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The first scrimmage of a critical Rangers training camp for Matt Rempe nearly included a vintage Rempe fight. 

Around the end of the first period in a two-period scrimmage Thursday, 5-foot-11 defenseman Marc Del Gaizo checked the 6-foot-9 Rempe along the boards, which prompted Rempe to start shoving in return as Del Gaizo’s helmet came off and teammates skated over to separate them. The skirmish never escalated to a full fight with punches thrown, but it still served as the lasting image of physicality in a practice filled with it to start athis condensed preseason. 

Will Cuylle decked rookie defenseman Alberts Smits in the corner. J.T. Miller shoved Carey Terrance to the ice too. But the closest any of the Rangers got to tensions boiling over in training camp occurred when Rempe and Del Gaizo, a defenseman and Basking Ridge, N.J. native, collided along the side boards and Rempe became visibly frustrated. 

Rempe has fought 10 times across his regular-season career in the NHL, according to HockeyFights, and in his lone one last October, he broke his thumb, underwent surgery, ended up having another procedure done in January and faced a long path back to the lineup. When the Rangers unveiled their first set of lines Thursday during their NHL-heavy Group A session, in a training camp that doubles as a sprint to the season opener Sept. 29 against the Bruins, Rempe rotated in as an extra. Tye Kartye, Joe Veleno and Jarslav Chmelar skated on the fourth line — a sign, albeit with a small sample size, that Rempe likely has to play his way into the lineup. 

And then he ended up being at the center of the defining moment of physicality in the first session with Del Gaizo — a 26-year-old who has played 55 NHL games, logged 353 AHL games and described himself to Newsday on Thursday as a Jersey native with “piss and vinegar” to his game. 

“These guys, I think they recognize the importance of every day and trying to maximize every opportunity we have when we get on the ice because we don’t have that many of them,” head coach Mike Sullivan said after the pair of practices and the scrimmage where the team in blue jerseys defeated the team in white jerseys 4-1. “They came to play today. There was real hockey being played. There was physicality out there.” 

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Thursday marked the first session with Pavel Dorofeyev as a member of the Rangers, and both Adam Fox and Mika Zibanejad raved about what Dorofeyev —, whom the Blueshirts acquired in a draft-night trade, — will add to the power-play unit. He recorded 20 goals with the man advantage last year, and Fox said that Dorofeyev and Zibanejad pairing their shots together creates a “pick your poison” scenario for the Blueshirts. 

When asked if the Rangers would consider keeping three goalies on the roster, Sullivan didn’t rule out the scenario — but acknowledged that it isn’t typically best for organizations in the long-term outlook of a season. 

Dylan Garand, who was positioned as the backup until the Rangers brought in Joonas Korpisalo, described that trade as “expected competition” in a battle to replace future Hall of Famer Jonathan Quick and back up Igor Shesterkin. 

“When that happened, it’s just kinda, you figure out who it is,” Garand said of the Korpisalo trade. “He’s a guy who’s been around for a long time. … It doesn’t really change anything for me. It doesn’t matter who’s here or not. My job is to stop the puck, and that’s all I’m focused on.”

Matt Duchene may still be an unpopular subject in Colorado, but recent events around the NHL have made one thing worth reconsidering: for all the frustration surrounding his departure from the Avalanche, Duchene never stopped showing up.

That matters now.

After Colorado finished the 2016-17 season with a 22-56-4 record, Duchene wanted out. He had grown tired of playing for a team that appeared to be going nowhere, and his desire for a trade was hardly a secret. The Avalanche eventually dealt him to the Ottawa Senators in a three-team blockbuster with the Nashville Predators.

Everyone knows what happened from there.

Colorado acquired a collection of assets in the trade, most notably defenseman Samuel Girard, who would go on to become an important piece of the Avalanche's blue line. A few years later, Colorado lifted the Stanley Cup in 2022.

Duchene never did.

