The St. Louis Blues signed forward Milan Lucic to a professional tryout (PTO) on Aug. 19. With training camp still being roughly a month away, there is still time for the Blues to bring in another player or two on a PTO before the pre-season begins if they wish to. 

Due to this, let's take a look at two potential PTO targets who the Blues should consider taking a chance on.

Luke Kunin

The Blues' bottom six could use a boost, so bringing in a player like Luke Kunin on a PTO could be worth considering. The 27-year-old has shown throughout his career that he can make an impact due to his physicality and penalty-killing ability. The Chesterfield, Missouri native is also capable of playing both center and on the wing, which adds to his appeal. 

In 75 games this past season split between the San Jose Sharks and Columbus Blue Jackets, Kunin recorded 11 goals, 18 points, and 187 hits. 

Victor Olofsson 

Victor Olofsson is another interesting unrestricted free agent (UFA) who could be a good player for the Blues to invite to training camp on a PTO. While he does not offer the same kind of physicality as players like Lucic and Kunin, he would give the Blues another scorer to take a look at. 

In 56 games this past season with the Vegas Golden Knights, Olofsson posted 15 goals and 29 points. With numbers like these, the three-time 20-goal scorer could compete for a spot on the Blues' third line. 

Ex-Blues Forward Joins New Team After Historic YearFormer St. Louis Blues forward Josh Leivo had a historic season in the KHL with Salavat Yulaev Ufa in 2024-25. In 62 games, he scored a KHL record 49 goals and recorded 80 points. He then followed that up by posting two goals and 15 points in 14 playoff games for the KHL squad.

The St. Louis Blues confirmed Tuesday that former Edmonton Oilers veteran forward Milan Lucic will attend training camp on a professional tryout agreement (PTO).

We've signed Milan Lucic to a professional tryout. #stlblues

DETAILS ➡️ https://t.co/fsCekt9xnjhttps://t.co/fsCekt9xnj

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) August 19, 2025

Following a stint in the NHL Players' Assistance Program and rumors back in August of 2024 that he was looking to make a return, his attempt at a comeback is happening. Lucic has since completed the program and been reinstated by the NHL.

For Oilers fans, the news brings back memories of a high-profile free agency signing that was supposed to be the first big thing to go with Connor McDavid, but never lived up to expectations.

Signed to a massive ticket at $42 million, the Oilers went all in on Lucic, thinking he would be the team's big power forward success story. For a while, he was effective, scoring 23 goals and 50 points in his first season with the team in 2016-17. 

Things went downhill not long after. 

Related: McDavid v. the Decade of Darkness: Part 1: My Introduction to the Oilers

He played two additional seasons with the team before being traded to the Calgary Flames for James Neal. The Oilers moved the contract but took on salary retention, a conditional pick, and eventually bought out James Neal — leaving the Oilers still paying for players no longer on the roster.

Lucic, 37, has played 17 NHL seasons in the NHL. His most recent run was a second go-round with the Boston Bruins, but he also spent time in Los Angeles, Edmonton, and Calgary. He won a Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011, likely one of the big reasons the Oilers spent so much to acquire him a few seasons later. 

At one point, Lucic was viewed as a game-changer. The idea was he could score, hit, and put fear into his opponents, all while protecting Connor McDavid. This was the duo that was supposed to lead Edmonton into the playoffs and help the team turn the corner. McDavid had called him a dream teammate prior to his arrival. 

Instead, Lucic’s stint in Edmonton became a cautionary tale.

His production plummeted, he slowed down to the point he struggled to keep pace, and his physical impact faded as the game changed. By the end, he was a $6 million forward who was vastly overpaid and viewed as nearly untradable.

The Oilers did eventually find a taker in Calgary, where he never scored more than 10 goals in a single season. 

His best days are clearly behind him and making a NHL roster could be a long shot. However, the Blues are going to give him a look. 

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Rasmus Andersson's future remains a hot topic in Calgary this summer. The 28-year-old Flames defenseman is UFA-eligible next July.

Contract extension talks in June failed to produce an agreement, making him the frequent subject of off-season media trade chatter.

Expressen.se recently reported that Andersson wasn't impressed with a media rumor suggesting that he would only accept a trade to the Vegas Golden Knights, claiming the story wasn't true. He doesn't have full no-trade protection, carrying a six-team no-trade list. 

Andersson also addressed a report by TSN's Darren Dreger claiming the Flames received a substantial offer from the Los Angeles Kings. He said he knew what the proposal was but declined to say which team it came from. The blueliner also indicated that he gave Flames management a list of clubs he'd agree to sign with if he were traded, but the team that made the proposal wasn't among them.

According to Andersson, he hasn't spoken with Flames management since the trade proposal was made over a month and a half ago.

Earlier this summer, Flames GM Craig Conroy indicated that he'd spoken with Andersson and there was no issue with him starting this season in Calgary. Nevertheless, it's expected that the veteran blueliner will be moved at some point before the March trade deadline.

