It's officially another season, another prospects ranking for the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

In years past, this has been a bit easier of an exercise, as there used to be a more clear-cut line between prospects with NHL upside and longshots. However, because of the work that general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas and his staff have put in during the last several years, the line is blurring a whole lot more - and there is a substantially higher volume of talent in the system. 

This time around, making a top-20 list was challenging. So, a few criteria were put into place: To make our list, prospects must be under the age of 26 and have played less than 50 NHL games. This excludes names such as Ben Kindel, Filip Hallander, Oliver Okuliar, and Alexander Alexeyev.

We placed forward Bill Zonnon at No. 3, as he has, arguably, the highest floor of any prospect in the Penguins' organization. To be honest, the first and second spots on our list were almost a complete toss-up, but there was a very tiny degree of separation between the two. 

So, at No. 2, we chose the potential franchise netminder. 

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No. 2: G Sergei Murashov

SERGEI. MURASHOV.

You've got to be kidding me.

Calmly to the bench after a ridiculous glove save late in the 3rd period to keep game tied at 1-1.

Goal light came on. Goal horn sounded. Nope. @InsideAHLHockeypic.twitter.com/Uxeizx37J2

— Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) February 28, 2026

Many folks who cover the Penguins have the 22-year-old Murashov ranked No. 1 on their Penguins' prospects lists, which is understandable. Given that this is, according to many, a two-horse race between two organizational unicorns, he very well could have been placed first here, too. 

And, well, that speaks to how dominant Murashov has been up to this point in his professional career.

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound netminder went from dominating the MHL to dominating the KHL to dominating the ECHL to dominating the AHL. In fact, prior to reaching the AHL level, Murashov had never posted a save percentage below .922, at least not since he was 16 years old and in his rookie MHL season.

At the AHL level, he put up back-to-back campaigns with .912 and .919 save percentages, respectively, earning him AHL All-Rookie Honors as voted by players, coaches, and media at season's end. He even saw a brief five-game stint at the NHL level early last season. 

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2026, No. 3: Multidimensional Forward Making Rapid Progress In DevelopmentNext up on our 2026 THN Top-20 Penguins' Prospects list at No. 3 is a versatile, hard-checking, and talented two-way forward with perhaps the highest floor of any prospect in the organization.

The AHL 2025-26 All-Rookie Team, as voted by coaches, players & media:

G: Sergei Murashov (W-B/Scranton)

D: Tyson Jugnauth (Coachella Valley)
D: Dmitri Simashev (Tucson)

F: Isaac Howard (Bakersfield)
F: Quinn Hutson (Bakersfield)
F: Ilya Protas (Hershey)

— Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) April 15, 2026

The NHL sample was too small to really draw much conclusion from. But one of the unique, key qualities that Murashov possesses is that he's able to come up big in big moments, much like NHL probable tandem partner Arturs Silovs. And he showed that big-game dominance in the Calder Cup Playoffs last season.

in 15 games - he started all 15 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins during their playoff run to the Eastern Conference Final - he posted a 2.11 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage, which was a pretty impressive showing for a goalie who had only four previous professional playoff appearances. He kept WBS in nearly every game, even when they weren't at their best, and gave his team the best chance he could.

And so much of Murashov's game revolves around his maturity and his confidence. He is poised in net, anticipates well, is quick post-to-post, and plays the puck well, too. Most of the time, his reads are so quick that he puts himself in position to make a big save look easy that wouldn't look as such for others.

WHAT. A. SAVE. SERGEI. MURASHOV.

He somehow keeps the puck out on a 3-on-1 chance by Hershey to keep #WBSPens in a one-goal game early in the 3rd.@InsideAHLHockeypic.twitter.com/fNRJGNSAry

— Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) May 3, 2026

So, there is a lot to look forward to with regards to Murashov. There are some areas of weakness that still need to be ironed out, though, for him to find sustained success at the NHL level. He did improve his rebound control by quite a large margin last season, which was one of the biggest knocks on him prior. However, he still gives up a few too many soft goals, and he still sometimes gets himself in trouble when playing the puck. 

