Category: NHL

The Vancouver Canucks will play the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames once while facing the Seattle Kraken twice during the 2026-27 pre-season. 

The notable difference regarding this year’s pre-season is that each team will only participate in four games rather than the usual six due to the regular season now consisting of 84 games.  

The talent of Vancouver’s youth will be on full-display during the pre-season, with many up-and-coming players expected to make their mark and potentially push for roster spots. Last year, 2025 first-round pick Braeden Cootes impressed to the point of remaining on Vancouver’s roster through the final camp cuts and making his NHL debut in the team’s season-opener against the Flames. 

This year, players like OHL standout Riley Patterson, who made his AHL debut in 2025–26, will be ones to watch heading into the pre-season and training camp. Vancouver’s selections in the 2026 NHL Draft will also be intriguing to watch, though prospects such as Caleb Malhotra are expected to play out the 2026-27 season with their respective NCAA and CHL clubs. 

2026–27 Pre-Season Schedule 

Game 1: September 19, 7:00 pm PT @ Seattle Kraken 

Game 2: September 22, 6:00 pm PT @ Calgary Flames 

Game 3: September 24, 6:00 pm PT vs. Edmonton Oilers 

Game 4: September 26, 4:00 pm PT vs. Seattle Kraken 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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The Chicago Blackhawks traded three players to the Edmonton Oilers at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. Jason Dickinson, Connor Murphy, and Colton Dach all moved their hockey lives to Edmonton in exchange for future assets. 

The Oilers were shockingly defeated by the Anaheim Ducks in round one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, ending their season much sooner than expected after two straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final in 2024 and 2025. 

After the season ended, the Oilers took very little time to extend both Murphy and Dickinson. They see each of them as great complementary pieces for a team led by superstars like Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard.

If everyone stays healthy, it's a core good enough to continue making deep postseason runs after a disappointing finish in 2026. 

On Sunday, the Oilers announced the extension of Colton Dach, making it so that all three players that the Blackhawks traded there are sticking around. 

Dacher 👊
 
The #Oilers have signed forward Colton Dach to a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $1.2 million. pic.twitter.com/29pjRSs3eo

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) July 12, 2026

For Dach, it's a two-year deal with a cap hit of $1.2 million. He has the potential to be a part of a solid bottom-six forward group, likely in the same group as Jason Dickinson. 

The Oilers are hoping to get a physical forward who can contribute some toughness and a bit of offense from Dach, as he has in the past. Health has been his biggest challenge, but he's a great player when he is able to get out onto the ice. 

Through 86 games played, Dach has 7 career goals and 13 assists for 20 points, mostly in a depth role. Finding good forwards to fill out their lineup has been a key for Edmonton in the McDavid era, and Dach will be a part of it for at least the next two years on a fair deal. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay up to date on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Colton Dach is staying put with the Edmonton Oilers. 

The Oilers have announced that they have signed Dach to a two-year, $2.4 million contract. Starting next season, Dach will have a $1.2 million AAV. 

This is a bit of a raise for Dach, as he had an $825,000 AAV during his entry-level contract. Now, he will be making slightly over $1 million per season on his new deal with Edmonton. 

Dach was traded by the Blackhawks with Jason Dickinson to the Oilers ahead of this year's deadline in exchange for Andrew Mangiapane and a 2027 conditional first-round pick. In eight regular-season games with the Oilers following the move, Dach posted two goals and four points. He also had an assist in five playoff games for Edmonton this spring. 

Dach was selected by the Blackhawks with the 62nd overall pick of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. In 78 games over two seasons with Chicago from 2024-25 to 2025-26, the 6-foot-4 forward posted five goals, 11 assists, 16 points, and 275 hits.

Dach will now be looking to hit a new level with the Oilers after landing his new multi-year contract. It will be interesting to see how the former Blackhawks forward continues to develop from here. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins have made multiple additions this off-season. Could they make another one before the start of the 2026-27 season? 

In a recent article for TheScore, Josh Wegman named the Penguins as the "best fit" for free agent defenseman Logan Stanley. 

