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Report: NHL Players To Receive 'Jock Tax' Refunds From Pittsburgh

Visiting NHL players who have played games in the city of Pittsburgh since 2005 will soon be getting a tad bit richer. 

According to a report by NHL insider Frank Seravalli, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has deemed the 3 percent Pa. Usage Fee unconstitutional. The Pa. Usage Fee is a type of "jock tax" - a common tax assessed to visitors of a city who earn income while they're in it.

In Pittsburgh's case, the city had assessed a 3 percent tax to non-resident athletes and entertainers who performed at public stadiums. According to WTAE Pittsburgh, the tax has contributed to more than $2.6 million in city revenue in just the year 2025, highlighting the scale of the expected annual revenue lost for Pittsburgh - and the expectation that the deficit will be will be passed on to residents.

Among the appellees were the NHL Player's Association, New York Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri, and former Pittsburgh Penguin Scott Wilson. According to Seravalli's report, refunds will be assessed to visiting players who paid the tax for every road game in Pittsburgh. 

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Nolan McLean looks human, but keeps Mets' playoff hopes alive with poise

Nolan McLean couldn't have possibly imagined pitching with the weight of the Mets' season resting on his shoulders in late September, but the rookie right-hander embraced the high-stakes assignment with grit and just enough efficiency.

With sole possession of the NL's third wild-card spot on the line, McLean helped save the Mets' postseason hopes on Thursday night, completing 5.1 innings with a career-high 11 strikeouts in the team's critical 8-5 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

The outing was anything but blemish-free for McLean. He was responsible for all five runs, three of which came on a home run to Seiya Suzuki in the sixth inning that knocked him out at 94 pitches. But ample run support from the Mets arrived at an opportune time, and even the vulnerable version of McLean appeared tougher than most.

"You try to look at the positives the best you can," McLean said after the win. "Obviously, getting stung there at the end with a couple of solo shots. But tried to focus on the positives. A win's a win, and I just appreciate the offense keeping me in the game."

McLean didn't need much time to gain control over the Cubs. After working around a double in the first, he struck out the side in the second and four more between the third and fourth innings. He served up a pair of solo homers to Suzuki and Dansby Swanson, cutting the Mets' lead to 6-2 after five, but the 24-year-old added another three punchouts before the three-run blast.

It would've been unreasonable for the Mets to demand a flawless performance from McLean, making just his eighth MLB start. Much to their delight, perfection wasn't required. McLean received a boost from his teammates at the plate, and the bullpen delivered 3.2 scoreless innings in his stead.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza has been impressed with McLean's makeup since his big league debut in mid-August. And at a time when the team is desperately requesting quality length from starters, it just so happens to be the youngster stepping up and carrying the load.

"You feel good about your chances every time he takes the baseball," Mendoza said. "Today was the perfect scenario, a couple of guys on and he's up to 91-92 pitches and you still feel really good about him getting out of that situation...

"And I'm going to continue to say, the way he makes adjustments, recognizing what's working for him. Today was the cutter and he kept going after, using that pitch. There's a lot to like, and he's got so many weapons as well."

While one could easily argue that McLean's big-league promotion was weeks overdue, the Mets are thankful to have him now in crunch time, with only three games remaining in the regular season. He owns a stellar 2.06 ERA with 57 strikeouts across 48 innings, and his 11 punchouts against the Cubs were the most by a Mets pitcher in 2025.

Since he left the game with one out in the sixth, McLean still remains eligible for rookie status next season. If he logs two innings of relief work on the road this weekend against the Marlins, he'd lose that rank. But the Mets will undoubtedly need McLean fresh to start Game 1 of a potential best-of-three Wild Card series next week.

"I want to win every game," McLean said. "That's just how I was raised and how I compete. Every time I go out there, I'm trying to win and compete. I just like winning."

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Mets look to handle business vs. Marlins with playoffs on the line: 'This series in Miami is a must for us'

It comes down to three more games in Miami.

After the Mets' 8-5 win over Chicago on Thursday night, New York won its three-game series with the playoff-bound Cubs and the team is feeling good. They hit well, pitched well and played some really good defense to stay one game ahead of the Cincinnati Reds for the final wild-card spot. 

"Got three more, you feel good," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after the game. "It’s a good series win against a really good team that is already in the playoffs. We faced some really good arms and that is a good lineup."

