Category: Sports News

The Hockey News Big Show is here to discuss the biggest topics as the NHL off-season is well underway.

How Many 2025 NHL Draft Picks Could Immediately Make The Jump? by The Big Showundefined

Here’s what Michael Traikos, Ryan Kennedy and Drew Shore discussed in this episode:

01:30: Are hockey’s enforcers the same off the ice as on the ice?

04:00: Gavin McKenna commits to Penn State. What does it mean for the junior hockey and NCAA landscape? For Drew, what was it like playing college hockey?

06:55: Does college hockey benefit players more than major junior?

09:00: Is the NCAA more difficult than the WHL?

11:30: The Edmonton Oilers traded Sam O’Reilly to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Isaac Howard. Thoughts?

14:30: Where do we see Howard playing? Is it OK when young players call their shots and refuse to sign with the team that drafted them? Why didn't Howard want to play for the Lightning? 

16:40: What was Drew’s experience like in rookie and development camps?

18:30: Are there any surprises from the NHL’s summer development camps?

21:00: Summer training: what are the early summer routines like? How long after a season ended should someone start to train? What’s the diet like? What kind of gym work happens?

23:00: Would Drew be on the ice constantly in the off-season?

25:30: How much did Drew’s diet change in the off-season?

28:40: How many players from the 2025 draft could go straight to the NHL?

32:45: What makes you able to tell if players are ready for the NHL level right away?

35:00: Who's the best UFA still on the market?

40:00: In honor of the Nittany Lions signing McKenna, what's your favorite NCAA mascot name?

42:00: What's the best summer food?

42:55: Yay or nay: kids playing organized hockey in the summer

Watch the full Episode here 

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Last off-season, the Chicago Blackhawks went on a shopping spree in free agency. They added an array of veteran players, including Teuvo Teravainen, Tyler Bertuzzi, TJ Brodie, Alec Martinez, Craig Smith, and Pat Maroon, in hopes of taking a step forward in their rebuild. 

However, Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson had a different game plan when it came to July 1 this year. Instead of using their high amount of cap space to bring in new talent, the Blackhawks were incredibly quiet in free agency, only signing depth forward Dominic Toninato to a two-year, two-way contract.

During a recent episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman revealed that the Blackhawks were not very happy with how last season went with some of their veteran additions, so they went in a different direction this year in free agency. 

"They weren't exactly thrilled with how things went last year with some of their vets, and I think they just decided 'we're not going to do that again,'" Friedman said about the Blackhawks. "So, I'm not surprised they were pretty quiet."

Friedman then noted that the Blackhawks aren't a club that the NHL's top free agents will sign with as they continue to build their roster.

"I can understand why the Blackhawks did not want to repeat what happened a year ago. The best free agents, they aren't going there right now. They aren't going there right now. So, you're not going to sit there and say we're making some of the same mistakes we thought we had a year ago."

With this, it is understandable that the Blackhawks took a more conservative approach with free agency this year. This is especially so when noting that this year's free agency class was notably weaker. In addition, the Blackhawks have several impressive prospects who should be competing for spots on the NHL roster in training camp.

Nevertheless, it is going to be fascinating to see how the Blackhawks perform next season after their quiet off-season from here. 

NHL Rumors: Blackhawks Should Target Top Free Agent LeftThe Chicago Blackhawks currently have over $22 million of cap space to work with. Because of this, they are in a prime position to add to their roster, and one area that they could look to improve before the season is here is their forward group. 

Photo Credit: © David Kirouac-Imagn Images

LAS VEGAS -- Golden Knights star Jack Eichel knows what it means to leave an organization and city that brought you into the NHL, and then having to start over in a brand-new city.

Which is why the 2015 second overall pick is more than willing to lend a hand with the newest Golden Knight, Mitch Marner, who arrived last week via a sign-and-trade deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Marner, an area native of Toronto, was taken by the Maple Leafs two picks after Eichel in the same draft.

"Having went through the situation of leaving an organization in the city and having a fresh start in Vegas, I think I can relate, to a point, to some of the things he's going through," Eichel said. "I think he's obviously had his own situation, and however that ended, I'm sure he's super excited to have a fresh start and be in a place like Vegas, and I know he'll excel.

