Nikita 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.

Grebenkin, 22, told MatchTV that he recently met Ovechkin in Turkey, had a normal conversation with the Russian sharpshooter, and learned some things that will help him in the NHL this year.

"Alexander Ovechkin gave me advice. But I won't tell you what it was. It will help me next season," Grebenkin told MatchTV slyly. 

"I'm not the kind of guy who always wants to talk to someone and say: 'Please, please take me.' I recently met Alexander in Turkey, of course, it's great to talk to such guys. Everything was simple. I didn't feel any barrier, everything was fine. Because I overcome all barriers."

Suffice to say, Grebenkin wasn't feeling the pressure of speaking to a legend of his nation and a legend of his profession.

It helps, too, that Flyers teammate Matvei Michkov also recently posted a photo with Ovechkin; check out the community post to see that one.

Don't Discount Nikita Grebenkin in Battle for Flyers Roster SpotWith an open battle brewing amongst wingers for an NHL roster spot with the Philadelphia Flyers, don't discount Nikita Grebenkin.

Grebenkin's comments bode well for his NHL future with the Flyers, honestly.

He already played seven games for former Flyers head coach Craig Berube and the Toronto Maple Leafs last season and was close to making his Flyers debut, only for the emergency conditions he was re-called from the AHL under to expire minutes prior to the game.

The 22-year-old has a rather clear path to NHL playing time with Tyson Foerster's status unclear for opening night and the aging Nick Deslauriers seemingly no longer an every-night NHL player.

Grebenkin's skillset is tailor-made for playing the role of a playmaking bottom-six grinder, and maybe even a complementary power forward at the highest end of his NHL projection.

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Maybe Ovechkin was telling Grebenkin about some of the things Capitals tough guy Tom Wilson does well?

But, yeah, a solid summer of training and preparing should have Grebenkin knocking on the door for the Flyers, and learning a few tricks of the trade from a guy like The Great 8 never hurts, either.

Time will tell if Grebenkin walks the walk and cracks the Flyers, but he's certainly endeared himself to an anxious Philadelphia fanbase hoping some of its young players finally take a meaningful step forward.

The Utica Comets have announced a free hockey school for young players in Oneida County, set to take place from August 19 to August 22 at the Utica University Nexus Center.

The four-day event, officially known as the Rob Esche Free Hockey School, is open to players of all skill levels and offers a unique opportunity to learn from top-tier coaches and former professional hockey players. The camp is named after Robert Esche, former NHL goaltender and current president of the Utica Comets.

Esche, who played in the NHL from 1998 to 2012 with the Phoenix Coyotes and Philadelphia Flyers, now leads initiatives to grow the game in Oneida County. Utica, the county seat, is also home to the Utica Comets, the AHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils.

Announced on July 22, 2025, the free camp is already accepting registrations from Oneida County residents.

“Oneida County youth will not only receive elite coaching and mentorship—they’ll get role models who prove that big dreams can start right here in our own backyard,” said Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. “I’m proud to support opportunities like this that strengthen our community and invest in our future.”

The camp will be open to three divisions: Mites, Squirts, and Peewees. The coaching lineup features a wide range of talent, including NHL alumni, college coaches, and local hockey leaders:

Coaching Staff:

• Robert Esche – Former NHL goaltender (Flyers, Coyotes), Olympian, Utica Comets President
• Tom Sestito – NHL alum (Penguins, Canucks, Flyers)
• Mike Zalewski – NHL/AHL alum (Canucks, Utica Comets)
• Ryan Parent – Utica Comets Head Coach
• Gary Heenan – Head Coach, Utica University Men’s Hockey
• Andy Starczewski – Army Men’s Hockey alum
• Adam Pawlick – Clarkson alum, former SPHL MVP
• Keith Veronesi – Former Director of Scouting, Vegas Golden Knights; Stanley Cup Champion
• Johnny Jackson – Utica Jr. Comets Premier Coach, Nazareth College alum
• Louis Educate – Utica Jr. Comets NCDC Coach, Utica University alum
• Nick Therrien – Assistant Coach, Utica University Men’s Hockey
• Rich Zalewski – SUNY Oswego alum, SPHL alum
• Annika Zalewski – Colgate Women’s Hockey alum, PWHPA alum
• Steve Zalewski – NHL alum (Devils, Sharks)
• Justin Allen – Coach, Notre Dame Academy; Utica University alum
• Melissa Lomanto – Head Coach, Utica University Women’s Hockey
• Ken Blum – OHL and ECHL alum

“This hockey school represents everything that’s possible in Oneida County because of the Nexus Center,” said Esche. “We have one of the best ice facilities in the country right here, and now our kids can learn the game we all love from people who walked in their same shoes and made it to the next level. This is about giving every young athlete a chance to grow, learn, and dream big.”

The event promises to be an inspiring experience for young athletes and a celebration of the region’s growing hockey community.

Photo Credit: © Daniel DeLoach/Utica Observer-Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

No matter where a team selects in the annual NHL Draft, it’s always something of a crapshoot.

Obviously, the earlier the pick, the better the odds of finding a future star – but there are never any guarantees. Senators fans know this all too well, as even the coveted number one overall selection has a chance to blow up in your face.

Still, when given a shot near the top, Ottawa has done pretty well, especially in this millennium. For your offseason enjoyment, here’s our ranking of the nine times the Senators have picked in the top five overall.

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1. Brady Tkachuk – 4th Overall, 2018

The current captain and emotional engine of the team, Tkachuk has become exactly the type of player Ottawa had hoped for. With 404 points in 512 games and a wrecking-ball style of play, he’s both productive and endlessly entertaining. He’s also the kind of player you win with, on and off the ice. As a rabid consumer of hockey talk, I also have to inform you that it is now apparently against the law to describe Tkachuk's excellence without mentioning that he "drags his teammates into the fight." 

