Category: NHL

When you become an NHL player, you’re fortunate to join a highly elite club.

Now try to picture how elite and fortunate you have to be to play meaningful, memorable hockey in two Original Six markets. You’re the cream of the crop of the cream of the crop.

That’s what you have to know about longtime NHL left winger Max Pacioretty, who retired Tuesday after 17 seasons, including playing the most of his career with the Montreal Canadiens and finishing with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Despite his lofty stature, Pacioretty didn’t make some grand pronouncement he was done playing. Instead, news came that Pacioretty would be joining the University of Michigan – his NCAA team, in his adopted home state – as a special assistant to Michigan coach Brandon Naurato. And in revealing his next chapter, Pacioretty was, as he was his entire life as an NHL player, a class act through and through.

"I'm so thankful for the teammates, coaches and fans who have been a part of my journey,” Pacioretty said in the announcement. “Hockey has given me so much, and now I have the opportunity to help develop the next generation of players. Michigan has a tradition of producing elite talent, and I can't wait to share what I've learned to help these guys grow on and off the ice. Just as important, this next step allows me to be closer to my family and spend more time with my kids. I'm going to be coaching my four boys in youth hockey, and that's something I'll really cherish as a dad.”

We’ve said often that, in the pro hockey world, you wind up cheering not for any one team but for players as human beings. And the 36-year-old Pacioretty was very easy to root for.

When Pacioretty made his NHL debut in 2009, he still had some serious adversity to deal with right away. In 2010-11, an injury at the hands of Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara caused Pacioretty to miss the rest of the season.

When he returned to action in the fall of 2011, Pacioretty thrived, recording 33 goals and 32 assists while being named winner of the Bill Masterton Trophy, given to the NHL player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication” to the sport.

Even then, he was only really getting started.

From 2013-14 onward, Pacioretty reeled off four straight seasons with at least 30 goals and 60 points. And in 2015, he was rewarded for his diligence, skill and professionalism by being named the 29th captain in the history of the Canadiens. 

Pacioretty became such a star in Montreal, Quebec-based McDonald’s restaurants named a burger in Pacioretty’s honor.

But all good things have their end, and Pacioretty eventually struggled, not only in terms of point production but in terms of his health. So when Pacioretty was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2018, Habs fans were happy to get back an up-and-coming star and future Montreal captain in center Nick Suzuki.

Thus began a turbulent time for Pacioretty.

Despite netting 32 goals and 66 points in his second season with Vegas, Pacioretty’s injury issues came back. He missed 33 games in 2021-22 with a broken foot and wrist, and after the Golden Knights traded him to the Carolina Hurricanes in 2022, he suffered a devastating torn Achilles tendon and played only five games with the Hurricanes. One year later, he was playing with the Washington Capitals, but another Achilles injury limited him to only 47 regular-season games. The end seemed near for him.

But something unpredictable and inspiring happened for Pacioretty last season. Following his modest playing contract with the Maple Leafs, Pacioretty emerged as an effective power forward for Toronto.

Injuries, healthy scratches and salary cap limitations kept Pacioretty to only 37 regular-season games with the Blue and White. But in the Stanley Cup playoffs, Pacioretty had the final renaissance of his NHL days, posting the Leafs’ series-clinching goal against the Ottawa Senators in the first round. Pacioretty wound up with three goals and eight points in 13 playoff games with the Buds last spring, earning a notable place in Leafs history.

In the end, Pacioretty didn’t win a Cup. But his performance last year was a good one to go out on. He’ll always be loved in Montreal, and Leafs Nation will remember him fondly. There are very few players who can make that specific claim.

Not every NHLer's exit ends with a championship, but Pacioretty became an icon (small letter 'i' in Toronto) in two Canadian markets. That's no small feat. And now, he goes home to Michigan and gets to give back while playing for his collegiate team. Despite all the unfortunate parts of his on-ice days, Pacioretty has still been quite fortunate.

