As reported by Sportsnet's Chris Johnston, Washington Capitals assistant coach Mitch Love has been placed on a team-imposed leave, amid pending results of an investigation by the NHL.

The reason for the league’s investigation has not been provided. Additionally, the Capitals’ organization will not comment on the matter until the NHL concludes its investigation, they announced on Sunday.

Love is coming off his second season as an NHL coach and has been an assistant for the Capitals for two years. With Love’s assistance, alongside head coach Spencer Carbery, the team made back-to-back runs to the post-season. Furthermore, the Caps clinched the Eastern Conference last season. 

Before his days in the NHL, Love was a head coach in the AHL with the Calgary Wranglers and the Stockton Heat (before they became Wranglers). In 2022-23, he led the Wranglers to the Pacific Division final, and the year before that, he took the Heat to the Western Conference final, one round shy of the Calder Cup final.

Love has also experienced the World Junior Championship from behind the bench. In 2019-20 and 2020-21, Love was one of the assistant coaches for Team Canada, who finished with a gold and silver medal, respectively.

The 41-year-old has also spent several years in the WHL, as an assistant with the Everett Silvertips for seven seasons, before becoming the head coach of the Saskatoon Blades for three seasons following his Silvertips tenure.

Earlier in the off-season, Love was considered a top candidate for several head coaching jobs, including for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins.

Love also played five seasons in the AHL for the Lowell Lock Monsters, Albany River Rats, Lake Erie Monsters, Houston Aeros and the Peoria Rivermen during the mid-to-late 2000s. He recorded 808 penalty minutes in 278 minor league appearances.

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.

Dec 28, 2024; Elmont, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) talks to right wing Bryan Rust (17) during the third period against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images" />

Another day, another story, another post about the state of the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

While it's fair to speculate about the state of a team that has missed the postseason for three consecutive seasons, a lot of speculation seems to have groupthink attached to it. Many just assume that GM and POHO Kyle Dubas and his Penguins are engaging in a long-term, tear-it-to-the-studs project that is going to take years and years to complete. 

To be clear, let's examine the reality of the Penguins' situation: They are not anywhere close to the top playoff teams in the league, and it is going to take quite a lot of turnover in order for them to get back to that point. Typically, these kinds of turnarounds do indeed take some time.

But whether or not folks think Dubas's potential plan is the right one, they also must consider the evidence in this scenario. If you investigate the Penguins' rebuild rhetoric for "what we know" kind of information, you might just come away with a much different conclusion than that of what the masses - fans, media, and talking heads - seem to presume about the state and length of the rebuild. 

For better or for worse, there are plenty of evidence-based factors pointing to the idea that Dubas is still not gunning solely for a long-term rebuild - or, at least, not the four- to seven-year plan that fans and many media members seem to think this is. Again, the Penguins have already missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, and up to 10 years is a heck of a long time to remain non-competitive.

So, maybe this is delusional, or maybe this is just reading into everything that has transpired since the Penguins traded Jake Guentzel at the 2024 trade deadline. Here are five reasons why the Penguins are not just attempting to rebuild for the long haul - but why they're also aiming to make the playoffs again in 2026-27.

---

Dubas has repeatedly said they are trying to get this done as expeditiously as possible

Yes, there is a such thing as GM-speak. No GM is going to come out and say flatly, "Yes, we're going to be terrible for a spell."

But it's not just about what Dubas has said regarding the rebuild. It's about how he has said things and the context surrounding what he has said. 

Yes, he has mentioned on several occasions that he doesn't want to put a timeline on the rebulid, and for good reason. The latest example of this was at new head coach Dan Muse's introductory presser.

'I Couldn't Be More Excited To Get Started Here': 3 Takeaways From Dan Muse's Introductory Press Conference As Penguins' Head CoachOn Wednesday, Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas formally introduced Dan Muse as the 23rd head coach in franchise history at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa.

But, during Dubas's post-season press conference, he did mention that the Penguins were moving into the execution phase of their rebuild and that "we have to execute our butts off." While this little tidbit is interesting enough on its own, there are two other things he said that were, perhaps, even more interesting - and telling.

