This has been the busiest summer of Pat Verbeek’s four offseasons as the general manager of the Anaheim Ducks. He gave the roster a significant facelift, shipping out long-time pieces Trevor Zegras and John Gibson while acquiring four players set to fill important roles on the depth chart.

Along with new faces on the ice, a largely new coaching staff will play a crucial role in the upcoming and pivotal season for the Ducks franchise. Verbeek’s contract is coming to an end, and playoffs have been the stated mandate from both Verbeek and ownership alike.

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Focusing on the depth chart, Chris Kreider, Mikael Granlund, Ryan Poehling, and Petr Mrazek are all expected to elevate and insulate the Ducks’ young core while impacting games on a nightly basis in their designated roles.

Chris Kreider

Chris Kreider (34), along with former New York Rangers captain and current Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba, was part of a widely publicized and now notorious memo from Rangers GM Chris Drury stating the pair's availability for trade.

The Ducks parted with prospect Carey Terrance and a 2025 third-round pick (Artyom Gonchar) to acquire Kreider and a 2025 fourth-round pick (Elijah Neuenschwander).

Following his three best seasons from a goalscoring perspective from 2022 through 2024, where he totaled 52, 36, and 39 goals, respectively, he only managed 22 goals in 2024-25 and added just eight assists for 30 points in 68 games, his lowest points-per-game average in his 13-year NHL career.

Much of his poor season may be attributed to a slew of injuries, including back spasms, a broken hand, and a bout with vertigo; injuries he admittedly shouldn’t have attempted to play through.

Kreider’s speed, tenacity, and net front skill are all components that the Ducks have lacked during the latter stages of their rebuild, and he seems like a seamless fit anywhere on the left side of the Ducks' top nine.

He has two years remaining on his contract, which carries a $6.5 million AAV and a 15-team NMC.

Mikael Granlund

After failing to make a splash during the 2024 free agency period, the Ducks signed Mikael Granlund (33) to a three-year contract, carrying an AAV of $7 million and a full no-trade clause in year one that decreases to a 15-team NTC in year two and a ten-team NTC in year three.

One of Granlund’s most notable strengths is his versatility. He can play up and down the lineup, in every forward position, and features often on both special teams units.

He’s eclipsed the 60-point mark in three of the last four seasons despite playing for four different organizations, including scoring 105 (27-78=105) points in 121 games for a lowly San Jose Sharks team from 2023 to 2025.

Though analytics call into question his defensive prowess, he is a 200-foot contributor who displays disruptive and proper defensive tendencies while providing above-average hockey IQ and creativity on the offensive end.

Ryan Poehling

Perhaps the most controversial trade of Verbeek’s tenure in the Ducks' front office was trading Trevor Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Ryan Poehling (26), a 2025 second-round pick (Eric Nilson), and a 2026 fourth-round pick.

Poehling fits the role and the Ducks' need for a prototypical bottom-six center. He’s struggled to replicate the offensive production at the NHL level that made him a successful NCAA player a St. Cloud State University and AHL player for the Laval Rocket.

He’s a straight-line, defensively impactful, forechecking center who kills penalties and has shown a higher degree of transition offense than his archetype would dictate. 2024-25, his fourth full season in the NHL, yielded his highest offensive output, as he scored 31 points (12-19=31) in 68 games for the Flyers.

Poehling’s contract has one year remaining at a $1.9 million AAV, after which, he will become a UFA.

Petr Mrazek

Petr Mrazek (33) was acquired along with a 2027 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick in exchange for John Gibson.

The Ducks have made the awaited transition and handed their crease over to one of the best young goaltenders in the NHL, Lukas Dostal. Gibson’s departure, after two seasons of deploying a tandem, meant the team needed a viable backup for Dostal.

They have Ville Husso on the roster as well, but he’s proven more volatile than once hoped or expected, so the team now has insurance in the form of Mrazek, an unquestionable NHL-caliber goaltender.

To this point in his career, Mrazek has played for five NHL organizations in his 11 years in the league. He’s won 184 games and has started 397, posting a career .906 SV% and 26 shutouts.

