Category: Sports News

ST. LOUIS -- Justin Carbonneau made his intentions recently about whether to go to college this fall or remain eligible for junior play.

In electing to play in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, he also left the door open to sign an entry-level contract, come to St. Louis Blues training camp starting Sept. 18 and vie for a roster spot in the NHL.

Those wheels continued to be set in motion when the first round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft (No. 19 overall) signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Wednesday along with 2023 seventh-round pick, Nikita Susuev. Each gets a two-way contract. 

Carbonneau, 18, who will be in St. Louis Thursday and Friday to practice with fellow Blues prospects before departing to face the Minnesota Wild and Chicago Blackhawks prospects in Minnesota on Friday and Saturday, respectively, played the past three seasons with the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and is eligible to return there again this season barring a change in plans by the organization.

He made his decision on July 11 to return to junior, thus leaving the window open to perhaps win a job out of training camp with the Blues this season.

Carbonneau said after development camp in early July that the relationship with the Blues has been rock-solid from the get-go and that the trust has already been instilled. It's evident that he wants to give it his best shot to become an NHL player immediately after putting up 89 points (46 goals, 53 assists) in 62 games a season ago. The 6-foot-1, 192-pound forward was impressive when he was in town two months ago.

Susuev, 20, has spent his playing career in Russia, including 2024-25 when he had 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in 42 games across all competitions, including MHK Spartak Moskva and Taifun Primorsky Krai of the MHL and Admiral Vladivostok of the KHL last year.

The 6-0, 172-pound forward has posted nine points (six goals, three assists) in 55 career games in the KHL, including stints with Spartak Moskva and Admiral; he had 54 points (20 goals, 34 assists) in 72 career games in Russia’s top junior league, the MHL.

On day one of rookie camp, the Montreal Canadiens’ rookies underwent medical and physical testing. At the same time, coaches Pascal Vincent, Martin Laperriere, and Daniel Jacob were thrown in the deep end right away, facing the media questions on day one.

Vincent is eager to get the ball rolling and mentions that the Canadiens will have a good team for this rookie camp. Still, he does expect the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, and Ottawa Senators to ice very competitive sides for this weekend’s prospect showdown. If you were wondering if Ivan Demidov will be seeing any action this weekend, the answer seems to be yes.

Canadiens To Honour Former Blueliner Andrei Markov
Canadiens: Behind The Scenes At The Draft
Pierre LeBrun Brings Up The Canadiens To Crosby

Asked what the youngster had to gain from attending rookie camp even though he’s all but guaranteed a spot on the Canadiens’ roster for the upcoming season, the bench boss said:

Playing games and measuring up against players his own age is beneficial, as is seeing the town’s frenzy for this event, even in September during training camp. I believe that even though he finished the year with the Canadiens, it’s always beneficial. We’ll be introducing a few concepts, refreshing his memory, and allowing him to play games in real situations. Practicing is one thing, but facing actual in-game action is quite another. I think he can benefit from this environment.

- Pascal Vincent on what Ivan Demidov can get out of rookie camp.

Vincent admits that expectations will be high for the Russian youngster this season because he’s so talented, but adds that, at the same time, the goal is for him to dominate in the NHL eventually; he doesn’t have to do it at training camp. What the coach wants to see is how fast he can actually master the concepts that will be taught in the couple of practices that are on schedule. He explains that to be successful in the NHL, you can’t just play on one side of the ice; you must master and play the defensive side of the game as well.

The rookies are hard at work! Photo credit: Pierre Bourgault / Club de hockey Canadien Inc. #GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/4oe7kFO3mO

— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) September 10, 2025

The Canadiens’ rookies will hit the ice for the first time on Thursday morning at 10:00 at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard, and we should have a better idea then of what the lines and pairings are likely to be for this camp and for this weekend’s games against the Jets and Leafs.

---

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 Seattle Kraken's AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, will have a heavy rookie influence in 2025-26, with several 2023 NHL Draft picks set to embark on their rookie seasons.

The Seattle Kraken drafted 10 players in the 2023 NHL draft, seven of whom will play with the Firebirds this season. Of those seven players, Eduard Sale is the only skater with AHL experience, completing his rookie campaign last season, scoring six goals and 21 points in 51 games.

