Chase Elliott: 'Unbelievable' to win hometown race at EchoPark
Canadiens: Guhle Higher In NHL 2020 Redraft
In the run-up to the draft, which is scheduled for Friday night and Saturday, there are plenty of draft-centric articles in every outlet and plenty of content posted on social media as well. Yesterday, on one of the NHL social media accounts, there was a post about a 2020 redraft, and the Canadiens' pick that year did very well.
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Why acquiring Jordan Spence could be a window into how Senators will run their offseason
OTTAWA — Jordan Spence knew something had to give when his ice time dwindled from an average of nearly 17 minutes per game in the regular season to between six and 11 minutes during the playoffs. He wanted a bigger role on the Los Angeles Kings, a team he had adored since childhood. He became a Kings fan watching Drew Doughty turn into one of the league's best defencemen, and he got his chance when he was drafted by them in 2019. But with Brandt Clarke, another young right-shot defenceman, in their system, a hurdle was in Spence's way. Advertisement 'When you're playing at a high level, you want to be relied on and trusted in any situation,' Spence said in a conference call on Saturday after his trade to the Senators. 'And, for me, I think I'm ready to take a big step. I'm ready to take a bigger role. It was unfortunate that L.A. couldn't give me that opportunity.' Spence wanted a change of scenery, a new market that would allow him to play more with increased responsibility. Senators general manager Steve Staios spotted an opportunity. And that it wouldn't cost too much to obtain him. It could be a glimpse into how the Senators might operate throughout the summer, unless something dramatic comes their way. The Senators came away from this weekend's draft with six players. But their biggest move was landing Spence in exchange for a third-round pick (acquired from Nashville after Ottawa traded down from No. 21 to No. 23) and a sixth-round pick in next year's draft (which initially belonged to Colorado). Moving down two spots in the first round allowed the Senators to acquire a 24-year-old who was the third-highest-scoring defenceman on his team behind Clarke and Vladislav Gavrikov, with four goals and 28 points. Even after accounting for usage (extremely soft), model is still enamoured by Jordan Spence. At best, he makes a jump to the top four. At worst, he keeps crushing easy minutes — something Ottawa does desperately need. Good bet by the Sens. — dom 📈 (@domluszczyszyn) June 28, 2025 'Every chance at the draft, free agency, you look at opportunities to try and make your team better,' Staios said. 'Sometimes it doesn't land. As the draft went on, we really liked the player that kind of was sliding to our pick (at No. 21). … I felt, at that point in time, if we were going to trade back in consulting with (head scout) Don Boyd and scouts, that we could gain an asset. Advertisement 'Knowing what it would take to be able to get him, to acquire him, it lined up with the acquisition return that we got from trading back. So, we were able to parlay that into a phone conversation with L.A. and be able to acquire Jordan Spence.' Acquiring Spence is far from a blockbuster, especially considering the other trades made this weekend. It wasn't even the biggest trade made on Day 2. The Red Wings' acquisition of John Gibson from Anaheim holds that distinction, but only because the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights didn't complete a trade involving Mitch Marner on Saturday. But the Spence trade indicates how the Sens could operate this offseason, with subtle tweaks to the roster without sacrificing much of their core. Staios said Saturday that it would likely be his modus operandi for the free-agent market once it opens up on July 1. That means if Staios wants to take it a step further, it will have to be via trade. Staios said 'yes' when asked if he'd be open to making another trade, but cautioned that it's not something he's actively looking to do. But Staios has shown he's unafraid of making a move if the opportunity presents itself, and when it seems like no one expects him to do anything of significance, despite limits on salary-cap space or assets at his disposal. 'I don't, honestly, think I could have said to you a week ago that we'd had an opportunity to acquire Jordan Spence at the draft,' Staios said. 