Welcome to The Hockey News - Vancouver Canucks site’s player preview series for the 2025–26 season. In these articles, we’ll preview the players who are expected to play for the Canucks in the 2025–26 season. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the Abbotsford Canucks’ leading scorer during the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs, Linus Karlsson.  

Karlsson’s 2024–25 Season

Karlsson had a very successful 2024–25 season for both Vancouver and Abbotsford. In the NHL, the forward made his mark as a netfront presence, potting his first career NHL goal on January 29 against the Nashville Predators. He finished the NHL regular season with three goals and three assists in 23 games, putting up 28 total shots on goal. Karlsson is one of a few Abbotsford players who are expected to push for a roster spot come Vancouver’s training camp in the fall. 

In the AHL, Karlsson took his game to another level. He scored 23 goals and 16 assists in 32 games played, averaging over a point per game despite not being in the lineup for a full season. Once the playoffs rolled around, Karlsson flourished even more, finishing the postseason as the league’s points leader with 14 goals and 12 assists in 24 games played. He also broke an AHL record for goals scored by a Swedish player in a single postseason. 

Karlsson’s 2024–25 Letter Grade

For his growth in the 2024–25 season, Karlsson received a B- on the season, as he made some steps to becoming a full-time NHLer but will need to do more to stick in the lineup. With that being said, from how his play has developed over the past year, it’s clear that Karlsson has found a particular role to play and plans to stick with it going into 2025–26 — regardless of whether this is in the NHL or AHL.  

Karlsson’s 2025–26 Predictions

As a key member of Abbotsford and a solid depth option for Vancouver, Karlsson will likely improve on his performance from this season now that he has spent more time playing hockey at the NHL level. The 2025 Abbotsford MVP will look to make a bigger mark with the Canucks, potentially fitting into a third or fourth-line role while continuing to pot goals at the side of opponents’ nets. 

The Evolution Of Vancouver And Abbotsford Canucks Forward Linus KarlssonWhen the Vancouver Canucks acquired Linus Karlsson on February 25, 2019, fans had mixed feelings. The piece going back to the San Jose Sharks in exchange was Jonathan Dahlén, a player who had previously shown flashes of success alongside franchise cornerstone at the time Elias Pettersson. Some had even referred to the two as the second-coming of the Sedin twins. Still, the 19-year-old Karlsson had the belief of Canucks general manager at the time, Jim Benning, behind him. 

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If James Malatesta can put it all together, he's going to be a force in the NHL.

Malatesta turned pro in 2023 after spending four outstanding years with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL. After amassing 187 points in junior and winning the QMJHL playoff MVP, he was off to the pros. He would total 56 goals if you take into account all the games he played in the Q, Q playoffs, and Memorial Cup.

James Malatesta played in 56 games for the Cleveland Monsters in his rookie season. He would score 12 goals and total 22 points. He has a motor that never quits and can skate really well, and it showed. Malatesta finished 11th on the team in scoring and 10th in games played. He did have a team-high 79 PIMs, though, which is how he plays his game.

Late in the season, in a surprising move, Malatesta was called up to play for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Due to the injury situation, Malatesta and several other Monsters got an opportunity to play some real NHL minutes.

He would make his NHL debut on March 26th against the Arizona Coyotes. He didn't get on the score sheet, but he did make his presence known. He would get 11:43 of ice time and get into a fight. Not a bad night.

Malatesta would get his first NHL point against the Philadelphia Flyers on April 6th, an assist. He played 10:58.

On April 13th in Smashville, after playing 9 games, he would have a career game. He played 12:55, had 3 shots, and scored his first goal. He also added an assist in the loss to the Predators. He was flying around the ice all night; he was fun to watch.

In the next game, the season finale at home against the Carolina Hurricanes, he would again have a good game. Malatesta scored his 2nd NHL goal while playing 13:01 on the ice. He is making himself highly visible.

He was returned to the Monsters after the CBJ season to help them win their division and the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Malatesta only played 9 games throughout the playoffs, scoring only a single goal and adding one assist.

The 2024-25 season saw Malatesta play a pair of games for Columbus in December. He averaged around 10:30 of ice time and was held off the score sheet. But it was important that he played. 

For Cleveland, he played in only 41 games and scored 14 points. Unfortunately for Malatesta and the Monsters, he suffered an upper body injury that held him out of the lineup until March. In a combo of injuries and a sophomore slump, Malatesta did not have the year he wanted. 

James Malatesta will need to step up and have a good season in 25-26. Why? Because he's going to be a restricted free agent next summer, and will need a new contract. GM Don Waddell doesn't hesitate to let players walk if he thinks they won't bring anything to the team in the future. So, he'll need to stay healthy and be productive. 

The Cleveland Monsters will be very young next season and will need all the help they can get. Malatesta will have Luca Del Bel Belluz, Hunter McKown, and Owen Sillinger with him. But they'll also have newcomers Oiva Keskinen, Luca Pinelli, and Jack Williams to put in some goals too. 

