The St. Louis Blues have reportedly tried to trade for a big-name player, as Jeff Marek reports that they attempted to acquire Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson, but the player was not willing to sign with the Blues.
Marek mentioned that the Blues offered a package that included multiple first-round picks, but the deal did not go through because Robertson preferred not to sign in St. Louis.
This report comes after Elliotte Friedman revealed that the Seattle Kraken had a trade in place for Robertson and had offered him an eight-year, $15 million contract, but they, too, were denied.
Frank Seravalli also mentioned that the Toronto Maple Leafs attempted to be involved in the Kraken-Stars deal by offering Matthew Knies to the Stars in hopes of landing the Kraken’s seventh-overall pick.
Robertson has reportedly turned down offers from the Blues and Kraken and has also told the Ottawa Senators he would not be willing to sign there.
The 26-year-old has also declined offers from the Stars, but those contract offers were likely less than what the Blues and Kraken could offer.
Following Robertson’s denial, several reports link the Blues to Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish. The Ducks are looking for a first-round pick, and Pierre LeBrun has noted that both the Blues and New York Rangers have submitted offers to the Ducks.
GM Doug Armstrong has mentioned that they might not sit on their first four round picks, and as the draft inches closer, Armstrong’s activity on the trade market ramps up.
Earlier today, Andy Strickland reported that the Blues are looking to move up in the draft, potentially as high as second overall.
Lots of moving parts and plenty of action are expected to come from the Blues.
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With the league moving to 84 regular season games, the preseason is cut down to just four games. In which case, most NHL clubs will host two games and have two road games.
That is the case with the Predators, as they have two home-and-home series against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes.
The first game is set to be on Sept. 20 at 4:00 p.m. CT against the Lightning on the road. They will then host them at home on Sept. 22 at 7:00 p.m. CT.
Their two games against the Hurricanes are the same setup. They will play a game on the road on Sept. 24 at 6:00 p.m. CT and their last game is set for Sept. 26th at home at 2:00 p.m. CT.
This is the first big step in the offseason. Preseason schedules are always released ahead of the NHL Draft. Which kicks off tomorrow night, June 26.
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If new reports come to fruition, the Philadelphia Flyers could be down another important trade target at the center position without ever getting greatly involved in the matter.
Based on what was already reported throughout the week, the Flyers have some degree of interest in centers Shane Wright, Mason McTavish, Dylan Cozens, Ridly Greig, and Shane Pinto, though they aren't the only ones, and no such trades have been either way so far.
However, when it comes to McTavish, a division rival has entered the chat and is pushing to get a trade over the line.
According to ESPN NHL insider Emily Kaplan, the Anaheim Ducks are weighing two offers for the 2021 No. 3 overall pick at the moment, including one from the Flyers' Metropolitan Division rival New York Rangers.
The other offer could always be the Flyers, of course, but their interest in McTavish in recent weeks has felt lukewarm at best.
McTavish, 23, has five seasons remaining on his new contract at a $7 million cap hit, and it's worth noting that he regressed from a promising 52-point campaign in 2024-25 to just 41 last season: a full-season career-low.
The Flyers have already experienced some success by buying low on former top Ducks draft picks and giving them free rein and opportunity in Philadelphia.
Trevor Zegras looks like a whole new player, and Jamie Drysdale, who was widely considered a bust or trending towards one when the Flyers picked him up, has blossomed into a perfectly viable second-pair puck-mover.
It should go without saying that the Flyers are aware of the success they have had in that vein to this point, though the NHL trade market this year largely favors sellers, and the Flyers are trying to buy, not sell.
Among the Flyers' top trade chips are their glut of wingers and veteran defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (the Ducks have no RHD under contract for the 2026-27 season), though it is unclear how valuable those pieces are relative to the market right now.
As for the Rangers, it is assumed that 24-year-old right-shot defenseman Braden Schneider, a pending RFA, could be one such target for the Ducks as they attempt to take McTavish off the market.
Like the Flyers, the Rangers and Ducks have an open dialogue for trade talks, too.
