On Thursday, the Pittsburgh Penguins officially opened training camp for the 2024-25 season. And through three days, there has been a lot of action.

There has already been an injury, as forward Kevin Hayes went down in Friday's practice with an upper-body injury and will miss the start of the regular season. There is a new coaching staff that is starting to make its mark on the team and the direction. And there are some young players already poised to make decisios tough for GM and POHO Kyle Dubas and company.

Here are five observations from the first three days of training camp.

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Dan Muse and his staff are vocal... very vocal

Sidney Crosby: "It was pretty loud out there. There was a lot of stick banging, that sort of thing."

Kris Letang: "You could feel it. The energy is through the roof."

Bryan Rust: "The energy out there was great. It was contagious. [The coaches] were all very vocal, they were all banging their sticks, they were all trying to motivate guys, trying to get guys going."

Evgeni Malkin: “This [Friday] is the second day. Really hard. But I like it. I feel fine."

If there was one consistent theme throughout the first three days of camp - and something that seems as though it's going to stick - it's that new head coach Dan Muse and the rest of his staff are loud. Very, very loud. 

Dan Muse's voice has gotten more hoarse since yesterday, when it was already hoarse. It may be gone completely by tomorrow or, at least, down to a scratchy whisper.

That should tell you all you need to know about how vocal and high-energy he is with this group. #LetsGoPens

— Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) September 19, 2025

Muse barely had a voice left for all three media availabilities at the end of each day. Assistant coach Mike Stothers was yelling left and right and banging sticks up against the glass not-so-lightly, halfway frightening the fans in attendance on the other side. Muse even joked Saturday that we all may have to play a guessing game at the beginning of every practice to predict how many sticks Stothers will break that day.

But the "loudness" and vocality of practice isn't for naught. There is a noticeable intensity and energy that has, honestly, been a bit lacking over the last several years of camp. The pace is constantly pushed. Guys are tired. The coaching staff is making them work and work very hard.

'The Energy Is Through The Roof': Competition The Focus In Dan Muse's First NHL Training CampBy the time day one of Pittsburgh Penguins' training camp concluded, new head coach Dan Muse had nearly lost his voice. 

And it's contributing to a big energy that's palpable both when witnessing practice and when entering the locker room.

"That's what you want," Crosby said. "You want the enthusiasm and passion. I thought the pace of practice was really good, and a lot of competition within that, so that's what you expect from training camp."

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Ville Koivunen has been the standout

It's hard to argue who has been the standout through three days at training camp. 

Ville Koivunen has consistently been skating on a line with Crosby and Justin Brazeau, and he looks good. Really good. His skating looks much-improved from the end of last season, as his first step is giving him an extra boost to stay one step ahead of defenders. He's cutting through people like a knife, scoring goals left and right, and displaying seamless and effortless chemitry with Crosby. 

The injury to Rutger McGroarty is an unfortunate one, as he was more than likely going to be Koivunen's main competition as far as the young guys at camp. But, with the way Koivunen is performing up to this point, I'm not sure him being in the picture would have mattered much.

He very much seems primed to secure a spot on this roster. Quite frankly, if he can show up this way in the exhibition games, too, I'd be surprised if he's left off this roster at the end of camp. He's been impressive.

Penguins' Training Camp: Observations From Day ThreeGroup C kicked off Saturday's training camp session, and there wasn't as much systems work compared to Friday's session. Instead, we got to see a fair amount of line rushes and a lot of odd-man rush opportunities. 

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Filip Hallander could replace Kevin Hayes

With the injury to Hayes, the Penguins aren't just down a veteran. They're also down a center.

There is a little bit of center depth on the roster as-is. Tommy Novak has good two-way prowess. Blake Lizotte has been a solid fourth-line center for the Penguins. Noel Acciari is capable of manning the middle, and even Rickard Rakell was forced to play center at one point last season. 

But don't count out Filip Hallander. 

#LetsGoPens center Filip Hallander continues to work with Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell on day three of training camp. pic.twitter.com/7fSz3dTlTm

— Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) September 20, 2025

Hallander, 25, is on his second stint in the Penguins' organization after being named SHL Forward of the Year in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) last season with 26 goals and 53 points in 51 games. He has a reputation for his solid two-way play, and he has potential as a third-line center at the NHL level.

He's consistently centered a line with Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell as his wingers, and he has been able to keep up with both of them in practice. He will not be in the lineup against the Montreal Canadiens in the first pre-season matchup of the season Monday, which could bode well for him in terms of, perhaps, getting to skate with some of the bigger guys in the following games. 

