 13 NHL games, but his situation has changed. After leading the AHL in goals last season with 39, he signed as a free agent with Boston. He’s not pencilled into the Bruins’ starting lineup or even at the top of the injury-replacement list, but maybe, just maybe, he gets a chance at some point and makes good with the Bruins.

More Fantasy Hockey: Red Wings Fantasy Hockey Outlook: Kasper and Gibson Potential League Winners

JOHN GIBSON – DET

His situation changed during the summer. After slipping into mediocrity and then a backup role in Anaheim, the former elite No. 1 goalie got a reset after a trade to Detroit. At 32, Gibson is still young for a goalie, and he can revitalize his career.

JESPERI KOTKANIEMI – CAR

Do you believe in miracles? If so, there’s hope.

BOWEN BYRAM – BUF

There were constant trade rumors surrounding Byram prior to him signing with the Sabres, but it was just a two-year deal, so maybe he still gets moved. Players who leave Buffalo have gone on to considerable success elsewhere. Sam Reinhart is an obvious recent example, but there’s also Jack Eichel, Brandon Montour and Ryan O’Reilly among others.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 44 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today we look at the history of jersey #44. 

Let's take a look.

Rostislav Klesla - 2001-2004 - Klesla was drafted 4th overall in the 2000 NHL Draft.

Klesla's scouting report went like this, " Klesla is a very physical, defensive defenseman. Has solid hockey sense and positional skills. Doesn't score as many points as he possibly could. Also, he is rather prone to injury." Despite that last part about injuries, former GM Doug MacLean drafted Klesla at #4 anyway.

Klesla made his NHL debut in 2000 before he was sent back to Junior. He would come up in the next season and be there full-time. He would then go on to play in 515 games for the Jackets over the course of 10 seasons. On February 28, 2011, he was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes and played the next four years. 

In 2014, he would return to his home country of Czechia and play the next two years for HC Oceláři Třinec. After a four-year break from playing to coach for HC Vítkovice, he would play a season in Czechia's fourth-tier league before finally retiring. 

Peter Sarno - 2006 - Sarno was drafted in the 6th round of the 1997 NHL Draft by Edmonton

Sarno played a single game for the Blue Jackets during the 2005-06 season. He also played 39 games for the Syracuse Crunch that season. 

After his year with Columbus, he left for Europe, where he would play until 2010. 

Aaron Johnson - 2003-07/2011-12 - Johnson was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.   

Johnson played 172 games for the Jackets over two stints. Scouts said of Johnson was "A puck-moving defenseman, Johnson is a very good skater. Has good offensive instincts and can quarterback the powerplay. Can play a tough and physical game. Needs to improve his play in his own end."

During his time with Columbus, he also spent three years with the AHL Syracuse Crunch, where he had 73 points in those three seasons. 

In 2016, he left North America and signed on with Adler Mannheim of the DEL in Germany. He then left for England, where he played for the Sheffield Steelers of the EIHL. In 2021, he became a Player-Asst. Coach for a season. He came back home to Columbus in 2021 and joined the Jackets as a Team Consultant. Last season, he was the Team Relations Specialist for the Jackets 

Aaron Rome - 2008 - Rome was drafted by the LA Kings in the 2002 NHL Draft. 

Rome played 25 games over the course of two seasons for Columbus after being traded from the Ducks on November 15, 2007. He totaled 1 goal and 3 points. He spent most of his time in Syracuse that season, playing 41 games. Rome would leave for the Vancouver Canucks in the summer of 2009 as a free agent. Rome would retire in 2014. 

Rome went on to spend three seasons as a skills coach for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL. 

Grant Clitsome - 2010 - Clitsome was drafted in the 9th round of the 2004 NHL Draft by the CBJ.

Clitsome played in 93 games and had 36 points for Columbus. In 2012, he was placed on waivers in order to send him to Springfield of the AHL. But he was claimed by the Winnipeg Jets and would play the next three seasons for the Jets. 

He announced his retirement from professional hockey on June 1, 2016, after undergoing back surgery.

Justin Falk - 2015-2016 - Falk was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the 4th round of the 2004 draft.

Falk played 29 games for the Blue Jackets and totaled 6 points.  On March 2, 2015, Falk requested a trade that sent him and a fifth-round pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Jordan Leopold.  The following summer in 2016, he would sign with the Buffalo Sabres. 

After retiring in 20198, Falk went into coaching and was a scout for the Sabres in 24-25. 

Taylor Chorney - 2018 - Chorney was drafted by Edmonton in the second round of the 2005 draft.

Chorney would play a single game for Columbus after being picked up on waivers on February 21, 2018. After that one game, he left for Europe, where he played until 2021. He retired after the 2021 season. 

Vladislav Gavrikov - 2019-2022 - Gavrikov was drafted in the 6th round of the 2015 NHL Draft. 

Gavrikov played 256 games for the Jackets over the course of 4 seasons. He totaled 15 goals and 73 points. Gavrikov is widely considered one of the best late-round picks to ever play for the Jackets, despite his short time in Columbus. He played great defense and would always seem to show up on the scoreboard. 

