Over the summer, the San Jose Sharks addressed their blue line and improved significantly in that regard, despite some criticism concerning the moves they opted to make.

The Sharks now have quite a few veterans who are guaranteed to be on the opening night roster, some young players looking to find a spot for themselves, and some potential breakout candidates as well. Let's take a look at where each player falls.

Locks: Darnell Nurse, Jacob Trouba, Michael Kesselring, Dmitry Orlov

To put it simply, if the Sharks weren't planning to play Nurse, Trouba, and Kesselring on their opening night roster, they wouldn't have acquired them. All three are guaranteed to have a spot on the team this September, unless something goes terribly wrong.

As for Orlov, it's hard to say whether or not he'll stay with the Sharks for the entirety of the 2026-27 season as he enters the final year of his contract, but he'll undoubtedly be a big part of their blue line to start the season, at the very least. If they're in the playoff hunt, as they hope to be, then he'll likely stick in the top-four for the majority of the season.

On the Bubble - Sam Dickinson, Luca Cagnoni, Nolan Allan, Eric Pohlkamp, Libor Hajek

I'd say it's fair to say that there's roughly a 95% chance that Sam Dickinson is on the Sharks' opening night roster. With that being said, now that he's eligible to play in the American Hockey League due to a change in the AHL's agreement with the Canadian Hockey League, if he underperforms at training camp, there's a possibility that he gets a short time with the Barracuda to start the season, similar to what the Blackhawks previously did with Kevin Korchinski.

That's a very unlikely outcome though, and as a result, the remaining four bubble players will be battling it out for two possible roster spots. Luca Cagnoni seems like a favorite to make the roster due to his ability on the powerplay and his play at the end of the 2025-26 season when given a chance in the NHL, but he's far from guaranteed to get a roster spot. 

Nolan Allan and Libor Hajek are both on two-way contracts, so the Sharks won't be stuck with their full salary if they're sent to the AHL, but they do have the issue of waivers. Unlike Cagnoni, Allan and Hajek are both waiver-eligible. As a result, the Sharks may opt to side with keeping one, or both of them, in the NHL in order to retain them as assets. Of course, that only truly matters if Mike Grier feels that another team may try to claim them.

As for Eric Pohlkamp, he has the benefits of potential and handedness on his side. Pohlkamp likely has the highest ceiling of any of the bubble players and he's the only right-shot amongst them. With Nurse, Orlov, and Dickinson all being left-handed players, Pohlkamp would be a logical fit on the third-pairing if the Sharks wanted to keep an even number of lefties and righties. It may not boost Pohlkamp's chances of making the team much, but it's a factor that'll at least be discussed if it's a close call between two players.

Longshots: Mattias Havelid, Leo Sahlin Wallenius, Phillip Sinn

Unless one of them has a tremendous showing at training camp, Mattias Havelid, Leo Sahlin Wallenius, and Phillip Sinn all seem to be bound for the Barracuda this coming season. While it wouldn't be unheard of for a player to overcome the odds and surpass multiple players on the depth chart, it doesn't seem likely in this case. At some point in the near future, we may see one of them make a case for an NHL role, but it probably won't be now.

Former members of the Vancouver Canucks will take the spotlight in this off-season article series. From those skating with new NHL teams heading into the 2026–27 season to those who are now playing for international clubs, these featured players have skated in at least one game at the NHL level as a member of the Canucks. 

Today’s segment will take a look at the eight former Canucks that are set to compete for teams in the NHL’s Central Division during the 2026–27 season. 

Ian Cole, Chicago Blackhawks 

Cole’s tenure in Vancouver was short, only one season long (2023–24), but seemed to leave a lasting impression on the team following his departure. The veteran defenceman has been praised for his leadership even a couple of years after leaving Vancouver. On the ice, Cole made a strong defensive impact for the Canucks, particularly in their first-round series against the Nashville Predators in 2024. 

Cole’s 2025–26 season saw him skate for the Utah Mammoth for the second consecutive year, during which he put together a three-goal, 20-assist campaign. After Utah lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in the first-round of the playoffs, Cole signed a one-year, $4M contract with Chicago. 

Noah Juulsen, Colorado Avalanche

The longest time Juulsen has spent with an NHL team through his career so far has been his four-season stretch with the Canucks (2021–22 to 2024–25). A depth defender, the most games he has played in a single NHL season is the 54 he skated in with Vancouver in 2023–24. He departed from the Canucks last off-season, signing a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers. 

In his time with the Flyers, Juulsen skated in 52 games and recorded one goal and nine assists. He logged the second-lowest TOI in his career during this time with an average of 13:49 minutes per game. The defenceman signed a two-year, $1.1M AAV contract with the Avalanche in free-agency. 

Tyler Myers, Dallas Stars

A Canuck for nearly seven full seasons, Myers first signed a five-year deal with Vancouver during the 2019 free-agency period before inking another contract with the team, this time for three years. Despite some chaotic times with the defenceman on Vancouver’s blueline, by the end of his Canucks tenure, Myers had established himself as one of the team’s leaders. 

Myers was traded to the Stars only a couple of days ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, with the defenceman having played in 57 games with Vancouver before his departure. As a member of the Stars for 16 regular-season games in 2025–26, he registered three assists and logged an average of around 17 minutes per game. His current contract will expire at the end of the 2026–27 season. 

