As the NHL inches closer to the regular season with training camps and preseason action just around the corner, there is still meat on the bone when it comes to the trade saga surrounding the Winnipeg Jets and superstar goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. However, the end may finally be in sight, according to new reports.

According to TSN's Chris Johnston, the Jets have re-engaged to some degree in trade talks with the Buffalo Sabres around a potential deal for the three-time Vezina Trophy winner. 

Johnston noted the two clubs were linked heavily on a deal that might have happened around draft day, tied to some of the first-round picks involved, and that both sides have since had to reimagine what that package might look like.

This comes after the two clubs nearly struck a deal around the time of the draft that would've seen the Jets add the fourth overall pick and top-six forward Jack Quinn among other pieces in a returning package. However, the deal fell through when Winnipeg wasn't willing to move off its own first-round pick at ninth overall.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported on NHL Tonight this past Friday that he's heard there are "big challenges" when it comes to getting a deal done, which may be part of the reason Winnipeg is returning to the table with Buffalo. 

"Some of the things that were available at the beginning of the summer or at the draft are no longer available," Friedman explained, noting that no-trade lists reset on July 1, meaning players like Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen who might've been available to Winnipeg earlier in the summer could now be off the table. 

That means the Jets may not get the same return package they were offered around draft time. Still, with the storyline dragging into training camp, Winnipeg may simply look to move on from the situation and finalize a deal, even at a reduced price.

Hellebuyck is coming off a down season by his standards, finishing 2025-26 with a 23-23-11 record, a 2.86 goals-against average and a .895 save percentage, a steep drop from his back-to-back Vezina campaigns, when he combined for an 84-31-7 record, a 2.19 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. 

It will be a blockbuster deal whatever comes to pass, and with both sides reportedly reigniting talks, something may get done sooner rather than later.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have 22 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #22. 

Let's take a look.

Chris Nielsen - 2001-2002 - Drafted by the New York Islanders in 1998. 

After signing with Columbus, Neilsen played 52 games over the course of two seasons. After bouncing around the AHL for a few seasons, he left for Europe and played in Germany for a year. He decided to retire in 2006.

Nowadays, he's the attending surgeon at University Health Network and an Assistant Professor in the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery with the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.

Luke Richardson - 2003-2006 - Drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1987. 

Richardson, a former Captain of the CBJ, played 190 games in Columbus. On March 8, 2006, he was traded to the Maple Leafs, later signing with the Senators, and then retiring on November 27, 2008. 

He moved into coaching in 2008 and has bounced around the NHL and AHL. His last job was with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he was fired on December 6th, 2024. Richardson is an asst. coach for the Nashville Predators. 

Mike Commodore - 2009-2011 - Drafted by New Jersey in 1999. 

Commodore was signed by Columbus on July 1, 2008, to a five-year contract worth $18.75 million. After 158 games, he was put on waivers on January 17, 2011, where he cleared waivers and was assigned to the Springfield Falcons. He would report to the AHL and play 11 games, but that was it for the Mike Commodore experience. 

He bounced around for a few seasons and finished his career playing in the KHL. Mike Commodore is mostly famous for his very nasty feud with Mike Babcock. 

Václav Prospal - 2012-2013 - Drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1993. 

Vinny Prospal played 130 games for Columbus and had 85 points. After two seasons, he retired on January 24, 2014. 

After retiring, he moved into coaching. He coached youth in the Tampa area before returning to Czechia in 2021. In 2023, he was named an asst. coach for the Rochester Americans of the AHL. For the upcoming season, he will be an asst. coach for the St. Louis Blues. 

Sonny Milano - 2016-2020 - Drafted by Columbus in 2014. 

Milano played 116 games for Columbus over five years and totaled 42 points. He spent the majority of his time playing for the Lake Erie/Cleveland Monsters, playing in 163 games. He scored 45 goals and had 112 points. 

