Category: Sports News

From winning the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery to a general manager change, a move that brought even more internal changes outside of just roster construction, things have fundamentally shifted within the New York Islanders organization. 

The focus, and rightfully so, is on the on-ice product for the Islanders, who missed the playoffs last season. While not at the forefront, the amount of change that has occurred for the Bridgeport Islanders, their AHL affiliate, cannot be overlooked and should come with just as much excitement. 

Following a horrid 15-50-4-3 season, the organization elected to fire Rick Kowalsky and his assistants, holding on to only goaltender coach Sergei Naumov, after the team won just four games at home the entire season.

Enter Rocky Thompson, the newest head coach for Bridgeport and one who previously lifted hardware in the OHL, leading the Windsor Spitfires to the Memorial Cup as their head coach back in 2017.

In his introductory press conference, Thompson said all the right things, discussing how hard the team will work and how much he’s learned serving as an assistant coach under John Tortorella and new Islanders assistant coach Bob Boughner. 

What sticks out the most still today is his tagline from that day: “We’re not going to be the punching bags anymore.” 

For all the many flaws the Bridgeport team had last year, confidence likely became the biggest. No longer will the Islanders roll over. The entire identity has flipped. 

That’s per the Bridgeport prospects who spoke at development camp about their excitement to play for Thompson and showcase that the organization’s future is brighter after the light dimmed following some tough seasons. 

Beyond the coaching change, the roster adjustments will be quite enticing for fans as well. The franchise struck a balance between retaining former star veterans and overhauling the vast majority of the team’s leadership.

Defensively, the team underwent a massive makeover. The headliner of the additions is Ethan Bear, one of the best defensemen in the AHL over the last couple of seasons.

The Regina, SK native led the division-winning Hershey Bears in points (46) and assists (36) last season and represented Hershey at the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic. He was also named to the AHL’s Second All-Star Team, one of the highest honors in the league.  He has a chip on his shoulder as he tries to fight for another chance in the NHL. He’ll be a great leader within that younger room. 

Other defensive additions include Cole McWard, Luke Rowe, and Sean Day. It’s very possible that Day, more than any other signing, could prove to be the coup of the lot. One of the best skaters around, Day received exceptional status back in his junior hockey days, and there are believers there’s still an NHL player within the 27-year-old still. 

The offense will look different, too.  Franchise record-holder Chris Terry returns to lead this group into its next era. Julien Gauthier returns following missing all but nine AHL and one NHL game last year due to a season-ending upper-body injury. Iis offense is something Bridgeport desperately could’ve used. 

Matthew Maggio and Alex Jefferies are both looking to take that next step forward. Maggio has always been a leader, with that skillset heavily on display during development camp this past July.  

External addition Matthew Highmore will be a key presence for the team at the center position. 

Most significantly, the team will have its late-season college free agent signings playing for the entire season. Cam Berg, a 2021 fourth-round pick, will play the full season with Bridgeport,  along with Gleb Veremyev, who looks like a player who may not only be a hulking presence for Bridgeport but a dark horse candidate for a potential NHL call-up at some point throughout the upcoming season.

There will also be an exciting local flavor to the team. 

Laurel Hollow’s Marshall Warren returns and only looks better with every passing game he plays.  Warren’s close friend and Copaigue native Ross Mitton returns after signing as a college free agent. 

Mitton will quickly become a fan favorite behind his hard-nose, high-energy game, which he brings as a self-described power forward. While Max Dorrington is from Massachussets, he played his final college season down the road from Bridgeport with Sacred Heart. Veremyev is from New Jersey. These local pieces only enhance the bond that the team looks to grow with the fanbase.

The final part of this roster reconstruction and one of the most important upgrades comes in the goaltending department. 

David Rittich’s addition to the NHL squad as Ilya Sorokin’s backup, if Semyon Varlamov isn’t ready to go once the season begins, bumps Marcus Hogberg further down the depth chart, guaranteeing the Swedish netminder will open as a key figure for Bridgeport. 

Parker Garhagen, an AHL veteran, joined the room as well. Tristan Lennox and Henrik Tikkanen return, too, but they seem more likely to start in the ECHL. Hogberg and Garhagen, on paper, look to be one of Bridgeport’s best tandems in a long time. 

If Varlamov is ready to go, there’s a chance that Rittich plays in Bridgeport, that is, if he passes through waivers. That’s not likely, especially given his $1 million cap hit and his NHL backup track record. 

While all of these reasons are compelling for excitement, there’s one player who has generated more excitement and buzz this summer than any other. Calum Ritchie. 