When asked about whether or not he thought the worst times were behind the team and if the team had already hit "rock bottom," he was a bit cryptic at first. But he, eventually, gave a rather telling response:

"When I look today, maybe we had less points than we had last year... but I feel like we're slightly better-positioned as we move ahead because of the younger players here," Dubas said in April. "So, I don't think I can sit here and try to give you an exact answer, but in my mind, when I look back on the previous two years, I think the previous March more represented that than now. We have our own younger players that have come up and performed well, and I'm more optimistic going into next year than I was this year organizationally. The results are going to be what they're going to be, but I feel we're closer to where we want to get back to now than last year."

And when asked about pulling lessons from the season the Washington Capitals had, he said:

"There's two paths to go down. You can go into the mass teardown rebuild and hope you get lucky with the lottery and hope that all this happens... but you can hope in one hand and s--- in the other and see which one fills up first."

'We Have To Stick To A Very Concise Plan And Then Execute Our Butts Off': Dubas Clarifies Penguins' Summer PlansTo close out the 2024-25 season, Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas spoke with the Pittsburgh media on Monday.

By suggesting that the organization thinks that the worst days are probably behind them, why would that indicate that the Penguins are only going the long-term route? Because, if they were, that statement would most certainly not be true. There would be much darker, worse days ahead for this team and the on-ice product. And he just about shot down the idea of a long-term rebuild with the second comment.

And let's not forget what Dubas said on The GM Show with Josh Getzoff around the turn of the new year before Marcus Pettersson was traded, either: He talked at length about not all rebuilds being "binary" and that the Penguins' situation is much more gray than either-or.

"The way that we're going will continue to be clear to everybody," Dubas said. "Which is, we're trying to return the team to being a contender as soon as possible. How are we going to do that? We have to add younger NHL players, we have to add prospects, and we have to add future capital and draft picks to the mix.

"So, my view of it is that we should be able to accomplish that and still be able to maintain our spot in the playoff race and push for it. I know that isn't met with the most open understanding at times, and I understand why... people want it to be binary. They want it to be, 'Are you in contention now, or are you rebuilding now?' And the in-between is where it tends to get a little bit ambiguous. I think we kind of like it that way as well because it keeps our cards closer to our chest."

This point will be hashed out in the next segment. But this quote alone suggests that they are not planning for their next playoff appearance to be years away. There is more than one plan being executed at once.

---

This may be a 'two-window' rebuild... which is entirely reasonable and possible

In today's NHL, there is a such thing as simultaneously rebuilding for the short-term and the long-term.

And when you look at the scope of everything Dubas and the Penguins have done over the last two years, that seems to be exactly what is happening. 

Yes, it's going to take a little bit of lottery luck. It's no secret that Dubas doesn't plan for the Penguins to be overly competitive in 2025-26 - he has said that it would be "an accomplishment" for the team to make the playoffs - and it's highly likely that the organization is, in a way, banking on either drafting high to begin with or the lottery ball falling their way in 2026.

If the Penguins can get that franchise-changing talent - a No. 1 center or No. 1 defenseman by need - early on in next year's draft and, presumably, a player who can help them at the NHL level immediately? That very much changes both their short- and long-term outlook. 

Penguins GM Kyle Dubas Has A Plan - And He Knows What He's DoingFor GM Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins, a new organizational direction is clear - if you've been paying attention

Plus, the Penguins already drafted three players in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, and they have a ton of picks in the second and third rounds over the next several drafts. Some of those higher picks can help more immediately, while some others will help farther down the road. 

The Penguins don't necessarily have to give up any - or, at least, not many - assets in order to acquire enough talent to gun for the playoffs in 2026-27. They already have a lot of complementary young talent, and Sidney Crosby is still playing at an otherwordly level. And the best thing is that, if they do make the playoffs in 2027, they wouldn't necessarily be mortgaging their long-term future.

All rebuilds entail hitting on scouting and development as well as hitting some luck. It may not be the best strategy for the Penguins to bank on the luck of the 2026 lottery ball, but if they do strike some luck, the short-term window works. And it can work in congruence with the Penguins also building for the long-term because of the draft capital and the assets they have already targeted and kept and continue to target and keep. 

Do The Penguins Have A Legitimate Shot At McKenna In 2026?WIth the 2025-26 NHL season just around the corner, teams are looking ahead to their respective training camps beginning in mid-September.

---

The Penguins target near-NHL-ready talent and already have promising complementary pieces

It isn't a coincidence that Dubas has very clearly leaned toward targeting more NHL-ready talent in his trade dealings rather than gunning for top-tier draft capital. 

