There’s no denying that Brendan Gallagher wasn’t what he used to be anymore with the Montreal Canadiens this season. Father Time had caught up with the veteran in a big way, and while that had a huge effect on his on-ice performance, it didn’t change his leadership role. He still wore the A on his jersey and played a big role in building the culture the Habs are now renowned for. Now that he’s been traded to the Vancouver Canucks, though, who should get to fill his shoes?

The easy candidate is Josh Anderson. He was the one who had it when Gallagher was scratched last season, and in the playoffs, he has proven that he can be the guy who leads his teammate into the physical battle. However, he only has one year left on his contract. He’ll be entering the seventh and final year of the 7-year pact he signed with Marc Bergevin, which carries a $5.5 million cap hit. Will the Canadiens decide to keep him around beyond the upcoming season? That’s far from guaranteed. If some of the Habs prospects, such as Florian Xhekaj, progress as expected and make their mark on the team, he, too, could become surplus to requirements.

Canadiens Hughes Hits A Home Run But Not By Bringing In A Free Agent
Canadiens’ Prospects Put Through Their Paces At Development Camp
Despite Qualifying Offer, Canadiens Forward Is Not Safe

When the time came to appoint a new captain after Shea Weber stopped playing, the organization could have gone with a good veteran, a proven leader who had been around for years in Brendan Gallagher, but it didn’t. It opted for Nick Suzuki, who was only 23 years old at the time. They did that because they wanted the young core to take over the team; isn’t it time to make another move in that direction?

Who better to do that than Lane Hutson? The blueliner is just about to enter his 8-year contract with the Canadiens and is the picture-perfect example of a leader. He performs on the ice, and his dedication is second to none. It’s July right now, and on Canada Day he was on the ice at 7:50 AM prior to development camp. After getting his skating in, he didn’t just go; he stuck around, and he watched the prospects on the ice alongside the likes of Nick Bobrov.  The next day? He once again skated before the prospects, stuck around, and watched the scrimmage with Ivan Demidov and the Habs' brass. He was even asked to do a presentation to the prospects during the camp. That’s a leader.

He was also instrumental in Demidov signing a long-term contract. At the end of the season media availability, he spoke about how Hutson had told him that it was important to sign long-term and be a part of what could be a championship-winning team. That right there is an example of how strong the culture is in Montreal, and of Hutson’s awareness of the role he can play and his embrace of it.

He might only be 22 years old, but he is wise beyond his years and has stepped into the Canadiens’ core as if it were his destiny. As soon as he joined, he seamlessly integrated into the lineup and worked his way to quarterbacking the Canadiens’ power play, leapfrogging Mike Matheson. When the Habs are trailing and need a big goal, Hutson is left, right, and center trying to make things happen; he plays a huge role on this team, and officializing it with a letter would make sense.

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The Buffalo Sabres completed their four-day development camp with a three-on-three scrimmage on Thursday, and after being mostly quiet on the opening day of free agency, GM Jarmo Kekalainen made a number of signings aimed mostly at bolstering the AHL Rochester Americans, with the trade of Anton Wahlberg to Anaheim and likelihood that youngsters like Konsta Helenius and Noah Ostlund will be in Buffalo full time next season. 

The Sabres signed big winger Aidan McDonough to a one-year, $850,000 contract, and forward Matthew Peca to a two-year AHL deal. McDonough, 26, played four years at Northeastern University and the last three seasons has played for three AHL clubs. Last season, he scored 23 goals for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Peca, 33, has played for four NHL clubs, starting with Tampa Bay in 2016 and mostly with Springfield and Syracuse in the AHL. 

The Amerks will be going through a significant roster upheaval next season, as 2025 first rounder Radim Mrtka, 2023 second-rounder Maxim Strbak, and 2022 sixth-rounder Jake Richard will be joining the club, and after the trade of Devon Levi to Edmonton on Wednesday, they will likely have Topias Leinonen and Scott Ratzlaff sharing the duties.  

Other Sabres Stories

Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss

According to Puckpedia, the Sabres have $8.6 million in cap space remaining after re-signing defenseman Olen Zellweger earlier this week. Forward Peyton Krebs is a restricted free agent and is eligible for arbitration, which likely means that Kekalainen has room to add one player to help fill the offensive gap created by the departure of Alex Tuch.  

Future Hall-of-Famer Patrick Kane remains unsigned after the first two days of free agency. The three-time Stanley Cup winner spent the last three seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, but with the impending departure of Dylan Larkin, the 37-year-old appears to be open to moving on. There was some speculation that Kane would be heading to Toronto to play with Auston Matthews, but after the barrage of signings the Leafs made on July 1, they do not have the room under the salary cap. 

Rumors of the Buffalo native heading to his hometown team have circulated ever since he was dealt by the Blackhawks in 2023, but the circumstances with the Sabres as a playoff team could be a good fit. Kane being added for secondary offense and as a Tuch replacement on the power play would be beneficial,, since he posted 79 assists over the last two seasons. It is just a question of whether he wants to play in his hometown at the end of his career.  

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced that they have signed four more players to their roster including the re-signing of AHL playoff leading scorer Vinni Lettieri.

