Jack Nesbitt Commits To University Of Michigan
Philadelphia Flyers first-round pick Jack Nesbitt announced on social media today that he has committed to play NCAA hockey at the University of Michigan.
Nesbitt, 19, has played the last three seasons for the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL. Today’s announcement confirms his OHL career has now concluded. A 6’4″ center, Nesbitt has been a quality top-six center for the Spitfires in each of the last two seasons. In his draft campaign, he scored 25 goals and 64 points in 65 regular-season games, and 10 points in 12 playoff games.
This past year, Nesbitt kept up those levels of production – though he didn’t take a major step forward statistically. He finished 2025-26 with 25 goals and 58 points in 55 regular-season games, and 10 points in 13 playoff games. Nesbitt’s Spitfires made a run to the OHL’s conference finals, where they were dispatched in five games by the Kitchener Rangers, the eventual champions.
As a prospect, Nesbitt is generally well-regarded, though some have questioned his eventual NHL upside. Entering the season, the team at Elite Prospects ranked Nesbitt the No. 8 prospect in the Flyers’ system, and he did not feature in their ranking of the top-100 prospects league-wide. In ranking him No. 8 in Philadelphia’s system, Cam Robinson wrote Nesbitt “projects as a reliable two-way forward who can play tough minutes and chip in offensively.”
Scott Wheeler of The Athletic rated Nesbitt the No. 4 prospect in Philadelphia’s system last month, and the No. 80 prospect leaguewide. Wheeler noted scouts have “questions about [Nesbitt’s] ultimate offense and whether he projects as more of a third-line player than a top-six one.”
Nesbitt will get the chance to try to answer those questions at Michigan. He’ll join a team filled to the brim with quality NHL prospects, including first-round pick forwards Michael Hage and Will Horcoff, as well as potential 2026 first-rounders in Adam Valentini and J.P. Hurlbert. Given how much talent Michigan expects to have next season, it will be interesting to see whether Nesbitt lands in the top-six as a freshman with the Wolverines, or if he is utilized in more of a supporting role.
Snapshots: Foligno, Legault, KHL
Minnesota Wild winger Marcus Foligno told The Athletic’s Joe Smith that it would be a “no-brainer” for his brother Nick Foligno to accept a contract extension with the Wild, assuming he is offered one. Foligno said his brother “showed he’s a great role piece for this team” and “likes the makeup of the team” moving forward. With that said, the elder Foligno brother, Nick, said he needs to discuss all of the possibilities for his playing future with his family, and that he will need to be “100 percent committed” if he’s to continue his career with the Wild.
Foligno, 38, was a solid contributor in Minnesota after they acquired him in a mid-season trade with the Chicago Blackhawks. Though he didn’t produce much offense (just four points in 17 regular-season games) he did hold his own on the penalty kill and as a physical presence in the bottom-six. Smith also noted that Foligno, a former captain for two NHL teams, became a “respected voice in the room” for the Wild. If he’s to return in Minnesota, Foligno would likely need to take a steep pay cut from the $4.5MM he earned on his last deal. When Foligno signed that contract, he was in the midst of a season that he finished with 17 goals and 37 points in 74 games. It’s unlikely Foligno will reach that level of scoring again, but he still has something to offer NHL teams, and his brother hopes he’ll do so in Minnesota.
Other notes from around the hockey world:
- The AHL announced today that Chicago Wolves defenseman Charles-Alexis Legault has been suspended one playoff game “as a consequence of a boarding incident” in his team’s playoff game against the Grand Rapids Griffins on May 19. A video of the play in question can be found here. Legault appeared to drive Griffins forward Amadeus Lombardi into the boards, after Lombardi had already tripped and was sliding on the ice. Grand Rapids ended up winning the game in overtime thanks to a goal from first-round pick Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, but the Wolves retain a 2-1 series advantage. They can end Grand Rapids’ season tonight in game four, but will have to do so without Legault.
- Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL won their second consecutive Gagarin Cup title earlier today, defeating Ak Bars Kazan in six games. Lokomotiv’s roster is full of players who are either NHL prospects or who were formerly members of NHL organizations. Their leading scorer, Alexander Radulov, was a lethal scoring winger for the Dallas Stars from 2017 to 2022. Winger Richard Pánik is a former NHL 20-goal scorer. The team also has a few NHL prospects, including 2020 Edmonton Oilers draft pick Maxim Berezkin, and Nashville Predators 2024 first-rounder Yegor Surin. Per Alex Daugherty of The Tennessean, Predators Assistant GM and Director of Scouting Jeff Kealty said Surin “would be an NHL player” right now if not for his contract with Lokomotiv, which runs through 2026-27.
West Notes: Kuzmenko, Stone, Makar
The Los Angeles Kings’ mid-season trade addition of star winger Artemi Panarin could spell the end of pending UFA Andrei Kuzmenko‘s time in the organization, writes Eric Stephens of The Athletic. Per Stephens, Kuzmenko is “likely not needed” now that the Kings have committed to Panarin. Panarin, 34, scored 27 points in 26 regular-season games after his trade to Los Angeles, and signed a two-year, $11MM AAV contract extension to remain a King through 2027-28.
Kuzmenko, 30, is a pending free agent, and the fact that Panarin has signed an extension could mean Kuzmenko will have to look elsewhere to continue his NHL career. Kuzmenko underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in February but returned in time for the playoffs. He had a stellar run after being acquired by the Kings in a mid-season trade in 2024-25, scoring 17 points in 22 regular-season games and six points in six playoff contests. But he wasn’t able to keep up that momentum in 2025-26, as he managed just 25 points in 52 games. Now, he’s reportedly more likely than not to need to continue his NHL career with another franchise.
Other notes from the Western Conference:
- Vegas Golden Knights forward Mark Stone did not skate in today’s optional practice at Ball Arena in Colorado, reports SinBin Vegas. Stone had skated prior to Vegas’ game one victory over the Avalanche, which was his first time skating with the team since he suffered a lower-body injury in the second round against the Anaheim Ducks. Head coach John Tortorella did not provide an update on Stone’s status, and it is unclear what his timeline to return to the Golden Knights’ lineup is. The 34-year-old is one of Vegas’ best all-around players, and had 28 goals and 73 points in 60 games during the regular season.
- Head coach Jared Bednar did not provide an update on the status of injured star defenseman Cale Makar today, indicating that his status remains questionable for game two of the Western Conference Final. Makar missed game one and his replacement in the lineup, Jack Ahcan, played just 7:34 time on ice. Colorado’s next option to replace Makar in the lineup beyond Ahcan is Nick Blankenburg, who the team acquired from the Nashville Predators shortly before the trade deadline. Blankenburg is a right-shot defenseman who scored 24 points in 61 games this season.
East Notes: Crosby, Leach, Sabres
Although Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby will turn 39 before the start of next season, he isn’t seriously considering ending what has been a legendary career in the NHL. Crosby spoke to The Athletic’s Josh Yohe about his future, and said “I definitely want to keep playing for as many years as possible.” He also added that any previous comments about wanting to take a “year-to-year” approach was more about giving the Penguins as much financial flexibility as possible, rather than an indication that he is weighing hanging up his skates.
That Crosby isn’t giving any serious thought to retirement shouldn’t come as any surprise. First and foremost, Crosby is one of the game’s all-time great competitors. He hasn’t won a playoff series since 2017-18, and it’s likely he’ll want to see the Penguins through their current retool as far as he can. But the more important factor to Crosby’s longevity isn’t his competitive drive, it’s the simple fact that he remains an extremely effective NHL center. Crosby scored 29 goals and 74 points in 68 games in 2025-26. Although the Penguins stumbled in the first round of the playoffs, Crosby is still a star first-line center. Before injuries limited him this past season, Crosby had three consecutive campaigns where he scored more than 90 points. It seems he’s eager to continue leading the Penguins into their increasingly promising future, and for as long as he wants to continue playing, he’ll have a place at the top of the Penguins lineup.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- The Boston Bruins will not retain assistant coach Jay Leach for next season, reports David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. Leach, whose contract is set to expire this summer, has been an assistant behind the bench in Boston for the last two years. First-year head coach Marco Sturm inherited Leach from the staff of former bench boss Jim Montgomery. Per Conor Ryan of the Boston Globe, Leach “primarily worked with Boston’s defensemen” during his time with the team. Before he became an assistant in Boston, Leach spent three seasons with the Seattle Kraken on the staff of former head coach Dave Hakstol. Leach had some previous experience in the Bruins organization as well, serving as head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, for four seasons.
- Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen told the media, including Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic, that he informed skaters Bowen Byram and Zach Benson of the organization’s desire to sign them both to long-term contract extensions. Benson, 21, enjoyed a breakout third season in the NHL, scoring 18 goals and 52 points across 78 combined regular-season and playoff contests. The twin pillars of Benson’s game – his dynamic offensive skill and his aggressive, pest-like qualities – have endeared him to Sabres fans and team management alike. Kekäläinen called Benson, who is a pending RFA, a “core piece.” Byram, who turns 25 early next month, isn’t a pending RFA but becomes extension-eligible July 1. His $6.25MM AAV contract walks him directly to unrestricted free agency in a little over a year, but Buffalo is hoping he won’t reach that point. Byram scored 11 goals and 43 points this past season, and added seven points in 13 playoff games.
Transaction Notes: Paquette, Gaudreau, Mayer
The Texas Stars, AHL affiliates of the Dallas Stars, announced the signing of forward Charlie Paquette to a one-year AHL contract. As is customary with AHL deals, the financial terms of the contract were not disclosed. Paquette, 20, was a seventh-round pick by the team at last year’s entry draft. The Stars hold the exclusive rights to sign Paquette to an entry-level contract until June 1, 2027, but they have decided to give Paquette a place in their organization – albeit without an ELC – before that point.
The contract will allow Paquette to turn pro with AHL Texas next season. Paquette is a 6’2″ winger who has played in the OHL since 2021-22. Paquette experienced steady, positive development over the course of his time in junior hockey. He scored just seven points in 54 games as a rookie, but two years later managed 21 goals and 35 points. He became a point-per-game scorer in his final two years of OHL action, potting 66 goals and 133 points in his final 133 games of junior hockey. While he is not considered to be among Dallas’ top prospects, he’ll get the chance to try to make the Stars’ AHL team next fall, and will either begin his career there or with the franchise’s ECHL affiliate, the Idaho Steelheads.
Other transactions from around the hockey world:
- Minor-league goaltender Benjamin Gaudreau, 23, announced on social media earlier this week that he has committed to play college hockey next season at Clarkson University. While Gaudreau would have been ineligible to play college hockey in previous years due to his experience in professional hockey, more recent developments in the area of collegiate eligibility have paved the way for players with ECHL and even AHL games played to head to, or back to, the college ranks. Gaudreau is a 2021 third-round pick of the San Jose Sharks but the team let his rights lapse without giving him an entry-level deal. Gaudreau is perhaps best known for the place he occupied on Team Canada for the World Junior Championships in 2022-23. He had a shutout over Austria in the tournament and helped Canada win gold. Gaudreau spent last season with the Trois-Rivières Lions of the ECHL, posting an .897 save percentage in 29 games. In total, he has played in 72 games in the ECHL and five games in the AHL.
- Defenseman Connor Mayer has decided to head overseas to continue his professional career after spending the last two seasons in the AHL and ECHL. The former Colorado College blueliner signed a deal with HC Innsbruck of the ICEHL. Mayer will head to Austria after a 2024-25 season that saw him lose his spot in the AHL. Mayer signed out of college late in the 2023-24 season and spent most of 2024-25 in the AHL, getting into 22 games for the AHL’s Colorado Eagles compared to just four games in the ECHL with the Utah Grizzlies. Mayer then signed with the Hershey Bears but he only ended up playing in one game for the club. He spent most of 2025-26, 55 total games, with the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays. Now the 5’11” rearguard will head to Austria to join an Innsbruck franchise that has struggled mightily over the last two years – winning just 20 of their last 96 league contests.
Metro Notes: Bennett, Fedotov, Hammers
Ray Bennett‘s time seeking a new coaching role didn’t take long. Moments after the New York Islanders announced that they had mutually parted ways with Bennett, the Washington Capitals announced they have hired him for the 2026-27 season.
Bennett was presumably hired to replace Kirk Muller, who departed the organization in late April. The 64-year-old coach has served as an assistant coach in the NHL for over 25 years, primarily focusing on power-play strategies with the Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, and Islanders.
