The NHL's Calder Trophy race is always one of the most unpredictable storylines heading into the NHL season.

While much of the spotlight tends to shine on hyped rookies and high draft picks, history has shown that lesser-discussed players can emerge as serious contenders.

Artemi Panarin, Kirill Kaprizov and, most recently, Dustin Wolf, are just a few of the stars who have proven that opportunity, situation and timing can be just as important as raw talent.

The 2025-26 NHL rookie class is stacked with potential difference-makers, such as Ivan Demidov and Zeev Buium. But let’s look at three players who may be flying under the radar for potential Calder Trophy consideration.

Sam Rinzel, D, Chicago Blackhawks

Calder Trophy winner odds on BetMGM: 41.00 (+4,000)

Sam Rinzel is joining a crowded dressing room of young defenders within the Chicago Blackhawks organization.

The Blackhawks have eight defensemen who played NHL games last year under contract heading into the 2025-26 season, not including RFA Wyatt Kaiser. Seven of them are younger than 25. It’s far too early to cement anyone’s role within the lineup, but Rinzel possesses the skill set to be the team’s top offensive defenseman this season.

Rinzel joined the Blackhawks for the team’s final nine games of last season and showed some real offensive promise, finishing with five assists, three of which came on the man-advantage. He led the Blackhawks in ice time per game in that stretch (23:22) and was immediately thrust onto the team’s top power-play unit.

It’s a short sample size, but that level of production would give Rinzel 45 points over an 82-game season, which would likely put him near the top of rookie defenders in scoring.

Unfortunately, the Blackhawks will likely not be near playoff contention this season, making it difficult for him to make a case for himself to have improved a franchise as much as other rookies. While it will be difficult for him to stand out, it shouldn’t rule out his chance completely.

Jimmy Snuggerud, RW, St. Louis Blues

Calder Trophy winner odds on BetMGM: 18.00 (+1,700)

Jimmy Snuggerud made his NHL debut on April 1 and played in seven regular-season games with the St. Louis Blues, where he recorded a goal and three assists.

However, the Minneapolis, Minn., native was also an integral part in all seven of the team’s first-round playoff games against the Winnipeg Jets, picking up two goals and two assists in the series.

Snuggerud was slotted on the Blues’ top line alongside Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich, and that role appears to be his to lose heading into training camp this fall. He even took some shifts on the top power-play unit, which could give him every opportunity to be a top offensive contributor for the Blues this season.

Snuggerud, 21, enters the season as one of the older rookies eligible for the Calder Trophy, putting him in a much more advantageous position over this rookie class of forwards. He’s also already earned the trust of coach Jim Montgomery with his offensive instincts and scoring ability, as he was playing just over 17 minutes per game in the playoffs.

There’s not a ton of competition for Snuggerud’s role with Jordan Kyrou being glued to the wing of Brayden Schenn on the team’s second line. If he can replicate the same level of production over 82 games and solidify himself as a top-line player, there’s a strong chance he’ll be a finalist for the Calder when the season concludes.

NHL Prospect Pool Overview ’25-26: Catch Up On Every Team’s PipelineThe NHL prospect pool overview series is our annual summer series breaking down every team's prospect pipeline.

Leevi Merilainen, G, Ottawa Senators

Calder Trophy winner odds on BetMGM: 61.00 (+6,000)

The goaltending situation in Ottawa will be intriguing this season.

Leevi Merilainen, a third-round pick in 2020, suited up 12 times for the Senators last season and had an impressive .925 save percentage and 1.99 goals-against average. His 8-3-1 record in that span helped the Senators end a losing skid and put them back on course for a playoff spot.

That short stint would indicate that he’s undoubtedly earned himself the chance to play a larger role throughout the regular season, now that backup Anton Forsberg signed with the Los Angeles Kings.

Obviously, the Senators have a commitment to Linus Ullmark for the next four years with a hefty $8.25-million cap hit, but his injury history, age and overall durability would suggest that Ottawa may have a tandem this season as opposed to Ullmark carrying a heavy workload.

In his 10-year NHL career, Ullmark’s career high in games played is 49, coming with the Boston Bruins in the 2022-23 season. His statistics have been remarkable within the 40-to-50 game range. But if Merilainen continues to have positive outings, then there’s less pressure on coach Travis Green to have Ullmark overwork himself in favor of having him well-rested for a potential playoff run.

It will be a crowded field of players for the Calder Trophy, and with only three goaltenders winning in the last 25 years, the odds are stacked against Merilainen. However, if the Senators can build off their 2024-25 campaign and remain in post-season contention, there’s a good chance he played a big part in that success and could be a worthy candidate for the award.

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Even after the Mitch Marner saga, player agent Darren Ferris says it’s business as usual with Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving.

The agent appeared on the 100% Hockey Podcast with Daren Millard and John Shannon last week to discuss Marner’s departure from the Maple Leafs and his arrival with the Vegas Golden Knights after a sign-and-trade in late June.