James Malatesta isn't expected to put in 25 goals or collect 50 points, but he is expected to contribute. He has a scoring touch and brings physicality to the ice. 

James Malatesta Scouting Report

Strengths:

Skating: Malatesta's skating is an asset, with excellent acceleration, speed, and the ability to drive the puck through the neutral zone. 

Energy and Intensity: He plays with a high motor, is not afraid to throw hits, and engages physically to win puck battles and create turnovers. 

Shooting: He possesses a quick and accurate wrist shot, often firing on the fly, and is a threat on odd-man rushes. 

Offensive Instincts: Malatesta is good at finding open ice, jumping on opportunities, and making quick plays to generate scoring chances. 

Weaknesses:

Decision-Making: Needs to improve his passing and off-puck play, as he can sometimes prioritize intensity over making the best play. He takes bad penalties sometimes due to his physicality. 

Offensive Creativity: While he can finish plays, he doesn't possess the vision or playmaking skills of a top-tier offensive player. 

Consistency: His production can be inconsistent, and he needs to find a way to translate his energy and physical play into more consistent offensive contributions. 

Overall:

Malatesta is a prospect with a high floor, likely to become a reliable bottom-six forward in the NHL. He brings a lot of energy, a strong work ethic, and the ability to contribute in various ways, making him a player who can impact the game even without elite offensive skills. If he can put it together, expect him to be pushing for a roster spot in Columbus soon. But first, he has to prove it in 25-26.    

Does he have a chance to make the team? Many say no, but I wouldn't count him out if I were you.

What do you think? Please share your thoughts on our forum below. 

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There is no denying Florida Panthers are one of, if not the deepest team in the NHL.

As they enter the 2025-26 season, Florida will be looking to become the league’s first back-to-back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions since the New York Islanders in the early 1980s.

Panthers General Manager Bill Zito went to work this summer with the intention of keeping the band together and seeing if this elite squad he’s built has what it takes to become the NHL’s next dynasty.

It was quite remarkable that he was able to retain a trio of high-end unrestricted free agents – Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand – while also extending Tomas Nosek, acquiring Daniil Tarasov and signing Jeff Petry.

But all those moves, along with giving a one-year extension to restricted free agent Mackie Samoskevich, has left the Panthers in a bit of a pickle.

Currently, Florida is over the over the NHL salary cap, which rose to $95.5 million this summer, by $3.725 million, according to PuckPedia.

Matthew Tkachuk, who played through a torn hip abductor and a hernia during Florida’s run to their second straight Stanley Cup, may still end up having surgery, which he said following the playoffs was a 50-50 option.

Now that he’s gotten married and had his day with the Stanley Cup, perhaps that surgery could be forthcoming.

If that’s the case, Tkachuk’s contract carries a $9.5 million average annual value (AAV), all of which would be removed from Florida’s total under the cap if he were to be placed on Long Term Injured Reserve (LTIR).

One of the rumors that has floated around in recent weeks was that Evan Rodrigues could be a casualty of Florida’s salary cap situation.

Rodrigues has two years remaining with a $3 million AAV on his deal.

In his latest edition of 32 Thoughts, NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman gave some insight into Florida’s roster situation, and specifically the Rodrigues rumors.

“I don’t believe that’s going to be happening,” Friedman said of a potential trade, adding that Florida considers Rodrigues a “really important player.”

Friedman went on to say that Tkachuk is expected to miss the start of the season, but should be back in time for the Winter Olympics in February.

That kind of timeline implies that Tkachuk will be placed on LTIR.

Friedman did not, however, say what Florida will do to get under the salary cap when Tkachuk does come off LTIR.

Eventually, Zito and the Panthers are going to have to address the issue, but it doesn’t sound like Friedman, or anyone else outside the organization, has gotten wind of what Florida’s plan is.

Time will tell.

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Photo caption: Mar 15, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Florida Panthers center Evan Rodrigues (17) looks on in warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

When the curtain fell on the 2024-25 NHL season, the Florida Panthers skated away with the Stanley Cup for a second year running, which consolidated their status as the best team in the league. Still, during the regular season, the Montreal Canadiens played them four times and won every single one, which is no small feat. When Patrik Laine went to the Cup Final and celebrated the Cats’ victory with captain Aleksander Barkov, he was teased about joining them and simply replied he was fine in Montreal, having beaten the Panthers at every turn this season.

The two sides met for the first time at the end of December in Florida, after the Christmas break, and rookie netminder Jakub Dobes had just been called up following Cayden Primeau's demotion. Coach Martin St-Louis wasted no time testing the young netminder and threw him straight in the deep end against the reigning champions. The youngster performed exceptionally well, stopping the 34 shots he received. Meanwhile, Kirby Dach took matters into his own hands and scored Montreal’s first two goals in a 4-0 win.

