The Hockey News’ NHL summer splash rankings continue to unfold with the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 21st spot.

This series analyzes each NHL team’s off-season, ranking the teams that improved, stayed the same or got worse. We’re focusing on every organization’s additions and departures through free agency and trades, as well as coach and management hirings and firings.

We’re in the group of teams that have more or less stayed the same this off-season. You’ll find the teams that finished below the Blue Jackets at the bottom of this column. But first, our attention is squarely on the Jackets.

Additions

Charlie Coyle (C), Miles Wood (LW), Brendan Gaunce (C), Dysin Mayo (D)

The Breakdown: The Blue Jackets had the same number of wins as the Montreal Canadiens, but the Habs lost two more games in overtime instead of regulation and clinched the second wild-card spot. 

But Jackets GM Don Waddell used a good deal of his salary cap space this summer on a pair of veteran forwards – former Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild center Charlie Coyle and former New Jersey Devils and Avalanche winger Wood – to add depth and experience to his group.

An additional positive for Waddell is the re-signing of veteran defenseman Ivan Provorov to a seven-year contract extension worth $8.5 million per year. The 28-year-old Provorov could’ve received at least that much money from another team, so his decision to stay in Columbus was an endorsement of sorts for the Blue Jackets as an organization. He wasn’t an addition, but the Blue Jackets did a good job not to see Provorov become a departure.

Another de facto addition for the Jackets this coming year will be one full season of goaltender Jet Greaves. The 24-year-old looked terrific in 11 NHL appearances last season, posting a .938 save percentage and 1.91 goals-against average. He’s going to push starter Elvis Merzlikins for the No. 1 job in net for Columbus, and that can only be a good thing. 

Departures

James van Riemsdyk (LW), Justin Danforth (RW), Sean Kuraly (LW), Kevin Labanc (RW), Jack Johnson (D), Jordan Harris (D), Daniil Tarasov (G)

The Breakdown: Most, if not all, of the Blue Jackets’ departures were depth players. Van Riemsdyk had 36 points in 71 games this past season, while Danforth had 21. Kuraly and Labanc combined for 29 points.

Depth defensemen Johnson and Harris averaged fewer than 13 minutes of ice time. Goaltender Tarasov had a 3.54 GAA and .881 SP.

Columbus won’t miss the playoffs just because any of the seven departed players left a competitive crater that can’t be filled. Waddell must believe the team filled in any gaps through internal promotions, trades and free-agent signings.

The Bottom Line

While there was a considerable exodus out of Columbus this off-season, the Blue Jackets are likely to be on the rise because management believes in their core of youngsters. That belief may prove to be ill-founded, but there’s no guarantee of its success or failure either way. 

The Jackets are where they are in our NHL summer splash rankings because they didn’t get considerably better or worse. They’re about the same, so they’re in the middle pack.

That said, if the Blue Jackets’ defense can improve from conceding the eighth-most goals in the NHL this past year, we believe Columbus’ offense – fuelled by youngsters Adam Fantilli, Kent Johnson, Kirill Marchenko, Dmitri Voronkov and Norris Trophy front-runner Zach Werenski – should be enough to push this team into the post-season after a five-year playoff drought.

Also of note: Waddell still has about $16.3 million in salary cap space, leaving him primed to be a mover and shaker on the trade front during the season. With Columbus’ defense corps on the rise, the Jackets could look for help at forward or in net. But for the moment, at least, this Blue Jackets team has the promise of youth along with a bedrock of veterans to keep the team in the playoff hunt all season long. Waddell’s refusal to make a slew of additions is essentially a vote of confidence in his core talent.

Summer Splash Rankings

21. Columbus Blue Jackets

22. Washington Capitals

23. Nashville Predators

24. New York Islanders

25. Tampa Bay Lightning

26. Toronto Maple Leafs

27. Dallas Stars

28. Calgary Flames

29. Los Angeles Kings

30. Winnipeg Jets

31. Chicago Blackhawks

32. Buffalo Sabres

Cardinal Point Athlete Advisors recently released a lifestyle ranking of all NHL cities, and the New Jersey Devils came in near the bottom, ranked 29th out of 32 teams.

The rankings were based on seven equally weighted factors, where a score of “1” indicates the best relative ranking among NHL cities. The top-ranked city was home to the Montreal Canadiens, while the Devils landed closer to the bottom.

The only teams ranked below New Jersey were the Seattle Kraken (30th), the Washington Capitals (31st), and the New York Rangers (32nd).

The Devils currently play at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, a location that ranked as the fourth-worst NHL arena location in this report.

What Was the Ranking Based On?

The overall score was based on seven key factors:

• Safety
• Cost of Living
• Traffic
• Climate
• Rent
• Groceries
• Restaurant Prices

Each category was scored out of 32, with the Devils’ results as follows:

• Safety: 31st
• Cost of Living: 25th
• Traffic: 29th (out of 31, as one city did not have data)
• Climate: 14th (highest category ranking)
• Rent: 23rd
• Groceries: 26th
• Restaurant Prices: 23rd

When all scores were combined, the Devils ranked 29th out of 32 teams.

Where Did the Data Come From?

The rankings were created using two reports from Numbeo.com, a global cost of living and quality-of-life database:

Cost of Living Index by City 2025 Mid-Year

Quality of Life Index by City 2025 Mid-Year

According to the data, Newark scored particularly low on safety, with a Safety Index of 23.17, categorized as “low.” Only Detroit, home of the Red Wings, scored lower in that category (32nd), although Detroit still ranked 18th overall in the lifestyle rankings.

While Newark wasn't ranked the worst NHL city, the Devils still landed in the bottom tier—primarily due to concerns around safety, high grocery costs, and poor traffic conditions.

Photo Credit: © Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

The New Jersey Devils signed forward Thomas Bordeleau to a one-year, two-way contract on July 24th, following a trade with the San Jose Sharks earlier this month.

The deal is worth $775,000 at the NHL level and $100,000 in the AHL, with $125,000 guaranteed. Because it’s a two-way contract, Bordeleau may begin the season with the Utica Comets, giving the Devils added roster and salary cap flexibility.

However, cracking New Jersey’s deep prospect pool might be Bordeleau’s biggest challenge.

Now entering his fifth professional season, Bordeleau has spent most of his time in the AHL with the San Jose Barracudas. He’s appeared in 44 NHL games, tallying 18 points (six goals, 12 assists), but has yet to establish himself as a full-time NHLer.

At 5'10", Bordeleau is a quick, skilled center whose speed and versatility could make him a valuable asset in the Devils’ bottom six. Still, he hasn’t found much success at the NHL level, and even his AHL production has left room for improvement. He recorded just 38 points in 59 games last season with the Barracuda.