Vinni & some new Buds 🔷

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 3, 2026

Vinny Lettieri (F) | 1 Year, 

Lettieri returning to the organization is an absolute no-brainer for management. The 31-year-old veteran was a driving force behind the Marlies’ incredible run to capture the 2026 Calder Cup last month, putting up a stellar 26 points in 23 playoff games and scoring the championship-clinching goal against Chicago. He returns on a projected league-minimum two-way deal, giving the Leafs an experienced, high-energy injury replacement option who has 155 games of NHL experience under his belt.

Cole McWard (D) | 2 Years, $1.75 Million ($875,000 AAV)

This is where the contract structure gets interesting. According to PuckPedia, McWard has signed a straight one-way contract carrying an $875,000 annual average value. The 25-year-old right-handed defenseman split time in the Islanders system last year, getting a brief three-game look in the NHL. Giving a one-way designation to a player who will likely battle for a depth or Marlies spot shows Toronto sees a real upside in his puck-moving abilities—or at least wants to make him a more seamless option to carry on the main roster. 

Henrik Rybinski (F) | 2 Years, $1.75 Million ($875,000 AAV)

Rybinski comes to Toronto with a ton of winning pedigree, having won back-to-back Calder Cups with the Hershey Bears in 2023 and 2024 before putting up 30 points last season. Per PuckPedia, his contract features a hybrid structure: it's a two-way deal in the first year (with a minor-league salary cap hit of $450,000) that automatically converts into a one-way contract for the second season. He brings excellent minor-league utility and a heavy internal push for the bottom-six forward spots. 

Samuel Hlavaj (G) | 1 Year, 

With the Leafs' goaltending depth shuffling after the dramatic trade of Dennis Hildeby to Tampa Bay on July 1, the crease needed reinforcements. Hlavaj becomes an unrestricted free agent after Minnesota opted not to tender him a qualifying offer, and the Leafs jumped to sign him to a one-year, two-way flier. The 25-year-old Slovakian international struggled behind a weak Iowa team in the AHL last year, but raised eyebrows at the 2026 Winter Olympics, posting a highly respectable .908 save percentage against elite international competition. He figures to battle for reps in the Marlies' crease.

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Nick Paul

On Thursday, the Calgary Flames made a trade with the Minnesota Wild, moving Blake Coleman and Olli Määttä in exchange for Jacob Middleton and a couple of draft picks, including a third-round pick in 2027, a third-round pick in 2028, and a second-round pick in 2029. 

Historically, this is only the fourth deal between the two clubs since the Wild joined the NHL in 2000. Moreover, the latest transaction is the first not to involve a goalie.

Here's a look at the three trades between the Flames and Wild. 

The First Deal Involved a Future Hall of Famer (2000)

In late 1999, the San Jose Sharks traded Mike Vernon to the Florida Panthers for Radek Dvořák. The future Hall of Famers skated 34 games with the Panthers before the Wild claimed him in the 2000 Expansion Draft. However, Vernon never even donned a Minnesota sweater, as the new club traded him back to Calgary the same day so he could finish his career where it all started, in his hometown.

In the deal, the Flames parted with Dan Cavanaugh and an eighth-round pick in 2001, which Minnesota used to select Jake Riddle. As a former second-round pick, Cavanaugh never played a game in the NHL; instead, collecting 147 points in 419 AHL games. He'd go overseas to finish his professional career, which ended in 2009.

Meanwhile, the Wild selected Riddle, who was born in Minneapolis. Like Cavanaugh, he never made it to the NHL and played only 6 games in the AHL. He spent the majority of his professional career in the ECHL and CHL, retiring after the 2012 season. 

Once Vernon returned to the team he led to a Stanley Cup championship in 1989, he went 14-32-6 in his final 59 games and retired partway through the 2001-02 season.

Another Goalie on the Move (2002)

TSN analyst Jamie McLennan is no stranger to Flames fans, having guarded the crease for the club on two separate occasions from 2002-04 and again in 2006-07. As a member of the St. Louis Blues, the Wild drafted him in the 2000 Expansion Draft. 

McLennan played one season in Minnesota, going 5-23-9, with a respectable .905 SV% and 2.64 GAA. However, one day before the first anniversary of his Expansion Draft selection, the Wild traded him to the Flames for a ninth-round pick in the 2002 Draft.

Minnesota selected Mika Hannula with that pick, who, like the players involved in the previous deal, never played in the NHL. He spent one year in the AHL, then stayed in Europe, played nine seasons in the SHL, and bounced around among the KHL, DEL, and Liiga before retiring in 2014.

Eventually, McLennan would depart from Calgary in 2003 for New York (Rangers) and then Florida, before finishing out his 11-year career in Southern Alberta. He went 17-25-8 in 57 games with the Flames. 

A Third Netminder Swaps Sides (2016)

Undrafted goalie Niklas Backström debuted with the Wild in 2006-07 and led the NHL in SV% and GAA at 28 years old to win the William M. Jennings Trophy, finishing sixth in Vezina Trophy voting. For nine seasons, he led Minnesota to the playoffs twice, posting a 196-144-50 record in 409 games.

Then, in a leap year, on Feb. 29, 2016, the Wild traded Backström to the Flames, along with a sixth-round pick in that year's draft, for David Jones. At that point, Jones was also a nine-year veteran who had 102 goals and 188 points in 446 games. 