Keep an eye on him. Aside from Koivunen, he probably has the most inside track to make the roster as a younger player - especially after crossing an ocean this summer to sign back with the Penguins.

Penguins Announce Roster For First Preseason Game Against CanadiensThe Pittsburgh Penguins announced their roster for their first preseason game against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday. 

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Sergei Murashov is the real deal

Honestly, it's hard to evaluate goaltending outside of exhibition games in training camp. 

But, one thing is for certain: Sergei Murashov has, far and away, been the best goaltender at this year's camp so far.

I have said before that I am, by no means, a goaltending expert. But I have eyes. And Murashov's talent is clear as day. He doesn't panic. He's ridiculously athletic and moves post-to-post quicker than I've seen any Penguins' goaltender in recent memory - maybe since the legend who signed a PTO to retire a Penguin. He makes simple saves look like clockwork and difficult saves look effortless. 

And when he does have to make a gargantuan effort due to a rogue rebound or fast-unfolding play in front of him? He rarely loses those battles, too.

'The Young Guys Are Coming': 3 Observations From Dubas's Pre-Season Press ConferenceOn Thursday, the Pittsburgh Penguins opened their 2025 training camp with a few words from general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas. 

Arturs Silovs and Tristan Jarry have been solid, too, and they likely have the inside track at the NHL roster despite Dubas's declaration at the beginning of camp that the two goaltending spots were up for grabs. Joel Blomqvist has looked fine enough, and he will be the other goaltender - along with Murashov - against Montreal. 

Realistically, Murashov needs a full season under his belt at the AHL level, where he dominated in a stint last season. But I am curious to see how he looks in exhibition games. If he looks anywhere close to how he does in practice, he might make the Penguins rethink a few things if Dubas's words are to be taken at face value.

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The deployment of Owen Pickering and Harrison Brunicke says a lot

Reading too much into lines, pairings, and deployment on the first three days of training camp is often a futile exercise. There are three teams with clear NHL veterans and roster locks spread across them, and a lot changes as the rosters get cut and the teams get reduced.

That said, it's not a nothing burger that Owen Pickering and Harrison Brunicke have remained a pairing throughout camp - and it's not a coincidence who they've been sharing their five-on-five reps with.

Pickering and Brunicke - both of whom have looked pretty solid in camp so far, Pickering especially - have consistently seen ice time with Crosby, Koivunen, and Brazeau, which may not seem like much on the surface. 

Except that known offensive play-driving, future Hall-of-Fame defenseman Erik Karlsson is in the same group and is always tasked with defending against them, and vice versa.

Same fivesome as yesterday with Crosby, Koivunen, Brazeau, Brunicke, and Pickering. #LetsGoPenspic.twitter.com/bNk5dlixDX

— Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) September 20, 2025

Within each group, there is - to some extent - a "these guys probably won't make the roster" group on one end of the ice and a "these guys will either make it or come close to making it" group on the other end. It speaks volumes that Pickering and Brunicke are given the minutes with Crosby - not even against him - and that Brunicke, in particular, has often been tasked with shutting down Karlsson one-on-one.

There's a high likelihood that both players will stick through the end of camp until final cuts, even if their chances of cracking the roster may be slim due to the defensive logjam, especially on Brunicke's right side. And it's possible that the Penguins keep Brunicke around as long as possible to see if the AHL/CHL rule change allowing one 19-year-old CHL player to play in the AHL gets a last-minute green light for the 2025-26 season, as he is likely to be assigned to the AHL in that case.

Regardless, the Penguins clearly see potential in this pairing. And they absolutely should. Both look like they belong, and both will have the chance to prove that in game action starting Monday in Montreal.

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2025: Defenseman Exceeds Expectations, Eyes NHL Roster SpotHeading into the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have shifted the focus to youth and development.

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Pittsburgh Penguins defensive prospect Quinn Beauchesne is one of the Penguins' 2025 NHL Draft picks participating in this year's training camp. 

Beauchesne, picked in the fifth round of the draft, is a brilliant skater and showcased that skill during development camp, and especially the Prospects Challenge earlier this month. He also showed that he has some snarl and was a goal away from getting a Gordie Howe hat trick in one of the Prospect Challenge games. 

He's participating in Group C during training camp, and is getting to learn from some longtime NHL veterans, including Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell. Beauchesne has had a lot of fun at camp thus far, but knows he has a lot to prove going forward.

"I've got a lot to prove," Beauchesne said. "Obviously, not being necessarily a high-round draft pick, just trying to put everything into every single day, every practice, every game. I don't look too far ahead, but yeah, obviously, the main goal is trying to get signed, trying to make the team coming out of here. I think I have abilities to play in the NHL, whether that's soon or in a couple of years down the road, but just trying to do absolutely everything I can."

