The Calgary Flames have finalized their opening night roster for the 2026-27 NHL season.

The roster comes with a few notable storylines, including Jonathan Huberdeau beginning the season on injured reserve as he continues his recovery from hip resurfacing surgery.

Opening night roster locked in 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CR2wPTns6G

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) September 28, 2026

Huberdeau’s absence leaves a significant hole in Calgary’s lineup to start the season, but the Flames will have plenty of new faces looking to help fill the void.

One of the more interesting decisions came up front with Aydar Suniev not making the opening night roster.

Suniev was assigned to the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers after putting together an impressive training camp and preseason. He scored three goals in his first two preseason games and consistently looked like an impactful player when given an opportunity.

For Suniev, the assignment isn’t necessarily a reflection of his camp. Calgary has a crowded group of forwards competing for NHL minutes, and sending him to the Wranglers gives the organization an opportunity to get him playing regularly while keeping him close to the NHL picture.

The Flames will open the season with 23 players on the roster, including two goaltenders, eight defencemen and 13 forwards.

Goaltenders

• Devin Cooley
• Dustin Wolf

Dustin Wolf enters his first full season as Calgary’s No. 1 goaltender after establishing himself as one of the team’s most important pieces. Devin Cooley gives the Flames an experienced option behind him.

Defencemen

• Kevin Bahl
• Zayne Parekh
• Zach Whitecloud
• Yan Kuznetsov
• Joel Hanley
• Jake Middleton
• Simon Nemec
• Brayden Pachal

There is plenty of intrigue on the blue line, particularly with Zayne Parekh and Simon Nemec among the younger defencemen looking to carve out significant roles.

Parekh’s offensive ability has been one of the biggest talking points throughout camp, while Nemec gives Calgary another young option with NHL experience and upside.

Forwards

• Mikael Backlund
• Morgan Frost
• Yegor Sharangovich
• Ryan Strome
• Matt Coronato
• Sam Honzek
• Adam Klapka
• Connor Zary
• Maxim Tsyplakov
• Martin Pospisil
• Brennan Othmann
• Joel Farabee
• Matvei Gridin

The forward group has a different look than it did a season ago, with several players expected to take on larger roles.

Matt Coronato, Connor Zary and Matvei Gridin are among the younger forwards who could be particularly important to Calgary’s offensive push.

Gridin’s inclusion is another interesting development after he impressed during preseason, while Brennan Othmann and Maxim Tsyplakov also earned spots after strong pushes for NHL jobs.

At the same time, Suniev’s assignment shows just how competitive the forward group became toward the end of camp.

Injury Reserve

• Jonathan Huberdeau

Huberdeau’s status will be one of the first things to watch once the season gets underway.

The Flames are hoping the veteran forward can return once he’s cleared following his offseason hip resurfacing procedure. Until then, Calgary will have to find ways to replace his minutes and offensive production.

For now, the roster is set.

The Flames will enter the 2026-27 season with a mix of veteran leadership, young players looking to establish themselves and several new pieces trying to make an immediate impact.

And while Suniev won’t be there on opening night, his strong preseason has put his name firmly into the conversation for a call-up down the road.

Initial cap-compliant NHL rosters were due on the eve of the 2026-27 season, Sept. 28, at 2 pm PST. The Anaheim Ducks submitted theirs, which currently includes 16 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goaltenders. They placed forward Troy Terry (hip) on Injured Non-Roster, as he’s expected to miss the first 2-3 months of the season, and defenseman Ian Moore (lower body) on Injured Reserve. Moore is 11 days into a 2-4 week estimated recovery time.

The day before rosters were submitted, the Ducks placed defenseman Travis Mitchell and goaltender Laurent Brossoit on waivers for purposes of reassignment to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. Both cleared waivers on Monday and were assigned.

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As noted, the Ducks’ roster includes 15 healthy forwards, one of whom is newly acquired AJ Greer, who only skated on the first day of training camp before sustaining an upper-body injury. He participated in the first portion of Monday’s practice in a red non-contact jersey.

Drew Helleson hasn’t played or practiced since he left the Ducks’ preseason opening game against the San Jose Sharks with a lower-body injury on Sept. 20.

With Terry, Moore, Greer, and Helleson presently unavailable, the Ducks have 14 healthy forwards and five healthy defensemen on the roster they submitted to the league, rendering it very much an initial “season-opening” roster and not an “opening night” roster. The landscape of the depth chart could be altered by the time the puck drops on their season on Friday, when they’ll head to Las Vegas for a rematch of their second-round playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights.

After an offseason that included several previously significant roster pieces finding new homes, the roster the Ducks submitted on Monday includes four rookies (Judd Caulfield, Nikita Klepov, Roger McQueen, Tyson Hinds), three of whom (Caulfield, Klepov, McQueen) have yet to make their NHL debuts, and another player (Tristan Luneau) who has only played 14 career NHL games but just missed rookie eligibility due to playing six or more games in both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.

Along with Greer, the Ducks roster also includes 2026 free agent additions Jeff Malott (30) and Nick Jensen (36), bringing the total number of roster players yet to wear a Ducks sweater in the regular season up to five.

In net, the Ducks are expected to run back the same tandem they ended the 2025-26 season with: starter Lukas Dostal and backup Ville Husso. Brossoit is the clear-cut third goalie in the Ducks’ organizational depth chart, and the likely first call-up should an injury in the crease occur.

The crux of the current roster as it pertains to the Ducks’ opening night in Las Vegas is the health statuses of Greer and Helleson. Both players are listed as “day-to-day,” with head coach Joel Quenneville stating both are aiming for an opening night return to game action. Both are eligible for placement on IR retroactively, meaning the team wouldn’t have to reassign anyone to the AHL if they intend to recall a player from San Diego.

