The NHL and NHLPA have released details about the new CBA that will come into effect for the 2026-27 season. The new agreement features numerous changes, including a playoff salary cap, the elimination of team-enforced dress codes and contract length limits. The 167-page document also includes a new rule regarding AHL eligibility, which will affect WHL players moving forward. 

The 21st item in the new CBA has to do with what age players can join the AHL. The exact wording is, "NHL will reopen its agreement with the CHL to seek to eliminate the mandatory return rule for 19-year-old Players. NHL will seek to limit NHL Clubs to Loaning no more than one (1) 19-year-old Player per year to the AHL without the requirement of first offering such Player to his junior Club." In short, this means that a select number of players can make the jump to the AHL a year early if their drafted NHL team feels they are ready to turn pro. 

Just like the new NCAA rule, this will impact the WHL. While only 32 players will be eligible for this rule, some will likely be from the WHL. Ultimately, this could impact how teams prepare for the season, as WHL franchises may lose their best players a year early. 

The first players that this rule will impact are those born in 2007. Some notable names who could make the jump to the AHL early include Ben Kindel, Braeden Cootes and Radim Mrtka. These three players were all drafted in the top 15 of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft and could be deemed ready at 19 to join the AHL. 

Ultimately, these new eligibility rules will impact not only WHL teams but also organizations across the CHL. While it is a positive that players have new options available, management groups from all 61 teams will need to adjust how they plan for the future. In the end, it will be interesting to see which players are selected to make the jump to the AHL early, as the list is sure to include those from the WHL.

Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more from The Hockey News.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets are the latest focus in our NHL prospect pool overview series.

Tony Ferrari digs into the Blue Jackets’ strengths and weaknesses, latest draft class, positional depth chart, next player in line for an NHL opportunity and more. A player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer a prospect for these exercises.

Initial Thoughts

The Blue Jackets are on the rise. They are starting to see the youngest members of the squad make a major impact as they look to return to the post-season for the first time since the 2020 COVID-19 playoffs. Although a few players remain from that team, this is a new generation of Blue Jackets hockey, and Adam Fantilli leads it. 

Fantilli reached the 30-goal plateau as a 20-year-old center last year, finishing fifth on the team in scoring. His value as a two-way center has also begun to show itself. As Fantilli enters his third NHL season, there could be a significant step in production this year, bringing him closer to point-per-game production. 

The Jackets found their franchise center in Fantilli. Now, it’s just about surrounding him with talent. 

Kent Johnson helps bring that talent. This past year seemed like the first time an NHL coach embraced that Johnson is one of the most purely skilled players in the NHL. Johnson blossomed because of it with 57 points in 68 games. Johnson is capable of things most players could only dream of. He’s a video game in real life. He and Fantilli showed some amazing chemistry at times. Going into his age-23 season, Johnson is primed for a true breakout. 

Fantilli and Johnson don’t qualify as prospects, but the Blue Jackets do have quite a few very solid prospects. 

Headlining the group is Cayden Lindstrom, the fourth overall pick from the 2024 NHL draft. The big, physical forward has a fantastic blend of power and skill to his game. He will crush a player along the boards as they look to break out of their defensive zone, steal the puck and power his way to the net and get a shot off with a defender on his back. After missing most of this past season recovering from his back injury, Lindstrom is headed to Michigan State University, where he will get to test his skill against bigger, faster competition.

James Malatesta and Luca Del Bel Belluz got into a few NHL games but spent most of this past season in the AHL. Malatesta had a slightly more challenging season than his rookie campaign, but his intelligence and tactical play remained. Del Bel Belluz, meanwhile, took a major step up at the AHL level, which earned him an extended call up, getting into 15 NHL games. He put up eight points in his NHL stint, which is probably good enough to keep him in a roster spot going into next season.

Luca Pinelli finished his OHL career with a solid season in Ottawa despite the team missing the playoffs. Pinelli plays with his heart on his sleeve. He was a two-year captain for the 67’s and gave his all on every shift. Pinelli has a great shot, some wicked vision and tenacity that helps mute the concerns about his 5-foot-9 size. He must prove he can handle the physical nature of pro hockey. He had a brief stint in the AHL at the end of this past season and played well. 

After an incredibly high-scoring QMJHL career, Jordan Dumais was injured for the first half of the year before jumping into the AHL. He had 11 points in 21 games, but he never really got up to speed. The 21-year-old will aim to return to his high-end offensive production. Dumais’ most effective play has always been in the offensive zone, using his passing and vision to open up chances for teammates.

On the back end, the Blue Jackets have a few notable players, highlighted by Charlie Elick. He is a big, mobile defensive blueliner who shows some flashes of puck-moving ability, but he’s not ever going to be mistaken for a high-end producer. His value comes from shutting play down and getting involved physically.

Stanislav Svozil is a two-way defender who has been solid in each of his two years with the Cleveland Monsters. He skates well and uses that to his advantage at both ends of the ice. He mirrors attackers, closes out at one end of the ice, evades pressure and makes crisp passes at the other. He doesn’t have much high-end skill, but he should be able to play a decent depth role with solid breakout passing and good defensive play at the NHL one day.

Corson Ceulemans has had an interesting development path. He has all the physical tools, including skating, size, strength, puckhandling and passing, but he hasn’t put it all together just yet. He went from the BCHL to the NCAA to the AHL, and each level put him to the test. This will be a big season for the 22-year-old, as he will look to finally start building and providing steady value in the AHL in hopes of earning an NHL call-up.

Key U-23 Players Likely To Play NHL Games This Season

Adam Fantilli (C), Denton Mateychuk (D), Cole Sillinger (C/W), Kent Johnson (LW/C), Luca Del Bel Belluz (C)

2025 NHL Draft Class

Round 1, 14th overall - Jackson Smith, D, Tri-City (WHL)

Round 1, 20th overall - Pyotr Andreyanov, G, Krasnaya Armiya Moscow Jr. (Rus)

Round 3, 76th overall - Malte Vass, D, Farjestad Jr. (Swe.)

