Category: NHL

It is a longshot that players who go unsigned by NHL clubs after being drafted make any impact. The Buffalo Sabres are one club that found out the hard way that sometimes players fall through the cracks. In 2016, Buffalo selected in the sixth round winger Brandon Hagel from the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels. After two unspectacular seasons, Hagel went unsigned and signed as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks. He then scored 102 points as an overager, went to the American Hockey League, worked his way to the NHL, was traded to Tampa Bay in 2022 and three years later is a shoo in to make Team Canada for the upcoming Olympic games. 

There is no way to tell whether history will repeat itself, but after allowing three draft picks rights to expire last week, the Edmonton Oilers quickly jumped on the opportunity and signed 2021 draftee Viljami Marjala to a two-year, entry-level contract. 

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Marjala played for the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts after being selected in the fifth round by Buffalo. After another season in Quebec, he returned to his native Finland and split time between the junior level and the Finnish SM-Liiga. In his second season, he scored 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in 60 games for TPS Turku, and last season, the 22-year-old had another good offensive year, tying for his club’s scoring lead with 52 points (8 goals, 44 assists) in 54 games. 

🚨Big goal alert🚨Just another reason why the Sabres should be talking contract with Viljami Marjala soon. He again steps up in the loser-goes-home game to drag TPS into a 2-2 tie with SaiPa. pic.twitter.com/MPt7CEGIXc

— Kris Baker (@SabresProspects) March 24, 2025

The Sabres have not done a good job in developing their prospects, as only one player selected in the third round or later in the Kevyn Adams era has played in the NHL. Czech forward Lukas Rousek signed with a SHL club last month, and there is some speculation that 2021 second-rounder Aleksandr Kisakov may return to Russia after playing only 13 games in Rochester last season and that lack of development or opportunity may be a factor in Buffalo being able to bring their prospects to North America in the future. 

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Former Seattle Kraken forward Karson Kuhlman has signed a one-year contract with SHL team Rögle BK.

The 29-year-old played 39 games with the Kraken, spanning over two seasons. In his time with the Kraken, Kuhlman recorded three goals, eight assists and 11 points. 

Kuhlman hasn't played any NHL games in the last two seasons, playing for the Bridgeport Islanders, the New York Islanders' AHL affiliate in 2023-24 and with Lukko in Liiga, Finland's top professional league. In his first season in Finland, the American right winger scored 21 goals and 46 points in 60 games.

Kuhlman is the second former NHL player to sign with Rögle BK in the past few days, joining former Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Mark Freidman. 

“Karson brings a lot of experience, including a season in Europe,” said Rögle sports director Hampus Sjöström. “He is a versatile player who can contribute in all forms of play. He is committed and good at finding pucks around the net.”

Kuhlman won a National Championship with Minnesota Duluth before beginning his NHL career, where he played 147 games, scoring 12 goals and 30 points, splitting his time with the Boston Bruins, Kraken and the Winnipeg Jets. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Kraken stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

If the Philadelphia Flyers truly want to trade for Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague, they may have to outbid two other NHL teams, including a Metropolitan Division rival, to get the deal over the line.

In a June 5 column for the Toronto Sun, former NHLer Nick Kypreos revealed that both the Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins are in pursuit of the Flyers trade target.

"There aren’t many quality UFA defencemen out there, so that makes Nicolas Hague of the Golden Knights a very attractive trade chip if and when Vegas decides to move him because of limited salary cap space," Kypreos wrote. "I’m hearing the Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins are hot on the trail to potentially trade for him."

It was previously reported by NHL insider Elliotte Friedman that the Flyers have been connected to Golden Knights trade talks for the 26-year-old Hague, a pending restricted free agent and left-shot defender.

It is worth noting that the Flyers have not made much progress in contract talks with Cam York, also an RFA who could be traded ahead of or offer-sheeted on July 1.

