There is now officially less than a week before the Detroit Red Wings officially begin the 2025-26 NHL season, which will be their centennial campaign. 

Multiple decisions still need to be made with regard to how the roster shapes up, and to that end, three more names were included in the latest roster trim by the Red Wings.

The club announced on Friday morning that forward Carter Mazur, defenseman William Wallinder, and goaltender Michael Postava were all returned to the American Hockey League affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins, which means the Red Wings are now down to 25 names. 

UPDATE: The #RedWings have reduced their preseason roster to 25.

📰 » https://t.co/1eCWJRyHR9pic.twitter.com/LztYZ1fat3

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 3, 2025

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Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Emmitt Finnie, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka currently remain with the club, meaning there's a chance that they could be included on the roster that hits the ice on Oct. 9 against the Montreal Canadiens for the regular season opener. 

Mazur will have a chance to get more experience in the AHL, where he performed well before being called up to the Red Wings last March. His experience at the NHL level lasted literally 17 seconds before he suffered a dislocated elbow, which ended his season. 

Wallinder, whom the Red Wings drafted 32nd overall in 2020, already has two full seasons of experience in the AHL, while Postava will be starting his first season of professional hockey in North America after being signed as a free agent. He's played the last several seasons in his native Czechia. 

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The earliest NHL teams can sign one of the five players acquitted in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial is Oct. 15. But that hasn’t stopped fans from organizing online petitions and threatening to cancel their season tickets in hopes of pressuring ownership to pass on them.

Apparently, it might be working.

So far, no team has publicly said they intend to sign either Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote or Alex Formenton.

Quite the opposite, actually.

Shortly after the NHL outlined the details for allowing the players back into the league — players can return to action no earlier than Dec. 1 — teams started to dissociate themselves from the players.

The Devils and Flames indicated they would not be bringing back former players' McLeod or Dube, respectively. As well, the Flyers and Senators both used the term, “fresh start,” to explain why they were not re-signing Hart or Formenton, respectively. As for Foote, he hasn't been linked to any teams.

That being said, there has been interest, particularly with the 27-year-old Hart, who had been a No. 1 goalie in Philadelphia before police in London, Ont., laid a sexual assault charge on him. A judge found him and the other four players not guilty of the charges.

NHL Confirms It Will Reinstate Players Acquitted In Hockey Canada Sexual Assault TrialThe five players from Hockey Canada's 2018 world junior team who were found not guilty of sexual assault this summer will eventually be allowed to return to the NHL.

The Carolina Hurricanes were reportedly close to signing Hart and McLeod. But their interest reportedly waned after significant public backlash, which included an online petition that garnered 1,776 signatures, an open letter to the front office, as well as threats to stop attending games.

“By choosing not to sign these players, the Hurricanes can reaffirm their commitment to all their fans and send a powerful statement that they prioritize a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment over winning games at any cost,” the petition stated. “Such a decision would not only resonate with fans who have survived similar traumas but also set a precedent that could influence the broader sports community towards greater accountability and respect.”

The Athletic and others are now reporting that the Hurricanes are now out on both players.

With Carolina no longer an option, The Athletic reported on Thursday that Vegas is interested in signing Hart. That is, unless the team also caves to public pressure.

Like Carolina, fans in Vegas have also started a petition, which has already more than 1,100 signatures, in hopes of preventing the team from taking a chance on Hart.

“Letting Hart on to this team would not only cause mass controversy and cause potential fans to turn against the team, but also it would be a permanent stain on the teams history – a stain they would never be able to get rid of,” the petition stated. “Despite being found not guilty, Carter Hart does not represent the values and morals that the Golden Knights organization proudly stands by, and makes sexual violence victims feel like this is an environment they cannot be apart of.”

Therein lies the difficulty in signing Hart or any other player involved in these sexual assault allegations.

The NHL is all about second chances.

Anaheim Ducks Explain Why They Hired Joel Quenneville As Their Next CoachJoel Quenneville is returning to the NHL as the 12th coach of the Anaheim Ducks.

