The New Jersey Devils will play their first preseason game today at 1 p.m. against the New York Rangers.

Team reporter Amanda Stein released her projected lineup for the contest, which closely mirrors the roster head coach Sheldon Keefe is expected to use. While not official, here is Stein’s predicted lineup:

Forwards

• Cotter – Glass – Gritsyuk
• Crookshank – Lammikko – Legare
• Gruden – Glendening – Halonen
• Hardman – Rooney – Bordeleau

Defense

• Chowolski – Casey
• Edwards – Strand
• White – Addison
• van de Leest – Osipov

Goaltenders

• Daws
• Romanov
• Malek

If these lines hold, the Devils’ first power-play unit would feature Casey, Gritsyuk, Glass, Cotter, and Bordeleau.

Sheldon Keefe confirms this is pretty close to what the #NJDevils roster will look like for the first preseason game tomorrow against the Rangers.

Might be a slight tweak or two, but very close to this: https://t.co/t1u9m6RbkB

— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) September 20, 2025

---

Players to Watch

Arseny Gritsyuk The highly anticipated Russian forward will make his Devils debut today. Drafted 129th overall in 2019, Gritsyuk spent the past several seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League before joining New Jersey this fall. After an impressive showing at training camp, today’s performance will be an early indicator of where he might fit in the lineup.

Nico Daws A reliable depth option in recent years, Daws has stepped in multiple times when the Devils’ top goaltenders were sidelined. With Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen ahead of him, his NHL role likely won’t change this season, but his preseason play will show how much progress he’s made during the offseason.

Juho Lammikko Lammikko last played in the NHL during the 2021–22 season with Vancouver. Known for his two-way game, he has an opportunity to earn a role in New Jersey’s bottom six.

Angus Crookshank After leaving the Ottawa Senators and testing free agency, Crookshank signed a two-year deal with the Devils on July 2. He’s looking to prove he belongs on the NHL roster and could use today’s game as a showcase.

---

Keefe’s Emphasis

Coach Sheldon Keefe made it clear what he expects from his players in the preseason opener:

“We’re at the portion of the program here where I want to see effort, speed, pace—it’s a very fast league. Tomorrow isn’t going to be the NHL in terms of speed, but it’s a good way to stand out. That’s been the emphasis for us from our very first meeting: ability to skate, pressure the puck, and do all the things when the puck isn’t on your stick, which is a very large percentage of the game.”

---

The puck drops at 1 p.m. The official lineup will be confirmed closer to game time.

If the first few days of training camp are anything to go by, the Philadelphia Flyers could have a new-look defense under first-year head coach Rick Tocchet.

Through three days, Tocchet has done nothing short of glow about Cam York, who was the recipient of a five-year, $25.75 million contract extension from the Flyers this offseason.

The potential for the 24-year-old defenseman, and the hope, perhaps, is that he can "carry his own pair," in the words of Tocchet.

That would certainly imply far less minutes with frequent defense partner Travis Sanheim, the Flyers' de facto No. 1 defenseman and leader on the back end.

York has spent most of his training camp reps alongside prospect defenseman Helge Grans, a young player of similar age who is looking to finally establish himself as an NHL regular after playing six NHL games for the Flyers last year.

Grans, 23, is no longer waivers-exempt, so this training camp is functionally a now-or-never thing for him in a Flyers uniform.

Flyers Training Camp: Nikita Grebenkin Continues to Shine as Roster Battles Get RealAfter three days, forward prospect Nikita Grebenkin has been the one constant in Philadelphia Flyers training camp, flashing his intriguing potential at seemingly every turn.

It says a lot about the Swede that he's playing with York, who has been talked up so much by Tocchet and the organization this summer.

It should also be noted that Grans, a right-shot, makes sense as a natural 1:1 replacement for the injured Rasmus Ristolainen as a tall, rangy defender.

So, while someone like Emil Andrae might have played more NHL games and played better in most of those games (including on a pair with Sanheim), the 5-foot-9 size and left-handedness will work against him. Fortunately, Andrae is still waivers-exempt for 34 more NHL games or until the end of this season.

As for Sanheim, it's been a little harder to get a read on his role this early into training camp.

The 29-year-old has spent time so far with prospect Spencer Gill, who, while impressive, is still too young and has virtually no chance of making the team this year, and veteran Noah Juulsen, who has struggled mightily and already profiled as a No. 7 or No. 8 defenseman if and when Ristolainen is healthy.

"I think I've already played with two different partners here through three days, so I'm not quite sure whether I'm playing left or right or who I'm with," Sanheim said Saturday. "I think I have the capability of being able to play with a lot of different guys, so whatever they do with me and my pair, I feel comfortable being able to play with whoever back there."

During Saturday's training camp scrimmage, Sanheim also featured on the second power play unit, which consisted of himself, Tyson Foerster, Owen Tippett, Noah Cates, and Bobby Brink.

Flyers' Travis Sanheim Poised for New Leadership Role in 2025-26The Philadelphia Flyers have had a leadership opening since the NHL trade deadline, and Travis Sanheim is a prime candidate to step in and step up.

York and center Christian Dvorak rotated in for Sanheim and Cates at times.

So, while this isn't all to be taken as gospel at this stage, it's a potential new role for Sanheim, and a departure from the days of Ristolainen and Egor Zamula getting valuable power play minutes.

"I think there's more offense to my game," added Sanheim. "I think you saw I was on the power play today, and if that's something I'm asked of this season, I think that excites me."

As for Zamula, he was interestingly paired with Jamie Drysdale on Saturday, swapping places with Nick Seeler, who was next to Gill.

Zamula and Drysdale did spend some time together last season, though not nearly enough to draw conclusions one way or another on their chemistry and performances.

