Detroit’s trade discussions with Edmonton are heating up, with big names like Mattias Ekholm and Cam Talbot rumored to be in play.

NHL Insider reports indicate the Edmonton Oilers and the Detroit Red Wings are in trade talks for a new starting goaltender. 

The Edmonton Oilers have a goalie problem as they've made headlines going to the Stanley Cup Finals in back-to-back seasons only to be outmatched by the Florida Panthers and netminder Sergei Bobrovsky.

Reports out of Alberta indicate they would like to upgrade at the position with Detroit being a potential trade partner. Several notable names have been thrown on the chopping block with the most credible report indicating that Detroit high-end prospect Sebastian Cossa has been named in trade talks.

NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) on XCam Robinson: Re Oilers goalie search: They are looking a little more long term; I was told they've contacted Detroit; I believe the first person they asked about was Trey Augustine...that was a non starter; they have...Sebastian Cossa sitting there - Sekeres and Price (8/11)Detroit AHL Coach Says Cossa Will Be Firmly in the Mix for Red Wings Backup RoleDetroit AHL head coach Dan Watson notes goalie prospect Sebastian Cossa will be in the conversation for the Red Wings backup goalie spot

Other less credible sources have began to throw out other names and trade packages that have included multiple big names like Oilers' defencemen Mattias Ekholm, Detroit's Cam Talbot and Justin Holl as well as several other prospects that would likely work as filler to get a deal done. 

Trade Idea Sees Oilers Dealing $25M Defenseman for Top Goalie ProspectHeavy.com has a trade idea that sees the Edmonton Oilers acquiring a top goalie prospect for Mattias Ekholm in a blockbuster deal.

The Oilers were one of the teams involved in trade talks for John Gibson before the Red Wings eventually won the sweepstakes for the former All-Star goaltender. It's tough to say what deal they will decide to go with as both sides are looking to win now, meaning a deal for picks or prospects doesn't seem likely. 

If Cossa is dealt to the Oilers, he will likely become a strong contender for the starting job and will almost certainly see time in the NHL next season. This deal could include immediate help for the blueline with the aforementioned Ekholm, who is still an impact player but is 35 years old and entering the final season of his four-year deal with a cap hit at $6.25 million. 

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

They could also work out a deal to add the 31-year-old Brett Kulak, who was an impactful blueliner for the Oilers during their two Stanley Cup Finals and is also entering the final season of his four-year deal with a cap hit at $2.75 million. Red Wings defenceman Justin Holl joins the equation as a return option that could see him work as a bottom pairing defenceman to round out the Oilers blueline. 

If Talbot is dealt to the Oilers, the return package would be notably cheaper with a potential option coming back being a depth forward Mattias Janmark, who the Red Wings would potentially have to give up a little bit more to acquire but would become an immediate impact player in the top nine forward group. 

Janmark was a difference making player in the Oilers lineup that used his relentless pursuit of the puck to help make key plays and win puck battles. He would be a great addition to the Red Wings forward group but has not yet been mentioned in trade talk rumors. 

One thing we know for certain is that Steve Yzerman and the rest of the Red Wings management team are looking to make the playoffs this season. With a deal that would include a non-factor goaltender that won't play as much as John Gibson anyway, it could be a great idea to insert another impact player or give the team more draft capital that they can then use in a later deal to improve the lineup. 

Either way, these trade rumors coupled with the reports of the Red Wings continually checking in on the Anaheim Ducks and their situation with restricted free agent Mason McTavish indicate they could still be looking to make moves ahead of the start to the season.

Red Wings Fantasy Hockey Outlook: Kasper and Gibson Potential League WinnersJohn Gibson, Marco Kasper among several Detroit Red Wings poised to outperform their early undervalued Fantasy Hockey rankings.

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Eight weeks from today, the New York Islanders will be battling the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena to kick off the 2025-26 season. 

Might be a good time to remind folks that #Isles Opening Night is 8 weeks away! (#NYR and #NJDevils too) https://t.co/wXC8XGRbNP

— Eric Hornick (@ehornick) August 14, 2025

The Islanders have done a lot this summer — a lot — starting with the firing of Lou Lamoriello and hiring first-time general manager Mathieu Darche in his place.