After he signed a three-year, $8.4 million contract extension with the Blue Jackets in November of 2020, former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen would make the decision to trade Gavrikov to the LA Kings in March of 2023. A decision that a lot of CBJ hated and wondered why it happened. Kekäläinen knew Gavrikov was going to want a hefty raise and didn't want to pay him. 

Gavrikov signed a two-year extension with LA just a couple months after the trade. In the summer of 2025, Gavrikov would get his big contract. He signed a 7-year. $49-million deal with the New York Rangers, which will take him into his mid-30s. 

Erik Gudbranson - 2023-2025 - Gudbranson was drafted 3rd overall in the 2010 NHL Draft by the Florida Panthers. 

Gudbranson is going into the last year of a 4-year deal he signed with Columbus back in July of 2022. He has played 164 games and has 43 points. Unfortunately, he missed 66 games last season after suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery. 

Gudbranson is more than just a defenseman; he's a protector and intimidator. Gudbranson rarely fights but will when he has to. Mainly, he'll just stare at guys until they back down from him. 

With Gudbranson going into his final season on his current deal, many CBJ fans hope they re-sign him, while some others are hoping for someone else to step in and take his spot. He's a fan favorite and seems to love it in Columbus. 

Let us know what you think below.

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It’s been a busy summer for Montreal Canadiens’ GM Kent Hughes. After his young team surprised the media and qualified for the playoffs, the man in charge didn’t rest on his laurels; he went out and got All-Star defenseman Noah Dobson in a trade with the New York Islanders and added some firepower up front with the acquisition of Zachary Bolduc by sending Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues. One area of concern remains, however: the Habs' depth at center.

TSN Analyst Travis Yost has been publishing his Summer Talent Tiers series, and this past week, he focused on center depths. Unsurprisingly, powerhouse teams such as the Colorado Avalanche, the Edmonton Oilers, the Dallas Stars, and the Florida Panthers are in the top tier. However, two teams are in the bottom tier, at the very bottom of the rankings: the Canadiens and the Nashville Predators.

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In a nutshell, Yost explains the Canadiens’ ranking by the fact that Kirby Dach has been consistently injured, with only 47% of the time available to the team over the last three seasons. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anybody who follows the Tricolore.

The Habs have been struggling down the middle for ages, including for most of the Marc Bergevin era. The former DG was on to something when he fleeced the Chicago Blackhawks, sending them Dale Weise and Tomas Fleischmann for former first-round pick Philip Danault and a second-round pick.

Against all odds, Danault showed that he had plenty of offensive acumen and ended up centering the Canadiens’ top line between Brendan Gallagher and Tomas Tatar. Still, when the time came to sign him to a new contract, the former GM wouldn’t reportedly budge from his six-year, $30 million offer, and the center ended up signing a six-year, $33 million contract with the Los Angeles Kings.

Danault took his offensive instinct, his skills in the faceoff department, and his penalty-killing efficiency to Los Angeles, leaving a gaping hole down the middle for the Canadiens. The fact that Jesperi Kotkaniemi signed a disproportionate offer sheet with the Carolina Hurricanes in the same offseason didn’t help either, making a panicked Bergevin acquire Christian Dvorak from the defunct Arizona Coyotes. A few months later, Bergevin was shown the door by Geoff Molson, and Hughes inherited the depleted center line.

The new GM went out and acquired two young players he believed could play center in two seasons, Dach and Alex Newhook. Neither had managed to make their mark with the teams that drafted them, but the GM felt the Canadiens could help them reach their potential. Three years and many injuries later, Dach had only a 40.3% success rate in the faceoff department and managed 22 points in 57 games during the 2024-25 season. Those are not second-line center numbers. In other words, even when he is playing, the Habs do not have a genuine second-line center.

As for Newhook, circumstances have forced Martin St-Louis to use him mainly as a center, despite evidence suggesting he is more suited to a winger role. Much like Dach, his faceoff numbers are just not good enough (42.8%), and neither is his offensive output (26 points in 82 games).

Canadiens: Newhook Looking For Success At Faceoff DotOn Wednesday, Quartexx Hockey shared a reel in which Montreal Canadiens forward Alex Newhook could be seen working on his faceoff skills alongside San Jose Sharks’ Will Smith under the watchful eye of former Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron.

As the season draws near, the only real center the Canadiens have added this season is Joe Veleno on the free agency market. The Detroit Red Wings' first-round pick and 30th overall at the 2018 draft is better than Dach and Newhook in the faceoff department with a 46.9% success rate, but in 74 games this past season, he could only muster 18 points. In four full NHL seasons, he has never put up more than 28 points.

Whichever way you look at it, the Canadiens do not have a real second-line center on the roster. Yes, Oliver Kapanen and Owen Beck are knocking at the Habs’ door to make the team this season, but throwing them in the deep end as second-line center would be doing them a disservice; they are not ready yet for that kind of role, and they might never be.

