One of the few remaining RFA players came off the market Friday with news from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman that Calgary Flames winger Connor Zary agreed to a three-year contract extension with an annual average value of $3.775 million. That leaves only six RFAs left who had played NHL games this past season.

Let’s break down a fun little pressure-o-meter on the six remaining RFAs. On a scale from one to five stars, with one star being the least amount of pressure to five stars being the most amount of pressure, how much will each team be feeling the heat if their RFA remains unsigned to start the season? 

1. Mason McTavish, C, Anaheim Ducks

Pressure raking: Five stars

The Breakdown: The Ducks are aiming to take a major step this season, and Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek has more than $20.5 million in salary cap space. So it’s more than a little curious that the Ducks and McTavish haven’t come to some kind of financial common ground. 

If Anaheim is going to have a hope to make the Stanley Cup playoffs, they’re going to need all hands on deck, and that includes McTavish, who has averaged 19 goals in each of his first three NHL seasons. The Ducks’ year won’t float or sink depending solely on McTavish, but if any team can’t afford to have a dynamic young player on the sidelines, it’s Anaheim. And the longer they fail to sign McTavish, the better the chance they completely burn a bridge with him and end his Ducks career before it could really take flight.

2. Luke Hughes, D, New Jersey Devils

Pressure raking: Four stars

The Breakdown: Much is expected of the Devils this season in no small part because of their deep and skilled defense corps. But not having the 21-year-old Hughes under contract feels like a fight New Jersey doesn’t need to make. And the hole Hughes leaves in his absence could wind up being the difference between the Devils securing home-ice advantage in the playoffs and being a wild-card team.

Hughes has produced 75 assists and 91 points over the past two seasons, and those totals could’ve been higher if he’d played more than the 71 games he played in 2024-25. Having Hughes miss any time because of a financial stalemate will not do the youngster any favors as he tries to grow his game. And that’s why New Jersey is facing considerable pressure to get him signed.

3. Luke Evangelista, RW, Nashville Predators

Pressure raking: Three stars

The Breakdown: The Predators were a huge letdown last season, but the development of the 23-year-old Evangelista was a bright spot. Despite playing 12 fewer games last season than he did in 2023-24, Evangelista still put up 32 points. And while Nashville has $9.3 million in cap space, they’re under no urgent need to throw a lot of it at Evangelista.

Thus, the Preds can afford to be more patient than the Ducks and Devils are being with McTavish and Hughes, respectively. Nashville needs more out of all its players, Evangelista included. But there’s no point rushing things with Evangelista. If it takes another few weeks to sign him, the Predators will be fine with it. They shouldn’t let it drag out forever when it comes to Evangelista, but the clock isn’t ticking quite so loudly as it is for the aforementioned two players on this list.

4. Rasmus Kupari, C, Winnipeg Jets

Pressure raking: One star

The Breakdown: The Jets may not have had a high ceiling for Kupari when they acquired him from the Los Angeles Kings, and as part of Winnipeg’s bottom-six group of forwards, his individual numbers (including five goals and eight points in 59 games last year) aren’t going to get him a big-money, long-term contract.

Kupari isn’t regarded as being especially crucial to the Jets’ playoff hopes, so if he doesn’t agree to a new deal by the time the season begins, there won’t be a huge outcry from Winnipeg fans. The 25-year-old Kupari may eventually grow into a more valuable player, but for now, he’s more of a fringe contributor, and the Jets’ slow movement to get him signed is a reflection of that reality.

5. Alexander Holtz, RW, Vegas Golden Knights

Pressure raking: One star

The Breakdown: The Golden Knights are a team built to win now, and so young players like the 23-year-old Holtz are a supplemental talent. Holtz posted only eight assists and 12 points in 53 games. Meanwhile, every salary cap dollar is hugely valuable to Vegas, and given that the Golden Knights are currently over the salary cap ceiling, they’ll need to keep Holtz’s raise to a minimum.

So, while Vegas got a 16-goal, 28-point season out of Holtz two years ago, they don’t have to break the bank for Holtz. A short-term, low-money deal will probably be as good as it gets for Holtz, at least right now. And Vegas clearly is in no rush to get him signed.

6. Wyatt Kaiser, D, Chicago Blackhawks

Pressure raking: One star

The Breakdown: The Blackhawks are mired in rebuilding hell, but money isn’t a problem for Chicago, which currently has $18.6 million in cap space. But handing out a lot of money on a long-term deal for the 23-year-old Kaiser doesn’t make much sense from the Hawks’ perspective.