If Greer is unavailable for Friday’s game, judging by Monday’s practice lines, all three of McQueen, Caulfield, and Klepov would likely make their NHL debuts. If Helleson isn’t available by Friday, the Ducks will likely recall a defenseman unless they intend to ice a rare 13F/5D lineup. Mitchell (nine career NHL games), Noah Warren (zero career NHL games), and Stian Solberg (zero career NHL games) are the defensemen most likely to get the nod, potentially adding yet another new face to the roster.

As stated, the Ducks’ opening night roster is an immense unknown at this point in time. The team will train off-ice on Tuesday, followed by back-to-back practices on Wednesday and Thursday, before flying to Vegas for Friday’s season opener.

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ST. PAUL, Minn. — The wait is over.

The 2026-27 NHL regular season officially begins Tuesday, and the Minnesota Wild will have to wait just a little bit longer before beginning their season Thursday night against the Nashville Predators.

Minnesota enters the season with expectations considerably higher than they were a year ago.

The Wild finished last season with 104 points before defeating the Dallas Stars in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, their first series victory since 2015. Their run ended against the Colorado Avalanche in the second round.

Now, with Quinn Hughes entering his first full season in Minnesota, Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy leading the offense and several young players pushing for larger roles, the Wild will look to take another step.

Before the puck drops Thursday, here are five bold predictions for the Wild's 2026-27 season.

1. Quinn Hughes Wins The Norris Trophy

'I'm Excited To Get Going': Quinn Hughes Says Wild Have Nothing Left To Prove To HimThe star defenseman praises Minnesota’s roster and coaching staff while delaying contract talks, insisting his long-term future hinges on personal timing rather than the team's championship potential.

Let's start big.

Hughes will win his second Norris Trophy and become the first player in Wild history to win the award.

The 26-year-old had 53 points in just 48 regular-season games after being acquired by Minnesota last December. He then added 15 points in 11 playoff games.

Now Hughes gets an entire season in Minnesota.

He will quarterback the Wild's top power-play unit and should once again play massive minutes at even strength. With Kaprizov, Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek among the weapons around him, Hughes has everything he needs to put together another huge offensive season.

The contract situation will follow Hughes throughout the year, but on the ice, expect him to remind everyone why Minnesota paid such a massive price to acquire him.

Prediction: Hughes wins the Norris.

2. Jesper Wallstedt Takes Over As The Wild's No. 1 Goaltender

Filip Gustavsson will begin the season on injured reserve after undergoing offseason hip surgery, opening the door for Jesper Wallstedt.

Prediction: Wallstedt won't give the job back.

The 23-year-old has been viewed as Minnesota's goaltender of the future since the Wild selected him 20th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft. This season will be the year he establishes himself as the goaltender of the present.

Gustavsson will eventually return, and Minnesota will still have two capable goaltenders. But by the end of the season, Wallstedt will have started more games and established himself as the Wild's No. 1 option heading into the playoffs.

3. Maxim Shabanov Scores 25 Goals

Wild Teammate Sees ‘A Little Bit Of Kucherov’ In Maxim ShabanovYakov Trenin sees “a little bit of Kucherov” in Maxim Shabanov, who believes the Wild can contend for the Stanley Cup and is working to earn an opportunity alongside Kirill Kaprizov.

There might not be a player on Minnesota's roster with a better opportunity to dramatically outperform last season than Maxim Shabanov.

Shabanov recorded five goals and 18 points in 44 games with the New York Islanders as an NHL rookie last season before signing with Minnesota this summer.

But his opportunity with the Wild is completely different.

Shabanov spent training camp getting looks alongside Kaprizov and has an opportunity to play a significant offensive role. He has the skill to create offense, and playing with Minnesota's best players should give him significantly more opportunities than he had last season.

Going from five goals to 25 would be a massive jump.

That's why it's a bold prediction.

4. David Spacek Becomes A Full-Time NHL Defenseman

David Spacek Has Made Wild's Final Roster Decision More DifficultSurviving recent roster cuts, the resilient defenseman is outplaying expectations, leveraging refined puck-moving skills and consistency to challenge established veterans for a permanent spot on Minnesota’s blue line.

David Spacek entered training camp on the outside looking in.

Spacek, 23, was one of Minnesota's most consistent players throughout camp and survived the Wild's final round of cuts. With Brock Faber beginning the season on injured reserve, Spacek will get an opportunity to remain around the NHL club.

The prediction here goes beyond simply sticking around until Faber returns.

Spacek will play well enough when his opportunity arrives that the Wild eventually have a difficult time taking him out of the lineup.

John Hynes praised Spacek's strength, puck movement, breakout ability and consistency during training camp. Those are traits that should translate well to the NHL.

By the end of the season, Spacek will no longer be viewed as a prospect trying to make the Wild. He'll be an NHL defenseman.

5. The Wild Reach The Western Conference Final

THN Writers Predict Wild Alongside Hurricanes As Frontrunners For Presidents TrophyExpert consensus places Minnesota alongside the Hurricanes as frontrunners for the NHL's best regular-season record, fueled by a deep roster of emerging stars and defensive stalwarts.

Minnesota finally broke through last spring. Now it takes another step.

The Wild hadn't won a playoff series in a decade before eliminating Dallas last season. They ultimately ran into Colorado in the second round, but that postseason gave Minnesota's core something it hadn't previously experienced together.

A deep playoff run.

This roster isn't perfect. Minnesota lost offensive production during the offseason and will need players such as Shabanov, Danila Yurov and Bobby Brink to help replace it.

But the Wild also get a full season of Hughes alongside a core featuring Kaprizov, Boldy, Eriksson Ek, Brock Faber, Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon.

