Another year, another battle between Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble for a role on the Montreal Canadiens' third pairing. Both blueliners saw a lot of action last year thanks to injuries suffered by other members of the defense corps. Stuble skated in 56 games (just like the previous year) and Xhekaj took part in 70 games (more than he had ever played in a season); the former finished the regular season in the lineup, while the latter reintegrated the lineup for the playoffs.

They’re not particularly young anymore. Struble is about to turn 25, Xhekaj will in January, and they’ve both matured a lot playing-wise. It’s been clear since before the start of camp that Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle, Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson, and Alex Carrier all have their chair reserved, which leaves just one spot for the other two.

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Stuble hasn’t had a bad training camp, but Xhekaj turned up at camp in much better shape. He’s still as heavy as he was, but the baby fat is gone, and it’s now all muscle. It shows on the ice that he skates faster, and his mobility has improved.

Much like Juraj Slafkovsky knows he needs to play a good physical game to be effective, Xhekaj knows that he needs to pick his moments on the ice. He needs to play the game that’s in front of him, despite the constant temptation of chasing that one big hit or of dropping the gloves. What the Canadiens have on their hands right now is a leaner and wiser Xhekaj. He doesn’t need to be meaner; he has always been mean enough.

Since the start of camp, Xhekaj is the one who has taken the spotlight, be it because of that one game in which both he and his brother played and scored, or because of the hard hits he’s able to land. On Saturday night in Toronto, he was playing alongside Carrier once again, as he has since the start of camp, whether in preseason games or scrimmages. Furthermore, Xhekaj also had an A on his jersey.

At a time when Martin St-Louis says his team needs some grit and sandpaper, Xhekaj is the logical choice. The Canadiens need to commit to Xhekaj because if they don’t and he lands somewhere else, he will hurt them. Perhaps not on the scoreboard, but physically. The Canadiens have long sought toughness in their lineup, and now that they have it, they shouldn’t be afraid of it.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have 14 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #14. 

Let's take a look.

Ray Whitney - 2001-2003 - Drafted by San Jose in 1991. 

Whitney played 151 games as a Jacket and was the Captain for one. During the one year he was the Captain, he scored 24 goals and totaled 76 points, which set a CBJ record. Ray Whitney is the best player to have worn #14 for the Blue Jackets.

When Ray Whitney was traded to the Blue Jackets, the 28-year-old had already played 528 games in the NHL spanning 10 seasons. But he had never played a full 82-game season; he only averaged 53 games a year. So, when the CBJ traded for him in 2001, fans were as excited as ever for the fledgling franchise. They were getting a goal-scorer and a relatively young playmaker.

After his time with Columbus, he went on to play for another 10 years and a total of 1,330 games. He played a total of 22 seasons in the NHL and had over 1,000 points. He would retire in 2015. 

In a game at Nationwide Arena in November of 2001 against the St. Louis Blues, Whitney would score this goal, which is still a legendary goal in CBJ history. The radio call from play-by-play icon George Matthews, with his partner Bill Davidge, still gives me chills.

Greg Mauldin - 2004 - Drafted by Columbus in 2002. 

Played 6 games for Columbus and had no points. He went on to play 30 more NHL games after leaving Columbus.

Mauldin left for Europe in 2012, where he played in Switzerland, Russia, Germany, and Norway. He played until 2024 before retiring. 

Raffi Torres - 2009-2010 - Drafted by the New York Islanders in 2000. 

Torres played 111 games for the Jackets and had 51 points. He was traded to the Buffalo Sabres on March 3, 2010. 

Torres retired on November 5, 2016.

Grant Clitsome - 2011-2012 - Drafted by Columbus in 2004.

He played 93 games for Columbus and had 36 points before being put on waivers on February 26, 2012. 

On June 1, 2016, Clitsome retired after suffering a serious shoulder injury. 

Blake Comeau - 2013-2014 - Drafted by the New York Islanders in 2004. 

Comeau played 79 games and had 21 points for the CBJ. In the summer of 2014, he left in free agency to join the Pittsburgh Penguins.

He would go on to play 909 games in the NHL and retired during the 21-22 season. 

Dean Kukan - 2015-2022 - Kukan is undrafted out of Volketswil, Switzerland.

Dean Kukan made his NHL debut in March of 2016 after playing the majority of the season with the Lake Erie Monsters. After playing in 8 games near the end of the season, he was sent back to Lake Erie and would help the Monsters win their first-ever Calder Cup. He had 5 points in 17 playoff games.

Kukan would bounce up and down between Columbus and Cleveland until 2022. He would play a total of 153 games for the CBJ and total 30 points. Where he excelled was in the minors, though. He played in 142 games for Lake Erie/Cleveland and totaled 59 points as a fairly skilled two-way defenseman.

