The start of the 2026-27 NHL regular season has nearly arrived, with the Toronto Maple Leafs' season opener coming on Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena.

With that, the team's NHL roster is essentially set, with the latest move being defenseman Nick Blankenburg signing a one-year contract with the Leafs for $1.4 million. The 28-year-old earned that contract after joining Toronto's training camp on a PTO.

The Maple Leafs now have eight NHL defensemen in their system. It will be a challenge for the team to distribute ice time for that depth, especially for blueliners like Troy Stecher, Emil Andrae and Blankenburg, who all float around the mix for the sixth or seventh defenseman role.

However, Chayka sees that depth as a real plus for his squad.

"I've never had an NHL head coach say we have too many good quality defensemen," Chayka said after Monday's practice at Scotiabank Arena. "So, just any time we got a chance to get a defenseman that we thought could skate, move the puck, defend, join the rush, facilitate offense. 

"We wanted to get as many of those guys as we could. So just more kind of circumstantial in what was available. But whether it's through injuries or performance or, you know, different variables, you know, these things seem to sort themselves out. So we're happy we're not in the other position, looking for guys," he added.

Maple Leafs Sign Nick Blankenburg To One-Year Deal Worth A Reported $1.4M: Full Roster & Salary Cap ImplicationsWith the opening night roster deadline looming, the Maple Leafs are set to turn Nick Blankenburg’s tryout into a one-year, $1.4 million contract, a move that brings needed blue-line depth while also triggering critical LTIR gymnastics to stay cap compliant.

There is a little less of a cluster for Toronto's forward group in terms of extra forwards on the NHL roster. But that doesn't mean the Leafs don't have depth in that position either.

Steven Lorentz, who has played 80 and 71 regular-season games for the Maple Leafs in the past two seasons, respectively, was waived and sent down to the AHL's Toronto Marlies just before the team left for their team-bonding trip to Arizona.

So whatever happens - injuries or players being unavailable - there are options for head coach Jim Hiller.

Center Bo Groulx, who played 13 games for the Maple Leafs in the NHL last season, appears to be locked in as an extra forward. He's practiced with the team consistently leading up to the start of the coming season.

Updated 2026-27 Toronto Maple Leafs Roster, Spots Becoming Clearer As Club Makes More Cuts Ahead Of Opening NightThe Leafs have cut camp down to a near-opening-night group, leaving 14 forwards, eight defencemen and two goalies still in the NHL mix five days before Montreal.

"Bo obviously had a good season last season, came up, but I played well," Chayka said. "Throughout the playoffs, I thought he was a key member of that team. I think we're blessed with a lot of good depth. Credit to Ryan Hardy and John Gruden, and really the leadership group down there. 

Chayka and the Maple Leafs' management's trust in some of their depth players doesn't end with Groulx. 

"There's a number of guys that are in the system who, you know, we feel completely comfortable with playing NHL games, and Bo at this time is going to get a sample size, hopefully, to show what he can do, but hard-earned, happy for him," he said.

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Despite the smashing success that was the 2025-26 season, the Philadelphia Flyers are not favored to repeat as a playoff team heading into 2026-27.

Popular NHL analytics site MoneyPuck released its first predictions of the 2026-27 season, outlining each NHL team's chance to make the playoffs, reach the Stanley Cup Final, win their division, the number of points they are expected to reach, and more.

For now, the Flyers are starting off in the bottom half of the NHL with their 43.1% chance of making the playoffs, which notably ranks below teams like the Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils, Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres, and Utah Mammoth.

Those odds put the Flyers in the same tier as teams like the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets, who have 42.2% and 41.9% chances of making the playoffs, respectively.

MoneyPuck also projects the Flyers to have a 20.1% chance of reaching the second round of the playoffs, as they did last year; a 9.2% chance of reaching the third round; a 4.3% chance of reaching the Stanley Cup Final; a 2% chance of winning the Cup, and 6% chance of winning the Metropolitan Division.

As for points, MoneyPuck has the Flyers sitting at 93.4 points, which would be a five-point regression from the 98 they amassed last season.

Should the Flyers be underdogs?

At first glance, it does make some sense that the Flyers are not exactly expected to repeat as a playoff team for the second year in a row.

Outside of the addition of backup goalie Joseph Woll and the attempt to bring in superstar center Leo Carlsson on an offer sheet, the Flyers bumbled through a mostly nondescript offseason where their only other noteworthy addition was veteran center Noel Acciari, who came over from the slightly more favored Pittsburgh.

Plus, teams that missed the playoffs last season, like Washington and New Jersey, made considerable upgrades in contrast, adding players like Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou, Boone Jenner, Luke Evangelista, Anthony Mantha, and Evan Rodrigues.

The Flyers can look at full seasons of Porter Martone and Tyson Foerster as new additions of their own, while David Jiricek and Simon Benoit should be able to contribute more than Emil Andrae and Noah Juulsen did last year.

Woll, too, is a considerable upgrade on the departed Sam Ersson, who went 14-11-5 with a .870 save percentage in his final season with the Flyers last year.

Comparatively, Pittsburgh's best players aren't getting any younger, and they'll be rocking an unproven tandem in goal with Sergei Murashov and Arturs Silovs.

Columbus has dealt with some major distractions between Zach Werenski, Adam Fantilli, and now Kirill Marchenko, and defenseman Dante Fabbro will begin the year on injured reserve.