"I'm looking forward to continuing to get to know him and then getting the opportunity to play with him."

Eichel spoke to The Hockey News via phone call Tuesday, discussing the Marner acquisition, his summer vacation on the East Coast, preparation for the 2025-26 campaign, and looking forward to returning with a fresh mindset in September.

During the "Leaf Morning Take" podcast, Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said it's hard to predict if Eichel and Marner will end up on the same line, but he is looking forward to seeing the two when camp opens in September.

"There needs to be chemistry, first of all," Cassidy said. "And there might be some automatically, and there might be none, you never know. They're going to get an opportunity at some point, whether it's early on or later, to play together. Because you want to see what it looks like.

"Mark Stone was up there with Jack last year, pretty good hockey player, right? So we have (Tomas) Hertl, we have (William) Karlsson, so (Marner's) going to get a good center, and what's the best fit where he can play his game? I'll say this about Jack and Mitch, they're probably both distributors first, so it'll be interesting to see if they do play together. And I'm sure they will in situations, even if they're not in the same line, and see how that works out if one of them becomes more of a shooter. But those questions will all get answered as we go along."

Said Eichel: "Obviously, incredible signing in addition to our team, world-class player and somebody whose game I really admire and respect. Somebody who can create so much and do so much in different areas of the game. Had some brief conversations with Mitch, and everyone that I've spoken to that knows him, that's been around him, has the best of things to say about him. So we're super excited to have him in Vegas."

With training camp still a couple of months out, Eichel said his summer vacation at home in Massachusetts has been nothing short of relaxing.

"It's been good," he said. "I mean, it's always nice to be able to come home and see some friends and some family and catch up.

"Obviously, the season is a whirlwind and you're constantly in the mode of preparing for the next game and trying to put your efforts towards winning hockey. In the offseason, I think it's just a little bit of a mental reset, given the time and demand of the season. Give your body a rest, and then get back to training and figure out what you want to try and do to improve yourself and come back in good shape."

Outside of spending time with family and friends, breathing in life off the ice, Eichel said he hasn't done anything special or out of the ordinary in the gym during the offseason, but has stuck to a regimen that will have him ready for the start of camp in September.

"I think it's about being consistent and then obviously finding ways or things that you want to try and improve on in your body, and something that will help you respond better on the ice," he said. "So, for me, it's always been the simple things. You want to lift weights, you want to try and get some running in, obviously keep your conditioning and cardio at a good point, and just try and give yourself the opportunity to feel as good as you can on the ice. I don't really think that there's necessarily a special sauce. It's more so, for me, about consistency."

Eichel is coming off his best season, which saw him register career-bests in points (94) and assists (66). The 28-year-old earned his fourth All-Star bid, and finished fifth in voting for both the Hart and Selke awards.

He also finished third in the voting for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, presented each year to the "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability."

His high character has been on display this week, with time dedicated toward community outreach, beginning Monday with Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy's second annual Cassidy Murray Golf Classic.

The event benefits the Cassidy Murray Foundation, named in honor of 13-year-old Cassidy Murray, who was killed in a water accident in Aruba in 2022. Cassidy Murray and Bruce Cassidy’s teenage daughter, Shannon, were classmates and best friends.

On Tuesday, the star center was in Vermont, making an appearance at a hockey camp.

Saturday, the fan favorite will captain a squad of current and former Golden Knights in the Battle For Vegas charity softball event at Las Vegas Ballpark.

Later this month his JE9 Hockey Camp will be held at City National Arena.

With most of the components in place and the Knights signing players almost daily, questions continue to revolve around a contract extension that could make Eichel the highest-paid player in franchise history.

Eichel, who helped deliver Vegas its first Stanley Cup in 2023, said it's the last thing he's worried about while enjoying his summer vacation.

"Obviously, happy in Vegas, the organization has been great to me," Eichel said. "I think that that stuff kind of takes care of itself, and I kind of worry more so about the things I can control and try to prepare for next season."

Many Seattle Kraken fans are excited to get to know Lane Lambert, the coach, for this upcoming NHL season, but did you know that Lambert had a lengthy career as a right-handed center in his playing days? Let's take a look at Lane Lambert, the player, before we get a chance to see Lane Lambert, the coach, in the next few months.

