The Nashville Predators are 2-0 in the NHL Prospect Tournament down in Tampa, but have been without one of their top players. 

Defenseman Tanner Molendyk has not played in either of the Predators' games against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday or the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.

He was reportedly injured during Predators pre-tournament practice on Thursday, leaving the ice and not returning. 

After a dominant season in the Western Hockey League, making it all the way to the Memorial Cup championship game, Molendyk has the potential to make the Predators roster at the upcoming training camp. 

 He played with the Saskatoon Blades for 21 games, scoring 21 points. Midway through the season, he was traded to the Medicine Hat Tigers and scored 26 points in 28 regular-season games with the Tigers.

Medicine Hat went on a run in the playoffs, winning the Western Hockey League championship and making it all the way to the Memorial Cup title game. Molendyk had 20 points in 18 playoff games and was named to the Memorial Cup All-Star team. 

While it's reported that Molendyk is "day-to-day," it is more likely he will sit out the prospects tournament in order to be fully healthy for the start of training camp on Sept. 18. 

Predators undefeated in NHL Prospect Tournament 

Reid Schaefer gets us the W in the final 30 seconds 👏 pic.twitter.com/rEgvPBHXJQ

— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) September 13, 2025

The Predators' prospects have shone bright in Tampa this weekend, remaining perfect through their first two games. 

On Friday, it dispatched the host Tampa Bay Lightning, 2-1. Joakim Kemell (2022, 17th overall) scored off a long-range snapshot to tie the game at 1-1 in the second period. In the third period, Brady Martin (2025, 5th overall) scored the game-winning goal on a penalty shot. 

The Predators returned to the ice on Saturday to face the Carolina Hurricanes. After going down 1-0 early, Cole O'Hara (2022, 114th overall) redirected a shot from the point into the net to tie the game late in the second period.

Carolina took the lead back in the third period, but a nice move by Kalan Lind from the forehand to the backhand tied the game up. In the final minute, Reid Schaefer tapped in a pass from Ryan Ufko (2021, 115th overall) to give the Predators a green light to a 3-2 win.

Nashville will play its final game of the NHL Prospect Tournament on Monday against the Florida Panthers at 11 a.m. CST. The game can be watched on the Nashville Predators website. 

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One Fine Goodfellow - Sept. 25 2017 - Collector's Edition - Ken Campbell

(LE STUDIO DU HOCKEY/HHOF IMAGES)

WHEN THE DETROIT Red Wings retired Nicklas Lidstrom’s No. 5 three years ago, they ensured no player would ever wear that digit on the back of their sweater while wearing the winged wheel on the front. But there are some who insist Lidstrom shouldn’t have been wearing that number in the first place.

That’s because it once belonged to a player by the name of Ebbie Goodfellow, the forgotten superstar in a pantheon of alltime Red Wings greats. Before there was Steve Yzerman and Pavel Datsyuk, or even Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay, there was Goodfellow, who not only starred for Detroit but did so at two positions. In fact, Goodfellow goes back so far with the franchise that he played in the last season that the team was known as the Cougars and the two seasons it went by the Falcons.

Goodfellow was a big, scoring center for the Red Wings who led the Canadian Professional League (the precursor to the AHL) in scoring in 1928-29. Two years later, he finished second in NHL scoring to Montreal superstar Howie Morenz. But when Wings GM Jack Adams asked him to move back to defense in the middle of 1934-35, Goodfellow did so without complaint and without missing a beat. As a defenseman, he helped Detroit to back-to-back Cups in 1936 and ’37 and was a first-team allstar twice, including in 1939-40 when he became the first Wings player to win the Hart Trophy. “He wasn’t a really flashy player,” said hockey historian Bob Duff, author of several books on the Red Wings. “It was the same with guys like Alex Delvecchio and Marcel Pronovost and even Red Kelly, who didn’t get the same kind of recognition Howe, Lindsay and (Terry) Sawchuk got.”