Pacioretty almost assuredly won’t be a Hockey Hall of Famer. But he has always been a first-class human being, a terrific ambassador for the game and a credit to the sport. He’ll be missed in NHL circles, but he’ll undoubtedly keep on giving back.

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Yesterday, we put forth our opinion that the Buffalo Sabres need a big year out of star defenseman Rasmus Dahlin if they were going to contend for a Stanley Cup playoff berth (and end their 14-season playoff drought. And 24 hours later, we're sticking with that notion. But this column is an addendum to yesterday's column. Because while the Sabres need Dahlin to spearhead a defensive renaissance for this franchise, Buffalo isn't going to be a playoff team unless something else happens in addition to Dahlin being very difficult to play against particularly in their own zone.

And that "something else" is this: the Sabres need their entire defense corps to make a major step forward this year and cut down Buffalo's porous D-zone play. The Sabres were tied for third-from-last place in goals-against average last season at 3.50 goals-against per-game. Only one team -- the Montreal Canadiens -- finished outside of the playoffs last year despite posting a G.A.A. that was outside the top-16 in that department.

That tells you all you need to know about the importance of defense. When you have it, the way the Winnipeg Jets and Vegas Golden Knights had it last season, you know you've got it. And when you don't have it, the way the Sabres didn't have it last year, or the year before that, or the year prior to that, you know what you're missing.

So while the majority of the pressure defensively will be on Dahlin (and of course, Buffalo's goaltenders) to lead the way this season, the reality is that his fellow Sabres blueliners also have to come through with big step-up years.

To be sure, Buffalo needs bigger and better years from defenseman Owen Power. The 22-year-old posted career highs in goals (7), assists (33), and points (40) last season, but there's a troubling aspect or two about Power's improvement that will get plenty of attention this season. For one thing, Power's ice-time average was nearly three full minutes less than Dahlin's.

Sabres Need This Key Player To Have Big Season If Buffalo Is To Be Playoff TeamThe Buffalo Sabres need solid years from everybody to even come close to being in the mix for a Stanley Cup playoff appearance for the first time in a decade. But (and at the risk of just pointing out one of those players when it will take big efforts from most Sabres players to make Buffalo a playoff team) we're going to focus on a player this writer believes has to have a big year to get the Sabres back in the post-season.

We get it -- Power is on Buffalo's second defense pairing, so it's understandable why he'd have fewer minutes than Dahlin. But when you're paying a player $8.35-million for the next six seasons, you probably want the defender to be playing more time than 21 minutes a night.

But it isn't just Power and Dahlin that have to be good for Buffalo to be a playoff team. Freshly re-signed D-man Bowen Byram also needs a big year -- to prove the Sabres were right to re-sign him at a $6.25-million salary, and to set himself up for another big payday when he becomes a UFA in the summer of 2027. And if he's on the top pairing with Dahlin, Byram's individual numbers should spike in a positive direction. Byram did have career-best numbers in assists (31) and points (38) last season, but with his new salary, more will be expected of him.

Value In Former Sabres Shows Buffalo Has Talent -- But So Far, The Mix Has Always Been WrongBelieve it or not, the Buffalo Sabres and their players are not inherently terrible. Sure, there are Buffalo players you may believe to be flawed, and sure, the Sabres have been consistently sub-par for the past 14 seasons -- none of which have ended with Stanley Cup playoff games being played in Western New York.  But if you look at some of Buffalo's former players, you see that they have some value across the league, even though they have a stint with the Sabres on their resume.

Finally, the rest of Buffalo's D-men also have to come through with some type of solid contribution this season. Matias Samuelsson will need to be a stable stay-at-home defender, while new acquisitions Michael Kesselring and Conor Timmins will need to make better-than-average first impressions in their own way.

There's no area in which the Sabres are too good in order to make up for bad Sabres areas. They need everything working in their favor if they're to be a playoff team in 2026.

And if they don't get that -- if they don't improve significantly on defense this year -- the defense corps in Western New York at this time next September will look drastically different.

