There has been plenty of angst among Detroit Red Wings fans over the last several months, and it has been on full display during each of their first two games of the 2026-27 NHL season at Little Caesars Arena.
Former captain Dylan Larkin was heavily booed when he was introduced Friday evening alongside the rest of the club's inactive players, while loud "Sell the Team!" chants broke out at multiple points during both Friday's 2-0 loss to the Rangers and Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Jets.
Red Wings Governor and CEO Chris Ilitch has now responded in a LinkedIn post Monday, acknowledging the frustration among fans while once again stating, as he did during an interview with Bob Wojnowski last month, that he remains committed to building a winning hockey club.
"Opening night in the NHL is always something special. And Friday night, as our Detroit Red Wings began a new season at Little Caesars Arena, Hockeytown showed up," his post began.
"A century of hockey, and more Stanley Cup wins than any other American NHL team, only happens with dedication and resilience. That Red Wings spirit is a constant through the seasons, from the coaches and players to the arena staff —like our incredible Ice Crew and broadcasters — and of course, generations of fans. I enjoyed visiting with many of them before the game to thank them for their part in our story and continuing it forward."
Ilitch then touched on fan frustration, saying he feels the same way.
"At the same time, I recognize fan frustrations," he said. "I get it and certainly feel the same. Like our city, the Red Wings have experienced incredible triumphs and faced difficult challenges but have always met them with grit and determination."
"As the franchise begins its 101st season, I remain focused on building the championship-level organization that our Red Wings family and fans deserve."
The Red Wings will be back on the ice on Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena against the visiting Ottawa Senators.
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The Calgary Flames have already made some significant roster moves early in the 2026-27 season, and those changes could open the door for a couple of young players waiting in the AHL.
One name in particular stands out.
Could Aydar Suniev be in line for an NHL recall sooner rather than later?
If I were a betting man, I’d say there’s a pretty good chance.
The decision made sense from a development standpoint. Suniev is still just beginning his second professional season, and there are parts of his game that need work before he becomes a full-time NHL player. His defensive game and play without the puck were areas he identified himself.
“I think playing without the puck and getting the puck back… that’s one of the areas I wanted to focus on,” Suniev told the media after his final preseason appearance when asked what he was focusing on and what the team had asked him to work on.
"I just try to do my best every game."
Aydar Suniev shares his thoughts on his performances during the preseason and his mindset moving forward. pic.twitter.com/FiC0FPdq0K
Calgary has opened the season 0-3, with just three goals scored and a minus-13 goal differential. At some point, the Flames are going to have to look at what they have available internally and determine whether somebody can provide a spark.
Suniev has already shown that he can produce. He scored three goals in two preseason games and also found the back of the net during the rookie NextGen game. He had additional chances that could have easily resulted in more goals if not for the post getting in the way.
That doesn’t mean Suniev is automatically the answer. It does, however, make the possibility of a recall much more interesting.
If Calgary decides it wants to inject some offence and energy into the lineup, Suniev would be one of the more obvious internal candidates.
The same could potentially be said for defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz.
With Pachal now on waivers, there is an opportunity for another young defenceman to potentially rejoin the NHL group.
Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Brzustewicz became somewhat of an odd-man out after Calgary added veteran Jake Middleton and former second-overall pick Simon Nemec during the offseason. That wasn’t necessarily surprising, but it did leave the 21-year-old back in the AHL after he had already seen NHL action last season.
Brzustewicz appeared in 34 games for Calgary last season, recording two goals and seven points while finishing with an even plus-minus.
There were things he needed to improve, particularly with his speed, decision-making and timing, but there was also enough there to suggest he could eventually become an important part of the Flames’ blueline.
But there’s another part of his game that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Offence.
Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Brzustewicz produced 92 points, including 13 goals and 79 assists, in his final junior season with the Kitchener Rangers. He followed that up with 32 points in 70 games during his first full professional season with the Wranglers in 2024-25.
We haven’t seen that offensive ability translate consistently at the NHL level yet. But that’s exactly why opportunity matters.
Would putting another young defenceman into a struggling Flames lineup be ideal?
Probably not.