One thing working in his favor? Familiarity. Bordeleau played alongside Devils defenseman Luke Hughes and Utica’s Ethan Edwards during the 2021–22 season at the University of Michigan. Reuniting with former teammates could provide the chemistry and confidence boost he needs.

That said, the path to the NHL is crowded. As Tony Ferrari of The Hockey News recently outlined, the Devils have one of the league’s most promising prospect pools:

Top Devils Prospects

LW: Lenni Hämeenaho, Cole Brown, Josh Filmon, Shane Lachance C: Conrad Fondrk, Gustav Hillstrom, Samu Salminen, Matyas Melovsky, Mason Moe

RW: Arseniy Gritsyuk, Ben Kevan, Cam Squires, David Rozsival

LD: Anton Silayev, Daniil Orlov, Topias Vilén, Daniil Karpovich

RD: Simon Nemec, Seamus Casey, Sigge Holmstrom, Charlie Leddy

G: Mikhail Yegorov, Trenten Bennett, Veeti Louhivaara, Tyler Brennan, Jakub Malek

Bordeleau will be competing with the likes of Conrad Fondrk and Lenni Hämeenaho, both of whom have already made strong impressions on the Devils’ staff.

If Bordeleau hopes to solidify an NHL future, he’ll need to outperform the competition and prove he belongs on a team with playoff aspirations.

There’s a real chance everything clicks for him this season. He’s got the pedigree, the speed, and the support system in place. But make no mistake: this might be his final shot to carve out a career in the pros.

For Thomas Bordeleau, the time to make a statement in New Jersey is now.

Photo Credit: © David Gonzales-Imagn Images

The Anaheim Ducks have missed the playoffs every year since 2017-18 and in doing so, have drafted in the top ten for seven consecutive seasons and procured one of the NHL’s deepest and most potent prospect pools.

Despite several young players having graduated and become full-time NHLers, such as Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish, Pavel Mintyukov, and Olen Zellweger, the Ducks still have an impressive pipeline of potential impact and depth prospects yet to make the jump.

Six Ducks Prospects Named to 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase Rosters

Can ‘Rangers West’ Help Get the Ducks Back Into the Playoffs?

For this exercise, only players who haven’t lost rookie status are eligible for a ranking, and to be clear, these are my (Patrick Present) subjective rankings.

Honorable Mentions: Yegor Sidorov, Herman Traff, Tarin Smith, Lasse Boelius, Calle Clang

Top Ten:

10. Nathan Gaucher, 21, C, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

9. Ian Moore, 23, RHD, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

8. Sasha Pastujov, 22, W, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

7. Tomas Suchanek, 22, G, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

6. Eric Nilson, 18, C, Michigan State University (NCAA)

5. Lucas Pettersson, 19, C, Brynas IF (SHL)

4. Stian Solberg, 19, LHD, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

When making this list, there was a sizable gap between the four players at the top and the prospects ranked at five and beyond. While there will certainly be very good NHLers that I ranked between five and ten, and even some after ten, the Ducks’ top four prospects are expected to become impact players at the NHL level and even core pieces of the franchise when they hope to be perennial contenders.

Coming in at the four-spot is a player sure to become a fan favorite (if he isn’t already) with his consistent physical play and knack for scoring big goals from the blueline: Stian Solberg.

Solberg’s defining quality is how difficult he is to play against on a nightly basis. He punishes opponents when they look to get to the high-danger areas of the ice, and he finishes every hit after his check distributes the puck. Every inch of ice in the offensive zone comes at a cost when being defended by Solberg.

He’s a powerful skater with an advanced knowledge of angles, even after making the jump from European ice surfaces to North American ones in 2024-25. Everything he does on every shift is done at full effort, whether it’s netfront battles, puck retrievals that lead to crisp breakout passes, or everything in between.

He makes decisive, smart decisions with the puck and is quick to join a rush from the weak side when it’s available. His shot selection drives his offense at the blueline, as he consistently gets a heavy shot through traffic, and when a lane opens below the top of the circles, he leans on his stick and buries pucks more often than not.

At the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Ducks traded picks 31 and 58 to jump up to 23 and select Solberg, who was awarded the moniker “most violent player in the draft.”

He spent the majority of his 2024-25 season, his first outside of his native Norway, playing for Färjestad BK of the SHL, where he totaled 12 points (3-9=12) in 47 games before his role decreased as the playoffs approached. To ensure more ice time and get a head start on the transition to a smaller ice sheet, as well as a different style of game, the Ducks organization deemed it best he finish his season in San Diego with the Gulls of the AHL.

“I don't think they valued him enough in Färjestad to deserve to keep him around for longer, that’s just my personal take,” Ducks assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting Martin Madden said. “I think he proved in his short stint in San Diego, and right now at the World Championships, that he has a really valuable role already. He can have an impact when you trust him with ice time.”

He fit in seamlessly, as his signature style is as conducive as it gets to North American professional hockey. He tallied five points (2-3=5) in ten AHL games to end the season before heading to Europe to play in his second consecutive IIHF World Championship representing Norway, where he scored six points (4-2=6) in seven games, including a hat trick against the United States.

The only area of his game that will need polishing before he makes his NHL debut is rush defending. He does well to angle and seal on the wall, especially on the smaller ice surface, but when pucks move up ice, he could stand to close gaps sooner to not be so flatfooted against an opposing transition attack.

Solberg will projectably assume a sizable role with the Gulls in 2025-26, likely killing penalties and featuring on the power play. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that he plays NHL games at some point during the upcoming year as well. The organization has a lot of faith in him as a future impact contributor to their team.

Ducks Sign Drew Helleson to Two-Year Extension

Ducks Sign Lukas Dostal to Five-Year Extension

Ducks Sign Clang, Myšák to One-Year Deals

Photo Credit: INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / MATT ZAMBONIN

Evgeny Kuznetsov’s longtime teammate recently discussed the possibility of the center returning to the NHL.

After posting 12 goals and 37 points in 39 games with St. Petersburg this past KHL season, Kuznetsov is reportedly looking to return to the NHL.

The 33-year-old played 11 NHL seasons for the Washington Capitals, putting up 32 points in 24 playoff games when they won the Stanley Cup in 2018. In 2023-24, the Capitals traded Kuznetsov to the Carolina Hurricanes for a third-round pick at the NHL trade deadline, and he recorded seven points in 20 games and six points in 10 playoff games after the move.

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin told Russian-language publication Gazeta.ru that Kuznetsov is sensible and can make the right choice to prove himself in the NHL again or in the KHL. But Ovechkin said he’s not Washington’s GM, and whether Kuznetsov can return to the Capitals is not the question for him to answer.

