For some expansion NHL franchises, success comes quickly. The Vegas Golden Knights, for instance, got to the Stanley Cup final in their first year of operation. And they got to the NHL’s semifinal another two years before winning their first championship in 2022-23.

However, for other expansion teams, the road to respectability can be a long one. The Nashville Predators came out of the gate as typical expansion losers, and it took them 11 years to ever win a playoff series. Yet one expansion team in particular stands out as having an especially tough go of it – the Columbus Blue Jackets, who’ve been fighting their way into being true Cup contenders.

The Jackets are in a slump that includes their inability to make the playoffs in any of the previous five seasons. And beyond that, they’ve made it out of the first round of the post-season just once in their 24 seasons of operation – and they still have yet to get to the third round of the playoffs. Thus, it’s understandable why some Columbus fans have become jaded over the plight of this team.

But here’s a hunch on this writer’s behalf: we’re picking the Blue Jackets to sneak into the playoffs in the Metropolitan Division next season. We’re certainly not suggesting being a playoff team in 2025-26 will be easy for the Jackets, but let’s take a look at the state of their roster and see why we believe there’s reason to see Columbus as a team that can end their playoff drought and announce itself as a long-term Cup contender for the foreseeable future.

First, a quick look at the Blue Jackets’ year last season. The Jackets had the eighth-best offense in the league at an average of 3.26 goals-for per game last year. All teams above them in that department, and one team below them in that department, were all playoff teams. However, Columbus’ defense was the eighth-worst in the league at a goals-against average of 3.26, and that’s been the challenge for GM Don Waddell to try to address this summer.

But now, let’s look at the state of their roster: Waddell didn’t make many changes this off-season, adding only veteran Bruins center Charlie Coyle and former New Jersey and Colorado winger Miles Wood. But those are two veterans who can help fortify Columbus’ attack. 

At forward, Waddell has assembled an on-the-rise core collection of young players, including center Adam Fantilli, and wingers Kent Johnson, Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov. And soon enough, Waddell will add another asset when he trades disgruntled winger Yegor Chinakhov. Columbus’ core forwards are solid ones, and if they can stay as offensively potent as they were last year, Waddell is going to be pleased. 

Meanwhile, Columbus’ defense corps are also likely to be improved next season. Waddell re-signed veteran blueliner Ivan Provorov to a seven-year deal averaging $8.5 million per season. And Waddell additionally brought back D-man Dante Fabbro, who set new (if modest) career highs despite playing only 62 games as a Jacket last year. It doesn’t sound familiar to say, but the Blue Jackets’ defensemen may be their best element next season.

The only real point of contention in terms of Columbus being a playoff team next year is that the Jackets’ goaltending situation is far from ideal. We're not completely sold on starter Elvis Merzlikins once again getting the lion’s share of the action. And backup Jet Greaves could force his way into the conversation as the Jackets’ starter. Greaves had excellent numbers – including a .938 save percentage and 1.91 goals-against average in 11 NHL appearances last year – and if he does unseat Merzlikins as the No.1 option between the pipes, Greaves will be well worth the $812,500 they’ll be paying him next season.

All things considered, the Blue Jackets aren’t in the upper tier of legitimate Cup contenders just yet. Until their young players prove they can thrive in the post-season, you have to be careful with your expectations of this relatively young team. But it’s not good to ignore that Columbus finished just two standings points, two overtime or shootout losses, out of getting into the playoffs last year. That’s absolutely something you want to build off as a unit, and there should be no step backward for this Columbus team.

All this, and we haven’t yet mentioned two things: No. 1 is superstar Zach Werenski, who absolutely deserved all the votes he got last season as the NHL’s top defenseman. He didn’t win the Norris Trophy, but he deserved to be in the conversation.

And No. 2: Waddell still has approximately $16.3 million in cap space. He’s going to have all kinds of flexibility to go out and make a big move during the season. Columbus can add a proven veteran when the moment calls for it, and whether that’s at forward or in goal is up to Waddell.

We’re getting ahead of ourselves. Right now, all Columbus fans should know is that Waddell has put together a roster that can compete with the powerhouse teams in the Metropolitan Division. And while the days where the Blue Jackets are absolutely dominant may not have arrived just yet, those days aren’t all that far off, either.

So yes, we know it’s only late July, but we’re calling it right now – the Jackets get back into the playoffs next year and end their playoff drought. There will be bumps in the road for Columbus, but the Blue Jackets have the talent and guidance to evolve into a playoff team this coming year. And if they don’t do so, there will be bigger questions on the horizon next summer.

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THN.com’s Summer Splash series continues – and in this file, we’re focusing the spotlight on Team No. 23 in our rankings of teams’ off-seasons – the Nashville Predators.

In this team-by-team series, we’ve been analyzing every NHL team’s off-season, moving in reverse order from the teams that got the worst to the best, and the ones that finished in between those two poles. To create the rankings, we’re breaking down every organization’s notable additions and departures, including trades, free-agent acquisitions, departures, and hirings and firings if applicable.

We’re now moving into the stretch of teams that have more or less stayed the same this summer. At the end of this article, you’ll see the teams that finished beneath the Predators. But for the moment, the focus is entirely on the Preds.

Additions

Erik Haula (LW), Nicolas Hague (D), Nick Perbix (D) 

The Breakdown: The Predators were a massive letdown last season, finishing seventh in the Central Division – their worst finish since they finished sixth in the division in 2013-14. As a result, some observers were expecting Preds GM Barry Trotz to make extensive changes to their roster this summer, but that hasn’t happened.