That history has made it easy for Avalanche fans to look back at Duchene's time in Colorado with resentment. He wanted out. He didn't want to be part of the rebuild. He wanted to play meaningful hockey somewhere else.

And, frankly, he had every right to feel that way.

But there is something Duchene deserves more credit for, particularly in light of what is happening in Winnipeg right now.

He showed up.

Duchene may have desperately wanted to leave Colorado, but when training camp opened in September 2017, he reported. He didn't refuse to participate. He didn't force the organization to suspend him. He didn't abandon his teammates because he was unhappy with the direction of the franchise.

Instead, he walked into camp knowing full well that everyone knew he wanted to be traded.

You could see the awkwardness of the situation. Duchene wasn't exactly pretending everything was perfect. His body language told a different story, and there was little reason to believe he suddenly wanted to spend the rest of his career in Colorado.

But he was there.

"I'm here to honor my contract. I'm here out of respect for the fans. I'm here for my teammates," Duchene told reporters when he arrived at training camp.

Those words are easy to overlook nearly a decade later, but they carry considerably more weight when viewed through the lens of what is happening with Connor Hellebuyck.

Hellebuyck also wanted out. He publicly confirmed his trade request in August, saying he believed moving on was the best path for himself and his family. But when the Jets opened training camp this week, Hellebuyck did not report. Winnipeg subsequently suspended its star goaltender for an obvious breach of his contract and a lack of professionalism. 

There is an important distinction between the two situations.

Hellebuyck is not wrong for wanting a trade. Players have careers to consider, and asking an organization to explore a move is not inherently disrespectful. In fact, Hellebuyck said he had initially tried to handle the situation privately and respectfully before making his request public.

But once a player chooses not to report, the situation changes.

Duchene understood that distinction.

And while Hellebuyck has something Duchene never managed to obtain — an Olympic gold medal with Team USA at the 2026 Milano Cortina Games — his current situation in Winnipeg has put a different part of his professional reputation under the microscope. His accomplishments on the ice are difficult to dispute, but what happens when a player no longer wants to be where he is can become just as significant as what he does once the puck drops.

His NHL résumé is also difficult to dispute. Three Vezina Trophies, a Hart Trophy and an Olympic gold medal make Hellebuyck one of the most decorated goaltenders of his generation.

But talent has never been the only consideration when an organization evaluates a player.

Trust matters. Commitment matters. Teammates matter.

And now Winnipeg has to navigate a situation in which its franchise goaltender has requested a trade and then failed to report to camp.

That may make an already complicated trade market even more difficult to navigate.

There is an old saying in sports that great players can get away with things other players cannot. Patrick Roy is perhaps one of the clearest examples in Avalanche history. Roy was notoriously intense, demanding and, at times, difficult. But he also helped Colorado win games and Stanley Cups, making the relationship worth navigating for an organization that ultimately benefited enormously from his presence.

Hellebuyck's résumé certainly gives Winnipeg plenty of reason to value him highly. But the current circumstances create a different question for potential suitors: how much does the player himself want to be there?

That's the part of this situation that makes Duchene's departure worth revisiting.

He didn't want to be in Colorado. Everyone knew it.

But he still put on the sweater, walked into camp and went to work.

And nearly nine years later, perhaps he deserves a little more credit for that than he ever received in Colorado.

The Montreal Canadiens took the ice for the first time at training camp on Thursday, and the coach wasted no time in showing his hand. He put his whole top six in Team A, the team that will take on the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre on Saturday, and in the process answered two burning questions at Habs’ camp: who would Chris Kreider play with, and who would center the second line?

Despite the Canadiens having one of the best top lines in hockey last season, the bench boss has elected to split it. While that may come as a surprise, the Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky unit struggled at even strength in the postseason, and if there’s one place where Kreider excels, it’s in the playoffs.

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To insert Kreider on the top line, the coach elected to put Slafkovsky back with Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov. Given that St-Louis already knows that combination can deliver, and that playing with the two youngsters unlocked a new version of the big Slovak, the decision makes sense. It remains to be seen what the power play units will look like, however. Will Slafkovsky and Demidov join Suzuki, Caufield and Hutson like last season? 