'Once they come up, you've got to be prepared, and again, have the flexibility to be able to take advantage of a situation where you can add something to the group.' Ottawa's $9.25 million cap space available, per PuckPedia, limits them on the free agent market when it comes to luring a big fish. Not to mention, the Senators want to retain as much cap flexibility as possible. Yes, they could move some salary off the active roster, such as Carter Yakemchuk's entry-level deal. But the Sens still intend to sign pending free agent Claude Giroux. Advertisement Staios said Saturday, when asked for an update, that he was 'hoping to hear back' from Giroux and his camp. Despite whatever gap may remain between the Sens and Giroux's camp, both sides want to get a deal done. So while some despair may linger over Giroux's future, that could change quickly. In Spence, Ottawa has a depth defenceman and right-shot who can take up minutes if Nick Jensen needs more time to recuperate from his hip injury. Natural Stat Trick says Spence has good underlying metrics, posting a 56.80 Corsi For and a 48.8 expected goals for percentage when he's on the ice at five-on-five. Slotting Spence alongside Jake Sanderson on a top pairing would be a fascinating way to ease him into the lineup. And if Jensen is ready to play, and the Sens don't want to split up Sanderson and Artem Zub, Spence could provide more mobility and scoring alongside Tyler Kleven. On top of all that, Spence could be an alternate option for their power play, which already has Sanderson and Thomas Chabot as quarterbacks. The Senators needed another defensive option and could've sought a cost-effective option on the free-agent market. Instead, they get that in Spence, who carries a $1.5 million cap hit through 2026. On a team that could use more mobility and offence from its back end, Spence's skillset improves their defensive group. 'Maybe I could have a better opportunity in Ottawa and have a bigger role,' Spence said. 'Obviously, it all depends on my performance. But I'm going to have a big summer. And I'm excited to go to Ottawa this year and to have a good season.' Ottawa's offence, however, could still use another younger weapon up front despite the re-signing of Fabian Zetterlund this month. The Senators' struggles in five-on-five scoring are well-documented. A goal-scoring winger who could either play to the right of Tim Stützle or the left of Dylan Cozens would bolster Ottawa's forward group. It would allow older players such as David Perron to slide down the lineup — and potentially Giroux, if it came to that. Scoring wingers are available on the trade market, if Chris Johnston's board is any indication. Jason Robertson, Viktor Arvidsson, and Jared McCann are among the handful of players potentially available. That leaves the fourth line — with no guarantees that Adam Gaudette, Nick Cousins or Matthew Highmore will be back — to be plugged with either depth signings or young players from Belleville to take their spots. 'Depending on how things unfold and the conversations that we have,' Staios said. 'Any opportunity we have to improve our team, that's my job to seek those out and make sure that I have all the information.' That approach allowed Staios to acquire an asset such as Spence at this year's draft. It could serve him well as the Senators enter July, regardless of how much cap space is at their disposal. (Photo of Jordan Spence: Harry How / Getty Images)
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Sabres post-draft thoughts: Conor Timmins trade, the latest on Bowen Byram and more
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The 2025 NHL Draft will likely end up as a footnote in this Buffalo Sabres offseason. This summer is one in which general manager Kevyn Adams and coach Lindy Ruff are feeling legitimate pressure entering the final season of their contracts. The playoff drought continues to weigh on this team, and the fan base is restless. So while the Sabres added some interesting prospects this weekend, this offseason is all about the NHL roster. Advertisement This week was highlighted by Adams trading JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for defenseman Micahel Kesselring and winger Josh Doan. That was a massive trade that will end up defining Buffalo's season and Adams' tenure in some ways. Adams continued to tinker with the roster this weekend, trading Connor Clifton and a second-round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Conor Timmins and a prospect. But what stands out coming out of this weekend is just how much is left to get done. The Sabres have six restricted free agents, including the newly acquired Timmins. Bowen Byram's situation is still unsettled. And the Sabres have roughly $20 million in salary cap space. This offseason is far from over, with free agency opening on Tuesday and trade discussions still ongoing around the league. The Sabres got some of their biggest business done by trading Peterka, but there are still so many directions this offseason can go. Will they add another forward to the top six? Will they spend to the cap ceiling for the first time under Adams? And is another trade coming? At the beginning of the weekend, Adams insisted he had a plan. That plan is still incomplete. But here's what we learned during a busy draft weekend. We'll start with the Sabres' newest draft class: Round 1, pick 9: Radim Mrtka, RHD, Seattle (WHL), 6-foot-6, 218 pounds Round 3, Pick 71: David Bedkowski, RHD, Owen Sound (OHL) 6-5, 221 Round 4, Pick 103: Matous Kucharcik, C, Slavia Jr. (Czech Jr.), 6-4, 180 Round 4, Pick 116: Samuel Meloche, G, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL), 6-2, 190 Round 5, Pick 135: Noah Laberge, LHD, Acadie Bathurst (QMJHL), 6-0, 187 Round 6, Pick 167: Ashton Schultz, C, Chicago (USHL), 5-11, 180 Round 7, Pick 195: Melvin Novotny, F, Leksands IF (Sweden Jr.), 6-1, 185 Round 7, Pick 199: Yevgeni Prokhorov, G, Dinamo-Shinnik Bobruysk (MHL), 6-3, 183 