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In mid-March, the Panthers rolled into town looking for revenge but were denied by Samuel Montembeault, who was named the third star of the game thanks to 21 saves on 22 shots. Meanwhile, the Canadiens scored three goals despite taking only 15 shots on net. This wasn’t Sergei Bobrovsky’s best game of the season, far from it.

Two weeks later, the Canadiens were back in Sunrise and grabbed another win, this one by a score of 4-2. The win was the result of two power play goals and a lot of tenacity. Montreal took the lead twice and let the Panthers come back each time, but when they took their third lead, they held on and shut down the Cats in the third period. Captain Nick Suzuki led the charge with a pair of assists and the game-winning goal.

The fourth and final meeting was the closest one, the Habs skated away with a 3-2 overtime win on April 11th when the Canadiens needed the win to qualify for the postseason, and the Panthers were without a few regulars. Despite only shooting 21 times on Vitek Vanecek, Suzuki (twice) and Josh Anderson found the back of the net. The captain scored the game-winning goal less than 30 seconds into the extra frame.

Throughout the four duels, the Canadiens outscored the Panthers 14-5, and despite not bombarding the Panthers’ net, they found a way to be opportunistic and get the eight points that were up for grabs. A big part of the Habs’ success was being able to contain Florida’s best players; Barkov only got two points in the series, while Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett only had one. Of course, the fact that Bobrovsky had an .838 save percentage, Spencer Knight .840 SV, and Vanecek .833 SV didn’t hurt either.

On the Canadiens’ side, rookie blueliner Lane Hutson was the ringleader with seven points in the series, closely followed by Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky, who both had five points. Of course, Montembeault’s .935 SV and Dobes’ shutout were also essential keys to the Canadiens’ success.

Will Montreal be able to replicate the same success against the Florida outfit this season? It’s hard to predict, but one thing’s for sure: Bill Zito did everything he could to keep his championship roster together, and he succeeded. He kept all of his pending free agents, somehow managing to retain Aaron Ekblad, Sam Bennett, and Brad Marchand. Florida even managed to add some depth on defense, signing former Hab Jeff Petry at a team-friendly price for one year. The 37-year-old veteran wants one last opportunity to win the Stanley Cup, and he believes that Florida might just be able to go for a three-peat, something that hasn’t happened since the New York Islanders won four Championships in a row at the start of the 1980s.

In net, it looks like Bobrovsky will be backed up by free agent signing Daniil Tarasov after the Panthers traded away Spencer Knight last season to add Seth Jones to their already impressive blueline. Tarasov has only 65 games of experience in the NHL, with a 3.44 goals-against average and a .898 save percentage.

If the young Canadiens can replicate their performance against the Champions this upcoming season, it will be another confidence builder for the Habs. They’ll have their work cut out for them, though. Montreal’s penalty kill was exceptionally efficient against the Cats last season, only allowing one goal on eight opportunities, and now that Joel Armia and Christian Dvorak have left, the Canadiens will have to replace them on the special team units.

Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

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“Diverse representation within inclusive environments is proven to advance innovation, creativity, and decision-making – all of which are critically important to the growth of the sport and our business,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman wrote in his introduction to the NHL’s first – and only, so far – diversity and inclusion report, which it released in 2022. “Recognizing these facts, we are working to better understand and accelerate our engagement across all layers of diversity – including nationality, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, and religion – and their nuances and intersections,” Bettman continued.

Last week, Bettman was named alongside NHL legend Wayne Gretzky, Florida Panthers’ captain Matthew Tkachukx6x and various representatives of other sports as a member of Donald Trump’s sports council. The council will be responsible for – among other things – playing an “important role in restoring tradition to college athletics, including … keeping men out of women’s sports.” Not what you’d call an opportunity for Bettman et al to gain a better understanding of the nuances of gender identity, by the sounds of it.

This is not the first time Bettman has given mixed messages around social issues. In 2023, for example, NHL tried to host a career fair aimed at recruiting a more diverse workforce (its inclusivity report noted that the league’s employees were roughly 84% white and 93% straight). The event, attached to that year’s All Star Game in Florida, quickly caught the attention of the governor’s office, which accused the NHL of discrimination – against white people. The league cancelled the career fair.

A few weeks later, the NHL again had the opportunity to stand for its diversity values when a handful of players refused to wear their team’s Pride-themed warmup jerseys. Instead, the NHL retreated meekly, encouraging “voices and perspectives on social and cultural issues.” That June – Pride month, no less – Bettman cancelled the Pride jerseys altogether, calling the furor around them “a distraction” from the intended message.

One wonders what he will call his own foray directly into the culture wars or, for that matter, how the NHL may characterize this particular moment of self-expression from the commissioner. It’s likely that Bettman’s participation in Trump’s sports council will fall into the “voices and perspectives on social and cultural issues” category the league talked about during the Pride jerseys fiasco. But seeing as the Trump seems fixated on getting trans women out of college sports – even though there are fewer than 10 transgender athletes in college sports, according to the president of the NCAA – this feels like a very specific kind of perspective on a cultural issue, doesn’t it?