He'd go on to play just 16 games with Minnesota, scoring two goals before leaving pro hockey. Meanwhile, Backström played only four games in Calgary, going 2-2-0 with an .885 SV% and 3.35 GAA before returning home to finish his career in Liiga.

Regarding the draft pick involved in the trade, the Flames selected Calgary native Matthew Phillips, who would play just three games with the club before moving to Washington and Pittsburgh, finishing his NHL career with one goal and five points.

Flames Deal Veteran Leader (2026)

Coleman is a two-time Stanley Cup champion and a multi-time 20-goal scorer. During his time with the Flames, he became a valuable leader, a model for the young stars coming in during the current rebuild. However, he was entering the final season of his six-year deal, and Calgary needed to decide whether to extend him or flip him for more assets.

TRADE ALERT‼️

We've acquired Jacob Middleton, a 2029 second round pick, a 2027 third round pick, and a 2028 fourth round pick from Minnesota in exchange for Blake Coleman and Olli Määttä. pic.twitter.com/ESC1o7JPTC

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) July 2, 2026

Finally, the situation came to a head on July 2, 2026, when the Flames sent him to the Wild in exchange for Middleton and a handful of draft picks. Another player included in the deal is defenseman Määtta, who relocated to Calgary in March and played only 21 games.

Recently, Määtta won a World Championship with Finland, bringing invaluable experience to Minnesota as a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Coming to the Flames is 30-year-old Middleton, who has played 381 games with the San Jose Sharks and Wild over the past eight years. He's tallied 24 goals and 94 points while collecting 722 blocks and 588 hits. 

Although it is way too early to discuss the winners and losers of the latest deal between the Flames and Wild, since three draft picks are involved, it is safe to say that Minnesota is getting two veteran players who can help the club as early as opening night. Meanwhile, the rebuild in Calgary continues, with Craig Conroy collecting draft picks to shape the franchise's future, as the team approaches 40 years since its last championship.

The Chicago Blackhawks had one of the best penalty kill units in the NHL last season. At 83.6 percent, they finished in second place, only trailing the 84.6 percent put up by the Colorado Avalanche. 

The Hawks led in this statistic for most of the year, but they tailed off just a little bit after the trade deadline saw Connor Murphy, Jason Dickinson, Nick Foligno, and Colton Dach all leave. 

There are plenty of players on the team now, Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, Ryan Greene, and Alex Vlasic, amongst others, who can help keep it up to standard, but losing Ilya Mikheyev certainly hurts. 

Mikheyev, one of the best penalty kill forwards in the NHL, signed a four-year deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday. There is no sugar coating it: this is a huge loss for the Blackhawks. 

To try and make up for this, Kyle Davidson and his staff signed veteran forward Cole Smith and defenseman Ian Cole. Both of these free agents will get their ice time at even strength, but they are going to be relied upon heavily on the penalty kill. 

During a media session during Development Camp, Davidson mentioned the PK as a reason for signing these two. They bring a sense of grit and physicality in all situations, but keeping the puck out of their net during opponent power plays will play a key role in winning. 

There are going to be a lot of young players competing for these jobs as well, but having guys like Smith and Cole to lean on will take the pressure off them when it comes to these specialty roles. 

Are the Blackhawks going to have a top-two unit again? Likely not. However, they may not fall as far back as people think, and these two new additions would play a big part in that.

If the young guys grow into their roles while Smith and Cole lead the way, and Spencer Knight stays locked in, it will remain difficult to score power-play goals against the Chicago Blackhawks. 

If the power play then improves with the addition of Bowen Byram, they could be a team that wins a lot more games due to their special teams. 

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With all the amount of player movement the Penguins have made in the few days since we last gave a look at the organization’s depth chart a whirl, let’s look at it again now that the early rush of free agency has concluded.

First line forwards: Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust

Nothing has changed officially, though one wouldn’t be blamed for wondering what bringing in wingers like Andrei Kuzmenko AND Nick Robertson mean for the possible future of players like Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell..As it stands, the Rakell/Rust duo have remained in tact in Pittsburgh and remained penciled in as key players for the Pens next year.

Other key NHL forwards: Evgeni Malkin, Egor Chinakhov, Ben Kindel, Andrei Kuzmenko, Tommy Novak

This essentially could be the core of the second and third lines of the team, as it stands today. Perhaps there is more movement to come and some names from this list are still to change. You wouldn’t think that would be Chinakhov or Kindel, but at this point who knows what the future might hold or big swings that the Pens might try to make. Kuzmenko stands in nicely as a Anthony Mantha type option for next season for a veteran secondary scorer, though there are very big shoes to fill there.

‘Fourth’ liners: Connor Dewar, Blake Lizotte

Still the same base of a fourth line is still here. It will be curious to see who gets the first crack at rounding out the line, Soderblom got some looks with Lizotte last season during Lizotte’s injury, so he could be penciled in here reasonably enough. Seeing how much opportunity a young player like Rutger McGroarty or Avery Hayes gets to have a legit shot at sticking out of camp in this spot is already setting up to be a key storyline for the fall.

Fill out forwards (2 lineup spots, 2 more for scratches): Nick Robertson, Elmer Soderblom, Justin Brazeau, Hendrix Lapierre, Rutger McGroarty, Avery Hayes, Ville Koivunen, Filip Hallander, Tristan Broz

Now this is where something is going to have to give. Presumably the Pens acquired Robertson and Lapierre to play them, though neither have the style to be a fit in a defensive fourth line role the way that line has been previously constructed. Soderblom and Brazeau have strong cases to find a spot somewhere in the lineup regularly too, but there just isn’t enough spots currently open compared to the numbers on hand.