The centerpiece of the Brock Nelson trade and now a top prospect for the Islanders, Ritchie will attend New York’s NHL training camp with the hopes of making the roster. If he does not do so, and currently Stefen Rosner’s roster projection has him missing the cut, Ritchie immediately becomes the headliner for this entire Bridgeport team.

The 20-year-old posted 70 points (15 goals, 55 assists) in 47 OHL regular-season games last season with the Oshawa Generals, then added another 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 21 playoff games. 

The level of excitement surrounding Ritchie is very high, and if he starts in the AHL, he will be at the top of their lineup and consistently one of the most exciting players not just for Bridgeport, but in the entirety of the AHL this upcoming season.

Bridgeport opens its season on Saturday, October 11, against the Providence Bruins at Total Mortgage Arena. To get tickets and learn more about game-night promotions and events, click HERE

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

Sportsnet’s Eric Engels is at the GM meeting in Detroit, and he had the opportunity to speak to Tampa Bay Lightning and Team Canada coach John Cooper. The bench boss had very nice things to say about the Montreal Canadiens captain, Nick Suzuki.

Engels reports that while Cooper was impressed by Suzuki in 2021 (the year the Canadiens and the Lightning met in the Stanley Cup final), he is even more now after hosting him as one of the 42 players at Team Canada’s orientation camp. He told Engels:

The one thing I didn’t know about him was his personality. I made a point to spend time with him in Calgary, and I learned he’s a phenomenal kid. He’s pretty quiet, reads the room, but very engaging when you sit with him one-on-one. I had a great time with him, so that’s just another box checked in the cosmic trajectory of Nick Suzuki.

- Jon Cooper on Nick Suzuki

Canadiens: New and Improved Joshua Roy Is An Intriguing Breakout Candidate
Canadiens: Demidov Would Need To Complete Military Service in Russia
Canadiens: Where Is Brendan Gallagher?

That statement doesn’t guarantee Suzuki a roster spot on the Canadian team for the upcoming Olympic Games, but it’s a step in the right direction. Cracking the roster won’t be easy, after all, following Canada's win in the 4 Nations Face-Off, the coach likened the Canadian brass’ job to fine-tuning a Ferrari.

The Canadiens captain certainly performed like a Ferrari after the international break last season; he put up the fourth most points in the league after the tournament, carrying his side to the playoffs. The Olympic roster is expected to include 25 players, and traditionally, teams take three goalies, meaning there are only 22 spots left for skaters. Suzuki’s body of work indeed suggests that he has what it takes to make the selection.

The Canadian team is in good hands with GM Doug Armstrong and Cooper behind the bench. The Lightning pilot has plenty of experience and knows how to get a team to become a winning one. He has a 572-306-83 record in 961 NHL games, two Stanley Cup Rings, and two more conference championships.

Furthermore, the Lightning coach is a good and generous man. For several years, a group of fans has gathered in Montreal to attend an event called the Habs Summit. They all catch a game together, but they also hold a fundraiser for the Montreal Canadiens’ Children Foundation. One year, the game the group attended was against Cooper and the Bolts. When he heard about the fundraiser, the coach not only donated one of his sticks to help raise funds, but he also got one of his alternate captains, Victor Hedman, to provide a stick as well.

While some believe Cooper is biased and favors his own players when it comes to roster composition, I think he tends to go with the players he knows will help him win. This season, when the Canadiens take on the Lightning on December 9, you can be sure Cooper will be keeping close track of what the Habs captain does on the ice. The final rosters are due on December 31, 2025, and the Canadian brass will be taking notes until then.

---

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 Columbus Blue Jackets have 40 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today we look at the history of jersey #40. 

Let's take a look.

Bill Bowler - 2000-01 - Bowler was undrafted out of Toronto, CA. 

Bowler played a total of 9 games for the Jackets during their inaugural season and had two points. He spent most of that year with the Syracuse Crunch and totaled 79 points in 72 games. In 2002, he spent one season in Germany before retiring. 

Bowler has worked for the Windsor Spitfires as the VP. of Hockey Operations and General Manager since 2019. 

Brad Moran - 2001-04 - Moran was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the 7th round of the 1998 NHL Draft. 

 The Jackets signed Moran as a free agent in 2000. He only played in 5 games as a Blue Jacket and had 2 points. He spent most of his time playing for the AHL Syracuse Crunch. In his final year with the Crunch in 2004-05, he played in 80 games and had 72 points. 

