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Hey, you two again!
We haven’t seen a Stanley Cup Final rematch since 2009 when the Pittsburgh Penguins learned from their inexperience the year before beating the Detroit Red Wings. We’ve seen teams repeat as finalists – heck, this is the third straight season for the Florida Panthers – but it’ll mark the first time the Edmonton Oilers qualified for consecutive title series since winning in 1987 and 1988.
The goaltending looks to be solid for both teams, which you’d come to expect at this point in the juncture. Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky has had a few brainfarts, but has been great more often than not. The multi-time Vezina Trophy winner has shown he’s capable of battling back from a loss as well as anyone during these playoffs, and Florida will need that as the action heats up.
Stuart Skinner, meanwhile, was Edmonton’s starter heading into the playoffs, but lost it after two ugly starts against the Los Angeles Kings. Then, an injury to Calvin Pickard gave Skinner the net back and he’s been fantastic ever since, winning six of his seven subsequent starts.
Both have had to deal with adversity in these playoffs – Bobrovsky against Toronto and Skinner against Los Angeles. But both are on top of their games right now, and there realistically shouldn’t be any major issues heading into the playoffs.
So, how does each team stack up?
(P3) EDMONTON OILERS vs. (A3) FLORIDA PANTHERS
Edmonton Oilers
Stuart Skinner: 50 GP, 26-18-4, 2.81 GAA, .896 SV% (10 GP, 6-4, 2.53 GAA, .904 SV, 3 SO )
Calvin Pickard: 36 GP, 22-10-1, 2.71 GAA, .900 SV% (7 GP, 6-0, 2.84 GAA, .888 SV%)
Olivier Rodrigue: 2 GP, 0-1-0, 3.10 GAA, .862 SV%
Florida Panthers
Sergei Bobrovsky: 54 GP, 33-19-2, 2.44 GAA, .906 SV% (17 GP, 12-5, 2.11 GAA, .912 SV%, 3 SO)
Vitek Vaněček: 24 GP, 5-14-4, 3.62 GAA, .884 SV%
Skinner started the playoffs as one of the worst goalies in the NHL, with many – rightfully so – criticizing the Oilers’ decision to not improve their goaltending this season. But here we are, with Skinner playing a big part in the Oilers’ playoff success. He boasts a 3.31 GSAx at 5-on-5, which is good for fifth among all goaltenders in these playoffs.
More importantly, it’s much better than Bobrovsky’s 0.28 GSAx. Sure, Skinner has had his struggles, but he has come up bigger at 5-on-5 than Bobrovsky this year. And Skinner had to work his tail off to get to those numbers, too, after starting with a -2.56 at 5-on-5. If we’re looking at just the third round, Skinner had a 7.14 GSAx over five games at 5-on-5. Absolutely wild stuff.
Numbers don’t tell the whole story, but Skinner’s ability to close out key games is partly why the Oilers are off to the final again. He was crucial in Game 3 when he stopped 34 of 35 shots sent his way – literally double what he did in Game 5 (he allowed three goals in the win). It’s admittedly crazy to see that three of his six playoff wins this year have been shutouts.
How do you beat Skinner? According to SportContract, Skinner has done an excellent job up high, allowing just six of 25 playoffs goals in the top third of the net. His blocker side and five-hole (five goals against in both) have been a struggle for him, with the lower third being his kryptonite.
If everything goes south, the Oilers have Pickard fully healthy and ready to go. He went 6-0 before suffering an injury in the second round, and he did it despite his stats being ugly. That’s partly a testament to the total team effort the Oilers brought every single night, but it also showed that the Oilers had two goalies capable of winning games, even when they weren’t easy.
Bobrovsky might have the lighter analytics, but he has the most games played and is the only goaltender with at least 10 wins this postseason. He’s been so clutch year after year in the playoffs, helping to cement his status as a future Hockey Hall of Famer.
Florida was always expected to beat the Carolina Hurricanes, but many anticipated a close goaltending matchup. Instead, Bobrovsky absolutely dominated the Hurricanes’ duo of Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov, with Bobrovsky’s GSAx of 3.56 showcasing some of his best playoff hockey to date. That came after he battled back from a difficult start against Toronto and won four of the final five games in Round 2 to get the Panthers this far in the first place.
Bobrovsky has struggled with the five-hole during the playoffs, especially recently. Five of his seven goals against from between the wickets have come over the past 10 games – and four of them came in the third period of games. It’s a strange coincidence, but Borovsky has always been much better at covering the top half of the net.
