The St. Louis Blues' training camp has finally started, but prior to the first practices, GM Doug Armstrong spoke to the media, talking about several topics.

Armstrong spoke about second chances when referring to Milan Lucic's PTO and how he isn't taking a trip down memory lane in his final season as general manager. But one quote that stood out was his comments about newly acquired defenseman Logan Mailloux.

"I was honest with him; it's his job to lose," said Armstrong. "He understands that we have experienced players ahead of him in Parayko and Faulk. But our belief, I told you when we gave up Bolduc, it wasn't to get a career minor-leaguer."

It's rare for a manager to say that to a player, let alone say that to the media. It shows that there is both immense pressure but also a belief that Mailloux has the skill set to be a valued addition to the Blues' blueline.

When Mailloux was first acquired, Armstrong was under the belief that he was NHL-ready, and now he's doubled down.

But Armstrong isn't the only one who believes in Mailloux. The 22-year-old said it himself back in early July that he is ready for the next step in his career.

"I’m really excited to come to St. Louis," Mailloux said. "I think they’ve got a great group of guys, and I’m really looking forward to continuing my journey, on and off the ice. Coming to St. Louis and being able to make a positive impact, whether it’s on the ice or off the ice, I think I want to come in there and be able to do some good. It’s pretty nice, to be honest. I think they’re giving me a chance here trading for me. I think they gave up a good prospect, a good player. I think I’m NHL-ready as well. I think I’m ready to make that jump full-time. Hopefully, come in here and be able to contribute to some wins and some success next year."

Standing 6-foot-3, 213 pounds, Mailloux comes into St. Louis with eight games of NHL experience, scoring two goals and five points with the Montreal Canadiens. He had his issues on the defensive side of the puck during his brief call-ups to the NHL, but Belle River, Ont., native is a smooth skater who will improve the Blues' breakout and transition offense.

In the AHL last season, Mailloux notched 12 goals and 33 points in 63 games and the year prior, he recorded 14 goals and 47 points in 72 games. 

There's pressure on either side of Mailloux, but he's been brought in to be an NHL player this year. Justin Faulk and Colton Parayko are the right-handed defenseman ahead of him, and Adam Jiricek, the Blues' 2024 first-round pick, will be clicking at his heels next year. 

"We're hoping to grow with him. When do you know that you have an NHL defenseman? I'll let you know after 200 games," said Armstrong on Wednesday. "He's got a long way to go. I'm not too concerned how the next month goes but he'd like to get off to a good start and I'd like him to get off to a good start."

Mailloux will almost undoubtedly start the season in the NHL, but the Blues have large aspirations, and if he underperforms, Armstrong won't be hesitant to find someone else. 

Blues Focused On Player's Potential, Confident Isolated Incident Is Behind Logan Mailloux - Community PostMARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- The comments started pouring in quickly once St. Louis Blues fans realized when the cost for acquiring promising 22-year-old defenseman Logan Mailloux for a more polished 22-year-old in forward Zack Bolduc would be on the table.

Anthony Stolarz wants to get all of the contract stuff out of the way before the Toronto Maple Leafs’ season begins.

The 31-year-old spoke on Thursday after the first group’s session at Maple Leafs camp, and said he hopes to get a deal worked out before opening night on Oct. 8. “I mean, our ultimate goal is to win the Stanley Cup,” he said.

“So once the season starts, that’s all I want to focus on, and that’s kind of all I want my attention to be. Like I said, I’m going to let my agent and (Brad Treliving) talk that out, and hopefully we can get something done here soon.”

Stolarz is coming off the best season of his NHL career. He appeared in 43 games with the Maple Leafs (the most games he’s ever played in an NHL season), winning 21 games and sporting a .926 save percentage.

Why The Maple Leafs Want To Get Anthony Stolarz's Contract Done In Short Order The Toronto Maple Leafs are confident they’ll get Anthony Stolarz locked up long-term.

The netminder dealt with a couple of injuries during his first year in Toronto. He needed knee surgery in the middle of the year and then suffered a concussion against the Florida Panthers in the second round of the playoffs.

Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving said on Wednesday during media day that he was hopeful the two sides could find common ground.

“We've been engaged with Anthony and his representatives,” Treliving said.

“I don't get into a whole lot of discussion about contracts. We're seeing if it can fit. It's got to work for the player. He's got to feel comfortable. It's got to work for us. I'm confident, until proven otherwise, that we can find something that's going to work, and hopefully we can do that in short order.”

Maple Leafs Reveal 73-Player Training Camp Roster For 2025-26The Toronto Maple Leafs have unveiled their 2025 training camp roster and it includes 44 forwards, 23 defensemen, and six goaltenders. On-ice sessions begin September 18 and Toronto's first pre-season game takes place on September 21 against the Ottawa Senators. The entire list of players is below.

Stolarz also mentioned that losing to the Panthers in May motivated him more than ever this summer. He worked on his foot speed, cardio, and angle work in hopes of taking another step this season.

As for contract talks, he says he’s just waiting to get the message from his agent that a deal is done.

“I kind of let him deal with that. At the end of the day, my job is to go out there and stop the puck. And with camp starting today, being the first day, that’s kind of what I want to focus on,” Stolarz said. “Just go out there and pick up right where I left off last year. We’ve had some good talks, some good dialect, so hopefully we get something here done soon.”

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'I Heard There Was Some Noise On That': Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving Responds To Reported Interest In Dillon Dube

'I Think He's Ready To Push To Be On The Team': 'Can Easton Cowan Crack The Maple Leafs Roster This Season?

Maple Leafs Reveal 73-Player Training Camp Roster For 2025-26

Breaking down the early takeaways of Winnipeg Jets Training Camp including storylines from each group, position battles to watch and prospects to keep an eye on.

The Winnipeg Jets opened Training Camp on Thursday, sparking plenty of conversation with how they’ve divided their roster into three groups. The first on-ice sessions began at 9:30 AM Central Time at the Hockey For All Centre.

Jets Training Camp Groups - Sept. 18 pic.twitter.com/tkCeSNalsO

— Winnipeg Jets PR (@WpgJetsPR) September 17, 2025

As camp gets underway, we're taking a closer look at the groupings to see what insight they might offer, whether it's coaching strategy, potential line combinations, or intriguing pairings between seasoned veterans and up-and-coming prospects. These early decisions could shape key storylines, open doors for player development, and give certain players a real shot at earning a spot on the final roster.

Jets Announce Training Camp Roster and ScheduleThe Winnipeg Jets have announced their training camp roster and schedule for the upcoming week's training camp. 

Is Domenic DiVincentiis the Jets Third Goalie?

From the crease, we see Domenic DiVincentiis jump to the first group alongside reigning league MVP Connor Hellebuyck and could signal that he has become the team's new third or fourth goalie option. The 21-year-old Bolton native did quite well in his first pro season with a 13-12-3 record, a 2.84 goals against average and a .906 save percentage in 28 starts with the Manitoba Moose last season. He started off his pre-season on a very strong note, shutting down some of the Montreal Canadiens top prospects with 38 saves. 

Domenic DiVincentiis with a few impressive stops on a penalty kill for the #NHLJets. pic.twitter.com/I8FNk2TkJX

— Connor Hrabchak (@ConnorHrabchak1) September 13, 2025

In an exclusive interview during the off-season, DiVincentiis revealed his goal for the season is to make his NHL debut and earning time in Training Camp with Hellebuyck and learning from the league's best could be a good sign that his goal is within reach. 

Exclusive: Jets Goalie Prospect Domenic DiVincentiis Eyes NHL Debut in 2025Winnipeg Jets prospect Domenic DiVincentiis talks season goals with AHL All-Star Game, Calder Cup and NHL Debut in new exclusive interview with The Hockey News. 

Will Danny Zhilkin Stay Hot?

After an impressive showing during the Prospect Showcase, 21-year-old forward Danny Zhilkin finds himself mixed in with names like Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Gabe Vilardi. Being able to learn a thing or two from the trio that produces one of the most lethal lines in the NHL will be a very good thing for Zhilkin's development. The Russian product will also be put together with veteran Tanner Pearson and could see minutes on a line with him. Being given top opportunities and showcasing he has what it takes to stand out in such a star-studded group could help Zhilkin rise up the rankings quickly. 

Isaak Phillips to Learn From More NHL Talent

One of the quietest rising prospects in the Jets system is Isaak Phillips, the former Chicago Blackhawks fifth round pick back in 2020. The 23-year-old Barrie native has been making a name for himself in the off-season, practicing with names like Mitch Marner, John Tavares, Sam Bennett, Robert Thomas and many other big names with longtime NHLer Kevin Bieksa coaching and leading drills.

