Training Camp Cuts: 9/28/25
The countdown to the NHL season has reached single-digits. Teams will kickoff in just nine days, with the preseason set to last just six more days. That will put the pressure on every team to begin finalize their opening night roster – and quickly expand the list of exciting names on the waiver wire. Each team’s current roster can be found at our Training Camp Roster Tracker. Here is the list of today’s cuts:
Anaheim Ducks (per team announcement)
F Justin Bailey (to AHL San Diego)
D Jeremie Biakabutuka (to AHL San Diego)
D Nikolas Brouillard (to AHL San Diego)
G Vyacheslav Buteyets (to AHL San Diego)
F Judd Caulfield (to AHL San Diego)
G Calle Clang (to AHL San Diego)
F Nathan Gaucher (to AHL San Diego)
F Nico Myatovic (to AHL San Diego)
F Sasha Pastujov (to AHL San Diego)
F Matthew Phillips (to AHL San Diego)
F Yegor Sidorov (to AHL San Diego)
D Konnor Smith (to AHL San Diego)
G Tomas Suchanek (to AHL San Diego)
D Noah Warren (to AHL San Diego)
F Jaxsen Wiebe (to AHL San Diego)
C Jan Mysak (placed on waivers with intent to reassign to AHL San Diego)
Boston Bruins (per team announcement)
F Joey Abate (to AHL Providence)
G Luke Cavallin (to AHL Providence)
F Ty Cheveldayoff (to AHL Providence)
D Jackson Edward (to AHL Providence)
D Colin Felix (to AHL Providence)
D Ty Gallagher (to AHL Providence)
D Loke Johansson (to AHL Providence)
F Jake Schmaltz (to AHL Providence)
D Max Wanner (to AHL Providence)
G Simon Zajicek (to AHL Providence)
Carolina Hurricanes (per team announcement)
G Amir Miftakhov (to AHL Chicago)
G Ruslan Khazheyev (to AHL Chicago)
Chicago Blackhawks (per team announcement)
G Stanislav Berezhnoy (to AHL Rockford)
F Jackson Cates (released from PTO to AHL Rockford)
F Gavin Hayes (to AHL Rockford)
F Martin Misiak (to AHL Rockford)
Colorado Avalanche (per team announcement)
D Ronnie Attard (placed on waivers with the intent to reassign to AHL Colorado)
F Chase Bradley (to AHL Colorado)
D Alex Gagne (to AHL Colorado)
F Cooper Gay (to AHL Colorado)
G Kyle Keyser (to AHL Colorado)
Columbus Blue Jackets (per team announcement)
F Luca Del Bel Belluz (to AHL Cleveland)
F James Malatesta (to AHL Cleveland)
F Max McCue (to AHL Cleveland)
F Luca Pinelli (to AHL Cleveland)
D Corson Ceulemans (to AHL Cleveland)
D Stanislav Svozil (to AHL Cleveland)
G Nolan Lalonde (to AHL Cleveland)
F Hudson Fasching (placed on waivers with the intent to reassign to AHL Cleveland)
F Brendan Gaunce (placed on waivers with the intent to reassign to AHL Cleveland)
F Mikael Pyyhtia (placed on waivers with the intent to reassign to AHL Cleveland)
F Oiva Keskinen (to Tappara, Liiga)
D Brendan Smith (released from PTO)
Dallas Stars (per team announcement)
F Francesco Arcuri (to AHL Texas)
D Tristan Bertucci (to AHL Texas)
F Justin Ertel (to AHL Texas)
F Emil Hemming (to AHL Texas)
G Ben Kraws (to AHL Texas)
D Christian Kyrou (to AHL Texas)
F Ayrton Martino (to AHL Texas)
F Angus MacDonnell (to AHL Texas)
D Connor Punnett (to AHL Texas)
F Harrison Scott (to AHL Texas)
F Matthew Seminoff (to AHL Texas)
D Trey Taylor (to AHL Texas)
G Arno Tiefensee (to AHL Texas)
D Gavin White (to AHL Texas)
D Tommy Bergsland (released from ATO to AHL Texas)
F Sean Chisholm (released from ATO to AHL Texas)
D Aidan Hreschuk (released from ATO to AHL Texas)
