The Philadelphia Flyers appear to have made their final roster cut before the end of Saturday afternoon's preseason game against the New Jersey Devils, revealing what could be their final NHL group ahead of opening night.

On Saturday, during the second intermission of the Flyers and Devils game, PuckPedia posted the group of NHL players on waivers.

Included amongst the group is Flyers defenseman Dennis Gilbert, meaning the Flyers are likely to start the 2025-26 regular season with seven defensemen.

Former No. 11 overall pick Victor Soderstrom went unclaimed on waivers.

If the Flyers make no further changes to their roster ahead of opening night, they will start the season with Travis Sanheim, Cam York, Nick Seeler, Jamie Drysdale, Egor Zamula, Adam Ginning, and Noah Juulsen as their seven defenders.

As for the forwards, this all but confirms Nikita Grebenkin caps off his impressive training camp and preseason with an NHL roster spot with the Flyers.

Flyers Reportedly 'Open' to Trading Emil AndraeAfter Emil Andrae failed to make the Philadelphia Flyers roster out of training camp, the team is reportedly open to moving on from the undersized defenseman.

Additionally, provided the Flyers indeed opt to keep him around, top center prospect Jett Luchanko will stick around on the NHL roster again, just as he did last year.

Latvian forward Rodrigo Abols, who is playing on a line with Luchanko in Saturday's preseaosn game against the Devils, appears to have made the final cut as well.

Although unlikely, the Flyers can still choose to bring players back from the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms and/or send Luchanko to the OHL Guelph Storm, but, as it stands, the Flyers have unofficially confirmed their roster to start the regular season.

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- It’s one final opportunity for those in the St. Louis Blues lineup on Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks to make a lasting impression before opening night lineups need to be submitted.

The Blues (1-3-1) and Blackhawks (2-3-0) will close the preseason at 6 p.m. (stlblues.com, Blues app, ESPN 101.1-FM) from United Center in Chicago before it all gets underway on Thursday against the Minnesota Wild.

Guys that will be in the lineup tonight looking to make that impression include Alexandre Texier, Milan Lucic, Dalibor Dvorsky, Otto Stenberg, Hunter Skinner and Leo Loof before decisions are made.

“See guys grab a spot,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “For some of the guys, it’s their last impression to make the team.”

One to keep an eye on is Texier, who is on the fringe despite being on an NHL contract, in the final year of a two-year, $4.2 million contract signed before being acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets prior to last season.

And the word that keeps coming up when talking about Texier: consistency.

“I thought in camp like Day 1 was really good. Day 2 wasn’t as good as Day 1,” Montgomery said. “I talked to him about consistency. It’s always been something that needs for everybody’s game, but his game since he’s been a Blue, consistency game in game out, what we can expect. And then I thought the first game he played in Columbus, I thought he was good. And then the last game that he played, he played on a line with him and I think (Mathieu) Joseph was at center and Lucic I think was the line. They didn’t have a real center, so tonight he’s playing with (Pius) Suter and (Jordan) Kyrou, so it’s a good opportunity for him tonight.

“You can say part of it is he hasn’t played a stretch of 10 games in a row. That could be it. But it’s up to players to earn the opportunity to play 10 games in a row, and unfortunately last year when he was on a good run, both times, one right before Christmas and one right before we came back from 4 Nations, unfortunately he fell ill and it cost him an opportunity to stay in the lineup.”

Texier knows tonight will be important for him.

“You’ve just got to play the same way every single night, no matter what, and that’s what I’m trying to do, play the same way and be consistent,” Texier said. “… You’ve just go to play the same way and be consistent no matter with you you play. I’m just going to try and play my game. It’s the last game of preseason. I know I’ve got to have a good one.

“In this league, you go up and down. Things can change quick. You just focus on your game and try to bring your best with your line that you’re playing with that night.”

When Texier is at his best, Montgomery said he’s “Dynamic, incredible puck protection, speed in transition offensively and defensively and someone that just wins a lot of puck battles when he’s on top of his game. It’s very noticeable.

