Chicago Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar certainly took a nice step in the right direction with his development this past season with the Original Six club. In 53 games with the Blackhawks on the year, he set new career highs with 12 goals, 14 assists, and 26 points. With this, he certainly demonstrated that he can provide solid offense at the NHL level already. 

What's even more encouraging about Nazar is that he ended the 2024-25 season on a high note. In his final eight games of the campaign, the 2022 first-round pick recorded five goals and nine points. This included posting three goals and five points in the Blackhawks' final three games of the season, so he undoubtedly impressed. 

With Nazar being a young player on the rise, he should have zero trouble hitting new offensive career highs for the Blackhawks in 2025-26. This is especially so when noting that he only got better as this past season rolled on and that he should have a spot in Chicago's top six and on their power play. 

It will be very interesting to see what kind of campaign Nazar will put together for the Blackhawks in 2025-26, but it is hard not to feel optimistic about his future in Chicago. 

Blackhawks Have Decision To Make With 20-Goal ScorerIlya Mikheyev was among the Chicago Blackhawks' bright spots from their 2024-25 season. After being traded by the Vancouver Canucks to the Blackhawks in a cap dump move, Mikheyev proved to be a nice fit on the Blackhawks' roster. In 80 games on the year, the 6-foot-2 winger scored 20 goals and recorded a career-high 34 points. 

The Montreal Canadiens have brought in multiple new players this off-season, and forward Zack Bolduc is undoubtedly among the most notable. The Canadiens acquired Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for defenseman Logan Mailloux last month. With this, Montreal and St. Louis swapped two 2021 first-round picks in one of the most intriguing trades of the summer. 

There is no question that Mailloux has the potential to become a nice part of the Blues' defensive group, as he is a promising prospect who should give them a much-needed boost on the right side of their blueline. However, the Canadiens bringing in a forward like Bolduc for him undoubtedly has the potential to benefit them immensely, as he has the tools to blossom into a very impactful NHL forward.

Bolduc already took a notable step forward in his development this past season for the Blues, as he set new career highs with 19 goals, 17 assists, 36 points, and 108 hits in 72 games. With numbers like these, he has shown that he can produce solid offense at the NHL level, and he should only improve as he continues to gain more experience. 

Bolduc has the potential to become a big piece of the Canadiens' roster. When looking at their current group, he should have a real shot of playing in their top six and on their power play. Thus, he could end up being a significant part of their group moving forward, especially if he continues to trend in the right direction.

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

Canadiens Veteran Is Big Player To WatchThe Montreal Canadiens are one of the NHL's most intriguing teams, as they have several promising young players who have the potential to become big parts of their future. However, they also have some veterans on their roster to watch in 2025-26, and forward Brendan Gallagher is certainly one of them.

By Sal Barry, Puck Culture and In The Cards writer

Since 1982-83, the Professional Hockey Writers Association has selected an NHL all-rookie team, comprised of six of the best first-year players. Along the way, there have been some interesting selections – and a notable omission.

1. We Three Kings

Luc Robitaille, Jimmy Carson, Steve Duchesne (1987)

Two players from the same NHL club have been named to an all-rookie team several times. Brock Faber and Marco Rossi of Minnesota were the most recent teammates to achieve this when both were named to the 2024 team.

But only once have three players from the same team received this honor. It happened when left winger Luc Robitaille, center Jimmy Carson and defenseman Steve Duchesne of the Los Angeles Kings were named to the 1987 all-rookie team. Robitaille also won Calder Trophy honors as the league’s top rookie.

2. Rocket Rejected

Pavel Bure (1992)

Usually, the player who wins the Calder Trophy is also named to the all-rookie team. But Pavel Bure was an inadvertent snub. Although he got the most votes for the Calder Trophy in 1992, ‘The Russian Rocket’ was not selected for the all-rookie team. He had split the season between playing left wing and right wing, so Bure’s votes were also divided among the positions.

Tony Amonte ended up with the most votes at right wing, while Gilbert Dionne won the most votes for left wing.

