The top 100 hockey players aged 21-and-under feature some current NHLers and top prospects ranked 61st to 80th.

The Hockey News' Prospects Unlimited issue's annual ranking of hockey's youngest talent is compiled by Ryan Kennedy, and while he uses our Future Watch rankings as a resource, this is a completely independent compilation.

Future Watch is based on a survey of NHL scouts, while the PU Top 100 is cobbled together by Kennedy based on his projections of what the players will be once they hit their primes.

Since different positions have different prime years, take that to mean we are projecting how good these forwards will be when they are 23 or 24 years old, the defensemen when they are 24 or 25 and the goalies when they are 25 or 26.

The birth year cutoff for this year’s list is 2004. Ages noted are as of Oct. 1.

As we share the top 100 list on TheHockeyNews.com, you can see the full list with player bios and draft information for each of them right now by being a subscriber to The Hockey News and accessing the Archive or by opening the magazine if you've already received it in your mailbox.

Catch up on the players ranked 81st to 100th. Here's the next batch.

80. Matthew Wood, LW, 20 years old, Nashville Predators
Nashville (NHL)

79. Carter Bear, LW, 18, Detroit Red Wings
Everett (WHL)

78. Liam Greentree, RW, 19, Los Angeles Kings
Windsor (OHL)

77. Jani Nyman, RW, 21, Seattle Kraken
Seattle (NHL)

76. Carter Yakemchuk, D, 20, Ottawa Senators
Belleville (AHL)

75. Caleb Malhotra, C, 17, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
NHL Draft: 2026

74. Joshua Ravensbergen, G, 18, San Jose Sharks
Prince George (WHL)

73. Sacha Boisvert, C, 19, Chicago Blackhawks
Boston University (HE)

72. Joakim Kemell, RW, 21, Nashville Predators
Milwaukee (AHL)

71. Daxon Rudolph, D, 17, Prince Albert Raiders
NHL Draft: 2026

A student of the game on and off the ice, Daxon Rudolph is always eager to learn and hone his craft. With the trajectory he is on right now, it may not be long before he’s schooling NHL opponents. Go to the full feature on Rudolph by clicking here.

70. Bradly Nadeau, LW, 20, Carolina Hurricanes
Chicago (AHL)

69. Kashawn Aitcheson, D, 19, New York Islanders
Barrie (OHL)

68. Jaako Wycisk, C, 16, Guelph Storm (OHL)
NHL Draft: 2027

67. Matt Savoie, C, 21, Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton (NHL)

66. Shane Wright, C, 21, Seattle Kraken
Seattle (NHL)

65. Tom Willander, D, 20, Vancouver Canucks
Abbotsford (AHL)

64. Braeden Cootes, C, 18, Vancouver Canucks
Seattle (WHL)

63. Michael Hage, C, 19, Montreal Canadiens
Michigan (Big Ten)

62. Cole Eiserman, LW, 19, New York Islanders
Boston Univ. (Big Ten)

61. Viggo Bjorck, C, 17, Djurgarden IF (Swe.)
NHL Draft: 2026

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Toronto Maple Leafs entered this week sitting last in the Eastern Conference standings.

Before reaching that lowly position, they were already the subject of speculation about whether a trade could reverse their fortunes.

Several players, including defenseman Brandon Carlo and forwards Max Domi, Calle Jarnkrok, Nick Robertson, Bobby McMann and Dakota Joshua, were floated as potential trade candidates.

Jonas Siegel of The Athletic recently examined those candidates. He felt that Carlo and Domi could deliver the type of return management would seek to impact the roster.

Of the pair, Siegel felt Carlo the easiest to move. He acknowledged the 28-year-old blueliner was off to a slow start before being sidelined by a lower-body injury. However, Carlo is a right-shot defenseman, and those blueliners are currently coveted around the league.

Carlo is in the fifth season of a six-year contract. The Leafs carry $3.485 million of his $4.1-million cap hit, which could make him enticing for cap-strapped teams seeking an affordable top-four defenseman.

Siegel also pointed out the downside of trading Carlo for the Leafs. They gave up a first-round pick and prospect Fraser Minten to get him from the Boston Bruins, meaning they'd have to get something comparable in return. Moving him now would also leave a big hole on the right side of their defense corps.

