The Vegas Golden Knights are today’s focus in the NHL prospect pool overview series.

Tony Ferrari digs into Golden Knights’ strengths and weaknesses, the latest draft class, positional depth chart, next player in line for an NHL opportunity and more. A player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer a prospect for these exercises, with few exceptions.

Initial Thoughts

Throughout their nearly decade-long existence, the Golden Knights have shown they are comfortable leveraging their prospect pool and draft capital to improve their current roster. No team in the NHL has done that with more commitment and consistency. They’ve traded every first-round pick they’ve had or made aside from their 2024 first-rounder, Trevor Connelly. 

Connelly is a highly skilled player who can dazzle with his puckhandling and offensive creation. He’s quick, agile and shifty on his feet, which allows him to carve through the opposing team in the neutral zone. Even in his six-game AHL stint at the end of last season, Connelly’s speed and puck skill held up.

Connelly is the Golden Knights' only top-tier prospect, and he could be an effective top-six forward this season with the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights as a 19-year-old before jumping to the NHL next year. If he can’t stick in the AHL, he could head to the WHL, where the Penticton Vees own his rights.

Another player who will play his first full AHL season is Jordan Gustafson, who has had injury issues over the last few years. The two-way center plays an anticipatory game. While he lacks the elite skill set you’d like to see from a player looking to make an offensive impact, he plays an efficient game with the puck, and his defensive value helps supplement that. He must get back on track and stay healthy this season in Henderson, but there is some nice upside as a potential third-line center. 

Jakub Brabenec is entering his third AHL season, and although there’s been some progress, he’s still struggling to adjust to a scoring role and finding himself playing more of a depth role. Brabenec is a tactical player at heart, but he needs to develop a bit more skill and speed to keep up at the pro level in North America.

The injection of youth in Henderson continues as Mathieu Cataford is jumping into the AHL after a solid QMJHL career. He takes excellent routes on the forecheck, understands where to position himself as the second man into a battle and has so many of those little nuanced traits. Cataford’s final QMJHL season wasn’t what he wanted, taking a big step back in his production, but he showed many of the same traits. A fresh start in the AHL might be perfect for him. 

On the back end, the prospects are somewhat limited, but 20-year-old Arttu Karki is an interesting offensive blueliner who is playing well in his native Finland. Karki is a very skilled passer and puckhandler. He moves well in transition and joins the rush when there is an opportunity. He could be a candidate to jump to the AHL after this season with HIFK in the Liiga. 

U-23 Players Likely To Be On NHL Roster This Season

N/A

2025 NHL Draft Class

Round 2, 55th overall - Jakob Ihs-Wozniak, RW, Lulea Jr. (Swe.)

Round 3, 85th overall - Mateo Nobert, C, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)

Round 6, 186th overall - Alexander Weiermair, C, Portland (WHL)

Round 6, 187th overall - Gustav Sjoqvist, D, AIK (Swe.)

The Golden Knights didn’t have much in the way of draft capital, but they still managed to grab a few decent prospects at the 2025 NHL draft.

Jakob Ihs-Wozniak is a big-time shooter who can score from all over the ice. Whether he’s in tight or around dots, Ihs-Wozniak is a threat. His pace is an issue at times, which is his biggest drawback, but he has the size NHL teams love. Ihs-Wozniak was one of the best players in the Swedish junior league this year, so nabbing him in Round 2 was a big win for Vegas. 

In the third round, the Knights took a high-end passer in Mateo Nobert. His game needs to round out with his skating being a particular area of growth, but the facilitation ability is impressive. Nobert is constantly scanning the ice and looking to make short, quick passes to teammates and then jumping up into pockets of space for a return. He has some work to do, but he could be an interesting pro.

Alex Weiermair was a bit of an off-the-board pick as the 20-year-old had been struggling to find his footing at the NCAA level, which resulted in him jumping to the CHL in the middle of his sophomore season. He’s an overager who scored at roughly a point-per-game pace at the junior level. Weiermair has some nice transition passing ability, and he seems to complement his linemates well, but there just wasn’t much that teams were in love with from an NHL projection, so this is an interesting one.