Kaiser did play a career-high 57 games for the Blackhawks last season, but that’s not going to translate into a huge financial windfall for the blueliner. They can afford to take their time getting Kaiser under contract, and only the hardcore Hawks fans will notice him not being in the lineup if it comes to that. But we see Kaiser getting a new deal done before the season begins. The Hawks can afford to give him a decent raise and let him earn a bigger payday down the road.

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 Minnesota Wild defenseman Marco Scandella announced his retirement from the National Hockey League (NHL) on Thursday. The 14-year NHL defenseman was orignally drafted by the Wild with the 55th pick in the 2008 NHL Draft.

Scandella, 35, recorded 27 goals, 62 assists and 89 points in 373 games with the Wild across seven seasons. He was eventually traded to the Buffalo Sabres in a trade that also sent forward Jason Pominville to Buffalo in exchange for forwards Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno. Some draft picks were also included on both sides.

The 6-foot-3 defender played 176 games with the Sabres before he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens. He played 20 games for the Canadiens before he was moved to the St. Louis Blues that same year.

He played four more seasons in the NHL after that, all with the Blues before he played his last NHL game during the 2023-24 season.

In his career, Scandella recorded 51 goals, 119 assists and 170 points in 784 games.

Recent Minnesota Wild Stories

- Former Minnesota Wild Prospect Signs One-Year Deal With Columbus.

- Minnesota Wild To Have 16 Games On National Television.

- Where Wild's Filip Gustavsson Ranks Among NHL Goaltenders.

- Minnesota Wild: What's Next After The Marco Rossi Signing.

- Wild Sign Marco Rossi To A Three-Year Deal.

- Minnesota Wild First Rounder Named Assistant Captain Of Michigan State.

Here at The Hockey News Ottawa, we obviously try to focus on stories that matter directly to Ottawa Senators fans. But if you're of a certain vintage, the Senators aren't your first love, simply because the Sens didn't exist until 1992. So I'd wager that half of the current Sens fans out there over the age of 40 grew up cheering on the Montreal Canadiens. 

And so a lot of fans in Ottawa today are mourning the passing of Habs goalie Ken Dryden at the age of 78, in much the same way they'll mourn a beloved Ottawa Senator in the future. As a result, as someone who loved the Habs as a boy, I'm going to break format to share a few personal thoughts about Dryden, even if they emanate from what's now a rival NHL city.

In Ottawa during the 1970s, no matter who you cheered for, it was impossible not to admire Dryden. He was the calm giant who led Montreal to six Stanley Cups in eight seasons. He also defended our goal when Team Canada saved the world (it sure felt like that) with a win over the Soviet Union in the eight-game 1972 Summit Series.

Dryden was a fixture on those great Montreal Canadiens teams, which lost just 29 regular-season games combined over three seasons in the mid-70s. To put that in perspective, that three-year total is one fewer than the Senators lost last season, and Ottawa couldn't have been happier with that seasonal performance.

As a kid, only my best school teachers could disrupt my Hockey Night in Canada classroom daydreams and sketches, often starring Dryden, either making an impossible save, or famously standing there during stoppages leaning on the top of his stick.

Like so many Canadian kids of that era, I was a hockey card collector. Richmond Public School recess was often spent huddled with friends, flipping through stacks of trading cards and reciting the familiar refrain: “Got 'em, got 'em, need 'em.”

Our school playground was right across the street from Storey’s General Store, which stocked more candy and hockey cards than a nine-year-old Warnesy knew what to do with. The O-Pee-Chee cards came in waxy blue packs with 10 to 15 players inside – it seemed to vary from year to year. And there was this thin pink rectangle of stale, petrified gum that we should have thrown away but never did.

Opening a fresh pack of cards was magic. Sometimes you'd find a no-name player from a team you forgot existed. Sometimes you got a star, and once in a while, if you were lucky, a Montreal Canadien. But for me, nothing compared to pulling a Ken Dryden card.

When that happened, I was Charlie Bucket, and Dryden's card was the golden ticket.

As an adult, my career in sports media brought me face-to-face with Dryden on four occasions, usually around the release of one of his books. He wasn’t what I expected. He seemed more professor than athlete – thoughtful, measured, and serious in a way that made you sit up a little straighter. I did my best not to slip into fanboy mode.

