Milan Lucic and Brendan Smith joined NHL teams on a professional tryout agreement on Tuesday. 

Lucic joined the St. Louis Blues, while Smith is headed to the Columbus Blue Jackets. After Jack Johnson signed a PTO with the Minnesota Wild on Aug. 11, this could be the start of more NHL free agents taking a tryout to convince teams they deserve a contract this fall.

Lucic, 37, is trying to return to the NHL after a stint in the NHL Players’ Assistance Program. He played with Boston, Edmonton, Los Angeles and Calgary, with his point totals falling in his past few seasons.

The PTO gives St. Louis a low-risk opportunity to evaluate if the power forward can contribute in a bottom-six role. 

As for Smith, the 36-year-old will bring physicality and experienced defensive play to the Blue Jackets in the pre-season. GM Don Waddell said Smith has great character and professionalism, and he competes hard. That said, he averaged only 13:13 of ice time in 32 games with the Dallas Stars last season.

Here are other NHL free agents who may need to go the PTO route to earn a contract.

Robby Fabbri, C/LW

Robby Fabbri, 29, has shown glimpses that he can be a 20-goal guy, even if he’s never reached that marker in the NHL. 

He played 44 games last season with the Anaheim Ducks, posting eight goals and eight assists. This was after an 18-goal, 32-point season with the Detroit Red Wings.

He could be a solid secondary scorer, and if he’s placed with a playmaker, he could see a significant increase in his numbers. His shooting percentage has exceeded 15 percent four times in his nine seasons, which suggests he picks his spots well and has more goal-scoring in him. There is no reason to assume he can’t contribute at the NHL level, but he may need a tryout before earning a prove-it contract.

Victor Olofsson, LW

Victor Olofsson, 30, is a three-time 20-goal scorer who posted 15 goals and 29 points in 56 games with the Vegas Golden Knights last season.

Why he doesn’t have a contract offer yet is somewhat baffling. If he doesn’t get a PTO, the hint here is that 32 NHL teams must know something the public doesn’t.

His scoring ability and power-play proficiency make him a strong candidate to contribute. The biggest downside is that after he recorded three 40-point seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, his production dropped to 15 points in 51 games before he joined Vegas and hasn’t fully bounced back.

The assumption is that he’s waiting for a contract offer he likes, but hasn’t received it yet. If he wants bigger bucks, he has to prove in training camp that he’s ready to bounce back.

Luke Kunin, C

Luke Kunin, 27, split 2024-25 between the San Jose Sharks and Columbus, tallying 11 goals, 18 points and 187 hits in 75 games. 

The issue might be that he had no points in his 12 games with the Blue Jackets. That may have soured teams on his ability to produce, but perhaps one team could look quite smart for giving him a bounce-back opportunity.

Kunin can be physical and kill penalties, making him an option in a depth role, even if he doesn’t get regular NHL duties.

Milan Lucic Could Increase The Number Of Visor-less NHL PlayersMilan Lucic is attempting an NHL comeback by joining the St. Louis Blues on a professional tryout.

Max Pacioretty, LW

Max Pacioretty, 34, remains a gifted offensive goal-scorer whose injury and health concerns follow him wherever he goes. That makes PTOs the way to go with him, something he tried successfully last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

He made the team and produced 13 points in 37 games, as well as eight points in 11 playoff contests. The Leafs could still bring him back, or a contender might be on his radar. That said, teams may be hesitant to give a roster spot to an older veteran who might not play the full season, or even half of it.

Andreas Athanasiou, LW/C

Andreas Athanasiou, 31, is an experienced left winger coming off a difficult stint with the Chicago Blackhawks. Once a speedy 30-goal winger, Athanasiou’s stock has fallen over the past few seasons. He put up only nine points in 28 games in 2023-24, and last season, he played eight NHL games and 30 in the AHL. 

That said, he’s still quick and had a 20-goal campaign in 2022-23. 

