The Rangers worked hard to retool their roster over the offseason. 

They made some trades to bring new faces into the mix, but still have young talent on the cusp of the pro lineup. 

While it’s more of a long shot for some, here are few who could potentially contribute at some point this season…

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Alberts Smits

Smits was viewed by many around the game as one of the most NHL-ready defensemen in this year’s draft class. 

That’s one of the reasons New York took him with the fifth overall pick. 

The 18-year-old shined skating in men’s pro leagues in Germany and Finland, and was the youngest skater to compete in the 2026 Olympics, where he recorded two assists. 

GM Chris Drury kept the door open for Smits to crack the Opening Night roster, but also said that the team will not rush him for the sake of getting him to the NHL. 

New York also has a bit of a logjam at the bottom of their defensive core.

Smits will be an intriguing one to keep an eye on, though, as he looks to prove that he’s ready to take one of those spots. 

Drew Fortescue

Fortescue figures to be a young D-man in that mix, as well. 

The 21-year-old enjoyed a strong cup of coffee in the NHL last season, appearing in nine games down the stretch after signing his entry-level deal. 

He recorded just two points, but slotted in nicely on both ends of the ice. 

Fortescue now finds himself facing a bit of an uphill battle for a roster spot with the team already crowded on the backend with lefty-shooting D-men.

The youngster appears destined to begin the season in Hartford, but could build his case with a strong showing in camp.  

Adam Sykora

Skating alongside good friend and fellow prospect Jaroslav Chmelar, Sykora provided a spark to the Rangers’ bottom-six down the stretch last season. 

The 21-year-old winger quickly became a favorite with the tenacious play and contagious energy he brought on both ends of the ice each and every night. 

Sykora also scored three times and added his first pro assist in 11 games. 

Though he clearly still has some steps to take in his development, he showed in his cup of coffee that he has what it takes to carve out a role in the NHL.

With the additions the Rangers made the youngster will be down in Hartford to begin the year, but if they struggle he could work his work into the lineup at some point.

Liam Greentree

Greentree came to the Blueshirts at last year’s deadline in the Artemi Panarin deal, and he immediately carried over his big-time production. 

The former first-round pick has scored 30+ goals each of the past three years. 

He was limited to just 52 games last season, but put together 74 points and then added another 14 during the playoffs. 

Greentree participated in Prospect Development Camp this offseason, and will be in training camp with the squad after signing his entry-level deal. 

Like Sykora he’ll begin the season getting his feet wet in Hartford, but his playmaking-pedigree could be enough to give him a legitimate look at some point. 

Dylan Garand

Garand was the clear favorite to be Igor Shesterkin’s backup heading into this season. 

The netminder took full advantage of his first opportunity at the pro level, winning two of his three appearances, allowing no more than two goals in each of them. 

He earned some himself some high praise from Sullivan and the coaching staff. 

Still, the Rangers elected to bring in veteran competition, landing Joonas Korpisalo in a deal with the Bruins. 

The two will now compete for the spot behind Shesterkin. 

While Korpisalo owns a higher cap hit and brings another year of control, he is coming off back-to-back down seasons with Boston. 

Perhaps with a strong camp, Garand can steal that spot back. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 25 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #25. 

Let's take a look.

Bruce Gardiner - 2001 - Drafted by St. Louis in 1991. 

Gardiner scored the first goal in franchise history at 7:34 into game one of the 2000 season. He played 73 games as a Jacket and had 22 points. Gardiner only played seven more NHL games after he left Columbus.

Gardiner left for Europe, where he played in Russia and Finland. He retired in 2005. 

These days, Gardiner is a police officer with the Barrie Police Department. He was charged with criminal harassment and extortion on Feb. 4, 2022, but the charges were dropped in July 2024. 

Andrew Cassels - 2003-2004 - Drafted by Montreal in 1987.

Cassels signed with Columbus in 2002. He played 137 games for the CBJ over the course of two seasons, scoring 26 goals and totaling 94 points. Cassels signed with Washington in 2005, which would be his final professional hockey season. He was released in January of 2006. 

After retiring, Cassels stuck around Columbus and has been a coach for the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets since 2018. His son Cole currently plays in Slovakia and was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in 2013. He also spent a year with the Cleveland Monsters in 2021-22. 

Jason Chimera - 2006-2010 - Drafted by Edmonton in 1997. 

Chimera was traded to Columbus by the Phoenix Coyotes. He played in 331 games for the Jackets before being traded to the Washington Capitals on December 28, 2009, in a trade that brought current Cleveland Monsters GM Chris Clark to the Columbus organization. 

He last NHL season would be the 2017-18 season. 

Kyle Wilson - 2011 - Drafted by Minnesota in 2004. 

Wilson played 32 of his 39 career NHL games with Columbus during the 2010-11 season after signing on July 2, 2010. He spent the rest of the season with the Springfield Falcons. 

He left North America for Europe in 2013 and played until 2017 in Latvia, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, and Germany. He retired in 2017. 

Ryan Russell - 2012 - Drafted by the New York Rangers in 2005. 