Instead, Trotz went out and acquired Haula in a trade with New Jersey. After that, he traded for former Vegas Golden Knights D-man Hague, and finally, he signed former Tampa Bay Lightning blueliner Perbix to a two-year deal carrying an average annual salary cap hit of $2.75 million. Haula will contribute to Nashville’s bottom-six group of forwards, while Hague and Perbix will firm up the Predators’ defense corps. 

Other than that, this is largely the same Predators team that underachieved greatly last year. Trotz did hang onto $10.1 million in salary cap space, so more moves may eventually be coming for Nashville. But Trotz is banking on a revamped group of defensemen to improve what was the NHL’s sixth-worst defense last season, averaging 3.34 goals-against per game.

Departures

Colton Sissons (C), Jakub Vrana (LW), Kieffer Bellows (LW), Jeremy Lauzon (D), Marc Del Gaizo (D)

The Breakdown: There are few departures from the Predators – at least, when it comes to players who were notable performers in Nashville last season. Sissons was the most-utilized player who is now a former Predator, but even then, Sissons was a fourth-liner who posted just seven goals and 21 points in 72 games. Preds management hasn’t lost all that much this off-season, but you won’t find an NHL team that hasn’t lost a handful of players one way or another.

Three of the four departing Preds players were forwards, while the other two were fringe defensemen. And the additions of Hague and Perbix will cover off any drop-off in play resulting from those changes at forward.

Trotz has shown in his time running the Predators that he’s not afraid to swing for the fences, mostly when it comes to free-agent acquisitions like star forward Steven Stamkos, winger Jonathan Marchessault, center Ryan O’Reilly and defenseman Brady Skjei, but those moves last season did not lead to playoff success. So Trotz is moving in the other direction and doubling down on his 2024-25 roster.

The Bottom Line

The Predators play in arguably the NHL’s toughest division in the Central Division, so getting back into the playoff picture will be a serious challenge. But if star defenseman Roman Josi can return to action after dealing with a nervous system disorder last year, and if Trotz’s changes to his group of blueliners improve Nashville’s back end, the Preds should be more competitive in 2025-26.

Still, for the purposes of this Summer Splash ranking, we have to note that the Predators essentially have stayed the same. The losses they’ve dealt with up front have been traded off by the improvements they’ve made in their own zone. And Nashville now has to hope for a better result in the win/loss columns next season.

If the Preds hadn’t made those two additions on defense, they’d have finished at or near the bottom of these rankings. But even with Hague and Perbix in tow, Nashville feels very much like a team that’s running it back with the same lineup and hoping for better results. Father Time will render his own judgment on that approach, but for the moment, Trotz will be counting on the benefit of the doubt in the hope he can turn things around after one terrible year.

Summer Splash Rankings

23. Nashville Predators

24. New York Islanders

25. Tampa Bay Lightning

26. Toronto Maple Leafs

27. Dallas Stars

28. Calgary Flames

29. Los Angeles Kings

30. Winnipeg Jets

31. Chicago Blackhawks

32. Buffalo Sabres

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Veteran winger Max Pacioretty, who spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Montreal Canadiens, flipped the script for the 2024-25 NHL season, signing a one-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs. His regular season was rather uneventful as he missed all but 37 games, mostly due to injury. However, when the playoffs rolled around, the 36-year-old was arguably one of the Leafs' top performers, putting up three goals and eight points in 11 games.

While it initially appeared that Pacioretty might choose to retire from the NHL after the playoffs wrapped up, that may not be the case, as it was reported back in June that the Leafs and Pacioretty have mutual interest in teaming up for another season.

But what do you think? Will Pacioretty return to Toronto, head to another team or will he ultimately choose to retire? 

The key to having a successful team in the NHL is drafting and developing young players so they can someday lead their team to glory, and some teams are way ahead of the game when it comes to young talent and a young core.

Here are the top six teams with the best under-25 cores in the NHL.

Montreal Canadiens

Cole Caufield (RW), Lane Hutson (D), Juraj Slafkovsky (LW), Alex Newhook (LW/C), Zack Bolduc (RW/C), Ivan Demidov (RW), Kaiden Guhle (D), Jakub Dobes (G)

The Montreal Canadiens have been increasingly threatening over the years, especially last season, when they made the playoffs after a three-year drought. 

However, GM Kent Hughes and the Habs are just getting started as they have plenty of fun years ahead of them with the young roster they’ve got.

According to eliteprospects.com, the Canadiens are the youngest team in the league for this upcoming campaign, with an average age of 25.35. Their U-25 core consists of several elite players, including Cole Caufield, who recorded his first 70-point season, and Lane Hutson, who is coming off a Calder Trophy-winning season.

With that, Martin St. Louis’ team has an abundance of skill around their main guys, and that’s what puts them at the top of the list.

The 2022 first-overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky, along with Alex Newhook, Ivan Demidov and newly acquired Zack Bolduc, completes a loaded top-nine forward group for Montreal.

On the back end, Kaiden Guhle joins Hutson and 31-year-old Mike Matheson to fill out the left side of the Habs’ defense. Since his NHL debut in 2022, Guhle has averaged 20:52 of ice time in the regular season and 21:48 in the 2025 playoffs.

In addition, goaltender Jakub Dobes had his coming-out party this season, recording a 2.74 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage.