With August almost here, Kuznetsov remains a UFA, but this could change before NHL training camps begin in mid-September. His past success could ultimately lead to an NHL club giving him another opportunity, especially when considering he is one of the top UFAs left based on his potential. While he only had 24 points in 63 games in 2023-24, he had 55 points in 2022-23 and 78 points in 2021-22.

Here are three teams that could make sense as potential landing spots for Kuznetsov if he doesn't return to Washington. 

Vancouver Canucks 

After trading J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers during the 2024-25 season and losing Pius Suter in free agency to the St. Louis Blues this summer, the Vancouver Canucks could use another center. They’ve gone from having Miller and Elias Pettersson as a one-two punch down the middle to Pettersson and Filip Chytil, who came to the Canucks in the Miller trade and had 26 points in 56 games this past season while dealing with injury issues.

If the Canucks signed Kuznetsov, he would create some competition for the Canucks’ second-line center spot with Chytil. Even if he slotted in as Vancouver’s third-line center, he would still improve their depth down the middle. The third line of Dakota Joshua, Teddy Blueger and Conor Garland that thrived at times in 2023-24 was separated for most of this past season, and Joshua is now with the Toronto Maple Leafs, so adding Kuznetsov shouldn’t disrupt the bottom six’s chemistry, either. Blueger can stay in an effective depth role, while Vancouver can ease 22-year-old Aatu Raty into a full-time NHL role.

The Canucks have $3.27 million in salary cap space, but Kuznetsov’s agent said he’s not an $8-million player anymore and could be a steal for cap-strapped teams. If signed to a cheap, one-year deal, Kuznetsov could be a solid low-risk, high-reward addition for the Canucks.

Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche could be an interesting landing spot for Kuznetsov. After trading Charlie Coyle to the Columbus Blue Jackets this off-season, it would not be particularly surprising if they were open to adding another option to consider for their third-line center spot.

With Brock Nelson as the second-line center, Jack Drury is third in the depth chart, and he had nine points in 33 games with the Avalanche after they acquired him from the Hurricanes in the Mikko Rantanen trade. Drury is better at taking faceoffs than Kuznetsov, but the latter can provide more secondary scoring for the Avalanche, which lost Jonathan Drouin in free agency after he averaged 0.76 points per game in two seasons in Colorado.

The Avalanche are legitimate Stanley Cup contenders, and Kuznetsov’s past playoff success should appeal to them. They have about $3.35 million in cap space, so the center would have to take a prove-it, bargain deal to play for them, but it could be worth it for the team and player.

Five Potential Destinations For Max Pacioretty in 2025-26With the bulk of the sought-after unrestricted free agents signed in the first three weeks of July, teams appear to be accelerating the invitation of players on professional tryouts, as the New York Rangers did with two-time Stanley Cup winner Conor Sheary earlier this week. One of the more successful camp invites last September was veteran forward Max Pacioretty. 

Boston Bruins 

The retooling Boston Bruins brought in wingers Viktor Arvidsson, Tanner Jeannot, Mikey Eyssimont and center Sean Kuraly as part of their off-season moves. That said, they could use help at the center position.

Elias Lindholm, Pavel Zacha, Casey Mittelstadt and Morgan Geekie are options at center in the top two lines. Zacha played most of the season as the center for Geekie and David Pastrnak, but he and Lindholm each recorded 47 points this past season, while Mittelstadt had only six points in 18 games after being acquired at the trade deadline.

Kuznetsov should entice the Bruins, especially since there are not many other notable free agents left who can play center.

While Kuznetsov would not be a true answer for the Bruins’ first-line center problem, he would offer them another intriguing playmaker to work with in their middle six and on their power play. If he bounces back from his last NHL season, Kuznetsov may even get opportunities to set up Pastrnak for goals on the first line. 

The Bruins have about $2.08 million in cap space, so Kuznetsov would have to take less money, even if he could play a larger role there. If he wants to just take this next season to prove himself back in the NHL, he’d be a solid addition to a Bruins club that could use more skill and offense.

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Steven Lorentz is having a summer to remember.

The Toronto Maple Leafs forward has been busy ever since the season ended at the hands of the Florida Panthers in the second round of the playoffs. Lorentz was a pending unrestricted free agent, with extension talks nearly going down to the wire before free agency opened on July 1.

He and the Maple Leafs agreed on a three-year, $4.05 million extension on June 30, one day before he was set to hit the open market. Similar to his term, Lorentz’s $1.35 million annual average value is the largest of his NHL career.

Saturday, though, likely topped any day of his life as he and his wife, Erin, got married.

The two tied the knot on Saturday afternoon, surrounded by family and friends. Two other Maple Leafs, Bobby McMann and Anthony Stolarz, along with their partners, took a selfie together and also got a photo with the groom.

Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving Cameos In Daughter’s TikTok While Juggling Offseason DutiesToronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving is in peak-summer form.

Lorentz and his wife got engaged last summer, after he and the Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup. Following an exciting offseason, the forward attended Maple Leafs training camp on a professional tryout before signing a one-year, $775,000 contract right before the regular season began.

Along with getting married and signing a huge extension, Lorentz also participated in the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy festivities earlier in July. He was spotted speaking with a few IndyCar drivers and even did a lap of the track in one of the cars.

Maple Leafs Prospect Ben Danford Earns Invite To Hockey Canada's World Juniors Summer ShowcaseThe Toronto Maple Leafs' defensive prospect, Ben Danford, is among the 44 promising players invited to Hockey Canada’s World Juniors Summer Showcase. Hockey Canada unveiled the 44 prospects who will head to Minnesota for the showcase, which begins Sunday and runs through August 2 in Minneapolis.

Lorentz is coming off a career season with the Maple Leafs, where he scored eight goals and 11 assists (a career-high) for 19 points in 80 games. He also tallied two assists, both coming against his former club in the second round of the playoffs.

The Carolina Hurricanes drafted the Kitchener, Ontario-born product in the seventh round (186th overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft. Lorentz has scored 62 points (29 goals and 33 assists) in 310 games, split with Toronto, Florida, Carolina, and the San Jose Sharks, since entering the NHL in 2021.

This article originally appeared on The Hockey News: Maple Leafs Forward Steven Lorentz’s Thrilling Summer Continues With Marriage To Wife, Erin

(Top photo of Lorentz and wife, Erin: @slorentz16 / Instagram)

By Jared Clinton, features writer

Playing an eternal second fiddle in the franchise record books is a fate suffered by most players who suit up for the Edmonton Oilers. Such is life when skating in the seismic shadow of Wayne Gretzky.

