The match featured 45 hockey players from both the NHL and the KHL and ended in a 9-9 tie after regulation. Washington Capitals forward Alexei Protas scored the game-winner in the shootout. The charitable event raised roughly $114,000, which will go toward the rehabilitation and support of children and adults with cerebral palsy and other motor disabilities.
Zharovsky explained that Demidov really took him under his wing this summer, giving him a room and board as well as showing him around town when they weren’t training, even though that’s what they spent the most time doing. The pair went for walks downtown, and the 34th overall pick at the 2025 draft confirmed that despite having yet to play a single game with the Canadiens, he’s already being recognized on the street; a few fans even asked to take a picture with him.
Asked about his language skills by Tuboltseva, he explained:
I still need to work on my English. I’m not learning French yet; that’s not going well for me.
That shouldn’t surprise anyone since Zharovsky needed an interpreter (goaltending prospect Arseni Radkov) to speak to the media at development camp. Furthermore, the 19-year-old already has a lot on his plate in the pursuit of his NHL dream; speaking good English is essential if he wants to succeed in the NHL, and he’ll have to adapt to the North American style of play. These two things should and are taking precedence over learning French.
While he was in Montreal, Zharovsky joined a few Canadiens players for one game in the LSHL and dazzled with his quick hands in the shootout and on the breakaway; he explained why he even pulled off a Pavel Datsyuk-inspired move:
I just decided to do it. I saw that move a long time ago and watched how it’s done. I followed Datsyuk when I was young. I liked him.
If and when he makes the Canadiens’ roster, he won’t be the first to try Datsyuk-inspired moves in the shootout; captain Nick Suzuki has done that a few times already. Finally, Zharovsky mentioned that he did call Habs’ first-round pick at the last draft, Gleb Pugachyov, to congratulate him on his selection, but they didn’t discuss anything past that. By the time Pugachyov comes over to North America, the Canadiens could have an impressive Russian contingent featuring Demidov, Zharovsky and defenseman Bogdan Konyushkov.
OTTAWA, CANADA - DECEMBER 29: Tanner Howe #23 of Team Canada skates in the first period against Team Germany of the Group A match during the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship at Canadian Tire Centre on December 29, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Team Canada defeated Team Germany 3-0. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Top 25 countdown continues with Tanner Howe, who is preparing for his first full pro season since undergoing ACL surgery last April.
Howe was initially a projected first-round pick when playing alongside Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard in his 2022-23 season with the WHL’s Regina Pats.
His stock fell after his production dropped the next season in Bedard’s absence, allowing the Penguins to snag him in the second round.
Howe’s career since then has been impacted by injuries, including a shoulder injury early in the 2024-25 WHL season.
The forward then suffered an ACL injury while representing the Calgary Hitmen in last season’s WHL playoffs. He underwent knee surgery in April 2025.
That kept Howe on the sideline for most of his first pro season before he ultimately made his Wilkes/Barre Scranton debut in February.
“I think it was a mental test,” Howe said in February about his nine-month recovery process (h/t InsideAHLHockey’s Tony Androck). “I think going into the offseason, I wanted to focus on getting bigger and stronger, obviously rehab made a little delay on it.”
Despite that delay, Howe was a regular contributor in his shortened first season with the WBS Penguins. He scored in his fourth AHL game and went on to record 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in 27 regular-season contests.
Howe then contributed five points (three goals, two assists) in 14 playoff games while playing a key role in the WBS Penguins’ run to the Eastern Conference Final.
Tanner Howe also notches his first AHL point with an assist on this goal ⬇️ https://t.co/IZtmAdBuqL
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) February 1, 2026
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton assistant general manager Amanda Kessel praised Howe for performing as a “versatile” player for the AHL team despite the delayed start to his pro career.
“To see him come into this year, a first-year young pro coming off an ACL surgery, he didn’t really struggle,” Kessel said, per Penguins team reporter Michelle Crechiolo. “I think it’s credit to him, he works extremely hard. Everyone loves the kid.
Kessel continued, per Crechiolo: “I think he’s versatile, he could play on the first line or the fourth line and be effective. He can play penalty kill, power play. He’s somebody who can play in multiple different roles and excel at them. He’s a warrior, and somebody that is a winner, and you want on your team.”
Howe was earning comparisons to the Florida Panthers’ Brad Marchand around the time the Penguins drafted him two years ago. As Bedard told The Athletic’s Sarah Jean Maher in 2024: “On the ice, he’s a bit of a prick.”
He started to again take on that pest-like role while becoming a regular problem for netfront opponents during the WBS Penguins’ playoff run. More time to get back to full strength on his surgically-reconstructed knee could allow Howe lean even more into that identity next season.
The Penguins will hope a full offseason to put on weight, gain strength and continue adjusting to the pros will allow for better evaluation of how close Howe is to breaking into the NHL.
It's officially another season, another prospects ranking for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In years past, this has been a bit easier of an exercise, as there used to be a more clear-cut line between prospects with NHL upside and longshots. However, because of the work that general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas and his staff have put in during the last several years, the line is blurring a whole lot more - and there is a substantially higher volume of talent in the system.
