During the dog days of the 2025 NHL off-season, Mason McTavish has become the subject of growing trade rumors.

The 22-year-old Anaheim Ducks center is an RFA coming off his entry-level contract, and the lack of any hint of a new deal has prompted some pundits to speculate about his future in Anaheim and possible trade or offer-sheet destinations.

Earlier this month, The Hockey News' Patrick Present cited multiple reports claiming the Ducks sought a long-term deal, while the McTavish camp preferred a bridge contract. Meanwhile, Sportsnet's Ryan Dixon listed the Detroit Red Wings, Carolina Hurricanes, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers as potential trade landing spots for the young center. 

Eric Stephens of The Athletic brought some clarity to the situation this week, reporting Thursday that the Ducks want to re-sign McTavish. He said they see him as an important part of their lineup, indicating the two sides have “gone back and forth” on short- and long-term contract proposals. 

Stephens claimed the Ducks may not wish to go to the maximum eight-year contract. However, they're not just looking at a bridge deal. He acknowledged the trade rumors swirling about McTavish and which teams need a No. 2 center but pointed out MacTavish is equally important to the Ducks in that role.

NHL Rumor Roundup: The Latest On Blues' Kyrou And PenguinsSt. Louis Blues right winger Jordan Kyrou became the subject of trade rumors this spring following his club's first-round playoff elimination.

Speaking of free agents, Marco Rossi and the Minnesota Wild are getting closer to a new contract. 

On Thursday, Michael Russo of The Athletic reported the two sides had made “significant progress” toward a potential signing in the coming days. He believes it's likely to be a short-term “bridge” contract. 

Like McTavish, the 23-year-old Rossi is an RFA after completing his entry-level contract. Last month, Russo reported the young center had rejected a five-year, $25-million offer and a two-year proposal at just under $5 million annually, preferring a long-term deal worth between $6 million and $7 million.

Russo had indicated that Rossi was reluctant to sign a short-term contract, fearful of being stuck in a deal that could end up being below market value. 

RG.org's James Murphy reported sources claiming the Vancouver Canucks and Seattle Kraken were showing interest in acquiring Rossi. However, Russo's report suggests the young center will be staying with the Wild for the foreseeable future.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

---

The Kitchener Rangers recently were blindsided when top 2026 NHL draft prospect Adam Valentini decided not to honor his commitment to the team, and instead, head to the University of Michigan for the upcoming season. 

Well, the Rangers had some positive news to tell their fans on Thursday. 

The organization announced the signing of defenseman Alex Forrest to an OHL Standard Player Agreement. He was taken 24th overall as the first selection of the second round in the 2025 OHL Priority Selection. 

Press Release: Rangers Sign Alex Forrest to Standard Player Agreement

📰 https://t.co/EHytSjPqL2#RTown | #BattleBuiltpic.twitter.com/9j97mJTWYI

— Kitchener Rangers (@OHLRangers) August 21, 2025

Forrest, 16, won’t have much of a jersey change from what he’s used to. During the 2024-25 campaign, the St. Catharines, Ontario, native played for the Oakville Rangers U16 AAA. In the OMHA division, Forrest was regarded as the top defenseman and backed it up with his play and production. He recorded 39 points (10 goals, 29 assists) in 34 games, first amongst all blueliners in the OMHA. 

“Alex is an elite-level skater, skilled, and an extremely competitive kid, and we feel he will be a great fit with our hockey club,” said Kitchener Rangers GM Mike McKenzie. 

Top NHL Draft Prospect Adam Valentini Not To Honor OHL Commitment With KitchenerSour news hit the Kitchener Rangers organization, losing a high-end player just before training camp starts. 

After his season ended in the wildcard round of the 2025 OHL Cup, he joined the St. Catharines Falcons of the GOJHL for their playoff run. Forrest didn’t look out of place playing against older and tougher competition in his 13-game playoff stint, recording one goal and three assists. 

“A confident puck-mover with elite mobility, Forrest thrives with the puck on his stick, constantly shifting, manipulating defenders, and creating space through slick edgework and deception. His ability to walk the blueline and activate below the dots made him a dangerous dual threat all season long for the Oakville Rangers,” PDA Evaluations wrote regarding Forrest’s game. 

Hockey Canada identified the fleet-footed offensive defenseman as a promising prospect. Forrest was invited to partake in Hockey Canada’s U17 Summer Development Camp. 