Anaheim Ducks

Leo Carlsson (C), Mason McTavish (C), Cutter Gauthier (LW), Jackson LaCombe (D), Pavel Mintyukov (D), Olen Zellweger (D)

The Anaheim Ducks have not qualified for the playoffs in the last seven seasons. However, with the setup of their young roster and season-by-season progression, Ducks fans might not have to wait long until they see the post-season again. 

Next season,  players such as Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier will all be one year older and a little more seasoned. All three of those forwards registered their first 20-goal seasons, with McTavish scoring the most points of the three with 52.

In addition to the trio of forwards, Anaheim has a loaded left side on the blueline with Jackson LaCombe, Olen Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov. LaCombe has led the way from the back end for the Ducks, scoring 14 goals and 43 points in his second full season.

Along with those three left-defensemen, Drew Helleson is set to suit up for his sophomore season after scoring 13 points in 56 appearances last year. These four defensemen complete two-thirds of Anaheim's blueline.

Ottawa Senators

Tim Stutzle (LW/C), Jake Sanderson (D), Ridly Greig (LW/C), Dylan Cozens (C), Leevi Merilainen (G)

Compared to other teams in this article, the Ottawa Senators have a shorter list of U-25 players. However, there is no shortage of quality in their young core as they hold some of the best U-25 players in the entire league.

In addition, during NHL.com’s “Young Stars Week,” they made rankings of the top 10 forwards, defensemen and goaltenders, and each list had a Senator on it.

On the forwards and defensemen list, Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson were ranked No.1 in their respective positions, and with great reason.

Stutzle and Sanderson are considered leaders on the Senators as much as captain Brady Tkachuk and veteran Claude Giroux are in terms of how they play on the ice.

Stutzle and Sanderson have the potential to compete for individual awards and milestones, with Sanderson finishing in the top 10 for Norris Trophy voting, while Stutzle is capable of reaching the 100-point mark over the years he has remaining in his young career.

With that, in the top 10 list of goaltenders under 25, Leevi Merilainen was ranked fourth on NHL.com’s list. The 22-year-old netminder is set to be Ottawa’s backup next season after recording a 1.99 GAA and .925 SP in 12 games last season.

It doesn’t stop there for the Senators as they have tremendous young center depth down their lineup. Ridly Greig and Dylan Cozens complete the Sens’ middle-six forward group with scoring and grit.

Philadelphia Flyers

Matvei Michkov (LW/RW), Trevor Zegras (LW/C), Bobby Brink (RW), Tyson Foerster (RW/LW), Jamie Drysdale (D), Cam York (D)

After a rough campaign last year, the youth of the Philadelphia Flyers will be looking to spark some new energy in Rick Tocchet’s first season behind the bench.

Leading the way in Philadelphia’s U-25 core is Matvei Michkov. The Russian was a top-five rookie in the NHL last season, equalling Macklin Celebrini’s 63 points for second-best in the league, and he also finished fourth in Calder Trophy voting.

Alongside him in the forward group is Trevor Zegras, who will be putting on the Flyers sweater for the first time next season after his trade from Anaheim. Zegras is looking to find his footing after his last two seasons were cut short.

Bobby Brink and Tyson Foerster continue to rise after they recorded their first 40-point seasons last year, with Foerster scoring 25 goals. The two wingers will look to solidify their roles in the top six in 2025-26 under Tocchet.

As for the blueline, Jamie Drysdale and Cam York highlight Philly’s young D-core. Drysdale was able to play 70 games in his first season with the Flyers last year. He’ll want to get his development back on track after missing a chunk of games in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns.

In some ways, York will also get a fresh start with a new voice behind the bench. Last season, there were reports about an altercation between York and former coach John Tortorella, which contributed to Tortorella’s firing. Now with Tocchet in play, York will have a chance to play more freely than before.

Utah Mammoth

Logan Cooley (C), Dylan Guenther (RW), JJ Peterka (RW)

The Utah Mammoth are an overlooked team at times, but with the elite young players they have, they won’t be an afterthought much longer. After finishing just seven points shy of a playoff spot, it’s not such a stretch to think Utah could make its first post-season appearance in franchise history next year.

Center Logan Cooley and right winger Dylan Guenther lead the way for the Mammoth’s young core. They both had breakout seasons with Cooley recording 25 goals and 65 points in 75 games, and Guenther scoring 27 goals and 60 points in 70 games.

With that, Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong made a splash and traded for right winger JJ Peterka from the Sabres. Similar to Cooley and Guenther, Peterka scored 27 goals and 68 points in 77 appearances for Buffalo last season.

While it’s not a long list, there is no denying that Armstrong’s club has an exciting trio up front and will be running Utah’s offense for years to come.

New Jersey Devils

Jack Hughes (C), Dawson Mercer (RW/C), Luke Hughes (D), Simon Nemec (D)

The New Jersey Devils are a product of great drafting. They’ve developed their own talent and turned them into stars. Jack Hughes is a prime example of that

Not only is Hughes one of the best players on this list, but he’s also one of the top centers in the NHL. In his last three seasons, he’s recorded at least 70 points, including a 99-point campaign in 2022-23.

With that, Hughes was selected by Team USA to compete in the 4 Nations Face-Off. He was one of four players on that team who were under 25 years old.

Along with Jack, his brother Luke is also considered a member of New Jersey’s U-25 core as a defenseman. He registered two straight 40-point seasons to complete his entry-level phase as he looks for a new contract.

