The Anaheim Ducks are all-in on Lukas Dostal, signing the RFA to a five-year contract on Thursday.

Dostal, 25, officially takes over as the Ducks' No. 1 goaltender after the team traded John Gibson to the Detroit Red Wings in June. While the Ducks didn't announce the annual average value, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported it's $6.5 million.

The deal means Dostal and the Ducks avoided arbitration in August.

"Lukas has proven he is a No. 1 goaltender, and we are so pleased to get this deal done," Ducks GM Pat Verbeek said in a news release.

In the last two seasons, Dostal earned an increasingly larger share of the starts. He even played in 54 games in 2024-25 while Gibson played 29. Gibson had an appendectomy that caused him to miss the first month of the season, and he was in and out of the lineup with injuries throughout the campaign.

Dostal had a 23-23-7 record, with a .903 save percentage and a 3.10 goals-against average. Of goaltenders aged 24 or under, only he and the Calgary Flames' Dustin Wolf won 20 or more games. And in 2023-24, when he played 44 games, Dostal had a 14-23-3 record with a .902 SP and 3.33 GAA.

What stands out is Dostal's 14.3 goals saved above expected, the 17th most among all NHL goalies this past season, according to moneypuck.com. That stat takes into account the quality of shots Dostal faced on a Ducks squad that conceded the most high-danger chances in the NHL this past season, according to naturalstattrick.com.

"He is just entering the prime of his career with his best hockey ahead of him," Verbeek said.

The Ducks aim to have their best hockey since 2018 ahead of them as well. After a first-round exit in 2017-18, the Ducks missed the playoffs in the past seven years. They've been busy this off-season to take a step up.

"We are the team on the rise, and can't wait to see you soon in the Honda Center," Dostal said  in a video posted to social media. 

Anaheim replaced coach Greg Cronin with three-time Stanley Cup champion Joel Quenneville. This is his first NHL coaching job since resigning from the Florida Panthers in 2021 in the wake of an investigation determining he and other members of the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks had an inadequate response to sexual assault allegations. The NHL cleared him to work again last summer, and Verbeek said they did a comprehensive review before hiring Quenneville.

The Ducks also acquired Chris Kreider and signed Mikael Granlund while trading Gibson to the Red Wings and Trevor Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers.

After all that, Anaheim still has nearly $22.5 million in cap space. They still have three unsigned RFAs: Mason McTavish, Drew Helleson and Sam Colangelo.

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The Florida Panthers are next up in our NHL prospect pool overview series.

Tony Ferrari digs into the Panthers’ strengths and weaknesses, latest draft class, positional depth chart, next player in line for an NHL opportunity and more. A player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer a prospect for these exercises, with some exceptions.

Initial Thoughts

After winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, the Panthers' prospect pool couldn’t be less of a focus for their fans. 

With that said, the Panthers may not have an incredibly strong prospect pool, but they do have a few really solid prospects. The Panthers are built for the long run, though. They’ve got an NHL roster full of talent, and breaking in will be quite difficult for any player to do. 

Jack Devine might be the closest to cracking the roster, and he’s likely to stay in the AHL in his first pro season. Devine was one of the best players in college hockey over the last couple of seasons, and he was instrumental in helping the University of Denver reach three national title games in four years, winning two of them. Devine isn’t the flashiest or most skilled forward, but he’s incredibly effective and understands the nuances of creating offensive chances for himself and his teammates.

Heading into his second AHL season, Sandis Vilmanis will try to take a big step after a decent rookie year. His wrist shot is his best offensive weapon, firing the puck from between the dots in an instant to beat the goalie clean. Vilmanis has sneaky good puckhandling as well, which should help the 21-year-old open up space a bit more.

Last year’s top pick, Linus Eriksson, had a solid season in Sweden, splitting most of it between the Allsvenskan and Swedish League. His board play and attention to detail allowed him to achieve some success against men, but he must continue to get faster and stronger on the puck in open space. Eriksson already possesses the intelligence and habits of a professional player, consistently making the right plays, but he will need to find his lane over the next couple of seasons as a pro.

Gracyn Sawchyn steps into pro hockey this season, bringing his high-energy, high-skill game to the AHL. Sawchyn isn’t a big forward, but he plays to win each battle, leveraging his speed and skill with a dogged mentality along the boards. His on-puck skill is impressive, using a full arsenal of puckhandling on his backhand, in tight to his body and stretched out from his frame. Sawchyn is also a creative playmaker. How all of the elements of his game work in the AHL will be worth tracking this season.

While he isn’t flashy or particularly entertaining to watch, Simon Zether could fit on the bottom end of a Panthers roster that features players who play hard, play physical and put opposing players in compromising positions. He reads the play well at both ends of the ice, often making the simple play because it’s the right one in a given situation. Zether won’t try to dangle his way through an entire team, but he can create space and advance play. 

Matvei Shuravin is a defender with size and mobility, but until this past year, he didn’t show much offensively. His uptick in production came from the fact that he was bigger, stronger and faster than most players at the junior level in Russia. Shuravin defends well, using his feet to cut off lanes and his body to kill play. He needs to figure out his on-puck game, even if it’s just simple breakout passes and competency with the puck in transition. Shuravin is one of the very few defenders with NHL potential in the system.

The most notable goalie in the system is Kirill Gerasimyuk. The soon-to-be 22-year-old netminder looked great in the second-tier Russian league this past season until the playoffs rolled around, and he had a rough couple of games. He signed his entry-level contract, so he’ll be trying to make the jump to the AHL this upcoming season. His biggest strength is that he is calm, cool and collected in net, rarely allowing himself to seem flustered. As with most goalies, Florida can take their time with this kid. Let him develop in the AHL without rushing to the NHL. 