What’s so aggravating about repeated allowances for anti-LGBTQ+ perspectives from the NHL under the guise of simply letting all opinions flourish equally, is how it pretends that these views are all morally equivalent when they’re not. Sure, the players who refused to wear a Pride-themed jersey can’t be forced to wear them, but it’s not like it was simply a fashion choice. Fundamentally, those players made that decision based on a worldview that refuses to accept LGBTQ+ people, including their fellow hockey players, as being equal to them and everyone else. It’s not the jerseys that were the problem – but they did a great job highlighting it.

Earlier this spring, Harrison Browne, the first transgender player in professional hockey, wrote that while in the NCAA, he was offered the option to have his own locker room and change his pronouns on the roster. “Looking back, I realize how important it is for trans and non-binary student athletes to have those options, whether or not they take them,” Browne wrote in The Walrus. “These choices provide a baseline of institutional acceptance and acknowledgment for gender-diverse athletes at all levels.” On Monday, Browne told the Guardian via email that “to see [Bettman, Gretzky, and Tkachuk] get behind an administration that is targeting marginalized communities, especially trans people in sports, is deeply disturbing and a huge step backwards in making hockey a more inclusive sport.”

And going backwards really isn’t Bettman’s thing, or it never used to be. When he accepted his job as commissioner in 1992, he told a room full of reporters that “the way a league performs well is by making its product as attractive as it can to the greatest number of fans.” He believed in growth, in other words – even up until 2022. What he risks now is stagnation, regression even. On that same day in 1992, Bettman said that he wanted to make hockey, a sport that at the time was seen as violent and retrograde, more “user-friendly.” And he acknowledged that to do it, he’d need to push some of the older owners into the future. “It may be that we are going to head in new, progressive directions that will make sense to every one immediately,” Bettman said. “For some, it may take a little more time.”

Maybe the diversity and inclusion stuff doesn’t totally make sense to Bettman in 2025 – other North American sports have decided that they don’t have the stomach to fight the culture wars under Trump either, and NFL commission Roger Goodell is also on the White House sports council. But Bettman should give the league’s diversity policies time to grow, rather than deliberately reversing course, hurting hockey’s players and fans, and ultimately jeopardising the future success of the sport for everyone. If that’s too much to ask, at the very least, if he’s invited to join a club created by a hostile and retrograde president, he should by now have the smarts to just say no.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have their training camp and preseason coming up, and so does their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. 

The baby Penguins announced their preseason schedule on Monday and it consists of two games. They will play the Hershey Bears on October 3 at 10:30 a.m. ET as part of their school day game and STEM workbook giveaway before playing the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on October 4 at 7:05 p.m. ET. 

Schools in the Northeast Pennsylvania area are invited to the game, marking the fourth consecutive year the WBS Penguins host a school day game. They have won the previous three and will try to make it four in a row. 

The Penguins have announced their 2025 preseason schedule, starting with the team's 'Learn With Hockey' School & STEM day game on Oct. 3!https://t.co/8e2JriVw0Rpic.twitter.com/2XIyVYObmb

— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) August 4, 2025

They will start the regular season on October 11 against the Hartford Wolf Pack at 6:05 p.m. ET. It will be the first of 72 regular-season games before the Calder Cup Playoffs commence. 

The WBS Penguins are coming off their second-straight playoff exit at the hands of the Phantoms. 

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Featured Image Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

We’re just 64 days away from the San Jose Sharks kicking off their season against the Vegas Golden Knights at SAP Center.

The number 64 has only been worn twice in franchise history. The first was from 2009 to 2012 by Jamie McGinn, then again by Mikael Granlund during the 2024-25 season.

McGinn spent four years with the Sharks after being drafted in the second round of the 2006 NHL Draft. During his time in San Jose, he scored 27 goals and added 22 assists for 49 points in 204 games. After his time with the organization came to an end, he went on to play for the Colorado Avalanche. He wrapped up his career after 11 seasons, finishing with 117 goals and 103 assists for 220 points in 617 games.

Granlund, meanwhile, spent parts of two years with the Sharks. He was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of the Erik Karlsson trade. In his two seasons with the club, he recorded 27 goals and 78 assists for 105 points in 121 games. He was a very productive player during his time in San Jose, and at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, he was dealt to the Dallas Stars. In his 13-year career so far, he has tallied 610 points in 902 games.

We’re slowly making our way through the dog days of summer. August is the final month without hockey, which should have NHL fans counting down the days.

Despite making the cut last year, Philadelphia Flyers forward Travis Konecny is no longer a top 20 winger in the NHL in the eyes of the NHL Network.

On Wednesday, the NHL Network revealed its rankings of the top 20 wingers in the NHL, and we came to find a few newcomers jumped Konecny, 28, in rankings over the last season.