Then there’s a batch of young options right on the cusp of being NHL level players who all now look completely blocked out until future injuries occur. All this depth seems to indicate names from this list or from above have to be moved out in order to clear up the jam.

Left Defense: Sam Girard, Declan Carlile, Ilya Solovyov

The left side of the Pens’ defense lost Parker Wotherspoon and Ryan Shea but gained a player in Carlile who is about where Wotherspoon and Shea were in their respective careers 12 months ago as unestablished NHLers with some hopeful elements. This position is still very weak and ideally in need of a quality player to join up. Where and how the Penguins go about finding that, or if they even will be able to do so before the start of the season, who can say. At this point, the possibility looks very real for the less than ideal option of dressing four right handed defenseman going based on roster splits alone from this material on hand.

Right Defense: Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Kaeden Korzcak

The Pens spent over $7 million in cap space in recent days to round out the right side of their defense by trading for Korczak and signing van Riemsdyk as a free agent. That’s good news for them to shore up what once was a weak area, not so much for the immediate NHL outlook for Harrison Brunicke. And it’s also curious that they have four legitimate right shot, right side NHL lineup caliber defenseman at the moment…Whether that foretells a summer trade of someone in this group or a plan to use a right shot on the left side remains to be seen.

Goaltender: Arturs Silovs, Sergei Murashov/Joel Blomqvist

No change here, as expected Stuart Skinner went onto free agency and the Pens didn’t make any move to replace him with an external option. The big question in net worth watching will unfold over training camp to see what – if anything – that Blomqvist can do in order to win a roster spot for opening day. Based on the track Murashov has been on, it would figure he is comfortably in the pole position for that upcoming battle.

It's been a little over a year since the Pittsburgh Penguins selected Jordan Charron in the fifth round of the 2025 NHL Draft. 

Everyone knows how much Penguins general manager and president Kyle Dubas loves the Soo Greyhounds, and when he saw an opportunity to take a member from that team, he didn't hesitate. 

Charron compiled 10 goals and 21 points in 48 games with the Greyhounds before he was drafted. He showcased a wicked release and some solid skating during his draft year, leading the Penguins to select him with the 154th overall pick.

He came to development camp last year, and while you can't take too much away from it, you could tell that he was above some of the other prospects that were there.

His development continued at the Soo for the 2025-26 season, and he broke out in a big way, finishing the season with 25 goals and 47 points in 66 games. There were times during the season when nobody could slow him down.  

He spoke about his growth during the year at Penguins' development camp this week. 

"Coming back to my second year, just being stronger and faster, I think just coming back for that second year gave me more confidence and kinda gave me some idea what the league was about," Charron said. "I kinda grew into my lower body and tried owning the puck in the corners more, tried to be a bigger guy on the forecheck, disrupt pucks, and I think I did that really well." 

Charron is also super excited to be back at Penguins' development camp and is having a blast. 

"Yeah, it's my second year back, and it just feels good," Charron said. "Good to see the guys again, my other draft pick guys too, and meet some new guys in the organization, and it's been really fun."

'They're Making It So Easy For Me': Newly Signed Defensive Prospect Taking Strides In DevelopmentIntriguing Penguins' defensive prospect Maleek McGowan was signed to an AHL contract for the 2026-27 season, and he's continuing the path of development the organization has laid out for him.

Charron is set to attend the University of Massachusetts at the end of his junior career after flipping his commitment to that school earlier this year. 

"I think meeting them and going to the campus, I kinda fell in love," Charron said. "The food there is really good, they're one of the best in the country, so I kinda fell in love with that, and I love to eat. Even with the staff, they really made me feel comfortable, and I love how they play the style of hockey they have there, and I think I'm going to do really well there and try to make the NHL."

Charron will look to finish development camp in style on Friday when he plays in the development camp tournament. It's set to start at noon ET and will take place at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. 

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Danai Shaiikov didn’t know what had happened. 

While watching the NHL draft Saturday at a hotel in Miami — the city where he’d been for a predraft showcase conducted by his agents, he said — he stepped away to the bathroom during the third round. When he returned, everyone started clapping and looking at him.

The 19-year-old goaltender from Kazakhstan, who played for the Gatineau Olympiques in the QMJHL last season, was surprised that the Rangers grabbed him with the No. 67 overall pick. Shaiikov knew he’d get drafted, but he thought it’d be later. It validated his decision to jump from Russia to Quebec last season. Shaiikov said he wanted to play in North America to help achieve his goal of reaching the NHL after not getting drafted during his first year of eligibility.

“It’s a good moment for me and for my family, for like all my former coaches,” Shaiikov, the Rangers’ first goaltender drafted since Talyn Boyko in 2021, said Thursday after the final day of development camp in Tarrytown. “But real work starts now for me. It’s like a lot of work ahead of me, so yeah, nothing changed. It’s good, but it’s just one day of good like memories and everything.”

In predraft interviews, Shaiikov said new Maple Leafs goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is his idol but that he compares himself more to Rangers star Igor Shesterkin.

