It’s official, Canadian defenseman and former New Jersey Devils first-round pick Ty Smith has signed a one-year contract with Belarus-based KHL club Dinamo Minsk.

Rumors circulated earlier this week that the 2018 first-rounder would be leaving the NHL after five seasons in the league.

Smith initially made a strong impression in his rookie season (2020–21). After being selected 17th overall, he was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team, tallying 23 points in 48 games. The following season, he recorded 20 points in 66 games.

However, his rookie year ultimately marked the peak of his NHL career. After 2020, his production began to decline. He saw a reduction in playing time and was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins after one more season with the Devils. Smith played just nine games for the Penguins, spending most of the season in the AHL, before being traded again, this time to the Carolina Hurricanes.

In total, Smith played 131 NHL games across five seasons and three teams, never matching the numbers from his debut campaign. Now, at 25, he’s officially headed to the KHL.

He turned 25 on July 1, qualifying him as an AHL veteran under league rules.

Smith spent most of last season with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, where he posted 28 points in 36 games and appeared in eight NHL games with the Hurricanes.

In free agency, the Hurricanes left him unprotected. He became an unrestricted free agent (UFA) and has now opted to continue his career overseas.

According to Belarushockey.com, Smith signed a one-year deal worth $500,000 with Dinamo Minsk.

Russian sports site Championat.com confirmed the signing on Thursday, as did the team via Telegram.

His future beyond next season remains uncertain. While there’s a chance Smith could return to the NHL, there’s currently no indication of a comeback.

Seven years ago, he was a top prospect, a first-round pick expected to be a cornerstone of the Devils' blue line.

Had he sustained his rookie-level performance, Smith might be skating alongside Hughes, Hamilton, and Nemec today.

Instead, at just 25, he departs the NHL in search of a fresh start internationally.

Photo Credit: © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Hockey News' Tony Ferrari is currently putting together his 2025-26 prospect pool overview for each NHL team, and recently, he covered the Florida Panthers, who received a fair bit of praise.

When teams are winning Stanley Cups, their prospect pool is usually on the weaker side, as they often trade many of their draft picks and prospects for NHL-caliber players to bolster their roster. While that has been true for the Panthers, they've done an adamant job of keeping some pieces who could carve out roles in the future, even if they don't project to be future star players.

Jack Devine headlined Ferrari's overview, who he believes is the next man up after Mackie Samoskevich graduated to a full-time NHL player last season. Devine is a 6-foot right-winger who doesn't play a very flashy game, but is aggressive on the forecheck and forces his way into high-danger scoring areas. 

After four standout seasons at the University of Denver, which included two National Championship wins, Devine is expected to play the 2025-26 season in the AHL with the Charlotte Checkers, where he has already garnered some experience. 

Sandis Vilmanis and Linus Eriksson were the next two Panther prospects to get rave reviews from Ferrari. Vilmanis completed his first professional season in North America, scoring nine goals and 27 points in 61 AHL games. The 6-foot-2 Latvian winger has a very strong shot and great hands in tight, which gives the 21-year-old projectable NHL skills.

Eriksson had a strong season defensively in Sweden, but the offensive part of his game didn't really translate. The 19-year-old appears to have the game of a solid bottom-six NHL center, but the Panthers will likely hope Eriksson can push for more.

Gracyn Sawchyn continued to put up staggering offensive numbers in the WHL, notching 30 goals and 78 points this past season, leading the Edmonton Oil Kings in both statistics. His jump from the WHL to the AHL next season should tell more about how he projects, but there is a firm belief that his game can continue to improve. 

Ferrari believes Simon Zether is the Panthers' hidden gem. The 19-year-old is a two-way center who had a strong season with Vasteras in HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden's second league. He put up four goals and 12 points in 25 games, while continuing to be a physical presence and winning a majority of his puck battles. Listed at 6-foot-3, 194 pounds, the right-handed faceoff man could carve out a future NHL role as a bottom-six center if he continues his development path. 

Because the Panthers have been all in on winning Stanley Cups for the past three seasons, the draft picks they've expended finally caught up to them. At the 2025 NHL Draft, the Panthers did not make a selection until the fourth round. Each player they selected seemed to fit the mold of being very raw, which tends to happen when selecting in the middle rounds. 

NHL Prospect Pool Overview ’25-26: Florida Panthers’ Pipeline Isn’t Completely BarrenThe Florida Panthers are next up in our NHL prospect pool overview series.

Ferrari's Panthers' Prospect Pool Strengths:

"The Panthers’ one area of strength in their pipeline is on the wing. Even the players listed down the middle are more likely to find success at the pro level on the wing."

"Sawchyn is a highly skilled, pace-pushing forward who could be a fun winger. Vilmanis is getting closer to being an impact player in the pros. Devine very well could play NHL games this upcoming season. Drott is a raw, speedy forward with a great shot, but must refine things as he develops. They don’t have a star prospect in general, but they have a few wingers who could be effective depth pieces."

Ferrari's Panthers' Prospect Pool Weaknesses:

"The Panthers’ prospect pool as a whole is weaker than most, but it’s not nearly as barren as some would expect. With that said, the defense group is lacking in a major way."  

"Michael Benning is an unsigned RFA. Shuravin took a nice step last year, proving himself to be at least a capable puck-mover, but he played primarily at the Russian junior level. Vladislav Lukashevich transferred from Michigan State to Miami-Ohio this off-season as he couldn’t really secure a role with MSU. Evan Nause has struggled to break out of the ECHL over the last two seasons. There just doesn’t seem to be much in the way of NHL-caliber defenders in the system." 

Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard just completed his second NHL season, and it is hard not to be optimistic about his future with the Original Six club. In 82 games on the year, the 5-foot-10 forward set new career highs with 23 goals, 44 assists, and 67 points. When noting that he was only 19 years old throughout the entire 2024-25 campaign, this kind of production is quite impressive.

In two NHL seasons, Bedard has recorded 45 goals, 83 assists, and 128 points in 150 games. The 2023 first-overall pick is already a star, and he has now gotten some serious praise for his excellent play because of it. 

Nine writers at NHL.com voted for the 25 best players under 23 years old, and Bedard had the most voting points with 236. With this, he ranked ahead of fellow exciting young NHL stars like Macklin Celebrini (232 voting points), Lane Hutson (229 voting points), and Wyatt Johnston (217 voting points). 

Given how incredible a talent he is, it is understandable that Bedard ended up with the most voting points with this list. The potential for Bedard to become a legitimate superstar is certainly there, and it will be a blast to see what kind of season he puts together in 2025-26. The possibility of him producing over a point per game cannot be ruled out. 

Connor Bedard Had Very Impressive Pre-20s NHL ShowingConnor Bedard just turned 20 years old, so that means he can't tack on anymore points as a teenager. But given what he did on a bad Chicago Blackhawks team for his first two seasons in the NHL, it was very impressive.

Photo Credit:  © Matt Marton-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Penguins have had a busy off-season, as they have brought in multiple new players. One of them is goaltender Arturs Silovs, as the Penguins acquired him from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for forward Chase Stillman and a 2027 fourth-round pick earlier this month.

With the Penguins needing help between the pipes, bringing in a young goalie like Silovs was undoubtedly a smart move by the Metropolitan Division club. This is especially so when noting that they did not need to give up much at all to get him. 

As a young goalie, Silovs is naturally still adjusting to the NHL level. In 19 career regular-season games over three seasons, he has recorded an 8-8-2 record, a .880 save percentage, and a 3.13 goals-against average.

While Silovs has had some struggles in the NHL early on, he also notably had a solid post-season with Vancouver in 2024. During it, he helped lead the Canucks past the Nashville Predators in the first round and memorably had a 28-save shutout in Vancouver's series-clinching win. He also won three games during the Canucks' second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers that year. 

Silovs' outstanding post-season play this year in the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks was also very encouraging. In 24 games, he had a 16-7 record, a 2.01 goals-against, and a .931 save percentage. Due to his remarkable play, he helped Abbotsford win the Calder Cup, and he was the recipient of the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the AHL's playoff MVP. 

Given what Silovs has shown, especially during the playoffs, it is hard not to feel some optimism about his future. Bringing him in is an incredibly low-risk move for the Penguins, and the possibility of him emerging as a true NHL goalie is certainly there. If Silovs can build off his excellent 2025 AHL post-season, he could be a strong pickup for the Penguins. 

It will be fascinating to see what kind of season Silovs has in his first year with the Penguins organization from here. 

Exciting Penguins Prospect Named Among Top Young GoaliesThe Pittsburgh Penguins are hopeful that goaltender Joel Blomqvist will become a long-term answer for them between the pipes. It is understandable, as the 23-year-old has shown promise at the American Hockey League (AHL) level with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins early on in his career.

Photo Credit: © Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images

There’s a running joke in Philadelphia Flyers circles these days that GM Danny Brière is building a rehab clinic for Anaheim Ducks alumni.

From Jamie Drysdale to Trevor Zegras to now the mere whisper of interest in Mason McTavish, it’s starting to feel like Brière might be scouring Orange County for his next reclamation project like he’s shopping at a vintage store: looking for something young, well-made, slightly scuffed, but with timeless value.

But in McTavish’s case, the joke only goes so far. This isn’t a player who needs “fixing” so much as one who could thrive in a different system, under different expectations, with a more defined role—and in Philadelphia, that opportunity could be staring both sides in the face.

The Fit: A Natural Center for a Roster in Transition

First, the obvious: the Flyers need help down the middle. Sean Couturier is still a steady, solid option, but he's not getting any younger. Noah Cates and Christian Dvorak offer responsible two-way play, but that still leaves the depth chart somewhere in wading pool territory. And while there’s hope in young prospects like Jett Luchanko, there’s no denying that a long-term, high-upside, NHL-ready center is still a missing piece in Philadelphia’s rebuild.

Enter McTavish.

At 6-foot-1 and 219 pounds, McTavish brings an appealing blend of physicality, play-driving skill, and natural scoring ability. He’s a classic power center in the making—capable of bullying his way through defenders but also possessing the finesse to finish plays and quarterback a line. His hockey sense, especially in the offensive zone, pops off the screen. He’s hard on pucks, he hunts space, and he makes life miserable for defenders in the slot.

Mason McTavish is so casual with it 🤷‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/NxYipyrmRe

— NHL (@NHL) April 8, 2025

More than anything, he competes. That’s the hallmark of McTavish’s game. The Flyers, under new head coach Rick Tocchet, are preaching a system built on pace, structure, and relentless pressure. McTavish would slot into that identity seamlessly. He’s still just 22, but he already plays like someone with postseason scars and something to prove.

The Numbers: Room to Grow, But a Solid Foundation

Last season, McTavish quietly put up 52 points (22 goals, 30 assists) in 76 games on a Ducks team that was—let’s be honest—often unwatchable.

Yet McTavish still managed to put together respectable numbers, particularly in stretches when he was asked to drive play on his own. He logged just about 17 minutes a night, saw usage on both the power play and penalty kill, and finished with respectable underlying metrics given the team context.

With better linemates and more offensive structure, his ceiling could climb significantly.

A Trade That Makes Sense for Both Sides

The Ducks, reportedly, are listening—not shopping, but listening. That’s telling. It could mean they’re recalibrating their own vision of the rebuild. Or maybe they just see a chance to cash in before committing to a long-term extension.

Frank Seravalli: Re Mason McTavish: I think a change of scenery would be good for him, I think there's a lot of teams that are interested; some teams have tried to work on...an offer sheet - Bleacher Report (Jul 15)

— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) July 18, 2025

For the Flyers, the risk is worth exploring. Would a package built around someone like Egor Zamula, a first-round pick, and a secondary piece be enough to pry McTavish loose? Maybe not. (Although you have to consider that the Flyers clearly have a good working relationship with Anaheim, and Brière has proven that he can acquire a lot without having to give up too much in return. Case and point, getting Trevor Zegras for Ryan Poehling and a 2026 fourth-round pick—come on.) But that’s why you check in. That’s why you push. Because players like McTavish don’t become available very often.

Why It Works for McTavish, Too

There’s also a strong case to be made that a change of scenery could benefit McTavish just as much as it would help the Flyers.

Anaheim hasn't exactly been lauded for proper development of its talented young players (see: Zegras and Drysdale), and the entire team identity remains in flux under new head coach Joel Quenneville. It’s not hard to imagine McTavish being miscast in a role that doesn’t maximize his gifts, or simply yearning for a team with more ambition, structure, and more promise of postseason success. It might not be immediate gratification with the Flyers, but if we're making comparisons, the projections do, indeed, make it look more sunny in Philadelphia. 

On the East Coast, McTavish could grow into a clear-cut top-six center. He’d get powerplay time, he’d be leaned on defensively, and he’d have a head coach in Tocchet who values grit and hockey IQ in equal measure. And the Flyers’ emerging forward group—players like Zegras, Matvei Michkov, Tyson Foerster, even a Porter Martone or Denver Barkey in the near future—could complement McTavish beautifully, creating a dynamic offensive core for the coming years.

The Bigger Picture

This isn’t about collecting Ducks memorabilia. This is about vision—and acceleration. Brière has been clear that this rebuild won’t take a decade, nor will it be rushed. But sometimes, opportunity knocks at just the right time.

Mason McTavish is still scratching the surface of what he can be. If the Flyers believe in his trajectory—and if Anaheim is truly open to a deal—they owe it to themselves to be at the front of the line.

In the right context, McTavish could be the kind of player that strengthens your offense and lends you the invaluable advantage of having all lines be dangerous ones. He's relentless, talented, and on the cusp of becoming something special.

And if that next step happens to be in a slightly different shade of orange and black?

Even better.