The NHL pre-season is just about wrapped up, and for the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning, it ended on a violent note.
Florida and Tampa Bay played each other three times in a row to end their respective pre-season campaigns. With each game, the contests became more violent, and the final contest ended with more than 300 penalty minutes.
The two Floridan giants are no doubt rivals, but did this pre-season cement themselves as the biggest and nastiest rivalry in the NHL?
The first exhibition game between these two teams this season came on Sep. 30. It was rather ordinary as the Lightning took that tie 3-2.
However, on Oct. 2 and Oct. 4, these games were anything but ordinary.
The game on Oct. 2 was interesting because both teams had set out the majority of their NHL rosters. Veterans who would likely want to get through pre-season matchups without any drama, injuries, or making the games longer than they have to be.
Nonetheless, a total of 186 penalty minutes were accumulated, with Panthers left winger AJ Greer recording a game high of 29 penalty minutes. Most of his time was created from a bout with Lightning left winger Brandon Hagel.
It turns out this rivalry was only scratching the surface in comparison to the game on Saturday night. In the opening three minutes, Tampa right winger Scott Saubourin laid a huge hit on Florida D-man Aaron Ekblad. They dropped the gloves immediately after, and the floodgates were open for the rest of the outing.
Sabourin received a match penalty for his actions on Ekblad and was one of many players who would get ejected from this game. Along with Sabourin, Bolts defenseman JJ Moser will receive a hearing from NHL player safety.
In addition to the two hearings, two members of the Lightning received fines for cross-checking. Center Gage Goncalves was fined $3,125 for cross-checking Evan Rodrigues. Meanwhile, defenseman Roman Schmidt was fined $2,098.52 for cross-checking Carter Verhaeghe. Both fines were the maximum allowed under the CBA.
By the end of the contest, there were 16 ejections, 312 penalty minutes from 65 penalties, and there was even a goal removed from the board several minutes after it was scored.
At one point, this game was 8-0 for the Panthers. However, over five minutes of game clock after the 8-0 goal, the officials were having a discussion during a TV timeout that led to that goal being removed.
This is because Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola provided an assist on the goal, despite being ejected sometime before that. The referees were able to sort out the situation, sending Mikkola to the dressing room, and the game proceeded and ended with a 7-0 score.
With all the chaos that ensued over this pre-season between the two teams from Florida, it’s safe to say that this rivalry is alive and well. It’s certainly one of the nastiest, violent and filled-with-hatred rivalries in the NHL to date.
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The Chicago Blackhawks finished the preseason on Saturday, and they are leaving for Sunrise on Sunday. The Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers await them for the season opener on Tuesday night.
Ahead of their trip, the Blackhawks made some announcements. They started with a one-year deal for Matt Grzelcyk, which will carry a cap hit of $1 million.
Grzelcyk wasn't above-average during the preseason, but he is a veteran player who has experience playing in the league. Being the team's security blanket on defense is a good role for him right now.
None of Kevin Korchinski, Nolan Allan, or Elthan Del Mastro earned the team's confidence as their permanent 6th defenseman. Louis Crevier is not waiver exempt, so he was the obvious 7th defenseman option.
Del Mastro was not one of the roster cuts made, but the team is unsure if Alex Vlasic will be ready for opening night as he recovers from a lower-body injury sustained during the preseason.
All of the players who were called up specifically to play in the preseason finale against the St. Louis Blues were sent back down to the AHL.
Nolan Allan and Kevin Korchinski were among those who were sent down to the Rockford IceHogs. They will have to play their way up and wait for chances to get in the NHL lineup.
At forward, Ryan Greene and Oliver Moore joined those going back to Rockford. The situation is different here than it is on defense. Both had solid camps and preseasons, but they will go to the AHL to play a lot of minutes and keep working on getting better.
Lukas Reichel remains with the big club as one of their bottom forwards, so until that day comes when he's traded, he will be a part of the group.
All of these moving parts are fluid, and the team that plays the season finale might look a lot different than the one that plays on opening night. For now, most of the early decisions have been made. Vlasic's status will be learned before puck drop on Tuesday, which will influence things as well.
The Chicago Blackhawks have announced that they have signed Matt Grzelcyk to a one-year, $1 million contract for the 2025-26 season.
Grzelcyk had been skating with the Blackhawks on a professional tryout (PTO) this training camp. Clearly, he impressed management during it, as he has now landed a contract for the season from the Central Division club.
Overall, there is very little risk in this move for the Blackhawks. They have brought in a veteran defenseman who will provide them with more depth and experience on the blueline. That is never a bad thing.
Grzelcyk, 31, posted one goal, 39 assists, and 40 points in 82 games this past season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. If he can produce that kind of offense from the point in 2025-26, he could end up being a good value signing for the Blackhawks.
The Edmonton Oilers are just a few days away from the start of the regular season, skating on Sunday morning after a loss on Friday in their final preseason game of the season.
The Oilers made some key decisions this week, with others yet to be made. Among the major off-ice moves: the team has signed head coach Kris Knoblauch to a three-year extension through the 2028-29 season. There is also talk about Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman, and which players will make the opening night roster.