Then there is Wallstedt, who could give Minnesota another difference-maker if he takes the step many have been waiting for.

The Central Division won't make anything easy, and Minnesota will have to go through some of the NHL's best teams to get there.

But that's what makes it bold.

Prediction: For the first time since 2003, the Wild will play in the Western Conference Final.

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According to Elliotte Friedman, "The Oilers considered a Stevenson trade before going with Devon Levi. His new teammates are raving about the ex-Sabre. It just never got off on the right foot for him in Buffalo, and it’s hard to imagine Levi with a better opportunity to make a massive impact on a good team."

This is excellent news for the Edmonton Oilers, since Levi almost wasn't going to be the player the organization went after. Apparently, they had their sights on Clay Stevenson, who just joined the Winnipeg Jets. 

In his latest written 32 Thoughts column, Friedman asks, "The biggest question in the Hellebuyck saga is this: Does Clay Stevenson convince Winnipeg to ease their desire to get a goalie in any trade?"

The Oilers might have been thinking the same thing when they revamped their goaltending this offseason. Keeping only Tristan Jarry, Edmonton moved on from Connor Ingram, traded for Levi, and picked up Frederik Andersen via free agency. It was clear the Oilers felt they needed to make a change. 

Friedman reports that GM Stan Bowman looked at Stevenson. 

Oilers Went Levi, Jets Can Now Trade Hellebuyck

Ultimately, the Oilers chose Levi, and the Jets picked up Stevenson on waivers from the Washington Capitals on Monday, giving them a goaltender who could play in a solid tandem with former Oiler Stuart Skinner. It will be interesting to see if this triggers a blockbuster involving Connor Hellebuyck. It's also fascinating to wonder if Levi would have been part of any trade the Sabres and Jets made at the NHL Draft, given that the Jets were looking for a goaltender to come back as part of the deal. 

Friedman believes Winnipeg had Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as their target, so perhaps not. 

Hellebuyck still hasn't reported to camp, and it doesn't appear that he will. "If Stevenson convinces Winnipeg he’s legit, that’s a way to change focus and ease the stalemate."

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The Winnipeg Jets have their opening-night roster set.

Winnipeg finalized its 23-man group Monday, with a late waiver claim helping settle the final few roster decisions ahead of Friday's regular-season opener against the Boston Bruins.

The Jets claimed goaltender Clay Stevenson off waivers from the Washington Capitals, adding the 27-year-old to a crease that will begin the season with Stuart Skinner as its starter. The move resulted in Domenic DiVincentiis being assigned to the Manitoba Moose, while forward Brayden Yager was also sent to the AHL as Winnipeg got down to its 23-man limit.

Stevenson brings limited NHL experience but strong numbers from his most recent opportunity. He went 3-1-0 with a 2.00 goals-against average and .921 save percentage in four games with Washington last season, while spending the majority of the year with the AHL's Hershey Bears.

Defencemen Elias Salomonsson and Garrett Brown and forward Walker Duehr were designated as Injured Non-Roster on the final list.

Salomonsson has been dealing with a shoulder injury, while Brown and Duehr have been sidelined with lower-body injuries.

With those moves complete, Winnipeg will begin the season carrying 13 forwards, eight defencemen and two goaltenders. Seventeen of the 23 players have previously suited up for the Jets.

Among those sticking around are 18-year-old Viggo Björck, Brad Lambert and defenceman Tyrel Bauer. Björck, selected eighth overall by Winnipeg in June, earned a roster spot just months after hearing his name called at the NHL Draft, while Bauer is in position to make his NHL debut after spending the past several seasons developing with Manitoba.

Winnipeg Jets 2026-27 Opening Night Roster:

Forwards (13)

Morgan Barron

Viggo Björck

Kyle Connor

Alex Iafallo

Cole Koepke

Brad Lambert

Adam Lowry

Vladislav Namestnikov

Nino Niederreiter

Cole Perfetti

Isak Rosén

Mark Scheifele

Gabriel Vilardi

Defencemen (8)

Tyrel Bauer

Dylan DeMelo

Mario Ferraro

Haydn Fleury

Josh Morrissey

Neal Pionk

Dylan Samberg

Jack St. Ivany

Goaltenders (2)

Stuart Skinner

Clay Stevenson

The last time Florida Panthers captain Sasha Barkov was on the ice for a National Hockey League game, he was skating around Amerant Bank Arena with the Stanley Cup.

That was on June 17, 2025.

Now, exactly 469 days later, Barkov is ready to resume his potential Hall of Fame career with a reconstructed right knee and a new fire in his belly after sitting out a full NHL season that came directly on the heels of consecutive championships.

“I’m obviously very excited to play meaningful games,” Barkov said Monday. “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”

Barkov missed all of last season after tearing his ACL and MCL during what was his first on-ice workout of training camp last September.

He returned in time to represent Finland at the IIHF World Championships in late May, leading his country to a gold medal while pacing his teammates with 11 points in 10 games.

Not bad considering it was his first action in nearly a year and fresh off major knee surgery.

After spending the summer continuing to put the work in and preparing to hit the ground running with the Panthers, Barkov survived training camp and Florida’s abbreviated preseason slate and is now chomping at the bit to start playing meaningful games again.

“I’m very excited, of course,” Barkov said. “I was happy to be able to play two games before that, to kind of get into the rhythm.”

Through camp and the exhibition games, Barkov has been skating on what could end up being a very formidable forward line, flanked by a familiar face in Sam Reinhart and a new linemate in Brady Tkachuk.

The younger Tkachuk brother was acquired in late June and only adds to what could very well be considered the deepest forward group in the league.

