The last time The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler published his Top 100 Drafted Prospects list, Ivan Demidov was in first place, and the Montreal Canadiens had five players on the list: Demidov, David Reinbacher (24), Michael Hage (35), Logan Mailloux (58), and Joshua Roy (82).

This time around, the Habs only have three players on the list. Logan Mailloux is still there, but he’s now in 70th position and a member of the St. Louis Blues. Joshua Roy has unsurprisingly fallen off the list.

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Who remains on there for Montreal? Well, Demidov is the first member of the organization on the list, but he has now dropped to third place. Wheeler has put first-overall pick from the last draft, Matthew Schaefer, in first place and Michael Misa, the second-overall pick, in second place. While this is sure to ruffle some feathers with Canadiens fans, both players came with a certain level of hype, and it’s not a surprising move from Wheeler.

He describes Demidov as “a skill-first playmaking forward” who finished second in points with SKA St. Petersburg despite averaging just 13:45 of time on ice. He also defines him as “a true play creator,” the man you want to control the puck to create opportunities for everyone on the ice. This reminds me of Lane Hutson, who also likes to hold on to the puck to create opportunities, especially when a big goal is needed.

The Russian winger has impressed Wheeler with his ability to move along the boards and get to the middle in traffic while protecting the puck. He even adds that he’s the most dynamic and skilled prospect to come out of Russia in recent memory. He puts him ahead of Philadelphia Flyers’ Matvei Michkov because “his game has more of a pro style, competitiveness, and roundness to it” at the same age.

David Reinbacher is the second Canadiens on the list, but he has now dropped to number 39. Considering he lost most of last season to a knee injury sustained in his first preseason game last year, that was unavoidable. Still, he praises his” pro size, desired handedness, and a really strong foundation of skill that all guaranteed he’ll become a good NHLer.”

Wheeler sees him as a reliable two-way defenseman and believes he’ll be a good 3rd or 4th blueliner in the NHL. Given the fact that the Canadiens can now count on Noah Dobson as their top-pairing right-shot rearguard, the Habs would be just fine if that’s what he turns out to be.

It will be interesting to see how Reibacher does at camp. We’ve not seen him play much last season because of the injury, but for the Canadiens to send Mailloux off to St. Louis, they must have been pleased with what they saw in the Austrian, and that’s the opinion that truly matters. Even with Mailloux’s departure, there will be a lot of blueliners battling for a spot at camp, and making the lineup will be no easy task.

The final Canadiens’ prospect to make the list is Michael Hage, who ranks at number 51, a significant drop from last year’s 39th place. Perhaps that can be explained by the fact that Wheeler is not convinced Hage is NHL center material. He mentions that Hage must be suitable for a winger role in the big league, a bit like Blues’ Jordan Kyrou (interesting comparison since we’re still seeing Kyrou’s name all over the place lately).

It might be a bit early to make that assessment. Hage is still developing, and he still has time to bulk up. After a second season in the NCAA, a stay with the Laval Rocket probably wouldn’t hurt, and we’ll have a better idea then of what he projects as. Yes, the jump from the NCAA to the AHL is a big one, but both the opponents and the teammates will be better as well, which should help him reach a higher level.

The writer acknowledges that he spent the last season playing for a diminished Michigan team in the NCAA. As a result, he often had to take matters into his own hands, and he rose to the challenge. This year, he will be joined by former Eire Otters’ star Malcolm Spence, who has confirmed he will be leaving the CHL to enter Michigan.

Even though Wheeler doesn’t believe Hage is likely to be a top-six center for the Canadiens, he still expects him to be a top-six player in the NHL, which is not a given for a 21st overall pick.

Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

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It may still be the middle of the summer, but the Florida Panthers roster is pretty much set for the upcoming season.

There will still need to be a move or two made in order for the team to be cap compliant, but that should sort itself out in due time.

For now, let’s take a look at one specific area of the Panthers roster and discuss how it may be deployed when the season begins.

Barring any unexpected trades, Florida’s will enter the season with seven defensemen on their roster.

They are Aaron Ekblad, Seth Jones, Gustav Forsling, Niko Mikkola, Dmitry Kulikov, Uvis Balinskis and Jeff Petry.

Thinking ahead to Opening Night, assuming everyone on the blueline is healthy, let’s look at how Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice may pair them up and utilize them on special teams.

It makes sense that Maurice would keep his top for from the Stanley Cup Playoffs intact, considering how effective they proved to be and the chemistry that exists between them.

That would keep Forsling and Ekblad together on the top pairing with Jones and Mikkola gobbling up similar minutes right behind them.

Regarding that aforementioned chemistry, it was fun to see the growing on-ice relationship between Jones and Mikkola start to blossom as the postseason went deeper.

It was no coincidence that Jones and Mikkola finished the playoffs a combined plus-15 while contributing seven goals and 15 points as the comfort level between them grew, particularly in Jones as he became more and more acclimated to Florida’s defensive systems.

The biggest question surrounding Florida’s defensive unit will be regarding how Maurice plays to utilize his third pairing.

Newcomer Jeff Petry will get a good look once training camp arrives, and his ability to fit in as well as the Panthers recent defensive signings have (Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Nate Schmidt come to mind) will go a long way toward solidifying the right side of that third pairing.

That would leave Dmitry Kulikov and Uvis Balinskis for the left side spot.

It seems logical that the veteran Kulikov has the inside track to at least starting the season with in the top six.

Since signing with Florida, Balinskis has kept his head down and worked his way up to being considered a reliable NHL defenseman.

The problem is the Panthers are so deep, and the signing of the right-shooting Petry seemingly only makes it more difficult for Balinskis to crack the lineup. Both Kulikov and Balinskis are lefties.

