JotCast | PHR Live Chat: 9/24/25

PHR Live Chat: 9/24/25

Josh Erickson

1:42

Hello all! I will start answering questions at the top of the hour. For those who had trouble interacting with the embedded chat last week, I've included a link in the post to enter the chat in a new tab.

2:00

Alright, let's get started.

Bruins

2:00

Bruins expectations for this year?

Josh Erickson

2:01

Not very high. I said before the beginning of last season that the team lives and dies by Jeremy Swayman. The same is true this year, with very little change in the team's total identity. There should be natural improvement even if Swayman only has a marginal resurgence – a healthy Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy provide that by default. But I would still bank on a bottom-10 finish. Not sure if they're bad enough for bottom 5 unless Swayman really bottoms out and David Pastrnak has a more pedestrian season, though.

2:02

Could playoffs happen? I've seen crazier things than a team with Boston's roster complexion making a run for a wild-card spot. They have the top-end talent. But there's a few more spots for young players, there will be growing pains, and the long-term projections of some of their core pieces got thrown into limbo after last year's struggles.

LGD

2:02

Think there’s any gamesmanship to putting Edwards in Luke’s spot and Keefe calling him the possibly the best skater? Like “hey, this train is leaving with or without you”

SpeakOfTheDevils

2:04

What does Luke Hughes contract finally look like when all is said and done and whats next for the Devils after that?

Josh Erickson

2:06

No. There are always camp standouts. If the circumstances allow the team to reward them, so be it. The tone in negotiations has been amicable, by all reports. That, in and of itself, is good news because the Devils really haven't left themselves a ton of maneuverability to get this deal done for one of their most important long-term pieces. I don't see a way a long-term deal comes in below $8MM, particularly based on the comparables set this summer. That means the next move will be clearing a salary. They've left themselves in a position where attaching a valuable asset to offload Ondrej Palat's contract might realistically be one of their only moves. If Ethan Edwards is really impressive to that extent, I wonder if they shop around Siegenthaler.

2:06

What are the chances Tij Iginla makes Utah’s opening night roster? Asking for a concerned Kelowna Rockets fan

Josh Erickson

2:07

Slim but not impossible. There's a top-nine role up for grabs right now with Alexander Kerfoot dealing with an injury, but Daniil But has pro experience and likely has the inside track. Given how little Iginla played last year, I think it makes sense for both parties to have Tij back in juniors for another season.

DStars

2:07

Who do you think is the likeliest team in the east to dethrone the panthers in a 7 game series?

Josh Erickson

2:09

People are not giving enough credit to the way the Lightning have come out of this mini retool. There's a lot of pressure on an aging defense (Hedman/McDonagh) to hold up, but if it does, their scoring depth is back on par with the Panthers', with a full season of Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde in the picture. Their offseason depth signings (Pontus Holmberg, Jakob Pelletier, etc.) were quite shrewd as well. I like the way they're built.

Waivers

2:09

Who would likely clear waivers,reichel or crevier .?

Josh Erickson

2:11

Someone takes a chance on Lukas Reichel for free, for sure. It's a no-risk gamble; you can non-tender him next summer and he'd barely cost anything against the cap to be buried in the minors if it doesn't work out and you're stuck with him.

There could be some interest in Louis Crevier, but I think he would pass through. There are comparable talents on more appealing contracts. He's got another year left after this one, and he's on a one-way deal. Those are both considerable deterrents.

Hawk Fan in FL

2:11

How much runway do you see in Chicago giving the youth movement before they look to bring a veteran or two end?

Josh Erickson

2:13

Eh... the problem is they haven't brought in the right veterans yet. I'm utterly perplexed at Connor Bedard having Ryan Donato and Andre Burakovsky as linemates entering his third NHL season. I think the runway has been overrun, at least in terms of the immense pressure they're putting on him. The time to dangle some prospects and make a move was this past offseason. It didn't happen. Now they risk some of their fringe prospects losing trade value because they can't make the jump amid a crowded field.

DStars

2:13

If Columbus can get .910 to .915 save % from their overall goaltending could you see them as a wild card?

Josh Erickson

2:15

With that kind of goaltending, they're probably a top-three team in the Metropolitan Division. Keep in mind that the league average SV% has dipped to right around .900. They got an .896 last year, so that would be a 15-20 point jump behind a skater group that's bound to have some age-related improvement this year anyway. They're likely flirting with 100 points if that's what they get.

Pts

2:15

Who will have 3 lowest point totals this season ?

Josh Erickson

2:17

I think the Blackhawks are the only true lock here. I think the Penguins end up here too. We'll see how the Sharks' new-look defense holds up. They're bound for some progress overall, but there are still a bunch of question marks there. If it does... watch out for a big Detroit slip. I wouldn't be all that surprised to see them in the basement with how poorly they've gone about building their defense and not filling their top-line vacancy.