---

Make sure you bookmark THN's OHL site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

Latest OHL News:

Sarnia Sting Fourth-Overall Pick Brenner Lammens Signs Right Before Training Camp Opens Up Just like the Peterborough Petes and Kingston Frontenacs had to do with their 2025 first-rounders, the crueling long wait is over for the Sarnia Sting. Their fourth-overall selection has officially signed and is ready to throw his body through whatever gets in his way at the OHL level.  Kingston Frontenacs Sign 2025 First-Rounder Aleks Kulemin, Son Of Former Toronto Maple Leafs Forward The Kingston Frontenacs have officially recruited both of their first-round draft picks from the 2025 OHL Priority Selection, even though one of them took a little longer to get over the finish line.  2025 First Overall Pick Kaden McGregor Finally Signs With PeterboroughBetter late than never. The Peterborough Petes have finally put pen to paper with the 2025 first overall pick. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 52 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today we look at the history of jersey #52. Almost every player on this list has a bad reputation of some sort. 

Let's take a look. 

Adam Foote - 2006-08 - Foote was the first player to wear #52 for the Blue Jackets in their history. In August of 2005, Adam Foote signed a 3-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. At the time, it seemed like a wonderful thing. A long-time star chose to sign with a young expansion team, and things were looking up. He would be joining a team with guys like Rick Nash, Sergei Federov, Todd Marchant, and Geoff Sanderson. After just a few months, Foote was given the C after Luke Richardson stepped down as the captain.  

In his first season with Columbus, he would play in 65 games. He scored six goals and had 22 points, which was good enough for third among defensemen on the team. The 2006-07 season saw him play 59 games. Foote only scored three goals and had 12 points. His first two seasons in Columbus weren’t going too well. In the third and final year of his contract, he would play in 63 games for the CBJ, scoring one goal and totaling 15 points. He was actually on pace to have his best year in a CBJ uniform.

On February 26th of 2008, Adam Foote was traded to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a pair of draft picks. The rumor was that Columbus was trying to re-sign Foote, but Foote was pricing himself out of Columbus. The rumors back then were that Foote, and his agent set their contract demands so high because they knew Columbus wouldn’t accept them, essentially forcing his way out of Columbus.

He ended his tenure with Columbus by playing in 187 games and totaling 49 points. He would play until 2011, and then he decided to retire. He is currently the newly named head coach of the Vancouver Canucks. 

Craig Rivet - 2011 - Originally drafted by Montreal in 1992, where he played the first 12 years of his career, he came to the Jackets at the end of his career in 2004. Rivet, who was the captain of the Buffalo Sabres at the time, was waived by Buffalo on February 23, 2011. On February 26, 2011, Rivet was claimed on re-entry waivers by the Jackets, where he played in 14 games and totaled 1 point. After announcing his retirement, in October of 2011 he signed with the ECHL's Elmira Jackals. It was later discovered that he signed the contract to obtain his United States permanent residency.

Kerby Rychel - 2015 - Rychel was drafted by Columbus in the first round of the 2013 draft and is the son of former NHL enforcer Warren Rychel. Unfortunately, the book on Kerby Rychel is really short. After playing just 37 games over two seasons, Rychel was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for defenseman Scott Harrington. Rychel would go on to play only 6 more NHL games in his career. 

He spent two seasons playing for Columbus' AHL affiliate Springfield Falcons, and Lake Erie Monsters. He would help the Monsters win the 2016 Calder Cup by totaling 27 points in 37 games. 

In 2019, he would leave for Swedish club Örebro HK of the Swedish Hockey League. He would quickly terminate that contract when KHL club HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk offered him a deal on September 3, 2019. The team would terminate his contract after only seven games when he failed to score a single point. 

Rychel is officially retired. 

Emil Bemström - 2020-24 - The Blue Jackets drafted Emil Bemström in 2017, #117 overall. Although he wasn’t a high draft pick, many draft experts thought the CBJ had found a decent player—a shifty skater who would score with a very good shot.

Bemström made his NHL debut during the 19-20 season. He would play in 56 games that season, scoring 10 goals and 20 points. Additionally, he played five playoff games in the bubble in 2020 but would fail to score a point.

During the shortened 2021 season, Bemström played 20 games in the NHL, but he also played for HIFK in Liiga. He would only score three goals and total five points for the Jackets. For HIFK however, he had 17 points in 16 games. During a game in May of 2021, Bemström would net a natural hat-trick against the Nashville Predators, his first NHL goal since March 2020.

The 2021-22 season Bemström would only play 41 games for the Jackets. He scored six goals and had 11 points. He would also play four games for Cleveland of the AHL scoring two goals.

In the 2022-23 season, Bemström would see his time split between Columbus and Cleveland. In Cleveland, he would play in 21 total games, scoring 14 goals and totaling 31 points. He seemed to be able to score and assist at will. In Columbus however, it was a different story. He played in 55 games, scoring seven goals for 22 points, and would average 12 minutes a game on ice.

Fans have a love/hate relationship with Emil Bemström. Most people think of him as a top prospect with unlimited potential, but what they need to realize is that he was a 4th round pick. Although a lot of scouts and draft experts didn’t think Bemström would even play in the NHL, he has shown that he can at least score a few goals.