Darche decided to keep head coach Patrick Roy, firing two of his three assistants — he kept Benoit Desrosiers — and adding Rick Bennett and Bob Boughner to the staff.

The Bridgeport Islanders coaching staff was gutted, moving on from Rick Kowalsky and hiring the fiery Rocky Thompson to change the culture down there.

Darche retained UFA forward Kyle Palmieri (two years) and UFA defensemen Adam Boqvist and Tony DeAngelo to one-year deals.

He traded RFA Noah Dobson, which really kick-started the summer of change, turning an underwhelming return into forward Victor Eklund (No. 16), defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson (No. 17) and cap space, also getting forward Emil Heineman.

He re-signed RFA forwards Simon Holmstrom, Heineman and Maxim Tsyplakov to two-year extensions.

Darche signed free agent forward Jonathan Drouin to a two-year deal, winning the Maxim Shabanov sweepstakes and signing him to a one-year entry-level contract.

Because of the question marks surrounding goaltender Semyon Varlamov, Darche got David Rittich on a one-year deal as an insurance policy.

We can add that Anthony Duclair will be back after taking a leave of absence due to injuries and inconsistencies.

Islanders Anthony Duclair Gives First Public Comments Since Taking Leave Of AbsenceWith eight games to go in the regular season, New York Islanders forward Anthony Duclair requested and was granted a leave of absence.

All that’s left between now and opening night is to take in rookie camp and then training camp, with the NHL roster mostly set.

Then, given all the wingers the Islanders have, it’s up to Darche — but mostly Roy — to decide how the lineup should be configured before the puck drops in Pittsburgh.

Former Florida Panthers forward Zac Dalpe has joined the Seattle Kraken organization as the Player Development Consultant.

Dalpe retired from professional hockey following the Charlotte Checkers' loss in the Calder Cup finals. The 35-year-old played in just three games during the post-season, but recorded one goal, serving as the captain.  

In his Panthers tenure, Dalpe scored two goals and four points in 15 games while adding a goal in 13 playoff games when the Panthers lost in the Stanley Cup finals to the Vegas Golden Knights. 

Dalpe was a journeyman throughout his NHL career, playing games with the Carolina Hurricanes, Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild and the Columbus Blue Jackets before joining the Panthers. 

His experience of not only playing in the AHL but serving as a captain on multiple teams (captained the Cleveland Monsters in his final year before joining the Panthers) should help him in his new role. 

The Kraken also hired Adam Purner as a video analyst. Purner is receiving his first job in the NHL after spending five seasons in the AHL and five seasons in the WHL as a video coach. Purner also worked as the video coach for Team USA at the 2022 women's world championship.

Kraken Hire Former NHLer Zac Dalpe and Adam PurnerThe Seattle Kraken have hired Zac Dalpe as a player development consultant and Adam Purner as a video analyst.

On Wednesday, NHL Network released its list of the Top 20 Defensemen Right Now, and one Montreal Canadiens’ blueliner made it: Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson. The 21-year-old is the only rearguard on the list to have a single season of experience at the professional level, and he comes in at number 19, which is a remarkable achievement at his young age.

Every other player on the list has at least three years of experience in the NHL. Unsurprisingly, Colorado Avalanche stud Cale Makar tops the ranking, followed by Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes, and Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski rounds up the top three.

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Canadian teams are well represented on the list with Hughes, Winnipeg Jets’ Josh Morrissey at number six, Edmonton Oilers’ Evan Bouchard at number 10, Ottawa Senators’ Jake Sanderson at number 13, and Hutson at 19.

Former Hab Mikail Sergachev, whom Marc Bergevin sacrificed to acquire Jonathan Drouin, who he believed would be the Canadiens’ number one center, comes in at number 18. The 27-year-old has won two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning and now sports the Utah Mammoth colours.

Despite his young age, Hutson made the list on the back of a fantastic rookie season which saw him post 66 points and break the Canadiens’ franchise record for the most points by a defenseman which belonged to Chris Chelios since 1984-85 on top of tying Larry Myrphys’ record for the most assists by a rookie blueliner, a mark that he held since the 1980-81 season.

Outside of the offensive numbers, Hutson also impressed with his skating skills and ability to evade opponents on the ice. The soon-to-be sophomore has a knack for reading the play on the go and is never caught with his head down. His elusiveness is what allows him to be so efficient despite his small stature.