For 1993, the rule was changed so that voters chose two wingers and a center. Two years after that, votes went to the best three rookie forwards regardless of position.

3. Eagle Takes Flight

Ed Belfour (1991)

Sometimes, the top rookie picks up another award in the same season. Tony Esposito won the Calder and Vezina Trophies in 1970. Tom Barrasso repeated this feat in 1984.

However, only one time has a freshman won three awards.

Ed Belfour accomplished it for his stellar rookie season in 1990-91, when he led NHL goalies in games played, wins, goals against average and save percentage. Belfour was awarded the Calder, Vezina, and Jennings Trophies. He was also named a first-team all-star.

4. Old Flame

Sergei Makarov (1990)

Former Russian star Sergei Makarov led rookies in scoring during 1989-90, when he scored 86 points for the Calgary Flames. He also happened to be 31 years old. Makarov was 12 years older than Mike Modano – who finished second in rookie scoring – and had 13 years of prior pro experience in the Soviet League.

Despite being over a decade older than his peers, Makarov was still considered a rookie by NHL standards. He won the Calder Trophy and was named to the all-rookie team in 1990, becoming the oldest NHLer to accomplish each feat. The following season, the NHL deemed that only players 25 and younger could be eligible for rookie honors.

5. Two-Time Teamers

Jamie Storr (1998 & 1999) and Jake Allen (2013 & 2015)

Two players have been named to the all-rookie team twice – and both were goalies.

Jamie Storr played 17 games with the Kings in 1997-98, posting a 2.22 GAA and two shutouts, which landed him on the 1998 all-rookie team. Since Storr played in fewer than 25 games that season, he was still considered a rookie the following year. In 28 games during 1998-99, Storr posted a 2.40 GAA and four shutouts to win all-rookie team honors for a second time.

Fifteen years later, Jake Allen of the St. Louis Blues accomplished the same feat – though in non-consecutive seasons. Allen played 15 games in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, earning nine wins and one shutout, resulting in his first all-rookie-team nod. Two seasons later, Allen posted a 22-7-4 record, including four shutouts, and he gained all-rookie-team honors again in 2015.

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This article appeared in our 2025 Champions issue. Our cover story focuses on the 2025 Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers, specifically the elite play of defenseman Seth Jones, along with a recap of each game of the Cup final. We also include features on Sharks center Will Smith and Kraken defenseman Ryker Evans. In addition, we give our list of the top 10 moments from the 2024-25 NHL season.

You can get it in print for free when you subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/Free today. All subscriptions include complete access to more than 76 years of articles at The Hockey News Archive.

Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Ville Koivunen certainly left a strong first impression during his full professional season in North America this past campaign.

Koivunen spent the bulk of the season in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and undoubtedly made a big impact. In 63 games with the AHL squad in 2024-25, he recorded 21 goals, 35 assists, and 56 points. With numbers like these, he demonstrated his offensive upside. 

Koivunen also ended the regular-season at the NHL level with Pittsburgh, and it could not have gone much better for the 2021 second-round pick. In eight games with Pittsburgh, he recorded seven assists. This included him ending the season on a five-game point streak, where he posted six assists over that span.

Overall, Koivunen has shown early on that he has the potential to become a solid NHL forward, and he certainly could take a major step forward in his development next season because of it. When looking at the Penguins' current group, he has a strong chance of playing in their middle six and getting power-play time. This could end up benefiting a young and skilled player like Koivunen tremendously.

It is going to be very interesting to see what kind of season Koivunen can put together for the Penguins in 2025-26. If he continues to trend in the right direction, he could cement himself as a big part of Pittsburgh's roster moving forward. 

Penguins Have Interesting Goalie Battle To WatchWith it now being the middle of August, NHL training camps are not too far away, and the Pittsburgh Penguins are gearing up for an interesting one. After bringing in several new players this off-season, there will be plenty of players fighting for spots on their NHL roster.

The Minnesota Wild did not qualify defenseman Ryan O'Rourke following his fourth season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Iowa Wild.

O'Rourke, 23, had spent the last four years playing in the Wild's organization. He has recorded six goals, 34 assists and 40 points in 229 career AHL games.

