The popular sporting video game series by EA Sports, NHL 26, is set for a September 12 release for Playstation and XBOX. 

Over the past week, the software developer has begun unveiling its rankings for each different playing position in the game. 

Among those listed within the Top-10 at each position will be a handful of Winnipeg Jets players. 

The first position ranking provided by EA Sports was that of defencemen. Not only did the game provide its Top-10 defencemen overall, it further broke down the blueliners based on which side of the ice they suit up on.

Cracking the Top-10 left defencemen list was Winnipeg Jets alternate captain Josh Morrissey. After earning sixth-place on the NHL Network's annual list of defenders, the 30-year-old Calgary product came in at No. 8 on EA Sports' list. 

His overall rating was up one percentage point from NHL 25 to a 90 overall, ranking him in line with Jaccob Slavin and Adam Fox, only trailing Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, Zach Werenski, Roman Josi, Victor Hedman, Rasmus Dahlin and Miro Heiskanen on the charts.

Morrissey had 14 goals, 62 points, 22 penalty minutes and a +17 rating in 80 games last season for the Presidents' Trophy winning Jets. 

The NHL and broadcast partners in the United States (ESPN and TNT networks) have released their schedule of exclusive broadcasts for the 2025-26 season.

The Anaheim Ducks are scheduled to feature in just five games between these two corporations:

Nov. 11 at Colorado Avalanche (TNT)


Dec. 3 vs Utah Mammoth (TNT)

Jan. 13 vs Dallas Stars (TNT)

Feb. 1 vs Vegas Golden Knights (ESPN)


Feb. 3 vs Seattle Kraken (TNT)

All of Anaheim’s opponents in these contests are Western Conference foes, as the team looks to take another sizable leap in the standings after a 21-point improvement in 2024-25 and make the playoffs for the first time since the 2017-18 season.

A new coaching staff, two high-profile departures, and four key acquisitions highlight the Ducks’ 2025 offseason, but those storylines weren’t enough to entice ESPN or TNT into broadcasting more than five of the franchise’s games.

The Ducks' pivotal 2025-26 season commences on Oct. 9 in Seattle to take on division rival, Seattle Kraken.

Anaheim Ducks Fan Survey Series Results: Lofty Expectations Amid Skepticism of Pat Verbeek

Ducks’ Young Blue Line Could Be Their X-Factor in 2025-26

The New York Islanders will play 10 nationally televised games during the 2025-26 NHL season. Three of those games will be broadcast on ESPN+/Hulu, two on ESPN, and the other five on TNT. 

Thu, Oct. 16 – vs. Edmonton Oilers | 7:30 PM ET | ESPN+/Hulu

Thu, Oct. 30 – vs. Carolina Hurricanes | 7:30 PM ET | ESPN+/Hulu

Tue, Dec. 9 – vs. Vegas Golden Knights | 7:00 PM ET | TNT

Tue, Jan. 6 – vs. New Jersey Devils | 7:30 PM ET | ESPN+/Hulu

Wed, Jan. 21 – vs. Seattle Kraken | 9:30 PM ET | TNT

Wed, Jan. 28 – vs. New York Rangers | 7:30 PM ET | TNT

Tue, Feb. 3 – vs. Pittsburgh Penguins | 7:30 PM ET | TNT

Sun, Mar. 1 – vs. Florida Panthers | 6:30 PM ET | ESPN

Thu, Mar. 5 – vs. Los Angeles Kings | 9:30 PM ET | ESPN

Tue, Mar. 10 – vs. St. Louis Blues | 7:30 PM ET | TNT

That means the Islanders will play 72 games on MSGSN, the same total they had last season. 

There has also been some start time changes as well to six games. 

