With just a few days left in August, Dylan Larkin, who put in a trade request to the Detroit Red Wings in June, is still a member of the Wings. The Detroit outfit has had a tumultuous summer, including legendary center Steve Yzerman stepping away from the GM role, and the team still hasn't filled the vacancy. It certainly didn’t help that Larkin gave a list of only four teams he would be willing to be traded to: the Florida Panthers, the Minnesota Wild, the Vegas Golden Knights, and the Dallas Stars.
On Tuesday, TSN’s Bryan Hayes mentioned that the Montreal Canadiens would be an ideal fit for the disgruntled center. The 30-year-old pivot would certainly fit well in the Canadiens’ salary structure. He’s got four years to go on a contract that has an $8.7 million cap hit, and in the last five years he has put up 69, 79, 69, 70 and 67 points. He’s remarkably consistent, and there’s no doubt that he could help unlock Ivan Demidov’s potential.
At 6-foot-1 and 204 pounds, Larkin isn’t small and would help increase the Canadiens’ size, but he’s not overly physical on the ice. He’s only landed 46 hits this past season and 44 the year before.
As things stand, the Canadiens have $9.7 million in cap space, so they could take on Larkin’s contract, especially if unsigned RFAs Zach Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj were part of the package put together to acquire him.
On paper, Larkin is better than the players the Canadiens currently have available to play with Demidov, but his style of play wouldn’t help correct what the Habs were missing in the playoffs. Furthermore, despite playing 11 NHL seasons, the centerman played only five playoff games, all in his rookie season. Back then, the Wings were bounced in the first round in five games by the Tampa Bay Lightning, meaning that he certainly wouldn’t bring much experience to the table on that front.
Acquiring Larkin would also mean that when Michael Hage makes the jump to the NHL, there would be a bit of congestion at center. While it wouldn’t hurt to have a veteran option when the youngster graduates, as he gets used to the NHL and craves a bigger role, Larkin's presence could hinder his progress. Unless, of course, he was included in the package to acquire Larkin, but that would only be a very temporary fix for the Canadiens since the American is already 30. If it meant sacrificing Hage, the move wouldn’t make much sense in the long term.
The main issue, though, is that Larkin hasn’t included the Canadiens on his list, and if he were to do it, could they trust that he wouldn’t be right back in the same situation next season? Is Larkin after winning, or does he want to move while remaining in America? There’s a sizeable red flag there. There’s no doubt that before even entertaining the idea of acquiring him, Kent Hughes would have to use due diligence to get to the bottom of the story. Larkin might have watched the World Cup final with Cole Caufield, but that doesn't mean he'd like to be his teammate.
The Florida Panthers weren't always a team fans turned their televisions on to watch, but after three Stanley Cup Final appearances, including two victories, the Panthers are a team to watch.
Heading into the 2026-27 season, the Panthers will have 15 nationally televised games on either ESPN or TNT, the NHL announced on Wednesday.
Overall, the Panthers have five games on ESPN, six on TNT, three on ESPN+, and one on ABC. This is the fourth consecutive season the Panthers have been featured in double-digit national games, according to the Panthers' press release.
Here is the breakdown and schedule.
Sep. 29, 2026, Panthers at Hurricanes, 5 pm ET, ESPN
Oct. 6, 2026, Panthers at Kings, 10:30 pm ET, ESPN
Nov. 4, 2026, Panthers vs. Blackhawks, 7:30 pm ET, TNT
Nov. 10, 2026, Panthers Blue Jackets, 7:30 pm ET, ESPN+
Nov. 12, 2026, Panthers vs. Red Wings, 7:30pm ET, ESPN+
Dec. 10, 2026, Panthers vs. Penguins, 7 ET, ESPN
Dec. 15, 2026, Panthers at Bruins, 7 pm ET, TNT
Jan. 14, 2027, Panthers at Wild, 9:30 pm ET, ESPN
Jan. 27, 2027, Panthers at Rangers, 7:30 pm ET, TNT
Feb. 16, 2027, Panthers at Lightning, 7:30 pm ET, ESPN+
Feb. 24, 2027, Panthers at Golden Knights, 9:30 pm ET, TNT
March 4, 2027, Panthers vs. Penguins, 8:30 pm ET, ESPN
March 23, 2027, Panthers at Lightning, 7 pm ET, TNT
April 3, 2027, Panthers at Rangers, 12:30 pm ET, ABC
April 4, 2027, Panthers at Devils, 4:30 pm ET, TNT
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There are some changes coming to the Florida Panthers’ schedule for the upcoming 2026-27 season.