The season in Quebec — when he logged 50 games and finished with a .903 save percentage and a 2.78 goals-against average — forced him to adjust to a quicker pace on a smaller rink, with more dangerous chances unfolding each game. Shaiikov’s goalie coach helped him change some “structure things,” he said, and it helped him adapt.

“Small details,” Shaiikov said, “but it’s important details.”

Rangers director of player personnel and director of amateur scouting John Lilley said that goalie scout Scott Clemmensen pushed to draft Shaiikov. He’ll play again for Gatineau in 2026-27, but down the road, once his juniors career is over, Shaiikov could factor into the organizational depth — with goaltenders Hugo Ollas (ECHL last season) and Boyko (Liiga in Finland and AHL Hartford) both not receiving qualifying offers last week.

Still entrenched atop the depth chart is Shesterkin, with whom Shaiikov hasn’t yet spoken but would “of course” consider a cool moment if he does. The Rangers backup situation became complicated with the acquisition of Joonas Korpisalo and the presence of Dylan Garand. But Shaiikov could carve out a role somewhere in the organization once he eventually turns pro.

“I’m just happy to be here,” Shaiikov said. “It’s an honor to be in such a legendary organization.”

The Rangers signed defenseman Dennis Cholowski and forward Glenn Gawdin to two-year contracts Thursday. Cholowski, 28, has skated in 173 games, including 17 with the Devils last season. Gawdin, 29, finished with 51 points in 71 games for AHL Ontario during the 2025-26 campaign.

Following the trade of Jacob Markstrom to the Florida Panthers, it would appear that the Devils are slated to enter the 2026-27 season with Jake Allen and Nico Daws.

Earlier on Thursday when Devils GM Sunny Mehta met the media, he commented on the Devils goaltending tandem.

Per Amanda Stein:

“Nico Daws has been a pretty big prospect for us for years now, and hasn’t really had the path to develop. For me, we’re pretty excited about the potential opportunity in front of him.”

Mehta would later add that this wasn’t necessarily going to be the goaltending tandem heading into the season, but if it is, he is comfortable with that.

Allen and Daws might indeed wind up being the NHL tandem for the Devils for this upcoming season, but that doesn’t mean Mehta’s work is done or that he’s not going to add more competition in training camp.

PuckPedia reported on Thursday night that the Devils would be signing UFA goaltender David Rittich to a one-year, $1M contract. The deal is reportedly a one-way contract and does not include any trade protection.

Rittich is a 10-year veteran goaltender with previous stops in Calgary, Toronto, Nashville, Winnipeg, Los Angeles, and with the New York Islanders. Rittich has a .903 save percentage over 260 career games at the NHL level.

Last year was a tale of two seasons for the veteran. Rittich had a strong start this past season, with a .918 save percentage prior to January 1st while backing up Ilya Sorokin. From January 1st on, he had an .856 save percentage.

Still, a deeper look into the numbers would suggest there are things to like about Rittich’s game.

Rittich saved 4.2 goals above expected this past season. Among all goaltenders with 25 appearances, than ranks right between Connor Hellebuyck and newly minted Stanley Cup champion Brandon Bussi, and not too far behind Jake Allen. His save percentage on low danger unblocked shots is .968, which is well ahead of what Jacob Markstrom did last season at .949. Meanwhile, his high danger save percentage was .818, 6th in the league and again, well ahead of Markstrom at .734.

I don’t write that to pick on Markstrom now that he’s no longer in New Jersey, but one of the main critiques of Markstrom was that not only was he not making the easy saves…..he was also not making the tough saves. Last season, Rittich did that over the course of the season. He might’ve outkicked his coverage in the first half of the season, but overall, the body of work was solid.

Rittich struggled in 2024-25 with an .886 save percentage and -11.4 goals saved above expected. But he played brilliantly in 2023-24 with a .921 and 13.8 GSAX. His performance has fluctuated between being good, bad, and perfectly cromulent throughout the course of his career. In many ways, he is the epitome of the modern-day goaltender where you don’t quite know what you’re going to get from year-to-year. Or in the case of this past season, from month to month.

With that out of the way, I think the Devils bringing him in makes sense.

If the idea going into the season is that the Devils want to give Nico Daws a legitimate chance to compete for, and earn, a roster spot, bringing in an experienced veteran like Rittich for him to beat out is the right move.

If one of Allen or Daws were to suffer an injury, I don’t blame the Devils if they don’t want to throw Jakub Malek directly into the fire. Having someone with NHL experience who could potentially play well for a stretch to serve as the #3 goaltender makes sense.

Rittich’s $1M one-way salary is below the buryable amount, so it really doesn’t have any significant impact on the Devils books as far as salary cap space is concerned. Obviously, Rittich would need to clear waivers at the end of camp (unless the Devils are planning on carrying three goaltenders), but the Devils shouldn’t have much trouble doing so unless there’s a rash of injuries at the goaltending position across the NHL come September.

Perhaps most importantly, the pathway is there for Nico Daws to earn an NHL roster spot.

I would consider Rittich to be legitimate competition, but not an actual roadblock that is blocking him from an NHL job. Not like how Markstrom and Allen have been for the previous two seasons where no matter what Daws did in camp, he was not making the NHL roster outside of an injury.

If Daws, who is entering his age 26 season and his sixth season in North America, isn’t ready or capable of beating out a journeyman like Rittich for a roster spot, it’s probably never going to happen for him at this level.