After the 2022 season, Kukan made the decision to return to Europe. He returned to his home country of Switzerland to play for his original club, the ZSC Lions, on a five-year contract. 

Kukan is also routinely chosen to represent the Swiss in international competitions. He played in the 2025 IIHF Worlds where he scored 9 points in 10 games.  

Gustav Nyquist - 2020-2023 - Drafted by the New York Islanders in 2004. 

Nyquist played 200 games as a Jacket before being traded to the Minnesota Wild in 2023. During his time in Columbus, which included a missed season due to injury, he scored 43 goals and had 117 points. 

After being traded to the Wild, he would leave that summer and sign with the Nashville Predators in 2023 on a two-year deal. On 1 March 2025, he was traded back to the Wild to finish the season. On 2 July 2025, Nyquist signed a one-year contract with the Winnipeg Jets. 

Gus Nyquist and his family still live in the Columbus area. 

Joseph LaBate - 2025 - Drafted by Vancouver in 2011. 

LaBate played a total of six games for the Blue Jackets during the 2024-25 season. He originally signed a PTO with the Cleveland Monsters, but in November, the CBJ signed him to a one-year deal, which allowed him to play for Columbus. 

LaBate signed a one-year deal with Vancouver this past offseason. 

There are 14 days left until opening night at Nationwide Arena. 

The pre-season schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, Sept. 30 vs. Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET

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

* Games in bold are home games * 

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

Blue Jackets Announce More Cuts To Training Camp RosterThe Columbus Blue Jackets have announced more cuts to their training camp roster. Yesterday, the cut more than a dozen players and now, not even 24 hours later they have made more.  The Hockey News Sunday Recap: Columbus Blue JacketsFrom Ex-players to current players and everything in between, we've got you covered.  Blue Jackets Announce More Roster Moves As we enter the second week of preseason, it is now the time where NHL teams make tough decisions on who they are going to cut. For the Columbus Blue Jackets, they just announced more roster moves to their training camp roster.

The Buffalo Sabres made a significant roster reduction after their fourth exhibition game on Saturday, sending a total of 24 players to their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, including 2021 first-rounder Isak Rosen, 2024 first-rounder Konsta Helenius, and goaltender Devon Levi. On Sunday, the club continued to diminish their roster, placing center Jake Leschyshyn and defenseman Zachary Jones on waivers for the purpose of sending them down to the American Hockey League. 

Leschyshyn was a 2017 draft pick of the Vegas Golden Knights and spent five seasons in the organization until he was claimed off of waivers by the NY Rangers in January, 2023. The 26-year-old center was spent the majority of his two-and-a-half seasons in the Rangers organization with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack and in the summer he signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Sabres. 

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Jones, 24, was a third-round pick of the Rangers in 2019 who played two seasons with UMass Amherst before turning pro in 2021. The blueliner saw spot duty with New York over five seasons, compiling 28 points (4 goals, 24 assists) in 115 games, and did not receive a qualifying offer from the Rangers in June. The Sabres signed Jones to a one-year, two-way deal for $900,000 on the opening day of free agency.

The Sabres will be down to 30 players and will need to get down to 23 players before the start of the regular season on October 9. Currently on the roster are three goalies (Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, and Alexandar Georgiev), 2019 first-rounder Ryan Johnson, 2022 first-rounder Noah Ostlund,  and 2025 top pick Radim Mrtka. Luukkonen is expected to play at least one of the final two preseason games against Pittsburgh, which will go a long way in determining whether the club will carry two or three goalies going into the season. 

 

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The Carolina Hurricanes are finally in the win column this preseason following a 4-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Sunday.

The Canes, with a roster bulked up with NHL talent, were simply too much for a younger Nashville group and it showed on the ice.

Carolina outshot Nashville 38-20 and outchanced them 48-23 at 5v5, ultimately beating them in virtually all phases of the game.

Here are some of my observations from the game.

'I'll Give It All I've Got And See Where Things Go From There': Bradly Nadeau, Kevin Labanc, Rod Brind'Amour On Preseason WinThe Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Nashville Predators 4-2 Sunday night at Lenovo Center.

It was the team's first win of the preseason and a strong showcase for a couple of the young prospects.

After the game, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour along with Bradly Nadeu, who scored two goals, and Kevin Labanc spoke with the media. Here's what they had to say:

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For one, Bradly Nadeau continues to impress this preseason, and this time,  he was demonstrating his bread and butter: goal scoring.

Playing on a line with Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake, Nadeau didn't look out of place.

He scored a power play goal in the second period, first denting the crossbar with a rocket seconds earlier, then depositing the puck into a yawning cage after Blake froze Justus Annuen from the slot.

Then late in the third period, Nadeau worked his way to the middle of the ice and beat Annunen clean off of a behind-the-net feed from Stankoven.

"We played him with the top guys tonight and it should look like that, when you think about it," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour. "You could tell, the NHL guys, they were at another level. It should look like that, but putting him in that mix, he didn't look out of place there, for sure."

But Nadeau's value is going beyond the score sheet. He's up on the forecheck, he's backchecking, he isn't afraid to get physical. It's all these little things that will make him a better player and give him a better shot at making the roster.

"I came in here and I only wanted to work hard and play my game," Nadeau said. "I think I've done that so far. You can always show how you can play and keep doing the right things, but those small details are huge and you can never have a perfect game. It's about building on that and trying to get those small details right every time."

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Nadeau's linemates too were tremendous as Blake and Stankoven easily looked like the best players on the ice. Both guys were all over the offensive zone and were moving the puck at will and with ease.

The two combined for seven shots on goal and set up each of Nadeau's scores.

For Stankoven, it's yet again another promising performance at center.

In two games, Stankoven has won 19 out of 31 draws (61.29%), has outchanced opponents 26-9 (74.29 CF%) at 5v5 and has a goal and primary assist.

"He might have been the best player, for sure, in both games that he's played," Brind'Amour said. "So that's good. Again, at that level, he should dominate. So we'll see when we get closer here when we get down to one more game and what the lineups are like. We'll make a judgement then.

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Felix Unger Sorum also had a goal, capping off a 2-on-1 rush with Eric Robinson. He's had a much better camp and preseason this year as opposed to last and he looks much more comfortable too back at his natural position on the wing.

He's such a creative player with the puck on his stick, able to slow down the game and find those lanes. I love the way that he's able to protect the puck and get off of walls as well.

I don't know if he's done enough yet to make the roster at any point this year, but I think he's certainly getting closer and closer. That level of hockey IQ is just something that is so hard to find, in my opinion.

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Charles Alexis Legault scored the final goal for Carolina, beating Annunen clean after activating from the blueline.

He looks the role of a steady NHL defender and I wouldn't mind seeing him get a shot at some point if injuries pop up.

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It's hard enough for a promising prospect to make the Canes' current roster, so it's almost a zero percent chance that one of the PTO players will earn a contract in Raleigh.

But those guys are certainly putting their best foot forward regardless.

"That's what you would expect," Brind'Amour said. "These guys come in without security and they're trying to prove themselves and they've all done a nice job."

Kevin Labanc, who earned a contract with Columbus after signing a PTO with New Jersey last year, has been given ample opportunity and he's making the most of it.

"It's a showcase," Labanc said. "You're out there giving it your all and proving that you can play the game and proving you can play the system."

He's played in all four preseason games so far for Carolina and after recording an assist in each of the first three, he got into a fight in this one against Nashville.

Labanc was none too happy to see Oasiz Weisblatt take a run at Tyson Jost and the veteran immediately threw off the gloves and came to his teammates defense.

"I just saw someone take a liberty with one of our guys and so I stuck up for him," Labanc said.

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Another solid performance from Cayden Primeau.

The newly acquired netminder stopped 18 shots in his second preseason appearance and looks to be a steady presence so far in net for Carolina.

The Hurricanes know that they're more than likely going to need him at some point, so it's good that he's looking good early.

"There's a good chance that we're going to need him at some point just based on history," Brind'Amour said. "Hopefully we don't have what we had last year, but it's very, very important in today's game — the way goalies... the wear and tear on them — to have that guy you can count on. Only two starts, but they've both been solid." 

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We're officially 10 days into Pittsburgh Penguins' training camp, and if one thing is for certain, there has been a ton of competition. 

On Saturday, the Penguins cut 15 players from their roster, reducing their training camp number to 58. There is a healthy mix of roster locks as well as veterans and prospects trying to assert themselves into the conversation for a roster spot. 

When examining how the prospects - in this case, players who have 25 NHL games or less under their belt - have performed up to this point, there have been some standouts, some surprises, and some letdowns.

Who is most likely to crack the final NHL roster out of camp, and who still needs to show a bit more to keep themselves in the conversation? 

Here are some mid-camp prospect tiers.

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Should be an NHL lock

F Ville Koivunen
Koivunen has stood out from the very first practice, and there is no reason to believe that he won't be on the roster come Oct. 7. He is clearly NHL-ready, his skating looks better than it did last season, and he hasn't missed a beat playing with Pittsburgh's top players throughout camp. 

D Harrison Brunicke
When I initially made this list, I didn't expect Brunicke to be in this spot. But he has earned himself at least a nine-game trial by being one of the three best defensemen in this camp, period. And the situation he finds himself in - either play the entire season on a junior team that he's clearly outgrown or spend it developing on an NHL bottom-pairing - lends to him making the cut. A veteran like Connor Clifton may have to play the off-side, but the Penguins need to make it work. I'm convinced that the NHL is what's best for his development right now. 

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Has earned a spot

D Owen Pickering
If we're being honest, Pickering should be a lock for the roster as well. He has looked every bit as deserving as Brunicke, and they have been a pairing for most of camp. The only reason he's not in the "lock" tier is because there are a lot of defensemen competing for spots, and Brunicke's situation is a bit more dire than Pickering's. Pickering would more than likely be the first defenseman called upon from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) if he does not make the NHL roster - especially since the left side is abysmal.

F Tristan Broz
Broz has, arguably, been the best forward prospect not named Koivunen in camp so far. He has shown off his versatility and - perhaps, even more importantly - his ability to put the puck in the back of the net. His responsible play in all three zones and his offensive upside should earn him a position when final rosters are announced.

F Avery Hayes
Right next to Broz is Hayes, who continues to get better and better. He played alongside Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust in Saturday's 4-1 pre-season victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, and he didn't look out of place in the slightest. His forechecking and play-driving ability - as well as his tendency to hang around the net-front - have stood out amongst others during camp.

G Arturs Silovs
Silovs let in one questionable goal this pre-season in the Penguins' loss against the Blue Jackets on Wednesday, but that aside, he has been really solid. With Joel Blomqvist injured - and development being the priority for another young goaltender - he likely has the inside track to be the second half of the tandem with Tristan Jarry.

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Well, if the roster is going young...

F Ben Kindel
Kindel, 18, has been the biggest surprise of training camp this season. The 11th overall pick in 2025 has shown more NHL readiness than expected, and he - like Hayes - has not looked the least bit out of place skating with some of the Penguins' best players. In fact, he has gotten better as the competition has gotten better. A nine-game trial is unlikely because of the forward logjam, but if GM and POHO Kyle Dubas meant it when he said "the young guys are coming," Kindel has earned that through his performance.

G Sergei Murashov
Speaking of, Murashov has been far and away the best goaltender in this camp, and I don't think its particularly close. He is quick, athletic, and poised, and he didn't flinch when faced against a pretty decent Columbus lineup Saturday. There is a maturity to his game and his demeanor that is advanced for a 21-year-old, and he has been dominant. I thought he would begin the season in the AHL for certain, but given his camp performance, I'm not entirely sure that he isn't NHL-ready now. 

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Show me more

F Filip Hallander
By no means has Hallander, 25, had a bad camp. He came over from the SHL on a new two-year contract with the Penguins after a standout campaign, he's a center, and the Penguins are down a center in Kevin Hayes. That said, I do believe there are simply other players - namely Broz - who have shown more than him up to this point. If he is to make the roster, he needs to separate himself more in these final days of camp.

F Sam Poulin
Much of the same applies for Poulin, who has actually had a pretty decent camp up to this point (aside from his performance in a 2-1 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens in the Penguins' first pre-season tilt). He has shown flashes in the practices that hasn't fully translated to game action, so he - like Hallander - needs to show a bit more over the next few days.

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Wild cards

F Rutger McGroarty
McGroarty was just about a lock heading into camp - that is, before we became privy to his injury situation, which hasn't changed. He is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury, and this is really unfortunate for a guy who probably should be on the NHL roster. The reality is, however, that he'll probably have to earn his way back to a spot once he returns - especially since others have shown more NHL readiness than expected. 

F Atley Calvert
In a lot of ways, Calvert, 22, is a bit like Avery Hayes. He doesn't play quite the same style, but his trajectory as an undrafted signee who impressed in the ECHL and AHL last season - especially in the goal-scoring department - makes him an interesting case. The cards aren't in his favor, but don't count him out entirely. And definitely keep an eye on him wherever he plays this season.

F Joona Koppanen
Koppanen is currently injured, but he is skating, and the Penguins generally liked what they saw from him last season. He's another center, which the Penguins value, but his injury situation is probably going to limit his opportunity to make the NHL roster.

F Aidan McDonough
McDonough - signed by WBS this offseason - has actually stood out a bit in this camp. He's almost the exact kind of Mark Donk-esque winger that plays a style complementary to Crosby, and he's looked pretty solid alongside Crosby in some short samples. His path to the roster is unlikely, but it's not entirely closed - and he's one of the hardest workers out there consistently. 

G Joel Blomqvist
Quite frankly, Blomqvist's injury - which will keep him out at least one month - came at the worst possible time for the young goaltender. He was the default competition for a spot on the NHL roster against Silovs, and with his injury, he will have to battle his way back into the mix. And - with Murashov in the picture, too - he'll likely have to do that at the AHL level as well. 

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Long shots

D Jake Livingstone
Livingstone hasn't really shown that he is anything more than an AHL-level defenseman up to this point, and his age of 26 isn't exactly going to do him any favors in terms of asserting himself over younger players. 