Meanwhile, in Edmonton, most of this summer's speculation regarding the Oilers has focused on their limited options for improving their goaltending depth. However, a more pressing need is their salary cap space.

PuckPedia indicates the Oilers are under the $95.5 million cap by $225,000. Any attempt to add another player will require moving out salary in the deal, or a cost-cutting trade beforehand. 

On Aug. 7, David Staples of the Edmonton Journal cited Oilers insider Bob Stauffer suggesting Mattias Janmark could be a trade candidate. The 32-year-old left winger is earning an average annual value of $1.45 million through 2026-27, but he's now seeing fourth-line minutes. 

Stauffer believes the Oilers could shed a salary by the start of the season, accrue cap space and use it to acquire a player by the March trade deadline. There could be better options to upgrade between the pipes by then.

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The Detroit Red Wings announced they will retire Sergei Fedorov's jersey number this upcoming season.

Fedorov’s No. 91 will rise to the rafters on Jan. 12, 2026, when the Red Wings host the Carolina Hurricanes.

"We are honored to celebrate Sergei Fedorov and raise his No. 91 to its rightful place hanging in the rafters at Little Caesars Arena,” Red Wings Governor and CEO Chris Ilitch said in a press release.

“His exceptional skill, relentless drive and lasting impact playing a pivotal role bringing three Stanley Cup championships to Detroit make him the perfect embodiment of the qualities deserving of our franchise’s most prestigious honor,” Ilitch added.

It has been a long time coming for Fedorov to earn this honor from the Detroit organization. It will be nearly 17 years since his last NHL game that Fedorov's number is retired.

Fedorov played 908 games over 13 seasons for Detroit, scoring 400 goals and 954 points in that span. In his overall NHL career, he played 1,248 regular-season games and recorded 483 goals, 696 assists and 1,179 points between the Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Washington Capitals.

Among all Russian NHL players, only Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin have more goals, assists and points than Fedorov.

“I’m extremely grateful for this tremendous honor,” Fedorov said. “Thank you to everyone with the Red Wings organization, especially those who helped bring me to Detroit and gave me the chance to play for such a historic franchise.

“I was fortunate to be part of some unforgettable teams, and above all, I’m proud of the three Stanley Cup championships we won for our amazing fans in Hockeytown,” he added.

On top of the Russian’s three Stanley Cup championships with the Wings, he earned several other accolades in his 18-year career.

The 1993-94 campaign was by far Fedorov’s best. In that season, he scored a career-high 56 goals and 120 points. With that, he was awarded the Hart Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award and one of his two Selke Trophy wins. He even finished fourth in the Lady Byng Trophy voting.

Over half a decade after retiring from the NHL, Fedorov was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015 and the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2016.

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ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues have signed veteran forward Milan Lucic to a professional tryout, the club announced on Tuesday morning.

Lucic, 37, last appeared with the Boston Bruins in 2023-24 when he had two assists in four regular season games, last playing on Oct. 21, 2023; he played briefly for current Blues coach Jim Montgomery but had his career cut short at the time due to a domestic incident involving his wife and led to Lucic's arrest. He was enrolled in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program after taking an indefinite leave of absence. Lucic has since completed the program and been reinstated by the NHL.

Lucic's wife, Brittany, has posted on her Instagram page, that the couple has been working strongly on putting their lives back together.

The Vancouver native has played in 17 NHL seasons, including nine with Boston, four with the Calgary Flames, three with the Edmonton Oilers, and one with the Los Angeles Kings and has played in 1,177 regular-season games. Lucic has 586 points (233 goals, 353 assists) and 1,301 penalty minutes and 29 goals, 48 assists (77 points) in 136 Stanley Cup playoff games, winning a Cup in 2011 with the Bruins.

There is also a history with Lucic involving Peter Chiarelli, who serves as the Blues' vice president of hockey operations and was Bruins GM from 2006-15; the Bruins drafted Lucic in the second round of the 2006 NHL Draft and he spent the first eight seasons of his career with Boston.

In a move that was long overdue, the Detroit Red Wings announced this morning that the iconic No. 91 jersey number of Sergei Fedorov will be retired and raised to the rafters at Little Caesars Arena. 

The ceremony will take place on January 12 before a game against the Carolina Hurricanes. 

91 TO THE RAFTERS.https://t.co/EzoLOkDqWzpic.twitter.com/NOdxptplNv

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) August 19, 2025

👀 pic.twitter.com/dKQKfALY7S

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) August 19, 2025

Fedorov's story of defection from the Soviet Union in the middle of the night was nothing short of incredible, and he would go on to become one of the greatest and most thrilling players not only in Red Wings history, but in all of the NHL. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Fedorov won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's Most Valuable Player in 1994, and would help the Red Wings win the Stanley Cup in 1997, 1998 and 2002. Fedorov was also a six-time NHL All-Star while winning the Lester B. Pearson Award (1994) and twice winning the Frank J. Selke Trophy (1994, 1995). 

