One of the biggest moves of the Anaheim Ducks' 2025 offseason, perhaps the biggest move, was the hiring of Joel Quenneville as the 12th head coach in franchise history.

Quenneville (66) has a sparkling resume as the second-winningest coach in NHL history and has his name engraved on the Stanley Cup three times as the head coach of the 2010, 2013, and 2015 Chicago Blackhawks.

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He hasn’t coached an NHL game since he resigned from his job as head coach of the Florida Panthers on Oct. 28, 2021, following a meeting with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman regarding his involvement in the 2010 Blackhawks' sexual abuse case.

The NHL reinstated Quenneville, along with Stan Bowman and Al McIsaac, on July 1, 2024. He was hired by Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek on May 8, 2025, after parting ways with Greg Cronin on April 19.

As expected, the hiring faced and will likely continue to face pushback from those in the community who support the Ducks, as well as from fans around the league.

Initial criticism has seemingly dulled with time, and especially after Quenneville’s introductory press conference, where, paired with Verbeek and ownership’s (Henry Samueli) insistence upon having done due diligence, Quenneville arrived with a lengthy list of names to whom he had reached out and been educated by over the last four years regarding his missteps from 15 years ago and his continued journey of growth.

Quenneville has precedented success in his last two stops with teams in similar situations to the 2025-26 Anaheim Ducks, looking to turn the corner on their rebuild and open their playoff contention window. He took over as the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks early in the 2008-09 season, a season in which they ended their five-season playoff drought and reached the Western Conference final. The next season (2009-10), they won their first of three Stanley Cups in six years, forming the only modern-day NHL dynasty.

He was hired as the head coach of the Florida Panthers ahead of the 2019-20 season and built the foundation of today’s iteration of the organization that has been to three consecutive Stanley Cup finals and won two.

On paper, the hiring is more than logical, but Quenneville’s past has the potential to become a distraction if not properly addressed.

The other factor to consider is how NHL styles and tactics have evolved in the four years since he was last behind a bench, begging the question of whether, at 67 years old (by the start of the 2025-26 season) if the game may have passed him by.

Quenneville has stated he’s watched and studied NHL hockey every day since he was last involved in the game and has since put together one of the most elite coaching staffs with the hirings of Jay Woodcroft, Ryan McGill, and Andrew Brewer. Judging from his previous position with the Florida Panthers and how he led his staff, consisting of Andrew Brunette, Derek MacKenzie, and Ulf Samuelsson, he delegates much of the tactics and systems to his assistants. So that area may not be of much concern.

In an offseason where nine NHL coaching jobs were vacant and a wide spectrum of qualified candidates were available on the market, including Woodcroft, Rick Tocchet, Mike Sullivan, and David Carle (all of whom the Ducks at least expressed peripheral interest in), the hiring of Quenneville is bold, but has the potential for the greatest reward, so much so that the Ducks were willing to withstand any amount of backlash, completely confident in Quenneville’s growth and their process of due diligence.

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On Wednesday night, NHL Network revealed its list of the top 20 centers in the game today. The list included many of the usual suspects, particularly in the top 15. However, there is one name on the list combined with one omission that may interest Blackhawks fans.  

San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini made the list at number 19. Meanwhile, Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard was missing. The 2024 first overall pick made it, but the 2023 first overall pick fell off after appearing at number 13 last summer. 

NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) on XNot bad, kid! Macklin Celebrini makes his Top 20 Centers Right Now debut! @SanJoseSharks | #NHLTopPlayers

Celebrini, in his first season, had 25 goals and 38 assists for 63 points in 70 games played on a lousy Sharks team. That earned him a third-place finish in the Calder Trophy voting for the league's top rookie. 

As for Bedard, in his second season, he had 23 goals, 44 assists, and 67 points in 82 games played. This was his second straight 20-goal - 60-point campaign to begin his NHL career. He won the Calder Trophy for his outstanding performance during his rookie 2023-2024 season. 