Round 5, 160th overall - Owen Griffin, C, Oshawa (OHL)

Round 6, 173rd overall - Victor Raftheim Hedin, D, Brynas Jr. (Swe.)

Round 7, 198th overall - Jeremy Loranger, C, Sherwood Park (BCHL)

The Blue Jackets hope the 2025 NHL draft is the last where they pick in a non-playoff position for a while. 

Big right-shot defender Jackson Smith is arguably the second-best defender in the class. He is incredibly mobile and has some of the most enticing physical tools. He’s shown flashes of puck-rushing ability and offensive creation. His most valuable trait is his transition defense, where he mirrors opposing players, steps up and either takes the puck off their stick or finishes with the body. Smith must find some consistency, but he has the tools to become a very solid No. 2 or No. 3 defenseman. 

A few picks later, Columbus selected the first goalie of the draft, Pyotr Andreyanov. The highly touted Russian is one of the most athletic goalies in the class. His skating is surgical, rarely wasting a movement and consistently finding ways to stay square with the puck. Andreyanov instantly shoots to the top of the Jackets' goalie depth chart, and he could be the goalie of the future for the franchise. In the meantime, he signed a five-year contract extension with CSKA Moscow as he continues to develop.

Malte Vass is a strong defensive player, using intelligent reads and strong skating to ensure he is in a good position to kill plays. The Swede’s play on the puck is best when he keeps things simple and doesn’t try to do too much. Vass is a simple passer who finds the first outlet and hits it quickly. He’s not fun to watch from a skill perspective, but he’s effective, and his physicality gets people out of their seats. 

Owen Griffin epitomizes a player who excels in many aspects of the game but doesn’t have a standout trait. Griffin shows some skill, a steady 200-foot game and a predictability in his play that coaches will love. If he were a bit bigger, teams would likely have seen him as a bottom-six option more easily, but at 5-foot-10, he must prove his worth in the bottom six to get to the NHL level one day. 

In the sixth round, Columbus swung on a toolsy, raw defender with some size, Victor Raftheim Hedin. The 6-foot-4 blueliner tries to get involved in plays, whether that's jumping up to join the rush, creeping down off the point in the offensive zone or cheating over to help in the defensive zone. Raftheim Hedin must play a more structured game and learn to refine the little things, but his mobility, tools and athleticism are all interesting traits to build on. 

The Blue Jackets’ last pick was a massive swing on a scoring forward from the BCHL, Jeremy Loranger. His 105 points led the league with an 18-point margin over the second-place scorer. Loranger is small, and he plays accordingly, avoiding physical play whenever possible. This was a major concern for teams, as you need some sort of ability to handle physical play. Loranger is a creative passer who weaves through traffic with the puck and fires off passes. In the seventh round, this is exactly the kind of swing you want to take.  

Strengths

For a team that struggled for so long down the middle, center has become a bit of a strength in its pipeline. 

Fantilli and Cole Sillinger are U-22 players already on the roster and playing center. You can add Del Bel Belluz to that list this year, in all likelihood. 

Their top prospect, Lindstrom, could be the center the Jackets pair with Fantilli to form a dangerous one-two punch on the top two lines. Griffin was a nice addition in the draft. Pinelli and William Whitelaw are potential wingers at the next level, but they still have a chance to play down the middle. That’s an impressive group. 

Weaknesses

The Jackets have a pretty solid prospect pool all around, but the left wing lacks some talent. Malatesta is a solid prospect, but he wouldn’t be considered a high-end player. Oiva Keskinen is a fine prospect who could be a depth scoring option, and he’ll play his first AHL season this upcoming year after a couple of solid campaigns in the Liiga. Beyond that, Columbus could use a forward or two on the left side.

Hidden Gem: Luca Marrelli, D

The activation in Marrelli’s game has always been there, but in his final OHL season, he took full advantage of it. The Oshawa defender consistently joined the rush or jumped into the fray off the blueline. It allowed him to take advantage of his ever-improving shot and continue to impact the game as a facilitator. Marelli was second in playoff scoring as he helped lead his team to the final, where they lost for a second straight year to the London Knights. He will take his talents to Cleveland in the AHL next season.

Next Man Up: Luca Del Bel Belluz, C/W

For all the high-quality prospects the Jackets have, many of them are already in the NHL, or they are a year or two away. Del Bel Belluz is next up, and although he’s less exciting than some of their other youngsters, he’s still a solid prospect. He’s a tactical scorer who finds ways to connect plays with effective passing and intelligent positioning. He’s not a star, but he will be a solid contributor.

Prospect Depth Chart Notables

LW: James Malatesta, Oiva Keksinen

C: Cayden Lindstrom, Luca Del Bel Belluz, Luca Pinelli, William Whitelaw, Owen Griffin 

RW: Jordan Dumais, Kirill Dolzhenkov, James Fisher

LD: Jackson Smith, Stanislav Svozil, Malte Vass, Andrew Strathmann, Aidan Hreschuk, Daemon Hunt

RD: Charlie Elick, Corson Ceulemans, Luca Marrelli

G: Pyotr Andreyonov, Sergei Ivanov, Evan Gardner, Melvin Strahl, Nolan Lalonde

For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook and Future Watch editions of The Hockey News in print.

American goaltender Collin Delia, 31, has signed a one-year contract with Brynäs IF, the Gävle-based SHL club announced on Friday.

“My family and I are incredibly happy to have this opportunity to represent a prestigious club like Brynäs,” said Delia. “The team’s passionate fans combined with its proud history made our decision easy. I’m looking forward to the season and I want to contribute to us going all the way and winning Swedish championship.”

Winning a title wouldn’t be such a huge leap for Brynäs who, despite being promoted from the tier-two HockeyAllsvenskan last season, finished first in the SHL regular-season standings and went all the way to the league finals, losing to Lulea in six games.

Delia joins a Brynäs team that has several big-name players, including Jakob Silfverberg, Johan Larsson, Robert Hägg, Oskar Lindblom, Michal Kempný and Christian Djoos.