Key U-23 Players Likely To Play NHL Games This Season

Mackie Samoskevich (RW)

2025 NHL Draft Class

Round 4, 112nd overall - Mads Kongsbak Klyvo, LW, Vastra Frolunda Jr. (Swe.)

Round 4, 128th overall - Shea Busch, LW, Everett (WHL)

Round 5, 129th overall - Shamar Moses, RW, North Bay (OHL)

Round 6, 192nd overall - Arvid Drott, RW, Djurgarden Jr. (Swe.)

Round 7, 197th overall - Brendan Dunphy, D, Wenatchee (WHL)

Round 7, 224th overall - Yegor Midlak, G, Spartak Moscow Jr. (Rus.)

The two-time defending Stanley Cup champions didn’t make a draft pick until the fourth round, when they added Danish winger Mads Kongsbak Klyvo. He is a very good skater who brings a physical element with some excellent defensive utility. Kongsbak Klyvo is a bit raw offensively. His passing and shooting are fairly average. He has nice hands, but he isn’t going to dangle his way around the ice.

After Shea Busch spent one-and-a-half seasons at the BCHL level where he wasn’t particularly productive, he jumped up to the WHL partway through this past season. His skating is a major concern, and he bobbles pucks more than you’d like, but he plays a heavy game, and every once in a while, Busch can really rip a puck. This was a bit of a perplexing pick, but the Panthers identified a guy who may provide some depth down the line.

The Panthers continued the trend of drafting raw, physical wingers by adding Shamar Moses. He’s a bit more refined as a skater, but that is still the area he needs to work on because the physicality and offensive tools have been really intriguing. There will need to be some skill development, and Moses will need to continue to refine his raw frame. The Panthers are betting that he can become a nifty depth scorer.

Arvid Drott might be the most enticing winger the Panthers took. His speed is impressive, and he can generate offensive chances off the rush on the regular. Drott can be a bit of a physical presence as well, which should make him a very versatile bottom-six player. He is a north-south, no-nonsense kind of player. He wants to fly down the wing and fire heavy snap shots on net. It will be very interesting to see how he develops.

Brendan Dunphy is an overage defender who’s headed to the NCAA next season after a year in the WHL. He uses his 6-foot-5 frame to its full ability, using his reach to knock pucks off attackers' sticks and his body to lay the wood along the boards. Dunphy has plenty of time to develop.

Drafting a Russian netminder at the tail end of the draft is a good bet. Yegor Midlak didn’t play a ton, but when he did, he was fantastic. He has excellent size at 6-foot-6, and he moves fairly well in net as well. The 18-year-old Russian is a long-term project, but he’s a worthwhile one in the seventh round.

Strengths

The Panthers’ one area of strength in their pipeline is on the wing. Even the players listed down the middle are more likely to find success at the pro level on the wing. 

Sawchyn is a highly skilled, pace-pushing forward who could be a fun winger. Vilmanis is getting closer to being an impact player in the pros. Devine very well could play NHL games this upcoming season. Drott is a raw, speedy forward with a great shot but must refine things as he develops. They don’t have a star prospect in general, but they have a few wingers who could be effective depth pieces.

Weaknesses

The Panthers’ prospect pool as a whole is weaker than most, but it’s not nearly as barren as some would expect. With that said, the defense group is lacking in a major way. 

Michael Benning is an unsigned RFA. Shuravin took a nice step last year, proving himself to be at least a capable puck-mover, but he played primarily at the Russian junior level. Vladislav Lukashevich transferred from Michigan State to Miami-Ohio this off-season as he couldn’t really secure a role with MSU. Evan Nause has struggled to break out of the ECHL over the last two seasons. There just doesn’t seem to be much in the way of NHL-caliber defenders in the system. 

Hidden Gem: Simon Zether, C

The Panthers have a knack for finding quality depth players who play with physical intensity and intelligent two-way play. A player that might fit that mold over the next few years is Simon Zether. He has size and crafty passing ability. 

The Swede uses his size along the boards to win pucks, and when he isn’t winning them outright, he’s working his tail off to at least prevent the opposing team from collecting it cleanly. Zether likely won’t be a top-six forward, but as a bottom-six, versatile center who can play on the penalty kill and chip in from time to time, there is an NHL future there for Zether.

Next Man Up: Jack Devine, RW

After a wildly successful NCAA career where he collected two national titles, a scoring title and a couple of first-team all-American selections, Jack Devine signed his entry-level contract and joined the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. After a few games at the end of the regular season, Devine had five points in seven playoff games. 

Devine has always found a way to score. While he’s traditionally been more of a shooter, his final season in the NCAA was built around his game as a playmaker. Devine will start the year in the AHL, but he could see NHL games. If he does, he’s the exact kind of player the Panthers find a perfect role for. Devine could be a sneaky good depth scorer for Florida in pursuit of a third straight title.

Prospect Depth Chart Notables

LW: Sandis Vilmanis, Kai Schwindt, Mads Kongsbak Klyvo, Hunter St-Martin

C: Linus Eriksson, Gracyn Sawchyn, Simon Zether

RW: Arvid Drott, Shamar Moses, Jack Devine

LD: Matvei Shuravin, Vladislav Lukashevich, Evan Nause, Albert Wikman, Luke Coughlin

RD: Ludvig Jansson, Mikulas Hovorka, Michael Benning

G: Kirill Gerasimyuk, Yegor Midlak, Olof Gifford, Denis Gabdrakhmanov

For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook and Future Watch editions of The Hockey News in print.