The main thing for Murashov to iron out is to know when to pick his spots. He can get a bit too aggressive at times and overcommit, and that's something he's going to have to adjust to at NHL speed. He'll also need to remain wary of NHLers who can shoot top-shelf with far more accuracy than the shooters he has faced up to this point, but he already has a nice glove hand and a solid blocker side, too.

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2026, No. 4: Injury-Riddled Season May Have Set Back Winger, But There's Still Something ThereComing in at No. 4 on our 2026 THN Top-20 Penguins' Prospects list is a winger with an all-around toolset who, even if he still has more to give, should be an effective NHL player.

Of all the prospects on this list, Murashov is the most sure bet to be on the NHL roster next season, as Silovs re-signed but veteran Stuart Skinner walked, leaving one open NHL roster spot for him, Joel Blomqvist, Taylor Gauthier, and Gabriel D'Aigle to battle for. He also has the highest ceiling of any goaltender in their system up to this point, and unless D'Aigle takes significant strides this season, that will remain the case. 

He's the one player in the Penguins' system who could end up a franchise player at his respective position, and that definitely counts for something. However, fans shouldn't necessarily expect to see that franchise-level goaltending right away.

HOLY SMOKES SERGEI MURASHOV!

Absolutely ridiculous save from Murashov to keep #WBSPens within two past the midway mark of the 2nd period.@InsideAHLHockeypic.twitter.com/QVciVsy2eD

— Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) November 1, 2025

Goaltenders are volatile. A lot can change. Some peak in the AHL, even the best ones. Some take longer to get up to NHL speed, which could happen in this case. Some need a little bit of time to work through struggles and come out the other end. The uncertain nature of his position is one of the reasons why he sits at two on this list and not one. 

Things might not be perfect right away for Murashov as he adjusts to the NHL level, and he may even see 1B duties behind Silovs at first as he makes that adjustment. However, this guy has a ton of raw talent, and his quickness, athleticism, maturity, and wisdom beyond his years should serve him well in that transition.

Quite frankly, Murashov missing the NHL roster out of camp would come as a shock, and that's not a knock on the other guys. It just speaks to how high his potential is and where he's at in his development. 

Franchise goaltender or not, Murashov will be one of the most exciting Penguins' prospects to watch in the next few years. The sky is the limit for him, and the future of the Penguins might rest on him finding his place somewhere among the stars.

 

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2026, No. 5: Crafty, High-IQ Winger Continues To Climb Ranks Next up on our 2026 THN Top-20 Penguins' Prospects list is an intelligent, playmaking winger who climbed from 12 on last year's list all the way to the top-five this year.

The list so far:

- Honorable mentions

- No. 20: D Chase Pietila

- No. 19: C Kale Dach

- No. 18: LW/C Ryan Miller

- No. 17: C Zam Plante

- No. 16: G Joel Blomqvist

- No. 15:C Markus Ruck

- No. 14:LW Tanner Howe

- No. 13:D Finn Harding

- No. 12:RW Avery Hayes

- No. 11:D Tomas Galvas

- No. 10:C Tristan Broz

- No. 9:RW Liam Ruck

- No. 8:D Owen Pickering

- No. 7:RW Ville Koivunen

- No. 6:LW/C Will Horcoff

- No. 5:RW Mikhail Ilyin

- No. 4:RW Rutger McGroarty

- No. 3:C/RW Bill Zonnon

- No. 2: G Sergei Murashov

Is Penguins' Center Ben Kindel The Most Underrated Young Player In Hockey?Kindel, who played the vast majority of his rookie season as a center at age 18, is one of the most consistently overlooked young players in the NHL.

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Heading into his second year in the NHL, the San Jose Sharks would undoubtedly love to see Michael Misa take a massive step forward in his development.

Misa, 19, had the disadvantage of great expectations heading into his rookie season. As the second-overall selection in the 2025 NHL Draft, it's easy to get caught by a whirlwind of expectations which can lead to disappointing performances. Luckily for Misa, the Sharks were no stranger to top prospects as they had Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith break into the NHL during the prior season. 

Misa followed a similar plan to Smith's rookie season, as the Sharks allowed him to adjust to life in the NHL without wearing him out with the insane schedule that comes as a part of it. They'd sit him as needed, which allowed him to rest and learn by watching his teammates.