Entering their rookie seasons are Carson Rehkopf, Oscar Fisker Molgaard, Lukas Dragicevic, Caden Price and Kaden Hammell. Joining the 2025 rookie class is Tyson Jugnauth, a defenseman who the Kraken selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL Draft and Justin Janicke, a 2021 seventh-round pick who played four seasons with the University of Notre Dame. 

“For the first-year Coachella Valley players, they will be laying down a foundation of growth and maturity as they adjust to the AHL level of competition,” said Firebirds head coach Derek Laxdal, who will be leading Rookie Camp. “Most of them are coming off success in juniors. Oscar Molgaard has played three pro seasons in Sweden and might have a smoother transition. It can be until Christmas before our first-year Firebirds players are entirely comfortable. Our job is to help them be their best, help them adjust. It’s why the AHL is such a great learning ground.”

It'll be a difficult transition for these players, adjusting to the speed and physicality change from playing in junior leagues or in Europe. Laxdal and the training staff at rookie camp will attempt to emulate the pace of play, hoping to make the transition as seamless as possible. 

“When you move to the pros, it’s about the speed on the ice and, importantly, the time you have to make decisions diminishes,” said director of player development Cory Murphy. “The players are stronger and faster, which leads to you having less time to make decisions with and without the puck. It forces young players to make decisions faster.”

In some cases, like Jani Nyman, the transition comes naturally, and they dominate from the get-go. For others like Jagger Firkus, it takes them a large chunk of games to get their footing, but when they do, everything begins to flow. But, in other cases, for players like David Goyette or Sale, they struggled to ever really get their feet under them. Both Goyette and Sale have a lot of pressure to rebound and perform at the level the Kraken organization believes they can perform at. 

“A key point is our [first-year AHL players] are going to a place and franchise with a great staff that has a really good handle on development and working with these players individually,” said Murphy. “Our role is to support the prospects in that process. We know the players very well just from working with them [once drafted by the Kraken]. We're in contact with the staff at CV and provide any feedback and help. It’s a big group making the (AHL) jump.”

Three Kraken Prospects Looking To Dominate Rookie Camp And Prospect ShowcaseThe Seattle Kraken's rookie camp kicks off on Thursday with 17 forwards, nine defensemen and two goaltenders practicing at the Kraken Community Iceplex before taking on the Vancouver Canucks' prospects in a two-game showdown. 

After a long offseason of Kirill Kaprizov contact talks and rumors, NHL insider Frank Seravalli weighs in.

Sources say #mnwild superstar Kirill Kaprizov’s camp turned down an extension offer believed to be 8-years, $128 million in a meeting on Tuesday in Minnesota that would have made him the highest-paid player in #NHL history in both AAV ($16 million) and total dollars.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) September 10, 2025

According to Seravalli, Kaprizov’s camp talked with the Wild on Tuesday. He has reportedly turned down a 8-year $128 million contract.

Kaprizov, 28, has one more year left on his current 5-year contract before he enters free agency.

He has recorded 185 goals, 201 assists and 386 points in 319 career games.

We will see where this goes once training camp opens.

The Ottawa Senators have unveiled their 25-man roster for this weekend's Prospects Challenge in Montreal. The Sens will hold their rookie camp on Thursday and Friday, then head for Quebec to play two games at the Bell Centre. They take on the Toronto Maple Leafs rookies on Saturday at 1:00 p.m., and the Winnipeg Jets freshmen on Sunday at 7:00 p.m.

The camp locale is a departure from last season when the Sens rookies travelled to Buffalo for the Sabres' annual Prospects Challenge, with games against Boston, New Jersey and Columbus.

This year's roster of Sens' hopefuls is highlighted by defenseman Carter Yakemchuk, who had an impressive main training camp with Ottawa last season and nearly made the team. The 2024 seventh overall pick is the only player on the roster with realistic NHL aspirations at the moment.