As for the other teams, the Canadiens have $6 million in cap space with only six defensemen on their active roster, including prospect Logan Mailloux and a role player in Arber Xhekaj. David Savard is retiring from the NHL, while Jayden Struble, a left-shot like Hague, is an RFA.

The Penguins, the Flyers' most hated rivals, are in need of left-shots after trading Marcus Pettersson to Vancouver ahead of the NHL trade deadline.

Their left side currently consists of free agency bust Ryan Graves, journeyman Ryan Shea, and prospects Owen Pickering and Vladislav Kolyachonok. Veteran Matt Grzelcyk is a UFA this summer, while P.O. Joseph and Conor Timmins are both RFAs.

Effectively, this is all to say that Kypreos's report tracks, as both the Canadiens and Penguins have a greater need for an addition on defense than the Flyers do, especially on the left side.

Even without York, the Flyers still have Travis Sanheim, Nick Seeler, Egor Zamula, and Emil Andrae to hold down the fort, though it's unclear if new head coach Rick Tocchet will use Sanheim on the right as John Tortorella and Brad Shaw had over the last few seasons.

That being said, if the Flyers want to beat out the Canadiens and Penguins to secure Hague's services and signature, they may have to win a bidding war to do it.

For more Flyers news and up-to-date coverage, visit The Hockey News and like our Facebook page. Follow us on 𝕏: @ByJonBailey,  @TheHockeyNews

The pace in the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final has made the championship series extremely entertaining to watch.

Both the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers were able to extract a hard-earned victory during the first two games of the series in Alberta, but now the scene shifts to Sunrise for a couple of battles in South Florida.

Despite there being 16 goals scored so far – eight for each team – the defensive play on both sides has been pretty solid.

The physicality has also been heavy and consistent between the Cats and Oilers.

Truly, these teams have treated hockey fans to two spectacular Stanley Cup Final games so far.

That’s not bad considering many have already viewed last year’s epic seven-game Final between Florida and Edmonton as one of the best ever.

But now, after playing those two exhausting, demanding games, both of which went to overtime, the players were given an extra day off while the series moved from central Alberta to southern Florida.

“Both teams will take the two days, gladly,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice.

Recovering from the games is only a part of why the time off will be so valued.

The distance between Sunrise and Edmonton represents the farthest gap between two Stanley Cup Final opponents ever, as we all learned last year.

“I think it's necessary for both teams,” Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad said of the time off. “I think it's a necessary evil of a six-hour flight and a two-hour time change. You have to have it.”

Ekblad and the Panthers made the cross-continent trip on Saturday, about 12 hours after their thrilling 5-4 double overtime win in Game 2 at Rogers Place.

The majority of the team participated in an optional practice session on Sunday at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale.

“Whether it's a big win or whether it's a tough loss, it's all how you bounce back from it,” said Panthers forward Sam Reinhart. “It's what happens in these two days in between that prepares you for the next game. We take pride in, no matter what happened in that last game, we're going to do what we need to this next couple days to be at our best once that puck drops, and we expect the same out of them as well.”

Included in the group that skated on Sunday was injured forward A.J. Greer, who wore a light blue sweater along with recent healthy scratches Nico Sturm and Mackie Samoskevich.

That would indicate the Panthers aren’t making any roster changes after their win in Game 2, but things could certainly change over the next 24 hours.

We’ll see if Greer remains out of the top 12 when Florida holds a morning skate on Monday ahead of Game 3 at Amerant Bank Arena.

Stay tuned.

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Photo caption: Jun 6, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones (3) reacts after scoring a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the first period in game two of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. (Perry Nelson-Imagn Images)

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague could be available in a trade this offseason and is beginning to garner plenty of interest, now coming from the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens, according to Nick Kypreos.

The Philadelphia Flyerswere the first team linked to Hague, and with three first-round picks in this year's draft, they seem like the best fit. The Canadiens have multiple first-round picks this year as well, and the Penguins have just one, but both teams have the resources to pull off a trade.