Obviously, I’m rooting for Daws to succeed. His limited appearances over the past two seasons have been encouraging. And if we’re asking the goaltenders to clear the comically low bar of what we got from Markstrom last season, the Devils should be better if they’re capable of doing that. But I’m also rooting for Rittich to succeed. How can you not root for a player with the nickname “Big Save Dave”?

Perhaps most importantly, the Devils don’t currently have any major commitments to the goaltending position beyond this season, unless you want to consider the four years remaining on Allen’s deal a major commitment.

If Daws doesn’t work out, he doesn’t work out and the Devils can let him play out his contract at the AHL level. If Rittich doesn’t work out, he doesn’t work out and the Devils can either terminate the deal or let it expire. If Allen doesn’t work out, he doesn’t work out and the Devils can explore a trade or try to convince him to retire.

These might not be great options at the end of the day, but at least they’re cheap options with a relatively clean long-term slate. If they don’t work out, Sunny Mehta can pivot at any point, whether it’s in season at the trade deadline or next summer. And while its unlikely the Devils bring in yet another veteran goaltender this summer after signing Rittich, I don’t think there’s anything in place that is blocking the Devils from doing so if an opportunity presents itself.

At the end of the day, goaltending is voodoo. Rather than commit a bunch of money to one goaltender who was objectively bad last season, the Devils are opting to go for the strategy of throwing a bunch of options at the wall and seeing what sticks. It worked for an organization like Carolina last season with Brandon Bussi playing well and ultimately helping them win a Stanley Cup. It worked for an organization like Colorado where Scott Wedgewood outplayed Mackenzie Blackwood for the majority of the season.

We’ll see if this ultimately works for the Devils.

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The Detroit Red Wings needed to add some toughness and grit to their bottom six, and they found a player who has proven himself to be a valuable presence on a championship team they can now call theirs.

Forward Keegan Kolesar, who won the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023 and helped them reach the Cup Final this spring, was acquired by the Red Wings on Wednesday in return for a 2029 third-round draft pick and a 2027 seventh-round draft pick.

Kolesar is not only excited to join a group of players that he views as up and coming, but to add an element of physicality that had been missing. 

"Really excited to join a group that I've played against for years now. They have a tremendous amount of skill and talent in their lineup," he said on Thursday during an introductory Zoom call. "Just talking to guys now, they felt as though there was a missing piece and maybe identity of having that - not the fighting aspect, but more the toughness and being hard to play against, being a veteran presence on the front end, bringing guys into the fight."

"That's something I can provide," he continued. "I think with the skill that they have, that part of the game is fine for them. I think they're going in a great direction with a lot of young studs that I felt have been good for a number of years and are tough to play against.

I just want to bring whatever I can to (be) more of an identity for the team."

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Kolesar has spent the last several seasons with Vegas, a place where he established roots and gained several close friends over the years. Naturally, it wasn't an easy thing to get the message that he was going to be leaving. 

"Crim (GM Kelly McCrimmon) gave me a text and just said, 'Hey Keegan, I have bad news, give me a call,'" Kolesar said of finding out he was being dealt. "You see that text and you know right away, I'm getting out of here."

"It's a whirlwind - you play your entire career in one spot, it's very rare," he continued. "It'll take some time to get over it because I've made so many great relationships in that city. It'll take some time to turn the page but that's just the human side of it.

"But there's a lot of excitement too."

While being traded often overlooks the human element, Kolesar knows that at the end of the day, playing in the NHL is a business. 

"Idon't know if I was expecting it, but it's always in the back of your mind because it's hockey, it's how the game works, and people can be in and out," Kolesar said. "I didn't expect it, but you're always prepared for it. It's the business of it."

Kolesar has skated in 439 career NHL games, and has scored 44 goals to go with 76 assists. 

His 270 hits last season were good for seventh most among all NHL players. 

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The backdrop throughout the morning before Tanner Glass’ first news conference as director of player development was fitting. A final day of the Rangers development camp had recently wrapped. Their prospects — from the top ones who will push for NHL spots this season to others who may be a couple of years away — had just filtered off the ice. Head coach Mike Sullivan had been in attendance for the Thursday session at the Tarrytown practice facility, too.

Glass, a Ranger from 2014-17 who skated in 527 NHL games, has been tasked with shaping the potential of those prospects and feeding them to Sullivan, ensuring that they turn into sustainable pieces at the next level, and preventing them from becoming the next flameouts and what-ifs. 

The stakes are high as the Rangers retool, with an influx of prospects in exchange for veterans dealt away, but Glass isn’t fazed.

“I don’t think pressure’s the right word,” said Glass, who had been an assistant director for the last seven years. “At least, that’s not how I look at it. It’s exciting for us. When we get guys that are talented, it’s exciting.”

When Jed Ortmeyer left his director of player development role, president and general manager Chris Drury opted for an in-house promotion. Glass suddenly became a critical piece of their quest to become a contender again. He inherited the Rangers’ recent Achilles heel, with a need for at least some of these prospects to fit into their long-term plan.

The Rangers’ spotty development history looms as Glass’ tenure begins. Brennan Othmann was dumped to the Flames in March.

Brett Berard was flipped for defensive prospect William Trudeau.