Yes, he made out on the Marcus Pettersson deal by getting that New York Rangers' conditional first-round pick, and he also made sure to get forward Melvin Fernstrom - SHL Rookie of the Year last season - as part of that return in addition to the first. But him getting the first in that trade has been the exception. 

In the Guentzel trade, the main piece was Ville Koivunen, who has already shown he belongs at the NHL level. They also managed to turn that second-round pick into Harrison Brunicke - a potential top-pairing defenseman not far from NHL minutes - as part of that trade tree.

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2025: Defenseman Exceeds Expectations, Eyes NHL Roster SpotHeading into the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have shifted the focus to youth and development.

Dubas traded Brayden Yager - still a couple of years away from making any kind of impact at the NHL level - for Rutger McGroarty, who is, like Koivunen, seemingly NHL-ready. And, this summer, he traded for 24-year-old goaltender Arturs Silovs, who just went on an astounding, wildly impressive Calder Cup run with the Abbotsford Canucks and could be an upgrade in net. 

He has also targeted younger players in need of change - see Philip Tomasino, Connor Dewar, and Tommy Novak - who can fill valuable bottom-six roles on a contending team. 

Yes, they have also acquired or simply still have veteran players on expiring contracts to, hopefully, be flipped at the deadline. See Matt Dumba, Connor Clifton, Anthony Mantha, Danton Heinen, Kevin Hayes, and Noel Acciari. But notice how each of those players have contracts expiring at the end of the 2025-26 season - not the 2026-27 season. 

The Penguins may sell big again at the deadline - but they might not be selling who you think they'll be selling. And they'll have a ton of flexibility heading into 2026-27.

---

Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell - especially Rakell - are still here for a reason

If you're fully sold on the long-term rebuild and find yourself wondering why both Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell are still on this roster, you're certainly not alone. 

But you also have to ask yourself why it could be this way. And that may lead you to view this situation in different light.

Sure, Rust has no trade protection, he is in high demand, and he is a key part of that locker room. But let's focus on Rakell. If the Penguins were fully rebuilding, why wouldn't Dubas have traded 31-year-old Rakell at peak value prior to the 2025 deadline? 

With 2025-26 Season Just Around The Corner, Penguins’ Path Is UnclearThe 2025-26 NHL season will be a pivotal one for many teams.

Well, the deadline came and went, and Rakell was still on this roster. It will surely happen this summer, then, when teams will miss out on top free agents and pay up, they said. And guess what?

He's still on this roster.

Folks are still saying that Dubas is playing the waiting game and being patient. Well... being patient for what, exactly? Rakell had a career season last year, and even if he comes close, it's a big ask of him to replicate that. Dubas waiting also risks Rakell having a poor start to the season or getting injured, both of which would hurt his trade value.

Dubas isn't stupid. He is well-aware that the window for Rakell's maximum value may likely have already passed. So why play a waiting game? If you're rebuilding long-term, you get the most you can get for good veteran players and move on, right?

Can The Penguins Still Rebuild With One Of Rakell Or Rust Around?It seems like Pittsburgh Penguins' forwards Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust are the subject of Pittsburgh hockey news just about every other day at this point.

Yes. But that's not what's happening here. It's probably true that Rakell's value will never be higher than it was at the deadline and this summer. And - you guessed it - he's still here.

There's a reason Dubas is hesitant to move both Rust and Rakell, and no, it's not just nostalgia. Again, Dubas is smart. The most plausible reason is that he truly sees a scenario in which Rust and Rakell can still help the team win within the three years they both have left on their contracts, and that's why he's setting his price almost unattainably high. 

If that's the case, that means he sees an opportunity for the team to make the playoffs sooner than four to seven years from now. Keeping them doesn't necessarily jeopardize the team's future if they keep all of their assets otherwise because having both young talent and talented veterans like Rust and Rakell is better than having only one of those things for a playoff run.

---

Crosby's contract extension counts for something

Now this is the big one, isn't it?

All of Pittsburgh was a little shaken on Tuesday when Sidney Crosby's longtime agent, Pat Brisson, made some rather interesting comments at the NHL media tour about Crosby's future with the Penguins and if he would ever consider leaving Pittsburgh.

“Well, it’s a reality,” Brisson told Pierre LeBrun in an interview for The Athletic.  “First of all, he’s been so consistent for 20 years. He had another great year last season. He just keeps going. The comparison is Tom Brady. We want Sidney to hopefully be in the playoffs every year. We want him to hopefully win another Cup or two. So each year the team that he’s playing for fails to make the playoffs, it creates a lot of speculation. In reality, he’s not getting any younger. We’re here to support him. It’s the beginning of the season here. Let’s see how things are going. Hopefully they have a great season and the speculation will go away.”

