For a second year in a row, Alex Newhook held a golf tournament in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and the event included a Q&A with a few special guests. On the stage alongside Newhook were his sister Abby Newhook, who the Boston Fleet of the PWHL recently drafted, Montreal Canadiens teammates Arber Xhekaj, Jakub Dobes, and Jayden Struble, and former Habs Michael Pezzetta and Chris Nilan.

David Amber played the role of master of ceremonies and asked many questions to the players, a few of which are worth reporting. The panel was asked which rule change they would like to see in the league, and Dobes had a surprising answer. The netminder would like to see more goalie fights and laments that the linesmen step in too early to stop them. He refused to say which masked man he would like to fight, however. As for Xhekaj, he explained that he would eliminate the shootout; instead, he prefers continuous overtime. He even mentioned that a shootout, while flashy, ruins the game. Meanwhile, Newhook would do away with the delay-of-game penalty when the puck is thrown over the glass. As for Pezzetta, he would uniformize the high-sticking penalty, doing away with the four-minute infraction when one draws blood.

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It was also interesting to see the answers to the “who should be mic'd up on the ice?” question. Newhook picked Brad Marchand because of the Stanley Cup champion’s antics on the ice, before adding that Cole Caufield would be interesting since he’s loud and all over the place. Struble interjected to say Lane Hutson would be funny, and Xhekaj jumped in to add that the Calder Trophy winner once apologized to a guy who had just received a penalty on him. The gritty defenseman also suggested Juraj Slafkovsky would be interesting since he’s yelling in Slovakian and you can’t even understand what he’s saying half the time.

Another noteworthy question was where the players would like to see expansion teams. Dobes came out of left field with a London, England-based team. Nilan said he wouldn’t want to see Atlanta again before saying Houston is a possibility, and he would like to see Quebec City, but he added that “Mr. Molson wouldn’t like that,” and he’s not sure if they could fill up the building for a whole season.

As always, Nilan found the way to entertain the crowd when he was asked what winning the Stanley Cup in Montreal was like. He explained that winning in that market is special, and given the option to win in Montreal or Anaheim, the choice was obvious. But the big chuckle came when he added, “Even in New Jersey, they had a parade in a parking lot [insert expletive here]”.

That led to him talking about game 3 of the series against the Washington Capitals this season, saying it was the loudest he’d ever seen the building. Asked about that game, which was the first of his career in the playoffs, Dobes mentioned that he was nervous, but it ended up well since they won. While he was talking, you could see something was burning on Arber Xhekaj’s lips, and seconds later, he let it out:

So Dobby stands by the bench, right close to their bench, and he’s looking over and chirping every single guy that comes off the ice, yelling at them, chirping them. Next thing you know, our goalie gets hurt and Dobby has to go in…uh oh.

-

The young netminder admitted that the story was true and added that the Caps were not nice to him in the first five minutes. Xhekaj then explained that’s how the bench brawl started. At the end of the period, Dobes had to skate through the Caps to get back to the Canadiens’ room, but they all decided to stand there and wait to have a word with him. The tough guy added: “And then I got in there and it was madness”. Pleading his case, the rookie netminder added that he didn’t even say anything that bad.

That night really was special at the Bell Centre last season. It will be interesting to see what the building is like this upcoming season if the Canadiens do make the playoffs for a second year in a row.

Photo credit:  Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

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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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The Anaheim Ducks have missed the playoffs every year since 2017-18 and in doing so, have drafted in the top ten for seven consecutive seasons and procured one of the NHL’s deepest and most potent prospect pools.

Despite several young players having graduated and become full-time NHLers, such as Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish, Pavel Mintyukov, and Olen Zellweger, the Ducks still have an impressive pipeline of potential impact and depth prospects yet to make the jump.

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For this exercise, only players who haven’t lost rookie status are eligible for a ranking, and to be clear, these are my (Patrick Present) subjective rankings.

Honorable Mentions: Yegor Sidorov, Herman Traff, Tarin Smith, Lasse Boelius, Calle Clang

Top Ten:

10. Nathan Gaucher, 21, C, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

9. Ian Moore, 23, RHD, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

8. Sasha Pastujov, 22, W, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

7. Tomas Suchanek, 22, G, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

6. Eric Nilson, 18, C, Michigan State University (NCAA)

5. Lucas Pettersson, 19, C, Brynas IF (SHL)

4. Stian Solberg, 19, LHD, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

3. Tristan Luneau, 21, RHD, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

2. Roger McQueen, 18, C, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)

If it were guaranteed that Roger McQueen is currently 100% healthy and will be moving forward, he would have easily sat atop this list of Ducks prospects. However, if that same guarantee could have been made just over a month ago at the NHL Draft, McQueen would have certainly been selected higher than where the Ducks were picking (10th overall in 2025).

