By Ella Tsotsos, The Hockey News intern

Born and raised in Toronto, Ont., the Washington Capitals selected Tom Wilson 16th overall in the 2012 NHL Draft. Wilson offered wise words to North Toronto players after a skate in Toronto.

Upon returning home for training, Wilson recounted his hockey career as a child and his inspiration, which fueled his ambition to become a spectacular player in the NHL.

After his 2024-25 season, Wilson played 81games, scored 33 goals and had 65 points.

Wilson, an alternate captain for the Washington Capitals, was born and raised in Toronto and played minor hockey with North Toronto (NTHA). Wilson carries much pride in this hockey association and keeps his strong Toronto roots close to him. From an early age, he shared how many memories he created at the North Toronto Memorial Arena, and that love for hockey has never left him. There’s even a huge banner of him hanging proudly at the North Toronto Memorial Arena – a reminder that no matter how far he’s come, he’s never forgotten where it all started.

In 2018, after winning the Stanley Cup, Wilson did not return to his hometown hockey arena empty-handed. Wilson brought the cup to where it all began for him. Wilson played many seasons for the North Toronto club until he went on to play at the highest level. Wilson shared what growing up in Toronto meant for him and his hockey career.

“This is the arena where I fell in love with the game of hockey. This is where I spent every day hoping I’d make it to the NHL. Walking through the doors you get all the memories of being a kid here,” said Wilson via the North Toronto Hockey website.

For Wilson, the dream of becoming a hockey player stuck with him. His parents helped ensure that he created a balance with his sport, instilling educational values and also having fun. During an interview in July, just after a training session, Wilson shared advice to North Toronto hockey players.

“I think for me, I was having a balance of not only having hockey hockey hockey, but my parents always made sure I had good grades and being with friends who really enjoy it,” Wilson said.

Growing up, Wilson discovered that the key to becoming a successful hockey player was to establish a balance and become a well-rounded player. In Wilson’s OHL days playing for the Plymouth Whalers, he was awarded the OHL West Division’s academic player of the month in October 2011.

“If you're all in and you're doing too much sometimes you get burnt out, so as a kid, just make sure you're always having fun and playing other sports and spending time outside. If you are good enough and you got the work ethic, the rest of it will come and just enjoy it.”

When connecting to his Toronto roots, Wilson shared who his hockey idols were growing up.

“When I was little in Toronto, I liked Darcy Tucker. He was a guy that played hard and a Toronto Maple Leaf. Mats Sundin, who trained with the same trainer as me, was always a beast, so those were kinda my era. When I was a kid, I just always loved going to the rink every time.” 

When it comes to comparison, both Wilson and Tucker have been known for their physicality, scoring skills, and both being players who played with an energetic style that antagonized opponents. Although Sundin is known for his goal-scoring capabilities and Wilson has not produced as many points, both players have demonstrated their leadership qualities as they both served as alternate captains – Sundin also served as captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs – and Wilson continues to be a force on the ice.

Wilson is more than just a powerful presence on the ice who still carries the heart of North Toronto with him every time he laces up. His journey is proof that passion, resilience, and community can shape a great athlete. Wilson truly loves the game and hasn’t lost sight of what got him to where he is.

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The Buffalo Sabres once had one of the top-rated prospect pools in the NHL, but with youngsters Zach Benson, Devon Levi, and JJ Peterka either graduating to the NHL or aging out. This season, the Sabres have three of their prospects in The Athletic’s Top 100 Drafted Prospects list, with none of them ranked in the top 10. 

Sabres 2025 first rounder Radim Mrtka was ranked highest at 17th. The 18-year-old blueliner was selected ninth overall last month and is listed between a pair of older right-handed defensemen, New Jersey’s Simon Nemec, and Detroit’s Axel Sandin-Pellikka. 

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According to the Athletic’s Scott Wheeler, Mrtka “doesn’t have some of the kinks you expect a D his size and age to have. I think his ceiling is quite high. His skating and calm with the puck are both very rare attributes in a player his size.”

2024 top pick Konsta Helenius is listed 52nd, even though the Finnish center made the jump to North America and was named to the AHL All-Rookie team as an 18-year-old. The third is 21-year-old center Noah Ostlund, who had 36 points (19 goals, 17 assists) in 45 games  with AHL Rochester and earned an eight-game tryout with the Sabres at the end of last season. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo    

Florida's loaded cap space make back-to-back champion Niko Mikkola a possible cap causality next summer

The 2026 NHL Free Agent class has the potential to be the biggest in league history with some of the biggest names up for grabs. Barring a similar event to this year where all the top players re-sign, we could see a major shake up within the league. Most hockey fans look to biggest names like Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel and Artemi Panarin among others on the block and salivate at the idea of their team nabbing one of the league's best. 

The back-to-back Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers won't be excempt from potentially losing a key piece in this free agency class with defenceman Niko Mikkola entering next season on an expiring contract. The Panthers have several big name players like Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk and Brad Marchand signed up until 2030 with a player like Mikkola on the outside looking like a potential cap causality. 

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

The towering 6-foot-6 defenceman has proven to be a physical, playoff-type player that has excelled in Florida's culture. Mikkola isn't much of a point producer as he usually finishes with 20-25 points per season but is mainly utelized for his elite defensive play. Over the last two seasons, he has managed a +23 rating along with the 13th-most hits in the NHL at 335 and a team-leading 212 blocked shots. 

His key efforts on the defensive end with make him a hot ticket in the market and will certianly garner a long list of suitors. One of which could be the Detroit Red Wings as they are currently sitting with 12 million in cap space and will have plenty more at the end of this season. Coming off the books will likely be Patrick Kane's $3 million cap hit as well as $4.75 million more from 34-year-old Ben Chiarot and another $3.4 million from defenceman Justin Holl.

