It's officially another season, another prospects ranking for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In years past, this has been a bit easier of an exercise, as there used to be a more clear-cut line between prospects with NHL upside and longshots. However, because of the work that general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas and his staff have put in during the last several years, the line is blurring a whole lot more - and there is a substantially higher volume of talent in the system.
This time around, making a top-20 list was challenging. So, a few criteria were put into place: To make our list, prospects must be under the age of 26 and have played less than 50 NHL games. This excludes names such as Ben Kindel, Filip Hallander, Oliver Okuliar, and Alexander Alexeyev.
There are few prospects in the Penguins' organization with the "rat-like" approach to hockey that Howe takes. And that, combined with some legitimate offensive skill, makes him both a unique player in within in their system and one who could very well turn into an effective NHL player.
The 5-foot-11, 183-pound Howe was selected in the second round (46th overall) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, and his development since then has already seen a few curveballs. The biggest one was thrown when he tore his ACL late in his 2024-25 WHL campaign with the Calgary Hitmen, and he did not return until February of 2026, when he was eligible to play in the AHL for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins.
There, he put up eight goals and 16 points in 27 games, and he also had three goals and five points in 14 Calder Cup Playoff games. No, these raw numbers don't jump out in any kind of outstanding way on a stats sheet, but they also don't tell the whole story about Howe's process and what makes him a pretty easy bet as an everyday NHL player.
Aside from the nastiness of Howe's game - which is a hallmark trait of his - it's his tenacity and relentlessness coupled with his smarts in the offensive zone. He knows how to expose the softer areas in the middle of the ice, and he works his tail off along the walls. He wins a lot of puck battles, his speed is an asset, and he simply knows how to outwork and outwit the competition to set both himself and his teammates up nicely for opportunities.
Above all, he is exceptional at the net front - even as a smaller player - because he isn't afraid to engage physically, he excels at winning positioning, and he has the shooting talent to put the puck in the back of the net, even while under pressure.
But Howe's game doesn't end at the offensive blue line, either. He's strong in all three zones, anticipating well and disrupting passing and shooting lanes, backchecking effectively with his speed advantage, and pressuring opponents into making mistakes. He also has value on both special teams units and is particularly adept on the penalty kill.
All in all, Howe very much has a translatable NHL skillset, which is something that can't be said about everyone. Even if his ceiling isn't sky-high, his floor is quite high, and he figures to bring some much-needed grit, nastiness, and offensive upside to the Penguins' bottom-six in the not-so-distant future.
In fact, don't be entirely surprised if Howe makes his NHL debut at some point in 2026-27.
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Ben Kindel exceeded all expectations during his rookie season last year.
Kindel was selected 11th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft and was slated to play for the WHL's Calgary Hitmen until he showed up to training camp and blew everyone away. He kept getting better and better during practices before he got more reps in preseason games.
The Penguins' coaching staff and management wanted to test him, and he passed each one with flying colors. He was repeatedly one of the Penguins' best players in the preseason and did enough to make the opening-night roster.
He made his NHL debut against the New York Rangers on Oct. 7, and you could tell right away that he was ready for the moment. He was outstanding defensively and even had some nice extended offensive zone shifts.
Kindel then scored his first NHL goal against the Rangers on Oct. 11 before scoring his second goal against the Florida Panthers on Oct. 23. By that point, it was pretty easy to see that he was going to stay beyond the nine-game trial. His hockey IQ, playmaking ability, goal scoring, and defensive play were all on display in those nine games.
He stayed for the rest of the season and was fantastic, finishing with 17 goals and 35 points in 77 games. He was on a pitch count at first until Penguins head coach Dan Muse realized that he was too important to keep out of the lineup. He was also continuing to get more comfortable against NHL players.
Yes, Kindel slowed down at the end of the season and went pointless in the playoffs, but it's important to remember that he's only 19. Last season was the most games he has played in a season. The NHL season is a grind for a reason.
He's now had the chance to go through a full NHL offseason workout routine and will be bigger and stronger for the upcoming season. He's slated to start as the third-line center again behind Sidney Crosby and Tommy Novak. Evgeni Malkin might get some reps as the second-line center as well.
Having Kindel be the third-line center for at least one more season makes a ton of sense. He can continue to handle those same responsibilities before he gets a more elevated role later in his career. I still see him as a long-term second-line center, but there's no need to rush it for the sake of it.
I think there's a decent chance he hits 20 goals and 40-45 points this season, especially if he takes another step and gels with his linemates. It makes a ton of sense to have Nick Robertson and Andrei Kuzmenko on his line since they're both proven goal scorers and can make opposing goaltenders pay quickly.