After one radio interview, while discussing his book Game Change in 2017, he challenged my co-host and me on the issue of concussions in hockey.

The Senators had just come off their run to the Conference Final, and Clarke MacArthur’s comeback from long-term concussion symptoms was fresh on everyone’s mind. MacArthur had played just four games in 2015-16, then just four more in 2016-17. So he had just missed 156 of 164 games due to concussions. But suddenly, MacArthur was able to play in all 19 playoff games that spring, before immediately retiring due to concussions at age 32. 

Dryden wanted to know why we, as members of the Ottawa media, weren’t pressing harder on the story, asking about the health risks that may have been taken and permitted, and why a player with long-term concussion issues was seemingly allowed to have his one last hurrah before calling it a career.

It was jarring to be taken to task by my childhood hero—but it was also quintessential Dryden: principled, articulate, and unwilling to let the easy answer slide. It's part of why Dryden’s legacy extends well beyond the crease. 

He was an author, a lawyer, a broadcaster for the 1980 Miracle on Ice, an NHL executive, and even a cabinet minister. Few figures in Canadian sport have been as accomplished, or as thoughtful, in so many areas.

That said, I'll remember him best as the star of my childhood Saturday nights in front of our low-def TV, the perennial MVP of my hockey card collection, and the calm giant who stood tall in the crease for the Canadians and the Canadiens.

News of his passing on Saturday hit harder than I expected. At this stage of life, I’ve grown used to seeing idols leave us, but this one landed flush.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa 

This article was first published at The Hockey News-Ottawa

More Sens Headlines at THN:
Ottawa Senators Radio Play-By-Play Team Won't Travel To Road Games This Season
Senators Captain Brady Tkachuk: 'We Want More'
Four Major Storylines This Month At Ottawa Senators Training Camp
Staios: 'We're Not Dismissing That Yakemchuk Makes Our Team Out of Camp'
Ottawa Senators: Ranking The Six Best At Each Position

The Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

Subscribe now to view the full THN Archives here

Also, go to thn.com/free to subscribe.

Flight Plan For Success - Jan. 13 2020 - Vol. 73 Issue 1 - Jared Clinton

THERE’S A story, one you might have heard before, about the Winnipeg Jets returning home. No, not the current Winnipeg Jets, not the ones who headed north from their former home in Atlanta and have since put down roots in Manitoba’s capital. The other ones, the original franchise, which now makes its home in the Arizona desert. And as the story goes, it was only by the narrowest of margins the franchise that left Winnipeg in 1996 and headed south to become the Coyotes failed to complete the circuit. But Mark Chipman isn’t sure it’s understood just how close that return was to coming to fruition. “We had a press conference scheduled for a Saturday morning and the chairs were set up,” said Chipman, chairman of True North Sports & Entertainment, of the flirtation with an NHL homecoming in May 2010. “Nobody knew that. But on that Friday, there was a good chance that we would have reacquired the original Jets.”

It took another year, however, before Chipman, along with True North’s David Thomson, commissioner Gary Bettman and other executives, stepped on stage to announce the acquisition of the Thrashers and Winnipeg’s reintroduction to the NHL ranks. But after 15 years spent laying the foundation for the historic return by turning the Manitoba Moose into a first-rate AHL organization, Chipman didn’t see the May 2011 announcement as mission accomplished. “It’s never, ever been our intention to just be in this league – it was never, ever (assistant GM) Craig Heisinger’s or (GM) Kevin Cheveldayoff’s or any of our mindset to say that we’re in. ‘Let’s just be satisfied that we’re in,’” Chipman said.

THE PHYSICAL SIZE OF THE MARKET DOESN’T DICTATE HOW MANY HOCKEY FANS RESIDE WITHIN IT

-  Mark Chipman

Despite the lack of early on-ice success, the results, particularly in recent seasons, bear out Chipman’s assertion that satisfaction didn’t come from simply punching Winnipeg’s ticket back into the big leagues. Across the three seasons prior to 2019-20, Winnipeg iced one of the NHL’s most competitive rosters, and the Jets’ 300 points are tied for the seventh-most in the league over that span. That’s not to mention Winnipeg’s back-to-back playoff appearances, which included a trip to the 2018 Western Conference final.