The Toronto Maple Leafs' need for a top-six forward prompted some pundits to suggest a reunion with Nazem Kadri earlier this month. 

The Hockey News’ David Alter subsequently dismissed the possibility of the Calgary Flames parting with their first-line center and leading scorer. 

Alter also cited Kadri's reaction to the trade speculation earlier this week. Speaking with the London Knights' podcast, The Knight Shift, the 34-year-old center said it was “a bit bizarre” to see his name flying around the rumor mill.

Kadri also suggested the trade chatter was due to a lack of any significant sports currently taking place. Meanwhile, the Calgary Sun's Wes Gilbertson cited the Flames center saying how much he and his family enjoy living in Calgary, and pointing to “some good players” coming along with the club. 

“So I appreciate the C of Red, for sure,” he said. 

Gilbertson stated that Flames GM Craig Conroy likely isn't keen to trade his leading scorer as he tries to balance maintaining a competitive team while retooling the roster. 

Speaking of Kadri, Montreal Hockey Now's Marc Dumont cited Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos claiming the Flames center would waive his no-movement clause for the Montreal Canadiens and the Maple Leafs. 

Dumont swatted down the idea of Canadiens GM Kent Hughes trading valuable assets for a player “on the wrong side of 30.” Hughes prefers adding players in their 20s, such as Joe Veleno, who was signed to a one-year deal on Wednesday.  

Turning to the Seattle Kraken, there's speculation that their leading scorer might be available. 

The Hockey News’ Julian Gaudio last week cited Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period claiming the Kraken are open to trading Jared McCann. Meanwhile, TSN insider Chris Johnston indicated the 29-year-old left winger's name was floating around the NHL rumor mill. 

McCann is an original member of the Kraken, having been selected during the 2021 expansion draft. He's led the club in scoring in each of their four seasons, including a career-high 40-goal performance in 2022-23. 

Thus far, no reports from Seattle have confirmed McCann's availability. Gaudio cited a report from February claiming the Kraken aren't shopping their first-line left winger but were willing to entertain offers. 

That was before Jason Botterill took over as GM from Ron Francis, who was promoted to president of hockey operations. Botterill could be open to moving McCann, but his recent acquisitions of veterans Ryan Lindgren, Mason Marchment and Frederick Gaudreau suggest he's trying to ensure his club remains competitive for next season.

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The NHL off-season is in full swing, with most teams making significant moves to improve their organization. This is as good a time as any to identify the NHL’s best teams by position. 

We’ve already looked at the best defense corps and the top groups of forwards. It’s time to look at the five teams with the best goaltending, as well as some honorable mentions.

These are the tandems that either have a superstar starting goalie and a good-enough backup or two strong options, even if they aren’t stars on their own. This past season’s results are a significant factor, but there is an exception for a tandem with subpar results but high potential. Let’s get straight to it.

1. Winnipeg Jets

Goalies: Connor Hellebuyck, Eric Comrie

In Hellebuyck, the Jets have the reigning Vezina Trophy winner for the past two seasons and the 2024-25 Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP. He was especially dominant this past season, in particular, putting up a .925 save percentage and 2.01 goals-against average in a whopping 63 appearances. Nobody was a better workhorse than the 32-year-old veteran, who is a bargain at $8.5 million per season. His playoff performance remains a concern, but he’s undoubtedly a superstar goalie.

Hellebuyck’s dominance means the 30-year-old Comrie hasn’t had much of a workload, appearing in only 20 games this past year. But Comrie’s numbers – a .914 SP and 2.39 GAA – are exactly what Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff is looking for in an understudy for Hellebuyck. Comrie also earns only $825,000 this coming season, so paying him and Hellebuyck less than $10 million is quite the coup for Winnipeg. 

The Jets will remain one of the best teams in the NHL, partly because Hellebuyck and Comrie are delivering as advertised.

2. Toronto Maple Leafs

Goalies: Anthony Stolarz, Joseph Woll

In their first season working together, Stolarz and Woll were a smashing success for the Maple Leafs. Stolarz recorded a .926 SP and 2.14 GAA in 34 games for the low cost of only $2.5 million, while Woll had a .909 SP and 2.73 GAA in 42 appearances while earning only $766,667. When factoring in the quality of the shots they faced, Stolarz had 25.8 goals saved above expected, while Woll had 16.8, according to moneypuck.com. That’s good for fourth and 11th among all goalies, making Toronto the only team with two netminders in the top 15. Toronto also had the fourth-best team save percentage in the NHL, according to naturalstattrick.com, and the second-most goals against below expected, per Money Puck.

Stolarz missed time due to an injury, but when he was healthy, he was stellar in his first season as a Leaf. And while Woll’s cap hit in 2025-26 rises to about $3.67 million, you’re still looking at a Toronto goalie tandem that costs a little more than $6 million. Any way you cut it, that’s terrific value at a key position, and Woll and Stolarz can move into next season confident that they’ll be splitting time almost evenly and being fresh once the Stanley Cup playoffs roll around. 

There may be no more evenly balanced tandem than this one, and now, it’s all about reproducing their regular-season success in the post-season. 

3. Dallas Stars

Goalies: Jake Oettinger, Casey DeSmith

It’s true Oettinger didn’t have the best post-season for the Stars last year, as he had a rough Western Conference final series against the Edmonton Oilers. But by and large, the 26-year-old’s save percentage dropped only slightly, from .909 in the regular season to .905 in the playoffs. Oettinger can also find another gear, as he did in 2022-23, when he had a career-high .919 SP.