Take Connor McDavid’s Conn Smythe-winning 42-point performance in the 2024 post-season, for instance. For this generation, it stands as the most remarkable feat of post-season output. But, statistically, it doesn’t match The Great One and his NHL record 47-point post-season in 1985.

But McDavid isn’t the only player whose modern spring heroics are eclipsed by a superstar from bygone days. Evgeni Malkin, too, understands the futility of chasing his particular franchise’s lore.

‘Geno’ has seen his highest highs fall short of those authored by Mario Lemieux. To wit, Malkin’s 36-point playoff in 2009 was then the seventh-best all-time and made him the first player in the post-lockout era to break 35 points in one post-season. Yet, like McDavid, you won’t find Malkin on our Countdown of best offensive playoff performances by franchise, as it fell well short of Lemieux’s mondo 44-point effort in 1991.

Somewhat surprisingly, though, our Countdown isn’t dominated by stars from yesteryear. Nearly half of NHL outfits have seen franchise-best playoff marks set in the past 20 years.

1. Edmonton Oilers

Wayne Gretzky (47 PTS, 1984-85)

In the most dominant playoff ever, Gretzky had more four-plus-point games (six) than games with one point or fewer.

2. Pittsburgh Penguins

Mario Lemieux (44 PTS, 1990-91)

He missed Game 3 of the final, but Lemieux had goals in his last 10 appearances, guiding Pens to their first Cup.

3. Los Angeles Kings

Wayne Gretzky (40 PTS, 1992-93)

No. 99 dashed the Cup hopes of three Canadian clubs before Montreal exacted revenge for its compatriots in the final.

4. New York Islanders

Mike Bossy (35 PTS, 1980-81)

Bryan Trottier had three consecutive 29-point playoffs. But Bossy’s 17-goal, 35-point output hasn’t been matched.

5. Toronto Maple Leafs

Doug Gilmour (35 PTS, 1992-93)

Despite falling short of the final, Gilmour had a playoff-best 25 assists and finished 15 points clear of any teammate.

6. Colorado Avalanche

Joe Sakic (34 PTS, 1995-96)

His 18-goal, 34-point marks in 1996 are bests, but Sakic also led 2001 Cup-winning Avs in goals and points.

7. New York Rangers

Brian Leetch (34 PTS, 1993-94)

At the time, Leetch’s 11 goals made him only second ‘D’ with single-playoff double-digit tally total in NHL history.

8. Tampa Bay Lightning

Nikita Kucherov (34 PTS, 2019-20)

Does a healthy Brayden Point usurp Kucherov? Point finished one point back in two fewer games during ’20 Cup run.

9. Boston Bruins

Rick Middleton (33 PTS, 1982-83)

Middleton posted 100 career playoff points. His 1983 performance accounts for nearly one-third of that production.

10. Washington Capitals

Evgeny Kuznetsov (32 PTS, 2017-18)

Kuznetsov led all Caps scorers by five points and had playoff-topping output, but he lost Smythe to Alex Ovechkin.

11. Calgary Flames

Al Macinnis (31 PTS, 1988-89)

Four of MacInnis’ seven goals were winners for champion Flames, including deciders in Games 4 and 5 of final.

12. Vancouver Canucks

Pavel Bure (31 PTS, 1993-94)

Bure didn’t get a chance at an encore, really. He played only 15 playoff games across his final nine NHL seasons.

13. Philadelphia Flyers

Daniel Briere (30 PTS, 2009-10)

Briere leads a class of bridesmaids, as Philly’s top four single-playoff offensive performers each lost in the Cup final.

14. San Jose Sharks

Logan Couture (30 PTS, 2015-16)

Couture deserves credit for his post-season production. He led the 2016, 2018 and 2019 Sharks outfits in scoring.

15. Chicago Blackhawks

Denis Savard (29 PTS, 1984-85)

He was stopped by the Gretzky-led Oilers, but Savard was exceptional in 1985, scoring nearly two points per game.

16. Dallas Stars

Steve Payne (29 PTS, 1980-81)

Only three players in NHL history have more goals in one playoff than Payne, who stunned with 17 tallies in 1981.

17. Carolina Hurricanes

Eric Staal (28 PTS, 2005-06)

Staal’s sophomore season was his best. He paced Canes to Cup, led playoff scoring and finished fourth in Hart race.

18. Detroit Red Wings

Henrik Zetterberg (27 PTS, 2007-08)

Zetterberg put a point on his Conn Smythe-winning total with the game-winner that handed Wings the ’08 Cup.

19. Montreal Canadiens

Frank Mahovlich (27 PTS, 1970-71)

Forget passing ‘The Big M.’ No Canadien in past three decades cracks the top 15 on Habs’ single-year scoring list.

20. Vegas Golden Knights

Jack Eichel (26 PTS, 2022-23)

Small sample, but Eichel has plenty of competition. Five Knights have scored 20-plus points in one playoff campaign.

21. Florida Panthers

Matthew Tkachuk (24 PTS, 2022-23)

In 2023, Tkachuk tied then-record for OT goals in one playoff (three), including winner that saved Cats in Round 1.

22. New Jersey Devils

Patrik Elias (23 PTS, 2000-01)

Only fitting that Devils’ all-time leading scorer, Elias, has the franchise’s best single-season post-season output.

23. St. Louis Blues

Ryan O’Reilly (23 PTS, 2018-19)

Jordan Binnington’s emergence grabbed headlines, but Blues don’t win 2019 Cup without 200-foot dynamo O’Reilly.

24. Ottawa Senators

Daniel Alfredsson (22 PTS, 2006-07)

Alfredsson’s 14 goals during 2007 playoffs are most by any player 34 or older in one post-season in league history.

25. Buffalo Sabres

Gilbert Perreault (21 PTS, 1979-80)

The first truly great Sabre, Perreault pairs a franchise-leading point total with unmatched single-playoff heroics.

26. Winnipeg Jets

Blake Wheeler (21 PTS, 2017-18)

Wheeler is one of seven forwards in NHL history to notch 20-plus points in one playoff with three or fewer goals.

27. Anaheim Ducks

Ryan Getzlaf (20 PTS, 2014-15)

Getzlaf held or tied for scoring lead in nine of 11 post-seasons with Ducks, including 17 points in 2007 Cup run.

28. Minnesota Wild

Marian Gaborik (17 PTS, 2002-03)

In his – and Minnesota’s – first post-season, Gaborik powered the Cinderella Wild to the Western Conference final.

29. Nashville Predators

Filip Forsberg (16 PTS, 2017-18)

Forsberg hit 16 points in consecutive playoffs. In 2017, he did so in 22 games. In 2018, he reached the total in 13 games.