“There's certainly power forward written all over him in how he plays the game,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek stated after McQueen’s selection. “He has a little bit of a mean side to him, which I like. There's high compete there with him.

“And so I think that when we went through the injuries that he had, I think that we felt comfortable drafting him. Just all the things that he's gone through to overcome the injury, we felt comfortable drafting him.”

McQueen has the makeup of a dominant, elite top-line center in the NHL. He measured in at 6-foot-5.25 and 198 pounds at the NHL Draft combine in early June, and uses every bit of that frame and reach to control play in all three zones.

As of now, his skating is about NHL average, which, given his size, is a tremendous advantage. He has a long, powerful stride and is as fluid on his edges as it gets. He can cover a huge amount of ice incredibly quickly. The only area for improvement in the skating department could be with adding explosion to his first three steps.

He’s immensely gifted with the puck on his stick: his hands are elite, he can operate in tight spaces, he can operate in open ice, he can protect pucks, he threads needles to open teammates in dangerous areas, and his shot is NHL-ready.

McQueen’s defensive attention to detail is surprisingly advanced for someone who’s missed as much time as he has and for someone who is as offensively gifted as he is. He stays well on the defensive side of the puck in coverage and uses his closing ability and active stick to kill plays in low-danger areas before they can develop.

He has every tool necessary to be one of the best players in the NHL in his prime. However, the question marks surrounding his back injury will remain until he can prove he’s fully recovered and unhampered.

McQueen missed all but 17 regular season games in 2024-25 with a fracture in his vertebrae, needing ample rest to properly heal and recover. He returned for three playoff games, but he sustained a muscle injury, reportedly from overcompensation, which ended his draft season.

"I think being off (the ice for so long) really helped me (develop my skills)," McQueen said during his post-draft availability. "I think the other side of the game, the mental side, really got a lot sharper for me in the sense of just having five months off to take that on myself and work on that. I think just being able to stay positive and stay resilient really helped me out. The other side of the game is watching our team play. You learn a lot (by doing that) too.”

Moving forward, the priority for McQueen’s development is to ensure he’s fully healthy and plays as many games as possible in 2025-26. Signs are currently pointing toward him returning to the WHL to play for Brandon, but with the new CHL/NCAA agreement in place, college hockey remains an option, and there’s always the (very) outside chance he makes the Ducks’ NHL roster following rookie and training camps.

McQueen, along with fellow Ducks prospects Beckett Sennecke and Tarin Smith, was invited to Team Canada’s World Junior Summer Showcase, but both he and Sennecke were listed as “unable to attend.”

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Photo Credit: Anaheim Ducks PR

On July 30 and 31, 2005, the NHL held its draft. It was initially scheduled for June 25th, but the lockout messed up the schedule. After the draft lottery was held on July 22, the drafting order was known, and the Pittsburgh Penguins won the privilege of drafting Sidney Crosby, a move that would change the fate of the franchise. As for the Montreal Canadiens, they won the fifth pick.

With Crosby, Bobby Ryan, Jack Johnson, and Benoit Pouliot off the board, the Canadiens elected to select Carey Price with the fifth overall pick. The move would turn out to be franchise-altering as well. The goaltender became the face of the team for 15 years and became the winningest netminder in the storied franchise's history with 361 wins.

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The Canadiens made the playoffs in 10 of the 15 years in which Price tended net for them, despite their lack of firepower. While Price was unable to lead them to the ultimate prize, he had the talent and the skills necessary to do it if only he had been given a better supporting cast.

Some blame Price for signing a contract that eats up too much of the cap, but the truth of the matter is, anyone would have done the same. Management offered the 84-million contract for eight years and then proceeded to invest much of its remaining money on the blueline. Marc Bergevin preferred a defense corps with big, punishing defensemen, and he was willing to invest heavily to achieve that.

The ”you just have to make the playoffs and then anything can happen” formula didn’t work, and it shouldn’t have been a shock to anyone. Generally speaking, the Stanley Cup champions don’t just sneak into the playoffs and luck out into a Championship.

It takes careful planning to reach the highest of heights in the NHL, and one has to wonder what would have happened had Price been playing for the current management team, with much more offensive power up front. It could have happened had injuries not ended his career early, but it just wasn’t to be.

Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

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The 2025 calendar will soon switch over to August. For many players around the NHL, it is a month that represents the final weeks with their friends and family before traveling to their respective hockey cities for the 2025-26 season. 

Currently, three former New Jersey Devils forwards are unemployed and seeking their next opportunity in professional hockey. 

Nathan Bastian 

Former Team: New Jersey Devils 

For the first time in his career, Bastian is experiencing free agency. The 27-year-old has appeared in 276 NHL games, and 264 were with the Devils. 

It was clear during his end-of-season media availability that his goal was to remain in New Jersey. 