Though it's not the same, Milan Lucic, who was charged with a domestic violence charge (which was then dropped) was recently granted a professional tryout with the St. Louis Blues. Logan Mailloux, who was charged in Sweden for allegedly taking and distributing offensive photos without consent, was drafted in the first round by the Montreal Canadiens. And Joel Quenneville and Stan Bowman are back in the league after a two-and-a-half year ban for how they mishandled sexual assault allegations involving a former player and staff member. 

The fact is that all five players involved in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial were acquitted on all charges. And yet, the NHL still chose to suspend them, because it found their actions following a world junior celebration in London, Ont., to be "deeply troubling and unacceptable." While they were not found to be criminal, the players' conduct still did not meet the standard of moral integrity, the NHL said.

That being said, on Oct. 15, the players will have served their time. But for some fans, it's still not enough. And so, the challenge for Vegas and any other team that is interested in Hart, McLeod, Dube, Foote and Formenton is weighing the competitive advantage of adding a player with the public backlash of turning away fans.

NHL Made The Right But Difficult Decision With The Five Former WJC Players Found Not Guilty When a London, Ont., judge ruled on Thursday that all five players involved in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault trial were not guilty on all charges, the NHL found itself at a crossroads of moral decency. 

For Vegas, Hart could be the difference between winning a championship or losing in the second round again. Then again, he could be the difference between dissociating itself from a fan base that has up until now been loyal.

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Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell exited Thursday's pre-season game against the Tampa Bay Lightning with an upper-body injury and did not return.

Following the Panthers' 5-2 loss in what was a very chippy affair, coach Paul Maurice mentioned that Lundell would be evaluated tomorrow, and the injury he sustained was to the upper body.

“He’ll get looked at tomorrow.”

Lundell played just 8:40, recording a shot on goal and a hit before he was forced to exit the game and did not return for the third period. The hope is that the injury is nothing serious and he'll be ready for the season opener against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday.

With both Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov out long-term, Lundell will see his ice time rise, his role increase and feel the pressure to fill in the shoes as a top-six center. The as of today 24-year-old has stated that Barkov's absence is awful news for the team, but he is ready to step up and take on a larger role.

He and the Panthers want that to be from Game 1 of the regular season, which is why his health is imperative. The best-case scenario is that the Panthers removed him as a precaution and he is day-to-day. The Panthers are facing enough long-term injuries and don't need to add their young center to that list.

Penalty-filled contest consumes Panthers preseason loss to Tampa BayThe preseason continued for the Florida Panthers on Thursday night in Tampa, but it felt very different than any of the Cats’ previous exhibition games.

Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Birthday Backcheck features two Florida Panthers turning one year older on Oct. 3: Seth Jones and Anton Lundell.

Jones turns 31 just more than three months after he became a Stanley Cup champion for the first time. Lundell, who turns 24, is already a back-to-back champion who set a franchise record in the plus-minus rating last post-season.

 Brian T. Dessart takes fans on a distinctive ride through the historic-laden NHL with the #NHLNugget. Check out NHLNugget.com to find where to follow NHL Nugget on social media.  And for past NHL Nuggets, click here.

It is preseason game number five and preseason home game number two for the Chicago Blackhawks. This time, they will play host to the Minnesota Wild. 

When these two met in St. Paul last week, the Hawks defeated the Wild by a score of 4-1. In that match, the Wild only had a handful of their top players in the lineup while the Blackhawks dressed a fair number of their NHL regulars. 

This is Minnesota’s last dress rehearsal before the 2025-26 season begins. For Chicago, this is their second-to-last exhibition game as they play the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. Head coach Jeff Blashill confirmed that an NHL group would go against the Wild on Friday, while the Blues will be facing an AHL-caliber team a day later.

The roster for preseason game 5 looks like this:

Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xsecond to last preseason game🏒 🆚 @mnwild ⏰ 7:00PM CT 📺@CHSN__ https://t.co/3io3UBwW49

Notably, Ethan Del Mastro is not playing in this one. He was paired with Louis Crevier in practice, and it seems like he might be one of the odd men out when it comes to making the team. 

