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.

Lukas Dostal: Increased Pressure, Journey from 'No-Name Goalie' to Paid Among NHL Elite

Ducks Sign Drew Helleson to Two-Year Extension

Ducks Sign Lukas Dostal to Five-Year Extension

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

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

It was a difficult decision to cut Sidorov from the list and rank Gaucher in the tenth spot. Ultimately, it came down to path and projectability. Based on his position demand, brand of hockey, and draft pedigree. It’s a near-certainty that Gaucher will play NHL games, likely well over 100, in his career, beginning within the next couple of seasons. Though having shown more electricity and offensive upside to this point in their careers, the same cannot be said for Sidorov.

Gaucher is a straight-line, tenacious, and defensively detailed right-shot center who plays a heavy brand and is difficult to play against on a shift-by-shift basis. He’s an explosive skater, which he uses to cover a great amount of ice to eliminate time and space, whether that’s in defensive zone coverage, on the backcheck in the neutral zone, or on the forecheck in the offensive zone.

He utilizes his 6-foot-3, 207-pound frame to establish body position, protect pucks, and bully his way to the front of the opposing crease.

The Ducks selected Gaucher (22nd overall in 2022) in the first round of the 2022 draft, Pat Verbeek’s first draft as GM of the franchise, with a pick acquired in the trade of Hampus Lindholm to the Boston Bruins at the 2022 trade deadline.

Before his pro career, and in his four seasons playing in the CHL for the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, he scored 158 points (80-78=158) in 199 regular season games and added 29 (11-18=29) in 36 playoff games, en route to QMJHL and Memorial Cup championships in 2023.

He won two World Junior Championship gold medals with Canada in 2022 and 2023, playing a shutdown, checking role and totaling six points (2-4=6) in 14 games between the two tournaments.

Offense has not been easy to come by since beginning his professional career in 2023-24 as a member of the San Diego Gulls, as he’s only produced 44 points (18-26=44) in 128 AHL games over the last two seasons. He is, however, making his trademark 200-foot impact on every game, and he quickly found his “B-game” when failing to find scoresheets.

“Nathan has had to deal with a couple of really important injuries that have set him back a little bit since we drafted him. And unfortunately, he hurt himself right before camp, so it took him a while to get going this year because of that,” Ducks assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting Martin Madden told The Hockey News: Anaheim Ducks, when asked about Gaucher’s progression. “And then, unfortunately, ended the season with injury as well.

“But he grew a lot in terms of his confidence with the puck, offensively. Overall, his offensive play grew as he gained confidence, establishing himself as a hard player to play against on the defensive side. They were using him in a checking role, PK. But as the season went on, his skating got better and better, and I think that helped with time and space, so he had more confidence in his hands. He had more confidence to look around and make plays.”

The offense was coming around for Gaucher toward the final stretch of the 2024-25 season, as he scored 11 points (5-6=11) in his final 12 games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.

Unfortunately, Gaucher bookended his 2024-25 campaign with injuries: first, he missed a significant percentage of rookie and training camps with a lower body injury, and then sustained the aforementioned shoulder injury to end his season, requiring surgery.

He was given an estimated recovery time of 4-6 months after sustaining the injury in March and is expected to be fully healthy by rookie and training camps in September.

It’s plausible to believe Gaucher will rediscover what made him offensively successful at the end of last season, compound it with his defensive prowess, and hit the ground running in 2025-26, which will be his third season in the AHL. If he can continue to polish his two-way game and explore the reaches of his offensive capabilities, he will likely be playing NHL games within the next two seasons.

Projecting Future Extensions for Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier

Ducks Sign Clang, Myšák to One-Year Deals

Ducks Prospect Uljanskis Chooses CHL for 2025-26 Season

Photo Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Ahead of next week’s World Junior Summer Challenge in Minnesota, a series of games involving four U-20 teams is taking place in Vierumäki, Finland on Sunday and Monday. Two teams from Finland – essentially an A-team and a B-team – will host the Czech and Swiss national junior teams once each.

Most of the A-team has already been drafted by NHL teams, including forwards Kosta Helenius and Emil Hemming, who were first-round picks in 2024 and have both already been signed by the Buffalo Sabres and Dallas Stars, respectively. Both played for Finland in last year's World Juniors and are locks to make it again. 

Presumably, the Finns will take the players that impress them the most from these two games to Minnesota, with the A-team presumably supplying most or all of the squad.

A-Team:

Goaltenders: 1 Saarinen Kim, HPK Hämeenlinna – Seattle Kraken 30 Rimpinen Petteri, Kiekko-Espoo – Los Angeles Kings

Defensemen:  2 Jokinen Mitja, TPS Turku 3 Kiviharju Aron, HIFK Helsinki – Minnesota Wild 4 Nykyri Niklas, HIFK Helsinki 5 Muhonen Niilopekka, Medicine Hat Tigers WHL – Dallas Stars 6 Soini Sebastian, Ilves Tampere – Minnesota Wild 7 Nieminen Daniel, Pelicans Lahti – Nashville Predators 13 Väisänen Veeti, Medicine Hat Tigers WHL – Utah Mammoth 25 Boelius Lasse, Ässät Pori – Anaheim Ducks