All the alterations have to do with game start times.
On Wednesday, the NHL announced dozens of changes to the start times of games taking place during the upcoming season.
Nine of those games feature the Panthers.
They are:
Tuesday, Nov. 10 at Columbus, time changed from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 12 at Detroit, time changed from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 2 vs. Montreal, time changed from 4 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 14 at Minnesota, time changed from 8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 1 vs. NY Islanders, time changed from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 16 at Tampa Bay, time changed from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 4 vs. Pittsburgh, time changed from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 3 at NY Rangers, time changed from 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 6 vs. Montreal, time changed from 7 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
The main takeaways from Florida’s changes are the three-hour change from 4 p.m. to 1 p.m. for the Jan. 2 home game against the Montreal Canadiens, and the March 4 Thursday home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins that will now begin at 8:30 p.m. local time.
The rest of the alterations are all fairly marginal.
Six of the nine games that had their start time changed are set to be nationally broadcast.
Three are airing on ESPN+/Disney+/Hulu – Nov. 10 at Columbus, Nov. 12 at Detroit, and Feb. 16 at Tampa Bay.
The Dec. 10 game against Pittsburgh and the Jan. 14 matchup in Minnesota will both air on ESPN, and the April 3 game at Madison Square Garden against the Rangers will be featured on ABC.
Opening Night remains set for a national ESPN broadcast on Tuesday, Sept. 29 in Raleigh when Florida faces the defending Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes.
Photo caption: Apr 28, 2025; Sunrise,Florida, USA;FloridaPantherscenter Aleksander Barkov (16 and Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Nick Paul (20)faceoffduring the first period in game four of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena. (Rich Storry-Imagn Images)
With training camp fast approaching, the group of unsigned former Philadelphia Flyers players continues to shrink, even if only temporarily.
On Tuesday, the Washington Capitals announced that former Flyers goalie Cal Petersen will join them for 2026 training camp on a PTO, giving the southpaw netminder an opportunity to earn himself a contract for the 2026-27 season.
Petersen, 31, spent the 2025-26 season with the Iowa Wild, Minnesota’s AHL affiliate, appearing in 33 games and posting a bog-standard 13-16-2 record with a 2.73 goals-against average, a .896 save percentage, and four shutouts.
The former fifth-round pick has 106 games of NHL experience, which primarily came with the Los Angeles Kings as the once-heir-apparent to Jonathan Quick.
Petersen, $5 million cap hit and all, was traded to the Flyers organization in 2023 as part of the three-team deal that sent Ivan Provorov to Columbus in the last big subtraction of the Flyers' rebuild.
Petersen's time with the Flyers was unremarkable and understandably brief--the Kings' big-money salary cap dump was 2-2-0 in five games with the big club in 2023-24, but stumbled to the tune of a .864 save percentage and 3.90 GAA as Philadelphia scrambled to replace Carter Hart.
The Waterloo, Iowa, native's last NHL game came back on Feb. 25, 2024, when he allowed seven goals on 32 shots (.781 save percentage) in a 7-6 loss to the rival Pittsburgh Penguins with the Flyers still alive in the playoff chase.
Since then, Petersen has spent the past two seasons exclusively in the minors, including an unsuccessful 2024-25 run with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and this surprise opportunity with the Capitals is his latest attempt to revive an NHL career that once appeared to be on a promising trajectory.
Overall, Petersen boasts a 46-44-10 record, a 2.96 GAA, and .903 save percentage across his six-year NHL career.
The Capitals already have Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren established as their NHL tandem, while Clay Stevenson and Mitch Gibson are the incumbent holdovers from the AHL Hershey Bears.
