15 Canucks Are On Track To Hit Games-Played Milestones During 2026–27 Season

With the oncoming start of a new NHL season comes the beginning of milestone countdowns for the Vancouver Canucks. 15 Canucks are currently on track to hit games-played milestones in 2026–27, with the numbers ranging from 100 to 1200.

Six Canucks Could Hit The 100-Game Mark In 2026–27

A total of six Canucks are slated to hit the 100-game mark during the 2026–27 season. The first in line to do so is defenceman Elias Pettersson, who needs only two more games to get to 100. If all goes as planned, this could mean he reaches the mark as early as Vancouver’s home-opener against the Edmonton Oilers on October 1.

After Pettersson on the 100-game trail is Liam Öhgren, who will hit the milestone in his third game of the season — the earliest being October 3 versus the Calgary Flames. Max Sasson is next, with five games to play in before reaching 100 in his career. If he plays in all of Vancouver’s first five games of the year, he’ll hit the mark on October 8 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Three of Vancouver’s young defencemen are also within striking distance of 100 career games. Zeev Buium is currently the closest of the three with 24 to go, with the earliest date of reaching the milestone being November 19 against the Seattle Kraken. Tom Willander is next, requiring 30 games in 2026–27 to hit a career-total of 100. He could hit this mark as early as December 1 against the Washington Capitals.

Finally, if Victor Mancini plays in 45 games through the 2026–27 season, he’ll reach 100 through his NHL career. Playing in all of Vancouver’s first 45 games of the year would see him collect the milestone on January 5 against the New York Islanders, though with Vancouver’s D-core already projected, this is unlikely to happen.

Marco Rossi & Paul Cotter Could Reach 300, Drew O’Connor En Route To 400 Games

The next wave of games-played milestones in regards to the number of games played would see Marco Rossi and Paul Cotter reach 300 career-NHL games and Drew O’Connor reach the 400-game mark.

Of these three, the closest to their respective milestone is Cotter, who is four away from the 300-mark. Beginning the season with the team and skating in all four of their first games would put his 300th-game date on October 4 against the Vegas Golden Knights.

A bigger distance away is Rossi, who is 65 games away from 300 in his NHL career. The forward has only played in more than 65 games twice in his career, though if he can stay healthy, it’s not unreasonable to think he could do it in 2026–27. Playing in all of Vancouver’s games would see Rossi hit this milestone on February 25 against the St. Louis Blues.

Finally, O’Connor will need to play in nearly every game of the 2026–27 season to hit 400 NHL games, as he requires 77 to reach the milestone. The forward has skated in full-seasons for the past two years, even playing in 84 games in 2024–25 due to trades and his team’s schedules. If he remains with the Canucks past the 2026 Trade Deadline, he’ll reach 400 career games with Vancouver on March 25 versus the Golden Knights.

Two Canucks Veterans Are On Pace To Hit 600 NHL Games In 2026–27

Elias Pettersson and Filip Hronek are the two Canucks looking to hit the 600-game mark in 2026–27.

If both players skate in all of Vancouver’s games, Pettersson will be the one to reach the milestone first. The forward skated in his 500th-career NHL game on December 27, 2025 against the San Jose Sharks and became the 29th player to play in all 500 games with Vancouver. If he plays in all 600 games with Vancouver, he’ll be the 17th player in franchise history to do so. Pettersson requires 55 games to get to 600, with the projected date of this mark taking place on January 28 against the Dallas Stars.

Hronek will need a little more time than Pettersson to hit the 600-game mark, as he’ll need a total of 67 before he can reach it. He skated in his 500th-career NHL game on January 19, 2026 against the Islanders. The earliest date Hronek can hit 600 games by during the 2026–27 season is March 3 versus the Chicago Blackhawks.

Apr 14, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Liam Ohgren (92) and defenseman Filip Hronek (17) and forward Ty Mueller (39) and forward Jake DeBrusk (74) and forward Elias Pettersson (40) and goalie Kevin Lankinen (32) celebrate their victory against the Los Angeles Kings in overtime at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Brock Boeser & Jake DeBrusk Eyeing 700-Career NHL Games Played

If both players remain with the Canucks and skate in all games through 2026–27, Boeser and DeBrusk will hit the 700-career NHL game mark one game away from one-another. Boeser is currently 71 games away from the milestone, while DeBrusk requires one extra with 72 to go.

