By Anthony Carbone, The Hockey News intern

Mitch Marner is no stranger to the National Hockey League spotlight. But after eight seasons under Toronto’s unforgiving microscope, his move to the Vegas Golden Knights offers something he’s never truly had: a clean slate and a chance to lead without the noise. And maybe, just maybe, it sets the stage for an MVP-caliber season.

Marner offensively has become one of the league's best, increasing his point total every year since his rookie campaign. This past season, he hit the 100-point mark for the first time in his career. Marner’s value has always extended outside of the box score. He is an elite playmaker, a top penalty killer and a great defensive forward, a rare triple threat in today’s NHL. In Vegas, Marner won’t just be another player – he’ll likely be the center point of this team's success.

Whether he’s playing alongside Jack Eichel, Mark Stone or anchoring his line, Marner will be in a system that rewards speed, structure, and two-way commitment, a tailor-made environment for his style. And unlike in Toronto, he won’t carry the burden of saving a franchise. He joins a roster that knows how to win and knows how to let stars shine. Facing less pressure from the fans in Vegas could unlock a new version of Marner that might take over the NHL.

Marner is leaving the Maple Leafs with a legacy of elite playmaking, unmatched vision, and defensive responsibility, but also the weight of unmet playoff expectations. Now, he enters a Vegas roster with a proven championship core, a deep forward group, and a coaching staff that thrives on structure, speed, and opportunistic offense. For Marner, it’s the perfect storm.

The Golden Knights play a system that demands buy-in on both ends of the ice, a system that Marner thrives in. His defensive awareness, active stick, and transition speed make him a natural fit on both the penalty kill and at 5-on-5. But it's the offensive upside that’s most intriguing.

Slot Marner next to a finisher like Jack Eichel or Mark Stone, and suddenly he’s not just the facilitator, he's the engine of a line that could dominate possession, punish on the rush and break down teams with surgical precision. The Golden Knights are not looking for a savior, they just want him to play his game with freedom, combined with the support of a heavily playoff-based roster, which could unlock a new version of Marner that the NHL has yet to see.

Marner has often been viewed as Robin to Auston Matthews’ Batman, the setup man for Matthews, but now with his move to the Golden Knights, he can reshape the story. In a Western Conference filled with MVP talent like Nathan Mackinnon, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Marner could get the recognition for his type of game. If he can put up 100-plus points leading a top line to charge, special teams and driving Vegas into Stanley Cup contenders, there is no doubt that he should be in the Hart Trophy conversation.

Marner’s move to the desert is more than just a change of places, it is a huge turning point in his career. No longer in the shadows of Matthews and no Toronto media on his case after every bad game, he has a chance to redefine what elite looks like. The Golden Knights didn’t just add another star – they added a player who is entering his prime with all the tools necessary to become one of the league's best players. Betting on Vegas has worked out before. Betting on Marner? That's a gamble worth taking.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins are currently in the middle of a retool/rebuild. Because of this, one of their primary goals from here should be to continue to improve their prospect pool. This will only help their future as they look to become a playoff team again. 

With the Penguins needing more youngsters, one trade candidate who they should seriously consider targeting is Boston Bruins prospect Fabian Lysell.

Lysell, 22, has been the subject of trade rumors this off-season, and it is not necessarily surprising. The Gothenburg, Sweden native has had trouble cracking the NHL lineup with the Bruins, and he could use a change of scenery at this point. With the Penguins needing more youth and skill, Lysell could be a good prospect for the Metropolitan Division club to take a shot on. 

Lysell played in his first 12 career NHL games this past season with the Bruins, where he posted one goal and three points. While he had a quiet start to his NHL career in 2024-25, he has shown good promise at the AHL level. For example, in 2023-24 with the Providence Bruins, he posted 15 goals and 50 points in 56 games. While his offense went down a bit last season with Providence, his numbers in 2023-24 show that there is some upside there. 

Overall, if Lysell could be had for a reasonable price, he would have the potential to be a good, low-risk addition to the Penguins' prospect pool. The potential for him to still become at least a top-nine NHL forward is there, and it will be interesting to see if the Penguins pursue the former first-round pick because of it. 

Penguins Should Give Exciting Prospect Big ChancePittsburgh Penguins prospect Ville Koivunen is easily one of the team's most promising youngsters. The 22-year-old forward had a strong start to his NHL career this past season with Pittsburgh, as he recorded seven assists in eight games. He also performed well down in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2024-25, posting 21 goals and 56 points in 63 games. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 50 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today we look at the history of jersey #50. There weren`t many that used the number, but at least one had a pretty good career. 