With the recent report about Alex Pietrangelo's health coming into question for the 2025-26 season, it might change what General Manager Kelly McCrimmon's plan was for Hague. The 26-year-old was drafted by the Golden Knights in 2017 and made his debut in the 2019-20 season. 

Hague is a pending restricted free agent this offseason and could command a healthy pay raise, which is why the Golden Knights have floated the possibility of trading the 6'6 defender. Reports have stated that they aren't actively looking to move him, but if a team calls, they'll at the very least entertain it. 

"Speaking of Vegas, the Golden Knights have just over $9.6 million in salary cap space and a few decent holes to fill. Word on the street is they are entertaining calls on defenceman Nic Hague, who is set to become a restricted free agent July 1 and is due for a solid paycheck," said Pagnotta in his recent "Start of Silly Season" article.

"Multiple sources indicated this week that Vegas has already started to engage in trade discussions involving Hague, who brings size, accountability and a championship pedigree to any club looking to strengthen their defensive corps. Several teams will be poking around, and this should be something to keep an eye on leading up to Draft weekend."

Tough decisions will need to be made regarding Hague and the organization's pursuit of another star forward.

Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

Corey Perry may have only played one year for the Montreal Canadiens, but he has built friendships that will last a lifetime and taken something else away from the experience. During the 2021 playoffs, the right winger began using teammate Josh Anderson’s sticks, and four years later, in the Stanley Cup final with the Edmonton Oilers, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman revealed that the 40-year-old is still using Anderson’s stick.

While the Canadiens didn’t make it to the final, it means that part of their equipment made it. Perry is one of two former Hab players who have reached the Cup final, alongside blueliner Brett Kulak, who was traded to the Oilers back in 2022 in the deal that allowed the Canadiens to select Lane Hutson in the following draft.

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So far in these playoffs, Kulak has produced five points in 18 games, skating alongside Darnell Nurse on the Oilers’ second pairing. There’s no doubt that winning the Stanley Cup for his hometown team would be a dream come true for the 31-year-old defenseman who took some time to establish himself as a regular NHL defenseman.

In the offseason following his trade to Edmonton, Kulak signed a four-year contract with the Alberta outfit, carrying a $2.75 million cap hit. He’s currently playing out the last season of his contract, and a Cup win would be a fairytale ending, whether or not he re-signs with the Oilers for next season.

As for Perry and Anderson’s sticks, it’s their fifth cup final in the last six seasons, and the ageless wonder is still making an impact in the lineup. With sniper Zach Hyman injured and ruled out for the duration of the series, Perry has been asked to step up and is currently riding shotgun on the Oilers’ top line with Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

While he doesn’t necessarily have the speed to keep up with his two linemates, he certainly has the hockey smarts, and on Friday night, he made history, scoring the latest game-tying goal ever in the Stanley Cup final. There were only 18 seconds left on the clock when he scored the goal that sent the game into overtime.

Perry has been clutch so far in this final; he was also at the origin of the game's one game-winning goal when he initiated the play that allowed McDavid to feed Leon Draisaitl for the game-winner with just 31 seconds left in the first period of overtime. In 18 playoffs games, he already has 12 points.

Perry and Kulak will resume their quest for the Cup when the series resumes on Monday night in Florida for Game 3.

Photo credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images

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The NHL announced the results for the Jack Adams Award on Saturday, given annually to "the NHL coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success" as voted on by the NHL Broadcasters' Association.

Washington Capitals coach Spencer Carbery came away with a decisive win, appearing first on 81 of the 103 ballots

The Capitals finished second in the NHL regular season standings for 2024-25 and saw a 20-point improvement in their overall standings this season, after an 11-point improvement the prior year.

In total, 13 NHL coaches received at least one vote — voters selected a first, second and third place coach on each ballot — but Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour was not one of those coaches.