“I think he can fit any line role when he’s on top of his game. He’s scored goals on the first line last year, he’s scored goals on the third line and fourth line. He’s just a dynamic, talented player that hopefully he gets that confidence and is able to do some of those things that we’re hoping for.”

Texier had just 11 points (six goals, five assists) in 31 games, his first with the Blues.

“It’s in the past,” Texier said. “It was a tough season. I don’t want to look back. It’s a new season, I’m fresh and I’m ready to go.”

- - -

For a guy like Stenberg, who is likely to play in Springfield of the American Hockey League this season, it’s been a really strong camp, his first in St. Louis.

“Real smart hockey player,” Montgomery said. “I think someone that the more you’re around him as a coach, you become trustworthy with them because he’s very intelligent and picks up how we want to play, picks up nuances of the gray area that always exists in a fluid game of hockey. Just a real good hockey player. Now we need to see the consistency as a pro and can he handle the speed, size and strength of the NHL. That’s something if we don’t find it out this year, we’re going to find it out pretty soon.”

It’s been quite the impression from someone transitioning from Europe to North American

“I think it’s been very impressive,” Montgomery said. “Personally I feel like he’s adapted really well as someone coming over. Now maybe a half a year in Springfield helped him adapt and that’s why it’s always smart to come over when you can when the team wants you to come and have an opportunity to be part of the organization as quick as possible.”

- - -

Defenseman Logan Mailloux, who will be paired with Tyler Tucker tonight, will quarterback PP1 for the Blues, which includes Jimmy Snuggerud, Robert Thomas, Texier and Stenberg.

The Blues will head into the season with Cam Fowler and Justin Faulk as their power play quarterbacks, but the thought of an offensive defenseman like Mailloux is an intriguing option if necessary. But not at this moment.

“We want Mailloux to really just focus on being a really good 5-on-5 defenseman, 200-foot defenseman that he has shown at both ends of the ice already. And a penalty killer,” Montgomery said. “We have two veteran defensemen that know … our power play was third in the NHL post-Christmas. We don’t need a lot of tweaks there right now until we see that there may need to be.”

- - -

Blues Projected Lineup:

Jake Neighbours-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggeruid

Alexandre Texier-Pius Suter-Jordan Kyrou

Milan Lucic-Nick Bjugstad-Alexey Toropchenko

Otto Stenberg-Dalibor Dvorsky-Aleksanteri Kaskimaki

Tyler Tucker-Logan Maulloux

Leo Loof-Matthew Kessel

Theo Lindstein-Hunter Skinner

Joel Hofer will start in goal; Colten Ellis will be the backup.

- - -

Blackhawks Roster:

last preseason game before the regular season🤝

🗞️ https://t.co/MvjVtexMr6pic.twitter.com/hmatsPRfE5

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 4, 2025

The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that they are placing former New Jersey Devils defenseman Ryan Graves on waivers. 

In addition to Graves, the Penguins announced that they are also placing Alexander Alexeyev, Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Boko Imama, and Sam Poulin on waivers. 

The following players have been assigned to @WBSPenguins (AHL) training camp:
- Tristan Broz
- Avery Hayes
- Sergei Murashov
- Owen Pickering
Alexander Alexeyev, Ryan Graves, Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Boko Imama and Sam Poulin will be placed on waivers at 2:00 PM and will be assigned…

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 4, 2025

Graves being placed on waivers comes after he had a tough 2024-25 season with the Penguins. In 61 games with Pittsburgh this past campaign, he had one goal, three assists, and a minus-15 rating. This was after he had three goals and 14 points in 70 games with the Penguins in 2023-24.

Graves spent the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons with the Devils and was a key part of their blueline. In 153 games with the Devils over that span, the 6-foot-5 blueliner recorded 14 goals, 40 assists, 54 points, 173 hits, 287 blocks, and a plus-25 rating. This included him scoring six goals and recording a career-high 28 points in 75 games with New Jersey in 2021-22. 