"It is crazy how quick a place can feel like home, Bastian said. "Not that it's been a short time, but I think since the time I was drafted, I am the longest-standing Devil still here. Being here means a lot to me — the city, the rink, the staff, and you guys. It is something I want to be a part of."

On July 2, The Hockey News confirmed with Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald that the organization would not be interested in bringing back any further unrestricted free agents beyond Jake Allen and Dennis Cholowski. 

Kevin Rooney 

Former Team: Calgary Flames

Beginning his career with the Devils, Rooney additionally played for the New York Rangers and, most recently, the Calgary Flames. 

He is coming off a season where he played a single-season career high of 70 games in the NHL. The 32-year-old earned 10 points (five goals, five assists) with the Flames. 

Jimmy Vesey 

Former Team: Colorado Avalanche 

The 32-year-old began the 2024-25 season with the Rangers before being traded to the Colorado Avalanche with Ryan Lindgren and Hank Kempf for Calvin de Haan, Juuso Parssinen, and conditional second and fourth-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft. 

He did not appear in a postseason game for the Avalanche and hit free agency on July 1, after earning eight points in 43 games last season. Considered a bit of a journeyman, Vesey has played for six organizations since making his NHL Debut in 2016. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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Photo Credit: © John Jones-Imagn Images

In a recent article for The Athletic, Dom Luszczyszyn ranked the 10 best contracts in the NHL. While no current Chicago Blackhawks player appears on the list, a notable former Blackhawk has made the cut. 

Former Blackhawks forward Brandon Hagel has the No. 2 spot on Luszczyszyn's list, with New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes being the only player ranked above him. 

Hagel is currently entering the second season of his eight-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he has a $6.5 million cap hit. With this, Hagel just completed the first year of his long-term deal, and there is no question that it could not have been better. 

In 82 games this past season with the Lightning, Hagel posted new career highs with 35 goals, 55 assists, and 90 points. This was after he had set then career-highs with 49 assists and 75 points in 82 games with the Bolts during the 2023-24 campaign. 

Since signing his contract extension during the 2023 NHL off-season, Hagel has only gotten better. Thus, it is easy to understand why Luszczyszyn has Hagel at the No. 2 spot on his list. Since being traded by the Blackhawks, Hagel has become a fantastic player for the Lightning and is easily a big part of their core because of it. 

In 108 games over three seasons with the Blackhawks, Hagel recorded 30 goals, 31 assists, and 61 points. His time with Chicago ended when he was traded to the Lightning during the 2021-22 season.

Blackhawks Big Defenseman Should Only Get BetterChicago Blackhawks defenseman Alex Vlasic cemented himself a full-time spot on the Original Six club's NHL roster during the 2023-24 season. In 76 games with the Blackhawks that season, the 6-foot-6 blueliner recorded two goals, 14 assists, 16 points, and 56 hits. Overall, the 2019 second-round pick certainly demonstrated that he has the ability to be a solid defensive defenseman at the NHL level.

Photo Credit: © Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

Welcome back to  THN.com's Buffalo Sabres site. In recent days and weeks, we've been focusing on the teams the Sabres will square off against next season. And in today's file, we're turning our attention to a team Buffalo will be taking on in the latest battl(es) of New York (state) -- the New York Islanders.

After missing out on the Stanley Cup playoffs last season, the Islanders fired GM Lou Lamoriello and replaced him with former NHL player Mathieu Darche. And the Islanders were blessed by the hockey gods when they won this year's draft lottery and selected cornerstone defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the first-overall pick.

But that doesn't mean that there isn't pain ahead for the Isles as they chart a new course. As we'll explore below, the Islanders are in the early stages of a rebuild, and while they have many veterans who'll be pushing for a playoff berth this coming season, earning a playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division will be a tall order indeed for the Islanders. And the Sabres need to beat the Isles to help their cause as a legitimate playoff team in 2025-26.

So for now let's explore Buffalo's recent history with the Islanders, and whether or not the Sabres will and should be beating the Isles next season.

BUFFALO SABRES VS. NEW YORK ISLANDERS

NEW ISLANDERS PLAYERS: Jonathan Drouin, LW; Emil Heineman, LW; Maxim Shabanov, LW; David Rittich, G

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

2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER:  December 20 at Buffalo; January 24 at Long Island; March 31 at Buffalo

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM?  The Sabres and Islanders got all three of their games out of the way before Christmas time last season, with Buffalo dropping the first two games before blowing out the Isles 7-1 two days before Christmas. But this coming season, the first of their three games dosn't come until Dec. 20 -- and their final showdown will be the Sabres' eighth-to-last game of the season on March 31. At that point, the rosters of both Buffalo and the Isles could look significantly different, with the Islanders potentially being a seller at the trade deadline, and the Sabres potentially being a buyer.