What is clear, though, is that Tocchet recognizes that he may not be able to get the most out of York and Sanheim when they're on the ice playing together at the same time.

How York rises to the challenge remains to be seen, but if the Flyers can manage to give themselves two legitimate top-four defense pairs, it lightens the load on everyone and should allow other guys, such as Grans, to step up and play more comfortably.

The fact that the Montreal Canadiens were looking for a second-line center this summer was one of the worst-kept secrets in the NHL, and as a result, it’s been a summer of speculation in town. While there were rumours about a potential move for Mason McTavish, an RFA who has yet to sign with the Anaheim Ducks, and about Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Research Group’s Jimmy Murphy published an article Saturday in which he explains that the Canadiens have also shown interest in Evgeny Malkin in the past.

Could Malkin be the center the Habs are keeping close tabs on? It’s not unlikely, after all, as Murphy says in his article, what’s going on in Pittsburgh is pretty obvious for all to see, and for an aging star, the prospect of a rebuild is not exactly thrilling. The big center has even told the media after Friday’s practice that he would be open to waiving his no movement clause to get a chance with a Cup contender.

Canadiens: Can Dach Hit The Ground Running?
Canadiens: Suzuki’s Big Gesture
Canadiens: Big Hits and Intensity Featured In Last Scrimmage

The 39-year-old has had some great years in Pittsburgh, and he does have three Stanley Cup rings to show for it. Even though he’s now a bit long in the tooth, at least in hockey terms, he still managed to put 50 points in 68 games last season, and 67 in 82 games the year before. Still, as talented as he is, the center has dealt with numerous injuries throughout his career. He only played 82 games in four of his 19 seasons with the Pens.

Of course, getting some veteran leadership couldn’t hurt the young Canadiens, especially not a veteran who has won it all and knows what it takes, plus, as Demidov revealed back in April, Malkin was his idol growing up.

While I can understand why the Canadiens have enquired about his availability, I firmly believe that Crosby would be a better option. However, I’m still not convinced that the captain will eventually want to move. Besides, with his contract expiring at the end of the season, Malkin could be a rental, and the price tag would be considerably lower than for Crosby, who still has another year left on his contract.

If Malkin remains healthy and things go according to plan for the Canadiens, it certainly wouldn’t be a bad option for a playoff run, unless the veteran doesn’t see Montreal as a contender yet…

---

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

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

On Jun. 28, something pretty special happened for Pittsburgh Penguins' forward prospect Avery Hayes. 

Fresh off of signing a two-year entry level contract with the Penguins at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, Hayes got to watch as his brother's name was called from the podium during the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

Travis Hayes - selected in the fourth round (105th overall) by Pittsburgh on that day - officially became a member of the Penguins, following in the footsteps of Avery. Now, as training camp is officially underway for the 2025-26 season, the brothers get to share the ice, just as they did at the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo last week.

“It’s been awesome," Travis said. "Obviously, going to Buffalo and playing with him, then got a few shifts with him [in camp] and seeing him out here, his practice habits and stuff… yeah, it’s great.”

And Travis isn't the only family member Avery got to unite with during the first weekend of training camp. The USHL Fall Classic also took place at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in the evenings following the first three days of camp - and Avery's and Travis's, brother, Eli, is competing for the Honeybaked Hockey Club out of Detroit - a team that Penguins' forward Bryan Rust used to play for and, ironically, one that has yet another Penguins' connection. 

"Rutger [McGroarty's] dad, Jimmy, is the head coach of the team, which is funny," Hayes laughed. "So, it's pretty cool. 

Avery and Travis attended one of Eli's games on Saturday evening, and they also got to reunite with their own father at the event. 

"It’s really cool to see all of them," Avery said. "I don’t get to see them at all during the season, so it's nice."

Could This Penguins' Prospect Crack The NHL Roster Out Of Camp?When looking back at the past three prospects challenges for the Pittsburgh Penguins - all of which they have won - there is a common denominator.

And even if the family business is a welcome thing for Avery, he knows there is other business to attend to as well - which includes trying to stay in Pittsburgh beyond training camp.

Undrafted, Hayes initially joined the Penguins' organization when he signed a two-year AHL contract prior to the 2023-24 season. His first season was riddled with injury, but he really began to make a name for himself and the type of player he is in 2024-25.

A scrappy, effort-driven forechecking forward, he kicked off that campaign with a standout performance at the Prospects Challenge, followed by a strong training camp showing. He carried all of that momentum into the AHL regular season, when he put up 23 goals and 42 points in 60 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS).

The practice habits Travis referred to - as well as his skillset - are well-known to his teammates by now, as they certainly translate to game days and in trying to stand out at training camp.

“He works hard and looks really shifty out there," said forward Rickard Rakell , who is in Hayes's training camp group. "He’s hard to catch. He’s a smaller guy but quick with the puck. Good with the puck. Plays with a lot of confidence.” 

Here's a snippet of Travis (73) and Avery (85) Hayes skating on opposite teams in the 4v4 drill. #LetsGoPenspic.twitter.com/6B93jn0nNr

— Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) September 20, 2025

And that nod of confidence from the organization in the form of that two-year NHL contract this summer opened up an opportunity for Hayes to vye for an NHL roster spot. It's an opportunity he's grateful for and that he doesn't want to waste, and to go up against guys like Rakell and Bryan Rust in drills during camp is giving him a taste of what's expected at the NHL level.

“It’s awesome," Hayes said. "Those are the guys that you want to be going up against and playing with in the future. That’s the kind of standard to make it. So, they’re great players, and it really pushes me to be better.

"I also get to play with great players, too, which is awesome. You get to see how they kind of think the game and play off them. So, it’s a really cool experience. You don’t really want to get starstruck in the moment, you just want to go out there and play.”