Casey DeSmith, Dallas Stars

DeSmith’s one year as a member of the Canucks saw the goaltender post a record of 12–9–6, logging a GAA of 2.89 and a SV% of .896. Vancouver’s backup in 2023–24 ended up getting injured during the playoffs, with both his and Thatcher Demko’s injuries forcing Artūrs Šilovs into the starter’s crease mid first-round series. While DeSmith was able to back-up following Šilovs’ first game, the now-Dallas Star didn’t end up playing in any more games. 

In free agency in 2024, DeSmith signed a three-year deal with Dallas, making him the Stars’ backup to Jake Oettinger. During the 2025–26 season, DeSmith played in 30 regular season games, registering a record of 15–8–6. He logged a 2.43 GAA and .907 SV%, also collecting one shutout. 

Quinn Hughes, Minnesota Wild 

The 2018 seventh-overall draft pick, Hughes played for Vancouver for nearly seven full seasons. During that time, he collected franchise record after franchise record for club defencemen. He was named the 15th captain in franchise history at the beginning of the 2023–24 season — a year in which he also recorded his highest single-season point total (92) and won the James Norris Memorial Trophy. 

Hughes was traded to the Wild on December 12, 2025, in a move that would ultimately change the course of Vancouver’s long-term future. Upon joining Minnesota, Hughes put together a five-goal, 48-assist effort in 48 games en route to the post-season. Despite the defenceman logging 15 points in 11 games, Hughes and Minnesota ultimately fell to the Avalanche in the second round. Hughes is entering the final year of his six-year contract and will become a UFA at the end of the 2026–27 season if not signed by then. 

Nils Höglander, Nashville Predators

Höglander has only ever played for one NHL team throughout his hockey career, though that will change come the start of the 2026–27 season. The forward, who was Vancouver’s lone selection remaining with the team from the 2019 NHL Draft, has spent the past six seasons as a member of the Canucks, putting together a grand total of 60 goals and 60 assists during that span of time. 

In his final season as a member of the Canucks, Höglander skated in 38 games and put up two goals and three assists. He missed the first two months of the season due to an ankle injury sustained during pre-season. One day before the opening of the 2026 free-agency period, Höglander was traded to Nashville in exchange for a third-round pick in 2029. 

Pius Suter, St. Louis Blues 

In a surprising turn of events, Suter spent some of his time in Vancouver as the Canucks’ first-line center. After J.T. Miller was traded and Elias Pettersson and Filip Chytil were both felled by injuries, Suter wound up skating as Vancouver’s number-one center — an opportunity that helped him eventually snag a two-year, $4M AAV contract with the Blues in the following free-agency period. 

The 2025–26 season was Suter’s first with the Blues. Despite missing time due to an ankle injury, he still finished the season with 13 goals and 16 assists in 64 games, replicating the point total he registered in his first year with Vancouver. 

Nate Schmidt, Utah Mammoth 

Vancouver was one of Schmidt’s career stops en route to a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in 2024–25. The defenceman joined the Canucks during the 2020–21 season, scoring five goals and 10 assists in 54 games during the shortened season. He was dealt to the Winnipeg Jets immediately after, where he spent three seasons before heading to Florida. 

Schmidt signed a three-year, $3.5M AAV contract with the Mammoth during the 2025 off-season, with the past season being his first with Utah. He ended up skating in all 82 games of the season for the first time in his career, recording five goals and 17 assists in that span of time. He had one assist in six post-season games during Utah’s six-game playoff run. 

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

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The Hockey News' Adam Proteau is currently in the process of ranking each NHL team from worst to best ahead of the 2026-27 season.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have officially been ranked as one of the NHL's worst teams right now, as Proteau gave them the No. 27 spot.

"Columbus needed a big 2026 off-season, and they didn’t get it. That’s why the Blue Jackets are in 27th place in TheHockeyNews.com’s off-season ranking," Proteau wrote.

"Unfortunately for the Blue Jackets, there’s not enough progress developing this Columbus team into a legitimate Cup front-runner," Proteau added. "The Jackets are fortunate that the Metropolitan Division they play in is one of the NHL’s weaker divisions. But that doesn’t change the fact that their roster isn’t imposing. And this summer did little to convince us that’s likely to change anytime soon.

The Blue Jackets being ranked as one of the NHL's bottom teams ahead of the 2026-27 season comes after they had some notable departures this off-season.

The Blue Jackets did not re-sign former captain Boone Jenner, as he signed a four-year, $23 million contract with the Washington Capitals in free agency. This was after he posted 13 goals, 38 points, and 147 hits in 67 games last season for Columbus. 

Jenner is not the only former key forward that the Blue Jackets lost this off-season, either. Mason Marchment signed a five-year, $33.75 million contract with the San Jose Sharks after being a great mid-season addition for Columbus. In 39 games with Columbus following being acquired from the Seattle Kraken, he posted 15 goals and 32 points. 

The Blue Jackets did find a replacement for Marchment in Valeri Nichushkin, though, acquiring him from the Colorado Avalanche. In 72 games last season for Colorado, he posted 17 goals and 49 points. However, he also had 21 goals and 34 points in just 43 games for the Avalanche in 2024-25 and 53 points in 54 games for Colorado in 2023-24, so he could end up being a big pickup if he bounces back. 

The Blue Jackets will now be hoping that Nichushkin can end up being a strong addition to their top six. Another way the Blue Jackets could exceed expectations is if their young players like Adam Fantilli, Denton Mateychuk, and bounce-back candidate Kent Johnson hit new levels for them. The Blue Jackets will also be hoping that Jet Greaves can continue to shine as their No. 1 goalie. 

Nevertheless, it is going to be interesting to see how the Blue Jackets perform next season. If their young guns break out and and their core players have strong years, they could very well surprise many and be far better than this No. 27 ranking. 

Why The Maple Leafs Promoted Patrick O’Sullivan To Director of NHL Development

Patrick O’Sullivan has been named Director of NHL Development by the Toronto Maple Leafs, the club announced Sunday.

The promotion elevates O’Sullivan from his previous position as a development coach, a role he has held with the organization since the 2023-24 season. Over those three years he has worked within a specialized player-development group that includes Nik Antropov, Kyle Clifford, Denver Manderson and Jake Muzzin, focusing on technical skill refinement, video analysis and individualized biomechanics across the roster.

A Toronto native, O’Sullivan arrived with a strong playing foundation. Selected 56th overall by the Minnesota Wild in 2003, he set franchise records with the Mississauga IceDogs, won OHL and CHL Rookie of the Year honours in 2002, scored the game-winning goal for Team USA at the 2004 World Juniors and captured AHL Rookie of the Year after a 47-goal, 93-point season with the Houston Aeros. He played 334 NHL games with the Kings, Oilers, Hurricanes, Wild and Coyotes before transitioning into broadcasting and later player development.

His most visible impact has come through sustained work with veteran centre John Tavares. The relationship stretches back more than two decades. As a teenager, Tavares cited O’Sullivan’s puck-handling, vision and shot mechanics as an early influence while watching him with the IceDogs. The two later connected through youth lacrosse and off-season training sessions. In Toronto, that foundation evolved into regular post-practice technical work. While now former Maple Leafs skating consultant Paul Matheson addresses linear power and edge control, O’Sullivan has focused on game-state micro-skills: lower-body leverage and blade-angle control for puck protection below the goal line, net-front redirection and tight-angle releases, and board retrievals under physical pressure.

Patrick O’Sullivan has been named Director of NHL Development.

— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) August 9, 2026

Those sessions helped Tavares maintain high-end production into his mid-thirties, including a 74-point, 38-goal campaign in 2024-25 that supported a four-year, $18-million extension carrying a manageable $4.38-million average annual value. The continuity has given the Leafs both offensive reliability and cap flexibility.

O’Sullivan’s influence has extended across the roster. Max Domi has called him “probably the best development coach in the league,” crediting the combination of on-ice micro-reps and video breakdowns that improved his transitional playmaking and neutral-zone decision-making. Auston Matthews has used optional gameday skill sessions with O’Sullivan to maintain shooting mechanics and manage load during congested stretches. 

John Tavares and Max Domi doing some skills work with Patrick O’Sullivan ahead the Leafs morning skate. pic.twitter.com/d17gW3Abgw

— David Alter (@davidalter) May 18, 2025

His approach is shaped by personal experience. In his 2015 memoir Breaking Away, O’Sullivan detailed the physical and psychological abuse he endured from his father, experiences that left lasting effects and a mistrust of rigid, hierarchical environments. That background has informed a coaching style built on clear communication, technical empathy and individualized support rather than punitive feedback.

The promotion arrives amid broader organizational change under general manager John Chayka. Elevating O’Sullivan recognizes three seasons of consistent, high-value work that has helped extend the productive windows of core veterans while supporting the technical growth of the rest of the roster. As Director of NHL Development, he will now take on expanded responsibility for how those programs scale across the NHL-level group.

For a franchise focused on both performance and sustainability, the move formalizes the contributions O’Sullivan has already made.

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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. 

Other Sabres Stories

Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss

30. Riley Fiddler-Schultz – F (Rochester - AHL)

With Buffalo’s organization littered with their own drafted prospects, the chances of an undrafted free agent making it to the NHL are slim, but the Sabres gave forward Riley Fiddler-Schultz a chance he has been making the most of his opportunity. 

The 24-year-old has NHL bloodlines (his uncle Vern Fiddler played 877 games with Nashville, Phoenix, Dallas, and New Jersey), and Riley grew into a leadership role in junior with the WHL’s Calgary Hitman, becoming team captain in 2022 and leading the club with 75 points (31 goals, 44 assists).

The Sabres signed Fiddler-Schultz to a two-year AHL deal in 2023, and in his first professional season, he finished second in goals (23) for the ECHL’s Jacksonville Iceman and played six games for the Rochester Americans. In 2024-25, he played exclusively for the Amerks and posted 26 points (13 goals, 13 assists) in 51 games, which earned him a two-year, entry-level NHL contract. With more responsibility came more production, as last season, the Alberta native finished tied for second behind Isak Rosen with 21 goals in 62 games. 

With Konsta Helenius and Noah Ostlund likely graduating to the Sabres, and Anton Wahlberg dealt to Anaheim in the Olen Zellweger deal, players like Fiddler-Schultz will be relied on even more, and that could lead to an NHL opportunity if he continues to show progress. 

Follow Michael on X, and Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

The Buffalo Sabres have not been able to pull off a move to upgrade their club this summer after winning the Atlantic Division, making the playoffs for the first time since 2011, and advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. GM Jarmo Kekalainen was able to get a good future return for defenseman Bowen Byram, but did not replace the offense and leadership of Alex Tuch after he was dealt to Washington. 

Rumors of a deal for Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck percolated around the NHL Draft in late June, but Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff did not pull the trigger and now a trade involving the Hart Trophy and multi-Vezina Trophy winner seems to be in a state of limbo.     

Other Sabres Stories

Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss

The 33–year-old is entering the fourth year of an eight-year, $68 million deal ($8.5 million AAV), and has a full no-movement clause until next July. After that, he has a 10-team trade list. Chatter around the draft indicated that the Sabres were willing to send a package that included goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, forward Jack Quinn and the fourth overall pick, later used to select Daxon Rudolph. 

That deal seems less likely now, since Luukkonen has gained some control over his destination with a limited no-trade list, and because other potential suitors may have entered the fray. The New Jersey Devils, who like the Sabres are projecting a three-headed monster of Jake Allen, David Rittich, and Nico Daws is goal, potentially have the pieces that Cheveldayoff might be looking for in a Hellebuyck deal. 

Another possibility is the Stanley Cup winning Carolina Hurricanes, who lost veteran Frederik Andersen in free agency, and has a duo of Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov between the pipes. The Hurricanes have enough cap space to take on Hellebuyck’s $8.5 million salary, but could be a bit light on the return they could offer the Jets. 

Kekalainen could be playing a game of chicken with the Jets, hoping they will lower their pricetag as training camp nears, but that is a dangerous game that could result in the veteran goalie ending up with another Eastern Conference foe. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

As the National Hockey League enters the second month of free agency, a number of former Buffalo Sabres still remain unsigned. At this point of the offseason, players who have not latched on with an NHL club might consider playing in Europe, or taking a short-term deal or professional tryout to earn a one-year deal. 

A player who has been well-travelled since entering the league in 2014 is center Curtis Lazar. A 2013 first round pick of the Ottawa Senators, the Salmon Arm, BC native Kitchener, ON native played 2 ½ seasons in Canada’s capital before being dealt to Calgary in March 2017. After playing a full season with the Flames, Lazar spent nearly all of the 2018-19 season in the AHL, and he signed with the Sabres in the summer of 2019. 

Other Sabres Stories

Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss

The versatile depth forward split time between AHL Rochester and Buffalo in the COVID-shortened campaign and 33 games in 2020-21 before being dealt allong with Taylor Hall to Boston. Since then, Lazar has made stops in Vancouver, New Jersey, and Edmonton, where he played 45 games last regular season and five games in the playoffs.  

Outlook: At this point in the summer, and at this point in Lazar’s career, it is more likely that the 31-year-old, if he wants to play for an eighth NHL club, will have to open to accepting a professional tryout. 

 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

It's been more than 25 years since the Ottawa Senators traded Alexei Yashin to the New York Islanders in one of the most important deals in franchise history.

Yashin was the Senators' first real star in the 1990s, and still the only player in team history to be nominated for the Hart Trophy.

But after many seasons of discontent, which included contract complaints, holdouts and claims of broken promises, the Senators, just as they did this summer, traded away their team captain.

And incredibly, it's a trade that still has a chance to pay dividends today.

On June 23, 2001, the Senators sent Yashin to the Islanders in exchange for Zdeno Chara, Bill Muckalt and the second overall pick in the 2001 NHL Draft.

Later that day, the Sens used that #2 pick to select Jason Spezza.

Chara emerged as one of the NHL's top defencemen during his four seasons in Ottawa, while Spezza developed into one of the most talented offensive players in franchise history.

Chara eventually left Ottawa as a free agent in 2006, and Muckalt spent just one season here,  so two of the three branches of the Yashin trade tree came to an end a long time ago.

But the Spezza branch is still alive.

Spezza played 11 excellent seasons with the Senators, scoring 251 goals and 687 points in 686 regular-season games. He still ranks second all-time in Sens scoring.

In the summer of 2014, in the proud tradition of Sens captains wanting out, Spezza requested a trade, and Bryan Murray sent him to the Dallas Stars.

The Senators received Alex Chiasson, Nick Paul, Alex Guptill and a 2015 second-round draft pick.

That created four new branches on the Yashin trade tree.

Three eventually came to an end.

Chiasson spent two seasons in Ottawa before being traded to Calgary for Patrick Sieloff, who's best known for clobbering a recovering Clarke MacArthur in a preseason scrimmage. The Senators later flipped Sieloff to Anaheim for Brian Gibbons, who had 14 points in 20 games for the Sens before leaving as a free agent that summer.

Guptill was included in a multi-player trade with Buffalo in 2016 that brought Phil Varone, Jason Akeson and Jerome Gauthier-Leduc to Ottawa. It was strictly a minor league deal that never yielded another asset to the Senators.

The 2015 second-round pick acquired from Dallas also took an interesting path.

Ottawa packaged the 42nd overall selection with another pick to move up to No. 36 in the 2015 draft, where the Senators selected Gabriel Gagne.

Gagne was eventually traded to Toronto in 2019 for former first-rounder Morgan Klimchuk. Klimchuk played one full season in Belleville, then retired at 25.

That left Nick Paul, the fourth and final branch. Teammates would often say, "Nicky Paul does it all," and that apparently included nursing trade trees back to life.

The tree could have easily died at any point when the Sens exposed Paul to waivers on three separate occasions, but he went unclaimed and eventually became a very solid middle-six forward for the Senators.

In a trade that certainly hasn't aged well for Ottawa, the Sens deal Paul to the Tampa Bay Lightning at the 2022 trade deadline for Mathieu Joseph and Tampa Bay's fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Joseph spent two more full seasons with the Senators before Ottawa traded him to St. Louis in 2024 along with a third-round sweetener just to free up some cap room for some big changes in Ottawa that summer.

That ended the Joseph portion of the tree.

But there was still that 2024 fourth-round pick, a single remaining bud.

The Sens used it to select winger Blake Montgomery, and he's the sole reason why a trade tree that sprouted in 2001 is still alive today. 

After falling in the NCAA Final with Wisconsin, the 21-year-old joined the pro ranks late last season, signing his entry-level contract and getting into three games with Belleville.

So, in a nutshell (I've decided the tree has nuts), the history of the Spezza branch looks like this:

Alexei Yashin → 2001 No. 2 pick → Jason Spezza → Nick Paul → 2024 fourth-round pick → Blake Montgomery.

It's one of the more intriguing trade trees in Senators history, and whether it ends with Montgomery or not remains to be seen.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

Future Watch: Blake Montgomery Turns Pro With Senators, Then Dazzles With Highlight-Reel AHL Goal Friday NightAfter NCAA heartbreak, then signing with the Sens, Blake Montgomery scored his first AHL goal, showcasing elite speed and a slick finish.

This article was first published in The Hockey News. For more Sens coverage at The Hockey News, click on one of the Sens headlines below:

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Tomáš Nosek is going home.

After 11 seasons and stops with five different NHL teams, the former Vegas Golden Knights forward appears ready to close out his professional career where his hockey journey began.

Nosek has signed with HC Dynamo Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga in recent weeks, returning to his hometown club after more than a decade in North America.

For Golden Knights fans, Nosek will always have a special place in the franchise's early history. He joined Vegas for its inaugural 2017-18 season and spent four seasons with the Golden Knights, appearing in 240 games and recording 31 goals, 34 assists and 65 points.

Nosek was never expected to be a star in Vegas, but he became a reliable part of the team's bottom six and played 240 games for a franchise that was still establishing its identity. He brought size, versatility and a willingness to do the less glamorous work that comes with playing a depth role in the NHL.

After his time with the Golden Knights, Nosek continued his career with several other NHL clubs before eventually landing with the Florida Panthers.

His final two NHL seasons couldn't have ended much better.

Nosek helped Florida win the Stanley Cup during the 2024-25 season, appearing in 16 playoff games and recording three assists while throwing 44 hits during the Panthers' championship run.

He returned for one more NHL season in 2025-26, appearing in 21 games and finishing with two goals and two assists for four points.

Now, at 33 years old, Nosek is heading home.

A native of Pardubice, Nosek joined HC Dynamo Pardubice's system in 2007, beginning with the club's U18 team. Nearly two decades later, he's returning to the organization as a Stanley Cup champion and a veteran of 11 NHL seasons.

It's a fitting ending for a player who never forgot where he came from.

When Nosek got his day with the Stanley Cup following Florida's championship, he made sure to bring it back to Pardubice. He visited his childhood rink and former high school before eventually sharing the trophy with thousands of people in the city's historic Pernštýnské Square.

Now, after playing for five NHL teams, winning a Stanley Cup and building a career that lasted 11 seasons in the world's best hockey league, Nosek appears ready for one final chapter in his hometown.

And if this is indeed the end of the road, he couldn't have picked a better place to finish it.

Montreal Canadiens former first-overall pick at the 2022 draft, Juraj Slafkovsky, had a breakout season last year. For the first time in his young career, he broke the 70-point and 30-goal barriers. The big Slovak winger scored 30 goals and logged 43 assists for a total of 73 points, but beyond the points, he also finally realized what his identity needed to be on the ice.

Thanks to a couple of spells playing on a line with Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov, Slafkovsky realized that he could be a play driver in his own right and that he wasn’t just a complementary piece for linemates Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. The forward really started using his pace when chasing the puck and laying big hits in puck retrieval, and he learned to make his way to the busy areas in front of the net to create havoc. With his 6-foot-3 and 225-pound frame, he can be a real nuisance for the goaltender, obstructing his view and putting pressure on the defence, but also being ready to jump on any rebound. Once he sets up camp somewhere, he’s hard to displace, and that’s how he was able to beef up his points total.

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The playoffs were a good reminder for the 22-year-old that intensity ramps up when teams are competing for the Stanley Cup, and he needs to be aware of that on the ice. He was rocked by a Max Crozier hit in Game 4 of the Canadiens’ first-round duel with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

He needs to remember to keep his head up and not watch himself play, so to speak. His fight with Brandon Hagel also hurt the team; he was challenged by the Bolts winger and answered the bell, but ended up on the receiving end of a haymaker that sent him down to the ice. That’s not the kind of impact he should be having.

Juraj Slafkovsky vs Brandon Hagel | Apr 21, 2026 | [Montreal Canadiens at Tampa Bay LightningJuraj Slafkovsky and Brandon Hagel drop the gloves in tonight's matchup between the Montreal Canadiens at Tampa Bay Lightning on APr 21, 2026. Who won that t...

The main point of improvement has to be consistency, however. Once again, last season, he had a slow start and took some time to reach his cruising speed. Expect a big start from the power forward as he’ll be keen to bounce back from underwhelming playoffs.

As things stand and unless the Canadiens do manage to find some outside help before the start of the season, he should still be riding shotgun with Suzuki and Caufield. Look for him to play a bigger role now that he has seen what kind of impact he can have if he plays the game the right way and focuses on his strengths rather than trying to emulate what the likes of Caufield or Demidov can do. Look for new career highs in both points and goals for the big winger.

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OPENING NIGHT COUNTDOWNS

59 Days Until Opening Night: The Yegor Chinakhov SagaThe Columbus Blue Jackets have 59 days until the home opener at Nationwide Arena. Today, we talk about Yegor Chinakhov and the drama that surrounded him. 

Chinakhov had only played junior hockey in Russia before being drafted, and he would make his KHL debut during the 2020-21 season for Avangard Omsk. In his first pro season in the KHL, he scored 10 goals and had 17 points. Chinakhov played so well that he was elevated to Avangard Omsk's top line. After one season in the KHL, Chinakhov was signed to a three-year NHL ELC in May of 2021.

58 Days Until Opening Night: Lumber Jacket David SavardThe former Lumber Jacket was fun to watch.

Savard won a Stanley Cup after he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021. He then left to sign a contract with his hometown Montreal Canadiens in 2021, where he would play for four seasons. Although his Habs teams weren't very good, Savard remained a steady presence on the Montreal Blue Line. He had 76 points over four seasons while blocking 646 shots over those four years.

57 Days Until Opening Night: Steve HeinzeThe Columbus Blue Jackets have 57 days until the home opener at Nationwide Arena. Today, we talk about Columbus Blue Jackets Original Steve Heinze.

Heinze was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, grew up in North Andover, Massachusetts, and played college hockey at Boston College. It was only right, then, that he played the first nine years of his career for the Boston Bruins after being chosen 60th overall in the 1988 NHL Draft.   

56 Days Until Opening Night: Marko DaňoColumbus drafted Marko Daňo in the 2013 NHL Draft.

Daňo made his NHL debut in 2014 and played 35 games. He scored 8 goals, totaled 21 points, and was a plus-12 in his first NHL season. It seemed that Marko Daňo had arrived and was ready to be a good player for Columbus. That was until the following season.

55 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #55With 55 days until opening night at NWA, we look at the jersey history of #55. Who was your favorite player to have worn #55? Let us know in the comments below. 

Ole-Kristian Tollefsen - Drafted out of Norway in 2002, Tollefsen was known for his heavy fists. In his first season with Columbus, he played in 70 games and had a whopping 123 PIMs. In his second season, he played in 51 games and had 111 PIMs. After those two years, he would only play another 19 games for Columbus and another 18 for the Philadelphia Flyers. He returned to Europe in 2010 and retired in 2017. Tollefsen is now the head coach for the Norway U20 team.

54 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #54The Columbus Blue Jackets have only had two players wear #54, and none since 2019. 

Columbus originally drafted McQuaid in the 2nd round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. McQuaid would never play for the CBJ, though. While he was still in the OHL, he was traded to Boston by Columbus for Boston's 5th-round pick in the 2007 NHL Draft on May 16, 2007. The pick the Jackets sent to Boston turned out to be Jamie Benn.   

NEWS & NOTES

On This Date: The Adam Foote Saga Revisited 18 Years LaterFoote played 187 games for Columbus in parts of three seasons.

Adam Foote had a private plane waiting for him, and everything he needed was waiting for him in Calgary. Some say Foote got nasty because everyone knew his plans, and when the CBJ didn’t want to accommodate those plans, that’s when it went off the rails.

This New Blue Jackets Forward Is A Sneaky Good AdditionRyan Lomberg has the potential to be a solid addition to the Blue Jackets' roster.

During this past season with the Calgary Flames, Lomberg threw 129 hits. This marked the fifth season in a row that the 5-foot-9 forward recorded over 100 hits. He also threw 90 hits with the Florida Panthers in 2020-21, but that was only in 34 games played.

Blue Jackets Breakout Defenseman Is Just Getting StartedKeep an eye on this Blue Jackets defenseman in 2026-27.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Denton Mateychuk was undoubtedly a nice bright spot during the 2025-26 season. In 75 games this past campaign with the Blue Jackets, the 2022 first-round pick set new career highs with 13 goals, 18 assists, and 31 points.

2 Blue Jackets Forwards Featured On New Trade BoardCould the Blue Jackets end up trading these two forwards?

Two Columbus Blue Jackets forwards are continuing to be viewed as trade candidates as the summer rolls on. In his most recent trade board for Bleacher Report, Lyle Richardson included Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko and Kent Johnson.

Columbus Blue Jackets Name Wheeling Nailers ECHL Affiliate After a few years of having no ECHL affiliate, the wait it over. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets will be aligning themselves with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL, per a CBJ announcement. The agreement is for two years through the 2027-28 season.   

Former Cleveland Monsters Forward Signs In SwedenFormer Cleveland Monsters right winger Hudson Fasching has signed with Skellefteå AIK in the SHL. The deal is for one-year. The team plays in Skellefteå, Sweden.

Former Cleveland Monsters right winger Hudson Fasching has signed with Skellefteå AIK in the SHL. The deal is for one year. The team plays in Skellefteå, Sweden.

Blue Jackets Winger Is Bounce-Back Candidate To WatchKeep an eye on this Blue Jackets forward next season.

Following being traded to the Blue Jackets, Garland recorded five goals and seven points in 21 games. This was after he had seven goals and 26 points in 50 games with the Canucks before the trade.

Former Monster Defenseman Signs In AustriaFormer Cleveland Monsters defenseman Ole Julian Bjørgvik-Holm has signed a deal to play with the Graz99ers of ICEHL in Austria. The team plays in Graz, Austria.

Former Cleveland Monsters defenseman Ole Julian Bjørgvik-Holm has signed a deal to play with the Graz99ers of ICEHL in Austria. The team plays in Graz, Austria.

Blue Jackets Have PTO Target To Consider In Ex-Sabres DefensemanThe Blue Jackets should consider taking a chance on this defenseman with a PTO.

Now that it is August, NHL free agents should soon be signing professional tryout (PTO) agreements with teams. When looking at the Columbus Blue Jackets' roster, it is fair to wonder if they will sign anyone to a PTO before the start of training camp.

Former Columbus Blue Jackets Defenseman Gavin Bayreuther Aims To Help Young Hockey Players "Be The Best Versions Of Themselves""Right now I’m really focused on players who want to take the next step in their game. That includes youth players all the way through junior, college, and pro."

Bayreuther has launched the Bayreuther Hockey Club. The club will be designed to develop complete hockey players and to "help every player become the best version of themselves."   

The Detroit Red Wings may have found a market for Dylan Larkin, but they apparently haven’t found a team willing to pay their asking price.

According to longtime Detroit Free Press journalist Helene St. James, the Vegas Golden Knights are among four teams that have expressed interest in acquiring the Red Wings captain, with the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars also involved in discussions. That sounds like the makings of a bidding war.

There’s just one problem: Detroit reportedly wants a first-line center in return for Larkin.

And suddenly, it’s easy to understand why nobody has taken the bait.

Vegas Doesn't Need Dylan Larkin

From a Golden Knights perspective, this should be a relatively easy decision for general manager Kelly McCrimmon.

Vegas already has a legitimate first-line center in Jack Eichel, and he isn’t going anywhere.

Eichel recently signed an eight-year, $108 million contract extension that runs through the 2033-34 season. He is one of the best centers in hockey, a proven playoff performer and the kind of player Vegas built its championship window around.

Why would the Golden Knights trade him for Larkin?

They wouldn't.

And if Detroit's expectation is that Vegas should surrender Eichel while somehow adding more to the package, the Red Wings can probably stop calling McCrimmon.

Larkin is a good NHL player. He's been a good NHL player for a long time. He's also the captain of one of the league's most historic franchises and has earned plenty of respect throughout his career.

But none of that makes him more valuable than Eichel.

That distinction matters.

The Other Three Teams Have Problems, Too

Vegas isn't the only team that should have serious reservations about Detroit's asking price.

The Panthers aren't trading Aleksander Barkov. Florida's captain is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, one of the best defensive centers of his generation and arguably the most important player in the franchise's history.

The Stars aren't trading Wyatt Johnston, either.

Johnston is already an elite young scorer and represents exactly the type of player Detroit should want if it is serious about moving Larkin for a first-line center. But Dallas would have to be completely out of its mind to give up a player with Johnston's trajectory for a 29-year-old center who isn't in the same class.

Then there's Minnesota.

The Wild may be the most logical fit of the four because they failed to add a center during free agency and desperately need to find more help down the middle. There is a path where Larkin makes sense alongside Kirill Kaprizov.

But even Minnesota has a significant reason to hesitate.

Danila Yurov, the Wild's 2022 first-round pick, just completed his first full professional season in North America, recording 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points in 73 games while averaging just over 13 minutes per night.

Those numbers don't jump off the page.

But if Yurov gets the opportunity to play alongside Kaprizov, his role could change dramatically. Twenty-plus minutes per night would not be surprising, and the Wild clearly believe there is considerably more offense waiting to emerge from their young forward.

If Minnesota believes Yurov can eventually become the type of first-line player Detroit is asking for, why would it surrender that potential for Larkin?

That's the problem the Red Wings have created for themselves.

Maybe Detroit Doesn't Actually Want To Trade Larkin

There is another possibility here, and it's one Vegas should keep in mind.

Maybe the Red Wings don't actually want to trade Larkin.

