"Yeah, absolutely," Bettman replied. "Actually, Ted took me on a tour of what's been done and what's being planned (at Capital One Arena). What's going on here is nothing short of spectacular. And sharing our tentpole events, our special events with the fans in Washington, with the Capitals, the organization, is always on the table."
It seems like more than other sports, professional hockey players have family ties to current players and those of days past. Last night was the first game of the CHL vs USA top prospects game, as Parker Trottier, the grandson of six-time Stanley Cup champion and NY Islanders legend Bryan Trottier, was part of the USA's 4-2 victory. While grandpa came from the Canadian plains, born in Val Marie, Saskatchewan, Parker hails from Edina, MN, currently playing for the NTDP.
There was no shortage of Bruins prospects on the ice in Friday's season opener between No. 6 Boston College and No. 13 Quinnipiac - with seven different skaters drafted by Boston taking to the ice at Conte Forum. The Eagles rolled out five different Bruins prospects - headlined by 2025 first-round pick (No. 7 overall) James Hagens. Joining Hagens as Bruins property on BC's roster were fellow pivots Will Moore (2025 second-round pick) and Dean Letourneau (2024 first-round pick) - as well as wingers Oskar Jellvik (2021 fifth-round pick) and Andre Gasseau (2021 seventh-round pick).
An ASU alumni currently in the NHL will have his number retired this season when Joey Daccord's number 35 is retired in their season opener on October 3rd. The Sun Devils home opener was already highly anticipated since Gavin McKenna will be visiting with Penn State to take on ASU. In addition to being the first ASU player to have his number retired, Daccord was the first ASU player to be drafted, sign with, and play with an NHL team.
The first thing that jumps off the page is how much Dickinson impacts the game offensively. He's not just quarterbacking the power play. He's jumping into the rush, setting up goals, and putting up numbers most forwards would be jealous of. His shot from the point is a weapon, and he has the vision to find teammates through traffic. He was flat-out dominant in London this past year, and that's the kind of swagger the Sharks could use.
The first thing you notice about Ravensbergen is his size. At 6'5", he's got that big modern goalie frame that eats up a ton of the net. That alone makes shooters think twice, but it's not just the size; he actually uses it well. He's not the type to flail around or make crazy desperation saves all the time. Instead, he stays pretty composed, relies on his positioning and just looks calm even when the play is breaking down in front of him.
Christian Kirsch, a Swiss goaltender, has signed with the Kitchener Rangers after being drafted in the 2024 NHL Draft by the San Jose Sharks and selected in the 2025 CHL Import Draft.
