The results are in, 39 of our reporters and editors voted on a wide-array of questions related to the upcoming NHL season, including who will win the Stanley Cup and other major individual awards. 

Some other fun questions like which coach will be fired first, who will experience buyer's remorse and which city will be awarded the next franchise — and more!

With the season fast approaching and the Minnesota Wild playing its first game on Thursday, it is time to see where the Wild slotted in predictions.

Minnesota ranked first in the Presidents Trophy ranking along with the defending Stanley Cup Champions Carolina Hurricanes.

Out of the 39 writers, the Wild and Hurricanes totaled 16 votes (8 each) for a tie of first place. They were followed by Colorado, Florida, Edmonton, Dallas and Tampa Bay.

The Wild finished third in the Central Divison behind Dallas and Colorado last season and finished seventh in the NHL with a 46-24-12 (104Pts) record. The Avalanche won the Presidents Trophy last year with a 55-16-11 (121Pts) record.

I'm guessing a full season of Quinn Hughes and the breakouts of Matt Boldy, Brock Faber and Jesper Wallstedt played a big reason in everyones prediction.

See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

On Monday, the Winnipeg Jets claimed Washington Capitals depth goaltender Clay Stevenson on Monday, adding the 27-year-old Drayton Valley, Alberta native in what is likely a move to fill their backup role.

Speculation had suggested Winnipeg might look to bring back Eric Comrie, last season's backup, after he was placed on waivers. Instead, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff opted for new blood, landing the longtime Hershey Bears standout from the AHL.

Stevenson has established himself as a reliable goaltender at the minor-league level over the four seasons since turning pro. He opened his AHL career with a 3-0-0 record, a 1.96 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage in his first three games. Across his AHL career, he is 63-31-11 with a 2.50 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage in 109 starts.

Clay Stevenson makes a game-saving breakaway stop in overtime! pic.twitter.com/wbQ9qgFOdN

— Bears Hockey Nation (@HBHNationBlog) December 14, 2024

During the 2024-25 season, Stevenson's play earned him his NHL debut, where he faced off against the Pittsburgh Penguins and was solid in a 5-2 loss, stopping 33 of 38 shots. He was recalled again this past season and impressed once more, going 3-1-0 through four starts with a 2.00 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage.

Stevenson now looks at his best chance yet to secure a regular NHL role. For Cheveldayoff, the claim is a low-cost, high-reward addition, and one that gives Winnipeg a fresh option behind its starter as the season approaches.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The rough times continued on Broadway last year.

Head coach Mike Sullivan’s arrival did little to help the reeling club, as they found themselves on the outside looking in at the playoff picture once again. The Rangers underperformed and battled injuries to key pieces throughout the season, finishing in the basement of the Eastern Conference with a 34-39-9 record.

GM Chris Drury continued his retool ahead of the deadline and carried it into the offseason, making some intriguing additions along the way. None was more notable than new top scorer Pavel Dorofeyev, who was inked to a seven-year contract extension shortly after being acquired from the Golden Knights. 

Drury bulked up the depth to try to survive any injuries and revamped the d-core with hopes of getting things trending back in the right direction -- whether it will be enough remains to be seen.

What the Rangers have going for them…

They return an offensive core that showed some positives down the stretch in what was an otherwise very disappointing season from top-to-bottom. The trio of Gabe Perreault, Mika Zibanejad, and Alexis Lafreniere showed a tremendous connection over the closing weeks and they will be back together to start the year. 

You also have to hope that captain J.T. Miller will be able to put together a bounce back showing after he dealt with injuries throughout last season. Sliding in next to Dorofeyev should go a long way towards helping him, too. 

On top of that, Drury made some low-risk forward additions to lengthen the lineup and bolster the wing depth. 

Oliver Bjorkstrand was a consistent 20-goal scorer until his production dropped off last season with the Lightning, he’ll look to rebound alongside Miller and Dorofeyev on the second line. Eeli Tolvanen is an interesting add with Will Cuylle and Noah Laba as both look to take another step forward on the third line, as well. 

Then you have the defense, which returns a steady top pair of a healthy Adam Fox and last year’s big free agent addition, Vladislav Gavrikov. They also brought in a new second unit with veteran Marcus Petterson and the puck-moving Sean Durzi, both of whom Drury hand picked in offseason trades. 

Braden Schneider is bumped down to the third pairing, back on a one-year prove-it deal, and he’ll skate with this year’s first-round pick Alberts Smits, who proved that he is NHL-ready in camp.  

Then you add in the rest of the up-and-coming young talent in the system up front and on the back end such as Scott Morrow, Drew Fortescue, Liam Greentree, and Cole Beaudoin among others. Depth, depth, depth is the big thing for this group -- they have the makings of a team ready to take some steps forward this season. 

The Rangers will make the playoffs if…

Everything comes together as planned. 

As both Drury and Sullivan mentioned during their pre-camp news conference, one of the biggest things that hurt them last season was losing Fox and Shesterkin for long periods to injury. The Blueshirts bulked up their depth so they could potentially withstand another absence, but they absolutely need a fully healthy season from both of their stars. 

They also need to get off to a better start this season, especially on home ice. 