This time around, making a top-20 list was challenging. So, a few criteria were put into place: To make our list, prospects must be under the age of 26 and have played less than 50 NHL games. This excludes names such as Ben Kindel, Filip Hallander, Oliver Okuliar, and Alexander Alexeyev.
It isn't too often that a seventh-round draft pick ends up on top prospects list for any organization, as their NHL potential is, typically, still longshot potential at best.
Funny enough, the Penguins are set to have two seventh-round picks in our top-20 this season, and both have some potential as future NHL players. And, even if the guy sitting at No. 19 is still a longshot in a general sense, he's making enough of an impression that an NHL future might not sound too crazy anymore.
Selected in the seventh round (201st overall) by the Penguins in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, center Kale Dach was quite the find for the Penguins and their front office staff. He's a product of the BCHL - notoriously, not a top developmental league, even if it has improved in recent years - and put together a dominant 2024-25 campaign with the Sherwood Park Crusaders, registering 22 goals and 87 points in 54 games.
That was enough to get him on the Penguins' map, so they selected him, and he spent the entirety of the 2025-26 season with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL. There, he continued to progress and showed an even higher capacity for scoring goals, recording 34 goals and 75 points in 63 games. He also scored at a point-per-game pace in seven playoff games for Calgary.
There is, obviously, a lot of work to be done before the 19-year-old will be anywhere close to the NHL. He is committed to Penn State University for the 2026-27 season, and time in the NCAA should help with the next step in his progression. It will be an opportunity for him to play against bigger and better competition and, as is the case for other NCAA commits, he will also have more time in the gym to add size.
But, further development aside, there are already some things that Dach does well. In addition to being an offensive weapon who can score goals, the Penguins' front office and development staff is impressed with the growth in Dach's two-way game, which is something - along with his skating - that he'll continue to build on when he heads to Penn State.
"It's not easy stepping into the WHL your first year, but he jumped in there and he became a leader on the team right away," said Penguins director of player development Tom Kostopoulos. "He's a guy they look to for offense. I think he's really creative on the power play, and the coaches trust him on the PK. He built his two-way game into something that's reliable, and he can finish and make plays.
"He's got to get a little quicker and work on his skating, but he's intelligent and he loves the game. He loves being around it, wants to be on the ice, and wants to work on his game."
Of course, center depth is a major area of need for the Penguins in their prospect pool. Ben Kindel has given them a brighter future to look forward to on that front, but beyond Tristan Broz and, potentially, Bill Zonnon or Will Horcoff, the organization doesn't have much intrigue down the middle in their pipeline.
Dach, like Ryan Miller, is a little farther out than those other guys in terms of NHL readiness, if he gets there. But the fact that he has taken each assignment thus far and run with it is a great sign, especially since he seems to be improving in the all-around facets of his game.
With a strong season or two at Penn State, Dach could legitimately put himself in the conversation for an AHL roster spot in the near future. Since he only turned 19 in February, there is still plenty of time for him to add some size and round out the facets of his game that the Penguins would like to see him hone. But, if he continues to check boxes, the organization certainly won't hold him back from earning new opportunities.
There is still a long way to go with Dach, but he's certainly a prospect to keep an eye on as a potential riser. Even if he's not that future top-six NHL center in the making that the Penguins desperately need, there is still potential for him to play a bottom-six role in Pittsburgh somewhere down the line.
So, because of his growth and the upside, he earned a spot on this year's list.
As things currently stand, San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini is set to become the NHL's highest paid player at the beginning of the 2027-28 season. Right now though, he has another season remaining on his entry-level contract. With his new deal being 12 months away from beginning, is there someone who can take his new crown before he gets a chance to wear it?
There are certainly a number of players who could surpass Celebrini's cap hit of $18.8 million if they were to hit the open market next summer.
Reigning Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov, for example, could have a strong case to make upwards of $20 million if he so chooses. He's been a finalist for the Hart Trophy each of the last three seasons, winning it at the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign, he won the Art Ross Trophy for the most points in the NHL in two of the last three seasons, and he's one of the most dynamic forwards in the NHL.
With that being said, Kucherov is in a bit of a tough situation in that regard. If he wanted to remain in Tampa, the organization where he's spent his entire NHL career, he'd have to take well below market value in order to make things work. At most, the Lightning would likely be able to pay him around the $15 million range, but anything more than that would mean a meaningful piece would have to be moved. As a result, it's unlikely he's going to take Celebrini's spot as the highest paid player, even if he absolutely could.
Jason Robertson is another name that comes to mind when thinking of a player who could demand a king's ransom on the open market. There was quite a bit of talk about Robertson leaving the Dallas Stars this summer, however, he reached an agreement with the team that walks him directly to unrestricted free agency.
Robertson's $12 million cap hit is certainly below what he could've gotten this summer, as it has been reported that he turned down a contract worth $15 million per season from the Seattle Kraken. As an unrestricted free agent though, he could make an enormous amount of money if he so chooses. The can has been kicked down the road a bit and Robertson doesn't seem like the type of player who should be the highest paid player in the NHL, but it's certainly a possibility if July 1, 2027 comes around and he hasn't gotten a new contract from the Stars.
On the blue line is where we truly see threats for Celebrini's crown emerge, although that's a bit of uncertainty in that regard. Currently, the highest-value contract signed by a defenseman belongs to Bowen Byram of the Chicago Blackhawks, which carries a $12.5 million cap hit and begins at the same time as Celebrini's deal. Of course, he won't be the highest paid defenseman for long.
Cale Makar is the last piece of the Colorado Avalanche's core group that has yet to be extended beyond the end of the current decade. Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, Devon Toews, and even MacKenzie Blackwood are signed until some point in the 2030s. It's important to note though, there's not much cap space to get a deal done with Makar at this point, but next summer the cap will rise significantly.
Regardless, it's hard to see Makar ever choosing to voluntary leave the Avalanche and he'll likely follow in Nathan MacKinnon's footsteps and take less than market value to keep the group together for as long as possible.
Through the first three players we discussed, there's not a player who truly stands out as someone who can take over the top spot on the salary leaderboard. Quinn Hughes, however, is the wild card. If Hughes becomes the NHL's first $20 million player, it won't be overly surprising to anyone. It would be somewhat surprising if that deal was signed in Minnesota, as it would mean a considerable amount of roster turnover to make it work, but it would be possible.
If Hughes hits the open market, which seems the most likely to happen of the players we've discussed, there will be one of the biggest bidding wars we've seen in recent history. There's the long standing rumor that he'd be willing to take a pay cut to join the New Jersey Devils alongside his brothers Jack and Luke. But there's also the possibility that a team in desperate need of an elite caliber defenseman will hand Hughes essentially a blank check in free agency.
After leaving the Vancouver Canucks, Hughes has hinted that he wants to remain in Minnesota, and doing so would require him to take less than market value. Joining the Devils with his brothers would also take him under market value as well. With any other team though, Hughes would undoubtedly pose the biggest threat to Celebrini's top spot.
Based on the class of 2027 unrestricted free agents, it seems very likely that Celebrini will retain his spot as the NHL's highest paid player for at least one season. While any of these players could easily deserve the title, their circumstances make it unlikely to happen. Of course, anything can happen and if one of those players makes an unexpected decision, the NHL could turn into chaos.
Mathieu Darche speaking at a press conference, with a blurred hockey jersey in the background.
The Islanders added to their front office Monday while also completing their AHL overhaul, hiring Evan Gold as an assistant general manager and the general manager of their affiliate in Hamilton, the team announced.
Gold, who spent the last 12 years with the Bruins and said in a release that it’s “an honor” to join the Islanders, will replace Chris Lamoriello — the son of the former Islanders executive — as GM of AHL Hamilton, but Lamoriello will remain as one of Mathieu Darche’s assistant GMs alongside Ryan Bowness, Steve Pellegrini and now Gold.
And Gold will be tasked with overseeing an AHL team moving from Bridgeport to Hamilton, playing under first-year head coach Jay McKee and trying to build on a season where it clinched a spot in the postseason tournament for the first time since 2021-22.
Mathieu Darche, general manager and executive vice president of the New York Islanders, speaks during an event unveiling the AHL’s Hamilton Hammers’ inaugural season jerseys at TD Coliseum in Hamilton on Monday, July 6, 2026. Nick Iwanyshyn/The Canadian Press via AP
“Evan brings a rare combination of experience, intelligence, and results to our Hockey Operations department,” Darche said in the Islanders’ release. “Over the past several years, he has excelled in nearly every facet of building a successful franchise at the NHL and AHL levels — from contract negotiations and cap management to leading the Providence Bruins to the best record in the AHL this past season.”
Gold, who also worked in hockey operations with the Capitals, stepped into an assistant general manager role with the Bruins for the 2019-20 season and then became GM of AHL Providence for the last three seasons.
The Bruins’ affiliate made the playoffs in each of those three campaigns and collected 110 points in 2025-26. He’d also served as the Bruins’ director of legal affairs since 2015.
For Colorado Avalanche fans, the lack of a Cale Makar extension might be starting to feel a little too familiar.
After watching Mikko Rantanen leave Colorado, there is an understandable fear that another franchise cornerstone could eventually walk away. Makar, however, is a very different situation—and Avalanche fans shouldn't be preparing themselves for another Rantanen-type departure.
Makar is going to re-sign in Colorado.
The question isn't whether the Avalanche will keep their superstar defenseman. The question is how much it is going to cost them.
And that is where things get complicated.
Makar is entering the final season of his contract, and after establishing himself as arguably the best defenseman in hockey, he is going to have an opportunity to command a life-changing payday. With the salary cap continuing to rise and the NHL's contract market being pushed to new heights, this isn't going to be a deal that gets completed overnight.
But that shouldn't be mistaken for a problem.
Big Contracts Take Time
One thing I learned during my years covering boxing is that the biggest fights rarely come together quickly.
There are countless reasons for that in boxing—networks, promoters, sanctioning bodies, venues, television rights, purse splits and championship politics can turn a seemingly simple fight into a negotiation that drags on for months or even years.
Hockey doesn't have nearly that level of chaos.
But when you're talking about a contract potentially worth more than $130-$140 million, negotiations are still negotiations.
Nobody should expect Makar, his representatives and the Avalanche to casually shake hands on a number and call it a day.
