The Pittsburgh Penguins should be open to the possibility of inviting a player to their training camp on a professional tryout (PTO) agreement.
One specific area where the Penguins could look to add more competition for is the left side of their blueline.
When looking at the free agents left, defenseman Mike Reilly could be worth bringing in on a PTO.
Reilly is not the flashiest of defensemen, but he has shown that he can still be an effective depth defenseman in the NHL. During this past season with the Carolina Hurricanes, he posted one goal, nine points, and a plus-11 rating in 42 games. He also played in two playoff games for Carolina during their Stanley Cup championship run, where he posted two assists and a plus-2 rating.
With the Penguins needing more depth on the left side of their defense and Reilly being one of the top left-shot defensemen remaining in free agency, there would be no risk in them taking a chance on him with a PTO. He would create more competition at Pittsburgh's training camp and could be a good veteran to have around if he earned a contract for the season.
Reilly has also shown in the past that he is capable of providing a little bit of offense from the point, too. Just back in 2023-24, he scored a career-high six goals and recorded 24 points in 61 games split between the Florida Panthers and New York Islanders.
With NHL training camps starting to get closer, teams around the league will soon start signing players to professional tryout (PTO) agreements. It would not be particularly surprising if the Sabres brought in at least one player on a PTO.
One remaining unrestricted free agent who could make a lot of sense for the Sabres to take a chance on with a PTO is Michael Bunting.
It is a little surprising that Bunting is still a free agent at this point in the summer. While he had a bit of a down year in 2025-26 (14 goals and 33 points in 74 games), he was among the top wingers who hit the market on July 1. With this and the Sabres needing more forward depth, they should not be afraid to add Bunting on a PTO.
Adding Bunting to a PTO would give the Sabres the opportunity to see if he could be a fit on their roster before potentially signing him to a contract for the season. With that, there would be no risk in the Sabres bringing in the pesky winger on a PTO.
If Bunting impressed during training camp on a PTO and earned a contract for the season, he could be a nice fit in the Sabres' bottom six. He also could move up the lineup if ever needed due to his versatility. This is especially so if he bounced back after getting a fresh start with a team on the rise, like Buffalo.
Dec 31, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (25) and Boston Bruins center Elias Lindholm (28) are seen out on the ice during the second period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images
Walter Tychnowicz/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
NEW YORK — The Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers each will play two regular-season games in Germany next year as part of the NHL and NHLPA’s efforts to grow hockey in the country, the league announced.
The Bruins are to play two games in Munich, while the Oilers will play two matches in Leon Draisaitl’s native city of Cologne during the 2027-28 NHL season. The opponents have yet to be determined.
“These events represent an important step in our commitment to grow the game in Germany. By bringing more NHL games to one of Europe’s most dynamic hockey markets, we hope to continue to deepen engagement amongst our fans, partners and local communities, while at the same time creating a significant opportunity to grow the game throughout the country,” NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said.
The Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators already were slated to play two games in Düsseldorf in December. Those Global Series games are the second and third regular-season games the league has staged in Germany after the Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings played in Berlin in 2011.
More are to follow with the NHL and NHLPA committed to bringing regular-season games to Germany for at least the next three seasons.
Fleury spent 13 seasons with the Penguins after being selected first overall in the 2003 NHL Draft and helped them win three Stanley Cups. He has the most wins of any goaltender in Penguins history and the second-most wins of any goaltender in NHL history.
He finished his Penguins' tenure with a .912 save percentage and a 2.58 goals-against average.
Rutherford was named the Penguins' general manager in June 2014 and lasted until January 2021. During his tenure, he helped the Penguins win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017 and made some big trades, acquiring Phil Kessel, Trevor Daley, Nick Bonino, Justin Schultz, Carl Hagelin, and Patric Hornqvist.
Murphy spent five seasons with the Penguins and was instrumental in their back-to-back Stanley Cup wins in 1991 and 1992. He was a force on the blue line, finishing the 1991 playoffs with five goals and 23 points in 23 games, then the 1992 playoffs with six goals and 16 points in 21 games.
He's widely regarded as one of the best defenseman in franchise history.
McGregor enters the Hall of Fame in the contributor category posthumously. He served as the Penguins' president from 1967-70 and helped bring the Penguins to Pittsburgh. He passed away on Jan. 6, 2026.
