Category: Ice Hockey

Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek is no stranger to difficult contract negotiations when it comes to RFAs under team control, especially if those players don’t hold arbitration rights.

Coming off of his ELC, 22-year-old center Mason McTavish has now missed two full days of a pivotal training camp preceding a season where the Ducks’ internal expectations are to make the 2026 NHL Playoffs.

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"Talks are ongoing, and we've made a lot of progress over the summer, but we're not there yet. So, until we get there, he won't be here,” Verbeek said when addressing the media on the opening day of training camp.

“I've known (McTavish's agent) Pat Morris for a long time, so we both understand each other and know how each other goes about their business, so it's just totally fine.

“We're closing in, I would say. But, like I said, we're not there yet. So, both sides have to agree to a deal.”

McTavish is seemingly a core member of the Ducks moving forward, but that hasn’t stopped his name from appearing on nearly every media outlet’s list of potential trade targets league-wide.

Premier NHL insider Elliotte Friedman may have thrown some cold water on some of that speculation on Friday morning when he took to his “32 Thoughts” podcast.

“Teams have called Verbeek, as you can imagine, about, ‘Hey, if you can't sign this guy and can't agree with this guy, we'd love to trade for him.’ And I think Verbeek has told everybody to get lost.”

Similar to McTavish now, two previous members of the expected future core of the franchise missed time in camp under a new head coach in the summer of 2023: Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, when Greg Cronin was first hired.

Both Zegras and Drysdale struggled to get up to speed in camp, initially struggled, got injured, and are now members of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Drysdale was traded in Jan. 2024 along with a 2025 second-round pick in exchange for Cutter Gauthier. Immediately after Drysdale departed, Zegras’ name was in trade rumors for the next year and a half until he was shipped out for Ryan Poehling, a 2025 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick.

Throughout the duration of Zegras’ name at the top of trade boards, when asked about it, Verbeek would reply with an answer suggesting he would do what he thought made the Ducks better or would give a “Hey, even Gretzky was traded” response. Nothing resembling a “get lost” report was to be found in media discussions surrounding Zegras during the previous 18 months.

Sentiments surrounding Verbeek and the organization suggest they seem committed to McTavish down the middle for the foreseeable future. Friedman stated that the two sides prefer or are receptive to a long-term agreement.

“I’ve heard it in several different places; no one has disputed it to me, but the Ducks do not want to do a bridge,” Friedman continued. “They want to do longer term here, and I do believe McTavish is receptive to that. I think he is willing to go long-term here.”

The holdup seems to be the discrepancy of desired AAV on said long-term deal, but the sooner the sides can agree, especially under a new coaching staff, the better it will be for all parties involved.

“It's disappointing that he's not here. Yeah, virtually a whole new coaching staff, and the group's really excited like I've never seen before, Verbeek said. “There’s a new system that's getting implemented. There's a lot of things to learn, and it takes a lot of reps to get it under each player's belt.

“When Mason gets here, he's got a lot of catching up to do. I've been through this scenario.

It's not easy to join mid-camp or miss (the) whole camp. Camp is a very important part of a player's preparedness to go into the season, and so from that aspect, it's disappointing.”

Quenneville and newly appointed assistant coach Jay Woodcroft may have to be delicate with getting McTavish up to speed when he eventually joins the team as not to put the team behind the eight ball or risk injury to the player in an effort for him to catch up to where his teammates are in camp.

“Well, I think the guys are all professional. You’ve got to take care of what you can control, and in McTavish’s case, we'd love to see him here, and we're understanding,” Quenneville added when interviewed by media. “These things happen. I'm looking forward to coaching him, and at some point, I expect that to happen.”

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Dec 31, 2010; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ray Shero in attendance during practice the day before the 2011 Winter Classic against the Washington Capitals at Heinz Field. Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Ray Shero left a lasting legacy on the Nashville Predators and the hockey world in general before his passing last April.

On Friday, The National Hockey League announced that Shero has been named the recipient of the 2025 Lester Patrick Trophy for outstanding service to hockey in the United States.