Verdict: Already beloved at an Alfie level and still just entering his prime. A foundational piece.

2. Tim Stützle – 3rd Overall, 2020

Still just 23, Stützle is already one of the most electric young players in the NHL and arguably the best player from his draft class. Drafted out of Germany's DEL, he’s piled up 326 points in just 367 games, and earlier this month, he was named NHL.com’s top forward under 25. The fact that Ottawa landed him third overall after Alexis Lafrenière and Quinton Byfield is starting to look like a franchise-altering stroke of luck.

Verdict: A superstar in the making.

3. Jake Sanderson – 5th Overall, 2020

Drafted just two picks after Stützle in Ottawa’s legendary 2020 first round, Sanderson has quickly blossomed into one of the league’s most complete young defensemen. His 57-point breakout in 2024-25 shows the offense is coming to match his elite two-way game. The future Norris chatter is real.

Verdict: An elite defender who’s just scratching the surface.

4. Jason Spezza – 2nd Overall, 2001

Few players in Senators history were as skilled and productive as Spezza. He recorded 995 points in 1,248 NHL games, with the bulk of those coming during a dominant run in Ottawa. Spezza was a key part of the team's 2007 Stanley Cup Final appearance and briefly wore the "C" after Alfredsson’s departure. A Ring of Honour induction feels inevitable.

Verdict: An elite playmaker and one of the faces of the franchise’s golden era.

5. Chris Phillips – 1st Overall, 1996

He didn’t rack up big numbers, but Phillips was a steady, loyal presence on the Ottawa blue line for nearly two decades. His 1,179 games remain a franchise record, and his number 4 now hangs from the rafters at Canadian Tire Centre. He wasn't a superstar per se, but his consistency and leadership, while going wire to wire as a Senator, are the biggest chapters in his tale of excellence.

Verdict: The ultimate stay-at-home defender and a Sens icon.

6. Alexei Yashin – 2nd Overall, 1992

Yashin was Ottawa’s first real star, still the only Senator nominated for the Hart Trophy. He had elite offensive talent, racking up 781 points in 850 games, but his Ottawa legacy is, well, complicated. Contract disputes and holdouts marred his tenure here, and he was eventually traded to the Islanders in a deal that brought back Zdeno Chara and the draft pick used to select Spezza.

It was a deal the Sens won handily, but ironically, both Chara and Spezza, just like Yashin, wanted out of Ottawa by the end. All part of the previous ownership's legacy that someone will probably write a book about someday.

Verdict: Great talent, but an even better trade return.

7. Radek Bonk – 3rd Overall, 1994

A solid NHLer who carved out a long, respectable career, Bonk was a dependable two-way center for much of his time in Ottawa. But because of his early draft selection and the way he'd ripped up the IHL, expectations were mile high. He even added 208 IHL penalty minutes in his draft year while playing against men. Bonk had four straight years of 50-70 points in the early 2000s

Verdict: A steady contributor. Just not quite as impactful as the Sens were hoping for.

8. Bryan Berard – 1st Overall, 1995

Berard never played a game for the Senators. After refusing to return to junior, he was dealt in a trade to the New York Islanders that brought back Wade Redden, who went on to have a great career in Ottawa. Berard had flashes of brilliance, but his career was stunted by a devastating eye injury. 

Verdict: The Redden trade made it worthwhile.

9. Alexandre Daigle – 1st Overall, 1993

Daigle came into the league with sky-high expectations but could never translate his junior dominance to the pros. He still had a good pro career, and it should always be remembered that he didn't pick himself first overall or create the 'generational' player hype.

That said, he didn't help himself by declaring to the media that no one ever remembers who comes second in the draft. That would be Hall of Famer Chris Pronger, who might have come in handy in Ottawa for the two decades that followed.

Verdict: An unfortunate miss but 100 percent of GMs, scouts, media, and fans would have taken Daigle. He was everybody's number one that year.

The Senators' track record in the top five of the draft has generally been pretty solid. And if they win a Stanley Cup this decade, the home runs they hit with their early picks in 2018 and 2020 will be a huge reason why.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa
Image Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

This article orginally appeared at The Hockey News Ottawa, where you'll find all the latest Senators news:
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Despite the prolonged dissatisfaction with the state of the goaltending, the Philadelphia Flyers have positioned incumbent starter Sam Ersson for success in the 2025-26 season.

Ersson, 25, was undone by a lack of experience, preparation, and help when the Flyers fell flat on their faces late in the 2023-24 season.

The departure of Carter Hart left the Flyers with Ersson, Cal Petersen, Felix Sandstrom, and, later on, Ivan Fedotov, as their only options.

Ultimately, in his first full season in the NHL, Ersson played 51 games, going 23-19-7 with a 2.82 GAA, a .890 save percentage, and four shutouts.

Last season, the situation remained the same, with Fedotov and rookie Aleksei Kolosov filling in behind Ersson at different points.

The latter struggled with injuries, and, as they say, the best ability is availability.

Ersson finished the season with a 22-17-5 record, a 3.14 GAA, a .883 save percentage, two shutouts, and a lot less believers than he started the season with.

The Swede may never be a full-time starter or No. 1 goalie at the NHL level, and that's okay. But to believe that Ersson is one of the NHL's worst goalies is laughable.

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Ersson played his best hockey in 2023-24 when Hart was still around, even if he was beginning to earn more starts with Hart not playing up to standard.

Through Jan. 20, 2024, Hart's last game with the Flyers, Ersson was 12-5-3 with a 2.28 GAA, a .911 save percentage, and three shutouts, according to StatMuse.

Ersson had played 21 games up to that point, while Hart had played 26.

Comparatively, Hart was statistically lagging, going 12-9-3 to the tune of a 2.80 GAA, a .906 save percentage, and only one shutout.

It makes little sense that, after a season in which Ersson was again left stranded with no capable understudies and below-average offense, Flyers fans are taking to social media clamoring for the return of Hart, who hasn't played a competitive game in 18 months.