With a fast start, the Flyers should quickly overtake some of their peers in the eyes of the public.

The Florida Panthers hit the ice for a final practice in Fort Lauderdale on Monday morning before embarking on their season-opening road trip.

It’s the first time we received a look at what could very well be head coach Paul Maurice’s Opening Night roster.

There were 21 players on the ice, including 12 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders.

Among them was new Panthers forward Brady Tkachuk.

His last action came during Florida’s second preseason game on Tuesday night in Sunrise, when he played the first two periods but not the third.

Afterwards, Maurice downplayed any sort of injury, instead saying something that tightened up on Tkachuk and that he was expected back on the ice in the short term.

After sitting out a few practices, Tkachuk is good to go for Opening Night.

“He’s ready to roll,” Maurice said Monday.

Now it appears that the Cats will enter the season with only one regular player – Brad Marchand – missing from the lineup.

Marchand has been skating and working his way back from offseason surgery, with the expectation that he will be able to jump into the Panthers’ lineup sometime in November.

Florida rolling without many healthy scratches is something we’ve seen in the past from healthy Panthers squads, so it’s not terribly surprising to see the Cats apparently heading down that route again.

Here is how Maurice had the Panthers lined up during Monday’s skate:

Brady Tkachuk – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sandis Vilmanis

Boko Imama – Lars Eller – Garnet Hathaway

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

Dmitry Kulikov – Radko Gudas

Seventh defenseman – Uvis Balinskis

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The Carolina Hurricanes ended a 20-year championship drought last season.

Can they make it two in a row?

USA TODAY Sports' NHL experts believe the Hurricanes will win the Metropolitan Division again, but none expect the team to reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2026-27.

Two of the three picked a Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1993, going with the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens. The third picked a more recent champion, the Florida Panthers, who won back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025 and have Aleksander Barkov back from an ACL injury.

Here are USA TODAY's predictions for division winners, Stanley Cup Final and champion, plus four major awards winners:

2026-27 NHL season predictions

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who will win the Stanley Cup? Expert predictions for 2026-27 NHL season

Several former Buffalo Sabres players hit the waiver wire on Sep. 27, as Henri Jokiharju, Sam Lafferty, Ilya Lyubushkin, and Vinne Hinostroza have all been waived by their current clubs.

With the Boston Bruins having a crowded blueline, Jokiharju has become the odd man. The former Sabres defenseman appeared in 41 games last season for Boston, where he recorded two goals, 15 points, and a plus-2 rating. 

Lafferty was placed on waivers by the Florida Panthers after signing with them this off-season. This comes after the former Sabres forward recorded one goal and one assist in 29 games with the Chicago Blackhawks last season.

Lyubushkin being placed on waivers comes after the Nashville Predators acquired him from the Dallas Stars during the summer. The former Sabres defenseman recorded one goal, nine points, 68 hits, and a plus-1 rating in 53 games last season for Dallas. 

As for Hinostroza, he has been waived by the Colorado Avalanche. The 32-year-old forward split last season between the Minnesota Wild and Florida Panthers, where he recorded six goals and 18 points in 65 games.

Sandis Vilmanis wasn't a first-round pick, nor does he come from a country with a rich hockey history, but all he's done is put his head down and work.

Before the Florida Panthers drafted him in the fifth round (157th overall) of the 2022 NHL draft, Vilmanis moved from Latvia, where he was born, to Sweden to play hockey. After being selected, he moved to Canada to play in the OHL. After two impressive seasons, he joined the Charlotte Checkers and continued to impress the organization.

Now entering the 2026-27 season, Vilmanis is preparing to not only make the opening night lineup but also play in the top nine alongside Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen. 

"I think he's a top-9 player all day long," said coach Paul Maurice of Vilmanis. "We don't have to wait three years for him to be impactful. ... He's got enough in his game right now for me to just play him. ... I've got lots of faith in that young man."

It's high praise, but Vilmanis deserves it. 

In his rookie AHL season in 2024-25, Vilmanis posted nine goals and 27 points, while showing defensive responsibility and physicality. In his sophomore season, Vilmanis' play warranted an NHL call-up.

He notched 17 goals and 38 points in 48 AHL games, but more importantly, he scored three goals and added five points in the 19 NHL games he skated in. 

His NHL role was that of a fourth-liner, but he was impactful. According to NaturalStatTrick.com, he posted a Corsi For percentage of 53.73 percent and an expected goals percentage of 55.04 percent at 5-on-5. The Panthers were even in goals for, at 7-7. 

In addition to his on-ice analytics, the 22-year-old took 15 shots on goal, threw 38 hits, and blocked five shots while averaging 10:23 of ice time. 

Florida Panthers, Vladimir Tarasenko Reportedly 'Eying Each Other'According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Florida Panthers and UFA Vladimir Tarasenko are reportedly "eying each other."

His NHL performance warranted a look during training camp, but the 6-foot-1, 192-pound left-handed winger continued to improve with a stellar performance at the World Championship. He scored four goals and led Latvia in points with 11 in just eight games. His 11 points ranked tied for fifth with NHL stars like Nico Hischier, Lucas Raymond, Timo Meier, and his Panthers teammate and captain, Aleksander Barkov.