The extra $11 million cleared up from these three players alone should be enough to get a deal done for Mikkola while also still having enough left over to go after another available player in superstar and Michigan native Kyle Connor of the Winnipeg Jets. These two adds would be massive for Detroit but even coming away with just Mikkola would be a big win. 

The Red Wings defence corps is didn't make significant improvements this summer and are coming off a season where they finished bottom 12 in goals against average. An addition like Mikkola would be a huge upgrade in an area of need while also not blocking the path and providing a stable partner early on for high-end prospect Axel Sandin-Pellikka, if the team decided to call him up. The top four being Simon Edvisson with Mortiz Seider followed by Mikkola and Sandin-Pellikka would be a deadly foursome and something that Steve Yzerman and company should seriously consider.

2025 Red Wings Draft Pick Michal Svrcek Announces Where He's Playing Next Season The 2025 NHL Draft wrapped up in late June, and among the players selected by Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman was Slovakian forward Michal Svrcek in the fourth round (119th overall). 

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The name Dorrington is not well-known in Rangers history but it should be, and here’s why. 

Back in the early 1950s the Blueshirts had a farm team in Atlantic City. They were called the Sea Gulls and played in the Eastern Amateur Hockey League against teams such as the New York Rovers, another Rangers farm team. 

Art Dorrington, an African-Canadian, was a Sea Gulls star and signed a Rangers contract. 

Unfortunately the Blueshirts failed to promote Dorrington - their mistake - but he became historic nonetheless, becoming the first black player to sign an NHL contract, paving the way for players such as Willie O’Ree. 

After retiring, Art settled in Atlantic City and organized one of the best kids programs in North America. 

“I went down to A.C. and did a feature on Dorrington,” Stan Fischler recalls. “He was one of the most popular figures in the resort city.” 

Happily, I report the Dorrington name lives on not only with the Rangers organization but the Islanders as well. 

While not being known for producing top NHL talent like certain collegiate programs, Sacred Heart University, in Fairfield, Connecticut, has steadily made its mark on professional hockey. To begin the 2024-25 season, the Pioneers had 18 alumni suit up at the professional level. 

Justin Danforth, who played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, was the only NHLer. By the end of the season, an additional four players from the Pioneers 2024-25 roster got a taste of professional hockey. Including Max Dorrington.

At the conclusion of his collegiate career, Max received a professional tryout from the Bridgeport Islanders and skated in seven AHL games. 

“I was actually at my house in Bridgeport when he [Dorrington’s agent] told me I was gonna sign there. 

“I told my roommate and he was obviously super excited. Then I just let my parents know, and I was at practice pretty much the next day. So it all happened really quick.” 

A Coversation With NHL Photographer Bruce BennettIt’s not everyday you get to speak with the man responsible for some of hockey’s most iconic photographs. Recently, I had that opportunity with Bruce Bennett. 

Dorrington had the opportunity to attend his first NHL development camp, with the New York Islanders, and cherished every moment. 

“It's been a crazy experience, you know, just being in the facilities, getting treated like an NHLer for the week, being in the gear, it's all pretty surreal.” 

Dorrington signed a one-year AHL contract with Bridgeport on July 1, and is preparing for his first full professional season. 

When asked about his distant cousin, Art, this is what Max had to say. 

“He's the first black player to sign an NHL contract. And I think that that's a pretty important milestone, especially because he did it for the Rangers in this exact same area. 

“He's kind of had an impact here, especially on hockey. So, yeah, I wear the name proudly, and I definitely think about it.” 

Max is the Islanders’ Dorrington, but what about the Rangers? 

Max’s brother, Jackson, played his collegiate career at Northeastern University, and is now on the opposite side of the New York rivalry. 

Jackson, a sixth round draft choice of the Vancouver Canucks in 2022, was acquired by the Rangers in the J.T. Miller trade. 

“We got to play each other three times at the end of the year in the AHL, so that was our first time ever playing against each other,” Max recalls. “We train together in the summer. We kind of feel like we're on the same team, working towards the same goals, but then once October comes around, it's gonna all change, and we're going at it again.” 

Both brothers are preparing for the beginning of their professional careers, and it’s safe to say they are looking forward to it, especially Max. 

"It's the first time in my life where there's no more school, there's no more distractions, it's just gonna be hockey all the time, and I'm pretty excited for that.” 

Art Dorrington would be proud!

The Los Angeles Kings were recently linked to Sidney Crosby, but it's time to shut any speculation down before it gets out of hand.

Frank Seravalli: Re Sidney Crosby: I think there's been some teams, or a short list, Montreal, LA Kings, Avalanche, those are the teams have been talked about, but he hasn't shown any interest...in moving - Bleacher Report (Jul 15)

— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) July 17, 2025

Sorry to say, but there isn't a short list, there aren't any teams being talked about, and pundit Frank Seravalli has made this up. Crosby has been very clear that he doesn't want to play anywhere but for the Pittsburgh Penguins, so claiming there are teams behind the scenes, or "have been talked about" that are interested is simply clickbait.

He did start it off with "I think," which turns this away from being a true report, but Crosby has stated numerous times he won't play anywhere else. To think differently is wrong.

I would love to have Crosby on the Kings as well, considering how strong his playoff performances have been in the past, but it's not realistic at all; he will never leave the Penguins.