Boeser hit the 600-game mark on January 17 against the Oilers during the 2025–26 season, becoming the 16th player in franchise history to reach the mark entirely with Vancouver. Playing in all 71 games leading up to the milestone would see the forward reach 700 on March 13 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

DeBrusk reached 600 games only a little more than a week after Boeser did, skating in his 600th on January 29, 2026 against the Anaheim Ducks. Barring any injuries or roster moves, DeBrusk is projected to hit the 700-game mark a day after Boeser, on March 14, when the Canucks take on the Ottawa Senators.

Jamie Oleksiak Is Only 42 Games Away From 800

When Oleksiak signed with the Canucks in free-agency, he automatically became one of the team’s longest-tenured NHL players, second only to fellow defenceman Luke Schenn. Heading into the 2026–27 season, he only needs 42 more games to reach the 800-game mark in his career.

Tracing his previous season’s projections, this should be a reasonable goal for Oleksiak to reach, as he’s skated in more than 42 games throughout his past seven seasons in the NHL. Last season, the defenceman played in 78 games for the Kraken.

The earliest date that Oleksiak can reach the 800-game mark is, ironically enough, against his former team on December 30.

A Near Full-Season Will See Luke Schenn Hit 1200 NHL Games

The Canuck with the biggest potential milestone on the dockett for the 2026–27 season is none-other than now three-time Canucks defenceman Schenn. Currently at 1122 NHL games played, the defenceman is 78 games away from reaching the 1200-game mark in his career. 139 of his current game total has been spent with Vancouver throughout the two other stints he played in.

If he plays in all the Canucks’ games from the start of the season to the 78-game mark, Schenn will hit 1200 against the very team that traded him to Vancouver in his first stint with the team, the Ducks. This game is currently scheduled for March 27 in Vancouver.

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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September 29, 2026

Steph Curry ready to go for Warriors, but injuries will be factor early

SAN FRANCISCO ― A decade ago the Golden State Warriors were the clear-favorite to win a NBA title, now, 10 years later, many don't have them making the playoffs – and that's okay with them.

A shocking prediction, yes. But they are perfectly fine with not having those expectations as they step into the 2026-27 season with a fresh outlook.

Head coach Steve Kerr is back after contemplating retirement, signing a two-year extension with the Warriors. Golden State has practically the same roster as last year – returning nearly every key player, while adding Georges Niang and Brandon Williams.

"It's been a long offseason, too long, not making the playoffs last year. But I'm thrilled about starting the climb again, day one, and training camp. There's always a sense of excitement," Kerr said. "I feel really good about this team, and I'm really optimistic. I love our guys, and I think we have a chance to have a really good year. There's a lot of really good players and a lot of good energy with what we're doing right now."

The Warriors finished with a 37-45 record but still managed to creep into the NBA Play-In tournament. They lost the elimination game for the No. 8-seed to the Phoenix Suns, however, marking just the second time since their 2022 championship that they missed the postseason.

Many experts predict the Warriors to have a similar record in the 2026-27 season, which makes sense seeing as they have a nearly identical team. USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes projects Golden State to finish 41-41 in the regular season, ninth in the Western Conference. ESPN predicts the Warriors to finish two games worse than last year at 35-47.

Players and coaches aren't paying attention to outside noise, however. Here are the main takeaways from Warriors Media Day on Monday, Sept. 28:

Warriors not a full strength

Golden State will start the 2026-27 season out at partial strength as players continue to nurse their injuries.

Warriors starting forward Jimmy Butler III has been rehabilitating a torn ACL he suffered last year. Moses Moody missed the final 22 games of the 2025-26 season with a torn patellar tendon but showed he can be a key rotational piece off the bench.

Neither Butler nor Moody will be suiting up on opening day, but they will travel with the team to Hawaii for training camp and preseason games. Another key player who will be missing is center, Kristaps Porzingis, who is out with an undisclosed health issue, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy said.

Yaxel Lendeborg is a diamond in the rough

There's high hopes that Yaxel Lendeborg will make an immediate impact. The organization is high on the No. 11 overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft – and for good reason.