That leaves Petersen facing an uphill battle for a roster spot at either level, but his NHL experience could make him a depth option for Washington in the event of injury.
For a goaltender who hasn't played an NHL game in more than two years, the PTO with Washington is effectively the final chance for Petersen to put himself back on the radar in North America.
The Buffalo Sabres could go a number of different ways as the NHL is in the midst of trade season following the NHL Draft and the opening of free agency on July 1. With the departure of winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram, GM Jarmo Kekalainen is expected to seek out offensive reinforcements to make up for the 44 goals lost by their departures.
We are continuing to look at potential options for the Sabres, now that veteran Patrick Kane has returned with Chicago. Some of the possibilities are not going to match Tuch’s stats, but any additions could provide some relief to the pressure that youngsters Konsta Helenius, Jiri Kulich, or Noah Ostlund will be under to make up the deficit.
Kekalainen ideally is looking for someone who could make up as much of the 60-to-70 point production that he lost with Tuch, or someone who can fill the leadership gap and/or add some snarl and sandpaper to the middle-six, with the trade of Jordan Greenway to Chicago.
Who will pick up the scoring slack for the departure of Alex Tuch?
Two-time Stanley Cup winner Bryan Rust was expected to be a trade commodity last season, as the Pittsburgh Penguins were expected to miss the playoffs and begin a rebuild under GM Kyle Dubas, but the sell off did not occur, as the Pens surprised and made the postseason but lost in the first round to Philadelphia.
Dubas appears to be attempting to rest the aging Pens roster, surrounding aging future Hall of Famers Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson with younger acquisitions such as Nick Robertson, Hendrix Lapierre, Kaeden Korczak, and promising goalie Sergei Murashov, but the former Leafs GM could quickly pivot and deal off aging assets if the club struggles in the first half.
The 34-year-old Rust has spent a dozen seasons with the Penguins, and tied his career-high with 65 points last season, scoring more than 20 goals for the seventh consecutive campaign. The two aspects that have to make Rust an extremely enticing target for the Sabres is that he would not be a rental (with two years left at $5.125 million AAV entering this season), and someone who does not have no-trade protection. Dubas would be looking for young prospects for Rust, which makes the Sabres and Pittsburgh an potential fit for a potential trade.
Buffalo has enough in their prospect pipeline to acquire the veteran, and his championship experience would be invaluable if the Sabres hope to advance further in the postseason than they did last year, but Rust’s availability all depends on whether the Penguins are well out of the playoff race before the trade deadline.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 18: A general view of PPG Pants Arena before the game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers in Game One of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 18, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
When the 2026-27 NHL season gets underway this fall, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be featured in nationally broadcasts games 20 times.
The 20 nationally broadcast games that the Penguins play this coming season will be featured on TNT, ESPN, ABC, and ESPN+/Hulu.
The Penguins will open their season on September 30 in Philadelphia when they take on the Flyers. That game will air on TNT with a 7:30 p.m. puck drop.
Locally in the Pittsburgh market, games will air on SportsNetPittsburgh along with radio broadcasts on 105.9 ‘The X.“
Here’s the full list of nationally broadcast games for the Penguins this year:
The Islanders' 2026-27 season begins on Sept. 30 against the Toronto Maple Leafs followed by their home opener on Oct. 3 against the New Jersey Devils.
The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, and the organization’s developmental model has begun to yield results, with 2023 first rounder Zach Benson making an impact in the playoffs, and 2024 top pick Konsta Helenius appearing as one of the AHL’s top prospects the last two seasons.
Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. These players are all 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 82 NHL games.
Komarov was the Sabres fifth-round pick (134th overall) at the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal. The native of Chelyabinsk played his minor hockey in the Metallurg Magnitogorsk system but came to North America to play for the Quebec Remparts after being selected in the CHL Import Draft.
Who will make up the scoring gap created by the departure of Alex Tuch?
In his first season, the 6’3”, 188 lb. blueliner focused more on being conscientious in his own zone and had 19 points (2 goals, 17 assists) in 60 QMJHL games, but made offensive strides in the sophomore campaign (12 goals, 27 assists) and scoring the game-winning goal for Quebec in the Memorial Cup final.
