Category: Ice Hockey

Big winger with ‘really good top-end speed' might be around Flyers at No. 22 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The 2025 NHL draft is a huge one for the Flyers’ rebuild.

Not only does Danny Briere have a lot of high-round picks at his disposal, but he also could be creative in how he uses them.

“There are all kinds of possibilities here,” the Flyers’ general manager said in April. “I think it’s really exciting going into it. It’s powerful to have so many picks like that. I think a lot of teams will be wanting to have discussions with us to make some things happen — teams that don’t have picks or teams that want to tweak things.”

So it’s a busy time for the Flyers leading up to the draft, which will be held June 27-28. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at noon ET.

“There are really good players in this draft,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said May 27 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “Maybe people say it’s not a good draft; I’m not buying it. I think this draft has got lots of good players.”

The Flyers are slotted to make 11 picks, including three first-rounders and four second-rounders. Their first-round selections will come at No. 6 (own pick), No. 22 (Sean Walker trade) and No. 31 (Oilers trade).

Before the draft arrives, we’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers.

Next up:

Lynden Lakovic

Position: Winger
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 200
Shoots: Left
Team: Moose Jaw

Scouting report

An excellent skater for a big body, Lakovic offers a dangerous package in transition. He’s imposing off the rush because he can separate and score with a smooth stride and plus shot.

Despite missing over a quarter of the 2024-25 campaign with a lower-body injury, the 18-year-old still led the Warriors in goals (27), points (58) and shots (183). Those numbers came in 47 games — 21 fewer than some of his teammates — on a rebuilding team.

“He has got that size,” Dan Marr, the vice president of NHL Central Scouting, said June 11 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “And he’s really appealing because he can skate, he has got really good top-end speed, a good pull-away gear. Teams like that appeal about him because when he uses that speed to pull away and get the opportunity, he has got a good touch around the net, where he can finish.”

Lakovic is the 14th-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting. He’ll need to round out his game as he develops and prove he can grind for his offense, as well.

“He’s just one of the big guys that needs a little more time, but he could end up being, out of this draft class, better than some of the players that get taken ahead of him,” Marr, who worked in scouting and player development for over 20 years, said. “I don’t know that he realizes what his top end is.”

EliteProspects.com has Lakovic pegged as the 14th-best player in the draft, while Button has him at No. 23.

“This is what our opinion is, that he has a pretty high ceiling,” Marr said. “Down the road, he may be one of these guys that when you do a re-draft, he could go a little higher.”

Fit with Flyers

Lakovic could intrigue the Flyers if he’s within their reach at No. 22. Not many 6-foot-4 wingers can move like him and there’s scoring potential to go along with it.

If the Flyers were to draft him, they’d add to a good mix of left winger prospects that includes Alex Bump, Nikita Grebenkin and Denver Barkey.

While it’s very difficult to read how wingers with size and finesse will translate to the pro level, Lakovic seems to have middle-six upside.

More targets

• Hagens is ‘Matt Duchene type of player’ who could be on Flyers’ radar at No. 6

• Flyers would probably love if Barkov-like prospect is available at No. 6

• ‘Fascinating,’ 6-foot-5 center has tons of intrigue for Flyers at No. 6

• Younger brother of Flyers prospect is ‘complete’ center and option at No. 6

• ‘David Krejci-like’ center with plenty of upside would give Flyers good decision

• Could a 6-foot-6, ‘just blossoming’ defenseman be a fit for Flyers at No. 6?

• Will Flyers grab prospect with ‘really, really unique’ combination at No. 6?

• Reschny’s performance vs. 2024 top prospect should have Flyers’ eye in first round

• Flyers could have three shots at ‘dynamic, explosive skater’ on the wing

• Finding another Foerster? Flyers may have one if they draft Bear in first round

• Martone would offer Flyers ‘pretty complete package’ if he’s there at No. 6

• Flyers’ future power play QB? 6-foot-4 defenseman has ‘offensive punch’

• ‘That’s how tight it is’ — Eklund could interest Flyers among international prospects

• A center with ‘really, really strong’ upside could be first-round sleeper for Flyers

Every year, good prospects go undrafted, and they have two choices: feel sorry for themselves or prove people wrong and force a team to call their names next NHL draft.

While not every player has the latter mindset, the players here embraced it ahead of the 2025 NHL draft in Los Angeles.

Petteri Rimpinen, G, 19, Kiekko-Espoo (Fin.)

An incredible performance at the WJC, helping the Finns to an unexpected silver medal, put Rimpinen on the radar for the 2025 draft. He played 40 Liiga games and posted the league’s second-best save percentage.