While Kapanen scored 35 points in 36 games with Timra IK in the Swedish League, the caliber of play is not the same as it is in the NHL. In the 18 games he played with the Habs last season, he could only put up two points. Granted, he didn’t have much ice time, but when he was allowed to play in the top six, it was clear that he was not yet ready for it.

As for Beck, even at the junior level, he couldn’t pick up more than 81 points in a season. Last year, in Laval, he had 44 points in 64 games. On a contending team, Beck is a third-line center, not part of the top six. It’s worth mentioning, however, that in his 12 games with the Canadiens, he did maintain a 53.8% success rate at the faceoff dot.

Then, there’s Jake Evans, who’s just coming off the best season of his career and is undoubtedly a center. He’s a skilled penalty killer, has a 51.6% success rate when taking draws across his six-year career in the NHL, but he’s not a big points producer. He’s a very hard worker, but he lacks the offensive instincts to succeed as a top-six center; he could be a temporary solution. As for the newly acquired Bolduc, he hasn’t played pivot since his junior days, and while he may be able to do it, he may have his hands full this year learning a new system in Montreal.

The Yost assessment is correct, but the good news is that the Habs brass is painfully aware of the issue down the middle and is trying to fix it. Unfortunately, the Canadiens are not the only team with an issue down the middle, and fixing it is not as easy as one would hope.

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New Jersey Devils assistant general manager Dan MacKinnon recently spoke with NHL.com ahead of the 2025-26 season.

With several players competing for roster spots, MacKinnon highlighted forward Arseniy Gritsyuk, who is expected to arrive in New Jersey this week.

Gritsyuk was selected 129th overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, the same year the Devils took Jack Hughes first overall. After several seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), the 24-year-old winger is now ready to compete for a spot in the NHL.

Expectations are already high. Last season, Gritsyuk tallied 17 goals and 27 assists for 44 points in 49 games. He officially signed with the Devils in May and is confirmed to be traveling to North America.

Ahead of his arrival, MacKinnon compared Gritsyuk’s path to another familiar case:

“If you're looking for an NHL comparison, I look at Evgenii Dadonov, who came over early but it didn’t work. He went back to the KHL for several years and then came over the second time, which was more in line with the age Gritsyuk is now, and it went very well,” MacKinnon told NHL.com. “We’re hoping the added time that Arseni took in the KHL means the first audition sticks.”

For his part, Gritsyuk isn’t worried about where he’ll slot into the lineup. Speaking with Russian outlet TASS, he said:

“I don’t have any favorite hockey players — you evaluate them from a professional point of view. I studied the team’s roster. Yes, there’s Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier — top-six center forwards. I’d like to join them, but we’ll see how ready I am.”

He also praised the Devils’ two franchise centers, pointing out their contrasting styles:

“Hughes skates well, Hischier is more of a two-way forward, and he can also fight in defense. It is clear that Hughes is a superstar, and the whole team is built around him to get results. So it will be harder with him in the line — you will have to do more work. But it makes no difference to me which of them I play with.”

Both Gritsyuk and the Devils’ staff are eager to see how he transitions to the North American game. He will make his debut at training camp this month, giving fans their first real look at what he can bring to the ice.

The Philadelphia Flyers may have found a key piece of their heavily debated goaltending future with goaltender Yegor Zavragin. The 19-year-old netminder from Russia has gained attention as one of the top junior-aged goalies in Europe, thanks to a breakout season split between the KHL and MHL. 

Elite Prospects' Steven Ellis ranked Zavgarin at number 19 in the top 25 NHL-affiliated goalie prospects of the 2025-26 season. Ellis said "Zavgarin wss  one of the better junior-aged goalies in Europe last year, posting solid numbers in the KHL with HK Sochi and SKA St. Petersburg." 

Zavragin played in 37 games for the KHL St. Petersburg where he held a .912 save percentage and 2.55 goals against average. Goaltending prospect Carson Bjarnson of the Western Hockey League Brnadon Wheat Kings posted similar numbers with a .913 save percentge, and 2.93 goals against average over 40 games played.

Zavragin held strong numbers against his opponents throughout his time with the SKA St. Petersburg. Throughout the 2023-24 playoffs, he returned to the MHL Mamonty Yugry, where he delivered consistently good performances that highlighted his composure, technical skill, and ability to rise to the occasion under pressure. During that playoff period Zavragin played in nine games, holding a .945 save percentage with just 1.60 goals against average.

At 6-foot-2, Zavragin has the ideal frame for a modern NHL goaltender. His strong athleticism gives him the ability to easily move across the crease, while his quick glove hand is already seen as a strength in his game. Many Flyers fans, already dealing with years of inconsistency in the crease, are understandably excited about the young goaltender's potential.

Zavragin is still under contract with SKA St. Petersburg until 2027, giving him plenty of time to refine his game before moviing into the North American game. Some scouts have highlighted his need to control his post-to-post movement, but the foundation is there for him to develop into a reliable starter at the NHL level.

For a Flyers team still in the midst of a rebuild, Zavragin could be a light at the end of the tunnel for long-term stability at arguably the most important position on the ice. If his upward trajectory continues, the Flyers could finally be closing in on the franchise goaltender they’ve long been searching for.

Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have shifted the focus to youth and development.

With more talent in the system than Pittsburgh has had in years - and 13 picks in the 2025 NHL Draft - top prospects lists are becoming more competitive and more difficult to discern. Since the prospect pool is deepening, The Hockey News - Pittsburgh Penguins takes a look at the top-20 prospects in the organization. 

Today, we finally delve into the top-10, and we start with a forward who - despite facing some adversity last season - managed to grow his game at the center position and could push for a roster spot with a standout camp. At No. 10 on our list is Tristan Broz.

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#10: F Tristan Broz

Broz, 22, was drafted in the second round (58th overall) by the Penguins in 2021. He played one season for the University of Minnesota after that before transferring to the University of Denver, where he won a national championship in 2024. He recorded 16 goals and 40 points in 43 games that season for Denver.

So - heading into his first professional season with the Penguins - the organization already quite liked Broz's overall game and offensive upside. The goal heading into 2024-25 was for the 6-foot, 205-pound forward to work on his game at center, which is a position that the Penguins - at the time - were lacking organizationally.

It was mission accomplished for Broz last season - even with some adversity along the way.

In his first professional season, Broz recorded 19 goals and 37 points in 59 games, and he also put up a goal and three points in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's (WBS) two playoff games. Although those numbers might not jump out entirely, it's worth noting that Broz was second on the team in goals until a long bout with mononucleosis kept him out of the lineup from late December all the way to early February. 

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2025: First-Round Pick Beginning To Turn HeadsHeading into the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have shifted the focus to youth and development.

Broz himself admitted that the road to recovery after mono was terrible, and it took some time to adjust his game back to the level it was prior to his illness - at which point, he had 12 goals and 19 points in 27 games. But even if his production didn't exactly match up to the level it was prior to his illness, his all-around game at center was still thriving. 

And once he got his legs back under him, he thoroughly impressed in the home stretch. During the final 10 games of the regular season, Broz put up two goals and nine points, showing off his playmaking prowess and his ability in transition. He plays a simple, intelligent game with the puck, and his play away from the puck is equally as impressive.

Broz knows how to find passing lanes, and he isn't afraid to drive the middle. He also has a shot that plays well at the professional level, plays a responsible defensive game, and doesn't shy away from contact, either.  

Despite Setback, Penguins Prospect Broz Experiencing Growth In First Professional SeasonPittsburgh Penguins forward prospect Tristan Broz endured quite the setback midway through the 2024-25 season.

If his development keeps trending in the right direction, he could very well be a reliable middle-six option for the Penguins, perhaps even a second-line center. He has the ability to thrive alongside other intelligent players - for example, he and Ville Koivunen were often linemates in WBS throughout the AHL season - and he knows how to find players in transition and expose the danger areas of the ice.

The Penguins are impressed with Broz's growth from this past season, and they should be. He is one of the more mature, intelligent players in the Penguins' system, and if he has a good camp, he could - potentially - push for an NHL roster spot. 

He is, arguably, just as NHL-ready as Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty. Had mono never set back his season, he likely would have gotten an NHL opportunity right alongside those two at the conclusion of the Penguins' 2024-25 season.

Don't count this guy out. He is one of the more sure bets in the organization to become at least a serviceable NHL player, so don't be surprised to see him on NHL ice at some point next season.

Penguins Prospects Beyond McGroarty, Koivunen Eye NHL Roster Spots Pittsburgh Penguins training camp is about a month away, and there are a lot of storylines to watch going into it. 

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The list so far:

- No. 11: F Will Horcoff
- No. 12: F Mikhail Ilyin
- No. 13 F Filip Hallander
- No. 14: F Bill Zonnon
- No. 15: F Melvin Fernstrom
- No. 16: D Emil Pieniniemi
- No. 17: F Avery Hayes
- No. 18: F Cruz Lucius
- No. 19: D Finn Harding
- No. 20: D Peyton Kettles

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Money & Power: Winnipeg Jets - Jan. 2 2025 - Vol. 78, Issue 06 - Jared Clinton

OWNERSHIP - MARK CHIPMAN

MARK CHIPMAN ISN’T averse to small talk. So, if you meet him, it’s not beyond Chipman to ask where you’re from. And if you tell him Winnipeg? Well, Chipman will want to know your neighborhood, local rink and your minor hockey team. It’s not a facade. Chipman loves the game down to its roots and takes pride in the sport and its impact on the community.

Born and bred in the ‘Heart of the Continent,’ as songsmith John K. Samson once called Winnipeg, Chipman has been part of the city’s hockey scene since long before the Jets 2.0 came. He was among a group of business leaders who tried valiantly to keep the original Jets from heading to Phoenix. Later, Chipman spearheaded the charge to bring the then-IHL’s Minnesota Moose to town. And it was with Chipman’s blueprints that True North paved the way for the NHL’s return to Manitoba. The construction of a downtown arena set the stage, and when the chance arose, Chipman – who struck up an alliance with media magnate David Thomson, the chairman of Thomson Reuters and one of the world’s wealthiest people – was able to snap up the Atlanta Thrashers and bring them north.