The annual award, one of the most prestigious in hockey, was presented to the National Hockey League by the New York Rangers in 1966. It honors the memory of Lester Patrick, who spent 50 years in hockey as a player, coach and general manager and was a pioneer in the sport’s development.

Shero, a native of Saint Paul, Minn., who passed away April 9 at the age of 62, spent 13 seasons as an NHL general manager, including a Stanley Cup championship season with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2008-09. He also served as GM of the New Jersey Devils, in addition to long stints as an executive with the Ottawa Senators, Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild.

“Ray Shero’s legacy as an NHL executive is immortalized by the engraving of his name on the Stanley Cup and the success of the Players he scouted, drafted and traded for in Pittsburgh, New Jersey, Ottawa, Nashville and Minnesota,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “His contributions to growing the game in the United States are similarly noteworthy and extensive – from captaining his team at St. Lawrence University to helping assemble 13 U.S. World Championships teams to serving as an associate general manager for the 2014 U.S. Olympic Team.

“However, his true legacy will be as a man who embodied the best of our game: fierce competition on the ice and welcoming fellowship off the ice. Widely respected throughout hockey for his team-building acumen and eye for talent, he was even more beloved for how he treated everyone fortunate enough to have known him.”

After a four-year playing career at St. Lawrence University, Shero worked as a player agent for seven years before becoming Assistant General Manager of the Senators in 1993. He spent five seasons in that position, before moving on to the same role with the Predators in 1998.

Shero was a key figure in guiding the Predators through their first eight years of existence in the NHL. He and former Preds general manager David Poile were close friends, with Shero attending Poile’s induction into the Hockey Hall Of Fame last November.

Following his time in Nashville, Shero was hired as Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Penguins in 2006. He helped build the Penguins squad that went to consecutive Stanley Cup Finals in 2008 and 2009 and emerged victorious over the Detroit Red Wings in the second of those two trips to capture the franchise’s third Stanley Cup.

Shero then became Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Devils in 2015. His last NHL role came in June of 2021, when he joined the Wild as Senior Advisor to the General Manager, a position which he still held at the time of his passing.

EAST MEADOW, NY -- There's been tremendous hype around the New York Islanders' No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer, and it's well deserved. 

From the way he's carried himself off the ice to what he's displayed on the ice, there's no confusion as to why he heard his name called before everyone else out in Los Angeles in late June.

 "Matty, what's up, you stud?" Islanders forward Mathew Barzal asked Schaefer on the phone right after he was drafted.

Mathew Barzal's First Comments To Islanders No. 1 Overall Pick Matthew Schaefer On Wednesday night, the New York Islanders dropped episode one of "On The Island", their behind-the-scenes footage of the 2025 NHL Draft. 

There's no question Barzal was hyped to have Schaefer with the organization, and now that he's been able to skate with him, No. 13 is still hyped to have Schaefer here. 

"He looks great," Barzal said following day two of training camp. "He's obviously a great skater. It's crazy to think he's only 18 years old. I don't know what the plan is, but he's gonna be one of, if not the best defenseman in the league, I think, at some point, just based on his instincts right now. I mean, he's got it."

That's some praise from Barzal to Schaefer, but something that could certainly be the case down the line. 

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Based on the first two days of training camp, it appears as if Adam Fox will be paired alongside Vladislav Gavrikov. 

The New York Rangers invested a lot of money to stabilize the defense this summer, as they signed Gavrikov to a seven-year, $49 million contract. 

The idea in signing Gavrikov was not only to help sure up the defense as a whole, but also to help reignite Fox’s game. 

After years of playing with Ryan Lindgren, Fox had multiple defensive partners last season, which seemed to negatively impact his level of play. 

Gavrikov provides a steady and reliable presence for Fox, who is excited about the opportunity to potentially create a strong partnership on the ice with Gavrikov.

"He's an elite defenseman, and I think everyone wants to play with a guy like that,” Fox said of Gavrikov. “He’s pretty similar to what I’m used to, playing with someone who is super reliable. You know what you’re getting when he’s out there and he’s a smart player too. I’m sure that chemistry will come a little bit more. It has been good being able to skate with him a little bit.”

