With the skill level and speed at which the current game is played, NHL goaltenders have struggled to perform at a high level season-to-season.

On several occasions, goaltenders have recorded seasons with save percentages above .900, and in other years, they are well below the mark. Finding that consistent level is the goal, and there are many goaltenders looking to do so.

Here are five goaltenders with the most to prove in the 2025-26 season.

Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins

Swayman and the Bruins agreed to a monster, eight-year, $8.25-million contract extension last off-season after they traded Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators. At the time, the move made sense despite Ullmark taking home a Vezina Trophy during his stint with the Bruins. Swayman was younger and looked far better in the playoffs.

Whether the long negotiations affected Swayman or not, the 2024-25 season started poorly for the 26-year-old, and he never really recovered. Swayman had never recorded a save percentage under .914, but he finished last season with a .892 SP. The Bruins fell far from the playoffs after trading several players away at the deadline and finished 28th in the NHL standings.

Swayman featured on Team USA's 4 Nations Face-Off roster and was the starting netminder in the Americans' first world championship win since 1933. Swayman will want to retain his spot on the Olympic roster, but he needs to start the season well to hold off his competition. 

John Gibson, Detroit Red Wings

Gibson had been rumored to be traded out of Anaheim for a long time, and it finally came to fruition this off-season. The Red Wings sent goaltender Petr Mrazek, a second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and a fourth-round selection in the 2026 NHL Draft to acquire the 32-year-old. 

Gibson had a phenomenal stretch from 2015 to 2019 when the Ducks were a competitive team, but since then, he has struggled to produce above-average numbers on a weak team. The Red Wings are far from Stanley Cup contenders, but the franchise believes they have what it takes to make the playoffs.

A lot of pressure rests on Gibson's shoulders to propel the Red Wings to the playoffs as he retakes a No. 1 role on an NHL team.

Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators

The Predators were woeful in the 2024-25 season, and Saros did not bail them out. He finished the campaign with a .896 SP, the lowest of his career. In fact, it was the first time he was ever under .900, and he has only been under .910 once before, which came in the 2023-24 season. 

The 30-year-old needs to prove himself once again and help right the ship in Nashville. The Predators have attempted to add younger players to their roster while keeping it competitive for their veterans, and just as easily as they could miss the post-season, they could make it. 

Including his performance with the Predators, Saros needs to find his game if Finland wants to go on a long run at the Olympics. His showing at the world championships was impressive, and it's a start, but like Swayman, a lot rides on his start to the upcoming season. 

Thatcher Demko, Vancouver Canucks

Demko was never healthy last year, and unfortunately, that's been his biggest issue in his NHL career. When healthy, Demko is among the elite goaltenders in the NHL, but he needs to find a way to stay between the pipes. 

The Canuck have revamped their roster and are in an excellent position to return to the playoffs. Although it doesn't all ride on Demko's performance, the Canucks will likely live or die by their No. 1 goaltender.

In addition to his success with the Canucks, Demko has a real chance to work his way onto the American Olympic roster. Proving he has what it takes to be a No. 1 goaltender isn't the issue, but proving he can do it consistently is. 

Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets

Hellebuyck has virtually nothing left to prove in the regular season, but he has everything to prove in the playoffs. A three-time Vezina Trophy winner, a two-time William M. Jennings Trophy winner and one of eight goaltenders ever to win the Hart Trophy. Yet, he looks like a shell of himself in the playoffs.

After Hellebuyck recorded a .932 SP and led the Americans to the finals at the 4 Nations, many thought Hellebuyck had figured out how to stay mentally strong in high-leverage situations. But after a dreadful post-season where he was pulled three times in the first round against the St. Louis Blues, it was clear that the mental block had not been solved. 

Hellebuyck has the pedigree to go down as one of the great goaltenders to play in the NHL, but the lack of playoff success is holding him back from truly being acknowledged in that breath. 

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Pricey pond hockey is officially a thing of the past. 

EA SPORTS NHL announced that the reveal trailer for the fully revamped Be A Pro mode in NHL 26 will be unveiled at 11am EST Aug. 19 on the EA SPORTS NHL YouTube channel. 

From the initial gameplay trailer and deep dive trailer we have some idea of a few of the changes that will be coming to Be A Pro including new cutscenes, character, and ability to play in the AHL and World Juniors.

With the new X-Factor system it will give players the opportunity to define their playstyle and continue to progress through the three tiers as you move further along in your career. 

Be A Pro is an extremely popular mode within the NHL franchise and has been several years since there has been a major change.

Check back in with us on Tuesday for a full breakdown of the Be A Pro reveal trailer. 

No more Pricey Pond Hockey.#NHL26 Be A Pro Deep Dive drops Aug 19th: https://t.co/eKs19gEpeVpic.twitter.com/2CVgkotAUw

— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) August 17, 2025

New Heroes and Icons will be in NHL 26.

NHL 26 is set to release Sept. 12, those who pre-order the deluxe edition get access Sept. 5. 

For more NHL Gaming news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed.  

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.

Other players announced on Saturday include Croatian winger Borna Rendulić, 32, who played 15 NHL games with the Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks, Russian winger Vladimir Kuznetsov and Russian goaltender Andrei Tikhomirov.

“Burmistrov is a talented, fast center who excels in the faceoff circle and brings important contributions on the penalty kill,” said Dragons CEO Igor Varitsky.

Originally from Kazan, Tatarstan, Burmistrov, now 27, came up through the local Ak Bars club, playing one KHL game with the team in 2007-08, and then spent one season with the OHL’s Barrie Colts. He was chosen eighth overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Between 2010 and 2013, he spent three seasons with the Thrashers and Winnipeg Jets franchise, then returned to Russia in 2013. Burmistrov then returned to North America in 2015 and played for the Jets, Arizona Coyotes and Canucks before returning again in 2018.

