Three Pittsburgh Penguins prospects have made Scott Wheeler's new top 100 NHL drafted prospects rankings for The Athletic. This is because Harrison Brunicke, Rutger McGroarty, and Will Horcoff have made the cut.
Brunicke was given the No. 74 spot on Wheeler's list. It is understandable, as he has the potential to become a key part of the Penguins' blueline in the future. The 2024 second-round pick played in his first nine career NHL games last season for Pittsburgh, where he scored one goal. With the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last season, he posted one goal and eight points in 11 regular-season games and two goals and seven points in 15 playoff games. He also had two goals and 24 points in 24 games in the WHL with the Kamloops Blazers in 2025-26.
McGroarty was given the No. 84 spot on Wheeler's rankings. This comes after the 6-foot-1 forward posted three goals and six points in 24 games with Pittsburgh last season. He took a notable step forward in the AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season, posting 10 goals and 34 points in 30 games. With numbers like these, it is hard not to feel optimistic about his future in Pittsburgh.
As for Horcoff, he landed the No. 92 spot. The 2025 first-round pick had a strong year with the University of Michigan, recording 25 goals and 39 points in 40 games. The potential for the 6-foot-5 forward become an impactful player in the NHL is there.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 28: Fabian Lysell #23 of the Boston Bruins warms up before the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets during his NHL debut at TD Garden on December 28, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by China Wong/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
It wasn’t by accident the Colorado Avalanche wrapped up all their existing Restricted Free Agent loose ends before the start of the 2026-27 league year. However, after trading for Fabian Lysell from the Boston Bruins in late June, one more contract to take care of was put back on their plate.
The 23-year-old right wing had concluded his four-year Entry Level Contract but didn’t hold any arbitration rights so it was really up to the Avalanche to negotiate with Lysell in good faith after extending him a qualifying offer and it didn’t take long to reach an agreement on a one-year two-way contract for the upcoming season.
As always, there’s a lot of clues on the outlook for Lysell in the details of the contract with a $850 NHL cap hit and $190k guaranteed minor league salary. The relatively low guaranteed money on this two-way deal puts the right winger at the bottom of the list as far as financial commitment from the Avalanche. Both Gavin Brindley and Taylor Makar were given identical two-year contracts which are two-way in the first year. Their NHL cap hit is $875K and minor league salaries are $200K with a $300K guarantee. Oddly enough the Lysell deal is nearly the same as the one-year contract Ivan Ivan received in Boston. One upside on the $850K cap hit is that makes Lysell is the cheapest call-up option to the Avalanche.
The #GoAvsGo signed 23 y/o F Fabian Lysell to a one year two-way contract
The Columbus Blue Jackets have had many goalies play for them since 2000, but only 13 have played in over 20 games. From Ron Tugnutt to Jet Greaves, and everyone in between, a wide variety of goaltenders have worn the Union Blue.
But who were the most obscure goalies to ever play in a game for the CBJ? Let's take a look.
Brian Boucher - Yes! THAT Brian Boucher. He played in 3 games for the Jackets in March of 2007. He went 1-1, allowed 9 goals, posted a GAA of 3.79, and a save % of .866. He went on to play another 6 seasons in the NHL.
Fred Brathwaite - He played in 21 games for Columbus during the 2003-04 season. He had a record of 4-11-1 with a GAA of 3.37 and a save % of .897. After his stint with the CBJ, he would never play in the NHL again.
Wade Dubielewicz - Dubielewicz played in 3 games for the Jackets from January to March of 2009. He went 1-2, allowed 10 goals, posted a GAA of 3.56, and had a save % of .870. He went on to play only three more NHL games after his time with Columbus.
David LeNeveu - LeNeveu played one game for the Jackets on April 3, 2011. He gave up two goals to the Blues on 12 shots. He finished with a GAA of 6.00 and a save % of .833. He would never play another NHL game after his only game with Columbus.
Ty Conklin - Conklin played in 11 games for the Jackets during the 06-07 season. He finished with a 2-3-2 record, gave up 27 goals, had a GAA of 3.30, and had a save % of .871. He played another 5 NHL seasons after he left Columbus.
Honorable Mention
Allen York - 11 Games Played
Martin Prusek - 9 Games Played
Tomáš Pöpperle - 2 Games Played
Shawn Hunwick - 1 Game Played
Every team needs backup goalies, and every now and then, they need to have a random third or even fourth goalie step in and take some minutes. But it seems like over the years, the CBJ has had a revolving door for goalies.