The Sonny Milano experiment ended on February 24, 2020, when he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks. He played the last 4 seasons with the Washington Capitals before leaving for SC Bern in Switzerland this offseason. 

Jake Bean - 2022-2024 - Drafted by Carolina in 2016.

On July 23, 2021, Bean was traded by the Hurricanes to the Columbus Blue Jackets and then immediately signed to a three-year contract. Bean only played 153 games for the CBJ, and in one season he played only 14 games due to having shoulder surgery. 

The Jackets let him walk in 2024. He signed a deal with Calgary in 2024 and played only 80 games in two seasons. He remains a free agent today. 

Jordan Harris - 2025 - Drafted by the Montréal Canadiens in 2017. 

Harris was traded to Columbus before the 2024-25 season in exchange for Patrik Laine. He only played 33 games for the CBJ last season, even though he was healthy all year. The Jackets kept a lot of defensemen on the roster, and that led to him being a healthy scratch for most of the season. 

Harris was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Blue Jackets in the summer of 2025, and he signed with his hometown Boston Bruins. 

There are 22 days until opening night at NWA. 

Carson Lambos is entering a much different training camp with the Minnesota Wild this fall.

For the first time in his professional career, the 23-year-old defenseman is no longer waiver exempt. If Lambos does not make the Wild’s opening-night roster and Minnesota wants to assign him to the Iowa Wild, he will first have to pass through waivers.

That creates an interesting situation for the Wild and their former first-round pick.

Minnesota selected Lambos with the 26th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. He signed his three-year entry-level contract shortly afterward and spent two more seasons in the WHL before beginning his professional career with Iowa in 2023-24.

Now, after three seasons in the AHL, Lambos has reached the point where Minnesota can no longer freely move him between the NHL and AHL.

And there doesn’t appear to be an obvious spot waiting for him in Minnesota.

The Wild already have Quinn Hughes, Brock Faber, Jonas Brodin, Jared Spurgeon, Olli Maatta, Zach Bogosian and Daemon Hunt on their blue line.

That’s seven defensemen before Lambos is even included.

Unless an injury occurs during training camp, Lambos faces an uphill battle to make the opening-night roster. Carrying him would likely require the Wild to keep eight defensemen, something they wouldn’t necessarily want to do when Lambos could instead be playing regular minutes in Iowa.

Even an injury wouldn’t necessarily guarantee Lambos an extended look.

Minnesota has additional organizational depth, including Viking Gustafsson-Nyberg, giving the Wild another option if they need to recall a defenseman during the season without creating the same roster complications.

3 Wild Prospects Who Could Make A Splash At Training CampThese three Wild prospects could be poised to make a splash in training camp.

That makes Lambos’ situation one of the more intriguing roster decisions to watch during training camp.

The 6-foot-1 left-shot defenseman has yet to establish himself as an NHL regular. He finally made his NHL debut last season, appearing in one game for Minnesota, while spending the majority of the year with Iowa.

Lambos remains an intriguing player because of his mobility and willingness to play hard. His skating has long been one of his better attributes, but questions remain about whether his offensive game and overall hockey sense will allow him to carve out a regular NHL role.

Those questions become increasingly important now that the Wild risk losing him if they attempt to send him back to Iowa.

Being placed on waivers doesn’t mean Lambos would automatically be claimed. Every NHL team makes similar decisions at the end of training camp, when the waiver wire becomes crowded with players fighting for roster spots around the league.

But Lambos’ situation could draw some attention.

He’s only 23 years old, was selected in the first round five years ago and has already accumulated three seasons of professional experience. A rebuilding team or an organization searching for young defensive depth could potentially view him as a worthwhile claim.

Still, it’s a risk the Wild haven’t had to consider with Lambos until now.

Minnesota could avoid the situation entirely if Lambos earns a roster spot during training camp. But with Hughes, Faber, Brodin, Spurgeon, Maatta, Bogosian and Hunt already occupying seven spots on the depth chart, there isn’t an obvious path.

That puts additional pressure on Lambos to make an impression during camp.