Vilmanis did everything he could to prove he was ready for an NHL role, and with the unfortunate injuries to Brad Marchand and Jonah Gadjovich, he has the opportunity to do more than just stay in the NHL.

The Panthers' third line matters more than most NHL teams' third lines. Lundell and Luostarinen are critical to the Panthers' defensive game, both at 5-on-5 and on the penalty kill. They take plenty of defensive zone draws, as without Barkov last year, Lundell and Luostarinen had the most defensive zone starts on the team, despite Lundell missing 18 games and Luostarinen missing nine. 

Florida Panthers Place Eight Players On NHL Waivers; Sign Nathan Bastian To NHL ContractThe Florida Panthers placed eight players on NHL waivers on Sunday. They have also signed Nathan Bastian to an NHL contract following his PTO stint during pre-season.

Vilmanis will need to produce offensively alongside the Panthers' Finnish duo and be potent and responsible defensively. It's a fairly large ask for a 22-year-old still on an entry-level contract, but Maurice clearly holds Vilmanis in high regard and believes he is ready for the role. 

When Marchand returns and if the Panthers' lineup is healthy, where Vilmanis plays will be interesting to monitor, but for now, all Vilmanis can do is make that decision difficult. 

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The Detroit Red Wings are only days away from the start of the 2026-27 NHL regular season, and by late Monday afternoon, they will need to submit their final, cap-compliant opening-night roster.

While defenseman Simon Edvinsson remains unsigned despite being present at Training Camp, the Red Wings have announced that another defenseman is now unavailable, albeit for a different reason.

Jacob Bernard-Docker, whom the Red Wings signed last offseason and later extended to a two-year, $3.2 million contract, has been placed on Injured Reserve. 

#RedWings have placed D Jacob Bernard-Docker on Injured Reserve.

— NHL Rosters (@NHL_Rosters) September 28, 2026

This means that the chances of young defenseman Anton Johansson, who impressed during Training Camp and the preseason, could very well find himself on the Opening Night roster.

Additionally, the Red Wings recently claimed 6-foot-4 defenseman Andreas Englund off waivers from the Calgary Flames. 

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Last season, Bernard-Docker skated in 63 games, scoring one goal with four assists along with 25 penalty minutes.

He's appeared in 207 career NHL games with the Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres and Red Wings, and has tallied seven goals with 22 assists, 82 penalty minutes, and has a minus-one rating. 

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While the Montreal Canadiens had a day off on Sunday, the Habs brass worked hard on roster decisions. As reported yesterday, a group of players was put on waivers while another group, which didn’t have to clear waivers, was assigned to the Laval Rocket. That group included Jacob Fowler, Owen Beck, and David Reinbacher.

While Fowler wouldn’t have looked out of place on the NHL roster, Samuel Montembeault’s bounce-back performance sealed his fate. The Bécancour native has earned the right to back up Jakub Dobes, and while he won’t be with the Canadiens long-term, this is the last year of his contract; Fowler may need a bit more patience before the coast is clear. Of course, Montembeault could be traded, but that’s far from guaranteed, as there doesn’t seem to be much of a market for him right now.

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As for Beck, nobody was surprised to see him head back to Laval; he’s a good player who does everything well but nothing fantastically well. He doesn’t fill a gap in the Canadiens’ lineup the way Florian Xhekaj brings sandpaper.

Reinbacher’s return to Laval is also somewhat surprising, especially since Kaiden Guhle is injured, but he's done enough to earn a call-up as soon as circumstances warrant it. It also seems inevitable that the Habs will need to make room on their blueline sooner rather than later. Jayden Struble, Arber Xhekaj, Engstrom and Reinbacher could all play in the NHL, but once Guhle is healthy, they’ll all be fighting for a single spot.

On Monday morning, Martin St-Louis ran his first practice of the real season. Only 23 players were on the ice since Oliver Kapanen was missing and is now considered day-to-day. As for Guhle, he was on the ice, but unlike Saturday morning, when he joined the team in practice, he wore a no-contact jersey. With Kapanen missing, the following lines and pairings were used at practice:

Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Chris Kreider

Juraj Slafkovsky – Alex Newhook – Ivan Demidov

Alexandre Texier – Phillip Danault- Kirby Dach

Zachary Bolduc – Jake Evans – Josh Anderson

Extra: Florian Xhekaj. If Kapanen had been available, chances are Dach would have been right next to the youngest Xhekaj as an extra. Newhook slides in nicely at second C with his speed, but when Kapanen is healthy, he’s likely to go right back in that spot while Newhook goes down a line, making Dach surplus to requirements. St-Louis has already confirmed that Kapanen will not play on Tuesday.

Mike Matheson – Noah Dobson

Lane Hutson – Alexandre Carrier

Jayden Struble – Arber Xhekaj

Extra: Adam Engstrom. He took reps with Guhle, which more than likely means he’ll be the seventh defenseman on Tuesday night.

Jakub Dobes

Samuel Montembeault

As for the power play, TVA Sports’ Anthony Martineau reports that the second unit features Bolduc, Newhook, Kreider, Dobson and Texier. The first unit remains intact as both Hutson and Demidov were back on the ice this morning.