The Jackets' goalie prospect pool isn't especially deep right now, but they do have two young Russians who will be about 4-5 years apart. They also have Evan Gardner and Nolan LaLonde in Cleveland. Gardner is projected to have a better career than LaLonde, but we'll see what shakes out in the next few years.
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Two weeks have passed since the beginning of the NHL free agency period, and future Hall of Fame forward Patrick Kane remains unsigned.
Kane, who signed with the Detroit Red Wings as an unrestricted free agent in December 2023, subsequently signed a one-year contract on June 30 of both 2024 and 2025, and has spent the last two and a half seasons wearing the Winged Wheel.
And while Kane spoke openly at the end of the 2025-26 campaign about his interest in remaining with Detroit, circumstances may have changed, especially in the wake of Dylan Larkin's explosive trade request that went public in early June.
In mid-April, Kane expressed interest in running it back in Detroit.
“I think there is mutual interest for me to come back and continue my career here. It’s been a great spot for me, my family, and my son, and I’ve definitely enjoyed my time here," Kane said in April during Detroit's season-ending media availability. "But there’s no rush. I’ll talk things over with my agent and my family, and we’ll see how everything plays out.
“I’d love to be part of the solution that gets this team over the hump. We have a good team here, and we can win. I think this team is better than some teams that are in the playoffs.”
Larkin had a similar sentiment, saying he wants to remain with Detroit and be part of the solution that gets them back to the postseason.
However, Larkin had a change of heart and officially requested to be moved by GM Steve Yzerman, who confirmed the report that was first made public by NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman in early June.
While there remains an avenue for Kane to return to the Red Wings after testing the market, his potential departure would represent yet another blow to Detroit's offense.
In 67 games last season, Kane produced 16 goals and 41 assists for 57 points, ending the year fifth among Detroit's leading point producers.
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Arber Xhekaj could have filed for arbitration, but he chose not to, and that’s likely part of the reason why Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes is getting calls about the gritty defenseman. According to BPM Sports and RG.org’s Marco D’Amico, multiple teams have called to enquire about the supersized defenseman. At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, the blueliner of Albanian descent brings a special mix of skills to the table but is one of the victims of the congestion at the Habs’ blueline.
Clearly, the organization is aware of what it had in Xhekaj and what he can bring to the table, but there seems to be a bit of a disconnect between what the executives think about the eldest Xhekaj and what the bench boss thinks. While Hughes has always been firm about not wanting to trade him away, Martin St-Louis barely uses him when he dresses him. The big defender didn’t see a single game of action in the third round of the playoffs against the Carolina Hurricanes, and in his last game against the Buffalo Sabres, he spent only 1:52 on the ice.
While Xhekaj is a great teammate who never complains about the situation, the fact that he didn’t file for arbitration, which means he remains eligible to offer sheets, suggests he’d be willing to go somewhere where he’d see more action. The Canadiens already have four left-shot defensemen signed for the upcoming season in Mike Matheson, Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle and Jayden Struble. That’s not even taking into account the fact that Adam Engstrom is knocking on the big league’s door. Matheson, Hutson and Guhle are all signed long-term.
It would be easier for Xhekaj if he were a right-shot rear guard, but he isn’t, and he did look 100% comfortable when the Habs tried to play him on his off-side. Noah Dobson is the only right-shot who’s signed long-term with the Canadiens. The organization hopes that David Reinbacher will be able to graduate to the NHL this season, while Alex Carrier will be playing the last year of his deal. Russian right-shot prospect Bogdan Konyushkov has also been signed this offseason. While he will spend the season in the KHL, the plan is for him to come over afterwards, and he, too, could challenge for a spot in the lineup for the 2027-28 season.
It’s more than likely that Xhekaj’s representatives want to know what the plan is for him in the organization, but they’re not having the conversation with the right people. The GM can sign you to a contract, but he cannot guarantee how much ice time you will get. That’s up to the coach. It’s a tricky situation Xhekaj finds himself in. There’s no doubt that he likes the team and where it’s headed, especially since his brother could soon make the jump to the NHL, but if he thinks about his future as an NHL player, it may be better for him to land on a team that won’t be reluctant to both use and trust him.
Macklin Celebrini’s list of 2026 accolades just got one item longer.