As a free agent, he could take a PTO to prove he still has the skill to contribute effectively in a bottom-six role. Otherwise, he may need to sign in the AHL or overseas to continue his professional hockey career.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic, D

Marc-Edouard Vlasic, 38, played 1,323 games with the Sharks before they bought out his contract in late June. Vlasic told NHL.com’s French website he was under the impression he was going to San Jose next season, based on his end-of-season interview, so he wasn’t impressed the team didn’t tell him then that he might be bought out. 

He’s older, but Vlasic was once a steady shutdown defenseman, and he could bring leadership and quality minutes in a limited role.

A team signing him should know he’s likely not going to eat the minutes he used to, and he’ll be on the slower side, but there have been plenty of older defensemen who remain effective in the right role. Vlasic recently told Le Journal de Québec that he’s looking to come back to the NHL this season, and if the right team asks, a PTO could be a real option.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

In 2022–23, New Jersey Devils goaltender Vitek Vanecek made franchise history as the first netminder since Martin Brodeur to record 30 wins in a season. That year, he played 52 games, finishing with a 33–11 record and a .911 save percentage.

When Vanecek was traded to New Jersey, he signed a three-year, $10.2 million contract on July 19, 2022. His first year looked promising, but his performance and playing time began to decline afterward.

The following season, 2023–24, he appeared in just 32 games for the Devils. His save percentage dropped to .890, and his goals-against average climbed to 3.18, a sharp single-season decline. By February 2024, fans were frustrated with his sloppy, unfocused play, as he allowed goals that should have been routine saves.

On March 8, 2024, the Devils traded Vanecek to the San Jose Sharks. He was limited to only 18 appearances, where he won just three games.

The following year, on March 5, 2025, the Sharks dealt Vanecek to the Florida Panthers. He played 7 regular-season games as the backup to Sergei Bobrovsky. Though he didn’t see playoff action, he earned a Stanley Cup ring as part of the Panthers’ championship roster.

Now 29 years old, Vanecek has signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Utah Mammoth.

Despite bringing the Stanley Cup back to Czechia this summer, his career has shifted away from being a starter. Instead, he has embraced the role of a reliable NHL backup, one that still earned him a championship.

The 2025-26 NHL season is going to be here before we know it.

We’re less than a month away from rookies and veterans being summoned to their respective teams’ training facilities to officially kick off training camp.

In South Florida, the excitement for the local ice hockey team has never been higher.

The Florida Panthers are coming off back-to-back Stanley Cup championships and will be looking to become the first time to complete a three-peat since the New York Islanders won four straight Cups in the early 1980s.

When they do it, the Panthers will be playing in front of a packed house in Sunrise.

It’s no surprise that the South Florida team that has made three consecutive appearances in the finals has also sold out their season tickets.

The Cats are popular and attending games in Sunrise is a trendy thing to do these days.

In addition to checking out one of the best teams the NHL has seen in recent memory, fans also get additional fun elements of their visit to Amerant Bank Arena that are provided by the team.

One example are the Panthers’ special themed nights.

This season, Florida is hosting 16 theme nights, which will account for just under 40% of the team’s 41 regular season home games.

Here is the full list of all 16 Panthers theme nights in 2025-26:

• Home Opener – Tuesday, Oct. 7

• Pink in the Rink Night – Saturday, Oct. 25

• Panther Conservation – Saturday, Nov. 1

• Military Appreciation – Thursday, Nov. 13 and Tuesday, March 24

• Hockey Fights Cancer – Saturday, Nov. 15

• SOFLORIDA – Thursday, Dec. 4

• Hockey Holidays – Wednesday, Dec. 17, Friday, Dec. 19 & Saturday, Dec. 20

• Star Wars Night – Tuesday, Jan. 27

• Kids Day – Saturday, Jan. 31

• Vamos Gatos– Monday, Feb. 2

• Black History Night– Friday, Feb. 27

• St. Patrick’s Day Celebration – Tuesday, March 12

• 90’s Night – Thursday, March 26

• Pride Night – Tuesday, March 31

• Autism Acceptance – Thursday, April 2

• Fan Appreciation Night – Monday, April 13

Additional information can be found by visiting FloridaPanthers.com/ThemeNights.

Single game tickets for the upcoming season are set to go on sale to the general public on Thursday at 10 a.m.