Carlo might draw more interest closer to the March 6 NHL trade deadline. Given the Leafs' current position, that move would come too late to save their season. By that point, they would be sellers instead of buyers.

Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, the Penguins could soon have a crowded crease once Tristan Jarry returns from injury, joining Arturs Silovs and promising Sergei Murashov.

Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now believes the Penguins could use more scoring. He wondered if they would move one of their goalies for a return that would help them address their offensive needs.

Jarry's recent injury, inconsistent play and $5.375-million cap hit through 2027-28 (with a 12-team no-trade list) make him difficult to move in the trade market. Murashov has shown potential as a future starter, so he's not going anywhere. That could leave Silovs as the odd man out.

The Penguins gave up a fourth-round pick to acquire Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks in July. Kingerski wondered if his solid play this season might fetch a second-rounder, which could be used to add a scoring forward.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Two defensemen get the most love in the latest look at who was hot and cold in the NHL in the past week.

Their teams needed the help as well.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are tied in points with three other teams in the East, including the Philadelphia Flyers, which are currently in the second wild-card spot due to a tiebreaker. The Calgary Flames, meanwhile, are likely not going to climb out of the basement, but they at least showed more than a smidge of offense in their recent surge.

With that said, let’s get right down to business. Here are this week’s hot and cold NHL players:

Hot: Rasmus Andersson, D, Calgary Flames 

Despite being in the trade rumor mill, Andersson had a stellar week for the Flames, posting seven assists and nine points while being a plus-5 in four games. Andersson also was a huge workhorse for Calgary, logging 25:02 of ice time, bumping up his season average time-on-ice average to 24:25. 

The 29-year-old Swedish blueliner is on a five-game points streak, and he had three-point nights against the Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks, both wins that suggested Calgary is capable of scoring a lot more than its current average of 2.38 goals-for.

Andersson is almost certainly going to be traded by or before this year’s trade deadline if the Flames remain in the NHL's basement. The pending UFA's current strong play is going to drive up Calgary’s asking price for him.

Cold: Jonathan Toews, C, Winnipeg Jets 

The Jets made a big splash by signing Toews this summer, and his choice of Winnipeg to stage his NHL comeback was a feather in the organization’s cap. But one question that arose was how well he would play after missing two seasons.

Toews has had some up-and-down weeks. This past week, Toews recorded zero points and four shots in three games. He has now gone five points without a point, and he has one point in the last nine contests. This season, he has three goals and eight points in 21 games.

The Jets were blanked by the Minnesota Wild and lost by one goal to the Carolina Hurricanes Friday, so they could’ve used some offense from Toews. Winnipeg can afford to be patient with Toews, but sooner or later, the team will need him to produce some more points.

Hot: Zach Werenski, D, Columbus Blue Jackets 

Werenski had a phenomenal year for the Blue Jackets last season, and this year, the 28-year-old is off to another strong start. This week, Werenski posted five assists and eight points in only three games, giving him seven goals and 21 points in 22 games. 

Werenski averaged 27:41 of ice time this week, and that includes two straight games of more than 28 minutes per game. His current average of 26:50 would be a career high, but regardless, he’s underscoring his status as one of the best D-men on the planet.

Cold: Frank Vatrano, LW, Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks have been thriving this season, but one prominent Anaheim player who has been struggling is veteran Vatrano. The 31-year-old had zero points on seven shots in four games this week, and he’s averaged just 13:34 of ice time in that span. His average ice time of 12:18 this season is about five fewer minutes per game than he had last season.

Two seasons ago, Vatrano put up 60 points. And last season, he averaged 45 points. The Ducks could have traded him to get some more assets in the late stages of their rebuild, but instead, they signed him to a three-year contract extension worth about $4.5 million annually.

This year, he’s got only two goals and three points in 22 games. It doesn’t get much colder than that.

The Ducks lead the Pacific Division thanks in part to Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier and Troy Terry, who have 29, 26 and 25 points, respectively. Even rookie Beckett Sennecke has 16 points, and acquisition Chris Kreider has 15 points in 18 games.

Vatrano got pushed down Anaheim’s depth chart, and he isn't in a position to excel right now. At least the team is doing well.