Graves' time with the Devils ended during the 2023 NHL off-season when he signed a six-year, $27 million contract with the Penguins in free agency. Now, he has been placed on waivers ahead of his third season with Pittsburgh and will be looking to get things back on track in 2025-26. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that they are placing former Montreal Canadiens forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard on waivers. 

Harvey-Pinard is one of five players that the Penguins are placing on waivers, as they also announced that Alexander Alexeyev, Ryan Graves, Boko Imama, and Sam Poulin will be hitting the wire. 

The following players have been assigned to @WBSPenguins (AHL) training camp:
- Tristan Broz
- Avery Hayes
- Sergei Murashov
- Owen Pickering
Alexander Alexeyev, Ryan Graves, Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Boko Imama and Sam Poulin will be placed on waivers at 2:00 PM and will be assigned…

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 4, 2025

If Harvey-Pinard clears waivers, the Penguins will officially assign him to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. 

Harvey-Pinard signed a one-year deal with the Penguins in free agency this summer after he did not receive a qualifying offer from the Canadiens. This was after he posted five goals and 19 points in 40 games with the Canadiens' AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket, last season. He also played in one game for the Canadiens in 2024-25, where he was held off the scoresheet.

Harvey-Pinard was selected by the Canadiens with the 201st overall pick of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. In 84 games over four seasons with the Canadiens from 2021-22 to 2024-25, he recorded 17 goals, 14 assists, 31 points, 117 hits, and a plus-3 rating. His best season with the Canadiens was in 2022-23, as he set career highs with 14 goals and 20 points in 34 games. 

The NHL coaching industry is a tough one. Year after year, coaches are fired and hired with alarming regularity. So any time a coach can get a modicum of job security, you can’t fault them for lunging to get it.

In the past few days, the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames re-committed to their coaches by signing them to multi-year contract extensions, but the expectations for Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch and Flames counterpart Ryan Huska are significantly different.

The first Alberta coach to get an extension this week was Huska, who agreed to a two-year contract extension on Thursday. The 50-year-old nearly steered Calgary into a Stanley Cup playoff spot last season, Huska’s second as Flames coach. Huska improved the Flames’ record by three wins in 2024-25, but he’s still very much part of a Calgary franchise that is trying to retool on the fly.

So the expectations for Huska are (a) to keep the Flames competitive, and (b) to integrate Calgary’s young players into the mix and set the table for a new generation of Flames players. He’s now under contract through the 2027-28 campaign, so Huska has a lot of landing strip to get the job done.

Meanwhile, on Friday, Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch got an extension of his own. The 47-year-old received a three-year extension, lasting through the 2028-29 season. Knoblauch has come agonizingly close to guiding the Oilers to a Cup, making it to the Cup final for the past two years.

His job is to win and win now, and he has less time to stick the landing than Huska does. The reality of the coaching profession is such that both Knoblauch and Huska know that failure to improve will almost assuredly cut short their time behind the bench.

That’s the main takeaway here. The history of modern-day coaching at the NHL level is littered with examples of coaches who never fulfill the full term of their contract after being fired by their employer when they are unable to deliver great things. Having the financial security of a long-term extension is great for coaches, but that doesn’t reduce the pressure they face to produce.

There’s always a shiny new coaching toy available for NHL GMs to be intrigued by, and the longer you go without major success as a coach, the easier it is for teams to move on from you.

Time will tell whether the Flames and Oilers were right to extend Huska’s and Knoblauch’s contracts, but handing out an extension tells your players that their coach isn’t a lame-duck coach, and that’s an important message to send in both these examples.

What it doesn’t do, though, is guarantee any one coach they’ll be running things in their current city for the long haul. When you win a Cup, you can assure yourself of regular coaching work for years to come, but even then, some Cup-winning coaches eventually have to move on to a different team.

Coaching is a zero-sum profession that rewards positive results and punishes negative results. Edmonton and Calgary have seen enough positives from Knoblauch and Huska to provide the security every coach is looking for. They now have the assurance they’ll be well-compensated for a good long while, but the day-to-day pressures on them will continue as long as they’re working in that role.