Goodfellow put up some impressive offensive numbers on a weak team through the first five seasons of his career, but Adams noticed he was beginning to slow down. The Wings already had some homegrown scoring stars in Larry Aurie and Herbie Lewis and had added established NHL marksmen when they acquired Cooney Weiland in 1933-34 and Syd Howe the following season. With plenty of firepower already up front, Adams approached Goodfellow with the idea of moving to the blueline. “I once read the newspaper story about the game when he moved back to defense, and they just talked about how seamless it was,” Duff said. “He went back there and played like he had been doing it for years. And he was one of those guys who didn’t get a lot of attention. It was almost like Lidstrom. He didn’t get a lot of attention for the first half of his career because he was a guy who went out there and played really steady and never made any mistakes.”

HE WENT BACK THERE AND PLAYED LIKE HE’D BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS – Bob Duff, hockey historian

The character and sacrifice Goodfellow showed in the move to the blueline convinced Adams of his leadership qualities and he was named the Wings captain.

In his final NHL season, Goodfellow served as a player-coach for the team and became the last player-coach to win the Stanley Cup when the Red Wings captured it in 1943. Reports at the time indicated that it was assumed Goodfellow would take over as the Wings coach, but that never materialized. Instead, he went on to coach the AHL’s St. Louis Flyers for three-plus seasons in the late 1940s before taking over the Chicago Black Hawks for two moribund seasons in the early 1950s.

Lest you think him too good a fellow, it should be noted Goodfellow was once fined $100 by referee Bill Stewart. The first $50 was for “calling (Stewart) a bald-headed so-and-so and then emphasizing it by calling him a such-and-such,” according to newspaper reports of the day. The other half of the fine was levied for sticking his tongue out at the referee. “That’s $50 more,” Stewart reportedly told Goodfellow. “Nobody can stick their tongue out at me.”

For his part, Goodfellow was quoted as saying, “That’s the way it is with referees. When they can’t think of an answer, they fine you.”

Goodfellow was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1963. He died in 1985 at age 78. Sportswriter Baz O’Meara had this to say about his nomination: “Ebbie was a fine good-looking fellow, a hard checker, a clean player and a fine ice general. He could be classified as a gentlemanly type though he was no namby-pamby hockey player. He was a beautiful skater and a fine stickhandler. As a center he rated right up with the top talent, and he was a standout defenseman.”

A Goodfellow and a great player, to be sure.

Sandin Pellikka Ranked 21st in Controversial NHL Network Top 25 Prospects ListRed Wings prospect Axel Sandin Pellikka mentioned in controversial prospect rankings list made by NHL Network. 

EAST MEADOW, NY -- It's hard to temper expectations when talent is clearly evident. While many may be thinking this is about Matthew Schaefer — he's going to be a really special player — it's Maxim Shabanov who stole the show on Sunday at New York Islanders rookie camp.

Shabanov Talks Signing With Islanders & MoreToday was the first day we spoke with the Islanders big offseason signing out of Russia.

The 24-year-old is obviously on the older side when it comes to prospects, but taking part in rookie camp has been a good test for someone who has never played the North American game.

Shabanov is standing out, as he should be, going up against younger players who don't have the professional experience he has.

Whether it's his edge work and skating, his on-the-tape passing ability (whether he's looking or not), his heavy shot to the top corners with ease, or just the way his creative mind works coming up and down the ice, he seems to have all the tools to overcome his 5'9" stature.

"I guess you can knock his size, but you've got to be able to catch him," Islanders prospect Kashawn Aitcheson said. "He's super highly skilled, and he's super strong too. He can hold his own. He's not a flimsy guy. He's kind of a man already. So, yeah, I think he'll do just fine."

Exclusive: Islanders’ First-Rounder Kashawn Aitcheson Talks Physical Edge, Leadership & DevelopmentEAST MEADOW, NY -- During Day Two of New York Islanders Rookie Camp, it was hard not to notice No. 17 overall pick Kashawn Aitcheson.  His cross-overs were sharp. His shot was on the money. And you could see his excitement once the physical drills were introduced. 

