The Columbus Blue Jackets have 3 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Jersey #3 is one of the more popular numbers to be worn.

Let's take a look at who wore 3, and where they are now

František Kučera - 2001 - Drafted by Chicago in 1986. 

He played 48 games as a Jacket and had seven points in the first year of the Blue Jackets' existence. 

He retired in 2004 after returning to his home country of Czechia. 

Jaroslav Špaček - 2002-2004 - Drafted by Florida in 1998. 

Špaček played 153 games for Columbus and had 72 points in the early years of Columbus. 

His son, David Špaček, was born in Columbus and was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in 2022. He will start this season with the AHL's Iowa Wild. David was born in Columbus. 

Nowadays, the elder Špaček is the Director of Youth Hockey for HC Plzeň in Czechia. 

Marc Methot - 2009-2012 - Drafted by the Blue Jackets in the 6th round of the 2003 NHL Draft.

Methot played six years and 275 games for the CBJ, totaling 51 points on the Columbus blue line. He was the definition of a defensive defenseman. 

On July 1, 2012, he was traded to the Ottawa Senators for future CBJ Captain Nick Foligno. After the trade to Ottawa, he would play another 349 NHL games. 

He retired during the 2018-19 season after playing 9 games. 

Jordan Leopold - 2015 - Drafted by Anaheim in 1999. 

Leopold played 18 games for Columbus after being traded from the St. Louis Blues on November 15, 2014. On March 2, 2015, he was dealt again, this time to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Justin Falk. He retired after the 2015 season. 

He has been an assistant coach for Andover High in Minnesota for the past couple of years. 

Seth Jones - 2016-2021 - Drafted by Nashville in 2013. 

Jones played 381 games for the Jackets after coming over from the Nashville Predators. He scored 50 goals and totaled 223 points during his time in Columbus. Jones is currently second all-time in CBJ history in goals by a defenseman, second in assists, and second in points. He's also 7th in all-time assists and 10th in all-time points. 

He was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2021 in exchange for Adam Boqvist. Chicago traded him to the Florida Panthers in 2025, where he went on to win the Stanley Cup. 

The son of former NBA player Popeye Jones was described by Elite Prospects as "A defenseman with an excellent frame. Jones' athleticism allows him to be a very good skater for a player of his size. He has excellent mobility and is solid both offensively and defensively. Jones gives a smart first pass and is also capable of utilizing his skating ability to bring the puck up himself. He has good hockey sense and is an asset on the power play thanks to his mobility, puck-handling, and a very dangerous slap shot."

Jack Johnson - 2025 - Drafted by Carolina in 2005.

Johnson played 486 games for Columbus after being traded from the LA Kings for Jeff Carter. He scored 36 goals and had 156 points in seven years.

He's bounced around since leaving Columbus, but finally won a Stanley Cup in 2022. He found his way back to Cannon City in the summer of 2024. Unfortunately for Johnson, he only played in 41 games for Columbus last year and had 6 points. 

He and Head Coach Dean Evason didn't see eye to eye, leading to Johnson being scratched for most of the season. Johnson's family even boycotted the family day held ahead of the 2025 Stadium Series Game at Ohio Stadium. 

Charlie Coyle - 2025-Current - Drafted by the San Jose Sharks in 2010

Coyle was traded to the Blue Jackets in the summer of 2025. His first season in Columbus was the second best season of his career. He scored 20 goals and totaled 58 points, which was just two points off from his career high. 

He was kept at last season's trade deadline by Don Waddell, leading Charlie Coyle to feel very respected by the club. He signed a six-year, $36 million extension with the CBJ over the summer. He could've left, but he told the media that he felt the loyalty shown to him by Don Waddell was important enough to get him to re-sign 

There are three days left until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Who was your favorite #3?

Colorado Avalanche News

• The Colorado Avalanche have just around 24 hours to do two more roster cuts before NHL rosters are due to be submitted. [Sports Illustrated]

• T.J. Hughes to start season with Avalanche amid injuries up front. [The Denver Gazette]

• Blankenburg joined the Maple Leafs on a professional tryout, then earned himself a one-year contract, after a career-best season where he posted eight goals and 16 assists with the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche. [Sportsnet]

News Around the League

• Jets believe they have the pieces to compete, even without star goalie Hellebuyck. [TSN]

• Edmonton Oilers go from cap heaven to cap purgatory due to five injuries. [Toronto Sun]

• One bold prediction for every NHL team in the 2026-2027 season. [The Athletic]

• Kuzmenko returns to Russia after father killed by bear. [BBC]

• Lapsed fan’s guide to the NHL season: Top teams, players, storylines for 2026-27. [ESPN]

• NHL features an 84-game season for the first time in decades. [CTV News]

• Ovie retirement watch among 5 NHL storylines as season gets underway. [CBC]

The 2026-27 Pittsburgh Penguins did not waste any time when it comes to accumulating injuries. The regular season has not even started yet and the team is already looking at the prospect of playing games without Ben Kindel, Bryan Rust, Blake Lizotte, and Justin Brazeu. Andrei Kuzmenko is also not here at the moment for non-injury related reasons, and it would not be a surprise if he did not return for quite some time given the circumstances.

Not exactly a great way to open a season that has a wide range of potential outcomes in the standings.

If Sergei Murashov is good and a few players take big steps forward, this could be a playoff team again. Potentially a good playoff team.

If Murashov is not good, and if a few players regress instead of progress, you might be looking at that high lottery pick.

It is also the first 84-game season in the NHL since the early 1990s, adding a couple of more games onto the schedule.

It all begins on Wednesday night, in Philadelphia, with a rematch of their 2025-26 first-round playoff series with the Flyers.

The Flyers are a bit of an unknown this season because, like the Penguins, they are coming off an unexpected playoff campaign. They have a really good young core of talent that is led by Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone, and a solid supporting cast around them. But while there is a good core of players in place, it’s still kind of tough to get a read on what their expectations should be for this season.

They have been one of the league’s best defensive teams for a couple of years now, but the offensive upside is still something that has to be determined. The development of players like Martone and Michkov will be key in determining where that goes.

