Category: NHL

If the first round of the draft seemed never-ending for you in the comfort of your house, for Kent Hughes, the last three weeks have been a marathon. The Montreal Canadiens’ GM arrived at the press conference desk the previous night shortly before midnight and looked like he was ready to go; he confessed that he had been on the phone for all his waking hours for the last three weeks.

Hughes found out Noah Dobson could be available earlier this week and gave New York Islanders’ GM Mathieu Darche a call, and things went from there. For the Habs’ GM, a player in his prime at 25 years old and as accomplished as the blueliner rarely becomes available on the market, this is precisely the kind of opportunity for which Montreal had been accumulating assets, to be able to get that kind of player.

Canadiens: Noah Dobson Speaks To The Media
Canadiens: First-Round Recap
Canadiens Land Number One Target On Trade Board: Noah Dobson

Even though the Canadiens now have nine potential NHLers on their roster, Hughes said the Habs will have the luxury of leaving those who need more time in the AHL, and once they are ready, he will reevaluate the situation.

On his new acquisition’s defensive game, Hughes explained that the key part of the defenseman’s game was his ability to retrieve the puck and then quickly spring the offense. The price was right for acquiring him as well. Hughes didn’t have to sacrifice the team’s future to land him, and that’s the kind of deal Montreal is after right now. They’re not going to go out on the market and overspend because they feel they can win it all in a night; perhaps in a few years, they will, but right now, they're content with sticking to making sensible deals.

Hughes refused to speculate about who Dobson might be playing with, adding that it would be up to Martin St-Louis. Now that he has checked off the right-shot defenseman box, the GM says he will continue to try to improve his team up front.

Regarding the defenseman's willingness to accept a bit more money to be in a situation where he feels he can win, the former agent said that once players get a taste of winning, they chase it, wanting to experience victory again. He added that some players wish they had realized that chasing the wins was more important than chasing the big bucks sooner in their careers. That’s not Dobson’s case, who has just accepted to sign for less money at barely 25 years old and the start of his prime.

Hughes is confident that there will be plenty of ice time to go around, saying that Lane Hutson and Mike Matheson were probably among the highest in the league in ice time, and it won’t be a bad thing to give them a bit more rest.

As for why the trade wasn’t announced for so long on Friday, he explained that it had been leaked on social media before it was finalized. It took time for the new contract to be signed, as the Islanders had to be the signing team to secure the maximum term. In the end, the deal was only finalized around 5:30 PM. In the future, the Canadiens will strive to continue adding experience while allowing their young players to develop further. However, when a player as young and accomplished as Dobson becomes available, you must seize the opportunity and worry later about the complementary pieces needed to surround them.

On Dobson now becoming the highest earner on the team, Hughes says it doesn’t change anything on the team’s pecking order. This is not a contract signed with a player who is just coming off his ELC; there were different parameters. He’s confident that the size of the contract won’t put more pressure on his new star defenseman.

BIENVENUE À MONTRÉAL, NOAH DOBSON 🔥

WELCOME TO MONTREAL, NOAH DOBSON#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/ZuFCJGLs0C

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) June 28, 2025

Overall, that trade will be significant for the Canadiens, not only because you can never have too many puck-moving defensemen, but also because it will make Montreal a more attractive place to play for potential forwards. Being able to have more than one pairing that can launch the attack means that more than one line will get to play with offensive-minded defensemen.

Whichever way you look at it, the Canadiens won the day yesterday. To go from picking in the “muddy middle” of the first round after making the playoffs to acquiring a first-pairing defenseman is as good a result as anyone could have hoped. Generally speaking, you can only get that much of an impactful player in the draft when you are selecting relatively high and even then, you do not know what you’re going to get, life is not the only thing that’s like a box of chocolate as Forrest Gump would say, so is the NHL draft. In that sense, yesterday, Hughes put all of his chips on a horse that has already won many races, and he was right to be beaming with pride and excitement.

Photo credit:  Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

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The Buffalo Sabres got people thinking Thursday when they sent JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth.

In return for the up-and-coming left winger, Buffalo received right winger Josh Doan and defenseman Michael Kesselring. The deal didn’t come as much of a surprise, given that Peterka – an RFA heading into the off-season – had yet to sign a contract extension with Buffalo. But the return the Sabres got for Peterka had us asking one question – that can’t be it, right? 

While Doan and Kesselring may eventually evolve into important pieces of the puzzle for the Sabres, this lineup hasn’t changed nearly enough for a franchise that hasn’t made the Stanley Cup playoffs for the past 14 years. 

Although the 23-year-old Doan has some promise as a power forward, he won’t replace the offense Peterka brought to the table for the past two seasons, when he had a combined 55 goals and 118 points. Not yet, anyway.

So yes, we must ask whether the Sabres have more moves coming besides that trade and re-signing Jack Quinn to a two-year contract with a $3.375-million cap hit on Friday. 

All eyes in Buffalo are now trained on RFA defenseman Bowen Byram, who seems less likely to sign an extension with each passing day. 

Adding Kesselring helps deepen Buffalo’s defense on the right side, but only intermittently until Byram is dealt, or if he’s dealt. Drafting right-handed blueliner Radim Mrtka ninth overall at the NHL draft is great, but if he’s not playing in the NHL in October, there must be additional moves for the Sabres to ensure they’re building playoff-caliber depth.

Peterka’s immediate signing with the Mammoth tells you one of a few things: either he wasn’t willing to sign a long-term deal at $7.7 million per season with the Sabres, vice versa or both. None of those possibilities paint Sabres GM Kevyn Adams or team ownership in a positive light. 

There are too many instances of players wanting out of Buffalo in their playoff drought, and that means Adams must be cold-blooded and doggedly determined to put together a roster that can legitimately compete for a playoff spot.

With that in mind, Sabres fans should absolutely be expecting more moves to come for this franchise. Dealing Byram almost seems like an inevitability at this point, but even beyond that, there must be some fundamental changes for the organization. 

