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...
Panthers Core Just Earned The NHL Respect Fans Expected
The Panthers top end keeps getting the kind of national recognition that tends to validate what South Florida has been saying for a while. NHL Network ranked Matthew Tkachuk, Brady Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart among its top 20 wings, with Matthew checking in at 8th, Reinhart at 14th and Brady at 18th, giving Florida a rare trio of highly regarded finishers all in the same forward group.
It is easy to see why the Panthers landed so prominently in the ranking. Matthew Tkachuk came back from surgery and still posted 34 points in 31 games, Reinhart led Florida in goals and points for the third straight season, and Brady Tkachuk arrived after a strong year with Ottawa that included 59 points in 60 games. For a team built on layered scoring and heavy playoff habits, the list is another reminder that Floridas core is no longer just winning respect inside the room. [Read more 🡒]