In terms of special teams, the returning five from Florida’s Stanley Cup top six from a summer ago all played key roles on the penalty kill.

Expect to see Ekblad, Forsling, Jones, Mikkola and Kulikov all play their share of shorthanded minutes, and don’t be surprised to see Petry get a look while down a man as well. He’s picked up plenty of experience playing on the PK during his 15-year career.

Shifting to the power play, Florida did something during their playoff run we hadn’t seen much of in recent years, and that’s use two defenseman on their top power play.

Ekblad and Jones seemed to gain confidence while fluidly moving the puck on the man advantage, so it wouldn’t be a shock to see them get another look when the season arrives.

Maurice has not utilized Forsling much on the power play over the past few seasons, but perhaps this will be his year to get that extra time on the second unit and see a nice little bump in his point production.

Training Camp is still about two months away.

We’ll see how things shake out once the defending champs hit the ice in September.

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Photo caption: May 20, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (5) celebrates scoring against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period in game one of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

It’s no secret that the Pittsburgh Penguins have begun to shift into a new era. With the organization in a transitional period - and in the midst of a rebuild - the Penguins are putting the focus on youth and development.

And that focus on development is certainly prevalent when examining their new coaching staff.

On Apr. 28, the Penguins decided to move on from longtime head coach Mike Sullivan - who ended up with the New York Rangers - and usher in a new era for the team and its direction. A little more than a month later, they announced the hiring of Dan Muse as the 23rd head coach in franchise history, officially ushering in that new era with a clean slate.

Fast forward to mid-July, and that clean slate has been written on with nearly an entirely new coaching staff, save for a few. Muse brought on assistants Todd Nelson, Nick Bonino, Rich Clune, and Mike Stothers and added assistant video coach Troy Paquette. The only retentions from Sullivan’s old staff were goaltending coach Andy Chiodo and video coach Madison Nikkel.

GM and POHO Kyle Dubas were clearly going for a different direction, and each coach made the decision to join the staff for different reasons. But they are united in their messaging, as they want to help this team simultaneously maintain its winning culture while putting the focus on a younger generation.

And that work will kick into high gear after all of the initial relationship-building and planning heading into training camp this fall.

“It’s making sure that we’re growing every day and growing an environment that’s going to be extremely competitive, but it’s where the individuals can grow and the group can grow on a daily basis,” Muse said. “I believe a big part of my job is setting that environment there, along with the coaching staff, and making sure that foundation is there right from day one.”

Penguins' New Assistant Coach Excited To Get To Work In PittsburghPittsburgh Penguins' new assistant coach Mike Stothers almost missed the call - literally - to discuss what is now his position on head coach Dan Muse's staff.

And, beyond Muse - who has spent time both as an NHL assistant and in developmental leagues, namely with USA Hockey and the U.S. National Team Development Program - there is a breadth of developmental experience on the staff.

Nelson won back-to-back Calder Cup championships with the Hershey Bears - AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals - in 2023 and 2024, and he also won one with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2017. Between that experience and his NHL experience as an assistant, Nelson knows what it takes to win and develop talent at the same time.

In fact, he thinks those two things work in tandem.

“I think winning is a form of development, to be quite honest with you,” Nelson said. “I’ve always said that if you don’t have success at the minor league level, how do you expect these kids to go up and play in the Stanley Cup playoffs and feel comfortable in those situations? So, it’s a balance.”

He added: “I liked what I heard about what we’re trying to do here,” Nelson said. “To work with some of the talent here, it’s going to be fantastic.”

As head coach of the Bears, Nelson had the opportunity to see some of the Penguins’ young talent firsthand - 12 times last season, to be exact - so he knows what kind of talent is waiting in the wings for the Penguins.

“I saw some of the young talent coming up, and they gave us fits,” Nelson said. “So, it’s an exciting time.”

Stothers, 63, has been involved at all developmental levels, from junior hockey to the AHL to the NHL. His most recent gig was as an assistant with the Anaheim Ducks, a position he had to vacate due to a battle with Stage 3 Melanoma of the Lymph Node, but he knew the opportunity with the Penguins was the right one to step back into because of the collaborative nature of the staff and the environment.

"I think it's going to be a collaboration between the three of us, to be honest with you," Stothers said. "There are no right answers, there's no '100 percent' way of doing things.... Everything's well-researched. Everybody does their pre-scouts and everything else. So, it's like a chess match, it really is."

Penguins Name Full Coaching Staff For 2025-26 SeasonBack on Jun. 4, the Pittsburgh Penguins hired Dan Muse as the 23rd coach in franchise history.

Between Muse, Nelson, Stothers, Bonino, and Clune, Muse is also the only coach who did not play at the NHL level. Having the right mix of playing experience, veteran coaching experience, and experience working with young players should serve this Penguins’ staff well as it looks to the future.

There may be some growing pains, and there will have to be collaboration with Pittsburgh’s veterans in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang, too. But Muse is confident in the ability of his chosen staff to build relationships with every player individually and to get the most out of them, wherever they are in their development.

“It’s a nice mix, and everyone knows what to work on and look at this summer," Muse said. "I have a lot of confidence. It’s a hard-working coaching staff, and these guys are going to be putting in the time. And we’ll come back together here at the end of the summer and be able to, kind of, piece some more things together prior to training camp.”

'I Couldn't Be More Excited To Get Started Here': 3 Takeaways From Dan Muse's Introductory Press Conference As Penguins' Head CoachOn Wednesday, Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas formally introduced Dan Muse as the 23rd head coach in franchise history at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa.