The Capitals’ work with a man advantage could certainly use a fresh perspective. Washington had a solid power play during the 2024-25 campaign, finishing 13th in the league with a 23.53% success rate. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the same prosperity this season, falling to 25th in the league with a 17.84% rate.
Additional notes from the Metropolitan Division:
- Despite being one win away from an Eastern Conference Final berth, the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters have lost some of their goaltending depth, likely for the remainder of the postseason. According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, netminder Ivan Fedotov has returned overseas to deal with an undisclosed injury. Since he is an unrestricted free agent this summer and left the team during their pursuit of the Calder Cup, it seems likely that Fedotov does not intend to continue his professional career in North America. He may have already begun exploring opportunities overseas.
- The Islanders announced the name and logo of their new AHL affiliate in Hamilton, following the team’s move from Bridgeport, CT. The new AHL franchise will be named the Hamilton Hammers, reflecting the historical significance of the steel industry in the Ontario city.
Ducks Issue Multiple Injury Updates
As is typically the case, once teams are eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs, many player injuries get revealed. That is the case for the Anaheim Ducks, who shared updates regarding six players according to a team announcement.
The highest-profile injury is that of forward Troy Terry, who has been dealing with chronic hip impingement and will undergo surgery at an undetermined date. Although he’s remained relatively healthy since the 2020-21 campaign, Terry missed 21 games for the Ducks this season, though it was defined as an upper-body injury at the time.
Regardless, despite the injury requiring surgery, it didn’t seem to impact Terry in the postseason. Anaheim regularly relied on Terry, who played the right wing of the Ducks’ first forward unit, and he finished with three goals and 11 points in 12 games. It wasn’t enough to get the team to the Western Conference Final, nor was it enough to lead the team in scoring, but Terry had a solid playoff debut based on the circumstances.
Additionally, the team confirmed Cutter Gauthier‘s vetebrae fracture from earlier in the season. The Ducks didn’t confirm when the injury took place, though its believed to have stemmed from Anaheim’s overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 30th. Impressively, even while dealing with that, Gauthier registered seven goals and 16 points in 15 games since, including the postseason.
Meanwhile, Anaheim shared that center Ryan Poehling was dealing with a concussion after being hit by Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb in Game 5 of Round Two, resulting in a one-game suspension for the latter. Additionally, the team revealed that Pavel Mintyukov was dealing with an MCL sprain, Radko Gudas an ankle sprain, and Drew Helleson a groin strain. Aside from Terry, all the other injured members have all been cleared from their injuries.
Latest On New Jersey Devils, Simon Nemec
Earlier this morning, a report from Simon Chop and Stefan Bufan of Denník, a Slovakian outlet, indicated that defenseman Simon Nemec has requested a trade from the New Jersey Devils. Nemec has been involved in trade rumors for the past year or so, and the article indicated that the new General Manager, Sunny Mehta, hadn’t yet contacted Nemec or his representation about a new contract.
However, in a subsequent article, James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now shared that sources indicate Mehta has already contacted Nemec about a new contract, indicating that part of the original report is unfounded. Additionally, a similar situation occurred with Nemec last offseason. The former second-overall pick clarified that it stemmed from a bad translation, and he had no intention of leaving the Devils.
Furthermore, a trade request would be a stark contrast from the tone Nemec set at his end-of-season availability only a few weeks ago. Prompted about his upcoming restricted free agency, Nemec responded with, “I’d love to sign here.” Unless there was a dramatic turn, which technically could have happened since New Jersey hired Mehta, Nemec appears committed to the Devils moving forward.
Nonetheless, this does not mean Nemec will not be traded this summer, nor does Mehta contacting him indicate that the new regime won’t explore the possibility. It’s no secret that New Jersey is seeking a top-six forward, particularly on the right wing, and Nemec is the best trade chip they have in their arsenal.
Afforded more ice time due to the long-term injury to Luke Hughes, Nemec had a solid season, scoring 11 goals and 26 points in 68 games, averaging 19:40 of ice time per game. His possession metrics improved considerably, but that could be attributed to playing on one of the strongest possession teams in the league. New Jersey finished with a team CorsiFor of 52.0% this past season, the 10th-best in the league.