The landscape has also changed dramatically in recent weeks.
Leo Carlsson signed a five-year contract with an $18 million average annual value, and Macklin Celebrini subsequently pushed the NHL's AAV record to $18.8 million. Those contracts have given Makar's camp even more information to work with as they determine what an elite player in his position should command.
And Makar is not just another elite player.
He is the face of the Avalanche's defense, a two-time Norris Trophy winner, a Stanley Cup champion and the Conn Smythe Trophy winner from Colorado's 2022 championship run.
He's earned the right to ask for an enormous number.
Makar Is Going To Get Paid
Let's be clear about something: Cale Makar is going to make an absurd amount of money on his next contract.
He deserves it.
The only question is where the Avalanche and Makar ultimately draw the line.
Could Makar command $20 million per season?
Maybe.
Would he be deserving of it?
Absolutely.
But that doesn't necessarily mean Colorado should hand him the largest contract in NHL history.
There is a difference between paying a player what he's worth and building a championship roster around that player.
The Avalanche already have Nathan MacKinnon under contract. Martin Necas is part of the long-term picture. Gabriel Landeskog remains a major piece of the organization. And if Colorado wants to keep its Stanley Cup window open for years to come, it cannot afford to build a roster where an enormous percentage of its salary cap is tied up in a handful of players while the depth around them deteriorates.
That's the balancing act Joe Sakic and the Avalanche have to navigate.
Makar could very well become the highest-paid defenseman in NHL history.
I just don't believe he'll become the highest-paid player in the league.
And frankly, that may be better for everyone involved.
Don't Panic
The most important piece of this entire situation is something that has gotten lost in the conversation: Colorado wants Makar, and Makar has every reason to want Colorado.
Sakic has already made the organization's position abundantly clear, saying in June that Makar is going to finish his career with the Avalanche and that getting an extension done was the team's top offseason priority.
That doesn't sound like an organization preparing for another Rantanen situation.
Makar has spent his entire NHL career in Colorado. He has won a Stanley Cup here. He has won two Norris Trophies here. He has become one of the most recognizable and beloved athletes in the franchise's history.
More importantly, the Avalanche remain a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
That's important.
Players don't simply make decisions based on the biggest possible number. Winning matters. Fit matters. Stability matters. Legacy matters.
Makar has all of those things in Colorado.
So while it's fair for Avalanche fans to keep an eye on the situation, there is a big difference between not being signed yet and wanting to leave.
Those are not the same thing.
The Clock Is Ticking On An Eight-Year Deal
There is, however, one legitimate reason this negotiation carries some urgency.
The NHL's new collective bargaining agreement takes effect on September 16, 2026. Under the new agreement, contracts signed with a player's current team will be capped at seven years rather than eight.
That means if Colorado and Makar want to maximize the term of his next contract, they have a very real deadline approaching.
An eight-year extension could potentially put Makar's total contract value somewhere in the neighborhood of $132 million to $136 million, depending on where the final annual value lands. Nobody should be surprised that both sides are taking their time to make sure they get it right.
The Avalanche have to determine what number allows them to keep Makar happy without compromising their ability to build a championship-caliber roster around him.
Makar has to determine what number properly reflects his value while giving him the long-term security he deserves.
Neither side benefits from rushing that process.
This Isn't Mikko Rantanen All Over Again
This is probably the most important distinction for Avalanche fans.
Rantanen's departure understandably left a scar.
But assuming every major contract negotiation will end the same way is dangerous.
Makar isn't Rantanen.
The circumstances aren't the same.
The Avalanche aren't approaching this negotiation unaware of the importance of the player involved. They have already publicly identified Makar's extension as a priority, and Sakic has gone as far as saying he expects the defenseman to finish his career in Colorado.
The organization knows exactly what is at stake.
So does Makar.
That doesn't guarantee there won't be difficult negotiations. It doesn't mean the final number won't make Avalanche fans gasp. And it certainly doesn't mean there won't be moments when the lack of an announcement causes speculation to explode.
Over the years playing for both the New York Rangers and Hartford Wolf Pack, Matt Rempe and Adam Edström built a strong friendship.
For a large part of the past two seasons, Rempe and Edström have played a fourth-line role together, as the two spent a lot of time playing on the same line.
However, the Rangers traded Edström to the Nashville Predators this offseason in exchange for Massimo Rizzo and a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Last week at the Shoulder Check Showcase, Rempe expressed his emotions regarding Edström being traded from the Rangers.
"Obviously, he's my brother. I was over in Sweden with him for a week,” Rempe said. “Always sad to see him go because we've kind of grown up together and stuff, but it's a business and things happen.
“I know he's gonna kill it in Nashville, and I'm gonna miss him lots. I know he'll do great. He'll do great.”
Rempe, meanwhile, has one year remaining on his two-year, $1.95 million contract with the Rangers, and he’s set to compete for an opening-night roster spot at training camp.
Ducks sign Pavel Mintyukov to five-year contract extension
The 2026 offseason for the Anaheim Ducks hasn’t gone as expected, to say the least. The team was seemingly on a meteoric rise, putting their long rebuild in the rearview and primed to make several significant additions to take them over the top and into true Stanley Cup contention.
In actuality, they parted with two young roster pieces at the Draft (Olen Zellweger, Mason McTavish), signed some depth roster players (Nick Jensen, AJ Greer, Jeff Malott, Laurent Brossoit), and saw their cap sheet monumentally dented by an offer sheet signed by their franchise center, Leo Carlsson.
Looking forward, the Ducks will be banking on their current young core continuing their progressions toward stardom, veterans to fend off Father Time for another season, and a slew of rookies and/or relatively inexperienced youth to seamlessly fill gaps on the depth chart.
Roster players Tim Washe (24), Ian Moore (24), and Tyson Hinds (23) have all “graduated” and will presumably assume everyday roles in the NHL, based on their experience, roles in high-leverage playoff games, and current depth chart makeup.
Fortunately for the Ducks, their pipeline is filled to the brim with young, NHL-ready (or near-NHL-ready) talent who, if afforded the opportunity, could find themselves elevated in the lineup and potentially move needles for the organization in yet another important transition year.
Here’s a preview of some of those players looking to carve out a consistent role and provide an impact at the NHL level.
Nikita Nesterenko (24), W
Nesterenko will be entering his fifth season (fourth full season) with the Ducks organization after he was acquired at the 2022 trade deadline. The long, skilled, playmaking winger split his time between the AHL and NHL in 2025-26, playing 29 games with the Ducks and 35 with the Gulls.
He’s put in work to develop a “B game” and was rewarded with 0:50 TOI on the penalty kill per game with Anaheim when called upon early in the season. He’s shown flashes of offensive impact, highlighted by a four-assist game in Oct. 2025, but if he’s given a role high in the lineup again, those flashes will need to become more consistent if he’s to stick. He has the makings of a useful bottom-six player for the Ducks who could fill in and provide an impact in the middle six.
He’s no longer waiver-exempt, and the Ducks would risk losing him should they attempt to reassign him to the Gulls.
Sam Colangelo (24), W
Colangelo has been one of the Gulls’ top point-producers for the last two seasons, but took a slight step back in 2025-26 as the organization switched their systems to one less conducive to Colangelo’s game. He’s still capable of scoring at the NHL level, as suggested by his ten goals in 32 games in 2024-25.
A prototypical power forward with a quick release, Colangelo requires a scoring role to fulfill his true potential. When given an elevated role, he can provide needed goalscoring, but his lack of pace and two-way habits have kept him in the AHL, as he struggles to influence on a forecheck or disrupt without possession.
Luckily for him, the Ducks’ top nine projects to be chock-full of opportunity, especially early in 2026-27. Like Nesterenko, he’s no longer waiver-exempt, and the Ducks would risk losing the former second-round pick should they attempt to send him to the AHL.
Tristan Luneau (22), RHD
Luneau is far and away the Ducks’ biggest “X-factor” on this list. He’s “paid his dues” with two healthy and productive seasons with the Gulls, scoring 93 points in 129 games and working to refine his two-way abilities.
Anaheim’s blueline will be far younger this year than its predecessor and thus rife with opportunity. Luneau is the Ducks’ lone remaining prospect with true No. 1 potential. He’s an explosive, creative puck-mover with a desirable combination of physical and mobile defending in every zone.
Zellweger’s departure and Pavel Mintyukov’s offensive inconsistency may lead to Luneau seeing ice time with a man-advantage. If he’s afforded extended power play time, it’s not far-fetched to predict Luneau’s placement among the NHL’s top rookie defensemen in 2026-27.
Nathan Gaucher (22), C
Gaucher never projected as a top-of-the-lineup point-producer, but his difficulty translating what offense he did have to the AHL level has been disappointing thus far. Toward the end of the 2025-26 season, his third full season with the Gulls, he began to accumulate more puck touches and manufacture more offense, finishing the regular season with nine points (7-2=9) in his final ten regular season AHL games and even made his NHL debut in early April.
Gaucher has the capability of providing the Ducks with much-needed forechecking prowess, an aspect absent during their playoff run in the Spring of 2026. He’ll likely top out as a third-line center, but his speed, physicality, defensive impact, and tenacity could provide the Ducks with a needed complement to their dynamic core at the top of the lineup.
He’ll likely be battling Nesterenko and Colangelo for NHL ice time. Still, his versatility will likely give him an advantage over the former two and afford the coaching staff more lineup options.
Stian Solberg (20), LHD
With more years of professional experience and experience against grown men than anyone on this list, Solberg wrapped up his first full year in North America in 2025-26, playing all 71 games on the Gulls’ schedule and representing Norway for the third consecutive spring at the IIHF World Championships.
The first season on a smaller ice sheet was a success for the former first-round pick (23rd overall in 2024), as he tallied 24 points (12-12=24) and translated his trademark physicality, piling up 102 PIMs. If the Ducks feel the NHL roster is lacking, Solberg can restore some of the sandpaper they lost during the 2026 offseason with the departures of Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas.
He still has some details to add to his game like angling, gap control, and puck retrieval success rate, but with the only LHDs ahead of him on the Ducks organizational depth chart being Jackson LaCombe, Pavel Mintyukov, and Tyson Hinds, it’s more likely than not he makes his NHL debut in 2026-27. Two years removed from playing in Norway’s top professional league indicates he’s already come a long way in his development in a short amount of time. Will the NHL be a leap too far? We’ll soon find out.
Roger McQueen (19), C
McQueen finally put together a complete, healthy season in 2025-26 and signed his ELC after a freshman year at Providence College that saw him tally 27 points (11-16=27) in 36 games. The production isn’t entirely telling, as he was third on his team in scoring, trailing their leading scorer (John Mustard) by just two points. Providence plays pro-style defensive systems and relies on depth and details to win games at the NCAA level.
He finished his season with the Gulls, scoring three points (1-2=3) in seven games, utilizing the habits he learned at Providence to ease his transition to the AHL. He could benefit from more manufactured puck touches to gain acumen and confidence on the offensive side of the puck to realize his NHL potential fully.
McQueen is long, skilled, powerful, and can cover a lot of ice with his stride. He has all the tools to become a dynamic complement to Leo Carlsson down the middle and one half of a lethal 1-2 punch. The Ducks could certainly utilize his skillset in their middle six, and he would fill a need, but rushing him to the NHL could limit his overall offensive upside if he’s not fully ready. His development at this stage will be a delicate balancing act for the Ducks’ front office and coaching staff.
Nikita Klepov (18), W
Klepov joins the likes of Carlsson and Beckett Sennecke as a player that Ducks GM Pat Verbeek and the scouting staff identified and pursued as “their guy” in the first round of the NHL Draft. Klepov was the key piece in a trade that sent McTavish to the St. Louis Blues, and Verbeek stated that had Klepov not been available to the Ducks at 15th overall, the trade would not have happened.
Klepov led the entire OHL in scoring in 2025-26 with 97 points (37-60=97) in 67 games and was slated to begin his NCAA career in 2026-27 at Michigan State University before the Ducks signed him to his ELC in July. Verbeek mentioned after his draft that he was a player who could be on a “fast track to the NHL.” However, a full 2026-27 season in the NHL seems like a tremendously fast track.
He is an offensive dynamo with the IQ, handling, and deception skills to quarterback minute-long cycle sequences singlehandedly, as well as create and finish endless dangerous chances. Though tenacious and talented, he’ll likely aim to add to his 6-foot, 186-pound frame. It remains a possibility Klepov plays NHL games this season, but a reliance on him to make a nightly positive impact may not be advisable if the Ducks are to remain competitive in 2026-27.
July is officially over, and the Montreal Canadiens still have two RFAs that have yet to be signed: Arber Xhekaj and Zachary Bolduc. Much has already been written and said about both, but in the last few days, there was one contract signing that may be an interesting comparable for Kent Hughes’ negotiations with Bolduc’s people.
On July 31, San Jose Sharks GM Mike Greer put pen to paper with 23-year-old undrafted winger Collin Graf. Last season, he put up 46 points in 81 games and found his way into the team’s top six. In 121 career games, he has put up 59 points for a point-per-game average of 0.48. Greer signed him to a one-way three-year bridge deal with a $4.25 million cap hit.
Meanwhile, Bolduc, who is also 23 but was drafted 17th overall by the St. Louis Blues at the 2021 draft, had 30 points in 78 games in his second full NHL campaign, his first with the Canadiens. In 175 career games, the Trois-Rivieres native has put up 75 points for a 0.43 PPG average.
When he was given opportunities on the top six with the Habs (he played 16 games alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield), he put up six points in seven games from November 17 against the Columbus Blue Jackets to December 2 against the Ottawa Senators. And in his second stint on the top line, from December 11 against the Pittsburgh Penguins to December 28 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, he added four points in nine games. That works out to 11 points in 16 games, but that wasn’t enough for coach Martin St-Louis, who gave auditions to Alexandre Texier and Kirby Dach on the top line before going back to Juraj Slafkovsky.
Bolduc was a first-round pick who has plenty of potential, but he has yet to truly show what he can do, making it rather hard to put a number on what his next contract should be worth or even to sign him to a long-term deal that isn’t too risky, as there are still a lot of unknowns there. A three-year pact like the one signed by Graf could be a good compromise for both parties. It would give the Habs more time to evaluate what they have on their hands with Bolduc, and it would give him more time to show what he can do. I previously wrote that a three-year bridge deal worth between $4 million and $4.5 million would make sense, and that’s exactly where Graf’s deal landed. Given how good Hughes has been at making his players sign team-friendly deals, I believe this is the most likely outcome for Bolduc.
Former New York Rangers star Ron Duguay is out of the hospital after last week's collapse and working to regain strength for his newest cancer treatment, his daughter announced.
Shay Thomas said last week on Instagram that the 12-year NHL veteran, who has been dealing with Grade 4 colon cancer that has spread to his liver, was taken to the hospital after fainting at his house, suffering facial injuries. She said doctors determined he had severe dehydration because he had been feeling sick and was having trouble eating.
"He still isn’t feeling his best or eating much, but he is taking it day by day, trying to get down some soup and slowly regain his strength," she wrote.
"Our main focus is getting him strong enough to travel back to Orange County and return to City of Hope. His next treatment will be Bizengri, also known as zenocutuzumab-zbco, a targeted therapy that works by blocking certain signals that can help cancer cells grow. We are praying this will be the treatment his body responds to."
The AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley head coach said the promotions were earned.
“They did all the right things when they were with us,” Snowden said in June at Flyers development camp. “They asked the right questions, they practiced the right way, they trained the right way, they played the games the right way. And when they got up and got their chance and they got to come in the door, they did a really good job at taking advantage of it and not coming back.”
Now Barkey and Bump are tasked with doing it again. Despite both making an impact on a team that went to the second round of the playoffs, they know the competition picks up when training camp arrives this fall.
“Nothing’s guaranteed,” Bump said in June. “You have to come into camp ready to make the team. You have to push someone out of their spot almost. That’s just the reality of being a young guy coming in, you have to take someone’s job.”
Bump scored a goal in his NHL debut last season and finished with nine points (five goals, four assists) over 17 games. The Flyers went 6-0-1 when he recorded at least a point. The 22-year-old winger then had two goals in six postseason games, including one in his debut.
Last fall, Bump was staring down his first training camp. Understandably, there were “some nerves,” he said. Now having gone through it, Bump will feel more seasoned for his second camp.
“I think this coming year, it’s just on me now,” he said. “Put on some good weight, I’ve got a little taste of NHL games and the playoffs, so I know what to do and know what to expect. I’m looking forward to it.”
Barkey played over half of last season with the Flyers. Initially, the plan for his call-up was just a handful of games. But he opened eyes with his smarts and effort, playing 43 regular-season games and all 10 in the playoffs.
The forward put up 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) before adding a goal and an assist in the postseason. During the playoffs, he also showed he could play some center.
At development camp, Barkey mentioned wanting to work on “everything” this offseason.
“Just having all that experience, knowing what it takes, day in and day out,” the 21-year-old said in June. “With the schedule of playing 82 games and the tax it has on your body, I think the biggest thing for me this summer is putting on a couple of extra pounds and working on my first three steps, getting in and out of corners.
“Having the weight and the strength to win battles and then also having that first three steps to get away from the bigger guys and have a little bit of space to make plays. I think that’ll be my bread and butter. It takes time, but definitely working toward that.”
Think Denver Barkey likes to compete? He had back-to-back goals within maybe 15 to 20 seconds to win his team the 3-on-3 tourney. pic.twitter.com/3CQZZpR9TU
Barkey and Bump will be battling for lineup spots with Carl Grundstrom, Nikita Grebenkin, Jett Luchanko and Zach Aston-Reese, among others.
Flyers director of player development Riley Armstrong enjoyed seeing Barkey, Bump and Porter Martone lead the organization’s prospects at development camp. Barkey captained the 2024-25 London team that won the Memorial Cup, Bump was an alternate captain for the 2024-25 Western Michigan team that won the national championship and Martone has been a captain in the OHL and at world juniors.
“It’s really cool to see them take a step,” Armstrong said in June. “Hopefully in three or four years from now, they’re leaders on the Flyers and potentially wearing letters, as well. They all did it at different levels and we’re hoping it carries over.”
It's been nearly three weeks since the Detroit Red Wings announced a major leadership transition in their front office.
On the morning of July 15, the Red Wings announced that Steve Yzerman would step away from his role and move into a senior advisor position to Governor and CEO Chris Ilitch.
The organization also confirmed that Yzerman would continue overseeing day-to-day hockey operations during the transition. Although the Red Wings stated that both internal and external candidates would be considered for the position, the team has yet to publicly reveal any specific names in the search process.
In the meantime, one candidate that was thought of as a potential successor to Yzerman is no longer available.
Evan Gold, who had spent the last 12 years with the Boston Bruins, has been hired by the New York Islanders as their new Assistant General Manager; he'll also serve as General Manager of the American Hockey League affiliate Hamilton Hammers.
#Isles News: The New York Islanders announced today that the club has hired Evan Gold as Assistant General Manager and General Manager of the Hamilton Hammers. He joins Mathieu Darche’s Hockey Operations staff and will be involved in all facets of the club’s hockey operations.
Gold had served as Assistant General Manager of the Bruins since 2019, and also oversaw the Providence Bruins, who posted the best record in the AHL in 2025-26.
Additionally, he contributed to areas such as cap management, contract discussions, roster strategy, arbitration preparation, CBA matters, and professional scouting.
For the Red Wings, the two most obvious internal candidates are Assistant GM Shawn Horcoff and Assistant GM/Director of Amateur Scouting Kris Draper.
Other potential external candidates likely include Dallas Stars Assistant GM Scott White, along with New York Rangers Associate GM Ryan Martin.
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.
The Buffalo Sabres snapped their 15-year postseason drought, winning the Atlantic Division and advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but after an offseason that saw Bowen Byram and Alex Tuch being dealt, the task of repeating as division champion or finishing in the top three of the Atlantic could be significantly more difficult.
This week we will finish up looking at the seven other teams in the Atlantic to see where they stand in comparison to where they were at the end of last season and see where they potentially stack up as competition with the Sabres.