Let's take a look. 

Joakim Lindström - 2006 - Lindström was drafted by Columbus in the 2nd round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. 

Lindström made his North American debut in the last pasty of the 04-05 season for the Syracuse Crunch, the CBJ's AHL team. In the 05-06 season, he would make his Blue Jackets and play in three games. In 2008, after playing just 37 games, Lindström was traded to the Anaheim Ducks.

He finished his CBJ career with 8 points, but it was his AHL career that paid his bills. In his four seasons with the Crunch, he played in 176 and had a total of 159 points. 

He returned to Europe in 2009 and bounce back and forth between the NHL and Europe until he retired in 2023. 

Antoine Vermette - 2009-12 - Vermette was traded to Columbus by Ottawa for Pascal Leclaire and Columbus' 2nd round pick (Robin Lehner) in 2009 NHL Draft, March 4, 2009.

He played 241 games in Columbus and totaled 152 points.

Vermette was traded to Phoenix by Columbus for Curtis McElhinney, Ottawa's 2nd round pick (previously acquired, later traded to Philadelphia -- Philadelphia selected Anthony Stolarz) in 2012 NHL Draft and Phoenix's 4th round pick (later traded to Philadelphia, later traded to Los Angeles -- Los Angeles selected Justin Auger) in 2013 NHL Draft, February 22, 2012.

Vermette retired on January 31, 2019, after 14 NHL seasons. Vermette retired with a 56.6 career faceoff win percentage, which was the ninth best among all players since the NHL began tracking the stat in 1997.

Eric Robinson - 2018-24 - Robinson was undrafted out of Bellmawr, New Jersey and signed with Columbus as a free agent on March 27, 2018.

Robinson known for his blazing speed, played in 266 games for the Blue Jackets before being traded to Buffalo by Columbus for a conditional pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, December 6, 2023. He totaled 82 points for Columbus.

On July 1, 2024, Robinson signed with the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-year, $6,800,000 contract. In his first season with the Hurricanes, he set career highs in goals, assists, and points. 

Who was your favorite player to wear #50. 

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Jarkko Ruutu Leaves Columbus OrganizationLong-time NHLer and 10-year scout for the Columbus Blue Jackets is leaving the organization, according to an interview he did with Tommi Koivunen.  The Hockey News Sunday Recap: Columbus Blue JacketsDid you miss anything from the past week at The Hockey News - Columbus Blue Jackets? If you did, we have you covered with the Sunday Recap. Click on each card below to read the stories from the past week.  Former Blue Jackets Forward Signs With PanthersFormer Columbus Blue Jackets forward Luke Kunin has signed with the Florida Panthers on a one-year contract.

The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, but the organization’s developmental model has not yielded enough results. 

Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. All are 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 40 NHL games. 

#19 - Victor Neuchev – Left Wing (Rochester – AHL)

Neuchev was the Sabres third-round pick at the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal (74th overall) after scoring 40 goals in the junior-level MHL of the Avtomobilist Yekaterinberg system. In 2022-23, he was promoted and played in the KHL full time and had 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists) in 57 games. 

Buffalo signed the 6’2”, 165 lb. winger to an entry-level contract and brought Neuchev over to North America. Starting in a depth role with Rochester, the winger encountered some stretches of offensive success in his first pro season, but also had some struggles.

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In 57 games, Neuchev had 28 points (11 goals,17 assists), and an assist in two playoff games.  Last season, the 21-year-old was on pace to eclipse his rookie totals, with 22 points (7 goals, 15 assists) in 39 games, but suffered a shoulder injury in mid-February and was shut down for the season. The young forward is entering the final year of his entry-level contract, and undoubtedly, the Sabres are looking for a sign of significant progress in his third pro season. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

On Aug. 22, the Chicago Blackhawks signed forward Frank Nazar to a seven-year extension worth $6.59 million annually. The 21-year-old, a former 13th overall pick in 2022, just completed his rookie season, scoring 12 goals with 14 assists for 26 points in 53 games.

While that's not a ridiculous point total, the Blackhawks saw enough to know that Nazar is going to play a critical role in returning the franchise to greatness.

When we look at the NHL Draft—and every sports draft—a lot of it is luck, as prospects are hit and miss all the time, especially outside of the lottery picks (1–10).

Daniil Prokhorov Interview New York Islanders prospect Daniil Prokhorov stole the show at the club's Blue & White scrimmage during development camp week. The second-round pick was clearly excited to be there and loved the fans. 