Report: Kings' Kopitar Believed To Be Entering Final NHL SeasonThe Los Angeles Kings have made some changes to their roster this offseason, and one thing that fans have been waiting for is a potential extension for long-time forward Anze Kopitar. Report: Kings' Adrian Kempe Asking Price On Next Contract RevealedThe Los Angeles Kings will soon have to focus on trying to re-sign forward Adrian Kempe, and while there is no indication he has any interest in leaving the organization, his asking price was revealed in a recent report from The Fourth Period, and the two sides are expected to ramp up contract talks soon. Free Agency Recap: Did the Los Angeles Kings Get Better or Worse This Offseason?The LA Kings entered the 2025 offseason facing another year of playoff disappointment and a roster in question. With several roster questions and trades, General Manager Ken Holland has opted not to make a splash, instead staying quiet, leaving fans wondering if the Kings have truly improved. 

A new Chelebration Event and Community Request cards are live now in NHL 25 Hockey Ultimate Team.

The four Community Request cards are 97 overall Eric Daze, Milan Hejduk, Kaiden Guhle, and Rasmus Ristolainen. A screen will pop up when players open NHL 25 and you make your vote there. 

The five new master set players for the Chelebration event are 97 overall Doug Weight, Matt Rempe, Sheldon Souray, Tyler Myers, and Jacob Markstrom. 

These MSPs can be acquired by trading in any thre 94+ Chelebration cards and any two 94+ cards. Players can also trade in MSPs with their corresponding team jersey for a fan pack. 

Players can trade in any three 90+ cards for a 92+ Chelebration card and any three 92+ Chelebration cards for a 94+ player. 

A free redeemable collectible pack is available daily in the HUT Store. Players can trade in collectibles for Chelebration player packs. 

The Chelebration base cards are full of tall players and are led by 97 overall Henrik Tikkanen, 96 Gordie Howe and Logan Stanley, and 95 overall Tyler Seguin and Valeri Nichushkin. 

The Season 7 XP Path is now live,  Check out the Origins Event Week 2 here.

For more NHL 25 news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed.      

Photo Credit: EA SPORTS NHL 25

The NHL put together a list of the top ten forwards in the league who are under the age of 25. One Minnesota Wild player made the list at No. 3. 

Tim Stutzle of the Ottawa Senators was first on the list and Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils was second. Wild's Matt Boldy ranked third on the list. 

How does this ranking stack up with your own? 📝 #NHLYoungStarsWeek

Read more from @NHLdotcom ➡️ https://t.co/VoP2Ryaqunpic.twitter.com/0vhGvD9yCe

— NHL (@NHL) July 15, 2025

Boldy, 24, is coming off his fourth season in the NHL all with the Wild. He has 102 goals, 142 assists, and 244 points in 285 career games. 

The 6-foot-2 forward posted a career-high in games played (82), assists (46), points (73), game-winning goals (10), shots (271), and overtime goals (2) during the 2024-25 season. 

Other Wild News

Wild Forward Signs One-Year Contract With Division RivalFormer Minnesota Wild forward Gustav Nyquist signed a contract with the Winnipeg Jets on July 2nd. It was a one-year deal worth $3.25 million.  Minnesota Wild Release 2025-26 Season ScheduleST. PAUL, Minn - The 2025-26 season is almost here and the Minnesota Wild announced its schedule for the upcoming year. The length of the Wild's season is 187 days which is the same as last year.  Former Minnesota Wild Enforcer Traded To San Jose SharksThere have been a lot of former Minnesota Wild players on the move so far. On Thursday night, there was another one. Ryan Reaves was traded to the San Jose Sharks.

Former NHLer turned analyst Mike Rupp made a claim on NHL Network about the Metropolitan Division heading into the 2025-26 NHL season:

Safe to say @Rupper17 is not too confident in the Metropolitan Division this year. 😬 pic.twitter.com/tEvVLYWr25

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) July 19, 2025

This past season, the Washington Capitals were the second-best team in the NHL (111 points), but then there was a major drop with the remaining Metro Division playoff teams.

The Carolina Hurricanes finished at No. 10 (99 points), while the New Jersey Devils (91) came in at No. 16. 

The New York Rangers (85 points) and New York Islanders (82 points) missed the playoffs, finishing in 22nd and 23rd place, respectively. The Columbus Blue Jackets finished 20th (89 points).

So, what about the 2025-26 season and Rupp's claim?

The Capitals are coming off a magical season, but there's no way they can do it again, right?

The Hurricanes, regardless of what they do in the summer, always find a way to have strong regular seasons, so it wouldn't be a shock to see them finish atop the Metro this season.  They did land Nikolaj Ehlers and get a full season of Logan Stankoven

While the Devils didn't make any crazy splashes in free agency -- they'll be getting Quinn Hughes sooner rather than later -- their success sits on the shoulders of Jack Hughes and his ability to stay healthy. They should be a playoff team. 

The Rangers didn't do much and are going through a bit of an identity crisis at the moment, but when you have Igor Shesterkin in goal, defying odds is always possible. They did add Valdislav Gavrikov, who should help the defense. 

First-time general manager Mathieu Darche filled holes this summer, but will the new additions be strong enough to get this team back to the postseason? 

Coming off an emotionally driven season, the Blue Jackets could be a playoff team this upcoming season, while the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers aren't likely to be ultra competitive. 

The Islanders are likely to be fighting for a wild-card spot again, as they always seem to do. That projection can change if the Islanders can show some consistency out of the gate, as they've been anything but since Patrick Roy took over behind the bench mid-way through the 2023-24 NHL season. 

To get back to Rupp's claim, the Metro could very well be the weakest division in the NHL this season, which means an even stronger chance for the Islanders to find a way to get back into the postseason.