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The NHL announced the schedule for the 2025-26 season's opening night on Monday. The Florida Panthers will raise their second-straight Stanley Cup banner against the Chicago Blackhawks, followed by the Pittsburgh Penguins traveling to New York to take on the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Opening night will conclude with the Colorado Avalanche taking on the Los Angeles Kings.

All games will take place on Tuesday, October 7, on ESPN.

This will be the second straight season that the Penguins will open with the Rangers. The Rangers came to PPG Paints Arena on October 9 to start the 2024-25 season and thrashed the Penguins 6-0. The game was virtually over by the end of the first period since the Rangers scored three goals in the opening frame. 

This year's version takes on a much bigger meaning, as former Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan will face his old team immediately. He led the Penguins to two Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017, along with seven total playoff appearances. Sullivan is also the winningest and longest-tenured head coach in franchise history.

He appeared set to be the Penguins' head coach for an 11th-straight season before he and the Penguins agreed to part ways on April 28. It was a tough decision, but one that's for the best, as the Penguins have missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons and haven't won a playoff series since 2018. They are also in a rebuild and won't be genuine contenders for a bit. 

"I talked to him every day throughout the year, and worked together every day throughout the year, and there were times throughout the year where I started to think that it may just be time for a number of reasons," Penguins general manager and president Kyle Dubas told reporters regarding the decision. "It's a lot to ask of somebody when they've done such a long and successful job here to be managing that and continue to transition the team through."

The Rangers, who fired Peter Laviolette after missing the playoffs this past season, wasted no time and hired Sullivan to be their next head coach on May 2. They believe he can unlock more of their players' potential and help them return to the playoffs this upcoming season. 

It's poetic that Sullivan will face his former team right at the beginning of the season after all the success he had with the Penguins during his 10-year reign as head coach. He will have the opportunity to coach against Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Bryan Rust (unless Rust gets traded), all players with whom he won championships. It will also be bittersweet for those four players since they loved having him behind the bench. The NHL loves a good storyline, and they are getting one by scheduling these two teams on opening night. 

Sullivan changed the way the Penguins played in 2016 with a super aggressive forecheck and stingy defense. Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against the San Jose Sharks remains the perfect example of what his system looks like when it's functioning at its best. The Penguins overwhelmed the Sharks in the offensive zone, doubling them up in 5v5 high-danger chances, 18-9. None of the Sharks' HD chances came in the third period. Heck, they only had three total scoring chances at 5v5 in that period despite being down a goal.

Penguins Will Open 2025-26 NHL Season Against RangersThe Pittsburgh Penguins will open the 2025-26 NHL season against one of their biggest rivals.

Even outside of the Sullivan factor, the Rangers are one of the Penguins' biggest rivals and have been for several decades. The rivalry has intensified significantly since the two teams met in the first round of the 2022 playoffs. The Penguins had a 3-1 series lead over the Rangers and looked destined to move on to the second round before the Rangers stormed back to win the series in seven games. Since then, a lot of the regular-season games between the two sides have been nasty. 

The Rangers won't have Penguins-killer Chris Kreider for any of the matchups this season, which is a big deal. Kreider has nine goals and 12 points in his last 10 games against the Penguins, but was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in June. Instead of facing Kreider three to four times a season, the Penguins will only get to see him twice this year.

That said, the Rangers still have several players who can cause you trouble, including Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, JT Miller, Vincent Trocheck, and Adam Fox, among others. It's going to make for an entertaining start to the season and has the added fuel of the Sullivan factor.

Sullivan won't receive his video tribute from the Penguins right away, as the game will be at MSG, but it will come as soon as the Rangers play in Pittsburgh for the first time. The rest of the 2025-26 NHL schedule will drop on Wednesday.

(Data via Natural Stat Trick). 

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Featured Image Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Edmonton Oilers will soon have to focus on re-signing their captain, forward Connor McDavid, and while they have plenty of time to get that done, there is already speculation surrounding him, and the Los Angeles Kings have been linked to him.

Johnston talking about how teams would be stupid not to plan for McDavid UFA no matter how slim the chances (SDPN): "I'm sure it has occurred to the Kings, I'm sure it has occurred to the Rangers, you don't think Julien BriseBois down in TB is looking at his long-term roster?"

— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) July 16, 2025

Chris Johnston doesn’t connect the Kings to McDavid directly, but he mentions that they are probably watching what’s going on. With every day that goes by, worry begins to grow amongst Oilers fans, and the Kings could try to take advantage.

General manager Ken Holland, who worked with the Oilers previously, could look to convince McDavid to join the Kings if they can find a way to make the money work.

Now, everyone knows McDavid will re-sign with the Oilers at some point. However, until it’s made official, everyone in the NHL will plan for the small chance that he hits free agency, including the Kings.

Kings Miss Out On Rumored Defensive Trade TargetThe Los Angeles Kings were hoping they could land a defender who had been involved in trade rumors for weeks, but unfortunately, he re-signed with the Buffalo Sabres, the team announced on Monday (Jul. 14). Rumor: Former Ontario Reign Defender Has Interest From KHL's Avangard OmskA former defender who played for the Los Angeles Kings' AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, reportedly has interest from the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Former LA Kings Third-Round Pick Signs In SwitzerlandA former forward for the Los Angeles Kings has signed with the ZSC Lions in the National League (NL) in Switzerland.

We've gone through numerous names in each of our first two looks back at some of the legendary names to have donned the Winged Wheel in their careers that actually got their starts in the NHL with a different club. 

Names like Brendan Shanahan, Brett Hull, Dominik Hasek, and Igor Larionov will always be special to Red Wings fans, especially for their key contributions to numerous Stanley Cup victories. 

Even so, there remain several more names that continue to hold special places in the hearts of Red Wings fans.

