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Now that a Stanley Cup winner has been determined, the event to look forward to is the NHL Draft, which commences on Jun. 27-28 in Los Angeles, where the Winnipeg Jets will make the 28th overall selection in the first round.

Although the Jets don't have the deepest prospect pool, they are in a better situation than several teams. Nikita Chibrikov and Elias Salomonsson highlight the prospects who are closest to being NHL-ready, as soon as next season. Brad Lambert, Brayden Yager, Colby Barlow, Zach Nehring and Alfons Freij headline the skilled prospects who could become key contributors sometime in the future. 

In the 2024 NHL draft, the Jets selected Freij in the second round before selecting three consecutive forwards, those being Kevin He in the fourth round, Markus Loponen in the fifth and Kieron Walton in the sixth. In fact, Freij is the lone defenseman to be drafted by the Jets in the previous two drafts. 

With a fairly strong balance in their prospect pool, the Jets can afford to select the best available, a strategy that tends to bode well for most teams selecting late in the first round. 

The Athletic's Corey Pronman released his latest mock draft and had the Jets selecting Henry Brzustewicz, a 6'1, 18-year-old defenseman who scored 10 goals and 42 points in 67 OHL games with the London Knights. Brzustewicz won back-to-back OHL championships and a Memorial Cup playing alongside Jets prospect Jacob Julien. 

Bleacher Report's Lyle Richardson has the Jets selecting Blake Fiddler, a 6'4, 17-year-old right-handed defenseman. Fiddler spent the 2024-25 season with the Edmonton Oil Kings, where he scored 10 goals and 33 points in 64 games. Despite his big frame, Fiddler is a great skater, using it both offensively and defensively. He's strong on the puck, making plays on retrievals and as a playmaker in the offensive zone. 

Blake Fiddler homecoming! 🇺🇸

The Frisco, TX native scores in his hometown at the #U18MensWorlds! @EdmOilKings | #NHLDraftpic.twitter.com/1BCn45kmFR

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) April 24, 2025

The Athletic's Scott Wheeler predicts the Jets draft Bill Zonnon, a 6'2 winger who recorded 28 goals and 83 points in 64 QMJHL games. Zonnon is a hard worker who plays an attentive defenseman game even as a winger. Offensively, he's a playmaker, creating passing lanes with neat zone entries off the rush. While Wheeler believes the Jets could do with a defenseman, he believes Zonnon would be a good fit for the Jets.  

TSN's Bob McKenzie has the Jets selecting goaltender Joshua Ravensbergen. Ravensbergen is a 6'5, 18-year-old right-handed catching goaltender. He posted a 33-13-4 record with the Prince Town Cougars, routinely showcasing his calmness in the crease. The North Vancouver native uses his size to be positionally sound, but he moves very well in his crease. The Jets are very thin in net in terms of prospects, and Ravensbergen could be the successor to Connor Hellebuyck. 

After getting passed over in the #WHLDraft, Joshua Ravensbergen could potentially crack the first round of the 2025 #NHLDraft in less than a week.

Yet, the @PGCougars netminder knows the draft is simply a jumping off point for even more hard work!

📝 | https://t.co/xbPdu90kqipic.twitter.com/L6OyunghtR

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) June 17, 2025

The only thing that is certain in this draft is that it'll be full of surprises. Following picks one and two, which are nearing a guarantee to be Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa, no other pick is set in stone, which opens up the possibility for so many trades. The Jets selecting at 28 isn't a foregone conclusion as they could easily trade back, looking to regain draft capital, considering they are making just five selections in this draft.

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

Jets Will Make The 28th Selection At The 2025 NHL Entry DraftThe Winnipeg Jets will make the 28th overall selection at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, which is set to begin on Jun. 27. 

