Category: Sports News

Since the 2003 Heritage Classic, outdoor games have become a yearly event, happening multiple times over in the NHL. 

Nearly every NHL team has had the opportunity to play in an outdoor game over the last 22 years, including the Nashville Predators twice at the 2020 Winter Classic against the Dallas Stars at the Cotton Bowl and the 2022 Stadium Series against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Nissan Stadium. 

With Bristol Motor Speedway, located four hours east of Nashville in Bristol, Tennessee, hosting its first MLB game against the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds on Saturday, there is the potential that the NHL could be next to host a game inside the nearly 150,000-seat venue. 

In an X/Twitter post by Sports Business Journal's Adam Stern, NHL officials will be in Bristol on Saturday to check out the venue, as Speedway Motorsports wants to bring NHL games and WWE events to Bristol. 

Depending on the rink's layout, a game at Bristol could potentially set a record for the most attended game in league history.

Professional sports at Bristol are nothing new, as the venue has a long history.

It has hosted an NFL game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins in 1961. 

In 2013, it hosted two college football games between Tennessee and Virginia Tech and East Tennessee State and Western Carolina.

The record belongs to the 2014 Winter Classic between the Detroit Red Wings and Michigan Wolverines, which was held at Michigan Stadium and had a crowd of 105,491. Saturday's setup for the MLB Speedway Classic is expected to sell over 85,000 tickets. 

A NHL game at the Speedway would also mark the first time a game would be played inside a motorsports venue, the majority of outdoor games have been played at football and baseball stadiums. 

When it comes to the teams that would potentially participate in an outdoor game at Bristol, the Predators would be a clear first choice. Not only are they the closest to the venue, but they would likely have the highest fan contingency. 

It would be the Predators third outdoor game. 

The next most likely regional option would be the Carolina Hurricanes. Not only is it another team located within the Southeast, but the North Carolina border is less than 40 miles from Bristol. You'd get a true Southern Showdown between these two teams in an iconic venue. 

The matchup would be the Hurricanes' second outdoor games, with their first being the 2023 Stadium Series at NC State's Carter-Finley Stadium. 

As of Saturday, the NHL has not made any public comments on whether or not they'd like to host an outdoor game at Bristol.

This season's Winter Classic will be held at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa between the Lightning and Boston Bruins on Jan. 1. The Stadium Series is also in Florida, between the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers on Feb. 1 at LoanDepot Park in Miami. 

 

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Nick Robertson avoided a Sunday arbitration hearing involving the NHL and NHLPA by signing a one-year contract on Saturday.

The deal, worth $1.825 million, leaves the Maple Leafs with about $1.1 million in cap space.

Robertson was the NHL's last RFA with an arbitration hearing scheduled who hadn't re-signed. In 69 games last season, the 23-year-old recorded 15 goals and seven assists.

Last year, Robertson and the Leafs waited until Sept. 10 to agree on a one-year deal worth $875,000. He gets a raise of $950,000. 

On Friday, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the Maple Leafs looked for $1.2 million on Robertson's next contract, while the player's camp filed for $2.25 million.

All Arbitration Cases Are Done With No Hearings

In early July, 11 NHL RFAs filed for arbitration, while two players were subject to team-elected arbitration.

All those players and teams would have had an arbitration hearing where they each submitted what they thought the RFA should get. The player's camp, with the NHLPA, then argues why they think they deserve the bigger raise, while the team, with the NHL, argues why that player is not worth that much. An independent arbitrator would have then awarded a contract.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman described the experience of an arbitration hearing in 2023.

"I definitely don't wish it upon any of my friends and teammates moving forward, and I don't want to do it ever again as well," he told reporters. 