The Sharks center was unveiled Monday as the cover athlete for EA Sports’ “NHL 27,” becoming the youngest player in league history to earn the honor at 20 years old — surpassing Trevor Zegras, who was 21 when he covered “NHL 23.”
The next generation is here. Macklin Celebrini is the youngest NHL cover athlete in history.
Celebrini only is the second Sharks player ever to grace the cover, following Owen Nolan, who appeared on “NHL 2001” — a gap of 25 years.
The recognition caps a season that redefined what San Jose expected from its former No. 1 overall pick. Celebrini surpassed Joe Thornton’s franchise scoring record, which had stood for nearly two decades, finishing with 115 points — 45 goals and 70 assists — in 82 games, good for fourth in the NHL. He was a Ted Lindsay Award finalist alongside Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov, an award voted on by his peers for the league’s most outstanding player.
MACKLIN CELEBRINI MAKES HISTORY 🦈
With his 115th point of the season, the 19-year-old has set a new single-season franchise record for the San Jose Sharks! pic.twitter.com/MgivC0afR6
The accolades extended well beyond San Jose this year. Celebrini represented Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics as the youngest NHL player on the roster, led the tournament in goals with five, and became the first NHL player in history to convert a penalty shot at the Olympic Games — helping Canada capture the silver medal. He later was named captain of Canada’s roster at the IIHF World Championship, finishing second among all scorers with 14 points in 10 games, and was named the IIHF’s Male Player of the Year for the 2025-26 season. He also is a nominee for Best NHL Player at this year’s ESPY Awards.
Two seasons into his career, Celebrini already has drawn comparisons to the league’s biggest stars. The cover of “NHL 27” might be the least surprising accolade on the list.
TAMPA, FL - APRIL 21: Declan Carlile #67 of the Tampa Bay Lightning gets ready for the game against the Montreal Canadiens in Game Two of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Benchmark International Arena on April 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Last summer we highlighted potential surprise players for the Penguins with a spotlight on Filip Hallander (no), Harrison Brunicke (kinda but not really), Alex Alexeyev (no) and Arturs Silovs (yep). 1.5 out of four is a .375 batting average that would look pretty good in baseball, at least. With hindsight, there were no shortage of players who ended up being major positive surprises like Kindel, Parker Wotherspoon, Anthony Mantha, Justin Brazeau and Ryan Shea at the top, with the total number impressive performances exceeding expectations stretching all over the lineup. Finding basically a point per game winger in Egor Chinakhov wasn’t one that many had in the sights either at this time last season, showing that the best surprises are ones that aren’t even on the radar ahead of time.
With that in mind, who could be some players that make a major mark on next season? For this, I’m not going to consider Sergei Murashov – most expect he will be in the NHL and while it would be a surprise if he plays at a high level, it’s not exactly out of the range of possibilities that no one would have expected. That’s too easy of a development to see on the horizon to stretch the surprise element. I’m not going to go with Andrei Kuzmenko either, though he might have a large impact on the season since he’s a guy with a 39-goal, 74-point NHL season under his belt. Seeing him producing points when given an opportunity wouldn’t be a shock, even though it would be a nice development if he performs a little better than the general expectation.
Declan Carlile
It isn’t going out on a huge limb to point out that Carlile will have the opportunity to make a big impact, but this is the showcase example of probably the casual fan looking up in the middle of the year and thinking ‘wow who is this guy’. The Penguins have a history of success when it comes to plucking defenders out of obscurity and see their stocks rise as a result, with Wotherspoon and Shea being prime recent examples. Carlile, as one of the few NHL caliber left defenders with the organization, should be in-line for as big of a role as he can handle. His underlying metrics show that he just might have some potential for a Wotherspoon-esque glow up. For a surprise, Carlile would have to slot in as a top-four matchup defender and handle it pretty well. There’s no guarantee that will happen (even though he’s carrying a decent amount of excitement and hope), Carlile has only 46 career games under his belt and has never spent a full season in the NHL at this point. Then again, like Wotherspoon, Carlile could find himself practicing in September with Erik Karlsson – possibly never to surrender that spot for the balance of the season.
Hendrix Lapierre
It seems like Lapierre is very tertiary in the eyes of many right now, nearly forgotten given all the other, flashier acquisitions of the summer. A surprise for him would be getting a jersey consistently and making a positive impact. He’s done that at times in his career already, and he can also play center – a position that isn’t exactly very impressive or settled on the team right now. Not sure this will be a surprise in the vain of finding a 50-point player this season, but considering expectations are pretty low for this player this is more of a ‘buy low’ guess that it won’t be too hard to clear the bar of what most have in mind at the moment. I could see Lapierre being a guy that suddenly you see has played 60+ games and made a couple plays along the way. (Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but it’s not like he’ll have to be Kucherov to be a surprise, given the manner he’s mostly thought of on the internet).