Perhaps Detroit is simply keeping the door open while waiting for the perfect opportunity to materialize. The franchise is still working through its front-office transition, with Shawn Horcoff serving as interim general manager following Steve Yzerman's departure.

That makes the timing even more curious.

Detroit can tell teams it is listening. It can hear offers. It can explore Larkin's market.

But if the asking price is essentially, "Give us your first-line center," the Red Wings aren't exactly making it easy for anyone to say yes.

And maybe that's intentional.

Larkin Isn't The Player Vegas Needs

There is nothing wrong with Dylan Larkin.

But Vegas doesn't need another good center.

The Golden Knights need players who have already demonstrated that they can elevate their game when the stakes are highest.

That's an important distinction.

Larkin's value shouldn't be based on what he accomplished for Team USA at the Olympics or on the fact that he has spent years wearing the captain's "C" for an Original Six franchise.

The Golden Knights aren't building Team USA.

They're trying to win another Stanley Cup.

And the most recent evidence we have of Larkin leading Detroit came at the end of the 2025-26 season, when the Red Wings suffered a historically ugly collapse after putting themselves in position to make the playoffs.

Larkin wasn't solely responsible for that. Obviously.

But that's the point.

Vegas shouldn't be looking at the name on the back of the jersey or the résumé accumulated over the years. It should be asking whether Larkin represents a significant enough upgrade to justify surrendering a premium asset.

The answer appears to be no.

Vegas Should Let Detroit Keep Its Captain

If Detroit eventually lowers its asking price, perhaps the conversation changes.

But the Golden Knights should have absolutely no interest in helping the Red Wings solve their problem by overpaying for a player they don't need.

Eichel is better.

Vegas knows what it has in Eichel, and more importantly, it knows what Eichel can do when the games matter most.

Larkin is a good player. He's a talented player. He's a respected player.

He's just not an elite first-line center in the same class as the players Detroit would apparently need to acquire him.

And that's why this could ultimately be a blessing for Vegas.

Let Florida keep Barkov. Let Dallas keep Johnston. Let Minnesota decide what it wants to do with Yurov. And let Detroit figure out what it actually wants to do with Larkin.

The Golden Knights don't need to take the bait.

They need to keep their best assets, trust their own roster and find players who can help them win in the postseason.

If Detroit wants to trade its captain, that's its problem.

Vegas doesn't need to make it theirs.

The Montreal Canadiens should be open to bringing in a player on a professional tryout (PTO) agreement for training camp this year.

One remaining free agent who could make sense for the Canadiens to take a look at on a PTO is defenseman John Klingberg. 

Klingberg is the top right-shot free agent defenseman left, and the Canadiens could use more depth on the right side of their blueline. If he impressed during his PTO and earned an affordable deal for the season, he could be a useful extra defenseman for the Habs to have when injuries occur during the season. 

Klingberg showed this past season with the San Jose Sharks that he is still capable of producing decent offense from the point. In 56 games with the Pacific Division club, he posted 10 goals, 17 assists, and 27 points. With numbers like these, he could be worth taking a chance on with a PTO.

If Klingberg earned a contract for the season, he would also give the Canadiens another veteran who could help mentor their younger players. He has 700 games of NHL experience, after all, which is not a bad thing. 

It will be interesting to see if the Canadiens sign Klingberg to a PTO ahead of training camp. If he is still not signed to a contract by then, it could be worth some consideration. 

Colorado Avalanche News

• The Avalanche have plenty of talent and experience on the blue line, but each defenseman has one area where he can take another step in 2026-27. [Sports Illustrated]

• As part of the NHL’s 32 in 32 series, Colorado’s fantasy projections for the 2026-27 season. [NHL]

• Top 5 prospects for the Colorado Avalanche. [NHL]

• 3 questions facing the Colorado Avalanche. [NHL]

• Confirmed participants for the upcoming Avalanche-DU alumni game. [Colorado Hockey Now]

• List of 8 former Avalanche players who still remain free agents. [Mile High Sticking]

• Colorado Avalanche all-time roster. [DNVR]

• 2026 Top 25 Under 25: So far #25 through #21 has been revealed. [Mile High Hockey]

News Around the League

• Canada dominates United States to win gold at Hlinka Gretzky Cup. [TSN]

• High-level hockey training exercises that regular people (like me) shouldn’t try. [The Athletic]

• Kelly Hrudey says goodbye to Hockey Night in Canada as contract expires. [CBC]

Former Nashville Predators defenseman Nick Blankenburg is still on the free agent market, despite being a solid depth option for essentially any team.

Blankenburg, who spent parts of two seasons with the Predators, was traded to the Colorado Avalanche ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline.

In 109 games with the Predators, Blankenburg's level of play took a major step forward from what he had previously done with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He established himself as an effective player on both ends of the ice and recorded 37 points (10 goals and 27 assists) during his time in Nashville.

While Blankenburg likely isn't an ideal everyday player for a playoff team, he could fill that role for a rebuilding team or could serve as a strong depth option for a contender due to his ability to play on both sides of the blue line. 

As a 5-foot-9 undrafted player, Blankenburg has had to overcome the odds considerably to even be in the conversation for an NHL job. At this stage though, it seems that he should get at least a professional tryout with a team heading into training camp.