New York struggled mightily at MSG last season, losing 15 of their first 25 games at the arena, putting them in a deep hole they were unable to recover from. Playing better hockey in front of the NYC faithful is an absolute must, especially with 10 of their first 17 games this year being on home ice.

Dorofeyev carrying over his goal-scoring ways would go a long way towards that, with him having found the back of the net 35+ times each of the last two seasons with the Golden Knights. 

On top of that, they need the complimentary pieces to step up around him, particularly Miller, who is coming off an injury-plagued and unproductive first year as Rangers captain. Getting him back to a 70-80 point player would be huge. 

The new defensive core will also need to click on the back end, tightening things up and putting together much more consistent efforts right off the bat in front of Shesterkin. 

While the Metropolitan Division is getting more and more competitive, Drury seemingly has raised the floor on this squad. If all of these things come together, the Blueshirts should be able to climb their way right back into the playoff picture.

The Rangers will miss the playoffs if…

They can’t make up the production left behind after moving top scorer Artemi Panarin (deadline) and do it all center Vincent Trocheck (offseason). 

Panarin hurts in the goal-scoring department, an area New York struggled with even while he was still on Broadway, and Trocheck stings on both ends of the ice. If their new-look top-six can’t step up and put the puck in the net on a nightly basis, this team isn’t going to go very far for the third straight season. 

One of the biggest keys is also for Shesterkin to stay on the ice and return to the Vezina-winning form that carried them deep into their past postseason runs. Everything can come together in front of Shesterkin, but if he isn’t leading the way between the pipes it’s hard to see them crawling out of the cellar any time soon. 

Drury made aggressive moves to try to quickly work through this retool. Whether it will be enough remains to be seen. 

Prediction

Fifth place in Metropolitan Division, miss playoffs

This team has the pieces to take a step forward this season. The floor has been raised, but it’s hard to tell exactly what their ceiling is. The Rangers should be able to work their way back into playoff contention, but a lot has to go right for them to go much further than that. 

I do expect that they’ll be playing meaningful hockey and fighting for a spot down the stretch, but with the Wild Card race expected to be tight once again, I don’t think it’ll be enough to snap the two-year playoff drought. 

Drury’s seat would figure to only get hotter after parting ways with legit assets in this quick retool if the team doesn't get over the hump.

The start of the 2026-27 NHL regular season has nearly arrived, with the Toronto Maple Leafs' season opener coming on Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena.

With that, the team's NHL roster is essentially set, with the latest move being defenseman Nick Blankenburg signing a one-year contract with the Leafs for $1.4 million. The 28-year-old earned that contract after joining Toronto's training camp on a PTO.

The Maple Leafs now have eight NHL defensemen in their system. It will be a challenge for the team to distribute ice time for that depth, especially for blueliners like Troy Stecher, Emil Andrae and Blankenburg, who all float around the mix for the sixth or seventh defenseman role.

However, Chayka sees that depth as a real plus for his squad.

"I've never had an NHL head coach say we have too many good quality defensemen," Chayka said after Monday's practice at Scotiabank Arena. "So, just any time we got a chance to get a defenseman that we thought could skate, move the puck, defend, join the rush, facilitate offense. 

"We wanted to get as many of those guys as we could. So just more kind of circumstantial in what was available. But whether it's through injuries or performance or, you know, different variables, you know, these things seem to sort themselves out. So we're happy we're not in the other position, looking for guys," he added.

Maple Leafs Sign Nick Blankenburg To One-Year Deal Worth A Reported $1.4M: Full Roster & Salary Cap ImplicationsWith the opening night roster deadline looming, the Maple Leafs are set to turn Nick Blankenburg’s tryout into a one-year, $1.4 million contract, a move that brings needed blue-line depth while also triggering critical LTIR gymnastics to stay cap compliant.

There is a little less of a cluster for Toronto's forward group in terms of extra forwards on the NHL roster. But that doesn't mean the Leafs don't have depth in that position either.

Steven Lorentz, who has played 80 and 71 regular-season games for the Maple Leafs in the past two seasons, respectively, was waived and sent down to the AHL's Toronto Marlies just before the team left for their team-bonding trip to Arizona.

So whatever happens - injuries or players being unavailable - there are options for head coach Jim Hiller.

Center Bo Groulx, who played 13 games for the Maple Leafs in the NHL last season, appears to be locked in as an extra forward. He's practiced with the team consistently leading up to the start of the coming season.

Updated 2026-27 Toronto Maple Leafs Roster, Spots Becoming Clearer As Club Makes More Cuts Ahead Of Opening NightThe Leafs have cut camp down to a near-opening-night group, leaving 14 forwards, eight defencemen and two goalies still in the NHL mix five days before Montreal.

"Bo obviously had a good season last season, came up, but I played well," Chayka said. "Throughout the playoffs, I thought he was a key member of that team. I think we're blessed with a lot of good depth. Credit to Ryan Hardy and John Gruden, and really the leadership group down there. 

Chayka and the Maple Leafs' management's trust in some of their depth players doesn't end with Groulx. 

"There's a number of guys that are in the system who, you know, we feel completely comfortable with playing NHL games, and Bo at this time is going to get a sample size, hopefully, to show what he can do, but hard-earned, happy for him," he said.