The Sharks likely would've preferred to see Misa on the ice more than 45 times last season, but injury, the World Junior Championships and some early contractual issues on the organization's side of things led to him being limited even more than expected. 

Assuming Misa is able to stay healthy during his sophomore season, it seems safe to assume that the Sharks are going to aim to play him in all 84 games this time around. So, assuming he's able to do that, what would a successful season look like for the young centerman?

While offensive production is a key part of Misa's game, and it will be his biggest asset in the long run, the Sharks need to get him to a point where he can match up against other teams' top players if necessary. Misa will likely slot in as the Sharks' second-line center of the future, behind Celebrini of course. In the event that Celebrini suffers an injury at some point down the line, which the Sharks will need to be able to rely on Misa to cover all of his duties, which will include playing against the NHL's elite centers.

Misa will likely never be a candidate for the Selke Trophy, but they'll want him to be solid in his own zone and that side of his game needs a considerable amount of work at the NHL level. He was a reliable two-way player in the Ontario Hockey League, now he needs it to translate to the NHL.

On the offensive side of things, it's unrealistic to expect him to have a season like Celebrini did in his sophomore campaign. For Misa, a realistic target would likely be between 50-60 points in an 84 game season. Given his natural goal-scoring ability as well, roughly 20 of those should be goals.

All-in-all, the most important thing Misa needs to do for a successful season is to establish himself as the Sharks' second-line center as soon as possible. With the team aiming to push for a playoff spot this time around, Ryan Warsofsky and company will need Misa to surpass Alexander Wennberg for that spot. Even though Wennberg is a fantastic third-line center, he shouldn't be on the second line of a playoff team.

Expectations are undoubtedly going to be high for Michael Misa heading into his second NHL season, but that's nothing new for him. While there's always the possibility of a sophomore slump, he has all the tools to be a key player for the Sharks this season if he's able to put things together.

In an unexpected turn of events, San Jose Sharks goaltending development coach and scout Ryan Miller participated in the Colorado Avalanche's alumni game on Sunday, despite never playing for the Avalanche. 

The Avalanche touted Miller as a "special guest" on social media, however the story behind how he ended up participating has not been confirmed:

Special guest: Ryan Miller 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/NVAbveGzzs

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) August 23, 2026

Miller, 46, had a playing career that spanned across 18 seasons at the NHL level. The majority of his 796 career games were spent with the Buffalo Sabres, the organization that drafted him 138th overall in 1999. He also had stints with the St. Louis Blues, the Vancouver Canucks, and one of the Sharks' in-state rivals, the Anaheim Ducks. 

At one point, Miller was the winningest American goaltender in NHL history with 391 career victories, but he has since been passed by long-time Los Angeles Kings netminder Jonathan Quick who retired with 410 wins.

Since retiring as a player at the end of the 2020-21, Miller took a few seasons off before spending the last three seasons with the Sharks organization acting as both the goaltending development coach and as a goaltending scout.

Simon Nemec hasn't forgotten what happened in New Jersey.

The former second-overall pick spent years waiting for the opportunity to prove he could become the star defenseman the Devils envisioned when they drafted him. Instead, he found himself on the outside of a crowded blue line, fighting for ice time and ultimately being shipped out of town before he ever received the role he believed he deserved.

Now, Nemec has a new team, a new contract and a chance to turn the Calgary Flames into the vehicle for his revenge.

"I just want to prove to everyone that New Jersey wasn't right," Nemec told The Hockey News' David Alter.

For Nemec, this is no longer simply about a fresh start.

It's about making the Devils regret the day they decided they could live without him.

The 22-year-old arrives in Calgary carrying the weight of enormous expectations, but also with a rare opportunity to finally establish himself as the type of defenseman many believed he could become when New Jersey selected him second overall in the 2022 NHL Draft.

The Flames are betting heavily that opportunity was exactly what Nemec needed.

Calgary acquired Nemec and forward Maxim Tsyplakov from the Devils in June in exchange for two conditional first-round picks, a second-round selection and defense prospect Etienne Morin. The Flames then doubled down on their belief in the young defenseman, signing him to a five-year contract worth $7.25 million annually.

That is a significant investment in a player who has yet to fully establish himself at the NHL level.

