Today marks the final day of play at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Windsor, Ontario. Expect 2026 Florida Panthers sixth-rounder Vilho Vanhatalo to be in the lineup when Finland (1-3) takes on nemesis Sweden at noon. The 18-year-old Vanhatalo has played in all four games and has put up a goal and an assist.
The event closes with a battle between the United States and Canada at 4 p.m. Did 2025 fourth-rounder Shea Busch do enough in Thursday’s 5-3 win over the Finns to make the lineup again? Canada is carrying 30 players so 12 will get scratched. Hopefully, Busch will get another go at it.
The Pittsburgh Penguins signed forward Tommy Novak to a three-year, $13.95 million contract extension. Novak, 29, produced 16 and 42 points while playing in all 82 games in his first full season with the Penguins in 2025-26. Acquired in a trade with Nashville in March 2025, Novak has 159 points (65 goals, 94 assists) in 285 career games.
The San Jose Sharks locked up another promising member of their young core, re-signing restricted free agent Collin Graf to a three-year contract worth $12.75 million. The 23-year-old forward is coming off a breakout season that saw him post 21 goals and 25 assists while averaging over 16 minutes of ice time in 81 games.
The International Ice Hockey Federation announced that Russia will not be allowed to participate in four tournaments next year after a review by the organization’s council. Russia will be barred from the 2027 world junior championships, world championships and the under-18 men’s and women’s tournaments.