For the past two decades, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been lucky enough to ice a living NHL legend in Sidney Crosby, who already has a one-way ticket to the Hall of Fame.

But - as has been the case for those two decades - another living NHL legend has been thriving in Crosby's shadow, and his GM made quite the statement on Tuesday.

On Tuesday's episode of the Cam & Strick Podcast, Penguins' GM and POHO Kyle Dubas - who was brought onboard with the Penguins during the summer of 2023 - used some of his airwaves to throw praise at veteran forward Evgeni Malkin, who is entering the final season of his current four-year contract at age 39.

And Dubas made quite the statement.

"He's probably the most underrated player, maybe, to ever play," Dubas said. "I think [it's] just because of the fact that he has always kind of been a little bit in the shadow of Sid, but - at his best - one of, if not the best, player in the league. He's won everything you can win, and he's way more competitive even at his age than I think most people would ever give him credit for, especially in those games when he gets a little heated... you see that kind of vintage form."

Malkin has helped Pittsburgh to three Stanley Cup Championships (2009, 2016, 2017) and has registered 514 goals and 1,346 points in 1,213 career games played. He won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie in 2006-07, is a two-time Art Ross Trophy winner for the league scoring title (2009, 2012), and took home both the Ted Lindsay Award and the Hart Trophy for the 2011-12 season, when he put up 50 goals and 109 points. 

Where Does Evgeni Malkin Sit In All-Time Russian-Born NHL Ranks?On Jul. 31, Pittsburgh Penguins' veteran forward Evgeni Malkin turned the ripe age of 39.

He was infamously omitted from the NHL's Top-100 players list in 2017, and he generally has not received the league-wide recognition that he has deserved throughout his career.

And even though he all-time great Russian forward may not be what he once was, but Dubas believes there's still a lot left in the tank.

"He just turned 39 a week ago, but he's still capable of some very special moments and still a very good player. He gets talked about the least - and he probably prefers it that way - but it's been special to be around him." 

Dubas said prior to free agency that the Penguins plan to revisit Malkin's contract situation - and plans for the 2026-26 season - around the Olympic break in February.

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Red Hot Wings - December 7, 2001 - Vol. 55, Issue 14 - Mike Brophy

You could say the Calgary Flames are the story of the first quarter of the season and nobody would bat an eye.

The Flames, who have been inspired by Jarome Iginla’s scoring heroics and goalie Roman Turek’s nightly clinics, are challenging for top spot in the Western Conference and would easily be the biggest news of the first quarter, if not for…

The Chicago Blackhawks. They sign a No. 4 defenseman (Jon Klemm), an over-the-hill winger (Steve Thomas), one of last year’s big busts (Igor Korolev) and a coach who spent last winter at home on the farm (Brian Sutter). But all the moves have paid dividends. Going undefeated in their first 11 home games surely would make them the hot topic of the first quarter, except for…

The New York Islanders. GM Mike Milbury pulled the team out of the abyss he helped create by bringing in veterans Alexei Yashin, Michael Peca, Chris Osgood and Adrian Aucoin. A franchise that hasn’t been to the playoffs since Wayne Gretzky captured his last scoring title is thriving again…finally.

And yet, even the Islanders aren’t the story of the first quarter.

No, the real story is the Detroit Red Wings. In the last 12 years, the Wings have won eight division titles and finished second four times. In two of the years they finished second, they won the Stanley Cup.

But Detroit is coming off a disappointing 2000-01 campaign. After winning the Central Division last season, the Wings were upset in the first round of the playoffs by the upstart Los Angeles Kings. So what did the aging team do? Dump their veterans in favor of a youth movement? Uh, no. Rather, they imported three oldies-but-goodies in 36-year-old netminder Dominik Hasek and veteran snipers Brett Hull, 37, and Luc Robitaille, 35.

But that’s not all. Dissatisfied with their production while playing 5-on-5, the Red Wings have loosened the reins on their left wingers, who had been confined to a defensive role even when they were in the offensive zone. The result? Through the first quarter, Detroit ranked first in scoring, averaging 3.52 goals per game, and at 19-3-0-1 was on pace to set NHL single-season records for wins and points. The Wings already hold the mark for victories (62 in 1995-96), while the Montreal Canadiens amassed the highest number of points-132-in 1976-77.

The Red Wings’ goals-against average (2.28) was in the top 10 in the league. When you score as often as they do-and when you have Hasek in net-the wins pile up quickly. It also helps that Detroit is willing to open up its defensive strategy.

“We still do it at times,” said left winger Brendan Shanahan of the left-wing lock,”but we used to do it all the time, in all three zones. We still play a disciplined system, but it’s not always down to the left winger to be responsible defensively.