Oct. 16 vs. Oilers → 7:30 PM (was 7:00 PM)

Oct. 30 vs. Hurricanes → 7:30 PM (was 7:00 PM)

Jan. 6 vs. Devils → 7:30 PM (was 7:00 PM)

Jan. 21 vs. Kraken → 6:30 PM (was 7:00 PM)

Feb. 3 vs. Penguins → 7:30 PM (was 7:00 PM)

Mar. 1 vs. Panthers → 6:30 PM (was 4:00 PM)

READ THE LATEST

Islanders Outlook: Jonathan Drouin Profile & ProjectionMathieu Darche’s first offseason as general manager of the New York Islanders has been action-packed, led by a first overall selection, three total first-round selections, a blockbuster Noah Dobson trade, and more. Islanders Matthew Schaefer, Marc Gatcomb To Take Part In 2025 NHLPA Rooke ShowcaseOn Sept. 3, the NHLPA, in partnership with Upper Deck, will host the 15th annual NHLPA Rookie Showcase on Wednesday, Sept. 3, at Medstar Capitals Iceplex Arena, the practice facility of the Washington Capitals.  A Decade Of Giving Back: Matt Martin’s Hockey Academy Hits 10-Year MilestoneEAST MEADOW, NY -- After a 16-year NHL career, Matt Martin is hanging up his skates and stepping into a new role as special assistant to general manager Mathieu Darche for the 2025-26 season.

The National Hockey League and its broadcast partners announced their schedule for the 2025-26 season on Wednesday. Between Turner (TNT) and the ESPN networks, the Chicago Blackhawks have 15 scheduled national games. 

That kicks off with Opening Night against the Florida Panthers. Florida will raise their second straight banner on October 7th, followed by a game against the Blackhawks, which will be seen on ESPN’s main channel. 

Highlights include a handful of TNT showdowns against the New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, and St. Louis Blues, as well as ESPN+ matchups against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, and Vegas Golden Knights. 

The full national schedule for Chicago can be seen here: 

Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xour national broadcast schedule is here!📺 📰 ➡︎ https://t.co/kG8BUIp1td

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

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 47 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today we look at the history of jersey #47. 

Let's take a look.

Aaron Johnson - 2003-07/2011-12 - Johnson was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

Johnson played 172 games for the Jackets over two stints. Scouts said of Johnson was "A puck-moving defenseman, Johnson is a very good skater. Has good offensive instincts and can quarterback the powerplay. Can play a tough and physical game. Needs to improve his play in his own end."

During his time with Columbus, he also spent three years with the AHL Syracuse Crunch, where he had 73 points in those three seasons. 

In 2016, he left North America and signed on with Adler Mannheim of the DEL in Germany. He then left for England, where he played for the Sheffield Steelers of the EIHL. In 2021, he became a Player-Asst. Coach for a season. He came back home to Columbus in 2021 and joined the Jackets as a Team Consultant. Last season, he was the Team Relations Specialist for the Jackets 

Geoff Platt - 2005-07 - Platt was undrafted out of Mississauga, Ontario.

Platt made his NHL Debut in December of 2005 as a 20-year-old undrafted rookie. He played in 41 games for his CBJ career and had 14 points. 

He left North America in 2008 and headed for Finland. He then left for the KHL and played five years with the Dynamo Minsk of the KHL. In 2012, he became a citizen of Belarus. He stayed in Europe and played in the KHL, Sweden, and Finland until he retired in 2023. 

Platt also began playing international hockey for Belarus once he gained citizenship, playing in the IIHF World Championships and Olympic Game Qualifiers. He's worked for Tappara U20 as a skills and development coach for the last three seasons. 

Dalton Prout - 2011-17 - Prout was drafted by Columbus in the 6th round of the 2010 NHL Draft. 

Prout made his NHL debut on March 30, 2012, against the Florida Panthers. From there he would go on to play in 224 games for the Jackets. He would also play in four seasons with the Springfield Falcons and Cleveland Monsters of the AHL. 

Prout was a big, rugged defenseman known for his physicality and toughness. In the 2015-16 season, he finished the year with 102 penalty minutes. 

