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. 

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

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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. 

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

EDMONTON – The worst-kept secret in hockey right now is the Edmonton Oilers’ need for a goaltender.

Recent comments from insider Cam Robinson suggest that the Oilers have poked around a couple of goaltender prospects outside of Michael DiPietro of the Boston Bruins and Nico Daws of the New Jersey Devils.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. 

The Oilers rode Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard to the Stanley Cup Final for two straight seasons. After losing a second consecutive Final appearance, Oilers GM Stan Bowman identified goaltending as an area to improve this summer.

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Bowman addressed that need earlier in the offseason by letting goaltending coach Dustin Schwartz’s contract expire and bringing on Peter Aubry from the Chicago Blackhawks organization.

Robinson of Elite Prospects appeared on Monday’s edition of The Sekeres and Price Show, a Vancouver Canucks focused radio show/podcast. On the August 11th episode, he focused on the Oilers goalie search and a few players the Oilers have checked in on.

“I believe the first person they asked about was Trey Augustine,” Robinson revealed on the show. “I think that was just a non-starter. Steve Yzerman and company really love that kid.”

“But, they have a 6-foot-6, 6-foot-7 former first-rounder in Sebastian Cossa sitting there who’s slowly been progressing.”

Oilers Eyeing Trade for Former Oil Kings Goaltender?The Edmonton Oilers could be exploring a move to bolster their goaltending depth, and recent comments from team insider Bob Stauffer have sparked speculation that Detroit Red Wings prospect Sebastian Cossa might be a target.

Trey Augustine is a 20-year-old goalie who is returning to Michigan State University in the NCAA this year. The 6-foot-1, 183 lb prospect was taken 41st overall in the 2023 draft. This past season, he posted a 2.08 goals against average (GAA), a .924 save percentage (SV%), three shutouts, and 19 wins in 30 games.

On the other hand, Sebastian Cossa is listed as 6-foot-6 and 229 lb on the Detroit Red Wings website. The 15th overall pick of the 2021 draft played 41 games in the AHL and one NHL game.

In the AHL, he boasted a record of 21-15-5 to go along with a 2.45 GAA, a .911 SV%, and one shutout. Cossa’s NHL appearance came in relief of Ville Husso during the Red Wings’ December 9th game against the Buffalo Sabres. In just over two periods of play, only two goals were scored on him on 14 shots.

Who would you rather see the Oilers acquire: Augustine or Cossa? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll.

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

Fresh off a 26-goal debut campaign that paced all rookies, Michkov, 20, was surprisingly left off Daily Faceoff's projected list of players who will be amongst the top 30 in the NHL in 2030.

The Russian phenom at least earned some recognition as a lousy honorable mention, but Martone was surprisingly left off altogether.

In fact, no player picked in the 2025 NHL Draft made the cut, including No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa and No. 8 overall pick James Hagens.

Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 overall pick in 2024 who finished level with Michkov in scoring this past season with 63 points, placed third on the list of 30 players ahead of Jack Hughes, Quinn Hughes, Connor Bedard, Gavin McKenna, and more.

Celebrini will be only 24 years old on Oct. 7, 2030, but that's a bold bet, especially when Michkov doesn't make the cut in comparison.

Some other forwards whose placements or inclusions might be questionable include Leo Carlsson, Seth Jarvis, Wyatt Johnston, and Matt Boldy.

I'd wager Michkov has a higher offensive ceiling than all of them, and approached 70 points in his rookie year while playing just 16:41 a night, getting benched and healthy scratched, and without speaking hardly any English.

Way-Too-Early Flyers Mock Draft 2026: A True No. 1 Center or More of the Same?If the Philadelphia Flyers aspire to truly take the next step in their multi-year rebuild, they must find the No. 1 center of their future and nail their first selection in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Defensively, the 2023 No. 7 overall pick only stands to get better, but how much better is the question.

Still, Connor Bedard had a dreadful sophomore season in the NHL, and still struggles defensively, but placed sixth overall on the list, right behind Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes.

Even when accounting for age, I couldn't justify leaving David Pastrnak off the list entirely in favor of goalie Filip Gustavsson or players like Carlsson, Moritz Seider, Zeev Buium, and Jake Sanderson, either.

So, there's a strong case to be made for Michkov's inclusion here, given he'd be just 25 on opening night in 2030.

Similarly, Martone would be 23 years old and a few weeks shy of 24 at that time.

If Carlsson can have a career-high of 45 points two years into his NHL career and make the list, surely Martone deserves some consideration as well.