Kindel will also get time on both special teams units, specifically the power play. He spent 140:31 on the man-advantage last season and was a mainstay on the second unit. Four of his 17 goals and six of his 18 assists came on the PP.
He'll definitely be on the second unit again this upcoming season and will likely see some time on the first unit if/when injuries arise.
Kindel is a major part of the Penguins' future and is already well ahead of schedule. He has the opportunity to build on that when the 2026-27 season starts at the end of September.
The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, and the organization’s developmental model has begun to yield results, with 2023 first rounder Zach Benson making an impact in the playoffs, and 2024 top pick Konsta Helenius appearing as one of the AHL’s top prospects the last two seasons.
Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. These players are all 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 82 NHL games.
29. Patrick Geary – Defense (Michigan State – NCAA)
The Sabres selected Geary in the sixth round of the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas and is another example of the club relying on familiarity and investing in players from Western New York. The Hamburg, NY native played his amateur hockey for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres and two seasons for Waterloo of the USHL before heading to Michigan State.
Who had the best and worst offseasons in the Atlantic Division?
The 22-year-old was drafted after not being selected in two drafts and is a teammate of Buffalo’s 2023 second-round pick Maxim Strbak. In his freshman year for the Spartans, Geary played mostly a shutdown defensive role and had 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) in 32 games. As a sophomore, his offensive numbers declined to just seven points (1 goal, six assists) in 37 games.
Last season, Geary saw a slight uptick in his offensive numbers, and a sizable increase in his penalty minutes, as he had 11 points (2 goals, 9 assists) and nearly matched the total of his first two seasons in the sin bin with 70 penalty minutes.
According to the Elite Prospects Draft Guide, “the defining dimension of Geary’s game remains on the defensive side of the puck…..In the neutral zone, he closes on opponents early, sets up a tight gap, surfs inside-out, takes away the center lane with his stick, and then closes on the puck carrier with force.”
Nicolas Roy is now trying to prove something to the Colorado Avalanche that the Vegas Golden Knights already knew.
He can help a team win.
That was Roy’s role during his six seasons in Vegas. He was never expected to be the face of the franchise or carry the offense. He was the big, versatile forward who could win battles, play a physical game, chip in offensively and give his team another reliable option when the games got tougher.
And when Vegas finally won the Stanley Cup in 2023, Roy was right there.
He played 22 games during that championship run, scoring three goals and adding eight assists for 11 points. Those weren’t superstar numbers, but Roy wasn’t asked to be a superstar. He was asked to deliver in the clutch.
He did.
Now, three years later, Roy is in Colorado and entering a season that could determine whether he has a future with the Avalanche beyond 2026-27.
The Golden Knights don’t have to wonder whether Roy can be part of a championship team. They’ve already seen it.
Roy finished his Vegas career with 362 regular-season games, 68 goals, 98 assists and 164 points.
Those are solid numbers for a player who didn’t average a ton of ice time.
His playoff production was even more telling.
Roy appeared in 79 postseason games with the Golden Knights, recording 10 goals and 22 assists for 32 points. His 11 points during Vegas’ championship run were a small part of a much bigger picture, but they helped. Roy could play through contact, get to the net, create room for teammates and occasionally come up with a timely garbage goal.
Those players tend to become more valuable in April and May.
Vegas knew that.
Colorado Is Getting Another Chance To Find Out
The Avalanche acquired Roy at the trade deadline, sending a 2027 first-round pick and a 2026 fifth-round pick to Toronto.
They wanted another forward who could add depth, provide some secondary scoring and make the lineup tougher to play against in the postseason.
Roy showed flashes right away.
He scored in his second game with Colorado against Minnesota, scored again against Seattle two games later and found the net against Washington five games after that.
Then an upper-body injury cost him seven games.
Roy finished the regular season with only three goals and five points in 15 games with Colorado, but his postseason was more encouraging. He scored three goals and added three assists in 13 playoff games, including the overtime winner against the Los Angeles Kings in Game 2.
Now Comes The Contract Question
Roy enters the final season of the five-year, $15 million contract he signed with Vegas in 2022. He will become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
This is where Colorado has a decision to make.
Roy has already shown he can produce more than he did during his brief regular-season stint with the Avalanche. From 2021-22 through 2024-25, he recorded at least 30 points in four consecutive seasons, including a career-high 41 points in 2023-24.
If he gets back into the 35-to-40-point range, the conversation changes.
Roy averaged 13:18 per game during his 15 regular-season appearances with Colorado and 12:01 during the playoffs. If head coach Jared Bednar gives him more responsibility, there should be more opportunities for his offense to follow.
And if it does, Colorado could have a difficult decision waiting next summer.The Golden Knights have already gone through the process of figuring out what Roy is worth.