He finds himself in his group alongside Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo, who can both help continue Phillips's development and like Zhilkin, if he can standout with other big names around him, especially blueliners, it could lead to better opportunities for Phillips this upcoming season.

Group 2 and 3 Poised For Position Battle Fireworks

The second group appears to be a classroom for veterans Jonathan Toews and Gustav Nyquist as they will be paired up with four young players that will be looking to leave their mark. The first is Cole Perfetti, who will likely play alongside Toews and Nyquist on the second line, followed by three high-end prospects in Parker Ford, Colby Barlow and Brad Lambert. 

While being mixed in with some bottom-six regulars like Jaret Anderson-Dolan and David Gustafsson, this group could provide the most pop as the trio of young talents could look to learn a few things from the veterans and quickly use it to their advantage in trying to get a leg up in the depth chart. This group will include the most real position battles out of them all as Anderson-Dolan and Gustafsson to keep their spots at the bottom of the main roster while fending off the young Jets fighting for a chance at the NHL.  

This is the same story in the third group as youngsters like Kevin He, Brayden Yager, Jacob Cloutier and Nikita Chibrikov will all be looking to leave their mark and will force names around them to pick up the pace if they want to keep their main roster spots like Alex Iafallo, Nino Niederreiter and Philip Di Giuseppe. 

Should Winnipeg Consider Bringing In Dillon Dube?The Winnipeg Jets could look to add another bottom-six forward with Dillon Dube available following the controversial Hockey Canada legal cases. 

The on-ice portion of training camp opened Thursday morning for the Carolina Hurricanes.

Perhaps one of the biggest points of interest at the onset was that forward Logan Stankoven was lined up at center between Andrei Svechnikov and Jackson Blake.

Stankoven, 22, was acquired by the Hurricanes at the trade deadline last year in exchange for Mikko Rantanen and he instantly found a fit in Carolina, signing an eight-year extension as well.

Professionally, Stankoven has primarily played only on the wings, but before that, the Kamloops native had played center all of his life.

"I'm happy to be there," Stankoven told The Hockey News. "That's where I played my whole career and it just feels natural to me."

Stankoven said that Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour had approached him about playing center during their end-of-year meeting, so it was something he knew might happen at camp.

Now, it's confirmed that he'll be getting the chance to try and win back a spot in his natural position as the team's 2C.

"He's willing," said Canes coach Rod Brind'Amour on the reason to try Stankoven at center. "You have to be willing to understand that there's a lot of work that has to be put in to play center. A lot of little things that people don't really understand. And you have to be willing to take the bumps a little bit. But the fact that he's done it in the past helps. We know what kind of kid he is and he's willing to take on whatever we hand him." 

"I want to take full advantage of the opportunity," Stankoven said. "We have a good group of guys in here that I can learn from like [Jordan Staal] and [Sebastian Aho]. Now it's up to me to learn and follow in those guys' footsteps."

Despite being one of the smaller players in the NHL — Stankoven is officially listed as 5-foot-8 and 165lbs — he plays bigger than his physical stature and has shown that he can play in the league.

But the question remains, can he play center in this league?

"You don't see a lot of smaller centermen, but I'm gonna try and do my thing," Stankoven said. "If it works, great, if not, so be it. I'm gonna put my full effort into it and see where it gets me."

Carolina Hurricanes 2025 Training Camp Roster RevealedThe Carolina Hurricanes have announced their training camp roster, one day before the opening of camp.

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The New York Rangers are going all the way back for their centennial jersey.

Former captain Mark Messier modelled the 1926-inspired jersey, which will be worn 10 times this season, including on opening night against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 7.

"This sweater holds 100 years of history," Messier said in a team video. "It's a symbol of pride for the players, a badge of honor for the faithful and a standard for the city of New York. Through every trend, era and generation, it remains undeniably ours."

Undeniably ours. pic.twitter.com/MAZ9tVwrNW

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 18, 2025

The Rangers kept their diagonal wordmark as the crest of the jersey, just like it was in 1926-27, when they entered the NHL. But unlike their current primary jerseys, which has a slanted, two-color font, the Blueshirts used a non-slanted, white font inspired by the 1926 version.