When it came to Nazar, he was actually someone the Islanders could have potentially had back in 2022.

For those that don't remember, the New York Islanders held the 13th overall pick in that draft but elected to move that selection to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for defenseman Alexander Romanov.

The Islanders also received Montreal's 2022 fourth-round pick, using the 98th overall selection to draft Isaiah George, who has already proven that he could be a catalyst on their blue line after getting a taste of NHL action this past season.

The Canadiens, however, didn't hold onto the Islanders' first-round pick for long, sending it to the Blackhawks in exchange for forward Kirby Dach, with the hope that he could be a difference-maker in their lineup.

Flash forward to now, and Dach has struggled mightily to stay healthy and be the guy they expected. The Canadiens did make the playoffs this past season, losing in the first round to the Washington Capitals—their first postseason appearance since the 2020–21 season, when they lost in the Stanley Cup Final to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

So, they've overcome the Dach debacle.

For the Islanders, Romanov's physicality and aggressiveness were rewarded with an eight-year extension worth $6.75 million annually this past summer.

What Romanov Extension Means About Islanders Mentality Under Darche EAST MEADOW, NY -- The New York Islanders have signed 25-year-old defenseman Alexander Romanov to an eight-year extension worth $56 million with an average annual value of $6.25 million. 

Over his three seasons on Long Island, he's emerged as a top-pairing defenseman for the club and could be viewed as the team's No. 1 defenseman heading into the 2025–26 season with Noah Dobson now a member of the Canadiens.

Nazar and the Blackhawks still have a ways to go to get back to relevancy, but with Connor Bedard and a young group, hopefully it won't take too long for them to return to being a playoff team.

As the NHL has grown as a business, the league has slowly, steadily been improving its global footprint with regular-season games in Europe. And at the NHL’s European Media Tour continued this week, league deputy commissioner Bill Daly said it’s only a matter of time before the league expands its market overseas – and he specifically mentioned two countries that would be hosting regular-season action.

“I would put Germany on that list for sure,” Daly told NHL.com. “Switzerland potentially on that list, too. There are places we want to hit, and will hit, moving forward.”

To be sure, it’s a good thing that hockey’s top league is continuing to expand their product beyond North America. From both financial and good-of-the-game perspectives, an NHL that extends its influence can only be a positive.

In addition to the NHL's participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics, Daly also discussed the progress of the 2028 World Cup of Hockey, specifically regarding the staging of the World Cup games. And Daly indicated the league has been inundated with proposals from Europe and North America to do just that.   

"We're well along in the first stage of identifying potential host cities both in North America and Europe,” Daly said. “The interest level was very, very high. We hope to complete that process and be in a position to make announcements on markets and venues hopefully before the end of the regular season, if not before. It's a good process so far."

That sounds like the NHL is raring to pounce when it comes to staging games in Europe. And if the league is really creative, they’d do what some have mentioned and stage an outdoor game in a place like Switzerland. Imagine the possibilities. The picturesque mountains, the snow-capped backgrounds – the visual product would be unlike anything the league has seen.

But even if we’re talking about games in arenas with roofs, the NHL still benefits greatly by investing in European games. It means something for German fans to see native son and Edmonton Oilers star forward Leon Draisaitl play at home. It means something for Swiss fans to see native son and Nashville Predators star defenseman Roman Josi play at home. The marketing possibilities are many. 

As far as this writer is concerned, the more global the NHL product, the better. There are millions of potential NHL fans out there on a different continent, just waiting to be engaged with,

The league’s deep connections to Europe should be capitalized on. And after Daly’s comments, it definitely seems like we’ll soon be seeing more NHL action across the Atlantic Ocean.

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Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Ville Koivunen is easily one of the team's most promising youngsters. The 22-year-old forward had a strong start to his NHL career this past season with Pittsburgh, as he recorded seven assists in eight games. He also performed well down in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2024-25, posting 21 goals and 56 points in 63 games. 

After a season like this, there is no question that Koivunen has created more hype surrounding him. With the Penguins retooling, Koivunen is certainly one of the prospects who they will be hoping can become a big part of their future.

Due to this and the way Koivunen played this past season, the Penguins should seriously consider giving him a chance to play in their top six for an extended period of time this season. His offensive skill and upside could make him a great fit in Pittsburgh's top six. Furthermore, playing on a line with a veteran center like Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin could do wonders for Koivunen's development.

Ultimately, with the potential Koivunen has, the Penguins should not be afraid to give him a real shot in their top six next season. It will be intriguing to see if they end up doing just that from here. 