But on April 13th, 2023, against the Pittsburgh Penguins, that love/hate relationship came to a head. Through no fault of his own and simply doing what he is being paid to do, he scored a power-play goal. The Penguins were winning the game at the point 2-1, with a little over three minutes left to play. Johnny Gaudreau would go on to win the game for the Jackets in OT. This win sealed the Jackets' fate in that they would not secure the worst record in the NHL, thus losing out on the chance to draft #1 overall. A large portion of CBJ fans turned on Bemström for this, unfairly. He seemed to have been forgiven after the Blue Jackets were able to secure Adam Fantilli.

Bemström's time in North America has come to an end after it's been reported that he will be signing with SC Bern of the Swiss National League. 

Let us know what you think below.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story. 

More From THN Columbus

Former Blue Jackets & Penguins Forward Emil Bemström Leaving North AmericaIt seems Emil Bemström’s time in North America has come to an end. How Former Blue Jacket Jussi Jokinen Ended Up On 4 Teams In One SeasonLet's rewind all the way back to the 2017-18 NHL season, when former Columbus Blue Jackets forward Jussi Jokinen accomplished a very rare feat of playing on four different teams in the same season.

EDMONTON – Most hockey players dream of playing in the NHL from a young age.

The Edmonton Oilers superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have both talked about it. Even when they get older and play in leagues outside of the NHL, playing in the NHL is always the goal.

*Note: Read the original article on The Hockey News here.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. 

And things are no different for Maxim Beryozkin.

The 23-year-old gave an exclusive interview with Daria Tuboltseva of VseProSport. Beryozkin explained his decision to stay in the KHL for another season.

“He (Igor Valerievich Nikitin) thought it was too early for me to go to the NHL,” Beryozkin told Tuboltseva. “I took that into account and decided to stay another year so as not to play in the AHL.”

Igor Valerievich Nikitin was the head coach for Yaroslavl Lokomotiv before former Calgary Flames head coach Bob Hartley replaced him.

Trending Oilers Stories

Oilers Veteran They'll Miss More Than Evander KaneEDMONTON – It can be tough for a team to move on when a player leaves or is traded away.

McDavid v. the Decade of Darkness: Part 4: Pronger Wants Out

Oilers Have A New Goalie Trade Target

Evan Bouchard Cracks Top 6 In New NHL Defenseman Rankings

Oilers Potential New Lines For Next Year

Former Oilers Big-Ticket UFA Signs PTO With Blues

Oilers Trade Pitch For A New Goalie? - Community PostIf you were the Edmonton Oilers, would you make this trade?

Beryozkin confirmed that the Oilers had reached out to him and his representation about signing with the NHL team.

“I was invited to join the team,” Beryozkin revealed. “We had conversations, some discussions, but I didn't give them a clear answer. I decided to stay, and I'm sure that this is only a plus for my development.”

He also mentioned that he made this decision back in December.

"My dream is to play in the NHL, against all these stars I have watched my whole life."

Beryozkin’s reasoning for staying in the KHL for another year should excite fans. He doesn’t want to play in the AHL. When he comes to North America, he wants to be playing with McDavid and Draisaitl.

The 6-foot-4, 211 lb winger had a career-best season in the KHL. In 66 games, he recorded 15 goals, 42 points, 63 hits, and fired 143 shots on goal while playing 15:55 a night. 

Beryozkin won the KHL Championship with Lokomotiv last year, recording 14 points in 21 playoff games.

Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

Michael Dal Colle, the New York Islanders' fifth overall pick in 2014, has signed a two-year deal with  the KHL's Dinamo Minsk:

The now 29-year-old is more than three years removed from being part of the Islanders organization, last suiting up in Blue & Orange for the Bridgeport Islanders back in 2021-22. 

That season, he played one NHL game, skating in 39 AHL games, recording nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points. 

In 2022-23, Dal Colle played in the Swedish Elite League, recording four goals and 15 assists for 19 points in 36 games for TPS Turku before playing the last two seasons for the Iserlohn Roosters of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), the top league in Germany. 

He recorded 83 points (29 goals, 54 assists) in 97 games over those two years before deciding to now head to the KHL. 

Dal Colle never lived up to the hype with the Islanders, with just eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points in 112 career games on Long Island.

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

With the end of August fast approaching, more Montreal Canadiens players are coming back to town in readiness for training camp. Yesterday, Austrian defenseman David Reinbacher was filmed skating in Brossard alongside Patrik Laine, Alex Newhook, and Joe Veleno under the watchful eye of Adam Nicholas.

The 20-year-old right-shot defenseman will no doubt be hoping to stay healthy during training camp after being injured in a preseason game last year. With Noah Dobson’s arrival to replace David Savard on the blueline, the team can afford to send the youngster to the AHL with the Laval Rocket if they feel that he needs more seasoning, but chances are he would rather make the jump to the NHL this season.