Although winning two of three from the Cubs was impressive, Mendoza knows they can't overlook the Marlins. Miami, who took three of four from the Mets in Citi Field at the end of August, will look to play spoilers after being eliminated from postseason contention earlier Thursday evening.

"You walk away from this series feeling good but you still have to go out there and take care of business in Miami," Mendoza added. "We’re in this position, but we’re still in control."

"We feel good. We feel like we have to go down there and handle business," Brett Baty said of the upcoming weekend series. "We can’t think about winning three games because we got to win tomorrow night. We’re going to focus on tomorrow night and try and get a W and see where things are at. And keep fighting until the end of the season."

The Reds defeated the Pirates hours before first pitch for Mets-Cubs, so New York had some extra pressure heading into their game. If they lost, they would have lost control of their own destiny. Cincinnati holds the tiebreaker with the Mets, so even if both teams finish the 2025 regular season with the same record, the Mets will be the odd team out.

But the Mets played really well. Starter Nolan McLean struck out 11 batters and gave the Mets 5.1 solid innings while the offense put up eight runs, three of which came off the bat of Baty's home run that gave the Mets a cushion they would not relinquish. And then the bullpen tossed 3.2 shutout innings in relief of McLean to leave Chicago with two wins.

New York will enter Friday's series opener with not just a one-game lead over the Reds, but also a 78.1 percent chance at making the postseason, according to FanGraphs. But the Mets aren't looking at odds or scoreboard watching. They know they just have to win their games and they are in.

"We control our own destiny, so we have to go out there and take care of business," Francisco Lindor said. "At the end of the day, the teams that are fighting for playoffs are really good teams. And we have to get it done. No one cares what we’re going through; we have to get it done. This series in Miami is a must for us."

While the Mets are in Miami for three, the Reds travel to Milwaukee to take on the Brewers for a three-game set to end the regular season. 

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Red Wings Improve To 2-0 In Pre-Season Play With Dominating Win Over Sabres

While it may have only been the second pre-season game, the Detroit Red Wings played as if they were in mid-season form took control over the Buffalo Sabres at Little Caesars Arena, handily winning not only on the scoreboard but on the shot counter. 

By the time it was all said and done, the Red Wings improved to 2-0 in pre-season play with a 5-2 victory, which included a 40-18 shots advantage.

Detroit iced a roster that was a mixture of established players who will be on the team this season along with several names hoping to earn a coveted roster spot. It was also the first of two scheduled pre-season games against Buffalo before the regular season begins on Oct. 9. 

Newcomer Mason Appleton began the scoring for the Red Wings early in the opening frame, scoring shorthanded after Andrew Copp stole the puck from Sabres goaltender Alexandar Georgiev at the side of the net. 

Just moments later, the Sabres would knot the score courtesy of Noah Östlund, who beat goaltender Cam Talbot with a one-timed shot.

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

Pacing the scoring for the Red Wings the rest of the way were Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Andrew Copp, Moritz Seider, and Dylan Larkin; Brandsegg-Nygård's goal in the opening frame was on the power-play.

Josh Doan, the son of former Arizona Coyotes forward Shane Doan, scored in the second period for the Sabres. 

Goaltender Cam Talbot stopped two of the eight shots that he faced before being replaced as planned midway through the contest by Michal Postava; he stopped all 10 shots the Sabres fired his way. 

Postava, who joined the Red Wings during the offseason after backstopping Brno Kometa to the Czech Extraliga championship in 2024-25 and is expected to play for the Grand Rapids Griffins, looked poised and confident in net in what was his first unofficial competition against NHL players on the smaller North American-sized ice surface. 

He was also particularly strong in the shootout that followed the contest. 

With the victory, the Red Wings are undefeated in pre-season play with a perfect 2-0 record. They'll put the winning streak to the test on Friday evening when they face the Pittsburgh Penguins on the road at PPG Paints Arena (7:00 p.m. ET, NHL Network). 

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Mets' offense explodes, Nolan McLean strikes out 11 to hold on for 8-5 win over Cubs

Two homers helped propel the Mets to an 8-5 win over the Cubs in Chicago on Thursday night to take the series.

Nolan McLean, while dominant at times, had an uneven night. But with the offensive production, the Mets didn't need their young phenom to carry the weight of the season. And with the Reds winning their game earlier in the day, the Mets remain one game ahead in the wild-card race with three games remaining.