Things could get interesting if something goes wrong and Vaněček needs to step in. He hasn’t played in more than a month and a half and has allowed five goals in his final start. Overall, his tenure in Florida was a bit of a disaster, with just one regulation victory in seven starts (a shutout against Buffalo). Even though he has more experience as an NHL starter, few would have more confidence in Vaněček over Pickard in a battle of the backups.
It’s rare to get a Stanley Cup Final rematch. But here we are. We’ve got one goalie trying to prove people wrong yet again, and another who’s trying to add to an already crowded trophy case. Skinner experienced the ups and downs of battling for the Cup last year, while Bobrovsky actually got to raise it. Thankfully, for Oilers fans, there’s reason to believe the team’s goaltending situation is in the best shape it has been in over the past two years. Skinner is red-hot right now. The issue? So is Bobrovsky.
This is about to get spicy.
More must-reads:
- Oilers GM Stan Bowman offers massive Connor McDavid update
- NHL players who will send their GM a 'thank you' card next summer
- The 'National League MVPs' quiz
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Red Wings Top 25 Prospects: Post-2025 NHL Draft
Make no mistake about it: the Detroit Red Wings have reached the point in their rebuild where reaching the playoffs is the goal every single year from here on out. After years of maintained focus on drafting and developing, the Red Wings and their fans are losing their appetite for hearing how good the future looks – they both want the team to be good here in the present. That is certainly understandable given the sheer length of Detroit’s rebuild. However, it’s not like their playoff drought has produced nothing of value. The NHL roster is slowly being taken over by young players such as Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond and Simon Edvinsson, and their prospect pool remains one of the deepest collections of talent across the league. While there has always been debate about how much upside the Red Wings’ prospect pool has, no one can argue with the results: this rebuild has produced no less than six NHL players, and several more are on the way. While there are definitely some characteristics the Red Wings prioritize in their draft selections, their pool is still highly diverse and well-rounded with depth at nearly every position. To that point, I think this ranking features the most impressive top-10 group since I started doing these rankings back in 2021. There are several players outside of the top-10 that are exciting in their own right, with some potentially making an impact soon while others stand out as good long-term bets. All of that begins with the player ranked at 25…. 25. (W) Charlie Forslund – 2024, 176th Overall Mora IK J20 (J20 Nationell) – 44 GP, 9 G, 23 P Previous Rank: 24 A winger with size, skill and a propensity for going to the scoring areas, Charlie Forslund remains one of the more intriguing selections the Red Wings made in the 2024 draft. His shot is dangerous, and he isn’t afraid to use it. Even better, he knows when to use it and where to put himself to get the best possible scoring chance. His defensive instincts don’t exactly stand out, but this is a player you hope to develop into a middle six scorer rather than a two-way force. Forslund debuted in these rankings last time around thanks to a strong start to his season. While his finish was not as strong as the start, he still earned games at the next level over in Sweden. That sets the bar for next season: steady growth at a higher level of hockey. He still looks to be a project pick, so patience will be key when it comes to whether he will reach his potential. 24. (G) Michal Pradel – 2025, 75th Overall Tri-City Storm (USHL) – 14 GP, 9 Wins, 2.41 GAA, .899 SV% Previous Rank: 2025 Draftee The Red Wings surprised some when they selected goalie Michal Pradel with their third-round selection in this year’s draft. Their pool was already pretty deep at the goaltending position; as a matter of fact, you’ll see three more goalies here before these rankings are over. He is the fourth goalie Detroit has drafted within the last three years, so there will certainly be competition for him as he works his way up the depth chart. Pradel is a very “toolsy” goaltender. He possesses good size at 6-foot-5, 194 pounds, and his agility helps him move around the crease with ease. To some extent, he reminds me of former Red Wings goaltender Petr Mrázek in the way he battles in the crease, making athletic plays to keep the puck in front of him. Like Mrázek, Pradel can also lose his technique under duress, and he can be a bit over-aggressive at times. He’s a prospect you stash away for two or three years and then assess his progress and where you go from there. The fact Pradel is the lowest-ranked goalie on this list should make you very excited about the puck-stoppers ranked ahead of him. 23. (C/LW) Michal Svrcek – 2025, 119th Overall Brynäs IF (SHL) – 17 GP, 1 G, 3P Previous Rank: 2025 Draftee If you’re looking for candidates to become “the steal of the 2025 NHL Draft), Michal Svrcek deserves some consideration. The speedy, Slovakian forward stood out at various levels this past season, including as alternate captain for Team Slovakia at the U-18 championship where he had four points in seven games. He was also a point per-game player at the J-20 level over in Sweden, registering 30 points in 30 games. His ability to stand out among his age group is what led him to compete against men in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Svrcek is a playmaker at heart, and a good one at that. He confidently identifies passing lanes and helps facilitate his team’s attack. Like many Red Wings prospects, his motor is unquestionable; he plays with energy and speed all over the ice and is always hungry to have the puck on his stick. He does put himself in turnover trouble sometimes, and learning when to go for the big play and when not to will be a big part of his development curve. He projects as a middle six winger with the innate ability to make things happen offensively. 