Projection:

CAR

WSH

NJD

NYI

NYR

CBJ

PHI

PIT

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PHOTO: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

According to Puckpedia’s numbers, the Montreal Canadiens have the most expensive goaltending in the NHL this season. They devote $14.8 million in salary to masked men, which accounts for the three goaltenders they have on NHL contracts and who aren’t waivers exempt: Carey Price, Samuel Montembeault, Kaapo Kahkonen, and Jakub Dobes. That works out to 15,5% of their cap.

The New York Rangers are in second place, with Ivor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick commanding a combined salary of $13 M, 13.7% of their cap. The Anaheim Ducks are in third place with $12.9 M for Lukas Dostal (who was just signed to a five-year contract with a $6.5 M cap hit), Petr Mrazek, and Ville Husso. The trio takes up 13.6% of the cap. The New York Islanders are in fourth place, having devoted $12 million to Ilya Sorokin, Semyon Varlamov, and David Rittich. That counts for 12.6% of the cap. Finally, the Boston Bruins wrap up the top-five with $11.2 M devoted to two goaltenders; Jaremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo that amounts to 11.8% of the cap.

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Among the top-five teams, only two have goaltenders who are or could be placed on LTIR, with only one who won’t ever come off it. That’s, of course, the Canadiens, with Price’s contract. Once he’s placed on LTIR or traded, the Canadiens’ cap hit for masked men will fall back down to $4.3 million, leaving them with one of the lowest amounts of money spent on goaltending.

That demonstrates the significant shift in direction the Canadiens have taken since Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton took over. Of course, they had no choice, since Price’s career was cut short by injury, but when he was hired, Hughes said in an ideal world, his team would be a fast and attacking one that would suit his coaching style. Since then, several moves have been made to achieve this goal, and there is no indication that the Canadiens will revert to a defense-first approach with the recent arrivals of Lane Hutson, Ivan Demidov, and this off-season’s addition of Noah Dobson.

When Price’s contract comes off the books, be it by expiring or being traded, that money won’t be reinvested in goaltending or defending, since the blueliner is already looking pretty solid with the prospects in the pipeline. While Habs fans enjoyed watching the face of the franchise make great saves for years, this is undoubtedly a welcome change of pace.

Photo credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-Imagn Images

---

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The San Jose Sharks have completed most of their business for the summer at this point, and we have a rough idea of what the roster should look like on opening night. With an abundance of players fighting for a limited number of spots, though, there will be hard decisions and we’ll likely see some veterans, or even some younger players, placed on waivers when preseason comes to a close.

A lot can change over the next two months; however, we’re far enough into the off-season to start spitballing about the opening night roster, what lines will look like, as well as who will make the cut, and who will be left out. 

With the forwards, for the most part, it’s pretty clear. William Eklund, Macklin Celebrini, and Tyler Toffoli should be reunited on the first line, and it’s safe to say they’re all guaranteed a spot on the roster. The Sharks have made it clear that they want Will Smith to play center moving forward, as a resul,t he’s an obvious option as the second-line center. Alongside him, I’d pencil in two newcomers, Jeff Skinner and Philipp Kurashev.

The third line is where things truly get interesting, as Michael Misa will shake things up quite a bi,t whether he’s ready for the NHL or not. Personally, I think it would be hard for him not to earn a spot in the opening night lineup; however, like Smith, it would be logical to start him as a winger in his rookie season. Alexander Wennberg would slot in as the third-line center, and veteran Adam Gaudette would be on the right wing. 

Ironically, the fourth line is what gave me the most trouble. Barclay Goodrow and Ty Dellandrea are safe bets to have a spot on the Sharks’ bottom line, but the right wing spot creates some questions. Carl Grundstrom or Ryan Reaves would be the obvious choices. Both require waivers to go to the American Hockey League, and it’s very clear what each of them brings to the table. Instead, though, I envision both of them being scratched on opening night.

After heavily considering Collin Graf as an option to take that spot, instead I think he’ll start the season with the San Jose Barracuda, and Ethan Cardwell will earn the final spot in the lineup. It would be a shock to many, that’s for sure, but he impressed at both the Rookie Faceoff and training camp last season. He brings more defensive responsibility, and whether it was with the Sharks or the Barracuda last season, he always brought a ton of energy to each shift. Graf could certainly earn the job in training camp with a strong showing, but as of now, I see Cardwell just edging him out. 

The first major question on the blue line is, what happens to Sam Dickinson? If any of the other defensemen in the hunt for a job were waiver-ineligible, Dickinson would almost be guaranteed to get a nine-game tryout in the NHL before Mike Grier needed to make a decision. However, now that Shakir Mukhamadullin and Jack Thompson would require waivers to go to the Barracuda, it makes things a bit more difficult, and as a result, Dickinson could head back to the London Knights.

While I don’t think the OHL is the best option for Dickinson's development at this point, it’s also hard to risk him starting in the NHL, waiving a player to make room, then realizing Dickinson isn’t ready after nine games. As a result, I reluctantly left him off the opening night roster, but that could easily change with a strong showing in the Rookie Faceoff and training camp. 

Mukhamadullin is very likely to have a spot on the Sharks’ opening night roster. Given his value to the organization, it seems highly unlikely he gets waived; as a result, he’s almost guaranteed a job in the NHL. Mario Ferraro and two of the new additions, Dmitry Orlov and John Klingberg, also appear to be locks. Nick Leddy, on the other hand, could find himself in the lineup, in the press box, or even on waivers once again. Ultimately, in my eyes, it seems like Timothy Liljegren and Thompson get the final two spots in the lineup, while Nick Leddy is a healthy scratch. As a result, Vincent Desharnais would be on waivers and start the season with the Barracuda if he clears. 