The Wild selected O'Rourke with the 39th pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. He recorded two goals and 12 points in 59 games last season for the Iowa Wild and was a minus-eight. The season before he had three goals, 12 points and was a minus-30.

The 6-foot-1 defenseman was not qualified by the Wild and entered free agency. He signed a one-year, one-way contract with the Laval Rocket of the AHL. They are the Montreal Canadiens' AHL affiliate.

Other Wild News

Where Wild's Zeev Buium Ranks In Calder Trophy VotingMinnesota Wild rookie defenseman Zeev Buium burst onto the scene in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs in the first round. He had just finished his sophomore season at the University of Denver where he was up for the NCAA's Hobey Baker Award as the top player in College Hockey.Minnesota Wild Potential PTO Candidate: Victor OlofssonThe 2025-26 season is just a few months away. Training camp for the Minnesota Wild will begin in just over a month from now. Wild hockey will be here before we know it. Where Wild's Kirill Kaprizov Ranks Among Wingers In The NHLThe NHL Network is putting together some lists of the top players in the NHL among different positions before the 2025-26 season starts. They just dropped the top-20 wingers in the NHL list.

On August 11, 2020 the Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning started their first round series of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Fans of the CBJ were hoping that the Jackets could pull off another huge upset against the Lightning. 

Long story short, the Lightning would go on to get their revenge by beating the Blue Jackets 4-1 in the series. But game one is something that no one will soon forget. 

Columbus and Tampa played the 4th longest game in NHL history. The game lasted 150 minutes and 27 seconds, or 6 hours and 13 minutes in real time. The game started at 3 PM and ended at 9:22 PM. The game would end in the 5th overtime when Brayden Point scored his second of the game to put the Lightning up 1-0 in the series.

But for CBJ fans, it was watching Joonas Korpisalo that made it the most exciting. The young Finnish goalie would take the loss, but would set an NHL playoff record for most saves in a game with 85 saves. That record still stands today. 

The Lightning pumped 88 shots at Korpisalo, which included 12 or more shots in 6 of the periods, and 14 shots in four of the periods. The Lightning were trying their hardest to bury the Blue Jackets all game, but Korpisalo just wouldn't let it happen. 

The Jackets would lose the game and series, and send Columbus off into a rebuild, but Jackets fans always look back at this game will pride and will always cheer for Joonas Korpisalo. 

Did you watch this game and Korpisalo's performance? 

Let us know what you think below.

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More From THN Columbus

64 Days Until Opening Night At Nationwide ArenaThere have only been two players wear the #64 for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Unfortunately for Columbus, neither one of them made a significant impact for Columbus. Cleveland is a different story, however.  An Early Look At The Blue Jackets' 2025-26 Projected Opening Night RosterWe've officially entered the last month of the calendar that doesn't have NHL games in it. We are only a bit over a month away from the start of 2025 NHL training camp and then preseason. Because of that, I thought it would be fun to take an early look at what the Columbus Blue Jackets' projected opening night lineup could look like. Former Monsters Forward Rumored To Be Signing In KHLFormer Monsters forward Rocco Grimaldi is rumored to be joining SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL.

For the second time in less than a week, the Nashville Predators players' contracts have come under scrutiny again by The Athletic's Dom Luszczyszyn. 

After saying that Nic Hague and Brady Skjei had two of the worst contracts in the NHL, Luszczyszyn ranked the Predators 30th out of 32 in the NHL's contract efficiency rankings. 

"No team is expected to spend more for less than the Predators, whose total surplus value comes in at minus-$63 million," Luszczyszyn wrote. 

Age is the main problem he cited, claiming that the Predators are taking big bets on players who are older and have failed to produce this past season. To his credit, "big splash signings" like Steven Stamkos, Brady Skjei and Jonathan Marchessault didn't pan out last season. 

The Predators signed Stamkos to a 4-year, $32 million contract, meaning that Stamkos will be pushing 40 by the time the contract expires. After taking a 28-point dip last season from the previous, he needs a bounce-back year, or this signing could be a bust. 