New Jersey Devils star Jesper Bratt had an excellent 2024-25 season for the Metropolitan Division club. In 81 games on the year, the 27-year-old winger scored 21 goals and set career bests with 67 assists and 88 points. This was also the third year in a row that he set a new career high in points, so he just keeps better. 

Now, Bratt has been rewarded for his big season, as he has made another top NHL players list. 

Sportsnet ranked Bratt as the No. 47 spot in their top 50 NHL players list heading into the 2025-26 season. With this, Bratt ranked ahead of other notable stars like Lane Hutson (Montreal Canadiens), Jake Guentzel (Tampa Bay Lightning), and Thomas Harley (Dallas Stars). 

Given the year that Bratt just had for the Devils, it is entirely understandable that he has been ranked among the NHL's best 50 players by Sportsnet. It is well deserved, as Bratt was one of the top wingers in the league this past season and is expected to be the same in 2025-26 for New Jersey. This is especially so when noting that he has been over a point per game player in each of his last two seasons with the Devils. 

The Chicago Blackhawks have a few forwards fighting for that final spot on the opening night roster when they team plays the Florida Panthers in Sunrise. 

One of those forwards for all of camp has appeared to be Lukas Reichel. However, a new report suggests that he may not even make it to next week in the organization. 

CHGO Blackhawks (@CHGO_Blackhawks) on XFull response today from @frank_seravalli on a question about Lukas Reichel’s future in Chicago (🎥 @BR_OpenIce)

NHL insider Frank Seravalli said on his Bleacher Report Open Ice show that the Blackhawks have been trying to shop Reichel actively. 

He made sure to mention that the Blackhawks would like to have this deal done before the season begins. They aren't likely to get a big return for the former first-round pick, but they are looking to move him nonetheless. 

Reichel is a supremely talented forward who can create offense because of his natural tools, but he hasn't been able to put it together in the NHL on a consistent basis. While he still has value, the Blackhawks want to move him before he has none. 

With the talent that Reichel has, a different situation could work out well for him. If he went to a team with playoff aspirations, you might see him take a step in his development. A change of scenery has worked for players in the past. 

What will the Blackhawks do if he is moved out in terms of replacing the void? Well, guys like Landon Slaggert, Colton Dach, Oliver Moore, and Ryan Greene are all competing for long-term positions on the team as well. There is no shortage of players looking for an opportunity at this time. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

The Laval Rocket, American Hockey League affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens, has unveiled the list of players invited to its training camp.

Among them is a record-setting group of seven players under contract with the Kelly Cup Champion Trois-Rivières Lions: Cedric Desruisseaux, Logan Nijhoff, Jacob Paquette, Wyatt McLeod, Emmett Serensits, Jacob Dion, and Vincent Duplessis.

Back in North America, Desruisseaux will be attending his third American Hockey League camp. He previously participated in the Rocket’s camp in 2021, in addition to receiving an invitation to the Montreal Canadiens’ camp that same year. The following season, he joined the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins’ camp.

The forward from Warwick also suited up for the Lions in 39 games during the 2021-22 season.

Nijhoff will be taking part in his second camp with the Rocket. This will mark his fifth consecutive AHL camp, after previous stops with San Diego in 2021 and 2022, Rockford in 2023, and Laval in 2024.

Nijhoff signed a new contract with the Lions at the end of the summer. He finished last season tied for first in team goals with 25, alongside Jakov Novak and Anthony Beauregard.

This will also be Paquette’s second camp with Laval. Over the course of his career, the defenseman from Ottawa has also attended Nashville Predators’ camps in 2017 and 2018, as well as the Columbus Blue Jackets’ rookie camp in 2019.

Paquette is set to begin his second full season with the Lions after finishing sixth in the ECHL last year in plus/minus with an impressive +32 rating.

For McLeod, this marks his second AHL camp. In 2024, he was invited by the Chicago Wolves, affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes, before joining the Lions at the start of their training camp.

The 6-foot-3 blueliner signed a new deal with Trois-Rivières at the beginning of September.