The Tampa Bay Lightning who have been a consistent high-level regular season performer, but have had issues in the playoffs. After winning consecutive Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021, and reaching the Cup Final for the third year in a row in 2022, the Lightning have lost in the first round of the playoffs for four straight seasons.
Last season, under Jack Adams winning head coach Jon Cooper, Tampa Bay encountered a slew of injuries to key players, including defenseman Victor Hedman and center Brayden Point, but still managed to piece together a lineup that finished only three points behind the Sabres for top spot in the Atlantic, but in the first round they could not play at the same level against the Montreal Canadiens, who surprisingly eliminated them in seven games.
Will the Sabres add some scoring punch before training camp?
Additions
Ilya Mikheyev - signed a four-year, $15.4 million deal as a free agent
Jeffrey Viel - signed a five-year, $12.5 million deal as a free agent
Dennis Hildeby - acquired in a trade with Toronto
John Carlson - signed a two-year, $17 million deal as a free agent
Subtractions
Darren Raddysh - traded to Toronto in a sign-and-trade deal
Oliver Bjorkstrand - signed by NY Rangers as a free agent
Nick Paul - traded to Toronto for a third-and-fourth round pick and Hildeby
Corey Perry - signed by Los Angeles as a free agent
Outlook
GM Julien Brisebois has had to jump through hoops over recent seasons to create or manipulate the salary cap, but has also had the advantage of being in a no-tax state and in a destination where players want to play. The main issue with the Lightning is that the core pieces of the club that won the Cup earlier this decade are in the latter half of their prime.
Both Andrei Vasilevskiy and Nikita Kucherov were phenomenal, winning the Vezina and Hart Trophies respectively, but performed well under expectations in the postseason. Victor Hedman played only 33 games and missed the playoffs, calling into question how much longer does the future Hall-of-Famer have, but the Lightning got productive seasons out of Jake Guentzel (88 points), Brandon Hagel (36 goals), and Raddysh (70 points) taking over the PP quarterback role.
The loss of Raddysh should be diminished by the addition of Carlson, who likely will take over as the QB of the Lightning power-play unit if Hedman cannot, but most of their additions and subtractions were cosmetic. Mikheyev is an excellent penalty killer and speedy winger, Viel will provide a level of toughness needed in the Atlantic, and Hildeby should be an upgrade on backup Jonas Johansson, but the fortunes of Tampa Bay will rest on if Hedman can still be effective, and if veterans like Point, Ryan McDonagh, Erik Cernak and Anthony Cirelli can stay healthy.
With the loss of Alex Tuch and the Sabres current state at forward, the Lightning would appear to have more firepower and less question marks than the Sabres up front. Defensively, the departure of Bowen Byram and replacing him with Louis Crevier and Olen Zellweger has Buffalo’s defense taking a step back, but age and durability questions with Tampa’s blueline gives Buffalo a slight advantage. Vasilevskiy is in the top five of NHL goalies, while the trio of Buffalo netminders performed above expectations and there is a question whether they can do it again. The Lightning should be a top three club in the Atlantic, but health will be the biggest factor.
The Montreal Canadiens have announced that they have signed defenseman Maksymilian Szuber to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2026-27 season.
Szuber was acquired by the Canadiens earlier this off-season from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for forward Joshua Roy. Now, with this new deal, Szuber is officially ready to get his tenure with the Canadiens organization started.
Szuber spent this past season in the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners. In 65 games with the AHL club in 2025-26, he posted 11 goals, 16 assists, and 27 points. This was after the 6-foot-3 blueliner recorded seven goals, 25 assists, and 32 points in 65 games for Tucson during the 2024-25 season.
Szuber also has one game of NHL experience, which he played during the 2023-24 season with the Arizona Coyotes. Now, the 23-year-old defenseman will be hoping to get into more NHL action after landing his new one-year deal with the Canadiens. However, he is more likely to be a key part of the Laval Rocket's blueline in 2026-27.
The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, and the organization’s developmental model has begun to yield results, with 2023 first-rounder Zach Benson making an impact in the playoffs and 2024 top pick Konsta Helenius appearing as one of the AHL’s top prospects the last two seasons.
Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. These players are all 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 82 NHL games.
Will the Sabres add some scoring help before the start of training camp?
36 Dylan Dumont - Right Wing (Drummondville - QMJHL)
The Sabres late in the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo selected one of the youngest players eligible in QMJHL winger Dylan Dumont with their final pick at 188th overall. The 17-year-old made the jump from the Under-18 Quebec AAA league in 2024-25, after finishing second in the league with 31 goals in 42 games to the QMJHL.
Et il trouve une autre façon d'impressionner les recruteurs! 💥
With Drummondville, the 6’ 0”, 168 lb. winger began to score regularly as he became acclimated to the Q, and finished the season with a club-leading 28 goals. According to Elite Prospects, Dumont was successful at “executing whatever the play demanded, pushing back defenders off the rush, rushed the net, and made passing
plays under pressure. Knowing when and how to move, he consistently delivered the puck to teammates, pushing the play up the ice and creating scoring chances near the net.”
Normally, selecting a CHL player set a two-year clock on signing a draftee, but with the new rules of the collective bargaining agreement, players like Dumont can play those two years and commit to an NCAA club, which would allow the Sabres to maintain their exclusive rights.