When the Vancouver Canucks acquired Linus Karlsson on February 25, 2019, fans had mixed feelings. The piece going back to the San Jose Sharks in exchange was Jonathan Dahlén, a player who had previously shown flashes of success alongside franchise cornerstone at the time Elias Pettersson. Some had even referred to the two as the second-coming of the Sedin twins. Still, the 19-year-old Karlsson had the belief of Canucks general manager at the time, Jim Benning, behind him. 

“Karlsson is a player our scouts like, he’s strong on the puck, he’s a good two-way player, he’s a good playmaker. He was a guy even last year at the draft that we looked at drafting, so he’s a player that we’ve followed, that we’ve liked,” Benning said after the 2019 Trade Deadline in which the Canucks flipped Dahlén for Karlsson. 

Vancouver fans didn’t see Karlsson in Canuck colours until the 2022–23 season, as he signed his two-year entry-level contract on May 26 of 2022. A few months later, he skated in his first game as a member of the Abbotsford Canucks, grabbing two assists in his AHL debut against the Ontario Reign. He finished second in scoring for the AHL Canucks in his rookie season with 24 goals and 25 assists in 72 games played. 

The following season was a big one for Karlsson, who was entering the final year of his first NHL deal as well as his sophomore season in the AHL. Not only did he average a point-per game pace throughout the 2023–24 season with 23 goals and 37 assists in 60 games, he also received his first NHL call-up and skated in his first NHL game on November 16, 2023. As well as joining Abbotsford for their 2023–24 playoff run, Karlsson also skated in two of Vancouver’s postseason games against the Edmonton Oilers. 

Karlsson made some big steps in his game in 2023–24, but 2024–25 saw him hit another level. He joined Abbotsford for 32 of their regular season games this year, scoring 23 goals and 16 assists in 39 games played. During his time with Abbotsford, he set a new franchise record in career goals scored as an AHL Canuck, beating Sheldon Dries’ 65. 

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On the NHL side, Karlsson skated in 23 games for Vancouver. He scored his first career NHL goal on January 29 against the Nashville Predators and added two more as well as three assists before the end of the Canucks’ regular season. 

“If you want to score in this league, you have to have some natural presence. And I love to be that guy,” Karlsson had said during the Canucks’ regular season in terms of sticking in Vancouver’s lineup. “I just try to find a role that helps the team. And if I can help, it’s getting me a better chance to play up here.” 

Canucks Linus Karlsson Is Finding His NHL Role As A Netfront PresenceThe Vancouver Canucks acquired 2018 third-round draft pick, Linus Karlsson, back in 2019. He made his NHL debut on November 16, 2023, and scored his first NHL goal on January 29, 2025 against the Nashville Predators. Now, the forward has 26 total NHL games under his belt as well as two postseason NHL games. Despite finding a goal-scoring home with the Abbotsford Canucks as the franchise’s leading scorer, Karlsson looks to find his role with Vancouver. 

Upon the conclusion of Vancouver’s season, Karlsson was sent back down to Abbotsford to help the AHL Canucks’ playoff push. With the team having put together a 13-game win streak towards the end of their regular season, fans were excited about what Abbotsford could do during the Calder Cup Playoffs. Now, nearly two months later, the team has a 2–1 series lead in the 2025 Calder Cup Finals. A big reason for this has been how much Karlsson has stepped up during the postseason. 

“The thing that stands out for me with Karly is consistency, and we’ve talked a lot about how all players have their ups and downs, and with him, there’s no real peaks or valleys. He has his good and his bad days, but his ability to stay really consistent and focus on his game is what’s led him to the success this year,” Abbotsford head coach Manny Malhotra said of how big Karlsson has been for the team throughout the season. 

“I play with good players, for sure. That’s helped me,” Karlsson said of his successes this season, particularly in the goal-scoring department. “I try to find the soft areas around the net, and that’s where the goals end up. So I probably score all my goals in the same spots. So yeah, I’m just trying to be there, try to get around the net.” 