But Brzustewicz has already experienced NHL hockey in Calgary. He knows what the environment looks like, and he handled himself reasonably well despite the chaos surrounding the team last season.
He could potentially provide Calgary with a mobile option on the back end while also giving the Flames another player capable of helping move the puck and contribute offensively.
None of this means Suniev or Brzustewicz is the answer to what is happening in Calgary.
Two young players aren’t going to suddenly turn a struggling team into a contender.
But that’s not really the point.
The Flames need to find something different. They need energy. They need offence. They need players who are hungry for an opportunity. Suniev and Brzustewicz potentially fit that description.
Whether either player gets the call remains to be seen. But with the Flames already making changes to the roster, it wouldn’t be surprising if the conversation inside the organization eventually turns toward the players who are waiting in the wings.
MARYLAND
HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Coming
into the NHL as a high first-round draft pick can bring with it some
loftier expectations
Dalibor
Dvorsky knows all about those, which gave the No. 10 pick in the 2023
NHL Draft a clear understanding for the forward to elevate his game,
he would have to take both the good results and bad results from a
first full season in the NHL.
Dvorsky
is coming off playing 71 games for the St. Louis Blues last season,
and even though the numbers (12 goals, nine assists) won’t stand
out, there was more to take home with him to his native Slovakia to
help him better prepare for a sophomore season this year.
“I
think I worked a lot on my speed and on my footwork and my shot,”
Dvorsky
said.
“I tried to take my game to the next level and I think I did a
pretty good job.
“I
feel better for sure. I feel like a little more calm on the ice. I'd
say last year I was maybe a little stressed sometimes, but now I feel
calmer with the puck on my stick and I think I do better decisions.”
In
other words, the game has been sort of dumbed down for Dvorsky. The
NHL pace isn’t overwhelming like it may have been last season,
knowing he’s going up against the best players on the planet. And
so far in 2026-27, even in a smaller sample size, Dvorsky has found
the net in each of the Blues’ first two games as
he searches for his first three-game goal-scoring streak when the
Blues (1-1-0) conclude a season-opening three-game trip against the
Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday.
Maybe some of that pressure and slowing the game down was helped out when Dvorsky thrived for his native Slovakia at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, where he has three goals and three assists in six games.
And
if anyone in recent memory understands where Dvorsky is coming from
as far as being more calm as you gain experience, it’s 2020
first-round pick Jake Neighbours, Dvorsky’s linemate to start the
season.
St. Louis goal!
Scored by Dalibor Dvorsky with 17:26 left in the 3rd. Assisted by Theo Lindstein.
“I
think every hockey player goes through it when they transition to
pro, especially to the NHL,” Neighbours said. “It’s a learning
curve. I’m still learning in my fourth or fifth year, whatever it
is. I think just with every year comes more comfortability. You can
see that in him. He’s more confident this year. Like he said, he’s
more calm with the puck, he seems to have a little more poise with
it. You definitely see some improvements for sure. I think that’s
normal for any young player coming into the league. Your first year
is about learning, getting your wits about you. When you come into
your second year, you come to expect a little more of yourself.
“There
comes a point. I don’t know if it’s a certain game marker or a
stretch of good play that maybe does it for you. I think everybody’s
probably different. I think for me, I remember the year I scored 27,
there’s just that feeling that you belong in the league and you can
compete in it. Every player has that moment where they kind of figure
that out. I think ‘Devo’ has a ton of confidence; he knows he’s
a really good player in the league. Excited to play with him and
watch him blossom this year.”
Dvorsky
knows what’s out there: the hands are there, the shot is there, the
foot speed and/or foot work isn’t. So he went about it on his own
to work on it.
“Some
things off the ice,” he
said.
“On the ice, just have those quick first three steps, working on
that.”
And
having those quicker steps has perhaps slowed the game down for the
21-year-old.
“Yeah
but maybe it comes with me being more calm with the puck and also I
think I know what to do without the puck better than I did last
year,” Dvorsky
said.
“Obviously I still have to learn so much, but I feel like I'm a
smarter player than I was last year.”
“Probably
like every detail matters. Every player (is)
so
good and one small mistake, it costs a goal. Every time I'm out
there, just make the most of it.”