Konecny (20), Steven Stamkos (13), Brad Marchand (18), and Zach Hyman (11) made way for newcomers Matt Boldy (19), Adrian Kempe (20), Jesper Bratt (12), and Brandon Hagel (13).

Konecny's 76 points did see him finish 30th in the league in scoring amongst all forwards, placing ahead of Alex Ovechkin (ranked 17th by NHL Network), Boldy, and Kempe, but those three all made the playoffs while Konecny and the Flyers finished with the fourth-worst record in the league.

Plus, it doesn't help that the 28-year-old ceded some of the limelight to rookie Matvei Michkov, who will be on this list in no time at all.

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Adding to that, Konecny did finish the season with 34 points in his last 44 games, but only seven of those points were goals.

For a player who, right or wrong, is seen as the guy who has to carry the Flyers, Konecny fell short down the stretch, and NHL Network likely punished him for that.

Overall, the Flyers star finished the 2024-25 season with 24 goals, 52 assists, and 76 points while playing in all 82 regular season games for just the second time in his career, and for the first time since 2018-19.

The Edmonton Oilers could be exploring a move to bolster their goaltending depth, and recent comments from team insider Bob Stauffer have sparked speculation that Detroit Red Wings prospect Sebastian Cossa might be a target.

To be clear, Stauffer didn't say Cossa's name. He left it open-ended and for fans to guess. Still, it didn't take long for several fans and analysts to put two and two together. 

On a recent episode of Oilers Now, Stauffer hinted the organization is looking at a goalie who “hasn’t gained a lot of traction” with his current team, but noted there’s a “connection” to Edmonton. He added that the player’s team also has “another really good goaltending prospect,” leading many to believe he was referring to Cossa, who once starred for the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings.

Think Bob is talking about Sebastian Cossa here. Detroit has Trey Augustine passing him in rankings now, Cossa is a former Oil King. pic.twitter.com/HRkQIX5r8C

— OilersDaily (@alloilersdaily) August 2, 2025

Cossa, 22, was a first-round pick by the Red Wings in 2021. It's not entirely clear where he sits in the eyes of GM Steve Yzerman and the coaching staff. That said, it appears he's lost ground on the depth chart to Trey Augustine.

He posted a solid .911 save percentage and 2.45 goals-against average in the AHL last season, but it's unclear if he's got the makings to be a steady NHL starter. He has just one NHL game under his belt.

Who Could Join the Oilers on a PTO? 4 Logical FitsAs NHL training camps approach,  players who haven't earned a UFA contract will be eyed as potential PTO candidates. For the Edmonton Oilers, who are watching every penny, that could open the door to some potential opportunities.

As for what the Oilers would be willing to offer, if Stauffer is suggesting a trade is being discussed, the details remain a mystery. It's hard to imagine Edmonton giving up much for an unproven goaltender who isn't likely to do much on a Red Wings team that may not be playoff bound. If Cossa has fallen out of favor in Detroit, it's logical to assume a draft pick or a different prospect might get the deal done. 

It seems unlikely the Oilers would trade a roster player, unless the Red Wings were willing to take on a contract like Mattias Janmark. While the deal would free up cap space and address a long-term organizational need, it may not be a move the Oilers are ready to make this summer. Janmark might not be a regular in the team's lineup this season, but he's likely to offer more game time in a Stanley Cup window than Cossa would. 

Acquiring Cossa might be appealing, but there is no guarantee he’s NHL-ready.

The Detroit Red Wings have made numerous additions to their lineup in the offseason through both free agency and trade, though none of the moves could accurately be described as a major "splash" acquisition. 

While there is still well over a month between now and the start of Red Wings Training Camp in mid-September, doubt is beginning to creep in on whether they'll ultimately pull the trigger and acquire a new, high-profile figure. 

While the Red Wings have re-signed their restricted free agents in Albert Johansson, Jonatan Berggren, and Elmer Soderblom, one team that still has a notable RFA yet to be locked down is the Anaheim Ducks. 

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

The Ducks haven't had any luck re-signing Mason McTavish, who recently completed his three-year entry-level contract and scored a career-high 22 goals in 76 games for the Ducks last season. 

OH, MASON MCTAVISH!! 🥵

That was absolutely gross. pic.twitter.com/4KHDfm2eEi

— NHL (@NHL) April 2, 2025

According to a newly released report from RG.org, an anonymous NHL source has named the Red Wings as a potential landing spot for McTavish if the Ducks can't get him to sign a new deal.

Not only does the source tout the history between former teammates Steve Yzerman and Pat Verbeek, who now serve as the general manager of their respective clubs, but for what McTavish could bring to Detroit's forward units. 

“One team I keep hearing that has continued to show strong interest is the Detroit Red Wings," the source explained to RG.org. "Obviously there’s a history there with Pat [Verbeek] and Steve [Yzerman], and I really think Steve sees McTavish as a player that would clearly change the whole dynamic of his team up the middle there.”