Through five periods spent together during the preseason, the new Barkov line combined to rack up five goals and seven assists on 20 shots and a plus-13 on-ice rating.

When asked about Tkahcuk, Barkov said there is a lot to like about what he brings to the table.

“Just everything he does,” said Barkov. “He knows his role right away. He knows he needs to be fast, he knows he needs to stay on the pucks, like control the puck and that kind of stuff, and he was unbelievable for those two games.”

They also skated together on the Cats’ top power play unit, along with Matthew Tkachuk and Seth Jones.

It should be fun to watch the group continue to acclimate to one another and grow together as the season progresses.

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Photo caption: Sep 22, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Brady Tkachuk (8), center Aleksander Barkov (16), and center Sam Reinhart (13) look on from the players bench against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period t Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

In the modern NHL, it isn’t uncommon for high draft picks to be given favourable chances in training camp to prove what they can do at the highest level.

It’s understandable. Organizations want these picks to succeed because failed development breeds criticism for management. Criticism creates pressure and eventually costs people jobs.

For a 21-year-old fourth-round pick who only has six games of professional experience under his belt, it is almost unheard of.

Yet, this is the reality Hoyt Stanley is living right now.

The defenceman was the Senators’ first pick, but a fourth-round selection (108th overall) from the 2023 NHL Draft. After three seasons at Cornell University, the 6’3”, 203 lb right-shot defenceman was enjoying his first main NHL training camp.

Early in camp, the Senators paired him with a third-year pro and regular, Tyler Kleven.

What was immediately noticeable in camp was Stanley’s blend of size and skating ability, and how he uses it effectively to disrupt offensive rushes. This combination has been a calling card for the Senators’ amateur scouts in recent years, but what separates Stanley from his prospect peers within the organization is how he limits mistakes.

For a prospect who has not played many professional games, it has been impressive to watch the simplicity and effectiveness of his game. And when he is handling the puck, there have been very few unforced errors.

Those traits have certainly caught the attention of the veteran defencemen on the team.

Following the Senators’ final split-squad game against the Montreal Canadiens, Thomas Chabot was asked about the quality performances of the young defencemen.

“The younger guys coming up, it's awesome to see (their development),” Chabot said enthusiastically. “You guys saw it last year. We had to use so many defencemen, unfortunately, but to see that there are so many guys down the pipeline who can come in and have a great impact and play good hockey, it makes everybody feel better.

“There are learning curves for everybody, but to see them go through training camp, step up and get the job done like that, all credit to them. The way Hoyt’s been playing, everybody notices, and it's good for him. It won't be long before we see him (in the NHL).”

We might even see it sooner than we expected.

Stanley was named to the Senators’ 23-man opening night roster on Monday.

When asked about the fact that he was still participating this late in training camp, Stanley still was not completely sure whether he was sticking with the club. Despite messages from friends, family and former teammates asking for clarity on his situation, Stanley admitted he was trying to take everything one day at a time.

“Yeah, definitely didn't know what to expect,” Stanley said while reflecting on his first training camp. “Coming into my first training camp, I don't want to say I’m super surprised, but I'm definitely grateful.

“I just put the work in all summer and wanted to work as hard as I could every day at camp and show what I could do, and control what I could control. I’m just grateful they've taken notice and that I'm still here. I’m just continuing to try to learn as much as I can for as long as I stick around.”

As grateful as Stanley is, he has the confidence to compete with the best players in the world.

“You want to have self-belief and believe that you can compete with the best players,” he explained. “In the summer, I'm working my tail off with some of the best players in the world too.

“Knowing that you can compete with these guys (helped), but also at the same time, I’m grateful. A lot of people probably wouldn't think that I would be at this point. So I’m happy to be here still.”

Injuries to Warren Foegele, Kurtis MacDermid and Artem Zub meant that the players were designated as injured, non-roster players. The Zub injury in particular helped open the door for Stanley to break camp with the team.

In two preseason games with the Senators, Stanley recorded a beautiful goal, two penalty minutes and two shots on goal. He finished the preseason with an even plus/minus rating. When Stanley was on the ice at five-on-five, the Senators generated 45.83 percent of the shots (CF%), 47.83 percent of the shots on goal (SF%), 50.00 percent of the total goals (GF%), and 43.93 percent of the expected goals (xGF%) per Natural Stat Trick. These numbers may seem unflattering, but the sample size is small and, relative to his peers, they were still among the better marks on the team.

Stanley is one of eight defencemen on the roster, but with Zub being out of the lineup for the immediate future, he’ll likely be competing with Carter Yakemchuk for those third-pairing minutes. It creates an interesting dynamic: on one hand, you have Stanley; on the other, Yakemchuk, who has the pedigree, offensive aptitude, and more professional experience, but also has defensive warts that will hopefully lessen with time and experience.

What helps Stanley is a belief that as the talent and competition around him improves, he has found ways to elevate his game as well.

“I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, but it's definitely it's cool to take in,” he explained. “I've always thought that as the game gets faster and the players are elevated, that I also seem to rise to the occasion and play better with better players. I’m just fortunate that's the way my game's been since I was younger. I believe a lot in myself and the work I've put in.”

How it will unfold will be intriguing, but Stanley wants to make the most of this opportunity.

“Since I was a kid, like everyone else, I dreamed of playing in the NHL and playing my first game,” he stated. “If I got the opportunity, just going to try to make the most of it and show what I can do.”