Burmistrov had 101 points and 139 penalty minutes in 348 NHL games. He also has 170 points in 492 KHL regular-season and playoff games with Ak Bars, Salavat Yulaev Ufa, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Spartak Moscow and Dynamo Moscow. After not playing the first half of last season, he only played eight games last season for Dynamo, going pointless.

Internationally, Burmistrov played for Russia in two IIHF World Championships, winning a gold medal in 2014 in Minsk and a bronze at home in Moscow in 2016.

Alexander Burmistrov Signs With Dynamo Moscow Russian center Alexander Burmistrov, 33, has signed a contract to play the remainder of the current season with Dynamo Moscow, the KHL club announced recently.

“Clendening brings valuable NHL experience and plays an important role both defensively and on the power play,” said Varitsky. “We consider him one of our leaders, and last season he showed he has the ability to guide his teammates on and off the ice.”

Clendening, 32, was born in Niagara Falls, N.Y. and became a pro via the U.S. National Team Development Program and Boston University. He was selected in the second round, 36th overall, by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Between 2014 and 2019, Clendening played 90 NHL regular-season games for the Blackhawks, Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, Coyotes and Columbus Blue Jackets, recording 24 points and 42 penalty minutes. The last NHL games he ever played were seven playoff games for Columbus in 2019, picking up one assist and one minor penalty.

Clendening spent the 2023-24 season in Finland with Ilves Tampere and last season in the KHL with Kunlun, recording 22 points and 65 penalty minutes in 61 games.

Internationally, Clendening won two gold medals for the USA at the U-18 World Championships and a bronze at the 2021 Worlds in Riga.

Gerard Gallant Takes Over KHL’s Shanghai Dragons Gerard Gallant is the new head coach of the Shanghai Dragons, the KHL club announced on Wednesday.

A busy week just keeps getting busier for the Chinese-based KHL club, which was previously known as Kunlun Red Star.

On Monday, defenseman Jake Chelios announced his retirement. On Wednesday, the club announced the signing of new head coach Gerard Gallant, and on Friday and Saturday, the club announced the signings of nine new players, including Slovak Olympic bronze-medal-winning goaltender Patrik Rybar and Canadian forwards Ryan Spooner and Nick Merkley.

The Kunlun-Shanghai franchise has played its home games in suburban Moscow since early 2020 and will play in St. Petersburg this season, but plans to return to China in either 2026 or 2027.

The team has not made the playoffs since its inaugural KHL season in 2016-17.

Ex-NHLers Spooner & Merkley Sign With Shanghai Canadian former NHL forwards Ryan Spooner and Nick Merkley have signed one-year contracts to play for the Shanghai Dragons, the Chinese-based KHL club announced on Saturday.

THN's Adam Proteau has been writing a series of article about how the NHL teams did in the offseason and the Montreal Canadiens top his ranking:  https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/nhl-summer-splash-rankings-no-1-montreal-canadiens.

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The Hockey News’ summer splash rankings – which rank the off-seasons of every NHL team – have been posted for the past 31 days. And today, we’ve arrived at the team that was No. 1 in our list – the Montreal Canadiens.

These rankings, which are based on each team’s off-season additions, departures, hirings and firings where applicable, put teams into three distinct areas: teams that stayed the same, teams that got worse and teams that significantly improved. We’ve been moving in reverse order, from the team that finished 32nd overall (the Buffalo Sabres) to the Canadiens, whom we’ve deemed to have the best off-season of any team.

The Habs – who unexpectedly made the Stanley Cup playoffs last season, only to be thumped in Round 1 by the Washington Capitals – are still relatively early in their blueprint back to relevancy. But under coach Martin St. Louis, the Canadiens have been plucky and resilient, and even in a tough division like the Atlantic, Montreal has put everyone on notice – the days of the Habs being a pushover are long gone, and better days for this franchise are coming soon.

Additions

Noah Dobson (D), Zack Bolduc (LW), Kaapo Kahkonen (G), Joe Veleno (C), Sammy Blais (LW) 

The Breakdown: It’s not every day you go out and acquire a No. 1 defenseman on the trade market, but that’s just what Canadiens GM Kent Hughes did this summer, trading with the New York Islanders to land star blueliner Noah Dobson. Instantly, Dobson makes a Habs defense corps – that was already fairly impressive – into a stacked group of D-men. With Dobson’s arrival, superstar-in-the-making Lane Hutson doesn’t have the pressure to carry the team on his back. And even with the retirement of veteran David Savard, Montreal’s defense can now hurt an opponent at both ends of the ice.

That Dobson trade was the primary reason Montreal finished first in our summer splash rankings – but it wasn’t the only reason they finished first. Indeed, adding former St. Louis Blues winger Zack Bolduc is a huge boost for the Canadiens’ second line, and the price they had to pay – young defenseman Logan Mailloux – was one Montreal could afford now that Dobson is on board.

Hughes’ other moves were low-risk, decent-reward choices: in Kaapo Kahkonen, they got a backup for starting goalie Samuel Montembeault in Joe Veleno, they got an experienced fourth-liner, and in Sammy Blais, they got some roster depth they may need to lean on as the season progresses.

All in all, Montreal has gone from a team looking to make the next competitive step to a team that has no excuse to not be a playoff team next year. Hughes has slowly, painstakingly cobbled key pieces together, and after what may feel like an eternity of letdowns for Canadiens fans, the Habs are set to do serious damage next season.

