Sportico released its NHL team valuations this week. It now has the average value for NHL teams at $2.1 billion. Check it out to learn more.

The Hockey News owner W. Graeme Roustan shares his NHL team valuations every year in the Money & Power hockey business annual. In Money & Power 2025, the average team valuation was at $2.03 billion.

It's no wonder the NHL's salary cap is rising quickly. It's also no wonder that any expansion team would probably cost at least $2 billion to enter the league. Which potential expansion city do you think could easily pay that price?

The Toronto Maple Leafs are about to finish their 2025-26 training camp, and as it happens, the Maple Leafs are very deep at every position -- but certainly, the most depth they've got is on the wings. And as we'll exploain, we're telling you this because the Buffalo Sabres should be looking into acquiring into one of a few veteran Leafs wingers in particular: right winger/center Calle Jarnkrok, and left-wingers David Kampf and Nick Robertson.

Let's be clear -- we're in no way aruging Robertson, Jarnkrok and Kampf are going to be big-time difference-makers for the Sabres if Buffalo acquires one of them. These are fringe, not foundational players. But there could be something to the Sabres improving their bottom-six group of forwards, and that should get Sabres GM Kevyn Adams reaching out to Leafs counterpart Brad Treliving and inquiring about the asking price for each of the three. Indeed, the price can't be much at all, other than the cap space Toronto is looking to build up.

Now, the Sabres don't have any obvious holes, so a player like Jarnkrok or Robertson would have to work their way into being a Sabres regular. But they'd be closer to a bona fide opportunity in Buffalo than any of the trio woulde if they remain in Toronto. And only Kampf is signed beyond this season, so it would be a low-risk, decent-reward acquisition if the Sabres were bold enough to make it.

If the move pans out, voila -- you've acquired a veteran for next season at a bargain price. Those are the type of moves no GM can afford to turn down. At a time in league history when it's all but impossible to acquire high-end talent, every team should be aiming to improve its bottom-six group of forwards, and that's what Buffalo would be doing by picking up Jarnkrok, Kampf or Robertson.

Again, you have to consider the price here if you're a Sabres fan hearing this idea for the first time. You're only taking the money off Toronto's hands. And for giving the Leafs that luxury, you wind up with a player who can contribute positive things for you as you push to end a 14-year Stanley Cup playoff berth. To quote TV's Breaking Bad: "Everybody wins."

Sabres' Second Line Must Lead The Way For Buffalo's Forwards This YearThe Buffalo Sabres need a lot of things to go right for them to be a Stanley Cup playoff team this coming season. They need their goalies to pan out with strong performances. They need star defenseman Rasmus Dahlin to put on a defensive clinic and carrry Buffalo to a strong defensive game. And one thing could also be the difference between the Sabres missing or making the 2026 playoffs -- namely, the play of Buffalo's second line of forwards: center Ryan McLeod, and wingers Alex Tuch and Jason Zucker.

The Sabres have $5.3-million in salary cap space, so they can absorb the full contract of either Robertson, Jarnkrok or Kampf and still have sufficient cap space to make other acquisitions during the coming season. But they'd be setting a new bar for their forwards by trading for one of Toronto's surplus wingers

Adams can't bank on acquiring true needle-movers during the year. But what he can do is recognize a solid gamble when he sees one, and move quickly to improve the Sabres' overall depth and add the experience that Jarnkrok, Kampf and Robertson would bring to the organization.

Sabres' Defense Corps Could Be The Difference Between Buffalo Making And Missing Out On PlayoffsYesterday, we put forth our opinion that the Buffalo Sabres need a big year out of star defenseman Rasmus Dahlin if they were going to contend for a Stanley Cup playoff berth (and end their 14-season playoff drought. And 24 hours later, we're sticking with that notion. But this column is an addendum to yesterday's column. Because while the Sabres need Dahlin to spearhead a defensive renaissance for this franchise, Buffalo isn't going to be a playoff team unless something else happens in addition to Dahlin being very difficult to play against particularly in their own zone.

It might not work, but at least you could say you more or less spent every penny available to you under the cap  by spending these last few millions on a veteran or two to be an improved team. Remember, you don't accrue cap space year after year. So there's really no excuse for not emptying the coffers and investing all the salary you can.

It could wind up being the difference between making and missing the post-season. And if you're a Sabres fan, you should be happy with an improved team to cheer on, regardless of how that improvement takes place. And there are options in Leafs Land that can help Buffalo with its playoff push.

The NHL season is upon us. 

In a week, the Nashville Predators will open up their 2025-26 campaign, taking on the Columbus Blue Jackets Oct. 9 at Bridgestone Arena at 7 p.m. CST. 

Last season was statistically one of the worst in Predators franchise history as the team finished in seventh in the Central Division with a 30-44-8 record and 68 points.

The season followed a free agency period in which Nashville acquired notable names like Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei. 

With a new season on the horizon, Predators fans shared their expectations, thoughts, opinions and ideas for this year. 