Vegas capped off its draft with a big, heavy defender in Gustav Sjoqvist, a 19-year-old who spent most of the season in the Allsvenskan. He seemed to hold his own against men physically, which was nice to see as he relies so much on his ability to lean on attackers and close out along the boards to defend. He’s a bet on a safe, steady defensive player with limited upside.

Strengths

Calling any singular area in the Vegas prospect pool a strength is generous at best. The right wing is the closest thing to a strength they have with the addition of Ihs-Wozniak, along with the continued development of Cataford and Tuomas Uronen. Braeden Bowman was the Henderson Silver Knights’ second-leading scorer last year as well. They don’t have a surefire NHLer, but they have a few guys who could be solid depth scorers.

Weaknesses

The weakness could be the entire prospect pool, but the right side of the blueline is particularly weak. They have a few lower-end prospects, so it’s not completely bar,e but the likelihood of any of them actually reaching the NHL is quite low. Vegas hasn’t put much of an emphasis on the drafting and development of talent, which is the reason for their lack of talent in the pipeline. 

Hidden Gem: Matyas Sapovaliv, C

The Knights don’t have much going for them in the prospect pool, but one player that has consistently developed well and shown to be better than expected is Matyas Sapovaliv. He’s a big, defensive-minded center who can make noise around the net with his nifty hands and soft touch. He’s not really a creative player or a guy who is going to dazzle as a playmaker, but he plays sound defense, facilitates up ice and crashes the crease. He had a decent rookie season in the AHL, but the Knights will want to see more before he jumps up into the NHL lineup.

Next Man Up: Lukas Cormier, D

After missing so much of last season and not getting into action until March, Cormier will look to make noise in training camp and earn a role with the Golden Knights. The Knights have a solid lineup, and they’ll likely be tough to crack, but if there is anywhere on the team that they could use an infusion of puck-moving and mobility, it might just be the blueline.

Prospect Depth Chart Notables

LW: Trevor Connelly, Trent Swick 

C: Matyas Sapovaliv, Jordan Gustafson, Jakub Brabenec, Mateo Nobert

RW: Jakob Ihs-Wozniak, Mathieu Cataford, Tuomas Uronen, Braeden Bowman

LD: Lukas Cormier, Arttu Karki, Christoffer Sedoff, Abram Wiebe, Gustav Sjoqvist

RD: Viliam Kmec, Noah Ellis, Joe Fleming

G: Carl Lindbom, Pavel Moysevich, Cameron Whitehead, Jesper Vikman

For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook and Future Watch editions of The Hockey News in print.

The Carolina Hurricanes failed to face their demons in the 2025 NHL Playoffs as they lost to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final. 

Carolina finished the 2024-25 campaign with 99 points, which placed them second in the Metropolitan Division. 

While the Hurricanes had a successful regular season, the expectations were to win the Stanley Cup, and a team that has faced multiple playoff heartbreaks over the past couple of seasons suffered yet another brutal defeat. 

Andrei Svechnikov believes their loss to the Panthers this past season was the team’s toughest to date, but there’s still hope and confidence within the organization moving forward.

“I don’t know if I can put it into words but obviously it’s your biggest dream,” Svechnikov said. “You’re getting drafted and playing the junior hockey you go through all that time, and playing seven years in the NHL, and all the time you want to get the Cup. 

“I think the last playoff was the hardest one to lose, kind of, because you have a good team and you try to reach for your goal and it just doesn’t happen. But we’ve got a new year and we’ve got a new opportunity.”

Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky addressed some of the team’s needs by signing Nikolaj Ehlers and acquiring K’Andre Miller. 

Rod Brind'Amour Feels Hurricanes' Offseason Moves Give Them A Chance To Win Stanley Cup The Carolina Hurricanes made two substantial moves this offseason to bolster their roster in pursuit of a Stanley Cup. 

These new additions intrigue and excite Svechnikov, as he’s looking forward to sharing the ice with them in September for training camp and beyond. 

“I’m very excited,” Svechnikov said. “I think we got a lot better this offseason. Obviously we’ve got to get together and build the chemistry and all that stuff, and the new guys got to learn the system. But they’re some of the best players in this league and excited to have them and see how it’s going to work for us.”

Now, we just wait until everyone’s expectations and thoughts about this new-look Hurricanes team play out in real time.

