Kings Sign Henry Brzustewicz To Entry-Level Contract
The Los Angeles Kings have signed 2025 first-round pick Henry Brzustewicz to a three-year, entry-level contract set to begin in the 2026-27 season. He will complete the 2025-26 season on a professional try-out contract with the AHL’s Ontario Reign. This news will shift Brzustewicz to the pro level after the OHL London Knights’ season came to an end on Friday.
Brzustewicz stepped into London’s top defender role this season, following Sam Dickinson’s move to the pros at the end of last season. He filled the role seamlessly and finished the season with a team-leading 54 points in 59 games. Brzustewicz also scored 19 goals, tied with St. Louis Blues prospect Adam Jiricek for the third-most among OHL defensemen. Brzustewicz’s stat line was rounded out with 57 penalty minutes and a minus-15.
All together, Brzustewicz’s 2025-26 campaign was another gradual step up from his previous year. He scored 10 goals, 42 points, and 77 penalty minutes in 67 games on the OHL championship-winning London Knights last season. It was a major improvement over the six points he scored in 52 games of his rookie OHL season. That performance, complimented by Brzustewicz’s knack for physical hockey, helped him earn the 31st selection in the 2025 NHL Draft. He earned that spot despite not appearing in any junior-level, international tournaments. Brzustewicz, an American playing Canadian hockey, was left off of Team USA’s roster at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and World U18 Championships, two tournaments that his older brother, Hunter Brzustewicz, appeared in during his junior career.
Despite a slimmer resume than his peers, the younger Brzustewicz will bring an exciting and well-rounded profile to the Kings’ depth chart. The right-shot defenseman plays a 200-foot game with impressive strength, smooth passing, and reliable skating. His game is best suited for the defensive side of the puck, where his quick reactions help spark breakouts and keep play out of the defensive end. That style will be welcome on a Kings blue-line that has found roles for styles like Michael Anderson, Joel Edmundson, Cody Ceci, and Brian Dumoulin. With the right development, Brzustewicz could begin to test his own footing in those roles next season, with hopes of one day serving as the defensive-punch behind Brandt Clarke‘s offense.
First, Brzustewicz will look to be an X-factor addition to an Ontario Reign club that leads the AHL’s Pacific Division. The Reign haven’t generated much offense from the blue-line this season, with the defense led in scoring by Samuel Bolduc‘s 21 points in 56 games. Brzustewicz will compete with Otto Salin and Jack Millar for minutes on Ontario’s right-side.
Islanders Sign Kashawn Aitcheson To Entry-Level Deal
The New York Islanders have signed 2025 first-round pick Kashawn Aitcheson to a three-year, entry-level contract. Their top defense prospect will see his deal begin next season. His deal essentially works out to a max ELC in every area except performance bonuses with a cap hit of $1.075MM, per PuckPedia. The full breakdown is as follows:
2026-27: $922.5K NHL salary, $102.5K signing bonus, up to $500K in performance bonuses, $85K minors salary
2027-28: $967.5K NHL salary, $107.5K signing bonus, up to $500K in performance bonuses, $85K minors salary
2028-29: $1.013MM NHL salary, $112.5K signing bonus, up to $500K in performance bonuses, $85K minors salary
Aitcheson led all OHL defensemen in scoring this season with 28 goals and 70 points in only 54 games. His 1.30 points-per-game average ranks in the top-20 among OHL defenseman since 2000, though Aitcheson’s 0.52 goals-per-game average has only been topped by four players in that time frame – Brandt Clarke, Zayne Parekh, Sam Dickinson, and Nicolas Hague.
Aitcheson found a unique mix of aggression, physicality, and scoring prowess through four seasons with the Colts. After netting just three points in his first 23 games in the league, the left-defender boomed with 39 points and 126 penalty minutes in 64 games of the 2023-24 season. He balanced out those totals ahead of his draft year last season, ending the year with 26 goals and 59 points – both best on the Barrie roster. This season, while serving as Barrie’s captain, he found a mix of both, emerging above a point-per-game pace and ranked second on Barrie in penalty minutes (86).