Serensits, Dion and Duplessis will all be attending their first AHL camps. Emmett signed with the Lions at the end of last season and suited up for 10 regular-season games under head coach Ron Choules, while Dion is preparing to make his professional debut with the Lions.

Duplessis, meanwhile, spent last season with the Utah Grizzlies, affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche.

The Trois-Rivières training camp will follow the Rocket’s and will get underway next Tuesday, Oct. 7, at Colisée Vidéotron.

The Ottawa Senators wrap up their back-to-back neutral-site preseason games in Quebec City on Tuesday night, taking on the Montreal Canadiens. The Sens are coming off a 2-0 win over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday and will hit the ice again at 7 p.m., with English TV coverage available (hopefully) on TSN2, RDS, and TSN5.

The Sens line combinations won't be quite like they were at the game day skate this morning. As mentioned earlier in this space, game-day skates in the preseason aren't always a predictor of how things will align for the game. According to Coming in Hot's Brent Wallace, who's in Quebec City, we'll see this instead:

Perron - Cozens - Zetterlund
Cousins - Pinto - Amadio
Lycksell - Halliday - Kaliyev
MacEwen - Jenik - Hodgson

Sanderson - Zub
Chabot - Yakemchuk
Sebrango - Spence

Merilainen
Sogaard

In one way, you could look at this as a battle for the backup goalie job. In another way – a much more accurate way – Merilainen will be Linus Ullmark's understudy this season.

The Sens' bottom six forwards are all duking it out for one or two forward jobs – always a weird vibe to be competing both with and against your linemates. Carter Yakemchuk and Donovan Sebrango are also hoping to land a spot on the NHL roster and will both be paired with experienced players.

The Sens are 2-1 in the preseason so far and still have 31 players in camp. They dressed a lot of their opening night regulars in their game on Sunday afternoon against the Devils, and in their exhibition opener versus Toronto the Sunday before.

The Habs are 3-1 with 29 guys still in camp. They held a morning skate at the CN Sports Complex before leaving for Quebec City on Tuesday. The Sens will get their first main camp look at 19-year-old Ivan Demidov, who will likely give them trouble in the Atlantic for the foreseeable future. They also get a double dip of Xhekajs, who don't mind causing trouble of a different kind.

Here’s the Canadiens projected lineup for tonight’s matchup:

Bolduc-Dach-Gallagher
Newhook-Kapanen-Demidov
Veleno-Beck-Laine
F. Xhekaj-Evans-Anderson

Matheson-Engstrom
A. Xhekaj-Hutson
Struble-Carrier

Dobes
Kahkonen

With the infusion of travelling Montreal fans, we're likely to see a bigger crowd for this one, and as Travis Green says he expects, a game that feels more like the regular season.

More Sens Headlines From The Hockey News Ottawa:
Broadcast Frustrations Resurface For Senators Fans
Ullmark Sharp In Senators Victory, Embraces The Struggle
Stephen Halliday's NHL Stock Continues to Rise
Former Senator Josh Norris Embraces New Opportunity To Prove Himself
Will This Be Shane Pinto's Breakout Year With The Senators?
Batherson Joins Ottawa Senators List Of Preseason Injury Concerns

The Pittsburgh Penguins have two preseason games remaining before opening the regular season next Tuesday against the New York Rangers, and both are against the Buffalo Sabres.

They will host the Sabres on Wednesday before going to Buffalo on Friday for what will probably be the "dress rehearsal" game. The Penguins released their roster for Wednesday's game, and it's similar to the rosters they've used for other preseason games. 

2025 first-round pick Benjamin Kindel is set to play in his fifth preseason game after he was the best player on the ice against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday. He opened the scoring in the first period after starting the breakout in the defensive zone before showcasing his release when he cut to the middle of the offensive zone. He continues to look more comfortable in each game he plays in. 