After 14 seasons in the NHL the former Minnesota Wild goaltender Anton Khudobin has announced his retirement.

He was first drafted by the Wild in the 2007 NHL Draft with the 206th overall pick. He only ended up playing six games across two seasons with the Wild from 2009 to 2011.

Khudobin, 39, played 260 games in his NHL career with six teams. He went 4-1-0 with a .955 save percentage and a 1.39 goals-against average in his six games with Minnesota.

He spent four years with the Boston Bruins and four years with the Dallas Stars where he took the Stars to the Stanley Cup final in 2020.

The 5-foot-11 goaltender finished his career, 114-92-33 with a .916 save percentage and a 2.52 goals-against average. He posted 11 career shutouts and had one of those with the Wild during the 2010-11 season.

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Five NHL players hit the 100-point mark this season: Leon Draisaitl for the Edmonton Oilers, Nathan MacKinnon for the Colorado Avalanche, David Pastrnak for the Boston Bruins, Nikita Kucherov for the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Mitch Marner for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

While highlighting the newest members of the 100-point club, NHL archives revealed which teams have had 100-point scorers in a season, and how often.

The 1970-71 Boston Bruins and the 1982-83, 1983-84, and 1985-86 Edmonton Oilers each had four players reach 100 points in a single season. The full list spans five pages with 50 rows per page, meaning 222 teams in NHL history have had at least one 100-point scorer, if not more.

Not on that list? The New Jersey Devils.

Despite three Stanley Cups and multiple winning seasons, the Devils have never had a 100-point scorer. They’re one of just six teams in NHL history without that achievement.

The others: the Utah Mammoth, Nashville Predators, Vegas Golden Knights, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Seattle Kraken. Three of those six are recent expansion teams, joining the league in the past seven years. The Predators and Blue Jackets were both founded in 1997. That leaves the Devils as the oldest franchise without a 100-point scorer, established in 1974 and relocated to New Jersey in 1982.

The Devils do appear in another record, though, one they’d probably rather forget. In 1983-84, they ranked 22nd for the fewest points in a single season, finishing with just 41. They share that spot with the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, and their pre-relocation team, the Kansas City Scouts. That year, the Devils played 80 games and posted a 17-56 record.

Earlier this summer, they also found themselves missing from another milestone list: 50-goal scorers.

The Devils Have Three Cups and Still Don’t Have a Single Season 50-Goal ScorerThe National Hockey League released its list of the most recent 50-goal scorers by franchise.

The Devils have proven they can win without a single dominant scorer, leaning on team depth and strong defense. Still, it would be exciting to see them finally crack these offensive leaderboards.

If Jack Hughes can stay healthy, they have a legitimate chance, both to contend for the Stanley Cup and to end their drought in scoring milestones.

Can Jack Hughes Stay Healthy?New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes has undergone two season-ending shoulder injuries since being drafted first overall in the 2019 NHL Draft.

They also have the potential to finish with the most points in the league, a feat they achieved in 2022-23 when they recorded 112 points.

The Devils have the talent and the pieces. Now, it’s just a matter of putting it all together.

Kevin Fiala’s Friends’ Charity Game in Zurich raised funds for St. Gallen Children’s Hospital and youth hockey, featuring NHL stars vs. ZSC Lions.

Los Angeles Kings Left Winger Kevin Fiala brought NHL star power to Switzerland this summer, hosting the first-ever Fiala’s Friends charity game on Friday at the Swiss Live Arena in Zurich. 

The event was a mix of elite-level hockey with a mission to give back, raising funds for the Children’s Hospital in St. Gallen as well as youth hockey programs for the ZSC Lions and EHC Uzwil. 

A special night in Zürich 👏🖤

Last night, Kevin brought together @NHL players from around the world to face off against the @zsclions in the first ever Fiala’s Friends Charity Game, benefiting the Children’s Hospital of St. Gallen and the youth programs of ZSC Lions and EHC… pic.twitter.com/LGJR2xlnjK

— LA Kings (@LAKings) August 9, 2025

The evening was an exhibition match featuring the ZSC Lions — one of Switzerland's premier professional clubs — and a team of NHL players handpicked by Fiala. 