Nick Robertson
The Penguins might not get the NHL star Robertson brother, but similar to Lapierre’s case, I think expectations and excitement for the Robertson they did get recently is too far on the low end for where it should be. Despite a lack of ice time and steady progression in Toronto, Nick Robertson has been a productive player. He’s scored 31 goals in the last two seasons, he’s figured a little something out. The Pens are a bit overstocked (for the moment anyways) with a ton of scoring-line wingers like Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell to presumably go with Chinakhov and Evgeni Malkin, so it’s also a case of wondering just how and where Robertson fits in at the moment. Be it through injury, performance, a trade or some other variable that hasn’t happened yet, here’s to guessing Nick Robertson has a big year for the Penguins. It’s within reason that he scores 20 goals and gets over 40 points without the benefit of a ton of power play time, which just might be surprising the fan base at-large when they look up in January or February and realize that this has become a key player on the squad.
Bill Zonnon
Gotta dare to dream on this one, since Zonnon, 20 in October, will just be in his first pro season next year. This could be premature, he’s probably better off being a solid candidate for a surprise in 2027-28. But hey, summer’s the time to live a little. It’s going to be a long season of now 84 games, and the Penguins dressed 25 different forwards last season for one reason or another. For whatever you want to say about them, Pittsburgh is a team that isn’t afraid to call a player up from the AHL and see what he’s got for a game or two. Zonnon took to the AHL like a fish to water by scoring a goal in each of the first three playoff games he played as a pro this spring. He’s got great wheels and a knack for going to the net, and is also a center. Zonnon will have to prove himself in Wilkes and then have the door opened (probably by injuries at the position, stay the thought!) so maybe in some ways it would be nice enough if he’s not seeing NHL action in 2026-27. But as Ben Kindel showed last year, if a player can make a good enough impression and keep making things happen, an NHL look isn’t out of the question.
Mikhail Ilyin
Similar to the Zonnon case, it might be a stretch to figure too strongly on Ilyin getting an opportunity in 2026-27. Like Zonnon, Ilyin also flashed in the AHL playoffs (nine points in 15 games) in basically his first taste of North American hockey after playing five AHL regular season games. The 21-year old was a historically good point-producer at a young age in the KHL, he’s succeeded at every level by showing the playmaking and hockey IQ chops that can’t be denied. It won’t be a surprise to see Ilyin blossom into a pretty good AHL player in 2026-27, it can be easy to try and hope that gets accelerated into some sort of NHL impact. We’ll see, but it’s a name to keep in mind somewhere as a potential candidate for a player that might be able to step up and make a name for himself if the conditions are just right.
See you next time in different uniforms. | Getty Images
The Islanders and NHL offseason news has generally slowed to a crawl, but their former captain had his formal introduction to Salt Lake City media, and we have salary arbitration dates for those who’ve filed around the league.
So there’s that.
Islanders News
7 Things About: Get to know new depth signing Matthew Kessel, who’s 6’3” but doesn’t come off as a big defenseman, really. [Isles]
Anders Lee and Vincent Trocheck are both happy to be on the same side in Utah instead of facing each other in New York. [Newsday | Post]
I know you’re on pins and needles, Alex Jefferies’ salary arbitration date is set for July 30. [Puck Pedia]
Elsewhere
One offseason question for each team. The Islanders one is kind of a punt. [Sportsnet]
Post-career care for alumni has long been a priority for Glenn Healy, who announced the NHLPA’s wellness program for any player who’s played a shift in the NHL. [NHL]
Is Elias Pettersson an intriguing buy-low candidate, or expensive damaged goods? [TSN]
John Davidson and Jarmo Kekalainen reunite once again, with the latter bringing the ex-goalie and broadcaster to the Sabres. [NHL]
A former Philadelphia Flyers defenseman is heading to the Detroit Red Wings, as Ronnie Attard has signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Original Six club.
Attard spent this past season in the AHL with the Colorado Eagles, where he recorded three goals, 17 points, and 38 penalty minutes in 44 games. This was after he had seven goals, 10 assists, 17 points, and 80 penalty minutes in 66 AHL games split between the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and the Bakersfield Condors during the 2024-25 season.
