Since the PWHL announced its expansion rules, social media has been taken over by fans of the original six markets who are shocked by how favourable the rules are to the new franchises. In a nutshell, each of the original six franchises can only protect three players. They can add a fourth player once they’ve lost two to expansion teams.

Now, I know this wouldn’t happen in the NHL as any expansion team gets to pick its lineup from the league’s other 32 teams, but just for discussion’s sake, if Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes had to do the exercise Daniele Sauvageau will soon undertake for the Montreal Victoire, who would he pick?

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It stands to reason that Hughes would elect to protect his captain, Nick Suzuki, but after that, it gets complicated. Cole Caufield has proven to be a perfect complement for the captain, but will Ivan Demidov eventually perform better than Caufield? Would he protect a projection rather than a player who has shown he can already perform in the NHL? What we’ve seen from Demidov so far has been impressive, and he instantly became a fan favourite.

Of course, protecting both would be possible, but then he would expose both Lane Hutson and Juraj Slafkovsky. I don’t see a scenario where Hughes would be willing to let Hutson go. So, if he were faced with these tough decisions, I think he would likely protect Suzuki, Demidov, and Hutson. This means he would probably lose Caufield and Slafkovsky before being able to protect a fourth player, which would probably be Kaiden Guhle. At least Jacob Fowler wouldn’t have to be protected since he’s in Laval.

That would set the rebuild back years. The PWHL fans' outcry over the last 24 hours is perfectly understandable. Sauvageau has built a good team even though it has been unable to move past the first round of the playoffs so far. However, only being able to protect three of Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey, Anne-Renee Desbiens, Erin Ambrose, and Cayla Barnes is pure torture. The Victoire also has Jennifer Gardiner, the player who won the accuracy skill competition at the last Canadiens’ skill competition, smashing the four targets faster than anyone else, including Habs players.

The next time there’s an expansion draft in the NHL, whatever the protection list parameters are, remember it could be much worse.

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If there is one player in the New Jersey Devils locker room who bleeds black and red and wants to remain in the Garden State to continue his professional hockey career, it is Nathan Bastian.

The 27-year-old was selected by the Devils at the 2016 NHL Draft, 41st overall. Bastian has played 264 of his 276 career NHL games in New Jersey. He appeared in 188 games in the American Hockey League with the Binghamton Devils and is one of nine New Jersey players considered homegrown talent.

The 6-foot-4 winger is set to become an unrestricted free agent, and during his end-of-season media availability, he shared his desire to return to the Devils.

"It is crazy how quick a place can feel like home," he said. "Not that it has been a short time, but I think since the time I was drafted, I am the longest-standing Devil still here. Being here means a lot to me — the city, the rink, the staff, and you guys. It is something I want to be a part of."

Bastian has concluded a two-year contract worth $2,700,000 with an annual average value of $1,350,000. 

He has been a mainstay on the Devils' fourth line over the past several seasons, earning that final spot on the wing. Known for his gritty style of play, Bastian's point production has remained pretty consistent in the NHL between the 10 and 16 point mark.

With the team's struggling depth becoming a storyline for the Devils, and general manager Tom Fitzgerald stating, "We won't be coming back with the same group because it wasn't good enough," one has to wonder if Bastian has done enough to earn another contract.

Bastian responded honestly when asked about the mental side of knowing your contract is up.

"You need a job," he said. "It is your life, and to a certain extent, it is out of your control, but in another way, it keeps you on your toes. You don't get a second to lean back. Maybe it sucks a little bit, but it is part of the gig."

It was clear Bastian doesn't want to sign with another NHL team, but as he said, some variables are uncontrollable. After all this time, Fitzgerald knows the type of person and player Bastian is. It is up to him to determine if the Kitchener, Ontario native can help his team.

Let us know if you believe the Devils will re-sign Bastian for the 2025-26 season.

