There are few better problems for an NHL team to have than the presence of two starting-calibre goaltenders on the roster. 

For the Detroit Red Wings, that's their situation. At 38 years old, Cam Talbot remains sharp and often turned back the clock to his days as a workhorse with the Edmonton Oilers during his first campaign with the Red Wings. 

General manager Steve Yzerman then went out and acquired John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks in a trade that sent Petr Mrazek the other way; Gibson has the chance in front of him to grab firm hold of the starter's reigns. 

Both goaltenders took the ice in Traverse City on Thursday for the opening day of Red Wings Training Camp. Talbot stuck with the classic, clean mask design he wore last season but debuted a brand-new Bauer setup, the equipment brand he has used for several years.

Meanwhile, Gibson arrived with a simple TRUE gear setup and a fresh mask paint job, the first artwork of his NHL career not featuring Ducks imagery. 

First look @DetroitRedWings goaltender John Gibson in his new gear on the opening day of 2025 Training Camp. #LGRWpic.twitter.com/rZNX6hz3Kt

— Michael Whitaker (@mwhitaker_89) September 18, 2025

Don't expect head coach Todd McLellan, who coached Talbot as head coach of the Oilers and faced Gibson many times as the head coach of the Los Angeles Kings, to settle on a starter just yet. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

"I don't know who our starter is," McLellan responded when asked if he believes either goaltender has an edge. "Obviously, Gibson is really important, but teams are proving year after year now that you need two guys to get the job done, and it's hard to stay at the top of your game over and over and over again if you're just a single entity. We've got Talbs, we've got Gibby, we plan on playing them both and we expect a lot from both of them." 

The crease for the Red Wings has largely been a rotating carousel over the last several years, with names like Alex Nedeljkovic, Ville Husso, Alex Lyon, James Reimer, and Petr Mrazek all seeing action. 

The 2024-25 campaign was the first in the career of Talbot in the Winged Wheel after he agreed to a two-year contract last offseason. He won 21 games and posted a .901 save percentage. 

Conversely, Gibson arrives in Detroit having spent the last 12 seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, who selected him in the second round (39th overall) in 2011. He's won 204 regular season games, while adding another 11 wins in 26 playoff appearances. 

Talbot proved that he's capable of shouldering a considerable load of playing time last season with 47 total games, but Yzerman is likely hoping that Gibson can become the first true starter in the Detroit crease since the days of Jimmy Howard. 

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The NHL’s 2025-26 regular season is almost upon us, and here on THN.com’s Buffalo Sabres site, we’re close to the end of our player-by-player series in which we break down the expectations for every Sabres player during this coming season.

We’ve worked our way through Buffalo’s goalies, blueliners, and most of the Sabres’ top-four lines of forwards. And in this file, we’re looking at the expectations for right winger Josh Doan, who was picked up from the Utah Mammoth in the trade that sent winger J.J. Peterka out of Buffalo.

But let’s focus on Doan, who at age 23 has barely scratched the surface of his potential as an NHLer:

Player Name: Josh Doan

Position: Right Winger

Age: 23

2024-25 Key Statistics: 51 games, seven goals, 19 points, 13:31 average time on ice

2025-26 Salary:$925,000

Sabres 2025-26 Player Expectations: Fourth-Liner Malenstyn May Be Entering Final Season In BuffaloWe’re almost at the start of the NHL’s 2025-26 regular season, and on THN.com’s Buffalo Sabres site, we’re nearing the conclusion of our exclusive player-by-player series in which we break down the expectations for each Sabres player this coming season.

2025-26 Expectations: As the son of longtime NHL star Shane Doan, Josh Doan knows what it means to have high expectations hanging over his head. But to be honest, Josh Doan’s early individual numbers don’t make you think he’s as effective as Shane Doan was in his stellar NHL prime.

Still, Josh Doan’s size at 6-foot-2 makes him out to be a big-framed individual, and he’s going to work his tail off in training camp and come out of the chute to force the hand of Sabre coach Lindy Ruff. Doan has to ensure one part of him stands out for the Sabres. And if he can do that, Buffalo management will get a standing ovation for bringing Doan aboard.

Doan’s career-highs as a Utah Mammoth organization member were very modest, but in Buffalo, he could quickly make himself a highly-valued member.  Doan is still in a “show me don’t tell me” mode, but he’s going to have every opportunity to succeed.

Sabres 2025-26 Player Expectations: Newcomer Winger Danforth A Role Player At Best For Buffalo In '25-26The NHL’s 2025-26 season is about to begin, and on THN.com’s Buffalo Sabres site, we’re approaching the end of our player-by-player series in which we analyze every Sabres player’s expectations for the coming season.

Doan is still finding his legs at the NHL level. He’s also got a chip on his shoulder given that he’s quick been traded early in his career. And given his genetics, Doan has the innate skills teams are looking for in a young player.

If he can harness the snub from Utah and help Buffalo get into a playoff berth this year, Doan will be a fixture for years to come in Buffalo. And the Petterka trade will look much better than it may look early on him Doan’s career.

The Pittsburgh Penguins had their first training camp practice on Thursday after the team announced their 69-player training camp roster on Wednesday.

The players were split into three groups, with Group A practicing from 8:45 to 10:15 a.m. ET, Group B practicing from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET, and Group C practicing from 2 to 3:30 p.m. ET. 

It was only the first day of camp, but there were still some positive developments from practice. Here are some notes and observations from day one. 

Group A

Ville Koivunen shines

Koivunen stood out the most during his practice session in the morning. He was knifing through players left and right, and showed a ton of improvement in his skating. His skating had gotten better towards the end of the 2024-25 season and during the Prospects Challenge, but has been taken up a notch to start camp. 

