Czech left winger Vojtěch Čihař, who turned 18 in March, was drafted in the second round, 59th overall, by the Los Angeles Kings at this year’s NHL Entry Draft, which happened to be in Los Angeles.

With the obvious long-term goal of making the NHL, Čihař is currently contemplating where to play in order to give him the best shot of fulfilling his dream. He has already played 57 regular-season and playoff games with Energie Karlovy Vary in the Czech Extraliga, where he has recorded only 10 points in a rather limited role. Should he stay there and try to earn more ice time in the pros, or should he go overseas to play for the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes, who selected him in last year’s CHL Import Draft?

Čihař was a member of the Czech team that won a bronze medal at last year’s IIHF World Junior Championship and he recently attended a summer training camp for the national junior team for the upcoming season. There, he spoke at length with Czech media about the Draft and all the considerations that are going into his decision.

The following excerpts come from Martin Voltr’s article at Hokej.cz:

First, can you explain what kind of experience it was to attend the Draft in Los Angeles?
“Well, I have to say that the Draft is unpredictable and everyone has to wait until the moment their name is called. Speaking for myself, as soon as I heard (my name) called by Los Angeles, I was really excited and even a little emotional. I had my family and girlfriend there, which was wonderful too. For me, the main thing was to have the people closest to me there.”

If you had to wait too long, it would probably turn into a bit of an unpleasant situation.
“Yeah, exactly. The whole time, my agent and parents talked about not making any predictions and just waiting for the moment. It was better than thinking about whether I should be taken somewhere higher. At the end of the first round, then at the beginning of the second … I thought to myself that it should go in the second. I was happy that it turned out that way – 59th is decent, in my opinion.”

The decentralized Draft seemed a bit bizarre. Did the fact that you were selected by the host team bring you any special attention?
“I guess so. As soon as I put on that jersey and went to do the various things that come next, I walked through the theater and the workers turned around, congratulated me and welcomed me to the City of Angels. Then I went somewhere to get a bag with things from the team and former Kings players who still work in their organization gave it to me. They also greeted me, people at the hotel recognized me … It was nice.”

Two Czechs Lead Off 2025 CHL Import Draft A pair of 18-year-old Czech forwards were the first two picks of the 2025 CHL Import Draft on Wednesday. They were part of a record 35 Czechs taken overall.

You said you treated the trip to Los Angeles as one big holiday.
“Absolutely! I really went there to enjoy it, thinking that if I was drafted, that would make it even better. We were in Hollywood and also quite close to the sign where we took the picture. We went to Beverly Hills to see the villas there, then we were on the beach in Santa Monica. I quite like the game GTA 5, which takes place in LA, and we also went to the observatory from that game. And then to Malibu Beach. We tried to travel there and of course we couldn’t miss the shops.”

Do you like hot weather and the beach?
“Oh yeah. I don’t really like the crazy heat, but the weather in Los Angeles is just right. The temperature there suits me quite well.”

So maybe one day you’ll enjoy it as an NHL player. How far off would you estimate that is?
“You know … Unfortunately, I don’t really have an answer for that, because it’s just so hard to say. Of course, I’d be happy if it were as soon as possible, but right now I mainly want to move on to the next step. Another year, two … I think that’s how we’ve set it up with the people in LA, so now we’re deciding whether I’ll stay in Karlovy Vary or maybe move somewhere overseas.”

Did they tell you that they would prefer you over there?
“They did say that because they haven’t seen me there yet. They don’t even know that some teams here in the Czech Extraliga have smaller rinks, so they meant it from the perspective of me adapting better there. Now it depends on when and how the Kings and Karlovy Vary reach an agreement. LA has the rights to me there, Vary here. I have to wait, but then the final decision will be up to me.”

Czech Club Disappointed By Adam Novotný’s Decision To Go To OHL Czech winger Adam Novotný, who turns 17 in November, is currently projected by most sources to be a top-15 pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.

Do you have a personal preference?
“I’m always talking with the Karlovy Vary management about where I would fit in. Of course, I know that if I went to the Canadian juniors, I would get more ice time there. To have that in the Extraliga, I would have to play on the first line, but the competition is extremely demanding for a young player to get those minutes. It depends on what their thoughts are about me. I’ll decide whether to stay or go based on that. It depends on where I would develop more.”