The 13 players in total avoided what could have been a tense hearing by getting a deal done. Here are those re-signings:

- Jack McBain, C, Utah Mammoth (team-elected): five years, $4.25-million cap hit. Read more

- Bowen Byram, D, Buffalo Sabres (team-elected): two years, $6.25-million cap hit. Read more

- Morgan Barron, C, Winnipeg Jets: two years, $1.85-million cap hit. Read more

- Lukas Dostal, G, Anaheim Ducks: five years, $6.5-million cap hit. Read more

- Drew Helleson, D, Anaheim Ducks: two years, $1.1-million cap hit. Read more

- Gabriel Vilardi, C, Winnipeg Jets: six years, $7.5-million cap hit. Read more

- Kaapo Kakko, RW, Seattle Kraken: three years, $4.525-million cap hit. Read more

- Maxim Tsyplakov, RW, New York Islanders: two years, $2.25-million cap hit. Read more

- Arvid Soderblom, G, Chicago Blackhawks: two years, $2.75-million cap hit. Read more

- Conor Timmins, D, Buffalo Sabres: two years, $2.2-million cap hit. Read more

- Jayden Struble, D, Montreal Canadiens: two years, $1,412,500 cap hit. Read more

- Dylan Samberg, D, Winnipeg Jets: three years, $5.75-million cap hit. Read more

- Nick Robertson, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs: one year, $1.825-million cap hit. Read more

What Comes Next?

Now that all the cases are over, a second buyout window will open for the teams that had players file for arbitration: the Ducks, Sabres, Blackhawks, Canadiens, Islanders, Kraken, Maple Leafs and Jets.

That 48-hour window is expected to open three days after the final arbitration case is settled. In this case, that would be on Tuesday.

Unlike the first buyout window, which lasted from 48 hours after the end of the playoffs to June 30, the second buyout window has more restrictions.

The only contracts eligible to be bought out in the second window must have a cap hit greater than $4 million and must have been on the team's roster at the last trade deadline, according to PuckPedia.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs and Nick Robertson have reportedly reached a settlement ahead of their arbitration case that was scheduled for Sunday.

According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, both sides agreed to a contract with a $1.825 million average annual value.

The Leafs confirmed it is a one-yeal deal. When a player elects for salary arbitration, the team can choose whether it would be a one or two-year deal, except in the case when the second year eats into the eligibility of unrestricted fee agency. Toronto could have opted for two years in Robertson's case.

According to Puckpedia.com, it's a one-year deal, which reduced the available cap space on Toronto's books to $1,107,222 based on a roster of 24 players.

Robertson was the last of the 11 player-elected salary arbitration cases in the NHL to be settled, thereby avoiding a hearing. On Friday, Friedman reported that the Leafs submitted comparables with an ask of $2.25 million while the team came in with $1.2 million. Had the case not been settled ahead of the hearing, an arbitrator would have had the final say on Robertson's compensation for the 2025-26 season.

Toronto Maple Leafs News and CommunityToronto Maple Leafs news, video, analysis and community on The Hockey News Follow all Leafs news at https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/

The deal gives Robertson a massive $950,000 raise from his 2024-25 salary. The player signed a one-year, $875,000 deal in September after a summer that included a trade request away from Toronto.

'He's Gone Through Some Stuff Here': Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving Excited to Have Nick Robertson BackA new coach and a clean slate await Nick Robertson who reports to Maple Leafs training camp next week.

Robertson established career highs in goals (15) and games (69) last season but was limited to just three of Toronto's 13 playoff games due to lineup decisions.

With star forward Mitch Marner departing the Leafs for the Vegas Golden Knights this summer, players like Robertson will be counted on to fill the void Marner leaves behind on a by-committee basis.

Drafted by the Leafs in the second round (53rd overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft, Robertson has 32 goals and 24 assists in 156 career games spread over five seasons. 

(Top image credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images)

Maple Leafs Risk Major Mistake If Nick Robertson Isn’t Signed Or Traded Before ArbitrationIt should come as no surprise that Nick Robertson’s pending player-elected arbitration case is the last of all cases this offseason to reach a conclusion. After all, Robertson’s tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs has undeniably been complicated. Drafted by the Maple Leafs in the second round (53rd overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft, his six years in Toronto have been filled with more downs than ups. Maple Leafs Forward Nick Robertson Files For Salary Arbitration, Timeline, Reasons And What’s Next?For the first time in his tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Nick Robertson has leverage. The forward filed for salary arbitration on Saturday, which allows a third party to decide his compensation for the upcoming season. 'The Puzzle Has Got To Come Into Play': Maple Leafs Not Rushing Contracts Of RFAs Nick Robertson And Pontus HolmbergWhile the talk of the town might be whether the Toronto Maple Leafs can sign John Tavares before July 1 rolls around, you cannot forget about their younger restricted free agents.