Lendeborg helped lead the Warriors' summer league team to a title and earned MVP honors along the way. His awards might not stop there. He believes that he can make his way to an All-Rookie first team and even win Rookie of the Year.

His teammates had high praise for his skill and physique. Butler's thoughts on Lendeborg is that "he's (expletive) massive."

Jimmy Butler when asked about his initial thoughts on Yaxel Lendeborg:

“HE’S F–KING MASSIVE! He’s a big human being.” 😂😅 pic.twitter.com/Z0yRQGz76t
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) September 28, 2026

September 29, 2026

Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves ready to take charge of new-look Lakers

Lakers teammates Luka Doncic, left, and Austin Reaves speak during Lakers Media Day on Sept. 28, 2026. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

The bromance between Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves remains strong and it’s a bond the Lakers will lean on with LeBron James no longer on the team.

After eight years of James being the Lakers’ leader, the role now will be shared by Doncic and Reaves.

Doncic already took a step in that direction when he invited his teammates to his home country of Slovenia in August for a bonding trip.

Reaves chided Doncic about losing in rowing, bowling and golf while they were in Slovenia together.

Reminded about it Monday at the Lakers’ media day, Doncic immediately retorted: “I beat him in golf two days ago. ... He didn’t say that, huh?”

Doncic paused and smiled.

“The key was I was playing great golf,” Doncic said. “He gave me some strokes, I’m not going to lie — as he should.”

Reaves spoke about the events his group won in Slovenia and how they beat Doncic in the process.

“We won the rowing, we won the golf, we won bowling,” Reaves said. “Luka tried to put on a blue shirt when his rowing team lost, which is crazy. But he did host us, so we let him hold the first-place trophy for once.”

The two friends and teammates have developed a closeness that their teammates have noticed.

“They get along so well that it’s kind of easy for them to co-lead this team — in different ways sometimes,” Jake LaRavia said. “I think sometimes Luka leads by example and we watch him and we watch how he goes about himself. AR can sometimes be a bit more vocal. But I think they both do a great job at what they are good at it when it comes to being leaders for this team.”

Doncic led the NBA in scoring last season (33.5 points per game) and was third in assists (8.3). He averaged 7.7 rebounds and shot 47.6%, including 36.6% from three-point range.

Lakers guard Luka Doncic speaks during the team's media day in El Segundo on Monday. (Eric Thaye r/ Los Angeles Times)

The three-year, $165-million contract extension Doncic signed last year kicked in this season.

“Obviously, it’s a new challenge,” he said about his leadership role. “I was in this position in my career a lot of times, so it’s not new to me. But I feel great, I feel excited, and like I said, I’m ready to go. It’s been a long time since I played basketball, so I’m ready.”

Reaves is entering his sixth season with the Lakers, making him the longest-tenured player on the team. In June, he signed a four-year, $180-million deal, the largest contract for an undrafted player in NBA history.

Reaves earned it by averaging career-highs in points (23.2) and rebounds (4.7).

The Lakers have nine new players and Reaves knows he’ll need to provide guidance.

“I think it’s different for everybody,” Reaves said. “I’m not going to lead the same way Bron does. I’m not going to lead the same way Luka does. I like to do things a little different. I was talking about doing more one-on-one conversations. There will be times where I need to speak up in group settings and I’ll do that when the time comes. But I think you just got to be true to yourself and do what’s comfortable for you.”

Doncic played in just 64 games last season. He missed the last five regular-season games and all of the playoffs with a left hamstring strain. After spending time in Europe rehabbing his hamstring over the summer, Doncic said he’s healthy and ready to go with no restrictions when the Lakers begin training camp Tuesday.

“I know I had a lot of time, just taking it slowly, not taking no risks,” Doncic said. “But right now, I’m feeling great. I feel rested. Mentally I feel great, so I can’t wait just to start.”

With Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Jaden Hardy, Kevon Looney, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams among the newcomers on the Lakers, Doncic and Reaves are looking forward to what comes next.

“I like everybody that we signed,” Doncic said. “I think there’s a lot of underrated guys. ... Now training camp is going to help us a lot, focus on basketball, get to know what they like on the court, but I’m very excited to play with all of them.”