More Winnipeg Jets: What Would It Take For The Winnipeg Jets To Land Oilers' Connor McDavid

It’s that success, and the capacity to retain star players such as Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey on long-term deals, that also sees Chipman repudiate the long-held notion that the majority of NHL players bristle at the thought of playing in Winnipeg. Some have considered the small market – at a population of roughly 750,000, the city proper is the smallest in the NHL – and Winnipeg’s climate as two of the greatest challenges facing the organization. Chipman, however, maintains that perception has been “fictional for so long,” something that was even said, and did not hold true, during his pre-professional hockey ventures. “It’s really a fallacy,” Chipman said. “The physical size of the market doesn’t dictate how many hockey fans reside within it and how many really passionate hockey fans reside within hockey fans. The collective bargaining agreement that we operate under makes it not only possible for us to succeed, it absolutely allows us to compete.”

However, if there is a sector where the market size does present drawbacks, Chipman concedes that large corporate sponsors can be more difficult to secure in Winnipeg. “There are not as many large headquarters (as bigger markets),” Chipman said. “Although Winnipeg, surprisingly, has a lot of head offices in it that people don’t appreciate or understand, more so than Edmonton. Still, the biggest revenue number on any team’s profit and loss statement comes from tickets, the sale of tickets. We do really well there.”

Indeed, that is the case. Prior to a failed sellout in mid-October – for which a winter storm that felled trees and left large swaths of the city without power was somewhat at fault – the Jets had packed the house for 332 consecutive games. It’s no surprise, then, that the streak has started anew. Winnipeg is often heralded as one of the most raucous arenas in the league, and the famed Whiteout, which has been co-opted and parodied by other franchises throughout the NHL and North American professional sports, is inarguably among the fan base’s greatest exports. Coincidentally, it’s the passion of the fan base that presents the greatest test. “People are so invested, financially or emotionally, that you carry this responsibility,” Chipman said. “That’s the biggest challenge, not wanting to let people down.”

That goes beyond the ice, too, and Chipman and Co. pride themselves on the establishment and evolution of the True North Youth Foundation.

With humble beginnings that date back to its days as The Manitoba Moose Yearling Foundation, which was established in 1996 and served primarily as a charitable passthrough, TNYF has transformed into a self-programmed organization that features several initiatives, including the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Academy, Camp Manitou and Project 11, a mental-health awareness program that was launched following the suicide of former Moose player Rick Rypien. Last year, the program reached 30,000 students, and its growth – and the work that Heisinger, a close friend of Rypien’s, has put into the program – has been among the most fulfilling of TNYF’s accomplishments. It’s projected to be in more than 2,000 classrooms in the coming year. “We are extremely mindful of the responsibility of being an NHL team in a Canadian market,” Chipman said. “It’s often referred to as the responsibility to give back. It’s more than that. It’s a responsibility to be a part of, to be woven through the community, so that’s what we try and do.”

More Winnipeg: Jets Keep Getting Snubbed: Sportsbooks the Latest to Disrespect Kyle Connor

THAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE, NOT WANTING TO LET PEOPLE DOWN

- Mark Chipman

The most recent way, and unquestionably the most visible way, in which True North’s footprint in the community has grown is through its development downtown. After announcing its intention to transform a downtown space adjacent to Bell MTS Place, True North purchased the land and has since opened a 17-story office building and retail space and a 25-story residential building. Additionally, a food hall is set to open its doors in early 2020, while the announcement of an intention to build a fifth tower, which will act as the North American headquarters for Wawanesa Insurance, was made in June 2019.

Chipman insists this wasn’t in the cards, let alone even dreamt up, a decade or two ago, though he did have hopes that putting the arena in the city’s core would rejuvenate the downtown. Even now, he says the development of True North Square was solely the result of an opportunity presenting itself. “That’s all this was, a matter of looking out the window at some less-than-favorable conditions and saying, ‘Maybe we can leverage the momentum that was starting to occur in downtown,’” Chipman said.

As for what comes next, Chipman is quick to note that True North has its hands full. Not only is there work to be done on the ice – “It’s an up-at-dawn strategy trying to win in this league,” he said – there are upgrades to be completed inside Bell MTS Place, there’s another tower to be constructed in the burgeoning arena district, and the efforts of TNYF are unceasing.

But Chipman has faith that the Jets and True North will continue to move in the right direction despite the reputation as a small market with a harsh climate, especially if they adopt the resilience that he believes is born, bred and has been baked into the community throughout generations. “As long as that mindset resides here,” Chipman said, “we can be the smallest team in the NHL and not just be a team in the NHL.”