See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source

---

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Despite the smashing success that was the 2025-26 season, the Philadelphia Flyers are not favored to repeat as a playoff team heading into 2026-27.

Popular NHL analytics site MoneyPuck released its first predictions of the 2026-27 season, outlining each NHL team's chance to make the playoffs, reach the Stanley Cup Final, win their division, the number of points they are expected to reach, and more.

For now, the Flyers are starting off in the bottom half of the NHL with their 43.1% chance of making the playoffs, which notably ranks below teams like the Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils, Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres, and Utah Mammoth.

Those odds put the Flyers in the same tier as teams like the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets, who have 42.2% and 41.9% chances of making the playoffs, respectively.

MoneyPuck also projects the Flyers to have a 20.1% chance of reaching the second round of the playoffs, as they did last year; a 9.2% chance of reaching the third round; a 4.3% chance of reaching the Stanley Cup Final; a 2% chance of winning the Cup, and 6% chance of winning the Metropolitan Division.

As for points, MoneyPuck has the Flyers sitting at 93.4 points, which would be a five-point regression from the 98 they amassed last season.

Should the Flyers be underdogs?

At first glance, it does make some sense that the Flyers are not exactly expected to repeat as a playoff team for the second year in a row.

Outside of the addition of backup goalie Joseph Woll and the attempt to bring in superstar center Leo Carlsson on an offer sheet, the Flyers bumbled through a mostly nondescript offseason where their only other noteworthy addition was veteran center Noel Acciari, who came over from the slightly more favored Pittsburgh.

Plus, teams that missed the playoffs last season, like Washington and New Jersey, made considerable upgrades in contrast, adding players like Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou, Boone Jenner, Luke Evangelista, Anthony Mantha, and Evan Rodrigues.

The Flyers can look at full seasons of Porter Martone and Tyson Foerster as new additions of their own, while David Jiricek and Simon Benoit should be able to contribute more than Emil Andrae and Noah Juulsen did last year.

Woll, too, is a considerable upgrade on the departed Sam Ersson, who went 14-11-5 with a .870 save percentage in his final season with the Flyers last year.

Comparatively, Pittsburgh's best players aren't getting any younger, and they'll be rocking an unproven tandem in goal with Sergei Murashov and Arturs Silovs.

Columbus has dealt with some major distractions between Zach Werenski, Adam Fantilli, and now Kirill Marchenko, and defenseman Dante Fabbro will begin the year on injured reserve.

With a fast start, the Flyers should quickly overtake some of their peers in the eyes of the public.

The Florida Panthers hit the ice for a final practice in Fort Lauderdale on Monday morning before embarking on their season-opening road trip.

It’s the first time we received a look at what could very well be head coach Paul Maurice’s Opening Night roster.

There were 21 players on the ice, including 12 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders.

Among them was new Panthers forward Brady Tkachuk.

His last action came during Florida’s second preseason game on Tuesday night in Sunrise, when he played the first two periods but not the third.

Afterwards, Maurice downplayed any sort of injury, instead saying something that tightened up on Tkachuk and that he was expected back on the ice in the short term.

After sitting out a few practices, Tkachuk is good to go for Opening Night.

“He’s ready to roll,” Maurice said Monday.

Now it appears that the Cats will enter the season with only one regular player – Brad Marchand – missing from the lineup.

Marchand has been skating and working his way back from offseason surgery, with the expectation that he will be able to jump into the Panthers’ lineup sometime in November.

Florida rolling without many healthy scratches is something we’ve seen in the past from healthy Panthers squads, so it’s not terribly surprising to see the Cats apparently heading down that route again.

Here is how Maurice had the Panthers lined up during Monday’s skate:

Brady Tkachuk – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sandis Vilmanis

Boko Imama – Lars Eller – Garnet Hathaway

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

Dmitry Kulikov – Radko Gudas

Seventh defenseman – Uvis Balinskis

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Florida Panthers Place Eight Players On NHL Waivers; Sign Nathan Bastian To NHL Contract

Brady Tkachuk Expected To Resume Skating; Panthers Coach Paul Maurice Not Worried About Season Opening Availability

Examining Detailed Artwork On Masks Belonging To New Panthers Goaltenders 

Florida Panthers, Vladimir Tarasenko Reportedly 'Eyeing Each Other' 

The Hockey Show: Healthy Panthers Ready To Resume Cup Contention, Interesting Trade Proposal Involving Florida, Hellebuyck, Larkin

Panthers To Start Cooper Black Against Lightning's NHL-Looking Lineup

Sasha Barkov Scores No-Look Goal, Brady Tkachuk Stays Hot In Preseason Shootout Loss

The Carolina Hurricanes ended a 20-year championship drought last season.

Can they make it two in a row?

USA TODAY Sports' NHL experts believe the Hurricanes will win the Metropolitan Division again, but none expect the team to reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2026-27.

Two of the three picked a Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1993, going with the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens. The third picked a more recent champion, the Florida Panthers, who won back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025 and have Aleksander Barkov back from an ACL injury.

Here are USA TODAY's predictions for division winners, Stanley Cup Final and champion, plus four major awards winners:

2026-27 NHL season predictions

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who will win the Stanley Cup? Expert predictions for 2026-27 NHL season

Several former Buffalo Sabres players hit the waiver wire on Sep. 27, as Henri Jokiharju, Sam Lafferty, Ilya Lyubushkin, and Vinne Hinostroza have all been waived by their current clubs.

With the Boston Bruins having a crowded blueline, Jokiharju has become the odd man. The former Sabres defenseman appeared in 41 games last season for Boston, where he recorded two goals, 15 points, and a plus-2 rating. 

Lafferty was placed on waivers by the Florida Panthers after signing with them this off-season. This comes after the former Sabres forward recorded one goal and one assist in 29 games with the Chicago Blackhawks last season.

Lyubushkin being placed on waivers comes after the Nashville Predators acquired him from the Dallas Stars during the summer. The former Sabres defenseman recorded one goal, nine points, 68 hits, and a plus-1 rating in 53 games last season for Dallas. 

As for Hinostroza, he has been waived by the Colorado Avalanche. The 32-year-old forward split last season between the Minnesota Wild and Florida Panthers, where he recorded six goals and 18 points in 65 games.

Sandis Vilmanis wasn't a first-round pick, nor does he come from a country with a rich hockey history, but all he's done is put his head down and work.

Before the Florida Panthers drafted him in the fifth round (157th overall) of the 2022 NHL draft, Vilmanis moved from Latvia, where he was born, to Sweden to play hockey. After being selected, he moved to Canada to play in the OHL. After two impressive seasons, he joined the Charlotte Checkers and continued to impress the organization.

Now entering the 2026-27 season, Vilmanis is preparing to not only make the opening night lineup but also play in the top nine alongside Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen. 

"I think he's a top-9 player all day long," said coach Paul Maurice of Vilmanis. "We don't have to wait three years for him to be impactful. ... He's got enough in his game right now for me to just play him. ... I've got lots of faith in that young man."

It's high praise, but Vilmanis deserves it. 

In his rookie AHL season in 2024-25, Vilmanis posted nine goals and 27 points, while showing defensive responsibility and physicality. In his sophomore season, Vilmanis' play warranted an NHL call-up.

He notched 17 goals and 38 points in 48 AHL games, but more importantly, he scored three goals and added five points in the 19 NHL games he skated in. 

His NHL role was that of a fourth-liner, but he was impactful. According to NaturalStatTrick.com, he posted a Corsi For percentage of 53.73 percent and an expected goals percentage of 55.04 percent at 5-on-5. The Panthers were even in goals for, at 7-7. 

In addition to his on-ice analytics, the 22-year-old took 15 shots on goal, threw 38 hits, and blocked five shots while averaging 10:23 of ice time. 

Florida Panthers, Vladimir Tarasenko Reportedly 'Eying Each Other'According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Florida Panthers and UFA Vladimir Tarasenko are reportedly "eying each other."

His NHL performance warranted a look during training camp, but the 6-foot-1, 192-pound left-handed winger continued to improve with a stellar performance at the World Championship. He scored four goals and led Latvia in points with 11 in just eight games. His 11 points ranked tied for fifth with NHL stars like Nico Hischier, Lucas Raymond, Timo Meier, and his Panthers teammate and captain, Aleksander Barkov.

Vilmanis did everything he could to prove he was ready for an NHL role, and with the unfortunate injuries to Brad Marchand and Jonah Gadjovich, he has the opportunity to do more than just stay in the NHL.

The Panthers' third line matters more than most NHL teams' third lines. Lundell and Luostarinen are critical to the Panthers' defensive game, both at 5-on-5 and on the penalty kill. They take plenty of defensive zone draws, as without Barkov last year, Lundell and Luostarinen had the most defensive zone starts on the team, despite Lundell missing 18 games and Luostarinen missing nine. 

Florida Panthers Place Eight Players On NHL Waivers; Sign Nathan Bastian To NHL ContractThe Florida Panthers placed eight players on NHL waivers on Sunday. They have also signed Nathan Bastian to an NHL contract following his PTO stint during pre-season.

Vilmanis will need to produce offensively alongside the Panthers' Finnish duo and be potent and responsible defensively. It's a fairly large ask for a 22-year-old still on an entry-level contract, but Maurice clearly holds Vilmanis in high regard and believes he is ready for the role. 

When Marchand returns and if the Panthers' lineup is healthy, where Vilmanis plays will be interesting to monitor, but for now, all Vilmanis can do is make that decision difficult. 

---

See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

The Detroit Red Wings are only days away from the start of the 2026-27 NHL regular season, and by late Monday afternoon, they will need to submit their final, cap-compliant opening-night roster.

While defenseman Simon Edvinsson remains unsigned despite being present at Training Camp, the Red Wings have announced that another defenseman is now unavailable, albeit for a different reason.

Jacob Bernard-Docker, whom the Red Wings signed last offseason and later extended to a two-year, $3.2 million contract, has been placed on Injured Reserve. 

#RedWings have placed D Jacob Bernard-Docker on Injured Reserve.

— NHL Rosters (@NHL_Rosters) September 28, 2026

This means that the chances of young defenseman Anton Johansson, who impressed during Training Camp and the preseason, could very well find himself on the Opening Night roster.

Additionally, the Red Wings recently claimed 6-foot-4 defenseman Andreas Englund off waivers from the Calgary Flames. 

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

Last season, Bernard-Docker skated in 63 games, scoring one goal with four assists along with 25 penalty minutes.

He's appeared in 207 career NHL games with the Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres and Red Wings, and has tallied seven goals with 22 assists, 82 penalty minutes, and has a minus-one rating. 

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

While the Montreal Canadiens had a day off on Sunday, the Habs brass worked hard on roster decisions. As reported yesterday, a group of players was put on waivers while another group, which didn’t have to clear waivers, was assigned to the Laval Rocket. That group included Jacob Fowler, Owen Beck, and David Reinbacher.

While Fowler wouldn’t have looked out of place on the NHL roster, Samuel Montembeault’s bounce-back performance sealed his fate. The Bécancour native has earned the right to back up Jakub Dobes, and while he won’t be with the Canadiens long-term, this is the last year of his contract; Fowler may need a bit more patience before the coast is clear. Of course, Montembeault could be traded, but that’s far from guaranteed, as there doesn’t seem to be much of a market for him right now.

Canadiens Goaltenders Wearing Works of Art
Suzuki Runner-Up For Selke In THN Poll
Canadiens: Did Reinbacher Do Enough? Apparently Not.

As for Beck, nobody was surprised to see him head back to Laval; he’s a good player who does everything well but nothing fantastically well. He doesn’t fill a gap in the Canadiens’ lineup the way Florian Xhekaj brings sandpaper.

Reinbacher’s return to Laval is also somewhat surprising, especially since Kaiden Guhle is injured, but he's done enough to earn a call-up as soon as circumstances warrant it. It also seems inevitable that the Habs will need to make room on their blueline sooner rather than later. Jayden Struble, Arber Xhekaj, Engstrom and Reinbacher could all play in the NHL, but once Guhle is healthy, they’ll all be fighting for a single spot.

On Monday morning, Martin St-Louis ran his first practice of the real season. Only 23 players were on the ice since Oliver Kapanen was missing and is now considered day-to-day. As for Guhle, he was on the ice, but unlike Saturday morning, when he joined the team in practice, he wore a no-contact jersey. With Kapanen missing, the following lines and pairings were used at practice:

Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Chris Kreider

Juraj Slafkovsky – Alex Newhook – Ivan Demidov

Alexandre Texier – Phillip Danault- Kirby Dach

Zachary Bolduc – Jake Evans – Josh Anderson

Extra: Florian Xhekaj. If Kapanen had been available, chances are Dach would have been right next to the youngest Xhekaj as an extra. Newhook slides in nicely at second C with his speed, but when Kapanen is healthy, he’s likely to go right back in that spot while Newhook goes down a line, making Dach surplus to requirements. St-Louis has already confirmed that Kapanen will not play on Tuesday.

Mike Matheson – Noah Dobson

Lane Hutson – Alexandre Carrier

Jayden Struble – Arber Xhekaj

Extra: Adam Engstrom. He took reps with Guhle, which more than likely means he’ll be the seventh defenseman on Tuesday night.

Jakub Dobes

Samuel Montembeault

As for the power play, TVA Sports’ Anthony Martineau reports that the second unit features Bolduc, Newhook, Kreider, Dobson and Texier. The first unit remains intact as both Hutson and Demidov were back on the ice this morning.

It’s unusual to see the Canadiens with 14 forwards on their roster, so you have to wonder whether Kent Hughes might be working on a trade right now. According to insider Frank Seravalli, the Edmonton Oilers are very interested in trading for Kirby Dach. Stan Bowman, who was the Chicago Blackhawks GM when they picked Dach third overall in 2019, is now the Oilers GM, so there’s a link there. Warren Rychel, an Oilers scout, attended the game between the Habs and the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night, but Dach wasn’t playing in Montreal that night, but rather in Ottawa. Could the two teams be working on a multi-piece trade? Are the Oilers having buyer’s remorse over the often-injured Frederik Andersen and are considering Montembeault? Time will tell.

It will be interesting to see what the lineup looks like tomorrow night against the Toronto Maple Leafs as the puck officially drops on the season, the coach refrained from announcing his starting netminder.

---

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

Nick Blankenburg turned his opportunity with the Toronto Maple Leafs into an NHL contract.

The Maple Leafs signed the former Colorado Avalanche defenseman to a one-year, $1.4 million deal Sunday after Blankenburg joined the club on a professional tryout. For the Avalanche, it marks another chapter in the story of a player who made a memorable impact in a short stint with Colorado.

The Avalanche acquired Blankenburg at the 2025-26 trade deadline, bringing in the right-handed defenseman to add depth to the blue line for the stretch run.

Blankenburg appeared in 12 regular-season games with Colorado, scoring twice and adding an assist for three points.

He also suited up in five playoff games.

His biggest moment came in Game 2 of Colorado’s second-round series against the Minnesota Wild. Blankenburg scored his first career playoff goal with his parents watching from the stands, making the moment even more meaningful for the 28-year-old defenseman.