Toronto and Marner agreed to an eight-year, $96 million contract before sending him to Vegas in exchange for Nicolas Roy. Marner’s exit from the Maple Leafs was, and still is, a massive talking point amongst fans within Toronto.

However, during the interview with Millard and Shannon, Ferris indicated that nothing had changed within the relationship between the agent and GM, adding that the two had spoken about a free agent recently.

“[The relationship is] still cordial. I’ve known Brad quite a while. He’s a good man, and he’s got a tough job in front of him. Toronto’s not an easy organization to work in with all the noise on the outside, but he seems to weather it. Everything’s fine between us,” said Ferris. 

“We were talking about a free agent that I have currently that’s still out there, just recently acquired, and we just had a discussion, and we continue to, I mean, it’s business as usual.”

Among the free agents still available under Ferris is defenseman Matt Grzelcyk. The 31-year-old is coming off a full season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he tallied one goal and 40 points while averaging 20:37 of ice time on the blue line.

Grzelcyk had the second most points among Penguins defensemen, and if he were on the Maple Leafs, he’d have been one point off Morgan Rielly for the team lead. This past season with Pittsburgh was his best year to date, as he registered career highs in assists and average ice time.

Would bringing in Grzelcyk make sense for Toronto?

If there’s anything different about the upcoming season for the Maple Leafs, it’s the amount of quality defensemen they already have within the organization.

Any team, of course, would love to have as many defenders as possible, just in case injuries pop up, and the Maple Leafs have that. They’ve got the six defensemen (Rielly, Brandon Carlo, Chris Tanev, Jake McCabe, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Simon Benoit) who just helped push the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers to seven games.

Toronto has also brought in Henry Thrun from the San Jose Sharks in the Ryan Reaves trade, plus they have Matt Benning, Dakota Mermis, Philippe Myers, Marshall Rifai, and William Villeneuve waiting in the ranks.

The only reason Toronto should bring Grzelcyk in is if they’re afraid of losing a couple of defensemen to waivers at the beginning of the season, which could very well occur. 

Benning has mentioned he’d like a chance in the NHL with the Maple Leafs, or elsewhere. He could be a candidate to move if he has a strong training camp with Toronto and doesn’t make the team. 

The Maple Leafs kept Myers as depth for most of last season, which I’d assume they’d do again after signing him to a two-year, $1.7 million contract in January. I could see them doing that with Thrun instead, depending on which player has a better training camp.

Adding Grzelcyk wouldn’t necessarily be a bad move, especially if he comes in on a professional tryout, similar to how Max Pacioretty and Steven Lorentz did last training camp. As it stands currently, though, the Maple Leafs have $1,919,722 in cap space, according to PuckPedia.com.

Would you rather see Toronto spend that on another depth defender like Grzelcyk, with the chance of losing a couple of defensemen at the start of the season to waivers? Or would you like to see Treliving keep that money for an addition at the trade deadline?

Either way, these last few weeks before training camp could be fascinating to watch if you’re a fan of the Maple Leafs.

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When St-Georges native Joshua Roy turned up at the CN Sports Complexe in Brossard for training camp last season, he was pencilled in to make the Montreal Canadiens’ roster. But when the players hit the ice, it became apparent that the likes of Emil Heineman and Oliver Kapanen were outperforming him. A couple of weeks later, he landed in the AHL with the Laval Rocket, where he spent much of the last season, putting up 35 points in 47 games. In the 12 games he played in the NHL, he added two goals and failed to make much of an impact.

TVA Sports’ Nicolas Cloutier published an article on Tuesday morning about Roy’s training this Summer, including quotes from the man he put in charge of his very own rebuild: John Chaimberg. The trainer has worked with big names in the past, such as Georges St-Pierre and Kristopher Letang. Roy had to audition for Chaimberg to agree to train him.

Cloutier reports that the training has borne fruit; Roy’s weight has gone from 204 pounds to just 190, and he feels much better for it. He was told at the end of the season that he needed to bring more pace to his game, and he took the comments to heart. His summer coach raves about his work ethic and his improvement in the gym over the offseason, calling him the MVP of their summer.

It will be interesting to see how the leaner version of Roy performs at training camp. Getting a roster spot won’t be easy. While the man who pushed him out of the lineup last season is gone (Heineman was sent to the New York Islanders in the Noah Dobson trade), he has since been replaced by sophomore Zachary Bolduc (in a trade with the St. Louis Blues), who comes to town with an impressive resume and high expectations.

If Roy can bring the same dedication to the ice as he showed in his training session in the gym this summer, he could certainly put up a good fight. With Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia moving on, there will be roles available up front, but the 22-year-old will also need to outperform Joe Veleno and Samuel Blais, two players who are older and desperate to show that they belong in the NHL.