This time last year, longtime Rangers forward Chris Kreider was a new face joining the Ducks, and Jacob Trouba was traded for Urho Vaakanainen and a 2025 fourth-round pick in Dec. 2024.
Ultimately, it may come down to the Rangers' trade offer appealing to the Ducks more, whatever it includes, whereas the Flyers seem content staying out of any trade scenarios that they would clearly lose on paper.
The Rangers are set to make more than one pick during Day 1 of the NHL draft Friday for the first time since they won the lottery in 2020.
With 11 total selections over the next two days, the Blueshirts interviewed upwards of 70 players at the NHL combine earlier this month for what could be the organization’s largest draft class in more than two decades.
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Fifth overall was the lowest the Rangers could’ve drawn in this year’s draft lottery after finishing tied for the third-worst points percentage in the NHL. Replenishing their prospect cupboard must be a priority in this retool. The first pick they make should be of consequence next season.
Chase Reid impressed many teams in more ways than one, including the Rangers. One source compared the Michigan State commit’s personality and demeanor to Matthew Schaefer, the first overall pick last year by the Islanders who captured the hearts of all hockey fans on and off the ice.
If Reid falls to No. 5, the Rangers will likely pounce, but there is no guarantee he will still be available at that point.
While some predict the Canucks will take Caleb Malhotra at No. 3, having his father, Manny, serve as head coach may be more of a deterrent than an incentive. Still, most projections have Malhotra going within the first four selections.
Chase Reid attends the 2026 NHL Draft Top Prospects Media Availability on June 25, 2026 at the New Era Cap World Headquarters in Buffalo, New York. Getty Images
Even if Malhotra is available for the Rangers, word is they are higher on other players.
The more likely skaters to still be options at No. 5 are a trio of defensemen: Keaton Verhoeff, Carson Carels and Alberts Smits. Scouts say the 6-foot-3, 209-pound Smits is one of the most NHL-ready blueliners available in the draft, which should be enticing to the Rangers.
Verhoeff was the youngest defenseman in college hockey this past season and turned 18 just last week, but the righty shot is lauded for his presence and quiet confidence. In his freshman season at the University of North Dakota, Verhoeff was a top four defenseman, quarterbacked the power play and was one of the team’s leaders in ice time.
Keaton Verhoeff attends the 2026 NHL Draft Top Prospects Media Availability on June 25, 2026. NHLI via Getty Images
“I was really impressed with his ability to compete physically,” UND head coach Dane Jackson told The Post in a recent phone interview. “And then also his ability to adapt and figure out and adapt his game to probably just be a little more efficient and move pucks a little bit quicker than he had to in junior hockey.”
Committed to UND for the 2026-27 season, Carels put up 20 goals and 73 points in 58 games with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League.
The left-handed defenseman grew up working on his family farm just outside of Cypress River in Manitoba, Canada. Concerns over his ability to flourish in an overwhelming city like New York are warranted and will likely be taken into consideration, but he is said to have a well-rounded two-way game already that could outweigh any apprehension.
“I think Carson’s got a real edge to his game,” Jackson said. “Kind of an old-school type of physicality and kind of hardness that he competes with. Those are always nice defensemen to have in front of your net when you have guys that are punishing the opposition.”
It’s unclear if the fifth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft or Braden Schneider is involved in the trade.
MacTavish, a 23-year-old center, is coming off a season with the Ducks in which he recorded 17 goals, 24 assists, and 41 points in 75 games, while averaging 15:19 minutes.
It’s never too early to start thinking about next hockey season.
Sure, the Stanley Cup Final ended less than two weeks ago, and the new league year has yet to arrive, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start looking ahead to when NHL players will be back on the ice battling one another.
On Thursday, the Florida Panthers announced their 4-game 2026 preseason schedule.
Unlike in past years, the NHL shrunk its preseason schedule to just four games to accommodate for the league expanding the regular season schedule to 84 games.
What that means for the Panthers is that they will be facing only two teams in those four games, and since both are geographically close to the Cats, there is quite a bit of familiarity with each of them.