Delia is the only healthy goaltender under contract right now, as former Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Erik Källgren isn’t expected back until early 2026 after undergoing hip surgery.

“Collin is well-deserved and we have followed him for a long time,” said Brynäs sports director Johan Alcén. “He’s a goalie who always gives his best for the team and knows what is required at the highest level. He is very well-educated and incredibly good on his skates. It will be exciting to work with him and see what he can achieve in our environment.”

Ex-NHL D-Man Moves From Czechia To Sweden Czech defenseman Michal Kempný, 34, has signed a one-year contract with Brynäs IF, the Gävle-based SHL club announced on Friday.

Born in Rancho Cucamonga, Cal., Delia played three years of NCAA hockey at Merrimack College and then signed as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017. Between 2017 and 2022, he played 32 NHL games with Chicago, spending the rest of the time with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs.

In 2022, Delia signed with the Vancouver Canucks, starting the season in the minors, third in the team’s goaltending depth chart, but played 20 NHL games that season after Thatcher Demko was injured and Spencer Martin faltered in the starting role.

Delia spent the last two seasons in the minor-league systems of the Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers.

In 52 NHL games, Delia has a goals-against average of 3.51, a save percentage of .897, a record of 19-18-7 and no shutouts. This is his first contract to play in Europe.

Photo © Bob Frid-Imagn Images.

Goalie Spencer Martin Signs In KHL Canadian goaltender Spencer Martin, 30, has signed a two-year contract with CSKA Moscow, the KHL club announced on Wednesday.

From time to time over the summer, we like to head for the library to look back on some memorable moments in Ottawa Senators history, just waiting there to relive in The Hockey News Archive. The archive is free to all THN subscribers, and you can subscribe here.

Last season, it was great to see Dany Heatley be welcomed back into the Senators family for a reunion of The Pizza Line. It's hard to believe it's already been 20 years since they were formed. Back in December of 2025, Mike Brophy wrote a great piece on the 24-year-old Heatley, including his first few weeks in Ottawa, his comeback from the accident, and the incredible start on what might have been the best team in Sens history.

A fascinating read from our Dec 13, 2005/Vol. 59, Issue 13:

---

Turning Point

By Mike Brophy

Dany Heatley spots a friendly face on the other side of the visitor’s dressing room at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre and motions for the reporter to wander over.

As Mark Brender, senior writer for The Hockey News, draws near Heatley, the big left winger offers the now familiar dentally challenged smile and says, “Thirty-five?! Whoa!”

Heatley is referring to his rank in The Hockey News’ annual ‘Top 50’ list of NHL players in our 2005-06 Yearbook. It’s quite a drop from his No. 5 position of a year earlier. Brender, who can handle himself with the toughest opponents, rolls with Heatley’s jabs.

Reminded later of the encounter, Heatley laughs and says, “I was only kidding. I wasn’t really upset.”

For a young man who has been to hell and back, not much upsets Heatley these days. He’s playing on the top line on the NHL’s top team, along with Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson. And, with points in all 22 of Ottawa’s games this season, he was one away from tying Wayne Gretzky’s mark for points in consecutive games from the start of the season with a new team. Gretzky had points in his first 23 games with the Los Angeles Kings in 1988-89.

Gretzky also holds the NHL record for longest point streak ever, 51 straight games with the Oilers in 1983-84. He managed 61 goals and 153 points in that span.

Heatley, 24, insists he doesn’t dwell on his own streak.

“It’s not a distraction for me,” he says. “I’m just trying to go out and play with those two guys and make things happen. The key for us is, if we are skating and moving the puck, good things will happen. The record (51 games) is so far away, it’s not even worth talking about.”

And if his head happens to get a little too big because of the streak, there’s always coach Bryan Murray to reel him in. In mid-November, Murray was concerned Heatley’s play was starting to slip. So, following an effort that left Murray wanting more, he walked past Heatley in the dressing room and grunted: “Is that (expletive) streak over with yet?”

Replied Heatley: “No. I got a point on a power play goal.”

“Are you sure?

“Yes.”

“We’ll let’s get it over with. You’ve got to play better. Dany, you’re stickhandling all the time. What the hell is that all about?”

Murray made his point.

“After that he got right back to playing the way he had been from the start of the year,” the coach says. “And he has been a star since.”

The Dany Heatley story has been told and retold ad nauseam. The Reader’s Digest version goes something like this: young hockey star with untold riches buys sports car, then crashes sports car while racing through a city street. He’s seriously injured and his passenger, teammate and friend, Dan Snyder, is killed. Snyder’s family offers Heatley support and helps him avoid jail time. Heatley resumes his career only to suffer an eye injury while playing in Europe during the NHL lockout. His play deteriorates. This past summer, seeking a change of scenery, he asks to be traded.

Sadly, this storyline will always be a part of his life. But the time has come to concentrate on the new chapters he is writing. His trade from Atlanta to Ottawa – in exchange for right winger Marian Hossa and defenseman Greg de Vries – was the first step toward a fresh start. Heatley is in a bona fide hockey market, he is healthy and he is thriving.

After a year in which he was called out for sub-par performances during the World Cup, World Championship and while playing in Europe, some wondered if the toll of what happened was too much for him to handle. Not Heatley, though.

Ask him if he is back and his response is quick and blunt.

“Back?” he says with a chuckle. “I was never gone.

“The lockout was a year off for everybody. I consider myself an NHL hockey player and there was no NHL hockey. I was anxious to get back to playing in this league and I’m happy to be back.”

Heatley defends himself when asked to explain his play at the World Championship and World Cup.

“Those two tournaments, in my opinion, are short-term events and the bottom line is, we won the World Cup,” he says. “I mean, I was not burying a bunch of goals, and that’s what I do, but sometimes it just doesn’t go in for you in a short tournament like that. Same thing with the worlds. I had a couple of good tournaments the two years before that and again, because in the last one I didn’t score nine or 10 goals, all of a sudden I’m no good?”