Departures

Christian Dvorak (C), Joel Armia (RW), Emil Heineman (LW), David Savard (D), Logan Mailloux (D), Michael Pezzetta (LW), Cayden Primeau (G)

The Breakdown: The Canadiens did have players of note who have departed from the team this summer: veteran center Dvorak signed with Philadelphia, winger Joel Armia signed with the Los Angeles Kings, young winger Heineman was sent to the Islanders in the Dobson trade, heart-and-soul D-man Savard retired, rugged winger Michael Pezzetta signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs and backup goalie Cayden Primeau was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Some of those departures will hurt. Armia was a fan favorite, while Dvorak was a solid third-line center. And Mailloux may yet develop into a top-four blueliner. But when you measure the trade-offs in Montreal this summer – including Dobson-for-Savard, and Bolduc for Armia, you can’t help but come to the conclusion that the Canadiens are significantly better.

Hughes spent his salary cap space wisely, giving Dobson an eight-year contract with an average annual salary cap hit of $9.5-million. And Bolduc is still going to be an RFA at the end of next season – so acquiring him to put up 20-25 goals next season will turn out to be a tremendous bargain. While it may have been hard to say goodbye to a few Habs veterans, the team has obviously improved from where they were last season. 

The Bottom Line

These summer splash rankings have always been about one thing – namely, did a team do good work this off-season? And although other teams improved in different ways (some teams got better with one or two big moves, while other teams improved by simply bringing back the same group next season), in Montreal’s case, the blockbuster deal for Dobson really raised the competitive bar in a way that no other team’s off-season did for them.

At 25 years old, Dobson is still approaching his prime – and though he had a down year last season, Dobson is only two years removed from a 60-assist, 70-point season with the Isles. He and Hutson are two of the best young D-men in the league, and now, Montreal has them as fixtures for the foreseeable future.

Adding Bolduc is another terrific move from Hughes, and filling out the roster with blue-collar workers like Blais and Veleno gives Montreal the kind of depth they’re going to need to compete in the punishing Atlantic. But few teams in the Atlantic or any other division have a defense corps like the Canadiens’ group.

And to think, we still haven’t mentioned any of the Habs’ young star forwards – Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki and Ivan Demidov. The list of difference-makers for Montreal has grown considerably, and you have to give Hughes and the rest of the Canadiens’ management team credit for acquiring key components without surrendering any members of their core.

For those reasons, we have Montreal at the top of this summer splash ranking. No team did more this off-season than the Canadiens. And while we’re still in the dog days of summer, Habs fans have every right to be stoked for next season to arrive. Montreal is going to be a team to watch all season long in 2025-26, and the Canadiens’ off-season moves have made them into a team most opponents will have great difficulty beating.

Summer Splash Rankings

1. Montreal Canadiens

2. Florida Panthers

3. Vegas Golden Knights

4. Carolina Hurricanes

5. Anaheim Ducks

6. Philadelphia Flyers

7. Vancouver Canucks

8. San Jose Sharks

9. Utah Mammoth

10. New York Rangers

11. Detroit Red Wings

12. New Jersey Devils

13. St. Louis Blues

14. Pittsburgh Penguins

15. Colorado Avalanche

16. Ottawa Senators

17. Boston Bruins

18. Edmonton Oilers

19. Minnesota Wild

20. Seattle Kraken

21. Columbus Blue Jackets

22. Washington Capitals

23. Nashville Predators

24. New York Islanders

25. Tampa Bay Lightning

26. Toronto Maple Leafs

27. Dallas Stars

28. Calgary Flames

29. Los Angeles Kings

30. Winnipeg Jets

31. Chicago Blackhawks

32. Buffalo Sabres

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.

A former New Jersey Devils third-round pick has taken his game overseas. 
Defenseman Reilly Walsh has signed overseas, per his agent Matt Keator. 

The 26-year-old has signed a contract with the  Barys Astana of the KHL after five seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL). He most recently played for the Ontario Reign, where he collected 32 points in 70 games. 

Drafted in 2017, the 6-0, 192-pound blueliner spent three seasons with the Devils. On June 26, 2023, New Jersey traded Walsh to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Shane Bowers. As a free agent, he signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Los Angeles Kings, where he was assigned to the Reign. 

With the Binghamton Devils and Utica Comets (AHL), Walsh earned 99 points, including 23 goals. He made his NHL debut with New Jersey on April 26, 2022, against the Ottawa Senators and earned his first NHL assist. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

The Mental Side of the Game: Devils Players & Mental Skills Coach Andy Swärd Take You Behind the Scenes

Hischier's Manager Patrick Fischer: 'He's Driven to Succeed, but Not Easily

Following the 2023-24 season, the second-worst in franchise history, the Anaheim Ducks earned the right to select third overall at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.

After the clear top prospect, Macklin Celebrini, the 2024 draft was chock-full of highly skilled defensemen and a wide array of boom-or-bust forwards.

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Poll: When Will the Anaheim Ducks Make the Playoffs?

The San Jose Sharks selected Celebrini with their first overall pick, and the Chicago Blackhawks nabbed the consensus highest-ranked right-shot defenseman, Artyom Levshunov. That placed the Ducks in a position to choose between a questionable-fitting left-shot defenseman like Zeev Buium, Sam Dickinson, or Anton Silayev, a right-shot defenseman with questionable translatability like Zayne Parekh or Carter Yakemchuk, or several highly volatile forwards.

Every forward in the tier behind Celebrini had question marks. Cayden Lindstrom missed most of the season with a herniated disc, Tij Iginla and Beckett Sennecke had great second halves of their seasons, but sample size is always a concern with “late risers,” and Berkly Catton is on the slighter side, leaving his projection as an NHL center up in the air.

For as long as public scouts had been evaluating the class, the consensus second-best player in the 2024 draft was Ivan Demidov: the player whom every fanbase behind San Jose was clamoring for or crossing their fingers in hopes he fell to their favorite team.

Demidov, too, however, came with multiple question marks attached. Though endlessly talented, smart, and creative, he wasn’t given a fair or consistent opportunity to play in the KHL for SKA St. Petersburg in his draft year (2023-24). His club kept him at the MHL level, Russia’s junior division, one far inferior to his talent level and a league subpar to the CHL.