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Aaron Ekblad visits Huey Magoo's to serve up popular poultry to hungry Panthers fans

Sam Reinhart spotted at CFL game ahead of return to South Florida for Stanley Cup defense

Red Wings Were Prepared To Make Large Offer For Panthers Defenseman

Coral Springs native Coby Mayo hits game-winning home run for Baltimore Orioles while wearing Florida Panthers cleats

Panthers Defenseman Features On Top 20 Defenders List

Photo caption: Jun 12, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Overview of fans in the stands during warm up between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers in game four of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

This season, the NHL’s 32 teams will collectively travel nearly 1.3 million miles and cross over 1,000 time zones during the 2025-26 season.

A recent study by Bookies.com analyzed the full NHL schedule and used the haversine formula, which considers the curvature of the Earth, to calculate how far each team will travel based on arena-to-arena distances.

Per the report, the Golden Knights rank sixth in travel miles (46,916.6), with the first five also coming from the Western Conference. Vegas will cross 52 time zones during the season - most in the NHL.

Dallas leads the league in travel miles (50,601.7), while the New York Islanders will travel the least (28,477.3).

The Golden Knights, who rank sixth with 362 road points since entering the league in 2017, ranked fifth in the league with 49 road points last season.

Since Bruce Cassidy took over as coach in 2022, the Golden Knights have the fifth-most road points (151) i the NHL.

The Golden Knights have two three-game trips early in the season, both in October, and two more short ones in November.

The Knights will head to the East Coast in December for five games, with stops in New Jersey, Manhattan, Long Island, Philadelphia and Columbus.

They have just one other five-game trip the rest of the season, in late February and early March, when they'll stop in Los Angeles before heading back to the Eastern time zone with stops in Washington D.C., Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Detroit.

As the latest cover model for the NHL 26 video game, it’s safe to say that Matthew Tkachuk has officially entered superstar status.

But when it comes to his skill set, he doesn’t necessarily have a whole lot in common with the likes of Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews.

Tkachuk is not the fastest player. He doesn’t have the hardest shot. And he won’t necessarily wow you with his stick handling ability.

Where he differentiates himself from the rest of the league is through his intangibles.

He’s a pest. A grinder. A guy who is willing to do anything — and everything — to help his team win a game and a championship.

It is a unique character trait that, at first, gave the developers at EA Sports a bit of trouble in translating Tkachuk from the rink to the video game. But after watching Tkachuk lead the Florida Panthers to back-to-back championships — and three straight appearances in the Stanley Cup final — the developers realized they were looking at it all wrong.

Rather than focus on Tkachuk, they shifted their attention to his teammates.

“He’s a natural-born leader,” said NHL 26 Creative Director Mike Inglehart. “We tried to design that around the way he plays and what he brings on the ice with his play and being able to inspire others around him by leading by example. He has a level of charisma that is very unique when it comes to the NHL.”

What does charisma look like?

In a real-life hockey game, it’s one of those non-quantifiable intangibles that leads to wins. Tkachuk, who had eight goals and 23 points in the playoffs despite battling a laundry list of injuries, drags his team into the fight by encouraging his teammates to go outside their comfort zone and fight for every square inch on the ice.

In NHL 26, Tkachuk’s X-Factor provides his teammates with a boost of energy. Or as Inglehart said, he gets everyone “gunned up”.

Nylander Or McDavid: Which Player Deserves An X-Factor For Having 'Elite Edges'?If it's in the game, then it's in the video game.

“The NHL is known for its soft-spoken personalities,” said Inglehart, “but him and his brother and his dad back in the day approach the game with a head-on charismatic appeal.”

When it comes to bringing the realism of the rink to the video game, EA Sports continues to strive for more. NHL 26 has partnered with the NHL and NHLPA to bring an improved ICE-Q 2.0 gameplay system, powered by NHL Edge positional data (NHL Puck and Player Tracking).

Specific attributes, like shot power and accuracy, as well as individual tendencies of where players do their offensive damage, are all part of the game. But there is a balance, said Inglehart, in keeping the the action loose and fun, while at the same time realistic.

