Jonathan Toews attended his first press conference as a Winnipeg Jet, sharing his gratitude and excitement to join the Jets organization. 

"It's truly an honour, " said Toews on becoming a Winnipeg Jet. "It's surreal to be sitting here right now putting this jersey on."

The Winnipeg, MN native is playing in his hometown as a member of the Jets for the first time in his career after spending 15 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks. The now 37-year-old hasn't played an NHL game since 2023 after stepping away for health reasons, but now believes he is ready to be an effective NHL player. 

"That's the outlook I'm coming into this with, too. To be that guy that, whatever it is, whatever part of my game or who I am as a person that can be valuable to the team," said Toews when asked about players his age still contributing at a high level. 

With Nikolaj Ehlers' exit and Adam Lowry expected to miss a fair bit of time to start the 2025-26 season, Toews will play a larger role than he may have expected, but the three-time Stanley Cup champion seems ready for whatever the Jets ask of him.

"It was hard to really see myself wearing any other jersey. I think day by day, this is becoming more real and it will as we get closer to the season, too, and I'm looking forward to it. It's an exciting time and it's another fresh opportunity. It was more of an intuitive thing where it just felt right. You can go over the million reasons why, but I didn't have to call my mom or dad or my brother, anyone really. I just knew in my heart that this is what I wanted to do, so it felt good every step of the way."

The Jets have aspirations of winning a Stanley Cup, and Toews, the ultimate professional and one of the most respected leaders in the NHL, will help the Jets get one step closer.

Stay updated with the most interesting Jets stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

Jets Agree to Terms on Bonus-Laden Contract with Local Product Jonathan ToewsThe Winnipeg Jets have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with local product Jonathan Toews.

There have been some question marks surrounding the future of Chicago Blackhawks prospect Nick Lardis. In 2024-25, he had an incredible season as he had 71 goals in 65 games played for the Brantford Bulldogs. No matter what league it is, that’s impressive. 

Lardis is signed with the Blackhawks, but the question coming into the offseason was whether or not he’d be turning pro. After a goal-scoring season like that at 19 years old, he put himself in a position to do so.

On Thursday, the last day that media can attend the 2025 Development Camp, Assistant General Manager of Player Development Mark Eaton confirmed that Lardis would turn pro.

He couldn’t confirm if the plan was for him to play for the Rockford IceHogs or the Chicago Blackhawks, but it is unlikely that he returns to Brantford.

Vinnie Parise (@VinnieParise) on XMark Eaton confirms that Nick Lardis plans to play pro hockey in 2025-26. Whether it’s the Rockford IceHogs or Chicago Blackhawks is up to him.

"He's slotted to be a pro next year. Eaton said when asked about Lardis' status at this time. "Which pro team [he ends up with] will be up to him in September". 

As it stands, a big training camp/preseason could earn Lardis a spot on the opening night roster for the Chicago Blackhawks. There is also a scenario where the AHL is the best place for him at the start of the season. 

"Hopefully, this will be my first year pro." Nick Lardis said on the topic. "That's going to be my goal going into the summer. Stay motivated, try to make the team. Whatever happens, happens. Keep getting better."

He isn't going to come out and say he's turning pro for sure, but he has a pretty good idea of where he stands after the season he just had in the OHL. 

One minor setback for him was his knee injury that he suffered in the playoffs early in the spring. He now, while admitting you never know for sure until game action, says that he feels 100 percent healthy. He lost some weight in the rehab process, but is working on getting that strength back over the off-season. 

Connor Bedard was seen as a goal-scorer entering his draft. However, we have since learned that he's an elite playmaker as well. Having a guy like Lardis potentially on his wing may allow his work to turn into results.

There are also a handful of other players in the organization who will have no problem making successful feeds to a sniper like Lardis. 

Having this confirmation will give Lardis the confidence that he needs to play at a high level right when camp starts in the fall. The tools are there for him to be a successful player right off the bat. 

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

Day 2 of the Vegas Golden Knights Development Camp was in full swing, and the young prospects took to the ice more confident after having acclimated the day before. Among the standouts was camp returner Trent Swick, who made a strong impression with his hustle. 

getting the sound of hockey back on your timeline pic.twitter.com/zIr3A15Ntq

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) July 1, 2025

Swick, 21, is a left-winger towering at 6-foot-7, from St. Catharines, Ontario, and was selected by the Knights in the sixth round (180th overall) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. As of March 1, 2025, the team officially signed him to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Vegas Golden Knights Sign Towering ProspectEarlier this month, the Vegas Golden Knights announced the signing of Kitchener Rangers' forward Trent Swick to a three-year, entry-level contract for the 2025-26 season. 

Coming off finishing his fourth season with the Kitchener Rangers as an alternate captain, Swick put up a total of 61 points (27 goals, 34 assists) with a +11 rating in the regular season. He put up an additional 14 points (7 goals, 7 assists) in the postseason. 

“I’m a completely different player now,” Swick said about his past two years of development. “I didn’t really believe in myself before, and now I do. I also pretty much put on probably 25% of my mass from two years ago. I just need to learn how to move with that mass and be able to be quick with it.”

At the heart of Swick’s game is his ability to create plays. He finds soft spots in coverage, constantly surveys the ice, and delivers quick, accurate passes to teammates in scoring positions. He’s good at drawing defenders in and pulling the puck close to his feet before adjusting to the lane. Improvement is evident in the young forward, and he has a bright future with the organization.

The Vegas Golden Knights are reportedly in the mix for Calgary Flames right-handed defenseman Rasmus Andersson. 

A report shared by Pierre LeBrun earlier this week indicated that Andersson would be willing to sign a contract extension with the Golden Knights, as he's been very picky, and rightfully so, about where he wants to end up. Andersson has a six-team no-trade clause, which gives the Flames plenty of options, but teams have been reluctant to agree to trades due to the uncertainty of contract negotiations with Andersson. 

LeBrun mentioned that the Golden Knights and the Flames have had numerous discussions over the past week, but the Flames haven't been impressed by the Golden Knights' offers. Including the Golden Knights, LeBrun mentioned the  Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets and the Los Angeles Kings as other teams with interest.

David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that the Dallas Stars are also interested in the 28-year-old, but would need to move Ilya Lyubushkin and Matt Dumba. 

Pagnotta also mentioned that Vegas has been shopping veteran defenseman Ben Hutton and his $975,000 cap hit. The 32-year-old played in just 11 games this season, serving as the eighth defenseman. 

With Alex Pietrangelo's hip injury and Nicolas Hague's exit, Hutton has moved into the role of the seventh defenseman, but if Andersson is brought in, he'd move down the depth chart again. 

Andersson fits the role of a modern-day defenseman. His 6-foot-1 frame mixed with his skating and offensive instincts make him an effective two-way defenseman. The Malmö, SWE native has a career-high of 11 goals and 50 points. 

Andersson would also join the Golden Knights with chemistry with another former Flames defenseman, Noah Hanifin. The pair were outstanding playing together, recording positive results whenever they played together. Hanifin has had troubles with consistency during his time with Vegas, and adding Andersson to the fold could solve that issue. 

The Golden Knights would be over the salary cap if they acquired Andersson, even with Pietrangelo's cap hit on the long-term injury reserve. The Golden Knights would have to clear cap space either in the Andersson trade or in a separate deal. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

REPORT: Golden Knights Interested In Trading For A Pair Of DefensemenThe Vegas Golden Knights are reportedly interested in trading for defensemen Rasmus Andersson and Bowen Byram.

With two full days of Prospect Development Camp in the books for the Pittsburgh Penguins, there has been a lot to digest.

On Friday, Russian forward prospect Mikhail Ilyin - who signed his three-year entry-level contract last month - finally made his way over from Russia and to the facility (he didn't get to Pittsburgh until late Thursday night, so he didn't participate in camp). Todd Nelson spoke to the media for the first time since being named as an assistant coach on Dan Muse's staff - and the big man himself, Muse, also made an appearance.

While there were several storylines coming out of Day 2 - and more that we'll cover later on - we're still here to talk about standouts. On Thursday, it was clear that Harrison Brunicke, Bill Zonnon, and Travis Hayes had an elevated step on almost everyone else.

To be clear, Brunicke is still the standout at this camp. There isn't really anything he's done that hasn't impressed me up to this point, aside from a moment during Friday's skills session that I'll get to in a second. So, for all intents and purposes - and to give others the floor - let's just assume that Brunicke is the daily standout all the way through the end of Monday.

However, there were a few players that began to show a lot more on Friday than they did the previous day. And, one, in particular, made even Brunicke look silly once.

Here are three standouts from Day Two of Penguins' development camp:

Penguins Prospect Development Camp: Standouts From Day 1On Thursday, the Pittsburgh Penguins opened their annual Prospect Development Camp, which features 48 players both from the Penguins' system and outside of it.

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Ben Kindel

There were a lot of fans who questioned the Penguins' decision to draft Kindel 11th overall this season, given some of the other names that were still available at that point.

After two days at development camp - although it's a short sample size - I'm starting to see what the Penguins were probably seeing.

In case you were wondering, yes, Kindel is the one who made Brunicke look silly on Friday. Unfortunately, the entire sequence wasn't captured on film, but during a one-on-one drill down low, Kindel - already, arguably, the Penguins' best forward prospect - and Brunicke - the Penguins' best defensive prospect - were pitted against one another. 

Reaction: Penguins Select Center Ben Kindel 11th Overall In 2025 NHL DraftThe 2025 NHL Draft is finally upon us.

Kindel led Brunicke to the corner and then proceeded to completely deke Brunicke out and undress him. Brunicke wiped out as a result, and Kindel walked to the net front, faked out the goaltender while navigating across the front of the net, and put one home. 

Everyone in the crowd went nuts and was in awe. This is not an easy thing to do to Brunicke, who is actually a pretty formidable one-on-one defender. And Kindel toyed with him then ate him for lunch.

I actually asked Brunicke about it afterward.

"He's a shifty player," he said. "He got me there, for sure. Hopefully, that's not on Twitter."

Sorry, Harrison. The video itself only has Kindel's goal - and Brunicke recovering from his wipeout - but the internet does know what happened.

Didn't catch Brunicke wiping out, unfortunately, but caught the goal. pic.twitter.com/7oTCk83rTs

— Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) July 4, 2025

All joking aside, Kindel's edgework is top-notch. His speed is something that he was knocked for a bit, but his skating - as a whole - looks pretty refined. There were also several times today when it was evident that he was outthinking and outsmarting everyone else around him, allowing him to play a "speed game" without having the high-end footspeed.

It's a small sample size, and there are still three days of camp remaining. But I'm beginning to buy what the Penguins are selling on Kindel. Several WHL scouts have said that Kindel would have gone top-10 - some even say top-five - if he wasn't 5-foot-10. 

I'm no prospects expert, but I'm beginning to believe them. This kid was some serious skill.

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Oliver Tulk

If this is a name you have not heard, it's probably because, no, Tulk isn't in the Penguins' system.

But you might want to write his name down.

Tulk, 20, registered 38 goals and 100 points last season for the Calgary Wranglers of the WHL. And he played with none other than Kindel and Tanner Howe, who was invited to camp but could not attend due to recovery from ACL surgery. 

Here is a small snippet of Oliver Tulk - a University of Wisconsin commit - who registered 38 goals and 100 points for the Calgary Hitmen last season alongside #LetsGoPens prospects Ben Kindel and Tanner Howe.

Tulk was invited to development camp. pic.twitter.com/dBha4nh4ZV

— Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) July 4, 2025

Is it a coincidence that Tulk is here? Probably not, actually. Even if one gets the chance to play with a high-end player like Kindel, no one puts up 100 points solely because of someone else.

Tulk has legitimate skill. He was able to show some of that off during battle drills down low, and he made a few nice moves to work for a goal during one of the drills. He is undersized at 5-foot-8, 174 pounds, but he seems to be able to work around that with his skating and anticipation skills.

I will have a feature piece on Tulk, Kindel, and Howe later this weekend. But this is a player to keep an eye on, as he may, very well, earn an AHL contract.

With Breadth Of Positional Depth In The System, Penguins' Defensive Prospects Eager To Take Next StepsWhen Pittsburgh Penguins’ Prospect Development Camp began on Thursday, 48 players took the to the ice - some for the first time in black and gold, others returned to a familiar place.

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Gabriel D'Aigle

Many people scoffed at the idea of the Penguins drafting a goaltender in the third round who played for the OHL's worst team and seemed to be bleeding goals against.

Admittedly, D'Aigle's stat line is less than impressive. The 6-foot-4, 211-pound netminder had an .883 save percentage last season to go along with a 4.42 goals-against average. But his team - the Victoriaville Tigres of the QMJHL - was absolutely bleeding chances against, and his workload was much, much larger than that of anyone else in the QMJHL.

NHL News: Penguins Take Interesting Goalie With Pick No. 84The Pittsburgh Penguins have selected goaltender Gabriel D'Aigle with the 84th overall pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

D'Aigle faced 1,940 shots in 55 games - an average of 35 shots per game - which was 241 more shots faced than the next QMJHL goaltender. As a result, he also made more saves in the league than anyone else with 1,713, as the next-closest mark was 1,542.