Fans on r/predators on Reddit were given a survey to gather their thoughts on the last season, this coming season, and specific opinions they may have. Answers were logged anonymously, and not every question was required to be answered.

Here are the results of that survey. 

Who is your favorite current player? 

1. Filip Forsberg

2. Juuse Saros 

3. Roman Josi 

4. Ryan O’Reilly 

5. Fedor Svechkov

What was the biggest thing you took away from last season? 

Struggles with the defense and center depth seemed to be the biggest concern for Predator fans last season. 

We definitely need high-caliber centers if we want to really be competitive.

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Need a playmaking center and to shore up the backend.

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While center depth remains a concern for the Predators entering this season, they have addressed this issue by making a handful of acquisitions on the back end, trading for Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nic Hague and signing Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Nick Perbix. 

One fan mentioned that goalie Juuse Saros could've had a better season if the defense in front of him had improved. 

Juuse Saros is an incredible goaltender, but he can't steal games without more stability in the D-Core. Nashville famously has incredible defense and historic goaltending, but never an explosive offense. Now, it seems we've even lost that defensive piece.

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Coaching was also cited as a concern from last season. In his second year, after reaching the playoffs in his first season as head coach, Andrew Brunette had a massive sophomore slump.

It's put him in a difficult position coming into this season as he has the highest odds to get fired first according to BetMGM. 

Need better coaching. I think the system prevented the players from achieving success and becoming a winning team.

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What is something you think the Predators can realistically achieve this season? 

Every hockey fan wants their team to win the Stanley Cup every season, but for the Predators, right now, that isn't the most realistic goal. 

Many Predators fans believe that a true, realistic goal for the team is to make the playoffs as a Wild Card team. The Central Division is deep, but fans think this team has a chance to squeak its way into the playoffs. 

I think there is a shot that the team competes for the last playoff spot in the conference/division. The new talent, a refreshed year brings that potential.

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Other fans were a little bit more skeptical, saying that playoffs are still out of reach. 

I would like to believe the playoffs are possible, but that’s a stretch that may be just beyond realism.

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Some fans want to see general improvement, that being a higher finish in the standings than last year, more consistent play and possibly an identity change focused on a rebuild. This will be a critical year in deciding if the Predators want to continue with their current model or start from scratch. 

I believe the Preds can realistically be a middle of the pack team this year. I'm not one of the Preds doomers wanting us to tank, I want to see effort and improvement.

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Settle in craft a new identity. The Preds have played gritty dump-and-chase hockey for as long as I've watched. That may be Brunette's system too, but our aging veterans can't play to that intensity for the entire season. We need to take a step back, analyze strengths, then adjust the system and settle in."

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Who will benefit the Predators the most this season? 

This is where the answers started becoming a little bit more open ended. 

Fans were asked back-to-back questions about individuals. Who was going to benefit the team this season, and who wasn't? 

Let's start with the positive. The bulk of the Predators fans who answered believe that there's a lot of potential in future prospects, and the team can start benefiting from that talent now.

"n general, our younger talent as a whole can have the biggest benefit. Going out there and hustling, forcing contact, and trying new things can really help the team open up scoring chances. Out of that group, [Zachary] L’Heureux has my eye for being a key driver of this.

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Youth movement. Need to see legit performance from [Luke] Evangelista, L'Heureux, [Joakim] Kemell. Would like to see [Spencer] Stastny bounce back but I think that's unlikely. Give [Brady] Martin his games because he looks comfortable enough to play them.

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Fedor Svechkov and Tanner Molendyk were two other names, alongside the ones mentioned, that fans believe could have a significant impact. 

As for the veterans, fans believe that Roman Josi and Saros can have "bounce back" seasons. Josi missed the final few games of last season due to a Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) diagnosis and spent the entirety of the offseason recovering. He has already returned for training camp. 

Saros just had a down year compared to the previous seasons. Signed to an extended contract, this is going to be a big year not just for him, but for the front office that signed him to the extension 

Josi is a make-or-break season. If he's in form, the team can win.

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If Saros is back to form, then his impact could change everything.

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Who will benefit the Predators the least this season? 

These answers centered around mainly two things: Barry Trotz and aging players. 

Trotz, the Predators' first-ever head coach, returned to the organization in 2023 as general manager. His tenure has been complicated, to say the least, as he tries to stick to the Predators' "Smashville" identity while building toward the future in a more offensively focused NHL. 

A handful of acquisitions, or lack thereof, this offseason have left fans uneasy heading into this season. 

GM Barry Trotz. He’s a coach who has no business being a GM. He’s been taken advantage of in trades and has handed out some really awful contracts that have hamstrung the team financially.

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Barry Trotz. Continues to sign and play players that seem not to fit the coaches’ preferred schemes.

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The other concern comes around older players in core roles. Specifically, Brady Skjei, who is 31 years old, is entering the second year of a seven-year contract. Since joining the Predators in the 2024 offseason, his production has gradually declined. 