The relationship between Fedorov and the Red Wings wasn't without complications, as he infamously held out following the 1997 Stanley Cup victory and even signed an offer sheet with the Hurricanes, who were owned by Peter Karmonos, a bitter business foe of Mike Ilitch. 

The Red Wings matched the offer, and Fedorov remained with Detroit for several more years. During his time with the Red Wings, he played in 908 gams and scored exactly 400 goals while adding 554 assists, along with 50 goals and 113 assists in 162 playoff games. 

His 954 career points in a Red Wings uniform rank sixth all time in team history. 

Fedorov’s time with the franchise officially ended in the 2003 offseason when he signed with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, the same team that had eliminated the Red Wings from the playoffs earlier that spring, after reportedly turning down a pair contract offers from Detroit.

Upon Fedorov's return to Joe Louis Arena in December 2003 with the Mighty Ducks, he was treated as a villain and heavily booed by the fans.

Fedorov would later play for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Washington Capitals before returning to Russia to play in the KHL. 

Thankfully, Fedorov’s relationship with Red Wings fans has been mended in recent years, as he received a warm welcome during the 2013 Alumni Game at Comerica Park before the 2014 Winter Classic, as well as when he took part in the ceremonial puck drop at Joe Louis Arena in 2015.

He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015, while also being inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame the following year. 

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With the 2025-26 season fast approaching, NHL Network has released its Top 20 Defensemen list featuring Golden Knights standout Shea Theodore at No. 15. 

Our Top 20 Defensemen Right Now list has a total of:
• 19 total All-Star Game appearances
• 9 All-Rookie team honors
• 6 James Norris Memorial Trophies
• 2 Calder Trophies
• 2 Conn Smythe Trophies
• 9 Stanley Cups

What do you think of our list?@NHL | #NHLTopPlayerspic.twitter.com/0MaGYS04de

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 13, 2025

The Original Misfit has had a successful career with the Knights after making the transition from the Anaheim Ducks. Over the span of eight seasons he has a total of 346 points (73 goals, 273 assists) playing in 511 games.  

He played a key role in Vegas' historic inaugural season finishing with 29 points (six goals, 23 assists), working his way into a top-four role. During their 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs run he continued to prove himself finishing with 10 points in 20 games further helping them advance to the Cup Final where they came up short to the Washington Capitals. 

📲 Shea Theodore is a Stanley Cup Champion 🐻 pic.twitter.com/w7OChKHau8

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 16, 2023

During the record-breaking 2022-23 season he finished with 41 points (eight goals, 33 assists) leading up to his first Stanley Cup championship. During the playoffs he helped the organization win their first title with 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) in 21 playoff games. 

This past season he went even further by scoring an NHL career-high 52 points (14 goals, 38 assists) in 78 regular-season games. 

There is much to look forward to for the 30-year-old come September.

On Monday, Bleacher Report put out a ranking of each team in the NHL’s number one defenseman. For the Chicago Blackhawks, they consider Alex Vlasic to be the number one and ranked him as the 31st best in the NHL. This is not saying he’s the 31st best defenseman; this is saying that he’s the 31st best number one. 

Vlasic is a very good player. Although this feels a little disrespectful, especially since he was so good in 2024-25, it may be closer to reality than not because of how many good number one defensemen there are in the NHL. 

B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) on XRanking each team’s best defenseman, league-wide, via B/R’s Adam Gretz 👀 Link to full breakdown 🔗: https://t.co/XHIf2acqAF

Vlasic’s a great player in his end, but he doesn’t produce points at a high rate, so he isn’t even a prototypical number one. Not every team, or even close to every team, has a guy who is elite in all three zones. 

Listing him as the number one is a product of what happened in 2024-25. The Blackhawks traded Seth Jones to the Florida Panthers, and that left Connor Murphy and Alec Martinez behind on a blue line with a bunch of players under 24. 

Martinez has since retired, and Vlasic is already better than Murphy. However, is he the true number one on the team? Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel would like a word. 

Each of them made their NHL debut in the final quarter of the season last year. Levshunov, who Chicago took second overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, played 18 games. He had six assists during that time, while having some ups and downs defensively. 

Rinzel, who was taken by the Blackhawks 25th overall in 2022, played in nine games after his season with the University of Minnesota ended. In those 9 contests, Rinzel collected six assists. 

By the time the season was over, all three of Rinzel, Levshunov, and Vlasic were playing big minutes. None of them looked out of place doing it, even when they were against some of the top offensive players in the world. 

There are sure to be slumps for them all as they continue to evolve in the best league in the world, but they all possess tremendous skill that can help them make an impact at the NHL level. 