Blues
coach Jim Montgomery has noticed the calmness to Dvorsky’s game and
feels it’s the player is asking more advanced questions to take his
game to the next level.
“Calm
is a good word to describe it,” Montgomery said. “He seems to
understand how we want to play, the questions he’s asking are more
advanced and basic as far as what we’re trying to accomplish.
“They’re
just getting comfortable, right? Being in the NHL’s intimidating
when you first come up. It’s intimidating about who’s in the
locker room, it’s intimidating about the size of the arena, it’s
intimidating about how great a life we have on the road with the nice
hotels. There’s a lot of things to digest for it to become normal,
and then you’re going out and you might be out there and ice the
puck, now MacKinnon and McDavid are coming over (the boards) on the
ice. But you’ve just got to get used to that, right? There’s
definitely a learning curve there and adjustment mentally to, ‘I’m
playing against these guys.’ It’s not, ‘Oh wow, look who’s on
the ice.’ It does happen.”
There
may have been some of that last season, especially playing as a
second-line center behind Robert Thomas. But with the acquisition of
Mason McTavish, Dvorsky can perhaps get some better matchups and fuel
his game in the process, and in his case, hopefully avoids any sort
of ‘Sophomore Slump’ while thriving with Neighbours, Jonatan
Berggren or whoever may be on that line.
“MacT
is a great player and a great guy off the ice, too,” Dvorsky
said.
“It helps me, and it helps the team a lot.
“Both
Jake and Bergy are great players. Jakey is very strong on the puck
and so strong in battles and very smart. Bergy is so skilled and can
find players. So yeah, it's really good and easy for me to play with
those two guys.”
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Barkov injured his left leg Oct. 1, during a game against the San Jose Sharks. He was playing in his second NHL regular-season game since missing all of the 2025-26 season after having ACL surgery on his right knee.
The Panthers originally hoped to have an answer on Oct. 2, but the team was on the road and the center went to see a doctor on Monday, Oct. 5 after returning home.
"He's in with the doctors today, and we hope to have a more solid answer for you tomorrow," Coach Paul Maurice told reporters.
Aleksander Barkov heads STRAIGHT off the ice after falling awkwardly on his leg 🤕
Barkov missed all of last season after receiving right knee surgery for a torn ACL and MCL... pic.twitter.com/t4Vh9OGKTe
Maurice didn't put credence in a report that Barkov would miss 10 to 12 weeks.
"Do not bet your hard-earned money on that one," Maurice said. "I know you can bet on everything these days, but hang onto your cash, truly. If I don't don't know, nobody else does."
Aleksander Barkov injury update
Barkov, a three-time winner of the Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward, was seeing a doctor on Monday.
Maurice said an announcement should be made on Tuesday.
"We need a certain amount of information before we can make our best estimate, and we don't have that information yet," Maurice said.
It will be hard for the 1-0-2 Panthers to adjust to Barkov's absence, but they're a deep team. Plus, Brad Marchand, who was expected to miss October rehabbing from an injury, returned on Oct. 4.
On Monday, the Calgary Flames placed forward Connor Zary on waivers, a move that comes after the club reportedly tried to shop the 25-year-old over the summer.
Zary, a former 24th overall pick back in 2020, carries a modest $3.775 million cap hit this season and next. Any team that claims him would get a forward with a track record of NHL production for nothing but the cost of his contract.
One team that could take a look is the Winnipeg Jets as the team's prospect pipeline is not deep, and the club could use help up front. The Jets struggled to score last season, finishing with the eighth-worst offense in the NHL at 2.79 goals per game.
The bottom of Winnipeg's lineup is made up of older veterans like Vladislav Namestnikov, Nino Niederreiter and Alex Iafallo. Adding a younger player like Zary offers higher upside and could give the Jets a new look in their bottom six. Zary has spent his entire career with Calgary since being drafted in 2020, and a first change of scenery could be a chance to make the most of a fresh opportunity.
He would be a low-risk, high-reward type of addition and if it does not work out, Zary would only be on the Jets' payroll through the end of next season, and with the salary cap continuing to rise, his cap hit becomes easier to absorb.