Knoblauch, who took over during the 2022-23 season, has posted a 94-47-10 record in 151 games and guided the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances, both of which were losses to the Florida Panthers. We spoke to Knoblauch after the extension was announced and he was grateful to the organization and the Katz family for giving him an opportunity and excited to get this deal done before the start of the season.
It will be fascinating to see if Knoblauch’s extension will influence Connor McDavid’s contract situation, a storyline that has dominated offseason chatter.
Latest on McDavid's Contract Talks
While the Oilers captain has yet to sign a new deal, sources suggest he remains committed to Edmonton, with speculation pointing toward a short-term, in-season extension (there is still a chance it happens before October 8) rather than a massive long-term commitment.
Analysts continue to debate whether McDavid could top Kirill Kaprizov’s AAV, but most are now expecting his salary to come in under Kaprizov's, a decision he'll make to help the Oilers build a championship team around him.
His influence may already be shaping the roster, as David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reportedly engaged in preliminary discussions with GM Stan Bowman to potentially bring in an impact player to boost the team’s championship window.
TSN's Darren Dreger said this week that he believes McDavid re-signing in Edmonton now sits at 50/50 odds. When asked why so low, he responded that anything higher likely would have seen McDavid already signed by now.
Off the ice, the Oilers face tough decisions for their opening-night roster. Several players were sent down this week, but more decisions need to be made, with at least three more cuts coming.
Names like Troy Stecher, Curtis Lazar, and Max Jones have surfaced as potential candidates to go down, while prospects such as Alec Regula and David Tomasek, and Noah Philp remain key considerations.
Waiver-exempt forwards like Matt Savoie, Ike Howard, and Tomasek provide flexibility for GM Stan Bowman, but all three arguably deserve to be on the opening night roster. Depth players like Lazar and Jones are most vulnerable, though moving them could be tricky if younger talent needs NHL minutes.
Is Zach Hyman Getting Closer to a Return?
Zach Hyman continues his recovery from a wrist injury suffered last season. While November 1 was initially projected as his return, sources suggest he may be back sooner, giving the Oilers another boost in the lineup.
He hopped on the ice after morning practice on Friday, taking shots and doing workouts with the Oilers' conditioning coach. He looked pretty good, even though he's not ready for opening night.
In other injury news, Jake Walman is expected to be ready for opening night, while Mattias Janmark is hurt and could be up to a week. Jones should be ready to go as well.
Is Draisaitl the Contract Comparable for Eichel?
As the Oilers try to figure out extensions for McDavid, Walman, Mattias Ekholm, Brett Kulak, and their goaltenders, another superstar sees Leon Draisaitl as a potential contract comparable.
Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights are reportedly negotiating an eight-year deal worth roughly $14 million AAV, mirroring Draisaitl’s contract. Eichel’s camp appears to be using Draisaitl’s salary as a benchmark instead of comparing him to other players who are signing deals this summer or are expected to over the next few weeks and months.
Oilers Ranked Atop The Points-Getters List
The Athletic ranked the Edmonton Oilers as the top team in the NHL when predicting which NHL club will get the most regular season points. With 109, the Oilers led the way as potential Presidents' Trophy candidates.
With preseason games wrapping up and opening night just days away, the Oilers’ combination of roster moves, McDavid speculation, and coaching stability sets the stage for a compelling 2025-26 campaign. Between potential acquisitions, Hyman’s return, and key roster decisions, Edmonton’s front office has some big decisions to make and fans will watch closely in the hopes that every move is the right one.
The Oilers are trying to get one step closer to the Stanley Cup.
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- The St. Louis Blues are down to their final roster cuts, and five were assigned to Springfield of the American Hockey League on Sunday.
The club announced it has assigned 2023 first-round picks, forwards Dalibor Dvorsky, Otto Stenberg and defenseman Theo Lindstein, along with forward Aleksanteri Kaskimaki and defenseman Leo Loof to the Thunderbirds, reducing the training camp number down to 26.
All five played in the preseason finale on Saturday, a 4-0 win against the Chicago Blackhawks, but it was clearly evident as things progressed to Monday's 4 p.m. (CT) deadline for opening night rosters to be submitted that these players had made strides but would not make the initial cut to be on the roster for opening night on Thursday against the Minnesota Wild.
"I think they had really good camps; we just have a lot of good depth in the organization," Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. "We have 14 really good forwards here that are signed and we have seven really good defensemen. And those other guys, they've got to go down there and be really good. Our organization's in a real good place with all positions."
That leaves three more cuts for the Blues to make by Monday, and among those is expected to be goalie Colten Ellis, who has to clear waivers to go to Springfield, as does defenseman Hunter Skinner, who had himself a terrific training camp. Neither were on the ice Sunday morning and likely on waivers by Sunday afternoon.
"If I had to pick a couple (tough ones that got sent down) off the top of my head, I would say Skinner, Stenberg and Kaskimaki," Montgomery said. "All did a lot to show that they can play in the league, but again, they've also got to show that they can really be good American League players."
The Columbus Blue Jackets have 8 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #8.
Let's take a look.
Geoff Sanderson - 2001-2006 - Drafted by Hartford in 1990.