Jamiro Reber, C, 18, HV71 (Swe.)

After flashing bits of skill last year, Reber was solid in the Swedish League this season. His speed and motor meshed perfectly with some slick playmaking and a nose for the net.

Topias Hynninen, C, 19, Jukurit (Fin.)

Hynninen was Jukurit’s second-highest regular-season scorer and then went off for 10 points in five games in the relegation playoffs, carrying a massive load offensively. He’s a solid two-way forward who brings more offensive creation than he’s given credit for.

Draft Preview 2025 | The Hockey News ArchiveThe Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. In each issue, you'll find news, features and opinions abo...

Julius Sumpf, C, 20, Moncton (QMJHL)

Sumpf is a tactician who is better than the sum of his parts. The QMJHLer constantly moves around when he doesn’t have the puck to find space and generate scoring chances. He connects plays well and doesn’t try to overcomplicate the game with the puck on his stick.

Charlie Cerrato, LW, 20, Penn State (Big Ten)

In his freshman year, Cerrato was a top-20 scorer in college hockey, and he was a driving force on one of the NCAA’s most impressive teams. Cerrato possesses excellent speed and rush-attacking abilities.

Luke Mistelbacher, RW, 19, Swift Current (WHL)

With a great shot and an understanding of how to get open in the offensive zone, Mistelbacher exploded offensively this year. He needs to clean up his skating, but his finishing and offensive skills are tantalizing. He signed a tryout deal with AHL Iowa for a taste of the pros after his WHL season ended.

Tomas Galvas, D, 19, Liberec (Cze.)

With a supremely skilled offensive game, Galvas is a player who was quite highly regarded last year but was passed over due to concerns with his own-zone play. His defensive game has improved somewhat, but it remains a work in progress. His offense, however, outweighs the worry.

Daniil Ustinkov, D, 18, Kusnacht (Sui.2)

Ustinkov plays an understated game as a defensive blueliner with solid passing on the breakout. His skating is his foundation, and he leverages it to defend in all situations.

Daniel Nieminen, D, 19 Pelicans (Fin.)

Nieminen uses his skating all over the ice and has played well against men in the Liiga. He defends with his feet, evades pressure and is comfortable carrying the puck up ice. His passing is an asset in the offensive zone.

Cole Davis, LW, 19, Windsor (OHL)

There is a lot for NHL coaches to like about Davis’ game in the OHL. He brings physicality, invites contact, crashes the net, disrupts play on the forecheck and can get under an opponent’s skin.

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This article appeared in our 2025 Draft Preview issue. Our cover story focuses on the Erie Otters' star defenseman and top draft prospect Matthew Schaefer, who has excelled despite the personal losses of his past. We also include features on other top prospects, including Michael Misa and more. In addition, we give our list of the top-100 prospects heading into the 2025 NHL draft.

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

According to Frank Seravalli, the Calgary Flames and right-shot defenseman Rasmus Andersson have begun discussing a contract extension, and the parties are far apart in terms of money. The 28-year-old right-shot defenseman is about to enter the final year of his six-year pact with a team-friendly $4.55 cap hit.

The veteran was a second-round pick at the 2015 draft and has been a mainstay on the Flames’ blueline for the last seven years. From a primarily defensive defenseman, he has evolved into a two-way rearguard with an offensive upside. In 2021-22, he recorded a career-high 50 points in 82 games. The following season, he maintained his production with 49 points in 79 games, but his last two campaigns have been less productive with 39 and 31 points, respectively. This past season, he also posted a career-low minus-38.

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A real Swiss-knife on the blueline, the 6-foot-1 and 201-pound defenseman does it all for the Flames, averaging nearly 24 minutes of ice-time per game. He plays on the top pairing, the power play (spending an average of two minutes per game on the ice with the man-advantage), and the penalty kill.

Given the decline in production, it’s not surprising that the two sides are far apart from a monetary standpoint. Part of the decline could be down to his playing with a broken fibula in the last 12 games of the season. A stretch in which he put up four points while the Alberta outfit was desperately trying to qualify for the playoffs. They finished with the same amount of points as the St. Louis Blues, but the Missouri side had the tie-breaker and got to face the Winnipeg Jets in the first round.

With David Savard’s retirement, the Montreal Canadiens could benefit from an experienced blueliner on the right side of defense, and acquiring Andersson could be a worthy avenue to explore for GM Kent Hughes.

