Swedish Hockey League club Brynäs IF has called a press conference for Monday, at which time it is expected to announce the signing of veteran center Nicklas Backström, HockeyNews.se has reported.

For 37-year-old Backström, it would be a return to the club he played with from age 13 to 19. Backström has 73 points in 121 career SHL games, all for Brynäs. He last played for the Gävle-based club in 2007, the year after the Washington Capitals made him the fourth overall pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Backström, 37, has not played any competitive hockey since October 2023, when he played the first eight games of the season for the Capitals. At that point, he decided to pause his career, as his hip had not responded well to surgery in 2022, although he did not announce his retirement.

Backström recorded 271 goals and 762 assists for 1033 points along with 504 penalty minutes in 1105 NHL regular-season games between 2007 and 2023. He also recorded 114 points in 139 playoff games and was a major part of Washington’s 2018 Stanley Cup championship team, recording 23 points in 20 playoff games that spring.

Throughout his NHL career, he usually played on a forward line as winger Alexander Ovechkin, the league’s all-time leading goal-scorer.

It's official: Jakob Silfverberg returns to BrynäsIt was highly expected last week when Jakob Silfverberg of the Anaheim Ducks announced he was leaving the NHL and now it’s official. The Brynäs IF website has announced that the 33-year-old is coming home to the city of Gävle and the club he grew up playing for.

Despite just being promoted from the tier-two HockeyAllsvenskan last season, Brynäs finished first in the SHL regular-season standings and went all the way to the league finals, losing to Lulea in six games.

Brynäs has been busy this off-season building a team that should be again considered a front-runner for the title.

Just days ago, the Anaheim Ducks lent the team a pair of prospects – goaltender Damian Clara and forward Lucas Pettersson. The team has also signed free agent goaltender Collin Delia and former NHL first-round pick Kieffer Bellows this off-season.

Other players under contract for the coming season include Jakob Silfverberg, Johan Larsson, Robert Hägg, Oskar Lindblom, Michal Kempný and Christian Djoos.

Photo © Brad Mills-Imagn Images.

Ducks’ Italian Goalie Prospect Loaned Back To Swedish ClubItalian goaltender Damian Clara, has been loaned by the Anaheim Ducks to Brynäs IF, the Gävle-based SHL club announced on Saturday.

Earlier this week, the Chicago Blackhawks re-signed goaltender Arvid Soderblom to a two-year, $5.5 million contract. The Blackhawks and Soderblom were scheduled for arbitration, but they have now avoided that by getting this new contract done. 

With this new contract, Soderblom will now carry a $2.75 million cap hit starting next season, which is a nice raise for the 6-foot-3 goaltender. This comes after he recorded a 10-18-7 record, a .898 save percentage, and a 3.18 goals-against average in 36 games this past season. Overall, he took a step in the right direction in 2024-25, as he had the best save percentage and goals-against average of his four-year career thus far.

With Soderblom taking a bit of a step forward this past season, it is certainly fair to wonder if he could break out further and hit a new level with the Blackhawks in 2025-26. When noting that he is only 25 years old, the possibility of him doing so should not be ruled out. This is especially so when noting that he is still only 86 games into his NHL career. 

If Soderblom takes another step forward in 2025-26, it would certainly be good news for a Blackhawks team that needs all the help it can get between the pipes. Yet, time will tell if he can do just that after getting his sweet new deal. 

Blackhawks Top Prospect Is Big Breakout CandidateWith the second overall pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks selected defenseman Artyom Levshunov. This was after the 6-foot-2 defenseman put together a strong freshman season at Michigan State University, posting nine goals, 26 assists, 35 points, and a plus-27 rating in 38 games.

Photo Credit: © Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Red Wings fans anxiously await the arrival of high-end prospect Axel Sandin-Pellikka on the main roster

The Red Wings are looking to make significant upgrades across their lineup with one more addition needed for the top six and more help on the blueline. They could look to add throughout the early preseason and regular season or they could look to give some rising prospects a chance for a spot on the main roster. 

One player on the mind of all Red Wings fans is 2023 first round pick, Axel Sandin-Pellikka. The Swedish defenceman is coming off another strong season with Skellefteå AIK in the SHL, tallying 29 points in 46 games, along with eight more points in 11 playoff appearances.

He carried that momentum into international competition, excelling at the U20 World Junior Championships with four goals and six assists in ten games, and adding 13 points in 12 additional international contests.

Now, he appears ready to push for a full-time NHL role and is likely to get a long look at the top level. He also gained some North American experience with the Grand Rapids Griffins, picking up a point over five games split between the regular season and playoffs.

Axel Sandin-Pellikka nets hat trick at World Juniorsundefined

He'll be involved in a very tight position battle for a right defence spot as the Red Wings have the top spot locked up with Moritz Seider followed by Albert Johansson and newcomer Jacob Benard-Docker in the second and third pairings. Defencemen Justin Holl and Ian Mitchell are also on the verge of making a spot but will likely operate as healthy scratch options in case of injuries. 

Sandin-Pellikka will be going against these defencemen that have already played and made an impact at the NHL level, which may make things challenging to break through. It'll likely take a chance from management for him to break through as many of the defenceman ahead of him have lengthy experience but are far from game-breaking players.