His skating is definitely NHL-caliber, and he has a good first-pass coming out of his own zone. If he can add a little more offensive tools to his game, there's a chance he could be a well-rounded defenseman once he potentially comes up to the NHL. 

Beauchesne is set to spend the 2025-26 season with the OHL's Guelph Storm, and it will be his third season with them. He finished the 2024-25 season with six goals and 24 points in 49 games. 

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The annual Red & White game for the Detroit Red Wings was played in a non-traditional location this time around, as it was moved from Center I.C.E. Arena in Traverse City, where the Red Wings hold Training Camp, to Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, the home of their AHL affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins. 

It was a prime opportunity for multiple young players within the Red Wings system to play in a game environment against NHL players, albeit their potential future Detroit teammates. 

The performance of forward Elmer Söderblom, who initially made the Red Wings roster to begin the 2022-23 NHL season but has spent the majority of his time since then with the Griffins, was what especially stood out on Sunday afternoon.

Söderblom scored twice for Team White in front of a sellout crowd of just over 10,000 fans in what was the first Red Wings game in the venue since 2011. It's also a building that he knows well from his time with the Griffins.

🚨 ELMER SODERBLOM 🚨 pic.twitter.com/WtudedqO9Q

— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) September 21, 2025

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Söderblom was thrilled to be back on the ice in Grand Rapids, noting the rocking atmosphere.

"It was real fun, it was fun to see all the fans here, a full crowd and it was unbelievable," a grinning Söderblom said afterward.

Following an intense three days of Training Camp in Traverse City, Söderblom feels that the team as a whole is shaking off the rust from the several months of the offseason.

"It feels like I've been ramping up a bit and the pices are coming together more and more," he said. "Always a little rusty from the summer with, game-wise, habits and stuff. That's why I think it's important for us to scrimmage and get some games going, I think that will really help the guys get into the habits again." 

"For me personally, it feels like it's getting better and better." 

It was Söderblom who scored his first career NHL goal on Opening Night in October 2022 with his parents in attendance at Little Caesars Arena; the goal also happened to be the first tally of the Red Wings' season. 

He'll remember this forever! It's Elmer Soderblom scores not only the first @DetroitRedWings goal of the year, but his first career NHL goal! #LGRW I @ThinkFordFirstpic.twitter.com/A7pDmunPgf

— FanDuel Sports Network Detroit (@FanDuelSN_DET) October 15, 2022

A 2019 Draft selection (159th overall) by the Red Wings, Söderblom signed two-year, $1.125 million extension with Detroit on July 2. He scored four goals with seven assists in 26 games with the Red Wings last season after being called up from the Griffins.

"Unbelievable Atmosphere": Red Wings Play In Front of Sold Out Crowd in Grand Rapids The annual Detroit Red Wings Red & White game, which is typically played at Center I.C.E. Arena in Traverse City, Mich., was moved to Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich. for the first time since 2011.

Naturally, he's looking forward to making more of an impact this season. 

"It felt really good to play some games last year and show what I can do, so coming into this year feels a little bit more (knowing) what I should do, and know my role and what I can bring to the team," he said. "I'm just trying to bring my game, do the things that I do good, and just make an impact that way." 

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The San Jose Sharks hosted the Vegas Golden Knights in their first preseason action of the 2025-26 season on Sunday night.

In the first period, we got our first look at head coach Ryan Warsofsky’s special teams units. Egor Afanasyev was sent to the penalty box for tripping at 5:20, and the penalty kill held strong. There were a few interesting names getting time as well. Sam Dickinson got a shot on the blue line, while Michael Misa and Will Smith were paired together on the penalty kill as well.

Alex Nedeljkovic made a phenomenal save while shorthanded as well, denying Raphael Lavoie on a cross-crease attempt. Misa was tripped up by Cole Schwindt at 8:14 in the first period, making a nice falling pass and drawing a penalty. Quentin Musty had a great chance off a pass from Dickinson as the penalty expired, but was denied by the Golden Knights’ 22-year-old goalie, Carl Lindbom.

One play that stood out to me early was off of an offensive zone turnover by the Sharks. Vegas attempted to break out of their defensive zone, and Pavol Regenda pulled off a perfectly timed stick lift to dispossess the Golden Knights and regain the puck in a dangerous area.