"Stanley, who joined the Sabres at the deadline as part of a deal with the Winnipeg Jets, didn't fare well in Buffalo, as he was a healthy scratch for five of the team's 13 playoff games. But the monstrous 6-foot-7 blue-liner would be the second-best left-shot defenseman for a Penguins squad that's looking to remain competitive next season," Wegman wrote.

With the Penguins needing more depth on the left side of their blueline, it would make sense if they tried to sign Stanley this off-season. If they signed him, he would provide their blueline with more size and toughness, which is never a bad thing. 

While Stanley had a tough finish to the season after being traded to the Sabres, he still had a career year in 2025-26. This is because he set new career highs with nine goals, 17 assists, and 26 points in 76 games split between the Jets and Sabres. He also recorded 110 hits and 128 penalty minutes, so he made an impact with physicality. 

On a short-term deal, it would make sense for the Penguins to take a gamble on Stanley. Even if he did not replicate the offensive numbers he had last season, he would still provide Pittsburgh's blueline with more depth. This is a real need for the Metropolitan Division club right now. 

Once upon a time, Sven Baertschi was thought of as a staple in the Vancouver Canucks’ top-six. After retiring from playing hockey after the 2022–23 season, however, the forward made his way into the coaching space. 

Earlier this week, it was announced that Baertschi had been elevated from his role as an assistant coach with the Portland Winterhawks, now serving as their associate coach for the 2026–27 season. 

Baertschi has been with the Winterhawks as a coach since the 2024–25 season, with this being his first formal coaching gig. The familiarity with the WHL organization extends past this, however, as he played two seasons worth of junior hockey with Portland back in 2010–11 and 2011–12. After putting up an impressive 85 points in 66 games in his rookie season with the Winterhawks, Baertschi recorded 94 points in only 47 games, following that up with a 34-point post-season run. 

After four seasons as part of the Calgary Flames organization, having been drafted 13th-overall by the Flames in 2011, Baertschi was traded to the Canucks for a second-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. This pick turned into now-Vegas Golden Knights defenceman Rasmus Andersson. 

The winger spent the better-half of seven seasons with the Canucks organization, scoring a career-high of 35 points in 2016–17, though injuries towards the back-half of his career ultimately ended with him and Vancouver parting ways. He spent one season with the Golden Knights organization before heading back to Switzerland and concluding his playing career. 

Players currently listed on the Winterhawks’ 2026–27 roster include defencemen Avery Laliberte and Stevie Grumley, as well as goaltender Ondrej Stebetak. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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2 Blue Jackets RFAs File For ArbitrationThese two Blue Jackets have filed for arbitration.

Two Columbus Blue Jackets are among 15 players who have filed for arbitration on Sunday.

According to the NHLPA, Jet Greaves and Cole Sillinger have both filed for arbitration. 

Loading The Cannon: Pheonix CopleyCopley was undrafted out of North Pole, Alaska.

Undrafted - North Pole, Alaska

NHL Debut - February 17, 2016 (St. Louis)

Career NHL Record - 44-17-8 - .898% sv% - 2.85 GAA - 70 Career Starts

NHL Playoff Experience - 1 Relief Appearance

Career AHL Record - 169-104-30-18 - .909% sv% - 2.52 GAA

AHL Playoff Experience - 10-10-0-1 - .933% sv% - 2.13 GAA

Blue Jackets Sign Veteran Defenseman Colton WhiteWhite was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 2015.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed defenseman Colton White to a two-year, two-way, per the team. 

White has played 107 NHL games and has 14 career points. White has played 345 AHL games and totaled 98 points. 

Is Adam Fantilli Philadelphia's Next Target?Fantilli was drafted third overall in 2023.

The thought is that the offer sheet given to Carlsson wouldn't be all that much more than Fantilli would get if pursued by another team. But there's no way Don Waddell is offering Fantilli $15-plus million during their contract negotiations. 

How bad does Adam Fantilli want to stay in Columbus? I guess we'll find out if the Flyers decide to send him an offer sheet. Is it possible he'd turn down the Flyers to stay in Columbus? 

Yes, The Columbus Blue Jackets Should Match Any Offer Sheet On Adam FantilliThe Columbus Blue Jackets and GM Don Waddell need to get center Adam Fantilli signed, but with the threat of an offer sheet out there, can they do it without having to match another team's offer? 

