Florida Panthers prospect Stepan Gorbunov scored the game-opening goal on a power play and then scored the decisive marker in the seventh-round of the shootout as Chelyabinsk Belye Medvedi defeated Avto 3-2 to pick up its first win of the MHL season. Gorbunov was selected in the sixth round (169th overall) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
Former Panther Steven Lorentz has reportedly signed a professional tryout agreement with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Lorentz scored a goal and added two helpers in 38 regular season games and potted two goals and collected an assist in 16 postseason games. Best of luck securing a contract with the Buds!
The Edmonton Oilers signed center Leon Draisaitl to an eight-year contract extension worth $112 million. Draisaitl’s new deal has an average annual value of $14 million, the highest in NHL history. The 28-year-old played 81 games last season, scoring 41 goals and 65 assists for 106 points. He added another 10 goals and 21 assists in 25 postseason games as the Oilers fell in seven games to the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final.
Starting this season, Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield will switch to No. 13 in honor of Johnny Gaudreau.