In his first full NHL season, Zary recorded 34 points in 63 games, a pace that would have translated to roughly 45 points over a full 82-game schedule. If he can produce at that level in a Jets uniform at that price, he would be worth a spot in the lineup. Should Isak Rosen fail to produce on the second line alongside Viggo Björck and Cole Perfetti, Zary could be an option to join that unit in the top six.
The only problem with the move is the injury concerns around Zary and his knee injury sustained during the 2024–25 NHL season following a knee-on-knee collision. Since then, Flames fans have noticed Zary's skating that was once viewed as elite has taken a hit and could be the reason why he has seen his play start to take a downturn and is now being placed on waivers.
It would be a risk adding Zary, but with Winnipeg's offense having finished so poorly last season, and the team making only minor changes to its forward group, like drafting Björck, it begs the question of whether or not it's worth taking at least a flyer on Zary to see if that electric player is still in there prior to his knee injury.
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VOORHEES, N.J. - Carl Grundstrom has been a good soldier for the Philadelphia Flyers in his two years with the organization, eagerly taking up whatever role the coaching staff has in mind for him.
To start the 2026-27 season, Grundstrom has already found himself up in the Flyers' top-six, complementing offensive-minded linemates Trevor Zegras and Owen Tippett.
While the Flyers still struggle as a team, Grundstrom's stabilizing role has helped Zegras and Tippett at both ends of the ice. According to Natural Stat Trick, Zegras and Tippett were out-attempted 26-10 without Grundstrom, and out-chanced 13-1.
With Grundstrom on their line, the opponents' attempt advantage was a more modest 17-9, with chances 8-4. The Flyers' trio did, however, score a goal, while not allowing any at the other end.
That goal was none other than the game-tying goal in an eventual 3-2 loss against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night, but it was important in the sense that the Flyers finally showed some signs of life.
After several attempts, Tippett flung a shot through traffic into a yawning Hurricanes cage to tie the game at 1-1, with Grundstrom battling hard with K'Andre Miller in front of the net and flopping all over the place trying to recover the loose puck before Tippett cashed in.
"Grunny's great. I've played with him a handful of times now, and he plays with a lot of speed. He plays physical, he's heavy, he gets to the dirty areas, and he's not afraid to shoot the puck," Tippett said of Grundstrom after the game. "I enjoy playing with him, and he brings a lot."
It's a familiar role for the 28-year-old Swede, who also spent time flanking Noah Cates and Matvei Michkov last season.
While unsustainable, Grundstrom did show flashes of his offensive potential, scoring seven times in 11 games for the Flyers between Dec. 9 and Dec. 30, including a four-game streak during which the Flyers won three of four games.
Grundstrom is reprising that type of role early this season with Zegras and Tippett, and he's relishing the opportunity.
"Obviously, two really, really good hockey players. I love playing with those guys. I just try to be hard on the forecheck, play physical, play my game to help them out," Grundstrom glowed to The Hockey News after Sunday's practice.
Grundstrom was placed on waivers by the Flyers back on Sept. 23 and eventually cleared, though if claimed, could have been playing hockey elsewhere.
With injuries to Denver Barkey and Nikita Grebenkin, the Flyers made the move early in the event they needed to make roster space for the return of one of their two younger players.
Grundstrom isn't fazed by that, though.
"Just try to play my game... play my game and work hard. That's my mindset."
Grundstrom has played no fewer than 47 games in each of the last six seasons, and while he is an established bottom-six rotational piece at worst, his grip on an NHL roster spot is tenuous... for now.
If he continues to prove his value with his physical attributes and pace of play, the Flyers will have tough decisions to make going forward.
Defenseman Matthew Robertson was placed on waivers Monday, according to Elliotte Friedman, clearing a roster spot — and cap space — for the Rangers to call up a center with Joe Veleno out for Tuesday’s game against the Islanders.
Veleno, who exited with a lower-body injury Sunday and was still being evaluated the next day, didn’t practice Monday, while Robertson was held out for what the Rangers labeled as roster management. A lack of center depth on their 23-man roster forced the Blueshirts to expose a piece of their blue-line depth to waivers just one week into the season. They entered Monday with $461,686 in current cap space, according to PuckPedia.