22. (C/RW) Noah Dower Nilsson – 2023, 73rd Overall Frölunda HC (SHL) – 35 GP, 4 G, 10 P Previous Rank: 23 Make no mistake, Noah Dower Nilsson has the talent to climb up these rankings in a significant way. However, missing the majority of the 2023-24 season means a lost year of development, and now the young Swedish forward finds himself playing catch-up to return to the form that made him a fairly highly touted prospect leading up to his draft year. Dower Nilsson showed his stuff at times this season in the SHL. The Swedish league is notoriously hard to score in, especially for young players, so it is maybe a little promising that he was able to basically replicate Lucas Raymond’s production from his draft season (10 points in 33 games played). However, Raymond did that as a 17-year-old while Dower Nilsson did it at the age of 19. Dower Nilsson will need to figure out how to make a consistent impact in 2025-26 if he is going to maintain his place in these rankings. 21. (G) Rudy Guimond – 2023, 169th Overall Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) – 16 GP, 16 Wins, 1.73 GAA, .940 SV% Previous Rank: NR Alright, time to check one of my biases: I don’t put a ton of stock into the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). It is almost the opposite of the SHL in that it is notoriously easy to score and produce points in that league. With defense being somewhat of an afterthought, you really have to break down each player’s individual skillsets and find how they’re having success and determine whether it can be replicated as the player goes up against tougher competition. With that being said, Rudy Guimond’s somewhat brief stint in “the Q” this past season is one you have to take note of. He went undefeated in the regular season as the “1B” for the Moncton Wildcats and then followed that up with eight wins in nine games in the playoffs, helping the Wildcats secure a league championship. For the QMJHL, his 2024-25 numbers were otherworldly, and so I felt he had to be included here. He enters next season as the top option in goal for the Wildcats; how he fares should give us an idea of how much stock we should put into him as a prospect. 20. (C/W) Ondřej Becher – 2024, 80th Overall Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) – 59 GP, 10 G, 20 P Previous Rank: 18 Because the Red Wings drafted him at the ripe old age of 20, Ondřej Becher was able to immediately join their American Hockey League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. After putting up 96 points in 58 games prior to being drafted, he received a warm welcome to North American professional hockey as his production dipped, and he learned what it means to go up against grown men on a nightly basis. Becher is a smooth operator with the puck on his stick. He moves the puck up the ice very well, and he was able to earn some time on the power play this past season. His here-and-there production didn’t help him stand out amongst his peers, and his game did take a dip along with the entire team in the second half of the season. Now that he knows what life in the AHL is like, it is now up to him to focus on adding strength to his frame and learn how to consistently create plays at that level. He’s a good prospect, but he still has some things to work on before he enters the upper half of this list. 19. (D) Antti Tuomisto – 2019, 35th Overall Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) – 67 GP, 3 G, 27 P Previous Rank: 14 Antti Tuomisto the oldest player (24) included in this ranking, and so it should come as no surprise that he is entering a pivotal season in terms of his standing in the Red Wings organization. He was the second player drafted under general manager Steve Yzerman, but Tuomisto has yet to play a single game in the NHL. While most defensemen are not finished products at the age of 24, there is a growing sense that this player needs to take a significant step forward if he’s ever going to have a place in Detroit. None of that is to discredit the player Tuomisto is today. The Finnish defenseman maintained a role in the Griffins’ top four for most of the season, posting career-high totals in both games played and points. He has a booming shot that remains one of the best tools in his kit, but he doesn’t always put himself in the best spots to use it. He holds his own defensively, but the overall lack of pace in his game is what seems to be holding him back. If he can add foot speed or play at a faster speed, that might be enough to help him break through the AHL barrier. 