Red Wings' Chris Chelios Inducted into Michigan Sports Hall of FameFormer Red Wings defenceman Chris Chelios to be Inducted into Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.

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If they can put a 20-year-old in Sandin-Pellikka in a position to succeed with meaningful minutes, he could learn how to play at the next level and hopefully transition his game.

He could also take a slower approach like his fellow countryman did in Detroit with Simon Edvinsson. At 20 years old, he came to North America and played 106 AHL games across two seasons to adjust to the style of play, while also working into NHL games along the way.

Edvinsson would finally get a full look last season, where he played in 78 games with the Red Wings and recorded 31 points and a +12 rating. He is now fully developed and is poised to take a run at making the Red Wings top pairing with Moritz Seider. 

This sort of outcome would mean still a few more years away for Sandin-Pellikka, which nobody wants to hear, but it could be the best move for him as throwing him into a hostile environment could work out a couple different ways.

If it turns out like it did for Seider that would be a huge success as he won the Calder in the 2022  season with no prior North American playing experience. It could also work extremely poorly like it did for Vancouver's Olli Juolevi, who was a top five pick back in 2016 but was rushed to the NHL at 20 years old and never recovered, falling behind with his development.

Ultimately, it will come down to the Red Wings coaching staff to determine whether Sandin-Pellikka is ready and to give him the best opportunity to succeed. While fans would love to see an explosive NHL debut similar to Moritz Seider’s, the more realistic answer might be additional years of development. 

For now, Sandin-Pellikka’s strongest path to the main roster will be through a standout training camp and making the most of every opportunity. His situation adds an intriguing layer to the preseason, as many fans will be watching closely, hoping he can carve out a role that mirrors Seider’s rapid rise.

Detroit Red Wings 2025-26 Promotional ScheduleThe Red Wings announced their promotional schedule for the 2025-26 season

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You might not have noticed, which is odd considering the subject in question is a 6-foot-5, 220-pound defenseman, but Tyler Kleven was all over the place during the Ottawa Senators’ too-short-but-still-inspiring 2025 playoff run. His shot-pass from the point was tipped to tie the score in Game 2, his poised breakout led to another tying goal in Game 3, and his sense to jump up into the play and gain the zone led to the Senators’ overtime goal in Game 4.

And it should have come as no surprise to anyone who watched Kleven closely during his first full NHL season. The 23-year-old from Fargo, N.D., improved and had more of an impact as the season went on, and it’s a trajectory both he and the Senators count on continuing after Kleven signed a two-year deal in June that carries a cap hit of $1.6 million.

Considering the fact Kleven played only 53 games in the minors – all of which came in 2023-24 – he hasn’t exactly been a slow burn. The Senators have brought him along at a good pace, both at the AHL and NHL levels. But with almost 100 big-league contests and one playoff round now to his credit, Kleven feels at home as a third-pair defenseman with the potential to move up to the second pair down the road. “I felt like I definitely took some steps this season,” Kleven said. “In the playoffs, I got to play in different scenarios a little more than I did at the start of the year.”

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There is a sense Kleven hasn’t even come close to reaching his potential as an NHL blueliner yet. As is the case with all young players, he spent most of the season gaining the trust of the coaching staff and making low-risk plays that would not lead to mistakes. But he gained confidence as the season progressed, and that was evident in Game 3 of the first round against the Toronto Maple Leafs. With the Senators trailing 2-1, without a single third-period shot and from a defensive-zone faceoff, Kleven gathered up the puck and tried to move it up ice, but the pass was deflected by Max Domi. Kleven then calmly gathered the puck back up and skated a few strides before making a pass that helped set up Brady Tkachuk’s tying goal.

"With the caliber of player you're playing against, it's hard to go out and have an ESPN highlight-reel hit every night."

- Tyler Kleven

Both the Senators and Kleven are confident he has more in his arsenal. He had almost no ice time on special teams in the regular season or the playoffs, and there’s certainly an element to his game that lends itself to him being an effective penalty-killer. Even though he registered a respectable 105 hits this season, his college game suggests he’s a much more physically robust player. And while he can shoot it a ton, getting the puck on net has been an issue. He registered 78 shots on goal, but he also took another 75 that were blocked. “With the caliber of player you’re playing against, it’s hard to go out and have an ESPN highlight-reel hit every night,” Kleven said. “It just doesn’t happen like that. You wait for your moment, and once that moment comes, you take advantage of it. I thought there were times during the season that I showed I was a physical player, and in the playoffs, I was way more physical.”

Kleven spent much of the first half of the season playing alongside veteran Travis Hamonic on the third pair, then teamed with Nikolas Matinpalo once the latter was called up just after Christmas. Coincidentally, that was when Kleven’s game started to take off. That familiarity helped Kleven, who played much of last season with Matinpalo on the Senators’ AHL affiliate in Belleville.

With Nick Jensen expected to be out for some of next season after undergoing off-season hip surgery, there might be a chance for Kleven to move up in the lineup, depending on what the Senators do in terms of trades or signings over the summer.