How much of a step will Martone take after his late-season debut and emergence in the playoffs? Is he a franchise player? Just a strong building block? What does a full season of him look like at 19?

Will Michkov be able to not only bounce back from a disappointing sophomore season, but also build on it? How does his relationship with head coach Rick Tocchet evolve?

Those are two of the big questions the Flyers need answered.

There are more concerns and questions beyond the development of Martone and Michkov.

The first is related to whether or not starting goalie Dan Vladar repeats his 2025-26 performance? He had a career year for the Flyers and was not only a big part of the team’s return to the playoffs, he was a major part of their ability to beat the Penguins in the first round and advance. It was an objectively great year for him, but it was also by far the best season of his career and a complete 180 from what we have seen from him in the past.

He was injured late in the preseason, leaving his status for Wednesday somewhat up in the air, but he does seem on track to play.

If he isn’t ready, or if he simply regresses this season in terms of his production, one of their big offseason additions was Joseph Woll in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Woll is a little different than Vladar because he has been a strong performer in the early stages of his career, but is coming off a down year in Toronto. He is an interesting backup option and safety net, and depending on what Vladar does could end up being an important player for them.

The second concern is that outside of Woll, as well as the addition of former Penguins forward Noel Accairi, it was a mostly quiet offseason for the Flyers in terms of new faces.

They did take a massive swing by trying to add Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson on a restricted free agent offer sheet, but the Ducks matched the offer and kept him on the west coast. Had Philadelphia managed to pull that off it would have been a potential franchise-changer by giving them a bonafide, young No. 1 center just starting to enter his prime years. But they didn’t pull it off, and all they did instead was help reset the market for salaries across the NHL.

The Penguins and Flyers differ a little in their makeup, but both teams are wild-cards that have a wide range of outcomes that are dependent on a few X-factors going a particular way.

The Penguins 2-0-2 against the Flyers in the regular season a year ago, before losing the playoff series in six games, 4-2. That is a 4-4-2 record overall.

After playing in Philadelphia on Wednesday, the Penguins return home for their home-opener on Saturday night against the Montreal Canadiens.

Montreal is coming off its second consecutive trip to the playoffs, this time having advanced all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals.

It is largely the same roster coming back, with the one notable exception being the addition of veteran forward Chris Kreider.

Kreider is a strong pickup for the price tag, and does give the Canadiens a much-needed veteran winger for its top-nine.

While it was a quiet offseason in terms of additions, Montreal has one of the league’s best young cores built around Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson, and Noah Dobson. All of them are signed long-term to team-friendly deals that are going to give management all of the cap flexibility they need to add a supporting cast around them. Their window is just now starting to open, and it should be open for a while.

As good as the Canadiens were, and as good as the young core looks, it was not a team that really excelled during 5-on-5 play, or in terms of its overall defensive play. They finished the 2025-26 season 26th in the league in expected goals against per 60 minutes, and 23rd in expected goal share. Both numbers were also among the worst when it comes to playoff teams.

You might be able to tilt the ice on them a little bit.

But it does not mean that is going to translate into goals for you, or keeping them off the scoreboard.

The big issue for the Penguins at the start is going to be the reality of playing two playoff teams, both of which advanced to the second round, without an extensive list of forwards. The entire potential third line that showed so much promise in training camp and its brief time together in the preseason is going to be out. A couple of potential fourth-line options are out. It is going to open the door for some young players at the start, but it might not be what the Penguins wanted to be at full strength to open the season.

I am curious to see how the goalie rotation between Murashov and Arturs Silovs plays out, and how they handle the line combinations. Specifically as it relates to dealing with the third-line absences, where Nicholas Robertson plays and if he gets a chance on Sidney Crosby’s line, and who plays alongside defenseman Erik Karlsson.

Splitting these two games and coming away with at least two points would be a fair start given all of the circumstances.

If the Philadelphia Flyers learned anything from training camp and the short NHL preseason, it's that they cannot depend on Aleksei Kolosov for any reason in the event of an injury to fellow goalies Dan Vladar and Joseph Woll.

Throughout their NHL careers, durability has been a question mark for Vladar and Woll, and the Flyers' depth was tested early in the preseason when Vladar suffered an innocuous upper-body injury in Game 3 against Boston, putting him out of commission for a few days.

And, while Vladar is seemingly trending in the right direction for opening night against Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Kolosov's performances were bad enough to force the Flyers to reconsider their No. 3 goalie of choice before the start of the regular season.

It would be inadvisable, at this point, for the Flyers to pay up draft capital or other assets for a reserve goalie, though other avenues, namely the NHL waiver wire, remain at their disposal.

And, fortunately for the Flyers, there are actually a few decent enough options available to them to fill the No. 3 goalie role, bumping Kolosov and Carson Bjarnason each down one peg.

On Sunday afternoon, with opening night rosters due Monday night, a number of noteworthy goalies were placed on waivers around the league, headlined by Czech veterans Vitek Vanecek and David Rittich.

Rittich, 34, was placed on waivers by New Jersey on Sunday with the club claiming goalie Remi Poirier off the waiver wire from Dallas, and the veteran is certifiably the best option available to the Flyers.

Rittich should be Flyers' top choice

The longtime NHL backup has had stops with Nashville, Winnipeg, Los Angeles, Ontario (AHL), the New York Islanders, and now New Jersey over the last six seasons, and most recently went 14-10-3 in 30 games for the Islanders last season with a .894 save percentage, a 2.76 GAA, and two shutouts as Ilya Sorokin's understudy.

The fact that New Jersey waived Rittich in favor of Poirier, Nico Daws, and Jake Allen might deter other NHL teams from claiming him to be their No. 2, and he, like the other goalies we'll discuss, will need to pass through waivers a second time to be stashed in Lehigh Valley.

Rittich shouldn't have any issues finding a new home somewhere in the league, though the Flyers would be wise to at least attempt to snag and stash the big Czech goalie.

As for Vanecek, the 30-year-old never quite rebounded from a brutal 2023 playoff run with New Jersey, and he's had a save percentage no higher than .890 at the NHL level since the 2022-23 season.