He added: "Let’s put it this way, it’s always a possibility, you know? It’s been three years they haven’t made the playoffs. It all depends on how Sid is going to be and how the team is going to do. I maintain the same position that I do believe that he should be playing playoff hockey every year. In my opinion.”

'It’s Always A Possibility, You Know?': Agent Weighs In On Crosby's FutureThe Pittsburgh Penguins have Sidney Crosby locked up for the next two seasons, but that hasn't stopped some of the national media from discussing him leaving the franchise. 

Some will say that Brisson was simply trying to apply pressure on the Penguins to "change up the plan" for Crosby. Some will suggest that there is obviously something amiss either with Crosby and his relationship with the Penguins or with Brisson and Crosby as far as messaging is concerned. 

But what if it's neither, really? What if there's no plan to "change up" because the plan isn't what people assume it is in the first place? What if Brisson and Crosby are already privy to something about Dubas's plan and potential timeline that the general public is not?

The comments were spicy, yes, but they were also realistic. And so was Crosby's two-year contract extension when it was signed last season. If folks are to believe that Crosby is the ultimate winner and that he is very unhappy with the Penguins losing hockey games and missing playoff berths, why sign the thing in the first place?

Crosby knew where the team was likely headed. He knew the undertaking. It is reasonable to suggest that Crosby could simply be getting cold feet after-the-fact, but Crosby isn't stupid, either. And neither is Brisson, who simply wants to see his best client win again. And - again - neither is Dubas.

NHL Rumor Roundup: Crosby Addresses Trade Rumors, Quinn Hughes Reacts To Brother's CommentsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are rebuilding their roster, even though management won't admit it. Forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell and defenseman Erik Karlsson have been frequently mentioned as trade candidates throughout the off-season.

Sidney Crosby is as competitive as they come. He is a winner. So, if he genuinely believed at the time of his signing last fall that he would never have another shot at the playoffs with the Penguins, there's a decent chance he would not have re-signed in the first place. 

Maybe Dubas could get Crosby to understand that there is a process, and that it might take a couple of years. Perhaps Crosby knew that last season would likely be a bust, and maybe even that 2025-26 would probably be a bust, even with young talent starting to populate the roster.

But 2026-27? His next contract year? That screams "prove it." The Penguins will likely have some young talent with seasoning already on the roster in Koivunen, McGroarty, and Owen Pickering, at least. They'll have more than $50 milliion in free cap space to spend however they want to with some huge names set to hit the market. They could have a top-tier draft pick. And they could still have good veterans like Rakell and Rust on the roster.

Pittsburgh Penguins' 2025-26 Season Preview - Community PostFor the first time in a decade, the Pittsburgh Penguins will have a different coach than Mike Sullivan, who led the team to consecutive championships in 2015-16 and 2016-17.

Realistically, the Penguins can have a "prove it" year in 2026-27 without sacrificing the future much. If they rise to greater heights, they could set themselves up to compete in the short- and long-term, even if there is a small gap between those windows. If they falter, they would have the evidence to show Crosby they tried, and he can make career decisions accordingly. And they wouldn't really be worse off for trying.

Yes, the Penguins are in a rebuild. But - given the evidence of what's been said, done, and not done - there's a pretty good chance that it's not the rebuild you think it is. 

---

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!  

By Jared Clinton, Features writer 

The puck had only just dropped in the round-robin meeting between Canada and the U.S. at the 4 Nations Face-Off, and there was Brandon Hagel, mitts off, fists cocked, standing toe-to-toe with Matthew Tkachuk. And in that moment, any thoughts about Tampa Bay drifted free from Jon Cooper’s mind.

As Cooper watched on, the Lightning bench boss could have been concerned about Tampa’s second-highest scorer. He could have been chewing his hand off worrying about Hagel getting dinged up in what some had decried as a meaningless mid-season cash grab disguised as an international competition. Against a backdrop of political agitation and in his then-role as coach of Canada’s club, though, it was all Cooper could do to contain his own emotions. “When we were in it,” he said, “it was all flag waving.”