So, if the question is, who is the number one defenseman on the team right now? The best answer is that these three have the inside track to take that role on. They all may share it throughout the year, which is probably best for a young team like the Chicago Blackhawks. 

If any of them has the highest ceiling, based on what we’ve seen so far, it has to be Rinzel. He looked incredible in his stint with Chicago. However, he must come into 2025-26 and stay at that level while progressively getting better. Levshunov, being a second overall pick, has to be in the mix for the lead as well because of his pedigree. 

If Vlasic turns out to be a number three, Chicago’s blue line will be in good shape. Other players like Ethan del Mastro, Nolan Allan, Louis Crevier, and Kevin Korchinski, amongst others, are looking to make an impact in the lineup as well. 

The Blackhawks' rebuild has been slow and at times painful, but they've been great at adding defensemen who look the part of NHL regulars. That is the first step in becoming a contender. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

Top Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim might be the best rearguard on his team, but his ranking amongst his peers around the NHL isn't nearly as flattering.

In Bleacher Report's latest ranking of each NHL team's best defenseman, Sanheim, 29, representing the Flyers, ranked just 29th, ahead of only the likes of Dmitry Orlov (32nd, San Jose), Alex Vlasic (31st, Chicago), and Adam Pelech (30th, New York Islanders).

Even more curious is that names like Erik Karlsson, Morgan Rielly, Vince Dunn, and Cam Fowler were ahead of Sanheim, and many would argue that Fowler isn't even the best defensemen on his team.

That honor belongs to hulking right-shot defenseman Colton Parayko, who represented Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off last winter alongside Sanheim and new Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet.

Rielly, and Karlsson, especially, are shadows of the players they once were, reaching the peaks of their offensive production seasons ago.

Flyers' Travis Konecny Has to Clear One Big Hurdle to Reach True StardomThe Philadelphia Flyers don't quite have a true star player just yet, but a few adjustments from Travis Konecny could do the trick.

Sanheim, too, had a down year offensively, but much of that can be attributed to a lack of power play time, lots of difficult defensive minutes, and an overall lackluster Flyers team that failed time and time again to live up to expectations, even after the surprise addition of Matvei Michkov last summer.

The rangy Flyers defenseman was always going to be a good No. 2 or great No. 3 on a Stanley Cup contender, which makes him no different than a Dunn, a Parayko, or even a Dougie Hamilton.

But, given how poor the Flyers were for swaths of last season, Sanheim unfortunately did not receive the respect he's earned over the last few seasons.

It's not the first instance of such a snub this offseason, either.

Flyers Duo Snubbed from 'NHL 2030' Top 30 Players ListThe Philadelphia Flyers are certainly hoping that young stars Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone will be top 30 NHL players five years from now, but there are some who would push back on that.

Just a few days prior, Bleacher Report also bizarrely excluded top Flyers prospect Porter Martone from their list of the 10 most exciting prospects playing in the NCAA this upcoming season.

Based on first-hand knowledge, this will only be added motivation for a scrappy Flyers team looking to wash away a bad 2024-25 season, but the unusually strong disrespect has been a strange trend to follow this month.

Sanheim scored eight goals, 22 assists, and 30 points for the Flyers last season, posting a -6 rating while averaging a career-high 24:30 of ice time.

When Geoff Molson decided it was time for the Montreal Canadiens to make some significant changes and fired Marc Bergevin, Habs fans were anxious to see who would take over and how they would handle the rebuild. When Kent Hughes was introduced as the new GM, some worried that he didn’t have the experience necessary to handle Sainte-Flanelle’s rebuild since he had never been an executive in the NHL.

He did have plenty of other experience however, having been a player's agent for years and having been on the opposite side of the battle line, and while some wondered if his old opponents would have some resentment from past negotiations, it soon became apparent that Hughes hadn’t made any enemy in his former life as a player’s agent.

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He hit the ground running, trading away the likes of Tyler Toffoli to the Calgary Flames and Arturri Lehkonen to the Colorado Avalanche and replacing coach Dominique Ducharme with unproven (at least behind the bench) Martin St-Louis.

In his first offseason at the helm, Hughes heard the Flames were looking to unload Sean Monahan’s contract. Since the Canadiens had plenty of cap space to work with, the former agent smelled an opportunity and picked up the phone to call Flames’ GM Brad Treliving, whom he had dealt Toffoli to.

In the end, he parleyed his cap space into Monahan and a conditional first-round pick at the 2025 NHL Draft. Calgary needed the cap space because they had decided to sign Nazem Kadri to a seven-year contract and figured it was time to move on from Monahan, whose injuries had plagued them.

The center became an essential part of the team and a good leader for the young Canadiens to look up to. Unfortunately, he was injured again and was therefore limited to only 25 games in which he put up 17 points. With his contract up, the center could have tested the market, but he decided to sign for one year with the Canadiens, who had given him a chance when the Flames decided to move on.