His performances have been unpredictable in the past few seasons, but the hope is that in a role where he’s the clear and designated backup to a fellow Czech countryman (Dostal), he will capitalize on the opportunity to find consistency in a contract year.

Mrazek has one year remaining on his deal that carries an AAV of $4.25 million.

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Russian defenseman Nikolai Goldobin, 29, has been claimed off KHL waivers by SKA St. Petersburg, the KHL website announced on Monday. He had been waived by Spartak Moscow, the club for which he’d played the past two seasons.

Born in Moscow, Goldobin went overseas at age 16 to play junior hockey for the OHL’s Sarnia Sting. He became a first-round pick of the San Jose Sharks in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, selected 27th overall.

Goldobin spent most of the 2014-15 season playing in Finland for HIFK Helsinki before signing with the Sharks late in the season and moving to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda.

Between 2015 and 2019, Goldobin played 125 NHL games for the Sharks and Vancouver Canucks, recording 46 points and 24 penalty minutes. In February 2017, he was traded from San Jose to Vancouver for Danish winger Jannik Hansen.

Ex-Canuck Nikita Tryamkin Signs 3-Year Contract Extension In KHL Russian defenseman Nikita Tryamkin, 30, has signed a three-year contract extension with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg that will run through the end of the 2027-28 season, the KHL club announced recently.

Goldobin has spent the past five seasons in the KHL playing for CSKA Moscow, Metallurg Magnitogorsk and Spartak, recording 277 points in 339 regular-season and playoff games.

A perennial powerhouse in the KHL, last season SKA finished a disappointing seventh in the Western Conference and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs despite a star-studded lineup that included Ivan Demidov, Alexander Nikishin, Mikhail Grigorenko, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Arseni Gritsyuk, Nikita Zaitsev and Tony DeAngelo.

Heading into 2025-26, only Zaitsev remains from that group. The team has replaced coach Roman Rotenberg with Igor Larionov and added center Igor Larionov Jr. and North Americans Rocco Grimaldi Trevor Murphy, Brennan Menell and Joey Blandisi, who have some NHL experience.

Alexander Burmistrov & Adam Clendening Latest To Sign With Chinese KHL Team Ever since a major rebranding a week ago, the Shanghai Dragons have hired a high-profile head coach and signed 14 new players, including several ex-NHLers. On Saturday, five new signings were announced, including Russian center Alexander Burmistrov and the re-signing of American defenseman Adam Clendening. Rocco Grimaldi Will Play For Igor Larionov In KHL American forward Rocco Grimaldi, 32, has signed a two-year contract with SKA St. Petersburg, the KHL announced on Wednesday.

A few days ago, former Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price was honoured when a statue of the netminder in action, carved in wood with a chainsaw, was gifted to the city of Williams Lake by the district of Chetwynd.

The work of art, titled “The Goalie,” depicts the Habs goaltender in action with his glove hand extended. The unveiling took place at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex. While Price himself was unable to attend, his parents, Linda and Jerry Price, were in attendance to speak on his behalf.

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Through his father, the Canadiens’ winningest goaltender said that for someone who doesn’t like to be the center of attention, it feels funny to have a statue of themselves, but also expressed how proud he was to be from the Cariboo Chilcotin and acknowledged the fact that the people helped to shape the man he became.

Chief Kukpi7 Willie Sellers, who was also in attendance, mentioned that watching Price play in the finals when he was in junior hockey was one of his fondest hockey memories. He also credits Price for inspiring him to pick up the pads again, even if it wasn’t at the same level as the Canadiens’ netminder.

Jeffrey Samudsocky of JMS Wood Sculpture is the artist who gave life to the statue, and this is one of the many statues that the District of Chetwynd has donated to other communities as a recognition of their partnership and to encourage collaboration.

There’s no denying that Price has been an inspiration to many First Nation youth during his NHL career, not only because of his performance on the ice but also because of the way he handled adversity. He fought his way through many injuries and setbacks to come back to play and wasn’t afraid to seek help from the NHL and NHLPA Player Assistance program when he felt he needed it because of substance abuse.

Unfortunately, after overcoming all that and winning the Bill Masterton Trophy, the all-star netminder only went on to play five more NHL games, winning the last one of his career, a 10-2 triumph over a watered-down version of the Florida Panthers who were resting some players in the previous game of the regular season.