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

September 29, 2026

‘He’s a dog, ’ Rookie Meleek Thomas was the star of Cavs Media Day

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 14: Meleek Thomas #15 of the Cleveland Cavaliers poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot at UNLV on July 14, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The season hasn’t started yet, but Meleek Thomas has already won over his teammates. The Cleveland Cavaliers spoke highly of their rookie during media day.

“That kid’s a dog,” said Donovan Mitchell. “He is who he thinks he is — he reminds me of myself.”

That’s a glowing endorsement from the franchise superstar. Mitchell has never shied away from supporting younger prospects. He took Jaylon Tyson under his wing last season, for instance. But going this far out on a limb to rave about a rookie is something special even for Mitchell.

That might be because Thomas is the type of rookie who makes a good first impression.

Meleek Thomas play creation and shot making in SL: pic.twitter.com/qzoO4dbyWE
— Tony Pesta (@Tony_Pesta) July 14, 2026

Thomas shined in Summer League, showcasing his three-level scoring ability while turning heads as a playmaker. He’s carried that forward into individual workouts and practices with the team.

“Ever since I first saw him, you see it in Summer League, then you have the camp, and I’m like, this dude is still going,” said Mitchell.

Clearly, Thomas is making himself stand out. He carries the bravado and the belief that he should have been a first-round talent, but follows it up with a work ethic to match. There is no entitlement to his game. Thomas is here to prove people wrong.

“He thinks that guy, but he is that guy,” said Nae’Qwan Tomlin. “He can really shoot the ball, he can play make, and he’s a dog too — he’s gritty, he likes to play defense.”

No one should expect Thomas to contribute heavily in his rookie season. It would be unfair to hold him to that standard. There’s no shame in taking a year to develop while being buried in the rotation of a team that just reached the Eastern Conference Finals.

With that said, teams that reach the ECF don’t usually roll into media day praising a second-round draft pick. That speaks to the type of player and person that Thomas is. He’s a smart kid who is eager to become the best version of himself.

“Every day, he wants to learn; he asks so many questions,” said Mitchell. “He’ll ask myself, he’ll ask James, TB [Thomas Bryant], the coaches. He’s the real deal, and I’m excited for him this year. ”

September 28, 2026

San Jose Sharks Announce Official Opening Night Roster

Although we had a general idea of what the San Jose Sharks' roster would look like when they take the ice on Thursday against the Florida Panthers, the organization has officially confirmed their 23-man roster ahead of the compliance deadline. On Monday afternoon, they announced who will remain in the NHL.

Forwards

Macklin Celebrini

Igor Chernyshov

Ty Dellandrea

Barclay Goodrow

Collin Graf

Brett Leason

Mason Marchment

Michael Misa

Zack Ostapchuk

Kiefer Sherwood

Will Smith

Ivar Stenberg

Tyler Toffoli

Alexander Wennberg

Defensemen

Nolan Allan

Luca Cagnoni

Sam Dickinson

Michael Kesselring

Darnell Nurse

Dmitry Orlov

Jacob Trouba

Goaltenders

Yaroslav Askarov

Alex Nedeljkovic

Additional Notes:

Injured Reserve

Alex Barre-Boulet

Logan Couture

Adam Gaudette

Non-Roster

Patrick Giles

Mattias Havelid

Kyle Keyser

Cam Lund

Quentin Musty

All non-roster players are expected to be reassigned to the San Jose Barracuda after they recover from their current injuries. Adam Gaudette is expected to remain in the NHL, however his role when he returns is still up in the air. Alex Barre-Boulet may get a depth role in the NHL when he returns, but only if there are other injuries at that time. Otherwise, he'll also likely be heading to the American Hockey League.

September 28, 2026

Alberts Šmits Ready For The ‘Start Of A Long Journey’ After Making Rangers' Roster

When Alberts Šmits came to New York for training camp, he knew, in the back of his mind, that he would make the New York Rangers’ opening-night roster.

“Yeah, obviously,” Šmits said of whether he expected to make the team. “That’s why I came here.”

When the Rangers selected Šmits with the fifth-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, they touted him as the most pro-ready defenseman in the draft class.

Šmits is proving that to be true so far, as he made the Rangers’ opening-night roster out of training camp after an impressive two-week showing and will be in the lineup for New York’s first regular-season game against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night, officially beginning his professional hockey career.