That constant pressure is a built-in part of the job, and if you don’t acclimate well to it, you’re going to be out of work sooner than later. 

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What - Game 6 (1-3-1)
When - 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 4
Where - Bridgestone Arena; Nashville, TN
How to Watch - hurricanes.com (only viewable in the local TV viewing area)    

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The Carolina Hurricanes will be icing nearly their entire main NHL roster tonight in Nashville in their final preseason game of the year.

The Canes have trimmed their roster down to 25 players and the only players who will be sitting out tonight are either guys who have been dealing with injuries (Jaccob Slavin, K'Andre Miller, Jesperi Kotkaniemi) and guys who have a penchant for getting inured (Frederik Andersen).

This game will also be a good measuring stick for Logan Stankoven who will be playing against NHL level competition for the first time since sliding back to center.

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Streaks

• N/A

Milestone Watch

• N/A

Game Notes

• Jalen Chatfield and Pyotr Kochetkov are projected to make their preseason debut's tonight.
• Jaccob Slavin and K'Andre Miller, who both entered camp with injuries, will not play a preseason game before kicking off their 2025-26 seasons.

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Key Matchups

Projected Starting Goalies

• Pyotr Kochetkov - Preseason Debut

Power Play

• Carolina - 8.7% (2/23)

Penalty Kill

• Carolina - 80.95% (17/21)

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Hurricanes Projected Lineup

Nikolaj Ehlers - Sebastian Aho - Seth Jarvis
Andrei Svechnikov - Logan Stankoven - Jackson Blake
Jordan Martinook - Jordan Staal - William Carrier
Taylor Hall - Mark Jankowski - Eric Robinson

Alexander Nikishin - Jalen Chatfield
Shayne Gostisbehere - Sean Walker
Mike Reilly - Charles Alexis Legault

Pyotr Kochetkov
Cayden Primeau

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Predators Projected Lineup

*Not yet posted*

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Recent Articles

From the Rink to the Screen: Seth Jarvis Opens Up About Mental Health, Roots and More In Faceoff: Inside the NHL DebutWhen Seth Jarvis was skating as a kid at his hometown rink in Winnipeg, he dreamed of playing in the NHL, Game 7s and raising a Stanley Cup.

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'He's Getting By Now On Just Pure Talent': Communication Still Area Of Concern For Hurricanes Coaching Staff, Rookie Blueliner Alexander Nikishin

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

Flyers win preseason finale as season-opening roster comes into focus originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers won their preseason finale Saturday afternoon with a 4-3 shootout decision over the Devils at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Trevor Zegras and Travis Konecny provided the Flyers’ tallies in the skills competition.

Travis Sanheim scored the Flyers’ first goal of the game and finished with three in the preseason. Konecny provided the second and third goals, also finishing with three in exhibition play.

Jamie Drysdale collected two assists and Sanheim had one, as well.

New Jersey didn’t dress its top nine scorers from last season.

The Flyers went 3-4-0 through the preseason slate. The real thing begins in five days.

“We’ve been working through video, through practice clips, through a lot of coaching on the ice,” Drysdale said of the team picking up its new system. “There has been a lot of effort toward that and we’re getting it.”

The club’s roster is at the maximum of 23 healthy players. It needs to be submitted by Monday at 5 p.m. ET.

“The one thing I love about this group, they want to be coached, which is a good thing,” Rick Tocchet said. “We’ve got to get everybody buying in and wanting to be coached, and that’s what I see right now. Listen, we’ve got a lot of work, we’ve got to clean up a lot of things, we knew that going into training camp. But the one thing is they want it, which is great. That’s a positive for the coaching staff.”

• The Flyers got one final look at Jett Luchanko and Rodrigo Abols, two forwards who were possibly battling for a final roster spot. But it looks like the Flyers could go the route of keeping 14 forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies to open the regular season.

Dennis Gilbert was placed on waivers Saturday, according to PuckPedia.com. If he clears, the defenseman is expected to eventually head to AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.