Veleno is a former first-round pick who was tagged with “exceptional status” back in 2015, which allowed him to play in the QMJHL at just 15 years of age. He willingly confesses that he might have taken his foot off the pedal at that point. In the NHL, he failed to make an impact with the Detroit Red Wings, who eventually traded him to the Chicago Blackhawks in March 2025. His stay in Illinois was short-lived, however, since he was traded to the Seattle Kraken this offseason before being bought out. He came to Montreal as a free agent on a one-year, one-way deal with a $900,000 AAV, which is a significant pay cut, and he’ll be eager to prove that he’s better than that.

As for Blais, he has played part of eight seasons in the NHL and even won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2018-19, but has never been able to establish himself as an NHLer and play a complete season. He spent the entire last campaign in the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks, winning the AHL Playoffs and scoring 19 points in 23 games on top of being assessed 70 penalty minutes. He also joined the Habs on a one-year, one-way deal, but on a league minimum $775,000 AAV.

Roy will be desperate as well, though. He’s about to embark on the last year of his ELC contract, and he needs to show that he belongs, if not in the Canadiens’ organisation, at least in professional hockey. At the end of the upcoming season, he will be an RFA with a $813,750 qualifying offer, according to Puckpedia. If he wants to secure a more valuable contract, he needs to make an impact now. It appears he has taken the necessary steps to do so this summer, but it remains to be seen how all that work will translate on the ice.

Of course, he’ll also need to outperform youngsters like Oliver Kapanen and Owen Beck. Kapanen started the season in Montreal last year before being loaned back to his European team, Timra IK in Sweden, where he played a significant role, getting plenty of ice-time not only at even strength, but also on special teams. He took part in three playoff games with the Canadiens, picking up an assist in minimal ice time.

As for Beck, he skated in 12 games with the Canadiens last year, all in the regular season, and grabbed a single assist. At 21 years old and with two years left on his ELC, he has time on his side, and there’s no need to rush his development.

As Martin St-Louis would say, there are chairs available in his lineup, and it will be interesting to see which of the players mentioned above manages to step up and not only grab one, but keep it.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs put pen to paper on a new contract for prospect goaltender Dennis Hildeby. The 24-year-old signed a new three-year deal that carries an average annual value of $841,667 at the NHL level.

The 24-year-old restricted free agent will be on a two-way contract for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons before shifting to a one-way deal in 2027-28. Hildeby made his NHL debut last season, starting in six games with the Leafs while posting a 3-3-0 record with a 3.33 goals-against average and .878 save percentage.

The 6-foot-7 Swede also got a taste of the NHL when he was called up during the 2023-24 season amid an injury to goaltender Joseph Woll and Ilya Samsonov's performance issues. Drafted by the Maple Leafs in the fourth-round (122nd) overall in the 2022 NHL Draft, Hildeby has spent most of the last two seasons playing with the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate Toronto Marlies, where he’s likely to spend most of the upcoming season.

The goaltender still has a lot to prove at the professional level. In 73 career games with the Marlies, Hildeby has a 37-21-11 record with a 2.53 goals-against average, along with a 1-3 record in five AHL playoff appearances with a 3.25 goals-against average and .895 save percentage.

Is Hildeby Toronto’s third goalie going into the season?

It appears so. With Hildeby getting some experience at the NHL level and Toronto looking solid with Anthony Stolarz and Woll, the Leafs appear comfortable promoting Hildeby as the No. 3 whenever he is needed. Unlike acquiring veteran goalies, Hildeby is also exempt from waivers, which has historically been a problem for Toronto.

The structure of Hildeby’s deal allows for the goaltender to know exactly where he is on the organization's depth chart. He is a young No. 3 who has an opportunity in the long run to earn a spot with the big club down the road if he can continue to develop at the professional level.

---

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Swedish center Jacob Josefson, 34, has signed a one-year contract to play with Djurgården, the Stockholm-based SHL club announced on Monday.

A former NHLer, Josefson has not played professionally since the 2020-21 season, when he recorded 14 points in 27 games for Djurgården. After suffering a series of concussions in his career, Josefson left the team’s training camp prior to the 2021-22 season when symptoms returned. This season, he feels he is finally ready to return and has already appeared in three pre-season games.

“I am so incredibly happy and grateful to have the chance to play hockey after a long absence,” Josefson is quoted in the club’s announcement. “Getting the opportunity to put on the Djurgården jersey and play in front of the best fans in the world again is something that I am extremely proud of. Always. No matter what.”

“This is so incredibly gratifying for both Djurgården and Jacob,” said club sports director Niklas Wikegård. “His attempt to return to hockey has succeeded and the entire Djurgården family will see when a great athlete is given a second chance.”

Born in Stockholm and a member of the Djurgården club from age 14 to 19, Josefson was picked in the first round, 20th overall, by the New Jersey Devils in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Between 2010 and 2018, he recorded 64 points and 84 penalty minutes in 315 regular-season NHL games, mostly with New Jersey but he also played one season with the Buffalo Sabres. His only six playoff games came in 2012 – a year the Devils went to the Stanley Cup Final – in which he tallied one assist.