And he's taking a thing or two from those great players.

“Just the details. I mean, they compete," Hayes said. "They’re guys that have been playing in the NHL for 10-plus years, some of them. They treat every rep like it’s a Game 7. So, I’d say that’s the biggest thing and just how fast-paced and competitive it is."

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2025: Young Forward Earns His SpotHeading into the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have shifted the focus to youth and development.

Hayes is slated to be in the lineup for Pittsburgh's first pre-season game on Monday in Montreal against the Canadiens, and he will be competing with - and against - several forwards who figure to be in contention for a final roster spot along with him, including Tristan Broz, Rafeal Harvery-Pinard, Sam Poulin, Boko Imama, Joona Koppanen, and Robby Fabbri.

So what does Hayes need to do in order to separate himself? It's simple: just be himself and take things day-by-day.

"Just play my game and be myself," Hayes said. "I mean, it got me this far, so I just have to continue to play with confidence and just take it one day at a time, take it one practice at a time. Honestly, I’m not looking too far into the future. Just taking it one day at a time.”

---

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!   

The Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

Subscribe now to view the full THN Archives here

Also, go to thn.com/free to subscribe.

Can Bowman Build A Winner? - October 8, 1993 - Volume 47, Issue 04 - Keith Gave 

Call it Great Expectations, The Sequel.

Only this time, the Detroit Red Wings have hired the best in the business to author a happier ending. Frustrated by futile efforts in the playoffs that have cost them millions in gate receipts over the past two springs, owners Mike and Marian Ilitch spent nearly $2 million to bring coach Scotty Bowman to Detroit for at least two seasons.

But despite the impressive rebuilding effort general manager Bryan Murray has orchestrated over the past three years, Bowman has his work cut out for him in 1993-94.

Like last season, the Wings begin the season with a deeply talented lineup that ranks them the best team in the west, ready again to challenge the Pittsburgh Penguins or whoever in the Stanley Cup-a trophy that has eluded them since 1955.

There is pressure, from team ownership to the legion of devoted fans running out of patience. Unlike last year, however, this team begins the season with more questions about its preparedness to win it all, than answers. Notable among them:

□ How does this team replace its leader, Gerard Gallant, the most respected player in the dressing room?

□ Is Tim Cheveldae the goaltender to lead Detroit all the way?

□ Is the defense as set as it appears?

□ Will Keith Primeau finally emerge as an assertive, consistent force in the Wings’ lineup?

□ Will this team, despite all its talent, measure up to Bowman’s lofty standards?

□ Can the NHL’s best offense last season play enough defense to satisfy the coach?

Though much will be made in training camp of young players challenging veterans for jobs up front, the real competition is for the top positions. Which is why Primeau’s progress will be monitored carefully by the Detroit management.

He prefers to play center, his natural position, and the Wings have him penciled in as the No. 3 pivot behind Steve Yzerman and Sergei Fedorov. With both expected to play upwards of 25 minutes a game, that doesn’t leave much time for Primeau and precious little for a fourth center.

This suggests Primeau will remain flexible. He began showing an inclination towards playing the wing on Fedorov’s left flank down the stretch last season and he could wind up there again.

But who plays on Yzerman’s left side after Gallant left as a free agent for a better offer from the Tampa Bay Lightning?

The Wings hope Bob Probert can turn his game around and fill that spot. But they hoped that last year, when he slipped to 14 goals and 43 points with a team-leading 292 penalty minutes.

Dallas Drake was the team’s top-scoring left winger with 18 goals and 44 points and played with the kind of aggressiveness that most coaches appreciate. He could see time with Yzerman and Dino Ciccarelli.

But if the Wings were to acquire Steve Larmer from the Chicago Blackhawks, or someone like him, that would enable them to try Ray Sheppard on his off wing.

The defense appears set, but Murray still sees a hole to fill.

He covets a big defenseman that he has been seeking for two seasons. Until then, the Wings enter the season with the defense they ended with last spring. The pairings: Paul Coffey and Nicklas Lidstrom; Steve Chiasson and Vladimir Konstantinov; and Mark Howe and Yves Racine.

Detroit’s goaltending isn’t nearly the concern to Bowman as it is to fans and others around the NHL. Cheveldae, the workhorse who ranked among NHL leaders in games and victories the past three seasons, has achieved a lot at 25, though he didn’t come through when it counted most.

Bowman compares Cheveldae to Pittsburgh’s Tom Barrasso, among others, who had to overcome adversity early in their careers before achieving success. But the coach also adheres to a strict commitment to team defense that should help the goalies.

Bowman said he feels pressure to win not only from the team’s generous owners, but wherever he goes around Detroit.

“There’s something about wearing the jersey of some teams. Detroit is a very vibrant hockey city,” he said.

One with high expectations and desperate for a happy ending.

The St. Louis Blues opened the preseason with a 2-1 shootout loss against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Saturday.

The Blues were 0-for-3 in the shootout (Dalibor Dvorsky, Justin Carbonneau, Dylan Holloway), and Sam Steel’s only goal in the first round proved to be the difference. Carbonneau’s power-play goal was the only goal for the Blues.

Here are some observations from the game:

* Binnington looked strong – Not that it’s any surprise, but Jordan Binnington looked like he was in mid-season form.

His save on Steel pushing from his right to left on a backdoor play in the first period was the best save of his 19 after facing 20 shots through two periods.

Jordan Binnington in mid-season form already but what else did you expect? pic.twitter.com/NI73DrRg8a

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) September 20, 2025

He only allowed a Mavrik Bourque goal at 14:33 of the second period off a one-time slap shot from the left point and rebound in front.

