The Sarnia Sting (22–33–6–7) head into the 2025–26 season searching for more consistency after missing the playoffs for a second straight year, but a young core offers hope for progress. Leading the way are Beckham Edwards and Alessandro Di Iorio, both coming off impressive rookie campaigns and projected to be early selections in the 2026 NHL Draft. Joining them up front is fourth-overall OHL draft pick Brenner Lammens, who is expected to inject additional scoring punch. On the blue line, St. Louis Blues prospect Lukas Fischer returns to anchor the defence after earning team MVP honours in back-to-back seasons, while the addition of the Aucoin brothers should bring depth and stability.
The biggest question mark remains in net, where rookie Patrick Quinlan and sophomore Evan Maillet will be counted on to replace the steadiness of graduated starter Nick Surzycia. If the goaltending can stabilize and the offence continues to grow around its emerging stars, the Sting have the potential to climb the Western Conference standings and push their way back into the playoff picture.
Recent Transactions
*- denotes conditional draft pick
| DATE | TEAM | TRANSF. | TO | TEAM | TRANSF. |
| Aug. 31 | SAR | Ryan Chamberlain | BFD | BFD 8 2026 | |
| Jun. 25 | BRAM | Jack Van Volsen | SAR | David Green
SAR 5 2026* OTT 3 2027* |
Futures Watch – a list of some of the new faces fans should be keeping an eye on as the team prepares for the upcoming campaign.
Five Questions Heading Into 2025-26:
After missing the playoffs for a second straight season, the Sarnia Sting enter 2025–26 with a young core and plenty of intrigue about what lies ahead. To get a sense of the biggest storylines, we asked three media members who cover the team closely to share their thoughts on what to expect this year.
1. Who is your breakout candidate?
Terry Doyle (Play-by-play, YourTV): Matthew Manza – Arrived late last season but now gets to have a full year. He has shown that he can score at other levels.
Barry Wright (Colour commentator, YourTV): Liam Beamish – After scoring 14 goals in 40 games last season, including not scoring in his first six games after joining the team from the BCHL last November, the 18-year-old could easily score 30 goals and put up 75 points this season. Consistency will be the key.
Mark Malone (Reporter, Sarnia Observer): Ruslan Karimov – The second-year forward from Russia showed at times last season that he can be one of this team’s top goal-scorers.
Leigh Cunningham (Play-by-play, Blackburn Radio): Ryan Brown – I really think that former first-round pick Ryan Brown is primed for a big season. When you factor in his offensive instincts and tenacity on the ice, I believe he could threaten to double his 41 points from his second season in the league last year. Also, this being his NHL Draft season should serve as further motivation.
2. What’s the Sting’s biggest question mark entering 2025-26?
Doyle: Consistency – Can this group play consistently month-to-month from the start to the end of the season to get back into the playoffs?
Wright: Goaltending – With Patrick Quinlan poised to play his first season in the OHL and Evan Maillett playing backup minutes last season, experience could be an issue. The Sting will miss the stability of graduated goalie Nick Surzycia, now studying at the University of Toronto.
Malone: Special Teams – The power play and penalty kill were awful last season when the Sting ranked second-worst in both categories. If both are even mediocre this year, that could be enough to lift the Sting a few spots in the standings.
Cunningham: Special Teams – I would say the biggest question mark for me is the need for increased productivity from their special teams units. Both the power play and the penalty kill were down in the league standings a year ago, but with the return of several of last season’s key players, I can see an upgrade to the penalty kill and especially the power play.
3. Who will the Sting’s top NHL Draft prospect be by the end of the season?
Doyle: Alessandro Di Iorio & Beckham Edwards – Both will push each other for that spot all season.
Wright: Beckham Edwards – NHL scouts already have an eye on Edwards after a 25-goal campaign last season as a rookie. If the Sting’s power play proficiency improves, there is no doubt the goal total will continue to climb.
Malone: Beckham Edwards & Alessandro Di Iorio – Many mock drafts have the talented six-foot-one forwards going no more than a few spots apart late in the first round or early in the second.
Cunningham: Beckham Edwards & Alessandro Di Iorio – Edwards was one of two OHL rookies to hit for 25 goals or better in 24-25, has had a productive preseason, and should be in line for a solid offensive campaign. Di Iorio’s 200-foot game in his rookie season defied his age and experience, and he also has a very high ceiling offensively. I also think both come into this season with confidence, having successfully helped Canada in international play this past offseason.
4. Which new addition are you most excited to see?
Doyle: Aucoin brothers – The Aucoin brothers bring NHL pedigree to the Sting.
Wright: Kaden Aucoin – In the preseason, the son of former NHL veteran Adrian Aucoin has looked poised and confident. Should be a solid addition to the Sting blue line.
Malone: Brenner Lammens – The No. 4 pick in this year’s OHL draft is said to be as good a scorer as he is an agitator.
Cunningham: Brenner Lammens – He comes to the Sting after being the 4th overall pick in the last OHL Priority Selection and brings a skate-through-the-wall approach to the game. He looks like a leader for this group now and certainly into the future, and his ability to mix in significant offensive capabilities to his non-stop attitude on the ice should serve him and the Sting well.
5. Who will the Sting’s MVP be in 2025-26?
Doyle: Alessandrio Di Iorio & Beckham Edwards – They bring different styles, but both are extremely valuable.
Wright: Beckham Edwards & Alessandro Di Iorio – It’ll be a toss-up between Beckham Edwards and Alessandro Di Iorio. Both had solid rookie seasons last year, and both benefited from international hockey experience during the offseason. A full season in the OHL under their belt will do wonders for their confidence this season.
Malone: Lukas Fischer – The St. Louis Blues prospect was the Sting’s player of the year in 2023-24 and shared the award with Beckham Edwards in 2024-25, so a three-peat is a safe bet. He plays a ton of minutes and should be one of the league’s best all-around defencemen.
Cunningham: Lukas Fischer – It would certainly be easy to select one of the Sting players previously mentioned, but I will go with Lukas Fischer. In the top 5 in defencemen goals a season ago, he is a massive piece for this hockey club, and I think his on-ice production will only be enhanced with more experience now under his belt, both in the OHL and as an NHL draft pick by St. Louis. He also carries a bit of edge on the ice and is more than willing to play a physical game as well.