Norwegian National Team Captain, Former Oiler & Flyer Retires There was speculation he’d come back for one more season but, ultimately, Patrick Thoresen is sticking with the decision he made last summer and announced his retirement on Thursday via Instagram.

From his return to Sweden 2018 until his timeout from hockey, Josefson served as Djurgården’s team captain.

“Hockey-wise, we know what Jacob is capable of, and that there is more to learn,” said Wikegård. “With every game he plays and every practise he attends, he feels stronger in his body. He can skate more, put more pressure on himself and will get better and better just like the rest of the team.”

Djurgården was just promoted to the SHL from the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan but is trying to build a competitive roster. The team will notably feature two 18-year-old forwards who were chosen in the first round of this year’s NHL Entry Draft – Victor Eklund and Anton Frondell.

In addition to Josefson, Eklund and Frondell, Djurgården’s lineup for the 2025-26 season also includes veteran center Marcus Krüger, who was a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks, Canadian winger Charles Hudon, Finnish right winger Jesse Ylönen, Swedish defenseman Gustav Lindström, and Swedish goaltender Magnus Hellberg.

Charles Hudon Signs In Sweden, Joins Frondell & EklundCanadian forward Charles Hudon, 31, has signed a two-year contract with Djurgården IF, the Stockholm-based SHL club announced on Wednesday.

The popular sporting video game series by EA Sports, NHL 26, is set for a September 12 release for Playstation and XBOX. 

Over the past two weeks, the software developer has begun unveiling its rankings for each different playing position in the game. 

Among those listed within the Top-10 at each position will be a handful of Winnipeg Jets players. 

The first position ranking provided by EA Sports was defenceman Josh Morrissey, who was given a 90 overall rating, ranking him eighth among all blueliners. 

The second Jets player to earn a place on the Top-10 position rankings was winger Kyle Connor, who was named the No. 4 left winger in the game with a 92 overall stat line.

Now, it was centre Mark Scheifele was unveiled as the No. 10 centreman in the game.

The 32-year-old put up 39 goals and 87 points in a career year for the Jets, besting his previous career highs in goals, points and penalty minutes, as he helped Winnipeg to the Presidents' Trophy as the No. 1 team following the conclusion of the regular season.

Scheifele's overall rating went up two percentage points from NHL 25 to a 91 overall, ranking him behind only Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Leon Draisaitl, Sasha Barkov, Sidney Crosby, Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, Jack Hughes and Brayden Point as the best centres in the game. 

No Jets cracked the Top-10 right wingers list, but the Top-10 EA Sports goaltenders is up next. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck should have his way with the list. 

The 2025-26 Anaheim Ducks will attempt to close this elongated rebuilding chapter of the organization's history, having missed the playoffs in each of the last seven years.

As constructed, the roster features very few players in their prime and is unlikely to include a rookie who plays all 82 games in the NHL. Thusly, individual NHL awards will probably elude the Ducks come season’s end.

However, one member of the organization is favored among peers to earn a major award when it comes time for the NHL to hand them out: Joel Quenneville.

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Per NHL.com, the Jack Adams Award is given annually to the NHL coach “adjudged to have contributed the most to their team's success.” The NHL Broadcasters’ Association votes on the award.

Per BetMGM, newly hired head coach of the Anaheim Ducks, Quenneville, is the favorite to win the Jack Adams with +700 odds. He edges out Utah Mammoth head coach Andre Tourigny (+750), Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis (+900), and Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Dean Evason (+1200).

Traditionally, the Jack Adams is awarded to either the coach whose team greatly improves in the standings from the year before, unexpectedly making the playoffs, or to the coach whose team is overwhelmingly the best in the NHL’s regular season.

After the Washington Capitals eked into the playoffs in 2023-24 with 91 points, Spencer Carbery won the 2025 Jack Adams after the 2024-25 Caps tallied 111 points and locked up the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

Rick Tocchet’s 2022-23 Vancouver Canucks and Daryl Sutter’s 2020-21 Calgary Flames hovered around NHL .500 in the season before each coach took home their respective Jack Adams Awards in 2024 and 2022.

Jim Mongomery’s 2022-23 Boston Bruins and Bruce Cassidy’s 2019-20 Bruins were particularly dominant, earning their coaches the Jack Adams Award to pair with the organization’s Presidents’ Trophies in those years.

The 2024-25 Ducks made a substantial improvement in the NHL standings from the 2023-24 team, improving from 59 points to 80 points. A self-imposed mandate to make the 2026 playoffs indicates the team expects to make another considerable leap, as the threshold to earn a Western Conference Wild Card spot has required a minimum of 97, 95, 98, and 96 points in each of the last four seasons.