I'm not saying that Brind'Amour should have won the award, as Carbery was a well worthy candidate with how he was able to get the Capitals back to being true contenders, but it does seem like an apparent lack of respect for one of the league's top coaches. 

Despite the Carolina Hurricanes' continued success, appearing in seven straight postseasons and winning at least a round in each as well as another Eastern Conference Final appearance, Brind'Amour was seemingly not given a ton of credit for the team's success by the broadcasters.

Overall, it's been pretty telling how the award has transitioned to more so being about which teams were the most surprising this season as opposed to true coaching effect.

I mean, for one, neither Jon Cooper nor Jared Bednar have ever won a Jack Adams Award despite Tampa Bay and Colorado consistently being two of the top teams in the league year in and year out.

However, both of them still appeared on ballots this season while Brind'Amour did not, despite their teams finishing just three points higher than the Hurricanes.

Finishing three points higher while, might I add, they both have multiple elite and MVP-level players on their teams as well.

Carolina meanwhile has no award finalists, no 40-goal scorers, no player who has even ever broken 100-points. But they do have a great system, full team buy-in and belief, all things I would credit back to the coaching staff.

Again, not saying Brind'Amour should have won by any means, but for him to not even get a single vote of any kind feels just wrong.

'Competing Isn't Enough. We Want To Win': Eric Tulsky, Rod Brind'Amour 2024-25 Exit InterviewsThe Carolina Hurricanes' 2024-25 season came to a close earlier this week as the team lost in five games to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final.

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New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald is facing a crucial question regarding his goaltending tandem for the 2025-26 season. 

With starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom under contract for the 2025-26 season, the organization must decide who the veteran's backup will be.

This past season, the Devils tandem consisted of Markstrom and veteran Jake Allen. 

"We liked our tandem," Fitzgerald said. "We felt it was one of the better tandems in the league. You look at (Allen's) numbers, (they were) very good. His professionalism, the way he interacted with (Markstrom) as the backup, is very important in a tandem. They got along very well."

Allen finished the season with a 13-16-1 record with a .908 save percentage and a 2.66 goals-against average. 

In a recent interview with NHL.com, Fitzgerald spoke about Allen, 34, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent. 

"As far as goaltending, Jake Allen is one of the better ones on the market," Fitzgerald told NHL.com. "His camp tells me he would like to stay. He really enjoyed his time here. We are trying to figure out what that number is, and then does it work for us?"

Of course, the Devils also have an internal option in 24-year-old Nico Daws.

Daws will enter the final season of a two-year contract with an average annual value of $812,500. For the 2025-26 campaign, he is on a one-way deal at $850,000 at the NHL level. 

Spending most of this past season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Utica Comets, Daws started four games for the Devils, earning a 3-1-0 record with one shutout. 

This past season wasn't the easiest for Daws. It was a challenging start with the Comets, who kicked things off, losing their first 13 games, and an injury that forced him to take a couple of weeks off after Christmas. 

With all of that now behind him, Daws feels confident about where he is and the lessons he has learned. 

"When you have a start like we did in Utica, it is a lot of mental ups and downs for sure, and just learning how to deal with it and stay composed," Daws explained. "Removing yourself from it and just think, win or lose, you have to be able to get in the net every night with the confidence to win, and I think confidence has been a big thing for me this year. 

"I learned a lot this year mentally."

With New Jersey having several young goaltenders in their pipeline, it could be time to see one of them make the jump to full-time NHLer, and a more confident Daws believes he is up for the task. 

"Obviously, I want to be on this team full-time, and I think I am ready for it," Daws said. "Just going to go into the summer working as hard as I can, have a really good camp, and prove to them that I am ready." 

It will be up to Fitzgerald and his front office to decide whether it is time to promote Daws to an NHL player or run it back with two veterans who served the Devils well in 2024-25.