Now if you get the step on a guy, you go. You can be active in the offensive zone instead of always being back on your heels.”

There’s no denying the Red Wings have the horses.

Captain Steve Yzerman remains one of the best two-way forces in the league; Nicklas Lidstrom is on track for a second straight Norris Trophy; Sergei Fedorov is a dominant offensive threat again; Shanahan is challenging for the league lead in goals; and Chris Chelios is rejuvenated and injury-free. Twelve different Red Wings scored a game-winning goal in the first quarter. No other team could come close to that claim.

If Hasek hasn’t been Superman this year, it’s only because he hasn’t had to be.

“I have friends in the league who tell me that they can’t believe how much talent we have,” said Wings’ left winger Kirk Maltby. “All I know is, the expectations are very high in our dressing room. The expectations of management are high. Same with the fans.”

Not to mention Scotty Bowman. He’d love nothing more than to add a ninth Stanley Cup ring-as a head coach-to his collection, which would break the record he shares with legendary Montreal bench boss Toe Blake. Bowman knows he’s close, but he’s a realist.

“It’s early,” said Bowman, who points to a tough stretch in the second half of Detroit’s schedule in which the Wings play 21 of their final 34 games on the road.

“We’ve played very well, but I’m not sure our defense is as strong as it needs to be. We had a good young defenseman (Jesse Wallin) who had a good camp, but he had abdominal surgery and hasn’t played. I think we need to add to our blueline.”

Other teams, with far greater problems, can only shake their collective heads in wonder.

“Everyone keeps saying they’re old and that the wheels will fall off,” said one team’s pro scout, who has watched the Wings play.

“But they’re getting better. They have flow and the support they give each other is getting better. I don’t know who’s going to come along and beat them. They are so smart, so composed and so responsible in their own end.

And they work hard every game.” OK, so maybe everybody isn’t talking about the Red Wings. Maybe they’re not as sexy a story as the Flames, Hawks or Isles. Shanahan doesn’t care.

“A history has been established here,” Shanahan said. “There is a certain level of play that is expected. It doesn’t guarantee wins, but it’s a pretty good recipe for wins.” ■

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager and president Kyle Dubas repeatedly stated how much he wanted to revamp the left side of the defense heading into free agency. 

He wasn’t lying when he said that and added multiple players when free agency opened, including Alexander Alexeyev, Caleb Jones, and Parker Wotherspoon. Wotherspoon has the best chance of being an every-night player out of those three free-agent signings, and it's due to the season he had last year. He scored his first NHL goal and compiled six assists for seven points in 55 games. It’s the most games he has played in a season since breaking into the league in 2022. The New York Islanders originally picked him in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft. 

Besides a little bit of offense, Wotherspoon has demonstrated his ability to shut down opponents in the defensive zone and on the penalty kill. His combined 155:20 on the PK over the last two seasons attests to his defensive acumen, and he is eager to bring this momentum to his first season with the Penguins. 

“Obviously, was building pretty good last year. It was kinda a tough season. Obviously, we didn’t make the playoffs or where we wanted to be, but with the extra playing time, I felt like I was growing every game, playing more and more, especially when I got the bigger roles with the PK (penalty kill) and stuff,” Wotherspoon said to Penguins team reporter Michelle Crechiolo on Monday.

73 of those 155 combined PK minutes over the last two seasons were last season, and the PK is an area where the Penguins want to be better for the 2025-26 season. They finished last season with a 77.8% PK rate, good for 18th in the league. It was a step down from the 2023-24 season when the Penguins finished with the No. 11 PK in the league. 

Mike Vellucci was running the show on the PK for the last few seasons before taking an assistant coaching gig with the Chicago Blackhawks. It came about a month after the Penguins parted ways with former head coach Mike Sullivan after 10 seasons. There’s now a new coaching staff in place, led by Dan Muse, and one of their tasks will be to bring fresh and innovative ideas to the PK to improve it. 

Wotherspoon also brings a physical element to his game and isn’t afraid to stand up for his teammates. He’ll lay the boom and also step in if another player tries to take a run at someone. A fair amount of Penguins fans haven’t been happy with how “soft” the team has looked, and Wotherspoon will undoubtedly try to help change that.

In a perfect world, he’s a third-pairing defenseman on a Stanley Cup contender, but that is not this Penguins team. They're a team in transition, and due to that, there’s a good chance he will find himself playing top-four minutes with Kris Letang or Erik Karlsson (if he doesn’t get traded) this year. The Penguins are trying to return to contention as urgently as possible but want to do it right.

