Devils’ Toughest Opponents in 2025-26
The New Jersey Devils enter the 2025-26 season with high expectations, but the path to the Stanley Cup will be anything but easy. Their schedule is amongst the league’s toughest,…
Monthly Archives: September 2025
"I Hope He Will Be Proud" Former Red Wings Forward Honors Sergei Fedorov
The news that fans of the Detroit Red Wings had been waiting for was finally delivered last month.
Former Red Wings Hall of Fame forward Sergei Fedorov, one of the greatest players in team history who was an integral part of three Stanley Cup wins, will finally have his iconic No. 91 retired by the club and hung from the rafters at Little Caesars Arena.
A Red Wing at heart. pic.twitter.com/TqYBHQWi5b
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) August 19, 2025
The announcement of the impending honor, which was met with overwhelming approval, is also being acknowledged by a former member of the Red Wings who played a lone season in Hockeytown.
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Daniel Sprong, who suited up for the Red Wings in the 2023-24 NHL campaign and now plays in the KHL for CSKA Moscow, recently disclosed that he chose jersey No. 91 specifically in honor of Fedorov.
“He is one of the best players. He is special, that is why I chose number 91," Sprong explained via Sport-Express.
“It is a great honor for me to play under this number for CSKA. I hope that he will be proud of me.”
Not only did Sprong briefly don the Winged Wheel as Fedorov did for so many years, but he also now plays for the same club Fedorov skated for prior to his extremely risky defection to the United States in 1991.
"Fedorov is strong in his style of play, he could do everything on the ice," Sprong said. "He could gather three people around him and outplay them.”
“My Heart Beat Faster”: Sergei Fedorov Recaps Finding Out Of Jersey Retirement NewsThe iconic No. 91 jersey of former Detroit Red Wings forward Sergei Fedorov will soon be taking its rightful place in the rafters of Little Caesars Arena, and will be displayed alongside the eight previously retired numbers that include his teammates Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidstrom.
Sprong signed with the Red Wings as an unrestricted free agent during the 2023 offseason, and scored 18 goals with 25 assists in 76 games, the second-highest goal output of his NHL career.
🚨 Daniel Sprong opens the scoring for CSKA in the 2nd period on the powerplay. #KHLpreseasonpic.twitter.com/lb8k2GUNCH
— Hockey News Hub (@HockeyNewsHub) August 28, 2025
In Fedorov's honor, CSKA Moscow recently retired his number at CSKA Arena. In Detroit, a special ceremony will be held at Little Caesars Arena on Jan. 12 before a game against the Carolina Hurricanes, a matchup carrying some irony.
It was Carolina who signed Fedorov to the infamous offer sheet in early 1998, which Detroit matched, ultimately paying him $28 million for just three months of play.
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Patrick Kane's Last Chance At Hockey Glory May Come With Team USA, Not The Red Wings
No matter how dominant they may be, veteran NHL players rarely, if ever, get to end their playing careers on a perfect note.
Father Time always catches up, but sometimes, they're just not in a circumstance befitting of the elite place they’ve carved out for themselves.
You can see that with Detroit Red Wings right winger Patrick Kane. At 36, Kane can still be a solid contributor, posting 21 goals and 59 points last season. But Kane signed only a one-year, $3-million contract for this coming year on a middling Red Wings team that will compete hard just to try to make the playoffs. If Kane sticks with the Wings for the rest of his career, it's unlikely he'll have a chance of winning the Stanley Cup for the fourth time.
So Kane’s last chance at hockey glory could come on the international stage, if he makes the U.S. team at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Kane doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone. His career totals of 492 goals and 1,343 points in 1,302 regular-season games, on top of his three Cup wins with the Chicago Blackhawks, make him a lock to be a Hockey Hall of Famer when he hangs up his skates.
But given that the Red Wings will be picked by many to miss the playoffs this coming season, you can see how Kane needs to make the most of his status as a U.S. icon and help lead Team America to a gold medal win at the 2026 Games in Milan, Italy.
That said, Kane isn’t guaranteed to make the American roster. Indeed, in this writer’s projected U.S. roster for the Olympics, Kane was not on the team.