The Habs have made significant progress this past season, qualifying for the playoffs, and it might just be time to add some impactful veterans to help the Tricolore’s young core. Hughes has already made three trades with the Flames since his appointment in 2022. He sent Tyler Toffoli their way in February 2022, acquiring Tyler Pitlick, Emil Heineman, a conditional first-round pick in 2022 (which became the 26th overall pick and was used to pick Filip Mesar), and a fifth-round pick at the 2025 draft. He also sent Michael McNiven their way for future considerations. Finally, in August 2022, he acquired Sean Monahan and a conditional first-round pick in the 2025 draft, which will be the 16th overall, for future considerations.

However, those deals were made when Brad Treliving was at the helm of the Alberta side; he has since moved on to the Toronto Maple Leafs and been replaced by Craig Conroy, a former Canadiens’ draft pick in 1990 and a Flames alumnus. Since taking over, Conroy has pulled the trigger on a dozen deals, none of which were with the Canadiens. Last Summer, he traded Andrew Mangiapane away as he was about to enter the last year of his contract. The GM wanted more draft capital and cap flexibility. In March 2024, he also traded defenseman Noah Hanifin to the Vegas Golden Knights in a deal. The left-shot defenseman who was about to command a raise, which he got days later, signed a new pact with the Knights.

In other words, if the financial gap between the two sides cannot be bridged, Conroy has been known to trade assets rather than let them hit the market. The Flames’ pick cupboard is not bare; they have seven selections in each of the subsequent three drafts, but it’s not exactly overflowing either. The Canadiens currently have 12 picks at the upcoming draft, nine in 2026 and seven in 2027. Montreal has two first-round picks and two second-round picks in next week's draft, which could be in play to fill one of their needs.

If Calgary moves Andersson, it won’t be for cheap; it took a first-round pick, a third-round one, and right-shot defenseman Daniil Miromanov for Vegas to acquire Hanifin back at the 2024 trade deadline.

If Conroy is still interested in future assets and prospects, there’s no doubt Hughes has got plenty to work with and could put together a very enticing package, but Montreal likely won’t be alone in the running. Right-shot defensemen are hard to come by on the market, and there will be plenty of other bidders.

Hughes has accustomed us to plenty of action around the drafts, acquiring Kirby Dach at his first one, Alex Newhook on the eve of his second one, and flipping picks to move up in the first round at the 2024 one. What does he have in store for us this time around? Time will tell…

Photo credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

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The Chicago Blackhawks have a few directions they can go in over the summer. They could be realistic and understand that 2025-26 is another important development year for their young pros. They could also think pushing for a playoff spot in a deep Western Conference is the way to go. 

Having the perfect off-season would be Kyle Davidson continuing to look at the bigger picture, which he has been great at since taking over as the full-time General Manager. 

It starts with the buyout period. Although TJ Brodie is one of the nicest men you’d ever come across in the NHL, he was the 10th-best defenseman in the organization last season. In 2025-26, he’d be even lower than that. Having him on the roster doesn’t make any sense from a hockey standpoint. 

The Blackhawks must start the off-season by buying him out. It won’t clear much cap space, but there will be more room for young players to get a chance. He will also have an opportunity to go find work somewhere that won’t healthy-scratch him most of the time. 

After that move, the focus will solely turn to the 2025 NHL Draft. The Blackhawks will make the 3rd and 25th overall picks. First-round selections get way more attention and hype than the rest of the draft, and rightfully so. However, Stanley Cups can be won in the later rounds. 

Chicago needs to select a forward with the third overall pick. It is also likely a target throughout. Michael Misa will likely be off the board, so that leaves one of Porter Martone, James Hagens, Caleb Desnoyers, or Anton Frondell for Chicago to consider. If they keep the pick, they will be drafting a difference maker who can turn into a star. As long as they land one of those four, their perfect off-season quest doesn’t depend on one specific selection. 

After the draft is over, the focus will turn to free agency. Unless the Blackhawks are landing one of Mitch Marner or Nikolaj Ehlers, they probably aren’t going to make many impactful signings that move the needle in 2025-26.

It may not even keep it from being a perfect off-season if they made a move like that. Adding a star-level player like that with lucrative money does not fit the team’s current window. If anything, they are one year away from that being a good idea. 

Throughout all of this, making trades is Kyle Davidson’s best way of adding talent to the roster. On Saturday, Andre Burakovsky was acquired from the Seattle Kraken for Joe Veleno. That’s a middle-six forward coming to town to stabilize the forward group. 

It isn’t about competing for the playoffs. It is about getting the young players into good habits and getting them to produce at a high level. Where they fall in the standings as a result doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. 