Oettinger is still regarded as one of the top goaltenders on the planet, and that hasn’t changed because he slipped a bit this past season. He’s beginning the first year of an eight-year contract extension paying him $8.25 million per year, and the Stars believe Oettinger is worth every penny.

Oettinger’s 58 appearances last season left backup DeSmith with only 27 games played, but DeSmith posted a .915 SP and 2.59 GAA, as well as a team-leading 15.9 goals saved above expected. DeSmith was in the first season of a three-year deal paying him only $1 million annually. 

Together, Oettinger and DeSmith were about as good as it gets for an NHL tandem, and the former can play even better if he returns to the form he had in 2022-23. New Stars coach Glen Gulutzan will rely on Oettinger and DeSmith to stand tall in net.

4. Vancouver Canucks

Goalies: Thatcher Demko, Kevin Lankinen

The Canucks had some bad luck with injuries last season, specifically with Demko, who has been the franchise’s top netminder for four years now. But Demko is now healthy. Combined with Lankinen, who posted a .902 save percentage and 2.62 GAA in a career-high 54 games this past season, he gives Vancouver a one-two punch to rival any other team’s goaltending situation.

When Demko is in form, he’s a Vezina Trophy candidate. He was truly elite in 2023-24, with a 2.45 GAA, .918 SP and five shutouts before his injury troubles began. Being in and out of the lineup in 2024-25 with a 2.90 GAA and .889 SP could be nothing but a blip.

Demko and Lankinen are signed for at least the next four seasons at a combined salary cap hit of $9.5 million in 2025-26, followed by a combined $13-million cap hit for the following three campaigns. That’s good value for what the duo can bring to the table at the height of their potential. The Canucks are almost assuredly going to battle for a playoff spot in large part because of Demko and Lankinen providing stellar play between the pipes.

Could The Penguins' Arturs Silovs Become The Next Dominik Hasek?How's that for a headline, eh? When the Vancouver Canuckstraded 24-year-old Arturs Silovs to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday for a fourth-round pick and a middling prospect in Chase Stillman, they did so with their fingers crossed that he won't make them look ridiculous.

5. New York Rangers

Goalies: Igor Shesterkin, Jonathan Quick

Shesterkin appeared in a career-high 61 games for the Rangers last season, but the 29-year-old had a down year by his standards, putting up a .905 SP and 2.86 GAA. That said, the Rangers’ defense corps was porous, doing no favors for Shesterkin and Quick, who also posted a rough .893 SP and 3.17 GAA. Shesterkin still had the seventh-most goals saved above expected, with 21.6.

The duo is on this list because we expect a better season from Shesterkin, who will have an improved defense corps in front of him. Shesterkin has posted a save percentage of .913 or better in his previous five NHL seasons, and if used sparingly, Quick still has the muscle memory of his best days in the league. So the Rangers will almost certainly get better performances from their netminders, and Shesterkin will underscore his status as one of the NHL’s top five goalies.

Honorable Mentions: Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Islanders and Florida Panthers

It wasn’t easy picking only five goalie tandems, and the Lightning, Islanders and Panthers all had merit to be argued as employing one of the better goalie duos.

The Lightning have superstar Andrei Vasilevskiy, who returned to his dominant form last season by putting up a .921 SP and 2.18 GAA in 63 games. Meanwhile, the Islanders’ duo of Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov has the experience and ability to keep them in games, although the latter missed most of this past season due to injury. And finally, in Florida, Panthers star Sergei Bobrovsky has won back-to-back Cups, has two Vezina wins and is entering the final year of his lucrative contract.

For different reasons, the Bolts, Panthers and Islanders all have difference-making starting goalies, which is why they deserve to at least be in this conversation. If things go well for them during the season, they could move higher on this list. But for now, at least, they’re among the best netminders the NHL has to offer.

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The NHL released its 2025-26 schedule on Wednesday, a day when it was almost as hot as it will be for the league's two outdoor games in Florida this season.

It might be a little tough to get jacked up for hockey when it's this hot out and the dog days of summer are upon us, but there are some matchups in the schedule to get the juices flowing. Jonathan Toews returning to Chicago, Brad Marchand to Boston and Mitch Marner to Toronto are three of them.

And watch for those two San Jose-Pittsburgh games (ahem). There are a few NHL milestones that are within reach as well.

Watch today's video for the full list.

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The NHL released the full 2025-26 regular-season schedule on Wednesday, and it is riddled with exciting matchups. 

Here are some key dates, with game times are listed in Eastern time.

Oct. 7: Opening Night

The 2025-26 campaign will kick off with a tripleheader on opening night. The evening begins with the Chicago Blackhawks and the Florida Panthers at 5 p.m. Florida will raise its second straight championship banner at Amalie Bank Arena ahead of puck drop.

At 8 p.m., the New York Rangers will host the Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden. This will be Mike Sullivan’s first game as the Rangers' coach, and he’ll take on his old team, where he won two Stanley Cup championships and stood behind the bench for 10 seasons. Sullivan’s return to Pittsburgh is just a few days later on Oct. 11.

The final contest of the night will be between two Western Conference teams, with puck drop at 10:30 p.m. The Colorado Avalanche will take on the Los Angeles Kings, two teams that hold a sour taste in their mouths after being eliminated in the first round of last season’s playoffs.