For his part, Hagel never had any intention of becoming the on-ice avatar for a nation. Even with a fistful of NHL scraps under his belt and several dustups in major junior, Hagel insisted fighting isn’t part of his game, at least not really. He wasn’t even thinking about fighting until he lined up across from Tkachuk. But when the offer came, Hagel was all too happy to oblige. Then, in the 45 seconds that followed, from the clutching and grabbing on through the first flurry of punches and all the way to his arm-raising, crowd-pumping cries after the combatants were separated, Hagel etched his way into the memory of hockey-mad Canadians the world over. “He had the weight of 20,000 people in that Bell Centre on his shoulders, and he fought like it,” Cooper said. “I’ve told ‘Hags,’ ‘If nobody knew you going into this tournament, pretty sure you won’t have to buy a beer in this country for quite some time now.’”

Hagel puts it another way: “It’ll probably be one of the biggest moments in my life.”

And one made bigger, perhaps, by virtue of the number of times it seemed that it was the exact type of moment that would never come.

Like any number of talented kids from Western Canada, Hagel viewed the WHL bantam draft as a rite of passage. In some ways, even, the draft had its way of feeling less like one step toward achieving the NHL dream than it did the dream itself. The major-junior circuit has been the breeding ground for a great many big-league stars, and whether you’re growing up in a Prairie town or west of the Rockies, if you’re among the best players in your age group, it’s seen as the most-direct route to The Show.

That’s why it was just about all Hagel could think about as his draft year drew near. There was chatter about peers starting to find advisors and agents. There was a personal desire to follow in the footsteps of friends and competitors who had made the leap to ‘The Dub.’ And there was a foreboding sense that everything – his entire future – hinged on taking that next step. It made the 2013 WHL draft feel not just important but monumental.

So, when it came and went without Hagel’s name getting called, he felt as though the ground beneath his feet had suddenly disappeared. He was 15, sitting in class and starting to question his NHL dream. “It has the feeling that it’s slipping away,” he said.

"He had the weight of 20,000 people in that Bell Centre on his shoulders, and he fought like it."

- Jon Cooper

There was nothing for Hagel to do, really, other than get back to work. For him, that took the form of another two seasons in the same Fort Saskatchewan Rangers system in which he’d been playing during his WHL draft year and then a brief turn with the AJHL’s Whitecourt Wolverines. And it was in Whitecourt, only a few games into 2015-16, where he caught the eye of Red Deer Rebels scouts. That opened the door for him to practice with the Rebels, where he turned coach-GM-owner Brent Sutter’s head and earned a spot on the roster.

While Hagel was not a standout, his first season in Red Deer saw him assert himself as a possible NHL-caliber talent. He finished with 47 points in 72 games, and his performance gave him enough cachet that the Buffalo Sabres decided to take a flyer. He was scooped up with the 159th overall pick in the 2016 NHL draft.

Now, if this were about almost any other top NHL scorer, you could chart the pathway from there: he would’ve headed off to Sabres camp, landed on the radar of Buffalo’s higher-ups, eventually earned an AHL spot, turned that into an NHL opportunity and gone on to cement himself as a lineup regular. But that wasn’t the case. Over the next two off-seasons, Hagel spent time in upstate New York in hopes he would ingratiate himself to the organization and earn an entry-level contract. Instead, after Hagel wrapped up his third season with the Rebels, the Sabres relinquished his rights.

The first phone call Hagel remembers receiving after Buffalo gave him the news was from Sutter. “He basically said, ‘I am going to do everything I can to try and get you to that next level. You just have to continue putting your head down and try to get better and try to get yourself there,’” Hagel said.

That didn’t stop him from feeling, though, that he was reliving the WHL draft nightmare all over again. As a 20-year-old entering his fourth WHL campaign, there was a cold, creeping feeling of doubt. He felt like an unfortunate reality was beginning to set in – that a life in hockey wasn’t going be in the cards. So, Hagel gave himself an ultimatum. “If this isn’t going to work, I need to go to school,” he said. “That was my assumption, that I’d give it to Christmas.”

With that in his mind, Hagel started to think about his future. While putting in some serious off-season work, he made time to sign up to head back to school. If hockey wasn’t going to work out, he wanted to improve his grades so he could go to college. But when he got back to Red Deer to start 2018-19, he looked like a different player. The season prior, before Buffalo had let him walk, his offense was inconsistent. Now, seemingly out of nowhere, he was uncontainable. He had 10 points through his first five games and was pushing 20 by his 10th. And by his 15th game, he was tied for third in WHL scoring, with 28 points. Hagel’s hard work was shining through.

