Samwise NHL & Hockey Newsletter
Sunday, July 26, 2026
Cole Sillinger Signs Three-Year, $13.875M Deal with Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger has signed a three-year, $13.875 million contract, avoiding an arbitration hearing he had filed for on July 5. The deal carries an average annual value of $4.625 million. Sillinger, 23, posted 33 points — 8 goals and 25 assists — in 81 games last season for Columbus. General manager Don Waddell called him “a hard-working, reliable two-way forward who plays the game the right way.” The 2021 first-round pick, selected 12th overall in the NHL Draft, has accumulated 140 total points across 367 career NHL games.
Sources: NHL.com
OHL Scoring Champion Klepov Signs ELC, Positioned to Fast-Track to NHL with Ducks
Anaheim Ducks prospect Nikita Klepov, the 18-year-old center selected 15th overall in the 2026 draft, has signed his three-year entry-level contract. Klepov, a Florida native who grew up in Moscow, dominated the OHL with the Saginaw Spirit last season, posting 97 points on 37 goals and 60 assists in 67 games to lead the league in scoring. He became just the third OHL player ever to win both the rookie of the year award and the scoring title in the same season, following Patrick Kane in 2006‑07 and Jack Valiquette in 1973‑74.
Sources: NHL.com
World Junior Summer Showcase Opens Sunday in Windsor with 14 First-Round Picks on Canada’s Roster
The 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase opens Sunday at WFCU Centre in Windsor, Ontario, running through August 1. The tournament features Canada, Sweden, Finland, and a USA squad split into two teams — USA White and USA Blue — offering an early look at top prospects on the road to the 2027 World Junior Championship. Team Canada’s roster includes 14 first-round picks from the 2026 draft, among them No. 3 overall Caleb Malhotra, No. 4 Ryan Rudolph, No. 6 Carson Carels, and No. 9 Tanner Verhoeff. Sweden arrives as the reigning World Junior champion, having captured gold with a 4-2 victory over Czechia.
Sources: NHL.com
Sharks Prospect Haoxi Wang Eyes Historic Path as First China-Born NHL Player
San Jose Sharks defenseman prospect Haoxi (Simon) Wang, selected 33rd overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, is aiming to become the first China-born player to reach the NHL. The 6-foot-6, 215-pound blueliner was born in Beijing and moved to Toronto at age 12 to pursue hockey, recording 26 points in 57 OHL games last season split between Oshawa and Niagara. He will attend Boston University this fall. “Becoming the first Chinese defenseman to ever step in the NHL, that gives me extreme motivation,” Wang said. Niagara GM Dale DeGray described him as potentially “Mr. Everything” for the organization.
Sources: NHL.com
Three Canucks Prospects — Malhotra, Cootes, Rogowski — Heading to Windsor WJSS
Three Vancouver Canucks prospects will represent their countries at the 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase in Windsor, Ontario. First-round picks Caleb Malhotra and Braeden Cootes will wear Team Canada jerseys, while Brooks Rogowski suits up for Team USA Blue. Malhotra, the third-overall pick from the 2026 draft who plays at Boston University, is one of 14 first-round selections on Canada’s roster. Cootes, last year’s 15th pick, made his NHL debut with Vancouver during the 2025‑26 season. Rogowski, selected 33rd overall in June, plays for Oshawa in the Ontario Hockey League.
Sources: The Hockey News
Washington’s Keller Carries Olympic Experience into Third Pro Season
Washington Capitals prospect Antoine Keller is building toward the NHL on the back of a busy international season. The 21-year-old French goalie, a seventh-round pick (No. 206) from the 2023 draft, appeared in three games for France at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, stopping 69 of 78 shots. He also went 1‑1‑0 with a 1.96 goals-against average at the Division 1A World Championship. Keller spent last season with Ajoie in Switzerland’s National League, posting a .905 save percentage in 14 games. He is aiming to become only the second France-born goalie to play in the NHL, following Cristobal Huet.
Sources: NHL.com
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.