Many young and established or up-and-coming stars around the NHL have signed long-term contracts with their respective clubs early, but the Philadelphia Flyers are one team that just hasn't followed that trend, to their disadvantage.
Recently, the Flyers re-signed two of their most important young pieces, Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, to four-year contracts at $9.125 million and $6.5 million cap hits, respectively.
These reflect market value, to be certain, but neither player and their camps cut the Flyers a break on money or term, compared to other teams around the league.
Philadelphia will get another chance to course-correct, as 21-year-old winger Matvei Michkov is eligible for a contract extension, and can sign for a maximum of eight years until Sept. 16, when the max allowable drops down to seven years.
Sportsnet just released their list of best value contracts in the NHL in its new financial landscape, and there's a common theme: young stars, and long-term contracts.
That list began with two Montreal Canadiens players--Ivan Demidov and Lane Hutson--who are each set to begin their respective eight-year contracts; a $9.15 million AAV for the 20-year-old Demidov, and $8.85 million for the 22-year-old Hutson.
"There is arguably no team better set up from a financial perspective with their core than the Montreal Canadiens. The timing of the extensions for Hutson and Demidov worked out perfectly for the Canadiens, as both could’ve theoretically waited until after the Carlsson offer sheet to extend. Instead, Hutson inked his new deal last October, and Demidov signed his just days before [Leo Carlsson]," Sportsnet's Michael Amato wrote.
"Demidov is still only 20 and Hutson 22, so Montreal is getting two elite players for the majority of their primes at a combined cap hit equal to Carlsson’s AAV and less than Celebrini’s."
On the topic of Carlsson, the Flyers effectively bet against themselves with the exorbitant $18 million cap hit they dished out with their ambitious offer sheet. That offer sheet was a one-off thing that didn't significantly change the landscape of the league, but the Flyers showed their willingness to spend, even at a low value, and they paid for it with the Zegras and Drysdale contracts.
The one eight-year contract the Flyers were willing to dish out to a young player was Tyson Foerster's, which was an eight-year, $56.8 million extension ($7.1 million AAV) for a winger who has yet to score 30 goals or 50 points in a season and suffered two major arm injuries just last season.
Comparatively, the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes have Jackson Blake and Logan Stankoven, also on Sportsnet's list, signed to eight-year deals, with Blake carrying a $5.11 million AAV and Stankoven carrying a $6 million AAV.
Blake, 23, scored 53 points for the Hurricanes last season, while Stankoven, 23, scored 44 while playing center full-time for the first time in his nascent NHL career.
They key, though, is that both players signed with Carolina last July, before their breakouts even came. The Flyers, with Zegras, Drysdale, and Foerster, signed their players after.
New Jersey paid up for Jack Hughes, Minnesota paid up for Matt Boldy, the Canadiens paid up for Demidov, so on and so forth.
And with time ticking on Michkov and a potential eight-year pact, they'll likely have to do the same with him, too.
The Flyers have been liberal with their money since clearing out bad contracts and dead weight, but soon, the stakes will be higher and money will get tighter if they aspire to be a true contender, and the blueprint is already there for them to follow.
One free agent that remains an intriguing addition for the New York Rangers is Patrik Laine.
Herb Zurkowsky of the Montreal Gazette pointed out that Laine has been linked to the New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Philadelphia Flyers.
Since recording 44 goals in his second NHL season with the Winnipeg Jets, Laine has dealt with numerous injuries that have clouded the rest of his career to date.
The 2016 second overall pick has now played for three different teams: the Jets, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and most recently, the Montreal Canadiens, as he’s coming off a four-year, $38.4 million contract.
Now, Laine will likely be forced to sign a one-year, prove-it contract after playing in just five games for the Montreal Canadiens this past season.
Despite his lengthy injury history and decrease in production over the years, the 28-year-old forward still holds intrigue on the open market due to his goal-scoring abilities.
It was just two seasons ago when Laine scored 20 goals in 52 games and led the Habs with 15 power-play goals.
Former members of the Vancouver Canucks will take the spotlight in this off-season article series. From those skating with new NHL teams heading into the 2026–27 season to those who are now playing for international clubs, these featured players have skated in at least one game at the NHL level as a member of the Canucks.
Today’s segment will take a look at the 12 former Canucks that are set to compete for teams in the NHL’s Atlantic Division during the 2026–27 season.
Vancouver signed Mikheyev in free-agency during the summer of 2022, locking him down for four years — though the forward’s tenure with the Canucks didn’t end up lasting that long. Though he did manage to register 28 and 31 points respectively in 46 games 2022–23 and 78 in 2023–24, ultimately, Mikheyev’s near $5M salary per year resulted in the team trading him to the Chicago Blackhawks in June of 2024.