Florida’s preseason slate will begin on Sunday, Sept. 20 when they host the Carolina Hurricanes at Amerant Bank Anena.
Two nights later, the Panthers will travel up to Raleigh for a rematch with the Canes at Lenovo Center.
Later that week, Florida will make a stop at Benchmark International Arena for a matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night.
The Panthers will then wrap up their exhibition slate against the Lightning back in Sunrise on Saturday, Sept. 26.
As many of you will recall, the Panthers and Lightning wrapped up the 2025 preseason by facing each other three consecutive games; one in Orlando, one in Tampa and one in Sunrise.
After a fairly mild first night in Orlando, things went a little bonkers during the final two games.
During the second-to-last game in Tampa, the Panthers and Lightning combined for 186 penalty minutes.
That might seem like a lot, but then two nights later in Sunrise the Cats and Bolts took things up a few notches, ultimately being called for an eye-popping 322 penalty minutes throughout the course of the evening.
We’ll see if we get any kind of a repeat performance this year, but the schedule-makers sure put the bitter rivals in a position to continue their penalty box-filling tradition.
Photo caption: Oct 2, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Luke Kunin (71) and Tampa Bay Lightning center Jack Finley (62) lock up in the third period at Benchmark International Arena. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
Horvat, who is entering the fourth season of an eight-year deal worth $8.5 million annually, is the Islanders' No. 1 defenseman who has a full no-trade clause and no interest in leaving town.
Seravalli points out that while a deal is not done, it's a name to keep an eye out for in a potential trade with the Rangers.
McTavish is coming off a season where he had 17 goals and 24 assists (41 points) in 75 games. He helped Anaheim make it to the postseason before they were ousted by the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs. In 10 postseason games, he posted six points (one goal, five assists).
The Ducks drafted McTavish third overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, but he is coming off a down year after his career-best 2024-25 season. That season, he posted 52 points on 22 goals and 30 assists, all career highs.
Multiple reports say that the Ducks are weighing offers from two teams for McTavish. The Rangers being one and, according to The Athletic's Scott Wheeler, the Ottawa Senators being the other.
Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville speaks to the media during his 2025-26 exit interview.
The Ducks have signed one of their pending RFAs to an extension. However, it wasn’t one of the players that the fanbase has been clamoring for general manager Pat Verbeek to lock down long-term.
On Thursday afternoon, the Ducks announced that they had signed defenseman Ian Moore to a two-year contract extension. Per PuckPedia, his AAV is $1.15 million. Moore was a 10.2c free agent, meaning he was not eligible for an offer sheet.
Moore played in three NHL games at the end of the 2024-25 season, first joining the San Diego Gulls in the AHL on an amateur tryout (ATO) after the conclusion of his collegiate season with Harvard. He played in nine AHL games before signing his entry-level contract (ELC) with the Ducks.
This past season, Moore began the year as the Ducks’ seventh defenseman. He made his first appearance of the season against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 19, acting as a forward/defenseman hybrid after head coach Joel Quenneville opted to roll an 11/7 lineup. Following Radko Gudas’ lower-body injury a few games later, Moore began playing regularly on the backend.
Once Gudas returned, Quenneville continued to play Moore, although it was mostly as a fourth line winger. He cited Moore’s intelligence several times throughout the season as the reasoning behind deploying him in this fashion over natural forward options like Ryan Strome.
Mar 12, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Ian Moore (3) carries the puck against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
After John Carlson was acquired from the Washington Capitals in March, Moore rarely saw time on the blue line. His one opportunity came on Apr. 1 against the San Jose Sharks, playing with Carlson on his off-side. It was a tough game for Moore, who struggled defensively and had a couple of back-breaking turnovers. After that game, he returned to the fourth line.
In the first round of the playoffs, he formed an unorthodox checking line with Jeff Viel and Tim Washe, working to shut down Connor McDavid any chance they got. They did their job well, keeping McDavid at bay.