Indications were that Demidov’s production was taken with a grain of salt. During the season, North American scouts and GMs weren’t afforded the opportunity to scout him in person and relied on video as well as their hired Russian scouts to build their reports, further hurting his draft stock. Then there was the question of his unorthodox skating, which he uses as a unique form of deception, but left some wondering about viability against larger, more developed opponents on a smaller ice surface.

The Ducks ultimately selected Beckett Sennecke with their third overall pick, surprising many (including and perhaps most of all, Sennecke himself). Similarly to Demidov, he is dripping with talent, and as Ducks GM Pat Verbeek indicated at the time of the draft, he can play any style of game required: skill, heavy, speed, etc.

It took time for Sennecke to grow into his 6-foot-4 frame after a tremendous and quick growth spurt, but once he did in the second half of the 2023-24 season, his shift-to-shift dominance and production skyrocketed.

What had many scratching their heads at the time of the pick was that, to that point, the highest Sennecke ranking among public scouting outlets was ninth overall (Elite Prospects), with the lowest being 16th overall (FC Hockey).

Those rankings left many to wonder: Why not simply trade down if the Ducks wanted Sennecke?

Trades within the top ten are extremely rare and for good reason. If teams like a player, they prefer to select him when they can, rather than take the chance he’s gone by the time they will be on the clock again.

In Sennecke’s case, there were reports that if Demidov was unavailable to the Montreal Canadiens at fifth overall, they were keen on Sennecke in that spot. So the lowest the Ducks could potentially trade down to was fifth, but if Montreal knew the Ducks were uninterested in Demidov, it wouldn’t have made sense for them to part with assets to move up.

Teams have a different scouting process and produce vastly different lists than what is made available to the public.

“We make our own assessments throughout the year, and whether a player is going up or down on public lists before the draft, it really has no impact on our process,” Ducks assistant GM and director of amateur scouting Martin Madden said a week before the 2024 draft. “Your question could also be answered by looking at historically, do players who improve a lot in the second half of the year end up being better players than those who fall? We’ve looked at that, and I don’t think there’s any real conclusion to be drawn. I think it’s pretty random. You have to look at the season or the previous two seasons as a whole to try to predict what the future five will look like. So that’s the way we go about it.”

Sennecke proved many doubters wrong with an impressive 2024-25 campaign, scoring 86 points (36-50=86) in 56 regular season games with the Oshawa Generals of the OHL, evolving and growing every aspect of his game throughout. As he seemingly does, he elevated his game when the lights got brightest, scoring 32 points (14-18=32) in just 18 playoff games.

Demidov eventually got the opportunity to prove his translatability in 2024-25, playing the full season in the KHL and producing 49 points (19-30=49) in 65 regular season games and adding five points (3-2=5) in six playoff games. He made the jump to North America at the end of the year to make his debut with the Canadiens, electrifying those who tuned in with a two-point performance and adding two points (0-2=2) in five playoff games.

If Demidov can continue this trajectory, he will keep Blackhawks, Ducks, and Columbus Blue Jackets (who drafted Cayden Lindstrom fourth overall) fans wondering “what if?” However, selecting Sennecke at third overall was perfectly defensible then and is perfectly defensible today.

Reports: Mason McTavish Prefers a Long-Term Contract while Pat Verbeek Prefers a Bridge, where Talks Stand

Ducks Captain Gudas Opts for Physical Therapy Over Surgery

Poll: How Would You Grade the Job GM Pat Verbeek has Done so Far?

Poll: How Would You Grade the Anaheim Ducks Rebrand?

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

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

Trey Fix-Wolansky - TFW is generally considered the greatest player in Monsters' history. He leads the Monsters franchise with 112 goals, 147 assists, and 259 points. Defenseman Jake Christiansen is the only active player close enough to catch TFW, but he was in Columbus last season, and most likely this season, so Fix-Wolansky's records are safe. 

64 Days Until Opening Night At Nationwide ArenaThere have only been two players wear the #64 for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Unfortunately for Columbus, neither one of them made a significant impact for Columbus. Cleveland is a different story, however. 

The duo’s swift rise brought envy from the entire league. And yet it was in each other that Jones and Werenski found their biggest fan. Jones couldn’t help himself during one game last season, late in the third period against Washington, when he watched Werenski skate down the left side from the point and rip a puck through traffic to tie the score. “That,” Jones said, “was eye-opening. It couldn’t have been a much more perfect shot.”

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

Joonas Korpisalo - But for CBJ fans, it was watching Joonas Korpisalo that made it the most exciting. The young Finnish goalie would take the loss, but would set an NHL playoff record for most saves in a game with 85 saves. That record still stands today. 

The Lightning pumped 88 shots at Korpisalo, which included 12 or more shots in 6 of the periods, and 14 shots in four of the periods. The Lightning were trying their hardest to bury the Blue Jackets all game, but Korpisalo just wouldn't let it happen. 

On This Date In 2020: Joonas Korpisalo Makes HistoryOn August 11, 2020 the Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning started their first round series of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Fans of the CBJ were hoping that the Jackets could pull off another huge upset against the Lightning. 

While it would be hard to move his contract, he has shown that he can be a very good goalie. However, it seems that his time is quickly running out with the Blue Jackets. With the emergence of Jet Greaves as the future starter for the organization, it could be wise for general manager Don Waddell to move on from Merzlikins.

Blue Jackets' Biggest Trade Chips: Elvis MerzlikinsWelcome to another edition of Columbus Blue Jackets' Biggest Trade Chips. In the first two editions, we looked at Yegor Chinakhov and Dmitri Voronkov, and now we are going to look at goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, who very well could be their last big trade target on the roster.

Johnson spent last season with the Jackets and played 41 games. He had a total of six points, all of which were assists. 