The Columbus Blue Jackets and GM Don Waddell need to get center Adam Fantilli signed, but with the threat of an offer sheet out there, can they do it without having to match another team's offer? 

If the CBJ and Adam Fantilli were presented with an offer sheet, should the Blue Jackets match any offer given? The answer should be a resounding YES! 

Loading The Cannon: Ryan LombergLomberg was undrafted out of Richmond Hill, Ontario.

Undrafted - Richmond Hill, Ontario, CAN

Scouting Report - Physicality & Grit: Despite his smaller frame, he plays with a heavy edge. He consistently finishes checks, battles along the boards, and is a frequent team leader in hits and fighting majors.

NHL Debut - January 25, 2018 (Calgary)

Career NHL Stats - 394 Games - 35 goals - 37 Assists - 72 Points - 475 PIMs

NHL Playoff Experience - 32 Games - 3 Goals - 0 Assists - 3 Points - 1 Stanley Cup 

Career AHL Stats - 219 Games - 49 Goals - 60 Assists - 109 Points

AHL Playoff Experience - Stockton Heat - 1 Game  

Blue Jackets Goalie Prospect Sergei Ivanov Signs Contract With ColumbusSergei Ivanov was drafted in the 2022 NHL Draft as the 138th overall pick.

The Blue Jackets have announced the signing of goalie prospect Sergei Ivanov. It felt like it would never happen, but here we are. They have signed Sergei Ivanov to a two-year ELC. Ivanov is expected to spend the 2026-27 season in the Kontinental Hockey League before playing in North America, per the CBJ. His ELC runs through the 2028 season. 

Zach Werenski Could Break Several More Records Next SeasonWith every record Werenski breaks, he adds more ammo to his arsenal when he hits the negotiating table for a new contract.

Total Points - The record is 547, set by Rick Nash. Werenski currently has 465, which is 82 off the mark. Zach has 82 and 81 points in the last two seasons, respectively, so it's highly probable that he breaks it, or comes very close. 

Overtime Goals - The record is 8 and owned by Seth Jones. Werenski currently sits at 7, so this one should fall pretty quickly. He already owns the record for most OT assists with 14. 

The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta Has Great News For The Columbus Blue Jackets Today, the Anaheim Ducks decided to keep Leo Carlsson, matching Philadelphia's $18 million per year offer sheet. Now everyone is wondering what the Flyers will do. Will they go big game hunting again with another offer sheet? Or will they just stand pat and go about their business?

After the news, The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta offered this quote to The Sheet's Jeff Marek. "No plan B is my understanding; they're not gonna pivot and go after Adam Fantilli or Connor Bedard or whomever else."  

Jet Greaves & Cole Sillinger Have Arbitration Hearing Dates SetAs first reported by Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, Jet Greaves and Cole Sillinger have had their arbitration hearings set. 

Being held in Toronto, Jet Greaves will have his hearing on July 23rd, and Cole Sillinger will have his on July 27th. 

Today In Columbus Blue Jackets History: Brandon DubinskyDubinsky was drafted 60th overall in 2004 out of Anchorage, Alaska.

Brandon Dubinsky signed what would be his last NHL contract on this day in 2014. He signed a six-year deal that would keep him in Columbus until 2021.

Blue Jackets Promising Prospect Is Player To Watch Next SeasonLuca Pinelli is a prospect who Blue Jackets fans should watch closely next season.

Pinelli was also rewarded for his strong play in the AHL, as he appeared in his first three career NHL games last season with the Blue Jackets. Now, he will be looking for more chances on Columbus' roster next season.

Blue Jackets Young Forward Needs Big Bounce-Back YearWill Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson turn things around next season?

The 2025-26 season was a tough year for Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson. In 76 games with the Metropolitan Division club, he posted just seven goals and 22 points. He was also healthy scratched multiple times during the season. 

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For the first time since his selection at the 2025 draft, fans were able to see what Alexander could do on the ice at the Montreal Canadiens’ development camp, and they were impressed. The youngster has got impressive hands and looks to be on his way to a promising NHL career. He’s still in town, and on Saturday night, he dazzled the crowd at the Make Your Move event.