It is interesting to see the love that Celebrini gets, which is well deserved, compared to the oversight that Connor Bedard gets. They are equally as productive at this stage of their careers, and neither of them is on a winning team yet. 

The guy who rounded out the top-20 list, Sam Bennett, won the Conn Smythe Trophy and a back-to-back Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers.

NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) on XThe 2025 Conn Smythe Trophy winner kicks off our Top 20 Centers Right Now list! @FlaPanthers | #NHLTopPlayers

Right now, the NHL Network believes that Celebrini is better than Bennett, which is an incredible compliment. How long before Bedard is seen as such? 

The ironic part is that Bedard and Celebrini have been skating together this summer. Lots of videos have surfaced throughout the off-season of the two practicing, looking better than ever. 

Both of them are primed to break out in the coming years. Chicago and San Jose may even be forced rivals because of these two, once they reach their peak. By then, both of these stars will be staples on this list of top 20 centers. 

Another layer to this is the Olympics. Neither Bedard nor Celebrini made it to the 4-Nations Face-Off with Team Canada, but they were both invited to Hockey Canada's Olympic Orientation Camp. They are seen as bubble players at this time, but big starts to the 2025-26 NHL season could change all of that. 

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St. Louis Blues right winger Jordan Kyrou became the subject of trade rumors this spring following his club's first-round playoff elimination.

Despite being under contract through 2030-31, some observers wondered where the 27-year-old fit into the club's long-term plans.

The speculation reached a crescendo by the NHL draft in late June, with some reports linking Kyrou to the Montreal Canadiens. However, the Canadiens instead acquired promising middle-six right winger Zack Bolduc on July 1, while Kyrou's full no-trade clause kicked in on the same day. 

Despite some reports subsequently claiming the Canadiens and other clubs remained interested in Kyrou, the trade chatter surrounding him has died off in recent weeks. 

Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic reported hearing nothing specific regarding Blues trade rumors lately. However, he indicated that there were clubs still interested in Kyrou. 

That shouldn't be surprising. Kyrou is a speedy winger with three straight 30-plus-goal seasons on his resume. However, his full no-trade clause gives him complete control over his situation.

NHL Rumor Roundup: The Latest Boston Bruins Trade BuzzAfter their eight-year playoff run ended last season, the Boston Bruins made moves to bolster their roster for a bounce-back performance in 2025-26. 

Meanwhile, despite the significant increase in this season's salary cap, no RFAs have signed offer sheets thus far this summer. That seems unusual, considering notable players, such as Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish and Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi, remain unsigned. 

Some observers suggest that teams with plentiful salary-cap space lack the draft picks required as compensation for a successful offer-sheet signing. 

Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now citedPenguins GM Kyle Dubas recently telling the Cam & Strick podcast he'd received calls from clubs wanting to reacquire their second- and third-round picks in the 2026 draft. 

“And you know why,” Dubas said. “So that's their business.” He suggested he'd be willing to talk to those clubs if they offer up a fair price. 

Kingerski pointed out that the Penguins own the Blues' and Winnipeg Jets' second-rounders and the San Jose Sharks' third-round pick. 

The Blues only have $625,000 of salary-cap space, while the Jets have $3.96 million. However, the Sharks have a whopping $19.74 million available, putting them in a strong position to sign someone to a lucrative deal if they are willing to get back that third-rounder from the Penguins.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs traded away their leading scorer this summer and haven't reached the conference final in more than two decades. But that didn't stop one of the richest teams in the NHL from jacking up ticket prices.

Tickets for all 41 home games officially went on sale at 10am on Aug. 20. Immediately after, fans were furious at the exorbitant costs to see a game.

According to TicketMaster, the lowest price to see the Maple Leafs open the season against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 8 was $214.95. And that ticket doesn't even get you a seat, but instead is for "standing room only."

The most-expensive ticket, meanwhile, is $2,169.

That is, assuming you can still find tickets. According to SeatGeek, the cheapest re-sale ticket to see the Leafs play the Canadiens on opening night was $372.