Mickey Redmond

He's one of the best known former Red Wings players to a multitude of generations, many of which watched his career with the Red Wings and many more who know him from his work as a longtime television color commentator. 

Redmond began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens, where he won the Stanley Cup twice before a fateful trade to the Red Wings in the 1970-71 season in exchange for Frank Mahovlich.

While Redmond didn't win the Stanley Cup as a player with the Red Wings, he was still one of their most impactful players for several years. 

He also made franchise history by becoming the first Red Wings player to reach 50 goals scored in a single season. He was forced to retire at just 28 years old in 1976 owing to a back injury. 

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

Chris Chelios

One of the longest-tenured players in NHL history, Chelios began his career with the Canadiens and also won the Stanley Cup with them in 1986 before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks, his hometown team.

Chelios became known as one of the best defensemen in the NHL during his many years with the Blackhawks, and was even named their team captain.

But with the Blackhawks well outside of the playoff picture approaching the 1999 NHL Trade Deadline, Chelios was traded to the club he once infamously boasted that he'd never play for - the Red Wings. 

Chelios would eventually become a fan favorite in Detroit and would play the next 10 years of his career with the team, helping them to a pair of Stanley Cup wins in 2002 and 2008.

He would be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013. 

Brian Rafalski 

The Red Wings had a considerable hole on their blue line after the departure of Mathieu Scheider in free agency in the 2007 offseason, and they would fill it with arguably one of the best free agent signings in recent team history. 

Brian Rafalski, a metro-Detroit native, was obtained by GM Ken Holland and signed to a multi-year contract. He formed an instant connection with defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, with whom he was often paired, and helped the Red Wings advance to the Stanley Cup Final in consecutive seasons, winning in 2008.

Rafalski had already won the Stanley Cup twice in his career as a member of the New Jersey Devils in 2000 and 2003; he was signed by New Jersey as an un-drafted free agent ahead of the 1999-2000 NHL season. 

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We're two weeks into what is officially the start of the new NHL season and we've seen quite a bit of movement on the player front.

The Carolina Hurricanes, for one, have added quite a bit, with two big additions in Nikolaj Ehlers and K'Andre Miller.

But as is always the case, to make room for new players, old/former players have to find new homes too, so here's a look at where all the former Canes who played at least one game for Carolina have ended up this season.

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Brent Burns - COL
40, RHD

After three season in Carolina, the veteran blueliner is taking his talents to Denver, signing a one-year, $1 million deal with the Colorado Avalanche.

The beloved veteran will take on more of a depth role with the Avs and if he can stay healthy, I think he can make a play for the league's number one ironman the season after too.

Dmitry Orlov - SJS
33, LHD

The Russian blueliner is making his first foray into the Western Conference, signing a two-year deal with the San Jose Sharks after spending his entire career out East.

Taking a slight discount from his last deal, Orlov didn't sound too excited about his time in Carolina in his first San Jose media availability.

Riley Stillman - EDM
27, LHD

The Hurricanes' seventh defenseman will be looking for more opportunity up north, as he signed a one-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers.

The son of former Hurricane Cory Stillman, Riley has already been with quite a few different organizations.

Spencer Martin - CSKA (KHL)
30, G

The journeyman goaltender is heading overseas for the first time in his career and will be playing in Russia. Martin signed a two-year deal with CSKA Moscow.

He couldn't quite capture the same magic he found when he first arrived in Raleigh, but had solid AHL numbers. Regardless, it's a new challenge for a standup guy.

Yaniv Perets - LVP (AHL)
25, G

Things didn't go very smoothly for Perets in Carolina, as despite actually winding up playing in two NHL games, he mostly played in the ECHL over the last two seasons.

He signed an AHL deal with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, affiliates of the Philadelphia Flyers, and hopefully he'll be able to find a bit more opportunity for himself.

Ty Smith - Dinamo Minsk (KHL)
25, LHD

The Hurricanes acquired Smith as part of the Jake Guentzel deal two seasons ago and gave him a bit of a chance to see what he had this season.

He had some pretty good AHL numbers and got the chance to practice with the main club for a good chunk of the year, even getting into a few games along with some power play time.

Despite that, it seems like the young blueliner will be heading overseas to play in Russia as per rumors.

Jack Roslovic - Unsigned
28, RW/C

The versatile forward joined Carolina on a one-year deal last year and managed to break the 20-goal mark and put up 39 points.

Despite that, he found himself relegated to the fourth line for most of the season (most of his goals came before December) and was even a healthy scratch for most of the postseason.

Roslovic finds himself in a weird spot because of that, but I'm sure someone will take a gamble on him. Just a bit weird that it's taken this long for him to choose a suitor.

Dustin Tokarksi - Unsigned
35, G

Tokarski wasn't sure if he'd even ever play professional hockey in North America again this time last year, but a goalie crunch in Carolina earned the veteran a tryout in the American League and he parlayed that into a few more games back in the NHL.

I'm not sure if the veteran will be so lucky again, but props to him on even getting the shot that he did last season.

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Award-winning TV writer and Boston Bruins fan Dave Flebotte passed away July 8 at age 65. The Boston native’s professional writing career saw him write and produce for popular shows including The Sopranos, Will & Grace, Boardwalk Empire and The Bernie Mac Show. 

But for this writer, Flebotte was a close friend and a passionate hockey fan. Flebotte was forever a supporter of his beloved Bruins, and he counted himself fortunate to see the B’s win three Stanley Cups. 

Flebotte was particularly proud that he got to write for The Hockey News.