Zharkovsky had some fun showing off his hands at the Make Your Move shootout tournament. 🏒

🎥: Make Your Move [Mymhockey]#GoHabsGo#Habs#Canadienspic.twitter.com/CsMckOoCEO

— P. Laflamme (@Polaflamme1) July 12, 2026

Le Journal de Montreal’s journalist Kevin Dube spoke to former Buffalo Sabres first-round draft pick Mikhail Grigorenko and asked him what he thought of the Habs’ prospect. The former NHLer, who skated in 249 NHL games and played in eight KHL seasons, winning three Gagarin Cups, has nothing but praise for the young man:

“He’s excellent, he’s a very, very good player. He will spend another year in Russia, and then, I don’t know if he’ll make the jump straight to the NHL. He might need a year in the AHL, but I believe he has the potential to be a top-six player in the NHL.”

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For the former Quebec Remparts player, the Canadiens were able to claim him so late because of the fact he plays in Russia:

“If he didn’t play in the KHL, he would have been drafted in the first round. It’s hard for people to know just how good he can be because they can’t see him in the Junior World Championship or similar events and compare him to other young players. That was a steal for the Canadiens.”

At 32 years old, Grigorenko, who played for the Sabres, the Colorado Avalanche, and the Columbus Blue Jackets, knows he’s unlikely to return to the NHL, but he seems at peace with that. He has a bigger role in the KHL than he would have in the NHL and says that he’s in a good place financially.

It will be interesting to see how Zharovsky’s transition to North American play goes at the tail end of the season. The KHL season is scheduled to take place from September 5 to March 20, while the playoffs will run from March 23 to May 11, 2027. The Canadiens’ prospect is set to return with Ufa Salavat Yulayev, and the team isn’t expected to be contending for the Gagarin Cup, which could mean that his season in Russia ends while the Canadiens are still playing. While KHL players’ contracts normally end on May 31, it wouldn’t be surprising if his team released him once its season ends, just as SKA St. Petersburg did when Ivan Demidov first joined the Habs.

Zharovsky was named rookie of the year in the KHL last season, putting up 42 points and 16 goals in 59 games and said at development camp that he will work on becoming a responsible forward at both ends of the ice.

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Ivar Stenberg has ‘more to give' after being drafted No. 2 overall by Sharks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

In what is a rare occurrence in sports, there seemed to be a near-consensus that the Sharks had one of the strongest classes in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Headlining the group was the No. 2 overall pick in the draft and Swedish import, Ivar Stenberg. Heralded as one of the more NHL-ready prospects in this year’s class, Stenberg made it clear when speaking to NBC Sports California’s Ted Ramey that he is far from a finished product.

Stenberg expressed the emotions of being drafted so early and what he wants to prove himself at the next level.

“It means a lot,” Stenberg said. “Early mornings, late evenings. Yeah, I worked really hard and I’m happy I reached this level so far, but I have much more to give.”

The 18-year-old forward shone with the Swedish Elite League’s Frölunda HC this past season, finishing with 11 goals and 33 points in 43 games. Landing a player like Stenberg might not have always been in the cards for San Jose, as their trading of William Eklund to the Ottawa Senators cleared the way for the team to take a young forward.

Stenberg got his first taste of the NHL when he participated in the Sharks’ developmental camp earlier this month, and has already built a modest fan base as kids in the crowd were chanting his name.

Sharks fans are chomping at the bit at the thought of Stenberg and the team’s young superstar, Macklin Celebrini, skating in the same line.

And it might happen as early as this season after Stenberg signed his entry-level contract earlier this month.

Download and follow the San Jose Hockey Now podcast

Less than a week after being ranked in the top three in Bleacher Report’s NHL Power Rankings, the Montreal Canadiens are named the fifth-best team in the NHL (ex aequo with the Dallas Stars) in a recent Adam Proteau article.

THN’s writer grants that the Habs have not made any high-profile move this offseason; they also didn’t lose much, meaning they’ll still be as fast and as skilled as they were last season, when they put up 106 points. He also adds that, with $13.3 million in cap space, they're likely to improve through trades.