With a large frame, a leader's personality, and a goal-scorer's mentality, there's no reason to believe that Martone can't become a dominant force five years from now.

Time will tell, but the Flyers still haven't quite done enough to earn some overdue recognition from around the league.

When the Montreal Canadiens were bounced from the playoffs at the end of April by the Washington Capitals, GM Kent Hughes had a couple of challenging tasks ahead of him—finding an experienced right-shot defenseman and a second-line center. If he was unable to check the latter of his to-do list, he wasted no time in accomplishing the former, acquiring Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders on the first day of the draft.

In a sign-and-trade deal, Dobson signed an eight-year pact with a $9.5 million cap hit, instantly becoming the highest-paid active player for the Canadiens. Carey Price still has the highest cap hit with $10.5 M, but he’s finally entering the final year of his contract. Once his signing bonus is paid on September 1, it’s even possible that Hughes could entertain trading his contract to become cap compliant and give himself some much-needed wiggle room.

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With his new contract, Dobson comes to town with a lot of expectations. This market is an intense one, and it’s not very forgiving for players who have a hefty price tag but bring little result. One can think of Scott Gomez, for instance, or of Karl Alzner, who were both subject to much abuse from fans.

The red-shot defenseman was a first-round pick for the Islanders at the 2018 draft, the 12th selection overall, and he has shown what he can do in the league already. In 388 games, he has put up 230 points. In 2023-24, he had a wonderful year, putting up 70 points in 79 games, but things weren’t as smooth last season.

From playing an average of 24:31 in 2023-24, he went down to “only” 23:16 this past year, his first and only full season under head coach Patrick Roy and could only manage 39 points. According to RDS’s Eric Leblanc, there was tension between the coach and the star defenseman, and that would have prompted his departure from Long Island. An interesting twist of events, given the fact that tensions with coach Mario Tremblay prompted Roy’s departure from the Canadiens back in the day.

Une source bien informée a confirmé à @RDSca que la relation entre Noah Dobson et Patrick Roy n'était pas bonne. L'avenir dira si cette situation a aidé le Canadien. pic.twitter.com/vE80LrEqeM

— Eric Leblanc (@eleblancRDS) June 27, 2025

The Canadiens are no doubt hoping that Dobson will blossom under Martin St-Louis’ tutelage; the coach has a reputation for being a players’ coach. If you give St-Louis a constant effort, he will be fair with you. That might be just what the doctor ordered for Dobson; not having a strained relationship with his coach will allow him to focus on his play on the ice solely. If he comes out of the gate flying, he could become a fan favourite quite quickly.

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Last month we started examining current Florida Panthers players who could eventually have their number retired by the team.

The first players discussed were probably some of the more obvious choices.

They were Panthers captain Sasha Barkov, who has played his entire career with Florida, and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, the backbone of their back-to-back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Final and consecutive championship wins.

Now we’ll take a look at a player who has made a massive impact on the team since his arrival during the summer of 2021.

Florida acquired Sam Reinhart during the 2021 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for their 2022 first-round pick and goaltending prospect Devon Levi.

In his four seasons with the Panthers, Reinhart has become one of the NHL’s premiere scorers while also earning a reputation as one of the league’s top two-way forwards.

He’s racked up 160 goals and 324 points in his 321 regular season games in a Florida sweater.

That includes the eye-popping 57-goal campaign Reinhart put up during the Panthers’ first Stanley Cup-winning season.

He was also selected to participate in the NHL All-Star Game that season, marking his first time playing in the annual superstar showdown.

In each of Reinhart’s four seasons in South Florida he has received votes for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, given annually to the NHL’s top defensive forward.

While the prestigious award has gone to Barkov, Reinhart’s linemate, in each of the past two seasons, it’s clear that Reino’s getting more and more credit for the defensive elements of his game.

Reinhart came in fourth place in Selke voting in 2023-24 and improved to second place this past season.

Looking ahead, the 29-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down.

He’s under contract with the Panthers through 2032 at a team-friendly $8.625 AAV (average annual value).

Considering the talented teammates that Reinhart will continue to be surrounded by, there is no reason to think that he and his fellow felines will fall below the expectations they’ve set for themselves in recent seasons.

The bottom line is that while Reinhart still has some work to do after he crosses into his 30s, he’s got a clear and reasonable path to someday seeing his No. 13 handing above the Panthers ice.