Yzerman and Verbeek do have an extensive professional history together. Not only were they teammates on the ice in Detroit from 1999 through 2001, but they also worked together as executives with both the Tampa Bay Lightning and Red Wings; Verbeek worked under Yzerman in both locations before accepting the role as Ducks GM in February 2022.

McTavish, whom the Ducks selected with the third overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, is known for his offensive flair and often plays in close proximity to the net. He's played in 229 career NHL games, and has scored 60 goals while adding 80 assists. 

As it currently stands, the Red Wings have just over $12 million worth of salary cap remaining, which is more than enough to absorb the contract of a significant potential addition. If they were to acquire McTavish via trade, it would have to come with a contract extension, as he is currently unsigned for the approaching campaign. 

The Red Wings and Ducks have already made a pair of trades with one another in just over a full calendar year, as Detroit sent oft-injured forward Robby Fabbri to Anaheim last July while acquiring goaltender John Gibson in late June of this year. 

Detroit has already been linked as a potential landing spot for McTavish if he and the Ducks can't come to an agreement, and his presence in the lineup would give the Red Wings another offensive weapon capable of playing in the top-six and reaching at least 20 goals. 

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New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt has been ranked the 12th-best winger in the NHL right now by NHL Network.

Where's the Bratt Pack at?

Jesper Bratt comes in at #⃣1⃣2⃣ on our Top 20 Wings Right Now list! @NJDevils | #NHLTopPlayerspic.twitter.com/oLFZsxEy7U

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 6, 2025

Unranked last season, Bratt is now earning praise for his standout performance.

The 27-year-old has spent his entire eight-year NHL career with the Devils after being drafted 162nd overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. The Swedish forward found his stride this past season, posting 88 points in 81 games.

He also represented Sweden at the Four Nations Tournament, recording two points in three games.

Bratt is entering the third year of his eight-year, $63 million contract, which carries an annual average value of $7.8 million and keeps him in New Jersey until age 32.

Making his debut as a teenager after impressing in the 2017 training camp, Bratt played 74 games in his rookie season (2017–18), tallying 13 goals and 22 assists. Over the years, he has battled through injuries, fracturing his jaw in October 2018 and undergoing shoulder surgery in the 2024–25 offseason. He is expected to be ready for the start of the 2025–26 season.

In 2025, Bratt was named to the NHL All-Star Team and now finds himself recognized as one of the league’s elite wingers. Often overshadowed by teammates Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, Bratt has quietly posted back-to-back 80-point seasons, leading the Devils in shot assists and scoring chance assists. His speed, puck-handling, and ability to excel in man-advantage situations make him a constant offensive threat.

Bratt made history in 2024–25, becoming the top-scoring Swedish player in the NHL and setting a Devils record for single-season assists. He is one of only five players league-wide to record at least 20 goals, 50 assists, and 80 points in each of the past two seasons.

Only 11 wingers were ranked higher than Bratt on NHL Network’s list:

1. Jake Guentzel – Tampa Bay Lightning
2. Artemi Panarin – New York Rangers
3. Kyle Connor – Winnipeg Jets
4. Sam Reinhart – Florida Panthers
5. Matthew Tkachuk – Florida Panthers
6. William Nylander – Toronto Maple Leafs
7. Mitch Marner – Vegas Golden Knights
8. Mikko Rantanen – Dallas Stars
9. Kirill Kaprizov – Minnesota Wild
10. David Pastrnak – Boston Bruins
11. Nikita Kucherov – Tampa Bay Lightning

Bratt has firmly established himself among the NHL’s best wingers, and is finally getting the recognition he deserves.

Photo Credit: © Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Former NHL forward David Booth may not have played in the NHL since his first and only season with the Detroit Red Wings during the 2017-18 campaign, but he's showing that he still has some pretty slick moves that made him one of the better players for the Florida Panthers during their dark years. 

Booth, who played the majority of his career with the Panthers from 2006 to 2011, currently plays Down Under for the Melbourne Ice of the Australian Ice Hockey League, and recently scored a spectacular goal against the Brisbane Lightning that some fans could easily confuse for a former Pavel Datsyuk highlight.

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Not only did he execute a full Denis Savard-style spin-o-rama around Lightning forward Sacha Rapchuk after receiving a pass near the top of the slot, but then he dangled around defenseman Thomas Kiliwnik before beating goaltender Jakob Doornbos with a quick blocker-side shot. 

Could this be goal of the game, week, season ? David Booth ~ 5 goals 3 assists and 8 points for the day. Speechless! pic.twitter.com/YExE7G60O9

— Melbourne Ice (@melbourneice) August 6, 2025

To add to the feat, it was part of a five-goal, three-assist performance during the game for Booth, who has now scored 25 goals with 25 assists in just 11 games. 

