With the 3rd pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks selected Swedish forward Anton Frondell. This came after the New York Islanders selected Matthew Schaefer and the San Jose Sharks took Michael Misa.

Due to Chicago's overwhelming depth on defense and the prominent forward draft class, it was always certain that they'd end up taking a forward. A lot of factors went into Frondell being the guy. 

Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar are seen as the catalysts up front for the Blackhawks at this time. Each of them is there to create offense. Both of them are undersized but widely talented with the puck. Kyle Davidson wanted to make sure to balance things out with his forwards selected in 2025.

Frondell, a 200-foot center, is exactly the type of player that the Blackhawks needed. He can provide offense, but you know you're getting an honest two-way effort from him on every shift. 

Everything that makes Frondell a high-end prospect is what makes him a great fit for Chicago's roster in 2025-26. He isn't going to be a star right away, but he has the tools to help the team as soon as he touches NHL ice. 

If the Blackhawks are up a goal late and need to protect the lead, Frondell may be someone tapped to go out there and defend it. 

Frondell compared himself to Aleksander Barkov after he was drafted. Well, being one of the greatest two-way players of all time is a stretch. However, that play style is welcomed by every team in the league. 

Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) on XAnton Frondell (2025) out here breaking ankles at the 5 Nations

Anything can happen, and there are things in Frondell's game that need work, but he declared that his goal is to make the team out of camp. The current state of the franchise makes that goal attainable. 

If the Blackhawks had Bedard, Nazar, and Frondell as a three-headed monster down the middle, they'd have three lines that bring something different. 

Frondell is also the perfect age for this group. Most of the roster is going to be under 24 years old in 2025-26, so they can grow up together. 

At first, it seemed like Frondell was destined to go back to Sweden for one season. Now, there is a very real chance that he begins in the NHL right away. 

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

It was a rollercoaster of a season for the Montreal Canadiens, they went from the depths of despair, where you only visit when you lose three games in two weeks, in which you give up six goals or more, to the elation of qualifying for the playoffs in the very last game of the season with plenty of ups and down along the ways.

With the main side listing its top-10 moments of the NHL season, I figured it was more than time we did the same for the Canadiens. Choosing just 10 moments wasn’t easy, but it had to be done.

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1. The Canadiens make the playoffs

It wasn’t easy, but Martin St-Louis finally got over its jitters and managed to seal the deal on a playoff participation after failing to do so in its first three attempts. For a few games, it looked like the moment was just too big for the inexperienced Habs as they lost to the Ottawa Senators (5-2), the Toronto Maple Leafs (O 1-0), and the Chicago Blackhawks (O 4-3). But eventually, they pulled it together and scored a 4-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes.

2. Lane Hutson wins the Calder Trophy

The diminutive blueliner had an incredible season, putting all the naysayer in their place and showing them that he could be successful at the highest level. He broke the Canadiens’ franchise record for the most points by a rookie defenseman. He tied Larry Murphy’s record for most assists by a rookie defenseman in league history, on top of becoming the fourth-highest scorer ever amongst rookie defensemen. More than the numbers, though, Hutson brought back joy in the Bell Center. Whenever he touched the puck, people got excited; he got people out of their seats the way P.K. Subban used to before being traded.

3. Ivan Demidov joins the Habs

The most optimistic fans had hoped it would happen, but logic and Demidov’s contract led us to believe the youngster wouldn’t join the Canadiens before the start of next season. Once SKA  St. Petersburg was eliminated from the playoffs, though, they let the offensive wizard come over, and in his very first game, he scored a goal, sending the Bell Center into a frenzy.

4. Kent Hughes lands the top trade target hours before the draft

As everyone was speculating about who the Canadiens would pick with the 16th and 17th overall picks, the Habs' GM knew who he wanted to select: Noah Dobson. The Canadiens had been looking for another quality puck-moving defenseman who shot right for quite some time. Once Hughes was made aware that Dobson was available, he worked tirelessly to land his man, and he did, at a very reasonable price. He was also able to sign him to a long-term contract, adding yet another piece to his young core.