Canadiens Defenseman Appears On New Trade Board
Canadiens: Slafkovsky Named Player Of The Year In Slovakia
Canadiens: The Rebuild Season Two As Entertaining As Ever

Dobson’s arrival has also meant that Logan Mailloux was dealt to the St. Louis Blues, leaving a pretty big hole in the Rocket’s defence corps. If the Canadiens were to send Reinbacher down to Laval, he would enjoy a lot of ice time in a setting that could potentially be more suited to his level of development.

The knee injury suffered in the preseason last year kept him out of action until the third week of February. When he did come back, the organization took a prudent approach with one of its most prized prospects since he was still experiencing some swelling in his knee. In 10 regular-season games with the Rocket, Reinbacher picked up five points and added another six in 13 postseason contests.

While the Canadiens do have some right-shot defensemen in the prospects pipeline, Mailloux’s trade leaves them with few NHL-ready options. However, one could argue Mailloux wasn’t even ready himself, but that’s a discussion for another time.

Whichever decision the Canadiens make on Reinbacher, the most important thing for his development will be to get plenty of ice time, and that starts with staying healthy. Hopefully, the injury ninja is ready to move on to another victim and allow the rearguard to work on his game.

---

Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.  

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

The date is Aug. 21, and the Pittsburgh Penguins still have not traded Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust, or Erik Karlsson.

Given the discourse surrounding the Penguins in pretty much all circles - fan circles, media circles, and team circles alike - this is a bit surprising. Even if general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas is known for big splashes in the month of August during his tenure with the Penguins, it certainly seems a bit too quiet.

Dubas himself - as well as new Penguins’ head coach Dan Muse - have re-emphasized the fact that the team is in a period of transition. In these periods of transition, teams typically sell high-value, aging assets in an effort to rebuild a core that is younger and provides some promise for the franchise going forward. 

This line of thought seems logical enough, and it led many to believe that selling off at least one of Rakell, Rust, or Karlsson this summer for valuable assets in return was going to be one of the top priorities of the offseason. After all, there is a generational talent waiting in the wings for the 2026 NHL Draft in Gavin McKenna, and there are several other potential franchise-altering talents near the top of that class, too. 

But the fact of the matter is that the Penguins - for better or for worse - haven’t gotten quite rotten enough up to this point to seriously put themselves into the 2026 draft lottery conversation. It’s not even clear if that is their goal for next season, as Dubas did say during his end-of-season press conference that he felt like the Penguins were headed in a better direction.

So, where is the urgency-o-meter in terms of the Penguins trading one of these players prior to training camp? And what are some of the factors feeding that urgency meter?

Do The Penguins Have A Legitimate Shot At McKenna In 2026?WIth the 2025-26 NHL season just around the corner, teams are looking ahead to their respective training camps beginning in mid-September.

---

Urgency: 7/10

---

The Penguins already have a roster logjam

Throughout the offseason and going back into last season, Dubas and the Penguins have discussed the fact that the organization will be putting a major focus on development. 

But - as any hockey mind knows - the process of “development” doesn’t just entail what happens before a player reaches the NHL level. Development doesn’t just stop when a player takes NHL ice. In fact, there are often still a handful of years left for players needing to develop themselves at the NHL level.

Several Penguins’ prospects - most notably forwards Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen, goaltender Joel Blomqvist, and defenseman Owen Pickering, but also including roster hopefuls like forwards Filip Hallander and Tristan Broz as well as defenseman Harrison Brunicke - have already proven to some degree that they belong at the NHL level and that they’re ready to take the next step in their development by being there full-time.

3 Forwards Not Named Rust Or Rakell That The Penguins Should Shop This SummerThe Pittsburgh Penguins have been the subject of a plethora of trade speculation this summer, as big-name veterans like Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell, and Bryan Rust have been in the rumor mill for quite some time.

Right now? According to Puckpedia, the Penguins have 13 forwards, eight defensemen, and two goaltenders on their active NHL roster, and none of those spots include any of the above names. Of course, competition is good for these prospects. But with that crowded a roster, the Penguins also run the risk of a roster logjam potentially stunting the development of some of their best prospects. 

As such, making a trade prior to training camp to, at least, vacate one of those roster spots is probably not a bad idea.

---

Maybe the plan isn’t what people think it is

The youth movement aside, there is, perhaps, another explanation as to why Dubas hasn’t pulled the trigger on one of those three guys yet.

As discussed before, Pittsburgh is in a period of transition. While many equate that to a full rebuild, it’s possible that a “full rebuild” simply isn’t what is happening here.

What if Dubas and the Penguins believe that contention is closer than folks seem to think? He has expressed some hesitancy in dealing a player like Rust, 33, who has three years remaining on his contract at just $5.1 million average annual value and who has been a part of the equation for a long time. Even after the 2025 trade deadline came and went without a Rakell trade - he also has three years remaining on his deal that pays him $5 million annually - Dubas expressed that they thought it was “in the best interest of the team to have him remain.”