F Artem Shlaine (released from ATO to AHL Texas)
F Jack Becker (released from PTO to AHL Texas)
G Antoine Bibeau (released from PTO to AHL Texas)
F Cross Hanas (released from PTO to AHL Texas)
D Michael Karow (released from PTO to AHL Texas)
D Kyle Looft (released from PTO to AHL Texas)
F Curtis MacKenzie (released from PTO to AHL Texas)
F Kaleb Pearson (released from PTO to AHL Texas)
Los Angeles Kings (per team announcement)
F Jacob Doty (to AHL Ontario)
F Jack Hughes (to AHL Ontario)
F Kenta Isogai (to AHL Ontario)
Minnesota Wild (per team announcement)
F Bradley Marek (to AHL Iowa)
F Riley Heidt (to AHL Iowa)
D Kyle Masters (to AHL Iowa)
D Jack Peart (to AHL Iowa)
F Elliot Desnoyers (to AHL Iowa)
F Jean-Luc Foudy (to AHL Iowa)
F Mark Liwiski (to AHL Iowa)
F Ryan Sandelin (to AHL Iowa)
D Mike Koster (to AHL Iowa)
D Will Zmolek (to AHL Iowa)
Montreal Canadiens (per team announcement)
F Vincent Arseneau (to AHL Laval)
F Alex Belzile (placed on waivers with the intent to reassign to AHL Laval)
D Nathan Clurman (placed on waivers with the intent to reassign to AHL Laval)
F Lucas Condotta (placed on waivers with the intent to reassign to AHL Laval)
F Laurent Dauphin (to AHL Laval)
F Jared Davidson (to AHL Laval)
D Marc Del Gaizo (placed on waivers with the intent to reassign to AHL Laval)
F Will Dineen (to AHL Laval)
F Joe Dunlap (to AHL Laval)
F Mark Estapa (to AHL Laval)
F Sean Farrell (placed on waivers with the intent to reassign to AHL Laval)
G Jacob Fowler (to AHL Laval)
G Benjamin Gaudreau (to AHL Laval)
F Egor Guriunov (to AHL Laval)
D Joshua Jacobs (to AHL Laval)
G Hunter Jones (to AHL Laval)
F Riley Kidney (to AHL Laval)
D Darick Louis-Jean (to AHL Laval)
G Kevin Mandolese (to AHL Laval)
D Charles Martin (to AHL Laval)
F Filip Mesar (to AHL Laval)
F Israel Mianscum (to AHL Laval)
D Ryan O’Rourke (to AHL Laval)
D Tobie Paquette-Bisson (to AHL Laval)
F Vinzenz Rohrer (to Zurich, NL)
F Joshua Roy (to AHL Laval)
F Xavier Simoneau (to AHL Laval)
F Tyler Thorpe (to AHL Laval)
F Luke Tuch (to AHL Laval)
D Wyatte Wylie (to AHL Laval)
San Jose Sharks (per team announcement)
F Carson Wetsch (to WHL Kelowna)
D Haoxi (Simon) Wang (to OHL Oshawa)
St. Louis Blues (per team announcement)
F Nikita Alexandrov (to AHL Springfield)
F Samuel Bitten (to AHL Springfield)
F Hugh McGing (to AHL Springfield)
F Matthew Peca (to AHL Springfield)
F Juraj Pekarcik (to AHL Springfield)
F Dylan Peterson (to AHL Springfield)
F Simon Robertsson (to AHL Springfield)
F Sam Stange (to AHL Springfield)
F Jakub Stancl (to AHL Springfield)
F Nikita Susev (to AHL Springfield)
F Chris Wagner (to AHL Springfield)
D Michael Buchinger (to AHL Springfield)
D Quinton Burns (to AHL Springfield)
D Marc-Andre Gaudet (to AHL Springfield)
D Samuel Johannesson (to AHL Springfield)
D Anthony Kehrer (to AHL Springfield)
G Will Cranley (to AHL Springfield)
G Vadim Zherenko (to AHL Springfield)
F Justin Carbonneau (to QMJHL Blainville)
D Adam Jiricek (to OHL Brantford)
Tampa Bay Lightning (per team announcement)
F Tristan Allard (to AHL Syracuse)
F Cooper Flinton (to AHL Syracuse)
F Brendan Furry (to AHL Syracuse)
F Ethan Gauthier (to AHL Syracuse)
F Niko Huuhtanen (to AHL Syracuse)
F Spencer Kersten (to AHL Syracuse)
F Connor Kurth (to AHL Syracuse)
F Lucas Mercuri (to AHL Syracuse)
F Reece Newkirk (to AHL Syracuse)