Simply put, the status quo cannot be an option for Buffalo. So many years of losing have created an odor around this franchise that can’t be easily perfumed. But that doesn’t give Adams a free pass to essentially run it back with more or less the same level of talent.

If these Sabres don’t make upgrades this summer, there should be even greater unrest among the Sabres’ fan base. The message to Adams is clear: get to moving some players of note off this roster, and bring in some better players in a hurry. And no excuse that leads to Adams not doing anything in that respect will keep Sabres fans from lashing out in anger and frustration.

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Day One of the 2025 NHL Draft is officially wrapped, and the Pittsburgh Penguins were certainly one of the more active teams in the first round.

But, maybe just not in the way you might think.

Heading into Friday's first round, GM and POHO Kyle Dubas and his Penguins were slated to select back-to-back at 11th and 12th overall after receiving the New York Rangers' 12th overall pick to satisfy the condition of the Marcus Pettersson and J.T. Miller trades. It gave them a ton of flexibility in terms of direction, and it also guaranteed them two quality players within the top-12.

But Dubas and vice president of player personnel Wes Clark saw a different opportunity. They went ahead and selected center Ben Kindel with their own 11th overall pick, but - with the Philadelphia Flyers wanting to trade up - they saw an opportunity they couldn't pass on.

So, they traded the 12th overall pick to the Flyers in exchange for the 22nd and 31st overall picks, which guaranteed them three first-rounders instead of two. Pittsburgh selected center Bill Zonnon with the 22nd pick, and they traded their 59th overall pick and the 31st pick to the Los Angeles Kings to move back up and draft Will Horcoff at 24th overall. 

And Dubas feels pretty good about the three players they got.

“We’re excited about the results for us," Dubas said. "For us to come out of the first round with the three players that we did – I think they’re all very different player types – we’re extremely excited and look forward to tomorrow.”

It may not have been the popular, consensus path for the Penguins, but Dubas certainly got creative and defied outside expectations a bit.

Here are three takeaways from the Penguins' first day of the NHL Draft.

NHL Draft Live Reaction: Join The Chat For The Round 1 RecapDay 1 of the 2025 NHL draft included some surprises, steals and moving moments. The Hockey News is here to react to it all.

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1. The overall focus on centers was a very serious thing.

If one thing was made abundantly clear in the first round of this year's draft, it's that center depth was certainly being prioritized. 

Of the top-15 picks in the draft, 13 were forwards. And of those forwards, 11 were centers. 

There was a lot of chatter ahead of the draft that some names could fall because of the high volume of centers projected to go in the first round. Even some centers, by most accounts, not being projected as selections until at least the 20s - such as Kindel, Jack Nesbitt, and Cole Reschny - were taken before 20.

The center position was a strength in this draft class, and teams certainly took advantage of it - and, in some cases, moved up to ensure they got their guy. It did push a few really good players back to the 11th overall slot for the Penguins, and it gave them options.

But they decided to take the same road as the others did.

Reaction: Penguins Select Center Ben Kindel 11th Overall In 2025 NHL DraftThe 2025 NHL Draft is finally upon us.

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2. Whether intended or not, the Penguins drafted for positional need.

On a related note: Dubas stressed in his post-first-round press conference with the media that the Penguins didn't exactly go in with the intention of drafting three centers.

But, at some point, it became clear that they were drafting for positional need.

The Penguins have goaltending prospect depth as well as defensive prospect depth. They also have several players who are capable of slotting in on the wing. But Dubas and Clark were aware that their center prospect pool was pretty dry, so they took advantage of the high volume of centers in this draft class.

"It was just a quality-of-player thing and where they came out on our board and how they graded out for us," Dubas said. "We were fortunate we got some 'D' last year that are already signed and ready to come in, plus [Emil] Pieniniemi from the class before, which we’ll develop. Especially with the varying style from all three of them, we were very excited about it.”

Reaction: Penguins Select Forward Bill Zonnon With 22nd Overall PickThe Pittsburgh Penguins have officially made their second of three first-round selections in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. 

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3. Three is better than one.

Perhaps the most interesting tidbit to come out of Dubas's presser was his response when asked about whether or not they considered trading up in the draft.

“If we would have moved up, we would have ended up with just having one player tonight as well," Dubas said. "Which, we would have been happy with. But we’re thrilled with the players that we have.”

There was a lot of buzz about the Penguins being interested in moving up, and there was even some trade talk surrounding veteran forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell. Dubas and the Penguins obviously thought the price was too hefty to move up, and they pounced on the opportunity to, instead, select three first-rounders by moving down with the New York Rangers' 12th overall pick.

#LetsGoPens select Benjamin Kindel 11th. I ranked him 8th.

Kindel is a bit undersized, but you usually need to make a compromise somewhere to get a player who scored 99 points in the WHL in his draft year outside the top 10. pic.twitter.com/rQd3DZlRWh

— Patrick Bacon (@TopDownHockey) June 28, 2025

Dubas understands the discourse surrounding the "quality v. quantity" approach. But, in this case, he believes they hit on both.

"I think you're trying to find that balance between having a lot and having quality... and we have to deliver," Dubas said.

He continued: "We believe that all three are going to be very high-quality players in the NHL. So, we're excited about that, excited to get to work with them. Obviously, when you're in our position, you're accruing picks and prospects – but you have to make good on them. You have to draft good players. You have to do a great job in developing them. We'll turn them over after today to [director of player development] Tom Kostopoulos, and we'll get to work."

Reaction: Penguins Take Will Horcoff As 24th Overall SelectionAfter a long night of anticipation, the Pittsburgh Penguins made what is presumed to be their final draft selection in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft.

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Feature Image Credit: Kelsey Surmacz - The Hockey News

It was the worst kept secret in the Montreal Canadiens’ history that they had traded picks 16 and 17th overall to the New York Islanders, but once the Vancouver Canucks had picked Braeden Cootes, the NHL still put the Habs as “On the clock”. Commissioner Gary Bettman took to the stage with NBA champion and Montreal-Nord native Luguentz Dort, who was initially supposed to make the pick, and finally announced the trade while Dort smashed the button to set off the trade alert.