The way he rebounds from an error on the ice is also impressive. When he’s dispossessed in the offensive zone, he wastes no time lamenting his mistake; he immediately back checks to catch up to the opponent and fix his mistake himself. The way he wants the puck in high-pressure situations is also nothing short of remarkable. No moment is too big for the youngster. If the Canadiens desperately need a goal, he wants to be the one carrying the puck and trying to score the next goal.

He quickly realized the need to pick his spots better in the NHL, adapting his play to the higher level and minimizing mistakes, which earned him more and more ice time as the season progressed. Fully aware of the gem he had on his hands, coach Martin St-Louis rapidly promoted him to the first power play unit, demoting veteran Mike Matheson in the process and helping his rookie fly to a Calder-winning season.

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

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

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 13, 2025

Expect the youngster to move up this list next offseason when the NHL Network does it again. As impressive as Hutson’s first campaign was, there’s no way we’ve seen his ceiling yet, and as he gains experience and puts up some more muscle on his frame, he’ll become an even bigger threat on the ice.

One can expect the Canadiens’ power play to perform even better this season with Ivan Demidov entering the fold, and this should benefit Hutson in a big way, providing he remains on the first unit despite Noah Dobson’s arrival. Given the youngster’s efficiency on the man-advantage last year, though, it would be surprising to see St-Louis decide to move him down to the second power play, but time will tell. Yet another story to follow at training camp when it kicks off in September.

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Earlier this week, the Stanley Cup was brought to one of the most hockey-crazed nations around: Latvia.

Florida Panthers defenseman and Latvian native Uvis Balinskis brought the Cup to his homeland on Monday.

One of his visits was to the Tukums Ice Hall, where Balinskis grew up playing junior hockey in the Tukums program.

“I spent a couple years here playing hockey and they took really good care of me,” Balinskis said from the ice at the Tukums Ice Hall. “I made a lot of friends here and I’m still really close to them. It’s nice I can bring the Cup here now, it’s a special place for me.”

It was one of the two stops Balinskis made at local youth hockey rinks with the Stanley Cup, also stopping by the Marupes Ice Hall as well.

Balinskis said he finished his special day with a party for his closest family and friends.

You can check out some video footage of Balinskis’ special day with the Cup below:

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Photo caption: Florida Panthers defenseman Uvis Balinskis shares the Stanley Cup with youth hockey players at Tukums Ice Hall, where he once played youth hockey. (Florida Panthers)

Former Montreal Canadiens player and GM Serge Savard spoke to the media earlier this week as he held his annual golf tournament at Le Mirage in Terrebonne. Teeing off were members of the 1976 Canadian men’s hockey team, 40 years after winning the first Canada Cup. Legends such as Scotty Bowman and Bobby Orr were on the greens, alongside several Canadiens alums, including Larry Robinson, Bob Gainey, Guy Lapointe, and Steven Shutt, to name a few.

Savard has always been one to speak his mind, whether what he had to say was positive or negative, but Calder Trophy-winning blueliner Lane Hutson will be pleased to hear that “The Senator” is a fan. The former number 18 gave him very high praise when he said Hutson is probably the most talented player the Canadiens have had since Guy Lafleur.

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He even added that not many people can do what the youngster can do, and while you tend to be worried when you see a 6-foot-4 blueliner rushing down the ice to nail him, the youngster is so agile that he always finds a way to evade. Even though he’s got a small frame, he doesn’t let that get in the way of playing his game to the best of his abilities. It's hard to argue with those comments. When the Canadiens were in the playoffs and the games were very intense, it was the young rearguard who led them in points with five in as many games.

Savard, who played the position and was a member of the Canadiens’ legendary Big Three, knows how to spot a talented player. The former GM was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986 and was also named one of the NHL’s 100 Greatest Players in 2017. As for his former teammate, Larry Robinson, he likened the reaction to Hutson’s arrival in the league to the one people had when Wayne Gretzky joined the NHL. Many said he was too small and would get hurt, but he managed to become the highest-scoring player in history.

Nobody’s saying Hutson will outscore Gretzky, but what’s obvious, however, is that he knows how to use his skill set to his advantage, eluding contact and reading the play on the move. He might only have played 84 games, but it was enough to impress true legends of the game.