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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When you look at the body of work of the former bat boy for MLB’s Milwaukee Brewers, you think of a guy who steps in and takes his cuts. And they usually work out. Yes, Florida GM Bill Zito’s acquisitions of the likes of Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Brandon Montour, Sam Bennett, Vladimir Tarasenko and Seth Jones have indeed been works of art.

But you don’t often think a waiver pick-up during the pandemic would turn out the way it did. That Gustav Forsling went from a castoff to a vital cog on the Panthers’ blueline and a $5.75-million-a-year player is one of the more inspiring stories in the NHL.

The 28-year-old is with his fourth NHL organization, but the Panthers can’t envision life without the puck-moving stalwart, so much so that Zito signed Forsling to an eight-year, $46-million deal in March 2024.

That’s a far cry from being drafted by the Vancouver Canucks and being traded before even playing a game. And from toiling for the Chicago Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate in Rockford. And from being dealt to the Carolina Hurricanes, who don’t even bother to put you on their roster for the pandemic playoff tournament in the bubble.

“I went back to Sweden for COVID, and I came really close to signing with a couple teams there,” Forsling said. “I had a long summer that year. Looking back at it, it was very hard mentally. You really have to believe in yourself. I’m really proud of the journey.”

He should be. It was after the pandemic, during training camp in January 2021, that Zito saw almost no risk in picking up Forsling off waivers. Forsling was a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, so there wasn’t even any real commitment. But it goes back to long before that, all the way back to when Zito was the assistant GM in Columbus and was getting glowing reports from Blake Geoffrion, then the assistant GM of the Blue Jackets’ farm team.

Geoffrion probably knows a hockey player when he sees one since he, his father (Danny), grandfather (‘Boom Boom’) and great-grandfather (Howie Morenz) all played in the NHL.

“He kept telling us, ‘There’s this guy in Rockford I really like,’ ” Zito said. “So when we were looking at signing him, we had ‘Q’ (coach Joel Quenneville) and Ulfie (Samuelsson), who had coached him, and Paul Krepelka, who had him in Carolina. So, as we gather intel and collect information, you have seven yeses, two maybes and zero noes, plus he’s on waivers. So where’s the downside?”

As dejected as Forsling was about the way his NHL career was going, he used his time during the pandemic to put in the work on his strength and conditioning. And, suddenly, a player who seemed a little too slight to defend against the best players in the world was winning the conditioning competition in training camp with the Panthers.

“Everybody is competing for second now,” Zito said.

Forsling is now so durable he regularly logs 20-plus minutes a game in all situations. And when Aaron Ekblad was suspended 20 games for using a banned performance-enhancing substance, Florida leaned on Forsling and the newly acquired Jones to do the heavy lifting on the back end. As flawed a stat as plus-minus is, Forsling led the entire league with a plus-56 last season and was top 10 again this season with a plus-33.

But his finest moment came last spring, as he became something of the alpha male on the Panthers’ blueline on their journey to the first Stanley Cup in franchise history. Forsling led the Panthers in ice time and paced Florida D-men in scoring with four goals and 13 points in 24 games.

Forsling has definitely found his place and his NHL home in South Florida. Until last season, when he and his wife had a baby boy, Forsling would keep a fishing rod and tackle box in the back of his car and would often pull off the road on the way home from practice to do some pond fishing. He can’t do that anymore, but someday, he’ll be able to take his son with him. After all, he’s in town for another seven years.

“This business is a lot about getting the opportunity and taking the opportunity when you get it,” Forsling said. “And I think I’ve done that.”

This article appeared in our 2025 Top 100 NHLers issue. This issue focuses on the 100 best players currently in the NHL, with the Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon sitting atop the list. We also include features on Alex Ovechkin finally beating Wayne Gretzky's goal-scoring record, and former CFL running back Andrew Harris' switch to semi-professional hockey. In addition, we provide a PWHL playoff preview as the regular season nears its end.

You can get it in print for free when you subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/Free today. All subscriptions include complete access to more than 76 years of articles at The Hockey News Archive.