At the same time, he boasts a career .900 save percentage in 210 NHL regular season games across eight seasons, and behind a good Devils team, Vanecek finished the 2022-23 season with a 33-11-4 record, a 2.45 GAA, a .911 save percentage, and three shutouts.

The lows can be low for Vanecek, but the highs can be high, especially when the game is simplified for him as the Flyers did with Vladar last year, to smashing success.

Vanecek's poor 5-13-3 record with Utah last year makes it unlikely other teams will be vying for his services, but for the Flyers, he's an obvious, experienced, and more proven candidate to be the No. 3 goalie, and far less likely than Kolosov to outright lose a game for the team.

The most intriguing name at the goalie position to hit the NHL waiver wire on Sunday was Nikita Tolopilo, a 26-year-old, 6-foot-6 netminder from Belarus who made his NHL debut for the Vancouver Canucks in 2025 under current Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet.

Tolopilo is a recent Calder Cup champion who split the 2025-26 season nearly evenly with Vancouver and AHL Abbotsford, going 6-11-2 with a 3.61 GAA and .881 save percentage on an awful Canucks team.

For an Abbotsford team that was equally bad (and had just one 20-goal-scorer), Tolopilo was 8-8-3 with a 3.07 GAA and .897 save percentage.

Certainly, the raw stats aren't very impressive, though Tolopilo has plenty of pro experience between the KHL, AHL, NHL, and HockeyAllsvenskan, and his familiarity with Tocchet and his systems works in his favor, too.

Tolopilo, like Poirier, is a fringe NHLer who could take on an opportunity elsewhere, and landing as a No. 3 goalie with the Flyers would be a good gig for him. Plus, he would get to reunite with fellow countrymen and former teammates Kolosov and Danila Klimovich, which should make for some quick and easy chemistry in Allentown.

The towering Tolopilo is older, bigger, and better than Kolosov and profiles more similarly to Vladar and Woll, which should make him an obvious option for the Flyers if they can't land someone else more seasoned at the NHL level.

The 2026-27 NHL season is about to get underway after an eventful offseason. led by two major trade requests and a boatload of money being handed out.

Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck and Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin made the trade requests and that will be hanging over their teams early this season. Fellow U.S. Olympian Brady Tkachuk was moved to the Florida Panthers.

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Flyers made an offer sheet to the Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson that changed the salary structure for younger players. Carlsson's deal, which was matched, was topped by Mackllin Celelbrini and Cale Makar, who became the NHL's first $20 million player.

How does that change the power structure in the NHL? USA TODAY provides its season-opening power rankings:

2026-27 NHL power rankings 32-20

32. Vancouver Canucks

New coach Manny Malhotra won an American Hockey League championship, but he'll have his work cut out to get the Canucks out of last place. Thatcher Demko and Filip Chytil are injured already. A key will be Elias Pettersson returning to form.

31. Calgary Flames

They added defenseman Simon Nemec after trading Mackenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson last season, but they're still in rebuilding mode.

30. Seattle Kraken

The Kraken are still looking for an identity after one playoff appearance in their first five years. Their offseason was relatively quiet outside of unsuccessfully trying to trade for Jason Robertson.

29. Chicago Blackhawks

The additions of Bowen Byram and Patrick Kane make the team better. But they'll be without injured Connor Bedard early in the season.

28. Winnipeg Jets

Three-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck remains away from the team while awaiting a trade. Goalie acquisition Stuart Skinner has had great - and bad - stretches, but he's no Hellebuyck. If the Jets get a good return, they'll move up the list.

27. Ottawa Senators

Brady Tkachuk's skill set will be missed. The Senators have plenty going for them, but they are in a tough division.

26. Detroit Red Wings

Their troubled offseason included Larkin's trade request and GM Steve Yzerman stepping aside. Larkin is with the team, so that will help. But they won't end their 10-season playoff drought.

25. New York Islanders

A team with Matthew Schaefer, Ilya Sorokin and coach Peter DeBoer should make the playoffs. But the departure of captain Anders Lee hurts.

24. Los Angeles Kings

Coach Peter Laviolette usually has success in his first season with a team. The key question: Can Quinton Byfield thrive as a No. 1 center after Anze Kopitar's retirement?

23. Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks matched the offer sheet and got Cutter Gauthier re-signed, but the defense is weaker and they moved out Mason McTavish and Chris Kreider.

22. Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets were in the news a lot, but Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko weren't traded, and Adam Fantilli eventually re-signed. But even with bringing in Alexander Nichushkin, it might not be enough to end the team's playoff drought.

21. Philadelphia Flyers

Porter Martone will try to become the first Flyers player to win rookie of the year. Matvei Michkov looked better in training camp after a tough sophomore season. Still, the team didn't get its No. 1 center when the Ducks matched the offseason sheet.

2026-27 NHL power rankings 20-11

20. New York Rangers

The Rangers are a better team after trading for Pavel Dorofeyev and Sean Durzi. But they have a ground to make up to be a playoff team.

19. Nashville Predators

New GM Chris MacFarland added Mavrik Bourque, plus former Avs Jack Drury and Ross Colton. Trading Luke Evangelista might hurt, though.

18. Toronto Maple Leafs

New GM John Chayka lucked out with a lottery win and drafted Gavin McKenna, plus he signed two-time Stanley Cup winner Sergei Bobrovsky, 22-goal defenseman Darren Raddysh and remade the bottom six. New coach Jim Hiller will have to make it all mesh.

17. San Jose Sharks

Macklin Celebrini landed a massive contract extension and the captaincy at age 20. He has a chance to lead the Sharks to a playoff spot in the weaker Pacific Division.

16. Pittsburgh Penguins

Franchise stalwarts Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are in the final years of their contracts. They got back to the playoffs last season. This season is not as certain, especially with Ben Kindel and Bryan Rust injured early.

15. St. Louis Blues

The Blues moved Jordan Kyrou, kept Robert Thomas and named him captain. Offseason acquisitions Connor McMichael and Mason McTavish could push the Blues toward a playoff spot.

14. New Jersey Devils

The Devils are deeper on the wings and Luke Evangelista was a good pickup. If their goaltending can hold up, their playoff absence could be only one season.