30. Seattle Kraken

Yanni Gourde (13 PTS, 2022-23)

Of Gourde’s 13 points, none was bigger than the OT-winner that gave Seattle a Game 1 victory in the second round.

31. Columbus Blue Jackets

Artemi Panarin (11 PTS, 2018-19)

Panarin helped power the biggest playoff upset ever, as the Jackets swept the Lightning in the opening round.

32. Utah Mammoth

N/A

Utah left Jets/Coyotes history behind in the move. Apologies to Dale Hawerchuk and his 13-point 1987 playoff.

---

This article appeared in our 2025 Champions issue. Our cover story focuses on the 2025 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, specifically the elite play of defenseman Seth Jones, along with a recap of each game of the Cup final. We also include features on Sharks center Will Smith and Kraken defenseman Ryker Evans. In addition, we give our list of the top 10 moments from the 2024-25 NHL season.

You can get it in print for free when you subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/Free today. All subscriptions include complete access to more than 76 years of articles at The Hockey News Archive.

Over the weekend, the Chicago Blackhawks extended Arvid Soderblom. He avoided arbitration by signing a two-year deal with a cap hit of $2.7 million. This is a deal that Soderblom earned through his play in the 2024-25 season. 

There were times that he was a backup, there was a time where he was getting the net with the frequency of a starter, and he split time for a stretch.

Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on X🔔 Saturday morning Sodie signing! 📰 ➡︎ https://t.co/6FGg7SFL5y

His first half of the season was better than his second, but he still finished with a 3.18 goals against average and .898 save percentage. 

Those numbers still need work, but they are respectable based on the context of the team that’s been in front of him. Soderblom’s improvement has been steady. 

Despite his successes in 2024-25, plus his new contract extension, Soderblom will have to earn his spot on the team again. Injuries played a role in his making it last year, and he succeeded. Now, it’s time to do it again. 

Spencer Knight is surely going to be the starter in 2025-26. Chicago landed him as their big return in the Seth Jones trade with the Florida Panthers. If he’s the goalie that everybody thinks he can be based on his talent and pedigree, he’ll be a long-term mainstay. 

The role of backup goalie to Spencer Knight remains the question. Soderblom has the inside track based on 2024-25, but Drew Commesso’s name is in the mix now. 

Commesso has some pedigree as well, being a former second-round pick (46th overall). Last season with the Rockford IceHogs was sensational. Commesso had a 2.54 goals against and a .911 save percentage over 39 games. 

The second half of the AHL season saw Commesso get hot. Rockford won their first-round series over the Chicago Wolves in the process, but lost a tough five-game series to the Milwaukee Admirals in five. 

In the middle of the season, Commesso did make his NHL debut, but the Blackhawks didn’t need him for more than a couple of games. Now, he could make it a competition with Soderblom for the role of the backup. Both goalies will come to camp looking to make the team. 

This is Soderblom’s role to lose, but everything must be earned at this point. The team is still rebuilding, but the number of available jobs is dwindling. 

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

You don’t undergo a rebuild without being all in on youth, and this upcoming season, the Montreal Canadiens will be the youngest team in the league, according to eliteprospects.com, with an average age of 25.35 years, just ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks and the Buffalo Sabres, who both average 25.73 years.

The Canadiens aren’t the least experienced team; however, they have 6,625 games of experience, while the Sabres have 6,040, and the Blackhawks complete the top three with 6,945 games on the counter.

Canadiens: Dobson Settling Into His New Life
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Despite their youth, the Canadiens are expected to take another step forward this season, to continue their organic growth, as Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes would put it. We’ve seen the Habs increasingly focusing on results last season, shifting their emphasis away from development.

It’s a tricky balance to find because, while their young core is gaining more and more experience and starting to crave results, younger or new players are being added, and they will need time to either develop or become familiar with the Canadiens’ system.

While the Canadiens lost three veterans this off-season with David Savard retiring and both Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia leaving as free agents, it won’t result in the line-up being flooded by rookies. Hughes ensured it wouldn’t be the case when he acquired Noah Dobson and Zachary Bolduc.

The blueliner is still only 25 years old, but he already has a wealth of experience with 388 games on the counter. As for Bolduc, he played his rookie season last year and will be expected to take a step up this season. At 22 years old, he’s already just short of 100 games of experience with 97.

Their addition will leave two lineup spots available for rookies, unless Samuel Blais beats the odds and manages to crack the roster. The 29-year-old spent the entirety of the last season in the AHL and is generally pencilled in as the 13th forward, taking over for Michael Pezzetta, who signed a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1st.

One of the rookie spots will undoubtedly be filled by Ivan Demidov. Although he’s only 19 years old with only two regular-season games of experience, he played professionally in the KHL last season. It’s not like he was just drafted, and he’s the kind of player who is made to play under Martin St-Louis. The bench boss does ask his players to make a lot of reads on the ice rather than sticking to a particular system at all times, and Demidov’s high hockey IQ and vision mean he should be able to thrive in that environment and hit the ground running, so to speak.

As for the second rookie spot, chances are it will be filled by Oliver Kapanen, who is still considered a rookie in NHL terms, having only played 18 games in the big league so far (once you hit 25, you’re no longer a rookie at the beginning of the next season). Still, he also gained further professional experience in Sweden last season, playing 36 games with Timra IK in the top Swedish league. Under coach Olli Jokinen, the youngster saw plenty of ice time and was utilized in all facets of the game, playing on the man advantage and the penalty kill.

Last season, when he showed up for rookie camp, he looked head and shoulders above everyone else, but the fact that he had already taken part in Timra’s training camp and preseason games had given him a head start. Once the main camp started, and he had to face NHLers, it got harder for him. He still made the team out of camp but was loaned to Timra in early November. He returned for the last six games of the season and was also dressed for three playoff games, scoring only one point in those nine games.

There are a couple of other candidates for the second rookie role, however. The names of Owen Beck and Florian Xhekaj come to mind. Both are 21, but Beck has the inside lane experience-wise, having played 12 NHL games last season, but he was limited to a single assist. Furthermore, he’s also a center and can give a hand at the faceoff dot if needed, something the younger Xhekaj cannot do.

Xhekaj has the edge when it comes to physicality; however, he still has a scoring touch, as evidenced by his 24 goals in 69 games with the Laval Rocket last season. Considering how the Canadiens were man-handled by the Washington Capitals in the playoffs last year, they certainly could use his grit, but chances are, he’s not quite ready for the NHL yet.