Kyle Davidson has done an excellent job drafting and developing as the Chicago Blackhawks' future looks very bright. In a projected top-100 drafted prospects ranking, the Blackhawks have the most prospects to appear with seven.

There are two teams with six prospects, the Washington Capitals and Nashville Predators, and then five teams with five prospects, including the Minnesota Wild, New York Islanders, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, and Utah Mammoth.

The seven prospects and where they sit are as follows - Artyom Levshunov (7), Anton Frondell (12), Sam Rinzel (26), Kevin Korchinski (62), Oliver Moore (71), Nick Lardis (83), and Sacha Boisvert (87).

Besides the Islanders with five in the top-50, the Blackhawks are tied with the Wild , Mammoth, Blues, and Capitals with three in the top-50.

Levshunov and Frondell are top-3 picks from the last two years and Levshunov will make an impact already next season. Frondell is soon to follow, but compared to some of the other top prospects, he isn't as offensive.

Rinzel was drafted 25th overall the same year Korchinski was taken seventh. Based on how Rinzel looked and the fact that he will be playing top minutes next season for Chicago while Korchinski might start in the AHL again, this flip and separation between the two makes a lot of sense.

While Korchinski may need a change in scenery to get the reps he needs to improve quicker, I think he is a bit too high in the rankings right now. Next season will tell a lot and is a big year for him and the decision the Blackhawks have to make.

Moore, Lardis, and Boisvert are in relatively good spots, with Moore just coming out of college and likely having a spot on the Blackhawks next season, Lardis stepping into pro after a 71 goal, 117 point season in junior, and Boisvert still in college.

There is no Marek Vanacker, Vaclav Nestrasil, Mason West, or Roman Kantserov on the list, but the Blackhawks are still hopeful for these higher draft picks and solid prospects they have.

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game day coverage, player features, and more.

There are important factors that go into every pick in the NHL draft. You’ve got the measurables like height and weight, intangibles like character and work rate, not to mention individual skill. However, there are often political reasons as well that could explain why players from some leagues, such as the QMJHL, aren’t selected as often as players from other leagues and vice versa.

Recently, on a Russian podcast, NHL player agent Dan Milstein broke the fourth wall on why teams like the Carolina Hurricanes draft as many Russians as they do. Surprisingly, it isn’t because their scouts enjoy the weather. 

After watching recent interviews with Dan Milstein @HockeyAgent1 , the agent for many Russian NHL players, I'm amazed by his simple yet brilliant explanation for why Carolina drafts so many Russian players. pic.twitter.com/bvHXJEcbqj

— Uggg (@Uggg_uggg) July 28, 2025

He explained that if a player is drafted to the NHL out of the OHL, WHL or QMJHL, teams have two years to sign them before losing their rights. In the NCAA, it is four years.

“That’s why teams, unfortunately, hand out three-year contracts to these kids at 19 to 20 years old,” Milstein explained in Russian. 

For players drafted out of Russia, however, the signing rights remain with the NHL team until age 27. That’s a huge difference.

Milstein said most drafted players won’t make the NHL in their first entry-level contract, resulting in the team paying out three years at the AHL rate of $85,000, or $255,000 total. 

Whereas if a player was drafted out of Russia, the team could save all that money by delaying signing the player until their age-24 season, when they should be close to making an immediate impact.

How Has The Method Fared?

Over the past six drafts, 40 percent of players Carolina has drafted (22 of 55) were selected out of Russian pro or junior leagues. Among them, only four have signed entry-level deals.

Despite playing just four games in the NHL, 2020 third-round pick Alexander Nikishin stands as the prime example of why this method has worked. Nikishin has been among the best defensemen in the KHL for the past three seasons, leading blueliners in points twice in that span.

However, detractors and Hurricanes fans would argue that, given his dominance at that level, he should’ve made the jump to the NHL sooner.

The other examples are less flattering. 

Gleb Trikozov, a 2022 second-rounder, has struggled to break into a full-time KHL role, leading to him signing with Carolina at 20. His rookie season was a nightmare, starting slow with three points over 20 games in the AHL before a lower-body injury took him out for the remainder of the season.

Alexander Pashin, a 2020 seventh-round pick, was signed at 21 in 2022-23, as he wasn’t able to break through as a KHL regular. Pashin and the Hurricanes agreed to a mutual contract termination after one AHL season, and he is now a prolific KHL scorer, however, his rights are no longer owned by the Hurricanes.