If you weigh your options between the tough competition in the Extraliga and playing among top juniors, where you would be more successful, which do you think would win?
“I think that in terms of offensive development, overseas it would be … I don’t want to say easier, but I would have more opportunities to get chances and develop my offensive abilities. At the same time, I know how it works in the Extraliga, so if I stayed here, it would be almost on the same level as playing in the AHL, for example. If I were given more ice time, which I would have to earn, it would still be a good move to stay here. But if not and LA had other plans for me, then unfortunately there is also the possibility that I would leave.”

Why do you say “unfortunately?” Would it be a bad thing?
“I still haven’t planned to leave the Czech Republic anytime soon, but as far as my development is concerned, I’ll just do what’s best for me. On one hand, I’d be sad to leave, but on the other hand, I’d be excited to move on to somewhere else.”

Photo by Martin Voltr.

Report: Anton Frondell Will Sign With Blackhawks This Week; Won’t Attend Training Camp Swedish center Anton Frondell will sign an entry-level contract this upcoming week with the Chicago Blackhawks, the team that took him third overall at this year’s NHL Entry Draft, according to Swedish journalist Gunnar Nordström.

He hasn’t played a competitive hockey game in more than two years, but Slovak goaltender Jaroslav Halák never officially ended his career … until now.

“I’m done,” he said in a recent interview with Tomáš Prokop of Denník Šport. “I’ll never wear the pads again.”

Halák played 25 games for the New York Rangers in 2022-23 backing up all-star goalie Igor Shesterkin. Since then, there was a PTO with the Carolina Hurricanes in the autumn of 2023 that lasted only two weeks. Then in February of 2024 he signed with his hometown club, Slovan Bratislava of the Slovak Extraliga, but that didn’t lead to any games either.

“We agreed on the last day of the transfer period, which was already a pretty crucial date in the season,” Halák was quoted last summer. “After signing, I evaluated all the pros and cons.”

His last real shot was last summer, when he was hoping to get one final chance to try out for an NHL team.

“Last year I completed summer training,” Halák said. “I wanted to go on the ice in Boston, but when nothing came of it, I told myself it was pointless. After that I didn’t even try anymore. I’m officially ending my career. I would like to thank my family, friends, fans and especially my wife Petra, who has been by my side my entire career.”

Former Knights, Sens Goalie Signs In Slovakia Canadian goaltender Dylan Ferguson, 26, has signed a one-year contract with HK Nitra, the Slovak Extraliga club announced on Thursday.

As recently as two weeks ago, there were rumblings that a Czech team was interested in Halák.

“Maybe there was something, but it went away,” Halák dismissed. “I wanted to stay in America, especially for the kids, since they go to school there and the sports training there is better than in Europe.”

So Halák, who turned 40 in May, won’t play long enough to match the uniform number 41, which he wore for much of his career.

A native of Bratislava, Halák was a ninth-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Between 2006 and 2023, he played 581 NHL regular-season games and 39 more in the playoffs for the Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres, Washington Capitals, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks and Rangers.

The defining year of Halák’s career was 2010. That February, he backstopped Slovakia to a fourth-place finish at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, playing all seven of his team’s games while posting a 2.41 goals-against average and .911 save percentage. Then in April and May, he led eighth-seeded Montreal to playoff upsets over Alexander Ovechkin’s Capitals and Sidney Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins in the first two rounds.

Slovak Ex-Rangers Goalie Returns To KHL Slovak goalie Adam Húska, 28, has signed a one-year contract with Admiral Vladivostok, the KHL club recently announced on social media.

Halák finishes with 295 career NHL wins. He admitted last summer that getting to 300 wins was part of his motivation for wanting to continue, but he’s since backed off that stance.

“It’s been two years and I’ve come to terms with not reaching 300,” he admitted. “Looking back on my career, it’s been a good one. It would have been nicer with 300 wins, but I’ll be happy with 295.”

Now, his focus is primarily on his children. At least two of them are trying to follow in his footsteps.

“Since my son Nathan has been a goalie for three years, I’ve been focusing on him,” said Halák. “This year, my older daughter Inna joined him. Since January, she’s been trying to be a goalie as well.”