Not long after the season ended, the Hawks searched for a new head coach. They landed on Jeff Blashill, who has experience coaching at all levels across hockey. 

By the end of next season, he could be seen as the marquee addition to the team. As long as the young players, including the players they select in the first round of the draft, have what they need to develop for the long term, the offseason will be considered a win. 

To summarize, buying out TJ Brodie, making a strong selection at forward with the third overall pick, not getting themselves into a bad contract in free-agency, and a strong trade or two would make this a perfect off-season for Chicago. 

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

The Chicago Blackhawks acquired Andre Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for Joe Veleno on Saturday.

The trade clears cap space and a winger logjam for the Kraken while giving the Blackhawks a two-time Stanley Cup champion who's still only 30 years old.

Burakovsky has two years left on his five-year contract with a $5.5-million cap hit and a 10-team no-trade list, according to PuckPedia. The left winger had 10 goals and 27 assists for 37 points for the Kraken this past season. Before that, he had 16 points in 49 games in 2023-24 and 39 points in 49 games in 2022-23.

Burakovsky's career-high 22 goals and 61 points came with the Colorado Avalanche in 2021-22, when he added eight points in 12 playoff games en route to his team's Stanley Cup win.

In 2017-18, Burakovsky won his first Stanley Cup championship with the Washington Capitals, the team that selected him 23rd overall in the 2013 NHL draft.

With Burakovsky, the Blackhawks get another potential top-six winger to improve their scoring and competitiveness in their rebuilding years. Burakovsky saw his ice time decrease with the Kraken, going from 16:33 per game in 2022-23 to 14:25 this past season, but that could improve in Chicago.

After the Kraken acquired left winger Mason Marchment earlier this week, they had five wingers earning at least $4.5 million. Trading Burakovsky for Veleno, a center, tweaks the depth at each position.

“Andre was a valuable player for our organization during the three years he was here, and we wish him and his family the best of luck in Chicago," new Kraken GM Jason Botterill told NHL.com. "In return, we've acquired a young player with experience while also increasing our salary cap flexibility moving forward."

Veleno, 25, has 81 points in 306 career games, including a career-high 28 points in 80 games with the Detroit Red Wings in 2023-24. In 2024-25, he had eight goals and 17 points in 74 games between the Wings and Blackhawks, which acquired him at the NHL trade deadline. He has one year left on his contract with a $2.275-million cap hit. He would be an RFA with arbitration rights if he doesn't sign a contract extension beforehand.

As for this off-season, the Kraken have three pending RFAs: right winger Kaapo Kakko, left winger Tye Kartye and defenseman Ryker Evans. Michael Eyssimont is also a pending UFA. And in the summer of 2026, captain Jordan Eberle, Jaden Schwartz, Marchment, Eeli Tolvanen and Jamie Oleksiak are pending UFAs. Trading Burakovsky also helps with salary cap flexibility at that point.

More to come.

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The New York Islanders announced on Friday that they would be holding a three-day development camp starting on Monday, June 30. On Saturday, they shared that they were bringing back the Blue & White scrimmage.

The event will be held July 2. 

The #Isles have announced the Blue & White scrimmage is returning on July 2 pic.twitter.com/JKOHamLKqY

— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) June 21, 2025

To attend, you must pay $15, with the proceeds giong to the Islanders Children's Foundation.

The development camp will consist of three on-ice days, excluding July 1, the first day of NHL Free Agency.

Most other NHL teams seem to be skating on July 1, so just something interesting to note. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

With the Pittsburgh Penguins being out of the playoff race by the 2025 NHL trade deadline, they traded away some of their players. One of them was forward Cody Glass, as they dealt him and Jonathan Gruden to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Chase Stillman, Max Graham's signing rights, and a 2027 third-round pick.

Glass had some regular-season success with the Devils after being traded by the Penguins, as he recorded two goals and seven points in 14 games. This was after he had four goals, 11 assists, and a minus-9 rating in 51 contests with the Penguins. However, he had a quiet post-season with New Jersey, recording zero points and a minus-2 rating in five games.

According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Devils are not expected to send Glass a qualifying offer this off-season. Due to this, the former Penguins forward is expected to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Given how Glass' tenure with the Penguins went, it seems unlikely that they would target him if he becomes a UFA at the start of next month. However, he would likely generate some interest around the league elsewhere, as he is a former first-round pick who is a decent bottom-six forward when playing at his best. 