More recently, the Hurricanes signed their 2023 fifth-round pick, Ruslan Khazheyev, to a rookie deal, as the goaltender was not guaranteed pro minutes in Russia. He’s coming off an underwhelming rookie season in the AHL, posting a .876 save percentage through 30 games with the Chicago Wolves.

However, the Hurricanes still have some solid prospects in Russia, namely Semyon Frolov (2025 second round), Nikita Artamonov (2024 second round), Kurban Limatov (2025 third round), Alexander Rykov (2023 fourth round), Vladimir Grudinin (2022 fifth round) and Timur Kol (2024 sixth round).

As this is a money-saving method, the Hurricanes have theoretically saved $1.53 million by selecting the Russian-based players over CHL players. At the absolute most, over this span, the team can save up to $61.2 million assuming the 18 unsigned players do not sign until age 24, four years after CHL rights would otherwise expire.

The Future

For teams just learning about this strategy, they’ll be upset to know that rule changes confirmed in the next collective bargaining agreement will eliminate this loophole.

The new CBA, which goes into effect in 2026-27, will have NHL teams retain the signing rights of drafted players until the player turns 22, regardless of what country they were drafted out of.

While this change will effectively close this loophole, with enough time, teams will find new ways to exploit the new rules.

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With the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan fast approaching, national teams have begun announcing training camp rosters, and several New Jersey Devils players are in the mix.

For the first time since 2014, NHL players will officially participate in the Olympics. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed the news to NHL.com earlier this year:

“We are pleased to confirm that NHL players will be participating in the 2026 Olympic Games,” Bettman told NHL.com. “Olympic participation will showcase the skill and talent of NHL players on an international stage. We are proud to collaborate with the IIHF, NHLPA, and IOC to bring the best hockey players in the world to the Olympics and make this happen in a way that benefits the game globally.”

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Devils Already Locked In

Each participating country was allowed to name the first six players to their Olympic roster earlier this July. Five Devils have already secured their spots:

• Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, and Jonas Siegenthaler - Switzerland
• Ondrej Palat - Czechia
• Simon Nemec - Slovakia

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Canadian Devils Left Off Camp List

Hockey Canada recently released its 42-man orientation camp roster ahead of the Games. While stars like Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, and Cale Makar headline the list, no current or former Devils were invited, despite nine Canadian players on New Jersey's roster.

The NJ Devils team’s current national breakdown is:

• 36% Canadian
• 20% American
• 12% Swiss
• 8% Finnish
• 8% Russian
• 8% Swedish
• 4% Czech
• 4% Slovak

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Sweden: Bratt and Markstrom in the Mix

Two Devils are widely expected to represent Sweden:

• Jesper Bratt
• Jacob Markstrom

Despite not being named among Sweden’s first six roster players, both are projected by most analysts to make the final team. Bratt made a strong impression in the Four Nations Face-Off, though he’ll still need to earn a spot in final selections.

Markstrom’s case is more complex. He suffered a knee injury during the Four Nations tournament and didn’t appear in any games, which could impact his chances of being named Sweden’s starting goaltender.

While he’s never played in the Olympics, Markstrom has represented Sweden in both the IIHF World Championship and World Junior Championship, and has publicly said that playing in the Olympics is a lifelong dream.

He’s expected to compete for the starting role against:

• Filip Gustavsson (Minnesota Wild) – Started in the Four Nations tournament in Markstrom’s absence
• Linus Ullmark (Ottawa Senators)
• Samuel Ersson (Philadelphia Flyers) – Unlikely to make the Olympic roster

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What About Jack Hughes?

Team USA has yet to announce its Olympic camp roster, but it’s widely expected that Jack Hughes will be among those selected.

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Looking Ahead

Whether already selected or still competing for a spot, several New Jersey Devils are on track to represent their countries at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. With NHL talent returning to the Games, fans can expect a highly competitive, and star-studded, tournament.

Photo Credit: © David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Team Canada announced the 42 NHLers invited to its orientation camp for the upcoming Olympics in Milano Cortina on Friday, and the list includes three Montreal Canadiens. Of the three Habs invited, two weren’t part of the national team for the 4 Nations Face-Off: Nick Suzuki and Noah Dobson. Dobson did, however, play for Canada at the World Championships in May. The final Montreal player invited was Samuel Montembeaul, who acted as Canada’s third-string goalie at the 4 Nations.