Stamkos is a player of his generation, but the dip in production could be signaling the twilight of his career. A four-year contract looked safe enough, but the Predators could see themselves shelling out money to a past-their-prime superstar. 

It could also be a similar situation for Marchessault. Nashville essentially took the bait that Vegas didn't. Marchessault wanted a five-year contract, but the Golden Knights passed due to Marchessault's age, 38, by the time it had expired. 

With a similar mindset to signing Stamkos, the Predators weren't worried about the ladder end of the contract and gave Marchessault his 5-year, $27.5 million contract. This season, he took a 13-point dip in production. 

Skjei was signed on in the expectation that he was going to supplement Josi's scoring on the back end. Since the 2021-22 season, his production has spiked, but again, Nashville offered a lengthy contract to an older player, 7 years for $49 million. 

While 33 points is solid, it was a 14-point decline. Heading into a long contract, again, the Predators need a bounce-back year from Josi or they could see themselves dealing with a lengthy contract with a aging player. 

Then you have the two additions on defense that were supposed to "fix" the unit: Nicolas Hague and Nick Perbix.

Perbix is a little bit more understandable. A 2-year, $5.5 million contract for a defenseman producing about 20 points a season isn't awful. They want to get more out of him, but he isn't going to be a superstar out of the game. 

The contract issues arise again with Hague's contract and their intentions. The Predators gave him a 4 year, $22 million contract, expecting him to be in Nashville's top four. He's never had that role in his entire career. 

Hague hasn't scored more than 17 points in a season, played in Vegas' bottom pairing nearly every season and had the lowest plus/minus in the Golden Knights' defensive corps last season. It's an acquisition that makes no sense. 

There are also all the players the Predators claimed off waivers late last season, seemingly out of desperation. 

Andreas Englund, Jordan Oesterle and Jakub Vrana were all claimed off waivers last season, and the Predators kept two. Englund and Oesterle are both in the final year of a $775,000 contract. 

They don't have substantial financial hits, but neither brings much to the table. Englund racks up the penalty minutes, and Oesterle hasn't really contributed at all statistically. The Predators will likely put them back on waivers or trade them, but any intentions of keeping them in the lineup shouldn't really be justified. 

One of the less popular conversations that Luszczyszyn mentioned was about goaltender Juuse Saros. He is still one of the top Finnish goalies in the league, but struggled substantially last season. 

He had a 2.97 goals against average and a .896 save percentage, the lowest of his career as a full-time NHL goaltender. Saros' GAA has risen over the last four seasons and is going to need a bounce-back season in order to get into the conversation as one of the best goalies in the league. 

Saros is in the first year of a gigantic 8 year, $61.92 million contract. He will be 38 by the end of it. 

The Predators appear to be counting on players in their early to mid-30s experiencing a resurgence, which is typically when their play declines, and essentially locking them in until retirement. 

On the bright side, the Predators' strengths have come in drafting and building their prospects. There are numerous prospects, most of whom are yet to enter the Predators system, that have a ton of upside. Managing that pool well will pay off in the future.

However, at the same time, the Predators are still figuring out the right contract for Luke Evangelista. Although there's still time to secure Evangelista a new contract, it's concerning that one hasn't been drafted yet. 

Following the same pattern as their recent signings, general manager Barry Trotz stated that Evangelista's representation disliked the original contract term, which was likely longer than expected. 

The big question that Luszczyszyn is bringing forward is whether the Predators are signing the right players to the right contracts. That answer looks like it's a no. 

Former Belleville and Ottawa Senators broadcaster Jack Miller has officially called it a career.

Miller, the first voice of the Belleville Senators and a broadcaster for more than five decades, officially retired last week, closing the book on a fine 51-year broadcasting career. Miller’s work reached beyond the B-Sens to junior and international hockey, and even a few seasons spent calling Ottawa Senators games.

Miller began his career in his hometown of Cornwall before moving to Belleville in September 1974 for a job on CJBQ radio, and it didn’t take long before hockey became his specialty. In 1979, he began filling in on Bulls broadcasts, and his work in hockey took off from there.