The Montreal Canadiens finished last season in third place in the Atlantic Division (even if it was because of a tie-breaker), earning themselves a first-round date with the Tampa Bay Lightning. As the new season approaches, the THN Yearbook predicts the Canadiens will finish even higher this season, in second place in their division behind the Florida Panthers.
Should that be the case, the Habs would at least have home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs, which would certainly be an advantage. The prediction is not all that surprising; the Panthers are set to bounce back in a big way after missing both Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk for most of last season and acquiring Brady Tkachuk in the offseason.
It would be surprising if the Bolts fell any lower than third place; they did lose Darren Raddysh, but they replaced him with John Carlsson, and to be frank, Jon Cooper always finds a way. The Leafs in fourth place seem a bit ambitious to me; yes, they’ve made plenty of changes, but most of those were throwing a lot of money to older free agents, a bit like the Nashville Predators did with disastrous results not so long ago. Seeing the Sabres regress would make sense given that they’ve lost Alex Tuch and have moved on from Bowen Byram, but I’m not convinced they’ll fall that low.
The Senators tried as hard as they could to make up for the loss of their captain, but William Eklund doesn’t bring the same type of energy as the youngest Tkachuk does. As for the Bruins, they could very well miss the playoffs for the second time in three years. JJ Peterka was a good add, but little else has moved the needle. As for the Wings, whether they end up moving Dylan Larkin or not, they’ll be in a weird situation. Trading your captain after he asked to move and gave a very limited, acceptable list of trade destinations rarely leads to a good return, and if they manage to convince him to stay in the wake of Steve Yzerman’s departure, he’ll still be the guy who wanted out- not a great example and hardly good for morale in the room.
As for the Canadiens, for the prediction to be true, organic growth will have to play a role again, as Kent Hughes hasn't been able to bring in any outside reinforcements despite trying his best.
NHL training camps are roughly a month away, and Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly already has his sights on preparing for the 2026-27 season.
Going into this coming campaign, the Maple Leafs have seen several changes in all areas of the organization. Despite this being one of the busiest off-seasons for Toronto in recent memory, it doesn't seem to shock Rielly. In fact, he expected and is embracing all the moves ahead of his 14th season with the club.
"There's changes every year," Rielly said at Wednesday's Hockey Night in Brampton. "I think whenever there's an overhaul after a down year, as players, you almost want that. I mean, you're excited and driven and motivated to bounce back and play well. Change comes every year, but you can be excited. I think as a group, we're just looking forward to getting going, getting playing. Camp's around the corner now, so it's important that the camp is good and hard and fast because it's quick this year.
"Every year has a different feel. I mean, I think, yeah, but I think you can go on about that. Every off-season there's always change, there's always new guys coming, always teammates who have a lot of other things. So you just kind of get used to it, to be honest," he added.
This off-season, the Maple Leafs added some notable names, including defenseman Darren Raddysh and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, among others.
Another one of those "new guys coming" is the first overall pick from the 2026 draft, Gavin McKenna. He's gone through a whirlwind of a summer, with off-season training, sponsors, events, the draft itself, and many other responsibilities that come with being a first overall draft pick in the NHL.
Has Rielly been able to chat with McKenna, who will be his youngest teammate, assuming he makes the team out of training camp?
"Yeah, a bit," he said. "I mean, he's had a lot going on. He's been a busy guy, obviously with the draft, and what that brings and going first overall."
Regardless, they will get to know each other a little more when training camp comes around, as McKenna will get introduced to all of his new teammates. With that, Rielly knows the caliber of player that McKenna is and can be, so he's expecting a big presence from him come September.
"It's a pretty cool off-season for him. I expect him to be at camp, flying around."
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PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 31: Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) turns up ice during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings on March 31, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We have one more round of over/unders for the 2026-27 Pittsburgh Penguins, and it includes the four big-money, big-name players at the top of the lineup — Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson.
Here is a quick look at the other over/unders we have looked at so far:
Let’s get into today’s players and potential numbers.
Sidney Crosby: Over/under 90.5 points
At some point things are going to really start slowing down for Sidney Crosby. As great as he is, as great as he has been, as much of an all-time legend that he has become in NHL history, there is going to a come a time where he is not a 90-point player. Are we at that point? Is it getting closer? It does not seem to be.
While Crosby did not top the 90-point mark in 2025-26, that was largely due to the fact he missed extended time following an Olympics injury. But his 74 points in 68 games still put him on track for 89.2 points in an 82-game season, and 91.4 points in an 84-game season.
