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. 

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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. 

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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. 

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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
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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.

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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. 

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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.

Mike and Dan wrap up the Islanders preseason and prepare for the start of real games, while making two big announcements for this week.

The Islanders went 1-3 in the preseason, with some standout performances, a few injuries, a slew of guys sent to Hamilton and one free agent signing – hulking defenseman Logan Stanley. The games themselves didn’t do much to get us excited for the season, and some of the moves also left us feeling a little bit of deja vu. The Islanders are asking a largely holdover crew to reverse the path they’ve been on for several seasons. They can start by once again becoming hard to play against, something they haven’t been in a long, long time. It’s possible that they surprise us this season – waiving Pierre Engvall was one surprise – but we find ourselves on the doubting side when we should be at our most joyful.

In the second half, we talk about the games against the Maple Leafs and Devils that kick off the new campaign, and how beating two good but flawed teams would do wonders for our mood. The Islanders have only won 14 of 53 home openers, which is a pathetic number. It would be great to get No. 15 this Saturday. We also take a quick look around the rest of the NHL and see who we think will be good, bad, disastrously funny or fun to watch without the worry we always bring to Islanders games.

Be sure to come to Zofia’s Hideout, 84th Street in NYC on Wednesday for a meet up and viewing of the Islanders’ season opener. Or say hello to us on Saturday at the Islanders home opener at UBS Arena against the Devils. We’ll be in Sect. 101 in between periods.

REFERENCES:

• Islanders Trim Training Camp Roster
• Islanders Assign Aitcheson, Eiserman and George to Hamilton
• Welcome Logan Stanley Dean Witter.

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The Penguins would probably figure to not use waivers to boost their lineup, given all the depth they already have. However with four players placed on IR yesterday plus the statuses of Bryan Rust (injured) and Andrei Kuzmenko (personal) still up in the air for the start of the season, the waiver wire could hold a little more intrigue now than it might have recently given the outflow of bodies from the roster in recent days.

The timing for this works out, there are currently 71 player on waivers today that could be claimed and announced at 2pm eastern. Waiver claims are typically used by NHL teams as short-term patches and temporary fixes for the sort of issues that a team like Pittsburgh is dealing with right now. The majority of players waived at the beginning of the season tend to go back on the waiver wire once claimed, which would presumably be the situation in Pittsburgh since the main goal would be to get to the other side on the injuries their players are dealing with at the moment.

Here are some currently available candidates that stand out. The Penguins currently have 48 of their 50 available pro contracts spoken for, giving them the ability to add one player via waivers if they really wanted to do so.

Colin Blackwell, C, Dallas Stars

Blackwell is a speedy, pesky fourth-line grinder with legitimate defensive value. He’s only 5-foot-8, but he plays way bigger than that, with a gritty motor and a physical edge.

Blackwell is a black hole offensively (only four goals in 70 games and poor offensive play-driving metrics), but his defensive metrics are very solid, and he’s a high-quality penalty killer, having averaged over two minutes per game on Dallas’ 13th-ranked PK last season. He’s worth a look for a team that wants some shorthanded help and fourth-line speed.

Blake Lizotte was already back at practice yesterday, and if the team senses his absence will not last much longer then adding another player in that same sort of mold wouldn’t make much sense. However, given the current centers from practice yesterday were players who aren’t traditional PKers in Sidney Crosby, Tommy Novak and Hendrix Lapierre, plus the injured Lizotte, it’s not difficult to see that that if the Penguins were to dip into waivers at all for a temporary replacement if would be someone exactly like Blackwell who is known for his PK work and defensive impacts and can work as a center. Blackwell also adds some value of being a right-handed center, which the Penguins currently don’t have any of with Ben Kindel on IR.

Pittsburgh could always choose to go with what they’ve got, but if they don’t quite like the situation of PKers around at the moment (or if they need a fairly capable stand-in for Lizotte at that fourth line center spot for a couple of days or games) then grabbing someone like Blackwell would make sense, even if they’ll have to turn around and waive Blackwell themselves in the near future.