New Isles GM Darche has already shown he's unafraid of taking a big swing in the trade department, sending star defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens in a blockbuster deal that sent a message -- the Islanders are open for business.

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That means many Isles veterans could be on the trade block this year -- including (but not limited to) captain Anders Lee, who is entering the final season of his contract; and center J-G Pageau, who also has only one year remaining on his deal. Still, there are Islanders veterans who are extremely unlikely to be dealt anywhere, including star forward Mathew Barzal, center Bo Horvat, winger Kyle Palmieri, newcomer Drouin, defensemen Alexander Romanov, Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech, and star goalie Ilya Sorokin. That doesn't mean any or many of them are guaranteed to not be dealt out of Long Island, but it would take quite the offer to get Darche to part ways with them.

Thus, while most prognosticators won't be picking the Islanders as a playoff team in the Metropolitan Division, there are more than enough veterans on the Isles' roster who won't be rolling over and playing dead because nobody had much faith in them. With coach Patrick Roy setting a high bar for his players, the Islanders are likely to stay competitive all year long, and that almost certainly means the Sabres are going to have to be at their best if they want to win at least two of the three games they'll play against the Isles.

If Buffalo is intent on beating the Islanders next year, they'll need to exploit the Isles' defense (which finished 20th in the league last season at 3.13 goals-against per game) while limiting the Islanders' offense (which finished 27th in the league averaging 2.71 goals-for per game). 

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Metropolitan Edition: Sabres Could Be Battling Up-And-Coming Blue Jackets For Wild Card BerthThe Buffalo Sabres are one of the teams most desperate to make the Stanley Cup playoffs next season. And one of the teams the Sabres could be battling for one of the two wild card berths next season is another team desperate to end a prolonged playoff drought -- the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Also important: shaking the confidence of Sorokin. The 29-year-old Russian was not at his best last season, as Sorokin's save percentage dropped for the third consecutive season, falling to a career-worst .907 SP in a whopping 61 appearances. Granted, Sorokin was playing behind a porous Islanders defense corps, but even if Schaefer comes in and thrives as a rookie defenseman, the rest of the Isles' defense isn't renowned for locking down opponents' offensive attack.

In any case, the games between the three teams from New York State always have that little extra edge to them. And that's not going to be any different in the 2025-26 campaign. The Sabres are absolutely desperate to end their 14-year playoff drought, while the Islanders look to be focused on retooling on the fly. So the three tilts between Buffalo and the Isles promise to be must-see TV.

The St. Louis Blues could use another winger in their top nine after trading Zack Bolduc to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for defenseman Logan Mailloux earlier this off-season. Due to this, one remaining unrestricted free agent (UFA) who they should consider targeting is forward Victor Olofsson. 

If the Blues signed Olofsson, he would offer them another solid option to consider for their third-line right wing spot, as the 30-year-old forward provides solid secondary scoring when playing at his best. Thus, he could be a good player for the Blues to bring in on an affordable one-year contract or even a professional tryout (PTO).

Olofsson is coming off a solid 2024-25 season, as he recorded 15 goals, 14 assists, 29 points, and a plus-17 rating in 56 games with the Vegas Golden Knights. He has also scored at least 20 goals and recorded at least 40 points three times during his career. Had he played all 82 games during the 2024-25 campaign, he would have been on pace to hit the 20-goal and 40-point marks for the fourth time in his career. Thus, there is no question that he is capable of making an impact offensively. 

With all of this, Olofsson could be an interesting player for the Blues to take a chance on. He would have the potential to give their third line and second power-play unit a bit of a boost, so it will be interesting to see if they target him from here. 

Former Blues Forward Still Looking For New HomeWith August just about here, plenty of this year's unrestricted free agents (UFAs) have been signed. However, a former St. Louis Blues forward is still looking for his new home, as Jakub Vrana remains without a contract and is a UFA. 

Photo Credit:  © Candice Ward-Imagn Images

The Hockey News’ NHL summer splash rankings roll on with Team No. 19, the Minnesota Wild. 

In our summer splash rankings, we’re examining each NHL team’s off-season from the teams that got worse to those that improved the most. We’re focusing on every team’s departures, additions and coaching and management hirings and firings.

We’ve fully settled into the point in the summer splash ratings where we’re looking at teams that more or less stayed the same this summer. You can find the teams that finished below Minnesota at the bottom, but we’re turning our attention to the state of the Wild.

Additions

Vladimir Tarasenko (LW), Nico Sturm (LW), Nicolas Aube-Kubel (RW), Cal Petersen (G)

The Breakdown: The Wild were a Stanley Cup playoff team last season, so Minnesota GM Bill Guerin felt no need to make widespread changes to his roster. 