Carey Price has been immortalized with a chainsaw-carved wood statue in Williams Lake, BC where he played minor hockey 🔥👏

(via @WLTribune) pic.twitter.com/mRBPlUSRIx

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) August 17, 2025

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The newest team in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) is the Shanghai Dragons.

The franchise is entering its first season under the Dragons name, but the club itself isn’t brand new. Previously known as Kunlun Red Star, the team spent eight seasons in the KHL before announcing a rebrand.

During their time as Kunlun, the club reached the postseason only once, in their inaugural 2016-17 season, where they lost in the Conference Quarterfinals. They have not returned to the playoffs since.

The Dragons plan to move their home games back to China in the future, but for now, they are building their roster and will play out of St. Petersburg, Russia.

Their roster features one former New Jersey Devil, one Devils draft pick who never signed, and several other players with NHL ties.

• Nikita Popugaev: Drafted 98th overall by the Devils in 2017, Popugaev never signed with the team and has spent most of his career overseas. Now 26, he announced he will be suiting up for the Dragons this season.
• Nick Merkley: Selected 30th overall in the 2015 NHL Draft, Merkley played four games with the Devils in 2019-20 and 27 games in 2020-21. He registered two points in his first season and 10 points in his second. The 27-year-old now joins the Dragons as another Devils connection.
• Austin Wong: Drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in 2018, Wong was never signed but will be making history as part of the Dragons’ inaugural roster. The 24-year-old forward brings additional North American experience.

In addition to players, the Dragons hired a familiar NHL face behind the bench: Gerard Gallant, former head coach of the New York Rangers. Gallant, who has also coached the Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, and Vegas Golden Knights, will lead the Dragons as their first-ever head coach.

As of now, the roster includes:

• 5 Canadian players
• 4 American players
• 4 Russian players
• 1 Slovakian player

Collectively, the roster of 14 skaters brings 387 NHL games of experience.

The Shanghai Dragons will look to end the franchise’s playoff drought and make their first postseason appearance since 2016, this time under a new name, new leadership, and a roster built on international and NHL experience.

Pittsburgh Penguins training camp is only about a month away from starting, and a lot of eyes will be on the defensemen since the Penguins aren't expected to be a strong defensive team this year. 

There will be some good battles on the left side, but fans shouldn't forget about the right side, either. The Penguins made a couple of moves to try and change things up on that side earlier in the offseason, and could still make another if teams get more aggressive trying to pursue Erik Karlsson. However, as of August 17, he is still a Pittsburgh Penguin. 

Here's a look at the options the Penguins have on the right side going into this upcoming season.

Erik Karlsson

Karlsson is expected to get the top-pairing minutes on the right side for the 2025-26 season, assuming he doesn't get dealt before training camp, and for good reason. Despite his many critics, he can still move the puck up the ice with authority and generate a lot of offense. He was tied for fifth among all defensemen in 5v5 points last season with 33. 

He gives a lot back defensively, which isn't surprising given he hasn't been good defensively in a long time. The Penguins got him to push the pace of play, and that's precisely what he will do this upcoming season.

There's hope that a new coaching staff can get a bit more out of him than Mike Sullivan and Co. did these last two seasons. Karlsson has two years left on his contract and a full no-move clause. 

Kris Letang

The 2025-26 season will be Letang's 20th season in the NHL, all with the Penguins. He's the best franchise defenseman in the history of the franchise and still has three years left on his contract at $6.1 million per season. 

Letang had a rough go of things last season. His offense deteriorated, and he wasn't much better in his end. Despite being 38, he still wants to prove he can play at a higher level than he did last year and has been training his butt off all offseason. 

He may have to accept a slightly lesser role for next season since Karlsson can do more offensively. Letang's time on ice per game last season was 23:31, and if the Penguins can shorten it by two or three minutes, it will be mutually beneficial for them and the player. 

Connor Clifton

The Penguins acquired Clifton during the second day of the 2025 NHL Draft on June 28, along with the No. 39 overall pick, for defenseman Conor Timmins and forward prospect Isaac Belliveau. 