The Flyers liked Luchanko’s performance in his previous preseason game Monday against the Bruins.

“We’re looking for the same kind of game,” Tocchet said Saturday morning. “Use his speed, start to shoot the puck more, good decisions with the puck offensively, I think that’s his next level.”

Luchanko shook off a somewhat slow start in the opening stanza Saturday to pick up his first point of exhibition play when he assisted Sanheim’s goal. The 19-year-old centered the fourth line and was noticeable.

“Early on, I thought he was a little bit nervous,” Tocchet said. “I mean, he hadn’t played in four, five days. And then I thought his game started to come.”

Abols played in six preseason games and was arguably the biggest standout of camp.

“He’s a guy that’s in the mix,” Tocchet said Saturday morning. “If he can be a consistent player, big guy that can win loose pucks, he can play the wing and the center, which is a nice thing for a coach to have. So we’ll see how that works out.”

The 29-year-old made his NHL debut last season and played 22 games for the Flyers after spending the previous four seasons in the SHL, Sweden’s top pro league.

“It’s way different,” Abols said of the NHL grind. “There are 30 more games, way more travel. I remember last year, it was a funny story, we had that long, like, 11-day road trip … me and [Samuel Ersson] went to dinner in Chicago, I came back to the hotel and I had no idea what room I was in.”

• Dan Vladar converted 22 saves on 25 shots.

The Devils’ second goal was a backdoor one on the power play. Paul Cotter scored New Jersey’s third goal when Vladar misplayed the puck just outside his crease.

The free-agent addition stopped 43 of 49 shots through seven periods of exhibition play.

“It has been awesome, I’ve been saying that since Day 1, everybody welcomed me with open arms, so I really appreciate that,” Vladar said. “On the ice, I’m feeling well.”

The Flyers put 36 shots on Devils netminder Jake Allen.

• Noah Juulsen came into the lineup for Egor Zamula and played alongside Adam Ginning on the third defensive pair.

Juulsen and Zamula could be competing for the final lineup spot on the back end.

After Thursday’s dress rehearsal, Tocchet was asked if there was any concern with Zamula, who at times looked shaky in the preseason.

“He has got to pick it up, definitely,” the head coach said.

• The Flyers open the regular season next week when they visit the two-time defending champion Panthers on Thursday (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

The Chicago Blackhawks were defeated by the Minnesota Wild on Friday Night. The road team brought a lot of their star players with them for that game, but the Blackhawks basically had an unofficial dress rehearsal. 

The Blackhawks blew a 2-0 lead in that game just to drop it 3-2. A bad second period with three Minnesota power-play goals allowed was the downfall for Chicago. Now, those players just have to be ready for Tuesday night in Sunrise against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. 

The Blackhawks still have one more preseason game against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night. This will be Chicago dressing an AHL lineup for the final game. Some of the guys that play will be looking for an opening night roster spot, but this group will mostly begin the year with the Rockford IceHogs. 

Roster: 

Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xlast preseason game before the regular season🤝 🗞️ https://t.co/MvjVtexMr6

Guys like Oliver Moore, Ryan Greene, and Lukas Reichel would all like to make the team. They also all had a legit chance at the start of camp but there are only so many spots. Over time, they can earn a spot with their play if they aren’t on the team by Tuesday.

That also goes for Nolan Allan, Kevin Korchinski, Ethan Del Mastro, and Louis Crevier. There are always injuries or inconsistencies during a long season, especially with a lot of young players, so everyone will get their chance. 

For the rest of the lineup, this is their chance to play in a home NHL sweater in front of a pro-Blackhawks crowd for the last time before they move back to Rockford for what is likely the rest of the season. Some of them may get that call-up at some point, but everything has to be earned. This is a great audition opportunity for a lot of these AHL guys. 

How To Watch

Those looking for the game in the Chicago area can find it on CHSN. Out-of-market viewings can be found on ESPN+. The puck will drop at the United Center at 7:00 PM CT.

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

The Bridgeport Islanders have signed right-handed defenseman Andrej Sustr to an AHL Professional Tryout. 

