It is a measure of his astonishing NHL playing career that Hockey Hall of Famer Martin St-Louis will never be able to top his on-ice feats, including winning a Stanley Cup championship with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2014.

But in three-and-a-half years coaching the Montreal Canadiens, St-Louis has delivered some phenomenal results, including an unlikely playoff berth last year.

So the question arises – what in heaven’s sake does St-Louis do for an encore?

He’s done as well as just about anyone could as the Canadiens continue their rebuild from the foundations, but St-Louis has raised the competitive bar for his team as they head into the 2025-26 regular season.

Without a doubt, it would be devastating for the Canadiens if they slipped a bit and missed out on a post-season berth this year. BetMGM gave the Canadiens better odds of making the playoffs (1.80, -125) than missing out (2.00, +100), after all.

But everybody knows that progress isn’t always linear. Sometimes a backward step or lateral move is what's necessary to create a team that can handle adversity and thrive in the face of it. That may wind up being true for St-Louis and this generation of Canadiens players, but not if they can help it.

Last year at this time, the expectations on Montreal was that it should be aiming for some sort of step forward. In fact, on Nov. 4, 2024, the Habs were tied for the fewest points in the NHL, and it looked like they were making no progress at all under St-Louis.

Few pundits had the Habs as a playoff team, so St-Louis more than earned his salary when he steered them to a first-round playoff appearance.

But here’s where the increased expectations come in for this season: a playoff appearance and another quick exit – like the one the Canadiens had last spring at the hands of the Washington Capitals – will not be seen as a positive for Montreal. To be sure, nothing short of a first-round win will be seen as progress for the Habs this year. And at a point in time where NHL coaches are fired on an alarmingly-regular basis, St-Louis can only assure himself of job security if he has some tangible type of progress to show for it. 

What can St-Louis do for an encore? Well, a first-round series win would be another terrific achievement for him. Or a seven-game series loss in the first round would be understandable if, say, the Canadiens lost the deciding game in a close matchup.

The bottom line would be the same – the Habs don’t yet have a team that can win home-ice advantage in the highly competitive Atlantic Division – but making them tougher in every regard would be something St-Louis could point to as an indication he’s got the Canadiens on the right path.

Montreal Canadiens' Choice For Their Second-Line Center Raises DoubtsThe Montreal Canadiens had a game-changing off-season.

The rest of the Atlantic – and the NHL – won’t hand the Habs a playoff spot this year or any year. Montreal is going to have to earn that. But under St-Louis' guidance, the Canadiens overachieved last season, and making the playoffs is now the expectation, not a pleasant surprise. There’s no evidence to declare they can’t do it again. 

If they actually do it again and then win a round, St-Louis’ impact on the Habs will be all the more impressive.

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When the Toronto Maple Leafs' non-playing group stepped onto the ice for practice on Thursday, William Nylander wasn't out there.

He's the latest player to miss a skate during camp. Already, Toronto has had Max Domi, Nicolas Roy, and Simon Benoit held off the ice at one point during camp. However, when asked about Nylander after practice, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube poured cold water on whatever's going on with the forward.

"Just maintenance," the head coach said. "Camp kind of stuff. Get a little banged up, but he's fine."

We'll find out on Friday morning if there's anything to worry about. Nylander has been fairly healthy over the course of his NHL career. The 29-year-old has played three straight 82-game seasons and hasn't been out of the lineup — aside from the 2024 playoffs — since April 4, 2022, against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Nylander began camp alongside his usual center, John Tavares, and Bobby McMann, who has played on the line before. With McMann headed to Montreal to play against the Canadiens later on Thursday, Tavares skated with Nick Robertson and Calle Jarnkrok on his wings at practice.

Maple Leafs non-playing group lines at practice:

Knies - Matthews - Domi
Robertson - Tavares - Jarnkrok
Barbolini - Roy - Valis
Boyd - Haymes - A. Nylander

Rielly - Carlo
McCabe - Tanev
Ekman-Larsson - Danford
Smith - Prokop

Stolarz
Akhtyamov

— Nick Barden (@nickbarden) September 25, 2025

Max Domi and Nicolas Roy skated with the non-playing group on Thursday. After dealing with injuries (both lower-body ailments) early on in camp, Domi may get into Saturday's game at home against Montreal. He skated with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies at practice.

"I mean, there's a chance [he could play]. I don't know for sure right now," Berube said. "But he could possibly."

Maple Leafs Lineup For Pre-Season Matchup Against Canadiens Revealed And Where To WatchThe Toronto Maple Leafs will visit the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on Thursday as they drop the puck on their third pre-season game.

The only other injured player is Simon Benoit. The defenseman hasn't skated with the team since Sept. 19 and is dealing with an upper-body injury. Benoit skated before the two groups on Wednesday, but didn't get on the ice on Thursday.

"That was the plan," Berube said. "He'll be on the ice tomorrow."

Benoit was paired with Oliver Ekman-Larsson on the first day of training camp after the two were a duo for most of last season. Benoit played 78 games last year, scoring one goal and nine assists while averaging 16:33 of ice time.

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Michael Pezzetta’s journey to the NHL has been a long one, yet he recalls a special pre-season night that marked his breakthrough.

Five years after the Montreal Canadiens drafted him in the sixth round (160th overall) in the NHL Draft, Pezzetta finally got his pre-season opportunity against his hometown team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. He scored twice—including an empty-netter—in a 5-4 victory on September 27, 2021.

“I just remember how cool that was, and I remember them talking about it on the panel on television, being like, ‘It's a cool experience for this kid, but he's probably never going to make it. It was a cool experience for him to get those two goals,’” Pezzetta recalled. “I ended up making it later that year, so I just remember that. It was funny."

Pezzetta has since played in 200 NHL games. This summer, the Maple Leafs signed Pezzetta to a two-year deal worth an average annual value of $812,500.

On Thursday, he will wear the Maple Leafs uniform for the first time.

Even though it’s just a pre-season game, Pezzetta is excited about the opportunity to return to the Bell Centre.

“It's always a game that if you can't get up to that game, there's probably something wrong with you because they're exciting,” Pezzetta said. “They're usually on a Saturday night. It gets going. They're just a lot of fun to be a part of, and I think it's something special, and I think it's something I'm so grateful that I've had to experience it.”

Pezzetta is a long shot to make the Leafs’ roster and will probably start this season with the Toronto Marlies. But anything can happen. Even though his two-goal pre-season performance in 2021 was dismissed, the forward went on to play 51 games with the Canadiens in 2021–22. Depending on what the Leafs need as injuries and personnel shifts arise, Pezzetta could be called upon at some point.

And if he has another memorable outing in Montreal, he'll probably get the panel talking about him again.

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Three months after the Abbotsford Canucks won the Calder Cup, the team is gearing up to defend their title for the first time in franchise history. Also, for the first time in franchise history, goaltender Arturs Silvos won’t be on the roster. The Calder Cup MVP netminder was traded this offseason to the Pittsburgh Penguins due to salary cap constraints and limited roster spots for Vancouver’s flurry of goaltenders.

All eyes now look to Nikita Tolopilo, the six-foot-six, 229-pound Belarusian undrafted goaltender the Canucks acquired in free agency two years prior. Tolopilo has played in the majority of games over the last two seasons for Abbotsford, participating in 35 games in his rookie 2023–24 campaign (one more than Silovs played that year), and being the only Canucks goaltender to play in over 25 games last season. Over the two seasons, he has a 40-27-3 record, with a 0.903% save percentage, and a 2.74 goals against average.

Having spent the majority of his professional North American career in tandem with Silovs, Tolopilo now steps into a new role as a bona fide veteran starter for the Canucks in net, as the 25-year-old will likely be sharing the crease with Ty Young. Young played in 11 games last season for Abbotsford, posting an 8-3 record, though he spent most of the season playing with Kalamazoo in the ECHL. 

Despite these big changes in the crease, Tolopilo is unperturbed by the year that lies ahead, telling The Hockey News that the dynamic shift isn’t on his mind. 

“I don't really think about that, because every year is different. So [I] just try to focus on myself. Focus on my thing. What should I do to win more games, to help my team win more games? And kind of, you know, do [the] best I can.”

To end the AHL regular season, Tolopilo had an eight-game win streak, along with a two-game appearance in the NHL with Vancouver. In his first NHL start, he earned a 2–1 win in overtime against the San Jose Sharks, as well as a loss after coming in relief of Kevin Lankinen in the third period against the Vegas Golden Knights two days later.

Tolopilo also made one appearance in the Abbotsford Calder Cup run, coming in during the second period of game two in the division semifinals against the Coachella Valley Thunderbirds, where he allowed two goals on 23 shots in the eventual 5–4 overtime loss. 

Headed into the next season as defending champions is placing the spotlight on Abbotsford, especially without the goaltender who arguably brought them that trophy. Tolopilo, though, remains optimistic about what lies in store for the upcoming season, ready for “new challenges” to arise. After what he deemed a “short summer,” Tolopilo returned to training camp in Penticton, still working towards improvements in his game. 

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“It's like a lot of small things, you know, like you try to clean up some area where you [are] not that good. And also work on the good things, you know, try to get even better. And of course, to be in good shape and feel good,” he explained to The Hockey News.

“I feel confident [in] myself like this [is] my third year here in North America, so I wanted to take another step forward, you know, in my development, in my career. I have some goals in my head, but, you know, it's just more for myself.”

Returning under the tutelage of Abbotsford head coach Manny Malhotra and goaltending coach Justin Pogge is another source of motivation for the towering Belarusian. 

“They’re excellent people. They’re super professional. Like, we won the Calder Cup in our first year with them. [...] I like to work with them, with everyone.”

Tolopilo also enters the first year of the two-year contract he signed with the Canucks in early July, which carries a $775k NHL cap hit until the end of the 2026-27 season, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. The contract is also a two-way deal, and it is likely that in the case of either Thatcher Demko or Kevin Lankinen being unable to play, Tolopilo will have to venture westbound on Highway 1 to join the team in Vancouver as the third-string option. 

The Canucks had seven goalies on their roster heading into training camp, now down to six at the time of writing, as 2025 second-round pick Aleksei Medvedev has returned to the London Knights of the OHL. Along with Tolopilo, Young, Demko, and Lankinen, the Canucks also have Jiri Patera on contract for another season, though he only played in seven games for Abbotsford last year, and 2021 fifth-round pick Aku Koskenvuo, who played most recently with Harvard University in the NCAA, and signed a two-year, entry-level contract back in March.

With under a month until the Canucks grace the Abbotsford ice once again, Nikita Tolopilo is looking to replicate the success from last season through this year and beyond — no matter what changes the 2025–26 AHL season has in store for the defending champions.

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

The Ottawa Senators continued to trim their roster on Thursday, making 17 cuts as their training camp moves into its next phase.

Eight players were assigned directly to the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League: Matthew Andonovski, Tyler Boucher, Jake Chiasson, Jorian Donovan, Tomas Hamara, Jackson Parsons, Oskar Pettersson and Djibril Toure. All eight will now join Belleville’s camp as they look to take the next steps in their development.

Five additional players will require waivers before being sent down to Belleville. That group includes forwards Wyatt Bongiovanni, Xavier Bourgault and Garrett Pilon, along with defenceman Cameron Crotty and goaltender Hunter Shepard. They will be available to the other 31 NHL clubs before officially reporting to Ottawa’s AHL affiliate.

Four more players — Philippe Daoust, Landen Hookey, Jamieson Rees and Keean Washkurak — were also reassigned to Belleville. Each is on an AHL contract and attended Ottawa’s camp on a tryout basis.

With the latest moves, the Senators’ training camp roster has been reduced to 31 players. The group now consists of three goaltenders, ten defencemen and eighteen forwards still competing for opening-night spots.

The team will shift its focus to Quebec City over the next five days, where they will hold practices and play a pair of preseason games at the Videotron Centre. Ottawa is set to face the New Jersey Devils on Sunday, September 28, followed by a matchup with the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, September 30.

The Senators are 1-1 in preseason play so far after splitting a home-and-home series with the Toronto Maple Leafs to open their exhibition schedule earlier this week.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

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The Montreal Canadiens have multiple young players to keep an eye on as the preseason continues. Among the most intriguing is forward Joshua Roy, as the 22-year-old forward is looking to prove that he deserves a spot on the Canadiens' opening night roster.

Roy played in 12 games this past season with the Canadiens, where he scored two goals. He also played in 23 games for the Canadiens during the 2023-24 campaign, where he posted four goals and nine points. Overall, the 2021 fifth-round pick has shown signs of promise when given the chance to play for Montreal, but now he will be looking to have a breakout season in 2025-26 for them.

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Roy will be in the lineup for the Canadiens in their Sep. 25 preseason matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs. This is a big game for Roy, as this will allow him the opportunity to try to stand out. If he puts together a strong performance for the Habs, it could very well help his odds of making the NHL roster.

Nevertheless, it is going to be very interesting to see what happens with Roy from here. The young forward has the potential to become a solid NHL player, and time will tell if he takes that next step this season. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 18 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #18. 

Let's take a look.

Robert Kron - 2001-2002 - Drafted by Vancouver in 1985.

Played 118 games for the Jackets from 2000 to 2002. He never played another NHL game after Columbus. In March 2001, Kron broke his ankle when he fell over awkwardly after taking a puck to the face. It was truly one of the oddest moments in CBJ history.

Nowadays, Kron is the Director of Amateur Scouting for the Seattle Kraken. 

Zenith Komarniski - 2004 - Drafted by Vancouver in 1996

Komarniski played in two games for Columbus in 03-04 and had zero points. He would never play another NHL after his time in Columbus and would retire in 2007. 

Komarniski is now a youth coach in Canada.

Geoff Platt - 2006 - Undrafted out of Toronto, Ontario.

Platt played 41 games as a Jacket and had a total of 14 points. After playing five games for Anaheim in 07-08, he left for Europe where he played until he retired in 2023.

Platt is now a Development Coach for the Tappara U20 team in Finland. 

R.J. Umberger - 2009-2014 - Drafted by Vancouver in 2001. 

The former Ohio State Buckeye played 445 games after coming to Columbus via trade with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2008. He scored 120 goals and totaled 250 points during his time in Columbus. He was traded back to Philly in 2014 and would retire in 2017 after signing a PTO with the Dallas Stars and being subsequently released. 

Umberger is now the Director of Hockey Operations and Head Coach for the Columbus Chill 18U AA.

David Clarkson - 2015 - Undrafted out of Etobicoke, Ontario.

Clarkson only played 26 games in Columbus before a serious back injury derailed his career. His contract was then traded twice before he officially retired. Clarkson stayed in the Columbus area after retiring, coaching the Upper Arlington High School Hockey Team for a season.

These days, he owns the NAHL's Colorado Grit. The Grit is a Tier II junior team based in Greeley, Colorado. The Grit will not participate in league competition during the upcoming season, as per the NAHL, but could return next season. For 25-26, Clarkson will be the head coach for the Okanagan HA Colorado 13U AAA.

Rene Bourque - 2016 - He was undrafted out of Lac La Biche, Alberta.

Bourque played 57 games for Columbus over two seasons. He totaled 7 goals and 12 points. He signed in Colorado for the 16-17 season, and then after one year, left for Sweden, where he would retire after one season.

Pierre-Luc Dubois - 2018-2020 - Drafted by Columbus in 2016. 

The former number 3 overall pick for Columbus played 239 and amassed 159 points wearing #18 for the Jackets. He was traded to the Washington Capitals in 2024 from the LA Kings and will attempt to get his career back on the right track. Washington is his fourth team since 2021. 

Last year with the Caps, Dubois set career highs in assists (46) and points (66). 

Our Ken Campbell said of Dubois: "To say that Dubois, the third overall pick in the 2016 draft, had something of a deer-in-the-headlights complex during his first training camp would not be an overstatement. Tortorella saw a young player who was overwhelmed, so much so that he had to check with team management to make sure that was the kid they had just picked third overall. But in everything to his physique to his body language to his swagger, so much was different this year. Tortorella said that at the beginning of the season he was concerned about putting Dubois in a situation he wasn’t prepared to accept and contemplated playing Dubois at the wing. But that has kind of gone out the window with Alexander Wennberg unproductive and injured. Brandon Dubinsky was never going to fill that No. 1 center role, but he was also hurt, and the depth at center took a hit. So it’s a good thing Dubois stayed in the middle and started to produce. “We think we’re so smart, the coaches, the managers,” Tortorella said. “We have all these ideas about developing players, and we worry too much. He has blown us away with how he has handled the situation. He’s grabbed ahold of it and wants more.”

Lane Pederson - 2023 - Undrafted out of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Pederson played 16 games as a Jacket after being picked up on waivers in 2022-23 and had three points. He didn't play any NHL games in the last two seasons, and he signed with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

There are 18 days left until opening night at Nationwide Arena. 

The pre-season schedule is as follows:

Saturday, Sept. 27 at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m. ET

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.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

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More from THN Columbus

Blue Jackets Overpower Penguins In Preseason Game #4Yegor Chinakhov, Jake Christiansen, Kent Johnson, and Dante Fabbro provided the offense, and Jet Greaves stopped 24 of 25 Pens shots in the 4-1 CBJ win on Wednesday night.  Blue Jackets Send Charlie Elick Back To Junior TeamThe Blue Jackets have announced that they've loaned young prospect Charlie Elick back to the Tri-City Americans of the WHL.  Blue Jackets' Werenski & Monahan Among Stars In FACEOFF: Inside The NHLYesterday, Prime Video released the trailer for the second season of their FACEOFF: Inside the NHL docuseries. 

Stuart Skinner has received a lot of attention with the Edmonton Oilers over the last couple of years. His play has been under a microscope, specifically in the playoffs, where Edmonton made back-to-back Stanley Cup final appearances.

The Oilers goaltender has been inconsistent in between the pipes, especially last season, when he recorded a .896 save percentage and a 2.81 goals-against average. It was statistically his worst campaign of the three full seasons he’s played in the NHL.

Three NHL Players Who Could Surprise You In 2025-26As much as the hockey world tries to predict how well a player performs in any given season, NHLers continue to cause double takes with incredible campaigns.

Drop a comment and share your perspective. 

During training camp on Thursday morning, the Chicago Blackhawks hinted at a handful of roster decisions with the way that they split up teams. 

Landon Slaggert, Sam Savoie, Brett Seney, and AJ Spellacy are listed as unavailable, but they took a skate ahead of practice. Joey Anderson, Laurent Brossoit, and Ty Henry are also on the same list, but were not on the ice. In the case of Brossoit and Henry, their injuries are a lot more long-term.  

The Blackhawks announced two teams of players for practice, as they have for a large portion of training camp. This time around, however, there is a clear meaning behind the two teams. 

"Team 1" is a squad of players who could make the NHL team. There will be cuts from this group as it is larger, but this is the squad that has Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Sam Rinzel, Nick Foligno, Teuvo Teravainen, and the rest of the "locks". 

The smaller "Team 2" has players who came in thinking that they would make the team out of camp, but the Blackhawks are hinting that they will begin in the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs.

Kevin Korchinski, Nick Lardis, Nolan Allan, and Drew Commesso are among those participating with that AHL team. As of now, it is fair to assume that the decision has been made that they will not start the season in Chicago. Anything, including injuries, can happen, but this is a significant move in practice. 

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

The Red Wings play their second preseason game Thursday when taking on a division rival in the Buffalo Sabres.  

The Detroit Red Wings restart their preseason on Thursday with a divisional showdown against the Buffalo Sabres. Before last preseason, these two haven't faced off in exhibition action since the 2021-22 season. With little history between them, the Red Wings have a 1-1-1 record over their last three exhibition matchups versus Buffalo. 

Let's play another!

🏒 7:00 P.M.
📻 @WWJ950
💻 https://t.co/jLX5LxaXCP
📱https://t.co/8GQ54x1f7J
🎟️https://t.co/6EexVqDKvDpic.twitter.com/xRO0dEuVxM

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 25, 2025

Fans could see some big names take to the ice for the first time this season like in Detroit's preseason opener on Tuesday when they faced off against the Chicago. The Blackhawks played some of their highest end talent like star center Connor Bedard and 2024 second overall pick Artyom Levshunov.

Detroit is coming off a gutsy win in their preseason opener as they downed the Blackhawks 3-2 thanks to an impressive performance from former seventh round pick Emmitt Finnie, who scored and dished for an assist in a multi-point performance. Other notable names in the win were his linemates in other top prospects for Detroit with Nate Danielson, who also scored, and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, who recorded a pair of assists. 

What a slick little pass from Emmitt Finnie to Carter Mazur! pic.twitter.com/IErr5a1Fti

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 23, 2025

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

With Detroit playing mostly their prospects in the opener, except for J.T. Compher, Jonatan Berggren and Travis Hamonic, we get a more veteran-focused lineup deployed for Thursday's matchup as Red Wings bench boss Todd McLellan would like to make sure all their routine starters have enough time to get their legs underneath them before the start of the season.

Tonight's lineup vs. Buffalo 👇 pic.twitter.com/pLJ9mnVrim

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 25, 2025

In the action will be captain Dylan Larkin, Marco Kasper, Lucas Raymond, Andrew Copp, Moritz Seider and Cam Talbot backing up starter Michal Postava. Making his Red Wings debut is Mason Appleton, who is expected to play on a line with Michael Rasmussen and Copp. 

"It's Time": Dylan Larkin Lays Out Clear Goal For Red WingsThe city of Detroit hasn't hosted a Stanley Cup Playoff game since April 2016 against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Joe Louis Arena, who at that time were overseen by general manager Steve Yzerman.

Last Sunday, the Red Wings played in their signature split squad game called the Red and White Game in Grand Rapids and led to some impressive performances.  Finnie was again a standout after scoring while playing on the top line with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond. Detroit winger Elmer Söderblom also made his case for the top-line left wing spot, turning heads after scoring twice and impressing during training camp scrimmages while playing on the top unit. The battle for the top-line left wing spot remains one of the key storylines to watch, with no clear frontrunner emerging. 

Another position battle heading into the season could be with naming a No. 1 starting goaltender despite the team trading for a former all-star netminder in John Gibson. The former Ducks goaltender appeared in 29 games (28 starts) and posted a lesser record than Talbot at 11‑11‑2 while playing for a weaker team in the Ducks but posted a better goals against average (GAA) at 2.77 and a better save percentage at .912 compared to Talbot's GAA at 2.93 and his .901 save percentage. Both haven't seen the ice yet in the preseason as former first round pick Sebastian Cossa took the crease for the opener and will make the decision in net for the Sabres matchup an interesting one.

Click Here if you want to check out more expanded storylines on the Red Wings training camp roster.   

Red Wings Prospect Signs Four-Year Deal To Stay With Russian ClubRed Wings recent 5th round pick Nikita Tyurin signs four-year extension with Russian club

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As much as the hockey world tries to predict how well a player performs in any given season, NHLers continue to cause double takes with incredible campaigns.

Two great examples from last year would be Brandon Hagel's 90 points, or even Sam Bennett earning a spot at the 4 Nations Face-Off, winning the Conn Smythe and leading the Stanley Cup playoffs in goals.

Call them breakouts, comebacks or whatever you want. One thing is for sure is these three players could surprise fans and teams across the NHL in a good way this season.

Morgan Rielly, D, Toronto Maple Leafs

Morgan Rielly was a shadow of himself last season and didn’t perform anywhere close to expectations as the No. 1 D-man for the Toronto Maple Leafs. It got to the point where the defenseman lost his quarterback position on the top power-play unit.

Part of his drop-off could be from playing in coach Craig Berube’s system for the first time, where toughness and simplicity took over puck possession and offensive zone time, both Rielly’s strengths. The 31-year-old scored seven goals and 41 points in 82 games, his lowest points-per-game average since 2016-17. In addition, he made 99 giveaways last season, the most in his career.

While his offensive play picked up in the post-season, with seven points in 13 games, it’s uncertain whether Rielly will get back to being a 60-plus point D-man. 

However, Rielly is ready to turn a new page, rewrite the narrative and surprise people in 2025-26.

At the beginning of training camp, Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving said he had a real good, honest chat with Rielly and believes he took it to heart. Rielly also said he did a lot of reflecting over the summer and had some challenging conversations.

"I believe that I did everything I could to be prepared for a great season, and I think that's the truth for all of our guys," Rielly told reporters. " I know everyone puts a lot of pressure on themselves, approaching a new season, and you try to do everything you can to be prepared.  So for me, I took steps, and my goal was to leave no stone unturned in trying to bounce back and have a great year."

Stuart Skinner, G, Edmonton Oilers

Stuart Skinner has received a lot of attention with the Edmonton Oilers over the last couple of years. His play has been under a microscope, specifically in the playoffs, where Edmonton made back-to-back Stanley Cup final appearances.

The Oilers goaltender has been inconsistent in between the pipes, especially last season, when he recorded a .896 save percentage and a 2.81 goals-against average. It was statistically his worst campaign of the three full seasons he’s played in the NHL.

His 26 wins were also worse than his 36 in 2023-24 and 29 in 2022-23. Sportsbook BetMGM has the odds of Skinner winning more than 29.5 games at 1.91 and under 29.5 at 1.87.

Skinner is still a relatively young goaltender in this league, with a long road ahead of him. With that, the 26-year-old netminder has gained plenty of experience over the years, dealing with the workload of a true starter and seeing two deep playoff runs.

He has also won at two different levels before he reached the NHL. In junior, he won the WHL championship in 2017-18 with the Swift Current Broncos, leading his team to the Memorial Cup. He also won the Pacific Division playoffs with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors in the 2020-21 season affected by COVID-19.

Oilers GM Stan Bowman likes what he's seen from Skinner entering this fall.

"I just really like his attitude coming in," Bowman told reporters last week. "He's trained hard this summer. He looks to have a refreshed approach to the year with a new goalie coach."

Skinner also said he aimed to help his joints and extend his career by losing weight this past summer.

While people seem to write off Skinner, he could be the best version of himself this season.

Dylan Guenther, RW, Utah Mammoth

Utah Mammoth right winger Dylan Guenther had a hot start to last year. After scoring the franchise’s first NHL goal on opening night, he went on a three-game goal streak. In that span, he scored five times and was named the NHL’s first star of the week.

He was solid for Utah all season, recording 27 goals and 60 points in 70 appearances. However, toward the end of the season, Guenther cooled down and has since fallen back under the radar. 

Along with his fellow Mammoth young stars, such as Logan Cooley and JJ Peterka, Guenther will look to surprise fans, and he could reach the 40-goal mark. He was on pace to score more than 30 goals in a full 82-game season last year. So, it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility for him to join the rest of the league’s elite scorers in 2025-26.

BetMGM has set the odds for Guenther to reach at least 40 goals at 9.00 (+800), and the odds for the 22-year-old to take home the Rocket Richard Trophy are at a whopping 301.00 (+30,000).

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The Toronto Maple Leafs will visit the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on Thursday as they drop the puck on their third pre-season game.

As is usual, the Maple Leafs will dress mostly second-string players alongside the mandated minimum of NHL veterans. The Canadiens are expected to ice an NHL-loaded lineup.

Noteworthy is the inclusion of Easton Cowan, who will play in his third consecutive pre-season game. Toronto’s top prospect has impressed through the first week of training camp, earning praise from teammates and head coach Craig Berube.

Maple Leafs lines at morning skate ahead of preseason game vs. Montreal:

Lorentz - Laughton - Cowan
McMann - Kampf - Maccelli
Joshua - Quillan - Lettieri
Pezzetta - Groulx - Tverberg

Mermis - Myers
Rifai - Thrun
Webber - Benning
Villeneuve

Hildeby
Peksa

— Nick Barden (@nickbarden) September 25, 2025

Steven Lorentz, Scott Laughton, Bobby McMann, David Kampf, and Dakota Joshua highlight the everyday NHLers on Toronto’s roster.

None of Toronto’s projected top-six defensemen will dress; Dakota Mermis and Philippe Myers will instead get the top defensive assignments.

Leafs PP units at skate

QB: Mermis
Flanks: Lettieri, Cowan
Middle: Tverberg
Net front: Laughton

QB: Benning / Myers
Flanks: Maccelli, Kampf
Middle: McMann
Net front: Joshua @TSN_Sports

— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) September 25, 2025

Goaltender Dennis Hildeby is slated to start in Montreal, drawing attention following Joseph Woll's indefinite departure to tend to a personal family matter. Hildeby made 23 saves on 23 shots in 40 minutes of work during Toronto’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena.

'We're All Here For Him': Maple Leafs React To Joseph Woll Taking A Personal Leave of Absence, Lend SupportThe Toronto Maple Leafs revealed some unexpected news on Tuesday when they announced that goaltender Joseph Woll had stepped away to deal with a personal family issue.

Puck is set to drop at 7:00 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on TSN4 in Toronto’s viewing region, while Canadiens fans will tune in on TSN2.

What the Leafs can expect from the Canadiens tonight

The Leafs' veterans like Lorentz and Laughton will have a tough test on their hands going up against Canadiens defenseman Noah Dobson, acquired from the New York Islanders, in addition to the likes of Russian star Ivan Demidov.

Canadiens projected lines/lineup vs Leafs tonight (bottom six might be lined up a bit different but it's a best guess)

Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovský
Laine-Dach-Demidov
Roy-Rohrer-Mešár
Tuch-F.Xhekaj-Davidson

Matheson-Dobson
Guhle-Reinbacher
O’Rourke-Clurman

Montembeault
Fowler

— Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) September 25, 2025

"I know Dobson's been around a little bit, but this Demidov kid seems pretty electric when he's got the puck on his stick," Lorentz said Thursday morning "So it's going to be a good test for the veterans that we got in the group tonight, it's going to be a good test for the young guys to see what these young world-class players are really all about."

Laughton, acquired by the Maple Leafs at the NHL trade deadline from the Philadelphia Flyers, will get his first taste of Toronto vs. Montreal.

"I haven't been part of much here so far, so I'm excited to get into it. Great building to play in, so it's always fun going there," Laughton said. "I haven't seen too much of those new guys there (in Montreal), they've got some skill up front. They got a ton of speed, and adding Dobson, I think, helps their back and big guy that can move the puck. And they got a good goalie. So it's a good team and a younger team, but, yeah, excited to go there today."

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Last week, Ben Kuzma of The Provincereported the Detroit Red Wings were among the clubs monitoring Quinn Hughes' situation with the Vancouver Canucks this season.

Hughes' future in Vancouver has been the subject of ongoing speculation since the spring, after Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford said his captain would one day like to play alongside his brothersJack and Luke, who both belong to the New Jersey Devils.

The Canucks aren't shopping Hughes, who is signed through 2026-27. However, this season could be crucial in determining his fate. If they miss the playoffs again, the 25-year-old defenseman could be reluctant to sign a contract extension, forcing the Canucks to consider trading him.

Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now pointed out Hughes' ties to Michigan, including playing for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Plymouth and with the NCAA's Michigan Wolverines.

If Hughes were interested in playing for the Red Wings, Duff believes they should make a serious trade bid next summer. That would include offering up top prospect Axel Sandin Pellikka in a package deal.

PuckPedia indicates that Hughes lacks no-trade protection, meaning the Canucks can ship him to the highest bidder. However, if the Wings become one of them, they must ensure he's willing to sign an extension.

NHL's Biggest Trade Bait With 2025-26 Season Almost HereIt is an exciting time for hockey fans with the new season approaching. Soon, NHL teams will be back to playing regular-season hockey, as it officially begins Oct. 7. 

Turning to the Calgary Flames, they seemed headed toward an amicable parting of ways with Rasmus Andersson.

The 28-year-old defenseman is UFA-eligible next July, and contract extension talks broke down in June, sparking speculation about possible trade destinations.

Andersson denied he only wanted to be traded to the Vegas Golden Knights, calling it “fake information.” While this season could be his last with the Flames, he doesn't believe it will distract his teammates.

TSN's Pierre LeBrun believes Andersson is likely to be moved by the March 6 NHL trade deadline. However, he reported that neither side has fully closed the door on a contract extension.

LeBrun believes Andersson might be open to an eight-year contract, but doesn't think the Flames are willing to go that long. Andersson turns 29 in October, which explains their reluctance.

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