For the past three seasons, the Wild could simply send Lambos back to Iowa when he didn’t make the NHL roster. This year, they’ll need the rest of the league to let him get there.

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The Penguins announced their roster for this weekend’s prospects tournament in Detroit a full three days ahead of time. (Given the last minute nature of past roster releases, that statement is meant with a minimal level of irony).

Prospect Tournament is right around the corner!

Meet the 27 players representing the Penguins this weekend in Detroit. All three games will be streamed on the Penguins website.

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) September 8, 2026

Only 14 forwards are going, so it’s going to be a great chance for those involved. The core of this week’s team ought to be four players who finished the year with AHL Wilkes-Barre last season: Atley Calvert, Mikhail Ilyin, Tanner Howe and Bill Zonnon. They’re joined by recent draft picks in Liam and Markus Ruck, Pierce Mbuyi, Carter Sanderson and Jordan Charron – with the rest of the team rounded out by players signed to minor league contracts.

Defense should figure to be a strength for this week’s tournament. Harrison Brunicke should be ready to shine against this competition level and he’s joined by some talent with Finn Harding and Chase Pietila turning into solid AHL players last season. The blueline will be rounded out with Jake Livanavage and a couple of former second round picks (Tomas Galvas and Peyton Kettles) which creates a very talented back-end before getting to a couple of extra bodies with minor league contracts.

Goaltending might give some headaches this week, Pittsburgh is bringing three 18-year olds to Detroit. Only one, Matvei Nikonovich, was drafted. It’ll be fun to see how undrafted invite Carter Casey does after a strong summer development camp in Pittsburgh.

These tournaments can be important, last year it served as the launching point for Brunicke and Ben Kindel to make the NHL opening night roster. That process started in the prospects tournament. Even if that drastic jump is out of the reach for many this time around, it’s the start to a season and players like Livanavage, Zonnon, Howe and Ilyin can use the opportunity to show their skills and start making a case for working towards a potential mid-season call-up.

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

Here we go:

A little pre-training camp team-bonding today for the #NJDevils, and looks like everyone is in town well in advance of the Sept. 16 opening of main camp.

Looks like the team got together today for a round of golf at Echo Lake Country Club.

📸 : echolakecc / IG pic.twitter.com/FXpmJghgE3

— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) September 9, 2026

“It’s a day that ends with the letter ‘y’ and you know what that means: it’s time to spread the good word of Luke Evangelista. Let’s dig into five things you should know about the newest member of the New Jersey Devils heading into the first of many seasons with the team.” [Infernal Access ($)]

“Markstrom is gone. The $6 million that was about to kick in is Florida’s problem. What is left in Newark is Allen, Nico Daws, and David Rittich at a combined $3.9 million and a public plan Sunny Mehta has already described as crease-by-committee. Allen said in July he can live with three goalies if the communication is clean. He also said he did not like it the last time he was in one. Both things can be true. Camp has to make them usable for the Devils.” [New Jersey Hockey Now]

Hockey Links

“The Wild have remained confident they will sign Hughes to an extension before the start of this season, which is only three weeks away. They’ve insisted these kinds of deals take time and have insinuated they’ve been given no indication that he doesn’t intend to sign. But until Hughes actually signs, there’s going to be a cloud of doubt over the potentially franchise-altering negotiations, just like with Kirill Kaprizov a year ago.” [The Athletic]

Chris Johnston on TSN today, when asked how the Quinn Hughes situation will play out: pic.twitter.com/xgcQoMoVzp

— JP Gambatese (@jp_gambatese) September 8, 2026

Fraser Minten gets a seven-year deal:

Fraser Minten has signed a 7 year $7.2M AAV extension with the Bruins 🤑

The 22 year old was in the Brandon Carlo trade at the 2025 deadline and then put up 35P as a rookie 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/Ef0p2cz7yq

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) September 8, 2026

NHL Draft news:

The NHL draft, which is being held June 25-26, will once again be with the de-centralized format for a third year in a row, the league confirms.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) September 8, 2026

Another negotiation situation to watch:

#CBJ Adam Fantilli, who remains an unsigned restricted free agent just eight days from the start of training camp, did not take part in the Blue Jackets’ annual pre-camp golf outing today at club owner John P. McConnell’s exclusive golf club, Double Eagle .

— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) September 8, 2026

“Sidney Crosby said Tuesday that extension talks are underway with the Pittsburgh Penguins, though finding a term is a difficult proposition as he weighs his future. The 39-year-old future Hall of Famer is entering his 22nd NHL season with the Penguins and last of a two-year, $8.7 million extension signed in 2024.” [TSN]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

The NHL’s North America media tour has begun (the Europe one was late last month), so expect a trickle of quotes and headlines to come as teams get ready for training camps beginning in one week.

Islanders News

• Matthew Schaefer is part of that media show. Here are photos of him…in a car or something, and sitting politely at a table. [Isles] Look for quotes and such in the days ahead.
• The top 26 prospects to watch this season; Victor Eklund gets a mention at 16. [NHL]
• Not Islanders-specific, but relevant: What the NHL and NHLPA will be monitoring with the changes under the new CBA (shorter camps, 84-game season, full-time EBUGs, no more grueling fitness tests). [Athletic]

Elsewhere

• Stan Fischler on the Devils going with three goalies. Chico Resch approves. [NHL]
• Connor McDavid observes that free agents are commanding “a lot of money.” He also is put in the odd position of needing to insist that American players do want to play in Canada. [Sportsnet]
• It’s time for a new washer already? The Flyers and 76ers are getting a new arena again. But it’s apparently privately funded, and the design harkens back to the Spectrum, which is cool. [ESPN]
• Ilya Samsonov is back in the NHL (maybe) with San Jose. [Sportsnet]
• Brady Tkachuk says it was a “really, really hard decision” to bail on Ottawa to go play with his brother. [Sportsnet]
• Adam Lowry says they can’t be distracted by Connor Hellebuyck’s trade request. Good luck with that. [Sportsnet]
• Despite all the turmoil in Detroit, Michigan native Alex DeBrincat’s intention is to stay. [Sportsnet]
• Sidney Crosby and the Penguins are talking his next contract. He wants to play forever but Father Time is undefeated. [NHL]

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With only eight days remaining until the Detroit Red Wings gather for Training Camp, the club continues to face more questions than answers, particularly surrounding its vacant general manager position and Dylan Larkin’s trade request.

The trade request of Larkin, a Metro Detroit native who was named captain in 2021, stunned fans when it became public in early June. Almost equally shocking was Steve Yzerman vacating his role as general manager just over a month later, in mid-July.

Forward Alex DeBrincat, who has been Larkin’s teammate since joining the Red Wings via trade in 2023, represented Detroit at the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour in Las Vegas. He said that while Larkin’s trade request “sucks,” he and the rest of the team still view Larkin as a great player, and, for DeBrincat, a friend.

"It sucks," DeBrincat said via Hockey News managing editor Michael Traikos. "But it doesn’t really change what we think of him. He’s still a great player, he’s been a great friend and a great teammate. We obviously love him here. It's up to him to answer what's next. But we're happy to see him at the rink."

And while there may be plenty of uncertainty surrounding the Red Wings right now, DeBrincat has no plans to jump ship.

“When a new GM (is announced), I’m sure there’s going to be some conversations, but you know, as of right now, my opinion hasn’t changed,” DeBrincat said via NHL.com columnist Nick Cotsonika. “I love playing for the Red Wings. I love wearing that jersey and battling with those guys out there. My intention is obviously to stay in Detroit. We’ll see what happens, I guess.”

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

While the jury is still out on Larkin, one of DeBrincat’s teammates and friends has already chosen to move on from Detroit. Patrick Kane, who joined the Red Wings as a free agent in December 2023 thanks in large part to DeBrincat’s recruitment, is back with the Chicago Blackhawks after signing a two-year, $18 million contract.