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Photo Credit: © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Like many teams in the offseason, the Montreal Canadiens are hoping to fill in the holes in their lineup and address some of their needs before the upcoming season. The Habs have two glaring needs: a real top-six player and a right-shot defenseman. In the latest edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Elliotte Friedman reported that Noah Dobson could be in play.

The Sportsnet insider reports the New York Islanders are quietly testing the market right now to see what they could bring in. For him, the Isles are trying to gauge the market to make an informed decision on a player they know will be a player of significant value.

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We spoke about Dobson potentially being a target for the Canadiens back in May, and while he would fit the profile of players the Habs could be after, the price won’t be low. As Friedman explained on the podcast, if they do trade the 25-year-old right-shot defenseman, it would have to be for a return that would impress people. The Islanders want to contend for the playoffs next season, and they won’t do that by trading Dobson for future assets.

Would the Canadiens be ready to fork out the kind of return that Mathieu Darche and co would consider appropriate? Would they be prepared to use a roster player of roughly the same value and potential? Offering Kirby Dach or Alex Newhook won’t cut it, to be frank, nor will one year of unidimensional sniper Patrik Laine. You’ve got to give to get, and I struggle to see Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton entertain the mere thought of offering someone like Juraj Slafkovsky in a trade to fix the hole on the right side of defense.

Fixing one need by creating another, just as important, would make very little sense, and that’s not the way Hughes operates. Slafkovsky has yet to reach his full potential, but he has shown flashes of what he could become if he maintains a consistent effort level and plays the right way from October until the end of the playoffs. I don’t think that’s a gamble Hughes would be willing to make.

While they are not signed long-term, I cannot fathom the possibility of Montreal even entertaining the idea of sacrificing Ivan Demidov or Lane Hutson, the two youngsters have got core pieces written all over them.

Shopping for a right-shot defenseman is no easy task, but it gets even harder when you are considering who would want to buy what you are selling. Montreal has a lot of draft capital and interesting prospects, which could be attractive to a rebuilding team, but not to a team that’s looking to compete here and now, which the Islanders seem to be.

Photo credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images

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According to multiple reports, the Philadelphia Flyers are expected to send polarizing goalie Ivan Fedotov to the AHL to start off the 2025-26 season.

The Flyers are one of many teams looking to find goaltending in a help in a 2025 goalie market that is not very friendly to buyers.

Jake Allen, who is likely to remain with the New Jersey Devils, is the top option available, and then other options, like former Flyers goalie Alex Lyon, lead the rank-and-file.

On Friday, Daily Faceoff insider Anthony Di Marco corroborated a report from Anthony San Filippo and his "Snow the Goalie" podcast, remarking ,"It appears that Fedotov will start in the AHL," when discussing Allen and other goalie options for the Flyers on X.

The 28-year-old Fedotov just played his first full season in the NHL - one that saw him stapled to the bench for extended periods of time - posting a 6-13-4 record, a 3.15 GAA, and a .880 save percentage.

Consistency was the main issue for the Flyers' former seventh-round pick. Eight of Fedotov's 26 games, including two against Tampa Bay, saw him finish with a .920 save percentage or higher.

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On the other side of the fence, Fedotov played 10 games for the Flyers where he finished with a save percentage below .867.

So, although he's on the older side, Fedotov is still relatively inexperienced in the North American game, and some time developing and facing lesser competition will help him make up for lost time in that regard.

Plus, it helps that the Flyers can shave $1.15 million off their NHL cap hit by sending Fedotov to the AHL.

But, if the Flyers have already made up their minds on this, it means that signing a new goalie is now a matter of when and not if.

Incumbent starter Sam Ersson dealt with a rash of lower-body injuries last season, and prospect Aleksei Kolosov was as inconsistent as Fedotov was and as a result may not be in the organization's short- or long-term plans.

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Provided 19-year-old prospect Carson Bjarnason doesn't start his pro career in the ECHL, he and Fedotov would then presumably comprise the goalie partnership for the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

The 2025 NHL Draft is now just one week away, and for some hockey fans, it's like Christmas in June, waiting to see what shiny new toys they'll get under the tree. In this (admittedly lame) analogy, amateur scouts play the role of Santa Claus. They're making their lists and checking them twice, but unlike the big man in red, figuring out which kids have been “nice” often boils down to little more than best guesses.

A better analogy might be a baseball player who’s praised for batting .300, even though it's a pretty serious failure rate. But hitting a curveball is hard, and 18-year-old hockey players throw plenty of them at scouts. Only some of them have the stuff to continue their amateur excellence in the bigs.