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With a roster spot now open, the Blueshirts will be able to replace Veleno, who has also become a piece of their penalty-kill unit, until he can return. Oliver Bjorkstrand skated in Veleno’s spot during practice Monday. Based on how training camp ended, Justin Dowling, Glenn Gawdin, Cole Beaudoin, Dylan Roobroeck and Juuso Parssinen had all positioned themselves as options to be called up during the season if center issues materialized, and this was always a possible roster crunch for the Rangers after keeping Matt Rempe and Jaroslav Chmelar — both players who skate on the wing — as their final forwards out of training camp.
Robertson, a second-round pick in 2019, skated in 72 games for the Rangers last season, but the left-handed defenseman lost a spot in the lineup to rookie — and No. 5 overall pick — Alberts Smits. He still made the team out of training camp, along with extra right-hander Scott Morrow, when the Rangers carried eight defensemen to start the season.
But now the Blueshirts will wait 24 hours to see if they’ll lose depth. Robertson produced six goals and 18 points last year. If he clears, he’ll be assigned to AHL Hartford and join a group of left-handed defensemen that includes Urho Vaakanainen, Drew Fortescue and Marc Del Gaizo, who all have NHL experience.
Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson (29) takes warmups prior to a game against the New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden in New York, Thursday, September 24, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectRangers forward Joe Veleno skates for the puck against the New Jersey Devils during the second period of a game at Madison Square Garden in New York, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. JASON SZENES FOR NEW YORK POST
Igor Shesterkin was named the NHL’s first star of the week after collecting a 2-1-0 record in his first three starts of the season, a 1.67 goals-against average, a .934 save percentage, 71 saves, his goalie goal and then an assist for his second point of the year in Sunday’s win against the Mammoth. If Shesterkin manages another point Thursday, he’d match the longest point streak by a goaltender in NHL history, joining Henrik Lundqvist (2010-11) and Tom Barrasso (1984-85, 1988-89).
“I don’t think there’s any question that when you have a goaltender that has the ability to play the puck to the level that Shesty has the puck, there’s a competitive advantage,” Mike Sullivan said Monday. “Five-on-five, five-on-six. … In today’s game, with how aggressive the forechecks are, when you have a goaltender that has the ability to play the puck like Shesty does, it’s a huge advantage for your team.”
The Rangers have only trailed after one period this season entering Tuesday’s game against the Islanders. … Eeli Tolvanen, signed just weeks before training camp began, became the first Blueshirts player since Oscar Lindberg in 2015-16 — and the eighth in franchise history — to have a three-game scoring streak through his first four games with the team.
If the end goes as Alex Ovechkin plans, his final NHL game will occur in the postseason in pursuit of another Stanley Cup title. But the end is near for the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer, regardless of how the 2026-27 season plays out for the Washington Capitals.
Ovechkin announced on Monday, Oct. 5, this will be his final NHL campaign after 22 years in the league. It means, after 1,575 career games, limited opportunities remain to watch the "Great 8" skate against the world's best hockey players. Only 82 games are left in the regular season.
So what are the matchups you can't miss? Here are the 10 most significant games left during Ovechkin's final regular season with the Capitals:
Ovechkin's first game after announcing this would be his last season will be against the rival he's been linked to since the beginning of his NHL career. The enduring debate and classic games between Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby helped define a generation of the league.
Monday, Dec. 28 vs. Edmonton Oilers
This is the last of two games Ovechkin will play this season against the NHL's best all-around player, Connor McDavid, who has matched Ovechkin with three Hart Trophy wins. McDavid's career has mirrored Ovechkin's in that the remarkable individual accomplishments during the first decade of his career have not yet resulted in a Stanley Cup title. Ovechkin won in his 13th season.
Saturday, Jan. 16 vs. Colorado Avalanche
Ovechkin faces the NHL's leading goal scorer from last season (Nathan MacKinnon) for the final time. Ovechkin recently named MacKinnon as the current player best suited to carry on his signature style of yellow skate laces and a dark, tinted visor on the ice. MacKinnon, Ovechkin and Mario Lemieux are the only players in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup, Hart Memorial Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award, Calder Trophy and lead the league in goals.
This will be Ovechkin's final game against the NHL team he grew up rooting for in Russia. The Sharks also feature Macklin Celebrini, who recently signed a five-year contract extension that, at the time, made him the highest-paid player in the league based on average annual value. Ovechkin signed the league's first $100 million contract when he was a rising superstar in 2008.
This is the final meeting between the Capitals and defending Stanley Cup champions, and the two teams have been division rivals throughout Ovechkin's NHL career. He has faced the Hurricanes more than any other team in the NHL (97), and has scored his second-most goals against them (53).
Monday, March 15 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
This is Ovechkin's final game against Lightning star Nikita Kucherov, who has supplanted Ovechkin as the best Russian hockey player in the NHL in recent years.
Sunday, March 21 at New York Rangers
This will be Ovechkin's last game at Madison Square Garden against a team that eliminated him from the playoffs four different times.
Ovechkin's final meeting with Crosby and the Penguins will also be the final home regular-season game of Ovechkin's career. The two famously had dueling hat tricks when they met in Washington D.C. during a 2009 Stanley Cup playoff series for the first time. The cheapest available ticket, as of 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 5, is more than $1,100.
Saturday, April 10 at Philadelphia Flyers
Should Ovechkin remain healthy and available through the end of the regular season, his final scheduled game at the moment will occur on the road against another familiar foe. The Flyers were the first team Ovechkin faced in the Stanley Cup playoffs back in 2008.
Brad Marchand has some harsh critics out there, but it seems no one is harder on Brad than he is on himself.
Marchand made his regular season debut on Sunday night when the Florida Panthers visited the Anaheim Ducks after missing the first two games of the season while recovering from summer surgery.
He wasn’t expected back into Florida’s lineup until sometime in November, but his early arrival couldn’t have come at a better time as the Panthers just had to put their captain, Sasha Barkov, on LTIR with a lower-body injury that is expected to keep him out for an extended period of time.
“I felt it was a bit of a rude awakening, being out there,” Marchand said after the game. “I've only had a couple morning skates with the guys and one practice yesterday, so the speed of the game and the intensity definitely ramped up a ton, but it was great to be back out there. It's going to take some time to get the timing of everything back and conditioning back, but it was incredible being back out there and being part of the team again.”
Sunday in Anaheim, Marchand skated on Barkov’s line, alongside Sam Reinhart and Brady Tkachuk.
Marchand looked like his quick, physical self on the ice, and he impacted the game quite positively for Florida.
With the Panthers trailing 2-1 late in the third period, it was Marchand who found the back of the net to send the game to overtime before Florida ultimately fell 3-2.
Along with the goal, he finished the night with three shots on five attempts, a hit, a giveaway, a takeaway and a plus-one on-ice rating.
“He’s not far off,” said Panthers head coach Paul Maurice. “All the time, he’s touching the puck and something happens. He’s really competitive.”
It’s certainly not a night to sneeze at, and when diving into the advanced metrics on Natural Stat Trick, Marchand’s night starts looking even better.
Of Florida’s four forward lines, none showed out better in terms of chances for vs. chances against at even strength.
The trio generated five scoring chances while only allowing two, and they were credited with two high danger chances, allowing none.
“As they learn, he’s an unusual player, and his linemates and get more and more comfortable with him, they’ll be able to do some things,” Maurice said of Marchand.
There were also no rush attempts against the line, though to be fair, Florida gave up zero rush attempts at 5-on-5 during the entire game, per NST.
Not too shabby, right?
Well, not if you ask Brad.
As he explained postgame, until he gets his legs back under him, he feels he’s holding two All Star caliber players back.
“The potential is there for sure, they're both incredible players, and both make great plays,” said Marchand. “We had a few looks tonight, but it's tough for those guys. They know I'm just getting back, and it's been, I don't know, six months since I played a game, and I’ve only been skating for a month now, so I kind of bring them down a little bit just with my timing and my speed and all that. We're working through that together, and when I get back to speed, I think we have great potential to be a really good line. We all dog the puck and can make plays when necessary and get around the net, so we have the makings to be a good line for sure.”
They’re going to get a chance to realize that expectation, too.