He topped 90 points in each of the three previous seasons.
Now, potential injuries are certainly a part of this game, and a 39-year-old forward could be more vulnerable to that sort of thing just because, you know, he’s a 39-year-old player in the NHL. But until the Olympic injury Crosby was going through one of the healthiest multi-year stretches of his career until a fluke play in an international tournament sidelined him. So who knows. You can’t really predict it.
Crosby may not always have that extra gear he had at his peak, but there is still enough there for him to be a major contributor offensively.
Enough to get back over the 90-point mark again?
Evgeni Malkin: Over/under 22.5 goals
Malkin is back for at least one more year, and a lot of the same points and questions listed with Crosby also apply here.
When will he REALLY start to slow down? How well will a 40-year-old player hold up over a full season? Does Malkin still have as much left in the tank as Crosby does?
Malkin’s 2025-26 season was a really nice bounce-back year when he was on the ice, scoring 19 goals with 42 assists and 62 total points in 56 games. But it was the second year in a row where he played in less than 65 games, and this time it was not just simply due to injury — he also missed multiple games for a suspension.
Over the past four years he’s scored at a 25-goal pace per 82 games, and was at a 27-goal pace in 2025-26. That is, by the way, the exact number of goals he scored in each of his past two full seasons.
Will he play in enough games to get back to that level?
Kris Letang: Over/under 5.5 goals
Of the Penguins big-three players, Letang is the one that seems to have slowed down the most over the past few years. Not just in terms of production, but also overall impact. There were times this past season where he seemed to be bordering more toward liability than productive player. There were still games and stretches where he showed something, but they were not as consistent as we have been used to seeing. His production also reached all-time lows for himself, both on a per-game level and in terms of the raw numbers.
Despite playing in 154 out of a possible 164 games the past two seasons, he has scored just 12 total goals during that stretch. He used to score 12 goals in a single season, even if he missed 15-20 games.
The brilliance just is not there as much.
Five goals is both a low bar for him given his career, but it also seems like it might be a high bar given what he showed a year ago and the reality that he is going to be a 39-year-old defenseman this season.
Erik Karlsson: Over/under 50.5 points (with the Penguins)
I am including Karlsson in with the big-three even though he has not been here as long or had anywhere near the same level of team success here. But he is a Hall of Fame player, he is their highest-paid player, and he is also one of their best players.
There is an argument to be made he was their best player in 2025-26.
Nobody seemed to benefit from the coaching change from Mike Sullivan to Dan Muse more than Karlsson, and he started to play like the player the Penguins thought they were getting when they traded for him prior to the 2023-24 season. He was sensational.
I would imagine some of that is still there for him this season.
He has tallied at least 53 points in each of his first three seasons with the Penguins, and went as high as 66 in 75 games this past season.
So I a confident in saying he is going to get to 50 points again.
The question is, will he do all of it with the Penguins?
Karlsson is in the last year of his contract and is a 36-year-old defenseman.
You do not need to work overtime to put the math together on that.
Could he be a potential in-season trade chip? If the Penguins are struggling as a team and not really in a playoff spot, it seems like it would be inevitable. Would they still do it if they are in the playoff race? Would they potentially extend him? There are a lot of options on the table here, but for the purposes of this exercise we are going to throw a curveball into the mix and set the over/under of 50.5 points with the Penguins, and not necessarily for the season overall.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have 42 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #42.
Let's take a look.
Kevyn Adams - 2000-01 - Adams was drafted 25th overall in the 1993 NHL Draft by the Boston Bruins.
Adams was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2000 NHL expansion draft. He would Adams would score 22 points in 66 games with the Blue Jackets before being traded at the trade deadline to the Florida Panthers alongside a 4th-round pick in the 2001 NHL entry draft in exchange for Ray Whitney and future considerations.
Although it felt like Adams played in Columbus for a long time, his stay was very short, and CBJ fans at the time were not happy about the trade initially. But when Ray Whitney stepped into Nationwide Arena, that all changed.
Adams went on to play until the 2008-09 season. In January of 2009, Adams retired from the league and became a player agent. He was hired by the Buffalo Sabres as a Development Coach in 2009 and has held various positions including Asst. Coach, Director, Youth Hockey Supervisor, Vice President, and Sr. VP of Business Administration. On June 16, 2020, however, he was promoted to the big job of General Manager of the Sabres. He was let go last season as GM, but is still a Senior Advisor for the Sabres.