Skjei. I would love to see him have a breakout season, but he can be a weak aspect that really hinders the team's ability to stay consistent across every shift.

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Honestly, I'm kind of worried about Skjei. He gets a lot of flak, and I tend to cut him more slack than that, but now we have so many defensemen, it feels like he and his huge contract are just in the way, and I still am not convinced he will turn it around yet. Would rather have a younger guy in his spot.

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Older talent in general is becoming an issue for fans, and there is a growing need to get the next generation of Predators players to Nashville. 

We can't double down on getting more 30+ year old forwards that won't help the team now nor be part of the core in the long term.

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Fans' prediction for Predators' 2025-26 season

The majority of fans who took the survey believe that the Nashville Predators will not make the playoffs, with the "no" vote making up 55.3% of the poll. 

When it comes to placement in the standings, fans averaged that the Predators would finish 23rd in the NHL and sixth in the Central Division.

Compared to the 2024-25 standings, that would be a seven-spot improvement in the league standings and a one-spot improvement in the divisional standings, but still 14 points outside of a Wild Card spot. 

Final thoughts

Trotz is getting a lot of hate, some of it is deserved, but I am on his team for now. I love his draft picks and think we need to give him another 3 years or so before we start to judge him, not only for his past decisions but to give him time to grow in a position he hasn't done before. Few people can step into a new role like that and immediately be successful, or even "average", at it.

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Future outlook isn't as bad as some outlets say, but this team is still missing top-line talent on forward and defense. Lots of good prospects in the system with Martin, Surin, Molendyk, Svechkov, Wood, Lee, etc.

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Getting fans a 3rd jersey (it's been 14 years).

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It feels like the Preds are wanting their cake and to eat it too. The team feels devoid of identity and direction.

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We need a direction other than just playoff edge, even if it’s a full rebuild, and we need to draft and develop way better.

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Go Preds!

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Puckpedia announced on Thursday that Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Daemon Hunt was placed on waivers for purpose of American Hockey League (AHL) assignment.

Hunt, 23, was drafted by the Wild with the 65th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. He spent parts of five seasons in the Wild's organization before he was traded to the Blue Jackets.

The 6-foot-1 defenseman played 13 NHL games with the Wild the last two seasons. He was traded with a first round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, third and fourth round picks in 2026 and a second round pick in 2027 for David Jiricek and a fifth round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Hunt played 48 games for the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL last year after the trade. He recorded two goals and 14 points.

Defenseman Daemon Hunt Placed On WaiversDefenseman Daemon Hunt has been placed on waivers per PuckPedia.com.

The Wild are in need of a left-shot defenseman and are familiar with Hunt. It would not shock me if Hunt is claimed, but also by the Wild. 

Jack Johnson is on a PTO right now and hasn't been signed yet. Zach Bogosian is a right-shot defenseman and played on the left-side last game and will again on Friday.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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The NHL had several players hit the waiver wire on Oct. 2. One of them was former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Riley Stillman, as the Edmonton Oilers placed him on waivers.

Stillman joined the Oilers this off-season by signing a two-year, two-way contract with them in free agency. The expectation is that he will be a depth defenseman/call-up option for the Oilers' organization. However, before he can be sent down to the Oilers' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, he must clear waivers.

Stillman played in five games this past season with the Carolina Hurricanes, where he recorded zero points, one block, seven penalty minutes, eight hits, and a minus-1 rating. However, he primarily spent this past season in the AHL with the Chicago Wolves. In 35 games with the Wolves in 2024-25, he posted three goals, six assists, nine points, 58 penalty minutes, and a minus-9 rating.

Stillman was traded by the Florida Panthers to the Blackhawks during the 2020-21 season. From there, he played two seasons with the Blackhawks from 2020-21 to 2021-22. In 65 games as a member of the Blackhawks over that span, he recorded three goals, 10 assists, 13 points, 88 blocks, 159 hits, and a minus-5 rating.

The NHL had several players hit waivers on Oct. 2, and one of them was a former New York Rangers forward. This is because the Vancouver Canucks have placed forward Vitali Kravtsov on waivers.

Kravtsov returned to the Canucks on a one-year, two-way contract this summer. This was after the 6-foot-2 winger spent each of the last two seasons in the KHL with Traktor Chelyabinsk. After recording 18 goals and 34 points in 55 games with the KHL squad in 2023-24, Kravtsov posted 27 goals, 31 assists, and 58 points in 66 games with them in 2024-25. Thus, he undoubtedly is coming off a strong year overseas.

Kravtsov was selected by the Rangers with the ninth-overall pick of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. He was once considered one of the Rangers' top prospects after this, but he never blossomed into the top-six winger they hoped he would after they drafted him. In 48 games over two seasons with the Rangers, he recorded five goals, five assists, 10 points, 14 blocks, 18 hits, and an even plus/minus rating.

Given the year Kravtsov just had in the KHL, it is fair to wonder if another NHL team could consider claiming the former first-round pick off waivers. It will be interesting to see what happens on that front from here.