Also on the Devils’ back end is Slovakian D-man Simon Nemec. He was selected second overall in the 2022 draft, but hasn’t been able to find a rhythm in the NHL because of New Jersey’s blueline depth. Last season, he played just 27 games after a 60-game campaign in the season prior.

Dawson Mercer was shot out of a cannon when he entered the NHL in 2021-22, scoring 42 points in his first season and 56 points in his sophomore year. Since then, he has dipped mildly, but has shown resilience and durability as he’s never missed a regular-season game in his four-year career.

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For a few years now, the Carolina Hurricanes have been one of the sexy picks to win the Stanley Cup. Pundits, fans and hockey executives see Carolina as a team with a terrific core – and clearly, Hurricanes management feels the same way.

On Thursday night, Carolina GM Eric Tulsky signed Jackson Blake to an eight-year, $40.92-million contract extension. On Friday, the Hurricanes’ social media team tweeted all seven of Carolina’s players who are under contract through the 2030-31 season – a number that is the highest in the NHL through that time frame. 

The Hurricanes narrowly lead the Vancouver Canucks and Florida Panthers, which have six players signed through 2030-31. The Washington Capitals have five players signed for that long. 

This negotiating tactic is essentially a gamble by Tulsky on his core talent, and the same goes for Canucks GM Patrik Allvin, Panthers GM Bill Zito and Capitals GM Chris Patrick. There may come a time when one or more of these GMs part ways with some of the players they’ve currently signed to long-term extensions, but in these early stages of those contracts, you want players to feel secure and focused solely on playing as well as they can. And you don’t arrive at that goal if players are constantly signed to one- or two-year deals. 

The Hurricanes have handed out contracts with significant term on them. While Blake is only 21, Carolina has other youngsters under long-term contracts, including star forwards Seth Jarvis (23), Logan Stankoven (22) and right winger Andrei Svechnikov (25). But there are more experienced players also under long-term deals with the Hurricanes: star center Sebastian Aho, newcomer left winger Nikolaj Ehlers, shutdown blueliner Jaccob Slavin and newcomer defenseman K’Andre Miller all are under contract through at least ’30-31.

Tulsky has also handed out some sort of no-move or no-trade clauses to many of his players. A whopping 13 current Hurricanes have a no-move or no-trade clause of one form or another. And while that also works to make players more confident about their future, it’s likely to make it harder for Tulsky to maneuver his way through the trade market if things don’t work out to Carolina’s satisfaction in at least the next six seasons.

The Hurricanes have yet to make it out of the Eastern Conference final in four appearances over the past 19 years, so the challenge for Carolina’s core is plainly apparent: get into the Cup final, win the second Cup in franchise history and reward Tulsky for the investment he’s made in them. Playing well in the regular season matters to some degree, but it’s not nearly as crucial for this Hurricanes team as getting out of the East in the post-season.

Blake has only played 81 career regular-season games. But he’s going to get a huge raise to $5.11 million per season once his entry-level contract expires at the end of the coming season. Blake would’ve only been an RFA if Tulsky had allowed his first contract to expire without an extension. But Tulsky more or less cut out some years that would’ve paid Blake less, and in turn, Blake surrendered some of his golden years, contractually speaking, to get a bigger raise sooner rather than later.

When Blake’s new deal does expire in 2034, he’ll still be only 30 years old. By that time, he could position himself for a massive raise as a UFA, either from the Hurricanes or from another team. Eight years may feel like an eternity right now, but Blake, six of his Carolina teammates, and a growing number of young NHLers are all finding long-term security to be the preferred approach to their financial future.

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Kick off the weekend with rapid-fire NHL and hockey topics on The Wraparound.

Predicting Kyle Connor's Next Contract With The Jets by The Wraparoundundefined

Here's what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello and Karine Hains discussed in today's episode:

0:00: How will the Florida Panthers become salary cap-compliant?

4:25: Predicting the next contracts for Kyle Connor and Cole Perfetti

9:50: Will the Columbus Blue Jackets be able to stay in playoff contention this season?

13:51: Will Max Pacioretty suit up for an NHL team this season?

17:58: How will Canada's coaching staff for the Olympics impact the roster decisions?

22:00: Who will be the Montreal Canadiens' second-line center?

26:24: Did the New Jersey Devils do enough this summer to make a deeper playoff run?

30:04: Breaking down Jackson Blake's extension with the Carolina Hurricanes

34:53: Did the New York Islanders get a good deal by avoiding arbitration with Maxim Tsyplakov?

See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Podbean

iHeartRadio

Amazon

Promo image: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images

The Hockey News’ NHL summer splash rankings continue with the New York Islanders at No. 24.

In this series, we’ve been putting the spotlight on each team’s off-season, going from the teams that got the worst to the best. To arrive at those conclusions, we’ll be analyzing all notable additions and departures, including trades and free-agent additions, departures, hirings and firings.

We’re already in the big group of teams that have stayed the same for the most part.

At the bottom of this article, you can see the teams that finished lower than the Islanders. But right now, we’re going to get things started by focusing on the Isles.

Additions

Jonathan Drouin (LW), Emil Heineman (LW), Maxim Shabanov (RW), Matthew Schaefer (D), Adam Boqvist (D), David Rittich (G), Mathieu Darche (GM) 

The Breakdown: The Islanders were tied for the NHL’s fifth-worst offense this past season, averaging only 2.71 goals-for per game. After the Islanders announced Lou Lamoriello wouldn’t return as GM-president, former NHLer Darche immediately went through trades and free agency to add three NHL-caliber forwards to boost their production.