If you're shocked to see Kapanen centring the second line again, remember he scored 22 goals in his rookie season. Yes, he did struggle late in the season and in the playoffs, but it’s far from unusual for a first-year player to hit a wall late in the season. St. Louis said the day before that his second-line center would need to have a good computer, and he repeatedly praised Kapanen for that last season. Some would have you believe that it’s easy to score 22 goals when you’re riding shotgun with Demidov, but you still have to know when to go and convert on the opportunities he dishes out. That's easier said than done.

Asked what he thought about Kreider, Demidov replied:

He reminds me of an older Slaf.

- Demidov on Kreider

Given his size and style of play, that’s a fair assessment and probably part of why St-Louis feels comfortable putting Kreider on his top line. Caufield and Suzuki. The coach knows Kreider very well, and it wasn’t so long ago that he worked with him one-on-one to make him a better player. He didn’t have to do that, but it looks like karma took note and made it worth St-Louis’ while; now he’ll benefit from it.

Team A also included four regular NHL defensemen: Lane Hutson, who was skating with Alexandre Carrier, and Arber Xhekaj with Jayden Struble. Luke Mittelstadt and Owen Protz were also part of the group. Given how well they both did at the Prospect Challenge, it would make sense to give them a game at the Bell Centre on Saturday night.

As for Team B, it took to the ice at 11:50, and it included the rest of the Habs’ NHL lineup. Forwards Alex Newhook, Zachary Bolduc, Kirby Dach, Jake Evans, Philipp Danault, Alexandre Texier and Josh Anderson were all there. Still, the coaching staff elected to test some combinations involving some youngsters, aside from one veteran line made up of Bolduc, Dach and Texier. Meanwhile, Newhook and Evans skated with Brett Berard and Anderson and Danault took some reps with Florian Xhekaj.

On defense, Mike Matheson and Noah Dobson practiced with the second group, just like Adam Engstrom and David Reinbacher. Right now, it doesn’t feel like there’s much chance for a forward to graduate to the NHL from the AHL, but the same cannot be said about defence. Kaiden Guhle’s injury means someone could make the jump, and in an ideal world, that person would be Reinbacher, but will he stay healthy and grab the opportunity with both hands? Time will tell.

Meanwhile, in net, Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler skated with Team A while Samuel Montembeault and Kaapo Kahkonen were with Team B. That should mean Montembeault will get to play in Toronto on Saturday night, away from the scrutiny and pressure of the Bell Centre. As for Dobes, signing a big contract extension certainly hasn’t changed him:

I’m going to try to make the team, and we’ll see about what comes next.

- Dobes on the camp

You have to admire the humility. Everyone knows that right now, on paper, Dobes is the number one. He’s not taking anything for granted, though, and he’s approaching this camp like any other. Given that the Canadiens have three NHL-caliber goaltenders right now, it’s the right approach. All too often in hockey, when a player gets too comfortable, he loses his footing.

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The Senators have added some local flair to their blue line, signing veteran defenceman Ben Hutton to a professional tryout.

Hutton was born in Brockville and raised in Prescott, making him a familiar name in these parts. He also spent more than 200 games in the CCHL with the Kemptville 73’s and Nepean Raiders before playing three seasons at the University of Maine.

The 33-year-old was the chosen by Vancouver in the fifth round of the 2012 NHL Draft, Hutton played his first four NHL seasons with the Canucks before stops with the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs.

He spent the past five seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights, serving primarily as a reliable depth defenceman who could step into the lineup when needed.

In all, Hutton has appeared in 575 NHL regular-season games, recording 30 goals and 139 points. He also won a Cup with Vegas in 2023, appearing in two games during that run.

Last season, the six-foot-three, 209-pound left-shot D played 55 regular-season games for the Knights, contributing six goals and 15 points. He also dressed for seven playoff games and recorded one assist as Vegas advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.