Given the fact that Carter Bear, Jack Nesbitt, Radim Mrtka, and Roger McQueen were all off the board by that time, the two first-round picks and Emil Heineman to the New York Islanders for the Noah Dobson deal looked even better. Levis native Justin Carbonneau was still on the board, but as Jeff Gorton had said on Thursday, the Canadiens didn’t feel under pressure to select a player from Quebec. Carbonneau landed on his feet in St. Louis, two picks later becoming the second Quebecer drafted after Caleb Desnoyers, who was picked fourth overall by the Utah Mammoth.

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Speaking to the media after his brief appearance on stage, Dortz confirmed that the Canadiens had approached him during the NBA playoffs, but he waited until the Thunder won to prove that he would be doing it. Dortz also explained that he had played hockey briefly as a kid, but that it wasn’t for him. When asked if he could potentially be the Canadiens’ next second-line center, he laughed and dismissed the possibility.

About the Dobson trade, it was widely believed that the Islanders had pulled the trigger to package the Canadiens’ pick to move up in the draft and pick James Hagens, but if that was indeed their end game, they couldn’t pull it off. Hagens, a New York native and Boston College player in the NCAA, landed with the Boston Bruins.

As for Montreal native Bill Zonnon, he was drafted 22nd overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins, becoming the third player from the QMJHL selected. This first remotely held NHL draft isn’t likely to become a regular occurrence. The event dragged on much longer than when held in person, and the hype just wasn’t the same. Earlier in the day, the league had announced that teams had voted overwhelmingly in favor of this option, with 26 clubs supporting the idea and six opposing it. Judging by the reaction on social media, I expect the league to revert to the former formula swiftly.

As for the media members gathered at the Bell Centre, we were rewarded for our patience with a media opportunity with Canadiens’ GM Kent Hughes late in the evening.

Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

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For the second time in its franchise history, the Senators were involved in a draft day deal that involved a swap of first-round picks with the Nashville Predators.

In 2008, the Senators infamously moved up from the 18th overall selection to Nashville's 15th overall pick to draft Erik Karlsson. Hopefully, the good vibes will continue since that trade worked out well. Although, there is still time for Chet Pickard to pan out.

On Friday night, the Senators moved the 21st overall selection for the 23rd overall pick and the 67th overall selection. They used their first-round pick to select defenceman Logan Hensler out of the University of Wisconsin.

Hensler is a right-shot defenceman who is listed at 6'2" and 190 lbs, and he was a product of the USNTDP. In 32 games for the Badgers, the freshman contributed two goals and 12 points. Hensler's offensive production was relatively modest for a player some analysts projected at the beginning of the season to be one of the first defencemen taken in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Our own Tony Ferrari touched briefly upon this in his 'Final Draft Rankings':

"After a slow start to his freshman season at Wisconsin, Hensler began to showcase the quality that had some believing he could be the second-best defender in the draft coming into the year. Hensler is a mobile, right-shot blueliner who showed he can be a responsible, two-way defender as the season wore on. On most shifts, he plays mistake-free hockey, but every once in a while, Hensler shows the puck skill and playmaking ability to be a catalyst from the back end."

Hensler is described as a big and mobile defenceman, which is an incredibly difficult asset to acquire around the league right now.

"You don't have enough defencemen," Senators head scout Don Boyd explained after Hensler's selection. "You can never have enough defenceman. Right-(shot) defenseman are a premium.

"To select him, (there's) so much room to grow and so much potential. I think there's more offense in his game than if you look at the numbers this year, he's a real good skater. He moves pucks."

There is a good reason for optimism for more offence because Hensler demonstrated at the U17 and U18 levels with the USNTDP that he can produce. In 121 games across two seasons, he recorded nine goals and 60 points.

Does Jamie Benn's New Contract In Dallas Set A Template For Claude Giroux In Ottawa?In the wake of a Pierre LeBrun report in The Athletic describing the contract negotiations between the Ottawa Senators and impending unrestricted free agent Claude Giroux as a "grind," an intriguing domino fell that could have an impact on the talks here in the nation's capital.

There is also the added context of Hensler experiencing collegiate hockey as a true 18-year-old freshman while playing for a retooling Wisconsin program that finished second last in the Big Ten. Playing on a weaker team against older and more physically developed competition can be a challenge for any young player. Therefore, the hope is that with time and more development, Hensler can apply the consistent two-way performances that scouts grew accustomed to while he was on the USNTDP.

"The team itself in Wisconsin may have struggled a little bit," acknowledged Boyd. "He's part of the rebuilding program there. We've known him for a long time at a high level of competition."

There is confidence from Boyd and Hensler himself that he can unearth that potential in his sophomore year.

"We do (have confidence)," Boyd stated confidently with a grin. "He's going to get a lot of ice time. His coaches say he's going to get a lot of ice time. The character of the kid is tremendous."

"I'm a two-way, mobile defenseman," Hensler said while describing his skills to the media following the conclusion of the 2025 NHL Draft's first round. "I use my skating to my advantage to get up and down the ice. I also have an offensive side to me that this upcoming year will definitely be unlocked.

"I think this next year will be huge for me, just confidence-wise. I think we've got a lot of skill coming in this year for Wisconsin and I'm so excited and ready to develop (my offensive side of the game)."

One of the players who will arrive in Madison, Wisconsin, next season is Senators prospect Blake Montgomery. 

Hensler believes his offensive production will continue to grow but also wants to play on the penalty kill and develop into a complete two-way player.

On the defensive side of the game, Boyd stressed how Hensler's skating ability allows him to close quickly.

"Defensively, he can he can meet the rush and stop it," stated Boyd. "He can get a puck. He can go back and get pucks very quickly, turn and move it up the ice very quickly.

