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It’s been a whirlwind few months for the New York Islanders, from parting ways with Lou Lamoriello to winning the NHL draft lottery and trading Noah Dobson; there have been a lot of changes on Long Island. How did the Montreal Canadiens fare against the Isles last season, and how will they fare this upcoming season? Let’s have a look.

Despite failing to qualify for the playoffs this past season, the Isles still had a good year against Montreal, finishing with a 2-0-1 record in the season series. New York won the initial duel between the two sides in October by a score of 4-3 in the shootout, but they then lost 2-1 in extra time at the Bell Centre in December before signing a 4-3 overtime win in March.

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The first game was a tight affair between the two sides, with the Islanders’ veteran players leading the way. Bo Horvat, Kyle Palmieri, and Anders Lee all scored in regulation, while Cole Caufield scored twice, and Logan Mailloux scored the first goal of his young career. After 60 minutes, the teams were tied at 3-3, and the five minutes of overtime didn’t help. In the shootout, nine rounds were needed before Noah Dobson finally settled the debate, giving New York the extra point.

In December, the Canadiens got their revenge thanks to a thrilling overtime win when captain Nick Suzuki scored the overtime winner, halfway through extra time. Montreal had taken the lead in the middle frame with a Patrik Laine power play goal in his very first regular season game as a Hab.

Then, in March, the Isles skated away with the season series thanks to a Bo Horvat overtime goal, which was his second of the game. In other words, all three games between the two teams couldn’t be settled in regulation, two went to overtime, and one went to the shootout. Montreal cannot afford to lose tight games against teams that are not making the playoffs. The young Habs need a killer instinct to maximize their results against struggling teams. The Islanders missed the playoffs and only had 82 points last season, five of which came against the Canadiens.

However, the Islanders’ best player against Montreal was none other than Dobson, the blueliner who had five points in the three-game season series, including a game-winning goal in the shootout. His loss will undoubtedly hurt the Islanders, despite Mathieu Darche making some significant changes to his roster.

After Matt Martin announced his retirement, the Isles GM acquired Emil Heineman in the Dobson trade. While Heineman isn’t the most significant player, he has shown that he can play with plenty of physicality and come at players like a wrecking ball. That forechecking ability should help alleviate the loss of Martin.

Up front, Darche signed former Hab Jonathan Drouin. After struggling in Montreal and only putting up 186 points in 321 games (0.58 points per game), the winger went on to score 93 points in 122 games with the Colorado Avalanche over the last two seasons, averaging 0.76 PPG. Of course, he had quite the supporting cast in Denver, but the Islanders are banking on the fact that he did find his form rather than worry about it being all down to his reunion with QMJHL teammate Nathan MacKinnon. Time will tell if that was a mistake or not.

In net, the Isles also added David Rittich and will be hoping he can play a solid backup role to Ilya Sorokin. On the blueline, the Isles opted to keep Tony DeAngelo around after bringing him back from the KHL last season. In 35 games, he did manage to score 19 points and was an important cog on their blueline. Speaking of essential cogs, after trading Dobson, Darche inked former Canadiens blueliner Alexander Romanov to an eight-year deal with a $6.25 M AAV. The blueliner was traded by the Habs on the draft floor in 2022 to land Kirby Dach from the Chicago Blackhawks.

Then, there’s also first overall pick Matthew Schaefer, who was recently signed to his ELC. The left-shot defenseman is still only 17 years old, however, and will only turn 18 on September 5. Will he be ready to make the jump now? At 6-foot-2 and only 185 pounds, he will need to add some muscle to his frame to be successful in the NHL.

Will these changes be enough to bring the Islanders to the postseason? That’s far from guaranteed, but one thing is sure: if the Canadiens want to return to the playoffs, they need the killer instinct to put away tight games by any means necessary, which could include games against the Isles.

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The Chicago Blackhawks have had numerous great players pass through town in recent years. Many of those great players were able to experience deep playoff runs with Chicago, but not all of them were as fortunate.