In this exclusive column from The Hockey News’ special-edition 2009 book, Puck Funnies: Hockey Humor, Hilarity & Hi-Jinx, Flebotte’s talent at writing hilarious pieces was on full display. He was thrilled to write for THN, and THN was just as thrilled to have him as a contributor. He was also a lifelong subscriber, putting his money where his mouth was. He’s going to be missed.

On behalf of The Hockey News, our sincere condolences go out to Flebotte’s wife, Sandra, and his children, Zach and Emma.

#RIP Dave Flebotte, 65. The admired TV writer (‘Ellen,’ ‘Sherri,’ ‘Desperate Housewives,’ ‘Boardwalk Empire,’ ‘The PJs,’ ‘Tulsa King’) died in Montana after a long battle with cystic fibrosis, his wife tells @THR. Had a double lung transplant 28 years ago. https://t.co/KtkSwQ2otv

— Mike Barnes (@MikeBarnes4) July 9, 2025

Please enjoy Flebotte’s column, which was deservedly Chapter 1 in the Puck Funnies book.

Dinner Is Bruin-ed

By Dave Flebotte

I love the Boston Bruins.

Since May 10, 1970, I’ve been an avid fan. It was Mother’s Day that day, and being Sicilian, my family’s gift to my mom was to let her prepare an enormous Italian meal and then let her clean up afterwards. I was in fifth grade and remember a jar of Ponds Cold Cream the size of her head being offered as a way of saying, “Thanks, Mom, for another great year of cooking, cleaning and quiet desperation.”

Aside from the stuffed artichokes, the thing that stands out about that day was the Bruins winning their first Stanley Cup in 29 years.

I watched it on a little black-and-white we kept in the kitchen to keep dinner conversation to a minimum. An uncle was watching it alone. Overtime had just started. Then an Orr-to-Sanderson, back-to-Orr later, it was over. All that was left was for the late Ray Lussier to capture Orr in mid-flight and my Uncle Charlie to scream the F-word at the top of his lungs. (In my house, the F-word was used as an expression of exultation, disdain and at times, affection.)

From that moment on, I was hooked. I bought my first copy of The Hockey News in ’72. Dale Tallon was on the cover and rumored to be coming to Boston. I never knew the publication existed. I borrowed fifty cents from my brother and ran back to the convenience store, where the clerk held it for me because even though there were three of them, I was sure they would fly off the shelf as soon as someone discovered, as I had, their existence. I took it back home, went up to my room and swallowed it whole.

It was a great time to be a Bruins fan. Two Cups in the first three years of my coming aboard. From Orr, Esposito, Cheevers, O’Reilly, to later, Bourque, Neely, Oates, Lemelin; all the way up to now with Savard, Chara, Lucic and Thomas. Only alcohol has been as good a friend to me as the Boston Bruins.

So when my pal, Adam Proteau, asked me if I’d be interested in writing an article for The Hockey News, it wasn’t a matter of if, but what part of Bruins history I’d write about.

My first draft, the words “The Canadiens suck,” written until I reached 1,000 words, was rejected. Though it did point to one of the greatest rivalries in professional sports, Adam found it a little too one-dimensional. So I started to think about who were some of my favorite players and what moments really stood out in the 39 years I’ve been following the team.

What I realized was, it wasn’t just the stars who came to mind, but mostly it was the scrubs. The Bobby Schmautzes, Bruce Shoebottoms, and Greg Hawgoods that made up some of my favorite memories. 

So I decided on this: “Five Bruins I Love, But Who You Might Not Give A Rat’s Ass About.” You never asked for it, but here it is:

5. Bill Bennett. Who? In 1979, Bill Bennett played only seven games for the Boston Bruins. He had a goal and four assists, and that was that. Gone.

Why is he a Bruin I love? Because Bill wore No. 7 after ‘Espo’ was traded. I love that he had the balls to put it on, and I’m thankful that he wasn’t good enough to stick with the club and keep it. Had he found his way onto a fourth line and hung around, Ray Bourque may not have gotten the number.

Then, when the Bruins retired Esposito’s number, we’d have lost one of the greatest moments in Bruins history: Ray peeling off the No. 7 jersey and handing it to Phil while wearing his new number, 77, underneath.

How anticlimactic would that have been to watch Bill Bennett pull off his jersey to reveal the now-revered double-seven?  An angry Phil would’ve probably had Ken Hodge rip the jersey off Bennett’s back before he had a chance to give it to him.

4. P.J. Stock. When I’m feeling down or a wee bit blue – maybe my script just got thrown out, or my son asked me for an A-Rod T-shirt – nothing picks me up like going on YouTube and watching P.J. Stock go toe-to-toe with Stephen Peat of the Washington Capitals. 

Having won only one fight out of fifteen myself (that’s right Jeffrey Morgan, I’m talking about you, b----), I find something cathartic in watching five-foot-nothin’ P.J. Stock throw haymakers to the heads of behemoths without the use of a foot stool. Half Rock-em sock-em robot, half energizer bunny, he’d finish every fight with a little wave to the Garden faithful that said, “This ass-kicking’s for you.”

3. Normand Leveille. No. 19’s career was cut short due to a cerebral hemorrhage in ’83, just 75 games into his tenure as a Boston Bruin.

His arrival was just after Don Cherry’s Lunch Pail Gang had ruled the roost in Boston from the mid-to-late seventies. Hard-nosed, gritty players were their calling card. No real superstars, just good old plain folk who skated their wing, punched you in the face and out-hustled everyone else,

Leveille was something new to Boston when he came aboard in ’81. Something we’d only seen in a Canadiens jersey. Our very own “Flying Frenchman!” He would zip into corners of the old Garden with someone in hot pursuit, then suddenly stop short, throwing his shoulder backwards into their chest and them onto their asses.