The biggest name he acquired was former Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators and St. Louis Blues right winger Tarasenko. The veteran posted only 11 goals and 33 points in 80 games this past year with Detroit, and Tarasenko is now 33. He projects to be a middle-six winger on the Wild, and time will tell how much he has left in the tank.

Meanwhile, Guerin’s other additions are fourth-line winger and former Florida Panther Sturm, rugged journeyman winger Aube-Kubel and third-string goaltender Cal Petersen. 

Up-and-coming blueliner Buium made his NHL debut in the playoffs but will also join the NHL full-time. Buium, star D-man Brock Faber and 21-year-old defenseman David Jiricek are a solid foundation for Minnesota’s back end.

For the most part, the Wild will be sending back the same lineup that got them to fourth place in the highly competitive Central Division. Guerin still has $10.1 million in cap space, so he can augment his roster. But he may wait until the season begins – and until next season’s trade deadline – to really bring in a big fish to help Minnesota battle the Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars for one of the top three positions in the Central.

Departures

Frederick Gaudreau (C), Gustav Nyquist (LW), Justin Brazeau (RW), Brendan Gaunce (C), Jon Merrill (D), Declan Chisholm (D), Travis Dermott (D), Marc-Andre Fleury (G)

The Breakdown: While the Wild didn’t make too many additions of note, the same goes for the players who’ve departed from the organization. 

Guerin traded bottom-six center Gaudreau, who netted 18 goals and 37 points in 82 games this past season, and 2025 trade deadline acquisitions Nyquist and Brazeau left the Wild as free agents.

Longtime NHL star Fleury headed into retirement after a Hockey Hall of Fame-worthy career. He’s a big name and personality to leave the team, but his playing time was reduced in his final season anyway.

You can’t look at the Wild’s departures and successfully argue Minnesota will take a major step backward in 2025-26. Guerin is clearly counting on his young players to develop into difference-makers at the NHL level, and allowing fringe players like Gaunce, Merrill, Chisholm and Dermott to move on is a direction the team is comfortable with. 

So long as the aforementioned youngsters reward Guerin for investing in them, and so long as Minnesota’s veterans play as they did last season, the Wild will once again be a playoff team. But that’s far from assured.

Could The Flames, Leafs, Oilers, Canadiens And Wild Still Make Moves This Summer?It may feel like many NHL franchises will be in airplane mode over the next few weeks, but don't rule out any action.

The Bottom Line

We’re not here to tell you the Wild are guaranteed to maintain their position in the Central – or to improve on it. 

Superstar left winger Kirill Kaprizov is a top-five player in the NHL, and veterans including center Joel Eriksson-Ek and winger Mats Zucarello are part of the core of this Minnesota team. Youngsters, including Faber, right winger Matt Boldy and the goaltending tandem of Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt will give the Wild a chance to win night in and night out. There’s a lot to like about this organization.

That said, the Central’s powerhouse teams are currently a level above Minnesota. If the playoffs were to start today, we don’t know of many NHL pundits who would pick the Wild to beat the Jets, Stars or Avalanche. That’s not a condemnation of the pieces that Guerin has put together. Rather, it’s a frank observation on where the Wild are in their competitive cycle.

The day may come down the line when Minnesota’s high-end young players can take that next competitive step and deliver the Wild into a top-three spot in the Central, but that day probably isn’t today. That’s why they’re in the middle part of our summer splash series.

That said, Guerin has pretty important business to care of to ensure his team doesn’t take a massive step back after next season. Kaprizov is entering the final season of a contract carrying a $9 million cap hit, and he’ll almost certainly get at least $11 million annually on his next deal. He scores at a wicked pace, with 25 goals and 56 points in 41 games this past season, and he drives the Wild’s offense. Getting his name on a contract extension this summer would be a huge win.

The Wild also must decide what to do with RFA center Marco Rossi. The 23-year-old recorded 60 points in his second full NHL season, and yet, his ice time tanked in the playoffs. A good chunk of the team’s cap space will go to re-signing him, unless they think Rossi is worth trading in exchange for an upgrade. 

If Kaprizov and Rossi are dealt with and there’s cap space left over, the Wild can accrue cap space and make a bigger splash at the trade deadline. But for now, Guerin’s relatively quiet summer is likely to lead to his team having a similar finish as in 2024-25. Although the Wild may overachieve and surprise some people next year, we’re going to be cautiously skeptical until we see it happening.

Summer Splash Rankings

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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Earlier this off-season, the Montreal Canadiens acquired forward Zack Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for defenseman Logan Mailloux. This is easily one of the most intriguing trades of the summer, as Bolduc and Mailloux are both former first-round picks with very bright futures. Yet, with the Canadiens bringing in star right-shot defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders, it makes sense that they were willing to part ways with Mailloux to land a young forward like Bolduc. 

When looking at the season Bolduc just put together with the Blues, he should be a good addition to the Canadiens' roster. In 72 games this past season with the Blues, he recorded new career highs with 19 goals, 17 assists, 36 points, 108 hits, and a plus-20 rating. With numbers like these, he demonstrated that he has the ability to not only be a solid point producer at the NHL level but also provide a nice degree of grit to go along with it. 

Yet, when noting this was just Bolduc's second NHL season and he has only 97 career games on his resume, there is no question that he still could hit an even higher level. Thus, he is, without a doubt, a prime breakout candidate for the Canadiens heading into next season. 

Bolduc performed incredibly well for the Blues this past season, so it would not be surprising if he continued to trend in the right direction with the Canadiens. This is especially so when noting that he has the chance to have a more significant role in Montreal than he did in St. Louis.

Overall, it is hard not to feel optimistic about Bolduc heading into the 2025-26 season. The potential for him to emerge as a legitimate top-six forward for the Canadiens is there, and it will be intriguing to see what kind of season he has for the Original Six club from here. 

Canadiens: Laine In Top Form In LSHL MatchIt was over 30 degrees yesterday in Montreal. With humidity factored in, it felt closer to 40 degrees on an end-of-July day during the construction holidays. One would have thought that most people would have been out of town, and yet, the fourth week of the LSHL was sold out at Hockeyetcetera. An hour before the doors opened, die-hard fans were already queuing outside in the heat, patiently waiting for their hockey fix in the dog days of Summer.

Photo Credit:  © Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Dom Luszczyszyn, NHL analyst for The Athletic (a New York Times publication), recently ranked the best contracts across the NHL. From Leon Draisaitl’s eight-year, $14 million AAV deal (ranked 6th) to Brandon Hagel’s seven-year, $6.5 million AAV contract (ranked 2nd), some of the league’s biggest stars made the list.

But the top spot? That belongs to Jack Hughes.

That’s right, New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes holds the most valuable contract in the NHL, according to Luszczyszyn’s analysis.

Hughes is currently on an eight-year, $64 million contract signed in 2022, with a projected surplus value of $38 million. Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald locked him into the deal early, and it’s already paying off in a big way. Now entering the fourth year of the contract, Hughes is signed through the 2029–30 season, when he will hit unrestricted free agency at 29 years old.

Originally drafted first overall by the Devils in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Hughes signed his entry-level contract that same year, a three-year, $2.78 million deal. Since then, he’s quickly become the face of the franchise, earning the love of the fanbase both on and off the ice.

There was never any doubt that Fitzgerald would keep Hughes long-term. At just an $8 million annual cap hit, his contract stands out as one of the best bargains in the league, especially considering his production and leadership.

To date, Hughes has played 368 NHL games, recording 141 goals, 210 assists, and 351 points. Last season, he put up 70 points in 62 games before being sidelined by injury. Injuries have been a challenge, shoulder surgeries have cut two of his seasons short,  but at only 24 years old, Hughes continues to trend upward.

Despite the injury concerns, his contract still offers unmatched value. As Luszczyszyn pointed out, the Devils are winning the NHL contract game, and with five years still remaining on the deal, the payoff is far from over.

Hughes continues to be the centerpiece of New Jersey’s resurgence. His performance is elite, his price tag modest, and his impact immeasurable.

Now, the focus shifts to his younger brother, Luke Hughes, who is expected to sign a new deal with the Devils any day. And with Jack’s contract setting the gold standard, fans are hopeful that Luke’s will follow a similar path, both in value and long-term potential.

Photo Credit:© Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Sabres should be in the market for an impact top-six forward after dealing winger JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth for defenseman Michael Kesselring and winger Josh Doan, but the opening weeks of free agency did not provide GM Kevyn Adams with an opportunity to replace Peterka’s production, and with the two-year deal signed earlier this month with defenseman Bowen Byram, Adams will have to try to acquire a scoring forward with younger players, prospects, and/or draft picks. 

Evan Rodrigues is a player who could be on the move, not because of his value to the Florida Panthers, but because they may not be able to be able to get under the salary cap after re-signing center Sam Bennett, winger Brad Marchand, and defenseman Aaron Ekblad. The Panthers are currently nearly $4 million over the cap, but the health status of Matthew Tkachuk to start the season may give GM Bill Zito a bit of a reprieve. 

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The Toronto native was a teammate of Jack Eichel at Boston University when he signed with the Sabres as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He had limited success in Buffalo over four seasons before being traded by GM Jason Botterill to Pittsburgh just before the COVID shutdown. With the Penguins, Colorado, and in two years with Florida, the 32-year-old has averaged over 15 goals a season, and was a key performer for the Panthers in consecutive Cup victories.  

What Would It Cost?

With Zito’s cap issues and the fact that Florida is light on draft capital the next two seasons, the Panthers could be looking for a high draft pick or a prospect on their entry-level deal who could play in the AHL and come up at some point over the next year or two. A youngster like Josh Doan or Noah Ostlund would fit that criteria. 

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There were few members of the Detroit Red Wings who were more disappointed in missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the ninth consecutive season than team captain Dylan Larkin.

After all, Larkin is the only player on the current roster who was a member of Detroit's most recent playoff team. That took place in the 2015-16 campaign, his rookie season. 

Since then, the Red Wings embarked on a difficult rebuilding process which included the trying 2019-20 season in which they posted the NHL's worst record since the 1999-2000 expansion Atlanta Thrashers. 

Since then, the Red Wings have made progress under the tutelage of beloved former captain Steve Yzerman, now serving as the club's general manager. Although they came within a point of securing a playoff spot in 2024, ultimately losing out thanks to a tie-breaker, the 2024–25 season was the first time in the last five years that they failed to improve their point total from the previous campaign. 

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Larkin celebrates his 29th birthday today, and there's nothing that he wants more than to have his first postseason hockey experience by the time he celebrates his 30th birthday one year from now.

 

IT'S OUR CAPTAINS BIRTHDAY 🥳 pic.twitter.com/xDItcJ3FWo

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 30, 2025

71 days from 71's birthday 🤯

See you October 9th! pic.twitter.com/PEn8re3cT1

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 30, 2025

"It’s been difficult," Larkin said on Detroit's locker room clean-out day in late April. "I think about it every day for a long time during days, just bounce back and forth. But that doesn’t do you any good; you have to go out and win hockey games, and we came up about four or five wins short this year."

The month of March has been a difficult one for the Red Wings in the last three seasons, during each of which the team endured a prolonged losing skid that ultimately doomed their postseason chances. 

"It’s frustrating to go through it again and sit here outside the playoffs," Larkin said. "March was definitely not a good month for us and defined our season, unfortunately." 

Larkin has been nothing short of a good soldier for the Red Wings, having continued to proudly don the Winged Wheel and the captain's "C" on his jersey during some of the more challenging seasons for Detroit in recent memory. 

Not only does he want the thrill of playoff hockey action at Little Caesars Arena for what would be the first time in the venue's history, but for the Red Wings to take their place back in the upper echelons of the NHL and become yearly contenders for the Stanley Cup. 

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Spencer Gill is one Philadelphia Flyers prospect who doesn't draw nearly as much fanfare as he should, and that's not his fault.

Gill, 18, is not one to play a flashy game. The 6-foot-4 defenseman is quietly developing into one of the Flyers' best prospects in real time, even if he'll never be the type of player that puts up crazy numbers of points like Quinn Hughes or Cale Makar.

Instead, the 2024 second-round pick has been rounding out his defensive game and overall two-way game, which bodes well for his NHL future.

See, Gill, when he was drafted, was considered more of a project pick due to his large but wiry frame (only 180 pounds) and evident offensive talents. The then-Rimouski Oceanic blueliner was best regarded for his puck skills, mobility, and willingness to activate in the play, but not so much for his defense.

A little unusual for a guy that big, isn't it?

But, when I saw Gill play during rookie camp and training camp last year, he was physical, unrelenting, petulant defensively, and efficient using his stick to disrupt plays.

If and when Gill can tap into and hone his physicality and defensive play, he's a surefire top-four defenseman at the NHL level for the Flyers. And if he can bring 30 to 40 points to the table offensively, maybe a complementary top-pair player as well.

Why Flyers' Porter Martone Chose Michigan State, NCAATop Philadelphia Flyers prospect Porter Martone has been praised a ton for his move to the NCAA with Michigan State University, but nobody fully knew why he made that decision. Until now.

Some were surprised when I ranked Gill ahead of Oliver Bonk, the Flyers' second 2023 first-round pick after Matvei Michkov, in my end-of-season Flyers prospect rankings.

For me, the rationale is simple: I feel Gill is better suited for the role the two defenders will play at the NHL level than Bonk. And that's not to say Bonk won't excel, because he has his own unique skillset.

But, part of Bonk's skillset will, presumably, be erased when he no longer plays the bumper position on the power play.

That's a big reason as to why the 20-year-old went from 24 goals 67 points in 60 games last year to 11 goals and 40 points in 52 games this year.

It remains to be seen if the Flyers or Lehigh Valley Phantoms allow Bonk to reprise that role, but if not, he's likely to be a second- or third-pairing defenseman with some offensive upside and the potential to fill in higher in the lineup if and when needed.

Gill, on the other hand, is bigger, more athletic, and has produced at roughly the same level despite not having a featured power play role on one of the best teams in the entire CHL.

Flyers' Nikita Grebenkin Receives Mystery Advice from Alexander Ovechkin Ahead of NHL PushNikita Grebenkin is gearing up for his push to make the Philadelphia Flyers out of training camp this fall, and he's gotten some advice from Washington Capitals star and NHL legend Alexander Ovechkin on how to do it.