Buffalo locked up Komarov on an entry-level contract in June 2023, and in his third QMJHL season, and he led all QMJHL blueliners with 69 points (14 goals, 55 assists) in 60 games with Quebec and Drummondville and was named the league’s top defenseman and First Team All-Star.
“You could see right from the start that the hockey sense was there, the compete was there, and the poise. He just needed to get stronger and get his legs under him, move quicker. And he had the size as well,” Drummondville GM Yanick Lemay said about Komarov in The Athletic. “So it was just a matter of time for him I think to mature physically and get more powerful and that’s what he did the last two years.”
In his first professional season, Komarov’s offensive game struggled to translate from junior (18 points in 69 games), but the 22-year-old showed off a high-level of physicality, leading the Amerks with 85 penalty minutes. Last season, he took a step back on all fronts, putting up 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists) in 55 games, with 60 penalty minutes.
The Sabres have a number of young defenseman in their pipeline, including 2025 first rounder Radim Mrtka, and 2023 second-rounder Maxim Strbak. Komarov will need to step up and take advantage of his pro experience next season to continue to be regarded as a promising prospect, otherwise he will fall victim to the numbers game.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have 36 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #36.
Let's take a look.
Sean Selmser - 2001 - Selmer was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1993 NHL Draft.
Selmser played one game for the Jackets during the 2000-01 season, his only NHL game. He spent the rest of that season playing for the Syracuse Crunch and had 26 points.
He left North America in 2002 for Europe, where he would land in Scotland. From there, he played 9 of the next 10 seasons in Poland before retiring in 2012.
Donald MacLean - 2004 - MacLean was drafted by the LA Kings in the second round of the 1995 NHL Draft.
On July 17, 2002, MacLean signed as a free agent with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He would play in only four games for Columbus and had a single goal. He played most of his games with the Syracuse Crunch, where he had 68 points in 77 games.
He left North America in 2007, where he would play in Switzerland, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, and Croatia. He retired in 2011 and coached in Croatia until 2015.
Mathieu Roy - 2010 - Roy was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 2003.
On July 14, 2009, Roy signed a one-year contract with the CBJ. He would total 10 points in 31 games playing for Columbus. He also played for the Syracuse Crunch that season. On March 3, 2010, he was traded to the Florida Panthers.
He left for Europe in 2012 and landed in Germany. He also played in Poland and France before returning to North America to play in the LNAH. He retired in 2023 and went into coaching.
Jonathan Marchessault - 2013 - Marchessault was undrafted out of Cap-Rouge, Quebec.
Marchessault signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets just before the 2012-13 season and played just two games. He spent the rest of his time playing for the Springfield Falcons of the AHL, where he had 67 points in 74 games.
On March 5, 2014, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning, ending his time with Columbus. He would finally get his shot when he signed with the Florida Panthers in 2016. But after just one season, they chose to expose him in the 2017 expansion draft, where the newly formed Vegas Golden Knights would scoop him. He played the next seven seasons for Vegas, scoring 192 goals and totaling 417 points.
He left for the Nashville Predators in 2024, signing a five-year, $27.5 million contract.
Marchessault is considered "The one who got away" by many CBJ fans.
Michael Paliotta - 2016 - Paliotta was drafted in the third round of the 2011 NHL Draft.
On June 30, 2015, he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets with Brandon Saad in exchange for Jeremy Morin, Marko Dano, Artem Anisimov, Corey Tropp, and a fourth-round draft pick. Paliotta would appear in just a single game for Columbus, instead spending his season with the Lake Erie Monsters.
In 2016, he was not tendered a contract and signed elsewhere. He hasn't played since the end of the 2020 season.
Jussi Jokinen - 2018 - Jokinen was drafted by the Dallas Stars in the 2001 NHL Draft.
On January 16, 2018, after a long and storied career, the LA Kings put Jokinen on waivers. The Jackets claimed him, and he would play in 14 games for the Jackets.
On February 26, 2018, Jokinen and Tyler Motte were traded to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Thomas Vanek.
He returned to Europe and played another three seasons before retiring on May 18, 2021.
