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TORONTO — A great night in Toronto just got even better.

Bo Bichette, the Blue Jays†star shortstop who has been out for six weeks with a left knee injury, says that he is ready to return to the roster for the World Series after the Blue Jays clinched the American League Championship Series with a dramatic Game 7 win over the Mariners on Monday night at Rogers Centre.

“Iâ€ll be ready,†Bichette said in the clubhouse following the 4-3 win. “I donâ€t know how theyâ€re using me, but Iâ€ll be ready.â€

If Bichette says it, believe it. For weeks now, the Blue Jays have used this as some added motivation, desperately trying to keep this dream season rolling long enough for Bichette to return. Besides, it wouldnâ€t feel right without him. Not only is Bichette a key piece of the 2025 team, batting .311 with an .840 OPS, he has been one of this organizationâ€s pillars for close to a decade.

That couldnâ€t end without Bichette having a say in this. Heâ€s a free agent at the end of the season, and while itâ€s always possible that he and the Blue Jays reach an extension like they did with his longtime friend and co-pilot Vladimir Guerrero Jr., this could be the end of the road for Bichette in Toronto. Game 7 could have been the end, but that wouldnâ€t have felt right. Bichette, the stubborn and obsessive competitor who has never had an off switch, deserves a piece of this.

Watching these past few weeks couldnâ€t have been fun for Bichette, even with all of the big moments and big wins. Heâ€s used to being right in the middle of it all.

But you could sense relief in Bichette as he spoke after Game 7. He knows that heâ€ll get his shot now, and he knows that this is the team he has been waiting to do it with.

“Everybody knew how good we are, but Iâ€ve never been part of a run like this as a player,†Bichette said. “The amount of ups and downs, the mentality. You lose a couple, youâ€re a little down, then to get the momentum back. All of that is pretty exhausting. The ability these guys showed to bounce back as quick as they did was fun for me to watch.â€

How it all looks, thatâ€s still up for debate. Could Bichette play shortstop right away?

Andrés Giménez has handled the position admirably, and he may do so for years to come in Toronto if this is it for Bichette, but thatâ€s a conversation for after the World Series. It could be challenging for Bichette to immediately play shortstop daily after six weeks without game action, but having Bichette at DH would require George Springer to play a corner outfield spot, which he has rarely done down the stretch.

Call it a good problem, though, and one manager John Schneider will be overjoyed to have. The Blue Jays arenâ€t complete without Bichette, and this season isnâ€t complete without a World Series championship.

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BOSTON — Four days after the 2025 trade deadline, the Florida Panthers played in Boston. Brad Marchand was injured and unavailable, so he didnâ€t dress.

“Iâ€m pretty happy I wasnâ€t playing that game,†he said Monday.

Itâ€s a weird thing to say, but history proves itâ€s a good thing he couldnâ€t.

Like so many of us in the immediate aftermath of a painful breakup, the exes werenâ€t ready to see each other so soon. It would have been a night of anger, of bitterness, nasty overtones instead of a salute to a great Bruin.

Tuesday, Marchandâ€s Beantown reunion will have a much better atmosphere. Boston fans wonâ€t be thrilled to see him in Panthers†colours, but they know he landed on his feet, a Stanley Cup champion, again. Another “old guy†rejuvenated in the Florida sun.

“Iâ€m sure itâ€s going to be tough for some people,†he said, with that trademark Marchand smile and smirk. “They wonâ€t be able to cheer because they donâ€t like the Panthers very much. Maybe theyâ€ll like me enough to give a little ‘Yay†or something.

“I think there will be a little bit of love there if I do something good. If I do something bad, theyâ€ll probably boo me pretty quick.â€

• 
• Watch Brad Marchand return to Boston on Sportsnet

  Brad Marchand will play his first game in Boston as a member of the Florida Panthers Tuesday night. Fans in Canada can watch the game on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET/ 4:30 p.m. PT.

  Broadcast schedule

We all know: when the welcome video plays and the applause starts, itâ€s going to be a rousing ovation. This is the unofficial start of the Bruins and their fans celebrating the cornerstone pieces of a decade-long Eastern Conference standard-bearer — winning the Stanley Cup in 2011, going to two more Finals, finishing with a record regular-season in 2022-23.

When the run began, Marchand was still finding his way in a mature, businesslike dressing room. Emotional, talented and unique, he carved out his space, joining Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron as the heart and soul of those teams.

Charaâ€s No. 33 is being retired in January. Bergeronâ€s day will definitely come too.

The three of them went for dinner Sunday night with Tuukka Rask and Adam McQuaid. Who paid?

“They bullied me. I did.â€

Asked to name the best thing about Boston, Marchand didnâ€t hesitate: “The fans.â€

“The city is incredible… the fans make it awesome. Some of the stories, things that Iâ€ve seen fans do, a lot of them arenâ€t PG-rated. Same coffee shop every day, message on your cup if I had a good game, or (if I had a ) bad game the night before, ah, tough one for you.

“They bleed black-and-gold.â€

Two of his biggest boosters, parents Kevin and Lynn, wonâ€t be there in person, instead watching at home in Nova Scotia. Asked when she recognized the cityâ€s attachment to her son, Lynn Marchand recalled the 2011 Stanley Cup parade. The season before, Brad had one point in 20 games. He broke through as the Bruins ended a 50-year championship drought.

“Walking with him. Seeing how many people wanted to talk to him, take a picture with him,†she said.

“They were wonderful years, we were all made to feel like it was home. We have so much gratitude to the organization, all the opportunities they gave him. The fans, supporting him. There were times in his career he had some not-great moments, but the people of Boston always gave Brad another chance. We are very grateful to the owners down to the fans, 16 of the most wonderful years.

“This will be a tough one to watch, a tough one for him. It will get to his heart.â€

Who will be more emotional, Brad or his parents?

“Kevin cries at the drop of a hat,†Lynn Marchand chuckles. “We all laugh and look over at him, ‘Is he crying yet?†Iâ€ll smile more, wiping my eyes.â€

The return I remember for the pure emotion was Mats Sundinâ€s in Toronto. Uncertain if Maple Leaf fans would cheer him, he fought back tears during his deserved, prolonged ovation. Watching the linesman back away from the faceoff circle to encourage more applause — even as Sundin asked him to drop the puck — was one of those moments you donâ€t forget. It was a revelation for the stoic Swede.

Marchand joked about the comparison, saying he doesnâ€t take faceoffs so he wonâ€t have to worry about that. But anyone whoâ€s watched him knows he could be just as overwhelmed.

“I thought about it for the first time (Sunday) night… started to get a little emotional. It hits you when youâ€re here a little bit more. I hadnâ€t thought about it a ton up to this point. Thatâ€s probably why, because I will get emotional about it. Itâ€ll be hard not to. Thereâ€s too many memories.â€

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They will now play in their first Game 7 in franchise history, right back here at Rogers Centre on Monday night.

“I think it’s a beautiful thing,†Julio Rodríguez said. “The baseball gods wanted us to be here, and I feel like everybody’s really excited for tomorrow.â€

This will be the Mariners†fourth winner-take-all game in franchise history, and despite that limited history, they have fared favorably when facing these stakes before — including earlier this October. The Mariners are 3-0 in winner-take-all games, with victories in Game 5 of the AL Division Series in 1995, 2001 and 2025, when they triumphed over the Tigers in a 15-inning marathon.

“It’s a great opportunity,†Cal Raleigh said. “And obviously, we’ll flush this one. We’ve been here before, in the round before. So weâ€ll try to take that to our advantage and come out ready to go.â€

It was never going to be easy to reach the pinnacle. And maybe the extra stress of an anything-can-happen game is fitting for the only franchise that has never played in the Fall Classic.