18. (W) Eddie Genborg – 2025, 44th Overall Linköping HC (SHL) – 28 GP, 2 G, 2 P Previous Rank: 2025 Draftee The Red Wings’ 2025 draft class has a few players that could one day become fan favorites, and Eddie Genborg is one of them. The Swedish winger is already built like a man at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, and he plays like one too. After watching him play, I think a suitable nickname for him would be “The Punisher” because that’s what he does: he punishes his opponents all over the ice. Genborg punishes the opposition in a variety of ways. If you leave him alone in the slot or around the crease, his shot is good enough to make you regret it. While he wasn’t able to score a ton at the SHL level this season, he still exhibited good instincts, and the fact he featured in 28 games in one of the top leagues in the world says something about the level of impact he brings to the ice. Speaking of impact, his physicality is his calling card. He is a menace on the forecheck, and he never passes up the opportunity to lay a big hit on his opponents. Fans will love his physical play, but Genborg has the potential to be a sneaky-good scorer too. If he reaches his potential, he’ll be the type of player that would have thrived on Detroit’s famous “Grind Line” back in the 90s. 17. (LW) Dylan James – 2022, 40th Overall University of North Dakota (NCAA) – 38 GP, 14 G, 22 P Previous Rank: 16 Dylan James has always had an intriguing toolkit. Now a senior at the University of North Dakota, he has also always been in good hands in regard to his development. This past season, however, is when I started to truly see the vision of what this player could be. The task now is to build on that success and hopefully become a marquee player for one of the marquee programs in college hockey. James uses his high-end skating ability to attack all over the ice. His ability to play with pace makes him a pest on the forecheck as well as a potential facilitator at the next level. He battles for pucks, and he tries to put himself in good position at both ends of the ice. He played on the penalty kill in previous seasons, but he earned time on the power play in his junior season by earning the trust of his coaching staff. After his senior season concludes, he will almost certainly join the Griffins in some capacity, assuming he and the Red Wings come to terms on an entry-level contract (ELC) of course. 16. (G) Michal Postava – Undrafted HC Kometa Brno (Czechia) – 42 GP, 23 Wins, 2.39 GAA, .921 SV% Previous Rank: Free Agent Signing Goalies are often late to blossom. They usually aren’t pushing for NHL minutes until their mid-20s, and sometimes they don’t even get an opportunity to play a bulk of the minutes at any level until their early 20s. Plenty of goalies have flown under the radar in their draft seasons and have gone on to experience a high level of success in the NHL – the Florida Panthers were just backstopped to back-to-back championships by an undrafted goaltender. By no means am I saying Michal Postava is going to be the next Sergei Bobrovsky. I am merely setting the backdrop for one of the surprise additions to this ranking. Postava is a 23-year-old goaltender that is coming off a 2024-25 season where he was one of the top goaltenders in Czechia’s top league. As a rookie, he led his club to a league championship, earning the attention of NHL scouts in the process. The Red Wings and Postava expect him to play an immediate role in Grand Rapids this season. Postava’s athleticism and poise in the crease are stand out traits to me. His presence in Griffins’ lineup will be something to keep an eye on this season. 15. (F) Emmitt Finnie – 2023, 201st Overall Kamloops Blazers (WHL) – 55 GP, 37 G, 84 P Previous Rank: 13 Emmitt Finnie falls two spots in this ranking compared to last time, but it has nothing to do with him and everything to do with two new players being placed ahead of him. I can’t move him up any higher than this right now but make no mistake: I am a believer in this player. When you watch Finnie play, it quickly becomes apparent why the Red Wings liked this player. He’s a high-energy, two-way forward that makes things happen all over the ice. He dominated while wearing the captain’s ‘C’ for the Kamloops Blazers, finishing in the top-15 in league scoring. He then appeared in 10 regular season games with the Griffins and recorded a goal and five points. If Finnie’s play at the AHL level late last season carries over into this season, all bets are off in terms of what his ceiling is. At the very least, he looks like he could be a solid, high-energy bottom six forward in the NHL, but I’m willing to bet there’s even more there. He could be a big riser in these rankings the next time around. 14. (D) Anton Johansson – 2022, 105th Overall Leksands IF (SHL) – 46 GP, 5 G, 10 P Previous Rank: 22 After years of him being just inside or just outside of the top-25, Anton Johansson is the biggest jumper in this ranking, moving up eight spots to just inside the top-15. The glimmers of promise we’ve seen in the past all led to this past season, where he was a steady performer in the SHL and then seamlessly joined the Griffins for 11 regular season games and all three of their playoff contests. Johansson moves himself and the puck quite well for someone who is pushing 6-foot-5. His composure on the blue line allows him to facilitate when the puck is on his stick and disrupt the opposition when it isn’t. While he doesn’t project as a high-end offensive defenseman, moving the puck is very much part of his game. He is set to return for one more SHL season before joining the Griffins late in the season just like he did in 2024-25. Like Finnie, he also has a chance to be a big riser over the next couple of rankings. 