“We try to find the best representative moments that translate well in a video game world,” he said. “So as you can imagine, there’s a lot of liberty with that. You still want to make sure that it is connected to the NHL as best as possible. But then it needs to have an outcome that makes for a good video game experience.

NHL 26 Be A Pro Trailer BreakdownEA SPORTS NHL has released the first deep dive trailer for NHL 26's revamped Be A Pro mode, we break down what is new below.

“You also want to make sure players feel in control of outcomes. Sometimes, if sports games lean too heavily into the sim side, there may be many outcomes where you feel like the controller is being taken out of your hands.”

As such, you’ll see Tkachuk chewing on his mouth guard in the game and sliding on his knees and stretching his arms out following a big-time goal. But you won’t be see him chirp players or face-wash opponents after a whistle.

At least, not yet.

“Poking the bear and trying to get a reaction is definitely a part of hockey culture and something he does embody,” said Ingelhart. “As we go forward, it’s an area we’re looking into. I know a lot of players are trying to gaining gameplay significance from post-whistle scrums.”

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

The Los Angeles Kings are celebrating one of their brightest young stars today as Quinton Byfield turns 23. Byfield was born on August 19, 2002, and has quickly established himself as a key part of the Kings' future, with size, speed, and skill in ways few have achieved.

HBD QB 🥳 pic.twitter.com/AAeXPKfEBY

— LA Kings (@LAKings) August 19, 2025

Byfield's breakout 2024-25 season saw him score 23 goals and add 31 assists for a total of 54 points in 81 games, all career highs. He demonstrated his playmaking skills alongside Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe, as well as his ability to play a two-way game in top-six minutes.

Drafted second overall at the 2020 NHL Draft, Byfield has progressively grown into his role, and at just 23 years old, his very best hockey is still ahead. Kings supporters have every reason to be excited about his development as he continues to come of age as one of the NHL's most promising young forwards.

Happy Birthday, Quinton Byfield! 

Former New Jersey Devil Brendan Smith is looking to continue his NHL career. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that they have signed Smith to a professional tryout (PTO) contract.

🚨 Team Update 🚨

We’ve signed veteran D Brendan Smith to a professional tryout contract.https://t.co/ky8vZ92LlF

— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) August 19, 2025

Smith spent this past season as a depth defenseman for the Dallas Stars. In 32 games with the Central Division club, he recorded one goal, six assists, 33 penalty minutes, and 41 blocks. 

Before joining the Stars for the 2024-25 campaign, Smith played the two previous seasons with the Devils. In 123 games as a Devil over that span, he recorded five goals, 15 assists, 20 points, 124 penalty minutes, 219 hits, and an even plus/minus rating. Most of his offense with the Devils came during the 2023-24 campaign, as he had five goals, 10 assists, and 15 points in 63 games that season. 

If Smith impresses during training camp for the Blue Jackets and earns a contract for the season, he would give Columbus another experienced depth blueliner to work with. In 726 career NHL games over 14 seasons, he has recorded 39 goals, 144 points, 787 penalty minutes, and 972 hits. 

Devils Forward Named Top Breakout CandidateNHL.com has been highlighting one player from each team who has the potential to break out during the 2025-26 season. They revealed their pick for the New Jersey Devils on August 17, and they went with an interesting forward.

On August 15th, the Muskegon Lumberjacks announced the addition of three-time Stanley Cup Champion Patrick Maroon to their coaching staff. Maroon retired from the NHL this past March, where he ended his career with the Blackhawks after winning three consecutive Stanley Cups from 2019 to 2021.

Drafted in 2007 by the Philadelphia Flyers, Maroon played a long tenured career of 14 years before starting his new coaching journey in Muskegon.

The NHL veteran finished his playing career with 323 total points on 126/197 splits. Nicknamed “The Big Rig”, Maroon jumped between a couple different teams before he won his first championship with his hometown team, the St. Louis Blues. After his season at home, the Blues decided not to offer Maroon a contract to re-sign with the team, so he decided to take his talents to Tampa Bay on a one year deal in 2020. The 2020 and 2021 seasons both concluded with the Lightning taking home the Stanley Cup, giving Maroon his second and third Stanley Cup title.