Brett Harkins - 2001-02 - Harkins was drafted in the 7th round of the NHL Draft by the New York Islanders in 1989.
Harkins is a North Ridgeville, Ohio Native and attended the famed St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio. Harkins also played four years at Bowling Green State University in northwest Ohio, where he was a star. He had 208 points in his four years at BGSU. Harkins is also the first Ohio-born player to play for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Harkins played 25 games for the CBJ in 2001-02, after playing just over 50 career NHL games. he had a total of 2 goals and 14 points. After his year in Columbus, he would go to Europe and play six seasons in Finland and Sweden. He would retire in 2008.
Harkins has worked for the Boston Bruins for the past 10 seasons as the Head College Scout/Amateur Scout.
Duvie Westcott - 2001-08 - Westcott was undrafted and signed by the CBJ in 2001.
Wescott played in 201 games for the Blue Jackets from 2001 to 2008. He scored 11 goals and totaled 56 points. Wescott was described as "a gritty defenseman with a solid all-around game. Has good passing ability and power play skills."
After playing for Columbus, Wescott went to Europe and played the next seven seasons in the KHL, DEL, and Swiss National League. He retired in 2015.
Mark Hartigan - 2003-07 - Signed with the Atlanta Thrashers as an undrafted free agent.
Hartigan played in 48 games with Columbus after being traded by the Atlanta Thrashers to the Blue Jackets. He scored 11 goals and had a total of 19 points.
On January 26, 2007, he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks for Zenon Konopka and Curtis Glencross. He would leave for Europe in 2008 and retire in 2012.
Chad Kolarik - 2009-10 - Kolarik was drafted in the 7th round of the 2004 NHL Draft by the Phoenix Coyotes.
On March 3, 2010, Kolarik was traded from the Coyotes to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Alexandre Picard. After playing in two games for Columbus, he was traded to the New York Rangers on November 11, 2010.
He left for Europe in 2013 and played until 2020. After coaching various levels of the USNTDP, he was hired by the Bridgeport Islanders as an assistant coach for the 25-26 season. He is now an asst. coach for Minnesota State University.
Artem Anisimov - 2013-15 - Anisimov was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2006 NHL Draft by the New York Rangers.
Anisimov was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets by the New York Rangers with Brandon Dubinsky, Tim Erixon, and the New York Rangers' 1st round pick in the trade that sent superstar Rick Nash to New York. After playing in 168 games for the CBJ, he was then traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in the trade that brought forward Brandon Saad to Columbus.
Anisimov announced his retirement in October of 2024.
Alexandre Texier - 2018-24 - Texier was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2017 NHL Draft.
Texier played a total of 201 games for the Blue Jackets. His career started with a bang when he came over from Europe and made his debut in April of 2019, just before the end of the season. He ended up playing in the legendary series against the Tampa Bay Lightning and four of the games against the Boston Bruins. He scored 2 goals and 3 points in the postseason that year.
Texier would return to France for the 2022-23 season after it was reported that he lost family members in a crash. He played one season for the ZSC Lions and then returned to Columbus for the 2023-24 season. He played in 78 games and had 30 points in his NHL return.
Unfortunately for him, the Jackets hired a new GM in Don Waddell, who traded him to St. Louis on June 28, 2024, for a fourth-round pick. His tenure in Columbus ended with him scoring 34 goals and totaling 79 points.
In his two seasons for the Blues, he played in 39 games and had 12 points. He was granted his release from the Blues and signed with Montreal on November 23rd, 2025. He went on to play 43 games for the Habs, scoring 8 goals and totaling 20 points. He also had 8 points in 19 playoff games last year.
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NEW YORK (AP) — The Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers will each play two regular-season games in Germany next year as part of the NHL and NHLPA’s efforts to grow hockey in the country, the league announced Thursday.
The Bruins are to play two games in Munich, while the Oilers will play two matches in Leon Draisaitl’s native city of Cologne during the 2027-28 NHL season. The opponents have yet to be determined.
“These events represent an important step in our commitment to grow the game in Germany. By bringing more NHL games to one of Europe’s most dynamic hockey markets, we hope to continue to deepen engagement amongst our fans, partners and local communities, while at the same time creating a significant opportunity to grow the game throughout the country,” NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said.
The Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators were already slated to play two games in Düsseldorf in December. Those Global Series games are the second and third regular-season games the league has staged in Germany after the Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings played in Berlin in 2011.