Karlsson has consistently stayed near the top of the charts in points throughout the Calder Cup Playoffs this season. With 11 goals and 11 assists in 21 games played, he broke an AHL record in Game 3 on Tuesday night for goals scored by a Swedish player in a single postseason. While he notes that this is a “fun” record to break, at the end of the day, his focus is on the same thing as his teammates’ — winning. 

“It’s fun for sure, but that’s not why I’m happy now, I’m just happy for the win.” 

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For the second straight season, the Edmonton Oilers came up short against the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup final.

That has observers wondering what off-season moves could be in store for this club. 

Last summer, the Oilers re-signed Adam Henrique, Mattias Janmark, Connor Brown and Corey Perry, signed free agents Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner and acquired Ty Emberson and Vasily Podkolzin. During the season, they added Jake Walman, Kasperi Kapanen, Trent Frederic, John Klingberg and Max Jones.

This summer will be the first full off-season under GM Stan Bowman. He faces some significant decisions over the next three months. 

The Athletic's Daniel Nugent-Bowman observed that Connor McDavid can sign a contract extension on July 1. The 28-year-old Oilers superstar is a year away from UFA eligibility, but it's assumed he'll stay in Edmonton, especially after Leon Draisaitl signed a long-term extension last fall.  

Justin Tasch of the New York Post believes McDavid's future will dominate the NHL off-season. A massive long-term extension awaits if he commits to the Oilers. If McDavid has doubts, Tasch believes they'll trade him rather than risk losing him to next summer's free-agent market. 

TSN's Darren Dreger does not doubt that McDavid will re-sign with the Oilers. For him, the question is how long of a commitment he's willing to make. 

Bowman will likely want to get this piece of business done as quickly as possible. The longer McDavid goes without an extension, the more speculation and wishful thinking linking him to other clubs will emerge in the rumor mill during the summer's dog days. 

Signing Evan Bouchard is another pressing concern. The 25-year-old puck-moving defenseman is an RFA with arbitration rights. He'll be seeking a big raise over the $3.9 million average annual value of his expiring contract. 

Former NHL player agent Brian Lawton believes Bouchard and the Oilers will work something out. Nugent-Bowman pointed out that the Oilers have $12 million in cap space and speculated that Bouchard could take up three-quarters of it.

However, a subsequent report by Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli claimed the Oilers are expected to sign Frederic to an eight-year deal with an average annual value of $4 million. That would leave them with no cap room for Bouchard unless Bowman intends to make a cost-cutting move or two. 

Nugent-Bowman and The Hockey News’ Ken Campbell and Adam Proteau believe the Oilers' goaltending remains a big question mark. The tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard struggled against the Panthers, which have a potential future Hall of Famer, Sergei Bobrovsky, between the pipes. 

Skinner and Pickard have a year left on their contract with affordable cap hits, but Nugent-Bowman wondered if they'll be back. Gerry Moddejonge of the Edmonton Journal raised the possibility of Skinner becoming an early-summer trade candidate. 

The Edmonton Oilers Should Learn From The Champs And Make Bold MovesThe Edmonton Oilers once again came up short in the Stanley Cup final, falling to the Florida Panthers for the second year in a row. 

Meanwhile, The Hockey News’ Caleb Kearney suggested the Oilers attempt to acquire RFA winger JJ Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres. However, they could lack the suitable trade assets and cap space required to pull this off.

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The St. Louis Blues are officially the Stanley Cup Playoffs' worst team.

At one point, the Blues were just 1.6 seconds away from eliminating the Winnipeg Jets and moving on to face the Dallas Stars in the second round, but thanks to the latest game-tying goal in postseason history from Cole Perfetti, Winnipeg bounced back to force overtime.

In that extra period, it was Jets captain Adam Lowry who redirected a Neal Pionk point shot, propelling Winnipeg to the Game 7 victory and onward to the second round, eliminating Jordan Binnington and the Blues just like that.