Maroon is excited to begin a new chapter in his hockey career, stating “I'm really looking forward to working with a winning organization and learning from the coaches, players, and management.”

The staff at Muskegon is also extremely excited about the new addition. Head Coach Colten St. Clair said “Bringing Pat Maroon into our organization is a game-changing move… Pat knows what it takes to win, and his influence will elevate our locker room, our culture, and our pursuit of excellence."

You can catch the first game of the Lumberjacks’ season on September 17th as they take on the Waterloo Black Hawks in the DICK’S Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic.

Is it October yet? 

Unfortunately, no, but we're here to help pass the time. From Aug. 8 to Sept. 1, The Hockey News Nashville Predators will be counting down 24 players in 24 days, profiling every current or potentially rostered player. 

Today's player profile is forward Michael Bunting. 

24 Nashville Predators in 24 days series 

Adam Wilsby

Jordan Oesterle

Andreas Engulund

Cole Smith

Michael McCarron

Justin Barron

Zachary L’Heureux

Matthew Wood

Nick Blankenburg

Brady Martin

As an NHL prospect 

Bunting spent just one season in the OHL before he was drafted as he had been passed over in prior OHL Drafts. He was eventually selected 160th overall in the OHL's Priority Draft. 

He joined the Sault St. Marie Greyhounds for the 2013-14 season, scoring 42 points in 48 games and recording six points in nine playoff games. In the 2014 NHL Draft, he was selected 117th overall by the Arizona Coyotes. 

Bunting returned to Soo for the 2014-15 season, scoring 74 points in 57 games and was third in scoring on the team that year.

In the playoffs, Bunting scored 14 points in 14 games in the Greyhounds' run to the OHL Western Conference Finals, falling to Connor McDavid and the Erie Otters. 

In July 2015, Bunting signed a three-year entry-level contract to officially join the Coyotes organization. 

Professional career 

Bunting started his professional career with the Springfield Falcons, scoring 25 points in 63 games and logging 41 penalty minutes. He made a brief trip to the Rapid City Rush, playing in seven games and scoring two points before returning to Springfield. 

He'd spend the next two seasons full-time with the Tucson Roadrunners, playing in 134 games and scoring 71 points. During the 2017-18 season, the Roadrunners did make the Calder Cup Playoffs, where Bunting scored four points in nine games. 

Bunting made his NHL debut during the 2018-19 season, playing five games with the Coyotes and scoring one point, which was his first career goal against the Boston Bruins. In Tucson, he played 58 games, scoring 49 points. 

The following season, Bunting spent the entire year in Tucson, scoring 49 points in 58 games, but then split time between the Coyotes and Roadrunners for the 2020-21 season. He had 13 points in 21 games with the Coyotes

That offseason, he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent, earning a full-time roster spot. 

As his game count in the NHL began to rise, so did his penalty minutes. In his first season as a Maple Leaf, Bunting had a career-high 63 points in 79 games and logged 80 penalty minutes.

During the 2022-23 season, he played all 82 games, scoring 49 points and recording 103 penalty minutes, the first time he had surpassed 100+ penalty minutes in his career.

Bunting entered the 2023 offseason as a free agent and signed a three-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes, but only spent a season with the team. He scored a sound 36 points in 60 games before he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the deadline. 

Bunting was in Pittsburgh for a season and a half, scoring 48 points in 79 games before he was traded to Nashville at the deadline for Tommy Novak and Luke Schenn. He played the ladder end of the season, scoring nine points in 18 games. 

He is entering the final year of the 3-year, $13.5 million contract he signed with the Hurricanes. 

What role will he play this season?

Bunting has the potential to be a decent player in this lineup. 

He found success being a physical player in Toronto, but realized that the penalty minutes were becoming an issue, especially after the scoring had slowed down.  

This is a player who has a good balance of offensive production and defensive effectiveness. He can score and he can shove other players around if need be. The question is, can he harness that and be a force for the Predators?

With a lack of depth at center, having a veteran presence at wing and someone who can average 30, 40, or 50 points in the bottom six would be huge. Depending on how well the youth works on the second line, Bunting could work his way up to there. 