A critical part of Fox’s game is his ability to create offense, but he wasn’t able to do that as effectively last year with a large defensive burden placed on his shoulders. 

The hope is that Fox will be able to unlock that part of his game with Gavrikov by his side. 

“Foxy is a great player, a great play-maker,” Gavrikov said. “Can do anything with the puck, skating very well as well. If I’m going to be with him, I’ll be happy to have him as a partner. I think we can create some offense on the other side, and play good defense.”

Mike Sullivan's Presence And Voice Felt Profoundly Through Rangers' First Day Of Training Camp You hear a lot about the coaching bump in the NHL, and it appears the New York Rangers may be in the midst of that with Mike Sullivan. 

Fox and Gavrikov are clearly the Rangers’ two top defensemen currently on the roster, so there’s an argument to be made that they should be separated in order to create a balanced D-core.

However, Sullivan hinted that it may be the best course of action to have these two blueliners play together. 

Sullivan has been emphatic about the fact that Fox remains one of the premier defensemen in the NHL, and he wants to do everything he can to unlock his full potential. 

“How do we find a way to help Fox capture his very best game? I know we have the conversation, do we have the ideal partner for him? Because if we could find an ideal partner for him, where he could build and develop chemistry, that would suggest that it would set him up for success,” Sullivan said. 

Nothing is set in stone yet, but all signs are pointing toward Fox and Gavrikov playing together, which could make for a lethal defensive duo.

Florida Panthers' Sergei Bobrovsky has played plenty of hockey throughout his career, but the past three seasons of dominance are more than any other netminder in the NHL.

The 36-year-old has played in 162 regular-season games in the past three seasons and 66 post-season games. Not only has he just played in those games, but he's also excelled and could be considered the most important player on the Panthers' roster.

With the success comes the worry that fatigue could catch up to him, but Bobrovsky says otherwise.

"I had a good summer. I was focused on the mental side of it," said Bobrovsky. "My goal was to clean everything up, you know, to clear everything up and get ready for the season, and especially mentally, to be excited, to be fresh and not thinking much about hockey. I thought I did a good job with it. I felt like the summer was so long for me, and I'm so excited to be back. I'm so excited to see everybody, the guys, the coaches. I'm so excited to be here in this facility, locker room, everything. I'm hungry and happy and appreciative for the situation that’s in front of us."

Losing Spencer Knight for almost all of the previous two seasons forced Bobrovsky to dress in more games than the Panthers would have likely wanted to. The addition of Daniil Tarasov should give the Russian netminder more opportunities to rest.  

“It is a huge honor, and a huge opportunity,’’ said Tarasov. “I was super-excited when I was traded, got the call from Bill and especially from ‘The Bob.’ It was a huge welcome, they said it was great to see me here as a Panther.”

The Panthers' confidence to beat any team they are matched up against is sky high, but avoiding external factors like injuries and fatigue can be unavoidable. Adequate rest and a rotation with plenty of depth, the Panthers possess, could help avoid those lingering issues that tend to affect teams come playoff time. 

Panthers' Sergei Bobrovsky Ranks Fourth In NHL Network's Top 10 Goaltenders RankingsFlorida Panthers Sergei Bobrovsky landed at No.4 on the NHL Network's top 10 goaltenders list heading into the 2025-26 season.

The hockey world lost a legend earlier this month, as Montreal Canadiens legend Ken Dryden sadly passed away on Sep. 5 at the age of 78 after a battle with cancer. 

Dryden, of course, put together a Hall of Fame career with the Canadiens. During his eight-year NHL career with the Habs, he recorded a 258-57-74 record, a .922 save percentage, a 2.30 goals-against average, and 46 shutouts. Due to his incredible play, he won the Vezina Trophy five times and the Stanley Cup six times during his time with the Habs. He was also a Conn Smythe Trophy winner (1971), Calder Memorial Trophy winner (1972), and a five-time All-Star. 

Now, the Canadiens have rightfully paid homage to Dryden in a classy way. The Canadiens players currently have a number and mask decal on the back of their helmets to pay respect to Dryden.

29 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/kdNjNCj7G5

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) September 18, 2025

This is a nice gesture by the Canadiens, and it is certainly warranted for a legend like Dryden. He is one of the greatest Canadiens of all-time. 

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It's been a long, long time since the Detroit Red Wings have made the playoffs – too long, if you're a Hockeytown resident who grew up with Stanley Cup parades and division titles.

While the Wings have come close a number of times in recent years, they haven't quite sealed the deal. 

With NHL training camps open, hope springs eternal, and the Motor City is not immune. Last year, GM Steve Yzerman dismissed coach Derek Lalonde after a 13-17-4 start, replacing him with veteran bench boss Todd McLellan. Detroit went 26-18-4 the rest of the way, which, hypothetically, means they could have been a playoff team had they played at that pace all year. Coming into this season, Detroit's stars are excited about what a full year of McLellan could mean for their fortunes.

"I played a lot better under him when we made the switch," said future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane. "The team started playing more aggressive and playing better. As you get older you want to win, and I think we can do that there. That's the goal, to get into the playoffs. We really feel we're on the verge, and we should do it this year."

The Detroit job brings McLellan's NHL journey full circle. His first gig in the league was as an assistant coach with the Red Wings, where he won a Stanley Cup under Mike Babcock. After that, he got the head coaching job in San Jose, where he guided the Sharks to back-to-back conference finals. Most recently, he was in Los Angeles, where his Kings ran into Connor McDavid and the Oilers twice in a row (before that, he coached McDavid himself in Edmonton).

And while he hasn't even been in Detroit for a whole season yet, the Red Wings have faith in McLellan.

"Todd really preaches details a lot," said right winger Alex DeBrincat. "You can make mistakes, but if you work hard, you're gonna be on his good side. He wants 100 percent out of everyone at all times. He'll hold you accountable for mistakes, so don't do it again."

Explaining the methods behind certain strategies is also a strength, DeBrincat noted.

"Some guys don't like dumping the puck in, but if a certain play calls for it, he's going to tell you what happens next that can really improve the team game," he said. "He thinks the game really well, which is fun to be a part of. You're not just skating around and getting nothing accomplished. He's got a plan for you."

With the likes of Kane, DeBrincat, Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin up front, the Wings have weapons. Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson continue to grow on the blueline, while veteran John Gibson arrives from Anaheim with a ton of experience and a chip on his shoulder to prove he can still be a top-flight NHL netminder. The Wings play in the toughest division in hockey, and even a wild-card spot in the East will take a strong effort, but it's not outside the realm of possibility – the drought could certainly end this season.

"We feel good," DeBrincat said. "We made a couple moves this summer that should help us out, and overall, we've been doing this, at least in my time, two years in a row and a year prior to that where we just missed, so it's time for us to step up."

Red Wings fans could not agree more.

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Feb 3, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi (59) clears the puck against the Ottawa Senators during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

With all the disappointments of the 2024-25 season, the Nashville Predators were in need of some good news as they opened training camp and began turning the page to 2025-26.

It came in the form of a positive report on team captain Roman Josi, who was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) last season.

The fact that the 35-year-old left-shot defenseman was present for the Preds’ first practice on Thursday was a plus in and of itself. During his media availability, Josi’s update on his health gave the team and its fans cause for optimism.

“I feel good,” Josi told reporters after Thursday's practice. “I’ve been skating for a while now. Even after the season, I started skating pretty soon, and even before camp practicing in full. (Thursday’s practice) was good. It was hard, but it was a good day.”

Josi suffered a concussion during a Feb. 25 game against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers Feb. 25 and missed the final 25 games of the season. As his recovery dragged on, he knew something wasn’t right and began looking into it.

“It just got to a point where it got worse and worse,” he explained. “That’s where I figured it out and… this was a really good thing for me to get some clarity. I think as a player, you start self diagnosing a lot. Having some clarity and having a plan going forward is huge to me.”