It’s unusual to see the Canadiens with 14 forwards on their roster, so you have to wonder whether Kent Hughes might be working on a trade right now. According to insider Frank Seravalli, the Edmonton Oilers are very interested in trading for Kirby Dach. Stan Bowman, who was the Chicago Blackhawks GM when they picked Dach third overall in 2019, is now the Oilers GM, so there’s a link there. Warren Rychel, an Oilers scout, attended the game between the Habs and the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night, but Dach wasn’t playing in Montreal that night, but rather in Ottawa. Could the two teams be working on a multi-piece trade? Are the Oilers having buyer’s remorse over the often-injured Frederik Andersen and are considering Montembeault? Time will tell.

It will be interesting to see what the lineup looks like tomorrow night against the Toronto Maple Leafs as the puck officially drops on the season, the coach refrained from announcing his starting netminder.

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Nick Blankenburg turned his opportunity with the Toronto Maple Leafs into an NHL contract.

The Maple Leafs signed the former Colorado Avalanche defenseman to a one-year, $1.4 million deal Sunday after Blankenburg joined the club on a professional tryout. For the Avalanche, it marks another chapter in the story of a player who made a memorable impact in a short stint with Colorado.

The Avalanche acquired Blankenburg at the 2025-26 trade deadline, bringing in the right-handed defenseman to add depth to the blue line for the stretch run.

Blankenburg appeared in 12 regular-season games with Colorado, scoring twice and adding an assist for three points.

He also suited up in five playoff games.

His biggest moment came in Game 2 of Colorado’s second-round series against the Minnesota Wild. Blankenburg scored his first career playoff goal with his parents watching from the stands, making the moment even more meaningful for the 28-year-old defenseman.

Colorado ultimately chose not to bring Blankenburg back in free agency. Instead, the Avalanche turned their attention to Noah Juulsen, who had spent the previous season with the Philadelphia Flyers, as they continued to build out their defensive depth.

Blankenburg found another opportunity with Toronto.

After earning a PTO with the Maple Leafs, he made enough of an impression to secure a one-year contract worth $1.4 million.

The deal comes after Blankenburg recorded a career-best season offensively between Nashville and Colorado. He finished the 2025-26 campaign with eight goals and 16 assists.

Blankenburg has now appeared in 178 NHL games, recording 18 goals and 40 assists.

For the Avalanche, Blankenburg’s time in Colorado was brief, but it included a series of memorable moments. Now, he gets another chance to establish himself in Toronto.

How do you think Blankenburg will fare in Canada? Let us know down below.

The St. Louis Blues are starting their season with some difficult injury news.

On Monday, the team announced that Logan Mailloux and Tyler Tucker will start the season on the injured reserve.

Mailloux underwent hand surgery on Sunday, Sept. 27, and will be re-evaluated in eight weeks. Mailloux suffered his injury during a physical encounter with the Chicago Blackhawks. The 23-year-old dropped the gloves with enforcer Cole Smith in the first period. The two were charged with five-minute majors, and Mailloux exited the game and did not return following the fight.

Mailloux was slated to start the season on the top pair with Philip Broberg after showing strong chemistry with him through the end of the 2025-26 season. This is a major blow for both Mailloux and the Blues' defensive core.

As for Tucker, he has been labeled week to week with a lower-body injury. He sustained the injury during practice, forcing him to leave early. He has not resumed skating and will be sidelined.

Tucker seemingly lost his NHL opening-night lineup spot to Theo Lindstein, but was set to be the seventh defenseman to start the season. With a week-to-week timeline, it's unclear when we might see Tucker healthy. The Blues will hope for the best, but in the meantime, they've made moves to counter the injuries.

Blues' Tyler Tucker Tweaks Knee In Practice; Will Be Re-Evaluated In A Few DaysSt. Louis Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker tweaked his knee in practice, according to coach Jim Montgomery, and it won't be a day-to-day ailment. The 26-year-old will be re-evaluated in a couple of days, and no timeline has been provided.

Over the weekend, the Blues claimed right-handed 24-year-old defenseman Justin Barron off waivers from the Nashville Predators. He joins the Blues with 208 games of NHL experience, including a 52-game campaign last year.

They also recalled 2024 first-round pick Adam Jiricek. The 20-year-old looked stellar in his pre-season action, showing he is closer to being NHL-ready than most had presumably thought. 

He could easily find himself in the opening-night lineup on Friday and, if given the opportunity, run with it and be a key contributor all season long. The Blues will, of course, remain patient with his development, but so far, Jiricek has given no signs that this is too much for him to handle. 

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The Los Angeles Kings are bringing back plenty of familiar voices for the 2026-27 season, with John Kelly once again leading the television broadcast alongside longtime analyst Jim Fox.

ABTV and the Kings announced their broadcast team Monday, confirming Kelly will return for his second season as the team’s lead play-by-play announcer. Fox, one of the most recognizable voices in Kings history, will once again join him in the booth.

Kelly has been calling NHL games since 1989 and is entering his 39th season as an NHL broadcaster. Josh Schaefer will also return to handle play-by-play duties for select games throughout the season.

Fox will serve as the team’s lead analyst. He has spent more than four decades with the Kings organization, first as a player and later as a broadcaster.

Former Kings Jarret Stoll and Daryl Evans will also be part of the coverage, providing analysis during “LA Kings Live” pregame, postgame and intermission shows. Both will rotate into the analyst role for select games during the season.

Patrick O’Neal and Carrlyn Bathe are returning as hosts of “LA Kings Live,” while Bathe will also report from rinkside during broadcasts.