One thing working in Kleven’s favor is that, even though he shoots left, he’s comfortable playing the right side as well. In fact, with the Senators’ system, he often ends up there as the play develops. And because he has such a long reach and stick, he’s adept at breaking up plays in the defensive zone. “On the right side, if they ever need someone to help out there, I got more looks toward the end of the season,” Kleven said. “My last 20 games, I got more looks there. In the offensive zone, I get to use my one-timer more, and I didn’t get to use that a ton. It takes a little time to learn, but I certainly don’t mind playing the right side.”

---

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.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have plenty of promising youngsters in their system as they focus on the future. One of them is defenseman Owen Pickering, as many believe that the 2022 first-round pick will emerge as a key part of the Penguins' blueline for many years to come. 

Pickering played in his first 25 games this past season with Pittsburgh, where he recorded one goal, three points, 13 hits, and 19 blocks. He also played in his 47 AHL games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, recording two goals, 11 assists, 13 points, and a plus-18 rating. Overall, it was a solid first professional season for Pickering, and he will now look to build off it in 2025-26 from here. 

When noting that Pickering has a ton of potential, it would not be surprising in the slightest if we see the 6-foot-5 blueliner take a notable step forward in his development next season. He now has a year of experience on his resume, so he could hit a new level now that he is more adjusted. Furthermore, the potential for him to have a good role on Pittsburgh's roster is there, as the depth on the left side of their blueline is not the strongest. 

With all of this, there is no question that Pickering is a breakout candidate to watch for the Penguins next season. If he takes a nice step in the right direction in 2025-26, it would be great news for a Penguins club that needs all the help it can get right now. 

Ex-Penguins Star Found Perfect Fit With New TeamDuring this past off-season, former Pittsburgh Penguins star forward Jake Guentzel signed a seven-year, $63 million contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. This was after Guentzel posted 30 goals and 77 points in 67 games split between the Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes during the 2023-24 campaign.

Photo Credit:  © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving is in peak-summer form.

The 55-year-old had a busy start to summer, signing a plethora of new players and dealing Mitch Marner in a sign-and-trade to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Nicolas Roy. He also made trades to acquire Matias Maccelli and Dakota Joshua, each of whom will fit into Toronto's depth quite nicely.

As we enter the unofficial middle of the summer, it appears the Maple Leafs' GM is getting in some much-needed time with his family. He made a cameo in his daughter, Reese's, TikTok on Friday evening.

Treliving, dressed casually with a pair of sunglasses in the TikTok, apologized, saying, "sorry we're late the girls we're throwing a fit," before his daughter and her friend stepped through the door wearing their outfits.

TikTok · Reese1175 likes, 63 comments. “#dinner 💗🥰✌️🥂@Paulina”

Even the Maple Leafs' social team commented on the TikTok: "Oh he does tik toks 👀," the team wrote.

Not only did the Maple Leafs trade for players like Roy, Maccelli, and Joshua this summer, but they also added several depth players, including Michael Pezzetta. Toronto got a majority of its work done before free agency, signing John Tavares, Matthew Knies, and Steven Lorentz to extensions.

They also traded Ryan Reaves to the San Jose Sharks for defenseman Henry Thrun.

Report: Nick Robertson's Arbitration Hearing Date With Maple Leafs RevealedThere's a date for restricted free agent Nick Robertson's arbitration hearing with the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

Tavares' contract came in at four years, $17.5 million, Knies' deal was a six-year, $46.5 million contract, and Lorentz's was a three-year, $4.05 million extension. Each of the deals got done after Toronto was eliminated from the playoffs in seven games by the back-to-back Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers.

Before the deals got done, the Maple Leafs selected six players in the 2025 NHL Draft, including Tinus Luc Koblar, Tyler Hopkins, William Belle, Harry Nansi, Rylan Fellinger, and Matthew Hlacar. Each of the six players participated in Toronto's development camp in early July.

Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton, Chris Tanev, Tavares, and Pezzetta are spending most of their summer in Toronto. The rest of the Maple Leafs' players will filter back into the city at some point in August before training camp begins.

'Always Working His Ass Off': Sharks' Ryan Reaves Praises Auston Matthews After First Year As Maple Leafs CaptainAuston Matthews might have had a down year with goalscoring, but there was growth in other facets of his game.

Toronto's first preseason game is against the Ottawa Senators on September 21 at 3:00 p.m. ET. The Maple Leafs will play six games before their regular season gets underway at home on October 8 against the Montreal Canadiens.

This article originally appeared on The Hockey News: Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving Cameos In Daughter’s TikTok While Juggling Offseason Duties

(Top photo of Treliving: @reese.treliving / TikTok

Last week, THN Florida began a series that will examine current members of the Florida Panthers who could someday have their number retired by the team.

The first player we discussed was probably the one most likely to have his jersey hanging in the rafters someday, and that was Panthers Captain Sasha Barkov.

This time, we’re going to take a look at the man who has been arguably Florida’s most important playoff performer.

The past six seasons in South Florida have been quite a roller coaster for Sergei Bobrovsky.

It was all the way back in 2019 when the veteran goaltender signed a massive 7-year, $70 million contract with the Florida Panthers.