Mikheyev enjoyed two relatively productive seasons in Chicago after leaving Vancouver, recording his first 20-goal season in three years during the 2024–25 season. He put up a career-high of 36 points in 77 games with the Blackhawks in 2025–26, leading Tampa Bay to sign him to a four-year, $3.85M AAV contract during the 2026 free-agency period.
Once an 82-point player with the Calgary Flames, Lindholm was acquired by the Canucks in the 2023–24 season, adding to their depth down the middle in preparation for a playoff run. A wrist injury resulted in the center only playing in 26 regular-season games for Vancouver, during which he scored six goals and six assists. By the end of the Canucks’ playoff run, Lindholm had 10 points in 13 games.
Lindholm signed a seven-year contract with the Bruins the summer after his time with the Canucks. While he hasn’t quite made it back to that 82-point form he established in 2021–22, he has logged back-to-back 17-goal seasons and come close to 50 points in both. In 2025–26, he logged his second-highest faceoff win-rate in a single season with 56.1%.
Nikita Zadorov, Boston Bruins
A fan-favourite early on in his time with the Canucks, Zadorov made his presence known with thunderous hits and a personality as large as his stature. The defenceman was traded to Vancouver from Calgary for picks in the third-round of the 2026 NHL Draft and in the fifth-round of 2024. Possibly one of the most notable moments of Zadorov’s time with the Canucks was his hefty slap-shot on the blueline to help Vancouver claw back from a 4–1 deficit in Game 1 against the Edmonton Oilers.
Joining his former Flames and Canucks teammate Lindholm in Boston during the 2024 free-agency period, Zadorov has posted consecutive 22-point seasons with the Bruins. During the 2026 post-season, he logged one assist while playing with a torn MCL during Boston’s first-round series against the Buffalo Sabres.
Gadjovich’s time with the Canucks dates back to 2017, when he was selected with the 55th-overall pick by Vancouver. Though he spent a fair bit of time with the Canucks’ AHL affiliate at the time, the Utica Comets, his time in Vancouver only spanned a single game during the 2020–21 season.
After a couple of seasons with the San Jose Sharks, Gadjovich signed a contract with the Panthers, the team that he won the Stanley Cup with in 2023–24 and 2024–25 and remains with to this day. He sustained a bad neeck injury at the beginning of the 2025–26 season and ultimately missed the remainder of the year, skating in only 10 games and recording three assists.
Sam Lafferty, Florida Panthers
Lafferty, a single-season Canuck, enjoyed a career-year in 2023–24 with Vancouver, scoring 13 goals and 11 assists in 79 games as a depth player. He was sent to the Canucks from the Toronto Maple Leafs in October of 2023 and was traded again less than a year later, this time heading to Chicago.
The 2025–26 season marked the third time in Lafferty’s career that he was acquired by the Blackhawks. He was first acquired by the Blackhawks in 2022, then again from the Canucks in 2024 (though his signing rights expired and he ended up signing a deal with the Sabres shortly after), and once more in 2025. He only ended up skating in 29 games through the past season, scoring a goal and an assist in that span.
Jacob Markström, Florida Panthers
Vancouver’s former starting goaltender, Markström, was part of the Canucks organization from 2013–14 to 2019–20. He has played the most NHL games of his career with Vancouver thus far, logging 229 games and stringing together a record of 99–93–27. In his final season as a Canuck, he was named to the 2020 NHL All-Star Game and came fourth in voting for the Vezina Trophy.
Markström spent four seasons with the Flames and two with the New Jersey Devils before being traded back to the team that drafted him, the Panthers, on June 30 of 2026. While the 2025–26 season was a down-year for the goaltender regarding his numbers (3.07 GAA, .883 SV%), he will still be looked to in order to fill the gap left by former Florida starter Sergei Bobrovsky.
One of six ex-Canucks expected to suit-up for the Maple Leafs next year, Blueger first joined Vancouver via free-agency in July of 2023. In his three seasons as a Canuck, the center played in 185 games, scoring 23 goals and 48 assists in that span. Towards the end of his tenure, after some key veteran departures, the forward started taking up more of a leadership role.
Despite not being traded at the 2026 Trade Deadline, Blueger ended up departing from the Canucks in free-agency, signing a two-year, $2.5M AAV contract with Toronto.
Dakota Joshua, Toronto Maple Leafs
A free-agent signing in 2022, Joshua spent three seasons as a member of the Canucks, hitting a career-high in points with 32 during the 2023–24 season. He signed a four-year, $3.25M AAV contract with Vancouver after that, but was traded to Toronto after one season of his new deal.