Seattle becomes just the eighth team to play both a five-game LDS and seven-game LCS in the same year — joining the 2020 Rays, 2017 Yankees, 2012 Giants, 2012 Cardinals, 2004 Astros, 2003 Red Sox and 2003 Cubs. Of those teams, only the 2020 Rays and 2012 Giants went on to advance to the World Series, and San Francisco was the only to win the whole thing.

“I think everyone does a great job of showing up the next day ready to go, and we’re very prepared,†first baseman Josh Naylor said. “Whatever happens the previous day, we wash it and get going the next day. And so it’s all about winning on that current day. So I’m really excited for tomorrow. I think we all are.â€

With their season on the line, the Mariners will turn to George Kirby against Torontoâ€s Shane Bieber in what is a Game 3 rematch. But just about everyone on Seattleâ€s pitching staff will be available, including starters Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller, both of whom said after Game 6 that they anticipate pitching in Game 7.

Woo made his playoff debut when pitching the sixth and seventh innings in Seattleâ€s Game 5 win and will likely be on an abbreviated workload, given that it was his first outing since exiting a Sept. 19 start with pectoral inflammation. Miller started that game on Friday but only threw 56 pitches over four-plus innings. He also started Seattleâ€s Game 1 win, and on short rest in what was maybe their best outing of these playoffs.

“It’s an all-hands-on-deck kind of situation,†Raleigh said. “So everybody will be excited and ready to go for that challenge. It’s just about going out there, controlling your emotions and trying to control those at-bats and those pitches, one by one.â€

As for Kirby, the Mariners have avoided using him on the road all October, as each of his three starts have come at T-Mobile Park — including an eight-run showing in a 13-4 loss in Game 3. He has a 5.16 ERA on the road this season compared to a 4.02 ERA at home. But heâ€s their only option at this stage.

“He’s the guy that we want in that situation and he’s thrown the ball well, and it’s his spot,†Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “George will be the starter, and we expect to have an all-hands-on-deck down there in the bullpen and ready to go at any point.â€

Added Kirby: “I love pitching under pressure and am super glad I’m able to get Game 7.â€

Aside from Kirby, Miller and Woo, the Mariners avoided using Gabe Speier and Andrés Muñoz in Game 6, putting them on two days†rest entering this finale.

Beyond the need for stout pitching against a Blue Jays lineup thatâ€s been the primary catalyst as theyâ€ve won three of these past four games, the Mariners would greatly benefit from striking early at the plate themselves. In a raucous road environment, doing so could take the crowd out of it — because Torontoâ€s fans are just as eager, as they havenâ€t seen a World Series since 1993. And this is just their second Game 7 in franchise history — they lost their first, to the Kansas City Royals in the 1985 ALCS.

That said, the Mariners have scored first in nine of their 11 playoff games and are 6-5.

“We’re going to a Game 7 for the American League for a reason,†Rodríguez said. “They’re a really good ballclub, and they’re playing really good baseball, too.â€

Pressure was always going to elevate as Seattle advanced in these playoffs, compounded by expectations for a talented roster and a fanbase thatâ€s been starved for this stage.

“All of that is just fuel,†Rodríguez said. “It’s something that we’re walking through very rare territory, but that’s just exciting, I feel like. There is always pressure when you’re doing great things. I just feel like it is just things that come with it. Youâ€ve got to learn how to manage it and how to acknowledge it, too.

“Because you cannot say there is not pressure right now or that there is not the expectation in the big moments to be able to deliver a win. You cannot just say that, playing where we are and knowing the history of the team.â€

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Put aside, for a moment, anxiety around the A-Leagues†next broadcast deal. Shelve calculations for the impending “hard†salary cap. Forget the perpetual challenges of venues, crowds, members. Of connecting the pyramid. Of all the worries in Australian footballâ€s future.

The A-League Men kicks off on Friday for its 21st season, and for the best 300 or so footballers in the country, nothing matters more than when the referee blows for kick-off. “Once the whistle goes, Iâ€m going to be doing what it takes to win the game,†says Kai Trewin, the player of the year at champions Melbourne City.

City travel to Western Sydney on Saturday to meet a Wanderers side injected during the off-season with proven A-Leagues talent including Kosta Barbarouses, Angus Thurgate and Steven Ugarkovic, who played alongside Trewin at City last year. “Theyâ€ve done some really good recruiting, and theyâ€re going to be a really strong team,†Trewin says.

The 24-year-old defender/midfielder secured his first call-up to the Socceroos last season in a breakout year that placed him firmly in contention for Tony Popovicâ€s squad for next yearâ€s World Cup. Trewinâ€s international aspirations – as well as those of his club-mate Aziz Behich and others such as Victory forward Nishan Velupillay – will form one of this seaonâ€s key storylines. “If youâ€re playing consistently here and playing really well, I donâ€t think [Popovic] will be scared to pick anyone out of A-Leagues,†Trewin says.

Winger Craig Goodwin hopes his return to Adelaide will remind Popovic of his quality. The 33-year-old had off-season foot surgery fixing a problem he had managed for the past five years and had required painkilling injections. “Itâ€s up to me to do the talking on the pitch, to provide the goals and assists for this Adelaide team to lead us to success in the early rounds, and hopefully I can be involved in the next squad,†the Reds captain said this week.

Adelaide United host the season opener on Friday night against Sydney FC. The Sky Blues have long been known as the leagueâ€s glamour club, but they lost some of their lustre last year when the five-time champions missed the finals for the first time in three years. The club have had to move home matches this season from Allianz stadium due to pitch reconstruction works, and are in a period of off-field transition following changes in head office.

Coach Ufuk Talay says the Sky Blues are “definitely†still the A-Leagueâ€s glamour club. “The board change, itâ€s been fantastic,†he says. “Itâ€s not just on the field with the players and the signings, but all the little stuff off the field that makes a massive difference as well.â€

Sydney FC head coach Ufuk Talay is confident the Sky Blues still have what it takes. Photograph: Matt King/Getty Images

Sydneyâ€s cross-town rivals the Wanderers have lost star Spanish import Juan Mata and the Johnny Warren medal winner Nicolas Milanovic, one of a crop of young attackers to have moved overseas including Adrian Segecic, Archie Goodwin, Noah Botic and Marco Tilio. Mata has headed south to Melbourne Victory, who reached the grand final last season after knocking out impressive debutants Auckland in the semi-finals.

The New Zealand club are expected to find it difficult to meet the APLâ€s planned hard cap of $3m next season due to the committed spending from an ownership group led by American Bill Foley. But they go into this campaign motivated to improve on their first year.

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At the other end of last yearâ€s league table, wooden spooners Perth enter the season with some optimism, having signed championship-winning defender Brian Kaltak from the Central Coast Mariners as well as former Wales international Tom Lawrence. Second-from-bottom last season, Brisbane Roar pursued a different pre-season by taking the team to Solomon Islands and playing against the national team, tapping into the department of foreign affairs†Pacific sporting budget.

The Roar have enough to deal with at home, however, given the clubâ€s stadium conundrum, which chief operations officer, Zac Anderson, described as his biggest headache. Brisbane canâ€t access Suncorp stadium for much of the season due to concerts, and their frustrations were exacerbated when the draw had to be redone at the 11th hour after Western United pulled out.

The clubs, whose annual distributions were slashed to $530,000 last year, are eager to hear of the outcome of the APLâ€s negotiations with broadcasters, given the existing deal with Paramount and Channel 10 expires at the end of this season. But despite belt-tightening remaining a priority for clubs and the APL, the potential of the league remains compelling for many. The investment in Melbourne Victory by Tony Bloom, owner of English Premier League club Brighton, is set to bring about a new era for one of the A-Leagues†original clubs. At times during its 21 years, the promise of the ALM has overshadowed its present. But on Saturday night, there will be no fictional creatures running out on to the turf at AAMI Park.