He has played in 1,228 games and posted 342 points, including 486 games for Columbus, where he had 160 points. 

Former Jackets Defenseman Signs PTO With Minnesota WildFormer CBJ defenseman Jack Johnson has signed a PTO with the Minnesota Wild, the club announced. 

With 62 days left before the Jackets take the ice again at Nationwide Arena, there is a lot of positivity surrounding the team. Don Waddell signed who he had to sign in the offseason to put the team in a good position going forward. People wanted a few things, including huge free agents and big trades, but many forget that he has to sign some very important players soon, including Adam Fantilli and Jet Greaves. Not to mention Kirill Marchenko, Kent Johnson, and Dmitri Voronkov may need new deals in 2027. 

62 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #62The Columbus Blue Jackets have only had four players wear #62 in their history, and in a weird twist, three of them have been since 2023. They haven't had any real impact players where the number in their short 25-year history, but that could change one day. 

Yes, that's right, comedian Matt Rife hosted a show at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Saturday and was seen sporting a Rick Nash #61 jersey. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering he is an Ohio native who grew up a big fan of the team.

Matt Rife Wears Blue Jackets Jersey At Hometown Comedy ShowWe are so deep in the dog days of the NHL off-season that the only real news regarding the Columbus Blue Jackets is that a celebrity was spotted proudly wearing a Blue Jackets jersey.

Johnson played for Cleveland the 2021-22 season. He played in 20 games and had a 6-9-4 record with a SV% of .882. Johnson, from Flint, Michigan was undrafted and has yet to make his NHL Debut. 

Former Monsters Goalie Signs With Springfield Of AHLPer Tony Andockitis, former Monsters goalie Cam Johnson is signing with the AHLs Springfield Thunderbirds. 

I remember watching Rick Nash get drafted 1st overall in 2002. GM Doug MacLean made a bold move and traded up to get the big winger from the London Knights of the OHL. I was young and ecstatic about this trade.

61 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: Rick NashThe Jackets have only had one player wear the #61. No one else will wear it. 

Gallant, 61, has spent time with the Blue Jackets as both an assistant coach and head coach, as well as with the New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens as an assistant. He served as the bench boss for the Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights, and New York Rangers, up until 2022-23 when he was fired and his time in the NHL appeared to be over.

Former Blue Jackets' Bench Boss Lands New Gig Overseas Columbus Blue Jackets' former head coach Gerard Gallant has landed a new coaching job. It was announced earlier today that he will be heading overseas to Russia to coach the Shanghai Dragons of the KHL.

GM Don Waddell said in a press release: "Mikael Pyyhtiä is a highly competitive player that brings high-end speed, reliable two-way play and a strong work ethic to a lineup," said Waddell. "We look forward to see his continued growth with the Blue Jackets organization.”

Blue Jackets Sign Mikael Pyyhtia To An ExtensionColumbus has announced the signing of forward Mikael Pyyhtiä to a one-year, two-way contract today. The contract is for $775,000 on the NHL side, and $100,000 on the AHL level. 

You’re probably in no mood to read this right now, but this is as good a time as any. It’s your 32-year-old self here, and in case your head is too scrambled to figure out, it’s 2015. Hey, and guess what, you’re playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets these days. They’re the guys who came into the league as an expansion team a couple months ago.

From The THN Archive: Scott Hartnell - Letter To My Rookie SelfThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

Hunt, 23, is a left-handed defenceman that Columbus acquired from the Minnesota Wild as part of the David Jiricek trade last season. His previous salary from last year was $828,333 over a three-year term. If he does sign with the Blue Jackets, his salary will likely be similar to Pyyhtiä’s, which is $775,000 at the NHL level and $100,000 at the AHL level.

Blue Jackets’ Last Remaining RFA: Daemon HuntWith the Columbus Blue Jackets reaching an agreement with Mikael Pyyhtiä on a one-year, two-way contract yesterday, there is just one remaining restricted free agent (RFA) they need to re-sign, and that is Daemon Hunt.

Later in 2023, there were rumors that he was "unhappy" in Columbus and may want out. His agent, Shumi Babaev, told THN Columbus that, "At the moment, there are no conversations about a trade on our part. He likes Columbus, both the team and the city." He went to tell us that "We are in touch with the General Manager (Jarmo), the only thing Yegor wants is to have more ice time, feel the coach's trust, and help the team win more games. He's very happy after yesterday's game. Felt great on the new line."

59 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The Yegor Chinakhov SagaThe Columbus Blue Jackets have 59 days until the home opener at Nationwide Arena. Today, we talk about Yegor Chinakhov and the drama that surrounds him. 

“Daemon Hunt is a good, young two-way defenseman that plays a smart and controlled game,” said Waddell in a press release. “His signing provides us important additional organizational depth on our blue line.”

The Blue Jackets Sign Final RFAThe Columbus Blue Jackets have announced the signing of Daemon Hunt, the final RFA the Blue Jackets had to sign.  Blue Jackets Announce Theme Nights For 25th Anniversary SeasonThe Columbus Blue Jackets are heading into their 25th anniversary season, and the organization is ready to roll out a full slate of events to celebrate with fans. 58 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: Lumber Jacket David SavardThe former Lumber Jacket was fun to watch. Blue Jackets Should Look To Extend Captain Boone Jenner As Soon As PossibleThe Columbus Blue Jackets have a big decision on their hands. Their captain, Boone Jenner, is entering the last year of his contract and can sign an extension as soon as possible.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

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This is part of a countdown series with the Golden Knights, highlighting the roster with brief tidbits on the players as their uniform numbers align with the countdown day. Today, we meet Dylan Coghlan.

Dylan Coghlan returns to the Vegas Golden Knights after signing a one-year contract on July 1, 2025.