After nearly four years away from the NHL, Quenneville was hired by the Anaheim Ducks on May 8 and brings with him a sparkling resume and an elite assistant coaching staff (Jay Woodcroft, Ryan McGill, Andrew Brewer, Tim Army, and Peter Budaj) at his flanks. Quenneville has won 969 NHL games (second-most in NHL history behind Scotty Bowman) in his coaching career with the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Chicago Blackhawks, and Florida Panthers from 1997 to 2021, winning three Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks in 2010, 2023, and 2015.

It’s more than reasonable to assume that if the Ducks achieve their lofty goal of reaching the NHL playoffs in 2025-26, Joel Quenneville will receive Jack Adams votes, and if they comfortably achieve that goal, he’ll run away with the award.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have 41 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today we look at the history of jersey #41. 

Let's take a look.

Matt Davidson - 2000-03 - Davidson was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the 4th round of the 1995 NHL Draft. He is a native of Flin Flon, Manitoba, the same town as CBJ bench boss Dean Evason. 

Davidson was traded to the Blue Jackets as part of an expansion draft deal in 2000. He played parts of three seasons for the Jackets, totaling 56 games, and had 12 points. He spent most of his time with Columbus playing for the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL. 

He left North America in 2004 for Europe. He played in Germany, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden before retiring in 2011.  

Brad Moran - 2001-04 - Moran was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the 7th round of the 1998 NHL Draft. 

The Jackets signed Moran as a free agent in 2000. He only played in 5 games as a Blue Jacket and had 2 points. He spent most of his time playing for the AHL Syracuse Crunch. In his final year with the Crunch in 2004-05, he played in 80 games and had 72 points. 

Moran left for a second stint in Europe in 2011 and played the last six years of his career there. He would retire after playing two seasons in the EIHL in 2017. 

Moran would be the GM and HC of the Calgary Canucks in the Alberta Junior Hockey League from 2018 to 2025. For the 25-26 season, Moran is signed on to be the Asst. Coach of the WHL's Calgary Hitmen. 

Ben Simon - 2005-06 - Simon was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1997 NHL Draft. 

Simon, a native of Shaker Heights, Ohio, played 13 games for Columbus during the 2005-06 season. He totaled zero points. He left for Europe and played one season in the EIHL in England. He retired in 2011. 

Simon moved into coaching almost immediately after retiring. His first head coaching job was for the Cincinnati Cyclones in 2013-14 for one season. He spent 5 years as the Head Coach for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL. He has been an assistant for the Iowa Wild for the last two seasons. 

Adam Pineault - 2007-08 - Pineault was drafted by Columbus in the 2nd round of the 2004 NHL Draft.

Pineault only played in 3 games for the Jackets and had zero points. He spent most of his time playing for the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL. On January 10, 2009, Pineault was traded by the Blue Jackets to the Chicago Blackhawks for Michael Blunden.  

After playing two years in Europe, he returned to North America and would play three more seasons before retiring in 2014. He suffered a jaw injury that ultimately ended his career. After retiring, he moved into pharmaceutical sales after his wife was diagnosed with Leukemia.

Allen York - 2011-12 - York was drafted by Columbus in the 6th round of the 2007 NHL Draft. 

York played in 11 games and started 5 of those for the Blue Jackets. He went 3-2 with a .920 SV%. He signed with the Nashville Predators on a PTO but was never signed. 

York would never play another game in the NHL after his time in Columbus. He spent time playing in the AHL, ECHL, and other various lower leagues around North America. He also spent five years as a goaltending coach in various leagues. 

He retired on March 4, 2016.

Alexander Wennberg - 2014-20 - Wennberg was drafted in the 1st round of the 2013 NHL Draft as the 14th overall draft pick. 

Wennberg came to North America and made his NHL Debut in 2014. After having three decent seasons, including a 59-point year in 2016-17, Wennberg was signed to a six-year deal on September 1st, 2017. 

Tom Wilson would seemingly derail Wennberg's career in the 2018 playoffs when he laid a devastating check on him. The next two seasons, Wennberg would only total 47 points. In October of 2020, the CBJ would buy Wennberg out, making him a free agent. The Jackets are finally about to make the final buyout payment to Wennberg this year. 

In addition to playing with the Florida Panthers since leaving Columbus, He's played for the Seattle Kraken, New York Rangers, and San Jose Sharks. After the 59-point season he had in 2016-17, Wennberg hasn't scored more than 38 points in a single season.

Hunter McKown - 2022-23 - McKown was an undrafted free agent out of San Jose, California. 

McKown has played 12 career games with the Jackets, all in 2022-23. He has spent the majority of his time playing for the Monsters. In the last two seasons, he has played in 121 games and has 55 points. 

This summer, he was signed to a one-year, two-way contract by GM Don Waddell. 

There are 41 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Who was your favorite #41? 

