Day one of training camp is in the books for the New York Rangers, and after months of speculation, we got our first breadcrumbs about what the opening-night roster could look like.

Here’s all you need to know from the first day of training camp 

Gabe Perreault, Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafrenière reunite:

Mike Sullivan went back to a winning formula on Thursday, reuniting Gabe Perreault, Mika Zibanejad, and Alexis Lafrenière on a line. 

For a stretch late in the 2025-26 season, these three forwards found success playing alongside each other and provided the Rangers with consistent offensive production they had not gotten all year long. 

Perreault is slated to take on a larger top-six role as he heads into his first NHL season and by the looks of the team’s first practice, it appears as if he’ll indeed start the season as a top-six forward. 

“We thought they had pretty good chemistry, so I think just from a common sense standpoint, it would make sense to maybe see where it goes,” Sullivan said.

The case to pair Zibanejad with Pavel Dorofeyev is certainly enticing and could be explored as camp progresses, but the fact that he started training camp playing with Perreault and Lafrenière may be a sign of things to come, and Sullivan confirmed that he wants to keep the same lines and defensive pairings for at least a couple of days. 

“I'd like to give them a couple of practices, maybe a couple inter-squads, and see where it goes. I think it's obvious we started there for a reason,” Sullivan said. “We'll learn along the way, and we'll figure out based on what we see, based on some of the conversations we have with the players involved, we'll get their feedback also, and then we'll try to make the best decisions for the team.”

J.T. Miller centers line with Pavel Dorofeyev and Oliver Bjorkstrand:

After thriving playing alongside Jack Eichel in Vegas, Pavel Dorofeyev opened up camp with J.T. Miller as his new center. 

Miller fluctuated from the wing to center last season, but playing his natural position down the middle is more beneficial to him, and having Dorofeyev on the wing could help him recapture his offensive game.

“J.T. is a versatile guy,” Sullivan said. “I think his playmaking ability is probably undervalued. He sees the ice pretty well, I think he has an ability to distribute the puck. I think J.T. brings a physical element to the downlow-grind game that I think he can drag his linemates into a little bit, so they can create some offense in different ways. 

“I think Pav is a guy that could obviously score goals, and so we wanted to see what that looks like.”

Oliver Bjorkstrand, who signed a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the Rangers this offseason, complimented Miller and Dorofeyev, as Sullivan praised Bjorkstrand’s ability to score goals. 

While Dorofeyev played on the right side during Thursday’s practice, Sullivan has plans to try out Dorofeyev at both right and left wing. 

“I know he can play both,” Sullivan said of Dorofeyev. “From talking to him, talking to some of his former coaches, I know he can play both sides. I think a lot of it is going to come down to what we think is the best fit based on the combinations that we put together. 

“So we're going to explore different options to figure out how we can create the balance that we think is necessary to win consistently, but also to set players up for success, him included. I would anticipate probably seeing him on both sides throughout the course of the next couple of weeks.”

Will Cuylle Set To Play A Third-Line Role:

The Rangers’ third line on Thursday consisted of Will Cuylle, Noah Laba, and new addition Eeli Tolvanen, with Taylor Raddysh also filling in. 

Sullivan felt that last season Cuylle played his best hockey in a third-line role playing alongside Noah Laba, and now that the Rangers have added more depth to their top-six forward unit, it gives them the ability to utilize Cuylle on the bottom six, a position that he’s better suited to thrive in. 

“I thought Will Cuylle played some of his best hockey with Laba last year,” Sullivan emphasized. “When you put a guy like Will on the third line, so to speak, it creates I think, a scoring threat, a physical presence, more balance through our lineup that makes us harder to play against. You potentially get more advantageous matchups. I think there are advantages to having balance. Will Cuylle with Laba, it strengthens that top nine as opposed to that top six.”

Tolvanen signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Blueshirts late in the offseason, and he provides an element of speed and physicality to a line that is centered around those two traits. 

This newly assembled line brought a strong physical presence on Thursday, specifically shown on a hit delivered by Cuylle on Lafrenière. 

Joe Veleno and Tye Kartye create a speedy fourth line: 

Sullivan looks to be prioritizing speed on the fourth line with a duo of Joe Veleno and Tye Kartye. 

The Rangers went out and signed Veleno to a one-year, $1.2 million contract, and based on the team’s first practice, it appears as if he’s the frontrunner to land the fourth-line center role. 

Kartye mostly played on the third line after being claimed off waivers in February, and he provided an instant spark to the team. 

Sullivan noted the increase in speed to the bottom-six forward unit, specifically provided by Veleno and Kartye. 

“I think we got faster in the bottom six in particular,” Sullivan said. “Veleno, he can really skate. We added Tye Kartye at the end of the year. Tye could really skate, he’s a dog on the bone with the puck.” 

Jaroslav Chmelař and Matt Rempe rotated for that last fourth-line spot. 

Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson make up the second defensive pairing:

When the Rangers acquired both Durzi and Pettersson this summer, it was widely speculated that they would be paired together. 

That was the case on Thursday. Durzi and Pettersson made up the Rangers’ second pairing behind Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov.

Sullivan and Chris Drury emphasized the Rangers’ need for a puck-moving defensemen that is exactly what Durzi and Pettersson provide. 

“You look at our defense core, adding Marcus Pettersson, adding Durzi. We tried them together out there today, and I thought they looked really good,” Sullivan said. “I think both of them have an ability to move the puck, go tape-to-tape, I think that is really going to help us. 

“Exiting out of our end, maybe getting out a little bit cleaner. If we can get the puck in motion, if we can get the puck with speed, I think it should help us off the rush. I think these guys are good players that will make our group stronger back there.”

Alberts Šmits being given a real shot to make the NHL roster: 

During Wednesday’s press conference, Sullivan made it abundantly clear that Šmits will be given a real opportunity to make the Rangers’ opening-night roster.

"Yes, he has a chance to make the team,” Sullivan said of Šmits. “We have to make sure that we do the right thing for him.”

Sullivan put his words into action, placing Šmits on the third defensive pairing alongside Braden Schneider. 

If this is an indication of anything, it is that the 2026 fifth overall pick is seriously being looked at to fill a roster spot come Sept. 29 in Boston to kick off the regular season. 

“I thought he had a pretty strong first day. I think the thing that jumps out at me right away is just his physical stature. He's big and strong, winning puck battles, but when he passes the puck, he snaps it hard, which I think is a very evident thing with NHL players.That’s one thing I noticed right away being on the ice with him, he snaps pucks. It's on and off his tape. We obviously had him paired with Schneids today. I thought he had a good first day. I thought he didn’t look out of place by any stretch.”

Matthew Robertson, who’s Šmits’ main competition for that third-pairing left-handed defensemen spot, was paired with Scott Morrow as alternates, but given Robertson’s role with the Rangers last season, all indications point toward him still having an edge over Šmits for now.

Rangers Open To Carrying Three Goalies To Start The Season:

The Rangers’ backup goaltending position is up for grabs, with Dylan Garand and Joonas Korpisalo competing for that spot. 