Penguins Forward Named Top Breakout Candidate The Pittsburgh Penguins are entering this upcoming season with plenty of players to keep an eye on. With the team in the middle of a retool, they will be hoping that some of their players will hit new levels for them this upcoming campaign.

Did you miss anything from the past week at The Hockey News - Columbus Blue Jackets? If you did, we have you covered with the Sunday Recap. Click on each card below to read the stories from the past week. 

From Ex-players to current players and everything in between, we've got you covered. 

Heinze has a very recognizable last name, and because of this, he wanted to wear #57 while in Boston but was refused by the Bruins GM who denied it because, "Only Ray Bourque could wear an unorthodox number (77)." The Columbus Blue Jackets were happy to honor his request and gave him the now iconic #57. 

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

In 2014, when this piece was written, the Columbus Blue Jackets had around 184k Twitter followers. Fast forward to 2025, and now the Blue Jackets have just over 528k followers on what is now called X. Even with their small market status, the Blue Jackets are pretty popular. No, not as "popular" as Canadian teams or O6 teams, but inside Ohio, people are starting to take notice. 

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Fasching, 30, played 43 games with the New York Islanders last season, recording two goals and two assists for four points. His career-best production came in 2022-23 when he posted 19 points in 49 games with the Islanders.  

Blue Jackets Sign Ex-Islander Hudson FaschingThe Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that they signed forward Hudson Fasching to a one-year, two-way contract.

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

56 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: Marko DaňoThe Columbus Blue Jackets have only had one player wear #56 in their history. That player is Marko Daňo, and we will talk about him today. 

Recently, Bleacher Report released their version of 'Every NHL Team's Mount Rushmore of the Quarter Century,' and it got me thinking about who Jason Newland and I would put on the Columbus Blue Jackets' Mount Rushmore.

On that mountain, there are four spots. Bleacher Report went with a goalie, a defenseman, and two forwards. For the sake of this, I’ll stick with the same setup. Since the Blue Jackets are only entering their 25th year in the NHL, it means we can choose from any player in their history so far.

Columbus Blue Jackets' Quarter Century Mount RushmoreRecently, Bleacher Report released their version of 'Every NHL Team's Mount Rushmore of the Quarter Century,' and it got me thinking about who Jason Newland and I would put on the Columbus Blue Jackets' Mount Rushmore.

Fedorov was traded to Columbus in November of 2005. He played 185 games for the Jackets and totaled 113 points. 

On February 28, 2008, he was traded to the Washington Capitals, and he would retire in from the NHL in 2009. 

Fedorov is probably the greatest player to have ever worn the Union Blue. For his career, he scored 483 goals, had 696 assists, and totaled 1,179 points. 

Former Blue Jackets Forward Sergei Fedorov's Number To Be Retired By Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings have announced that former CBJ forward Sergei Fedorov''s #91 will be retired by the Wings. The ceremony will be held on January 12, 2026. 

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

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

Don Waddell says of Smith, "Brendan Smith is an experienced, physical blueliner that competes hard and is sound in the defensive zone,” said Waddell. "He is a veteran presence with great character and professionalism, and we are excited to have the opportunity to bring him to camp.”

Blue Jackets Sign Brendan Smith To A PTOThe Columbus Blue Jackets have signed long time veteran Brendan Smith to a PTO today. 

Gloucester Catholic has announced that the upcoming Gaudreau Family Scholarship Golf Outing is scheduled for this Friday, August 22nd, at Ron Jaworski’s Running Deer Golf Course in Pittsgrove, NJ.

The event will honor the legacies of John & Matty Gaudreau while supporting a meaningful cause within the Gloucester Catholic community. John and Matty often shared that this golf outing was their favorite event, always filled with fun and camaraderie. 

Gaudreau Family Scholarship Golf Outing Set For Friday, August 22The legacy of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau continues to live on. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets' defensemen Zach Werenski has been officially invited to the Team USA Men’s Olympic Orientation Camp. 

Today, there were 44 players invited to the camp, which will run from Aug. 26-27 in Plymouth, Michigan, and will consist of an administrative and team-building event. There will be no one-ice activities, and it will not be open to the public to come and watch. 

Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski Invited To Team USA Olympic CampThe Columbus Blue Jackets' defensemen Zach Werenski has been officially invited to the Team USA Men’s Olympic Orientation Camp. 

Scott Harrington - Harrington played 185 games for the Blue Jackets after being traded to Columbus by Toronto with a conditional pick in the 2017 NHL Draft for Kerby Rychel on June 25, 2016. Those 185 games would be spread out over six seasons, with 2018-19 being the year he played the most games at 73. He scored 7 goals and totaled 37 points in his career with Columbus, with the 18-19 season being his most productive with 17.   