POTS is a condition that causes the heart to beat faster than normal when transitioning from sitting or lying down to standing up. Olympic gold medal swimmer Katie Ledecky also was also diagnosed with POTS, but continues to compete.

Josi had been dealing with POTS symptoms even before his injury including headaches, elevated heart rate and dizziness. Once doctors discovered his condition, he began formulating a plan. He changed his diet and is making an effort to get more sleep.

Josi recorded 38 points (9-29-38) in 53 games for the Predators last season. While there were many things that went wrong for the team, losing their captain for that long stretch was like the final nail in the coffin.

“He’s our captain, our best player,” Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said Thursday. “Missing him for a substantial amount of time last year obviously isn’t a good thing. So, it’s great to see him healthy, number one; forget about the hockey part. I think he battled through that last year. I think he hung in there. Obviously, he’s got a lot of pride in this organization, he didn’t want to let (his teammates) down.”

Now that he has medication and other tools to help manage his condition, Josi is confident he can return to form this season.

“There’s some triggers, some times where I might feel symptoms a little bit,” Josi said. “Having the tools to manage it a lot better now is huge for me, and it makes a world of difference. I’m definitely back to 100 percent and feeling really good on the ice.”

Of course, one training camp practice is too small a sample size to determine what Josi’s role will be moving forward. Will he have to manage his workload and get less ice time than the approximate 25 minutes a night he’s been used to getting in previous years? Can he come anywhere close to the 85-point production of the 2023-24 season?

It seems unrealistic to think Josi can play an 82-game schedule like he did that season; in fact, it’s highly unlikely. Training camp will go a long way toward answering the many questions that remain. But having him back for any length of time will be a boost for the Predators.

“To see him back on the ice, for me, and I think for every Nashville Predator fan or anybody in the organization is a big deal," Brunette said.

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The San Jose Sharks hosted their opening day of training camp on Thursday morning.

The Teal group, featuring players like Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, Nick Leddy, and John Klingberg, to name a few, started things off with their practice. Notably, Cam Lund was originally slated to skate with the Teal group but did not take the ice. Carson Wetsch and Oliver Wahlstrom took the ice instead, after not being listed. While there were a couple of interesting moments, the highlight was certainly when Celebrini pulled out an ankle-breaker on Leddy.

During the post-scrimmage media availability, Smith noted that although he was previously expected to spend a considerable amount of time playing center this season, he’s expecting to mostly play on the wing. He added, “I also worked on draws over the summer a lot. [I] got some tips from a lot of really good centers in the NHL, so if I need to take a faceoff at the end of a game, or at any point, I can do it.

Smith also spoke about not being invited to USA Hockey’s Olympic Orientation Camp, stating: “[It] definitely fuels the fire. I think every guy wants to be on that team, and I love playing for my country.” He went on to add, “I’m not going to worry about it too much. America’s got a bunch of amazing players, as everyone knows.”

Leddy then spoke about his feelings about joining the Sharks after previously playing with the Blues, “There’s a lot of excitement. You look at this roster up and down, there’s a lot of skill, a lot of speed, good goaltending, so there’s a lot of excitement ahead.” He opted to keep what type of injury held him to just 31 games last season private, but did note, “I feel good. [I’m] very excited to have another chance to prove myself.”

Leddy also spoke highly of Celebrini, “I don’t know if you saw, but he danced me and I fell,” he started with a chuckle. He continued, “It goes back to his work ethic. He’s one of the first guys out there and one of the last guys off. That’s a sign of a true leader. I’ve seen many captains do that throughout the years.”

From there, the first scrimmage of training camp was held at TechCU Arena, with the aforementioned Teal group taking on the Black group, which included the likes of Mario Ferraro, Yaroslav Askarov, and the second-overall pick from this summer’s draft, Michael Misa.

In the two-period scrimmage, the first period was a goaltending duel as both Alex Nedeljkovic and Yaroslav Askarov were able to keep the puck out of the net. Scoring opened in the second period, when Mario Ferraro made a smart pinching play from the blue line, and after a couple of attempts, he was able to beat Teal’s goaltender, Joshua Ravensbergen. Lucas Vanroboys scored Black’s second goal, and an empty-net goal sealed Teal’s fate as the Black group won 3-0.