Ville Koivunen, Avery Hayes, Tristan Broz, Filip Hallander, Owen Pickering, and Harrison Brunicke are also on the roster and are battling for opening-night roster spots. Forward Noel Acciari, who has been injured during training camp and most of the preseason, is on the roster, too. 

Here's the full roster: 

Forwards

• Filip Hallander
• Robby Fabbri
• Joona Koppanen
• Sam Poulin
• Tristan Broz
• Ville Koivunen
• Danton Heinen
• Blake Lizotte
• Rafael Harvey-Pinard
• Philip Tomasino
• Noel Acciari
• Ben Kindel
• Avery Hayes

Defensemen

• Jack St. Ivany
• Ryan Shea
• Matt Dumba
• Ryan Graves
• Owen Pickering
• Harrison Brunicke
• Philip Kemp

Goaltenders

• Arturs Silovs
• Filip Larsson

The Penguins will have a morning skate in Cranberry on Wednesday before hosting the Sabres at PPG Paints Arena. Fans in the Pittsburgh area can watch the game on SportsNet Pittsburgh+ or listen to it on 105.9 'The X.'

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The NHL saw several players hit the waiver wire on Sep. 30. While none were current Chicago Blackhawks players, a few former ones have been placed on waivers. This is because Isaak Phillips, Matthew Highmore, and Josiah Slavin have all been placed on waivers by their current clubs. 

Phillips was traded by the Blackhawks during this past season to the Winnipeg Jets. Following the trade, he posted three goals, eight points, and a minus-11 rating in 39 AHL games with the Manitoba Moose. 

Phillips played in 56 games over four seasons with the Blackhawks, recording two goals, 12 points, and 31 penalty minutes. 

Highmore was placed on waivers by the New York Islanders and signed with them this past off-season. He played in 73 games over three seasons with the Blackhawks in 2017-18, 2019-20, and 2020-21, where he recorded four goals, 10 points, 69 hits, and a minus-10 rating.

As for Slavin, he has been placed on waivers by the Carolina Hurricanes. The Blackhawks' 2018 seventh-round pick played in 15 games for Chicago during the 2021-22 season, where he recorded one assist. He has solely played at the AHL level since. 

The pre-season is in its final days, as the 2025-26 NHL regular season kicks off on Oct. 7.

NHL teams that have players signed to professional tryouts (PTOs) will soon need to decide if they plan to sign them for the season or not.

The Carolina Hurricanes recently released defenseman Oliver Kylington and forward Kevin Labanc from their PTOs, but there are still a good number of players around the league on their tryouts.

Due to this, let’s check in on a handful of players on PTOs.

Robby Fabbri, C/LW, Pittsburgh Penguins

Robby Fabbri recorded eight goals, 16 points and a minus-6 rating in 44 games with the Anaheim Ducks last season before signing a PTO with Pittsburgh.

The Penguins have a lot of forwards fighting for NHL spots, so Fabbri has plenty of competition to earn a contract. The former first-round pick has one goal and six shots on goal in three games, so if he ends the pre-season on a high note, it could be enough for him to get a contract.

Conor Sheary, LW, New York Rangers

After mutually terminating his contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning this summer, Conor Sheary signed a PTO with the New York Rangers. With the way he has played this pre-season, there is no question that he is making a case to earn a contract.

Sheary has one goal and three points in two games, including two assists against the New York Islanders. He also has seven shots on goal and four high-danger chances, according to naturalstattrick.com. With this, it is fair to wonder if he could get a deal for the season, whether that is with the Rangers or another team.

Milan Lucic, LW, St. Louis Blues

Milan Lucic is looking to earn a contract with the St. Louis Blues and play in the NHL for the first time since the 2023-24 season. It has not been a smooth training camp for Lucic, however, as he suffered a groin injury and was forced to miss time.

Lucic has since returned to practice and will now be looking to impress during this final portion of the pre-season. The clock is ticking, but he still could get a contract if he finishes training camp strong.

"He's got to make an impression to make the team," Blues coach Jim Montgomery told reporters. "He understands that. Whether he plays the last three games or the last two, we want to put himself in the best advantage so we can evaluate him at his best."