There were rumors in the hockey world that Heatley’s play was affected by alcohol consumption. Heatley denies it was ever a problem, saying, “I think it was a misconception. The people that know me, know me.”

Murray says he, too, heard the rumors. But after making a few calls to people who know Heatley well, the Sens coach was assured it was not an issue. Murray talked with Heatley prior to the season and told him Ottawa was a fishbowl because of the Senators’ popularity. Heatley assured his new coach he simply wanted to be the best player he could be.

“He worked hard at training camp, got in shape right off the bat and he has been successful,” Murray says.

Heatley loves his new surroundings. He lives in nearby Kanata, where the team plays, and feels the move has been good for him. An avid music fan, Heatley has attended U2 and Pearl Jam concerts at the Corel Centre and would love to go to Toronto to see his favorites, the Dave Matthews Band, in early December, but doesn’t think the team’s schedule will allow for it.

If anyone doubted whether he would return to the level of his first three NHL seasons, when he scored 80 goals and 181 points in 190 games and was the NHL’s top rookie in 2001-02, they need wonder no longer. Heatley was fifth in scoring with 17 goals and 38 points in 22 games (a 63-goal, 142-point pace). Linemates Spezza and Alfredsson were 1-2 in league scoring and the trio was on pace for 179 goals and 444 points.

The record is so far away, it’s not even worth talking about.

Dany Heatley on catching Gretzky’s record 51-game point streak

Murray originally intended to keep Alfredsson on a different line to spread the scoring around. But when rookie Brandon Bochenski needed more development time, Alfredsson was bumped up to the top unit. It was like Ringo joining The Beatles: they have made sweet music ever since.

“I thought we could get away with putting Alfie with them from time to time late in games like we did in our season opener,” Murray says, “but eventually we felt that giving them a world-class player like Alfie would give the other two guys a boost.”

Alfredsson could not be more pleased.

“I was hoping to play with Dany from the moment I heard we traded for him,” Alfredsson says. “I know he’s a special player and I knew it would be a lot of fun, especially on offense. He plays with a lot of creativity and he does things on the ice that make life easy for me.”

Spezza and Heatley played at the 2000 World Junior Championship for Canada, but were not linemates. “Actually we did play on the same line during tryouts,” Spezza recalls. “That’s probably why I made the team.”

Spezza says the key to the line’s success is communication.

“We have great chemistry on the ice and we get along real well off the ice, too,” he says. “We have the type of relationship where, if he does something I don’t like or I do something he doesn’t like, we just tell each other and we don’t take it personally. You don’t offend the other guy by pointing out something that goes a long way toward us having on-ice success. We can have rifts during the game and get upset at each other and it’s really no big deal. It never carries over to off the ice.”

Alfredsson didn’t know quite what to expect in being teamed up with Heatley.

“I thought he was a great shooter and really skilled 1-on-1, but the biggest thing I have found is he can create something out of nothing. His vision on the ice is good.”

Atlanta GM Don Waddell, for his part, is not surprised at Heatley’s recent success.

“He’s a great hockey player,” Waddell says. “Whether he could have enjoyed that kind of success in Atlanta, that was the question. We knew a change of scenery would be beneficial to him and obviously going to a good hockey club has helped.”

For the first quarter of the season at least, Heatley had people in the hockey world checking game summaries each morning to see if his point streak was still alive. And the smile he wears is one of genuine happiness.

“I’m happy for simple reasons,” he says. “We’re back playing and practicing and doing the things I like to do. I love being back in the routine and hanging with the guys. I missed that last season with the lockout and half-a-season before that (after the accident). Hockey should be fun and it is. I’m liking what’s going on now.”

You don’t need to tell us, Dany. It shows.

Three forwards on the same team, all in the top five in NHL scoring? Here’s a look at trios to pull this trick since 1967.

BOSTON BRUINS

1970-71 Points

1. P. Esposito 152

2. B. Orr, Bos 139

3. J. Bucyk 116

4. K. Hodge 105

5. B. Hull, Chi 96

NEW YORK RANGERS

1971-72 Points

1. P. Esposito, Bos 133

2. B. Orr, Bos 117

3. J. Ratelle 109

4. V. Hadfield 106

5. R. Gilbert 97

BOSTON BRUINS

1973-74 Points

1. P. Esposito 145

2. B. Orr 122

3. K. Hodge 105

4. W. Cashman 89

5. B. Clarke, Phi 87

EDMONTON OILERS

1986-87 Points

1. W. Gretzky 183

2. J. Kurri 108

3. M. Lemieux, Pit 107

4. M. Messier 107

5. D. Gilmour, StL 105

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

1995-96 Points

1. M. Lemieux 161

2. J. Jagr 149

3. J. Sakic, Col 120

4. R. Francis 119

5. P. Forsberg, Col 116

OTTAWA SENATORS

2005-06 Points

1. J. Spezza 41

2. D. Alfredsson 40

3. J. Jagr, NYR 39

4. P. Forsberg, Phi 39

5. D. Heatley 38 ■

By Mike Brophy
The Hockey News
Dec 13, 2005/Vol. 59, Issue 13
Get full access to The Hockey News Archive here.

More Sens Headlines from The Hockey News/Ottawa:

Key Takeaways From Senators Development Camp
Five Former Senator First-Rounders All Found New NHL Homes
Is Yakemchuk In The Sens' NHL Plans For This Fall?
Steve Staios' Top Five Trades (So Far) As Senators GM
Dissecting The Senators' Intriguing Right-Shot Defensive Depth Chart
Claude Giroux Reveals Why He Signed Back In Ottawa
Sens Nation Podcast: Sens Sign Eller and Kaliyev; Have They Sens Added Enough?

Canadian defenseman Noel Hoefenmayer, 26, has signed a one-year contract with KHL club HK Sochi, according to Russian sports website Championat.com.

Originally from the Toronto suburb of North York, Hoefenmayer played junior hockey for the Ottawa 67’s and was chosen in the fourth round, 107th overall, by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. In 2019-20, he led OHL defensemen with 82 points and was named the top d-man of both the OHL and CHL.