But Calgary isn't paying for what Nemec has already accomplished. The Flames are paying for what they believe he is about to become.

Nemec showed flashes of that potential last season, setting career highs with 11 goals and 26 points in 68 games. Yet his development in New Jersey was complicated by a crowded defense corps and limited opportunities to take on the offensive responsibilities typically afforded to a player with his pedigree.

For a former No. 2 overall pick, being asked to wait his turn can be frustrating. For Nemec, it eventually became impossible to ignore.

"I think I couldn't play my best hockey," Nemec said. "I wasn't given the opportunity that I want, and at the end of the day, they decided it's best for me - and for them - to get traded. And I'm happy with that."

The move may ultimately prove beneficial for everyone involved.

But Nemec clearly has no intention of quietly moving on from New Jersey.

He believes there is more to his game than the Devils ever had the chance—or willingness—to see.

In Calgary, he could finally get the opportunity to prove it.

The Flames offer a considerably different landscape for Nemec. Instead of competing for offensive responsibilities behind established names, he enters an organization that has made a substantial long-term commitment to him and appears prepared to give him every opportunity to become a central piece of its future.

That could include a larger role on the power play, more responsibility at even strength and the type of consistent minutes Nemec believes were missing during his time with the Devils.

The opportunity is there.

Now comes the part Nemec has been waiting for: making New Jersey regret letting him go.

"I feel like they need a player like me," Nemec said. "I can play a lot of minutes there. I can be part of the future there and be one of the leaders of the team."

Those are ambitious words from a 22-year-old still looking to establish himself.

But Nemec is entering Calgary with something more dangerous than confidence.

He has a score to settle.

The Devils made their decision. They determined that moving the former second-overall pick was in their best interest.

Nemec now has five years in Calgary to convince them they were wrong.

As the anticipation for the 2026-27 NHL season grows, TheHockeyNews.com will be taking a look at the top 10 prospects in the St. Louis Blues' system, with versatile Swedish forward Milton Gastrin coming in at the seventh spot.

The players in this ranking do not have extensive NHL experience and are all 23 and under. Therefore, players like Jimmy Snuggerud, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Logan Mailloux, among others, won't feature in this ranking for those reasons.

The order of these rankings reflects a mix of their ceilings and potential, as well as how they've performed over the past year with their respective clubs. 

Gastrin and Buchelnikov, two prospects acquired in trades, could have easily been swapped, but Gastrin is just 19 years old and brings a more well-rounded game than Buchelnikov does. 

Gastrin was originally a second-round pick (37th overall) of the Washington Capitals in the 2025 NHL draft. The Blues acquired him, alongside Connor McMichael and a first-round pick, in a deal that sent Jordan Kyrou to the Capitals. 

While McMichael and the first-round pick, which was used to select Maddox Dagenais, feel like the best part of the return, there is a real possibility that Gastrin turns out to be just as important an acquisition as any player in this deal.

Playing in the HockeyAllsvenskan this past season, Gastrin posted 10 goals and 24 points in 39 games with MoDo Hockey. Gastrin signed his entry-level contract with the Capitals last summer and was loaned back to Sweden for the season.

Blues Loan Recently Acquired Forward Back To SHL; Set To Represent Sweden At World Junior Summer ShowcaseSt. Louis Blues prospect Milton Gastrin will be loaned to the SHL for the 2026-27 season and will also represent Sweden at the upcoming World Junior Summer Showcase.

The Blues will do the same, as they have loaned him to Brynas IF, which will be playing in the SHL next year. Gastrin will hopefully be given additional ice time and a bigger role before joining the Springfield Thunderbirds in the AHL to end the season.

Additionally, Gastrin will almost assuredly make Team Sweden's World Junior Championship roster once again, but this time around he'll play a more prominent role.

Gastrin was part of Sweden's gold medal-winning team but played as a depth forward, skating in six games without recording any points. With players like Anton Frondell, Ivar Stenberg, and Viggo Bjorck all possibly playing in the NHL, Sweden will need players like Gastrin to step into bigger roles. 

St. Louis Blues NHL Prospect Rankings: No. 8, Dmitri BuchelnikovComing in at No. 8 on our top 10 St. Louis Blues prospects is a silky Russian winger, Dmitri Buchelnikov.