5. Brendan Gallagher receives the jersey he had worn in his mother’s honour

The alternate captain lost his mother after she courageously battled against brain cancer for years, his teammates supported him through the ordeal, and he received lots of messages from fans online. Still, one of them went above and beyond. Lucie Lachance offered to give him the Hockey Fights Cancer jersey he wore to honour his mom’s battle years ago. Lachance had won it in an auction, but she still wanted to give it to him. Her favourite player offered a jersey swap on the “Jersey Of Our Backs” night, and it led to a very moving moment on the red carpet at the Bell Centre ice.

6. Jakub Dobes bursts onto the scene

Cayden Primeau had an awful start to the season, and by the time Christmas rolled around, the organization and St-Louis had lost faith in the netminder. After the holiday break, he was sent down to the Laval Rocket, and the young Czech netminder was called up. He blanked the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers in his first game and started his career with a five-game winning streak, winning over the Canadiens’ fans easily.

7. Hughes trades Justin Barron for Alexandre Carrier

After trading Jonathan Kovacevich in the off-season, probably because he believed Logan Mailloux or David Reinbacher might have been ready to make the jump to the NHL, he realized he needed more depth on that side. He went out and swapped underachieving Justin Barron, who was struggling to find his footing with the Canadiens, for Alexandre Carrier. The Quebecer’s arrival stabilized the defense, and he played a significant part in the Canadiens’ qualification for the postseason.

8. Patrik Laine shows his knack for scoring

The Canadiens’ GM went out and got the Finnish sniper from the Columbus Blue Jackets to bolster his attack, and it worked, especially on the power play, where he scored 15 of his 19 goals on the season. On December 17th, not long after coming back from a serious knee injury, he scored a hat trick in the Canadiens' 6-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres, blowing up the roof off the Bell Centre.

9. The Canadiens win their home opener

The Habs started the season with a duel with their enemy, the Leafs, and while Toronto offered a dominant performance, it wasn’t as dominant as that of Samuel Montembeault. The Canadiens’ goaltender made 48 saves to blank Auston Matthews and co., starting the season in the best possible way. It would be the first of four shutouts for the netminder, who had only had one before the start of the season. At the end of the campaign, he had a 31-24-7 record, a career high in wins, and a 2.82 goals-against average, also a career high.

10. Nick Suzuki became a point-per-game player

It was only a matter of time before the captain would achieve the feat, but he did it with a lot of panache this season, carrying the team on his back to lead it to the playoffs and showing just how much of a leader he is. In 82 games, he scored 89 points, and as usual, he appeared in every game. If there were any doubts about his being a first-line center, he annihilated them this season.

Are you looking forward to what this team has in store for next season? You should be…

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The Stanley Cup will soon be making its way back south of the border.

When it returns, there will be some slight differences.

For the third summer in a row, the winners of the Stanley Cup will be able to enjoy their hard-earned personal time with the historic trophy while seeing their names engraved into the silver.

It’s a tradition that started back in 2023.

That year, before the Vegas Golden Knights had their time with the Stanley Cup, it was brought up to Montreal where the special engraving is done.

Last July it was the same for the Florida Panthers.

One very cool visual reminder of what that could mean to all the Panthers – everyone whose name is on the cup – played out on the ice a few weeks ago, after Game 6 against the Edmonton Oilers.

After they had been awarded the Cup and taken their time skating around the Amerant Bank Arena ice with it, a few players huddled around the cup.

They began pointing to their names, which for most of the team had been added last year, or in the case of Brad Marchand, 14 years prior.

But for the first-time winners, nothing will prepare them for the feeling of seeing their name on the Cup.

Florida’s leadership, consisting of Panthers captain Sasha Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk and other veterans, wanted to make sure the players who had never won the cup were the ones who got to lift it on the ice first.

It went from Barkov to Nate Schmidt to Seth Jones to Tomas Nosek to Vitek Vanecek, to A.J. Greer to Jesper Boqvist to Mackie Samoskevich to Uvis Balinskis to Jaycob Megna to Evan Cormier.

The exceptional and heartwarming moments should start coming in fast and furious once the Stanley Cup starts making its way around the world with all of Florida’s players, coaches and executives.

What are some of your favorite moments from last summer, when the Panthers each received a day with the Stanley Cup to do whatever they wanted?

Leave them in the comments section below!

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Photo caption: Jun 22, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, UNITED STATES; Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) celebrates with the Stanley Cup during the Stanley Cup championship parade and rally. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

Pittsburgh Penguins legendary forward Evgeni Malkin is going into his age-39 season in 2025-26 after seeing his production dip a little bit this past season. 