Here's a prime example:

Koivunen scores a goal and celebrates accordingly. #LetsGoPenspic.twitter.com/4nuXuZpFVU

— Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) September 18, 2025

He had an eight-game sample with the Penguins to end the 2024-25 season and finished with seven points. He got 5v5 ice-time with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and never looked out of place.

As long as he keeps it up at camp, he'll likely be a lock for the opening-night roster. 

Erik Karlsson starts fast

Karlsson missed all of training camp last year due to an injury and didn't look like himself for the first several weeks of the season. He eventually settled in a bit, and ended up playing in all 82 regular-season games. 

The Penguins' No. 1 defenseman is fully healthy at this year's camp and looked the part on Thursday. His skating and playmaking were very noticeable throughout the session, and he even got to up against Penguins top prospect Harrison Brunicke in some 1v1 situations. 

Karlsson has a lot to play for this year since he's trying to make Sweden's Olympic team after playing in the 4 Nations Face-Off. There's a chance that he really improves this year since he'll be under a new system. 

Group B

Evgeni Malkin and Anthony Mantha skate together

Malkin and Mantha were in a lot of drills together and were feeding off one another during 2v2 drills.

It looked like head coach Dan Muse was trying to test them on the same line since there's a good chance he's looking at giving them top-six minutes together to start the regular season, and he was probably happy with the results. 

Malkin was scoring some nice goals off the rush during drills and Mantha's skating looked to be fully back after suffering a torn ACL last November. 

Jack St. Ivany is back healthy

St. Ivany is a dark-horse for the right side of the Penguins' defense, and he got off to a solid start on Thursday. He was showcasing his release and scored a few goals during some drills, and also skated really well. 

St. Ivany was banged up for a good chunk of last season, but is back healthy and pushing for a spot on an already-crowded right side. Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang are locks for top-four minutes, but after that, it's anyone's game for the bottom-pairing spot. St. Ivany is going against Matt Dumba, Connor Clifton, and Harrison Brunicke, who had a five-star camp last year. 

This is going to be a fun battle to watch over the next two weeks. 

Group C

Kevin Hayes

Hayes was the best player during Group C's session before going down with an injury. Defenseman Ryan Graves hit him along the boards, and Hayes stayed down for a few moments before some trainers helped him skate off the ice. 

Muse told reporters after practice that Hayes is being evaluated for an upper-body injury, so we'll see if he's on the ice for Friday's practice. 

Before the injury, Hayes was playing like someone who knows there's a lot of competition for a roster spot. He was protecting the puck beautifully and being a pest defensively during 2v2 drills. 

He's heading into his second season with the Penguins after finishing the 2024-25 season with 13 goals and 23 points in 64 games.

'The Young Guys Are Coming': 3 Observations From Dubas's Pre-Season Press ConferenceOn Thursday, the Pittsburgh Penguins opened their 2025 training camp with a few words from general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas. 

Sergei Murashov dazzles in net

Murashov had a great Prospects Challenge for the Penguins and is riding that momentum into training camp. He was paired with fellow goaltender Joel Blomqvist in Group C, and was the better goalie.

He was showcasing his agility in the crease and didn't give up a lot of goals during drills. He was challenging shooters throughout the session and looked calm and composed. 

He's still probably at least a year away from becoming a full-time NHL goaltender, but the talent is very much there. The next step in his development is being the starting goaltender in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this year. 

---

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!  

LAS VEGAS - The Golden Knights opened training camp on Thursday with star center Jack Eichel participating in only the first half of the first of three practice sessions.

Coach Bruce Cassidy said Eichel didn’t skate in the second session because he had "a little tweak," and because it was the first day of camp, they didn’t want to risk it.

Earlier in the day, Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon reiterated his stance that Eichel's contract extension is a top priority.

McCrimmon added that nothing regarding Eichel's deal is contingent on Edmonton's Connor McDavid or Minnesota's Kirill Kaprizov, both also in extension talks with their respective teams.

"I think from our standpoint, our situation is independent," McCrimmon said. "And I would say what I said in July - Jack is a priority. I think he feels the organization's been very good for him ... and we'll continue to have dialogue.

"We have tremendous regard for the player, what he's meant to our organization."

What he means is a Stanley Cup in his first full season with Vegas, in 2023, and the team feeling it's a legitimate contender to win another title as long as he's on the roster.

In his three-plus seasons with the Knights, Eichel has 253 points, including a career high 94 last season, to go along with a career-best 66 assists.

Eichel, who finished fifth in voting for both the Hart and Selke trophies, said recently his focus is only what he can control and isn't necessarily concerned with his contract.

"That's sort of been my mindset," Eichel said. "And what are the things that I focus on? Preparing for the season. Getting my mind and body in the best place to be successful and help our hockey team, and that's more so my focus. I think anything else sort of just takes care of itself when you do your job well.

"If contracts happen organically, then it happens. Right now, you're just focused on trying to get yourself in as good of a place as you can be to start the season and help the hockey team."

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- To no one’s surprise, Jim Montgomery saw some good, and some not-so-good to open St. Louis Blues training camp for the 2025-26 season.

The Blues coach, opening his first full camp after he was hired Nov. 25, 2024, and his coaching staff put two groups on the ice for the first time Thursday, will do so again Friday before opening preseason play Saturday against the Dallas Stars.

“Pretty good overall,” Montgomery said. “Intensity was good. Pace was slow in a couple of drills, but really good in other drills when we had to really battle each other. I liked the way our second and third effort is naturally being there on the first day. Execution was not where we would like it, but you kind of expect that on Day 1.”

Montgomery and the Blues went on an unprecedented run last year that saw the team reach the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in three seasons, highlighted by a franchise-record 12-game winning streak to get in as the second wild card before falling to the Winnipeg Jets in seven games of the first round.