In all, Gastrin is a two-way center with the versatility to play on the wing. His ability to play center or on the wing will be important as he attempts to crack the Blues' lineup. The Blues aren't short on center prospects, but if Gastrin can play both positions, he'll find time in the lineup eventually.

Offensively, Gastrin is more of a playmaker than a shooter, but with his 6-foot-1 frame, he has shown he can get to dangerous areas of the ice to score as well. 

There's real NHL middle six upside within Gastrin, but it's up to the Blues to get him there.

St. Louis Blues Prospect Rankings:

8. Dmitri Buchelnikov

9. Colin Ralph

10. Aleksanteri Kaskimaki

Honorable Mentions: Love Harenstam, Marcus Gidlof, Juraj Pekarcik, Zach Dean, and Lukas Fischer

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With September almost here, teams around the NHL will soon start signing to players to professional tryout (PTO) agreements.

When looking at free agents left who the Montreal Canadiens should consider signing to a PTO, forward Eeli Tolvanen stands out. 

The Canadiens could use another top-nine winger, and Tolvanen has shown during his career that he can be just that. During this past season with the Seattle Kraken, the 27-year-old winger recorded 12 goals, 36 points, and 187 hits. This was after he scored a career-high 23 goals and recorded 35 points in 81 games with Seattle during the 2024-25 season. He also finished that season with 237 hits.

With numbers like these, Tolvanen would be a very intriguing player for the Canadiens to invite to their training camp on a PTO. In fact, one could argue that it would even make sense for the Canadiens to sign him to a short-term deal without a PTO.

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if the Canadiens make a push for Tolvanen. He could be a nice addition to their roster if they signed him for the season. 

In 423 career NHL games over eight seasons, Tolvanen has posted 92 goals, 98 assists, 190 points, and 985 hits. 

The 2026-27 season is just a month away and for the first time in four years, the Carolina Hurricanes will don't have a certified starter in net.

With the departure of Frederik Andersen, the Hurricanes now have just two netminders left under contract in Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov, neither of which are a surefire bet to take over the net.

More than likely the Hurricanes will go with a 1A/1B split between their two goalies as has been traditionally seen with the way the team treats goaltending, but the question would then be who will be getting the tougher games and eventually the playoff starts.

Here's a look at the Hurricanes two goaltenders:

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Brandon Bussi

2025-26 Stats:
31-6-2; 0.894 Sv%; 2.47 GAA; 2 SO
7.23 Goals Saved Above Average; 0.816 High Danger Save Percentage

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One of the NHL's all-time best stories, Bussi is coming off of a storybook season that saw him breaking records and cementing himself as an everyday NHL goaltender en route to eventually helping the Canes win the Stanley Cup.

The 28-year-old netminder took the hockey world by storm after being initially claimed off of waivers right before the start of the season and after injuries gave him an opportunity, he never looked back.

Now the question is can he do it again?

The biggest skill a goaltender can have is consistency and for every hotshot rookie, there's almost always a sophomore slump waiting.

Bussi isn't your everyday rookie though, given his age and maturity, but now everyone in the league knows about him. There's video on his tendencies and teams may be prepared for the unorthodox southpaw.

But can he now prove that he wasn't a flash in the pan? Only time will tell.

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Pyotr Kochetkov

2025-26 Stats:
6-2-0; 0.899 Sv%; 2.33 GAA; 1 SO
2.62 GSAA; 0.756 HDSv%

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Kochetkov has been in the Hurricanes' goaltending rotation for four seasons now, but after back-to-back years playing 40+ games, the Russian netminder played just nine games in 2025 due to a hip injury that eventually required surgery.

Kochetkov never played another game after that December surgery, although he was an option for the team and even dressed for the final four games of the Stanley Cup Final as a backup.

The 27-year-old netminder has shown flashes of potential throughout his career (His career record of 71-38-12 with a 0.904 Sv% and 11 shutouts is nothing to laugh at), but it's a lack of consistency that has held him back over the years.

Kochetkov is a very aggressive netminder who utilizes his athleticism to make saves and surprise opponents and it's a bit similar to the way Bussi plays as well.