He might be a good fit for either Letang or Karlsson since he's responsible in his own end and can cover if one of them makes a mistake. Wotherspoon ranked in the 86th percentile for 5v5 defense last season and was an overall analytics darling. 

Both Letang and Karlsson love pushing the play and driving offense, but they need someone to do some of the defensive work in the Penguins’ zone. Brian Dumoulin was that player for the Penguins on the left side with Letang when he was in his prime before his game went downhill. He left the Penguins following the 2022-23 season and is about to be on his fourth team in the last three seasons. 

Former Penguins Defenseman Announces Retirement From NHLFormer Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Chad Ruhwedel has announced his retirement from the NHL.

The Penguins thought they were getting Dumoulin’s replacement in Ryan Graves when they signed him in 2023, but it hasn’t worked out the way they envisioned. He’s endured two brutal seasons but will still be competing for a spot in the everyday lineup this upcoming season. 

Wotherspoon won’t be trying to replace Dumoulin per se, but he will try to give the Penguins some hard-fought minutes during the next two seasons. If he can bring even a little bit of stability to part of the left side of the Penguins’ defense, it will be considered a win after how rough it was the previous two years. 

There’s more work to be done for the Penguins' defensive core as a whole, but Wotherspoon is ready to hit the ground running. Fortunately for him, he won’t have to wait too much longer since training camp is coming up in a little over a month. Wotherspoon will then make his Penguins’ regular-season debut on October 7 against the New York Rangers. 

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Featured Image Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Everything has to be put into perspective, especially when it comes to the Carolina Hurricanes. 

Through the majority of the 2010s, the Hurricanes were a losing franchise as the playoffs were just a pipe dream. Carolina missed the postseason from 2010 to 2018. 

However, after the head coaching hire of Rod Brind'Amour in 2018, everything changed for the Hurricanes. 

Since Brind'Amour took over, the Hurricanes have made the playoffs every season and are now perennial Stanley Cup contenders. 

However, the expectations have risen from what they once were, and after multiple playoff losses, the pressure is very much prevalent. 

Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky still feels, despite it all, that his team remains in a good position.

Andrei Svechnikov Details Heartbreaking Playoff Loss And Gives Opinions About Hurricanes' Offseason Moves The Carolina Hurricanes failed to face their demons in the 2025 NHL Playoffs as they lost to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final. 

"We have raised the bar year after year after year, and it is a really good thing to be in a place where being one of the final four teams can be viewed as a disappointment," said Tulsky. "Obviously, I'd rather get past that, but I'd much rather be here than in a place where it's viewed as exciting if we make the playoffs and go out in round one."

Now, with the additions of Nikolaj Ehlers and K’Andre Miller, expectations have risen to even higher heights.

According to multiple reports, the months-long legal battle between forward Ryan Johansen and the Philadelphia Flyers is now over.

On Tuesday, it was initially reported by NHL insider Darren Dreger that an arbitrator had ruled in favor of the Flyers in the grievance filed by Johansen in Aug. 2024.

Previously, on Aug. 20, 2024, the Flyers had terminated Johansen's contract, which had one year remaining at a $4 million cap hit, citing a "material breach."

Johansen, 33, played in all 63 regular season games for the Colorado Avalanche last season, scoring 13 goals, 10 assists, and 23 points before being dealt to the Flyers in the Sean Walker trade ahead of the NHL trade deadline on March 6, 2024.

Johansen had played against the Chicago Blackhawks on March 4, just two days prior.

However, the 6-foot-3 forward presented with an injury upon arriving in Philadelphia, which prevented him from being assigned by the Flyers to the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, as per league rules.

Sources say an arbitrator has ruled in favour of the Philadelphia Flyers in a grievance filed by the NHLPA following the termination of Ryan Johansen’s contract in August, 2024. The Flyers cited a “material breach” as grounds for termination.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) August 12, 2025

Johansen's injury was a surprise to the Flyers, and the player insisted he wasn't able to perform and fulfill his duties on the ice.

On Aug. 20, 2024, in response to the Flyers terminating Johansen's contract the same day, agent Kurt Overhardt issued a statement on his client's behalf, claiming that Johansen had suffered "a severe hockey injury that requires extensive surgery, which has been scheduled."

Whatever transpired since then clearly did not work in the veteran forward's favor, as evidenced by the latest reports.

One Flyers Prospect Nobody Is Talking About Ahead of 2025-26 SeasonThe Philadelphia Flyers have quite a few roster spots ready to be filled by up-and-coming prospects next season, but there's one prospect who should be talked about much more.