For many Ottawa fans, they heard Miller’s voice for the first time on the Global TV Game of the Week between 1988 and 2002. For much of that era, regular-season NHL games were only on once or twice per week, so a little extra hockey on TV on Saturday afternoons was well received, particularly when the 67s were on the card. 

Miller also served as a play-by-play announcer and colour commentator for Ottawa Senators radio broadcasts from 1998 to 2002. Internationally, Miller worked on TSN Radio’s coverage of the World Juniors for 13 years, including tournaments across Europe.

Over the course of his career, Miller figures he called more than 3,000 games at the various levels. 

“My departure comes after a full career filled with things I never thought I’d be doing, or even set out to do,” Miller said in an interview on the CHL website when he announced his decision back in July. “I’ll miss the sports coverage on the air, going around doing hockey games.”

When the Belleville Senators joined the AHL in 2017, Miller was the natural choice to become their first play-by-play guy. He held that role until 2022, when the City of Belleville and the Senators organization honoured him on Jack Miller Day, by renaming the B-Sens press box the Jack Miller Broadcast and Media Centre.

Miller, who was inducted into the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame in 2019, was presented with a Belleville Senators jersey by team staff members this week, including David Foot, who succeeded him in the booth.

The jersey number was 51, honouring his 51 years in broadcasting. That's truly a remarkable feat, to be in the volatile, ever-shrinking radio industry for that long and going out on his own terms. Not many do anymore.

For Belleville sports fans who grew up with his voice, as it emanated from either the rink or the station, Miller’s official retirement marks the end of an era. The Hockey News wishes one of the industry's true gentlemen a very happy retirement.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

This article originally appeared on The Hockey News website: 

More Sens Headlines:
Former Senator Mark Borowiecki Now 'Looks At Fighting From A Different Lens'
Keith Tkachuk On Brady's Future In Ottawa: 'I Don't Think He's Going Anywhere'
Next NHL Expansion Fee May Be 40 Times More Than The Ottawa Senators Paid
The Senators' 2025-26 Lineup Is Probably Already Set
Should Batherson Have Been Considered For Team Canada's Orientation Camp?
Mark Stone Jokes That It Wasn't Always Easy Playing On Brady Tkachuk's Line

When Nicolas Roy puts on a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey, he'll be wearing a number he has never worn in the NHL before. The player will wear No. 55, a number he last used while playing in Junior with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens of the QMJHL.

Roy was a guest on Leafs Morning Take with hosts Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill. When asked about the number's significance, Roy explained that when he played junior hockey as a 14-year-old, he was the youngest player and the last one picked.

“I ended up with 55 and was kind of surprised a little bit and didn't really like it at first," Roy said. "But by the time I played two years with it and then got to juniors, I picked it for four years. Then when I got to Vegas, obviously 55 was already picked, so I picked 10 and obviously couldn't get 10 in Toronto, so I went back with 55".

Roy's No. 10, which he wore with the Vegas Golden Knights, was retired by the Maple Leafs in 2016 during a ceremony where all honored numbers became retired. The number was honored for George Armstrong and his tenure with Toronto.

Since the 2019-20 season, Vegas right-winger Keegan Kolesar has worn No. 55. Roy joined Vegas in the same season after previously playing in the Carolina Hurricanes organization.

Maple Leafs Reveal Jersey Numbers For Newly Acquired PlayersMost of the Toronto Maple Leafs' summer additions officially have numbers with their new club.

While defenseman Mark Giordano wore No. 55 with Toronto from 2022-2024, Roy is the first forward to wear the number since Jason Blake, who played three seasons with the team from 2007-2010. Prior to Roy, Blake was the only Toronto forward to have ever worn No. 55.

'My Favorite Player Growing Up Was Mats Sundin' Nicolas Roy Reacts To Be Traded To Maple Leafs In Mitch Marner Deal

Nic Roy was on a trip with family and friends when he found out that he was being traded from the Vegas Golden Knights to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Former Maple Leaf Mitch Marner Spotted Skating In Golden Knights Gear In Muskoka

Overall, the 2024-25 season was a good one for the young Montreal Canadiens. Not only were they in the mix, but they even managed to make the Stanley Cup season after a fantastic second half of the season. Thankfully for the Pittsburgh Penguins, though, they only took on the Habs in the first half of the season.