Alex Vlasic was cut by a skate last weekend and remains out. The Blackhawks remain optimistic that he will play against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday. If Del Mastro goes to the AHL and Crevier remains on the team as the seventh defenseman to keep him off waivers, that leaves Nolan Allan and Matt Grzelcyk for the final spot on the blue line. The opportunity to earn it is there.  

The practice forward line of Lucas Reichel, with Oliver Moore and Ryan Greene, is also not participating in this game. It is unclear who will be the extra forward to make the team, but there is still Saturday's game to play as well. One may be the 13th forward out of camp, and the others could be off to the AHL. 

Projected Lines

Donato-Bedard-Burakovsky

Teravainen-Nazar-Bertuzzi

Slaggert-Dickinson-Mikheyev

Dach-Foligno-Lafferty

Grzelcyk-Rinzel

Kaiser-Levshunov

Allan-Murphy

Knight

Soderblom

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 New York Rangers are not planning on taking any risks with J.T. Miller and Artemi Panarin as training camp comes to a close. 

Both Miller and Panarin have been dealing with their own respective lower-body injuries. 

During Monday’s practice, Miller lunged to save the puck from exiting the zone as he dove and was slow to get up, appearing to favor his leg.

The 32-year-old ultimately limped his way off the ice and into the locker room. He did not return to practice. 

While Miller hasn’t practiced or played in a preseason game since suffering this injury, he’s listed as day-to-day, and his condition isn’t considered to be serious. 

Panarin suffered a lower-body injury early on in training camp, which resulted in him missing a couple of practices. 

Brett Berard Reflects On The Past And The Future Going back to last training camp, Brett Berard was the new kid on the block for the New York Rangers. 

The 33-year-old forward is yet to play in a preseason game, but is yet to play in a preseason game. 

Sullivan made clear on Thursday night that he intends to take things slow regarding Miller and Panarin’s health before the Rangers’ season opener on Oct. 7 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

"We're going to err on the side of caution with both him and J.T,” Sullivan said. 

Both players should be ready to play next week to kick off the regular season.

The New Jersey Devils' new contract with defenseman Luke Hughes raises more questions about Dougie Hamilton's future with the club.

Hughes, 22, agreed to a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $9 million, tying him with the 32-year-old Hamilton for the highest average annual value on the Devils. The latter is signed through 2027-28.

Hamilton surfaced in the rumor mill earlier this summer as negotiations between the Devils and the Hughes camp were ongoing. TSN's Pierre LeBrun recently asked how many power-play quarterbacks one team needed in today's NHL.

On Sept. 23, Hamilton addressed the trade conjecture, saying he didn't pay much attention to it. He reminded everyone that he signed with the Devils because he believes he can help them win the Stanley Cup. Nevertheless, Peter Baugh and Chris Johnston of The Athletic wondered about Hamilton's future in New Jersey.

Most of the trade rumors regarding Hamilton had the Devils peddling him in a cost-cutting move to free up salary-cap space for Hughes' new contract. They now sit above the $95.5 million salary cap by nearly $4 million ($3.983 million, according to PuckPedia).

However, James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now pointed out that defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic ($4 million AAV) remains sidelined indefinitely after undergoing knee surgery during the summer. The Devils are expected to place him on LTIR, which should make them cap compliant before their regular-season schedule begins on Oct. 9. They could also place injured forward Stefan Noesen ($2.75 million) on LTIR.

Those moves will only provide short-term cap relief for the Devils. At some point, Kovacevic and Noesen are expected to return to the lineup this season, meaning the club must shed salary to become cap-compliant.

That could resurrect the Hamilton trade speculation, but his $9 million cap hit won't be easy to move during the regular season. He also carries a 10-team trade list, which narrows significantly the number of potential trade partners for the Devils.

NHL Rumor Roundup: Updates On Jacob Markstrom And Yegor ChinakhovThe New Jersey Devils took care of a big piece of business on Wednesday, re-signing RFA defenseman Luke Hughes to a seven-year, $63-million contract.

Meanwhile, former Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart could be joining a new NHL club soon.