The Flyers already have a goalie who went a year without playing, and his name is Ivan Fedotov. How's that working out so far?

And, that's not to blame Fedotov, but it's a year lost of training, preparing, and improving. That's the reality.

This summer, the Flyers went out and added goalie Dan Vladar, who is poised to start north of 30 games for the first time in his NHL career at the age of 27 (soon to be 28).

So, not only do the Flyers not have room for Hart, but they've also done what they believe is needed to set Ersson up for success.

Flyers Offseason: Aleksei Kolosov May Not Return to KHL After AllIt has long been rumored that enigmatic Philadelphia Flyers goalie prospect Aleksei Kolosov would leave his NHL future behind to return home to Dinamo Minsk, his hometown club in the KHL. But he may not be going anywhere after all.

The Flyers signed a goalie in Vladar who they feel can lighten the burden on Ersson and allow him to stay fresh and healthy throughout the course of a full season.

Whether this goaltending arrangement is a 50-50 split or a 60-40 split in favor of Ersson remains to be seen, but the Flyers have shown time and time again that they're committed to the 2018 fifth-round pick.

That can change quickly if Ersson comes up short again this season, but there's less reason than ever before to believe the 25-year-old can't return to form for the Orange and Black.

The Nashville Predators have big expectations for newly acquired defenseman Nicolas Hague. 

Picked up in a three-player trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on June 29, sending Jeremy Lauzon and center Colton Sissons to Vegas, while retaining 50% of Sissons' salary. 

Hague was signed to a 4-year, $22 million contract, showing the Predators really want to invest in the 6-foot-6-inch defenseman. In addition, general manager Barry Trotz said that he wants Hague playing on the first pairing and the NHL projects that's where he'll be. 

Statistically, Hague hasn't been a top-four defenseman in his professional career. In his six seasons in Vegas, he played on the bottom pairing and hasn't scored more than 17 points in a season.

During the 2024-25 campaign, he had 12 points in 68 games and had a plus/minus of -2, which was the lowest among the Golden Knights' defensemen. 

While the Predators aim to become bigger and younger, they need to improve their scoring in all areas of the ice. Even Trotz said that wingers and defensemen will need to step up in order to fill the lack of depth at center. 

Despite playing in a very offensively active defense system last season, Hague really wasn't scoring. 

On the other hand, his projected defensive partner has been that offensive push from the blue line throughout his entire career. Roman Josi has averaged around 52 points over 14 seasons and a plus/minus of four. 

Even last season, which was one of the worst in franchise history and saw Josi miss the latter end of the year due to a POTS diagnosis, he still scored 38 points in 53 games. Josi is expected to return in time for training camp and be a leading force in upping the offense from the defenseman.

So, how is Hague, a player who has not proven to be an offensive threat from the blue line, going to complement Josi, the Predators' biggest scoring threat from the top of the circles? 

Josi started the season playing with Brady Skeji, but moved around with partners throughout the season, not really settling in one place. A significant part of that was due to injuries, which prevented any defensive pairings from really solidifying. 

Part of this could be spreading out the scoring in the lineup, putting Josi and Skeji on different lines to activate the scoring depth instead of relying too heavily on the first pairing. 

Having Hague paired with Josi could open up the ice more for Josi. With Hague being a bigger body and a more traditional defenseman, having a more physical player paired with him could allow Josi to eclipse 60 points for the first time since the 2023-24 season. 

On the flip side, this could also crash and burn quickly. 

It may be a "two to tango" situation where Josi needs that similar push from the other side of the ice and Hague can't meet it. This is the first time in his career that Hague has been tasked with a top-four role.

He does have experience playing for good teams and winning the Stanley Cup in 2023, but if Hague is called upon to score, it may not be there immediately. 

Predator fans need to be aware of what they're getting with Hague. Trotz likes these big and physical players, but most of the time they don't meet the team's need to score. Hague hasn't been an offensive threat since playing in juniors almost a decade ago. 

If Nashville expects Hague to meet Josi's pace come Oct. 9, statically, it'll likely not be there. 

 

Former Seattle Kraken and Coachella Valley Firebirds defenseman Maxime Lajoie has signed with KHL team Avangard Omsk. 

The 27-year-old spent just one season with the Kraken organization, skating in 70 games with the Firebirds, scoring four goals and 38 points. Prior to joining the Kraken, Lajoie was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the fifth round (133rd overall) in the 2016 NHL Draft. 

Lajoie went on to play 62 NHL games with the Senators before spending the next three seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. He then signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs before joining the Kraken. 

He played 77 career NHL games, notching seven goals and 16 points. In his eight seasons, he played 378 AHL games, scoring 34 goals and 194 points.

Lajoie will be joining an Omsk team that features several NHL prospects, including Colorado Avalanche's Mikhail Gulyayev, Nashville Predators' Semyon Chistyakov, Pittsburgh Penguins' Vasili Ponomaryov and Winnipeg Jets' Dmitri Rashevsky. The team also features former NHLers Nail Yakupov, Vyacheslav Voynov, Alexander Volkov, and Nikolai Prokhorin. Lajoie will also play under coach Guy Boucher, whom he previously played for in Ottawa and Toronto.

“Many teams have wanted to sign Maxim for several seasons, and we’re glad that he’s chosen Avangard,” said Omsk GM Alexei Sopin. “He is a versatile defenseman with excellent skating and a great shot, he’s mobile, and works equally well defensively and offensively. He also successfully connects partners and makes reliable decisions. We believe that Maxim will help achieve the serious goals set for Avangard.”

Former Sen, Cane, Leaf Signs In KHLCanadian defenseman Maxime Lajoie, 27, has signed a one-year contract with Avangard Omsk, the KHL club announced on Tuesday. Two-Time Former Kraken Forward Signs With KHL TeamFormer Seattle Kraken forward Daniel Sprong has signed a contract with KHL club CSKA Moscow.