Oct. 21: Brad Marchand Comes Back To Boston

At the trade deadline, the Boston Bruins traded left winger Brad Marchand to Florida and eventually won his second Stanley Cup. On Oct. 21, the Panthers will visit TD Garden, and Marchand will face the Bruins for the first time after playing 1,090 games across 16 seasons.

Nov. 22: Stanley Cup Final Rematch, Again

Every season, there are two Stanley Cup final rematch games, and this one is between Florida and the Edmonton Oilers for a second-straight year. On Nov. 22, a different-looking Oilers team will take on a similar Panthers squad. Last season, Edmonton lost both regular-season matchups to Florida, 6-5 and 4-3 on Dec. 16 and Feb. 27, respectively.

Feb. 11 to 22: Olympic Break

In the middle of February, NHL players will compete in the Winter Olympics for the first time since 2014. The 2026 Olympic Games will be hosted in Milan, Italy, beginning on Feb. 11. Puck-drop times vary between 6:10 a.m. and 3:10 p.m., including the gold medal game on Feb. 22 at 8:10 a.m.

In addition to the dates of when the Winter Games begin, all the teams competing in these Olympics must submit their full rosters later in the year. All 12 nations released their preliminary rosters of six players on June 16.

Jan. 23: Mitch Marner Returns To Toronto

All Toronto Maple Leafs fans will be marking Jan. 23 on their calendars as it marks the return of Mitch Marner. The Vegas Golden Knights swing by Toronto during a four-game Atlantic Division road trip.

Marner’s tenure in Toronto ended on a sour note as fans booed the team and threw jerseys on the ice in the closing moments of Game 7 against Florida in the second round of the post-season. It’ll be interesting to see the reception he gets when he returns to Scotiabank Arena.

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The Hockey News Big Show is here to answer your questions in a mailbag episode as the NHL off-season continues.

NHL Mailbag Episode – Marner’s Return, Sleeper Team And More by The Big Showundefined

Here’s what Katie Gaus, Michael Traikos and Ryan Kennedy discussed in this episode:

01:20: Will Toronto Maple Leafs fans miss Mitch Marner more than they think?

02:26: Is there anything left for Leafs GM Brad Treliving to do?

05:15: What will Marner's reception be on his return to Toronto?

07:15: Which team will be the biggest surprise next season?

10:00: Will the Pittsburgh Penguins finish last this season?

13:50: Do you think the Sabres will still trade Bo Byram?

16:59: What do you think Connor Bedard's next contract will look like?

20:57: Biggest sleeper team?

23:40: If Arturs Silovs had played better at the beginning of last season, would he still be in the Canucks organization?

26:45: Why did Brian Burke cut Mike Babcock loose after he took the Ducks to the finals?

30:25: How many players from the 2025 draft will start this season in the NHL?

33:30: How many different graphic tees does Ryan Kennedy own?

36:30: Should Stan Fischler be in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

38:00: Will Gavin McKenna win a Frozen Four title?

40:25: Which would you prefer: a heat wave or extreme cold?

41:45: Yay or nay: Nintendo Switch 2

Watch the full Episode here 

Subscribe to The Hockey News Big Show on your preferred platform

The Edmonton Oilers are under the microscope in our NHL prospect pool overview series.

Tony Ferrari digs into the Oilers’ strengths and weaknesses, latest draft class, positional depth chart, next player in line for an NHL opportunity and more. A player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer a prospect for these exercises, with some exceptions.

Initial Thoughts

The Oilers made and lost the Stanley Cup final in back-to-back seasons, so they haven’t been focused on their prospect pipeline much in recent years. 

They don’t have much in the way of immediate impact prospects, but a couple of shrewd moves over the last couple of off-seasons gave them their top two prospects. Edmonton must find players who can help Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, two of the best players on Earth.

Last week, the Oilers acquired Hobey Baker Award winner, Isaac ‘Ike’ Howard, from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Sam O’Reilly, drafted 32nd overall in 2024 by Edmonton. Howard’s relationship with the Lightning had soured over the last year or two, and the breakup was telegraphed since before he even won the Hobey Baker in April. Oilers management made a smart move to jump all over the possibility of adding him.

Howard can jump into the lineup immediately. The left winger’s speed should keep up with the Oilers’ top guns. His shot is a weapon, but his overall offensive creation should excite Oilers fans the most. Whether he’s handling the puck in traffic and slipping a pass through a hole or working one-touch give-and-go passes off the rush, Howard has the tools and the offensive instincts to make an immediate impact.

Last off-season, the Oilers acquired Matt Savoie from the Buffalo Sabres. Although he played only four NHL games this past year, Savoie showed he’s on the cusp of reaching The Show.

Savoie is undersized at 5-foot-9, but his offensive skill and speed should be assets for the Oilers if they allow him to make some mistakes. He has the highest upside of any player in the Oilers' system. The silky-smooth forward should see more than a handful of NHL games this season. 

William Nicholl has outplayed his draft position just a year after being selected in the seventh round. His pace and motor are the foundation of his game. He doesn’t have the offensive skill to be a top-six forward at the next level, but he was fantastic for the London Knights as they worked toward a Memorial Cup win. His details and defensive game should give him a shot at an NHL bottom-six role one day. 

After a 104-point season in 2023-24, Dalyn Wakely finished his OHL career with a massive step back in 2024-25, notching just 58 points. Now, he will look to regain his scoring touch playing NCAA hockey with UMass-Lowell. His assist number tanked to 35 from 65 after moving to the Barrie Colts and leaving a strong squad in North Bay. Wakely often gets involved in puck battles, throws little reverse hits and engages opposing players. He has a future as a bottom-six player if he can get a bit faster and work on his puckhandling in space. 