Hot: Yaroslav Askarov, G, San Jose Sharks 

As San Jose’s goalie of the present and future, Askarov has to do much of the heavy lifting in net for this young Sharks team.

This week past, the 23-year-old was electric, compiling a 3-0-0 record, .937 save percentage and 1.92 goals-against average. San Jose needed Askarov to be sharp, as the Sharks won one game in overtime, one in the shootout and the third game by two goals, although one of those goals was an empty-netter.

In 14 appearances this season, Askarov has an 8-5-1 record, .913 SP, and 2.83 GAA. If the Sharks are to be in playoff contention, Askarov will need to be at least that well. But he’s living up to lofty expectations, and San Jose has to be thrilled with what they’re getting out of him already.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

In the late 2000s to mid-2010s, California NHL fans were living their dream, regardless of which team they rooted for.

Between 2006-07 and 2016-17, the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup, and the San Jose Sharks came close, marking plenty of success on the West Coast.

In that span, the Kings won two Stanley Cups and bowed out in the Western Conference final once. The Sharks made the conference final three times, advancing to the Cup final in 2015-16. The Ducks won it all in 2006-07 and made the conference final twice afterward.

While all the California teams were contenders in the early to mid-2010s, the Kings clearly led the pack.

However, by 2018-19, all three teams were beginning to age out, and they started rebuilding. That was, until the Kings' surprisingly strong 2021-22 season.

While the 2020-21 season was shortened to 56 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kings continued their downward spiral, finishing 21-28-7 with 49 points. Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, Dustin Brown, and Jonathan Quick were entering the later stages of their career, and they didn’t have many promising assets aside from Quinton Byfield and Adrian Kempe. The team finished 27th overall in scoring, Quick had a down season in net, and there were holes throughout the roster, leading many to believe the Kings would be stuck at the bottom for years to come.

However, in 2021-22, the Kings had a surprising turnaround, amassing 99 points and securing their first playoff berth since 2017-18. They lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the first round after dropping Game 7, but their success didn’t stop there.

Led by a mix of veteran leadership and maximizing their young talent, they've made the playoffs the last three seasons as well. However, they’ve been a first-round exit every time.

On the other hand, the Ducks and Sharks haven’t had the same success. Anaheim hasn’t made the playoffs since 2017-18 and San Jose hasn’t made it since 2018-19. 

The Ducks have slowly been building their roster through productive draft picks, with the most notable being Leo Carlsson, their first-round pick in 2023, who has amassed 29 points in 22 games so far this season. They’ve also added key contributors, such as Mason McTavish, Beckett Sennecke, Troy Terry and Jackson LaCombe. In January 2024, they also acquired Cutter Gauthier from the Philadelphia Flyers.

As for the Sharks, they’ve struggled with inconsistent drafting and didn’t find a promising young player in the draft until 2023, when they selected Will Smith. The team was lucky enough to obtain the first overall pick in the 2024 draft and sceleelected Macklin Celebrini, who has formed a strong connection with Smith on the first line and has helped bolster the Sharks' offense. However, they’ve struggled with the goalie situation since the departures of Antti Niemi and Martin Jones, and the team also hasn’t been able to build up a stable defensive core. 

As a result of slow rebuilds, both teams have been stuck near the bottom of the Pacific Division for the last six seasons.

Don't Be Shocked If The Tables Turn Soon

After a long wait, it appears the rebuilds for the Ducks and Sharks are close to ending.

Through 22 games, the Ducks sit atop the Pacific Division with a 14-7-1 record and 29 points. They rank second in goals-for per game with 3.59. The team’s young talent has looked excellent so far, with Carlsson, Gauthier and Terry all averaging over a point per game, and Sennecke has also been a key top-six forward.

Their goalie, Lukas Dostal, also deserves some praise for his strong play. Through 17 starts, he holds an 11-5-1 record, .904 save percentage and 10.1 goals saved above expected, which ranks seventh among NHL goalies.

Within the last year, Anaheim has also added veterans Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba, who have fit in well next to the Ducks' young talent. The team also has nearly $17 million in cap space, the third-most in the league.