"It’ll probably be one of the biggest moments in my life."

- Brandon Hagel on his fight at the 4 Nations

More importantly, NHL clubs were circling. Now, his self-imposed deadline didn’t seem so worrisome. And by the end of October 2018, days after his fifth three-point game of the WHL season, Hagel put pen to paper on a three-year, entry-level deal with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Sutter had encouraged him, pressed him to work even harder and told Hagel he could still make his NHL dream come true. “I couldn’t give more credit, and I give a lot of credit, to Brent Sutter,” Hagel said. “He was the best thing that’s probably ever happened to me in hockey.”

"Brent Sutter was the best thing that’s probably ever happened to me in hockey." 

- Brandon Hagel

If the pandemic didn’t nearly shutter one NHL campaign and change the landscape of another, it’s worth wondering how enamored the Lightning would have become with Hagel. The 2020-21 season brought with it a temporary divisional realignment that made Chicago and Tampa – normally in opposite conferences – regular foes. Eight times the Blackhawks squared off with the Lightning that season, and it was during the third of those meetings, the first for which a rookie Hagel was in the lineup, that Cooper couldn’t shake him. “I just remember I was like, ‘Who is this kid, whose name I don’t know, who is flying all over the place and being a pest?’” Cooper said. “It’s like, ‘Oh my God, this kid is always involved.’”

Cooper was all too familiar with Hagel by season’s end, as was the Lightning front office. What they had seen was soon apparent to the rest of the NHL, too. During his sophomore season, Hagel worked his way up Chicago’s lineup, and as the trade deadline approached, with the Blackhawks in full rebuild mode, there were rumblings he was a sought-after trade chip. Hagel, though, didn’t think anything of it. “A couple days before, the (Blackhawks) coach at the time (Derek King) came out and said something along the lines of, ‘If we trade Hagel, I don’t know what type of rebuild we’re doing here,’” Hagel said. “Rumors were going around, questions were being asked, and in my mind, I don’t think I’m going anywhere.”

Then came the news. On a road trip to Minnesota, Hagel was pulled aside by a Chicago staff member and sent to meet with the Hawks’ brass. He was told he’d been traded, learning soon thereafter his destination was Tampa Bay. Initially, he couldn’t believe it. His head was “in a blender.” But disbelief soon became a realization: he was going to get an opportunity to compete for a Stanley Cup with the back-to-back champions.

It wasn’t long, however, before his elation dissipated. On the bottom-feeding Blackhawks, Hagel was seeing big minutes. He was proving himself a capable top-six player. But a similar role with the Lightning was blocked by Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Steven Stamkos and a cadre of veteran talent on a Cup-contending club. “I’m coming over from Chicago, I have 21 goals already, and there’s still however many games,” Hagel said. “I’ve been playing 18 minutes a game when I was in Chicago, and now I’m playing 12 or 13.”

Frustration was setting in. Hagel had been used to working his way up the lineup, not slipping helplessly down it. But Cooper preached patience.

So, Hagel did as he’d done prior: he put his head down and went to work. The result, as always, was a breakthrough. Against the New York Rangers in the third round of the 2022 post-season, Hagel landed on a line with Alex Killorn and Anthony Cirelli. It was a defensive role, and he bought in. Ultimately, Hagel played an important part in helping the Lightning to a third-straight Cup final, and while the Bolts left empty-handed, Hagel’s commitment to doing the little things well wasn’t lost on Cooper.

Indeed, Hagel’s work ethic and attitude were the very things that landed him on the wing alongside Kucherov and Point just two games into the following season. It wasn’t some dalliance with the Lightning top six, either. Hagel became a fixture of the unit, authoring a breakout 30-goal, 64-point campaign. “Everyone thinks, ‘Oh, just throw me on the line, and I’ll get points and be able to do this.’ But that’s not how it works,” Cooper said. “These guys, they think the game at such a high level, they play the game at such an incredibly fast pace. That it’s why it’s hard to play with really, really good players. Good players also want guys who are going to do some of the work that they’re not going to do.”

That, Cooper said, is Hagel. But it’s not just what he brings to the attack or his ability to thrive alongside elite talents that have led Hagel from being an overlooked 15-year-old to a role player for Team Canada in best-on-best play. From where Cooper is standing, it’s because everything that has been thrown at Hagel, whether an off-ice obstacle, grind-line minutes or the chance to skate in the top six, has been an opportunity he’s accepted, learned from and used to build a bigger, stronger, better foundation for the rest of his game. In his earliest moments with the Lightning, Cooper said, Hagel kept taking bites of the apple. And once he was ready, bit by bit, as with his entire career, the bites just kept getting bigger.