Clifton will try to win that bottom-pairing spot after going through a tough season last year with the Buffalo Sabres. Clifton told reporters after the trade in July that he felt he "lost himself" and is stoked to be a Penguin. 

"I feel like I kind of lost myself. The change of scenery, I got that call that I'm going to be a Pittsburgh Penguin, and I was really excited for the change. I want to get back to my old self, and how I play, and the impact that I have on the game. It was a couple of mental battles… but, you just try to simplify and be who you are, I guess," Clifton told reporters during a media session in July. 

Clifton spent the last two seasons with the Sabres after spending the first five years of his career with the Boston Bruins. He has one year left on his contract.

What Will The Penguins' Left Side Look Like In 2025-26?When training camp opens for the Pittsburgh Penguins one month from now - and with more youth talent in the organization than there has been in a long while - there will be a lot of positional battles on pretty much every front.

Matt Dumba

Dumba got traded to the Penguins along with a 2028 second-round pick on July 10. The Dallas Stars were in salary cap hell, and the Penguins were happy to help out since they're not trying to contend this year. 

Like Clifton, Dumba has a year left on his contract and needs a significant bounce-back after being a healthy scratch throughout the entire playoffs for the Stars. He was limited to 63 games during the regular season, compiling one goal and 10 points. 

Harrison Brunicke (maybe)

Brunicke was very close to making the Penguins' opening night roster last year before he was sent back to the WHL at the end of training camp. He did a lot of good things, but the Penguins believed he was best suited to continue developing at the junior level. 

The Penguins may have a surplus of defensemen on the right side right now, but that's not going to stop Brunicke from going out there and trying to win a full-time roster spot.

It could be similar to what happened in 2019 when John Marino came out of nowhere to win a roster spot after an excellent training camp. It's not a guarantee, but Brunicke may give the Penguins' decision-makers quite a bit to think about again in September.

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Now that we are in the middle of August, most of the players who hit the market as unrestricted free agents (UFAs) have been signed to new contracts. Although this is the case, there are still some interesting players who have not been signed yet. Among them is former St. Louis Blues forward Klim Kostin. 

Kostin is coming off a tough season with the San Jose Sharks, as he recorded one goal, six assists, and a minus-6 rating in 35 games. However, when noting that is still just 26 years old and has had past success at the NHL level, it would not be particularly surprising if he landed a professional tryout (PTO) before training camp or even a contract for the season from an NHL club. 

Kostin demonstrated during the 2022-23 season with the Edmonton Oilers hat he has the potential to provide decent offensive production and plenty of grit when playing at his best. During that campaign, the 6-foot-4 forward recorded career highs with 11 goals, 10 assists, 21 points, and 157 hits in 57 games. Perhaps this could help lead to a team giving him a shot.

Kostin was selected by the Blues in the first round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft with the 31st overall pick. In 46 games over three seasons with St. Louis from 2019-20 to 2021-22, he posted five goals, 11 points, 105 hits, and a minus-3 rating. His time with the Blues ended ahead of the 2022-23 season when he was traded to the Oilers in exchange for defenseman Dmitri Samorukov. 

Blues Goalie Named As Potential Target For OilersAllen Mitchell discussed five potential targets for the Edmonton Oilers in a recent article for The Athletic, and a St. Louis Blues goalie prospect made the cut - Colten Ellis. 

Now that we are in the middle of August, we are going to start seeing teams around the NHL invite players to training camp on professional tryouts (PTOs). While the Montreal Canadiens have had a busy off-season, it would be understandable if they brought in a player or two on a PTO to create more friendly competition at camp. 

When looking at the Canadiens' current roster, it is fair to argue that they could benefit by adding to their forward depth. Because of this, one player who could be worth taking a shot on with a PTO is forward Victor Olofsson.

After Jack Roslovic, Olofsson is arguably the top unrestricted free agent (UFA) forward left. When looking at the season he just had with the Vegas Golden Knights, he could be a decent player for the Canadiens to take a gamble on if they are on the hunt for more secondary scoring. In 56 games this past season with Vegas, he recorded 15 goals, 14 assist, 29 points, and a plus-17 rating. 

