3 Takeaways From Fifth Day of Games at World Junior Summer Showcase
Just like the rest of the week, there were two games on Friday, August 1, at the World Junior Summer Showcase. The first game was between Sweden and Canada, which…
Monthly Archives: August 2025
Islanders Can Play With Pace, But Should They?
The Florida Panthers came at teams in waves. They had three forward lines that could score and score in bunches. The Panthers had no problem firing 40 shots on the…
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 2, 2025
Maple Leafs' John Tavares Among Invitees To Team Canada’s 2026 Olympic Orientation Camp
John Tavares has received an invitation to Team Canada’s Orientation Camp ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
The 34-year-old is one of 42 players on the men’s side to be invited to the three-day off-ice camp hosted by Hockey Canada in Calgary, Alberta. The country has invited 92 players in total, from both the men’s and women’s teams, plus its para hockey teams.
From August 26 to 28th, players will be at Hockey Canada’s headquarters listening to presentations, participating in team-building opportunities and meetings, plus media opportunities for the upcoming season.
“We are excited to unveil the 92 athletes who will kick off the road to Italy, and to bring our men’s, women’s and para hockey teams together for three days as the first step towards our goal of winning triple gold in February,” said Hockey Canada senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, Scott Salmond.
“While the next several months will bring intense evaluation and difficult roster decisions, we look forward to kicking off the season in Calgary and giving our athletes and staff a chance to come together and start to become one team as we set our sights on February.”
Knights' Coach Dale Hunter Believes Easton Cowan Can Make Maple Leafs Out Of Training CampLondon Knights head coach Dale Hunter believes Easton Cowan has a shot to make the Toronto Maple Leafs out of training camp.
Tavares is coming off one of his best seasons as a Maple Leaf, scoring 74 points (38 goals and 36 assists) in 75 games. His 38 goals are tied for the second-most in a season during his career, only behind the 47 goals he scored during his first season with Toronto.
The veteran forward was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, but signed a four-year, $17.55 million contract extension with the Maple Leafs. The annual average value of the deal is $4.38 million.
Tavares has represented Canada on numerous occasions, including the World Juniors, World Cup, and 2014 Olympic Games. He’s won gold medals at each level, though he is still looking for the coveted Stanley Cup to put himself into the Triple Gold club.
Nick Robertson’s Arbitration Filing With Maple Leafs Revealed: What Each Side SubmittedJust two days before Nick Robertson and the Toronto Maple Leafs are scheduled to meet with an arbitrator, both sides have submitted their requests and comparable figures. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Robertson is seeking an AAV of $2.25 million, while the Leafs are asking for $1.2 million.
In 1,184 career NHL games split between Toronto and the New York Islanders, Tavares has scored 494 goals and 620 assists for 1,114 points. Tavares has also tallied 53 points (28 goals and 25 assists) in 75 playoff games.
Also invited to the mini-camp is former Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner, who was part of a sign-and-trade with the Vegas Golden Knights earlier this summer. Marner signed an eight-year, $96 million contract before being acquired by Vegas in exchange for Nicolas Roy.
The 28-year-old has put up 741 points (221 goals and 520 assists) in 647 games, plus 13 goals and 50 assists in 70 playoff games with the Maple Leafs. Marner is fifth all-time on the franchise's points list, fourth in assists, and fifth in Toronto's all-time playoff points.
'There's Unfinished Business': Anthony Stolarz's Summer Training In Full Swing Ahead Of Second Season With Maple LeafsToronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz appears to be in peak offseason training mode.
This article originally appeared on The Hockey News: Maple Leafs' John Tavares Among Invitees To Team Canada’s 2026 Olympic Orientation Camp
(Top photo of Tavares: Luther Schlaifer / Imagn Images)
Know Your Enemy, Sabres Metropolitan Edition: Do Young Flyers Pose A Threat To Buffalo Next Year?
The Buffalo Sabres desperately need to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs next season. And while the Philadelphia Flyers aren't quite as desperate as the Sabres are to do so, Philadelphia GM Daniel Briere wouldn't object at all if the Flyers surprised people and got into the post-season this coming year.
Could Philadelpha get in the way of Buffalo as both teams likely pursue a wild-card playoff berth next season? That's what we're getting at in this THN.com Sabres site series. Below, you'll see how Buffalo fared against the Flyers last year, what dates the two teams will play against each other in the nex season, and more. Let's get to it.