Maurice said he plans to give the group some time to grow together, while also allowing Reinhart some patience while he adjusts to playing the center role.
He’s taken a good amount of faceoffs over the past several years in Florida, but that’s been while still primarily playing the wing position.
It should be interesting to see how things grow between the group as Marchand continues to work his way back into shape and Reinhart gets better acclimated to playing down the middle.
Photo caption: Jan 6, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Florida Panthers left wingBradMarchand(63) skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. (Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images)
The 25-year-old was selected by the Flames 24th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft and entered the organization with plenty of promise. Injuries, however, have played a role in slowing his development, and he struggled to find consistency last season.
Zary finished the 2025-26 season with 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points in 74 games.
Now, Calgary has placed Zary on waivers, creating another significant turning point in his development. If he clears, Zary would be assigned to the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, giving him an opportunity to play more consistently and regain some of the offensive confidence that made him a first-round pick.
There have been flashes of that ability during Zary’s time with the Flames, but establishing himself as a productive NHL player has remained a challenge.
Being placed on waivers does not necessarily mark the end of Zary’s time in Calgary. If he clears, the Wranglers could provide an opportunity for him to reset, play meaningful minutes and work his way back into the Flames’ plans.
For a player who was once viewed as an important part of Calgary’s next wave of talent, it is another difficult chapter in what has been a challenging development path.
The 41-year-old has 82 games left this season to add to that total, starting on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at home against the rival Pittsburgh Penguins and fellow superstar Sidney Crosby.
The 41-year-old has 82 games left this season to add to that total, starting on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at home against the rival Pittsburgh Penguins and fellow superstar Sidney Crosby.
The 41-year-old has 82 games left this season to add to that total, starting on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at home against the rival Pittsburgh Penguins and fellow superstar Sidney Crosby.
For Las Vegas, that distinction carries two memories: the heartbreak of watching the Golden Knights’ remarkable inaugural season end, and the sight of one of hockey’s greatest players finally lifting the trophy that had eluded him.
Now, with Ovechkin announcing Monday that the 2026-27 season will be his last in the NHL, this city occupies a meaningful place in the farewell.
Washington is where he built his career. Las Vegas is where some of its most memorable chapters unfolded.
“My family and I decided this summer that this will be my final year in the NHL,” Ovechkin said in a statement released by the Capitals. “I love this game so much, but I know in my heart it’s the right decision.”
The announcement came exactly 21 years after his NHL debut. At 41, the Capitals captain has 929 goals and 1,688 points in 1,575 games, with one final season to add to those totals.
The night two histories met
On June 7, 2018, Las Vegas hosted the conclusion of two extraordinary hockey stories.
The Golden Knights had turned an expansion season into a run to the Stanley Cup Final. Ovechkin had spent 13 seasons pursuing the championship that would complete his résumé.
Washington’s 4-3 victory in Game 5 brought both journeys to their defining moment.
Ovechkin scored a second-period power-play goal, his 15th of the postseason. Vegas carried a 3-2 lead into the third before Devante Smith-Pelly tied it and Lars Eller supplied the championship-winning goal. Ovechkin received the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP and raised the Stanley Cup in the Golden Knights’ building.
For a city still discovering what NHL hockey could mean, the scene offered an unforgettable lesson in the sport’s emotional extremes. One team’s crushing ending unfolded alongside another’s long-awaited breakthrough.
That image belongs to Washington’s history, but its setting will always belong to Las Vegas.
There was another connection: George McPhee, the executive who drafted Ovechkin first overall for Washington in 2004, was Vegas’ general manager when the Capitals won that championship.
Three goals closer to immortality
More than six years later, Ovechkin returned to T-Mobile Arena and delivered another performance that became part of his legacy.
On Nov. 17, 2024, he scored three times in Washington’s 5-2 victory over the Golden Knights.
Career goals Nos. 864, 865 and 866 made up his 31st NHL hat trick and left him 29 goals from surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.
A power-play goal, a goal off the rush and an empty-net finish illustrated the different ways Ovechkin could punish an opponent. At 39, he was still producing nights that accelerated a chase once considered nearly impossible.
"It’s gonna stay forever," Ovechkin told The Hockey News that night. "Memories that happen here, (like) back in (2018) - it’s great.
"It was (a) pretty cool atmosphere, like always."
The Golden Knights also figured in another milestone that season. On Oct. 15, 2024, Ovechkin recorded two assists against Vegas in Washington to reach 700 for his career.
Ovechkin ultimately surpassed Gretzky on April 6, 2025, against the New York Islanders. The record fell elsewhere. Las Vegas had witnessed a memorable surge toward it.
A sight we’ve seen 894 times before this and each and every single time has been in a Capitals sweater.
Washington is scheduled to visit T-Mobile Arena on Jan. 30, 2027, giving Las Vegas a chance to acknowledge Ovechkin during his final NHL season.
There is still history available to him. He is 11 goals from passing Gretzky for the most combined regular-season and playoff goals, and 12 points from reaching 1,700.
His farewell will also include a season-long charitable campaign, with monthly initiatives beginning in November supporting causes central to his career.
Addressing his teammates in the locker room, Ovechkin kept his closing message focused on the season ahead.
"Let’s enjoy it and let’s do some special thing this year," he said.
Alex Ovechkin announced to his teammates this morning that this season will be his final in the NHL pic.twitter.com/wnnnkrIl5U
Las Vegas has been part of that career in ways few visiting cities can claim.
It watched him become a champion. It watched him score three times while pursuing immortality.
When he returns, the city will have another opportunity to recognize a player whose greatest celebration remains forever tied to its ice.
PHOTO CAPTION
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) hoists the Stanley Cup after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in game five of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena.
He's the top goal scorer in NHL history with 929 and the only player to surpass 900 goals.
Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky's 894 career goals were once considered an unbreakable record. And then Ovechkin broke it late in the 2024-25 season during a game against the New York Islanders. He added another 32 goals last season at age 40.
Ovechkin, 41, will add to that total in his 22nd and final season, during which he's expected to break another Gretzky record: 1,016 combined regular season and playoff goals. He needs 11 to do that.
Will anyone be able to break Ovechkin's final record? It will be difficult, but here are some potential candidates:
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
He's the most obvious candidate because he already has two 60-goal seasons to Ovechkin's one. He's a pure scorer with four goals in his NHL debut and 429 goals in 692 games. Ovechkin needed 634 to reach 400 goals. Matthews is averaging 0.62 goals a game in his career to Ovechkin's 0.59.
Matthews is 29 and potentially has many years left in his career. However, he missed a total of 34 games over his second and third NHL seasons. He was out on two occasions in 2024-25 with a nagging injury, costing him 15 games. He dropped from 69 goals to 33. In 2025-26, he missed 22 games and dropped to 27 goals.
One of Ovechkin's strengths was his durability. Matthews needs to stay healthy.
Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
He has developed into a regular 50-goal scorer and has signed an eight-year extension that made him the NHL's highest-paid player at the time. Draisaitl has 437 goals and like Ovechkin, he's hard to stop on a one-timer from the faceoff circle (the right one, in his case).
The issue is Draisaitl, 30, didn't become a 50-goal scorer until his fifth season. He has played 858 games, taking more time to hit 400 than Ovechkin and Matthews. And teammate Connor McDavid has only two years left in his contract. Does Draisaitl score as much if McDavid leaves the team?
David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins
Pastrnak, 30, has a 61-goal season and four 40-goal seasons. He has 420 goals in 836 games, but he fell to 29 goals last season.
Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks
The 2024 No. 1 overall pick jumped to 115 points in his second season. That includes 45 goals, a 20-goal increase from his rookie season. His 70 goals over his first two seasons are 28 fewer than Ovechkin's total, but Celebrini did it at 19 and Ovechkin was 21 during his second season.
Young player TBA
Don't forget that Ovechkin was 13 when Gretzky retired. One thing to watch is domination at the world junior championships. Ovechkin had 18 goals in 18 games over three tournaments.
"We Can't Have That": Penalty Killing Woes Return In Red Wings' 2nd Straight Home Loss While the Detroit Red Wings didn't play poorly five-on-five during Sunday's game, their penalty killing struggles proved to be their undoing. 
