With the 2025-26 NHL Season set to begin on Tuesday, October 7th, I thought it would be a fun idea to use EA Sports NHL 26 to predict how the Los Angeles Kings season will go. To pull this off, I used franchise mode and simply skipped to the end of the year.

It's no secret that the expectation for Los Angeles is nothing short of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a fifth consecutive season. Although, this time they must get over the hump and make an appearance in the second round, whether they play the Edmonton Oilers for the fifth straight time or not. 

Let's see how EA Sports expects the Kings upcoming season to play out.

October Record: 5-6-1

Overall: 5-6-1 (20th in the NHL)

The Kings got off to an incredibly slow start, going 1-6-1 in their first eight games before winning four in a row to close out the month strong. Adrian Kempe was L.A.'s leading scorer after 12 games. He scored nine goals and seven assists for 16 points in October. Despite a rough start for the team, Kempe started off a contract year on the right foot. 

November Record: 6-5-2

Overall: 11-11-3 (21st in the NHL)

November was somewhat the same result as the month previous despite an incredibly hot start. To start the second month of the season, the Kings won five of their first eight games before losing their final five games. Once again, Kempe lead the team in scoring, ending November with 15 goals, 12 assists, and 27 points the first 25 games of the season. A great start for a player who's looking for a massive pay-raise next summer.

December Record: 6-7-0

Overall: 17-18-3 (25th in the NHL)

Not a great way to end 2025. The Kings continued their inconsistent play in December as they kept winning one game, then losing two. This pattern would repeat until the month finally came to an end. In his final year, Kings captain Anze Kopitar overtook Kempe for the team lead in scoring as he ended December with 10 goals and 27 assists for 37 points in 38 total games.

January Record: 9-6-1

Overall: 26-24-4 (21st in the NHL)

January was the first time that the Kings ended a month with an overall winning record. This was thanks to an extremely strong end to the month in which they won their last four heading into February, where the winning didn't stop. Kopitar remained as the Kings leading scorer with 14 goals and 33 assists for 47 points in 54 games.

February Record: 4-2-0

Overall: 30-26-4 (20th in the NHL)

The Kings their strong finish to January into February where they would win their first three games of the month, resulting in a season high, seven game win streak. However, their streak would have to come to pause due to the break for the Winter Olympics. This break proved to hurt L.A. more than anything as they finished the month losing two of three. Once again, Kopitar finished the month leading the team with 15 goals, 38 assists and 53 points in 60 games. With just over 20 games to go, the Kings must start winning games if they want to have a chance at making the postseason.

March Record: 10-3-0

Overall: 40-29-4 (12th in the NHL)

And start winning games they did. Los Angeles ended March as the hottest team in the National Hockey League, winning 10 of their 13 games throughout the month. This included a five game win streak to end the month as well. After this stretch, the Kings found themselves in third place in the Pacific Division. Barring an April collapse, L.A. was in the drivers seat to make a fifth straight postseason appearance. 'Kopi' continued his remarkable final season with a 14 point month giving him 21 goals and 46 assists for 67 points in 73 games.

April Record: 3-6-0

Overall: 43-35-4 (6th in Pacific, 17th in NHL) Missed Playoffs

Oh boy. They did the one thing that they couldn't do. After only picking up three wins in the final nine games of the season, the Los Angeles Kings missed the playoffs for the first time since 2020-21. To make it worse, they missed by just one point, getting beat out by the Vancouver Canucks for the final wild card spot. Vancouver beat Los Angeles twice in the last five games as well. A brutal collapse to say the least. Lets hope something like this does not translate to the real world this season.

Statistic Leaders

Points: A. Kopitar (72) K. Fiala (64) Q. Byfield (61) T. Moore (61) A. Kuzmenko (58)

Goals: A. Kuzmenko (27) K. Fiala (26) A. Kopitar (25) P. Danault (24) A. Kempe (23)

Assists: A. Kopitar (47) T. Moore (47) D. Doughty (40) Q. Byfield (39) K. Fiala (38)

Plus/Minus: J. Edmundson (+12) T. Moore (+6) A. Kuzmenko (+5) D. Doughty (+3) Q. Byfield (+2)

Defense Points: D. Doughty (45) B. Clarke (31) B. Dumoulin (30)

Goaltending Stats:

Darcy Kuemper: 65 GP, 35-26-3, 8 SO, .914 SV%, 2.96 GAA

Anton Forsberg: 23 GP, 8-10-1, 1 SO, .897 SV%, 3.31 GAA

Successes and Disappointments

Success: Brian Dumoulin

In his first season with the Kings, NHL26 had blue liner Brian Dumoulin scoring a whopping 14 goals. This total would crush his previous career high of six that he set with the Seattle Kraken in 2023-24. His 14 goals were good for the 10th most among defensemen in the simulation.