More are to follow with the NHL and NHLPA committed to bringing regular-season games to Germany for at least the next three seasons.
Welcome to The Hockey News Vancouver Canucks site's 2026–27 player preview article series. This series will outline the expectations for every player projected to play for Vancouver during the 2026–27 season. Today's player is Canucks defenceman Victor Mancini.
Mancini’s 2025-2026 Season
Mancini was traded to Vancouver from the New York Rangers in 2025 along with Filip Chytil and a draft pick in exchange for JT Miller. Since then, he has played significant time in both Vancouver and Abbotsford, including helping to secure a Calder Cup championship.
In 2025-26, Mancini played 33 games and recorded 12 points in the AHL. He also played 24 games in the NHL, recording three assists. Mancini earned a two-year extension, signed this March, and is developing into a full-time NHL player.
Mancini’s 2025-26 Letter Grade
For his efforts in the 2025–26 season, The Hockey News' Canucks site gave Mancini a C grade. With Manny Malhotra becoming Vancouver's new head coach, we may see more of Mancini's skills next year.
Mancini’s 2026-27 Predictions
Mancini has both time and room to continue developing his game. His game can be described as NHL-ready, just not 100% established. At just 24, Mancini has a bright future.
Following last season, Mancini could be looking at a total of five to 10 points in the NHL. He will be in and out of the lineup and might even see time in the AHL. Mancini will most likely see time on the third pair and could even get some penalty-kill minutes.
Mancini's goal for next year should be to establish himself as a full-time NHLer. He is ready to take on a bigger role, but needs to show it. Overall, he has the potential to surprise this season.
Bold prediction: Mancini scores his first career game-winning goal at the NHL level.
Mar 9, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Victor Mancini (90) skates against the Ottawa Senators in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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BUFFALO, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman looks on as Liam Ruck of Canada is drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the twenty-second overall pick during day one of the 2026 NHL Draft on June 26, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Making his debut on the Top 25 Under 25 lists this year, the Penguins’ 2026 first round pick Liam Ruck checks in at number seven with a lot of hype and excitement for what could be a very bright future.
The Penguins’ 2026 draft will likely be looked back on with a huge influence on what happens in the future with Liam and Markus Ruck. Liam, the right handed version of the ‘mirror’ twins, finished second in the WHL in scoring in 2025-26. Markus, a leftie, led the WHL in scoring. They mirrored in the NHL draft, Markus was drafted in the second round, Liam went 17 picks earlier in the first round, both getting their names called by the Penguins.
It pretty much goes without saying that the two brothers have other-worldly chemistry developed over their first 18 years spent together and it shows up often on the hockey rink. The amount of plays they can make between one another, feeding the puck and drawing their opponents away is something special.
There is, of course, a blueprint for success in the NHL with twin magic. Daniel and Henrik Sedin were staples in Vancouver from 2000-18. It’s a little too soon to compare the Rucks to the Sedins beyond the obvious, considering the Sedin boys were a notch above – drafted second and third overall in 1999 and then quickly into the NHL. That won’t be the case for the Rucks with the absolute elite pedigree (Liam lasted until the 39th pick in his draft) and their timeline will be different – the Rucks are planning on staying in the WHL in their draft+1 and then both are committed to the University of North Dakota in 2027-28. Both Sedin’s also won an NHL Art Ross scoring title, which clearly only a handful of the very best players ever do.
There is enough commonalties to tie them together. Liam, is more the Daniel version as more of the pure goal scorer between the two twins. Brother Markus is more of the Henrik of the equation as the natural setup player that racks up assists.
Although clearly obviously to split and isolate on just one twin at a time, today’s profile is on Liam, the first round pick. In addition to the twin chemistry bonus added along the way, Liam is known for his elite shot, overall gifted intelligence in the offensive zone for reading plays and creating them and a strong competitive drive. He’s a slick, dynamic player that has the shooting release to score frequently. There’s a certain clinical element to his game, as can be seen in the highlights. The puck often isn’t on his stick very long before he snaps it into the net and is no stranger from working his way close to generate great chances.
“I think I’m pretty good with kind of getting into those holes to get into a scoring area, and when you’re playing with good playmakers, they’re going to find you, and I think I found that,” Ruck said on draft night. “I don’t think my shot is the (hardest) yet, but I think it’s knowing that it’s something I can work on, and once it gets a little harder, I think it’ll be even more deadly.”