In between the pipes, it seems clear that Yaroslav Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic will be the tandem to start the season. I discussed the potential of that partnership earlier this week, but overall, it can be either one of the Sharks’ greatest assets or biggest weaknesses.

Lineup Projection:

Eklund - Celebrini - Toffoli

Skinner - Smith - Kurashev

Misa - Wennberg - Gaudette

Goodrow - Dellandrea - Cardwell

Reaves, Grundstrom

Ferraro - Klingberg

Mukhamadullin - Liljegren

Orlov - Thompson

Leddy

Askarov

Nedeljkovic

Of course, there are some names I haven’t mentioned who will likely see some playing time with the Sharks this coming season. Players like Cam Lund, Egor Afanasyev, Quentin Musty, Zack Ostapchuk, and Luca Cagnoni are a few that come to mind as potential recall options once injuries strike or players are moved near the trade deadline. I also left Daniil Gushchin out of the lineup, which could lead to an interesting situation with him, as he could be a player who is due a change of scenery.

The Sharks have a multitude of options in every position, which is a blessing, but it can also be a curse when many of them are around the same skill level. It’ll be a tight race for many of these players hoping to make the opening night roster, which means it should be a very interesting preseason this September. 

Photo Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Jun 26, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Former Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne arrives on the red carpet before the 2023 NHL Awards at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

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Oct 15, 2018

Top 100 Goalies Of All Time

48. PEKKA RINNE

Drafted so late that the round doesn’t exist today, he scored one of hockey’s greatest victories for deep-dive scouting

BY RYAN KENNEDY

BORN Nov. 3, 1982, Kempele, Fin.

NHL CAREER 2005-present

TEAMS Nsh

STATS 311-168-66, 2.37 GAA, .919 SP, 51 SO

ALL-STAR 2 (First-1, Second-1)

TROPHIES 1 (Vezina-1)

GIVEN HIS MODEST roots, it’s heartwarming to see goaltender Pekka Rinne as an elder statesman in the NHL, even as he continues to play some of the best hockey of his long career. Not only was he an excellent last line of defense for the most successful Predators team ever – the edition that went to the 2017 Stanley Cup final – but he has also become one of the most veteran Finnish players in the league.

At All-Star Game weekend in Tampa, young Florida Panthers star Aleksander Barkov stood by himself in the corner of a buzzing hotel lobby while other elite NHLers moved to and fro. Barkov was alone until Rinne, his fellow Finn, came over and chatted up the humble center.

On a more regular basis, Rinne has been a mentor for his Nashville backup, Juuse Saros. While Saros is one of the smallest netminders in the NHL at 5-foot-11, he always liked the 6-foot-5 Rinne’s style and idolized him growing up in Finland. Now, Rinne influences Saros in person.

“He has helped me a lot on and off the ice,” Saros said. “Any question I have, he’s usually got the answer. He even gives me tips on some players if he knows their habits.”

The story of how Rinne was discovered is well-known in NHL circles, but an abridged version is necessary. He was taken in the eighth round of the 2004 draft – a slot that doesn’t even exist in today’s seven-round draft – as a flyer by the Preds thanks to Finnish scout Janne Kekalainen.

Other members of the Preds brass (such as then-assistant GM Ray Shero) had only seen Rinne in warmups, because the youngster played behind Niklas Backstrom for Karpat Oulu and didn’t see the crease often.

Clearly the gamble paid off, as Rinne holds Nashville’s franchise records for wins, shutouts and games by a goalie. And just as Rinne has been a mentor for Saros, Backstrom was a mentor for Rinne.

“I always looked up to him and paid a lot of attention to him in practice,” Rinne said. “The way Niklas carries himself, he’s a super-nice guy, and he was very good to me, very helpful.”

It’s impressive what an incubator those Karpat Oulu teams turned out to be. Backstrom had a stellar career with the Minnesota Wild before returning home, while Jussi Jokinen has played in the NHL for more than a decade.

Mika Pyorala eventually did a year with the Philadelphia Flyers organization, as did Mikko Lehtonen with Nashville.

“We had so much talent back then on those teams,” Rinne said. “A lot of those guys had success either in Europe or here in the NHL, and it’s awesome. I have very special memories from those days, and that being my hometown made it special.”

While his long career is winding down, it’s too early to plan the retirement party. Rinne’s past two seasons have been his strongest since 2010-11, when he was a second-team NHL all-star. Going to the Cup final in 2017 was huge for the veteran, even with all his past individual success.

“Last year, we all as a team gained a lot of confidence, going to the final,” he said. “But also, it’s expectations inside the room. It shows on the ice. We expect to win, and it’s no different for myself. I’ve always believed that it goes hand in hand with the team, just that a goalie (on his own) can never make your team successful, and together we’ve done a great job.”

With his imposing frame and bear-trap reflexes, it’s amazing to think in retrospect that Rinne almost went undiscovered. But Nashville took the risk, and the team’s most important player ever was their reward.

“A lot of people have covered that story, it’s pretty funny how I was drafted,” Rinne said. “Never in my wildest dreams…of course I dreamed about the NHL, but the Finnish League was my main goal. But as you reach certain goals, you set other goals. I’ve been extremely fortunate. If you asked me back then, I never thought I would play this long in the NHL and have the success I’ve had.”

DID YOU KNOW?

RINNE AND MIKA PYORALA have an on-ice connection from their days with Karpat and also share a family bond.

Pyorala married Rinne’s twin sister Anna. The couple has two sons, and when Pyorala’s 2016-17 season with Karpat finished, the whole family came over to watch Rinne in the Stanley Cup final.