Disappointment: Adrian Kempe

For whatever reason, forward Adrian Kempe did not do well in the simulation. Kempe took an unexpected step back from his two previous 70+ point campaigns. In 82 games, the 29-year-old scored just 23 goals and 33 assists for 56 points. This would be great season for the average player, not someone who is expected to make upwards of $10 million per year. If Kempe produced more in the simulation, L.A. likely makes the postseason. Hopefully the Kings sniper fares better than his video game counterpart.

Success: Andrei Kuzmenko

If Kings F Andrei Kuzmenko can produce like he did in this simulation, I imagine Kings fans and management will be very satisfied. Kuzmenko posted 27 goals and 31 assists for 58 points in 82 games. By far the best season of his career since his rookie season with Vancouver in 2022-23. 

Disappointment: Brandt Clarke

Blueliner Brandt Clarke is expected to a leap in the 2025-25 season. However, in this simulation not only did he not improve, he actually regressed. Clarke scored five goals along with 26 assists for 31 points in 82 games. The 22-year-old should perform better than EA thinks he will.

Awards Around the League

Although nobody on the Kings earned any hardware in the simulation I figured I should share how NHL 26 thinks the awards will be handed out at the end of the season.

Stanley Cup: Tampa Bay Lightning over Vegas Golden Knights in seven games

Conn Smythe: Nikita Kucherov (TBL)

Presidents Trophy: New York Rangers

Art Ross: Auston Matthews (TOR)

Rocket Richard: Auston Matthews (TOR)

Ted Lindsay: Auston Matthews (TOR)

Hart:  Auston Matthews (TOR)

Norris: Cale Makar (COL)

Calder: Ivan Demidov (MTL)

Vezina: Andrei Vasilevskiy (TBL)

Jennings: Andrei Vasilevskiy (TBL)

Selke: Sidney Crosby (PIT)

Lady Byng: Auston Matthews (TOR)

Jack Adams: Travis Green (OTT)

Stay tuned in with your Los Angeles Kings here at The Hockey News, as the 2025-26 season inches closer.

Anton Lundell, C, Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers have already encountered a couple of obstacles, and the regular season is yet to begin.

Earlier in the off-season, news surfaced that left winger Matthew Tkachuk would be out until December-ish with a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia.

That wasn’t the last of bad news that the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions would receive before opening night.

Over the weekend, the Panthers announced captain Aleksander Barkov suffered MCL and ACL injuries during practice and is expected to be out for seven to nine months.

With Barkov likely being sidelined for the regular season, there is a grand opportunity for Anton Lundell in Florida’s top six. The Finnish center has been a solid two-way pivot on the Panthers’ third line ever since he entered the NHL in 2021-22.

He’s been a consistent player who can score between 40 and 50 points next season, or even more in an elevated role. He put up a career-high 45 points in 79 games last season while averaging 16:43 in ice time.

Three NHL Players Who Could Be More Important Than Expected This YearEvery season, NHL teams go through some adversity, whether that’s a loss of personnel from injury or a trade that sends a key roster player from a falling team to a contender.

With the last practice of training camp in the books, the New York Rangers’ opening-night roster is looking more clearer. 

While there aren’t a ton of roster spots up for grabs, the making of the Rangers’ bottom-six forward core was the biggest question mark going into training camp. 

Mike Sullivan provided some major hints into where his head are at regarding which forwards he wants to see on opening night. 

Here were the Rangers’ line combinations:

Cuylle-Miller-Zibanejad

Panarin-Trocheck-Lafrenière

Sheary-Laba-Raddysh

Edström-Carrick-Rempe

Parssinen, Berard

The most notable hints to take away from these lines is that Noah Laba and Conor Sheary are both practicing on the team’s third line. 

Laba came into camp with relatively low expectations, given the fact that he was expected to start the season with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League. 