Add to that he had a real knack for the net, like a physical Yvan Cournoyer. His loss was definitely the greatest tragedy to hit the B’s ever (apologies to superstar Bruins goaltending prospect Ian Young and the eye injury that ended his career before his first pro game). Way too short a time in a B's sweater, but really sweet.

2. Wayne Cashman. ‘Captain Cash’ patrolled the left wing with Phil Esposito and Ken Hodge from the late 1960s until their departure in ’75. His sweater doesn’t hang from the Garden rafters, and he’s never been brought up as a Hall of Fame possibility, but still is one of the all-time great Bruins.

Cashman exemplified what it meant to be a Big Bad Bruin in the ’70s: fearless, a ton of heart and the ability to put the puck in the net. He wasn’t one of those dimestore Flyers who would amass 300-plus minutes but couldn’t hit the side of Kate Smith. He owned  the corners. He was a lot like O’Reilly (too obvious a choice), but where Terry skated with all the elegance of a drunk driver taking out a row of mailboxes, Cash was smooth.

My favorite Cashman moment: during a nationally televised afternoon game against the Flyers at the Spectrum, he goes out of his way on his first shift to fly across the ice and nail Dave Schultz, then just glares at him. Message sent.

1. Ron Grahame. Grahame was a goalie for the Bruins in the ’77-78 season. That was the year the Bruins used three goalies full-time. (Gilles Gilbert and Cheevers were the other two.)

The previous off-season, Grahame was signed as a free-agent defector from the Houston Aeros of the World Hockey Association. His first and only year with the Bruins was solid – but that’s not why he’s No. 1 on my list.

He earned it because that summer Harry Sinden sent him to the L.A. Kings – where acting GM George Maguire was accepting the Baz Bastien Trophy as Worst GM Of All-Time – for the right to draft Ray Bourque.

The rest is Bruins history. Ray played 20-1/2 seasons for the B's before finally bringing the Cup home to Boston. Albeit, in a Colorado Avalanche jersey.

Still, it’s hard to stay mad at Harry after that one.

The Buffalo Sabres ended speculation -- at least, for now -- of star defenseman Bowen Byram's future, signing him Monday to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $6.25-million. But while Byram's status with the Sabres has to be a welcome relief for some Sabres fans who wanted himto stay in Western New York, we have to ask once again -- are the moves we've seen from Buffalo this off-season really all there's going to be in terms of changes to the Sabres' lineup?

Yes, the Sabres acquired young winger Josh Doan and defenseman Michael Kesselring from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for talented winger J.J. Peterka, and depth winger Justin Danforth and goalie Alex Lyon were signed in free agency. But is that going to move the needle enough in the highly-competitive Atlantic Division? We have serious doubts about that.

It's true Buffalo's defense corps is now deeper than it was last season, even after trading rugged blueliner Connor Clifton to the Pittsburgh Penguins late last month. But are the Sabres going to defend their way to enough victories to lock up a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference? That may be how Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams sees it, but we're not nearly so sure that's a realistic expectation.

In fairness, the Sabres had the 10th-best offense in the NHL this past season, averaging 3.23 goals-for per-game. But that was with Peterka putting up 27 goals and 68 points. Even if Doan plays well, we don't see the Sabres easily replacing the offense Peterka produced. The Sabres also had the ninth-worst power play in the league last year, and that was with Peterka contributing 18 points with the extra man.

Meanwhile, the Sabres avoided being hamstrung by the injury bug last season. Indeed, out of their top-11 point-producers, all 11 played at least 73 games. What if that changes this coming year? Are Sabres fans supposed to believe there's enough depth in the system to deal with a severe injury or two to key Buffalo players? Again, we have our doubts.

THN Exclusive: Sabres 2025 Future Watch BreakdownThe Buffalo Sabres are a team that's still a ways off from being a true Stanley Cup playoff frontrunner. However, in The Hockey News' 2025 Future Watch edition, writer Bill Hoppe broke down the talent that's in the Sabres' system. Below, you'll find our ranking of Buffalo's top-10 young prospects:

Finally, even after Byram's new contract, the Sabres have approximately $7.39-million in salary cap space. Some of that will have to go to RFA defenseman Conor Timmins and RFA goalie Devon Levi, but if any team needed to spend to the cap ceiling, it's Buffalo. Whether it's adding a veteran at or near the league-minimum salary, or spending another couple million on a more accomplished forward, you can easily make the case that Adams shouldn't be done making roster moves.

All-in-all, the Sabres' current situation has this writer feeling like Buffalo isn't going to be a playoff team once again this coming year. Stranger things have happened than the Sabres surprising fans and media and knocking a legitimate playoff contender out of the post-season picture. But again, you have to ask yourself -- which Atlantic team is going to be on the outside of the playoff picture in order for Buffalo to get into the post-season? The back-to-back defending Cup-champion Florida Panthers aren't going to be that team. Neither are the Toronto Maple Leafs or Tampa Bay Lightning. And the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens are two young teams still on the rise.

And that's not counting a team like the Detroit Red Wings, which also is desperate for a post-season appearance. So, with that in mind, you can see why we're not at all optimistic about the Sabres' playoff chances in 2025-26.

Sabres Potential Trade Partner: Anaheim DucksWe're getting into the deep part of summer, but there is unfinished business in many NHL markets. And one of those markets is Buffalo, where the Sabres continue being unable to move forward on defenseman Bowen Byram, and their roster doesn't inspire confidence they can be in the mix for a playoff spot.

Buffalo could've been one of the biggest movers-and-shakers in the league this summer. Instead, they've more-or-less recommitted to the same core of players, and they're expecting different results this coming year. Imagine the fury that will come from Sabres fans if the same pattern persists next year.

