Only six RFAs that played in the NHL last season remain unsigned. Adam Proteau at The Hockey News ranked the six of them by their teams' pressure to sign them. 

Of the six teams that have RFAs remaining, the Chicago Blackhawks were ranked last with defenseman Wyatt Kaiser. Mason McTavish (Anaheim Ducks), Luke Hughes (New Jersey Devils), Luke Evangelista (Nashville Predators), Rasmus Kupari (Winnipeg Jets), and Alexander Holtz (Vegas Golden Knights) are all ahead.

The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) on XLet’s break down a fun little pressure-o-meter on the six remaining RFAs: https://t.co/QxQNMgM3YA

This is a fair ranking. Although Kaiser looked great in his 57 games played during the 2024-25 season, there is still a lot of room for improvement. 

Chicago also has lots of defensemen who deserve a look at the beginning of the year. Connor Murphy and Alex Vlasic are locks to play often. After them, Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel, Kevin Korchinski, Ethan Del Mastro, Louis Crevier, and Nolan Allan all need ice time. Whether that is with Chicago or Rockford remains to be seen for most of them. 

When Kaiser does return, that will make it nine players looking for ice time on the blue line. With only one true veteran - Connor Murphy - in the mix, that is a lot. 

Based on these facts, there is no reason for the Blackhawks to give Kaiser what he wants right away. If he wants more ice time, money, and term on his contract, he has to play more and earn it. There are plenty of players in the organization who are on a similar trajectory. 

When the Blackhawks do finally get Kaiser extended, they will be a better team for it. Adding a solid defensive player who is smart on the ice is something they are looking to do. They just don't have that much pressure on them to get it done on his terms more than their own terms.

With all the cap space that Chicago has, they can afford to make him happy while also forcing him to prove his long-term worth. 

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The New Jersey Devils announced on September 5, 2025, that they had signed four players to professional tryout contracts ahead of training camp: forwards Kevin Rooney and Luke Glendening, along with goaltenders Georgi Romanov and Adam Scheel.

In net, the Devils already feature two proven veterans. This offseason, the team re-signed Jake Allen to serve as backup to Jacob Markstrom, who has been a reliable starter in recent years. Together, Markstrom and Allen form one of the NHL’s stronger tandems, each capable of stepping up when called upon.

That said, both goalies carry injury histories. While one can typically fill in when the other is sidelined, the situation becomes complicated if both are injured at the same time. In those cases, New Jersey has often turned to Nico Daws of the Utica Comets.

Daws has filled in several times over the past few seasons, but his team rights expire after next year. If the Devils want to capitalize on his trade value, their window is closing. They could also opt to re-sign and promote him, but indications suggest that may not be the path they pursue.

Enter Scheel and Romanov, two goaltenders brought in on PTOs to bolster training camp competition.

Adam Scheel, 26, is a six-foot-four netminder who went undrafted but has spent the past few years in both the AHL and ECHL. He also represented Team USA at the U17 and U18 levels in 2016–17. Though he has yet to make his NHL debut, Scheel is looking to break through with the Devils, or at least earn a spot in the AHL, ready for a call-up if needed.

Georgi Romanov also went undrafted but has already seen NHL action with the San Jose Sharks. In 2023–24, he appeared in two games, facing 30 shots and posting a .967 save percentage. Last season, he played eight more games, stopping 219 shots but finishing with an .877 save percentage. His career record currently stands at 0–6, and he is still chasing his first NHL win—something he hopes to achieve this year in red and black.

With training camp opening September 10, both Scheel and Romanov will be players to watch. While Markstrom and Allen have the top two spots secured, the door is open for one of the PTO goaltenders to make an impression and possibly work their way into the lineup over the course of the 2025–26 season.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have a lot of veteran players on the team heading into the 2025-26 season, but they still have some young players pushing for more playing time. 

Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen got a taste of NHL action last season and looked the part in their short sample sizes. McGroarty made his NHL debut early in the season before developing more in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and then came up with Koivunen at the end of the season. As long as they have good camps, they'll likely be on the roster to start the season. 

Filip Hallander is coming back from the SHL after spending two seasons in that league. He finished second in goals and points in the entire SHL last year and will also be given every opportunity to make the full-time roster. He has played in three games at the NHL level with the Penguins, but spent most of his time in WBS before heading to the SHL after the 2022-23 season. 

There will be other young players who make strong pushes in training camp, but may not be ready to make the roster and their NHL debut yet. Let's take a look at some of the players that may fit into that category. 

Tristan Broz

Broz made his regular-season debut with the WBS Penguins last season after turning pro. It came after he spent the previous three seasons in college hockey and helped the University of Denver win the Frozen Four during the 2023-24 season. He scored the game-winning goal against Boston in the Frozen Four to send Denver to the National Championship Game. 

Broz finished the 2024-25 season with 19 goals and 37 points in 59 games, and one goal and three points in two playoff games. He was able to utilize his shot and vision throughout the season and was one of WBS's best players in the playoffs before bowing out to Lehigh Valley.

Penguins head coach Dan Muse may want to get a look at Broz if he keeps developing well during the upcoming season.

Emil Pieniniemi

Pieniniemi will make his WBS debut next season in his first professional season after spending the 2024-25 season with the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs. It was his first OHL season, and he finished with 10 goals and 60 points in 60 games. His 60 points were sixth among defensemen in the OHL. He was also dynamite in the playoffs, compiling four goals and 10 points in 11 games. His offensive game took a significant step forward, and he's looking to carry it over into the AHL. 