Prout was known for his fights and wasn't afraid of anyone. Over the years, he fought Tom Wilson, Chris Neil, and Pat Maroon. But his fights with Boston's Milan Lucic were probably his most memorable, including a fight where Prout dropped Lucic with one punch. You can re-live that magic moment below. 

Prout was traded to New Jersey by Columbus for Kyle Quincey, March 1, 2017, and that's where the story would end for Prout's Columbus career. He would go on to play for Calgary and San Jose before retiring during the 2019-20 season. 

He was hired by GM Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers in 2021 as a Pro Scout and can be seen in the press box of Nationwide Arena fairly routinely. 

Marcus Björk - 2022-23 - Marcus Björk is an undrafted defenseman out of Umea, Sweden.

Björk was signed by the Blue Jackets as a free agent on May 24, 2022. From there, he would be called from Cleveland on November 12, 2022, to make his NHL debut. 

In what would turn out to be a very bad season for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Björk would have a terrific season in what would turn out to be his only NHL games played. 

He played in 33 games for the Jackets that season. He scored 3 goals and totaled 11 points and averaged just over 18 minutes a game on the ice. Not bad for a rookie fresh out of Europe. But, unfortunately for Björk, that would be the end of his NHL season to this point. 

Björk also played in 44 games for Cleveland that season and had 15 points. It seemed that Björk was going places. But when the following season rolled around, Björk was sent to Cleveland, where he would play in 51 games in the 2023-24 season and total 25 points. 

At the end of the 23-24 season, Björk was not offered a contract and was left as an unrestricted free agent. He headed back to Europe and signed with Kärpät of LIIGA in Finland. He scored 21 points in 32 games. 

With 47 days left until opening night at NWA, fans are starting to get a tad restless. There's been very little news the last month or so besides small signings here and there. The RFAs are signed, there are no UFAs, so it's almost time to get down to business. 

Let us know what you think below.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story. 

More From THN Columbus

Columbus Chapter Of Hockey Players In Business Announces Golf Outing Benefitting The John And Matthew Gaudreau FoundationThe Columbus Chapter Of Hockey Players In Business Announces Golf Outing Benefitting The John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation.  48 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #48The Columbus Blue Jackets have 48 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today we look at the history of jersey #48.  Blue Jackets' Erik Gudbranson Participates In Muskoka Hockey EventYesterday, Muskoka Hockey hosted an event in Bracebridge, Ontario, and among the NHL stars who took part, Columbus Blue Jackets’ Erik Gudbranson was one of the players on the ice.

The first thn.com/anaheim Summer Survey Series is in the books. This offseason has been the busiest in Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek’s 3.5-year tenure thus far, giving the roster and coaching staff a facelift while implementing a mandate to end the franchise’s elongated rebuild and seven-year playoff drought.

Thank you to all who voted in these polls. We love hearing from you, and we find it immensely important to gauge the fanbase's views on key aspects of the team heading into a new season.

Votes were tallied both on the thn.com/anaheim site, and on social media platforms (twitter and bluesky).

Without further ado, let’s get into the results:

How Would you Grade the Anaheim Ducks Rebrand?

How Would you Grade the Anaheim Ducks Rebrand?

The Ducks' rebrand is one season in and an unequivocal success, with three-quarters of voters giving it an “A” or “B” grade and zero “D” or “F” votes. Though many have stated their preference for the Mighty Ducks eggplant and jade color scheme, the modernized Mighty Ducks logo, and commitment to putting the “orange” in Orange County seems to have won over the fanbase.

How Would You Grade the Job Pat Verbeek has Done So Far?

How Would You Grade the Job Pat Verbeek has Done So Far?