Bridgeport #Isles have signed RHD Andrej Sustr to an AHL PTO.

The 34-year-old was released from his #NYR PTO on Sept. 29.

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) October 3, 2025

The 34-year-old, who had been on an NHL PTO with the New York Rangers, played in a preseason game with them before they released him on Sept. 29. 

Why did Bridgeport sign a defenseman who hasn't played in the NHL or AHL since the 2021-22 season?

The likely reason is due to the injury to veteran defenseman Ethan Bear, who signed a one-year, two-way deal this summer to bolster the Islanders' blue-line depth.

Explaining Season-Opening Injured Reserve & How That Impacts Islanders EAST MEADOW, NY -- By Monday at 5 PM ET, the New York Islanders and the 31 NHL teams must submit their salary-cap-compliant rosters to the league office. 

The 28-year-old sustained what appeared to be a hand injury after blocking a shot in the New York Islanders' preseason game against the New Jersey Devils on Sept. 26. 

With Bear out, that left Bridgeport with only three right-side defenseman, if you count Isaiah George playing on his off-side. The other two are Cole McWard and Marshall Warren, so there was a clear need there. 

In the AHL, a PTO lasts 25 games so we'll see how long Sustr remains in Bridgeport. 

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

ST. PAUL, Minn - The Minnesota Wild have signed goaltender Filip Gustavsson to a five-year contract extension worth $34 million ($6.8m AAV). 

Gustavsson, 27, was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the 55th overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. He was then traded to the Ottawa Senators before he ever played a game for the Penguins.

In two seasons with the Senators, Gustavsson went 10-13-3 with a .905 save percentage and a 3.12 goals-against average. After the 2021-2022 season he was traded to the Wild in exchange for Cam Talbot.

The 6-foot-2 goaltender has been with the Wild the last three seasons. He burst onto the scene in his first year and was one of the top goalies in the league in the 39 games he played.

He went 22-9-7 with a .931 save percentage and a 2.10 goals-against average with three shutouts. He finished second in save percentage that year and goals-against average behind Linus Ullmark who won the Veznia Trophy.

The following season Gustavsson struggled. He went 20-18-4 with a 3.06 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage in 45 games. The Wild missed the playoffs that season as well.

But, Gustavsson bounced back last year and in 58 games for the Wild he went 31-19-6 with a .916 save percentage and a 2.56 goals-against average with five shutouts.

He has one year left on his contract and now has been extended for five more seasons. He has a full no-move clause right now until 2028 and then it turns into a 15-team no-move clause for the remaining three years.

Gustavsson ranks fourth all-time in Wild franchise history in wins, sixth in goals-against average, fourth in save percentage, fifth in shutouts and sixth in games played. He is 73-46-17 in 142 career games with a .914 save percentage, 2.59 goals-against average and 11 shutouts with the Wild.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Recent Minnesota Wild Stories

Minnesota Wild Sign Kirill Kaprizov To An 8-Year Contract ExtensionST. PAUL, Minn - The Minnesota Wild announced on Tuesday an eight-year contract extension worth $136 million ($17 million AAV) for its superstar forward Kirill Kaprizov.

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- Minnesota Wild Release Defenseman Jack Johnson From His Professional Tryout.

- Wild's Mats Zuccarello Out For Two Months With Lower-Body Injury.

- Former Minnesota Wild Defenseman Retires From NHL.

The New Jersey Devils will face the Philadelphia Flyers at 12:30 p.m. today in Philadelphia for their final preseason game before the puck officially drops on the 2025–26 season.

New Jersey enters the matchup with a 3-2-1 preseason record, having faced the Rangers, Capitals, Islanders, and Senators.

On Friday, the Devils made a pair of roster moves. The team acquired forward Zack MacEwen from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forward Kurtis MacDermid, general manager Tom Fitzgerald announced.

In addition, forwards Jack Malone and Matyas Melovsky have joined the team in Philadelphia and will suit up for the final preseason game.

The Flyers enter the contest with a 2-4-0 record.