Here are the takeaways...

-New York got to Shota Imanaga in the first inning with Francisco Lindor setting the table with a leadoff walk. After Juan Soto nearly missed a two-run shot, Pete Alonso followed with a double to put runners on second and third with one out. Mark Vientos popped out toward the stands on the third base side, which Dansby Swanson caught in foul territory, but he fell into the stands, which automatically allowed Lindor to score from third since Swanson went out of play. Brandon Nimmo hit a single to score Alonso to give the Mets an early 2-0 lead.

Lindor would help the offense out again in the third, launching a fastball 408 feet out of Wrigley Field to put the Mets up 3-0. It's Lindor's 30th homer of the season, his second 30-30 year of his career. It's also just the third time in MLB history two teammates -- with Soto -- had 30-30 seasons, joining the 1996 Rockies (Dante Bichette, Ellis Burks ) and the 1987 Mets (Howard Johnson, Darryl Strawberry). 

It's also the first time in franchise history that three players have had 30 home runs in the same season, joining Soto and Alonso.

-The Mets' batters started to hit Imanaga hard in the fourth. Vientos hit a screamer tailing away from Ian Happ in left field, but the Gold Glover made a nifty diving catch for the first out. Nimmo and Luis Torrens followed with back-to-back singles before Brett Baty launched a three-run shot to give the Mets a comfy 6-0 lead.

With the Cubs trying to chip away, Tyrone Taylor got the runs back in the sixth with a two-out double that scored Nimmo and Baty. Taylor entered that at-bat 0-for-5 since returning from the IL, but delivered a massive hit to reestablish the Mets' six-run lead.

-McLean was asked to essentially save the Mets' season again, and he did his darnedest on this night. After allowing a two-out double to Happ in the first, he struck out Moises Ballesteros to end the first inning and kept the momentum on the Mets' side after their two-run opening frame. The young right-hander was cruising in the early going, striking out eight batters in the first four innings. He made one mistake, leaving a hanging changeup to Seiya Suzuki smashed it to straight center field for a solo shot, just the second home run McLean has allowed in his big league career. Swanson hit a solo homer of his own with one out in the fifth to get the score to 6-2. Despite the homers, McLean had reached a new career-high in strikeouts, fanning 10 Cubs across his first five innings of work.

After McLean picked up his 11th strikeout of the night, the most by a Mets pitcher this season, he started to lose his command. He walked Happ and allowed a ground-rule double to Ballesteros before Suzuki launched a three-run shot to trim the Mets' lead to 8-5. New York tried to stretch McLean to get through six innings with the bullpen taxed, but McLean hit a wall.

McLean allowed five runs on five hits (three home runs), two walks through 5.1 innings (94 pitches/63 strikes) while striking out those 11 batters. The five runs pushed McLean's ERA to 2.06 on the year.

-In relief of McLean, the taxed Mets bullpen was tasked with getting the final 11 outs of the game and performed masterfully. The combination of Ryne Stanek, Brooks Raley, Tyler Rogers and Edwin Diaz shut out the Cubs to hold down the win. Here's how each reliever did...

  • Stanek: 0.2 IP, 1 H
  • Raley: 1.0 IP, 3 K
  • Rogers: 1.0 IP
  • Diaz: 1.0 IP, 1 H

-Francisco Alvarez was not in the starting lineup, as manager Carlos Mendoza wanted to give the young backstop a day off after he had leg cramps toward the end of Wednesday's game. Torrens started and went 1-for-4 with a run scored. The Mets' skipper also said he had a decision to make with the lefty Imanaga on the mound, and chose Baty over Jeff McNeil. Baty finished 2-for-4 with the big blast and made a bare-handed web gem at third base to get McLean through the third inning.

Game MVP: Mets bullpen

With McLean unable to get out of the sixth, the 'pen got the final 11 outs without giving up a run from the high-powered Cubs.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets head to Miami to take on the Marlins. The series opener on Friday has a first pitch time of 7:10 p.m.

Brandon Sproat (0-1, 3.94 ERA) will take the mound for the Mets. Miami will send Sandy Alcantara (10-12, 5.48 ERA). 