The Buffalo Sabres signing defenseman Bowen Byram to a two-year, $12.5 million extension earlier this month was thought to have all but eliminated the chances of his being moved until at least the beginning of next season, but according to the Fourth Period, the 24-year-old blueliner continues to be the most sought-after commodity on the summer trade market, with as many as 10 teams reportedly linked to the Stanley Cup winner.  

Sabres GM Kevyn Adams was reportedly was not happy with the offers being made for Byram leading into and following the NHL Draft, which were likely more future prospect-and-draft pick based, similar to what Montreal sent to the NY Islanders for Noah Dobson (a pair of 2025 first-rounders and forward Emil Heineman). The club choose salary arbitration to block the possibility of an offer sheet. 

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The Sabres are reportedly looking to make a hockey deal for Byram, preferably that includes a top-six forward. An interested club may prefer to trade for a player under contract with cost certainty, but the blueliner being represented by agent Darren Ferris – someone who normally advocates for a player to head to free agency – could lower the possibility of Adams getting what he is looking for in a trade. 

Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson reportedly is another player who is rumored to be available. The 25-year-old has five years remaining on a seven-year deal with a $4.285 million AAV, but with the re-signing of Byram – who will likely partner with Rasmus Dahlin if he is not dealt – and newly acquired Michael Kesselring potentially playing alongside Owen Power, the Sabres may be willing to deal him for the right price. 

 

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The Buffalo Sabres will have many important games to play next season, but their most important games could prove to be against their rivals in the Atlantic Division.

Thus, we've been steadily putting together a team-by-team series on each of Buffalo's seven Atlantic rivals this season. And in this file, we're wrapping up the series by focusing on the team that won the Atlantic's regular-season title -- the Toronto Maple Leafs:

BUFFALO SABRES VS. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

NEW MAPLE LEAFS PLAYERS: Matias Maccelli, LW; Dakota Joshua, LW; Nicolas Roy, C; Michael Pezzetta, LW; Henry Thrun, D

2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 0-3-0, Maple Leafs 3-0-0

2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER:  October 24 at Buffalo; October 25 at Toronto; January 27 at Toronto; March 14 at Buffalo

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM?  The Maple Leafs dominated the Sabres last year, winning all three games against Buffalo by a combined score of 15-6. Whether the games were played in December or in Buffalo's second-last regular-season game last year, Toronto shook the Sabres like a schoolyard bully, and even without departed superstar right winger and new Vegas Golden Knight Mitch Marner, the Leafs have a better balance of skill and determination than the still-evolving Sabres do this time around.

To be sure, adding gritty forwards in former Golden Knight Roy and former Vancouver Canuck Joshua will make Toronto's bottom-six group of forwards one of the better groups in the league. And taking a shot on former Utah Mammoth winger Maccelli could pay off in a big way, if Maccelli once again gets back to the 40-assist, 55-point range he got to in 2023-24.

Losing Marner obviously hurts the Maple Leafs' offense, but with superstars Auston Matthews and William Nylander joined by terrific financial bargain center John Tavares and up-and-coming power forward Matthew Knies, the Buds have a collection of talent many teams would kill for. They're going to be a different team without Marner -- a team that produces fewer goals-for, but one that is going to make opponents pay a physical toll many of them won't want to pay.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Edition: Can Buffalo Jump Past Tampa Bay Into Third Place In Atlantic Division?The Buffalo Sabres are facing massive pressure to at least qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in 15 years. But there's intense competition for each and every standings point teams can generate,  and the Sabres' don't benefit by playing in the Atlantic Division -- the most competitive division, in our estimation, in the league. And Buffalo is going to have to get a leg up on more than a few Atlantic rival teams, Tampa Bay included if they really intend to claim a Cup anytime soon.

There are some intriguing elements of the schedule that will make the Buffalo/Toronto games worth circling on your calendar: firstly, the October 24-25 games are the only games the Sabres will play against the same opponent on back-to-back nights this season. Winning the first game should be a priority,  as there won't be much pressure to win Game 2 (and Games 3 and 4, for that matter).

In addition, the teams' final game against each other will take place a month before the end of the regular-season, and shortly after the NHL's trade deadline. If the Maple Leafs can power through the schedule and more or less lock up a playoff spot by that March 14 game between the Sabres and Leafs, all the pressure will be on Buffalo to salvage the series as they try to secure a wild card berth.

In theory, the Sabres should be on the rise this coming year. They're going to be desperate to shake off their 14-year playoff drought, and upsetting Toronto in the four-game series will go a long way toward sending a message that this Buffalo team can run-and-gun with any opponent in the league. But the Maple Leafs aren't going to lie down and play dead against the Sabres. It will take a stellar defensive effort to shut down Toronto's high-octane offense, and stellar defensive efforts are not what this Buffalo team is known for.

Know. Your Enemy, Sabres Edition: Ottawa Senators Could Be Standing In Way Between Buffalo, PlayoffsThe Buffalo Sabres happen to play in the NHL's most competitive division, the Atlantic Division, Every one of the Atlantic's eight teams have designs on being a playoff team next season -- and as part of this continuing THN.com series, we're analyzing each of the Sabres' seven divisional rivals to see what chance Buffalo has against each of them.

The Leafs fully intend on being the best regular-season team in the Atlantic for the second straight season, even without Marner.  So when the Sabres go head-to-head against Toronto, there's little room for error for Buffalo.

The Sabres have got potentially eight standings points up for grabs against the Buds, and squandering opportunities like upsetting the Leafs could be stark reminders of why Buffalo has once again failed to be a post-season team. They need to take the Maple Leafs by the throat and make them understand this is a new era of Sabres hockey.