He was viewed as a steadying force between the pipes that would backstop the team to the kind of success that the franchise had not seen, really, ever.

The kind of core piece that would eventually have his number hanging in the rafters.

Well, as it turns out, that’s exactly what has happened with Bobrovsky, but the path taken to arrive where we are now was more than a little rocky at the start.

Bob’s first few years with the Panthers were not his best, though the team in front of him was far from the defensive juggernaut that Florida can now be considered.

His incredible athleticism and propensity for flashy saves were not being utilized properly until Paul Maurice showed up in Sunrise.

When Maurice installed his physical, aggressive defensive systems, they came with a renewed vigor for the team to take away opportunities between the circles and clean up any second chance pucks before they can be whacked home on a rebound.

Florida’s ability to execute Maurice’s systems extremely well combined with Bobrovsky taking his game to another level during the Stanley Cup Playoffs have yielded some truly amazing results.

Now here we are, entering the final year of Bob’s deal, and he’s going to be remembered as one of the best players this franchise ever acquired.

Back-to-back Stanley Cup victories. A Vezina consideration. Conn Smythe votes. An All-Star appearance.

On the Panthers all-time goaltending rankings, Bobrovsky is second to only Roberto Luongo in games played, wins and saves.

Not only has Bobrovsky cemented himself as a future Hockey Hall of Famer, but it’s probably also safe to say that Bob will someday have his No. 72 hanging in the rafters in Sunrise.

Do you agree? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Photo caption: Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) 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)

Nikita Grebenkin is gearing up for his push to make the Philadelphia Flyers out of training camp this fall, and he's gotten some advice from Washington Capitals star and NHL legend Alexander Ovechkin on how to do it.

Grebenkin, 22, told MatchTV that he recently met Ovechkin in Turkey, had a normal conversation with the Russian sharpshooter, and learned some things that will help him in the NHL this year.

"Alexander Ovechkin gave me advice. But I won't tell you what it was. It will help me next season," Grebenkin told MatchTV slyly. 

"I'm not the kind of guy who always wants to talk to someone and say: 'Please, please take me.' I recently met Alexander in Turkey, of course, it's great to talk to such guys. Everything was simple. I didn't feel any barrier, everything was fine. Because I overcome all barriers."

Suffice to say, Grebenkin wasn't feeling the pressure of speaking to a legend of his nation and a legend of his profession.

It helps, too, that Flyers teammate Matvei Michkov also recently posted a photo with Ovechkin; check out the community post to see that one.

Don't Discount Nikita Grebenkin in Battle for Flyers Roster SpotWith an open battle brewing amongst wingers for an NHL roster spot with the Philadelphia Flyers, don't discount Nikita Grebenkin.

Grebenkin's comments bode well for his NHL future with the Flyers, honestly.

He already played seven games for former Flyers head coach Craig Berube and the Toronto Maple Leafs last season and was close to making his Flyers debut, only for the emergency conditions he was re-called from the AHL under to expire minutes prior to the game.

The 22-year-old has a rather clear path to NHL playing time with Tyson Foerster's status unclear for opening night and the aging Nick Deslauriers seemingly no longer an every-night NHL player.

Grebenkin's skillset is tailor-made for playing the role of a playmaking bottom-six grinder, and maybe even a complementary power forward at the highest end of his NHL projection.

Flyers' Nikita Grebenkin Lauds 'Professional' Aleksei KolosovMark Philadelphia Flyers prospect Nikita Grebenkin down as another player who's publicly shared his support for polarizing goalie Aleksei Kolosov.

Maybe Ovechkin was telling Grebenkin about some of the things Capitals tough guy Tom Wilson does well?

But, yeah, a solid summer of training and preparing should have Grebenkin knocking on the door for the Flyers, and learning a few tricks of the trade from a guy like The Great 8 never hurts, either.

Time will tell if Grebenkin walks the walk and cracks the Flyers, but he's certainly endeared himself to an anxious Philadelphia fanbase hoping some of its young players finally take a meaningful step forward.

The Utica Comets have announced a free hockey school for young players in Oneida County, set to take place from August 19 to August 22 at the Utica University Nexus Center.

The four-day event, officially known as the Rob Esche Free Hockey School, is open to players of all skill levels and offers a unique opportunity to learn from top-tier coaches and former professional hockey players. The camp is named after Robert Esche, former NHL goaltender and current president of the Utica Comets.

Esche, who played in the NHL from 1998 to 2012 with the Phoenix Coyotes and Philadelphia Flyers, now leads initiatives to grow the game in Oneida County. Utica, the county seat, is also home to the Utica Comets, the AHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils.

Announced on July 22, 2025, the free camp is already accepting registrations from Oneida County residents.

“Oneida County youth will not only receive elite coaching and mentorship—they’ll get role models who prove that big dreams can start right here in our own backyard,” said Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. “I’m proud to support opportunities like this that strengthen our community and invest in our future.”