With the saga apparently ending with a Flyers victory, don't expect any cap charges to be lodged against Philadelphia in the 2025-26 season or beyond.

The Minnesota Wild announced on Monday the signing of defenseman Jack Johnson to a professional try out (PTO).

Johnson, 38, has played 19 seasons in the NHL and if he signs a contract with the Wild it will be his 20th season.

The 6-foot-1 defenseman brings loads of experience and has won the Stanley Cup before. He is a left-shot defender as well.

Minnesota traded left-shot defender Declan Chisholm to the Washington Capitals at the NHL Draft and let Jon Merrill leave for free agency.

Zeev Buium is expected to replace one of them and be an NHL regular this year. We also know that Jonas Brodin had off-season surgery and could miss the start of the season. 

In the AHL they have, Carson Lambos, Stevie Leskovar, Matt Kiersted, Ben Gleason and Jack Peart under contract as left-shot defenders.

Lambos, 22, was drafted in the first round of the 2021 draft and has been in the AHL the last two seasons. He recorded five goals and 19 points in 68 games for the Iowa Wild last year and was even called up to the Wild during the regular season.

He did not debut but is considered almost ready to be an NHLer. Wild General Manager Bill Guerin said they need some of their younger guys to step up and make impacts this season and Lambos is one of those guys.

No spot is guaranteed.

On the right-side, the Wild have Jared Spurgeon, Brock Faber, Zach Bogosian and David Jiricek. One of either Bogosian or Jiricek could play their off-sides to start the season but the Wild elected not to do that during the regular season when they had injuries.

Guerin has always talked about healthy competition and younger guys pushing for spots that older guys have. Johnson is 16 years older than Lambos and has played in 1,228 NHL games in his career.

The Wild also signed Kiersted who has played in 39 career NHL games over the last four seasons.

So, there will be some competition during training camp and there is nothing wrong with that. If Johnson is good and fits well with the Wild, then they can sign him to a contract. If not, there is no harm with the PTO.

Recent Minnesota Wild Stories

- Wild Sign Jack Johnson To A PTO.

- Revisiting 2024-25 Bold Predictions.

- Wild's Marco Rossi Having A Big Offseason, Up 14 Pounds.

- Former Wild Prospect Signs With AHL's Laval Rocket.

- Where Kirill Kaprizov Ranks Among NHL Wingers.

The Buffalo Sabres' 2025-26 schedule has been out for a while now, and THN.com's Sabres site has been dutifully analyzing each Sabres opponent next year in our "Know Your Enemy" series. We're nearing the end of the series, as we get set to start breaking down Buffalo's Pacific Division rivals on Wednesday.

But for now, we're wrapping things up in the Central Division by looking at the Winnipeg Jets, who were the best regular-season team in the NHL last year. The Jets have made some notable additions, including star center Jonathan Toews and wingers Tanner Pearson and Gustav Nyquist. But will that be enough to give Winnipeg the edge over the Sabres in their two games this season? Read this column to find out our answer to that question.

And once you've finished checking out that column, be sure to sign up as a member of the Sabres community on THN.com. Your opinion counts, and we want to hear it.

There is no question that forward Juraj Slafkovsky is one of the Montreal Canadiens' core pieces moving forward. The 2022 first-overall pick has already emerged as a key forward in their lineup, and this certainly remained the case during the 2024-25 season.

Slafkovsky had another solid year for the Canadiens, as he scored 18 goals and set new career highs with 33 assists, 51 points, and 194 hits in 79 games. This was after the 6-foot-3 winger scored 20 goals and posted 50 points in 82 games with the Canadiens during the 2023-24 season.

Overall, Slafkovsky is continuing to demonstrate good upside with the Canadiens. With this, it would not be surprising in the slightest if we see Slafkovsky hit a brand new level next season for the Original Six club. 

Slafkovsky is still just 21 years old, so he undoubtedly still has time to improve his all-around game even further. Keep in mind, this past season was only his third NHL campaign, so he is still developing his game as he continues to adjust to the NHL level. 

With Slafkovsky being one of the Canadiens' most important young players, they are also only going to continue to give him plenty of opportunities to succeed. When looking at their roster, he should begin the season on their first line and power play. Thus, the potential for him to hit a new level offensively will be there in 2025-26. 

Nevertheless, it is going to be very interesting to see what kind of campaign Slafkovsky can put together for the Canadiens next season from here. 

Canadiens Defenseman Named As Top Breakout CandidateThe Montreal Canadiens are one of the NHL's most exciting teams right now, as they are on the rise and have several promising young players on their roster. After making the playoffs in 2024-25 and following that up with a busy off-season, their goal will be to take another notable step in the right direction this upcoming campaign. 

The Buffalo Sabres are facing a massive amount of pressure to end their 14-year Stanley Cup playoff drought next season. But if they're to do so, they're going to need to win the majority of series they play against every NHL team. And that includes taking on top-tier teams like the Central Division-champion Winnipeg Jets.

The Jets were the NHL's best regular-season team last year, and Winnipeg won their first playoff round before falling to the Dallas Stars in Round 2. But how will the Jets do against the Sabres next season? Read on below, and you'll find out THN.com's best guess to answer that question as we continue our "Know Your Enemy" series.

BUFFALO SABRES VS. WINNIPEG JETS

NEW JETS PLAYERS: Jonathan Toews, C; Gustav Nyquist, LW; Tanner Pearson, LW; Cole Koepke, LW

2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 1-0-1, Jets 1-1-0

2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER:  December 1 at Buffalo; December 5 at Winnipeg 

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM?  The Jets made a significant number of additions this summer -- most notably, signing former Chicago Blackhawks superstar center Jonathan Toews. Granted, Toews is now 37 years old and hasn't played hockey since 2022-23, but if he can come in and give Winnipeg solid minutes as their second-line center, the Jets are going to be extremely difficult to beat for any team, the Sabres included.

That said, Winnipeg showed they weren't a perfect team in the second round against Dallas, and it was easy to see why. For one thing, star goalie Connor Hellebuyck posted sub-par playoff statistics for the third straight season, posting an .866 save percentage last spring. And the Jets' special teams were also a significant letdown.

Thus, Buffalo needs to be pushing the envelope in Winnipeg's defensive zone -- and the Sabres also need to strike the Jets repeatedly in the span of four days at the start of December. Playing Winnipeg twice in that span -- with another game against the Philadelphia Flyers in-between those two games -- is going to be rather taxing on the Sabres. But the way they respond will help dictate where Buffalo winds up in the Atlantic Division standings next season.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Central Edition: Will Mammoth Maul Buffalo As Utah Seeks First Playoff Appearance?The NHL's off-season rolls on, and every day brings with it more hockey talk. And in this ongoing THN.com series, we here at the Sabres site are focusing on the Buffalo Sabres' 2025-26 regular-season schedule -- and specifically, Sabres opponents who could get in the way of Buffalo's Stanley Cup playoff aspirations.

Certainly, splitting their two games last season -- with the Sabres avoiding losing in regulation-time in their one overtime loss to the Jets -- has to make Buffalo feel confident they can hang with Winnipeg. But in addition to Toews, the Jets have also added veterans in greybeard winger Gustav Nyquist and depth scorer Tanner Pearson. And although losing departed winger Nikolaj Ehlers on the free-agent market will hurt the Jets' offensive potency, replacing his offense with the contributions of Toews, Nyquist and Pearson will soften the blow.

Getting their games with Winnipeg out of the way early next year is probably in Buffalo's best interest. Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff currently has $3.9-million in salary cap space to improve his roster with, but it's not likely that he spends to the cap ceiling until later in the season, when he can address issues that arise during the year. 

The good news for the Sabres in this rivalry is that it's not probable that they see Hellebuyck in both regular-season games. Instead, Buffalo may get backup netminder Eric Comrie for one of the games, and Comrie's individual numbers -- including a .914 SP and 2.39 goals-against average -- make him a bit more human than Hellebuyck looks to be, at least, in the regular-season.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Central Edition: Are Boosted Blues Bound To Beat Buffalo?The Buffalo Sabres are facing enormous pressure to end their 14-year Stanley Cup playoff drought next season, and it's not hyperbole to say that the Sabres can't afford so much as a single off-night if they're going to be a playoff team. Every game really counts, and Buffalo needs to beat many above-average squads if they're going to earn a playoff berth in the highly-competitive Atlantic Division.

In any case, beating the Jets twice may be too much of an ask for Buffalo, as is the case for any other team. But doing what the Sabres did last year against Winnipeg -- winning one game, and getting the "loser point" in the other game -- is not asking too much of Buffalo. The Jets are a very good team that looks to have improved this summer, but the Sabres also are a different team, and one that should be coming out of the gate with a sense of urgency that may not be there for Winnipeg early on.

If the Sabres are able to hang with the Jets in their two games next season, it could be an indication Buffalo is going to silence their doubters and play post-season hockey after a stretch of failure that has stunned even the Sabres' most fervent supporters. Buffalo has a chance to send a blunt message to Winnipeg by beating them more than once, and doing so could prove to be the difference between the Sabres making or missing the playoffs.

Vancouver Canucks star center Elias Pettersson is hungry for a season to be happy about.

After a 2024-25 season that was a disappointment for everyone connected to the Canucks, Pettersson has come out of the gates swinging and making it clear he’s intent on putting in a far better performance next season. He’s more than capable of reaching that goal for the Canucks.

Pettersson recently told Peter Ekholm on NHL.com he’s put on muscle and is looking for revenge following last season’s underwhelming results, including his 15-goal, 45-point showing in 64 games.

"I know what I'm capable of," Pettersson told Ekholm last Wednesday in Sweden. "Actually, I haven't thought about it, but for myself, it's revenge. I'm not happy with last season."

The 26-year-old was embroiled in a feud with now-former Canucks star center J.T. Miller, and he dealt with two injuries in the past year. 

Pettersson’s drop in production is part of why Vancouver missed out on Stanley Cup playoff action. But if Pettersson is ready to reverse last season’s regression, the expectations for him in 2025-26 should thrill Canucks fans.

It’s still fair to hold Pettersson to the standard he set in his peak seasons thus far, most notably, his 39-goal, 102-point performance in the 2022-23 campaign. Even a slight dip to the 34-goal, 89-point effort he got in 2023-24 would greatly help Vancouver’s playoff hopes next year, and it isn’t unreasonable to ask him to get there.

After all, Pettersson is an elite force when he takes advantage of his hard shot.

He consistently ranks near the top of the NHL in the number of shots that go between 70 and 100 miles per hour, and he can not only score a bunch of goals in high-danger areas but at mid-range as well, according to NHL Edge. 

His 109 shots last season were far fewer than the 207 and 257 he had in the two previous campaigns, and it’s clear that improving his strength and recovering from his injuries should help him increase his shooting again.

Pettersson’s hunger to have an excellent season could rub off on his teammates as well.

To that end, Pettersson spoke specifically about one of the Canucks’ most notable off-season moves – the trade acquisition of former Edmonton Oilers right winger Evander Kane.

The rugged game Kane plays may not directly affect Pettersson if the two new teammates don’t play on the same line next year, but if Kane can produce a decent amount of goals, the pressure on Pettersson will subside. And that should lead to a better all-around showing from Pettersson.

"I was very happy when I saw that trade," Pettersson said. "It's a player that we need, a player who plays with grit and still can score goals."

But let’s focus on Pettersson specifically. Perhaps skeptics are right, and Pettersson’s play of late is more indicative of who he’s going to be in the long run. That would be crushing for the Canucks, who are set to pay Pettersson $11.6 million for the next seven seasons.

But with his fresh start next year, Pettersson has no excuses about showing who he really is. He’s going to be key to Team Sweden’s chances at the 2026 Olympic Games, and he’s got a new head coach in Adam Foote to form a new partnership with in Vancouver. Many people are pushing their chips behind him, and he knows it.

NHL Summer Splash Rankings: No. 7, Vancouver CanucksThe Hockey News’ NHL summer splash rankings enter the homestretch with the Vancouver Canucks in seventh place.

Pettersson is going to be front and center as the Canucks try to get back into the playoffs. He has a terrific opportunity to get the revenge he wants, because if he doesn’t get it, Vancouver may miss out on the post-season for the second consecutive season, and the spotlight on him would be somehow brighter than it already is.

But that’s a way off. For now, there’s still reason to believe Pettersson can answer the bell and have a bounce-back year for Vancouver. The Canucks are betting on him, and the way he responds could change the face and direction of the franchise.

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The Ottawa Senators have seen a lot of players come and go during their rebuild.

Some of them have not only turned the page on their Ottawa days, they've probably closed the book completely on the NHL. 12 ex-Senators have moved to new teams in Europe this summer — either arriving from North America through free agency, or via trades and transfers. 

From once-promising prospects to organizational depth guys, these former Senators are looking to revive or extend their careers in leagues ranging from Switzerland to Slovakia, and Russia to Germany.

Here’s a breakdown of who’s gone where:

Goalies

Chris Driedger

A third-round pick by Ottawa in 2012 (76th overall), Driedger never found his footing in the nation's capital, playing just one game in each of three consecutive seasons. He later found brief success with the Florida Panthers and Seattle Kraken. This summer, he signed with Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL.

Dylan Ferguson

Ferguson played only two NHL games for the Senators during the chaotic 2022–23 season, when the team used seven different goalies. He’s now signed with HK Nitra in the Slovak Extraliga.

Defensemen

Erik Brännström

Still just 25 years old, Brännström was once seen as the crown jewel of the Mark Stone trade. He never met those expectations in Ottawa and wasn’t re-signed last summer. He’ll look to reset his career with Lausanne HC in the Swiss National League.

Max Lajoie

A 2016 fifth-rounder, Lajoie got a strong early look in 2018, right after the rebuild began, appearing in 56 NHL games for the Sens that season. However, over the next six seasons, he totalled just 21 NHL games. This year, he’ll try his luck with Avangard Omsk in the KHL.

Dillon Heatherington

The former captain of the Belleville Senators (AHL), Heatherington logged 165 AHL games and 12 NHL games with Ottawa. He’s moving to the DEL in Germany, signing with Red Bull Munich.

Philip Roos

A steady contributor for Belleville (68 games last season), Roos never cracked the NHL lineup in Ottawa. He previously played 21 games for Chicago before joining the Sens organization. Roos has now signed with Färjestad BK in Sweden.

Ottawa Senators Captain Brady Tkachuk Adds To His Father's Comments About The FutureAfter a season where wild rumours began to swirl around Brady Tkachuk’s future in Ottawa, both Tkachuk and his father, Keith, set the record straight this week.

Forwards

Chris Tierney

The most experienced name on this list, Tierney played four full seasons in Ottawa and has logged 649 NHL games. After bouncing between Florida, Montreal, and New Jersey, he spent last season with Dinamo Minsk in the KHL. He’s heading to Switzerland to join HC Ambrì-Piotta, the same club Alex Formenton played two seasons for.

Jayce Hawryluk

Hawryluk had 7 points in 11 games for Ottawa so he was here for a good time, not a long time. In recent seasons, he's toured Europe, playing in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Switzerland. He’ll return to Slovakia to play for HKM Zvolen this fall.

Dominik Kubalík

Acquired in the Alex DeBrincat trade, Kubalík posted just 15 points in 74 games for Ottawa. However, he rediscovered his scoring touch last year with 49 points in 52 games for HC Ambrì-Piotta. This season, he’ll play for EV Zug in Switzerland.

Egor Sokolov

A fan-favourite in Belleville, Sokolov appeared in only 13 NHL games over five years. After being traded to Arizona and playing in AHL Tucson last season, he returned to Russia this summer and signed with CSKA Moscow. After thinking for a couple of days that he'd found a place where he belongs, they promptly traded him to Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod.

Jack Rodewald

A KHL regular over the past three seasons, Rodewald has suited up for Kunlun Red Star, Traktor Chelyabinsk, and Admiral Vladivostok. He posted 29 points last season and will remain in Russia now with Salavat Yulayev Ufa.

André Petersson

A 2008 fourth-round pick who played just one NHL game for Ottawa, Petersson has been playing in Europe since 2015. After three years back home in Sweden, he’s now heading to the SCL Tigers in Switzerland.

While none of these players were ever what you'd describe as elite players in Ottawa's organization, it's great to see this group getting fresh starts and continuing to forge out a career in the game they love. We should all be so lucky.

Read the full list of former NHL players on the move in Europe at The Hockey News' International site.

By Steve Warne 
@SteveWarneMedia
The Hockey News - Ottawa

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Matt Grzelcyk is arguably the NHL’s best UFA defenseman still available for the taking. 

It would be shocking if the Charlestown, Mass., native remained unsigned when the 2025-26 NHL season begins.

Grzelcyk quietly put together the best offensive season of his career in 2024-25. Although he scored just one goal, he set new career highs with 39 assists and 40 points in 82 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins. With numbers like these, he could be a solid addition for a team that is looking for more offense from the point.

Grzelcyk could generate interest because he is also a proven NHL defenseman with plenty of experience. This includes the playoffs, as he played in 66 post-season games during his eight-year stint with the Boston Bruins.

Let’s go over three NHL teams that could make sense as landing spots for Grzelcyk. 

Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche have already added to their defense this off-season after losing Ryan Lindgren in free agency. They signed Brent Burns to a one-year contract back in July to play a depth role on the right side. His projected defense partner, Sam Malinkski, also shoots right, so Colorado could use another left-shot option for the third pair.

If the Avalanche signed Grzelcyk to a short-term deal, he could fit very nicely on their bottom pairing with either Burns, Malinski or Josh Manson. If the Avalanche use him as a seventh defenseman, he could come into the lineup over shutdown D-man Keaton Middleton when they need an extra bit of offensive punch. He also has experience playing in a more significant role, averaging 20:37 in ice time last season, so he would give the Avalanche another player who could move up the lineup when injuries arise.