In his second season with the team, he scored 35 points in 49 games. With the Canadiens fast heading for elimination, Hughes traded the veteran forward to the Winnipeg Jets for a first-round pick at the 2024 draft and a conditional third-round pick at the 2027 draft.

At the 2024 draft, the pick Monahan allowed the Canadiens to obtain was traded to the Los Angeles Kings to move up in the draft order and pick Michael Hage 21st overall. Fast forward a year later to the 2025 draft, and the pick that Calgary initially sent to Montreal, which had become the 16th selection overall, was moved to the New York Islanders along with the Canadians’ pick, the 17th overall, and young forward Emil Heineman in return for an experienced yet young right-shot defenseman, Noah Dobson.

Nearly three years after the initial deal with the Flames, it’s still paying dividends. Of course, it’s yet unknown how Hage will do in the NHL, but he’s about to embark on his sophomore season in the NCAA after winning the Big-10 Rookie of the Year award last season when he posted 34 points in 33 games. He’s also put himself in a good position to represent Canada at the upcoming World Junior Championships.

As for Dobson, he’s the highest-paid active player on the Canadiens’ roster with a $9.5 AAV, and he is expected to play a massive role for the Habs this season. Furthermore, his arrival has made Logan Mailloux expendable, allowing Hughes to flip him to the St. Louis Blues for some much-needed help up front. Hughes inherited a prospect cupboard stacked with promising blueliners, but he’s not hesitant to tap into it to address deficiencies in other areas.

With Hughes, the Canadiens have got a GM who not only sees the big picture, but also appears to be playing two or three turns ahead of everyone else. Jeff Gorton and Hughes said they wanted to build a perennial contender, and looking at them go, that’s precisely what they’re in the process of doing. By letting Joel Armia and Christian Dvorak walk, the team became a little bit more theirs and a little less Bergevin’s work.

As the years pass, contracts signed by the former GM will expire, and it will be interesting to see how they handle those players, but so far, they’ve done impressive work, and the Monahan deal is right up there in the list of their most significant accomplishments.

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Pittsburgh Penguins training camp is about a month away, and there are a lot of storylines to watch going into it. 

The defense is a significant question mark heading into the season since nobody knows how the left side is going to shake out. The Penguins have options on that side, but the players will have to jockey for playing time once camp starts. 

There will also be a battle for the third pairing spot on the right side of the defense, something I wrote about yesterday when I examined the right side of the defense as a whole. The backup goaltender spot will even be up for grabs after the Penguins traded for Arturs Silovs in July. He will compete with Joel Blomqvist, who made his NHL debut last season but struggled during his second stint later in the year. 

Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen both made their NHL debuts last season and got to show what they can do in a top-six role, especially down the stretch. McGroarty made the team out of camp, but after two games, it was clear he wasn't ready, which led to him being sent down to the AHL for most of the year before being brought up in late-March with Koivunen. 

They will be gunning for full-time spots when camp starts, but what about the other young players in the system? Let's take a look at a few of those players who will try to make the NHL roster this year. 

Filip Hallander

Hallander spent the last two seasons in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) before the Penguins signed him to a two-year deal at the end of April. He got picked by the Penguins in the second round of the 2018 NHL Draft and made his NHL debut with the Penguins during the 2021-22 season before going to Sweden in 2023.

He turned into a different player in Sweden, finishing the 2024-25 season with 26 goals and 53 points in 51 games. His 26 goals and 53 points ranked second in the SHL during the year. He has really worked on his playmaking and goalscoring ability and will try to bring both of those to camp and the preseason. 

Even though there are a lot of forwards still on the roster, the Penguins won't hesitate to make room for Hallander if he shows enough in September. 

Tristan Broz

Broz made his professional debut with the WBS Penguins last year and didn't look out of place, compiling 19 goals and 37 points in 59 games. He also had one goal and three points in two playoff games before the baby Penguins got eliminated. 

Before that, he helped the University of Denver win the national title during the 2023-24 season and score the game-winning goal to send Denver to the National Championship Game. 

He's down the pecking order at forward, but will have the opportunity to show the new coaching staff what he can do. Even if he doesn't make the opening night roster, there's still a world where he makes his debut during the season, especially if he is performing well in WBS. 

Report: New Ownership Group In Mix To Purchase PenguinsOver the past several months, there have been whispers that Fenway Sports Group (FSG) - current majority owners of the Pittsburgh Penguins - are looking to sell at least a minority stake in the team.

Harrison Brunicke

Outside of McGroarty and Koivunen, Brunicke is going to be the prospect that a lot of fans have their eyes on next month. He wants to take the next step in his career and make the NHL team out of camp after coming so close last year. He got to the end of camp before he was one of the Penguins' final cuts.

Brunicke spent the year with his WHL team, the Kamloops Blazers, and finished with five goals and 30 points in 41 games before making his WBS Penguins debut at the end of the year. He had two assists in 10 regular-season games before finishing the playoffs with a goal and an assist. 