Photo © Eric Bolte-Imagn Images.

Another Goalie Moves From NHL To KHL Canadian goaltender Louis Domingue, 33, has signed a one-year contract with Sibir Novosibirsk, the KHL club announced on Thursday.

Canadian defenseman Ty Smith, 25, has signed a one-year contract with Belarus-based KHL club Dinamo Minsk, Russian sports website Championat.com reported on Thursday.

This is Smith’s first contract to play overseas.

Born in Lloydminster, Alta., Smith played junior hockey for the Spokane Chiefs, whom he captained for two years and won the WHL and CHL defenseman-of-the-year awards in 2018-19.

Smith was drafted in the first round, 17th overall, by the New Jersey Devils in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Between 2020 and 2025, he played 131 NHL regular-season games for the Devils, Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes, recording 49 points and 52 penalty minutes.

Smith played the vast majority of his NHL games over two seasons with New Jersey, and was named to the NHL’s All-Rookie Team in 2021. Since being traded to Pittsburgh for John Marino in 2022, he has only played a total of 17 NHL games.

Another Goalie Moves From NHL To KHL Canadian goaltender Louis Domingue, 33, has signed a one-year contract with Sibir Novosibirsk, the KHL club announced on Thursday.

Internationally, Smith represented Canada at two IIHF U-18 World Championships and two World Junior Championships, winning a World Junior gold in 2020.

Dinamo Minsk, the only Belarus-based team in the KHL, finished fourth in the Western Conference last season and won a playoff round for the first time since joining the league in 2014. Smith joins a team that includes fellow ex-NHLers Xavier Ouellet, Nicolas Meloche, Darren Dietz, Vadim Shipachyov and goaltender Zach Fucale.

Photo © James Guillory-Imagn Images.

French-Born Ex-Wing, Hab Signs Contract Extension In KHL French-born Canadian defenseman Xavier Ouellet, 31, has signed a two-year contract extension with Dinamo Minsk, the KHL website announced on Tuesday.

Canadian goaltender Louis Domingue, 33, has signed a one-year contract with Sibir Novosibirsk, the KHL club announced on Thursday.

This is Domingue’s first contract to play overseas in his career.

Originally from Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., Domingue played junior hockey for the Moncton Wildcats and Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, and was drafted in the fifth round, 138th overall, by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Between 2014 and 2025, Domingue played 144 NHL regular-season games and seven more in the playoffs for the Coyotes, Tampa Bay Lightning, New Jersey Devils, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers.

In the 2018-19 season with Tampa Bay, he played 26 games backing up Andrei Vasilevskiy and posted a 21-5-0 record – including a run of 11 straight wins – as the Lightning tied an NHL record with 62 regular-season wins (since broken).

After playing only two regular-season games for Pittsburgh in 2021-22, injuries to Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith forced Domingue into the Penguins’ starting role during the playoffs. He entered Game 1 of the first round in the second overtime period against the Rangers and played in six of seven games that series, which Pittsburgh lost.

Goalie Spencer Martin Signs In KHL Canadian goaltender Spencer Martin, 30, has signed a two-year contract with CSKA Moscow, the KHL club announced on Wednesday.

In each of the past two seasons, Domingue played one game and won for the Rangers, but otherwise spent the rest of the time in the AHL.

Domingue becomes the third goalie who appeared in the NHL in 2024-25 to sign in the KHL this off-season, following Chris Driedger and Spencer Martin. 

Domingue joins a Sibir team that finished seventh in the KHL’s Eastern Conference last season and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. The team also includes former NHL forwards Scott Wilson and Nikita Soshnikov and 27-year-old  Toronto Maple Leafs  prospect Vladislav Kara.

Photo © Eric Canha-Imagn Images.

Pittsburgh Stanley Cup Champion Changes KHL TeamsCanadian left winger Scott Wilson, 33, has signed a two-year contract with Sibir Novosibirsk, the KHL club announced on Tuesday. It will be Wilson’s fifth KHL team in five seasons.

In late June, the NHL announced the beginning of the selection process for determining the two host cities of the next World Cup of Hockey, which is scheduled to take place in February 2028.