Do you think Reinhart will have his jersey number retired in Florida? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Photo caption: Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

With the Chicago Blackhawks rebuilding, they now have a ton of promising young players who have the potential to become big parts of their roster. 

In a recent article for The Hockey News' main site, Jared Clinton discussed one breakout candidate for each Central Division club. When it came to the Blackhawks, Clinton went with goaltender Spencer Knight for their top breakout candidate. 

While the Blackhawks have many other fascinating young players on their roster, like Frank Nazar, Artyom Levshunov, and Sam Rinzel, Knight also makes sense as a breakout candidate to watch for Chicago. The 2019 first-round pick has all the tools to become a very good NHL goalie and could very well take a notable step forward with his play in 2025-26 because of it. This is especially so when noting that he is expected to be a true No. 1 starter for the first time in his career, as Clinton notes. 

In 95 career NHL games thus far, Knight has recorded a 49-33-9 record, a 2.83 goals-against average, a .904 save percentage, and five shutouts. Overall, the Darien, Connecticut native has shown that he is a solid NHL goalie, and it will be fascinating to see if he can hit a new level with the Blackhawks in 2025-26 from here. 

Ex-Blackhawks Defenseman Signs PTO With RivalFormer Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Jack Johnson is another step closer to playing in his 20th NHL season. 

On Monday (Aug. 11) afternoon, former Los Angeles Kings' defender Jack Johnson was revealed to have signed a professional tryout (PTO) contract with the Minnesota Wild.

Johnson, who is 38 years old, spent parts of six seasons with the Kings between 2006 and 2012 before joining the Columbus Blue Jackets. He has also played with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the New York Rangers, the Colorado Avalanche, and the Chicago Blackhawks.

Through 1228 career games, Johnson has scored 77 goals and added 265 assists for 342 points, which comes out to a 0.28 points-per-game average.

Johnson looks to continue his long career by earning a contract with another new team.

 

Nathan Légaré made his NHL debut at Madison Square Garden, arguably the most famous arena in the world, in the winter of 2024. 

Besides the game itself, a 5-1 New Jersey victory, he remembers playing against one of his best buddies, New York Rangers forward Alexis Lafrenière, and a piece of advice his New Jersey Devils teammate Justin Dowling shared before his rookie lap. 

"He told me to not step on the puck on the ice," Légaré said during a phone interview with The Hockey News. "It would have been funny if I did."

The 24-year-old appeared in three games with the Devils before returning to the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League, where he spent the majority of the 2024-25 season. While it was a brief NHL stint, it provided a boost for Légaré. 

"There is more confidence about my game now," he explained. "Especially, now that I have played a couple of games in the NHL. That is a check mark, but the next one is to stay in the NHL and be a full-time NHLer. That is the mindset right now." 

The Devils acquired the versatile forward on March 11, 2024, from the Montreal Canadiens. In his first full season with the Comets, he earned a single-season career high of 25 points. 

In the AHL, Légaré found himself throughout Utica's lineup from top line to fourth, playing both wing and center. In the NHL, he considers himself a bottom-six player who can provide energy and kill penalties. 

For his call-up, he knew what could separate him and make an impression on the coaching staff in New Jersey. 

"For me, it is my physical presence," he shared. "I think in my first NHL game, I had five or six hits. That is part of my game, and when I am physical, that is when I play my best hockey. 

"That was the big thing in Utica," he continued. "I was scoring goals at the end of the year, but I was also playing a physical game. I got in six fights, plus two in preseason. I think that is a good number for me. I am not looking for a fight, but when the situation is there, I think you have to do it. I know this year in the American League, teams are getting bigger, and we are going to need that physical presence. I am willing to do it. I am not going to say I am going to square off every night, but when the situation is there and my team needs me to fight, I am willing to do it."  

Légaré had a total of six hits in his NHL debut, which tied Paul Cotter for the most among Devils skaters that night. In three games, he logged 12 hits. 

New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) on XANOTHA ONE. We have re-signed F Nathan Légaré to a one-year, two-way contract. 📰: https://t.co/h7tNfBiH9n

With so many depth players leaving the Devils in free agency, the Montreal native sees an opportunity in New Jersey, but has a practical perspective.

"Everybody wants to make the New Jersey Devils, but at the same time, I think you have to be realistic," he said. "It is not the end of the world if you go back to Utica. You work hard, and you never know what can happen."

During his time with the Devils organization, Légaré has seen that hard work will lead to positive outcomes. 