WBS Penguins head coach Kirk MacDonald was super impressed with Brunicke's small sample size when he spoke about it during development camp last month. 

"Huge. Honestly, it was. Credit to him, he figured it out quick,” MacDonald said. “Came in initially and in junior habits, where you can just skate by people and hold on to the puck for a long time; I thought he did a really good job. Last couple of regular season games and the playoff stint, he was moving pucks quick, jumping into the rush, the goal he scored in the playoffs was outstanding.”

“I thought his ability to kill plays, again, the less he does in certain areas, the more he accomplishes. I mean that by just making a really good first pass and then activating and jumping in the rush. We want our D to be aggressive and try to create offense, but it doesn’t mean necessarily having to skate through everybody. I think once he kinda recognized that, he was a little more patient with his game. The offense came to him. He did a great job.”

A nine-game trial could be in the cards for Brunicke if he picks up from where he left off at the end of the year. 

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Sour news hit the Kitchener Rangers organization, losing a high-end player just before training camp starts. 

The organization released a statement from GM Mike McKenzie via their official X account announcing that forward Adam Valentini will not honor his commitment to the team. Valentini left the Chicago Steel of the USHL to sign with the Rangers ahead of the upcoming season back on Jun. 5. 

Statement from General Manager, Mike McKenzie#RTown | #BattleBuiltpic.twitter.com/EyMPVYZIOs

— Kitchener Rangers (@OHLRangers) August 18, 2025

“I was informed today by the agent for Adam Valentini that Adam has chosen to revoke his commitment to play this season for the Kitchener Rangers and will instead be going to the University of Michigan,” said McKenzie via the statement. 

Valentini was originally drafted by the Brampton Steelheads 13th overall in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection. He was regarded as a top-three pick but fell down the board due to his commitment to the NCAA. The Rangers acquired the rights to Valentini on Sept. 5, 2024, in exchange for four draft picks. 

Kitchener getting the Toronto, Ontario, native to commit before heading to Michigan was arguably one of the most exciting signings of this off-season. He’s a projected first-round pick for the upcoming 2026 NHL draft and had the potential to play a top-six role in the OHL, further elevating his draft stock. However, revoking your commitment one week before training camp starts isn’t a great look. 

Kingston Frontenacs Bolster Blueline With Top-Four Defenseman Jack Brauti We are just under two weeks away from the start of the 2025 OHL preseason. Training camps are just around the corner, and the Kingston Frontenacs recognized the need to add a top-four defenseman to their lineup ahead of the 2025-26 season. 

Valentini's agent is Darren Ferris, who is known to be a tough negotiator. Ferris would've helped push his client to fast-track his education so he could play in the NCAA a year early. Will this be the right move for his development in such a pivotal year? Or will this set him up for a draft season met with struggles? 

Because of the short notice, thankfully, the Rangers will not have to forfeit the second, third, and fourth round draft picks they gave to Brampton. Good for Kitchener, but I can’t imagine the Steelheads are pleased with Valentini’s choice here.  

Valentini recently won a bronze medal representing Canada at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He finished the tournament with two goals, two assists, and a +9 in five games. 

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London Knights Bolster Lineup With Latest Two SigningsThere’s one thing that the London Knights don’t do: rebuild. Fresh off back-to-back OHL Championships, and several of their star players leaving the team due to graduating to the professional level or aging out of the league, don’t expect the Hunter brothers to stay quiet. Niagara IceDogs Acquire Alex Hage, Younger Brother of Montreal Canadiens Top ProspectThe Niagara IceDogs and the Peterborough Petes have made a minor trade involving the younger brother of Montreal Canadiens’ top prospect Michael Hage.  Harvard Commit Luka Graziano Signs With Flint Firebirds Flint Firebirds GM Dave McParlan has been active this summer in bringing in new pieces to his blueline for the upcoming 2025-26 season. The additions continue to come with the signing of former OHL Cup champion Luka Graziano. 

The Buffalo Sabres' 2025-26 schedule has been out for a while now. And although Sabres fans have known when and where their team will be playing at any given time, it's still worthwhile to examine each Buffalo opponent next year -- and specifically, how the Sabres should fare against team NHL team in 2025-26.

We've made our way through the Atlantic, Metropolitan and Central Division teams thus far in this THN.com Sabres' site series, and of late, we've switched focus on the Pacific Division teams. And in today's file, we're looking at a team that was the league's worst team last season --the San Jose Sharks.

It wasn't as if San Jose was one or two standings points behind the next-best team in the NHL standings. The Sharks were a full nine points behind the 31st-overall team (the Chicago Blackhawks) last season, giving you an indication of how far San Jose is in their rebuilding stage. But should the Sabres sweep their season-series this time around? That's the focus on our "Know York Enemy" series. Read on below for our best guesstimate as to how Buffalo should be prepared to beat San Jose both times this year.