However, the 22-year-old center stood out during training camp and impressed the Rangers’ brass, so much so that he’s on the precipice of making an NHL roster fresh out of college.

“I think Noah has a 200-foot game. I think his offense is evolving,” Sullivan said. “With each game that he plays, you could see more of the playmaking and just his vision, whether it be with the puck or without the puck on the offensive side, just his instincts.”

During the offseason, the Rangers signed Sheary to a Professional Tryout Agreement as he looked to compete at training camp for an opening-night roster spot. 

Mike Sullivan coached Sheary for multiple seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, as they won two Stanley Cups together. 

Throughout training camp and the preseason, Sullivan has put Sheary in positions to thrive, as he has played a third-line and power-play role.

Sheary is cautiously optimistic that he’ll sign a contract with the Rangers to stay on board for the 2025-26 season. 

“I can’t really say too much. I think it’s a good sign, but nothing’s official until it’s official,” Sheary said of Monday’s practice. 

If Laba and Sheary crack the Rangers’ opening-night roster, that leaves Brett Berard and Juuso Parssinen as the odd men out. 

Mike Sullivan Lays Out Reasoning For Sending Gabe Perreault and Scott Morrow Down To The AHLMike Sullivan made a big decision regarding the makeup of the New York Rangers’ opening-night roster by sending Gabe Perreault and Scott Morrow down to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League. 

Berard played 35 games for the Rangers last season, and he certainly showed some positive attributes, but there may simply not be enough room for him to carve out a meaningful role. 

If he doesn't make the team, he’ll be sent down to the AHL. 

Meanwhile, Parssinen was acquired by the Rangers last season at around the trade deadline with the hopes he could seize the third-line center position. 

Despite earning a two-year, $2.5 million contract extension, Parssinen’s spot in the lineup was far from secure. 

Laba simply outplayed Parssinen throughout training camp and the preseason, which now puts his future with the Rangers in jeopardy.

Jonny Brodzinski also has to be added to this equation. 

He’s been a reliable depth forward for the Rangers for many seasons, but his role in New York is murky at the moment. 

Brodzinski would be an ideal candidate to serve as the Rangers’ extra forward since he’s able to play practically every position and provides an element of grit. 

It remains unclear what Sullivan has in store for Brodzinski. 

Expect all of these roster decisions to come momentarily with the Rangers set to play their season opener on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

“I’ll share it in due time,” Sullivan revealed.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Nico Daws is staying put, as he has officially cleared waivers.

Daws stood out as a potential goaltender who could get claimed off waivers. Yet, thankfully for the Devils, the 24-year-old will be staying put and can now be sent down to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Utica Comets.

While Daws cleared waivers, the NHL saw two other goalies get claimed on Oct. 6. Cayden Primeay was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Maple Leafs from the Carolina Hurricanes, while Colten Ellis was claimed by the Buffalo Sabres from the St. Louis Blues. 

Daws has appeared in 52 career games over three NHL seasons with the Devils, where he has recorded a 22-23-1 record, a .898 save percentage, a 2.98 goals-against average, and one shutout. During this past season with New Jersey, he had a 3-1-0 record, a .939 save percentage, and a 1.60 goals-against average. 

Florida Panthers center Jack Studnicka has cleared waivers and will report to the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL.

The 26-year-old signed a two-way deal in the off-season with the Panthers and is set to begin his Panthers tenure in the AHL. Although he'll start the season with the farm team, Studnicka is likely at the top of the list of players to receive a call-up if the team faces injury issues.

In four pre-season games, Studnicka impressed. He notched points in all four games, finishing with four goals and five points. While the goals and points were positive, he did affect the game in other ways. He utilized his 6-foot-1 frame to be engaged physically, throwing eight hits and firing 15 shots on goal. 

The Panthers did not place any players on waivers today and nearly made it through the pre-season unscathed, losing just one player on the waiver wire. Goaltender Brandon Bussi was the only player the Panthers lost. 

The Carolina Hurricanes claimed the 27-year-old goaltender after he too impressed during the pre-season. In his lone game, Bussi turned away 17 of the 19 shots he faced against the Nashville Predators. 

Defenseman Tobias Bjornfot was placed on waivers with Bussi, but fortunately, he went unclaimed and, like Studnicka, will report to the Checkers in the AHL.

Panthers Claim Cole Schwindt From Golden KnightsThe Florida Panthers have claimed Cole Schwindt from the Vegas Golden Knights, a year after the Golden Knights claimed him from the Calgary Flames.

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues lost goalie Colten Ellis, who was claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Sabres on Monday.

The 25-year-old, a 2019 third-round pick, would have been the starting goalie at Springfield of the American Hockey League but required waivers in order to be sent down.

The Sabres are in need of current reinforcements with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

With Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer entrenched as the 1-2 punch in St. Louis, the Blues were hoping to get Ellis through.

The Blues, however, could get Ellis back in the organization once the Sabres get UPL back from injury and re-expose Ellis on waivers. The only edge they could get is if they re-claim him, they don't ha e to keep him in the NHL and could assign Ellis immediately to Springfield. It would be a regular waiver claim process, so other teams could have dibs before the Blues so we will see how this goes.

In the meantime, Vadim Zherenko becomes Springfield's No. 1 goalie, with Will Cranley as the backup.

Also, Hunter Skinner cleared waivers and will head to Springfield; the defenseman made a strong case for himself in training camp to be the seventh defenseman, but Matthew Kessel won over the job.

Sundqvist Injured, Lucic Held Off Blues Practice For PrecautionMARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist needed help off the ice after injuring what appeared to be his right leg towards the end of practice on Sunday at Centene Community Ice Center. Blues Assign Five To Springfield, Including Three First-Round PicksMARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- The St. Louis Blues are down to their final roster cuts, and five were assigned to Springfield of the American Hockey League on Sunday.

Throughout the Ottawa Senators history, they've employed more than their share of tough guys. Mike Peluso was their first, and still holds the club record with 318 penalty minutes in a single season. Chris Neil was their greatest – one of the few NHL tough guys ever to have his number retired by his team.

Then you have the likes of Dennis Vial, Brian McGrattan, Denny Lambert, Andre Roy, Matt Carkner, Matt Kassian, Mark Borowiecki and several others.

Kurtis MacDermid is now their latest policeman, acquired from the New Jersey Devils late last week for fellow tough guy Zack MacEwen, who spent parts of the past two seasons with the Sens.

MacDermid's acquisition is a clear response to the irritation the organization felt when the Senators lost 5-0 in Montreal last Tuesday. It wasn't so much the scoreboard beatdown; it was the physical one. So they went out and got MacDermid, who brings another Cup ring into the room (Colorado), has played for Travis Green (New Jersey), and on the nights they need him, he really is one of the game's true heavyweights.

"I mean, obviously, he's one of the tougher guys in the league," head coach Travis Green told the media after the game on Saturday. "He's a tremendous teammate, sticks up for this whole team. He's a smart individual, and he understands the game."

MacDermid didn't play for Green for very long in 2024, but it was probably long enough to fully understand his expectations. MacDermid has been toiling at the Devils camp again this year, getting ready for their season, so it was a unique experience to suddenly drop into Ottawa's preseason finale in Montreal. 

"It's been a whirlwind," MacDermid told the media on Saturday. "I got in here, just tried to relax and enjoy the experience. The guys are great, the staff is awesome, so it was a really easy transition."

After the two clubs met on Tuesday and combined for over 150 penalty minutes, many wondered if the game might get out of control. But it didn't. The rematch had just 14 penalty minutes, and by comparison, it might as well have been played in a library. Did MacDermid's presence have a hand in that? Hard to say.

But before this deal went down, both MacEwen and Hayden Hodgson, MacDermid's old junior teammate, were hoping to lay claim to the Sens' tough guy role. But Friday's trade ended those hopes, and MacDermid hopes he made a good first impression on Saturday night.

"I hope so," MacDermid told the media after the game. "I just go out there and try to create space for the guys, stick up for them when I need to and just play my game and help the team in any way."

After having Connor McDavid's back for a couple of years with the Erie Otters, MacDermid eventually entered the NHL as an undrafted free agent – first with Los Angeles, where he spent six seasons. hen as part of the 2022 Colorado Avalanche team that won the Stanley Cup. Although he didn't dress for any playoff games, he played 58 regular-season games for the Avalanche during their championship season, so his name is on the Cup.

Saturday was the first time he'd played an NHL game with so little preparation, just one day after arriving.