Kane returns to the club that selected him first overall in the 2007 NHL Draft and helped lead to three Stanley Cup championships. 

For DeBrincat, who played alongside Kane in both Chicago and Detroit, it’s a disappointing loss - not only because of their friendship and on-ice chemistry, but also because of the leadership he brought. 

“It (stinks) for me and for our team,” DeBrincat said. “He was a big part of our team, obviously skill-wise but also leadership-wise. For me, he’s one of my best friends. He’s a guy I hang out with. Our kids are great friends. In that aspect of it, it (stinks). But if he’s going to go anywhere, I’m happy he went to Chicago. I feel like him going back home is probably the story that needed to be written.”

Last season, DeBrincat became the first Red Wings player since Marian Hossa in 2008-09 to reach 40 goals scored. His current contract pays him just under $8 million annually, a number that will easily increase on his next contract. 

But while the Red Wings are facing multiple uncertainties, one thing hasn't changed for DeBrincat - he's proud to represent his hometown club. 

"I know everyone in that room has immense pride in putting on that jersey and playing for the Detroit Red Wings,” he said. “From the outside looking in, I could see how you think it’s maybe doom and gloom, but in the locker room, everyone’s excited to go and ready to play and ready to show people what we’re made of."

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The Athletic is one of several major NHL publications that remain unconvinced by the Calgary Flames' rebuild. Whether ranking the club near the bottom of its power rankings or limiting the club's representation in league-wide evaluations, the publication has shown little confidence in the organization's current roster.

A few days ago, The Athletic released one of its most anticipated features of the year: its annual NHL player tiers. Unsurprisingly, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid once again topped the rankings.

This year's list is divided into five categories: MVP, Franchise, All-Star, Star, and Support. The MVP tier features the league's elite players, while the Franchise tier includes 23 skaters who can serve as the cornerstone of any organization. The All-Star and Star tiers make up the bulk of the rankings, recognizing established impact players from around the NHL.

For the Flames, however, their inclusion on the list was brief. Goaltender Dustin Wolf was Calgary's only representative, earning a spot in the Support tier.

One Bad Season Tanked Wolf's Reputation

In the comments under Wolf's ranking, they praise the 25-year-old for his breakout performance in 2024-25, but discuss how his sophomore slump tarnished his budding reputation. One NHL executive quoted by The Athletic believes that the young netminder, entering his third season, may never recapture his rookie form. As insulting as that is, many forget that Wolf is a two-time AHL Goalie of the Year and a former league MVP. 

In the NHL, he's backstopping the NHL's lowest-scoring team, so even if he gives up one or two goals, too many of those games still end in losses because the Flames struggle to score.

Since most of the team's core is Wolf's age or younger, growing pains are bound to come for an organization preparing to move into a new arena. The hope is that, with a modernized facility and all the amenities the Saddledome has lacked over the years, Calgary could recruit more elite talent. Until then, the Flames have committed fully to their rebuild, relying on prospects rather than outside additions. The reinforcements are not coming from other teams; they are coming from within the system.

Wolf's placement in the Support tier is surprising. He's not a supporting player; he's the team MVP. Yes, he's not at the same level as Andrei Vasilevskiy or Igor Shesterkin, both Vezina Trophy winners. Still, those clubs wouldn't be as successful with a mediocre goalie between the pipes. Can anyone imagine how bad the Flames would have been last season without their No. 1 goalie posting a 23-29-3 record? Yikes. 

Overall, most NHL fans who don't stay up late to watch Calgary games rarely see how impactful Wolf is in every game he plays. Casual fans may look at the rankings and conclude the Flames are simply rebuilding. However, the Calgary faithful will see these rankings and wonder why Wolf couldn't move up a tier, and ask why players like Matt Coronato and Zayne Parekh were left off entirely.