This guy is a workhorse. And - watching him Friday - it's clear that the toolset is there. His lateral movement - while not necessarily slow - could use more power in the push-off, but his angles seem to be pretty spot-on, and he is also pretty quick with the glove hand.

I'm curious to see how the rest of camp goes for D'Aigle. I don't know enough about him - or about goaltending in general - to make any kind of serious assessment. But it does seem like he has the foundational skillset to be able to grow, improve, and take his game to the next level.

And that can only be a good thing for an organization that already boasts some goaltending depth.

With Nedeljkovic Traded, Penguins Are Starting To Solve Goaltender LogjamThe Pittsburgh Penguins made a surprise move on July 1, shipping backup goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to the San Jose Sharks for a third-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft. Nedeljkovic had been the backup for the past two seasons before Penguins general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas moved him. 

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Feature image credit: Kelsey Surmacz - The Hockey News

The San Jose Sharks came into the 2025 offseason with the hope to upgrade their team. While they aren't expecting to be drastically better than they were last season, they needed to make a few moves to get better and help insulate the young core of Macklin Celebrini, William Eklund, and Will Smith.

Although they weren't the greatest offensive team, they have future stars in place and will continue to develop. But to stay in games and give their young forwards a fighting chance, they needed to address their defense. It was one of, if not the worst blue lines in the league last season.

However, GM Mike Grier tried his hardest yesterday to change that, and now the Sharks have eight defensemen signed to NHL-level contracts, which could open the door for a trade to shake things up even more.

Yesterday alone, he signed Dmitry Orlov to a two-year, $13 million deal and, only moments later, claimed veteran Nick Leddy off waivers. No, they aren't the biggest names and yes, they’ve struggled in recent years, but just adding these two improves their blue line a ton. It's a big step toward stabilizing the back end.

With eight defensemen signed, not including Sam Dickinson, their opening day pairings could look like this:

Pairing 1: Dmitry Orlov - Timothy Liljegren

Pairing 2: Sam Dickinson - Mario Ferraro

Pairing 3: Nick Leddy - John Klingberg

Extras: Vincent Desharnais, Henry Thrun, Shakir Mukhamadullin

If Grier can manage to pull off a trade, which could include one of Ferraro or Desharnais, it would allow Mukhamadullin to be in the starting six. Since he is a left-handed shot, he could be playing with either Leddy or Klingberg, which would give every pairing at least one NHL veteran. That mix of youth and experience could really help them stay afloat.

If we look back at their defense corps in Game 82 of the 2024-25 season against the Edmonton Oilers on April 16, it looked like this:

Pairing 1: Henry Thrun — Timothy Liljegren

Pairing 2: Lucas Carlsson — Jan Rutta

Pairing 3: Marc-Edouard Vlasic — Jimmy Schuldt

It doesn't take more than a quick look to see how much more improved this blue line is heading into the 2025-26 season. Just the addition of Orlov makes it better, but when you also add Klingberg and Leddy, it becomes a lot more structured and experienced. The whole group looks more like a real NHL unit.

BREAKING: San Jose Sharks Sign Dmitry OrlovBREAKING NEWS: The San Jose Sharks have signed Dmitry Orlov to a two-year, $13 million contract. The contract carries an AAV of $6.5 million.

The most impressive part of Grier improving the blue line is that he did it in a matter of three days. They signed Klingberg in free agency on July 1 and then signed Orlov and Leddy on July 3. It was a busy stretch, but one that could pay off all season.

If the Sharks are looking to make a trade to clear up the logjam on the back end, Ferraro may be their best bet. At 26, he is a pending free agent and could opt to leave in free agency next summer. He is also the most intriguing trade target on the Sharks' blue line. There could be a chance that they try and move Thrun, but he could be a good seventh defenseman option for them this season.

Ferraro could fetch them a good forward asset to help up front. There would be a number of teams that come calling if they were to make him available. A few teams that would make sense for Ferraro would be:

• Edmonton Oilers
• Ottawa Senators
• Chicago Blackhawks
• St. Louis Blues

There would be more teams interested, but the four teams listed above could be some of the front runners for him. They could use a 26-year-old defenseman who can play both sides of the ice and is signed for one year at $3.25 million. It wouldn't be overly surprising if the Oilers are the team that leads the sweepstakes if he were available on the trade block. They are in need of good players on cheap contracts as they look to hoist the Stanley Cup again.

Obviously, there is a better chance of Grier trading Ferraro closer to the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, in case on the off-chance they do better than expected and he then wants to sign a contract extension.

If Grier can continue to make moves like he did with the additions of Klingberg, Orlov, and Leddy, it could have lasting benefits. Adding experienced veterans to a young NHL locker room can help the younger stars learn what it takes to be an everyday NHLer. It is clear that Grier has a vision for how he wants this team to look, and it may not be a finished product for a few years, but it’s certainly heading that way.

Even though the Sharks may not be heading for a major improvement in the league standings, there still has to be some excitement about what Grier did — and what he could still do to keep shaping the rebuild.

San Jose Sharks' Free Agency ReviewIt’s now been three days since free agency opened and the San Jose Sharks still have a lot of work to do to reach the cap floor. As of right now, they have $32 million in cap space and sit at $62.8 million in used cap space, which means they need to get to $70.6 million to be cap compliant.  BREAKING: San Jose Sharks Acquire Bowers From New Jersey DevilsThe San Jose Sharks have acquired forward Shane Bowers from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for forward Thomas Bordeleau. BREAKING: Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers From BluesBREAKING NEWS: The San Jose Sharks have claimed defensemen Nick Leddy off of waivers from the St. Louis Blues. From The Archive: Burns VS KarlssonThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

Undersized forward L.J. Mooney, a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL draft, is certainly turning a lot of heads at the Montreal Canadiensdevelopment camp this week.

The cousin of Utah Mammoth star Logan Cooley stands only 5-foot-7, but he makes really smart plays and doesn't seem to be afraid of getting physical, either.

So with that in mind, and in honor of July 4, watch today's video for a list of the the top 10 U.S.-born players who were taken in the fourth round of the NHL draft.

Promo image credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images

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The NHL off-season is in full swing, giving us the perfect opportunity to look at each team’s prospect pools. The Anaheim Ducks are up first. 

In this prospect pool overview series, a player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer considered a prospect for these exercises. In this series, Tony Ferrari will dig into each team’s strengths and weaknesses, a quick overview of their latest draft class, where each team's positional depth chart stands and who could be next in line for an NHL chance.

Initial Thoughts

The Ducks are on the rise, building with an emphasis on skill and pugnacity over pure skill and finesse. That’s not to say that they don’t possess skilled players, because they certainly do.

Olen Zellweger is one of their most promising blueliners, and he stands just 5-foot-10. He is just one of two players who come in under six-feet that are projected to be on the roster come October. The trade of Trevor Zegras just further cemented the Ducks' philosophy of building with hard, heavy skill.

One player who brings the size that they love while bringing a level of finesse and pure skill is last year’s third overall pick, Beckett Sennecke. The 6-foot-4 right winger has the ability to absolutely dance defenders with the puck on his stick en route to the net. He draws pressure and makes plays out of it. He doesn’t have much to prove at the OHL level, even though he has one more year of eligibility, so there’s a possibility we see him in the NHL to start the season.

After starting this past season in the ECHL, Sasha Pastujov earned his way back onto the AHL roster, and he produced at over a point per game in 43 games with 17 goals and 28 assists. Pastujov is a tactician who slows the game down and tries to play within the pockets of space. He is going to have to find a way to increase his pace if he wants to play at the NHL level but his offensive tools are NHL caliber.

Roger McQueen, drafted 10th overall in the 2025 NHL draft, immediately becomes one of the Ducks’ top prospects. The shooting talent and puckhandling that comes in a 6-foot-6 frame is insane to think about. He isn’t the fleetest of foot, but with his length and reach, McQueen can weave his way through the neutral zone and find his spot in the offensive zone.

On the back end, the Ducks have some really nice prospects to go along with Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov, who are already on the NHL roster. 

Tristan Luneau has developed and grown so much since being drafted. Healthy once again after a tough year the season before, Luneau played most of the year in the AHL and put up 52 points in 59 games. He should get a longer look with the big club in the fall. The question will be whether he has the room to flourish, as Mintyukov and Zellweger have the offensive capability to run the power play. 

Stian Solberg joined the San Diego Gulls at the tail end of this past season and looked quite good in the AHL. His physicality has always been the calling card, but Solberg has become more confident with the puck. He’s coming off a fantastic World Championship for Norway, and he could parlay that into a fantastic first full North American season. 

Rounding out the top names still in the pipeline, Tarin Smith plays a very solid two-way game. He was more comfortable dictating play and driving into the zone with the puck, which allowed him to use his solid shot more often. Defensively, he was reading play more effectively and using his mobility and size to kill play. He will likely be in the WHL for another year, but he should make his AHL debut after his season in Everett ends.