Kaapo Kakko and Vitali Kravtsov both underwhelmed before getting traded in past seasons. Alexis Lafrenière hasn’t yet turned glimpses of high-end potential into consistency. 

The Blueshirts have encountered success stories with Gabe Perreault and Noah Laba, but for the most part, they’ve stumbled.

Near the end of his playing career, when Glass ended up in the AHL, he thought he made an impact on the younger players. It became something he wanted to do after his playing days ended and prompted his shift toward player development. Initially, that was in an assistant director role with the Rangers before stepping into the main role in May.

So there Glass was Thursday, fielding questions about the collection of defensive talent on display at the prospect camp. There he was, getting asked about top forward prospect Cole Beaudoin — just acquired Wednesday in the Vincent Trocheck deal — and how it sounds like the Rangers “are getting a great player.” There he was, raving about No. 5 overall pick in last month’s draft Alberts Smits’ details that are “probably beyond his years.”

There’s Liam Greentree, the centerpiece of the return package in the Artemi Panarin trade back in February. There’s Jacob Battaglia, the prospect who arrived in March. There are defensemen E.J. Emery, Drew Fortescue and Smits, too. These are the names with whom Glass and his staff will become synonymous, the ones who could alter the Rangers’ development trajectory.

Ask Glass about something connected to prospects reaching the NHL or draft decisions, though, and he’ll deflect.

That’s not his job, he said as part of his answer on multiple occasions. He’s responsible for getting the most out of every prospect. Across the four-day development camp this week, that meant a focus on skills and operating in contested situations.

“The game’s getting faster all the time,” Glass said, “so there’s not a lot of space out there, so we’re trying to help the guys navigate those tight spaces and create chances and make plays in traffic. So that’s kind of the, I think from a skill perspective, something we tried to instill this week.”

This was the foundation: layers of individual attention and position-specific work, with the dividends following in future seasons when those prospects — after development camps and junior seasons and the first tastes of professional life — step into significant NHL roles.

That’s what the Rangers have been missing. And that’s what Glass will need to fix.

“It’s a great honor to be doing this,” Glass said, “and I feel very fortunate and excited about going forward.”

The past week has been a whirlwind for the NHL, beginning with the 2026 Draft on June 26-27 and continuing with a frenzy of free agent signings and trades made across the league.

As the dust begins to settle, it's time to take a first glance at how the Rangers roster could look next season under head coach Mike Sullivan.

Forwards

Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury spent much of the past seven months expressing his desire to build a younger, faster, and more dynamic Rangers offense. Drury stuck to his word, and the blockbuster addition of Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights via trade means that the Rangers top forward line should look and play very differently next season.

Dorofeyev is physical, aggressive, and intelligent as a forechecker, gets into dangerous areas off the puck, and puts away goals by the bucketload. The 25-year-old Russian winger is a two-way star who draws plenty of attention from opposing defenses, meaning he should make life a lot easier for his projected linemates, center Mika Zibanejad and winger Alexis Lafrenière.

Elsewhere in the lineup, Will Cuylle, Noah Laba, and Gabriel Perrault are talented young players each entering the final year of their current contracts, meaning they will all be restricted free agents (RFAs) in the summer of 2027. Cuylle is out to prove that he can be more than a decent middle-six forward following two straight 20-goal seasons. Meanwhile, Laba and Perrault should see increased playing time, and with it, the opportunity to break out into reliable pieces of the forward core.

The Rangers also brought in free agents Oliver Bjorkstrand and Joe Veleno, both on one-year contracts. Bjorkstrand is a crafty winger who lost a bit of his scoring touch last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, but remains a useful playmaker who can hold his own defensively. Veleno is a fourth-line center who saw his faceoff percentage and penalty kill usage reach career highs last season with the Montreal Canadiens.

The Rangers still have a good chunk of cap space to work with, close to $8 million according to Puckepedia, so don't be surprised if they're not done adding to this new-look group, as the team's depth chart looks a bit thin when it comes to bottom-six forwards.

Defensemen

The duo of Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov is one of the most dynamic and dangerous top-line defensive pairings in the NHL. The issue is that Fox played just 55 games last season due to injuries, and with Fox out of the lineup, the Rangers were a putrid 8-16-3 in 2025-26. As a result, this offseason, the team's front office looked to ensure that the Rangers have multiple defensive pairings that can provide offensive production and puck possession (rather than just one, Fox and Gavrikov).

The performance of New York's brand new second-line defensive pairing of Sean Durzi -- acquired from the Utah Mammoth in the Vincent Trocheck trade -- and Marcus Pettersson -- acquired via trade from the Vancouver Canucks -- will be a massive factor in whether the Rangers can return to the playoffs next season. Both players join the fray in the prime years of their careers, and on paper, their combined skillsets fit very nicely. Durzi is a right-handed defenseman who is a point producer for himself and his teammates with strong offensive zone passing skills. Pettersson is a left-handed defenseman who is no slouch offensively, but really excels by doing the dirty work: retrieving pucks, eating hits, blocking shots, and killing penalties.