The Canadiens may be the youngest team in the NHL, but they are still ahead in the rebuild compared to other teams undergoing the same process…

Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

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The NHL trade rumors may have slowed down for now in this part of the offseason, but the Philadelphia Flyers are still linked to a number of top available talents.

This offseason has mostly been a slow burn for the Flyers, as they traded for Trevor Zegras, signed goalie Dan Vladar and center Christian Dvorak, and extended Cam York within one week of either side of the start of free agency.

But, if GM Danny Briere and the Flyers ever want to pick things back up before the start of the season, it's not like they'll be short on options.

The Fourth Period, led by NHL insider David Pagnotta, recently released its updated summer trade watch list, and the Flyers are, apparently, still in the mix for a handful of young stars, including a pair of centers.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram, who has been connected to the Flyers at many points over the last few seasons, ranked No. 1 on TFP's list, with the Flyers among the 10 linked teams.

Flyers Trade Target Re-Signs with SabresLong-standing Philadelphia Flyers trade target Bowen Byram isn't leaving the Buffalo Sabres just yet.

Another player whose trade hype has died out in Philadelphia is Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi, whose reported lofty contract demands have left him unsigned nearly a month after the start of free agency.

The 23-year-old may or may not stay in Minnesota, but it's clear the contract situation is slowing things down on the trade market, too.

Dropping 10 spots from Rossi's No. 4 ranking to No. 14, we stumble across Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish, a 22-year-old RFA.

McTavish, like Rossi, is in need of a new contract, and his size and experience would make him a surefire top-six center on a team like the Flyers.

I have my own reservations about the former No. 3 overall pick's playstyle and ceiling, but it's undeniable he would upgrade the Flyers' center depth for many years.

Philadelphia Flyers Should Avoid This Potential Ducks Trade TargetThe Philadelphia Flyers are still well positioned to execute a blockbuster trade for a top center this summer, but one popular potential trade target on the Anaheim Ducks isn't worth all the hype.

The Flyers, Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, and Calgary Flames are among the teams connected to McTavish, according to TFP.

As far as reported links go, that's the end of the list, but there are a few more names worth considering from Philadelphia's perspective.

Players like Pavel Zacha and Yegor Chinakhov aren't too old yet and could benefit from a change of scenery, especially on a Flyers team looking to improve and begin its ascent.

The big thing for the Flyers, as with every player on this list, is how they're going to come up with the cap space.

With Ryan Ellis and Ivan Fedotov still included on the active roster, the Flyers have just $370k in cap space.

But that's what trades are for, right?

The Pittsburgh Penguins have been the subject of a plethora of trade speculation this summer, as big-name veterans like Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell, and Bryan Rust have been in the rumor mill for quite some time.

While those players are - rightfully - commanding a lot of the attention on the market, there may be a few smaller moves in store for the Penguins, too.

As it stands, Pittsburgh currently has 13 forwards on its active roster, and that doesn't include any up-and-comers like Ville Koivunen, Rutger McGroarty, or SHL Forward of the Year Filip Hallander. The reality is that, in order for those guys to crack the roster, the Penguins are likely going to have to free up some roster space prior to puck drop against the New York Rangers on Oct. 7. 

While it's very possible that either Rust or Rakell will be on the move, there may be some other forwards to keep an eye on as well.

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Noel Acciari

To be clear, the Penguins like Noel Acciari and what he brings to the table. He may have negative value offensively, but he does a lot of the "thankless jobs," as former head coach Mike Sullivan would often say: He blocks a lot of shots (finished third in the NHL among forwards with 100), hits a lot of guys (led the Penguins in hits with 180), and plays a lot of the tough minutes on the penalty kill and in defensive zone starts.

Honestly, Acciari, 33, would be a pretty good get for a contending team in need of not only a depth forward, but a player who is capable of manning some of those tough minutes on the fourth line. He wouldn’t even necessarily need to be an everyday player in the lineup, although he does have value, contrary to what some Penguins’ fans might think.

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.

He’s only on the books for one more season at $2 million, which isn’t much, especially when considering the rising cap and the fact that a lot of fourth-liners will be making that kind of money. Also, Acciari would be an easy piece to throw in the mix as part of a bigger trade involving guys like Rust, Rakell, or Karlsson, depending on the destination and the cap situation.

Moving Acciari shouldn’t be otherworldly difficult. The Penguins wouldn’t get a lot in return, but it does help free up a roster spot for one of their younger players, which is more important right now.

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Kevin Hayes

Kevin Hayes may still be owed $3.57 million next season by the Penguins in the final season if his contract - the Philadelphia Flyers originally retained half of Hayes’ full $7.14 million salary in a trade with the St. Louis Blues during the summer of 2023 - which is a bit hefty of a cap hit for a 33-year-old who is on the downswing of his career.

But, it’s not like Hayes’s numbers were poor last season. Despite being a healthy scratch for a chunk of the year mid-season, he ended up registering 13 goals and 23 points in 64 games. While it’s a far cry from the peak of his career with the Rangers and the Flyers, his game is still serviceable in a bottom-six role.

Even though his footspeed isn’t blazing by any means, Hayes thinks the game on a high level, and his playmaking smarts were on display at different times throughout 2024-25. He’s also a valuable presence in the locker room, and he would be a solid veteran mentor on an up-and-coming team. 

Penguins Have Intriguing Target To Consider From BlackhawksThe Pittsburgh Penguins are currently in the middle of retooling their roster. Due to this, a number of their veteran players have been discussed in the rumor mill this off-season, including Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson. 

Still, it would probably take an asset moving out with Hayes in order for him to land elsewhere next season, unless - as suggested with Acciari - he is part of a larger move (which is less likely because of his salary). Or, the Penguins could retain some salary to send Hayes elsewhere, which shouldn’t really hurt them for only this season. 

All in all, moving out Hayes shouldn’t be all that difficult, and the Penguins should do it for the same reasons they would do it for Acciari - to give their young players a more legitimate shot at regular NHL ice.

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Danton Heinen

Heinen, 30, was with the Penguins from 2021-23 and was dealt back to Pittsburgh as part of the Marcus Pettersson trade to the Vancouver Canucks last season. In his second stint, he put up just three goals and 11 points in 28 games with Pittsburgh and nine goals and 29 points total on the season. 

In keeping true to the pattern of this exercise, it’s not that Heinen is useless in the Penguins’ lineup. The fact of the matter is that his presence could potentially block a younger player from seeing the lineup on a regular basis. He is also a forward who would be easy to put on the waiver wire following training camp, but if any kind of return is out there for him, it may be worth exploring a trade now to get even minimal value.

Heinen still has some lineup versatility, and he put up 17 goals and 36 points with the Boston Bruins just two seasons ago. He may be maddeningly inconsistent and disappear for large stretches, but he may be a worthwhile gamble as a depth piece for a team trying to throw darts at the board and hoping something lands.