Spent about 3 grand on Leafs tickets today. How was everyone elses Wednesdays???

— Leafs Truth (@leafs_truth) August 20, 2025

It gets worse.

Mitch Marner's return home to Toronto on Jan. 23 after being traded to Vegas earlier this summer has standing room tickets starting at $270. That's $250 more than the cheapest ticket for the Toronto Blue Jays, who are the second-best team in the entire MLB.

Considering how fans treated Marner in his final game in a Leafs' jersey, it's a steep price just to boo a former player.

‘That’s The Business Side Of It’: Auston Matthews Breaks Silence On Mitch Marner’s Departure From Maple LeafsBRAMPTON, Ont. — Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews has made his first public the comments on Mitch Marner’s departure from the team for the Vegas Golden Knights. Matthews spoke ahead of the team’s Hockey Night In Brampton event at the CAA Centre on Wednesday.

"Sorry...Are the igh?? $250 for Standing Room tickets?? I know it's the Marner game but come on..." tweeted @spencerg49.

"What a Fu**en joke $1000 for a pair of 300 level regular season game tickets RIDICULOUS," tweeted @mnmfan.

Complain all you want, but it's not like fans are staying home. Last year, the Leafs averaged 18,829 fans per game — their highest since the 2019-20 season.

The problem is, MLSE knows every Leafs home game will be a sell out.

Until that changes, ticket prices will always rise. Supply and demand.

— Rad Treliving (@MapleLeaves34) August 21, 2025

At the same time, an affordability study from a year ago found that ScotiaBank Centre in Toronto was the most expensive arena to watch an NHL game, with a family of four spending on average "$1,029.44, the most among NHL arenas" to watch a game. On the flip side, Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa was the league's most economical, costing a family of four $479.40 to watch a game.

"yea the leafs ticket prices are actually shameful," tweeted @ninafeelz.

"Not going to a game in Toronto this year again," tweeted @IlyaMikheyevBBY.

Or, as many Toronto fans have done over the years, you could travel to a visiting city to see the Leafs play. Even with added air fare and hotel costs, you still might save money.

EDMONTON – Goaltending is one of the hardest positions to play in all of sports, let alone hockey.

As Edmonton Oilers fans know, goalies (typically) get minimal praise when things are going right, and all of the criticism when things go south. That’s a significant reason why mental toughness is as important as skill when it comes to the goalie position.

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Stuart Skinner is a very even-keeled person. He has done significant work to allow himself to handle the mental rigors of the position. But, he can’t single-handedly propel the Oilers to a Stanley Cup.

Skinner has to work in tandem with someone, and now, there is a new potential goalie for the Oilers to target in a trade.

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The NHL and NHLPA have cleared Connor Ingram to return to the NHL. He entered into the NHLPA Players' Assistance program in March after his mother’s death in December.

Connor Ingram has been cleared by the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program to return to the NHL. pic.twitter.com/oYiMr2RJxE

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 20, 2025

His return gives the Utah Mammoth three NHL goalies under contract for the 2025-26 season. Karel Vejmelka is entering the first year of a five-year extension, while Vitek Vanecek signed a one-year deal this summer after winning a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers.

This might make Ingram available. If he is, the Oilers should check the acquisition cost.

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Ingram had a down year last season, recording nine wins, a 3.27 goals against average (GAA), and an .882 save percentage (SV%) in 22 games. This down season would lower the price tag on trading for him. 

The two previous seasons, he posted some good numbers. In 2023-24 he had a record of 23-21-3, a 2.91 GAA, a .907 SV%, and six shutouts in 50 games. The year before that, he had a 6-13-8 record, 3.37 GAA, a .907 SV%, and one shutout.

Ingram is in the final year of a contract paying him $1.95 million.

As the team of second chances, this is one second chance the Oilers have to give.

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Florida Panthers centers Sam Bennett and Aleksander Barkov featured in the NHL Network's top 20 centers ranking. 