What Will The Penguins' Bottom-Six Look Like This Season?If one thing is for certain when the Pittsburgh Penguins open training camp a month from now, it’s that they have a whole lot of players in the mix for precious few spots on the roster.

Of course, this can all be GM-speak, as we’ve heard many times before. But it should be considered that Dubas might simply see a path to the Penguins competing with Rakell and Rust still on the roster, or, at least, one of them. Same goes for Karlsson, who generates nearly all of the Penguins’ offense from the blue line and has two years remaining on his lucrative deal.

At the end of the day, it’s hard to tell what the aim is for Dubas and the Penguins. Maybe - just like him with the trade market - we might just have to play the waiting game a bit longer.

---

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

Once again, the Pittsburgh Penguins face goaltending questions heading into a season. 

They still have Tristan Jarry on the roster even though he was sent down to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton twice last season. It seemed the Penguins had given up on him after placing him on waivers during the season, when he was struggling, but due to Joel Blomqvist's struggles in the second half, the Penguins called Jarry back up for most of March and all of April. 

To Jarry's credit, he played well in his final 14 appearances, despite the Penguins being out of the playoff race. He finished March with a .907 save percentage and April with an .898 save percentage. He had a save percentage of .900 or better in nine of his 14 games down the stretch. Yes, the games had low stakes, but he still played well. 

He's going to be the starter to open the season, but that won't inspire a lot of confidence in the fanbase since he's had countless chances to be the number one guy and has failed. The Penguins are rebuilding, so they're not in a rush to get rid of him. Now, if a team expressed interest in Jarry, the Penguins would have no problem moving on from him due to his inconsistencies and because he makes $5.375 million per season. 

While Jarry will be the starter to open the year, he may have a quick leash if Arturs Silovs or Joel Blomqvist push him. Silovs is a slight favorite to get the backup job right now after how great he was during the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs. He was the MVP of the Calder Cup Playoffs and helped the Abbotsford Canucks win the AHL title, finishing with a 16-7 record, 2.01 goals-against average, and a .931 save percentage. 

The Penguins traded for him on July 13 for forward Chase Stillman and a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. Silovs didn't have a path to the NHL for the 2025-26 season due to Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen being locked up long-term by the Vancouver Canucks, so the Penguins pounced on that opportunity. They also wanted to get deeper at the position after trading Alex Nedeljkovic to the San Jose Sharks. Nedeljkovic had been Jarry's backup for the previous two seasons before getting moved.

The Penguins appreciate how Silovs elevates his game in big moments, as seen when he helped the Canucks get within a game of the Western Conference Final in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He played in 10 games, finishing with a 2.91 goals-against average and a .898 save percentage. Some may scoff at those numbers, but seven of those came against the Edmonton Oilers, who eventually got to the Stanley Cup Final before losing to the Florida Panthers.

Silovs has also played extremely well for Team Latvia on the international stage. In 2023, he helped Latvia win its first-ever Bronze Medal at the IIHF World Championships. He finished the tournament with seven wins and a .921 save percentage before he was named the tournament MVP.

He has the ability to make this a 1A-1B or a complete starter situation if he's playing well and if Jarry falters. However, if Jarry is at least average, he could get around 60% of the starts while Silovs or Blomqvist would get the other 40% of the starts. 

Do The Penguins Need To Make A Trade Before Training Camp?The date is Aug. 21, and the Pittsburgh Penguins still have not traded Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust, or Erik Karlsson.

Speaking of Blomqvist, he's still going to get the chance to win the backup job during training camp after struggling from mid-January until early-March last season. He was below .900 in terms of save percentage during those six weeks and was giving up too many goals to his blocker side. NHL shooters were consistently targeting that area whenever he was in the net, which quickly became an issue. 

The jury is still out on whether he can be a consistent NHL goaltender. He has the talent and is young, but needs to string together some solid stretches in the league. 

Say what you want about the Penguins heading into this year, but they're not running the same goalie tandem back. No veteran is blocking either of these two young goalies for the backup job, and it's going to make for a fun competition during camp. 

---

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

Welcome back to this thing I've committed to doing! 

If you missed the first article, I am currently playing a season as the 2009-10 Nashville Predators via EA NHL Slapshot on my Nintendo Wii. 

We started the season off on a high note, winning the opener in Dallas in overtime. That was followed by a 4-1 victory at home against Colorado, a 3-1 win over Buffalo and a 4-2 win in Edmonton to cap off the first five games. 

That's where I decided to put some stipulations in place for this next part. 

I'm still playing three-minute periods, however, I am now playing on the hardest mode in the game: Superstar. In addition, I'll be simulating five games and playing three or four. If I play all 82 games, I will go insane. 