"The fact of the matter is that he's, he's a right-handed shot that's that's a real good skater and can move pucks, and we have to have people with that kind of skill to get the puck out of our zone."

Interestingly, when asked which player he would model his game after, Hensler quickly dropped the name of a player Senators fans will be familiar with.

"It is Jake Sanderson. I think we have very good skating. I think just a big piece I'm trying to take is just how simple and efficient is. He's overall an elite defenceman. That's a goal I'm chasing and I think I can reach it."

That would be music to Senators fans' ears. The strongest teams seem to build from the net out and with the addition of Hensler to a group of under-30 defencemen that already includes Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, Tyler Kleven, and Carter Yakemchuk, the Senators are in great shape.

By Graeme Nichols
The Hockey News/Ottawa
Banner image credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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The Vancouver Canucks added an intriguing prospect to their organization during the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, as they drafted center Braeden Cootes with the 15th overall pick. The Seattle Thunderbirds captain recorded 63 points in 60 games during the WHL season, before guiding Canada to a Gold Medal at the U18s. A two-way center who has what seems like a never-ending motor, Cootes became the first WHLer in over a decade to be drafted by the Canucks in the first round. 

After the selection, General Manager Patrik Allvin met with the media to discuss Vancouver's newest prospect. Cootes had long been rumoured as a player who the Canucks had interest in, as he was even taken out for dinner by team representatives during the 2025 NHL Scouting Combine. Ultimately, Allvin and his management group decided that Cootes was an ideal pick for Vancouver, as they selected him with the 15th overall pick in this year's draft. 

"Braeden Cootes, captain in Seattle, our guys were very excited about him leading up to the meeting today," said Allvin. "And we had a couple of guys that we were hoping were going to be available at 15. You never know when you're picking there, but when we're getting closer to the pick there, and Braeden was a guy the scouting staff was definitely very excited, and so am I to get a right-shot center, captain of Team Canada's Gold Medal team in Dallas earlier. And believe there is upside for him to be a mid-six center." 

Cootes' leadership was one of his attributes that really stuck out this season. He was the youngest captain in the WHL and wore the "C" for his country at this year's U18s. According to Allvin, his ability to be a leader was one of the many reasons why the Canucks were keen to add him to the organization. 

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"Well, I think his demeanor of being fairly mature 18-year-old here. How he led Seattle through a tougher year and were able to get them in the playoffs and how he was able to get a Gold Medal for Canada down at the U18. I think he's a leader by example, on and off the ice, and our staff was really impressive with him during the process of their due diligence, meeting him in Seattle and in Buffalo as well."

Vancouver Canucks 2025 NHL Draft Target: Braeden CootesThe Vancouver Canucks enter the 2025 NHL Entry Draft with a pick in each round. Leading up to the draft day, we at The Hockey News will be profiling a different prospect who the Canucks could take with each of their picks. Today's prospect is Seattle Thunderbirds center Braeden Cootes, who Vancouver could select 15th overall.

As for on-ice play, Cootes is the exact type of player Vancouver needed to add to their prospect pool. He is a right-shot center who can transition the pucks well and plays in every situation. As Allvin explained, players like Cootes are not easy to acquire, which is why the organization is pleased with their selection. 

"Well, I think that along with his position, where he plays, and being a right-shot center, which is extremely hard to get in the league, and for a young player like him, what he brought to the team in Seattle and around Hockey Canada too, is impressive, young man. So, definitely for us, we felt that we have a lot of good younger defensemen in our system, so adding forwards and centers was important for us."

In the end, the Canucks made the right decision by adding Cootes to their organization. He is one of the hardest working prospects available in this draft and, as Allvin pointed out, has the potential to develop into a middle-six center. Overall, this is a prospect fans in Vancouver should be excited about, and can keep tabs on as he is expected to return to the WHL next season. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

The brand-new Montreal Canadiens’ player, Noah Dobson, spoke to the media on Friday night for the first time since the trade was made and explained that it was a no-brainer for him to sign a long-term contract with the Habs, even though he hadn’t played for them yet. He called it an honour to have the opportunity to play for the best hockey market in the world and added he was excited to be joining a team with so many talented players on the roster.

The blueliner was impressed by what’s been accomplished in Montreal yet and the steps they’ve taken this year, which made it impossible for him not to be excited. He comes with a great attitude and a willingness to learn and improve his game, words that will likely be music to the ears of coach Martin St-Louis. The player praised the coach’s reputation and the team’s positive attitude, as well as the joy they experience coming to the rink and spending time together as a group.

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In the last season, he said it was a tough one personally and for the New York Islanders, given their difficulties in producing offensively. Speaking of the Canadiens’ blueline, he said there were many good players back there, and it would be a question of seeing who the coaches felt would be the best fit. He hasn’t given thought to his likely partner yet.

About the pressure that comes in this market, he said it wouldn’t be any harder than the pressure he puts on himself every day to perform. He also added that Montreal has always been his favourite away game and that he’s looking forward to stepping on the ice wearing the Tricolore’s jersey.

Dobson explained that once his agents started talking with the Islanders’ organization, both parties were unable to find common ground, and they decided to look for a trade instead. he had nothing but good things to say about the Islanders’ organization. He added that he had a great time on Long Island and would miss it, as well as his teammates.

Finally, he called the last few days crazy, since he knew something was in the works. Things started picking up this morning, which was a brand-new situation for him, and he’s also getting married on Monday. He was informed about the trade by Isles’ GM Mathieu Darche, but was also contacted by Kent Hughes, Jeff Gorton, and St-Louis.

This trade is huge for the Canadiens, not only because of the kind of player they acquired on the ice, but also because Dobson wanted to come to Montreal. He chose to commit long-term to this town and market, despite the challenges and taxes. What that says to me is that the league is starting to notice what the Canadiens are building, and that players are willing to be on this organization.

Photo credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

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After drafting top winger Porter Martone over center James Hagens at the top of the 2025 NHL Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers will have to wait a little longer to find the No. 1 center of their future.