“The cycle just continues,” Cooper said. “Late draft pick. Sixth-rounder. And it’s just never being given a chance. It’s always that a door keeps shutting in his face, and he keeps opening it. It shuts in his face again, and he walks through again, everywhere he’s gone. When you have that much fight in a player, and you watch what he’s done in his career, probably not that surprised at what he’s doing now.”

---

This article appeared in our 2025 Yearbook and Fantasy Guide. This issue features team reports for all 32 NHL teams heading into the 2025-26 season, including an analysis of their offense, defense and goaltending, as well as our prediction for where we think they will finish in the league standings. We also include features on Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson and more. In addition, we take a look at the top skaters and goaltenders ahead of the coming season.

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

As part of The Hockey News 2025-6 Yearbook and Fantasy Guide, the writers at the main site have come up with their view of the Ottawa Senators' top prospects. According to THN's list, just in time for rookie camp, they believe Yakemchuk will arrive in the NHL at some point this season and that this year's first-rounder, Logan Hensler, will need three more years at Wisconsin. 

We differ with the main site in a few places, but fun debates like this are what help make the hockey world go 'round. Let us know what you think about the list in the comments below. 

Future WATCH

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

1. Carter Yakemchuk

Pos D Age 20

2024-25 Calgary (WHL)

Positively brilliant with the puck on his stick. Power-play quarterback. Will hone ‘D’ with time.

Expected NHL Arrival ’25-26

Related: Yakemchuk shines as Sens win rookie tournament opener

2. Logan Hensler

Pos D Age 18

2024-25 Wisconsin (Big Ten)

Inconsistent draft year, but the upside is apparent. He’ll grow into bigger role at NCAA Wisconsin.

Expected NHL Arrival ’28-29

3. Leevi Merilainen

Pos G Age 23

2024-25 Belleville (AHL)

AHL numbers? Good. NHL performance? Excellent. Cool customer uses athleticism to his advantage.

Expected NHL Arrival ’25-26 (edit)

4. Stephen Halliday

Pos C Age 23

2024-25 Belleville (AHL)

Led Baby Sens in scoring as AHL rookie. Patience with the puck is hard to teach. Halliday has it.

Expected NHL Arrival ’26-27

5. Mads Sogaard

Pos G Age 24

2024-25 Belleville (AHL)

Fewer starts last season, and his stats regressed. But the big keeper can intimidate shooters.

Expected NHL Arrival ’26-27

6. Blake Vanek

Pos RW Age 18

2024-25 Chicago (USHL)

Strong high-school output but modest USHL numbers. Move to WHL will aid big winger’s growth.

Expected NHL Arrival ’30-31

7. Xavier Bourgault

Pos RW Age 22

2024-25 Belleville (AHL)

Has shown a commitment to refining game. QMJHL scorer has become a two-way talent as pro.

Expected NHL Arrival ’26-27

Coach Describes Xavier Bourgault As The "Best Player At Senators Rookie Camp So Far"As the Ottawa Senators enter the final day of rookie camp with a game against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday night, the top prospects have stepped up, as you might expect. For example, defenseman Carter Yakemchuk and forward Stephen Halliday were seen as the two rookies at this camp most likely to have a long stay at main camp this month, and they combined for a tidy five points in a 4–3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs rookies on Saturday.

8. Jorian Donovan

Pos D Age 21

2024-25 Belleville (AHL)

Skating gets him out of trouble and limits opposition chances. Modest upside but steady game.

Expected NHL Arrival ’27-28

9. Blake Montgomery

Pos LW Age 20

2024-25 London (OHL)

Deceptive speed for a 6-foot-4 frame. Especially adept at finding passing lanes and attacking space.

Expected NHL Arrival ’28-29

10. Gabriel Eliasson

Pos D Age 19

2024-25 Barrie (OHL)

An out-and-out bruiser on the blueline. A physical specimen who lives to punish attacking forwards.