“That’s a step I wanted to take over the last years, and over the summer, and now that I have accomplished making the team, it does not stop there,” Šmits said. “I think it’s just the start of a long journey.”

Despite entering training camp as one of the biggest unknowns, Šmits quickly proved that he can hold his own and thrive against NHL players.

Mike Sullivan had the 18-year-old defenseman practice with the main NHL group for the entirety of training camp, a clear indication that the organization was serious about giving Šmits a chance to make the team.

Over the past two weeks, Šmits has primarily slotted onto the Blueshirts’ third defensive pairing alongside Braden Schneider.

He ended up playing in three of the four preseason games, including one in which he recorded over 23 minutes of ice time.

The speculation going into training camp was that Šmits would likely start the year in the American Hockey League with the Hartford Wolf Pack, but his play flipped that narrative entirely.

Sullivan was thoroughly impressed with Šmits maturity for a young defensemen, and he quickly realized that the 2026 fifth overall was worthy of making the Rangers’ opening-night roster.

“He’s made the team, he’s made the opening roster because he’s deserving,” Sullivan said of Šmits. “We feel based on where he’s at, we don’t think he’s overwhelmed. We think he belongs. The reason we think he belongs is through his play.

“The size and strength of him as a player at this point, the path that he’s taken to get here and playing the game against men, for all of those reasons, we think he’s deserving of being here… He played extremely well throughout the course of training camp, played well in the exhibition games. We think he’s deserving.”

The Rangers plan to carry eight defensemen to kick off the 2026-27 season, with Matthew Robertson and Scott Morrow serving as extras.

September 28, 2026

At media day, Clippers begin with an apology, then look to the future

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue speaks at media day Monday. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)

A new age of Clippers basketball started on Monday.

It’s about moving on, or attempting to, after the franchise endured a nightmare offseason.

“My entire summer’s been basketball,” guard Darius Garland nonchalantly said during media day at Intuit Dome. “My main thing is to come in here and win games. So, that’s my main focus.”

The Clippers’ offseason was engulfed by the NBA’s salary-cap circumvention investigation into the team’s endorsement deals with Kawhi Leonard. The NBA fined the Clippers $30 million, stripped them of five first-round picks, dealt suspensions to owner Steve Ballmer and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank — and the Clippers ultimately traded Leonard, who was fined merely $700,000, back to Toronto.

Garland represented his teammates in prioritizing hoops.

But for Trent Redden, the Clippers’ interim president of basketball operations, things weren’t that simple. The admittedly nervous executive started Monday’s news conferences by apologizing to the Clippers’ faithful for the aftermath of the Leonard situation.

“Our fans deserve to hear from us before this, and for that we’re sorry,” Redden said. “We’ve been listening to the thoughts, the concerns, and feeling the emotions of our fan base. They mean everything to us. … We hope to fulfill our promises to them, to build their trust and move forward through this time.

“This franchise often has done its best work with its back against the wall … We hope to represent our fans the same way we always have in dark times, by coming out fighting.”

Fighting is all the new-look Clippers can do as they enter the 2026-27 season.

Leonard is back north of the border. Other stars, such as Paul George, James Harden and the recently retired Russell Westbrook, are distant memories in L.A. For the first time in years, the Clippers aren’t entering a season with championship aspirations.

“It’s been difficult,” said Ty Lue, who enters his seventh season as the Clippers’ coach. “But I give our players a lot of credit … the leadership is great [and] the morale is great, even in these tough situations. That’s good to see, when you have your players coming in every day, giving everything they have; a lot of teams don’t have that.”

The Clippers’ league-record streak of 15 consecutive winning seasons is in jeopardy. Nonetheless, the team will still feature plenty of intrigue roster-wise, with a mix of youngsters “doing TikToks” and “old heads” trying to keep up, as Garland described it.

“I think we can surprise a lot of people,” he said.

Garland himself, 26, enters his first full season in L.A. as the team’s go-to scorer. A two-time All-Star, he’s primed to lead a promising backcourt alongside 19-year-old rookie Keaton Wagler, the Clippers’ No. 5 pick in the 2026 draft.

Wagler is one of the team’s promising young players, alongside fellow rookie Baba Miller, Kobe Sanders and the rehabbing Jordan Miller and Yanic Konan Niederhauser.

