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It would appear that the Ottawa Senators will begin the 2025-26 season with a legitimate NHL Rookie of the Year candidate. That candidate is goaltender Leevi Meriläinen, who just turned 23 last month.

While most goalies that young are generally just happy to make the NHL, Merilainen isn't 'most goalies'. And, by the way, for those of you ready to flood the comments with, 'There goes the media again, heaping unnecessary extra pressure on the kids,' remember that the young Finn has already had his NHL baptism-by-fire and came through it without a single burn.

With Anton Forsberg allowed to walk into free agency this summer—eventually signing with the Los Angeles Kings—it left a vacancy in Ottawa behind starter Linus Ullmark. If you had asked the Senators a year ago who would fill that role, they would have confidently said Mads Søgaard, their 6-foot-7 goaltender drafted in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft. That's why they agreed to a one-way NHL contract for this season. They were pretty sure that Søgaard was the next man up.

But as often happens in the NHL, things can change quickly.

Søgaard’s development has been slowed by injuries, while Meriläinen was unexpectedly thrust into NHL duty at just 22 last season. And in the heart of a playoff chase, Meriläinen played completely out of his mind for the Senators.

In 12 appearances, Meriläinen allowed only 22 goals, posting three shutouts, a 1.90 goals-against average, and a .925 save percentage. Small sample size? Yes. But those numbers were significantly better than those of either Ullmark or Forsberg.

When Forsberg returned to health, GM Steve Staios was clear about wanting to protect his goaltending depth. So Staios farmed out Meriläinen because he was waiver-exempt and could be sent down without incident. If the decision had been based strictly on merit, Meriläinen wouldn’t have gone anywhere. In fact, after putting up a record of 8-3-1, it would have been fascinating, in hindsight, to see how the kid might have fared in the postseason.

Ottawa Senators Sign Goaltender Leevi Meriläinen To New One-Way ContractThe Ottawa Senators have signed goaltender Leevi Meriläinen to a one-year, one-way contract extension worth an average annual value of $1.05 million.

Now, with Forsberg gone to Los Angeles, Meriläinen will be Ottawa’s full-time backup. And if he comes anywhere close to last season’s level, his name will undoubtedly enter the Calder Trophy conversation. First-year goalies don’t often get enough starts to generate Rookie of the Year buzz. In fact, it's been 16 years since a goalie won it (Columbus' Steve Mason in 2009).

But Ullmark’s career history leaves that door open.

Even in his Vezina Trophy-winning season with Boston in 2023, Ullmark’s career high is 49 games, thanks to injuries and platoon usage, so there should be plenty of starts available for Meriläinen. There's a chance he plays half the schedule, plus any games where Ullmark gets an early hook.

Among NHL goalies who played at least 10 games last year, Meriläinen was the youngest. A glance at the stats of his peers in their early 20s shows why most clubs hesitate to lean on goalies that young. It’s not a position where players are expected to thrive early.

But again, there’s something different about Meriläinen.

It isn’t just his poise, fundamentals and uber-quiet movement in the crease. It isn't exclusively his excellent run last season—one that arguably saved Ottawa’s playoff hopes. It’s also his mindset. Ask him one of those standard media questions—“How are you doing this at such a young age?”—and he’ll probably respond matter-of-factly, with a shrug, without even a hint of nerves or arrogance, and say something like:

I don’t know, I guess because it’s my job?

Maybe, as a policy, he doesn’t want to engage in armchair psychology or overthink it, or maybe he genuinely doesn’t see the big deal. Maybe he sees it as the children's game it's supposed to be. Either way, as Senators fans will come to learn, he's just a calm, steady person who's here to do his job.

That's part of why he may emerge this season as more than a kid who's just happy to be here.

Meanwhile, it Meriläinen truly breaks into the Calder Trophy discussion, it could get expensive for the Senators. He’ll not only be a restricted free agent again next summer but also arbitration-eligible. And as the team is well aware, arbitrators tend to notice that stuff, those little things like winning major individual awards.

That, however, is a bridge Ottawa will happily cross if it means they’ve found another gem between the pipes.

By Steve Warne
This article was first published at The Hockey News-Ottawa

More Sens Headlines at THN:
Four Major Storylines This Month At Ottawa Senators Training Camp
Senators Still Own Formenton's NHL Rights – What's Next?
Our One-On-One With Drake Batherson
Senators Confirm Extension For Pinto Won't Happen Until After Season Starts
Staios: 'We're Not Dismissing That Yakemchuk Makes Our Team Out of Camp'
Ottawa Senators: Ranking The Six Best At Each Position

The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, but the organization’s developmental model has not yielded enough results. 

Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. All are 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 40 NHL games. 

Other Sabres Stories

Projecting Sabres Trade Cost - Lawson Crouse 

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

#11 - Nikita Novikov - Defense (Rochester - AHL)

Novikov was the Sabres sixth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft after playing in the junior level MHL in the Moscow Dynamo system and an impressive performance for Russia at the 2021 IIHF Under-18s. The 6’4″, 218 lb. blueliner is physical and plays well positionally, which enabled him to play 94 KHL games over two seasons as a teenager. 

After signing his entry-level deal with the Sabres, the 21-year-old came to North America and adjusted to the AHL game fairly quickly, putting up 23 points (3 goals, 20 assists) in 65 games as a rookie. In his second season, the 22-year-old put up nearly identical stats (20 points in 68 games) but doubled his goal-scoring output to six. 

Former Amerks head coach Seth Appert said that Novikov’s offensive instincts are underrated, but that he will have to build on his large frame and get stronger to make the NHL down the road. The hurdle he will have to jump is that he is likely fifth or sixth on the Sabres depth chart in terms of left-handed defenseman, behind Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, Bowen Byram, Mattias Samuelsson and Ryan Johnson, which could mean that his path to the NHL may require a trade out of Buffalo. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

Chicago Blackhawks legend Jonathan Toews has been out of the NHL for a couple of years now, but he is set to return with his hometown Winnipeg Jets in 2025-26. He signed a one-year deal with them early in the off-season. 

Now, hockey is slowly starting back up as players are starting to publicly take the ice in preparation for the 2025-26 season. Toews was one of the players to hit the ice with his new team's colors in Manitoba on Tuesday.

You can see Toews wearing Jets gear for the first time, which is also the first NHL gear he’s worn as a professional since the Chicago Blackhawks took him 3rd overall in 2006. 

Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) on X📣 WE PLAY HOCKEY THIS MONTH 🤩Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) on X📣 WE PLAY HOCKEY THIS MONTH 🤩

Although seeing Toews in other NHL colors can bring somber feelings to Chicago sports fans, it is great that he’s healthy enough to come back and play in the best league in the world. His health was always of the utmost concern, and he seems to be doing well. 

Toews and the Jets will come to the United Center on January 19th. This will be his first career appearance in Chicago as a road player. That promises to be an incredibly emotional day for hockey fans in town. 

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

With the Chicago Blackhawks now being a few years into their rebuild, they have a very strong prospect pool. They have plenty of exciting youngsters in their system, and a good chunk of them have the potential to be regulars in their lineup in 2025-26. 

Among the Blackhawks' most exciting prospects heading into the new season is defenseman Sam Rinzel. The youngster left a solid first impression with the Blackhawks this past season after signing his entry-level deal in March, as he recorded five assists and a plus-1 rating in nine games. 

Now, Rinzel's strong start has garnered him some praise, as The Hockey News' Eric Cruikshank listed the Blackhawks prospect among the NHL's top under-the-radar Calder Trophy candidates for this upcoming season. 

Given how well Rinzel played immediately after joining the Blackhawks' roster, it is understandable that Cruikshank sees him as a Calder Trophy candidate to watch. The potential for the 2022 first-round pick to become a very good NHL defenseman is there, and it would not be surprising if he broke out in a big way next season because of it. 

Rinzel's play at the collegiate level only creates more excitement about his future. During his freshman year with the University of Minnesota, he recorded two goals and 28 points in 39 games. He then followed that up by taking a big step forward this past campaign, posting 10 goals and 332 points in 40 games.

Now, it will be interesting to see what Rinzel can do during his first full season with the Blackhawks in 2025-26 from here. 

Blackhawks Forward Named Potential Target For CanadiensIt is not exactly a secret that the Montreal Canadiens want to improve at the center position. Due to this, during a recent episode of The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro, TSN's Travis Yost discussed a few potential center targets for the Canadiens. One name brought up by Yost was Chicago Blackhawks center Jason Dickinson.

The Montreal Canadiens are one of the most-talked-about teams in the rumor mill right now. This is especially the case when it comes to the possibility of the Canadiens trading away Carey Price's contract. 

During a recent episode of NHL Insider Notebook for Bleacher Report, Frank Seravalli provided the latest on the Price trade rumors. 

"I think there is a door open to the Montreal Canadiens to move it (Price's contract)," Seravalli said. "There are only so few teams that actually want to acquire it. The benefit would be if you're a team that is already operating in LTIR space, you can continue to work that around."

However, Seravalli then shared a different take by adding that he believes the Canadiens successfully being able to trade Price's contract is a "long shot."

"We'll see if anyone steps up and trades for it, but it's probably a bit of a long shot, but I know that the Canadiens are open to do it."

The Canadiens are open to trading the remainder of Carey Price's contract, but they may have a hard time finding a trade partner (w/ @frank_seravalli) pic.twitter.com/5tJqIYW8uo

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) September 2, 2025

This is certainly an interesting update from Seravalli on the Price trade rumors. Time will tell if the Canadiens will find a way to move out his contract, but it is certainly a storyline to pay attention to from here. If they do move out of his contract, it would certainly open the door for the Canadiens to make potential moves elsewhere. 

Canadiens: New and Improved Joshua Roy Is An Intriguing Breakout CandidateWhen St-Georges native Joshua Roy turned up at the CN Sports Complexe in Brossard for training camp last season, he was pencilled in to make the Montreal Canadiens’ roster. But when the players hit the ice, it became apparent that the likes of Emil Heineman and Oliver Kapanen were outperforming him. A couple of weeks later, he landed in the AHL with the Laval Rocket, where he spent much of the last season, putting up 35 points in 47 games. In the 12 games he played in the NHL, he added two goals and failed to make much of an impact.

According to a report, the Philadelphia Flyers are one of several teams interested in free agent goalie Carter Hart.

On Tuesday, David Pagnotta, an NHL insider for NHL Network and The Fourth Period, reported that "There are several teams, including the Philadelphia Flyers, interested in goaltender Carter Hart, but they continue to wait on the NHL’s decision to determine when he is eligible to play."

Hart, 27, was found not guilty of the sexual assault charge levied against him, stemming from the 2018 Hockey Canada case, on July 24, though his reinstatement into the NHL is pending the league's decision.

The Flyers' former second-round pick hasn't played competitive hockey since his last appearance for the Flyers, which saw him cede five goals on 15 shots in a 7-4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Jan. 20, 2024.

Ex-Flyers Goalie Carter Hart Not Expected to Join OilersAccording to a new report, the goalie-needy Edmonton Oilers are not expected to target former Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart at this time.

Hart and Alex Formenton were the only players in the Hockey Canada case to have not played competitive hockey since being charged; Michael McLeod and Dillon Dube each played in the KHL last season, while Cal Foote played in Slovakia.

A potential Hart return makes for an interesting situation for the Flyers, given that they went out and signed Dan Vladar to a roster that already features Sam Ersson and Ivan Fedotov.

Plus, Carson Bjarnason is turning pro this year, and Aleksei Kolosov is expected to be back in the fold as well.

It could make for a crowded goalie room, but if the Flyers' reported interest is true, they must have some kind of contingent plan of action.

Perhaps the wisest move for Hart is to attempt return to game form playing in the AHL without any significant contractual commitments from the Flyers.

This situation is very fresh and there are still many moving parts, but this report is certainly fascinating with such little time before the start of training camp.

The NHL’s 2025-26 season is almost upon us, and it’s a great time here at THN.com’s Buffalo Sabres site, as we’re working through a player-by-player series breaking down expectations for each Sabres player in 2025-26.

Each of these files are written with the base knowledge that every Buffalo player has one goal – getting the Sabres into the Stanley Cup playoffs. But as individuals, each Sabre has their own expectations. 

That said, in recent days, we’ve been moving through Buffalo’s goalies and their top defensemen. And in this file, we’re focusing on veteran defenseman Conor Timmins – the blueliner the Sabres picked up in an off-season trade that sent veteran D-man Connor Clifton to the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Timmins is well-traveled for good reason – he’s not a top-four defender, at least, not at the NHL level. But he clearly has value for Sabres GM Kevyn Adams. So let’s explore the Timmins acquisition and see what, if anything might be there beneath the surface for him as a Sabre.

Player Name: Conor Timmins

Position: Defenseman

Age: 26

2024-25 Key Statistics: 68 games between Maple Leafs and Penguins, 12 assists, 15 points, 15:46 career average time-on-ice

2025-26 Salary:$2.2 million

2025-26 Expectations: In his five seasons as an NHLer, Timmins has shown flashes that make you want to believe he can be a top-four defenseman. For example, the Toronto Maple Leafs were enamored of him when he put up 12 assists and 14 points in just 25 games in 2022-23.  The love, though, didn't last.