Montreal took some time to get into gear this year, and Sidney Crosby and co. took advantage. They won all three meetings and obliterated the Canadiens on the scoreboard, winning the season series 18-6.

Canadiens May Have A New Rivalry
A Canadiens Player On Team Finland At The Olympics?
Canadiens Had Trouble With The Rangers

The first meeting between the two teams took place on October 14 at the Bell Centre, and the fans in attendance didn’t get an excellent performance from their favorites. While the Penguins committed 23 giveaways, the Habs were unable to take advantage. Although they held their own in the first half of the game, they led 3-2 with less than five minutes left in the second frame. The Pens then scored four unanswered goals to skate away with a 6-3 win.

Two and a half weeks later, in Pittsburgh, the host posted a 3-1 win on the back of a great performance by captain Sidney Crosby, who scored a pair of goals early on. Christian Dvorak got the Habs back within one, but it was too little too late, and Blake Lizotte sealed the win with an empty netter with less than a minute left in the game.

Finally, in December, the Pens destroyed the Canadiens 9-2, in front of their fans, at the Bell Centre. It would turn out to be the last blowout loss Montreal would suffer on the season. Montreal only took 23 shots on net while Pittsburgh had 33. The Habs were unable to score on the man-advantage, despite having four opportunities, while Pittsburgh converted on two of their three opportunities. After that game, something clicked, and the Canadiens never looked back.

Over the three duels, Rikard Rakell had six points, Crosby five, and Kris Letang four. The Penguins’ experienced core had no trouble evading the Habs' coverage and hitting the team on the scoreboard. The question is, will they be around to continue their dominance over the Canadiens next season?

Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas has already said that he’s willing to listen to offers on his veteran as a rebuild is looming in Pittsburgh, but so far, none of the big names have moved. Bryan Rust, Rakell, and Erik Karlsson are all still in Pittsburgh. The fact that Dubas is looking for young NHL-ready talent for the two aforementioned forwards cuts down the number of potential suitors for the aging players.

Still, the Penguins managed to land Anthony Mantha and Matt Dumba to bolster their lineup and brought in a new coach in Dan Muse. Meanwhile, Matt Nieto, Matt Grzelcyk, P.O. Joseph, and Alex Nedeljkovic have all left town.

There’s also been talk and rumblings about Crosby’s availability, but Elliotte Friedman put an end to speculation, saying the captain would be starting the season in Pittsburgh. As things stand, the Pens will be a tougher outfit to take on this season than they were last year, but the same can be said for the Canadiens with the additions of Noah Dobson and Zach Bolduc, to name a few.

While it will take some time before the Habs can try their hand at beating the Penguins again, fans will be treated to three duels between the two sides in December. On the 11th in Pittsburgh, the 20th in Montreal, and the 21st in Pittsburgh again. Suppose the Canadiens hope to beat Crosby and co. They’ll need Samuel Montembeault to step up. The starter was in the net for all three defeats last season, with a 4.75 goals-against average and a .833 save percentage. He needs to improve these numbers if the Canadiens are to have a chance.

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

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If the New York Islanders are going to qualify for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, starting netminder Ilya Sorokin is going to have to lead the way.

He's arguably the club's only superstar, and after back-to-back subpar statistical seasons — he posted a 3.01 GAA and a .908 SV% in 2023-24, followed by a 2.71 GAA with a .907 SV% in 2024-25 — the Islanders need him to be ready when the puck drops on Oct. 9 against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Steel City. 

When the 2024-25 season began, Sorokin wasn't game-ready as he was still working his way back from offseason back surgery. Head coach Patrick Roy, fortunately, had the stable Semyon Varlamov to turn to for the start of the season.

Now, a year later, Sorokin is putting in the work to be ready, while Varlamov is working his way back from lower-body surgery after his season came to an end in late November.

