We’re now four days into rookie camp, and much has been written already about Florian Xhekaj putting on 15 pounds of muscle during the offseason. On Saturday night, for the first time, we were able to see if he could carry that bigger frame in games, and the answer is a resounding yes.

Some players struggle to cope when they get heavier, but not Xhekaj. He has the strength to carry that weight, he didn’t lose any speed, and he’s an even more imposing presence. At one stage in the Montreal Canadiens’ first game of the Prospect Showdown, one of the Winnipeg Jets’ players was skating towards him, clearly looking to land a hit, but he ended up turning away, almost as if he realized who he was about to hit, and I expect it’s not the last time we’re going to see it this season.

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Even if it was only a rookie tournament game, it was a big test for Xhekaj to find himself on that top line with the two players who are arguably the most NHL-ready on the team. Pascal Vincent explained his decision to put him there in these terms:

We played him at center all year last year, and he had a lot of success. He scored 24 goals without ever really getting power-play time, and we want to expand his use and put him in different situations. With Kapanen and Demidov, we wanted a physical presence. We also wanted someone who could address the issue if someone looked at Demidov sideways. He didn’t need to do any of that, but he’s aware of that. We don’t need to talk about it, but to be able to play with those two and contribute offensively and defensively, rather than just being a physical force, taking faceoffs as he’s a righty. Kapanen’s a lefty; it was great to see those three together. If we had more time, we could develop something exciting, but we only have two games.

- Vincent on putting Xhekaj on the first line

If Xhekaj doesn’t make the Canadiens, there’s no doubt that he’ll be getting a more significant role with the Laval Rocket. That’s what last night was about: checking what he could do when put in a more offensive setting, and he showed that he has plenty of potential. He didn’t look like he was just Demidov’s bodyguard; he didn’t look out of place either. He looked like a hockey player who could compete alongside someone as talented as Demidov, and that’s huge for this organization.

It will be essential to ensure that he manages his expectations, though, after coming off such a great first professional season, he must not fall into the same trap that Owen Beck did, and set his sights too high, putting too much pressure on himself. The truth of the matter is that, in all likelihood, when he makes the NHL (it’s not accidental that I didn’t use the word if here), he won’t be playing on the top six, but he will be ideally suited to an energy line that’s also able to contribute to all aspects of the game.

The days in which a player could make a career out of being a goon are long gone, but that’s not a problem for Xhekaj because he’s so much more than a threatening physical presence. In a way, it’s funny to see the Canadiens have such a player in their ranks after being hurt so much by Tom Wilson in their series against the Washington Capitals last spring. Could Xhekaj end up being the Canadiens’ own Wilson? At this stage, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities, but there’s still plenty of work to be done if he wants to get there.

Pascal Vincent is very aware of the diamond in the rough he has in his hands, though, and you can see just how enthusiastic he is about working with the youngster. At this stage, it would be a big surprise to see Xhekaj crack the lineup in Montreal, but it doesn’t matter; he still has things to work on, and nobody’s ever been too prepared for the NHL.

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Top 50 - Detroit Red Wings - Sept. 25 2017 - Collector's Edition Issue - Ken Campbell

CONSIDER THIS. Only four players in NHL history have played more than 1,500 games, while doing so all for the same franchise. And three of them – Alex Delvecchio, Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidstrom – did it with the Detroit Red Wings. (Shane Doan is the other.) The Wings have had some of the game’s greatest individual talents and they stuck around for a very long time. Detroit has won the majority of its 11 Stanley Cups in three clusters, two in the 1930s, the dynasty of the 1950s and the one that came along more than 40 years later. It should come as no surprise the players on those teams dominate the list of top players.

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1 GORDIE HOWE

POS | RW YEARS | 1946-71 GP | 1,687 G | 786 A | 1,023 P | 1,809

WHEN YOU’RE THIS great, they call you Mister. And Howe, who was just as well known as ‘Mr. Hockey,’ earned every bit of the enormous respect he received, both from the fans whom he treated like royalty and opponents whom he treated like an annoyance.

No player in the history of the game better combined the artistry and brute physicality of hockey better than Howe. The rare feat of a goal, assist and a fight in the same game is named after him. But so are numerous schools and a $48-million bridge that will link Canada to the United States at the Windsor-Detroit border. You don’t garner that kind of respect unless you’re one of the most durable and consistently brilliant athletes in the annals of professional sports. Howe scored at least 20 goals for 22 straight years in the NHL. He scored more points in the NHL after he turned 30 than he did before. When he was 41, he scored three more goals than years he had spent on Earth. There has never been anyone better in Detroit, and there very likely never will.