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

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American right winger Karson Kuhlman, 29, has signed a one-year contract with Rögle BK, the SHL club announced on Sunday. The signing comes just three days after Rögle announced the signing of former NHL defenseman Mark Friedman.

“Karson brings a lot of experience, including a season in Europe,” said Rögle sports director Hampus Sjöström. “He is a versatile player who can contribute in all forms of play. He is committed and good at finding pucks around the net.”

A graduate of the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where he captained the team to a national championship in his senior year, Kuhlman was never drafted but signed as a free agent with the Boston Bruins in the spring of 2018.

He then spent the next six seasons shuttling between the NHL and AHL for the Bruins, Seattle Kraken, Winnipeg Jets and New York Islanders. He recorded 30 points in 147 NHL games and four points in 17 playoff games.

Last season, Kuhlman played for Lukko in the Finnish Liiga, where he recorded 49 points in 71 regular-season and playoff games and was named Liiga’s player of the month in December.

Rögle has been one of the SHL’s more successful teams over the past five seasons but is coming off a year where it finished seventh in the regular season and was eliminated in the play-in round. In addition to Kuhlman and Friedman, the team also has under contract for 2025-26 former NHLer Fredrik Olofsson.

© James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images

Former NHL D-Man Mark Friedman Signs Two-Year Deal In Sweden Canadian defenseman Mark Friedman, 29, has signed a two-year contract to play for Rögle BK, the SHL club announced on Thursday.

The 2025 NHL Entry Draft takes place on June 27, and the Vancouver Canucks currently have one pick in each round. Barring any trades, the Canucks will be selecting 15th in the first round, with many suggestions for players to pick already being pitched. In preparation for this year’s draft, we’re taking a look at the past five NHL Entry Drafts that the Canucks have taken part in, as well as where each of their picks have ended up. Last week, we took a look at the Canucks 2021 Draft picks. This week, let’s look back at the 2022 NHL Draft. 

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The 2022 NHL Draft was a strong one for the Canucks. Three of the players picked in this draft made their NHL debuts this season, while one other has suited up for the Abbotsford Canucks. This was the first time that Vancouver selected a player with their first-round pick since 2019. In this draft, they had one pick in every round except for the second. Their 2022 second-round pick went to the Arizona Coyotes as part of the Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland trade that also cost Vancouver their 2021 first-round selection. With the rest of their picks, Vancouver selected Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Elias Pettersson (D), Daimon Gardner, Ty Young, Jackson Dorrington, and Kirill Kudryavstev. 

Jonathan Lekkerimäki, F

When the Canucks selected Lekkerimäki 15th overall in 2022, he automatically became Vancouver’s highest-touted prospect. While he was known to be offensively talented as a whole, the thing that stuck out most was his shot. To this day, Lekkerimäki’s shooting skills have earned him accolades such as MVP of the 2024 World Junior Championship with seven goals in seven games. He spent the season after being drafted with Djurgårdens IF as well as Team Sweden in the 2023 World Juniors. His time with Örebro HK the season after was where he went on a tear, scoring 19 goals and 12 assists in 46 games in his first SHL season. After his time with Örebro, Lekkerimäki joined Abbotsford for their playoff run, beginning the 2024–25 season with them as well. He played in his first NHL game on November 12, 2024 against the Calgary Flames, and scored his first career NHL goal the game after. In his rookie season with the AHL Canucks, he scored 19 goals and nine assists in 36 games. 

Elias Pettersson, D

Pettersson is a great player in his own right, but when Vancouver drafted him 80th overall in 2022, he mainly only garnered attention due to his name. Since then, Pettersson has made a name for himself. He spent two seasons with Örebro HK and two stints with Sweden’s U20 team in the 2023 and 2024 World Juniors. Pettersson also played 34 games for Västerås IK in 2023–24, putting up three goals and 11 assists in this span. He also spent eight regular season games and one playoff game with Abbotsford. Pettersson took massive strides in his first full AHL season this year, earning himself a call-up and a virtually permanent spot in Vancouver’s lineup. He made his NHL debut on January 25 and stayed with the team for nearly the rest of the season. As it stands, he is expected to start the 2025–26 season in the NHL. 

Daimon Gardner, F

Gardner was picked 112th overall in 2022, going to Vancouver in the fourth round of the draft. The 6’4 centre split time with the Omaha Lancers, Warroad High, and Tri-City Storm of the USHL in his draft year. He stuck with the Storm the season after, putting up 12 goals and 30 assists in 46 games. In 2023–24, Gardner embarked on his NCAA career, spending the season with Clarkson University and tallying six points in 29 games. This season, he joined St. Cloud State University for 32 games, nabbing five goals and nine assists. As of today, Gardner remains unsigned by Vancouver. 

Ty Young, G

Vancouver’s fifth-round pick of the 2022 NHL Draft was Ty Young, who they selected 144th overall. While he was picked by Vancouver, this wasn’t the first Canuck organization he’d been a part of. He played for the Calgary Canucks of the AJHL in his draft year, also spending time with the Prince George Cougars of the WHL. Young continued his run with the Cougars for another two years, with the 2023–24 season being his most fruitful. Before the season even began, he signed his entry-level contract with the Canucks, keeping him within the organization for at least three years. He started 37 games and registered a GAA of 2.79. This season was his first with Abbotsford, though he ended up splitting his time with the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL as well. With the Wings, Young reached a new professional career low in GAA with 2.53. 

Jackson Dorrington, D 

Dorrington was Vancouver’s sixth-round selection in the 2022 Draft, being picked 176th overall. After being drafted, he spent three seasons in the NCAA with Northeastern University, putting up eight goals and 25 assists in the 105 games he played in. Partway through his third season with Northeastern, he was traded by the Canucks to the New York Rangers as part of the J.T. Miller deal. Now a prospect for the Rangers, Dorrington looks to continue his time in the AHL. He played in nine games for New York’s AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, near the end of the 2024–25 season. During this time, he had a goal and an assist. 

Kirill Kudryavstev, D 

Quite possibly the biggest steal of this draft for Vancouver, Kudryavstev was the team’s final pick of the 2022 Draft, going 208th overall. His draft year was the first of his three-season stint with the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL. In 202 games, Kudryavstev registered 18 goals and 118 assists, putting up point totals of 45 or higher in each season except his first. Vancouver signed Kudryavstev to his entry-level contract in March of 2023 — as a result, he joined the AHL Canucks for the 2024–25 season. His steady play throughout Abbotsford’s season earned him his first NHL call-up. Kudryavstev made his NHL debut on April 14 against the San Jose Sharks. 

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.

Winnipeg Jets prospect Dmitri Rashevsky has reportedly signed a three-year offer sheet with Avangard Omsk and are awaiting Dynamo Moskva's response, according to Dylan Griffing.

The Jets selected Rashevsky in the fifth round (146th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft, and he has spent each season since the selection in the KHL. Rashevsky will be 25 years old by the start of the season, making his chances of joining the Jets organization bleak.

"I like everything in Dynamo, that's why I signed a new contract," Rashevsky said through Google Translate in the AllHockey.ru article back in 2023. "I was in touch (with Winnipeg), but at the moment I consulted with my family, agent and coaching staff; everyone was of the same opinion that it was better to stay."

If Rashevsky does plan to play in the NHL with the Jets, he won't do so until he is 28 years old. Filled with talent, the 6'1, 183 lbs left-handed right winger has scored 35 or more points in four consecutive KHL seasons, including a 19-goal and 40-point campaign in the 65 games this past season.

"Rashevsky’s motor never stops. Be it on the forecheck and on the backcheck, at the start of his shift or at the end of his shift, in the MHL, the VHL, or the KHL, the forward is single-minded; he wants the puck on his stick and in the back of the opposing net. He rarely over-dangles, preferring to use teammates and make give-and-goes to get out of tight situations." -EliteProspects 2021 NHL Draft Guide.