One of them who just missed the championship window is Alex DeBrincat. The Chicago Blackhawks selected him in the second round, 39th overall, of the 2016 NHL Draft. 

DeBrincat earned this draft status, despite his size, thanks to his brilliant performance in the OHL with the Erie Otters. He played alongside Connor McDavid for some of it, but didn't fall off when his generational center moved on to the NHL. Once DeBrincat moved on, he became a big-league star in his own right.

He didn’t make his NHL debut until the 2017-18 season, which means he arrived right as their championship window was closing. DeBrincat was able to play with studs like Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, and Brent Seabrook, amongst others, while in Chicago, but they were past doing anything significant in the postseason. 

While with the Blackhawks from 2017-2022, the man known as “The Cat” scored 160 goals and 147 assists for 307 points in 368 games played. Despite being a second-round pick, he is one of the best players from his draft class. 

During DeBrincat’s time in Chicago, he formed a tremendous bond with Patrick Kane both on and off the ice. Kane wasn’t quite as dynamic with DeBrincat as he was with Artemi Panarin a few years prior, but it was close. 

Off the ice, the two became great pals. It was noticeable during games how much the two enjoyed being around one another. 

Despite DeBrincat’s 41 goal, 37 assist, & 78 point season in 2021-22, the Blackhawks felt the need to trade him. They landed the seventh overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft from the Ottawa Senators in the deal, which they used on Kevin Korchinski, but it hurt the team to see DeBrincat go. 

After one year with Ottawa, he ended up being traded again to his hometown Detroit Red Wings, where he was eventually reunited with Patrick Kane. Last year, his 39-goal, 70-point season with the Red Wings was his best since leaving Chicago. 

DeBrincat’s time with the Blackhawks wasn’t long enough, but he was a member of the team during a tough era. He’d look great now next to Connor Bedard, but they might have never been bad enough to land Bedard had they kept DeBrincat. All that both sides can do is remember the good times they did have together. 

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

EDMONTON – The worst-kept secret in hockey right now is the Edmonton Oilers’ need for a goaltender.

Recent comments from insider Cam Robinson suggest that the Oilers have poked around a couple of goaltender prospects outside of Michael DiPietro of the Boston Bruins and Nico Daws of the New Jersey Devils.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. 

The Oilers rode Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard to the Stanley Cup Final for two straight seasons. After losing a second consecutive Final appearance, Oilers GM Stan Bowman identified goaltending as an area to improve this summer.

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Bowman addressed that need earlier in the offseason by letting goaltending coach Dustin Schwartz’s contract expire and bringing on Peter Aubry from the Chicago Blackhawks organization.

Robinson of Elite Prospects appeared on Monday’s edition of The Sekeres and Price Show, a Vancouver Canucks focused radio show/podcast. On the August 11th episode, he focused on the Oilers goalie search and a few players the Oilers have checked in on.

“I believe the first person they asked about was Trey Augustine,” Robinson revealed on the show. “I think that was just a non-starter. Steve Yzerman and company really love that kid.”

“But, they have a 6-foot-6, 6-foot-7 former first-rounder in Sebastian Cossa sitting there who’s slowly been progressing.”

Oilers Eyeing Trade for Former Oil Kings Goaltender?The Edmonton Oilers could be exploring a move to bolster their goaltending depth, and recent comments from team insider Bob Stauffer have sparked speculation that Detroit Red Wings prospect Sebastian Cossa might be a target.

Trey Augustine is a 20-year-old goalie who is returning to Michigan State University in the NCAA this year. The 6-foot-1, 183 lb prospect was taken 41st overall in the 2023 draft. This past season, he posted a 2.08 goals against average (GAA), a .924 save percentage (SV%), three shutouts, and 19 wins in 30 games.

On the other hand, Sebastian Cossa is listed as 6-foot-6 and 229 lb on the Detroit Red Wings website. The 15th overall pick of the 2021 draft played 41 games in the AHL and one NHL game.