Let us know what you think below.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

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From The Archive: Meet A Mascot - StingerThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features. Blue Jackets Players Donate To Local Hockey Player With Brain Tumour Yesterday, a story surfaced on social media about local Columbus hockey player Quinn Halstead, who has recently been diagnosed with a brain tumour. Blue Jackets, Flames & NHL Make Donations In Honour Of Johnny & Matthew GaudreauToday marks one year since the hockey world tragically lost Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau. It is a sad day, a day to reflect and remember all the great memories of the brothers who were taken away too early. It is also a day to give back, with donations being made in their memory to foundations that carry on their legacy.

A member of the Florida Panthers defensive corps was the recent recipient of a major honor back in his homeland.

It’s no secret that Latvia has emerged as one of the most hockey-crazed nations in Europe.

Earlier this summer, Panthers defenseman Uvis Balinskis brought the Stanley Cup back home to Latvia.

During his special day with the Cup, Balinskis shared it with youth players at two local Latvian rinks before enjoying some intimate time with his close friends and family.

Last week, Balinskis shared in another special moment back on his home soil.

Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina invited Balinskis to the Palace of Justice inside the Latvian capital of Riga.

This must have been an amazing experience and extreme honor for Balinskis, who has worked his way from the KHL to the Czech Extraliga to the AHL to the NHL, all while keeping an incredible attitude and making his fellow countrymen extremely proud.

Photos of the visit were posted on social media and can be seen below:

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Photo caption: Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Uvis Balinskis (26) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

When looking back through Pittsburgh Penguins’ history, there are so many moments that ended up changing the course of the franchise and of NHL history. 

Such was the case 26 years ago on Sept. 1, 1999.

Leading up to that fateful day, the Penguins were in a bad spot financially. They were more than $90 million in debt and had just filed for bankruptcy in November of 1998. It was looking more and more like the Penguins would need to be relocated outside of Pittsburgh.

Then, the man who had previously been a franchise icon on the ice stepped up to become the team’s hero off of it, too. 

Earlier in 1999, Mario Lemieux had already started a process to purchase the Penguins from then-owners Howard Baldwin and Morris Belzberg. At the time, the team owed Lemieux $32.5 million in deferred salary during what was his first retirement, which began in 1997 after a long battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. 

The plan? Lemieux took $20 million of that deferred salary to invest into an ownership stake in the team, as his ultimate goal was to keep the Penguins in Pittsburgh under a new ownership group that included him in the mix. He took $5 million more out of that toward operating expenses, and he completely deferred the remaining $7.5 million altogether. 

The result? Lemieux got billionaire investor Ron Burkle in on the purchase as well, and he and Burkle bought the team from Baldwin and Belzberg for $107 million. The team’s debts were paid off by 2005, and Lemieux and Burkle officially saved the Penguins from relocation and kept the already-storied franchise in Pittsburgh.

Fenway, Lemieux Or Hoffmann, Penguins Are In Good ShapeOne of the most intriguing - and unexpected - NHL stories of the summer has been coming out of Pittsburgh.

Sept. 1, 1999 holds such a significant place in Pittsburgh’s history for a lot of reasons. For one, it was one of the closest times the team ever came to relocation - the issue re-emerged in 2007 when the team faced liquidation and, allegedly, got pretty close to moving to Kansas City - and Lemieux and company saved the team from the eventuality of that fate.

It also cemented the indelible tether between Lemieux and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Of course, Lemieux since sold the Penguins to Fenway Sports Group (FSG) in December of 2021, and - despite rumored interest in re-purchasing the team from FSG - is now only a minority shareholder in the organization.

But his legacy is still all over it. 

Prior to owning the team, Lemieux - drafted first overall by the Penguins in 1984 - led the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992 and was the face of the franchise, even beyond his first retirement. Health setbacks caused him to miss significant time, and he did make a brief NHL comeback that stretched from December 2000 to January 2006 - and he got to pass the torch and play alongside new franchise icon Sidney Crosby for a brief time before hanging up his skates for good.

Is This The Right Time For Lemieux To Buy Back Penguins?There is one name that will forever be synonymous with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He saved the franchise on multiple occasions. He’s one of the greatest players in NHL history. And he mentored and helped shape one of his fellow greatest players in NHL history in Sidney Crosby. 

Throughout his all-too-short playing career, Lemieux amassed 690 goals and 1,723 points in 915 NHL games. His on-ice performance would have been enough to cement his place as both the greatest Penguin of all time and one of the greatest - arguably, the greatest - NHL players of all time. 

But the fact that his love for Pittsburgh and the Penguins didn’t stop at his playing days speaks to how much inevitability is associated with Lemieux and the franchise. He singlehandedly took the mantle to save the team in 1999, and he did it with a little more help again in 2007. He won three more Stanley Cups as an owner in 2009, 2016, and 2017. He became a mentor, a friend, and - for a little while - a landlord to Crosby, who has followed in Lemieux’s footsteps by sticking it out with the Penguins through some tough times. 

In fact, Lemieux’s decision to purchase the Penguins in 1999 changed the entire culture of the franchise. It prioritized a winning culture and gave other all-time great players in Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang the example and the motivation to remain loyal to the team that drafted them. 