F Nolan Renwick
Renwick - who was signed by WBS out of the University of Maine - will be a player to watch in the AHL this season, but he hasn't shown enough in this camp to earn a spot on the NHL roster.

D Chase Pietila
Pietila looks a step behind in this camp, and - although defensively sound - could certainly use more development before we revisit the NHL conversation.

D Finn Harding
I actually think Harding has looked better than expected at this camp, and I do think he could be in the mix for a roster spot next season with a strong camp. But the circumstances with Pickering and Brunicke and the other competition don't leave much room for him this time around.

F Mathieu De St. Phalle
De St. Phalle, 25, has been fine, but he hasn't played up to his competition in camp, and the fact that he is a bit undersized and gets knocked around quite a lot doesn't help his case. 

F Aaron Huglen
Huglen could, potentially, be a fringe option for the Penguins in the future. But after four seasons with the University of Minnesota, he could use some development in professional hockey first to get up to speed.

D Philip Kemp
There are a lot of defensemen in the mix at this camp. A lot. And Kemp, while serviceable, hasn't shown nearly enough to supplant anyone else up to this point. 

G Filip Larsson
Putting Larsson here was tough, as I do think he has been perfectly sound during the pre-season. But given how Murashov and Silovs have performed, I just don't think he has much of a chance right now. That could change in an instant if he puts up numbers at the AHL level, though - or wherever he ends up. He certainly has potential as a reliable NHL backup. 

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One of the main factors behind the Detroit Red Wings missing the postseason in 2024-25 for the ninth consecutive season was their penalty killing.

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

At one point last season, their penalty killing was in serious danger of being ranked the worst in NHL history. While they managed to avoid that infamous mark, Detroit's PK still finished last overall in the League. 

The Red Wings signed former Winnipeg Jets forward Mason Appleton during the offseason, who is known for his work on the penalty kill. 

Along with the addition of goaltender John Gibson, can Appleton help the Red Wings' penalty killing improve to at least the middle of the pack in the NHL in 2025-26? 

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Los Angeles Kings forward Samuel Helenius is currently battling for a roster spot as the pre-season winds down. The 22-year-old is looking to remain with the Kings for a second straight season. Helenius is entering the third and final year of his entry level contract, making him a restricted free agent at the conclusion of the season. 

After drafting him with the 59th overall pick in the 2021 NHL draft, the Kings are hoping Helenius can continue to improve and live up to his potential based on where they selected him, and it starts by making the team this fall.

2024-25 Season

During the 2024-25 season, Samuel Helenius spent time in the NHL with the Kings, while also appearing in games with Ontario Reign in the AHL. In his 20 games in the American Hockey League, the winger scored two goals along with four assists for six points total. He also used his 6'0" 201 lbs pound frame as he accumulated 38 total penalty minutes proving he can be a physical presence. 

As for his time with the big league club, Helenius scored four goals to go with three assists for seven total points in 50 games. The Dallas, Texas native did not initially make the team out of camp. Instead, making his NHL debut on November 9th, 2024 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. In his first game, he registered his first career point with an assist. Although he picked up his first point very quickly, Helenius didn't find the back of the net until his 25th career game on January 22nd, 2025 against the Florida Panthers. He played just two more games before being sent back down to Ontario. On March 5th he was called back up and stayed with the Kings for the remainder of the season.

The 22-year-old even appeared in all six of the Kings playoff games versus the Edmonton Oilers. In those six games, Helenius registered one assist while having a -1 rating.

2025-26 Expectations and Stat Predictions

It's no secret that Helenius is in a battle to make the Kings roster and play in their bottom six. PuckPedia currently has the young forward projected as an extra to kick off the season. His main competitors seem to be Alex Turcotte and Jeff Mallott. Ultimately, I expect him to make the team and slot in on the fourth line to start the season. 

As for his numbers, I'm predicting Helenius to improve on his production from a year ago. If he can give LA nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points throughout the season, all while likely rotating in and out of the line-up, I would consider that a win for all parties involved, which would also likely earn him a new deal after the season.

Stay tuned in with your Los Angeles Kings here at The Hockey News, as the 2025-26 season inches closer.

The Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Minnesota Wild in preseason game three, 4-1, at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul. 

Frank Nazar scored the first two goals of the game to give the Blackhawks a 2-0 lead. In the end, he deposited one in the empty net as well, giving him the preseason hat trick. 

The one non-Frank Nazar goal scored by the Blackhawks came off the stick of Ryan Donato. He took advantage of a beautiful cross-ice feed by Connor Bedard, who looks as special as ever so far this exhibition season. 

Frank Nazar picked a good game to have a hat trick, despite it being the preseason. Wild GM Bill Guerin is also the General Manager of Team USA, who is in the process of selecting the Olympic team. There will be plenty of chances for Guerin to watch Nazar, but this was a great opportunity for the player in that regard. 

Alex Vlasic left the game with an injury and did not return. It is unclear what happened, but Jeff Blashill and the coaching staff are sure to have an answer soon enough. That would be a tough loss for Chicago if he misses any time, but it could also just be precautionary. 

Drew Commesso played the whole game for the Blackhawks in net, and he was magnificent. He made 28 saves on 29 shots. The Wild had plenty of veterans and players desperate to make the roster in their lineup, so it can be chalked up as an impressive performance for Commesso as he faced strong competition. 

With Spencer Knight locked in as the starter, there are two great options for backup goaltending in Drew Commesso and Arvid Soderblom. They prove it night in and night out. 

The road portion of the preseason is over for Chicago. Now, they have three left, and they are all at the United Center. That starts on Tuesday with preseason number game four against the Detroit Red Wings. 

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

Believe it or not, the Buffalo Sabres and their players are not inherently terrible. Sure, there are Buffalo players you may believe to be flawed, and sure, the Sabres have been consistently sub-par for the past 14 seasons -- none of which have ended with Stanley Cup playoff games being played in Western New York.  But if you look at some of Buffalo's former players, you see that they have some value across the league, even though they have a stint with the Sabres on their resume.

One former Sabre who was prominent this week was former Buffalo goalie James Reimer, who agreed to a professional tryout contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. It's true Reimer would at best be Toronto's third goalie, but with the absence of veteran Joseph Woll, Reimer could become the Leafs' No. 2 option. And given that Reimer had won the Sabres' starting job at the end of this past season, you know Toronto management had to be convinced Reimer had something left to extend him this olive branch.

Meanwhile, former Buffalo winger J.J. Peterka obviously had value to other teams. The Utah Mammoth gave up a lot of trade capital to acquire Peterka this summer, but he enters the season as Utah's top left winger on a Mammoth team that many believe will take a major step forward this season. So the Sabres haven't been bereft of talent.

The problem here is clearly the chemistry and depth for Buffalo, and Sabres GM Kevyn Adams is tasked with changing the mix for his team. If he can't do that, Buffalo's streak of seasons without a playoff appearance will extend to an even more-painful 15 years.

This is also why the pressure is squarely on Sabres coach Lindy Ruff right now. No one can take away from Ruff's longevity as an NHL bench boss. He's had some serious success over the years, but nothing short of a playoff berth will save Ruff's job this year, and so he's going to have to do what all great coaches learn to do -- namely, adapt their approach to how they do business.

This Season Could Be Final Kick At Can For Sabres Coach Ruff, GM AdamsThe Buffalo Sabres' 2025-26 season is about as high-stakes as it gets. The Sabres will be aiming to end the organization's 14-year drought on the Stanley Cup playoff front. And while certain players will not be long for Buffalo if the Sabres fail to make it into the post-season this year, the reality is the Sabres' most prominent coaching and management members -- coach Lindy Ruff and GM Kevyn Adams -- could be getting their final kick at the can in their jobs -- at least, at the NHL level.

That doesn't necessarily mean coaches have to be drastically different in how they approach their duties, but it does mean being flexible and learning how to modify their performance to suit the needs of the players they're responsible for.

So we're not going to tell you the Sabres were 100 percent wrong to keep most of their team together this summer. That may prove to be demonstrably true, but teams have tweaked their lineup from a losing bunch one year to a playoff team the next. Adams is betting on his core, and that could ultimately be the best decision he's made in the role. 

Seeing players like Peterka and Reimer be potentially big parts of a winning team should reassure Sabres fans the team isn't comically inept when it comes to identifying NHL-level talent. But the fact that many former Sabres have found success elsewhere is in its own way an indictment of Buffalo management, past and present. That's what has to change above all else.

Sabres Will Start This Season As Playoff Underdogs -- But Here's Why That Could Be Good For ThemThe Buffalo Sabres are going to have a tough time contending for a Stanley Cup wild card position this year. But when this writer submitted his pre-season predictions for the Atlantic Division, he had the Sabres in…sixth place in the Atlantic, ahead of only the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. And while it pains us to predict more misery ahead for long-suffering Sabres fans, we wouldn’t be telling it like it is if we told you Buffalo wasn’t going to be picked as a playoff team by most pundits. They won’t be.

This organization has to figure out a way to get its ducks in a row and come up with a legitimate playoff team. Because if they can't do that this year, there will be a new management group with the same goal next summer.

And Sabres fans will be all the more livid that this franchise just can't get it right.

The NHL saw several players be placed on waivers on Sep. 28. One of them was a former New Jersey Devils defenseman, as the Tampa Bay Lightning have placed blueliner Steven Santini on waivers.