BUFFALO SABRES VS. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
NEW FLYERS PLAYERS: Trevor Zegras, C; Christian Dvorak, C; Noah Juulsen, D ; Dennis Gilbert, D; Dan Vladar, G
2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 1-2-0, Flyers 2-1-0
2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: December 3 at Philadelphia; December 18 at Buffalo; January 14 at Buffalo
CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? The Sabres and Flyers squared off against one another deep into the regular-season last year, with both teams playing their last game of the season against each other. Philadelphia beat Buffalo in a meaningless final game, but there's always been a solid-rivalry energy when the Sabres and Flyers go head-to-head.
This time around, the Sabres and Flyers will play each other three times within a six-week span starting in early December and lasting until mid-January. And if Buffalo continues being a strong team at home this coming season, they have an excellent opportunity to put some standings space in-between them and the Flyers.
That said, the Flyers make some understandable gambles -- and some curious ones -- in the current off-season. Zegras was no longer a good fit in Anaheim, and the Flyers need some of the scoring power Zegras has been able to bring early in his NHL career. Dvorak was given a one-year, $5.4-million contract at a time where teams value the third-line center position Dvorak is pretty solid at.
Know Your Enemy, Sabres Metropolitan Edition: Will Buffalo Shock Re-Arranged Rangers Next Year?THN.com's ongoing series on the Buffalo Sabres and their opponents next season continues with this look at the New York Rangers and the considerable changes the Rangers have made thus far this off-season, as well as their record against the Sabres and their schedule head-to-head this coming season.
And given that the Flyers had the league's fifth-worst goals-against average (3.45) last season, getting a veteran goalie -- in this case, former Calgary Flames netminder Dan Vladar, who signed a two-year deal at $3.35-million per season -- was paramount for the Flyers to even hope to be playing meaningful hockey down the stretch.
If there was an X-factor that could be at play in the three games the Flyers and Sabres play next year, it could prove to be new Flyers coach Rick Tocchet. If the Jack Adams Award-winner as the NHL's best bench boss in 2024 with the Vancouver Canucks can drop into that Philadelphia room and instill a sense of confidence in his players, the Flyers can look to fast-track their development and contend for a playoff berth sooner than later.
Still, if we're talking about how the Sabres and Flyers will do against each other, we feel good about Buffalo's chances of winning at least two of the three games they'll play next season. Buffalo's defense is clearly better than Philadelphia's, and the same goes for the Sabres' depth of high-end talent at forward. Buffalo has more upper-tier talent at all positions, so a Sabres sweep wouldn't and shouldn't be out of the question next year.
Know Your Enemy, Sabres Metropolitan Edition: Are Retooling Islanders A Better Team Than Buffalo?Welcome back to THN.com's Buffalo Sabres site. In recent days and weeks, we've been focusing on the teams the Sabres will square off against next season. And in today's file, we're turning our attention to a team Buffalo will be taking on in the latest battl(es) of New York (state) -- the New York Islanders.
The big question with this rivalry may be about the two teams' goaltending. Vladar doesn't have to be a superstar to do the job in Philadelphia. He just has to keep the Flyers within a one-or-two-goal distance from their opponent, and let Philly's offence win the game for them. And in Buffalo, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Devon Levi and Alex Lyon are a better trio than Vladar, Ivan Fedotov and Samuel Ersson.
You can see, then, why there are bigger expectations for the Sabres than there are for the Flyers right now. Philadelphia is still in the early stages of a proper rebuild. Buffalo is well beyond the honeymoon stage of their core talent coming up and settling in. So Sabres coach Lindy Ruff will be under enormous pressure to use Buffalo's superior depth to their advantage.
It's difficult to envision both the Flyers and Sabres being playoff teams next season. But it also feels like it will be unlikely that Philadelphia and Buffalo both fail to make the playoffs next year. There's lots to like on both teams, but the Sabres should have an urgency to their game that we doubt the Flyers can match. .
Know Your Enemy, Sabres Metropolitan Edition: Will Devils Remain Formidable Metro Team -- And Will New Jersey Once Again Beat Sabres In Season Series?The Buffalo Sabres are a team that needs to make a playoff appearance this coming season. But in a continuing series, we're examining each of Buffalo's Eastern Conference-rivals that could be in the way of the Sabres making it into the post-season. And in this file, we're examining the rivalry between the Sabres and New Jersey Devils.
And until they both rise to the very top of their respective divisions, the Flyers and Sabres will only be hoping for a Cinderella playoff run.
The Hockey Show: Key Daneyko sees a lot of his Stanley Cup Devils teams in current Panthers squad
The Hockey Show is back with a new episode, and this week we’re welcoming a three-time Stanley Cup champion!
Joining hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork on this week’s show is former New Jersey Devils great and current team analyst Ken Daneyko.
At the moment, Daneyko is coaching in the summer 3ICE league which is taking place in South Florida at the Baptist Health IcePlex, which is the Florida Panthers new practice facility.