His puck-handling was smooth, a strength of Blues goalies transitioning pucks to the defensemen for smoother zone exits. A good sign.

Colten Ellis, who took over for Binnington in the third, made a tremendous save on Adam Hryckowian with just over three minutes remaining to keep the game 1-1.

Colten Ellis makes the SAVE OF THE GAME!!! #stlbluespic.twitter.com/z16IZhKfIj

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) September 21, 2025

Blues goaltending depth is anything but little.

* Carbonneau didn’t look out of place – Besides the power-play goal the 2025 first-round puck scored, the 18-year-old had some particularly good shifts in the first period with linemates Dylan Holloway and Dalibor Dvorsky, making a couple subtle plays off the walls enabling Holloway to get some strong looks at the goal.

It’ll be interesting to ask, but his goal looked like a combination look-off from the left circle after taking a point pass from Logan Mailloux 50 seconds into the second period to feeding Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, who was positioned at the left side of the post.

Justin Carbonneau was our first-round pick for a reason. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/zMX2VzqUle

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) September 21, 2025

This kid has such a good shot that should only get better and more assertive as he matures and gets the reps at this level, but I was impressed with some of the puck-making decisions he made.

* Walker/Toropchenko still got it – Nathan Walker, who just signed a two-year extension on Thursday, and Alexey Toropchenko will – and should be – a staple on the Blues’ fourth line this season and they exhibited some of those traits in this game with good, strong sticks, breaking plays up, killing plays and at the end of the first period, drawing a penalty with an extended zone time shift.

Walker showed why again he is a fan favorite, getting into a scrap just 4:21 into the game with Hryckowian.

That line, along with 2022 third-round pick Kaskimaki, handled itself well in the small areas of the ice.

Kaskimaki did have one hiccup on an ill-advised play in overtime that was picked off in the middle of the ice on an outlet that led to Carbonneau's penalty. He will be seeing that one in video.

* Mailloux looked sharp – What I like about Mailloux is his no-hesitation putting pucks to the net from the point, and being precise. He did a solid job in that area on Saturday.

But what stood out for the 22-year-old was such a strong, defensive play he made in overtime when the Blues were killing a penalty, with Carbonneau in the box for tripping, killing a play that ended with the Stars only getting one shot during a 4-on-3, and that defensive stick was a large reason why the Blues were able to kill it off.

It shows the confidence the coaching staff has in putting the defenseman in those situations to see what he can do, and it was truly a moment that will be shown to him through video on what to do correctly, and do well.

Mailloux, who was second behind Philip Broberg (26:15) in time on ice at 25:29, didn’t have any shots on goal, but his willingness to get pucks there, whether they get knocked down or not creating rebounds, should be a benefit for the forwards when he’s on the ice to get to the front of the net.

* Broberg, Holloway were strong – Holloway made his return to the lineup for the first time since tearing the abductor muscle off his hip on April 3 against the Pittsburgh Penguins playing with Carbonneau and Dvorsky, finishing with a forward-high 22:09 of ice time and one shot on goal.

Broberg looked like he's taken his game to the next level. He looked smooth, assertive and was a great complement on a pair with Mailloux, leading the Blues with a team-high four shots on goal, including a couple of poised plays to the backhand in the middle of the ice. A strong showing.

* Some of the young guys looked the part – There were plenty of young players in this game, and there will be teaching moments off of it for the coaching staff, and the second period was a strong example of the Blues playing too much in their end, getting hemmed in and not making smarter decisions with the puck.

The Stars outshot the Blues 12-4 in the second and 13-4 in the third (34-15 for the game) in large part to the Blues not being able to manage pucks well enough at times and another reason was not being good enough on face-offs. The Blues won just 15 of 46 on the dot and were chasing the puck a lot as a result.

The Chicago Blackhawks have some interesting prospects to watch this season. One of them is goaltender Drew Commesso, as the 23-year-old will be looking to take another step forward in his development.

Commesso just completed his second season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Rockford Ice Hogs, and it was a solid year for the Norwell, Massachusetts native. In 39 games for the AHL squad on the year, he posted an 18-15-4 record, a .911 save percentage, and a 2.54 goals-against average. He then followed that up with a 4-3 record, a 2.35 goals-against average, and a .926 save percentage in seven playoff games for Rockford this spring.

With numbers like these, there is no question that Commesso demonstrated good promise this past campaign. Now, he will be looking to build off that during the 2025-26 season.

Right now, the Blackhawks currently have Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom as their NHL goaltenders. While this is the case, it would still be significant if Commesso can take that next step and give the Blackhawks another solid option to consider for their NHL roster. This is especially so if the Blackhawks end up dealing with more injury trouble between the pipes at all this campaign.

Of all the players on the ice for the first on-ice session of the Senators' training camp, few players have more to prove than Fabian Zetterlund.

The Swedish winger arrived at the 2025 NHL trade deadline for Zack Ostapchuk and a 2025 second-round pick, carrying expectations to provide quality depth and secondary scoring for one of the lowest-scoring five-on-five teams in the league.

Unfortunately, that production failed to materialize.

Zetterlund's two goals and five points in 20 games are well-documented. His numbers were a constant source of messageboard and talk radio fodder over the offseason.

General manager Steve Staios and the organization were certainly unfazed by Zetterlund's surface stats, rewarding the 26-year-old with a three-year contract carrying an average annual value of $4.25 million.

If Zetterlund was concerned about the pressures placed on him, he refused to let it show. When he arrived for a one-on-one interview following his group's gruelling on-ice skating session on the second day of training camp, Zetterlund was all smiles.

It is the most engaging and comfortable that I have seen him be since arriving last March.

"The body is fresh. (My mind) is fresh," said Zetterlund enthusiastically. "I want to start the season well, and that's been one of my main focuses the whole summer. Now I'm here, and I feel ready."