In fact, the jersey itself largely replicates their first version, with the same shade of blue and the traditional piping on the sleeves and hem. For the red and white, they used a deep red shade and rich cream accents to "reflect the passage of time," the team said.

On the inside collar, there's a "1926 Garden Marquee" design showing the date of of their first-ever NHL game, Nov. 16, 1926.

New York's centennial shield shits on the left shoulder.

The Rangers will wear this uniform against four Original Six squads – Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs – as well as state rivals, the New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres. They'll also wear it against the Minnesota Wild and Carolina Hurricanes.

Each game will have a theme regarding the team's history, such as the birth of the franchise, milestones and moments, the Original Six Era, the new Madison Square Garden, fan favorites, Rangers legends and more.

Earlier this week, the Red Wings unveiled their centennial uniform, which they'll wear for at least 12 games. While Detroit's franchise entered the league as the Cougars, then became the Falcons before it was called the Red Wings, the Rangers name is also entering its 100th year.

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There is some bad news on the injury front for the Pittsburgh Penguins and one of their top prospects.

Forward Rutger McGroarty is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury, it was announced Thursday morning by Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas. 

Dubas also clarified the statuses of four other players, as veteran forward Noel Acciari is week-to-week with a core muscle injury, 2025 first-round pick Bill Zonnon will miss 4-6 weeks with a lower-body injury, 2025 second-round pick Peyton Kettles is week-to-week with an upper-body injury, and forward prospect Tanner Howe continues his rehab from ACL surgery in April.

McGroarty, 21, was acquired last summer from the Winnipeg Jets, and he appeared in eight NHL games with the Penguins last season. He broke camp in 2024 and spent three games with the Penguins before his AHL re-assignment to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS). He shined in his second stint - along with fellow forward prospect Ville Koivunen - registering a goal and three points in five games before a lower-body injury ended his season prematurely.

Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2025: Young Forward Keeps Getting Better And BetterHeading into the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have shifted the focus to youth and development.

Dubas stressed that the team wants to approach McGroarty's injury situation with caution due to his age and his potential to make an impact on the team moving forward. 

"It's going to be a little bit more of an indefinite timeline," Dubas said. "It's just something that, because of the player, his age, and the potential that he has, we just have to be very patient with Rutger on that one. So, we'll continue to update that as we go."

Penguins' 2025 Training Camp Preview: 6 Storylines To WatchWell, today is the day: Pittsburgh Penguins' training camp is finally here.

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Turning 100 years old is a major milestone that calls for a big celebration.

And that's exactly what the Rangers have in store for the 2025-26 NHL season.

New York unveiled their Centennial jersey on Thursday in part of the celebration for organization's 100th year.

The team described the sweater's colors, saying: "This blue is taken from the original 1926 shield. Deep red and rich cream accents reflect the passage of time."

In the announcement video, Rangers legend Mark Messier called the jersey "a symbol of pride for the players, a badge of honor for the faithful, and a standard for the city of New York."

The Rangers have unveiled their new centennial jerseys

(via @NYRangers) pic.twitter.com/F2tgApCf8n

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) September 18, 2025

Undeniably ours. pic.twitter.com/MAZ9tVwrNW

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 18, 2025

The Rangers will wear the jerseys for 10 themed home games throughout the season, including:

• Opening Night: vs. Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 8
• Birth of the Franchise: vs. Minnesota Wild on Oct. 20
• Milestones & Moments: vs. New York Islanders on Nov. 8
• Original Six Era: vs. Detroit Red Wings on Nov. 16
• The New Garden: vs. Montreal Canadiens on Dec. 13
• Fan Favorites: vs. Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 8, 2026
• Legendary Blueshirts: vs. Boston Bruins on Jan. 26, 2026
• Goaltenders: vs. Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 25, 2026
• Modern Era: vs. Toronto Maple Leafs on March 5, 2026
• Fan Appreciation Night: vs. Buffalo Sabres on April 8, 2026

Former Philadelphia Flyers forward Jakob Pelletier could be in for a breakout season after the latest Tampa Bay Lightning injury update.

On Wednesday, Lightning GM Julien Brisebois announced that top forward Nick Paul recently underwent surgery to address an upper-body injury and will be out until November, creating a rather sizable hole in the team's lineup.

That creates a big opportunity for Pelletier, 24, who joined the Lightning from the Flyers on the second day of free agency on July 2 on a three-year pact.