BUFFALO SABRES VS. SAN JOSE SHARKS

NEW SHARKS PLAYERS: Jeff Skinner, LW; Adam Gaudette, C; Ryan Reaves, RW; Filipp Kurashev , LW; Dmitry Orlov, D; Nick Leddy, D; John Klingberg

2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 1-1-0, San Jose 1-1-0

2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER:  March 10 at Buffalo; March 19 at San Jose 

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM?  The Sharks are in the midst of a full rebuild, but slowly but surely, they're putting a dynamic young core together. And that means the Sharks are going to be a very difficult team to play against and a Stanley Cup playoff team -- just not this coming season.

Instead, San Jose will be focusing this season strictly to be a team that consistently is a worthy opponent. And that's not going to be easy, as the Sharks are going to be throwing veteran bodies overboard as San Jose GM Mike Grier works on building out his core.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Pacific Edition: New-Look Kings May Be Vulnerable In Sabres Series Next SeasonThe Buffalo Sabres' pursuit of its first Stanley Cup playoff appearance in 15 years means that there's no room for error for them, at any time of the season.  A prolonged losing streak can and will knock down any team's post-season hopes, but the Sabres are particularly desperate, so Buffalo fans will be watching each and every game in the hope the Sabres can secure a playoff spot.

To wit: Grier has gone about signing up or acquiring players with one year on their contract coning into next season. Defensemen Nick Leddy and John Klingberg fall into that department, and up front, winger Jeff Skinner also is under contract for the 2025-26 season only, That means that, if Buffalo plays well but still isn't anywhere close to a playoff spot, Grier has the options of trading many veterans for prospects and draft picks,

It's a very good plan by Grier, but until such time as San Jose's young core emerges as difference-makers at the NHL level, it's going to be tough for this dog's-breakfast-of-a-Sharks team to give opponents a run for their money. And that means the Sabres have no excuses to lost to this San Jose squad.

As budding stars Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith continue their development, the Sharks eventually will find a way to get out of their woes. But at the moment, San Jose isn't going to be a realistic playoff contender, and the Sabres need to take care of their opportunities both times they square off against the Sharks.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Pacific Edition: High-Octane Oilers Will Be More Than A Handful For BuffaloThe Buffalo Sabres are a 14-year reclamation project, and losing so consistently is currently the norm for the franchise. But every year brings some hope that things will change for the better, and the Sabres will have 82 opportunities to show they're an improved team that's finally going to make it into the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Sharks' games against Buffalo come in a nine-day span in mid-March, so the Sabres willl see them near the tail-end of their season. But the Sabres are likely to be pushing for a playoff berth at that point, so they can't see their games against the Sharks as "gimme" games or guaranteed wins.

Indeed, at that point in the year, the Sharks could be in spoiler mode, and that's potentially extremely dangerous for the Sabres. But Buffalo can't allow San Jose to surprise and upset them. The only thing that will be a positive for the Sabres is to beat the Sharks. Anything less that will be a hugely-disappointing part of their year,

NHL coaches face sky-high expectations and short windows to accomplish them.

Only three active NHL coaches have been with their team for at least four years: the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Jon Cooper, Colorado Avalanche’s Jared Bednar and Carolina Hurricanes’ Rod Brind’Amour. Of that trio, Cooper and Bednar brought their squads to Stanley Cup championships.

As for Brind’Amour, he’s one of five NHL coaches with the most to prove in 2025-26. He’s not necessarily on the hot seat – not every coach on this list is at an immediate risk of getting fired – but there’s a lot for them still to accomplish. Some of them are in the first season of their new role, while others have another step to take.

Here are the bench bosses in alphabetical order, beginning with a closer look at the third-longest tenured coach.

Rod Brind’Amour, Carolina Hurricanes

Brind’Amour won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year, but that was back in 2020-21. As we know, the coaching industry in hockey’s top league is very much a “what have you done for us lately” line of work.

Brind’Amour undoubtedly faces pressure to bring the Hurricanes beyond the Eastern Conference final for the first time since 2005-06.

We’re not suggesting Brind’Amour will be fired during the season if the Hurricanes slump anytime before the Stanley Cup playoffs. He’s earned the landing strip he’s got, and Carolina’s lineup is as deep and dangerous as it’s been in nearly 20 years. But the churn-and-burn of the coaching business is a very real thing, and if the Hurricanes fail to at least win the Eastern Conference title next year, there will be questions again about Brind’Amour’s future with the squad.

Brind’Amour’s cachet will guarantee he quickly gets a new coaching job of his choice if he does move on from Carolina, but when you’ve had seven years with the same team and you haven’t won it all, your time with that team is likely nearing an end. Brind’Amour could be an exception, but either way, he would benefit greatly from showing progress with the Hurricanes.