By Graeme Nichols
The Hockey News

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

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The Post’s Mollie Walker, Ethan Sears and Andrew Crane make their picks for the 2026-27 NHL season:

Eastern Conference finals: Montreal over Carolina 

Western Conference finals: Colorado over Vegas 

Stanley Cup final: Colorado over Montreal 

Hart Trophy (MVP): Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado 

Norris Trophy (Defense): Quinn Hughes, Minnesota 

Vezina Trophy (Goaltender): Igor Shesterkin, Rangers

Calder Trophy (Rookie): Porter Martone, Philadelphia 

Adams Award (Coach): Martin St. Louis, Montreal 

First coach to be fired: Sheldon Keefe, New Jersey

The puck is about to drop on another NHL season, and the 2026-27 season is about to begin. Free agency and the draft are in the rearview; training camp and preseason are done — now we see if those moves paid off. It was a relatively quiet offseason, all things being equal. A soft free agent market meant that there weren’t a lot of established veterans available to improve teams, which led to the majority of the NHL either trusting their internal systems, or finding themselves out of luck for improvement.

As we await the beginning of the season, these are our opening night power rankings, as well as which tier each team slots into as it pertains to their chances to hoist Lord Stanley at the end of the season.

Tier 1: Avalanche, Hurricanes, Golden Knights

These are the teams that we call the Stanley Cup Favorites. They are organizations that have almost no discernible weaknesses, and only a significant injury or bad fortune would lead to them missing the playoffs. All these teams should make it into the postseason, and at least win one series — or it would be considered both a shock, and a failure of a year.

Tier 2: Canadiens, Stars, Sabres, Lightning, Wild, Panthers, Mammoth

We classify these, along with Tier 1, as the elite of the NHL. The key difference between this group and the three in the top rank is that there are a few issues with their roster construction or experience that mean we can’t define them as favorites quite yet. This is also the tier of teams who could be the most active at the NHL trade deadline, with a key acquisition or two pushing them into contention. There are similar playoff expectations, but winning a series or two would be defined as a successful campaign.

Tier 3: Sharks, Ducks, Bruins, Capitals, Oilers, Flyers, Penguins, Devils, Senators, Kings

Another step down we have teams that we could call “Dark Horses.” These are organizations who are better than fighting for a Wild Card spot, but could find themselves in that position. All of these teams have some really great qualities, but either lack the depth or the top-end talent to really favor them in a series against anyone above them. Still, what this tier has is ample potential to shock the hockey world. A player breakout, or a shift in fortunes coul easily make one of these teams into an organization that makes a Cinderella run in the playoffs.

Tier 4: Maple Leafs, Islanders, Rangers, Blues, Predators, Blue Jackets

Earning a Wild Card would be a successful campaign for a team in Tier 4. All are in some stage of flux or are so unproven it’s difficult to see them making a significant impact on the year. Never say never, but as the season begins we can expect these teams to simply work on improving their on-ice play, integrate new players, or implement a new locker room culture. The goal is to build, not complete — not yet.

Tier 5: Red Wings, Blackhawks, Jets, Kraken, Flames, Canucks

It is what it is. These organizations are all in a state of building or rebuilding which makes it unlikely they’ll really threaten the playoffs. It would take wide scale problems for numerous teams above them to enable a path forward, and the goal this season is improvement. If they can even fight for a Wild Card spot it would be a small miracle, and these are likely the teams that will be looking ahead to the 2027 NHL Draft in February.

The first and only big transaction the Philadelphia Flyers made this past offseason was the acquisition of backup goalie Joseph Woll, who arrived via trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs at a fairly low cost.

To bring in the 28-year-old Woll, a starting-caliber goalie with some durability questions, as well as rugged defenseman Simon Benoit, the Flyers only needed to pay up in the form of struggling goalie Sam Ersson, promising but small defenseman Emil Andrae, and a 2026 third-round pick, which was used to draft Juuso Alnasto 85th overall.

But, just over three months after the June 16 trade, Woll and Benoit remain with the Flyers, while Ersson and Andrae have already been shipped off to new teams before appearing in a regular season game for the Maple Leafs.

Ersson was traded by the Maple Leafs to the Atlantic Division rival Ottawa Senators for a 2027 fifth-round pick, with the once-promising Flyers goalie signing a two-year, $4.4 million ($2.2 million AAV) contract with the Sens and supplanting Leevi Merilainen as the backup to incumbent starter Linus Ullmark.

As for Andrae, the 24-year-old defenseman signed a two-year, $3.1 million ($1.55 AAV) contract with the Maple Leafs on July 4 and at one point had been practicing alongside top-pair defenseman Morgan Rielly, but Toronto didn't hesitate to flip him in pursuit of a better opportunity for the club.

Andrae included in big Kirill Marchenko trade

On Monday, the Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets completed a blockbuster trade that oversaw the exchange of wingers Matthew Knies and Kirill Marchenko, with Andrae heading to Columbus as one of the auxiliary pieces in the deal.

Knies, Andrae, Steven Lorentz, and a 2027 second-round pick were exchanged for Elvis Merzlikins, Miles Wood, and Marchenko, with the latter agreeing to a six-year, $75 million extension ($12.5 million AAV) with the Maple Leafs that will kick in on July 1 of next year.

In the end, Andrae was a fairly inconsequential piece included in the trade, with the former Flyers prospect in line to take on a depth role in Columbus.

He's one of six healthy defensemen on the Blue Jackets' roster, alongside Zach Werenski, Ivan Provorov, Erik Gudbranson, Jake Christiansen, and Denton Mateychuk.

Gudbranson is the only right-shot of the bunch, and Andrae and Christiansen figure to be the first men out of the lineup once Damon Severson (shoulder) and Dante Fabbro (hand) return from their respective injuries.

It's becoming clear already that Flyers GM Danny Briere got maximum value out of the Woll trade, adding an important understudy behind starter Dan Vladar, with the goalie depth tested once already in the 2026 preseason.

Benoit, a capable NHL defenseman, will take over the veteran No. 7 role previously filled by players like Marc Staal, Erik Johnson, and Noah Juulsen, and it helps that he was already once teammates with Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale in Anaheim.

Almost by default, the Woll trade is looking like another win in an increasingly long line of them for Briere, which surely includes the recent additions of Zegras and Vladar.

The big move hasn't come yet, of course, but the foundation is there for the Flyers to add a massive piece and immediately reap the rewards of such a deal in the future.

The hockey world was hit with a massive trade on Monday, as the Toronto Maple Leafs traded Matthew Knies, Emil Andrae, Steven Lorentz and a 2027 conditional second-round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Kirill Marchenko, Miles Wood and Elvis Merzlikins (18 percent of his salary retained).

The main gist of this trade for Toronto was acquiring Marchenko and giving up Knies in the process. The Leafs lost a 23-year-old power forward who has the potential to grow and become a great player in the NHL.

Last year, Knies put up 23 goals and 66 points in 79 appearances for Toronto. But with this acquisition, here's what the Maple Leafs get in Marchenko.

Marchenko is an NHL star, first off. He registered similar numbers to Knies last year, putting up 27 goals and 67 points. The year before that, the Russian right winger notched a career-high 31 goals and 74 points in 79 games.

This is a player who can score, impose his will on a game, be a difference-maker for his team with the puck, and drive a line to some degree.

Knies could also be a difference-maker in certain situations, but if he played on the third line rather than with superstars like Auston Matthews, he wouldn't stand out nearly as much. He's a good NHL player, but more of a complementary one. Marchenko is more than that.

Maple Leafs Acquire Kirill Marchenko, Agrees To Six-Year Extension Following Massive Six-Player TradeThe Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired Kirill Marchenko in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Elvis Merzlikins and Matthew Knies are involved in a six-player trade

Another massive difference between the two players is that Marchenko is a much better skater than Knies. In fact, Marchenko is actually one of the better skaters in the wide landscape of the NHL.

According to NHL Edge, in the 2025-26 season, the 26-year-old is in the 93rd percentile in skating speed, reaching a max skating speed of 37.60 kilometers per hour. He had 28 speed bursts at 35-plus kph (98th percentile). Marchenko is also a top-10 skater among NHL forwards in terms of speed bursts between 32 and 35 kph (273) and bursts between 29 and 32 kph (821).

Simply put, Marchenko is one of the quickest forwards in the league and utilizes his speed fairly regularly, rather than clocking a high speed sporadically throughout the year.

He also covers a lot of distance on the ice and doesn't just pick his spots when he wants to be effective. 

Marchenko finished last season in the 97th percentile for most kilometers travelled in a game at 6.79 km. Also, the average NHLer skated 198.82 km last year, whereas Marchenko reached 395.50 km with the Blue Jackets.

He'll fit in nicely with Toronto head coach Jim Hiller's playing style, where he can't stress enough the importance of his team being able to skate on both sides of the ice and fast. Marchenko was one of the best forwards in the NHL to do so last year.

Does Matthew Knies' Play Style Suit Jim Hiller's Maple Leafs System?Matthew Knies has had a slow start to training camp and pre-season. Does his play style suit Jim Hiller's system for the Toronto Maple Leafs?

As for Knies in that department, the narrative surrounding him throughout training camp and pre-season was that he appeared to be slow. And last season's numbers show Knies to be a fairly average skater for the role he carried on the Leafs.

One factor that might play a role in that is that Marchenko is much lighter than Knies. They both measure 6-foot-3, but Marchenko weighs about 200 pounds in comparison to Knies' 227 pounds.

this happened at the end of Knies' last shift

he left the bench early pic.twitter.com/ttWe3jVggl

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) January 23, 2025

However, even though Marchenko is significantly lighter than Knies, it doesn't mean he's not a physical or strong player. Toronto's newest addition is very capable of staying on his feet in the corners.

He doesn't throw as many hits as Knies (61 to 152), but that's a trade-off for the skill that Marchenko brings to the ice.

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Sidney Crosby is feeling the effects of the shortened preseason in his adjustment to playing with a new linemate.

Crosby mentioned having a week less to prepare for the season when talking about skating alongside Nick Robertson Monday in his annual appearance on Mark Madden’s radio show on 105.9 The X.

The NHL’s new labor agreement gave teams less than two weeks between the start of training camp and the start of the regular season.

In Crosby’s case, that has impacted his ability to adjust to Robertson taking over what was once Bryan Rust’s place on his wing opposite Rickard Rakell.

“It’s a shortened camp this year, so we have a lot less time to play together… but I think we’ve gotten better as it’s gone along,” Crosby said Monday about Robertson.

“He’s a guy that’s got a lot of speed, a really good shot, so just want to try to find him in good areas to get that shot off. And he works hard on both sides of the puck, so hopefully we can force some turnovers and he can create with his speed.”

Crosby wasn’t the only member of the Penguins mentioning the impact of the shortened preseason Monday. Kyle Dubas said in his season-opening press conference he felt Joel Blomqvist was hurt by the Penguins only having four preseason games to split between him, Artūrs Šilovs and Sergei Murashov.

Crosby also discussed his retirement timeline in his radio appearance. As he’s mentioned repeatedly this offseason, he said he’s hoping to play for multiple years.

The Penguins captain also said he sees the 2030 Olympics as too far ahead to think about, but considers the 2028 World Cup of Hockey a “great target.”

“When I say I don’t know, that’s the truth,” Crosby said about his career timeline. “I think, when you get to my age… it comes down to a lot of things. It’s how you feel physically, how you feel mentally. Just as far as loving it, and having the passion to compete and put what you need to put into it on a daily basis, that’s got to be there.

“Right now, it’s there. I feel great. I still love it just as much as I did coming into the league.”

Crosby is set to kick off his age-39 campaign Wednesday when the puck drops at 7:30 p.m. ET for a playoff rematch at the Philadelphia Flyers.

NHL season points projections are a tough task because there are so many unknowns.

A team might look great on paper and then fall apart because of injuries. Just look at the Florida Panthers last season. Their three-peat bid was nearly over before it began when Aleksander Barkov tore his ACL in training camp. But he's back this year.

A team might win the offseason but then struggle to find chemistry. Look at the Nashville Predators two seasons ago when they missed the playoffs after adding Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault.

The Toronto Maple Leafs led the league in offseason moves this year, adding a new general manager, coach, No. 1 goaltender, top defenseman and making changes to every offensive line. But with the shortened preseason, can they find the right combinations?

Here are our NHL points projections for the 2026-27 season.

Pacific Division

• Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are hoping new coach Mike Babcock will push the Oilers to greater success.
• The Golden Knights traded Pavel Dorofeyev (37 goals) to the Rangers. Can new coach Ryan Craig find a way to make up for that lost offense?
• New Sharks captain Macklin Celebrini will try to build on his team-record 2025-26 season. San Jose also added size and experience to the blue line.
• The Ducks had to move out players to accommodate big salaries for Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier. The defense seems weaker.
• The Kings start the post-Anze Kopitar era with coach Peter Laviolette, who's known for success in his first year with a team. He gets to work with Artemi Panarin again.
• Mackie Samoskevich, the Kraken's offseason acquisition, is hurt to begin the season.
• Flames goalie Dustin Wolf needs a huge season or Calgary's playoff drought will hit five seasons.
• The Canucks have a new coach, Manny Malhotra, but few other additions to 2025-26's last-place team. Thatcher Demko and Filip Chytil are hurt.

Central Division

• The Avalanche lost some forward depth but have the high-end talent to win the Presidents' Trophy again.
• The Stars bring back nearly all of the players for last year's 112-point team, except for promising forward Mavrik Bourque.
• The Wild, who need center depth, weren't able to swing a deal for Detroit's Dylan Larkin.
• The Mammoth could push for 100 points after adding Anders Lee and Vincent Trocheck to join their younger stars.
• The Blues came close to a playoff berth last season. They'll be in the mix again this season, especially if Mason McTavish thrives in his new city.
• New Predators GM Chris MacFarland had success with the Avalanche and brought some of that team's role players with him.
• The Jets must cope with Connor Hellebuyck's absence after the star goalie requested a trade. They struggled last season, even with Hellebuyck.
• The Blackhawksgot better in the offseason but they'll be without injured Connor Bedard until early November.

Atlantic Division

• The 2024 and 2025 champion Panthers are rested after missing the playoffs and they are mostly healthy. They'll be among the top teams again.
• The Canadiens, who went to the conference finals, added veteran power-play specialist Chris Kreider to their group of younger players
• Lightning captain Victor Hedman is back, and John Carlson will take the place of defenseman Darren Raddysh.
• The Sabres won't be as strong without Bowen Byram and Alex Tuch, but they should be a playoff team again.
• The Bruins will be without defenseman Charlie McAvoy for the first six games because of his playoff suspension, but new captain David Pastrnak and company remain a playoff threat.
• New GM John Chayka's trade for Kirill Marchenko continues a remake that affects the Maple Leafs from top to bottom.
• The Red Wings need to get defenseman Simon Edvinsson signed and figure out a solution to Larkin's trade request.
• Former captain Brady Tkachuk is in Florida with brother Matthew. That's a big loss for the Senators.

Metropolitan Division

• The defending champion Hurricanes are mostly the same and are a repeat threat. They'll certainly win the Metropolitan Division.
• The Capitals have multiple 30-goal scorers in newcomers Tuch and Jordan Kyrou, plus returning star Alex Ovechkin.
• The Devils were inconsistent last season on right wing and addressed it with Anthony Mantha and Luke Evangelista.
• The Penguins open the season with Bryan Rust and Ben Kindel on the injured list.
• Dorofeyev and Sean Durzi make the Rangers deeper, but it might not be enough for a playoff return.
• The Flyers raved about Matvei Michkov's training camp. The key will be Dan Vladar providing solid goaltending again.
• Matthew Knies is a nice return for Marchenko. The Blue Jackets need to play like they did when coach Rick Bowness joined the team rather how they did down the stretch.
• Coach Peter DeBoer gets a full season behind the Islanders bench. He'll need to coax more offense out of the team.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL point projections: How we see 2026-27 season unfolding

Yes, the Penguins are running it back with their biggest names, at least one more time. 

There was some doubt whether GM Kyle Dubas would bring future Hockey Hall of Fame center Evgeni Malkin back for another year at age 40, despite a resurgent campaign in which he scored 19 goals and totaled 61 points in just 56 games in 2025-26.

The two sides agreed to a one-year deal in May, though, that will give Malkin one more chance alongside long-time teammates Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang, with whom he’s hoisted the Stanley Cup three times. 

Required reading: Pittsburgh Penguins make big bet on Ville Koivunen despite lack of NHL production

Together, they’ll look to bounce back from a first-round playoff loss to the cross-state rival Philadelphia Flyers. 

It was bitter in the sense that their most hated foe triumphed at their expense. It was sweet in the sense that no one knew whether the three stars would ever share a playoff stage again after bowing out in seven games against the New York Rangers at the end of the 2021-22 season. 

Now that they have, Dubas will once again attempt the high wire act of building the franchise’s future while the soul Crosby, Malkin and Letang represent remains intact. 

