The WHL is set to play a big role in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Leading up to the draft, we at The Hockey News will be profiling some of the players who are projected to hear their names called at the end of June. Today's prospect is Reese Hamilton, who plays for the Regina Pats.
Hamilton's biggest strength, without a shadow of a doubt, is his skating. Explosive strides, smooth edgework, the former Calgary Hitmen blueliner has ways to close gaps and push opposing skaters to the outside. Once he gets there, a finished body check is likely on the way and puck possession will change hands.
However, the Pats defender at one point was a top-15 player in the 2025 class. Since the beginning of the season, he has fallen to somehwere in the 125-175 range. As is the case with multiple players in the past, this isn't a death sentence; Hamilton does have the tools to become a solid defender in the NHL, especially with his skating, but the offensive output could use some work.
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Former New Jersey Devils forward Fabian Zetterlund has landed a nice payday.
According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Ottawa Senators are signing Fabian Zetterlund to a three-year contract extension that comes with a $4.275 million average annual value.
Deadline-acquired Fabian Zetterlund is signing a 3 x $4.275M extension in Ottawa
Zetterlund, 25, was traded by the San Jose Sharks to the Senators at the 2025 NHL trade deadline in a bit of a surprising deal. Before the trade, Zetterlund was a key part of the Sharks' forward group and had 36 points in 64 games with San Jose this season.
Following the move to the Senators, Zetterlund struggled to find his fit. In 20 regular-season games with Ottawa, he had two goals, five points, and a minus-1 rating. He also did not record a point in six playoff games. However, it is hard to believe that he does not have the potential to heat back up next season, as he is a solid second-line forward when playing at his best. Thus, it makes sense the Senators have re-signed him to this three-year deal.
Zetterlund's best season in the NHL thus far was in 2023-24 with the Sharks. In 82 games during that campaign, he set career highs with 24 goals and 44 points.
Zetterlund was selected by the Devils with the 63rd overall pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. In two seasons in New Jersey, he posted nine goals, 28 points, and a plus-9 rating. His time with the Devils ended when he was traded to the Sharks in the trade that brought Timo Meier to New Jersey.
Unless Kent Hughes pulls the trigger on a trade, the Montreal Canadiens will get to speak twice in the first round of the NHL draft on June 27. Thanks to the trade in which they acquired Sean Monahan in August 2022, they now hold the 16th overall pick, which previously belonged to the Calgary Flames, as well as their pick, the 17th overall.
Over the years, the Habs have selected 17th overall seven times. There were some hits, some misses, but there were also some players they should have held onto longer.
The first time Montreal picked at number 17 was back in 1966; that year, the Sainte-Flanelle opted for centre Jude Drouin. The Murdochville, PQ native looked like a promising forward, and until he wore the Tricolore, he was a very productive player. In 1969-70 with the Montreal Voyageurs of the AHL, he recorded 106 points in 65 games. In the NHL, however, he was held off the scoresheet in three games after mustering only two assists in nine games the previous year, which prompted the Canadiens to trade him to the Minnesota North Stars for a player to be named later, who turned out to be Bill Collins. While he spent only 40 games with the Canadiens before being traded to the Detroit Red Wings, he was part of the package Montreal sent to the Wings to acquire Frank Mahovlich, so that we can count that one as a win.
In 1973, the Sainte-Flanelle picked Glenn Goldup with the 17th overall pick. A left-shot winger who was unable to crack a powerhouse Canadiens’ roster and would only play 18 NHL games in town before the Tricolore traded him alongside a third-round pick at the 1978 draft to the Los Angeles Kings for two picks, a third-round and a first-round one at the same draft. Those picks would turn into Moe Robinson and Danny Geoffrion, son of former legend Bernard Geoffrion and father of future Hab Blake Geoffrion. Unfortunately for the Canadiens, Boom Boom’s son didn’t possess his father’s talent and played only 111 games in the NHL, including 32 with Montreal.
That didn’t stop the Canadiens from betting on family genes when they drafted Dave Hunter at the 1978 draft. Dale and Mark’s brother elected to play in the WHA for the Edmonton Oilers, and stayed with them when they became an NHL team. Hunter played 746 NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Winnipeg Jets, accumulating 323 points and winning three Stanley Cups. He was, however, the least productive of the three brothers, Mark wrapping up his career with 384 points and 1,428 penalty minutes, while Dale scored 1,020 points and 3,563 penalty minutes.