F Milo Roelens (to AHL Syracuse)
F Gabriel Szturc (to AHL Syracuse)
D Charle-Edouard D’Astous (to AHL Syracuse)
D Dyllan Gill (to AHL Syracuse)
D Maxim Groshev (to AHL Syracuse)
D Chris Harpur (to AHL Syracuse)
D Tommy Miller (to AHL Syracuse)
D Matteo Petroniro (to AHL Syracuse)
G Harrison Meneghin (to AHL Syracuse)
G Ryan Fanti (placed on waivers with the intent to reassign to AHL Syracuse)
F Scott Sabourin (placed on waivers with the intent to reassign to AHL Syracuse)
D Steven Santini (placed on waivers with the intent to reassign to AHL Syracuse)
D Simon Lundmark (placed on waivers with the intent to reassign to AHL Syracuse)
Toronto Maple Leafs (per team announcement)
F Miroslav Holinka (to WHL Edmonton)
Winnipeg Jets (per announcement from AHL Manitoba)
D Dylan Anhorn (released from PTO to AHL Manitoba)
F Jacob Julien (to AHL Manitoba)
G Isaac Poulter (to AHL Manitoba)
F Fabian Wagner (to AHL Manitoba)
Morning Notes: Noesen, Koppanen, Malott, Quenneville
The New Jersey Devils will have to wait a little while longer to see winger Stefan Noesen in action. Head coach Sheldon Keefe relayed that Noesen is continuing to progress in his return from a groin injury, but will need the entire preseason before he’s back to full health, to James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now. Noesen first sustained the injury last season, then re-aggravated it over the summer. That forced the 32-year-old to receive surgery, which he appears to still be recovering from.
The Devils will be adding a high-impact player back to the fold when Noesen returns to full health. He scored a career-high 22 goals and 41 points in 78 games last season, while rotating between New Jersey’s second and third lines. He was an important glue piece all year long, though played through this groin injury for much of the year. He’s paying for that with a delayed start to the season this year. In the meantime, New Jersey has elevated Dawson Mercer to Noesen’s vacant role next to Timo Meier and Nico Hischier at training camp.
Other notes from around the league:
- Pittsburgh Penguins depth forward Joona Koppanen will be out of action for the short-term. He has been designated as out day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, per Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports. Koopanen played more NHL games last season than in any prior year – appearing in 11 games and scoring one goal with the Penguins. The rest of his year was spent in a hardy role with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, where he scored 23 points in 56 games. He doesn’t appear to be headed for an NHL role out of camp, but will be looking to vindicate his spot on the call-up sheet when he comes back from injury.
- Little-known names break into the Los Angeles Kings roster seemingly every year. This season, it could be forward Jeff Malott who earns the honor this season, per Austin Stanovich of Mayor’s Manor. Malott was a core piece of the AHL’s Ontario Reign last season. He finished the year third on the team in scoring, with 51 points in 61 games. He also led the team with 80 penalty minutes. That mix of high-motor offense, and imposing physicality, could be a sneaky addition to a Kings lineup that elevated the feisty Alex Laferriere to a 42-point season last year.