In fact, the Flyers themselves even insisted they needed centers after electing to choose Martone over Hagens.

So, what compelled them to do that? The answer, according to Flyers GM Danny Briere, was as simple as Martone being the better, more impactful player.

"We said it all along, yeah, we would've preferred a center, but we felt we couldn't pass up on the chance to bring a difference-maker like Porter Martone to the team," Briere explained at the end of the first round of the NHL Draft.

The 18-year-old Martone, already a captain of Canada's U18s and his Brampton Steelheads, finished second only to Michael Misa in goals (37 to Misa's 62) and total scoring (98 points to Misa's 134) amongst draft-eligible forwards in the OHL this year. 

Flyers Draft Porter Martone: Pick Grade, Instant ReactionThe Philadelphia Flyers hit a home run Friday night, picking winger Porter Martone sixth overall atop the 2025 NHL Draft.

Martone's future Flyers teammate and draft classmate, Jack Nesbitt, finished seventh in goals (25)  amongst OHL draft-eligibles and sixth in points (64). That's to give an indication as to how good Martone really is at his age with his natural talents and leadership.

"If there's one thing I would say, it's, in this draft, in the first round, [Martone is] pretty close to being the most ready out of that group," Briere continued. "To be able to select him at six, I don't want to say steal, but we had him higher on our board.

"We felt if Porter was there at six, even though he wasn't a center, that it would be really tough to go by him. . . Porter, in that range, was the one guy we felt we just couldn't let go by."

So, that's the story of how Porter Martone overtook James Hagens and ended up on the Flyers by the end of Friday night.

Briere knows how many right wings the Flyers have just as much as you and I, which should illustrate just how highly this team and these scouts valued this player.

It should be noted that Martone is an Oct. 26 birthday, too, which means he'll be 19 years old fairly early into the 2025-26 season.

Latest Philadelphia Flyers Depth Chart Following Trevor Zegras TradeAfter Monday's Trevor Zegras trade, the Philadelphia Flyers are going to be looking a lot different at the forward position in the 2025-26 season.

Martone aspires to make the team out of camp, while Briere, cautiously, wouldn't completely rule out the possibility of his newest top draft pick playing NHL games at some point.

After all, a barely 18-year-old Jett Luchanko played four NHL games at the start of last season.

So, by that logic, Martone is closer to the big leagues than we think both from a time perspective and from a skill perspective. Come this time next year, would there be any value in him playing nearly a full OHL season as a 20-year-old? Probably not.

This is a rare occasion where an early birthday and talent intersect to a team's advantage as the Flyers gear up to take the next step in their rebuild.

2025 NHL Draft grades roundup: How expert rate Bruins' James Hagens pick originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

If someone told you a year ago today that the Boston Bruins were going to select Boston College center James Hagens in the 2025 NHL Draft, it would have been easy to assume that the B’s had the No. 1 pick.

But the Bruins were lucky enough to land the Eagles star with the No. 7 overall pick in the first round of Friday’s draft in Los Angeles.

Hagens tallied 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) in 37 games for BC last season. Even though a point-per-game scoring rate as an 18-year-old in Hockey East is pretty impressive, Hagens didn’t dominate at the level of other recent high draft picks from college, including 2024 No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini. Hagens’ lack of size at 5-foot-11 also might have factored into his draft slide.

But there’s no doubting his offensive talents. Hagens is an elite playmaker, an excellent skater and an underrated goal scorer. He’s been a first-line player at every level he’s played, and he certainly has the potential to fill that role at the NHL level someday.

“You look back at James’ track record, he’s been a prolific point producer,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney told reporters Friday night.

What did the experts think of the Bruins taking Hagens at No. 7 overall? Here’s a roundup of grades.

The Athletic: A-

“The Bruins had a clear need for high-end talent in their farm system and a pressing need for top center talent. In Hagens, they address both. He’s an electric skater, puck handler and passer. He becomes the clear top young talent in their organization, and despite how he’s been picked apart at times for his size and physicality, he projects as a potential top-line forward.” — Corey Pronman

USA TODAY Sports: A

“It wasn’t that long ago when Hagens was considered the top prospect in this draft class. Despite his small size, Hagens has incredible skill and will likely end up as one of the better centers of this draft due to his creative and explosive play. This definitely feels like a steal for Boston, that’s for sure.” — Mary Clarke

Bleacher Report: A-

“This is a huge win for the Boston Bruins who, let’s face it, have not done a great job drafting in recent years. The Bruins are also in the middle of a rebuild (retool, whatever you want to call it), and having a brilliant facilitator like Hagens as a piece of that is a big step forward. You can trust him anywhere on the ice. Boston needs that.

“Although Porter Martone’s potential and high ceiling got him our third spot over Hagens, I feel more confident that Hagens will reach his ceiling. He was the consensus No. 1 last summer, but being No. 4 on our board is not a slight on him, just commentary on how much impressive work we’ve seen from the three players ahead of him this season. He’s going to be an excellent player with development and time.” — Hannah Stuart

For Ken Holland, the Kings’ decidedly old-school general manager, new isn’t necessarily better. Take the NHL draft, for example.

Holland presided over more than a quarter-century of drafts with the Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers, and they were generally held in one place, with everyone from the executives doing the drafting to the players being drafted on site.

On Friday, for the first time in a non-pandemic environment, the draft was conducted semi-remotely, with the top 93 draft-eligible players and their families filling some of the seats in the half-empty Peacock Theater in Los Angeles while team representatives made their selections from their home markets.

Read more:Kings hire Hall of Famer Ken Holland as their new general manager

And whatever the league was attempting to accomplish with the decentralized format, other than saving on travel, it didn’t work.

After each pick was announced on a giant video board that took up two-thirds of the theater’s massive stage, players made their way up the aisle to be greeted by Commissioner Gary Bettman. They then pulled on a team jersey and hat before being led into the "Draft House" — a small virtual reality room in the center of the stage — for what amounted to a congratulatory Zoom call with the club’s brass.

