Veteran UFA to Oilers, Islanders and Leafs, & More NHL Rumors
In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs are still trying to round out their respective rosters. Could a couple of veterans be on their radar?…
Monthly Archives: July 2025
Expectations for Blackhawks’ Ryan Donato Go Beyond Goals and Assists
Throughout the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, Chicago Blackhawks fans wondered if general manager Kyle Davidson would trade Ryan Donato. His value would never be higher given his breakout season. With…
Former Preds Second-Round Pick Signs In England
American defenseman Jack Dougherty, 29, has signed a one-year contract with the Sheffield Steelers, the EIHL club announced on Monday.
“Jack is a versatile defenseman that does all the little things right needed to win hockey games,” said Steelers head coach Aaron Fox. “He will play physical and get stops defensively, he blocks a ton of shots and is really smart on executing his retrievals and regroups.”
“Aaron Fox didn’t have to work hard on selling the Steelers to me,” said Dougherty. “I had heard many great things about the club and organization, so when the chance came up I was very happy to listen to what was being said.
“Then you add to that the signing of Evan Jasper who I played with last year and I thought Sheffield was the place for my wife and I head to.”
Dougherty was born in St. Paul, Minn. And came through the U.S. National Team Development Program, winning a gold medal at the 2014 IIHF U-18 World Championship. He then played one year of college hockey at the University of Wisconsin and then one year in the WHL with the Portland Winterhawks.
Dougherty was selected in the second round, 51st overall, by the Nashville Predators in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Although Dougherty never played a regular-season NHL game, he spent time in the minor-league systems of the Predators, Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins, appearing in several pre-season games.
In 317 AHL regular-season and playoff games, Dougherty recorded 62 points and 156 penalty minutes.
Finnish Former Predator Returns Home
Finnish forward Miikka Salomäki, 32, has signed a one-year contract
with SaiPa Lappeenranta, the Finnish Liiga club announced on Friday.
Since 2023, Dougherty has played in Germany with Kölner Haie and the Nuremburg Ice Tigers and in Austria with the Vienna Capitals.
“Jack was a full time AHL D man with European stops in the DEL and Austria,” said Fox. “I think he will complement our group very well and will be someone we rely heavy on for the PK.”
“I’m a two way defenseman that can play in all situations,” said Dougherty. “I love killing penalties and I’m the guy you send over the boards in the last two minutes of a game to see it out – that’s my gig. I work hard, I’m an experienced guy and I hope that rubs off on the team. I’m here to do whatever is needed to help us win.”
Dougherty joins a Steelers team that is used to success – they have not finished worse than third in the past six seasons. In addition to former teammate Jasper, the team includes former NHL prospect Cliff Pu and British national team captain Robert Dowd, who is also the EIHL’s all-time scoring leader.
© Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Former Sabres, Hurricanes Prospect Signs In England
Canadian forward Cliff Pu, 27, has signed a one-year contract with
the Sheffield Steelers, the
EIHL club announced on Thursday. Canadiens Should Consider Trading for Blue Jackets’ Yegor Chinakhov
With the NHL offseason still simmering, teams continue to explore opportunities to bolster their rosters for the upcoming campaign. One name recently surfaced in the rumour mill: Yegor Chinakhov. According…
Canucks 2025-26 Season Schedule: 10 Must-Watch Home Games
If you’re a passionate fan of the Vancouver Canucks, you will attempt to watch every game on the 2025-26 schedule. But not every game is created equal. There are always…
Flames Need to Trade Mikael Backlund This Season
Mikael Backlund wasn’t bad enough to the point of sitting as a healthy scratch last season, but he wasn’t as far off as you may think. Though things with Backlund…
Oilers Fans Need to Drastically Temper Expectations for Savoie and Howard
The Edmonton Oilers‘ prospect pool is quite underwhelming, which is to be expected for a team that has been a contender the last several years. To the credit of their…
Canadiens’ Coach Martin St-Louis To Get Back On The Ice
On Thursday, July 24, Montreal Canadiens’ coach Martin St-Louis will be taking part in a the “Shoulder Check” hockey game and since the roster announcement doesn’t specify that he’ll be behind the bench, it seems he’ll hitting the ice rather than standing behind the bench.
The event with NHL stars is held annually and prides itself on making kindness a contact sport. The initiative aims to remind people that we can all be there for one another and that sometimes, being there can mean just putting your hand on someone’s shoulder and letting them know you’re there for them.
The event will take place in Stamford Connecticut, not far from where the Canadiens’ bench boss used to have a waterfront mansion. St-Louis doesn’t spend the off-season in Montreal, he goes back to the USA and spends the Summer with his family residing in South Burlington, Vermont.
If you’re interested in seeing the Habs’ coach play, you can stream the game on Thursday night on the organization’s Instagram account. The game is set to start around 18:30 but players will get there earlier to interact with fans. Before the game starts, Swaggy P will be on hand to show some of his impressive skills on the ice.
St-Louis will be the only Canadiens’ representative but the lineup is still quite interesting: new Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras will lead the charge as always and will be joined by the likes of former teammates Mason McTavish, Fank Vatrano, Sam Colangelo and Cutter Gauthier.
Some of the NHL's best will be on display at the 2025 Shoulder Check Showcase, taking place on July 24th at 4pm ET! https://t.co/7CNa5ohiD9pic.twitter.com/aLeAf1OA7b
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) July 20, 2025
Goaltenders Spencer Knight, Jonathan Quick and Jake Oettinger will be manning the nets and facing players like Matty Beniers , Shane Pinto, Adam Fox, Ryan Leonard and Will Smith.
It will be interesting to see what St-Louis can still do on the ice, but there’s absolutely that he’ll be able to compete, the former player has kept himself in great shape and still likes to jog up and down the Bell Centre’s lower bowl stairs.
The Canadiens’ coach had an impressive NHL career, despite never being drafted. He spent 16 seasons in the NHL with the Calgary Flames, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the New York Rangers. In 1134 games, he gathered 1033 points.
Photo credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images
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NHL Rumor Mill – July 21, 2025
Maple Leafs Should Target Jack Roslovic With Remaining Cap Space
It’s no secret that the Toronto Maple Leafs are undergoing some changes and will look different next season. They lost Mitchell Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights, getting Nicolas Roy…