13. (D) Shai Buium – 2021, 36th Overall Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) – 67 GP, 2 G, 25 P Previous Rank: 11 Shai Buium was always going to endure a slow and steady development path. Luckily, things have gone well to this point. He saw his role at the University of Denver increase year over year and ultimately celebrated a national championship. In his first AHL season, he maintained a steady grip on a spot in the Griffins’ top four. He saw time on the power play, and he played in all types of situations. The challenge for the 2025-26 campaign is to build on it and earn top pairing minutes, which could potentially put him on the NHL’s doorstep. Buium moves the puck quite well – he always has. He uses good vision all over the ice to move the puck to his teammates and/or out of trouble. He uses his 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame to his advantage (though he could stand to do it a little more), and he’s hard to contain when he’s firing on all cylinders. He needs to add a bit more strength (which will come with time), and he needs to continue to develop his defensive game at the pro level (which should also come with time.) If he puts it all together, he has the skillset to be an everyday NHLer in some capacity. 12. (C) Max Plante – 2024, 47th Overall University of Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA) – 23 GP, 9 G, 28 P Previous Rank: 12 It’s hard to watch Max Plante and not get excited about what he can do as a playmaker. Even as a freshman at the University of Minnesota-Duluth this past season, he showed a high-end ability to make things happen, especially as a passer. He sees the game very well, especially for a 19-year-old, and he can make plays at a high pace. The ingredients for a top six playmaker are all there – it’s just a matter of building on his skills over the next couple of seasons. I have all the time in the world for Plante. He plays with energy, and his vision on the ice sets him apart from many of the prospects on this list. There is a bit of a boom-or-bust element to this prospect, however. His game isn’t one that necessarily translates anywhere other than the top six – he’s an offensive forward, if that makes sense – so if his vision and playmaking ability doesn’t travel with him when he eventually begins his pro career, he loses almost all of his potential paths to the NHL. That being said, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about him after his first full year in the organization. 11. (D) William Wallinder – 2020, 32nd Overall Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) – 62 GP, 2 G, 19 P Previous Rank: 9 William Wallinder was the first pick in the second round of the 2020 draft. The 2025-26 season will be his third with the Griffins. He’s been on a long, winding road since joining the Red Wings organization, but it feels like we’re reaching an inflection point in his development and career. He is now one of the older prospects in this pool, and with that comes a certain pressure to make the jump before somebody else does. Wallinder is in his final season of being exempt from waivers in the NHL. While the expectation is that he will return to Grand Rapids this season, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if the organization gives him a look if the injury bug strikes the blue line in Detroit. He has proven himself to be a capable defender at the AHL level, though he hasn’t asserted himself in any specific area. As it stands right now, he probably projects as a capable bottom pairing defender that can make an impressive offensive play from time to time. 10. (RW) Jesse Kiiskinen – 2023, 68th Overall HPK (Liiga) – 46 GP, 14 G, 44 P Previous Rank: 10 A little over a year ago when the Red Wings traded defense prospect Andrew Gibson to the Nashville Predators for a second round pick and forward prospect Jesse Kiiskinen, I was a little disappointed as I had taken a liking to Gibson as a prospect. Yet here we are today and I’m starting to think that the Gibson-Kiiskinen swap could go down as one of the savviest moves made during the Red Wings’ rebuild. Kiiskinen is coming off one of the best age-19 seasons in recent memory over in Finland’s top league. He plays a hard game and is willing to be a thorn in the side of his opponent. He has that Red Wing DNA: tough to play against with underrated skill – though I’m not so sure his skill is underrated anymore. While he was more of a playmaker with his main club HPK, he had six goals in seven games at the World Juniors back in January. He can make an impact in multiple ways and would be a higher-ranked prospect in several other pools. 9. (C) Amadeus Lombardi – 2022, 113th Overall Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) – 44 GP, 19 G, 40 P Previous Rank: 8 As a former fourth-round pick, Amadeus Lombardi has surpassed his draft day expectations. He was arguably the Griffins’ best forward last season, showing the ability to read, adapt, create and execute, all while maintaining an NHL-caliber pace. He is absolutely electric when he is on his game, and he was on his game more often than not last season. The biggest hurdles facing Lombardi are his lack of size (5-foot-11, 178 pounds) and his play away from the puck. His ability to read and react in all areas of the ice gives his game a good chance to translate at the NHL level, but if it doesn’t – or at least not fully – he’ll need to refine his two-way game to give himself the best shot at finding success at the next level. Speaking of which, a move over to the wing is inevitable in the NHL. But make no mistake: Lombardi is a legitimate call-up candidate in 2025-26. 