Booth began his NHL career as the 53rd overall pick of the Panthers in the 2004 NHL Draft, and he would play parts of six seasons with the team. His game action was limited to regular season play only, as the Panthers failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs during his time with the team.

Booth's best offensive output came in the 2008-09 campaign, during which he lit the lamp 31 times while adding another 29 assists. 

He was then traded in the early goings of the 2011-12 NHL season to the Vancouver Canucks as part of a package to acquire Mikael Samuelsson, who had won the Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 2008 and would later make a brief return to the team later in his career. 

Following stints with the Canucks and the Toronto Maple Leafs, Booth spent time in Russia suiting up for both Admiral Vladivostok and Avangard Omsk in the KHL before returning to the NHL as a member of the Red Wings ahead of the 2017-18 NHL season, Detroit's first in the brand new Little Caesars Arena. 

The Detroit native scored four goals with an assist in 28 games for the Red Wings in what would prove to be his final season in the NHL.

WPG @ DET - 12/5/2017

David Booth - 5-1 Red Wings #LGRWpic.twitter.com/TlXhk50sV8

— Red Wings Goals In Order (@RedWingsVids) March 14, 2025

In 530 career NHL games, Booth scored 124 goals with 112 assists. Since then, he's played in Norway as well as Germany's DEL2 along with another stint in the KHL. 

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The Buffalo Sabres play in the NHL's toughest division in the Atlantic Division -- but the 2025-26 schedule isn't going to do them any favors. THN.com's Sabres site has been publishing a team-by-team look at Buffalo's opponents next year -- and in today's file, we're continuing our look at the Sabres' chances against the Central Division-juggernaut Colorado Avalanche.

The Avalanche were an elite team last season, even if they finished just third in the Central. But if the Sabres are going to end their 14-year Stanley Cup playoff drought, they're going to have to beat very good teams like the Avs. So let's explore Buffalo's chances against Colorado next season, and see if we can't accurately predict how well the Sabres will play versus the Avalanche.

BUFFALO SABRES VS. COLORADO AVALANCHE

NEW AVALANCHE PLAYERS: Brent Burns, D 

2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 0-1-1, Avalanche 2-0-0

2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER:  October 13 at Buffalo; November 13 at Colorado 

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM?  The Sabres did not fare well against the Avalanche last year, losing both games by a combined score of 11-9. Buffalo did squeeze out one standings point in the two games, losing by a shootout in their last game against each other Jan. 2. But the Avalanche team they'll be facing this year is just as good, if not better than the Avs team that played last year.

To wit: Colorado will have a full season with captain Gabriel Landeskog, and that's more or less a trade acquisition given that they still played well without Landeskog last year. Meanwhile, the Avalanche's defense corps -- already one of the strongest groups in the league -- got even better with the signing of greybear blueliner Brent Burns. 

At 40 years old, Burns is the oldest player in the NHL, and while his offensive stats have ebbed in recent years, he's likely going to be very valuable in limited action on Colorado's third defense pairings. And Burns' snarl and size will also make the Avalanche even tougher to battle in their own zone.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Central Edition: Will Blackhawks Stun Buffalo In Their Showdowns Next Year?The Buffalo Sabres' schedule has been out for some time now, and it's always fun to examine the Sabres' opponents by breaking down their showdowns against each of the NHL's 31 other teams.

Meanwhile, the Avalanche still will be dominant because in center Nathan MacKinnon and defenseman Cale Makar, they have two of the top-five players in the league. That made it more palatable to trade former Avs winger Mikko Rantanen, and with the money Rantanen was making, Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland acquired Martin Necas from Carolina and Brock Nelson from the New York Islanders.

And after all those moves, MacFarland still has $3.3 million in cap space. That's a masterclass in cap management. And that's going to make it extremely difficult for the Sabres to beat the Avalanche.

The intriguing wrinkle in Buffalo's games against Colorado is that they both come at the beginning of the year. The first game they go head-to-head will be the Sabres' third game of the regular-season, while the remaining game will be played exactly one month later.  That could open up a potential quick-strike action on the Sabres' behalf, with the Avalanche vulnerable as they potentially experiment with lines and chemistry early in the season. Playing the Avalanche early is far better for Buffalo's chances to beat Colorado than they would be if their games came later in the season, after a trade deadline that almost certainly will see the Avs spend every bit of their cap space.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Metropolitan Edition: How Will Buffalo Fare Against High-Octane Washington Capitals?The Buffalo Sabres want nothing more than to qualify for the 2025-26 Stanley Cup playoffs. Ending Buffalo's 14-year drought without any playoff games is a gigantic stain on the organization, but there's no assurace the Sabres will be able to vault over many solid teams and grab a playoff berth.

As it stands, Colorado is a top-10 team in the league right now. They may even be a top-five team in the league when firing on all cylinders. So the Sabres have their work cut out for them in trying to win at least one of the two games they have against the Avalanche. Buffalo wasn't able to beat the Avs last year, so a statement game or two against Colorado could be just what the doctor ordered for Buffalo's playoff chances.