Pittsburgh Penguins offseason review

• Record last season: 41-25-16 (98 points)

• Playoff finish: Eliminated in six games vs Philadelphia Flyers
• Coach: Dan Muse (second season)
• 2026-27 title odds: +8000, per BetMGM
• Projected point total: 90
• Offseason grade: C

Key roster additions

• F Nick Robertson (free agent signing)
• D Trevor van Riemsdyk (free agent)
• D Kaedan Korczak (trade with Las Vegas)
• D Declan Carlile
• F Andrei Kuzmenko (free agent)

Key roster losses

• F Anthony Mantha (free agency)
• D Parker Wotherspoon (trade)
• F Noel Acciari (free agency)
• D Ryan Shea (free agency) 
• G Stuart Skinner (free agency)

Biggest question entering season

Did Kyle Dubas make the right moves with his blue line? 

Only one Eastern Conference team – the reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes – scored more goals than the Penguins last season. On the flip side, only two Eastern Conference teams allowed more. GM Kyle Dubas responded by trading established veteran defenseman Wotherspoon (three goals, 27 assists) to Las Vegas and letting counterpart Shea (six goals, 29 assists) walk in free agency to Edmonton. Korczak, van Riemsdyk and Declan Carlile – signed to a two-year contract in free agency – step into that void with lesser track records. 

One could argue it’s a nice blank slate to start over with after leaking so many goals in 2025-26. One could also argue it’s a risky strategy that flirts with disaster if these moves don’t work out. 

Expect all three acquisitions to be in the mix for major minutes. Prospects Harrison Brunicke and Owen Pickering could make bids to ascend to the active roster after promising seasons with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton minor league affiliate last season. 

Letang will also be in the spotlight along the Penguins’ blue line. The three-time Stanley Cup champion scored just three goals in 74 games last season. It was his lowest total in a mostly healthy season since 2009-10. 

Erik Karlsson, meanwhile, will look to keep his renaissance from 2025-26 going. He had 15 goals and 51 assists for a total of 66 points. That’s the kind of puck mover the Penguins hoped they were getting when they acquired the then-reigning Norris Trophy winner coming off a 101-point season in the summer of 2023. They’ll hope for more of the same as he enters the final year of his contract with Pittsburgh. 

Projected forward lines (left to right)

• Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
• Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin
• Andrei Kuzmenko – Ben Kindel – Nicholas Robertson
• Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Elmer Soderblom

Projected defense pairings (left to right)

• Trevor van Riemsdyk – Erik Karlsson
• Sam Girard – Kris Letang
• Declan Carlile – Kaedan Korczak

Projected goaltenders

• Arturs Silovs – Sergei Murashov

Potential disruptors

Ville Koivunen signed a lucrative eight-year contract extension with the club in the offseason despite a resume that includes just 14 points at the NHL level. The team has every incentive to find a spot for him as quickly as possible in the event of injury or struggles from anyone on the third line down. Rutger McGroarty is also a name worth watching after nine points during the Baby Penguins’ Calder Cup playoff run this past spring. Defensively, Brunicke seems best positioned to push for NHL minutes. 

What to expect in 2026-27 NHL season

Crosby and Letang are 39. Malkin is 40. Karlsson is the young gun member of the veteran core at … 36. Age could catch up to any of them at any time. 

Until then, it’s reasonable to assume that this team will continue to score consistently. Rakell and Rust have proven to be capable running mates for Crosby for years. Chinakhov was a pleasant surprise with 18 goals in 43 games after he was acquired at midseason from Columbus. He seems to have found a home within Muse’s system. And Ben Kindel has upside after a rookie season in which he tallied 17 goals. 

On the flip side, it’s unreasonable to assume much has been solved defensively until it is. Compounding that issue is uncertainty in net. Silovs is back after producing solidly alongside Skinner last season, but he’s still played less than a full season of NHL hockey with 56 career games. Murashov is the team’s top prospect, whom it’s been careful with on the development track. Blomqvist struggled when he got a cup of coffee with the big club two years ago but has kept the heat on Murashov in the minors. 

There’s a chance everything works out and this team nips at Carolina’s heels in the Metropolitan Division. It seems more likely to find itself in a dogfight to make the playoffs again. We’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and project another first-round playoff loss, but one rough patch over the winter could easily have them on the outside looking in. 

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Penguins hope veteran core ushers in 2026 success with Crosby, Malkin in twilights

The NHL returns Tuesday night to kick off the 2026-27 season with five games on the schedule, including a meeting of the Southeast contenders and last three Cup champs in the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers.

Before all that, there was a huge trade between Toronto and Columbus that included two second-tier stars and a bunch of contracts.

Islanders News

• Officially now, the season-opening roster which includes Kyle MacLean and Victor Eklund, one of whom will probably make room for Mat Barzal once he’s healthy. [Isles]
• Dan and Mike lament the summer as they return for another season of Islanders Anxiety, and you can also greet them at Zofia’s Hideout for the season opener or in section 101 during the home opener. [LHH]
• Island Ice podcast with Andrew Gross: Season preview. [Newsday]
• Apparently the Islanders are selling a small stake to a group of undisclosed investors, with the $3 billion full-franchise value reflecting a six-fold increase since when Malkin-Ledecky bought it. [Newsday | Post] Apparently the entity that reported this also owns our site??? [Yahoo Finance]
• I don’t know what the hell all this is but if it makes Schaefer and the kids happy then I’m good with it. [NHL]

Elsewhere

• The Maple Leafs and Blue Jackets completed a massive trade highlighted by a swap of Matthew Knies and Kirill Marchenko. [Sportsnet]
• Marchenko, who did not want to re-sign in Columbus, signed a six-year extension with the Leafs. [NHL]
• Watching the Canes raiser their Cup banner will be “extra motivation” for their opening night foes, the Panthers. [NHL]