He played in 68 games, finishing with 16 goals and 50 points. It was the first time he had missed games since the 2021-22 season when he compiled 20 goals and 42 points in 41 games. Outside of playing 117:38 with Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell on the top line, he spent the most amount of even-strength minutes with Michael Bunting and Cody Glass on his line. He played 83:58 with those two players before they got dealt around the trade deadline. 

Bunting had 14 goals and 29 points in 58 games for the Penguins before he was traded to the Nashville Predators as part of the Tommy Novak trade. Glass had four goals and 15 points for the Penguins before they dealt him to the New Jersey Devils. Malkin was getting and setting up chances in a lot of the Penguins' games, but some of the pucks weren't finding the back of the net. He was putting up a 60-point pace and would have easily cleared that threshold if more of those chances had gone in and if he hadn't missed 14 games. 

Malkin will have more help for the 2025-26 season, as Ville Koivunen demonstrated his capabilities during his brief NHL stint at the end of the 2024-25 season. He finished with seven points, all assists, in eight games. His vision and playmaking ability were on full display, especially when he and Malkin played together down the stretch.

They only played six games on the same line, but the early returns were solid. When they were on the ice together, they had 54.9% of the shot attempts, 52.5% of the expected goals, 55% of the scoring chances, and 60% of the high-danger chances. It would be in the best interest of new head coach Dan Muse to give them more time together once next season starts in October.  

The Penguins barely got to see any of Tommy Novak last season after they acquired him from the Predators. He only played in two games before being lost for the season after sustaining an injury against the Vegas Golden Knights on March 9. Despite being a center, Muse could move him to the wing to help Malkin out a bit since he has a good scoring touch and can carry the puck in transition. He is a career 15.2% shooter and had the best season of his career in 2023-24, finishing with 18 goals and 45 points in 71 games. He also sees the ice well and can thread the needle with some of his passes. 

Noval and Koivunen are just two of the options that the Penguins have at their disposal for Malkin. Assuming they keep Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust going into the season, one of them could be on Malkin's right wing. Rakell and Rust were both fantastic for the Penguins last season, scoring 30+ goals and compiling 60+ points. They both set career highs in goals and points and are both prevalent in trade rumors right now. Other teams would love to pry them off the team, but Penguins general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas has set a high price on both. He will only trade one or both of them if he gets an offer that he can't turn down. 

Anthony Mantha could also get some time with Malkin after the Penguins signed him to a one-year deal on July 2. Mantha is recovering from a torn ACL after playing only 13 games for the Calgary Flames last season, but he has a history of being a solid scorer. Before tearing his ACL, he finished the 23-24 season with 23 goals and 44 points in 74 games.

 He is a three-time 20-goal scorer and could be a good flip candidate at the deadline, similar to Anthony Beauvillier last season. The Penguins signed Beauvillier when free agency opened in 2024 and gave him a lot of minutes in the top six before he was traded to the Washington Capitals for a second-round pick. He scored 13 goals in 63 games for the Penguins before re-signing with the Capitals for two years on July 3. 

Malkin is entering the final year of his current contract, but nobody knows if this will be his final NHL season. He may want to assess his progress halfway through the season or even closer to the end of the season before making that call. If Malkin gets some more help, he could be persuaded to return for another year, as Sidney Crosby, his longtime teammate and best friend, is signed through the 2026-27 season. 

(Data via Natural Stat Trick and Dobber's Frozen Tools). 

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Featured Image Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The OHL currently has a trade freeze in place so their players don’t have to worry about getting dealt to a new team while they enjoy their summer and off-season training. 

Now, the NHL isn’t operating in the same capacity as the OHL and one of the London Knights’ top players found out late Tuesday night that he has a new NHL team. 

PROSPECT TRADE ALERT 🔁

2025 Hobey Baker Award winner Isaac Howard has been flipped for Sam O'Reilly! pic.twitter.com/OyClGbnvqZ

— NHL (@NHL) July 9, 2025

Sam O’Reilly, 19, has been traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for the 2025 Hobey Baker Winner, Isaac Howard. It’s a one-for-one trade. Howard immediately signed his entry-level contract with his new NHL franchise, and the expectation is that he will slot into Edmonton’s top-nine forward corps next season. 