The Black group then took the ice at the Sharks Rink for their practice. Tyler Toffoli spoke with the media and was quickly asked about the possibility of assuming the captaincy this season. He replied, “If something like that were to happen, then obviously it'd be an incredible honor. But at the same time, with the guys that came in, there are a lot of guys that are capable of doing that. I think we have a general group of captains within our organization and our team in the locker room that all step up.”

Toffoli also noted a key similarity between Misa and Celebrini: “[Misa] always wants the puck. When you have a kid who's 18 years old and demanding the puck in the middle of the ice, that goes a long way. You look at Macklin, and he's the exact same way. Different players, obviously, but both demand the puck and want the puck. I think that alone is a really good sign for a bright career.”

William Eklund noted that he has fully recovered from his wrist injury ahead of the World Championships. He was also complimentary of Sharks forward prospect Igor Chernyshov, “Really good player. You know, he’s very strong on the puck.”

The biggest news coming out of Ferraro’s availability was undoubtedly regarding his current contract status. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and, as of now, there have been no contract extension discussions between him and the Sharks.

Macklin Celebrini was also requested by the media, but was unavailable due to illness. 

Over the course of all the media availabilities, one thing stood above the rest. The Sharks are tired of losing, and they feel ready to take the next step, which, as Toffoli put it, is simple: “Not finish last.”

21 Days Until Opening Day: The Sharks' History of Number 21The San Jose Sharks' season is just around the corner. NHL training camps opened yesterday and today, players returned to the ice for the start of on-ice activities. That brings us to just 21 days away from the official kickoff of the 2025-26 season against the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 9 at 10 p.m. Sharks Announce 2025 Training Camp RosterLess than 24 hours before the San Jose Sharks start training camp, they’ve officially released their training camp roster. Sharks Sign Former Islanders Forward To PTO & AHL DealThe San Jose Sharks have announced that they’ve signed former New York Islanders forward Oliver Wahlstrom to a professional tryout (PTO) and an AHL contract.

On Thursday, GM Jason Botterill spoke to the media about the competition in training camp and the feel around the team, touching upon the idea of the Seattle Kraken carrying three goaltenders throughout the regular season. 

Due to the Olympic break, the NHL season will feature a more condensed schedule. Because of this, teams will need to rethink how they deploy players and goaltenders.

For the Kraken, the current concern is keeping their netminders, Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer, fresh, and one way is by keeping veteran goaltender Matt Murray on the NHL roster. 

"They're certainly going to be competing. We are ecstatic that Joey (Daccord) got the opportunity to be at the USA orientation camp; he certainly deserved that opportunity," said Botterill. "Joey's done a great job the last couple of years developing into a No.1 goalie in the National Hockey League, and it's great to see a goalie that was playing games for us in the Calder Cup Final to being in the mix to make a U.S. Olympic team."

Currently, Daccord is the proven and most deserving of the No.1 role. The 29-year-old has started over 50 games in the previous two seasons, recording a .906 save percentage and a 2.75 goals against average in 2024-25.

"Different positions, forwards, d-men, adding depth in those roles, competition in those roles and we've certainly done that in the goaltender position too. We are going to need the three of them throughout the year. We are ecstatic about Kokko and Ostman as young goalies developing in our system, but you don't want to throw them in NHL games until they are ready... We have ideas on playing three goalies, and we also have ideas if injuries occur, and we have to make an adjustment from that standpoint."

Daccord's role is seemingly set in stone, but as Grubauer has continued to struggle during his Kraken career, Murray comes with the opportunity to re-earn an NHL role. 

"I think there is a competition there for sure," Botterill said when asked if Murray could win a role over Grubauer. "I think there is different scenarios where we looked at being able to carry three goalies. How condensed some of the games are, I think you are going to need three goalies this season. "

Competition in training camp is a positive thing. As long as it's healthy competition, the players will push one another to be better, and that's exactly what Botterill and coach Lane Lambert are hoping for.