"Yeah, I haven't done that before. You're just looking to go there and have fun and enjoy it. There's a lot of adrenaline, so that always works in your favour. So yeah, it was awesome and I'm glad we got the win."

At 6-feet-5, 233 pounds, the 31-year-old has played 288 games in the league. He's the latest in Ottawa's long line of sons of former NHL players. MacDermid’s dad, Paul, played in 690 NHL games.

The Sens now have three players, Jake Sanderson (Geoff), Ridly Greig (Mark), and now MacDermid, who top up the "My Dad Played For the Hartford Whalers" Club, filling the void left by Mark Kastelic (Ed) last year.

On the nights that he plays, what the Sens gain in toughness, they'll lose in secondary scoring potential. MacDermid had zero points in 23 games with the Devils last season and will be deployed strategically.

There's not much chance, for example, that he misses any of the four games this season against the Montreal Canadiens. The Battle of the 417 has become a matchup that's even more heated than the Battle of Ontario, but the Sens are now better equipped to deal with shenanigans.

More Sens Headlines From The Hockey News Ottawa:
Senators Land A True NHL Heavyweight In A Deal With The Devils
More Senators Broadcast Changes: Marc Methot Out At TSN
Reviewing Four Of The Nastiest Moments From Senators–Canadiens Game On Tuesday
Brady Tkachuk On Starring In Prime Video Show: 'I'm An Open Book To Begin With'
Broadcast Frustrations Resurface For Senators Fans
Sens Goalie Linus Ullmark Says He Enjoys The Struggle

The Toronto Maple Leafs have reportedly picked up a couple of players off the waiver wire ahead of their season-opener on Wednesday night.

According to TSN's Chris Johnston, the Maple Leafs have claimed goaltender Cayden Primeau and forward Sammy Blais off of waivers. Primeau was placed on waivers by the Carolina Hurricanes, and Blais by the Montreal Canadiens.

Toronto claims Cayden Primeau off waivers from Carolina.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) October 6, 2025

Toronto claims Sammy Blais off waivers from Montreal.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) October 6, 2025

Primeau spent the majority of last season with the AHL's Laval Rocket. The 26-year-old tallied 21 wins and a .927 save percentage in 26 games with the Rocket, while posting two wins and an .836 save percentage in 11 games with the Canadiens.

The undrafted goaltender signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with the Hurricanes on July 2, but with Carolina's influx of goalies, including Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov (and now Brandon Bussi, who they claimed off waivers on Sunday), they opted to try and sneak Primeau down to the AHL.

In 55 NHL games, Primeau has 13 wins and an .884 save percentage.

Cap projections had the Leafs with $729,554 in cap space with Dennis Hildeby on the roster and 22 players. Getting Cayden Primeau at $775k allows the #Leafs to save an additional $66,667 in cap space from Hildeby’s $841,667 cap hit, and thus room for a 23rd player in Blais at… https://t.co/eiEaUrxrtE

— David Alter (@dalter) October 6, 2025

This move by the Maple Leafs could mean James Reimer, who's on a professional tryout with Toronto, likely won't be with the team entering this season.

Blais is the more fascinating claim of the two. The 29-year-old is coming off a Calder Cup win with the Abbotsford Canucks, scoring six goals and 19 points in 23 games. He also has some history with winning the Stanley Cup on the St. Louis Blues alongside Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube.

The forward scored one goal and two assists in 15 games with the Blues during their cup run in 2019.

Blais has since bounced between St. Louis and the New York Rangers. In 257 NHL games, Blais has scored 27 goals and 71 points. The Canadiens hoped to get him through waivers (after signing him this summer to a one-year, $775,000 contract) and have him play with the Laval Rocket, however, that's not the case anymore.

Once Toronto sends Dennis Hildeby (who's waivers-exempt) to the AHL after claiming both Primeau and Blais off waivers, they'll be $21,221 under the salary cap, with Easton Cowan, Philippe Myers, and one of Blais, Nick Robertson or Calle Jarnkrok as a healthy scratch, per PuckPedia.

Latest stories:

'That's Still Up In The Air': Maple Leafs Weigh Options With James Reimer as Dennis Hildeby Shines at Training Camp

Maple Leafs Projected Roster Takes Shape Following Waiver Move Of Four Players

‘We’ll See What Happens’: James Reimer Awaits Word On Future After Pre-Season Return In Maple Leafs Net

Seven months after being fired by the Philadelphia Flyers, longtime NHL head coach John Tortorella has resurfaced, joining ESPN as an NHL analyst for the 2025-26 season.