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

And, make no mistake, things turned out just fine for Adamo Giuliano Fantilli, last season’s excruciating playoff miss with the Blue Jackets notwithstanding. At 20, Fantilli has a 30-goal NHL season to his credit and has become the No. 1 center Columbus has coveted, well, forever. (Or at least since the fan base was begging for someone who could get the puck to Rick Nash.) Prior to that, Fantilli won a USHL championship in 2020-21, and then he was the best player in college hockey and won gold medals at the world juniors and World Championship, all in the same 2022-23 season. He’s big and talented, and when he learns that he doesn’t have to try to win the game on every shift, he’ll be an elite player in the NHL.  

From The THN Archive: Adam's EveThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

Josh Anderson - "The Andy Man" wore #53 when he first started playing games in Columbus. Anderson played a total of 267 games for the Blue Jackets spread over six seasons. He scored 65 goals and totaled 115 points during his time with Columbus.   

53 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #53There are 53 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena, and today we look at the jersey history of #53. There have only been two players wear that number for the Jackets. 

Everything is the same for Geoff Sanderson in many ways, even though he’s 45 and his NHL career ended nine years ago. And in other ways, everything couldn’t be more different.

He still spends hour after hour working on his shot, honing his accuracy. He still spends his winters at the rink. He still goes to work every day with Brendan Morrison, an old Vancouver Canucks teammate.

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

It was reported last week by Henrik Sjöberg of HockeyNews.se that Bemström will return to Europe. But he won't be playing in his home country of Sweden as many people would expect him to do.  

Former Blue Jackets & Penguins Forward Emil Bemström Leaving North AmericaIt seems Emil Bemström’s time in North America has come to an end.

Let's rewind all the way back to the 2017-18 NHL season, when former Columbus Blue Jackets forward Jussi Jokinen accomplished a very rare feat of playing on four different teams in the same season.  

How Former Blue Jacket Jussi Jokinen Ended Up On 4 Teams In One SeasonLet's rewind all the way back to the 2017-18 NHL season, when former Columbus Blue Jackets forward Jussi Jokinen accomplished a very rare feat of playing on four different teams in the same season.

Adam Foote - 2006-08 - Foote was the first player to wear #52 for the Blue Jackets in their history. In August of 2005, Adam Foote signed a 3-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. At the time, it seemed like a wonderful thing. A long-time star chose to sign with a young expansion team, and things were looking up. He would be joining a team with guys like Rick Nash, Sergei Federov, Todd Marchant, and Geoff Sanderson. After just a few months, Foote was given the C after Luke Richardson stepped down as the captain.    

52 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History of Jersey #52The Columbus Blue Jackets have 52 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today we look at the history of jersey #52. Almost every player on this list has a bad reputation of some sort. 

Kunin, 27, recorded 11 goals and seven assists for 18 points in 75 games last season with the San Jose Sharks and Columbus Blue Jackets. He was acquired by Columbus at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline as the team pushed to make the playoffs.

Former Blue Jackets Forward Signs With PanthersFormer Columbus Blue Jackets forward Luke Kunin has signed with the Florida Panthers on a one-year contract.

Andrew Delmore - 2006-07 Season - Undrafted out of LaSalle, Ontario, Delmore spent most of his career in the NHL before being claimed off of waivers by Columbus on October 4th, 2005, from the Detroit Red Wings.   

51 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #51The Columbus Blue Jackets have 51 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today we look at the history of jersey #51. There weren`t many that used the number, but at least one had a pretty good career. 

Ruutu was hired by former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen in 2015 as a European Development Coach. Per the Blue Jackets, "In his role, Ruutu primarily works with young players throughout the organization, assisting in the development of prospects playing in professional leagues and various major junior leagues across Europe." 

Jarkko Ruutu Leaves Columbus OrganizationLong-time NHLer and 10-year scout for the Columbus Blue Jackets is leaving the organization, according to an interview he did with Tommi Koivunen. 

But this is all different. Playing behind Sergei Bobrovsky in the Columbus organization, waiting to find a regular turn at the NHL level was kind of like Waiting for Godot. In his and the Blue Jackets’ first season of Life After Bob, both are learning that the only way to really learn whether you’re a No. 1 goalie in the NHL is to be a No. 1 goalie in the NHL.  

From The Archive: What About Joonas?The Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

Let us know what you think below.