The general patience of the Ducks fanbase is expectedly wearing thin when it comes to their opinions of Verbeek. Lack of success, the influx of expensive veterans in the back half of their careers, and a now-established reputation as a shrewd negotiator when it comes to RFAs hasn’t exactly endeared Verbeek to fans. 81% of voters gave him a “C” grade or below. A high bar has been set for the upcoming season, and reaching it would likely boost those numbers a year from now.

When Will the Anaheim Ducks Make the Playoffs?

When Will the Anaheim Ducks Make the Playoffs?

Speaking of that high bar, this is it. Making the playoffs this season is the mandate. After a 21-point leap in the standings, a lot has to go right for the Ducks to take another sizable jump to get to the playoff threshold (typically 95 points). Fans are expecting a return of playoff hockey to Honda Center in either April of 2026 or 2027, as that’s where 100% of voters placed their votes. It’s go time.

Who is the Ducks Number One Defenseman of the Future?

Who is the Ducks Number One Defenseman of the Future?

Pavel Mintyukov has the draft pedigree and raw two-way talent, but Jackson LaCombe’s breakout 2024-25 season seems to have won over the hearts of Ducks fans. He improved greatly in his sophomore season compared to his rookie year and earned every minute of his team-leading ice time. He’ll have to prove last year wasn’t a fluke, elevate his game even further, and fend off younger hungry players, but he’s given no reason not to believe he’s capable.

Was Beckett Sennecke a Good Pick at Third Overall in 2024?

Was Beckett Sennecke a Good Pick at Third Overall in 2024?

A big swing on a late-rising prospect with one of the highest picks in franchise history when several talented defensemen (Zeev Buium, Sam Dickinson, Zayne Parekh, etc.) and the dazzling consensus No. 2-ranked forward, Ivan Demidov, were still on the board had many scratching their heads on draft night in 2024. However, a year later and with more familiarity, Sennecke has many fans pleased that Verbeek and the Ducks' scouting staff went in the direction they did. The pick was defensible then and is defensible now. Two-thirds of voters are buying into Sennecke as a core piece of the Ducks franchise moving forward.

Which Anaheim Ducks Offseason Acquisition are You Most Anticipating?

Which Anaheim Ducks Offseason Acquisition are You Most Anticipating?

Chris Kreider ran away with this one, and it’s an easy sell. His acquisition cost wasn’t high, he’s a year removed from back-to-back-to-back 35-goal seasons, and he hopes to provide the Ducks a consistent and impactful goalscoring presence they’ve been bereft of in recent years. When Trevor Zegras was traded to Philadelphia, Verbeek stated he’s at the stage where he’s looking to find pieces that fit his vision for the direction of his build. Kreider, Mikael Granlund, Ryan Poehling, and Petr Mrazek will all be addressing needs in specific roles on the depth chart.

What are Your Career Expectations for Lukas Dostal?

What are Your Career Expectations for Lukas Dostal?

The freshly inked and newly crowned starting goaltender in Anaheim is now the tenth-highest-paid goaltender in the NHL. He’s met every challenge thrown at him in his young career and is now set for more consistent and predictable starts than when he was sharing the crease with John Gibson during his first two seasons in the NHL. His game hasn’t shown many, if any, gaps, and he has the talent to be considered among the NHL’s elite in the not-too-distant future. However, voters are understandably apprehensive about predicting him to become a consistent Vezina contender like Igor Shesterkin, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Connor Hellebuyck, and the like. Two-thirds of votors feel "perennial All-Star" is a more achievable expectation.

Do You Agree with the Decision to Hire Joel Quenneville as the Anaheim Ducks Head Coach?

Do You Agree with the Decision to Hire Joel Quenneville as the Anaheim Ducks Head Coach?

Backlash was more than understandable and expected, but after an introductory press conference in which Joel Quenneville expressed remorse for his inaction as the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks 15 years ago and arrived with an extensive list of individuals who’ve helped him on his journey of growth, the overwhelming majority of Ducks fans seem completely bought into what he’ll bring to the Anaheim bench. A sparkling resume and an elite staff at his flanks have instilled a sense of unfamiliar hope to the organization.