Tortorella, 67, previously expressed interest in returning to coaching (while pushing back against narratives about his unceremonious exit from the Flyers), but it would appear that those aspirations are temporarily on hold.

The three-year Flyers coach returns to ESPN for the first time since the 2021-22 season, which he spent as an analyst in between his stints with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Flyers.

Tortorella will feature as an analyst alongside Blake Bolden, Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Ray Ferraro, Mark Messier, AJ Mleczko, T.J. Oshie, P.K. Subban, Kevin Weekes, and Dave Jackson.

"John Tortorella returns to ESPN’s NHL studio coverage as an analyst this season, marking a homecoming to the team he first joined in 2021 when ESPN re-acquired NHL media rights," the ESPN press release said.

"Known for his candid insights and authentic commentary, Tortorella will bring his deep understanding of the game as a veteran coach with 23 NHL seasons behind the bench, including leading the Tampa Bay Lightning to a Stanley Cup championship in the 2003-04 season."

The 67-year-old spent three seasons in Philadelphia with the Flyers, compiling a 97-107-33 record.

Regardless of any potential NHL opportunities, Tortorella will return to the bench in 2026 when he serves as an assistant coach for Team USA for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan.

Even though rosters were trimmed to 23 on Saturday, there was no guarantee that the Pittsburgh Penguins were going to carry those exact 23 players into their season opener against former head coach Mike Sullivan and the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

But that does appear to be the case - which is good news for two top Penguins' prospects.

On Monday, Penguins' head coach Dan Muse confirmed that defenseman Harrison Brunicke and center Ben Kindel will both be making their NHL debuts when the Penguins take on the Rangers to kick off the 2025-26 season. 

Brunicke, 19, and Kindel, 18, will be the first set of teenagers since Jordan Staal and Kris Letang on Oct. 5, 2006 to debut together for the Penguins, and they are just the third pair in team history - with the other being Mario Lemieux and Doug Bodger on Oct. 11, 1984.

"I'm excited for both of them. They earned this," Muse said. "I said it the other day... this wasn't something that we came in - that we started training camp or went through the summer - saying, 'Okay, these guys are going to be in.' Those two players were given an opportunity, and along the way, they earned new opportunities. And through those new opportunities, they're now here today.

"It was multiple steps, though, that they had to go through to get to this point. I mean, there were points in exhibition where we're purposely putting them in those hard situations to see how they handle them, and they handled them well. So, now we're onto going into [Tuesday], and both guys have earned the right there to be in that opening night lineup."

The kids are IN!

Harrison Brunicke and Ben Kindel will make their NHL debuts tomorrow, marking the third set of teenagers to make their NHL debuts together in @penguins history. pic.twitter.com/OqizdCfq06

— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) October 6, 2025

Brunicke - selected 44th overall by the Penguins in 2024 - nearly made the team out of training camp as an 18-year-old last season. He faced some adversity in his 2024-25 season with the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL, as a broken wrist sidelined him for nearly two months. He still managed to put up five goals and 30 points in 41 games last season, and he came into this year's camp looking even better than he did last time around. 

"Confidence. He's got tons of confidence with the puck," veteran defenseman Kris Letang said. "He has a pretty good set of skills, whether it's skating, puckhandling... and, obviously, his confidence makes him really dangerous. He can hold onto pucks and use his patience. So, it's going to be exciting what he can do at this level."

Kindel was selected 11th overall in 2025, and he was easily the best player in at least three of the Penguins' pre-season games. He also played in more pre-season games than any other Penguins' player, appearing in six of seven and registering a goal and three points. 

Brunicke, Kindel & Cootes Projected To Start 2025-26 Season In The NHLThree WHLers are projected to start the 2025-26 season with their NHL clubs. Harrison Brunicke and Ben Kindel are still with the Pittsburgh Penguins, while Braeden Cootes has yet to be reassigned by the Vancouver Canucks. With rosters needing to be set by Monday, it appears that all three will make their NHL debuts before being returned to the WHL. 