Logan Hensler, the Senators’ first-round pick this year, will not participate in this camp as his school year has begun at the University of Wisconsin. Ottawa’s three goaltenders for the camp are Jackson Parsons (Embrun), Vladimir Nikitin, and Lucas Beckman.

Up front, notable names include center Stephen Halliday, Belleville’s leading scorer in the AHL last season; Tyler Boucher, a former Sens first-rounder who has spent the past five years battling injuries; and Blake Vanek, the son of former NHLer Thomas Vanek and a third-round pick this summer.

One of the first things that stands out about this camp roster is its size. There aren’t many NHL clubs with a rookie camp roster that includes three players standing 6’7”. And only four of the 25 players are under 6 feet tall.

Forwards:

Tyler Boucher, Xavier Bourgault, Jake Chiasson, Philippe Daoust, Lucas Ellinas, Stephen Halliday, Landen Hookey, Danny Katic, Alex Mercier, Oskar Pettersson, Jamieson Rees, Carter Savoie, Blake Vanek, Mason Zebeski

Defensemen:

Matthew Andonovski, Jorlan Donovan, Gabriel Eliasson, Tomas Hamara, Braiden Simmons-Fischer, Djibril Toure, Eerik Wallenius, Carter Yakemchuk

Goaltenders:

Lucas Beckman, Vladimir Nikitin, Jackson Parsons

Among Habs fans, all eyes in Montreal will, of course, be on highly-skilled winger Ivan Demidov, who was chosen two picks before Yakemchuk last year. Demidov played two games for the Habs last year, putting up a goal and an assist. He fared quite nicely in the KHL as a teenager last season with 49 points in 65 games.

The prospects Challenge will feature four games in total. In addition to Ottawa’s matchups, the Canadiens will host the Jets on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. On Sunday, the 14th, an Original Six matchup between Toronto and Montreal begins at 3:00 p.m.

More Sens Headlines:
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
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'

On paper, the Philadelphia Flyers are making strides. 

In the off-season, they acquired promising center Trevor Zegras and signed center Christian Dvorak and goalie Dan Vladar, and they plan to not be sellers – and stockpile more draft choices – at this season’s trade deadline.

“Now, we’re adding, and you only add when you think you have a shot to be in the playoff conversation,” Dan Hilferty, the Flyers’ governor, said at a news conference Wednesday at the team’s practice facility in Voorhees, N.J.

Keith Jones, the club president, said this year “feels a little bit different” than the start of recent seasons. 

“We’re starting to progress,” he said. “Our players are continuing to move forward, and we’re doing everything we can to ensure that continues to happen. I feel really good about where Danny (Briere, the GM) has the team now and for the future. We’re a deeper team, and there’s way more options for our coaching staff.”

Jones said he believes younger players, such as Noah Cates, Bobby Brink, Tyson Foerster and Matvei Michkov, will continue to progress. He is also high on goalie Samuel Ersson, saying he’s a “big believer” in the goalie. 

“He’s in a position, age wise, (to improve), and being pushed by the depth at the position is going to benefit him as well. I think Sam is going to stand up to the test this year.”

Ersson, who turns 26 on Oct. 20, is coming off a disappointing season where he recorded a 3.14 goals-against average and .883 save percentage. The Flyers finished last in the NHL in save percentage (.872) last year, according to naturalstattrick.com.

Hilferty was asked if the Flyers would consider bringing back Carter Hart, 27, if the NHL reinstates him. In July, Hart was found not guilty of a sexual-assault charge stemming from a Hockey Canada trial that also involved Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Cal Foote.

“At this point, we’re going to make no comment on that situation,” Hilferty said. “The NHL has made it clear they’ll speak first, and right now, we’re not prepared to comment at all on the Carter Hart situation.”

Besides better goaltending, the Flyers need Cam York to blossom and take on a major role. 

Jones acknowledged that the defenseman had a disappointing year and said he thinks his game will “come back into a place it was two years ago.

“Last year wasn’t a great year for him, but I do believe he’s going to be a big part of our blueline.” 

The Flyers have missed the playoffs for five straight years, equalling their longest drought in franchise history. Making the playoffs this season isn’t the main priority. Trending in the right direction is their main focus.