Undrafted in 2018, Coghlan signed with the Golden Knights before their inaugural season in 2017, and made his NHL debut on Feb. 5, 2021.

He was traded to Carolina by Vegas with Max Pacioretty for future considerations on July 13, 2022, and was then traded to Winnipeg by Carolina for future considerations, July 6, 2024.

After playing 18 games over two seasons for the Hurricanes, he joined the Jets but spent most of his time with Manitoba of the American Hockey League.

During his career, the 27-year-old has scored six goals and assisted on 16 others in 112 games.

FUN FACT: Coghlan was the first defenseman in Golden Knights history to get a hat trick, while being the youngest at 23 years old during a 4-3 loss at the Minnesota Wild on March 10, 2021.

Before the start of last season, the Montreal Canadiens had won five consecutive games against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and they kept that streak going with a couple of wins over the Ohio outfit early in the season. Montreal won the first two games, one in each venue, and outscored the opponent 13-9 in the three-game season series.

Though the Canadiens were lucky to face Columbus early in the season, as the Jackets were reeling from the unexpected loss of star player Johnny Gaudreau and struggled to make up for his absence, the speedy winger was a huge part of their attack and had always had success against Montreal, scoring six goals and adding 17 assists for 23 points in 25 games. Besides the offensive output, though, Gaudreau was a dynamo for the Jackets, and his loss had a significant impact on their whole team, but especially for former Canadiens’ Sean Monahan, who had signed with the team to get to play with his close friend again.

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A month into the season, the two teams met for the first time, and the Canadiens were dominant at the Bell Center. Montreal had a 30-26 edge in shots and scored a 5-1 win on the back of a pair of assists from Cole Caufield, who had changed his number to 13 to honour his fallen idol before the start of the season. The visitors did shoot themselves in the foot, however, with 18 giveaways. Mike Matheson and Joel Armia also had a pair of points in the win.

Less than two weeks later, the two sides met again, this time in Columbus, and the hosts played much better in a 4-3 OT loss. That time, it was Juraj Slafkovsky who led the charge with two points, but Caufield did have a goal while Nick Suzuki scored the overtime winner less than a minute into the extra frame. Emil Heineman also had a lamplighter in the win.

The final duel came on December 23, and the Jackets were finally able to beat the Canadiens in Columbus, with the cannon firing five times thanks to a 5-4 win. Monahan, Kiril Marchenko, and Zach Werenski all had three points. It was another good night for Caufield as he recorded two points once again. The Canadiens had a 4-3 lead 20 seconds into the final frame, but they were unable to hang on for the win, with Dimitri Voronkov and Kiril Marchenko scoring in the third.

The Canadiens' top players against Columbus were Caufield with five points, Jake Evans with four, and Suzuki with three points, which also included two game-winning goals. Meanwhile, for the Jackets, it was offensive defenseman Zach Werenski who led the team with six points, followed by Monahan and Marchenko, who both had three.

This offseason, the Jackets’ most significant move was a trade with the Colorado Avalanche in which they acquired Miles Wood and Charlie Coyle in return for Gavin Brinley and a couple of draft picks. While they won’t be top-six players, they do give the Jackets enviable depth up front. They also signed Isac Lundestrom as a free agent and re-signed Dante Fabro and Ivan Provorov.

The Jackets failed to make the playoffs last season, but they were only eliminated when the Canadiens won the last game of their season. Columbus' near-successful push to the playoffs was led by goaltender Jet Greaves, who was simply outstanding in the sequence, outplaying Elvis Merzlikins. If the youngster comes back in that kind of form, the Jackets could be much tougher to take on and beat. He was on duty when the Jackets finally beat Montreal in their final head-to-head meeting.

The big story between the two teams, however, was Patrik Laine speaking to the media ahead of the December 23rd tilt and explaining why he had requested a trade away from Columbus. Needless to say, his former teammates did not appreciate what he had to say and used his declaration as motivation. The big Finn was chased all around the ice and mercilessly hit by his former teammates and booed by the crowd, exiting the game after the first period. The physical punishment he received might have taught him a few things about what should and shouldn’t be shared with the media, but chances are he’ll be highly motivated when he takes on his former team this season.

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ST. LOUIS -- It was Aug. 17, 1983 when the St. Louis Blues named the 13th coach in franchise history when they hired Jacques Demers.

Demers was a gamble at the time for the Blues, with just one year of coaching experience with the Quebec Nordiques in 1979-80, going 25-44 with 11 ties.

Demers replaced the co-coaching duo of Emile Francis and Barclay Plager, who coached the Blues with Francis for five seasons starting in 1978; Francis began in 1977.

Demers would go on to coach the Blues for three seasons and take them to the playoffs each season from 1983-1986. He was 106-106 with 28 ties in the regular season and 16-17 in the Stanley Cup playoffs, with a best run in 1985-86 when the Blues reached the Campbell Conference Final before losing to the Calgary Flames in seven games.

It was believed there was a building block with Demers and the franchise, but he ultimately left to join the Detroit Red Wings in the same capacity and the Blues accused the Red Wings of tampering after then-owner Harry Ornest believed he had a "binding agreement ' of a three-year contract but one was never signed.

The Blues would try to sue Demers from coaching the Red Wings but the NHL would rule in favor of the coach and he would be behind the Red Wings bench for the ensuing four seasons. He would then be hired and win a Stanley Cup his first season with the Montreal Canadiens in 1992-93 and coach the Habs for four seasons, then the Tampa Bay Lightning from 1997-99.

Eventually, Jacques Martin would replace Demers in St. Louis and coach the Blues for two seasons from 1986-88.

For those that remember that far back and that Blues era, where does Demers, who is now 80, rank among the 28 coaches in Blues history? Comment below and let The Hockey News know what you think.