Whether or not that's a blessing or a curse for the team and whether or not Kochetkov can take that next step in his NHL career will be one of the Hurricanes' biggest storylines to watch for this upcoming season.

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In North America, the hockey season is almost here, with NHL training camps and preseason schedules set to begin in the coming weeks. 

Overseas in Europe, though, some leagues are already underway, and one of them, the Czech Extraliga, features a familiar face to Detroit Red Wings fans in defenseman and Michigan native Luke Witkowski.

In a video that circulated widely online, the now 36-year-old defender and part-time right winger was seen tossing around and physically overpowering an opposing player during a game for his new club, HC Kometa Brno, a moment that showed he hasn't lost a step in the physicality department even at his age. Plenty of fans online noted that his brand of grit would be a welcome sight back in Hockeytown.

Witkowski has spent the past several seasons playing overseas after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2008 NHL Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning. He appeared in just 66 games over four seasons with the Bolts, recording seven points and a minus-five rating while spending most of that time in the minors. 

Luke Witkowski se sebou, ani spoluhráči zametat nenechá!#brnenskyhokejpic.twitter.com/wNEGs4pWxM

— Brněnský Hokej (@BrnenskyHokej) August 23, 2026

In fact, the bulk of Witkowski's North American pro career was spent in the AHL, where he built a reputation as a steady stay-at-home defenseman, posting 61 points and a plus-36 rating across 346 games.

The Holland, Michigan native returned to his home state for the 2017-18 season after serving as captain of Tampa Bay's AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. He went on to play 65 games over the next two seasons with his home-state Red Wings, recording six points and a minus-six rating in what stood as the longest NHL stretch of his career, mostly as a seventh defenseman.

He built a reputation as a physical presence who dropped the gloves regularly when he was in the lineup, and the biggest moment of his NHL career came in a brawl with Matthew Tkachuk and the Calgary Flames, one that ultimately landed him a ten-game suspension.

Red Wings’ Luke Witkowski suspended 10 games for role in brawl with Flames.https://t.co/BIyVvuM0vspic.twitter.com/X1r2XeRVlU

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 16, 2017

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He bounced back to Tampa Bay before returning to Detroit's organization for the 2021-22 season, spending most of that year with the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL, where he posted seven points and a plus-six rating in 44 games. 

That stint didn't last long, though, as Witkowski moved to the St. Louis Blues' AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, before the 2022-23 season became his last in North America. From there, Witkowski headed overseas, first to Finland, where he won a league championship with Tappara Tampere, before spending the past two seasons in Sweden. 

This offseason, he signed with HC Kometa Brno in the Czech Extraliga, bringing his physical, veteran presence to a new league, one where, as the viral clip showed, he's already making his grit known.

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The Carolina Hurricanes have barely finished celebrating their Stanley Cup win before attention shifted to next season, with sportsbooks already posting early odds for 2026-27.

As is always the case with markets this far out, some numbers track with expectations while others are bound to raise eyebrows around the league. This time, it's happening with the Winnipeg Jets. After missing the playoffs for just the second time in the last nine seasons, the sportsbooks are already counting them out, drawing much of the skepticism.

Winnipeg enters the summer with some of the least favorable odds in the entire Western Conference, listed at +15000 to win the Stanley Cup, tied with the Detroit Red Wings for the 25th-best odds in the league, a number that places them firmly outside the group of teams sportsbooks view as legitimate contenders.

The Jets find themselves just inside the top ten for odds to win the West at +5000, behind teams like the LA Kings and San Jose Sharks but ahead of the likes of the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators. 

The Central Division is routinely producing Cup contenders, and next season is no different, with the Jets' journey back to reclaiming the division title appearing to be an uphill battle. Winnipeg is listed at +3000 odds, ranking fifth in the division behind the Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars, and surprisingly behind the Utah Mammoth as well.

Winnipeg also sits at +17500 to win the Presidents' Trophy, tied for the seventh-worst odds in the entire league, a surprising number given the Jets took home that very award just two seasons ago.

There is at least one line that offers a nod to hockey's homeland, one where Winnipeg benefits collectively rather than individually. The market pricing a Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup sits at +425, making it likely the best way to back the Jets or any of the other Canadian clubs, like the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs or Edmonton Oilers, who could join Winnipeg in the chase to bring the Cup back home.