Howard had told Lightning management that he wasn’t going to sign with them. He was drafted in the first round, 31st overall, in the 2022 NHL draft by them. Tampa ships off the highly skilled, offensive-minded winger in return for a defensive center specialist. 

The Michigan State Spartan forward is more NHL-ready, but O'Reilly's playstyle, consistency, and reliability have scouts saying he has more potential to be an everyday NHLer for a longer span than Howard. 

O’Reilly is coming off his second year with the Knights in the OHL, winning back-to-back OHL Championships and a Memorial Cup victory. He set career highs in goals (28) and points (71), and was a +80 in 79 combined regular season and playoff games. He was the last pick of the first round (32nd overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft. 

The Toronto, Ontario native was one of the OHL’s best defensive forwards last season. However, with Easton Cowan and Denver Barkey making their way to the professional ranks, O’Reilly will need to be more of a leader offensively next season in London.  

Also, good news for Knights fans, he has already signed his entry-level contract, making him ineligible to play in the NCAA. 

The Detroit Red Wings have utilized multiple goaltenders over the last several years, some of whom were acquired via trade and others through free agency. 

Cam Talbot, who is coming off his first campaign played in Detroit, is set to enter the final season of his two-year contract he affixed his signature last July.

He won 21 games for Detroit in 2024-25 as part of a crowded crease that also included now-former Red Wings goalies Alex Lyon, Ville Husso, and Petr Mrazek.

Detroit is now set to enter the upcoming 2025-26 NHL season with the tandem of Talbot and John Gibson, who was recently acquired via trade with the Anaheim Ducks (sending Mrazek to Anaheim in return). 

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Lyon signed as a free agent with the Buffalo Sabres, while the Red Wings traded Husso to Anaheim last season. 

Known for his steady and calming presence in the dressing room, Talbot has been a positive addition for the Red Wings and, during several occasions, was the reason they ultimately earned two points on a given night last season. 

CAM TALBOT WITH A GAME SAVING STOP IN THE FINAL SECONDS 😱 pic.twitter.com/Wm4HiRpvmR

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 30, 2025

His first start with Detroit, a 42-save shutout performance against the Nashville Predators on October 12, was a strong way to begin his tenure in the Winged Wheel. 

At 38 years of age, Talbot isn't getting any younger. The upcoming season could, in all likelihood, be his last with Detroit and potentially even his last in the NHL, especially if one or more of their goaltending prospects waiting in the wings takes the next step in their respective development. 

The Red Wings are understandably excited about the potential of prospect goaltender Sebastian Cossa, whom they selected with the 15th pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.

What's more, it won't be long before Trey Augustine (selected 41st overall in 2023) makes his presence felt after he concludes what will be his junior year with the Michigan State Spartans. Detroit also recently signed 23 year-old Czechia goaltender Michal Postava to a two-year contract.

Talbot, who has won 266 games during his NHL career, will hope to form a solid partnership with his new teammate Gibson, one that fans are hoping will ultimately yield a return trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have brought in several new players this off-season. One of them is Connor Clifton, as the Penguins acquired him and the 39th pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Conor Timmins and Isaac Belliveau.

Clifton has the potential to be a very solid addition to the Penguins' defensive group. When playing at his best, the 30-year-old blueliner is a steady shutdown defenseman, which is something Pittsburgh needs right now. 

When looking at the Penguins' current roster, Clifton should have himself a spot on their bottom pairing. Furthermore, due to his defense-first style of play, he is also a clear candidate to play on the Penguins' penalty kill. 

During this past season with the Sabres, Clifton posted one goal, 16 points, and a notable 208 hits. It was the third year in a row where Clifton had at least 200 hits, so he undoubtedly makes an impact with his immensely physical style of play. The Penguins' blueline could use more bite, and now it is getting just that with the hard-hitting Clifton.

Clifton also demonstrated during his time with the Boston Bruins that he has the potential to provide some offense from the point, too. During the 2022-23 season, he recorded five goals, 18 assists, 23 points, and a plus-20 rating. While the Penguins did not necessarily bring him in for his offense, he could help them in that area if he taps into his 2022-23 form. 