Again, this is a player who has scored over 50 points in an NHL season before. He knows how to be productive, but just needs the right people around him.

If Erik Haula and Bunting can establish some sort of chemistry on the third line, that'd be a gigantic gain for the Predators. 

ST. LOUIS -- Jim Montgomery is back in his familiar stomping grounds, coaching the St. Louis Blues after being hired on Nov. 25, 2025, the same Blues that signed Montgomery out of the University of Maine in 1993.

But did you know that on this date, Aug. 19, exactly 31 years ago, that the Blues traded their current coach to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Guy Carbonneau, who was a popular player with the Canadiens and spent the first 13 seasons of his NHL career there?

Montgomery, a Montreal native who played in 67 games with the Blues (20 points; six goals, 14 assists) in 1993-94, didn't last long with the Canadiens; he played just five games there (zero points) before being claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Flyers and played in just a combined 13 games in Philadelphia the remainder of the 1994-95 and 95-96 seasons.

Montgomery, who would close out his NHL career with one season with the San Jose Sharks (2000-01) and Dallas Stars (2001-03), played in 122 NHL games (34 points; nine goals, 25 assists).

Carbonneau spent just the one season (1994-95) with the Blues and played in just 42 games, collecting 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) and another three points (one goal, two assists) in seven playoff games before signing as a free agent with the Stars, finishing out his career there playing five more seasons.

As the current Blues coach, are you glad to see Montgomery guiding the franchise through its current retool and do you feel like he can get them back to where it was was not long ago?

The Kings have reached the playoffs four years in a row but have not gotten past the first round.

With depth and talent, they've fallen behind Pacific division rivals like Edmonton and Vegas.

This season is a crossroads — roster changes, new GM, contracts, and a new mix of youth/veterans leave the Kings with giant questions that will decide if they finally make that next step.

Same Old Kings, or a New Chapter?

The Kings enter 2025–26 with a mix of optimism and skepticism. Kopitar's guidance is steady, Doughty continues to patrol the blue line, and the lineup has been strengthened with veterans who know how to win in the playoffs. 

Many experts and fans believe it’s time for the Kings to move on from Kopitar and Doughty, given their age and ability don’t align with their current depth chart positions. At this point, Kopitar is a low-end 2C in his career, and Doughty is just a solid second-pairing guy at this point in his career. 

In contrast, giant questions — depth scoring, balance on the blue line, goaltender stability, young player development, and coaching adjustment — hover over the team.

If the Kings can answer yes to even a handful of these questions, they have the pieces to make a deep playoff push. Otherwise, they risk being the NHL version of déjà vu: good enough to get in, but never good enough to get out.

HBD QB 🥳 pic.twitter.com/AAeXPKfEBY

— LA Kings (@LAKings) August 19, 2025

Can Jim Hiller Push the Right Buttons?

Behind the bench, head coach Jim Hiller has his proving ground. The Kings have been criticized the last couple of years for failing to make in-game adjustments, particularly in playoff series when the same issues — neutral zone breakdowns, stagnant power play — plagued them again.

It was especially ugly this last postseason when the Kings had a 2-0 series lead and blew multiple leads in the third period, when they were leading for most of the game until it came down to the clutch. 

Special teams, particularly, need to be worked on. The Kings' last season was at the bottom of the league in power-play efficiency, but they struggled at generating zone entries against organized defenses. The penalty kill, a one-time strength, is now middle-of-the-pack.

For the Kings to advance, Hiller will have to figure out how to draw the best out of his team's mix of older vets and youthful speed, as well as out-coach their opponents in X’s and O’s. 

Can the Kings Finally Put Their Scoring Problems to Rest?

The Kings' offense has been defined by structure and possession — and not explosiveness. They finished last season in the top 10  in the NHL overall and were unable to generate high-danger scoring chances against elite defensive units.

In the playoffs, the issue worsened. The Kings managed a paltry 2.4 goals per game in the series against Edmonton as stars Kevin Fiala and Adrian Kempe were unable to break through consistently.