The young men were celebrating the biggest moment of their lives yet they came off like Dorothy speaking to the Wizard of Oz. Much of it was awkward, especially when James Hagens, the eighth selection, was left waving at Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney after the audio in the Bruins’ war room in Boston went mute. That was just one of multiple technical glitches that included echoes and timing delays that left players and executives talking over one another.

When it became obvious the painfully slow-paced event would plod past 4½ hours, the Draft House was closed to some teams.

Brady Martin, the fifth pick, didn’t even bother to come to L.A. So when Nashville announced his selection — via a celebrity video taped at a golf course — the NHL showed a video of Martin working on his family’s farm. Russian goaltender Pyotr Andreyanov wouldn’t even get that treatment. When he was announced as the 20th overall pick, the NHL had nothing to show, making Andreyanov the first no-show of the no-show draft.

Matthew Schaefer, a 17-year-old defenseman from Hamilton, Canada,, who was taken with the No. 1 pick by the New York Islanders, said being part of video draft did not spoil his big day.

“I'm just honored to be picked,” said Schaefer who cried, alongside his dad and brother, when his name was called. “I dreamt about it my whole life. It’s such an honor. Especially the first pick overall.”

For Holland, however, none of that counts as progress.

“I’m old and I’m old fashioned. So I like the old way,” said the Kings general manager, whose view was shared by other GMs around the league. “You draft some player in the sixth round and all of a sudden you hear ‘yay!’ way up in the corner. It’s him, it’s his family, and they’re all excited to hear [his] name announced by an NHL team.

“This weekend, to me, is about the young players.”

Aside from the technical difficulties, the actual draft went largely to form. The Ducks, as expected, took Roger McQueen, an 18-year-old forward from Saskatchewan, with their top pick, the 10th overall selection. The Kings, meanwhile, traded their first pick, No. 24 overall, to the Pittsburgh Penguins. After moving down seven spots they took right-handed-shooting defenseman Henry Brzustewicz, 18, a Minnesota native, with the penultimate pick of the first day.

Round two through seven of the draft will be conducted Saturday.

The Ducks, who had a top-10 pick for a seventh straight year, see the 6-foot-5 McQueen as a raw talent who can develop into a top-line center.

“He has a big body. But what goes along with that is his skill and skating ability,” said general manager Pat Verbeek, whose team has 10 picks this weekend.

For the Kings, this draft was the first public move in what could be an intense couple of weeks. Defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and winger Andrei Kuzmenko are unrestricted free agents and the team would like to re-sign both before they hit the open market Tuesday.

“If we re-sign Gavrikov, there’s not going to be a ton of change,” Holland said. “If we don’t, then there’s going to be change.”

Gavrikov, 29, emerged as a solid presence on the blue line, playing a career-high 82 games and posting the best goals-against average of the 17 defensemen to play at least 1,500 minutes. Former Kings GM Rob Blake made Gavrikov a contract offer last March, said Holland, who has since sweetened the deal twice. Replacing him, the GM said, could require a couple of signings.

Kuzmenko, 29, reenergized the offense after coming over from Philadelphia at the trade deadline, with the Kings going 17-5 and averaging nearly four goals a game down the stretch.

“We like Kuzmenko. Kuzmenko likes it here; he likes his role,” Holland said. “I’m talking to him. I talked two, three, four times this week with his agent. So we’ll see.”

Signing both players would put a big dent in the Kings’ $21.7 million in salary-cap space.

“We have a lot of cap space but it doesn’t take much and it’s gone,” Holland said. “We’ve got to figure out how we want to spend our money and they need to figure out how much money they can get.”

Aside from Gavrikov and Kuzmenko, the Kings don’t have many loose ends to tie up. The team is confident it can get forward Alex Laferriere, a restricted free agent, to agree to a short-term deal and it has to decide whether to re-sign David Rittich, an unrestricted free agent, as the backup to starting goalkeeper Darcy Kuemper.

Two players who could be moving on are forward Tanner Jeannot and defenseman Jordan Spence, both of whom are looking for more ice time and may have to leave to get it.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Blues were left out of the Friday trades in the NHL but added what they hope is their next version of a pure goal scorer.

The Blues selected right wing Justin Carbonneau with the No. 19 pick of the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday in Los Angeles, hoping they will one day in the not-too-distant future have a quality franchise-grown player become the next Blues great.

Carbonneau, 18, is 6-foot-2, 205 pounds who had 89 points (46 goals, 43 assists) in 62 games for Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. His 89 points were second in the league.

Carbonneau scored 77 goals the past two seasons and had 148 points in 130 games.

“I’m not a big crying guy, but all the emotions that went through my head when I heard my name, I thought about my parents, my brother, everybody that was here with me,” Carbonneau said. “My guys, my teammates in Blainville. I’m grateful to have them here every single day. They shoot me some texts about the draft and can’t wait to just call them and meet my family too. I cried a bit thinking about all that, but right now, it’s just pure happiness.

“It’s cool to be drafted and it’s a great opportunity, but to be honest, I didn’t really cry because of the rank or whatever. I think the team first of all, it’s incredible to be in St. Louis. Second of all, I talked about it, but to see my family like this, also proud because they have done so much for me over the last few years. They got early at the rink and sometimes you don’t listen to them when you’re younger after a game and all that. They helped me a lot along the way. Their thing is just my teammates in Blainville, it’s cliché to say things about my teammates, but I would not be here without them today. They help me every single day to be a better teammate, a better player, a better scorer, better leader every single day. There’s different guys being there that help me be the player and the person I am today for the last three years. When I got drafted, it made me think about that. Some good flashbacks. It was emotional, but it was pretty good.”

Carbonneau is a shooter and stick handler, and doesn’t shy away from doing the things that have netted him 77 goals at the junior level the past two seasons.

“I destroyed my whole house when I was younger shooting pucks,” Carbonneau said. “I was walking with some roller blades all day since I was like five years old. My floors, I had to change it too. It’s been something I’ve been working on since I was young, just shooting the puck, walking around with some roller blades, all those things. I think my skills came from a long time ago, but I still work on them every single day.”

And this is why the Blues had Carbonneau ranked high on their draft board.

“He's a goal scorer,” Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said. “He's someone that enjoys the fruits of his labors of scoring goals, someone I think in a league that is going toward goal-scoring, he brings us another element when you stack that on some of the guys that we have right now. He's a good complement with [Jimmy] Snuggerud, [Jordan] Kyrou and [Zack] Bolduc, ‘Buch’ and ‘Holly’ who can score goals. You add another player to that.

“Our goal is to be a three-line scoring team and this gives us an opportunity. Now saying that, I don't expect him to be filling the net with regularity for a few years, so guys will mature out and do other things. It just gives us another option in another area that's hard to do.”

This is the moment Justin Carbonneau became a St. Louis Blue. #NHLDraft#stlbluespic.twitter.com/CbBVdQHIvP

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) June 28, 2025

Carbonneau said he fits in the mold of an Adrian Kempe of the Los Angeles Kings and Travis Konecny of the Philadelphia Flyers, guys that like to play between the dots and play physical to get there. Carbonneau has some football background in his profile.

“I think his size, speed and shot,” Carbonneau said of Kempe. “I think I bring that, and Konecny, his mindset. I’m not scared of anyone. I score goals in the paint and dirty areas. He’s 5-8 or 5-10, and he shoots the puck and he goes to the net and doesn’t care about getting hit or slashed or whatever. It’s always his mentality, something I want to bring too.

“I wouldn’t call it maybe a career, but I just play football. I used to play running back. I stopped a few years ago, but I just like the contact, like on the ice a little bit. I like to get hit, I like to throw some hits. It’s a part of my game. I play inside (the) dots, I don’t play outside. Yes, I score goals and I make plays offensively, but I do it the right way. I do it strong on my stick and I can relate to my running back when I played. I had some fun playing football.”

Playing strong-minded and a between-the-dots player has always been in Carbonneau’s DNA.

“I think that I always had it in me. I play with a lot of fire,” he said. “I’m not really scared of anyone. I know that the 6-8 guys are stronger probably than me and bigger, but I’m going to still try, I think I always had that in me. Goals are scored in those areas. Outside dots, yes, you can score some goals, but you’re not going to score 50 goals from outside the dots, you’re going to score inside the dots. You have to find ways to get there and I use my body and my speed to get there. It’s important if you want to score goals like a goal-scorer like me.”

Armstrong said that the Blues considered moving up as well as moving back in the draft, especially if Carbonneau was off the board as the last player the Blues had in their block of players they had considered where they picked.

“The top 10 went, not in the exact order we had them, but the spray started after 10,” Armstrong said. “I think the mock drafts had him somewhere (Nos.) 14-18, so we thought that he would be a little bit of a stretch but he might get to us.

“I think it was a difficult year to move up because we didn't have a second, third or fourth. We don't have a second next year because we had to trade it to get a second this year, so the game plays on. If we were going to move up, we were going to have to use our pick, plus someone that we've drafted that we've already put money into develop and it would've had to take us to a different block. We didn't see that. We did talk to a couple of teams that if a player in our block wasn't there, and ‘Carbo’ was the last player in our block, if he wasn't there, we would've considered moving back, but only a couple of slots. When you're looking at 19, we wouldn't have gone to 27 or 28. We might've been able to go to 22 or 23, and acquire a late second or a third and cross your fingers that you don't lose three guys in five picks. We didn't have to do that because at 19, there was a player that we were excited about in our block.”

Carbonneau had met with the Blues prior to the draft at the combine, feeling it would be a good spot for him to land but also open to wherever he went and whoever took him.

“I spoke with the Blues this year,” he said. “I spoke with the mental coach a few hours this year to kind of get with my mindset and all that, and at the combine, I had a good meeting with them too. Some good talks and good people in St. Louis. It’s going to be fun to meet them the next few days.”

Carbonneau will be in St. Louis beginning Monday for a four-day developmental camp, then the two sides will decide on where he will play next season. His choices are Boston College or back in junior.

“We've always tried to listen to the player and tell him that we're in this for the marathon and what does he think is best for him -- how is he going to mature,” Armstrong said. “I've never in my experience as a manager asked a team to trade a player or told a player where to go because if it doesn't work out, he puts it on your plate. These guys, they're young men, 18-19 years old. They have to do what they think is right for them. We know that he wants to be an NHL hockey player, there are different avenues to do it, and we're going to support whatever he does. Like we did with ‘Snuggy,’ we wanted ‘Snuggy’ to turn pro -- he knew that, we knew that. He wanted to go back and as soon as he said he was going back, our attention turned to him having the best year he could have at Minnesota and I think it worked out. We gained his trust by not trying to strong-arm him and he rewarded us with a great season at Minnesota, turning pro and being ready. So what we try and do is work with them, but allow them to make their own decisions.”

Carbonneau said he’s open-minded.

“That’s one of the topics to talk with the Blues,” he said. “It’s Boston College, great option for me next year to develop with older guys and all that. Or Blainville. But my goal is to bring a Stanley Cup. Maybe not next year, but I’ll get there. When you have the mindset and you’re willing to do it, I’m not worried about it. If I play in Blainville, same thing. Winning a Cup with a championship team. Two good options, but some talks that I’m going to do with St. Louis and decide in the next few days.”

After a long night of anticipation, the Pittsburgh Penguins made what is presumed to be their final draft selection in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft.

With the 24th overall pick, the Penguins selected center Will Horcoff out of the University of Michigan. 

Horcoff, 18, recorded four goals and 10 points in 18 games with Michigan last season. The 6-foot-5, 203-pound centerman may not be known for his footspeed, but he plays a physical, straightforward game, and he has a shot that could play at the NHL level.