After starting the season 0-4-2, the Sharks have had a complete turnaround, largely as a result of Celebrini’s play. Through 23 games, he’s notched 34 points, 12 on the power play, two game-winning goals and two hat-tricks. They’re heating up and are 9-4-1 in their last 14 games.

San Jose’s young talent may not be as fully developed as Anaheim’s with players like Michael Misa and Sam Dickinson still adapting to the NHL. But Celebrini has shown he’s capable of leading the team, and with him on the verge of becoming a superstar, the Sharks just need to continue to build around him. Their first line, consisting of Celebrini, Smith, and Tyler Toffoli, has the highest goals percentage in the league amongst lines with 120 minutes or more at 83.3 percent.

While their first line has looked like one of the best in the league, there are still holes in the team on offense and defense. They rank 22nd in goals-for per game and 21st in goals against per game. But with possibly two first-round picks, two second-round picks and two fourth-round picks this year, as well as nearly $6 million in cap space, the Sharks are in a good spot.

The Kings Are In A Much Tougher Position

Sure, the Kings still have talent and are playing at a high level, but they don’t have as much build around. They also have several players either nearing the end of their careers or contracts. 

Just five forwards – Byfield, Kevin Fiala, Kempe, Trevor Moore and Alex Laferriere – are locked up beyond next season. It also doesn’t help that their longtime captain, Anze Kopitar, announced he’ll be retiring at the end of the season.

They also have defensemen Cody Ceci, Mikey Anderson, Joel Edmundson and Brian Dumoulin locked up beyond next season. All except Anderson are 30 years or older and likely don’t have much left in the tank. Their goalie, Darcy Kuemper, is also in his age-35 season and is only under contract for one more year.

According to PuckPedia, they’re only projected to have $2.3 million in cap space this offseason, although that number could jump up to around $20 million next year.

While the Kings might not have a complete fall from grace, their time as the leader of California hockey may be coming to an end. Unlike Anaheim and San Jose, they don’t have a super promising young core, and their prospect pool ranked 29th in Future Watch. The Sharks ranked first, and the Ducks ranked second. The Kings also have too many expiring contracts and not enough money to fill all the holes, which could force the team to enter some sort of rebuild in the near future. 

This may not be the year, but California hockey is on the verge of changing.

Michael Hapanovich is an intern with The Hockey News.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Hockey News Big Show is here to discuss more big topics in the NHL and beyond.

Here’s what Ryan Kennedy, Michael Traikos and former NHL goaltender Devan Dubnyk discussed:

1:00: Connor Hellebuyck will be out for four to six weeks after having knee surgery on Saturday. How competitive can the Jets be without their No. 1 goaltender?

2:20: How does a goalie's mindset change going from being the backup to the starter? 

4:50: Will Hellebuyck’s injury affect his chances of playing for the United States in the Olympics?

7:30: Since Joseph Woll's return, he has a 1-2-1 record, .905 save percentage and 3.27 goals-against average. How would you evaluate Joseph Woll's play in net since his return?

12:32: The Montreal Canadiens signed Alexandre Texier to a one-year, $1 million contract.Thoughts on this signing? 

14:13: How are you feeling about Montreal’s depth right now? 

15:58: Mikko Rantanen has been in some trouble recently, being suspended for one game following his hit on Matt Caronato. What are your thoughts on his play as of late? 

17:50: How difficult is it to walk the line between clean and dirty play when you're a player of Rantanen’s size? 

20:22: The Colorado Avalanche have now won nine games in a row and sit at the top of the Central Division with a 16-1-5 record. Can anyone stop the Avs? 

24:40: The Seattle Kraken sit second in the Pacific Division and have the second-best defense in the NHL right now. Do we believe in the Kraken yet, or is it a mirage?

27:20: Jesper Wallstedt has won five straight, with three shutouts for Minnesota. He also leads the NHL in save percentage at .935 and is second for GAA at 1.94. Is it time to fear the Wild?

32:17: Movember is coming to an end. Who has the best mustache in the NHL, currently or all-time?

34:26: Another week, another chance to name a player who had a hot or cold week.

36:18: Artists Jordon Bourgeault, Travis Michael and Dave Fried have been using iPads to design goalie masks for Anthony Stolarz, Thatcher Demko, Dustin Wolf and more. What was Devan's process like when David Gunnarsson was designing his masks?

38:50: Fair or foul: Connor Bedard getting pressured by autograph hounds for his signature on copies of The Hockey News' magazine?

How Competitive Are The Jets Without Hellebuyck? by The Big Show

Watch the full episode on YouTube

Subscribe to The Hockey News Big Show on your preferred platform.

Youth is always served in The Hockey News' Prospects Unlimited issue, and in the coming days, you will get a taste of what's to come in hockey.

Our annual list of the top 100 players 21-and-under is compiled by Ryan Kennedy, and while he uses our Future Watch rankings as a resource, this is a completely independent compilation.

Future Watch is based on a survey of NHL scouts, while the PU Top 100 is cobbled together by Kennedy based on his projections of what the players will be once they hit their primes.

Since players reach that apex at different times depending on their position, take that to mean we are projecting how good these forwards will be when they are 23 or 24 years old, the defensemen when they are 24 or 25 and the goalies when they are 25 or 26.

The birth year cutoff for this year’s list is 2004, so Edmonton’s Matt Savoie (born on Jan. 1, 2004) was eligible, but Minnesota’s Danila Yurov (Dec. 22, 2003) was not. Ages noted are as of Oct. 1.

There is no limit to how young a player can be for the list, but since it’s incredibly hard to project what the future holds for a 13-year-old, you won’t find any on this ranking. In fact, the youngest player on the list is Maddox Schultz of the Regina Pats, a 2010 birth year and the first overall pick in the 2025 WHL draft.

As we share the top 100 list on TheHockeyNews.com, you can see the full list with player bios and draft information for each of them right now by being a subscriber to The Hockey News and accessing the Archive or by opening the magazine if you've already received it in your mailbox.

Let's begin with the players ranked from 81st to 100th. Player bios were written by Kennedy and Jared Clinton.

100. Maddox Schultz, C, 15 years old, Regina (WHL)
NHL Draft: 2028

99. Konsta Helenius, C, 19, Buffalo Sabres
Rochester (AHL)

98. Daniil But, LW, 20, Utah Mammoth
Tucson (AHL)

97. David Reinbacher, D, 20, Montreal Canadiens
Laval (AHL)

96. Harrison Brunicke, D, 19, Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh (NHL)

95. Easton Cowan, RW, 20, Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto (AHL)

94. Mathis Preston, C, 17, Spokane (WHL)
NHL Draft: 2026

93. Will Horcoff, C, 18, Pittsburgh Penguins
Michigan (Big Ten)

92. Ben Kindel, C, 18, Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh (NHL)

91. Oliver Moore, C, 20, Chicago Blackhawks
Rockford (AHL)

90. Tanner Molendyk, D, 20, Nashville Predators
Milwaukee (AHL)

89. Semyon Frolov, G, 18, Carolina Hurricanes
Spartak Moscow Jr. (Rus.)

88. Charlie Cerrato, C, 20, Carolina Hurricanes
Penn State (Big Ten)

87. Emmitt Finnie, LW, 20, Detroit Red Wings
Detroit (NHL)

86. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW, 19, Detroit Red Wings
Grand Rapids (AHL)

85. Liam Ohgren, LW, 21, Minnesota Wild
Iowa (AHL)

84. Simon Nemec, D, 21, New Jersey Devils
New Jersey (NHL)

83. Jonathan Lekkerimaki, RW, 21, Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver (NHL)

82. Dalibor Dvorksy, RW, 20, St. Louis Blues
Springfield (AHL)

81. Brock Cripps, D, 16, Prince Albert (WHL)
NHL Draft: 2027

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The early weeks of this season saw Andrei Svechnikov get off to an unusually slow start.

The 25-year-old Carolina Hurricanes left winger was held scoreless while playing reduced minutes through his first eight games.

On Saturday, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported hearing that Svechnikov was unhappy with the situation. It's believed he was open to a trade if the Hurricanes were approached about moving him.

Friedman indicated that this information spread throughout the league, resulting in several teams making inquiries about Svechnikov. However, the Hurricanes still consider him a cornerstone player and aren't keen to move him. Any interested club would have to make what Friedman called a “monster offer” to tempt the Hurricanes.

PuckPedia indicates that Svechnikov is in the fifth season of his eight-year contract. He's earning an average annual value of $7.75 million and carries a 10-team list of approved trade destinations.

Friedman claims the situation has since cooled down. Svechnikov has returned to the Hurricanes' top line and has 12 points in his last 14 games. Still, Friedman believes that this could be worth monitoring if things regress to where they were earlier in the season.

The Hurricanes aren't likely to shop Svechnikov this season. They're in “go-for-it” mode and want him to be part of their Stanley Cup push. However, if they fall short again, they could consider a roster shakeup next summer, which could involve entertaining serious offers for Svechnikov.

Meanwhile, in Vancouver, left winger Lukas Reichel could be on the move again.

Reichel, 23, was acquired by the Canucks from the Chicago Blackhawks last month. Patrick Johnston of The Province indicated that CHEK-TV's Rick Dhaliwal was claiming the young forward could be a trade option if another team is interested in him.

Chosen 17th overall by the Blackhawks in the 2020 NHL draft, Reichel was projected to become a scoring forward. However, he's struggled to meet those expectations. The youngster has one assist in 13 games with the Canucks and was a healthy scratch from their last two games.

Sidelined Canucks forwards Teddy Blueger and Nils Hoglander are expected to return to action soon. Reichel could end up on the trade block or the waiver wire soon.

NHL Insider Weighs In On Jets' Brad Lambert Situation, Potential Trade ReturnNHL insider reveals the Jets' strategy for trading prized prospect Brad Lambert, drawing parallels to a past high-profile deal.

Speaking of struggling first-round draft picks, Brad Lambert of the Winnipeg Jets was reportedly permitted to talk with other teams about a trade. NHL insider Frank Seravalli broke that news last Thursday.

Lambert, 21, was selected 30th overall by the Jets in the 2022 NHL draft. The youngster was once a highly touted center prospect, but his stock tumbled during his draft year. He has one goal in four games with the Jets this season while averaging over nine minutes of playing time.

With injuries starting to bite several NHL clubs, and teams searching for help at center, Lambert might land with another team in the near future.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Buffalo Sabres placed veteran goaltender Alexandar Georgiev on waivers for the purpose of contract termination on Sunday, according to multiple reports. In the process of becoming a free agent and after a rough year or so in the NHL, Georgiev will be returning to the KHL.

When he signed with the Sabres in September, veteran goaltender Alexandar Georgiev was hopeful of a road back to becoming a starter in the NHL.

It wasn't long ago that Georgiev was the No. 1 guy for the Colorado Avalanche. During his first two seasons with the Avs, in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns, he made 62 starts. In those two seasons, Georgiev put together a 78-34-11 record.

However, after he was dealt to the San Jose Sharks early last season, Georgiev’s numbers took a hit, as he posted a 7-19-4 record, a 3.88 goals-against average and an .875 save percentage. 

Thus, when Georgiev became a UFA this summer, no team inked a deal with him.

Then, when he signed a one-year contract with the Sabres in September, he was still well down the organizational depth chart between the pipes.

He sat behind Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon, as well as youngsters Colten Ellis, who joined the team on waivers on Oct. 6, and Devon Levi. With only one net and a handful of goalies in the system, there’s not enough ice time to go around.

So, it wasn’t a surprise that Georgiev had his Sabres contract waived, with reports he’s headed overseas to join Spartak Moscow of the KHL next.

Earlier this month, we saw another NHL-caliber goalie, Ilya Samsonov, sign a contract in the KHL.

Samsonov got the job security of a two-year deal in the KHL after NHL interest dried up, remaining without a contract well past the off-season.

The goaltending business is a cruel and fickle one, and Georgiev and Samsonov have followed a different path in their best interest, allowing them to play regularly in their home nation. 

Samsonov's decision has paid off so far in terms of his performance on the ice. In five appearances for Sochi, he's recorded a .931 SP and a 2.54 GAA.

Samsonov's Return To The KHL Reveals Cruel Reality Of The Goaltending MarketIlya Samsonov's return to the KHL shows that it's not easy for veteran goaltenders of his stature to find security in the NHL. Teams are hesitant to give that term, while that security is what goaltenders look for.

In Georgiev's two full seasons with the Avalanche, he started 124 games out of 164 games, numbers that don't often come around in the NHL anymore. Nonetheless, it was tough for Georgiev to become a regularly-picked goalie with teams following other plans in their pipeline. 

Georgiev did feature in two games with the AHL's Rochester Americans in an effort to remain with an NHL organization, but evidently, the team and player have moved on.

In the end, the interest simply wasn’t there for Georgiev anymore. At the quarter mark of the season, no team saw a fit or opportunity for him.

As it was with Samsonov, going home made a lot of sense for Georgiev. With the chance to return and play in his home country and be held in higher regard than he was in North America, could you really blame him? 

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Following his contract termination on Saturday, Alexandre Texier has signed a new contract with the Montreal Canadiens.

Texier inked a one-year deal not long after he departed from the St. Louis Blues. This new contract pays Texier $1 million per year.

Montreal has been trying to manage a truckload of injuries on its roster, and bringing on Texier can give Martin St-Louis’ team some more depth and bodies.

Texier’s agent, Dan Milstein, announced the signing with a social media post on X.

The 26-year-old has played eight NHL games this season with the Blues. In that span, he recorded one assist, as well as a couple of penalty minutes.

With that, Texier has been averaging a career-low 10:15 of ice time this season. His ice time in a single match has gone as low as 5:33 on Oct. 18 in a win against the Dallas Stars.

His last NHL appearance came against the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 6. Since then, he hasn’t featured for the Blues and was sent down to the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds on Friday.

NHL Waivers: Blues' Texier, Sabres' Geertsen Hit The WireThe Blues and Sabres placed Alexandre Texier and Mason Geertsen on NHL waivers and can be assigned to the AHL if no other team claims them by Friday.

Before his termination, Texier was in the final year of a two-year contract worth $2.1 million per season. He signed that deal after St. Louis acquired him in a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets in return for a fourth-round pick in 2025.

Texier was a second-round pick by the Blue Jackets in 2017 and went on to play parts of five campaigns with them. 

His best season statistically was in his final season with Columbus in 2023-24. He scored 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points while averaging 15:11 of ice time. 

Not only was that a career-high in goals, assists and points, but also games played, featuring in 78 contests. In any other season in his career, he hasn’t come close to playing 78 regular-season games.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Dallas Stars superstar Mikko Rantanen has been issued a one-game suspension by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety on Sunday.

This suspension is a result of Rantanen’s actions in Dallas’ last game against the Calgary Flames on Saturday. But it’s also related to what transpired in the late stages of the Stars’ contest against the New York Islanders on Nov. 18.

Against the Flames, Rantanen was handed a 10-minute game misconduct, among other penalties, for boarding right winger Matt Coronato. 

Just two games before that in Long Island, Rantanen also received a 10-minute misconduct for boarding Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov.

The Islanders announced that Romanov will be out for 5-6 months and is required to undergo shoulder surgery as a result of the Rantanen hit.

'That's My Coach': Fans React To Patrick Roy's Fiery Response To Rantanen Boarding RomanovPatrick Roy was not happy with Dallas Stars right winger Mikko Rantanen, who received a game misconduct for boarding New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov.

The Finnish superstar committed two game misconduct penalties in short order, and that’s what led to this one-game suspension.

NHL Player Safety provided a statement on Rantanen’s punishment.

“Dallas' Mikko Rantanen has been automatically suspended for one game under Rule 23.6, Physical Infractions Category,” they said. “In regular season League games, any player who incurs a total of two game misconduct penalties in the Physical Infractions Category, before playing in 41 consecutive regular season League games without such penalty, shall be suspended automatically for the next League game of his team.”

Rantanen will miss Dallas’ next game against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.

This suspension comes just a few days after Rantanen was fined $2,000 for embellishment. While he was slapped with the fine on Friday, this incident took place on Nov. 11 when Dallas took on the Ottawa Senators.

In 22 appearances this season, Rantanen has scored 10 goals and 28 points for the Stars. In addition to his elite ability to score and put up points, he now leads the NHL in penalty minutes, accumulating 57 in the campaign so far.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.