Now, the 18-year-old will head into what will be his last season in the QMJHL with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, the team to which he was only recently traded to, playing alongside top 2025 draft picks Bill Zonnon, Justin Carbonneau, and Arseni Radkov.

And, after suffering a broken ankle last season, Gill is beginning to create some momentum for himself leading into the new season.

In the Canada Red vs. Canada White intra-squad scrimmage at the World Junior Summer Showcase, Gill scored a nice long-range goal, taking a D-to-D pass, walking the line neatly, and firing a screened shot into the top right corner from the point.

Manipulating shooting lanes and getting shots in through them are skills that will translate to the NHL level, especially with how the Flyers have liked to play in recent years.

Spencer Gill is a way better prospect than you think, and soon, you'll be hearing his name from the Flyers as a candidate to make the NHL roster.

Once upon a time, the Chicago Blackhawks employed goaltender Kevin Lankinen. During those years, Chicago was trying to avoid a rebuild, so the patience to let him develop wasn’t where it needed to be. 

After a couple of years with the Nashville Predators, Lankinen ended up with the Vancouver Canucks in 2024-25. Since landing there, things have been going great for him. 

Lankinen played in 51 games for the Canucks. The season started with their perceived number one, Thatcher Demko, on the shelf. Lankinen took over as the starter and played well. He went 25-15-10 with a 2.62 goals against average, .902 save percentage, and four shutouts. On a team loaded with off-ice drama, he played magnificently.

Demko came back and appeared in 23 games, but he wasn’t the high-end starter that he was used to being before his injury. In the process of it all, Lankinen was rewarded with a five-year $22.5 million contract. His average annual value is $4.5 million per year. 

Behind Lankinen (and Demko) on the depth chart used to be a great young goalie in Arturs Silovs, who has now been traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Between this trade and his contract extension, Lankinen can focus on hockey without worrying about his security in the NHL. 

After the success that Demko and Lankinen have had at different points in their career, why would Silovs being there make them uneasy?

Well, he was incredible for the Abbotsford Canucks en route to winning the Calder Cup last spring. Silovs was the MVP of the Playoffs for his efforts. With him out of the mix, the two veteran netminders can go about their business as usual without worrying about losing their jobs. 

Although the goaltending in Chicago has been shaky since Lankinen departed, they now seem to have it under control with three young goalies who they believe in. Spencer Knight is the plan as the long-term starter, while Arvid Soderblom and Drew Commesso battle it out for the backup role.

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A newly opened arena in Connecticut aims to become the No. 1 spot for hockey and athlete development in the state.

Companies EN Hockey and Matterhorn Fit are bringing on-site skill development, performance coaching and advanced rehabilitation to Wings Arena in Stamford, Conn., which opened July 21.

Leading Wings Arena is CEO Francois Magnant, who grew up in Montreal and played four years of NCAA hockey at Yale University.

“Our vision is to bring together top-tier resources under one roof and create an environment where athletes – and anyone committed to health and fitness – feel inspired to reach their full potential,” Magnant said in a news release.

The two-story arena can fit more than 300 spectators in the rink and has off-ice training and video rooms, skate services and a cafe. It’s also the latest facility to host programs by EN Hockey, a hockey school that runs summer clinics in seven states. NHL players who trained with founder Erik Nates, who played Div. 1 hockey, include Kevin Shattenkirk, Brett Pesce, William Nylander, Trevor Zegras, Charlie McAvoy and more.

“Wings Arena is a launchpad,” Nates said in a statement. “It’s where players will come to level up every aspect of their game, from skating and stickhandling to decision-making and recovery. We’re proud to bring this vision to life in Stamford.”

Matterhorn Fit is set to open at Wings Arena in the fall to provide neurologically based rehabilitation and performance services to athletes by private appointment. Its CEO, Ryan Vesce, played 19 NHL games for the San Jose Sharks, 262 AHL games, 226 KHL games and in Sweden, Switzerland and Finland.

Instead of treating the pain, Matterhorn Fit says it scans the body to find the pain and the compensation before implementing movements that address the root cause.

“That’s what makes our method so different, and so effective,” Vesce said in the press release. “We’re combining cutting-edge neuroscience with elite-level training to help people heal faster, move better, and perform at their peak – on or off the ice.”

In 2024-25, USA Hockey had 12,338 players register in Connecticut, compared to 11,954 in 2023-24, 12,887 in 2022-23 and 12,729 in 2021-22. The all-time leading NHL scorer born in Connecticut is Craig Janney, who had 751 points in 760 games between 1988 and 1999, while Max Pacioretty (681 points), Chris Drury (615), Cam Atkinson (489) and Nick Bonino (358) round out the top five.

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