Dubbed "Fiala's Friends," the team included several Switzerland-born NHL players, along with other elite professionals, giving fans in the area a rare chance to witness their global heroes skate together on local ice in a relaxed, though competitive, environment.

Along with the on-ice activity, the event featured fan interactive experiences like autograph sessions, photo sessions, and merchandise auctions, all of which contributed to the fundraising effort. 

The organizers would like to make the Fiala's Friends Charity Game a yearly tradition, creating a long-term relationship between the NHL and Swiss hockey and making a tangible impact in the community.

To Fiala, the night was more than hockey. It was a night of charity, friendship, and the sport that brought them all together — demonstrating that even off the ice in the off-season, the NHL's best can still make big plays both on and off the ice.

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

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

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#31 - Sean Keohane - Defense (Harvard - NCAA)

Keohane was selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft and is a long-range prospect with impressive physical tools. A native of the Boston area, the blueliner played at Dexter Southfield Prep in Massachusetts and was slated to play a full season in the USHL with Tri-City before heading to Harvard, but after 16 games, he shifted to West Kelowna in the BCHL, where he posted 14 points (6 goals, 8 assists) in 25 games.

The 6’4”, 205 lb. defenseman had two assists in 11 games for Harvard as a freshman and his role is expected to increase with the Crimson this fall. The 20-year-old has excellent skating ability, but there are holes in his game at both ends of the ice that could be honed playing for Harvard, which has traditionally done a good job at developing prospects.

Elite Prospects indicates that Keohane “flashes nuanced defensive skating, allowing him to push an absurd amount of aggression defending the rush. He's physical, jumping off the net front to punish attackers on the end boards and tries to clog lanes with anticipation-based reads, pushing nastiness after the whistle.”

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

NHL Network has revealed its list of the top 20 wings in the League, as determined by the network’s producers and analysts.

Filip Forsberg of the Nashville Predators comes in at No. 18, dropping four places from his No. 14 ranking from last year.

The 30-year-old left winger led the Predators with 31 goals and 45 assists for 76 points in 2024-25, playing in all 82 of the team’s games.

Forsberg’s 30-plus goal season marked the fifth time in his 13-year NHL career he has scored at least 30 goals in a season. No other Preds player has more than two 30-goal campaigns.

His 318 career goals is tops all-time on the Predators, and he has played all 82 regular-season games for the second straight year.

Forsberg comes in just behind Alex Ovechkin, who is No. 17 on the list. He’s ahead of the Los Angeles Kings’ Adrian Kempe (20th) and Matt Boldy of the Minnesota Wild (19th).

The native of Ostervala, Sweden has totaled 681 points (318-363-681) over 780 NHL games. He has 85 power-play goals, passing Shea Weber for most all-time among Predators skaters by notching his 81st on Jan. 18.

The Hockey News projects Forsberg to be paired with Jonathan Marchessault on the first line along with Ryan O’Reilly at center. While Forsberg may have fallen several spots on this year’s list, his drop in production from 2023-24 (48-46-94) was due in large part to the Predators’ line shuffling and offensive inconsistency across the board.

If anyone is primed for a turnaround season, it would be Forsberg.

Here is the complete list.

20. Adrian Kempe, Los Angeles Kings

19. Matt Boldy, Minnesota Wild

18. Filip Forsberg, Nashville Predators

17. Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

16. Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars

15. Clayton Keller, Utah Mammoth

14. Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators

13. Brandon Hagel, Tampa Bay Lightning

12. Jesper Bratt, New Jersey Devils

11. Jake Guentzel, Tampa Bay Lightning

10. Artemi Panarin, New York Rangers

9. Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets

8. Sam Reinhart, Florida Panthers

7. Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers

6. William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs

5. Mitch Marner, Vegas Golden Knights

4. Mikko Rantanen, Dallas Stars

3. Kirill Kaprizov, Minnesota Wild

2. David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins

1. Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning

Former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Chad Ruhwedel has announced his retirement from the NHL.

Ruhwedel, who went undrafted, spent over a decade in the NHL and played in 369 games before calling it a career on Tuesday. He broke into the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres and spent four seasons with them before joining the Pittsburgh Penguins for seven seasons. 