What’s surprising, however, is the fact that out of the 42 players invited, only three are goaltenders. The netminding job sparked great debate ahead of the 4 Nations, with no one particularly standing out. In the end, the Canadian outfit elected to go with St. Louis Blues’ Jordan Binnington, Vegas Golden Knights’ Aidan Hill, and, of course, Montembeault.

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3 Canadiens Invited To Canada's 2026 Olympic Orientation Camp

Although Canada is no longer a major producer of goaltenders, 25 Canadian goaltenders played in the NHL last season. One would have expected the national team to keep the door open for alternates in case of injuries, at the very least.

Washington Capitals’ Logan Thompson could have been a viable option. Still, he was reportedly left off the 4 Nations roster because assistant coaches Bruce Cassidy and Peter DeBoer didn’t have a good experience with him in Vegas. Since they will both be part of the Olympics coaching team, the justification must be the same.

Los Angeles Kings’ 35-year-old netminder Darcy Kuemper could also have been a possibility. He started 50 games with the Californian outfit last season and posted a 31-11-7 record with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage.

Jet Greaves could also have been an intriguing alternative. The 24-year-old almost managed to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets to the playoffs last season when he joined them down the stretch. He only played 11 games, but had a 1.91 GAA and a .938 SV. Granted, he wasn’t exactly impressive when he joined the Cleveland Monsters for their playoff run in the AHL, but still.

In any case, the fact that only three goaltenders were invited is good news for the Canadiens’ masked man; he will get plenty of valuable experience by just going to the Olympics, even if he doesn’t get to see any action. The Becancour native was over the moon with his experience at the 4 Nations. Montembeault enjoyed practising with the best-of-the-best and facing shots from the likes of Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby every day.

Making the Olympics is a much more prestigious achievement than being selected for an NHL-created event, though, and Montembeault will be living the dream if he boards the plane to Milan Cortina in February.

Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

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The Golden Knights are responsible for the widespread attention to hockey to the Las Vegas desert, a place where the sport was once considered unlikely to thrive.

High School Hockey is alive and well in Las Vegas 🤩 #VegasBornpic.twitter.com/zaZ2bWfzKf

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) July 31, 2025

Unlike football, baseball, and basketball, hockey hasn’t traditionally been part of the high school athletics lineup in the area. As a result, young players who had aspirations of taking the ice had to do so in other ways, seeking out club teams, traveling leagues, or settling with never competing at all. That changed this past April, the Knights crafted a league accessible for high school athletes across the Las Vegas Valley to practice, showcase, and compete in a structured system. 

The league featured over 320 high school-aged players spread out among 16 co-ed teams, each representing their areas of home, ensuring regional diversity. The Knights have always thrived on creating opportunities for the youth community to grow their skills. This vision was a work in progress for more than three years, and as a result, game attendance exceeded 100 fans at most games. 

Congratulations to Shadow Mountain Ravens (Summerlin) as they have been crowned the Minor Division Champions!👏

What an incredible atmosphere tonight and to both teams for a great game💛 We will be back here tomorrow night at 6:30 pm for the Major Division Championship game!… pic.twitter.com/RA2IcmeEJM

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) July 26, 2025

Games were played throughout town at City National Arena, America First Center, and Hylo Park Arena.  On July 25, both Major and Minor divisions took to the ice for their first ever respective championship games. The Shadow Mountain Ravens, representing Summerlin, secured the Minor Division championship with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Red Rock from Summerlin South. 

The Black Mountain Miners completed the perfect 15-0 season and are the VGKHSHL Major Division Champions!!🏆 pic.twitter.com/xXxUU7TI31

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) July 27, 2025

Just one night later, July 26, the Black Mountain Miners from North Henderson capped off a beautiful undefeated season, finishing 15-0, by overcoming the Redhawks of Enterprise/Anthem in a 4-2 victory to claim the Major Division title.

This league remains as a long-term vision for the Knights organization, and perhaps one day we can see hockey recognized as a letter sport. For now, success is a clear evaluation for this first year, bringing a community of families and players alike to fuel a vision that has evolving potential. 

PHOTO COURTESY: Vegas Golden Knights