8. (G) Trey Augustine – 2023, 41st Overall Michigan State University (NCAA) – 30 GP, 19 Wins, 2.08 GAA, .924 SV% Previous Rank: 6 Trey Augustine is undoubtedly one of the top goalie prospects in the world. His composure in the crease is world class. While he is undersized for a goaltender (6-foot-1, 194 pounds) his mobility and precision allow him to stay square to incoming shots and appear larger than he is. He is already a technically-sound goaltender that could probably perform quite well at the AHL level. Instead, his junior season at Michigan State University awaits as he hopes to help the Spartans claim a championship in 2026. There is a growing consensus that Augustine is the top goaltender in the Red Wings’ prospect pool. Admittedly, I’m starting to lean that way too, but I’m not there quite yet. I think Augustine will play many games in the NHL and will probably top out as an above-average starter. In baseball terms, he’s a double that could turn into a triple under the right circumstances. I just think that the lone goalie ranked ahead of him still has a shot to become a home run…. 7. (LW) Carter Mazur – 2021, 70th Overall Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) – 20 GP, 8 G, 15 P Previous Rank: 5 If NHL-certainty and/or proximity were the only things taken into consideration, Carter Mazur would probably sit atop these rankings. Yes, he was injured just over a minute into his NHL debut on March 6, ending an injury-riddled campaign for the scrappy winger. The Jackson, Michigan native was called up for a reason, though. He has hovered around the top-five of these rankings for a while now, and the next step in his development is to claim a full-time spot in Detroit. I’ve said it plenty of times before, but Mazur will be a future fan favorite. He plays a hard-nosed style (which will inevitably lead to future injuries) and he is the type of player that will lay it all on the line for his team. He won’t ever be a line-driver, but he projects to be the type of player that pulls a line together by doing all the little, unspectacular things that lead to success. The Red Wings are trying to become a tougher team to play against, and I believe he will be a part of that identity shift. 6. (G) Sebastian Cossa – 2021, 15th Overall Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) – 41 GP, 21 Wins, 2.45 GAA, .911 SV% Previous Rank: 3 You almost have to feel bad for Sebastian Cossa. When he was drafted, the discourse was about whether the Red Wings should have selected Swedish goaltender Jesper Wallstedt instead. Now that Cossa has been able to push most of that chatter to the side thanks to two successful AHL seasons, there is new chatter about how Augustine has supplanted Cossa as Detroit’s goalie of the future. To be fair, Cossa gave people a reason to look elsewhere last season. Despite recording 44 wins in 84 AHL contests, Cossa has yet to run away with the starting gig in Grand Rapids. Last season, his second with the Griffins, he found himself constantly fighting for ice time as Ville Husso and Jack Campbell both ate into his share of the starts. Come playoff time, Cossa was chased out of the net in the Griffins’ first game, didn’t get the start in their second game, and then wasn’t good enough to prolong the season in their third and final game. Cossa has been really good over his two seasons in the AHL, but he has the potential to be great. As things stand, he is the third goalie on the Red Wings’ depth chart and stands to be the first call up in the case of injury. This season is not make-or-break for his career, but the conversation – and these rankings – will shift if he doesn’t look NHL-ready by season’s end. 5. (LW) Dmitry Buchelnikov – 2022, 52nd Overall Vityaz Moscow Region (KHL) – 65 GP, 15 G, 54 P Previous Rank: 4 Arguably the most exciting prospect in the Red Wings’ prospect pool, Dmitry Buchelnikov might only be a year away from making his NHL debut. He is signed for another season over in Russia, but the chatter surrounding his future in the NHL is as loud as it has ever been. Given his ability to make an impact in arguably the second-most talented league in the world, he may even bypass the Red Wings’ standard procedure of sticking their prospects in the AHL for some time before exposing them to the NHL. Simply put, Buchelnikov makes things happen. He can make defenders look foolish when he is given time and space. His shot is dangerous, and he could benefit from using it more. His real gift, however, is his offensive awareness. He sees the ice like few players can, and he has the talent to make plays when he sees them. I stop short of Kirill Kaprizov when thinking about what his ceiling is, but I don’t know that he’s that far off. I have him penciled in as a future second line winger, but I would caution anyone that wants to put a ceiling on what he is capable of at this point. 4. (C/LW) Carter Bear – 2025, 13th Overall Everett Silvertips (WHL) – 56 GP, 40 G, 82 P Previous Rank: 2025 Draftee Like the player named Carter ranked in the seventh spot, Carter Bear is going to be another fan favorite in time. He plays the game without fear, putting himself in the scoring areas while also being willing to take the punishment that comes with being in those areas. However, he isn’t afraid to give it right back, and his physicality is what sets him apart from the other “high compete, two-way forwards with underrated skill” the Red Wings have drafted in the first round recently. Bear has all the makings of a future leader at the pro level. He competes just as hard in the defensive end as he does in the offensive zone. When his team needs a spark, he goes out and tries to provide one, whether it’s with a goal or a big hit. The sheer physicality in his game is something the Red Wings lacked in their prospect pool as well as on their roster in general. Safe projections have him landing in the middle six in the NHL, but I think he is smart enough and passionate enough to become a top six power forward in his prime. 