The retirement of Jonathan Quick left a void for the backup spot behind Igor Shesterkin, and despite Dylan Garand making a strong impression when he was called up from the American Hockey League at the tail end of the 2025-26 campaign, the Rangers still went out of their way to acquire Korpisalo from the Boston Bruins. 

While there still may be a competition between Garand and Korpisalo for the rights to backup Shesterkin, Sullivan hasn’t ruled out carrying both goalies on the roster to open up the season. 

“Is that an option that is on the table for us, yes,” Sullivan said of the Rangers potentially carrying three goalies on the roster. “It's certainly not out of the realm of possibility. I think it's very manageable in the short term. I don't think it's in the best interest of the guys in the long term for obvious reasons.”

Korpisalo practiced with the Rangers’ main group, consisting mostly of NHL players on Thursday, while Garand practiced with most of the players expected to play for the Hartford Wolf Pack.

It's no mystery that Sidney Crosby and Erik Karlsson are eligible to sign extensions, and each player may have a vastly different path in front of them.

But regardless of what those eventual paths are, the Penguins are not too worried about neither player being signed up to this point.

After day one of training camp Thursday, Penguins' assistant general manager Jason Spezza spoke on a variety of topics, including Crosby and Karlsson. Like general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas emphasized in the spring, Spezza said the situations for both players will sort out in due time.

"We've communicated with [Karlsson] where we're at as a team, and we want to continue to see growth. And I think he wants to see that as well. So, there's been great conversation transparency around his situation.

"We think a lot of Erik. I think he's enjoyed his time here, and we've enjoyed having him. So, those situations will play themselves out as the year goes."

As for Crosby, who is entering his 22nd season and is currently on one of the best bargain contracts in the NHL at $8.7 million average annual value?

"With Sid, I think it's a unique situation, but it's also a situation other great players at his level have gone through," Spezza said. "And, at his age, he probably wants to see how he feels. I think Sid is going to play for a long time if he continues to see things this way. Where that falls into the contract, I think it's less of a concern for us internally and, probably, for him at this point. And he probably wants to see how he feels.

"And I can understand it as a guy who played later into my career. You want to kind of see how you feel, and you want to play at a certain standard. And I think that's probably where Sid is at right now So, there's not really a concern on our end or on his at this point, and like I said with Erik, we try to be transparent with the guys and have conversations with them. And I think everyone knows Sid's situation here. So, he's gonna make sure he's feeling good before anything gets done."

Penguins' Training Camp 2026: Observations From Day 1Here are some observations from the first day of the Pittsburgh Penguins' training camp.

During season ticket deliveries Tuesday, Crosby clarified the situation with his contract, saying that he's letting Dubas and agent Pat Brisson handle it. He also said that he feels good but, realistically, knowing when to hang up the skates is different for every player, and trying to project when that will be is a futile exercise.

"I wouldn't say there's a hard timeline," Crosby said to reporters covering the event. "I think it's something that I'll let them discuss. And, at this point in my career, it's hard to project how long I'm going to play for, but I think it's just something that I'll see what happens there."

Sidney Crosby full answer on a new contract #Penspic.twitter.com/bfrPTIBjJI

— 93.7 The Fan (@937theFan) September 15, 2026

While Crosby's contract situation with the Penguins feels certain to resolve with an extension at some point, the same is not the case for Karlsson.

When asked about his future Thursday, Karlsson offered some clarity with a dash of uncertainty woven in, specifying that extension talks have not occurred between him and the Penguins up to now. But he also implied that he's comfortable entering the season and seeing where the team is at before coming to any final determination on his future with the Penguins, who are in an interesting position organizationally.

"I think that the situation is pretty given on what it is and what it's not," Karlsson said. "I have one year left. Our team is in a weird stage, I think. So, we'll see how it goes this year."

He added: "I'm enjoying my time right now, you know? I'm 36 years old, feel really good. Got a lot of years left in me. The future is not something that I've really thought about.

He added: "I know where I'm at. I know I feel good enough that it's not something that I think I have to worry about. I'm going to stay in the present. I'm very focused on what I can control in the moment right now, and I'm looking forward to that."

'It's New For All Of Us': Penguins Presented With New Challenges In Shortened Training CampPittsburgh, like all other NHL teams, are navigating fresh pre-season rules with the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!  

The Buffalo Sabres were one of the NHL’s best teams last season, finishing first in the Atlantic Division before beating the Boston Bruins in their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series. Buffalo lost to the Montreal Canadiens in Round 2, but long-suffering Sabres fans wanted to see them end their decade-and-a-half playoff drought, and they did that..

And here at TheHockeyNews.com, we've been breaking down the Sabres’ Eastern Conference opponents in an online series we call “Know Your Enemy”. In each of these files, we’re focusing on how Buffalo played against each East team, in addition to how they’re likely to fare against the team this season. And in this file, we’re analyzing the New York Islanders. 

The Islanders didn’t have an impressive off-season, but they still have some excellent pieces – most notably, young stud defenseman Matthew Schaefer. How will the Sabres fare against the Isles? Here’s this writer’s best guess:

BUFFALO SABRES VS. NEW YORK ISLANDERS

NEW ISLANDERS PLAYERS: Matias Maccelli (LW), Mitchell Chaffee (RW), Vitek Vanecek (G)

2025-26 SERIES: Sabres 3-0-0, Islanders 0-2-1

2026-27 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: January 20 at Islanders; February 3 at Buffalo; March 21 at Islanders

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? The short answer to this question is a firm ‘yes, absolutely the Sabres should beat the Islanders – and they should sweep them as they did last season’. 

Why? Because, for starters, Buffalo’s lineup is far deeper and more talented than the Isles’ is, as the Islanders are still trying to transition into a new era for the team. Isles GM Mathieu Darche has made some inroads in building a new team for a new generation, but there’s still plenty of work that needs doing on Long Island, and we don’t see the Islanders making the playoffs in 2026-27.

The Sabres have all of their games against the Isles in an eight-week period, and two of those games will come on the road for Buffalo. At that point in the year, the Sabres will have no excuse for not taking it to the Islanders. They need to snuff out any possible signs of life from the Isles, and they need to do it with authority.

Otherwise, we’re going to get to the end of the regular season, and Buffalo will be looking up at the standings, wondering why they didn’t finish with home-ice advantage – or why they may miss the playoffs altogether this year. The difference between standings position can come down to only two or three teams, and if the Sabres are squandering points against teams they ought to beat every time out, they could come to rue the day they took their foot off the gas and squandered their season.

The Islanders aren’t a pushover by any means, but their lack of depth and their aged players aren’t going to carry them to the top of the league. Thus, the Sabres should be beating the Isles each and every game, and that includes beating them in their three clashes this season.