Sanderson played 268 games as a Jacket and had 168 points. In the franchise's first season, he dazzled the NWA crowds when he scored 30 goals and had 56 points. Sanderson was a very good player for the Blue Jackets and brought some excitement to a fledgling franchise desperate to win some games. He's the only player in CBJ history to score 4 goals in a single game and was the first player in franchise history to have 5 points in a game.
He retired in 2008 after playing 1100 games and totaling 700 points. Last season, he was a pro scout for the New Jersey Devils.
His son Jake is now a star defenseman for the Ottawa Senators.
Jan Hejda - 2008-2010 - Drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 2003.
Hejda signed with Columbus in 2007 after playing one year with the Edmonton Oilers. In all, he played with Columbus for four seasons and totaled 302 games. He scored 11 goals and 67 points playing on the Columbus blue line.
He left for the Colorado Avalanche in 2011 when free agency opened. He would play there until 2015. He signed a PTO with the Lake Erie Monsters in December of 2015 and was released in January of 2016 and would retire.
Scottie Upshall - 2011 - Drafted by Nashville in 2002.
Upshall played 21 games as a Jacket and had seven points after being traded on February 28, 2011, from the Phoenix Coyotes. After his time in Columbus, he played for the Florida Panthers and St. Louis Blues.
He left for Europe in 2019 to play a single season in Switzerland.
Maksim Mayorov - 2012 - Drafted by Columbus in 2007.
Mayorov played 22 in Columbus and totaled 11 points. He never played another game for the Jackets.
He left for Russia 2012 and played there until he retired in 2021. He is now an amateur scout for the Washington Capitals.
Nathan Horton - 2014 - Drafted by Florida in 2003.
Horton only played 36 games for Columbus after signing with the Jackets in 2013. After netting 19 points, he was forced to medically retire due to a back issue.
During the first period of a March 10, 2014, game against the Dallas Stars, Horton scored a goal to put the Blue Jackets ahead, 1–0. Shortly thereafter, Dallas Stars center Rich Peverley collapsed on the bench. Play was suspended, and on April 9, 2014, the game restarted from the beginning, with the Blue Jackets leading, 1–0. Horton was unavailable for the restarted game due to an injury. However, his goal from the original game was still recorded in official statistics, making him the only NHL player known to score in a game in which he did not play.
Zach Werenski - 2017-2025 - Drafted by Columbus in 2015.
Zach Werenski has cemented himself as the best defenseman in Columbus Blue Jackets history. Werenski came into the league like a lion and really hasn't stopped since. Unfortunately, injuries set him back during his career, but last year, he stayed healthy and became a top-scoring, elite defenseman.
Last season, he set single season records for a Blue Jackets defenseman in goals (23), assists (59), and points (82). He also passed CBJ legend Rick Nash in career assists, a mark that will probably take two decades to catch, if it's ever caught. His assist mark stands at 271, and there isn't an active Blue Jacket that even has 100 career assists. By the time his career is over, he could very well have 500 assists.
Per the NHL, Werenski is looking to become just the seventh U.S.-born defenseman in NHL history with three career 20-goal seasons.
He'd join PhilHousley (7x), ReedLarson (6x), BrianLeetch (5x), GarySuter (3x), AlIafrate (3x), and MarkHowe (3x) as the only ones to do so to date.
Last season, he also had a historic home points streak. The streak tied Phil Housley for the third-longest by a defenseman in NHL history, trailing only Bobby Orr and Paul Coffey. It was also the fourth-longest home point streak by an active player in the league, with only Nathan MacKinnon (35 GP in 2023-24), Connor McDavid (26 GP in 2023-24), and Nikita Kucherov (24 GP in 2022-23) having a longer streak.
Zach Werenski will look to continue his spectacular play when the season starts next week in Nashville. How many points do you think Werenski will have this season?
Let us know what you think below.
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Let's get one thing straight: Connor Ingram is a good story. The journeyman goaltender who battled through OCD and anxiety to find his footing in the NHL deserves respect. But if you're an Oilers fan hoping he's the answer to Edmonton's perpetual goaltending question, we need to have a hard reality check.
The Oilers have been searching for reliable goaltending since the days when Dwayne Roloson was stealing playoff games. Every season brings new hope, new names, new "this could be the guy" energy. Ingram's name has floated around in trade speculation, and some fans see his .904 save percentage from last season as a potential upgrade.
Here's the problem: it's not.
Let's start with the facts. In 2023-24, Ingram posted a .904 save percentage across 47 games with the Utah Hockey Club (formerly the Arizona Coyotes). That's not terrible, but it's also not moving the needle for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations. For context, Stuart Skinner—who Oilers fans love to criticize—posted a .905 save percentage last season while facing significantly tougher competition.
Ingram's goals-against average of 3.05 tells a similar story. Yes, he was playing behind a weaker defensive structure in Arizona/Utah, but the Oilers need someone who can elevate the team, not just maintain the status quo. When you're trying to win a Cup with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in their prime, "pretty good" doesn't cut it.
Here's what really concerns me about Ingram as a potential solution: consistency. Last season was his first as a legitimate NHL starter, and while he showed flashes, he also showed why he'd spent years bouncing between the AHL and NHL. He had stretches where he looked confident and capable, followed by games where he looked completely overwhelmed.