He was part of the Penguins' 2016-17 Stanley Cup team, playing in 34 games that season and compiling two goals and 10 points. He also played in six playoff games. 

The Penguins congratulated Ruhwedel via Twitter/X once his retirement was made official. 

Congratulations on your retirement, Chad! Forever part of the 2017 Stanley Cup team 🏆 https://t.co/VaxeCrKP2Z

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) August 12, 2025

Ruhwedel ended his career with the New York Rangers after the Penguins traded him during the 2024 trade deadline. He played in five NHL games this past season but spent most of the year with the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack. 

In his prime, he was a perfect sixth/seventh defenseman on a contending team. He never brought a ton of offense, but he was always very reliable in his own zone and was super steady. 

He was exactly what the Penguins needed in a depth defenseman. 

---

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!

Featured Image Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The Montreal Canadiens are one of the NHL's most exciting teams right now, as they are on the rise and have several promising young players on their roster. After making the playoffs in 2024-25 and following that up with a busy off-season, their goal will be to take another notable step in the right direction this upcoming campaign. 

With all of the young talent the Canadiens have, they certainly have some breakout candidates heading into the 2025-26 campaign. In a recent article for The Hockey News' main site, Jared Clinton highlighted Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle as a prime breakout candidate for the Original Six club for this upcoming season.

Guhle has been cementing himself as a key part of the Canadiens' blueline due to his strong all-around play, so it would not be surprising in the slightest if he took another step forward next season. His steady play is what helped him land a six-year, $33.3 million contract extension back in July of last year, which begins during the 2025-26 season.

If Guhle hits a new level with his play, his contract could end up aging incredibly well for the Canadiens. When noting that he is still only 23 years old and entering just his fourth NHL season, the possibility of him improving further is certainly there.

In 55 games this past season with the Canadiens, Guhle recorded six goals, 12 assists, 16 points, 104 hits, and a plus-6 rating. Overall, it was another solid year for the left-shot defenseman, and it will be interesting to see how he follows it up during the 2025-26 season from here. 

Canadiens New Forward Should Become Big PieceThe Montreal Canadiens have brought in multiple new players this off-season, and forward Zack Bolduc is undoubtedly among the most notable. The Canadiens acquired Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for defenseman Logan Mailloux last month. With this, Montreal and St. Louis swapped two 2021 first-round picks in one of the most intriguing trades of the summer. 

The Chicago Blackhawks have not had as busy of an off-season as they did last summer, but they still have made some moves. They improved their overall depth, as they brought in players like Andre Burakovsky, Sam Lafferty, and Dominic Toninato. They also made a significant move when they signed Ryan Donato to a four-year, $16 million contract extension back in June. 

Now that we are in August, things have naturally slowed down in the NHL. While this is the case, the Blackhawks still have an important move to make. At the time of this writing, defenseman Wyatt Kaiser remains a restricted free agent (RFA). With Kaiser being one of the team's most promising young blueliners, there is no question that they need to get him signed to his new deal. 

Kaiser quietly had a solid season with the Blackhawks this past campaign, as he recorded four goals, eight points, 54 hits, 93 blocks, and an even plus/minus rating in 57 games. He also noticeably showed signs of improvement as the campaign rolled on, which is certainly encouraging for a Blackhawks club that is looking to take that next step. 

With Kaiser having the potential to become a significant part of the Blackhawks' blueline, they should look to get him re-signed before training camp is here. It will be fascinating to see what happens on that front from here.

Blackhawks Goalie Named Top Breakout CandidateWith the Chicago Blackhawks rebuilding, they now have a ton of promising young players who have the potential to become big parts of their roster. 

It was about a decade ago when the Florida Panthers were blessed by one of the NHL’s rare ageless wonders.

For parts of three seasons, including an incredibly fun 2015-16 campaign, Jaromir Jagr showed hockey fans that age was in fact just a number.

At 43 years old, Jagr played on a line with Sasha Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau, and the trio continuously lifted each other up.

Jagr finished that season with 27 goals and 66 points in 79 games, leading the Panthers to their first Atlantic Division title.

Now here we are, 10 years later, and another future Hall of Famer is aiming to follow in Jagr’s footsteps.

Brad Marchand will be 37 years old when the upcoming season begins, and by the time the playoffs arrive, he’ll be 38.

