Monthly Archives: July 2025

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The Best Active NHL Players Who Were Never Drafted

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The NHL draft took place a couple of weeks ago, and GMs across the league made big decisions by selecting players they believe will help their respective teams in the future.

However, plenty of players don’t get selected and go undrafted, and despite not getting drafted by an NHL team, their hockey career certainly isn’t over. Some pan out to be NHL all-stars, award winners and Stanley Cup champions.

Here’s a short list of some of the best active undrafted players in the NHL today.

Sergei Bobrovsky, G, Florida Panthers

Sergei Bobrovsky is arguably the best, if not one of the best, goaltenders in the NHL right now. He’s coming off a second-straight Stanley Cup victory with the Florida Panthers. Those two Cups put Bobrovsky on a path to potentially get into the Hockey Hall of Fame with him already owning two Vezina Trophies from 2013 and 2017.

After two incredible seasons in the KHL playing for his hometown Novokuznetsk, Bobrovsky signed his three-year entry-level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers in May 2010. 

The Russian netminder was a force right out of the gate. In his NHL debut, he led the Flyers to a win against their state rivals Pittsburgh Penguins. He recorded a .935 save percentage and allowed just two goals in a 3-2 win.

Fast forward 15 years later and Bobrovsky has the most career wins recorded by a Russian goalie in NHL history. In addition, he’s 10th on the all-time list for wins with a chance to climb the list next season in the final year of his contract. Matching last year’s 33 wins would take him up to sixth, surpassing Henrik Lundqvist’s 459 wins. 

Artemi Panarin, LW, New York Rangers

One of the premier offensive talents in the NHL, Artemi Panarin, entered the league as a 24-year-old rookie. He signed a two-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks in April 2015 and took off from there.

Panarin is one of the few players to win the Calder Trophy as an undrafted player. He scored 30 goals and 77 points in his first campaign, including a debut goal against the New York Rangers, the team he currently plays for.

Artemi Panarin (Robert Edwards-Imagn Images)

Following two years in Chicago, he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he would play another two seasons. After that, he signed a big ticket deal with the Rangers, inking a seven-year, $11.6-million per-season contract on July 1, 2019. 

With that contract, Panarin became the second-highest paid player in the NHL at the time by average annual value, only behind Connor McDavid. The 33-year-old proved his worth, recording four 90-point seasons in his six years in Manhattan, including a 120-point campaign in 2023-24.

Logan Thompson, G, Washington Capitals

Logan Thompson has played in several different leagues and divisions in his journey to becoming an NHL goaltender. 

Starting in the WHL, he played parts of four seasons for the Brandon Wheat Kings, and during those four years, he played 22 games for the Grande Prairie Storm of the AJHL. After his junior hockey career, Thompson played one season for Brock University in U Sports.

Since then, he has played 40 ECHL games and 50 AHL games before he became an NHL regular in 2021-22 with the Vegas Golden Knights. Eventually, he was traded to the Washington Capitals in June 2024.

Last season, Thompson stamped his name on the list of top goaltenders in the NHL. In 43 regular-season appearances, he recorded a 2.49 goals-against average and a .910 SP. 

During that campaign, he registered an incredible streak where he went unbeaten in regulation for 16 straight games. This run came shortly after he wasn’t listed on Canada’s roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Now, he’s one of the top goalies in the league and is within reach of representing Team Canada at the 2026 Olympics. 

Honorable Mentions

Chris Tanev, D, Toronto Maple Leafs

Neal Pionk, D, Winnipeg Jets

Jonathan Marchessault, C, Nashville Predators

Mats Zuccarello, RW, Minnesota Wild

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NHL Rumors: 2 Under-The-Radar Penguins Trade Candidates

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The Pittsburgh Penguins are the most popular team in the rumor mill right now. It is understandable, as Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson are currently considered three of the top trade candidates in the league.

While there is a real chance that we could see a few of the Penguins' top players on the move, they also have some under-the-radar trade candidates to keep an eye on. Let's discuss two of them now. 

Blake Lizotte 

Blake Lizotte is entering the final season of his contract and could be a player to watch because of it. There certainly could be some interest in him if he is made available, as he is a solid bottom-six center who chips in a bit offensively, kills penalties, and isn't afraid of the physical side of the game. His reasonable $1.85 million cap hit also adds to his appeal. 

Teams in need of a bottom-six center could call the Penguins about Lizotte, whether that is during this off-season or at the 2026 trade deadline. In 59 games last season with Pittsburgh, the 27-year-old recorded 11 goals, 20 points, 60 hits, and a minus-4 rating. 