Former St. Louis Blues defenseman Ryan Suter is still without a contract, but the longtime NHLer isn't forcing a deal.

According to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun, Suter is still open to playing in the NHL, but isn't chasing opportunities; he's waiting for a team to come to him. 

Now 40 years old, Suter is as proven as they come, and if a team needs a veteran defenseman with 1526 games of NHL experience, he'll answer the call. 

"The 40-year-old defenseman instructed his longtime agent, Neil Sheehy, not to be proactive in calling teams. Suter didn’t want to force it, Sheehy said Thursday. If a team called with interest, so be it; they would listen. But they weren’t going to chase it," said LeBrun in his NHL rumblings story. After 20 NHL seasons, Sheehy said Suter is at peace with whatever comes. Perhaps a contender calls in the coming weeks, or maybe that’s it after an amazing career. The former Team USA Olympian played for the minimum $775,000 with the St. Louis Blues last season after three previous seasons with the Dallas Stars. But Suter has not retired just yet."

Suter has had an illustrious career, skating with the Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars and the Blues in his most recent stop. In what could be his final season and his lone season with the Blues, Suter notched two goals and 15 points, playing in all 82 games. 

The former seventh overall pick in the 2003 NHL Draft never won a Stanley Cup. Still, he did bring home an Olympic silver medal, gold at the World Junior Championship and the U-18s as well as a second-place finish in Norris Trophy voting in 2012-13.  

Suter's future is uncertain at the moment, but one of the most reliable players in the NHL has ever seen hasn't closed the door on the NHL quite yet. 

Scott Laughton, a self-described "pretty harsh self-critic," wasn't happy with his performance after joining the Toronto Maple Leafs midway through last season."I wasn't good enough last year. That's the bottom line," Laughton said following his first on-ice session at training camp. "I need to be able to contribute offensively and create that way and help out some of those top guys".

The Leafs acquired the 12-season Philadelphia Flyers veteran at the March trade deadline for a 2027 first-round draft pick and popular Russian forward prospect Nikita Grebenkin. The 31-year-old from Oakville, Ontario, recorded two goals and two assists in 20 regular season games as he struggled to find his fit with the club.

Following Toronto’s 2025 second-round playoff exit against the Florida Panthers, Laughton went to Muskoka with his wife, Chloe, and baby son, Reed. He used the time to get in some much-needed family time and to take a break from what was a hectic year that included uprooting from Philadelphia.

'More Backcheck And There'll Be A Greater Paycheck': Maple Leafs React To Losing Players And Prospects On Trade Deadline DayDENVER — The Toronto Maple Leafs made some big moves ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade deadline. The Leafs acquired forward Scott Laughton from the Philadelphia Flyers and defenseman Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins.

Upon returning from up north, Laughton spent most of the summer working out at the Maple Leafs practice facility, trying to familiarize himself with the organization and his new franchise, getting to know everyone from staff, to veterans and rookies.

Before training camp opened, Laughton spoke to Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube about his desire to get on the team’s penalty kill this season."I think I drive and create a lot of offense on it. And it drives my game. So I'm excited about it," he said.

‘That Was Kind Of My Era Of Hockey’: Scott Laughton Ready To Write His Own Chapter With Maple Leafs In Battle Of Ontario RevivalScott Laughton is ready for the revival of the Battle of Ontario. 

Driving offense from the penalty kill will be music to Maple Leafs head coach Berube’s ears since Mitch Marner played a key role in that regard for Toronto last season.

Berube praised Laughton's commitment."He was here a lot of the summer, putting in the work. And I think that's going to be a big difference for him and for us." The coach added, "I think going forward, you'll see a different player".

Based on the conversation, it sounds like Auston Matthews will still get reps on the penalty kill this season while newcomer Nicolas Roy will be another center option. Berube cited Dakota Joshua as another player with penalty-kill experience that can help.

'I'm Starting To Find My Footing': How Scott Laughton Is Adjusting To Life With Maple Leafs After First Eight GamesLaughton hasn't registered a point since being acquired by the Maple Leafs at the trade deadline.