Hart, 27, was part of the five former members of Hockey Canada acquitted of sexual assault charges stemming from a 2018 incident in London, Ont. They are eligible to sign with NHL clubs on Oct. 15 and can return to action once their suspension with the league ends on Dec. 1.

Chris Johnston of The Athletic reported Wednesday that Hart is “almost certain” to sign with the Vegas Golden Knights. He had drawn interest from several teams, but he'll play meaningful minutes with a contender in Vegas.

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Going back to last training camp, Brett Berard was the new kid on the block for the New York Rangers. 

One year later, everyone knows the name Brett Berard, as he has established himself within the Rangers organization and among fans.  

Berard feels different this time around. 

“I think I feel a little more comfortable knowing all the guys and having been here kind of half the year last year, up and down, but feel like I've built some great relationships upon everybody,” Berard said. “So it's definitely been a lot more comfortable being here, but the same mentality coming in, still trying to fight for a spot and to stick around. I mean, mentality wise, on the ice, it's the same new coaching staff, big first impression. So in that regard, the same, but definitely more comfortable off the ice with the guys in lock and all that stuff.”

In his 35-game audition with the Rangers last season, Berard recorded six goals, four assists, and 10 points. 

Throughout the year, Berard was sent up and down from the NHL to the AHL, helping learn the business side of the game. 

“I mean it stinks to get sent down. Obviously, your dream is to get to the NHL and kind of stay around here,” Berard said. “I think I definitely got a lot stronger mentally with that stuff and trying to go down there and work in my game and to get back up. It was hard, but I think definitely that I got better as the year went on, and then just learning what I did up here, the game is faster. Just keep trying to build and get better at that and take pride in it. So it's some things I've been focused on that I think I'm getting better at.”

Shortly into his stint with the Rangers last year, Berard suffered a torn labrum, which could have easily kept him sidelined for a long period of time. 

However, Berard played practically the entire season while dealing with this injury. 

As a younger player and fifth-round pick, Berard had a chip on his shoulder and felt he had to play through the pain. 

“It stunk, but I give a lot of credit to our trainers and getting me able to play. It took a lot to get used to tape and brace on my shoulder,” said Berard. “Getting to play in the NHL, it’s a dream growing up. When you finally get here, you don’t want anything to set you back. It was something that I could play through and that I wanted to play through and needed to play through. I feel like I was playing really good hockey at that point too, so was just trying to get back as fast as possible and grind through it.”

Brett Berard Feels Fully Healthy After Suffering Torn Labrum Last SeasonThe health of Brett Berard was a question going into training camp for the New York Rangers after what transpired last year. 

Despite standing at just 5-foot-9, Berard plays a ferocious, hard-nosed style of hockey.

His fiery play has caught the eye of Mike Sullivan as he looks to make a positive first impression on the new coaching staff. 

Berard is prideful in the way he approaches the game of hockey, which is reflected in his play on the ice. 

“I might be a little smaller guy, but I think for me, it’s something that I take a lot of pride in,” Berard said of his physical style of play. “I think it has become more of a strength of mine to become physical. Maybe they don’t think it’s coming from me, so it’s good to get physical like that.”

Now that Berard played a handful of games for the Rangers last season, the next step for him is to earn a permanent roster spot with the Blueshirts. 

With just a few days before the Rangers’ season opener, Berard has not been sent down to the AHL, and he seems to have a real chance at securing an NHL spot.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 10 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #10. 

Let's take a look.

Serge Aubin - 2001-2002 - Drafted by Pittsburgh in 1994.

Aubin played 154 games for the Jackets and had 60 points.

He left for Europe in 2006 and played in Switzerland and Germany until he retired in 2012. 

He's currently the head coach for Eisbären Berlin in Germany. 

Trevor Letowski - 2004-2006 - Drafted by Phoenix in 1996. 

Played 154 games for the Jackets and had 60 points.

He finished his career by playing two seasons in the KHL. He is currently as assistant coach for the Montréal Canadiens, where he's been since 2021. 

Duvie Westcott - 2007-2008 - Westcott was undrafted and signed by the CBJ in 2001.