Expected NHL Arrival ’29-30

You can order The Hockey News 2025-26 Yearbook and Fantasy Guide at the link below:

2025-2026 YEARBOOK & FANTASY GUIDE | 7901Get absolutely everything you need to know about the upcoming NHL season in one book with our XXL-sized Yearbook + Fantasy Guide. Over 228 pages, you'll find four-page previews for each of the 32 teams – including top prospects and full rosters – and predictions. Plus, you get features on Connor Hellebuyck, Lane Hutson

This article first appeared at The Hockey News-Ottawa

More Sens Headlines From The Hockey News Ottawa:
Report: Alex Formenton's NHL Eligibility To Be Restored On December 1st
Sens Unveil Rookie Camp Roster For Games This Weekend
Senators GM Steve Staios On Why He Brought Back The Same Group
Can The Senators Still Avoid Losing Their 2026 First Round Pick?
Ottawa Senators Radio Play-By-Play Team Won't Travel To Road Games This Season

The Philadelphia Flyers’ decision to trade Ivan Fedotov to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 2026 sixth-round pick on Sunday provided clarity in a position that’s been anything but straightforward in Philadelphia.

The goaltending depth chart is now a little more streamlined, but it still leaves questions about whether the Flyers will stay committed to that structure and the players currently in it.

The NHL Tandem: Ersson and Vladar

The most likely outcome is that Sam Ersson and Dan Vladar split the crease at the NHL level. (And no, the Fedotov trade does not open up considerations for the Flyers to reunite with Carter Hart. Every credible report that has come out clearly suggests that Hart will not be signing in Philadelphia.)

Ersson, 25, already has a reputation as calm and dependable, even though his numbers have not been where he has said he wants them to be. He's shouldered a large majority of the starter responsibilities, often while the team in front of him was inconsistent, and has not had a consistent backup to take some of that load off (whether that be because of coaching decisions or lack of available talent).

"I'm a big believer in Sam Ersson. I think that Sam is in a position now age-wise and being pushed by the depth at that position now, that it's going to benefit him. I think that Sam is going to stand up to the test here this year."

- Keith Jones

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) September 10, 2025

Vladar, 28, acquired from Calgary this summer, represents a different profile. At 6-foot-5, he brings size and NHL experience but also carries the need for a reset after uneven years with the Flames.

If the Flyers are disciplined, this tandem can work well. Ersson can have a more manageable workload and have space to properly evolve, while Vladar has the chance to reestablish himself without the pressure of being a true No. 1.

What cannot happen, though, is the stop-start rhythm of a three-goalie system that plagued last year. Goalies need continuity, and both Ersson and Vladar deserve the opportunity to build it.

The Wild Card: Another Three-Goalie System?

Even with Fedotov gone, it’s not out of the question that the Flyers experiment with another three-goalie setup. Injuries, waiver considerations, and management’s desire to keep as many options as possible sometimes push teams in that direction.

But if last season proved anything, it’s that such an approach comes at a cost.

Carrying three goaltenders may sound like depth, but it often results in none of them finding a rhythm. Ersson, Fedotov, and Aleksei Kolosov all experienced stretches where they sat too long between starts or were thrown into games without consistent preparation. It created uncertainty for the coaching staff and frustration for the players. If the Flyers want progress, they’ll need to avoid repeating that cycle.

The AHL Tandem: Bjarnason and Kolosov

In Lehigh Valley, the focus shifts from stability to development. Carson Bjarnason’s transition to the professional game will be closely monitored. The 20-year-old has impressed with his composure, and that mental steadiness will serve him well in the AHL. The priority for him isn’t just wins and losses but learning the pace, traffic, and grind of pro hockey.

Aleksei Kolosov enters his second year in North America with his own ambitions. Athletic and aggressive by nature, he has made it clear that he wants to be an NHL goalie, but the reality is that he still needs to refine his game to the smaller rink and faster decision-making of the AHL.

Balancing Bjarnason’s need for heavy reps with Kolosov’s ever-precarious situation will be one of the Phantoms’ biggest tasks this season.

The Outlook

Trading Fedotov simplifies the Flyers' goaltending picture, which has too often featured clashing colors, messy brushstrokes, and drawn intense criticism from museum-goers.

Ersson and Vladar deserve to get the consistency they need at the NHL level, while Bjarnason and Kolosov gain meaningful minutes to develop in the AHL. Whether the Flyers stick to this structure or experiment with another three-goalie system will be worth watching, but for now, the organization seems to be taking steps toward a clearer framework.

It’s not a flashy setup, and it doesn’t come with guarantees. But compared to the uncertainty that has long defined Philadelphia’s crease, a season of clarity might be exactly what the Flyers need.