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Clayton Kershaw and Dodgers celebrate 12th NL West title in last 13 seasons

PHOENIX (AP) — As the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their 12th NL West title in 13 years, Clayton Kershaw thought about participating in a division championship for the final time.

“This is what I’m going to miss,” the left-hander said after Thursday’s 8-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. “Pitching is great and I love that, too, but getting to do this with a group of guys, all working for a collective goal, the camaraderie, that’s really special.

“You don’t get that anywhere else. There’s no jobs where 37-year-olds get to do that. But I’m good, I had a great run.”

An 11-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner, Kershaw said last week he will retire at the end of the postseason. He won the first of 14 division titles as a rookie in 2008.

“It was a lot of fun then and it’s a lot of fun now,” Kershaw said of the celebration.

While the Dodgers celebrated their 2013 division title by jumping into the Chase Field pool behind the right-field wall, they avoided the water this time — except when Shohei Ohtani hit a splash shot for his 54th home run.

“Winning the division title, you can never take it for granted,” said Freddie Freeman, who homered twice Thursday. “We feel like we’re really starting to click.”

Los Angeles, which reached 90 wins for its 12th straight full season, will play in a wild card series for the first time since the best-of-three round was added in 2022.

“You only play this game for so long, so you only get so many opportunities to do this,” Mookie Betts said. “I feel great. I really didn’t do anything the first half of the season, so I got plenty of rest and I’m just happy to help.”

Dave Roberts has reached the playoffs in all 10 years as Dodgers manager, nine times as a division winner. LA won the World Series last season, beating the Yankees in five games.

“This was expected. We got it done, maybe a little bit later than we hoped. But I’m happy with the way we’re playing,” Roberts said. “I do think we’re better for all the adversity and we’re playing our best baseball right now, What we’ve done before, nothing matters. It’s more about trusting each other and playing for a championship.”

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Ohtani hits 54th homer as Dodgers beat Diamondbacks 8-0 for 12th NL West title in 13 years

PHOENIX (AP) — Shohei Ohtani matched his career high with his 54th home run, Freddie Freeman went deep twice and the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched their 12th NL West title in 13 years by beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-0 Thursday.

Ohtani’s homer splashed into Chase Field’s swimming pool behind the right-center wall for a 6-0 lead in the fourth inning. The two-run shot gave him 101 RBIs for the season and matched his career-best home run total with the World Series champion Dodgers last year. He has scored a big league-high 144 runs.

Los Angeles, which clinched a postseason berth last week, won its fourth straight division title.

Arizona (80-79) fell 1 1/2 games behind the New York Mets (81-77) for the final NL wild card spot and also is one game back of Cincinnati (81-78). The Diamondbacks close with three games at San Diego.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12-8) allowed four hits in six innings and struck out seven to finish with 201. His 2.49 ERA ranked second in the NL behind the 1.97 ERA of Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes.

Three relievers finished a five-hitter in the Dodgers’ 10th shutout.

Freeman and Andy Pages homered back to back starting the second inning, Freeman off opener Jalen Beeks (5-3) and Pages against Nabil Crismatt. Mookie Betts added a two-run single.

Freeman, who had three RBIs, has 23 homers while Pages has 27.

Arizona finished 43-38 at Chase Field. The crowd of 34,952 raised home attendance to 2,393,773, the Diamondbacks’ highest since 2008.

Key moment

After Ohtani struck out with the bases loaded in the second, Betts lined Crismatt’s first pitch for a 4-0 lead.

Key stat

Los Angeles was 36-16 against the NL West.

Next

Dodgers: RHP Emmet Sheehan (6-3, 2.86) starts Friday at Seattle.

Diamondbacks: RHP Zac Gallen (13-14, 4.70) and San Diego RHP Yu Darvish (4-5, 5.51) start Friday.

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Timed to perfection: Patrick Dangerfield can cement legacy and power Cats to AFL grand final glory | Jonathan Horn

Geelong’s success has made it easier to manage the veteran in his final years and they can now reap the rewards at an opportune moment

Patrick Dangerfield hit last week’s preliminary final like a typhoon. Early in the game, as distress signals flared up all over the field, he’d shown enough to suggest that he was sharp and engaged – a slips catch that ended in a Shannon Neale goal and a smother on Jack Ginnivan, just when Hawthorn had all the momentum.