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While that’s most probably what would happen in an ideal world, it certainly feels like GM Kent Hughes has been trying to do it since the end of the playoffs but hasn’t been able to find a dance partner. However, it’s worth noting that the Canadiens still need to sign Kirby Dach, Zachary Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj. Once that’s done, there won’t be that much room left on the salary cap.

Thanks to Hughes’ ingenious two-way qualifying offer to Dach, the Albertan is likely to sign for less than the $4 million he was entitled to be offered. That number is on the table until the offer expires on July 15, even if Dach has filed for arbitration. After that date, both parties can continue negotiating, but once the arbitration hearing begins, it’s up to the arbitrator.

Here’s hoping it doesn’t actually get to that point, as the process is hardly good for the relationship between the parties. If it gets there, the Canadiens will essentially have to tell the arbitrator that Dach isn’t worth what he thinks he is, citing his lack of production, injuries, and lack of consistency as other arguments. Teams leave no stone unturned in those hearings; they hire lawyers to argue their case and are very thorough. Dach could end up with a $3,400,000 contract if the arbitrator awards him the bare minimum provided for in the CBA.

Bolduc’s contract negotiations should be the most interesting ones. It feels like the youngster has plenty of potential, but so did Dach when the Canadiens first acquired him. Last season was one of adaptation for the Trois-Rivieres native, and the Habs have yet to see his ceiling. Much like he did with Dach and Alex Newhook, I expect Hughes to take a prudent approach in this case. Back then, they had both been signed to 4-year deals after being acquired, but given how the salary cap is rising, it may make sense to ink Bolduc to a shorter deal and re-evaluate then, after seeing a bit more of what he can do but before the market has gone completely insane.

Last season, the winger put up 30 points in 78 games, which is less than the 36 points he had put up with the St. Louis Blues the year before, but that can be explained by the lack of premium power play ice time and the need to adapt to the Habs’ style of play. If Hughes manages to ink him for less than $4M per year, it will be a win. The Anaheim Ducks gave A.J. Greer a $4.25M cap-hit contract for four years, and he put up 32 points last season, the best of his career.

Xhekaj’s contract should land somewhere in the vicinity of what Jayden Struble got last season: a two-year deal with a $1,412,500 cap hit, signed at the tail end of July. Since the cap has gone up, the cap hit may be slightly higher, perhaps at $1.6 million or $1.7 million.

Those three signings should eat the best part of the $13.3 million in cap space the Canadiens still have, although a trade will likely involve players going the other way as well, which would make it possible for Montreal to acquire an impact player on the trade market. If they find a team that’s willing to move what they’re in the market for of course.

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The 2025-26 season was undoubtedly a success for the Pittsburgh Penguins. After entering the season with many doubters, the Penguins responded by making it into the playoffs. 

There were many reasons for the Penguins taking a big step in the right direction last season. Ben Kindel was certainly one of them, as the 2025 first-round pick had an excellent rookie season for Pittsburgh.

After making the Penguins' NHL roster, Kindel posted 17 goals, 18 assists, and 35 points. With numbers like these, the 19-year-old forward showed that he is already capable of making an impact at the NHL level. Yet, now that he has a year of NHL experience, don't be surprised if he takes his game to a new level next season. 

Kindel certainly has the tools to blossom into a high-impact player for the Penguins, and it would not be surprising if he takes another step toward that next season. If he can hit a new level offensively, it would be huge for a retooling Penguins club that is looking to continue to have success.

It will be interesting to see what kind of season Kindel can put together for the Penguins in 2026-27. He will undoubtedly be a young player to watch very closely. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins surprised a decent chunk of the hockey world on June. 30 when they traded defenseman Parker Wotherspoon to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for fellow defenseman Kaedan Korczak. 

It came out of nowhere, but that's exactly how Penguins general manager and president Kyle Dubas likes to do business. He operates in the shadows a lot and doesn't let things leak out. 

Wotherspoon had a great 2025-26 season with the Penguins, finishing with three goals and 30 points in 80 games (all career-highs). He was also great in his own zone and formed a strong partnership with Erik Karlsson on the top defensive pair. 

Despite all of that, the Penguins were unlikely to extend Wotherspoon after the 2026-27 season and opted to move him for a younger, cost-controlled defenseman. They're a bit weaker on the left side (with plenty of time to fix that) and stronger on the right. 