The Avalanche currently have a bit over $2 million of cap space to work with, so they could afford to bring in Grzelcyk if he is open to taking a bit of a pay cut from the $2.75 million he earned previously. With it being this late into the summer, it is certainly fair to wonder if he would be willing to do that to play for a contender like the Avalanche. 

Chicago Blackhawks 

The Chicago Blackhawks have plenty of promising young defensemen on their roster, such as Sam Rinzel, Artyom Levshunov and Kevin Korchinski. That said, they could benefit by adding another veteran blueliner to help mentor their youngsters while moving the needle on the ice. Signing Grzelcyk would provide them with just that, the way 35-year-old TJ Brodie couldn’t quite accomplish as one of Chicago’s veteran blueliners last season.

Grzelcyk could fit on the second pairing and power play if signed. However, even if Grzelcyk served as a mentor in a bottom-pairing role, he still would give Chicago’s blueline a needed boost. If the Blackhawks trade 32-year-old pending UFA Connor Murphy during the season, their next-oldest D-man would be Alex Vlasic, who’s 24.

The Blackhawks could easily afford to sign Grzelcyk, too, as they have over $18 million of cap space to work with. They could be an intriguing team to watch for the veteran defenseman.

Three Potential NHL Landing Spots For UFA Jack RoslovicJack Roslovic is arguably the NHL’s best UFA still looking for his next contract. 

Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames could also make sense as a suitor for Grzelcyk, especially if they trade Rasmus Andersson and move the right-handed MacKenzie Weegar to the right side full-time.

Calgary scored the fourth-fewest goals in the NHL last season, and they ranked 20th in the percentage of points coming from defensemen, at 24.3 percent. The Flames’ blueliners also combined for only 107 assists, which ranked 26th in the NHL. Grzelcyk seems like an easy choice to improve those numbers.

If the Flames signed Grzelcyk, he could at least be a nice upgrade over Jake Bean on their third pairing. However, depending on who ends up making the Flames’ opening night roster, Grzelcyk could also be a potential fit on their second pairing and power play if signed.

While the Flames still have to re-sign restricted free agent (RFA) Connor Zary, they have over $15 million in cap space. They could easily afford to bring in Grzelcyk if they wish.

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Plenty of former Vancouver Canucks have carved out successful careers around the world after leaving the organization. Whether playing for some of the best teams in Europe or excelling in non-traditional hockey markets, these one-time Canucks continue to apply their trade outside of North America. Today, we look at forward Tyler Graovac, who spent the 2024-25 season with the Kunlun Red Star in the KHL. 

Graovac joined Vancouver ahead of the 2019-20 season. He signed as a free agent after spending time with the Calgary Flames, Washington Capitals and Minnesota Wild. Graovac made his Canucks debut on November 14, 2019, against the Dallas Stars, while scoring his first goal with Vancouver on November 21, 2019, against the Nashville Predators.

During his two seasons with the Canucks, Graovac played 22 NHL games, recording five goals and six points. He also spent time in the AHL with the Utica Comets and Manitoba Moose. Up until this point in his career, Graovac has played 84 games at the NHL level and 340 in the AHL. 

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After the 2020-21 season, Graovac signed in the KHL with Dinamo Minsk. He has also played for Hockey Club Vityaz Moscow Region, Admiral Vladivostok and eventually, Kunlun Red Star. Last season with the Red Star, Graovac led his team with 36 points in 67 games. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News. 

A former New Jersey Devils forward is taking his talents overseas. 

SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL have announced that they have signed former Devils forward Joseph Blandisi to a two-year contract. 

Blandisi spent each of the last five seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL), spending time with the Laval Rocket and then the Toronto Marlies. In 58 games this past season with the Marlies, he posted 15 goals, 35 points, 82 penalty minutes, and a plus-7 rating.

Blandisi kicked off his NHL career with the Devils during the 2015-16 season. In 41 games with the Metropolitan Division club that campaign, he set NHL career highs with five goals, 12 assists, 17 points, and 39 hits. He then followed that up by recording three goals and nine points in 27 games for the Devils during the 2016-17 season.

Blandisi's time with the Devils organization ended during the 2017-18 season, as he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks. In 68 games as a Devil over two seasons, Blandisi recorded eight goals, 18 assists, and 26 points.

Following his time with the Devils, Blandisi played for the Ducks and Pittsburgh Penguins. His final NHL season was in 2019-20 season with Pittsburgh, where he posted two goals and five points in 21 games. 

Devils Defenseman Named Top Breakout CandidateThe New Jersey Devils will certainly be an interesting team to watch during the 2025-26 season. After getting back into the playoffs this past spring, the Devils will now look to take another step forward and cement themselves as true contenders.