2 NICKLAS LIDSTROM

POS | D YEARS | 1991-2012 GP | 1,564 G | 264 A | 878 P | 1,142

IF GORDIE HOWE is the epitome of enduring excellence for the Red Wings at forward, Lidstrom is his equal on the blueline. And like Howe, Lidstrom was more dominant in his 30s than he was in his 20s. It’s hard to believe he didn’t win his first Norris Trophy until he was 31 – after three straight runner-up finishes – but it’s easy to believe he was good enough to win six more after that.

There have been better defensemen in NHL history – not many, mind you – but there were none who played with the steadiness and poise Lidstrom did for as long as he did. The Red Wings won their Cups largely on the strength of their uber-talented forwards, but it was Lidstrom who started many of the plays by getting the puck out of danger and up to those forwards.

3 STEVE YZERMAN

POS | C YEARS | 1983-2006 GP | 1,514 G | 692 A | 1,063 P | 1,755

MARK MESSIER IS regarded as the greatest leader the game has ever seen, but not far behind him on that list is Yzerman. Like Howe and Lidstrom, Yzerman enjoyed a long career that was defined by a sustained level of superior play and the respect he garnered from teammates and opponents. It’s a testament to Yzerman that the No. 19 has evolved into one of the most revered numbers in the game.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Yzerman’s career was how he seamlessly made the transition from one of the league’s most brilliant offensive talents to one of the greatest two-way players. And as dominant as Howe was, it bears mentioning Yzerman finished only 54 points behind Howe in Detroit, despite playing 173 fewer games.

4 TERRY SAWCHUK

POS | G YEARS | 1950-55, 1957-64, 1968-69 RECORD | 351-243-132 GAA | 2.44 SP | n/a

Regarded by many as the greatest goalie ever, Sawchuk is also one of the game’s most prominent tragic figures. At the top of most Detroit goaltending categories, he backstopped the Wings to three Stanley Cups in the 1950s.

5 TED LINDSAY

POS | LW YEARS | 1944-57, 1964-65 GP | 862 G | 335 A | 393 P | 728

Again with the respect. The NHLPA changed the name of the trophy it gives to the player-voted MVP from that of a prime minister to Lindsay. ‘Terrible’ Ted Lindsay to opponents, he was anything but for the Red Wings.

6 RED KELLY

POS | D YEARS | 1947-60 GP | 846 G | 162 A | 310 P | 472

Before becoming one of the greatest two-way centers in history in Toronto, Kelly was an alltime great on the blueline in Detroit. A huge factor in their four-Cup ’50s dynasty, Kelly inspired and won the first-ever Norris Trophy in 1954.

7 SERGEI FEDOROV

POS | C YEARS | 1990-2003 GP | 908 G | 400 A | 554 P | 954

He was as outstanding offensively as he was in his own end. Won three Cups, a Hart, a Pearson and two Selkes.

8 ALEX DELVECCHIO

POS | C YEARS | 1951-74 GP | 1,549 G | 456 A | 825 P | 1,281

Known for durability and gentlemanly play, he never seemed to mind being stuck in Howe’s shadow.

9 SID ABEL

POS | C YEARS | 1938-52 GP | 570 G | 184 A | 279 P | 463

‘The Production Line’ pivot won the Hart in 1948-49. ‘Old Bootnose’ is one of seven Wings with retired numbers.

10 PAVEL DATSYUK

POS | C YEARS | 2001-16 GP | 953 G | 314 A | 604 P | 918

‘The Magic Man’ was a highlight reel whose attention to detail and defense kept him from putting up huge stats.

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11 MARCEL PRONOVOST

POS | D YEARS | 1950-65 GP | 983 G | 80 A | 217 P | 297

A blueline stalwart on the Wings’ 1950s dynasty, he was compared to Eddie Shore. Played in Cup final eight times.

12 EBBIE GOODFELLOW

POS | C YEARS | 1929-43 GP | 557 G | 134 A | 190 P | 324

Equally adept at forward and defense, he led Detroit to three Cups and was the first Wing to win the Hart Trophy.