Ultimately, while this was a smaller move by the Penguins, there is a lot to like about this Clifton addition. He should add some much-needed stability to the Penguins' blueline, and it also does not hurt that he is a veteran who can help mentor the team's younger players. It will be interesting to see how much of an impact he makes with Pittsburgh in 2025-26 from here. 

Penguins' 2025 First Round Pick Signs Entry-Level ContractWith three first-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins were aiming to maximize the addition of talent in their system. 

Photo Credit:  © Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

It has been one week since the 2025 free agency period opened, and the Vancouver Canucks made a crop of signings, including netting one of the biggest available free agents of this year’s class. Let’s take a look at what the Canucks have done so far during free agency. 

The Day Before July 1 — 10:00am PT

The Canucks announced four different signings before free agency had even started. On June 30, they re-signed key members of the Abbotsford Canucks’ 2025 Calder Cup-winning season and extended qualifying offers to two others. Max Sasson and Guillaume Brisebois each inked one-year contract extensions at $775K, while Arshdeep Bains and Aatu Räty signed two-year deals. Jett Woo and Nikita Tolopilo were the lone players who were given qualifying offers (with both signing their respective ones today), with the Canucks choosing not to qualify Christian Felton, Ty Glover, Cole McWard, and Tristen Nielsen. 

Contract Extensions Kick Off Free Agency — 7:00am PT

Vancouver kicked off the opening day of free agency by announcing two big extensions. While reports had broken the week prior, the Canucks made Conor Garland’s contract extension official. The forward, whose deal was set to expire in 2026, inked a six-year, $36M contract with Vancouver that will keep him in the organization until 2032. 

Another Canuck that got a contract extension was Thatcher Demko, who was also entering the final year of his contract in the 2025–26 season. However, Vancouver saved themselves the worries of last-minute negotiating (for Demko, at least), signing the goaltender to a three-year extension worth $8.5M per year.

The First Player Leaves — 9:00am PT

A little after the 2025 free agency period opened, the first Canuck parted ways with the team. Noah Juulsen signed a one-year, $900K contract with the Philadelphia Flyers. Coincidentally, this is also the team that former Canucks bench boss Rick Tocchet was recently named head coach of. 

Return Of The Brock — 9:30am PT

Many weren’t sure what Vancouver was going to do in free agency. One thing they were sure of, however, is that decade-long Canuck Brock Boeser would not be returning to the team. In the rumour mill, Boeser’s name had been paired with teams such as the Winnipeg Jets, Los Angeles Kings, and even the Edmonton Oilers. But, in a stunning turn of events, news broke that one of the premier free agents in the 2025 free agency class — Boeser — had re-signed with Vancouver. His seven-year, $7.25M contract will take him to the end of the 2031–32 season. Most importantly, however, it will keep a long-tenured and well-loved member of the franchise in a time when stability is needed most. 

Goodbye Abbotsford, Hello Home Province — 10:00am PT

With fans still reeling from the sudden news that Boeser would remain a Canuck, Abbotsford was hit with some bittersweet news. Sammy Blais, who had developed into a fan-favourite especially during the team’s Calder Cup run, signed a one-year deal with his home province team, the Montréal Canadiens. 

Canucks Make Three Depth Signings — 2:00pm PT

After the departures of Juulsen and Blais, Vancouver decided to make some depth additions to their organization by making three signings. They signed former St. Louis Blues forward MacKenzie MacEachern to a two-year, two-way contract worth $775K per year. As well, they brought back a familiar face in Joseph LaBate, who had been picked 101st overall in the 2011 NHL Draft by Vancouver. Their final signing of the day was Jimmy Schuldt, a defender, who earned himself a two-year, $775K AAV contract with the Canucks. 

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A Depth Player Departs — 4:00pm PT

The Canucks lost a depth player in free agency after Phil Di Giuseppe, who had been with the organization since 2021, signed a contract with the Jets. His new deal with the Jets lasts one year and pays $775K. Di Giuseppe’s departure was the last bit of Canucks-related free agency news to break on July 1. 

Day 2 Defensive Depth Signing — 11:30am PT

Vancouver made one signing the day after free agency’s opening day. They agreed to a one-year, $775K contract with former Pittsburgh Penguins and Blues defender Pierre-Olivier Joseph. So far, Joseph has been the last signing made by the Canucks in the 2025 off-season. 