Drouin resuscitated his NHL career with the Colorado Avalanche, posting a combined 30 goals and 93 points in 122 games over the past two seasons. The 30-year-old should be part of the Islanders’ top-six forwards and a fixture on the power play. Meanwhile, Heineman – acquired in the blockbuster trade that sent star defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens – will make the Isles’ bottom six younger and faster. 

Russian sniper Shabanov joined the Islanders after thriving in the KHL. The 24-year-old is a skilled player who could get power-play time, but the 5-foot-8 right winger must prove he can handle the physicality.

The Isles’ defense looks significantly different with the departure of Dobson and the additions of first overall draft pick Schaefer and former Florida Panthers blueliner Boqvist. 

Finally, Darche added goaltending insurance with the signing of journeyman netminder Rittch, since Semyon Varlamov may or may not be recovered from injury this upcoming season.

Departures

Matt Martin (LW), Hudson Fasching (RW), Noah Dobson (D), Mike Reilly (D), Lou Lamoriello (GM) 

The Breakdown: The changes for the Islanders started at the top with Lamoriello after not being able to keep the Isles in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Also, veteran enforcer Martin retired, and the Islanders’ defense corps took a huge hit with the departure of Dobson, who was their most-used D-man at an average of 23:16 of ice time in 71 games this past year.

You can make an argument that the Isles effectively replaced Dobson with Schaefer, but that’s asking an awful lot of an NHL rookie who won’t turn 18 until September. Schaefer is also a left-handed defenseman, while Dobson played on the right. Dobson was an RFA, but he had 70 points in 2023-24 before dropping to 39 points this past season.

Losing UFA Fasching and new Carolina Hurricanes D-man Reilly won’t hurt all that much, as both players were fringe contributors last season. But the loss of Dobson looms large over the Islanders at the moment.

Trading Dobson was probably the right thing to do as this Isles franchise shifts its focus to the long term with a new GM, but that doesn’t mean trading him isn’t going to take a toll on the Islanders’ back end in 2025-26. Schaefer eventually will be their top blueliner, but as he adapts to the NHL game, there’s going to be a grey period in which the Isles struggle in their zone.

The Bottom Line

The Islanders were one of the more active teams in trades and free agency this summer. That said, we’re ranking who got better or worse for this upcoming season.

They’re worse on defense for 2025-26. Their additions on offense should help, but it’s tough to say at the moment whether the team overall will improve if the back end can’t hold the fort. In the grand scheme of things, Darche has begun the painful process of pressing reset on the Islanders and focusing on refreshing the core and depth of his team.

That said, the Islanders are still very much a team of veterans, including captain Anders Lee, star center Mat Barzal, center Bo Horvat, defenseman Ryan Pulock and goaltender Ilya Sorokin.

This is a team in transition, and Darche has been tasked with making the Islanders into a legitimate Cup threat, even if it means struggling in the early stages. They’re nowhere close to being a Cup front-runner right now, but with the development of youngsters like Schaefer, the Isles should eventually be a better team and a Metropolitan Division powerhouse. Right now, though, their changes in this off-season have them well behind the league’s teams that have clearly improved. 

The best you can say about the Islanders is they’re at about the same level as they were last year – but that still means they’re likely to miss the playoffs for the second straight season and the third time in the past five years. They’re 24th in the NHL summer splash rankings, but they’ve had a respectable off-season and appear to be on the right track.

Summer Splash Rankings

24. New York Islanders

25. Tampa Bay Lightning

26. Toronto Maple Leafs

27. Dallas Stars

28. Calgary Flames

29. Los Angeles Kings

30. Winnipeg Jets

31. Chicago Blackhawks

32. Buffalo Sabres

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It’s time to analyze the New York Islanders in the NHL prospect pool overview series.

Tony Ferrari digs into the Islanders’ 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 few exceptions.

Initial Thoughts 

The Islanders are in a period of transition with the draft lottery win looking like the moment when the organization finally accepted its fate. 

The opportunity to draft first overall had the team looking to the future. It’s why they traded Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens, acquiring two more top-20 picks in the process. 

The Islanders are ushering in a new era, now looking to the future with a new management team. Simply making the playoffs is no longer the goal. Building toward something greater is what new GM Mathieu Darche and his staff seem to be looking toward.

Things took a turn toward this direction at the March trade deadline. The Islanders traded Brock Nelson to the Colorado Avalanche for their top prospect, Calum Ritchie. After his trial with the Avalanche at the start of the past season, Ritchie was excellent for the OHL’s Oshawa Generals, which made a deep playoff run. 

Ritchie is a tactical two-way center who can play various roles. He’s such an effective playmaker who can make plays in various ways, working delays to open a lane or hooking a puck around a defender to put teammates in the best position to score. Ritchie’s skating has improved since being drafted as well, so he will join the Islanders as a more complete player than he was when Colorado selected him.

One player who might benefit from Ritchie’s playmaking and overall passing ability is Cole Eiserman, the team’s first-round pick in 2024. 

Eiserman is a lethal shooter who can fill the net. Eiserman can grip-it and rip-it from all over the offensive zone. He really seems to understand the nuance of settling into pockets and providing a quick trigger option. Eiserman has some physicality as well. He’s taking his time developing in the NCAA, which has helped round out some of his defensive issues as well. 