Although it’s unlikely that Nemec will ever challenge for the scoring lead among defensemen, right-handed top-four defensemen are always in high demand throughout the league. If they do make him widely available, the Devils should have no shortage of suitors.
Still, they are in a solid bargaining position, and New Jersey would do well to remember that. Even though he’ll be more difficult to move, the Devils could trade Dougie Hamilton and his $9MM salary, and pivot to targeting Alex Tuch or Anthony Mantha to alleviate their need in the top-six. Unless they can acquire a top-tier talent like Matthew Knies from the Toronto Maple Leafs or Drake Batherson from the Ottawa Senators, it might be wiser for New Jersey to keep Nemec and explore other options to enhance their top six.
Photo courtesy of Ed Mulholland of Imagn Images.
Morning Notes: Davidge, Vatrano, Bennett
Yesterday, the Columbus Blue Jackets somberly announced that former scout, radio, and TV analyst Bill Davidge passed away at the age of 72. Davidge last worked for the Blue Jackets in the 2018-19 season.
Although born in Dunnville, Ontario, Davidge had significant connections to Ohio. In the mid-1970s, Davidge spent his collegiate days at The Ohio State University, scoring 45 goals and 101 points in 114 games, while serving as the team’s captain during the 1976-77 campaign. Additionally, after his playing days ended, Davidge spent many years as an assistant coach for Miami University of Ohio before becoming the team’s head coach from 1985 to 1989.
In their announcement of his passing, the Blue Jackets said, “Our organization has never known a greater advocate or ambassador for our team and sport than Bill. If the Blue Jackets were somewhere in the community, there was a good chance Bill was there. And he was making an impact. There were no strangers in his world, only friends.”
Additional morning notes:
- Despite having nearly $41MM in cap space heading into the summer, the Anaheim Ducks may come relatively close to the upper limit of the salary cap after inking new contracts with Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, Pavel Mintyukov, and Olen Zellweger, among others. Should they need additional breathing room, Patrick Present of The Hockey News opined that the team could look to move Frank Vatrano, who is making just north of $4.5MM through the 2027-28 campaign. Vatrano, 32, is an obvious trade candidate after a year in which he only totalled nine points, but that could equally make him more difficult to move.
- According to a team announcement, the New York Islanders have parted ways with assistant coach Ray Bennett. Bennett, 64, has a lengthy history as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, and Islanders. As assistant coach, Bennett was tasked with leading New York’s power play, one that finished 30th in the league with a 16.53% success rate.
Victor Soderstrom Signs With EHC Biel-Bienne
May 21st: According to a team announcement, Soderstrom has officially signed a two-year deal with the NL’s EHC Biel-Bienne. It is expected that the deal will include an NHL opt-out clause. However, it is unlikely that Soderstrom will return to North America, as this marks the second time in three years that he has sought a different opportunity overseas.
April 18th: When the Bruins acquired and signed Victor Soderstrom, the defenseman was hoping that he would get that elusive extended NHL opportunity. However, that hasn’t been the case as he has once again spent most of the season in the minors. As a result, he’s eyeing a return overseas as Expressen’s Johan Svensson and Mattias Persson report that the blueliner is expected to sign with EHC Biel-Bienne in Switzerland for next season.
The 25-year-old was a first-round pick by Arizona back in 2019 but after seeing limited opportunities with the Coyotes, he opted to head overseas at the end of his entry-level contract, returning to SHL Brynas. Arizona retained his NHL rights and ultimately flipped them to Chicago at the 2025 trade deadline with Boston acquiring those rights three months later and signing him to a two-way deal.
But Soderstrom went through waivers unclaimed in training camp and outside an eight-game stint in Boston in December (where he had an assist and averaged 13:41 per game), he has played exclusively with AHL Providence. Soderstrom has done well in the minors, tallying nine goals and 21 assists in 57 games and should be set for a long playoff run with Providence guaranteed to finish the season with the AHL’s top record, earning them the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy.
Soderstrom is set to become a Group Six unrestricted free agent this summer and could have entertained offers to see if a better opportunity was out there. But with how this year has gone, he’d likely be viewed as a recallable depth player elsewhere as well so instead of repeating this season, it appears he’ll try his hand in the Swiss league next season.