The 29-year-old Bennett appears in these rankings for the first time in his career, coming in at No.20. Bennett set a career-high in points with 51 and recorded his second-highest goal tally with 25. While Bennett's regular-season play was stellar, he took his game to an entirely new level in the playoffs.

Bennett was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the post-season's most valuable player, scoring 15 goals and 22 points in 23 games. He led the playoffs in goals and was a physical force throughout. 

Bennett was set to become a UFA but agreed to an eight-year, $8 million contract before the beginning of free agency, ensuring his future in Florida. 

"Bennett set NHL career highs in assists (26) and points (51) last season and had a career-best seven-game point streak (four goals, four assists) from Nov. 25 to Dec. 7. His 15 goals led the Stanley Cup Playoffs, helped the Panthers repeat as Stanley Cup champions and he won the Conn Smythe Trophy voted as most valuable player of the postseason," wrote the NHL Network.

Barkov has been a mainstay in these rankings for quite some time now and came in at No. 4 in this year's edition.

He's known as the best two-way forward in the NHL and has captained the Panthers to consecutive Stanley Cups. Barkov is blessed with the skill to pull off moves other players can't even think of, but the 29-year-old has simplified his game, and it's led to plenty of team success.

The only three centers to rank ahead of Barkov are Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid, Colorado Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon and Oilers' Leon Draisaitl.

"The Panthers captain became a two-time Stanley Cup champion when he helped Florida repeat in 2025 and was named to Team Finland's preliminary Olympic roster. Barkov is the second player in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup and Selke Trophy voted as best defensive forward during the same season multiple times, following Bob Gainey with the Canadiens in 1977-78 and 1978-79. He had two points (one goal, one assist) in three games at 4 Nations and 71 points (20 goals, 51 assists) in the regular season."

The Panthers have littered in the NHL Network's rankings with Sam Reinhart and Matthew Tkachuk on the wingers list and Gustav Forsling on the defenseman list. Sergei Bobrovsky will also likely feature on the goaltenders' list. 

Panthers Top Front Office Confidence RankingsThe Athletic's Dom Luszczyszyn released his annual front office confidence rankings, which take the results from the opinions of The Athletic subscribers. 

Every year, The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn writes an article in which in ranks the NHL teams’ front offices in light of how much confidence fans have in them. Over the last few years, the Montreal Canadiens’ brass has risen through these rankings, and this year is no exception.

Last August, the Sainte-Flanelle’s front office landed in sixth place, but this year, it’s cracking the top five with a fifth-place finish. The Canadiens’ brass is the highest ranking amongst rebuilding teams since the first four places are occupied by teams that have had plenty of success over the years.

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Bill Zito and his staff come in first place, which makes sense, seeing they are the architects of the reigning and repeating Stanley Cup champions Florida Panthers, Jim Nill and the Dallas Stars come in second place which makes sense since Nill has won the last three GM of the Year awards and the Carolina Hurricanes land in third place having showed that they know how to make lemonade when life gives them lemon (they got out of the Mikko Rantanen fiasco with Logan Stankoven). Julien Brisebois and his Tampa Bay Lightning come in fourth place. While he was handed the reins of a solid core by former GM Steve Yzerman in 2018, Brisebois had made this team his own and showed he can build on the fly while juggling around the salary cap like the best of them.

Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton have been able to lead the Canadiens high in these rankings because of their ability to see the big picture and take calculated risks. While some gambles didn’t exactly pan out like they would have liked, or at least not yet (Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook), most of the time they fall on the right side of decisions.

Trading Jordan Harris for Patrik Laine and a draft pick was a great move. While Laine hasn’t yet found his 40-goal-a-year scorer form, he scored 20 goals for the Canadiens in a season shortened by injury. Meanwhile, Harris wasn’t even tendered a qualifying offer by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Taking Sean Monahan off the Calgary Flames’ hands is still paying dividends in Montreal, one of the picks obtained in that trade three allowed the Habs to land right-shot defenseman Noah Dobson in a blockbuster trade. Instead of rolling the dice on mid-first-round draft picks, the Canadiens elected to go not only for a proven commodity, but for one that has the same age as their young core.