Wescott played in 201 games for the Blue Jackets from 2001 to 2008. He scored 11 goals and totaled 56 points. Wescott was described as "a gritty defenseman with a solid all-around game. Has good passing ability and powerplay skills." 

After playing for Columbus, Wescott went to Europe and played the next seven seasons in the KHL, DEL, and Swiss National League. He retired in 2015. 

Kris Russell - 2009-2012 - Drafted by Columbus in 2005.

Russell played 288 games in Columbus and had 79 points. He was traded to the St. Louis Blues on November 11, 2011, in exchange for Nikita Nikitin. 

He went on to play 912 NHL games and total 254 points. After playing 6 seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, Russell retired in 2022. 

Marián Gáborík - 2013-2014 - Drafted by Minnesota in 2000. 

Gáborík played only 34 games as a Jacket and had 22 points. He was traded to the LA Kings on March 5, 2014, in exchange for Matt Frattin. He officially retired in 2021 after playing 1,035 career games.

One scout said of Gáborík, "One of the best skaters in the world, Gáborík is known for his explosive speed. He is a highly offensive winger and thanks to good hands and an extremely sharp shot, an excellent finisher. On the downside, Gaborik doesn't always think team-first and has also had issues with commitment to defensive play."

Mark Letestu - 2013 - Undrafted out of Elk Point, Alberta.

Letestu was traded to Columbus by Pittsburgh for Columbus's 4th round pick on November 8, 2011. He played in 255 games in two different stints with the CBJ, scoring 44 goals and totaling 102 points. He also played 64 games for the Cleveland Monsters during the 2018-19 season, where he scored 50 points. He would play his last NHL game on October 13th, 2019, for the Winnipeg Jets.

In 2021, he was hired as an Assistant Coach by the Monsters, where he served until 2025. In the Summer of 2025, he was hired by the AHL's Colorado Eagles as their next head coach.

Jack Skille - 2015 - Drafted by Chicago in 2005. 

Skille played 61 games for Columbus and had 12 points. On July 6, 2013, Skille was signed as a free agent by the CBJ, but the following summer, he left in free agency. On October 5, 2014, Skille was claimed off waivers by Columbus, where he would play in 45 games. He left Columbus again, and would play a season in Colorado, and a season in Vancouver. 

In 2017, he left for Europe, where he played in Russia, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. He retired in 2021 and went into coaching. He's currently a skills coach and the Director of Skills Development for the ECHL's Utah Grizzlies franchise. The Grizzlies are moving to Trenton, New Jersey, at the end of the 25-26 season. 

Alexander Wennberg - 2017-2020 - Wennberg was drafted in the 1st round of the 2013 NHL Draft as the 14th overall draft pick.

Wennberg came to North America and made his NHL Debut in 2014. After having three decent seasons, including a 59-point year in 2016-17, Wennberg was signed to a six-year deal on September 1st, 2017. 

Tom Wilson would seemingly derail Wennberg's career in the 2018 playoffs when he laid a devastating check on him. The next two seasons, Wennberg would only total 47 points. In October of 2020, the CBJ would buy Wennberg out, making him a free agent. The Jackets are finally about to make the final buyout payment to Wennberg this year. 

In addition to playing with the Florida Panthers since leaving Columbus, He's played for the Seattle Kraken, New York Rangers, and San Jose Sharks. After the 59-point season he had in 2016-17, Wennberg hasn't scored more than 38 points in a single season.

Jordan Schroeder - 2018 - Drafted by Vancouver in 2009.

Schroeder played 21 games as a Jacket and had two points. He left for Europe in 2019 where he still plays today. He plays for Brynäs IF in Sweden.  

Dmitri Voronkov - 2024-2025 - Drafted by Columbus in 2019. 

The big Russian forward played 148 games and has 81 points in his first two seasons. 

He will be looking to add on to that this season if he can stay healthy. He was challenged to come into camp this year and be in better shape. All indications are that he did just that. He will be counted as one of the young players to take another big step this season to help the Jackets into the playoffs. 

There are 10 days until opening night at NWA. 

The pre-season schedule is as follows:

Saturday, Oct. 4 at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET

After that, the Blue Jackets will open the regular season on the road against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena.

