Metro Notes: Mercer, Karlsson, Danforth
The New Jersey Devils are prepping to begin training camp tomorrow without forward Dawson Mercer but the team hopes it won’t be for long. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported earlier that the team continues to discuss a new contract with Mercer but there is still no deal.
Mercer has been one of the most consistent forwards for the Devils over his entry-level deal as evidenced by the fact he has not missed a game since debuting in the 2021-22 NHL season. His first two years saw him score 44 goals and 98 points in 164 contests for New Jersey but his scoring depressed last year with 20 goals and 33 points in 82 games. The dip in scoring last year and his discouraging defensive play during his first three years may be why contract talks have dragged into training camp.
He’s still a solid tactician in the offensive zone and his change-of-direction capabilities make him an obvious choice to put on the right wing next to Timo Meier and Jack Hughes. New Jersey currently has just under $5MM in cap space which should allow them to sign Mercer on a two-year bridge deal if both sides are amicable.
Other Metro notes:
- The Pittsburgh Penguins were without top defenseman Erik Karlsson on the first day of training camp due to an upper-body injury (X Link). Head coach Mike Sullivan indicates the absence of Karlsson was only precautionary according to Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Karlsson is looking to rebound from a 56-point campaign during the 2023-24 NHL season and his offensive output should improve with David Quinn taking over the team’s powerplay coaching duties.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets received some positive news on the injury front as team reporter Jeff Svoboda relays that forward Justin Danforth has been medically cleared from an offseason wrist injury and can begin ramping up for the regular season. Danforth was a bright spot for the Blue Jackets last season on the team’s bottom-six putting up 10 goals and 26 points in 71 games while only averaging 14:16 of ice time per night.
Nicklas Backstrom, T.J. Oshie Not Expected To Be Ready For Training Camp
The Washington Capitals released their group of 72 skaters who will participate with the team in training camp including forwards Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie. Tom Gulitti of the NHL reported that the team will hold media availability after the first practice on Wednesday; Backstrom and Oshie were not listed indicating they won’t be on the ice with the team for their first practice.
The report is unsurprising given that Backstrom has been away from the team since November 1st, 2023 due to chronic hip issues. Oshie indicated earlier in the summer that his back issues may prohibit him from playing this season. Washington was expected to place both players on LTIR at the first available opportunity allowing them to free up $14.95MM in salary cap space.
It’s been status quo regarding Backstrom over the last calendar year. The veteran center underwent hip resurfacing surgery in the summer before the 2022-23 NHL season and he seemingly responded well with seven goals and 21 points in 39 games to end the year. Backstrom entered the 2023-24 NHL season at full health but would unfortunately only appear in eight contests. He cited his hip was not responding well and he’s been away from the team ever since.
Oshie’s future with the organization is a bit murkier with Gulitti also reporting that the general manager of the Capitals, Chris Patrick, stated last month that the team would know more about Oshie’s availability closer to the start of training camp. Each player will get a physical done by the team medical staff before skating which outlines the timeline of any decisions regarding his availability.
The veteran winger is coming off one of the worst performances of his career as he only scored 12 goals and 25 points in 52 contests. Oshie was placed on the injured reserve three times throughout the 2023-24 season but did manage to suit up in all four playoff contests for the Capitals. There would be cap ramifications if Oshie can play in the 2024-25 NHL season as Washington would still sit $1.02MM above the cap if they can only put Backstrom on LTIR.
Metropolitan Notes: St. Ivany, Tuomaala, Duclair
Jack St. Ivany has the inside track at landing the third pairing right defense spot that will be up for grabs during Penguins training camp, opines Josh Yohe of The Athletic.
St. Ivany, 25, was a fourth-round pick of the rival Flyers in 2018 but didn’t sign with them following his senior season at Boston College in 2022. He instead landed in Pittsburgh as a free agent, signing a two-year, entry-level contract.
The California native reached the NHL last season after spending his first pro campaign entirely in the minors, recording an assist while averaging 13:42 per game over 14 contests over a late-season call-up. He didn’t have many visible mistakes, only logging three giveaways, although his overall defensive impact was questionable, with a -6.5 relative CF% at even strength in tough but not overwhelmingly difficult minutes.
But as Yohe points out, St. Ivany doesn’t have many legitimate challengers for the role, at least among right-shot defenders. Free agent addition Sebastian Aho could flip to his off-side and be a higher-upside option offensively if the Penguins wish, though.
St. Ivany signed a three-year, league-minimum extension back in May and has a two-way salary structure this year and next. He’s also still waiver-exempt, so if he falls behind off-handed competition like Aho and Ryan Shea during training camp, there’s nothing stopping Pittsburgh from assigning him to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton without incident.