Rather, there will be skilful fringe Socceroo Denis Genreau, a Victory signing brought back to Melbourne from Europe. Up against him will be Lachlan Brook, Aucklandâ€s promising winger back in the ALM after a stint in the US, and who was Western Sydneyâ€s top scorer in 2023-24. Heightened by the noise of Victoryâ€s passionate fans, there will be genuine rivalry, given what happened between the sides last season. And with World Cup aspirants having more motivation than ever, those present will know: the A-Leagues are back.

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Just like everyone predicted at the end of the first week of the season, Pavel Dorofeyev and Shane Pinto are leading the league in goals, while the Boston Bruins are undefeated and the Tampa Bay Lightning are winless.

OK, so a lot is going to change as the year goes along, but itâ€s never too early for some overreactions. Letâ€s look at a few things happening in the NHL so far and see if they have staying power.

Bedard is headed for a 90-point season

Heâ€s on pace for only 82 points right now, but you can feel the dam about to burst for Connor Bedard. The 20-year-old Chicago Blackhawks star came out of the gates flying this season and if it looked like Bedard found another gear, he did. In his first game against the Florida Panthers, Bedard hit a max speed of 22.36 m.p.h., which was nearly a full m.p.h. faster than his highest speed from last season. Bedard didnâ€t end up finding the scoresheet, but he was dangerous all night and produced a handful of quality scoring chances as well as ringing one off the crossbar.

The points came a couple of nights later, when Bedard unleashed a lethal shot for his first of the season and added an assist against the Bruins. Again, Bedard was all over the ice and creating offence frequently, including in overtime, and the Blackhawks probably deserved a better fate than their second loss of the season. He followed that up by tallying a power-play goal on Saturday night against the Montreal Canadiens. Bedard looks like a different player this year and if he keeps it going, the 90-point mark doesnâ€t seem like an unrealistic goal.

Overreaction? – No

Going from 67 points a year ago to 90 is a tall order, but if anyone has the talent to do it, itâ€s Bedard. Heâ€s passing the eye test with flying colours right now and this Blackhawks lineup looks more capable of helping him out than it has in the past. New linemate Andre Burakovsky set up Bedard for that beautiful one-timer against the Bruins and they are starting to build some chemistry, while Frank Nazar is already up to five points on the year. Nazar gives them a solid threat at the second-line centre spot and that should help alleviate some of the oppositionâ€s focus on Bedard this season.

Tyler Bertuzzi and Ryan Donato also should be able to build on solid seasons in 2024-25 and youngsters Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov should make the Blackhawks blue line more talented. Plus, despite a season to forget last year, Chicago still finished with the seventh-best power play in the NHL. If they can continue to have a top-10 man advantage, itâ€s only going to help Bedard fill the scoresheet.

The other thing that could be driving Bedard is motivation to earn a spot on Team Canada at the Olympics. It never truly felt like he was in the mix to crack the roster at the 4 Nations Face-Off, so Bedard should be playing with a chip on his shoulder to get back into the conversation. Even if the Blackhawks donâ€t win many games again this year, it doesnâ€t mean Bedard canâ€t rack up the points.

Sabres will be picking Gavin McKenna first overall

If Buffalo Sabres fans were hoping this was going to be the year that their team ended its lengthy playoff drought, they canâ€t be filled with confidence after the first two games. It took the Sabres five-and-a-half periods to score their first goal of the season and there are still looking for their first win.

Theyâ€ve also been decimated by injuries, as key players like Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Michael Kesselring and now Josh Norris are slated to miss substantial time. They are currently running with a tandem of Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis between the pipes, so if expectations were low coming into the season, theyâ€ve quickly plummeted into further depths. If Buffalo isnâ€t careful, it could find itself in a race for the leagueâ€s worst record.

Overreaction? – Yes

I still think the Sabres have too much talent to finish in the leagueâ€s basement. Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Rasmus Dahlin and Co. make Buffalo more talented on paper than at least a handful of other teams. The Sabres are also not going to be sellers and coach Lindy Ruff and GM Kevyn Adams may very well be fighting for their jobs. The Pittsburgh Penguins, on the other hand, are expected to sell off pieces and are clearly starting a rebuild, so they may be a little more active in their pursuit of McKenna. Iâ€m not going to go out on a limb and say the Sabres are going to make the playoffs, but I donâ€t think theyâ€re a bottom-three team.Â

Itâ€s only been two games, but Schaefer sure looks the part of a legit NHL defenceman, doesnâ€t he? The 2025 No. 1-overall pick has two points in two games, is a plus-1 despite the New York Islanders giving up eight goals on the season, and notched his first career goal Saturday night. That game against the Washington Capitals saw Schaefer play more than 26 minutes and post eight shots on goal. You wouldnâ€t think Schaefer is a rookie defenceman that just turned 18 years old based on that stat line.

The Calder Trophy wonâ€t be handed out for another eight months and Schaefer is going to have growing pains at some point, but the fact that he doesnâ€t look out of place this early is impressive. If he keeps this up, the rest of the rookie class is going to have a difficult time wrestling the Calder away from Schaefer.

Overreaction? – No

Being the top pick gives Schaefer the inside track on the award and his strong start is only going to help build his case. The fact that Montreal’s Ivan Demidov has had an underwhelming start also is helping Schaeferâ€s cause. Demidov has just a single assist and one shot on goal in three games. There will obviously be other rookies that are going to shine throughout the season and it would be foolish to anoint someone after one week, but Schaefer leads the way for now.

Maple Leafs power play is in big trouble with Mitch Marner gone

If you flipped over to the Toronto Maple Leafs home opener during a Game 4 clinching victory by the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night and caught a bit of their power play, you probably didnâ€t stick around. The Leafs won the game, but the power play was abysmal. Toronto struggled to get out of its own end and into the oppositionâ€s during the man advantage and even gave up a short-handed goal to the Canadiens, plus a few other quality chances. It looked a bit better Saturday night, but the Leafs went 0-for-2 again in a loss to the Detroit Red Wings.

You may have heard, but Mitch Marner, who quarterbacked the power play last season, has departed for Vegas, forcing Morgan Rielly back into the duties of running the unit up top. Rielly had a great opening night, but the power play struggled mightily and couldnâ€t generate much of anything. The group was effective with Marner at the helm, as he was very decisive with the puck and was great at taking advantage of the net-front presence of players like Matthew Knies and John Tavares. Marner didnâ€t always shoot to score, but he was efficient at getting pucks through for tips and rebound opportunities. Rielly seems just a tad more hesitant than Marner and so far, the top power play looks out of sorts. The biggest area where the Leafs may miss Marner could be on the man advantage.

Overreaction? – Yes

Letâ€s give Rielly some time here. Maybe heâ€s not the most ideal power-play quarterback because he doesnâ€t have a booming shot, but donâ€t forget, Rielly has done a solid job in the role before. Torontoâ€s power play ranked first in 2021-22 (27.3 per cent), second in 2022-23 (26 per cent) and seventh in 2023-24 (24 per cent), all with Rielly running things.

Marner may be gone, but the unit still boasts Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Tavares and Knies, so thereâ€s plenty of talent left to produce. Knies could be the key piece here, as Rielly never had him on the top group when he ran the power play before. Toronto moved Knies there last season to wreak havoc in front of the net and Rielly should be able to take advantage of his skillset. With Knies providing screens and taking up space near the blue paint, Rielly has the ability to sift pucks through and simplify his approach. If he does this enough, it should also create lanes to set up Matthews and Nylander for shots, too.