See You, Suter — 2:00pm PT

On the same day that they signed Joseph, Vancouver said goodbye to one of their biggest breakout players in the 2024–25 season — Pius Suter. The center, who proved himself to be a capable middle-six center in the NHL, signed a two-year, $4.125M AAV deal with the Blues. 

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The NHL saw several unrestricted free agents (UFAs) sign their new contracts during the first few days of July, which was expected. With this, the majority of this year's notable UFAs are off the board.

While the free-agent market is noticeably smaller than it was when it opened on July 1, there are still some intriguing names left for the taking. Two are former Montreal Canadiens players, so let's take a look at them now.

Max Pacioretty

Former Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty is one of the more notable UFAs still available. The 36-year-old winger posted five goals, 13 points, and a minus-2 rating in 37 regular-season games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2024-25. While he dealt with injury trouble during the regular-season, he was a big bright spot for Toronto during the playoffs. In 11 post-season games, he recorded three goals, eight points, and a plus-1 rating. This included three consecutive two-point games from May 5 to May 9. 

Ultimately, Pacioretty showed during the playoffs that he can still be a solid contributor at the NHL level. Due to this, it would not be particularly surprising if the Maple Leafs looked to bring him back on a cheap one-year deal. If not Toronto, the veteran forward could still generate interest from a team looking for more experience and forward depth if he chooses to continue his career.

Pacioretty was selected by the Canadiens with the 22nd overall pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. In 626 games over 10 seasons in Montreal, he recorded 226 goals, 448 points, 800 hits, and a plus-36 rating. 

Jon Merrill 

Former Canadiens defenseman Jon Merrill has also not been signed yet and remains a UFA. The 33-year-old blueliner just completed his fourth season with the Minnesota Wild in 2024-25, posting two goals, four assists, 85 blocks, and a minus-8 rating in 70 games. 

While Merrill is not the flashiest of players, there could be a team out there willing to sign him to an affordable short-term deal. He is a serviceable bottom-pairing defensive defenseman with plenty of experience, and teams are often on the hunt for more defensive depth. 

In 13 regular-season games with the Canadiens during the 2020-21 season, Merrill recorded zero points, 10 hits, and 12 blocks. He also appeared in 13 playoff games for the Habs in 2021, posting zero points and a minus-4 rating. 

Interesting News About The Canadiens’ First Pick At The Last DraftThe Montreal Canadiens didn’t have a first-round pick at the last draft, thanks to the Noah Dobson trade, but their first pick in the second round was a first-round pick in their book. Nick Bobrov and Martin Lapointe seemed rather excited about Alexander Zharovsky, and they aren’t the only ones.

Photo Credit: © Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Vegas Golden Knights have signed defenseman Lukas Cormier to a one-year contract for the 2025-26 season. 

✍️ The Vegas Golden Knights have signed defenseman Lukas Cormier to a one-year contract! #VegasBornhttps://t.co/ptVgXTcjmW

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) July 8, 2025

Cormier was drafted by the Golden Knights in the third round (68th overall) of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Since then, Cormier has spent his last three seasons with the Henderson Silver Knights, where he’s appeared on the ice for a total of 139 games. In that time he’s recorded a total of 64 points (14 Goals, 50 Assists). 

The 23-year-old stands out with his sharp shooting skills and knack for slipping into open spaces near the net. He’s known to be quick, he sets up teammates by targeting sticks for deflections or generating rebounds. 

Lukas Cormier's parents beam with pride after the @GoldenKnights collect the W in his NHL debut 🥹 pic.twitter.com/2b9WaljNoM

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 7, 2024

He has had a few NHL appearances playing in two games for Vegas. He recorded an assist during his debut on January 4, 2024, as part of a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders at T-Mobile Arena. 

Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy had talked about Cormier’s performance that night, “I thought he played the game in front of him. He didn’t chase it. He didn’t get caught out of position. He’s inside the dots.” 

Before turning pro, the Sainte-Marie-de-Kent, New Brunswick native spent four seasons in the QMJHL with the Charlottetown Islanders, where he made history as the first player to be recognized twice as the league’s top defenseman.

PHOTO COURTESY: Henderson Silver Knights

As the NHL’s 2025 free-agent frenzy slows down, some teams in the hyper-competitive Atlantic Division haven’t made moves as big as expected. 