The camp will be open to three divisions: Mites, Squirts, and Peewees. The coaching lineup features a wide range of talent, including NHL alumni, college coaches, and local hockey leaders:

Coaching Staff:

• Robert Esche – Former NHL goaltender (Flyers, Coyotes), Olympian, Utica Comets President
• Tom Sestito – NHL alum (Penguins, Canucks, Flyers)
• Mike Zalewski – NHL/AHL alum (Canucks, Utica Comets)
• Ryan Parent – Utica Comets Head Coach
• Gary Heenan – Head Coach, Utica University Men’s Hockey
• Andy Starczewski – Army Men’s Hockey alum
• Adam Pawlick – Clarkson alum, former SPHL MVP
• Keith Veronesi – Former Director of Scouting, Vegas Golden Knights; Stanley Cup Champion
• Johnny Jackson – Utica Jr. Comets Premier Coach, Nazareth College alum
• Louis Educate – Utica Jr. Comets NCDC Coach, Utica University alum
• Nick Therrien – Assistant Coach, Utica University Men’s Hockey
• Rich Zalewski – SUNY Oswego alum, SPHL alum
• Annika Zalewski – Colgate Women’s Hockey alum, PWHPA alum
• Steve Zalewski – NHL alum (Devils, Sharks)
• Justin Allen – Coach, Notre Dame Academy; Utica University alum
• Melissa Lomanto – Head Coach, Utica University Women’s Hockey
• Ken Blum – OHL and ECHL alum

“This hockey school represents everything that’s possible in Oneida County because of the Nexus Center,” said Esche. “We have one of the best ice facilities in the country right here, and now our kids can learn the game we all love from people who walked in their same shoes and made it to the next level. This is about giving every young athlete a chance to grow, learn, and dream big.”

The event promises to be an inspiring experience for young athletes and a celebration of the region’s growing hockey community.

Photo Credit: © Daniel DeLoach/Utica Observer-Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

No matter where a team selects in the annual NHL Draft, it’s always something of a crapshoot.

Obviously, the earlier the pick, the better the odds of finding a future star – but there are never any guarantees. Senators fans know this all too well, as even the coveted number one overall selection has a chance to blow up in your face.

Still, when given a shot near the top, Ottawa has done pretty well, especially in this millennium. For your offseason enjoyment, here’s our ranking of the nine times the Senators have picked in the top five overall.

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1. Brady Tkachuk – 4th Overall, 2018

The current captain and emotional engine of the team, Tkachuk has become exactly the type of player Ottawa had hoped for. With 404 points in 512 games and a wrecking-ball style of play, he’s both productive and endlessly entertaining. He’s also the kind of player you win with, on and off the ice. As a rabid consumer of hockey talk, I also have to inform you that it is now apparently against the law to describe Tkachuk's excellence without mentioning that he "drags his teammates into the fight." 

Verdict: Already beloved at an Alfie level and still just entering his prime. A foundational piece.

2. Tim Stützle – 3rd Overall, 2020

Still just 23, Stützle is already one of the most electric young players in the NHL and arguably the best player from his draft class. Drafted out of Germany's DEL, he’s piled up 326 points in just 367 games, and earlier this month, he was named NHL.com’s top forward under 25. The fact that Ottawa landed him third overall after Alexis Lafrenière and Quinton Byfield is starting to look like a franchise-altering stroke of luck.

Verdict: A superstar in the making.

3. Jake Sanderson – 5th Overall, 2020

Drafted just two picks after Stützle in Ottawa’s legendary 2020 first round, Sanderson has quickly blossomed into one of the league’s most complete young defensemen. His 57-point breakout in 2024-25 shows the offense is coming to match his elite two-way game. The future Norris chatter is real.

Verdict: An elite defender who’s just scratching the surface.

4. Jason Spezza – 2nd Overall, 2001

Few players in Senators history were as skilled and productive as Spezza. He recorded 995 points in 1,248 NHL games, with the bulk of those coming during a dominant run in Ottawa. Spezza was a key part of the team's 2007 Stanley Cup Final appearance and briefly wore the "C" after Alfredsson’s departure. A Ring of Honour induction feels inevitable.

Verdict: An elite playmaker and one of the faces of the franchise’s golden era.

5. Chris Phillips – 1st Overall, 1996

He didn’t rack up big numbers, but Phillips was a steady, loyal presence on the Ottawa blue line for nearly two decades. His 1,179 games remain a franchise record, and his number 4 now hangs from the rafters at Canadian Tire Centre. He wasn't a superstar per se, but his consistency and leadership, while going wire to wire as a Senator, are the biggest chapters in his tale of excellence.

Verdict: The ultimate stay-at-home defender and a Sens icon.

6. Alexei Yashin – 2nd Overall, 1992

Yashin was Ottawa’s first real star, still the only Senator nominated for the Hart Trophy. He had elite offensive talent, racking up 781 points in 850 games, but his Ottawa legacy is, well, complicated. Contract disputes and holdouts marred his tenure here, and he was eventually traded to the Islanders in a deal that brought back Zdeno Chara and the draft pick used to select Spezza.

It was a deal the Sens won handily, but ironically, both Chara and Spezza, just like Yashin, wanted out of Ottawa by the end. All part of the previous ownership's legacy that someone will probably write a book about someday.

Verdict: Great talent, but an even better trade return.