This isnâ€t all on Riellyâ€s shoulders, either. It’s also an adjustment for everyone going back to Rielly leading the puck up ice instead of Marner and making sure everyone is working in unison when it comes to zone entries. Itâ€s only been two games. If the power play is still floundering when the calendar flips to November, maybe itâ€s time to inch closer to the panic button.

Panthers will be fine without Barkov, Tkachuk

Many were quick to write the Florida Panthers off when Aleksander Barkov tore his ACL during training camp, with Matthew Tkachuk already slated to miss a few months recovering from off-season surgery. The Panthers captain was given a return timeline of seven to nine months, making it unlikely he returns in the regular season and putting the playoffs in jeopardy, too.

So far, the loss of either player hasnâ€t impacted the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, as Florida is off to a 3-0-0 start. Granted, two of those were one-goal victories against Chicago and Philadelphia, two teams that figure to be near the bottom of the standings this year, but they capped the week by dominating the Ottawa Senators. Florida seems deep and experienced enough to withstand the loss of Barkov and Tkachuk.

Overreaction? – No

Of course, this isnâ€t an overreaction. Did anyone really expect this team fall apart after making three straight Stanley Cup Finals? The Panthers have too much depth not to hold the down the fort and weâ€re already seeing other players step up. Theyâ€ve picked up big goals from A.J. Greer and Jesper Boqvist, while Mackie Samoskevich has three points. Anton Lundell has scored twice as well and heâ€s taking on more minutes now that heâ€s been promoted to the top six after Barkovâ€s injury. Plus, if you remember late last season, the Panthers werenâ€t overly concerned about winning the division, opting instead to rest key players down the stretch to get ready for the playoffs. Expect a similar approach this year so they can be at maximum strength for the spring. Theyâ€ll be fine.

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By Jared Clinton, Features writer

There aren’t many who will extol the virtues of the National Enquirer. That is, of course, because one would be hard pressed to associate the tabloid with virtuousness in the first place. But there is something to be said for the Enquirerâ€s cockroach-esque ability to maintain its place as a fixture of grocery-store checkouts. Trust, too, that its longevity has little to do with any reputation as a great bastion of journalistic integrity. Rather, it has survived by trading on one of humanityâ€s great truths: we all love a little bit of gossip.

Bristle at the suggestion if you wish. Deny it if you must. But the cold reality is no one is immune to a bit of idle talk, and most certainly not those within the hockeysphere. Rumors have become part of the daily news cycle. There are whole accounts all across social media dedicated to aggregating and disseminating the latest tidbits.

And our collective love of digging up the newest dirt even bleeds into television broadcasts, where entire intermission segments center around dissecting the latest chatter regarding this playerâ€s trade availability or that playerâ€s contract negotiations.

But much like understanding that the yarns spun in the Enquirer arenâ€t worth the paper on which they are printed, an essential part of living in the age of off-ice gossip is learning to distinguish fact from fiction. For John Q. Public, thatâ€s not always an easy thing. Doing so requires a smidgen of media literacy and a working cow-excrement detector. For the media types, itâ€s about leaning on well-placed sources. When youâ€re an NHL GM, though? You set out to hear these things straight from the horseâ€s mouth. And that is what brings us to Utah Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong.

Not unlike most rumor hounds, Armstrong couldnâ€t help but raise an eyebrow when word trickled out that JJ Peterka was on the market. In three big-league seasons in Buffalo, Peterka had established himself as a legitimate top-six talent. He finished the 2024-25 campaign tied for second in scoring for the Sabres, and with Buffalo desperate to right the ship, Peterka seemed a no-brainer to remain a fixture of the teamâ€s lineup for years to come.

One can understand, then, why Armstrong was skeptical of the trade talk.

“Itâ€s one of those things you ask those GMs when youâ€re talking to them,†Armstrong told reporters. “ ‘Is this true? Is there any life to this story?†Most times, thereâ€s none. But this particular one had some legs.â€

Thatâ€s not to say mapping out a swap for Peterka was as simple as a single phone call. As Armstrong put it, acquiring the 23-year-old right winger “took some time to mature and get across the finish line.†When all was said and done, the Mammoth sent 23-year-old right winger Josh Doan and 25-year-old defenseman Michael Kesselring the Sabres†way in exchange for Peterka. The cherry on top? Peterkaâ€s almost-immediate commitment to the project in Utah.

It just shows how committed I am to Utah, how excited I am and how much I believe in that group- JJ Peterka on signing a five-year deal.

–

An RFA at the time he was traded, Peterka signed a five-year, $38.5-million contract in the aftermath of his move to Utah. His $7.7-million cap hit makes him the franchiseâ€s highest-paid forward.

“Sometimes, you talk to guys when theyâ€re traded to you and theyâ€re in shock,†Armstrong said. “(JJ) was expecting it and excited about coming to Utah.â€

For Peterka, putting pen to paper was an easy choice, and that wasnâ€t only because of the dollars-and-cents of it all. When the Mammoth (nee Hockey Club) touched down in Utah last summer, a move made on the back of the Arizona Coyotes†protracted relocation saga, Peterka took note of the reception they received. He was also blown away by the atmosphere when he visited with Buffalo last season. And this is to say nothing of the talent in the lineup. That the mountains of Salt Lake City had a way of making the Munich native feel at home didnâ€t hurt either. Put it all together, and a long-term deal was a no-brainer.

“It just shows how committed I am to Utah, how excited I am and how much I believe in that group – what theyâ€ve got going and what theyâ€re building there,†Peterka said.

What the Mammoth are constructing – and have been dating back to their final days as the Coyotes – is a roster brimming with budding young stars. The squad appears poised to contend not just in the cutthroat Central Division but for a consistent spot in the Western Conference playoff picture.

But, as is evident by the fact Utah spent the 2024-25 season flitting in and out of wild-card contention before ultimately finishing on the outside looking in, the up-and-coming outfit is not without its flaws.

“You always have to be aware of where you are in the build and where youâ€re going,†Armstrong said. “Where weâ€re going is we needed somebody in the top two lines that could put the puck in the net and could have that ability to have impact.â€

That need was painfully apparent at times last season. At all strengths, Utahâ€s ability to generate shots and scoring chances added up to the NHLâ€s 10th-most expected goals (258.2). Even with Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther in the lineup, though, Utah struggled to turn opportunities into actual offensive output. By seasonâ€s end, the clubâ€s 240 goals tied for 20th in the NHL. And thatâ€s where Peterka comes in.

Though he has flown somewhat under the radar, Peterka has proven to be one of the leagueâ€s most-lethal shooters over the past two seasons. Look no further than the rate at which he has outperformed his expected offensive numbers. Among the 500-plus skaters to play at least 1,500 minutes at all strengths since the start of 2023-24, Peterka ranks an impressive – though not necessarily awe-inspiring – 113th in the NHL, producing 41.5 expected goals. Heâ€s exceeded expectations, however, by netting 55 goals over that span.

And itâ€s by that measure, the difference between expected and actual results, that Peterka has proven himself to be an exceptionally gifted finisher. Among that cohort of 500-plus skaters, only 27 have outstripped their expected total by as much or more than Peterkaâ€s 13.5 goals above expected.

The same ability to deliver is apparent when measuring per hour of ice time, too.

Though heâ€s not in the same stratosphere as compatriot Leon Draisaitl or former Sabres teammate Tage Thompson – who rank first and second with .60-plus goals more than expected per 60 minutes over the past two campaigns – Peterka has exceeded his expected per-hour goal production by .29 at all strengths.

That tied him for 25th in the NHL over the past two campaigns. To put that into context, Peterka ranks ahead of Nathan MacKinnon, Jack Eichel and Filip Forsberg. It also puts Peterka level with or clear of the top players available this summer, which included Mitch Marner, Nikolaj Ehlers and Brock Boeser.