Hutton’s year-to-year totals have fluctuated, partly because of injuries and partly because of his position on a deep Vegas blue line.

But his 55 games last season showed that he remains capable of handling a fairly steady NHL workload.

At a glance, the Sens don't have an obvious opening for Hutton on the left side. Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot are firmly established in the top four, while Tyler Kleven is expected to hold down the third-pairing role. But all three missed time with injury last year, and there isn't really an obvious fill-in at the AHL level.

The uncertainty is on the right side, where Artem Zub will miss the start of camp as he continues recovering from the lower-body injury he suffered in the playoffs last spring.

Head coach Travis Green said Wednesday that Zub is skating and could rejoin the team within the next week or two. That timetable doesn’t sound especially concerning, but with a compressed training camp, the Sens have to be ready with a backup plan. 

Without Zub, the Senators would almost certainly begin camp with Jordan Spence, Carter Yakemchuk and Nikolas Matinpalo filling the three right-side positions. That would put both Yakemchuk and Matinpalo inside the top six, while leaving the club without an obvious option for the seventh-defenceman job.

Hutton's arrival probably changes that. 

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was first published in The Hockey News. For more Sens coverage at The Hockey News, click on one of the latest THN Ottawa headlines below:

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Vegas Golden Knights General Manager Kelly McCrimmon doesn’t mince words. He speaks with conviction, and he means every word he says. 

His statement about inking Golden Knights captain Mark Stone to a two-year contract extension was par for the course.

“The organization shifted when we acquired Mark Stone,” said McCrimmon. “For me, that was the player that we thought could be a star— [and he] has been a star. When you factor in the character of his leadership and what he’s meant to the organization, he’s just been a tremendous, tremendous player for the Golden Knights.”

Stone, who has played exactly 400 games in a Golden Knights sweater, is coming off a career year. In 60 games, he scored 28 goals and posted a career-best 73 points. Stone was a crucial part of the Golden Knights’ lethal power play— he scored nine goals and 27 points on the man advantage.

“With him going into the final year of his contract, we were really excited to keep him with our organization for this year, plus two more,” said McCrimmon. “He feels great, and he had one of his best years last year.”

Stone’s on-ice play speaks for itself. He’s an elite two-way winger who makes up for his lack of foot speed with one of the sharpest minds in the game. He kills penalties and is on the ice in every late-game scenario. He’s one of the most underappreciated players in the game, but those lucky enough to watch or play with Stone on a nightly basis have nothing but good things to say about him.

“I think the people in this room appreciate Mark’s contributions as much as anyone does,” said McCrimmon.

If anyone has earned the right to retire a Golden Knight, it’s Mark Stone. He’s the team’s emotional leader, and the amount of effort he gives every game is never in question.

“He’s our original leader,” McCrimmon finished. “I think that we’re thrilled with his level of play, his leadership, and everything that goes with him being our captain.”

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Jimmy Snuggerud isn’t going anywhere and won’t be going anywhere for a while.

Despite not being a part of a flurry of NHL players to get in long-term contracts that could go as long as eight years by the end of the Collective Bargain Agreement that ended on Tuesday at 11 p.m. (CT) before the new CBA kicked in that only offers max contracts at seven years, the first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft by the St. Louis Blues isn’t concerned about not getting something done by Tuesday.

“No, not at all,” Snuggerud said Thursday after Blues opened training camp for the 2026-27 season. “I think there’s certain ways teams do things and every player is different honestly. Every guy goes through talks and what not. Nothing really occurred and I’m just happy to keep going here. Like I said, it’ll all take care of itself. I’m not too concerned with it.”

Snuggerud, who had 51 points (21 goals, 30 assists) in 70 games in his first full NHL season, enters this season in the final year of his entry-level contract and will be quite the bargain at a $950,000 cap hit that includes a $1.55 million average annual value. But what about beyond? We won’t speculate, but it’s a known factor that the 22-year-old, who was recently engaged, will get a nice, hefty payday. Depending on what the term and dollars come to eventually, Snuggerud has no desire to get a deal done with anyone but the team that drafted him and he most certainly sees himself here for the long term as part of the core.