Santini is currently entering his second season with the Lightning organization in 2025-26. He spent the majority of this past campaign at the American Hockey League (AHL) level with the Syracuse Crunch. In 58 games with the AHL squad in 2024-25, he posted six goals, 11 assists, 17 points, and a plus-10 rating. He also appeared in three playoff games for the Crunch this spring, recording one assist and an even plus/minus rating.

Santini also played in one game for the Lightning during the 2024-25 season, where he was held off the scoresheet.

Santini was selected by the Devils with the 42nd overall pick of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. From there, he played his first four NHL seasons with the Metropolitan Division club. In 114 games with the Devils over that span, the right-shot defenseman recorded five goals, 16 assists, 21 points, 153 blocks, 276 hits, and a minus-10 rating.

Santini's time with the Devils ended during the 2019 NHL off-season when he was traded to the Nashville Predators in the deal that sent P.K. Subban to New Jersey.

The Ottawa Senators improved their preseason record to 2–1 on Sunday afternoon with a 2–0 victory over a New Jersey Devils split-squad at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City.

With the game still scoreless, the breakthrough finally came on a Sens power play with 4:26 left in regulation. Tim Stützle carried the puck to the high slot before losing it on a poke check, but the puck behaved like a perfect drop pass, right onto the stick of rookie Stephen Halliday.

Halliday one-timed a high snap shot over the left shoulder of Devils goaltender Georgi Romanov. For Stutzle, it was a spot of good luck in a game where he missed on a penalty shot and also rang one off the iron from in close.

For the second straight game, Ottawa faced an opponent icing what amounted to a “B” lineup. Most of the Devils' opening night lineup remained in Newark, where they fell 3–2 in a shootout to the Washington Capitals. Still, the Senators made the most of the opportunity, taking control late and closing out a tidy win.

Free-agent signing Olle Lycksell, the former Philadelphia Flyer, added insurance less than three minutes later. After a careless New Jersey drop pass at the blue line, Lycksell poked the puck away from defenseman Calen Addison, then skated in alone and slid the puck into an empty net to secure the win.

Why Wasn't Sunday's Senators-Devils Game On English Radio Or TV?As the Ottawa Senators defeated the New Jersey Devils 2-0 on Sunday afternoon in preseason action, a lot of English-speaking Senator fans had to dust off their French comprehension skills. It had nothing to do with the game being in Quebec City, though.

Goaltender Linus Ullmark was rarely tested but sharp when needed, turning aside all 14 shots he faced for his first shutout of the preseason. It was a welcome bounce-back after he allowed three goals in Ottawa’s exhibition opener.

On special teams, the Senators went 1-for-3 with the man advantage and were perfect on three penalty kills. Romanov was the busier of the two goaltenders, stopping 30 shots to keep the Devils in it until the late stages. That included a penalty shot where he didn't buy any of Stutzle's fancy stickhandling, turning him away effortlessly.

Both Halliday and Lycksell strengthened their cases for roster spots in Ottawa, particularly with current injuries to Drake Batherson and Lars Eller. Their availability for opening night remains possible but uncertain, leaving even more room for competition on the forward lines.

The Senators will continue their Quebec City showcase on Tuesday night, when they host the Montreal Canadiens at the Videotron Centre. The game might serve as a measuring stick as to whether winning over fans in Quebec City is truly possible, or if Montreal, despite the heated rivalry from long ago, has already taken the territory over.

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The Buffalo Sabres bounce back from a 5-2 loss to the Red Wings in Detroit on Thursday with their own 5-2 win over the Wings at KeyBank Center on Saturday afternoon. Tage Thompson scored a pair of goals in the victory, with Josh Norris, Rasmus Dahlin, and rookie Radim Mrtka adding singles. Alex Lyon went all the way for the Sabres, making 26 saves in the contest. 

Just after the game, the club announced a massive 24-player roster cut, demoting 15 players to AHL Rochester Americans; forwards Riley Fiddler-Schultz, Konsta Helenius, Tyler Kopff, Olivier Nadeau, Viktor Neuchev, Isak Rosen and Anton Wahlberg, defensemen Isaac Belliveau, Vsevolod Komarov, Zach Metsa, Nikita Novikov, and Jack Rathbone, and goaltenders Topias Leinonen, Devon Levi and Scott Ratzlaff.

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Rathbone was placed on waivers and cleared on Sunday, enabling him to be sent to the Amerks, as were nine players on AHL contracts: forwards Matteo Costantini, Jagger Joshua, Trevor Kuntar, Redmond Savage, Graham Slaggert, Brendan Warren, and defensemen Aiden Fulp, Noah Laaouan, and Peter Tischke.