J.T. Miller was measured. Thursday, after all, was just the first day of training camp for the Rangers, and it’ll take weeks’ and months’ worth of games to change the franchise’s trajectory. There were no playoff declarations. No bold proclamations that the Blueshirts are better than last year after an offseason of change. No dissection of roster moves by the front office to overhaul parts of the roster, even. 

“We’re not gonna get ahead of ourselves,” Miller, now back in his old No. 10 jersey, said. 

But, Miller admitted, this all “seems like a nice reset for us.” A time for the Rangers to “turn the past from last year.” His injury-filled campaign of 2025-26 started in the preseason and continued with three stints of missed time — and two trips to injured reserve — during the regular season. His 17 goals and 53 points marked his fewest in both categories since 2018-19 with the Lightning. And it all unfolded during his first year as captain, stepping into the elevated role and trying to not force himself to do more than he normally would. 

This year, the Rangers will get a chance to move past their dismal 77-point campaign of last year. It’ll be different from the start, with no Vincent Trocheck (traded in the offseason) and no Artemi Panarin (traded before the Olympic roster freeze) here at this training camp. But at the crux of it all, of course, will be Miller, who gets a chance to move past his own woes of 2025-26 while occupying a critical role as the second-line center — skating alongside dynamic acquisition Pavel Dorofeyev for now — with Trocheck now in Utah. 

“It was a lot last year,” Miller said. “Just a little bit of distraction everywhere, it seemed like, around our team. Obviously with The Letter coming out, I was hurt a lot of the year, I was at the Olympics — just a busy season, and I feel like it’s kinda hard to evaluate. 

“But certainly not satisfied and saying that that’s the standard for myself. I mean, we didn’t get to where we want to be, and I took a lot of ownership of that. I just feel fresh right now. I feel good. And I’m excited that we get another crack at it this year with a fresh slate.” 

The stakes will always be high for Miller. That’s the pressure that comes with the “C” sewn on his chest, just as it did for Jacob Trouba and Ryan McDonagh and Ryan Callahan and Mark Messier and all the other past Blueshirts captains. Miller said he expects more from himself as a leader this year. He said he learned from mistakes last season, which quickly spiraled into selling at the trade deadline and a reality where president and general manager Chris Drury dropped The Letter 2.0. 

Miller spent time at both center and wing last year in the 68 games he did appear in, and when the Rangers’ first group — with mostly NHL players — skated Thursday, Miller, 33, was positioned between Dorofeyev and Oliver Bjorkstrand. Dorofeyev collected more than 30 goals the past two seasons with the Golden Knights. He was the draft-day splash by the Blueshirts, the hyped acquisition during a public retool who could be the missing piece that tips the Rangers toward being a playoff team in April.

Head coach Mike Sullivan said that Miller’s play-making ability with the puck is “probably undervalued by some,” and Sullivan expressed a belief in Miller being able to serve as the Rangers’ second-line center, indirectly doubling as a belief that his skill set can complement Dorofeyev if they break camp still paired together. 

“He has the ability to distribute the puck,” Sullivan said of Miller. “I think J.T. brings a physical element and a down-low game, a grind game that I think he can drag his linemates into a little bit so they can create some offense different ways. I think [Dorofeyev is] a guy that obviously can score goals, and so we wanted to see what that looks like.” 

That role will only add to the pressure facing Miller this season. To the expectations that he can avoid the struggles from last year reappearing again and becoming a norm for his second Blueshirts stint. For one day, those stakes faded with the arrival of a new training camp, where “vibe” and “excitement” and anything else that described palpable energy were the buzzwords of his press conference that captured the emotion of the Rangers’ entire session. 

“I feel very hungry,” Miller said. “I mean, after a year like last year, I just think in general I think I’m naturally competitive — I’d like to be better, I want the team to play better, I want better results.”

After Semyon Varlamov underwent two partial knee replacements, Ilya Sorokin had the same question for him as everybody else. 

“I asked him, ‘What do you think? It’s done?’ ” Sorokin recalled Thursday. The “it” was Varlamov’s career. “He said, ‘No, I will come back.’ First thing he said.” 

Somehow, some way, Varlamov looks on track to resume playing hockey games this season. He took the ice Thursday as the Islanders opened training camp, and if you didn’t know any better, you would have been unable to tell what he’d been through over the 22 months that have elapsed since he last took part in an NHL practice or game. 

Varlamov never had a timeline for his return. As far as he knows, there’s no precedent for what he’s doing. 

Research by The Post turned up one professional athlete to undergo a partial knee replacement and return to competing at an elite level: Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn. As for NHLers or professional athletes in team sports, we could find no comparable examples. 

“The type of surgeries I’ve done, people [are] doing it, but not professional hockey players able to do it and try to come back,” Varlamov said. “That was kinda like a crazy idea. Very risky idea. I took a risk.” 

A risk that might give him his career back. 

“I wasn’t ready to retire,” Varlamov said. “Mentally, I wasn’t there. Definitely, some days it was in my mind when things were not going well. Rehab, we had a lot of setbacks, pushbacks. I was thinking, maybe this is it, I won’t be able to come back. But you wake up the next morning and just tell yourself that you’re not ready to retire. I’m not there yet, I guess. 

“I still have a lot of respect and love for the game. I want to be around this team. This team is looking great with the younger guys now coming in, older guys. So this is very exciting, the whole thing. I pushed myself. I had a lot of motivation also, because the team is looking good. I want to be part of it longer.” 

On a practical, hockey level, the implications for the Islanders are hard to fully unpack. General manager Mathieu Darche acknowledged that keeping three goaltenders on the active roster is a possibility, with Vitek Vanecek under contract, as well as Sorokin and Varlamov. Coach Pete DeBoer said that with an 84-game schedule, the Islanders will want close to 30 games from their backup goaltender, and given the club’s history of overusing Sorokin, they ought to be wary about doing so again. 

The nature of what Varlamov is trying to do makes it impossible to predict how this will go. One thing is obvious from Thursday, though: The Islanders, as an organization, are in a little bit of awe over the fact that he has gotten this far. 

“It’s almost inspiring to our guys,” Darche said. 

“When I got here and I heard about the surgery he had undergone, I was not counting on seeing him at all,” DeBoer said. 

“I wanna say he’s probably the first in history to do it,” JG Pageau told The Post. “That’s pretty cool, and it’s all in his honor to be able to do that.” 

There are still so many steps to go. Varlamov needs to get through camp and the preseason with no setbacks. If he does make it as far as a regular-season game, every period will be a test. 

But he has come so far already. It took until the beginning of March for him to truly feel he would have a chance to play. He upped his skating from three times a week to four or five, successfully pushing to get into a couple of AHL games at the end of Bridgeport’s season — a massive, confidence-boosting step. 

“I feel like if I didn’t play those two games, there’s no chance the team would give me a chance to be part of this training camp,” Varlamov said. 

He did, and now he’s here. If you could ever award the Masterton Trophy on the first day of the NHL’s calendar, this would be the time. 