Colorado ultimately chose not to bring Blankenburg back in free agency. Instead, the Avalanche turned their attention to Noah Juulsen, who had spent the previous season with the Philadelphia Flyers, as they continued to build out their defensive depth.

Blankenburg found another opportunity with Toronto.

After earning a PTO with the Maple Leafs, he made enough of an impression to secure a one-year contract worth $1.4 million.

The deal comes after Blankenburg recorded a career-best season offensively between Nashville and Colorado. He finished the 2025-26 campaign with eight goals and 16 assists.

Blankenburg has now appeared in 178 NHL games, recording 18 goals and 40 assists.

For the Avalanche, Blankenburg’s time in Colorado was brief, but it included a series of memorable moments. Now, he gets another chance to establish himself in Toronto.

How do you think Blankenburg will fare in Canada? Let us know down below.

The St. Louis Blues are starting their season with some difficult injury news.

On Monday, the team announced that Logan Mailloux and Tyler Tucker will start the season on the injured reserve.

Mailloux underwent hand surgery on Sunday, Sept. 27, and will be re-evaluated in eight weeks. Mailloux suffered his injury during a physical encounter with the Chicago Blackhawks. The 23-year-old dropped the gloves with enforcer Cole Smith in the first period. The two were charged with five-minute majors, and Mailloux exited the game and did not return following the fight.

Mailloux was slated to start the season on the top pair with Philip Broberg after showing strong chemistry with him through the end of the 2025-26 season. This is a major blow for both Mailloux and the Blues' defensive core.

As for Tucker, he has been labeled week to week with a lower-body injury. He sustained the injury during practice, forcing him to leave early. He has not resumed skating and will be sidelined.

Tucker seemingly lost his NHL opening-night lineup spot to Theo Lindstein, but was set to be the seventh defenseman to start the season. With a week-to-week timeline, it's unclear when we might see Tucker healthy. The Blues will hope for the best, but in the meantime, they've made moves to counter the injuries.

Blues' Tyler Tucker Tweaks Knee In Practice; Will Be Re-Evaluated In A Few DaysSt. Louis Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker tweaked his knee in practice, according to coach Jim Montgomery, and it won't be a day-to-day ailment. The 26-year-old will be re-evaluated in a couple of days, and no timeline has been provided.

Over the weekend, the Blues claimed right-handed 24-year-old defenseman Justin Barron off waivers from the Nashville Predators. He joins the Blues with 208 games of NHL experience, including a 52-game campaign last year.

They also recalled 2024 first-round pick Adam Jiricek. The 20-year-old looked stellar in his pre-season action, showing he is closer to being NHL-ready than most had presumably thought. 

He could easily find himself in the opening-night lineup on Friday and, if given the opportunity, run with it and be a key contributor all season long. The Blues will, of course, remain patient with his development, but so far, Jiricek has given no signs that this is too much for him to handle. 

---

See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Los Angeles Kings are bringing back plenty of familiar voices for the 2026-27 season, with John Kelly once again leading the television broadcast alongside longtime analyst Jim Fox.

ABTV and the Kings announced their broadcast team Monday, confirming Kelly will return for his second season as the team’s lead play-by-play announcer. Fox, one of the most recognizable voices in Kings history, will once again join him in the booth.

Kelly has been calling NHL games since 1989 and is entering his 39th season as an NHL broadcaster. Josh Schaefer will also return to handle play-by-play duties for select games throughout the season.

Fox will serve as the team’s lead analyst. He has spent more than four decades with the Kings organization, first as a player and later as a broadcaster.

Former Kings Jarret Stoll and Daryl Evans will also be part of the coverage, providing analysis during “LA Kings Live” pregame, postgame and intermission shows. Both will rotate into the analyst role for select games during the season.

Patrick O’Neal and Carrlyn Bathe are returning as hosts of “LA Kings Live,” while Bathe will also report from rinkside during broadcasts.

The Kings will also have two familiar alumni joining the television coverage for select games. Tony Granato and Alec Martinez will appear as analysts during the season.

Granato spent seven of his 13 NHL seasons with Los Angeles before going on to coach the Colorado Avalanche, Team USA and the University of Wisconsin. Martinez, a 16-year NHL veteran and three-time Stanley Cup champion, will make his broadcasting debut with the Kings this season.

The first Kings broadcast of the season is scheduled for Sept. 26, when Los Angeles faces the Anaheim Ducks in the preseason finale. That game will be available for free on the DAZN app.

Regular-season coverage begins Oct. 3, when the Kings visit the San Jose Sharks.

ABTV will be available through participating cable, satellite and streaming providers, including Spectrum, DIRECTV and Cox.

Fans who do not have a traditional television subscription can also stream available local Kings games through DAZN, subject to national broadcast restrictions. Some fans whose television package includes ABTV may also be able to access games through the DAZN app using their provider credentials.

The Kings are also expected to have select games available over the air this season, with the full schedule and station information to be announced at a later date.

Training camp offered possibilities. The preseason provided evidence. Now the Pacific Division is ready to answer the questions that actually matter.

An offseason filled with coaching changes, significant roster turnover and an influx of young talent has reshaped a division that suddenly looks far less predictable. Established contenders remain near the top, but several emerging teams used the preseason to demonstrate that last year’s standings may not provide much of a roadmap for what comes next.