Projected Devils lineup:

Cotter – Glendening – Gritsyuk

Lachance – Rooney – Hämeenaho

Hardman – Malone – Parent

Gruden – Melovsky – Legaré

Cholowski – Addison

Edwards – Strand

Vilen – Diotte

AllenRomanov

The Flyers lineup is expected to feature key players such as Sean Couturier, Travis Sanheim, Matvei Michkov, and Trevor Zegras.

New Jersey continues to manage several injuries heading into its final preseason matchup. Brett Pesce (undisclosed), Stefan Noesen (lower body), and Seamus Casey (lower body) will all be unavailable.

Earlier this week, the Devils signed restricted free agent Luke Hughes to a seven-year, $63 million contract extension on October 1. Hughes will not be active for the preseason finale, but head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed he will be ready for the start of the regular season.

Ahead of today’s game, Keefe spoke to NHL.com about the focus for the final tune-up.

“I think it’s just about continuing to sharpen our game,” Keefe said. “The preseason has been a little long, as it always is, but it’s given us time to evaluate and manage workloads. The key is making sure we’re healthy and ready to peak when the regular season starts.”

While the outcome won’t affect the standings, there’s still plenty of excitement, with several young players battling for roster spots.

One of those is Shane Lachance, who returned to action after missing the start of training camp due to injury.

“What I can control is just going out there and doing my thing, working as hard as I can, and playing my style,” Lachance said. “Obviously, you want to be on the NHL roster, but you just focus on what you can control.”

Another name to watch is Arseny Gritsyuk, who has impressed in his first few games at the NHL level. Gritsyuk is currently tied with Jack Hughes and Simon Nemec for the team lead in preseason points.

Keefe praised the organization’s approach to giving prospects valuable opportunities.

“You have to put them in spots where they can show what they can do,” he said of Gritsyuk and other young players. “At the same time, the NHL guys need their reps. It’s a balance, but I think we’ve managed to get the young players a good variety of looks this preseason.”

The puck drops at 12:30 p.m. at Xfinity Mobile Arena, marking the Devils’ final chance to evaluate their prospects before the regular season begins

ST. PAUL, Minn - The Minnesota Wild made a few roster moves on Friday. The Wild first claimed defenseman Daemon Hunt off of waivers from the Columbus Blue Jackets and recalled defenseman Matt Kiersted from the Iowa Wild.

In addition to these moves, the Wild released defenseman Jack Johnson from his professional tryout (PTO).

Johnson, 38, has played in 1,228 NHL games in his career across 19 seasons. He was set to play in his 20th NHL season if the Wild would have signed him but they just released him from his PTO which makes him a free agent now.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs will take another look at Dennis Hildeby in their final pre-season game on Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings.

In a 1-on-1 interview conducted by TSN’s Darren Dreger, Coach Berube revealed that the plan for the game at Little Caesars Arena will see Hildeby start with James Reimer slated to back him up.

“Hildeby has made a lot of good steps this year, for me, coming into camp from last year. I love the size, the passion he has for the game. He’s a good character kid,” Berube said on Friday.

The response came after Dreger asked about Toronto’s goaltending situation.

'I Haven't Had That Much Fun In A Long Time': James Reimer Reflects On First Maple Leafs Practice in 9 Years And When He May PlayJames Reimer stepped onto the ice in a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey for the first time in over nine years on Saturday and the veteran NHL goaltender couldn't stop smiling from ear-to-ear.

With Joseph Woll sidelined, the long-term goaltending picture beyond Stolarz remains unclear. Woll departed the in training camp to tend to a personal matter with no timeline for a return. Given that Anthony Stolarz’s career high in games played is 34, it’s understandable that Berube didn’t sound 100 percent confident of the current situation.

“We’re going to have to see on that but this is what we’ve got,” Berube said.

Stolarz has been reliable in his pre-season performance, most recently making 40 saves in a 3-1 loss to the Red Wings on Thursday. The goaltender signed a four-year, $15 million contract earlier this week.