Oilers' Coach And GM Detail Game Plan For Connor IngramThe Edmonton Oilers traded for Connor Ingram on Wednesday, but head coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed this trade was not done to push either Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard out. The Oilers have their goaltenders, and Ingram's arrival alone won't change that.
The Oilers don't need a project. They need a goaltender who can deliver night after night, especially in the playoffs when the margin for error evaporates. Ingram has exactly zero playoff games in his NHL career. Zero. This is a team that made it to Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final last season and Game 7 the year prior. You want to roll the dice on a guy who's never experienced that pressure?
Let's talk about something that doesn't get enough attention: Ingram's injury history. He's dealt with various ailments throughout his career, and durability has been a question mark. Last season was actually his healthiest and most productive, which is great, but it's also a single data point. The Oilers need ironman reliability in net, especially if they're going to make a deep playoff run.
The harsh truth is that the Oilers need elite goaltending, or they need to be comfortable with what they have. Ingram represents neither option. He's a lateral move at best, potentially a downgrade depending on which version of Stuart Skinner shows up—or frankly, which version of Connor Ingram shows up.
If the Oilers are going to make a move in net, it needs to be for someone proven. Someone with playoff experience. Someone with a track record of stealing games when their team needs it most. Ingram might develop into that player someday, but "someday" isn't in the Oilers' championship window timeline.
The other option? Commit to Skinner and actually build a defensive system that supports him. Skinner has shown he can be good when he remains calm in net—or just in net—and when the Oilers play structured hockey around him.
The solution might not be swapping out goalies like they're interchangeable parts—it might be finally addressing the defensive zone chaos that's plagued this team for years.
The Bottom Line
Connor Ingram is a fine NHL goaltender who earned his spot in this league. But fine doesn't win Stanley Cups, especially not when you're icing the two best players in the world. The Oilers need to either go big on a proven commodity or commit to developing what they have with better defensive structure.
Ingram isn't the savior. He's just another name in a long line of "maybe this guy" conversations that Oilers fans have been having for two decades. And until management recognizes that band-aid solutions won't fix a systemic problem, we'll keep having the same conversation next season too.
After The Score ran a random simulation on NHL 26, the Senators came out as the champions in a random simulation. While it obviously means absolutely nothing, it does suggest that, based on all the data the company pours into its game, the Sens compare very favourably to the best teams in hockey
What's troubling is the faces of the Senators' players.
But I, for one, welcome our Ottawa Senator zombie overlords...
SUNRISE, Fla. — Niko Mikkola had an assist on a goal that gave the Florida Panthers an 8-0 lead. Problem was, he’d been kicked out of the game a few minutes earlier and nobody noticed.
It was that kind of night between the Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Florida beat Tampa Bay 7-0 in the preseason finale for both clubs Saturday night, though the score was irrelevant. There were 65 penalties for 312 minutes on the stat sheet, including 13 game misconduct penalties — seven for Tampa Bay, six for Florida. The penalty count kept rising after the game, while officials were making sure everything that was called got logged.
Florida had 17 power-play chances in the game, by the NHL’s count.
“It got silly. It got stupid by the end of it,” Florida forward Evan Rodrigues said. “It wasn’t really hockey out there.”
The parade to the penalty boxes started about two minutes into the game when Tampa Bay’s Scott Sabourin — who was among six players the Lightning called up for the game — went after Florida’s Aaron Ekblad. Sabourin got a major penalty after playing only 19 seconds.
“It made you think there might be something coming,” Florida’s Eetu Luostarinen said, when asked what he thought when he saw the Lightning called up players for the game.
What would have been the eighth Florida goal of the night, midway through the third period, was taken away 15 minutes after Jesper Boqvist scored. Off-ice officials realized that Mikkola couldn’t have had an assist on the play — since he’d been ejected earlier in the period.
The teams skated with the scoreboard saying Florida led 8-0 for about five minutes of actual game time, before officials informed both teams that the goal had been taken away and Mikkola had to leave the game.
The Lightning took nine penalties and had no shots on goal in the third period.
Saturday’s game came two nights after the teams combined for 49 penalties and 186 minutes in another preseason contest, one the Lightning won 5-2.
Tampa Bay went to three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals from 2020 through 2022, winning two titles in that span. Florida has been to each of the last three Stanley Cup Finals and has won the last two Cups. And it has long been a heated rivalry between the franchises.
“I think anybody that’s been a part of this rivalry would probably look at this box score and A, not be surprised and B, I can’t believe it’s taken this long for something like that to happen,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said.
The Flyers moved Ryan Ellis’ contract to the Sharks, along with a 2026 conditional sixth-round draft pick, in exchange for Carl Grundstrom and Artem Guryev.
Ellis was entering the seventh season of an eight-year, $50 million deal that he originally signed with the Predators. The contract had a $6.250 million annual cap hit.
Grundstrom, a 27-year-old winger, comes to the Flyers as a pending unrestricted free agent. He’s in the final year of two-year, $3.6 million deal ($1.8 million cap hit). He was placed on waivers Sunday, according to PuckPedia.com. If he clears, he can eventually head to AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.