Because if they don't, the Sabres will face an uphill battle just to stay in their games against the Leafs, let alone win them. Toronto can still run up the score on opponents, which is why nothing less than a focused defensive attack will prevent Buffalo from being in the wrong part of the win/loss columns and pour more water on this disappointing-of-late rivalry.

For some expansion NHL franchises, success comes quickly. The Vegas Golden Knights, for instance, got to the Stanley Cup final in their first year of operation. And they got to the NHL’s semifinal another two years before winning their first championship in 2022-23.

However, for other expansion teams, the road to respectability can be a long one. The Nashville Predators came out of the gate as typical expansion losers, and it took them 11 years to ever win a playoff series. Yet one expansion team in particular stands out as having an especially tough go of it – the Columbus Blue Jackets, who’ve been fighting their way into being true Cup contenders.

The Jackets are in a slump that includes their inability to make the playoffs in any of the previous five seasons. And beyond that, they’ve made it out of the first round of the post-season just once in their 24 seasons of operation – and they still have yet to get to the third round of the playoffs. Thus, it’s understandable why some Columbus fans have become jaded over the plight of this team.

But here’s a hunch on this writer’s behalf: we’re picking the Blue Jackets to sneak into the playoffs in the Metropolitan Division next season. We’re certainly not suggesting being a playoff team in 2025-26 will be easy for the Jackets, but let’s take a look at the state of their roster and see why we believe there’s reason to see Columbus as a team that can end their playoff drought and announce itself as a long-term Cup contender for the foreseeable future.

First, a quick look at the Blue Jackets’ year last season. The Jackets had the eighth-best offense in the league at an average of 3.26 goals-for per game last year. All teams above them in that department, and one team below them in that department, were all playoff teams. However, Columbus’ defense was the eighth-worst in the league at a goals-against average of 3.26, and that’s been the challenge for GM Don Waddell to try to address this summer.

But now, let’s look at the state of their roster: Waddell didn’t make many changes this off-season, adding only veteran Bruins center Charlie Coyle and former New Jersey and Colorado winger Miles Wood. But those are two veterans who can help fortify Columbus’ attack. 

At forward, Waddell has assembled an on-the-rise core collection of young players, including center Adam Fantilli, and wingers Kent Johnson, Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov. And soon enough, Waddell will add another asset when he trades disgruntled winger Yegor Chinakhov. Columbus’ core forwards are solid ones, and if they can stay as offensively potent as they were last year, Waddell is going to be pleased. 

Meanwhile, Columbus’ defense corps are also likely to be improved next season. Waddell re-signed veteran blueliner Ivan Provorov to a seven-year deal averaging $8.5 million per season. And Waddell additionally brought back D-man Dante Fabbro, who set new (if modest) career highs despite playing only 62 games as a Jacket last year. It doesn’t sound familiar to say, but the Blue Jackets’ defensemen may be their best element next season.

The only real point of contention in terms of Columbus being a playoff team next year is that the Jackets’ goaltending situation is far from ideal. We're not completely sold on starter Elvis Merzlikins once again getting the lion’s share of the action. And backup Jet Greaves could force his way into the conversation as the Jackets’ starter. Greaves had excellent numbers – including a .938 save percentage and 1.91 goals-against average in 11 NHL appearances last year – and if he does unseat Merzlikins as the No.1 option between the pipes, Greaves will be well worth the $812,500 they’ll be paying him next season.

All things considered, the Blue Jackets aren’t in the upper tier of legitimate Cup contenders just yet. Until their young players prove they can thrive in the post-season, you have to be careful with your expectations of this relatively young team. But it’s not good to ignore that Columbus finished just two standings points, two overtime or shootout losses, out of getting into the playoffs last year. That’s absolutely something you want to build off as a unit, and there should be no step backward for this Columbus team.

All this, and we haven’t yet mentioned two things: No. 1 is superstar Zach Werenski, who absolutely deserved all the votes he got last season as the NHL’s top defenseman. He didn’t win the Norris Trophy, but he deserved to be in the conversation.

And No. 2: Waddell still has approximately $16.3 million in cap space. He’s going to have all kinds of flexibility to go out and make a big move during the season. Columbus can add a proven veteran when the moment calls for it, and whether that’s at forward or in goal is up to Waddell.

We’re getting ahead of ourselves. Right now, all Columbus fans should know is that Waddell has put together a roster that can compete with the powerhouse teams in the Metropolitan Division. And while the days where the Blue Jackets are absolutely dominant may not have arrived just yet, those days aren’t all that far off, either.

So yes, we know it’s only late July, but we’re calling it right now – the Jackets get back into the playoffs next year and end their playoff drought. There will be bumps in the road for Columbus, but the Blue Jackets have the talent and guidance to evolve into a playoff team this coming year. And if they don’t do so, there will be bigger questions on the horizon next summer.

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THN.com’s Summer Splash series continues – and in this file, we’re focusing the spotlight on Team No. 23 in our rankings of teams’ off-seasons – the Nashville Predators.

In this team-by-team series, we’ve been analyzing every NHL team’s off-season, moving in reverse order from the teams that got the worst to the best, and the ones that finished in between those two poles. To create the rankings, we’re breaking down every organization’s notable additions and departures, including trades, free-agent acquisitions, departures, and hirings and firings if applicable.

We’re now moving into the stretch of teams that have more or less stayed the same this summer. At the end of this article, you’ll see the teams that finished beneath the Predators. But for the moment, the focus is entirely on the Preds.

Additions

Erik Haula (LW), Nicolas Hague (D), Nick Perbix (D) 

The Breakdown: The Predators were a massive letdown last season, finishing seventh in the Central Division – their worst finish since they finished sixth in the division in 2013-14. As a result, some observers were expecting Preds GM Barry Trotz to make extensive changes to their roster this summer, but that hasn’t happened.

