Category: NHL

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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At A Glance, Senators' Draft Day Trades Are Head Scratchers
Brady Tkachuk Had a Chance to Write His Own Story. He Chose Matthew's

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. 

The Winnipeg Jets continued to reshape their blueline on Thursday, agreeing to terms with 25-year-old defenceman Henry Thrun on a one-year, two-way deal worth $850K.

The left-shot blueliner arrives after spending last season in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, splitting time between the NHL and AHL following an offseason trade from the San Jose Sharks.

Originally selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the fourth round in 2019, Thrun has appeared in 119 career NHL games, recording five goals and 20 assists while averaging nearly 18 minutes per game during his time with San Jose. 

While Wednesday evening's signee Mario Ferraro projects to fill a regular role on Winnipeg's third pairing, Thrun gives the Jets another young, mobile option capable of competing for NHL minutes while also providing valuable organizational depth.

Thrun enjoyed a standout college hockey career at Harvard, where he developed into one of the ECAC's top defencemen before signing his first NHL contract in 2023. Since turning pro, he has shown steady growth as a reliable two-way defender with good skating and strong hockey sense.

It is expected that Thrun will battle for that sixth/seventh defensive spot to start the season, but would more so be a relied upon back-end force with the Manitoba Moose - considering the two-way structure of his contract. 

ST. LOUIS -- Mason McTavish is ready and eager for a fresh start.

The 23-year-old is getting one with the St. Louis Blues, who acquired the third overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft on the opening night of the 2026 draft from the Anaheim Ducks for a pair of 2026 first-round picks (Nos. 15 and 29).

McTavish, who was scratched twice by the Ducks in the Stanley Cup playoffs last season in the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights and had six points (one goal, five assists) in 10 postseason games, saw his numbers dip to 41 points (17 goals, 24 assists) in 75 games under Joel Quenneville last season.

It came after signing a six-year, $42 million ($7 million average annual value) contract last off-season, so a trade was furthest from his mind then. But a year later, moving on brings the 6-foot-1, 219-pound center great motivation.

"Especially the last year, I wasn't happy with the way I performed and I know I have so much more than that," McTavish said Thursday. "Obviously a lot of motivation throughout the start of the summer and going forward. Obviously a lot of excitement with the trade. Definitely a lot of energy being exerted this summer trying to get as better as possible.

"I think my time in Anaheim, I went there when I was 18 and I enjoyed it. It as awesome. It's the right time for me to go to a new team and experience something new. I'm really looking forward to it and I'm really excited."

Yes, McTavish is anxious to start anew, with new teammates and new coaches, including one he's quite familiar with.

"It was my first time being traded in the NHL," McTavish, who joins former Ducks coach Greg Cronin, who was hired to be an assistant under Jim Montgomery, in St. Louis. "I think just a lot of excitement, a little bit of nervousness. But I think the biggest thing is you're just so excited to go to a new city, meet a bunch of new guys and live in a whole new city. I'm super grateful for the Blues kind of trusting me. I had a great time in Anaheim and it was awesome. I'm just excited to get down to St. Louis now.

"I think (Cronin) demands a lot out of his players and it's good. He can get on you. Sometimes you may not love it, but he's probably right. He'll push you to be the best player you can be. I'm excited to see him again. He's great. I'm looking forward to that."

With the addition of McTavish, defenseman Brandon Carlo (6-5, 227) and signing McTavish's Anaheim teammate, Ross Johnston (6-5, 232), the Blues are emphasizing adding muscle and grit to their lineup.

"We do want to be an uncomfortable team to play against," Blues general manager Alexander Steen said. "We want to have a certain identity to our team. What I like about where we're positioned now is the roster allows us to have an identity but also supplied the coaching staff different options game to game. We could have different looks but with the same identity, but we did want to build a little more of the physicality and size and I guess weight too."

McTavish's knack has been his challenges on the defensive side of the puck and skating, and it will be something the coaching staff will hone in working with him on, but an element the Blues lacked overall in was players' inability to consistently get to the front of the net and play with a purpose there.

Mason McTavish, acquired by STL, is a big developing forward with a solid net-front physical tool-kit but poor skating. Has some small-area skill including underrated playmaking, but has really struggled defensively and hasn't been able to make a big impact with the puck. pic.twitter.com/C26tqXaugl

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) June 27, 2026

"I think that's one of my elements I can bring," McTavish said. "I feel like that's such a key thing come playoff time. You look at where all the goals are scored and it's always around the net and that sort of thing. Every time you can get to the net, you might as well go there because the puck's going to end up there. I think that's one of the things I'll bring for sure.