Matt Grzelcyk, D, Chicago Blackhawks

Matt Grzelcyk, who recorded 40 points last season, is still looking to earn a contract for the season with the Chicago Blackhawks. That said, he's only gotten into one game so far, recording one shot. He was on the ice for 20 chances-for and 15 chances against, according to naturalstattrick.com.

With the Blackhawks having several young defensemen fighting for NHL spots, a contract for the Massachusetts native with Chicago is not guaranteed.

Yet, the Blackhawks could sign Grzelcyk if they want another veteran to help mentor their young defensemen. Either way, the Blackhawks have a big decision to make with him. If they don't sign Grzelcyk, it is hard to imagine him not getting a contract from another club at some point. 

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

The Chicago Blackhawks set their roster for their preseason game against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, early in the day. It didn't include Kevin Korchinski, as he practiced with the healthy "non-game group" alongside Nolan Allan, Sam Lafferty, Louis Crevier, Lukas Reichel, and Landon Slaggert. 

Korchinski was in a four-man battle for the final roster spot on the blue line. Well, that was until Tuesday, as he was sent down to the Rockford IceHogs. He will head to the AHL to join their camp and continue his development. 

Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xroster update🔔 we have assigned Kevin Korchinski to the @goicehogs. 📰 ➡︎ https://t.co/Td8AnFif2n

It is a bit surprising that this decision came as early as it did, with two more preseason games to go after this one against the Red Wings. Kyle Davidson, Jeff Blashill, and the decision makers clearly see more value in Korchinski playing more AHL games. 

With this move, the Blackhawks roster now sits at 29 players, including 16 forwards, 10 defensemen, and 3 goaltenders. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

In an announcement that former Golden Knight Max Pacioretty was joining the University of Michigan ice hockey program as special assistant to the head coach, it also signaled the end to a 17-year career in the NHL.

"After 17 seasons in the NHL, I'm excited to begin this next chapter with Michigan Hockey," Pacioretty said in a press release on the Michigan athletics website. "I'm so thankful for the teammates, coaches and fans who have been a part of my journey."

After 17 seasons, Max Pacioretty is hanging up the skates.

Best of luck in retirement! pic.twitter.com/vv5pFfutKZ

— NHL (@NHL) September 30, 2025

The 36-year-old, who played at Michigan as a freshman before turning pro, went on to say that while hockey has given so much to him, he's looking forward to an opportunity to develop the next generation of players.

"Michigan has a tradition of producing elite talent, and I can't wait to share what I've learned to help these guys grow on and off the ice," said Pacioretty, who played in Vegas for four seasons. "Just as important, this next step allows me to be closer to my family and spend more time with my kids.

"I'm going to be coaching my four boys in youth hockey, and that's something I'll really cherish as a dad."

Pacioretty played in 939 games during his career, including 224 with the Golden Knights.

After playing the first 10 years of his career in Montreal, Pacioretty arrived in Vegas before the franchise's second year in the league (2018-19). He was named to an All-Star in 2020.

In four seasons, Pacioretty registered 194 points (97 goals, 97 assists). In 36 playoff games for the Golden Knights, he had 30 points (15 goals, 15 assists).

Pacioretty played the 2022-23 season with the Carolina Hurricanes and the 2023-24 season with the Washington Capitals. He played his final season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, last year.

Through their long, dark rebuilding days, the Ottawa Senators cycled through a lot of players, often trying to fill holes with journeyman options. Some of those names hit the waiver wire this week, available to anyone, and seeing their names now will, in some of the cases, remind Sens fans of how far their team has come.

Eight former Ottawa Senators were placed on waivers in the last few days. They are forwards Roby Jarventie (Edmonton Oilers), Matthew Highmore (NY Islanders), Clarke Bishop (Calgary Flames), Scott Sabourin (Tampa Bay Lightning), Jake Lucchini (Nashville Predators) and Shane Bowers (San Jose Sharks), along with defenseman Josh Brown (Edmonton), and goalie Marcus Hogberg (Islanders).