On defense, Beau Akey began getting back on track after playing only 14 games in 2023-24, recording 32 points in 52 games in his final OHL season. The smooth-skating puck-mover will jump to the AHL, which should allow him to hone his two-way game. Akey has the potential to be a solid bottom-pair defender with excellent skating mechanics and fluidity that help him advance the puck.

The Oilers acquired Paul Fischer in the aftermath the St. Louis Blues signing Edmonton RFAs Dylan Holloway and Phillip Broberg to offer sheets last summer. The Blues sent the Oilers a third-round draft pick in 2028 and Fischer for future considerations after Edmonton chose not to match the offer sheets. The deal felt like a gesture of thanks.

Fischer jumped up to the top of the Oilers' defensive pipeline. The defensive defenseman has shown some nice growth as a puck-mover at Notre Dame during two NCAA seasons. He gets involved physically and tries to close down the angles to cut off play. Fischer could be a very solid depth defender if he continues to develop at this rate.

Edmonton’s goalie pipeline isn’t great, but Eemil Vinni has shown some promise. This past season was a bit of a write-off as the Finnish netminder had back surgery prior to the season. That said, his athleticism and size are excellent traits to build on. Vinni will be in line for a bigger role next year.

Key U-23 Players Likely To Play NHL Games This Season

Isaac Howard (LW), Matt Savoie (RW)

2025 NHL Draft Class

Round 3, 83rd overall - Tommy Lafreniere, RW, Kamloops (WHL)

Round 4, 117th overall - David Lewandowski, LW, Saskatoon (WHL)

Round 5, 131st overall - Asher Barnett, D, U.S. NTDP (USHL)

Round 6, 191st overall - Daniel Salonen, G, Lukko Jr. (Fin.)

Round 7, 223rd overall - Aidan Park, C, Green Bay (USHL)

Edmonton didn’t pick until the third round, when they selected Tommy Lafreniere. He isn’t a highly skilled player with the puck, but he makes up for that with effort. Lafreniere doesn’t have a standout trait, but the right winger’s always found a way to make the best of his tools and leverage his relentless motor. He invites contact at times and outworks opponents along the boards. He could have a future as a bottom-six checking forward. 

David Lewandowski is a strong left winger who powers his way around the ice and consistently looks to play a possession-based game. The German has solid puck protection abilities, and he’s flashed some interesting skill to pull pucks to the middle of the ice and take a shot. He must work on his skating and amp up the pace at times, but Lewandowski is a decent bet in the back half of the draft.

There may be more than meets the eye for fifth-round defender Asher Barnett. He plays a fairly simple game, but he moves well, reads play and has the puck skill to get himself out of trouble when needed. Barnett captained Team USA’s U-18 squad this past year and led by putting his body on the line each shift. There is a long way to go, but he’s committed to the University of Michigan in 2026-27 and will be in a prime position to continue his growth. 

The Oilers needed to swing on a goalie in the draft, and their choice was Finnish netminder Daniel Salonen. The 6-foot-3 overage draft pick will turn 20 in December, so there is a little less runway with Salonen than a typical draft pick. He’s had some success at Finland’s second professional level, but he must start to prove himself and possibly get over to North America as soon as his deal ends at the end of the season.

Aidan Park put up 66 points in 55 games as a rookie in the United States League. The Oilers picked the 19-year-old in his second go-around at the NHL draft. With the new NCAA rules allowing CHL players, Park is headed to the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen this upcoming season. He could be in line for a big season by exploding at the WHL level before heading to the University of Michigan the following year. Park is a crafty forward who can bring some power elements to the game when he has the puck. It should be fun to watch him in the WHL next season. 

Strengths

Saying anything is a real strength for the Oilers would be providing false hope. 

Wingers Howard and Savoie could help the NHL roster this season, so that’s a strength for now. When they graduate, the wings will no longer be a strength. The Oilers must add some young talent, but with their eyes set on winning a Cup, no one in Edmonton will be upset if they don’t put much focus on the prospect pool.

Weaknesses

The Oilers’ prospect pipeline is as dry as it comes. 

Aside from a few interesting players, such as Howard, Savoie and Akey, there is a collection of long shots and low-upside players. The fall off after those players is massive. 

Despite having holes everywhere, the lack of effective talent on the back end is a real concern for Edmonton. Even Akey is a bit of a long shot, but the players behind him lack true NHL upside in most cases. The Oilers are in desperate need of finding a couple of defensive prospects to help fill the NHL roster, as some of the current Oilers get older. Right now, they’d have to rely on a journeyman who likely has very little upside to offer. 

Hidden Gem: Beau Akey, D

Akey’s been a bit of a forgotten prospect after losing most of a year to injury and putting up a good but not great campaign to finish his OHL career.

In the AHL, Akey can regain some of his offensive form and leverage his high-level skating to become the player some in Edmonton hoped he could be when they drafted him.

Akey has plenty of runway left, and the AHL is an excellent place for him to further his development. It will allow him to get used to the physicality of pro hockey and get a gauge for where he is moving forward.

Next Man Up: Isaac Howard, LW

The Oilers have needed a talented young winger to step in and establish themselves as a reliable scoring option who can play within the top six and help supplement their star centers. Holloway represented the last great hope of a young player for the top six before he joined the Blues – until now. 

Howard might be the player they need. He has the speed, finishing ability and offensive mind to not only play with McDavid or Draisaitl but actually keep up, unlike so many of their other linemates in past years. He may not keep up on the scoresheet, but he can be a functional offensive option for them.