Thanks to Winnipeg's loss to Dallas, which then lost to Edmonton, which lost to Florida in the Stanley Cup, it can be officially be determined that St. Louis is the ultimate loser of the postseason.

Usually the bite of playoff elimination stings a bit less when you lose to the team that won the championship or lost in the final. 

This time around for both the Blues and Jets, the storyline couldn't get any bleaker. They lost to the team that lost to the team that lost to the team... and so on, and so forth.

On the other side of the coin is Edmonton and Florida. One team has lost the Cup final in back-to-back years, while the other has now been to the Stanley Cup for three-straight seasons, winning the last two. 

Will Winnipeg and St. Louis find a way to retool their teams to fit the blueprints laid out by Paul Maurice and Kris Knoblauch in Florida and Edmonton? 

Ivan Provorov and Don Waddell have both said publicly that they want a deal done to keep Provorov in Columbus, but will it get done? 

According to RG.org, the New York Rangers are very interested in him, with a source citing, “He’s one of their options for strengthening the defensive line."

The Rangers want to make a few moves, which could include moving K’Andre Miller, who is an RFA. Losing Provorov to division rival New York would be a bit of a blow.  

Provorov is coming off of one of his best seasons, scoring 33 points and averaging 23 minutes a game. He also played 82 games for the third season in a row, and for the 6th time in his 9 year career. Having a player who can stay healthy and be available is worth about half the salary he could get if we're being honest. 

The Blue Jackets need to find a way to keep Ivan Provorov. I'm sure Provorov wants a long-term deal, but does Don Waddell want that? My guess is that Waddell would probably want a three to four year deal. While Provorov definitely wants a 7 or 8 year contract. Not really rocket science on that guess. 

Columbus needs to find a way to keep Provorov. Even Provorov's wife has said publicly that they would love to stay in Columbus. 

 Let us know what you think below.

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

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Columbus Blue Jackets 2025 Draft Target: Justin CarbonneauThe NHL Draft is almost upon us and for most of us, the lead-up is like Christmas morning. There is so much hype around these prospects and where they will land, it is an exciting time. It's even more exciting when you hear all the trade rumours that are being talked about and what your favourite NHL team could be cooking up behind the scenes. The NHL Buyout Window Is About To Open; Will The Blue Jackets Use it?Now that the Florida Panthers have won the 2025 Stanley Cup, the offseason will get into full swing, and the first piece of business will the NHL's buyout window.  Blue Jackets Reveal 25th Anniversary LogoThe Columbus Blue Jackets are entering their 25th year in the NHL, and to celebrate, they have released a 25th anniversary logo.

Flyers add Reirden, assistant video coach to Tocchet's coaching staff originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers have found their third assistant coach.

The club added Todd Reirden to its staff Friday, along with assistant video coach Dylan Crawford.

Reirden was last on the Penguins’ staff in 2023-24 as an associate coach. He’s a former defenseman who has a Stanley Cup ring from his time as an associate coach with the 2017-18 Capitals.

Rick Tocchet’s bench will feature Reirden, Yogi Svejkovsky and Jay Varady.

“I’m happy to have rounded out my coaching staff by bringing Todd and Dylan on board,” Tocchet said in a statement released by the team. “Todd’s extensive experience across all levels of coaching, as well as his success throughout his career, will play a pivotal role in all facets of our game.

“Dylan adds another level to our video team in an area that is rapidly expanding and becoming more critical in the outcome of games and the way teams prepare.”

Reirden, who turns 54 years old next Wednesday, appears to be the Flyers’ Brad Shaw replacement. Reirden oversaw Washington’s defense before he was hired as the team’s head coach the offseason after it won the Stanley Cup. In two seasons as the Capitals’ bench boss, Reirden went 89-46-16, but had a pair of first-round playoff exits.

In addition to overseeing the Flyers’ defensemen, Shaw also coached the penalty kill. It’s uncertain who will now be in charge of the Flyers’ PK.

