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Following disappointing campaigns for the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers, their chances of returning to the post-season all depend on the makeup of the rest of their respective divisions.

The Canucks had a brutal dropoff in play last season, going from the top team in the Pacific Division in 2023-24 to fifth spot in the Pacific last year. 

Nonetheless, Vancouver has essentially doubled down on its core of talent this summer, and in this writer’s point of view, Vancouver has a solid shot at being a playoff team and challenging for home-ice advantage.

In many respects, the New York Rangers have experienced a similar journey in the past two seasons as the Canucks have. The Rangers were the best team in the Metropolitan Division – and the league – in 2023-24, only to fall to fifth in the Metro last season.

While the Blueshirts did make some major changes – adding veteran defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and new coach Mike Sullivan, while parting ways with left winger Chris Kreider, D-man K’Andre Miller and coach Peter Laviolette – they also essentially have the same core. 

However, the road ahead for the Rangers this season is considerably more difficult than it is for the Canucks. Unlike Vancouver, the Rangers are playing in a division where each team is aiming to take a step toward the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Canucks will be battling with some sub-par-to-mediocre Pacific teams – namely, the Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks, and Seattle Kraken.

On the other hand, the Rangers are going to square off against three playoff locks in the Metro – the Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils. After that, five other teams will be fighting for fourth place - the Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers.

We’re already on record as picking the Blue Jackets to earn a playoff spot last year. And if that turns out to be accurate, the Rangers will be looking at fifth place at best in the Metro, and hoping to put together a record that bumps the fourth-place team in the Atlantic Division out of the playoffs. Neither of those two things will be easy, which is why it’s going to be harder for the Rangers to return to the post-season than it will be for the Canucks. 

We’re not suggesting the Rangers are certain to miss the playoffs. Nor are we arguing the Canucks are guaranteed to make it. However, playing in a weaker division affects the bottom line for teams. Ultimately, the Rangers are playing in a more competitive division than Vancouver is. That’s not an opinion. That’s reality.

More things have to go right for the Rangers to return to the playoffs than they do for the Canucks to be a post-season team this year. If the stars don’t line up to the benefit of the Rangers, there are going to be some serious changes in Manhattan next summer. So yes, the Rangers have a tougher road back to respectability than Vancouver does.

The Canucks are going to have their own set of challenges this season, but the Rangers have a steeper hill to climb. Time will tell whether either or both teams were up to that challenge.

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The San Jose Sharks hosted their first preseason game of the season on Sunday night. We discussed the events of the game itself last night, now let’s dive into what both locker rooms had to say about the game.

It was the opening contest of preseason for both teams, which was a major talking point of their media availabilities. “I felt good. I thought as the game went along, I got more comfortable,” said Sharks forward Michael Misa. “It's just gonna have to be something I'm gonna have to get used to. But obviously, that was the first preseason game, and I felt good out there.”

Vegas defenseman Kaedan Korczak was a little less optimistic, but had positive takeaways from the night overall. “I felt okay, obviously not the cleanest but felt decent,” he said. “I think going back to last year’s first game I felt a lot better.”

Jeff Skinner was highly complimentary of Sharks defenseman Sam Dickinson, who assisted on his goal. “Obviously, he's got some real good skill,” said Skinner. “He's a big body back there, and I see his junior stats sort of speak for themselves. He can move the puck, and he can create offensively. But I think for me, watching him out there, he looks solid in all three zones to me. I thought he had a great game.”

Dickinson also felt that he had a strong performance, adding, “ [I was] a little more comfortable, a little more confident in what I can do out there. I wasn't really looking just to be out there tonight. I wanted to make a difference and showcase what I can do out on the ice. I think I did a pretty good job of that tonight.”

Dickisnon also noted a key defensive play he made in the second period, disrupting a breakaway chance for Vegas forward Brett Howden as a turning point for him on an individual level. “I think that play there was something that gave me a little bit of confidence to build off of, and to kind of use something to anchor and build shift by shift from,” Dickinson said. “I think it was just the kind of game where I think everybody knew it’s going to take some time to fully get into it.”

As for Vegas, they were pretty open about how the game played out. “We [were] a little soft and got scored on twice,” said Matyas Sapovaliv. “It’s harder to reach for the game after that.” While Korczak knew what they needed to address moving forward, “ I mean 5-on-5, I thought we were right there. We didn’t really take the puck to the net too much but had some looks, but to score in this league you have to get to the net.”

Both teams were also heavily complimentary of their goaltenders, as Skinner had nothing but great things to say about Alex Nedeljkovic, “He was great,” Skinner said. “Not only the saves, I thought he played the puck really well. I thought he made some great plays and that settles things down for us, especially sometimes when they're just trying to dump it in. We had a clean break out, because he made a good play, and then obviously, he saved all the shots. He did his job. I thought he did great. It's nice to see.”

At the other end, Sapovaliv had positive sentiments about both Carl Lindbom and Jesper Vikman. “They both played a really good game and they’ve been good for us,” Sapovaliv stated. “They still kept the game really close.”

Looking back on Misa’s night, he won some key faceoffs that certainly helped the Sharks walk away with the win, despite not recording a point. That’s a key area of his game that he feels he needs to work on moving forward though. “It's gonna be something that's gonna become my daily routine after practice, working on those,” Misa said. “You definitely see it out there a lot stronger guys on the face off. So it's good for me to have to deal with that, and have to practice.”

As for the coaches, Sharks head coach Warsofsky was happy with the performances of quite a few players but did note some things, in the third period specifically, he wants to see the team improve on moving forward.

“[We need to work on] managing pucks, continue to make plays,” said Warsofsky. “We got put on our heels a little bit, which is going to happen in this game, but we can't be soft flipping pucks to the neutral zone, losing wall battles with soft flips, and when you want to argue the penalty and whatnot, we can't take penalties up 2-0. Next thing you know, it's 2-1 with four and a half minutes left. We've seen this act before. So those are the things that we need to improve on. You know, we can't take penalties under six minutes. You know, we don't take penalties at all, really. It's going to happen. Those are the moments we have to start learning as a group.”

At the other end, Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy was happy overall with his team’s 5-on-5 play but said, “Offensively, we needed to be more competitive to get inside. Some of that is young guys not knowing how hard it is to score in this league, and that’s part of the learning curve.”

The Sharks and Golden Knights will face each other once again on Friday, and it will certainly be interesting to see not only how different the lineups will be, but also whether both teams are able to implement the changes they want to see in that quick of a time frame.

San Jose Sharks Defeat Golden Knights 3-0 Due to Multiple Strong First ImpressionsThe San Jose Sharks hosted the Vegas Golden Knights in their first preseason action of the 2025-26 season on Sunday night. Macklin Celebrini and Cam Lund Return to Training CampAhead of tonight’s preseason matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights, Macklin Celebrini and Cam Lund both returned to the ice this morning at Sharks Ice. The Hockey News Sunday Recap: San Jose Sharks` - Sunday Sept. 21stHappy Sunday, San Jose Sharks fans.

The Seattle Kraken have reassigned six players to their junior clubs, highlighted by 2025 first-round pick Jake O'Brien.

Among the six players are Alexis Bernier, Jakub Fibigr, Blake Fiddler, Julius Miettinen, Jake O'Brien and Will Reynolds.

Bernier will head back to the Drakkar de Baie-Comeau in the QMJHL, where he's spent three seasons. The 19-year-old defender set a career-high in goals and points last year and will be looking to improve on those numbers when he returns from rehabbing an ACL injury.

Fibigr, a 19-year-old Czech defender, will return to the Brampton Steelheads. The Steelheads will look quite different this season after Kraken prospect Carson Rehkopf and other top NHL prospects Porter Martone and Luke Misa have left the team. Fibigr will play a large role with both the Steelheads and the Czechia National Team at the world juniors.

Fiddler, a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL draft, is heading back to the WHL to rejoin the Edmonton Oil Kings. The 18-year-old got his first taste of NHL action last night and looked strong and poised. The right-handed defenseman has a massive frame and skates very well for his size. Another strong WHL season can go a long way for Fiddler.