Warsofsky specifically said he was interested in seeing what Anthony Vincent brought to the table after the non-game group’s morning skate, and it was clear why. He was making smart plays and creating some chances off the rush early on. With that being said, he did make a major error in the second period and was less noticeable as the game went on.

After the first period, it was still a 0-0 deadlock, but the Golden Knights led 9-4 in shots.

Early in the second period, there were a couple of defensive plays that certainly stood out. Nick Leddy’s speed is still dangerous, as he rushed back and closed out a Golden Knights zone entry attempt, allowing the Sharks to regain possession. Dickinson also had a great poke-check denying a rush attempt by Vegas forward Brett Howden.

Afanasyev drew a penalty just over seven minutes into the second period, and it didn’t take long for the Sharks power play to take advantage. Michael Misa won the faceoff to Tyler Toffoli, who found John Klingberg on the point. Klingberg fired it and found the back of the net through a screen, breaking the deadlock and giving the Sharks a 1-0 lead.

Vegas made a goaltending change shortly after the first goal in an attempt to split time between Lindbom and Jesper Vikman. Lindbom played a total of 31:29 before Vikman took over in the crease.

Jeff Skinner was a major standout in the second period. He created space for himself early in the period and was denied on a rush opportunity. He then scored right before the end of the period, when Will Smith made a great backhand pass to the slot. It landed on Dickinson’s stick, who found Skinner in front of the net, making it 2-0 for the Sharks. It’s important to note that right before getting the secondary assist, Smith was hauled down in the defensive zone and drew a penalty.

Misa took a tripping penalty 11:52 into the second period. Near the end of the penalty, the Sharks were called for too many men, giving the Golden Knights a short 5-on-3 opportunity. The San Jose penalty kill would prevail, and Vegas remained without a goal through two periods.

Toffoli toe-dragged around the Vegas defense early in the third, but after walking in, he was denied by Vikman on the backhand attempt.

Zack Ostapchuk was called for interference with 7:31 remaining in regulation, giving Vegas a golden opportunity to get back in the game. That opportunity would be wasted though, as the Sharks' penalty kill improved to 4-for-4 on the night. 

Despite a late push by the Golden Knights, the Sharks were able to maintain the shutout and, after an empty net goal by Toffoli, they walked away with a 3-0 victory to kick off the preseason. 

Nedeljkovic was tested quite a bit early on, but that faded away in the latter half of the game. He made quite a few key saves including a late-game breakaway by Alexander Holtz. So far, he has looked like a solid addition for the Sharks. Considering there’s still uncertainty about how well Yaroslav Askarov will play this season, Nedeljkovic seems like he’ll certainly add some stability in the crease.

Philipp Kurashev also looked very solid, making smart plays throughout the night, and overall being in the right spot at the right time. 

Quentin Musty was noticeably faster, and his offseason work was paying dividends. Misa was another prospect who definitely didn't look out of place, he's adapting to the professional game very quickly and seems primed to have a strong rookie season if what we've seen so far continues into the regular season. Dickinson is in a similar situation, as he looked very good as well. 

The Sharks will have their second preseason game of the season on Friday, as they once again face the Golden Knights. 

Macklin Celebrini and Cam Lund Return to Training CampAhead of tonight’s preseason matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights, Macklin Celebrini and Cam Lund both returned to the ice this morning at Sharks Ice. The Hockey News Sunday Recap: San Jose Sharks` - Sunday Sept. 21stHappy Sunday, San Jose Sharks fans. Sharks Announce Broadcast Schedule for 2025-26 SeasonOn Saturday morning the San Jose Sharks announced their broadcast schedule for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

May 17, 2021; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Nashville Predators left wing Erik Haula (56) is congratulated by center Matt Duchene (95) and defenseman Mattias Ekholm (14) after his second period goal against the Carolina Hurricanes in game one of the first round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena. James Guillory-Imagn Images

After three days of training camp and several scrimmages, the Nashville Predators finally got to play a game against an opponent other than themselves, with a split-squad doubleheader against the Florida Panthers Sunday at Bridgestone Arena.

Nashville took the first game 5-0, then hung on for a 5-3 victory in the second game.

While Florida went almost exclusively with AHL and ECHL players in both games, the Predators had a nice mix of veterans and prospects.

Still, the two wins give the Preds some much-needed momentum as they prepare for the regular season. For veterans whose spots on the roster are locked up, Sunday was a chance to get the rust off and get in game shape. For others, the games offered an opportunity to give head coach Andrew Brunette and general manager Barry Trotz something to think about when finalizing those roster spots.

Here are seven players who stood out in the doubleheader.

