The 2026-27 NHL season for the Detroit Red Wings is right around the corner, as Training Camp is set to open on Thursday, Sept. 17, in Detroit.
Prior to that, the Red Wings will also take part in the 2026 Prospects Tournament along with the Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Pittsburgh Penguins
We'll be doing up a Red Wings edition mailbag piece - be sure to submit your questions below, and they'll be answered prior to the start of Training Camp next Thursday.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Islanders rookie camp, which opens Friday to sound the unofficial starting gun of hockey season, will be the first for Victor Eklund and must be the last for Isaiah George.
The two attendees most firmly on the 23-man roster bubble are reporting to camp with opposite reasons leading to the same need for urgency. This will be the fifth rookie camp for the 22-year-old George; he is two years removed from a 33-game stint with the Islanders and in the final season of his entry-level deal. Not only is there a clear pathway to making the roster, but coach Pete DeBoer also praised George enough after July development camp to make you believe the door is open for him to knock Scott Mayfield out of an everyday job on the blue line.
“Our system’s based around skating and closing on people. Your defensemen in that type of system have to be able to move, and [George’s] best assets are his feet and his speed and ability to support the rush and get back on pucks and make breakout plays. So I think it fits with his toolbox,” DeBoer said then. “I’m excited to work with him. We had him at the end [of last season] there for a couple games, but he’s done it the right way.
“He came up as a prospect. He paid his dues. He played some games, he went back down again, he didn’t pout about it. And now it looks like he’s knocking on the door to be a full-time NHLer for a long time.”
George, indeed, has been as loyal a soldier as the Islanders could ask, never outwardly displaying frustration last season when injuries and circumstances conspired against him getting a serious NHL chance while the club spent the season searching for defensemen.
At a certain point, though, it needs to become clear for George and for the Islanders alike what his future is here. This training camp, and this season, seem to be that point, with George set to hit restricted free agency next summer.
With Matthew Schaefer and Cal Ritchie having graduated rookie camp, there is little reason for George not to be the best player on the ice over the next week, as DeBoer said he was in a July intrasquad scrimmage. That would make a good start.
The 19-year-old Swede, who made his NHL debut in Game 82 last season, is in a similar spot to Ritchie a year ago. The chance is there for him to play in the NHL, but he will need to force the issue at every opportunity to convert it.
Victor Eklund of the New York Islanders takes his rookie lap prior to his first career NHL game against the Carolina Hurricanes. NHLI via Getty Images
Much as fans will want to see Eklund in blue and orange on opening night, the roster situation is such that the Islanders have 16 forwards with NHL experience reporting for what is likely 14 spots. At every turn, general manager Mathieu Darche has preached caution regarding prospects, not wanting to give them too much, too soon.
It is close to a fait accompli that Eklund — barring injury — will get an NHL chance at some point this season. It is far from guaranteed that the chance will come in Toronto on Sept. 30.
“Those guys need time also,” Darche told reporters last week. “So that’s why you don’t want to rush it because the goal is not for them to play quickly in the NHL, it’s for them to play a long time in the NHL. Some of them might come to camp and show us they belong right away. And if not, hey, maybe it’s halfway.”
Eklund’s direct competition for a roster spot — Kyle MacLean, Ondrej Palat, Anthony Duclair, Pierre Engvall and Mitchell Chaffee — won’t be on the ice until main camp.
That makes it all the more imperative for Eklund to separate himself from his age group now.
The San Jose Sharks announced their broadcast schedule for the 2026-27 season. As expected, 73 of the Sharks' 84 games will be broadcast on NBC Sports California with Randy Hahn and Drew Remenda resuming their duties behind the microphone.
Dan Rusanowsky will be back for his 36th season primarily alongside former Sharks forward Jamal Mayers. Scott Hannan, Jason Demers, and potentially other alumni will occasionally work alongside Rusanowsky as well.
Ted Ramey will return to the Sharks Audio Network while Tara Sloane and Brodie Brazil will return for their respective roles as well.
While all games will be available on the Sharks Audio Network, the Sharks' 11 nationally broadcast games will not be available on NBC Sports California. The full list of nationally broadcast games can be found here:
There is no arguing that Florida Panthers captain Sasha Barkov is one of the best hockey players in the world.
He will be a welcomed face in Florida’s locker room this season as the team looks to rebound from a rough 2025-26 campaign that saw the then-2-time defending Stanley Cup champs fail to qualify for the postseason.
Barkov suffered a devastating knee injury during training camp last September and missed the entire NHL season, eventually making it back on the ice to help his Finnish countrymen win gold medals at the IIHF World Championships in May.
He looked quite good during the World Championships, too, which was also a major milestone in his recovery, leading Finland in scoring with three goals and 11 points in 10 games.
“That was the main worry, that if I will be able to play free and not to think too much, and once the first game started, I wasn't thinking about it at all,” Barkov said on Tuesday at the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour, per NHL.com.
Now Barkov has spent the summer as he normally does, preparing his body for a new NHL season.
It certainly helps, though, that Barkov knows he’s already put his surgically repaired knee to the test, one that it passed with flying colors.
“I have a better feeling going toward this camp knowing that I played some hockey, meaningful hockey, and felt good there,” said Barkov. “Especially the more we played, the better I felt. I was really happy about that.”
Barkov and the Panthers will be back on the ice next week in Fort Lauderdale, when they open their 2026 Training Camp at the Baptist Health IcePlex.
Florida will be among the favorites to come out of the Eastern Confernce and contend for the Stanley Cup once again.
“I'm really excited about going into the new season,” Barkov said.
Photo caption: Jun 22, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, UNITED STATES; Florida Panthers centerAleksanderBarkov(16) speaks to the fans during the Stanley Cup championship parade and rally. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
At long last, Philadelphia Flyers hockey is finally approaching. Training camp is just under a week away, and the official roster is here.
On Wednesday, the Flyers dropped their official training camp roster and schedule ahead of next week's camp, which will kick off on Thursday following the conclusion of rookie camp.
The forward group, in no particular order, is as follows:
Garrett Wilson, Travis Konecny, Devin Kaplan, Sean Couturier, Nikita Grebenkin, Danila Klimovich, Alex Bump, Zach Aston-Reese, Christian Dvorak, Jack Studnicka, Nolan Foote, Noah Cates, Riley Thompson, Matvei Michkov, Trevor Zegras, Zayde Wisdom, Noah Powell, Noel Acciari, Cole Knuble, Tyson Foerster, Owen Tippett, Jett Luchanko, Jacob Gaucher, Denver Barkey, Carl Grundstrom, and Porter Martone.
At the goalie position, there are no new names or faces. Starting goalie Dan Vladar returns with Joseph Woll behind him, and they are joined by prospects Aleksei Kolosov and Carson Bjarnason.
Defense, however, is where things get interesting.
Starting atop the roster, Helge Grans and David Jiricek figure to battle for a roster spot once more, as will Oliver Bonk. Travis Sanheim, Jamie Drysdale, Cam York, Nick Seeler, Rasmus Ristolainen, Simon Benoit, Hunter McDonald, and Ty Murchison are all there, too.
Recent additions like Jackson Edward and Cam Dineen will most likely play their biggest roles in the AHL, and they will, apparently, be joined by another new signing in Andrew Perrott, who took an AHL deal with Lehigh Valley in July.
Perrott, 25, is a formerly undrafted, scrappy, undersized 6-foot defenseman who was a career AHL and ECHL tweener up until last year, when he played 51 AHL games for the Rockford IceHogs, scoring one goal, three assists, and four points with a -6 rating and a staggering 117 penalty minutes.
Perrott will participate in the NHL training camp ahead of someone like Cooper Wylie, who attended Flyers camps in the past and is heading into what will be his first pro season after four years at St. Cloud State University.
Another somewhat surprising inclusion, as mentioned above, is Zayde Wisdom, who returned to the Flyers organization last year on an AHL deal.
The 24-year-old will again have the opportunity to fight for a bottom-six roster spot, competing against the likes of Kaplan, Klimovich, Grebenkin, Aston-Reese, Foote, Grundstrom, and Wilson for that kind of role.
After a terrible 2023-24 season in which he scored only three points in 49 games, Wisdom is back on the map with a total of 27 goals and 59 points across his last two seasons, and he wore the 'A' for the Phantoms for the first time last year, too.
It's notable that the Flyers are giving their former fourth-round pick a shot in training camp ahead of younger, less experienced players like Alex Ciernik and Owen McLaughlin, but Wisdom has certainly earned it.
And between Wisdom and Perrott, the Flyers won't lack in energy or physicality during training camp and the preseason.
The Anaheim Ducks are placing forward Chris Kreider on waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract, according to multiple reports.
The move will help both the player and the team.
The Massachusetts native wants to return east, according to Sportsnet, which first reported the waiver move. If he clears waivers and has the final year of his contract terminated, that makes him a free agent and a new team can sign him for less than his current $6.5 million cap hit. He already received a $1 million signing bonus.
Kreider, 35, had played the first 13 years of his career with the New York Rangers before being traded to the Ducks in June 2025.
They have a little more than $9 million left with Carlsson averaging $18 million. But they still have to sign restricted free agent Cutter Gauthier, who led Anaheim with 41 goals and 69 points last season.
Taking Kreider off the books would give them a lot more room to play with in a new Gauthier contract.
Chris Kreider stats
Though Kreider's numbers have gone down, he has scored 22 goals the past two seasons and scored 17 of his 50 points on the power play last season.
"I'm very excited to be an Oiler and look forward to trying to make the most of this opportunity," said Alex Formenton as he spoke to the press on his first day with the team. After thanking the Katz family, Stan Bowman, and Jeff Jackson, along with the coaching staff, Formenton was as ready as he could be for a very curious Edmonton-based media on Thursday.
He didn't give direct answers to some fairly direct questions, but he talked about the process that led him to Edmonton and emphasized that he'll do his best to show he has no intention of wasting this chance he's been given.
The news of his signing -- a one-year, one-way deal worth $850K -- dropped just before today's on-ice session, so media scurried to the Downtown Community Arena to catch a glimpse of Formenton on the ice. A good dozen or so gathered to ask him questions after the session (an unusually long one) was over.
Upon first glance, Formenton looks fast. That was always his talent: being speedy. Before he was forced to leave the league, that's where most analysts believed he'd be able to carve out a solid NHL career. A few years later, whether that speed can translate into success at the NHL level remains to be seen.
Formenton has been out of the league for some time now. Following a very public trial in which he and other members of the 2018 Hockey Canada team were charged with sexual assault, it wasn't clear he'd ever get back to the NHL. He played the past three seasons playing in Switzerland with HC Ambri-Piotta.
As much as the Oilers might take some heat from fans for their decision to sign a forward who was acquitted of sexual assault charges, there will be some scrutiny over the fact Formenton wasn't necessarily a difference-maker overseas.
What makes the Oilers feel like he can get his game back?
"I think being away from the NHL for the past four seasons, I've been eager to get back, working hard to become the player I was and slash, taking a step forward. I'm going to do everything I can on and off the ice, in whatever role that I need to to help this organization."
Penalty killing and a depth forward role seem to be the most logical assigments early. He was skating with Trent Frederic and Mathieu Joseph at captains skates.
"I'm very excited to be an Oiler & look forward to trying to make the most out of this opportunity."
Clearly, the Oilers think there's something there. They could have signed any number of UFAs still out there on the market. Many might have been more obvious choices and come with less baggage. Management knew about the potential backlash.
According to TSN's Ryan Rishaug, Stan Bowman described the process behind signing Formenton. He noted that Hockey Canada's recent support for reinstatement was a factor.
“I think that played a big role for us in our decision-making. They were certainly the closest to this; they had the most information, so for them to single Alex out as the one deserving of reinstatement immediately, we did feel like that played a large role.”
They spoke with Formenton about it. The team, the coach, and management all came to mututal decision: this was a decision they were comfortable making, hoping the potential benefits would outweigh the risk.
“I’ve had a chance to have multiple conversations with Alex and go over lots of things…. We’ve reached the decision we think this is the right move to bring Alex in and help our group.”
Bowman added that Formenton is very determined to make a positive impact on and off the ice. "I know he has a heartfelt desire to make a good impression and we certainly hope that's the case."
As for why the Oilers did this from an on-ice perspective: "Yeah it really this kicked into gear when Matt Savoie sustained his injury and it became obvious that he was not going to be ready to start our season. You know, looking at our PK as an area that we think has to improve, Matt was one of the bright spots last year, but with him being unavailable we felt we needed to look around at our options."
See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source.Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
On Tuesday, as Cole Caufield was away from the Montreal Canadiens' informal practice attending the NHL 2026-27 player media tour, Kirby Dach skated alongside Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky in the red-vs.-white scrimmage. Don’t read too much into that line combination. A spot on the circle-of-friendship win celebration may get you a spot on the top line for a scrimmage game, but it doesn’t get you a spot there when Martin St-Louis is calling the shots.
Cole Caufield’s chair on the top line is more than safe; it’s guaranteed, and if someone ever were to unseat him, it wouldn’t be a player who has yet to manage to prove anything at the highest level. Of course, Dach has been hampered by numerous injuries, and while everyone feels for him, it doesn’t get him a fast pass to the front of the most thrilling ride in Habsland.
While Dach has a certain pedigree, he was drafted third overall in the 2019 draft; after all, he still finished the playoffs on the fourth line on the wing. Furthermore, the Canadiens found a way around signing him to a four-million-dollar qualifying offer by making it a two-way contract, which prompted Dach to file for arbitration; in the end, he signed a one-year, $3.6 million contract.
As things stand, Dach is not on solid ground with the Canadiens, and he won’t start the season ahead of players such as Alex Newhook and Oliver Kapanen in the depth chart; at least, he shouldn’t. While the Albertan was inconsistent in the playoffs, Newhook delivered a fantastic performance, not only putting up 10 points in 19 games but also scoring two of his seven goals in Game 7; he had both series-winning goals. One could argue that the goaltenders weren’t exactly great on those plays, but it doesn’t matter; when the Canadiens needed a goal, Newhook found a way.
As for Kapanen, who finished the playoffs centering the fourth line after being a healthy scratch at times and playing in only 10 of the 19 playoff games, he was a rookie. It’s not new for a rookie to hit a proverbial wall and lose speed towards the end of a grueling first complete season in North America. That doesn’t erase the fact that he managed to score 22 goals in his rookie season, and while some will be quick to say that it’s easy to score with a magician like Ivan Demidov feeding you the puck, one fact remains: you still need the instinct to get in the right spot and to actually put the puck in, which is much easier said than done.
If Kent Hughes had managed to get a second-line center in a trade this offseason, Kapanen’s spot would be far from guaranteed, but as things stand, you can’t erase history. The line formed by Newhook, Kapanen, and Demidov was doing very well until Newhook was injured, and it deserves another go now that everyone is rested and healthy again. It’s also worth mentioning that Newhook is entering a contract year, and he’ll be eager to prove that he deserves to be added to the Canadiens’ core for a long time. After the playoffs he’s had, he certainly deserves that opportunity.
Could Dach get another look in the top six down the line? Certainly, but he’ll have to earn that look; it won’t just be given to him, or at least it shouldn’t.
The Buffalo Sabres have yet to do anything consequential to replace the offense lost from the departures of winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram this summer. Other than adding defenseman Olen Zellweger in a trade with Anaheim, Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen seems to be relying on internal improvement from some of the club’s young forwards to make up over 100 points in production the two veterans produced last season.
Buffalo has once again been connected in rumors to Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck, but it may still be possible that they are looking to add a veteran forward to provide some insurance. One potential option became available on Wednesday, when it was announced that the Anaheim Ducks and forward Chris Krieder agreed to mutually terminate the final year of his contract.
The 35-year-old was part of the dismantling of the NY Rangers by former Sabre Chris Drury and was dealt to the Ducks in June 2025. Kreider posted 50 points (22 goals, 28 assists) in 75 games last season.
The Ducks were in cap trouble after matching the five-year, $90 million offer sheet to center Leo Carlsson and needed to clear cap space with 40-goal scorer Cutter Gauthier still unsigned. Kreider was placed on waivers on Wednesday, and if he clears, the Ducks will open up $6.5 million in additional cap space. The 35-year-old would then become an unrestricted free agent.
Where will Connor Hellebuyck end up?
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, indications are that Kreider desires to return to the east, closer to his family, where he spent the first 13 years of his NHL career, and will not report to a team that claims him if it is not a place he wants to play.
Adding Kreider would make perfect sense for the Sabres. Even though he is slowing down, the big veteran can still move and is capable of playing in the top-six. Buffalo is a more attractive destination after making the playoffs and winning the Atlantic Division last season, but it is possible that the Boxford, MA native may prefer to finish his career with the Atlantic rival Bruins.
Longtime Islanders superfan and “sign guy” Patrick Dowd still inspires with his witty and motivational messages — 25 years after he played a pivotal role in post-9/11 healing with his wildly popular “always believe” sign.
“9/11 inspired my sign,” declared Dowd, well known among blue-and-orange faithful for holding his posters up on the glass when the Islanders take the ice.
“Really, it was a model of always having faith through crises in life – whether it’s on the ice or not,” he told The Post about the uplifting sign that has appeared at every major game in the decades since.
Islanders Eric Cairns was moved by the events of 9/11 and its impact on Long Island. Neil Miller for NY Post
The message struck a universal chord during the unforgettable 2001-2002 season, which brought a long-awaited playoff return and much-needed jubilation to anguished fans whose worlds had been shattered by the terror attacks.
The 9/11 devastation sank in for Islanders defenseman Eric Cairns, a Canadian who was heartbroken hearing stories of loss his Garden City neighbors suffered while living on Long Island.
It hit even harder when he and then-head coach Peter Laviolette’s promising team visited Ground Zero and saw the “emotional,” seemingly never-ending photo wall of the many missing people in Lower Manhattan.
“I think we chose to let it galvanize us as a team – and really vibed off that.”
Things started with a rare moment of unity during an exhibition game against their arch-rival Rangers, where the usual bad blood was cooled to the temperature of the ice.
Seeing the devastation of Ground Zero galvanized the Islanders in the 2001-2002 season. Paul Martinka for NY Post
“We all lined up on the blue lines as one – Ranger, Islander, Ranger, Islander,” he said.
“Which doesn’t happen very often, if at all.”
Fans were without a doubt ready to believe in something, said Bill Kain, the Isles vice president of sponsorship that season.
“Everybody had been to a lot of funerals, a lot of services, including myself.”
“It just made it really hard to enjoy life again,” added Kain, a diehard season ticket holder in his personal life.
The Islanders played in the name of their hurting fans the season after Sept. 11. New York Post
Hockey finally returned to the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in mid-October, when an eagle flew down to the American flag-draped surface before puck drop.
Newly acquired and beloved captain Mike Peca wore an NYPD uniform and an ESU pin as teammates skated out with FDNY and police gear, while famed boxing announcer Michael Buffer called their names.
Long Island native Joan Jett then introduced the NYPD and FDNY’s hockey teams, who unfurled a massive American flag on the ice to thunderous “USA!” chants – just before “Sopranos” star and Jericho’s Jamie Lynn Sigler belted out the national anthem.
“It gave me goose bumps…you could just feel the patriotism,” center Shawn Bates recalled.
Shawn Bates got chills during the Islanders home opener that season. Neil Miller for NY Post
“Just the camaraderie between everyone during that tragedy…it was inspiring,” added the Massachusetts born player.
“Even though 9/11 kind of brought you down a notch,” Dowd said, “in another way, it bonded us closer.”
The new-look Islanders, who also onboarded 32-goal scorer Alexei Yashin and quick-stick goalie Chris Osgood, became the hottest thing on ice with only one October loss in an emotional year that coincided with the team’s 30th anniversary.
It was a stark contrast to the franchise’s notorious blunders of the decade prior, which started with getting swept by the Stanley Cup-winning Rangers in the 1994 playoffs – the Isles’ most recent postseason appearance at the time.
They became the NHL’s bottom feeders by 1996 and endured the humiliation of fraudster and criminal new owner John Spano around that time.
“When they were relevant again and the [post-Spano] ownership, the new players, and renewed excitement,” Kain said, “I think that was what brought everybody back to a feeling of, ‘wow, we can have a little fun with this team.’”
Islanders superfan Patrick Dowd created his iconic “always believe sign” in the wake of 9/11. Courtesy Patrick Dowd
The 42–28–8–4 Islanders drew the Maple Leafs in first-round playoff action that reinvigorated the raucous Coliseum, nicknamed “Fort Neverlose” from the palpable energy it gave during the team’s four-straight Stanley Cup dynasty of the early 1980s.
New York was the tri-state’s only team in that postseason and put up an epic seven-game grudge match that Isles nation talks about fondly.
“We laid it on the line every shift, every game, every minute,” Bates said.
Darren Van Impe of the New York Islanders celebrates Alexi Yashin’s goal against Curtis Joseph of the Toronto Maple Leafs during game six of the Stanley Cup playoffs at the Nassau Coliseum in Hempstead, New York, on April 28, 2002. The Islanders won 5-3. Getty Images/NHLI
“People that lost loved ones who were still coming to the games, we wanted to show some appreciation for their loyalty.”
Cairns earned his iconic Isles moment of punching the lights out of Leafs Shayne Corson at the end of a must-win Game 6 that the Islanders took 5-3.
“Prior to warm-up, you could hear them cheering from the dressing room,” Eric Cairns said of that electric postseason in Nassau County.
“If you can’t get up for something like that, what can you get up for as an athlete?”
But the showstopper belongs to Bates in a heroic goal fans put up there with the dynasty days.
Deadlocked at 3-3, he drew a penalty shot in Game 4 with two and a half minutes remaining while trailing the series two games to one.
The forward buried an immortalized game-winner against sharp goalie Curtis Joseph – and “kind of almost blacked out” as the fever pitch of fans let loose and nearly shook the ground.
Lifelong fan Jonathan Ansbacher doesn’t remember all the details from 25 years ago, but will never forget, “that penalty shot was the loudest I’ve ever heard the Coliseum.”
Bates agreed.
“The old Coliseum goal horn – that thing seemed like it just kept going and going,” added Kain.
With a late lead to defend, Bates just remembers “it was just so loud – so loud.”
The Shawn Bates penalty shot became one of the most special moments in Islanders history. Neil Miller for NY PostThe Islanders 2001-2002 season has a special spot in the hearts of fans. Neil Miller for NY Post
“I was like, ‘Is this really happening?’ It certainly did.”
The Shawn Bates penalty shot turned into a moment as cathartic as Mike Piazza’s tear-jerking homer when the Mets brought baseball back to the Big Apple after Sept. 11, and touched heavy hearts similar to the Yankees’ World Series run.
“It was the highlight of my NHL career.”
Bates’ only regret is that the Islanders couldn’t beat the Leafs in the double-elimination game, bringing the moving season to a close.
Fans like Dowd say the team did its job in bringing joy and excitement back to those who needed it most, regardless of the outcome.
Former Ottawa Senators winger Alex Formenton is getting another NHL shot.
The Edmonton Oilers announced on Wednesday they’ve signed the 26-year-old winger to a one-year, $850,000 contract.
From a hockey perspective, it's easy to understand Edmonton’s interest.
He's not quite as fast as his new teammate, Connor McDavid, but Formenton is probably just about as fast as anyone else in the game. He also scored 18 goals and 32 points in his last NHL season, and thanks to that speed, five of those goals came shorthanded.
THN's Steve Warne talks about how Brady Tkachuk wanted out of Ottawa, not to just to play with his brother, but because of "things that happened" in his time here.
So, at close to the league minimum, without surrendering an asset, the Oilers are adding a player who's blazing-fast and excellent on the penalty kill.
But this isn't your average reclamation project, and the Oilers aren't your average organization when it comes to second chances.
Formenton was one of five players from Canada’s 2018 World Junior team charged with sexual assault after a Hockey Canada event in London, Ont., in June 2018. After a long trial, all five were acquitted in July 2025, with the judge explicitly stating that she did not find the evidence and testimony of the complainant to be "either credible or reliable."
The NHL cleared all five players to resume their careers following a period of ineligibility, but Hockey Canada recently upheld their suspension of four of them. Formenton was reinstated immediately last month.
Of the five, only Carter Hart has reclaimed NHL success so far, catching on with the Vegas Golden Knights and back-stopping them to this year’s Stanley Cup Final.
Formenton, on the other hand, returned to play for HC Ambri-Piotta in Switzerland, where he recorded 13 goals and 23 points in 42 games last season. He returned to Europe because his NHL future in Ottawa had already been decided.
At the opening of Senators' training camp last September, GM Steve Staios said he had spoken with Formenton’s agent and that both sides agreed a fresh start elsewhere would be best. It's believed that Staios explored the possibility of trading his rights, but nothing panned out.
The Senators finally removed Formenton from their free-agent list a week after their season ended, relinquishing his rights and making him an unrestricted free agent.
Formenton last appeared for the Sens in 2021-22. The former second-round pick finished his time here with 39 points in 109 games. His speed made him one of the organization’s most intriguing young players, but more than four years have now passed since he played here.
Edmonton presents a logical hockey fit. Oilers associate coach D.J. Smith was running the Sens' bench during Formenton’s best NHL season and knows firsthand what his speed, forecheck, and penalty-killing can add.
But there will be plenty of dialogue about this signing from a non-hockey perspective. This isn't the first time the Oilers have offered up a second chance that they knew they would probably be criticized for.
The Oilers hired Stan Bowman as general manager in 2024 after he had been ruled ineligible to work in the NHL for nearly three years. An independent investigation found that Bowman and other Chicago Blackhawks executives failed to respond adequately after learning of allegations that video coach Brad Aldrich had sexually assaulted prospect Kyle Beach in 2010.
This summer, Bowman hired Mike Babcock as Edmonton’s head coach. Babcock’s hiring is more than a second chance because his career has included public accounts of humiliating treatment of former players at more than one NHL stop. That includes a short-lived tenure in Columbus that ended with his resignation before he coached a game.
Before Edmonton hired Babcock, the NHL conducted another review and concluded there was no basis to restrict his employment.
But the court of public opinion is different. In that arena, being cleared is rarely the same as universal public forgiveness.
Despite the green light from the league, no other NHL team opted to sign Formenton. But for the Oilers, this wasn't uncharted territory. They've been in this boat before, and history has probably made them feel like they can weather this kind of storm.
So they decided, once again, to lean into their reputation as the league’s most prominent destination for second chances.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published in The Hockey News. For more Sens coverage at The Hockey News, click on one of the latest THN Ottawa headlines below:
EDMONTON, CANADA MAY 16: An Edmonton Oilers fan wearing a Connor McDavid jersey with the iconic number 97 stands in front of a giant replica of the Stanley Cup, just days before the team begins the semi-final round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, on May 16, 2025, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The Oilers are still awaiting confirmation of their opponent in the Western Conference Final, with the Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars still battling for the spot. (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
We handed out reasons for losing to the Eastern Conference on Monday, and since no one shall be spared, it’s time for a look at the Western Conference! If no one in the East is gonna win, then someone from the West has to, right? Wrong!
17. Anaheim Ducks
NEW ACHIEVEMENT! Congratulations, Anaheim: you have paid far too much for a player who has much more to prove and has effectively blasted through the old equilibrium, inflating the market even faster!
Your prize?! A top-heavy (in money, not talent) lineup! You’d better hope Carlsson lives up to that deal or else you’ll drift back into obscurity faster than Louis Mendez barrelled toward that stack of cans back in the Mighty Ducks days. You may not be owned by Disney any longer, but that doesn’t mean your team isn’t a cartoon!
Calgary set the trend of trading away talented Americans, and since Jonathan Huberdeau has gone ghost, I don’t see any real talent or threat coming from Cowtown. It’s going to be another point-and-laugh sort of season, kind of like how Avalanche fans are pointing and laughing at you for ever thinking Cale Makar would force his way home. The Flames won’t win a Stanley Cup because they think they are too good for the Saddledome.
I can’t believe I didn’t see this earlier. You know Iggy is forever a Flames God, but it seems Calgary and the Avs be sharing a lot of talent between us
The Blackhawks keep trying to position themselves by adding talent around Connor Bedard, but keep forgetting that having a decent power play is a good idea. Sure, Bedard seems like he will be a franchise player, but beyond him I see very little scoring. You did, however, sign Bowen Byram, which is a step in the right direction. The problem isn’t that you aren’t walking toward success; it’s that you are walking, not running.
20.Colorado Avalanche
Well, well, well, if it isn’t the Presidents’ Trophy, but can’t-beat-Dallas-or-Vegas: Colorado Avalanche. The Avs won’t win the Stanley Cup because, once again, Jared Bednar will play your generational talents far too much in meaningless regular-season games. We’ve been beaten over the head with a ‘youth movement,’ but that will only last until January meetings where management will decide that none of the guys who played six minutes a night did enough for them. Then they’ll trade one or two for an old fringe middle sixer who won a cup in the 2010’s.
1 is Makar, 2 is Jason Robertson, 3 is Celebrini and 4 is Leo Carlsson (only including Leo due to salary) pic.twitter.com/60LuUu4ro7
Dallas won’t win because, although they were smart to land a player like Mikko Rantanen, they were too foolish to consider how it would affect keeping Jason Robertson. They could have both, and they still won’t win a cup because this isn’t the 1990s, and reviews negate any chance they might have at cheating their way to another cup victory. They keep trotting Jamie Benn out there, who is collecting dust faster than the rafters at American Airlines Center.
22. Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers won’t win a cup because they are the Oilers. Connor McDavid passed on breaking the bank so that management in Edmonton could build a team that would finally get over the hump. They responded by bringing in Tristan Jarry to solidify the net. Uh, what exactly was the thought process there? Edmonton’s best player gave them a free $20 to spend at the concessions, and they keep paying too much for day-old and overpriced hot dogs. They won’t return with a cup anytime soon. “OH BUT NOW THEY HAVE ANDERSEN,” okay, pal.
23. Los Angeles Kings
Okay, LA is intriguing in that (I don’t know if you heard this) they were ‘right there’ all series long against the Colorado Avalanche. It’s hard to remember that they got swept that series with how fortified that narrative became. If LA was right there against the Avalanche, I’m ‘right there’ as it pertains to being 7 feet tall. (I am 5 feet 7 inches tall, by the way). LA won’t hoist because this isn’t a league of almosts.
24. Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild were feeling great heading into their matchup with the Avalanche, until Nathan MacKinnon decided to show Quinn Hughes what happens when you stay on the tracks when the train is coming through. Speaking of Quinn Hughes, he wants to buddy up with his brothers in New Jersey, and Billy Guerin isn’t gonna stop him. Minny won’t win a cup because they don’t win cups.
The Colorad… oh wait… the Nashville Predators have entered the chat with new GM Chris MacFarland at the helm. The preds won’t hoist because the cup-or-bust mentality MacFarland weaponizes to move picks will prove detrimental to a team that isn’t even close to resembling a real competitor. Sure, CMac restocked the arsenal of 1st-rounders to deal, but it won’t be long till he uses them as a throw-in on a less-than-capable second-line center.
26. San Jose Sharks
The Sharks dealt MacKenzie Blackwood in hopes that Yaroslov Askarov would become the franchise netminder they needed going into the future. Well, it’s looking rough after his first year as a starter, and the last thing they want is to waste Macklin Celebrini’s youth by giving up four goals a night. You could go after Connor Hellebuyck, but that’s gonna take some doing! Celebrini won’t be celebrating and might not even make the playoffs yet again.
27. Seattle Kraken
The NHL’s expansion darling that got the playbook from Vegas but decided to throw it in the bin. Seattle’s call to fame is beating the Avalanche that one time and booing Cale Makar (yes, still) after his suspension from the previously mentioned playoff series. The Kraken won’t be securing any hardware because they have zero high-end scoring talent and are susceptible to magic.
28. St. Louis Blues
I was gonna say ‘oh, how the mighty have fallen,’ but I wouldn’t consider the one-off 2019 Binnington-led Blues all that mighty. Just like their goalie, this team is all bark and no bite. They pick the fight and then skate to the corner or wait until a piece of trash is available during the press scrum. I’m not even sure who the Blues will go with at left wing and/or what sort of depth they feel they have. Not a cup-winning combo.
29. Utah Mammoth
The Winter Classic will be the highlight of the Utah Mammoth season as it will be the only home game they have that won’t be set at the Zoolander Institute for Teams Who Can’t Hockey Good. I’m not even sure they can fit a banner in that stadium. Maybe above the sections of seats that are pitched like a double black diamond?
Vancouver won’t win a Stanley Cup. I need not expand.
31. Vegas Golden Knights
Money can buy a lot of things in Vegas, but it can’t buy youth. The Golden Knights are like that older gentleman at the nightclub that wears way too much cologne and gold jewelry. Yes, they have the trappings of wealth, but make sure their checking account has enough for another Red Bull. Behind those knockoff Ray-Bans lie the old, tired eyes of an aging core. Mitch Marner was a great playoff performer, but unfortunately it took him too long to escape Toronto.
32. Winnipeg Jets
This one will read very similarly to the reasons I listed for the Detroit Red Wings in part one. Your own starting goalie doesn’t think you are winning a Stanley Cup, so why should I?
#NHLJets captain Adam Lowry on avoiding the Connor Hellebuyck trade request being a distraction: "It's not something that we think is going to really impact the room”
“Until that situation is resolved, we're going to approach it… he's our teammate, our friend, and go from… pic.twitter.com/VAjX6cVjxI
Ahead of NHL training camps, each team sends a representative to the NHL Media Tour in Las Vegas. This year, the New York Islanders sent Calder Trophy-winning defenseman Matthew Schaefer as their representative.
Schaefer, 19, lit the hockey world on fire last season as an 18-year-old rookie, shattering all previous records for 18-year-old defensemen and establishing himself as a generational talent.
He recorded 23 goals and 59 points, good for second on the team in both categories, while also landing him the Calder Trophy awarded to the NHL's best rookie.
The question is, how does he even top a season like that?
Schaefer's already motivated to blow it out of the water.
"I will always have the highest expectations," Schaefer said to reporters, including The Hockey News' Michael Traikos, at the NHL Media Tour. "Last year was good, but I think I can be even better this year [...] I've gotten bigger, stronger, and faster. And I put on some weight, which was awesome."
As for how different it feels going from year one into year two, Schaefer practically called it night and day.
"Yeah, I mean, you go into your first year, you don't know what to expect," Schaefer said. "You're at training camp, you're at rookie camp, and you're a little nervous because you don't know many guys there. You're coming in, it's different. But honestly, I've learned so much from start to finish. I gained my confidence.
"I learned what the league was like," Schaefer continued. "Obviously, there weren't many days off, so you're playing basically every other day, and I found a lot of ways to get my rest and recovery, take care of my body, but play at 100, you know, as close to 100 percent, each and every night, and be hungry every night.
"Year 2 can be even better. And, you know, it took me the first little bit of the season to get going. I want to come out of the gates going right away and carry it through the whole season."
Going straight from Juniors into the NHL is not an easy task whatsoever, but one thing Schaefer has consistently praised the Islanders' organization for everything they've done.
"Obviously, I think the main thing that helped me last year was just everybody in the Islanders organization," Schaefer said. "Mainly my teammates and coaches and all the staff. They helped me so much from top to bottom. So I would like to thank, you know, everybody.
“This is the most fun I've had playing hockey, and, it's all because of the people that are surrounding me and my support system," Schaefer continued. "Every time I come to the rink, I have a smile on my face. I'm ready to learn. I'm ready to work. And I'm ready to just be there with my family. It's awesome.”
There is nobody on the planet in the hockey world like Matthew Schaefer.
It's also increasingly clear that nobody is more motivated than Schaefer to build off his first year and be even better in year two.
"Bigger, stronger, faster."
How's it even possible for Schaefer to get any faster? Only time will tell, but it feels like a pure warning shot to the entire league that the Schaefer Show on Long Island is only just getting started.
The St. Louis Blues have had little trouble finding NHL-caliber players in the early rounds of the NHL draft as of late.
On their projected opening-night roster, four players were selected by the Blues in the first round, but another five were acquired via trades or free agency. Additionally, the Blues have first-round picks like Otto Stenberg, Theo Lindstein, Zach Dean, Adam Jiricek, Justin Carbonneau, Tynan Lawrence, and Maddox Dagenais waiting for their opportunity as former first-round picks.
But another late-round pick has put his name on the map. That is none other than Matvei Korotky.
Selected in the seventh round (211th overall) by the Blues in the 2025 NHL draft, Korotky was impressive in his sophomore season in the KHL with SKA St. Petersburg, scoring 14 goals and 27 points in 43 games.
Standing 6-foot-2, 198 pounds, Korotky is a skilled center with a heavy shot. His shot is likely his best offensive trait, as he doesn't need much time and space to show it off. In his KHL rookie season, Korotky notched five goals and nine points in 30 games.
But he is more than just a shooter, which should excite Blues fans. Korotky has power-forward traits and is willing to engage physically when the opportunity presents itself. But maybe more importantly, Korotky hounds down pucks on the forecheck.
With his speed and energy, Korotky often forces turnovers and creates instant offense. But as he has developed, Korotky has become more comfortable skating with the puck in transition. Using a combination of skilled hands and power, Korotky drives the puck to the net or slot, as he is always looking to move the puck into high-danger areas.
The now 20-year-old was likely a near throwaway pick as they gambled on some positive traits Korotky possessed. That gamble is looking to pay off early, as those traits- his shot and forechecking- have continued to develop while he has rounded out his game.
Korotky is likely still a ways away from competing for an NHL spot, but he is an interesting prospect who could, down the road, become a useful NHL player for the Blues or a trade chip.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.
See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source.Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