Olofsson has also shown several times during his career that he can produce solid offense. The former Buffalo Sabres forward has scored 20 goals and recorded 40 points three different times in his career. This includes scoring 28 goals with Buffalo in 2022-23 and posting 49 points in 2021-22.

Ultimately, bringing in Olofsson on a PTO would give the Canadiens a backup plan to consider if they end up feeling that some of their younger players need a bit more time before making the jump to the NHL level. If he earned a contract for the season, he could be a nice pickup for the Canadiens' bottom six on a one-year deal. 

Canadiens: Montembeault’s Big DayOn Saturday, August 16, Montreal Canadiens goaltender Samuel Montembeault got married to his girlfriend of seven years, Daryanne Ayotte. They met at the Festival du Blé d’Inde in St-Celestin in 2018, and while she initially had reservations about dating a hockey player, she eventually agreed. This weekend, the couple took the plunge and said yes to spending their life together.

The 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.

That's where THN.com's "Know Your Enemy" series comes in. For a while now, we've been examining Buffalo's chances against teams in the Atlantic, Metropolitan and Central divisions. And this past week, we turned our attention to Pacific Division teams. Today, we're focused on the Los Angeles Kings, who once again lost in the first round of the playoffs to the eventual Western Conference-champion Edmonton Oilers.

The Kings have a solid group of players, and although Holland made a slew of changes, the core in L.A. hasn't changed. And though the Kings and Sabres split their season series last year, Buffalo needs to aim higher than that this coming season.

BUFFALO SABRES VS. LOS ANGELES KINGS

NEW KINGS PLAYERS: Joel Armia, RW; Corey Perry, RW; Cody Ceci, D; Brian Dumoulin, D; Anton Forsberg, G

2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 1-1-0, Kings 1-1-0

2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER:  January 29 at Buffalo; March 21 at Los Angeles 

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM?  Both games the Sabres and Kings played against each other last season were close games;  Buffalo dropped the first game in early October -- the Sabres' third game of the regular-season -- by a 3-1 score, and then, in late November, Buffalo blanked L.A. by a 1-0 score. 

In that second game, No. 1 goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned aside all 23 Kings shots he faced for the shutout win. Luukkonen didn't play in the first Kings/Sabres game, so that should factor into the game-plan of Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff when he's looking at assignments for the games against L.A. this coming year.

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.

Otherwise, the Kings have more or less stayed the same. Even though they suffered a huge blow with the departure of veteran defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to the New York Rangers, to soften the blow, Holland brough in experienced hands in former Dallas Stars blueliner Cody Ceci and former New Jersey Devil Brian Dumoulin. And up front, Los Angeles signed former Montreal Canadien fan favorite Joel Armia, as well as longtime abrasive winger and Cup-winner Corey Perry.

That said, the key for the Kings still revolves around a mix of young and old -- center Quinton Byfield being the young, and center Anze Kopitar being the old; defenseman Brandt Clarke being the young, and blueliner Drew Doughty being the old.

Meanwhile, the Kings also made what could be their best pickup in the form of longtime Ottawa Senators goalie Anton Forsberg. And the way things may develop, the Sabres could see Forsberg in one of the two games Buffalo and Los Angeles will play against each other this season.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Pacific Edition: Is Buffalo Better Than Rebuilding Flames?The Buffalo Sabres were a major disappointment last season, and the 13 other seasons before that which ended without any Stanley Cup playoff action. The Sabres have been one of the NHL's worst teams, and they're now in a position where they desperately need to get into the post-season. Fans are exhausted with all the losing, and they won't be going on much longer as the same group if they miss the playoffs again next year.

Thus, the Sabres are bound to have their hands full with the Kings this year. And the way the schedule-maker has mapped it out, Buffalo and Los Angeles may be significantly-different teams from the teams that play their first game in late January and the second game they square off in on March 21. That's because the league's trade deadline will be taking place between those two dates.

We're not suggesting either or both teams are guaranteed to make a slew of moves, but by the time the trade deadline arrives, the Kings could be desperately working to fend off other Pacific teams challenging them for home-ice advantage, and the Sabres could be desperately working just to get into the playoffs.