- Former New Jersey Devils centerman John Quenneville has opted to pursue a coaching season this year. He has joined the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL)’s Binghamton Black Bears, per a team release. Quenneville spent the last four seasons on tours around European pro leagues. He spent two seasons in the Switzerland National League, one season in Sweden’s SHL, and one season in Finland’s Liiga. He averaged about 0.5 points-per-game in every league. Should this turn to coaching mark the end of his career, Quenneville will move on from playing with five points in 42 NHL games and 158 points in 215 AHL games.
Afternoon Notes: LaFontaine, Luukkonen, Predators
The New York Islanders have announced that prolific centerman Pat LaFontaine will be inducted into the team’s Hall-of-Fame. LaFontaine spent eight years with the Islanders beginning in 1983, when New York drafted him third overall. He also spent seven years with New York state’s other NHL clubs – six years with the Buffalo Sabres, and one year with the New York Rangers. LaFontaine ended his career with 1,013 points in 865 games – enough to earn an induction into the NHL Hall Of Fame in 2003, alongside Grant Fuhr.
The Islanders managed to land the 1983 third overall selection in the midst of four consecutive Stanley Cup wins, after trading Dave Cameron and Bob Lorimer to the Colorado Rockies in 1981. The move proved to be franchise-defining, awarding them a young superstar in LaFontaine to help replace aging vets like Butch Goring. LaFontaine did just that, contributing 25 points in his first 31 NHL games to help push New York to a Stanley Cup Final loss in 1984 – and then taking reigns for the organization when Mike Bossy retired in 1987. LaFontaine’s 105 points in 1989-90 made him just one of four Islanders to break the century mark. He left Long Island with 566 points in 530 games – good for ninth in all-time scoring for the franchise.
Other notes from around the league:
- Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen returned to the practice sheet after missing the start with a lower-body injury. He said he expects to be fully ready for the start of the season, and that his absence was due to a flare up with a minor injury late in the summer. His return will be great news for the Sabres, who seem set to roll out the 26-year-old as their starter for a third season. Luukkonen posted a stout .910 save percentage and 27-22-4 record in 54 games of the 2023-24 season; but fell to a .887 save percentage and 24-24-5 record last season. He’ll look to return to a positive record as he faces a similar workload this year.
- Nashville Predators centerman Zachary L’Heureux is listed on the roster for a team scrimmage on Thursday, after missing the last few days with an injury. Defense prospects Tanner Molendyk and Cameron Reid also returned from injury ahead of the scrimmage. L’Heureux seems well set on earning a roster spot out of camp, while Molendyk will likely head to the AHL, and Reid would need a colossal performance to avoid a return to the OHL. The trio are three of Nashville’s top prospects – and should be exciting names to watch as they face off against organizational teammates in Thursday’s scrimmage.
Flyers’ Ethan Samson Out Long-Term, Three Out Day-To-Day
The Philadelphia Flyers shared updates on four injured players on Thursday morning. Most notably, depth defenseman Ethan Samson is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks with an upper-body injury. Samson appeared to be outside of the NHL roster as training camp went on, but he was a standout during the team’s rookie showcase. His absence will alter Philadelphia’s plans for building their minor-league defense through the season’s first couple of months.
Samson was a pivotal piece of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season. He led the team’s defense in goals (12) and ranked second in points (24). Both were substantial improvements over the three goals and 12 points that Samson managed as an AHL rookie in 2023-24. He’s proven to be a diligent offensive-defenseman in the minor ranks, with an impressive bit of grit behind his downhill drive. He appears close to earning a spot on Philadelphia’s call-up sheet, though will now need to wait until at least mid-season to see that through.
The Flyers also announced that defenseman Oliver Bonk, and forwards Karsen Dorwart and Lane Pederson, are all day-to-day with upper-body injuries.
Bonk has carried a day-to-day designation for a full week now. He has been on and off of the ice since Philadelphia’s rookie camp, both donning a non-contact jersey and in a regular jersey. Bonk played through 69 games last season, as the London Knights blazed to an OHL and Memorial Cup championship. It seems the Flyers’ top defense prospect is still working his way back to 100 percent – a factor that could default him to the AHL when the season opens up.