Moran left for a second stint in Europe in 2011 and played the last six years of his career there. He would retire after playing two seasons in the EIHL in 2017. 

Moran would be the GM and HC of the Calgary Canucks in the Alberta Junior Hockey League from 2018 to 2025. For the 25-26 season, Moran is signed on to be the Asst. Coach of the WHL's Calgary Hitmen. 

Duvie Westcott - 2001-08 - Westcott was undrafted and signed by the CBJ in 2001.

Wescott played in 201 games for the Blue Jackets from 2001 to 2008. He scored 11 goals and totaled 56 points. Wescott was described as "a gritty defenseman with a solid all-around game. Has good passing ability and powerplay skills." 

After playing for Columbus, Wescott went to Europe and played the next seven seasons in the KHL, DEL, and Swiss National League. He retired in 2015. 

Fred Brathwaite - 2003-04 - Brathwaite was undrafted out of Ottawa, Canada. 

Brathwaite played in 21 games for the Jackets in the 2003-04 season. He went 4-11-1 with an .897 SV %. After his year in Columbus, he bounced back and forth between North America and Europe. He didn't play from 2012 to 2020. He was hired by the AHL's Henderson Silver Knights as their goaltending coach in 2020, where he remains. At age 48, he dressed as a backup for Henderson when Logan Thompson was unavailable. 

Jaroslav Balaštík - 2005-07 - Balaštík was drafted in the 6th round of the 2002 NHL Draft by Columbus. 

Jaroslav Balaštík played in 74 career games for the CBJ. He scored 13 goals and totaled 24 points during his tenure. After his time with Columbus, he returned to his home country of Czechia, where he would play until 2015. 

Jared Boll - 2007-16 - Boll was drafted in the 4th round of the 2005 NHL Draft.

Boll played in 518 games for the CBJ and totaled 62 points. He is #1 all-time in CBJ history with 1,195 and has 154 fights to his name. 

Jared Boll was a big man in his playing days. Standing 6-foot-3 and 206 pounds, there weren’t too many who would willingly step up to Boll. He was an old-school enforcer who would not hesitate to stand up for his teammates and take one on the chin if necessary. In his career, he fought the St Louis Blues more than any other team. He had four seasons where he had fight totals over 20 and there were a few seasons that were 15+. His most common opponent was Krys Bach (5), and he fought the likes of Paul Bissonnette (4), George Parros (4), and Clayton Stoner. Boll is the best enforcer the CBJ has ever had.

After retiring from the Anaheim Ducks, Boll returned to Columbus, where he is now an assistant coach. 

Daniil Tarasov - 2021-25 - Tarasov was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2017 NHL Draft.

Tarasov started 61 games for Columbus during his tenure, going 19-34-6 with a SV% of .898. Used primarily as a backup, Tarasov's time is Columbus in generally looked at as a failure, but it's mainly due to injuries. 

Unfortunately for Tarasov, he was stuck behind Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzļikins for a few years. While Merzļikins was struggling, he had every opportunity to grab the bull by the horns and take off, but he did not do that. 

Last season, everything kind of came unglued for the young Russian. He was benched in favor of Jet Greaves on several occasions and even had to be sent to Cleveland on a conditioning assignment. Things were not going well. He ended last season with a SV% of .881.  

On 26 June 2025, Tarasov was traded to the Florida Panthers, in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL draft. The book on Daniil Tarasov in Columbus was finally over. 

There are 40 days to go until opening night at NWA. Who was your favorite #40?

Let us know what you think below.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.

More From THN Columbus

Blue Jackets’ September Timeline: Key Dates To WatchWe’ve officially entered the month where hockey returns. For most teams, that means rookie challenges, training camps, pre-season, and big roster decisions are all packed into the next 30 days. 41 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #41The Columbus Blue Jackets have 41 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today we look at the history of jersey #41.  Blue Jackets Players Donate To Local Hockey Player With Brain Tumour Yesterday, a story surfaced on social media about local Columbus hockey player Quinn Halstead, who has recently been diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Earlier this summer, the NHL and NHLPA agreed to a four-year extension of their collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The deal included a number of amendments. With the current CBA terms expiring at the end of the 2025-26 season, there was a question as to which changes would apply immediately and which would go into effect a year from now when the extension officially kicks in.

Now we have our answer.