Some clubs exited camp with greater confidence in their depth and goaltending. Others watched prospects accelerate timelines and force difficult roster decisions. A few enter opening night still searching for answers after uneven exhibition performances exposed familiar concerns.

Preseason records alone shouldn't determine expectations. Lineups constantly changed, veterans were rested and organizations prioritized evaluation over results. But how teams performed, which roster battles were won and whether offseason additions addressed existing weaknesses provided valuable clues.

With the exhibitions complete and opening-night rosters taking shape, here’s how the Pacific stacks up heading into the 2026-27 season:

1. EDMONTON OILERS

• Last year’s record: 41-30-11
• Division finish: 2nd, Pacific
• Head Coach: Mike Babcock

Nobody in the Pacific finished camp better. Edmonton went 4-0-0, completing its perfect preseason with a convincing 4-1 win over Calgary. Connor McDavid and Kasperi Kapanen each produced a goal and assist, Zach Hyman scored on the power play and Devon Levi stopped 23 shots.

Kappy turned on the afterburners 🛫 #LetsGoOilerspic.twitter.com/IhbReDiHga

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) September 27, 2026

That matters because Edmonton's questions were never about McDavid or Leon Draisaitl; they centered on goaltending, depth and adapting to Babcock. Camp provided encouraging answers. Tristan Jarry stopped 25 shots in a 2-1 victory at Vancouver, while Levi looked sharp against Calgary. Isaac Howard also made a strong impression, scoring against Vancouver.

A perfect exhibition record guarantees nothing, but Edmonton's established stars looked ready and its secondary pieces contributed. The Oilers enter opening night with the division's best combination of elite offensive firepower and preseason momentum.

2. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

• Last year’s record: 39-26-17
• Division finish: 1st, Pacific
• Head Coach: Ryan Craig

Vegas drops one position, but this is hardly a downgrade of the defending Pacific champion. The Golden Knights won their first three preseason games before San Jose handed them a 4-2 loss in Saturday's finale, leaving Vegas 3-1-0.

The established nucleus remains formidable: Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, Mark Stone, Tomas Hertl and William Karlsson up front, with Shea Theodore, Noah Hanifin and Rasmus Andersson providing high-end ability from the blue line. Hertl scored Saturday, and Nic Dowd tied the game in the third before San Jose pulled away.

Herts and Bo were on it 🫡 https://t.co/t1kazQHg6Kpic.twitter.com/kopJxjy9tJ

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) September 27, 2026

The most encouraging camp development was Braeden Bowman remaining in the NHL conversation, while Trevor Connelly also received an extended look as Vegas searched for inexpensive young scoring around its veteran core. Earlier cuts sent Matyas Sapovaliv and others to Henderson.

Ryan Craig inherits a contender, not a construction project. Age and health remain legitimate concerns, but Vegas has depth, experience and enough elite talent to make another Pacific title entirely plausible.

3. SAN JOSE SHARKS

• Last year’s record: 39-35-8
• Division finish: 5th, Pacific
• Head Coach: Ryan Warsofsky

To be quite honest, San Jose entered camp as our No. 5 team. It leaves at No. 3.

The Sharks finished 2-1-1, but their final two victories mattered more than the record: a 10-0 demolition of Anaheim followed by Saturday's 4-2 win at Vegas. Macklin Celebrini and Mason Marchment each had a goal and assist Saturday, Michael Misa scored, and Yaroslav Askarov stopped 28 shots.

That's particularly significant because goaltending was San Jose's biggest concern entering camp.

Meanwhile, Ivar Stenberg became one of the NHL preseason's breakout stories. The No. 2 overall pick followed an impressive debut with a hat trick and four points against Anaheim, further strengthening an extraordinary young collection surrounding Celebrini, Will Smith and Misa.

Mack's first goal with the C! #TurnItAllTealpic.twitter.com/FRBE7cdxrn

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) September 27, 2026

Celebrini was also named captain after scoring 115 points last season. San Jose has supplemented its kids with veterans including Marchment, Dmitry Orlov, Jacob Trouba and Darnell Nurse.

The Sharks aren't merely interesting anymore. The question entering the season is how quickly this young talent can turn potential into consistent wins.

4. ANAHEIM DUCKS

• Last year’s record: 43-33-6
• Division finish: 3rd, Pacific
• Head Coach: Joel Quenneville

Anaheim's preseason produced extremes. Beckett Sennecke opened it with a hat trick in a 6-2 victory over San Jose. Later, San Jose crushed Anaheim 10-0, and the Ducks concluded preseason with a 6-2 loss to Los Angeles.

🚨 Sennecke 🚨

Leo to Becks on the power play!

We lead 2-1. pic.twitter.com/lJgucyFgRq

— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) September 26, 2026

Don't allow those ugly exhibition losses to obscure the roster's upside.

Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish and Sennecke give Anaheim an impressive collection of young forwards, while Tristan Luneau is positioned to assume a larger role on a remodeled defense. Anaheim's challenge is transforming exciting individual talent into consistency.