The Kings will also have two familiar alumni joining the television coverage for select games. Tony Granato and Alec Martinez will appear as analysts during the season.

Granato spent seven of his 13 NHL seasons with Los Angeles before going on to coach the Colorado Avalanche, Team USA and the University of Wisconsin. Martinez, a 16-year NHL veteran and three-time Stanley Cup champion, will make his broadcasting debut with the Kings this season.

The first Kings broadcast of the season is scheduled for Sept. 26, when Los Angeles faces the Anaheim Ducks in the preseason finale. That game will be available for free on the DAZN app.

Regular-season coverage begins Oct. 3, when the Kings visit the San Jose Sharks.

ABTV will be available through participating cable, satellite and streaming providers, including Spectrum, DIRECTV and Cox.

Fans who do not have a traditional television subscription can also stream available local Kings games through DAZN, subject to national broadcast restrictions. Some fans whose television package includes ABTV may also be able to access games through the DAZN app using their provider credentials.

The Kings are also expected to have select games available over the air this season, with the full schedule and station information to be announced at a later date.

Training camp offered possibilities. The preseason provided evidence. Now the Pacific Division is ready to answer the questions that actually matter.

An offseason filled with coaching changes, significant roster turnover and an influx of young talent has reshaped a division that suddenly looks far less predictable. Established contenders remain near the top, but several emerging teams used the preseason to demonstrate that last year’s standings may not provide much of a roadmap for what comes next.

Some clubs exited camp with greater confidence in their depth and goaltending. Others watched prospects accelerate timelines and force difficult roster decisions. A few enter opening night still searching for answers after uneven exhibition performances exposed familiar concerns.

Preseason records alone shouldn't determine expectations. Lineups constantly changed, veterans were rested and organizations prioritized evaluation over results. But how teams performed, which roster battles were won and whether offseason additions addressed existing weaknesses provided valuable clues.

With the exhibitions complete and opening-night rosters taking shape, here’s how the Pacific stacks up heading into the 2026-27 season:

1. EDMONTON OILERS

• Last year’s record: 41-30-11
• Division finish: 2nd, Pacific
• Head Coach: Mike Babcock

Nobody in the Pacific finished camp better. Edmonton went 4-0-0, completing its perfect preseason with a convincing 4-1 win over Calgary. Connor McDavid and Kasperi Kapanen each produced a goal and assist, Zach Hyman scored on the power play and Devon Levi stopped 23 shots.

Kappy turned on the afterburners 🛫 #LetsGoOilerspic.twitter.com/IhbReDiHga

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) September 27, 2026

That matters because Edmonton's questions were never about McDavid or Leon Draisaitl; they centered on goaltending, depth and adapting to Babcock. Camp provided encouraging answers. Tristan Jarry stopped 25 shots in a 2-1 victory at Vancouver, while Levi looked sharp against Calgary. Isaac Howard also made a strong impression, scoring against Vancouver.

A perfect exhibition record guarantees nothing, but Edmonton's established stars looked ready and its secondary pieces contributed. The Oilers enter opening night with the division's best combination of elite offensive firepower and preseason momentum.

2. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

• Last year’s record: 39-26-17
• Division finish: 1st, Pacific
• Head Coach: Ryan Craig

Vegas drops one position, but this is hardly a downgrade of the defending Pacific champion. The Golden Knights won their first three preseason games before San Jose handed them a 4-2 loss in Saturday's finale, leaving Vegas 3-1-0.

The established nucleus remains formidable: Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, Mark Stone, Tomas Hertl and William Karlsson up front, with Shea Theodore, Noah Hanifin and Rasmus Andersson providing high-end ability from the blue line. Hertl scored Saturday, and Nic Dowd tied the game in the third before San Jose pulled away.

Herts and Bo were on it 🫡 https://t.co/t1kazQHg6Kpic.twitter.com/kopJxjy9tJ

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) September 27, 2026

The most encouraging camp development was Braeden Bowman remaining in the NHL conversation, while Trevor Connelly also received an extended look as Vegas searched for inexpensive young scoring around its veteran core. Earlier cuts sent Matyas Sapovaliv and others to Henderson.

Ryan Craig inherits a contender, not a construction project. Age and health remain legitimate concerns, but Vegas has depth, experience and enough elite talent to make another Pacific title entirely plausible.

3. SAN JOSE SHARKS

• Last year’s record: 39-35-8
• Division finish: 5th, Pacific
• Head Coach: Ryan Warsofsky

To be quite honest, San Jose entered camp as our No. 5 team. It leaves at No. 3.

The Sharks finished 2-1-1, but their final two victories mattered more than the record: a 10-0 demolition of Anaheim followed by Saturday's 4-2 win at Vegas. Macklin Celebrini and Mason Marchment each had a goal and assist Saturday, Michael Misa scored, and Yaroslav Askarov stopped 28 shots.

That's particularly significant because goaltending was San Jose's biggest concern entering camp.

Meanwhile, Ivar Stenberg became one of the NHL preseason's breakout stories. The No. 2 overall pick followed an impressive debut with a hat trick and four points against Anaheim, further strengthening an extraordinary young collection surrounding Celebrini, Will Smith and Misa.

Mack's first goal with the C! #TurnItAllTealpic.twitter.com/FRBE7cdxrn

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) September 27, 2026

Celebrini was also named captain after scoring 115 points last season. San Jose has supplemented its kids with veterans including Marchment, Dmitry Orlov, Jacob Trouba and Darnell Nurse.