That alone would make Peterka a fit on any team in the league, of course. But what gives the Mammoth even greater confidence that Peterka will be especially suited to the organization is that his style fits the way coach Andre Tourigny wants his team to play: north-south and up-tempo.

“The one thing Iâ€ve learned about him from watching him over the years is heâ€s got a unique ability to create a ton of speed down the wings,†Armstrong said.

Thatâ€s an asset Peterka has honed over the years. In fact, it dates back to the days when playing in the NHL was nothing but a distant dream. Peterka grew up a multi-sport athlete, and he sounds like heâ€s rattling off a list of Olympic events when naming his hobbies. His interest in multiple sporting disciplines led him to spend his winters balancing hockey with short-track speed skating. And while he eventually ditched the spandex bodysuit, the technique he learned on the oval remains to this day.

“I was always one of the fastest guys, probably because of that,†Peterka said. “Translating that to hockey wasnâ€t too hard. Obviously, not as many turns, but for straight-line skating and that stuff, it really helps.â€

Itâ€s one of those things you ask those GMs about. ‘Is there any life to this story?†This particular one had some legs- Utah GM Bill Armstrong on rumors of Peterka’s availability.

–

Despite Peterkaâ€s skill set and promising on-ice results, no one is expecting him to arrive and act as an immediate panacea for Utahâ€s scoring woes, nor is he being heralded as the missing piece who will singlehandedly push the club into Stanley Cup contention. Thatâ€s not the kind of pressure Armstrong wants to put on the youngster, either. This is all new for Peterka, who said getting traded was a “weird feeling.†Heâ€ll have to put down new roots in a new city and without the benefit of any familiar faces – his lone personal connections are to Utah prospects and fellow German national-team players Maksymilian Szuber and Julian Lutz.

Once that bedding-in period is complete, though, and Peterka has become familiar with his new Mammoth teammates, the hope is he will be one of the driving forces who help Utah turn promise and potential into post-season hockey and perhaps even a championship run.

That could happen in short order. It could be in due time. But Peterka is confident that, sooner or later, on-ice success is in the cards for the club.

“When you look at the roster and how many young players are there and already so good,†Peterka said, “I think just timeline-wise, for me, itâ€s going to be a perfect fit.â€

This article appeared in our 2025 Meet the New Guys issue. The cover story for this issue features the newest Vegas Golden Knight, Mitch Marner, as he looks to shine in the desert. We also include features on new Jets forward Jonathan Toews, Canadiens D-man Noah Dobson and more. In addition, we take a look at the top ‘new guys’ from each NHL division.

You can get it in print for free when you subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/Free today. All subscriptions include complete access to more than 76 years of articles at The Hockey News Archive.

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As we inch closer to the start of the NBA regular season, weâ€re getting an early look at players and teams. And while we should take what we see in preseason with a grain of salt, thereâ€s some excitement building.

Now would usually be the time to tell you who is on the verge of breaking out in 2025-26, but I find that limiting. When I watch the preseason I’m intrigued by what impact players — from rising stars to established veterans — can have on their teams if something I’m seeing can carry over to the regular season. Thatâ€s the joy of the preseason, seeing the payoff from offseason development and preseason experimentation.

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Here are a few names to keep an eye on at the start of the season.

Victor Wembanyama, Spurs

The intrigue with Wembanyama comes from wondering what approach he will take in Year 3.

There is a balance that comes with offensive versatility. On one hand, a team can use a player in a lot of different scenarios — on ball, in the post, as a roller, off screens. That type of sandbox approach can keep consistent pressure on defenses, as there is not one specific thing to take away. On the other hand, a team can lose the emphasis on a specific action on a night-to-night basis.

One thing has appeared clear from watching Wembanyama in preseason: a change in shot selection. For all of his size and skill, Wembanyama averaged nearly nine 3-point attempts a night last season. Through two preseason games so far, he has taken exactly two 3-pointers. Thereâ€s a clear emphasis for Wembanyama to increase his paint touches and work to catch the ball closer to the basket. More attempts to drive the basketball, and more attempts to initiate contact, should result in a better balance offensively. Working to seal matchups near the post or elbow is a way to keep pressure on defenses.

(Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports Illustration)

His strength will be tested as teams continue to be physical with him on drives or fight to push his catches out. Can he get to his spots consistently? What does that look like when he does?

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Keep an eye on his playmaking this season. The Spurs have worked to use multiple players as screeners which could open up pops for shooters or rolls when they go double big. Wembanyama appears to be making more contact as a screener while mixing in slips and quick rolls — knowing when to roll and force the weakside to help, and knowing when to pop to force a rotation. A quick swing or a drive against a closeout could keep an advantage for the Spurs.

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On the defensive end, Wembanyama is always a sight to behold. In pick-and-roll, he can be near the level of a screen, drop back to contain the drive, use his wingspan to swipe down at the ball-handler and still recover to his man popping or rolling. If the offense takes that space as a chance to pull up, that can easily turn into a switch and contest.

His size jumps off the page when he is defending on the weakside, sometimes seeming like he can remove a quadrant off the court with his presence. The rim protection speaks for itself (176 blocks in 46 games last season, most in the league), but I’m intrigued by how he’ll adjust as teams work to space him and play off his rotations.

Trey Murphy III, Pelicans

Murphy made a large leap last year prior to a shoulder injury, but I believe there is even more room for his game to expand. Never doubt the combination of knowing what you can do and working to improve on everything else.

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The quick decisions and reads continue to grow. When heâ€s spaced on the perimeter or running in transition, the threat is no longer just a 3-point shot but a drive. You can feel that impact when heâ€s used off the ball in dribble handoffs or pindowns. If you are not physical and give him space, or try to go under, the shot is going up. If you lock and trail, he can turn the corner and get to the paint or to his pull-up. If you try to get physical, you open up backdoor cuts or curls to the basket. The Pelicans will need that type of versatility in the half court which pairs well with Zion Williamsonâ€s ability to be used in different ways.

Murphy has also been looking to initiate contact to get to where he wants to vs. only taking the space given. An improved handle could open up more opportunities in pick-and-roll where he can reject and try to get downhill. Pitch-and-catch action could open even more room for him. It will be interesting to watch what it looks like if he has the mindset to create space in different areas of the floor.

Al Horford, Warriors

It’s not difficult to think of the ways Horfordâ€s experience can help a Warriors team that features Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. But the speed in which you can see it already has surprised me to a degree.

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The defense is what jumps off the page. Horford’s scheme versatility defending pick-and-roll will add a level of consistency to the Warriors’ defense. His ability to get to the level of a screen, turn it into a trap, drop and contain penetration is key. We have seen time and time again no matter the age, Horford is willing to switch and defend multiple positions, and late switches can help the Warriors recover. The Warriors having Horfordâ€s help defense on drives or rotations on the baseline is one thing. Having that with Draymond and Jimmy on the court feels like another.

Offensively, Horfordâ€s ability to space and willingness to move the ball fits right into the Warriors’ ethos. The passing can open up cutters and keep an advantage for the Warriors when they get a defense in rotation. He can be involved in screening actions on and off the ball. How often have the Warriors had a big who can set a post split and receive a post split?

Deuce McBride, Knicks

Mike Brown has brought more ball movement, player movement and freedom to the New York Knicks offense. McBride looks like he fits right in to the vision and is set up to thrive within the offense.

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Simply put, it is wise to believe in a scoring guard within the confines of a Mike Brown offense (see Monk, Malik). More pace and more tempo should open up more opportunities for McBride to attack offensively. More opportunities in transition to attack an early clock suits McBride a little more than bringing the ball up (slowly) and going right into a set.