The final cuts also provided clarity. Anaheim reduced camp to 27 players Sunday, assigning Nico Myatovic, Stian Solberg and Noah Warren to San Diego while placing Laurent Brossoit and Travis Mitchell on waivers for assignment.

The Ducks remain dangerous because their best young players haven't reached their ceilings. But compared with Edmonton's polished preseason and San Jose's surge, Anaheim exits camp with more questions than it had when camp opened.

5. SEATTLE KRAKEN

• Last year’s record: 34-37-11
• Division finish: 6th, Pacific
• Head Coach: Lane Lambert

Seattle quietly produced one of the Pacific's better preseasons, finishing 3-1-0 despite losing Saturday's finale 4-3 at Vancouver. Brandon Montour had a goal and assist, Bobby McMann scored and Berkly Catton converted a beautiful third-period rush.

the claws are out‼️ pic.twitter.com/RH5q7StHiM

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) September 27, 2026

Catton is particularly important. Seattle desperately needs internal offensive growth after finishing near the bottom of the NHL in scoring last season, and its younger players consistently made noise throughout camp.

The Kraken also have more potential scoring depth after acquiring Mackie Samoskevich and signing McMann long term. Samoskevich arrives after career highs of 20 assists and 32 points with Florida.

Matty Beniers and Shane Wright still need to take major steps for Seattle to challenge the division's top teams, but the supporting cast appears to have improved.

The Kraken's 3-1 preseason shouldn't be overvalued. What matters more is *how* they achieved it - with contributions from young players and depth pieces they will need once the games count.

6. LOS ANGELES KINGS

• Last year’s record: 35-27-20
• Division finish: 4th, Pacific
• Head Coach: Peter Laviolette

Los Angeles saved its strongest statement for last, crushing Anaheim 6-2 Saturday. Scott Laughton, Alex Laferriere, Adrian Kempe, Andrei Kuzmenko, Quinton Byfield and Corey Perry supplied the goals.

That offensive variety is exactly what Peter Laviolette wants.

The Kings' identity is changing after Anze Kopitar's departure. Byfield now carries substantially greater responsibility at center, while Kempe and Kevin Fiala become even more important offensively. Drew Doughty assumes the captaincy and remains the defensive foundation.

Veteran additions Mats Zuccarello and Erik Haula should help offset some of the experience lost with Kopitar, although Zuccarello's status was one of the issues monitored during camp. Los Angeles also conducted a major 21-player cut after giving its bubble players multiple scrimmage opportunities.

ERIK! HAULA! pic.twitter.com/tRTnuAzUSe

— LA Kings (@LAKings) September 26, 2026

Enough established talent here to finish considerably higher than sixth. But the Kings must prove their new offensive approach works consistently while navigating the franchise's biggest leadership transition in years.

7. CALGARY FLAMES

• Last year’s record: 34-39-9
• Division finish: 7th, Pacific
• Head Coach: Ryan Huska

The Flames went 1-2-1 and lost 4-1 to Edmonton in their finale. Matt Coronato scored Calgary's only power-play goal, while Dustin Wolf made 24 saves.

Coronato's development is particularly important because Calgary's central problem remains offense. The Flames finished last in NHL scoring last season, meaning incremental improvement won't be enough. They need meaningful production from Coronato, Connor Zary, Morgan Frost and a healthy Jonathan Huberdeau.

The defense is more interesting. Simon Nemec gives Calgary another young, high-upside piece, while Jake Middleton adds experience and physicality. Wolf can still mask some deficiencies if he rebounds from last season.

Perfect passing play 🔥 pic.twitter.com/k5nShYEjyF

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) September 27, 2026

The concern coming out of preseason is that the basic equation hasn't changed. Calgary can defend, Wolf can steal games and the Flames have intriguing young pieces - but who consistently finishes?

Until that question is answered, Calgary remains behind the Pacific's deeper offensive teams.

8. VANCOUVER CANUCKS

• Last year’s record: 25-49-8
• Division finish: 8th, Pacific
• Head Coach: Manny Malhotra

Vancouver finally gave Manny Malhotra something tangible to build on in the finale.

After starting preseason 0-3, the Canucks beat Seattle 4-3 Saturday behind their established offensive players. Jake DeBrusk had three points, while Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson each produced a goal and assist. Vancouver rallied from 2-0 down and won late.

That's your game winner from 74. 👏 pic.twitter.com/Y3wcBuxjRV

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) September 27, 2026

That was precisely the response Malhotra wanted after a near full-strength Vancouver lineup had previously lost 2-1 to an Edmonton team loaded with youngsters.

Another concern heading into opening night: Filip Chytil has been placed on injured reserve and is expected to miss the start of the season after a preseason injury.

Pettersson remains capable of dramatically changing Vancouver's outlook, and the finale offered evidence that he, Boeser and DeBrusk can generate offense together. But one good exhibition game doesn't erase the questions surrounding a team coming off 25 wins.

Malhotra has a foundation. The Canucks still have the most to prove.

PHOTO CAPTION

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) shoots against the Vegas Golden Knights during the second period at T-Mobile Arena.

W.G. Ramirez is a veteran sports writer from Las Vegas and a Contributor at TheHockeyNews.com. Follow him on X at @WillieGRamirez.