“I’m just going to do my best to stay mentally focused,” Wagler said when asked about the pressure of being the team’s first top-five pick since Blake Griffin in 2009. “Not worry about all the outside noise.”

The Clippers return key role players like Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn, Bradley Beal and Brook Lopez, and sport new ones like Max Strus and Gradey Dick via trades.

However, the team’s ceiling will rest on the influence of new forwards Brandon Ingram and Rui Hachimura. Hachimura is coming off a strong playoff run and four-year stint with the Lakers.

“One thing about here … everybody talks about how they take really good care of their players,” Hachimura said of signing a two-year, $28-million contract with the Clippers this offseason.

Ingram, the centerpiece of the Leonard trade, is a solid three-level scorer and will shoulder much of the offensive load alongside Garland — when healthy.

Redden shockingly shared that Ingram is recovering from a partially torn Achilles tendon in addition to heel surgery.

“I had been dealing with some pain throughout the year with the Raptors, especially coming down crunch time with the Raptors,” Ingram said. “I didn’t quite know what it was. Near the end of the season, we figured out what it was, and surgery was the best thing to do.”

The 29-year-old Ingram, though, should make a full recovery and claims his best days are still ahead of him.

He feels the same way about his new Clippers team.

“I know [there are] little to no expectations for us this year,” Ingram said. “We have enough in the building to compete. This is what we love to do. So, we’ll go out and compete every single night, learn, go on to the next game and get better and better.”

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

September 28, 2026

Austin Reaves embraces new role as leader in LA

As early as the middle of last season, Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić were already having conversations about their future. Reaves was set to hit free agency in June, but the two discussed what a continued partnership in the purple and gold would look like. Once the offseason came around, those talks evolved into what they each needed to do to put the Los Angeles Lakers in a position to succeed.

"Very bland, to be honest," Reaves told reporters at the Lakers' media day on Monday, Sept. 28. "But at the end of the day, we care about winning, and that's all that matters."

The result was a five-year, $184.76 million contract for Reaves - who president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka identified as the No. 1 priority this offseason after LeBron James left in free agency - and an almost entirely new supporting cast around him and Dončić.

So new, in fact, that Reaves is now the longest-tenured Laker. Not bad for a kid from Oklahoma who arrived in LA as a two-way player after going undrafted in 2021. The growth over his five-year career was most evident when he went from looking virally flustered by James' on-court directions as a rookie to commanding the attention of the NBA's all-time leading scorer on the sideline a year ago.

Dončić has seen that development in just over 18 months since coming to the Lakers.

"He improved a lot," Dončić said. "He talks more to a lot of people. Obviously, the new players, they're gonna look up to him, ask him things. So, I think he did a big step forward."

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DETROIT — For the past two seasons, the Detroit Pistons have been trying to prove they belong.

Now, the challenge is proving they can stay there.

After completing one of the league’s quickest turnarounds and winning 60 games a season ago, the Pistons arrived at Monday’s Media Day with a noticeably different set of expectations.

Detroit is no longer the young team trying to surprise people. After finishing atop the Eastern Conference and advancing to the conference semifinals, the Pistons enter this season knowing they will receive everyone’s best shot.

Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, however, isn’t concerned with how the rest of the conference views Detroit — or what other contenders did during the offseason.

“Yeah, I mean, the East is good, obviously,” Bickerstaff said. “The amount of talent that’s flooded the East and the way the teams have been built and put together. But, you know, we don’t really give a [expletive] about what everybody else is doing. The only thing that matters to us is what we do.

“And we know what Pistons basketball looks like. So if we go out and play Pistons basketball, I like our chances versus anybody.”

what up doe from media day pic.twitter.com/fXLrtJkpAC
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) September 28, 2026

While the biggest storyline surrounding the team remains the contract situation involving All-Star center Jalen Duren, Detroit otherwise returns much of the core responsible for last season’s success.

All-Star Cade Cunningham and rising star Ausar Thompson remain at the center of it, while players such as Paul Reed, Ron Holland II and Kevin Huerter could enter the season with larger roles. Detroit also added veterans John Collins, Isaiah Joe and Taurean Prince during the offseason.

For Bickerstaff, those additions give the Pistons something they were searching for entering the offseason — more ways to attack opposing defenses.