Time will tell whether relatively standing pat was the right move by Adams, whose job security is surely on the line this season. But right now, there are many questions about this Sabres team -- and the answers to those questions may leave Buffalo fans severely disappointed for a fifteenth-straight season.

The NHL’s off-season continues to unfold, and by mid-July, most teams made their key roster moves. That brings us to the question of what teams are best at each position – forward, defense and goal. 

We began the process by breaking down the five best teams on defense. Now, we’re switching focus to analyze the five best teams at forward. The criteria for this list include top-level primary scoring, impressive secondary scoring, a dose of defense-minded and role forwards, and overall cohesion.

With that said, here are our choices with new roster additions in italics.

1. Florida Panthers

Forwards: Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Evan Rodrigues, Anton Lundell, Brad Marchand, Eetu Luostarinen, A.J. Greer, Tomas Nosek, Jonah Gadjovich

When you’re back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, and you manage to retain all your important forwards, you deserve to be at the top of this list. The Panthers did exactly that, re-signing veteran center Sam Bennett and left winger Brad Marchand to team-friendly deals this summer.

The Panthers have elite two-way skill in the form of Barkov and Reinhart, grit and clutch play from Tkachuk, Bennett and Marchand, and speed and tenacity with the rest of their group of forwards. Florida has repeatedly demonstrated that, when the games matter most, their forwards will be hard on the forecheck, determined in front of their opponent’s net and successful at undermining the other team’s defense. Nine of their forwards had at least 15 points in the 23 games it took them to win the Cup. For reference, the Oilers had three with at least 15 and seven with at least 10 in 22 games.

They’ve won two straight Cups for good reason, and they’re the cream of the crop when it comes to the league’s best collection of forwards.

2. Tampa Bay Lightning

Forwards: Brayden Point, Jake Guentzel, Nikita Kucherov, Brandon Hagel, Anthony Cirelli, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Yanni Gourde, Nick Paul, Zemgus Girgensons, Cage Goncalves, Pontus Holmberg, Conor Geekie

The Lightning were dumped by the Panthers in the first round of last year’s playoffs, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have an embarrassment of riches up front. To the contrary, they led the NHL in scoring, scored the most goals by a forward, had the sixth-best penalty-kill percentage, had four forwards average at least a point per game and have Kucherov as a bona fide superstar.

The Bolts had depth issues last season before they brought back (and re-signed) Gourde and acquired Bjorkstrand from the Seattle Kraken at the trade deadline. Those additions really put Tampa Bay over the top. 

It’s easy to see why Lightning GM Julien BriseBois doubled down on his forwards, and Tampa Bay will once again be dominant in their opponent’s zone because they have so much skill and balance up front.

3. Colorado Avalanche

Forwards: Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, Artturi Lehkonen, Valeri Nichushkin, Brock Nelson, Martin Necas, Ross Colton, Jack Drury, Parker Kelly, Ivan Ivan, T.J. Tynan, Nikita Prishchepov

Like the Lightning, the Avalanche have a legitimate top-five player in the world in MacKinnon, a top-six group of forwards that’s as skilled and proven as any team in the NHL and a swift and resolute bottom six. It’s a measure of their depth that Colorado lost veterans Jonathan Drouin and Charlie Coyle, and they’re still tremendously talented up front.

Getting Nelson to sign a contract extension was huge for the Avs, as it firmed up their second-line center position. Like Tampa Bay, Colorado lost in the opening round last year, but if we had to choose between the Avalanche’s forwards and Dallas’ forwards, we’d pick the Avs in a narrow decision. Colorado GM Chris MacFarland has constructed an elite group, and the Avs are going to excel once again next year.

4. Dallas Stars

Forwards: Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, Mikko Rantanen, Matt Duchene, Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Wyatt Johnston, Mavrik Bourque, Oskar Back, Radek Faksa, Sam Steel, Colin Blackwell

The Stars have consistently been a terrific team, in no small part due to their incredible depth on offense. Despite Dallas losing in the Western Conference final for the third straight season, Stars GM Jim Nill brought just about everyone back, and he re-acquired longtime Stars center Faksa for a second tour of duty with the organization. Losing Mikael Granlund hurts a bit, but it won’t be devastating.

With fantastic two-way forwards Hintz and Rantanen setting the tone for the rest of the group, the Stars have demonstrated they can be successful at both ends of the ice. And although the future of Robertson, who is entering the final year of his contract, is somewhat in doubt, what isn’t in doubt is that Dallas’ balance of youth (Robertson, Bourque, Johnston) and experience (Benn, Seguin, Duchene) gives them an elite collection of forwards. 

The Stars can run-and-gun with the best of them or play a hard-nosed defensive game. That’s why they had the most points by a forward, the third-most goals-for, the sixth-fewest goals against and the fourth-best penalty-kill rate this past season. More often than not, they’re going to be on the winning side of the ledger in large part due to their forward depth.

5. Vegas Golden Knights

Forwards: Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, Mark Stone, Ivan Barbashev, William Karlsson, Tomas Hertl, Pavel Dorofeyev, Reilly Smith, Brett Howden, Brandon Saad, Colton Sissons, Keegan Kolesar

Adding former Toronto Maple Leafs superstar winger Marner made an already-dynamic Golden Knights group of forwards all the more impressive. Trading for former Nashville Predators center Sissons firmed up Vegas’ fourth line. Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon has been ruthless in pursuit of the franchise’s second Cup, and once again, he’s done his utmost to create a lineup that can create offense with the best of them, while giving up little in their own zone.