Guryev is a 22-year-old defenseman who was selected by San Jose in the fifth-round of the 2021 draft. He played in the ECHL last season and will report to the Phantoms.
There aren’t many higher honors on a professional sports team than being the captain of a team. This article will be all about them, a rundown of current and past captains, where they come from, and interesting facts along the way.
All Active Captains
Of the 32 teams in the NHL, 30 teams have a player who wears a ‘C’. Only the Boston Bruins and the San Jose Sharks are without a captain at the moment. Last season, every team in the league had a captain going into the campaign.
The Bruins had Brad Marchand rock the ‘C’ for the team, but he was traded to the Florida Panthers at the 2025 trade deadline. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy and right winger David Pastrnak are likely next in line for that role.
As for the Sharks, Logan Couture was their guy, but he stepped away from the game due to Osteitis Pubis. There is the possibility that the Sharks will wait for Couture’s contract to expire before they name someone else captain.
Steve Yzerman holds the record for the longest-tenured captain in NHL history, as he donned the ‘C’ for the Red Wings for 19 seasons, from the 1986-87 season until 2005-06 when he retired.
Sidney Crosby will be equalling that record going into his 19th season as the captain of the Penguins. His first season as Pittsburgh’s captain was in 2007-08, his third season in the NHL.
The third-longest tenure in NHL captains' history is from Joe Sakic. He captained the Quebec Nordiques and Colorado Avalanche from 1990-91 until 2008-09.
Alexander Ovechkin deserves some love as he’ll join the top three once the 2025-26 regular season kicks off. This will be his 17th season as captain of the Capitals.
Longest Tenured Captains Currently
Aside from Crosby and Ovechkin, who are shaking hands with history in terms of being some of the longest-tenured captains in NHL history, here’s that list among active players.
Behind Crosby and Ovechkin is Avalanche left winger Gabriel Landerskog. Landeskog was named Colorado’s captain ahead of the 2012-13 campaign when he was 19 years old. After a remarkable comeback to the NHL, the Avs captain is suiting up to be the team’s captain for a 14th season.
Next in line is Jamie Benn of the Stars. He was named captain one season after Landeskog got the ‘C’. Benn was a 24-year-old heading into his fifth NHL campaign. Benn is yet to win a Stanley Cup, but has come close with a Cup final appearance and three consecutive Western Conference finals. This will be Benn’s 13th year donning the ‘C’.
The 2025-26 season will be Anze Kopitar’s last; thus, it will be his final year as the Kings captain. Kopitar became Los Angeles’ captain later in his career compared to others. This is because Dustin Brown held the captaincy before him for eight seasons. This will be Kopitar’s 20th NHL season and 10th year as Kings captain.
Shortest Tenured Captains
J.T. Miller of the Rangers is currently the shortest-tenured captain, as he was just given the captaincy on Sept. 16 and hasn’t started the regular season yet. Miller has never been captain before, but ahead of his departure from the Canucks, he was an alternate for his last four seasons.
Aside from Miller, seven players are tied, entering their second season as captains. Those players are Auston Matthews, Nick Foligno, Victor Hedman, Radko Gudas, Rasmus Dahlin, Clayton Keller and Jordan Eberle.
Keller and Eberle would be the newest captains by technicality because Keller was named captain of Utah on Oct. 4, 2024, and Eberle was gifted the ‘C’ with Seattle a couple of days later. Everyone else officially became the captain earlier than October’s arrival.
Fun fact: Wayne Gretzky has one of the shortest tenures as a captain in NHL history. In the 1995-96 season, he played 18 games as a member of the Blues after being traded by the Kings. After those 18 games, he signed with the Rangers the next season and never wore the ‘C’ again.
Youngest Captains
The answer to who the youngest-named captain of all time and among active players is the same. On Oct. 5, 2016, the Oilers named 19-year-old Connor McDavid captain of the team. He dethroned Landeskog of that title, as McDavid was 20 days younger than Landeskog when he was given the captaincy.
The current youngest captain in the NHL is Rasmus Dahlin of the Sabres. Buffalo’s defenseman is 25 years old, like Quinn Hughes is, but Hughes was born in 1999 versus Dahlin’s 2000 birth year. Dahlin was named captain ahead of last season.
Oldest Captains
The oldest captain in the NHL as the 2025-26 season approaches is Ovechkin. He just turned 40 years old on Sep. 17, and this will be his 21st season in the NHL.
The oldest player to ever wear the ‘C’ on his chest was defenseman Zdeno Chara. The final year of his captaincy was in 2019-20, when he was 43 years old. He still went on to play two more seasons, split between the Capitals and Islanders.
1. 12 Canadian captains (Jordan Staal, Boone Jenner, Jamie Benn, Connor McDavid, Jared Spurgeon, Nick Suzuki, Sean Couturier, Sidney Crosby, Jordan Eberle, Brayden Schenn, Mark Stone, Adam Lowry)
2. Eight American captains (Nick Foiligno, Dylan Larkin, Anders Lee, J.T. Miller, Brady Tkachuk, Auston Matthews, Clayton Keller, Quinn Hughes)
3. Four Swedish captains (Rasmus Dahlin, Mikael Backlund, Gabriel Landeskog, Victor Hedman)
4. Two Swiss captains (Nico Hischier, Roman Josi)
T 5. One Finnish captain (Aleksander Barkov), one Czech captain (Radko Gudas), one Russian captain (Alexander Ovechkin), one Slovenian captain (Anze Kopitar)
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The Rangers wrapped up their six-game preseason slate with a loss the Bruins on Saturday afternoon.
They finished with a 2-3-1 record during those games.
The results don’t matter much, but with youngsters getting their chance to show what they can do and veterans competing for a spot, there are always some positives to take away from these exhibition contests.
Here are the four biggest standouts for the Blueshirts this time around…
Noah Laba
Laba was arguably the biggest riser for the Rangers this preseason.
The youngster came into camp as a long shot for a roster spot, but his impressive play put him square in the mix for the third-line center opening. He finished the preseason with a six points in as many games, the last of which was a power play goal on a deflected Adam Fox shot from the point during Saturday's preseason finale.
It remains to be seen whether or not Laba did enough to scratch his way into the lineup, but he certainly made an extremely compelling case.
“I feel like I’m ready,” Laba said early in camp. “Obviously, you’re never ready until it actually comes -- there’s always lessons to be learned, but I feel like I’m prepared and super excited to play with any amount of guys.”
Conor Sheary
After appearing in just five NHL games last season, Sheary just wanted to prove that he could still play at this level.
“I kind of have nothing to lose,” he said.
Tampa agreed to terminate the final year of his deal prior to free agency opening, so Sheary penciled the Rangers into the top of his list of destinations, and he ended up landing with them on a PTO.
The veteran took full advantage of that opportunity, producing three points in five games -- while also bringing the tough forechecking that head coach Mike Sullivan saw so often during their time together with the Penguins.
“He’s a guy who could potentially add those elements to our team,” Sullivan said during camp.
After entering coming in as a bit of an unknown, the Rangers seem likely to keep the 33-year-old winger around on a new contract, and it appears he’ll start the season on their third line. He'd bring a strong veteran presence with playoff experience to this locker room and some much-needed familiarity with Sullivan’s system.
New York Rangers right wing Gabe Perreault (94) takes the ice against the Minnesota Wild for his NHL debut at Madison Square Garden / Wendell Cruz - Imagn Images
Gabe Perreault
Perreault came into camp looking to earn himself a spot on the opening night roster after his brief cup of coffee in the NHL down the stretch last season.
The young winger ended up falling short in that attempt, as he was assigned back to Hartford late this week, but it certainly wasn’t because of his play. He looked confident and comfortable out there, finishing second on the team with four points (one goal, three assists) while skating big minutes in the top-six over five games.
Perreault left a strong impression on the new coaching staff, but they ultimately decided it would be best for him to continue his development down in the AHL for now.
One thing is for certain, though, Sullivan saw something in his game.
“He’s an NHL player in the making,” the head coach said.
Scott Morrow
Morrow was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes this offseason as part of the K’Andre Miller sign-and-trade, and thus far, the young CT-native has been able to make a positive first impression back home with the Blueshirts.
Morrow showed plenty of positives as a playmaker throughout the preseason, but he’s still working to gain the organization’s trust defensively. With no spot for him in the lineup currently, the staff would rather see him continue that development down in Hartford.
“It’s hard to get better when you’re on the sidelines,” Sullivan said.
“We’re thrilled he’s a Ranger -- he’s a big, strong kid. I think he skates well and has some offensive instincts. He has the ability to run a power play. He’s getting better defending, and that’s an area I’m fairly confident our coaching staff can help him with.”
If the Blueshirts’ new-look defensive core struggles to start the year and Morrow is able to take some steps forward in his own zone, perhaps we’ll see him receive his opportunity skating with the big club.
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Did you miss anything from the past week at The Hockey News - Columbus Blue Jackets? If you did, we have you covered with the Sunday Recap. Click on each card below to read the stories from the past week.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced more cuts to their training camp roster. Yesterday, the cut more than a dozen players and now, not even 24 hours later they have made more.
The training camp roster was at 38 players, consisting of 22 forwards, 12 defensemen, and four goaltenders. After today's cuts it now sits at 25, with 13 players getting re-assigned.
Dean Kukan - 2015-2022 - Kukan is undrafted out of Volketswil, Switzerland.
Dean Kukan made his NHL debut in March of 2016 after playing the majority of the season with the Lake Erie Monsters. After playing in 8 games near the end of the season, he was sent back to Lake Erie and would help the Monsters win their first-ever Calder Cup. He had 5 points in 17 playoff games.
Kukan would bounce up and down between Columbus and Cleveland until 2022. He would play a total of 153 games for the CBJ and total 30 points. Where he excelled was in the minors, though. He played in 142 games for Lake Erie/Cleveland and totaled 59 points as a fairly skilled two-way defenseman.
After the 2022 season, Kukan made the decision to return to Europe. He returned to his home country of Switzerland to play for his original club, the ZSC Lions, on a five-year contract.
Kukan is also routinely chosen to represent the Swiss in international competitions. He played in the 2025 IIHF Worlds where he scored 9 points in 10 games.