"That is what I like the most about the New Jersey Devils," he said, "They call the next guy up who deserves to get the call-up. You never know, it can be a guy on an AHL contract. I think about Samuel Laberge. Two years ago, he was on an AHL deal, signed a new deal, and got the call-up. It is pretty motivating for everybody in the organization. I think that is why all the guys arrive prepared for camp."

Seeing players' efforts being rewarded, coupled with a newfound confidence, Légaré admitted that his mindset has shifted as he prepares for training camp in one month. 

"Last year (at training camp), it was making a good first impression because I was traded (in March)," he said. "This year, they know what I can bring and they saw what I was able to do during the season. For me, it is more of a game-changer now, and hopefully, I can crack the lineup at camp.

"I don't want to look too much at the depth chart," he continued. "I just want to focus on my game. That is what I did last year, and it ended up working for me. That is how I want to go into camp. Like I said, you never know what can happen." 

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Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has managed to assemble one of the deepest prospect pools in the National Hockey League, which includes two highly regarded goaltenders expected to develop into future starters. 

2023 First Round selection Sebastian Cossa and 2023 Second Round selection Trey Augustine are both considered to have tremendous potential and could form one of the league’s most formidable tandems in the coming seasons.

Sebastian Cossa showed a 21-15-5 record with a 2.45 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage in an AHL career-high 41 regular-season games. The AHL all-star ranked among the league leaders in games played (T8th), minutes played (2,424:37, 7th), wins (T10th), goals-against… pic.twitter.com/QQK7peeYAQ

— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) June 20, 2025

While Detroit’s championship window hasn’t realistically opened yet, a team that has lost back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals has reportedly contacted the Red Wings and expressed alleged interest in acquiring one of their goaltending prospects.

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

Appearing on The Sekeres & Price Show, League Insider Cam Robinson - Content Director and Director of Film Scouting for Elite Prospects - revealed that he’s been told the Oilers have reached out to Detroit about potentially acquiring Cossa to present to their fans as their goaltender of the future.

"I've heard that they're looking a little more long term, and their field of vision is a little wider here," Robinson said of the Oilers. "I've been told they've contacted Detroit, I believe the first person they asked about was Trey Augustine and think it was just a non-starter. Steve Yzerman and company really love that kid, and they should."

"But they have a 6'6", 6'7" former first rounder in Sebastian Cossa sitting there, who is slowly been progressing up the way, played a full season in the East Coast League," Robinson continued. "They're not soured on him by any means, but I think they're hoping that he'd be quicker along the path, and the fact that they have Augustine there in the Red Wings system potentially allows him to be an expendable chip." 

Cossa has already begun his professional career in the American Hockey League after having played for the WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings and the ECHL's Toledo Walleye. This past season with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Cossa amassed a record of 21-15-5 while posting a 2.45 goals-against average. 

But Cossa's numbers weren't as strong down the final stretch of the regular season, and he faltered during the Calder Cup Playoffs, finding himself benched after surrendering nine goals in just two games. 

Meanwhile, Augustine has thrived not only with the Michigan State Spartans but with the United States in international play. 

Trey Augustine now has the most wins by an American goaltender at the #WorldJuniors!@usahockey | @DetroitRedWingspic.twitter.com/nlPGX7EsXp

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) January 5, 2025

"If Edmonton does want to get themselves someone that they can tag as like, 'Here's our goalie of the future that's maybe only a year or two years away', he'd be a great bet to go on," Robinson concluded. 

Unless the Oilers were to present Yzerman with a Godfather-style offer he couldn’t refuse, the chances of Detroit trading Cossa are remote. At the same time, Yzerman did not sound optimistic about Cossa seeing NHL action in the 2025-26 season.

"Today, I’m not prepared to say he’s going to play in the NHL next year," Yzerman said on April 29 of Cossa. "He’s got to do more." 

If the Oilers want to acquire a young goaltender with a high ceiling, they’ll have to find a deal elsewhere, as the Red Wings aren’t going to be parting ways with either Cossa or Augustine. 

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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.

We started this series looking at the Sabres' Atlantic Division rivals, followed by the Metropolitan Division's teams. In recent days, we've been breaking down Buffalo's Central Division rivals. And today, we're focused on the Utah Mammoth.