Sam Lafferty, C, Florida Panthers

Lafferty has appealing physical traits with a heavy 6-foot-2 frame and blazing-fast speed. He can serve as a fine fourth-line winger to play an uptempo north-south, dump-and-chase style and can play center in an emergency.

Lafferty is very limited, though — his offensive value is almost nil, and he doesn’t provide the PK value that another waiver option like Blackwell does.

Lafferty is a former Penguin, though he’s been gone since 2021 and the entire coaching and management has turned over in Pittsburgh since then to render those ties moot at this point. There is some connective tissue from the past, Kyle Dubas acquired Lafftery for Toronto in 2023 that’s probably more relevant than his previous Pittsburgh stint.

Much like the Blackwell note, this would be contingent on the statuses of Rust and Lizotte. If the team is pretty confident that one or both of those players will be back soon, they wouldn’t need Lafferty. If that’s not the case, then there could be some value in picking up a veteran option who is used to bouncing from team to team and providing some speed, energy and PK to tide the team over until their own options get back.

John Beecher, C, Florida Panthers

Beecher is never going to be known for his point production, but he’s a big forward who is a top skater in the league. His puck game is a significant issue, though, and he generates his value through his speed and compete. He could have value as a depth forward for a team.

The Pens seem to like their own internal options similar to Beecher (specifically, Elmer Soderblom and Fillip Hallander) more than someone like Beecher. Still, the same notes above apply for adding a 6’3”, 220 pound center who has some speed and ability to join the PK unit as a patch is out there if they want it.

Dylan Garand, G, New York Rangers

Garand has been inconsistent as a pro after a sterling junior career. He has the quickness, technique and reads of a legit pro goaltender, but he is on the smaller side, and although he moves well, he isn’t the truly premier athlete you would want for a barely 6-foot goalie. I see the argument for a pickup, but he’s probably a No. 3 goalie for an NHL team.

The Pens seem content and even eager to let Sergei Murashov have a shot at the NHL. Right now would be a way to pick up a goalie for free, though. Garand is 24 years old, he wouldn’t offer a lot of experience (his three career NHL games are even less than Murashov) so it might be off the table. But Garand has the ability and upside to think that some NHL team might take a chance and put a claim in for him. Dubas has been no stranger to accumulating mid-20’s talent and seeing what happens with the opportunity and it’s not like the current Penguin goaltending situation is solid enough to let this opportunity pass without even having a discussion.

—

In the end, the smart money might be on no activity this afternoon for the Pens. The appearance of Lizotte back in practice goes a long way in the hopes that his missed time won’t amount to enough to make it necessary to grab a replacement caliber player to fill in. Given the total quantity of injuries it’s at least a topic worthy of some debate to figure out just how the Penguins want to get through the early part of the season until some of their important depth players return to the lineup.

If the Senators were looking for bulletin-board material heading into the 2026-27 season, they didn't have to look very far.

They only had to visit NHL.com.

The NHL's official website released its annual predictions for the upcoming season, with 14 writers and editors selecting their division winners, wild-card teams and eventual Stanley Cup champion.

Not one of the 14 picked the Senators to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Zero.

That's a pretty notable snub for a team that reached the postseason in each of the past two seasons and only one impactful player loss.

But that's clearly the biggest reason for the national skepticism: Brady Tkachuk is gone.

The Senators finished fifth in the Atlantic Division last season with a 44-27-11 record and earned a playoff berth before being swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in the opening round.

But between an early season wrist injury, a brace he'd wear for most of the season, the distraction of podcasts and Olympics, and fading interest in being a Senator, Ottawa fans are keenly aware that losing last year's version of Tkachuk isn't all bad.

Every one of the 14 panelists selected three teams from the Atlantic Division, along with two wild-card teams from the Eastern Conference. The Sens weren't included in any of those selections.