Never signed by Arizona, Hoefenmayer played in the minor-league systems of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens between 2020 and 2025, appearing in some NHL pre-season games but never in the regular season. In 189 career AHL regular-season and playoff games, he recorded 88 points and 243 penalty minutes.

This is Hoefenmayer’s first contract to play in Europe. He joins a Sochi team that is coached by former NHLer Vyacheslav Kozlov, but has not made the playoffs since the 2018-19 season.

Photo © Perry Nelson-Imagn Images: Noel Hoefenmayer (81) of the Edmonton Oilers carries the puck around Calgary Flames defensemen Joni Jurmo (57) during an NHL pre-season game in September 2024.

Sabres 2012 First-Rounder Mikhail Grigorenko Changes KHL Teams - Community Postundefined

Welcome back to another episode of rapid-fire NHL and hockey topics on The Wraparound.

Will The Canadiens End Up Paying Hutson More Than Dobson? by The Wraparoundundefined

Here's what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello and Willie Ramirez discussed in today's episode:

0:00: Breaking down Jack Eichel’s 1-on-1 interview with Willie Ramirez

6:10: What to make of the San Jose Sharks acquiring Ryan Reaves from the Toronto Maple Leafs

10:40: Was it a smart move for the Pittsburgh Penguins to trade for Matt Dumba?

15:10: Will the Dallas Stars continue to shop Jason Robertson throughout the summer?

20:57: How much will player development improve with one 19-year-old reportedly being eligible to play on AHL rosters when the next CBA starts?

25:45: Are the Colorado Avalanche still top Stanley Cup contenders?

29:10: Should the Edmonton Oilers look to upgrade their top six after Zach Hyman’s recent injury update?

32:30: Will the Montreal Canadiens end up paying Lane Hutson more than Noah Dobson?

See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.

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Promo image credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Matt Murray will forever remember playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The 31-year-old goaltender, acquired by the Maple Leafs from the Ottawa Senators on July 11, 2022, signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Seattle Kraken on the opening day of free agency this summer. Over two seasons with Toronto, Murray appeared in 28 games, winning 15 and putting up a .901 save percentage.

Murray spent most of last season with the AHL's Toronto Marlies as Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll held the reins with the Maple Leafs. The veteran goaltender played 21 AHL games, registering 10 wins and a .934 save percentage, the highest among goaltenders in the league who played 20 or more games.

It was his first full season of hockey after having bilateral hip surgery in September 2023, which kept him out the entire 2023-24 season.

The Thunder Bay, Ontario native joined The JD Bunkis Podcast on Friday and looked back on his time with the Maple Leafs (the team he grew up cheering for), plus what the organization has in Joseph Woll.

"I loved all my time I spent with him. We sat beside each other pretty much everywhere. We had a lot of great discussions about all kinds of things. Almost never about hockey, to be honest," Murray told Bunkis of Woll.

"It was always about other stuff, and I think that's one of the things that makes Joe so mentally resilient, is that he has a very wide perspective on life. He has a very big perspective on life. He's into a lot of other things, other than hockey, which I think is a huge benefit as a goalie... I really enjoyed spending time with him and getting to know him. I'll miss sitting next to him, but in Toronto, they got a real keeper there in my opinion."

Why The Maple Leafs Traded Ryan Reaves To The Sharks For Defenseman Henry ThrunThe Ryan Reaves-era of the Toronto Maple Leafs has come to an end.

With a lot of chatter recently about the pressure of playing in Toronto, Murray said that didn't go into his decision to remain in Toronto over the years. He said his time with the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he won two Stanley Cups, prepared him for the Toronto market.

"I think a big thing for me was, I went through a lot of that same type of stuff in Pittsburgh. Like, Pittsburgh is a very pressure-packed market as well, especially when we had our really good team there. If we lost two or three games in a row, you'd start to feel the energy shift there.

"That probably helped me in the sense that I'd been in an extremely pressure-packed environment already," he said.

Ranking Every NHL Arena's Media Meal Part 1: The Bottom 8 Revealed (Nos. 25–32)As I write this, I feel blessed that I get to travel as often as I do. And while on the road covering the Toronto Maple Leafs, I like to see what every city has to offer in terms of restaurants, amenities, etc.

Toronto will always have a special place in Murray's heart. He and his father, James, who passed away in January 2018, often watched the Maple Leafs on TV when he was young.

"It was my dad's favorite team, and it was the first NHL hockey game I ever went to with my dad," Murray said, before revealing what it was like to wear the blue and white jersey.

"I thought it was the honor of a lifetime to wear that jersey. Like I said, it had a special place in my heart just from family history, so it wasn't much of a consideration for me. I enjoyed every second in Toronto...

"I loved every second. I'm super grateful and like I said, it was the honor of a lifetime to get to wear that jersey and to have my game-worn jerseys that I'll be able to show my kids one day. They got to see me play. They were young, but they got to see me play for the Leafs, and that's incredibly special for me."

'Couldn't Ask For Anything Better': How Former Maple Leafs Defenseman Jake Muzzin Is Helping Develop The Next Crop Of Toronto DefendersAs Toronto Maple Leafs 2024 first-round pick Ben Danford finishes a battle drill at the organization's development camp, he receives a stick-tap from Jake Muzzin.

(Top photo of Murray: Dan Hamilton / Imagn Images)

The Montreal Canadiens have made some significant moves this off-season. They most notably acquired star defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders to bolster their blueline. They also acquired a promising young forward on the rise in Zack Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues, who has the potential to be a key part of their offense. 

However, the Canadiens also made a smaller move that has the potential to benefit them. On July 1, the Canadiens signed forward Sammy Blais to a one-year, one-way contract for the 2025-26 campaign. Next season, the 6-foot-2 forward will carry a $775,000 cap hit, so there is no risk in this depth move for Montreal. 

Blais certainly has earned this NHL deal with Montreal, as he had an excellent 2024-25 season while on an AHL contract with the Abbotsford Canucks. In 51 regular-season games, he posted 14 goals, 40 points, and a plus-8 rating. He also stepped up big time for Abbotsford during their Calder Cup championship run, recording six goals, 13 assists, and 19 points in 23 games. 