But with a couple of minutes to go in the first half, he adopted an interventional approach. When play resumed, he was thrown into the middle and Hawthorn copped the full brunt. Any shred of malice or anger he possesses was directed at a bobbling ball. He’d see the footy, stick his bum out, put his head down and steamroll anyone in his path. I’ve never seen a footballer better at scrambling on his hands and knees, and at generating power and momentum from that position. I’ve never seen anyone better at rummaging and absconding with a ball, at bringing a dead footy to life when it seemed certain to be heading for a ball up.

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After one season, Lakers give coach J.J. Redick a contract extension

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — J.J. Redick showed he could handle the job in his first season as the Los Angeles Lakers head coach, leading the team to 50 wins and the No. 3 seed.

That was enough for general manager Rob Pelinka and the Lakers organization to give Redick a contract extension, Pelinka announced Thursday.

"Confidence and belief," Pelinka said as to why he wanted to give his coach an extension after just one season. "We think he's a special coach with a special voice that's really helping us to continue to define the culture of Lakers excellence. We just wanted to make a clear statement that this is what we believe in, what we're going to lean into, and what our players are going to mold into as we continue to develop the identity. I think having long-term planning is helpful as we build this team and go forward."

There were no details on the extension, but Redick had three years remaining on the contract he signed just more than a year ago. A good guess is that this aligns Redick's contract with Pelinka's.

"I think it starts with just a high level of gratitude to the Lakers, to Mark [Walters, incoming team owner], Jeannie [Buss, team governor], and Rob for having that confidence in me," Redick said. "And it's not lost on me the sort of rarity of a first-time head coach getting an extension. Like I recognize how fortunate I am to be with an organization that supports me that way."

Redick also discussed what he learned in his first year on the job, and how he plans to approach it in the future.

"I thought about a lot of things. You certainly reflect on the previous season, both successes and failures, and you do a lot of self-assessment, and that was really where I spent a lot of the first probably four to six weeks, was on sort of self-assessment," Redick said of his offseason. "But I would say the two words that immediately, when you ask that question, pop into my mind are philosophy and methodology, the philosophy of how we want to play, the methodology as a coach of how I want to teach that. And so that's where I spent a lot of time this summer."

Redick and Pelinka talked all things Lakers for more than half an hour at the Lakers practice facility in the days before training camp opens next Tuesday. Among the topics covered:

• LeBron James' future in Los Angeles. Entering his 23rd season, when he will turn 41, LeBron remains a crucial part of the Lakers' attack this season. He will also be a free agent after this season. Will he return to the Lakers? Retire?

"The first thing we want to do in terms of LeBron and his future is just give him absolute respect to choose his story with his family in terms of how many years he's going to continue to play," Pelinka said. "He's earned that right."

Pelinka added, as he has before, that he would love LeBron to retire a Laker. Whether that happens or not is another question.

• Luka Doncic's leadership. The Lakers signed Luka Doncic to an extension, and as part of that process, Pelinka and Buss traveled to Poland to meet with him and watch him play in a EuroBasket game for Slovenia. Outside of Doncic looking fit, it was his leadership that impressed Pelinka.

"I think the thing that probably stood out among many things... just his overall leadership tone and how he not only led by example, but he was very demonstrative in the practice in terms of his expectations of the team, how they played, their togetherness," Pelinka said. "And I think just seeing that continued evolution and growth with him is not only a leader by example, but a leader with his voice really stood out to me, and I think it's something that's going to carry into camp this year."

Doncic was shocked when he was traded in the middle of last season, then landed on a team with the commanding presence of LeBron in the locker room. Understandably, Doncic didn't walk in the door a vocal leader, but that may change this season.

As for his improved conditioning, Redick said this is not just a one-summer thing, but rather a new routine.

"I get the sense from talking to him all summer or spending time with him, not only just here but at the Backstreet Boys, that this is his life now," Redick said. "This is his routine. This is just a daily commitment to the new standard that he's set for himself."

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Benjamin Kindel Finding His Footing In First Penguins Training Camp

It's been almost three months since the Pittsburgh Penguins selected Benjamin Kindel with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. 

Kindel was one of the top players in the entire CHL last year, finishing with 35 goals and 99 points in 64 games with the WHL's Calgary Hitmen. He's a really underrated goal scorer and has great vision in the offensive zone, but the best aspect of his game is his hockey IQ. He's always out-thinking the opposition while he's on the ice and is always in the right position. 