This front office is pulling all the right moves; it’s now down to the players to translate those into results.

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Welcome to The Hockey News - Vancouver Canucks site’s player preview series for the 2025–26 season. In these articles, we’ll preview the players who are expected to play for the Canucks in the 2025–26 season. Today, we’ll be taking a look at soon-to-be NHL sophomore, Jonathan Lekkerimäki. 

Lekkerimäki’s 2024–25 Season

The 2024–25 season was Lekkerimäki’s first in North America, as he not only made his NHL debut, but also played in his first semi-full season in the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks. He skated in a total of 24 NHL games, scoring his first career NHL goal the game after his debut back in November. Lekkerimäki finished the regular season with three goals and three assists for Vancouver. He had a solid rookie showing in Abbotsford as well, scoring 19 goals and nine assists in 36 games, along with three goals and four assists in 16 playoff games. 

Lekkerimäki’s 2024–25 Letter Grade

For the 2024–25 season, The Hockey News - Canucks site gave Lekkerimäki a B-, which is solid for a rookie season — nevermind his first on North American ice. With his sophomore season ahead, Lekkerimäki will look to improve on his play in 2024–25, whether that’s in Vancouver or Abbotsford. As solid as he was for a young player, there were some parts in the season where he could have been a little more consistent. This was most prominent during the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs, in which he sat for four games but later reared back with a two-goal game. Staying consistent throughout the season will be something for the young forward to work on while still adjusting to an 82-game season. 

Lekkerimäki’s 2025–26 Predictions 

Lekkerimäki is likely to split his time with both Vancouver and Abbotsford in 2025–26, though the forward could spend the entire season in the NHL or AHL depending on the season’s injury circumstances. Had it not been for the injury to Brock Boeser back in November 2024, it’s uncertain whether Lekkerimäki would have even played during that stretch. The prospect has shown skill but should benefit greatly from more consistency — staying with one team for a longer period of time or avoiding injury could help with this. Sophomore seasons have tended to be trickier for players to navigate, so a season slump could be the case for Lekkerimäki. Even so, Lekkerimäki has shown he’s more than capable of bouncing back from slow stretches. 

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If one thing is for certain when the Pittsburgh Penguins open training camp a month from now, it’s that they have a whole lot of players in the mix for precious few spots on the roster.

And that is, perhaps, most evident when taking a look at the forward group.

Right now, the Penguins have 13 forwards on their active roster, which - if no trades are made prior to the start of the season - will include surefire top-six players in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, and Rickard Rakell. There is a lot of talk about who will occupy those other two top-six spots, but - realistically - anyone slotted there will certainly have to earn it.

Top forward prospects Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen come to mind, as they showed they belonged in a brief stint to end the season. But even they are not guaranteed to make the roster, as they are not even part of that group of 13. 

Aside from those two, however, nine other players will compete for not even just top-six time, but roster spots in general. That includes free agent signings Anthony Mantha and Justin Brazeau as well as returnees in Philip Tomasino, Connor Dewar, Tommy Novak, Danton Heinen, Kevin Hayes, Blake Lizotte, and Noel Acciari.

So this begs the question: What will the Penguins’ bottom-six shape up to be in 2025-26?

---

It’s largely dependent on the team’s goals for this season

At the end of the day, we will see just how committed Penguins’ GM and POHO Kyle Dubas and new head coach Dan Muse are to shifting the focus to youth and development.

Should players like McGroarty, Koivunen, and Filip Hallander push for roster spots and make the NHL team, it’s safe to say they value prioritizing where their youth talent should be playing rather than where it’s most convenient. 

But, if not, it says a lot about where the team is headed next season. Aside from committing to the tank, there’s no discernible reason to keep two or three young players who are certainly ready and capable of playing NHL minutes from, indeed, playing those minutes.