How Anthony Stolarz Got Security From The Maple Leafs Beyond The PaycheckThe Toronto Maple Leafs finalized a tidy piece of business on Sunday when they put pen to paper on a new four-year, $15 million contract extension for goaltender Anthony Stolarz. The Maple Leafs had expressed optimism that they would get a deal done, as the goaltender wanted everything squared away before the end of the regular season.

The Leafs brought veteran Reimer in on a professional tryout, but the team's plan for the 37-year-old veteran is becoming increasingly opaque as they give Hildeby the chance to prove he’s ready for regular reps as a backup at the NHL level. Berube said Reimer will back up, suggesting Reimer may not see any pucks against one of the teams he’s played for in his career.

Hildeby, who was slotted as Toronto’s third goaltender, signed a new three-year deal worth $2.525 million. Through 99:29 of work in the pre-season, he has posted a 1-0-0 record with a .944 save percentage and 1.21 goals-against average. Making his NHL debut in 2024-25, Hildeby posted a 3-3-0 record with a 0.878 save percentage and 3.16 goals-against average. Toronto drafted the 6-foot-7 Swedish netminder in the fourth round (122nd overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft.

'I Got Notice And Liked It Instantly': Why Dennis Hildeby Signed Unique Three-Year Contract With Maple LeafsDennis Hildeby is excited for the upcoming season after signing a rather unique three-year, $2.53 million extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Rest of the lineup?

The Leafs are expected to reveal their game lineup when they take part in a morning skate at Ford Performance Centre on Saturday before traveling to Detroit.

Where to watch?

Maple Leafs fans will be able to stream the game on TSN4 in Canada.

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Despite some strong individual moments in the preseason, the Philadelphia Flyers aren't handing an NHL roster spot to forward Rodrigo Abols just yet.

The Flyers are still deliberating on whether to keep 14 forwards and seven defensemen, or 13 forwards and eight defensemen.

If the Flyers opt for the former, Abols can count himself in. If it's the latter, it's down to the Latvian or 2024 first-round pick Jett Luchanko, but not both.

Theoretically, the Flyers wouldn't keep Luchanko, 19, around if he wasn't going to play. Luchanko made it through four NHL games with the Flyers last year, but ultimately didn't get a full nine-game audition and sat out for some contests, too.

The two pressing issues working against each other are the Flyers' aversion to sending Luchanko back to the lowly OHL Guelph Storm, and head coach Rick Tocchet preferring to have an eight-defenseman roster.

NHL Waiver Wire: Flyers Should Take a Chance on Recently Cut 11th Overall PickWith perpetuated struggles on defense, the Philadelphia Flyers must keep an open mind towards their options, internally and externally, at the position.

The latter is particularly prudent, too, because the battle for a roster spot on defense has been markedly poor, and even the incumbent Egor Zamula has already been challenged for his poor play.

Until someone stands out and takes the reins, the Flyers might be better off carrying eight defenders. That tips the scales in Abols's favor.

However, Tocchet himself still wants to see more from the 29-year-old.

"He's got to pay the mortgage, right? He wants to be an NHL player. It's my job to to give feedback to him on how to be an NHL player. For him, he's 6-foot-4, pretty good skater, got a hell of a shot, and there's some things there, but there's more for him to be an NHL player," Tocchet said Wednesday.

"There is something there, and now he's got to find it, right? When you're on the bubble, you've got to do something consistently every day. That's the rules of the NHL. You've got to see it from him every day."

Tocchet went as far as to say Abols was "trending" towards becoming an NHL player, but wouldn't make that declaration yet.

Abols did not play against the New York Islanders on Thursday night, whereas Luchanko took warmups and also did not play.

The fate of the two players could be decided Saturday when the Flyers host the New Jersey Devils at Xfinity Mobile Arena at 12:30 p.m., though it's unclear if either player will play at the time of this writing.

What is clear is that Abols has at least forced the Flyers to make a hard decision heading into the final days of the preseason and training camp, and that's progress from this time last year.

Time will tell if the former seventh-round pick has enough juice to finish the job and get himself over the line.