Five NHL Wingers With The Most To Prove In 2025-26As is the case in every NHL season, certain players are coming in with something to prove. Whether it’s to justify a pay raise or a trade or to bounce back from a subpar year, some players have every motivation to improve on their results at any given time.

Adam Foote, Vancouver Canucks

Whenever you’re an assistant coach who is getting their first chance as a coach, you’ve definitely got something to prove.

That’s the case with Foote and the Canucks. Foote was an assistant from January 2023 through this past season. 

Foote’s playing career as a Cup-winning defenseman has helped him earn his current coaching opportunity, and his experience with Vancouver’s roster no doubt played into Canucks GM Patrik Allvin giving Foote the chance to guide a team that was a letdown last season.

The Canucks fell from a Pacific Division-winning team in 2023-24 to a non-playoff squad last season, and bench boss Rick Tocchet chose to move on and coach the Philadelphia Flyers instead. But Vancouver’s lineup changes this summer and the potential for bounce-back seasons from star players, such as center Elias Pettersson, lay out a clear challenge for Foote – get this Canucks team back into the playoff picture immediately or face larger roster and possible management changes next off-season.

Foote must demonstrate that his experience as a head coach – including his time as the WHL Kelowna Rockets bench boss – gives him the expertise needed to turn around Vancouver’s competitive trajectory. If he can get the Canucks back into the playoffs next year, he’ll have a semblance of job security. But if Vancouver flames out and misses the playoffs for the second straight season, all bets are off.

Jim Hiller, Los Angeles Kings

Hiller joined the Kings as an assistant coach in July 2022, working under Todd McLellan. But when Los Angeles fired McLellan in February 2024, Hiller turned the interim coach role into becoming the Kings’ permanent coach. 

Expectations for L.A. have risen for some time now as the team has a mix of older talent heading further away from their primes and younger players looking to take over. 

Losing to the Edmonton Oilers in the first round for four straight years also shows there’s something more for the Kings to give. Hiller’s inability to get the Kings out of the first round for the past two seasons makes this next campaign a potential boom-or-bust year.

Also not working in Hiller’s favor is the fact that the man who hired him, Rob Blake, parted ways with the Kings in May. New Kings GM Ken Holland doesn’t have any connection or loyalty to Hiller, and the many changes Holland has made to L.A.’s roster are an indication of how considerable the pressure is on Hiller to show some type of progress in the post-season next year.

So long as the Kings are in a playoff position throughout the regular season, Hiller’s job is safe. But once the post-season begins, Hiller must either get Los Angeles out of the first round or be sent packing in favor of someone Holland hires himself. That may not sound fair, but that’s the reality of the NHL’s coaching business right now.

Five NHL Centers With The Most To Prove In 2025-26What makes sports, and hockey specifically, unique and intriguing are storylines. In the NHL, it's the off-ice drama, milestone-chasing and pursuit of the Stanley Cup.

Todd McLellan, Detroit Red Wings

When McLellan took over from fired Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde in late December of 2024, he initially had a stellar run with the Wings. But the longer the season played out, the worse Detroit looked, and the Red Wings failed to make the playoffs for the ninth straight season.

Needless to say, the pressure on McLellan to turn the Wings into a playoff team will be massive this coming year. McLellan has 17 seasons as an NHL coach under his belt, so if anyone has the experience to weather any storm the Red Wings will be facing next year, it’s him. But Detroit GM Steve Yzerman also is facing a ton of pressure to get this Wings team back into the post-season – and that means nobody’s job in Detroit is safe, McLellan’s job included.

Coaching in the highly competitive Atlantic Division means McLellan’s work is cut out for him. So the pressure on McLellan couldn’t be more evident, and he has just one goal – lead this group into at least a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

Mike Sullivan, New York Rangers

The Rangers hired Sullivan this summer partly because of his success as a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Even that achievement didn’t stop the Pens and Sullivan from parting ways after three straight playoff misses. 

Now, he’ll be the top coach of an NHL team without superstar Sidney Crosby for the first time since he led the Boston Bruins from 2003 to 2006.

Joining an Original Six team – and the spotlight that goes along with it – means Sullivan will be watched like a hawk from Day 1 of his time steering the Rangers’ boat. 

He’s got an obvious mandate in Manhattan – getting the Blueshirts back into the playoffs after they missed out on the post-season last year. The Rangers plummeted after winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2023-24, so the team has the talent to at least get back into the playoffs and potentially win a round.

Of all the coaches on this list, Sullivan might be the one who can survive missing out on the playoffs next season. But even then, if that’s the Rangers’ fate, Sullivan will face extraordinary pressure at this time next season to end the playoff drought at two years. 

Drury fired Sullivan’s predecessor in NYC after only two years on the job, and that could prove to be what happens to Sullivan if he can’t turn things around. Sullivan has a veteran-laden Rangers team to look after, but he’s got to squeeze out progress from his lineup. And if he can’t do so, his job security will be tenuous.

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