“It’s great that ‘Monty’ is going to have a full training camp to get us ready,” Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said as he enters his final season as GM. “I think one of the things you want to be careful against is when you finish as strong as you did, you think that that is going to be a natural carryover. One of the things you understand over time is like [Logan] Mailloux doesn’t care how we played, [Pius] Suter doesn’t care how we played, [Nick] Bjugstad doesn’t care how well we played at the end. We have to build our own team again. We have to start that foundation. There’s a lot of things that the players can remember and learn from from last year, but to think that they can replicate it by just showing up, hockey doesn’t work that way. The NHL doesn’t work that way. Just the understanding of when I look at the Central Division (and) how strong that is right now, we have to be ready to go at the start of the season. It’s going to be a battle every night. When you’re coming from behind, you can sneak up on teams. This year, hopefully we proved to some teams that we’re a capable opponent and we’ll get their best game and they’ll get ours and we’ll see how we fit.”

For Montgomery, he was able to adjust and implement on the fly in the middle of the season. How he gets to begin fresh, anew in putting in place what needs to transpire.

“Competing is going to be No. 1,” he said. “Playing with pace, being selfless, things that gave us a lot of success, but we need to ramp it up a couple levels. You’ve got to get off to a great start, so camp, if you don’t have a camp, you don’t get off to a good start. Today was a good Day 1. I expect them to be better tomorrow.”

Suter (two years, $8.25 million) and Bjugstad (two years, $3.75 million) were the top two free agent signings this past summer.

Pius Suter #stlblues ... pic.twitter.com/R95rZS8x9X

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) September 18, 2025

“Just the overall depth it gives us, right,” Montgomery said. “Both of them real smart, veteran players. You can tell already they understood how we want to play. They were making good, defensive plays and real good offensive support plays.”

Mailloux, a defenseman acquired from the Montreal Canadiens for Zack Bolduc, will get his first big chance to earn his way onto an NHL roster.

“He was known as an offensive defenseman; that’s what he’s been his whole career, and I can see the shot, I can see the instincts,” Montgomery said. “But what was really impressive was the defensive stick. He got his stick on a lot of pucks, ended a lot of plays, killed plays. That was nice to see.

#stlblues will be working quite a bit with Logan Mailloux (No. 23) in the D-zone. They know what he can do with a puck on his stick ... pic.twitter.com/yQsBZ47e46

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) September 18, 2025

“I think that’s what his role was last year was to work on that (defense) and you can tell. He’s a conscientious, good teammate because he got better. His stick, we watched clips of him and it was very evident in the American (Hockey) League that he was doing a real good job with his stick.”

And veteran Milan Lucic, invited in to camp on a PTO, comes with familiarity and a chance.

Milan Lucic wearing No. 12 in #stlblues camp ... pic.twitter.com/D70TvkGXgC

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) September 18, 2025

“He's got to win a job,” Montgomery said. “I know that sounds simple, but he's got to be good 200 feet, he's got to know what we're doing defensively. There was one rush drill where he took it wide and like that was NHL speed. He took it hard to the net. Those are things that we think, as a team, we need to be better at than last year and maybe he's someone that can help us.”

Added Blues captain Brayden Schenn on Lucic: “He’s a guy that you want on your team. He can control the bench, control the room. He’s a guy when you have on your team, guys know he’s out there. That’s an important guy you need in your locker room and on your team. I’m looking forward – I think we all are – to have him. Everyone speaks very highly of him. He’s a heck of a teammate.”

As the Blues begin their journey to the Oct. 9 season-opener against the Minnesota Wild at home, does Game 7 against the Jets still sting and should it serve as a motivator?

“I think it’s motivation because we don’t like the way we finished that game,” Montgomery said. “We didn’t advance, we should have advanced, but we’re not laboring it, we’re going to learn from it and we’re going to get better. That’s our mindset and starting off camp right now, we’re not thinking Game 7, we’re thinking about getting off to a great start this year.”

Blues Top Picks Getting Looks With High-End Veterans MARYLAND HEIGHTS. Mo. -- There’s a method to what the St. Louis Blues want to do with some of their young talent – especially first-round talent – that they’ve selected in the past few years. Young Rising Blues Forward: "I Want To Be A Top Player In This League One Day" MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Don’t mistake Dylan Holloway the wrong way. The St. Louis Blues forward is beyond grateful to be healthy and skating 100 percent for the first time since what turned out to be an ugly injury that derailed a fantastic first season in the Gateway City. Blues' Jake Neighbours Set To Miss First Three Days Of Training CampSt. Louis Blues winger Jake Neighbours will miss the first three days of training camp to attend to a personal family matter. 'It's His Job to Lose,' Blues GM Doug Armstrong With A Straightforward Message To Logan MaillouxThe St. Louis Blues' training camp has finally started, but prior to the first practices, GM Doug Armstrong spoke to the media, talking about several topics.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar announced the 2025-26 season will be the last of his NHL career. 

“I’ve decided that this year is going to be my last year playing in the NHL,” Kopitar said in a press conference on Thursday.

The Kings captain made the announcement with his wife and two kids sitting next to him at the table. He said it’s time to be available for the family.

“These guys sitting here with me have been with me for the past 20-plus years,” he said. “Now, they deserve a husband and a dad to be home and present.”

The timing for Kopitar to hang up his skates fits with the remaining duration of his contract. This is the final year of a two-year contract he signed in July 2023, earning $7 million per season.

Since the Kings drafted Kopitar 11th overall in the 2005 draft, the Slovenian center has played 19 NHL seasons, soon to be 20. He's feeatured in more than 1,500 regular-season and playoff games, all for Los Angeles.

Kopitar will go down as one of the best Kings in franchise history, if not the best. He already leads the organization in games played (1,454) and assists (838). Furthermore, considering his consistency over the last few years, he’ll likely become the franchise’s point leader as he’s just 29 points behind Marcel Dionne’s 1,307.