Calgary's rebuild won't be measured until the latter part of the decade, when the organization expects to be back in the playoff picture. Until then, rankings like these are likely to become the norm.

The Buffalo Sabres’ 2025-26 season was largely a major success, as the Sabres finished first in the Atlantic Division, then beat the Boston Bruins in their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series. However, the Sabres lost to the Montreal Canadiens in the second round. Still, Buffalo ended their decade-and-a-half playoff drought, and that was a huge relief for long-suffering Sabres fans. 

Meanwhile, for the second straight year here at TheHockeyNews.com, we're analyzing the Sabres’ Eastern Conference opponents in an online series titled “Know Your Enemy”. And in this particular file in the series, we’re breaking down that Canadiens team. 

The Habs didn’t make many moves this summer, but they’ve been expertly-constructed by GM Kent Hughes, and if the Sabres are to improve in 2026-27, they’ll need to go through the Canadiens.

BUFFALO SABRES VS. MONTREAL CANADIENS

NEW CANADIENS PLAYERS: Brett Berard (LW), Sasha Pastujov (LW)

2025-26 SERIES: Sabres 2-2-0, Canadiens 2-2-0

2026-27 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: October 13, at Montreal; October 17 at Montreal; December 18 at Buffalo; January 18 at Buffalo

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? The Sabres will take on the Canadiens in Montreal in Buffalo’s seventh game of the regular-season – and in a quirk of the schedule, the Sabres will play the Habs four days later, again in Montreal. That should get the two teams plenty-accustomed to one another, and from that point, Buffalo will host the Canadiens twice in a one-month period that ends in mid-January.

The Sabres and Canadiens split their series last season, with both teams winning twice in regulation. And if we’re being honest, we can see that same type of result taking place in 2026-27. Montreal hasn’t made any material changes to their roster, but Hughes has done a masterful job of putting the Habs together, and the Sabres will have to be at their best to even have a chance of beating the Canadiens this coming year.

The Canadiens sent Buffalo home for the summer this past spring, and to avoid that fate in ‘26-27, the Sabres will need to be better than Montreal in the goaltending department, and there’s obviously no guarantee that will take place. But Buffalo has lost key pieces Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, and unless the Sabres get internal improvement from their young players, beating the Habs will require a huge step forward for Buffalo.

Can the Sabres turn the tables on Montreal this year? Yes, there’s definitely a chance they can do so. However, if the Canadiens wind up dumping Buffalo for the second straight season, you have to think Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen will be much more active on the trade and free-agency fronts next summer.

There’s lots to like about both Buffalo and the Habs, but one of those teams will be seriously disappointed by an early exit in the 2027 playoffs.

And unless the Sabres can avoid doing so, getting eliminated by Montreal for the second straight season will almost assuredly lead to Buffalo’s roster being thoroughly overhauled for the 2027-28 campaign.

Simply put, the San Jose Sharks have had a lot of goaltenders join their organization this summer.

At the NHL level, they signed veterans Eric Comrie, Kyle Keyser, and now Ilya Samsonov to contracts, even though they're likely to report to the San Jose Barracuda. The Barracuda then signed a player of their own, Connor Hasley, to an American Hockey League contract while Matt Davis is also under contract with the Barracuda. The Wichita Thunder currently don't have a goaltender on their roster, which seems to be the key to the puzzle.

It's all but confirmed that Yaroslav Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic will be the Sharks' goaltending tandem at the NHL level. As a result, the questions start with the Barracuda. With Comrie, Keyser, and Samsonov all on NHL contracts, it's unlikely that any of them are sent to the ECHL which means we'll likely see a three-goalie rotation in either the NHL or AHL, with the latter being the most logical.

Comrie and Samsonov would be the logical tandem to start the season, while Keyser can fill in when there's a need. If one of the Sharks' goaltenders suffers an injury, Comrie is expected to be the first recall and Samsonov would take over the starting job with Keyser as a backup, If there's an injury to one of the AHL netminders, Keyser simply fills in as needed.

With the Thunder have a goaltender-sized hole in their roster, Davis and Hasley will likely be the players tasked with holding down the fort in Wichita. If needed, Davis seems capable at the AHL level and could be recalled in the event of an injury-related disaster at the top two levels. Whenever the signing of Yaroslav Korostelyov becomes official, we'll probably see him assigned to the Thunder as well to round out their goaltending trio. 

While the addition of Samsonov does seem like it's slightly overkill for goaltending depth, it appears to be the final piece to the organization's puzzle between the pipes. 

The St. Louis Blues revealed their training camp roster early Tuesday morning.

The roster includes every Blues player projected to be in the opening-night lineup, AHL players signed to NHL contracts, and prospects playing in the CHL. Among those not on the training camp roster are NCAA prospects like Tynan Lawrence and prospects playing in Europe, like Love Harenstam, Dmitry Buchelnikov, and Milton Gastrin. 

With that said, here are three intriguing storylines to follow during training camp and the shortened four-game pre-season.

How Does The Middle Six Shape Up?

With the top line expected to be Dylan Holloway, Robert Thomas, and Jimmy Snuggerud, that leaves six spots between the second and third lines. The competition for those spots isn't necessarily about who earns the role, but rather where.

The two centers are expected to be Mason McTavish and Dalibor Dvorsky. The wingers will be Jake Neighbours, Pavel Buchnevich, Connor McMichael, and Jonatan Berggren. The only two players who could realistically compete for any of those spots are Pius Suter and Otto Stenberg, and the only player really eligible to fall out of the middle six is Berggren. 

So, in all likelihood, those six players will be looking to find chemistry with one another. Neighbours and Buchnevich have plenty of history playing together, so we could likely see them together, leaving McMichael and Berggren together. McTavish is a more established NHL center than Dvorsky is, so it's fair to assume he lands on the second line.

Nonetheless, anything can happen, and the internal battles will be worth following.

St. Louis Blues To Open Training Camp Sept. 17All practice sessions free and open to public at Centene Community Ice Center; Blues prospects to face Chicago Blackhawks prospects two nights Sept. 14-15

Tyler Tucker vs. Theo Lindstein

The Blues' defense corps is nearly set. Philip Broberg and Logan Mailloux will be the top pairing, followed by the next three veterans: Colton Parayko, Cam Fowler, and Brandon Carlo, but the final spot will likely come down to Theo Lindstein and Tyler Tucker.

Tucker is the more experienced of the two, but Lindstein is held in high regard within the organization as a 2023 first-round pick. In 17 games to end the 2025-26 season, Lindstein looked solid alongside Parayko. Tucker has 159 NHL games, including 69 last year.

Whoever stands out for better reasons in pre-season will likely land the job, while the other sits in the press box as the seventh defenseman. 

New Role, New Expectations; Can Blues' Joel Hofer Overcome Challenges In An Important Personal NHL Season?Joel Hofer enters the 2026-27 NHL season with aspirations of locking down the No. 1 goaltender role for the St. Louis Blues, but the 26-year-old faces several challenges, some he can control and others he can't.

Do The Prospects Stand Out?

The Blues will bring several prospects to training camp, including Justin Carbonneau, Adam Jiricek, and Maddox Dagenais. Dagenais is the farthest from being NHL-ready, but Jiricek and Carbonneau enter camp with aspirations of putting themselves on the map.

Carbonneau was among the final cuts last season, and Jiricek had a breakout campaign that has really excited the Blues. Both are very much on the outside looking in, but a strong camp could accelerate their timeline. 

Outside of the recent first-round picks, players like Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, Zach Dean, Juraj Pekarcik, Dylan Peterson, and many others are looking to show they are ready for call-ups.

---

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Florida Panthers fans will be able to watch all four of the teams preseason games for free, courtesy of the Cats themselves.

On Tuesday, the Panthers announced that they would be offering a free broadcast for each of the four games on Panthers+.

All fans need to do is log onto PanthersPlus.TV and register for a free account.