It would’ve been easy for the organization to rest on its laurels after the Jets returned to Winnipeg, but Chipman’s vision has expanded well beyond the confines of Canada Life Centre. Community work has been a fixture of True North, dating back to the Manitoba Moose Yearling Foundation, now called the True North Youth Foundation, which runs summer camps, hockey schools and youth-facing programming. Among its core offerings is Project 11, which promotes mental health and wellness education and is named after late NHLer Rick Rypien.

Chipman and Co. are also giving Winnipeg’s downtown a facelift. The arena remains the nucleus, but the nearby True North Square has reshaped the skyline with its four towers of residential, office and retail spaces, with a hotel still to come. True North’s real-estate arm also reached a deal to buy downtown shopping center Portage Place with the intention of converting it into a multi-use facility that will include a 265,000-square-foot healthcare center. As part of the redevelopment, True North partnered with the Southern Chiefs’ Organization to establish a residential tower with as much as 40 percent of rental units dedicated to affordable housing.

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TOP BUSINESS EXECUTIVE - JOHN OLFERT

NAMED PRESIDENT AND CHIEF operating officer of True North Sports and Entertainment in 2019, John Olfert has been with the organization since before its NHL days. Olfert was among those who helped lay the foundation to make True North’s dreams become reality, as he was integral to the development and opening of the then-MTS Centre, which was (and is again) the downtown home of the AHL’s Manitoba Moose before the NHL came back to town. So it’s only fitting he serves as one of the Jets’ alternates on the NHL’s board of governors.

Though Olfert’s responsibilities are wide-ranging, his work in aiding the expansion of True North’s portfolio has seen the company grow from a hockey-centric business to one with roots throughout downtown. That’s a common thread for Olfert, who is a fixture in the community. He serves on the True North Youth Foundation’s board and has a history of working with charitable and not-for-profit outfits in Winnipeg.

GOVERNOR & ALTERNATE GOVERNORS

MARK CHIPMAN

ALTERNATE GOVERNORS: Kevin Cheveldayoff, John Olfert, Patrick Phillips

TOP HOCKEY EXECUTIVE - KEVIN CHEVELDAYOFF

IT’S NO SECRET THAT Winnipeg doesn’t quite hold the same allure as the Sunbelt cities or major markets – the Torontos, New Yorks and Bostons – as a UFA destination. However, that hasn’t been a problem for Kevin Cheveldayoff, who has established himself as one of the NHL’s best front-office dealers and pitchmen. Over the past several seasons, Cheveldayoff has repeatedly found ways to keep top talents, most recently Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck, and rare is the trade in which the Jets come out on the losing end.

Though Winnipeg’s strategy with young players has been called into question, it should come as no surprise that the team’s brass, led by Cheveldayoff, values the experience that players gain playing in the AHL before making the big club. Cheveldayoff, a two-time Calder Cup-winning GM, cut his teeth in the AHL and spent a dozen seasons with the Chicago Wolves. He knows it’s a great breeding ground, and that 11 current Jets have come up through the farm system before arriving in the NHL is proof positive the methodology is working.

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INSIDE THE ARENA

WHEN IT OPENED in November 2004, the Canada Life Centre shifted Winnipeg’s home for pro hockey right into the downtown core – and it has since become the hub of much of the city’s entertainment. Built on the site of the once-iconic Eaton’s store, the arena contains odes to the building’s history, the most notable of which is the statue of Timothy Eaton in the concourse area. Since its opening, however, the arena has developed its own history. It first housed the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, then later welcomed a series of NHL exhibition games, pre-tournament World Junior Championship games, the Brier (the Canadian men’s curling championship) and it became the go-to venue for touring musical acts.

Though the facade remains largely identical save a couple of changes to the sign out front – the arena was previously known as MTS Centre and Bell MTS Place – the interior has changed as the team has graduated from AHL standout to NHL newcomer and now major-league mainstay. The capacity remains the lowest of the league’s buildings at 15,321, though it’s an upgrade from when the Jets arrived in the NHL. Through tweaking the layout and reinvesting in additions such as loge seating, True North has managed to pack more bodies in the building. And the tight confines create one of the game’s most raucous atmospheres. A rowdy playoff game in Winnipeg, for instance, should be included as a bucket-list item for any hockey fan.

For those who’ve been around the building over the years, the upgrades are significant, from an updated scoreboard and sound system down to a complete reimagining of the fan offerings, with a particular focus on local vendors. Atmosphere has also been a focus recently, and the introduction of a house band – who play during intermissions – is one way the Jets have attempted to create and maintain the energy from pre-game through to the final whistle.

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One of the feel-good stories of training camp last season was Ottawa Senators centre Adam Gaudette. Gaudette came to Ottawa last summer on a one-year, two-way contract, to battle for one of the final forward positions on the NHL roster. No one ruled him out, but he certainly wasn't a shoo-in either.