“I don’t want to jump ahead of things,” Varlamov said. “I’m just taking one day at a time and what’s the best thing I can do to be a better teammate? Just [be] the best version of yourself today. I can only control what’s happening today. I can’t think what’s gonna happen in 2-3 weeks. It’s not in my control. 

“What I’m gonna play, how many games I’m gonna play, maybe I’m not gonna play. Who knows, right? We have a lot of good goalies here. I’m just focusing on today.”

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- It’s very uncommon for the opening of training camp to showcase so many of the NHL players in one group and so many of the prospects in the other.

Normally, players are split up, mixed and matched until camp gets whittled down to the end and those that are going to make the opening night roster.

But with training camp this year lasting less than two weeks, and as St. Louis Blues coach Jim Montgomery said, “four preseason games and we have five practices,” there is no time for formalities with the regular season opener just 15 days away and the first preseason game on Saturday against the Dallas Stars.

The Blues opened camp Thursday at Centene Community Ice Center with two groups, and it was clear which was more established than the other:

Group A lines/D-pairs #stlblues:

Holloway-Thomas-Snuggerud
McMichael-McTavish-Buchnevich
Neighbours-Dvorsky-Berggren
Johnston-Suter-Toropchenko

Broberg-Mailloux
Lindstein-Parayko
Fowler-Carlo
Tucker-Jiricek

Hofer
Binnington
Proskurin

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) September 17, 2026

Blues Group B defensive pairs:
Rosén-Burns
Buchinger-Fischer
Ralph-Koromyslov
Gaudet

Goalies:
Romanov
Cranley
Gahagen

— Matthew DeFranks (@MDeFranks) September 17, 2026

The Blues (37-33-12 last season) are not opening camp on this day looking to get in a month’s worth of work. They’re banking that players are all in shape, they’re all in hockey sense and that they’re all beyond the pond hockey days.

Thursday’s opening drills were more designed for things they would be doing a couple weeks into camp, or even on the cusp of the season opening.

“By the end of our fourth exhibition game, all we have is four games and we have five practices. The feeling-out process that you used to have in camp is gone,” Montgomery said. “Guys have to be on their toes, they’ve got to be ready, they have to push each other, and we’re trying to put the lines that we think might have a chance to start game one together right away.

“Our objective today was working on being a much harder team offensively getting to the blue paint. We scored seven goals in the scrimmage. That I thought was very successful. I thought we were creating more chaos. I thought the energy and the pace was pretty good. I thought guys (had) second and third effort. We started with 1-on-1 battles and right away, guys were digging in and they were into it and they were pushing each other to be better. I thought it was a very productive Day 1.”

And that’s why Group A pretty much resembled what a lineup will look like on opening night against the Stars in Dallas on Oct. 2.

“Well with my thinking, the Thomas line speaks for itself the way they finished and they scored two goals out there today, so they picked up kind of where they left off; they looked really good,” Montgomery said. “The second line, McTavish for us is a top-six player, McMichael has played in the middle six his entire career and Buchy has played pretty much. So let’s put those three together, see what kind of chemistry we have today. I thought they did some good things offensively. Defensively, we haven’t touched a thing yet. They got scored against, but we still haven’t worked on our D-zone coverage yet because just first day of camp. Third line that we had with the Dvorsky line, I didn’t really notice, I wasn’t coaching that team. I didn’t see an impact in the game. Fourth line looked really good. ‘Torpo’ was flying, ‘Sutes’ is always supporting and this Johnston, you can see how smart a player he is and very vocal on the bench.

“A couple of the D-pair that stood out for me. Fowler and the Carlo pair were excellent, poise, gaps were really good and I thought Lindstein and Parayko did a really good job on my bench as well.”

This wasn’t an off-season where Montgomery and the coaching staff could plan out this longer, drawn-out training camp. It was more compacted and challenging to fit many things into a smaller window.

Off and running with the four forward line combinations from Group A #stlbluespic.twitter.com/YKuCmtxtIg

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) September 17, 2026

“There’s a combination of things that influence the way it was. It was shoring up what we didn’t think were strengths that should be strengths, being hard at the offensive blue paint, being hard at the defensive blue paint,” Montgomery said. “You’ll see that tomorrow. Committing battles in practices and competition in those areas was important for us to get to those areas and create the habits that we need. You saw a lot of driving back posts today, you saw a lot of speed trying to get at the net. That’s why we were doing all those 3-on-1s, 3-on-2s. And then the other thing is the shortened … like I said, we’ve got four games, five practices. That’s nine times on the ice together before we have our team meeting before we have three practices before we play our first game at Dallas. So there’s no time to waste. Once we get past this CBA three-hour rule, we’re going to start having double video sessions. It’s going to be more like NFL training. Those are things that we’ve worked on so that we can be prepared in a three-week camp and a 13-day camp.”

One noticeable omission: the VO2 fitness testing that, well, nobody cares to do but know it was always a must.

“The coaches were really happy,” Montgomery said laughing. “Thank God I didn’t have to do the VO2 max this year. You would like to have fitness testing just because … these athletes are so well-conditioned now. It’s not an issue now like it was in the 70s where camp was six weeks long so you can get in shape to start the season. Now they have their own nutritionists, strength and conditioning coaches, they have speed and acceleration coaches, so they’re well-prepared. The thing is mentally, what you like about having testing is the guys know they’ve got to come and they take great pride in it, so they want to do well on the test to show everyone I’m ready to go. We don’t have that option, but the ice speaks for itself. Didn’t see a lot of guys hovering over sticks. That was not an easy practice. First day of camp, there’s nerves that are going because everybody wants to show well. So you usually can tell just by skating, and you’ll see a bag skate at the end of practice tomorrow that will kind of try and look for that.”

'I Want To Be Here ... I Love This City' -- Jimmy Snuggerud Wants To Be Part Of Long-Term Future With St. Louis Blues2022 first-round pick didn't sign maximum eight-year extension by Tuesday's CBA deadline before new one kicked in that allows max contracts to be seven years, feels process will work itself out when time is right

Ryan Reaves, A St. Louis Blues 2005 Draft Pick, Announces Retirement From The NHLFifth-round pick in the 2005 NHL Draft was one of top enforcers in game during his 16-year career, of which first seven years was spent with Blues

Ten St. Louis Blues Players To Keep An Eye On As 2026-27 Training Camp Opens ThursdayFrom Mason McTavish to Connor McMichael to Robert Thomas to Jordan Binnington to Adam Jiricek, plenty of storylines to unfold with the Blues looking to get back into the Western Conference playoff mix

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The Buffalo Sabres face a number of challenges as they open their 2026-27 training camp on Thursday, with the most challenging being whether they can recover from the offensive deficit created by the departure of winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram. 

After not making any additions to their forward group over the summer, the Sabres are relying heavily on a trio of first-round selected youngsters in Konsta Helenius, Noah Ostlund, and Jiri Kulich to show some growth. One of the advantages they all possess is their ability to play both center and on the wing effectively. Something that head coach Lindy Ruff may have determined before the start of camp.