Horcoff's father, Shawn, played parts of 15 seasons in the NHL for the Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, and Anaheim Ducks from 2000-16. Drafted in the fourth round (99th overall) by the Oilers in 1998, Shawn registered 186 goals and 511 points in 1,008 NHL games. 

Dubas and the Penguins - after their trade earlier in the draft that sent the 12th overall pick from the New York Rangers to the Philadelphia Flyers for picks 22 and 31 - traded up to 24 for Horcoff. While he wasn't rated super high on draft boards, the Penguins clearly valued center depth.

Overall, I like this selection. The Penguins got size and upside with this pick, which never hurts.

---

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On Saturday, Day 2 of the 2025 NHL Draft will begin at noon ET and feature Rounds 2-7.  The New Jersey Devils have seven selections, including two in the second round. Below are all the picks the club will begin the day with. 
Round 250th overall 63rd overall (from Edmonton Oilers via Utah Mammoth) 

Round 390th overall (from Vegas Golden Knights)

Round 4

99th overall (from Nashville Predators)114th overall 
Round 6161st overall (from San Jose Sharks)178th overall

**The Devils did not have a first-round selection as their 2025 pick was traded to the Calgary Flames as part of last season’s Jacob Markstrom trade.

It is worth noting that Day 2 of the 2024 NHL Draft proved to be a busy one for the Devils. It was on that day the club acquired forward Paul Cotter from the Vegas Golden Knights and sent defenseman John Marino to the Utah Mammoth with a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft for a second-round pick in 2024 and a second-round pick in 2025.

After a disappointing playoff exit in a Round 1 series against the Carolina Hurricanes, changes are expected. Thus far, general manager Tom Fitzgerald signed forward Juho Lammikko to a one-year, one-way contract worth $800,000 and traded veteran Erik Haula to the Nashville Predators for Jeremy Hanzel and a fourth-round pick in 2025 NHL Draft.

With regards to Devils restricted free agent (RFA)  Cody Glass, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman provided an update on the 26-year-old center.

"New Jersey indicated that they weren't going to qualify him," Friedman said on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast. "I think their goal was to sign him to a smaller deal that wasn't as high as an arbitration number or qualifying number. I have heard there is a lot of interest in Glass, a right-shot center. Obviously, he is not going to break the bank or anything like that, but I heard it is going to be hard for the Devils to be able to do that."

Glass is one of three RFAs joining defenseman Luke Hughes and forward Nolan Foote. The list of unrestricted free agents (UFAS) include Nathan Bastian, Justin Dowling, Curtis Lazar, Daniel Sprong, Brian Dumoulin, and Jake Allen.  

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

The Mental Side of the Game: Devils Players & Mental Skills Coach Andy Swärd Take You Behind the Scenes

Hischier's Manager Patrick Fischer: 'He's Driven to Succeed, but Not Easily Satisfied'

Photo Credit: © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Washington Capitals have selected Lynden Lakovic 18th overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. The 18-year-old was the eighth WHLer selected and the sixth forward drafted. Listed at 6'4", 190 lbs, Lakovic showed major improvement in his game and has rounded out a lot of his skills.

Although Lakovic missed a chunk of the year due to inury, the career Warrior showed off a 19-point increase in points from the 2023-24 season, despite playing 21 fewer games. The Kelowna product could have a future as a middle-to-top six role in the NHL.

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.

Victoria Royals Cole Reschny Drafted 18th Overall By The Calgary Flames

Tri-City Americans Jackson Smith Drafted 14th Overall By The Columbus Blue Jackets

Everett Silvertips Carter Bear Drafted 13th Overall By The Detroit Red Wings

Calgary Hitmen Ben Kindel Drafted 11th Overall By The Pittsburgh Penguins

Brandon Wheat Kings Roger McQueen Drafted Tenth Overall By The Anaheim Ducks

With their third and final pick of the first round of the NHL Draft, the Nashville Predators selected Madison Capitols forward Ryker Lee with the 26th overall pick. 

A 6-foot, 170-pound winger, he scored 68 points in 58 games with Madison in the United States Hockey League, which was ranked fourth in the league and was USHL Rookie of the Year. He is from Wilmette, Illinois. 

Lee is committed to play for Michigan State in the fall. 

A college season will for sure help Lee in his development as a productive winger. Considering the success he had in the USHL, the NCAA is the next step and that will give Nashville a better gage as to where Lee's development is. 

While Brady Martin, the fifth overall pick, is a strong center, Lee gives a scoring edge that shows promise for Nashville's future. 

You probably shouldn't leave Ryker Lee alone with the puck 🤷#GoCapsGohttps://t.co/rr3GJeJDIxpic.twitter.com/LiRC5t9Hgq

— Madison Capitols (@MadCapsHockey) February 9, 2025

The Predators traded the 23rd overall pick and the 67th overall pick to the Ottawa Senators for the 21st overall pick. They used the move-up the board to select defenseman Cameron Reid from the Kitchener Rangers (OHL). 

He led OHL defenseman under the age of 17 in points per game, scoring 54 points in 67 games and 40 penalty minutes. Reid has a 6-foot, 193-pound build, really fitting into Nashville's traditional defenseman image. 

He is from Aylmer, Ontario. 

In his highlights, Reid is a player who is not easily pushed off the puck and is a playmaker. Forty of his 54 points this past season came off assists. This is a strong pick, aligning with Nashville's team identity and laying the groundwork for the future. 

The Predators had the fifth overall pick in the draft, selecting center Brady Martin from the Sault St. Marie Greyhounds. 

In his second season with the Soo Greyhounds in the OHL, Martin scored 72 points in 57 games and had a plus/minus of 25. He also logged 68 penalty minutes. 

The Elmira, Ontario, native also represented Canada at the 2025 IIHF U-18 World Championship, scoring 11 points in seven games and winning a gold medal.

Martin was not in attendance at the NHL Draft as he was working on his family's farm.