But what if you could go back to each of the last 10 NHL Drafts knowing then what you know now? A little time travel. How different would the Ottawa Senators' first-round picks look compared to the players they selected?

Let’s preface this with the usual disclaimers. This isn’t an all-out attack on the Senators’ scouting performances of the past. Everyone knows you could perform this exercise with all 32 teams and end up wanting to swap out the majority of the picks. 

So, strictly for fun and interest's sake, we went back over the last 10 first rounds to see who was still on the table when Ottawa made its decisions.

2015

From the Saint John Sea Dogs, the Senators selected Thomas Chabot 18th overall. Then, from the U.S. National Development Program, they grabbed Colin White at 21. These two were joined at the hip early on. They were drafted together, roommates, and share the exact same birthdate.

In our time travel exercise, though, we’d head to customer service and exchange them for Roope Hintz (Dallas) and Kirill Kaprizov (Minnesota).

Chabot has still had a career worthy of a first-round pick, but White is now out of the NHL, spending most of last season with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda and set to become a UFA. He’s still a drag on Ottawa’s cap, carrying an $875k hit for the next three years due to his buyout.

2016

Logan Brown (Windsor Spitfires) was chosen 11th overall but only played 30 games for Ottawa before being traded to the St. Louis Blues. Brown’s skating was good enough to thrive at every level, just not in the NHL. Not yet, anyway. After missing all of 2023–24, Brown posted 29 points in 33 games for the Syracuse Crunch this season.

Here in the village of Hindsight, we're swapping Brown for defenseman Charlie McAvoy, who was still on the board and went to Boston just three picks later. A rugged, right-shot D with offensive upside, McAvoy is exactly the type of player the Senators hope Carter Yakemchuk might become someday.

2017

Another miss. The Sens selected center Shane Bowers (Boston University), who would be Brady Tkachuk’s college teammate when Tkachuk arrived that fall. Bowers has played just 13 NHL games, though Ottawa dealt him in the Matt Duchene trade while his stock was still decent.

Meanwhile, Jason Robertson was taken 11 picks later by Dallas and has been a star for the Stars for five years now.

2018

No complaints here. Brady Tkachuk at 4th overall was a home run. Depending on what he decides at contract time three years from now, he could surpass even Daniel Alfredsson in popularity.

Quinn Hughes is pretty damn intriguing, but if you want your time machine to finish this exercise and not be destroyed by Sens fans and their torches and pitchforks, then don't even think about setting our destination to 2018.

2019

The Sens’ own pick, 4th overall, went to Colorado in the incoming Matt Duchene deal, and the Avs used it on Bowen Byram. But with Columbus' 19th overall pick (acquired in Duchene’s outgoing deal), Ottawa selected defenseman Lassi Thomson. He recently re-signed with the Sens after a year in Sweden, but has only played 18 NHL games.

There’s not a ton of regret here, though. The best name left on the board is probably Washington center Connor McMichael.

Fashionably Late: Top 10 Ottawa Senators Draft Picks Taken After Round 3It goes without saying that NHL franchises often find their future stars in the early rounds of the draft. That includes the Ottawa Senators, whose best three players, Jake Sanderson, Tim Stutzle, and Brady Tkachuk, were all top five overall selections.

2020

2020 is the best first round in Senators history. Nobody's rethinking Tim Stützle at 3 or Jake Sanderson at 5. 

Ridly Greig was a great pick at 28, but some might lean toward JJ Peterka, picked six spots later by Buffalo. As an aside, Ottawa even had another chance at Peterka five picks later but went with Roby Järventie, who’s now reportedly headed back to Finland after a season in Edmonton’s system. But with that empty net slapshot so happily embedded in our brains, we’re sticking with Greig. 

2021

With the 10th overall pick, Ottawa took American forward Tyler Boucher, a pick that was immediately panned as being a reach, and that's when his stock was at its highest. He’s one of just six first-rounders from that draft who haven’t played an NHL game, with his development derailed by one injury after another. Pascal Leclaire was an ironman by comparison. Boucher got hurt again this season, but did play a career-high 47 games, putting up 5 goals and 10 points.

In hindsight, Wyatt Johnston (Windsor), now a key piece in Dallas, would’ve been a better choice. Matthew Knies (Toronto, 2nd round) would also have been great, especially since he plays the kind of game the Sens hoped they’d now be getting from Boucher. 

2022 & 2023

The Senators traded away their first-round picks in these years to acquire Alex DeBrincat (2022) and Jakob Chychrun (2023). Neither player lasted even 18 months in Ottawa before being moved again. Chicago used Ottawa’s pick to take defenceman Kevin Korchinski. In ‘23, Arizona took winger Daniil But with the pick they got in the Chychrun trade.