The question of whether he can handle the NHL's physicality or just the overall skill of the greatest league in the world remains to be seen. So it's important to temper expectations until we see how he looks in main training camp, which opens next Thursday, and how he fares in his preseason slate.

But if he proves he can handle the physicality, the Islanders have a secret weapon and potentially — potentially — a perfect linemate for Mathew Barzal.

"He's as silky as it gets," Islanders prospect Matthew Maggio told The Hockey News. "I had a great time just getting to play with him and go down with him on 2-on-1s. And he's a super fun guy to play with, and I look forward to hopefully getting some more time together. He's just such a smart player. Some of the best hands I've ever seen. Everyone saw the heel drag that he pulled off. Not many guys are pulling stuff like that off, so clean too. He's gonna be a good player."

Shabanov shenanigans. #Islespic.twitter.com/cd8WjSKhXw

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) September 14, 2025

How's the language barrier?

"He's not a guy that's quiet," Maggio said. "Even just playing with him in the 4-on-4, we're coming, he's coming back to the bench and saying what he wants. He wanted me to swing with him and stuff like that. So he's trying. And, I mean, that's really all you can ask for."

Who is better to ask about Shabanov than a goaltender?

"He's very skilled. He's got a good shot," goalie prospect Burke Hood told The Hockey News. "He finds a way to pick the corner and seems to find the back of the net on every shot."

As for the heel drag that Maggio mentioned: "Something I honestly didn't expect to see."

Prospect and Long Island native Ross Mitton told me on Saturday that he looks like a mini Kucherov out there.

Here's what Bridgeport and rookie camp head coach Rocky Thompson had to say about Shabanov following Sunday's skate:

"His skill set is good. I thought he checked good," Thompson said. "Like I said the last time, what was impressive was the fact that his checking ability is good, and it should be, because he's such a good skater. But he's taken some pride in those types of things, and he's competitive. You can kind of see that within the drills that there is a competitiveness to him, which is great, and it's not something that you can teach. It's an instinctual thing, which is wonderful.

"So he's done a good job, but you can see some of the puck ability stuff in the 1-on-1s. So that's going to be fun when he starts to play the hockey games, because then you can start to see how these skills translate in a five-on-five environment."

Training camp opens Thursday, and that's where Shabanov will have to prove just how big of an impact he can make.

As mentioned, let's temper expectations. But that doesn't mean Islanders fans can't be excited about what could be a tremendous acquisition.

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After just one full NHL season, the Philadelphia Flyers have traded goalie Ivan Fedotov to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 2026 sixth-round pick.

Fedotov, 28, was the odd man out in Philadelphia after the Flyers had gone out and signed goalie Dan Vladar in free agency to back up incumbent starter Sam Ersson.

By moving on from the once-promising 6-foot-8 Russian, the Flyers save a whopping $3.275 million in cap space, preventing any potential future issues that could arise due to injury, for example.

Fedotov played 26 games for the Flyers last season, starting 24 and posting a 6-13-4 record, a 3.15 GAA, and a .880 save percentage.

Report: Carter Hart Will Choose New NHL Team Soon, Flyers Reunion UnlikelyAccording to a report, former Flyers goalie Carter Hart is nearing a return to the NHL, but that return isn't expected to be in Philadelphia.

After joining the Flyers and leaving KHL outfit CSKA Moscow in 2023-24, Fedotov went 0-1-1 in three appearances with a 4.95 GAA and .811 save percentage, starting strong in his debut but faltering in his next two matches.

Fedotov's last win as a Flyer came on March 31 against the Nashville Predators, saving 28 of 29 shots (.955)  in a narrow 2-1 victory.