Svejkovsky coached the Canucks’ power play in 2024-25 under Tocchet, so running the man advantage could be his role with the Flyers. As for the Flyers’ penalty kill, we’ll see if that’s the job for Varady or Reirden.

At his last stop, Reirden coached Pittsburgh’s power play, which struggled in his final season. The Penguins had the NHL’s third-worst man advantage in 2023-24 at 15.3 percent. In May 2024, Seth Rorabaugh of the Tribune-Review detailed Reirden’s four seasons (and second stint) with Pittsburgh.

In his four seasons working with Washington’s defensemen, the Capitals surrendered the league’s second-fewest goals per game at 2.45. Defenseman John Carlson was an All-Star in both of Reirden’s seasons as a head coach.

Crawford, 35, was a video coach on Tocchet’s staff in Vancouver.

Source: Flyers adding Reirden to Tocchet's coaching staff originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

There’s nothing official yet, but it looks like the Flyers have found their third assistant coach.

The club is in the process of adding Todd Reirden to its staff, a source confirmed Thursday.

Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli first reported the news.

Reirden was last on the Penguins’ staff in 2023-24 as an associate coach. He’s a former defenseman who has a Stanley Cup ring from his time as an associate coach with the 2017-18 Capitals.

Rick Tocchet’s coaching staff is set to feature Reirden, Yogi Svejkovsky and Jay Varady.

Reirden, who turns 54 years old next Wednesday, appears to be the Flyers’ Brad Shaw replacement. Reirden oversaw Washington’s defense before he was hired as the team’s head coach the offseason after it won the Stanley Cup. In two seasons as the Capitals’ bench boss, Reirden went 89-46-16, but had a pair of first-round playoff exits.

In addition to overseeing the Flyers’ defensemen, Shaw also coached the penalty kill. It’s uncertain who will now be in charge of the Flyers’ PK.

Svejkovsky coached the Canucks’ power play in 2024-25 under Tocchet, so running the man advantage could be his role with the Flyers. As for the Flyers’ penalty kill, we’ll see if that’s the job for Varady or Reirden.

At his last stop, Reirden coached Pittsburgh’s power play, which struggled in his final season. The Penguins had the NHL’s third-worst man advantage in 2023-24 at 15.3 percent. In May 2024, Seth Rorabaugh of the Tribune-Review detailed Reirden’s four seasons (and second stint) with Pittsburgh.

In his four seasons working with Washington’s defensemen, the Capitals surrendered the league’s second-fewest goals per game at 2.45. Defenseman John Carlson was an All-Star in both of Reirden’s seasons as a head coach.

NHL pre-season hockey is coming to Boise, Idaho.

The Idaho Steelheads, in conjunction with the Idaho Central Arena, will host an NHL pre-season game between the LA Kings and Utah Mammoth Sep. 30 at 7 Pm inside the Idaho Central Arena.

“We are extremely excited to be able to bring NHL hockey back to the Treasure Valley for the second time in the last four years,” Eric Trapp, President of Idaho Sports Properties, said in a statement. “With the success we have had hosting NHL events in downtown Boise, it was a goal of ours to host another game after seeing how well it was received back in 2022.”

This will be the third NHL preseason game and fourth NHL event hosted in Downtown Boise. The Vegas Golden Knights and Arizona Coyotes met on Oct. 8, 2022 most recently. The LA Kings and San Jose Sharks met for an exhibition game on Sep. 24, 1997 prior to the inaugural Steelheads season, and it was the third event hosted in the history of the Idaho Central Arena. The Steelheads also hosted the Dallas Stars Training Camp in Sept. 2018, which included an intra-squad scrimmage on the final day.

"Bringing NHL hockey back to Boise is an incredible opportunity, and we couldn’t be more excited," said LA Kings President Luc Robitaille. "This preseason game is a chance for us to share the speed, skill, and energy of Kings hockey, with a passionate and growing fan base in Idaho. We’re proud to help showcase the game in new communities and look forward to creating a memorable experience for everyone in Boise.”