Gaudette already had some previous NHL experience, but his stock was low, and part of the reason he signed in Ottawa was because Travis Green was here. He had played for him when Green was head coach of the Vancouver Canucks, and it felt like he had Green’s trust. That trust probably went a long way toward Gaudette signing here and cracking the lineup. And he played so well in Ottawa last season, he earned a two-year deal with the San Jose Sharks.

Now, a similar story has a chance to play out in Ottawa this fall.

Winger Arthur Kaliyev also signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Senators earlier this summer. Like Gaudette, his stock is low, despite having plenty of NHL experience, and both men came here knowing they could lean on the trust they had built in the past with a key member of the Senators’ hockey operations staff.

Kaliyev played for the Hamilton Bulldogs of the OHL when Senators GM Steve Staios was the Bulldogs’ general manager. On the Coming In Hot podcast this week, Staios spoke about what Kaliyev can bring to the Senators and why the club decided to take a chance on him.

“Well, (I have) a long history with Artie," Staios said. "He was an exceptional shooter and goal scorer at the junior level. And we still feel like he has qualities that can translate (to the NHL). His game started to develop in LA on the defensive side of things. Obviously, like all players coming out of junior, when you have a knack for scoring and that's how you help your team, you focus on that.

"I think he's been able to round out his game on the defensive side with his time in LA and under Todd McLellan. And then, you watch the transition to New York and then injuries last year. And I think it was an opportunity for us to get a player again with some upside and a unique skillset."

Kaliyev was drafted in 2019 in the second round, and a lot of Senators fans were upset the club took Shane Pinto and not Kaliyev, who went one pick later to LA. History now shows the Sens made a great pick with Pinto, while Kaliyev had a general failure to launch as "King Arthur," thanks to issues like below-average skating and lack of intensity without the puck.

What no one can argue with is the quality of Kaliyev's shot – it's hard, quick, and deadly accurate, even by NHL standards. In Hamilton, under Staios, Kaliyev had an astonishing 95 goals in 124 OHL games over two seasons. He just turned 24 in June, so Staios is hoping he's identified another familiar buy-low candidate who can help the team, and maybe even grow with it.

And Staios thinks that Kaliyev is more than a shooter.

"His playmaking is a little bit underrated as well," Staios said. "Like, his shot is so good. So that's sort of what people would talk about first, but he also has some ability to make plays as well. I think he's a motivated young man. He wants to play in the National Hockey League and be a regular in the National Hockey League."

Thanks to his connections with key personnel, Kaliyev will have a longer leash in Ottawa than he would have had anywhere else, just like Adam Gaudette. It's another chance to see if a skilled player they know and like can turn the NHL corner and become a consistent contributor.

By Steve Warne
This article was first published at THN.com/Ottawa

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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, but the organization’s developmental model has not yielded enough results. 

Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. All are 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 40 NHL games. 

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#14 - Prokhor Poltapov - Left Wing (CSKA Moscow - KHL)

The Sabres went heavy on Russians in the 2021 NHL Draft, and the first one selected was winger Prokhor Poltapov with the first pick in the second round. The St. Petersburg native scored 25 goals at the junior level and seven points for Russia at the IIHF World Junior under-18s in 2021.

Similar to third-rounder Stiven Sardarian in the same draft, Poltapov is a product of the CSKA Moscow system but opted to stay in Russia while Sardarian headed to North America to play in the NCAA. In 2022, he split time almost equally between the junior MHL, the second pro-level VHL and the KHL. 

In 2023, he played nearly all of his games in the KHL and posted just 10 points (5 goals, 5 assists) in 56 games in a depth role. There was little offensive growth or an increased role in 2024, resulting in 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) in 56 games, but the 22-year-old had a breakout campaign last season, posting 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in 68 games

The Sabres may now have more interest in bringing Poltapov to North America after his offensive performance in 2025, but his signing a two-year contract extension with CSKA may make that prospect more complicated. 

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It is safe to say that Montreal Canadiens prospect Florian Xhekaj had a successful first full season at the AHL level with the Laval Rocket. In 69 games with the AHL squad, the 6-foot-4 winger recorded 24 goals, 35 points, and a whopping 175 penalty minutes. He also set a new Laval single-season rookie record with his 24 goals. 

Overall, Xhekaj certainly showed off his offensive upside and toughness during his first full year with Laval. With this, he undoubtedly has created more excitement surrounding him. 

Given Xhekaj's size and scoring ability, it is fair to wonder if the 21-year-old forward could earn a look on the Canadiens' NHL roster in 2025-26. When looking at the Canadiens' current bottom six, there are spots to fight for. Thus, if he stands out at training camp, he certainly could get a chance on Montreal's roster to start the season.

No matter what happens on that front, it is hard not to feel excitement about Xhekaj's future with the Habs. The potential for him to become a solid part of their forward group in the near future is there, and it will be intriguing to see if he gets into his first NHL regular-season action in 2025-26 from here.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have had themselves a busy 2025 NHL off-season. They have brought in several new players to their roster this summer as they continue their retool. 

One of the players they added through free agency is defenseman Parker Wotherspoon. They signed the left-shot defenseman to a two-year, $2 million contract, and he is now expected to compete for a spot on the Penguins' blueline.

While Wotherspoon is not considered one of the big signings of this summer, the potential for him to be a nice part of the Penguins' roster is there. The 28-year-old demonstrated during his time with the Boston Bruins that he can be a solid bottom-pairing defenseman, and the Penguins will be hoping for him to be the same for them from here. 

In 55 games this past season with the Bruins, Wotherspoon recorded one goal, seven points, 66 blocks, and 75 hits. This was after he had eight assists, 84 hits, and a plus-6 rating in 41 games with Boston in 2023-24. Overall, while Wotherspoon does not make the most impact offensively, he is solid defensively and provides plenty of bite on the backend. 

It will be interesting to see how much of an impact Wotherspoon can make for the Penguins defensively in 2025-26, but this has the potential to be a solid low-risk move for Pittsburgh. 

The Jets aim to win four crucial divisional games over the Chicago Blackhawks next season. 

The Winnipeg Jets are coming off a historic year with franchise best numbers across the board. If they want to find themselves in a similar position, they'll need to win crucial games starting in the Central Division. The Central is tougher than ever and with only three available spots plus a pair of wild card spots, they need to win these games. 

One of their key divisional opponents is the Chicago Blackhawks, who are looking to overcome another tough season as they've placed bottom two in the league in each of the last three seasons. The rivalry between Winnipeg and Chicago is a relatively recent one, with the two teams meeting just 59 times. The Jets hold the edge in the all-time series with a record of 33-20-6 including an active five-game winning streak dating back to December of 2023 being the last time the Blackhawks have won in this matchup. 

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The Jets' pure domination in this series has continued to help them keep a consistent footing in the Central division picture. As they battle for wins against top teams like the Avalanche and Stars, winning important games against bottom teams like the Blackhawks is crucial for the Jets to make the playoffs and keep momentum. 

Chicago will be looking to build towards something this upcoming season as they will have 2023 first overall pick Connor Bedard entering his third NHL season. The young star center get another season to develop with recent breakout Ryan Donato as the pair begin to signal a turnaround for the Windy City Hockey Club. They made subtle adds like signing on Andre Burakovsky, Sam Lafferty and Dominic Toninato while making headlines with their historic seven-year extension with second line center Frank Nazer, that was the largest ever given to an NHL forward with so little professional experience at 56 career games. 

Winnipeg heads into the matchup looking to maintain its dominant form after an outstanding season, finishing with the league’s best record at 56-22-4 led by their success was driven by a league-leading defense. The Jets repped a 2.32 goals against per game that finished well ahead of the next closest team in the LA Kings, who averaged 2.48 GA/PG on the season. Offensively, Winnipeg was just as strong, ranking in the top four with an average of 3.35 goals per game. They attempt to make up for the loss of a top six forward in Nikolaj Ehlers by adding a established veteran in three-time Stanley Cup Champion Jonathan Toews as well as a low-cost flyer on a former 75-point producer in Gustav Nyquist. 

Next season’s matchups promise to be exciting, starting on October 30th with the Jets hosting the series opener versus the Blackhawks. Winnipeg will then head to Chicago on January 21st, for their first away game in the series. The Jets will return to Canada Life Centre for another home matchup on March 3rd before concluding the season series on the road, March 31st.

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In the 2024-25 season, the Anaheim Ducks made a remarkable jump in the NHL standings from the year prior, improving from 59 points (30th in the NHL) to 80 points (25th in the NHL). General manager Pat Verbeek and co-owner Henry Samueli, along with several veteran roster players, have stated that the goal is to make the playoffs in 2025-26, ending the organization’s seven-year playoff drought (the NHL’s third-longest).

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Seven consecutive seasons outside of the playoff picture, selecting in the top ten of every Entry Draft from 2019 to 2025, and accumulating additional draft capital and prospects for expiring contracts has yielded one of the NHL’s most impressive pipelines with depth and high-end talent at every position.

Now that the Ducks seem to be in the latter stages of their rebuild and primed to compete for a playoff spot this season, equipped with the No. 4 U23 pipeline, according to The Athletic’s Corey Pronman, we can piece together the type of team they’ll ice when they do finally cross the threshold into the playoffs and hopefully contend for Stanley Cups in the years following.

Recreating the Panthers Core

The Florida Panthers have won back-to-back Stanley Cups and have represented the Eastern Conference for three consecutive seasons. The initial hiring of Greg Cronin as head coach in 2023, followed by the hiring of Joel Quenneville in 2025, who some could credit with igniting the Panthers' current dominance, coupled with the presence of former Panthers roster players Radko Gudas and Frank Vatrano, and the way in which Verbeek has drafted, indicates the intention to replicate aspects of what’s made Florida successful in the last half decade.

Since Verbeek took over in the Ducks' front office in Feb. 2022, he’s remolded the future of the forward core considerably. This offseason, he parted ways with Trevor Zegras and Isac Lundestrom, and in the last four years has acquired (via draft or trade) the likes of Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Beckett Sennecke, and Roger McQueen. The only remaining core piece from the Bob Murray era is Mason McTavish (3rd overall in 2021), who perfectly fits the mold of the other four.