While a part of Philadelphia’s injury updates, Dorwart did briefly return to the ice on Thursday after missing the last few days. He played through the first five games of his NHL career at the end of last season, after signing with the Flyers as an undrafted college free agent. He didn’t manage any scoring in those appearances. Even still, with a strong return from injury, Dorwart could still be a candidate for a depth role when the Flyers break camp. Pederson, who was injured in Philadelphia’s last preseason game, will more likely start in the AHL. He appeared in 18 games and scored 12 points with the Bakersfield Condors last season, before a separate injury ended his campaign early.
Canucks Sign Riley Patterson, Gabe Chiarot To Entry-Level Contracts
The Vancouver Canucks have signed wingers Riley Patterson and Gabe Chiarot to their entry-level contracts. Patterson was drafted in the fourth-round of the 2024 NHL Draft, while Chiarot was drafted in the sixth-round of the 2025 Draft. Both players were loaned back to the OHL as part of Vancouver’s round of training camp cuts on Sunday. Patterson will head to the Niagara IceDogs, while Chiarot joins the Brampton Steelheads.
Patterson’s contract will carry a $923K cap hit at the NHL level, and pay an $85K salary in the AHL. It also features $85K in signing bonuses awarded annually, per PuckPedia. Chiarot’s deal will carry a $917K cap hit in the NHL and a $85K salary in the minors. He received a $75K signing bonus each season, also per PuckPedia.
Patterson spent the last two seasons filling a top-six role for the Barrie Colts. His play hit a peak in the 2023-24 season, when he notched 29 goals and 62 points in 68 games with Barrie. That was both Patterson’s first year of draft eligibility, and his first year in the OHL, after playing his age-17 season in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL). His scoring dipped last to 25 goals and 59 points in 64 games with Barrie last season. Despite that, Patterson’s snappy playmaking and ability to quickly jump into fast-moving plays both shined clear all year long. He made noticeable improvements to his two-way game, and will now offer stout veteran presence to a Niagara lineup that’s turned over much of their forward group. Patterson could struggle to earn a top-line role alongside centers Ryerson Edgar, Alexander Hage, and Ryan Roobroeck – though the Canucks draftee will be sure to find hot impact among that level of talent.
Chiarot should have a clearer path to minutes for the Steelheads. He’s gradually risen through their ranks over the last two seasons, netting 10 points in 48 games at age-16 and 35 points in 66 games of his draft season last year. To boot, Chiarot became known for his snappy shot and the heft he uses to drive deep into the offensive end. Those attributes, complimented by a summer of NHL guidance, should pave a path to top-six minutes as Chiarot returns to the junior flight. The cousin of Detroit Red Wings defenseman Ben Chiarot, Gabe will look to prove he can play above his com petition enough to jump to the minor-league ranks next season. He notably finished last season with 10 points and 34 shots in his final 14 games, a spark he’ll look to keep up as he returns.
Logan Cooley Among Four Mammoth Facing Injury Updates
The Utah Mammoth issued a string of injury updates on Monday morning, after playing through their first preseason game against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday. All injury updates come courtesy of Cole Bagley of KSL Sports. Most notably, top center Logan Cooley was designated as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury sustained on a check from behind from Avalanche winger Zakhar Bardakov. Cooley left the ice after the hit, while teammate Lawson Crouse stepped in to fight Bardakov.
In addition to Cooley, forwards Jack McBain and Barrett Hayton have also been dubbed day-to-day with undisclosed injuries. Finally, defenseman Nate Schmidt is expected to be back in the lineup after being previously designated as day-to-day due to maintenance.
Much like the list of injuries, their ramification on Utah’s daily lineup will be a lot to take in. Cooley is set to return to the team’s top-line center role when the regular season kicks off – a spot he cemented with a fantastic 25 goals and 65 points in 75 games last season. He continued the all-star performance into the summer, netting 12 points in 10 games at the World Championship, tying him with Frank Nazar for the scoring lead on a USA squad that went on to win the tournament. Mammoth head coach Andre Tourigny told the media, including Bagley, that he didn’t appreciate the blindside hit on Cooley in the preseason opener – and that he’s hoping Cooley’s absence is “really short”.