Monty

2:18

It's an odd prediction, but Oskar Sundqvist for 40 points alongside Neighbours and Suter?

Josh Erickson

2:19

Stranger things have happened! You're banking on health, which is far from a given with Sundqvist. He's hit a career high of 0.42 points per game twice, which works out to 34 points per 82 games. That's not a huge jump to get to 40. I don't think those are offensively advantageous enough linemates for him to do it, though. I think the 30-35 range is still realistic.

Brian

2:19

Any chance we see some big trades before the season starts? Or even some small ones?

Josh Erickson

2:21

I'm not holding my breath. Things have still seemed pretty quiet. As more injuries pile up, teams will make depth moves. The only team I really have my eyes on for the next few weeks is the Devils to see how they manage to make space for Luke Hughes. If they LTIR somebody (Kovacevic), they'll still have to make space to activate him, so a trade is inevitable.

Landyn

2:21

Colten Ellis looked amazing in St. Louis' preseason opener in Dallas, maybe they roll a 3 goalie rotation?

Josh Erickson

2:23

We are not going to overreact to the first preseason game, haha. Ellis is an intriguing prospect. It would be exceptionally damaging to his development to both rush him and heavily restrict his playing time behind a workhorse starter and a highly competent backup. Let's have that conversation next year when Binnington and Hofer are both pending free agents.

Bret hart

2:25

Any truths to the rumors of McDavid to LA?

Josh Erickson

2:26

Not in the slightest. Rumors ≠ speculation, especially in late summer when people are desperate. Things will have to get much worse – either sour negotiations or sour on-ice performance – for McDavid to give any meaningful thought to playing anywhere else other than Edmonton in the short term.

Free Agency

2:27

Who do you expect to fit free agency next off-season?

Josh Erickson

2:29

Some names I'd put at higher than 50/50 – Artemi Panarin, Adrian Kempe, Mats Zuccarello, John Carlson, Jaden Schwartz

Blues TDL

2:29

Who do the Blues target at the deadline? Tolvanen?

Josh Erickson

2:31

Of the myriad wingers the Kraken will likely be looking to move, I don't think he's one of them. They should be able to drum up enough interest in names like Schwartz, Eberle, etc. to allow them to retain Tolvanen – unless he expresses an unwillingness to extend, of course.

The Blues' biggest need is a bottom-pairing defenseman (or two). I remain unimpressed by Logan Mailloux and don't think he has the defensive acumen (yet) to stick in an NHL lineup, particularly a team with playoff aspirations. The competition for forward spots between names like Justin Carbonneau, Dalibor Dvorsky, and the in-house vets is fierce enough that I don't view a middle-six winger as much of a priority, at least not compared to building on a third pairing of Mailloux and Tyler Tucker.

Habs Lines

2:31

I really hate to see Bolduc on that 3rd line. Does Bolduc - Dach - Demidov make sense or do all 3 have too much to prove to be thrown on the ice together?

Josh Erickson

2:33

I don't think there's a ton on Bolduc "to prove." He's already a little ahead in his development track. Starting him in a third-line role and letting him grow naturally is what I would do. I'm not particularly put off by that decision from the Habs. It really underscores their need for another middle-six forward – especially a C – doesn't it?

Trotzy

2:33

What happens to Nashville's defense? I'm high on Blankenburg but Hague - Josi seems like the top pairing, Skjei - Barron on the second, and then a LD with Perbix leaves no room for Blankenburg. Who fills that LD spot if Blanks is 7th D?

Josh Erickson

2:34

Before Hague's injury, I would have said Adam Wilsby. They really liked what he brought to the table last year. Now, it's hard not to see Tanner Molendyk getting a crack with Hague set to miss time. He could force his way into a lengthy stay on the NHL roster if given the chance.

Ducks

2:34

Does Sennecke make the team?

Josh Erickson

2:36

The tea leaves say no. He got that look with Kreider and Carlsson in the game the other night but that felt like he was a placeholder for Troy Terry.

Calgary

2:36

What's going on with Rasmus Andersson?

Josh Erickson

2:38

I'm personally not reading a ton into this report from LeBrun yesterday (https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2025/09/rasmus-andersson-calgary-flame...). I'm not doubting the validity of the information – we obviously wouldn't have covered it if so – but it just feels like too much "damage" has been done in the preceding months to see him sticking around. I think there's room for him long-term and he could be beneficial to a retool that's progressing nicely. The Flames would need to present an offer well above what else is out there for him for that to happen, though. I don't see the benefit in doing so.

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