13 HENRIK ZETTERBERG

POS | LW YEARS | 2002-PRESENT GP | 1,000 G | 326 A | 578 P | 904

The last active link to their most recent dynasty. Yet another player who always excelled at both ends of the ice.

14 NORM ULLMAN

POS | C YEARS | 1955-68 GP | 875 G | 324 A | 434 P | 758

An adept stickhandler and forechecker. Led the Wings in goals three times in the 1960s, with Howe in the lineup.

15 JACK STEWART

POS | D YEARS | 1938-50 GP | 502 G | 30 A | 79 P | 109

Earned nickname ‘Black Jack’ for his penchant for hitting hard and clean. Two Cups, three-time first-team all-star.

16 SYD HOWE

POS | LW YEARS | 1935-46 GP | 513 G | 188 A | 247 P | 435

No relation to Gordie, but he also made his mark as an offensive player and won three Stanley Cups in Detroit.

17 BRENDAN SHANAHAN

POS | LW YEARS | 1996-2006 GP | 716 G | 309 A | 324 P | 633

Nine years in Detroit, scored 30-plus goals seven times and recorded 100 or more PIMs eight times.

18 BILL QUACKENBUSH

POS | D YEARS | 1942-49 GP | 313 G | 40 A | 89 P | 129

One of the cleanest players of all-time, he was the first defenseman in NHL history to win the Lady Byng Trophy.

19 HERBIE LEWIS

POS | LW YEARS | 1928-39 GP | 483 G | 148 A | 161 P | 309

One of the fastest skaters in the early era, he also played for Detroit under the Cougars and Falcons monikers.

20 LARRY AURIE

POS | RW YEARS | 1927-39 GP | 489 G | 147 A | 129 P | 276

A heart-and-soul player with talent, he was a huge factor in franchise’s first two Stanley Cup titles in 1936 and ’37.

21 CHRIS OSGOOD

POS | G YEARS | 1993-2001, 2005-11 RECORD | 317-149-75 GAA | 2.49 SP | .905

Sits second only to Sawchuk in games played, minutes, wins and shutouts. Was No. 1 man on two Cup winners.

22 KRIS DRAPER

POS | C YEARS | 1993-2011 GP | 1,137 G | 158 A | 203 P | 361

Unheralded contributor to the Wings’ most recent Cup dynasty, he won the Selke and centered ‘The Grind Line.’

23 SLAVA KOZLOV

POS | LW YEARS | 1991-2001 GP | 607 G | 202 A | 213 P | 415

A key but lesser-known member of ‘The Russian Five,’ he won two Cups with solid play and production.

24 GARY BERGMAN

POS | D YEARS | 1964-73, 1974-75 GP | 706 G | 60 A | 243 P | 303

Never won a Cup in Detroit but was a steady blueline presence on teams that struggled after the 1950s dynasty.

25 ROGER CROZIER

POS | G YEARS | 1963-70 RECORD | 131-121-41 GAA | 2.93 SP | .903

First goalie to win Conn Smythe Trophy and first player to do so on a losing team. He also won the Calder Trophy.