"... I personally bring a lot of competitiveness and hunger to win games. I would say I'm more of a skilled forward, likes to take the puck to the net. I think my hockey sense is the best thing about my game, just kind of knowing where people are and what reads to kind of make, especially in the offensive zone."

Even at such a young age, McTavish has already played four full seasons and nine games when he first played in the NHL in 2021-22; he has 181 points (77 goals, 101 assists) in 304 games but the growth is still in front of him.

"When you step in at such a young age, it's interesting, but I feel like every year, no matter how old you are, I think there's always areas you can get better at," McTavish said. "I think that you really see it when they're younger, but there's always places where players can improve on. There's that core, a bunch of guys 22-26. I'm looking forward to practicing with those guys and I know how hungry they'll all be to get better and work on their game."

And he's joining a group that's focused on the early-to-mid-20s range.

"It's a great team," McTavish said of the Blues, who have missed the playoffs in three of the past four seasons. "I can speak on whenever we played them in St. Louis or in Anaheim. They played us really hard, they did really well. They have a lot of young, kind of that core. It's very skilled, very fast. They play well defensively and they're up and down the ice and they play really hard. I'm excited to kind of meet them all. I've met Jake Neighbours. Obviously I played with him in the World Juniors, but I've heard it's a great group.

"... I'm beyond grateful for my time in Anaheim. It was awesome. I have no complaints about it. It's a great organization. I've heard the same things about St. Louis. I'm super-excited, super lucky to be going to St. Louis. A lot of the guys have reached out. Obviously doing that speaks to how good of a group it is. I'm very, very excited. I feel like I've used that word a lot, but I truly am excited to be going into a new opportunity at this time in my life. I'm really looking forward to it."

Blues Sign Dillon Dube To One-Year, $850,000 ContractForward spent last season with Blues' AHL affiliate in Springfield after agreeing to an AHL PTO

Blues Sign Ross Johnston To Three-Year, $6 million ContractForward brings grit, toughness to bottom lineup of forwards

Berggren Re-Signs With BluesForward, claimed off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings last season, gets a one-year, $2 million contract

Blues Buy Out Final Year Of Drouin's ContractForward had one year remaining on a two-year, $8 million contract signed with Islanders; was acquired on March 6 in Brayden Schenn trade; Blues owe $1.33 million against cap in each of next two seasons

Blues Promote Tkachuk, Thorburn; Hire Bortuzzo Among Front Office ChangesTkachuk, recently named to Hockey Hall of Fame, was previously director of recruitment; Thorburn was development coach; Bortuzzo hired to be pro scout

Steen Introduced As 12th GM In Blues History, Ready to Hit Ground RunningFormer NHLer of 15 years, including last 12 seasons in St. Louis, takes over for Doug Armstrong, who keeps role as president of hockey operations after taking over as GM in 2010

Robert Thomas: 'I've loved my time in St. Louis. I love it here, I love the organization, the city.'Blues top line center excited by recent acquisitions, affirms his commitment to St. Louis with no desire to be moved

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Since last week’s NHL Draft, the New York Rangers have made a flurry of moves to “retool” the roster and set the foundation for what the future will ultimately look like. 

When president and general manager Chris Drury issued a letter to fans in January outlining the team’s plan to “retool” the roster, the exact direction Drury was looking to go in remained a mystery. 

The last time Rangers management released a letter to fans in 2018, they embarked on a multi-year rebuild, missing the playoffs over consecutive seasons while methodically rebuilding the roster by accumulating picks and prospects.

However, this past week has shown that Drury is not following the same formula from the previous regime. 

Drury made his biggest splash on the night of the draft, acquiring Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for the 26th-and 92nd-overall picks in the 2026 draft and a top-10 protected first-round pick in 2028. 

The Rangers then went ahead and signed Dorofeyev to a seven-year, $77 million contract extension. 

Dorofeyev, a 25-year-old forward coming off two 30-plus goal seasons, fits Drury’s ideal acquisition in a younger player who can help the team in the immediate future, while also being a foundational piece moving forward. 

“We're excited to obviously add Pav,” Drury said. “His unique skill set, and his production, specifically in goals, is something that we were in need of, and targeted him, and we're thrilled to be able to pull off a trade with Vegas... We're excited to use the assets we had to move for Pav and thrilled to be able to pull the deal off, and then to be able to sign into a long-term contract.”

Drury also made his intentions clear when he drafted defenseman Alberts Šmits with the fifth overall pick instead of defenseman Chase Reid. 

The Rangers chose to select Šmits, the blueliner many tout to be the most NHL-ready in the 2026 draft class as opposed to Reid, the blueliner considered to have the highest upside, proving Drury’s preference of adding younger pieces who are further along in their development and can contribute to the organization in the immediate future, whether that’s at the NHL level or the American hockey League level.

