1. Connor McDavid still is stalling over his new Oilers contract and as long he diddles around with his team, other NHL clubs can wonder about possibly landing big fish McD.

2. In theory, Rangers fans should hold out only the very, very, very minimum of hope that McDavid someday will wear a Blueshirt. But, hey, you never know.

3. Speaking of stalling, why oh why is Chris Drury failing to get it over with and name a captain. I'll bet that even Jacob Trouba is annoyed.

4. Beefing about his life as a Leaf, Mitch Marner in Vegas is being viewed by Toronto  fans, the way John Tavares still is by the Islanders faithful.

5. At a youthful age, 66, Joel Quenneville will be carefully eyed as he starts his new job in Anaheim. The Mave predicts that Q will get his Ducks into the playoffs.

6. Barry Trotz is easy to like on many counts, but Predator fans can be excused for not being wild about Barry if Nashville has another "echy" season.

7. Alex Ovechkin can be forgiven if his record-breaking 2024-25 season does not lead to a socko 2025-26 year. But The Big 8 remains a hockey marvel, no matter what.

8. For the Blackhawks' sake, Connor Bedard must once and for all have a huge breakout season.

What Kind Of Difference Will Mike Sullivan Make For The Rangers?It must have been the decaf coffee, else how could I have forgotten "Ask The Maven" yesterday?. 

9. I haven't seen any Matt Rempe off-season stories like the summer 2024 features. The Skating Giraffe no longer is simply a story because he's 6-8, 241 pounds. He'll be a story if he can become a real hockey player and not merely The People's Choice."

10. A year ago The Hockey News Yearbook had Artemi Panarin leading the NHL in the department of "High-Danger Shooting Percentage" (36.6 %) Do you think he can duplicate that at age 33?  The Maven doubts it but, hey, like I said before, ya never know!

There likely aren't many Detroit Red Wings fans who witnessed the entire legendary 2001-02 season, which culminated in the franchise’s 10th Stanley Cup, that would have predicted in October 2001 that a young Russian rookie named Pavel Datsyuk would soon become a household name.

Not only did he become one of the best Red Wings forwards in team history, but he became the 10th member of that iconic roster to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. 

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings/players/pavel-datsyuk-red-wings-rookie-season-felt-like-arriving-on-a-crazy-planet

Washington Capitals team captain and fellow Russian countryman Alex Ovechkin, who will be a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee when his NHL career comes to a close, recently participated in Datsyuk’s farewell “Magic Game” at UMMC Arena in Yekaterinburg, Datsyuk's hometown. 

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

The event saw multiple iconic Russian hockey talents take the ice, including Datsyuk's former Red Wings teammate Sergei Fedorov along with Ilya Kovalchuk, Alexey Morozov, and Maxim Afinogenov. Additionally, current NHL forward Kirill Kaprizov of the Minnesota Wild took part. 

Pavel Datsyuk's friends arrive in Yekaterinburg for 'The Magic Game' tribute match.

· 📅 Date: Aug 30
· 🕙 Pre-game: 11:00 AM
· 🥅 Puck Drop: 12:00 AM
· 📍 Where to watch: VKontakte (Avtomobilist group) https://t.co/RivMKXOIFl & https://t.co/8Ft6Hx33Japic.twitter.com/SYjpjW0Pmk

— Uggg (@Uggg_uggg) August 30, 2025

Farewell game for Pavel Datsyuk in his hometown of Yekaterinburg 'The Magic Game'. Among the participants: Alexander Ovechkin, Kirill Kaprizov, Alexander Semin, Ilya Kovalchuk, Andrei Markov, Kirill Marchenko pic.twitter.com/BBjfMnru9Y

— Daria Tuboltseva (@DariaTuboltseva) August 30, 2025

Initially described as a "Farewell to Hockey" by Datsyuk himself, he scored twice while adding a pair of assists as part of a 13-8 win for his team. Following the game, Datsyuk took laps around the ice to wave to the crowd.

FAREWELL MAGIC MAN 🙌
A final lap for Pavel Datsyuk. #TheMagicGame#LGRWpic.twitter.com/TFMdN2TERz

— Hockey News Hub (@HockeyNewsHub) August 30, 2025

Ovechkin then spoke glowingly of Datsyuk, talking about the effect that he had on his own playing career.

“Of course, it’s sad,” Ovechkin said via MatchTV. “Because we played together for the national team and for Dynamo. Datsyuk was such a mentor, a role model. His work on and off the ice, his human qualities will be remembered for a lifetime."

"It’s a pity that such hockey players and people end their careers,” Ovechkin continued. “But today was a wonderful holiday. A very beautiful show that he put on for the fans. Everyone will remember this ‘The Magic Game’ for a long time. Especially since Pavel held it at his home, in Yekaterinburg."

Datsyuk, who compiled 314 goals with 604 assists in 953 career games with the Red Wings while helping them win the Stanley Cup both in 2002 and 2008, now serves as a developmental coach with the KHL's Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. 

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Throughout this past week, EA Sports NHL 26 released the ratings of each team’s top 10 players. In other words, they revealed 320 player ratings.

Along with these overall ratings, EA Sports has also released six attribute ratings for each player so far: speed, acceleration, deking, passing, slapshot power, and wrist shot power.

Some ratings just make sense, like Connor McDavid - Edmonton Oilers’ No. 97 - being the highest-rated player in the game at 97 overall. Other ratings might leave fans scratching their heads.

Here are a few of the most surprising or shocking ratings that NHL 26 have released so far. For more NHL 26 coverage, check out The Hockey News' dedicated gaming site.