7. Radek Bonk – 3rd Overall, 1994

A solid NHLer who carved out a long, respectable career, Bonk was a dependable two-way center for much of his time in Ottawa. But because of his early draft selection and the way he'd ripped up the IHL, expectations were mile high. He even added 208 IHL penalty minutes in his draft year while playing against men. Bonk had four straight years of 50-70 points in the early 2000s

Verdict: A steady contributor. Just not quite as impactful as the Sens were hoping for.

8. Bryan Berard – 1st Overall, 1995

Berard never played a game for the Senators. After refusing to return to junior, he was dealt in a trade to the New York Islanders that brought back Wade Redden, who went on to have a great career in Ottawa. Berard had flashes of brilliance, but his career was stunted by a devastating eye injury. 

Verdict: The Redden trade made it worthwhile.

9. Alexandre Daigle – 1st Overall, 1993

Daigle came into the league with sky-high expectations but could never translate his junior dominance to the pros. He still had a good pro career, and it should always be remembered that he didn't pick himself first overall or create the 'generational' player hype.

That said, he didn't help himself by declaring to the media that no one ever remembers who comes second in the draft. That would be Hall of Famer Chris Pronger, who might have come in handy in Ottawa for the two decades that followed.

Verdict: An unfortunate miss but 100 percent of GMs, scouts, media, and fans would have taken Daigle. He was everybody's number one that year.

The Senators' track record in the top five of the draft has generally been pretty solid. And if they win a Stanley Cup this decade, the home runs they hit with their early picks in 2018 and 2020 will be a huge reason why.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa
Image Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

This article orginally appeared at The Hockey News Ottawa, where you'll find all the latest Senators news:
2018 World Junior Trial Ends: Former Senator Alex Formenton Found Not Guilty
Croatia's NHL Trailblazer: Sens Prospect Bruno Idžan Takes NHL Road Less Travelled
Can The Senators Count On Dylan Cozens To Consistently Produce?
Senators Re-Sign 2021 First-Round Pick To One-Year Deal
Why Mason McTavish Isn’t Coming Home To The Senators

Despite the prolonged dissatisfaction with the state of the goaltending, the Philadelphia Flyers have positioned incumbent starter Sam Ersson for success in the 2025-26 season.

Ersson, 25, was undone by a lack of experience, preparation, and help when the Flyers fell flat on their faces late in the 2023-24 season.

The departure of Carter Hart left the Flyers with Ersson, Cal Petersen, Felix Sandstrom, and, later on, Ivan Fedotov, as their only options.

Ultimately, in his first full season in the NHL, Ersson played 51 games, going 23-19-7 with a 2.82 GAA, a .890 save percentage, and four shutouts.

Last season, the situation remained the same, with Fedotov and rookie Aleksei Kolosov filling in behind Ersson at different points.

The latter struggled with injuries, and, as they say, the best ability is availability.

Ersson finished the season with a 22-17-5 record, a 3.14 GAA, a .883 save percentage, two shutouts, and a lot less believers than he started the season with.

The Swede may never be a full-time starter or No. 1 goalie at the NHL level, and that's okay. But to believe that Ersson is one of the NHL's worst goalies is laughable.

Flames Sniper Backs 'Excellent' Aleksei Kolosov to Stay with Flyers, Continue NHL CareerGoalie prospect Aleksei Kolosov has all the talent and experience to stay with the Philadelphia Flyers and forge a successful NHL career for himself, but will he?

Ersson played his best hockey in 2023-24 when Hart was still around, even if he was beginning to earn more starts with Hart not playing up to standard.

Through Jan. 20, 2024, Hart's last game with the Flyers, Ersson was 12-5-3 with a 2.28 GAA, a .911 save percentage, and three shutouts, according to StatMuse.

Ersson had played 21 games up to that point, while Hart had played 26.

Comparatively, Hart was statistically lagging, going 12-9-3 to the tune of a 2.80 GAA, a .906 save percentage, and only one shutout.

It makes little sense that, after a season in which Ersson was again left stranded with no capable understudies and below-average offense, Flyers fans are taking to social media clamoring for the return of Hart, who hasn't played a competitive game in 18 months.

The Flyers already have a goalie who went a year without playing, and his name is Ivan Fedotov. How's that working out so far?

And, that's not to blame Fedotov, but it's a year lost of training, preparing, and improving. That's the reality.

This summer, the Flyers went out and added goalie Dan Vladar, who is poised to start north of 30 games for the first time in his NHL career at the age of 27 (soon to be 28).

So, not only do the Flyers not have room for Hart, but they've also done what they believe is needed to set Ersson up for success.

Flyers Offseason: Aleksei Kolosov May Not Return to KHL After AllIt has long been rumored that enigmatic Philadelphia Flyers goalie prospect Aleksei Kolosov would leave his NHL future behind to return home to Dinamo Minsk, his hometown club in the KHL. But he may not be going anywhere after all.

The Flyers signed a goalie in Vladar who they feel can lighten the burden on Ersson and allow him to stay fresh and healthy throughout the course of a full season.

Whether this goaltending arrangement is a 50-50 split or a 60-40 split in favor of Ersson remains to be seen, but the Flyers have shown time and time again that they're committed to the 2018 fifth-round pick.

