Maple Leafs prospect Semyon Der-Arguchintsev may have had his KHL rights acquired by Admiral Vladivostok earlier this week, but that doesn’t mean he’s changing his focus. According to his agent Shumi Babaev, the 25-year-old is still aiming to sign with Toronto. Babaev told RB Sport’s Olesya Usova that there is a process going on, but declined to say more.
Der-Arguchintsev has already spent time in Toronto’s system. He played out his entry-level contract with the Marlies, putting up 40 points in 50 games in 2022-23. Over the last three seasons in the KHL, he has added another layer to his resume, including a 2023-24 campaign in which he scored six goals and 31 assists in 57 games.
A Buffalo prospect is also heading to a new team. OHL Soo announced it has signed Doman Kristof Szongoth for the upcoming season.
The 18-year-old center was taken by the Sabres in the fifth round of June’s draft, 156th overall. Last season, Szongoth played in Finland’s junior system and recorded 28 points in 44 games with KooKoo at the under-20 level.
He also represented Hungary in multiple international events, including the World Championship in May, where he posted a goal in seven games in his second appearance in the tournament before he was even drafted.
In Florida, Bryan McCabe is moving on after 14 seasons in the organization’s front office. Panthers GM Bill Zito confirmed the departure to David Dwork of The Hockey News. McCabe had spent the last nine seasons as the team’s Director of Player Personnel, and it isn’t clear whether he already has his next job lined up.
Chicago also made a front-office move, promoting Mike Donaghey to vice president of amateur scouting and player personnel. Scott Powers of The Athletic relayed the news on Twitter, noting that Donaghey had previously been the club’s amateur scouting director for four seasons. He has been with the Blackhawks’ front office since 2009, and this is his fourth promotion during that stretch.
In Other News...
Robert Lewandowski Arrives In Chicago As Team Honors Muzz
Nick Lardis was among the Blackhawks connections making the rounds at the National Sports Collectors Convention, where the young forward took part in activities at the Upper Deck booth. It was the kind of crossover appearance that keeps Chicago hockey in the conversation even in the summer, with the teams presence stretching from memorabilia culture to familiar names around the organization.
Elsewhere in the citys sports scene, Darren Pang marked the first birthday of his late friend Troy Murray, adding a reflective note to a busy stretch of Chicago headlines. The day also brought a bit of local support for Robert Lewandowski ahead of his debut with the Chicago Fire, with Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar among the athletes sending messages, another reminder of how tightly Chicagos teams still overlap in the spotlight. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Depth Is Creating A Tough First Test For Young Forwards
The Blackhawks offseason additions have changed the look of the bottom of the roster, and that has a direct impact on the organizations younger forwards as it turns the page toward 2026-27. For a team still trying to deepen its lineup the right way, the pressure has shifted toward prospects proving they can handle pro hockey before they are handed NHL jobs, rather than being rushed into roles they may not be ready to fill.
That reality makes the next step for several promising forwards especially important, with the club weighing development against the need for immediate depth. Sacha Boisvert, AJ Spellacy and Marek Vanacker all fit into that conversation, and their backgrounds and recent performances suggest the Blackhawks see upside there even if the path to Chicago is not yet open. The challenge now is less about talent than timing, and for at least some of these young players, patience may be part of the plan. [Read more 🡒]