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26 TOMAS HOLMSTROM

LW, 1996-2012; 1,026-243-287-530

One of six with 4 Cups and 1,000 GP as Wing

27 MARTY PAVELICH

LW, 1947-57; 634-93-159-252

Rocket Richard’s shadow retired in his prime

28 HARRY LUMLEY

G, 1943-50; 163-105-56, 2.75

Debuted as Wing at 17, led NHL in wins twice

29 CHRIS CHELIOS

D, 1999-2009; 578-21-131-152

Became Wing at 37, first-team all-star at 40

30 REED LARSON

D, 1977-86; 708-188-382-570

Six 20-goal years, top 10 in shots six times

31 VLADIMIR KONSTANTINOV

D, 1991-97; 446-47-128-175

Fearless hitter was plus-185 in six seasons

32 JOHN OGRODNICK

LW, 1980-87, ’92-93; 558-265-281-546

First-team star had 176 goals in 4-year span

33 NIKLAS KRONWALL

D, 2003-present; 795-76-302-378

Big banger NHL-best plus-16 in ’08 Cup run

34 NORMIE SMITH

G, 1934-45; 76-71-31, 2.26

Retro 1936 playoff MVP had 92-save shutout

35 MICKEY REDMOND

RW, 1971-76; 317-177-133-310

Third ever with back-to-back 50-goal years

36 NICK LIBETT

LW, 1968-79; 861-217-250-467

Two-way ironman scored 20-plus six times

37 IGOR LARIONOV

C, 1995-2000, ’00-03; 539-89-308-397

Was oldest player to score in Cup final at 41

38 MARCEL DIONNE

C, 1971-75; 309-139-227-366

Detroit’s career leader in points per game

39 GERARD GALLANT

LW, 1985-93; 563-207-260-467

30-plus goals, 200-plus PIMs 4 years in row

40 BRUCE MACGREGOR

C, 1961-71; 673-151-184-335

Speedster fourth in NHL goals in 1966-67

41 JIMMY HOWARD

G, 2006-present; 199-124-54, 2.43, .915

Calder runner-up top 10 in wins, SP 4 times

42 WARREN GODFREY

D, 1955-62, ’63-68; 528-23-77-100

Steady blueliner wore 8 numbers in Detroit

43 JOHAN FRANZEN

LW, 2005-present; 602-187-183-370

GWG beast led NHL in playoff goals in ’08

44 BOB PROBERT

LW, 1985-94; 474-114-145-259

29 goals, sixth-highest PIMs ever in 1987-88

45 KIRK MALTBY

RW, 1996-2010; 908-107-115-222

‘Grind Line’ pillar 5th in playoff GP for Wings

46 STEVE CHIASSON

D, 1986-94; 461-67-200-267

QB’d power play and battled in the alleys

47 MIKE VERNON

G, 1994-97; 53-24-14, 2.40, .898

Won Smythe and 30 of 42 playoff games

48 PAUL COFFEY

D, 1993-96; 231-46-193-239

Norris winner 5th in Wings’ points per game

49 MUD BRUNETEAU

RW, 1935-46; 411-139-138-277

Three-time champ ended longest NHL game

50 DARREN MCCARTY

RW, 1993-2004, ’08-09; 659-120-155-275

One of 3 Wings with 4 rings and 1,000 PIMs

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If the Bell Centre was pretty tame for the first game of the Prospect Showdown with a low attendance for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators game, it was absolutely electric for the evening game featuring the Montreal Canadiens and the Winnipeg Jets. Straight from the moment the starting lineup was announced, it felt like a regular-season night in the Mecca of hockey.

While the Canadiens had a talented roster on the ice, the players still came out ready for a physical game, throwing hits whenever they had the opportunity. Even Ivan Demidov joined in; he leaned into a hit he saw coming and stayed up after impact. The hit of the night, however, belonged to Owen Protz, who ran Kieron Walton over like a train would have.

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Much like in Brossard, Demidov’s talent was once again apparent; his stickhandling is second to none, and he was the source of the first goal of the game when he brought the puck to the net, and Florian Xhekaj reaped the reward of his hard work. Oliver Kapanen also had an assist on the play.

PROTZ 🚂#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/7dPYnlmXoc

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) September 13, 2025

Like any player of that caliber, though, Demidov must be careful not to try to do too much. On the Canadiens’ first power play, he tried to be too cute, attempting to fool two Jets and losing possession; that wasn’t a regular occurrence, however.

The first power play unit featuring the top line of Xhekaj, Kapanen, and Demidov, joined by Owen Beck and David Reinbacher, had fantastic puck movement, moving the Winnipeg penalty killers from side to side, and twice they nearly realized a perfect play. Still, it ended up being a tic-tac-stop with Domenic Divincentiis denying them. After 20 minutes, it was 1-0 Montreal, and shots were 14-7 for Pascal Vincent’s men.

The Jets’ goaltender was powerless when Montreal got back on the power play in the second frame, and Kapanen completed the tic-tac-toe started by Demidov and Reinbacher with a powerful one-timer. The Austrian played a solid game and didn’t pass on a single opportunity to join the attack.

While the Canadiens’ defensemen struggled to get out of their zone at times, it wasn’t when the Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom pairing was on the ice. The former fifth-overall pick had a great game offensively, although at times defensively, he did look a bit rusty, but that’s to be expected from someone who missed so many games last season.

After Vincent sent Mikus Vecvanags in goal in relief of Jacob Fowler, who had not given up a single goal, the Jets quickly struck twice through Danny Zhilkin on the power play and then Chase Yoder on a breakaway to tie up the score at 2-2 even though the Canadiens had a 22-12 edge in shots at the time.