Jake Walman, 87 Overall

Oilers defenseman Jake Walman has received a significant upgrade to 87 overall in NHL 26, compared to his original rating of 83 in NHL 25. The best attribute he’s received so far is his slapshot power, a 92 rating. NHL EDGE can vouch for Walman’s powerful shot as he sits in the 94th percentile in that category.

However, does Walman’s play on the ice justify his 87 overall rating? His overall equals defensemen such as Jakob Chychrun, Brock Faber, Aaron Ekblad, Seth Jones and teammate Mattias Ekholm.

Last season, Walman scored seven goals and 40 points in 65 games between the Oilers and the San Jose Sharks. There’s no denying that the 29-year-old has an offensive upside and a powerful shot, but for an overall rating, he might be too high.

Ivan Demidov, 85 Overall

In the coming years, Ivan Demidov is destined to be one of the most exciting players in the NHL for the Montreal Canadiens. However, the 19-year-old Russian has only played seven regular-season and playoff games in his young career.

Among wingers in the NHL, Demidov matches the rating of Alexis Lafreniere, Jake DeBrusk, and Pavel Buchnevich, as well as teammates Patrik Laine and Juraj Slafkovsky. 

Not to mention his 92 deking rating that puts him ahead of star players like JT Miller, Jordan Kyrou, and Patrick Kane.

Sophmore Jump

With Demidov as an example, EA Sports has shown that they are not afraid to boost player ratings, even if that player hasn’t been around for much time.

The Mt. Rushmore of 2024-25 rookies - Macklin Celebrini, Lane Hutson, Dustin Wolf and Matvei Michkov - all received massive upgrades for NHL 26.

Celebrini, Hutson, and Michkov all received an overall rating of 88 after one season in the NHL. In terms of individual attributes, Hutson has the highest deking rating of 94. Remarkably, that suggests the defenseman has better deking than Kane, as mentioned, Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk, Mitch Marner and plenty more.

Celebrini’s best stat is also his deking, which is rated at 93, and Michkov is given a 92 passing rating.

Celebrini's 'Earned The Right To Be In The Conversation' For The Olympics, But Whose Spot Does He Take?Is Macklin Celebrini better than Connor Bedard?

As for Wolf, he was awarded an 87 overall rating. He beats out goaltenders such as Logan Thompson, MacKenzie Blackwood and Anthony Stolarz, all of whom either matched his .910 save percentage from last year, or better.

All these players show great promise, but only once the season rolls along will it be clear if EA Sports got these ratings right.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Where it once was the NHL’s most competitive division, the Metropolitan Division is now on a level with the Pacific Division as the league’s two least competitive divisions. But this shouldn’t be interpreted as a total rip job on the Metro division. Because when you read this article, you’ll see that the Metro is going to be a tougher division this coming season than it was last year.

In this short THN.com series, we’re taking an educated guess at how each NHL division will play out in this regular season. Below, you’ll find this writer’s rankings of the Metropolitan Division; You’ll also see where each Metro Division team was placed in The Hockey News’ Yearbook & Fantasy Guide 2025, and their odds of being Metropolitan Division winners, per BetMGM. 

1. Carolina Hurricanes 

The Hockey News Yearbook Division Rank: 1st
BetMGMMetropolitan Division Winner Odds: 2.55 (+120)  

Why I've Ranked Them First: For a good long while now, the Hurricanes have been a favorite of media and fans to go far in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Unfortunately, the furthest Carolina has gone in the playoffs has been the Eastern Conference final. And when they got there, the Hurricanes have not performed well, winning exactly one game in three third-round series combined since 2018-19.

You can see why the pressure on ‘Canes GM Erik Tulskly is intense, and why he went out and spent his salary cap space wisely; first, he signed a high-end scoring winger in former Winnipeg Jets sniper Nikolaj Ehlers. And with some veteran departures on defense (Brent Burns, Dmitry Orlov), Tulsky traded for New York Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller. These two acquisitions will add to Carolina’s depth, but the bar for the team is now extremely high. And they still have $10.6 million in cap space. The Hurricanes are fast, slick and serious, and this is a year that could very well see them winning the Metro Division and getting past the third round. They’re an ongoing experiment of Tulsky’s, and they need to break through – and make it past the conference final – if they’re to justify Tulsky’s experiment.

Why I Could Be Wrong: The Hurricanes may be playing with fire if Ehlers is injured – and that’s often, as he’s only played one 82-game season since 2018-19. And there may not be any difference-maker player available to them via trades and free agency. And this ‘Canes group – even with the terrific coaching of Rod Brind’Amour – simply hasn’t delivered as it tried to make the jump into the Stanley Cup championship round. 

Also, we’re not 100 percent sold on Miller being the top-paid defenseman on a Cup-winning team. True No. 1 D-man Jaccob Slavin earns $6.39-million for the next eight years – an astonishingly great number from a team-friendly perspective – and somehow, Miller signed for $7.5-million-per-season. And now you know why some are seeing cracks in the structure of the Hurricanes. Carolina can’t afford to struggle all year and flip a switch at the start of the post-season. And they sure can’t afford to lose early in the playoffs or once again fail to produce in the Eastern final. They’re a great team, but they now need to prove they’re as great as they’re made out to be.

2. Washington Capitals

The Hockey News Yearbook Division Rank: 3rd
BetMGM Metropolitan Division Winner Odds: 5.75 (+475) 

Why I've Ranked Them Second: The Capitals surprised more than a few observers last year by storming out of the gate. They went 8-2-0 at the start of the season; then, they went 21-6-2 by mid-December; and by the third week of March, they went 47-15-8. Led by the reigning Jack Adams Award winner Spencer Carbery, the Caps have proven to be relentless on offense, and mobile on defense. 