Prospect Depth Chart Notables

LW: Isaac Howard, William Nicholl, David Lewandowski, Matvey Petrov, Roby Jarventie, Maksim Berezkin

C: Dalyn Wakely, Jayden Grubbe, Aidan Park

RW: Matt Savoie, Brady Stonehouse, Tommy Lafreniere, Petr Hauser, Quinn Hutson

LD: Asher Barnett, Paul Fischer, Nikita Yevseyev

RD: Beau Akey, Albin Sundin

G: Eemil Vinni, Daniel Salonen, Samuel Jonsson, Nathaniel Day, Connor Ungar

For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook and Future Watch editions of The Hockey News in print.

Most of the recent trade speculation surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins is focused on Erik Karlsson. Their acquisition of right-shot blueliner Matt Dumba has some observers believing the 35-year-old defenseman will soon be on his way out of Pittsburgh.

However, their addition of goaltender Arturs Silovs earlier this week raises questions about Tristan Jarry's future in Pittsburgh. 

A frequent subject of trade rumors for the past two seasons, the 30-year-old Jarry has battled inconsistency as the Penguins' starting goaltender. He spent some time with their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season as he struggled to regain his form. 

Daily Faceoff's Jeff Marek noted the addition of Silovs to the Penguins' goalie ranks. With promising Joel Blomqvist expected to take on a larger role this season, he wondered if Jarry would be traded and what it could cost the Penguins to move him. 

Marek suggested the Edmonton Oilers as a trade partner. It's rumored they could seek an upgrade between the pipes, but no suitable options have appeared thus far. 

Jarry's inconsistent play isn't an improvement over Edmonton's current tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. Assuming the Oilers were willing to acquire him, they lack sufficient cap space even with the Penguins retaining half of his $5.375 million average annual value through 2027-28.

Meanwhile, in Montreal, Mike Matheson has surfaced as a trade candidate in the rumor mill following the Canadiens' acquisition of Noah Dobson last month. 

GM Kent Hughes has denied that Matheson would be shopped. However, the 31-year-old defenseman is UFA-eligible next July, prompting some observers to suggest he would make a good trade chip to add an experienced second-line center. 

Jeff Gorton, the Canadiens' executive VP of hockey operations, recently reiterated the club's commitment to Matheson. He told RG.Org's James Murphy he's pleased with the blueliner's performance, citing his leadership, experience, all-around skills and his ability to log 25 minutes per game. 

Gorton and Hughes could change their minds about Matheson if the rebuilding Canadiens are out of playoff contention by the March trade deadline. For now, however, the veteran defenseman will be in their lineup when they open the season in October.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Award-winning TV writer and Boston Bruins fan Dave Flebotte passed away July 8 at age 65. The Boston native’s professional writing career saw him write and produce for popular shows including The Sopranos, Will & Grace, Boardwalk Empire and The Bernie Mac Show. 

But for this writer, Flebotte was a close friend and a passionate hockey fan. Flebotte was forever a supporter of his beloved Bruins, and he counted himself fortunate to see the B’s win three Stanley Cups. 

Flebotte was particularly proud that he got to write for The Hockey News.

In this exclusive column from The Hockey News’ special-edition 2009 book, Puck Funnies: Hockey Humor, Hilarity & Hi-Jinx, Flebotte’s talent at writing hilarious pieces was on full display. He was thrilled to write for THN, and THN was just as thrilled to have him as a contributor. He was also a lifelong subscriber, putting his money where his mouth was. He’s going to be missed.

On behalf of The Hockey News, our sincere condolences go out to Flebotte’s wife, Sandra, and his children, Zach and Emma.

#RIP Dave Flebotte, 65. The admired TV writer (‘Ellen,’ ‘Sherri,’ ‘Desperate Housewives,’ ‘Boardwalk Empire,’ ‘The PJs,’ ‘Tulsa King’) died in Montana after a long battle with cystic fibrosis, his wife tells @THR. Had a double lung transplant 28 years ago. https://t.co/KtkSwQ2otv

— Mike Barnes (@MikeBarnes4) July 9, 2025

Please enjoy Flebotte’s column, which was deservedly Chapter 1 in the Puck Funnies book.

Dinner Is Bruin-ed

By Dave Flebotte

I love the Boston Bruins.

Since May 10, 1970, I’ve been an avid fan. It was Mother’s Day that day, and being Sicilian, my family’s gift to my mom was to let her prepare an enormous Italian meal and then let her clean up afterwards. I was in fifth grade and remember a jar of Ponds Cold Cream the size of her head being offered as a way of saying, “Thanks, Mom, for another great year of cooking, cleaning and quiet desperation.”

Aside from the stuffed artichokes, the thing that stands out about that day was the Bruins winning their first Stanley Cup in 29 years.

I watched it on a little black-and-white we kept in the kitchen to keep dinner conversation to a minimum. An uncle was watching it alone. Overtime had just started. Then an Orr-to-Sanderson, back-to-Orr later, it was over. All that was left was for the late Ray Lussier to capture Orr in mid-flight and my Uncle Charlie to scream the F-word at the top of his lungs. (In my house, the F-word was used as an expression of exultation, disdain and at times, affection.)

From that moment on, I was hooked. I bought my first copy of The Hockey News in ’72. Dale Tallon was on the cover and rumored to be coming to Boston. I never knew the publication existed. I borrowed fifty cents from my brother and ran back to the convenience store, where the clerk held it for me because even though there were three of them, I was sure they would fly off the shelf as soon as someone discovered, as I had, their existence. I took it back home, went up to my room and swallowed it whole.