Steelheads Season Ticket Holders will have the first right to reserve their seats for the NHL Preseason Game with a presale on Jul. 15 and the deadline on Aug. 1. Information regarding tickets for the general public will be announced on a later date.

Photo Courtesy of the Idaho Steelheads

LAS VEGAS -- With the NHL season officially in the books, Golden Knights fans will certainly have their eyes set on the upcoming draft.

Locally, they're also anticipating the annual Battle for Las Vegas charity softball game that pits members of the Knights against members representing the Las Vegas Raiders.

Jack Eichel, who recently finished fifth in the voting for the Hart Trophy, will captain the Golden Knights.

Raiders tight end Brock Bowers is the captain of the Raiders and friends.

Now in its sixth year, the star-studded charity softball event is scheduled for July 12 at 8 p.m. at Las Vegas Ballpark at Downtown Summerlin.

While the Knights fans await the announcement of Eichel's roster, the Raiders announced their roster on Thursday.

The roster for Team Bowers includes current Las Vegas Raiders players Jack Bech, AJ Cole, Daniel Carlson, Thayer Munford Jr., Eric Stokes, Aidan O’Connell, Jeremy Chinn, Sincere McCormick and former Raiders tight end Darren Waller.

The event, which gives fans the chance to watch their favorite local athletes compete for Las Vegas’ ultimate bragging rights, will open with a Home Run Derby one hour before the opening pitch of the softball game.

The night will conclude with a postgame fireworks display.

Proceeds from the event are directed to the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation, which will then make donations to selected beneficiaries that include: Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE, Make-A-Wish Nevada, Best Buddies and Assisting Lives in Las Vegas.

The initial event launched in 2019 and to date has raised more than $1 million for deserving nonprofits.

According to TSN collaborator Bruce Garrioch, right winger Claude Giroux could be interested in signing with the Montreal Canadiens when he hits free agency on July 1. It’s not that the Tricolore would be his first choice, though. The 37-year-old would like to sign a contract extension with the Ottawa Senators, but some believe the two sides are at a stalemate.

Talks are continuing to see if the gap can be bridged, and the Sens have made a one-year offer for an over-35 contract. Garrioch also reports that league executives have estimated Giroux could hope for a $3 million base salary with achievable bonus targets that could see him earn between $4.5 million and $5 million.

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Giroux’s family is well settled in Ottawa, and that’s a big part of the reason why he would like to stay put, and probably why he would be interested in signing with Montreal if a deal can’t be reached, given geographical proximity. ‘

Throughout his 18-season career, the 5-foot-11, 188-pound forward has played 1,263 games and accumulated 1,116 points. Since joining the Senators, his production has steadily declined, dropping from 79 points to 64 and then 50 this past season.

The veteran has spent most of the season playing in Ottawa’s top-six alongside the likes of Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle. Fellow veteran David Perron still has one year to go on his contract with the Ontario outfit, meaning there’s already an experienced player on the roster.

While there’s no denying that Giroux has been a force in the NHL and is still a talented player, I struggle to see why the Canadiens would feel the need to make him an offer. Montreal is in dire need of a top-six center and a right-shot defenseman. Of course, the Habs have lost their most experienced player with David Savard’s retirement, but Brendan Gallagher is already 33 years old, and Mike Matheson is 31; they’re both fairly experienced. Giroux has been to one Stanley Cup Final, just like Gallagher.

I expect that the only way Kent Hughes could make him an offer is if he fails to find what he needs on the trade market or in free agency. This is somewhat similar to when Danny Briere said he would like to sign with the Canadiens towards the end of his career; however, this didn’t exactly go well. He played 69 games in Montreal, putting up 25 points, and found himself playing on the fourth line at times.

Photo credit:  Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

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