Instead, Trotz went out and acquired Haula in a trade with New Jersey. After that, he traded for former Vegas Golden Knights D-man Hague, and finally, he signed former Tampa Bay Lightning blueliner Perbix to a two-year deal carrying an average annual salary cap hit of $2.75 million. Haula will contribute to Nashville’s bottom-six group of forwards, while Hague and Perbix will firm up the Predators’ defense corps. 

Other than that, this is largely the same Predators team that underachieved greatly last year. Trotz did hang onto $10.1 million in salary cap space, so more moves may eventually be coming for Nashville. But Trotz is banking on a revamped group of defensemen to improve what was the NHL’s sixth-worst defense last season, averaging 3.34 goals-against per game.

Departures

Colton Sissons (C), Jakub Vrana (LW), Kieffer Bellows (LW), Jeremy Lauzon (D), Marc Del Gaizo (D)

The Breakdown: There are few departures from the Predators – at least, when it comes to players who were notable performers in Nashville last season. Sissons was the most-utilized player who is now a former Predator, but even then, Sissons was a fourth-liner who posted just seven goals and 21 points in 72 games. Preds management hasn’t lost all that much this off-season, but you won’t find an NHL team that hasn’t lost a handful of players one way or another.

Three of the four departing Preds players were forwards, while the other two were fringe defensemen. And the additions of Hague and Perbix will cover off any drop-off in play resulting from those changes at forward.

Trotz has shown in his time running the Predators that he’s not afraid to swing for the fences, mostly when it comes to free-agent acquisitions like star forward Steven Stamkos, winger Jonathan Marchessault, center Ryan O’Reilly and defenseman Brady Skjei, but those moves last season did not lead to playoff success. So Trotz is moving in the other direction and doubling down on his 2024-25 roster.

The Bottom Line

The Predators play in arguably the NHL’s toughest division in the Central Division, so getting back into the playoff picture will be a serious challenge. But if star defenseman Roman Josi can return to action after dealing with a nervous system disorder last year, and if Trotz’s changes to his group of blueliners improve Nashville’s back end, the Preds should be more competitive in 2025-26.

Still, for the purposes of this Summer Splash ranking, we have to note that the Predators essentially have stayed the same. The losses they’ve dealt with up front have been traded off by the improvements they’ve made in their own zone. And Nashville now has to hope for a better result in the win/loss columns next season.

If the Preds hadn’t made those two additions on defense, they’d have finished at or near the bottom of these rankings. But even with Hague and Perbix in tow, Nashville feels very much like a team that’s running it back with the same lineup and hoping for better results. Father Time will render his own judgment on that approach, but for the moment, Trotz will be counting on the benefit of the doubt in the hope he can turn things around after one terrible year.

Summer Splash Rankings

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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Veteran winger Max Pacioretty, who spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Montreal Canadiens, flipped the script for the 2024-25 NHL season, signing a one-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs. His regular season was rather uneventful as he missed all but 37 games, mostly due to injury. However, when the playoffs rolled around, the 36-year-old was arguably one of the Leafs' top performers, putting up three goals and eight points in 11 games.

While it initially appeared that Pacioretty might choose to retire from the NHL after the playoffs wrapped up, that may not be the case, as it was reported back in June that the Leafs and Pacioretty have mutual interest in teaming up for another season.

But what do you think? Will Pacioretty return to Toronto, head to another team or will he ultimately choose to retire? 

The St. Louis Blues announced they have re-signed forward Nikita Alexandrov to a one-year, two-way contract. 

The contract will pay him $750,000 at the NHL level and $300,000 at the AHL level with a $350,000 guarantee. 

The 24-year-old recorded 21 goals and 49 goals in 48 games for the Springfield Thunderbirds last season. 

A second round selection of the Blues in 2019, Alexandrov has appeared in 51 career NHL games with the Blues and has three goals and six assists. 

The Burgwedel, Ger., native has been nearly a point per game player at the AHL level over the past three seasons and has 58 goals and 129 points in 170 career AHL games and 10 points in 23 Calder Cup Playoff games.

Nikita Alexandrov has signed a one-year, two-way contract. https://t.co/f1Yf0dl7YU#stlblues

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) July 26, 2025

The Blues have a deep forward which will make it difficult for Alexandrov to make the team out of camp but he will be relied upon to drive the offense for the Thunderbirds. 

Check out our AHL Free Agency signing tracker here.  

Photo Credit: © Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images

The key to having a successful team in the NHL is drafting and developing young players so they can someday lead their team to glory, and some teams are way ahead of the game when it comes to young talent and a young core.

Here are the top six teams with the best under-25 cores in the NHL.

Montreal Canadiens

Cole Caufield (RW), Lane Hutson (D), Juraj Slafkovsky (LW), Alex Newhook (LW/C), Zack Bolduc (RW/C), Ivan Demidov (RW), Kaiden Guhle (D), Jakub Dobes (G)

The Montreal Canadiens have been increasingly threatening over the years, especially last season, when they made the playoffs after a three-year drought. 

However, GM Kent Hughes and the Habs are just getting started as they have plenty of fun years ahead of them with the young roster they’ve got.

According to eliteprospects.com, the Canadiens are the youngest team in the league for this upcoming campaign, with an average age of 25.35. Their U-25 core consists of several elite players, including Cole Caufield, who recorded his first 70-point season, and Lane Hutson, who is coming off a Calder Trophy-winning season.

With that, Martin St. Louis’ team has an abundance of skill around their main guys, and that’s what puts them at the top of the list.

The 2022 first-overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky, along with Alex Newhook, Ivan Demidov and newly acquired Zack Bolduc, completes a loaded top-nine forward group for Montreal.

On the back end, Kaiden Guhle joins Hutson and 31-year-old Mike Matheson to fill out the left side of the Habs’ defense. Since his NHL debut in 2022, Guhle has averaged 20:52 of ice time in the regular season and 21:48 in the 2025 playoffs.