That culture was even special enough to set the stage for an eventual reunion between Jaromir Jagr - another Penguins’ and NHL all-time great - and the Penguins despite a tumultuous end to Jagr’s time in Pittsburgh as a player. 

With the 1999 purchase, Lemieux not only made the Pittsburgh Penguins his personal business. He also created a culture of family, and that is something that has gone hand-in-hand with the organization and its players, coaches, and staff ever since. 

No matter what happens in the Penguins’ future - and whether his name is listed as an owner in any capacity or not - Mario Lemieux left his mark on the Penguins’ franchise and will be forever remembered and revered for his hand in making Pittsburgh a hockey town for good.

And that doesn’t figure to change anytime soon.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins made some changes to their defense during the offseason, specifically on the left side. They let Matt Grzelcyk and P.O. Joseph go after their one-year contracts expired on July 1 and brought in Parker Wotherspoon on a two-year contract, Caleb Jones on a two-year contract, and Alexander Alexeyev on a one-year contract. 

Penguins general manager and president Kyle Dubas identified the left side of the defense as a primary concern heading into the offseason, and he began to address it, at least in part, with these signings. Wotherspoon will definitely play after having a solid season with the Boston Bruins last year, while Jones and Alexeyev will compete for spots on the left side with Ryan Graves, Ryan Shea, Owen Pickering, etc. Fans have to remember that there won't be a quick fix with the blue line, and it'll likely take multiple offseasons for Dubas to assemble the defensive group he wants. 

As for Alexeyev, he comes over from the Washington Capitals after spending the last several years with the organization. He was the 31st overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft and spent time in both the AHL and NHL before the Capitals moved on from him after the season. 

He played in eight NHL regular-season games last season, compiling no goals or points, but did have some decent underlying numbers. He played a little over 123 minutes at 5v5, and when he was on the ice, the Capitals had 58% of the expected goals, 54.5% of the scoring chances, and 55.5% of the high-danger chances. Nobody knows if those numbers would hold over a full season, but they're at least intriguing. 

Alexeyev also played in all 10 of the Capitals' playoff games this past season since their blue line was a bit banged up, and he produced some mixed results. His expected goals percentage was 54% and his high-danger chance percentage was at 58%, while his scoring chance percentage was at 47.8%.

In 2023-24, he played in 39 games for the Caps, logging just over 509 minutes of 5v5 ice-time. His expected goal percentage was 49.7%, while his scoring chance percentage and high-danger percentage were at 51.2% and 51.5% respectively. The latter two numbers aren't bad, but certainly not as good as this year's numbers in his eight-game regular-season sample. 

He has played in 80 NHL games, scoring one goal and accumulating eight points, and has also appeared in 145 AHL games, tallying six goals and 52 points. He made his debut with the AHL's Hershey Bears during the 2019-20 season and compiled three goals and 21 points in 58 games. 

Alexeyev has size (6'4), which Dubas and Co. have been wanting to add to their lineup for this year. The Penguins got pushed around in front of their net quite a lot last season and want that to change for the 2025-26 season. Alexeyev can skate fairly well for someone who is 6'4 and 229 pounds, but could stand to be more physical along the boards. He also has offensive capabilities, but needs to utilize them more effectively. 

He hasn't been given a lot of runway to show what he can do at the NHL level, but that could change, especially if he can beat out the competition for a full-time spot. He's also heading into a contract year and will be a restricted free agent next year, so he'll want to show out as much as he can. 

On This Day In Penguins' History: Lemieux's Purchase Of Penguins ApprovedWhen looking back through Pittsburgh Penguins’ history, there are so many moments that ended up changing the course of the franchise and of NHL history. 

If he can't, it's no scratch off the Penguins' backs since they only signed him for one year, and he is set to make only $775,000 at the NHL level. He'd also provide solid depth at the AHL level if he doesn't make the NHL team, as Dubas and his staff aim to continue building the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for the future. 

 However, with training camp coming towards the end of the month, Alexeyev's main focus will be making the squad and helping the Penguins improve. This is a Penguins team that wants to be a lot better in their own zone this year, having conceded too many scoring chances and goals last season. It was one of several reasons why they missed the playoffs for a third-straight year. 

(Data via Natural Stat Trick). 

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The Athletic ranked all 32 NHL prospect pipelines, placing the New Jersey Devils 12th overall.

The Devils trailed behind: 11. Detroit Red Wings 10. Nashville Predators 9. New York Islanders 8. Columbus Blue Jackets 7. Philadelphia Flyers 6. Seattle Kraken 5. Montreal Canadiens 4. Anaheim Ducks 3. Utah Mammoth 2. Chicago Blackhawks 1. San Jose Sharks. 

Despite that, the Devils boast a strong group of prospects, several of whom are expected to make an impact this season.

First up is Anton Silayev, the defenseman selected 10th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft. He spent last season in the KHL with Torpedo, recording 12 points in 63 games.