Those same hopes will be extended to McBain and Hayton, who seem well-set to fill the two center positions behind Cooley. Few details have emerged about either injury, though both players will be worth close attention from the Mammoth faithful. Both set career-highs in scoring while appearing in all 82 games of last season. For Hayton, that was marked by 20 goals and 46 points on the year, while McBain posted 13 goals and 27 points. With no indication otherwise, they should be set to return to camp activities within the week – though missing potentially all three of the lineup’s top centers will be a tough blow even in the short-term.
Utah will find their silver lining through the return of bulky defender Schmidt, who will make his debut with the Mammoth in his next game. He filled a bottom-pair role, and won the Stanley Cup, with the Florida Panthers last season. En route, Schmidt was able to rack up 19 points in 80 regular season games and 12 points in 23 playoff games. He’ll hope to bring his spark from the postseason straight to his new role with the Mammoth. If he can do that, Schmidt could find a way to usurp Ian Cole as the team’s second-pair left-defenseman. If not, he’ll face firm competition for a lineup role from rookie Dmitri Simashev, who scored six points in 56 KHL games last season.
Hall Of Fame Flyers Goalie Bernie Parent Passes Away At 80
Legendary Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Bernie Parent has passed away at the age of 80. He was the first starting goaltender in Flyers history, and went on to accumulate one of the most decorated careers in NHL history. His accolades included back-to-back Stanley Cup wins, two Vezina Trophies, and two Conn Smyth ‘Playoff MVP’ trophies. He was inducted into the Hall Of Fame in 1984, alongside Jacques Lemaire and Phil Esposito.
Parent’s prolific pro career didn’t began in Philadelphia. Instead, he joined the NHL as a member of the Boston Bruins in 1965 – and posted a disappointing .898 save percentage in 39 games of his rookie season. That poor showing pushed him to a backup role in 1966, and prompted Boston to leave Parent unprotected in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft.
That decision set up Philadelphia to make what ended up a franchise-defining pick. They leaned on Parent in their first season of operations and he quickly proved worth the trust. He posted a .926 save percentage – fourth-best in the NHL – in his first 38 games as a Flyer, despite the team slipping to a 15-17-5 record when he was in net. Parent matched that performance with a .925 Sv% in 58 games the following year, and a .921 Sv% in 62 games the year after that. It was a phenomenal start to his time with the Flyers, though the team followed it up with the questionable decision to trade their star starting goaltender to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1971. In return, the Flyers landed a top-10 draft pick (used on Pierre Plante), backup goaltender Bruce Gamble, and middle-six center Mike Walton, who they flipped to the Boston Bruins.
The trade marked an interesting lull in Parent’s career. He spent two years with the Maple Leafs, recording a .915 Sv% through 65 total games, then spent one year with Philadelphia’s WHA club during the 1972-73 season – one of multiple NHL superstars who made the surprising change in leagues. On the other side of that decision, Parent decided to return to the Flyers for the 1973-74 season.
He returned to a club much stronger than the one he left behind. The club had earned the nickname “Broad Street Bullies” in the year prior, thanks to the aggressive and physical play of club legends Bobby Clarke, Dave Schultz, and Andre Dupont – to name a few. With the addition of Parent, the Flyers added a star goalie to that bruising bunch. That proved to be their missing piece, and the Flyers blazed to back-to-back Stanley Cup wins while leaning heavily on Parent. He posted a .932 Sv% through 73 games of the 1973-74 season, then returned for a .918 Sv% in 68 games of the 1974-75 campaign. In that mix, Parent also managed an incredible .933 Sv% in 17 playoff games in 1974; and a .924 Sv% in 15 playoff games in 1975. Both performances earned him MVP-recognition when Philadelphia went to lift their first, and only, Cup wins in franchise history.