Speaking of Kopitar’s consistency, in campaigns where the 38-year-old played at least 50 games, he has never scored fewer than 50 points. His career high came in the 2017-18 campaign when he scored 35 goals and 92 points. He finished seventh in the NHL for scoring that year, alongside Pittsburgh Penguins right winger Phil Kessel.

In addition to his scoring consistency, L.A.’s captain could be counted on to suit up for nearly every contest. In the last eight seasons, Kopitar has only missed four games across the regular season and post-season.

Kopitar has accomplished many great things in his long career. The highlight of it all would be his two Stanley Cup championships in 2012 and 2014. To add to that hardware, he has two Selke Trophies, three Lady Byng Trophies and a Mark Messier Leadership Award.

Anze Kopitar, widely considered the greatest player in Kings franchise history and poised to become the team's all-time leading scorer, announced Thursday he will retire at the end of the 2025-26 season.

"I just felt this is the time, but saying that, I'm looking extremely forward to this next season," said Kopitar, who added the decision was rooted in spending more time with his family. "I still have a lot of motivation. I've got a lot of energy, a lot of desire to compete at the highest level."

Kopitar said he was confident his decision would hold — even if the Kings made it all the way to Game 7 of a Stanley Cup Final.

"My mind is made up. It was a hard decision," Kopitar said. "I want to get this out of the way now, to where I’m not a distraction for the team. ... I just felt that this is the best time."

Entering his 20th season with the Kings and the final year of his contract, the decision was somewhat expected from the 38-year-old team captain. He told KCAL News last month he was thinking about retirement and that it could be his last NHL season.

Kings general manager Ken Holland told NHL Network Radio in July that Kopitar indicated he wasn’t seeking a contract extension this summer and was intending to take things a “year at a time.”

Kopitar's announcement came only hours after Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw announced he would retire at the end of the season.

“Must have been something in the universe for us to decide to do it on the same day,” Kopitar said.

Kopitar’s Hall of Fame credentials have already been established. The greatest player ever from Slovenia, he helped lead the Kings to the franchise’s Stanley Cup victories in 2012 and 2014 as part of a core four that included Dustin Brown, Jonathan Quick and Drew Doughty.

Kopitar is second all-time in franchise scoring, with 1,278 points in a franchise-leading 1,454 games played. He is 30 points away from breaking Marcel Dionne’s team record for most points (1,307). He ranks third all-time in franchise goals (440) behind Luc Robitaille (557) and Dionne (550) and leads in assists (838). He is a two-time Selke trophy winner (best defensive forward) and three-time Lady Byng trophy winner (gentlemanly play).

Ultimately, Kopitar's collective triumphs with the Kings have meant more to him than individual accolades.

"The fact that we were the first team to bring the Cup to L.A., it makes it special," he said. "And then to follow it up with another one, those are the core memories that you can’t just ignore, even sometimes when times were a little bit rough and we didn’t have a very competitive team.

"Those memories, and the guys around you that have won with you before, those are the reasons that I didn’t think about going anywhere else.”

Drafted 11th overall by the Kings in 2005, Kopitar made an immediate impact during his 2006-07 rookie season, finishing with 20 goals and 61 points for a downtrodden team that was in the middle of a six-year playoff drought.

Eventually, with Doughty joining the team in 2008 coupled with steady growth from Brown, Quick and Kopitar, the Kings returned to the playoffs in 2010 before capturing the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in 2012.

Kopitar has stood out on a team that has had many greats, including NHL all-time leading scorer Wayne Gretzky.

“It’s really hard for me to sit here and say I’m the greatest King. That’s just not my personality. Far from it,” Kopitar told The Times’ Helene Elliott in 2023. “There’s been great Kings in this organization, with Marcel, Luc, Dave [Taylor], Wayne, Blakey [Rob Blake]. The list can go on for a little bit. Brownie. Individually, yes, but it’s about collective wins.”

Read more:Kings' Corey Perry to miss six to eight weeks after knee surgery

With Kopitar's decision, the biggest roster question facing the Kings remains whether they can re-sign Adrian Kempe to a long-term deal. Kempe, who has led the team in points the last two seasons, is in the final year of his contract.

The Kings open the preseason Sunday against the Ducks in the Empire Classic at Toyota Arena in Ontario. They begin the regular season against the Colorado Avalanche at Crypto.com Arena on Oct. 7.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

MARYLAND HEIGHTS. Mo. -- There’s a method to what the St. Louis Blues want to do with some of their young talent – especially first-round talent – that they’ve selected in the past few years.

If those players feel they’re ready to break through and become NHL players, they are going to have to A) earn the job, and B) take a job from some else, already an established player.

So for the likes of Dalibor Dvorsky (first round, 2023, No. 10 overall), Otto Stenberg (first round, 2023, 25th overall), Theo Lindstein (first round, 2023, 29th overall), Adam Jiricek (first round, 2024, 16th overall), and Justin Carbonneau (first round, 2025, 19th overall), those players are being given opportunities with veteran, high-end players to see how they fit and fare.

“We want to give everybody the opportunity to play with NHL players, but we also want to give our NHL players and some of the younger ones especially the opportunity to make people better,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said after the first day of training camp. “It’s part of what we want to do as an organization is anytime someone comes into fold, comes into family, we’re going to try and make them better. You had a lot of two veterans with one young guy so that they could talk to them and communicate with them because they know the drills, they know how we want to play, they know our identity so that they can help the young guys you saw out there like Carbonneau and d-men as well.

“They’ve got to show that they can make plays at the NHL level and they’ve also got to show that they’re reliable, trustworthy without the puck, playing the right way, getting above pucks, reloading, knowing where your stick should be knowing where you should stop, all those little things that add to victories.”

On Thursday, Stenberg was skating with Robert Thomas and Jimmy Snuggerud; Dvorsky was with Pius Suter and Jordan Kyrou; Carbonneau was with Brayden Schenn and Dylan Holloway; Lindstein was paired with Justin Faulk, and Jiricek was paired with Philip Broberg.