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After an AHL season like this, Blais should certainly receive real consideration for a spot on the Canadiens' NHL roster. He has shown throughout his NHL career that he can be an impactful bottom-six forward, as he plays a heavy game and is solid defensively. Thus, the possibility of him being on the Canadiens' fourth line or as an extra forward should not be ruled out. 

Another appealing factor about Blais is that he has a good amount of playoff experience. Besides winning the Calder Cup with Abbotsford last season, he was also a solid depth player for the St. Louis Blues when they won the Stanley Cup in 2019. NHL teams can never have enough Stanley Cup winners, and Blais gives the Canadiens just that.

At worst, Blais should be a key forward for the Laval Rocket if he does not make the Canadiens' roster out of training camp. Yet, he certainly could earn a spot on the Canadiens' roster if he stands out during training camp and proves that he deserves another chance in the NHL. 

In 257 career NHL games over seven seasons, Blais has recorded 27 goals, 44 assists, 71 points, and 835 hits. It will be interesting to see how much he builds on these career stats as a member of the Canadiens from here. 

Canadiens Facing Big Decision With Mike Matheson Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson is entering the final season of his contract in 2025-26. With this, he has the potential to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) on July 1 of next year. 

Photo Credit: © Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Insider Frank Seravalli reported last night that there's a new rule coming in the CBA that teams will be extremely excited to take advantage of.

Per Seravalli, "Sources say a new provision in the CBA will allow each NHL team to place one 19-year-old CHL player in the AHL per season. One per organization per season, and 18-year-olds are ineligible. Begins in the 2026-27 season."

This rule is sure to make teams like Columbus and other prospect heavy teams very happy. It will also bring an extra level of excitement to the Cleveland Monsters and other AHL clubs who never get to see these kids play before going to the big league. 

Every year there are kids drafted out of the CHL that have to return to their junior team because they're not old enough per the NHL/CHL agreement to play in the AHL. Current rules say they must to 20 year's old to be eligible for the AHL. 

Now, with this rule, teams like Columbus can choose to put players like Cayden Lindstrom, Liam Foudy, or many other 19-year-olds who had to return to junior hockey, into the AHL instead. Keeping them somewhat close and also playing against better competition to get them ready for the NHL. 

The hockey landscape is changing with CHL kids leaving for the NCAA, and now this rule. 

This is a great for the players, great for the AHL, and great for the NHL.

Let us know what you think below.

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Pyotr Andreyanov Signs Extension With CSKA MoskvaPyotr Andreyanov, the 18-year-old goaltender selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round of this month's NHL draft, has officially signed a 5-year extension with  CSKA Moskva. Former Monster Signs In EnglandFormer Cleveland Monster Cliff Pu has signed with the Sheffield Steelers of the EIHL, the club announced yesterday.  Former Blue Jackets Forward Still Looking For New ContractFormer Columbus Blue Jackets forward Jack Roslovic is still looking for a new place to call home.  From The Archive: Better Every DayThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

On the surface, the decentralized NHL draft seems to defy logic.

One year after holding the glitziest and most spectacular NHL draft ever at The Sphere in Vegas, it turned in a tedious, clunky, awkward and loooooong affair with its decentralized draft in 2025.

And after watching what transpired in Los Angeles, the NHL will likely do it again?

Well, not the league, exactly. As was the case this year, the GMs wanted this because it was a less expensive and more efficient way to do business.

That's the crux of the matter here. The NHL draft is not for us. It's not to entertain the fans or keep members of the media happy.

It's the most important day of the year for a hockey operations department. They are procuring young talent that will dictate the future direction of their franchises. That's the purpose of the draft. Everything else is just window dressing.

If the NHL can clean up the process, then there's no reason why a decentralized draft can't work.

Watch today's video column, and share your thoughts.

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.

Russian forward Mikhail Grigorenko has signed a two-year contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk, the KHL club announced on Friday.

“He’s vastly experienced playing in the NHL, international tournaments with the Russian national team, as well as the Gagarin Cup, of which he is a three-time winner,” Traktor GM Alexei Volkov said about Grigorenko. “He is equally capable of playing in several positions, is creative and has a great shot. Add excellent human qualities here and we get a really great top-line player, capable of making the team even more competitive.”

Born in Khabarovsk, in the far east of Russia near the Pacific coast, Grigorenko moved to Moscow as a child and played for the famous CSKA club. At age 17, he went overseas to play junior hockey for the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts, and then a year later was drafted 12th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Grigorenko played parts of three seasons with Buffalo before he was part of a blockbuster trade at the 2015 Draft, going to the Colorado Avalanche in a deal that also included Nikita Zadorov, J.T. Compher, Ryan O’Reilly, Jamie McGinn and a first-round pick. Grigorenko’s two seasons in Colorado were his most productive in the NHL, recording 27 and 23 points, respectively.

After two seasons back in the KHL, Grigorenko had one more 32-game NHL stint with the Columbus Blue Jackets in the pandemic-shortened 2021 season, recording 12 points. In all, he had 76 points and 36 penalty minutes in 249 career NHL games.

Igor Larionov Jr. To Play For Father In KHL American-Russian center Igor Larionov Jr., 26, has signed a one-year contract with SKA St. Petersburg, the KHL club announced on social media on Wednesday.

In 481 career KHL regular-season and playoff games, Grigorenko has 371 points – mostly with CSKA, but he played last season for SKA St. Petersburg, where he had 48 points in 71 games.

Internationally, Grigorenko has represented Russia at one IIHF U-18 World Championship, three World Junior Championships and three senior-level World Championships. He’s also played in the Olympics twice, winning gold with the Olympic Athletes from Russia in 2018 and a silver with ROC in 2022.

Traktor Chelyabinsk finished first in the KHL’s Eastern Conference last year and advanced to the Gagarin Cup finals, where it was swept by Lokomotiv Yaroslav. In addition to Grigorenko, the team has under contract for 2025-26 goaltender Chris Driedger, former NHLers Vladimir Zahkarov and Jordan Gross, as well as prospects Arseni Koromyslov (St. Louis Blues), Semyon Der-Arguchintsev (Toronto Maple Leafs), Matvei Guskov (Minnesota Wild) and Alexander Rykov (Carolina Hurricanes).

© Tim Fuller-Imagn Images.

Former NHL Goalie Chris Driedger Signs In KHL Canadian goaltender Chris Driedger, 31, has signed a one-year contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk, the KHL club announced on Tuesday.

Former Chicago Blackhawks goalie Collin Delia is taking his talents overseas.

Brynas IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) has announced that they have signed Delia to a one-year contract for the 2025-26 season.

Delia, 31, spent this past season with the Edmonton Oilers' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. In 28 games with the AHL squad on the year, he posted a 12-11-3 record, a .906 save percentage, a 2.76 goals-against average, and two shutouts. 

Delia began his professional hockey career with the Blackhawks after he signed a two-year entry-level contract with them in 2017. This was after he played three seasons at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts, where he had a 21-24-10 record, a 2.48 goals-against average, a .912 save percentage, in four shutouts in 56 games. 

In 32 games over four seasons as a member of the Blackhawks, Delia posted a 9-12-5 record, a .904 save percentage, and a 3.68 goals-against average. His time with the organization ended when he signed a one-year contract with the Canucks during the 2022 NHL off-season.

In 52 career NHL games over five seasons, Delia had a 19-18-7 record, a .897 save percentage, and a 3.51 goals-against average. It will be interesting to see how much of an impact he can make with Brynas IF from here. 

Sergachev Has Concerning Story About New Blackhawks Head CoachThe Chicago Blackhawks hired a new head coach this offseason in Jeff Blashill. He has been a head coach in the NHL for seven years, all with the Detroit Red Wings.

Photo Credit: © Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

The Toronto Maple Leafs have had a quiet off-season in terms of acquisitions thus far. 

Their biggest additions were acquiring Nicolas Roy from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Mitch Marner and bringing in playmaking winger Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth. 

On Thursday, they sent little-used enforcer Ryan Reaves to the San Jose Sharks for depth defenseman Henry Thrun.

Sportsnet's Sonny Sachdeva included the Maple Leafs among his five teams that he believes could make moves during a quiet free-agency period. While Roy and Maccelli are good players, Sachdeva believes the Leafs must do more to replace Marner's offense. 

The Leafs' need for another scoring forward prompted Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun to suggest a reunion with Nazem Kadri. That's unlikely to happen given Kadri's importance to the Calgary Flames as they attempt to contend for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. 

Sachdeva suggested Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust as possible trade options. Rakell is coming off a career-best 35-goal season and has three years left on his contract with an average annual value of $5 million. Rust also has three years remaining on his deal ($5.125 million AAV) and reached career highs of 31 goals and 65 points this past season.

PuckPedia indicates the Leafs have $5.33 million in cap space for this season with 23 active roster players under contract. Sachdeva cited colleague Elliotte Friedman reporting that forwards Calle Jarnkrok ($2.1 million AAV) and David Kampf ($2.4 million) are candidates to be traded out of Toronto, which would free up $4.5 million in cap space.

Rust lacks no-trade protection, and Rakell has an eight-team no-trade list. Josh Yohe of The Athletic reported on July 7 there is considerable interest around the league in both players, but Penguins GM Kyle Dubas isn't under pressure to move either guy. Dubas could be uninterested in Jarnkrok or Kampf unless a high pick is included in the deal.  

Meanwhile, RG.Org's James Murphy reported the Maple Leafs are among multiple teams interested in Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson. He cited an NHL source claiming the Leafs seek another puck-moving defenseman, noting they were also linked to Dougie Hamilton of the New Jersey Devils. 

Murphy claimed there's a widespread belief that the Penguins would have to retain a portion of their share ($10 million) of Karlsson's $11.5 million AAV to facilitate a trade. He also said the Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks, Mammoth and Dallas Stars were interested in the three-time Norris Trophy winner. 

Karlsson has a full no-movement clause but could waive it to join a contender. That rules out all but the Stars, which have less than $2 million in cap space. 

The Penguins' asking price for Karlsson could include a first-round pick, a top prospect or a good young NHL player, assets that the Leafs have little to part with.

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.

The Anaheim Ducks held their annual development camp from June 30 to July 2. This year’s camp was shorter than the last couple of years, typically a five-day camp concluding with a 3v3 scrimmage.

The camp is used more as an instrument that allows newly drafted prospects to familiarize themselves with the organization, meet staff and potential future teammates, and take a nugget or two back home to train for the summer before rookie camp begins in Sept.

Though most of the drills are done at half or three-quarter speed and don’t necessarily simulate game situations, players were available to the media, and there were on-ice takeaways to be had from each player.

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The Anaheim Ducks selected a Swedish center with their first second-round pick in each of the last two drafts. A year ago in Las Vegas, they drafted Lucas Pettersson (35th overall in 2024) from MoDo Hockey, and this year in Los Angeles, they drafted Eric Nilson (45th in ’25) from Djurgårdens IF.

On paper and in their current stages of development, these two players present very similar profiles: detail-oriented, cerebral, two-way centers. Both have been compared at the time of their drafts to former Ducks second-round pick William Karlsson (53rd in ’11).

Although similar in many respects, they have distinct tendencies and attributes that can and will distinguish them from each other, and their roads to the NHL will look very different.

Pettersson bounced around three different levels of Swedish hockey last season: J20 Nationell (Sweden’s junior division), HockeyAllsvenskan (second tier), and the SHL (top professional division).

He had surpassed the skill level of J20, wasn’t deployed in steady top-nine minutes in the SHL, but fit in nicely in HockeyAllsvenskan when on loan with Ostersunds IK.

“A little bit up and down, all over the place. Especially the first half of the season,” Pettersson said of his season. “The second half was good. I got to settle down in Allsvenskan, played a lot of minutes, and found my game. So that was great for me.”

To date, Pettersson is and has been the more offensively gifted and inclined between him and Nilson. He displays an elevated understanding of how to break down not only the defender in front of him, but the opposing defensive structure as a whole.

He’s at his best in transition, supporting pucks through the defensive zone on breakouts, building speed through the neutral zone, and making proper reads in the middle of the ice when it comes time to building plays and deciphering whether to maintain possession with above-average puck skills, cleverly dish to a teammate with a better path for entry, or simply chip pucks below the goal line to establish a forecheck.

He has an understanding and capability to shield pucks from defenders and exhibits vision and quality hands in small areas of the ice at a level beyond his experience.

Pettersson will remain in Sweden to play in the SHL for the 2025-26 season, joining former long-tenured Anaheim Ducks forward and reigning SHL MVP Jakob Silfverberg.

“I think he found a good fit for him. I think he's going to be really well surrounded in Brynäs,” Ducks director of amateur scouting and assistant general manager Martin Madden told The Hockey News. “Yes, it's going to be in the SHL again, so he will need to earn his ice time, but I think he's better prepared for it now. He's had to deal with that tough first year.

“You’re 17 years old, you're not the physically strongest kid yet. Now he's got a full summer without all the pre-draft stuff that you need to deal with when you're going through the draft. So now he's got a full, long summer to hit the gym to work himself into the type of shape, physically strong to be able to deal with men in the SHL next year. I think he's in a good spot. He's going to be well surrounded by Silfverberg for sure.”

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Nilson played the majority of his 2024-25 season in the J20 Nationell division with Djurgårdens IF and had a brief, four-game appearance with the club at the HockeyAllsvenskan level.

He was a two-way force, playing in all situations for Djurgardens’ U20 team, finishing fifth on the team in regular season scoring with 38 points (12-26=38) in 37 games, and third in postseason scoring with 13 points (6-7=13) in nine games, en route to a league championship.

Between him and Pettersson, Nilson is the more defensively inclined and impactful player. His diagnosis of plays off-puck and relentless motor combine to render him a pest to play against and one who can turn an opponent’s mistake with the puck into a quick strike opportunity the other way.

What stands out most about Nilson when watching him shift-by-shift or in a camp setting like Anaheim’s development camp is how effortless his motions are without being lackadaisical. His edges are elite, and he’s in full control at all times, ready to explode out of turns. Similarly, in shooting drills, he elegantly yet instantaneously and deceptively leans on his stick and gets off a lightning-quick and powerful release.

Nilson will make the jump to North America in 2025-26 to play for Michigan State University, citing a desire to gain necessary strength and an understanding of the North American game.

“It’s different than how we play in Sweden,” Nilson said of deciding to play in the NCAA next season. “(I’m looking to improve my) physicality, to get bigger and stronger.”

Madden reflected similar sentiments for Nilson, who came into the draft listed at 6-foot and 166 pounds.

“He reminds us a lot of William Karlsson at the same age,” Madden said. “Really smart, really competitive, great skill, great edge work, he’s also 165 pounds. So he’s got some work to do in the gym, and he understands that, and that’s why he’s taking the path to go to Michigan State.

“He wanted to get the best program off the ice. That was his focus, and we kind of agree. He’s going to a great spot for him. He’s a good two-way player. He’s the first off the bench on the PK, he’s on the first power play unit for the national team. He’s a hockey player.”

With Pettersson and Nilson now in the Ducks organization, one can’t help but be reminded of when they had another pair of Swedish centers in the pipeline over a decade ago: Rickard Rakell and the aforementioned William Karlsson.

Both Rakell and Karlsson were (and are) detail-oriented players who impact both ends of the ice. Rakell proved to be the one more offensively inclined, while Karlsson has become one of the NHL’s premier shutdown centers.

It will be fascinating to see how their individual developments progress from where they’re at currently, but with their high hockey IQs and commitment to the 200-foot game, it would be surprising to see either of them not make it as full-time NHL players and could even provide tremendous two-way depth for what’s shaping up to be a potent future Anaheim Ducks roster.

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Photo Credit: Derek Lee-The Hockey News

A rumored AHL rule change could have a profound impact on the way the Philadelphia Flyers choose to develop their prospects in the future, and especially with Jack Nesbitt.

According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, a change to the upcoming CBA will allow each NHL team to assign one CHL player to the AHL per season, with the rule being that the player must be 19 years old.

"Sources say a new provision in the CBA will allow each NHL team to place one 19-year-old CHL player in the AHL per season," Seravalli reported on X Thursday. "One per organization per season and 18-year-olds are ineligible. Begins in 2026-27 season."

This is big news for the Flyers because it will allow them to have more hands-on development with one of their top prospects each year and begin seasoning them against a higher level of competition.

The rule change would have benefitted players like Jett Luchanko and Porter Martone, both 18, but as Seravalli noted, it won't take effect until next season.

Luchanko and Martone will each turn 19 before the start of November, but they still belong to junior hockey teams, making them ineligible for the AHL.

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Because Luchanko already signed his entry-level contract, the NCAA isn't an option for him like it is for Martone.

Luchanko's situation is exactly the one the Flyers, the AHL, and the CHL are hoping to avoid and eliminate with this idea, given that he's already played four NHL games and probably between NHL and CHL competition at this stage in his development.

The same happened with Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright a few seasons ago, too.

But, looking towards the future, the Flyers could allow Nesbitt to play this season with the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL, take on a more prominent role, challenge for the Memorial Cup, then turn pro after.

Training with professionals earlier will help Nesbitt fill out his lanky frame quicker, which could, in turn, help fix his wonky skating and generate more powerful strides.

The Flyers' No. 12 pick turns 19 years old on Jan. 12, making him comfortably eligible for this AHL rule change if the Flyers elect to go this route.

Other prospects who could get the same consideration include Jack Murtagh and Matthew Gard, but Nesbitt, as the more highly-regarded prospect, should be first in line in all circumstances.