An emphasis on spacing should also highlight McBrideâ€s ability to get downhill to score. The ball moving from side to side should allow McBride to attack a tilted defense. Combine the offensive confidence with the effort he gives defensively and that unlocks even more lineup versatility for the Knicks. Do not be surprised by three-guard looks with McBride guarding a top option.

Shaedon Sharpe, Trail Blazers

The potential has always been there for Sharpe, but all of the elements appear to be coming together for a breakout season.

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One of the tougher things for a young, athletic player to navigate is understanding how and when to change speeds. Early in the preseason you can feel the growth from Sharpe in that area. There is more poise and composure, a combination of patience and confidence. Weâ€re seeing a scorer play with an understanding of when and how to get to his spots against the space defenses are giving him.

Sharpe is doing a better job of setting up his defender to get screened in pick-and-roll and, instead of hitting the turbo button to get downhill, heâ€s taking the space and attacking appropriately. The midrange pullup is there, but that attack can open up a kick, or a quick burst of speed can turn it into a drive. The more he can get downhill against closeouts, the tougher he becomes to guard. That kind of shiftiness can only open up things for him — and Portland — offensively. The sky is the limit if he is able to consistently mix the drives and self-creation.

Cam Johnson, Nuggets

This is less about Cam Johnson the talent and more what Cam Johnson the talent unlocks for the Nuggets. It’s the little things that can help them offensively.

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Running the wing in transition as Jamal Murray flows into pick-and-roll with Nikola Jokić. Seeing that action take place and diving from the wing to the block to take his man out of help defense. Forcing someone else to rotate which opens a kick from Jokić for 3.

Running pick-and-roll with Jokić, kicking to the wing and immediately relocating for a 3. Backdoor cuts with a willing passer that put pressure on the defense. Those types of things have already stood out.

Jabari Smith Jr., Rockets

The Rockets have added Kevin Durant to their roster, Alperen Åžengün has gotten even better, Amen Thompson will get more responsibility in the Rockets’ offense. I remain intrigued by what this season can look like for Smith. There is a clearer runway for him to have an impact on both ends of the floor, both with the starting lineup and mixing in with bench units.

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In the preseason weâ€ve seen a good mindset from Smith. Defensively, he has played with a high level of activity, switching and defending multiple positions. Defense is the base for the Rockets’ success and the more he can grow on that end the better. Offensively, heâ€s continued to play with aggression, but it feels like it has more purpose behind it.

If he gets a switch, he’s trying to dive in the paint to get deep position. He’s hitting first on his drives instead of solely relying on getting to a fadeaway. He’s throwing the ball into the post and setting a post split to get involved in off-ball movement. It feels like his growth could be flying under the radar, but if he continues to hit the right notes thatâ€s only good news for the Rockets.

Andrew Nembhard, Pacers

With both Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell out to start the season, it could be a moment for Nembhard to emerge. The Pacers will be different, but a lot of their principles will remain the same. Now is the time to see if Nembhard can build on the base heâ€s showcased the past few seasons.

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With Indiana’s pace, tempo and movement, I do not think Nembhard will have to be the true “engine†of the Pacers offense. But there will be a lot more opportunities for him to impact the game offensively, and I want to see what that looks like. How much can he help the Pacers keep being the Pacers when it comes to pace/tempo? How does he handle being a larger part of a teamâ€s game plan? Will the extra opportunities unlock a different level of aggression?

We have seen the playoff production, the shotmaking, the defense, but this is a player who has yet to average more than 30 minutes a game in the regular season.

Deâ€Andre Hunter, Cavaliers

The fit felt good when Cleveland traded for Hunter at the trade deadline; the team needed a wing who could defend multiple positions, knock down shots and drive the basketball. With a full offseason of familiarity in tow and some early injuries, is there room for Hunter to continue to grow?

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The shotmaking always feels important for Hunterâ€s overall impact, but this is a Cleveland offense that is built on pace and tempo. That can open a level of freedom which could allow Hunter to have more of an impact offensively. Does Cleveland work to get him the ball in different areas of the floor? Is there more room for him to drive or be involved in pick-and-roll? It feels like there is a real opportunity for Hunter to have an impact for the Cavs this year.

Ausar Thompson, Pistons

Honestly, I am very excited to watch another year of Thompson being a mad man on defense. If you enjoy screen navigation, point-of-attack containment and overall activity, he will bring it to you every single night.

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But the athleticism and drives — and what that means for Detroit — is where the fun can begin on offense. Cade Cunningham runs the show, but Detroit values having shooting and playmaking on the floor. Can Thompson get consistent paint touches to force defenses to help and create advantages? Defenses may want to go under, but if he can turn the corner and become a pressure point, a lot opens up for Detroit.

Jaylen Wells, Grizzlies

This one feels less like box-score growth and more like an opportunity for a player to really develop. New coach, new system and new opportunities abound in Memphis, and itâ€s clear they value what Wells brings to the table.

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There has been more of an effort to get him involved on and off the ball, and heâ€s shown an ability to space the floor. If he can continue to improve offensively, while being active on ball and pesky off ball defensively, Memphis could have a gem.

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  Greg WyshynskiOct 10, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

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  Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.

Can a superstar still be a breakout player?

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We ask because Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel looks like he’ll obliterate his career high in goals (36) while skating with Ivan Barbashev and the newly acquired Mitch Marner this season — a line with incredible chemistry already at the start of the season.

But ultimately, a superstar can’t be a breakout player. That’s reserved for players who are known but not yet household names. Or players we’ve been waiting to see blossom since their draft year. Or the rookies embarking on their first full season of service, ready to make an unexpected impact.

Here are 30 NHL players poised for a breakout in 2025-26, organized into tiers that explain the circumstances surrounding their potential emergence. Enjoy!

Jump to a tier:
New scenery
New linemates
Young star to superstar
The wait is over
Rookie sensations

Tier 1: New scenery

These players switched teams and could see their stock rise with new scenery.

Matias Maccelli is not Mitch Marner, nor is he expected to suddenly become a 100-point winger because he’s helping to replace Marner in Toronto.

But the 24-year-old former Utah forward, who was a frequent healthy scratch with the Mammoth last season, has a top-line role next to Auston Matthews. If he can be the playmaker he was two seasons ago in Arizona and retain this spot, Maccelli should clear his previous career high in points (57) even if he doesn’t reach the offensive heights of Marner’s years with the Leafs.

The Rangers didn’t want to pay Miller for potential, so they traded the restricted free agent to Carolina, where he signed an eight-year, $60 million deal.

Outside of Florida, no other NHL team has been as adept at leveling up acquired defensemen from other organizations — a credit to coach Rod Brind’Amour’s system and the work of assistant coach Tim Gleason, whose focus is on the blue line.

Miller’s offensive game dropped sharply over the past two seasons. He’ll be positioned to find it again in Carolina — and fulfill the rest of his potential.

Peterka landed on fans’ radars via NHL trade deadline boards, as the pending restricted free agent’s name was circulated last season. Now, fans know him as one of the most significant acquisitions of the nascent Utah Mammoth, who traded Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring to Buffalo for Peterka, 23, before signing him to a five-year, $38 million contract this offseason.

Peterka already had a plum gig in Buffalo, skating next to star center Tage Thompson. How much higher can Peterka’s numbers climb on a line with the explosive Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther on Utah’s top line?

GM Bill Zito has been fond of Tarasov’s potential since Zito’s time as an assistant general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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Tarasov was the primary backup to Elvis Merzlikins for the past two seasons before his rights were traded to the Panthers in June.

The Stanley Cup champs lost Vítek Vanecek to Utah in free agency, and traded Spencer Knight to Chicago last season, creating a need to find a backup for and potential successor to Sergei Bobrovsky. Enter Tarasov, who goes from the 24th team in five-on-five defense to the fourth-best squad in the NHL.