Erik Haula Is Back For An Encore

It’s been a while since Erik Haula has scored a goal in a Nashville Predators uniform: May 17, 2021, to be exact.

That day, Haula tallied a goal in Game 1 of the Preds’ playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Haula doubled that output on Sunday, scoring two goals in the Predators’ 5-0 Game 1 victory.

At the 3:41 mark of the middle frame, Haula tipped in a shot from the slot off a pass from Jonathan Marchessault on a power-play goal that gave Nashville a 2-0 lead. Marchessault and Brady Skjei each picked up assists.

Then in the third period, Haula took a rebound off the boards, went behind the net and put in a wraparound for his second of the game and a 4-0 Preds lead.

The native of Pori, Finland was traded to the Predators from the New Jersey Devils in the off-season, and already looks glad to be back in Smashville.

The Birthday Boy Gets A Goal

Reid Schaefer had two reasons to smile on Sunday: he scored a goal, and it was his 22nd birthday.

The Edmonton, Alta. native took a redirect in front of the net at the 12:19 mark of the second period to increase the Preds’ lead to 3-0 in Game 1. Adam Wilsby was awarded a helper.

Schaefer, whose action was limited much of last season with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, said before the doubleheader he’s hoping to make an impact. Trotz mentioned Schaefer during the off-season when discussing the Preds’ roster for 2025-26.

Sunday’s performance didn’t hurt those chances.

Rolston Gets His First

Last season, Ryder Rolston was picked up by the Admirals, and he posted 13 goals and 31 points over 57 games.

Rolston had never played in an NHL game until Sunday, and notched his first goal in Game 1. It turned out to be the Preds’ first goal of the pre-season.

At the 5:24 mark of the opening frame, Rolston came down the right side, fired a shot, got his own rebound and tickled the twine to put the Predators ahead 1-0.

A fifth-round pick (139th overall) by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2020 NHL Draft, Rolston was traded to Chicago in 2021 before the Blackhawks dealt him to Nashville in 2024. It’s a long shot for the 23-year-old forward to crack the NHL roster this season, but he showed promise in his first pre-season action.

Stamkos Strikes

Perhaps no player is hoping for a bounce-back season more than Steven Stamkos.

The 35-year-old forward saw his goal-scoring dip from 40 in 2023-24 with Tampa Bay to 27 in2024-25 after signing a four-year, $32 million contract with the Predators.

Stamkos tallied his first goal of this pre-season in Game 2. With just over a minute left in the opening period, he rifled in a shot from the right side. Matthew Wood deserves kudos after setting Stamkos up with a beautiful dangles pass in front, putting the Preds in front 2-1.

Wood’s Eventful First Goal

Wood followed up his nice feed to Stamkos with his first NHL goal, although the official scoring went back and forth as to whether he actually got credit for it.

At the 13-24 mark of the middle frame, Wood fired a shot from the top of the left circle and found the back of the net.

At first, the official scorer ruled the puck deflected off Filip Forsberg, who was credited with his second tally of the night. Later, the score sheet was changed once again to credit Wood with his first goal.

Either way, the tally put Nashville up 4-1.

Wood also picked up a secondary assist on Forsberg’s previous goal, feeding O’Reilly below the goal line to give him three points on the night.

Wood, who joined the Predators for six games late last season, scored a couple of goals in a team scrimmage on Friday. His pre-season is off to a rousing start.

The Juices Are Flowing

Juuse Saros and Justus Annunen looked solid in their first taste of pre-season action.

Annunen combined with Matt Murray to stop all 19 Florida shots in Game 1. Before giving way to Magnus Chrona midway through the middle frame of Game 2, Saros stopped nine of the 10 shots he faced, including several key saves following the Panthers’ goal to open the scoring.

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced their roster for their first preseason game against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday. 

The Penguins will have a morning skate at 11:30 a.m. ET before flying to Montreal to take on the Habs at 7 p.m. ET. Anthony Mantha, Tommy Novak, Tristan Broz, Robby Fabbri, and Ben Kindel headline the team at forward, while Harrison Brunicke, Owen Pickering, Connor Clifton, and Matt Dumba headline the defensive group.

Sergei Murashov and Joel Blomqvist are the two goaltenders on this roster, and a starter will likely be named after Monday's morning skate. 

Fans will get to see a lot of the Penguins' top prospects in this game and see how close some of them are to the NHL, including Kindel, Broz, Brunicke, Pickering, and Murashov. Forward Avery Hayes is also on this roster after dominating the Prospects Challenge earlier this month.

You can view the full roster here

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Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki took his game to a brand new level this past season. In 82 games during the 2024-25 season, the star center scored 30 goals and set new career highs with 59 assists and 89 points. 