In addition, goaltender Jakub Dobes had his coming-out party this season, recording a 2.74 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage.

Anaheim Ducks

Leo Carlsson (C), Mason McTavish (C), Cutter Gauthier (LW), Jackson LaCombe (D), Pavel Mintyukov (D), Olen Zellweger (D)

The Anaheim Ducks have not qualified for the playoffs in the last seven seasons. However, with the setup of their young roster and season-by-season progression, Ducks fans might not have to wait long until they see the post-season again. 

Next season,  players such as Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier will all be one year older and a little more seasoned. All three of those forwards registered their first 20-goal seasons, with McTavish scoring the most points of the three with 52.

In addition to the trio of forwards, Anaheim has a loaded left side on the blueline with Jackson LaCombe, Olen Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov. LaCombe has led the way from the back end for the Ducks, scoring 14 goals and 43 points in his second full season.

Along with those three left-defensemen, Drew Helleson is set to suit up for his sophomore season after scoring 13 points in 56 appearances last year. These four defensemen complete two-thirds of Anaheim's blueline.

Ottawa Senators

Tim Stutzle (LW/C), Jake Sanderson (D), Ridly Greig (LW/C), Dylan Cozens (C), Leevi Merilainen (G)

Compared to other teams in this article, the Ottawa Senators have a shorter list of U-25 players. However, there is no shortage of quality in their young core as they hold some of the best U-25 players in the entire league.

In addition, during NHL.com’s “Young Stars Week,” they made rankings of the top 10 forwards, defensemen and goaltenders, and each list had a Senator on it.

On the forwards and defensemen list, Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson were ranked No.1 in their respective positions, and with great reason.

Stutzle and Sanderson are considered leaders on the Senators as much as captain Brady Tkachuk and veteran Claude Giroux are in terms of how they play on the ice.

Stutzle and Sanderson have the potential to compete for individual awards and milestones, with Sanderson finishing in the top 10 for Norris Trophy voting, while Stutzle is capable of reaching the 100-point mark over the years he has remaining in his young career.

With that, in the top 10 list of goaltenders under 25, Leevi Merilainen was ranked fourth on NHL.com’s list. The 22-year-old netminder is set to be Ottawa’s backup next season after recording a 1.99 GAA and .925 SP in 12 games last season.

It doesn’t stop there for the Senators as they have tremendous young center depth down their lineup. Ridly Greig and Dylan Cozens complete the Sens’ middle-six forward group with scoring and grit.

Philadelphia Flyers

Matvei Michkov (LW/RW), Trevor Zegras (LW/C), Bobby Brink (RW), Tyson Foerster (RW/LW), Jamie Drysdale (D), Cam York (D)

After a rough campaign last year, the youth of the Philadelphia Flyers will be looking to spark some new energy in Rick Tocchet’s first season behind the bench.

Leading the way in Philadelphia’s U-25 core is Matvei Michkov. The Russian was a top-five rookie in the NHL last season, equalling Macklin Celebrini’s 63 points for second-best in the league, and he also finished fourth in Calder Trophy voting.

Alongside him in the forward group is Trevor Zegras, who will be putting on the Flyers sweater for the first time next season after his trade from Anaheim. Zegras is looking to find his footing after his last two seasons were cut short.

Bobby Brink and Tyson Foerster continue to rise after they recorded their first 40-point seasons last year, with Foerster scoring 25 goals. The two wingers will look to solidify their roles in the top six in 2025-26 under Tocchet.

As for the blueline, Jamie Drysdale and Cam York highlight Philly’s young D-core. Drysdale was able to play 70 games in his first season with the Flyers last year. He’ll want to get his development back on track after missing a chunk of games in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns.

In some ways, York will also get a fresh start with a new voice behind the bench. Last season, there were reports about an altercation between York and former coach John Tortorella, which contributed to Tortorella’s firing. Now with Tocchet in play, York will have a chance to play more freely than before.

Utah Mammoth

Logan Cooley (C), Dylan Guenther (RW), JJ Peterka (RW)

The Utah Mammoth are an overlooked team at times, but with the elite young players they have, they won’t be an afterthought much longer. After finishing just seven points shy of a playoff spot, it’s not such a stretch to think Utah could make its first post-season appearance in franchise history next year.

Center Logan Cooley and right winger Dylan Guenther lead the way for the Mammoth’s young core. They both had breakout seasons with Cooley recording 25 goals and 65 points in 75 games, and Guenther scoring 27 goals and 60 points in 70 games.

With that, Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong made a splash and traded for right winger JJ Peterka from the Sabres. Similar to Cooley and Guenther, Peterka scored 27 goals and 68 points in 77 appearances for Buffalo last season.

While it’s not a long list, there is no denying that Armstrong’s club has an exciting trio up front and will be running Utah’s offense for years to come.

New Jersey Devils

Jack Hughes (C), Dawson Mercer (RW/C), Luke Hughes (D), Simon Nemec (D)

The New Jersey Devils are a product of great drafting. They’ve developed their own talent and turned them into stars. Jack Hughes is a prime example of that

Not only is Hughes one of the best players on this list, but he’s also one of the top centers in the NHL. In his last three seasons, he’s recorded at least 70 points, including a 99-point campaign in 2022-23.

With that, Hughes was selected by Team USA to compete in the 4 Nations Face-Off. He was one of four players on that team who were under 25 years old.

Along with Jack, his brother Luke is also considered a member of New Jersey’s U-25 core as a defenseman. He registered two straight 40-point seasons to complete his entry-level phase as he looks for a new contract.

Also on the Devils’ back end is Slovakian D-man Simon Nemec. He was selected second overall in the 2022 draft, but hasn’t been able to find a rhythm in the NHL because of New Jersey’s blueline depth. Last season, he played just 27 games after a 60-game campaign in the season prior.