The Sharks aren't merely interesting anymore. The question entering the season is how quickly this young talent can turn potential into consistent wins.

4. ANAHEIM DUCKS

• Last year’s record: 43-33-6
• Division finish: 3rd, Pacific
• Head Coach: Joel Quenneville

Anaheim's preseason produced extremes. Beckett Sennecke opened it with a hat trick in a 6-2 victory over San Jose. Later, San Jose crushed Anaheim 10-0, and the Ducks concluded preseason with a 6-2 loss to Los Angeles.

🚨 Sennecke 🚨

Leo to Becks on the power play!

We lead 2-1. pic.twitter.com/lJgucyFgRq

— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) September 26, 2026

Don't allow those ugly exhibition losses to obscure the roster's upside.

Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish and Sennecke give Anaheim an impressive collection of young forwards, while Tristan Luneau is positioned to assume a larger role on a remodeled defense. Anaheim's challenge is transforming exciting individual talent into consistency.

The final cuts also provided clarity. Anaheim reduced camp to 27 players Sunday, assigning Nico Myatovic, Stian Solberg and Noah Warren to San Diego while placing Laurent Brossoit and Travis Mitchell on waivers for assignment.

The Ducks remain dangerous because their best young players haven't reached their ceilings. But compared with Edmonton's polished preseason and San Jose's surge, Anaheim exits camp with more questions than it had when camp opened.

5. SEATTLE KRAKEN

• Last year’s record: 34-37-11
• Division finish: 6th, Pacific
• Head Coach: Lane Lambert

Seattle quietly produced one of the Pacific's better preseasons, finishing 3-1-0 despite losing Saturday's finale 4-3 at Vancouver. Brandon Montour had a goal and assist, Bobby McMann scored and Berkly Catton converted a beautiful third-period rush.

the claws are out‼️ pic.twitter.com/RH5q7StHiM

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) September 27, 2026

Catton is particularly important. Seattle desperately needs internal offensive growth after finishing near the bottom of the NHL in scoring last season, and its younger players consistently made noise throughout camp.

The Kraken also have more potential scoring depth after acquiring Mackie Samoskevich and signing McMann long term. Samoskevich arrives after career highs of 20 assists and 32 points with Florida.

Matty Beniers and Shane Wright still need to take major steps for Seattle to challenge the division's top teams, but the supporting cast appears to have improved.

The Kraken's 3-1 preseason shouldn't be overvalued. What matters more is *how* they achieved it - with contributions from young players and depth pieces they will need once the games count.

6. LOS ANGELES KINGS

• Last year’s record: 35-27-20
• Division finish: 4th, Pacific
• Head Coach: Peter Laviolette

Los Angeles saved its strongest statement for last, crushing Anaheim 6-2 Saturday. Scott Laughton, Alex Laferriere, Adrian Kempe, Andrei Kuzmenko, Quinton Byfield and Corey Perry supplied the goals.

That offensive variety is exactly what Peter Laviolette wants.

The Kings' identity is changing after Anze Kopitar's departure. Byfield now carries substantially greater responsibility at center, while Kempe and Kevin Fiala become even more important offensively. Drew Doughty assumes the captaincy and remains the defensive foundation.

Veteran additions Mats Zuccarello and Erik Haula should help offset some of the experience lost with Kopitar, although Zuccarello's status was one of the issues monitored during camp. Los Angeles also conducted a major 21-player cut after giving its bubble players multiple scrimmage opportunities.

ERIK! HAULA! pic.twitter.com/tRTnuAzUSe

— LA Kings (@LAKings) September 26, 2026

Enough established talent here to finish considerably higher than sixth. But the Kings must prove their new offensive approach works consistently while navigating the franchise's biggest leadership transition in years.

7. CALGARY FLAMES

• Last year’s record: 34-39-9
• Division finish: 7th, Pacific
• Head Coach: Ryan Huska

The Flames went 1-2-1 and lost 4-1 to Edmonton in their finale. Matt Coronato scored Calgary's only power-play goal, while Dustin Wolf made 24 saves.

Coronato's development is particularly important because Calgary's central problem remains offense. The Flames finished last in NHL scoring last season, meaning incremental improvement won't be enough. They need meaningful production from Coronato, Connor Zary, Morgan Frost and a healthy Jonathan Huberdeau.

The defense is more interesting. Simon Nemec gives Calgary another young, high-upside piece, while Jake Middleton adds experience and physicality. Wolf can still mask some deficiencies if he rebounds from last season.

Perfect passing play 🔥 pic.twitter.com/k5nShYEjyF

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) September 27, 2026

The concern coming out of preseason is that the basic equation hasn't changed. Calgary can defend, Wolf can steal games and the Flames have intriguing young pieces - but who consistently finishes?

Until that question is answered, Calgary remains behind the Pacific's deeper offensive teams.

8. VANCOUVER CANUCKS

• Last year’s record: 25-49-8
• Division finish: 8th, Pacific
• Head Coach: Manny Malhotra

Vancouver finally gave Manny Malhotra something tangible to build on in the finale.

After starting preseason 0-3, the Canucks beat Seattle 4-3 Saturday behind their established offensive players. Jake DeBrusk had three points, while Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson each produced a goal and assist. Vancouver rallied from 2-0 down and won late.