If it’s ever going to happen for Tarasov, it’ll happen in Florida behind that system and with Roberto Luongo’s goaltending department to rely on.

When asked about what he wants people to say about him after Year 1 in Philly, Zegras told ESPN: “I want them to go from saying ‘he’s good at hockey’ to ‘he’s a hockey player.'”

Having the support and structure of coach Rick Tocchet should help. But Zegras said to recapture the magic he had when he started his career in Anaheim, he needs to have fun again.

Playing center on a line with Matvei Michkov would help him find his hockey joie de vivre.

Tier 2: New sidekicks

These players could thrive with new linemates.

Benson played a bit with Tage Thompson last season in Buffalo, but is expected to start the season with the Sabres’ top offensive player and Josh Norris, the center they acquired from the Ottawa Senators for Dylan Cozens last season.

The results last season were promising for Benson, 20, entering his third NHL season. If he earns the right to replace Peterka with Thompson, Benson could really pop offensively this season.

Carlsson appeared in this tier last season, but he is here again thanks to Chris Kreider, who was acquired from the New York Rangers in June, waiving his trade protection to join the Ducks. He had 326 goals and 256 points in 883 career games with the Blueshirts, but that output cratered last season because of injuries: just 22 goals and 8 assists in 68 games.

A relatively healthy Kreider, 34, could have an impact on both ends of the ice for Carsson, a 6-3 center who had 20 goals and 25 assists in 76 games for Anaheim last season, his second after being selected second overall in 2023.

Chris Kreider’s loss is Will Cuylle’s gain. Cuylle, 23, moved up to the Rangers’ top line this season with new captain J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad, Kreider’s longtime linemate.

Cuylle had 20 goals and 25 assists in 82 games last season, playing the kind of blunt physical style that immediately endeared him to fans in his first two NHL seasons. That would seem to fit well with Miller’s production as a top-line center.

Not many players finished stronger than rookie Goncalves last season. The rookie had 18 points in his final 33 games in 2024-25, and then added four more points in five playoff games for Tampa Bay.

He has earned the right to see copious amounts of time with Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel on the team’s second line this season. In limited minutes together last season, that trio generated a 63% expected goals rate.

With Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov out for considerable periods of time, the Panthers will look for some offensive solutions from within.

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One of them will be Samoskevich, the 22-year-old winger drafted 24th in 2021.

He had 15 goals and 16 assists in 72 games last season for the Stanley Cup champions, skating 13:19 per game. Already, he had two assists on opening night for Florida.

Seeing him have an increased role — and more famous linemates — isn’t out of the question with the short-handed Panthers.

Tier 3: Young star to superstar

You might already know these names. Get ready to hear them a lot more.

Dorofeyev was already slated for this tier before his opening night hat trick against the Los Angeles Kings. But that effort underscored what the 24-year-old can bring to the Golden Knights this season after breaking out with 35 goals in 82 games during 2025-26.

He’s one of the purest shooters on the roster, with a 13.8% shooting percentage on 254 shots last season.

Gauthier goes from the rookie tier to closing in on stardom with the Ducks this season. He had 20 goals and 24 assists in 82 games last season, almost all of them at even strength.

With increased power-play time and a more effective man advantage — Anaheim was a league-worst 11.8% on the power play last season — those numbers could increase dramatically.

“Who is Jackson LaCombe?” was one of the most frequently asked questions from casual NHL fans in the past few months, after his surprise invite to the U.S. Olympic Hockey Orientation Camp and his signing an eight-year, $72 million contract extension earlier this month.

After this season, everyone might know his name: The 24-year-old defenseman had 12 goals and 29 assists in 75 games last season. Though he spent the majority of his time with bruising veteran Radko Gudas, it’d be fun to see him have more time next to fellow youngster Olen Zellweger this season.

Perfetti is our only holdover from last season’s third tier. His season was impressive, with 18 goals and 32 assists in 82 games for the NHL’s best regular-season team. But he hadn’t quite reached the ubiquity of a true breakout yet.

His season has gotten off to a bumpy start, as Perfetti opens the campaign on injured reserve because of an ankle injury. But when he returns, he should be on the Jets’ second scoring line.

Stankoven was the key player coming back to Carolina from Dallas in the Mikko Rantanen trade. Stankoven had shown to be a tenacious, if undersized, forward for the Stars after scoring 12 goals during his rookie season.

The Hurricanes are hoping he can fill a critical hole in their lineup at second-line center.

The addition of Nikolaj Ehlers on the Canes’ top line means that Andrei Svechnikov will shift down to the second line, likely across from promising winger Jackson Blake. If Stankoven clicks with them, it’s good news for Carolina and for those waiting for the 22-year-old forward’s true breakout.

Tier 4: The wait is over

Players we’ve been waiting to see break out that finally will.

At some point, Clarke is going to force the Kings to take the training wheels off him. The 6-2 defenseman, drafted eighth overall in 2021, had 33 points in 78 games last season in 16:17 of average ice time.

He was on the plus side of shot attempts, shots created and expected goals percentage relative to his teammates last season. He’s always been the future of their blue line. Increasingly, that future is now.

Jackets fans have anticipated the moment when Jet Greaves takes flight and takes over the Columbus crease from incumbent Elvis Merzlikins. He was brilliant in 11 games last season, going 7-2-2 with a .938 save percentage and 14.5 (!) goals saved above expected.

He got the opening start for Columbus this week. It could be the first of many this season for the 24-year-old, who signed with the Jackets in 2022 as an undrafted free agent.

Kasper was set up for success in his rookie season, spending a good portion of his season (273 minutes) with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond on the team’s top line. For an encore, Kasper will be asked to drive his own line this season, potentially in the middle of Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane.

That line actually produced strong defensive results (1.2 goals against per 60 minutes) last season to go along with its offensive pop.

Blackhawks fans probably exhaled a bit — as did a certain Chicago center drafted first overall in 2023 — when Nazar rolled to nine points in his last eight games and then 12 points in Team USA’s history-making win at the IIHF world championships.

Connor Bedard needs all the help he can get. Nazar enters the 2025-26 season as the team’s No. 2 center, driving a line that can help take the pressure off the phenom in the Windy City.

Savoie was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres in July 2024 in the Ryan McLeod trade, and percolated with the Bakersfield Condors last season.

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As the Oilers seek high-talent players with low-cost contracts to populate around Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Savoie fits the template after a solid playmaking in the AHL.

He was drafted in 2022. This is finally the moment for the rookie make his mark after playing only five NHL games before this season.

Overlooked thanks to the Calder-nominated season from first overall pick Macklin Celebrini was an outstanding rookie campaign from his linemate Smith. The fourth overall pick in 2023, Smith had 45 points (18 goals, 27 assists) in 74 games for the Sharks, skating to a minus-15.

They should pair up again on the Sharks’ top line. Given the expectations around Celebrini taking another leap in points production, Smith should jump right with him.

Tier 5: Rookie sensations

First-year players who aren’t waiting for their breakout.

Once the goalie of the future in Nashville, the Sharks acquired Askarov in August 2024 as their new hope between the pipes. The majority of his action was with the AHL Barracuda last season, but the 13 games he played in San Jose were solid: Askarov was the only Sharks goalie to finish on the positive side of goals saved above expected outside of Mackenzie Blackwood.

It’s expected that the 23-year-old rookie could get most of the starts for coach Ryan Warsofsky’s team this season.

The preseason favorite to win the Calder Trophy, Demidov arrived in the NHL late last season after having been a human highlight reel in the KHL.

A creative puck handler and explosive offensive talent, the Canadiens are relying on him to provide goal-scoring spark for a team that was 17th in goals per game last season.

The 24-year-old made his NHL debut last postseason, appearing in four playoff games for the Hurricanes.

At 6-3 and around 220 pounds, he’s a ferocious hitter who could become one of the league’s best young defensemen if his offensive game blossoms.

A terrific puck-moving defenseman with a great hockey IQ. The anticipation is that Buium, 19, could become the Wild’s power-play quarterback before too long.

The Wild have him partnered up with steady veteran Jared Spurgeon to start.

If he sticks around rather than being sent back to the OHL, Parekh has the stuff to be one of the best young offensive defensemen in the NHL.

And one hopes he does stick around, because what does a defenseman who had 107 points in 61 games last season have left to prove?

Snuggerud gave the Blues a nice preview at the end of last season with four points in seven games after his career at the University of Minnesota was over.

The son of former NHLer Dave Snuggerud, the playmaking winger should bolster the Blues’ secondary scoring.

The 6-4 defenseman is going to have a big role this season in Chicago, playing top-pairing minutes and getting a chance to run the Blackhawks’ top power play.

The first overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft, Schaefer is an elite offense-driving defenseman with his passing and his skating. The fact that he’s going to bring a bit of charisma to the Islanders too is the cherry on top.

The 24-year-old earned a spot here not only for some tantalizing moments as a Canuck, but for his opening night shutout in Madison Square Garden.

Silovs was named one of Team Latvia’s first six players for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

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LeBron James seems to have made another decision, one that does not involve selling cognac.

As he deals with a nerve irritation in his glute, the 40-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star will reportedly sit out the rest of preseason to prepare for the team’s season opener, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

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James, who is about to begin his 23rd NBA season, has been doing on-court work and is slowly ramping up his preparation.

Last week, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said that James would slowly build towards the regular season opener and wouldn’t be available when training camp opened.

“It’s probably a little bit longer of a ramp-up leading up to opening night for him,” Redick told reporters. “In year 23, uncharted territory here.”

Redick then admitted the team may not have managed James’ game management properly last preseason, saying they felt like James did “too much” during training camp in 2024. But it didn’t seem to affect the four-time NBA MVP during the regular season as he played 70 games and averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds in nearly 35 minutes of action per night.

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Yet those games he missed were due to foot and ankle soreness, which kept him out of the All-Star Game. James later suffered a sprained MCL during Game 5 of the Lakers’ playoff series loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, an injury that would have kept him out for weeks had it not been the final game of their season.

James has yet to say whether this will be his final NBA season, but at age 40, there aren’t many left for him and the Lakers are eager to see what sort of title run the team can make as he plays alongside Luka DonÄić. They don’t necessarily need him in late October as they would prefer James to be 100% healthy when playoff time rolls around.

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The Lakers have four more preseason games before they open the 2025-26 campaign on Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors.

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New Pittsburgh Penguins’ defenseman Caleb Jones may have suited up for the Los Angeles Kings’ organization last season prior to becoming an unrestricted free agent. But, oddly enough, he found himself training with some players from a different organization this summer.

And what better guys to train with in the National Hockey League right now than the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers?

Caleb, 28, is the younger brother of Seth Jones, 31, who was dealt from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Panthers prior to the 2025 trade deadline. It just so happens that Seth arrived at the perfect time, as he was an instrumental part of Florida’s 2025 run and put up four goals, nine points, and a plus-11 rating in 23 playoff games for the Cats.

During that playoff run, Caleb was in town, too, to watch his brother play on the NHL’s biggest stage – and to learn a few pointers from some of the very best the league has to offer.

“It was a great experience for me to see those guys,” Caleb said. “Theyâ€re obviously the champs, and everyoneâ€s trying to chase them right now and see their work ethic and their mindset every day.

“I think thatâ€s why Iâ€ve had a really good camp. I was able to be down there with those guys and learn a lot of good habits, and kind of just put them into myself and bring them here.â€

Of course, that ‘here’ is in Pittsburgh, where he signed a two-year, $1.8 million contract this summer.

Former Penguins’ Defenseman Signs New Deal With Blackhawks
After an offseason of uncertainty, a former Pittsburgh Penguins’ defenseman finally has a home for the 2025-26 season.

Jones was drafted in the fourth round (117th overall) by the Edmonton Oilers – ironically, the team that Florida beat in the Final for the second consecutive season – and spent the first three seasons of his NHL career there. Sure enough, he spent the next two seasons with the Blackhawks, which happened to fall within the same timeline as Seth being with the organization.

Caleb has relished the opportunity to go through the experience of NHL hockey with his brother and best friend, and he especially enjoyed those two years.

“Itâ€s been pretty cool,” Caleb said. “Weâ€ve trained together every summer since I turned about 20. And, obviously, getting the chance to play with him for a couple years in Chicago, that was really special. When youâ€re kinda in the moment, you donâ€t realize – you lose sight of, like, how actually cool that is… and then, once youâ€re done doing it, youâ€re like, ‘Wow, that was an awesome experience.—

But now – after a stint with the Colorado Avalanche in 2023-24 and the one in L.A. last season – he’s found a new home in Pittsburgh, and he’s ready to bring some of those “good habits” to the black and gold. For much of training camp, he has been paired alongside Penguins’ veteran defenseman Kris Letang, and it’s a combination that has stuck, even as the rosters were trimmed down to 23 on Saturday.

Of course, Jones is aware of the strengths in his own game. But he’s making sure to pick the brain of, arguably, the greatest Penguins’ defenseman of all-time.

“Itâ€s been awesome,” Jones said. “Iâ€ve been with him every day so far, and heâ€s obviously done a lot of great things in the league, knows a lot of tricks, and kinda has that veteran savvy to him. So, you kind of just try to take as much information from him as he gives you and, at the same time, just have confidence in yourself… trust yourself and your game and just try to play well with him. Thatâ€s all it is.â€

And Jones is fairly confident in the defining qualities of his game. The 6-foot-1, 184-pound blueliner brings an element of speed to the Penguins’ defensive corps, and he contributes a little bit of everything, bringing a defensive conscience while also aiding in the transition game and chipping in on offense occasionally.

Penguins’ Pre-Season: Surprising Cuts Made, Two Top Prospects Likely To Start In NHL
After a grueling training camp that included a successful 5-1-1 pre-season, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ roster appears to be set for the 2025-26 season.

“Iâ€m playing with a lot of energy, playing with a strong gap, and kind of just using my skating to disrupt plays and move the puck and join the rush,” Jones said. “Getting a chance on the PP, PK… Iâ€ve been in those roles. So, you try to just be solid and try to have the coaches†trust. Iâ€ve gotten good feedback through [camp], so I’m just trying to stay energized and keep my confidence high, and do my thing.â€

Of course, there will be a bit of a battle for playing time on a crowded Penguins’ blue line. It appears the team is opting to carry eight defensemen – one of them being top prospect Harrison Brunicke, who figures to get some runway on the right side along with Erik Karlsson and Letang.

That means right-shot guys like Connor Clifton and Matt Dumba will, likely, be faced with some time on their off-side, potentially leaving little margin for error for the left-side blueliners in Jones, Parker Wotherspoon, and Ryan Shea.

Jones is aware of the competition within team walls, even as he’s felt extremely welcomed by the organization and his teammates. But he is focused on his game, his strengths, and bringing some of those champion habits he pried from Florida – as well as from some of the longstanding veterans in his current locker room – to the rink on a daily basis.

“I’m just trying to keep going day by day,” he said. “And I’ll keep trying to do something a little better every day.â€

Penguins Defensive Prospect Set To Start 2025-26 Season In ECHL
Pittsburgh Penguins defensive prospect Emil Pieniniemi won’t be in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to start the 2025-26 season.

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