The 2025–26 season was Joshua’s first with Toronto. The forward got back to the double-digits mark in goals with 10, adding eight assists to his total in 55 games played. A kidney injury sustained in December of 2025 prevented him from playing a full season, though he did end up returning to Toronto’s lineup after the Olympic break.
Dec 11, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Dakota Joshua (81) reqcts after scoring against the San Jose Sharks during during the first period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Zack MacEwen, Toronto Maple Leafs
MacEwen’s time with the Canucks began when he started the 2017–18 season with the Utica Comets as a free-agent. He managed to sign a contract with Vancouver from there, making his NHL debut for the Canucks in February of 2019. He was claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Flyers in October of 2021, ending his time with Vancouver at a little less than three seasons.
As a depth, fourth-line or 13th-forward, MacEwen has bounced around the NHL a little since leaving Vancouver, playing for the Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators, and Devils before signing a two-year deal with Toronto during the 2026 off-season. He played in three games with the Devils during the 2025–26 season.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Toronto Maple Leafs
A centerpiece in one of the most controversial trades in Canucks history, Ekman-Larsson joined Vancouver alongside Conor Garland when both were moved from the Arizona Coyotes in 2021. The defenceman spent two seasons with the Canucks, not quite living up to the expectations of his $8.25M AAV contract (though 12% of this was retained for Vancouver in the trade), before he was bought-out at the end of the 2022–23 season.
The buy-out may have been the best thing for Ekman-Larsson’s career, as the defenceman then signed a one-year deal with the Panthers, winning his first Stanley Cup in 2024. He signed with the Maple Leafs the year after. In 2025–26, he put together eight goals and 31 assists in 78 games as one of Toronto’s most depended-on defencemen.
Chris Tanev, Toronto Maple Leafs
Tanev’s NHL career started with the Canucks back in 2010, when the defenceman signed an entry-level contract with Vancouver in May of that year. He played out the following 10 years with the Canucks, establishing himself as a solid defensive-defenceman and dependable locker room leader. In 2020, he signed a four-year contract with the Flames in free-agency.
After stints with the Flames and Dallas Stars, Tanev signed a six-year, $4.5M AAV contract with the Maple Leafs, which he’ll be half-way through come the end of the 2026–27 season. A groin injury requiring surgery resulted in the defenceman playing in a total of 11 games through the 2025–26 season.
Troy Stecher, Toronto Maple Leafs
Stecher first joined his hometown team’s organization after signing a two-year entry-level contract as an NCAA free-agent in April of 2016. Impressing with his heart and unyielding effort, the defenceman put together a career-high of 24 points in his first season with Vancouver (2016–17). After four seasons with the Canucks, Stecher signed a two-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings during the 2020 free agency period.
Claimed off waivers by the Maple Leafs from the Oilers in November of 2025, Stecher signed a two-year extension with Toronto during the 2026 off-season. He had three goals and 11 assists in 58 games with Toronto in 2025–26, with this being his highest season point total since his first year with Detroit in 2020–21. Throughout that time, he also played for the Kings, Coyotes, Flames, and Oilers.
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Earlier this off-season, the St. Louis Blues bought out former Montreal Canadiens forward Jonathan Drouin from the final season of his two-year, $8 million contract.
Now, with the middle of August almost here, Drouin has still not found his next home.
Drouin still being a UFA at this point in the summer comes after he had an ugly 2025-26 season. He posted just four goals and 24 points in 64 games split between the New York Islanders and St. Louis Blues. This was a notable decrease in offensive production from the 2013 first-round pick, as he had 11 goals and 37 points in just 43 games with the Colorado Avalanche during the 2024-25 season.
Although Drouin struggled last season, there is still a chance that he could get a one-year contract or a professional tryout (PTO) agreement with an NHL club. This is a player who posted 56 points just back in 2023-24 and has shown at times that he can be a solid offensive contributor.
It will be interesting to see if Drouin can land an NHL contract before the start of the season. A return to the Habs won't happen, but he could be a decent buy-low option for an NHL team that needs more depth offensive production.
For the second consecutive year, the NHL Network's ranking of the league's top defensemen has Edmonton Oilers' blueliner Evan Bouchard sitting below where many think he should be ranked.
Coming in at No. 10, it's good to see Bouchard is considered a Top 10 defenseman, but one might think a season in which he scored 21 goals and 74 assists for 95 points in 82 games would earn him a higher ranking.
NHL Network's Top 20 Defensemen Right Now list has a total of: • 21 total All-Star Game appearances • 11 All-Rookie team honors • Seven Norris Trophies • Seven Olympic Gold Medals • Four Calder Trophies • Two Conn Smythe Trophies • Six Stanley Cups
For fans and analysts arguing Bouchard got snubbed, the case for a better position is that he came in fourth in Norris Trophy voting, meaning he should have been ranked higher than names like Miro Hieskanen, Lane Hutson, Matthew Schaefer, Jake Sanderson and Moritz Seider.