Attard was selected by the Flyers in the third round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, 72nd overall. The 6-foot-3 defenseman was once considered one of the Flyers' most promising prospect blueliners, but was never able to cement himself as a full-time NHL defenseman with the Metropolitan Division club.
In 29 games over three seasons with the Flyers from 2021-22 to 2023-24, Attard posted two goals, four assists, six points, 33 blocks, and 49 hits. His time with the Flyers ended during the 2024-25 season when he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for defenseman Ben Gleason.
Attard has not played at the NHL level since being traded by the Flyers. Perhaps he could change things on that front next season with the Red Wings.
As part of his offseason roster overhaul, Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman added some scoring punch by signing unrestricted free-agent forward Viktor Arvidsson.
He also bolstered the team's physical presence in the bottom six by acquiring forward Keegan Kolesar and added goaltending depth by signing Daniil Tarasov.
Now, Yzerman has added another new face to the organization with ties to the Mitten State.
Defenseman Ronnie Attard, who spent last season with the American Hockey League's Colorado Eagles while under contract with the Avalanche, has been signed to a one-year, two-way contract.
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 14, 2026
The 6'4", 210 lb. Attard is the latest depth addition to agree to a one-year contract with the Red Wings. Detroit has also added forwards Chase Stillman, Cameron Butler, and Wilmer Skoog this offseason, along with defenseman Jacob Bryson.
A native of White Lake Township, Michigan, Attard played youth hockey with the Honeybaked AAA program before moving on to the USHL's Tri-City Storm.
The Philadelphia Flyers selected Attard in the third round (72nd overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft, though he returned to Michigan to attend Western Michigan University; he spent the next three seasons skating with the Broncos before turning pro.
Attard would make his NHL debut with the Flyers in the 2022-23 season, skating in two games while also appearing in 68 games with the AHL affiliate Leigh Valley Phantoms.
His time with the Flyers organization came to a close in late 2024 when he was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Ben Gleason. He'd play the remainder of the campaign with the AHL affiliate Bakersfield Condors, scoring seven goals with 10 assists in 59 games.
Last July, he signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Avalanche, and appeared in 44 games with the AHL's Colorado Eagles, scoring three goals with 14 assists. He also added two goals in four Calder Cup Playoff games.
Overall, Attard has skated in 29 career NHL contests, and has two goals with four assists.
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Last off-season, the Montreal Canadiens acquired forward Zachary Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for defenseman Logan Mailloux. This was one of the NHL's most intriguing trades of last summer, as it involved two first-round picks from the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
Bolduc had an up-and-down first season with the Canadiens, but it was still a solid year overall for the 23-year-old forward. In 78 games with the Atlantic Division club, he posted 12 goals, 18 assists, 30 points, and a career-high 170 hits. With numbers like these, the young forward provided some secondary offensive production and plenty of grit. He also had three goals and seven points in 19 playoff games for Montreal.
Yet, Bolduc did see a slight decrease in offense during his first season with the Habs. This is because he posted career highs with 19 goals, 17 assists, and 36 points in 72 games with the Blues during the 2024-25 season. Due to this, it will be interesting to see if the 6-foot forward could increase his offensive production next season for the Canadiens.
With Bolduc still being in his early 20s and in the early stages of his NHL career, it is very possible that he has not hit his ceiling yet. Because of this, the possibility of him hitting at least the 20-goal and 40-point marks next season should not be ruled out. If he does, it would be big for a Canadiens club that is looking to be top contenders in 2026-27.
Former Detroit Red Wings defenseman, a Dearborn Heights, Michigan native who played college hockey with the Western Michigan Broncos, has officially decided to hang up his skates.
Oesterle, 34, announced his retirement from the NHL after having skated in 409 career games, 97 of which were spent with the Red Wings between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.
Jordan, you showed the hockey world that hard work pays off. From going undrafted as a college free agent to creating a 12 year pro hockey career, there's no doubt you left your impact on the game and serve as an inspiration to others looking to follow in your footsteps.… pic.twitter.com/4Vd4Z0ixlf
Never drafted into the NHL, Oesterle signed an entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers in 2014, and would skate in 25 total games with the organization while mostly playing in the American Hockey League before joining the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017.
Eventually, the Blackhawks traded him along with the contract of former Red Wings forward Marian Hossa to the Arizona Coyotes in July 2018.