Marner’s impact in terms of offense creation as well as strong defensive play gives Vegas a balance that compares well to any NHL team, and proven veterans including Stone, Eichel, Karlsson and Hertl give the Golden Knights the kind of depth any team would kill for. Vegas is well out of cap space, but does anyone really believe McCrimmon is done improving his team? We sure don’t. As the season unfolds, we fully expect the Golden Knights to continue getting better, and by the time the next post-season rolls around, Vegas could be even higher on this list.

Honorable Mentions: Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets

The Maple Leafs, Oilers and Jets all have high-level forward groups, even if they’re not in the top five.

The Leafs have Grade-A top-six forwards in Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares and Matthew Knies. The departure of Marner has a trickle-down effect that ultimately hurts Toronto’s case. 

Similarly, the Oilers have two world-class superstars in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, as well as elite forwards in Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. They are a massive part of why the Oilers got to two straight Stanley Cup finals, and in the playoffs, they got some nice secondary scoring at times. However, trading away Evander Kane and Viktor Arvidsson while losing Connor Brown and Corey Perry put a dent in Edmonton’s forward group. It’s up to Andrew Mangiapane, Isaac Howard and Matt Savoie to make the Oilers better than they were.

Finally, the Jets still have top talents in center Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Cole Perfetti, as well as above-average forwards in Gabriel Vilardi and newcomer Jonathan Toews. But the loss of winger Nikolaj Ehlers affects their bottom line, and their fourth line isn’t as solid now that last season’s trade acquisition Brandon Tanev has moved on to the Utah Mammoth. If Toews excels this upcoming season, it would be worth re-evaluating their spot on this list.

The Oilers, Jets and Leafs still have lots to like. They could prove to have a top-five forward group during the season, but at the moment, they just missed the cut.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Kieffer Bellows has signed a one-year contract with Brynas IF of the SHL, the team announced Sunday.

The 27-year-old recorded 15 goals and 31 points in 44 games with the Milwaukee Admirals and four points in 19 games with the Nashville Predators last season before adding nine points in 10 Calder Cup Playoff games. 

A native of Edina, Minn., Bellows has 79 goals and 140 points in 233 career AHL games and 16 goals and 32 points in 114 career NHL games split between the Predators, New York Islanders, and Philadelphia Flyers.  

Varmt välkommen till Gävle och Brynäs IF, Kieffer Bellows! ✍️✅

Den 27-årige forwarden som senast kommer från spel i Nashville Predators organisation har skrivit på ettårskontrakt som sträcker sig över den kommande säsongen, 25/26.

🗞️ Läs mer på https://t.co/MR7GswpDsOpic.twitter.com/eiHYT0a2OL

— Brynäs IF (@Brynas) July 13, 2025

A first round pick of the Islanders in 2016, Bellows has been a stellar AHL player over parts of the past three seasons but was not able to translate his offensive production to the NHL.

Now qualifying as an AHL veteran after appearing in over 260 career professional games Bellows  joins a long line of recent AHL alumni who have signed in Europe after reaching the veteran threshold. 

Check out our AHL Free Agency signing tracker here.       

Photo Credit: © Ryan Sun-Imagn Images

On Tuesday afternoon, the Chicago Blackhawks announced that they have officially signed forward Anton Frondell to a three-year entry-level contract with an average annual value of $975,000. 

Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xa Swede signing‼️✍️ 📰 ➡︎ https://t.co/RcGvmeK8J4

Chicago selected Frondell with the 3rd overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft out of Sweden. His club in the SHL is Djurgårdens, where he had 25 points in 29 regular-season games last year.

Frondell also helped the club to an HockeyAllsvenskan Championship and an SHL promotion. He had seven points in 16 qualification games, which played a key role in the team’s success. 

Frondell is ready to begin his true journey to Chicago. Now that he’s signed, he's eligible to play in the NHL or the AHL. However, he could also be loaned back to Djurgårdens. That seems more likely, given a report from the Swedish media outlet Expressen last week.

Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xthat's our no. 3 overall pick👏🥹

This three-year deal won't kick on for Frondell until he plays in the NHL. If he does go back to Sweden for 2025-26, he will still have three years left on his ELC going into the following year. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust is one of the NHL's top trade candidates right now. With the Penguins retooling, the 33-year-old winger would have the potential to land them a significant return if they decided to trade him.

Rust just set new career highs with 31 goals and 65 points in 71 games this past season, so he has raised his trade value. Furthermore, his contract is very good, as he has a reasonable $5.125 million cap hit until the end of the 2027-28 season. Thus, he could be a good fit for both playoff and non-playoff teams. 

Now, a few clubs are being connected to Rust. According to The Fourth Period, the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Columbus Blue Jackets are among the teams linked to Rust. 

After trading JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth this off-season, there is no question that the Sabres could use another top-six winger to replace him. Thus, the Sabres reportedly being interested in Rust is very easy to understand. He would give their top six and power play a significant boost if acquired. He also does not have any trade protection, so he makes a lot of sense as a target for Buffalo. 

With the Maple Leafs losing Mitch Marner this summer, adding another top-six right winger should be one of their top objectives moving forward. While Rust would not produce the same kind of offense as a superstar like Marner, he would still improve Toronto's forward group and be one of their key point producers if acquired. 

As for the Blue Jackets, they are also in a position to make a move for a player like Rust. They have a ton of cap space to work with and could use another top-six forward, so they would be a good fit for Rust. They also have plenty of potential trade assets that could be appealing to the Penguins. 

NHL Rumors: 2 Under-The-Radar Penguins Trade CandidatesThe Pittsburgh Penguins are the most popular team in the rumor mill right now. It is understandable, as Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson are currently considered three of the top trade candidates in the league.

Photo Credit: © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images