Again, to restate, I'm not amazing at this game, so please don't judge me too harshly. I'm also going to record one of the games I play, and I'm guessing you will all enjoy the throttling of the Chicago Blackhawks I recorded before I changed the game difficulty. 

Full NHL Slapshot Nashville Predators series 

Column: I play NHL Slapshot as 2009-10 Nashville Predators - Season opener

Roster

*Numbers included are players EA rating 

Shea Weber, D, 84

Jason Arnott, C, 84 

JP Dumont, RW, 83 

David Legwand, C, 82 

Steve Sullivan, LW, 82 

Ryan Suter, D, 82 

Pekka Rinne, G, 82 

Dan Ellis, G, 81 

Dan Hamhuis, D, 81

Martin Erat, RW, 81 

Patric Hornqvist, RW, 80

Denis Grebeshkov, D, 79 

Joel Ward, RW, 78

Colin Wilson, C, 78 

Jordan Tootoo, RW, 77 

Cody Franson, D, 77 

Marcel Goc, C, 77 

Jerred Smithson, C, 76 

Francis Bouillon, D, 76

Dustin Boyd, C, 76 

Kevin Klein, D, 75 

Nick Spaling, C, 74 

Wade Belak, RW, 74 

Simulated games 

Also, EA doesn't provide final scores in simulated games, so it's just if I won or lost. 

Gm. 5 at Dallas L 

Gm. 7 at Washington L

Gm. 8 at Boston W 

Gm. 9 at Ottawa W 

Gm. 12 vs. Chicago L 

Gm. 6: Nashville 5, Chicago 0 

This where I realized that I need to change the difficulty on the game. 

No scoring in the first period, but in the second period, Dan Hamhuis backhanded a shot into the net from the left point to get Nashville on the board first, 1-0. 

Late in the second period, Patric Hornqvist found his way to the high slot and beat goalie Cristobal Huet blocker side to put Nashville up 2-0 at the break.

In the third period, the Predators found the back of the net three more times. JP Dumont found enough space to go on a breakaway and beat Huet glove side to open up the lead to 3-0.

In the final minute, Shea Weber let a long backhanded shot go that went in to make it 4-0. Marcel Goc caught his own rebound to cap the game with a 5-0 win. 

It was another dominant victory, meaning that we needed to up the difficulty. 

Gm. 10: Nashville 2, Chicago 1 

Now we're on "Superstar" mode and these games are getting closer. 

In the second period, I lost control of the slot area and doing that in this game is costly. Patrick Kane snuck in a shot through traffic to give Chicago the first goal of the game, 1-0. 

Things were still bleak in the third period as Cody Franson was called for cross-checking. Thankfully, the Predators were able to kill it off. Going into the final minute of the game, the Predators were still looking for a goal. 

With 45 seconds left, Jason Arnott backhanded a shot high into the net to get Nashville on the board and tie up the game. 20 seconds later, Ryan Suter's shot from the point trickles in to give Nashville the go-ahead goal and a thrilling 2-1 win. 

Gm. 11: Nashville 2, Minnesota 1 OT 

Pekka Rinne bailed me out in this one. Remember, it's only three minute periods, so shots are lower, but Rinne, made 13 saves on 14 shots. I was embarrassingly outshot in this game. 

This is also where we started learning just how bad my power play unit is. In the first period, Brent Burns was called for tripping and I didn't convert. Then, Nick Schultz was called for tripping and I didn't convert. 

I left the door too wide open in the third period, and Owen Nolan capitalized on an in-zone turnover and scored on Rinne to give the Wild the lead. However, the Predators responded quickly as JP Dumont's shot went in the five-hole to tie the game in the third. 

This game needed extra time and the Predators wasted no time. Dan Hamhuis let a shot go from the point, and Patric Hornqvist was there to put the rebound home for the game-winning goal. 

Gm. 13: Nashville 3, Dallas 0

After a simulated loss to the Stars, the Predators blanked Dallas at home. Also, a side note, I've played Dallas three times in the first 13 games and Chicago three times too. 

Anyway, the Predators converted in the first period as Hornqvist caught a long pass from Denis Grebeshkov on the right side. Hornqvist skated down the right side before letting a shot go that beat Marty Turco for a 1-0 Nashville lead. 

Remember how I said the power play was bad? Welp, here's the beginning of the power play mess. Mike Madano was called for a cross-check, which was a game glitch because the replay showed him doing the motion, but not hitting anyone. I didn't convert. 

Dan Hamhuis scored in the second from the high right circle in the second period for a 2-0 lead. Brandon Morrow was called for tripping, and I couldn't convert. To add salt to the wound, Jason Arnott was called for trippin.

Despite our poor power play, we managed to get one back on the penalty kill when Jerred Smithson went on a breakaway and scored, giving us a 3-0 lead. 

The Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

Subscribe now to view the full THN Archives here

Also, go to thn.com/free to subscribe.

The Wing Dynasty - July 3, 1998 - Vol. 51, Issue 38 - Cynthia Lambert

The Detroit Red Wings’ mantra all season long was, ’Believe.’

Believe that both defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov and masseur Sergei Mnatsakanov would recover enough from last year’s limousine crash to enjoy a reasonable quality of life.

Believe that all the tragedy that hit the team six days after they won the Stanley Cup last season would be replaced by happier memories this season.

But when 1.2 million Detroit hockey fans showed up for the Stanley Cup parade June 18 in downtown Mo-town-200,000 more than last summer-the scene bordered on unbelievable.

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

As the parade wound through the streets, fans chanted players’ nicknames and ogled the Cup. Then, at the Hart Plaza rally, fans saw Konstantinov, with the assistance of defenseman Slava Fetisov and trainer John Wharton, walk across the stage.

One year ago, doctors questioned whether Konstantinov would survive, let alone walk or talk. But he partook in the Detroit celebration, beginning with attending Game 4 at the MCI Center, celebrating in the dressing room afterward and then attending the parade. Mnatsakanov, paralyzed from the waist down, also attended the parade and rally-

After Konstantinov walked across the stage, Wharton, stepped up to the microphone. “Next year,” he said, “Vlady will walk across this stage by himself.”

NOTEBOOK: Within minutes of winning their second consecutive Stanley Cup, Wings’ players were already talking about plans for the future.

“We were talking on the ice after, saying, ’Let’s go for three now,’ “said defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom. Captain Steve Yzerman seconded that at the parade.

“Somehow, I don’t think anyone is going to be satisfied with two,” he told the mass of fans.

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites. 

The Chicago Blackhawks made a significant move on Aug. 21, signing Frank Nazar to a seven-year contract extension with an average annual value of $6.6 million. With this, the Blackhawks have locked up a big part of their future long-term. 

With the Blackhawks signing Nazar to a contract extension, let's look at three players who they could extend next. 

Connor Bedard 

Connor Bedard is easily the Blackhawks' most notable extension candidate, as he is the young star player who they are building around. The 20-year-old forward is entering the final season of his entry-level deal, so he is undoubtedly a big-time extension candidate to watch. 

Getting Bedard locked up on a long-term contract extension like Nazar would be massive for the Blackhawks, as they are Chicago's top two young centers. In 150 games over two seasons with Chicago, Bedard has recorded 45 goals, 83 assists, and 128 points.

Spencer Knight

Spencer Knight is another notable contract extension candidate on the Blackhawks. After acquiring Knight from the Florida Panthers at the 2025 NHL trade deadline in the Seth Jones trade, the Blackhawks are hoping that he will be a long-term answer for them between the pipes. 

Knight is entering this upcoming season as a pending restricted free agent (RFA), so he is eligible for an extension. If the 2019 first-round pick takes a step forward as the Blackhawks' No. 1 starter, it would not be surprising if he lands an extension during the season. 

Nick Foligno 

Could the Blackhawks look to keep their captain, Nick Foligno, around beyond next season? It certainly should not be ruled out, as Foligno has been an excellent leader for Chicago as they continue their rebuild.

Foligno can become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) on July 1, 2026, but given his importance to the club, it would be understandable if they extended him. This is especially so when noting that he is still a solid part of their roster on the ice, as he recorded 15 goals, 35 points, and 200 hits in 78 games this past season for Chicago. 

Frank Nazar's Contract Extension With Blackhawks Made NHL History The Chicago Blackhawks have one of their core forwards locked in for a long time now that Frank Nazar has agreed to terms on a seven-year extension. 

The Buffalo Sabres know when they'll be playing their opponents next season, and we're examiniong each of their 31 opponents in THN.com's "Know Your Enemy" series.

In today's file, we're wrapping up the series with a look at the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas is one of the strongest teams in the NHL, and they're going to be a handful for every opponent, including the Sabres.

You fan find our opinion on which team will win their series next year by clicking on this link. But we want to know your thoughts. So leave them in the comment section below, and feel free t register to be part of the Sabres community on THN.com. Your voice matters, and we want to hear it.

The Buffalo Sabres know when and where every game they'll play in the 2025-26 season will take place. And as part of THN.com's Sabres site's "Know Your Enemy" series, we've been focusing on every one of Buffalo's 31 opponents next year.

We've made our way through the Atlantic, Metropolitan and Central division's teams, and more recently, we've been looking at the Pacific Division's teams. In this file, we're wrapping up the series with an analysis of a team many consider to be a frontrunner to win the Stanley Cup next season -- the Vegas Golden Knights. 