What are Your Expectations for Leo Carlsson?

What are Your Expectations for Leo Carlsson?

From this point and moving forward, the Ducks will go as far as Leo Carlsson can take them. He’s endlessly talented, with the tools and runway to become one of the best players in the NHL. He represents the reason teams bottom out in rebuilds and represents the hardest ingredient to acquire when building a contender. Ducks fans were promised a superstar at the 2023 NHL Draft when they finished at the bottom of the 2022-23 standings, and that remains what nearly 70% of voters are expecting from Carlsson today.

What is the Anaheim Ducks Biggest Remaining Need?

What is the Anaheim Ducks Biggest Remaining Need?

The Ducks addressed goalscoring, utility, and penalty killing needs within the forward group in the 2025 offseason, but left the blueline untouched despite yet another poor defensive season. Though a top-line impact winger would be a flashy add and a middle-six two-way center a necessity for championship teams, two-thirds of voters feel the biggest need is on the right side of the blueline. Defense wins championships, and the Ducks could use a true play killer to complement their stable of young puck movers on the backend.

Training camp will soon commence, and hockey will be back before we know it. It’s been a long summer, and there’s still business that needs attending to, but this series has been a blast for me, personally, and has been a great way to make the offseason seem less dull. So, thank you for participating and reading.

Ducks’ Young Blue Line Could Be Their X-Factor in 2025-26

Reports: Mason McTavish Prefers a Long-Term Contract while Pat Verbeek Prefers a Bridge, where Talks Stand

Welcome to The Hockey News - Vancouver Canucks site’s player preview series for the 2025–26 season. In these articles, we’ll preview the players who are expected to play for the Canucks in the 2025–26 season. This edition will cover one of the young faces on the Canucks’ blueline with Victor Mancini. 

Mancini’s 2024–25 Season

Starting his year in the New York Rangers organization, Mancini made his NHL debut during the Rangers’ season opener on October 9th against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and scored his first NHL goal against the Detroit Red Wings just a week later. Mancini would spend 15 games with the Rangers throughout the season, scoring one goal and four assists, along with three goals and seven assists in 23 games with their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Mancini would join the Canucks in the infamous January 31st trade that sent JT Miller back to the team that drafted him, and he would spend the remainder of the NHL season playing 16 games with Vancouver. He scored his first goal as a Canuck during the team’s historic comeback win over the Dallas Stars on April 8th, and had 21 blocked shots and 24 hits in his tenure with Vancouver. Mancini also spent seven regular-season games with the Abbotsford Canucks, and had eight points in the playoff run to the Calder Cup victory.

Mancini’s 2024–25 Letter Grade

For his impressive efforts in both the NHL and AHL last season, Mancini earned a B+ letter grade. He was a solid depth option for the Canucks’ strengthened defensive core in the NHL and was a key piece for the Abbotsford blueline in his limited regular-season stint, along with his production during the Calder Cup run.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

Vancouver Canucks 2025–26 Season Series Preview: Winnipeg Jets

Vancouver Canucks 2025–26 Player Preview: Nils Åman

Canucks Prospect Patterson Requests Trade In The OHL

Mancini’s 2025–26 Predictions

Mancini spent the majority of his time in Vancouver paired with Derek Forbort on the Canucks’ third defensive line, and will likely spend time cycling through in that spot with another young defenceman in Elias Pettersson. The sole defensive addition the Canucks have made this offseason was signing Pierre-Olivier Joseph in free agency, so depending on training camp and preseason form, it is likely Mancini factors into the Vancouver lineup for opening night, even if he is sitting in the press box for the first puck drop.

Adam Kierszenblat’s Stat Prediction: 1G, 4A, 5P

Izzy Cheung’s Stat Prediction: 1G, 8A, 9P

Kaja Antic’s Stat Prediction: 3G, 8A, 11P

Bold Prediction: He will see extended time on the second powerplay unit.