When Jesse Nurmi moved to the London Knights, the initial expectation was the Finnish forward would step into the lineup and be an impact player night in and night out. He wound up playing more of a depth scoring role for the Knights as they went on to win the Memorial Cup, but his flashes of skill and playmaking popped up routinely. He’s set to jump to the AHL, where he will have to show he can play through contact and provide some value outside of his skill.

Although his first NCAA season wasn’t quite as good as he hoped, Kamil Bednarik is still a very interesting prospect. What did carry over from his days with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program was his defensive game and the intelligence it takes to angle players off and take good routes on the backcheck. He did flash some of his passing ability, hitting teammates as they streaked to the slot or on the back door. The Isles will hope for a big step up for Bednarik this season.

Drafted last year as an overage defenseman, Jesse Pulkkinen continues to be one of the most intriguing prospects the Islanders have because of his offensive creativity. There is a brashness about Pulkkinen that makes him fun to watch. The biggest thing holding Pulkkinen back is his feet. The 6-foot-6 blueliner often struggles to pivot or change directions quickly. That has caused some issues in the defensive zone, but he can lean on his length and physicality when needed. Pulkkinen has some intriguing upside, but he’s no guarantee to be an NHLer. 

Calle Odelius played his first AHL season, and it featured some ups and downs, but the mobile blueliner made strides throughout the season. Odelius’ game is built around his skating and vision on the breakout. There is still plenty of potential as a bottom-pair puck-mover who could play up if needed. His skating is at the NHL level, and he just needs to play a tighter defensive game. 

U-23 Players Likely To Play NHL Games This Season

Calum Ritchie (C), Matthew Schaefer (D)

2025 NHL Draft Class

Round 1, 1st overall - Matthew Schaefer, D, Erie (OHL)

Round 1, 16th overall - Victor Eklund, RW, Djurgarden (Swe.)

Round 1, 17th overall - Kashawn Aitcheson, D, Barrie (OHL)

Round 2, 42nd overall - Daniil Prokhorov, RW, St. Petersburg Dynamo Jr. (Rus.)

Round 3, 74th overall - Luca Romano, C, Kitchener (OHL)

Round 4, 106th overall - Tomas Poletin, LW, Pelicans (Fin.)

Round 5, 138th overall - Sam Laurila, D, Fargo (USHL)

Round 6, 170th overall - Burke Hood, G, Vancouver (WHL)

Round 7, 202nd overall - Jacob Kvasnicka, RW, U.S. NTDP (USHL)

The Islanders were the talk of the NHL draft. 

Obviously, the team with the first overall pick is of interest, but when the Islanders traded Noah Dobson to Montreal to get the 16th and 17th overall picks as well, everyone was talking about the Islanders on draft day.

There were immediately rumors flying around that they were looking to move those two picks in an effort to move up and grab the local kid, James Hagens. Ultimately, they were unable to move up, and Hagens went to the Boston Bruins, but the Islanders made three first-round picks, giving them a trio of prospects that they can build around for the next decade or more. 

As soon as Dobson was moved out, it made a ton of sense to take Matthew Schaefer. 

His ability to control many facets of the game is impressive. His mobility is simply special. Schaefer uses his four-way mobility in various ways. He can shadow attackers in his own end or evade a forechecker by slipping by them with ease. In the offensive zone, he dances along the blueline and then attacks lanes when given room.

The most impressive area of Schaefer’s game is in transition, gashing through the neutral zone while putting defenders on their heels. Schaefer looked incredible in his limited action last year, including asserting himself as Canada’s best defender before suffering a collarbone injury at the World Junior Championship. If Schaefer does step into New York’s lineup on Day 1, there’s a chance that he’s arguably their most effective blueliner by season’s end.

New York Islanders Select Their New Foundational D-Man, Matthew Schaefer, First Overall In NHL DraftAfter weeks of excitement, anticipation and speculation, the New York Islanders selected Matthew Schaefer with the first pick of the 2025 NHL draft.

Victor Eklund’s fall at the 2025 draft might be the most fortunate thing to happen for the Islanders outside of the miracle lottery win. Eklund is arguably a top-eight talent in this draft class, with many, including me, considering him a top-five player. He is a tenacious, driven winger who plays bigger than his size suggests. He fearlessly goes into corners with the intention of winning the puck battle, and he comes out with it more often than not. Eklund will fly down the wall to prevent a defender's easy breakout by throwing his body around.

On top of his relentless nature, Eklund is a very skilled shooter who is never shy to fire the puck on net from the home plate area on the ice. He works off the wall to the middle of the ice with high efficiency, looking to draw defenders and open up passing lanes when he doesn’t have a shot from inside the dots. Eklund is a legitimate offensive threat when you combine his motor and skill with a very good snap shot and a quick release. Eklund could be the steal of the first round at 16th overall. 

With the very next pick, the Islanders decided that they got high-end skill with their first two selections, so adding some nastiness and jam was warranted. That led them to draft OHL defender Kashawn Aitcheson, one of the most feared players in the class. Aitcheson (figuratively) beats the life out of opposing players with massive hits and doesn’t let up after the whistle. He loves being physically involved, often getting into the heads of his opponents. 

The rest of his game is still a work in progress, but the building blocks are all there. Offensively, Aitcheson has a booming shot, and he loves to use it. His passing is fairly simple but often efficient. In his own end, Aitcheson can impose his will physically, but his footwork could be improved so that he can defend in space more effectively. His offensive game may not be the most translatable to the NHL, but he projects as a physical, mean defender who can move the puck up ice. 