Through his OHL career, Aitcheson set the record for the most goals (63) and points (171) scored by a Barrie defenseman. He beat out the previous marks of 40 goals and 158 points set by Clarke through three seasons. Aitcheson also scored four points in seven games of the 2026 World Junior Championship and notched three points in seven games at the 2024 World U18 Championship.
Aitcheson’s unique style was enough to earn the 17th overall selection in the 2025 NHL Draft, joining a great Islanders draft class led by Matthew Schaefer and Victor Eklund. Now, New York will get to test how Aitcheson can translate his heavy-hitting and strong-scoring to the pro flight. He will be eligible to join the NHL roster right away – but won’t be able to play in the AHL, as he won’t turn 20 until this summer. At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Aitcheson could have the frame needed to ease into NHL minutes sooner rather than later.
Sabres’ Michael Kesselring Sustains Lower-Body Injury
The Buffalo Sabres could lose a recent acquisition to another injury. Defenseman Michael Kesselring was seen in a walking boot after Saturday night’s win over the Detroit Red Wings. He tweaked his ankle on a hit midway through the second period and had to hop to the bench. He returned for one shift in the third period, but head coach Lindy Ruff told media that the injury “doesn’t look good”following the game, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Kesselring began the season on injured reserve due to an undisclosed injury that Ruff said plagued him through much of training camp. He didn’t make his Sabres debut until October 28th, and has only played in nine game since. He has managed no scoring, 10 shots on goal, and nine blocks in those appearances, while operating from a third-pair role.
Another injury will dampen the excitement around Kesselring in Buffalo. He moved to the city alongside forward Josh Doan as part of the deal that sent JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth. It seemed the Sabres were landing a true impact defender, after Kesselring posted the second-most points on Utah’s blue-line in their inaugural season. He scored 29 points to go with 89 penalty minutes, 150 shots on goal, and 87 hits in 82 games. It was a nice step up from Kesselring’s rookie year in Arizona, where he recorded 21 points, 66 penalty minutes, and 106 hits in 65 games.
The extent of Kesselring’s new injury isn’t yet clear. His return to the ice, even for one shift, could be a positive sign. Buffalo has three games ahead of them this week, and will lean on Jacob Bryson if Kesselring is forced to sit. Bryson has one point, four penalty minutes, and four blocks in eight games this season.
Islanders Return Kashawn Aitcheson To OHL Barrie
As expected, the New York Islanders are returning one of their recent first-round picks to his respective junior program. According to a team announcement, the Islanders have returned defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson to the OHL’s Barrie Colts.
The Toronto, ON native was selected with the 17th overall pick of the 2025 NHL Draft, a draft pick New York acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in the Noah Dobson trade. Aitcheson skated in 64 games for OHL Barrie last season, scoring 26 goals and 59 points, with another six goals and 12 points in 16 postseason contests. He was the 9th-ranked North American skater entering the 2025 NHL Draft by NHL Central Scouting.
Before being returned to the Colts, Aitcheson skated in both preseason games for the Islanders up to this point. In the first game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Aitcheson went scoreless in 18:09 of action, while taking a minor penalty for holding in the second period and putting four shots on net. Unfortunately, due to a collision with Flyers defenseman Noah Juulsen, Aitcheson suffered a minor lower-body injury, although it was mild enough to return to game action last night.
In yesterday’s game against the New Jersey Devils, Aitcheson had a much quieter night on the scoresheet, skating in 17:48 of the contest while registering one takeaway and one giveaway. He’ll return to a Colts team that has already begun its 2025-26 season, securing a win against the Guelph Storm on Saturday.
Given that he’s a recent first-round selection by the Islanders’ new front office regime, they’ll keep a close eye on Aitcheson throughout the season. Assuming his development continues in a positive direction, it’s more than likely Aitcheson will represent Team Canada at the 2025-26 U20 World Junior Championships.
