Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Options Author
The NHL preseason continues, and so does the work of a number of prospects to additional their bids for full-time NHL work.
After glorious 2024-25 performances within the AHL adopted by a summer time of coaching, these hopefuls have wherever from per week or two of the preseason schedule to point out that they’re worthy of beginning the season within the NHL. And if not October, then they will make the case that they need to be first-recall choices when a necessity arises on the NHL roster later.
Let’s break down some high performances that began the preseason slate.
BOSTON BRUINS (PROVIDENCE BRUINS)
After his 39 targets for the Texas Stars led the AHL final season, ahead Matěj Blümel hit free company this summer time.
With a path to the NHL troublesome to seek out with the Dallas Stars, a staff that completed within the closing 4 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs final spring, Blümel opted to take a one-year contract with Boston on the primary day of free company. Change is throughout the Bruins this fall, together with new head coach Marco Sturm, who had been with the Ontario Reign. Bruins administration is on the lookout for scoring, one thing that Blümel actually has proven that he can do on the AHL stage.
To that finish, they’re giving Blümel an excellent have a look at coaching camp. He has been of their lineup for every of the primary two video games of the preseason schedule, and he acquired on the scoreboard early Tuesday night time for the Bruins in what grew to become a come-from-behind 5-4 extra time win in opposition to the New York Rangers.
CALGARY FLAMES (CALGARY WRANGLERS)
Following a breakout 33-goal season for the Wranglers, ahead Rory Kerins is again within the purpose column.
This time it’s for the Flames, who acquired a purpose and an help from Kerins in Tuesday night time’s 4-1 dwelling win in opposition to the Seattle Kraken. Named the sport’s first star, the 23-year-old is looking for his strategy to a full-time job with the Flames. An AHL All-Star final season, he additionally appeared in 5 video games with the Flames, who had taken him as a sixth-round choose in 2020.
DETROIT RED WINGS (GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS)
The Crimson Wings acquired loads of offense from their ahead prospects Tuesday night time to take a 3-2 win in opposition to the visiting Chicago Blackhawks.
Detroit acquired targets from Carter Mazur and Nate Danielson, who each spent final season with the Griffins. Danielson, the ninth choose of the 2023 NHL Draft, had 39 factors (12 targets, 27 assists) as a rookie final season with Grand Rapids. After an encouraging 2023-24 rookie season, harm restricted Mazur to only 20 video games with the Griffins final season, although he did put up 15 factors (eight targets, seven assists).
Emmitt Finnie, who acquired a 10-game late-season look final spring with the Griffins, added a purpose and an help within the win to earn first-star honors. Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, one other late addition to the Griffins final season, picked up two assists for the Crimson Wings. Detroit took him fifteenth within the 2024 NHL Draft.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (TORONTO MARLIES)
With goaltender Joseph Woll taking a private go away of absence to deal with a household matter, the Leafs are giving Dennis Hildeby a protracted look in coaching camp.
Hildeby acquired the beginning Tuesday night time in opposition to the Ottawa Senators and performed the primary two intervals. Stopping all 23 photographs that he noticed, he gave strategy to backup Artur Akhtyamov in an eventual 3-2 victory. A two-time AHL All-Star, Hildeby performed 30 video games for the Marlies in 2024-25 and went 16-9-4 with a 2.55 goals-against common and .908 save proportion. The Leafs signed the 24-year-old to a three-year contract extension Sept. 2; that contract is a two-way deal this season and subsequent earlier than it turns into a one-way in 2027-28.
On the American Hockey League beat for twenty years, TheAHL.com options author Patrick Williams additionally at present covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is an everyday contributor on SiriusXM NHL Community Radio. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his excellent protection of the league in 2016.