The Flyers now have $2.695 million in cap space, according to PuckPedia, and figure to go into the season with a goalie depth of Ersson, Vladar, Carson Bjarnason, and Aleksei Kolosov.

From Ex-players to current players and everything in between, we've got you covered. 

Did you miss anything from the past week at The Hockey News - Columbus Blue Jackets? If you did, we have you covered with the Sunday Recap. Click on each card below to read the stories from the past week. 

37 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #37The Columbus Blue Jackets have 37 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #37. 

Sean Collins - 2015 - Collins was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets 7th round of the 2008 NHL Draft. 

After Collins left Cornell University, he would spend the next three seasons playing for the AHL's Springfield Falcons. He got called up by Columbus a few times, totaling 19 games and three points. 

On July 1, 2015, Collins left the Blue Jackets as a free agent and signed a one-year contract with the Washington Capitals. 

In 2016, Collins left for Europe, where he's played ever since. He's played in the KHL, DEL, LIIGA, Switzerland, and the last three seasons in Austria. He is signed on to play his third season for Black Wings Linz in the ICEHL in Austria. 

Former Blue Jackets Forward Signs PTO With HurricanesAccording to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, former Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kevin Labanc has signed a professional tryout (PTO) with the Carolina Hurricanes.

According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, former Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kevin Labanc has signed a professional tryout (PTO) with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Labanc, 29, didn’t have the strongest season with the Blue Jackets last year. In 34 games, he recorded two goals and 10 assists. In February, he underwent season-ending shoulder surgery but is expected to be ready for the start of the 2025-26 season.

36 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #36The Columbus Blue Jackets have 36 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #36. 

Jonathan Marchessault - 2013 - Marchessault was undrafted out of Cap-Rouge, Quebec.  

Marchessault signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets just before the 2012-13 season, where he played just two games. He spent the rest of his time playing for the Springfield Falcons of the AHL, where he had 67 points in 74 games. 

On March 5, 2014, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning, ending his time with Columbus. He would finally get his shot when he signed with the Florida Panthers in 2016. But after just one season, they chose to expose him in the 2017 expansion draft, where the newly formed Vegas Golden Knights would scoop him. He played the next seven seasons for Vegas, scoring 192 goals and totaling 417 points. 

He left for the Nashville Predators in 2024, signing a five-year, $27.5 million contract. 

35 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #35The Columbus Blue Jackets have 35 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #35. 

Martin Prusek - 2006 - Prusek was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the 6th round of the 1999 NHL Draft.

Prusek played in 9 games for Columbus during the 05-06 season and had a record of 3-3. He also played 23 games for the Syracuse Crunch that year.

He returned to Europe after his time with Columbus, where he would play in Russia and Czechia until he retired in 2011. He moved directly into coaching, where he has been a goaltending coach in Czechia with various age levels ever since. 

Blue Jackets Prospect To Miss Time Due To Shoulder SurgeryThe Athletic's Aaron Portzline has reported that CBJ defensive prospect Luca Marrelli, will miss the first two months of the season. Marrelli apparently had shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum suffered last season. 

The Athletic's Aaron Portzline has reported that CBJ defensive prospect Luca Marrelli will miss the first two months of the season. Marrelli apparently had shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum suffered last season. 

Marrelli had the surgery in the offseason. 

From The Archive: Buckeye State BreakoutThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

“I knew that for myself, I was not just a throw-in, at least for Columbus,” Roslovic said. “And I knew they were going to give me the opportunity that Winnipeg never gave me. And that was to play center and a legitimate chance to play center. No one had ever seen me at what I call (my) natural position.”

FROM THE THN YEARBOOK: Blue Jackets Predicted To Finish 6th In The Metropolitan DivisionThe hockey season is around the corner, and that means The Hockey News has put out one of its most special and most coveted issues of the year. It's THN Yearbook season.

The hockey season is around the corner, and that means The Hockey News has put out one of its most special and most coveted issues of the year. It's THN Yearbook season.