If either of those things come to pass, Holland and Sabres counterpart Kevyn Adams may be pressured to add at least one high-level talent, and the second game between the Sabres and Kings could have an entirely different dynamic.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Pacific Edition: Should Sabres Throttle Ducks Again Next Year?The Buffalo Sabres have failed in one consistent way in recent years -- namely, that they haven't played Stanley Cup playoff hockey in nearly a decade-and-a-half. Thus, there's an inordinate amount of pressure on the Sabres to be a playoff team this year. And as we've seen in the NHL's overtime/shootout era, teams can make or miss the playoffs by only one or two standings points, so it's not an exaggeration to say that just about every game is going to be important to Buffalo's playoff hopes.

In any case, the games between Buffalo and Los Angeles should make for very entertaining hockey. Both teams have exciting performers, both teams have playoff aspirations, and both teams may make serious changes next summer if things don't go well for them this year. The Kings and Sabres will be fighting for every standings point they can get, and that means making the most of this series.

A former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman is officially staying in the KHL. 

The KHL's Shanghai Dragons have announced that they have signed former Blackhawks prospect Adam Clendening to a one-year contract. 

Shanghai Dragons have signed one-year contracts with goaltender Andrei Tikhomirov, defenseman Adam Clendening and forwards Alexander Burmistrov, Vladimir Kuznetsov and Borna Rendulichttps://t.co/gK6pTpgsBE

— Shanghai Dragons (@shadragons) August 17, 2025

Clendening was selected by the Blackhawks with the 36th overall pick of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. From there, he primarily played at the American Hockey League (AHL) level with the Rockford IceHogs. In 185 games with Rockford from 2012-13 to 2014-15, the 6-foot blueliner recorded 22 goals, 96 assists, 118 points, and a plus-18 rating. This included posting 12 goals, 47 assists, and 59 points in 74 games with Rockford in 2013-14. 

While Clendening certainly made an impact with the IceHogs, it did not result in him getting too many chances on the Blackhawks' roster. He played in just four games with Chicago during the 2014-15 season, where he posted one goal, one assist, two points, and a plus-1 rating. 

Clendening's time with the Blackhawks would end in January of the 2014-15 campaign, as he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for blueliner Gustav Forsling. From there, Clendening would become quite the journeyman, as he played for the Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, Arizona Coyotes, and Columbus Blue Jackets following his time with the Blackhawks. 

Clendening returned to the IceHogs on an AHL contract during the 2022-23 season, where he posted three goals, 21 assists, and 24 points in 48 games. However, Rockford traded him to the Hartford Wolf Pack later that season. 

In 61 games this past season in the KHl with Kunlun Red Star, Clendening recorded five goals and 22 points. He should now be a key part of Shanghai's roster in 2025-26 from here. 

Blackhawks Soaring Forward Named Top Breakout CandidateThe Chicago Blackhawks have several exciting young players in their system as they continue their rebuild. They will certainly be hoping that their promising youngsters can continue to develop in the right direction during the 2025-26 season.

Former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Adam Clendening has found his home for the 2025-26 season, as he has signed with the Shanghai Dragons of the KHL. 

Clendening spent this past season with Kunlun Red Star of the KHL, where he posted five goals, 17 assists, 22 points, and a minus-13 rating in 61 games. Now, he will be joining the Dragons after their relocation. 

Shanghai Dragons have signed one-year contracts with goaltender Andrei Tikhomirov, defenseman Adam Clendening and forwards Alexander Burmistrov, Vladimir Kuznetsov and Borna Rendulichttps://t.co/gK6pTpgsBE

— Shanghai Dragons (@shadragons) August 17, 2025

Clendening was acquired by the Penguins during the 2015 NHL off-season from the Vancouver Canucks in the trade that memorably also brought Nick Bonino to Pittsburgh. In nine games with Pittsburgh during the 2015-16 season, Clendening posted one assist, 10 penalty minutes, and a plus-3 rating. He also played in six AHL games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins that season, recording three assists and a plus-4 rating.