“The one thing that's kind of missing is a gold in best-on-best, right?” Kane told NHL.com last week at the Americans' Olympic orientation camp. “It would be fun to have that opportunity.”
U.S. GM Bill Guerin has a very deep talent pool from which to draft a roster, and he may choose to go with a youth movement and select young wingers like Utah’s Clayton Keller, Minnesota’s Matt Boldy, Buffalo’s Tage Thompson and Montreal’s Cole Caufield at right wing. So Kane will have all the motivation in the world to come out of the starting gate strongly this season and nudge one of those aforementioned young players out of a roster spot for the Olympics.
If Kane does make the U.S. roster, who’s to say he won’t have one more place in the sun and one final chapter he can hang his hat on as an all-time great?
The thing about Hall of Famers is that they can rise to the occasion, and Kane may have a couple of tricks still left up his sleeve. Getting to the top of the podium at the upcoming Winter Games would tie a lovely bow on his career, especially if Detroit fails to make the playoffs this year and for however long Kane remains there.
Kane’s experience as a proven winner and needle-mover might be something Guerin particularly values, especially as the U.S. tries to transition into a new era of young, up-and-comers. Kane no longer has to worry about being “The Man” at this stage in his career. So long as he can chip in some offense for the American team, he’ll be worth Guerin selecting him for the U.S. squad.
And if Kane does help America win a gold medal in Italy, it will underscore his status as one of the best and most decorated wingers the modern game has ever seen.
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Rangers Need Will Borgen to Prove 2024-25 Was Not a Fluke
The New York Rangers made big changes on defense this offseason as they signed Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-season contract and traded K’Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange…
Flyers Lose Ian Laperriere to Division Rival
According to multiple reports, the Philadelphia Flyers have lost hockey ops advisor Ian Laperriere to the Metropolitan Division rival New York Islanders.
Laperriere, 51, joins the Islanders from the Flyers as a pro scout, leaving his new post of hockey operations advisor.
The longtime NHLer initially remained with the Flyers in this capacity on May 27 on the heels of his dismissal as the head coach of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. John Snowden has since replaced him as the head coach of the Phantoms.
Neither the Flyers nor the Islanders have publicly announced the news, though The Hockey News's own Stefen Rosner confirmed the initial report from Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff.
With the Islanders organization, Laperriere is reunited with former Flyers assistant coach Rocky Thompson, who was in charge of the power play in Philadelphia.
Thompson took the reins as the head coach of the AHL Bridgeport Islanders this offseason after being let go by the Flyers.
Should The Panthers Prioritize Winning The Atlantic Division?
The Florida Panthers have dominated the NHL playoffs in the past three seasons, winning the Stanley Cup twice and reaching the finals another.
They've consistently levelled up their game when the post-season rolls around, but surprisingly, they haven't dominated the regular season like you might have expected.
Dating back to 2022-23, when they first appeared in the Stanley Cup finals, the Panthers were the eighth seed when the regular season concluded, upsetting the record-setting Boston Bruins in the first round before defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes. Upon reaching the final round, the Panthers were severely beaten up and succumbed to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
The following season, the Panthers carried that momentum into the regular season, beating the Bruins by one point to claim the Atlantic Division crown. In the playoffs, they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Bruins, the New York Rangers and the Edmonton Oilers to win the franchise's first Stanley Cup.
The most recent campaign witnessed the Panthers repeat as Stanley Cup winners, but the regular season wasn't always smooth sailing. They finished third in the Atlantic Division, recording 98 points and finishing just a point ahead of the Ottawa Senators. The Panthers were without home ice advantage in each series, but they took care of each opponent nonetheless.
The Panthers' post-season success hasn't been defined by regular season success, but that doesn't necessarily indicate that the Panthers should throw in the towel during the regular season and not care about playoff seeding. Home ice advantage can be an important factor in the playoffs due to the momentum from the crowd, as well as last change.
The Panthers have played a lot of hockey in the past three seasons, far more than any other team in the NHL. Fatigue is destined to catch up to the Panthers in some sort of fashion, and ensuring easier matchups earlier in the playoffs, as well as home ice advantage for line matching benefits, could be what helps the Panthers three-peat.