While Rinne missed the 2018 Olympics, his brother-in-law was there repping the family, as Pyorala suited up for Finland.

Czech left winger Vojtěch Čihař, who turned 18 in March, was drafted in the second round, 59th overall, by the Los Angeles Kings at this year’s NHL Entry Draft, which happened to be in Los Angeles.

With the obvious long-term goal of making the NHL, Čihař is currently contemplating where to play in order to give him the best shot of fulfilling his dream. He has already played 57 regular-season and playoff games with Energie Karlovy Vary in the Czech Extraliga, where he has recorded only 10 points in a rather limited role. Should he stay there and try to earn more ice time in the pros, or should he go overseas to play for the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes, who selected him in last year’s CHL Import Draft?

Čihař was a member of the Czech team that won a bronze medal at last year’s IIHF World Junior Championship and he recently attended a summer training camp for the national junior team for the upcoming season. There, he spoke at length with Czech media about the Draft and all the considerations that are going into his decision.

The following excerpts come from Martin Voltr’s article at Hokej.cz:

First, can you explain what kind of experience it was to attend the Draft in Los Angeles?
“Well, I have to say that the Draft is unpredictable and everyone has to wait until the moment their name is called. Speaking for myself, as soon as I heard (my name) called by Los Angeles, I was really excited and even a little emotional. I had my family and girlfriend there, which was wonderful too. For me, the main thing was to have the people closest to me there.”

If you had to wait too long, it would probably turn into a bit of an unpleasant situation.
“Yeah, exactly. The whole time, my agent and parents talked about not making any predictions and just waiting for the moment. It was better than thinking about whether I should be taken somewhere higher. At the end of the first round, then at the beginning of the second … I thought to myself that it should go in the second. I was happy that it turned out that way – 59th is decent, in my opinion.”

The decentralized Draft seemed a bit bizarre. Did the fact that you were selected by the host team bring you any special attention?
“I guess so. As soon as I put on that jersey and went to do the various things that come next, I walked through the theater and the workers turned around, congratulated me and welcomed me to the City of Angels. Then I went somewhere to get a bag with things from the team and former Kings players who still work in their organization gave it to me. They also greeted me, people at the hotel recognized me … It was nice.”

Two Czechs Lead Off 2025 CHL Import Draft A pair of 18-year-old Czech forwards were the first two picks of the 2025 CHL Import Draft on Wednesday. They were part of a record 35 Czechs taken overall.

You said you treated the trip to Los Angeles as one big holiday.
“Absolutely! I really went there to enjoy it, thinking that if I was drafted, that would make it even better. We were in Hollywood and also quite close to the sign where we took the picture. We went to Beverly Hills to see the villas there, then we were on the beach in Santa Monica. I quite like the game GTA 5, which takes place in LA, and we also went to the observatory from that game. And then to Malibu Beach. We tried to travel there and of course we couldn’t miss the shops.”

Do you like hot weather and the beach?
“Oh yeah. I don’t really like the crazy heat, but the weather in Los Angeles is just right. The temperature there suits me quite well.”

So maybe one day you’ll enjoy it as an NHL player. How far off would you estimate that is?
“You know … Unfortunately, I don’t really have an answer for that, because it’s just so hard to say. Of course, I’d be happy if it were as soon as possible, but right now I mainly want to move on to the next step. Another year, two … I think that’s how we’ve set it up with the people in LA, so now we’re deciding whether I’ll stay in Karlovy Vary or maybe move somewhere overseas.”

Did they tell you that they would prefer you over there?
“They did say that because they haven’t seen me there yet. They don’t even know that some teams here in the Czech Extraliga have smaller rinks, so they meant it from the perspective of me adapting better there. Now it depends on when and how the Kings and Karlovy Vary reach an agreement. LA has the rights to me there, Vary here. I have to wait, but then the final decision will be up to me.”

Czech Club Disappointed By Adam Novotný’s Decision To Go To OHL Czech winger Adam Novotný, who turns 17 in November, is currently projected by most sources to be a top-15 pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.

Do you have a personal preference?
“I’m always talking with the Karlovy Vary management about where I would fit in. Of course, I know that if I went to the Canadian juniors, I would get more ice time there. To have that in the Extraliga, I would have to play on the first line, but the competition is extremely demanding for a young player to get those minutes. It depends on what their thoughts are about me. I’ll decide whether to stay or go based on that. It depends on where I would develop more.”

If you weigh your options between the tough competition in the Extraliga and playing among top juniors, where you would be more successful, which do you think would win?
“I think that in terms of offensive development, overseas it would be … I don’t want to say easier, but I would have more opportunities to get chances and develop my offensive abilities. At the same time, I know how it works in the Extraliga, so if I stayed here, it would be almost on the same level as playing in the AHL, for example. If I were given more ice time, which I would have to earn, it would still be a good move to stay here. But if not and LA had other plans for me, then unfortunately there is also the possibility that I would leave.”

Why do you say “unfortunately?” Would it be a bad thing?
“I still haven’t planned to leave the Czech Republic anytime soon, but as far as my development is concerned, I’ll just do what’s best for me. On one hand, I’d be sad to leave, but on the other hand, I’d be excited to move on to somewhere else.”

Photo by Martin Voltr.

Report: Anton Frondell Will Sign With Blackhawks This Week; Won’t Attend Training Camp Swedish center Anton Frondell will sign an entry-level contract this upcoming week with the Chicago Blackhawks, the team that took him third overall at this year’s NHL Entry Draft, according to Swedish journalist Gunnar Nordström.