The 5-foot-10, 181-pound centerman registered 35 goals and 99 points in 65 games with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL last season and has impressed the very best early on.

"He's got a lot of poise with the puck, a lot of speed. Those two things probably stand out the most," captain Sidney Crosby said. "I think he's using his speed well, he's finding guys, he distributes the puck really well, and he seems like he's confident. It doesn't seem like it's been too fast for him or anything like that up to this point. He's done a great job.

"Sometimes, it takes time to adjust to all of that. It seems like, with every game, he's getting more and more comfortable."

In practice Monday, Brunicke was working on the bottom pairing with left defenseman Caleb Jones, while Kindel was centering Tommy Novak and Philip Tomasino on the third line - a combination that has stuck for the last week or so. Both players were also working on the team's second power play unit.

Crosby Set To Tie Prestigious NHL Record This SeasonBy now, Pittsburgh Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby approaching NHL records is a relatively regular occurrence. 

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The Carolina Hurricanes have lost goaltender Cayden Primeau now just three months after acquiring the 25-year-old netminder, as the Toronto Maple Leafs have claimed him off of waivers.

The Canes were hoping to pass their newest netminder, who they acquired from the Montreal Canadiens this summer for a seventh-round pick, to the AHL, but now their goaltending depth will take a hit.

The Hurricanes probably didn't want Primeau to just be sitting around in the NHL behind Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov and so they hoped he'd be able to pass through waivers to get games in the AHL.

But it seems like their plan backfired as Primeau was the only netminder to get claimed off of waivers on Monday.

The Hurricanes did however claim goaltender Brandon Bussi yesterday from the Florida Panthers as an insurance measure, so one would assume they'll be keeping a third goaltender around now, at least for the time being.

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The Philadelphia Flyers’ 23-man roster for Opening Night is officially set—and it carries the look of a team that means what it says when it preaches earning your spot.

Youth and hunger headline the final group, with Jett Luchanko, Rodrigo Ābols, and Adam Ginning—three players who began training camp on the roster bubble—each forcing their way into the mix. 

Jett Luchanko: A Teenager with a Job to Keep

Few stories out of camp are as compelling as Jett Luchanko’s. 

The 19-year-old center made the NHL team out of camp last year, when he was still a fresh-faced rookie that had been drafted mere months before his Opening Night debut.

A quieter camp this year fueled a debate of whether the Flyers should keep him in the NHL squad or send him back to his OHL team (the Guelph Storm) to continue developing. As of the roster submission deadline on Monday, he’s sticking around—at least for now.

The Flyers have made clear that his spot is a reward for what he’s done, not a guarantee of what comes next.

“Nothing is set in stone,” Flyers general manager Danny Briere said. “He has to keep earning it. He has to keep playing well; he’s not the only one. It applies with everyone. I know we make a big deal of the Opening Night roster, but that doesn’t mean you’re on the team forever. You’ve gotta keep earning your ice time and your spot on the team. That’s the message to him and every other player on the team.”

The expectations are simple: no complacency, no shortcuts. Luchanko’s maturity and work rate are some of his best qualities, especially for a player his age. He’s quick, thinks the game well beyond his years, and plays with the kind of structure coaches can trust. Whether he’s here for five games or 50, he’s made an impression.

Adam Ginning: The Quiet Surprise

In a camp where many Flyers defensemen weren’t exactly popping, Adam Ginning managed to get himself a place in the NHL group.

When camp began, Ginning wasn’t even considered a serious contender for the Flyers’ blueline. But as preseason rolled along, he played himself into the conversation—and eventually, onto the roster.

“There’s a couple guys that actually stepped up,” Briere explained. “A guy like Ginning, who, to be honest, we didn’t think he was even in the mix going into camp. But he played so well that he earned his way onto the team.”

For Ginning, it wasn’t about flash—it was about reliability. He simplified the game, closed gaps effectively, and leaned on his physical edge to win battles. On a defense corps that features smaller, more offensive players like Cam York and Jamie Drysdale, Ginning’s steady, defensive-minded style fills a key need—especially in the absence of Rasmus Ristolainen.

He may not have the highlight-reel plays, but he brings a certain level of balance. Ginning, like Luchanko, will have to continuously .

Rodrigo Ābols: The Unexpected Workhorse

Perhaps no player personified “earning it” more than Rodrigo Ābols. The 29-year-old Latvian forward was the only player to appear in all five of the Flyers’ preseason games—five games in nine nights—and not once did he look out of place.