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The NHL appears headed for more expansion. In an exclusive interview with David Alter of The Hockey News, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said that the league's newest franchise could "be able to begin play as early as the 2029-30 season." While the exact destination has not yet been determined, Daly listed Houston as the priority market and Austin as an alternative.

With a new franchise on the way, the NHL will be preparing for another expansion draft. While the expansion draft is still a few years away, it is never too early to look at which players might be protected in the process. Here is what the Vancouver Canucks protected list could look like. 

Before diving in, here is a quick reminder of the 2021 expansion draft rules as per the NHL: 

• NHL teams can protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie, or eight skaters (forwards/defensemen) and one goalie

• All players with no movement clauses at the time of the draft, and who decline to waive those clauses, must be protected and will be counted toward their team's applicable protection limits.
• All first- and second-year professionals, and all unsigned draft choices, will be exempt from selection and will not be counted toward protection limits.
• In addition, all NHL teams must meet the following minimum requirements regarding players exposed for selection in the draft:
• One defenseman who is a) under contract in 2021-22 and b) played in at least 40 NHL games the prior season or played in at least 70 NHL games in the prior two seasons.
• Two forwards who are a) under contract in 2021-22 and b) played at least 40 NHL games the prior season or played in at least 70 NHL games in the prior two seasons.
• One goalie who is under contract in 2021-22 or will be a restricted free agent at the end of his current contract immediately prior to 2021-22. If a team elects to make a restricted free agent goalie available to meet this requirement, that goalie must have received his qualifying offer prior to the submission of the team's protected list.
• Players with potential career-ending injuries who have missed more than the previous 60 consecutive games (or who otherwise have been confirmed to have a career-threatening injury) may not be used to satisfy a team's player exposure requirements unless approval is received from the NHL. Such players also may be deemed exempt from selection.

Based on the rules of the last expansion draft and Vancouver's current contract situation, the only player who needs protection is center Elias Pettersson. This is because he has a no-movement clause for the 2029-30 season. The only way around exposing Pettersson if he is still with the team is if the Swedish center waives his no-movement clause. 

As for the most likely candidates to be protected, they are all currently part of the young core. This includes Zeev Buium, Tom Willander, defenceman Elias Pettersson, Marco Rossi, Braeden Cootes, Liam Öhgren and Nikita Tolopilo. None of these players are currently signed for the 2029-30 season, but they are projected to be part of the roster. 

Shifting to the experienced players, Brock Boeser, Jake DeBrusk, Filip Hronek, and Kevin Lankinen are all signed for the 2029-30 campaign but have no-trade clauses. The big debate is whether the organization elects to protect Boeser or Hronek. While both are key members of the team, Hronek is the more likely of the two to be protected. 

Based on the projected roster and current contracts, Vancouver will most likely use eight skaters and one goaltender. Once again, this list assumes the same rules as the 2021 expansion draft. Below is the potential protected list. 

Projected Vancouver Canucks 2029 Expansion Draft Protected List:

Forwards:

Elias Pettersson
Marco Rossi
Braeden Cootes
Liam Öhgren

Defenceman:

Filip Hronek
Zeev Buium
Tom Willander
Elias Pettersson

Goaltender:

Nikita Tolopilo

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Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson’s stock has risen over the last few seasons,  propelling Team USA to a gold medal at the 2025 World Championships with an overtime goal, being part of Team USA’s Olympic gold medal victory in Milano-Cortina in February, and being a big part of helping the Sabres snap their 15-year playoff drought, leading the club with 81 points last season, winning the Atlantic Division, and advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In NHL Network’s annual ranking of the league’s best centers, Thompson finished 19th in the top 20. Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Macklin Celebrini, Leon Draisaitl, and Aleksander Barkov were the top five. Former Sabre captain Jack Eichel was ranked sixth, and Atlantic Division rivals Auston Matthews (8th), Nick Suzuki (9th), Tim Stutzle (13th), Brayden Point (17th), and Dylan Larkin (20th) were also on the list.   

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“(Thompson) reminds me of [Mario] Lemieux,” NHL Network’s EJ Hradek said.  “He’s a big, long player that can play with skill and can drag that puck in and can shoot it from a lot of different places, holding the stick at different angles, so just a terrific player.”

