Category: Sports News

Milwaukee Admirals center Fedor Svechkov (40) skates away after a drill during practice Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. © Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Like everyone else associated with the Nashville Predators, Fedor Svechkov is doing his best to put the 2024-25 season behind him.

Easier said than done, especially since he was asked about it Thursday during media availability following the first day of practice.

“What happened last year? I don’t remember,” the 22-year-old Russian center said.

His response may have been tongue-in-cheek, but he made his point. Like everyone else on the roster, Svechkov is ready to move forward.

The disappointing season can hardly be blamed on Svechkov. After being called up from the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals in November, he put up eight goals and nine assists for 17 points in 52 games. He spent most of the time in the bottom six, but showed flashes of his two-way skillset that impressed the Predators enough to make him the 19th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.

Before his call-up, Svechkov put up 12 points (5-7-12) in 13 games with Milwaukee. After the Predators failed to qualify for the playoffs, he went back to the Admirals and collected eight points (4-4-8) in 10 post-season games.

More will be expected of Svechkov this coming season. General manager Barry Trotz has hinted he would like to see Svechkov eventually become the No. 2 center behind Ryan O’Reilly.

Quite a jump for a player who is still learning English and adjusting to the NHL. Fortunately, he appears to be staying in the moment.

“Today was the first practice,” Svechkov said Thursday. “I think I worked well. That’s all I can control and all I can do, so I’m not thinking about role and stuff.”

During the Predators’ first scrimmage on Friday, Svechkov was paired on a line with Steven Stamkos and Joakim Kemell. While Stamkos’s production tailed off considerably last season, he could provide the veteran experience Svechkov would need to work his way into a top-six role.

During the off-season, Trotz talked with Svechkov about how to make the necessary mental adjustments that come with having success in the NHL. On Thursday, Svechkov indicated he’s working on both his English and consistency in his game.

“This is the most difficult league in the world, and I have to be ready for every game,” he said.

One of the weaknesses in Svechkov’s game early on in his NHL career is winning faceoffs. He won just 37% of them in 2024-25, a number that needs improvement if he is to assume the No. 2 center role.

Svechkov’s 12.5 shooting percentage was a demonstration of his superior shooting. That was emphasized more specifically on Apr. 8 when his wrister from the slot gave the Preds a 7-6 come-from-behind win in overtime against the New York Islanders.

The Predators did little to improve their center depth in the off-season, other than drafting Brady Martin fifth overall in the 2025 Draft. If head coach Andrew Brunette decides to move Stamkos to the wing, Erik Haula could slide in at center, giving the club more options.

Training camp has only just begun, and a lot needs to be sorted out on the Predators’ front line before the regular season gets underway. Svhechkov will get every opportunity to move into a bigger role; he just has to prove he’s ready for it.

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St. Louis Blues prospect Aleksanteri Kaskimaki took part in the opening pre-season game last night, continuing to make an impression on the coaching staff.

The 21-year-old had a positive rookie season in the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds, notching 11 goals and 34 points in 63 games, good enough for eighth in goals and sixth in points on the team.

Prior to the pre-season opening 2-1 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars, Kaskimaki was a force at the prospects tournament and continued to show off his high energy and skill in training camp. Against a Stars team which featured NHLers Mavrik Bourque, Alexander Petrovic, Nils Lundkvist, Sam Steel and Radek Faksa, Kaskimaki finished the game with a shot on goal and a hit in 16:55 of ice time. 

The young centermen skated on a line with Nathan Walker and Alexey Toropchenko, fitting in perfectly and helping the line win plenty of small ice puck battles. Kaskimaki's lone hiccup was on an ill-advised play in overtime that was intercepted in the middle of the ice on an outlet that led to Carbonneau's penalty.

Kaskimaki was involved in the Blues' only goal, moving the puck to Dylan Holloway behind the goal and then quickly getting to the front of the net. After Holloway sent the puck to Logan Mailloux, he fed it to Justin Carbonneau, who used Kaskimaki as a pass option to sneakily beat the Stars' goaltender.

There is plenty to like from Kaskimaki's overall game. He plays with a high pace, always looking to carry the puck through the neutral zone and initiate rush offense. Offensively, the 5-foot-11, 181-pound center uses deception and his hands to create shooting chances. He likes to use the defender's legs to his advantage, sliding the puck through their legs with different release points in an attempt to change the angle and confuse the goaltenders. 

He found success with it in Liiga, Finland's top professional league, before the jump to North American hockey, recording 10 goals and 17 points in 48 games as a 19-year-old. 

The 2022 third-round pick (73rd overall) possesses several NHL-translatable skills. His skill set screams successful bottom-six player, and with some more time to refine his game in the AHL, Kaskimaki could be one of the many players who earn a call-up to the NHL sometime this season or next. 

"Kaskimaki is one of my ... I saw him at the World Junior in Sweden. There's something about that player that attracts me to him," said GM Doug Armstrong in the exit interviews following the Blues' elimination from the playoffs. "His detail. He reminds me a lot of, I hate putting comparisons out because I get held to it, but not the offense of Alex Steen; he doesn't have that offense yet, might never have that offense, but he has that understanding of the game, understanding the important times of the game, where important ice is, how to get to it. I saw that when he represents his national team. He's a guy if does what he's supposed to do, I see him getting games next year. If he does what he's supposed to do and has a great training camp, he could start with us."