The Golden Knights added the most wanted free-agent this summer with the trade for former Toronto Maple Leafs star right winger Mitch Marner, once again proving that this Vegas franchise is always intent on being a mover-and-shaker when it comes to acquiring top talent, But does that automatically mean we should expect the Sabres to fold like a tent when they go up against the Golden Knights? Read below, and you'll see our answer to that question.

BUFFALO SABRES VS. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

NEW GOLDEN KNIGHTS PLAYERS: Mitch Marner, RW; Colton Sissons, RW, Jeremy Lauzon, D; 

2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 1-1-0, Golden Knights 1-0-1

2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER:  March 3 at Buffalo; March 17 at Vegas 

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM?  The Sabres split their series against the Golden Knights last season, with Buffalo winning one game in the shootout, and losing the other game in regulation time to Vegas. And that was against a Golden Knights team that now has dramatically improved their offensive firepower with the addition of Marner -- a star who also will help Vegas' defensive efforts as well.

So, the Sabres will clearly have their work cut out for them against the Golden Knights this season -- and the truly frightening thing for Buffalo is that the NHL's schedule-maker has the Sabres playing Vegas in and around next season's trade deadline. 

Indeed, with both games against the Golden Knights coming in a two-week windown beginning in early March of 2026, Buffalo could well be squaring off against an even more impressive Vegas lineup. And while some will point to the Golden Knights' current salary cap situation and argue that Vegas won't have any cap space with which to improve their roster, those people clearly haven't paid attention to Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon in recent years.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Pacific Edition: Are Rebounding Canucks Too Much For Buffalo To Handle?The Buffalo Sabres are going to face significant difficulty next season trying to end their Stanley Cup playoff drought at 14 years. To be sure, the Sabres will need every standings point they can get, and that means playing well against even the NHL's top teams.

To put it mildly, McCrimmon has always found ways to acquire difference-makers just about every season he's been on the job in Vegas. Whether it's acquiring center Tomas Hertl from San Jose, picking up defenseman Noah Hanifin from Calgary, or adding star center Jack Eichel from the Sabres, McCrimmon has hit home run after home run and always gave his team more weapons with which to succeed.

Thus, no one should be shocked when -- and it's really a matter of "when", not "if" -- the Golden Knights figure out how to manage the salary cap to their benefit and deepen their squad. And that's why it's such a good test of Buffalo's place in the competitive pecking order to see how they fare against Vegas this season.

Really, the Golden Knights have become the gold standard for NHL organizations, and the Sabres -- well, let's just say Buffalo is about as far from the gold standard as it gets these days. And while the Sabres should put up more of a fight against Vegas this season, there's absolutely a road ahead in which Buffalo gets swept by the Golden Knights -- and in which the Sabres get swept in regulation time.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Pacific Edition: Kraken Swept Buffalo Last Year -- Will This Season Be A Different Story?The Buffalo Sabres' 2025-26 schedule has been out for some time now, and in this ongoing THN.com Sabres site series, we're breaking down Buffalo's chances against every team in the league.

That would be a disastrous result for the Sabres, but Vegas has been cold-blooded in its efficiency against just about every team in the league. The Golden Knights won't be doing any favors for any opponent, and that means Buffalo has to do everything in its power to beat Vegas at least once, and get a "loser" point in the second game against the Golden Knights.

Time will tell how the Sabres ultimately play against Vegas, but the bar has been set sky-high for Buffalo against the Golden Knights, and the Sabres need to clear it by showing Vegas they can hang with any team.

In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Adam Gretz ranked each NHL team's best defenseman heading into the 2025-26 season. For the Montreal Canadiens, Gretz picked newcomer Noah Dobson as the club's best defender. 

Dobson ended up being near the middle of the pack in Gretz's rankings, as he secured the No. 18 spot in it. With this, he ranked ahead of other teams' top blueliners like Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings), Brock Faber (Minnesota Wild), Erik Karlsson (Pittsburgh Penguins), and Morgan Rielly (Toronto Maple Leafs).

Dobson appeared in 71 games this past season with the New York Islanders, where he recorded 10 goals and 39 points. However, he has shown in the past that he is capable of providing much more when playing at his best. Just back in 2023-24 with the Islanders, he scored 10 goals and set career highs with 60 assists and 70 points in 79 games. He also scored 13 goals in his two previous seasons before 2023-24, so he certainly can provide nice offense from the point. Thus, it makes sense that he appeared on Gretz's list.

It will now be fascinating to see what kind of season Dobson can put together for the Canadiens in 2025-26 from here. He should be a massive part of their blueline moving forward, and he could thrive playing on a Habs team that has more offensive skill than the Islanders. 

Canadiens Defenseman Appears On New Trade BoardLyle Richardson of Bleacher Report has released his latest NHL Trade Block Big Board for the month of August. Among the 15 players who made Richardson's trade board is Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson.