Monthly Archives: July 2025

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St. Louis Blues Re-Sign Nikita Alexandrov

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The St. Louis Blues announced they have re-signed forward Nikita Alexandrov to a one-year, two-way contract. 

The contract will pay him $750,000 at the NHL level and $300,000 at the AHL level with a $350,000 guarantee. 

The 24-year-old recorded 21 goals and 49 goals in 48 games for the Springfield Thunderbirds last season. 

A second round selection of the Blues in 2019, Alexandrov has appeared in 51 career NHL games with the Blues and has three goals and six assists. 

The Burgwedel, Ger., native has been nearly a point per game player at the AHL level over the past three seasons and has 58 goals and 129 points in 170 career AHL games and 10 points in 23 Calder Cup Playoff games.

The Blues have a deep forward which will make it difficult for Alexandrov to make the team out of camp but he will be relied upon to drive the offense for the Thunderbirds. 

Check out our AHL Free Agency signing tracker here.  

Photo Credit: © Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images

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Top Six Under-25 Cores In The NHL

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The key to having a successful team in the NHL is drafting and developing young players so they can someday lead their team to glory, and some teams are way ahead of the game when it comes to young talent and a young core.

Here are the top six teams with the best under-25 cores in the NHL.

Montreal Canadiens

Cole Caufield (RW), Lane Hutson (D), Juraj Slafkovsky (LW), Alex Newhook (LW/C), Zack Bolduc (RW/C), Ivan Demidov (RW), Kaiden Guhle (D), Jakub Dobes (G)

The Montreal Canadiens have been increasingly threatening over the years, especially last season, when they made the playoffs after a three-year drought. 

However, GM Kent Hughes and the Habs are just getting started as they have plenty of fun years ahead of them with the young roster they’ve got.

According to eliteprospects.com, the Canadiens are the youngest team in the league for this upcoming campaign, with an average age of 25.35. Their U-25 core consists of several elite players, including Cole Caufield, who recorded his first 70-point season, and Lane Hutson, who is coming off a Calder Trophy-winning season.

With that, Martin St. Louis’ team has an abundance of skill around their main guys, and that’s what puts them at the top of the list.

The 2022 first-overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky, along with Alex Newhook, Ivan Demidov and newly acquired Zack Bolduc, completes a loaded top-nine forward group for Montreal.

On the back end, Kaiden Guhle joins Hutson and 31-year-old Mike Matheson to fill out the left side of the Habs’ defense. Since his NHL debut in 2022, Guhle has averaged 20:52 of ice time in the regular season and 21:48 in the 2025 playoffs.

In addition, goaltender Jakub Dobes had his coming-out party this season, recording a 2.74 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage.

Nick Suzuki, Lane Hutson and Cole Caufield (Eric Bolte-Imagn Images)

Anaheim Ducks

Leo Carlsson (C), Mason McTavish (C), Cutter Gauthier (LW), Jackson LaCombe (D), Pavel Mintyukov (D), Olen Zellweger (D)

The Anaheim Ducks have not qualified for the playoffs in the last seven seasons. However, with the setup of their young roster and season-by-season progression, Ducks fans might not have to wait long until they see the post-season again. 

Next season,  players such as Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier will all be one year older and a little more seasoned. All three of those forwards registered their first 20-goal seasons, with McTavish scoring the most points of the three with 52.

In addition to the trio of forwards, Anaheim has a loaded left side on the blueline with Jackson LaCombe, Olen Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov. LaCombe has led the way from the back end for the Ducks, scoring 14 goals and 43 points in his second full season.

Along with those three left-defensemen, Drew Helleson is set to suit up for his sophomore season after scoring 13 points in 56 appearances last year. These four defensemen complete two-thirds of Anaheim's blueline.

Ottawa Senators

Tim Stutzle (LW/C), Jake Sanderson (D), Ridly Greig (LW/C), Dylan Cozens (C), Leevi Merilainen (G)

Compared to other teams in this article, the Ottawa Senators have a shorter list of U-25 players. However, there is no shortage of quality in their young core as they hold some of the best U-25 players in the entire league.

In addition, during NHL.com’s “Young Stars Week,” they made rankings of the top 10 forwards, defensemen and goaltenders, and each list had a Senator on it.