Player Preview Articles 

Nils Åman

Filip Chytil

Drew O'Connor

Max Sasson

Jonathan Lekkerimäki

Derek Forbort

Tom Willander

Arshdeep Bains

Pierre-Olivier Joseph

Evander Kane

Kiefer Sherwood

Kevin Lankinen

Elias Pettersson (D)

Tyler Myers

Filip Hronek

Nils Höglander

Thatcher Demko

Marcus Pettersson

Linus Karlsson

Aatu Räty

Conor Garland

Jake DeBrusk

Brock Boeser

Elias Pettersson (F)

Quinn Hughes

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Every year, NHL official trading card partner Upper Deck hosts the NHLPA rookie showcase, and this year is no exception. The 2025 event will take place in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 3 and will feature 32 NHL prospects.

David Reinbacher will represent the Montreal Canadiens, but Ivan Demidov, who is expected to be the Calder Trophy front-runner by many, will not be in attendance. Last season, both Lane Hutson and Logan Mailloux represented the Habs, but this time around, only one player will be sent.

Canadiens: Big Season Ahead For Matheson
Canadiens' Kirby Dach Takes Promising Step Forward
Canadiens: Evans Might Have What It Takes To Play Bigger Role

Reinbacher will be joined by 30 other players, such as Ryan Leonard for the Washington Capitals, Tij Ingila for the Utah Mammoth, Quinn Hutson (Lane’s brother) for the Edmonton Oilers, and, of course, the draft’s first overall pick, Matthew Schaefer, representing the New York Islanders.

The marketing initiative allows Upper Deck to take photos of the rookies for their upcoming card releases. Demidov isn't missing anything exciting, and he’s already confirmed for the forthcoming Upper Deck Series 1 release, scheduled for October 15, 2025. The promotional images already released show that the card company already has the pictures of Demitov it needed for the upcoming release.

For years, collecting Montreal Canadiens’ players' cards was a reasonable endeavour, and you could do it without needing to break the bank, but since Hutson’s arrival on the market, prices have risen. When Upper Deck SP Authentic was released last week, Hutson’s Future Watch Autographed cards were selling $1,400 CAD.

That being said, Series One is not as high-end as SP Authentic, and the price tag should be much more reasonable. Case in point, Hutson’s Young Guns rookie card typically sells for $150 CAD. It will be interesting to see how Demidov and Reinbacher’s rookie cards measure up.

---

Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.  

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

Now and then, The Hockey News - Toronto will look back on some of the in-depth features from the past years. During the 2017-18 season, the Maple Leafs and their original-six rivals appears to be on very divergent paths. The Maple Leafs had found their groove with a young core building off their 2017 Stanley Cup Playoff appearance, while the Canadiens seemed to crumble.  The Leafs are strong, but have yet to have success deep in the playoffs, but the Canadiens were going south, but are now seeing some success with their young core, earning a playoff appearance in 2025.

BY KEN CAMPBELL  (From. Mar 5, 2018/vol. 71, issue 12)

After last season, some of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ alumni group got together and quietly made a request to upper management. They certainly appreciated the luxury box they had for games, but the sightlines weren’t the greatest. So they asked team president Brendan Shanahan whether an upgrade might be possible.

You have to remember these guys don’t generate any revenue, so to relocate them to a better box would mean potentially displacing customers who were paying insanely large money for the privilege. So Shanahan handed over his luxury box to the alumni. Now, the men who have sweated and bled for the Blue and White have impeccable sightlines and enjoy the best food and drink money doesn’t have to buy.

There’s something happening in The Center of the Hockey Universe™ and it isn’t limited to the ice. Largely because of the presence of Shanahan, the Maple Leafs are becoming the gold-standard franchise of the NHL. Pre-game ceremonies that were once cheesy and amateurish are classy and poignant. The team’s 100th anniversary celebration was impressive from beginning to end, starting with the official repatriation of prodigal son Dave Keon and the long overdue retiring of numbers.