However, that would require some maneuvering on the current NHL roster. The Penguins could take a gander at the trade market to test the value of some of their bottom-six veterans or ultimately waive a few players by the end of camp in order to make room for the youth movement. 

If a situation arises where all three of McGroarty, Koivunen, and Hallander make the NHL roster - and McGroarty and Koivunen are iced in the top-six - the bottom-six could end up looking something like this:

Hallander - Novak - Mantha
Dewar - Lizotte - Brazeau
Hayes, Tomasino

It is reasonable to suggest that Acciari could be dealt prior to training camp for the right price, and both he and Heinen are players that the Penguins could ultimately decide to waive at the end of training camp if they are not able to find suitors for them. It’s also possible that they waive or deal one more of Hayes or Tomasino in order to keep eight defensemen instead of 14 forwards.

Should Two Top Forward Prospects Make Penguins' Opening Night Roster?Even if the Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t making a huge push to be Stanley Cup contenders in 2025-26, they have had a relatively active summer up to this point. 

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And if they do commit to the tank…?

Well, then, we’re unlikely to see at least McGroarty and Koivunen make the roster out of training camp. 

To be clear, Dubas has said that he wants the younger players to earn a roster spot instead of it being handed to them. He believes creating that competition will, hopefully, help separate them as opposed to block them.

“I think the key thing is that we want these guys to earn it,” Dubas said prior to free agency. “So, if we just start handing the guys spots, we’re going to very quickly lose what I think the Penguins have been about for a very long time and what’s made the Penguins a great team in the league since the early 90s.

“It’s right there for them. We’re not going to block them, but they’re going to have to go out and prove that they can be here, and they’re going to have to earn their way here… It’s trying to find that balance between not blocking players but making them earn it and also having enough depth to be competitive on a nightly basis.”

While Dubas seems very sincere in wanting this to be the case, it’s definitely worth considering - once again - that a roster spot is even open for them as of now. While it very well could be all about creating healthy competition, it could also be about not wanting to rush development if Dubas feels like the team will bottom out this season.

Sans McGroarty, Koivunen, and Hallander? Mantha and either Novak or Tomasino likely lands in the top-six, which leaves a potential bottom-six of:

Heinen - Hayes - Tomasino
Dewar - Lizotte - Brazeau
Acciari

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Even though the Pittsburgh Penguins missed the playoffs for a third-straight season last year, they still had some very productive players.

Captain Sidney Crosby led the team with 91 points in 80 games, which was 10th overall in the NHL. It was also his third-straight 90+ point season despite being in his late 30s. He's showing no signs of slowing down entering the 2025-26 season. 

Rickard Rakell set career highs in goals (35) and points (70) last year, and looks poised to return for this season, even though he has been involved in a lot of trade rumors over the past several months. That can obviously change with one phone call, but that's how it's looking right now. 

The same goes for Bryan Rust, who also set a career high in goals with 31 and has drawn a ton of interest from other teams this summer. They appreciate his championship pedigree and how he has developed into a strong leader. Still, Penguins general manager and president Kyle Dubas is being patient with the trade market. 

With all of that in mind, let's try to project the Penguins' top three point producers for this year. 

1. Sidney Crosby

Crosby is still one of the 10 best players in the sport, and it's not changing anytime soon. He did it all for the Penguins last year, even when they were out of the race going into the final weeks. 

He had a ridiculous stretch to end the season, compiling 30 points in the Penguins' final 21 games to secure his 20th consecutive point-per-game season, the most in NHL history. Crosby had been tied with Wayne Gretzky at 19 before breaking the record this year. 

He is the heartbeat of the Penguins, and as long as he stays healthy for this season, he will lead the team in points. He's also closing in on more history since he's only 36 points away from tying Mario Lemieux for the Penguins' franchise record in points. He needs 37 to pass him for that record and be eighth on the NHL's all-time scoring list. 