Justin Richards - 2023 - Richards was undrafted out of Orlando, Florida, and played four years with the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets.
Richards signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets on December 19, 2022. He played in only two games and spent all of his time playing for the Cleveland Monsters. He played in 61 games in his only season with Cleveland.
He left for Europe before the start of last season and played in the DEL. He played in Italy in 25- 26, and will play in Austria this season. Both teams play in the ICEHL.
Christian Fischer - 2025 - Fischer was drafted by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2015 NHL Draft.
Fischer came to Columbus at the trade deadline in 2025. He played in a single game for Columbus. He was scratched for the rest of the games in 2025 after coming over from the Detroit Red Wings.
Fischer announced his retirement from professional hockey to pursue a business opportunity in golf.
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Although it is nearly September, there are a good amount of players who are still unrestricted free agents. This includes former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Reilly.
Reilly still being a free agent comes after he won the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes. The 33-year-old defenseman played in 42 games last season for Carolina, where he recorded one goal, nine points, and a plus-11 rating. He also posted two assists and a plus-2 rating in two playoff games for Carolina this past spring.
At this stage in his career, Reilly is more of a depth defenseman who can jump into the lineup when needed. When noting that the 33-year-old has 11 years of NHL experience and has had solid moments during his career, it would not be too surprising if he landed a PTO or a one-year deal from another NHL club with training camps starting soon.
Reilly spent three seasons with the Canadiens from 2017-18 to 2019-20, where he recorded three goals, 20 assists, 23 points, 85 blocks, and a plus-3 rating. His time with the Habs came to an end during the 2019-20 season when he was traded to the Ottawa Senators. Since his time with the Habs ended, he has had stints with the Senators, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, New York Islanders, and Hurricanes.
A former Pittsburgh Penguins is reportedly getting a shot from the Calgary Flames.
According to PuckPedia, the Flames are expected to sign forward Alex Nylander to a professional tryout (PTO) agreement.
Nylander spent this past season with the Toronto Marlies. In 65 games with the AHL club, the former Penguins forward posted 24 goals, 29 assists, and 53 points. He also appeared in 24 playoff games for the Marlies during their Calder Cup championship run, recording six goals and seven points.
Nylander last played at the NHL level during the 2024-25 season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he recorded zero points and four penalty minutes.
The Penguins acquired Nylander from the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2021-22 season in exchange for forward Sam Lafferty. From there, Nylander appeared in 14 games over two seasons with Pittsburgh, where he posted one goal and one assist.
Nylander spent the bulk of his time with the Penguins organization down in the AHL. In 142 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins over three seasons, he recorded 56 goals and 112 points.
Nylander's time with the Penguins ended during the 2023-24 season when he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Sounds like Alex Nylander will be coming to camp with the #Flames, likely on a PTO.
After the Senators made the 2017 Eastern Conference Final, it wasn't long before they began a major rebuild that seemed to take forever. As everyone knows, they missed the playoffs for the next seven seasons.
But six years earlier, also under Eugene Melnyk, the club attempted a smaller rebuild.
The Sens were well clear of their 11-year streak of making the playoffs and were about to miss for the second time in three seasons. So, at the 2011 deadline, GM Bryan Murray dealt away Mike Fisher, Chris Kelly, Jarkko Ruutu, and Alexei Kovalev for draft picks.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss whether there's now more pressure on Travis Green in his third year.
As we strolled through The Hockey News Archive this week, we found this season preview from our Yearbook issue 15 years ago as the Senators prepared for the 2011-12 season.
As Bruce Garrioch checked in on the state of the Sens in that issue, it sure looked like the club was in for some dark days. A quick glance at the Senators' depth chart, combined with their attempts at reinforcements (in red), fully supported the notion that they'd begun a rebuild.
But shockingly, the team that everyone thought had begun a rebuild actually made the playoffs that season with just 92 points, and almost upset the New York Rangers in round one.
Oh, those pesky Sens.
The Hockey News Yearbook 2011-12 August 2011
Sensing Danger: New Coach Needs to Focus on Baby Steps
By Bruce Garrioch
THE OTTAWA SENATORS started their rebuild in February with their season going nowhere and the team falling fast.