The Leafs have Shanahan, who does nothing but make the right moves, the dean of GMs in Lou Lamoriello, the best coach of his generation in Mike Babcock and a player who stands to become the organization’s first true superstar in Auston Matthews. (And yes, I said it. The Leafs have never had a true superstar, always valuing the collective over the individual. Now fight me.)

Meanwhile, 313 miles northeast, the Montreal Canadiens are still treating their former players like royalty and hitting all the right notes when it comes to pomp and circumstance. But when it comes to the onice product, the two organizations could not be going in any more different directions. When it comes to what we’re seeing on the ice, the Maple Leafs are morphing into what the Canadiens used to be, and the Canadiens are deteriorating into Les Feuilles d’Erable, a French Canadian version of what the Maple Leafs once were.

The Leafs have gone 50 years without winning a Stanley Cup, and they’ll probably make it 51 this spring. Simply put, they’re just not ready to position themselves as a serious contender. But for the first time in forever, there is evidence of a plan. The Canadiens? Well, they haven’t won in a quarter century and their youngest fans are the first in the organization’s history to have absolutely no recollection of seeing their team win the Cup. Care to make a wager on which of the two droughts will end first?

The Maple Leafs are morphing into what the Canadiens used to be and the Canadiens are deteriorating

What makes it even worse from a Canadiens’ perspective is there looks as though there’s no semblance of a plan, no success in giving this team an identity. The Canadiens have been too small and not productive enough down the middle since La Macarena was popular and they responded to that by getting bigger and slower at every position, but not getting bigger or better at center. They’ve made panic moves that have managed to land them such luminaries as Andreas Martinsen and Dwight King and the needle continues to move backward. Prior to 2016, when they took Mikhail Sergachev and Victor Mete, they hadn’t drafted a topflight defenseman since P.K. Subban – and we all know how that turned out. Of the 25 players they took in four drafts from 2008 through 2011, just Brendan Gallagher is on the roster. They hit home runs in 2007 with Ryan McDonagh, Max Pacioretty and Subban, but two of the three are gone and Pacioretty’s days with the Habs look to be dwindling to a small number.

Sound like an organization we all used to know? You know, the one that ran really good players out of town (see Subban), or traded players without giving them a chance (see Sergachev) in order to plug gaping holes in its roster? The Leafs once traded the pick that New Jersey used to get Scott Niedermayer to acquire Tom Kurvers. The Habs could’ve had a defense corps with McDonagh, Subban, Sergachev and Mete on it. Remember when the Leafs destroyed their young players the way the Canadiens are doing with Alex Galchenyuk? Remember when they would get players, overhype and miscast them, kind of the way the Canadiens are doing with Jonathan Drouin?

Here’s the thing. I never bought the notion the Leafs were obsessed with simply making money. Over the past two decades, you’d be hard-pressed to find an organization that has frittered away more money in an attempt to build a contender and a legitimate organization on and off the ice. It wasn’t that the people who ran the Leafs were greedy, they were simply incompetent. As desperately as they wanted to win, they had no clue how to go about it. Now, they do.

In Montreal, well, we’ll allow the recent history to speak for itself. The Canadiens have become the dysfunctional, panicky, knee-jerk operators of a hockey team and there’s a real possibility things are going to get worse. These are the kinds of moves that can take years to untangle. And if that happens, their fans are going to get a long dose of the kind of hell their English Canadian rivals have gone through for decades.

Latest stories:

Maple Leafs Prospect Ben Danford Invited To Upper Deck/NHLPA Rookie Showcase

Veteran Broadcast Ryan Leslie Joins Maple Leafs As New Team Host

'I Owe It To My Parents And My Friend's: Maple Leafs’ Matthew Knies Embraces Neck Guard Protection For Upcoming NHL Season