On the forwards and defensemen list, Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson were ranked No.1 in their respective positions, and with great reason.

Stutzle and Sanderson are considered leaders on the Senators as much as captain Brady Tkachuk and veteran Claude Giroux are in terms of how they play on the ice.

Stutzle and Sanderson have the potential to compete for individual awards and milestones, with Sanderson finishing in the top 10 for Norris Trophy voting, while Stutzle is capable of reaching the 100-point mark over the years he has remaining in his young career.

With that, in the top 10 list of goaltenders under 25, Leevi Merilainen was ranked fourth on NHL.com’s list. The 22-year-old netminder is set to be Ottawa’s backup next season after recording a 1.99 GAA and .925 SP in 12 games last season.

It doesn’t stop there for the Senators as they have tremendous young center depth down their lineup. Ridly Greig and Dylan Cozens complete the Sens’ middle-six forward group with scoring and grit.

Philadelphia Flyers

Matvei Michkov (LW/RW), Trevor Zegras (LW/C), Bobby Brink (RW), Tyson Foerster (RW/LW), Jamie Drysdale (D), Cam York (D)

After a rough campaign last year, the youth of the Philadelphia Flyers will be looking to spark some new energy in Rick Tocchet’s first season behind the bench.

Leading the way in Philadelphia’s U-25 core is Matvei Michkov. The Russian was a top-five rookie in the NHL last season, equalling Macklin Celebrini’s 63 points for second-best in the league, and he also finished fourth in Calder Trophy voting.

Alongside him in the forward group is Trevor Zegras, who will be putting on the Flyers sweater for the first time next season after his trade from Anaheim. Zegras is looking to find his footing after his last two seasons were cut short.

Bobby Brink and Tyson Foerster continue to rise after they recorded their first 40-point seasons last year, with Foerster scoring 25 goals. The two wingers will look to solidify their roles in the top six in 2025-26 under Tocchet.

As for the blueline, Jamie Drysdale and Cam York highlight Philly’s young D-core. Drysdale was able to play 70 games in his first season with the Flyers last year. He’ll want to get his development back on track after missing a chunk of games in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns.

In some ways, York will also get a fresh start with a new voice behind the bench. Last season, there were reports about an altercation between York and former coach John Tortorella, which contributed to Tortorella’s firing. Now with Tocchet in play, York will have a chance to play more freely than before.

Utah Mammoth

Logan Cooley (C), Dylan Guenther (RW), JJ Peterka (RW)

The Utah Mammoth are an overlooked team at times, but with the elite young players they have, they won’t be an afterthought much longer. After finishing just seven points shy of a playoff spot, it’s not such a stretch to think Utah could make its first post-season appearance in franchise history next year.

Center Logan Cooley and right winger Dylan Guenther lead the way for the Mammoth’s young core. They both had breakout seasons with Cooley recording 25 goals and 65 points in 75 games, and Guenther scoring 27 goals and 60 points in 70 games.

With that, Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong made a splash and traded for right winger JJ Peterka from the Sabres. Similar to Cooley and Guenther, Peterka scored 27 goals and 68 points in 77 appearances for Buffalo last season.

While it’s not a long list, there is no denying that Armstrong’s club has an exciting trio up front and will be running Utah’s offense for years to come.

New Jersey Devils

Jack Hughes (C), Dawson Mercer (RW/C), Luke Hughes (D), Simon Nemec (D)

The New Jersey Devils are a product of great drafting. They’ve developed their own talent and turned them into stars. Jack Hughes is a prime example of that

Not only is Hughes one of the best players on this list, but he’s also one of the top centers in the NHL. In his last three seasons, he’s recorded at least 70 points, including a 99-point campaign in 2022-23.

With that, Hughes was selected by Team USA to compete in the 4 Nations Face-Off. He was one of four players on that team who were under 25 years old.

Along with Jack, his brother Luke is also considered a member of New Jersey’s U-25 core as a defenseman. He registered two straight 40-point seasons to complete his entry-level phase as he looks for a new contract.