The second frame ended in a 2-2 tie, and Tyler Thorpe tried to start something up with a rival after the whistle, but he only managed to buy himself a front row seat to the first two minutes of the third frame.

Winnipeg seemed to have more energy in the third frame and battled hard to take a 3-2 lead with less than four minutes left in the game, but Demidov was not about to let his team lose in that manner. In his next shift, he got a nice feed from Oliver Kapanen and took off on a breakaway. Even with the kind of night Divincentiis was having, he was powerless against the Russian’s silky hands, and the Bell Centre erupted in a deafening cheer when he tied it up at 3-3.

IVAN DEMIDOV EST BEL ET BIEN RÉVEILLÉ

CAN CONFIRM IVAN DEMIDOV IS AWAKE

WPG 3, MTL 3#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/dvVt44FIs6

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) September 14, 2025

The Jets weren’t done, though, and Zhilkin found a way to score his second of the game to steal the win despite the Canadiens dominating 41-25 in shots. In the end, the result matters very little at this stage, but what does matter is just how dominant Demidov was. After the game, Vincent raved about him:

The goal he scored, as well as his overall offensive contributions on the ice…I've seen it in practice for two days, but to see what he can do on the ice at such high speed is truly impressive. But I spoke about it earlier, it’s his passion, his desire to be the difference maker. […] Every time you send him on the ice, you have the feeling something’s going to happen, and it does. We had a lot of scoring chances tonight, and he’s part of that in the vast majority. What he can do on the ice isn’t luck; it’s a guy who has worked on his game. He’s still very young, and he’ll get even better, but you get an idea of the kind of difference maker you can have on each of his shifts. For a coach, it’s fun to have.

- Vincent on Demidov

The Bell Centre crowd also shone brightly tonight, on September 13, for a meaningless game in a prospect tournament, the building was absolutely rocking. In the last period, the wave went around the arena many times, and it got so loud that it actually reminded me of the atmosphere from last year’s playoffs race, which is quite something given the circumstances. Asked to comment on that, Vincent explained:

It's amazing, it’s hard to describe…I’m 53 years old, I’m an older man, and I feel the energy from those people, and I can only imagine, and I’ve been in the NHL for years, in the playoffs. I feel, and for some guys, unfortunately, it’s the only time they’re going to wear an NHL jersey, just to experience that is a story you’re going to tell your kids and grandkids. At the same time, for us, I feel like we can evaluate players on how they react when they are on the big stage. So there are a lot of components to it.

- Vincent on the Bell Centre atmosphere

The Canadiens’ prospects will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when they’ll take on the Maple Leafs at 3:00 PM and if the game is as spectacular as tonight’s the fans will be going home happy.

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Flyers trade Fedotov to Blue Jackets for draft pick originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

With a crowded goalie picture, the Flyers traded Ivan Fedotov to the Blue Jackets on Sunday for a 2026 sixth-round draft pick.

The Flyers have Samuel Ersson and Dan Vladar as their goaltending tandem, with 2021 third-rounder Aleksei Kolosov and 2023 second-rounder Carson Bjarnason projected to compete at AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.

Fedotov, who turns 29 years old in November, was in the final year of a two-year, $6.5 million contract, so the Flyers cleared around $3.25 million in cap space.

The 6-foot-7 Russian struggled last season in his first full NHL campaign. He battled some early bumps and also went about a month without playing when he was relegated to No. 3 on the depth chart.

He finished the season 6-13-4 with a 3.15 goals-against average and an .880 save percentage. Ersson, Fedotov and Kolosov combined for an .872 save percentage, the worst mark in the NHL, which prompted general manager Danny Briere to add Vladar this offseason on a two-year deal.

“He has a chance to become our No. 1, depending on how he plays, how our other guys play,” Briere said in July. “And one thing at the end of the year, when I met with our group of goalies, I told them, ‘You have to be ready at training camp.’ I said, ‘This wasn’t good enough last season, we’re probably going to go out and bring in some reinforcements, and you’re going to be in a battle, all of you guys.’ So it was really clear right from the get-go.”

Fedotov had to take a long and remarkable journey to the Flyers after being selected in the seventh round of the 2015 draft. He arrived suddenly in March 2024 and ended up playing parts of two seasons for the club.