The counter-argument, of course, is that all of those defenseman are excellent and that any or all of them deserve to be where they're slotted.
One fan wrote, "This is just so disrespectful to Evan Bouchard...He lead all defensemen last season with 95 points after all. But you know what? Nirvana never won a Grammy and it's still considered one of the greatest bands of all time, so... Bravo,"
Others took the stance that the definition of defenseman needs to be accounted for. If your ranking is based on playing defense, then point producers shouldn't get as much love as those who stop the puck from going in. Bouchard doesn't rank as well if that's the criteria, even if he's better than some give him credit for.
Another key aspect of this list is the "right now" component. The excerpt clearly states that this is not a list that takes into account what a defensen will become or once was. If fans are ranking based on how a player used to play in their prime, they're missing the point of the list. If they're saying Matthew Schaefer should be where he is or higher because he's going to a Norris trophy candidate, they've, again, lost the plot.
One could argue that there were very few better defensemen than Bouchard last season. The top three are probably locks. It's hard to dispute Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Zach Werenski as the best the NHL has to offer. Outside of that, Bouchard should be in the conversation for top five.
It was held on Thursday at Saldon Arena in Barrie, Ontario, home of the Ontario Hockey League’s Barrie Colts, and hosted by Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall.
Ekblad, who captained the Colts during his time in the OHL before being drafted first overall by the Panthers in 2014, spoke about what the event meant to him.
“It’s amazing, it’s nostalgic,” Ekblad said to CTV News. “Skating on this ice and snapping it around in warm-ups was really cool. I see a lot of familiar faces, fans from back in the day, so nostalgic would be the word I use for it.”
Ekblad was the captain of Team Denim while another former Colt legend, John Tavares, was captain of Team Plaid.
Every year, the Barn Burner raises money to support local charities and community programs throughout the Barrie area, including the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre Foundation, the John Tavares Foundation, PIE Education and several others.
“It’s an extremely important cause, I’m really happy to be here,” Ekblad said. “They’re doing great things in the community and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”
Photo caption: Mar 16, 2023; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman AaronEkblad(5) celebrates a goal with center SamBennett(9) in the second period against the Montreal Canadiens at FLA Live Arena. (Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports)
The Philadelphia Flyers have undertaken a major youth movement on their NHL roster in recent seasons, and while another young prospect had a legitimate chance to continue that trend, it'll have to wait for at least one more year.
On Monday morning, the Flyers announced that 2024 second-round pick Jack Berglund, who played for the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the end of last season on a tryout basis, has been loaned back to his SHL club, Farjestad BK, for the 2026-27 season.
Berglund, 20, has impressed the Flyers with the strides he's made since being drafted 51st overall in 2024, establishing himself as an SHL regular and dominating on the international junior stage for Sweden.
Last season, the 6-foot-4 power forward appeared in 40 games for Farjestad, scoring seven goals, five assists, and 12 points before adding another three assists in seven postseason contests.
During the U20 World Junior Championship, Berglund dropped a monster three-goal, seven-assist, 10-point stat line in just seven games en route to a gold medal, and finished his season with nine goals, 13 assists, and 22 points in 17 total games for Sweden's U20s.
The 20-year-old prospect was in attendance for the Flyers' regular season game against the Carolina Hurricanes, when the Flyers clinched their playoff berth with a 3-2 shootout win.
During the second intermission, we had the chance to catch up briefly, and Berglund said that he, the Flyers, and his camp would discuss the plan for the season during the summer.
Four months later, and only one month before the start of training camp and the NHL preseason, that decision between the two sides has been made, with Berglund putting a potential NHL push aside for one more season while also getting the opportunity to play a premier role for one of the SHL's biggest clubs.
With his 12 points in 40 games for Farjestad last season, Berglund ranked fourth in the SHL in points from D+2 skaters, trailing only San Jose's Leo Sahlin Wallenius (13), the undrafted Valter Lindberg (17), and Anaheim's Lucas Pettersson (20).
Berglund's seven goals, however, slotted him behind only Pettersson (10).
The Flyers and Berglund each have certainty now heading into the new season, and a productive campaign on the player's part will position him nicely for an NHL roster spot in 2027.
One of the first major moves that now-former Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman made shortly after his hiring in 2019 was to select defenseman Moritz Seider with the sixth overall pick in that summer's NHL Draft.
The move, which startled many in hockey circles, has turned out to be one of Yzerman's most meaningful decisions.
Not only has Seider blossomed into Detroit's top defenseman, but he also recently garnered consideration for both the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player during the regular season, along with the Norris Trophy, awarded annually to the League's top blue liner.
Not surprisingly, Seider was included in a recent ranking by NHL.com of the top 20 players at his position currently suiting up, coming in at No. 9 overall.
Mortiz Seider (@DetroitRedWings) is back on the Top 20 Defensemen Right Now list!
This past season, Seider set personal highs with 10 goals and 50 assists for 60 points while posting a plus-15 rating.
He also averaged a team-leading 25:39 of ice time per game while playing in all 82 contests; he's yet to miss a single game in his career, which began in the 2021-22 season.
Seider, who won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's best rookie that season, routinely garners high praise from head coach Todd McLellan for his durability and brute effectiveness on the ice.
“I really think he’s a diesel engine,” McLellan said of Seider in January. “He just never turns off, and he just keeps going. His stamina is remarkable.”
“His overall presence on the ice, both offensively and defensively, I think he’s taking strides,” McLellan said. “His … mistakes are being minimized.”
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Months have flown by since New York Rangers’ president and general manager Chris Drury released a letter to the public outlining the team’s plan to “retool” the roster.
Since then, the Rangers have made a flurry of moves, being one of the most active teams in the NHL on the trade market.
Here are all of the Rangers’ trades and signings since Drury’s Jan. 16 letter was released:
Trades:
Jan. 26: Carson Soucy trades to New York Islanders in exchange for 2026 third-round pick
Feb. 5: Artemi Panarin Traded To Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Liam Greentree and a 2026 conditional third-round pick
Mar. 6: Sam Carrick traded to Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick and 2026 sixth-round pick
Mar. 6: Brennan Othmann traded to the Calgary Flames in exchange for Jacob Battaglia.
Jun. 26: Brett Berard traded to Montreal Canadiens in exchange for William Trudeau.
Jun. 26: Rangers acquire Pavel Dorofeyev from Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick, 2026 third-round pick and a conditional 2028 first-round pick
Jun. 27: Adam Edström traded to Nashville Predators in exchange for Massimo Rizzo and a 2026 sixth-round pick.
Jul. 1: Rangers acquire Joonas Korpisalo from Bruins in exchange for Kalle Vaisanen and a 2028 fourth-round pick
Jul. 1: Vincent Trocheck traded to Utah mammoth in exchange for Sean Durzi, Cole Beaudoin, and a 2027 third-round pick
Jul. 1: Will Borgen traded to Bruins in exchange for a 2028 third-round pick
Jul. 1: Rangers acquire Marcus Pettersson from Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2030 top-ten protected first-round pick
Signings:
Jan. 31: Rangers claim Vincent Iorio off of waivers from San Jose Sharks
Feb. 27: Rangers claim Tye Kartye off of waivers from Seattle Kraken
Jul. 1: Rangers sign Oliver Bjorkstrand to one-year, $1.25 million contract
Jul 1: Rangers sign Joe Veleno to one-year, $1.2 million contract
The topic of who the best defensemen in the NHL have been a continuous argument, but it has really taken off these past couple of seasons with the amount of talent there is now. Is it the offense, the defense, or is it a mix of both that qualifies them as the best in the league?
Well, the NHL Network has put together a list ranking the top 20 defensemen in the NHL right now, as they state in their article, “Whether it's breaking up a big play, setting up a goal, or scoring on the power play, some defensemen can do it all. NHL Network producers and analysts chose the top 20 defensemen in the League right now,”.
To no surprise, or to other teams' surprise, the NHL Network and its producers and analysts have named Cale Makar as the best defenseman in the NHL right now, stating,
“Makar was third among NHL defensemen with 79 points (20 goals, 59 assists) in 75 games, and had a plus-40 even-strength goal differential that was third among defensemen behind Avalanche teammates Sam Malinski (plus-44) and Josh Manson (plus-41). The 27-year-old finished second in voting for the Norris Trophy, the sixth straight season he's been a finalist, including wins in 2022 and 2025; he joined Bobby Orr (seven times) as the only players to be a Norris finalist at least six times in his first seven seasons. Makar also became the 11th defenseman in NHL history to score 20 goals in three straight seasons, the first to do it since Phil Housley (six straight) and Al MacInnis in 1992. Makar had a secondary assist on March 28 against the Winnipeg Jets to become the 12th active defenseman with 500 points. It was his 467th game, the fourth-fewest in NHL history for a defenseman to reach 500 points, after Bobby Orr (396), Paul Coffey (422), and Denis Potvin (465).”