“For sure. I want to be here,” Snuggerud said. “I would love to be here for as long as I can. I love this city. I love everything about it. It’s calm, people are really nice. Fans are crazy and the home games are fun. When I say it’s going to take care of itself, I think just come to the rink every day and try to do my best as I possibly can. Obviously I would love to be here for as long as possible. I love what we’re doing, the direction has a purpose.”

There were a flurry of deals done on Tuesday by other teams, including Cutter Gauthier (six years, $13.5 million AAV) with the Anaheim Ducks; Drake Batherson (eight years, $10.75 million AAV) with the Ottawa Senators; Ryan Leonard (eight years, $10.75 million AAV) and Justin Sourdif (eight years, $6.35 million AAV) with the Washington Capitals; Luke Evangelista (five years, $7.25 million) with the New Jersey Devils, and Alex Newhook (four years, $5.55 million AAV) with the Montreal Canadiens.

Batherson, Leonard and Sourdif took the max eight years and got their payday now, some didn’t, and in Snuggerud’s case, he preferred to wait it out. And that’s OK with both the player and the team.

It doesn’t mean the Blues aren’t looking at the dynamics and what’s been going on around the league.

“We spend a lot of time discussing all these things internally and what the options are, but at the end of the day, we’re back to our philosophy on how we want to approach it,” Blues general manager Alex Steen said. “We do our best to continually communicate with the players and the representatives. We don’t want our players guessing anything so we keep them as informed as we can and we go from there.”

President of hockey operations Doug Armstrong signed two players coming out of his entry-level contract to long-term deals immediately: Vladimir Tarasenko (eight years, $60 million, $7.5 million AAV) in 2015 and Alex Pietrangelo (seven years, $45.5 million, $6.5 million AAV) in 2013.

“Yeah we've kept an eye on everything that's going on,” Armstrong said. “Our belief all along has been 'trust but verify' on our players. Our philosophy isn't like philosophies of other groups and I'm not saying what's right or wrong -- to rub the crystal ball and to hope things might happen and work out.

“Since 2010, I think we've had two players come out of entry level that signed long-term extensions and that was Tarasenko and Pietrangelo, both second-team All-Stars after their third year. So yeah, my belief and I've shared it with Alex (Steen) and he agrees with me, we trust these guys. We want them to get rich. We want to pay them. We just want to make sure that they've earned that paycheck. So we're willing to allow them to play like we did last year with Broberg and Holloway.”

The Blues signed Broberg to a six-year, $48 million extension ($8 million AAV) on Jan. 10, then extended Holloway on May 1 for five years at $38.75 million ($7.75 million AAV), opting to go for shorter term than the max.

So for Snuggerud, his next contract could fall anywhere in the five to six, and up to seven years, and if making a comparable, he could very well fall into a category that Leonard got in Washington. Just let the process play out and it will get done.

“Come to the rink every single day and do my job,” Snuggerud said. “I’d say it’s there, but I’m not thinking about it. I think I can speak for everyone in this room. We just want to win games and contracts take care of themselves if you win games. I think everyone in here wants to do it. There’s a lot of guys other than me that are going through the same thing. I’d say it’s there, but I just want to win.”

And if you think Snuggerud will want to go for the fame and fortune, think again. He’s not a big city guy coming from Minneapolis. St. Louis is his style of place to live.

“Growing up in the Midwest, it kind of has that Midwest feel,” Snuggerud said of St. Louis. “There’s not too much going on. It’s relaxed, it’s calm and it’s nice to have that. You don’t really get that everywhere in other cities. Kind of that homey feeling that you get. When you get into the games, the fans are unbelievable and they care so much about us.

“I’m just kind of that low-key, relaxed guy.”

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