In 1983, the Canadiens picked Alfie Turcotte (father of Los Angeles player Alex Turcotte) with the 17th pick. They played part of three seasons in the NHL with the Habs with mixed results before they traded him for future considerations to the Edmonton Oilers. Less than a year later, they reacquired him for cash before trading him away a second time, to the Winnipeg Jets for future considerations. In the end, Turcotte played a total of 112 NHL games and picked up 46 points before heading overseas to continue his career.
Then, in 1987, Montreal selected Andrew Cassels with the 17th overall pick. The left-shot center then played a couple more dominating seasons in the OHL, posting 285 points in 117 games with the Ottawa 67’s. After that, he spent a year with the Sherbrooke Canadiens in the American Hockey League (AHL), accumulating 67 points in 55 games before advancing to the NHL for the 1990-91 season. In his only complete season in Montreal, he scored 25 points in 54 games. Then, in September, the Canadiens traded him to the Hartford Whalers for a 1992 second-round pick who turned into Valeri Bure. Cassels would go on to play 1015 NHL games, registering 732 points in the process.
In 1991, when the Quebec Nordiques selected Eric Lindros first overall, the New Jersey Devils selected Scott Niedermayer with the third pick, and the New York Rangers selected Alexei Kovalev at 15th overall, the Canadiens opted for 6-foot-4, 230-pound defenseman Brent Bilodeau. The supersized defenseman would go on to play 122 games with the Fredericton Canadiens in the American Hockey League (AHL). Bilodeau is the only first-round pick from that draft who never played a single NHL game; this one was truly a wasted selection.
Finally, in 2011, when Montreal last picked 17th, they chose left-shot defenseman Nathan Beaulieu. He wasn’t a bad pick and played 225 games with the Canadiens, gathering 60 points in the process. Then, in June 2017, Montreal traded him to the Buffalo Sabres in return for a third-round pick, which they used to select Scott Walford, who they never signed. As for Beaulieu, he went on to play 471 games in the NHL with the Sabres, Jets, and Anaheim Ducks before heading overseas to continue his professional career.
Just like with the 16th overall pick, the Canadiens have had mixed results with the 17th overall pick. They got their money’s worth with Drouin, who eventually landed him, Mahovlich, and Cassells were hands down their best pick, but they didn’t have the patience to wait for him to develop correctly.
Photo credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-Imagn Images
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The most notable event on the calendar is the 2025 NHL Draft, which starts in eight days. This year’s draft class is impressive, especially at the center position. That’s good news for the Boston Bruins, who will pick No. 7 overall after failing to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Check out our 2025 NHL mock draft below:
32. Calgary Flames (via Panthers): Bill Zonnon, RW, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
Zonnon ranked fifth in assists and tied for seventh in points among QMJHL players last season. The Flames scored the fourth-fewest goals of any team in 2024-25 and could use a dynamic offensive player like him in their prospect pool.
31. Philadelphia Flyers (via Oilers): Benjamin Kindel, C, Calgary (WHL)
Kindel doesn’t have a ton of size, but his speed and playmaking ability would be a nice boost for the Flyers, who currently own three first-round picks in this draft.
30. San Jose Sharks (via Stars): Shane Vansaghi, RW, Michigan State (NCAA)
After taking a couple centers with first-round picks (including the No. 2 pick below), it’s time to add some depth on the wing in San Jose. Spartans forward Shane Vansaghi would be among the best available at the position this late in Round 1.
Shane Vansaghi tips this one in the waning seconds of the power play – his third goal of the season. Larson and Andrews get the assists. pic.twitter.com/TIeJSgqYZu
29. Carolina Hurricanes: Milton Gastrin, C, Modo Jr. (SWE-JR)
Gastrin is a reliable, two-way center who can excel in all situations. He could maybe be a Jordan Staal replacement at some point in Carolina.
28. Winnipeg Jets: Henry Brzustewicz, D, London (OHL)
Brzustewicz is poised with the puck, he has a high hockey IQ and enough offensive skill to generate scoring chances at the NHL level. He played a huge role in the London Knights winning the 2025 Memorial Cup.
27. Washington Capitals: Cullen Potter, C, Arizona State (NCAA)
Potter’s goal-scoring ability and speed make him an exciting prospect. In fact, if he falls all the way to the late first round, he could end up being a huge steal. The only concern is his lack of size at 5-foot-9.
26. Nashville Predators (via Golden Knights): Joshua Ravensbergen, G, Prince George (WHL)
Ravensbergen is considered by many experts to be the top-ranked goalie prospect in the 2025 draft class. With veteran Juuse Saros signed long-term, the Predators could allow Ravensbergen to develop at the right pace and not rush him to the NHL. His size (6-foot-5), athleticism and poise are all impressive.