The third-line defense for the Rangers projects to be another lefty-righty pairing in the form of Urho Vaakanainen and Braden Schneider. Vaakanainen is a no-frills defense-first defenseman who played just 34 games last season for the team, but held his own and proved that he's worthy of a full-time spot as a depth piece in the lineup moving forward. Schneider, once tipped as a surefire top-four defenseman for the present and future of the team, has seen his stock fall significantly over the past couple of seasons, and currently slots in as a talented but inconsistent bottom-line defenseman. Schneider is currently an unsigned RFA, and although the Rangers just extended Schneider with a one-year qualifying offer, it isn't certain whether he'll be wearing Ranger blue or a different team's uniform come the fall.

Fifth overall selection Albert Smits was considered by many to be the most "NHL ready" defenseman in the 2026 draft class, but the Rangers will likely be in no rush to insert the 18-year-old Latvian draftee into their lineup. Still, Smits could feature at some point in 2026-27 and should be a player worth watching for years to come.

Goaltenders

Igor Shesterkin missed 13 games due to injury in 2025-26. In the 31 games without their franchise netminder between the pipes, the Rangers went 9-20-2 (this includes games where Shesterkin was rotated out of the starting spot, a common occurrence for "workhorse" starting goalies). When healthy, the 30-year-old is one of the best goaltenders on the planet, able to turn potential losses into wins with stunning stops that demoralize the opposition.

The Rangers acquired Joonas Korpisalo from the Boston Bruins, who will compete with Dylan Garand for the role of Shesterkin's backup. Korpisalo is vastly experienced for a 32-year-old (still in his prime in goalie years), as he will enter his 12th NHL season with a proven track record as a solid backup goalie. Garand, meanwhile, made waves despite playing just three games towards the tail end of last season. In those three starts, the 24-year-old posted a .954 save percentage, saving 3.9 goals above expected as the Rangers went 2-0-1. Garand will be looking to carry over that momentum into next season.

The Senators have taken care of another piece of their goaltending puzzle, signing Leevi Merilainen to a one-year contract worth $1.1 million for the 2026-27 season.

The deal is a one-way contract, a detail that could have important implications for the Sens' roster decisions heading into training camp. He was also arbitration-eligible, but after the season he just had, that may not have gone so well for the young Finn.

Merilainen entered last season as the undisputed backup to Linus Ullmark after showing excellent promise during a brief NHL stint in 2024-25. But that opportunity slipped away with some below-average performances early in the year.

He struggled with an 8-10-1 record, a 3.51 goals-against average and an .860 save percentage in 20 appearances.

As his confidence waned, the Senators turned to veteran James Reimer, who had signed as a free agent just before the season. Reimer stabilized the position, playing well enough to keep the backup job for the remainder of the regular season and into the playoffs, while Merilainen returned to Belleville.

With the B-Sens, Merilainen looked closer to the kind of prospect Ottawa had envisioned to start the year. He posted an 8-8-1 record in 19 games with a 2.77 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage.

The Senators selected the Finnish netminder in the third round (71st overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft. He has since appeared in 34 NHL games. Meanwhile, he's compiled a 39-29-6 record, a 2.59 goals-against average, and a .911 save percentage across 84 career AHL games.

The extension also raises an interesting question: Could Ottawa carry three goaltenders on its NHL roster next season?

That approach, used by the Stanley Cup-champion Carolina Hurricanes this season, has become increasingly common around the league. It could be particularly appealing for the Senators given Linus Ullmark's history.

Ullmark has never started more than 50 games in a single NHL season. Last year also served as a reminder that his availability can't always be taken for granted. Ullmark has been injury-prone in Ottawa, and he's also been open about his mental health challenges. To get the best version of Ullmark, the Senators know they'll need to carefully monitor both his workload and overall well-being throughout the season.

Keeping Merilainen alongside Ullmark and newcomer Samuel Ersson would give head coach Travis Green plenty of flexibility while ensuring the club has experienced NHL depth if injuries arise. 

But at the same time, it's probably not the best development model for the 23-year-old Merilainen.

So if the Senators decide against the notion of carrying three goaltenders, they'll face a difficult decision because nobody is waiver-exempt. Both Meriläinen and Ersson would need to clear before being assigned to Belleville.

One thing is clear. The Senators weren't prepared to lose Merilainen for nothing. By giving him a one-way contract, they've signalled they still believe he can become an NHL goaltender.

The challenge now is figuring out where he fits.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News 

This article was first published on The Hockey News Ottawa Senators site. For full coverage of the Senators, check out one of the latest headlines below:

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Sammy Blais' time with the Montreal Canadiens organization is officially over. 

The Ottawa Senators have announced that they have signed Blais to a two-way contract. 

Blais spent most of this past season in the AHL with the Laval Rocket and was a very important veteran player on their roster. In 35 games with Laval in 2025-26, he posted 14 goals, 24 assists, 38 points, and 62 penalty minutes. He also had three goals, five points, and 20 penalty minutes in five playoff games for the Rocket this spring. 

Blais played in 13 games during this past season with the Habs, where he recorded two goals, three assists, five points, and 78 hits. He also had a brief stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs before the Canadiens claimed him back off waivers, where he had one goal, three points, and 28 hits. 

Overall, Blais was a solid veteran depth player for the Canadiens to have around. Now, he will look to be the same for the Senators after landing this new contract. The possibility of him earning a bottom-six role with the Senators out of training camp is there. 

In 278 career games over eight NHL seasons, Blais has recorded 30 goals, 49 assists, 79 points, 132 penalty minutes, and 913 hits. He also won the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019.