Now, due to his excellent 2024-25 campaign, Suzuki has landed some big-time praise.

The NHL Network has been in the process of revealing its latest Top 50 Players Right Now list, and Suzuki has officially made the cut for the first time in his career. The NHL Network has given Suzuki the No. 28 spot this year. 

Nick Suzuki makes his Top 50 Players Right Now debut! @CanadiensMTL | #NHLTopPlayerspic.twitter.com/HVyTPY9rkj

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) September 22, 2025

With this, Suzuki was given a better ranking than other NHL stars like Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey and Buffalo Sabres blueliner Rasmus Dahlin. 

When looking at the season Suzuki just had, it is entirely understandable that he has made the NHL Network's top players list this year. The 26-year-old has emerged as a legitimate star in this league, and it is going to be very fascinating to see what kind of year he can put together in 2025-26 with the Canadiens. 

In 455 games over six seasons with the Canadiens so far, Suzuki has recorded 138 goals, 237 assists, and 375 points. 

The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that Lane Pederson will be out for the remainder of the club's preseason matchup against the New York Islanders after suffering an upper-body injury.

Pederson did not join the Flyers' bench at the start of the second period after taking a hit in the first period. Now, the Flyers have confirmed that the 28-year-old will not be back for the remainder of the contest. 

Injury update: Forward Lane Pederson has an upper-body injury and will not return to tonight's game. #PHIvsNYI

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) September 22, 2025

Pederson is a newcomer for the Flyers, as the Metropolitan Division club signed him to a one-year, two-way contract back in July. 

Pederson spent this past season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Bakersfield Condors, where he posted five goals and 12 points in 18 games. This was after the 6-foot forward recorded 20 goals and 52 points in 66 games with the Condors during the 2023-24 season. 

In 71 career NHL games split between the Arizona Coyotes, San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks, and Columbus Blue Jackets, Pederson has recorded four goals, seven assists, and 161 hits. 

The St. Louis Blues dropped their second preseason game in as many days to open the 2025-26 season with a 4-1 loss against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Sunday.

Nikita Alexandrov scored the lone Blues goal, assisted by Justin Carbonneau, the 2025 first-round pick’s second point in as many days; he scored the lone goal in a 2-1 shootout loss against the Dallas Stars on Saturday.

Joel Hofer played the first two periods and stopped 13 of 15 shots, and Vadim Zherenko stopped five of six shots in the third period.

Blues coach Jim Montgomery had this to say on Sunday morning about the lineup prior to departing for Columbus:

“See who’s going to start asserting themselves to wanting to make the Blues team,” Montgomery said. “It’s really that basic, who can show us the habits and details of [Nathan] Walker and [Alexey] Toropchenko, who has that dogged determination that Holloway plays with, who is the defenseman that is going to break up plays and look to jump and go like [Colton] Parayko and [Cam] Fowler and [Justin] Faulk do.”

There were some decent performances on Sunday but nothing that would make the coach say, ‘That guy is ready to make the Blues team.’

Here are some observations from the game:

* Otto Stenberg – The 2023 first-round pick had himself a decent game, logging 16:05 of ice time and really asserting himself with some nice shifts, particularly in the first period when he set up two strong scoring chances, went right to the net in his first shift, which is where he will make his living and then making a crucial shot block that obviously stung to thwart a solid scoring chance against.

Stenberg started the game with Alexandrov and Mathieu Joseph and finished with Carbonneau and Alexandrov, a sign that Montgomery was liking some of the things he was seeing from the 20-year-old.

He finished with two shots on five attempts, one hit and two blocked shots, a game that can certainly be built on.

* Justin Carbonneau – The well has been a bit dry for the Blues offense, but Carbonneau has been part of each one thus far.

The Blues were down 2-0 when he took a pass from Lucic after an initial puck was rimmed around, spun at the top of the left circle and whipped a shot to the net that Alexandrov tipped at 16:58 of the second period to cut the Blues’ deficit to 2-1.

Nikita Alexandrov deflects this shot from Justin Carbonneau to cut the Blue Jackets' lead. Milan Lucic also picks up an assist. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/bIxcjuyOsw

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) September 21, 2025

Carbonneau played 17:33 and again displayed a penchant to shoot the puck, and the more reps he gets, the better his career will begin in St. Louis. He’s definitely showing signs that it won’t be terribly long before No. 68 will be playing here regularly. Another game in which he didn’t look out of place.

* Adam Jiricek – What I like about the 2024 first-round pick, just like Logan Mailloux on Saturday, is his shot-first mindset when the puck is on his stick at the point.