The metrics for what will need to improve and develop are standard for most freshly drafted 18 years old. Ruck is only 174 pounds, he’s not the best or swiftest skater on the ice. Adding strength and continuing to grow into a pro-level skater will be paramount items to work on, as it is for just about everyone in his peer class. It’s the slow growth of morphing into an adult body and becoming capable of competing at the top level against fully grown men that can’t be rushed.
The education has already begun at 2026 prospect development camp.
“I’m learning so much on and off the ice,” Ruck said in July. “Like eating habits, what to eat, supplements to take, how to put on good weight. But also learning little details on the ice from the skating and skills coaches. Everyone here, there’s a great support staff, and I’m trying to remember everything they give me, because it’s a lot [laughs], but it’s so helpful.”
The Penguins bolstered the change by splitting up Markus and Liam on different summer camp teams.
“It’s really neat. It’s interesting. I’m learning while getting to know them, but the whole organization is really excited. The way it played out in the draft was really cool to watch,” said Tom Kostopoulos, Penguins Director of Player Development. “But they are different individuals, so I think we also got to talk about them and understand that in camp here, we’re trying to separate them a little bit on different teams and stuff, just so they get to know some more of the players and staff and that.”
As to be expected for a player the Penguins selected in the first round, it’s all positive right now.
“It’s not just the talent,” GM Kyle Dubas said on draft night about Liam. “It’s the talent plus the enthusiasm and the intelligence and how much he loves playing and contributing to a contending team and playing well in the playoffs for them. So, it was a number of different things that just made him what we felt was a great fit as a Pittsburgh Penguin.”
“I want to be a little more explosive with my skating,” Ruck said. “For me, just the off-ice stuff is more important than the on-ice stuff right now. I think knowing that it’s important, and getting the chance to work with staff in Pittsburgh, I think it’s going to be a good fit.”
The Pens are counting on that for the future the Rucks will be a big part of it.
20 August 2026, Bavaria, Munich: Hockey, Soccer: Joint press conference by FC Bayern Munich and the National Hockey League (NHL). John-Jason Peterka (left to right), a player for the Boston Bruins; Alphonso Davies, a player for FC Bayern Munich; and Leon Draisaitl, a player for the Edmonton Oilers, pose in their jerseys at the press conference. Photo: Matthias Balk/dpa - IMPORTANT NOTICE: In accordance with the regulations of the Bundesliga and the German Football Association (DFB), it is prohibited to use or allow the use of photographs taken in the stadium and/or during the game in the form of sequential images and/or video-like photo series. (Photo by Matthias Balk/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Per a release from FCBayern.com, Bayern Munich and the National Hockey League are teaming up.
The two sporting giants have announced a strategic, multi-year partnership designed to grow the NHL in Germany while strengthening Bayern Munich’s presence in North America.
The collaboration will connect football and hockey fans through digital campaigns, co-branded content and merchandise, street hockey events in Munich, watch parties, Allianz Arena activations, youth programs, hospitality experiences and player appearances.
The partnership was unveiled at Säbener Straße with Alphonso Davies joined by German NHL stars Leon Draisaitl and JJ Peterka.
Rouven Kasper called it a partnership that can “set a new benchmark” for what cross-sport collaborations can achieve, while NHL President Keith Wachtel described Germany as one of the league’s most important international growth markets.
“FC Bayern is renowned for constantly breaking the mould – and we are very excited about this special partnership with the NHL. By developing ideas together with one of the most tradition-steeped leagues in world sport, the connection of our respective regions will create unique synergies on a wide variety of levels, in sports and beyond. We are creating a platform that promises long-term value for both partners and sets a new benchmark in terms of what cross-sport collaborations can achieve,” said Kasper.
Wachtel was equally excited about the partnership.
“Germany is one of the most important international growth markets for the NHL, and FC Bayern is one of the most famous and respected sport brands in the world. Through the combination of the NHL’s passion for ice hockey with FC Bayern’s extraordinary reach and closeness to fans, we have a massive strategic opportunity to get more people interested in our sport, deepen the connection to existing fans and create one-of-a-kind experience,” Wachtel stated.
And there is an exciting bonus for German hockey fans: Munich will host two NHL regular-season games during the 2027/28 season, featuring the Boston Bruins and Munich-born Peterka. Cologne will also host two games involving the Edmonton Oilers and Cologne native Draisaitl.