2024

New GM Steve Staios’ first draft pick was Calgary Hitmen defenseman Carter Yakemchuk. It’s far too early for even the smallest of regrets, of course, but as he worked on his defensive game, it would’ve been nice to see him maintain the offensive numbers from his draft year. They tumbled significantly.

Meanwhile, available defensemen like Zayne Parekh, Zeev Buium and Sam Dickinson all returned to their amateur clubs with the same 'work on your defence' directions.  Parekh and Buium maintained their production while Dickinson’s stats, already great in his draft year, were off the charts en route to a Memorial Cup title.

But again, it’s still way too early to waste gas on a trip to 2024. 

Hindsight is always undefeated. But going forward, if the new Senators regime can turn a few more strikeouts into hits, then maybe we won’t feel the need to time-travel in the future.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

More Sens Headlines at The Hockey News:
Would Kings Defenceman Jordan Spence Be A Fit With The Senators?
Still No Deal In Sight For Ottawa Senators Pending UFA Claude Giroux
Should The Senators Have Surrendered This Year's First-Round Draft Pick Instead?
Senators Bring Back First-Rounder For Second Tour Of Duty

The Seattle Kraken have re-signed Cale Fleury to a two-year, one-way deal carrying an $890,000 average annual value.

The 26-year-old defenseman has been with the Kraken organization since the 2021-22 season, playing 36 games in the NHL, recording two assists. The majority of his Kraken tenure has been spent with the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the AHL, where he's scored  14 goals and 62 points in 104 games. 

Fleury recorded his highest game tally with the Kraken this year, skating in 14 games and averaging 12:52 of ice time. Fleury was consistently the first defenseman the Kraken would call up to replace any injured or ill Kraken defenseman.

Listed at 6'1, 204 lbs, the former third-round pick (87th overall) of the Montreal Canadiens has become a safe option for the Kraken to call up when needed, and it's why he's earned a one-way contract. The contract, being a one-way contract, is an important piece of business for Fleury. For Fleury to play in the AHL, he'd need to clear waivers, like John Hayden and Ben Meyers, who recently signed one-way contracts with the Kraken as well.

The Kraken have made quick work of a lot of minor deals prior to the opening of free agency, which should allow them to put their focus on other free agents and their own restricted free agents, which are headlined by Kaapo Kakko, Ryker Evans and Tye Kartye. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Kraken stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

After the Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup, Brad Marchand sent a message to the New York Rangers. 

Marchand took a photo of many of his Panthers teammates and thanked opposing NHL teams for essentially giving up on certain players and allowing them to come to Florida. 

That includes Niko Mikkola who once played for the New York Rangers. Marchand posted a picture of Mikkola with a caption that read “THANKS @NYRANGERS.”

Mikkola was traded from the St. Louis Blues to the Rangers in February of 2023 and he played in just 31 games for the Rangers. 

A few months later during the offseason, Mikkola signed a three-year, $7.5 million contract and has helped the Panthers win back-to-back Stanley Cups. 

Why The Rangers Can't Do What The Panthers CanAs the Stanley Cup was paraded around Amerant Bank Arena by the two-time champion Florida Panthers, a Ranger fan could not be faulted for asking: "Why not us?"

Through the Panthers’ 2025 playoff run en route to winning the Stanley Cup, the 29-year-old recorded three goals, three assists, and six points while averaging 20:13 minutes per game.

New York Islanders exploring options for defenceman Noah Dobson with Detroit being a potential destination

The Red Wings head into the offseason looking to upgrade several areas of their lineup, with help on the blueline high on their list as a deep pool of talent is available in this year’s free agent market.

Luckily for Detroit, another big name looks like they will be joining the picture as Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman explained on his podcast 32 Thoughts that the New York Islanders are testing the market on restricted free agent Noah Dobson. 

Elliotte Friedman: The Islanders are "testing the market" on defenseman Noah Dobson - 32 Thoughts Podcast

— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) June 20, 2025

The 25-year-old Summerside native has stood out in recent seasons, peaking with 10 goals and 60 assists for 70 points just a year ago. However, he experienced a significant drop this past season, posting only 39 points, his lowest total in four years. A change of scenery may be the right move for the former 12th overall pick back in 2018, and the Islanders could command a strong return in a trade. 

More NHL:Should Detroit Go All-In For Canucks' Brock Boeser?