“I feel really good that we’re going to have a successful year,” Hilferty said. “How I define a successful year… is not necessarily making the playoffs, although that would be great as the fan in me, but just to see improvement throughout the year in our younger players and (see) that competitive edge continue to grow.”

He said the rebuild was about a “patient approach, growing it though the draft, and making sure we don’t jump ahead of ourselves and that we get get our cap space in a good place. I feel really good about where we’re headed … and I’m excited about coach (Rick) Tocchet coming in.”

The fans seem to have bought into the plan as, according to Hilferty, 90 percent of them renewed their season tickets.

“I said this to the players the other day. ‘We want to build a culture of sustainable excellence, not just a shot next year and it falls off afterward,’ ” Hilferty said.

NHL Anticipates Eligibility Update On Hart, Formenton, Dube, Foote And McLeod In 'Near Future'Nearly seven weeks have passed since the five players involved in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault trial were found not guilty on all charges. And yet, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote and Dillon Dube continue to remain ineligible to return to the NHL.

Breakaways

Jones reiterated that Foerster, recovering from an elbow infection, will be ready for the start of the season, and he said goalie Aleksei Kolosov is expected to be in Voorhees when veteran camp opens on Sept. 18. … A couple dozen Flyers were on the ice Wednesday, including Michkov, Zegras, Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny. … Rookie camp starts Thursday in Voorhees at 11 a.m. and is expected to highlight winger Alex Bump, 21, a Minnesota native who is a contender to make the team.  The camp is free and open to the public.

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.

The Hockey News Big Show discusses some of the biggest topics going on in the NHL and beyond right now, with Ryan Kennedy reporting from the player media tour in Las Vegas.

NHL Player Media Tour’s Biggest Standouts by The Big Showundefined

Here’s what Katie Gaus, Michael Traikos and Ryan Kennedy discussed in this episode:

1:20: What is Quinn Hughes saying about Jack Hughes mentioning he wants to play with his older brother?

6:50: What did Ryan hear from Sidney Crosby? Are there any potential trade destinations if Crosby does eventually decide to look elsewhere?

12:00: What was Crosby saying about Macklin Celebrini? What is Celebrini’s potential to get on the Olympic team?

14:00: How much does Celebrini going to the World Championship affect his chances of making the Olympic squad?

16:05: Victor Hedman gave a cheeky quote about the Florida Panthers at the tour. What are the chances the Tampa Bay Lightning upset the Panthers this year?

20:00: Linus Ullmark called for video review from the goaltender’s view regarding goalie interference. Do you agree or disagree? 

24:00: What can the Nashville Predators do to bounce back this season?

27:20: Do we like Cale Makar's idea for a new defensive award?

30:30: NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly gave updates on the new CBA.

35:40: What’s your favorite NHL player media tour interview of all-time?

38:10: Is Dustin Wolf’s new seven-year contract extension a boom or a bust?

40:30: Aleksander Barkov and tennis star Bianca Andreescu are part-owners of a pro pickleball team. What other athlete duos would you like to see co-own a sports team?

42:25: Thoughts on the CHL not issuing passes to college hockey coaches to get into buildings?

43:35: Glow in the dark jerseys: yay or nay?

Watch the full Episode here 

Subscribe to The Hockey News Big Show on your preferred platform

Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov has declined a historic contract extension, potentially setting the stage for free agency and making him a possible target for the Red Wings next offseason. 

One of the biggest stars in the sport of hockey Kirill Kaprizov made headlines on Wednesday when it was revealed that the Russian superstar turned down the biggest contract in NHL history. The reported extension was for a record-breaking eight years, $128 million with a cap hit at $16 million per season.

Sources say #mnwild superstar Kirill Kaprizov’s camp turned down an extension offer believed to be 8-years, $128 million in a meeting on Tuesday in Minnesota that would have made him the highest-paid player in #NHL history in both AAV ($16 million) and total dollars.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) September 10, 2025

Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin and team owner Craig Leipold have both been vocal about their desire to keep the 28-year-old winger and he could be using it to his advantage.