Montreal, Florida and Tampa Bay were the three teams most frequently chosen from the Atlantic, while Buffalo, Boston, Toronto, the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils also appeared among the Eastern wild-card selections.

But the Sens don't necessarily have to look outside their own locker room for reasons to believe they can remain in the playoff conversation.

The Sens finished ninth overall in goal scoring last season. Tim Stützle scored a team-high 34 goals last season. Drake Batherson scored 33, Dylan Cozens had 28 and Shane Pinto added 23. The Senators also added William Eklund, who had 53 points with San Jose last season, and veteran Andre Burakovsky to help address the offensive loss created by Tkachuk's departure.

Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot give the Senators an excellent one-two punch on the blue line.

Then there's goaltending. The Sens made the playoffs with goaltending that was well below average in the first half of the season. And that's putting it mildly.

After the Olympics last season, Linus Ullmark went 12-4-3 with a .902 save percentage and a 2.51 goals-against average over 19 games. He carried that strong finish into the playoffs against Carolina. And he now has what the Senators believe will be better support with two new Swedish goalies directly behind him on the depth chart.

And if you like intangibles, there also won't be the level of noise and controversy that swirled around this team for a lot of last season. It's amazing that the Sens powered through all that and still made the playoffs.

Yes, some preseason injuries have certainly emerged as a cause for concern in Ottawa, but no one who's nicked up has been described as having anything that's long term. And it's goes without saying that every preseason prediction about every NHL team comes with the caveat of "if they can stay healthy." 

Yes, the Atlantic is deep, just like it was last year. Some will rise, others will sink. But we'll take GM Steve Staios at his word that he "has no intention of taking a step backwards this season."

That's the prediction that will matter, because no matter how much other teams have improved, 99 points will probably get you into the playoffs.

No matter what, when the season begins on Oct. 3, the Senators won't be playing for the approval of 14 NHL.com writers. They won't be playing to stick it to their former captain.

They'll be playing for each other and a third consecutive trip to the playoffs.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

Senators’ Sunday Roster Crunch Complicated By Injuries
Senators Split Two Games With Montreal, Face More Injury Trouble 
Sens Prospect Faces Lengthy Recovery After Preseason Shoulder Injury
Senators Acquire New Goalie From Tampa Bay Lightning On Friday
Ottawa Bids Farewell To Leevi Merilainen, Claimed By Canucks

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 3 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Jersey #3 is one of the more popular numbers to be worn.

Let's take a look at who wore 3, and where they are now

František Kučera - 2001 - Drafted by Chicago in 1986. 

He played 48 games as a Jacket and had seven points in the first year of the Blue Jackets' existence. 

He retired in 2004 after returning to his home country of Czechia. 

Jaroslav Špaček - 2002-2004 - Drafted by Florida in 1998. 

Špaček played 153 games for Columbus and had 72 points in the early years of Columbus. 

His son, David Špaček, was born in Columbus and was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in 2022. He will start this season with the AHL's Iowa Wild. David was born in Columbus. 

Nowadays, the elder Špaček is the Director of Youth Hockey for HC Plzeň in Czechia. 

Marc Methot - 2009-2012 - Drafted by the Blue Jackets in the 6th round of the 2003 NHL Draft.

Methot played six years and 275 games for the CBJ, totaling 51 points on the Columbus blue line. He was the definition of a defensive defenseman. 

On July 1, 2012, he was traded to the Ottawa Senators for future CBJ Captain Nick Foligno. After the trade to Ottawa, he would play another 349 NHL games. 

He retired during the 2018-19 season after playing 9 games. 

Jordan Leopold - 2015 - Drafted by Anaheim in 1999. 

Leopold played 18 games for Columbus after being traded from the St. Louis Blues on November 15, 2014. On March 2, 2015, he was dealt again, this time to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Justin Falk. He retired after the 2015 season. 