Steve Yzerman and Marcel Dionne are seventh and sixth on the NHL's all-time scoring list, and Crosby will also pass both of them if he secures a fourth-straight 90-point season. He'd be on the cusp of breaking into the top five going into the 2026-27 season, which is the last year of his current contract that he signed last year. 

2. Erik Karlsson 

This pick may take aback some fans since Karlsson only had 53 points last season, but that was good for fourth on the team. He's also involved in trade rumors, but what if the Penguins decide to keep him for the entire 2025-26 season?

Someone has to put up points from the blue line, and Karlsson is easily the Penguins' best bet for that since he's their best defenseman and he's still really good at generating 5v5 offense. His 33 5v5 points were tied for fifth among all NHL defensemen last season. 

He still has more to give and has a good chance of finishing in the 60-to-70-point range if a new staff can tweak a few aspects of his game. He will more than likely get the top-pairing minutes on the right side and will also get a good chunk of playing time with Crosby next season.

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2025: First-Round Pick Has Middle-Six UpsideHeading into the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have shifted the focus to youth and development.

3. Bryan Rust 

I went back and forth between Rust and a few other players for this spot, but I chose Rust because I see him being a jack-of-all-trades player again, whether it's at 5v5, the power play, or on the penalty kill. He can play in any situation for the Penguins. 

Rust has been a consistent 20+ goal player throughout his career and has also been a solid playmaker over the last four seasons. He has compiled at least 26 assists in each of the previous four years and matched his career high of 34 this past year. 

He'll be another year older this year (33), but I see him having another strong year and finishing in the 60-point range if he stays fully healthy. Rakell, assuming he also doesn't get traded, will be right there with him, but I have Rust beating him out by a hair. 

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Ivan Barbashev, who is approaching his third full season with the Golden Knights and fourth since being acquired during their championship run in 2023, is also approaching a couple of milestones.

Barbashev has played 585 games in his career, and barring anything, he could play his 15th game of the season - and 600th of his career - in Vegas against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.

The 29-year-old is also approaching his 300th career points, as he's sitting on 290 (126 goals, 164 assists).

Barbashev, who signed a five-year contract worth an average annual value of $5,000,000 in 2023, was acquired by Vegas from St. Louis on February 26 at the 2023 trade deadline.

The forward has appeared in 175 games since joining the Knights, and has recorded 112 points.

Since arriving in Vegas, his 112 points rank third on the team, while his 48 goals are fourth highest. His 64 assists rank fifth.

The two-time Stanley Cup champion's +52 is second-best behind Brayden McNabb (+66) on the plus/minus chart.

FUN FACT: Barbashev made his professional debut in the 2015-16 season with the St. Louis Blues' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. The Wolves would later become Vegas' affiliate when it entered the league, before the franchise purchased San Antonio's AHL franchise and moved it to Henderson.

The Montreal Canadiens took a major step forward in the right direction in 2024-25, and captain Nick Suzuki was a big reason for it. The 26-year-old was fantastic for the Canadiens, as he scored 20 goals and set new career highs with 59 assists and 89 points in 82 games. This als marked the fourth year in a row that Suzuki set a new career high in points. 

Now, Suzuki has landed some big praise after his excellent season, as he has made the NHL Network's latest Top 20 Centers Right Now list. 

Suzuki secured the No. 10 spot on the NHL Network's list, which is certainly quite the achievement for the 2017 first-round pick. This is especially so when noting that he ranked ahead of fellow star centers like Jack Hughes, Robert Thomas, Sebastian Aho, and Nico Hischier. 

Our Top 20 Centers Right Now list has a total of:
• 12 Stanley Cups
• 5 Conn Smythe Trophies
• 10 Ted Lindsay Awards
• 8 Hart Trophies
• 8 Art Ross Trophies
• 7 Maurice Richard Trophies
• 3 Selke Trophies

What do you think of our list?@NHL | #NHLTopPlayerspic.twitter.com/7xSsx0hpuh

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 20, 2025

When noting that Suzuki is coming off such an excellent season, he certainly has earned this top 10 spot on the NHL Network's list. He only seems to be getting better with each season that passes, and it will be fascinating to see what kind of year he puts together for the Habs in 2025-26 from here. 