Knowing they are willing to pay whatever he asks for, Kaprizov could continue to draw out the extension talks and force Guerin's hand. If Kaprizov follows in the footsteps of Connor McDavid, he too could be looking to leave for a more bonified contender. Kaprizov has never been apart of a playoff series win in his career and the Wild as a whole haven't won a series since 2015. 

Few teams will be able to accommodate a contract that is Kaprizov-sized at $16+ million per season while also being in the conversation of being a contender or playoff team with one of them being the Detroit Red Wings. Depending on roster moves, Detroit GM Steve Yzerman could have up to $24 million in cap space to play with next season, making him able to take a big swing at a big ticket free agent. 

The Red Wings have been a few points outside of the playoff picture in each of the last three years as they currently ride a nine-year playoff drought. Adding a player like McDavid would be tall order but Kaprizov could see a perfect fit. He would be able to perfectly slide into the top line alongside Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, could take a larger contract than most teams are willing to give and could be the final piece in a playoff team that could go on a deep run. 

Detroit would also have money left over to help bring in another defender as their defense has been a point of weakness in recent years and could give extensions to veteran winger Patrick Kane and to breakout defenseman from last season, Simon Edvinsson. The Red Wings also have several prospects in the minors on the verge of making the jump to the NHL and could work as another argument for Kaprizov in that the franchise is moving in the right direction for the future.

Red Wings’ Alleged Interest in Former Norris Trophy Winner Refuses to Go AwayWhile the Detroit Red Wings were among the more active teams in free agency this summer, none of their acquisitions can realistically be considered a major addition. 

Potential 2026-27 Lineup with Kirill Kaprizov:

Kirill Kaprizov - Dylan Larkin - Lucas Raymond

Carter Mazur  - Marco Kasper - Alex DeBrincat

Michael Rasmussen - Nate Danielson - Patrick Kane

Andrew Copp - J.T. Compher - Mason Appleton

-

Simon Edvinsson - Moritz Seider

Niko Mikkola (Free Agent) - Albert Johansson 

Shai Buium - Axel Sandin-Pellikka

-

John Gibson - Sebastian Cossa

Sandin Pellikka Ranked 21st in Controversial NHL Network Top 25 Prospects ListRed Wings prospect Axel Sandin Pellikka mentioned in controversial prospect rankings list made by NHL Network. 

The Buffalo Sabres should be in the market for an impact top-six forward after dealing winger JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth for defenseman Michael Kesselring and winger Josh Doan. The opening weeks of free agency did not provide GM Kevyn Adams with an opportunity to replace Peterka’s production, and with the two-year deal signed last month with defenseman Bowen Byram, Adams will have to try to acquire a scoring forward with younger players, prospects, and/or draft picks. With just a few weeks before training camp, the odds are that an addition like that will have to happen during the season. 

Nashville forward Luke Evangelista is in a similar predicament to Peterka prior to the trade in June. Selected eight picks after the former Sabre in 2020, the 23-year-old winger was a scoring star with the London Knights in 2022, and after half a season in the AHL, jumped up to the NHL at 21 years old. He scored 16 goals in his first full season with the Preds two years ago, but as with most things in Music City, the young winger regressed last season in the final year of his entry-level contract, scoring 32 points (10 goals, 22 assists) in 68 games.  

Other Sabres Stories

Projecting Sabres Trade Cost - Lawson Crouse 

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

Evangelista has still not signed a deal with the Predators, who went on a wild spending spree last summer with the signings of Steven Stamkos, Brady Skjei, and Jonathan Marchessault, but this recent offseason, they were more conservative, adding blueliners Nick Perbix and Nic Hague. Based on his past two seasons, the Sabres could sign the Toronto native to a two-year bridge deal, similar to what Jack Quinn agreed to, to see if he can take a step forward and into a top-six role. 

What Would It Cost?

The Predators are loaded with draft capital over the next two seasons, and would likely be looking for a player who could step into the NHL in place of Evangelista. Adams could be attracted to the winger as an acquisition, as he is four years away from hitting unrestricted free agency and would likely cost at or below the $3.375 million AAV that Quinn signed for early in the summer. A player such as Isak Rosen, looking for a clearer avenue to the NHL, might make sense for both clubs. . 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo