The Chicago Blackhawks open up training camp on Thursday. After a week of rookie camp followed by the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase, the young players on the roster are ready to join practice with the older players. 

There are plenty of usual suspects that people may be excited to see, like Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, and Alex Vlasic, amongst others. At this point, they are the leaders on the team in terms of value and production. With that said, there are other less hyped veterans that are worth watching during camp to see where they’re at.

As far as rookies, there are guys like Sam Rinzel, Artyom Levshunov, and Oliver Moore that everyone is prepared to see. All three of them will see NHL ice, whether it's to open the season or not.

Like the established players, there are some "under the radar" rookies that deserve attention. Eyes will be on them to see if they can crack the NHL team out of camp, or even have a chance to make their debut at some point during 2025-26. 

These are the three veterans and two rookies to watch with extra close attention during camp.

Veterans:

Ryan Donato

During the off-season, the Chicago Blackhawks and Ryan Donato came to an agreement on a contract extension before he was ever able to reach free agency. He clearly fits in Chicago, and leaving wouldn’t help anyone. 

Now, during camp, all eyes will be on him as he looks to follow up his first career 30-goal season with another solid campaign. He may not reach that plateau again, and ice time will likely play a role in that, but he is expected to contribute to the offense. 

Last year, Donato put in much work during the summer to come to camp ready for a big year. It will be interesting to see what he did as an encore ahead of 2025-26. 

Andre Burakovsky

Andre Burakovsky has had a solid NHL career as a middle-six forward. That includes two Stanley Cups (Washington Capitals, Colorado Avalanche) as a key contributor. 

He has had some tough times with injuries and inconsistencies as a member of the Seattle Kraken, and a change of scenery was needed. In Chicago, he’ll play a middle-six role as a veteran on a young team. During camp, we’ll see what kind of adjustments he’s made and the type of shape he’s in. 

Teuvo Teravainen

Teuvo Teravainen had an underrated season for the Blackhawks, who didn’t do a lot of winning, in 2024-25. He knows what it takes to succeed in the NHL and in Chicago. 

Teravainen may still hang on to a top-six role during camp. He is one of the most offensively gifted players in Chicago, and he’d like to be a representative on Team Finland when the Olympics come around. 

Expect him to come to camp hungry to prove that he is still able to be a key contributor on an NHL team, which will also show his country that he’s ready to go. This is an important camp for Teravainen as the team around him is much younger, faster, and more skilled. He was brought in to complement those types of players, so he must be on top of his game.  

Rookies:

Nick Lardis

Nick Lardis scored 71 goals in the OHL last season. That’s not bad for a former 3rd-round pick trying to become a pro hockey player, which he will in 2025-26. The only question is where. 

Lardis was an incredibly noticeable player during rookie camp, and all eyes will be on him when he is surrounded by NHL roster players during the main training camp. 

If Lardis is extra impressive during practice and scores a ton of goals in the preseason, don’t be surprised if he is on the opening night roster for Chicago. A trip to the AHL to begin the year is most likely, but the Blackhawks are not deep enough to think there is no chance for him to steal a spot. 

Marek Vanacker

Like Lardis, there was a lot of hype for Vanacker during rookie camp and the showcase. He is a former first-round pick who missed this portion of the season in 2024-25 due to injury. 

Now, he will finally be able to participate in an NHL training camp for the first time in his career. Folks will be looking to see if he has what it takes to make an impact as a pro as well. 

Vanacker played in the AHL at the end of last season, and he’s sure to play there in 2025-26 as well, unless he is exceptional at camp and in the preseason. He will likely make his NHL debut at some point this year, but for how long? He’s worth watching in the weeks leading up to the season. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 25 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #25. 

Let's take a look.

Bruce Gardiner - 2001 - Drafted by St. Louis in 1991. 

Gardiner scored the first goal in franchise history 7:34 into game one of the 2000 season. He played 73 games as a Jacket and had 22 points. Gardiner only played seven more NHL games after he left Columbus.

Gardiner left for Europe, where he played in Russia and Finland. He retired in 2005. 

These days, Gardiner is a police officer with the Barrie Police Department. He was charged with criminal harassment and extortion on Feb. 4, 2022, but the charges were dropped in July of 2024. 

Andrew Cassels - 2003-2004 - Drafted by Montreal in 1987.

Cassels signed with Columbus in 2002. He played 137 games for the CBJ over the course of two seasons, scoring 26 goals and totaling 94 points. Cassels signed with Washington in 2005, which would be his final pro hockey season. He was released in January of 2006. 

After retiring, Cassels stuck around Columbus and been a coach for the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets since 2018. His son Cole currently plays in Slovakia and was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in 2013. He also spent a year with the Cleveland Monsters in 2021-22. 

Jason Chimera - 2006-2010 - Drafted by Edmonton in 1997. 

Chimera was traded to Columbus by the Phoenix Coyotes. He played in 331 games for the Jackets before being traded to the Washington Capitals on December 28, 2009, in a trade that brought current Cleveland Monsters GM Chris Clark to the Columbus organization. 

He last NHL season would be the 2017-18 season. 

Kyle Wilson - 2011 - Drafted by Minnesota in 2004. 

Wilson played 32 of his 39 career NHL games with Columbus during the 2010-11 season after signing on July 2, 2010. He spent the rest of the season with the Springfield Falcons. 

He left North America for Europe in 2013, and played until 2017 in Latvia, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, and Germany. He retired in 2017. 

Ryan Russell - 2012 - Drafted by the New York Rangers in 2005. 

The twin brother of for Blue Jacket and long-time NHLer Kris Russell, he played 41 games for Columbus during the 2011-12 season after being traded to the Jackets on July 7, 2011. He spent most of that season, and the next playing for the Springfield Falcons. 

He left for Sweden, playing two seasons, and then played in England one season before retiring. He has spent the last nine seasons as an Amateur Scout for the San Jose Sharks. 

Luke Adam - 2015 - Drafted by Buffalo in 2008. 

Adam played three games for Columbus after his trade from the Sabres on December 16, 2014. 

In 2016, he left for Europe, where he would play seven years in Germany, and then a year each in Czechia and Slovakia. 

In 2024, he returned to North America where he would sign with the Tahoe Knight Monsters of the ECHL. He was named Captain of the team and will serve Captain again this upcoming season.  

William Karlsson - 2016-2017 - Drafted by Anaheim in 2011.

 It's a common misconception that Karlsson was drafted by the CBJ. Taken by the Anaheim Ducks in 2011, he was traded to the Jackets in March 2015. He played 165 games for Columbus and had 47 points, mostly as a fourth-line grinder and penalty killer.

He was chosen by Vegas in the expansion draft of 2017 and has been there ever since. His career in Vegas has been up and down, but he's managed to get 396 points playing for Vegas. In 2018, he won the Lady Byng, and in 2023, he helped his team win their first Stanley Cup. 

Mikhail Grigorenko - 2021 - Drafted by Buffalo in 2012. 

Grigorenko signed with Columbus in July of 2020. He played in 32 games and had 12 points. He left for Russia again after his time in Columbus and still plays there today. 

He is signed to play for Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL. 

There are 25 days until opening night at NWA. 

Next up is training camp, which kicks off on Wednesday, Sept. 18. Camp will run until the pre-season begins and then transition directly into the full pre-season schedule. Here’s what the Blue Jackets have lined up so far.

After the first few days of camp, most rookies who received an invite will be cut and sent back to their junior teams. From there, the cuts will come more often as pre-season play gets underway.

The pre-season schedule is as follows:

Sunday, Sept. 21 vs. St. Louis Blues, 5 p.m. ET

Monday, Sept. 22 vs. Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m. ET

Tuesday, Sept. 23 at Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m. ET

Wednesday, Sept. 24 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m. ET

Saturday, Sept. 27 at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m. ET

Tuesday, Sept. 30 vs. Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET

Saturday, Oct. 4 at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET

* Games in bold are home games * 

After that, the Blue Jackets will open the regular season on the road against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena.

There are 26 days left until opening night at Nationwide Arena.

Let us know what you think below.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.  

More from THN Columbus

Former Springfield Falcon Wade MacLeod Passes Away At 38Former Springfield Falcon Wade MacLeod, has passed away at the age of 38. Blue Jackets’ Fantilli Left Off Top 10 25-And-Under Forwards ListYesterday, there was a top 10 25-and-under forwards list for keep leagues.

Last night, three former players, a coach, and a builder were inducted into the QMJHL Hall of Fame; Corey Crawford, Mathieu Benoit, Patrick Lebeau, Claude Julien, and Raymond Bolduc were welcomed amongst the junior league legends.

In that list, there are two former members of the Montreal Canadiens’ organization: Claude Julien and Patrick Lebeau. As you’ll no doubt remember, Julien was at the helm of the Canadiens twice in his career. From 2002-03 to 2005-06, he served as the head coach of his first NHL coaching job. He was fired mid-way through his third season after posting a 19-16-6 record in 41 games. He spent the following season behind the New Jersey Devils’ bench before moving on to the Boston Bruins, where he spent parts of 10 seasons, winning the Stanley Cup in 2010-11. On his way to the championship, he eliminated the Habs in the first round in a thrilling first-round series, which ended with a Nathan Horton overtime goal.

Canadiens: Russian Prospect Still Has His Eye On The Habs
Canadiens: St-Louis Takes The Blame
New Canadiens Forward Is Sneaky NHL Roster Candidate

The Bruins dismissed him after 55 games of the 2016-17 season, and the Canadiens wasted no time in hiring him again to replace Michel Therrien, who was fired on Valentine’s Day. Julien’s second stay in Montreal would last for part of five seasons, and he was eventually replaced by Dominique Ducharme, his assistant, who would guide the team to a surprising Stanley Cup final run. In his second stint, Julien kept a 129-113-35 record and a .529 winning percentage. After his dismissal, he stayed on the sidelines for three seasons before being hired as an assistant coach by the St. Louis Blues.

In the QMJHL, he coached the Hull Olympics to a Memorial Cup title in 1997, and a few short years later, he graduated to the AHL, where he coached the Canadiens’ farm team as the Hamilton Bulldogs.

As for Patrick Lebeau, don’t beat yourself up if you don’t remember his passage in the Canadiens’ organization. While he was an outstanding player in junior hockey and a great points producer (he put up 500 points in the QMJHL in 257 games), he was only 5-foot-10, and his talent never translated to the NHL.

An eight-round pick at the 1989 draft, Lebeau would only end up playing two games with the Canadiens. After short stints with the Calgary Flames and the Florida Panthers, he ended up leaving for Europe before the 1994-95 season and found success there. Still, his incredible numbers in the Q fully deserved to be recognized and remembered, and the induction was more than appropriate.

---

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

THN's Adam Proteau wrote an interesting piece following Martin St-Louis' declaration that Kirby Dach would be the Montreal Canadiens' second-line center to start the season, read it here and vote on the poll! 

Montreal Canadiens' Choice For Their Second-Line Center Raises Doubts

---

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

Hockey is back! After a five-month hiatus, the Nashville Predators are back for training camp and the preseason. 

60 players will hit the ice in hopes of making the Predators roster this fall. Practices commence on Thursday, Sept. 18, at 8:45 a.m. at Ford Ice Center Bellevue. Practices will be divided into three groups. 

The Predators will play their first preseason games, a split session against the Florida Panthers, on Sunday at Bridgestone Arena at 2 p.m. CST and 6 p.m. CST. 

As the countdown to the regular season continues, here are five storylines to watch during training camp. 

Luke Evangelista's contract saga 

Luke Evangelista's qualifying contract has been the story of the summer among the Predators fanbase. 

The star forward was extended a qualifying offer on July 1, but did not sign it, as it expired on July 15. It's been crickets throughout the summer, with multiple reports claiming that there is still a gap in agreement by Evangelista and the Predators when it comes to a new contract. 

General manager Barry Trotz spoke on July 1 about contract negotiations, saying that Evangelista wants a shorter term and that he is "the future" of the organization. 

He has grown into a top-six forward over the last three seasons, scoring 32 points in 68 games last season. Evangelista plays a critical role in improving the Predators' offense. 

Evangelista is skating with the first group in Thursday's session, meaning that fans may get an answer on where he stands with contract negotiations early on. 

Roman Josi's health upon returning to the ice 

 Over the summer, Roman Josi revealed that he had been diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), which is a condition where the body's autonomic nervous system, which regulates involuntary functions, malfunctions. 

It was the reason why Josi had missed the final 25 games of the regular season. Josi told Swiss magazine, Blick, in June that he has managed his POTS diagnosis well and is confident that he'll be healthy enough to return to the ice next season. 

Trotz also said that Josi is "progressing exceptionally well" and will be returning for training camp. 

Having Josi back is a major plus for the Predators, but the big thing to look out for is whether there will be a lag for him in returning to the ice. At 35 years old and dealing with POTS, the hope is that Josi's game will show no dip. 

It's going to be a big season for the Predators captain as he's expected to pass 1,000 career games, 200 career goals and is representing Switzerland at the 2026 Winter Olympics. 

Nic Hague's role in Predators' defense

 

The acquisition of Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague was the Predators' biggest gain in the offseason. 

Nashville traded defenseman Jeremy Lauzon and center Colton Sissons for Hague on June 29, just days ahead of the opening of free agency. Hague later revealed in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he did not want to leave Vegas. 

Upon Hague's arrival in Nashville, Trotz said that the 6-foot-6-inch defenseman would play on the Predators' top pairing and would play a major role in the team's defense. Trotz also said the team needed help from the defense and wingers to aid the depth gap at center. 

Where things don't add up is that Hague never played on the first or second pairing during his six seasons in Vegas and hasn't scored more than 17 points in a season. The Predators are putting a lot of responsibility on Hague. 

A stay-at-home player may benefit Josi, who is a more offensively active defenseman, but there's a high risk of this trade looking like a bust. Hague's contract was even ranked as one of the Top 10 worst in the NHL by The Athletic.

Getting Stamkos offensively charged 

When playing 50 games or more in a season, Steven Stamkos has scored less than 55 points twice: his rookie season and last season. 

Stamkos played in all 82 games last season, scoring 53 points, which was his lowest point total when playing more than half of the season since the 2008-09 season. He was fresh off an 81-point season in 2023-24 and scored 106 points during the 2021-22 season. 

The Predators loaded up their first line, having Stamkos center Filip Forsberg and Jonathan Marchessault. Forsberg scored 76 points and Marchessault 56, which is right around his average over the last four seasons. 

At 35 years old, there's the possibility that Stamkos could be reaching the twilight of his career or that he may need to be moved somewhere else in the lineup. The popular conversation has been to move him to the wing and Ryan O'Reilly to the first line center position. 

It'd give Stamkos a role that's more focused on scoring and could reignite that flame. However, with moving him to the wing, the Predators need a center that will complement his game. 

Fixing the depth issue at center

It was surprising when the Predators didn't bring in any centers during the offseason via trade or free agency. The lone addition was its fifth overall pick, Brady Martin. 

O'Reilly proved that he is the Predators' top center, scoring 53 points while playing on both the second and first line. Stamkos had a solid 53 points, but that fell way below what he's been averaging in the last few seasons. 

With talks of moving Stamkos to the wing, the Predators' depth down the middle becomes slimmer. Sliding Erik Haula from wing to center could bring up the third line and could be the player that the Predators are looking for to get Stamkos going. 

Fedor Svechkov is expected to play a bigger role this season, centering the second or third line. The Predators need more out of him as he scored just 17 points in 52 games last season. It's very likely he'd get tried out with Stamkos on the wing. 

Then there's the fourth line. Michael McCarron hasn't brought much to the table when it comes to offense, scoring 14 points in 74 games last season and logging a whopping 102 penalty minutes. 

That's where Martin could come in and take over that spot. This preseason is going to be huge for the 6-foot center, seeing if he can keep up with the NHL pace and make the Predators roster in his first year.

Then there are all of the Milwaukee Admirals rostered players and players on professional or amateur tryouts. Overall, if someone unexpected jumps out during camp down the middle, the Predators should be open to working them into the lineup. 

With Toronto Maple Leafs training camp set to open on Thursday, a lot of eyes will be on 20-year-old Easton Cowan. After accomplishing a historic list of achievements at the major junior level with the London Knights, including winning the 2024 Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL's Most Outstanding Player and winning the Memorial Cup in 2025, the only remaining question is if the player has a shot at making the Maple Leafs lineup this season.

"He had an exceptional year. He won a championship. He got to experience a lot of things. [The] World Junior Championship went through a lot of development, not just on the ice but off the ice. I think he's ready now to come and try to push to be on the team," Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving said of Cowan. "Now, is that now? Is that October? Is that December? Is that a year from now? The players will decide. And it really does come down to that. The players tell us. They tell us each day. They'll tell us at the end of camp. And so that's what the next three-ish weeks are for.”

Cowan is arguably Toronto’s top prospect right now, and with the departure of Mitch Marner this summer, a player with Cowan’s offensive acumen could help the Maple Leafs. At the same time, the Leafs want to make sure they don’t rush him to a point where he’s on the team before he is ready.

Easton Cowan Adds Size, Reveals What It Will Take To Make Maple Leafs Roster Out Of Training CampAll eyes are on Easton Cowan as he heads to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ rookie tournament in Montreal this weekend. The prospect will play professional hockey for the first time this season. His performance this weekend and at the Leafs’ upcoming training camp will determine if he plays in the NHL with the Leafs or in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies.

Cowan played one of Toronto’s two games at the Rookie Showcase event in Montreal last weekend. The player added some size and weight to his frame this summer, coming in at 190 pounds and 5-foot-11. Knowing he’s going to play in Toronto no matter if it’s with the Maple Leafs or the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, Cowan emphasized working on the defensive side of his game for any long-term success.

“I just gotta be a worker, gotta be a hound, get pucks in, get pucks out, play simple because me and the Leafs organization know that if I do that my offense will take over. So just focus on defense first and the offense will come,” Cowan said last week.

Takeaways From Maple Leafs' First Game Of Prospect Showdown Against SenatorsDespite the Toronto Maple Leafs’ prospects falling to the Ottawa Senators in Game 1 at the Prospect Showdown in Montreal, there were some positives as the players became more comfortable in their first game since the summer break.

With the Maple Leafs getting deeper at the forward position this season, it may prove tough for Cowan to make Toronto’s lineup. He’ll have to show he has the physicality and consistency to outwork others in front of him. But even if he doesn’t make the club out of camp, the Leafs could call him up later in the season when needed if injuries pop up.

What probably would have been best for Cowan last year was playing in the American Hockey League, but the player wasn’t eligible because he was under 20. Per the CBA and agreement with the Canadian Hockey League, 19-year-olds were required to return to their junior club if they didn’t make an NHL lineup. That will change beginning next season as each NHL team will be allowed one exception per year.

Latest stories:

Maple Leafs Reveal 73-Player Training Camp Roster For 2025-26

How Max Domi’s Lower-Body Injury Could Impact Maple Leafs’ First-Line Plans

'I Don't Have To Hear Core Four Anymore’: Craig Berube Excited Mitch Marner’s Departure Puts More Focus On Maple Leafs' Team

Hockey is back in South Florida.

The Florida Panthers will hit the ice on Thursday for their first official practice of 2025 Training Camp at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale.

Florida is gearing up to defend their back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships, and they’ve got a roster that is built to do just that.

On Wednesday, THN Florida posted one word for every Panthers forward ahead of them kicking off training camp.

Now we’ll cover the defensemen and goaltenders:

Aaron Ekblad: Lineup

As in, stay in it. Over the past couple seasons, Ekblad has missed a total of 57 games between injury and suspension. It’s quite a change from the durability he showed during the first five years of his career, when he only missed 19 games combined. The 29-year-old has said that he wants to get back to that kind of reliability, so we’ll see the stars re-align for Ekblad this season.

Seth Jones: Comfort

Between the regular season and the playoffs, Jones has played 44 games in a Panthers sweater after being acquired at last season’s Trade Deadline. Learning the defensive systems of a team that has won consecutive Stanley Cups while leaning on their defensive hockey is not an easy task, but Jones managed to look darn good despite the limited adjustment time. Now, with an offseason to learn and absorb, and a full training camp to put everything into motion, Jones should be able to take things to another level this season.

Gustav Forsling: Pristine

No notes. Keep doing what you’re doing.

Niko Mikkola: Future

Mikkola has proven to be a perfect fit with the Panthers, and his play has been incredibly consistent over his two seasons in South Florida. He’s 29 years old and playing the best hockey of his career, but he’ll be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. Will he cash in on the open market or keep the bus rolling with the Cats?

Dmitry Kulikov: Home

The Panthers’ first round selection from all the back at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Kulikov found his way back to South Florida during the summer of 2023 after playing for seven different, non-Florida teams in seven years. Since re-arriving, consistent health has allowed his game to flourish. He’s now won a pair of championships with the team that drafted him, and he has a deal signed that will keep him with the Cats until he’s 37 years old.

Uvis Balinskis: Regular

Last season, Balinskis was a regular in Florida’s lineup, playing 76 games in what proved to be a strong first full NHL season. After the arrival of Jones, however, Balinskis became the seventh defenseman, playing only when someone was hurt or suspended from that point on. The coaching staff raves about his consistency and professionalism, so it will be interesting to see if he can solidify a spot in the top six once again.

Jeff Petry: Footsteps

The newest Panthers blueliner will look to follow in the footsteps of veterans like Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Nate Schmidt, who each signed one-year deals with Florida and went on to have exceptional seasons with a team that they were extremely good fits for. The Panthers signed Petry because they feel he’s a strong candidate to have a similar success story.

Sergei Bobrovsky: Share

If it were up to Bob, he would play every single game he suits up for. Fortunately, he knows that listening to his goaltending coach, Robb Tallas, when it comes to limiting his ice time and staying fresh, is a key to the success he’s had over the past three postseasons. Sharing the goal crease during the regular season is crucial for Bob and the Panthers if they want to continue boasting the strongest, most consistent goaltending in the league come playoff time.

Daniil Tarasov: Sponge

Soak up as much as you can from one of your goaltending idols (Bob) and from the wealth of knowledge contained within Florida’s goaltending excellence department.

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Best quotes from Florida Panthers 2025 Media Day

Panthers' Mackie Samoskevich Switches To No.11; Last Worn By Jonathan Huberdeau

Update on Matthew Tkachuk injury timeline, Tomas Nosek to be out 'several months'

1 word for every Florida Panthers player ahead of training camp

Florida Panthers announce 2025 Training Camp schedule, Fan Fest

Photo caption: Apr 25, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (5) and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) celebrate after they beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in game three of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. (Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)

The Philadelphia Flyers are looking to ratchet up the competition for NHL roster spots this year, and that starts with the beginning of training camp on Thursday.

Just prior to the conclusion of rookie camp earlier in the week, Flyers GM Danny Briere challenged his team to battle with each other for more responsibilities on the ice, stating that "nobody should be comfortable or happy with what they've done in the past."

So, opportunities are going to be there for the taking, both at the forward positions and on defense.

The obvious place to start here is at the forward position, where two left winger spots are technically open, though players like Noah Cates and Christian Dvorak can move to the left wing to accommodate players like Rodrigo Abols and Jett Luchanko.

Nick Deslauriers is still on the Flyers' roster, but he'll be battling with prospects Alex Bump and Nikita Grebenkin for a place in the lineup.

Bump is not exactly tailor-made for a fourth-line role, so this is conceivably going to come down to Grebenkin vs. Deslauriers as long as Bump doesn't have a poor training camp.

If the Flyers choose to keep eight defensemen, they're limited to 13 forwards. If Grebenkin and Bump make the lineup, would the Flyers be willing to have Deslauriers as the only reserve forward instead of another center?

Flyers: Aleksei Kolosov's Official Role, Getting a Second NHL ChanceThe 2025-26 season represents a fresh start for a number of Philadelphia Flyers, but goalie Aleksei Kolosov may have the biggest opportunity of all.

That's where players like Helge Grans and Emil Andrae affect the big picture.

Right now, the Flyers have veterans Noah Juulsen and Dennis Gilbert in the equation, and Egor Zamula could potentially reprise his role as the sixth defenseman from last season.

Andrae's 5-foot-9 stature works against him, and Briere has already warned that the Flyers are "going to need the Emil we saw early [last] season for him to stick around."

He and Zamula were in and out for each other in the lineup at times under John Tortorella, and that is, for all intents and purposes, one of the main roster battles to watch, in addition to whatever Gilbert can say for himself and bring to the table as a career tweener defenseman.

On the other side are Juulsen and Grans, who will be vying for ice time in place of the injured Rasmus Ristolainen.

As it stands, Travis Sanheim and Jamie Drysdale will continue as the two top-four right defensemen, though only Drysdale is a right-shot.

It's certainly plausible that Sanheim moves back to the left under a new head coach in Rick Tocchet, and both Grans and Juulsen play with Ristolainen out.

Flyers Rookie Camp: Which Prospects Are Early Standouts?The Philadelphia Flyers are set to kick off training camp in only a few days, and some of their top prospects are already positioning themselves well for strong seasons.

But, assuming the operation carries over from the Tortorella era, it's one or the other, not both.

Juulsen played under Tocchet already in Vancouver with the Canucks, established himself as an NHLer, and endeared himself as a rugged shot-blocker type.

The problem is that the 28-year-old had a -12 rating in 35 games last season and didn't record a single point, whereas Grans out-produced Juulsen in one game, his NHL debut.

Tocchet may favor familiarity and experience in Juulsen, but his responsibility is to also develop the Flyers' young players, which includes Grans, who took major strides by playing in his first six NHL games last season.

As for my early predictions?

I suspect Bump and Grebenkin take the two winger spots and push Deslauriers to the bench. The 31 games Deslauriers played for the Flyers last season were his fewest since his rookie campaign in 2013-14 (17 games) and he'll turn 35 in February.

Andrae brings more to the table than Zamula despite his slight build, and I think pairing him with a fellow Swede and familiar defenseman in Grans can help get the most out of both players.

Zamula and Juulsen remain as bench options in the event one or both youngsters struggle.

It should also be noted that Grans is no longer waivers-exempt, while Andrae is for 34 more games or until the end of this season.

How this all ultimately plays out remains to be seen, but these are the players worth focusing on the most throughout training camp this fall.

While the Montreal Canadiens’ training camp is just about to kick off on this side of the pond, play has already resumed in the KHL, and one Habs’ prospect has been busy playing for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. It’s already been two years since Montreal drafted Bogdan Konyushkov in the fourth round of the 2023 draft, but Tricolore fans have seen very little of him so far.

The right-shot defenseman did come to the Canadiens’ development camp this summer and enjoyed the experience. Still, there’s no plan for him to come over until the end of his two-year pact with Torpedo, which is set to expire after the 2026-27 season.

Speaking to Sergey Demidov of Research Ground, the 22-year-old explained that even though he did sign an extension with his KHL club, he still dreams of playing in the NHL. Before he does that, though, he wants to help his current team win a championship.

Canadiens: Montembeault’s New Mask Looks Stunning
Canadiens: Expect Big Improvement On The Power Play
Canadiens: Wrapping Up The Rookie Camp And A Surprise Main Camp Invite

The young man is quite reasonable; while he dreams of making the NHL, he recognizes the Canadiens' influence and acknowledges that his family’s happiness must come first.

During his time in Montreal for the development camp, he met Ivan Demidov, and while impressed by his skills and talent, it was his countryman’s work ethic that left the most significant impression. He recalls that two months before training camp even opened, Demidov was skating twice a day and hitting the gym in between his two on-ice sessions.

Konyushkov is a realist and he knows he still needs some more development, given how much ice time he gets in the KHL, it’s not a bad thing that he has committed to play there a couple more years, he’ll have more responsibilities and ice time there than he would in Montreal or Laval with so many young blueliners being part of the organization.

We’ll be sure to keep an eye on Konyushkov in the next couple of years, and if everything goes according to plan, he should be ready to try his hand at North American hockey at the end of the 2026-27 season.

---

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

Training camp is a chance for every player to prove their worth. When it comes to the New York Islanders, this camp should be one of the most competitive ones we've seen in quite a while. 

There's an abundance of center and wingers -- a good problem to have -- but it also means that difficult choices are on the horizon for first-year general manager Mathieu Darche. 

Like many NHL teams, the Islanders will likely run a 23-man roster, with two extra forwards and an extra defenseman. That means that, at some point, the Islanders will need to cut 38 players from their training camp roster. 

Now, some of the cuts are straightforward -- Kashawn Aitcheson and Burke Hood are returning to juniors -- but when it comes to other decisions, one obstacle could be a deciding factor: waivers. 

For example, if the Islanders are deciding between Isaiah George and Adam Boqvist for the seventh defenseman job, only one of these players -- George -- is waiver-exempt. Would the Islanders risk losing Boqvist?

What about Ethan Bear, a right-side defenseman with 275 NHL games under his belt? 

New York Islanders 2025 Training Camp: Roster Battles & CompetitionAfter an offseason that featured a blockbuster trade, the first overall pick, and a few free agent additions, the New York Islanders head into training camp with some unanswered questions.

When it comes to the forward group, which of Pierre Engvall, Marc Gatcomb, or Kyle MacLean won't make the cut? Does Calum Ritchie earn a job, meaning only one of the three names above makes the roster?

Ritchie is waiver-exempt, by the way. We'll note that so is Maxim Shabanov, but he's making the team. 

Engvall, given that he is in year three of a seven-year deal worth $3 million, is unlikely to be claimed, but it's possible that MacLean and Gatcomb would be.

Goaltending will be the biggest position to watch. If...if Semyon Varlamov actually is ready to start the season, I doubt that the Islanders will be carrying him, Ilya Sorokin and David Rittich, the latter who was signed as a Varlamov insurance policy.

If Rittich isn't kept, he'll hit the waiver wire before the start of the season, along with Marcus Hogberg.  Goaltenders are always in high demand, and we are already seeing teams, -- the Colorado Avalanche's Mackenzie Blackwood may not be ready for the start of the season -- in need of bolstering their goaltending.

This is not to say that the risk of losing someone to waivers is the only reason to keep them on the NHL roster. But it is certainly something that Darche will be keeping in mind. 

The players mentioned, if waived, would hit the wire the day before all teams have to send in their NHL cap-compliant rosters. So, for many teams, they are trying to shed cap, not add more on. 

That's why you rarely see players claimed during that final waiver day. So, it's very possible that the players the Islanders do ultimately waive pass through cleanly. 

Also, keep in mind that if a player passes through waivers and is recalled, he can be on the NHL roster for a maximum of 30 days or have played in 10 NHL games to need to pass through waivers again. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.