That said, time is a factor as if the team waits too long, rival clubs could present offer sheets for Dobson, potentially reducing the return to draft pick compensation based on the value of the contract offered. New York is currently testing the market for the young defenceman to see what more they can get besides draft picks and this could open the door for Detroit to make a move. 

The Islanders were middle of the pack defensively last season but their offence looks to be the team's biggest problem as they finished bottom five in goals per game. The Red Wings have plenty of players that would be able to slide into a middle-six role for the Islanders as well as a very deep prospect pool and draft capital with four first-round picks over the next three seasons. 

A potential trade package featuring forward J.T. Compher, typically a 30-50 point producer, along with 24-year-old NHL-ready prospect Jonatan Berggren and additional draft picks, should be enough to land the Red Wings a defenceman for the future.

More Red Wings: Red Wings’ Potential Buyout Targets Ahead of Key Offseason Window

New Draft 25 cards and NHL 26 Rewards are available in NHL 25 Hockey Ultimate Team.

The 96 overall master set players are James Hagens, Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, Victor Eklund, and Porter Martone. 

Each master set costs three 93+ NHL Draft cards and any two 93+ cards. 

A 93+ NHL Draft card costs three 91+ NHL draft players, a 91+ card costs any three 89+ cards. 

There are also NHL Draft Collectible sets where players can trade in 30 event collectibles for a 95 BND Draft Player, a 93 UT players, a tradeable 91 player, or players can trade 40 collectibles for 4x 89+ players.  

Start grindin” #NHL26 Rewards...TODAY🚨

🏒Beat objectives in the #NHLDraft Event
🌟Unlock top NHL prospects
🎮Earn unique carryover #NHL26 rewards

👉 Full details here: https://t.co/WMVsIDVENSpic.twitter.com/FwbyT7gBx0

— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) June 20, 2025

This event also allows players to earn rewards that will be redeemable in NHL 26.  

You can earn packs in NHL 26 by opening a pack, playing three games with NHL Draft Event Players, and playing 10 games with Draft Event Players. 

This is a fantastic way to bring players to HUT later in the games cycle and motivate people for NHL 26. 

More info can be found in the slide in the video above, by scanning the QR code, or visiting the EA NHL news page.  

All new cards are pictured in the video above.

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

It's a poorly-kept secret that the Philadelphia Flyers like Bowen Byram, but so do the Vancouver Canucks, who are raring to strike a trade for him first.

The Flyers' interest in Byram dates back to his time with the Colorado Avalanche before he was dealt to the Buffalo Sabres for Casey Mittelstadt last season.

Byram, 24, was said to be one of the Flyers' main targets in a potential Cutter Gauthier trade, but, as we now know, ultimately settled on the Anaheim Ducks' package of Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

According to multiple reports, the Flyers are still interested in Byram, as well as star Sabres forward J.J. Peterka. The only problem for Philadelphia is that the trade cost is said to be quite high, as will be the next salaries of the two players.

Both players are pending restricted free agents in need of new contracts come July 1, otherwise other NHL teams can sign the standouts to offer sheets.

It would behoove the Sabres, who are in desperate need of change and roster players, to trade Byram and/or Peterka before July 1 to secure NHL talent instead of acquiring only draft capital from prospective offer sheets.

Flyers Offer Sheet Target Mavrik Bourque No Longer Within ReachThe shrinking list of offseason Philadelphia Flyers trade targets and offer sheet gambles just got a whole lot smaller.

Out West, it's been rumored that Canucks management has been looking to get Byram in Vancouver since their watch first began, and they have further incentive to acquire the 2019 No. 4 overall pick with captain Quinn Hughes free to leave to join his brothers on the New Jersey Devils in 2027.

The NHL trade market is interesting this summer, to say the least. In one corner, the Flyers, afraid to pay the price necessary for acquiring elite talents, both via trade and in salary. In the other, the Canucks, desperate to keep their elite talents in the building and desperate to be prepared in the event that the elite talents leave.

The stark contrast between these two ideologies could either create a bidding war or end up with one decisive winner at the end of the day.

If the Flyers are serious about hijacking this potential Canucks trade for Bowen Byram, it could mean parting ways with one of their many wingers, like Owen Tippett, Bobby Brink, or Tyson Foerster, or a pending RFA defenseman of their own in Cam York.

It helps that Byram has an elite offensive skillset, as the Flyers ranked 30th in the NHL in points from defensemen last season ahead of only Boston and San Jose.

The Flyers are quickly finding out that, to get, they have to give, especially at the expense of the hungry Canucks. But will they?