Should Two Top Forward Prospects Make Penguins' Opening Night Roster?Even if the Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t making a huge push to be Stanley Cup contenders in 2025-26, they have had a relatively active summer up to this point. 

His $2.25 million salary for one year isn’t huge by any means, but it’s just big enough that it could present some issues for teams close to the cap. The Penguins likely wouldn’t want to waste a retention slot on Heinen given the fact that guys like Karlsson, Tristan Jarry, and Hayes might be on the block at some point throughout the season as well. 

This is one of those, “If it’s there, why not?” scenarios. Again, the value is in freeing up a roster spot, not necessarily in the return.

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Feature Image Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Former Florida Panthers forward Peter Mueller has retired from professional hockey at the age of 37. 

Mueller played just one season with the Panthers, scoring eight goals and 17 points in 43 games during the 2012-13 season. 

Mueller was selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2006 NHL Draft by the Phoenix Coyotes. He was a standout rookie, notching 22 goals and 54 points, finishing fifth in Calder voting during the 2007-08 season. 

Following his rookie season, injuries began to plague Mueller’s career. The 6-foot-2 forward was blessed with blazing speed that coincided with his slick hands and heavy shot, but his injuries began to hamper him. He went on to play just 297 games throughout six NHL seasons with the Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche and the Panthers, recording 63 goals and 160 points. 

His season with the Panthers was his final season in the NHL, departing for the Kloten Flyers in Switzerland. He played in Switzerland for a pair of seasons before joining Malmö in the SHL in Sweden. He returned to North America to play with the Boston Bruins’ AHL team, the Providence Bruins, but continued to look a step too slow. 

He once again packed his bags for Europe, joining EC Salzburg in Austria. Mueller found a home in Czechia, joining HC Kometa Brno for four seasons of point-per-game production. He played with HC Vitkovice for two seasons prior to joining Grizzlys Wolfsburg in Germany. After playing one season in Germany, he returned to Brno for what was his final season of his hockey career. 

In May, Mueller signed a contract extension with Kometa but has apparently had second thoughts about that decision this summer due to ongoing back issues.

“This is an unexpected decision for us,” said Kometa GM Libor Zábranský. “I have been in contact with Peter for the last 14 days, and I respect his decision. Of course, we will miss him and it will be difficult to replace him at this time, but that’s just the way it is. We all wish his entire family only the best for the next stage of their lives.”

Mueller won a championship in Czechia and took home the regular season MVP as well. The skilled forward may not go down as an NHL great he had hoped to be, but he carved out an impressive career.

Former NHL First-Rounder Retires In EuropeAmerican forward Peter Mueller, 37, has announced his retirement from hockey through the website of his last club, Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga.

EL SEGUNDO, CA — The Los Angeles Kings have always seemed to have stability in net. That stability goes back to the dawn of the Jonathan Quick era. That era, and the strength of their crease, gave the team the confidence to trade backups like Martin Jones, Jonathan Bernier, and Ben Scrivens to 'win-now. ' It's been over a decade since the team was in a genuine 'win-now' mode and as they claw at that same approach, their crease has taken new shapes. Quick was traded during the 2022-23 season, and the Kings have now seen three starters in their crease since then. 

Even with the goaltending volatility, the Kings' system has fostered some unexpectedly grand results. Two of the three goalies have experienced excellent, bounce-back type tenures in Los Angeles, in the form of Cam Talbot and Darcy Kuemper. But in all due respect to Talbot and his one-year renaissance in LA, which was primarily backed by the league's best penalty killing performances by a goaltender that season, Kuemper delivered one of the most impressive seasons from a Kings' goaltender since Quick's Jennings Trophy-winning season in 2017-18.

DARCY KUEMPER 😲 pic.twitter.com/EagSgkUm8A

— LA Kings (@LAKings) April 8, 2025

At 34 years old, Kuemper, the former and current King, posted a .922 save percentage (second-best in the NHL among goaltenders with 40+ games played), alongside a 2.02 goals-against average, also the second-best. His 31–11–7 record and five shutouts became fuel for the Kings to threaten first in the Pacific Division most of the season, while his performance down the stretch: 1.31 GAA and .943 SV% over the final 14 games, was nothing short of elite. A well-deserved Vezina Trophy finalist, Kuemper didn't just bounce back from prior inconsistency during his time with the Capitals; he elevated himself into the top tier of NHL netminders.

For the Kings, his success wasn't just a pleasant surprise; it became a reliable defensive product to lean on. There is a difference between leaning on your goaltender to help close out a 3-1 game and entirely relying on your netminder to keep you competitive throughout. The Kings of last season were consistently in the former, with a few games here and there where he had to stand on his head. That's playing in Los Angeles for you, as the Kings don't necessarily rely on elite-level goaltending. However, heading into the 2025–26 season, the reliance on Kuemper should now be viewed as a lifeline. 

The situation should be viewed as tenuous, as the help Kuemper has behind him isn't exactly a frightening 'call to arms.' The franchise's goaltending prospects offer hope, but their ability to step in now is far from being ready to take over a backup role. The depth behind Kuemper remains uncertain, while the team's competitive window remains unclear, with three of their top positional players (Kuemper, Drew Doughty, and Anze Kopitar) all over the age of 34. There are, however, three other centers to back up Kopitar, and a platoon of defenseman to back up Doughty. That can't be said for Kuemper, and if he can't replicate last season's performance, or stay healthy, there may be no safety net beneath him. The team could be exposed in a rather unflattering way.

The Goaltending Depth Problem

As of now, the Kings' goaltending room features Kuemper, veteran backups Anton Forsberg and Pheonix Copley, as well as somewhat unseasoned Erik Portillo, a promising AHL talent who remains largely untested at the NHL level. Copley, 32, has carved out a solid career as a depth option but holds a lifetime save percentage under .900. Anton Forsberg, another journeyman option acquired for depth, has shown flashes of reliability but lacks the body of work to inspire confidence as a primary backup.

This places enormous pressure on Kuemper to carry the load in a way that he didn't experience with mostly the same group from last year. The issue is that his defensive corps in front of him has just become a lot slower and older. Given his age and the players managing the defensive end in front of him, managing his workload will be critical even if the alternatives present a clear risk. If Kuemper plays 55+ games and regresses even modestly from his .922 SV%, the team could lose crucial ground in the Pacific and Western Conference standings. And if he misses significant time due to injury, the goaltending tandem of Copley and Forsberg could quickly prove inadequate.