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague finished the final year of a three-year, $2,294,150 contract he signed with the franchise, making him a restricted free agent this offseason and a player who could garner a lot of interest from other teams. 

Hague has spent every minute of his NHL career as a Golden Knight. Drafted in the second round (34th overall) in the 2017 NHL draft, the 26-year-old has played 364 games with the organization, scoring 20 goals and 83 points. He played a large role in their Stanley Cup win and has been integral to their defensive game, imposing his will physically on a nightly basis.

Despite the strong relationship the franchise and the player have built, some uncertainty about Hague's future exists. Hague is the only current Golden Knights defenseman without a contract heading into the 2025-26 season, and the Golden Knights have multiple defensemen waiting for their opportunity.

Kaedan Korczak has been patiently waiting for a full-time chance in the NHL. The 24-year-old has played 66 games throughout the previous two seasons, showcasing that he can be relied upon and is ready for the next step in his career. He's signed for $825,000 next season and will be an RFA following the conclusion of the contract. 

Additionally, another top Golden Knights defensive prospect is waiting to make an impact at the NHL level. Lukas Cormier missed nearly the entire season recovering from an injury but impressed with the Henderson Silver Knights in the AHL in limited opportunities, recording nine assists in 19 games. 

The 23-year-old requires a contract and will lose his waiver eligibility, meaning the Golden Knights will need to place him on waivers during the preseason if they want to send him to the AHL, where he'll likely be claimed. It's a similar situation to Korczak's of this season, but the log jam at the backend is even greater now. 

The contract implications could force the Golden Knights' hand when referring to Hague's future with the team. Alternatively, the Golden Knights could trade Cormier or Korczak and retain Hague, but if they want the best possible return, Hague certainly has the most value.

The Golden Knights also run the risk of Hague signing an offer sheet, although most signs point to Hague being disinterested in doing so. 

General manager Kelly McCrimmon handled most of his unrestricted free agent business throughout the season but has his hands full with the contract extensions for RFAs and veteran UFAs. 

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

Golden Knights Prioritizing Jack Eichel Contract ExtensionVegas Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel is under contract for the 2025-26 season but becomes eligible for a contract extension on July 1. The franchise plans to prioritize this business this offseason. 

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The Chicago Blackhawks haven’t made the playoffs in a while, especially if you don’t count the COVID bubble of 2020. Still, that doesn’t mean that fans can’t watch some of their old favorites make runs with different teams here in 2025.

Six players who used to suit up for the Blackhawks are still participating in the postseason. It is about to be the Conference Finals. In the West, the Dallas Stars will take on the Edmonton Oilers for the second year in a row. In the East, the Florida Panthers will play against the Carolina Hurricanes. 

One of these six will hoist the Stanley Cup next month. 

Seth Jones

Seth Jones was traded to the Florida Panthers earlier this season. The major return for Chicago in the deal was goaltender Spencer Knight. Jones made it clear that he didn’t want to be in Chicago anymore so Kyle Davidson found a deal that worked. He was Florida’s best player in Game 7 of their second round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs so they are going to be happy with the move going forward. Now that he’s in Florida, he is “one of the guys” instead of “the guy” which has helped his game. 

Gustav Forsling

Like Jones, Forsling is a defenseman on the Florida Panthers who previously played in Chicago. The difference is that the Blackhawks never would have guessed the superstar that Forsling would become. In between his tenure in Chicago and Florida, the Carolina Hurricanes put him on waivers. Now, along with Seth Jones and a few other studs, Forsling dominates on the Florida blue line.

Taylor Hall

Taylor Hall never made it public that he wanted to be traded. In fact, it felt like he wanted to be a part of the solution for a little bit. Something clearly changed after the Winter Classic though and he was moved to the Carolina Hurricanes. Since going there, the former Hart Trophy winner has elevated his game to a level that he hasn’t been at in a long time. He isn’t an MVP candidate anymore, but he fits in well with that Carolina system as they roll four lines consistently with great pace. 