The former first-round pick somewhat managed to establish himself as an NHL regular last season, appearing in 49 games between the Flyers and Calgary Flames and scoring seven goals, 12 assists, and 19 points.

Pelletier will still need to prove himself as an undersized 5-foot-10 winger, but, historically, he's always produced offense at a solid rate relative to his limited role as a bottom-six forward.

Flyers Letting Jakob Pelletier Go Was a Clear MistakeThe Philadelphia Flyers have lost one of their most effective players from the end of this past season in Jakob Pelletier for no good reason.

The 24-year-old should again be an NHL regular as long as Paul is out, and he could push for a larger role in a training camp battle with former Toronto Maple Leafs forward and fellow offseason newcomer Pontus Holmberg, who signed a two-year, $3.1 million contract with the Lightning on July 1.

Pelletier has been counted out before, including as recently as his short stint in Philadelphia with the Flyers, and he should be extra motivated this time around knowing an important role is available for the taking.

After all, the Flyers were open to keeping him, but he chose to sign elsewhere for the opportunity, and now he'll get it early into his three-year contract.

The Detroit Red Wings have announced their training camp roster and schedule for the upcoming week's training camp. 

The Detroit Red Wings have unveiled their full roster and schedule for the upcoming training camp, which will feature 62 players taking the ice starting Thursday, September 18, at Centre ICE Arena in Traverse City, Michigan.

The team will hold three days of practices and scrimmages before making the trip to Grand Rapids for the annual Red & White Game, set for Sunday, September 21, at Van Andel Arena, home of the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins.

This year's camp includes 32 forwards, 22 defensemen, and 8 goaltenders. The sessions in Traverse City will consist of daily drills, systems work, and intra-squad scrimmages.

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

Red Wings' Steve Yzerman Discloses Injured D Simon Edvinsson’s Recovery TimelineThe good news for the Detroit Red Wings is that defenseman Simon Edvinsson has become a regular on the blue line, and will be expected to take on a top-four role in the upcoming 2025-26 NHL season. 

Detroit Red Wings 2025–26 Training Camp Schedule

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

Team Delvecchio

• 9:45 a.m. – Video Session
• 10:00 – 10:45 a.m. – On-Ice Practice (David's Rink)
• 10:50 – 11:20 a.m. – Scrimmage vs. Team Howe – Period 1 (Molon Rink)
• 11:40 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. – Scrimmage vs. Team Howe – Period 2 (Molon Rink)
• 12:10 p.m. – Off-Ice Workout

Team Howe

• 10:40 – 10:50 a.m. – On-Ice Warm-Up (Molon Rink)
• 10:50 – 11:20 a.m. – Scrimmage vs. Team Delvecchio – Period 1 (Molon Rink)
• 11:40 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. – Scrimmage vs. Team Delvecchio – Period 2 (Molon Rink)
• 12:10 p.m. – Video Session
• 12:25 – 1:10 p.m. – On-Ice Practice
• 1:10 p.m. – Off-Ice Workout

Team Lindsay

• 12:10 p.m. – Video Session
• 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. – On-Ice Practice (David's Rink)
• 2:30 p.m. – Off-Ice Workout

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

Team Howe

• 9:45 a.m. – Video Session
• 10:00 – 10:45 a.m. – On-Ice Practice (David's Rink)
• 10:50 – 11:20 a.m. – Scrimmage vs. Team Delvecchio – Period 1 (Molon Rink)
• 11:40 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. – Scrimmage vs. Team Delvecchio – Period 2 (Molon Rink)
• 12:10 p.m. – Off-Ice Workout

Team Lindsay

• 12:10 p.m. – Video Session
• 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. – On-Ice Practice (David's Rink)
• 2:30 p.m. – Off-Ice Workout

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

Team Delvecchio

• 9:45 a.m. – Video Session
• 10:00 – 10:45 a.m. – On-Ice Practice (David's Rink)
• 10:50 – 11:20 a.m. – Scrimmage vs. Team Howe – Period 1 (Molon Rink)
• 11:40 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. – Scrimmage vs. Team Howe – Period 2 (Molon Rink)
• 12:10 p.m. – Off-Ice Workout