Dawson Mercer was shot out of a cannon when he entered the NHL in 2021-22, scoring 42 points in his first season and 56 points in his sophomore year. Since then, he has dipped mildly, but has shown resilience and durability as he’s never missed a regular-season game in his four-year career.

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Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone will always have a soft spot for Ottawa. Six years after he was traded away by the Senators, Stone still spends most of his summers in the city. He has a boatload of friends here, and he’s pleased to see that the Senators—his former team—are playing so well again.

Stone appeared this week on the Coming in Hot podcast with hosts Brent Wallace, Jason York, and Graeme Nichols, and shared some thoughts about his former team, including his friend, former teammate and tenant, Brady Tkachuk.

Stone says it hasn’t been much fun to play against Tkachuk or his brother, Matthew, including a pair of international tilts during the recent 4 Nations Face-Off. In truth, Stone joked, he sometimes wasn't even big on playing with Tkachuk.

“I’d be lying if I said I wanted to play every night against [the Tkachuks], that’s for sure,” Stone said. “I mean, there were some nights I didn’t even want to be on Brady’s line in Ottawa because you knew you were going to have to be in a scrum every second shift. I’m like, ‘All right, buddy, let’s just relax here.’”

That was, in no way, an attempt to throw shade at Tkachuk. The interview was fun and respectful throughout. Stone says he believes that the Sens captain has toned things down a bit and is starting to realize just how valuable he is on the ice.

“As he goes, the team goes, in my opinion. He’s their engine. Obviously, he’s the captain at such a young age. He had learned so much, but had so much to learn as well. I think the experiences – whether it’s Four Nations or getting to the playoffs for the first time, even the negatives, right? Even going through those years of struggle, I think it probably put it in his mind, like, ‘I don’t want to be back there,’ right? ‘I never want that to happen again.’

"I think he’s really done a good job getting through that adversity and getting ready, and putting this team in a great position.”

As a personal observation – Stone said nothing to this effect at all – but the tough times Brady and the Senators have gone through in Ottawa the past six years probably galvanize Stone's belief that he got out at just the right time in 2019. 

Stone described his affection for the Tkachuk family when asked about Brady’s bachelor party three years ago, which happened right after Stone and the Knights defeated Matthew and the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final.

“Yeah, we’re obviously friends, good friends,” Stone said. “You know, obviously love that family. So we had a great time at that bachelor party. The last one I’ve been to, actually. So as I said, they’re such good, good people. I’m so happy that they were able to win the next year. You know, I’m sure it was tough for him, congratulating me. But yeah, it’s impressive now what they’re doing in Florida.”

If Stone’s time in Ottawa and in Vegas have something in common, it would be the fairly high roster turnover. But the reasons for the volume of roster changes couldn’t be more different.

“Well, I think you look at Vegas two ways. You’re losing buddies, but you know, when I was in Ottawa, unfortunately, it was losing friends for the wrong reasons. In Vegas, it’s the nature of the business. It sucks, but we’re always looking to get better, so that’s what is very attractive to me. There’s just a ton of internal pressure to try and win every single year, and that’s something I love being a part of.”

Stone has now been gone from the Senators for six years but says he’s only been back at Canadian Tire Centre for two games since the 2019 trade, which he described as 'brutal.'

“I love coming back here. Still spend my summers here. Super happy with where the (Senators) are going, right? I like to say I’ve got a lot of friends on the team, but there are only three guys left from when I was here (Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot, and Drake Batherson). But I still love watching the guys play. So I love coming back into the facility, seeing the staff, because the majority of the staff is still the same, which is awesome.

“Those guys were some of the best in the league, still are, whether it’s the equipment guys, the medical staff, strength staff. They’ve got a great, great staff there.

“So I love coming back in.”

Mark Stone and the Vegas Golden Knights will visit Ottawa on January 25.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa
Image Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

This article orginally appeared at The Hockey News Ottawa, where you'll find all the latest Senators news:
2018 World Junior Trial Ends: Former Senator Alex Formenton Found Not Guilty
Croatia's NHL Trailblazer: Sens Prospect Bruno Idžan Takes NHL Road Less Travelled
Top 3 Ottawa Senators Bounce-Back Candidates For 2025-26
Sens Captain Brady Tkachuk Celebrates Hard at Brother Matthew's Wedding
Can The Senators Count On Dylan Cozens To Consistently Produce?
Senators Re-Sign 2021 First-Round Pick To One-Year Deal
An Early Glance At The Senators’ 2026 Free Agent Class
Why Mason McTavish Isn’t Coming Home To The Senators

The Pittsburgh Penguins have made multiple moves this off-season. This included bringing in several new players, including winger Anthony Mantha. The Penguins signed the 6-foot-5 forward to a one-year, $2.5 million contract earlier this month.

Mantha, unfortunately, missed the majority of this past season after tearing his ACL early on in the campaign and undergoing surgery. As a result, he appeared in just 13 games with the Calgary Flames in 2024-25, posting four goals, seven points, 16 hits, and a plus-6 rating. Overall, he was on pace to have another solid season before his injury.

While Mantha did not play much this past season due to his injury, he has the potential to be a very good signing for the Penguins when looking at his resume. He has demonstrated for much of his career that he can be an effective point producer, and the Penguins will be hoping he can be just that for them in a top-six role next season. 

Just back during the 2023-24 season, Mantha posted 23 goals, 21 assists, and 44 points in 74 games split between the Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights. He has also recorded at least 20 goals and 40 points three times during his career, so he undoubtedly can make an impact when playing at his best.

Overall, with the Penguins needing more offense, there is no harm in them taking a shot on a big and skilled winger like Mantha with this one-year contract. If he stays healthy, he could end up being a very nice part of their forward group in 2025-26. 

Former Penguins Forward Signs PTO With RangersAccording to the New York Post's Mollie Walker, the New York Rangers have signed former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Conor Sheary to a professional tryout (PTO).

Photo Credit: © Sergei Belski-Imagn Images