Oesterle then took the opportunity to play for his hometown team, inking a two-year, $2.7 million contract with the Red Wings in the summer of 2021. During his time with Detroit, he tallied a total of four goals with 15 assists.
Following his time with the Red Wings, Oesterle would suit up for the Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins, and Nashville Predators.
Ultimately, he registered 23 goals and 73 assists in 409 career regular season games, while adding a goal with three assists in nine Stanley Cup Playoff games.
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The National Hockey League community loves comparing draft prospects to current players. Right now, every undersized offensive defenseman gets the comparison to Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens.
Hutson is a small defenseman who is a top-five offensive player at that position, and he is only a few years into his NHL career. The Montreal Canadiens were able to snag Hutson with a second-round (62nd overall) pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, and his size played a huge role in him falling that far.
When he started to dominate at Boston University after being drafted, the other 31 teams started to realize the mistake that they made letting him get outside of the top five, let alone well into the second round.
In his first NHL season, 2024-25, Hutson won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie. One year later, 2025-26, Hutson had 12 goals and 66 assists for 78 points, and was good for 6th place in the Norris Trophy voting. He has also played in all 82 games both years.
During the 2026 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks selected a player named Xavier Villenueve, who fits a similar draft year profile. As an offensive defenseman, he stands at 5'11" and 163 lbs. It may be trendy to compare Villenueve to Hutson, but the tools are there to make it an accurate statement.
Would it be unfair to expect the young Blackhawks prospect to turn into a superstar quickly, as Hutson has? Of course it would be. However, you can expect him to develop into a player who can make the Blackhawks a better team thanks to his similar skill set.
"The skill-set I have is pretty rare, without being too cocky," Villenueve said after being drafted. My smartness and my feet help me get over (his size). I'm pretty confident."
If you don't believe you can overcome your size, which is mostly out of your control as a player, it will be even more difficult to make it in the NHL. Villenueve doesn't lack confidence, clearly.
There are plenty of people outside of him and his family who believe in him as well, including Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson and Director of Scouting Mike Doneghey.
"His only downfall is that he's 5'11," Doneghey said. "What if he were 6'1"? Well, then he's probably (near the) top of the class. He's in that top-10 skill set with the guys who went (in the first round)."
Like Hutson, Villeneuve will go to Boston University. There, he is sure to gain some weight while also developing his skills. Every offensive defenseman has that worry surrounding them when it comes to their defensive game, but the NCAA will be good for him in that regard.
After that, Villeneuve will have to adapt to the pro game while finding what works in the attacking zone. Playing under Jay Pandolfo at BU will be incredible for him as he learns what will be necessary to succeed.
It looks less and less likely that Kevin Korchinski is going to be a long-term player every day. With Bowen Byram now in the mix, along with some other highly drafted defensemen in the system, can Villenueve fill that void as the offensive defenseman Kyle Davidson was looking for? That's a question that will have a lot more clarity in the next 24 months.
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The Detroit Red Wings' farm system saw one of its most notable breakout performances in recent memory this past season in winger John Leonard, who dominated at the AHL level for the Grand Rapids Griffins.
The 27-year-old finished the year with 33 goals and 21 assists for 54 points in just 47 games, leading the Griffins in scoring during a record-breaking season for the franchise and earning a spot on the AHL's Second All-Star Team for the second consecutive year.
When Leonard finally got extended NHL minutes, he made the most of them too, recording two goals and two assists for four points across 11 games with Detroit over a pair of recalls. It was enough to have some believing he could carve out a role in the bottom of Detroit's lineup, and he'll need to bring that same level of production next season as he enters a contract year, having signed a one-year extension in April.
Detroit could look to give the former San Jose Sharks sixth-round pick, 182nd overall in 2018, an extended NHL look this coming season. Leonard has been an AHL standout for years now, first with Charlotte and now Grand Rapids, but hasn't gotten a real, extended chance at the NHL level since his rookie season back in 2021-22, when he was still in the San Jose organization.
Since then, he bounced through Nashville and Arizona before signing with Detroit last summer, using a career-high 36-goal season in Charlotte to earn his one-way deal.
If Leonard can't find his way into a full-time role with the Red Wings this season, the hope internally would likely be that Detroit can either finally carve out a spot for him in the bottom six or, if that doesn't materialize, find a trade partner willing to give him the full-time NHL opportunity he's earned through his AHL production.
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