During his exit interviews with the coach and general manager, Zetterlund listened to their feedback and constructive criticism before acknowledging that their respective sentiments aligned with his own.

"I know what I want to do better, and they pointed out the same things," Zetterlund remarked. "So, that's what I've been working on. I feel fresh, ready, and quick out there. Strong and hungry.

"Overall, (I need to) be a prick out there," the winger said while outlining what the organization asked him to work on. "I need to be hard to play against every day, and be strong on the puck. I need to hold on to it, use my shot, and hit the net more."

Zetterlund's preparations for the 2025-26 campaign began back home in Sweden, where he trained and spent most of his free time enjoying the company of friends and family.

The winger returned to Ottawa on September 1st to participate in Brady Tkachuk's organized 'Captain's Skates', providing himself with an extra three weeks to skate and build chemistry and camaraderie with his teammates ahead of the opening of camp.

The hope is that the experience will benefit Zetterlund this season, but what should really help him is his familiarity with the coaching staff and the team's systems and structure.

"I know exactly what to do out there," Zetterlund stated. " Structurally, our system is easy, and I've been playing for (26 games, including the postseason) now.

"I know exactly where to go and how to handle things out there. Now it's just up to me to do it."

What may also help Zetterlund is that he experienced a similar stretch of poor production after being dealt from New Jersey to San Jose at the 2023 trade deadline. Zetterlund was a younger player trying to establish himself as an NHL regular at the time. Nonetheless, in the 22 games after the deadline, he was held goalless while adding only three assists.

The winger followed that stretch up by having the most productive campaign of his NHL career in 2023-24. Zetterlund played in each of San Jose's 82 games and led the team with 24 goals and 204 shots. His 44 points trailed only Mikael Granlund (60) and William Eklund (45).

When asked whether he could draw any parallels between his two post-trade deadline stretches, or whether the experience and success of his first full season in San Jose could serve him well now, Zetterlund expressed a preference to focus on the future.

"That's the past," the winger affirmed. "I forgot about that, but I'm just looking forward to a new season and being with the Ottawa Senators from the start. It's gonna be fun."

When Zetterlund joined the Senators, it was obviously exciting to join a team that was on the verge of clinching its first postseason berth in eight years. Under the surface, however, the Swede arrived at a challenging time.

At the time of the trade, the collection of forwards playing in the Senators' top nine was playing really well, relegating Zetterlund to a fourth line role that afforded him time to acclimatize to his new surroundings.

He would eventually get opportunities on the power play and to play with the team's more skilled players, but the goals and points did not come.

The encouraging part is that Zetterlund's underlying numbers were incredibly strong.

Of the forwards on the team who logged more than 200 five-on-five minutes, only Brady Tkachuk, a noted volume-producing machine, generated a higher rate of shots (iCF/60), shots on goal (shots/60), and individual expected goals (ixG/60) than Zetterlund per NaturalStatTrick. The problem was that his five-on-five shooting percentage (3.13%) was the fifth-lowest on the team, ahead of defencemen like Nik Matinpalo, Nick Jensen, Artem Zub and Travis Hamonic.

When I told Zetterlund about how strong some of his analytics were and whether he felt like he was creating a high volume of chances, he deflected and expressed a desire for the team's success.

"I don't know what to say," he admitted. "I try to work hard every shift out there. It doesn't matter if the puck goes in or not.

"I still want to help the team win. That's the most important thing. We had a good stretch last year, and we want more (success) this year for sure. I want to produce. I want to be a goal scorer, of course. But when the puck doesn't go in, you're going to do other stuff out there to help the team, and that's what I'm trying to bring every day. It's just a bonus if the puck goes in."

As a career 9.6 percent shooter, it is reasonable to believe that Zetterlund's shooting percentage will normalize. When it does, it will provide some of the incremental gains this organization is looking for to help this team rise in the Atlantic Division.

By Graeme Nichols
The Hockey News Ottawa

More Sens Headlines From The Hockey News Ottawa:
Senators Announce Full Roster for Main Training Camp
Ranking the Senators' 10 Best Prospects
Xavier Bourgault Is "Best Player At Sens Rookie Camp"
Senators GM Steve Staios On Why He Brought Back The Same Group
Can The Senators Still Avoid Losing Their 2026 First Round Pick?
Sens Radio Play-By-Play Team Won't Travel To Road Games This Season

Group C kicked off Saturday's training camp session, and there wasn't as much systems work compared to Friday's session. Instead, we got to see a fair amount of line rushes and a lot of odd-man rush opportunities. 

Filip Hallander skated on a line with Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust during drills and looked just as comfortable as he did on Friday. Speaking of Rakell, he had a great practice and was showcasing his one-timer throughout the 90-minute session. He was one of the only players to beat goaltender Sergei Murashov during those drills. 

Rakell's hoping to have another big season after finishing with 35 goals and 70 points last year, since the 2026 Olympics are on the horizon. He wants to make Team Sweden after playing for his country during the 4 Nations Face-Off.

“It’s huge for me," Rakell said after practice. "For the Penguins, for me to have a better season than last year, it was important for me to have a good summer and just try to improve all the things I wanted to improve from last year. Obviously, getting a chance to play in the Olympics… never really had a chance before, so that would be cool for me and a great motivator for this year.”

Outside of Rakell, Murashov stood out again, which shouldn't surprise anyone. He's been a total freak in the crease and the best goaltender at camp so far. Sometimes it feels like he's not even trying when making some saves because of how natural everything looks to him. 

The Penguins don't want to rush his development, which is why it's still highly likely that he starts the season in Wilkes-Barre. Getting him the bulk of the starts in WBS this year should be the goal before he's potentially NHL-ready next year. 