That can change quickly if Ersson comes up short again this season, but there's less reason than ever before to believe the 25-year-old can't return to form for the Orange and Black.

The Nashville Predators have big expectations for newly acquired defenseman Nicolas Hague. 

Picked up in a three-player trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on June 29, sending Jeremy Lauzon and center Colton Sissons to Vegas, while retaining 50% of Sissons' salary. 

Hague was signed to a 4-year, $22 million contract, showing the Predators really want to invest in the 6-foot-6-inch defenseman. In addition, general manager Barry Trotz said that he wants Hague playing on the first pairing and the NHL projects that's where he'll be. 

Statistically, Hague hasn't been a top-four defenseman in his professional career. In his six seasons in Vegas, he played on the bottom pairing and hasn't scored more than 17 points in a season.

During the 2024-25 campaign, he had 12 points in 68 games and had a plus/minus of -2, which was the lowest among the Golden Knights' defensemen. 

While the Predators aim to become bigger and younger, they need to improve their scoring in all areas of the ice. Even Trotz said that wingers and defensemen will need to step up in order to fill the lack of depth at center. 

Despite playing in a very offensively active defense system last season, Hague really wasn't scoring. 

On the other hand, his projected defensive partner has been that offensive push from the blue line throughout his entire career. Roman Josi has averaged around 52 points over 14 seasons and a plus/minus of four. 

Even last season, which was one of the worst in franchise history and saw Josi miss the latter end of the year due to a POTS diagnosis, he still scored 38 points in 53 games. Josi is expected to return in time for training camp and be a leading force in upping the offense from the defenseman.

So, how is Hague, a player who has not proven to be an offensive threat from the blue line, going to complement Josi, the Predators' biggest scoring threat from the top of the circles? 

Josi started the season playing with Brady Skeji, but moved around with partners throughout the season, not really settling in one place. A significant part of that was due to injuries, which prevented any defensive pairings from really solidifying. 

Part of this could be spreading out the scoring in the lineup, putting Josi and Skeji on different lines to activate the scoring depth instead of relying too heavily on the first pairing. 

Having Hague paired with Josi could open up the ice more for Josi. With Hague being a bigger body and a more traditional defenseman, having a more physical player paired with him could allow Josi to eclipse 60 points for the first time since the 2023-24 season. 

On the flip side, this could also crash and burn quickly. 

It may be a "two to tango" situation where Josi needs that similar push from the other side of the ice and Hague can't meet it. This is the first time in his career that Hague has been tasked with a top-four role.

He does have experience playing for good teams and winning the Stanley Cup in 2023, but if Hague is called upon to score, it may not be there immediately. 

Predator fans need to be aware of what they're getting with Hague. Trotz likes these big and physical players, but most of the time they don't meet the team's need to score. Hague hasn't been an offensive threat since playing in juniors almost a decade ago. 

If Nashville expects Hague to meet Josi's pace come Oct. 9, statically, it'll likely not be there. 

 

Former Seattle Kraken and Coachella Valley Firebirds defenseman Maxime Lajoie has signed with KHL team Avangard Omsk. 

The 27-year-old spent just one season with the Kraken organization, skating in 70 games with the Firebirds, scoring four goals and 38 points. Prior to joining the Kraken, Lajoie was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the fifth round (133rd overall) in the 2016 NHL Draft. 

Lajoie went on to play 62 NHL games with the Senators before spending the next three seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. He then signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs before joining the Kraken. 

He played 77 career NHL games, notching seven goals and 16 points. In his eight seasons, he played 378 AHL games, scoring 34 goals and 194 points.

Lajoie will be joining an Omsk team that features several NHL prospects, including Colorado Avalanche's Mikhail Gulyayev, Nashville Predators' Semyon Chistyakov, Pittsburgh Penguins' Vasili Ponomaryov and Winnipeg Jets' Dmitri Rashevsky. The team also features former NHLers Nail Yakupov, Vyacheslav Voynov, Alexander Volkov, and Nikolai Prokhorin. Lajoie will also play under coach Guy Boucher, whom he previously played for in Ottawa and Toronto.

“Many teams have wanted to sign Maxim for several seasons, and we’re glad that he’s chosen Avangard,” said Omsk GM Alexei Sopin. “He is a versatile defenseman with excellent skating and a great shot, he’s mobile, and works equally well defensively and offensively. He also successfully connects partners and makes reliable decisions. We believe that Maxim will help achieve the serious goals set for Avangard.”

Former Sen, Cane, Leaf Signs In KHLCanadian defenseman Maxime Lajoie, 27, has signed a one-year contract with Avangard Omsk, the KHL club announced on Tuesday. Two-Time Former Kraken Forward Signs With KHL TeamFormer Seattle Kraken forward Daniel Sprong has signed a contract with KHL club CSKA Moscow.

The Buffalo Sabres signing defenseman Bowen Byram to a two-year, $12.5 million extension earlier this month was thought to have all but eliminated the chances of his being moved until at least the beginning of next season, but according to the Fourth Period, the 24-year-old blueliner continues to be the most sought-after commodity on the summer trade market, with as many as 10 teams reportedly linked to the Stanley Cup winner.  