Meeting the Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs was a tall order for the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs struggled against a Washington team that was chasing the goal record for Alexander Ovechkin. In the three-game season series, the Caps outscored the Habs 12-8, and Montreal finished with a 1-2-0 record on the season against their playoff rival.

The first duel was on October 31, and the Canadiens were in the second game of a six-game losing streak. Taking on the Capitals at Capital One Arena, Montreal only took 16 shots on goal while Washington tested Cayden Primeau 34 times. Each team scored three goals in the middle frame, but the Capitals scored three unanswered goals in the final frame to skate away with the 6-3 win.

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On December 7, this time at the Bell Centre, the Canadiens were once again outplayed as the Caps had a 35-24 edge in shots on goal in the 4-2 win. Montreal took a 2-0 lead in the first frame, but they were unable to prevent the comeback as Washington stormed to a 4-2 win with four unanswered goals.

The Habs bounced back on January 10, however, and with Jakub Dobes in the net, they dominated in shots 30-17 and were able to come back from behind after Jakob Chychrun had scored the first goal less than three minutes into the game. Cole Caufield tied up the score while Josh Anderson gave Montreal the lead with a shorthanded marker. Lars Eller tied up the game at the start of the third, but Nick Suzuki gave the Habs the win in the extra frame with helpers from Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson.

Tom Wilson and Aleksei Protas led the charge for the Caps in the season series with four points each, while Ovechkin had three. As for the Habs, it was the captain who stood out with five points, followed by Caufield and Hutson, who had four points each. Unfortunately for the Canadiens, Suzuki was unable to have a similar offensive output in the playoffs as he was limited to two points in the postseason.

Speaking of the postseason, the Caps made short work of the Canadiens, eliminating them in just five games and outscoring them 18-12 in the process. Washington’s dominance wasn’t just on the scoreboard, however, since their physical play made life tough for the Habs’ skills player, making Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton realize that their team needed to get tougher and bigger.

The Caps lost some good pieces this offseason as Andrew Mangiapane signed a two-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers, Taylor Raddysh joined the New York Rangers on a two-year contract, and Lars Eller, who returned to Washington in November, won’t have stayed for long as he joined the Ottawa Senators on a one-year pact. T.J. Oshie, who sat out last season, officially retired as well.

Washington resigned Anthony Beauvillier and acquired Justin Sourdif and Declan Chisholm, and it doesn’t look like there will be many more additions this offseason. The young Habs will no doubt be looking to avenge their early playoff exit when they meet the Caps for the first time of the season on November 20. While the Capitals are no longer the powerhouse that they once were, they remain a strong team with plenty of experience and are tough to play.

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Two former New Jersey Devils left the 3ICE Summer Tournament with honors.

Former player-turned-coach Ken Daneyko earned the Eddie Johnston Coach of the Year award after leading the 3ICE NY/NJ team to the Patrick Cup Championship.

Mr. Devil on the Bench: Ken Daneyko Leads NJ/NY 3ICE Team to Final FourFormer New Jersey Devil Ken Daneyko has taken on a new role this summer, coaching the 3ICE NJ/NY team.

Meanwhile, former Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid, who played with 3ICE Buffalo, was named the Bryan Trottier League MVPawarded to the tournament’s most valuable player.

Keith Kinkaid Eyes NHL Return After Strong 3ICE PerformanceFormer New Jersey Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid is aiming for an NHL comeback this season.

🏆 Congratulations to our 3ICE Season 3 Award Winners! 🏆

Now it all comes down to THIS…
🏒 The Patrick Cup Championship
📍 Baptist Health IcePlex – Fort Lauderdale, FL
🕖 Tonight at 7 PM ET#3ICE#PatrickCup#Hockey#3ICEAwards#HockeyLife#3ICEHockey#PatrickCup2025pic.twitter.com/nGkM4TAMdi

— 3ICE (@3IceHockey) August 14, 2025

The 3ICE tournament is held every summer at the Florida Panthers’ training facility. It serves as a showcase for current NHL players, as well as those aiming to break into the league, with games played in a fast-paced three-on-three format.

Both Daneyko and Kinkaid have strong ties to the Devils.

Daneyko, better known as “Mr. Devil”,  played his entire career in New Jersey. He was on the roster for all three Stanley Cup championships, leading the franchise in both games played and penalty minutes. His jersey now hangs in the rafters at the Prudential Center, cementing his legacy as a franchise icon. Though his team did not win the Patrick Cup, his transition to coaching earned him high recognition.

Kinkaid also left his mark on the Devils. Joining the organization as an undrafted free agent in 2012, he spent six seasons in New Jersey before moving on to stints with five other NHL teams. Over 169 NHL games, he recorded a .905 save percentage.

Now 36, the six-foot-two netminder has spent recent years in the AHL and ECHL, but his MVP performance at 3ICE proved he still has plenty left in the tank. While his Buffalo squad didn’t win the tournament, his individual honor may boost his chances of earning another NHL opportunity.

Although neither Daneyko nor Kinkaid are likely to return to the Devils organization, their performances at the 3ICE tournament show they still have plenty to offer, whether behind the bench or between the pipes.

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.

The acquisition of Arturs Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks, as well as the shipping out of Alex Nedeljkovic to the San Jose Sharks, makes the goaltending battle intriguing. Young forward prospects such as Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, and Filip Hallander will be jostling for positioning in the top-12 forward group.

But one of the most interesting battles will come on the left side of the blue line.

Barring any other trades or major moves prior to puck drop against the New York Rangers on Oct. 7, Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang, Matt Dumba, and Connor Clifton will more than likely populate the right side. In contrast, however, the Penguins do not really have a bona fide top-four defenseman for the left side, making that positional battle one that is wide open for the taking. 

Here are some of the names who will be involved in that positional battle - as well as what to expect from each of them.