Penguins assistant general manager Jason Spezza was super excited about the move when he discussed it on July. 1. 

"Korczak's a guy that we feel, with the age he's at, there's tons of upside there, a guy that fits in really well with that middle age group that we're really trying to acquire and has tons of potential," Spezza said. "Really solid defensively and lots of untapped potential."

Korczak is entering the first year of a four-year deal that's worth $3.25 million per year. He played in 78 games during the 2025-26 season, compiling three goals and 16 points.

He has some offensive ability, but is more known for his defensive zone play. He's solid at breaking up plays in his own zone and manages his gap control really well. He also knows how to win battles behind the net before going from defense to offense. 

Those traits are backed by the advanced metrics, which show he ranks in the 93rd percentile for 5v5 defense. He was also on the ice for 59.4% of the high-danger chances, 54.2% of the scoring chances, and 54.3% of the expected goals at 5v5 during the regular season.

To take it a step further, his 59.4% high-danger chance share was the best of any Golden Knights defenseman, including Shea Theodore, who is well regarded as one of the best defensemen in the NHL. 

Korczak was scratched for some of the Golden Knights' playoff games, but I wouldn't expect those struggles to follow him to Pittsburgh. He did a lot more good than bad this season, and now he'll have a fresh start in an organization that got the very best out of a handful of players this past season. 

Outside of his 5v5 play, I'd expect him to get more responsibility on the penalty kill once the 2026-27 season starts in September. He hardly played on that unit going into the 2025-26 season, but logged just a shade over 35 minutes during the regular season. He may not be one of the first penalty killers that head coach Dan Muse sends out there, but he's still going to factor into the rotation. 

Penguins Sign 2026 Draft Pick To ELCThe Pittsburgh Penguins have signed Tomas Galvas to his entry-level contract.

Assuming both Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang are on the team to start the year, Korczak will likely start on the third pair. However, there will be room for him to get an elevated role in a future season since Karlsson is heading into the final year of his contract, while Letang only has two seasons left on his.

A third pairing of Declan Carlile and Korczak would be super fascinating, since both players are still young, have come off solid seasons, and have more room to grow. 

The Penguins wanted to remake some of their defense this offseason, and they've definitely done that. While the work is not yet done, they now have a really solid player in Korczak, who is only 25. He can and will help the team in a variety of ways next season and into the future.

(Data via Natural Stat Trick).

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On Friday, The Hockey News named the Chicago Blackhawks as the 30th-best NHL Team On Paper. The only teams below them are the Calgary Flames and the Vancouver Canucks, both of which play in the Pacific Division. 

Does that mean the Chicago Blackhawks are destined for another last-place finish in the highly competitive Central Division? It is incredibly possible. 

The Five Worst NHL Teams On Paper After The Start To Free AgencyThe NHL's 2026 off-season started with a bang, but there are still teams severely lacking in talent and overall depth. Which five teams look like they could be in the league basement?

The Blackhawks finished 31st in 2025-26, but it was still an 11-point improvement over the year prior. Something similar could happen in 2026-27. Every other team in the Central is trying to win now, which could lead to another last-place finish, even if they do actually improve in terms of record. 

The Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, and Dallas Stars are still the three teams to beat, but the Utah Mammoth are coming. There are also the St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, and Winnipeg Jets, who put competitive products on the ice pretty much every year. 

We know what the floor is for the Blackhawks, who will play the first month of the season without Connor Bedard due to shoulder surgery, but the ceiling is a competitive team that is in the race until the very end, regardless of how it ends. 

We see stories like that happen every year. Nobody expected the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, and Philadelphia Flyers to do anything last year, but they all had winning years unexpectedly. Not all of them made the playoffs, but they all had a competitive chance in the final few games of the season. 

The latter can only happen if multiple young Blackhawks overachieve right away. It is more likely that they will need another year or two before competing for the playoffs every year. When you're in that stage of a rebuild, it can be hard to come out of. 

With Bedard out, can Anton Frondell, Frank Nazar, and Oliver Moore amongst others step up? Can Roman Kantserov translate his goal scoring prowess to the NHL? How are the defensemen going to play? Is Spencer Knight elite? A lot will be answered during the 2026-27 season.

Chicago certainly doesn't want to think about another top-five pick, even with what is projected to be a good draft, but that could be their reality again if they do end up in the basement of the Central Division. 

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It’s official. The Senators are about to be joined by a second pro hockey team making Canadian Tire Centre their home.

After three seasons at TD Place, the Ottawa Charge announced Thursday they've signed a multi-year agreement to move to Canadian Tire Centre full-time, beginning next season.

Senators President and CEO Cyril Leeder was part of the announcement, along with Charge GM Mike Hirshfeld, and forward Rebecca Leslie, the hometown hero who led the Charge in goals in both the regular season and playoffs.

“Senators Sports & Entertainment is proud to officially welcome the Ottawa Charge to Canadian Tire Centre,” Leeder said. “The Ottawa-Gatineau region is fortunate to have two professional hockey teams competing at the highest level. In a short period of time, the Charge have developed a substantial following and fanbase, and they have become an important part of our local hockey ecosystem.”

Meanwhile, the City of Ottawa is currently building a new 6,500-seat arena at Lansdowne that was expected to become the Charge's permanent home. But the PWHL decided the building would be too small to accommodate both its current average attendance (8131) and its long-term growth plans.

In their recent past, the Charge have played six games at the CTC and have averaged 13,641 fans a game there, which is compelling, and certainly every Ottawa hockey fan hopes those types of numbers continue.

But a full regular season of PWHL games in an NHL building will be a much different test than the special occasion of the playoffs, and that's one of the reasonable concerns about this move.

For example, one of the best things about the Charge in their first three seasons has been that demand is in the same neck of the woods as supply. Can that happen for them in an 18,000-seat NHL arena? Smaller venues create urgency for tickets. Fans are willing to buy earlier and pay more because they know tickets are limited. 

Report: Senators Players Grew Tired Of The Noise Around Brady Tkachuk, Including His PodcastAccording to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Sens teammates grew weary of the noise surrounding their former captain.

Over the course of the 15-game regular season now at the CTC, on nights when they maintain their average attendance, the Charge may find themselves playing in front of 10,000 empty seats, and there’s a risk that urgency could disappear.

A full house also creates a much better TV product than 8100 fans scattered through an 18,000-seat arena. Empty seats are hard to ignore on television, and perception can matter to prospective fans and sponsors.

These are part of the reasons the Senators have reduced the building's seating capacity over the years.

And then there’s location. The Senators eventually want to leave Kanata and get to a central location. The Charge is leaving a central location to get to Kanata. Lansdowne is a desirable location that’s easier to get to for a lot of people, including the players, and there’s certainly more to do around the building before and after games.

I hope this move proves to be the right one. Nothing would be better than seeing the Charge fill Canadian Tire Centre every night. But until that happens, it's fair to wonder whether the PWHL is moving too far and too fast when it already has something here that's working really well.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

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When Connor McDavid signed his extension in September, the expectation around the league was that he would become the NHL's first $19-million player, or at least come close enough that the distinction wouldn't matter. Nobody would've argued he hadn't earned it. He's the best player in the world, the face of the sport and the biggest reason the Edmonton Oilers have spent the better part of a decade chasing the Stanley Cup.

But he signed for less.

It was still an enormous contract, but it left Edmonton with considerably more flexibility than anyone expected, and while that was easy enough to appreciate in September, every new superstar contract makes the decision look a little better.

Ex-Oiler Prospect Lands New Deal in OttawaXavier Bourgault secures a fresh start in the capital, betting on an AHL breakout to finally stick in the NHL after Edmonton moved on from the former first-rounder.

The Philadelphia Flyers put the Ducks in an impossible position with a five-year, $90-million offer sheet, one Anaheim matched because there wasn't a realistic alternative. Franchise centres don't become available very often, certainly not ones who are 21 years old and still have another level or two to reach, and replacing a player like that with four first-round picks is far easier to talk about than it is to actually pull off.

Leo Carlsson called it life-changing money.

It is.