Canadiens Are 2 Moves Away From Perfect Off-SeasonIt has been an excellent off-season for the Montreal Canadiens. They most notably acquired star defenseman Noah Dobson and promising young winger Zack Bolduc in separate trades. They also improved their depth by bringing in Joe Veleno, Sammy Blais, and Kaapo Kahkonen through free agency.

St. Louis Blues top forward Robert Thomas was a major reason why the Central Division club got back into the playoffs this spring. The 2017 first-round pick thrived for the Blues, as he recorded 21 goals, 60 assists, 81 points, and a plus-20 rating in 70 regular-season games. He then followed that up by posting two goals and eight points in seven playoff games with the Blues this spring.

This was the second season in a row that Thomas recorded at least 60 assists and 80 points. Furthermore, it was the third campaign in four years that he produced at an over a point per game pace. Thus, he has blossomed into a legitimate star, and he has now been rewarded for it. 

Our Top 20 Centers Right Now list has a total of:
• 12 Stanley Cups
• 5 Conn Smythe Trophies
• 10 Ted Lindsay Awards
• 8 Hart Trophies
• 8 Art Ross Trophies
• 7 Maurice Richard Trophies
• 3 Selke Trophies

What do you think of our list?@NHL | #NHLTopPlayerspic.twitter.com/7xSsx0hpuh

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 20, 2025

The NHL Network recently released its latest Top 20 Centers Right Now list heading into the 2025-26 season, and Thomas rightfully made the cut. The Blues star landed the No. 12 spot on the NHL Network's rankings, beating other star centers like Sebastian Aho, Nico Hischier, and Dylan Larkin.

When noting that Thomas has emerged as a big-time offensive threat, it is not surprising to see him be ranked among the NHL's top centers by the NHL Network. If he puts together another big season in 2025-26, perhaps he could even move ahead of players like Jack Hughes and Nick Suzuki on the NHL Network's next top centers list. 

2 Blues Who Could Be Nice Surprises The St. Louis Blues' goal this upcoming campaign will be to build off their strong 2024-25 season. When looking at the Blues' current roster, it is clear that they are trending in the right direction. This is especially so when noting that they brought in some good new talent this off-season.

The NHL Network has released its latest Top 20 Centers Right Now rankings, and it features two New Jersey Devils key players. 

Unsurprisingly, Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier made the cut. When noting that they are legitimate stars, both of them making the NHL Network's top centers list is entirely justifiable. 

Our Top 20 Centers Right Now list has a total of:
• 12 Stanley Cups
• 5 Conn Smythe Trophies
• 10 Ted Lindsay Awards
• 8 Hart Trophies
• 8 Art Ross Trophies
• 7 Maurice Richard Trophies
• 3 Selke Trophies

What do you think of our list?@NHL | #NHLTopPlayerspic.twitter.com/7xSsx0hpuh

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 20, 2025

Hughes secured the No. 11 spot on the NHL Network's list, beating out other stars like Robert Thomas and Sebastian Aho. Hughes is coming off another excellent season with the Devils, as he recorded 27 goals, 43 assists, 70 points, and a plus-12 rating in 62 games. This was the fourth season in a row where Hughes produced at over a point per game pace, so there is no question that he has earned a spot on this list. 

Hischier, on the other hand, was ranked at the No. 14 spot on the NHL Network's list. He was ranked ahead of notable centers like Dylan Larkin, Tim Stutzle, and Roope Hintz. When noting that Hischier is one of the game's top two-way forwards, it is hard to disagree with him making the top centers list. In 75 games last season with the Devils, he recorded 35 goals, 34 assists, 69 points, and a plus-9 rating. 

Former Devils Prospect Heading OverseasFormer New Jersey Devils forward Tyce Thompson is taking his talent overseas.