Evening Notes: Evangelista, Canadiens Rookies, Cootes
Negotiations between winger Luke Evangelista and the Nashville Predators have begun to stall per David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, who reports that yearly salary is what’s created the wedge. Evangelista is one of the top unsigned restricted free agents after players like Connor Zary and Marco Rossi both found new deals. The 23-year-old Evangelista posted an impressive 10 goals and 32 points in 68 games last season. It was a suitable encore to the 16 goals and 39 points he posted in 80 games of the 2023-24 season.
A pair of successful scoring seasons would surely make the player’s camp confident in earning a hardy salary. Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cole Sillinger recently signed a two-year, $4.5MM contract extension, while New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer recently signed a three-year, $12MM contract. Those could be the boundaries for a short-term, bridge contract for Evangelista, who has certainly proved he can stick in Nashville’s top nine. Should contract talks continue to stall, the Predators could opt for a one-year, sub-$1MM contract and kick negotiations back to next summer.
Other notes from around the league:
- The Montreal Canadiens have assigned a group of rookies back to their respective leagues after rookie camp came to a close. In turn, Montreal assigned defensemen Carlos Handel to the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads, Andrew MacNiel to the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers, and Bryce Pickford to the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers. Goaltenders Arseny Radkov and Mikus Vecvanags will return to Russia and Latvia, respectively. The team has also returned a handful of rookie camp invites. All of the moves come as expected, though it rings as exciting news for fans of Medicine Hat and Halifax, as their top defenders return for another season.
- Top Vancouver Canucks prospect Braeden Cootes was absent from the team’s final rookie camp scrimmage on Sunday, per Thomas Drance of The Athletic. Drance later added that Cootes was held out for precautionary reasons and will still attend training camp next week. That will keep the reigning 15th overall pick on track to take his first crack at breaking into the NHL. Cootes had a strong season with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds last year. He dominated the middle of the ice with quick plays all year long, working up to 63 points and 60 games in total. Cootes seems most likely set for a return to Seattle next season, though a strong training camp could earn him the chance at sticking in the pros for nine games.
Islanders’ Daniil Prokhorov Signs In KHL
Much has been made this summer of the New York Islanders’ selections in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, but one of their picks from the second round is on the move today. According to Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News, forward prospect Daniil Prokhorov has signed a two-year, two-way deal with the KHL’s Dynamo Moskva.
Prokhorov has spent the last two years playing for MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg in the MHL, which led to his selection with the 42nd overall pick in this summer’s draft. Over that time, he scored 27 goals and 43 points in 79 games, with most of his goals coming from being an impressive net-front presence.
Due to the structure of his new deal in Russia, Prokhorov will likely spend a significant amount of time in the VHL rather than the KHL, which is the top-affiliated league in Russia. He has the goal-scoring ability to make an impact in the KHL, though his 6’6″, 218lbs frame understandably limits his mobility on the ice, and his foot speed is not up to par with the nation’s top level.
Still, he was arguably one of the best-hitting forwards available in June’s draft. His playstyle has been described as “violent” by many scouts, and he uses his entire frame to level opposing players. The Islanders hope he will be ready to play in North America after his two-year deal expires following the 2026-27 KHL season, helping to develop him into one of the most physically imposing power forwards in the league.
Predators Sign First-Round Pick Brady Martin
The Predators announced Wednesday that they’ve signed first-round pick Brady Martin. The fifth-overall pick receives his preset three-year entry-level deal, although salary and bonus terms weren’t disclosed.
A center out of the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds, Martin was the fourth forward off the board in June after defenseman Matthew Schaefer went first overall to the Islanders. The Predators were picking in the top five for the first time in over a decade, making Martin their highest-drafted player since Seth Jones went fourth in 2013. The organization hadn’t selected a forward in the top five since selecting David Legwand, their first draft pick in franchise history, second overall in 1998.
Martin is coming off his second season of high-level junior hockey and one of the draft’s biggest risers throughout 2024-25. After recording a 10-18–28 scoring line for the Greyhounds in his pre-draft season, he entered the year as a top-32 honorable mention in Scott Wheeler of The Athletic’s rankings but had risen to No. 26 on Wheeler’s board by the time November came around. He climbed up to No. 20 in February and No. 17 in March before a tear to end the season had him 10th on Wheeler’s board entering the draft.
His stock undoubtedly saw a boost on the back of Panthers center Sam Bennett‘s playoff success – a solid long-term comparable for Martin’s heavy-hitting, two-way, physical game. While the 6’0″ pivot may not have the offensive ceiling of some forwards taken after him, he did hold his own with 33 goals and 72 points in 57 games for the Greyhounds last year to finish second on the team in scoring. He finished off the year with 11 points and a tournament-high +15 rating in seven games for Canada at the under-18 World Juniors, winning a gold medal and getting named to the tournament All-Star Team.
“He’s not just a worker type with secondary skill; there’s some play-driving and individual playmaking to his game as well,” Wheeler wrote in his final report. “He’s going to have a long career as a productive up-and-down-the-lineup center in the NHL and should be an excellent and unique middle-six C at minimum.”
Martin will likely be returning to Soo for 2025-26, but should be given an opportunity to earn at least a nine-game trial in training camp to avoid burning the first season of his contract. After that, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Martin seriously throw his hat in the ring for a second or third-line center role in Nashville for the 2026-27 season. Six of the top 13 picks from the 2024 draft – Macklin Celebrini, Artyom Levshunov, Ivan Demidov, Zayne Parekh, Zeev Buium, and Jett Luchanko – made their debuts last year.
Stars’ Brandon Gorzynski Commits To Arizona State University
Brandon Gorzynski, the recent draft pick of the Dallas Stars, announced his collegiate commitment on Instagram. Starting in the 2026-27 NCAA season, Gorzynski will continue his development at Arizona State University.
Gorzynski was selected 126th overall by the Stars in the 2025 NHL Draft. Despite being drafted in the fourth round, he was Dallas’ second-highest selection in this summer’s draft, given how much draft capital they’ve traded over the past few years in their competitive window.
The native of Scottsdale, AZ, played for the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen last year and will return to the team for the 2025-26 season. As one of the youngest players on the roster, he finished sixth on the team in scoring with 17 goals and 42 points in 68 games, with a +27 rating. He also produced well in the WHL playoffs, scoring four goals and eight points in 11 postseason contests.
Despite being on a team that has only appeared in the National Tournament once (2019), Gorzynski will join one of the most competitive collegiate conferences in the sport. The Sun Devils have played in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) since the start of last season. It’s home to the two most recent Frozen Four champions, the University of Denver Pioneers and the Western Michigan University Broncos.
In their first season outside of being an independent team, Arizona State finished second in the conference with a 14-9-1-2-5 record in 24 games, finishing 10 points back of the Broncos. In the conference tournament, despite earning an opening game win against the University of Minnesota Duluth, they were dispatched in the next game by the Pioneers.
Snapshots: Robertson, Tkachuk, Draft
Despite signing a one-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs just yesterday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman spoke on his 32 Thoughts podcast about the possibility of forward Nicholas Robertson being traded and noted a link between Robertson and Pittsburgh Penguins’ GM Kyle Dubas.
This represents the second consecutive summer that the forward has been linked to Pittsburgh, and Friedman’s report comes just a day after Robertson and the Maple Leafs avoided arbitration with a one-year, $1.825MM contract.
“I’ve had a couple people ask me about the possibility of Nick Robertson in Pittsburgh. They got the arbitration settled on Saturday, but the Maple Leafs need to clear some bodies there. They have a lot of them,” he said. “I think that the Maple Leafs have work to do. I don’t know what their timeline is, but they need to do some things before puck drop.”
To Friedman’s point, the Maple Leafs currently have 14 forwards on one-way deals for next season. Robertson, 23, posted 15 goals and 23 points in a bottom-six role last season for Toronto. He added two points in three playoff games. He also averaged a career-high 12:00 per game of playing time.
Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference:
- Friedman also provided an injury update on Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk, who revealed after winning the Stanley Cup that he had been playing through a torn adductor muscle throughout the postseason. Friedman shared his belief that Tkachuk will miss a big chunk of the regular season, but sees a path for him to be ready for the Olympics next winter. “I think (the Olympics) is a huge deal for him. But I do think he’ll miss the start of the year and a chunk of time after that,” he said. Tkachuk, and his brother, Brady Tkachuk, played a huge role in the 4 Nations Face-Off and are expected to be a focal point of the U.S team at the Olympics if healthy.
- Despite fan (and possibly league) dissatisfaction with the decentralized draft format, teams voted to continue with it in 2026. And Friedman suggests that the decision was largely driven by teams’ desire to protect their internal information. While the vote was closer this year (20-12 in favor of keeping it decentralized), Friedman isn’t convinced that additional votes will soon push for a return to the traditional draft format. “I really thought, because of how (Gary) Bettman was opening ripping the GMs about this, I thought it was going to change,” he said. “It’s obvious to me that these teams that voted to keep it the way it is really value the secrecy.”
NHL Prospects Participating At World Junior Summer Showcase
The dog days of summer have finally been relieved by the start of the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase. It’s one of the top junior tournaments of the year, bringing together the top players from the USA, Canada, Sweden, and Finland for a four-game face-off. The group features two squads from both North American countries, and is often the first chance for top 18-year-olds to play after being drafted into the NHL.
That sentiment is truer than ever in this year’s tournament as it will mark the first games of the calendar year for reigning first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer. He’ll be joined by a heap of NHL talent, both present and future. Let’s break down the players currently in NHL pipelines, or on top of the 2026 draft class, participating in this year’s showcase.
2026 NHL Draft
Gavin McKenna (F, Canada); Viggo Bjorck (F, Sweden); Ivar Stenberg (F, Sweden)
Anaheim Ducks
Lucas Pettersson (F, Sweden, 2024 #35); Eric Nilson (F, Sweden, 2025 #45); Lasse Boelius (D, Finland, 2025 #60); Tarin Smith (D, Canada, 2024 #79)
Boston Bruins
James Hagens (F, USA, 2025 #7); William Moore (F, USA, 2025 #51); Will Zellers (F, USA, 2024 #76), Elliott Groenewold (D, USA, 2024 #110); Kristian Kostadinski (D, Sweden, 2023 #220)
Buffalo Sabres
Adam Kleber (D, USA, 2024 #42); Brodie Ziemer (F, USA, 2024 #71); Luke Osburn (D, USA, 2024 #108)
Carolina Hurricanes
Filip Ekberg (F, Sweden, 2025 #221); Viggo Nordlund (F, Sweden, 2025 #183)
Calgary Flames
Cole Reschny (F, Canada, 2025 #18); Cullen Potter (F, USA, 2025 #32); Henry Mews (D, Canada, 2024 #74)
Chicago Blackhawks
Sacha Boisvert (F, Canada, 2024 #18); Marek Vanacker (F, Canada, 2024 #27); A.J. Spellacy (F, USA, 2024 #72)
Columbus Blue Jackets