This year, the THN Staff predicts that the Blue Jackets will finish sixth in the Metro Division. If the CBJ were to finish 6th, that would be a massive step backwards after the season they just had. The Blue Jackets made a push towards the playoffs and finished 4th on the Metro, just two points behind the New Jersey Devils. That would definitely be a huge falloff from the 2024-25 campaign. 

34 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #34The Columbus Blue Jackets have 34 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #34. 

Dana Tyrell - 2015 - Drafted in the second round of the 2007 NHL Draft by Tampa Bay.

On March 5, 2014, Tyrell was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in a deal that sent Jonathan Marchessault to the Lightning. Yes, that Marchessault, the one who got away.

Tyrell played a total of 3 games in his Columbus career before suddenly taking a hiatus and not playing for two years. In 2017, he would retire officially after playing four games in the ECHL. 

Blue Jackets Will Participate In 2025 Prospect ChallengeThe Columbus Blue Jackets have announced they will participate in the 2025-26 Prospect Challenge in Buffalo, taking place from September 11-15.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced they will participate in the 2025-26 Prospect Challenge in Buffalo, taking place from September 11-15.

The Blue Jackets will join the Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, Pittsburgh Penguins, and of course the host Buffalo Sabres.

Former Cleveland Monster Signs PTO With PredatorsFormer Cleveland Monster Dylan Gambrell has signed a professional tryout (PTO) with the Nashville Predators, according to Anthony Di Marco.

Former Cleveland Monster Dylan Gambrell has signed a professional tryout (PTO) with the Nashville Predators, according to Anthony Di Marco.

Gambrell, 29, spent the 2024-25 season with the Monsters, the AHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets. In 54 games, he recorded 13 goals and 12 assists for 25 points, along with 32 penalty minutes.

33 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #33The Columbus Blue Jackets have 33 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #33. 

Petteri Nummelin - 2001 - Nummelin was drafted by Columbus in the 5th round of the 2000 NHL Draft.

After playing just 61 games for Columbus during its inaugural season, Nummelin bolted back to Europe to play for HC Lugano of the Swiss National League. He would return to the NHL in 2006 to play for the Minnesota Wild for two seasons but would again leave for Europe. 

During his career, he played in Switzerland, Finland, Norway, and even Japan before retiring in 2019. Nummelin was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2024 and is currently an assistant coach for HC Ajoie of the Swiss National League.

Blue Jackets' GM Provides Update On Fantilli's ExtensionThe Columbus Blue Jackets' general manager Don Waddell has provided an update on their young star forward Adam Fantilli and his potential contract extension.

“It won’t get done before the season.”

He also revealed that there have not been any real talks yet.

"We’ve had no negotiations at all. I spoke with [Fantilli’s agent Pat] Brisson last week, and they’re in no hurry from their end."

32 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #32The Columbus Blue Jackets have 32 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #32.  Blue Jackets Prospects To Play New Jersey Today In BuffaloColumbus Blue Jackets hockey is back! Well, sort of.  31 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #31The Columbus Blue Jackets have 31 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #31.  Blue Jackets' Don Waddell Shares Latest On Yegor Chinakhov In a recent article for The Athletic, Aaron Portzline had the chance to interview Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell. In the interview, he asked about the status of Yegor Chinakhov after the reported trade request from earlier this off-season. On This Date In 2023: The Mike Babcock Allegations SurfaceOn this date in 2023, a little over two months after the Columbus Blue Jackets hired Mike Babcock, some bombshell allegations were brought to light by the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast that completely derailed the beginning of the CBJ's upcoming season.  30 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #30The Columbus Blue Jackets have 30 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #30.  Blue Jackets To Face Marc-Andre Fleury In Pre-Season Game Against PenguinsYesterday, it was revealed that the Pittsburgh Penguins have signed Hall of Famer Marc-Andre Fleury to a professional tryout (PTO), and he will suit up against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sept. 27 in a pre-season game.

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