More from the Metropolitan Division:
- Flyers prospect Samu Tuomaala remains absent from rookie camp and is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, per Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia. The 21-year-old right-winger has two years remaining on his entry-level contract and is coming off an impressive first season with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms, where he finished third in scoring with 43 points (15 G, 28 A) in 69 games. The 2021 second-round pick is destined for the Phantoms once again to open the season but should put himself under consideration for an NHL call-up and corresponding debut over the course of the season.
- The Islanders will indeed kick off camp with free agent signing Anthony Duclair riding shotgun on the top line with Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat, head coach Patrick Roy told reporters today (via Stefen Rosner of NHL.com and The Hockey News). The 29-year-old Duclair did quite well in a similar role in a limited time for the Lightning after they acquired him from the Sharks at last year’s deadline, posting 15 points in 17 games next to their star-powered duo of Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov. The Isles signed Duclair, who’s averaged 21 goals and 43 points per 82 games throughout his career, to a four-year, $14MM deal on July 1.
Ilya Sorokin Had Back Surgery, Not Expected To Miss Time
Star Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin underwent back surgery this offseason, head coach Patrick Roy told reporters Monday (via Stefen Rosner of NHL.com and The Hockey News). General manager Lou Lamoriello said Friday that Sorokin sustained an undisclosed injury this summer but had already returned to the ice and was expected to be a full participant shortly after training camp began.
A significant offseason procedure likely isn’t the way either side wanted to preface the eight-year, $66MM extension he signed last summer. But if a back injury was plaguing him last season, it offers an explanation for his more down-to-earth .908 SV% and 3.01 GAA that ended up losing him the starters’ crease to Semyon Varlamov in playoff action. Sorokin did start in Game 3 of the First Round against the Hurricanes, but he allowed three goals on 14 shots before getting the yank from Roy.
Despite those struggles, there’s little question that Sorokin remains a top-10 netminder in the NHL entering this season. He still finished eighth in Vezina Trophy voting last season and built up quite the acclaim in the two years prior, posting a .924 SV% and 2.37 GAA with 13 shutouts in 114 appearances across the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns. He was the no-contest runner-up to Linus Ullmark in Vezina voting in 2023.
But if Sorokin’s recovery stretches into the regular season for whatever reason, the Isles still have a spectacular backup plan with Varlamov. Due to Sorokin’s brilliance, the 36-year-old Russian has been limited to fewer than 30 starts in each of the past three seasons, but he’s still been well above average. He had a .918 SV%, 2.60 GAA, and three shutouts in 28 appearances last season.
Sorokin, 29, was a third-round pick of the Isles back in 2014. He has a .919 SV% in 192 regular-season NHL games since arriving in North America in 2020.
Atlantic Notes: Sabres Captain, Minten, Brandsegg-Nygård
General manager Kevyn Adams and head coach Lindy Ruff appear close to naming a captain for the Buffalo Sabres according to WGR’s Paul Hamilton. The team has not had a captain since trading Kyle Okposo to the Florida Panthers at last year’s trade deadline who held the role since the 2022-23 season.
Hamilton quoted Adams saying, “We’ve talked at length about it and Lindy said that he wants to get to know the guys. He spent a lot of time in the summer whether in person or on the phone, but just being around them and feeling them in practice, and I think we’re on the same page“. Although Adams was non-committal about when the organization may name their next captain all signs indicate it will happen before their first game on October 4th.
The top two candidates will likely be between defenseman Rasmus Dahlin and forward Alex Tuch. Dahlin is the former first-overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft by the Sabres and has isolated himself as one of the best defensemen in the league. Tuch, on the other hand, is not necessarily the most talented player on the roster but holds a very public love for the city of Buffalo having grown up just east of the team in Syracuse, NY.
Other Atlantic notes:
- The Toronto Maple Leafs received a mild scare today with forward prospect Fraser Minten stepping away from the rest of today’s prospects game against the Montreal Canadiens. He was hit awkwardly into the boards in the second period before exiting from the game but Nick Barden of The Hockey News reports he’s only being held out for precautionary reasons. The former 38th overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft went scoreless in his first few games with the Maple Leafs last season and is expected to spend much of next year with the team’s AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.
- On the other side of the border, the Detroit Red Wings are dealing with mild injury news to one of their forward prospects. Max Bultman of The Athletic reports that Michael Brandsegg-Nygård tweaked his groin in yesterday’s matchup against the Dallas Stars and will not play today. There’s no cause for concern for the recent 15th overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft after registering an assist in yesterday’s win. He’s expected to join Detroit in Traverse City on Thursday to begin training camp as the team did not want to force a quick turnaround on their new prospect.
Injury Notes: Danford, Sorokin, Meriläinen
TSN’s Mark Masters reports the Toronto Maple Leafs will be without recent first-round pick Ben Danford for the rest of the weekend due to an injury. Danford reportedly was on the receiving end of a big hit in yesterday’s rookie camp scrimmage and will be re-evaluated after the upcoming weekend.