The Anaheim Ducks pulled off a nice bit of roster work this week, signing No. 1 goalie Lukas Dostal to a five-year, $32.5-million contract that carries an average annual value of $6.5 million. Dostal’s signing was the latest goalie news in an NHL off-season where teams quickly snapped up most of the available netminders.

For instance, in Philadelphia, the Flyers signed veteran Dan Vladar. In Los Angeles, the Kings signed Anton Forsberg. In San Jose, the Sharks traded for former Penguins goalie Alex Nedeljkovic. In New Jersey, the Devils re-signed experienced hand Jake Allen, and in Pittsburgh, the Pens traded for former Vancouver Canucks youngster Arturs Silovs. In Montreal, the Canadiens signed journeyman Kappo Kahkonen, the Panthers traded for former Blue Jackets goalie Daniil Tarasov, the Sabres signed Alex Lyon to ostensibly be their third goalie, and of course, Dostal’s former teammate, goalie John Gibson, was dealt from the Ducks to the Detroit Red Wings.

It’s readily apparent, then, that it’s extremely difficult to develop good netminders at the NHL level. And Dostal’s career arc is an instructive example of how teams should be signing and developing their goalies.

At 25 years old, Dostal already has 121 games of regular-season experience. He’s been brought along steadily and methodically, and his individual numbers, despite playing on terrible Ducks teams, have consistently improved.

Here’s what we mean: Dostal’s first extended taste of NHL hockey was in the the 2022-23 season, where he appeared in 19 games and posted a .901 save percentage and 3.78 goals-against average. Then, in 2023-24, Dostal appeared in 44 games, with a .902 SP and 3.33 GAA. And last season, with Gibson frequently out of the lineup with injuries, Dostal emerged as a legitimate No. 1 option when he appeared in 54 games and registered a .903 SP and 3.10 GAA.

Dostal’s evolution into a starter really couldn’t have gone better for Ducks GM Pat Verbeek. Rather than having to overpay on the free-agent market for a goaltender who didn’t come up in Anaheim’s system, the Ducks brought along their own young talent, who eventually pushed out the de facto No. 1 (Gibson) and allowed Verbeek to make a trade of his former No. 1 goalie from a position of strength and leverage. Dostal just naturally took over the starter’s job from Gibson, and that’s exactly what teams want to see from their young goalies.

As of mid-July, most of the free-agent goalies were off the market, and most teams had established who’ll be patrolling their pipes in the fall. There are a couple of options still available – former Maple Leafs and Golden Knights veteran Ilya Samsonov chief among them – but for the most part, the game of musical chairs for goalies has come to an end.

In Anaheim, Dostal has secured a strong payday for himself for the next half-decade, and the Ducks have secured goaltending reliability for that period. In bringing along Dostal slowly but deliberately, Anaheim has done very well in terms of goalie development. And as they make a push for relevance in the near future, the Ducks can rest assured they did things the right way with what is arguably their most important position.

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Grading, evaluating Sharks' offseason heading into upcoming 2025-26 NHL season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

How would I grade the Sharks’ offseason?

It appears as if the Sharks don’t have too much left up their sleeve this summer.

“I would say we probably are finished,” GM Mike Grier said last week.

Why Reaves & Skinner? Grier’s Grand Plan? My Thoughts on Sharks’ Latest Moves (+)

Let’s review each move…overall grade at the end!

William Eklund

The Sharks inked their 22-year-old star winger, who broke out with a career-high 58 points last season, to a three-year, $16.8 million extension ($5.6 million AAV) that kicks 2026-27.

That figure was in line with San Jose Hockey Now’s predictionin early June: “If Eklund and the Sharks discuss three or four-year extensions, over $5 million AAV seems like a realistic possibility.”

What an Eklund contract extension could look like for Sharks

So no argument with the not my money anyway.

The Sharks, however, may regret not locking up their budding star to more years…but Eklund is also not a sure thing to develop into a playoff-caliber first-line winger. And from Eklund’s perspective, he’s sick of losing, so I’m sure that he would want to commit long-term to a winning program. 

So it’s couple that’s moving in together, but isn’t sure if they’re ready to get married yet.

Grade: A

John Klingberg

Klingberg, 32, signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Sharks.

If healthy, the 6-foot-2 right-hander should prove to be a bargain. In his prime, he was one of the top offensive defensemen in the NHL, and he looked spry during the Edmonton Oilers’ Stanley Cup Final run.

But he’s also played just 25 regular-season games over the last two years because of persistent hip troubles.

The Sharks also don’t have a secure safety net to quarterback the top power-play unit after Klingberg. So he better stay healthy.

It’s high-risk, high-reward move, even on a one-year pact. But it also could have the greatest pay-off of any of Grier’s moves this summer.

Grade: B-

Adam Gaudette

The Sharks inked 28-year-old center-winger Gaudette to a two-year, $4 million contract.

Gaudette has had an interesting career track: In 2019-20, he had 33 points in 59 games with the Vancouver Canucks. Last year, he scored a career-high 19 goals with the Ottawa Senators.

In between, however, Gaudette bounced between the NHL and AHL with multiple organizations.

NHL scouts think that he’s a legitimate talent though, so if he’s finally found his consistency, he could prove to be another bargain.

At worst, he should be a usable fourth-liner.

Grade: B+

Philipp Kurashev

Kurashev, 25, signed a one-year, $1.25 million contract with the Sharks.

The 6-foot-0 center-winger is yet another reclamation project: The Chicago Blackhawks declined to qualify him after he scored just 14 points in 51 games last year. In 2023-24, he had a career-high 54 points.

So will the real Kurashev please stand up?

Grade: B

Alex Nedeljkovic

The Sharks traded a 2028 third-rounder to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Nedeljkovic.

On and off the ice, Nedeljkovic should be an excellent complement to star prospect Yaroslav Askarov.

Dealing a third-rounder seems like a high price for your backup goalie, but it was important to find a compatible personality who’s capable of stepping up between the pipes if Askarovfalters, but also has no problem taking a backseat.

Losing a third-rounder hurts, but the Sharks should be able to easily recoup that by the 2028 Draft.

Grade: A-

Dmitry Orlov

Orlov, 33, signed a two-year, $13 million contract ($6.5 million AAV) with the Sharks.

For most of his career, Orlov has been one of the better two-way defensemen in the league and was the No. 2 blueliner for the 2018 Stanley Cup-winning Washington Capitals. Orlov, however, had an up-and-down last two seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Like many of the Sharks’ acquisitions this off-season, Orlov will have to find the fountain of the youth, but the 5-foot-11 left-hander is still a quality blueliner, and should be a steadying force for what’s been one of the league’s worst defenses over the last three years.

And if his decline is real, a two-year commitment won’t hurt. Orlov is also regarded as a solid locker room presence, which the young Sharks always need.

Grade: A-

Nick Leddy

The Sharks claimed the 34-year-old blueliner off waivers from the St. Louis Blues. 

In his day, the 6-foot-0 left-hander was also one of the better two-way defenders in the league. Leddy slipped last year, but still retains most of his trademark skating chops.

He’s in the last year of his contract, $4 million AAV. Just two seasons ago, Leddy still provided top-four caliber work, so hopefully he was just banged up last year.

Grade: A

Ryan Reaves

The Sharks acquired the 38-year-old enforcer for Henry Thrun.

On the surface, swapping a 24-year-old defenseman for a limited and older skater — Reaves played 7:48 a night last year — seems like an obvious no-no.

But honestly, both Thrun and Reaves are considered low-value trade assets, and Reaves brings a very particular set of skills to the Sharks that they don’t have.

Thrun is a fork, which the Sharks have plenty of, while Reaves is a meat tenderizer, one of the few around the NHL.

Although Reaves has slowed down on the ice, non-Sharks league sources believe he’s still one of the most feared enforcers in the NHL, will protect San Jose’s many young stars, and will also inject a one-of-a-kind energy into a quiet locker room.

Grade: B

I’d give the Sharks a B- grade this offseason.

Individually, Grier has made a series of good-to-great moves. But collectively, I’m not sure that these moves will take the Sharks out of the cellar.

On one hand, it’s not necessarily Grier’s fault, it’s hard to sell the top free agents on a last-place team. Grier, wisely, also exercised caution with his free agent expenditures, not overextending himself in the middle class of the market — there’s a danger in overspending on free agents and ending up with a better-but-ultimately-mediocre team.

On the other hand, Grier built the team that has finished last in back-to-back seasons. If San Jose is still unattractive to free agents, it’s Grier’s short-term pain for his vision of long-term gain.

The Sharks need to get out of last place sooner than later, and hopefully, this is the group that does it. Right now, that’s very much still in doubt.

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A look back at the intense rivalry and infamous clashes between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche. 

There are storied rivalries in hockey like the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens, the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Lightning, or even the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings. But in the late 1990s and early 2000s, there was one that defined the league as a whole and took many by surpise as it came out nowhere. 

It was a violent war on ice whenever the Red Wings would clash against the Colorado Avalanche as cheapshots and dirty plays would ignite grusome saga. The 1996 Western Conference Finals had left a bitter taste in Detroit’s mouth as the newly competitive Colorado Avalanche eliminated the Red Wings in six games. 

The most notable part of the series is a hit that many Red Wings fans remember as the final game of the series saw forward Kris Draper of the Red Wings get blindsided by a vicious check from Colorado’s Claude Lemieux. Draper’s face required reconstructive surgery and when Lemieux didn't apologize and was suspended for only two games. Detroit knew they were going to have to take things into their own hands when they faced off again.

Red Wings Set To Open 100th Season Versus Montreal CanadiensThe Detroit Red Wings will face off against the Montreal Canadiens in their 2025-26 season opener on October 9th.

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

On March 26, 1997, it was clear the Red Wings had a score to settle as the brawls ensued halfway through the first period with Red Wings forward Darren McCarty finding Lemieux and pummeling him near the boards while Lemieux turtled, unable to respond. 

The brawls extended to the goalies as Detroit's Chris Osgood and Colorado's Patrick Roy fought center ice. Brendan Shanahan laid out Roy with a flying check. Igor Larionov and Peter Forsberg got into it. It was pure chaos as the crowd in the Joe Louis Arena erupted.

More than 18 fighting majors were handed out with the Red Wings happy that they got to exact their revenge. Detroit would go on to win the game 6-5 with McCarty scoring the game winner in dramatic fashion. From there, the rivalry only escalated. 

The two teams met in the playoffs five times between 1996 and 2002, including the 2002 Western Conference Final, where Detroit obliterated Colorado in a 7–0 drubbing during Game 7 in which Roy was embarrassed by a glove save where he got up and celebrated thinking he had the puck, only to realize it was in the back of the net. 

During their years of hatred from 1996 and 2002, either the Red Wings or Avalanche won the Cup five times with both side elevating their play solely to beat the other. With loaded rosters including several hall-of-fame players, the rivalry was one of the greatest in hockey history and will always be remembered when the Red Wings and Avalanche face off again.

2025 Red Wings Draft Pick Michal Svrcek Announces Where He's Playing Next Season The 2025 NHL Draft wrapped up in late June, and among the players selected by Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman was Slovakian forward Michal Svrcek in the fourth round (119th overall). 

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