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Parker Wotherspoon

Wotherspoon, 27, was signed to a two-year, $2 million contract right out of the gate on Jul. 1, when free agency opened. He was drafted in the fourth round (112th overall) by the New York Islanders in 2015, and he spent part of one NHL season with the Isles in 2022-23 before signing a two-year deal with the Boston Bruins. 

There, Wotherspoon registered a goal and 15 points in 96 games split between two seasons. While he may not contribute much at all offensively, he was a solid shutdown preference on a bottom pairing for Boston despite the team's overall struggles. 

The Penguins need to take a chance on as many shutdown guys as they can. Although he is likely best-suited for a bottom-pairing role, there is a very good chance he will occupy one of those spots in the top-four, should nothing drastic change between now and training camp. 

A responsible defensive partner is something that is needed for both Karlsson and Letang, so expect Wotherspoon to be paired with one of them.

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Ryan Graves

It's no secret at this point that Graves has struggled in a Penguins' uniform. After being signed to a six-year deal worth $3.5 million annually during free agency in 2023 - with high hopes of becoming a staple in the Penguins' top-four alongside one of the big guys - he has yet to play up to his contract value.

In fact, Graves was a semi-regular healthy scratch last season, even if there were times when he seemed to take small strides in his game. 

The reality is that the Penguins are likely going to be anchored to Graves's contract for four more years, so the best thing for Graves would be to simply find a way to make adjustments and get the most out of his game in that time. The Penguins will have a new coaching staff this season under Dan Muse, and assistant Mike Stothers will helm the defensive unit.

Hopefully, Muse and Stothers can find a way to maximize Graves. But he certainly has to prove himself, so until he does, it's likely going to be much of the same for him with rotating in and out of the lineup.

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Ryan Shea

Shea is returning to the Penguins on a one-year, $900,000 contract, and there were times last season when he found himself in the top-four - especially after Marcus Pettersson was dealt to Vancouver. 

But that doesn't mean that Shea should be getting top-four minutes. Ideally, he is the Penguins' sixth or seventh defenseman, and he does fine enough in that role. But with increased minutes and responsibility last season came a noticeable lag in his play. 

Shea will more than likely be on the opening night roster - and he may be in the mix for a top-four role - but, ideally, he's earning most of his minutes in a more sheltered role.

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Owen Pickering

Pickering, 22, is one of the Penguins' top prospects, and he showed - at times - in a 25-game sample last season that he is capable of handling the NHL game. His play did drop off a bit prior to being re-assigned to the AHL midseason, but the Penguins are banking on this guy being a big part of their future.

Pittsburgh is also at a point where they need to start seeing what they have in some of their young prospects with promise. With the focus now on youth and development, Pickering absolutely should be on the roster, and - hopefully - have some runway in a bottom-pairing role where he can learn to fully adjust to the NHL.

But he isn't simply going to be gifted the opportunity. There are a lot of options on the left side for the Penguins heading into training camp, and the competition for all three spots is going to come down to the wire.

At the end of the day, Pickering will need to have a "prove-it-to-me" kind of camp to solidify a starting position on the left side. If he doesn't earn that spot out of camp, he will likely begin the season in the NHL - as the Penguins probably won't want to have him warming the bench at the NHL level.

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Alexander Alexeyev

The 6-foot-4, 229-pound Alexeyev was one of the more interesting signings of the offseason by the Penguins. The 25-year-old Russian blueliner - a first-round pick (31st overall) in 2018 by the Washington Capitals - has spent parts of the last four seasons with the Capitals, totaling a goal and eight points in 80 career NHL games. 

He did appear in 10 playoff games for the Capitals last season, getting his teeth knocked out in the process and turning in a solid performance. Despite his playoff appearances, however, Alexeyev didn't get much of an opportunity with the Caps throughout the regular season last year, and he was non-tendered in the offseason.

He does also have some familiarity with new Penguins' assistant coach Todd Nelson, who briefly coached Alexeyev when both were members of the Hershey Bears, Washington's AHL affiliate.

There is definitely some upside with Alexeyev, but his ceiling is a bit limited. The Penguins need big bodies and physical, hard-to-play-against defenders on their blue line, and if all goes well, Alexeyev could fit the bill. 

He is eager to have an open door-type opportunity in Pittsburgh, but he will have to outcompete Pickering, Shea, and a few others to seize that opportunity.

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Caleb Jones

Jones, 28, was drafted in the fourth round (117th overall) by the Edmonton Oilers in 2015. After spending three seasons with the Oilers from 2018-21, Jones has made his rounds the past several seasons, playing for the Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, and Los Angeles Kings. 

His best seasons came with Chicago from 2021-23, when he put up nine goals and 31 points in 124 games. Jones can contribute offensively on occasion, but his value has dwindled the past few seasons. 

Jones signed with the Penguins for two years at $900,000 annually, and he has some things to prove. He is a decent depth option for the Penguins, but - more likely than not - he will find himself on the outside looking in for an NHL roster spot out of camp.

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Every hockey fan worth his weight in pucks knows someone who thinks he knows everything there is to know about the ice game.Here's one way to put that alleged genius in his place: Ask him the following question:

NAME THE SIX NHL GOALIES WHO ALSO DOUBLED AS TEAM CAPTAINS?

Guaranteed, one out of 100 will know the answer and that one de luxe wiseman isthe one and only author-Rangers fan George Grimm of the Garden State. (Shhh, keep this to yourself, please: Grimm gave me the answers.)

The answers:

1. John Ross Roach, Toronto St. Patricks, 1924-25; later to be Rangers goalie.

2. George Hainsworth, Montreal Canadiens, 1932-33.

3. Roy Worters, New York Americans, 1932-33. 

4. Alex Connell, Ottawa Senators, 1932-33. 

5. Charlie Gardiner, Chicago Black Hawks, 1933-34.

6. Bill Durnan, Montreal Canadiens, 1947-48.