Šmits attended Rangers’ development camp and will be training in New York at the end of the summer, but Drury kept things open-ended regarding if he’ll be on the opening-night roster out of training camp. 

“We're gonna do right by him and the long-term health and well-being of him as a Ranger,” Drury said of Šmits. “This is not a sprint for him. We hope he's a rock-solid defenseman for the Rangers for the next 15 years. We're not going to put him in positions or situations that he can't handle. So excited to add him, but again, not going to do anything that's not in the best interest long term for him.”

Once the free agency period opened up, Drury added players who filled in some of their current roster holes, acquiring veteran goaltender Joonas Korpisalo and defenseman Marcus Pettersson, while signing forwards Oliver Bjorkstrand and Joe Veleno to one-year contracts, respectively.  

Wednesday’s most substantial move from the Rangers came in the form of a Vincent Trocheck trade to the Utah Mammoth. 

It was long rumored that Trocheck would be on his way out of New York, but Drury decided to keep the veteran forward past the trade deadline and for the remainder of the 2025-26 season with the hope that he would garner a stronger return during the offseason. 

In return from Utah in exchange for Trocheck, the Rangers received Sean Durzi, Cole Beaudoin, and a 2027 third-round pick. 

Drury’s preferences were shown once again in this Trocheck package, as instead of going after high-quality draft picks, the Rangers targeted Durzi, a defenseman who can play a top-four role for the team right now, and Beaudoin, a forward prospect who is ready to make the professional hockey jump. 

Targeting NHL-ready players and further-developed prospects over high-valued draft picks has been a common theme of Drury’s retool thus far. The Rangers received 2024 first-round pick, Liam Greentree, from the Los Angeles Kings in February in exchange for Artemi Panarin, and followed suit, adding Beaudoin, another 2024 first-round pick. 

“We were also able to acquire at the deadline a first-round pick that's closer to playing and turning pro this year in (Liam) Greentree, and a little later pick in (Jacob) Battaglia, and obviously Cole (Beaudoin) yesterday was a former first-round pick, so we felt like we plugged some holes with not only real players to put on our roster that can play in key roles, but also added some some other picks and actual draft picks and an actual prospects in those players I mentioned,” Drury said.

The Rangers have also given up three first-round picks between the two trades involving Dorofeyev and Pettersson, which sends mixed signals for a team supposedly looking to get younger. 

Drury explained his rationale for giving up multiple first-round picks, explaining that he feels it’s worth it to lose some draft capital in order to add young, foundational pieces for the franchise.

“My philosophy, and our philosophy was, if they're for the right player or players that are at the right age with the right contract, that can help our lineup — not just in the next year or two, but for a number of years down the road — that would be worth it,” Drury said about his reasoning of giving up three first-round picks. 

There’s been more clarity on the word “retool” written by Drury in his January letter, as all of the moves he’s executed from the middle stages of the 2025-26 season to this week revolve around the same vision and idea.

“Nearly six months ago, we wrote a letter to our fans detailing a new strategic plan for the organization,” Drury stated. “This plan is to retool the roster around our core players and prospects, while targeting young players in their prime that enhance the skill and speed of the team.”

By exact definition, Drury fulfilled his retooling plan, getting younger as a team, adding more professional ready prospects to their pipeline, while also filling in immediate roster holes to help the Blueshirts remain afloat in a competitive Eastern Conference. 

Whether Drury’s retooling plan was the right solution for the Rangers’ long-term future as well as this upcoming season, that is yet to be seen. 

Even with this onslaught of trades and signings, there are still questions about the team’s present and future that hang over the franchise.

Now that July 1 has passed, many of the NHL's top unrestricted free agents this year have found their new homes. While this is the case, there are still some interesting names who remain unsigned on the second day of free agency.

Yet, the top UFA still available for the taking is former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Anthony Mantha. 

While Mantha is still on the market, it is very likely that he has generated a good amount of interest from teams. The 31-year-old winger just had a fantastic 2025-26 season with the Penguins, where he set career highs with 33 goals, 31 assists, and 64 points in 81 games.

Teams looking for more offense in their top nine should be in the mix for Mantha as he continues to be on the market. It would not be surprising if he lands his next contract soon now that he is the top UFA still on the board.

It will be interesting to see where Mantha ends up signing this off-season. He certainly was a great value signing for the Penguins on his one-year prove-it deal with the Metropolitan Division club. 

In 588 career NHL games split between the Detroit Red Wings, Washington Capitals, Vegas Golden Knights, Calgary Flames, and Penguins, Mantha recorded 179 goals, 188 assists, and 367 points.