Round 7, Pick 219: Ryan Racunski, F, Youngstown (USHL), 5-10, 176 Advertisement This draft class is going to come down to how the top two picks pan out. Radim Mrtka has a path to a top-four role, but it could take some runway for him to get there. Sabres assistant general manager Jerry Forton noted that Mrtka has some awkward moments skating since he's still growing into his body. But the Sabres saw dramatic improvement in his game throughout the season and are excited to see what he will do in his second season in North America. Buffalo's second pick, David Bedkowski, represents all of the qualities the Sabres have been talking about in recent weeks. He's a 6-5 right-handed defenseman with a major mean streak. He might be the most physical player in this draft class. But what was also clear in speaking with him after he got drafted is how mature Bedkowski is. The Sabres' pick of Bedkowski was announced by Greg Manzi, a local youth hockey player who suffered a devastating injury last season. Bedkowski mentioned how special that was when he briefly chatted with the Sabres' brass after the pick. Elite Prospects on Sabres' 3rd round pick David Bedkowski: 'Arguably the most violent player in the class, with the mobility, reach, defensive traits, and bloodlust to develop into a tremendous play killer.' They had him ranked 47th, he went 71st. — The Charging Buffalo (@TheChargingBUF) June 28, 2025 As for his game, Bedkowski, who fought five times last season, said, 'I'm a heart and soul guy, loyal to the soil. Just compete is the name of the game to me. Sacrificing, blocking shots, whatever it takes.' It's easy to envision playing in the NHL, even if his upside isn't that of Mrtka or other top defensemen in this class. He's also a player Sabres fans will have an easy time rooting for. I like that the Sabres took a couple of chances on goalies late in the draft. Late-round picks don't often turn into NHL players, but goalies have a better chance and can be valuable commodities if you hit on one. The Sabres are stocked with young goalies. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is still early in his NHL career. Devon Levi hasn't yet become a full-time NHL player. And recent draft picks Scott Ratzlaff and Topias Leiononen both got entry-level contracts. Advertisement Now, Buffalo can add fourth-round pick Samuel Meloche and seventh-round pick Yevgeni Prokhorov to the mix. Meloche had an excellent rookie season in the QMJHL, shouldering a big workload and carrying his team deep into the playoffs with a 2.01 goals against average in 13 playoff games. Prokhorov, a native of Belarus who played in the MHL last season, might be coming to North America to play junior hockey next season, according to Forton. He also finished his season strong with a 1.95 goals against average and a .943 save percentage in six playoff games. Timmins got the call that he'd been traded to the Sabres while he was at his parents' cottage, which is just across the lake from KeyBank Center. Born in St. Catharines, Ontario, he grew up going to Sabres games and was excited by the prospect of playing for Buffalo. Adams said he views Timmins, 26, as a third-pair defenseman right now. The Sabres acquired Timmins and prospect Isaac Belliveau from the Penguins for Connor Clifton and the No. 39 overall pick in the draft. Timmins is a restricted free agent, so it remains to be seen how much the Sabres will save on Clifton's $3.33 million cap hit. Theoretically, Timmins shouldn't cost as much and should be an upgrade. He can also kill penalties. A second-round pick was a decent price to pay for this swap, but the Sabres don't have a dire need for more draft picks. Now let's see what they do with the small amount of cap flexibility from this deal. There is a clear difference between the way Adams has been speaking about defenseman Byram and the way he spoke about Peterka before he got traded. Adams was visibly annoyed by the Peterka line of questioning, likely stemming from his frustration with the player. With Byram, Adams has been honest but also somewhat even-keeled. He gets that Byram has two years before he hits unrestricted free agency and wants some clarity on what his role will look like and what the team will look like. 'What he knows is we like him, we believe in him, we think it makes the team better with him on,' Adams said. 'But if there's a trade to make that makes sense and we think it's the right thing to do, we'll do it.' The key piece here is that Adams trusts that if Byram sticks around, he'll be the same positive presence in the locker room he's always been. I'm not sure the Sabres felt the same way about Peterka. 'What I know about Bo Byram is if he's back, whether it's a one-year deal or two-year deal or eight-year deal, he's going to be all in and try to help us win. That's what I truly appreciate about Bo. We'll get to the right solution. It has to work for both sides. He understands how we feel about him, and he knows we're willing to do whatever we need to do to help our team get better. We've been very transparent both ways.' Advertisement Adams said he would be re-engaging with Byram's agent, Darren Ferris, on contract talks. He was also interrupted during his post-draft press conference by a call from another general manager, a reminder that one call can change the situation in a hurry. As it stands, Byram playing with Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power playing with Michael Kesselring and Mattias Samuelsson playing with Timmins could be a solid depth chart on defense. (Top photo of Conor Timmins: Talia Sprague / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Grading Panthers' 2025 NHL Draft class