Yes, he was on the ice for the first two goals against, and one can make the argument that when he pinched on the first goal by Brendan Gaunce and missed, it created a 2-on-0, but there were other varying differences that led to the sequence.

Jiricek logged a team high 23:04 and had six shot attempts (two on goal) and was also involved in a number of plays that were killed with his stick.

Columbus had multiple 2-on-1s and Jiricek was part of breaking up at least two that I can remember. I thought he had himself a good game.

* Joel Hofer/goaltending – Hofer and Zherenko picked up where Jordan Binnington and Colten Ellis left off Saturday. Maybe not quite on par since that duo stopped 33 of 34 in Dallas, but they made the saves necessary to give their team a chance on Sunday and that’s all that can be asked.

* Milan Lucic – The 37-year-old veteran on a PTO had an assist, had a scoring chance moments later and he did use his body to his advantage in 15:26 of ice time.

He’s the type of guy you want to see in front of the net when Jiricek or whoever is bringing pucks from the point, and there were moments but not there could have been more. Seemed to get better as the game progressed.

* Nick Bjugstad – It wasn’t a performance like Lucic that screamed, ‘Wow,’ but what will be important is that stat line of 10 face-off wins on 15 opportunities in 16:14 of ice time. Sixty-seven percent will do. That will go a long way this season late in games, protecting a one- or two-goal lead late, or trying to kill a 6-on-5.

* Puck play, particularly in the offensive zone was sloppy – The Blues didn’t generate quite enough O-zone possession because they just didn’t make enough smart puck plays.

The one instance that stood out was a sequence with roughly eight minutes left in the second period when Columbus starting goalie Ivan Fedotov made two terrific saves on Mathieu Joseph, followed by a shot block of a Hunter Skinner shot, and then another save on Alexandre Texier.

Those moments were far and few between. Too many one-and-dones. Puck placement wasn’t all that great.

And speaking of Skinner, part of the trade that sent Vladimir Tarasenko to the New York Rangers, he played 16:43 and was assertive in this game, with six shot attempts, three hits and one blocked shot. Really used his body well. Someone to keep an eye on as camp rolls around.

-- The Blues are off Monday, resume practice Tuesday and play their next preseason game Saturday at home against the Chicago Blackhawks.

One of the prevailing themes of the Steve Staios era in Ottawa is that the general manager and his staff have done an excellent job of targeting and acquiring players who represented good fits.

With the exception of last summer's Linus Ullmark trade, this front office has historically avoided making splashy moves of the previous regime by avoiding players who carry a lot of name value but fail to move the needle because they are a poor fit.

Working the margins and making incremental gains to support the organization's young core has been the principal focus for the hockey operations department. Adding players like Nick Jensen, Jordan Spence, and Adam Gaudette will never generate big headlines, but they all were or continue to be better fits than the players they replaced.

In the case of Gaudette, last year's free agent signing was coming off a strong 44-goal season with the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds. Thanks to his familiarity playing for head coach Travis Green during their time together in Vancouver, Gaudette turned a productive preseason (four goals, one assist in five games) into an extended audition with the club that culminated in his best season as a pro. The 28-year-old recorded 19 goals and 26 points for the Senators while predominantly playing on the fourth line and second power play unit.

He parlayed those efforts into a two-year, $4.0 million contract ($2.0 million AAV) with San Jose.

Steve Warne did an excellent job drawing parallels between the Gaudette and Kaliyev situations earlier this offseason, so I will not discuss in detail here, but Gaudette's absence created an opportunity. With it, the Senators targeted another player the hockey ops department is familiar with - signing unrestricted free agent winger, Arthur Kaliyev, to a one-year, two-way deal.

Could Arthur Kaliyev Be The Senators' Next Adam Gaudette Story?One of the feel-good stories of training camp last season was Ottawa Senators centre Adam Gaudette. Gaudette came to Ottawa last summer on a one-year, two-way contract, to battle for one of the final forward positions on the NHL roster. No one ruled him out, but he certainly wasn't a shoo-in either.

The winger spent three years playing for Michael Andlauer and Steve Staios' OHL Hamilton Bulldogs and won an OHL championship in 2018. Although Kaliyev was just a developing teenage prospect at the time, these years will inevitably provide familiarity and intimate knowledge of his strengths and weaknesses.

Kaliyev has been linked to the Senators since his 2019 draft year when the organization selected Shane Pinto with the 32nd overall selection. Several prognosticators believed it was a missed opportunity to draft Kaliyev, who was taken just one pick later by the Los Angeles Kings. In the Central Scouting Bureau's final rankings, Pinto was the 28th-ranked North American skater, while Kaliyev ranked seventh.