In Round 2, the Isles opted for another physical monster, 6-foot-6 forward Daniil Prokhorov, who loves to blow opposing players up and score goals. He’s one of the better power forwards in the 2025 class, using his size to its full potential. He can lower his shoulder, drive through the defender and get to the net. Prokhorov is also a bit of a jerk who loves to throw an extra shot during play and after the whistle. The second-round pick is a bit of a swing, as his offensive game must become more than just being a powerful net driver and shooter, but it’s one worth taking. 

Luca Romano has all of the tools and shows flashes of putting it all together. Romano is a hard-working forward with a ton of speed. He is still figuring out what kind of player he will be at the next level, though. Will he lean into the skill, or will he become an energy guy? Can he blend the two? No matter what, the Islanders made a solid bet in the third round. 

The rollercoaster ride Tomas Poletin’s draft stock took this year made for an interesting evaluation. Coming into the year, many thought that he could be a potential first-round pick, but he is a worthwhile selection this late. In some games, he was a force on the boards and showcased his strength and work rate in the corners. On other occasions, he leaned into his skill but often had less success. Poletin must accept his role is likely that of a bottom-six player, and if he does, he could be a really solid prospect.

One of the youngest players eligible for the 2024 NHL draft, Sam Laurila, had a very good season in the United States League, which led to him being drafted as an overage prospect. He’s headed to the NCAA with the University of North Dakota in the fall, where he will look to get a bit faster and stronger to help take advantage of his passing and vision in the offensive zone. He began playing with a tighter gap this year and showing some physical play. 

Burke Hood is a goalie with size and athleticism who posted great numbers in the WHL despite a big workload. Hood helped make Vancouver competitive on most nights, but his play in the post-season fell off pretty hard. The Isles are betting on Hood’s package of tools and traits coming together.

Jacob Kvasnicka showed glimpses of speed and skill that could make him an intriguing player. He’s heading to the WHL for a season with the league's newest franchise, the Penticton Vees. He will then head to the University of Minnesota. Kvasnicka weaponizes his speed on the forecheck and often creates havoc around the offensive zone. He often seems like he’s skating around without a purpose, but when he focuses on a task, he can make an impact. 

Strengths

With Eklund, the left wing position of the Islanders’ prospect pool has become a legitimate strength. 

Eklund and Eiserman headline the group as potential top-six players. Nurmi is a potential depth scorer as well. Poletin saw his stock rise and fall throughout the season, but the fourth-rounder comes with some pedigree. Quinn Finley has flown under the radar at times, but he’s a world junior gold medallist, and he averaged more than a point per game in the NCAA this past season. For a prospect pool with more weaknesses than strengths, the left wing is quite strong in terms of depth and top-end talent.

Weaknesses

Not to be dramatic, but the Islanders have no right-shot defensemen in the system, with all due respect to Tomas Machu, who just had a decent enough freshman season at Providence College at 22. 

The Islanders added a few solid defenseman in the 2025 draft, but none of them were on the right side. New York must bolster that side of the blueline, but if they’re rebuilding or retooling, they have plenty of time. 

Hidden Gem: Danny Nelson, C/W

Ever since his time with the NTDP, Danny Nelson has consistently found a way to impact the game as a defensive player, forechecker and steady contributor on offense. 

His game isn’t full of flair, and he doesn’t have some sort of unreal highlight reel, but Nelson always finds a way to provide value to his team. He’s played a fourth-line role for the American world junior squad to win gold, and he’s been a depth scorer for them another time to bring him a second gold medal. Nelson is a guy you win with because he does the little things so well. Coaches love him. Although he may never be a high-end producer, he can be an effective bottom-six energy guy. 

Next Man Up: Matthew Scheafer, D, And Calum Ritchie, C

The Islanders will likely have some young talent jumping into the NHL lineup when the new season starts. 

It’s not often that a first overall pick doesn’t jump right into the NHL, and despite Schaefer’s lack of games played this past year, he could be given a top-four role in short order on Long Island. His impact in all facets of the game will be a blessing. If he faces some struggles in one area of the game, he can fall back on another. Schaefer has all of the tools to be an effective rookie, but there will be growing pains. 

As for Ritchie, the spot Nelson vacated when the Islanders traded him for Ritchie looks like a great spot to jump into the lineup. Ritchie has the 200-foot game the Isles coaching staff will demand of him if he wants a regular role in the top six. He has the puckhandling and passing to become a very good offensive player as well. His skating continues to get more powerful, and he looks much more agile on his feet. Ritchie could be a sneaky Calder candidate if he can secure a role on the second line.

Prospect Depth Chart Notables

LW: Victor Eklund, Cole Eiserman, Jesse Nurmi, Tomas Poletin, Quinn Finley, Eetu Liukas

C: Calum Ritchie, Kamil Bednarik, Danny Nelson, Luca Romano

RW: Matthew Maggio, Jacob Kvasnicka, Daniil Prokhorov

LD: Matthew Schaefer, Kashawn Aitcheson, Calle Odelius, Jesse Pulkkinen, Isaiah George, Sam Laurila

RD: Tomas Machu

G: Tristan Lennox, Dmitry Gamzin, Marcus Gidlof, Burke Hood

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.

We are very, very early in thinking about the 2027 NHL draft, but if Canada's summer U-17 camp is any indicator, center Alexis Joseph is gonna be a problem for opponents from here on out.