They eventually wilted in the second round of the playoffs against Carolina, but Washington managed to be excellent for a long stretch of time last season. They didn’t finish the season well, but you can say that about 30 other teams in the league. So the Capitals need a statement season, announcing that last season’s dominance is going to be expected throughout every season moving forward. And the way you start doing that is to thrive in the regular-season and set up home-ice advantage in the playoffs. Even if the Caps slip a little in the Metro standings, they’re still going to be a team to keep your eyes on.

Why I Could Be Wrong: Washington’s defense corps is regarded as one of the NHL’s best, and they’ve got solid depth just about everywhere. But the Capitals are like most other teams in that they can’t afford to be bitten hard by the injury bug. Washington indeed had nine players with at least 14 goals last year – and seven players with 20 goals or more – but a catastrophic injury to one of the Caps’ key players, and Washington could find itself slipping down the Metro standings.

As well, while the Capitals had strong goaltending in particular from Logan Thompson, who went 31-6-6 last year and who posted a .910 save percentage and a 2.49 goals-against average. Meanwhile, Thompson’s tandem-mate, Charlie Lindgren, put up sub-par individual numbers (including an .896 SP), but still went 20-14-3. What happens if Thompson’s SP falls below .900? You’d have to think a slide down the standings could happen for Washington in that scenario. So the Caps might fall to third or fourth in the Metro, but Washington is all but guaranteed to be a playoff lock.

Can Ovechkin Break Gordie Howe's Single-Season, Age-40 NHL Record?Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals’ ageless wonder, seems to set a different scoring record every year.

3. New Jersey Devils

The Hockey News Yearbook Division Rank: 2nd
BetMGM Metropolitan Division Winner Odds: 4.60 (+360) 

Why I've Ranked Them Third: After last season’s disappointing end – losing meekly to the Hurricanes in a five-game Round 1 victory for the Hurricanes – the Devils had some soul-searching to do. But while New Jersey GM Tom Fitzgerald promised change, he also kept much of the lineup together.  Signing free agents, including former Edmonton Oiler Connor Brown and former Dallas Stars winger Evgenii Dadonov, and re-signing backup goalie Jake Allen were important moves, and the type of moves that show Fitzgerald still believes in his core.

We’re not here to tell you Fitzgerald hit home run after home run with his lineup changes. But when healthy, he’s still got a lot of talent to work with in New Jersey. Whether it’s Jack and Luke Hughes, Dougie Hamilton, Nico Hischier or Jesper Bratt, the Devils benefit from some Grade-A talent, and they’re undoubtedly a playoff team this season. But that won’t be enough to satisfy Fitzgerald. The Devils need to play with conviction and lay it all on the line, because if things don’t go well for them in the post-season, they’ll be facing significant roster change. That should motivate them to be a lock for the playoffs, even if they don’t finish with home-ice advantage.

Why I Could Be Wrong: The injury bug has proven to be this Devils team’s biggest adversary in recent memory, with Jack Hughes, Hamilton and winger Ondrej Palat all missing a considerable amount of time. If any of those players – or any of New Jersey’s other top talents – is knocked out of the lineup for weeks or months, the Devils’ hold on third place could slip, and they could be faced with earning a wild card berth. Not ideal, but that’s what injuries do to you.

We could be wrong about New Jersey’s resilience in the face of cornerstone players on the injury reserve, but the Devils have managed to be a playoff team regardless of who’s been on the ice. Even if we’re wrong about New Jersey finishing third in the Metro, we still see them as being deep enough and skilled enough to assert themselves as a year-in, year-out playoff team.

4. Columbus Blue Jackets

The Hockey News Yearbook Division Rank: 6th
BetMGM Metropolitan Division Winner Odds: 31.00 (+3000) 

Why I've Ranked Them Fourth: Every year, there’s one team you feel compelled to take a chance on in your NHL predictions. And for us, that team is the Blue Jackets. Columbus may not jump out as a full-on Cup threat at this point in their competitive trajectory, but from this writer’s perspective, they look good to get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2019-20. 

It isn’t just that the Blue Jackets have youngsters maturing into needle-movers at the NHL level. It’s that there’s a genuine competition for top spots on the team, and that leads to a team actively pushing itself to be better. Columbus’ defense corps is quietly quite formidable with superstar Zach Werenski leading the way, and if starting goalie Elvis Merzlikins has a rebound year – not a guarantee, but still a possibility – the Jackets can end their playoff drought and send a public message that they’re headed to new levels. That journey actively begins with finishing in a playoff spot this season. And that’s our hunch for Columbus.

Why I Could Be Wrong: For one reason or another, the Blue Jackets haven’t spent to the salary cap upper ceiling, leaving themselves $15.5-million in cap space. Does that frustrate Columbus fans? We believe it should. If you’re a young team trying to take that next competitive step, you want all the help you can get. And leaving so much cap space on the table speaks to one of two situations – either ownership doesn’t want to spend to the ceiling, or GM Don Waddell is strategically hanging on to the cap space to spend at next year’s free-agent bonanza. Needless to say, one of those situations is a lot better than the other one.

Making a major jump in any NHL division is extremely difficult. And if that attendant pressure overwhelms Columbus’ youngsters, the ensuing results won’t be pretty this year. The Blue Jackets have struggled to put it all together and find a way to thrive in the East, but our guesstimate on the Jackets is exactly that – a guess. It’s as possible as anything that Columbus falters and continues its playoff drought, but the optimistic side of us still believes the Blue Jackets will take an important step next year.