He got to play in the Penguins' first two preseason games and was noticeable in both. He showcased his skating during Monday's game against the Montreal Canadiens and got a few good chances against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday, including a breakaway, but couldn't find the back of the net. 

Even though Kindel is expected to play for the Hitmen again this season, he may have earned himself another preseason game after his efforts on Wednesday. He's also really enjoying training camp thus far and found the first skate last Thursday to be "very competitive."

"Yeah, first day, I think it's a great environment," Kindel said. "A lot of great leaders and older guys showing the young guys how to work, and I think it was a very competitive first skate, and it was a lot of fun."

Kindel isn't the only player to describe this year's camp as competitive. Just ask Penguins captain Sidney Crosby.

"I thought the pace of practice was really good, and a lot of competition within that, so that's what you expect from training camp," Crosby said after the September 18 practice. 

Kindel is also super impressed with Muse and the rest of the Penguins' coaching staff. 

Training Camp Proves Penguins Have More Talent Than You RealizeTraining Camp Proves Penguins Have More Talent Than You RealizeWhen Kyle Dubas took over as president of hockey operations - and, eventually, general manager - of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the summer of 2023, the prospect pool looked quite different than it does now. 

"I'm really excited to continue working with them. They seem like great coaches and great people. They want to see all of us do our best, and try and get the best out of all of us, so I'm really excited to keep working with them," Kindel said. 

Kindel will be at Penguins' training camp for another practice on Friday as they get set for back-to-back preseason games. He won't be in the lineup against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday, which could be a sign that he will play on Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

It would be pretty big for Kindel to play in that game since it's expected that a lot of the Penguins' top players will play due to Marc-Andre Fleury's return. Kindel may not be ready for the NHL yet, but his time is coming. 

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Training Camp Proves Penguins Have More Talent Than You Realize

When Kyle Dubas took over as president of hockey operations - and, eventually, general manager - of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the summer of 2023, the prospect pool looked quite different than it does now. 

In 2022-23, the organization's top prospects consisted of names such as Owen Pickering, Joel Blomqvist, Sam Poulin, Valtteri Puustinen, and Filip Hallander. Fast forward two years, and all of thise names remain - but, arguably, not one of them is a top-five prospect in the pipeline.

The truth is that - in two short years - Dubas has done quite a lot of work to rebuild that pipeline. And that much is certainly evident if you've been taking in any of the 2025 pre-season action.

Through two pre-season games and four full practice days, there are several guys beginning to separate themselves from the rest of the pack - and most of them aren't among the group of aforementioned players. In fact, Pickering and Hallander are the only ones with, presumably, a likely shot at the NHL roster come puck drop on Oct. 7 against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

The others with a good shot at the roster? That would include guys like Ville Koivunen, acquired by Dubas prior to the 2024 trade deadline from the Carolina Hurricanes as part of the package for Jake Guentzel. Guys like Harrison Brunicke - also part of the package in the form of the conditional first-round pick that turned out to be a second - who was selected 44th overall by the Penguins in 2024. And Rutger McGroarty - currently out indefinitely with an upper-body injury - who was acquired from the Winnipeg Jets for then-top prospect Brayden Yager.

There's also Avery Hayes, who - undrafted - was brought into the organization on an AHL contract prior to the 2023-24 season and has done nothing but raise his stock ever since. Even 2025 11th overall pick Ben Kindel has made a strong impression in camp up to this point, and he just turned 18 in April. 

For Penguins' Prospect, Training Camp Is A Family Reunion - And An OpportunityFor Penguins' Prospect, Training Camp Is A Family Reunion - And An OpportunityOn Jun. 28, something pretty special happened for Pittsburgh Penguins' forward prospect Avery Hayes. 

There are some pre-Dubas remnants in the mix, too. Forward Tristan Broz - selected 58th overall in 2022 - is making a strong case for himself, as his two-way play and ability to put the puck in the net are earning him more and more opportunities within camp. And goaltender Sergei Murashov, 21 - also drafted in 2022 (118th overall) dominated the ECHL and the AHL last season and continues to put up strong performances in the pre-season. 