The former Cup winner discussed what it was like building a champion with the Devils, comparing that team with the current Florida Panthers and how they play the game and how he milked every single minute out of his 24 hours with the Cup after the Devils’ three wins.
Roy and Dave also ranked NHL logo changes, they got into the latest with the Florida Panthers and their Stanley Cup summer and looked at how some of the team’s contracts are being viewed.
This week’s wins and fails included the ageless Jaromir Jagr, an insane ending to a roller hockey championship game and some jarring axe throwing by a well-known NHL mascot.
You can check out the full episode below:
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Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman Still Has Time For Major Splash Acquisition
The Detroit Red Wings have been active so far in the 2025 offseason with respect to player movement.
Not only did they trade Vladimir Tarasenko and his $4.75 million cap hit to the Minnesota Wild, but they also signed a multitude of free agents, including forwards James van Riemsdyk and Mason Appleton along with defensemen Jacob Bernard-Docker and Ian Mitchell.
Jonatan Berggren and Albert Johansson, both of whom were restricted free agents, agreed to new contracts.
Additionally, they shored up the crease by acquiring veteran goaltender John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Petr Mrazek.
However, Red Wings fans are still hoping that GM Steve Yzerman is lying in wait to soon pounce and make what could be considered a major splash of an acquisition.
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
There are few executives in professional sports today who keep their cards closer to the vest than Yzerman, though he did say he was open to making a major move during his end-of-season press conference.
Unfortunately, opportunities to acquire some of the more notable names in free agency didn't present themselves.
Mitch Marner was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights in a major sign-and-trade, while the Florida Panthers somehow managed to re-sign Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, and Brad Marchand before they hit the open market.
Reports surfaced that former Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers, who signed with the Carolina Hurricanes, wasn't interested in even discussing a contract with Detroit. Goal scoring forward Brock Boeser re-signed with the Vancouver Canucks, while former New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller was traded to the Hurricanes and subsequently signed an eight-year extension.
For Yzerman, he said there wasn't much he could do in this situation and that it wasn't exactly a surprise that they weren't able to so much as sit down with some of the more notable names.
"We were were certainly open to it," Yzerman said. "The guys that we were hoping to talk to all signed before free agency with their clubs, or got traded. In the case of Mitch Marner, we didn't even get an opportunity to talk to these guys. There's not much you can do about that.
"Going into free agency, I think we all recognize that it was going to be difficult all around the league. There weren’t as many as what we would all consider high-end free agents available this year. So it wasn't really a shock to us that we weren't able to get anything done with any of the bigger name guys."
That being said, there is still plenty of time between now and the start of Training Camp in mid-September for a trade.
Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars, who has ties to Michigan and scored 35 goals this past season, remains a talked-about name in trade rumors. Additionally, goal scoring forwards Bryan Rust (Pontiac, MI native) and Rickard Rakell of the Pittsburgh Penguins have been linked to the Red Wings as potential acquisitions.
On the back end, Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson and Jack Roslovic, who played last season for the Hurricanes, are possibilities for Yzerman to consider.
While Yzerman expressed hope that the players currently on Detroit's roster take another step in the upcoming campaign, there still remains the potential of a major pickup via the trade market.
The opportunity is still there, and Yzerman could choose to make that leap at any moment.
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Finland Comes Out With Win Over USA in World Junior Summer Showcase
The second game of the day on Friday, August 1, at the World Junior Summer Showcase was between Finland and the United States. They’d had some heated games earlier in…
Blackhawks: 3 Teams Who Could Target Connor Murphy
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy is a player to keep an eye on. The right-shot blueliner is entering the final season of his contract, so he certainly stands out as a potential trade chip for the rebuilding Blackhawks. This is especially so when NHL teams are often willing to pay more for big, right-shot defenseman.
Due to this, let’s look at three teams who could target Murphy if he is made available by the Blackhawks.
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings could make a lot of sense as a landing spot for Murphy, as it is clear that the right side of their defense could use improvement. If the Red Wings acquired Murphy, he could slot nicely on their second pairing with Simon Edvinsson and would also be a clear option for their penalty kill.
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars’ biggest weakness currently is the right side of their defense. Because of this, it would not be surprising in the slightest if they made a push to acquire Murphy, whether that is this summer or during the season. If the Stars acquired him, he would provide them with a clear upgrade over Ilya Lyubushkin in their top four. Therefore, there could be a good match here.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes could also be an intriguing landing spot for Murphy. When looking at their roster, it is fair to argue that they could use another experienced blueliner on their right side. If the Hurricanes acquired Murphy, he could be a good fit on their bottom pairing with offensive defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere.
Ex-Blackhawks Defenseman Among Top Free Agents LeftWith it now being August, many of this year's notable unrestricted free agents (UFAs) have found their new homes. While this is the case, there are still some UFAs with plenty of experience who have yet to get signed.
Photo Credit: © Talia Sprague-Imagn Images
NHL Summer Splash Rankings: No. 17, Boston Bruins
We’re now reaching the halfway point of The Hockey News’ NHL summer splash series with the Boston Bruins at No. 17.
In these summer splash rankings, we’re looking at every team’s roster additions, departures, hirings and firings to see who improved, got worse and stayed largely the same.
You can see which teams finished below the Bruins at the bottom. But before we get to that point, we’re going to break down the state of the Bruins.
Additions
Viktor Arvidsson (RW), Tanner Jeannot (LW), Sean Kuraly (LW), Michael Eyssimont (LW), Alex Steeves (C), Jordan Harris (D)
The Breakdown:The Bruins fell to pieces last year, posting an 8-9-3 record out of the gate, and they never really recovered from it.
Once Boston GM Don Sweeney finished moving out some cornerstone pieces – including Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo and Florida Panthers left winger Brad Marchand – there was the bleak reality that this Bruins team is too streaky. When you post a 10-game losing streak in the tail end of your schedule, it’s safe to say there are some fundamental issues with this team.
Now, Sweeney and the Bruins acted to employ as many physically ornery players as possible to exact a toll on opponents night in and night out. Arvidsson, Jeannot, Kuraly and Eyssimont all welcome a physical game, and new Bruins coach Marco Sturm will deploy them to make opponents' lives miserable.
That said, these additions likely won’t propel the Bruins back into the playoffs. With these peripheral additions, Sweeney has doubled down on his core, featuring superstar right winger David Pastrnak, defensemen Charlie McAvoy, Nikita Zadorov and Hampus Lindholm, and goalie Jeremy Swayman.
If the Bruins expect adding so-called “character players” will punish opponents enough to win 45 games and make the playoffs, we’re not nearly so confident that will come to pass. That said, they fill in some of the gaps from the players who left at the trade deadline to ensure this team doesn’t finish at the bottom of the Atlantic Division again.
Departures
Vinni Lettieri (C), Cole Koepke (LW), Parker Wotherspoon (D), Jakub Lauko (C), Oliver Wahlstrom (RW), Tyler Pitlick (C)
The Breakdown: The Bruins did most of their roster remodelling last year, and what’s left now is a team with not a lot of depth but is still close to the salary cap ceiling. They now have about $2 million to make another addition, but letting go of fringe players doesn’t move the needle. Sweeney has chosen to have cap flexibility over low-ranking players sticking around on relatively lucrative terms.
Lettieri moved on to the Maple Leafs, Koepke joined the Winnipeg Jets, Wotherspoon became a Pittsburgh Penguin, Lauko signed in Czechia, Wahlstrom is a UFA and Pitlick signed with the Minnesota Wild. With all due respect, these players didn’t do enough this past season to either warrant a full-time job or a notable role on the squad.
The Bottom Line
In the big picture, the Bruins have improved on paper compared to the end-of-season roster, but not to any great degree.
Yes, adding sandpaper to the team will likely have a positive effect on Boston’s game. The problem is that the Bruins are playing in the Atlantic Division, which many see as the strongest division in the NHL.
Every team in the Atlantic has designs on a playoff spot next year. Whether it’s the Ottawa Senators wanting to follow up their core’s solid season last year with a second straight playoff appearance, or whether it’s the Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings all aching to be a post-season team next year, all eight Atlantic teams want to win and win now. So, there are clearly going to be some Atlantic teams that disappoint, and we fear that may be the case for Boston in 2025-26. Their goaltending was suddenly suspect, their pipeline hasn’t fed the main roster with many big-impact players, and veteran players like center Elias Lindholm don’t appear capable of stepping up with more offense.
Sure, the Bruins are going to be a pain in the rear end to deal with next season, but that doesn’t make them capable of pulling out of last season’s tailspin and proving that the 2024-25 campaign was merely a momentary blip on the radar for Boston. But it’s equally likely, if not more so, that the Bruins find out the hard way that, once you’re out of the playoff picture, it’s rather difficult to get back in.
And as for our summer splash rankings, Boston is squarely in “ho-hum” territory. Time may prove us wrong, but the Bruins don’t look like a playoff team after the changes Sweeney has made. And their entire off-season has been little more than a shoulder shrug.
Summer Splash Rankings
17. Boston Bruins
18. Edmonton Oilers
19. Minnesota Wild
20. Seattle Kraken
27. Dallas Stars
28. Calgary Flames
30. Winnipeg Jets
32. Buffalo Sabres
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