Forwards:  8 Kettunen Anton, Pelicans Lahti 9 Koivu Aatos, TPS Turku – Montreal Canadiens 10 Pulkkanen Akseli, KalPa Kuopio 11 Kalto Onni, TPS Turku 12 Saarelainen Joona, KalPa Kuopio – Tampa Bay Lightning 17 Tuuva Leo, Lukko Rauma 19 Helenius Konsta, Buffalo Sabres NHL 21 Westergård Max, Frölunda HC Sweden – Philadelphia Flyers 22 Hemming Emil, Dallas Stars NHL 23 Vesterinen Roope, HPK Hämeenlinna 26 Sinivuori Lauri, Oshawa Generals OHL 27 Miettinen Julius, Everett Silvertips WHL – Seattle Kraken 28 Ruohonen Heikki, Harvard University NCAA – Philadelphia Flyers

Kings 2nd-Round Draft Pick Contemplates Staying In Czechia Or Moving Overseas Czech left winger Vojtěch Čihař, who turned 18 in March, was drafted in the second round, 59th overall, by the Los Angeles Kings at this year’s NHL Entry Draft, which happened to be in Los Angeles.

B-Team:

Goaltenders: 30 Härkönen Masi, Sport Vaasa 31 Kerkola Patrik, KalPa Kuopio

Defensemen: 2 Marila Eelis, Kiekko-Espoo 3 Jalasti Bruno, HIFK Helsinki 4 Kotajärvi Jesper, Tappara Tampere 5 Vikla Atte, Jokerit Helsinki 6 Välilä Arttu, Lukko Rauma 7 Wallenius Eerik, HPK Hämeenlinna – Ottawa Senators 8 Amhamdi Onni, Pelicans Lahti 9 Mononen Veikka, KalPa Kuopio

Forwards: 10 Loponen Markus, Victoria Royals WHL – Winnipeg Jets 11 Puolanne Elias, Kiekko-Espoo 12 Pikkarainen Kasper, TPS Turku – New Jersey Devils 13 Suoniemi Tuomas, Kiekko-Espoo 14 Teshome Nathan, Jukurit Mikkeli 15 Kuhta Jasper, HIFK Helsinki 16 Kopiloff Oliver, HPK Hämeenlinna 17 Räsänen Veeti, Jokerit Helsinki 18 Somervuori Jere, HIFK Helsinki 19 Joki Atte, Lukko Rauma – Dallas Stars 20 Vanhanen Matias, HIFK Helsinki 21 Pietilä Benjamin, Kärpät Oulu

Photo © Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images: Buffalo Sabres center Konsta Helenius (94) shoots the puck as Ottawa Senators left wing Matthew Highmore (15) moves in during NHL pre-season action in September 2024.

Which City Will Host The European Group Of The 2028 World Cup Of Hockey? In late June, the NHL announced the beginning of the selection process for determining the two host cities of the next World Cup of Hockey, which is scheduled to take place in February 2028.

Did you miss anything from the past week at The Hockey News - Columbus Blue Jackets? If you did, we have you covered with the Sunday Recap. Click on each card below to read the stories from the past week. 

From Ex-players to current players and everything in between, we've got you covered. 

July 14 was the three year anniversary of Johnny Gaudreau signing with Columbus.  

On This Date In Columbus Blue Jackets History: Columbus Signs Johnny GaudreauOn this day three years ago, the CBJ made what could be the biggest free agent signing in NHL history when they signed Johnny Gaudreau. No player of his caliber had ever reached free agency. Players like this are usually locked up long before hitting the open market. From The Archive: Premonitions GaudreauThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features. From The Archive: Johnny Gaudreau vs. Mitch MarnerThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

There were many exciting moments from this past season. What was yours?

What Was Your Most Memorable Moment of the 2024-25 Season?The 2024-25 Columbus Blue Jackets season had plenty of ups and downs. But today, we're focusing on the ups.  The 2025-26 NHL Schedule Comes Wednesday: What Blue Jackets Fans Should Watch ForThe NHL has officially announced the first three games of the 2025-26 regular season, with the remainder of the schedule to be unveiled on Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET. Blue Jackets Times/Dates For 2025 Prospects Challenge In BuffaloThe Columbus Blue Jackets have announced the times and dates for the 2025 Prospects Challenge to be held in Buffalo, New York. This will be the second year the CBJ will participate in this tournament. Players Who The Columbus Blue Jackets Have Bought Out Are About To Get Last PaymentsBuyouts are a tool that GMs have in their toolbox, but they're very careful when to use them as they can get messy and hold teams back in the future, just ask the Minnesota Wild.  From The Archive: Ready To Break Out: Metro DivisionThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features. Former Blue Jackets Forward Lands New Job In Sharks’ Front OfficeFormer Columbus Blue Jackets forward Thomas Vanek has landed a new job with the San Jose Sharks' front office. Columbus Announces Changes To Hockey Operations DepartmentDon Waddell and the Columbus Blue Jackets have announced several additions to the Hockey ops Dept. today.  Who Is The Best Undrafted Player On The Blue Jackets Roster?The Columbus Blue Jackets have a few players on the roster who weren't picked in the NHL Draft, but have started to turn themselves into pretty good NHL players. But who's the best undrafted player on the current roster? Who's had the best career so far? Pyotr Andreyanov's Agent Dan Milstein Speaks About Columbus Drafting HimWhen the Columbus Blue Jackets drafted Pyotr Andreyanov with the 20th pick in the NHL Draft, lots of Jackets fans were left asking, "Who?" But there were plenty of eagle-eyed fans who knew exactly who he was.  Former Blue Jackets Defensemen Signs In CzechiaFormer Columbus Blue Jackets defensemen Samuel Kňažko has signed a multi-year deal with HC Vítkovice of the Czech Extraliga.