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WIth the 2025-26 NHL season just around the corner, teams are looking ahead to their respective training camps beginning in mid-September.

Barring a few more trades and signings here and there, most teams have a pretty good idea of what their rosters will look like next season, and they have conceptualized what the organizational approach will be next season in terms of standings and playoff aspirations.

Some teams plan to be contenders, and some plan to be bottom-feeders. So, where do the Pittsburgh Penguins stand?

There are a few things we know to be true at this point: For one, there is a generational talent in Gavin McKenna waiting in the wings for the winner of the 2026 draft lottery. We also know that the Penguins find themselves in the middle of a transitionary period, even if we don’t have an exact timeline on when they plan to start competing for the playoffs again.

Given those two factors, it should be relatively obvious what Pittsburgh should be gunning for in 2025-26. They’re aging out, they have suspect goaltending and defense, and they aren’t exactly contenders. The chance to draft the most hyped prospect since Connor McDavid should, presumably, be a goal for any team that knows they won’t be playing beyond the month of April next season.

But that’s precisely what makes the McKenna sweepstakes quite complicated for the Penguins next season: Although they may be positioned well enough not to make any real noise in the playoff hunt, there are also several teams that are probably better-equipped - and more committed - to tanking for McKenna.

Can The Penguins Still Rebuild With One Of Rakell Or Rust Around?It seems like Pittsburgh Penguins' forwards Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust are the subject of Pittsburgh hockey news just about every other day at this point.

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The Penguins’ situation

One look at the Penguins’ roster for next season shouldn’t have anyone jumping for joy. It may not be the worst roster the Penguins have constructed in the last 25 years, but it’s certainly not one of the best, either.

And in a McKenna sweepstakes year? That mushy middle could prove to be a bit of an issue.

At the end of the day, this isn’t about whether or not Pittsburgh should tank for McKenna. There are legitimate arguments to be made for the different directions that GM/POHO Kyle Dubas and the Penguins could take over the next season or two, especially since captain Sidney Crosby’s two-year extension kicks in this season, and he’s still playing like a top-10 player in the league. 

It's Been Two Decades Of Sidney Crosby. For Pittsburgh, That's Not Enough.On July 22, 2005, a singular lottery ball changed the course of the Pittsburgh Penguins' franchise - and the course of hockey - forever.

Rather, this is about their ability to tank as intentionally as some other teams in a similar boat given the situation with their roster.

On the forward front - assuming no other trades are made prior to the start of the season - the Penguins should be markedly better on the forward front.

Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust are both coming off of career years for the Penguins, and as long as they are deployed alongside Crosby and remain healthy, there’s not really any reason to think they will drop off substantially. The Penguins went out and signed free agent forward Anthony Mantha to a one-year deal - one of their better free agent signings in recent memory - and they’ll have a full season of Tommy Novak, who was injured for most of his Penguins’ stint after being acquired from the Nashville Predators prior to the 2025 trade deadline.

They should also have a few young, promising forwards as part of the full-time NHL roster next season, as prospects Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty showed a ton of potential in brief stints to close out the 2024-25 season. They will also have others such as Tristan Broz, Avery Hayes, and Filip Hallander pushing for roster spots, which should make things interesting and provide an injection of energy into an otherwise aged roster.

However, the Penguins are still very weak on the blue line - and this would only get worse if Erik Karlsson is dealt prior to puck drop on Oct. 7 - and their goaltending is questionable at best, even following the acquisition of Arturs Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks this summer and with prospects Joel Blomqvist and Sergei Murashov in the pipeline.

But that’s just it: If anything, they’re about the same as where they were on the back end last season, they should be marginally improved between the pipes, and they’re better on paper when it comes to the top-12 on their forward depth chart. As a result, they may actually be a bit better than they were last season.

If they want the chance to draft McKenna, that probably won’t be enough, barring any major trade to send a key piece like Karlsson, Rakell, or Rust packing.

Penguins Exciting Prospect Named Top Breakout CandidateThe Pittsburgh Penguins have plenty of young players to keep an eye on next season as they continue their retool. They will certainly be hoping that their most notable prospects end up taking big steps forward in their development in 2025-26.

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Other teams in the mix

Again, a big part of the McKenna equation is the fact that a handful of other teams are actively still trying to tank next season. And they are still considerably worse than Pittsburgh is.