Toronto originally traded down to the 31st pick at the 2024 NHL Draft with the Anaheim Ducks indicating they’ve had their eye on Danford for quite some time. He plays maturely for his age as he’s shown prowess for defending his zone and transitioning the puck up ice on a breakout.
The rookie camp would have been the first extended look at Danford working in the Maple Leafs’ system but at least he will be close by if the injury prohibits him from suiting up in any more games. Danford is expected to suit up for the Oshawa Generals located just northeast of Toronto and will look to expand upon his 33-point effort from last year.
Other injury notes:
- Arthur Staple of The Athletic relayed a note from the general manager of the New York Islanders, Lou Lamoriello indicating that goaltender Ilya Sorokin sustained an injury in summer training but is already back skating. Sorokin should only miss a few days of training camp as Islanders’ brass have no worries the injury issue will extend into the season. Sorokin had a bit of a down year compared to his career averages last season and New York will hope he can rebound from the difficult year as his eight-year, $66MM contract kicks in.
- According to a team report, Ottawa Senators prospect Leevi Meriläinen will not participate in this year’s prospect challenge as he’s dealing with a lower-body injury. The Finnish netminder was drafted 71st overall by the Senators in the 2020 NHL Draft and debuted with the organization in the 2022-23 campaign. Meriläinen spent last year split between the AHL’s Belleville Senators and ECHL Allen Americans recording a .906 SV% and .926 SV%, respectively.
Artyom Levshunov Could Miss Start Of Regular Season
Blackhawks top defense prospect Artyom Levshunov could miss up to six weeks with a foot injury sustained earlier this month, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said on today’s “32 Thoughts” podcast. That would sideline him for the entire training camp and potentially cost him some time at the beginning of the regular season.
Friedman said earlier in the week that Levshunov would miss some time after taking a puck to the foot, but there wasn’t much concern about the severity. He added today that the 2024 No. 2 overall pick will spend at least the next two weeks in a walking boot.
It was far from a guarantee that Levshunov would make the opening night roster. If he misses all of camp, that’s almost a surefire sign he’ll be sent to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs to make his professional debut when he’s ready to play. The 6’2″ right-shot defenseman turns 19 next month and is coming off a spectacular one-and-done showing for Michigan State, leading their blue line with 35 points (9 G, 26 A) in 38 games with a team-high +27 rating. He was named the Big 10’s Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year.
However, Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson wants to give his defense prospects room to breathe in Rockford, signing veterans T.J. Brodie and Alec Martinez in free agency to create increased competition for spots among up-and-comers. Levshunov likely had the most accessible pathway to a roster spot as a right-shot D-man, though. Chicago’s other question marks – Wyatt Kaiser, Kevin Korchinski, and Isaak Phillips – are all lefties.
If Levshunov is out for the full six weeks, his season debut would be in late October. He can play up to nine NHL games this season before his entry-level contract goes into effect.
Prospect Notes: Heidt, Dumais, Dach, Frondell
Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin didn’t rule out the chances of top prospect Riley Heidt making the opening night roster in an interview with The Athletic’s Joe Smith. Guerin said, “We have guys that still don’t need waivers… If Riley plays so well that he pushes himself on the team, then great. That’s what it’s about. It’s about competition.” Smith went on to acknowledge the hefty jump Heidt would need to leapfrog other prospects like Liam Ohgren and Marat Khusnutdinov – with Guerin acknowledging the former as someone Minnesota expects to make the NHL roster.
Heidt is coming off a dazzling season with the WHL’s Prince George Cougars, ranking third in league scoring with 117 points in 66 games. He also ranked eighth with 711 faceoff wins, winning at an effective 51.8 percent. Heidt set career highs across the board but still seems a step behind the NHL lineup. He’d otherwise be bound for a fourth WHL season, though Minnesota could award him up to nine regular-season games to help inform their decision.
Other notes from across the prospect world:
- Top Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Jordan Dumais won’t be taking part in this weekend’s NHL Prospects Challenge, per The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline, who shares the winger has been designated with a lower-body injury. Dumais isn’t expected to participate in the start of training camp, either. It isn’t clear if this is related to the lower abdominal surgery Dumais underwent in January, which held him out of the entire second half of the season. He’s been as productive as they come in the QMJHL, recording 325 points across 193 games and four seasons with the Halifax Mooseheads. He’ll get a chance to translate that scoring to the pro level this season – that is, when he’s healed from that’s delaying his pre-season start.