Team Howe

• 10:40 – 10:50 a.m. – On-Ice Warm-Up (Molon Rink)
• 10:50 – 11:20 a.m. – Scrimmage vs. Team Delvecchio – Period 1 (Molon Rink)
• 11:40 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. – Scrimmage vs. Team Delvecchio – Period 2 (Molon Rink)
• 12:10 p.m. – Video Session
• 12:25 – 1:10 p.m. – On-Ice Practice (David's Rink)
• 1:10 p.m. – Off-Ice Workout

Team Lindsay

• 12:10 p.m. – Video Session
• 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. – On-Ice Practice (David's Rink)
• 2:30 p.m. – Off-Ice Workout

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 – RED & WHITE GAME

Non-Game Participants

• 8:00 a.m. – Video Session
• 9:00 a.m. – On-Ice Practice (Molon Rink)
• Followed by Off-Ice Workout

Red & White Game Participants

• 2:45 p.m. – Video Session
• 3:00 p.m. – Red & White Game (Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, MI)

Detroit Red Wings Unveil New Centennial JerseysThe Detroit Red Wings revealed special third jerseys on Monday to celebrate their upcoming Centennial season. 

Training Camp Pricing

Traverse City Training Camp sessions have limited quantity of general admission tickets is available for each practice session at Centre ICE Arena via MyNorthTickets.com. Pricing is as follows:

• Thursday, Sept. 18 – $20
• Friday, Sept. 19 – $20
• Saturday, Sept. 20 – $30

Red & White Game (Grand Rapids) Tickets for the Red & White Game can be purchased at griffinshockey.com. Prices range from $28 to $63 for reserved seating. An additional $3 charge applies to tickets purchased on the day of the game.

Pre-Season Schedule

After the conclusion of the Red & White Game, the Wings will return to Detroit to prepare for their preseason schedule. The eight-game exhibition stretch includes home matchups against:

• Chicago Blackhawks – Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 7:00 p.m.
• Buffalo Sabres – Thursday, Sept. 25 at 7:00 p.m.
• Pittsburgh Penguins – Monday, Sept. 29 at 7:00 p.m.
• Toronto Maple Leafs – Saturday, Oct. 4 at 7:00 p.m.

Could Expanded AHL Pre-Season Help NHL Management With Roster Moves?The recent CBA changes to the NHL that will shorten the pre-season could open the door for a longer AHL pre-season. 

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SC Bern has signed two ex-NHL players to contract extensions, the National League club announced on its website on Wednesday.

Finnish right winger Waltteri Merelä, 29, has signed for two more years, while Swedish defenseman Anton Lindholm, 30, has signed for one.

For both players, the 2024-25 season was their first in Bern. Merelä had 51 points in 59 regular-season and playoff games. Injuries limited Lindholm to 20 games, in which he recorded five points and 10 penalty minutes. Through the team’s first four games this season, they each have three points.

“Waltteri is an absolute leader of our team,” Bern GM Diego Piceci said about Merelä. “With his goal-scoring ability and his commitment, he is of great importance to us.”

About Lindholm, Piceci said, “We are very pleased with Anton’s commitment. With his skills and leadership, he is a very important part of our team.” 

Merelä played in Finland until he was 24, developing into a good-sized, reasonably productive winger first with the Lahti Pelicans, then with Tappara Tampere. After never representing Finland in any youth age category, he made the national team for the 2023 IIHF World Championship, held at home in Tampere, and scored a goal in his only game.

Finn Waltteri Merelä moves from Tampa Bay to BernAfter one season in North America, split between the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning and the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, 25-year-old right winger Waltteri Merelä has signed a one-year contract with National League club SC Bern. Merelä is yet another name to the list of Finns who have chosen to play in Switzerland over other European options.

In the 2023-24 season, Merelä had one goal in 19 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning and 34 points in 55 regular-season games with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch. He also scored three goals in eight AHL playoff games.

Lindholm, who is a product of Skelleftea AIK, was chosen in the fifth round, 144th overall, by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Between 2016 and 2021, he recorded five points and 16 penalty minutes in 55 NHL games for the Avalanche, and 28 points in 84 AHL games for the Colorado Eagles.

Since that time, Lindholm has played in the KHL for Dinamo Minsk and back in Sweden for Leksands IF before joining Bern. Internationally, he has represented Sweden at three World Championships.

Bern’s roster also includes ex-NHLers Emil Bemström, Joël Vermin and Simon Moser.

Emil Bemström Signs In Switzerland Swedish forward Emil Bemström, 26, has signed a one-year contract with SC Bern, the National League club announced on Friday.