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When Team USA announced the 44 players invited to its orientation camp at the end of August, there was one glaring omission that didn’t go down well with the Montreal Canadiens fanbase: Lane Hutson. The reigning Calder Trophy winner was not one of the 16 blueliners the American brass decided to invite.

According to RG media, the fact that the young defenseman declined to play for his country at the World Championship following the Habs' elimination was part of the reason why he didn’t receive an invite. Marco D’Amico’s source goes on to say that the Canadian and American teams have such a deep talent pool to choose from that they feel they can use that as a criterion.

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The 16 defensemen who got the call are Brock Faber (Minnesota Wild), Quinn Hughes (Vancouver Canucks), Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce (New Jersey Devils), Ryan McDonagh (Tampa Bay Lightning), Brady Skjei (Nashville Predators), Adam Fox (New York Rangers), Seth Jones (Florida Panthers), Jacob Slavin (Carolina Hurricanes), Noah Hanifan (Vegas Golden Knights), Jackson Lacombe (Anaheim Ducks), Neal Pionk (Winnipeg Jets), Alex Vlasic (Chicago Blackhawks), Charlie McAvoy (Boston Bruins), Jake Sanderson (Ottawa Senators) and Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets).

From that group, Lacombe, Skjei, and Vlasic were part of the gold-winning Team USA squad at the last World Championship co-hosted by Sweden and Denmark in May. The orientation camp will not include any on-ice activities and isn’t a selection camp; no one will be cut on that occasion, and Hutson’s absence from the event does not mean the door is completely shut on him making the Olympic squad, but it’s still not ideal.

Chances are the snub will be a huge motivational factor for the Canadiens’ blueliner, just like it was for captain Nick Suzuki when he wasn’t invited to represent Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off. If Hutson has a great start to the season, he could still force the American brass to give him a call for the Olympics, but even then, that’s not guaranteed.

Anyone who watched Team USA at the 4 Nations knows how much it bet on physicality and intimidation, and those are not Hutson’s forte. As previously written, a best-on-best tournament is not an All-Star Game, and as such, the decision process cannot focus solely on offensive production. As good and spectacular as Hutson is right now, he hasn’t yet reached Hughes’ (Quinn) level on the blueline, and nobody will argue on that point. Since the Canucks captain is already undersized in the American brass’s eyes, they may just feel like they have no room for a player of Hutson’s frame.

While this is understandable, should Hughes be injured like he was for the 4 Nations, Hutson would remain a good potential replacement if Team USA wanted to make up for the possible loss of offensive production. This is why the omission is puzzling, but it seems the Americans might have wanted to send a message to Hutson. If he wishes to represent his country at the most significant event in the future, it would be ill-advised to refuse to do so at the World Championship.

In his post-season media availability at the start of May, Hutson had told the media that he had yet to decide on whether he’d play in the World Championship, but he eventually chose not to go. Given how much hockey the youngster has played over the season, it wasn’t a shocking decision. After all, the rearguard is so dedicated to the game that he tends to forego his days off and get on the ice even if he’s the only player there. At times, the Canadiens had to force him to take a day off.

It will be interesting to see how the youngster reacts to the snub on the ice when training camp opens and when the puck drops on the regular season. While the defenseman has been eligible to sign a new contract since the start of July, nothing has happened on that front yet, and he will possibly be playing the last year of his ELC without having a new deal. If that’s the case, the stakes will be high for the youngster who will hope to build on his record-setting rookie season and avoid the “sophomore jinx”.

Even though he wasn’t invited to orientation camp, it’s safe to say that the Americans will be monitoring his performances closely, much like the Habs’ brass, if a contract extension is not signed by then.

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Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander is in Milan,  as part of the NHL and NHLPA's European media tour , which is being held in Italy for the first time. This event is a result of a strategic partnership formed earlier this year between the NHL, NHLPA, and top-flight Italian soccer league Serie A. The collaboration is seen as a way for both leagues to showcase themselves, particularly with the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan on the horizon. It's a big deal for the NHL, as it's the first time since the 2014 Sochi Olympics that its players will be participating in the Games.

Before attending a soccer match, Nylander spoke with reporters, including Mike Zeisberger from NHL.com, about his former teammate Mitch Marner's recent trade to the Vegas Golden Knights. Marner's departure was a sign-and-trade deal that landed him an eight-year, $96 million contract. Nylander called Marner a "great teammate" and an "incredible person". 

Following the press obligations, Nylander headed to the Serie A season opener, where AC Milan hosted Cremonese. It was there that Nylander and New Jersey Devils star Nico Hischier exchanged jerseys with AC Milan's Rafael Leão, who was out of the game with a calf injury.