According to the press release, the eight-team tournament will be split into two groups of four, with one group playing at venue in North America and the other at an international venue – almost certainly in Europe. In all probability, each venue would host six group-stage games and two quarterfinals, with the North American venue also hosting the two semifinals and the final.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, July 18, 2025, for North American cities and Wednesday, July 30, 2025, for international cities. The final selection of host cities is expected to take place sometime in early 2026.

North American entries will surely be current NHL arenas. Which one will be selected is anyone’s guess, but there are far fewer venues in Europe that the NHL is likely to view as suitable. First of all, the timeline of the selection almost certainly rules out the possibility of any Russian city hosting. Even if Russia does play in the tournament, it’s far more likely to play in the North American group than in Europe, where their presence could be more controversial.

Here are seven venues in European countries that have a strong possibility to host, ranked from most likely to least likely to be chosen.

Hockey Slovakia President Miroslav Šatan Reveals Formats Being Considered For 2028 World Cup Of Hockey Ever since the NHL and NHLPA announced that the World Cup of Hockey would return in February 2028 with at least eight teams, there has been much speculation about where the games will take place and who will participate, including some wild suggestions.

1. O2 Arena, Prague
Opened: 2004
Capacity: 17,383

When the facility then called Sazka Arena opened in Prague in 2004, it was fully up to NHL standards of the day with a capacity of over 17,000, club seats, luxury boxes and everything else. That year, it was the main venue for the IIHF World Championship and also hosted a game in the World Cup of Hockey. More than 20 years later, it is still one of only two hockey venues within the European Union that could reasonably be considered up to current NHL standards in terms of capacity and amenities.

In addition, Czech fans always tend to come out to support their team in big numbers, and Prague is centrally located in Europe, easily accessible from all corners of the continent by air and rail. It’s a popular destination for travelling fans, which is shown every time it hosts a major hockey event, meaning that all games could be well-attended, not only the ones that the host team is playing in.

For all those reasons, O2 Arena in Prague is the most likely European host, but it’s not a slam dunk.

2. Avicii Arena, Stockholm
Opened: 2004 (Renovated: 2025)
Capacity: 13,850

Stockholm is every bit of a hockey city as Prague is, and the facility formerly known as The Globe has also hosted numerous high-profile hockey events over the years, including World Championships, World Cups and NHL regular-season games.

Avicci Arena, however, opened in 1989 and is significantly older than O2 Arena, and despite extensive renovations ahead of this year’s World Championship, it still seats less than 14,000 for hockey. Also, while Stockholm is almost as accessible as Prague for visitors from elsewhere in Europe, it’s a considerably more expensive city to visit.

Still, the NHL considers Stockholm and Sweden an important market, as shown by how frequently they place events there, so Avicii Arena is very much in play for the World Cup.

3. Helsinki Arena
Opened: 1997 (reopening in 2025)
Capacity: 13,349

Between its opening in 1997 and 2022, this arena was the premier hockey venue in Finland and one of the top ones in Europe, hosting four World Championships, two World Juniors, three games at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and seven NHL games. However, it’s been closed since early 2022 – you can read more about that here.

The good news is, the arena will apparently return to operation this September. There are, however, recent reports from Finland that the building’s new operator is balking at reactivating the ice plant. If it’s fully hockey functional – and it’s given the green light before the NHL makes its decision – Helsinki has a chance.

Closed For 3 Years, Helsinki’s Largest Arena To Reopen With New Name From its opening in 1997 until March 2022, the building then known as Hartwall Arena hosted four IIHF World Championships, two World Junior Championships, three games in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and seven NHL regular-season games. It was the home rink to Jokerit, which played in the KHL. It was Finland’s premier hockey venue.

4. Lanxess Arena, Cologne
Opened: 1996
Capacity: 18,500

The largest full-time hockey venue within the European Union is in Cologne, Germany. Since its opening in 1996, Lanxess Arena has hosted three World Championships and drawn very strong attendance. The NHL also put one game here in the 2004 World Cup.

Cologne is also the hometown of Leon Draisaitl, which would make this arena a great place to showcase probably the greatest German hockey player ever and, possibly, the greatest German hockey team ever, in a best-on-best tournament.

If there’s a drawback, it’s that the NHL still hasn’t announced the format, and it’s not known yet whether Germany will be part of an eight-team tournament or have to qualify ahead of time. In the latter case, it’s highly unlikely that Germany would get to host the European group.

5. Uber Arena, Berlin
Opened: 2008
Capacity: 14,200

Or if the NHL wanted to go to Germany, would they pick Berlin instead? It’s definitely a larger and more accessible city. The NHL also put a preseason game there in 2019 when the Chicago Blackhawks visited Eisbären Berlin.

However, the same question marks surrounding Cologne apply to Berlin as well – it’ll only happen if Germany qualifies directly as one of the eight initial teams.

2026 Olympics will see best German team everThe Germans have had some very good results internationally in recent years, including a silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics and another silver at the 2023 IIHF World Championship. They’ve had some very good young talent to work with but they haven’t had a chance to put all of their best players together on one team since the 2010 Winter Olympics. They’ve improved a lot since then. In fact, it’s no stretch to say the 2026 Winter Olympics will feature the greatest German ice hockey team ever assembled.

6. Nokia Arena, Tampere
Opened: 2021
Capacity: 13,455

Tampere’s Nokia Arena has become Finland’s premier hockey venue in the last few years. Like Helsinki and Stockholm, the smaller capacity is a bit of a drawback, and it’s a much less accessible city than those other two – Tampere has only a minor airport, with Helsinki’s international airport a two-hour drive away.

Nokia Arena would be further up the list if Helsinki weren’t back in play. Even without Helsinki, though, this one feels like a long shot with some of the other choices available.

7. Swiss Life Arena, Zurich
Opened: 2022
Capacity: 11,157

The NHL and the IIHF recently came to an agreement to send NHL players to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy and possibly 2030 in France. As good as relations seem to be right now, the IIHF has been vocal about its opposition to a major international non-Olympic hockey tournament in Europe in February. Putting the European group in the city where the IIHF’s head offices are located feels like something unlikely to happen.

NHL Players Can Officially Play In 2026 Olympics. What About 2030?The IIHF, NHL and NHLPA all signed an agreement to officially allow NHL players to participate in the 2026 Olympics – and potentially the 2030 edition.

Swedish winger Victor Eklund, 18, has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the New York Islanders, the team that drafted him 16th overall at the recent NHL Entry Draft, the club announced on Monday.

In all likelihood, however, Eklund will be returning to Djurgården, the Stockholm-based club where he has played since his childhood, like his longtime teammate Anton Frondell.

Last season, Eklund had 31 points in 42 games in the HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second tier of professional hockey. He then had seven points in 16 playoff games, helping Djurgården gain a promotion to the top-tier SHL.

“I don’t know,” Eklund said back in October when asked where he himself playing next season. “I haven’t talked to anyone. I’m in Djurgården now and (I hope) we’re going to the SHL. I hope there won’t be any weirdness there.”

Report: Anton Frondell Will Sign With Blackhawks This Week; Won’t Attend Training Camp Swedish center Anton Frondell will sign an entry-level contract this upcoming week with the Chicago Blackhawks, the team that took him third overall at this year’s NHL Entry Draft, according to Swedish journalist Gunnar Nordström.

It was recently reported in Swedish media that Frondell, who was chosen third overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the same draft, will sign with Chicago this week but will not attend the team's training camp this September, instead choosing to prepare for and start the season with Djurgården without interruption. If that’s the case, it would seem likely that Eklund will do the same.

In addition to Eklund and Frondell, Djurgården’s lineup for the upcoming season will also include veteran center Marcus Krüger, who was a two-time Stanley Cup champion with Chicago, Finnish right winger Jesse Ylönen, Swedish defenseman Gustav Lindström, and Swedish goaltender Magnus Hellberg.

Photo © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.

Victor Eklund: “It’s Gone Quite Well So I’ll Just Continue With It”Victor Eklund is off to a flying start in his draft year. The 18-year-old left winger has seven goals and four assists in 13 games for Djurgården in the HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second-tier professional league. Last Friday, he netted a hat trick in a 7-6 shootout loss to Björklöven.

Canadian forward Andy Andreoff, 34, has signed a two year contract with the ZSC Lions, the Zurich-based National League team announced on Monday.

“With Andy Andreoff, we're gaining a physically strong forward who knows where the net is,” said Lions’ sports director Sven Leuenberger. “Just as important for me is that Andy can be used to kill penalties and is strong on faceoffs, because that’s where we needed more after the departures of Juho Lammikko and Vinzenz Rohrer.”

Leuenberger continued, “Andy can also play on the power play and operate as both a center and a wing. Our quota of six import players is now complete.”

Born in Pickering, Ont., Andreoff played junior hockey for the OHL’s Oshawa Generals and was chosen by the Los Angeles Kings in the third round, 80th overall, in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Between 2014 and 2023, Andreoff played 188 NHL regular-season games for the Kings, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders, recording 27 points and a whopping 225 penalty minutes. He also played one playoff game with Los Angeles in 2016.

Rohrer & Lammikko Leave Zurich For NHLA pair of forwards who have been members of the Zurich Lions back-to-back championships in Switzerland and the team’s Champions Hockey League title this past season have signed contracts with NHL clubs this weekend.

Andreoff spent the past two seasons in the KHL playing for Sibir Novosibirsk, where he talllied 81 points and 89 penalty minutes in 137 regular-season and playoff games.

Zurich has been Switzerland’s most successful team in recent years, winning back-to-back National League titles and also winning the Champions Hockey League final on home ice last season. Andreoff joins a roster that includes ex-NHLers Yannick Weber, Derek Grant, Denis Malgin, Sven Andrighetto, Rudolfs Balcers, Dean Kukan and Mikko Lehtonen.

Photo © Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images.

Zurich Lions Win Champions Hockey League Final – Back-To-Back Titles For SwitzerlandFor the second year in a row, a Swiss team has defeated a Swedish team in the Champions Hockey League final. On their home ice, the ZSC Lions defeated visiting Färjestad 2-1 before a sell-out crowd of 12,000 at Swiss Life Arena in Zurich.

Swiss club HC Davos has signed three of its key forwards to three-year contract extensions – Czech Filip Zadina, 25, Canadian Adam Tambellini, 30, and Swede Simon Ryfors, 27.

“We are delighted that Simon, Filip, and Adam have so clearly committed to HCD and are planning their future with us,” said club sports director Jan Alston. “All three are hungry for more, and we expect a high level of play from them over the next three years.”

It’s interesting that Zadina chose to sign long-term in Davos after last summer, when the Czech winger was reportedly close to signing with his hometown club Dynamo Pardubice, but a sticking point was term – the club wanted a multi-year deal but Zadina, then 24, wanted to keep his NHL options available and chose the shorter-term offer from Davos. Presumably, this contract contains an opt-out in case he receives an NHL offer.

Last season, Zadina had 43 points in 53 National League regular-season and playoff games. He also had four points in three games in the Spengler Cup, which Davos hosts annually.

In addition to Tambellini and Ryfors, Zadina’s teammates in Davos this season will include ex-NHLers Joakim Nordström, Brendan Lemieux, Rasmus Asplund and Klas Dahlbeck.

Rasmus Asplund Leaves Florida Organization For Switzerland Swedish forward Rasmus Asplund, 27, has signed a two-year contract with HC Davos, the National League club announced on Tuesday.

Originally from Pardubice, Czechia, Zadina went overseas at age 17 to play junior hockey for the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads. After winning the league’s rookie-of-the-year award and making the first all-star team, he was drafted sixth overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

Between 2018 and 2024, Zadina played 262 NHL games for the Wings and San Jose Sharks, recording 91 points and 40 penalty minutes. In 2023-24, his last NHL campaign to date, Zadina hit career highs in games played (72) and goals (13).

Internationally, Zadina performed brilliantly for the Czechs at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo, recording eight points in seven games as the Czechs finished fourth. In his only senior-level World Championship to date in Riga in 2021, Zadina had four points in eight games.

Photo © Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images.

CONFIRMED: Jesse Puljujärvi Signs Multi-Year Contract in Switzerland Finnish winger Jesse Puljujärvi, 27, has signed a two-year contract with Genève-Servette, the National League club announced on Tuesday.

Swedish center Anton Frondell will sign an entry-level contract this upcoming week with the Chicago Blackhawks, the team that took him third overall at this year’s NHL Entry Draft, according to Swedish journalist Gunnar Nordström.

According to Nordström’s article, which was published in the Swedish website Expressen on Saturday, the 18-year-old Frondell will sign for three years at $975,000 US per year, which is the maximum allowed for an entry-level deal according to the CBA.

Nordström further states that, according to information provided to Expressen, Frondell intends to play for Djurgården this upcoming season and will not attend Chicago's training camp, which begins on Sept. 15. Rather, he will focus on preparing for Djurgården’s season and the team’s opener on Sept. 13 at home against Skellefteå AIK.

That statement is consistent with Frondell’s words when he signed a contract extension with Djurgården in March. 

“When I got the offer to stay, there was no doubt, no hesitation,” Frondell was quoted at the time of his signing. “Everyone who knows me knows that this is the club that I want to play for as long as possible. I have been a Djurgården fan since the day I was born and I have always looked up to those who have worn Djurgården jerseys. To play for Djurgården myself is the best thing I know, and with the support of the fans it only becomes even better each game.”

Djurgården Extends Top Draft Prospect Anton Frondell Swedish center Anton Frondell, who is ranked to be one of the top picks at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, has signed a contract that will see him remain with Djurgården – his Stockholm-based childhood club – at least one more season.

Last season, Frondell had 25 points in 29 games playing for Djurgården in Sweden’s second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan. He then had seven points in 19 post-season games as Djurgården earned a promotion to the top-tier SHL. That will make the upcoming season a step up in the level of hockey that Frondell will be playing.

In addition to Frondell, Djurgården’s lineup for the upcoming season will also probably include 18-year-old winger Victor Eklund, who was chosen 16th overall by the New York Islanders. It will also have veteran center Marcus Krüger, who was a two-time Stanley Cup champion with Chicago, Finnish right winger Jesse Ylönen, Swedish defenseman Gustav Lindström, and Swedish goaltender Magnus Hellberg.

Swedish D-Man Returns Home On Long-Term Contract Swedish defenseman Gustav Lindström, 26, has signed a five-year contract with Djurgården, the Stockholm-based SHL club announced on Thursday.

American-born Russian winger Nikolai Kovalenko, 25, has signed a two-year contract with CSKA Moscow, the KHL club announced on social media on Saturday.

The move comes nine days after CSKA acquired Kovalenko’s KHL rights from Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in exchange for recently-signed ex-NHLer Egor Sokolov.

Kovalenko was born in Raleigh, N.C. while his father, Andrei Kovalenko, played for the Carolina Hurricanes. He grew up in Moscow and Yaroslavl, and played in 304 KHL regular-season and playoff games for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, Ak Bars Kazan and Torpedo between 2017 and 2024, recording 157 points.

At the end of the 2023-24 KHL season, Kovalenko, who had already signed a two-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche, was assigned to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. He made his NHL debut in that year's playoffs when he was called up to play in two games for the Avalanche.

Kovalenko split the 2024-25 season with Colorado and the San Jose Sharks, recording 20 points and 16 penalty minutes in 57 games. Midway through the season, he was involved in a trade that saw goaltenders Alexandar Georgiev and Mackenzie Blackwood head in opposite directions.

Two Days After Signing In KHL, Sokolov Traded For NHL Free Agent Two days after signing with CSKA Moscow, Russian winger Egor Sokolov has been traded to Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, the CSKA club announced on Thursday.

CSKA, colloquially known in North America as the Red Army team, is a perennial powerhouse in Russia, but after back-to-back Gagarin Cup titles in 2022 and 2023, has been knocked out in the first round of the playoffs each of the past two years.

The team has made numerous moves in recent weeks, including signing Sokolov and then trading him for Kovalenko’s rights two days later. The team has also signed goaltender Spencer Martin and acquired Denis Zernov from Metallurg Magnitogorsk in exchange for New York Islanders prospect Ruslan Iskhakov. CSKA also has under contract for 2025-26 ex-NHLers Denis Guryanov, Nikita Nesterov, Nikita Okhotyuk and Vladislav Kamenev.

Photo © Steven Bisig-Imagn Images.

Goalie Spencer Martin Signs In KHL Canadian goaltender Spencer Martin, 30, has signed a two-year contract with CSKA Moscow, the KHL club announced on Wednesday.