Nothing about being a Leaf surprised Laughton, though he did describe the experience as “extremely cool”.“Those playoff games, Ottawa Senators at home and Florida (Panthers), you go out and it had been a long time since I had the hair stand up on my arms, and you get that feeling. There's nothing like it when you play in the playoffs and you get a chance to live out your dream,” he said.

Laughton, an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, says he hasn’t thought about his contract beyond this year."I think as you go along, you kind of let your game speak for itself," Laughton said. "You've got to be good and play to your potential, and whatever happens, happens. I've never been a free agent, so I don't even know the feeling. I haven't even thought that far ahead. I just want to have a good start for the group and contribute where I can".

‘That’s How You Win A Series’: Craig Berube Praises Scott Laughton’s Shot-Blocking Heroics, Maple Leafs' Bottom-Six Delivers Against SenatorsWith 25 seconds left on the clock in a one-goal game, it wasn’t a member of the ‘Core Four’ who made the defining play of the Toronto Maple Leafs' series-clinching win – it was Scott Laughton, throwing himself in front of a Jake Sanderson slap shot to preserve the lead.

“Those playoff games, Ottawa Senators at home and Florida Panthers, you go out and it was a long time since I had the hair stick up on my arms, and you get that feeling. There's nothing like it when you play in the playoffs and you get a chance to live out your dream.”

Laughton is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season and is eligible to sign a contract extension before then. But he insists he hasn’t thought about free agency and is more focused on getting his game back to where it was before the trade to Toronto.“I think as you go along, you kind of let your game speak for itself,” Laughton said. “You've got to be good and play to your potential, and whatever happens, happens.“I've never had free agency, so I don't even know the feeling. So I haven't even thought that far ahead. I just want to have a good start for a group and contribute where I can.”

'Hopefully Those Conversations Come': Scott Laughton Being Patient For Contract Negotiations With Maple LeafsScott Laughton has thoroughly enjoyed his first summer at home as a Toronto Maple Leaf.

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Thursday’s episode of the Crave series The Rebuild: Inside the Montreal Canadiens aired on Thursday and focused solely on the Habs’ qualification for the playoffs and the series against the Washington Capitals.

Seeing how the players reacted to the qualification and how much they wanted to make the spring dance, not only for themselves and for the team, but also for veteran defenseman David Savard.

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We got a glimpse of that faithful April 16 from behind the scenes with Geoff Molson spending the whole day at the Bell Centre, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton watching from above on pins and needles when the Canadiens were desperately trying to seal the deal with an empty net goal.

The aftermath was also notable, with Martin St-Louis receiving the game puck from his team for his first playoff appearance as a coach. Seeing the unbridled joy in his face was quite something, because what we usually see is a guy who’s fully dialed in and just focused on his job.

The show then showed the making of the playoffs’ opening ceremony and the thinking that went behind having Carey Price, the man who last guided the team to the playoffs, light up the ice, and just how important it seemed to be for the organization to get the fans as pumped up as possible. An employee even recalls a player telling her that when the fans are waving the towels and screaming their heads off, you can actually feel the vibrations in the building.

Of course, the realization that playoff hockey is a different animal is part of the conversation as we see several extracts of the series against the Washington Capitals and of Tom Wilson’s impact on proceedings through his bone-crushing hits. While it’s obvious the team would have liked its playoff journey to last a lot longer, we see the realization that something is missing, particularly in terms of grit and physicality.

One of the most interesting parts of this final episode has to be Gorton and Hughes’ end-of-season talk with Juraj Slafkovsky. While the youngster wonders where his head was at in October and November and why he couldn’t play like he did at the end of the season, his bosses tell him that he has to be mentally ready when he comes to camp and not just physically prepared. Gorton even adds that self-flagellation in the media is not the way to get back on track, either. As for Hughes, he asks the power forward if he saw what Wilson did in the series against the Caps and tells him that he could be that guy for the Canadiens.

Will there be another season? They joke about it, saying it needs a new name now that they've made the playoffs, but I think there’s a real appetite for it among fans. It’s an excellent way to get to know both the organization and the players in a new light.

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