He has been an assistant coach for Andover High in Minnesota for the past couple of years. 

Seth Jones - 2016-2021 - Drafted by Nashville in 2013. 

Jones played 381 games for the Jackets after coming over from the Nashville Predators. He scored 50 goals and totaled 223 points during his time in Columbus. Jones is currently second all-time in CBJ history in goals by a defenseman, second in assists, and second in points. He's also 7th in all-time assists and 10th in all-time points. 

He was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2021 in exchange for Adam Boqvist. Chicago traded him to the Florida Panthers in 2025, where he went on to win the Stanley Cup. 

The son of former NBA player Popeye Jones was described by Elite Prospects as "A defenseman with an excellent frame. Jones' athleticism allows him to be a very good skater for a player of his size. He has excellent mobility and is solid both offensively and defensively. Jones gives a smart first pass and is also capable of utilizing his skating ability to bring the puck up himself. He has good hockey sense and is an asset on the power play thanks to his mobility, puck-handling, and a very dangerous slap shot."

Jack Johnson - 2025 - Drafted by Carolina in 2005.

Johnson played 486 games for Columbus after being traded from the LA Kings for Jeff Carter. He scored 36 goals and had 156 points in seven years.

He's bounced around since leaving Columbus, but finally won a Stanley Cup in 2022. He found his way back to Cannon City in the summer of 2024. Unfortunately for Johnson, he only played in 41 games for Columbus last year and had 6 points. 

He and Head Coach Dean Evason didn't see eye to eye, leading to Johnson being scratched for most of the season. Johnson's family even boycotted the family day held ahead of the 2025 Stadium Series Game at Ohio Stadium. 

Charlie Coyle - 2025-Current - Drafted by the San Jose Sharks in 2010

Coyle was traded to the Blue Jackets in the summer of 2025. His first season in Columbus was the second best season of his career. He scored 20 goals and totaled 58 points, which was just two points off from his career high. 

He was kept at last season's trade deadline by Don Waddell, leading Charlie Coyle to feel very respected by the club. He signed a six-year, $36 million extension with the CBJ over the summer. He could've left, but he told the media that he felt the loyalty shown to him by Don Waddell was important enough to get him to re-sign 

There are three days left until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Who was your favorite #3?

Colorado Avalanche News

• The Colorado Avalanche have just around 24 hours to do two more roster cuts before NHL rosters are due to be submitted. [Sports Illustrated]

• T.J. Hughes to start season with Avalanche amid injuries up front. [The Denver Gazette]

• Blankenburg joined the Maple Leafs on a professional tryout, then earned himself a one-year contract, after a career-best season where he posted eight goals and 16 assists with the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche. [Sportsnet]

News Around the League

• Jets believe they have the pieces to compete, even without star goalie Hellebuyck. [TSN]

• Edmonton Oilers go from cap heaven to cap purgatory due to five injuries. [Toronto Sun]

• One bold prediction for every NHL team in the 2026-2027 season. [The Athletic]

• Kuzmenko returns to Russia after father killed by bear. [BBC]

• Lapsed fan’s guide to the NHL season: Top teams, players, storylines for 2026-27. [ESPN]

• NHL features an 84-game season for the first time in decades. [CTV News]

• Ovie retirement watch among 5 NHL storylines as season gets underway. [CBC]

The 2026-27 Pittsburgh Penguins did not waste any time when it comes to accumulating injuries. The regular season has not even started yet and the team is already looking at the prospect of playing games without Ben Kindel, Bryan Rust, Blake Lizotte, and Justin Brazeu. Andrei Kuzmenko is also not here at the moment for non-injury related reasons, and it would not be a surprise if he did not return for quite some time given the circumstances.

Not exactly a great way to open a season that has a wide range of potential outcomes in the standings.

If Sergei Murashov is good and a few players take big steps forward, this could be a playoff team again. Potentially a good playoff team.