Unfortunately, Parent’s career would peak with those seasons. He missed all but 11 games of the 1975-76 campaign due to a pinched nerve in his neck that required surgery. He’d recover well enough to suit up for 61 games in 1976-77, though his .899 Sv% showed sign for concern. He bounced back with a .912 in 49 games the next year, and maintained a handle on the starter’s net in 1978-79. But Parent’s career would come to a sudden, and tragic, end in 1979 when a stick got through the eyehole of his mask – causing hospitalization, temporary loss of sight, and permanent vision damage. He retired at the age of 34, and his injury would spark a league-wide shift to modern goalie helmets soon after.
Parent’s impact on Philadelphia hockey continued well after the end of his playing days. He served as the team’s goaltending coach through three scattered seasons, and mentored future Vezina Trophy-winners Ron Hextall and Pelle Lindbergh. His coaching career didn’t last for very long, but Parent stuck around the organization as an ‘Ambassador of Hockey’ through the 2024-25 season.
Chants of “Bernie, Bernie, Bernie” echoed through The Spectrum at Parent’s peak, and continued to ring loud at every fan event he attended, even late in life. He was truly a legend of the sport, and perhaps thee defining piece in Philadelphia’s first few years in the league. He played through historic NHL moments, like the 1975 ‘Fog Game’ against the Buffalo Sabres. For a time after his career, he would live on a yacht he named ‘The French Connection’, after the legendary Sabres line he faced in that very game. That humor, his warm spirit, and his championing of sobriety and dedication will be remembered through the Flyers family.
Snapshots: Capitals, Schmidt, Buium, Celebrini
Training camp updates are rolling in as many teams approach their first round of cuts. The most pertinent updates came for the Washington ahead of an early-morning scrimmage. Superstar Alex Ovechkin didn’t take the ice with the team as he continues to face a day-to-day, lower-body injury per Sammi Silber of The Hockey News. Silber also reported that forward Justin Sourdif and defenseman Martin Fehervary continue to not take contact during practice, and thus didn’t take part in Washington’s scrimmage.
None of Washington’s updates are cause for much concern. Ovechkin is expected to continue progressing towards a return, and be held out of action as a precaution. Ovechkin will return to his perennial role on top of Washington’s lineup when the regular season kicks off. Fehervary is also still on an expected track, continuing to work his way back from a torn meniscus suffered late last season. He underwent surgery on the knee during the off-season, but has since been unable to kick minor inflammation. Once that goes down, he’ll return to a solid role in Washington’s daily lineup. Sourdif was facing illness, and should work back to full speed after taking a few laps with the non-playing group on Sunday.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- Utah Mammoth defenseman Nate Schmidt was absent from the team’s Saturday practice. He was designated as day-to-day due to maintenance by head coach Andre Tourigny, per Cole Bagley of KSL Sports. That designation makes Schmidt’s availability over the next few days difficult, though it doesn’t seem the Mammoth are concerned about the long-term availability of their summer signing. Schmidt played a bottom-pair role on the Stanley Cup-winning Florida Panthers last season, working his way up to 19 points in 80 games. He’ll likely fill a similar role in Utah, though brings the experience of a 741-game veteran and one-time Cup-winner to the NHL’s newest club.
- Continuing the list of absences was top Minnesota Wild prospect Zeev Buium, who missed his third-consecutive practice on Sunday per Michael Russo of The Athletic. Russo pointed out that Buium did skate with Jonas Brodin before practice started. Again, Buium’s ailment isn’t expected to be a serious issue, head coach John Hynes told Sarah McLellan of Star Tribune Sports. Buium will be pushing for a starring role on the Wild roster this season, after playing the first four games of his NHL career in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. He recorded one assist and four penalty minutes in those outings. An extended absence will make a run to the NHL a bit tougher, but the one-time NCAA National Champion should have no problem convincing the Wild brass when he’s back to full health.
- In a positive swing, San Jose Sharks star centerman Macklin Celebrini returned to the team’s practices after missing multiple days to illness, per Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. Celebrini won’t take part in San Jose’s first preseason game, though he’ll otherwise be fully on track to return to the role of San Jose’s top forward when the season kicks off. Celebrini scored 63 points in 70 games as a rookie last season, marking a franchise record in San Jose.