Clendening's time with the Penguins ended on Jan. 16, 2016, as he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks with David Perron for Carl Hagelin. From there, he had stops with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, Arizona Coyotes, and Columbus Blue Jackets, with his last NHL appearance being in 2018-19. From there, he played in the AHL from 2019-20 to 2022-23 for various teams before playing overseas in each of the last two seasons. Now, after singing with the Dragons, he will be playing in his third straight season overseas. 

2 Penguins Make NHL Network's Quarter Century TeamThe NHL Network has revealed their quarter century team, and without any surprise whatsoever, two Pittsburgh Penguins have made the cut. 

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

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

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#26 - Vasili Zelenov - RW (Green Bay - USHL)

Zelenov was the first of the Sabres two seventh-round picks at the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas. The Moscow-born winger has been playing at various lower-level youth leagues in Austria since 2021 and posted an impressive 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) in 40 games for the Salzburg RB Hockey Juniors last season.

The 6’0”, 181 lb. winger was selected by the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers in their Phase II draft in May while Rochester Americans head coach Michael Leone was their GM and instead of staying in Austria headed to North America to play for the Gambler to pursue a US college track. In 54 USHL games, the 19-year-old scored 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists).

Zelenov will be playing for the University of Wisconsin this season, along with 2024 fourth-round pick Luke Osburn, who made an impressive showing at the World Junior Summer Showcase for Team USA earlier this month.  

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

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Apr 15, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Nashville Predators center Kevin Fiala (56) is congratulated for scoring a goal during the third period in game two of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center. Nashville won 5-0.

Oct 21, 2019/vol. 72, issue 21

GREATEST GAMES OF ALL-TIME

BY DAVID BOCLAIR

#1 APRIL 15, 2017

NASHVILLE 5, CHICAGO 0

WELCOME TO THE BIG-TIME

A one-sided playoff walloping of rival Chicago proved to be a franchise turning point for the Preds

IT WAS ONE THING when the Predators opened the 2017 playoffs with a win in Chicago. It was something else altogether when they dominated the Blackhawks 5-0 in Game 2. That performance not only fueled their run to the Cup final, it changed their perception of the type of team they were and where they fit in the NHL hierarchy.

For years, Chicago had been a bridge too far for the Preds. The franchises had met twice in the first round – in 2010 and 2015 – and both times Chicago won in six games. In 2017, the Hawks finished 15 points ahead of the Predators in the standings, won four of five regular-season matchups and scored five times in three of those contests.

A 1-0 victory in Game 1 gave Nashville an edge but did not alter the fundamental perception of the matchup, even in the Preds’ dressing room. The Blackhawks limited Nashville to 20 shots, and Pekka Rinne’s performance in net was the primary reason for the outcome.

Game 2 was a different story. The final score was an accurate reflection of a game in which Nashville looked faster, more determined and more skilled. Ryan Ellis opened the scoring early in the first period, and the Preds never looked back. They ousted Chicago in four games for the first sweep in franchise history and didn’t trail in any series in the first three rounds.

In the two seasons since, Nashville has won back-to-back Central Division titles (the first two in team history) and the 2017-18 Presidents’ Trophy. Prior to 2017, playoff losses were disappointing. Since then, post-season failures, such as those in the past two years, have felt like exactly that – failures.

#2 APRIL 22, 2011

NASHVILLE 4, ANAHEIM 3 (OT)

SHEA WEBER SCORED LATE and Jerred Smithson won it in OT as the Predators’ first playoff overtime victory led to their first series victory two days later.

#3 FEB. 28, 2009

NASHVILLE 8, DETROIT 0

THE BIGGEST WIN IN franchise history against the franchise’s first rival. Jason Arnott had a hat trick, Pekka Rinne a 30-save shutout.

GREATEST INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE OF ALL-TIME

STEVE SULLIVAN

FEB. 18, 2004

NASHVILLE 7, SAN JOSE 3

SULLIVAN MADE QUITE A first impression. After being acquired in a trade with Chicago, the undersized winger had three goals (all on the power play) and an assist in his Preds debut. Sullivan scored Nashville’s first two goals and completed the hat trick late in the second period. Those were his only shots on goal.

His performance energized the dressing room as the team tried to move beyond its expansion era. Nashville won five of its first six games with Sullivan and ultimately made the playoffs for the first time.