Group A

The Sidney Crosby group was next up on Saturday, and outside of Crosby being his usual self, Owen Pickering had himself a really good day. He looks to be faster and has more command of his skating compared to last season. Pickering was paired with Harrison Brunicke again for a lot of drills, especially with Crosby and Ville Koivunen, and never looked out of place. 

Speaking of Brunicke, he talked about his pairing with Pickering after practice and likes how the pair is developing. 

"I think good," Brunicke said. "We are taking it each day, just learning and growing together, so it's been a lot of fun. We're creating some chemistry here and looking to keep progressing."

This is a pair that fans could see down the line in the NHL once both players are NHL-ready. 

Forward Aidan McDonough has flown a little under the radar since camp started on Thursday. He has showcased some strong puck skills and has an underrated release when he has time and space to use it. He should give the WBS Penguins solid depth for the 2025-26 season after he was signed to an AHL deal. He had 10 goals and 16 points in 16 games for the Charlotte Checkers last season.

Finally, Erik Karlsson was having the time of his life on Saturday. He was into the practice like it was a regular-season game and was shouting so loud that people in the other rink could probably hear him. Karlsson was paired a lot with Parker Wotherspoon for the second straight day, which could be a sign that they will be on the top pair to start the season.

Group B

The Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang group rounded out Saturday's training camp practice, and once again, goaltender Arturs Silovs was the biggest standout. He was locked in during the 90-minute practice and made some outstanding saves during a swath of different drills. His positioning continues to really shine in this camp. 

Outside of Murashov, Silovs has been the best goaltender at camp thus far and is in the driver's seat to be Tristan Jarry's backup this year. Jarry and Blomqvist have both been totally fine at camp, but the former two have been locked in since Thursday. 

'There's No Place I'd Rather Be': Tomasino Eager To Prove Himself In Pittsburgh This SeasonAfter a third consecutive season of missing the playoffs, the long offseason was a grueling one for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Players were eager to get back in action, and some knew they were going to have to come into training camp this season with a purpose.  

Towards the end of the session, Evgeni Malkin and Anthony Mantha took turns firing slap shots that turned into goals when the group was doing a 3v3 drill with one net set up along the left side of the boards and another on the right side. It was very fast-paced and only involved a few skaters at a time, but the shots drew some oohs and ahhs from the crowd. 

The Penguins will have an off day on Sunday before playing their first game of the preseason on Monday against the Montreal Canadiens. There will be a morning skate for the players who will play in that game before they fly to Montreal. 

The next training camp practice will start at 8:45 a.m. ET on Tuesday.

---

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!      

Ryan O'Reilly, with one tooth missing, was grinning ear to ear when talking about what it's been like to have center Brady Martin at Nashville Predators training camp. 

The 18-year-old was drafted by the Predators fifth overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, and after a busy summer, is locked in on earning a spot on the Predators roster. 

O'Reilly, entering his 18th NHL season, has been enticed by Martin's skill, energy and overall positive attitude. 

"It's fun getting to know him [Martin]," O'Reilly said. "It takes me back to when I was young and I was excited to be at NHL training camp. He's got a lot of energy and always has a smile on his face. It's fun to see." 

O'Reilly remembers that similar excitement, but said there's a wide skill gap between Martin and himself when he was 18, in that Martin is better. 

"He's a lot better than I was at that age," O'Reilly chuckled. "He skates a lot better and I kind of ran on the ice a bit." 

That's been an area of Martin's game that he's been improving on over the summer. He said that he worked a lot off the ice, mainly with a track coach, to transition that explosiveness to the ice. 

It was the skill that Martin believed he "sharpened" the most this offseason. 

"We just did a lot of explosive exercises off the ice and worked a little bit of skating too," Martin said. 

Martin's ability to battle for the puck stuck out to O'Reilly as well. His strength on the stick is what played into his draft stock. In juniors, he was a bigger player who was hard to take the puck off of. 

"He's [Martin] very strong on the stick just in those little battles and pushing on him," O'Reilly said. "When I was younger, that was something that could've given me a leg [up] in being strong on pucks...you can tell he's got that strength. That farm boy strength." 

Martin's abilities on the puck were put to the test in Friday's scrimmage as he went up against 6-foot-6-inch Michael McCarron. 

"He's tough. He's a big boy," Martin said on facing McCarron. "It's tough to beat him, but it's just about taking little tips and seeing what he does and trying to beat him. It's a good challenge." 

While Martin and McCarron faced off earlier this week, they both play a critical role in bringing up the Predators' center depth. Both likely could play significant roles down the middle in bringing up the center depth in the bottom six. 

The effort is led by O'Reilly, who will likely center the first line at the start of the regular season. 

However, in the first week of training camp, Martin is looking to showcase his skills and continue proving that he's deserving of a spot on this season's roster. 

"I'm just going out there and working my tail off in every opportunity I get," Martin said. "I'm just trying to work hard and show the coaches what I have to bring." 

At 24 years old, Nico Daws may not have experienced it all, but he has been around long enough to have a clear understanding of the business side of hockey. 

After Saturday afternoon's practice, the young goaltender spoke to The Hockey News, reflecting on this being his fifth training camp with the New Jersey Devils organization. Over the years, he played 98 American Hockey League (AHL) games and 52 NHL games. 

In his second professional season, Daws was named to the 2022-23 AHL All-Star Classic. In 2024, he shined under the lights of MetLife Stadium, making 45 saves in the Devils' 6–3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL Stadium Series. 

Looking back on his first few years, he spoke about maturity. 

"I feel like my first few years, I kind of had that feeling of Do I really belong?" he explained. "You are so young, and guys are older, but now I am coming into myself more and having a lot more confidence in my game and as a person, too. It's been nice." 