5. New York Rangers

The Hockey News Yearbook Division Rank: 4th
BetMGM Metropolitan Division Winner Odds: 6.50 (+550) 

Why I've Ranked Them Fifth: The Rangers did have a solid off-season, adding veteran first-pair defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov via free agency. But is Gavrikov going to put this Blueshirts team on his back and carry them back to the top of the Metro? No, no, he won’t. So while the Rangers won’t be as bad as they were last season, it’s going to be extremely difficult for them to quickly and easily be a playoff team again. And in fact, they may fall short of that goal.

Although most Rangers players are under contract for at least the next two seasons, there’s a sense of uncertainty about this Rangers team. It could be because one player who will be a UFA next summer is superstar left winger Artemi Panarin. The Russian sniper had a down season by his standards last year, and although he’s got all the motivation in the world to turn things around, he could struggle again. And that would almost certainly spell doom for the Rangers’ playoff hopes.

Why I Could Be Wrong: Rangers GM Chris Drury got a contract extension at the end of last season. So he’s convinced team ownership that he can turn around the Rangers’ fortunes and get the team back to its level in 2023-24. So who knows – perhaps Drury has gotten it all right, and the Blueshirts will be a playoff team once again. 

And maybe this new iteration of the Rangers has more grit and determination to it than recent Rangers teams have had in them. Maybe star goalie Igor Shesterkin ratchets his game back to his 2021-22 level, when he posted a .935 SP in 53 appearances. That’s the kind of play that would make life much easier for Shesterkin’s Rangers teammates. And with new coach Mike Sullivan providing structure and discipline in his players, the Rangers could surge in the standings and return themselves to a truly elite level.  

The New York Rangers Have A Very Tough Task Of Bouncing BackThe New York Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy two seasons ago, then plummeted to 11th in the Eastern Conference last year. That's quite the change.

6. Philadelphia Flyers

The Hockey News Yearbook Division Rank: 5th
BetMGM Metropolitan Division Winner Odds: 36.00 (+3500) 

Why I've Ranked Them Sixth: The Flyers have been an intriguing experiment for GM Daniel Briere, with the former star Flyers center patiently doing the right thing and building slowly through the draft. That means accepting holes in the roster and finding ways to mitigate problems as Philadelphia brass keeps its eyes on the long term.

Briere was one of the more active GMs this summer, signing former Montreal Canadiens center Christian Dvorak to a one-year deal and trading with the Anaheim Ducks for center Trevor Zegras. But while the Flyers are a team to keep your eye on, they’re still well behind the majority of the Metro, and they’re going to need another couple of years of growing pains before they can reliably be a playoff squad.

Why I Could Be Wrong: Some teams have the luxury of playing nearly pressure-free, and the Flyers are one of them. With new coach Rick Tocchet coming in and providing confidence to his players, Philadelphia’s core component players are going to experience great growth. There’s lots to like about this Flyers team, but we say that knowing it will take time and seasoning for this franchise to be guaranteed locks for the playoffs year-in and year-out.

The big question right now is the Flyers’ goaltending situation. Briere signed veteran Dan Vladar to come in and help make a difference in net. But the most games Vladar has played in a single season is 30. He’s not going to stand on his head for this team or any other team. Thus, it’s definitely possible that the Flyers fall to seventh or eighth spot in the Metro. It’s a rocky road ahead for them, and even if Briere is making all the right moves to make this franchise relevant again, it’s going to take time and patience to realize this vision.

7. Pittsburgh Penguins

The Hockey News Yearbook Division Rank: 8th
BetMGM Metropolitan Division Winner Odds: 101.00 (+10000) 

Why I've Ranked Them Seventh: It really is astonishing – and worth a whole chapter in the history books – that the Penguins have employed Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang for their entire careers, and they’ve missed the playoffs for the past three seasons. It takes a special kind of demoralizing sequence like that to make you aware that nothing is guaranteed in professional sports.

With rookie coach Dan Muse hired to help this Penguins team transition into a regular playoff team, Pittsburgh is almost certainly going to stumble for stretches – some of them, lengthy stretches. The Pens are in a taxing situation right now, so imagining they’ll somehow turn it all around and return to the playoffs is also a stretch. Pittsburgh needs to go in one situation or another – either they’re going all-in with Crosby/Malkin/Letang/, or they’re all about the future, because serving two masters is devoting not enough time to either. And that will likely lead to another disappointing season for the Pens.

Why I Could Be Wrong: Can you really bet it all that Crosby is going to end his career playing on a Penguins team that was feeble and not talented enough to keep pace with the league’s true top teams? We’re not sure that he’ll suffer that fate. He may not be ready to be traded just yet, but Crosby does control his future, and he’d command a king’s ransom in any trade, so it would ultimately benefit the Penguins to move Crosby to the highest bidder. Is it a pipe dream? Probably. But never say never.

Meanwhile, if Muse sparks the Penguins to an unexpectedly strong start, Pens GM Kyle Dubas has $13-million in cap space to use to bulk up Pittsburgh’s roster for what will almost surely be the last run with their Hockey-Hall-of-Fame core. The Penguins are desperate enough to pull off a shocker, and the Pens’ players might have enough gas to make this Pittsburgh team a post-season team.

Why The Penguins Should Convince Star Center Evgeni Malkin To Accept A TradeThe Pittsburgh Penguins are essentially two different teams. The first Penguins team is a veteran-laden squad featuring star forwards Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and star defensemen Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson. And the second Pittsburgh team is the one that’s actively being planned for the future, featuring youngsters and prospects including wingers Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen, and defensemen Owen Pickering and Harrison Brunicke.

