Semyon Der-Arguchintsev had his sights set on an NHL return this season, but that path now looks unlikely.
His agent, Shumi Babaev, recently told RB Sport’s Olesya Usova that he is open to KHL contract offers for his client, with a resolution hoped for this week. Toronto still owns Der-Arguchintsev’s NHL rights, and Babaev was told the Maple Leafs do not have a spot for him right now. At the same time, they also do not want to move those rights to another team.
Der-Arguchintsev, a third-round pick in 2018, spent most of his entry-level contract with AHL Toronto before heading to the KHL. He has played the last three seasons with Traktor and has 23 points in 33 games in 2025-26. Toronto will retain his NHL rights through the 2027-28 season.
In Montreal, Trevor Letowski is staying in the organization after all.
When the Canadiens brought in Derek Lalonde as an associate coach earlier this summer, the expectation was that Letowski would be leaving the bench, with the team hoping to keep him in some other capacity. That plan has now taken shape, as Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reports that Letowski will move into a Player Development Coach role.
Letowski spent the previous five seasons as an assistant with the Canadiens. Before that, he logged parts of ten seasons coaching in the OHL, and Montreal marked his first pro coaching job.
Boston, meanwhile, is set to take a look at an intriguing young winger at rookie camp.
Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal notes that the Bruins are expected to invite undrafted winger Niko Tournas to camp. The 20-year-old spent last season with QMJHL Moncton and made the most of his first run at that level, posting 43 goals and 31 assists in 64 games.
Tournas is committed to the University of New Hampshire for 2027-28, though that could change if he impresses enough for Boston to offer him an entry-level deal.
In Other News...
Canadiens Rebuild Suddenly Has Room For Something Much Bigger
The Canadiens have spent the last stretch of their rebuild doing the hard part well: locking up young talent without boxing themselves into a corner. Montreals recent contract work has given management a cleaner salary-cap picture, and the result is a roster that should be easier to keep together while still leaving room to improve it. For a team still trying to turn promise into something more durable, that matters just as much as the standings.
What makes the setup interesting is that the Canadiens are not simply planning to ride out the next few seasons with a decent young core and hope for internal growth. The structure they have put in place gives them a chance to stay flexible if the right trade or free-agent opportunity comes along, while still maintaining the long-term approach they have preached throughout the rebuild. In other words, Montreal may finally have built enough stability to chase something bigger when the time is right. [Read more 🡒]
Owen Beck Has A Real Chance To Force Montreals Hand
Owen Beck has spent the past two seasons in that familiar prospect holding pattern, bouncing between limited NHL looks and steady work with the Laval Rocket. For the Canadiens, the 22-year-old center remains one of those players whose value goes beyond the box score, especially because the organization still views center depth as a spot worth sorting out carefully.
Becks case is interesting because he has already shown enough at both levels to keep himself in the conversation, even if the offensive breakthrough at the NHL level has not arrived yet. With Montreal still weighing how much room there is for him moving forward, the next step is less about whether he belongs in the picture and more about whether he can keep forcing the club to make a harder decision on him. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Trade Pressure Is Rising As Kent Hughes Eyes One Key Need
As training camp approaches, Kent Hughes is still trying to shore up the Canadiens forward group, and the search appears to be centered on adding another piece who can lift Montreals top half of the lineup. Arpon Basu of The Athletic reported that the general manager remains actively interested in landing a top-six forward before the season begins, with the club continuing to sift through trade possibilities rather than settling for a quick fix.
The most obvious need is down the middle, where Montreal has been exploring ways to add more support to its scoring group. Hughes has not closed the door on other options either, but the market has not broken in the Canadiens favor yet, and no deal is done as the calendar turns toward opening night. For a team trying to keep building around its core, the next move still feels like it could shape how the entire forward group looks once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]