That's your game winner from 74. 👏 pic.twitter.com/Y3wcBuxjRV

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) September 27, 2026

That was precisely the response Malhotra wanted after a near full-strength Vancouver lineup had previously lost 2-1 to an Edmonton team loaded with youngsters.

Another concern heading into opening night: Filip Chytil has been placed on injured reserve and is expected to miss the start of the season after a preseason injury.

Pettersson remains capable of dramatically changing Vancouver's outlook, and the finale offered evidence that he, Boeser and DeBrusk can generate offense together. But one good exhibition game doesn't erase the questions surrounding a team coming off 25 wins.

Malhotra has a foundation. The Canucks still have the most to prove.

PHOTO CAPTION

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) shoots against the Vegas Golden Knights during the second period at T-Mobile Arena.

W.G. Ramirez is a veteran sports writer from Las Vegas and a Contributor at TheHockeyNews.com. Follow him on X at @WillieGRamirez.

Mike and Dan wrap up the Islanders preseason and prepare for the start of real games, while making two big announcements for this week.

The Islanders went 1-3 in the preseason, with some standout performances, a few injuries, a slew of guys sent to Hamilton and one free agent signing – hulking defenseman Logan Stanley. The games themselves didn’t do much to get us excited for the season, and some of the moves also left us feeling a little bit of deja vu. The Islanders are asking a largely holdover crew to reverse the path they’ve been on for several seasons. They can start by once again becoming hard to play against, something they haven’t been in a long, long time. It’s possible that they surprise us this season – waiving Pierre Engvall was one surprise – but we find ourselves on the doubting side when we should be at our most joyful.

In the second half, we talk about the games against the Maple Leafs and Devils that kick off the new campaign, and how beating two good but flawed teams would do wonders for our mood. The Islanders have only won 14 of 53 home openers, which is a pathetic number. It would be great to get No. 15 this Saturday. We also take a quick look around the rest of the NHL and see who we think will be good, bad, disastrously funny or fun to watch without the worry we always bring to Islanders games.

Be sure to come to Zofia’s Hideout, 84th Street in NYC on Wednesday for a meet up and viewing of the Islanders’ season opener. Or say hello to us on Saturday at the Islanders home opener at UBS Arena against the Devils. We’ll be in Sect. 101 in between periods.

REFERENCES:

• Islanders Trim Training Camp Roster
• Islanders Assign Aitcheson, Eiserman and George to Hamilton
• Welcome Logan Stanley Dean Witter.

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The Penguins would probably figure to not use waivers to boost their lineup, given all the depth they already have. However with four players placed on IR yesterday plus the statuses of Bryan Rust (injured) and Andrei Kuzmenko (personal) still up in the air for the start of the season, the waiver wire could hold a little more intrigue now than it might have recently given the outflow of bodies from the roster in recent days.

The timing for this works out, there are currently 71 player on waivers today that could be claimed and announced at 2pm eastern. Waiver claims are typically used by NHL teams as short-term patches and temporary fixes for the sort of issues that a team like Pittsburgh is dealing with right now. The majority of players waived at the beginning of the season tend to go back on the waiver wire once claimed, which would presumably be the situation in Pittsburgh since the main goal would be to get to the other side on the injuries their players are dealing with at the moment.

Here are some currently available candidates that stand out. The Penguins currently have 48 of their 50 available pro contracts spoken for, giving them the ability to add one player via waivers if they really wanted to do so.

Colin Blackwell, C, Dallas Stars

Blackwell is a speedy, pesky fourth-line grinder with legitimate defensive value. He’s only 5-foot-8, but he plays way bigger than that, with a gritty motor and a physical edge.

Blackwell is a black hole offensively (only four goals in 70 games and poor offensive play-driving metrics), but his defensive metrics are very solid, and he’s a high-quality penalty killer, having averaged over two minutes per game on Dallas’ 13th-ranked PK last season. He’s worth a look for a team that wants some shorthanded help and fourth-line speed.

Blake Lizotte was already back at practice yesterday, and if the team senses his absence will not last much longer then adding another player in that same sort of mold wouldn’t make much sense. However, given the current centers from practice yesterday were players who aren’t traditional PKers in Sidney Crosby, Tommy Novak and Hendrix Lapierre, plus the injured Lizotte, it’s not difficult to see that that if the Penguins were to dip into waivers at all for a temporary replacement if would be someone exactly like Blackwell who is known for his PK work and defensive impacts and can work as a center. Blackwell also adds some value of being a right-handed center, which the Penguins currently don’t have any of with Ben Kindel on IR.

Pittsburgh could always choose to go with what they’ve got, but if they don’t quite like the situation of PKers around at the moment (or if they need a fairly capable stand-in for Lizotte at that fourth line center spot for a couple of days or games) then grabbing someone like Blackwell would make sense, even if they’ll have to turn around and waive Blackwell themselves in the near future.

Sam Lafferty, C, Florida Panthers

Lafferty has appealing physical traits with a heavy 6-foot-2 frame and blazing-fast speed. He can serve as a fine fourth-line winger to play an uptempo north-south, dump-and-chase style and can play center in an emergency.

Lafferty is very limited, though — his offensive value is almost nil, and he doesn’t provide the PK value that another waiver option like Blackwell does.