The Buffalo Sabres haven’t done anything substantial to address their roster in a meaningful way, and they lost J.J. Peterka to the Utah Mammoth. They did get defenseman Michael Kesselring and forward Josh Doan in return, but Peterka is the better player.

The Chicago Blackhawks have continued on the same path they’ve been taking for the past several years despite some whispers earlier this summer that they might try to take the next step. They aren’t going anywhere fast next season and should, presumably, finish in the bottom-five once again. 

Teams like the Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Seattle Kraken, and San Jose Sharks are still making little to no effort to improve, even if a team like the Sharks has an outside shot at being a bit better because of a big youth movement. There are also still a lot of teams - such as the Detroit Red Wings, Vancouver Canucks, and Nashville Predators, and New York Islanders that are stuck in a limbo state with an unclear direction, similar to the Penguins.

In other words, if the Penguins want a bottom-five finish in the standings - and there’s no guarantee that’s what they’re aiming for - they need to get quite a bit worse. As of now, there are simply too many teams in the mix, and they haven’t positioned themselves well enough to be a surefire tanking team.

As of now, it’s looking like they might finish right around where they did last season. If they want McKenna - or if they want to start making a push next season - Dubas and the Penguins are going to have to commit a bit harder in one direction.

NHL Summer Splash Rankings: No.14, Pittsburgh PenguinsWe’re in the thick of The Hockey News’ NHL summer splash series – our rankings of the off-seasons of each NHL team, moving in reverse from the 32nd-place Buffalo Sabres to the No. 1 spot. And today’s team is No. 14 in the series – the Pittsburgh Penguins.

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Goaltending, Coaching, Skill Decided Series -  June 27, 1997 - Volume 50, Issue 38 - Bob McKenzie 

We’ll never know whether Chris Osgood would have led the Detroit Red Wings to the Stanley Cup this year, but coach Scott Bowman’s decision to go with veteran Mike Vernon certainly looks like a stroke of genius.

The diminutive 34-year-old Vernon stopped 102 of 108 shots in the four-game sweep of the Philadelphia Flyers for a save percentage of 94.4. Vernon, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner, provided Detroit with the kind of goaltending Philadelphia could only dream of.

Goaltending was just one area in which the Wings had it all over the Flyers. Here are the other reasons why Detroit beat Philly silly:

OFFENSIVE DEPTH The Wings had four solid lines, all of them scoring at least three goals in the final, while the Flyers were, at best, a three-line team which didn’t have a single unit generating offense.

LARRY MURPHY AND NICKLAS LIDSTRÖM Who says nice guys don’t finish first? Eric Lindros and John LeClair managed just two even-strength goals and were a collective minus-10 thanks in large part to Lidström (plus-6) and Murphy (plus-10).

INJURIES The Wings lost one-man game to injury through the playoffs (Joey Kocur); the Flyers 40. The loss of Petr Svoboda and Paul Coffey and Kjell Samuelsson’s slow return to form crippled the Flyer blueline, although the Wings being healthy was a greater factor than the Flyers missing players. “It was amazing,” Bowman said. “No injuries. It’s the best I ever remember it.”

LAST MINUTE, FIRST MINUTE Six times in the final, including three times in Game 3, the Flyers allowed the Red Wings to score early or late in a period.

SKILL, SPEED, SMARTS Nowhere was the Wings’ edge in these areas as evident as their ability to take Flyer dump-ins, trap Flyer forecheckers and provide quick transition for countless odd-man rushes.

STAR STRUCK The Big E crashed and burned in his first Cup final. Initially, the effort

was there, but when the results failed to materialize, he, like his teammates, lost his focus.

COACHING Terry Murray’s use of the phrase “choking situation” made matters worse for a team already on the ropes and underlined a chemistry problem between him and his players. The Wings and Bowman, meanwhile, were in harmony this year, unlike two years ago when he ripped them for showing no heart against the New Jersey Devils.

EXPERIENCE Past Wing failures taught them how to win. The Flyers were befuddled at the first sign of adversity. They’ll no doubt return one day better for the experience. ■

While the one of the key strengths of the Red Wings during the 2024-25 NHL Season was their power play, one key area of weakness that ultimately played a major role in causing them to miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs was their penalty killing.