RUSH!!
🚨 Dmitri Rashevsky #GoJetsGo
1-0 Dynamo Moscow #KHLpic.twitter.com/wArsDuNsAJ

— Hockey News Hub (@HockeyNewsHub) January 25, 2024

For the Jets organization, the news is unfortunate. There would be several opportunities for Rashevsky to fight for a roster spot and possibly lock one down, whether Nikolaj Ehlers re-signs or signs elsewhere. Although it doesn't completely nullify the St. Petersburg, RUS native's chances of playing for the Jets, his ability to transition to the North American surface and the style of play at a much older age becomes increasingly challenging. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Jets stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

Jets Defensive Prospect Puts Up Positive Results In First Professional Season; Tougher Challenges Await Next SeasonWinnipeg Jets defensive prospect Alfons Freij completed his first season of professional hockey, putting up positive results. 

The NHL Awards have started to come in with many players being named recipients. On Saturday the NHL announced the winner of the Jack Adams award which is given to the NHL coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success, as selected by the NHL Broadcasters’ Association.

Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery won the award. The Capitals went 51-22-9 and finished second in the NHL during the 2024-25 season. 

Minnesota Wild head coach John Hynes received one vote for the award and it was a third place vote. The Wild went 45-30-7 and lost in six games to the Vegas Golden Knights in round one of the playoffs. They missed the playoffs the season before. 

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Hynes is 79-54-12 in his two seasons as the Wild's head coach. 

Photo Credit: Oct 22, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Minnesota Wild head coach John Hynes watches from the bench against the Florida Panthers during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images.

According to former player and current NHL insider Nick Kypreos, the Montreal Canadiens and the Pittsburgh Penguins are both interested in acquiring Vegas Golden Knights’ supersized blueliner Nicolas Hague.

The 26-year-old Kitchener, Ontario native stands at 6-foot-6 and weighs 240 pounds. Hague is by no means an offensive defenseman; in fact, he only put up 12 points in 68 games last season, but a team does need some stay-at-home defensemen, and having one with that kind of frame would certainly tick a couple of boxes for the Habs.

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Canadiens: Potential First Round Pick - Radim Mrtka
Canadiens: Larionov’s Wish About Demidov Is Not Montreal’s Command

Hague is a rare homegrown product for the Vegas organization, which has accustomed us to trading picks rather than making them, but here’s living proof that they do use their pick from time to time. The towering defenseman was selected 34th overall in the second round of the 2017 draft.

While some may be surprised to hear that the Canadiens are chasing yet another left-shot defenseman, it’s essential to realize that Hague has proven in the past that he can patrol the right side of the blueline just as well as the left.

In that sense, Hague may be a replacement for the recently retired David Savard. After all, Kent Hughes has repeatedly said that he cannot load his teams with rookies if the Canadiens’ organic growth is to continue.

Watching the Laval Rocket play in the playoffs, David Reinbacher and Logan Mailloux do have the makings of NHL defensemen, but they might just not be ready to step into the big league just yet. Blueliners can sometimes take more time to develop, and it’s essential to allow them the time to develop correctly. There’s no need to rush them.

At 26, he aligns with the Canadiens’ timeline of opportunity, and he has extensive playoff experience, having skated in four Spring tournaments with the Knights, logging 44 games and capturing the Stanley Cup in 2023.

Despite his hulking size, Hague wasn’t a hit dishing machine; this season, he only dished out 82, far behind team leader Keegan Kolesar, who served up 237. The 82 collisions would have given him the 12th place on the Canadiens. That was a down year for him, however, as he did have 153 in 2023-24 and 117 in 2022-23

He could also be that the Canadiens’ GM feels he has evaluated the left side of his blueline enough and feels it cannot shoulder the load without experienced help. Hughes could also be getting ready to trade away some of his left-shot defenseman after having had another year to evaluate personnel.