The twin brother of former Blue Jacket and long-time NHLer Kris Russell, he played 41 games for Columbus during the 2011-12 season after being traded to the Jackets on July 7, 2011. He spent most of that season and the next playing for the Springfield Falcons. 

He left for Sweden, played two seasons, and then played in England for one season before retiring. He has spent the last nine seasons as an Amateur Scout for the San Jose Sharks. 

Luke Adam - 2015 - Drafted by Buffalo in 2008. 

Adam played three games for Columbus after his trade from the Sabres on December 16, 2014. 

In 2016, he left for Europe, where he would play seven years in Germany, and then a year each in Czechia and Slovakia. 

In 2024, he returned to North America, where he signed with the Tahoe Knight Monsters of the ECHL. He has been the Captain of Tahoe for the last two seasons. 

William Karlsson - 2016-2017 - Drafted by Anaheim in 2011.

 It's a common misconception that Karlsson was drafted by the CBJ. Taken by the Anaheim Ducks in 2011, he was traded to the Jackets in March 2015. He played 165 games for Columbus and had 47 points, mostly as a fourth-line grinder and penalty killer.

He was chosen by Vegas in the expansion draft of 2017 and has been there ever since. His career in Vegas has been up and down, but he's managed to get 396 points while playing for Vegas. In 2018, he won the Lady Byng, and in 2023, he helped his team win their first Stanley Cup. 

Mikhail Grigorenko - 2021 - Drafted by Buffalo in 2012. 

Grigorenko signed with Columbus in July of 2020. He played in 32 games and had 12 points. He left for Russia again after his time in Columbus and still plays there today. 

He is signed to play for Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL and serves as the Captain. 

There are 25 days until opening night at NWA. 

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Colorado Avalanche News

• The Drive – Conor McGahey talks Colorado Avalanche, Makar’s contract and Denver Broncos. [TSN]

• The London Knights have dealt Avalanche prospect defenseman Linus Funck, paving the way for a major import deal to take place. [The Hockey News]

• Makar’s record 8-year deal was a necessity. ‘You can’t win without superstars,’ Sakic says after deal with elite defenseman, [NHL]

• A look at who is already back in Denver for informal skates. [Colorado Hockey Now]

• Colorado Avalanche face brutal travel schedule in 2027-2027. The Avalanche will have plenty of frequent-flyer miles to rack up during the NHL’s 84-game season. [SI]

News Around the League

• Semyon Varlamov healthy, ready to roll for Islanders camp: ‘It’s almost a miracle’. The veteran hasn’t played in an NHL game since Nov. 2024. [SNY]

• Hamilton NHL prospect Matthew Mayich “needs a miracle” after training collapse during a brutal workout. [CBC]

• A dispute over whether a 13-year-old boy should be allowed to play on a Whitby, Ont., minor hockey team has exposed broader questions about how youth sports organizations should respond when a parent connected to a team has a history of sexually abusing children. [CTV]

• TVA Sports renews NHL rights for 12 years, will broadcast more Canadiens games. [Montreal Gazette]

• Pronger has played alongside some of the greatest defensemen in NHL history. He knows what an elite blueliner looks like. So when a Hockey Hall of Famer looks at Cale Makar’s record-breaking contract and sees little reason for concern, it is worth listening. [The Hockey News]

The KHL season is kicking off this weekend, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed that the Montreal Canadiens’ first-round pick in the last draft, Gleb Pugachyov, has failed to make Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod’s roster for its four-game opening road trip. Alexei Isakov’s men took on Spartak Moscow on Saturday, then face Dynamo Minsk on the 7th, CSKA Moscow on the 9th, and Lada Togliatti on the 11th before returning home to host Ak Bars Kazan on the 14th.

Given the fact that Pugachyov is only 18 years old, there’s no reason to panic because he could play in the lower leagues (MHL, VHL) this season. Besides, the fact that he’s not in the initial roster doesn’t mean that he won’t be in the near future; there’s a lot of movement in the KHL, and players go up and down levels easily. It’s also worth remembering that in the KHL, rookies do not have it easy; they need to earn their ice time. Even Ivan Demidov struggled to get ice time while playing under Roman Rotenberg at SKA St. Petersburg. It wasn’t as tough for Alexander Zharovsky with Salavat Yulaev Ufa, but it wasn’t as strong a team.

Canadiens: The Big Difference About This Year’s Rookie Camp Roster
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It’s important to remember that Pugachyov was only picked 26th overall by the Canadiens. While Montreal has been blessed with a lot of early selections over the last few years, the team’s emergence from its rebuild means that they won’t get to speak so early at the draft. Pugachyov can play hockey, but he brings size, grit, and energy; he’s not the kind of player who’ll fill the net, which makes it even harder for him to earn a roster spot in the KHL.

The forward signed a two-year contract extension with Torpedo in June 2025, which only expires at the end of the 2027-28 season. There’s no rush; Pugachyov has got plenty of time to develop. In an ideal world, he would develop into a middle-six type of player, but if he turns out to be a supersized third-line winger who’s a pain to play against, it will still be good news for the Canadiens.

It takes a little bit of everything to have a Stanley Cup-winning team; it’s not solely about skills and talent, as demonstrated by the Toronto Maple Leafs, who thought they could plan the parade once they had Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and Morgan Rielly. You need more than just headliners; you need depth players who can play the right type of game and thrive in your system.

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Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

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While we impatiently wait for the Philadelphia Flyers and, more broadly, NHL hockey to return, the OHL preseason is underway, and many European pro leagues are beginning to kick things off, too.

Let's start in Sweden, shall we?

Flyers forward prospect Max Westergard, who was unable to participate in development camp in July, scored a goal and an assist in 11:44 of ice time for Frolunda HC in a 6-1 win over SaiPa in Champions Hockey League competition.

Over in Russia, Egor Zavragin will likely debut for his new club, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, on Sunday (today) or Tuesday, Sept. 8, with two games against Amur Khabarovsk on the docket.

He'll have some competition from the older, more experienced Alexander Smolin, who is also a Gagarin Cup champ with Metallurg as Ilya Nabokov's backup, but we can expect the two Russian netminders to share the crease barring something unforeseen.

And here? We will soon see if David Jiricek has what it takes to stick at the NHL level with the Flyers.

Head coach Rick Tocchet and GM Danny Briere both acclaim Jiricek's shot and offensive ability, but only 12 days separate the start of training camp on the 17th and the first game of the regular season on the 30th.

Don't forget about Maksim Sokolovskii

Lost in all the prospect talk, try not to forget about Maksim Sokolovskii throughout the year. I mean, I'm sure there will be highlights, as you will see shortly here, but regard him as a legitimate prospect.

Yes, Sokolovskii is going to be a project, and yes, it will be some time before we see him take the ice for an NHL game with the Flyers, but the potential gets more and more fascinating with each watch.

This is like if Travis Sanheim had a growth spurt https://t.co/mI13Q1aIBT

— Jonathan Bailey (@ByJonBailey) September 5, 2026

In the clip above, Sokolovskii aggressively pinches up the left wall, narrowly missing an opponent en route to the 50/50 puck. After settling an attempted play up the boards from his opponent, Sokolovskii turns up the ice and immediately looks to make a play.

A smaller, more nimble 5-foot-7 Cameron Schmidt, who led the WHL with 51 goals last season, was waiting to defend in the high slot, but Sokolovskii pulled the puck back to his left side and powered past Schmidt and another defender with just a few strides.

Shielding the puck, Sokolovskii tried to make the high-percentage play, passing across the slot as time expired, but his nearest teammate was tied up, and nobody else was available at the back post.

So, despite no goal being scored, I loved this play by Sokolovskii. It proved a few things.

The 18-year-old is showing a willingness to take control, be the guy, and use his talents and tools to manufacture offense in a pressure situation.

Flyers' Maksim Sokolovskii Lifts 1,000-lb. Tire in Offseason Training VideoNew top Philadelphia Flyers prospect Maksim Sokolovskii is freakishly strong for such a young player.

The skating, which is already anomalous for his size, looked Travis Sanheim-esque as he shielded off defenders, and Sokolovskii clearly has an understanding of where the puck needs to go create a dangerous chance for his team.

Sokolovskii, drafted 27th overall by the Flyers in June, can easily outperform his draft slot just by getting in the same orbit as his full potential.

His passing and puck-handling will have to develop further, as will the decision-making, but when things go right, they look incredible.

Sokolovskii is the player I'm most excited to watch at Flyers rookie camp next week, especially as we have already seen a good bit of Porter Martone, Alex Bump, Denver Barkey, and Jett Luchanko in past years.

Labor Day weekend is the unofficial end of summer. College football is back, the NFL is about to start up. Most of the Penguins are in town, skating at the practice rink and getting ready for training camp of their own that should be ready to begin officially in about 10 days or so.

What’s gone down since the team last left the ice? Let’s get into it.

May

• Dan Muse named finalist for Jack Adams Award
• Forward Connor Dewar ($2.25 million AAV for two years) and defenseman Ilya Solovyov ($850k for one year) are re-signed
• Evgeni Malkin is re-signed to a one year contract with a $5.5 million downside. As a 35+ contract, Malkin received performance bonus clauses in the deal. He will earn an extra $250k for playing half the season (42 games), an additional $250k for playing in three quarters of the games (63), receive a $1.0 million bonus if Pittsburgh qualifies for the 2027 NHL playoffs and an additional $250k for each round the Pens win, bringing the potential total up to $9.0 million
• Wilkes-Barre defeats Hershey and Utica in the AHL Calder Cup playoffs to advance to the Eastern Conference Final against Toronto
• Wheeling is eliminated in the ECHL Kelly Cup playoffs

June

• Wilkes-Barre is eliminated from the AHL playoffs by the Toronto Marlies
• The Penguins acquire forward Oliver Okuliar from Florida in exchange for defenseman Emil Pieniniemi
• Ron Francis, recently departed from a stint in the Seattle Kraken front office, hired by the Penguins as a special advisor to hockey operations
• The NHL Board of Governors unanimously approves the sale of the Penguins from Fenway Sports Group to the Hoffman Family
• The Penguins acquire forward Hendrix Lapierre from Washington for a third round pick (2027) and fifth round selection (2028)
• Liam Ruck is drafted in the first round of the 2026 NHL draft, 22nd overall. The Pens grab his twin brother Markus in the second round (39th overall) and later add four more draftees (Tomas Galvas, Pierce Mbuyi, Parker von Richter, Matvei Nikonovich).
• The Penguins acquire forward David Gustafsson from Winnipeg for defenseman Jack St. Ivany
• The Penguins acquire defenseman Kaeden Korczak from Vegas in exchange for Parker Wotherspoon. Pittsburgh also retains the max of 50% of Wotherspoon’s contract ($500k cap hit, their first of three available retention slots for 2026-27).

July

• The Penguins acquire forward Nick Robertson from Toronto for a fourth round draft pick (2028)
• The following players from 2025-26 become unrestricted free agents and officially depart from the organization: Noel Acciari (signed: PHI), Sebastian Aho (signed: Vaxjo Lakers HC, Sweden), Connor Clifton (signed: BOS), Kevin Hayes (signed: Ak Bars Kazan, KHL), Bokondji Imama (signed: FLA), Joona Koppanen (signed: Lulea HF, Sweden), Anthony Mantha (signed: NJD), Ryan Shea (signed: EDM), Stuart Skinner (signed: WPG). Rafael Harvey-Pinard is the lone UFA that comes back to the organization, albeit on an AHL level contract with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
• Just as free agency starts, reports circle that the Penguins sign defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk. The deal is formally announced as a two-year contract with a $4.0 million cap hit
• The Pens sign 26-year old free agent defenseman Declan Carlile to a two-year deal that comes with a $1.5 million cap hit
• The Pens make their highest external salary free agent signing of July, grabbing forward Andrei Kuzmenko for $5.5 million on a one-year contract
• Pens wrap up summer development camp. Zam Plante and recently drafted Pierce Mbuyi are among standouts in 3v3 action
• Recently acquired forward Hendrix Lapierre signed by Pens to a two-year contract with a $1.3 million cap hit
• Vukie Mpofu, the Pens’ director of hockey operations and legal affairs for the last three seasons, leaves the organization to move up in title to become an assistant general manager for the Nashville Predators
• The Pens re-sign forward Egor Chinakhov (three-year contract worth a $6.25 million cap hit) and goalie Arturs Silovs (one-year contract, $2.8 million)
• Nick Robertson and the Pens avoid arbitration, coming to agreement on a two-year contract with a $3.25 million cap hit
• Salary cap and legal guru Brandon Pridham, recently departed from the Toronto Maple Leafs, joins back up with Kyle Dubas as a hockey operations consultant to help replace the departed Mpofu
• The Penguins announce the end of a 29-year affiliation with Wheeling as their ECHL club
• The Penguins announce that the Florida Everblades, a team also owned by the Hoffman family, is their new ECHL affiliate
• Forward Tommy Novak is extended for three seasons. His new contract will kick in for the 2027-28 season and carry a $4.65 million cap hit

August

• In a huge surprise, the Penguins sign forward Ville Koivunen to an eight-year contract that carries a $4.0 million cap hit
• Forward prospect Cruz Lucius, acquired in the Jake Guentzel trade but unwilling to sign with Pittsburgh, is traded to Anaheim for future considerations. He later signs an entry level deal with the Ducks

—

And for now, that’s it. In a sense it wasn’t the summer of sweeping changes that many hoped for or expected when it came to adding front line players or making massive moves to overhaul the future or strength of the club.

On the other hand, it was a very active offseason once you go back and take it all in. The Evgeni Malkin question was favorably resolved with a contract extension. Ownership of the team changed hands, with a minor league affiliation switch at the ECHL taking place. Several new players (Kuzmenko, Robertson, van Riemsdyk, Carlile, Lapierre, Korczak) were acquired. Several more departed (Wotherspoon, Acciari, K. Hayes, Clifton, Mantha, Skinner). On the whole, the team got younger as a result of these changes – especially when considering they did not add any goalies and will be looking to promote a youngster from the AHL.

There were front office changes with Mpfou leaving and Pridham and Francis joining up. Several other players (Chinakhov, Silovs, Dewar, Solovyov, Koivunen, Novak) were re-signed.

Put it all together and you have the results of the last few summer months. With most of that action and activity out of the way it will soon be time to drop the puck.

With four preseason games right around the corner before the Devils host the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 1, the team's starting lineups and depth chart are coming into clearer view.

Sunny Mehta has worked hard in his first offseason as Devils general manager to build a team best suited to the traditional, highly structured playing style favored by head coach Sheldon Keefe. Most recently - and arguably, most notably - Mehta traded two draft picks to the Nashville Predators for forward Luke Evangelista.

Forwards

The top forward line of wingers Timo Meier and Dawson Mercer centered by Devils captain Nico Hischier was by far the team's best during last season, and that shouldn't change this time around, especially since Hischier was inked to a five-year contract extension this past offseason. Evangelista's playmaking prowess on the wing, combined with his tenacious work ethic to do the dirty work, makes him a perfect fit on the team's second line alongside star center Jack Hughes and steady point producer Jesper Bratt.

Free agent addition Anthony Mantha projects as the leader of the bottom-six forward group. The experienced veteran had a career year with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, and he'll look to bring his physicality and timely goalscoring to a Devils team desperate to get back to the playoffs. Evan Rodrigues, similarly, was brought into the fold after his time proving his worth as a key veteran for the Florida Panthers - not coincidentally, during Mehta's time as assistant general manager and director of hockey analytics - as they won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2023-24 and 2024-25. His well-rounded skillset should make it easy for coach Keefe to provide increased minutes for Cody Glass and Arseny Gritsyuk, who were effective linemates with the bottom six forward group for New Jersey last season. 

Jesper Boqvist, a versatile forward acquired from the Panthers alongside Rodrigues in exchange for goaltender Jacob Markstrom, will compete with wingers Connor Brown and Stefan Noesen as well as center Nick Bjugstad for the remaining two spots in that bottom six. 2023 second-round draft pick Lenni Hameenaho, who featured sparingly last season and is still just 21 years old, headlines the players on the outside looking in at a full-time roster spot.

Overall, a strong forward group with a nice blend of youth and experience, and I believe Evangelista's fit as a potential top-six play driver could be a real X-factor this season.

Defensemen

The defensive line projections are quite murky, and the key to the team's success or failure at that end of the ice will be how Keefe chooses to deploy 22-year-old left-handed defenseman Luke Hughes. As a light, nifty puck carrier and a modern offensive-minded defenseman, partnering Hughes with a bruising right-handed D-man like Brett Pesce or Jonathan Kovacevic makes a lot of sense. Last season, those partnerships were much more effective than Hughes playing with veteran left-hander Brendan Dillon or fellow youngster Simon Nemec, who was traded to the Calgary Flames this offseason.

It would seem that Dillon's most likely defensive partner is right-handed point generator Dougie Hamilton, as Dillon's no-nonsense physicality can cover for Hamilton and give him the freedom he desires offensively.

The odd man out of Pesce and Kovacevic - meaning whichever of the two does not partner Jack Hughes - will partner with left-handed all-rounder Jonas Siegenthaler, who appeared in all 82 games of the regular season for the first time in his career last season.

That would leave 26-year-old Declan Chisholm as the seventh defenseman on the depth chart. Chisholm was acquired by the Devils the day before the 2026 NHL Draft from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick. The left-hander recorded seven points in 26 games for the Caps last season, and assuming he plays for the Devils next season, New Jersey will be his fourth team in his five NHL seasons.

Goaltenders

Out of the three position groups, goaltender is the biggest question mark on the Devils roster. The Devils pulled the plug on the ill-fated Markstrom experiment when they made the aforementioned trade which sent the Swedish netminder to Florida, and the front office - barring a potential trade for want-away American hero and Winnipeg Jets star Connor Hellebuyck - chose against finding a way to significantly bolster the goaltending department this offseason.

Instead, New Jersey is seemingly choosing to promote Jake Allen from part-time starter to full-time starter between the pipes. In a season of turmoil last year, Allen was a rare bright spot, saving 0.17 goals saved above expected per game across 36 starts. Allen, 36, is entering his 14th season in the NHL, and hasn't started in at least half of his team's regular season games since his 2022-23 season with the Montreal Canadiens.

To serve as Allen's backup, 34-year-old journeyman David Rittich will battle German-born Nico Daws, with Rittich likely having the upper hand based on career resume and recent performance.

Rittich started 28 games for the New York Islanders last season as the main backup behind 2025-26 Vezina Trophy runner-up Ilya Sorokin. Rittich recorded a similar mark to Allen last season with 0.15 goals saved above expected per game.

Drafted in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft, Daws, still just 25 years old, has featured sparingly in his three seasons with the Devils thus far. In fact, he has started just seven total games across the last two seasons. He was waived in October of 2025, but cleared waivers to remain within the organization, going 2-1 in his three appearances with the Devils last season. Now, it seems that Daws will get the chance to prove he's worthy of a full-time roster spot.

It is worth noting, however, that it is becoming relatively common for teams to carry not just two, but three goaltenders on the NHL roster. As such, don't be surprised if Rittich and Daws are both trusted with starts for the Devils, at least early on in the season.

Although last season largely ended in a surprising success, the Philadelphia Flyers still have some specters looming over them ahead of the 2026-27 season, and perhaps the biggest of them all is on defense.

A deeply uninspiring training camp battle last year ended with veteran Noah Juulsen overtaking prospect Helge Grans, as the latter made far too many gaffes in the defensive zone for a young player to prove himself under first-year head coach Rick Tocchet.

In his second year as head coach of the Flyers, Tocchet will again have a group of young players pushing for one roster spot on defense, with newcomer Simon Benoit acting as the replacement for the departed Juulsen.

Top Flyers defense prospect Oliver Bonk, a first-round pick in 2023, will be in that mix, as will trade acquisition David Jiricek, who was drafted sixth overall in 2022.

Jiricek, 22, will have a leg up over Bonk and some of his other peers if for no reason other than the fact that he is no longer waivers-exempt, meaning that, if he's waived and cut from the roster, another NHL team can pick him up for free.

That would mean, by extension, that the Flyers had traded a promising player like Bobby Brink for nothing.

Fortunately, though, Jiricek sounds ready to work, and the Flyers sound optimistic that the Czech defenseman will develop further under their vigil.

Flyers, Jiricek anticipate a big training camp

"We don’t have many guys like you here, so shoot the puck. That’s maybe why I am in Philly," Jiricek told The Athletic at the NHLPA European Player Tour in Munich. "I try to make it work. I try to shoot as much as I can right now, and shoot everything. If I have a pass for one-timers, I’m going to shoot it.

"Camp is quick this year, really quick," Jiricek said. "We have just four games in preseason, so you have to start from the first day (of) training camp as game-ready, I would say. That's the plan."

Acknowledgment is the first step.

Jiricek doesn't need to be reminded that he is battling for an NHL roster spot, now playing for his third organization in four years.

To that end, the 22-year-old has played 85 career NHL games, but produced only two goals, 11 assists, and 13 points, with none coming on the power play.

Jiricek was highly-regarded heading into the NHL draft due to his 6-foot-4 size, heavy shot, and poise with the puck, but his already average mobility was further affected by an ACL injury suffered in his draft year.

Upon joining the Flyers organization in March, Jiricek was an instant hit in Allentown for the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, ripping off two goals, 11 assists, and 13 points in just 15 games, blowing past the 10 points he recorded in 24 games with the Iowa Wild.

The Flyers are hoping his experience with the Phantoms can be parlayed into a continued upward trajectory that makes him a useful NHL player for years to come.

Flyers' Rick Tocchet Shares Refreshing Perspective on Matvei MichkovPhiladelphia Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet reflects on his first year with Matvei Michkov and what he would do differently.

"He had a really good stint in Lehigh Valley. He proved that he's ready for the next level. For him, it's gonna be a battle for ice time. It's going to be up to him. Big summer for him. Yeah, he needs waivers. We're aware of that, and he's going to get a good look, and we hope that he's ready for it," Flyers GM Danny Briere told The Hockey News in a June Q&A.

"We feel he's ready for it, but he's going to have to show it on the ice. We know the offense is there, the big shot is there, the size is there, and that's just for him to round out his game, where he becomes a player that the coaches trust every night."

Tocchet, like Briere, is hoping that Jiricek's long-range cannon can be of great importance to the Flyers next season.

At the same time, like Jiricek said, camp is going to go quick, and it's going to be a race between him, Bonk, Hunter McDonald, and Ty Murchison as Tocchet sees it currently.

"The (short camp) does complicate it because we don’t have time to look at guys. You’ve got to make your mind up fairly quick," Tocchet told The Athletic in a recent interview.

"Jiricek, we want that big shot. Can he add that to us, and (have) patience with the puck... Four guys that have a chance. It’s a matter of who can get there quickest."

Time is ticking on Jiricek faster than any of the other hopefuls at his position, and it's now up to the once-esteemed draft pick to make this chance count. The Flyers believe he can.

The Buffalo Sabres’ 2025-26 season was largely a success, with the Sabres winning the Atlantic Division, as well as their first-round Stanley Cup playoffs series against the Boston Bruins. Buffalo fell to the Montreal Canadiens in the second round, but at long last, there was real reason for optimism in Western New York. 

This is why, for the second straight year at TheHockeyNews.com, we're breaking down the Sabres’ Eastern Conference opponents in a series called “Know Your Enemy”. And in this particular file, we’re focused on a team that’s fallen from being the gold standard of NHL teams to the bottom of the Atlantic – the Detroit Red Wings.

BUFFALO SABRES VS. DETROIT RED WINGS

NEW RED WINGS PLAYERS: Viktor Arvidsson (RW), Keegan Kolesar (RW) Daniil Tarasov (G)

2025-26 SERIES: Sabres 2-1-0, Red Wings 1-1-1

2026-27 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: December 28, at Buffalo; February 21 at Detroit; March 12 at Detroit; April 10 at Buffalo

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? The Sabres handled most of their business with the Red Wings last season, but this year, Detroit will be a desperate team – and the way the schedule-maker has put together Buffalo’s 2026-27 campaign, the games against the Wings could prove to be the difference between home-ice advantage – or worse, the difference between making or missing the playoffs.

Indeed, the Sabres play their final regular-season game against the Red Wings this coming year when they host Detroit. If pre-season projections are correct, the Wings will be well out of the playoff picture by that final game. So they could be in prime spoiler mode at that point, and Buffalo has to be ready to play high-stakes hockey from Game No. 1 through Game No. 84.

By the time the Sabres play their first game against Detroit this coming season, the Wings should have another GM in place as Steve Yzermans’ successor – or at least, you’d hope. As a matter of fact, you’d have hoped the Red Wings would’ve already had a new GM. But that speaks to the organization’s problems. 

That said, the Wings team Buffalo will see in December could be significantly different than their current roster. Certainly, Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin’s trade request will almost certainly result in him moving on. But the new Wings GM will have to start trading off more veterans as they try to chart a new course for the franchise.

The Wings used to be the measuring stick by which all teams were judged, but those days are long ago. And the Sabres have to take advantage of that.