Makar finished ahead of Quinn Hughes (2), recent Norris Trophy winner Zack Werenski (3), Rasmus Dahlin (4), and Miro Heiskanen (5) in the list. Even in a “down” season that didn’t see him record similar stats to his Norris Trophy-winning season in 2024-25, he still managed to finish with 20 goals and 59 assists for 79 points, ranking him third in points, sixth in goals, and tied for fourth in assists. A big factor in that point and goal reduction was the lack of power play success, with him scoring the fewest power play goals (4) since his rookie (2019-20) and sophomore season (2020-21).
Though he did finish with 25 power-play assists, more than last season but not as high as the 2023-24 season, where he finished with 32. Considering he still finished with 29 power-play points when the power play, for the majority of the season, was not up to what it should be with that amount of talent on the team, it's safe to say there were a lot of points left on the table.
Though Makar wasn’t the only Avalanche to make the top 20 list, his partner Devon Toews also made the list, as he was ranked 20th.
“Toews had 24 points (three goals, 21 assists) in 68 regular-season games and was a dependable top-pair partner for Cale Makar. He had a plus-38 even-strength goal differential that was tied for fourth among NHL defensemen while averaging 18:33 of ice time per game at even strength. He was just as good during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, leading Avalanche defensemen with 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 13 games, and leading all Colorado players with an average ice time of 25:39 per game. He was just as good defensively, with a plus-6 even-strength goal differential. Toews also helped Team Canada win the silver medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics with three points (one goal, two assists) in 19:57 of ice time in six games, and led his team with a plus-9 rating in the tournament.”
This might be even more controversial for many, just for the names Toews has left on the board. Taking the place of guys like Jacob Chychrun, Erik Karlsson, or even Mikahil Sergachev. Though Toews has been a backbone to this team ever since he signed, he was put into a position where he wasn’t forced to carry the offense alone, but is a staple of their defensive game. His chemistry with Makar has only gotten better every season they've been together.
Despite arguably having his worst season with the Avalanche, both offensively and defensively, his history with the team and what he has done on both ends of the ice prove he should be on this list.
Perhaps Logan Stanley fumbled the bag this summer.
The towering defenceman had chances to sign early in free agency and passed, betting on something better, something along the lines of $4 million AAV. That bet hasn't paid off. Stanley is still unsigned as of August 10th, now the best defenceman left on the board for whatever that title is worth (not much). Whoever signs him now will pay him less, for less term, than what he could've gotten in July.
Stanley is coming off his best all-around season, despite a trade from Winnipeg to Buffalo that he didn't want with Luke Schenn, in exchange for forward Isak Rosén, defenseman Jacob Bryson, a 2027 second-round draft pick, and a conditional 2026 fourth-round draft pick. Didn't matter to Buffalo, though, who scratched him multiple times during their playoff run and are now not interested in re-signing him. The Jets, meanwhile, signed Mario Ferraro, closing the door on a reunion there too.
Earlier this summer, a four-year deal near a $4 million AAV looked realistic. The salary cap is increasing, and a massive 6'7" physical defenceman whose game relies on imposing reach, heavy physical play, a booming long-range shot, and a simple defensive style is desirable among many teams. Now, with training camps closing in and cap space drying up around the league, Stanley's looking at one or two years, somewhere around $2 million and less if the season starts and he remains unsigned.
The same thing happened to Jack Roslovic before he signed with the Edmonton Oilers. He and his agent came into the offseason wanting more than what other teams were willing to pay. Following his signing early in the season, Stan Bowman spoke to the media between periods and relayed that the Oilers had originally offered him $2 million AAV in the summer, and they declined, opting to seek more elsewhere. Roslovic later signed in Edmonton for 1 year with a $1 million AAV.
Stanley runs the risk of running into the same situation.
Stanley has been linked to Philadelphia, Anaheim, San Jose and Pittsburgh, with the Penguins the current favourite and the Ducks close behind. Both teams need blueline depth, and Stanley's physical, in-your-face style fits what they're missing. He's never been shy about playing in the dirty areas.
Perhaps Edmonton should be thrown into the mix, even if it's a longer shot than the four teams above. The Oilers are sitting on roughly $4.725 million in projected cap space with 46 players already under contract. That's tight, but not nothing, especially for a short-term deal in Stanley's new price range. Edmonton has some size on the backend, but a replacement piece, one who's a physical, low-cost rental who can eat minutes in a bottom pairing, is the depth that the Oilers have been looking for. It would take some maneuvering to make the money work, and Stan Bowman hasn't shown much interest in one-year rental defencemen this summer. But if Stanley's market keeps collapsing and his price tag drops into the low twos, it's not a total reach to see Edmonton at least make a call.
For now, Stanley waits. Training camps are almost here, and the longer this drags, the worse his leverage gets.
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