During the Ducks’ second round series against the Vegas Golden Knights, Drew Helleson suffered a groin strain, which required Moore to hop back on defense, with Gudas also out with a sprained ankle. He worked fairly well with Olen Zellweger as the Ducks’ bottom pair after not playing defense for 20-odd games.
Next season, Moore is expected to have a full-time role on the blue line. The possibility of John Carlson, Jacob Trouba and Gudas all hitting the open market leaves Moore, Helleson and Tristan Luneau as the next right-handed options on the depth chart. Barring any offseason additions, it’s a good opportunity for Moore to have. His contract extension is good value for both parties.
On Thursday, the New Jersey Devils made their second trade of the day when they acquired defenseman Declan Chisholm from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
Just like the first trade, this move for Chisholm is Sunny Mehta's way of turning a lottery ticket into a more well-known commodity. Chisholm is not a star, but he has the tools to be a third-pair defenseman if the Devils find themselves in need of some depth.
Chisholm was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in the 5th round (160th overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft. He was a part of two NHL seasons with them before two with the Minnesota Wild, and one with the Washington Capitals.
In his only season with Washington, Chisholm played in 26 games. He had one goal and six assists from the back-end in those games. He wanted more of an opportunity to play in the NHL, so the Capitals traded him away.
It isn't certain that he will get big minutes with New Jersey, either, but they have shown an interest in him by acquiring him using a draft pick. The Utica Comets are also looking for help with depth after a lowly 2025-26 season.
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The player empowerment era that has arrived in the NHL represents a test of the hypothesis the Islanders have spent the last year restating in various forms.
They have Matthew Schaefer. They have UBS Arena. They have proximity to New York City without the bright lights and media scrutiny of Broadway.
For much of the franchise’s history, the Islanders have been treated around the league as the Rangers’ ugly stepbrother, the opposite of a destination franchise. Can that change now, when the answer to that question carries serious ramifications?
The answer will dictate so much in the long term. The Islanders need to both build around Schaefer and, eventually, avoid ending up in the same situation with him as Ottawa and Detroit did with their franchise cornerstones. How much of that process is able to take place this summer, though, is less clear.
The Islanders are looking to build around their young start Mathew Schaefer to show they’re team can be a destination spot for other big names, The Post’s Ethan Sears writes. Noah K. Murray for New York Post
Predicting who that will be as late as 13th overall is a fool’s errand, but players such as winger Ethan Belchetz, center Tynan Lawrence, defenseman Ryan Lin or winger Wyatt Cullen could be in range.
It seems worth highlighting, though, that the pick is Darche’s most easily tradeable high-end asset, should the chance arise.
In an offseason that so far has seen Brady Tkachuk and Jordan Kyrou — linked to the Islanders ahead of the last trade deadline — traded, Dylan Larkin request a trade and rumors surround fellow Team USA Olympians Connor Hellebuyck and Zach Werenski, the Islanders have mostly been on the periphery of all the noise.
Darche’s two-pronged strategy of trying to make the playoffs and compete as the old guard cycles out — including captain Anders Lee, who, with whatever caveats you want to throw at it, appears likely to hit free agency July 1 — while keeping the prospects who should form the nucleus of a Cup contender a few years down the line means that he must pick his spots carefully.
The Islanders general manager, though, has said publicly he doesn’t find the free agent class appealing. He has some cap space to work with — $10 million to $15 million depending on how creatively you account for it — and plenty of holes to fill on a roster crying out for help on the right side of its blue line and more scoring on its wings.
Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche said he isn’t a big fan of this year’s NHL free agent class. Robert Sabo for New York Post
There doesn’t seem to be an obvious star for the Islanders to target in a trade, especially with Kyrou now off the board, but Brayden Schenn was not an obvious target when Darche dealt for him at the trade deadline either. By the way, here was Schenn the very next day, talking about the leaguewide perception of the Islanders:
“When superstars in the league are good guys that take care of their teammates, guys are only gonna want to be around him and guys are only gonna want to come to the New York Islanders in the future just because of his talent and character.”