25. Chicago Blackhawks (via Maple Leafs): Sascha Boumedienne, D, Boston University (NCAA)
Boumedienne was the youngest player in NCAA hockey last season and showed tremendous improvement throughout the campaign. His hockey IQ is fantastic. After taking Artyom Levshunov at No. 2 overall last year, the addition of Boumedienne would give the Blackhawks really strong depth and high-end talent at defenseman in their prospect pool.
24. Los Angeles Kings: Daniil Prokhorov, RW, Dynamo St. Petersburg Jr. (RUS-JR)
Prokhorov is a talented goal scorer with excellent size (6-foot-6 and 220 pounds). His power forward kind of style would be a nice fit on the Kings.
The Predators were the second-lowest scoring team in the league last season. Spence would be among the best goal scorers available at this stage of the draft, and his top-end speed is a nice bonus.
22. Philadelphia Flyers (via Avalanche): Blake Fiddler, D, Edmonton (WHL)
The Flyers desperately need to find a No. 1 defenseman of the future, and Fiddler would be a nice get for them with the No. 22 pick, even if he’s a few years away from making a real impact at the NHL level. His skating ability for a player listed at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds is quite impressive.
21. Ottawa Senators: Jack Nesbitt, C, Windsor (OHL)
The Senators got back to the playoffs for the first time since 2017 but lost to the Maple Leafs in the first round. They scored more than two goals in just two of the six games. A well-rounded center with offensive upside in Jack Nesbitt would be a safe choice for the Senators.
Hensler is a good skater and a strong defender who could excel in a shutdown role. His offensive skill set needs to improve if he’s going to maximize his potential, but there’s a lot to like in his game.
19. St. Louis Blues: Braedon Cootes, C, Seattle (WHL)
Cootes led Seattle in scoring with 63 points in 60 games, nearly doubling his offensive output from the previous season. He also has strong leadership skills and captained Canada to a gold medal at the 2025 U-18 World Championship. His play style is actually pretty similar to Blues captain Brayden Schenn.
18. Calgary Flames (via Devils): Cole Reschny, C, Victoria (WHL)
If you look at the top 10 prospects in the Flames’ system, not many of them are centers. Reschny had a strong second half of the season for Victoria and his draft stock has risen as a result. He also showed dramatic improvement offensively with 92 points (26 goals, 66 assists) last season — 33 more than he had in the 2023-24 campaign.
17. Montreal Canadiens: Cameron Reid, D, Kitchener (OHL)
The Canadiens exceeded expectations this season by making the playoffs as a wild card team, and they have two first-round picks to add more premium talent to their organization.
Reid’s two-way skill set and high hockey IQ make him a good fit for Montreal in this spot.
16. Montreal Canadiens (via Flames): Justin Carbonneau, RW, Blaineville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
Carbonneau’s 46 goals were tied for the second-most in the QMJHL this past season. And he’s not just a scorer. He plays a hard, heavy game and is relentless on the forecheck. It wouldn’t take long for him to become a fan favorite in Montreal.
15. Vancouver Canucks: Victor Eklund, RW, Djurgarden (SWE-2)
If the Canucks keep this pick, Victor Eklund would be a smart choice here. The Swedish winger would add some much-needed speed, skill and toughness to the Canucks forward group.
14. Columbus Blue Jackets: Carter Bear, LW, Everett (WHL)
Bear’s elite offensive skill and high compete level would help make him a nice fit with what the Blue Jackets are building.
The Penguins need to find a No. 1 defenseman of the future, and Aitcheson fits the bill. He ranked third among all OHL defensemen with 59 points in 64 games last season.
10. Anaheim Ducks: Radim Mrtka, D, Seattle (WHL)
The Ducks are in the top 10 of the first round for the fifth straight year. Three of their previous four picks in this range were forwards, including Beckett Sennecke at No. 3 overall last year. With so many of the top forwards off the board, it would make the most sense for the Ducks to add a blue-chip defenseman prospect in Radim Mrtka. He plays a lot like Lightning star Victor Hedman.
The Sabres could opt to take the best center available here, but with so many of them already off the board, a wing with Martone’s offensive and physical traits makes a lot of sense. He would likely be a good fit alongside Tage Thompson at some point.
8. Seattle Kraken: Roger McQueen, C, Brandon (WHL)
The Kraken have drafted a center in the top 10 in two of the last three years, but McQueen is too talented of a prospect to pass on here. And frankly, he might be gone at this point depending on how teams view these centers. McQueen has drawn comparisons to Ducks legend Ryan Getzlaf with his size (6-foot-5) and two-way skill set.