An interesting detail of the exchange was that both the Milan and NHL jerseys had the NHL players' numbers on them, but neither had Leão's. This viral jersey swap with Leão and Hischier follows another high-profile exchange in March 2025 when New York Rangers star Mika Zibanejad met with Serie A legends Andrea Pirlo and Marco Materazzi at Madison Square Garden. That meeting acted as a catalyst for the current partnership between the leagues.

Latest stories: 

How Anthony Stolarz Aims To Stay Healthy And Available For The Maple Leafs Next Season

William Nylander Says Mitch Marner Never Considered Leaving Maple Leafs During 2024-25 Campaign

Will Matthew Knies Make Team USA’s Olympic Roster? Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews Reacts To Camp Selection

It was a busy Saturday around Montreal, while Montreal Victoire star winger Laura Stacey was holding her Sticks In For Charity Event, Montreal Canadiens super fan and Habs cave owner Sunil Peetush organized a fundraiser for the Liam Foundation with a bit of help from his friends.

Peetush invited Habs fans to drop by his house, where they could buy lemonade made by his two children and enjoy some barbecue food while waiting to meet two former Canadiens and the vice president of hockey communications for the team, Chantal Machabee. The former journalist was happy to sign autographs as she met fans, just like former defenseman and current player development coach Francis Bouillon and fan favourite enforcer turned media personality Chris “Knuckles” Nilan. GM Collection was on hand to provide items to be autographed and helped make the day a big success.

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Peetush was also ready to do his part and let the attendees dunk him with water for a donation. That worked out quite well for him, given how hot the day was. In the end,  $6265.00 were raised for the Liam Foundation. 

The Liam Foundation, one of the Montreal Children's Hospital foundations, aims to finance research and clinical trials to find a cure for mitochondrial disease, specifically POLG disease, a genetic disorder that causes balance and gross motor issues, epilepsy, and autism. Liam, who suffers from the disease, is now eight, and when he was diagnosed, doctors told his family he had a life expectancy between three months and 12 years.

It’s great to see members of the Canadiens’ organization working hand in hand with fans toward worthy causes, even in the dog days of summer when they could just be enjoying the sun. It also says a lot about this city’s love story with hockey that on August 23, in over 30-degree weather, there are two hockey-related events taking place.

Hang in there, Canadiens fans. In just three weeks, the Bell Centre will be ready to welcome you back, starting with the Prospect Showdown, which will feature the Habs, the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Winnipeg Jets' brightest young players.

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It looks like one of the Pittsburgh Penguins' 2025 unrestricted free agents is heading overseas. 

Former Penguins' forward Emil Bemstrom - who ended up third on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins of the AHL in scoring last season with 23 goals and 48 points in 48 games - signed a one-year contract with SC Bern of the Swiss NL. The 26-year-old Swedish forward is set to play in Europe for the first time since 2020-21, when he played with HIFK Helsinki of SM-Liiga. 

Bemstrom was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the fourth round (117th overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft. He debuted with Columbus in 2019-20, registering 10 goals and 20 points in 56 games that season.

He was dealt to Pittsburgh during the 2023-24 season, and he put up three goals and five points in 24 games with the Penguins that season. He spent some time in the NHL last season as well but put up just one point in 14 games. 

Over the course of his NHL career so far, Bemstrom has amassed 34 goals and 75 points in 242 games.

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NHL fans have been counting down the days to the 2025-26 season ever since the Florida Panthers raised the Stanley Cup for a second consecutive season back in June.

Some offseasons - like that of the Panthers - have been quite short, while others have been two months longer. And in many ways, that longer wait has added even more anticipation.

For the Pittsburgh Penguins, there may still be a lot of summer business left. But, no matter what happens the rest of the summer, there are going to be several storylines to be on the lookout for once the puck drops on their regular season on Oct. 7 against the New York Rangers.

Here are five of those storylines to watch for during 2025-26 season:

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1. How high can Crosby climb?

Given the fact that the Penguins are in a period of transition, one of the main events for folks to look forward to - as always - is watching their captain take the ice on a nightly basis.

And he has the chance to reach some pretty big heights this season on the all-time scoring list.

Right now, Sidney Crosby sits ninth all-time in scoring with 1,687 points - just 36 points behind fellow Penguins’ legend Mario Lemieux at 1,723. But Crosby has an opportunity to climb even higher than that as long as he remains healthy and assuming he doesn’t experience a significant dropoff in production in his age 38 season. 