Next is Arseniy Gritsyuk, one of the most anticipated players in training camp. After several years in the KHL, the 2019 fifth-round pick (129th overall) has come to North America and is ready to push for an NHL role. The forward is expected to be a valuable addition to the Devils.

Lenni Hämeenaho, a 20-year-old forward, is another name to watch. Drafted 58th overall in 2023, he has spent most of his career in Finland. While he will appear at training camp, the Devils are unlikely to rush him, preferring to give him more time to develop if needed.

On defense, Seamus Casey split last season between New Jersey and Utica. He logged 14 NHL games and 20 with the AHL’s Comets, and now looks to secure a more permanent spot with the team.

From Boston University come two additional prospects: Shane Lachance and Mikhail Yegorov.

Lachance, a forward, posted 30 points with the BU Terriers last season. Originally a sixth-round pick of Edmonton in 2021, he was acquired by New Jersey in a March 5, 2025, trade. He’ll aim to crack the roster alongside his college teammate.

Yegorov, a goaltender, made an immediate impact in the NCAA last season. While he’s unlikely to see NHL minutes this year, the tall netminder projects as an important part of the Devils’ future.

With a talented prospect pool in place, Devils fans should be optimistic about what lies ahead.

The St. Louis Blues had a successful 2024-25 season, as they got back into the playoffs for the first time since 2022. Dylan Holloway was a significant reason for the Blues' turnaround, as he broke out in a major way during his first season in St. Louis. 

Holloway proved that he is capable of being an impactful top-six forward in the NHL, as he posted new career highs with 26 goals, 37 assists, 63 points, 165 hits, and a plus-21 rating in 77 games. This was after he recorded nine goals and 18 points in 89 games during his two NHL season with the Edmonton Oilers. 

Clearly, the change of scenery benefited Holloway immensely. Yet, when noting that Holloway is still just 23 years old and only 166 games into his NHL career, he undoubtedly has the potential to continue to get better. In fact, with the way he scored this year, the possibility of him blossoming into a 40-goal scorer should not be ruled out. This will especially be the case if he gets the chance to play on a line with star playmaker Robert Thomas. 

If Holloway can hit a new level with his goal scoring next season while continuing to make an impact with his physicality, it would only make the Blues an even more challenging team for opponents to face off against. It will be interesting to see what kind of year Holloway has, but he should only get better as he continues to gain more experience. 

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We may never see another player quite like former Detroit Red Wings dynamic forward Pavel Datsyuk, a 2024 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee who also recently bid goodbye to competitive hockey by hosting the “The Magic Game” in his hometown of Yekaterinburg.

The name of the event was a clear nod to the nickname affectionately given to him by Red Wings fans, the “Magic Man,” and it featured numerous past and present Russian NHL players. It concluded with a special lap by Datsyuk around the ice, waving goodbye during a roaring ovation from the crowd in attendance at UMMC Arena

FAREWELL MAGIC MAN 🙌
A final lap for Pavel Datsyuk. #TheMagicGame#LGRWpic.twitter.com/TFMdN2TERz

— Hockey News Hub (@HockeyNewsHub) August 30, 2025

Last month, the Red Wings announced that Hall of Famer and former teammate Sergei Fedorov will be honored with his iconic No. 91 jersey being raised to the rafters at Little Caesars Arena before a January game in the upcoming 2025–26 season. 

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Datsyuk was asked whether he thought that his No. 13 he wore for his entire career in Detroit could be next on the list to be permanently retired, and in his typical fashion, he responded with humor. 

"I think there aren’t many players in North America who want to take number 13 anyway," he said. "After all, they don’t even count the 13th floor in buildings there." 

Datsyuk’s career was defined by his dazzling stickhandling, which often left opponents looking completely outmatched.

During his time with the Red Wings, he won the Stanley Cup twice and helped lead the team to within one game of a second consecutive championship in 2009.

He also captured the Selke Trophy multiple times as the NHL’s best defensive forward and was a Hart Trophy finalist as the league’s Most Valuable Player during the 2008–09 season.

Despite his long list of accomplishments, Datsyuk admitted shortly after the announcement of Fedorov’s impending jersey retirement that he didn't think much about his own potential jersey retirement, and that he wouldn’t be bothered if another player eventually wore No. 13 for the Red Wings. 

“I’ve never really thought about it. Sometimes people ask me… Sometimes the thought crosses my mind, but nothing concrete," he said in early August. "If I went to every game and looked up at the rafters, that would be different. But what if someone takes number 13 now and plays really well? Then they’ll remember me even more often. So I’d be happy if someone played well wearing 13 in Detroit.”

It wouldn't be a surprise if Datsyuk makes an appearance at Little Caesars Arena on Jan. 12 for Fedorov’s jersey retirement ceremony, which will likely feature several of his former teammates who now work within the organization, including Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom, Kris Draper, and Kirk Maltby. 

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