At one point in the first few months of the season, their penalty killing efficiency was even worse than the mark of 68.2 percent set by the Los Angeles Kings in 1979-80.

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

While the penalty kill showed slight improvement after Todd McLellan took over as head coach, Detroit still finished last in the NHL, ranking 32nd out of 32 teams with a 70.2 percent success rate.

If the Red Wings hope to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season, that number must improve. With McLellan behind the bench for a full campaign, can Detroit elevate its PK to at least the middle of the pack? 

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It was an active offseason for Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman, who not only traded the disappointing Vladimir Tarasenko and his $4.75 million cap hit to the Minnesota Wild but also signed several new players. 

In addition to the free agent signings of James van Riemsdyk, Mason Appleton and Ian Mitchell, along with the acquisition via trade of John Gibson, the Red Wings also signed defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker. 

UPDATE: The #RedWings have signed Jacob Bernard-Docker to a one-year contract with an AAV of $875,000. pic.twitter.com/SrFmZhlrxk

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 1, 2025

Bernard-Docker, who split last season between the Ottawa Senators and the Buffalo Sabres, feels that the Red Wings are the perfect fit for himself as a team on the rise.

“There’s a lot of potential there, and [Detroit] is a team on the right trajectory,” Bernard-Docker said last month per the Red Wings' official website. “I’m super excited to go there, show what I got and hopefully be a contributor.”

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Originally a first round selection of the Ottawa Senators in the 2018 NHL Draft, Bernard-Docker would play the first several seasons of his career in the Canadian capital city before being dealt this past March to the Buffalo Sabres along with Josh Norris in exchange for Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert, and a 2026 second-round pick.

Having played for both teams, who are in the Atlantic Division along with the Red Wings, Bernard-Docker seems similarities between all three clubs. 

"In a way it's a similar group to where I was in Ottawa, with a real good young core,” Bernard-Docker said. “Buffalo had a real good core. [Detroit is] on that edge of breaking out. There’s a lot of real good players on the team.”

In addition to his time in the NHL, Bernard-Docker has also represented Canada on the international stage, winning a gold medal in the 2021 IHF World Junior Championship. 

He arrives in Detroit with 144 games of NHL experience, and already can see himself contributing to Detroit's penalty killing, which was dangerously close to being ranked the worst in NHL history at various points last season. 

"That's one area where I was really looking to develop and show how I played in the minors and maybe I haven't shown as much as I'd like to in the NHL yet," Bernard-Docker said. "It's an area that I think is a strong part of my game. I'm willing to block shots and I'm pretty good on my stick.”

The Red Wings will open Training Camp in Traverse City, Mich. on September 18, which will be followed by their first exhibition matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks on September 23. 

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The Buffalo Sabres are preparing to kick off a hugely-important season for them. The Sabres haven't made the Stanley Cup playoffs in 14 years, and to say there's a massive amount of pressure on them to get into the post-season in 2025-26 would be a massive understatement.

So, every game Buffalo plays this season will be extremely important to its bottom line. And that's why THN.com's Sabres site has been examining the Sabres' chances against each opponent this year. We've moved our way through three NHL divisions, and today, we began our analysis of Buffalo's first Pacific Division rival -- the Anaheim Ducks.

You can read that "Know Your Enemy" series file by clicking here. But we also want to hear from our readers. What do you think of the Sabres' chances against the Ducks next season? Do you agree with our evaluation that, on paper, Buffalo should beat Anaheim in both games for the second consecutive season? Or do you like the Ducks to punch back and at least even out this series?

Be sure to let us know your opinion. And feel free to sign up as a community member of our Sabres site. Tell us how you see things in the hockey world, and grow your connection to the game.

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.

That's why we here at THN.com's Sabres site believed it worthwhile to examine each of the Buffalo's 31 opponents next season, and see if we can't make a solid guesstimate as to how the Sabres will fare against each of them. And after moving our way through the Atlantic, Metropolitan and Central Divisions, we're now starting our look at Pacific Division teams with a breakdown of Buffalo's chances against the Anaheim Ducks.

The Ducks missed the playoffs by 16 points last season, so they have a long road back to being true Cup threats. But Anaheim made some smart additions this summer, and they're going to be a tougher team to play against. How much tougher? Our best answer to that question is below.