“Shooting obviously is a big difference for us,” Bickerstaff said of the offseason moves. “When you’ve got guys that have proven in this league that they can carry weight and gravity, people are going to have to play them differently than they did in the past for us.

“Bringing in that experience, playoff experience, and have an understanding of what is it that we’re trying to do. I think that experience along with their skill set is going to be helpful. Their ability to move off the ball, also carry gravity and make teams have to chase us, and not just sit and pack the paint. I think all of those things are going to be helpful.”

Detroit Pistons v Cleveland Cavaliers - Game Four

Pistons still awaiting Jalen Duren decision as training camp begins

Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon made one thing clear Monday: Detroit still wants Duren back.

Shawn Robinson,

That versatility could become even more important for a team that knows opponents have spent the offseason searching for ways to slow it down.

President of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said Detroit’s offseason decisions weren’t made simply with another 60-win regular season in mind. Instead, the Pistons wanted to build a roster capable of giving Bickerstaff more answers when the postseason arrives.

“I think the East is much tougher than it was last year, not only with the acquisition of some players in certain markets, but also returning players that had injuries last year as well,” Langdon said. “I don’t know that any team in the East will exceed 60 wins just because it’s going to be that competitive.”

Langdon said the goal was to preserve the defensive identity that helped fuel Detroit’s success while adding more shooting, spacing and lineup flexibility.

“I do believe we’ve gotten better,” Langdon said. “Obviously, time will tell on the way that we play, the rotations we play, the five-man units that are on the floor at different times, but it was can we create more space, have more shooting, and give J.B. and his staff more versatility, more optionality, different lineups that you can play at different points in the game and in the season as well.”

For Cunningham, the additional shooting should create more space for both himself and his teammates.

“All of those things create advantages,” Cunningham said. “My job is trying to make as many advantages as I can for the team so that we can finish plays and score the ball.

“It’s a huge help, and it’s on me to make sure that I make their job easier as well and getting them good passes, allowing them space to score for us by beating somebody and getting them open shots.”

Detroit's MotorCADE ready to roll for 2026-27! pic.twitter.com/SIcQJkj5XA
— NBA (@NBA) September 28, 2026

Detroit’s rise has happened quickly, and while only a few players remain from the 14-win team, several members of the current roster have experienced much of the climb.

Three seasons ago, the Pistons finished an NBA-worst 14-68.

A year later, Detroit improved to 44 wins, earned the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference and returned to the playoffs before falling to the New York Knicks in the opening round.

Last season brought another jump.

Detroit went 60-22, secured the No. 1 seed in the East and won its first playoff series since 2008. The Pistons’ season eventually ended one round later, when Cleveland eliminated them in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

For Cunningham, each step — including the painful ones — has helped shape what comes next.

“Yeah, it’s another hurdle, another whatever you want to call it, that really made me look in the mirror and assess myself, assess the team, ways that I can help,” Cunningham said. “We wanted to go further than we did. We had a great regular season, but it taught us a lot as far as what playoff basketball is about and what it takes to be successful during that.

“So all those things happen for a reason and I definitely think myself, but all of us would be better for it.”

Thompson has experienced that climb alongside Cunningham.

The 23-year-old, who signed a five-year, $155 million extension this offseason, is now part of a Pistons core entering the season with heightened expectations rather than questions about whether it can compete.

For Thompson, looking back at where the group started only makes the transformation more striking.

“It’s crazy cause now it’s just me and Cade when we lost all of those games,” Thompson said. “We talk about it sometimes in the locker room, and it’s weird looking back at it. But when I think of it, I think of all the lessons I’ve learned and as a team, and applied those hardships and moved on and got better from them.

“First year we won 14 games, next year we made the playoffs and lost the first round. Last year we made the playoffs, won the first round and then lost the second round in seven. What we learned from that is we have to be ready to play seven games. I just feel like we’ll keep taking it further and defy expectations.”

Those expectations are different now.

The Pistons won’t enter this season as one of the league’s surprise teams, nor will opponents need to be convinced that Detroit belongs among the East’s best.

After 60 wins, a No. 1 seed and a trip to the conference semifinals, the target has shifted.

The Pistons spent the last two seasons hunting.

Now, they’ll find out how they respond when they’re the ones being hunted.