Lambert was born in Melfort, Saskatchewan in Canada in 1964. He began his junior career in 1980 with the Swift Current Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, scoring 97 points in 55 games. After that standout season, he signed to play in the Western Hockey League with the Saskatoon Blades notching an impressive 237 points in 136 games between two seasons. Lambert was also was very familiar with the penalty box, serving a total of 237 penalty minutes in those two years.

The Detroit Red Wings selected Lambert in the 2nd round of the 1983 NHL Draft. The 25th overall pick shared the draft stage with Hall-of-Famers such as Pat LaFontaine, Cam Neely, and Steve Yzerman. In addition, fellow head coach Bruce Cassidy, who is currently the head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, was also drafted in 1983, by the Chicago Blackhawks.

Lambert Immediately started playing for the Red Wings in the fall of 1983, where he spent two full and one partial seasons. In his Red Wings tenure, he scored 65 points (36 goals and 29 assists). Lambert also racked up 349 penalty minutes in 176 games, mostly due to fighting. In his first three NHL seasons, he dropped the gloves a total of 37 times.

The 1986-87 season saw Lambert start on the New York Rangers roster, playing only 18 games, before being traded to the Quebec Nordiques where he played the remainder of the season and until 1989. In his time with the Nordiques, he recorded 55 points and 139 penalty minutes in 89 total games. 1989 would be the last season that Lambert would play in the NHL.

Between 1989 and 1996, Lambert played overseas primarily in Germany for Duesseldorf EG and Switzerland for Ajoie HC and Langnau SC, with an additional 58 games for the Canadian National Team.

From 1996 and 2001, Lambert played the remainder of his pro career in the International Hockey League, splitting time with the Cleveland Lumberjacks and Houston Aeros. In 1999, he helped the Aeros win the Turner Cup which was the IHL championship trophy at the time. Once he was done playing, he quickly turned to coaching, starting as an assistant coach with the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors in 2002.

Even though Lambert is well past his playing days, he still has quite a bit in the tank as a coach. We look forward to seeing the energy and competitiveness he brings to the bench this upcoming season as the Kraken look to rebound from last year.

Related

Video: Lane Lambert Officially Introduced As Kraken Head Coach — “Felt Like Joining a Family”

Lambert featured photo by - via hockeydb.com

Lambert hero photo by - via Detroit Free Press

The Colorado Avalanche are today’s focus in an NHL off-season series examining each team’s prospect pool.

Tony Ferrari digs into the Avalanche’s strengths and weaknesses, latest draft class, positional depth chart and next player in line for an NHL opportunity. A player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer a prospect for these exercises.

Initial Thoughts

I’m not going to sugarcoat things. The Avalanche have one of the most barren prospect pools in all of hockey. 

They traded their one high-end prospect at the deadline this past year when they acquired Brock Nelson, sending Calum Ritchie to the New York Islanders. They recently acquired Gavin Brindley in a trade that saw Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood head to the Columbus Blue Jackets. That helped, but it’s not nearly enough.

Brindley is a fantastic middle-six prospect who brings a high-end motor and some impressive skill. He’s always been questioned because of his stature, but he’s never let that get in the way of his ability to make a positive impact. He struggled in his first full AHL season, but he was constantly using his speed and tenacity to get involved. His style of play should fit right in with the Avs’ top players.

Oskar Olausson’s time to prove himself is getting shorter, as the speedy Swede hasn’t found his footing in the AHL. The 22-year-old has shown himself to be an excellent transition player and a decent playmaker, but he hasn’t found a way to consistently impact the game offensively. Olausson is a good shooter, skilled passer and a decisive puckhandler. He has all of the tools, but he hasn’t figured out how to leverage them in the North American game. 

The Avalanche have a bit more promise on the back end. 

Mikhail Gulyayev is a potential impact player, with high-end skating and some nice puck-moving as a passer. Gulyayev plays the game with a ton of speed, and he could be a valuable depth offensive blueliner for the Avs one day. His KHL contract runs through this season so we could see him make the jump at the end of the year. His defensive game needs a bit of work, but he’s a fun player to watch. 