If Murashov is not good, and if a few players regress instead of progress, you might be looking at that high lottery pick.

It is also the first 84-game season in the NHL since the early 1990s, adding a couple of more games onto the schedule.

It all begins on Wednesday night, in Philadelphia, with a rematch of their 2025-26 first-round playoff series with the Flyers.

The Flyers are a bit of an unknown this season because, like the Penguins, they are coming off an unexpected playoff campaign. They have a really good young core of talent that is led by Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone, and a solid supporting cast around them. But while there is a good core of players in place, it’s still kind of tough to get a read on what their expectations should be for this season.

They have been one of the league’s best defensive teams for a couple of years now, but the offensive upside is still something that has to be determined. The development of players like Martone and Michkov will be key in determining where that goes.

How much of a step will Martone take after his late-season debut and emergence in the playoffs? Is he a franchise player? Just a strong building block? What does a full season of him look like at 19?

Will Michkov be able to not only bounce back from a disappointing sophomore season, but also build on it? How does his relationship with head coach Rick Tocchet evolve?

Those are two of the big questions the Flyers need answered.

There are more concerns and questions beyond the development of Martone and Michkov.

The first is related to whether or not starting goalie Dan Vladar repeats his 2025-26 performance? He had a career year for the Flyers and was not only a big part of the team’s return to the playoffs, he was a major part of their ability to beat the Penguins in the first round and advance. It was an objectively great year for him, but it was also by far the best season of his career and a complete 180 from what we have seen from him in the past.

He was injured late in the preseason, leaving his status for Wednesday somewhat up in the air, but he does seem on track to play.

If he isn’t ready, or if he simply regresses this season in terms of his production, one of their big offseason additions was Joseph Woll in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Woll is a little different than Vladar because he has been a strong performer in the early stages of his career, but is coming off a down year in Toronto. He is an interesting backup option and safety net, and depending on what Vladar does could end up being an important player for them.

The second concern is that outside of Woll, as well as the addition of former Penguins forward Noel Accairi, it was a mostly quiet offseason for the Flyers in terms of new faces.

They did take a massive swing by trying to add Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson on a restricted free agent offer sheet, but the Ducks matched the offer and kept him on the west coast. Had Philadelphia managed to pull that off it would have been a potential franchise-changer by giving them a bonafide, young No. 1 center just starting to enter his prime years. But they didn’t pull it off, and all they did instead was help reset the market for salaries across the NHL.

The Penguins and Flyers differ a little in their makeup, but both teams are wild-cards that have a wide range of outcomes that are dependent on a few X-factors going a particular way.

The Penguins 2-0-2 against the Flyers in the regular season a year ago, before losing the playoff series in six games, 4-2. That is a 4-4-2 record overall.

After playing in Philadelphia on Wednesday, the Penguins return home for their home-opener on Saturday night against the Montreal Canadiens.

Montreal is coming off its second consecutive trip to the playoffs, this time having advanced all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals.

It is largely the same roster coming back, with the one notable exception being the addition of veteran forward Chris Kreider.

Kreider is a strong pickup for the price tag, and does give the Canadiens a much-needed veteran winger for its top-nine.

While it was a quiet offseason in terms of additions, Montreal has one of the league’s best young cores built around Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson, and Noah Dobson. All of them are signed long-term to team-friendly deals that are going to give management all of the cap flexibility they need to add a supporting cast around them. Their window is just now starting to open, and it should be open for a while.

As good as the Canadiens were, and as good as the young core looks, it was not a team that really excelled during 5-on-5 play, or in terms of its overall defensive play. They finished the 2025-26 season 26th in the league in expected goals against per 60 minutes, and 23rd in expected goal share. Both numbers were also among the worst when it comes to playoff teams.

You might be able to tilt the ice on them a little bit.

But it does not mean that is going to translate into goals for you, or keeping them off the scoreboard.