Miettinen is currently recovering from an injury and did not participate in rookie camp or training camp. He'll return to an Everett Silvertips team who are hoping for better fortune in the playoffs this year. With exceptional status defenseman Landon DuPont and 2025 first-round pick Carter Bear, the Silvertips should be among the favorites to take home the WHL championship. 

O'Brien, like Fiddler, got his first opportunity at playing against NHL competition and did not look out of place. O'Brien is as smart as they come, but he is in major need of adding muscle to his 6-foot-2 frame. Another season or two of developing in the OHL with the Brantford Bulldogs will be very beneficial toward becoming an NHL-ready center. 

Reynolds was a third-round pick in the most recent NHL draft and will embark on a new era of his career. The 18-year-old has spent the past season and a half with Acadie-Bathurst Titan in the QMJHL but will join the Newfoundland Regiment this year. Listed at 6-foot-3, Reynolds has appealing physical tools for a defenseman. 

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The majority of NHL teams have kicked off their pre-season this past weekend, including the Toronto Maple Leafs. Training camp and pre-season are opportunities for younger players in the system to impress coaches and management and make a name for themselves. 

We could say that is exactly what former London Knights forward Landon Sim is doing in Toronto. 

The Toronto Marlies signed the agitating forward to a one-year AHL contract in early May, briefly after the Knights swept the Kitchener Rangers in the Western Conference Finals to advance to their third consecutive OHL Finals. He factored in massively in that series, scoring four goals in that four-game series. 

Additionally, Sim was a goal-scoring threat all throughout the 2025 playoffs for the Knights, scoring 12 goals in 17 games, 10 of which were at even strength, and three were game-winners. He can be described as a nasty player who loves to get under his opponent’s skin, as evidenced by his 33 penalty minutes, which were the third-most in the 2025 playoffs. 

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This isn’t Sim’s first opportunity to attend an NHL training camp. The New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, native was drafted 184th overall in the sixth round of the 2022 NHL Draft by the St. Louis Blues. 

St. Louis never extended an entry-level contract offer his way, although the organization appreciated his game and had him attend their training camp last year as a free agent invite. 

A year goes by, and after scoring a combined 43 goals in 76 games across the OHL regular season, playoffs, and Memorial Cup tournament, the Maple Leafs organization snatched him up via their farm team, and Sim’s physical presence, chippiness, and competitiveness have started to raise eyes in Leafs nation. 

Landon Sim is no stranger to dropping the gloves. In fact, I think it’s something he really enjoys doing. He recorded 18 fighting majors in his OHL career, with a career high of eight last regular season. So, it was no surprise when Sim dropped the gloves in Toronto’s first game of their rookie tournament showcase against Ottawa Senators’ prospect, Matthew Andonovski, who was the Kitchener Rangers captain last season.

Landon Sim drops the gloves early in the game, trying to make an impression. 👀👊#leafsforeverpic.twitter.com/k2T32L4ViF

— Leafslatest (@Leafslatest) September 13, 2025

Fighting one Kitchener Ranger wasn’t enough for Sim. Toronto’s next game was against the Montreal Canadiens, and guess who was playing: Rangers defenseman Andrew MacNeil. It was a spirited bout between the two. 

Landon Sim and Andrew MacNiel go at it.

Two fights in less than five minutes between the Maple Leafs and the Canadiens' prospects. pic.twitter.com/dOwzFkvz2N

— Nick Barden (@nickbarden) September 14, 2025

Now, MacNeill and Sim have a previous history. The two fought each other in the OHL last season on Mar. 18, where MacNeill was sending some heavy blows to Sim. 

Sim was in Toronto’s lineup for their first pre-season game against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday. The Hockey News Toronto Maple Leafs reporter David Alter jokingly tweeted out at the start of the game that his prediction for the game was that Sim would get into a fight. 

To much of everyone’s surprise, Sim did not get into a fight, however he did finish the game tied for the most hits on the team with four, despite logging the lowest ice time at 9:56. The two-time OHL champion played on a line with Jacob Quillan and Matthew Barbolini, two players he’ll have an opportunity to develop some chemistry with on the Marlies this season. 