The Leafs eventually moved on from him when they dealt him to the Pittsburgh Penguins. And this summer, he was traded to the Sabres, ostensibly to serve as a third-pair D-man and insurance if Buffalo suffers an injury to a legitimate top-four D-man.

Timmins is never going to make life tough on opponents in a physical sense. He’s also not a shutdown artist. But he can skate, and he can find some seams and chip in an assist now and then. But if he’s playing in your top-four, we’re guessing this would be Plan B or Plan C in your blueprint for success.

The Sabres’ defense corps on the whole is one of the better groups in the league. But they’re not there because Timmins is going to take them to a new level. He’s not going to make highlight-reel plays, and he’s not going to knock his opponent’ block off. He’s a well-paid third pair guy, so he has to deliver solid results.

Timmins is nearly the archetype of the NHL footsoldier player. If he’s on your team, it had better be on the third pair. Otherwise, you’re going to ask too much of Timmins, and you could wind up disappointed. And time will tell whether the Sabres did the right thing in trading for him and signing him to a two-year deal. 

Timmins isn’t just a warm body, but in six NHL seasons including the upcoming season, Timmins will have played for five different teams. There’s a reason why he’s been move so often – he hasn’t made himself indispensable. And until that happens, Timmins will likely continue to bounce around. 

The Ducks have announced their roster for rookie camp and the 2025 Golden State Rookie Faceoff, which takes place from Sept. 12-14 at Great Park Ice and FivePoint Arena in Irvine, Calif.

Anaheim’s 23-player roster is highlighted by 2024 first-round picks Beckett Sennecke and Stian Solberg, who were both unable to participate in last year’s rookie tournament. This year’s roster is a bit smaller than previous years due to the minimal amount of games and many players opting to play in the NCAA this season. Collegiate players rarely, if ever, participate in this event.

Only four of the Ducks’ 10 draft selections (Noah Read, Alexis Mathieu, Émile Guité, Brady Turko) from the 2025 NHL Draft will be participating, as rest of them, including 10th overall pick Roger McQueen, are either playing in the NCAA or in Europe.

Chatting With the Ducks’ 2025 Draft ClassThe Ducks selected 10 players in the 2025 NHL Draft, though only three of them attended the draft. All 10 were at development camp the following week though, going through rigorous drills and testing.

Aside from Sennecke and Solberg, players like Yegor Sidorov and Ian Moore should be expected to play big roles. Sidorov participated in last year’s tournament, holding down a spot in the top-6. His scoring prowess makes him a dangerous offensive player. How he handles physicality and making himself less of a predictable player to defend should be targeted areas of improvement for him.

Moore played three games for the Ducks last season after signing his entry-level contract (ELC) in April. He showed poise with the puck and used his skating to escape dangerous areas in his own zone. He even picked up his first NHL point on Troy Terry’s game-tying goal in the final game of the season. With just two right-handed defensemen on the roster, Moore will likely be tasked with top pair minutes alongside Solberg. The duo played together briefly as a pair in the AHL and didn’t look too out of sorts.

With five left-handed defensemen on the roster, ant least one player will have to be utilized on their off-hand. Tarin Smith played his off-side while with Canada at the World Juniors Summer Showcase and could do so again.

Despite a smaller roster than previous years, Anaheim still has three camp invites on their roster this year. Forwards Ryan Lautenbach and Owen Lindmark signed amateur tryouts (ATOs) late last season with the San Diego Gulls and will be looking to make an impact—and possibly earn a contract—with their play. Forward Ruslan Gazizov did just that last year with his strong performances.

This will be the third consecutive camp that goaltender Mike McIvor has been invited to after he was a 2024 rookie camp invite and 2025 development camp invite. A teammate of Ducks draft pick Ethan Procyszyn with the North Bay Battalion, McIvor isn’t the tallest goalie at 6-foot-1. But he uses his athleticism well to get himself into the right position. Catching with his right hand, his unorthodox style may initially throw opposing players off too.

The Ducks rookie faceoff roster will be led by the San Diego Gulls’ coaching staff, with head coach Matt McIlvane being supported by 50/50 new/old coaching staff in Dave Manson, Michael Babcock, Jeff Glass and Lucas Hurtt. This will be McIlvane’s third time coaching the rookie faceoff team.

The Ducks will play the San Jose Sharks on Friday, Sept. 12 at 6 p.m. PST and play the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday, Sept. 14 at 1 p.m. PST. Single-game tickets will be available to the general public at $15 per game.

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