At least for the last few years, the trend has been that, though the Islanders aren’t a destination per se, once players come, they don’t want to leave. Listen to how Schenn, Bo Horvat, Kyle Palmieri, JG Pageau, Tony DeAngelo and even David Rittich have talked about the place.
Schaefer’s singular brilliance can be what moves the perception up a level and makes Long Island a place players ask — no, demand — to go. The Rangers have been making noise for two years about trying to attract Connor McDavid, sounding not unlike the Knicks circa 2010, deluding themselves into thinking LeBron James would ride into Madison Square Garden on a white horse.
Why shouldn’t the Islanders, who can offer McDavid a better hockey situation and less of a daily spotlight, quietly hope he’ll hear their pitch?
Granted, that is a question for after Mike Babcock flames out in Edmonton.
As for the matter of how the Islanders will fit into the flurry of activity leading into Friday, it is a question of opportunity and salesmanship.
Oct 5, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Detroit Red Wings forward Amadeus Lombardi (78) pursues the play against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
It’s draft season, so there are some moves and the Devils made a couple of them, first acquiring 23-year-old center Amadeus Lombardi from the Detroit Red Wings for the Devils 4th round selection in the 2026 NHL entry draft.
🚨 TRADE ALERT 🚨
We’ve acquired Amadeus Lombardi from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for our fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. pic.twitter.com/46te2tnVW7
Lombardi has been nearly a point-per-game player for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL for the past two seasons. My initial reaction is this is a smart gamble. Fourth round picks rarely materialize and clearly the Devils see something in Lombardi, who would be competing for a bottom 6 center role in camp this year. The Devils need center depth and they obtained that in this move for minimal cost.
[Lombardi] has consistently posted strong play-driving results in all three zones and is known for his two-way play and attention to detail. Still only 21, he continues to fly under the radar in fantasy circles, though that will change when he starts to see reps in a Red Wings uniform in the near future.
All good things. Welcome to the Devils, Amadeus.
For a good read on Lombardi’s statlines, please check out Andrew Streitel’s article reviewing his season on Grand Rapids Griffin’s site.
Devils Acquire Chisholm
Later in the day, the Devils also acquired left-handed defenseman Declan Chisholm for a 2027 fourth round pick.
🚨 TRADE ALERT 🚨
We’ve acquired Declan Chisholm from the Washington Capitals in exchange for our fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. pic.twitter.com/uW3i7TkvcD
The 26-year-old defender scored a goal and six assists in 26 games for the Capitals last season. Chisholm has played a combined 125 NHL games for the Capitals, Wild, and Jets over the past several seasons.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are on the board with their first trade of the summer, acquiring veteran winger Valeri Nichushkin from the Colorado Avalanche for three draft picks a day before the 2026 NHL Draft.
Nichushkin, 31, was acquired for a 2026 second-round pick (43rd overall) plus the Blue Jackets' 2027 third-round pick and 2028 fifth-round pick. The Russian winger, who is 6 feet 4 and 210 pounds, has experience playing a top-six role and helped the Avalanche win the 2022 Stanley Cup.
He has also totaled 357 points in 627 career games with 154 goals and 203 assists for the Avalanche (2019-26) and Dallas Stars (2013-19). Nichushkin has also scored 41 career power-play goals, 24 game-winning goals and six short-handed goals while averaging 16:25 in ice time.
This past season, he finished with 17 goals, 32 assists and 49 points in 72 games with a +9 plus/minus rating in 17:44 of ice time per game.
"Valeri is a big, strong forward who skates exceptionally well, can score goals, win puck battles and doesn’t shy away from playing in the hard areas,” Blue Jackets president/general manager Don Waddell said in a statement. “He is an accomplished two-way player who competes at a high level and we are very excited to welcome him to the Blue Jackets family."
Nichushkin didn't cost Waddell a first-round pick, so he could still package the 14th overall pick in this year's draft to add another experienced forward while preparing to lose captain Boone Jenner and left wing Mason Marchment as free agents.