And for Dvorsky, who is open to playing on the wing even though he’s a natural center, he was on Suter’s wing the first day.

“We felt that with the players we acquired in the summer that we got deep down the middle, so this is an opportunity to see the young man … he’s gifted,” Montgomery said of Dvorsky. “He scored two beautiful goals today. So offensively, he’s gifted. It’s easier to focus on what you’re good at as a winger than a center.”

Justin Carbonneau wants to make his living around the net #stlblues ... pic.twitter.com/wpvWmw7JXl

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) September 18, 2025

Make no mistake about it. Management won’t hesitate to give one of these younger players a job out of camp – if they earn it.

“Well, we saw some of that in Minnesota,” Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said of the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase, getting a leg up in seeing some of these players. “It’s going to be the hockey sense, it’s going to be the competitiveness in certain areas. My expectation is for Jim to have a very good training camp. A lot of battle drills, how they can compete in that. They’re going to get exhibition games. The way we’ve organized the first few days of training camp, we have two veteran players … Carbonneau’s with a good line. All these guys are with first-round picks, these guys that should have the skill level from when they were drafted and we’ll take a look at that with that group, but there’s always someone that pops up underneath that wants to get your attention too.

“Training camp is very important for a lot of guys this year. We have six exhibition games. We usually have a few more than that, so everyone’s going to have to put their best foot forward. If you’re not here on Oct. 9th doesn’t mean you’re not going to be here on Nov. 9th. It’s easy for me to say it’s up for people to accept, but we’re in this for the long haul of continuing to get better. Contracts won’t exclude you from being in the NHL if you’re good enough.”

Young Rising Blues Forward: "I Want To Be A Top Player In This League One Day" MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Don’t mistake Dylan Holloway the wrong way. The St. Louis Blues forward is beyond grateful to be healthy and skating 100 percent for the first time since what turned out to be an ugly injury that derailed a fantastic first season in the Gateway City. Blues' Jake Neighbours Set To Miss First Three Days Of Training CampSt. Louis Blues winger Jake Neighbours will miss the first three days of training camp to attend to a personal family matter.

ST. PAUL, Minn - The Minnesota Wild opened training camp on Thursday and plenty of news came out of it. Kirill Kaprizov talked to the media for the first time since the recent reports and Wild general manager Bill Guerin did as well.

One piece of news that was a bit surprising was another injury. We knew defenseman Jonas Brodin could miss the start of the season and now Mats Zuccarello could join him.

Zuccarello, 38, was not on the ice for the start of the camp and questions started coming up. Before training camp even started the expectation was for Zuccarello to open the season on the top line with Kaprizov.

Guerin said that Zuccarello will be out for "a little while" when he spoke on Thursday. He did indicate that his injury is recent. As for the timetable?

"I don't want to say weeks, but yes," Guerin said. "I guess weeks."

He was then asked if Zuccarello could miss the start of the season and Guerin said he could be.

This has now opened the door for youngster Liam Ohgren to get a crack in the top six. The 21-year-old forward started training camp with Joel Eriksson Ek and Vladimir Tarasenko.

"It's huge. It's up to him to grab it," Guerin said on Ohgren's opportunity. "It's an incredible opportunity for him."

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- Former Minnesota Wild Prospect Signs One-Year Deal With Columbus.

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Don’t mistake Dylan Holloway the wrong way. The St. Louis Blues forward is beyond grateful to be healthy and skating 100 percent for the first time since what turned out to be an ugly injury that derailed a fantastic first season in the Gateway City.

But after putting up 63 points (26 goals, 37 assists) in 77 games in his first full NHL season after coming to the Blues via an offer sheet that was not matched by the Edmonton Oilers – along with defenseman Philip Broberg – in August of 2024, the 23-year-old first-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft (No. 14 overall) feels like there’s more to be had.

Plenty more.

“I’ve got pretty lofty goals for myself,” Holloway said Thursday when the Blues opened training camp. “When you kind of set out to be a hockey player, you just want to make it to the NHL and now that I’ve been in the NHL for a bit, I want everything I can get. I’ve got some pretty lofty goals for myself. I want to be a top player in this league one day. It’s a goal that I know takes a lot of work, but something that I’m going to strive for.

“Last year I was fortunate enough to get some bounces and things were going in, but at the same time too, I felt pretty confident in my ability. After a big summer this summer, I feel even more confident. I’m excited to get things going and even prove it to myself and prove to everybody that I can be a top guy in this league.”

Holloway didn’t go as far as saying he wants to be a Connor McDavid or a Nathan MacKinnon or any of the other top-end echelon players in the NHL today, he just feels he can be among them. Some pretty lofty goals from what appears to be a very confident player, and why wouldn’t he be after things finally took off for him last season, given an opportunity in a full time role after 89 games over two seasons in limited roles with the Oilers.

But not only is there a team that’s motivated heading into a new season, there’s a player that’s also motivated, especially since he was rendered helpless and not being able to perform with his teammates in that excruciating seven-game series loss against the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference First Round.

“There’s not much I can do at that point. It sucked,” Holloway said. “You go all year, the team was working so hard to make the playoffs, we go on that really special run and it takes everybody. It was such a good environment in the room, a good vibe. To all of the sudden to not be a part of that was definitely a big shock and it sucked. You care so much throughout the year and you care so much come playoff time. To not be able to put your body on the line with the guys was tough, but I kind of had to come to peace with those terms and try to be a good teammate.”

It fell off the rails for Holloway April 3 in a 5-4 overtime win against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The result was tearing the oblique off the hip bone. It required surgery and his season was essentially done in an instant.

“That was brutal, that sucked,” Holloway said. “I guess there’s no way to sugarcoat it. It was awful. I had to come to peace with the terms of not playing. The only way I could help out is just be a good teammate and support the boys. That’s what I tried to do.”