Additionally, when visiting the Panthers+ page, there was also an option to register for an exclusive stream of Panthers Training Camp set for Thursday, Sept. 17 at noon.

Florida’s four preseason games are as follows:

Sunday, Sept. 20 vs. Carolina

Tuesday, Sept. 22 at Carolina

Thursday, Sept. 24 at Tampa Bay

Saturday, Sept. 26 vs. Tampa Bay

Last year, Florida's preseason games, particularly the ones against Tampa, had plenty of fireworks in terms of physicality. 

We'll see if this season continues that glove-dropping tradition. 

The Panthers are expected to begin their training camp next week, with players already participating in informal workouts at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale.

The regular season begins for Florida on Sept. 29 at Lenovo Center against the Carolina Hurricanes, who will be raising their Stanley Cup banner prior to puck drop.

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Photo caption: Oct 2, 2025; Tampa,Florida, USA; linesman Jonathan Deschamps (80) drops the puck for a face-off betweenFloridaPantherscenter Sam Bennett (9) and Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Mitchell Chaffee (41) in the second period at Benchmark International Arena. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

After one season back in his native Russia, goaltender Ilya Samsonov is coming back to North America to launch a potential NHL comeback. On Tuesday, it was announced that the San Jose Sharks had signed the 29-year-old netminder to a one-year, two-contract for the 2026-27 season. 

According to PuckPedia, Samsonov's deal carries a salary of $850,000 at the NHL level and $225,000 in the minor leagues.

Samsonov, unless something drastically changes in training camp, is expected to be assigned to the American Hockey League for the first time since the 2020-21 season where he'll play with the San Jose Barracuda.

While the Sharks won't have to pay Samsonov a full NHL salary at the AHL level due to the two-way contract, he is still waiver-eligible which could present a problem if a team is very desperate for goaltending at the conclusion of preseason. More than likely, they shouldn't have any issues getting him sent to the AHL though.

Samsonov is now the fourth goaltender in the Sharks organization with NHL experience along with Yaroslav Askarov, Alex Nedeljkovic, and Eric Comrie. The Magnitogorsk native previously had stints with the Washington Capitals (who selected him in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft), the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Vegas Golden Knights. 

Last season, Samsonov made his return to the Kontinental Hockey League with HK Sochi. In 14 games, he registered a 3.27 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage.

The Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues will face off in a new version of the Prospects Challenge. This edition will feature only these two teams and will be played at Blackhawks Ice Center. 

There will be practices on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with head-to-head matchups on Monday and Tuesday. On August 31st, the Blackhawks revealed which players will be participating in this event. 

Blackhawks Announce 2026 Prospect Showcase RosterThe Chicago Blackhawks announced their roster for the 2026 Prospect Showcase against the St. Louis Blues.

The Blackhawks have one of the best farm systems in the NHL. Plenty of their high-end prospects will be on display at the Prospect Challenge. Multiple players participating in this will play in 2026-27 regular-season NHL games. 

5 Must Watch Blackhawks At 2026 Prospect ShowcaseThe Chicago Blackhawks have an incredible farm system. Some of them will be on display at the 2026 Prospect Challenge.

9 days after the Blackhawks released their roster for the Prospect Challenge, the Blues released theirs. St. Louis hasn't been a bottom 5 NHL team like the Blackhawks over the last half-decade, meaning their draft picks haven't been as good and they haven't been acquiring an abundance of selections, but they are coming in with some firepower as well. 

There are 3 St. Louis Blues first-round picks coming to Chicago for this. Maddox Dagenais (2026), Justin Carbonneau (2025), and Adam Jiricek (2024) are all former top selections, and they now have another opportunity to show why picking them was a good idea. 

The rest of the prospects that St. Louis is bringing can be found here or seen below: 

#stlblues prospect roster that will face #blackhawks prospects Sept. 14-15 ... pic.twitter.com/Zj3TP9X1UP

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) September 8, 2026

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