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"You always plot it out. Does it change during camp? It's possible, I would like to start (Tage) at center, but knowing that even in the playoffs, he ended up on the wing, and had a couple great nights," Ruff said. "You go back to that four-month run; he was in the middle of the ice for us that whole time. I mean, inside some games, there were games where, Ostlund and (Ryan)McLeod stepped in and played center. He played a little bit of wing, which will again happen for sure."

With a shorter exhibition schedule, many NHL clubs are putting together line combinations that they plan to use during the regular season. If Thursday’s practice is any indication, the Sabres plan to start the season with Thompson at center, as he played the middle with Peyton Krebs and Josh Doan. Helenius played the right side and McLeod on the left on a line with center Josh Norris, Östlund played pivot on a line with Zach Benson and Jack Quinn, while Kulich skated on left wing with Sam Carrick and Beck Malenstyn.   

The club will practice on Friday and hold the Blue and Gold Scrimmage on Saturday morning at Key Bank Center. 

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The Chicago Blackhawks held their first practice of 2026 Training Camp on Thursday at Blackhawks Ice Arena. Most of the players have been skating there for a couple of days now, but Thursday was the first official skate. 

There are some new names, including Ian Cole, Bowen Byram, Cole Smith, Jordan Greenway, and Roman Kantserov. Of course, Patrick Kane is back as well. Connor Bedard is still out as he continues his comeback from shoulder surgery, which will leave a hole in the lineup for a little while longer. 

Right off the bat, there were some line combinations forming. Jeff Blashill had them skating like this: 

Kantserov-Nazar-Kane

Bertuzzi-Frondell-Lardis

Donato-Moore-Teravainen/Mangiapane

Smith-Greene-Greenway/Slaggert

Vlasic-Byram

Kaiser-Levshunov

Cole-Rinzel

Korchinski-Del Mastro

Knight

Soderblom

With Bedard out, Frank Nazar skated as the top-line center. Playing with Patrick Kane, a franchise icon, and Roman Kantserov, a superstar KHL goal scorer, is a great opportunity for Nazar while they wait for the captain to return. 

Anton Frondell skated as the second-line center. Even before Bedard hurt his shoulder, the plan was for both Nazar and Frondell to operate as centers coming into camp. So far, the Blackhawks are sticking to that plan. If it works, they will be much deeper in the long-run than if they were forced to become wingers. 

Skating with Frondell were Tyler Bertuzzi and Nick Lardis. For Frondell, that's two goal-scoring wingers to help him with that transition to the middle of the ice. 

The bottom-six forward group is where things get interesting. Andrew Mangiapane and Landon Slaggert each rotated in and out with Teuvo Teravainen and Jordan Greenway, respectively. Ryan Donato, Oliver Moore, Cole Smith, and Ryan Greene were part of that bottom-six group as well. 

When Bedard comes back, that will push a third player from this group out of the top-12. There are injuries and inconsistencies that will play a factor in these decisions throughout the year, but it is going to be a revolving door. 

It should be noted that AJ Spellacy, who was incredibly noticeable at the Prospect Showcase and appears to be NHL-ready, did not skate with the NHL group on day 1 of training camp. Although he is a candidate to make his NHL debut at some point in 2026-27, it is not likely to come out of camp. 

Sacha Boisvert, who played in the NHL a little bit at the end of last season but was less noticeable at the Prospect Showcase, is also likely to be in the AHL. 

For Spellacy, this is a chance to dominate in the AHL and force the team to have no choice but to call him up. For guys like Boisvert and Marek Vanacker, playing in the AHL will be a great opportunity to advance their skills. 

On defense, Alex Vlasic was paired with Bowen Byram to form the new top pair. If Byram's offensive game continues to improve, this could be an outstanding two-way pair that the Blackhawks can use against anyone. 

Wyatt Kaiser and Artyom Levshunov, who skated together a lot last season, were back together while Ian Cole was paired with Sam Rinzel. The extra pair consisted of Kevin Korchinski and Ethan Del Mastro. The Blackhawks are likely to carry a 7th defenseman, which should be Korchinski, while Del Mastro may be destined for waivers/AHL time. 

In goal, it is Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom. Some are expecting Drew Commesso to get his chance, but he is with the non-NHL group for now. Due to the two-way contract that he has, becoming a one-way contract at the same time that Soderblom becomes a free agent, expect this to be the mold for the 2026-27 season. Adam Gajan is projected to back up Commesso in the AHL. 

Both Jeff Blashill and Kyle Davidson admitted after practice that the NHL group that skated today is likely where the opening day lineup is coming from.

With training camp being so short, it will take a lot longer than that for someone from the non-NHL group to earn their way up. Spellacy, Boisvert, and Vanacker may not like hearing that, but they will get some good work in with the Rockford IceHogs to boost their confidence and prepare for when their name is called. 

For Spellacy specifically, he can go to Rockford and play so well that the decision makers decide it is finally time to play him over an NHL forward who isn't as impactful as him. 

On Friday, each group will practice again. On Saturday, the non-game group will have a practice at Blackhawks Ice Arena, followed by the game group having a morning skate. Then, the game group will make their way up north for that night's preseason tilt against the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena. 

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NHL training camps are officially back in session.

But, for the Pittsburgh Penguins and everyone else, everything looks quite a bit different.

Per the NHL's new Collective Bargaining Agreement - which took effect on Sept. 16 - there are several changes to how training camps operate with the new 84-game season. For one, camps are much shorter, as more than a week has been eliminated from the drop of the first puck at the open of camp to the drop of the puck on opening night.

Within those 12 or so days, players cannot access camp practices and meetings for more than three hours per day, there are only a small handful of actual camp practices for players to make themselves stand out, and the team cannot exceed four pre-season games, which - for most clubs - are all condensed into a week's time. 

In addition, NHL players with more than 100 games of experience can only play in up to two pre-season games. 

So, in a nutshell, the three initial practice days during training camp and the first two pre-season games - the first on Sept. 21 against the Buffalo Sabres and the second a day later against the Detroit Red Wings - will hold much more weight than they have in previous years, and not everyone is going to earn an opportunity to appear in a game.

"The practice days probably carry more significance for guys," Penguins' assistant general manager Jason Spezza said. "I think you see a little extra level of urgency, [and] we saw it with guys reporting to Pittsburgh earlier. They're used to having a longer camp. They want a shorter camp, and then, they want to make sure they're up and running as well.

"So, for us, we're going to try to have some intersquad mixed in. There's only four pre-season games. There's not going to be opportunity for everybody in the pre-season like we normally would have, so it's a matter of rewarding the guys that have kind of shown that they are getting closer by giving them games and seeing where they are. But, also, [with the] understanding that it is a short camp."

5 Predictions For 2026 Penguins' Training CampThe Penguins have a lot of questions and intrigue heading into camp this year.

But it's not just the player side of things where adjustments must take shape: There is also a whole lot to digest for NHL coaches and front offices, and from an evaluation standpoint, it presents a whole new set of challenges.