Let us know what you think below.

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More from THN Columbus

Defenseman Daemon Hunt Placed On WaiversDefenseman Daemon Hunt has been placed on waivers per PuckPedia.com. Zach Werenski Looking To Join Another Elite Group Of American DefensemenZach Werenski is an absolute superstar, but people in Columbus already knew that. Most experts around the league knew this as well and knew it was only a matter of time before he popped off.  Former Blue Jacket Christián Jaroš Rumored To Be Signing In EuropeWell, it didn't take long for Christián Jaroš to get a job. 

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Staring Down The Streak - Sept. 14 2015 - Vol. 69 Issue 3 - Bob Duff

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A decade, the Detroit Red Wings will answer to a new coach, as Jeff Blashill takes over for the departed Mike Babcock. And a lengthy search for a skilled, right-handshot defenseman ended when Detroit signed Mike Green via free agency. You could make a case either will prove the key addition as the Wings seek to extend their playoff streak to a quarter-century. Based on more recent developments, however, Detroit’s other free agent acquisition, center Brad Richards, might be the most important newcomer.

Pavel Datsyuk announced that the ankle surgery he underwent in June, which was supposed to sideline him only four to six weeks, will leave him out four to five months. Suddenly, at least to start the season, Richards has been thrust into the role as Detroit’s No. 1 center.

Wings GM Ken Holland acknowledged the signing of Richards was partially driven by Datsyuk’s status. “We were looking for a No. 2 center iceman and maybe even a No. 1 center, not being sure how long Datsyuk will be out to start the season with his ankle injury,” Holland said. “So in Richards we added a guy that’s a winner with two Stanley Cups.”

Latest Valuation Sees Red Wings Franchise Value Doubled Over Last Four SeasonsA new valuation from Sportico has the Red Wings team value having doubled over the last four seasons, ranking ahead of notable sports teams. 

Even after Datsyuk is healthy, the Wings see Richards playing a vital role. “When we’re all healthy the thinking is it’s going to be ‘Z’ (Henrik Zetterberg) and ‘Pav’ together on one line, and Brad centering another line,” Holland said. “We’ve got lots of different wingers here.

“With Riley Sheahan in the three hole, we’re hoping – believing – that when everybody’s healthy we’re going to be able to roll four lines and three lines that can really provide offense on any given night.”

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

Green isn’t the same guy who scored 31 goals and 73 points for Washington in 2008-09, but, at 29, he still has lots of hockey left in him and brings a skill element to Detroit’s back end that’s been absent since Nicklas Lidstrom retired in 2012. “We were really fortunate to have guys like Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski and Chris Chelios and Larry Murphy going back,” Holland said. “We always wanted to have defensemen who could join the rush and get the puck moving. That’s part of how we’ve been able to accomplish what we’ve accomplished.”

Green’s 45 points last season would have led the Detroit defense. Niklas Kronwall (44 points) was the only Red Wing to finish among the top 40 blueliners in scoring. Green also provides the right-handed point shot the Wings have sought for their power play.

As for Blashill, Detroit always viewed him as Babcock’s successor, doubling his salary as Grand Rapids coach to $400,000 last summer instead of giving him the freedom to pursue offers from other NHL teams. Blashill has coached almost every player on the Wings roster, so the transition should be smooth. He shepherded Grand Rapids to a Calder Cup crown as AHL champ in 2012-13, and that club’s key contributors included current Wings Sheahan, Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Jurco, Luke Glendening and Petr Mrazek.

New Father Of Twins James van Riemsdyk Happy To Be With Red Wings As one of the more active teams in free agency during the offseason, the Detroit Red Wings signed multiple new players for the 2025-26 NHL campaign, one of them being veteran James van Riemsdyk. 

While Blashill subscribes to many of the same philosophies as Babcock, he shouldn’t be viewed as a Babcock clone. “I coach similar in a lot of ways to how ‘Babs’ has coached here and in a lot of the same approaches as to who we play,” Blashill said. “But I’m my own person in how I deal with players and how I deal with things on a daily basis. I’ll have my own approach, and with my own approach will come change.”