Also on the Devils’ back end is Slovakian D-man Simon Nemec. He was selected second overall in the 2022 draft, but hasn’t been able to find a rhythm in the NHL because of New Jersey’s blueline depth. Last season, he played just 27 games after a 60-game campaign in the season prior.

Dawson Mercer was shot out of a cannon when he entered the NHL in 2021-22, scoring 42 points in his first season and 56 points in his sophomore year. Since then, he has dipped mildly, but has shown resilience and durability as he’s never missed a regular-season game in his four-year career.

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Former Ottawa Senator Mark Stone Jokes That It Wasn't Always Easy Playing On Brady Tkachuk's Line

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Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone will always have a soft spot for Ottawa. Six years after he was traded away by the Senators, Stone still spends most of his summers in the city. He has a boatload of friends here, and he’s pleased to see that the Senators—his former team—are playing so well again.

Stone appeared this week on the Coming in Hot podcast with hosts Brent Wallace, Jason York, and Graeme Nichols, and shared some thoughts about his former team, including his friend, former teammate and tenant, Brady Tkachuk.

Stone says it hasn’t been much fun to play against Tkachuk or his brother, Matthew, including a pair of international tilts during the recent 4 Nations Face-Off. In truth, Stone joked, he sometimes wasn't even big on playing with Tkachuk.

“I’d be lying if I said I wanted to play every night against [the Tkachuks], that’s for sure,” Stone said. “I mean, there were some nights I didn’t even want to be on Brady’s line in Ottawa because you knew you were going to have to be in a scrum every second shift. I’m like, ‘All right, buddy, let’s just relax here.’”

That was, in no way, an attempt to throw shade at Tkachuk. The interview was fun and respectful throughout. Stone says he believes that the Sens captain has toned things down a bit and is starting to realize just how valuable he is on the ice.

“As he goes, the team goes, in my opinion. He’s their engine. Obviously, he’s the captain at such a young age. He had learned so much, but had so much to learn as well. I think the experiences – whether it’s Four Nations or getting to the playoffs for the first time, even the negatives, right? Even going through those years of struggle, I think it probably put it in his mind, like, ‘I don’t want to be back there,’ right? ‘I never want that to happen again.’

"I think he’s really done a good job getting through that adversity and getting ready, and putting this team in a great position.”

As a personal observation – Stone said nothing to this effect at all – but the tough times Brady and the Senators have gone through in Ottawa the past six years probably galvanize Stone's belief that he got out at just the right time in 2019. 

Stone described his affection for the Tkachuk family when asked about Brady’s bachelor party three years ago, which happened right after Stone and the Knights defeated Matthew and the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final.

“Yeah, we’re obviously friends, good friends,” Stone said. “You know, obviously love that family. So we had a great time at that bachelor party. The last one I’ve been to, actually. So as I said, they’re such good, good people. I’m so happy that they were able to win the next year. You know, I’m sure it was tough for him, congratulating me. But yeah, it’s impressive now what they’re doing in Florida.”

If Stone’s time in Ottawa and in Vegas have something in common, it would be the fairly high roster turnover. But the reasons for the volume of roster changes couldn’t be more different.

“Well, I think you look at Vegas two ways. You’re losing buddies, but you know, when I was in Ottawa, unfortunately, it was losing friends for the wrong reasons. In Vegas, it’s the nature of the business. It sucks, but we’re always looking to get better, so that’s what is very attractive to me. There’s just a ton of internal pressure to try and win every single year, and that’s something I love being a part of.”

Stone has now been gone from the Senators for six years but says he’s only been back at Canadian Tire Centre for two games since the 2019 trade, which he described as 'brutal.'

“I love coming back here. Still spend my summers here. Super happy with where the (Senators) are going, right? I like to say I’ve got a lot of friends on the team, but there are only three guys left from when I was here (Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot, and Drake Batherson). But I still love watching the guys play. So I love coming back into the facility, seeing the staff, because the majority of the staff is still the same, which is awesome.

“Those guys were some of the best in the league, still are, whether it’s the equipment guys, the medical staff, strength staff. They’ve got a great, great staff there.

“So I love coming back in.”

Mark Stone and the Vegas Golden Knights will visit Ottawa on January 25.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa
Image Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

This article orginally appeared at The Hockey News Ottawa, where you'll find all the latest Senators news:
2018 World Junior Trial Ends: Former Senator Alex Formenton Found Not Guilty
Croatia's NHL Trailblazer: Sens Prospect Bruno Idžan Takes NHL Road Less Travelled
Top 3 Ottawa Senators Bounce-Back Candidates For 2025-26
Sens Captain Brady Tkachuk Celebrates Hard at Brother Matthew's Wedding
Can The Senators Count On Dylan Cozens To Consistently Produce?
Senators Re-Sign 2021 First-Round Pick To One-Year Deal
An Early Glance At The Senators’ 2026 Free Agent Class
Why Mason McTavish Isn’t Coming Home To The Senators

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Penguins Made Good Move Signing Big Forward

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have made multiple moves this off-season. This included bringing in several new players, including winger Anthony Mantha. The Penguins signed the 6-foot-5 forward to a one-year, $2.5 million contract earlier this month.

Mantha, unfortunately, missed the majority of this past season after tearing his ACL early on in the campaign and undergoing surgery. As a result, he appeared in just 13 games with the Calgary Flames in 2024-25, posting four goals, seven points, 16 hits, and a plus-6 rating. Overall, he was on pace to have another solid season before his injury.

While Mantha did not play much this past season due to his injury, he has the potential to be a very good signing for the Penguins when looking at his resume. He has demonstrated for much of his career that he can be an effective point producer, and the Penguins will be hoping he can be just that for them in a top-six role next season. 

Just back during the 2023-24 season, Mantha posted 23 goals, 21 assists, and 44 points in 74 games split between the Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights. He has also recorded at least 20 goals and 40 points three times during his career, so he undoubtedly can make an impact when playing at his best.

Overall, with the Penguins needing more offense, there is no harm in them taking a shot on a big and skilled winger like Mantha with this one-year contract. If he stays healthy, he could end up being a very nice part of their forward group in 2025-26. 

Former Penguins Forward Signs PTO With RangersFormer Penguins Forward Signs PTO With RangersAccording to the New York Post's Mollie Walker, the New York Rangers have signed former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Conor Sheary to a professional tryout (PTO).

Photo Credit: © Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

2018 World Junior Championship, Carey Price, Carter Hart, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Hockey News, Montreal Canadiens, NHL Rumors, Pittsburgh Penguins, World Junior Hockey Championship, Yegor Chinakhov

NHL Rumours: Hockey Canada Players, Chinakhov, Price, Penguins & More

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In today’s NHL rumour rundown, we look at the future for the five Hockey Canada players who were recently found not guilty in the trial. Elsewhere, we look at how…
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Blackhawks Have Intriguing Free Agent Target To Consider

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It is fair to argue that the Chicago Blackhawks' current roster could use more secondary scoring before the start of the season. When looking at the unrestricted free agents (UFAs) who are left on the market, one intriguing option who stands out is forward Victor Olofsson. 

Olofsson, 30, just had a strong 2024-25 season as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights. In 56 games with the Pacific Division club, the 2014 seventh-round pick posted 15 goals, 14 assists, 29 points, and a plus-17 rating in 56 games. With numbers like these, he would certainly have the potential to give the Blackhawks' bottom six and second power-play unit a boost. This is especially so when noting that he can play both left wing and right wing.

Olofsson has also shown for much of his career that he has the ability to put the puck in the net. The seven-year veteran has scored at least 20 goals three times during his career, which includes him scoring 28 times during the 2022-23 season with the Buffalo Sabres. He has also record at least 40 points three times, so he could give the Blackhawks more offense if brought in.

On a one-year deal, Olofsson could be a very solid veteran for the Blackhawks to add to their group. It will be interesting to see where he ends up signing, but the Blackhawks could be a good potential landing spot for him. 

Blackhawks Should Swing Trade For Bruins ForwardBlackhawks Should Swing Trade For Bruins ForwardThe Chicago Blackhawks have had a quiet off-season thus far, but the possibility of them making another addition to their roster before the season is here should not be ruled out. They currently have over $21 million of cap space and could use it if it means bringing in a player that would help them beyond the 2025-26 campaign.

Photo Credit: © Sergei Belski-Imagn Images