8. New York Islanders

The Hockey News Yearbook Division Rank: 7th
BetMGM Metropolitan Division Winner Odds: 31.00 (+3000) 

Why I've Ranked Them Eighth: This is one of those picks that at first may look like a condemnation of a franchise or its coaching and management. But we believe the Islanders are on the right road to eventually be a first-rate, constant Cup threat. It’s just going to take a long road for them to get there.

That road more or less began when the Isles won this year’s draft lottery and selected defenseman Matthew Schaefer to be a cornerstone on the blueline for them for the next decade and a half or more. But the Islanders took a hit when new GM Mathieu Darche dealt away star blueliner Noah Dobson to the Canadiens. And the end result, at least, for the moment, is that an already questionable defense corps is going to be not nearly as good. That fact, along with their dog’s breakfast of forwards, will push the Isles far down the Metro standings. That’s not a prediction. That’s a spoiler.

Why I Could Be Wrong: There are a number of Islanders veterans – center Bo Hovat, wingers Mathew Barzal and Anders Lee – who didn’t sign up for a full-on rebuild, But if they’re really unwilling to suffer through that pain that’s ahead, Darche is going to oblige them and trade them for a small fortune. Because the truth about the Islanders is that they need to take a few steps back before they can rebuild as a legitimate Cup contender. 

They’re not close to that point right now, and once the roster focus moves toward the long-term, Islanders fans will have to be satisfied that Islanders management is employing the safest building strategy. No more “mushy” middle finishes for this group. They need to tear it down to the studs, even if it means trading veterans they’d otherwise hang on to. It’s time for an era of building slowly and steadily on Long Island, and if they can do that, the Islanders will be a strong group. But it won’t be a strong group for the interim. Patience is needed as they discover and develop their new and improved identity.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Former New York Rangers forward Arthur Kaliyev is looking to salvage his NHL career with the Ottawa Senators. 

This past season the Los Angeles Kings placed Kaliyev on waivers after an up and down stint in Hollywood. 

He was quickly claimed off of waivers by the Rangers as the organization believed in his talent and were willing to take a chance on Kaliyev. 

However, Kaliyev struggled in New York, only playing 14 games with the Rangers. He was scratched out of the lineup on multiple occasions, while he suffered an upper-body injury in March that kept him out for the remainder of the season.

This offseason, the Senators signed Kaliyev to a one-year, two-way contract, giving him another chance to prove his worth. 

The 24-year-old forward is known for his rocket of a shot and he clearly has the talent to become an impactful NHL player. 

Senators general manager Steve Staios believes that Kaliyev has a unique trait of skillsets that intrigued him enough to bring the 2019 second-round pick on board.

“Well, (I have) a long history with Artie," Staios said. "He was an exceptional shooter and goal scorer at the junior level. And we still feel like he has qualities that can translate (to the NHL). His game started to develop in LA on the defensive side of things. Obviously, like all players coming out of junior, when you have a knack for scoring and that's how you help your team, you focus on that.

"I think he's been able to round out his game on the defensive side with his time in LA and under Todd McLellan. And then, you watch the transition to New York and then injuries last year. And I think it was an opportunity for us to get a player again with some upside and a unique skillset."

Kaliyev will compete at training camp in hopes to carve out an opening-night roster spot with the Senators.

Arseni Gritsyuk is ready for his first season as a New Jersey Devil.

The 24-year-old announced on social media that he was heading to New Jersey to compete for a spot in the Devils’ lineup.

After signing with the Devils in May, Gritsyuk has been one of the franchise’s most anticipated prospects.

In a recent interview with TASS, a Russian media outlet, he shared his expectations for the upcoming season.

“I can’t make any predictions, but I have a score target that I’ve set for myself. To achieve it, I will, of course, have to work hard. But I am not going there to relax, so we will work.”

The 6-foot winger is projected to make an early impact. While he will need to adjust to the North American style of play, his numbers from past seasons suggest he has the potential to be a strong contributor.

When asked if he would fight for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s rookie of the year, Gritsyuk gave a direct answer:

“Well, why go then? I’m not going there as a spectator.”

It’s clear Gritsyuk is coming to New Jersey to win. He’s fresh off a strong season with SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), where he tallied 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists) in 49 games.

Over the past five seasons, Gritsyuk has ranked among SKA’s top five players in points, goals, and assists.

His skill will be on display during the Devils' training camp as he battles for a roster spot. But he has another goal in mind as well, helping the Devils make a deep playoff run. After being eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last year, the team is looking for redemption.

When asked about joining the organization, Gritsyuk explained his mindset:

“Well, how can you keep track of what their ceiling is? There will be a different team there now, different guys have arrived, so I can’t say that we will have exactly the same goals,” Gritsyuk told TASS. “First of all, I’m going there to show myself, to help the team and, of course, to set the highest goals for myself. Because every hockey player has a dream of winning the Stanley Cup, to touch it. Therefore, we need to set the highest goals for each season.”

Gritsyuk is expected to arrive in Newark any day now, and Devils fans can begin to get excited about his first NHL season.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson will certainly be a player to watch next season. The left-shot defenseman is entering the final season of his contract and will be a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA). Thus, this is a big year for the veteran blueliner. 

However, another reason why fans should pay attention to Matheson next season is that he is nearing a new career milestone. The 6-foot-2 defenseman needs only nine more assists to hit the 200-assist mark. 

What's impressive about Matheson being so close to 200 career assists is that a good chunk of them have come since he joined the Canadiens. In 210 games over three seasons with the Habs, he has recorded 102 assists, with 51 coming from the 2023-24 season alone. Before his time with the Canadiens, Matheson recorded 89 assists in 417 games split between the Florida Panthers and Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Overall, it is no secret that Matheson's offense has improved since joining the Canadiens. He is now nearing this nice milestone because of it, and it will be fascinating to see how quickly he can hit it in 2025-26 from here. 

Canadiens' Defense Get Massive Praise From Martin St. LouisWhen looking at the Montreal Canadiens' roster, it is clear that their defense is a major strength. This is because they have seven caliber NHL defensemen, and they have multiple prospect blueliners who are knocking on the door to becoming NHLers.

Absurd predictions for the Vancouver Canucks’ 2025–26 season are back by popular demand. Be sure to shut off the critical thinking part of your brain when reading this article, as none of the things mentioned in this article will make any sense. 

Without further ado, here are some absurd predictions for the Canucks’ 2025–26 regular season. 

September: Canucks Announce Training Camp, New Practice Facility In Sweden 

Despite already locking in Penticton as the location for their 2025 Training Camp, the Canucks make the decision to appeal to a different sector of their fanbase by holding it in Malå. The organization also announces the location of their new practice facility — at the same rink in Malå. Fin the Whale transports the players to and from the facility by swimming across the oceans with them on his back. 

October: Canucks Lose Home-Opener In Shocking Fashion 

Exactly one year before Vancouver’s 2025–26 home-opener, the team gave up a 4–1 lead and lost 6–5 in overtime to the Calgary Flames. This year, instead of giving up the lead, they erase the exact same deficit and take the game to overtime. However, the new seats at Rogers Arena suddenly grow human consciousness and storm the ice, knocking the puck into Vancouver’s net during the chaos.  

November: Kiefer Sherwood Makes 30 Hits In One Game 

On a random day in November, Kiefer Sherwood decides to nearly double the current NHL record for hits in one game, making 30 in a full 60-minute match. 

December: Former Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet Gets Into A Fight With Current Head Coach Adam Foote

Things get heated in Vancouver’s December 30 matchup with the Philadelphia Flyers and former head coach Rick Tocchet, to the point where he and Adam Foote take things into the hallway John Tortorella style. Noah Juulsen separates the two before they can throw any more punches. As a punishment, the NHL takes 20 points away from each team’s standings total. 

January: After A Winter Slump, The Canucks Announce A Major Roster Acquisition 

Vancouver gets off to a rough first half of the season, having been stripped of 20 of their hard-earned points after the Foote/Tocchet smackdown. To remedy this, the team strikes up a deal with the Vancouver Whitecaps, acquiring star forward Thomas Müller and immediately slotting him into the position of 2C. 

February: NHL Announces 2026 All-Star Weekend, Prevents Players From Participating In Olympics 

In a sudden twist, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announces that the NHL will be holding an All-Star Game in the middle of February, preventing players from representing their respective countries at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. When asked about the sudden change of heart, Bettman releases a statement saying “just because.” 

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

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March: Canucks Make A Trade At The Trade Deadline 

Not a month before the deadline, not a week before the deadline, or not a day before the deadline. No, the Canucks will make a trade right on deadline day, doing so for the first time since trading Tyler Motte in 2022. 

April: Canucks Make Playoffs But Are Disqualified By NHL Due To World Cup

The NHL, fearing that the Canucks’ playoff run could interfere with the 2026 World Cup, disqualifies Vancouver from the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Deeming Abbotsford as far enough from the main festivities, they allow the Abbotsford Canucks to play in their place, with the 2025 Calder Cup Champions also taking home the 2026 Stanley Cup. 

May: Tyler Myers And Half-Brother Quentin Grimes Swap Sports

Longtime Canuck Tyler Myers decides to take a break from hockey, beginning his professional basketball career in the 2026–27 season. To replace him, Vancouver brings in Myers’ half-brother, Quentin Grimes. Both players excel in their new sports.  

June: Canucks Use De-Centralized Draft To Their Advantage To Pick Viggo Björck 

With many projections ranking Viggo Björck, brother of Canucks prospect Wilson, higher than when Vancouver is likely to pick, the organization decides to hire a professional hacker to help them acquire the younger Björck. The hacker crashes every team’s Zoom meetings and submits random players as their selections, leaving Björck open for Vancouver to take. 

July: Vancouver Acquires Connor Bedard After Wise Words From A Convincing Canuck 

After yet another disappointing season, the Chicago Blackhawks make a shocking move during free agency — letting go of restricted free agent Connor Bedard. Bedard, who received wise advice from former Canuck Alex Burrows during the 2025 off-season, follows his heart and returns to his hometown of Vancouver to play with the team he grew up cheering for. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

It has been eight seasons since the Golden Knights proved that hockey had a place in the desert. Over the years, the organization and the players have made a name for themselves. Here is an updated list of the Knights’ All-Time Franchise Leaders.

Starting strong with one of the most iconic stats on the ice, goals. Five fan favorites headline this list: Jack Eichel (100), Mark Stone (108), Reilly Smith (127), and William Karlsson (161). But it’s an Original Misfit, now skating for the Nashville Predators, who holds the title of the franchise’s all-time leading scorer with a whopping 192 goals. 

The 34-year-old also holds the top spot in all-time points with an impressive 417. Not far behind him we have the recognizable names of William Karlsson (396), Shea Theodore (346), Mark Stone (323), and Reilly Smith (297).

It’s only fitting that the top five in the ‘Most Games Played’ category all hail from the inaugural season, cementing their place in franchise history from the very beginning. Grouped closely together on the leaderboard are Reilly Smith (420), Shea Theodore (511), Jonathan Marchessault (514), and William Karlsson (555). It’s defenseman Brayden McNabb, one of just four remaining Original Misfits, who leads with 584 games played. 

Last, but certainly not least are all-time wins by those who guard the net. That’s right, the goalies. Malcolm Subban rounds out the top five with 30 wins in 63 games, Robin Lehner with 39 wins in 66 games, Logan Thompson with 56 wins in 103 games, and Adin Hill with 67 wins in 112 games. At the top stands the newly retired but forever loved, Marc-André Fleury, the franchise’s original backbone in the net, whose 117 wins and 23 shutouts over 192 games remain unmatched.  

Eight of the twelve players mentioned still suit up for Vegas. With the season just a few weeks away, expect those numbers to rise. 

Will the Vegas Golden Knights be crowned Stanley Cup champions in 2025-26? 👑#VegasBornpic.twitter.com/HybbJk2b1Z

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 31, 2025

It is not exactly a secret that the Montreal Canadiens want to improve at the center position. Due to this, during a recent episode of The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro, TSN's Travis Yost discussed a few potential center targets for the Canadiens. One name brought up by Yost was Chicago Blackhawks center Jason Dickinson.

"This group has real juice in the top six," Yost said about the Blackhawks' center group. "This is not going to be a playoff team. Does Jason Dickinson make a ton of sense for the Blackhawks long-term? I think that's an interesting question. He's definitely a capable third-line center. He immediately improves Montreal if he comes into Montreal."

The #GoHabsGo desperately need help down the middle, but who's available?@travisyost joins @TonyMarinaro to break down some possible center options on the trade market!#thesickpodcastpic.twitter.com/bs968tAduj

— The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro (@thesickpodcasts) August 29, 2025

Dickinson is entering the final season of his deal in 2025-26 and is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), so it is understandable that Yost is questioning the Blackhawks center's future in Chicago. He certainly could be a rental target for playoff teams once we get closer to the 2026 NHL trade deadline, assuming that the Blackhawks do not hold a playoff spot and he is not signed to a contract extension by then.

Dickinson's solid defensive play could make him a nice addition to the Canadiens' bottom six and penalty kill if acquired. However, given his importance to the Blackhawks' lineup and as a veteran in the room, Chicago would likely expect a decent return for him in a potential move.

In 59 games this past season, Dickinson recorded seven goals, 16 points, and 102 hits. This was after he set career highs with 22 goals, 35 points, and 143 hits in 82 games during the 2023-24 season.

Blackhawks Ranked in Bottom Half of Every Position for 2025-26The Chicago Blackhawks are not going to be very good this season and that's no surprise to anyone, but there are certain areas of their game and players to be excited about. TSN tiered every team's centers, winger, defensemen, and goaltending, and the Blackhawks found themselves in the bottom half of every position, whether you agree with that or not.

As the 2025-26 season is still a month away, the days are trickling down for teams to reach an agreement with their RFAs that aren’t signed yet. Most of the Montreal Canadiens’ fanbase is keeping an eye on the Anaheim Ducks and Mason McTavish, but the Habs’ brass should be keeping a close watch on the Luke Hughes negotiations with the New Jersey Devils.

Not that the Canadiens would be interested in acquiring Jack Hughes’ brother, but rather because, like Lane Hutson, he’s a young offensive defenseman, and his deal could be a good indicator of where the market is heading with the new CBA soon coming into force and the salary cap steadily increasing.

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According to Sportsnet, the sticking point in the Hughes negotiations would be the term. The team wants the 21-year-old to either sign a three-year bridge deal or a full eight-year extension, but the player would rather sign a five-year deal, which would end when his brother’s contract with the Devils also expires. It would make both Hughes brothers unrestricted free agents before the start of the 2030-31 campaign.

Speaking to RG.org, the Devils’ GM Tom Fitzgerald is confident that the younger Hughes’ contractual issue will be settled before the start of the season, as the Devils have no interest in finding themselves in another Dawson Mercer kind of standout, and the GM adds that the player and his agent are also hoping to avoid that.

In 155 NHL games, Hughes has picked up 93 points and 44 penalty minutes. That’s a 0.6 point-per-game average, which is a pretty good number for a defenseman. In comparison, Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber has 76 points in 162 games, for a 0.47 PPG, and was signed to an eight-year, $8.5 million AAV deal.

The Devils' GM also mentions that what fans don’t necessarily realize is that not all teams can spend right up to the cap, and that they may have an internal cap in place, which prevents them from giving too onerous a contract.

Whatever term and number the Devils and Hughes settle on, it’s sure to interest Hutson and his agent. Interestingly, Noah Dobson, who has a 0.59 PPG, was signed to an eight-year deal with a $9.5 million AAV by the New York Islanders, but with the Canadiens’ agreement. Will Hughes managed to secure a similar contract coming out of his entry-level deal, despite not having a large sample size. There lies the question.

As for Hutson, by recording 66 points in 82 games in his rookie season, he has given himself a 0.80 PPG. Does that put him in a position to break the bank right away, considering the cap increase and everything else? Hard to say. However, Canadiens GM Kent Hughes made a point of differentiating Dobson’s deal and those of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky because the defenseman had more experience and wasn’t just signing his first standard contract. One could argue that his situation is different from Hutson’s, and that’s clearly what Hughes will try to do, especially if New Jersey manages to ink its defenseman to a reasonable contract.  

With Carey Price’s bonus being paid on Monday, things could start to fall into place in Montreal sooner rather than later…

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Whether led by Sam Ersson or newcomer Dan Vladar, the fate of the Philadelphia Flyers will be decided by their goaltending in the 2025-26 season.

As a team, the Flyers, spearheaded by Ersson and a combo of Ivan Fedotov and Aleksei Kolosov, had the worst save percentage in the NHL last season at a paltry .872.

Their cumulative 3.40 GAA ranked fifth-worst in the NHL, and overall, the Flyers' struggles in goal doomed them to placing as the fourth-worst team in the league.

That worked out in their favor, though, as it helped them land star winger prospect Porter Martone with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

But, eventually, the Flyers are going to have to start winning games and not drafts. That's why Rick Tocchet, Trevor Zegras, and Vladar were brought in.

Is Vladar really an upgrade, though, or are we in for an even split from Kim Dillabaugh's crew this season?

Flyers Goalie Sam Ersson Positioned for Success in 2025-26Despite the prolonged dissatisfaction with the state of the goaltending, the Philadelphia Flyers have positioned incumbent starter Sam Ersson for success in the 2025-26 season.

Since Feb. 1, 2024, which is shortly after Carter Hart took an indefinite leave of absence from the Flyers, Ersson is 33-27-9 with a 3.10 GAA, a .883 save percentage, and one shutout.

Across that same span, even though it's not relevant to Vladar individually, the former Calgary Flames goalie was 13-13-6 with a 3.04 GAA, a .892 save percentage, and two shutouts.

Effectively, there wasn't much of a difference separating the two goalies over the last year and a half.

Now, from Oct. 1, 2023, to Feb. 1, 2024, Ersson was 12-9-3 with a 2.60 GAA and a .898 save percentage with three shutouts. It should be noted that, in the three games that immediately followed Hart's departure in that span, Ersson surrendered 11 goals on 60 shots.

Take away those three games, and Ersson is 12-6-3 with a 2.36 GAA, a .909 save percentage, and three shutouts from Oct. 1, 2023 to Jan. 22, 2024.

So, I threw a lot of numbers out there, and the conclusion is effectively that the Swedish incumbent performed significantly better when he wasn't shouldering the load alone.

Flames Sniper Backs 'Excellent' Aleksei Kolosov to Stay with Flyers, Continue NHL CareerGoalie prospect Aleksei Kolosov has all the talent and experience to stay with the Philadelphia Flyers and forge a successful NHL career for himself, but will he?

Once nerves set in and the lackluster support behind him faltered, so did Ersson and the Flyers as a whole.

I also think Vladar is a better goalie than his stats indicate, but you have to wonder why he's never started more than 29 games in any of the last four seasons for the Flames.

Sure, Jacob Markstrom and Dustin Wolf earned their playing time, but Vladar isn't going to be allowed to give those guys many nights off with seasonal save percentages below .900 across 20-30 total games played.

Based on that, I'm expecting Sam Ersson to lead the Flyers onto the ice for opening night at Xfinity Mobile Arena on opening night.

He's the Flyers' homegrown goalie prospect-turned-regular, and we've already seen his upside in this environment. The key, however, is now figuring out if that was his ceiling.

If so, it means more opportunity for Vladar.

When looking at the Montreal Canadiens' roster, it is clear that their defense is a major strength. This is because they have seven caliber NHL defensemen, and they have multiple prospect blueliners who are knocking on the door to becoming NHLers.

The Canadiens only strengthened their blueline this off-season, too, as they brought in star defenseman Noah Dobson from the Montreal Canadiens in a trade with the New York Islanders. Thus, it is hard not to feel optimistic about the Canadiens' blueline heading into the 2025-26 campaign.

Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis certainly is confident in the club's defensive group heading into the season. While speaking to reporters, including Habs 360's Chris G, Canadiens defenseman Jayden Struble revealed that St. Louis had some massive praise for the Habs' blueline.

"Marty was doing his rounds, calling guys in the summer. He was "I'll take out seven d versus anyone in the league, and I would agree with that," Struble said.

Struble then discussed why he agrees with St. Louis' take on the Canadiens' defense.

"We have some really good young talent," Struble said. "We have some good young guys. We have some good older veterans. We have a good mix of skill and hard-nose, so it's going to be fun. It's going to be interesting to see how the year goes, but I think I'd take out seven guys versus anyone's."

St. Louis being so confident in the Canadiens' defense is certainly nice to hear, and it clearly has resonated with Struble. The Canadiens undoubtedly have some very good defensemen to work with this campaign, and it is a big reason why there is plenty of excitement surrounding the club heading into the 2025-26 season.

Noah Dobson Thrilled To Play For CanadiensEarlier this off-season, the Montreal Canadiens acquired star defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders. They then signed him to an eight-year, $76 million contract, so he will be a big part of the Canadiens' present and future. 

Mitch Marner was nearly traded to the Carolina Hurricanes. 

At around the time of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, Marner was asked by Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving to waive his no-movement clause to facilitate a potential trade to the Carolina Hurricanes for Mikko Rantanen.

Marner ultimately vetoed the trade and did not waive his no-trade clause. 

The superstar forward finally explained why he refused to go to Carolina, but it was nothing personal against the Hurricanes organization. 

“The last two years there were a lot of rumors going on, a lot of different stuff swirling around. You didn’t know what was going to happen,” Marner said via NHL.com. “Then the whole Carolina thing comes up in the middle of the season. It’s a bit of an awkward one. My wife was six or seven months pregnant, we really didn’t want to be a deadline player.

“I would have had to leave and go back to Toronto because my wife wasn’t coming down with me, so I was moving into Carolina myself if I did that. The logistics of it and everything, it just didn’t make sense and then from that point on, we told [the Maple Leafs] we were committed to [Toronto] and we were going to play it all out.”

Once this blockbuster deal fell through, the Hurricanes traded to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Logan Stankoven, a 2026 first-round and third-round pick, a 2027 third-rounder and a 2028 first-rounder.

Marner was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in July and signed an eight-year, $96 million contract.