Key U-23 Players Likely To Play NHL Games This Season

Leo Carlsson (C), Mason McTavish (C), Cutter Gauthier (LW), Beckett Sennecke (RW), Olen Zellweger (D), Pavel Mintyukov (D), Tristan Luneau (D)

2025 NHL Draft Class

Round 1, 10th overall - Roger McQueen, C, Brandon (WHL)

Round 2, 45th overall - Eric Nilson, C, Djurgarden Jr. (Swe.)

Round 2, 60th overall - Lasse Boelius, D, Assat Jr. (Fin.)

Round 3, 72nd overall - Noah Read, C, London (OHL)

Round 4, 101st overall - Drew Schock, D, U.S. NTDP (USHL)

Round 4, 104th overall - Elijah Neuenschwander, G, Fribourg Jr. (Sui.)

Round 5, 136th overall - Alexis Mathieu, D, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)

Round 5, 159th overall - Emile Guite, LW, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)

Round 6, 168th overall - Anthony Allain-Samake, D, Sioux City (USHL)

Round 7, 200th overall - Brady Turko, RW, Brandon (WHL)

One of the biggest questions heading into the 2025 NHL draft was where McQueen would land after playing in just 20 games because of a back injury. His puck skill and shooting talent are undoubtedly impressive. He must improve his pace and skating, and the injury is a major concern. Big, physical players who have back injuries this early in their careers are always scary. The upside is almost as massive as McQueen is, but so is the risk. 

Anaheim’s pick of Eric Nilson in the second round was one of my personal favorites at the draft. Nilson is a highly intelligent center who connects play and drives the puck positively. He plays an excellent two-way game as well, reading and cutting off play in his own zone as well as almost anyone in the draft. Nilson must bulk up and fill out his frame, but the skill, 200-foot prowess and playmaking are all evident when you watch the Swede play. 

Lasse Boelius was one of the more underrated defenders in the draft. He has decent size and high-level mobility. The base of his game comes from his skating, where he can win puck races and escape forecheckers in his own end. He shadows well, and as his reads improve, his defensive game should round out. Offensively, Boelius is more of a facilitator than a playmaker, but he isn’t a dead zone as some defenders are. His growth and development will be one of the more interesting storylines to follow among the Ducks’ draft class. 

The Ducks are banking on Noah Read to explode this upcoming season with an expanded role after playing on a loaded London squad that won the Memorial Cup. He’s a high-energy player who brings a bit of physicality. He has a good release, and the hope is he can show it off more now that London will need him to step up. 

The Ducks drafted the USA Hockey National Team Development Program’s top-scoring defender this past season, Drew Schock. Despite it being a down year for the program, Schock showed some impressive flashes of puck-moving ability on the breakout and at the offensive blueline. He must refine his defensive game and leverage his skating a bit better, but Schock is a solid project pick in the fourth round. 

Big Swiss goaltender Elijah Neuenschwander split this past season between the junior and second-level men’s leagues in Switzerland. He has excellent size, and he moves fairly well. He must refine some technical aspects, but he has the building blocks of a potential NHL netminder. Anaheim has a fairly good track record of developing netminders, so Neuenschwander could be the next in line. 

Drafting Alexis Mathieu is a bet on a mean streak that can be reined in when needed. He won’t be mistaken for a puck-mover, but his defensive game is what the Ducks hope he can build on. Mathieu’s tendency to try to put his opponents through the boards is what clearly attracted Anaheim here. Improved reads and tracking will be a necessity.

A disappointing season in the QMJHL saw Emile Guite’s point totals cut nearly in half from 57 as a rookie to just 30 this past year. Guite is a very good spot-up shooter who can find his pockets and unleash his shot, but this past year, he just didn’t have the help around him to get him the puck consistently, and he was asked to play a bigger role than his skill set would allow. Anaheim is hoping to see a return to form, and a fifth-round bet isn’t a bad time to take a risk. 

Anthony Allain-Samake is one of the youngest players in the draft, and his toolset is raw but incredibly promising. He’s got a good frame that he will need to fill out, and his mobility is quite impressive, which gives him an incredibly solid base to build from. He shows flashes of high-end play at both ends of the ice, and his upside is as high as any mid-late round pick in this draft. Allain-Samake might have been the Ducks' best value pick of the draft.

The Ducks went young with another late pick, selecting Brady Turko from the Wheat Kings in the WHL. After playing U-18 AAA hockey, he made the jump to the WHL and put up 26 points in a depth role this past season. Turko has some skill and some nice off-puck habits, and there is ample room for growth. 

Strengths

Anaheim’s prospect pipeline has quickly become one of the best in the NHL. They have depth all over and a good variety of skill sets in nearly every position. 

Their defenders range from big, physical presences to skilled puck-movers. The forward group has depth down the middle with size and skill. They have wingers who bring playmaking ability and others with great goal-scoring habits. They even have a few interesting goalies in the system. 

The strength of Anaheim’s system is that it has depth throughout with players who can play up and down the lineup. 

Weaknesses

Although this is just the first installment of our summer NHL prospect pool overview series, the Ducks will be one of the few teams deemed to have no true major weakness in their pipeline. 

You could nitpick and point out the left wing is a bit weak with no surefire studs, but with their depth of centers in the pipeline and on the roster, there will likely be a couple of them who move to the wing. The Ducks are building a very solid foundation of high-quality talent. Developing them and ensuring they are in a position to succeed is the next step. 

Hidden Gem: Herman Traff, RW

The Ducks acquired Traff in a trade with the New Jersey Devils in exchange for defenseman Brian Dumoulin at this past trade deadline. Traff is exactly the type of intense, physical forward the Ducks seem to want in their bottom six. 

Traff played most of this past season at the top men’s level in Sweden, and his offensive game was limited there, but he showed he was much more capable of using his offensive tools at the second level. The 19-year-old has plenty of runway, and he shows power-forward flashes and excellent off-puck instincts at both ends of the ice. Traff could play an important role on the third line in a couple of years.

Next Man Up: Beckett Sennecke, RW

We could have gone with Luneau here, and he may very well be an NHL player when the season opens. But with the addition of Jacob Trouba and a fairly strong defense group, it may be difficult for Luneau to gain a steady footing unless he unseats a player like Drew Helleson. As for Sennecke, there is a possibility the Ducks' top prospect joins the NHL club to start the season. 

His OHL numbers have been fantastic, putting up 86 points in 56 regular-season games, followed by 32 in 28 playoff games. Sennecke’s Oshawa Generals may take a slight step back from contender status, and the Ducks could use an infusion of the skill and pace that Sennecke brings. 

Although the Ducks just signed Mikael Granlund, they could still look to add a top-six right winger. Alex Killorn is aging and hasn’t hit the 40-point mark in a few years, while Troy Terry seems destined for a third-line role or even a possible trade. Sennecke could bring the skill element the Ducks sorely need after trading Zegras. Even if he heads back to junior after a quick nine-game stint, don’t be surprised to see Sennecke on the NHL roster to open the season. 

Prospect Depth Chart Notables

LW: Sasha Pastujov, Alexandre Blais, Lucas Pettersson, Nico Myatovic, Emile Guite

C: Roger McQueen, Eric Nilson, Nathan Gaucher, Noah Reed, Jan Mysak

RW: Beckett Sennecke, Herman Traff, Yegor Sidorov, Austin Burnevik, Brady Turko

LD: Stian Solberg, Tarin Smith, Anthony Allain-Samake, Tyson Hinds, Darels Uljanskis

RD: Tristan Luneau, Noah Warren, Ian Moore 

G: Tomas Suchanek, Elijah Neuenshwander, Damian Clara

For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook and Future Watch editions of The Hockey News in print.

Rylan Fellinger, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ sixth-round selection (185th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft, had a quite unique draft experience: he wasn't at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles when his name was called. Instead, the 6-foot-4, 200-pound defenseman was in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, attending his high school prom.

Fellinger recounted how he learned of his selection. He had tried not to pay attention to the draft, but his teammate and friend from their Sault Ste. Marie AAA U18 days, Hudson Chitaroni, was streaming it.

“I just wanted to clear my mind a little bit, and he was just watching it,” Fellinger recalled. “Then the Leafs were up with the next pick, and I saw my name, and I was going crazy. I couldn't even believe it. I was just running around. People, I think, might have thought I was crazy or something, but yeah, it was awesome.”

Fellinger was the first defenseman chosen by the Leafs in the 2025 NHL Draft, after Toronto made four consecutive selections at the forward spot.

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Maple Leafs’ Director of Amateur Scouting Mark Leach described Fellinger as a big, “rangy” defenseman who uses his size to box out opponents. Leach also admitted that Fellinger will have to work on his game.

Fellinger described the rest of the day with reporters after the first day of on-ice sessions at Maple Leafs development camp at Ford Performance Centre on Thursday. He also described what it was like working with former Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin, who is coaching some of the defensive prospects.

Q: What was the rest of the night like?

Fellinger:  Oh, it was just like, I couldn't even describe it. It was, I didn't even know what to think at that point. I was just so out of it. I was so excited. So many emotions going through my mind. I could see my family out here as well, and it was an awesome experience.

Q Did you have a date?

Fellinger: Yeah.

Q: What was her reaction?

Fellinger: Oh, I think she was crazier than me. She was going crazy. She was so happy for me and it was awesome.

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Q: When you found out that the draft and prom would coincide, were you always going to attend prom anyway?

Fellinger: Yeah, I was if, but like, I still wanted to see all my childhood friends. They've been with me since the start. They've always had my back. I really wanted to spend the day with them. They're always there for me and to celebrate with them was just an unreal experience.

Q: What's the name of the school?

Fellinger: Cora Collegiate. In the Soo.

Q: Did someone make an announcement at the prom that you'd been drafted?

Fellinger: They wanted to, but I didn't want to ruin the whole night. I didn't want to make it all about me.

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Q: What was the phone call like from Brad(Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving)? He said he could hear music on in the background. Like what was that like?

Fellinger: Yeah, I tried to get away from everyone 'cause everyone was screaming and everything and uh I was I was trying to keep the calm and but people were just going crazy and I couldn't help it.

Q: Have you had a 'Welcome to the Leafs' moment yet?

Fellinger: Well, everyone has been welcoming here. Like, even my teammates, I haven't even met them, but they all feel like brothers to me. It's so unreal here. It's amazing.

Q: Who did you cheer for growing up, were you a Leafs fan

Fellinger:  Yeah, I was always a Leads fan with my dad and my grandpa, obviously. We were always cheering for them. But I was a really big big Sidney Crosby fan. I always loved to see his journey and I was definitely a big Leafs fan.

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Q: What did your dad think?

Fellinger: “He was going crazy. I haven't seen tears from that guy in so long. And just seeing that, it was such a surreal experience.

Q: And now you're here. What stood out about the first on-ice session?

Fellinger: “it's just a lot to take in. It's about learning new experiences, learning all the new coaching staff, and just the new drills that we get to see, seeing where I can improve on, and just start from there.

Q: What's it like getting tips from Jake Muzzin?

Fellinger: Ah, it's awesome. Yeah, I love that. Anything that comes from him is always is always a great experience. I love taking things from him.

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Q: What were you guys working on there at the end (of the session?

Fellinger: We were just working on boxing out guys. I think I just need to hit the hips more instead of hitting higher because it's a lot easier to just bring them onto the boards and yeah.

Q: How far back did your grandfather go as a Leaf fan? Do you know what era?

I'm not sure. Yeah, I'm not really too sure about that. Probably a long time ago, for sure.

(Photo Credit: Toronto Maple Leafs on YouTube)

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NHL clubs did not hesitate in going wild in the opening week of free agency, with a number of signings that were the product of an increasing salary cap and a pool of unrestricted free agents thin on centers, top-four defensemen, and scoring forwards. One of the more prominent names still unsigned after four days is former Buffalo Sabre Jeff Skinner.

The 33-year-old was bought out of the final three years of his eight-year, $72 million contract last June and quickly signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Edmonton Oilers. Skinner was thought to be an option for the Oilers in their top-six playing alongside either Leon Draisaitl or Connor McDavid with another former Sabre Evander Kane expected out for the entire regular season.  

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That opportunity did not come to fruition with the Oilers, as the former 40-goal scorer played mostly a secondary role in the bottom-six, and dropping from 24 goals in Buffalo to 16 with the Oilers. After playing the first postseason game of his 15-year career against Los Angeles in the first round, Skinner was replaced by Kane in the lineup and did not get back into the Edmonton lineup until the Western Conference Final against Dallas, when replaced the injured Zach Hyman.

Skinner scored his first playoff goal in the clinching game against the Stars and three of the six games in the loss to Florida in the Stanley Cup Final. There has been no indication whether the Oilers will re-sign the veteran winger, but after re-signing Trent Frederic, Kasperi Kapanen, and adding Andrew Mangiapane and Curtis Lazar as UFA’s earlier this week, Edmonton has less than $200,000 in cap space and may have closed the door on a return to Alberta.    

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