Football and hockey. Bayern Munich and the NHL.
This could be a fascinating partnership to watch develop.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 14: Jack Hughes #86 of the New Jersey Devils waits for a face off during the second period against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on April 14, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by China Wong/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
A look at a few key advanced metrics trends for the Devils heading into the 2026-2027 season: [NHL.com]
“The New Jersey Devils want to turn optimism into substance this season with a new general manager, a recommitted captain and a roster reshaped around more size, versatility and scoring.” [NHL.com]
“The New Jersey Devils were a huge disappointment last season. They were widely considered a sneaky contender and Dom Luszczyszyn gave them the 9th best odds to win the Stanley Cup. Fast forward and they finished 21st in the league while missing the playoffs by 12 points. Not great! Let’s take a look at three reasons to be optimistic the Devils could have a much more successful campaign in 2026-27.” [Infernal Access ($)]
“The 2026-27 season is an important one for the New Jersey Devils. They have to make the playoffs, or there could be consequences next offseason if they miss. That means everyone has to play at a high level, but some players have more to prove than others. Let’s look at five Devils with the most to prove next season.” [Devils on the Rush]
“A healthy Jack Hughes changes the outlook more than almost any other single variable on the roster. That remains the clearest path to a better year in New Jersey.” [New Jersey Hockey Now]
Hockey Links
Everyone’s getting a new jersey:
Something new is coming to all 32 NHL cities this season. 👀
The countdown is on for the first-of-its-kind Hometown Remix program by the @NHL and @Fanatics. More details to come after the puck drops on the 2026-27 season next month. pic.twitter.com/zX1uBNLNZn
“If there’s one thing every NHL fan agrees on, it’s that anyone who bangs on the glass during play should go to jail. But if there’s a second thing, it’s that our favorite team is always getting lit up by some random rookie playing his first career game.” [The Athletic ($)]
“In the second half of our NHL 2030 series, we’re forecasting the future standings by ranking all 32 teams from worst to first. Who will lift the 2030 Stanley Cup? How has each franchise’s outlook shifted since we checked in last offseason?” [Daily Faceoff]
“Welcome to this year’s edition of the under-23 NHL player rankings. After ranking every organization’s best young players in the NHL Pipeline Rankings, we now turn to a ranking of the best young players overall on teams’ reserve lists, meaning within an NHL organization, in or outside the league. This is a ranking meant to show who I think will have the best NHL careers, not who I would take in a game tomorrow. This is also a good exercise to show how the last five age groups compare to each other, as this largely spans the player pool from the 2022 through 2026 NHL Drafts.” [The Athletic ($)]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
It's officially another season, another prospects ranking for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In years past, this has been a bit easier of an exercise, as there used to be a more clear-cut line between prospects with NHL upside and longshots. However, because of the work that general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas and his staff have put in during the last several years, the line is blurring a whole lot more - and there is a substantially higher volume of talent in the system.
This time around, making a top-20 list was challenging. So, a few criteria were put into place: To make our list, prospects must be under the age of 26 and have played less than 50 NHL games. This excludes names such as Ben Kindel, Filip Hallander, Oliver Okuliar, and Alexander Alexeyev.
Defenseman Owen Pickering occupied our No. 8 spot, as his growth in the AHL last season earned him a chance to remain in the top-10. This coming season is a massive one for the player in our No. 7 slot, as Dubas and the Penguins just committed to him big time - and it's certainly not too late for him to prove he's worthy of the investment.
Eight years is a long time, so it's safe to say that the Penguins are betting on Koivunen to become at least a serviceable NHL player.
"There were many factors that led to us going down this path," Dubas said via email after the signing. "But the primary factor was watching the way the market evolved over the season and especially the summer and trying to best plan for the future of the Penguins. We view the contract as a bet – on Ville, his potential, and our belief that he is going to do the work in to reach that potential."
Koivunen, 23, has not yet made a big impact at the highest level, as he has amassed two goals and 14 points in 47 NHL games. His first sample at the end of the 2024-25 season was promising with seven points in eight games in a role alongside Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby.
However, 2025-26 didn't exactly go as planned for Koivunen.
After making the team out of training camp, Koivunen didn't show much in his first brief stint, which lasted only two games. He did get an extended look from late-October to early January then another in the season's March stretch run,
But there were subtle things that started to lean in his favor. Even if he wasn't finishing with regularity, he was beginning to come around in terms of pace of play and his playmaking acumen. His decision-making was a bit better down the stretch, his reads were cleaner and quicker, and he wasn't hesitating nearly as much.