Colin Blackwell

Colin Blackwell doesn’t play every game but he does find ways to make an impact when he does draw in. As a fourth line player at this point, he can be relied on for energy throughout a hard fought game. Blackwell, unlike most players in NHL history, has an overtime game winner already this postseason. With a speedy Oilers team coming up for the Dallas Stars, we may see a tad bit more of Blackwell. 

Mattias Janmark

Mattias Janmark was only a member of the Blackhawks for parts of one season.  It was the 2020-21 season where he played 41 games for Chicago before being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights. He was a useful bottom-six forward back then and he is doing the same thing to this day for the Edmonton Oilers. Janmark is playing for a trip to the Stanley Cup Final for the second year in a row. 

Corey Perry

Corey Perry is a borderline Hall of Fame player. He only spent a few months with the Blackhawks in 2023-24 before an off-ice incident forced him off the team. He has since been with the Edmonton Oilers. If Perry and the Oilers make it to the Final, it will be his fifth trip to the final in the last six years. That includes four different teams but 0 Cups to show for it. He did win it with the Anaheim Ducks, his primary NHL team in his career, in 2007. For being 40 years old, he’s an impactful player looking to make a difference in the Conference Final once again. His ability to play anywhere in the lineup at his age makes him extra valuable. 

The matchups this year are extra exciting. There is going to be some great hockey played on the biggest stage, and a handful of former Blackhawks are worth keeping an eye on throughout. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

EDMONTON – You can never have too much depth.

The Edmonton Oilers' depth has been crucial in the playoffs. Corey Perry, Adam Henrique, Connor Brown, and Kasperi Kapanen have been producing timely goals and holding their own defensively.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. 

Elsewhere, the Oilers have a prospect participating in the KHL playoffs. Maxim Beryozkin and Yaroslavl Lokomotiv are one win away from claiming the Gagarin Cup in a best-of-seven series against Chelyabinsk Traktor.

Beryozkin has had a great season, breaking milestones and progressively improving his play and production.

Here are three reasons why the Oilers will sign him sooner rather than later.

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Beryozkin Has An Expiring Contract

The most obvious reason the Oilers will be able to sign Beryozkin is that he won’t be signed in the KHL for much longer. His KHL contract will expire on May 31st, 2025. At the time of this writing, there is no extension in place to remain in the KHL.

Beryozkin Elevated His Performance In The KHL Playoffs

Beryozkin has been a full-time KHL player for three seasons. Each year, he has increased his offensive production. In 2024-25, he finished the year with 15 goals, 27 assists, and 42 points in 66 games. He also fired 143 shots on goal, threw 63 hits, and played 15:55 a night.

He’s taken things up a notch with his play during the KHL playoffs.

Beryozkin has 14 points in 20 games, nine of which are goals. He’s remained consistent with his shooting rate, having fired 46 shots on net. He’s increased his physical intensity (41 hits) while playing almost two additional minutes per game (17:43).

Lokomotiv scored first for the first time in #GagarinCupFinal!

Maxim Beryozkin got his 3rd goal of the Finals 🚨 pic.twitter.com/evB0ES36h9

— KHL (@khl_eng) May 19, 2025

Beryozkin Is An NHL-Ready Prospect

The 23-year-old Russian winger is built to withstand the rigors of the NHL physically. According to his player profile on the KHL website, he is 211 lbs (96 kg) and a shade over 6-foot-3 (192 cm).

Beryozkin has increased his hitting rate from around one hit per game to over two hits per game. This is hard to do if you aren’t up to the task physically.

The problem with most prospects who try to make it into the NHL isn’t their skill-level, it’s handling the physical toll that playing against men every day takes on your body. Being able to withstand a long season (and postseason) while ramping up your physical play should be all that Oilers management and fans need to hear to get excited about Beryozkin.

Of course, it takes two to tango, and Beryozkin and his camp need to be interested in crossing the pond to play in North America. However, the Oilers could have an inexpensive impact player on their hands.

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