Photo credit:  Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

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On July 1, the NHL will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the introduction of the salary cap with the largest single-year jump in the cap’s history. 

But for players, free agency isn’t just about money: it’s also about opportunity. And while the three teams that are currently hoarding the most available cap space heading into July 1 haven’t been big players in recent years, that could change in 2025 — even in the face of stiff competition.

According to PuckPedia, the San Jose Sharks are headed into free agency with the most projected cap space: $41.76 million. The Columbus Blue Jackets are second at $40.4 million, and the Anaheim Ducks are third at $38.69 million. 

All three are ready to take the next step, so don’t be surprised if they take some big swings on July 1 — whether that’s in free agency or through blockbuster trades.

In San Jose, the Sharks are heading into Year 4 of the Mike Grier regime. After bottoming out and successfully snagging Macklin Celebrini in 2024, San Jose still finished 32nd overall last season. But Celebrini and Will Smith showed strong signs that they’ll be foundational players, as did goalie-of-the-future Yaroslav Askarov. There’s also more promising young talent in the pipeline. 

In his rookie year as an NHL head coach, Ryan Warsofsky also showed a deft hand in managing his players. He added a feather to his cap by guiding Team USA to its first gold medal since 1933 at the world championship. And while Warsofsky may be new on the scene, he has the qualities of a coach who inspires player loyalty.

At the 2025 trade deadline, Grier performed major surgery again. That leaves plenty of roster spots open for players who are looking to make a difference with an emerging squad. Compared to the last few years, San Jose is on the rise as a signing destination. 

In Anaheim, the Ducks became a more desirable destination by replacing taskmaster Greg Cronin with Joel Quenneville behind the bench. Though he has been out of the game since 2021, Quenneville’s record speaks for itself: on top of his four Stanley Cups, he has more wins on his resume than any NHL coach not named Scotty Bowman. 

Quenneville also has a reputation as the kind of coach that players love to play for. While that should be attractive to free agents in general, could it also be a carrot for a couple of future Hall of Famers who played their best hockey under Quenneville with the Chicago Blackhawks?

After two years out of the game himself, Jonathan Toews has made it clear that he’s ready to attempt a comeback this fall. It will be odd to see him wearing anything other than Chicago colors, but a reunion with his old bench boss could make sense. And while it’s tempting to presume that Toews won’t be a high-impact player at age 37, the current playoff exploits of similarly aged Brad Marchand and Corey Perry would suggest otherwise. Gabriel Landeskog and Evander Kane have also recently demonstrated that it’s possible to return at a high level after long absences from top-level competition. 

If Toews chose to reunite with Quenneville, could Patrick Kane also head west? After going through health issues of his own, Kane is a pending free agent coming off back-to-back 20-goal seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, who haven’t quite found a way to get back into the playoff mix. 

Toews and Kane won three Stanley Cups together in Chicago, were represented by the same agent, and played under matching contracts as the Blackhawks’ top stars. If the pair reunited in Orange County, would other free agents be tempted to come along for the ride?

In Columbus, the Blue Jackets knocked at the door of a playoff spot this spring, finishing two points behind the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference standings. It was an impressive achievement for a new regime led by GM Don Waddell and coach Dean Evason, especially in the wake of the unexpected tragedy of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau’s deaths. 

Gaudreau, of course, defied expectations in 2022, when he chose Columbus as one of that summer’s top free agents. His longtime buddy Sean Monahan joined him last year and became such a pillar of strength in supporting his team and honoring his friend’s legacy that he was voted the 2025 winner of the Masterton Trophy.

Any player who signs with Columbus will know that they're walking into a dressing room where players truly have each other’s backs. They'll also be walking onto a roster that features 2025 Norris Trophy finalist Zach Werenski and a strong group of emerging talents, many of whom had career years in 2024-25.

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