In the AHL, he boasted a record of 21-15-5 to go along with a 2.45 GAA, a .911 SV%, and one shutout. Cossa’s NHL appearance came in relief of Ville Husso during the Red Wings’ December 9th game against the Buffalo Sabres. In just over two periods of play, only two goals were scored on him on 14 shots.

Who would you rather see the Oilers acquire: Augustine or Cossa? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll.

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When the Montreal Canadiens were bounced from the playoffs at the end of April by the Washington Capitals, GM Kent Hughes had a couple of challenging tasks ahead of him—finding an experienced right-shot defenseman and a second-line center. If he was unable to check the latter of his to-do list, he wasted no time in accomplishing the former, acquiring Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders on the first day of the draft.

In a sign-and-trade deal, Dobson signed an eight-year pact with a $9.5 million cap hit, instantly becoming the highest-paid active player for the Canadiens. Carey Price still has the highest cap hit with $10.5 M, but he’s finally entering the final year of his contract. Once his signing bonus is paid on September 1, it’s even possible that Hughes could entertain trading his contract to become cap compliant and give himself some much-needed wiggle room.

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With his new contract, Dobson comes to town with a lot of expectations. This market is an intense one, and it’s not very forgiving for players who have a hefty price tag but bring little result. One can think of Scott Gomez, for instance, or of Karl Alzner, who were both subject to much abuse from fans.

The red-shot defenseman was a first-round pick for the Islanders at the 2018 draft, the 12th selection overall, and he has shown what he can do in the league already. In 388 games, he has put up 230 points. In 2023-24, he had a wonderful year, putting up 70 points in 79 games, but things weren’t as smooth last season.

From playing an average of 24:31 in 2023-24, he went down to “only” 23:16 this past year, his first and only full season under head coach Patrick Roy and could only manage 39 points. According to RDS’s Eric Leblanc, there was tension between the coach and the star defenseman, and that would have prompted his departure from Long Island. An interesting twist of events, given the fact that tensions with coach Mario Tremblay prompted Roy’s departure from the Canadiens back in the day.

Une source bien informée a confirmé à @RDSca que la relation entre Noah Dobson et Patrick Roy n'était pas bonne. L'avenir dira si cette situation a aidé le Canadien. pic.twitter.com/vE80LrEqeM

— Eric Leblanc (@eleblancRDS) June 27, 2025

The Canadiens are no doubt hoping that Dobson will blossom under Martin St-Louis’ tutelage; the coach has a reputation for being a players’ coach. If you give St-Louis a constant effort, he will be fair with you. That might be just what the doctor ordered for Dobson; not having a strained relationship with his coach will allow him to focus on his play on the ice solely. If he comes out of the gate flying, he could become a fan favourite quite quickly.

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The Philadelphia Flyers are certainly hoping that young stars Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone will be top 30 NHL players five years from now, but there are some who would push back on that.

Fresh off a 26-goal debut campaign that paced all rookies, Michkov, 20, was surprisingly left off Daily Faceoff's projected list of players who will be amongst the top 30 in the NHL in 2030.

The Russian phenom at least earned some recognition as a lousy honorable mention, but Martone was surprisingly left off altogether.

In fact, no player picked in the 2025 NHL Draft made the cut, including No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa and No. 8 overall pick James Hagens.

Macklin Celebrini, the No. 1 overall pick in 2024 who finished level with Michkov in scoring this past season with 63 points, placed third on the list of 30 players ahead of Jack Hughes, Quinn Hughes, Connor Bedard, Gavin McKenna, and more.

Celebrini will be only 24 years old on Oct. 7, 2030, but that's a bold bet, especially when Michkov doesn't make the cut in comparison.

Some other forwards whose placements or inclusions might be questionable include Leo Carlsson, Seth Jarvis, Wyatt Johnston, and Matt Boldy.

I'd wager Michkov has a higher offensive ceiling than all of them, and approached 70 points in his rookie year while playing just 16:41 a night, getting benched and healthy scratched, and without speaking hardly any English.