BUFFALO SABRES VS. ANAHEIM DUCKS

NEW DUCKS PLAYERS: Mikael Granlund, C; Chris Kreider, LW; Ryan Poehling, C; Petr Mrazek, G

2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 2-0-0, Ducks 0-1-1

2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER:  January 10 at Buffalo; March 22 at Anaheim 

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM?  The Ducks have slowly been building their core for years now. Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek has been meticulously adding young talent to the group, and the Ducks now have a semblance of a winner. But clearly, Verbeek believes his team needed an influx of experienced players, as that's been happening a lot in Anaheim of late.

Verbeek picked up former New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba last season, and this summer, he's added Trouba's Rangers teammate Chris Kreider to the mix. Kreider had a sub-par year in Manhattan last year, but he was hardly the only Blueshirts player in that department. And now, at age 34, Kreider has a fresh start with the Ducks.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Central Edition: Are Winnipeg Jets Too Good To Lose To Buffalo?The Buffalo Sabres are facing a massive amount of pressure to end their 14-year Stanley Cup playoff drought next season. But if they're to do so, they're going to need to win the majority of series they play against every NHL team. And that includes taking on top-tier teams like the Central Division-champion Winnipeg Jets.

Similarly, signing veteran center Michael Granlund is also going to help Anaheim's bottom line. Granlund has bounced around more than a little -- the Ducks are the fifth team he's played on since 2022-23 -- but Granlund quietly had 22 goals and 66 points last season. He's 33 years old, but Granlund has enough left in the tank to help Anaheim's cause.

Given that Buffalo beat the Ducks in both games last season, you'd have to say that the Sabres can't afford to take a step back and allow Anaheim to win either game they have against them this coming year. The Ducks want to completely close the gap separating them from a playoff spot, but to do so, they'll have to be focused and motivated all season long, and new coach Joel Quenneville has his work cut out for him in maintaining a consistent standard of play for his new team.

That said, if the Sabres can round into form in the later part of the season, they're going to be a challenge for any team, the Ducks included. And the latter part of the year is when both games against the Ducks will be played.

In any case, Anaheim's fast, skilled core is going to pressure Buffalo's defense corps and goaltending, and the Sabres will run into one of the NHL's better young goalies in Lukas Dostal. The Ducks aren't going to be anybody's pushover next year, but the Sabres can't afford a letdown against a team they're deeper than -- at least, on paper.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Central Edition: Will Mammoth Maul Buffalo As Utah Seeks First Playoff Appearance?The NHL's off-season rolls on, and every day brings with it more hockey talk. And in this ongoing THN.com series, we here at the Sabres site are focusing on the Buffalo Sabres' 2025-26 regular-season schedule -- and specifically, Sabres opponents who could get in the way of Buffalo's Stanley Cup playoff aspirations.

Anaheim still has some serious flaws. Their defense corps isn't going to be known as a shutdown crew anytime soon, and they're still going to have lessons to learn as is natural for a young group like theirs. So Buffalo has to show the Ducks they're a team that isn't going to let up out of overconfidence.

There's pressure on both teams, but the Sabres have more pressure on them than any other NHL team. And if Anaheim doesn't put its best foot forward, their games against Buffalo could once again see the Ducks in the loss column both times.

When the Ottawa Senators selected Victoriaville Tigres star Alexandre Daigle first overall in the 1993 NHL Draft, most people believed the team had landed a generational superstar. In his rookie season, Daigle scored 20 goals and 51 points, and while he didn't thrive the way the team had hoped, he was second in scoring behind fellow rookie Alexei Yashin, who notched 30 goals and 79 points.

The two “Alexes” were expected to become foundational pieces for the franchise once it freed itself from the struggles of expansion. 

What’s often forgotten is that after Daigle's rookie campaign, he returned to junior to rejoin Victoriaville in 1994-95. That also gave him another chance to represent Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, and his performance briefly reignited the Senators’ confidence in him.

It wasn't a bold move by the Sens, intentionally sending him back to junior for more development. The NHL was hit by a lockout that season, so there was nowhere else for him to keep playing.

When the NHL finally resumed play in January, Daigle was just back from a Canadian gold medal performance and posted 37 points in the remaining 47 games. However, over the next two and a half seasons, he simply couldn't get anywhere near the level everyone expected.