Even in that case, though, it's not just about the drafting side of things. It's also about the development side of things. It's been widely chronicled how much the Penguins' scouting and development staff has expanded both under Fenway Sports Group (FSG) and under Dubas. The Penguins' organization has broadened its reach by sheer numbers from increased investment, and it has allowed them to become more individualized in their approach to prospect development. 

Apr 5, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Ville Koivunen (41) looks for the puck in the Dallas Stars zone during the first period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

And it has certainly paid off, because even if the Penguins still lack that superstar, franchise-altering center or bona fide No. 1 defenseman in their organization, they seem to have a lot of potential in terms of the complementary pieces. 

Koivunen and Kindel have point-per-game potential at the NHL level, and they - along with McGroarty - certainly project to be top-six forwards. Broz, Hayes, and Filip Hallander could have ceilings as middle-six forwards and are probably, at worst, effective bottom-six players. Pickering should be a top-four defenseman in the NHL, and Brunicke certainly has the talent and potential to be a top-pairing blueliner. There are also other promising defensive prospects - Emil Pieniniemi, in particular, comes to mind - who should be NHL regulars. 

And Murashov, with all of his quickness, athleticism, cool confidence, and calm demeanor, seems to be the real deal and certainly has the best potential out of their pool of goaltenders to be a franchise guy for the Penguins in the future, however volatile the goaltending position can be at times. Dubas and the Penguins still very much believe in Blomqvist's potential, too.

Pre-season Offers Sneak Peek At Potential Future Defensive PairingPre-season Offers Sneak Peek At Potential Future Defensive PairingWhen in the early stages of NHL training camp, it's not often wise to read into too much.

Perhaps the most intriguing part is that the pipeline doesn't end there. It still has guys like Poulin and Puustinen, and there are some players - such as 2025 picks Bill Zonnon (22nd overall), Will Horcoff (24th overall), and Quinn Beachesne - who are farther away from making an impact but certainly have the potential to. 

The Penguins' organization is proving that effective drafting and development matters. Of course, all of these players need to play regularly at the NHL level before any kind of final say can be had on what the future could look like. But, at the very least, the Penguins have a whole lot more "potential" impact players than they did two years ago.

This group of players - all near-NHL-ready - are giving fans in Pittsburgh some hope for the future, and for good reason. If the Penguins can draft or acquire that franchise-altering center in the summer of 2026, maybe the "hopeful future" isn't as far away as it seems.

And Dubas and his staff deserve a little bit of credit for that even becoming a possibility in the first place.

Penguins Send Promising Defensive Prospect Back To OHLPenguins Send Promising Defensive Prospect Back To OHLThe Pittsburgh Penguins made another cut on Thursday, assigning defensive prospect Quinn Beauchesne to the OHL's Guelph Storm.

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Ex-Blackhawks Defenseman Still A Free Agent

TJ Brodie (© Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images)

Now that we are in late September, the 2025-26 NHL regular season is almost here. While this is the case, there are still some players who hit the free-agent market this summer who have yet to be signed. One of them is former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman T.J. Brodie.

Brodie became an unrestricted free agent (UFA) this off-season after the Blackhawks decided to buy him out of the final year of his two-year, $7.5 million contract. Now, nearly four months after officially becoming a UFA, Brodie has yet to find a home for the season. He also has not signed a professional tryout (PTO) with the preseason going on. 

Brodie appeared in 54 games this past season with the Blackhawks, where he recorded two goals, eight assists, 10 points, 58 blocks, and a minus-18 rating. This was after he posted one goal, 26 points, 159 blocks, and a plus-17 rating in 78 games duirng the 2023-24 season with the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

Teams looking for more experience on their blueline could consider taking a chance on Brodie as a depth defenseman, but time will tell what happens on that front. In 962 career NHL games over 15 seasons split between the Calgary Flames, Maple Leafs, and Blackhawks, Brodie has recorded 58 goals, 300 assists, 358 points, and a plus-66 rating. 

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Sabres Will Start This Season As Playoff Underdogs — But Here's Why That Could Be Good For Them

Owen Power (Wendell Cruz, USA TODAY Images)

The Buffalo Sabres are going to have a tough time contending for a Stanley Cup wild card position this year. But when this writer submitted his pre-season predictions for the Atlantic Division, he had the Sabres in…sixth place in the Atlantic, ahead of only the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. And while it pains us to predict more misery ahead for long-suffering Sabres fans, we wouldn’t be telling it like it is if we told you Buffalo wasn’t going to be picked as a playoff team by most pundits. They won’t be.