Koivunen had another dominant AHL season, recording 13 goals and 41 points in 34 games. He has been able to produce at every level, but he needs to figure out how to adjust to NHL speed and be able to produce consistently in the NHL. He also needs to keep adding size, which is something that should help him avoid getting knocked off of pucks so easily.
And that's something that Dubas and the Penguins believe Koivunen can do, especially given the work he's putting in this summer.
"Over the course of the season, Ville showed excellent commitment in Wilkes-Barre to doing extra work and he has doubled down on that this summer," Dubas said. "He did not return to his home in Oulu, instead working with to set up a new training program in Helsinki, and then informed us that he would be returning to Pittsburgh in mid-August to join the growing number of players we have training here in the summer. His actions gave us assurance and our staff will continue to push him on and off the ice."
GOAL. Ville Koivunen gives #WBSPens a 3-1 lead 3:33 into the 3rd period.
Koivunen muscles a puck out of the #WBSPens zone to start a counter attack, and Tristan Broz gets it to Mikhail Ilyin who smartly goes back to the middle for Koviunen.@InsideAHLHockeypic.twitter.com/o1JCSbNLgM
Again, adding size will serve Koivunen well. But his puck skills, hockey smarts, deceptive release, forechecking, and defensive conscience should still translate to the NHL level, but it may take a little bit of time. Koivunen is one of the few players in the Penguins' system with a top-six ceiling, and it is certainly not too late for him to really take off.
But the upcoming season is going to be critical for Koivunen. His eight-year contract essentially makes him waivers-proof, but it's also a signal that the Penguins are challenging him and betting on him to make an impact on the NHL roster. Making the roster out of camp will be no easy task since the Penguins have a plethora of forwards, but reagrdless there has to be some significant progress happening this year in order for Koivunen to be considered a central cog in Pittsburgh's future.
So what will Koivunen have to show in order to be an NHL mainstay this season?
"Well, he will still have to earn everything," Dubas said. "As we have shown over the last few years, a long-term contract does not mean you are given anything in Pittsburgh. He will need to earn his roster spot and opportunity in training camp. He will need to finish the summer strong and show gains in power and speed on the ice in training camp and exhibition games."
Dewar came over with defenseman Conor Timmins from the Maple Leafs for a fifth-round pick. The Penguins had space in their lineup for both players and wanted to see what they could do to end the year.
Dewar, in particular, had only compiled three points in 31 games (all assists) with the Maple Leafs before being rejuvenated with the Penguins. He may have only played in 17 games with them, but he looked like a completely different player, racking up four goals and seven points.
He was also a great forechecker and was excellent at going to the dirty areas in front of the net. He'd win battles below the dots, leading to extended zone time and quality chances.
The Penguins rewarded him with a one-year extension during that offseason and he had the best season of his career in 2025-26, setting career-highs in goals (14), assists (16), and points (30). He continued to be one of their best forecheckers and was the straw that stirred the drink on the fourth line.
Head coach Dan Muse loved to put the fourth line out when he felt his team needed a spark in games last year, and Dewar was oftentimes leading the charge, whether it was a big hit or a solid offensive shift.
When Dewar was on the ice at 5v5, the Penguins controlled 50.8% of the shot attempts, 51.2% of the expected goal share, 53,3% of the scoring chances, and 51.8% of the high-danger chances. They also had a +11 goal differential with Dewar out there.
Dewar was a mainstay on the penalty kill alongside one of his linemates, Blake Lizotte, logging a career-high 209:22 on that unit. Like Lizotte, Dewar was excellent at blocking shots and winning board battles, leading to clears.
There weren't many players who had a good playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers, but Dewar was one of them. He scored two goals and was everywhere in each game, especially Game 6. Yes, the Penguins lost that game and the series, but that final game in Philadelphia was easily one of his best games of the season.
He was set to be an unrestricted free agent in the summer before the Penguins signed him to a two-year extension with an average annual value of $2.25 million. It was an easy decision for the Penguins, considering his tenure and age (27).
Going into this season, I'd like to see him hover around that 15-goal range again and continue to drive the way on the fourth line. He may not get as much ice time as some of the other players on the team, but he makes all of it count.
Dewar's the type of player who is easy to root for (also like Lizotte) and could play a big role in the Penguins' bottom six having another solid year.