Winning the division is no small feat. The Maple Leafs and the Lightning will be gunning for the crown, and it's possible the Senators and the Montreal Canadiens could be surprise challengers. Without Matthew Tkachuk for a large part of the season, the Panthers will be missing out on plenty of offense, but their depth should allow them to compete with those teams.
Islanders Hire Ian Laperriére As Pro Scout
The New York Islanders have hired Ian Laperriére as a pro scout, industry sources have confirmd with The Hockey News, first reported by The Daily Faceoff's Anthony DiMarco.
Laperriere, 51, had spent the last four seasons as head coach of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the AHL affiliate for the Philadelphia Flyers. Prior to that, he served as an assistant on the Flyers bench for nine seasons.
I can confirm @ADiMarco25's reporting that #Isles have hired former NHLer Ian Laperriere as a pro scout.
— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) September 2, 2025
He spent the last 4 seasons as the head coach of the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He previously spent 9 seasons as an assistant with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Rocky Thompson, who the Islanders hired as head coach for their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders, had previously spend the last two seasons as an assistant coach for the Flyers, so he knows Laperriere well.
Back in May, the Flyers hired Laperrié as an advisor to their hockey operations department after being let go by Lehigh, but has, clearly, since decided to take on more of a hands-on job with the Islanders.
Drafted in the seventh round (No. 158) in 1992 by the St. Louis Blues, Laperriere played 16 years in the NHL with five different teams. He played 1,083 regular season cames, recording 121 goals and 215 assists for 336 points, while racking up 1,956 penalty minutes.
With Mathieu Darche now the general manager of the Islanders, there have been a ton of changes, with the addition of Laperriere being the latest.
Laperriere will report to Ryan Bowness, who was hired this summer as the Assistant General Manager and Director of Player Personnel, who will oversee the entirey of the pro scouting department.
Ken Morrow, who has served as #Isles Director of Pro Scouting since 1992, will remain with the team in the pro scouting department.
— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) June 17, 2025
Ryan Bowness will run the pro scouting staff.
More on Bowness's roles & what they entail @TheElmontershttps://t.co/8NzFAI9FjQ
We have confirmed that Islanders legend Ken Morrow, who has been a pro scout with the Islanders since 1992, will remain as a scout.
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Wilf Paiement: The Maple Leafs’ Forgotten 40-Goal-Scorer
In a city that remembers its hockey heroes like family, Wilf Paiement is something of a forgotten name. For a brief window in the early ’80s, Paiement was one of…
Five-Time AHL All-Star Cal O'Reilly Signs In Swiss NL
Five-time AHL All-Star and two-time Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award winner Cal O'Reilly has signed a contract with the SCL Tigers of the Swiss NL until the end of October with an option to extend.
One of the most prolific players in AHL history, O'Reilly recorded 177 goals, 606 assists, and 783 points in 1022 games over parts of 18 seasons. He has the eighth most games played in league history, sits sixth all-time in assists, and is 18th all-time in points.
The 38-year-old recorded 11 goals and 49 points in 68 games to lead the Milwaukee Admirals in scoring last season and was an assistant captain.
A fifth round selection of the Nashville Predators in 2005, O'Reilly has 16 goals and 49 points in 145 career NHL games with the Predators, Phoenix Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, and Minnesota Wild.
O'Reilly is known as a fantastic leader and won the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award as the AHL player who best exemplifies sportsmanship in 2021 and 2025. He served as captain with four different AHL franchises over his career.
An AHL All-Star in 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, and 2019, O'Reilly led the Calder Cup Playoffs in assists in 2015.
While he is only signed until the end of October there is a good chance we have seen O'Reilly's Hall of Fame AHL career come to an end.
Check out our AHL to KHL signing tracker and AHL Free Agency signing tracker.
Three NHL Calder Candidates Flying Under The Radar
The NHL's Calder Trophy race is always one of the most unpredictable storylines heading into the NHL season.
While much of the spotlight tends to shine on hyped rookies and high draft picks, history has shown that lesser-discussed players can emerge as serious contenders.
Artemi Panarin, Kirill Kaprizov and, most recently, Dustin Wolf, are just a few of the stars who have proven that opportunity, situation and timing can be just as important as raw talent.
The 2025-26 NHL rookie class is stacked with potential difference-makers, such as Ivan Demidov and Zeev Buium. But let’s look at three players who may be flying under the radar for potential Calder Trophy consideration.
Sam Rinzel, D, Chicago Blackhawks
Calder Trophy winner odds on BetMGM: 41.00 (+4,000)
Sam Rinzel is joining a crowded dressing room of young defenders within the Chicago Blackhawks organization.
The Blackhawks have eight defensemen who played NHL games last year under contract heading into the 2025-26 season, not including RFA Wyatt Kaiser. Seven of them are younger than 25. It’s far too early to cement anyone’s role within the lineup, but Rinzel possesses the skill set to be the team’s top offensive defenseman this season.
Rinzel joined the Blackhawks for the team’s final nine games of last season and showed some real offensive promise, finishing with five assists, three of which came on the man-advantage. He led the Blackhawks in ice time per game in that stretch (23:22) and was immediately thrust onto the team’s top power-play unit.
It’s a short sample size, but that level of production would give Rinzel 45 points over an 82-game season, which would likely put him near the top of rookie defenders in scoring.
Unfortunately, the Blackhawks will likely not be near playoff contention this season, making it difficult for him to make a case for himself to have improved a franchise as much as other rookies. While it will be difficult for him to stand out, it shouldn’t rule out his chance completely.
Jimmy Snuggerud, RW, St. Louis Blues
Calder Trophy winner odds on BetMGM: 18.00 (+1,700)
Jimmy Snuggerud made his NHL debut on April 1 and played in seven regular-season games with the St. Louis Blues, where he recorded a goal and three assists.
However, the Minneapolis, Minn., native was also an integral part in all seven of the team’s first-round playoff games against the Winnipeg Jets, picking up two goals and two assists in the series.
Snuggerud was slotted on the Blues’ top line alongside Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich, and that role appears to be his to lose heading into training camp this fall. He even took some shifts on the top power-play unit, which could give him every opportunity to be a top offensive contributor for the Blues this season.
Snuggerud, 21, enters the season as one of the older rookies eligible for the Calder Trophy, putting him in a much more advantageous position over this rookie class of forwards. He’s also already earned the trust of coach Jim Montgomery with his offensive instincts and scoring ability, as he was playing just over 17 minutes per game in the playoffs.
There’s not a ton of competition for Snuggerud’s role with Jordan Kyrou being glued to the wing of Brayden Schenn on the team’s second line. If he can replicate the same level of production over 82 games and solidify himself as a top-line player, there’s a strong chance he’ll be a finalist for the Calder when the season concludes.
NHL Prospect Pool Overview ’25-26: Catch Up On Every Team’s PipelineThe NHL prospect pool overview series is our annual summer series breaking down every team's prospect pipeline.
Leevi Merilainen, G, Ottawa Senators
Calder Trophy winner odds on BetMGM: 61.00 (+6,000)
The goaltending situation in Ottawa will be intriguing this season.
Leevi Merilainen, a third-round pick in 2020, suited up 12 times for the Senators last season and had an impressive .925 save percentage and 1.99 goals-against average. His 8-3-1 record in that span helped the Senators end a losing skid and put them back on course for a playoff spot.
That short stint would indicate that he’s undoubtedly earned himself the chance to play a larger role throughout the regular season, now that backup Anton Forsberg signed with the Los Angeles Kings.
Obviously, the Senators have a commitment to Linus Ullmark for the next four years with a hefty $8.25-million cap hit, but his injury history, age and overall durability would suggest that Ottawa may have a tandem this season as opposed to Ullmark carrying a heavy workload.
In his 10-year NHL career, Ullmark’s career high in games played is 49, coming with the Boston Bruins in the 2022-23 season. His statistics have been remarkable within the 40-to-50 game range. But if Merilainen continues to have positive outings, then there’s less pressure on coach Travis Green to have Ullmark overwork himself in favor of having him well-rested for a potential playoff run.
It will be a crowded field of players for the Calder Trophy, and with only three goaltenders winning in the last 25 years, the odds are stacked against Merilainen. However, if the Senators can build off their 2024-25 campaign and remain in post-season contention, there’s a good chance he played a big part in that success and could be a worthy candidate for the award.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.