And if the Sabres get knocked around again by the Avs, they could miss out on playoff action because they didn't make the most of their opportunites against one of the game's best squads. Time will tell how Buffalo ultimately fares against Colorado, but the challenge is clear -- let the Avalanche know the Sabres are a different team by pushing back and avenging their losses to the Avs last year, or fall again into the same unfortunate pattern and lose both games to Colorado.

The Hockey News’ summer splash series – our exclusive rankings of the off-seasons of each NHL team – continues with the 12th spot going to the New Jersey Devils. We’ve been moving in reverse from the 32nd-place Buffalo Sabres to the No. 1 spot, and we’re looking at every team’s roster additions, departures, and hirings and firings where applicable.

After considerable debate and discussion, THN.com has ranked teams that fall into one of three categories this summer. The first category is teams that have improved. The second category is teams that have more or less remained the same. And the final category is teams that have regressed. 

The Devils have been a playoff team for two of the past three seasons, but there’s a prevailing sense about this team that they’re not living up to expectations. In two playoff appearances in the past three seasons, New Jersey has been eliminated by the superior Carolina Hurricanes with relative ease, so Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald was frank and true when he said he wouldn’t be bringing back the same group next season.

With that in mind, let’s look at New Jersey’s changes and why they’re nearly a top-10 team in terms of their off-season development. 

Additions

Connor Brown (RW), Evgenii Dadonov (LW), Juho Lammikko (LW), Thomas Bordeleau (LW), Arseniy Gritsyuk (LW)   

The Breakdown: The Devils didn’t make widespread changes this summer, really only dealing with their bottom-six group of forwards and players who may be in the press box to start the year. Brown is coming off a terrific post-season with the Edmonton Oilers, while Dadonov very quietly had a 20-goal, 40-point season with the Dallas Stars. Fitzgerald got Brown and Dadonov for a combined salary cap hit of $4-million. That’s some nifty work by the Devils GM.

Meanwhile, while he’s not an addition per se, goaltender Jake Allen chose to return to New Jersey this summer at a team-friendly salary of $1.8-million. Allen worked well with starter Jacob Markstrom last season, and he almost certainly could’ve received more money to go elsewhere. 

So Allen’s decision to stay in New Jersey is an endorsement of what this team is capable of. And a deeper, more skilled Devils group in front of the goalies will make life easier for Markstrom and Allen.

Departures

Erik Haula (LW), Tomas Tatar (LW), Curtis Lazar (C), Daniel Sprong (LW), Nathan Bastian (RW), Justin Dowling (C), Brian Dumoulin (D), Nolan Foote (D)

The Breakdown: There’s been a fairly big exodus from New Jersey’s roster this summer, but it’s basically been a stream of fringe players (Erik Haula, Curtis Lazar, Daniel Sprong) and veterans who left for Europe (Tatar). 

The most high-profile departure is probably Dumoulin, a trade-deadline acquisition who never really fit in as part of the Devils’ defense corps. But New Jersey has one of the deepest, strongest groups of blueliners in the league, so they’ll be able to absorb the slight blow from Dumoulin’s departure with relative ease. 

Something to keep an eye on: Fittzgerald still has $6.1 million in cap space to use between now and the next NHL trade deadline. So nobody should be shocked to see the Devils as movers-and-shakers at the deadline and during the year.

The Bottom Line

Essentially, Fitzgerald has changed up New Jersey’s wingers this summer, bringing in new blood in Brown and Dadonov in particular and bidding farewell to veterans including Haula and Tatar. That’s a trade-off that almost certainly will make the Devils at least a little bit better. And that’s why they’re ranked as highly as they are in the summer splash list.

Don’t get it twisted – we’re still not sure New Jersey has what it takes to finish higher in the Metropolitan Division standings and/or go on a deeper playoff run next season. But the Devils’ core – brothers Jack and Luke Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier – is coming back with considerably more pressure to improve on their past few years.

The Devils are indeed improved, if only slightly so. But Fitzgerald has effected change in the team’s secondary players, and time will tell whether that was the right choice. And if things go sideways for New Jersey, there will be a larger reckoning at this time next year.

Summer Splash Rankings

12. New Jersey Devils

13. St. Louis Blues

14. Pittsburgh Penguins

15. Colorado Avalanche

16. Ottawa Senators

17. Boston Bruins

18. Edmonton Oilers

19. Minnesota Wild

20. Seattle Kraken

21. Columbus Blue Jackets

22. Washington Capitals

23. Nashville Predators

24. New York Islanders

25. Tampa Bay Lightning

26. Toronto Maple Leafs

27. Dallas Stars

28. Calgary Flames

29. Los Angeles Kings

30. Winnipeg Jets

31. Chicago Blackhawks

32. Buffalo Sabres

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