This offseason, the Kings brought in Corey Perry and Joel Armia, postseason veterans with scoring depth, to augment the offense. Alex Laferriere, who inked a three-year, $12.3 million deal, is expected to step into a top-six position.

The question is whether this team can muster enough secondary scoring to support Kopitar, Kempe, and Fiala. Without that, the Kings' ceiling on offense remains limited. 

Is the Defense Built to Last?

The blue line has been anchored for years by Drew Doughty, but he's now 35 and entering the back half of his career. While still sound, the Kings have depended on him for first-pair minutes heavily, often leaving depth liabilities bare.

To address this, LA signed Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci in free agency — stoic, stay-home defensemen who can play minutes and bring playoff acumen. Neither is a true game-breaker, though, so the question remains as to whether the Kings have enough mobility and puck-movement on the back end to keep up with high-scoring attacks like Edmonton or Colorado.

The highlight will also be on Brandt Clarke, the 22-year-old former first-round pick, who should be an even more significant contributor. 

If Clarke can be a reliable top-four defenseman, it has the potential to transform the appearance of LA's defense entirely. If not, the group may still lag behind the West's elite.

Will the Youth Break Through?

For some time, the Kings have boasted one of the league's stronger crops of prospects. Now, it's time for those prospects to deliver.

Alex Laferriere is the most glaring case in point. A one-time dark horse, he linked a lucrative extension over the summer after showing top-six potential. The Kings will need him to mature from a complementary player into one who can be a feared scorer.

On the blue line, Brandt Clarke needs to leap, and Samuel Helenius will be watched closely at camp as a bottom-six center with size and penalty killing.

If these guys can evolve into larger roles, the Kings will possess the young strength needed to complement their veteran core. If not, the club is at risk of depending too heavily on veterans who can no longer carry the load throughout an 82-game season.

Milan Lucic is attempting an NHL comeback by joining the St. Louis Blues on a professional tryout.

The Blues announced the PTO signing Tuesday morning, adding that the NHL reinstated Lucic.

The 37-year-old last played on Oct. 21, 2023, with the Boston Bruins. After that, he took a leave of absence from the team and later joined the NHL and NHLPA Player Assistance Program.

Lucic was reportedly charged with domestic violence around the time he took his leave, but the case was later dismissed.

Brittany Lucic, his partner, posted a photo of the two smiling together on Instagram in July. She reposted it on her Instagram story on Tuesday.

"Some people would rather see you broken than see you heal," she wrote in the caption. "They question your strength and recovery like it’s not real. But healing is real… and it’s exactly what this world needs more of." 

If Lucic signs an NHL contract, he has a chance at reaching 1,200 career NHL games and 600 points in his 18th season. He's currently at 1,177 matches played and 586 points, so he'd need to play in 23 contests and record 14 points to reach those milestones.

Before Lucic recorded two assists in four games with the Bruins in 2023-24, he played 77 games with the Calgary Flames in 2022-23, putting up seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points. He also recorded 168 hits that season.

Lucic could also increase the number of active NHL players who don't wear a visor.

Right now, that small group consists of four players under contract: Jamie Benn, Ryan O'Reilly, Zach Bogosian and Ryan Reaves. Lucic hasn't regularly worn a visor during his NHL career, either.

All those players were NHL regulars by the time the league introduced a rule in 2013-14 that made any skater who had played fewer than 25 games by that point wear a visor.

When the rule was introduced, Lucic had already played 405 games, recording 97 goals, 142 assists, 239 points, 600 penalty minutes and 1,091 hits. He also had 84 playoff games under his belt, with 22 goals, 54 points and a Stanley Cup championship with the Bruins in 2010-11. His career playoff totals are 136 games, 29 goals and 48 assists for 77 points.

The Final Four NHL Skaters Who Play Without VisorsOnly four players who don't wear visors remain under an NHL contract.

Lucic played eight seasons with the Bruins before joining the Los Angeles Kings for one year, then spent three campaigns with the Edmonton Oilers and four in Calgary before rejoining Boston.

The soonest game action Lucic could appear in for the Blues is Saturday, Sept. 20, when they take on the Dallas Stars, whose captain is the visor-less Benn, in a pre-season contest at 7 p.m. ET.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

The Los Angeles Kings are hoping they can make a deep run into the playoffs next season, and while some fans questioned their moves this offseason, they seem confident in their ability to finally get past the first round.