Lafferty is a former Penguin, though he’s been gone since 2021 and the entire coaching and management has turned over in Pittsburgh since then to render those ties moot at this point. There is some connective tissue from the past, Kyle Dubas acquired Lafftery for Toronto in 2023 that’s probably more relevant than his previous Pittsburgh stint.

Much like the Blackwell note, this would be contingent on the statuses of Rust and Lizotte. If the team is pretty confident that one or both of those players will be back soon, they wouldn’t need Lafferty. If that’s not the case, then there could be some value in picking up a veteran option who is used to bouncing from team to team and providing some speed, energy and PK to tide the team over until their own options get back.

John Beecher, C, Florida Panthers

Beecher is never going to be known for his point production, but he’s a big forward who is a top skater in the league. His puck game is a significant issue, though, and he generates his value through his speed and compete. He could have value as a depth forward for a team.

The Pens seem to like their own internal options similar to Beecher (specifically, Elmer Soderblom and Fillip Hallander) more than someone like Beecher. Still, the same notes above apply for adding a 6’3”, 220 pound center who has some speed and ability to join the PK unit as a patch is out there if they want it.

Dylan Garand, G, New York Rangers

Garand has been inconsistent as a pro after a sterling junior career. He has the quickness, technique and reads of a legit pro goaltender, but he is on the smaller side, and although he moves well, he isn’t the truly premier athlete you would want for a barely 6-foot goalie. I see the argument for a pickup, but he’s probably a No. 3 goalie for an NHL team.

The Pens seem content and even eager to let Sergei Murashov have a shot at the NHL. Right now would be a way to pick up a goalie for free, though. Garand is 24 years old, he wouldn’t offer a lot of experience (his three career NHL games are even less than Murashov) so it might be off the table. But Garand has the ability and upside to think that some NHL team might take a chance and put a claim in for him. Dubas has been no stranger to accumulating mid-20’s talent and seeing what happens with the opportunity and it’s not like the current Penguin goaltending situation is solid enough to let this opportunity pass without even having a discussion.

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In the end, the smart money might be on no activity this afternoon for the Pens. The appearance of Lizotte back in practice goes a long way in the hopes that his missed time won’t amount to enough to make it necessary to grab a replacement caliber player to fill in. Given the total quantity of injuries it’s at least a topic worthy of some debate to figure out just how the Penguins want to get through the early part of the season until some of their important depth players return to the lineup.

If the Senators were looking for bulletin-board material heading into the 2026-27 season, they didn't have to look very far.

They only had to visit NHL.com.

The NHL's official website released its annual predictions for the upcoming season, with 14 writers and editors selecting their division winners, wild-card teams and eventual Stanley Cup champion.

Not one of the 14 picked the Senators to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Zero.

That's a pretty notable snub for a team that reached the postseason in each of the past two seasons and only one impactful player loss.

But that's clearly the biggest reason for the national skepticism: Brady Tkachuk is gone.

The Senators finished fifth in the Atlantic Division last season with a 44-27-11 record and earned a playoff berth before being swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in the opening round.

But between an early season wrist injury, a brace he'd wear for most of the season, the distraction of podcasts and Olympics, and fading interest in being a Senator, Ottawa fans are keenly aware that losing last year's version of Tkachuk isn't all bad.

Every one of the 14 panelists selected three teams from the Atlantic Division, along with two wild-card teams from the Eastern Conference. The Sens weren't included in any of those selections.

Montreal, Florida and Tampa Bay were the three teams most frequently chosen from the Atlantic, while Buffalo, Boston, Toronto, the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils also appeared among the Eastern wild-card selections.

But the Sens don't necessarily have to look outside their own locker room for reasons to believe they can remain in the playoff conversation.

The Sens finished ninth overall in goal scoring last season. Tim Stützle scored a team-high 34 goals last season. Drake Batherson scored 33, Dylan Cozens had 28 and Shane Pinto added 23. The Senators also added William Eklund, who had 53 points with San Jose last season, and veteran Andre Burakovsky to help address the offensive loss created by Tkachuk's departure.

Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot give the Senators an excellent one-two punch on the blue line.

Then there's goaltending. The Sens made the playoffs with goaltending that was well below average in the first half of the season. And that's putting it mildly.

After the Olympics last season, Linus Ullmark went 12-4-3 with a .902 save percentage and a 2.51 goals-against average over 19 games. He carried that strong finish into the playoffs against Carolina. And he now has what the Senators believe will be better support with two new Swedish goalies directly behind him on the depth chart.

And if you like intangibles, there also won't be the level of noise and controversy that swirled around this team for a lot of last season. It's amazing that the Sens powered through all that and still made the playoffs.

Yes, some preseason injuries have certainly emerged as a cause for concern in Ottawa, but no one who's nicked up has been described as having anything that's long term. And it's goes without saying that every preseason prediction about every NHL team comes with the caveat of "if they can stay healthy." 

Yes, the Atlantic is deep, just like it was last year. Some will rise, others will sink. But we'll take GM Steve Staios at his word that he "has no intention of taking a step backwards this season."

That's the prediction that will matter, because no matter how much other teams have improved, 99 points will probably get you into the playoffs.

No matter what, when the season begins on Oct. 3, the Senators won't be playing for the approval of 14 NHL.com writers. They won't be playing to stick it to their former captain.

They'll be playing for each other and a third consecutive trip to the playoffs.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

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