There isn't another way to describe $90 million. Players have a short career, one injury can change everything and every contract negotiation comes with the understanding that there may never be another opportunity quite like it. Hockey players don't owe anyone a discount, particularly when they're negotiating against organizations worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Three Goalies In Edmonton: Why It WorksCarrying three goaltenders used to be viewed as a sign that something had gone wrong. Teams wanted a clear No. 1, a dependable backup and little debate beyond that. The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers#google_vignette">Edmonton Oilers</a> are taking a different approach this fall, and there are good reasons to believe it could work.

Carlsson took the contract almost everyone else would've taken.

Every Stanley Cup contender has to pay great players. The challenge is paying great players while still leaving yourself enough room to surround them with a roster that can survive an 84-game season and four playoff rounds. Cups are rarely won by the team with the most stars. They're usually won by the team that has enough good players after the stars have already been paid.

An $18-million cap hit changes every deal a general manager has for the next five years. It affects the next extension, the trade deadline, the bottom six, the third pairing, the backup goaltender, all the decisions that don't get enough attention.

McDavid understood that.

He could've pushed the market somewhere nobody had gone before. The Oilers would've given everything he wanted because there was never another option. Nobody lets the best player in the world leave over money, not when the alternative is spending the next decade trying to replace someone who can't be replaced.

Oilers Could Make a Late Summer Push For 23-Goal UFAAs Edmonton eyes a Stanley Cup, veteran sniper Vladimir Tarasenko emerges as a potential UFA target. Could his offensive pedigree flourish alongside McDavid at a team-friendly price tag?

He looked beyond the next cheque.

The money McDavid didn't take isn't some abstract number sitting on a spreadsheet. It becomes another player Edmonton can afford to keep. It becomes the ability to take on salary at the trade deadline without moving two contracts out first. It becomes a little more breathing room every summer when another young player needs a raise and another veteran still has value.

That's why his contract has aged so well in such a short period of time.

Every new deal signed by a franchise player raises the ceiling a little higher, makes everyone wonder where the next negotiation is headed and reminds the rest of the league how unusual it is when someone willingly leaves money on the table. McDavid didn't need to do that. He chose to.

Craig Berube’s Decision May Have Changed Oilers Coaching PlansFrustrated by a stalling timeline, the veteran coach walked away from Edmonton’s search, forcing management to pivot toward Mike Babcock after lengthy negotiations hit a sudden standstill.

The Oilers still have to draft well, develop players, avoid bad contracts, and make the right decisions every July and every March.

They get to make those decisions with more options than most contenders because their captain gave them some.

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A little over one week ago, the Vancouver Canucks signed forward Paul Cotter to a one-year contract worth a total of $2.15M. The 2018 fourth-round draft pick by the Vegas Golden Knights has spent his NHL career with both Vegas as well as the New Jersey Devils, but will look to continue that with the Canucks heading into what will be his sixth NHL season. 

While the make-up of the Canucks’ forward lines will be clearer come the start of the season, Cotter is expected to fill in somewhere in Vancouver’s bottom-six. The forward can play both at center and at wing, though he has been put on wing more often as of late. 

Ironically enough, Cotter’s most recent linemate has also dealt with a similar issue throughout the past few months — and could wind up reprising his role as Cotter’s center come the start of the 2026–27 season. Max Sasson initially began his NHL career playing predominantly at center, but ended up being moved to the wing towards the end of this year. 

At the 2026 IIHF World Championship, Sasson was moved back to center. One of his most consistent linemates at the tournament was none-other than Cotter, who finished the competition with a total of two goals and two assists in eight games. Both from Michigan, the two Canucks forwards combined for Sasson’s first point and Cotter’s first goal of the tournament, doingso in their first game together. 

Cotter and Sasson played out the remainder of the tournament together alongside Mathieu Olivier, with both Canucks forwards averaging a little less than 14 minutes per game as part of Team USA’s identity line. The trio provided a fair bit of physicality and toughness while pitching in offensively from a depth-scoring perspective. 

Given their previous connection with their time as linemates with Team USA, there’s always the chance that Cotter and Sasson could end up playing on a line together for the Canucks. A pairing of the two U.S. teammates as well as another scrappier player — potentially someone like Brendan Gallagher, perhaps — could provide Vancouver with a high-identity third or fourth-line. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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