As listed by Puckpedia.com, the rule changes now in place as part of the CBA include:

• New Playoff Salary Cap
• Limits/changes to LTIR, reducing the benefits a team receives on LTIR
• No Deferred Compensation (effective Oct 7, 2025)
• Restriction on Paper Loans
• Restriction on a second retention on a traded contract
• Four Recall rule

New Playoff Salary Cap

The new playoff salary cap is the most significant change and will go into effect for the upcoming playoffs. Under the new rule, there is now a 'playoff salary cap compliance requirement'. This means teams must submit a playoff roster where the aggregate cap hit of all active players cannot exceed the upper salary cap limit. The upper limit for the 2025-26 season is $95.5 million.

This effectively closes a loophole that the Leafs have used in the past, where they could load up on players without any restriction once the playoffs began and bolster their lineup. The Leafs, of course, were not the only team to do this, nor were they the team that exploited this rule the most. Previous Stanley Cup champions like the Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, and Vegas Golden Knights were teams that used the mechanism regularly.

There are also some daily cap accumulation accounting changes that may prohibit teams from acquiring a dead contract, for example. If a team does acquire Carey Price’s cap hit, that contract may still count for the playoff roster, even though he didn’t play. Dead caps, buyouts, and overagers would hit the playoff cap on a pro-rated basis.

Limits/changes to LTIR, reducing the benefits a team receives on LTIR

In the past, when a player was placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), a team could maximize the player's full salary cap hit. Now, that number will not be allowed to exceed the lower of the player’s cap hit or the average salary from the previous season. The average salary last year, according to Puckpedia, was $3,817,293. There is still a provision where the team could get more in cap relief, but the player has to be determined to be medically unfit for both the remainder of the regular season and Stanley Cup playoffs to be eligible.

No Deferred Compensation (effective Oct 7, 2025)

A contract that consists of money paid out after the end of the contract is no longer permitted as of Oct. 7. This is the first day that the NHL starts calculating the salary cap for the 2025-26 season. If the Leafs want to extend a player with that type of provision, they have until Oct. 6. The Maple Leafs used the provision twice last season. The Leafs re-signed defenseman Jake McCabe and used deferred money to bring his salary cap hit down to $4.51 million. Toronto did that again this summer when they signed John Tavares to a four-year extension with a salary cap hit of $4.38 million.

Restriction on Paper Loans

When a player is sent down to the minors, they must report every time and play in at least one AHL game before being permitted to be recalled. This effectively eliminates situations where teams would game daily cap accrual or save money by paying players at their AHL level of compensation on days off instead of at the NHL level. This was particularly in place with a player like Nick Robertson two seasons ago, when he was bouncing up and down.

Restriction on a second retention on a traded contract

When the salary cap was flat in 2021, NHL teams began to get creative when it came to trying to get a player’s cap down. Teams like the Leafs would use a third team as a broker to get a player’s cap hit reduced to as much as 25 percent. They first did this when they acquired forward Nick Foligno from the Columbus Blue Jackets. They required the help of the San Jose Sharks to retain an additional 25 percent of Foligno’s $5.5 million cap hit.

Four Recall Amendment

The NHL only allows four non-emergency recalls from the NHL trade deadline to the end of the AHL season. That number will now be modified to five for this season, but only four of those recalls can be on the NHL roster at any time. This has generally not been anything the Leafs were too affected by as most of their recalls toward the end of a season have been emergency recalls. There is also word that pending an agreement with the Canadian Hockey League, an AHL loan of a 19-year-old player will be permitted for one person per team. The Leafs would have likely utilized that last year when prospect Easton Cowan was returned to the London Knights.

A Shift in the Maple Leafs Strategy?

With all the changes the Maple Leafs have undergone this year, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Leafs keep their roster the way it is to start the season. With all the restrictions in LTIR, being a salary-cap accrual team will still help when it comes to roster flexibility. We wrote about this and with many of the LTIR rule changes now going into effect this season, it is by far the most prudent strategy as Toronto navigates under some new accounting rules.

---

Latest stories:

Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving And Darren Ferris Discuss Free Agent — Could It Be Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk?

Maple Leafs Sign Dennis Hildeby To 3-Year Deal—Is He Their Third Goalie This Season?

Mitch Marner’s Agent Preferred Former Maple Leaf To Go Through ‘Dog And Pony Show’ Of Free Agency Instead Of Sign-and-Trade

One after another is how the Toronto Maple Leafs appear to be negotiating new extensions with their goaltenders.

Hours after signing Dennis Hildeby to a three-year, $2.53 million deal on Tuesday, the Maple Leafs reportedly began contract discussions with Anthony Stolarz’s camp, according to The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta.

“In Toronto, after going the summer without negotiating, sources tell me the Maple Leafs have now started contract extension discussions with goaltender Anthony Stolarz.”