The big issue for the Penguins at the start is going to be the reality of playing two playoff teams, both of which advanced to the second round, without an extensive list of forwards. The entire potential third line that showed so much promise in training camp and its brief time together in the preseason is going to be out. A couple of potential fourth-line options are out. It is going to open the door for some young players at the start, but it might not be what the Penguins wanted to be at full strength to open the season.

I am curious to see how the goalie rotation between Murashov and Arturs Silovs plays out, and how they handle the line combinations. Specifically as it relates to dealing with the third-line absences, where Nicholas Robertson plays and if he gets a chance on Sidney Crosby’s line, and who plays alongside defenseman Erik Karlsson.

Splitting these two games and coming away with at least two points would be a fair start given all of the circumstances.

If the Philadelphia Flyers learned anything from training camp and the short NHL preseason, it's that they cannot depend on Aleksei Kolosov for any reason in the event of an injury to fellow goalies Dan Vladar and Joseph Woll.

Throughout their NHL careers, durability has been a question mark for Vladar and Woll, and the Flyers' depth was tested early in the preseason when Vladar suffered an innocuous upper-body injury in Game 3 against Boston, putting him out of commission for a few days.

And, while Vladar is seemingly trending in the right direction for opening night against Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Kolosov's performances were bad enough to force the Flyers to reconsider their No. 3 goalie of choice before the start of the regular season.

It would be inadvisable, at this point, for the Flyers to pay up draft capital or other assets for a reserve goalie, though other avenues, namely the NHL waiver wire, remain at their disposal.

And, fortunately for the Flyers, there are actually a few decent enough options available to them to fill the No. 3 goalie role, bumping Kolosov and Carson Bjarnason each down one peg.

On Sunday afternoon, with opening night rosters due Monday night, a number of noteworthy goalies were placed on waivers around the league, headlined by Czech veterans Vitek Vanecek and David Rittich.

Rittich, 34, was placed on waivers by New Jersey on Sunday with the club claiming goalie Remi Poirier off the waiver wire from Dallas, and the veteran is certifiably the best option available to the Flyers.

Rittich should be Flyers' top choice

The longtime NHL backup has had stops with Nashville, Winnipeg, Los Angeles, Ontario (AHL), the New York Islanders, and now New Jersey over the last six seasons, and most recently went 14-10-3 in 30 games for the Islanders last season with a .894 save percentage, a 2.76 GAA, and two shutouts as Ilya Sorokin's understudy.

The fact that New Jersey waived Rittich in favor of Poirier, Nico Daws, and Jake Allen might deter other NHL teams from claiming him to be their No. 2, and he, like the other goalies we'll discuss, will need to pass through waivers a second time to be stashed in Lehigh Valley.

Rittich shouldn't have any issues finding a new home somewhere in the league, though the Flyers would be wise to at least attempt to snag and stash the big Czech goalie.

As for Vanecek, the 30-year-old never quite rebounded from a brutal 2023 playoff run with New Jersey, and he's had a save percentage no higher than .890 at the NHL level since the 2022-23 season.

At the same time, he boasts a career .900 save percentage in 210 NHL regular season games across eight seasons, and behind a good Devils team, Vanecek finished the 2022-23 season with a 33-11-4 record, a 2.45 GAA, a .911 save percentage, and three shutouts.

The lows can be low for Vanecek, but the highs can be high, especially when the game is simplified for him as the Flyers did with Vladar last year, to smashing success.

Vanecek's poor 5-13-3 record with Utah last year makes it unlikely other teams will be vying for his services, but for the Flyers, he's an obvious, experienced, and more proven candidate to be the No. 3 goalie, and far less likely than Kolosov to outright lose a game for the team.

The most intriguing name at the goalie position to hit the NHL waiver wire on Sunday was Nikita Tolopilo, a 26-year-old, 6-foot-6 netminder from Belarus who made his NHL debut for the Vancouver Canucks in 2025 under current Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet.

Tolopilo is a recent Calder Cup champion who split the 2025-26 season nearly evenly with Vancouver and AHL Abbotsford, going 6-11-2 with a 3.61 GAA and .881 save percentage on an awful Canucks team.

For an Abbotsford team that was equally bad (and had just one 20-goal-scorer), Tolopilo was 8-8-3 with a 3.07 GAA and .897 save percentage.

Certainly, the raw stats aren't very impressive, though Tolopilo has plenty of pro experience between the KHL, AHL, NHL, and HockeyAllsvenskan, and his familiarity with Tocchet and his systems works in his favor, too.

Tolopilo, like Poirier, is a fringe NHLer who could take on an opportunity elsewhere, and landing as a No. 3 goalie with the Flyers would be a good gig for him. Plus, he would get to reunite with fellow countrymen and former teammates Kolosov and Danila Klimovich, which should make for some quick and easy chemistry in Allentown.

The towering Tolopilo is older, bigger, and better than Kolosov and profiles more similarly to Vladar and Woll, which should make him an obvious option for the Flyers if they can't land someone else more seasoned at the NHL level.

The 2026-27 NHL season is about to get underway after an eventful offseason. led by two major trade requests and a boatload of money being handed out.

Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck and Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin made the trade requests and that will be hanging over their teams early this season. Fellow U.S. Olympian Brady Tkachuk was moved to the Florida Panthers.

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Flyers made an offer sheet to the Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson that changed the salary structure for younger players. Carlsson's deal, which was matched, was topped by Mackllin Celelbrini and Cale Makar, who became the NHL's first $20 million player.

How does that change the power structure in the NHL? USA TODAY provides its season-opening power rankings:

2026-27 NHL power rankings 32-20

32. Vancouver Canucks

New coach Manny Malhotra won an American Hockey League championship, but he'll have his work cut out to get the Canucks out of last place. Thatcher Demko and Filip Chytil are injured already. A key will be Elias Pettersson returning to form.

31. Calgary Flames

They added defenseman Simon Nemec after trading Mackenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson last season, but they're still in rebuilding mode.

30. Seattle Kraken

The Kraken are still looking for an identity after one playoff appearance in their first five years. Their offseason was relatively quiet outside of unsuccessfully trying to trade for Jason Robertson.

29. Chicago Blackhawks

The additions of Bowen Byram and Patrick Kane make the team better. But they'll be without injured Connor Bedard early in the season.

28. Winnipeg Jets

Three-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck remains away from the team while awaiting a trade. Goalie acquisition Stuart Skinner has had great - and bad - stretches, but he's no Hellebuyck. If the Jets get a good return, they'll move up the list.

27. Ottawa Senators

Brady Tkachuk's skill set will be missed. The Senators have plenty going for them, but they are in a tough division.

26. Detroit Red Wings

Their troubled offseason included Larkin's trade request and GM Steve Yzerman stepping aside. Larkin is with the team, so that will help. But they won't end their 10-season playoff drought.

25. New York Islanders

A team with Matthew Schaefer, Ilya Sorokin and coach Peter DeBoer should make the playoffs. But the departure of captain Anders Lee hurts.

24. Los Angeles Kings

Coach Peter Laviolette usually has success in his first season with a team. The key question: Can Quinton Byfield thrive as a No. 1 center after Anze Kopitar's retirement?

23. Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks matched the offer sheet and got Cutter Gauthier re-signed, but the defense is weaker and they moved out Mason McTavish and Chris Kreider.

22. Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets were in the news a lot, but Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko weren't traded, and Adam Fantilli eventually re-signed. But even with bringing in Alexander Nichushkin, it might not be enough to end the team's playoff drought.

21. Philadelphia Flyers

Porter Martone will try to become the first Flyers player to win rookie of the year. Matvei Michkov looked better in training camp after a tough sophomore season. Still, the team didn't get its No. 1 center when the Ducks matched the offseason sheet.

2026-27 NHL power rankings 20-11

20. New York Rangers

The Rangers are a better team after trading for Pavel Dorofeyev and Sean Durzi. But they have a ground to make up to be a playoff team.

19. Nashville Predators

New GM Chris MacFarland added Mavrik Bourque, plus former Avs Jack Drury and Ross Colton. Trading Luke Evangelista might hurt, though.

18. Toronto Maple Leafs

New GM John Chayka lucked out with a lottery win and drafted Gavin McKenna, plus he signed two-time Stanley Cup winner Sergei Bobrovsky, 22-goal defenseman Darren Raddysh and remade the bottom six. New coach Jim Hiller will have to make it all mesh.

17. San Jose Sharks

Macklin Celebrini landed a massive contract extension and the captaincy at age 20. He has a chance to lead the Sharks to a playoff spot in the weaker Pacific Division.

16. Pittsburgh Penguins

Franchise stalwarts Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are in the final years of their contracts. They got back to the playoffs last season. This season is not as certain, especially with Ben Kindel and Bryan Rust injured early.

15. St. Louis Blues

The Blues moved Jordan Kyrou, kept Robert Thomas and named him captain. Offseason acquisitions Connor McMichael and Mason McTavish could push the Blues toward a playoff spot.

14. New Jersey Devils

The Devils are deeper on the wings and Luke Evangelista was a good pickup. If their goaltending can hold up, their playoff absence could be only one season.

13. Boston Bruins

David Pastrnak leads by example with four consecutive 100-point seasons and now he has the captaincy. He, Morgan Geekie and Jeremy Swayman will lead the Bruins to the playoffs again.

12. Vegas Golden Knights

The Golden Knights handed the coaching reins to Ryan Craig, who has been preparing for this position. He takes over a team that went to the Stanley Cup Final last season. He'll have to find a way to make up for Pavel Dorofeyev's lost goals.

11. Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres have the talent to make it two playoff appearances in a row after ending a record 14-season drought, but they have to figure how to make up for Alex Tuch's goals.

2026-27 NHL power rankings 10-1

10. Utah Mammoth

They've been spending wisely since moving to Salt Lake City, and now they've added veterans Anders Lee and Vincent Trocheck. A 100-point season seems possible.

9. Edmonton Oilers

They took a step back with a first-round exit and fired coach Kris Knoblauch. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are hoping veteran coach Mike Babcock takes them to the top.

8. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning haven't escaped the first round since 2022 but they're still in a championship window, assuming Victor Hedman has a bounceback season. It would help if MVP Nikita Kucherov signs an extension.

7. Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens are built with a host of players on reasonable contracts growing together. That got them to the Eastern Conference finals. Now, they've added veteran power-play presence Chris Kreider to that mix.

6. Washington Capitals

The Capitals won the offseason by bringing in Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou and Boone Jenner. All-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin liked what he saw and signed a one-year deal.

5. Minnesota Wild

Bill Guerin received a contract extension and the hockey world is waiting for him to get one for Quinn Hughes. Otherwise, the Wild remain among the upper-tier teams in the tough Central Division.

4. Dallas Stars

The Stars re-signed Jason Robertson and traded Mavrik Bourque. But they get Tyler Seguin back from injury. They remain a deep, dangerous team.

3. Florida Panthers

The 2024 and 2025 champions imploded last season under major injuries, including Aleksander Barkov. He's back, the Panthers brought in Matthew Tkachuk's brother, Brady, and will be a Stanley Cup threat if the goaltending holds up.

2. Carolina Hurricanes

The defending champions are in the mix for a repeat. Brandon Bussi showed he can handle the net. They'll have to cope with Seth Jarvis' early injury and find a solution to Alexander Nikishin not reporting.

1. Colorado Avalanche

The No. 1 overall Avalanche were swept in the conference finals because of injuries to Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. If both stay healthy, the Avalanche can get to the final this year.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL power rankings as 2026-27 season opens: Who will challenge for Stanley Cup?