A fairytale season with a brutal ending, but now Holloway is 100 percent and looking as sharp as ever.

#stlblues have Dylan Holloway back and healthy again ... pic.twitter.com/8fxwP8IKgQ

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) September 18, 2025

“It looks like he didn't even miss anything. It was good,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “His second and third effort, I think is contagious. He was really good today. It was a pleasant, pleasant day to see him back out there.”

Holloway opened camp skating with Brayden Schenn and 2025 first-round pick Justin Carbonneau looking to pick up where he left off.

“You always need guys with high work ethic and high compete levels, and he definitely has that,” Schenn said of Holloway. “Secondly, he’s dynamic, he’s a good skater, he’s a good puck-handler, he has a heck of a release and a shot.

“I think just the biggest thing with those guys if I even remember when I was young is like you get a chance early, maybe it doesn’t go the way you want in Edmonton and now you get a chance here and it’s a completely different slate with a new opportunity and new eyes on you, and he was able to take off and run with it. There’s pressure on all of us, but that’s part of pro sports. I don’t think we have to be hard on guys where they expect and demand a completely different Dylan Holloway. I think if he sticks to what he does and how he approaches his day to day and doesn’t worry about the results, worries about the day to day, he’s going to be totally fine.”

Yeah, Dylan Holloway's got that speed going again #stlblues ... pic.twitter.com/dMjFHoxylB

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) September 18, 2025

Holloway skated in a career-high 16:49 per game, getting top assignments the more the season went and earning the trust from the coaching staff. And for him to become one of those top-end league players, will come more opportunity.

“Potentially penalty killing for us, eat more minutes,” Montgomery said. “He has an iron lung. It doesn’t seem like he gets tired. He just keeps skating. He’s the Energizer Bunny out there. I guess for him, it’s developing his 200-foot game and continuing to evolve as a dynamic offensive player.”

Holloway has turned into an absolute bargain for the Blues when he signed a two-year, $4.58 million ($2.29 million average annual value) contract that has one year left on it, then can become a restricted free agent next summer.

The Blues know what they have, so don’t fret, he isn’t going anywhere.

“He and I talked last couple of days,” Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said. “He's in a great place physically. Mentally he's even in a better place. When I talked to he and Broberg about the whirlwind things they did last year, end of July they're Edmonton Oilers and then for a week they're NHL property and then they're St. Louis Blues. Then coming here and have to deal with the expectations: St. Louis overpaid, the other team should've kept them. There was all that debris that they had to deal with and for them to play as well as they did last year ... Holloway took it to a level of his draft position. He was a top pick and he played like a top pick, as Broberg did. If we're going to be a good team, Holloway has to replicate that, or very close to replicating that. Not just point wise. He's probably the hardest-working player we have in our organization right now. You come in here on a Sunday morning and you think you have the place to yourself and then you hear pucks clanking and he's in the shooting room. He's a hockey player, he loves it, he works extremely hard. His conditioning is off the charts. Better person than player, too. He's the full package of what you would want in an organization and we learned that after we got him. You don't know those things until you get them in the room. But he's a core piece of what we've got going and he wants to be a core piece, too.”

As for that next contract, Holloway said, “Honestly right now, I’m not too worried about it. I’m just focused on playing hockey. That’s one thing I’ll let Army and my agent kind of take care of. That’s why you’ve got an agent, they take care of that stuff and you just play hockey. That’s what I’m worried about.

“… I feel good. I was fortunate enough that the injury healed faster than I anticipated. I was able to get a good summer in and skating 100 percent and working out 100 percent. Trying to get better and not thinking about the oblique. I feel pretty good right now and just hope to keep it going.”

Blues' Jake Neighbours Set To Miss First Three Days Of Training CampSt. Louis Blues winger Jake Neighbours will miss the first three days of training camp to attend to a personal family matter. 'It's His Job to Lose,' Blues GM Doug Armstrong With A Straightforward Message To Logan MaillouxThe St. Louis Blues' training camp has finally started, but prior to the first practices, GM Doug Armstrong spoke to the media, talking about several topics. Armstrong Not Going Down Memory Lane In Final Year As GM Of St. Louis Blues MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Doug Armstrong’s not looking for gifts; he’s not looking for accolades.

Training Camp has officially commenced for the Detroit Red Wings, who are once again calling Center I.C.E. Arena in Traverse City, Mich. their home away from home in a tradition that was founded by former head coach Scotty Bowman in 1997. 

A mixture of familiar and new faces hit both ice surfaces at the venue for various drills as well as a scrimmage as hundreds of excited fans of all generations gathered to watch their hockey heroes. 

One of the familiar faces was head coach Todd McLellan, who made his return to the organization last December after he was hired to replaced the terminated Derek Lalonde.

McLellan had served as an assistant coach with the Red Wings from 2005 through their 2008 Stanley Cup before departing to accept the head coaching position with the San Jose Sharks. 

Based on the line combinations that the Red Wings skated with during their split-squad rosters, the line combination of Marco Kasper, Patrick Kane, and Alex DeBrincat remained intact. 

Tic-tac-GOAL!

Marco Kasper's 13th of the season. #LGRWpic.twitter.com/RdEpZw4sJa

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 16, 2025

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

It helps that DeBrincat already had developed a playing chemistry with Kane from their years together earlier in their careers with the Chicago Blackhawks, which was a natural draw for Kane to choose the Red Wings as an unrestricted free agent in December 2023. 

"I think Cat and Kaner have that instinctive, 'I know where you are, I know where you're going to release the puck' relationship," McLellan said. "They've played together long enough and they think the same way. Shoot, pass, or playmaker, whatever you want to call each of them." 

Kasper, who remained with the Red Wings for good after being summoned from the Grand Rapids Griffins in late October of last season, seemed to find a groove while centering Kane and DeBrincat, especially during the second half of the campaign. 