7. Boston Bruins: Jake O’Brien, C, Brantford (OHL)
It’s no secret the Bruins need a center. They haven’t drafted well at that position for a long time. Luckily for the B’s, they have a top 10 pick (their first since 2011) in a draft that’s loaded with quality centers.
O’Brien is the best center available at this point in Round 1. He has a really strong two-way skill set with the high-end offensive talent to consistently create scoring chances for himself and teammates. He tallied 66 assists in 66 games for Brantford last season.
6. Philadelphia Flyers: James Hagens, C, Boston College (NCAA)
Hagens didn’t score as much as some expected for Boston College, but he is an elite playmaker and a great skater. He has top-six center potential for a Flyers organization that needs more high-end talent at that position.
5. Nashville Predators: Brady Martin, C, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
Martin’s draft stock has risen quite a bit in recent weeks. He plays a lot like 2025 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett, and general managers love those kinds of players.
The Mammoth jumped 10 spots in the draft lottery, allowing them to select one of the best center prospects available. Caleb Desnoyers makes the most sense here. His offensive upside is tremendous. He also won the Guy LaFleur Trophy as QMJHL playoff MVP this past season.
3. Chicago Blackhawks: Anton Frondell, C, Djurgarden (SWE-2)
Frondell and Connor Bedard as a 1-2 punch at center long-term is an exciting scenario for Blackhawks fans. Frondell is not only highly skilled, he plays a true power forward style of hockey.
2. San Jose Sharks: Michael Misa, C, Saginaw (OHL)
The Sharks drafted center Macklin Celebrini at No. 1 in 2024 and center Will Smith at No. 4 overall in 2023. But with no defenseman worthy of the No. 2 pick in this class (assuming Schaefer goes No. 1 to the Islanders), taking another forward in Misa should be an easy choice. Misa is the No. 1 ranked forward in this draft. He is the complete package offensively and led the CHL in scoring with 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists) in 65 games.
1. New York Islanders: Matthew Schaefer, D, Erie (OHL)
The Islanders got lucky and jumped all the way up from No. 10 to No. 1 in the draft lottery. It might be tempting to take Misa here, but with veteran centers Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal signed long term, it would be hard to fault the Islanders for going with Matthew Schaefer. He could be a top-pairing defenseman for a decade.
On Wednesday, former Penguins' forward and two-time Stanley Cup champion Nick Bonino announced that he would be joining the Penguins' organization as a coach. He also officially announced his retirement from professional hockey.
Nick Bonino himself confirms he is joining Dan Muse’s coaching staff as an assistant coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins!
The 37-year-old center spent his final season in professional hockey playing for Ljubljana Olimpija HK of the Austrian League, where he recorded six goals and 17 points in 22 games.
Bonino was selected in the sixth round (173rd overall) by the San Jose Sharks in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. He spent three seasons with Boston University before his rights were dealt to the Anaheim Ducks in March of 2009, where he spent the first five seasons of his NHL career.
After one season with the Vancouver Canucks in 2014-15, he was traded to Pittsburgh on July 28, 2015 in a deal that sent center Brandon Sutter the other way. Known as a "tough as nails" third-line center, Bonino provided the structure, responsible play, and grit that the Penguins needed in their bottom-six and on their third line.
He also became one cog of the famous "HBK Line" - which also included Phil Kessel and Carl Hagelin - that helped lead Pittsburgh to its 2016 Stanley Cup championship. During that playoff line, Bonino registered four goals and 18 points in 24 games, and the HBK Line combined for 20 goals and 56 points in those 24 games en route to the Cup.
Nick Bonino has announced his retirement from professional hockey, and will join the Penguins staff as an assistant coach.
And in 2017, Bonino famously played through a large portion of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Nashville Predators on a broken tibia after blocking a shot by P.K. Subban. Although he missed the remainder of the back-to-back Cup-clinching series, he played a crucial role in helping the Penguins get there.
Bonino left as a UFA the following summer and joined the Predators for three seasons. He did see a brief second stint in Pittsburgh during the 2022-23 season, but he appeared in only three games before an injury ended his season.
Throughout the course of his NHL career, Bonino registered 159 goals and 358 points in 868 games, including 27 goals and 66 points across his two full seasons in Pittsburgh.