Daws has experienced the highs and lows that any developing player experiences throughout their career, but with age comes comfortability.

"Obviously, it takes a while to get your game comfortable at this level, and being able to do it on a consistent basis," he said. "There are so many hard lessons you have to learn. I feel like I have learned a lot of them, but obviously, there is still a lot of room to grow and areas to improve in. 

"I feel really good about where I am at right now." 

Daws is entering camp understanding that the Devils' goaltending tandem will be veterans Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen. The 6-foot-4 netminder wasn't surprised to see Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald sign Allen in free agency, saying the 35-year-old is a great goalie and a great person. 

This leads to an unknown for Daws and his future in New Jersey. He will require waivers to be assigned to the Utica Comets (AHL). If the Devils need Daws' services at any point during this season, there is a risk that another NHL team could claim him and take on his contract. 

"Whatever happens, happens," Daws said when asked if he thinks about getting claimed off waivers. "My job stays the same. That is all I am focused on: making sure I am ready to go when the season starts."

His response aligns with his easy-going and adaptable personality, which reporters have come to appreciate.   

While there were some struggles last season in Utica, Daws showed well in the four games he started for the Devils last season, earning a 3-1-0 record with a .939 save percentage and a 1.60 goals-against average. For the 2025-26 season, he is on a one-way deal at $850,000 at the NHL level.  

"At the end of the day, you gotta play as good as you can," he said. "You don't always have control of where you end up or what happens. That is just the realistic side of pro hockey. You have to be able to put your head down and work through the circumstances, no matter what."

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

The Mental Side of the Game: Devils Players & Mental Skills Coach Andy Swärd Take You Behind the Scenes

Hischier's Manager Patrick Fischer: 'He's Driven to Succeed, but Not Easily

ST. PAUL, Minn - The Minnesota Wild announced its starting goaltender for Sunday's game against the Winnipeg Jets in Winnipeg.

Cal Petersen will get the start between the pipes for Minnesota in Winnipeg for the Wild's first preseason game.

Petersen, 30, was signed on a one-year deal worth $775,000. He went 13-15-3 with a 3.14 goals-against average (GAA) and .885 save percentage (SV%) in 31 games last season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL.

The native of Iowa has played in 106 NHL games in his career across six seasons. He is 46-44-10 with a 2.96 GAA, .903 SV% and has four shutouts.

He was signed as some extra insurance if Filip Gustavsson or Jesper Wallstedt get injured. Wallstedt will back him up on Sunday in Winnipeg.

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.

Recent Minnesota Wild Stories

'You Guys Know I Like Minny' Kirill Kaprizov Gives His Stance On Contract SituationST. PAUL, Minn - On Thursday Minnesota Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov was given the chance to talk about the recent reports that came out about him rejecting an 8-year, $128 million contract extension.

- Minnesota Wild training Camp Updates: Nico Sturm Back Skating, Zeev Buium Out.

- What Is New On The Kirill Kaprizov Contract Situation.

- Wild's Mats Zuccarello Will Be Out For "A Little While"

- Is It Time To Panic: Kirill Kaprizov Contract Extension Situation.

- Marc-Andre Fleury Signs Professional Tryout With The Pittsburgh Penguins.

After months of waiting for the right offer in the UFA market this off-season, defenseman Matt Grzelcyk signed a PTO with the Chicago Blackhawks. 

It was puzzling to see Grzelcyk go unsigned after he put up a career-high 39 assists and 40 points last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Not to mention that he is 31 years old with multiple seasons left in the tank to be a serviceable D-man for any team that wants him.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported that, despite coming off a one-year, $2.75-million contract and a great season, Grzelcyk received an offer from a Western Conference team to sign a one-year contract worth $1 million. Ultimately, the blueliner rejected the offer.

Even though he signed a PTO with Chicago, LeBrun added that four destinations could be interested in Grzelcyk’s services, depending on how training camp and pre-season go for each team, and for Grzelcyk.

Here’s a ranking of which team would make the best fit for Grzelcyk.

1. Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche currently have a hole on the left side of their defense. Although that hole won’t last for long because defenseman Samuel Girard is expected to return from his lower-body injury for opening night of the regular season.

Nonetheless, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a fit for Grzelcyk on Colorado’s back end. There’s an opportunity for him in the bottom four of that D-corps. With Girard, Josh Manson and Brent Burns likely safe in their spots, that leaves one more spot free.

Grzelcyk would have to compete with D-man Sam Malinski for that final spot. Malinski is a right-handed defenseman, giving the edge to Grzelcyk in terms of pairing positions. Furthermore, Grzelcyk has plenty more NHL experience and effectiveness compared to Malinski, who has played just 99 NHL games at the age of 27.

However, there would be no need to kick Malinski to the curb, as he’d still be an asset to Colorado’s defense. While Burns has been a great D-man for most of his career, he is now 40 years old and naturally on the decline. Malinski could find consistent ice time filling in for the aging Burns. 

2. Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks seem like a team that could likely take Grzelcyk on a one-year deal following camp and pre-season. Chicago has one of the younger teams in the NHL, and bringing on someone with Grzelcyk’s experience certainly couldn’t hurt the team’s chances at being more competitive this season. However, there is a tradeoff that goes with being more competitive with him on the roster.

Grzelcyk will be taking a spot on the team that could go to a younger defenseman. That could hinder the development plans of the Blackhawks’ young D-core, including Alex Vlasic, Ethan Del Mastro, Wyatt Kaiser, Kevin Korchinski and Nolan Allan, who all play on the left side.