3. (RW/LW) Michael Brandsegg-Nygård – 2024, 15th Overall Skellefteå AIK (SHL) – 42 GP, 5 G, 11 P Previous Rank: 7 I was a bit lukewarm on Michael Brandsegg-Nygård when the Red Wings first drafted him. Over the course of the last year, however, I started to see the vision. Not only does this player have a highly intriguing toolkit, but he also may be closer to NHL-ready than you might think. He is certainly a lot closer than I initially gave him credit for. Brandsegg-Nygård is, yes, a two-way force that competes hard all over the ice. The maturity of his defensive game was particularly notable in the SHL this season; while he projects to be more of a scorer in the NHL, I can see him becoming the type of penalty killer that excels at disrupting and creating spot scoring chances. He scored two goals and three points while playing in the Griffins’ three playoff games, suggesting an early comfort level for the Norwegian winger. With his two-way ability and scoring prowess, I see him becoming a player similar to New Jersey Devils winger Timo Meier, and that should excite Red Wings fans. 2. (C) Nate Danielson – 2023, 9th Overall Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) – 71 GP, 12 G, 39 P Previous Rank: 2 Nate Danielson’s numbers from this past season don’t exactly jump off the page, but some added context underscores why he maintains his spot here at number two. First, the majority of his 27 assists were primary, meaning that he was the last player to touch the puck before the goal scorer. This is proof that he is making things happen rather than things happening while he is on the ice. If his raw production still worries you, note that Marco Kasper had 35 points in 71 games with the 2023-24 Griffins, and I’d say he looked pretty good in Detroit this season. Just like on his draft day, Danielson projects as a second line center that can match up against almost anyone in the NHL. His two-way ability and overall responsibility on the ice is encouraging in regard to his future as a center. There were times that he struggled this past season, but I am willing to wager that a large part of it was the physical toll that 71 games against grown men takes. He absolutely needs to get stronger and continue to learn how to create offense consistently at the pro level, but I do not doubt his ability to reach the next level. He’s another prospect in this pool that potentially has a future as a leader in the NHL. 1. (D) Axel Sandin Pellikka – 2023, 17th Overall Skellefteå AIK (SHL) – 46 GP, 12 G, 29 P Previous Rank: 1 I remember when I thought I was being bold by ranking Axel Sandin Pellikka ahead of Danielson immediately after the 2023 draft. I stand by what I have said all along: Sandin Pellikka has the potential to become a truly special player, and his window to reach the NHL opens this season. When you’re an undersized defenseman like Sandin Pellikka (5-foot-11, 185 pounds), you have to be able to make big plays with your stick with and without the puck. He does just that; he may not be able to physically impose on the opposition, but he can disrupt with his stick and use good positioning to keep the puck out of danger. On the offensive side of things, he’s as dynamic as they come as he can create scoring opportunities with his shot and his pass. He’s a future power play quarterback and the next big thing to hit the Red Wings’ blue line. Top Prospects by Position Just Missed (F) Alexandre Doucet (C/LW) Brennan Ali (D) Eemil Viro (LW) Austin Baker (LW) Maximilian Kilpinen
Mariners acquire Eugenio Suarez in blockbuster deal
The hype around Eugenio Suarez at the trade deadline has been circulating for quite some time, and now, the 34-year-old third baseman has been dealt to the Seattle Mariners, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Suarez has bounced around the major leagues through a 12-year career, including a stop in Seattle for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. In that span, Suarez tallied 267 hits, 53 home runs and 183 RBIs. In Passan's report, the trade is pending a medical review. Suarez was hit on the right index finger by a pitch while playing on Monday in Detroit. There were no fractures revealed in his CT scan and MRI exam he got after leaving the game. Suarez has not played since that game on Monday. Suarez joins a Seattle team that is fighting in the AL West race, trailing five games to the Houston Astros. The Mariners are also clinging to the third AL Wild Card spot, tied with the Texas Rangers and in the playoff pack with the Yankees and Red Sox. Suarez in Seattle also means that two of the top home run hitters in baseball will team up on the same lineup card. Cal Raleigh leads the league with 41 home runs and added a Home Run Derby title to his 2025 season accolades. Suarez sits in fifth place in MLB with his 36 homers. Suarez is the first player in MLB history to be traded in-season after reaching 35 home runs, as reported by Yahoo Sports. MLB.com's Daniel Kramer reported shortly after the Suarez trade news broke that the return to Arizona will be Tyler Locklear and pitching prospects Hunter Cranton (No. 16) and right-hander Juan Burgos (No. 17), according to Kramer. Locklear made his MLB debut last season and played 16 games with the Mariners, putting together seven hits and a .156 batting average in 49 plate appearances. Suarez will not have a chance to see his former team as Arizona and Seattle don't meet this season, but the veteran first baseman will likely get a chance to expand upon limited playoff experience, and he'll do so playing his best baseball.
Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb shares Brian Schottenheimer's stern message after another camp incident
It will be even harder for the Dallas Cowboys to rebound from a 7-10 season if they don't stop fighting each other. Last week, there were multiple incidents at training camp in Oxnard, California. On Wednesday, more scuffles broke out, and rookie offensive tackle Ajani Cornelius was ejected after punching a teammate (via ESPN's Todd Archer). Cowboys rookie head coach Brian Schottenheimer subsequently stopped practice and made players and members of the coaching staff sprint sideline to sideline. He also sent a clear message to his team. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb reiterated it in a news conference. "Do we want to be champions? Because throughout the year of us being here, talent was never the problem for us," Lamb said. "It was always discipline. How do we, like, get ahead but not behind? How do we not shoot ourselves in the foot? Honestly, when that momentum is going our way, we need to continue to keep the foot on the pedal and make the right play and always think about the team." It's good for the Cowboys that Schottenheimer emphasized discipline after practice, but the coach may have inadvertently contributed to the issue. At the start of camp, he indicated he wanted the Cowboys to be more aggressive. "We want to have a very physical training camp," the coach told the media. "That's really important to us both offensively and defensively. How we want to play, be a physical team both offensively and defensively." It appears his team misinterpreted the message. This raises concerns about Schottenheimer's ability to maintain control, especially in a locker room featuring volatile personalities, such as new wide receiver George Pickens. Lamb seems to be listening to Schottenheimer, but the coach must connect with other players. If he doesn't, trouble could be brewing in Dallas.
Slow-Mo Video of Aaron Rodgers' Pass to DK Metcalf Leaves Steelers in Disbelief
Aaron Rodgers may have made an uncharacteristic mistake during a recent drill with the team when his pass was intercepted by linebacker Patrick Queen. However, he has since filled Pittsburgh Steelers fans with excitement amid training camp. Recently, Rodgers showed his connection with wide receiver DK Metcalf with a short throw that has fans and the Steelers hyped. Steelers' Slow-Mo Video Shows Aaron Rodgers' Pass to DK Metcalf On Instagram, the Steelers highlighted their new QB-WR duo with a video of Rodgers throwing the ball to Metcalf, who caught it with ease. To add a dramatic effect, Pittsburgh's social media team gave it a slow-motion treatment. The Steelers themselves were ecstatic to see the two work on their game, writing "Cinema" in the caption of the post. They also included the "Absolute Cinema" meme at the end of the post, emphasizing how much they enjoyed the play. Fans were quick to comment on the video as well, with many unable to hide their delight at seeing Rodgers bring stability to their quarterback position and build more chemistry with their new weapon in Metcalf. "Super Bowl," an excited commenter wrote. Another one expressed a similar sentiment, writing, "superbowl??" "Not a Steelers fan but seeing Rodgers in a Steelers helmet and throwing to DK met-calf is out of this world!" a social media user added. A fan remarked, "man this is really it." "DK is that dude," a follower shared. A sixth poster stated, "Mmmmmmmmm more please." How Rodgers Feels in Pittsburgh With the Steelers Rodgers signed a one-year, $13.65 million contract to join the Steelers. Considering the high likelihood of his retirement following the campaign — he said before that he's "pretty sure" it's his last one in the pros — the 41-year-old QB is expected to be highly motivated this 2025. So far, Rodgers appears to be enjoying his time in Pittsburgh. In fact, on Wednesday, he said in the "Pat McAfee Show" that he's "getting more comfortable as the days go on." He also has nothing but "gratitude" to be part of a historic franchise like the Steelers. "If I can sum up my feelings being in Pittsburgh, it's just gratitude to be in such a special organization with Mike T., the leadership of the football team, and to play for a fanbase that cares as much as these guys do."
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