After being acquired by the Panthers at last year’s Trade Deadline, Marchand was electric for Florida during their run to the Stanley Cup.

He signed a six-year extension with the Cats last month, which would keep him playing in Florida until the same ripe age of 43 that Jagr had his magical season in South Florida.

According to Marchand, who recently spoke to DJ Siddiqi at RG Media, that’s exactly what the plan is.

"This contract solidifies that I'm going to play for a long time here, and I have every intention of playing it out," Marchand said in the one-on-one with RG. "Hopefully I can keep up with the young guys here in the next number of years here. It's something I want to hold on to as long as I can. My family loves it."

A happy, healthy and motivated Marchand could really thrive on Florida’s roster.

We saw during the playoffs how strong he looked, growing instant chemistry with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen and turning Florida’s third line into perhaps their most consistent source of offense.

Considering Florida’s top six includes Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett, that’s quite an accomplishment.

It’s part of why Marchand wanted to come to the Panthers in the first place.

As part of the Boston Bruins, Marchand had seen firsthand exactly how strong of a unit Florida had become, both on the ice and off.

It’s something incredibly rare, and with plenty of gas left in the tank, Marchand knew he could make the Panthers even better.

"They enjoy being part of it and being part of the relationships that we build every day," Marchand told Siddiqi. "When you get to be part of an incredible organization like Florida, they make it easy to be around. It was the youngest I have felt in a long time walking into that room, the way they do things and the way they take care of themselves in there, I felt very rejuvenated. I'm excited to be part of it for a long time."

It will be interesting to see how things play out over the coming years with Marchand in South Florida.

The rarity of a hockey player staying in the NHL past 40 does not escape Marchand, or the Panthers, but as an undersized kid from Nova Scotia, the guy they call Marchy has been proving people wrong his entire career.

"They're going to have to kick me out of the league for me to go," Marchand said. "I'm going to play until I can't play anymore. When I heard one of my coaches say that, it always stuck with me. The longer you play, you realize how close you are to the finish. It's like you want to hold on to that as long as you can. That was always my mindset, and it is today. I want to play as long as I possibly can."

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Photo caption: Jun 6, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) reacts after scoring a goal on Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) during the second period in game two of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. (Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images)

The 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.

In a recent article for The Hockey News' main site, Ryan Kennedy discussed one breakout candidate for each team in the Metropolitan Division. When it came to the Penguins, Kennedy went with forward Rutger McGroarty.

When noting that McGroarty is the Penguins' top prospect, it is easy to understand why Kennedy views him as a prime breakout candidate for Pittsburgh in 2025-26. The 21-year-old forward has all the tools to emerge as a legitimate top-six forward, and it would be huge if he could become just that for the Penguins next season. 

McGroarty appeared in his first eight NHL games this past season with Pittsburgh, where he recorded one goal, two assists, three points, and 12 hits. He spent the bulk of it at the American Hockey League (AHL) level with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, however, where he had 14 goals and 39 points in 60 games. It was a solid first year for the 2022 first-round pick, and it will be interesting to see how he builds off it in 2025-26 from here.

Overall, there is a lot to like about McGroarty's game, and it is hard not to feel excited about his future. When looking at the Penguins' current roster, he has a real shot of competing for a spot in their top six, so it could very well be a big year for the Lincoln, Nebraska native. 

Ex-Penguins Defenseman Signs PTO With New TeamThe Minnesota Wild have announced that they have signed former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Jack Johnson to a professional tryout (PTO). 

The 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. 

Let's take a look at who has put on the #62 Union Blue Jersey. 

Alex Broadhurst -  Draft: Chicago, 7th round - 199th overall - 2011

Broadhurst was traded to Columbus by Chicago with Brandon Saad and Michael Paliotta for Artem Anisimov, Jeremy Morin, Corey Tropp, Marko Dano, and Columbus' 4th round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, June 30, 2015. He would only play in a pair of games for the CBJ during the 2017-18 season. Where Broadhurst would excel would be in the AHL for the Cleveland Monsters. He played in 229 games for Cleveland, scoring 48 goals and totaling 132 points. On February 25, 2019, he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets. He would play 2019-20 with the San Diego Gulls, and then leave for Europe. He spent two seasons in Liiga and the last three playing in the KHL. He is signed to play a fourth consecutive season in Russia for 25-26. 