Ultimately, he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers during the 1997–98 season.

As noted in now 30-year-old pieces from Chris Stevenson and Ken Campbell, pulled from The Hockey News Archive, Daigle’s return from the World Juniors once brought renewed hope within the Senators organization—though it would prove to be short-lived.

Jan 20, 1995/vol. 48, issue 18

Daigle Shows True Colours With Canada’s Golden Boys

By Chris Stevenson

Alexandre Daigle won gold with Canada’s national junior team, making him something he hasn’t been with the Ottawa Senators yet – a winner.

Daigle’s 51-point regular season last year and $12.25-million contract for five years have made the Senators a lightning rod for criticism. His contract has caused envy and has even been blamed for the current lockout.

Senators’ general manager Randy Sexton chooses not to evaluate the deal until after the five years.

But Daigle’s performance at the World Junior Championship has given Sexton and director of player personnel John Ferguson a reason-if they needed it-to sleep easier.

Playing on Team Canada’s top line, Daigle was everything he wasn’t with the Senators-inspired, confident, creative and unafraid to get involved in the physical game.

“I’m totally thrilled with Daigle.” Ferguson said. “I feel this is the greatest tonic for him. It’s going to bring his confidence back.”

Senators’ coach Rick Bowness felt the same way.

“It was great to see him carrying the puck, putting on the brakes and hitting the late man,” Bowness said. “That was a play he would try last year and it didn’t always click. It was good to see him setting up behind the net, hanging onto the puck.

“When a player plays with emotion, his confidence will come out. He was hitting people and making things happen at both ends.”

NOTEBOOK: Senators’ fans won’t be getting a first-hand look at the first-place PEI Senators of the American League’s Atlantic Division. Plans to have a game between Ottawa’s top farm team and the Cornwall Aces at the Civic Centre fell through. The plan was to make the game free to Ottawa season ticketholders, but details couldn’t be worked out… Alexandre Daigle has grown an inch-and-a-half since the Senators drafted him in 1993, putting him over 6-foot-1, John Ferguson said. ■

12 Former Ottawa Senators On The Move In Europe This OffseasonThe Ottawa Senators have seen a lot of players come and go during their rebuild.

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Daigle Gets Zip Back

By Ken Campbell

RED DEER, Alta.-Randy Sexton saw something in Alexandre Daigle at the World Junior Championship he hadn’t seen in two years.

It was the same thing he saw when Daigle was getting kicked out of Quebec League games in 1992-93.

Sexton saw passion.

“I think a lot of it got zapped last year,” said the Ottawa Senators’ general manager. “The thing Alexandre has to remember sometimes, is it’s all right to play with emotion in the NHL and that people respect guys who work hard and throw their bodies in front of shots.”

Daigle, picked No. 1 overall in the 1993 entry draft, was a disappointment last year. He started the season well, winning NHL rookie-of-the-month honors in October, but collapsed in the second half.

His huge contract, with a scheduled payout of $12.25 million over five years, was a source of much controversy and blamed for adding to NHL inflation.

One year later, Daigle didn’t dominate Canada’s entry at the World Junior Championship. But he did show tremendous passing skills, blinding acceleration and a measure of courage.

Is he a $2 million-a-year a player? Not yet, if ever. But there’s no reason to believe he can’t develop into a very good player, maybe even a great one.

“We think he will be a very, very good player,” Sexton said. ’‘You can’t predict who will be a great player.”

Daigle was not a great player in Canada’s evaluation camp and came close to being cut. He finished the tournament with two goals and eight points.

“We weren’t going to ask him to play the fourth line,” said Sheldon Ferguson, director of player personnel for the team.

Instead. Daigle centered the first line with Todd Harvey and Jeff Friesen. The trio was Canada’s best unit and a big part of its lethal power play, which converted a remarkable 42.8 per cent of its chances (21 of 49).

The hard times have affected Daigle’s confidence, but not his professional or personal outlook on life. “I’m a positive person.” he said. “I’m not the kind of guy who sits there and says, ‘Oh, God, we had another bad game.’ I say, ‘Well, maybe the next game will be better.’”

Maybe better times are ahead for Daigle. ■

Read More Great NHL and Sens History atThe Hockey News Archive

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