Islanders Ilya Sorokin's Summer Training Tape A year ago, New York Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin was rehabbing after undergoing offseason back surgery. 

The goal for the Islanders is not to play Sorokin into the ground, as it's clear that he isn't an Andrei Vasilevskiy type, someone who can play 60-plus games at an elite level.

That's not a knock on Sorokin, who is still among the elite netminders in the game when he's on his game. Very few goaltenders are capable of doing what Vasilevskiy can do, and it does help that he's on a team with tremendous talent, even if that talent has changed throughout the course of his 11-year career.

Sorokin is a fascinating topic among the Islanders fan base, with one side focusing solely on the stat line and the other just watching.

While the stat line, as mentioned, was not pretty in 2024-25, looking at the game situation matters.

Out of 29 goalies at 5-on-5 who played 2,000-plus minutes, Sorokin ranked 11th with a .919 SV% and 12th with a 2.21 GAA. He ranked seventh in high-danger SV% with a .839 SV%.

Those aren't amazing numbers but much better than his overall stat line, eh?

However, Sorokin’s downfall came on the penalty kill, where the Islanders were second-to-last with a 72.2 PK percentage.

Of 34 goalies to play in 160-plus minutes on the penalty kill, Sorokin ranked 24th with an .847 SV% and 26th with an 8.65 GAA.

All statistics are courtesy of Natural Statrick. 

While the play in front of Sorokin down a man, or two, was subpar, Sorokin wasn't good enough — something he for sure knows.

With Bob Boughner now tasked with managing the penalty kill, the hope is that his system allows for Sorokin to have more success. It truly just comes down to decision-making, as the Islanders often got caught debating what to do, which led to more chaos and easier finishes for the opponent. 

Sorokin's job is to stop the shots he can see, but his struggles with screens was his Achilles heel.

For a goaltender, being aggressive on the PK is key to counteracting the screens and in-tight deflections. But, there's a lot of goalies that like to play deeper, to see around the screens -- it's just a style. 

It isn't a style that has worked well for Sorokin, that much is true, and one would think goaltender coach Piero Greco has pointed it out. 

The good news for Sorokin and the Islandeers is that if they can figure out the PK, they should be in solid shape since they were on the penalty kill only 5:43 minutes per game, which ranked second-best in the NHL.

That's the sad part of the Islanders penalty-kill struggles in 2024-25. 

In all situations, Sorokin faced the third-most shots in the NHL in 2024-25 (1,696) and the third-most high-danger shots (444).

The Islanders need to get those numbers down if they want Sorokin fresh, especially until Varlamov is ready to go. Yes, the Islanders brought in David Rittich on a one-year, $1 million deal, but in a season where the Los Angeles Kings were dominant and Darcy Kuemper was a Vezina finalist with a 2.02 GAA and a .921 SV%, Rittich struggled mightily, posting a 2.84 GAA with an .886 SV% in 34 appearances.

It's the Sorokin show until it's not.

Sorokin is two seasons removed from his 2022-23 Vezina finalist season, where he posted a 2.34 GAA with a .924 SV% in 56 games. He's looking to bounce back and lead the way as he ramps up for his sixth NHL season, entering the second season of an eight-year deal worth $8.25 million annually.

A year ago, New York Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin was rehabbing after undergoing offseason back surgery. 

He was unable to have a normal summer and wasn't game-ready for the start of the 2024-25 season. 

Islanders Goalie Ilya Sorokin Unveils Best Russian Chirper He's Faced In NHLChirping is an art. Some NHL players have mastered the art, while others should probably just let their game do the talking. Most chirps are directed from one skater to another, but chirping a goalie does happen.

Now, he's able to put in the work and preapre accordingly for the 2025-26 season and that's exactly what he's doing. 

Ilya Sorokin putting in some offseason work!

Remember he wasn’t healthy last offseason so this is great to see. Hopefully Semyon Varlamov is progressing as well.#Isles will need excellent goaltending from their tandem next season. pic.twitter.com/5bNv3FVTv1

— Isles Den (@IslesDen) August 11, 2025

Sorokin posted a 30-24-6 record in 61 games, 60 starts, with a 2.71 GAA (second highest of career) and a .907 SV% (lowest of his career). 