Making the team is certainly a long shot, but Kaskimaki is off to a flying start in showing that he is more NHL-ready than some may believe. 

The NHL pre-season has officially arrived this weekend as another season approaches. Not only is pre-season a great time for coaches and management to test out line combinations and review their roster, but it’s a great time for the NHL and the teams to try new things.

Games have started to be held in neutral venues, where neither team participating in the pre-season outing is considered the home team. Other games will be held nearby at the home arena of an AHL affiliate, just outside of the big city.

This season, the NHL has scheduled several contests to be played at neutral sites.

Colorado Avalanche vs Utah Mammoth, Magness Arena

The first neutral-site pre-season game is between the Utah Mammoth and Colorado Avalanche on Sunday. This game will be held at Magness Arena in Denver. While the location is still technically home for Colorado, this isn’t Ball Arena.

Magness Arena was opened in 1999 and is home to the University of Denver in the NCAA. The University of Denver’s hockey program, the Denver Pioneers, have been a force for the last 10 years, earning three NCAA championships in 2024, 2022 and 2017. 

The University of Denver is also known for its gymnastics program, as it hosted the NCAA Region Gymnastics Championships five times at Magness Arena.

Anaheim Ducks vs Los Angeles Kings, Toyota Arena

Toyota Arena in Ontario, Calif., will host state rivals the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings on Sunday. Toyota Arena is the home of the AHL’s Ontario Reign, the affiliate team of the Kings. This venue is about a 50-minute drive west to the Kings’ Crypto.com Arena. 

This is the second straight year that the Ducks take on the Kings in a pre-season affair at Toyota Arena. Los Angeles won that game 3-2 with two goals from Alex Laferriere and one from captain Anze Kopitar.

The Kings are participating in the most pre-season games held at neutral sites, with the game against Anaheim being one of three.

Calgary Flames vs Vancouver Canucks, Abbotsford Centre

Just like the Kings, the Vancouver Canucks will play in the home of the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, their affiliate club. Vancouver will take on the Calgary Flames at Abbotsford Centre in a pre-season clash on Wednesday.

The Abbotsford Canucks are coming off a Calder Cup championship. They didn’t get to hoist the Cup in the Abbotsford Centre, but it was the first championship for the franchise since they moved to Abbotsford in 2021.

Philadelphia Flyers vs Washington Capitals, Giant Center

On Thursday, the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals will face off at Giant Center in Hershey, Pa. This is another AHL home, which belongs to the Hershey Bears of the Washington Capitals organization.

Since the opening of the arena in October 2002, Giant Center has seen plenty of success from the Bears. Hershey has won five Calder Cups in that span, including back-to-back championships in 2023 and 2024, making it the home of one of the most storied franchises in AHL hockey.

Anaheim Ducks vs Los Angeles Kings, Dignity Health Arena

The Ducks and Kings are back at it again on the 27th, this time at Dignity Health Arena in Bakersfield, Calif. This is the home arena of the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. However, they aren’t the affiliates of the Kings or Ducks.

The Condors are the AHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers. The distance between the two cities is nearly 1,300 miles, one of the longest distances between an NHL team and their AHL affiliate.

New Jersey Devils vs Ottawa Senators, Videotron Centre

On the 28th, the New Jersey Devils will take on the Ottawa Senators in a venue that is home to the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL. The Videotron Centre in Quebec City is a relatively new arena, as it opened in September 2015.

Quebec City hasn’t seen competitive NHL hockey in a long time. While it has hosted a handful of pre-season games in the past, it’s been 30 years since the Quebec Nordiques were the talk of the town as the city’s beloved NHL team. 

In The Hockey News’ pre-season fan survey, Quebec City was voted as the most deserving city for NHL expansion.

Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning, Kia Center

Kia Center will host the Battle of Florida between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. This arena was opened in 2010 as the Amway Center, before it was renamed to the Kia Center in 2023.

The Kia Center is home to three teams. The NBA’s Orlando Magic, the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears - affiliate of the Lightning - and the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League.

Montreal Canadiens vs Ottawa Senators, Videotron Centre

The Ottawa Senators are back in the Videotron Centre on the 30th, but this time they match up with the Montreal Canadiens. This could be an attractive matchup for fans in the Quebec City area, as both teams participating have the largest French-speaking population.  

Another fact about Quebec City and the Videotron Centre is that they’ll be the hosts of the IIHF’s 2027 Women’s World Championship and the 2029 World Junior Championship.

Los Angeles Kings vs Utah Mammoth, Idaho Central Arena

The final neutral venue for the 2025-26 NHL pre-season will be the Idaho Central Arena. This will be the third neutral site for the Kings and the second for the Mammoth of this campaign.

The Idaho Central Arena is in Boise, Idaho and is home to the Idaho Steelheads. The Steelheads, affiliate of the Dallas Stars, are entering their 18th season in the ECHL and have played in this arena since 1997.

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