More Winnipeg Jets: Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele Earns Place Among NHL's Elite Centremen

After a heartbreaking ending to his NHL debut, Red Wings winger Carter Mazur returns more driven than ever, opening up in an exclusive interview with The Hockey News.

The Detroit Red Wings are coming off another turbulent season, finishing the 2024–25 campaign with a 39-35-8 record that ended in disappointment as they surrendered a two-goal lead in their final game. While fans are eager to move on and focus on a fresh push for the playoffs this season, it’s important not to overlook one of the most heartbreaking storylines from last year.

After being drafted in the third round of the 2021 NHL Draft, Carter Mazur quickly worked his way up the prospect rankings before finally getting his call up to the NHL last season. The Michigan native was red hot with the Grand Rapids Griffins, totalling eight goals and seven assists for 15 points through his first 20 games of the season. Due to his play showing signs of an impact player, Mazur was called up to play for the Red Wings, his childhood team in what seemed like a dream scenario. 

What a moment between Carter Mazur and his mom before his first NHL game ❤️ pic.twitter.com/i1B02gQ27F

— NHL (@NHL) March 6, 2025

Earlier in the season, Mazur did miss time with an undisclosed upper-body injury but had recovered and was ready to make his debut. With his family in attendance, including his mother, Mazur shared a heartfelt moment as the family celebrated the realization of his lifelong dream. However, the joy was short-lived. On just his second shift in his NHL debut, Mazur attempted to lay a body check and reaggravated his upper-body injury, bringing his season to an abrupt end.

Read Now: Red Wings Emerging as Potential Landing Spot for Oilers' Connor McDavid

The Hockey News recently got an exclusive interview with Mazur and asked him about his recovery, how he feels going into this season and what his future goals are with the Red Wings. He said felt “a lot of mixed emotions” after sustaining the injury but revealed that getting so close to his dream before having it taken away makes him more motivated than ever. 

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

“It's been my dream ever since I was a little kid to play for the Detroit Red Wings, so just to get the taste of it was kind of a good thing, and it just makes me want to work even harder to get back there,” Mazur said “I’ve had the right people behind me, the right training staff and everything to go through that injury, it was pretty tough when it happened but I'm looking forward to getting back out there and showing them what I can do."

The 23-year-old winger has his sights set on making the Red Wings roster once again and feels like he is in a favorable spot to rejoin the team once again. 

“I'm not really a stat guy, I don't really care about stats and I'm more about making a team right now, I'd say I think I'm in a good position to make Detroit, that's my main goal” Mazur explained “I got a little taste of it last year, even though it ended pretty badly, which kind of sucked, but I'm looking forward to the opportunity to go into camp and just put my best foot forward and just show them what I can do."

The former Denver Pioneer had a successful college career with 75 points in 81 games and helped lead his school to a NCAA National Championship in 2022. He carried that momentum into the AHL, where he became an impact player over two seasons, posting 28 goals and 30 assists for 58 points in 86 games. What makes these numbers even more impressive is that Mazur doesn’t view himself as a point producer, but rather as a gritty, physical player who brings energy and edge to the ice. One of his favorites in the NHL to watch right now is Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett.

Carter Mazur apple. #LGRWpic.twitter.com/WEAeetCYK1

— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) September 26, 2024

“I was watching [Bennett] in playoffs, and just how he competes, and he's just a hard player to play against, I feel like that's kind of how I am I'm not going to be a guy who's going to go out there and dominate and get you 80 points,” Mazur outlined "I'm a gritty guy, I like to go to the hard areas, I feel like I would fit well on a top line, I could play up and down the lineup, and it's just something that I've really built in my game, I like to penalty kill, I just like to be hard to play against. I think that's probably the biggest thing that stands out about my game."

One of the most notable topics of conversation this off-season around the Red Wings has been the top line left wing spot with few solutions to the problem. Teams like the Edmonton Oilers are rumored to be experimenting with rookies in their top six forward group like high-end prospect Isaac Howard being thrusted into a top line role with Connor McDavid. When asking Mazur if he would like the opportunity to receive the same treatment and play on the top line, he said it would be “a dream come true” and that some have compared his style of play to a former Detroit top line winger in Tyler Bertuzzi. 

More Red Wings: Notable Changes Reportedly Coming For Future Red Wings Seasons

“Making the team, let alone playing on a line with two of the best players in the NHL, especially in Detroit, It's just something that I gotta work for, everyone wants to be a top line player, and everyone wants to be out there when it matters the most and those guys have done it for a couple of years, and watching them develop, and watching them play together is pretty special,” Mazur noted “I would really buy into that role. I feel like, I know a lot of people like to compare me to Bertuzzi, and he did that role for quite a while, and I feel like that's something I am aiming for, I know you have to work your way up the lineup and It's not going to be that easy but again, I'm more focused on making the team.”

In a brief conversation, Mazur came across as an incredibly driven player whose success is rooted in his high compete level and relentless work ethic. During the offseason, he enjoys golfing and spending time with family in the Jackson, Michigan area. A die-hard Detroit sports fan, Mazur is focused on cracking the Red Wings roster next season, but he’s also eagerly following the Lions' Super Bowl hopes. His personality shines through quickly, as Mazur is open and easy to talk to, turning what could have been a standard interview into a fun, engaging conversation. Detroit fans will no doubt be cheering for his comeback next season.

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

It’s not easy to modernize a franchise that has been around forever and is the oldest team in the NHL. If the Montreal Canadiens were to try to revamp their jersey or alter their logo, there would likely be protests in town, as their jersey has almost become sacred. It’s therefore not all that surprising that the team opted to revamp the logo at center ice instead.

In the past, the face-off dot at the Bell Center featured one oversized Canadiens logo. There was nothing wrong with the classic look, but it didn’t exactly pop out, and owner Geoff Molson requested a change.

Canadiens: David Reinbacher Is Healthy and Focused
Canadiens: Hutson’s Father’s Big Threat
Former Canadiens Player Shares Favourite Memory

The task fell to the Canadiens’ art director for the last three years, Antonin Brault Guilleaume. According to The Gazette’s Stu Cowan, Guilleaume tried to introduce a bit more blue to the design. Still, the team owner, president, and chief executive officer was adamant about wanting the circle to be red.

This season, at center ice, there will be one big Canadiens logo, and the whole face-off circle will be painted in solid red. Aside from the logo itself, the words “Canadiens de Montreal” and 1909, the year of the team’s inception, will be featured.

The team didn’t just settle on a simple paint job, though; the logo is 3D-styled, and alongside the circle, there are 24 grooves representing the team’s 24 Stanley Cup conquests. On its website, the organization explains that it has chosen to have its name written in French because it’s the province’s official language and it underscores its unique NHL roots.

Chances are that if they didn’t decide to use the French name, the Office de la Langue Française, Quebec’s language watchdog, would have objected, just like it did to the STM allowing its drivers to put the “Go Habs Go!” message on their bus during the last playoffs, claiming the message should have included the word “Allez” instead of “Go”. The watchdog backed down after the prime minister’s intervention, but the damage was done.

Fans will be able to admire the new logo next weekend, on September 13 and 14, when the Canadiens will host a prospect showcase at the Bell Centre, featuring its own prospects, those of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Winnipeg Jets.

---

Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.  

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

The popular sporting video game series by EA Sports, NHL 26, is set to launch next week on September 12 for Playstation and XBOX. 

Over the past two weeks, the software developer has begun unveiling its rankings for each different playing position in the game. 

Among those listed within the Top-10 at each position have been a handful of Winnipeg Jets players. 

The first position ranking provided by EA Sports was defenceman Josh Morrissey, who was given a 90 overall rating, ranking him eighth among all blueliners. 

The second Jets player to earn a place on the Top-10 position rankings was winger Kyle Connor, who was named the No. 4 left winger in the game with a 92 overall stat line.

The third player from the Jets to garner a Top-10 spot of the 1,000-plus players in the database was centreman Mark Scheifele, who was listed as the tenth-best centre in the game.

Now, in the final position rankings, was goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, last season's Hart Trophy, Vezina Trophy and Jennings Trophy winner.

Undoubtedly the best goaltender in the league, Hellebuyck's NHL 26 ranking reflects that, as he is the No. 1 goaltender on the platform with a 94 overall rating. 

The 32-year-old put up a 47-12-3 record to go alongside a career-best eight shutouts, a 2.00 goals against average and a .925 save percentage as he helped Winnipeg to the Presidents' Trophy as the No. 1 team following the conclusion of the regular season.

Hellebuyck's overall rating went up one percentage point from NHL 25 from a 93 to a 94  overall, ranking him as the best goaltender and No. 8 player in the game overall.