Cayden Lindstrom (F, Canada, 2024 #4); Charlie Elick (D, Canada, 2024 #36); Evan Gardner (G, Canada, 2024 #60); Tanner Henricks (D, USA, 2024 #101)
Dallas Stars
Emil Hemming (F, Finland, 2024 #29); Atte Joki (F, Finland, 2025 #146)
Detroit Red Wings
Eddie Genborg (F, Sweden, 2025 #44); Max Plante (F, USA, 2024 #47); John Whipple (D, USA, 2024 #144)
Edmonton Oilers
Aidan Park (F, USA, 2025 #223)
Florida Panthers
Linus Eriksson (F, Sweden, 2024 #58)
Los Angeles Kings
Henry Brzustewicz (D, USA, 2025 #31); Carter George (G, Canada, 2024 #57); Kristian Epperson (F, USA, 2025 #88); Caeden Herrington (D, USA, 2025 #120)
Montreal Canadiens
Michael Hage (F, Canada, 2024 #21); Aatos Koivu (F, Finland, 2024 #70); Owen Protz (D, Canada, 2024 #102); L.J. Mooney (F, USA, 2025 #113)
Minnesota Wild
Ryder Ritchie (F, Canada, 2024 #45); Aron Kiviharju (D, Finland, 2024 #122); Sebastian Soini (D, Finland, 2024 #140)
Nashville Predators
Brady Martin (F, Canada, 2025 #5); Cameron Reid (D, Canada, 2025 #21); Ryker Lee (F, USA, 2025 #26); Jacob Rombach (D, USA, 2025 #35); Teddy Stiga (F, USA, 2024 #55); Jack Ivankovic (G, Canada, 2025 #58); Viggo Gustafsson (D, Sweden, 2024 #77)
New Jersey Devils
Benjamin Kevan (F, USA, 2025 #63); Kasper Pikkarainen (F, Finland, 2024 #85); Mason Moe (F, USA, 2025 #90); Daniel Nieminen (D, Finland, 2025 #163)
New York Islanders
Matthew Schaefer (D, Canada, 2025 #1); Kashawn Aitcheson (D, Canada, 2025 #17); Cole Eiserman (F, USA, 2024 #20); Kamil Bednarik (F, USA, 2024 #61); Jacob Kvasnicka (F, USA, 2025 #202)
New York Rangers
E.J. Emery (D, USA, 2024 #30); Malcolm Spence (F, Canada, 2025 #43)
Ottawa Senators
Logan Hensler (D, USA, 2025 #23); Gabriel Eliasson (D, Sweden, 2024 #39)
Philadelphia Flyers
Porter Martone (F, Canada, 2025 #6); Jack Murtagh (F, USA, 2025 #40); Shane Vansaghi (F, USA, 2025 #48); Jack Berglund (F, Sweden, 2024 #51); Spencer Gill (D, Canada, 2024 #59); Heikki Ruohonen (F, Finland, 2024 #107); Max Westergård (F, Finland, 2025 #132)
Pittsburgh Penguins
Benjamin Kindel (F, Canada, 2025 #11); Melvin Fernstrom (F, Sweden, 2024 #93); William Horcoff (F, USA, 2025 #24); Harrison Brunicke (D, Canada, 2024 #44); Mac Swanson (F, USA, 2024 #207)
San Jose Sharks
Michael Misa (F, Canada, 2025 #2); Sam Dickinson (D, Canada, 2024 #11); Joshua Ravensbergen (G, Canada, 2025 #30); Leo Sahlin Wallenius (D, Sweden, 2024 #53); Cole McKinney (F, USA, 2025 #53); Carson Wetsch (F, Canada, 2024 #82)
Seattle Kraken
Berkly Catton (F, Canada, 2024 #8); Jake O’Brien (F, Canada, 2025 #8); Blake Fiddler (D, USA, 2025 #36); Kim Saarinen (G, Finland, 2024 #88); Ollie Josephson (F, Canada, 2024 #105)
St. Louis Blues
Justin Carbonneau (F, Canada, 2025 #19); Love Härenstam (G, Sweden, 2025 #179)
Tampa Bay Lightning
Joona Saarelainen (F, Finland, 2024 #149); Caleb Heil (G, USA, 2025 #193)
Toronto Maple Leafs
Ben Danford (D, Canada, 2024 #31); Victor Johansson (D, Sweden, 2024 #120)
Utah Mammoth
Cole Beaudoin (F, Canada, 2024 #24); Will Skahan (D, USA, 2024 #65)
Vancouver Canucks
Braeden Cootes (F, Canada, 2025 #15); Wilson Björck (F, Sweden, 2025 #143)
Vegas Golden Knights
Trevor Connelly (F, USA, 2024 #19)
Washington Capitals
Cole Hutson (D, USA, 2024 #43); Nick Kempf (G, USA, 2024 #114)
Winnipeg Jets
Sascha Boumedienne (D, Sweden, 2025 #28); Alfons Freij (D, Sweden, 2024 #37)