FREE AGENTS: Nicolas Aube-Kubel, RW; Arthur Kaliyev, LW; Will Cuylle, LW (RFA); Adam Edstrom, LW; Calvin de Haan, D; K'Andre Miller, D (RFA); Zac Jones, D (RFA); Matthew Robertson, D (RFA)
NEEDS: Depth on defense; bottom-six forwards
SABRES FIT? The Rangers were a dysfunctional mess last season, falling out of the playoffs completely after being the best regular-season team in the league in 2023-24. Rangers GM Chris Drury somehow got a vote of confidence from team owner James Dolan, and the first move he made this off-season was to trade veteran winger Chris Drury. This tracks with last year's moves to get rid of veterans (including defensemen Jacob Trouba and Ryan Lindgren) as well as youngsters Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil.
That said, the Rangers clearly aren't rebuilding -- at least, not yet -- as they acquired star center J.T. Miller from the Vancouver Canucks, and veteran D-man Will Borgen from the Seattle Kraken in trades last year. The Rangers have a decent amount of salary cap space, but much of it will have to go to D-man K'Andre Miller, an RFA who will have plenty of alternatives if someone tries to offer-sheet him and take him out of Manhattan.
So, could there be a match with the Sabres? Probably not, although we could see a scenario in which Buffalo trades defenseman Bowen Byram to the Blueshirts in return for the rights to K'Andre Miller. As an RFA, Miller has no no-trade or no-move protection, so he couldn't veto a move to the Sabres. And if Buffalo can get into the playoff picture next year, Miller may be persuaded to sign long-term with the Sabres.
Otherwise, there really isn't a match for what Buffalo has to offer. The Rangers have too many veterans who do have no-trade or no-move clauses, so that all but completely rules out the Sabres from landing a talent like center Mika Zibanejad or center Vincent Trochek, both of who would assuredly help the Sabres get into the post-season.
Still, landing K'Andre Miller should be very tempting for Buffalo. At 25 years old, Miller isn't yet in his prime, and he could be a terrific second-pair blueliner for the Sabres. His salary last season was $3.87-million, and his modest production of 20 assists and 27 points means his asking price on a new contract isn't going to hamper Buffalo's financial picture. Indeed, a slight raise for Miller close to or right at the $5-million range would be very affordable for the Sabres. And given that Drury has been unable to sign Miller at this point, you have to figure his days as a Ranger are over.
The other option that's more of a longshot is Rangers left winger Alexis Lafreniere, who is just about to start his first year of a contract extension paying him $7.45-million per season. Lafreniere had a disappointing season of 17 goals and 45 points last year -- a major drop from his 28-goal, 57-point season in 2023-24. And like K'Andre Miller, the 23-year-old Lafreniere also doesn't have any no-move or no-trade protection.
Can the Sabres step up and offer, say, winger Alex Tuch for Lafreniere? It's true Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams would be giving up more offensive production in surrendering Tuch, but considering that Tuch will be a UFA at the end of next season, dealing him now for a cost-controlled asset like Lafreniere might be better financially for the Sabres in the long run.
Moreover, if Lafreniere bounces back with a better performance akin to the one he had two years ago, suddenly the loss of Tuch's offense wouldn't be so bad. Remember, Lafreniere was the first-overall pick in 2020 for good reason; he's still got all kinds of time to realize his potential, and he could be doing that with Buffalo.
In sum, the Rangers and Sabres probably won't be hooking up on a major trade this summer. But Sabres fans can dream of situations in which Buffalo and the Blueshirts collaborate on a deal that shakes up the chemistry of both teams. And acquiring K'Andre Miller or Lafreniere certainly would change the mix in Western New York.
The Philadelphia Flyers do not have the best early odds of winning the Stanley Cup in 2026, but how their odds rank compared to some other teams around the NHL might come as a shock.
The Flyers, who finished with the fourth-worst record in the NHL this season at 33-39-10, are not projected to win the Stanley Cup next year by any means, but oddsmakers are clearly expecting Philadelphia, led by new head coach Rick Tocchet and star sophomore forward Matvei Michkov, to take a step forward in 2025-26.
According to FanDuel, the Flyers have +8000 odds to win the 2026 Stanley Cup, which are notably only the 13th-lowest odds and ahead of Metropolitan Division rival Columbus Blue Jackets (+8500), the Anaheim Ducks (+10000), the Montreal Canadiens (+10000), Boston Bruins (+11000), and Buffalo Sabres (+14000).
In the case of the Flyers, this is an implied probability of roughly 1.23%.
Fans of the Pittsburgh Penguins (+28000), Seattle Kraken (+31000), Chicago Blackhawks, and San Jose Sharks (+50000) can safely flush next season down the toilet if the opinions of oddsmakers mean anything.
The Flyers placing ahead of both the Canadiens and the Blue Jackets is a considerable surprise, given that the Canadiens made the playoffs with a 40-31-11 record and 91 points and the Blue Jackets narrowly missed out at 40-33-9 and 89 points.
Meanwhile, the Flyers finished dead-last in the Eastern Conference with a measly 76 points and just 21 regulation wins.
Sure, the Canadiens could use some work up front to help ease the burden on captain Nick Suzuki and Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson, but they're about to have a full offseason and regular season of Ivan Demidov.
As for the Blue Jackets, they have an outstanding young core of forwards like Kirill Marchenko, Dmitry Voronkov, Yegor Chinakhov, Adam Fantilli, Kent Johnson, Cole Sillinger, and Gavin Brindley in addition to superstar defenseman Zach Werenski and prospects like Jet Greaves, Corson Ceulemans, Cayden Lindstrom, Denton Mateychuk, and Stanislav Svozil.
Even a slight step forward from these young guns, combined with some additions in free agency to smooth over the edges, should easily spell a playoff berth for Columbus.
The Flyers, on the other hand, don't have the No. 1 centers the Canadiens and the Blue Jackets have, and they don't seem to be optimistic about the prospects of landing one via trade this summer, either.
After all, GM Danny Briere has already said that teams are not giving away centers outside of fourth-line guys, and some of those same teams are also jockeying with the Flyers to move up in the 2025 NHL Draft order.
So long as Briere and the Flyers remain stagnant, they have no chance of making good on these odds, as dismal as they may already be.
This is Luongo’s second Stanley Cup in as many years, as he and the Panthers also won against the Oilers in the 2023–24 season. Prior to that, he and the Canucks came only a hair away from their first in franchise history with a seven-game Stanley Cup Finals series in 2011. Cory Schneider was his goaltending partner at the time and, ironically enough, interviewed Luongo on the ice after his second Stanley Cup win.
“It’s surreal, does not feel real. Last year was crazy, this year even crazier, to do it again,” Luongo told NHL Network analysts and former players Schneider and Brian Boyle. “When the time came they stepped up and they played the way we know how to play, an unbelievable performance.”
Energy from the home crowd can be a big part of a team’s playoff wins, as seen from the Abbotsford Canucks’ home-ice success. Luongo, who banged the drum for the Panthers ahead of Game 6, jokingly noted how he was “more nervous for the drum than the game.”
Now that the dust has settled around Game 6, one of the most polarizing images to come from the Panthers’ celebrations the night before was a photo of Luongo and Brad Marchand posted from the former’s X account. Marchand, a member of the 2011 Boston Bruins team that took Vancouver to seven games, was acquired by the Panthers at the 2025 Trade Deadline for a conditional second-round draft pick that has now become a first.
“Bill [Zito] and the team, we get together and work together as a team, we identify guys, we talk it over, we have disagreements, but at the end of the day we always find some guys that we think fit the way we play — we call them Panthers,” Luongo told Schneider and Boyle of Florida’s trade deadline acquisitions and how they have been able to fit seamlessly with the team.
Now that the Stanley Cup has finally been awarded for the 2025 season, all teams will shift their focus onto the oncoming NHL Entry Draft and Free Agent Frenzy on July 1.
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The Devils made their first big move of the offseason Wednesday, trading veteran forward Erik Haula to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Jeremy Hanzel and a 2025 fourth-round pick.
New Jersey now has seven picks in the 2025 NHL Draft: two second-round picks (NJ and Edmonton via Utah), one third-round pick (Vegas), two fourth-round picks (NJ and Nashville), and two sixth-round picks (NJ and San Jose). The draft begins on Friday, June 27 and goes through Saturday, June 28.
Haula, 34, was entering the final year of his three-year contract ($3.15 million AAV). Over three seasons with the Devils, he totaled 41 goals and 56 assists (97 points) with 140 penalty minutes across 227 games. He was originally a seventh-round pick by the Minnesota Wild in the 2009 NHL Draft and spent time with them, the Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Predators, and Boston Bruins before being acquired by NJ in the Pavel Zacha trade in 2022.
The forward recorded 21 points (nine goals and 12 assists) over 51 games during his first stint with Nashville in the shortened 2020-2021 NHL season.
Hanzel, 22, was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft. He was then acquired by the Predators in March 2024 and spent the 2024-2025 season with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) and Gwinnett Gladiators (ECHL), registering two penalty minutes over four games with Milwaukee and three goals and 19 assists (22 points) with 28 penalty minutes for Gwinnett.
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, Hanzel was part of the Seattle Thunderbirds' WHL championship-winning team in 2023. He amassed 149 points (39 goals and 110 assists) in 218 games with Seattle over four seasons, plus 35 points (seven goals and 28 assists) over 41 playoff games.
The Edmonton Oilers once again came up short in the Stanley Cup final, falling to the Florida Panthers for the second year in a row.
Now, the overriding question becomes, “What do the Oilers do next?” That question isn’t so easy to answer, with some tough calls to make.
On the one hand, there’s a clear temptation to run it back with the same group of players. Edmonton was only one win away from a Cup championship in 2023-24, and they were only two wins away this year. The Oilers’ core should be relied on to have a successful 2025-26 campaign, and GM Stan Bowman would be a fool to mess around with it.
However, what would the Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights or Tampa Bay Lightning do? These are the most successful teams in the NHL in recent years, and they all share one thing in common: the willingness not to be satisfied with the results they put together, no matter how successful they’ve been.
Panthers GM Bill Zito was fortunate and savvy enough to win his first Cup last season, and he had the stones to walk away from key defenseman Brandon Montour when he sought a raise. Before that, Zito traded MacKenzie Weegar and a 115-point Jonathan Huberdeau in the deal that brought star Matthew Tkachuk to Florida.
Even after this year’s second Cup win, Zito may allow lifelong Panther Aaron Ekblad to leave for greener pastures via free agency after trading for five more years of Seth Jones. Zito has always been one of the more proactive GMs in the league, and he’s never been afraid to shake things up.
Meanwhile, Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon has become famous for being cold-blooded in his roster decisions from year to year. Whether it’s acquiring defenseman Noah Hanifin and centers Tomas Hertl and Jack Eichel, McCrimmon has never been content with sticking with the status quo.
In Tampa Bay, Lightning GM Julien BriseBois has also constantly changed his lineup. BriseBois has traded (and reacquired) veteran defenseman Ryan McDonagh, landed Nick Paul and Jake Guentzel, dealt for star Brandon Hagel, acquired (and traded) center Barclay Goodrow and left winger Tanner Jeannot and traded star defenseman Mikhail Sergachev while letting captain Steven Stamkos walk. Looking at the macro picture, it’s quite something to see how willing BriseBois has been when changing the mix of his team.
The Oilers need to be just as proactive with the talent on their roster. They’re almost assuredly going to be re-signing RFA D-man Evan Bouchard, and they’re going to take very long looks at UFA forwards Corey Perry, Trent Frederic, Connor Brown and Kasperi Kapanen.
But there will probably be a lot of frustration if Edmonton brings back the same goalie tandem next season. One or both of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have to go. Whether that means trading for current Anaheim Ducks veteran John Gibson or taking a chance on a different netminder, the Oilers just need some more reliable, consistent netminding.
In any case, while it would be easy and comfortable for Bowman to bring back just about everybody, the better option would be for him to make some notable roster changes. If it’s good enough for the Panthers, Golden Knights and Lightning, it should be good enough for Edmonton, especially if it convinces superstar captain Connor McDavid to sign a contract extension.
Change is not only necessary, but it’s crucial to keep up with the Joneses as other high-end teams continue making moves to improve. That should be front and center on Bowman’s mind as he plots out the next steps for this Oilers franchise.
The Florida Panthers did not want to face the prospect of heading back to Edmonton for another deciding Game 7 against the Oilers, and after blowing a three-goal lead in a Game 4 loss on home ice last week, the reigning Stanley Cup Champions dominated Edmonton 5-2 in Game 5 and jumped on the Oilers early in a 5-2 win at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday to clinch their second straight Cup.
The Panthers had a number of players stand out in their run to the championship, including Sam Bennett – who scored 15 playoff goals and was named the 2025 Conn Smythe Trophy winner – and veteran Brad Marchand, who scored five goals in the Cup Final and an overtime breakaway goal in Game 2, but the hero in the clincher was former Buffalo Sabre Sam Reinhart.
Reinhart, who was dealt to Florida in July 2021 for goalie Devon Levi and a 2022 first round pick (Jiri Kulich), scored the opening goal less than five minutes into the first period, and then added three more in the second and third period to become the first player to score four goals in a Stanley Cup Final game since Maurice “The Rocket” Richard in 1957.
Had it not been for Vasily Podkolzin’s late goal to break Sergei Bobrovsky’s shutout bid, the former 2014 second overall pick would have scored the game-winning goal in both Panthers Cup-clinching victories. Along with Reinhart, former Sabres Dmitri Kulikov and Evan Rodrigues earned their second straight Cup victory.
Former Sabre Jeff Skinner was not much of a factor in the Cup Final, going pointless in three games vs. the Panthers, while Evander Kane continued his undisciplined play, earning his sixth minor penalty of the series for a slash on Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and his second misconduct for a swipe at Matthew Tkachuk. Kane finished the series with one goal in six games and 32 penalty minutes.
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The veteran winger made a significant impact last season with almost 60 points through 72 games at 36 years old. Kane's value as a player coincides with his value as a mentor to up-and-coming forwards like Marco Kasper that will get to play with a three-time Stanley Cup champion.
Bringing back Kane would help the team continue to build chemistry as well as have him continue to give out lessons to young players that could use the advice.
We can expect a cap hit around $4 million per season as that's what he signed for the Red Wings initially and may include a trade clause of sorts as that's what he asked for in his previous deal. As for term, we could see multiple years as it was a great fit for Kane last season but no more than two seasons seems likely.
Detroit has roughly $21.3 million in cap space heading into this off-season and has been linked to several big name free agents like Aaron Ekblad and Mitch Marner. Other pending free agents with the Red Wings are Alex Lyon, Jeff Petry and key depth forward Tyler Motte among others.
The next few weeks may feature some serious roster moves for the Red Wings heading into next season and it sounds like one we can expect is a Kane re-signing.
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Not only was it Florida's second-straight Cup win, but it was also their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final. They lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023 before besting the Oilers in back-to-back Cup years, and - given that they handily beat a very good Edmonton team in six games despite partaking in their third-straight Final - they may not show any signs of slowing down.
But this near-dynastic force, in a way, all started with a loss in the spring of 2023 by a different NHL team.
No, Florida isn't where they are because of a singular notch in the "L" column by the Pittsburgh Penguins. But, had Pittsburgh won this one game, a lot may have changed for Florida that could have altered their destiny.
On Apr. 11, 2023 - in the penultimate game to their regular season - the Penguins were set to square off against the lowly, rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks on home ice. In order to end up clinching a playoff spot, Pittsburgh simply needed to beat Chicago, one of the league's worst teams.
Chicago went up, 1-0, approaching the midway point of the second period on a goal by defenseman Connor Murphy. Then, a little more than five minutes into the third, Penguins veteran forward Evgeni Malkin scored a power play goal to even the score.
But - five minutes later - Pittsburgh was dealt a double-gut punch. Just past the 10-minute mark of the final frame, Buddy Robinson and Andreas Athanasiou scored back-to-back within 26 seconds to put the Hawks up, 3-1, pretty much sealing the deal. Pittsburgh forward Danton Heinen scored sandwiched between two Chicago empty-net goals by Tyler Johnson and Mackenzie Entwistle, but it was not enough.
Pittsburgh was dealt a course-changing loss, as it, ultimately, led them to miss the playoffs for the first time in 17 years. They also lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets in overtime, 3-2, a few days later, but even if they won that game, the Penguins would have missed.
And the team that squeaked into the postseason instead? The Florida Panthers.
In the 2021-22 season, the Panthers won the President's Trophy as the best team in the league, but they were swept in the second round of the playoffs by the Tampa Bay Lightning and made a shocking coaching change in the aftermath, hiring Paul Maurice and canning Andrew Brunette.
They also shook up their roster in the offseason of 2022, acquiring and then extending Matthew Tkachuk from the Calgary Flames in exchange for star forward Jonathan Huberdeau and top-four defenseman Mackenzie Weegar.
There were a sequence of moves in the following years that made them what they are. But, had they missed the playoffs in 2023 after a President's Trophy-winning season - all because the Penguins beat the lowly Blackhawks - it stands to reason that Florida GM Bill Zito may have made some more impulse moves to shake things up after a near-miss.
Maybe they would have fired Maurice. Maybe they never go out and get veterans like Brad Marchand, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Seth Jones. There's no telling how their timeline and their roster management would have played out had the Penguins won that game against Chicago.
Every ounce of credit goes to Zito and the Panthers for becoming the machine they are today. More than likely, it was bound to happen eventually, anyway, regardless of what happened in terms of the 2023 postseason.
But the Penguins inadvertently opened the door of opportunity for the Panthers to begin their run at three straight Final appearances when they lost, perhaps, one of the most winnable "must-win" games in franchise history.
As a result, the Penguins became a cellar dwellar. And the Panthers became a monster.