Jarventie, Sabourin, and Brown cleared on Sunday, and Lucchini on Monday. Sabourin was recalled by Tampa on Tuesday. The others were placed on waivers on Tuesday.

Three of the names in the group of eight were once seen as potentially an important part of the Senators' future.

Roby Jarventie (33rd overall, 2022 NHL Draft)

It's hard to complain much about the Sens' lucrative 2020 Draft. The Sens had just scooped up Tim Stutzle (3rd), Jake Sanderson (5th), and Ridly Greig (28). But five picks after Greig, they whiffed on Jarventie. They did regroup and get Tyler Kleven (44) and Leevi Merilainen (71) so they get nothing but accolades for that draft. But Sens fans still can't get over how they passed on Stutzle's buddy, J.J. Peterka (picture me using a whiny voice here), who went with the pick right after Jarventie.

Shane Bowers (38th overall, 2017 NHL Draft)

Bowers never actually played for the Sens, but he was their first-round pick in 2017. He was also a 2017-18 Boston University linemate of their 2018 first-round pick, Brady Tkachuk. The Senators were wise to move Bowers while his stock was fairly high. Five months after they drafted him, they packaged him up and sent him to Colorado in the deal for Matt Duchene.

Marcus Hogberg (78th overall, 2013 NHL Draft)

In 2019-20, Craig Anderson's final season with the Senators, his main backup was Marcus Hogberg, prompting some very brief 'goalie of the future' discussions. But it became clear pretty quickly that he wasn't the heir apparent. So the Sens went out and acquired (deep breath) the injury-prone Matt Murray. Filip Gustavsson, also acquired from Pittsburgh several years earlier, arrived in Ottawa that season to overtake Hogberg as well, so it wasn't long before Hogberg went back to Europe. Hogberg returned to North America last season and got a chance after the Islanders ran into injury trouble. He won just 2 of 11 games in his return. 

Life moves pretty fast in the NHL. One day you're a top prospect, the next you're on waivers. And with hundreds of new young prospects jumping onto the league's radar every year, no matter how good you once were, teams don't have time to wait around for you to figure things out.

More Sens Headlines From The Hockey News Ottawa:
Broadcast Frustrations Resurface For Senators Fans
Ullmark Sharp In Senators Victory, Embraces The Struggle
Stephen Halliday's NHL Stock Continues to Rise
Former Senator Josh Norris Embraces New Opportunity To Prove Himself
Will This Be Shane Pinto's Breakout Year With The Senators?
Batherson Joins Ottawa Senators List Of Preseason Injury Concerns

For the last couple of years, the Montreal Canadiens had a little getaway to Mont Tremblant before the start of the season. This year, the getaway will take place in Quebec City, as the Habs are playing there on Tuesday night against the Ottawa Senators.

It remains a preseason game, however, and unsurprisingly, the Canadiens will not be using their complete lineup. Captain Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky will not be playing, just like Kaiden Guhle and Noah Dobson. Given the fact that both blueliners have been dealing with groin issues, their absence is not a shock.

Canadiens' Hutson Ranked Among NHL's Best Players
Canadiens: Suzuki On Never Offside
Canadiens: Crave’s Toujours Canadiens - Stephane Richer

At the morning skate, the only line that remained the same as it was yesterday was the one formed by Ivan Demidov, Alex Newhook, and Oliver Kapanen. Zack Bolduc, who was put on the second line with Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine on Monday, will be skating with the center and Brendan Gallagher against the Sens. Meanwhile, Florian Xhekaj will be taking Gallagher’s spot alongside Jake Evans and Josh Anderson. In contrast, the fourth line will be made up by Joe Veleno, Owen Beck, and Patrik Laine.