Samuel Kňažko -  Draft: Columbus, 3rd round - 78th overall - 2020

Kňažko's scouting report from Elite Prospects reads as follows: "Kňažko's passing skills are refined for a defenseman. He can find players in the seam and on the breakout with great accuracy. He's comfortable with making plays from his backhand and makes sharp passes with good power behind them. His mobility stood out; he has the skating ability to be effective defending against the rush and during long cycles." Unfortunately for Kňažko, he's a left-shot defenseman, and that's not something that the Blue Jackets really needed at any level, so he became expendable. After playing in only two NHL games and three seasons with the Monsters, he was not tendered a contract and became a free agent. Instead of staying in North America, he chose to return home to Czechia and play for HC Vítkovice. Kňažko should also be selected for Czechia in the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Kevin Labanc -  Draft: San Jose, 6th round - 171st overall - 2014 

Labanc was by Columbus, October 5, 2024, just prior to the season. After playing 8 seasons with the San Jose Sharks, Labanc was on a PTO with the New Jersey Devils when he was plucked away by Don Waddell. Labanc played in 34 games for Columbus last season before going down due to injury. He scored 2 goals and had 12 points while playing 10:30 a game. Labanc did fairly well in his role. He was scratched a lot, but when he got his chance to play, he was usually noticeable. He had four points in his first five games to start the season, and fans were excited to see what he could do. As of right now, Labanc doesn't have an NHL deal, but there are rumors that he is getting interest from Europe. Once he is cleared from his injury, he should be good to go for the 25-26 season. 

As of right now, no other player is scheduled to wear #62 in the immediate future for the CBJ, but surely someday someone will take that number who will have an impact on the team. 

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. 

There are still many questions that need to be answered, but for now, we wait. Don Waddell is no doubt still working the phones, trying to make the team better every day. Whether it's by trade or a free agent, the job never sleeps.

What do you think Don Waddell should do between now and opening night? 

The Jackets have 62 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena, and fans are getting restless. The CBJ will take on the New Jersey Devils on Monday, October 13th at 7 PM. The Blue Jackets have much higher expectations this season than in previous years. Many expect the CBJ to make the playoffs, something they missed by a single win last season. Can the Blue Jackets overcome their deficiencies and weaknesses to make a playoff push in the weak Metro Division?

Let us know what you think below. 

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More From THN Columbus

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

It’s been a whirlwind few months for the New York Islanders, from parting ways with Lou Lamoriello to winning the NHL draft lottery and trading Noah Dobson; there have been a lot of changes on Long Island. How did the Montreal Canadiens fare against the Isles last season, and how will they fare this upcoming season? Let’s have a look.

Despite failing to qualify for the playoffs this past season, the Isles still had a good year against Montreal, finishing with a 2-0-1 record in the season series. New York won the initial duel between the two sides in October by a score of 4-3 in the shootout, but they then lost 2-1 in extra time at the Bell Centre in December before signing a 4-3 overtime win in March.

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The first game was a tight affair between the two sides, with the Islanders’ veteran players leading the way. Bo Horvat, Kyle Palmieri, and Anders Lee all scored in regulation, while Cole Caufield scored twice, and Logan Mailloux scored the first goal of his young career. After 60 minutes, the teams were tied at 3-3, and the five minutes of overtime didn’t help. In the shootout, nine rounds were needed before Noah Dobson finally settled the debate, giving New York the extra point.

In December, the Canadiens got their revenge thanks to a thrilling overtime win when captain Nick Suzuki scored the overtime winner, halfway through extra time. Montreal had taken the lead in the middle frame with a Patrik Laine power play goal in his very first regular season game as a Hab.

Then, in March, the Isles skated away with the season series thanks to a Bo Horvat overtime goal, which was his second of the game. In other words, all three games between the two teams couldn’t be settled in regulation, two went to overtime, and one went to the shootout. Montreal cannot afford to lose tight games against teams that are not making the playoffs. The young Habs need a killer instinct to maximize their results against struggling teams. The Islanders missed the playoffs and only had 82 points last season, five of which came against the Canadiens.