“It could go down as maybe the last goal ever on Fleury. I guess I could say I have it. It’s definitely a moment I’ll never forget. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a building that loud before. It was really electric. It was cool. I think maybe I’ll get booed every time I come here now, I don’t know.”
According to Russian Hockey Insider Artur Khairullin, Ak Bars Kazan of the KHL has listed Babcock as a candidate for their head coaching job. Ak Bars, which is based in Kazan, Russia, is located 519 miles east of Moscow.
Johnny Gaudreau - 2023-2024 - Drafted by Calgary in 2011.
After signing with the Blue Jackets on July 13th, 2022, Gaudreau would play 161 games in two seasons with Columbus. He scored 33 goals and total 134 points.
The Blue Jackets and their fans were robbed of many more years of Johnny Hockey excellence on August 29th, 2024. The death of Johnny Gaudreau shook not only Columbus, but it also shook the entire hockey-loving world.
The Columbus Blue Jackets, Calgary Flames, and fans around the world refuse to let the memories of Johnny and Mathew Gaudreau be forgotten. For the last year, there have been countless charity events for different foundations and organizations all around North America.
During his playing career, Carter spent his summers in Los Angeles, exploring the entertainment and business industries. Meeting Priority Records founder Bryan Turner influenced Carter to start his own record label, Big Up Entertainment.
Jiří Novotný - 2008-2009 - Drafted by Buffalo in 2001.
Novotný played 107 games for the Jackets and had 29 points. He never played another NHL game and left for Europe where he played until 2023.
Novotný spent time in Russia, Czechia, and Switzerland until he retired. He is now the Sports Manager for HC Motor České Budějovice.
Elite Prospects said about Novotný "Novotný is a center with a sound two-way game. With good vision and passing ability, he is more of a playmaker than a shooter. Handles the puck and skates well, too. Can kill penalties and win faceoffs."
Dylan Gambrell, who played 54 games for Cleveland last season, has signed a PTO with the Milwaukee Admirals. He was on a PTO with the Nashville Predators for training camp.
During the fight, both players landed some big punches. Gudbranson was able to catch Wilson with a few uppercuts, but ultimately Wilson scored the takedown after 30-40 seconds. Nevertheless, it was a fight that answered the bell on a questionable hit. Both players seemed to agree and had a good tilt that energized the crowd.
Per Khairullin, "Defenseman Christián Jaroš, whom Columbus placed on waivers to terminate his contract, will continue his career at Spartak." Jaroš and the Blue Jackets mutually agreed to him being places on waivers just today.
Kevin Dineen - 2001-2003 - Drafted by Hartford in 1982.
A CBJ Original, Dineen played 129 games for the Jackets and had 29 points in the early days of the franchise. He appeared in only four games in the 2002–03 season with Columbus, and on November 5, 2002, he retired from playing. In 1188 career games, Dineen recorded 355 goals and 760 points while registering 2229 penalty minutes.
After retiring, he joined the Blue Jackets front office as a Pro Scout and later as an assistant. General Manager. He was the head coach of the AHL's Portland Pirates for six seasons before being hired as the head coach of the Florida Panthers. After two and a half seasons in Florida, he was fired and hired as an assistant by the Chicago Blackhawks. He has since been a head coach for the San Diego Gulls and the Utica Comets of the AHL. After starting the 24-25 season 0-8-0-1, Dineen was fired on November 6th, 2024.
Per the NHL, Werenski is looking to become just the seventh U.S.-born defenseman in NHL history with three career 20-goal seasons.
He'd join PhilHousley (7x), ReedLarson (6x), BrianLeetch (5x), GarySuter (3x), AlIafrate (3x), and MarkHowe (3x) as the only ones to do so to date.
Chris Johnson of TSN has reported that the Minnesota Wild have claimed Daemon Hunt off the waiver wire from the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Jackets were hoping he'd clear so he could return to Cleveland, but sadly, that didn't happen.
David Výborný was drafted in 1993 by the Edmonton Oilers but never played a single game for them. When he did come to North America, he played in 76 games for the Cape Breton Oilers of the AHL. He showed his flash by scoring 23 goals and grabbing 61 points. After one season in the AHL, Výborný headed back to Europe until 2000.
9 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: David Výborný David Výborný was drafted in 1993 by the Edmonton Oilers but never played a single game for them. When he did come to North America, he played in 76 games for the Cape Breton Oilers of the AHL. He showed his flash by scoring 23 goals and grabbing 61 points. After one season in the AHL, Výborný headed back to Europe until 2000.
“I think that we've got a pretty undercover breakout guy this year, Jet Greaves, Columbus. And now he's the best performing goalie over the last three years in adjusted save percentage.”
It was finally the last preseason game at the Bell Centre on Saturday night. When the Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators published their rosters, fans feared they’d be treated to another lot of shenanigans. Still, against all odds, the Senators played hockey despite their best players, Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle, getting the night off.
For the Canadiens, it was last chance saloon for the players on the bubble, and with Ivan Demidov, Alex Newhook, and Oliver Kapanen having the night off, Samuel Blais, Owen Beck, and Florian Xhekaj were all hoping to make the most of their last opportunity.