Acting on the advice of GM Bryan Murray and his staff, owner Eugene Melnyk made the choice to unload veteran players in the hopes of landing prospects who can build a bright future.
One-by-one, players – mostly with expiring contracts – were waltzed out of the dressing room. They were tough decisions, but the Senators hope it will pay dividends in the end. The road back to respectability is going to take patience and will include some long nights, but this is the route they’ve decided on and the fans have accepted it.
This season will be a huge challenge for new bench boss Paul MacLean and goalie Craig Anderson.
OFFENSE The Senators were the NHL’s second-lowest scoring team last season. Nobody is sure that’s going to change.
While Jason Spezza was one of the club’s most productive players at both ends of the ice, they’re going to need more out of him. He’s not alone.
Milan Michalek has to stay healthy to contribute and so does captain Daniel Alfredsson. Returning from off-season back surgery, Alfredsson, 38, is in the twilight of his career, but can still be the club’s best player. He is going to have to lead the charge with what is going to be a very young group.
Nikita Filatov, acquired from Columbus for a third round pick in the 2011 draft, is going to get a top-six shot. If he can do it, the club needs him to fill the net along with Bobby Butler.
DEFENSE This is an area of intrigue. Acquired from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for the club’s No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft, defenseman David Rundblad is expected to provide sizable offense from the back end, as fellow Swede Erik Karlsson already does. The Sens need more out of veteran Sergei Gonchar, who is back to fulfill the second year of his three-year, $16.5 million deal. His 2010-11 season was a disaster and ended when he sustained a concussion.
Ottawa also hopes to find a spot for highly regarded prospect Jared Cowen. He finished the year with the club’s American League affiliate in Binghamton and his 6-foot-5 frame would look good on the blueline, but he might get caught in the numbers game. Don’t be surprised if the Senators try to move Filip Kuba and Brian Lee at the end of camp.
GOALTENDING This is Anderson’s job. Signed to a four-year extension after being acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Brian Elliott, Anderson is going to get a bulk of the playing time. The club signed Alex Auld to be a backup in every sense of the word.
Anderson was outstanding last year during his short stint with the Senators. He finished with an 11-5-1 record in 18 games with Ottawa playing mostly behind call-ups from Binghamton. But he is about to find out what pressure is really like playing in a Canadian market. The Senators aren’t expected to win, but the nation’s capital has been hard on goalies in the past.
If Anderson gets hurt, Robin Lehner will be called up from Binghamton to start. He won a Calder Cup as a 19-year-old last spring and the Senators plan to keep him in the minors to give him the chance to play.
All-time record: 638–620–188
SPECIAL TEAMS This is where Gonchar is going to have to make a difference. He was supposed to do that last year with Alex Kovalev, but it never happened and, as a result, Ottawa was one of the NHL’s worst teams. But their penalty killing has been surprisingly strong. Spezza has taken on more of a role in this area. Having a goalie who can stop the puck in Anderson will help, big time.
INTANGIBLES The decision to fire coach Cory Clouston was just part of the rebuilding program. His inability to communicate was considered a major issue and that’s why the change was made.
McLean has a good sense of humor and the players will like what he brings to the table. The big job is making sure they all buy into the program. He wants the team to have speed and toughness.
ROOKIES The Senators are going to be young. Butler, Colin Greening and Erik Condra got plenty of experience during the club’s late-season shift to youth and then they went down to the minors and won an AHL Calder Cup championship with Binghamton. Can they learn from that experience?
If Ottawa is going to have any rookie-of-the-year candidates it’s going to be either Rundblad or Cowen. Blueliner Patrick Wiercioch will also make a valiant push in camp for a permanent spot.
There is an opening on the second line and 2011 sixth-overall pick Mika Zibanejad from Sweden has a chance. If he impresses at camp, he will earn a spot on the roster.
CAP CRUNCH With so many kids, the Sens are a million miles from the cap. If they’re going to use some of that space, it would be best spent on scoring.