Helenius, 19, played well during the exhibition slate for the Sabres, but will benefit from more AHL experience and could be an option for an NHL call-up later in the season if he continues to progress. Rosen will be embarking on his fourth AHL campaign after leading the Amerks in scoring last season, while Levi (who was an AHL All-Star but went 2-7-0 in nine games with Buffalo last season) seems destined to play another year in Rochester, with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen healthy, and veterans Alex Lyon and Alexandar Georgiev ahead of him on the depth chart. 

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It was decided by Detroit Red Wings general manager that Lucas Raymond, whom he drafted with the fourth overall pick in 2020, is a foundational building block. 

To that end, he re-signed Raymond to an eight-year contract extension just over one year ago, ensuring Raymond would be wearing the Winged Wheel all throughout the prime of his NHL career.

Raymond responded in the first season of his new contract by establishing a new career-high 80 points in 82 games played, and as far as the Red Wings are concerned, the sky is the limit. 

If Raymond's words last week are any indication of what Red Wings fans can expect from him this season, a new career-high in points could potentially be in the cards.

"I feel like I found my game faster than usual when you feel comfortable and up to speed out there," he said following Training Camp. 

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It wasn't long ago that Raymond himself was a rookie who's place in the forward lineup wasn't a sure thing when he began his inagural NHL Training Camp in September 2021. Not only did Raymond claim a roster spot, but he firmly put himself into the conversation for Rookie of the Year by tallying 23 goals with 34 assists. 

The honor ultimately went to his teammate, Moritz Seider, who also began his NHL career at the same time Raymond did that season. 

Raymond knows what some of the younger players who are trying to establish position in the Red Wings' system and thus far have made impacts in pre-season play, including Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Carter Mazur, and Emmitt Finnie. 

"I think a lot of guys coming up have had a really good Camp, it's fun to see," Raymond said of the numerous prospects who were present in Training Camp. "You see guys put their foot forward out there and try to make it as hard as possible for coaches and management." 

Raymond also acknowledged that the skill of Detroit's younger players attempting to make the team have a motivating effect on the current players on the roster to up their own games. 

"It's really exciting, and I think that just adds to it, the pressure coming from underneath and kind of puts a fire underneath everyone's ass a bit," Raymond said with a smile. "It's been fun." 

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Five years might not seem like a long time, but in the NHL, it can feel like a lifetime. For the Ottawa Senators, the difference between their 2020–21 opening night roster and the group projected to hit the ice to open the 2025–26 season is quite staggering. In fact, of the 19 players who dressed for that first game in January of 2021, only a small handful would have any shot at cracking today’s lineup.

When you stack the two rosters side by side, the transformation is impossible to ignore. Ottawa has gone from a patchwork rebuilding lineup to a team brimming with talent and high expectations.

Players Who Wouldn’t Get A Look Today

Of those 19 players from 2020–21, the majority would have little to no chance of making the current Senators roster. Names like Matt Murray, Nikita Zaitsev, Christian Wolanin, Derek Stepan, Cédric Paquette, Josh Brown, Artem Anisimov, Braydon Coburn, and Chris Tierney are reminders of a different era — one where Ottawa was barely treading water. It was hard to say which was more severe, the volatility of Sens' ownership or the sluggishness of their rebuild attempt.

Most of the players above have since retired (Stepan, Anisimov, Coburn), shifted overseas (Zaitsev, Paquette, Tierney), or are now clinging to bubble status between NHL and AHL (Murray, Wolanin, Brown, Watson). Simply put, they’re no longer near the standard set by Ottawa’s current core.

Players Who Might Have An Outside Chance

Two others, Erik Gudbranson (now in Columbus) and Evgenii Dadonov (in New Jersey), are still in the NHL, but neither would have an easy time carving out a spot in Ottawa’s lineup today. Back in 2020–21, they were relied on as everyday players. Now, they’d be depth options.

Players Who Were Good Enough, But Moved On

A few names from that opening night roster remain good NHL players, just not in Ottawa anymore. Nick Paul has found a long-term home in Tampa Bay, Connor Brown is still in the league as a two-way forward with New Jersey, and Josh Norris was traded to Buffalo back at the deadline. All three were quality players who would still be assets in Ottawa, but the page has been turned.

The Pillars

That leaves just four players from that night who are still here and thriving: Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, Thomas Chabot, and Drake Batherson.

Tkachuk, now captain, has been the heartbeat of the franchise for most of the past five years. Stützle, still a teenager back in 2020–21, has blossomed into a superstar center. Chabot remains a solid puck-moving top-four defenseman, while Batherson continues to be a consistent offensive weapon. These are the four building blocks that carried Ottawa through the darkest days of the rebuild and into what they hope is the start of a sustained run of contention.

When you step back and see that only six of the 19 players from that opening night lineup in 2020–21 would realistically have a place in the current roster, it underscores just how much things have changed. It also explains why it took so long to return to contention.

This wasn’t just about waiting for prospects to develop — it was about clearing out and replacing nearly an entire roster. 

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