Danton Heinen 

Danton Heinen is another Penguins forward entering the final year of his deal who could make sense for Pittsburgh to shop. He had a down 2024-25 season split between the Vancouver Canucks and Penguins, as he recorded nine goals and 29 points in 79 games. However, he notably bounced back a bit after being traded to Pittsburgh, posting 11 points, and a plus-3 rating in 28 games. 

When playing at his best, Heinen is capable of providing solid offensive production to go along with steady two-way play. Just back in 2023-24 with the Boston Bruins, he had 17 goals and 36 points in 74 games. If he bounces back next season and puts up numbers like this, he could be a popular trade chip for Pittsburgh to make available at the deadline. 

Penguins' Low-Risk Move Could Pay Off Big TimePenguins' Low-Risk Move Could Pay Off Big TimeThe Pittsburgh Penguins have brought in multiple new players so far this off-season. This includes forward Anthony Mantha, as the Penguins signed the veteran winger to a one-year contract that carries a $2.5 million cap hit. It also comes with an extra $2 million of potential performance bonuses.

photo credit: © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

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Anton Frondell Will Sign With Blackhawks, Play 2025-26 In Sweden

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The Chicago Blackhawks selected Swedish Forward Anton Frondell with the third overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. He is immediately one of the top three prospects in the organization, with the ceiling of a top-six NHL center. 

Over the weekend, a report from Swedish media site Expressen said that Frondell would be signing with the Chicago Blackhawks. He won't, however, play in the NHL right away. He will return to Sweden to play for  Djurgårdens of the SHL. 

Djurgårdens has moved up to the highest level of the SHL, so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise to anyone that Frondell will return for another year. The Blackhawks have been good about developing players who need it away from the NHL. 

Going up against stiffer SHL competition and a chance to play for Sweden in the World Junior Championships will be great for him. 

Part of this report suggests that Frondell won't attend training camp, but all of that needs to be confirmed by the team. Either way, he will be in a good spot for his first year following the draft as he looks to become a star in the best league in the world. It will take time, but he's taking the wise road. 

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

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Florida Panthers’ Physicality And Talent Produced A Cup. Is It A Trend?

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Did the 2024-25 Florida Panthers start a trend en route to their second-straight Stanley Cup?

Time will tell, but the Panthers were an NHL anomaly – a hard-checking team that was both talented and tough, a rare combination for a champion.

Since the days when the Philadelphia Flyers were known as the Broad Street Bullies in the 1970s, few teams have led the league in penalty minutes and won the Stanley Cup.

Going back 50-plus years, there have been only five teams that won the Cup after leading the league in penalty minutes during the regular season.

Those five teams: This year’s Panthers, the 2020-21 Tampa Bay Lightning, the 2006-07 Anaheim Ducks and the Flyers in 1973-74 and 1974-75. The Panthers, who were 10th in the NHL with 21 fights this season, didn’t get into nearly as many scraps as those Flyers teams, but they didplay with an aggressive, hell-bent style.

All five of the aforementioned teams did more than flex their muscles and play with a physical edge. Much more. They all had several standouts to complement their chippy players.

Let’s take a look:

1973-74 Philadelphia Flyers

The physical members of the Broad Street Bullies – Dave (Hammer) Schultz, Bob (Hound) Kelly, Andre (Moose) Dupont and Don (Big Bird) Saleski – received most of the publicity, but the Flyers oozed with talent. Bobby Clarke, Bill Barber, Rick MacLeish and Ross Lonsberry each had 30-plus goals, Bernie Parent was the league’s best goalie (1.89 goals-against average, .932 save percentage), and the defense was superb, especially at clearing bodies in front of the net.

The defense was anchored by Barry Ashbee (plus-53), Dupont (plus-34), Jimmy Watson (plus-33), Ed Van Impe (plus-31), Joe Watson (plus-28) and Tom Bladon (plus-25). The Flyers had seven players with more than 100 penalty minutes, led by Schultz (348 minutes) and Dupont (216).

1974-75 Philadelphia Flyers  

The Flyers were in the middle of a span in which they led the league in penalty minutes a staggering 11 straight times. But they also topped the NHL in fewest goals allowed and used the same formula as the previous season to win another Cup.

Brawn, plus talent, equaled sensational results. In addition, the Flyers added hard-shooting right winger Reggie Leach, and he responded with a team-leading 45 goals. Schultz topped the NHL with 472 penalty minutes, and most of the players, like this year’s Panthers, played with an edge and an unparalleled intensity.

2006-07 Anaheim Ducks

Anaheim started the year at +1200 to win the Cup, but they overcame the odds with hard-nosed play, timely scoring, and excellent goaltending and defense. Though the Ducks’ league-leading 1,457 penalty minutes paled in comparison to the Flyers’ total in 1974-75 (1,955), they played with a physical nature that was keyed by Shane O’Brien, George Parros, Travis Moen, Sean O’Donnell, Chris Pronger, Brad May, Shawn Thornton and the Niedermayer brothers, Scott and Rob.

Pronger (plus-27), playing in his first season in Anaheim, anchored the defense, ageless Teemu Selanne scored a team-leading 48 goals, and goalies Jean-Sebastien Giguere (2.26 GAA, .918 SP) and Ilya Bryzgalov (2.47 GAA, .907 SP) were terrific. The Ducks also had a strong penalty kill, which was needed because Anaheim was shorthanded 121 times in 21 playoff games that year, killing 86.8 percent of the infractions.

2020-21 Tampa Bay Lightning

In a regular season shortened to 56 games because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tampa Bay won the Cup after a regular season in which it led the NHL with a modest 597 penalty minutes. Pat Maroon (60 minutes), Barclay Goodrow (52) and Luke Schenn (51) were the penalty leaders for the Bolts, who won the Cup more on scoring and goaltending than their physical play.

Andrei Vasilevskiy (2.21 GAA, .925 SP) was brilliant in net, and five players scored at least 15 goals, led by Brayden Point (23), Steven Stamkos (17) and Yanni Gourde (17). Nikita Kucherov, who missed the regular season after undergoing hip surgery, had a league-best 32 points in 23 playoff games.  In the Finals, the Lightning outscored the Canadiens, 17-8, as they coasted in five games.

2024-25 Florida Panthers

The Sunshine Bullies topped the NHL with 853 penalty minutes in the regular season, then led the league, by far, with 370 penalty minutes in the playoffs. A punishing, physical style was part of the Panthers’ trademark, and the team became even chippier after it acquired Brad Marchand in March, sending Boston a conditional second-round selection in the 2027 draft.

In short, the Panthers were hard to play against. They won board battles, outmuscled opponents for pucks, and flourished with their physical style of play. The Panthers were also second in the NHL in penalty minutes in 2023-24, a year in which they won their first Cup.

A.J. Greer, Sam Bennett and Niko Mikkola were the Cats’ penalty-minute leaders in the regular season, but most of the team played with an edge and gave opponents little time or space on the ice. Sam Reinhart (39 goals, 81 points), Aleksander Barkov (20 goals, 71 points), Matthew Tkachuk (22 goals), Carter Verhaeghe (20 goals) Bennett (25 goals) and Marchand (10 goals in 23 playoff games) led the offense.

The Florida Panthers pose for a photo with the Stanley Cup after winning Game 6 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

Meanwhile, the D got strong performances from Gustav Forsling, Dmitry Kulikov, Mikkola, Aaron Ekblad and Nate Schmidt. And, as with all the teams on this list, the goaltending was top-notch. Sergei Bobrovsky, a future Hall of Famer, had a 2.44 GAA and .905 save percentage in the regular season, then was even better in the playoffs (2.20 GAA, .914 SP).

It all added up to another Cup, and it will be interesting to see if other teams try to copy their formula.

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NHL Trade Rumors: 3 Potential Center Targets For Canadiens

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After taking a nice step forward during the 2024-25 season, the Montreal Canadiens have been busy this summer. They acquired Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders and Zack Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues in two notable trades. However, the possibility of them making another splash before the season is here should not be ruled out. 

When looking at the Canadiens' current roster, it is apparent that they could use an upgrade at the second-line center spot. Due to this, let's look at three potential trade targets for the Canadiens who could help them on that front. 

Marco Rossi, Minnesota Wild 

Marco Rossi has been the subject of trade rumors this off-season, and he would be a nice player for the Canadiens to bring in. The 2020 ninth-overall pick just put together a strong 2024-25 season with the Minnesota Wild, posting new career highs with 24 goals, 36 assists, and 60 points in 82 games. With numbers like these, he would certainly give the Canadiens a boost at the 2C spot.

Furthermore, with Rossi being only 23 years, he is young enough where he could improve further and be a long-term part of the Canadiens' core. However, it is also important to note that he is currently a restricted free agent (RFA), so he is due for a raise from his previous $863,334 cap hit. 

Mason McTavish, Anaheim Ducks 

Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish is another young center who has come up in the rumor mill this off-season. Like Rossi, he is currently an RFA and would be a significant pickup for a team on the rise like the Canadiens. The 6-foot-1 forward is continuing to trend in the right direction, as he posted new career highs with 22 goals, 30 assists, 52 points, and 70 hits in 76 games in 2024-25.

McTavish's potential, skill, and size would make him a perfect addition for the Canadiens. However, it would need to take a very big offer for the Ducks to even consider trading McTavish, as he is one of their most promising young players. Thus, this is a move that would be harder for the Canadiens to pull off. 

Pavel Zacha, Boston Bruins 

The Canadiens and Boston Bruins made their first trade since 2001 at this year's draft, as they swapped picks. While these big-time rivals rarely do business together, Pavel Zacha is a center who could make sense for the Canadiens to pursue. 

Zacha has come up as a trade candidate often since this past trade deadline as the Bruins continue to retool their roster. During this past season with Boston, he posted 14 goals and 47 points in 82 games. This was after he recorded 57 points in 2022-23 and 59 points in 2023-24, so he is capable of producing solid offense. This and his strong two-way play could make him a nice pickup for the Canadiens' 2C spot. 

Zacha also has a very reasonable $4.75 million contract until the end of the 2026-27 season, which only adds to his appeal.

Canadiens: Zharovsky Starts His Season With Big Win In KHL TournamentCanadiens: Zharovsky Starts His Season With Big Win In KHL TournamentIf Ivan Demidov gave a good show on Saturday night in Boisbriand, the Montreal Canadiens’ first pick at the last draft did the same thing earlier in the day. Second-round pick and 34th overall selection Alexander Zharovsky started his KHL year with a win at the league’s three-on-three tournament with his team, Salavat Yulaev Ufa.

Photo Credit: © Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

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The Slash That Cody Glass Will Never Let Jacob Markstrom Forget

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Just under three months ago, the New Jersey Devils were down 3–1 to the Carolina Hurricanes when goaltender Jacob Markstrom, frustrated, appeared to take a swing with his stick at the player in front of his net. But he missed who he appeared to be going for, Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov, and instead slashed his teammate, Cody Glass. To this day, Glass hasn’t let Markstrom forget it.

The date was April 20, 2025. Earlier in the game, veteran defenseman Brenden Dillon had exited after a collision with a Hurricanes player. Later, defenseman Luke Hughes ended up in the back of the net following another hit. He injured his shoulder but managed to play through it.

Things were unraveling quickly for New Jersey. They were trailing on the scoreboard, already down one defenseman, had another who somehow ended up in the net, and it was only Game 1 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

As Svechnikov tried to make it 4–1, he fired a shot at Markstrom, who made the save and then attempted to retaliate by swinging his stick. Unbeknownst to him, Cody Glass was skating across the crease at that very moment. Markstrom, facing the other direction, didn’t see him.

Glass ended up taking the full brunt of the slash, which looked like it was intended for Svechnikov. He immediately dropped to the ice and left the game.

Now missing two defensemen, the Devils couldn’t mount a comeback. Svechnikov later got the goal he wanted, this time into an empty net with 2:30 remaining, sealing a 4–1 win for Carolina.

Speaking to NJD.TV the following Monday, Markstrom said, “Whatever everyone has been seeing, that is what happened. I mean, it is pretty clear-cut, and obviously, I feel really bad. It’s a situation that did not have to happen. It was a heat-of-the-moment play, unfortunately, and I felt bad for [Glass]. You don’t want to see or be the reason that anyone goes down.”

Fortunately for the Devils, Glass returned to play the remainder of the series, missing only the third period of Game 1. He suited up for all five games.

Unfortunately, the series ended just like Game 1 did: in a 4–1 win for the Hurricanes. The Devils managed to take only one game, Game 3, and were eliminated in the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Reflecting on the series, Glass said, “Obviously, I wish it could have gone a lot better. It’s something I think about all the time, but I think it’s also something that’s going to drive me this summer.”

Now, three months later, the Devils have signed Glass to a two-year, $5 million contract. Though there was uncertainty about whether the team would re-sign him, New Jersey ultimately decided to keep him around and signed him on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.

“I wanted to stay [in New Jersey] the whole time,” Glass told reporters. “I’m glad it got done.”

The goaltender and the 26-year-old center will now share the ice again this season. And Cody Glass may never let Jacob Markstrom live down what happened in Game 1. The accidental slash to Glass’s midsection came up again in the wake of his signing.

“Marky is one of the greatest guys of all time,” Glass said with a smile, “besides the time when he slashed me, but that was kind of my fault.”

It was only Glass’s fourth playoff game ever, having played three postseason games previously with the Vegas Golden Knights and the Nashville Predators.

Now, the focus shifts forward. Both Glass and Markstrom will aim to help the Devils return to the playoffs, and this time, make a deeper run without any friendly fire.

Photo Credit: © Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images