The Edmonton Oilers face a pivotal period of contract negotiations, tricky decisions on potential PTO additions, and some lingering trade questions.

From rumors of Connor McDavid’s team-friendly extension to Stuart Skinner’s uncertain future, here’s what fans need to know.

How Will the New CBA Timeline Impact the Oilers?

The recently agreed-upon NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) will be something the Oilers keep in the back of their mind most of the season. Once thought to give possible leverage in negotiations with players like Jake Walman, Stuart Skinner, and Vasily Podkolzin, the date of when that CBA kicks in may change things.

As per James Mirtle of The Athletic, the agreement doesn’t officially take effect until September 2026. If that date doesn't change, the above mentioned players can complete the 2025–26 season and even test free agency on July 1, 2026, without losing eligibility for a long-term deal.

Previously, the Oilers could have dangled eight-year contracts as a carrot. Now, players can wait, gauge their market value, and potentially command higher salaries.

The McDavid Contract Twist

Respected analyst John Shannon recently reported that Connor McDavid is expected to sign a team-friendly extension with Edmonton at $16–17 million per season.  “I think it’s a three or four-year deal,” Shannon told Bob Stauffer.

That's far less than the 20 percent McDavid could get, which would put him around $19 million starting in the 2026-27 season. 

But, what happens in four or five years when McDavid reaches his mid-30s? Salary cap growth could push him into the $25 million range per season and that's a huge issue for Edmonton, especially if McDavid's production understandably declines a little. 

A Short Term McDavid Discount Deal Might Not Be What It SeemsConnor McDavid’s next contract with the Edmonton Oilers isn’t signed yet, but all signs point to it getting done before the end here in the next couple of weeks. 

When does loyalty versus production come into play for the Oilers? If McDavid shows the organization love by signing another under-value deal, do they owe it to their captain to give him more than he's potentially worth in his mid 30s? Or, is this a simple fact that McDavid will always be undervalued, regardless of the size of his contract? 

It will be intriguing to see how the narrative changes from today (where the Oilers are exclusively focused on trying to win a Stanley Cup) to four years from today. 

Trade Talk or Extension for Stuart Skinner?

Stuart Skinner’s future in Edmonton is anything but clear. For now, it appears he's safe and will start the season with the team. Does the sense of security last? 

According to  Allan Mitchell of The Athletic,  “fans should expect either a Stanley Cup delivered with Skinner-Pickard or a complete overhaul in goal by this time next year. Possibly sooner.” 

Edmonton must decide whether to extend Skinner at a reasonable cap hit or trade him while his value remains intact. Signing Skinner early could pay dividends if he finds consistency, but if he underperforms, a long-term contract is extremely risky.

Mitchell talks about overhauling the goaltending, but that is dependant on upgrades being available. There's no guarantee that's going to happen. 

NHL Trade Talk writes:

If Skinner and Pickard falter, the Oilers’ front office may be forced into an aggressive move, whether via trade or free agency, to find the netminder who can push them over the top like the Avs did when they took only 11 days to overhaul their goaltending tandem completely. They traded Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen and picked up MacKenzie Blackwood and acquired Scott Wedgewood.  

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Oilers Looking at 3 Potential PTO Options

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Veteran PTOs and Depth Options

As training camp approaches, veteran free agents are exploring professional tryouts (PTOs), and Edmonton could be a landing spot. Marc-Edouard Vlasic, 38, is a candidate, offering a veteran presence on the blue line for a sheltered role. 

Vlasic recently told Le Journal de Québec that he fully intends to keep playing in 2025-26

Other PTO options being speculated include forwards Klim Kostin and Brett Leason, and goalies Ilya Samsonov and Alexandar Georgiev. 

Mattias Janmark on the Trade Bubble

Mattias Janmark could face an uncertain spot on the roster this season. With prospects like Noah Philp pushing for a full-time NHL role, Janmark’s tenure in Edmonton may be limited.

Janmark's production and usefullness dropped last season, but a veteran with nearly 600 NHL games may have some value on the trade market. If the Oilers continue to look at ways to clear cap space and they want to give younger players an opportunity, he could be in trouble.

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