Lastly, a clip of Sim during Maple Leafs practice went viral over the past week, as he had a spirited battle with his former London teammate Easton Cowan. 

Easton Cowan and Landon Sim with a nice, friendly battle during Group 2’s practice. 👀

— @markhmasters#LeafsForeverpic.twitter.com/1EXicBjTvn

— Leafslatest (@Leafslatest) September 18, 2025

It seems that Landon Sim is doing everything possible to make a strong impression not only on the Maple Leafs organization but also on the fanbase, who greatly appreciate that blue-collar, hard-nosed style of play.

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Preseason hockey is usually about shaking off rust, breaking in new systems, and giving prospects a chance to show if they can handle NHL pace.

But sometimes, a coach stumbles onto something that makes the entire building lean forward in its seat. That happened in the Philadelphia Flyers’ first preseason matchup against the Islanders, when Rick Tocchet rolled out a line of Matvei Michkov, Trevor Zegras, and Nikita Grebenkin.

On paper, the appeal of Michkov and Zegras together is obvious. Both are high-skill, high-vision players who thrive in the creative pockets of the game. Michkov sees plays that don’t exist yet; Zegras has the flair and precision to execute them.

It’s the kind of pairing that fans dream about because it hints at highlight-reel chemistry. But the real intrigue came with the third piece of the line—Grebenkin, a prospect who has been making noise at camp and suddenly found himself flanking two of the Flyers’ brightest stars.

And he didn’t look out of place.

Grebenkin's chemistry with Zegras and Michkov was seamless, natural. He skated with pace, retrieved pucks, and found smart ways to keep plays alive, whether by extending possession along the wall or making the small, quick passes that let Michkov and Zegras do what they do best. (Not to mention, Grebenkin kept the game interesting by stirring the pot with the Islanders multiple times.) The chemistry was surprising not because the top two meshed—that was expected—but because Grebenkin elevated the line instead of weighing it down.

Snowden describes Nikita Grebenkin as a player with “a lot of bite” and described him as “highly-skilled.” Praised how involved he gets and how difficult he is to play against.

— Siobhan Nolan (@SGNolan) September 13, 2025

That detail matters in a camp like this, where internal competition has been one of the dominant themes. Tocchet and the Flyers’ veterans have been clear: jobs aren’t guaranteed. Prospects are pushing. Roster spots are being earned, not handed out. In that context, Grebenkin’s ability to keep stride with Michkov and Zegras was more than just a good shift or two in a preseason game—it was a tangible step forward in his case to make the Flyers' NHL roster.

It’s also telling about the type of player Grebenkin could become at this level. He has some NHL experience from his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but this is a prime opportunity for him to really show what he's capable of.

With Michkov and Zegras, Grebenkin doesn’t need to be the line’s driver, nor does he need to reinvent himself as a grinding specialist. Instead, his value lies in being the facilitator who can adapt to different situations and elevate the talent around him. That’s not always easy for a young player still acclimating to NHL pace and physicality, but Grebenkin managed to strike that balance in his first showcase alongside two of the team’s most gifted offensive minds.

Of course, one preseason look doesn’t write the story. The Flyers have other forwards making strong pushes for roster spots—Alex Bump, Jett Luchanko, to name a couple—and the competition will only intensify as camp goes on. Tocchet will continue to shuffle combinations, searching for both balance and sparks. But what the Michkov-Zegras-Grebenkin line offered was a glimpse of possibility, and possibility is exactly what camps like this are meant to reveal.

For Michkov and Zegras, there’s no question the organization wants to see if they can form something lasting. For Grebenkin, the question is whether he can insert himself into that picture for more than just a trial run. Nights like this help make the case.

In the end, one game of preseason hockey isn't a big enough sample size to determine if this line can truly work. However, it's a promising start in the journey to identify pieces that fit—building the scaffolding of chemistry, giving players chances to prove where they belong. For one night, Michkov and Zegras did what they were supposed to do—and Grebenkin showed that maybe, just maybe, he belongs right there with them.