THE BRASS Melnyk hates to lose. He’d like this turnaround to come quickly. The Senators want to see where they stand after the next CBA negotiation. Murray is armed with a three-year contract and MacLean is on solid ground. All should make for an interesting year in Ottawa.
X-FACTOR It would take a Herculean effort from Anderson for this team to sniff a post-season berth. They aren’t going to fall short of any expectations because there aren’t any. Fans are being sold on a rebuilding process and it will be interesting to see if they buy tickets.
Where They’ll Finish
15th
The Senators have stars in Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza, but beyond them is a team at the start of a slow, painful rebuild.
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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 Kirill Kudryavtsev.
Kudryavtsev's 2025-26 Season
Kudryavtsev ran into some difficulties during the 2025-26 campaign. The 22-year-old suffered an injury which kept him out of the lineup for two months. Unfortunately, this also forced Kudryavtsev to miss the 2026 All-Star Classic, which he was scheduled to attend as the Abbotsford Canucks' representative.
As for when he was in the lineup, Kudryavtsev played a significant role for Abbotsford. He recorded 20 points in 44 games and, at the end of the year, earned a call-up to the NHL. Kudryavtsev played three games for Vancouver, where he recorded his first two NHL assists.
Kudryavtsev's 2026-27 Letter Grade
The Hockey News' Canucks site gave Kudryavtsev a B- grade for his 2025–26 season. He took a step in his development and proved that he can be leaned on at the AHL level. Kudryavtsev has become a fan favourite within the organization and has become a draft-day steal.
Kudryavtsev's 2026-27 Predictions
Kudryavtsev is going to be given every opportunity to make the NHL team this year. He has a strong relationship with Manny Malhotra, as the two have worked together in the AHL. Ultimately, Kudryavtsev could be one of the final cuts in the pre-season, as the organization clearly believes he is ready for a bigger role.
As for the most likely option, Kudryavtsev will probably find himself back in Abbotsford this year. He will most likely be on the first pairing, which also comes with plenty of special teams work. If he does head to the AHL, Kudryavtsev will be a candidate to be called up if injuries occur.
Bold Prediction: Kudryavtsev plays at least 15 games in the NHL this season.
Apr 14, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Kirill Kudryavtsev (59) handles the puck against the Los Angeles Kings in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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You know hockey season is coming when the kids start going back to school, players start flocking in droves to the CN Sports Complex in Brossard, and the Montreal Canadiens post their annual update about the Bell Centre ice being painted.
Last season, the Habs made a major change to center ice, painting the logo on a solid red background. It wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and it received numerous criticisms, including the fact that it made it hard to spot the puck when it was going through this area. Clearly, the Canadiens took the criticism on board, and the solid red background is now a thing of the past.
This year, the Habs have painted the logo so it looks like it’s really popping out of the ice with some relief. The bright red logo really comes out well on the white ice. The shading around the H makes it look like it’s popping out of the ice, and the font and blue contour on the letters give it a crisp look.
Unlike the last few seasons, in which a new Jumbotron was introduced (2024) and a new premium seating section (le parterre) was created, it looks like the center ice logo will be the main change at the Bell Centre this season, and no one will complain.
The first home game will take place on September 19, as the Canadiens will host the Toronto Maple Leafs in a split-squad game, meaning half the roster will play in Montreal while the other half will play in Toronto. Hopefully, local fans will see the top-of-the-lineup players skating on home ice rather than heading to Scotiabank Arena. The Habs will play another split-quad game in Montreal on September 26, this time against the Ottawa Senators. As for the September 21 preseason tilt against the Sens, it will take place in Trois-Rivières at the Colisée Vidéotron, the home of the team’s ECHL affiliate, the Trois-Rivières Lions, as part of the Kraft Hockeyville celebration.
Fans will have to wait until October 6 to see the first regular-season game on home ice, when the Habs will try to avenge their elimination at the hands of the Stanley Cup champions-to-be Carolina Hurricanes.
According to the plans the team released to members of the media earlier this week, rookie camp is scheduled to kick off on September 9, the annual golf tournament will take place on September 14, and main training camp should get underway on September 16. Those dates should be confirmed soon in official press releases, along with the list of players invited to rookie camp.