The left side of the Penguins' defense is still a primary concern heading into the season, but Pieniniemi isn't likely to be ready just yet. However, if he starts his pro career with a bang, there's a chance he could be a call-up option later in the year, especially if some injuries pop up on the back end. 

Harrison Brunicke

This one is dependent on a couple of factors. Number one, he has to have an outstanding camp like he did last year, since there's a logjam on the right side right now. Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang will take up the bulk of the top four minutes, and Connor Clifton and Matt Dumba will compete for minutes on the bottom pairing. Brunicke will have to ensure that the coaching staff and management can't deny him at least a nine-game trial to start the year. 

Number two, we need to determine if the NHL, NHLPA, and CHL can reach an agreement to allow one 19-year-old CHL player per NHL team to play in the AHL this season. The deal is set to start for the 2026-27 season, but the NHL and NHLPA are trying to negotiate an agreement with the CHL to push it up to this season. If that happens, Brunicke will have the chance to play in the AHL all season, instead of his junior team, the Kamloops Blazers, who aren't going to be any good this season.

Right now, his only options for the 2025-26 season are his junior team or the Penguins. Having the option to send Brunicke to the AHL, assuming an agreement can be reached, would be beneficial for his development. He's too good to play on his junior team, and it showed when he was healthy last season. 

Brunicke has the potential to be a second-pairing defenseman on the Penguins if he hits his ceiling. 

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Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have shifted the focus to youth and development.

With more talent in the system than Pittsburgh has had in years - and 13 picks in the 2025 NHL Draft - top prospects lists are becoming more competitive and more difficult to discern. Since the prospect pool is deepening, The Hockey News - Pittsburgh Penguins takes a look at the top-20 prospects in the organization. 

At this point, we have reached the top-five on our list. And right at No. 5 is a young netminder who continues to garner the attention of many and has pretty much done nothing but dominate up to this point: Sergei Murashov.

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#5 G Sergei Murashov

For any goaltender anywhere, it is extremely difficult to not only have a save percentage of .913 or higher at every level of professional hockey so far, but also to show signs of dominance almost effortlessly.

Yet, this is something that 21-year-old Penguins' goaltending prospect Sergei Murashov has managed to accomplish.

To be clear, the one and only season Murashov has had a sub-.913 save percentage was for Loko Yaraslovl of the MHL as a 16-year-old, when he posted a .909 save percentage in eight games. Since then, he has been nothing short of spectacular.

From 2021-24 between the MHL and KHL, Murashov never posted a save percentage below .925. In fact, during the 2022-23 season with Loko Yaroslavl, Murashov went 24-7-5 with 11 shutouts, a 1.53 goals-against average, and a .948 save percentage. And that was the season following his draft year in 2022 (118th overall).

Who Will Be The Starting Goaltender In WBS This Season?The NHL goaltending situation for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2025-26 already figures to be an interesting one.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound goaltender's impressive numbers in Russia preceded his move to North America for the 2024-25 season - and he did not miss a beat with the move.

In 26 games ECHL games with the Wheeling Nailers last season, Murashov posted a 17-7-1 record to go along with a .922 save percentage and a 2.40 goals-against average. Because of injuries at the AHL level, Murashov was called up to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) during the second half of the season, and he made franchise history. 

He won his first 11 starts at the AHL level, setting a new franchise rookie record and tying the general franchise record for consecutive wins. In 16 total starts at the AHL level last season for WBS, Murashov went 12-3-0 with a .913 save percentage and a 2.64 goals-against average.

In other words, there is no doubt that this kid has talent. His quickness and athleticism is unmatched by any other netminder in the Penguins' system, and Murashov carries himself with a certain confidence and calm that isn't typical of goaltenders his age.

On Hershey's first goal, Sergei Murashov came up with a RIDICULOUS rebound save seconds prior to the 3rd attempt going in. @InsideAHLHockeypic.twitter.com/96Sfwao58i

— Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) April 12, 2025

He is still raw, and he needs to work on his rebound control and refining the sharp edges in his game. He also had a tough three games in the ECHL playoffs, even if it was largely the result of the team in front of him failing to execute.

But it's hard to deny the upside of a guy who has proven he can get it done at every level of hockey up to this point.  Goaltending has been a problem area for the Penguins since their back-to-back Stanley Cup runs in 2016 and 2017, and they have an abundance of goaltenders in their system. Murashov will be competing with the likes of Joel Blomqvist, Filip Larsson, and Taylor Gauthier for the AHL starting job this season, which will be a fascinating battle to keep an eye on in training camp.

Murashov has put a little bit of distance between himself and the rest of them, and it would probably be best for his development to be full-time in the AHL this season. But - regardless of where he laces them up this season - this is certainly a prospect Penguins' fans and NHL fans should be keeping an eye on.

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2025: Defenseman Should Be Full-Time In The NHL This SeasonHeading into the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have shifted the focus to youth and development.

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The list so far:

- No. 6: D Owen Pickering
- No. 7: F Tanner Howe
- No. 8: G Arturs Silovs
- No. 9: G Joel Blomqvist
- No. 10: F Tristan Broz
- No. 11: F Will Horcoff
- No. 12: F Mikhail Ilyin
- No. 13 F Filip Hallander
- No. 14: F Bill Zonnon
- No. 15: F Melvin Fernstrom
- No. 16: D Emil Pieniniemi
- No. 17: F Avery Hayes
- No. 18: F Cruz Lucius
- No. 19: D Finn Harding
- No. 20: D Peyton Kettles

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