Ābols didn’t just hold up under the workload; he thrived in it, playing with a consistency and physicality that caught the eye of the coaching staff from day one.

“He earned it,” Danny Briere said on Monday. “He’s been a big physical presence. I think Rick Tocchet and his staff didn’t know much about him and were really impressed. 

“I laughed because, early in camp, we had him playing in game one, and we were looking at lineups for games two and three and four, and at first, we didn’t have him in any of those games. And after game one, Tocchet came back and he says, ‘I want to see him again.’ And so we put him in game two, and then after game two, he said, ‘I need to see him one more time,’ and put him in game three and then game four and game five. At the end, we were trying to give him a break! …But Rod has had a great camp and earned the start on the roster for game one. And I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts in game one either.”

Ābols has carved out a niche as a bottom-six forward who brings energy, size, and a smart defensive stick. He kills plays, wins puck battles, and makes simple but effective reads in all three zones. In short, he does the little things right—and that’s often what wins coaches over.

A Roster Shaped by Effort

For all three players, making the Opening Night roster is validation of the Flyers’ new approach under Tocchet: accountability, competition, and a demand for consistency.

No one got a free pass because of potential or pedigree. Luchanko, Ginning, and Ābols earned their spots by doing the work—day after day, game after game—until the coaching staff had no choice but to notice.

And that, more than anything, says something about where the Flyers are headed. The roster may not be a finished product. It may evolve, change, and shift as the season begins. But it’s being built on the kind of foundation that winning teams grow from—honesty, effort, and the refusal to assume anything.

As Briere put it, it’s not about who starts on the roster. It’s about who earns the right to stay there.

Three teams claimed players off NHL waivers on roster cutdown day.

The Toronto Maple Leafs claimed goaltender Cayden Primeau from the Carolina Hurricanes and left winger Sammy Blais from the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, according to TVA's Renaud Lavoie.

The Buffalo Sabres also claimed goaltender Colten Ellis off waivers from the St. Louis Blues, while the Tampa Bay Lightning claimed center Curtis Douglas from the Utah Mammoth.

Everyone else who was placed on waivers on Sunday cleared, including goaltenders Clay Stevenson, Nico Daws and Michael DiPietro and veterans Erik Gustafsson, Justin Holl and Michael Pezzetta.

Nobody was placed on waivers on Monday, according to PuckPedia.

Primeau, 26, played parts of six seasons with the Canadiens before being traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a seventh-round draft pick this past off-season. In 11 NHL games last year as a backup, he had a 2-3-1 record, 4.70 goals-against average and .836 save percentage with Montreal.

Montreal swapped Primeau with Jakub Dobes for the backup role last December, and Primeau ended up with a 21-2-3 record, 1.96 GAA and .927 SP on the AHL's Laval Rocket.

Primeau is on a one-year contract worth $775,000, and he posted a 1-1-0 record, 2.03 GAA and .900 SP in two pre-season games.

Blais, 29, spent all of last season with the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks, putting up 40 points in 51 games and winning the Calder Cup as playoff champions. Montreal signed Blais to a one-year, $775,000 contract on July 1, and he had one assist in three pre-season outings.

The 6-foot-2 forward from Montmagny, Que., played 257 career NHL games between the Blues and New York Rangers, winning the Stanley Cup with the former in 2019. In 2022-23, Blais had a career-high nine goals and 20 points in 31 games.

Ellis, 25, joins the Sabres more than six years after the Blues drafted him 93rd overall in 2019. While he has yet to play an NHL game, he did post a 22-14-2 record, 2.63 GAA, .922 SP and three shutouts in 42 appearances for the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds last season.

In 45 minutes of pre-season action, Ellis stopped all 24 shots he faced. He's on a two-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 annually.

Douglas, 25, is a 6-foot-9, 242-pound center. He hasn't played in the NHL before, but if he does, he would be tied with Zdeno Chara and Matt Rempe as the tallest skaters to appear in a game.

In 63 games for the Tucson Roadrunners last season, Douglas had 10 goals, 13 assists, 23 points and 117 penalty minutes. He added 14 penalty minutes in three matches this pre-season. This is the second season of Douglas' two-year, two-way contract worth $775,000.

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