The post Grading Panthers' 2025 NHL Draft class appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Florida Panthers are your two-time defending champions. This is an incredible feat, and one they look to build upon. This success comes with a price, however. Florida never has premium draft capital once the NHL Draft rolls around. The 2025 NHL Draft was no different for Florida. They had six total picks, but all of them came after the third round. Advertisement The Panthers have had a ton of success drafting and developing players, though. In fact, some of their best players are talents they selected. Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad are names all hockey fans know. Anton Lundell appears to be a promising building block for this team, as well. Florida added six players to its organization on Saturday. But how does this class look on paper coming out of the 2025 NHL Draft? Let's take a deeper look at this class and hand the Panthers an initial grade for their efforts. Panthers find potential in first 3 picks The Panthers did not make their first selection until 112th overall in the fourth round. With this selection, they picked Mads Kongsbak Klyvø, a Danish winger out of Frölunda HC in Sweden. He brings some intriguing upside to the table, and many evaluators considered him one of the more underrated European skaters in this class. He presents as a mostly defensive option, but some around the game like his offense and think it can be developed more. Advertisement Their next pick came a bit later at 128. Florida elected to take Shea Busch, a winger from the WHL's Everett Silvertips. Busch impressed after joining Everett during the season. He is a mostly a net-front presence who will throw the body, as well. One pick later, the Panthers selected North Bay Batallion winger Shamar Moses. Moses may have the most upside of the three. He has an excellent shot and impressive awareness on the ice. He also plays a physical brand of hockey that will translate to the Panthers quite well. None of these three players project as top-six options for Florida. Moses has a chance to be a middle-six scorer, but this is the best-case scenario. All three of them do project to play NHL games, however. For a team like Florida, having young depth players to rely on is key when the established vets reach NHL Free Agency and cash in on their work in Sunrise. Florida takes major gambles with last selections Florida's final three selections do not carry the same upside. There are fans of the team's 192nd overall pick — Swedish forward Arvid Drott — but he doesn't bring anything that flashes NHL potential. Defenseman Brendan Dunphy has some intriguing tools, but his skating needs significant work if he's going to make it. Advertisement Florida's final pick of the draft fits their type in goal. The Panthers drafted Russian goalie Yegor Midlak with the 224th overall pick. Midlak has some intriguing physical tools. However, he is a major work in progress at this time. Overall, these picks don't hurt the Panthers. They were unlikely to ever get high-end talent in these later rounds. However, they need to prioritize players who show some semblance of NHL potential. Clearly, the Panthers believe in these players. Far be it from pundits to say they are wrong. In saying that, these are massive gambles, and it does take the grade down a bit. Grade and final thoughts Overall, the Panthers receive an average grade for the 2025 NHL Draft class. Florida did not get the most potential in their class. But their aims are a lot different than other teams. They are searching for players who project to make an impact at the NHL level. And they landed those sorts of players with exactly half of their draft picks. Advertisement Will anyone from this class come close to the NHL? It's obviously way too early to say. But there is potential for this class to make a difference in some sort of role. Moses could become a middle-six scorer, for instance. Some evaluators believe Klyvø has untapped offensive potential, as well. There could be some untapped potential that makes these guys late-round gems. However, the final three picks require a lot of work. If there's any team that can afford to be patient, it is the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions who show no signs of slowing down. At the same time, they need NHL projectable players to help keep this train rolling. They missed out on that with some of these late picks. Panthers draft grade: C Best pick: Shamar Moses – Round 5, Pick 129 Worst pick: Yegor Midlak – Round 7, Pick 224 Related: Sam Bennett breaks silence on $64 million contract extension with Panthers Related: Panthers' Sam Bennett signs mammoth 8-year, $64 million contract extension