Way-Too-Early Flyers Mock Draft 2026: A True No. 1 Center or More of the Same?If the Philadelphia Flyers aspire to truly take the next step in their multi-year rebuild, they must find the No. 1 center of their future and nail their first selection in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Defensively, the 2023 No. 7 overall pick only stands to get better, but how much better is the question.

Still, Connor Bedard had a dreadful sophomore season in the NHL, and still struggles defensively, but placed sixth overall on the list, right behind Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes.

Even when accounting for age, I couldn't justify leaving David Pastrnak off the list entirely in favor of goalie Filip Gustavsson or players like Carlsson, Moritz Seider, Zeev Buium, and Jake Sanderson, either.

So, there's a strong case to be made for Michkov's inclusion here, given he'd be just 25 on opening night in 2030.

Similarly, Martone would be 23 years old and a few weeks shy of 24 at that time.

If Carlsson can have a career-high of 45 points two years into his NHL career and make the list, surely Martone deserves some consideration as well.

With a large frame, a leader's personality, and a goal-scorer's mentality, there's no reason to believe that Martone can't become a dominant force five years from now.

Time will tell, but the Flyers still haven't quite done enough to earn some overdue recognition from around the league.

Last month we started examining current Florida Panthers players who could eventually have their number retired by the team.

The first players discussed were probably some of the more obvious choices.

They were Panthers captain Sasha Barkov, who has played his entire career with Florida, and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, the backbone of their back-to-back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Final and consecutive championship wins.

Now we’ll take a look at a player who has made a massive impact on the team since his arrival during the summer of 2021.

Florida acquired Sam Reinhart during the 2021 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for their 2022 first-round pick and goaltending prospect Devon Levi.

In his four seasons with the Panthers, Reinhart has become one of the NHL’s premiere scorers while also earning a reputation as one of the league’s top two-way forwards.

He’s racked up 160 goals and 324 points in his 321 regular season games in a Florida sweater.

That includes the eye-popping 57-goal campaign Reinhart put up during the Panthers’ first Stanley Cup-winning season.

He was also selected to participate in the NHL All-Star Game that season, marking his first time playing in the annual superstar showdown.

In each of Reinhart’s four seasons in South Florida he has received votes for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, given annually to the NHL’s top defensive forward.

While the prestigious award has gone to Barkov, Reinhart’s linemate, in each of the past two seasons, it’s clear that Reino’s getting more and more credit for the defensive elements of his game.

Reinhart came in fourth place in Selke voting in 2023-24 and improved to second place this past season.

Looking ahead, the 29-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down.

He’s under contract with the Panthers through 2032 at a team-friendly $8.625 AAV (average annual value).

Considering the talented teammates that Reinhart will continue to be surrounded by, there is no reason to think that he and his fellow felines will fall below the expectations they’ve set for themselves in recent seasons.

The bottom line is that while Reinhart still has some work to do after he crosses into his 30s, he’s got a clear and reasonable path to someday seeing his No. 13 handing above the Panthers ice.

Do you think Reinhart will have his jersey number retired in Florida? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Photo caption: Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

With the Chicago Blackhawks rebuilding, they now have a ton of promising young players who have the potential to become big parts of their roster. 

In a recent article for The Hockey News' main site, Jared Clinton discussed one breakout candidate for each Central Division club. When it came to the Blackhawks, Clinton went with goaltender Spencer Knight for their top breakout candidate. 

While the Blackhawks have many other fascinating young players on their roster, like Frank Nazar, Artyom Levshunov, and Sam Rinzel, Knight also makes sense as a breakout candidate to watch for Chicago. The 2019 first-round pick has all the tools to become a very good NHL goalie and could very well take a notable step forward with his play in 2025-26 because of it. This is especially so when noting that he is expected to be a true No. 1 starter for the first time in his career, as Clinton notes. 

In 95 career NHL games thus far, Knight has recorded a 49-33-9 record, a 2.83 goals-against average, a .904 save percentage, and five shutouts. Overall, the Darien, Connecticut native has shown that he is a solid NHL goalie, and it will be fascinating to see if he can hit a new level with the Blackhawks in 2025-26 from here. 

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