On the whole, the five core forwards in the Ducks pipeline represent a deadly blend of elite size and high-end skill, unmatched in comparable pipelines. At 6-foot-1, McTavish is the shortest of the bunch, with McQueen being the tallest at 6-foot-5.25. McTavish is also the heaviest, weighing in at 218 pounds. These five forwards project to make up the Ducks’ forward core when they’re (hopefully) contending for Stanley Cups, and their speed, puck skills, shooting ability, tenacity, etc., is reminiscent of what Florida’s built with their core of Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, and Matthew Tkachuk.

When Sennecke was drafted, Verbeek stated part of his allure was his ability to play any brand of hockey: skill, speed, heavy, north/south, east/west, etc. The same could be said for other top talents he’ll be surrounded by.

Complementary Pieces

To supplement the stratospheric potential talent of the core five forwards, Verbeek has brought in a stable of complementary pieces to amplify, either as a linemate or from lower in the depth chart.

The pattern that can be drawn of Verbeek and the Ducks' scouting staff when it comes to forwards outside the top ten of drafts is their preference for two archetypes: north/south heavy forecheckers and detailed two-way stalwarts.

Nathan Gaucher, Jan Mysak, Nico Myatovic, Coulson Pitre, Maxim Masse, Ethan Procyszyn, and Herman Traff all represent prototypical bottom-six, high-compete forechecking types, and all have varying degrees of scoring potential. Sam Colangelo (36th in ’20) could also be considered part of this group, albeit with more natural scoring prowess.

Lucas Pettersson and Eric Nilson represent the cerebral, 200-foot side of the coin, with high floors and defensive instincts that are sure (or incredibly likely) to guarantee them NHL careers in a top nine.

There’s also a sprinkling of boom-or-bust offensive talent in the pipeline in the form of Nikita Nesterenko, Yegor Sidorov, Sasha Pastujov (another leftover from the Murray era), Alexandre Blais, and Emile Guite. If any of these players have NHL careers, it’s considered a sizable win for the scouting and development staff.

Well-Rounded Blueline

The Ducks' future blueline is a combination of dazzling offensive skill and steady, potentially suffocating, and hard-to-play-against defenders.

Jackson LaCombe was a breakout star on the Ducks’ backend in 2024-25, scoring 14 goals (the most by a Ducks defenseman since Lubomir Vishnovsky in 2010-11). He has the makings of an impactful, top-pair, two-way blueliner for a long time. With him is a trio of offensive dynamos and former CHL league defenseman of the year award winners: Pavel Mintyukov, Olen Zellweger, and Tristan Luneau, who all have varying degrees of defensive prowess as well.

Like with the forward group, there’s a stable of potential complementary defensive-oriented defensemen to supplement. Led by Stian Solberg (an easy pick for “future fan favorite”), Drew Helleson, Noah Warren, and Tyson Hinds all have NHL potential, with more on the way behind them.

With only six available starting spots on the blueline on a given night, not all of these defensemen will become NHLers, and if they do, they won’t all be with the Ducks when it comes time for them to contend. However, having that many arrows in the quiver is a good problem to have.

Dostal and Co.

Lukas Dostal is the Ducks’ goaltender of the present and future, proven to be one of the best young goaltenders in the NHL. A healthy competition for future backup (or 1B, should Dostal not live up to expectations, completely) is in the works between goalies like Calle Clang, Tomas Suchanek, Damian Clara, Vyacheslav Buteyets, and Elijah Neuenschwander.

How They Stack Up

Selecting ahead of and behind the Ducks in recent drafts has been a collection of familiar faces in the form of teams who find themselves in similar rebuilds. The San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Utah Mammoth all have similar or even more impressive pipelines than Anaheim. The Sharks and Blackhawks represent the most potent of the pipelines, while the Mammoth, Blue Jackets, and Habs are all pushing for playoffs in the immediate future.

The Blackhawks seem to be creating a horde of long, beefy defensemen with high-floor, high-ceiling puck-moving capabilities behind a group of talented and speedy forwards. The Sharks have a truly impressive collection of elite and crafty forward talent. Their blueline still needs some work in front of Yaroslav Askarov, but like the Hawks, they’ll likely be adding another top pick in 2026.

The Jackets, Habs, and Mammoth all have more complete systems, and have similar blends of size and skill as the Ducks.

Verbeek and the Ducks are banking on playoff hockey continuing to favor heavy, tenacious teams who create and capitalize on opposing mistakes with unparalleled finishing when the ice shrinks when April turns to May and June. They’ll hope to physically impose their will on smaller Sharks and Hawks forwards and provide more depth and doggedness than the Habs, Mammoth, and Jackets.

The blueprint is laid out, the pieces are in place (or close), and exit signs for the elongated rebuild are nearing. Whether the Ducks are destined for a Stanley Cup or not comes down to how the front office surrounds the potent potential pillars of the franchise and how they’ll match up with teams projected to have similar contending windows.

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