This is an interesting mix; it gets a final audition for the younger Xhekaj, Veleno, and Owen Beck, but it also sends a message to Laine. If he wants a role in the top six, he’s going to have to earn it. He’s not with Bolduc and Dach tonight, and while it’s still early, this is clearly a way for Martin St-Louis to show the big Finn that he has some options this year and that he won’t be as patient as he was last season. This is Laine’s second year with the Canadiens, and while he didn’t play for the whole season during the 2024-25 campaign, he played enough to know what’s expected of him and what he needs to do at both ends of the ice.

Asked about losing an opportunity to see if he could create chemistry between Dach and Laine on Tuesday night, the bench boss replied:

Not really, it’s not like the players don’t know each other already. We’re trying to make up lines and see what they’ll give us so that we can keep evaluating.

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On the blueline, St-Louis decided to do some mix and match as well. For the first time since the start of camp, Jayden Struble will be skating with Alexandre Carrier, who is already secured in the fifth defenseman’s spot. As for Arber Xhekaj, he will be skating alongside Lane Hutson, while Mike Matheson will be paired with Adam Engstrom.

Speaking about his lines, the coach says that the team now has a good idea who their first line is, but for the rest, they’ll see as they go. It’s not the first time the coach has said that, and it gives the impression that he wants to temper player expectations when it comes to time on ice. With more options come more possibilities to upset some players if they are not playing the role they would like to play. It’s a reality St-Louis will have to deal with this year, both when it comes to its even-strength lines and to the power play.

In net, St-Louis confirmed that Jakub Dobes will be on duty for the whole game, which is a hint that he’s done well enough to deserve to be Samuel Montembeault’s backup this season, just like he was to finish the last campaign. This is not good news for Kaapo Kahkonen, however, and he’ll more than likely be put on waivers soon to be reassigned to the Laval Rocket.

The coach plans to have a more complete team on Saturday when the two teams meet again, this time at the Bell Center. While St-Louis hasn’t said it yet, Samuel Montembeault will likely be on duty for that game.

The Canadiens will have a day off on Wednesday in Quebec, and they’ll then hold a couple of public training sessions on Thursday and Friday. They’ll be back in Brossard for the morning skate on Saturday morning.

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After the latest round of training camp roster cuts, the Philadelphia Flyers are rapidly approaching their final roster ahead of opening night to start the 2025-26 season.

On Tuesday, the Flyers said farewell to a number of their top prospects, including some who were in a realistic battle for an NHL roster spot.

Chief among those prospects is winger Alex Bump, whose lowlight gaffe and otherwise ineffective performance against the Boston Bruins on Saturday helped doom him to an AHL start with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Forward Anthony Richard, a 2024 preseason standout, was also placed on waivers Tuesday with the intention of being assigned to the AHL.

Among the other cuts were Denver Barkey, Alexis Gendron, Devin Kaplan, Emil Andrae, Helge Grans, Hunter McDonald, Ty Murchison, and goalies Aleksei Kolosov and Carson Bjarnason.

Of the players in that group, Andrae stands out as the real surprise.

Grans, having been placed on waivers on Monday and clearing waivers Tuesday, played himself out of consideration.

Injured Flyers Prospect Missing Out on Big OpportunityIn what is shaping up to be a race to the bottom in the battle for a roster spot on defense, injured Philadelphia Flyers prospect Oliver Bonk is, unfortunately, missing out on a big opportunity.

Dennis Gilbert, Noah Juulsen, Adam Ginning, and Egor Zamula are all still in the mix for the Flyers, but Ginning is the only one who has been even remotely impressive or noticeable in a good way this preseason.

Based solely on merit, Andrae should have been given a roster spot, or at least a chance to earn one until the very end, but it would seem that head coach Rick Tocchet and the Flyers were gravely concerned about his 5-foot-9 size.

Andrae is waivers-exempt, so there's no real risk here, but it's hard to feel that the Flyers are icing their best possible lineup at this time.

With Bump and Barkey officially out of the mix, it would seem that Nikita Grebenkin and Rodrigo Abols have unblocked paths to NHL roster spots out of camp, and both players fully earned it if so.