The risk with the Nichushkin is off the ice, where personal issues have landed him in the NHL Players' Association Player Assistance Program twice, including the second stint reaching Stage 3 on May 13, 2024 to prompt a minimum six-month suspension without pay for violating terms of his treatment plan established in Stage 2 earlier the same season.
The Stage 3 suspension was revealed by the NHL and NHLPA prior to Game 4 of the Avalanche's second-round series, which they trailed 2-1 against the Stars. Neither the league nor NHLPA revealed the cause for the suspension, but it triggered the third of only four stages to the jointly run program.
Should Nichushkin violate the terms of his Stage 3 treatment plan, Stage 4 includes a mandatory one-year suspension without pay and does not include a guarantee of reinstatement to play. While suspended, players in the NHL/NHLPA program still count toward the NHL's salary-cap system unless they're placed on long-term injured reserve for a separate reason.
Nichushkin was also involved with an off-ice issue prior to Game 3 of the Avalanche's 2023 playoff series against the Seattle Kraken. He missed the final five games for what the team described as "personal reasons," but a report by The Athletic cited a Seattle police report that said an Avalanche team physician discovered a highly intoxicated woman in Nichushkin's hotel room.
It was determined the woman was too intoxicated to leave the hotel via taxi or ride-share service, so she was taken to a hospital by ambulance. Nichushkin's agent, Mark Gandler, was quoted in the article and denied his client's involvement, but Nichushkin was the only Avalanche player listed by name in the police report.
That incident didn't lead to Nichushkin re-entering the NHL/NHLPA program, but he did miss the remainder of that series. In the past two years, Nichushkin hasn't triggered Stage 4 of the treatment program and has maintained a significant role in Colorado's lineup.
He has four years left on a contract with a $6.125 million cap charge and 12-team, no-trade clause. Should he steer clear of trouble and arrive in Columbus motivated, Nichushkin could provide a boost to the Blue Jackets' possession metrics, power play and scoring.
Luke Tuch's time with the Montreal Canadiens organization has come to a close.
TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported that the Canadiens have traded Tuch to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Hunter McKown.
Tuch was selected by the Canadiens with the 47th overall pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. After finishing his collegiate career with Boston University, Tuch spent each of the last three seasons down in the AHL with the Laval Rocket.
In 114 games over three seasons with Laval, Tuch posted 15 goals, 13 assists, 28 points, and 122 penalty minutes. In 68 games this past campaign with the Rocket, he had nine goals, 14 points, and 82 penalty minutes.
As for McKown, he has spent each of the last three seasons in the AHL with the Cleveland Monsters. In 63 games during this past season with Cleveland, he recorded nine goals, 16 assists, and 25 points.
McKown also has NHL experience, as he had two assists in 12 games for the Blue Jackets during the 2022-23. He has not played at the NHL level since that campaign, though.
Overall, this is a minor swap between the Canadiens and Blue Jackets. It will be interesting to see how these two players perform next season with their new teams.
The New Jersey Devils made a small trade on Thursday night. They sent a 2026 fourth-round pick (108th overall) to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for center Amadeus Lombardi.
This is a move that the New Jersey Devils made to add some forward depth to the organization. At 23 years old, Lombardi is still young, but he has yet to make his NHL debut.
🚨 TRADE ALERT 🚨
We’ve acquired Amadeus Lombardi from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for our fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. pic.twitter.com/46te2tnVW7
Lombardi was a fourth-round pick himself in 2022, and he was a high-end offensive producer in the OHL with the Flint Firebirds. Since arriving in the AHL, Detroit has kept him there, and he's gotten progressively more productive as the years have gone on.
He had 26 points as a rookie AHL player in 70 games played during the 2023-24 season. Over the last two years, however, he was much closer to being a point per game player with 82 points in 91 games.
His issue is that he must find ways to play more games without spending time away from the lineup due to injury. Despite those concerns, he has a promising set of skills, and Sunny Mehta is taking a chance on them.
Lombardi very well might get his chance to make his NHL debut at some point with the Devils, but he will certainly be an option for the Utica Comets, too, who are looking to bounce back from a subpar season.
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