There has been some speculation recently that the Boston Bruins could be looking to trade Fabian Lysell, and the Kings could be a strong fit.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bruins would be willing to move him after he has failed to break into the NHL, but they may be looking for a steep return.

Lysell, who is 22 years old, has 3 points in just 12 NHL games in his career. Last season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Providence Bruins, he scored 11 goals and added 23 assists for 34 points through 52 games. 

He is a strong offensive player, and having been a first-round pick back in 2021, Bruins fans were hoping he could’ve broken into the big leagues by now, but that hasn’t happened.

The Kings could flip a couple of future mid-round picks for Lysell, but realistically, it may cost them a conditional second-round pick to get the deal even close to coming to fruition. 

He could step into a depth role with the Kings as a bottom-six forward as soon as next season, and if he gels well with a new team, he could move his way up the lineup fast.  

Matvei Michkov had an excellent rookie year for the Philadelphia Flyers last season, but don't expect him to reach his full potential overnight.

Michkov, 20, quietly led all NHL rookies in goals last season with 26, and ultimately finished joint-second amongst all rookies in scoring, tying Macklin Celebrini with 63 points and narrowly trailing Lane Hutson's 66.

A big step forward is in the cards for the Flyers' Russian sensation, but a step forward and a leap are different.

Semantics, yes, but let's just say Michkov should be allowed at least another season to really come into his own for the Flyers at the NHL level.

Aside from the offseason trade for Trevor Zegras, who has to find his own way as well, the Flyers did very little to further assist Michkov on the ice--literally and figuratively--otherwise.

Flyers' Matvei Michkov Reveals One Important Goal for 2025-26 SeasonWhile star Philadelphia Flyers forward Matvei Michkov has been careful about speaking about his individual goals and aspirations, one target for the 2025-26 season should make everyone excited despite being vague in nature.

Defensemen Noah Juulsen and Dennis Gilbert will end up as forgettable signings as fringe journeymen defensemen added to fill a temporary need, 

The same is likely true for forward Christian Dvorak, who will probably never share the ice with Michkov barring an unforeseen rash of injuries or struggles with performance from other centers higher in the lineup.

All three free agents, as well as Zegras, are under contract for one more season only.

They are temporary complements to a Flyers roster centered around Michkov, who will have to find his next step on his own accord.

Defensive awareness and skating are the two obvious areas in need of improvement from the 20-year-old, but less defense can sometimes lead to more offense, as we've already seen time and time again.

It would not be unrealistic to dream up a 70- or 80-point season from Michkov, especially if Zegras can turn back the clock to just two seasons ago.

There's also a point to be made for positive regression for other Flyers players, such as Travis Konecny.

Ex-Flyers Prospect Backs Matvei Michkov to Become Face of the FranchiseStar Philadelphia Flyers forward Matvei Michkov doesn't lack supporters in and around the NHL these days, but he's just received even more big praise.

Konecny ended his season with just seven goals in his final 44 games, and two in his final 25.

Considering how much he and Michkov played together at times under John Tortorella, there's arguably 10 points Konecny left on the table for his Russian counterpart over that second-half slump.

That alone is enough to boost Michkov into the 70-point threshold, flirting with 80 points.

There's also the dreaded specter that is the Flyers' power play.

As a team, the Flyers had the third-worst power play percentage in the NHL last year at 15%, and they were one of four teams (Florida, Tampa Bay, Boston) to allow 10 or more short-handed goals.

Michkov (8), Konecny (8), and Tyson Foerster (6) combined for 22 of the Flyers' 32 power play goals last season; no other Flyers forward managed more than two.

If, say, Sean Couturier added five power play goals to the one he scored last season, he'd have reached 20 goals and 50 points. Would the conversation around the Flyers captain be different? Probably.

But, this is all to say that Michkov can't do it all on his own. He has his own work to do, and his Flyers teammates have theirs.

Michkov won't enter his Nikita Kucherov era overnight, but he's well on his way.