However, the Islanders’ best player against Montreal was none other than Dobson, the blueliner who had five points in the three-game season series, including a game-winning goal in the shootout. His loss will undoubtedly hurt the Islanders, despite Mathieu Darche making some significant changes to his roster.

After Matt Martin announced his retirement, the Isles GM acquired Emil Heineman in the Dobson trade. While Heineman isn’t the most significant player, he has shown that he can play with plenty of physicality and come at players like a wrecking ball. That forechecking ability should help alleviate the loss of Martin.

Up front, Darche signed former Hab Jonathan Drouin. After struggling in Montreal and only putting up 186 points in 321 games (0.58 points per game), the winger went on to score 93 points in 122 games with the Colorado Avalanche over the last two seasons, averaging 0.76 PPG. Of course, he had quite the supporting cast in Denver, but the Islanders are banking on the fact that he did find his form rather than worry about it being all down to his reunion with QMJHL teammate Nathan MacKinnon. Time will tell if that was a mistake or not.

In net, the Isles also added David Rittich and will be hoping he can play a solid backup role to Ilya Sorokin. On the blueline, the Isles opted to keep Tony DeAngelo around after bringing him back from the KHL last season. In 35 games, he did manage to score 19 points and was an important cog on their blueline. Speaking of essential cogs, after trading Dobson, Darche inked former Canadiens blueliner Alexander Romanov to an eight-year deal with a $6.25 M AAV. The blueliner was traded by the Habs on the draft floor in 2022 to land Kirby Dach from the Chicago Blackhawks.

Then, there’s also first overall pick Matthew Schaefer, who was recently signed to his ELC. The left-shot defenseman is still only 17 years old, however, and will only turn 18 on September 5. Will he be ready to make the jump now? At 6-foot-2 and only 185 pounds, he will need to add some muscle to his frame to be successful in the NHL.

Will these changes be enough to bring the Islanders to the postseason? That’s far from guaranteed, but one thing is sure: if the Canadiens want to return to the playoffs, they need the killer instinct to put away tight games by any means necessary, which could include games against the Isles.

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The Chicago Blackhawks have had numerous great players pass through town in recent years. Many of those great players were able to experience deep playoff runs with Chicago, but not all of them were as fortunate.

One of them who just missed the championship window is Alex DeBrincat. The Chicago Blackhawks selected him in the second round, 39th overall, of the 2016 NHL Draft. 

DeBrincat earned this draft status, despite his size, thanks to his brilliant performance in the OHL with the Erie Otters. He played alongside Connor McDavid for some of it, but didn't fall off when his generational center moved on to the NHL. Once DeBrincat moved on, he became a big-league star in his own right.

He didn’t make his NHL debut until the 2017-18 season, which means he arrived right as their championship window was closing. DeBrincat was able to play with studs like Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, and Brent Seabrook, amongst others, while in Chicago, but they were past doing anything significant in the postseason. 

While with the Blackhawks from 2017-2022, the man known as “The Cat” scored 160 goals and 147 assists for 307 points in 368 games played. Despite being a second-round pick, he is one of the best players from his draft class. 

During DeBrincat’s time in Chicago, he formed a tremendous bond with Patrick Kane both on and off the ice. Kane wasn’t quite as dynamic with DeBrincat as he was with Artemi Panarin a few years prior, but it was close. 

Off the ice, the two became great pals. It was noticeable during games how much the two enjoyed being around one another. 

Despite DeBrincat’s 41 goal, 37 assist, & 78 point season in 2021-22, the Blackhawks felt the need to trade him. They landed the seventh overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft from the Ottawa Senators in the deal, which they used on Kevin Korchinski, but it hurt the team to see DeBrincat go. 

After one year with Ottawa, he ended up being traded again to his hometown Detroit Red Wings, where he was eventually reunited with Patrick Kane. Last year, his 39-goal, 70-point season with the Red Wings was his best since leaving Chicago. 

DeBrincat’s time with the Blackhawks wasn’t long enough, but he was a member of the team during a tough era. He’d look great now next to Connor Bedard, but they might have never been bad enough to land Bedard had they kept DeBrincat. All that both sides can do is remember the good times they did have together. 

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