Simply put, he's the kid that everyone has been talking about: scouts, agents and Hockey Canada folks have all been raving about him.

The first overall pick in the QMJHL draft this year, Joseph is gearing up to play for the Saint John Sea Dogs, where the youngster has the chance to put his name on the map like franchise alums such as Jonathan Huberdeau and Thomas Chabot.

Currently dominating at Canada's camp in Oakville, Ont., Joseph is looking forward to getting to Saint John, where his only experience to date was at development camp.

"I was just there for three days, but it's a great city," he said. "I want to learn more about the city, and I will in the next few months and years."

You don't need to be a high-level scout to see why Joseph has serious NHL potential in the future. The teen is already 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, and along with some nice offensive vision, he can also move. Funny enough, power and speed are areas he still wants to improve in.

"I've worked on it this summer and last summer, and I'll continue to work on it," Joseph said. "It's a bit of weakness, my feet. I'm a big guy, and I'm young, so sometimes I'm not that fast. My power and speed is something I try to work on all year long."

You could have fooled me. Joseph's powerful game seems pretty advanced, and while he might not think he's fast, his size means he gets places just as quickly as smaller players – two of his strides can equal three of someone else's, after all. His power game looks great and is reminiscent of a certain NHL superstar that the teen already looks up to.

"The one guy I focus on is Nathan MacKinnon," Joseph said. "He's pretty good offensively, he's won a Stanley Cup and he's good defensively. He's hard to play against, and I try to be like him."

Growing up in the suburbs of Montreal, Joseph played multiple sports, from mountain biking and dek hockey to soccer. Eventually, he had to make a choice.

"I was more of a soccer player growing up, but I had to forget soccer and focus on hockey," he said. "I was a defensive guy, like Sergio Ramos when he was with Real Madrid – but smaller."

Joseph is now pretty big, and at 16, there's a chance he could continue to grow. Based on the early returns at Canada's camp, the newest Sea Dog will be one to watch in the 'Q' this fall and when the World Under-17 Challenge kicks off on Halloween in Nova Scotia.

And while defenseman Landon DuPont is the top prospect for the 2027 NHL draft right now, don't sleep on Joseph: if he continues to develop into an elite talent, he'll be precisely the kind of big No. 1 center that tends to go very high on draft day.

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When a London, Ont., judge ruled on Thursday that all five players involved in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault trial were not guilty on all charges, the NHL found itself at a crossroads of moral decency. 

Should the players, who have already missed more than a year while fighting for their freedom, be allowed to resume their NHL careers? Or do they need to spend additional time away from the league for not living up to the ethical standards of being an NHLer?

So far, the league is choosing the latter. 

"The allegations made in this case, even if not determined to have been criminal, were very disturbing, and the behavior at issue was unacceptable," the NHL's statement said. "We will be reviewing and considering the judge's findings. While we conduct that analysis and determine next steps, the players charged in this case are ineligible to play in the league."

This was the right decision, even if it wasn’t necessarily an easy one.

No, the easy decision would have been for the league to follow the court’s lead and clear the players, allowing them to get on with their lives and resume their NHL careers as if nothing had happened. The easy decision, which the NHL has chosen at times in the past, would have been to put winning above everything else.

After all, these are not just ordinary players. These were Canada’s best junior players in 2018. They were potential stars.

Michael McLeod and Cal Foote were first-round picks of the New Jersey Devils and Tampa Bay Lightning, respectively. Dillon Dube, who was the captain of the world junior team, had spent six seasons with the Calgary Flames. Alex Formenton was coming off an 18-goal season with the Ottawa Senators. Carter Hart was the No. 1 goalie for the Philadelphia Flyers.

All of them had bright futures. Considering they are in their mid-20s, they still do. And yet, their futures may no longer be in the NHL.

By ruling that all players were essentially “free to go,” McLeod, Foote, Dube, Formenton and Hart should theoretically be allowed re-sign with an NHL team of their choosing. Some, like Hart, were already being linked to several teams who are in dire need of goaltending.

But playing in the NHL is a privilege – not a right. And despite how badly the Edmonton Oilers might have needed an upgrade in net, the NHL is making it clear that there is a distinction between a court of law and the court of common decency. 

What the players did behind closed doors after a night of drinking at a Hockey Canada gala honoring their victory at the 2018 World Junior Championship might not have been criminal. But it was wrong on several levels. Regardless of consent, a young woman was taken advantage of and put in danger by a group of young men who became the poster boys for the toxic masculinity and negative culture that still pervades the sport. 

This move from the NHL sends a strong message, not only to the rest of the league – but to the fans as well. 

The only question is, how long can the NHL punish them? Is one year enough? Two years? Indefinitely?

Stan Bowman, Joel Quenneville and Al MacIsaac, who were ruled ineligible “as a result of their inadequate response upon being informed in 2010 of allegations that Chicago Blackhawks player Kyle Beach had been assaulted by the team’s video coach,” were reinstated on July 1, 2024, after spending two-and-a-half years out of the league.

Maybe that sentence will serve as a starting point. 

The NHLPA disagreed with this viewpoint, arguing that the NHL’s decision “is inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the CBA.”

Obviously, nothing will be done in this situation until after the NHL is finished conducting its investigation. But it is probably safe to suggest that none of the players will be welcomed back into the league in time for the start of the season.

Based on the language that Gary Bettman once used to describe the players’ actions, calling them "abhorrent, reprehensible, horrific and unacceptable,” they may never be welcomed back.

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