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Pittsburgh Penguins forward Philip Tomasino is heading into another contract year for the 2025-26 season. He had a year left on his contract going into the 2024-25 season before he was dealt to the Penguins by the Nashville Predators last November for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. 

Tomasino only had one assist in 11 games for the Predators before compiling 11 goals and 23 points in 50 games for the Penguins. He played up and down the lineup during the season and would have some good stretches mixed with some bad ones. 

He burst onto the scene right away with four points in his first five games, three of which were goals, before going pointless for his next six games. This inconsistency would continue for the rest of the season despite Tomasino getting a lot of minutes with second-line center Evgeni Malkin. The two played 250:33 of 5v5 minutes this year, and the numbers were a mixed bag. When they were on the ice together, they had a 48.2% CF%, 48.2% of the expected goals, 50.8% of the scoring chances, and 50.4% of the high-danger chances. 

Tomasino enjoys playing with Malkin, as evidenced by their good moments early in his first season with the Penguins. 

"I think we just complement each other really well," Tomasino said

Head coach Dan Muse may look to give them more minutes together, but Tomasino will have to earn those minutes since the top six looks really strong on paper right now. The Penguins still haven't dealt forwards Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust, and there's no guarantee that they will before the season. 

With them still in the fold, they will take up two of the top-six spots, as will Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The other two spots will be up for grabs and will have a lot of players jockeying for them, including Tomasino, Anthony Mantha, Tommy Novak, Rutger McGroarty, and Ville Koivunen. McGroarty and Koivunen looked great in their short stints to end the 2024-25 season after being called up from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. They got to spend time with Crosby and Malkin and looked ready to be full-time NHLers. 

If Tomasino loses out on a top-six spot to start the season, he could still secure a third-line role with Novak if Muse and Co. are successful. Novak and Tomasino are familiar with each other from their time in Nashville, and they looked solid when they were on the same line together, albeit for a small sample. They only played 67:50 at 5v5 during the 2023-24 season, but they made those minutes count, compiling 54.7% of the expected goals, 62.6% of the scoring chances, 64% of the high-danger chances, and a 55.7% CF% rate. 

Three of Tomasino's goals came on the power play last year, and he'll be a solid contender to be on the second PP unit again next season. His release is good enough to be utilized anywhere in the offensive zone, and he has a knack for scoring goals in big situations. For example, he had six game-winning goals last year, which was good for second on the Penguins. Only Crosby was ahead of Tomasino with 10 game-winning goals, which made sense because Crosby was the Penguins' best player last year. He finished the season with 33 goals and 91 points in 80 games. It was his third-straight 90+-point season despite being well into his 30s. 

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2025: Oft-Forgotten Part Of Jake Guentzel Trade Has IntrigueHeading into the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have shifted the focus to youth and development.

The 2025-26 season will be another contract year for Tomasino after the Penguins re-signed him to a one-year, $1.75 million contract on July 1. He was originally a restricted free agent before the Penguins didn't give him a qualifying offer, allowing him to test free agency. Despite becoming an unrestricted free agent, he still decided to return to the Penguins, along with fellow forward Connor Dewar, who also wasn't given a qualifying offer by the Penguins. He signed a one-year, $1.1 million deal with the Penguins on the same day as Tomasino. 

Tomasino is slated to be a restricted free agent again after this upcoming season, so the Penguins will control his rights into next summer unless they don't qualify him again. If he's more consistent this year, the Penguins may try to sign him for longer than a year since he's still only 24. The Penguins want young players like him to take the next step at the NHL level. He'll cost a bit more, but that won't be a problem for the Penguins since they will have over $40 million of cap space next summer. They won't spend all of it since they are still rebuilding, but they'll spend enough. It won't be a situation where the Penguins have to worry about barely getting above the cap floor.

With all of that in mind, Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas will be keeping a close eye on Tomasino this year. 

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Featured Image Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images