13. Boston Bruins

David Pastrnak leads by example with four consecutive 100-point seasons and now he has the captaincy. He, Morgan Geekie and Jeremy Swayman will lead the Bruins to the playoffs again.

12. Vegas Golden Knights

The Golden Knights handed the coaching reins to Ryan Craig, who has been preparing for this position. He takes over a team that went to the Stanley Cup Final last season. He'll have to find a way to make up for Pavel Dorofeyev's lost goals.

11. Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres have the talent to make it two playoff appearances in a row after ending a record 14-season drought, but they have to figure how to make up for Alex Tuch's goals.

2026-27 NHL power rankings 10-1

10. Utah Mammoth

They've been spending wisely since moving to Salt Lake City, and now they've added veterans Anders Lee and Vincent Trocheck. A 100-point season seems possible.

9. Edmonton Oilers

They took a step back with a first-round exit and fired coach Kris Knoblauch. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are hoping veteran coach Mike Babcock takes them to the top.

8. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning haven't escaped the first round since 2022 but they're still in a championship window, assuming Victor Hedman has a bounceback season. It would help if MVP Nikita Kucherov signs an extension.

7. Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens are built with a host of players on reasonable contracts growing together. That got them to the Eastern Conference finals. Now, they've added veteran power-play presence Chris Kreider to that mix.

6. Washington Capitals

The Capitals won the offseason by bringing in Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou and Boone Jenner. All-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin liked what he saw and signed a one-year deal.

5. Minnesota Wild

Bill Guerin received a contract extension and the hockey world is waiting for him to get one for Quinn Hughes. Otherwise, the Wild remain among the upper-tier teams in the tough Central Division.

4. Dallas Stars

The Stars re-signed Jason Robertson and traded Mavrik Bourque. But they get Tyler Seguin back from injury. They remain a deep, dangerous team.

3. Florida Panthers

The 2024 and 2025 champions imploded last season under major injuries, including Aleksander Barkov. He's back, the Panthers brought in Matthew Tkachuk's brother, Brady, and will be a Stanley Cup threat if the goaltending holds up.

2. Carolina Hurricanes

The defending champions are in the mix for a repeat. Brandon Bussi showed he can handle the net. They'll have to cope with Seth Jarvis' early injury and find a solution to Alexander Nikishin not reporting.

1. Colorado Avalanche

The No. 1 overall Avalanche were swept in the conference finals because of injuries to Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. If both stay healthy, the Avalanche can get to the final this year.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL power rankings as 2026-27 season opens: Who will challenge for Stanley Cup?

The Islanders threw us a curve as they wrapped up preseason cuts and reassignments by announcing the signing of Logan Stanley as Big Veteran Defenseman. Season-opening rosters are due throughout the NHL today, and certainly Stanley was not on our radar entering the weekend.

There are also several “he’s fine, it’s just maintenance” injury situations as camp winds down, so it seems there are a few moving parts that could linger into the season.

Brayden Schenn and Matthew Schaefer were described as precautionary after “tweak” during preseason, Tony DeAngelo missed for a “maintenance” day, and of course Mathew Barzal missed the whole preseason with his (presumed knee inflammation) but will travel with the team to Toronto where they open the season on Wednesday.

Islanders News

• As Stanley stepped in, Isaiah George (thought by some to be poised to grab a roster spot), Cole Eiserman, Kashawn Aitcheson and Vitek Vanecek (if he clears waivers) were assigned to AHL Hamilton. [Isles]
• Pete DeBoer said not to read the Stanley signing as disappointment in George’s progress, said it’s part of “the journey.” (Honestly, with all these vets and now Stanley, too, it didn’t look like a top-six job was even available unless George wowed them.) [Newsday | Post]
• Stanley was skating with his old junior club awaiting a contract. DeBoer says he doesn’t buy the knock on Stanley’s skating, calling him “light on his feet,” and he likes adding a huge guy who can clear the front of the net, throw hits, fight and “can also play.” [Isles]
• 7 facts about Stanley, who will wear #8, is 6’7, 231 lbs., 28 years old. [Isles]
• Season preview: The Isles, of course, feel they have a good hockey team. [Newsday]
• Is that Ondrej Palat-Casey Cizikas-Anthony Duclair trio really gonna be a line? [Post]
• Victor Eklund made every case to make the team. [Post]

Elsewhere

• SO many players (71) on waivers over the weekend, most of them clearing. [Sportsnet]
• Big storylines for the coming season are largely in the East. [NHL]
• Once top-ranked James Hagens’ draft fall lit a fire under him. [NHL]
• His new captain in Boston is David Pastrnak. [NHL]
• One “bold” prediction for each team, though most are not bold. [Athletic]

Here are your Pens Points for this Monday morning…

The Penguins assigned Bill Zonnon, Harrison Brunicke and Joel Blomqvist to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Sunday and placed Blake Lizotte, Ben Kindel, Justin Brazeau and Ryan Graves on injured reserve. Pittsburgh must make at least two more roster moves before Monday’s deadline to reach the 23-player limit. [PensBurgh]

With Lizotte and Kindel out in the short term, forward Hendrix Lapierre is looking to capitalize on an opportunity after injuries created a hole in Pittsburgh’s bottom-six. Lapierre, acquired from Washington in the offseason, is competing with several players for a chance to fill the opening at center. [Trib Live]

The Penguins entered training camp with several goaltenders competing for NHL playing time, including Arturs Silovs, Sergei Murashov and Joel Blomqvist, giving head coach Dan Muse a problem to solve ahead of the regular season and for the team’s future. [Trib Live]

Murashov continues to make strides after two strong seasons in the AHL, putting himself in position to show his worth in the NHL. [Penguins]

Evgeni Malkin is set to begin his 21st NHL season at age 40, making him the oldest player on the Penguins and one of the oldest Penguins in franchise history. Malkin, who signed a one-year contract extension this offseason, remains part of Pittsburgh’s veteran core alongside Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang. [Trib Live]

News and notes from around the NHL…

David Pastrnak was named the 28th captain of the Boston Bruins, the team announced on Sunday. [Sportsnet]

The Carolina Hurricanes unveiled their Stanley Cup championship rings Sunday during a private ceremony honoring players, coaches and team staff. The rings feature nearly 900 diamonds and rubies and include design elements commemorating the team’s 2026 championship run. [NHL]

Should Bruins pursue Blue Jackets star Kirill Marchenko via trade? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins made one major move in the NHL offseason by acquiring top-six winger JJ Peterka in a trade with the Utah Mammoth at the 2026 NHL Draft in June.

The B’s gave up two first-round picks to get the speedy German forward.

It sounds like Peterka wasn’t the only talented young forward the Bruins had interest in over the offseason.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported last week on his 32 Thoughts podcast that the Bruins made a trade offer for Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko. Friedman didn’t specify when the offer was made or which trade assets were involved.

“Montreal, everybody knows about, the Islanders I mentioned a couple pods ago,” Friedman said. “Toronto I think has really tried to keep their interest secret, but it’s kind of seeped out. I think Winnipeg at one point kind of looked into it.

“I heard Boston made an offer at one point. I had some people say Vegas, I had some other people say they weren’t sure it was Vegas. I have to think Seattle is around this. They’ve really been looking at trying to grab a top-end player and they could make this deal.”

Marchenko is 26 years old and will be a restricted free agent when his current contract expires after the upcoming 2026-27 season.

Marchenko and the Blue Jackets haven’t been able to reach an extension, and when recently asked about his future in Columbus, the veteran forward was non-committal.

Kirill Marchenko was asked if he wants to play hockey in Columbus.

“I want to play hockey. It’s all I can say right now.”

Video below. #CBJpic.twitter.com/XRiO6Adv1e

— Mark Scheig (@mark_scheig) September 18, 2026

Should the Bruins pursue Marchenko via trade? He would be a good fit offensively.

It should be noted that we don’t know if the Bruins made this reported Marchenko offer before or after the Peterka trade with Utah. It’s possible they wouldn’t want to part with the assets needed to get Marchenko after giving up two first-rounders for Peterka.

But the B’s still need additional top-six forwards. Marchenko remains in the early stages of his prime, so he could help the team contend with its current veteran core (David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, etc.) and what could be the next core (James Hagens, Fraser Minten, Peterka, etc.).

Marchenko is an impressive offensive player. He has scored 21-plus goals in each of his four NHL seasons. He posted career highs in goals (31) and assists (47) in 79 games during the 2024-25 campaign. He scored 27 goals with 40 assists in 76 games last season. He has not been surrounded with a lot of high-end talent in Columbus, so it would be fair to assume that on a better team, such as the Bruins, he could score 30-plus goals and post 70-plus points pretty consistently.

In addition to his scoring prowess, Marchenko has very good size at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds.

The cost to get Marchenko would likely be massive, especially if a bunch of teams have interest. The B’s still have all of their own first-round picks in upcoming drafts, plus an unprotected Toronto Maple Leafs first-rounder in 2027 or 2028. Boston’s prospect pool was ranked 19th in the league by The Athletic in March, and young players such as Matt Poitras and Mason Lohrei still have upside. Would Columbus have interest in Pavel Zacha? He’s entering the final year of his contract and can become a UFA next summer.

What kind of assets would the Blue Jackets be looking for?

“We don’t want draft picks and prospects,” Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell told The Athletic. “We want the best player possible to replace him.”

Marchenko is not a center, and you could certainly argue that if the Bruins are going to spend their remaining premium trade assets on an impact player, then it should be for a No. 1 or No. 2 center, or perhaps a top-four defenseman. If a team does trade for Marchenko, signing him to an extension wouldn’t be cheap, either. But the salary cap is expected to rise quite a bit in future seasons, and the B’s don’t really have any burdensome contracts on their books (aside from Elias Lindholm’s deal).

Hagens or Minten could eventually slide into a top-six center role some point soon. In fact, Minten might be a top-six center on Opening Night depending on how the lineup shakes out.

The bottom line is the Bruins desperately need more high-end offensive players to take some of the scoring burden off Pastrnak. Marchenko can score goals and play a physical brand of hockey. He’s also just 26. He’s the type of player worth taking a chance on. The Bruins need to be aggressive to maximize the Pastrnak/McAvoy/Swayman core’s window to win.

After entering training camp on the bubble, Matt Rempe — the 6-foot-9 forward known for his crushing hits and fights — found a way to stick on the Rangers’ opening night roster.

That became clear Sunday when the Rangers placed Taylor Raddysh on waivers, clearing the way for Rempe (who isn’t waiver-exempt) and Jaroslav Chmelar (who is) to make the initial 23-man group that’ll break training camp and head to Boston for Tuesday’s opener.

Rempe, who was limited to just 26 games last season after undergoing a pair of procedures on his left thumb, knew he entered training camp with a lot to prove to the coaching staff. And he seemingly did just that, carving out a space with the Blueshirts to start the year.

At the Rangers’ first preseason sessions, though, Rempe was just a forward rotating in. He didn’t log the first reps with the fourth line initially. He strung together 14 hits, a pair of assists and two blocked shots during his three preseason appearances.

Friday against the Islanders, when the Rangers treated it like a dress rehearsal, Rempe — who has logged 96 games across the regular season and playoffs, picking up 12 points and 10 fights — skated alongside Tye Kartye and Joe Veleno on the fourth line.

It all marked a return of the healthy version of Rempe, who struggled with shooting and handling pucks in 17 games after the first thumb procedure last season. Before the Rangers’ first exhibition, he last skated in an NHL game Feb. 5.

“You have to acknowledge that he’s missed a lot of hockey, so he’s — to a certain extent, he’s trying to recapture all of those things that help players have success,” head coach Mike Sullivan said of Rempe on Friday. “Speed, timing, conditioning, all of those things. … It’s hard to simulate NHL game intensity in a practice, so he played in three games, three out of the four, and that was by design because he’s missed so much.

“Remps has been a big part of this team, and I think the guys really appreciate what he does for the group.”

The NHL dreams of 27 hockey players at Senators camp will have to wait for another day.