"There's not going to be massive decisions made based on a couple days of how you play," Spezza said. "We've talked through these things, sat with [head coach Dan Muse] and talked as a management group... But, really, it's new for all of us. Dan's been very intentional with his practices and how he's planned the pre-season games."

And while Muse himself understands the challenges and demands a shorter camp brings, he tries not to emphasize that difference when it comes to trying different combinations and giving players opportunity.

Penguins Release Full Training Camp Roster: Injuries, Surprises, What To ExpectWith training camp one day away, Pittsburgh's roster is set for the pre-season.

"Over the summer, we talked about things that we want to see," Muse said. "And I say 'we' in terms of all of us - coaching staff, management - and conversations we've had, things that we've discussed. Different things that could be a fit. But, right now, it's a "could be." ... It's going to be fluid, especially early on."

He added: "It's an opportunity for people to make an impression. They have a little bit of a shorter window to make it, to do those things, and it's the same for everybody. I'm not, honestly, going to get too hung up on it or think about it at all. It's the first time for everybody having the camp in this format, and it's the same for everyody throughout the league.

"I think, for us, we wanted to outline things that we wanted to make sure we accomplished over the course of camp. Going into it, [I'm] feeling strongly that we will be able to do that. So, for us, it's just going to be taking it each day looking to execute that plan, looking to provide that opportunity for players to go out there and make the impression that they want to make." 

Penguins Announce Series Of Roster Moves Ahead Of Training CampPittsburgh is working to finalize its roster for training camp later this week.

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The first scrimmage of a critical Rangers training camp for Matt Rempe nearly included a vintage Rempe fight. 

Around the end of the first period in a two-period scrimmage Thursday, 5-foot-11 defenseman Marc Del Gaizo checked the 6-foot-9 Rempe along the boards, which prompted Rempe to start shoving in return as Del Gaizo’s helmet came off and teammates skated over to separate them. The skirmish never escalated to a full fight with punches thrown, but it still served as the lasting image of physicality in a practice filled with it to start athis condensed preseason. 

Will Cuylle decked rookie defenseman Alberts Smits in the corner. J.T. Miller shoved Carey Terrance to the ice too. But the closest any of the Rangers got to tensions boiling over in training camp occurred when Rempe and Del Gaizo, a defenseman and Basking Ridge, N.J. native, collided along the side boards and Rempe became visibly frustrated. 

Rempe has fought 10 times across his regular-season career in the NHL, according to HockeyFights, and in his lone one last October, he broke his thumb, underwent surgery, ended up having another procedure done in January and faced a long path back to the lineup. When the Rangers unveiled their first set of lines Thursday during their NHL-heavy Group A session, in a training camp that doubles as a sprint to the season opener Sept. 29 against the Bruins, Rempe rotated in as an extra. Tye Kartye, Joe Veleno and Jarslav Chmelar skated on the fourth line — a sign, albeit with a small sample size, that Rempe likely has to play his way into the lineup. 

And then he ended up being at the center of the defining moment of physicality in the first session with Del Gaizo — a 26-year-old who has played 55 NHL games, logged 353 AHL games and described himself to Newsday on Thursday as a Jersey native with “piss and vinegar” to his game. 

“These guys, I think they recognize the importance of every day and trying to maximize every opportunity we have when we get on the ice because we don’t have that many of them,” head coach Mike Sullivan said after the pair of practices and the scrimmage where the team in blue jerseys defeated the team in white jerseys 4-1. “They came to play today. There was real hockey being played. There was physicality out there.” 

Thursday marked the first session with Pavel Dorofeyev as a member of the Rangers, and both Adam Fox and Mika Zibanejad raved about what Dorofeyev —, whom the Blueshirts acquired in a draft-night trade, — will add to the power-play unit. He recorded 20 goals with the man advantage last year, and Fox said that Dorofeyev and Zibanejad pairing their shots together creates a “pick your poison” scenario for the Blueshirts. 

When asked if the Rangers would consider keeping three goalies on the roster, Sullivan didn’t rule out the scenario — but acknowledged that it isn’t typically best for organizations in the long-term outlook of a season. 

Dylan Garand, who was positioned as the backup until the Rangers brought in Joonas Korpisalo, described that trade as “expected competition” in a battle to replace future Hall of Famer Jonathan Quick and back up Igor Shesterkin. 

“When that happened, it’s just kinda, you figure out who it is,” Garand said of the Korpisalo trade. “He’s a guy who’s been around for a long time. … It doesn’t really change anything for me. It doesn’t matter who’s here or not. My job is to stop the puck, and that’s all I’m focused on.”

Matt Duchene may still be an unpopular subject in Colorado, but recent events around the NHL have made one thing worth reconsidering: for all the frustration surrounding his departure from the Avalanche, Duchene never stopped showing up.

That matters now.

After Colorado finished the 2016-17 season with a 22-56-4 record, Duchene wanted out. He had grown tired of playing for a team that appeared to be going nowhere, and his desire for a trade was hardly a secret. The Avalanche eventually dealt him to the Ottawa Senators in a three-team blockbuster with the Nashville Predators.

Everyone knows what happened from there.

Colorado acquired a collection of assets in the trade, most notably defenseman Samuel Girard, who would go on to become an important piece of the Avalanche's blue line. A few years later, Colorado lifted the Stanley Cup in 2022.

Duchene never did.

That history has made it easy for Avalanche fans to look back at Duchene's time in Colorado with resentment. He wanted out. He didn't want to be part of the rebuild. He wanted to play meaningful hockey somewhere else.

And, frankly, he had every right to feel that way.

But there is something Duchene deserves more credit for, particularly in light of what is happening in Winnipeg right now.

He showed up.

Duchene may have desperately wanted to leave Colorado, but when training camp opened in September 2017, he reported. He didn't refuse to participate. He didn't force the organization to suspend him. He didn't abandon his teammates because he was unhappy with the direction of the franchise.

Instead, he walked into camp knowing full well that everyone knew he wanted to be traded.

You could see the awkwardness of the situation. Duchene wasn't exactly pretending everything was perfect. His body language told a different story, and there was little reason to believe he suddenly wanted to spend the rest of his career in Colorado.

But he was there.

"I'm here to honor my contract. I'm here out of respect for the fans. I'm here for my teammates," Duchene told reporters when he arrived at training camp.

Those words are easy to overlook nearly a decade later, but they carry considerably more weight when viewed through the lens of what is happening with Connor Hellebuyck.

Hellebuyck also wanted out. He publicly confirmed his trade request in August, saying he believed moving on was the best path for himself and his family. But when the Jets opened training camp this week, Hellebuyck did not report. Winnipeg subsequently suspended its star goaltender for an obvious breach of his contract and a lack of professionalism. 

There is an important distinction between the two situations.

Hellebuyck is not wrong for wanting a trade. Players have careers to consider, and asking an organization to explore a move is not inherently disrespectful. In fact, Hellebuyck said he had initially tried to handle the situation privately and respectfully before making his request public.

But once a player chooses not to report, the situation changes.