"Kasp complimented both of them, they needed somebody to do work in some certain areas, to defend down low," McLellan said of Kasper. "And he didn't succumb to the pressure of playing with potentially two Hall of Famers when it's all said and done, but he played his own game and that was impressive." 

As far as whether or not fans can expect to see the line at Little Caesars Arena on Oct. 9 against the Montreal Canadiens for the regular season opener, that remains up in the air. 

"Are we going to start with them Opening Night? I can't tell you that, we have three and a half weeks to go, and we'll figure all of that out when Opening Night rolls around," McLellan said.

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Gold team defenseman Tanner Molendyk (50) looks to shoot past Blue team defenseman Luke Shipley (57) during the Future Stars Game at the Ford Ice Center Bellevue in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, July 5, 2025.. © Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Luke Evangelista wasn’t the only one absent from the first day of practice with the Nashville Predators.

Defensemen Tanner Molendyk and Cameron Reid were both not present due to injury, according to the team.

Molendyk is nursing a lower-body injury he suffered during the first practice of Predators rookie camp last week.

The 6-foot, 181-pound blueliner delivered a hit along the boards while performing a drill and left that practice shortly thereafter. He did not play in any of the three games during the prospect tournament, and is currently listed as day-to-day.

Reid also suffered a lower-body injury during the final game of the tournament against Florida. He played in the team’s first two games against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes before exiting the Panthers’ contest early.

The Predators selected Molendyk No. 24 overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, while Reid was taken 21st overall in 2025.

Last season, Molendyk tallied 21 points (4-17-21) in 21 games for the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL. He also appeared in 28 regular-season games with the Medicine Hat Tigers, recording 26 points (5-21-26) and 20 points (4-16-20 in 18 playoff games.

Molendyk had a chance to compete for a spot on the NHL roster coming into training camp. Depending on how long he is out, that opportunity could be delayed. Most likely, he will start the season with the Milwaukee Admirals in the AHL.

As an alternate captain with the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers in 2024-25, Reid collected 54 points (14-40-54) in 67 regular-season games. In 14 playoff games, he had five assists.

Reid is expected to be back in Kitchener for his third season in juniors.

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It is an exciting time of year for hockey fans, as NHL teams are back on the ice for training camp. However, unfortunately for one former Montreal Canadiens forward, he will need to spend some time recovering before he gets his training camp started. 

According to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch, former Canadiens forward Lars Eller is recovering from a minor abdominal procedure and will miss the beginning of the Ottawa Senators' training camp.

Eller signed a one-year, $1.25 million contract with the Senators after hitting the market as an unrestricted free agent (UFA) on July 1. Now, he will need to wait a bit before he can show his new team what he can do.

Eller is expected to be a solid part of the Senators' bottom six as they look to build off their solid 2024-25 season. 

Eller split this past season between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, where he recorded 10 goals, 12 assists, 22 points, 57 hits, and a minus-5 rating in 80 games. This was after he posted 15 goals and 31 points in 82 games with the Penguins during the 2023-24 season. 

Eller spent six seasons with the Canadiens from 2010-11 to 2015-16. In 435 games as a member of the Habs, he recorded 71 goals, 83 assists, 154 points, and 560 hits. 

Training camp is officially underway, and hockey is back. This means the team get to take a closer look at all their line combinations and ideas on the ice rather than just on paper.

One thing coaches would like to look at is what sort of talent they have coming up from the AHL. Some will get the opportunity to share a line with some great NHL players and participate in a few pre-season contests to prove their worth.

Here are a handful of wingers who played in the minors last season, looking to become full-time NHL players.

Matthew Savoie, RW, Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers got younger in the off-season, acquiring NCAA star Isaac Howard, and all signs point to Matthew Savoie becoming a regular in this upcoming season. 

Savoie is coming off a great rookie campaign with the Bakersfield Condors, scoring 19 goals and 54 points in 66 appearances. The 21-year-old right winger is going to be given plenty of opportunity and responsibility in what will likely be his first full NHL season alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Matej Blumel, RW, Boston Bruins

After three consecutive solid seasons with the Texas Stars in the AHL, the Boston Bruins now hold the rights of Matej Blumel, as they signed him on July 1. Blumel was the AHL’s leading goal scorer last season with 39 tallies and finished second in scoring with 72 points in 67 games.

The Czech right winger has a clear opportunity to make the Bruins roster out of training camp, depending on his performance. Boston struggled to score last season, and if he shows that he can be the offensive threat that he was with Texas, he may not have to report to Providence.

Trey Fix-Wolansky, RW, New York Rangers

Trey Fix-Wolansky signed a one-year deal with the New York Rangers following parts of seven seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 26-year-old right winger registered three straight 60-point seasons with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters.

Last season, he scored 26 goals and 60 points in 65 games for the Monsters. Despite his success in the AHL, including a 71-point season in 2022-23, he was never able to get regular time in The Show. Whether that’ll be with the Rangers or more time in the American League with the Hartford Wolf Pack, Fix-Wolansky could make a name for himself this training camp.

Isak Rosen, LW, Buffalo Sabres

Isak Rosen, selected 14th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2021 draft, is coming off back-to-back 50-point campaigns with the Rochester Americans. The 22-year-old left winger has demonstrated consistency in the minors, with progress and improvements evident with each passing season.

He has dipped his toe in the NHL, playing 15 games across two seasons with the Sabres, but this could be the year he becomes a full-timer for them. Last season, he scored 28 goals and 55 points, leading the Americans in both those scoring categories.

Arshdeep Bains, LW, Vancouver Canucks

Arshdeep Bains earned some attention as he was a key contributor to the Abbotsford Canucks’ Calder Cup championship. In the regular season, he registered a respectable 11 goals and 43 points in 50 games. In the playoffs, he averaged a point per game, scoring seven goals and 24 points.