Sabres GM Kevyn Adams was reportedly was not happy with the offers being made for Byram leading into and following the NHL Draft, which were likely more future prospect-and-draft pick based, similar to what Montreal sent to the NY Islanders for Noah Dobson (a pair of 2025 first-rounders and forward Emil Heineman). The club choose salary arbitration to block the possibility of an offer sheet. 

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The Sabres are reportedly looking to make a hockey deal for Byram, preferably that includes a top-six forward. An interested club may prefer to trade for a player under contract with cost certainty, but the blueliner being represented by agent Darren Ferris – someone who normally advocates for a player to head to free agency – could lower the possibility of Adams getting what he is looking for in a trade. 

Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson reportedly is another player who is rumored to be available. The 25-year-old has five years remaining on a seven-year deal with a $4.285 million AAV, but with the re-signing of Byram – who will likely partner with Rasmus Dahlin if he is not dealt – and newly acquired Michael Kesselring potentially playing alongside Owen Power, the Sabres may be willing to deal him for the right price. 

 

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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.

Thus, we've been steadily putting together a team-by-team series on each of Buffalo's seven Atlantic rivals this season. And in this file, we're wrapping up the series by focusing on the team that won the Atlantic's regular-season title -- the Toronto Maple Leafs:

BUFFALO SABRES VS. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

NEW MAPLE LEAFS PLAYERS: Matias Maccelli, LW; Dakota Joshua, LW; Nicolas Roy, C; Michael Pezzetta, LW; Henry Thrun, D

2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 0-3-0, Maple Leafs 3-0-0

2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER:  October 24 at Buffalo; October 25 at Toronto; January 27 at Toronto; March 14 at Buffalo

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM?  The Maple Leafs dominated the Sabres last year, winning all three games against Buffalo by a combined score of 15-6. Whether the games were played in December or in Buffalo's second-last regular-season game last year, Toronto shook the Sabres like a schoolyard bully, and even without departed superstar right winger and new Vegas Golden Knight Mitch Marner, the Leafs have a better balance of skill and determination than the still-evolving Sabres do this time around.

To be sure, adding gritty forwards in former Golden Knight Roy and former Vancouver Canuck Joshua will make Toronto's bottom-six group of forwards one of the better groups in the league. And taking a shot on former Utah Mammoth winger Maccelli could pay off in a big way, if Maccelli once again gets back to the 40-assist, 55-point range he got to in 2023-24.

Losing Marner obviously hurts the Maple Leafs' offense, but with superstars Auston Matthews and William Nylander joined by terrific financial bargain center John Tavares and up-and-coming power forward Matthew Knies, the Buds have a collection of talent many teams would kill for. They're going to be a different team without Marner -- a team that produces fewer goals-for, but one that is going to make opponents pay a physical toll many of them won't want to pay.

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.

There are some intriguing elements of the schedule that will make the Buffalo/Toronto games worth circling on your calendar: firstly, the October 24-25 games are the only games the Sabres will play against the same opponent on back-to-back nights this season. Winning the first game should be a priority,  as there won't be much pressure to win Game 2 (and Games 3 and 4, for that matter).

In addition, the teams' final game against each other will take place a month before the end of the regular-season, and shortly after the NHL's trade deadline. If the Maple Leafs can power through the schedule and more or less lock up a playoff spot by that March 14 game between the Sabres and Leafs, all the pressure will be on Buffalo to salvage the series as they try to secure a wild card berth.

In theory, the Sabres should be on the rise this coming year. They're going to be desperate to shake off their 14-year playoff drought, and upsetting Toronto in the four-game series will go a long way toward sending a message that this Buffalo team can run-and-gun with any opponent in the league. But the Maple Leafs aren't going to lie down and play dead against the Sabres. It will take a stellar defensive effort to shut down Toronto's high-octane offense, and stellar defensive efforts are not what this Buffalo team is known for.

Know. Your Enemy, Sabres Edition: Ottawa Senators Could Be Standing In Way Between Buffalo, PlayoffsThe Buffalo Sabres happen to play in the NHL's most competitive division, the Atlantic Division, Every one of the Atlantic's eight teams have designs on being a playoff team next season -- and as part of this continuing THN.com series, we're analyzing each of the Sabres' seven divisional rivals to see what chance Buffalo has against each of them.

The Leafs fully intend on being the best regular-season team in the Atlantic for the second straight season, even without Marner.  So when the Sabres go head-to-head against Toronto, there's little room for error for Buffalo.

The Sabres have got potentially eight standings points up for grabs against the Buds, and squandering opportunities like upsetting the Leafs could be stark reminders of why Buffalo has once again failed to be a post-season team. They need to take the Maple Leafs by the throat and make them understand this is a new era of Sabres hockey.

Because if they don't, the Sabres will face an uphill battle just to stay in their games against the Leafs, let alone win them. Toronto can still run up the score on opponents, which is why nothing less than a focused defensive attack will prevent Buffalo from being in the wrong part of the win/loss columns and pour more water on this disappointing-of-late rivalry.