Duchene understood that distinction.

And while Hellebuyck has something Duchene never managed to obtain — an Olympic gold medal with Team USA at the 2026 Milano Cortina Games — his current situation in Winnipeg has put a different part of his professional reputation under the microscope. His accomplishments on the ice are difficult to dispute, but what happens when a player no longer wants to be where he is can become just as significant as what he does once the puck drops.

His NHL résumé is also difficult to dispute. Three Vezina Trophies, a Hart Trophy and an Olympic gold medal make Hellebuyck one of the most decorated goaltenders of his generation.

But talent has never been the only consideration when an organization evaluates a player.

Trust matters. Commitment matters. Teammates matter.

And now Winnipeg has to navigate a situation in which its franchise goaltender has requested a trade and then failed to report to camp.

That may make an already complicated trade market even more difficult to navigate.

There is an old saying in sports that great players can get away with things other players cannot. Patrick Roy is perhaps one of the clearest examples in Avalanche history. Roy was notoriously intense, demanding and, at times, difficult. But he also helped Colorado win games and Stanley Cups, making the relationship worth navigating for an organization that ultimately benefited enormously from his presence.

Hellebuyck's résumé certainly gives Winnipeg plenty of reason to value him highly. But the current circumstances create a different question for potential suitors: how much does the player himself want to be there?

That's the part of this situation that makes Duchene's departure worth revisiting.

He didn't want to be in Colorado. Everyone knew it.

But he still put on the sweater, walked into camp and went to work.

And nearly nine years later, perhaps he deserves a little more credit for that than he ever received in Colorado.

The Montreal Canadiens took the ice for the first time at training camp on Thursday, and the coach wasted no time in showing his hand. He put his whole top six in Team A, the team that will take on the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre on Saturday, and in the process answered two burning questions at Habs’ camp: who would Chris Kreider play with, and who would center the second line?

Despite the Canadiens having one of the best top lines in hockey last season, the bench boss has elected to split it. While that may come as a surprise, the Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky unit struggled at even strength in the postseason, and if there’s one place where Kreider excels, it’s in the playoffs.

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To insert Kreider on the top line, the coach elected to put Slafkovsky back with Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov. Given that St-Louis already knows that combination can deliver, and that playing with the two youngsters unlocked a new version of the big Slovak, the decision makes sense. It remains to be seen what the power play units will look like, however. Will Slafkovsky and Demidov join Suzuki, Caufield and Hutson like last season? 

If you're shocked to see Kapanen centring the second line again, remember he scored 22 goals in his rookie season. Yes, he did struggle late in the season and in the playoffs, but it’s far from unusual for a first-year player to hit a wall late in the season. St. Louis said the day before that his second-line center would need to have a good computer, and he repeatedly praised Kapanen for that last season. Some would have you believe that it’s easy to score 22 goals when you’re riding shotgun with Demidov, but you still have to know when to go and convert on the opportunities he dishes out. That's easier said than done.

Asked what he thought about Kreider, Demidov replied:

He reminds me of an older Slaf.

Given his size and style of play, that’s a fair assessment and probably part of why St-Louis feels comfortable putting Kreider on his top line. Caufield and Suzuki. The coach knows Kreider very well, and it wasn’t so long ago that he worked with him one-on-one to make him a better player. He didn’t have to do that, but it looks like karma took note and made it worth St-Louis’ while; now he’ll benefit from it.

Team A also included four regular NHL defensemen: Lane Hutson, who was skating with Alexandre Carrier, and Arber Xhekaj with Jayden Struble. Luke Mittelstadt and Owen Protz were also part of the group. Given how well they both did at the Prospect Challenge, it would make sense to give them a game at the Bell Centre on Saturday night.

As for Team B, it took to the ice at 11:50, and it included the rest of the Habs’ NHL lineup. Forwards Alex Newhook, Zachary Bolduc, Kirby Dach, Jake Evans, Philipp Danault, Alexandre Texier and Josh Anderson were all there. Still, the coaching staff elected to test some combinations involving some youngsters, aside from one veteran line made up of Bolduc, Dach and Texier. Meanwhile, Newhook and Evans skated with Brett Berard and Anderson and Danault took some reps with Florian Xhekaj.

On defense, Mike Matheson and Noah Dobson practiced with the second group, just like Adam Engstrom and David Reinbacher. Right now, it doesn’t feel like there’s much chance for a forward to graduate to the NHL from the AHL, but the same cannot be said about defence. Kaiden Guhle’s injury means someone could make the jump, and in an ideal world, that person would be Reinbacher, but will he stay healthy and grab the opportunity with both hands? Time will tell.

Meanwhile, in net, Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler skated with Team A while Samuel Montembeault and Kaapo Kahkonen were with Team B. That should mean Montembeault will get to play in Toronto on Saturday night, away from the scrutiny and pressure of the Bell Centre. As for Dobes, signing a big contract extension certainly hasn’t changed him:

I’m going to try to make the team, and we’ll see about what comes next.

You have to admire the humility. Everyone knows that right now, on paper, Dobes is the number one. He’s not taking anything for granted, though, and he’s approaching this camp like any other. Given that the Canadiens have three NHL-caliber goaltenders right now, it’s the right approach. All too often in hockey, when a player gets too comfortable, he loses his footing.

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The Senators have added some local flair to their blue line, signing veteran defenceman Ben Hutton to a professional tryout.

Hutton was born in Brockville and raised in Prescott, making him a familiar name in these parts. He also spent more than 200 games in the CCHL with the Kemptville 73’s and Nepean Raiders before playing three seasons at the University of Maine.

The 33-year-old was the chosen by Vancouver in the fifth round of the 2012 NHL Draft, Hutton played his first four NHL seasons with the Canucks before stops with the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs.

He spent the past five seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights, serving primarily as a reliable depth defenceman who could step into the lineup when needed.

In all, Hutton has appeared in 575 NHL regular-season games, recording 30 goals and 139 points. He also won a Cup with Vegas in 2023, appearing in two games during that run.

Last season, the six-foot-three, 209-pound left-shot D played 55 regular-season games for the Knights, contributing six goals and 15 points. He also dressed for seven playoff games and recorded one assist as Vegas advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.

Hutton’s year-to-year totals have fluctuated, partly because of injuries and partly because of his position on a deep Vegas blue line.

But his 55 games last season showed that he remains capable of handling a fairly steady NHL workload.

At a glance, the Sens don't have an obvious opening for Hutton on the left side. Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot are firmly established in the top four, while Tyler Kleven is expected to hold down the third-pairing role. But all three missed time with injury last year, and there isn't really an obvious fill-in at the AHL level.

The uncertainty is on the right side, where Artem Zub will miss the start of camp as he continues recovering from the lower-body injury he suffered in the playoffs last spring.

Head coach Travis Green said Wednesday that Zub is skating and could rejoin the team within the next week or two. That timetable doesn’t sound especially concerning, but with a compressed training camp, the Sens have to be ready with a backup plan. 