If the Vancouver Canucks struggle to score or miss offensive depth, Bains should be an obvious solution to that for Adam Foote’s team. The 24-year-old has played 21 NHL games across the last two seasons, recording one goal.

Vancouver Canucks Announce Contract Extension For Abbotsford Canucks Head Coach Manny MalhotraAbbotsford Canucks Head Coach Manny Malhotra will be staying with the organization for the next couple of seasons. On Tuesday, GM Patrik Allvin announced that the Canucks have picked up Malhotra's option for the 2026-27 season. This will keep Malhotra in Abbotsford for the next two seasons, where he can continue to help develop Vancouver's top prospects. 

Check out our AHL to KHL signing tracker and AHL Free Agency signing tracker.      

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The Kids Keep Coming - Apr. 2 2018 - Vol. 71 Issue 13 - Jared Clinton

JACK ROSLOVIC(GRAIG ABEL/GETTY IMAGES)

THE WINNIPEG JETS HAVE a habit of making their picks count on draft day. From sniper Patrik Laine, center Mark Scheifele and netminder Connor Hellebuyck to secondary standouts such as Nikolaj Ehlers, Josh Morrissey and Kyle Connor, Winnipeg has regularly supplemented its veteran talent with young upstarts, and it’s starting to pay dividends with more help on the way. “It goes back to the commitment we made when the team (came) here and the dedication from the ownership to make sure that scouting was an investment, that it wasn’t going to be just deemed an expense,” said GM Kevin Cheveldayoff.

1 JACK ROSLOVIC

RW, 21, 6-1, 187 Manitoba (AHL)

32–15–20–35–8 2015 draft, 25th overall

OVERALL 19

A breadth of offensive talent has allowed the Jets to be patient with Roslovic, but his play in the AHL has forced their hand. He’s been as good with the puck as he has been without it, and now it’s about translating his AHL success to NHL production. “We’ve given him time with respect to different opportunities and different roles,” Cheveldayoff said. “If you watch him play right now…it’s how he’s playing, how he’s reading, how he’s reacting, that the coaches are impressed with.”

FW17 | No. 2 NHL | 2018-19

2 KRISTIAN VESALAINEN

LW, 18, 6-3, 209 HPK (Fin.)

44–19–20–39–6 2017 draft, 24th overall

OVERALL 55

Vesalainen got a taste of the European top flights in previous seasons, but his usage and ice time were inconsistent. His eyebrow-raising performance this season has given him some stability. He has a big shot and the offensive acumen to hang with more seasoned competitors, and his bulky frame allows him to fight for pucks. “He’s in a solid situation now as opposed to last year when there were lots of different transitions,” Cheveldayoff said. “He’s confident and having success.”

FW17 | n/a NHL | 2020-21

3 DYLAN SAMBERG

D, 19, 6-4, 215 Minnesota-Duluth (NCHC)

32–1–8–9–37 2017 draft, 43rd overall

OVERALL 76

Samberg was a standout at the draft combine, and his production in high school was nothing short of brilliant. The leap to college has made offensive success challenging, however, and Samberg has taken his lumps. But his showing at the WJC, where he won bronze with Team USA, was proof that Samberg can finish. His size gives him a foundation with which to work, but he needs to grow into his frame. Improving his stride will also turn him into a more impactful offensive force.

FW17 | n/a NHL | 2021-22

4 BRENDAN LEMIEUX

LW, 21, 6-1, 210 Manitoba (AHL)

36–17–16–33–125 Trade (Buf), Feb. 11, 2015

OVERALL 94

An injury prior to camp last season prevented him from putting his best foot forward in the AHL. Lemieux has left those difficulties in the past, and the organization is impressed with the work he has done to transform his body. He’s bigger, stronger and faster – Cheveldayoff raved Lemieux was in “exceptional condition” – and the dedication to training has translated to greater production. He could do a better job walking the fine line between peskiness and the penalty box.

FW17 | No. 6 NHL | 2019-20

5 TUCKER POOLMAN

D, 24, 6-2, 199 Manitoba (AHL)

14–1–5–6–4 2013 draft, 127th overall

The Jets wanted Poolman to turn pro last season and gain experience, but an extra year in college has benefitted the smooth-skating defender. He stuck around in Winnipeg after camp and has been at the front of the line for call-ups, though he needs more ice time to reach his potential. The belief is Poolman can turn into an NHL hand in short order. “When you skate like him, have size like him, shoot like him, have hockey sense and are a good competitor, he could be a guy on the Josh Morrissey curve,” Cheveldayoff said.

FW17 | No. 5 NHL | 2018-19

6 ERIC COMRIE

G, 22, 6-1, 180 Manitoba (AHL)

16–9–2, 2.54, .921 2013 draft, 59th overall

Splitting time with Michael Hutchinson. Good attitude and a dedicated approach.

7 NIC PETAN

C, 22, 5-9, 179 Manitoba (AHL)

39–12–29–41–8 2013 draft, 43rd overall

Return to full-time AHL duty is step backward for skillful playmaker.

8 LOGAN STANLEY

D, 19, 6-7, 240 Kitchener (OHL)

54–13–25–38–95 2016 draft, 18th overall

Massive rearguard hitting stride as two-way threat after trade from Windsor.

9 MIKHAIL BERDIN

G, 19, 6-3, 180 Sioux Falls (USHL)

16–7–5, 2.65, .921 2016 draft, 157th overall

Has been solid in U.S. junior circuit. Needs to test himself on the next rung up.

10 MASON APPLETON

C, 22, 6-2, 201 Manitoba (AHL)

56–18–33–51–47 2015 draft, 168th overall

Transition from college has gone better than expected for AHL rookie standout.

21-AND-UNDER NHLERS | PATRIK LAINE, RW, 19; KYLE CONNOR, LW, 21