One thing that won’t change? Expect the Wings to be playoff participants again in 2015-16. It’s one of the reasons Richards chose Detroit. “I’ve been in the Stanley Cup final two years in a row, and it gets addicting when you get a taste of winning,” Richards said. “I feel this team has a great chance.” 

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Just like The Hockey News last week, NHL.com has included the Montreal Canadiens in its first power rankings of the new season. Where did the Habs land in those rankings? Two spots higher than on THN’s rankings, in 14th place.

Journalist Jean-Francois Chaumont writes that the rebuild is now a thing of the past for the Canadiens and that they are ready to make another push for a playoff appearance. For him, the summer’s new arrivals will be key to the Habs' fate this season. Montreal edged both the Minnesota Wild and the New York Rangers, who finished 15th and 16th, respectively.

Former Montreal Canadiens Forward Placed On Waivers
Canadiens: Back At It In Quebec City
Canadiens: Hutson Clan Must Have Taken Notice

Given how well the Canadiens did in the preseason, this is not surprising. Although the Habs did have one game where they came out flat and didn’t put in the appropriate level of effort, they bounced back, and Ivan Demidov has been a standout in every game or scrimmage he has played in.

The young Russian has demonstrated that he can confound opponents with his ability to create space and time for himself through twists and turns. He’s also shown that even if he doesn’t have either, his deceptiveness can allow him to try a pass that very few players would attempt and even fewer would succeed in making. Looking one way, he can send a picture-perfect pass to the other side of the ice without breaking a sweat. His presence on the power play should really have a significant impact on the special team unit's success rate.

As for Zack Bolduc, he has impressed with both his speed and defensive play since the start of camp. He’s the perfect player to deliver the kind of play Martin St-Louis was after; he’s intense at both ends of the ice, and he worked on his defensive play in his rookie season, and it shows.

Noah Dobson made a good impression in his first preseason game, but unfortunately, he had to leave the second game with a minor groin injury. Judging by what we’ve seen at practice since then, though, it’s likely that he will suit up on Saturday for the Canadiens’ last preseason game.

On top of the new arrivals from outside the organization, I feel it’s important to mention the performance of Oliver Kapanen, Owen Beck, and Florian Xhekaj at camp. The three managed to see the Habs camp through the end, and whichever final decision is made by St-Louis, they can all be proud of their performance and how they handled themselves.

Right now, Kapanen appears to be the likely choice to stay with the team for the start of the season, but Beck and Xhekaj won’t be far behind on the call-up list if injuries start to complicate matters for the Habs. Beck has lost out to Kapanen because of the Finn’s better offensive game and readiness. The coach says he played a mature game and has taken a step in the right direction last season. As for Xhekaj, there’s still room to improve his defensive reads, but he has shown that just like his brother, he can bring some grit and sandpaper to the lineup. After the Washington Capitals and Tom Wilson roughed up the Canadiens in the playoffs, it’s a relief for the organization to see that they have a player who could eventually become their version of Wilson in their ranks in the younger Xhekaj.

On the blueline, Adam Engstrom has also shown interesting flashes, and he, too, saw the camp to the end, but the fact that Dobson and Kaiden Guhle dealt with injury helped in that respect. The 21-year-old Swede has developed very well in his first season with the Laval Rocket last year, but he can still use some seasoning and needs a lot of ice time, which he wouldn’t get now with the Canadiens.

For a second camp in a row, David Reinbacher didn’t end camp the way he would have liked since he sustained an injury against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Still, the injury is much less severe than the knee injury he suffered last season, and he’s only been ruled out for four weeks. However, even if he hadn’t been, he’s not ready for the NHL yet. The game was clearly coming a bit too fast for him in exhibition games. He needs to work on making decisions faster with the puck if he is to meet the lofty expectations the Canadiens have in him.

Still, the Canadiens have been impressive enough at camp to find a berth in the NHL’s Super 16, and it’s fully deserved. St-Louis wanted a more intense training camp that would see his men be ready for the season start on October 8, and that’s precisely what he got.

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