Taking it to Detroit is an absolute must for this Buffalo team, and if they don’t do that, the Sabres are liable to regret it at season’s end.

The Buffalo Sabres are hoping to build on their success last season, and reach the postseason for the second straight year. That will require some of their young talent to fill the void left by the departure of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, and their core group continuing to play at a high level. Team captain Rasmus Dahlin persevered through personal adversity to score a career-high 74 points and led Buffalo to their first playoff appearance in 15 years, earning nominations for the Bill Masterton and Norris Trophies. 

In their annual rankings of NHL players, The Athletic slotted Dahlin in the top tier, tied with Florida’s Aleksander Barkov, San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini, Boston’s David Pastrnak, and Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Hart Trophy winners Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon were ranked at the top of Tier 1, with Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl, and Norris winners Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar in the middle of Tier 1.    

Other Sabres Stories

Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss

Other Sabres listed were center Tage Thompson (Tier 3B), wingers Zach Benson (Tier 5A), Josh Doan (5B), defensemen Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson (Tier 5C). Former Sabres also listed were Cup winners Jack Eichel (Tier 2A), Sam Reinhart (Tier 3A), and Ryan O’Reilly (Tier 5A). 

Former Sabres Tuch and Byram were each listed in Tier 5, as players who offer “strong support to a contending or championship core, but who wouldn’t be an integral piece within it”. Tuch was the highest paid unrestricted free agent, signing at $10.5 million AAV by Washington in July, while Byram was made the highest paid NHL defenseman by Chicago until Makar’s $20.4 million AAV eight-year extension last week.

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Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jayden Struble is entering an important season in 2026-27. The 24-year-old blueliner will be in the final season of his two-year, $2.825 million and a pending restricted free agent because of it.

With Struble entering a contract year, it is crucial for him to have a strong season for the Canadiens. If he does, it will help his chances of sticking around on the Canadiens' roster beyond this campaign.

It is no secret that Struble is one of the defensemen on the Canadiens' roster who is fighting to cement himself as a regular in their lineup. Due to this, if he struggles this season, it will only create more questions about his future in Montreal. 

With that, there is no question that Struble is a player who Habs fans should be keeping an eye on this season. When noting that he is only 171 games and three seasons into his NHL career, he has the potential to hit a new level for Montreal. It will be intriguing to see if he can do just that in what feels like a make-or-break campaign for him.

In 59 games last season for Montreal, Struble posted two goals, 10 assists, 12 points, 115 hits, a plus-4 rating.

The Buffalo Sabres took a major step in the right direction last season. One of the many reasons for it was that multiple of their players broke out for them in 2025-26.

Among the Sabres' youngsters who made an impact last season was forward Noah Ostlund. The 2022 first-round pick undoubtedly proved that he belongs at the NHL level, as he posted 11 goals, 16 assists, and 27 points in 60 games. This was after he was held off the scoresheet in his first eight career NHL games in 2024-25. 

Yet, as well as Ostlund played last season with the Sabres, it is clear that he has the potential to be even better in 2026-27.  

Now that Ostlund has a full season of NHL experience, it would not be shocking in the slightest if his all-around game improves next season. The potential for him to emerge as a more significant offensive threat is there, and it would be massive for Buffalo if he does just that after their off-season losses. 

Overall, there is a lot to like about Ostlund's game, and he is undoubtedly a young Sabre to keep an eye on this campaign. It will be intriguing to see what kind of season he can have for Buffalo in 2026-27 from here. 

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Fans of the Detroit Red Wings were stunned when news broke in early June that captain Dylan Larkin had officially requested to be traded, despite having five years left on his contract. 

About a month and a half earlier, Larkin and the Red Wings missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 10th consecutive season. It was also the third straight year they failed to hold onto a comfortable lead in the standings after entering March in a strong position.

It's now been three months since the trade request was made public, and as of September 5, he remains on the roster. Reports also emerged that Larkin would only accept a trade to the Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild, or Florida Panthers. 

This further tied the hands of now-former GM Steve Yzerman, who vacated his role in an equally surprising move just over a month later in mid-July. 

The Red Wings are less than two weeks away from the start of Training Camp (Sept. 17), and still haven't named Yzerman's successor. With each passing day, the chances of Larkin still being with the club by the time Camp begins grows stronger. 

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

Larkin, who recently turned 30, has only played five postseason games, all of which were in 2016 during his rookie season.

Understandably, he wants an opportunity to compete for the Stanley Cup while he's still in the prime of his career. He got a taste of what that experience could be like when he helped Team USA capture its first Olympic gold medal since 1980 at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.

However, Larkin's apparent stubborn refusal to expand his trade list is proving to be a major miscalculation on his part. 

Simply put, the Golden Knights, Wild, and Panthers did not have the type of assets the Red Wings were looking for in a Larkin trade. Unless Larkin is willing to expand his list of teams, his other option may be to reach an agreement with Yzerman's eventual successor and withdraw his trade request - at least for now.

Dylan Larkin Included In NHL's Ranking Of Top 20 Centers Current Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin was included in the NHL's recent ranking of the top 20 players at his position.

There's also no way he isn't aware that a good portion of the Red Wings fan base did not take kindly to his trade request, and that he reportedly limited Detroit's options of trading him to only three teams. 

The Red Wings open the regular season at Little Caesars Arena on Oct. 2 against the New York Rangers. If Larkin remains in the Detroit lineup, he's almost certain to hear loud boos cascading down from large swaths of fans who viewed his trade request as a betrayal. 

While Larkin's teammates may be more willing to view his trade request as a business decision, plenty of Red Wings fans are unlikely to see it the same way.

Larkin had every right to ask for a trade, but Detroit was under no obligation to make a deal if the offers did not meet its expectations.

By reportedly limiting his preferred destinations to just three teams and refusing to expand that list, Larkin has put himself in a difficult position.

If he had known he would still be on Detroit's roster on Sept. 5, with Training Camp less than two weeks away, he might have approached the situation differently. 

But he didn't. And now, he's likely going to have to deal with an increasingly awkward situation. 

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Nick Blankenburg remains unsigned as of Saturday morning.

The defenseman was acquired by the Colorado Avalanche in March as their seventh defenseman, with Colorado sending a 2027 fifth-round pick to Columbus in the deal.

When Blankenburg first arrived, though, things didn’t exactly go smoothly.

At The Hockey News, we pointed out some of the early issues in his game. He was making too many mistakes, jumping too far into the offensive zone and occasionally getting caught out of position. For a player trying to establish himself with a new team, it wasn’t the ideal start.

But somewhere along the way, something clicked.

Blankenburg started playing with more confidence. His skating looked more purposeful. He was making quick, accurate passes, getting pucks out of trouble and showing more of the offensive ability that made him an intriguing player in the first place.

The change was noticeable enough that, following Colorado’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on April 11, we asked Blankenburg what had changed.

It was also the night he scored his first goal in an Avalanche uniform.

Blankenburg pointed to conversations he had with several teammates who recognized that he was playing a little too cautiously and encouraged him to trust his game.

“Just getting more comfortable. I’ve been having conversations with multiple different people about it,” Blankenburg admitted. “Just trying not to overthink. Trying not to think too much on the ice and just go out and play my game and be assertive and competing. I think the rest will take care of itself.”

It did.

Five days later, Blankenburg scored again, finding the back of the net against the Seattle Kraken in Colorado’s final regular-season game before the playoffs.

Then came the biggest moment of his Avalanche tenure.

Despite receiving limited ice time, Blankenburg made the most of his opportunity in Game 1 of Colorado’s second-round series against the Minnesota Wild. In a wild 9-6 Avalanche victory, he jumped into the offensive zone before Valeri Nichushkin found him with a beautiful backdoor pass.

Blankenburg buried it.

Then he went flying into the glass in celebration.

It wasn’t just his first career playoff goal. His parents, Karl and Karin, were in the stands to see it happen.

For a defenseman who had arrived in Colorado with something to prove, it was another sign that he was starting to find his game at exactly the right time.

And his teammates noticed.

Nathan MacKinnon on Nick Blankenburg: “He’s a good player. He’s undersized but he battles.”#goavsgo@thehockeynews#mnwildpic.twitter.com/wICpJefDiP

— Ryan O'Hara (@OHaraSports) May 4, 2026

“He’s a good player,” Nathan MacKinnon said. “Obviously he’s undersized, but he battles. He’s got a good shot. He gets picks through the o-zone, which is huge for us. He’s playing well.”

Head Coach Jared Bednar saw much of the same thing.

“He’s a real competitive guy. Smaller in stature but competitive,” Bednar said. “He has the ability to contribute offensively. There’s a lot of similar attributes to say a guy like Sam Malinski. He has the ability to be shifty and hang onto pucks to create shooting lanes in the offensive zone. He has the ability to join the rush.”

That combination is what made Blankenburg such an interesting player for Colorado.

“He’s a difficult match. You don’t see too many guys that can play with the kind of jam that Blankenburg plays with defensively and then still get up and go on the offensive side of it.”

Bednar did have one obvious caveat.

He wanted to see more consistency from Blankenburg, particularly when it came to knowing when to join the rush and when to stay home. His offensive instincts can be an asset, but the Avalanche can’t afford to give up chances the other way because a defenseman got too aggressive looking to make a play.

That, ultimately, may be part of the reason Blankenburg remains unsigned. Or it could be that the Avalanche want to shift a bit towards the physicality side, which the team obviously lacked this past postseason. 

However, Blankenburg deserves another shot. 

As Mile High Sticking recently suggested, Colorado could simply give Blankenburg a professional tryout contract, commonly known as a PTO.

A PTO doesn’t require the Avalanche to make a significant commitment. It gives Blankenburg a chance to come into training camp, compete for a job and show that the player Colorado saw toward the end of last season is the player he can consistently be.

The Avalanche already know what the downside looks like and Noah Juulsen has already been signed for the next two years, but  bringing Blankenburg could fit just fine on the Eagles as well, if he’s willing to play down a level. 

Maybe Blankenburg earns a contract. Maybe he doesn’t.

At the very least, he’s earned a PTO.