After signing a two-year, $5 million contract with Toronto following a Stanley Cup Championship with the Florida Panthers last summer, there were question marks about how he’d fare with a larger workload.

The 31-year-old, however, had the best season of his career in his first go-around with Toronto and is looking to do the same in his second year with the club. 

Stolarz played 34 games—the most he’s ever played in a season—and recorded a 21-8-3 record, plus a .926 save percentage in that span (the most among NHL goaltenders who played 30+ games).

Despite suffering a knee injury mid-season, which forced him to have surgery and miss nearly two months, Stolarz played well in his return and earned himself the number-one goaltender job entering the playoffs, ahead of Joseph Woll.

Stolarz had a .901 save percentage after eliminating the Ottawa Senators in six games during the first round of the playoffs. However, his health took a turn for the worse in Game 1 of the second round against the Panthers, after taking a forearm to the head from former teammate Sam Bennett.

The netminder remained in the game for a few moments after taking the bump, but left a short while later after throwing up on the bench. Woll came in and strung together three wins and an .886 save percentage before Toronto went out in Game 7 to Florida.

Stolarz revealed after the season was over that he went to the hospital and was diagnosed with a concussion following Bennett’s hit.

“I missed that little part in the middle of the season, but I was extremely happy with the way I was able to bounce back, come back, and find my game. I owe a lot to [Maple Leafs goaltending coach Curtis Sanford] and Woller,” Stolarz said during his end-of-season media availability in May.

“Curtis was working hard with us ever since training camp and really put in the extra effort for me to get back during that injury, and just kind of the techniques and just the way he prepared us really helped me. I think myself and Woller, just being able to push each other all year, I mean, we had a great relationship, and I got along with him extremely well. Looking forward to the opportunity to come back with him next year.”

It’s expected that the Maple Leafs will follow the same plan in net from last season: Rely on both Stolarz and Woll until the playoffs, where they’ll then go with the goaltender who had the better season.

That is, unless one of the two netminders puts together a strong string of games during the early portion of the season. Even then, Toronto would likely give Woll and Stolarz equal opportunity so that they can limit any potential injuries.

But it’s a positive that both the Maple Leafs and Stolarz’s side are already reportedly beginning contract negotiations. We’ll see where it goes as we enter training camp and beyond.

Latest stories:

Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving And Darren Ferris Discuss Free Agent — Could It Be Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk?

Maple Leafs Sign Dennis Hildeby To 3-Year Deal—Is He Their Third Goalie This Season?

Mitch Marner’s Agent Preferred Former Maple Leaf To Go Through ‘Dog And Pony Show’ Of Free Agency Instead Of Sign-and-Trade

The Philadelphia Flyers have had a leadership opening since the NHL trade deadline, and Travis Sanheim is a prime candidate to step in and step up.

Captain Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny, who wears the 'A' for the Flyers, remain from last season's leadership group, but Scott Laughton and his 'A' were traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs ahead of the NHL trade deadline last year.

That leaves new Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet with a decision to make ahead of opening night, though it's a fairly obvious choice at this juncture.

Sanheim, 29, is the best choice to join the Flyers' leaders going forward, cementing his rise from trade candidate to acting No. 1 defenseman for the team that drafted him in 2014.

Sanheim, along with Couturier, was on hand for the Flyers for the official unveiling of Xfinity Mobile Arena on Tuesday, which says a lot about him and how the Flyers see him.

Drafted 17th overall by the Flyers just over a decade ago, Sanheim has seen the playoffs and missed the playoffs, had great seasons and had bad seasons, but still managed to continue to work every day, every season, and improve to where he is today.

Flyers Late-Round Draft Pick Already Looking PromisingIt's still early, but the Philadelphia Flyers are certainly looking to have a potential draft steal on their hands with Max Westergard.

Regardless of how good you think Sanheim truly is, he's represented Canada, and he's the backbone of the Flyers.

He, Couturier, and Konecny all have this in common: they were all first-round picks of the Flyers, became NHL regulars early in their careers, and have been through the highs and lows of the NHL to become the leaders they are today.

This is exactly the kind of message the Flyers want to convey to their rising young players, like Tyson Foerster, Cam York, and Matvei Michkov.

The Flyers have other candidates for assistant captaincy, too, like Nick Seeler and Noah Cates, but Sanheim has been in Philadelphia the longest and has undergone the ascent reflective of a long-term leader.

Expect the smooth-skating defender to tack on even more responsibility under Tocchet with the Flyers in the 2025-26 season.