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If the name Matt Tomkins doesn’t immediately ring a bell, you’re not alone. He didn’t land with the Edmonton Oilers in a noisy headline trade or the buzz that follows a top prospect. But his signing with the Oilers on July 1, 2025, is far from a footnote. For Tomkins, it marks a full-circle moment—the…
This is the second edition of my top breakout candidates for each team in 2025–26. Next up is the Central Division—let’s dive in. Chicago Blackhawks: Connor Bedard After registering 61 points in 68 games as an 18-year-old rookie, there were high expectations for Connor Bedard‘s sophomore campaign. But he took a step back, statistically—the 2023…
Before free agency began on July 1, the Seattle Kraken extended Kaapo Kakko a qualifying offer to make sure he wouldn’t hit the market. He did not sign right away, and on July 25, he was scheduled to have an arbitration hearing. On July 22, the Kraken and Kakko avoided arbitration as they signed Kakko…
With the 43rd pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Rangers selected Malcolm Spence, a left winger from the Erie Otters who’s committed to the University of Michigan. Spence stands at 6-foot-1 and weighs in at 190 lbs. He plays a detail-oriented game, has a high hockey IQ, is persistent on the…
The Manitoba Moose’s 25th-anniversary season was one to forget, and there should be a coaching change as a result. The Moose finished with a 25-41-3-3 record under Mark Morrison; the 25 wins represent an all-time franchise low. They finished dead last in their division for the first time since their 1997-98 season, when they were…
The Atlantic Division has been one of the NHL’s most competitive and challenging divisions for the past few seasons, with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, and Toronto Maple Leafs consistently ranking in the top half. The Boston Bruins were atop the division for many seasons before 2024-25 when they finished last. The Montreal Canadiens,…
The NHL offseason means looking back at what unfolded while also looking forward to the future, and this time we’ll be focusing on the past. It’s time for another Minnesota Wild report card as we work our way through the final forwards. Matt Boldy is the next forward to earn his grade, and he had…
The 2019 NHL Draft was the first time I started learning about prospects and how a player gets drafted into the NHL. 13 year-old me was immediately hooked, and wanted to learn everything there was about prospects. Now, six years later, I think it is time to revisit the first round of the 2019 draft…
The Edmonton Oilers don’t have a deep prospect pool. It’s not surprising, since they’ve been a contender for several years, meaning they’ve drafted later and have moved out a ton of draft picks in trades to help improve their roster now. Related: Oilers Fans Need to Drastically Temper Expectations for Savoie and Howard That said,…
As the offseason rolls on, so do the Edmonton Oilers’ player grades. The last report card graded Ty Emberson, and now we will evaluate his competition for the final top-six spot heading into this season: Troy Stecher. Stecher is a depth defenceman, with a cheap $787,500 cap hit. Last season, the 31-year-old blueliner scored three…