The team released five players outright on Sunday, including defenseman Scott Harrington. Harrington played 68 games for Belleville last season and he's a veteran of 255 NHL games. He was on a professional tryout with the Sens, as were the other releases: Landen Hookey, Luke Mistelbacher, Cal Uens and goalie Vadim Zherenko.

Zherenko seemed to be the plan B in case the Senators lost Leevi Merilainen on waivers. They did lose Merilainen, thanks to a Vancouver Canucks' claim, but the Sens brought in outside help instead, trading for Jonas Johansson. They picked Johansson up for future considerations from Tampa after they sent him to Syracuse.

So Zherenko obviously didn't quite do enough at camp to win the Senators over.

Ten players were loaned to Belleville and everyone on this list is waivers-exempt: Djibril Toure, Oskar Pettersson, Kasper Halttunen, Tomas Hamara, Eskild Bakke Olsen, Matthew Andonovski, Gabriel Eliasson, Lucas Ellinas, Jackson Parsons and Kevin Reidler.

The other Belleville-bound players will have to clear waivers first, including Tyler Boucher, their 10th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. Others include Samuel Blais and Philip Tomasino, who had excellent camps, along with Samuel Bolduc, Xavier Bourgault, Philippe Daoust, Ryan Suzuki and Christian Kyrou.

Four players will be headed back to junior for another season. That includes Jaxon Cover (London, OHL), their first round draft pick in June. Other junior players heading back are Louis-Félix Bourque (Drummondville, QMJHL), Adam Nemec (Sudbury, OHL) and Blake Vanek (Calgary, WHL).

So there are now still 29 players remaining on the roster, and the deadline for getting down to the max roster of 23 is 5 pm Monday. So assuming the Sens carry the max, a combination of six players, depending on their situations, will have to be released, placed on waivers, sent directly to Belleville, or placed on injured reserve.

The goaltending is locked in with Linus Ullmark and Samuel Ersson. Things get good and muddy after that.

The Senators' list walking wounded includes Artem Zub, Jake Sanderson, Shane Pinto, Warren Foegele, Andre Burakovsky, and Kurtis MacDermid. Sanderson and Burakovsky both left Saturday's action due to injury.

We also know that Ridly Greig will miss the first two games after being suspended for a sucker punch he threw in last spring's playoffs.

Zub is the only injured player who's officially not expected to be available to start the season. Donovan is still here because injured players can't be sent down.

Beyond that, the list below has the probable NHL roster in bold, if/once everyone gets healthy. Players in regular font are likely still here to fill in.

The only real debate in our projection is whether Carter Yakemchuk did enough to be in the top six. If he didn't, Nikolas Matinpalo would likely be the Sens' sixth D, and because you want Yakemchuk to keep playing, Ben Hutton might be a better option as the seventh defenseman.

Defensemen

Thomas Chabot
Jake Sanderson (injured)
Artem Zub (injured)
Jordan Spence 
Tyler Kleven 
Nikolas Matinpalo 
Carter Yakemchuk 

Cameron Crotty
Jorian Donovan (injured)
Ben Hutton (PTO)
Hoyt Stanley

Forwards

Michael Amadio
Drake Batherson
Andre Burakovsky (injured)
Nick Cousins
Dylan Cozens
William Eklund
Warren Foegele (injured)
Claude Giroux
Ridly Greig (suspended for first 2 games)
Shane Pinto (injured)
Tim Stützle
Fabian Zetterlund 
Stephen Halliday
Kurtis MacDermid (injured)

Hayden Hodgson
Blake Montgomery

The roster deadline is here, but injuries have made the Senators’ final decisions anything but simple.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

The NHL Network concluded their annual top-50 NHL player countdown on Sunday evening, and unsurprisingly a member of the San Jose Sharks made it into the top five.

Macklin Celebrini, the Sharks' new captain, was named the fifth-best player in the NHL in the most recent countdown, behind just Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Nikita Kucherov, and Cale Makar. Celebrini is also the youngest player inside of the top 10 by quite a ways, with the next closest being Quinn Hughes who is 26 years old. 

From 5⃣0⃣ to 1⃣!

NHL Network's Top 50 Players Right Now list is complete! #NHLTopPlayerspic.twitter.com/ihZZbaN7Pk

— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) September 27, 2026

Last season, Celebrini's 115 points were the fourth-most in the NHL and set a new Sharks franchise record, surpassing Joe Thornton's total of 114 during the 2006-07 season. Celebrini also finished tied for fourth in the NHL for goals, lighting the lamp 45 times.

It's no surprise that Celebrini has catapulted himself into superstardom after a pheomenal sophomore season with the San Jose Sharks. Now, it's just a matter of seeing how he can build on it in his third season.

Now that we know who will be on the San Jose Sharks' roster to start the 2026-27 season, it's time to look at who will play where when they take the ice on opening night.

Projected Forward Lines:

Mason Marchment - Macklin Celebrini - Will Smith

Ivar Stenberg - Alex Wennberg - Collin Graf

Igor Chernyshov - Michael Misa - Tyler Toffoli

Barclay Goodrow - Zack Ostapchuk - Kiefer Sherwood

Scratches: Brett Leason, Ty Dellandrea

The forward lines will likely remain exactly the same as they were in the Sharks' final preseason game against the Vegas Golden Knights. While an argument could be made to swap Sherwood and Toffoli, Ryan Warsofsky seemed to really like the top two lines during their time together, so it seems unlikely much will change there. Brett Leason will remain on the Sharks roster until Adam Gaudette is ready to return, then he'll likely be waived for the purpose of reassignment to the Barracuda. Dellandrea will cycle in as needed throughout the season.

Projected Defensive Pairings:

Darnell Nurse - Michael Kesselring

Luca Cagnoni - Jacob Trouba

Sam Dickinson - Dmitry Orlov

Scratches: Nolan Allan

This is where things got a little bit difficult. During preseason, Jacob Trouba played almost exclusively with Nolan Allan and logically, that would continue into the regular season. With that being said, since the Sharks opted to keep Sam Dickinson in the NHL, I'd assume they're not planning on sitting him in the press box when he could be developing in the American Hockey League. If they don't want Dickinson in the lineup, they could've easily kept Libor Hajek in the NHL as the seventh defenseman and allowed their 20-year-old prospect to regain his confidence at the AHL level. 

Throughout the preseason, Dmitry Orlov split his time between playing with Dickinson and Luca Cagnoni. As a result, it was difficult to figure out where exactly to put them each in the lineup. Orlov and Cagnoni are both comfortable playing their off-side, which gives them some flexibility as well. Ultimately, I opted to put Cagnoni with Trouba simply so he doesn't have to play his off-hand while adapting to the NHL.

More than likely, the Sharks will scratch Dickinson and play Allan with Trouba and Cagnoni with Orlov. With that being said, given the lack of asset management in that approach, I prefer to see Dickinson in the lineup. If a team is keeping a 20-year-old in the NHL, they need to be on the ice. While sitting and watching can be valuable at times, Dickinson already has a full NHL season under his belt. In the past, I've been critical regarding the idea of sending Dickinson to the AHL based on how it has affected other players' development in recent years, but if it's between that or not playing, the choice is clear in my mind.

Goaltending:

Yaroslav Askarov

Alex Nedeljkovic

Heading into the preseason, I thought that there was a legitimate chance that the season began with Alex Nedeljkovic as the Sharks' starting netminder and Yaroslav Askarov as the backup. Askarov put in quite a bit of work during the summer though and looked like a much more confident goaltender during the preseason. Whether that'll be sustained in the regular season remains to be seen, as consistency has been his biggest issue to this point, but he did enough in my mind to maintain the starting job for the time being.

The Buffalo Sabres are looking to do better this season than their 2025-26 season, but that will take a significant step forward, as they finished first in the Atlantic Division in the regular-season, and beat the Boston Bruins in Round 1 of their Stanley Cup playoff series before losing to the Montreal Canadiens in the second round.

And here at TheHockeyNews.com, as part of an off-season series of articles, we’re focusing on the Sabres’ Eastern Conference opponents in a series called “Know Your Enemy”. In these files, we’re examining how Buffalo fared against every East team last year, and how they’re likely to do against those teams this season. And in this penultimate file in the series, we’re spotlighting the Toronto Maple Leafs.

No team made more changes than the Maple Leafs did this summer, restocking their entire third and fourth lines of forwards, and adding 2026 No. 1 overall draft pick Gavin McKenna and former Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh and longtime Florida Panthers star goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. Here’s this columnist’s personal point of view on how the Sabres will fare against Toronto this season:

BUFFALO SABRES VS. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

NEW MAPLE LEAFS PLAYERS: Gavin McKenna (LW), Sergei Bobrovsky (G), Darren Raddysh (D), John Chayka (GM), Jim Hiller (coach), Jack Roslovic (RW), Colton Sissons (C), Brandon Duhaime (LW), Nick Paul (LW), Teddy Blueger (C), Zach MacEwen (RW), Emil Andrae (D) Nick Blankenburg (D)

2025-26 SERIES: Sabres 3-0-1, Maple Leafs 1-2-1

2026-27 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: October 15 at Toronto; February 27 at Buffalo; March 25 at Buffalo; April 3 at Toronto

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? The Sabres didn’t lose to the Maple Leafs in regulation time last season – nor should they have, as Toronto completely cratered as one of the NHL’s worst teams. And by the time Buffalo took on the Leafs for their final game in mid-March, the Buds were a shell of themselves.

That said, we can’t help but be bullish on the changes Maple Leafs GM John Chayka has made – beginning with the most important position, which is in net. We get it – Bobrovsky had a sub-par season with the Panthers last year, and he’s now 38 years old. So if his game falls off, it could get ugly in Leafs Land. However, if the Leafs’ defense corps gets the anticipated bump from the return of vital blueliner Chris Tanev, Bobrovsky could wind up giving Toronto better netminding than the Sabres have.

Meanwhile, star rookie McKenna has shown flashes of his superior skill in limited pre-season action, and if he gives the Leafs’ second line a jolt – and really, a McKenna/John Tavares/William Nylander second line could be one of the league’s best – the ripple effect on the rest of the roster will make Buds fans very happy. And signing worker bees Sissons, Duhaime, Blueger and Paul give Toronto some significant depth they just didn’t have last season.

Finally, the sign-and-trade for Raddysh gives the Leafs their first true powerhouse offense-producing D-man since Morgan Rielly’s heyday. Of course, there’s a risk Toronto is taking on that Raddysh’s tremendous 2025-26 season was an anomaly. But just about all of Chayka’s moves have a high-risk, high-reward element to them.

All of which is to say the Sabres are going to find the Leafs a considerably-tougher opponent this year than they were last season. And here’s a quirk of the schedule to keep an eye on: after taking on the Leafs in Buffalo’s eighth game of the season, there will be a four-and-a-half waiting period until the next Sabres/Toronto game in mid-February. And from there, Buffalo will square off the Leafs twice in their final eight games.

So, there could be scenarios in which those final two Sabres/Maple Leafs games have a direct impact on many different areas this year. The Maple Leafs could be clinging on to a wild card playoff berth – and so could Buffalo. The Leafs could surprise everyone by pushing past the Sabres in the Atlantic standings. Or Buffalo could put the Buds in their place and help keep them from making the playoffs for a second straight season.

It’s all making for one of the NHL’s feistiest regional rivalries, and the Leafs and Sabres clashes will be appointment viewing. And in the final estimation, Toronto and Buffalo could highly-impact each other’s success levels this season. 

So yes, the Maple Leafs will almost assuredly be a much tougher opponent for Buffalo, and if everything goes wrong for the Sabres and everything goes right for the Leafs, Toronto could leapfrog over Buffalo in this year’s Atlantic. But the Sabres should be able to take at least two of four games against the Buds -- and anything more will take a heck of an effort from the Sabres.

Braeden Cootes’ assignment does not erase the progress he showed during the preseason.

The transaction changed Cootes’ developmental path.

The Vancouver Canucks assigned the 19-year-old centre to Abbotsford on Friday after he recorded one goal and two assists in three preseason games. Cootes remained among the final roster candidates, but his development now shifts to the AHL.

The assignment was not the result of an ineffective preseason from Cootes. His pace, competitiveness and two-way awareness translated against older players, while his chemistry with Arshdeep Bains produced offence.

Cootes was quieter during Thursday’s 2–1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers while centring Paul Cotter and Brendan Gallagher. The performance followed two productive games, while that line offered a preview of the role potentially awaiting him in Vancouver.

He likely would have started on the fourth line.

Limited NHL Minutes Can Work

Playing limited minutes is not necessarily harmful, nor is sitting for an occasional game. The question is whether those minutes have a developmental purpose.

Former Canucks captain Bo Horvat shows how a bottom-six role can help a young centre. During the 2014–15 season, Horvat averaged 12:15 minutes played per game and recorded 25 points in 68 games as a rookie. He gradually earned more responsibility before becoming Vancouver’s captain and a top-line centre.

His example shows that a smaller NHL role can contribute to development when responsibilities expand with a player’s performance.

If Cootes received 10 to 12 purposeful minutes, consistent linemates and defensive assignments, a similar beginning could have worked. NHL coaches and experienced teammates could have helped him adjust.

However, Horvat’s path is not a template for every prospect.

Some players learn through limited NHL minutes. Others need regular shifts, the puck and freedom to make mistakes. A young player can become stuck in a small role without receiving opportunities to develop his offensive skills.

That possibility helps explain Vancouver’s assignment of Cootes to Abbotsford.

Abbotsford’s Potential Role

In Abbotsford, Cootes is expected to compete for top-six minutes, centre assignments, special-teams work and opportunities in important situations against professional opponents.

Cootes joins Abbotsford after a productive final junior season. He recorded 63 points in 45 WHL games and added 23 points in 20 playoff games while helping the Prince Albert Raiders reach the WHL Final.

The new rule allowing eligible 19-year-old first-round picks to play in the AHL gave Vancouver a third option. Rather than returning to junior or occupying a limited NHL role, Cootes can continue developing against professional competition.

Canucks forward Linus Karlsson demonstrates the potential value of extended AHL development. Former Canucks general manager Jim Benning once said he preferred prospects to spend two or three years in the AHL until they were “overripe.”

Karlsson followed that route. After three seasons in Abbotsford, he led the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs with 14 goals and 26 points. He then recorded 15 goals and 35 points in 79 games with Vancouver last season.

Cootes may not require the same timeline. Karlsson nevertheless showed how succeeding in a significant AHL role can prepare a player to earn a permanent NHL position.

Johnson’s No-Yo-Yo Philosophy

Filip Chytil’s shoulder issue created uncertainty at centre. Vancouver still assigned Cootes to Abbotsford.

The assignment indicates Vancouver did not use Cootes as a response to its uncertain centre depth.

Oskar Sundqvist, a centre with 545 NHL games and an $850,000 cap hit, was among Friday’s waiver options. Additional players could become available as teams finalize rosters, giving Vancouver other ways to address centre depth without changing Cootes’ development plan.

The decision follows Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson’s stated philosophy.

“I do not believe in the yo-yo, up-and-down American League/NHL of a young player,” Johnson said before training camp. "I feel I’ve said it earlier — when they get in, they step in. If they’re in the American League, I often see it as there’s one call-up. They kick the door down, there’s one call-up, and they never go back.”

The comment describes a preference for young players to earn an NHL promotion and remain there. Assigning Cootes to Abbotsford is consistent with that approach.

What Comes Next

The preseason provided evidence that Cootes could compete for a Canucks position. His projected role remained central to the decision.

Abbotsford can provide greater responsibility, but those opportunities must still be earned. Repeated short-term recalls would appear to conflict with Johnson’s stated preference. A longer-term promotion would more closely align with the development model he described.

Making Vancouver’s opening-night roster would have been an accomplishment. Becoming a long-term impact player remains the goal.

The assignment gives Vancouver a way to prioritize Cootes’ long-term development while keeping him close to the NHL. Its value will ultimately depend on the responsibilities he receives and whether the organization provides the stability outlined in Johnson’s philosophy.

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The Vegas Golden Knights haven’t announced their opening night lineup yet, but after a series of roster moves, they don’t really need to. 

All around the league, there’s been a flurry of waiver wire activity as preseason comes to a close, and it’s all coming to a head. Cap-compliant opening night rosters are due on Monday, and teams are making their final cuts. 

Among the 71 players on waivers for the purpose of AHL reassignment are Golden Knights forwards Alexander Holtz, Tanner Laczynski, and Jonas Røndbjerg, as well as defensemen Ville Heinola and Antti Tuomisto.

Essentially, these transactions mean that rookie winger Trevor Connelly is all but guaranteed a spot on the opening night roster. This is subject to change, but Connelly wouldn’t need to pass through waivers if the Golden Knights reassigned him to AHL Henderson, so it’s telling that they kept him while risking losing players like Holtz and Røndbjerg.

The Golden Knights drafted Connelly in the first round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. However, due to a string of unfortunate injuries, this year marked his first time in attendance at training camp. 

Connelly is the most talented prospect that the Golden Knights have had in quite some time, and the organization is very high on him. 

“It’s going to be a matter of what the timing is. Does he kick the door down immediately, or does it take a little more time? Those are the things that we’ll watch play out,” said Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon at the start of training camp. “I think he’s going to be an exceptionally good player. It’s just a matter of what the timeline looks like between now and then.”

“Trevor has a skill set that he brings to our group that not a lot of people in our organization have,” agreed head coach Ryan Craig after day one of camp. “He gets the first crack at that spot, and we’ll see where it goes.”

Connelly had a strong camp. He played in three of the four preseason games, including the final two in which the Golden Knights dressed their starters. 

“Trevor was really noticeable,” remarked Jack Eichel following Thursday’s preseason victory against the Utah Mammoth. “It was great to see that for him. This is his first crack at it, so I’m really happy for him. I thought he played great, and he’s gonna be a big part of this group.”

The Golden Knights are off on Sunday and will officially release their roster on Monday at 2 p.m. PST.

“He’s had a very good camp,” Craig said of Connelly following the preseason finale. “When we talk about Trevor, he’s checking boxes for the first time, and I think that’s where this day off probably comes at a good time for him.”