Ahead of Lemieux at 7th and 6th, respectively, is Steve Yzerman (1,755) and Marcel Dionne (1,771). He would need 85 points to pass Dionne and sit sixth all-time heading into 2026-27 - which seems entirely reasonable given his straight-line production the last several years. 

Penguins: Where Sidney Crosby Ranked On New Top Centers ListPittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby may be entering his 21st NHL season, but he is still a legitimate superstar. He had another fantastic season in 2024-25 for the Penguins, as he recorded 33 goals, 58 assists, and 91 points in 80 games. This was the 20th season in a row that Crosby produced at an over a point per game pace, which is an NHL record.

If Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell stick around - and Crosby shows the same kind of chemistry with youngsters Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty that he did at the end of last season - 85 should be attainable. Next up would be Ron Francis at 1,798.

Crosby should also pretty handily enter the top-15 all-time in goal-scoring, as he is just 15 shy of Dave Andreychuk (640 goals) - who sits directly at No. 15.

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2. Who takes the net?

WIth the newly acquired Arturs Silovs in the mix, the goaltending battle should be one of the most intriguing stories to keep an eye on this season. Presumably, it will be Silovs and Tristan Jarry jockeying for positioning at the NHL level.

But, even the tandem at the NHL level is not guaranteed. And the battle at the AHL level is wide open.

Joel Blomqvist, 23, made his NHL debut last season and had two shorter-term NHL stints with mixed results. He should, presumably, be in the mix for an NHL spot as well, but it’s unlikely that the Penguins carry three goaltenders, especially with the logjams they already have at forward and defense.

Penguins Facing Uncertain Goalie Split Entering 2025-26 SeasonOnce again, the Pittsburgh Penguins face goaltending questions heading into a season. 

If he isn’t in the NHL mix, he will be added to an AHL battle with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) that also includes Filip Larsson, Taylor Gauthier, and the raw but high-upside Sergei Murashov. All four goaltenders certainly belong at the AHL level - and Gauthier, interestingly, signed an AHL contract despite being in Wheeling the past two seasons.

The Penguins have a lot of young goaltending depth, and it will be interesting to see how everything shakes out following camp and throughout the season.

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3. Where will the kids call home?

It’s been discussed at length that the Penguins got pretty good looks at defenseman Owen Pickering and forwards McGroarty and Koivunen last season. All three showed that they should probably be playing in the NHL full-time next season, and they all seem ready to take the next step in their development.

But - again, as we’ve discussed at length - it’s not that simple.

According to PuckPedia, the Penguins currently have 13 forwards and eight defensemen on their active roster - which doesn’t include any of those three. The fact of the matter is that Pickering, McGroarty, and Koivunen will all need to put together standout camps in order to break the NHL roster and force Kyle Dubas’s and the Penguins’ hand with some of their veterans. 

Of course, injuries are inevitable, as are changes. Even if none of the three break camp, they will almost certainly be the first to get called upon when the need arises. Still, where they call “home” for most of the season is very much up-in-the-air, even if it should be a relatively obvious conclusion.

What Are Realistic Expectations For McGroarty And Koivunen This Year?The Pittsburgh Penguins have a pretty decent forward group entering the 2025-26 season, especially if they don’t make any trades between now and October 7, when they open the regular season against the New York Rangers. 

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4. Who will be on borrowed time?

If one thing is for certain - especially if there is no movement prior to the start of training camp - all eyes will be on the trade board throughout the season.

Dubas got the ball rolling early last season when he traded center Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals in November, so it’s reasonable to expect he won’t be trigger-shy if the right offer comes about for any player of value. This will be especially true if the Penguins start off as poorly as many expect their season to go.

If all of Rust, Rakell, and Erik Karlsson are on the roster to begin the season, it’s safe to bet that all three won’t be on the roster by the end of it.

Do The Penguins Need To Make A Trade Before Training Camp?The date is Aug. 21, and the Pittsburgh Penguins still have not traded Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust, or Erik Karlsson.

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5. Can they tank hard enough for McKenna?

Well this is the ultimate storyline, isn’t it?

What is the plan for next season? Are the Penguins trying to tank, or are they okay with being in the mushy middle again?

At this point - with the roster as-is - it’s hard to say they’re going full-tank. But that may change quickly depending on how the team starts. Either way, watching Dubas's approach to the roster and to the trade market should say a lot, regardless of how the team ends up performing.

Do The Penguins Have A Legitimate Shot At McKenna In 2026?WIth the 2025-26 NHL season just around the corner, teams are looking ahead to their respective training camps beginning in mid-September.

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