3. Ottawa Senators

It seems unlikely that the Ottawa Senators would be the ones to sign Grzelcyk, but it's not impossible. One half of Ottawa’s defense seems to be set in stone. That would include Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot and Artem Zub. Outside of them, Nick Jensen, Jordan Spence, Tyler Kleven and Nikolas Matinpalo are a bit lower on the depth chart, but still solid NHL defensemen.

With this roster, it’s tough to find a regular spot for Grzelcyk, but there is an opportunity there. For instance, Jensen, 34, is coming off a serious hip surgery in the off-season. That leaves some question marks about the near future of his health and spot on the team.

4. New York Islanders

At this point, the New York Islanders are supposed to be a team that is looking to develop young players, especially after drafting defensemen Matthew Schaefer and Kashawn Aitcheson, as well as right winger Victor Eklund, in the first round of the 2025 draft. However, there isn’t an issue with bringing on a veteran or two to guide the youngsters.

The only issue with that ideology is that the Isles are overflowing with veteran defensemen. Even with the subtraction of Noah Dobson, New York still has Alexander Romanov, Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock, Scott Mayfield and Tony DeAngelo. Not to mention Ethan Bear and Adam Boqvist, who are still in the defensive mix, even if they’re given AHL roles this season.

The truth is, on the Islanders, there isn’t much room for Grzelcyk to be an effective, everyday NHL player.

5. Anaheim Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks are in a great place with the hire of Joel Quenneville and the wave of excellent players between the ages of 20 and 25. On left defense, Olen Zellweger, Jackson LaCombe and Pavel Mintyukov carry the load, and they’re all showing great promise to be top-pairing D-men one day.

The Ducks have a loaded abundance of young defensemen that they likely won’t want to be tinkered with, at least when the direction they’re heading is considered. It’s not to say that Grzelcyk wouldn’t have an impact on the team, but Anaheim seems to be set. Grzelcyk would be more fitting as a trade deadline acquisition rather than a committed acquisition at this point in the year.

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.

Oftentimes, when an NHL coach is fired or removed from their role in any fashion, it’s natural to immediately look for candidates who are next in line to take that job. The obvious picks are outside hires who have NHL experience and who are one or two years removed from an NHL coaching position.

However, there is another path for a team’s brass to go down when it comes to narrowing down a coaching search, and that path leads them to the AHL. All the great coaches once coached in the American League at some point.

 In fact, 21 of the 32 coaches in the NHL have coached in the AHL at some point in their careers. That includes Stanley Cup winners Paul Maurice, Jon Cooper, Joel Quenneville and more.

Here’s a list of AHL coaches who could earn a promotion to the NHL in the near future, in no particular order.

Manny Malhotra, Abbotsford Canucks

Manny Malhotra is coming off a Calder Cup championship in his first year as a professional head coach. He led the Abbotsford Canucks to their first championship since the franchise moved to Abbotsford in 2021.

It’s not uncommon for AHL coaches who win championships to get some time as an NHL bench boss. Sheldon Keefe is an example of that when he was with the Toronto Marlies and was promoted to the Toronto Maple Leafs just a couple of seasons later.

It may seem unlikely for Malhotra to get promoted to the Vancouver Canucks, considering Adam Foote was just hired. However, it doesn’t mean other teams around the league aren’t taking note of his accomplishments in the minors.

Geordie Kinnear, Charlotte Checkers

Geordie Kinnear has been a head coach in the AHL for a long time now. He’s been the bench boss for the Springfield Thunderbirds and the Charlotte Checkers for nine seasons. The 52-year-old is coming off his best season with the Checkers, leading them to the Calder Cup final.

Aside from last season’s fourth-place finish in the regular season and final appearance, Kinnear was the man behind a few other solid campaigns with Charlotte. Since the 2021-22 season, Kinnear’s team has put up a minimum winning percentage of .590.

Trent Vogelhuber, Cleveland Monsters

Trent Vogelhuber, the youngest head coach on this list, has had an impressive start to his short coaching career. After missing the playoffs in his first year, he made the AHL post-season in back-to-back seasons to get to this point.

Due to his leadership behind the bench, the Cleveland Monsters have been a promising team for the past two years, and look to continue that reputation for 2025-26. It may be a matter of time before an NHL team recognizes the young prodigy in Cleveland.

Blue Jackets’ Jet Greaves To Challenge For Starting Gig: AHL Goaltenders To Make The ShowThe goaltender is arguably the most important position in hockey. It is believed that without a great goalie between the pipes, a team has little chance of winning silverware, let alone hoisting the Stanley Cup.

Karl Taylor, Milwaukee Admirals

Since becoming the head coach of the Milwaukee Admirals in 2018-19, Karl Taylor has been as consistent as any coach in the AHL. Aside from the 2019-20 season, when the AHL playoffs were cancelled due to COVID-19, Taylor’s Admirals have qualified for the playoffs every year. It’s a shame because in that cancelled season, Milwaukee had a 41-14-8 record, dominating the league.

Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz might be keeping one eye on Taylor and his success in the minors, especially considering Andrew Brunette's tenure with the team so far. Furthermore, Taylor has taken the Admirals to the third round of the playoffs for three straight years. It’s only a matter of time before he can make a breakthrough in the post-season.

Ryan Mougenel, Providence Bruins

Ryan Mougenel could be on the cusp of a strong season with the Providence Bruins. Several great players could be suiting up for Providence this year, including Fraser Minten, Alex Steeves, Fabian Lysel, Michael DiPietro, Matej Blumel, Matthew Poitras, and more.

Mougenel should be in line to have one of his best seasons as the Bruins’ bench boss. Up to this point, he has been solid with three straight 40-plus win seasons and three consecutive playoff appearances.

Check out our AHL to KHL signing tracker and AHL Free Agency signing tracker.