Kaliyev's offensive production in Hamilton drove his draft value. Widely praised and renowned for his NHL-ready shot, he tallied 51 goals and 102 points in 67 games during his draft-eligible 2018-19 season.

In the years that followed, Kaliyev's stock has dropped, but I spoke with the winger Thursday morning about his opportunity in Ottawa.

"It was really good," the Uzbekistani winger said with a smile as he described his summer. "I trained hard. I had two tough injuries last year, and it was the hardest-working summer that I've had in a while. I'm trying to get back to the top of my game."

Kaliyev sustained a fractured clavicle while battling with defenceman Kyle Burroughs on the second day of training camp last season. When he was cleared to return for play with the Kings in early January, the organization put him on waivers, where the New York Rangers claimed him.

The winger would play 14 games with the Rangers (three goals, one assist) before breaking his surgically-repaired clavicle again, ending his season.

The experience of a lost season ate at Kaliyev.

"Yeah, it was really, really frustrating," he admitted. "I felt I was just starting to get better (in New York). I had a couple of good moments, and then I got hurt again.

"It was really, really sad at first when that happened. So, (when I recovered) I went back to work as soon as I could."

That his career was reaching a pivotal moment was not lost on Kaliyev. The Rangers ultimately decided it was not worth tendering him a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Once Kaliyev recovered, he began his offseason workouts at the end of May, acknowledging that he had taken his training to a higher level.

"Everything needed to be at a top level with a lot of extra work, after missing so much time last year with injuries and recovering and not playing," Kaliyev described. "I took it up a notch in the summer to get on top of my game and get my weight and body right."

His NHL career began modestly enough. In his first full season as a 20-year-old in 2021-22, he tallied 14 goals and 27 points in 80 games. He followed that up by recording 13 goals and 28 points 56 games, improving his five-on-five points rate while leading the team in his individual expected goals rate (1.07 ixG/60) per NaturalStatTrick.

It is these levels that Kaliyev wants to get back to and surpass.

"In my second year, I was close to breaking out," he confidently stated. "Then injuries started piling on for three years in a row. (My frustrations and struggles) don't mean I can quit now.

"I'm trying to get back (to those levels), but I can't (dwell on) the past. I want to try to get back to my top level and be even better than I was. I just have to keep working hard. Don't quit on ice mentally and keep going every day. Keep working on being better in practices and games every day."

Lip service and optimism are never in short supply during training camps around the NHL, but during my conversation with Kaliyev, it is evident that he understands how important this season will be for his career.

Given those stakes, it made sense for him to sign with the Senators where there is some familiarity.

"(Management) knows me well, and I don't know how other teams would think of me after coming back from two surgeries," said Kaliyev. "I'm not sure if I would get as good of a chance (to play and develop) if I went to another team.

"Ottawa knows me the best as a player and as a person. It will help me the most to become a top player again."

The opportunity to reunite with Staios was a drawing factor.

"He knows how I can play," Kaliyev stated. "He knows I try to play and work hard in every single game. (Staios) is going to help me to get back to the top of my game.

"I know they have a great staff here, too. I think they are one of the best, so they know what they are doing. To come here, this was my best option."

Kaliyev was not discouraged by the fact that the Senators have quality depth at the wing position.

"I definitely compete in everything and will do everything I can (to win a roster spot)," he stated. "This is part of the business, and I'll do my best to compete with anyone."

Given his age, his underlying metrics and the organization's familiarity with the player, it is easy to understand why the Senators would afford Kaliyev a chance to see if he can recapture some of the lustre.

As one of the lowest-scoring five-on-five teams in the league last season, the coaching staff will be looking for improvements. If Kaliyev can stay healthy and if his usage mirrors how the organization handled Gaudette, he could be an inexpensive secondary scorer for the club.

He represents a low-risk move with upside, but some of that enthusiasm dampened earlier this week after his ex-girlfriend made allegations on TikTok about verbal abuse and financial manipulation.

Steve Staios touched upon those allegations during his availability on the first day of training camp.

"We're aware of (the allegations)," the general manager acknowledged. "It's being monitored, but there's nothing to it, is what we've been told. I don't really have more to say on it."

When I addressed the allegations with Kaliyev, I did not invite the player to comment on their specifics. I simply asked whether they were a distraction or had negatively impacted him as he began training camp with a new organization.

Kaliyev refused to comment. 

By Graeme Nichols
The Hockey News Ottawa

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