One of the Avs’ most promising defensive prospects, Sean Behrens, missed all of this past season with a knee injury he suffered during a practice scrimmage in October. Behrens has been a very successful defender who plays a sound two-way game and uses his skating to take the puck away. A healthy season will go a long way, but we may not see Behrens at full strength until the latter half of the season. 

Tory Pitner played his freshman season at the University of Denver and registered just one assist, but his game has always been centered on the defensive side of the puck. His best shifts are when the opposing team can’t get anything going, and Pitner closes lanes down and uses an intelligent stick to kill momentum. He’s not a fun player to watch, but coaches love a no-nonsense defender.

2025 NHL Draft Class

Round 3, 77th overall - Francesco Dell'Elce, D, UMass-Amherst (NCAA)

Round 4, 118th overall - Linus Funck, D, Lulea Jr. (Swe.)

Round 7, 214th overall - Nolan Roed, C, Tri-City (USHL)

In the third round, Colorado picked Francesco Dell’Elce, a 20-year-old defender from UMass. He had a unique path, going from prep school in his original draft year to the BCHL and then the NCAA this past season. Dell’Elce has always had an offensive touch, using his skating to escape and open lanes against forecheckers, but he’s never been truly elite, which has held him back. The Avalanche made an interesting swing on a late bloomer. 

In the fourth round, Colorado took a bet on a big, Swedish blueliner who has shown some flashes of puckhandling and passing ability that could translate to the next level. In Funck’s own end, he is more of a stick-checker than a player who takes the body. He dislodges the puck, jumps on it and makes a quick first pass. He isn’t quite dynamic enough to be a big offensive performer, but he has the tools to be a solid, defensively focused transition defender. 

After splitting 2023-24 between high school and the United States League, Nolan Roed garnered some NHL attention as a draft-plus-one forward who put up almost a point per game for the Tri-City Storm. He’s heading to St. Cloud State next season, and his game will be tested there. His offense comes from being an off-puck complementary player to his linemates. Roed times play well and gets into pockets at the right moment. It will be interesting to see how his NCAA campaign goes in the fall.

Strengths

Most teams have at least one area of strength. The Avalanche have a couple of nice prospects, but calling any one position or any group of prospects a true strength is being too optimistic. 

For the most part, Colorado’s best prospects play Avs-style hockey. Brindley, Gulyayev and Olausson are all high-pace speedy players. Having a type and sticking to it is important. The Avalanche, at the very least, do that when they can. 

Weaknesses

While you could realistically say everything is a weakness, the Avs don’t have any players who realistically have a chance of playing center at the next level. 

A few players are listed as centers, but they are long shots to play, and if they do, they’ll likely move to the wing. Max Curran, Christian Humphreys and Nolan Roed are all potentially centers, but the upside is quite low. 

The Avs have no centers in the system if we're being blunt. Losing Ritchie at the deadline in March took away their top prospect and their lone center prospect. 

Hidden Gem: Mikhail Gulyayev, D

Just about every prospect in the Avalanche’s pipeline could be considered a hidden gem, but Gulyayev plays in the KHL, and he doesn’t get the love some of the top players from that league get because he doesn’t rack up an insane amount of points. That said, he’s a gifted skater and a puck-mover. The Avs thrive with defenders who can make plays on the back end and evade pressure. Gulyayev might be the next man up in that line.

Next Man Up: Gavin Brindley, RW

Colorado doesn’t have anyone who is immediately ready to jump into the lineup, but Brindley could make the most immediate impact if he’s called up. His speed and energy could bring some value to the bottom six, or he could be used in spots in the top six. He has the requisite skill, but he just needs a bit of time to adjust after a middling AHL rookie year. Brindley has the highest upside of any forward they have in the system, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to jump into the NHL. 

Prospect Depth Chart Notables

LW: Nikita Prishchepov, Christian Humphreys, Cooper Gay, Chase Bradley, Taylor Makar

C: Max Curran, Nolan Roed

RW: Gavin Brindley, Oskar Olausson

LD: Sean Behrens, Mikhail Gulyayev, Francesco Dell’Elce, Saige Weinstein, 

RD: Tory Pitner, Linus Funck, Nikita Ishimnikov

G: Ilya Nabokov, Ivan Yunin, Louka Cloutier

For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook and Future Watch editions of The Hockey News in print.