The 2025-26 schedule is here. 

Blue Jackets Announce 2025-26 Home OpenerThe Columbus Blue Jackets have officially announced their 2025-26 home opener. Blue Jackets' 2025-26 NHL Schedule ReleasedToday is the release day for the full NHL schedule for the 2025-26 season. Blue Jackets Sign Former Golden Knights Defensemen The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed former Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Dysin Mayo to a one-year, two-way contract.  From The Archive: Bob, Bread & ButterThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features. Loading The Cannon: Dysin MayoYesterday, the Columbus Blue Jackets signed 28-year-old defenseman Dysin Mayo to a one-year, two-way contract. But who is Dysin Mayo? Let's take a look.  From The Archive: Columbus For The Cup!The Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

Yegor Chinakhov has requested a trade. Read all about it below. 

Yegor Chinakhov Requests Trade?Per Shumi Babaev on X, his client, Yegor Chinakhov has reauested a trade out of Columbus.  What Is Yegor Chinakhov's Trade Value?With the news today that Yegor Chinakhov has requested a trade away from the Columbus Blue Jackets, many are left to wonder what his worth is. Where Could Chinakhov Land If Traded?Yesterday, the Columbus Blue Jackets fan base was shocked by the news that Yegor Chinakhov is looking for a new place to play. His agent took to social media to explain the situation and the differences between him and the coaching staff. Now it has everyone thinking, where could he end up if traded. So, let's take a look at a few trade destinations that could make sense for Chinakhov. Does Columbus Have A Communication Issue Between Coaches And Players? Former Blue Jacket defenseman Jordan Harris gave an interview recently with the Boston Herald, and he said something about the Blue Jacket coaches that could be a cause for concern.  From The Archive: Whalers going to Columbus?The Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 78 years of history, stories, and features. From The Archive: A Columbus DiscoveryDo you remember when Sergei Federov played for the Columbus Blue Jackets? Many younger fans do not. But for older fans, it was a fun time while he was here. Enjoy this piece from 2006!  86 Days Until Opening Night At Nationwide Arena: Kirill MarchenkoWith 86 days to go until opening night at Nationwide Arena, there's only one person to talk about - Kirill Marchenko. 

Let us know what you think below.

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Kent Hughes has had an active Summer so far. Before the draft, he acquired Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders to address one of the Montreal Canadiens’ pressing needs. While some were arguing that Logan Mailloux could fill the void left by David Savard’s retirement, the GM wanted a proven commodity to strengthen his lineup. Additionally, his decision to trade Mailloux might have already been made. The young defenseman was sacrificed to acquire some help up front in Zachary Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues, a 22-year-old with scoring upside.

The one question that remains is who will skate on the second line alongside Ivan Demidov. Plenty of teams were in the market this offseason for a top-six center, and all signs seem to point toward an internal solution. While the most obvious one seems to be giving yet another audition to Kirby Dach, The Sick Podcast collaborator Grant McCagg suggests it could be an idea to give Oliver Kapanen a look.

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I can see the logic in that suggestion, after all, Kapanen impressed at training camp last season. It’s worth noting, however, that he had a bit of a head start. The then 20-year-old had already been through Timra IK’s training camp in the Swedish league, and he had already started playing games with them, which gave him a bit of an advantage.

As we got deeper into the camp, that advantage faded, and once the competition improved in preseason games with more real NHL skaters, it became harder for the youngster. He made the team out of camp, but after 12 games, the organization decided that he wasn’t quite ready and sent him back to Sweden since he still had a contract with Timra, which prevented him from being sent down to the AHL.

Will it be different this season? Has he made enough progress to be ready not only to play a regular role in the NHL but also to do so alongside Demidov, who will start his NHL career facing huge expectations? The Russian wonder had already shown that he can cut it in the best league in the world, but can he do that with a center that’s only a couple of years older than himself and only has 18 regular-season games under his belt?

The answer will depend on how much progress Kapanen made in Timra, playing big minutes and being used in all situations by coach Olli Jokinen. The former NHL player made it a mission to give the youngster plenty of experience, ensuring his transition to the NHL would be as smooth as possible.

McCagg also believes that the newly acquired Bolduc would be a good option to complete the line. The right winger has shown he has some scoring skills, putting up 36 points in 72 games in St. Louis, but 12 of those points came on the power play. The 22-year-old spent an average of 1:18 on the power play per game and averaged 12:49 of ice time in all situations. Would he be ready to get that much ice time? Furthermore, Demidov is a right winger as well, so one of the two would be playing on his offside. The idea is worth exploring, and that’s what training camp is about. There’s no doubt that Martin St-Louis will be making adjustments in the preseason; he will have no other choice, as the departures of Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia mean there’s no status quo heading into the season.

McCagg further suggests that Dach should be used with Patrik Laine and Alex Newhook. The three did spend some time together last year, and while they didn’t exactly hit it off, it wasn’t as bad a combination as the one formed with Laine, Dach, and Juraj Slafkovsky, which was in dire need of speed. That combination was painful to watch as it lacked dynamism and speed. Adding Newhook instead of Slafkovsky fixes the speed issue, but it creates a line that lacks a player to retrieve pucks in the deep zone.

It’s not an issue if the Canadiens enter the zone in possession rather than dumping the puck in, though. Newhook has demonstrated that he can be in charge of zone entries on the power play, primarily relying on his speed. However, once in the zone, he struggled to find options to keep the play going, even with the man-advantage. At even strength, could Dach and Laine get there in time to offer a viable option? It’s far from a foregone conclusion.

However, both Laine and Dach will be playing out the last year of their contracts, and they’ll have a lot to play for, starting with a contract extension or the value to hit the market as a UFA in Laine’s case. Will that be enough incentive for the Finn to play a more complete game? It remains to be seen, as he has yet to demonstrate that he can play that kind of game either with the Winnipeg Jets or the Columbus Blue Jackets.

At the end of the season, Laine’s then fiancée and now wife Jordan Leigh took to Instagram and thanked Montreal for making him love the game again. Does he love it enough to turn up his efforts a notch? Time will tell, but if a line formed by him, Dach, and Newhook is to succeed, he will have to.

Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

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The Philadelphia Flyers are not emblems of prospect development nor goalie development, but they are positioned to turn the page on that chapter.

For my returning readers, especially over the years, welcome back to what is effectively a daily column.

You know, the "Bailey's Daily" kind of thing. Conversational, relevant, informative, all of that stuff.

It can be hard to reliably produce content this late in the summer, but we here at The Hockey News are putting a bigger focus on community-building, so I thought it might be a good time for a daily "wrap" of sorts.

Let's see how it goes!

You can't talk Flyers this summer without talking Flyers prospects,  which was at least somewhat to be expected.

GM Danny Briere and Co. haven't gone out and made too many big additions, bar Trevor Zegras, so it would seem that this regime is putting most of their eggs in the baskets of player development.

I didn't love every pick they made in the 2025 NHL Draft, but they ultimately came away with more talent than most other teams.

But, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? Prospect rankings can be highly subjective at times.

Resurgent Flyers Prospect Returns on AHL ContractResurgent Philadelphia Flyers prospect Zayde Wisdom has officially re-upped with the organization that drafted him after testing NHL free agency.

Top Flyers goalie prospect Egor Zavragin barely made a recent top-20 list of NHL-drafted goalie prospects, so, like always, the only thing that matters is what happens on the ice.

Speaking of goalies and prospects, the Anaheim Ducks (I know, I know) might be one place to look to see how it's done.

De facto starting goalie Lukas Dostal, 25, just signed a five-year, $32.5 million ($6.5 million AAV) contract with the Ducks, but it didn't just happen for him overnight.

Let's analyze his path:

In 2020-21, Dostal played 35 games combined between Ilves in Liiga and the AHL San Diego Gulls.

The following year, Dostal played 40 games for the Gulls as the full-time starter and snuck his way into four NHL games for the Ducks.

In 2022-23, the Czech netminder played 19 NHL games and 34 AHL games. By 2023-24, Dostal was a full-time NHLer, and this year, Dostal played 54 games and permanently usurped the starting goalie position from the now-traded John Gibson.

So, when you look at the Flyers and Sam Ersson, who's also 25, you have a 2021-22 season when he played five games for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Ersson played 12 games for the Flyers in 2022-23 but otherwise played 42 AHL games down in Allentown.

Aleksei Kolosov Must Change Attitude Towards NHL, Legendary Coach SaysThe Philadelphia Flyers haven't fully given up on Aleksei Kolosov yet, but has Aleksei Kolosov given up on the Flyers?

Then, with the loss of Carter Hart and the failure to address the backup goalie position, Ersson played 98 NHL games in the last two seasons combined.

This dish didn't spend a lot of time in the oven, and the Flyers are now actively deciding whether to re-fire it or throw it away and start anew.

The Flyers somehow haven't drafted a goalie in either of the last two drafts, leaving them with Ersson, Aleksei Kolosov, Carson Bjarnason, and Zavragin as the four young-ish goalie prospects with conceivable NHL upside.

They may want to get this one right if they aren't going to continue adding to the pool, because developing this position can take upwards of five years most of the time.

The Ottawa Senators announced Saturday that they have signed restricted free agent forward Xavier Bourgault to a one-year, two-way contract.

Bourgault spent last season with the Belleville Senators, where he appeared in 61 games and recorded 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points. The 22-year-old isn't far removed from blue-chip NHL prospect status, being selected 22nd overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2021 NHL Draft.

That followed a standout junior career with the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL. Over four seasons, Bourgault tallied an impressive 206 points (97 goals, 109 assists) in 197 games. Following his draft year, he emerged as one of the Q's most dynamic offensive players, posting 75 points in 43 games and helping lead Shawinigan to the Quebec Junior title in 2022.

Sens GM Steve Staios would have gotten a good look at Bourgault at the Memorial Cup that year as his Hamilton Bulldogs faced the Cataractes twice in that tournament, where Bourgault put up 7 points in 4 games. That fall, both of them turned pro with Edmonton, where Staios joined the club for the 2022-23 season as a special advisor to the club's hockey operations staff. 

At 5-foot-11, 179 pounds, Bourgault was slow out of the gate in his first two years in Bakersfield with 54 points in his 117 games. So Staios, now in Ottawa, traded for him last summer, along with forward Jake Chiasson, for Roby Jarventie and a 2025 fourth-round pick.

Bourgault admitted at year's end that it took some adjustment going from the AHL team in Bakersfield, California, to the one in Belleville, Ontario.

"I think it's always stressful, a bit, coming into a new group," Bourgault told Belleville Sens Entertainment Network. "You don't know many guys, but I think the guys were pretty welcoming with me. And overall, I liked it on the ice. And off the ice with the guys was fun."

Bourgault was also asked to do some self-evaluation of his own 2024-25 season.

"Overall, I think I was pretty happy with how I finished the season. I think as an offensive guy, you always want to produce and help the team with that. For sure, some ups and downs. But I think as the season was going, I was getting more confident on the ice making plays.

"I think our line towards the end with Philli and Jany (Philippe Daoust and Jan Jenik) we were doing pretty good together. So now I think overall, I'm pretty happy. And just some improvement without the puck as well."

Bourgault will have to try and keep his late-season momentum (12 points in his final 16 AHL games) going this fall with at least one new face on his line. Daoust is now a UFA after not receiving a qualifying offer from the Sens, and while Jenik was qualified, he remains an RFA.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News-Ottawa
Image Credit: Belleville Senators, Jana Chytilova-Freestyle Photography

More Sens Headlines:
An Early Glance At The Ottawa Senators’ 2026 Free Agent Class
Why Mason McTavish Isn’t Coming Home To The Ottawa Senators
NHL Announces Ottawa Senators 2025–26 Regular Season Schedule
Can The Senators Count On Dylan Cozens To Consistently Produce?
Expectations For The Senators' Mount Rushmore Of Old Guys
Sens Development Coach Sam Gagner Says Hockey IQ Is Teachable
Creating The Sens Opening Night Roster Based On Salary

Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Matt Cooke has a new gig for the 2024-25 BCHL season. 

Cooke, who spent five seasons with the Penguins and helped them win the 2009 Stanley Cup, is the general manager and head coach of the BCHL's Vernon Vipers. They announced the news on July 18. 

BREAKING!!! - The Vernon Vipers are pleased to announce Matt Cooke as the next Head Coach and GM of the franchise!

Follow the link for comments from Matt Cooke and owner Tom Glenhttps://t.co/AS0IE8bgPlpic.twitter.com/UzpG1wuyIM

— Vernon Vipers (@VernonVipers) July 19, 2025

Cooke played in the NHL for 16 seasons, spending time with the Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Minnesota Wild. He played in 1,046 games, compiling 167 goals and 398 points. Cooke also played in 110 playoff games, scoring 13 goals and accumulating 38 points. 

His best individual season with the Penguins came in 2011-12 when he finished with 19 goals and 38 points in 82 games. 

He got into coaching after retiring as a player and was most recently the head coach of the ECHL's Newfoundland Growlers during the 2023-24 season. 

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Featured Image Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

It goes without saying that Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond's exclusion from NHL.com's recent list of the best 10 players aged 25 or younger was at best a bizarre oversight, and at worst, a blatant snub. 

It was especially ironic since Raymond literally outscored all 10 players who made the list. 

Nevertheless, the Red Wings know that they have a budding star in the making with Raymond, who was their Round 1 selection in the 2020 NHL Draft after they somehow fell back multiple spots despite having posted the NHL's worst record by a wide margin in the difficult 2019-20 season. 

Not only did Raymond amass a new career-high in points with 80 this past season, but he's also very close to joining a select list of his own in Red Wings lore. 

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

Raymond, who is only two goals away from 100 in his career, will soon become the 10th player in Red Wings history to reach the century mark in goals scored before turning 24 years of age. 

Lucas Raymond has led the @DetroitRedWings in points throughout each of the past two seasons, which included a career-high 80 points in 2024-25. #NHLYoungStarsWeek highlights the 23-year-old who sits within striking distance of 100 career goals this season. #NHLStatspic.twitter.com/eqPGysN7vL

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) July 19, 2025

The most recent player in this current era of Red Wings hockey to achieve the feat is Dylan Larkin, who did so during the aforementioned 2019-20 campaign. 

Other names on the list include Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov, Gordie Howe, Marcel Dionne, Ted Lindsay, Dale McCourt, John Ogrodnick, and Petr Klima. 

Talk about some pretty incredible company in Red Wings history that Raymond will soon join, including five who are forever enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame, and in the case of Howe, Lindsay, Klima, in the hearts of Detroit fans everywhere as they are no longer with us. 

Raymond is preparing to play the second year of his eight-year contract that he inked with Detroit last September, a nearly identical pact to that of teammate Moritz Seider, who was also a rookie that entered the NHL in the 2021-22 campaign. 

If he continues trending upward, 80 points may soon only seem like child's play for Raymond. 

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After taking a big step in the right direction last season, the Montreal Canadiens have been very busy this off-season. Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has undoubtedly been aggressive this off-season, as he made several notable roster moves. 

The Canadiens' upgraded the right side of their defense in a big way, as they acquired star defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders in exchange for forward Emil Heineman and picks Nos. 16 and 17 of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. The Canadiens then immediately signed Dobson to an eight-year, $76 million contract, cementing him as a long-term part of their core. 

This was not the only exciting trade the Canadiens made this off-season, though. They also brought in promising young forward Zack Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for prospect defenseman Logan Mailloux. Bolduc should be a nice pickup, as he has shown very good promise early on his career. In 72 games last season, he set new career highs with 19 goals, 17 assists, 36 points.

The Canadiens also improved their depth by bringing in players like Joe Veleno, Kaapo Kahkonen, and Sammy Blais. They also re-signed young goaltender Jakub Dobes to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $965,000.

Overall, it is hard not to be happy with the moves the Canadiens have made so far this off-season. Due to their strong moves, they have now received some serious praise. 

In a recent article for The Athletic, Dom Luszczyszyn listed the Canadiens as the second-most improved this off-season. The only team ahead of the Canadiens on The Athletic's list are the San Jose Sharks.

When looking at the additions the Canadiens have made this off-season, it is understandable that they are viewed as a club that has significantly improved. They added a legitimate top-pairing defenseman in Dobson, a skilled forward on the rise in Bolduc, and some experienced depth players. Thus, it is hard not to feel optimistic about the Canadiens heading into 2025-26. 

It will be intriguing to see how the Canadiens perform next season after their strong off-season, but it is fair to say that their roster looks better than it was last year. 

Canadiens Have The Most Expensive Goaltending This Season (On Paper)According to Puckpedia’s numbers, the Montreal Canadiens have the most expensive goaltending in the NHL this season. They devote $14.8 million in salary to masked men, which accounts for the three goaltenders they have on NHL contracts and who aren’t waivers exempt: Carey Price, Samuel Montembeault, Kaapo Kahkonen, and Jakub Dobes. That works out to 15,5% of their cap.

Photo Credit: © Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Welcome to another The Hockey News - Vancouver Canucks site article series. In this set of features, we’ll be taking a look at the 2025–26 Canucks coaching staff and their careers as players in the NHL. To start this series off, we’ll be looking at newly-appointed Vancouver head coach Adam Foote. 

Before Foote joined the Canucks organization in January of 2023 as an assistant coach to former head coach Rick Tocchet, he spent 20 years in the NHL as a tough, hard-nosed defenceman. He spent the bulk of his time in the NHL with the Québec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche, as well as a handful of seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Had it not been for his brief stint with the Blue Jackets, Foote would have been a career Nordique/Avalanche, as he was drafted 22nd overall by the organization in 1989. 

Prior to joining the NHL, Foote played for the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL for three seasons. The defenceman piled points upon points onto his OHL career with each year that he played in the league for. In his first season, 1988–89, he scored seven goals and 31 assists in 66 games played. Both his goals and assists outputs increased the season after, as he put up 12 goals and 43 assists in 61 games. In his final season with the Greyhounds in 1990–91, during which he served as an assistant captain, Foote scored 18 goals and 51 assists in only 59 games. 

Despite his point totals in the OHL, throughout his NHL career, Foote was known for his defensively-sound qualities as a stay-at-home blueliner. He played in 46 games during his first season with the Nordiques, scoring two goals and five assists. He made his NHL debut in October of 1991, registered his first NHL point in November of the same year, and scored his first NHL goal in January of 1992 against the Calgary Flames. 

In the 1992–93 season, Foote registered 168 penalty minutes in 81 games and added 16 points to his stats. He also got his first taste of NHL playoff action with the Nordiques, skating in all six of the team’s postseason games in their loss to the Montréal Canadiens in the first round. By the time Québec made it back to the playoffs, Foote had played in nearly four NHL seasons. This run ended in the same result as Foote’s first — a six-game first round loss, this time to the New York Rangers. It was after this season, 1994–95, that the Nordiques were relocated to Colorado. 

The move to Colorado seemed to mark a turning point in the franchise’s playoff performances, as the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in their first season after their relocation. From their first season in Colorado, 1995–96, to 2006–07, the Avalanche did not miss the playoffs. This dynasty included two Stanley Cup wins, four Conference Final losses, and two Semi-Final defeats. 

During his first regular season in Colorado, Foote scored five goals and 11 assists in 73 games played. He also contributed during the playoffs with a goal and three assists in 22 games. Ironically enough, after facing first-round demons in the two playoff series he’d played in before, Foote and the Avalanche took down none other than the Canucks in order to make it to the second round of the postseason. To make matters even more ironic, they also swept Vancouver during the first round of their second Stanley Cup win in 2001. Both Western Conference teams were considered powerhouses around this time, with the West Coast Express line of Markus Näslund, Todd Bertuzzi, and Brendan Morrison leading the way for the Canucks. 

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Foote was named an assistant captain for the Avalanche in the 1996–97 season, serving in this role until the end of the 2003–04 season. Offensively speaking, he had some of his best years towards the end of his first stint with the Avalanche (more on that later). In the 2001–02 season, Foote scored five goals and 22 assists in 55 games played, adding a goal and six assists to this total as well in Colorado’s 21-game Conference Final loss. In this same season, he joined Team Canada at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, winning his first international gold medal. He hit his career-high in points the season after with 11 goals and 20 assists in 78 games, and followed that up with eight goals and 22 assists in 73 games in 2003–04. 

With the lockout keeping players from playing during the 2004–05 season, Foote joined Team Canada at the World Cup of Hockey and put up three assists in six games. He was joined by Canuck at the time Ed Jovanovski and soon-to-be Canuck Roberto Luongo. In Canada’s undefeated tournament win, capped off by a 3–2 victory against Team Finland, Foote was named to the All-Tournament Team alongside Martin Brodeur (Canada), Kimmo Timonen (Finland), Fredrik Modin (Sweden), Vincent Lecavailer (Canada), and Saku Koivu (Finland). 

By the time the NHL resumed play, Foote had moved on from the Avalanche, signing a three-year deal with the Blue Jackets. He was named captain in his first season with the team and scored six goals and 16 assists in 65 games with Columbus. In the following years, he scored nine goals and 25 assists in 124 games before the Blue Jackets ultimately decided to trade him back to Colorado in exchange for a first-round and fourth-round pick. 

After reuniting with the Avalanche, Foote spent the better half of three more seasons with Colorado, during two of which he acted as the team’s captain. The 2010–11 season was his final one as a player, as Foote made the decision to retire at the end of the year. However, it didn’t take him long to find his way back to the NHL, as he became a team consultant for the Avalanche in the 2013–14 season — two years after his retirement as a player. 

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While the Chicago Blackhawks have had a fairly quiet off-season, they have made a few moves. One of them was bringing back old friend Sam Lafferty, as the Original Six club acquired him from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick. 

The Blackhawks clearly like Lafferty as a player, as this is the third time that they have acquired him. This includes just this past off-season, as the Blackhawks acquired Lafferty's signing rights, forward Ilya Mikheyev, and a 2027 second-round pick from the Vancouver Canucks. However, the Blackhawks and Lafferty did not agree to a new contract before July 1 of last year, so he became an unrestricted free agent (UFA) and signed with the Sabres. 

The Sabres moving on from Lafferty this off-season was not necessarily surprising. The 6-foot-2 forward struggled to find his fit with the Sabres in 2024-25, posting just four goals, three assists, and a minus-15 rating in 60 games. Overall, it was a rough year offensively for Lafferty, and he will now look to bounce back with the Blackhawks from here.

When looking at Lafferty's recent previous seasons, there is reason to believe that he could turn things around with Chicago. Just back during the 2023-24 campaign with the Canucks, he scored a career-high 13 goals and recorded 24 points in 79 games. This was after he had 12 goals and a career-high 27 points in 70 games split between the Blackhawks and Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2022-23 season. Thus, the potential for him to provide decent secondary offensive production again could be there.

If Lafferty's offense does go up and he maintains his physical style of play, he could end up being a very solid addition to the Blackhawks' bottom six next season. It will be intriguing to see if he can be just that from here. 

Blackhawks' Connor Bedard Receives Massive PraiseChicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard just completed his second NHL season, and it is hard not to be optimistic about his future with the Original Six club. In 82 games on the year, the 5-foot-10 forward set new career highs with 23 goals, 44 assists, and 67 points. When noting that he was only 19 years old throughout the entire 2024-25 campaign, this kind of production is quite impressive.

Photo Credit: © Jerome Miron-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 last week with defenseman Bowen Byram, Adams will have to try to acquire a scoring forward with younger players, prospects, and/or draft picks. 

Winger Michael Bunting has been much travelled over the last two seasons, ever since the 29-year-old left the Toronto Maple Leafs as an unrestricted free agent and signing a three-year, $13.5 million contract with Carolina. Originally a fourth-round pick of Arizona, Bunting spent five seasons in the American Hockey League before getting an NHL look and scoring 10 goals in 21 games with the Coyotes at the end of the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season.  

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Bunting signed with his hometown Maple Leafs and former junior GM Kyle Dubas and immediately clicked as the left winger on the top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner and his 63 points (23 goals, 40 assists) earned him a Calder Trophy nomination. The following season, he matched his goal total, and his sandpapery and antagonistic play drew the ire of the opposition and 183 penalty minutes over two seasons with Toronto, but also earned him a reputation with officials that became a negative.

After signing with the Canes, Bunting has been traded twice; to Pittsburgh in the Jake Guentzel deal, and to Nashville for Thomas Novak and Luke Schenn. In both seasons, he has continued to score, with 19 goals each season.   

What Would It Cost?

Nashville is interested in bouncing back from a disastrous season after signing free agents Steven Stamkos. Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei. This summer, they upgraded their blueline by swapping for defenseman Nicolas Hague and center Erik Haula, and signing Nick Perbix away from Tampa Bay. 

The Preds have some youth coming, but they may not be ready this season, and took on Bunting’s $4.5 million deal in part because Novak took a big step backwards in the first year of a three-year contract extension. GM Barry Trotz may be willing to part with the veteran in the final year of his deal for a younger forward like Isak Rosen or a non-first round pick. The Sabres could use the energy generated by the rambunctious winger, and he has proven that he can plug in asc a complementary top-six winger, which is what Buffalo needs to replace Peterka on the first or second line next season. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

The Pittsburgh Penguins have made multiple additions to their roster this off-season. Some of the players they brought in this summer include Anthony Mantha, Matt Dumba, Justin Brazeau, Arturs Silovs, Connor Clifton, and Parker Wotherspoon. Overall, the Penguins have added to their depth so far this summer. 

While this is the case, it is clear that the Penguins have a clear roster need to address if they hope to be more competitive -  adding another top-four left defenseman.

When looking at the Penguins' left side, it is clear that it could use some work. While they have options like Wotherspoon, Ryan Graves, Alexander Alexeyev, and Ryan Shea, expecting them to be true long-term answers for the top four may be a stretch. Thus, if an opportunity presents itself to bring in an upgrade to their left side, the Penguins should act on it.

However, with it being so deep into the off-season, it will be harder for the Penguins to address this need before the season starts. Top unrestricted free agent (UFA) Vladislav Gavrikov ended up signing a seven-year contract with the New York Rangers once he hit the market. Meanwhile, former top left-shot defenseman trade candidate K'Andre Miller was dealt by the Rangers to the Carolina Hurricanes and immediately signed an eight-year, $60 million contract with the Canes.

Bowen Byram could be an interesting player to keep an eye on as a potential trade target for the Penguins. While he recently re-signed with the Buffalo Sabres for two years, he has still been discussed in the rumor mill. The 24-year-old blueliner would certainly boost their blueline if acquired, as he is a young and proven top-four defenseman. However, he can become a UFA once his new deal expires after the 2026-27 season, so the Penguins acquiring him would also come with some risk. 

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if the Penguins can find a way to boost the left side of their defense from here. If not before the season, this should be an area they work to improve during the campaign. 

Penguins Made Good Move Trading For Former Canucks GoalieThe Pittsburgh Penguins have had a busy off-season, as they have brought in multiple new players. One of them is goaltender Arturs Silovs, as the Penguins acquired him from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for forward Chase Stillman and a 2027 fourth-round pick earlier this month.

Photo Credit: © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

After not playing for two consecutive seasons, former St. Louis Blues goaltender Jaroslav Halak confirmed to Tomas Prokop of Dennik Sport that he is officially retired. 

Jaroslav Halák has officially retired at age 40. He played in the NHL from 2006 to 2023, appeared in 581 games, suited up for eight teams, and won the William M. Jennings Trophy twice. He confirmed it to me in an interview for @DennikSportpic.twitter.com/OD8sjkAEaB

— Tomáš Prokop (@Lewysko) July 18, 2025

Halak was acquired by the Blues from the Montreal Canadiens during the 2010 NHL off-season and certainly put together a strong tenure with the Central Division club. In 159 games over four seasons with the Blues from 2010-11 to 2013-14, he recorded an 83-47-19 record, a .916 save percentage, a 2.23 goals-against average, and 20 shutouts. He also won the William M. Jennings Trophy with Brian Elliott during the 2011-12 season with the Blues. 

Halak's time with the Blues ended near the 2014 NHL trade deadline, as he was moved to the Buffalo Sabres in the deal that sent Ryan Miller to St. Louis. However, Halak never ended up playing a game for the Sabres, though, as he was quickly traded to the Washington Capitals at the deadline. 

Following his time with the Blues, Halak had stops with the Capitals, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, and New York Rangers. In 581 games over 17 NHL seasons, he had a 295-189-69 record, a .915 save percentage, and a 2.50 goals-against average. He also won his second William M. Jennings Trophy during the 2019-20 season with the Bruins. 

Blues Made Sneaky Good Move Signing New ForwardEarlier this off-season, the St. Louis Blues signed forward Nick Bjugstad to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.75 million. With the Blues needing more center depth, seeing them bring in Bjugstad ultimately made sense. This is especially so when noting that Radek Faksa ended up leaving St. Louis and going back to the Dallas Stars in free agency.

Photo Credit:  © Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Jaroslav Halak and Blake Wheeler, two former New York Rangers players, have both formally announced their retirement from the NHL. 

Halak played 17 seasons in the NHL for the Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, and Rangers. 

His final season came during the 2022-23 campaign with the Rangers. He recorded a 10-9-5 record, .903 save percentage, and 1.72 save percentage. 

Despite not playing for the past two seasons, Halak hadn’t formally retired until this week, when he ultimately decided he had nothing left to give.

“Last year I completed summer training ... but when nothing came of it, I told myself it was pointless. After that I didn't even try anymore," Halak said. "I'm officially ending my career. I would like to thank my family, friends, fans and especially my wife Petra, who has been by my side my entire career.”

Wheeler played 16 seasons in the NHL for the Boston Bruins, Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, and Rangers. 

K'Andre Miller Sends Emotional Message To Rangers Fans And Organization After Signing With HurricanesAfter spending the first five seasons of his career with the New York Rangers, K’Andre Miller is beginning the next chapter of his career with the Carolina Hurricanes. 

The veteran forward played his last season with the Blueshirts during the 2023-24 season. After his stint with the Rangers, Wheeler took a full season before announcing his retirement. 

“More or less, right after last year, I knew I was all done,” Wheeler said. “I just didn’t have anything left in the tank.”