It was a great time to be a Bruins fan. Two Cups in the first three years of my coming aboard. From Orr, Esposito, Cheevers, O’Reilly, to later, Bourque, Neely, Oates, Lemelin; all the way up to now with Savard, Chara, Lucic and Thomas. Only alcohol has been as good a friend to me as the Boston Bruins.

So when my pal, Adam Proteau, asked me if I’d be interested in writing an article for The Hockey News, it wasn’t a matter of if, but what part of Bruins history I’d write about.

My first draft, the words “The Canadiens suck,” written until I reached 1,000 words, was rejected. Though it did point to one of the greatest rivalries in professional sports, Adam found it a little too one-dimensional. So I started to think about who were some of my favorite players and what moments really stood out in the 39 years I’ve been following the team.

What I realized was, it wasn’t just the stars who came to mind, but mostly it was the scrubs. The Bobby Schmautzes, Bruce Shoebottoms, and Greg Hawgoods that made up some of my favorite memories. 

So I decided on this: “Five Bruins I Love, But Who You Might Not Give A Rat’s Ass About.” You never asked for it, but here it is:

5. Bill Bennett. Who? In 1979, Bill Bennett played only seven games for the Boston Bruins. He had a goal and four assists, and that was that. Gone.

Why is he a Bruin I love? Because Bill wore No. 7 after ‘Espo’ was traded. I love that he had the balls to put it on, and I’m thankful that he wasn’t good enough to stick with the club and keep it. Had he found his way onto a fourth line and hung around, Ray Bourque may not have gotten the number.

Then, when the Bruins retired Esposito’s number, we’d have lost one of the greatest moments in Bruins history: Ray peeling off the No. 7 jersey and handing it to Phil while wearing his new number, 77, underneath.

How anticlimactic would that have been to watch Bill Bennett pull off his jersey to reveal the now-revered double-seven?  An angry Phil would’ve probably had Ken Hodge rip the jersey off Bennett’s back before he had a chance to give it to him.

4. P.J. Stock. When I’m feeling down or a wee bit blue – maybe my script just got thrown out, or my son asked me for an A-Rod T-shirt – nothing picks me up like going on YouTube and watching P.J. Stock go toe-to-toe with Stephen Peat of the Washington Capitals. 

Having won only one fight out of fifteen myself (that’s right Jeffrey Morgan, I’m talking about you, b----), I find something cathartic in watching five-foot-nothin’ P.J. Stock throw haymakers to the heads of behemoths without the use of a foot stool. Half Rock-em sock-em robot, half energizer bunny, he’d finish every fight with a little wave to the Garden faithful that said, “This ass-kicking’s for you.”

3. Normand Leveille. No. 19’s career was cut short due to a cerebral hemorrhage in ’83, just 75 games into his tenure as a Boston Bruin.

His arrival was just after Don Cherry’s Lunch Pail Gang had ruled the roost in Boston from the mid-to-late seventies. Hard-nosed, gritty players were their calling card. No real superstars, just good old plain folk who skated their wing, punched you in the face and out-hustled everyone else,

Leveille was something new to Boston when he came aboard in ’81. Something we’d only seen in a Canadiens jersey. Our very own “Flying Frenchman!” He would zip into corners of the old Garden with someone in hot pursuit, then suddenly stop short, throwing his shoulder backwards into their chest and them onto their asses.

Add to that he had a real knack for the net, like a physical Yvan Cournoyer. His loss was definitely the greatest tragedy to hit the B’s ever (apologies to superstar Bruins goaltending prospect Ian Young and the eye injury that ended his career before his first pro game). Way too short a time in a B's sweater, but really sweet.

2. Wayne Cashman. ‘Captain Cash’ patrolled the left wing with Phil Esposito and Ken Hodge from the late 1960s until their departure in ’75. His sweater doesn’t hang from the Garden rafters, and he’s never been brought up as a Hall of Fame possibility, but still is one of the all-time great Bruins.

Cashman exemplified what it meant to be a Big Bad Bruin in the ’70s: fearless, a ton of heart and the ability to put the puck in the net. He wasn’t one of those dimestore Flyers who would amass 300-plus minutes but couldn’t hit the side of Kate Smith. He owned  the corners. He was a lot like O’Reilly (too obvious a choice), but where Terry skated with all the elegance of a drunk driver taking out a row of mailboxes, Cash was smooth.

My favorite Cashman moment: during a nationally televised afternoon game against the Flyers at the Spectrum, he goes out of his way on his first shift to fly across the ice and nail Dave Schultz, then just glares at him. Message sent.

1. Ron Grahame. Grahame was a goalie for the Bruins in the ’77-78 season. That was the year the Bruins used three goalies full-time. (Gilles Gilbert and Cheevers were the other two.)

The previous off-season, Grahame was signed as a free-agent defector from the Houston Aeros of the World Hockey Association. His first and only year with the Bruins was solid – but that’s not why he’s No. 1 on my list.

He earned it because that summer Harry Sinden sent him to the L.A. Kings – where acting GM George Maguire was accepting the Baz Bastien Trophy as Worst GM Of All-Time – for the right to draft Ray Bourque.

The rest is Bruins history. Ray played 20-1/2 seasons for the B's before finally bringing the Cup home to Boston. Albeit, in a Colorado Avalanche jersey.

Still, it’s hard to stay mad at Harry after that one.