In many ways, this is only fair. When you as an organization that’s enduring a 14-year drought without playoff hockey, you’re not going to get the benefit of the doubt in predictions. You’re going to have to prove you’re worthy of the expectations of you. You’re going to have to earn praise, not expect it.

While there is the possibility that Sabres GM Kevyn Adams’ blueprint for success is going to pan out in Buffalo’s favor, you have to ask yourself – which team in the Atlantic will the Sabres unseat as a playoff team?

Will it be the Toronto Maple Leafs? Highly unlikely. Same goes for the defending Cup-champion Florida Panthers, or the Tampa Bay Lightning? Can’t see it happening. The upstart Montreal Canadiens or Ottawa Senators? More likely than the other three teams we’ve talked about in this paragraph, but still, the odds are in those teams’ favor. 

So it will not only take the Sabres making a dramatic improvement, but an unexpected step back from a team more proven than Buffalo is, for the Sabres to make the playoffs this season. That’s not an anti-Sabres message. That’s a realistic approximation of the situation. The odds will be against Buffalo, and that’s just something the Sabres will have to deal with all season long.

Sabres Set To Play One Of Most Pressure-Packed Seasons In Team History -- Can They Finally End Playoff Drought?Sabres Set To Play One Of Most Pressure-Packed Seasons In Team History -- Can They Finally End Playoff Drought?The NHL’s 2025-26 season is nearly here, and the Buffalo Sabres are being cautiously optimistic about their chances of ending a 14-year Stanley Cup playoff drought. You don’t see Sabres GM Kevyn Adams, coach Lindy Ruff or Buffalo’s players making grand pronouncements guaranteeing the Sabres will make the playoffs. Nobody under the Sabres’ umbrella will be handing out dressing room white-board material to their opponents in the highly-competitive Atlantic Division.

In fact, good teams that have changed their narrative have used their status as an underdog as motivation. And if that’s what it takes to stimulate the Sabres into making it into the playoffs this year, then, you’re welcome for the motivation.

The Sabres are under no illusions about the high degree of difficulty of the task ahead of them this year. They know most people aren’t picking them to end their playoff drought. But optimists will say Buffalo has a clean slate with a new experiment in dressing room chemistry, and stranger things have happened than the Sabres being a playoff team this season. 

Sabres 2025-26 Player Expectations: Will We See A Major Improvement In Play From New First-Line Winger Benson?Sabres 2025-26 Player Expectations: Will We See A Major Improvement In Play From New First-Line Winger Benson?We’ve nearly made it to the start of the NHL’s 2025-26 regular season, and here on THN.com’s Buffalo Sabres site, we’ve worked our way through our player-by-player series in which we analyze expectations for each Buffalo player this coming year.

You never know for sure until you play the games, right? That has to be a key message for this Buffalo team. They can play free and loose knowing people are expecting very little of them. They can be a little indignant about it, as a matter of fact. Whatever attitude gets them into the playoffs will be fine by Sabres fans, and low external expectations could turn into a positive. 

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New Flyers Forward Is Sneaky Good Addition

Christian Dvorak (© David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

The Philadelphia Flyers had a pretty busy off-season, as the Metropolitan Division club brought in multiple new players. Among their newcomers is Christian Dvorak, as the Flyers signed the 29-year-old forward to a one-year, $5.4 million contract in free agency.

While Dvorak may not be the flashiest of players, the potential for him to be a strong addition to the Flyers' roster is certainly there.

By signing Dvorak, the Flyers have brought in a veteran two-way forward who should improve their top nine. His versatility also makes him an interesting addition, as he is able to play on both the power play and penalty kill if needed. Thus, he will be a player who comes in handy for the Flyers, as he can work in multiple situations.

Dvorak spent this past season with the Montreal Canadiens, where he put together a bounce-back year. In 82 games with the Canadiens during the 2024-25 season, he recorded 12 goals, 21 assists, and 33 points. He has also recorded at least 30 points in six out of his nine NHL seasons, so he undoubtedly has the potential to give the Flyers decent secondary offensive production.

Overall, there is no real harm in the Flyers signing Dvorak for the season. It is going to be very interesting to see what kind of season he puts together for Philly in 2025-26 from here.