BUFFALO SABRES VS. UTAH MAMMOTH

NEW MAMMOTH PLAYERS: J.J. Peterka, LW; Brandon Tanev, LW; Nate Schmidt, D; Vitek Vanecek, G

2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 0-2-0, Utah 2-0-0

2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER:  November 4 at Buffalo; November 12 at Utah 

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM?  For a few reasons, the Sabres/Mammoth rivalry has the potential for some good times, as both teams are connected to each other for different reasons. For starters, Utah's logo is rather similar to one of Buffalo's old logos. More importantly, one of the biggest trades of the summer saw Utah acquire Peterka from Buffalo -- and Peterka is just what the Mammoth need to get to that next competitive level.

If that trade had been all of what Utah GM Bill Armstrong did this summer, you'd still say the Mammoth had a solid off-season. But he also signed former Winnipeg Jets winger Tanev to improve his team's fourth line, and he signed Stanley Cup-winner Schmidt away from the Florida Panthers to bolster Utah's third defense pairing. 

(Armstrong also signed veteran goalie Vanecek, who will begin the year as Utah's third goalie. If he's needed, something has gone horribly awry for the Mammoth.)

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Central Edition: Are Boosted Blues Bound To Beat Buffalo?The Buffalo Sabres are facing enormous pressure to end their 14-year Stanley Cup playoff drought next season, and it's not hyperbole to say that the Sabres can't afford so much as a single off-night if they're going to be a playoff team. Every game really counts, and Buffalo needs to beat many above-average squads if they're going to earn a playoff berth in the highly-competitive Atlantic Division.

All-in-all, the Mammoth have to be considered a better team than they were last season. And that's bad news if Buffalo doesn't have its ducks in a row when the two teams square off against each other twice in little more than a single week in early November.

Indeed, if Utah comes out of the gate and stuns the Sabres in their first game November 4 in Buffalo, the Sabres will have only have eight days to figure out how to fight back for Round 2, as the Mammoth get a home game against Buffalo to finish up the series. That's somewhat of a shame, as it would've been fun to have at least one game between them near the end of the season, when it's likely that both Utah and the Sabres will be fighting for a wild card berth in their respective conferences.

Still, it's going to be intriguing to see how that first game plays out. Last season, Utah won both games handily against the Sabres, beating Buffalo by a 5-2 score in both games. And the second game in the series came March 20, when both teams should've been in hot pursuit of a playoff spot. Instead, the Sabres were well out of playoff contention by then, and Utah wound up missing a playoff berth by eight standings points. So it was more misery for franchises accustomed to it.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Central Edition: Will Buffalo Sweep Series Vs. Sub-Par Nashville Predators Next Season?The NHL's 2025-26 schedule has been out for a while now, and THN.com's Buffalo Sabres site has been analyzing every team the Sabres will take on next season. We've worked our way through the Eastern Conference teams, and we're currently focusing on the Central Division teams. And in today's file, we're turning our attention to the Nashville Predators.

It hasn't been easy for either of these teams to put memorable seasons together, and that's another reason why we see a link between the Mammoth and Sabres. They've languished and labored time and again, but as is custom at this time of year, hope springs eternal, and who knows -- there might be a world in which both Buffalo and Utah are both playing playoff games in the same season.

The Sabres can't afford to lose both games to the Mammoth this year. A split would be acceptable, and anything more than that would be a positive. But if Buffalo plays with an urgency to their game, they have the manpower to answer back for last season's failures and shock the Mammoth into submission.

Defenseman Luke Prokop, who was selected by the Nashville Predators in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft and is the first openly gay player to be contracted by an NHL team, has signed with the Bakersfield Condors, the Edmonton Oilers' AHL affiliate. 

He had reached the end of his 3 year, $2,379,999 contract.  

In his time with the Predators organization, Prokop has not played in Nashville. He played eight games with the Norfolk Admirals (ECHL) during the 2022-23 season, scoring one point in eight games. 

During the 2023-24 season, he split time between the ECHL and AHL. He played 55 games with the Atlanta Gladiators, scoring 28 points, and played nine games with the Admirals, scoring two points.

His AHL debut in Nov. 2023 marked Prokop becoming the first openly gay AHL player. 

This past season, he played 31 games with the Admirals, scoring four points. 

While Prokop has yet to make his NHL debut, his journey and message of confidence have resonated across the hockey world. Not only has he made history just playing professional hockey, but he is also helping create an accepting environment for LGBTQ+ individuals in the sport. 

Prokop got the opportunity to be the Grand Marshall of the 2025 Milwaukee Pride Parade this summer. 

The move into the Oilers' farm system could be a full circle moment as Prokop is from Edmonton and played junior hockey with the Edmonton Oil Kings. He could become the first openly Gay NHL player to play in a game in his hometown.