The former St. Louis Blues first rounder was acquired in the Ryan O’Reilly trade in 2018 and after three seasons of struggling with injury, has become one of the NHL’s most  consistent scorers. After notching 38 goals in 2021-22, the Sabres signed the Arizona native to a seven-year, $50 million contract, which in retrospect has been one of the best decisions the organization has made. Thompson has followed that year up with 160 goals over the last four seasons, including a career-high 47 in 2022-23. 

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Detroit Red Wings teammates Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider were recently included in rankings of the NHL's top 20 wingers and defensemen, respectively.

Now, their current - and potentially soon-to-be-former - teammate, Dylan Larkin, has also been included in a top-20 ranking.

Larkin came in at No. 20 in a recent ranking of the NHL's top 20 centers:

Dylan Larkin (@DetroitRedWings) kicks off NHL Network's Top 20 Centers Right Now list!

📺: #NHLTopPlayers on NHL Network pic.twitter.com/xl1MaXHAmC

— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) August 23, 2026

Larkin, who has skated for Detroit since 2015-16, is coming off his fifth straight season of scoring at least 30 goals. He also helped Team USA win the gold medal for the first time in over 40 years earlier this spring in the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

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

However, Larkin is in the midst of a standoff with the Red Wings after requesting a trade and limiting the number of destinations to which he would accept a trade to just three.

Red Wings' Lucas Raymond Included In NHL's List Of Top 20 Wingers In a recent ranking, Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond was named among the top 20 wingers in the NHL.

Right now, the Red Wings are also in the midst of a leadership transition following the news last month that Steve Yzerman vacated his role as general manager; right now, there is no official timeline as to when a new GM will be named.

The first matter of business that Detroit's eventual new general manager will have to confront is figuring out Larkin's situation and potentially seeing if there is an avenue for reconciliation, or to convince him to expand his trade destination list.

The Red Wings begin Training Camp for the upcoming 2026-27 NHL season on Sept. 17.

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The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, and the organization’s developmental model has begun to yield results, with 2023 first rounder Zach Benson making an impact in the playoffs, and 2024 top pick Konsta Helenius appearing as one of the AHL’s top prospects the last two seasons.  

Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. These players are all 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 82 NHL games. 

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16. Samuel Meloche - Goalie (Rouyn-Noranda - QMJHL)

The Sabres continued their practice of selecting goalies, but after taking Topias Leinonen in 2022, Scott Ratzlaff in 2023, and Ryerson Leenders in 2024, the club selected a pair of netminders at the 2025 NHL Draft. With their seventh round pick, they took Belarusian Yevgeni Prokhorov, who has a longer development window in the KHL, but with the second to two fourth-round picks, Buffalo selected QMJHL goalie Samuel Meloche.

The 19-year-old broke into the Q with Rouyn-Noranda as a 16-year-old, and leading into his draft year played 51 games for the Huskies, posting an excellent 30-14-6 record. In the playoffs, he went 8-5-0, leading Rouyn-Noranda to the QMJHL semi-final, where they lost to Moncton in a four-game sweep.

Last season, he again reached the 50-game mark, going 33-13-3, with a 2.75 GAA and .897 save %, which earned him an invitation from Team Canada for the World Junior Summer Showcase in Windsor earlier this month. 

Meloche is battling Lucas Beckman and William Lacelle as the backup to likely starter Jack Ivankovic, and will be heading back to the QMJHL to play for the Saint John Sea Dogs. Like many CHL prospects, he will be heading to the NCAA and is committed to play for Northeastern in 2027.  

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Former New York Islanders forward Matthew Maggio has signed with the KHL's Salavat Yualev.  

I’m told that former #Isles F Matthew Maggio has signed a one-year deal with KHL’s Salavat Yulaev.

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) August 24, 2026

Maggio, 23, was selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft by the New York Islanders and became a fan favorite during his three-plus seasons with the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey League.

In 187 games in Bridgeport, Maggio recorded 35 goals with 46 assists for 81 points, serving as a leader through some dark times for the club's AHL affiliate. 

Maggio was an expiring restricted free agent but was not tenured a qualifying offer.