Without Zub, the Senators would almost certainly begin camp with Jordan Spence, Carter Yakemchuk and Nikolas Matinpalo filling the three right-side positions. That would put both Yakemchuk and Matinpalo inside the top six, while leaving the club without an obvious option for the seventh-defenceman job.

Hutton's arrival probably changes that. 

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was first published in The Hockey News. For more Sens coverage at The Hockey News, click on one of the latest THN Ottawa headlines below:

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Vegas Golden Knights General Manager Kelly McCrimmon doesn’t mince words. He speaks with conviction, and he means every word he says. 

His statement about inking Golden Knights captain Mark Stone to a two-year contract extension was par for the course.

“The organization shifted when we acquired Mark Stone,” said McCrimmon. “For me, that was the player that we thought could be a star— [and he] has been a star. When you factor in the character of his leadership and what he’s meant to the organization, he’s just been a tremendous, tremendous player for the Golden Knights.”

Stone, who has played exactly 400 games in a Golden Knights sweater, is coming off a career year. In 60 games, he scored 28 goals and posted a career-best 73 points. Stone was a crucial part of the Golden Knights’ lethal power play— he scored nine goals and 27 points on the man advantage.

“With him going into the final year of his contract, we were really excited to keep him with our organization for this year, plus two more,” said McCrimmon. “He feels great, and he had one of his best years last year.”

Stone’s on-ice play speaks for itself. He’s an elite two-way winger who makes up for his lack of foot speed with one of the sharpest minds in the game. He kills penalties and is on the ice in every late-game scenario. He’s one of the most underappreciated players in the game, but those lucky enough to watch or play with Stone on a nightly basis have nothing but good things to say about him.

“I think the people in this room appreciate Mark’s contributions as much as anyone does,” said McCrimmon.

If anyone has earned the right to retire a Golden Knight, it’s Mark Stone. He’s the team’s emotional leader, and the amount of effort he gives every game is never in question.

“He’s our original leader,” McCrimmon finished. “I think that we’re thrilled with his level of play, his leadership, and everything that goes with him being our captain.”

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Jimmy Snuggerud isn’t going anywhere and won’t be going anywhere for a while.

Despite not being a part of a flurry of NHL players to get in long-term contracts that could go as long as eight years by the end of the Collective Bargain Agreement that ended on Tuesday at 11 p.m. (CT) before the new CBA kicked in that only offers max contracts at seven years, the first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft by the St. Louis Blues isn’t concerned about not getting something done by Tuesday.

“No, not at all,” Snuggerud said Thursday after Blues opened training camp for the 2026-27 season. “I think there’s certain ways teams do things and every player is different honestly. Every guy goes through talks and what not. Nothing really occurred and I’m just happy to keep going here. Like I said, it’ll all take care of itself. I’m not too concerned with it.”

Snuggerud, who had 51 points (21 goals, 30 assists) in 70 games in his first full NHL season, enters this season in the final year of his entry-level contract and will be quite the bargain at a $950,000 cap hit that includes a $1.55 million average annual value. But what about beyond? We won’t speculate, but it’s a known factor that the 22-year-old, who was recently engaged, will get a nice, hefty payday. Depending on what the term and dollars come to eventually, Snuggerud has no desire to get a deal done with anyone but the team that drafted him and he most certainly sees himself here for the long term as part of the core.

“For sure. I want to be here,” Snuggerud said. “I would love to be here for as long as I can. I love this city. I love everything about it. It’s calm, people are really nice. Fans are crazy and the home games are fun. When I say it’s going to take care of itself, I think just come to the rink every day and try to do my best as I possibly can. Obviously I would love to be here for as long as possible. I love what we’re doing, the direction has a purpose.”

There were a flurry of deals done on Tuesday by other teams, including Cutter Gauthier (six years, $13.5 million AAV) with the Anaheim Ducks; Drake Batherson (eight years, $10.75 million AAV) with the Ottawa Senators; Ryan Leonard (eight years, $10.75 million AAV) and Justin Sourdif (eight years, $6.35 million AAV) with the Washington Capitals; Luke Evangelista (five years, $7.25 million) with the New Jersey Devils, and Alex Newhook (four years, $5.55 million AAV) with the Montreal Canadiens.

Batherson, Leonard and Sourdif took the max eight years and got their payday now, some didn’t, and in Snuggerud’s case, he preferred to wait it out. And that’s OK with both the player and the team.

It doesn’t mean the Blues aren’t looking at the dynamics and what’s been going on around the league.

“We spend a lot of time discussing all these things internally and what the options are, but at the end of the day, we’re back to our philosophy on how we want to approach it,” Blues general manager Alex Steen said. “We do our best to continually communicate with the players and the representatives. We don’t want our players guessing anything so we keep them as informed as we can and we go from there.”

President of hockey operations Doug Armstrong signed two players coming out of his entry-level contract to long-term deals immediately: Vladimir Tarasenko (eight years, $60 million, $7.5 million AAV) in 2015 and Alex Pietrangelo (seven years, $45.5 million, $6.5 million AAV) in 2013.

“Yeah we've kept an eye on everything that's going on,” Armstrong said. “Our belief all along has been 'trust but verify' on our players. Our philosophy isn't like philosophies of other groups and I'm not saying what's right or wrong -- to rub the crystal ball and to hope things might happen and work out.

“Since 2010, I think we've had two players come out of entry level that signed long-term extensions and that was Tarasenko and Pietrangelo, both second-team All-Stars after their third year. So yeah, my belief and I've shared it with Alex (Steen) and he agrees with me, we trust these guys. We want them to get rich. We want to pay them. We just want to make sure that they've earned that paycheck. So we're willing to allow them to play like we did last year with Broberg and Holloway.”

The Blues signed Broberg to a six-year, $48 million extension ($8 million AAV) on Jan. 10, then extended Holloway on May 1 for five years at $38.75 million ($7.75 million AAV), opting to go for shorter term than the max.

So for Snuggerud, his next contract could fall anywhere in the five to six, and up to seven years, and if making a comparable, he could very well fall into a category that Leonard got in Washington. Just let the process play out and it will get done.

“Come to the rink every single day and do my job,” Snuggerud said. “I’d say it’s there, but I’m not thinking about it. I think I can speak for everyone in this room. We just want to win games and contracts take care of themselves if you win games. I think everyone in here wants to do it. There’s a lot of guys other than me that are going through the same thing. I’d say it’s there, but I just want to win.”

And if you think Snuggerud will want to go for the fame and fortune, think again. He’s not a big city guy coming from Minneapolis. St. Louis is his style of place to live.

“Growing up in the Midwest, it kind of has that Midwest feel,” Snuggerud said of St. Louis. “There’s not too much going on. It’s relaxed, it’s calm and it’s nice to have that. You don’t really get that everywhere in other cities. Kind of that homey feeling that you get. When you get into the games, the fans are unbelievable and they care so much about us.

“I’m just kind of that low-key, relaxed guy.”

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