- Chicago Blackhawks prospect Colton Dach shared that he has his sights set on earning an NHL roster spot, telling The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus that he feels he could’ve earned one by now had he not been injured. Dach notably missed extended time with a concussion this season, after a sucker punch from Milwaukee’s Zachary L’Heureux. Small absences cut into Dach’s first pro season, though he still impressed with 27 points in 48 AHL games. Dach has now been heavily limited by injuries in the last two seasons, making a spot on the Opening Day roster a longshot – though Dach could earn his way into an NHL call-up later this year if he continues to stand strong in the minors.
- Top 2025 NHL Draft prospect Anton Frondell is set to undergo knee surgery, shares Djugardens IF insider Robin Fredriksson. No timeline for a return has been revealed. It’s Frondell’s second major lower-body injury in as many years, after a separate injury limited his 2023-24 campaign to just 42 league games. Frondell impressed when he did play, notably scoring 39 points in 29 U20 games, and adding seven points in seven games at the World U17 Hockey Challenge. His name has appeared near the very top of early 2025 Draft rankings, though another significant injury could make him an early faller.
Metropolitan Notes: Filmon, Hurricanes, Sotheran
Devils prospect Josh Filmon won’t participate in rookie camp and is doubtful for main training camp after being listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury, per the team’s Amanda Stein. The 20-year-old left-winger will report to the AHL’s Utica Comets for his first professional campaign when he’s cleared to play, and Comets bench boss Kevin Dineen said they haven’t yet ruled him out for the start of the regular season.
Filmon, a Winnipeg native, went 166th overall to New Jersey in the sixth round of the 2022 draft. The 6’3″, 170-lb forward has been a premier offensive threat for the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League in his first two post-draft seasons, totaling 67 points (27 G, 40 A) in 64 games with a +16 rating last season.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the Metropolitan Division:
- The Hurricanes’ home will have a new name this season after the club has reached a 10-year arena naming rights agreement with the multinational technology company Lenovo, the team announced. The arena, known as PNC Arena since 2012, will now be named the Lenovo Center through at least the 2033-34 season. The arena opened for the 1999-00 season, the Hurricanes’ third in Carolina after relocating from Hartford, and was initially named the Raleigh Entertainment & Sports Arena before becoming the RBC Center in 2002.
- Flyers defense prospect Carter Sotheran is limited in rookie camp activities while dealing with a flare-up of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, he told Charlie O’Connor of PHLY Sports. According to the Mayo Clinic, the condition results in “an extra pathway for signals to travel between the heart’s upper and lower chambers,” which can cause a fast or irregular heartbeat. Sotheran, 19, said he’s been dealing with the condition for the past four years and hopes to play in some of the Flyers’ rookie tournament contests over the weekend or next week. The 2023 fifth-round pick has not yet signed his entry-level contract and will return to the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks for his third season of junior hockey shortly.
Luke Hughes Out Six To Eight Weeks With Shoulder Injury
Devils defenseman Luke Hughes is expected to miss training camp, preseason, and the start of the regular season after injuring his left shoulder while training earlier this month.
According to an announcement from the team, he’ll miss between six and eight weeks. That puts his season debut for New Jersey sometime during late October or early November.
It’s a tough break for both the Devils and the 21-year-old, who’s a pending restricted free agent entering the final season of his entry-level contract. He’s eligible to sign an extension at any time, and it’ll likely be a costly one after he led New Jersey defenders in scoring last season with 47 points (9 G, 38 A) in 82 games and finished third in Calder Trophy voting, losing out on Rookie of the Year honors to Connor Bedard and finishing well short of Wild counterpart Brock Faber for second place.
The fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, Hughes is well on his way to joining his brother Jack as a core piece in the Garden State for years to come. The New Hampshire native has some work to do defensively before he’s a proper top-pairing option, finishing third-worst on the team with a -25 rating, but his 55% shot attempt share and 52.3 expected goals share at even strength were decent in sheltered offensive usage. Before turning pro with the Devils to close the 2022-23 campaign, Hughes’ 48 points in 39 games from the University of Michigan blue line helped them to a second straight Big 10 championship.
The left-shot defender is slated for second-pairing duties when healthy, allowing a more stay-at-home partner to complement a healthy Dougie Hamilton on the team’s top pairing. That spot will be up for grabs in training camp now, though, at least for the first few weeks of the campaign. New head coach Sheldon Keefe has plenty of options, but the most likely is a shutdown duo of free agent additions, Brenden Dillon and Brett Pesce, backing up Hamilton and his partner.
If Hughes doesn’t miss enough time to be eligible for long-term injured reserve, that could create complications for a Devils team that will likely be capped out after coming to an agreement with RFA forward Dawson Mercer. Putting Hughes on standard IR compared to LTIR could result in New Jersey not carrying an extra defenseman until he returns to health. His injury should provide plenty of opportunity early on for Johnathan Kovacevic, who was projected to start the year as the Devils’ No. 7 defender after being acquired from the Canadiens in June.