Category: Ice Hockey

It’s never too early to start thinking about next hockey season.

Sure, the Stanley Cup Final ended less than two weeks ago, and the new league year has yet to arrive, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start looking ahead to when NHL players will be back on the ice battling one another.

On Thursday, the Florida Panthers announced their 4-game 2026 preseason schedule.

Unlike in past years, the NHL shrunk its preseason schedule to just four games to accommodate for the league expanding the regular season schedule to 84 games.

What that means for the Panthers is that they will be facing only two teams in those four games, and since both are geographically close to the Cats, there is quite a bit of familiarity with each of them.

Florida’s preseason slate will begin on Sunday, Sept. 20 when they host the Carolina Hurricanes at Amerant Bank Anena.

Two nights later, the Panthers will travel up to Raleigh for a rematch with the Canes at Lenovo Center.

Later that week, Florida will make a stop at Benchmark International Arena for a matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night.

The Panthers will then wrap up their exhibition slate against the Lightning back in Sunrise on Saturday, Sept. 26.

As many of you will recall, the Panthers and Lightning wrapped up the 2025 preseason by facing each other three consecutive games; one in Orlando, one in Tampa and one in Sunrise.

After a fairly mild first night in Orlando, things went a little bonkers during the final two games.

During the second-to-last game in Tampa, the Panthers and Lightning combined for 186 penalty minutes.

That might seem like a lot, but then two nights later in Sunrise the Cats and Bolts took things up a few notches, ultimately being called for an eye-popping 322 penalty minutes throughout the course of the evening.

We’ll see if we get any kind of a repeat performance this year, but the schedule-makers sure put the bitter rivals in a position to continue their penalty box-filling tradition.

The full schedule can be seen below:

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According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, the Montreal Canadiens called the New York Islanders with interest in forward Bo Horvat.

The Islanders said no. 

Insider Trading: Rielly still available for trade after shift in tone from LeafsTSN's Hockey Insiders have the latest on the possibility of a Morgan Rielly trade, the holdup on the Jets moving Connor Hellebuyck, a pair of Canadian teams that could be potential fits for Mason Marchment, Zach Werenski's future in Columbus, and more.

Horvat, who is entering the fourth season of an eight-year deal worth $8.5 million annually, is the Islanders' No. 1 defenseman who has a full no-trade clause and no interest in leaving town.

#Isles have zero interest in trading Bo Horvat.

Believe MTL called last summer.

Think it's quite clear with Pete DeBoer aboard that NYI isn't looking to move its top talent, who is in their prime.

Teams can call, though. https://t.co/nA6UwRzfgi

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) June 26, 2026

The 31-year-old recorded 57 points (31 goals, 26 assists) in 68 games last season, missing time with a lower-body injury. 

The Rangers are reportedly in talks with the Anaheim Ducks for center Mason McTavish, according to hockey insider Frank Seravalli. 

Seravalli points out that while a deal is not done, it's a name to keep an eye out for in a potential trade with the Rangers.

McTavish is coming off a season where he had 17 goals and 24 assists (41 points) in 75 games. He helped Anaheim make it to the postseason before they were ousted by the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs. In 10 postseason games, he posted six points (one goal, five assists). 

The Ducks drafted McTavish third overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, but he is coming off a down year after his career-best 2024-25 season. That season, he posted 52 points on 22 goals and 30 assists, all career highs. 

Multiple reports say that the Ducks are weighing offers from two teams for McTavish. The Rangers being one and, according to The Athletic's Scott Wheeler, the Ottawa Senators being the other.

The Ducks have signed one of their pending RFAs to an extension. However, it wasn’t one of the players that the fanbase has been clamoring for general manager Pat Verbeek to lock down long-term.

On Thursday afternoon, the Ducks announced that they had signed defenseman Ian Moore to a two-year contract extension. Per PuckPedia, his AAV is $1.15 million. Moore was a 10.2c free agent, meaning he was not eligible for an offer sheet.

Moore played in three NHL games at the end of the 2024-25 season, first joining the San Diego Gulls in the AHL on an amateur tryout (ATO) after the conclusion of his collegiate season with Harvard. He played in nine AHL games before signing his entry-level contract (ELC) with the Ducks.

This past season, Moore began the year as the Ducks’ seventh defenseman. He made his first appearance of the season against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 19, acting as a forward/defenseman hybrid after head coach Joel Quenneville opted to roll an 11/7 lineup. Following Radko Gudas’ lower-body injury a few games later, Moore began playing regularly on the backend.

Once Gudas returned, Quenneville continued to play Moore, although it was mostly as a fourth line winger. He cited Moore’s intelligence several times throughout the season as the reasoning behind deploying him in this fashion over natural forward options like Ryan Strome.

After John Carlson was acquired from the Washington Capitals in March, Moore rarely saw time on the blue line. His one opportunity came on Apr. 1 against the San Jose Sharks, playing with Carlson on his off-side. It was a tough game for Moore, who struggled defensively and had a couple of back-breaking turnovers. After that game, he returned to the fourth line.

In the first round of the playoffs, he formed an unorthodox checking line with Jeff Viel and Tim Washe, working to shut down Connor McDavid any chance they got. They did their job well, keeping McDavid at bay.

During the Ducks’ second round series against the Vegas Golden Knights, Drew Helleson suffered a groin strain, which required Moore to hop back on defense, with Gudas also out with a sprained ankle. He worked fairly well with Olen Zellweger as the Ducks’ bottom pair after not playing defense for 20-odd games.

Next season, Moore is expected to have a full-time role on the blue line. The possibility of John Carlson, Jacob Trouba and Gudas all hitting the open market leaves Moore, Helleson and Tristan Luneau as the next right-handed options on the depth chart. Barring any offseason additions, it’s a good opportunity for Moore to have. His contract extension is good value for both parties.

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Revisiting the Ryan Poehling-Trevor Zegras Trade

On Thursday, the New Jersey Devils made their second trade of the day when they acquired defenseman Declan Chisholm from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. 

This came just over an hour after New Jersey announced that they were trading the 2026 fourth-round pick to the Detroit Red Wings for forward Amadeus Lombardi. 

🚨 TRADE ALERT 🚨

We’ve acquired Declan Chisholm from the Washington Capitals in exchange for our fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. pic.twitter.com/uW3i7TkvcD

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) June 25, 2026

Just like the first trade, this move for Chisholm is Sunny Mehta's way of turning a lottery ticket into a more well-known commodity. Chisholm is not a star, but he has the tools to be a third-pair defenseman if the Devils find themselves in need of some depth.  

Chisholm was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in the 5th round (160th overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft. He was a part of two NHL seasons with them before two with the Minnesota Wild, and one with the Washington Capitals. 

In his only season with Washington, Chisholm played in 26 games. He had one goal and six assists from the back-end in those games. He wanted more of an opportunity to play in the NHL, so the Capitals traded him away. 

It isn't certain that he will get big minutes with New Jersey, either, but they have shown an interest in him by acquiring him using a draft pick. The Utica Comets are also looking for help with depth after a lowly 2025-26 season. 

Visit The Hockey News New Jersey Devils team site to stay up to date on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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The player empowerment era that has arrived in the NHL represents a test of the hypothesis the Islanders have spent the last year restating in various forms.

They have Matthew Schaefer. They have UBS Arena. They have proximity to New York City without the bright lights and media scrutiny of Broadway.

For much of the franchise’s history, the Islanders have been treated around the league as the Rangers’ ugly stepbrother, the opposite of a destination franchise. Can that change now, when the answer to that question carries serious ramifications?

The answer will dictate so much in the long term. The Islanders need to both build around Schaefer and, eventually, avoid ending up in the same situation with him as Ottawa and Detroit did with their franchise cornerstones. How much of that process is able to take place this summer, though, is less clear.

Mathieu Darche holds the 13th pick in Friday’s first round of the draft, and if he keeps it, expect him to take the best player available.

Predicting who that will be as late as 13th overall is a fool’s errand, but players such as winger Ethan Belchetz, center Tynan Lawrence, defenseman Ryan Lin or winger Wyatt Cullen could be in range.

It seems worth highlighting, though, that the pick is Darche’s most easily tradeable high-end asset, should the chance arise.

In an offseason that so far has seen Brady Tkachuk and Jordan Kyrou — linked to the Islanders ahead of the last trade deadline — traded, Dylan Larkin request a trade and rumors surround fellow Team USA Olympians Connor Hellebuyck and Zach Werenski, the Islanders have mostly been on the periphery of all the noise.

Darche’s two-pronged strategy of trying to make the playoffs and compete as the old guard cycles out — including captain Anders Lee, who, with whatever caveats you want to throw at it, appears likely to hit free agency July 1 — while keeping the prospects who should form the nucleus of a Cup contender a few years down the line means that he must pick his spots carefully.

The Islanders general manager, though, has said publicly he doesn’t find the free agent class appealing. He has some cap space to work with — $10 million to $15 million depending on how creatively you account for it — and plenty of holes to fill on a roster crying out for help on the right side of its blue line and more scoring on its wings.

There doesn’t seem to be an obvious star for the Islanders to target in a trade, especially with Kyrou now off the board, but Brayden Schenn was not an obvious target when Darche dealt for him at the trade deadline either. By the way, here was Schenn the very next day, talking about the leaguewide perception of the Islanders:

“When superstars in the league are good guys that take care of their teammates, guys are only gonna want to be around him and guys are only gonna want to come to the New York Islanders in the future just because of his talent and character.”

At least for the last few years, the trend has been that, though the Islanders aren’t a destination per se, once players come, they don’t want to leave. Listen to how Schenn, Bo Horvat, Kyle Palmieri, JG Pageau, Tony DeAngelo and even David Rittich have talked about the place.

Schaefer’s singular brilliance can be what moves the perception up a level and makes Long Island a place players ask — no, demand — to go. The Rangers have been making noise for two years about trying to attract Connor McDavid, sounding not unlike the Knicks circa 2010, deluding themselves into thinking LeBron James would ride into Madison Square Garden on a white horse.

Why shouldn’t the Islanders, who can offer McDavid a better hockey situation and less of a daily spotlight, quietly hope he’ll hear their pitch?

Granted, that is a question for after Mike Babcock flames out in Edmonton.

As for the matter of how the Islanders will fit into the flurry of activity leading into Friday, it is a question of opportunity and salesmanship.

It’s draft season, so there are some moves and the Devils made a couple of them, first acquiring 23-year-old center Amadeus Lombardi from the Detroit Red Wings for the Devils 4th round selection in the 2026 NHL entry draft.

🚨 TRADE ALERT 🚨

We’ve acquired Amadeus Lombardi from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for our fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. pic.twitter.com/46te2tnVW7

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) June 25, 2026

Lombardi has been nearly a point-per-game player for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL for the past two seasons. My initial reaction is this is a smart gamble. Fourth round picks rarely materialize and clearly the Devils see something in Lombardi, who would be competing for a bottom 6 center role in camp this year. The Devils need center depth and they obtained that in this move for minimal cost.

Dobber Prospects had this to say about Lombardi in August 2025:

[Lombardi] has consistently posted strong play-driving results in all three zones and is known for his two-way play and attention to detail. Still only 21, he continues to fly under the radar in fantasy circles, though that will change when he starts to see reps in a Red Wings uniform in the near future.

All good things. Welcome to the Devils, Amadeus.

For a good read on Lombardi’s statlines, please check out Andrew Streitel’s article reviewing his season on Grand Rapids Griffin’s site.

Devils Acquire Chisholm

Later in the day, the Devils also acquired left-handed defenseman Declan Chisholm for a 2027 fourth round pick.

🚨 TRADE ALERT 🚨

We’ve acquired Declan Chisholm from the Washington Capitals in exchange for our fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. pic.twitter.com/uW3i7TkvcD

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) June 25, 2026

The 26-year-old defender scored a goal and six assists in 26 games for the Capitals last season. Chisholm has played a combined 125 NHL games for the Capitals, Wild, and Jets over the past several seasons.

What do you think? Post your comments below.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are on the board with their first trade of the summer, acquiring veteran winger Valeri Nichushkin from the Colorado Avalanche for three draft picks a day before the 2026 NHL Draft.

Nichushkin, 31, was acquired for a 2026 second-round pick (43rd overall) plus the Blue Jackets' 2027 third-round pick and 2028 fifth-round pick. The Russian winger, who is 6 feet 4 and 210 pounds, has experience playing a top-six role and helped the Avalanche win the 2022 Stanley Cup.

More: Columbus Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell to discuss future with Zach Werenski

He has also totaled 357 points in 627 career games with 154 goals and 203 assists for the Avalanche (2019-26) and Dallas Stars (2013-19). Nichushkin has also scored 41 career power-play goals, 24 game-winning goals and six short-handed goals while averaging 16:25 in ice time.

This past season, he finished with 17 goals, 32 assists and 49 points in 72 games with a +9 plus/minus rating in 17:44 of ice time per game.

"Valeri is a big, strong forward who skates exceptionally well, can score goals, win puck battles and doesn’t shy away from playing in the hard areas,” Blue Jackets president/general manager Don Waddell said in a statement. “He is an accomplished two-way player who competes at a high level and we are very excited to welcome him to the Blue Jackets family."

Nichushkin didn't cost Waddell a first-round pick, so he could still package the 14th overall pick in this year's draft to add another experienced forward while preparing to lose captain Boone Jenner and left wing Mason Marchment as free agents.

The risk with the Nichushkin is off the ice, where personal issues have landed him in the NHL Players' Association Player Assistance Program twice, including the second stint reaching Stage 3 on May 13, 2024 to prompt a minimum six-month suspension without pay for violating terms of his treatment plan established in Stage 2 earlier the same season.

The Stage 3 suspension was revealed by the NHL and NHLPA prior to Game 4 of the Avalanche's second-round series, which they trailed 2-1 against the Stars. Neither the league nor NHLPA revealed the cause for the suspension, but it triggered the third of only four stages to the jointly run program.

Should Nichushkin violate the terms of his Stage 3 treatment plan, Stage 4 includes a mandatory one-year suspension without pay and does not include a guarantee of reinstatement to play. While suspended, players in the NHL/NHLPA program still count toward the NHL's salary-cap system unless they're placed on long-term injured reserve for a separate reason.

Nhl mock draft: Who's taken after Gavin McKenna in first round?

Nichushkin was also involved with an off-ice issue prior to Game 3 of the Avalanche's 2023 playoff series against the Seattle Kraken. He missed the final five games for what the team described as "personal reasons," but a report by The Athletic cited a Seattle police report that said an Avalanche team physician discovered a highly intoxicated woman in Nichushkin's hotel room.

It was determined the woman was too intoxicated to leave the hotel via taxi or ride-share service, so she was taken to a hospital by ambulance. Nichushkin's agent, Mark Gandler, was quoted in the article and denied his client's involvement, but Nichushkin was the only Avalanche player listed by name in the police report.

That incident didn't lead to Nichushkin re-entering the NHL/NHLPA program, but he did miss the remainder of that series. In the past two years, Nichushkin hasn't triggered Stage 4 of the treatment program and has maintained a significant role in Colorado's lineup.

He has four years left on a contract with a $6.125 million cap charge and 12-team, no-trade clause. Should he steer clear of trouble and arrive in Columbus motivated, Nichushkin could provide a boost to the Blue Jackets' possession metrics, power play and scoring.

patch Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets land Valeri Nichushkin from Colorado Avalanche

Luke Tuch's time with the Montreal Canadiens organization has come to a close. 

TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported that the Canadiens have traded Tuch to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Hunter McKown.  

Tuch was selected by the Canadiens with the 47th overall pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. After finishing his collegiate career with Boston University, Tuch spent each of the last three seasons down in the AHL with the Laval Rocket. 

In 114 games over three seasons with Laval, Tuch posted 15 goals, 13 assists, 28 points, and 122 penalty minutes. In 68 games this past campaign with the Rocket, he had nine goals, 14 points, and 82 penalty minutes.

As for McKown, he has spent each of the last three seasons in the AHL with the Cleveland Monsters. In 63 games during this past season with Cleveland, he recorded nine goals, 16 assists, and 25 points.

McKown also has NHL experience, as he had two assists in 12 games for the Blue Jackets during the 2022-23. He has not played at the NHL level since that campaign, though.

Overall, this is a minor swap between the Canadiens and Blue Jackets. It will be interesting to see how these two players perform next season with their new teams. 

The New Jersey Devils made a small trade on Thursday night. They sent a 2026 fourth-round pick (108th overall) to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for center Amadeus Lombardi. 

This is a move that the New Jersey Devils made to add some forward depth to the organization. At 23 years old, Lombardi is still young, but he has yet to make his NHL debut. 

🚨 TRADE ALERT 🚨

We’ve acquired Amadeus Lombardi from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for our fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. pic.twitter.com/46te2tnVW7

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) June 25, 2026

Lombardi was a fourth-round pick himself in 2022, and he was a high-end offensive producer in the OHL with the Flint Firebirds. Since arriving in the AHL, Detroit has kept him there, and he's gotten progressively more productive as the years have gone on. 

He had 26 points as a rookie AHL player in 70 games played during the 2023-24 season. Over the last two years, however, he was much closer to being a point per game player with 82 points in 91 games. 

His issue is that he must find ways to play more games without spending time away from the lineup due to injury. Despite those concerns, he has a promising set of skills, and Sunny Mehta is taking a chance on them. 

Lombardi very well might get his chance to make his NHL debut at some point with the Devils, but he will certainly be an option for the Utica Comets, too, who are looking to bounce back from a subpar season. 

Visit The Hockey News New Jersey Devils team site to stay up to date on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Outside of the San Jose Sharks and possibly the Buffalo Sabres, there is no other team more compelling to watch than the St. Louis Blues in the 2026 NHL draft. 

With four first-round picks, the Blues can completely revitalize their prospect pool, whether they make all four selections or package some of those picks to move up in the draft. 

If the Blues decide to keep their picks, TSN’s Craig Button suggests the Blues use their back-to-back picks at 15 and 16 to select the Ruck twins, Markus and Liam.

“We know what two twins playing together can do and they’ve spent their whole life playing together,” said Button. They’ve been dynamic. They’ve been productive.

“And for the St. Louis Blues, these are two really good offensive players. You think about on the Mock Draft 1.0, we had them going to the Vancouver Canucks. The Sedins had a big part of it. Well, don’t forget - the Sutter twins Ronnie and Richie played for the St. Louis Blues at one time. Maybe this is the next generation of twins to suit up for the St. Louis Blues.”

The Ruck twins spent the 2025-26 season with the Medicine Hat Tigers, where they were dominant. Markus and Liam led the WHL and the CHL in scoring, as Markus scored 21 goals and 87 points for 108 points, while Liam notched 45 goals and 104 points. 

Liam has been ranked ahead of Markus in most mock drafts, as his goal-scoring ability from the wing is more highly regarded than Markus’ playmaking up the ice.

The twins are great offensive players, but there are faults in their games. Their defensive game isn’t as well-rounded as others in the draft, but their biggest weakness is their skating.

2026 NHL Draft WHL Prospect Profile: Liam RuckA profile preview on Medicine Hat forward Liam Ruck.

Because their skating is poorer than that of other draft-eligible players, most analysts have them ranked lower in the first round, and sometimes into the second. The question being asked is whether their skating can improve, and if not, will their hockey IQ mask those skating issues? 

The twins each stand six feet, with Markus a left-handed center and Liam a right-handed winger. They’ll both return to Medicine for the 2026-27 season before joining the University of North Dakota in the 2027-28 season. 

Most scouts don’t believe Liam or Markus are worthy of being selected this highly, but maybe Craig Button knows something everyone else doesn’t. It would be a gamble to take the Ruck twins that early in the first round, but if they panned out, it would be a major win for the Blues. 

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With the 2026 NHL Draft quickly approaching, Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has made his first move. 

The club has traded prospect Amadeus Lombardi, whom they selected in the fourth round (113th overall pick) of the 2022 NHL Draft, to the New Jersey Devils. In return, the Red Wings received a fourth-round selection. 

UPDATE: The #RedWings have acquired a 4th round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Amadeus Lombardi. pic.twitter.com/2LyOV7KLuW

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 25, 2026

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With his contract expiring, he was no longer waiver-exempt. 

A native of Newmarket, Ontario, Lombardi spent time in the OHL with the Flint Firebirds before beginning his tenure with the American Hockey League affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins. 

This past season in Grand Rapids, he reached a career-high 42 points (16 goals, 26 assists) as the Griffins breezed through the regular season in what was their best campaign in club history. 

During the Calder Cup Playoffs this spring, he registered three assists in seven games played. 

He has yet to appear in an NHL regular season game, and will now have to try and earn a roster spot with the Devils. 

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We at Red Line Report like this draft class.

The top end of the first round has star power, the top 10 is jam-packed with big, strong skating, offensively gifted defensemen, and there are strong options right on down through the mid-20s.

Given that, it surprised that so many first round picks have been traded so far. The St. Louis Blues have four first-rounders and the San Jose Sharks have three.

The following mock draft has a number of significant differences from Red Line’s own value board. The purpose of Red Line Report is to be a pure scouting service, and ultimately rank prospects in the order we would select the available players if we lived in a vacuum where “needs” and other outside forces never entered the equation.

The purpose of mock drafts, on the other hand, is vastly different. This mock draft merely represent a fun exercise in scenarios that we think might actually play out on NHL draft day.)

1. Toronto Maple Leafs — LW Gavin McKenna

A desperately needed lottery win gives the Maple Leafs an opportunity to replace the offense lost when Mitch Marner went to Vegas. Like Marner, McKenna  is a playmaking winger. How long have we been talking about McKenna? There shouldn’t be any debate.

2. San Jose Sharks — D Chase Reid

Other GMs would take Ivar Stenberg at No. 2, but unless the Sharks are fooling everyone, they desire an offensive-minded defenseman to round out their collection of young talent. It’s a bonus that he’s a right shot. Teams would like to move up, but the Sharks require an incredible offer to get their attention.

3. Vancouver Canucks — C Caleb Malhotra

This move is a logical step because the Canucks desperately need a strong center. Malhotra boasts skill, moxie and NHL DNA in his blood. And his father, Manny, is Vancouver’s head coach.

4. Buffalo Sabres (from Chicago) — LW Ivar Stenberg

Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said he's listening to offers on this pick. If he keeps the pick, he'll go after the best player available, which describes Stenberg if he drops this far, If not, could be take a defenseman?

5. New York Rangers — D Carson Carels

Do you like him better than Reid? Some scouts do. The Rangers will be delighted with this pick. He scored 20 goals this season and projects to be a No. 1 defenseman.

6. Calgary Flames — D Keaton Verhoeff

He’s 6-4 and a well rounded defenseman. Earlier this season, it was thought he could go in the top two or three picks.

7. Seattle Kraken — C Viggo Björck

Possesses breakaway speed and is a dynamic offensive player who is already comfortable in the Swedish Hockey League. He’s on the small side, but he handles it. He recently became the youngest player (18 years old) to score a goal for Sweden at the men’s world championships.

8. Winnipeg Jets — D Daxon Rudolph

Scored 28 goals and produced 78 points in 68 games. This draft has five highly desirable blueliners available in the top 10, and he is  clearly the most underrated. Combines his offense with size and some truculence.

9. San Jose Sharks (from Florida via Ottawa) — LW Ethan Belchetz

He’s a unicorn at 6-foot-5, 230 pounds with soft hands and scoring touch. Coupled with his 34 goals and 59 points, that makes him a top 10 pick.

10. Nashville Predators — C Oliver Suvanto

The NHL always has time for big, physically dominant centers with skill. He plays a two-way game, similar in approach to fellow countryman Aleksander Barkov.

11. St. Louis Blues — C Tynan Lawrence

This is a highly skilled and tenacious player who had 10 goals and 17 points in 13 games for Muskegon in the United States Hockey League before heading to Boston University midseason, where he produced fairly well while making a major adjustment to college hockey.

12. New Jersey Devils — LW Adam Novotny

The Devils are looking to add scoring to their prospect pool. Novotny is a two-way player who scored 34 goals and plays a rugged game.

13. New York Islanders — D Alberts Smits

He’s a 6-foot-3 defenseman who skates well and offers an aggressive physical presence to go along with outstanding offensive skills.

14. Columbus Blue Jackets — RW Nikita Klepov

He’s an aggressive puck hound who plays the game with great pace and energy, and always applies pressure on defenders. He also led the Ontario Hockey League in scoring.

15. St. Louis Blues (from Detroit) — D Malte Gustafsson

Huge, smooth-skating defenseman. If you are working with a Detroit pick, aren’t you obligated to draft a Swedish player?

16. St. Louis Blues (from Washington) — RW Liam Ruck

He scored 45 goals and was the hottest player in all of junior hockey for about 2 1/2 months. True finisher has a great release.

17. Los Angeles Kings — LW Oscar Hemming

He’s a massive 6-foot-4 winger with a hellacious shot who projects to grow into a punishing power forward.

18. Washington Capitals (from Anaheim) — D Ryan Lin

What’s better than having one smallish but supremely offensively gifted puck mover (Cole Hutson) on your blue line? How about having two of them?

19. Utah Mammoth — C Ilya Morozov

Big pivot generated strong offense and played a mature two-way game as one of the youngest players in college hockey.

20. Buffalo Sabres (from Edmonton via San Jose) — LW J.P. Hurlbert

When a player produces 45 goals and 97 points in the tough Western Hockey League, you have to take notice. He’s a creative player heading to the University of Michigan.

21. Philadelphia Flyers — D Tommy Bleyl

This dynamic offensive defenseman could really liven things up for a team that has had some trouble getting hemmed into its own end. He’s a one-man breakout machine who will put a jolt into the Flyers' power play as well.

22. Pittsburgh — C Maddox Dagenais

He’s a 6-foot-4 power forward who can produce offense and play a physical game.

23. Boston Bruins — LW Wyatt Cullen

He’s the son of highly respected former NHLer Matt Cullen, and that DNA is a major plus. But the kid was also the most skilled and  intense forward at the U.S. National Team Developmental Program this year.

24. Vancouver Canucks (from Minnesota) — C Jack Hextall

A distant relative of Ron Hextall, he may not be quite as combative, but he is a competitor. Plus, he scored 20 goals this past season.

25. Ottawa Senators (from Tampa Bay via Seattle and Florida) — C Alexander Command

Put up 40 points in 37 games and got so much better throughout the season. He offers grit and a high compete level to go with his skill.

26. New York Rangers (from Dallas via Carolina) — D Juho Piiparinen

He’s a mature 6-foot-3 mobile, defensive-minded blueliner who is consistent in his effort. Doesn’t get caught out of position and has nimble footwork.

27. San Jose Sharks (from Buffalo) — RW Casey Mutryn

He’s a power forward with good defensive instincts who is a rugged north-south player.

28. Montreal Canadiens — C Yegor Shilov

The Canadiens are still searching for that elusive second-line center. He’s a gifted playmaker with excellent vision and hands.

29. St. Louis Blues (from Colorado via Islanders) — LW Marcus Nordmark

Exceptionally high skill level, but there is considerable debate about his defensive play and level of engagement. Can you convince him to be the best version of himself?

30. Calgary Flames (from Vegas) — D Ben MacBeath

Smooth skater and puck mover put up 51 points this season as a WHL rookie, and now gets to go to “the school of defense” at Denver University.

31. Carolina Hurricanes — C Brooks Rogowski

He’s a 6-foot-6 giant who had 42 points in 46 games. Long-term project needs time to develop, and now he’s going to Michigan State to hone his skills. Intriguing upside prospect.

32. Ottawa Senators — D Xavier Villeneuve

He’s a super dynamic defenseman who elicits comparisons to Lane Hutson. Remember, Hutson went a lot lower than this.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL mock draft: Gavin McKenna projected No. 1; who follows?

The Colorado Avalanche finally made the difficult decision they spent years trying to avoid.

After multiple seasons weighing Valeri Nichushkin’s elite on-ice impact against recurring injuries and off-ice uncertainty, Colorado has closed the chapter, trading the veteran winger to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 third-round pick, and a 2028 fifth-round selection in the NHL Draft.

It brings an end to one of the most complicated tenures in modern Avalanche history.

Nichushkin arrived in Colorado in August 2019 as a low-risk free-agent signing, a player whose NHL career had stalled in Dallas. Over time, he turned into one of the organization’s most important forwards — and one of its most difficult long-term evaluations.

In 404 regular-season games with the Avalanche, Nichushkin recorded 131 goals and 152 assists for 283 points. In the playoffs, his game often elevated even further, finishing with 27 goals and 40 points in 74 postseason appearances, including a major role in Colorado’s 2022 Stanley Cup championship run.

When he was right, there weren’t many power forwards in the league who looked like him. The size, the speed, the puck protection — it all came together in a way that made him a constant matchup problem and a key driver of Colorado’s puck-possession game.

He also delivered in defining moments. During the 2022 run, Nichushkin played through a broken foot in the Stanley Cup Final and still managed to produce, tying a franchise record with four goals in the series.

But the other side of the story never fully went away.

Injuries consistently interrupted stretches of his tenure, and off-ice issues created a level of uncertainty the Avalanche had to account for year after year. In January 2024, Nichushkin entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program and later received a six-month suspension after violating the program’s terms during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Since returning, there were no further public incidents, and head coach Jared Bednar often spoke about his professionalism and impact inside the room. Still, availability remained the constant issue, with injuries limiting him at multiple points during the 2025-26 season and postseason.

For Colorado, the decision ultimately came down to control and clarity. Nichushkin carries a $6.125 million cap hit through the 2029-30 season, and moving that contract gives the Avalanche additional flexibility as they continue reshaping a roster still built around contending.

In return, Colorado acquires three draft picks, including the 43rd overall selection in the 2026 NHL Draft. The second-round pick originally belonged to St. Louis before being moved through multiple trades to Columbus.

The Avalanche are left with cap space, future assets and one less question mark. The Blue Jackets, meanwhile, are betting that the version of Nichushkin who helped drive Colorado to a championship still has plenty of hockey left to give.