In Toronto, the biggest move the Maple Leafs made was trading for mid-tier left winger Matias Maccelli. In Buffalo, the Sabres’ biggest additions have been defenseman Michael Kesselring and winger Josh Doan. The Ottawa Senators’ biggest acquisitions have been journeyman center Lars Eller and defenseman Jordan Spence, while the Detroit Red Wings brought in John Gibson.

Not exactly a cast of all-stars, to be sure.

You can point to the Montreal Canadiens trading for top-level blueliner Noah Dobson and the defending Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers surprisingly retaining all of stars Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad as examples of marquee talents arriving in or staying in the Atlantic. Those teams’ splashes certainly stand out among the rest of the Atlantic.

The retooling Boston Bruins were also busy, as they acquired Viktor Arvidsson, Tanner Jeannot, Michael Eyssimont and Jordan Harris, among others. But they were more depth moves than big moves.

But while some might’ve expected even more from the Atlantic’s playoff teams this summer, the truth is that it simply speaks to how good many of those teams are that they didn’t need to bring in new big names – at least, not right away.

Indeed, compare the splashes Atlantic teams made with teams in other NHL divisions, and you’ll see what we’re getting at. 

In the Pacific Division, the Anaheim Ducks traded goalie John Gibson, traded for former New York Rangers star winger Chris Kreider and signed veteran center Mikael Granlund. In Los Angeles, the Kings signed a slew of veterans, including defensemen Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin, wingers Corey Perry and Joel Armia and goalie Anton Forsberg. The Seattle Kraken traded for forwards Mason Marchment and Frederick Gaudreau and signed defenseman Ryan Lindgren. And the Vegas Golden Knights made a huge splash by acquiring superstar Mitch Marner and re-signing left winger Brandon Saad.

Similarly, in the Metropolitan Division, the Rangers signed first-pair D-man Vladislav Gavrikov, and the New York Islanders signed winger Jonathan Drouin. The Carolina Hurricanes added defenseman K’Andre Miller and right winger Nikolaj Ehlers, while the New Jersey Devils added forwards Connor Brown and Evgenii Dadonov. The Philadelphia Flyers added goalie Dan Vladar and centers Trevor Zegras and Christian Dvorak, while the Pittsburgh Penguins traded for D-man Connor Clifton and signed wingers Anthony Mantha and Justin Brazeau.

Again, not many of those acquisitions can be labeled Grade-A acquisitions, but the number of moves made tells you how many holes needed plugging, in contrast to the holes in most Atlantic teams.

All things considered, the Atlantic Division’s teams didn’t make massive additions because they came into the off-season stocked to the gills in most key areas. The Panthers, Maple Leafs and Lightning made their trades of consequence at the trade deadline, so there’s no impetus for them to swing deals after deals this summer. 

While there’s still plenty of time for teams to make additional moves, if the season started today, the Atlantic would still be the league’s most competitive division. That’s why there weren’t as many teams in the Division making big splashes, and that’s why the Atlantic will once again be the NHL’s most competitive division for the foreseeable future.

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When training camp kicks off in September for the Ottawa Senators, one of the most compelling storylines will center around what the team decides to do this year with their 2024 first-round draft pick, Carter Yakemchuk.

You’ll remember that last season, Yakemchuk was the Senators’ final cut, despite leading the team in preseason scoring. Actually, Yakemchuk didn’t just lead the team; he finished tied for sixth among all NHL scorers with seven points in four games.

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If that weren’t enough to win over Senators fans, his coast-to-coast overtime goal to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in an exhibition game certainly sealed the deal.

Though disappointed by not cracking the roster, Yakemchuk returned to the Western Hockey League’s Calgary Hitmen to focus more on his defensive game and improve his skating. That shift in focus appeared to come at the cost of some offensive production, and his numbers took a noticeable dip.

Some have speculated that, like many junior-aged players, Yakemchuk may have let that initial disappointment get into his head. But Senators amateur scout Don Boyd didn’t see it that way.

"He didn't seem to get too ruffled about it at all," Boyd said shortly before this summer’s draft. "I'm sure he used it as a motivational tool. I was with him shortly after those decisions were made.

"I didn't spend two days with him, but I was with him right after the game and he was fine. He was his usual composed self. Inside, he might be burning, but he's not showing you that."

In his draft year, Yakemchuk turned heads with 30 goals, 71 points, and 120 penalty minutes. This past season, he played 10 fewer games and managed 17 goals, 49 points, and 82 penalty minutes.

But the Senators aren’t concerned.

"I think Carter did some things that we asked him to do," Boyd said. "I know that his numbers weren't as good last year, but he paid a lot more attention to detail in his game. You know, contrary to some people's beliefs, he played a better defensive game. I don't have a problem with Carter's game."

By all accounts, Yakemchuk was a standout at development camp last week. So now the question every Sens fan is asking is this: how close is he to cracking the NHL roster?

"Well, I don't know," Boyd said. "You saw him in exhibition games last year. He was pretty good. You know, once again, it's, you know, do we need him now? That's a question. Or is he better served playing some time in the American League? Or is he ready to go now? There's so many questions that Steve (Staios) and the management have to answer, the coaches, that I can't answer.

"We like him. We like where he is. We like his development."

Yakemchuk’s challenges over the past year didn’t end with being sent back to junior. It was widely assumed he’d be a key player for Team Canada at the World Juniors in Ottawa, but Hockey Canada didn’t even invite him to the pre-tournament camp.

More recently, his imminent path to the NHL just got a lot more crowded. The Senators re-signed 2019 first-round pick Lassi Thomson after a year in Sweden. They also added Jordan Spence from the Los Angeles Kings at the draft. Then there's the rise of Nik Matinpalo, now on a one-way, two-year contract. And looming close behind is this year’s first-rounder, Logan Hensler.

But Yakemchuk, who'll turn 20 in September, is taking it all in stride and using it as fuel.

"I thought I had a really good camp here and obviously was really disappointed to not get named to that roster," Yakemchuk said at development camp last week. "But I use it as motivation to try and make the Senators this year."

Realistically, giving Yakemchuk time to ease into the pro game with a stint in Belleville wouldn’t be the worst idea, more of that Best in Class theme. But if that happens, just like last year, Carter Yakemchuk is bound to make that decision a tough one for Senators management.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News/Ottawa
Image Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images

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​​The Buffalo Sabres pulled off a trade on NHL Draft weekend, sending Connor Clifton to the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Conor Timmins and minor leaguer Issac Belliveau. The deal was a salary dump of the veteran blueliner in the final year of his three-year, $10 million contract, for which the rebuilding Penguins received a 2025 second-round pick.

The Penguins appear to be one of the few teams this summer who are open for business and in full sell mode, likely to improve their chances at getting the best odds of winning the draft lottery to select presumptive top pick Gavin McKenna at the 2026 NHL Draft, and according to Josh Yohe of the Athletic, Pens GM Kyle Dubas is shopping veteran forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell.  

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Both forwards had career-best seasons and have three years remaining on their contracts.. The 32-year-old Rakell had 70 points (35 goals, 35 assists) in 81 games, while the two-time Cup winning Rust, 33, had 65 points (31 goals, 34 assists) in 71 games. Yohe indicates that both players do not want to leave Pittsburgh, but Rust does not have any no-trade protections, while Rakell has an eight-team no-trade list.

The Sabres appeared to be depending on the return of a swap involving defenseman Bowen Byram to bring back a top-six forward to replace winger JJ Peterka, but with the blueliner headed for team-elected salary arbitration later this month, the possibility of the 24-year-old staying in Buffalo has to be considered. GM Kevyn Adams has the right assets available in the form of drt picks and prospects to make a trade for either veteran and the cap space to fit either Rust or Rakell in, it is just the question of whether the Sabres are willing to make that type of move to improve their playoff chances.   

 

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed Ben Kindel to a three-year, entry-level contract. The Calgary Hitmen forward was drafted by Pittsburgh 11th overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Kindel is the second WHLer from this year's draft to sign his ELC, joining Lydon Lakovic, who the Washington Capitals signed on July 5. 

Kindle had a career year in 2024-25, recording 99 points in 65 games. He also won a Gold Medal with Canada at the 2025 U18s, producing seven points in five games. Kindle was the third WHLer selected in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft and was one of three players from the WHL who the Penguins drafted. 

At this point, Kindel is projected to return to the WHL for the 2025-26 season. If he does, the 18-year-old has a good chance of once again being one of the league leaders in points. Kindel will also be a name to watch for Canada's 2026 World Juniors team. 

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