Erik Portillo: Talented, But Not Quite Ready

There is hope in the system. Erik Portillo, 24, had a breakout AHL season with Ontario, finishing with a 24–11–3 record, a 2.50 GAA, and a .918 SV% in 39 starts. He set a new rookie wins record for the Reign and earned strong internal praise. However, he has played just one NHL game and remains a work in progress at the highest level. Portillo could see a few starts this season, but expecting him to carry the torch, or even serve as a full-time NHL backup, should be seen as premature. He'll need another year of development before he can be relied on consistently. For now, he's a promising Plan C, locked into a long-term plan to grow an in-house 1A option.

LA Goalie Haven — But The Clock Is Ticking

As discussed, historically, the Kings have provided a haven for goaltenders. Whether it was Quick's decade-long dominance, Talbot's brief surge, or Kuemper's current resurgence, the Kings' defensive structure and coaching have allowed goalies to thrive. But success in net has masked structural issues elsewhere, especially in goaltending depth. For all their defensive identity, the Kings have failed to develop a long-term heir in goal. Portillo could be that answer, but until he proves it at the NHL level, he remains a bet on the future rather than a solution for the present. There's also Carter George and Hampton Slukynsky, but both are extremely young players trying to fill a role that has traditionally been voodoo to gauge readiness, threshold, and ceiling.

In the post-Jonathan Quick era, the Kings have made Cam Talbot an All-Star, Darcy Kuemper a Vezina candidate, and have 3 certified studs waiting in the wings #GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/1O1CvYbjry

— Toxic Kings Fan (@fialafallo) April 13, 2025

What If Kuemper Can't Repeat?

Let's assume the worst-case scenario: Kuemper regresses to a .910 SV% or misses 15–20 games due to injury. Based on historical goaltending replacement value, that alone could result in a swing of 6–8 points in the standings, which would be enough to shift the Kings from a playoff lock to a bubble team. The Pacific Division offers little margin for error, especially with teams like Seattle and Vancouver likely to be much more competitive than they were in the previous season. The same could be said of San Jose and Anaheim, too, despite projections of them again being at the bottom.

If the Kings are forced to lean on Forsberg or even Copley for extended stretches, the results may be average at best and disastrous at worst. The organization would then face a dilemma: gamble on Portillo's NHL readiness or trade away assets for an emergency rental. Neither is ideal in a season that demands stability.

Kuemper's 2024–25 season was a revelation. But the Kings' dependence on him now borders on necessity. The Kings have dealt with having lukewarm backups before, but they have never looked so exposed on the backend in front of their netminder. That, combined with prospects still maturing in the AHL, means the stakes have never been higher for Kuemper to remain healthy and effective.

LA has built a system that allows goaltenders to succeed, but that reputation won't protect them forever. Unless Kuemper repeats his performance from last season, the Kings risk wasting Kopitar's potential final year while taking a massive step back from their 2nd place, 105 point finish with their aging core.

The Buffalo Sabres have missed out on Stanley Cup playoff hockey for the past 14 seasons. They intend on being a playoff team next year, but to do so, they'll need to be relatively dominant with every team they encounter. And while we at THN.com have just finished our series against the Sabres' seven Atlantic Division rivals, it's also a good time of year to focus on the Metropolitan Division teams Buffalo will take on.

We're starting this new leg of the series in alphabetical order, with the Carolina Hurricanes as the main topic of discussion. Let's get right to it.

BUFFALO SABRES VS. CAROLINA HURRICANES

NEW HURRICANES PLAYERS: Nikolaj Ehlers, LW; K'Andre Miller, D; Mike Reilly, D

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

2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER:  November 8 at Carolina; November 23 at Buffalo; January 19 at Carolina 

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM?  The Sabres bookended their season series against the Hurricanes with wins in Buffalo, but that didn't get them into the Stanley Cup playoffs. But the 'Canes have retooled this year, with much of their defense corps leaving -- including stars Brent Burns and Dmitry Orlov -- and one major addition up front in winger Ehlers. As well, Carolina GM Eric Tulsky acquired former New York Rangers D-man Miller, and depth defenseman Reilly came into the organization as a free agent.

All things considered, the Hurricanes are surely going to be one of the teams picked to finish at or near the top of the Metropolitan Division, and many will also make them the sexy pick to win a Cup next season. But for this writer, the Hurricanes don't feel like a completed unit just yet -- and with $10.6 million in salary cap space still available for the 'Canes, Tulsky can afford to be patient and use it to address needs that become apparent once the regular-season begins.

Still, the Sabres should feel good about taking on the Hurricanes next season. Buffalo fared well enough against this 'Canes group this past year, and the changes the Sabres have made in theory make them slightly better. So in the three games Carolina and Buffalo play against one another -- even if two of them will be road games for the Sabres -- Buffalo should be competitive enough to be at least as successful against the Hurricanes as they were last season.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Edition: Will Marner-Less Maple Leafs Continue Dominating Buffalo?The Buffalo Sabres will have many important games to play next season, but their most important games could prove to be against their rivals in the Atlantic Division.

The Sabres also still have some cap space to use to improve during the year -- $5.19-million, approximately -- but unless they have injuries to deal with on defense, the area Sabres GM Kevyn Adams is likely to spend his cap space on will be at forward. And whether Adams spends it on pure rental players, or on younger players who can be part of the long-term solution in Buffalo, there's little question there will be pressure on Sabres brass to spend right to the upper ceiling of the cap.

Regardless of who eventually gets added to Buffalo's lineup, to keep up with the Hurricanes, the Sabres will need to add speed and skill at some point and regularly crash Carolina's net to adversely impact veteran goaltenders Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov. And they'll need a tight defensive attack to turn back 'Canes star forwards Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Ehlers and Seth Jarvis.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Edition: Can Buffalo Jump Past Tampa Bay Into Third Place In Atlantic Division?The Buffalo Sabres are facing massive pressure to at least qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in 15 years. But there's intense competition for each and every standings point teams can generate,  and the Sabres' don't benefit by playing in the Atlantic Division -- the most competitive division, in our estimation, in the league. And Buffalo is going to have to get a leg up on more than a few Atlantic rival teams, Tampa Bay included if they really intend to claim a Cup anytime soon.

At the end of the day, the Hurricanes are going to present a high competitive bar for the Sabres to try to clear. Carolina still needs a good deal of playoff success if they're going to reward Tulsky for investing in them, but if things go right for both Buffalo and the Hurricanes, they're eventually going to clash in the post-season once each of the two teams makes it our of their respective divisional showdowns.

And if it does get to that point this year and all of Buffalo's ducks line up just right, the Sabres should have a decent chance at surprising the 'Canes and embarking on a true Cinderella-level playoff run.