Maple Leafs Camp Notes: Domi, Roy, Benoit
The Toronto Maple Leafs received a wave of positive injury updates on Sunday morning. The good news kicked off when winger Max Domi stepped onto the ice for the first time in training camp, captured by TSN’s Mark Masters. Domi joined the Leafs’ non-playing group, indicating that he won’t be a part of the team’s first preseason game later in the day.
Domi has been dealing with a lower-body injury sustained during off-season training. The injury has been dubbed minor, with Domi designated as day-to-day, but its nonetheless become a focal point of camp as many expect Domi to take on a top-six role. With Sunday’s practice, he’ll take the first step towards vindicating those expectations – and break camp in a top-line wing role vacated by Mitch Marner earlier this summer. Domi scored eight goals and 33 points last season, though he also managed 47 points in his first year with the Leafs in 2023-24.
Other notes from Toronto’s camp:
- Also returning to the practice sheet was recently-acquired forward Nicolas Roy, who sat out of the team’s Saturday skate with a lower-body injury, per Masters. Roy is another candidate for a growing role in the Toronto lineup, after being acquired as the sweetener in Toronto’s sign-and-trade of Marner with the Vegas Golden Knights. Roy scored 15 goals and 31 points with Vegas last season, and 41 points in the year prior. He’s a toolsy forward who can fill a role at center or right-wing. That standing could help him earn a pivotal role behind Auston Matthews and John Tavares, or an important grinder role beside them.
- Away from the positives, defenseman Simon Benoit was absent from yet another practice on Sunday. He is facing an upper-body injury, per David Alter of The Hockey News. Head coach Craig Berube shared that the Leafs will be taking all of their injuries day-by-day, though he didn’t mention Benoit’s injury or prognosis directly, per Alter’s colleague Nick Barden. Benoit played through 78 games in a Leafs uniform last season. He tied his career-high in scoring with 10 points, to go with 59 penalty minutes and a plus-12 on the full year. Benoit is a strong candidate to fill a daily, bottom-pair role this season – though an extended injury at camp will give newcomers like Henry Thrun and Dakota Mermis a chance to catch up. Both Thrun and Mermis will take the ice for Toronto’s first preseason game on Sunday.
Kings’ Angus Booth, Corey Perry To Miss Several Months With Injury
The Los Angeles Kings will be faced with a pair of long-term injuries out of the gates this season. Depth defenseman Angus Booth is expected to miss “several months” with a lower-body injury per John Hoven and Mayors Manor. Hoven specified that Booth’s timeline will be similar to winger Corey Perry, who underwent knee surgery earlier in the month to address an injury sustained in a late-summer practice.
Perry’s injury will have the most direct effect on the Kings’ lineup. The 40-year-old, soon-to-be Hall-Of-Fame hopeful signed a one-year, $2MM contract with the Kings this summer. He seemed well set to fill an important veteran role in the team’s middle-six, after posting a productive 19 goals and 30 points in 81 games with the Edmonton Oilers last season. Perry also scored 14 points while playing in all 22 games of Edmonton’s run to a Stanley Cup Finals loss. Now, it seems his durability has run slim. It will be a long while before Perry breaks into the Kings’ lineup. When he does, there’s no telling how the aged winger will adjust after another significant lower-body injury.
Booth won’t leave an NHL role in his absence, though his injury will dampen his chances to jump into Los Angeles’ seventh-defender role. He played through his first pro season last year, netting 13 points and 38 penalty minutes in 50 games with the AHL’s Ontario Reign. It was a stout year where Booth’s defense-first style seemed to shine. He was a long-shot to break camp with the Kings this season, but could have rivaled players like Samuel Bolduc and Jacob Moverare for a depth role. Instead, he’ll have to wait until closer to the end of the calendar year to earn his chance. Booth should be expected to return to Ontario’s rotation when he’s back to full health.