It was the second game in which Kirby Dach played alongside Brendan Gallagher and Joe Veleno, and one has to admit he looked terrific. The big center was committed to the forecheck and was actively looking to hit opponents. Playing with Gallagher and Veleno has done Dach a world of good, and while it was logical for Martin St-Louis to try a line that included him, Patrik Laine, and Demidov, the Canadiens’ newfound depth allowed him to move on when it didn’t work.
One area that didn’t look better, unfortunately, was the draws. In the first frame, he took four faceoffs and only managed to come out on top once. That remains an area of concern in his game and something he really needs to work on; perhaps he could benefit from a séance with Patrice Bergeron, as Newhook did this summer.
Veleno also had a good outing. There’s no denying that he has excellent offensive skills, but as camp went on, we’ve seen him do more and more of the little things, the details that allow a player to perform at all times and not just when it’s time to pull a highlight reel play.
Engstrom Was Everywhere
With the blueline more or less set from the start, Adam Engstrom has flown under the radar this camp, but tonight, he looked like he was everywhere and in all situations as well. The Swede showed great awareness and decision-making at both ends of the ice.
Is there room for him in Montreal right now? No, but if he continues to develop like this, who knows? In the second frame, he nearly went end-to-end on a power play, and it looked really effortless. If the Canadiens cannot find room for him, he is fast becoming an interesting bargaining chip and could be used to acquire reinforcements at positions of need.
Speaking about the young defenseman, the coach said:
He left a perfect calling card. You can see he took another step last season; he has everything to have a long career in the league.
- St-Louis on Engstrom.
The bench boss even went so far as to call him a gamer.
Xhekaj Evolved
Martin St-Louis has hammered on with Arber Xhekaj that he needs to pick his moments, and the older Xhekaj has heard him loud and clear. Early on in the game, Cole Caufield hit Claude Giroux and was justifiably assessed a two-minute boarding call. It didn’t take long for a Senator to come to his aid, and Juraj Slafkovsky stepped in to support him. Last year, Xhekaj would have gone guns blazing and jumped in; this year, he approached and only pulled back a couple of guys from the scrum.
Later in the game, he was invited to drop the gloves but refused, allowing his team to enjoy a power play rather than falling into the trap that was set for him. Overall, this was a great camp from the rugged blueliner. His play has evolved, and so has his decision-making.
The Sens secured a 3-1 win tonight, thanks to goals from Shane Pinto, David Perron, and Lars Eller, in an empty net. At this stage, the result doesn’t really matter as everyone is ready for the real season to start and has had enough of dress rehearsal. However, it’s still worth mentioning that Travis Green’s team was the dominant outfit tonight, even without some of their top guys in the lineup.
The Canadiens have already announced that, despite having a day off tomorrow, the cuts will be announced tomorrow morning; there is no sense in prolonging the uncertainty for those waiting to hear their fate.
Personally, I believe Oliver Kapanen has won the role of 12th forward, and I would see Joe Veleno as the 13th forward, provided Zack Bolduc is healthy; if he’s not, both will likely be in the lineup. We haven't seen enough from Samuel Blais for him to secure one of those two roles, although he was a real impactful physical presence tonight, landing five hits; that wasn’t enough. Owen Beck led the team in hits on the night, but he wasn’t firm in other aspects of the game. If he’s not going to play in Montreal, he needs to be sent down to Laval. While that may not be what he would like, it’s ultimately what’s best for him, and for Florian Xhekaj as well.
Anze Kopitar enters his 20th and final NHL season with the Kings hopeful the team can overcome its first-round playoff demons and challenge for a Stanley Cup title. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Luc Robitaille knew his hockey playing career was over when it took him longer to get his battered body ready for a game than it did to play it.
“It became harder and harder physically,” said Robitaille, whose next stop was the hall of fame. “I think I knew at that point.”
And once his mind was made up, there was no turning back.
For Anze Kopitar, who is in the peak of good health, the decision was a little different. The Kings’ longtime center announced last month that, at 38, he will retire after this season and spend more time with his family. But, like Robitaille, there will be no turning back.
“I'm not going to change my mind,” he said.
In fact, he’s not going to change anything. Kopitar said he’s approaching this season, his 20th with the Kings, the same way he approached the first 19.
“The last few years, I told myself that I have to enjoy it because you don't know when the ending is com[ing],” he said. “So I've been enjoying it. I'm obviously having a lot of fun, still playing the game. This year won't be any different.
“The focus is still on this season.”
A season that kicks off Tuesday when the Kings host the Colorado Avalanche. But while Kopitar is starting the season the same way as always, he’s hoping for a different ending since the Kings’ last four years have ended with first-round playoff losses to the Edmonton Oilers.
Another Stanley Cup title would be a nice parting gift, especially since Kopitar, entering a team-record 10th season as captain, would be the first man to hoist the trophy, an honor that went to Dustin Brown when the Kings won in 2012 and 2014.
“I'd like to win every year. I'd like to win this year,” he said.
“My kids weren't born when we won, so I'd like to win so they can experience that feeling too.”
Kings captain Anze Kopitar skates during a game against the Chicago Blackhawks in March. (Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
However Kopitar’s season finishes, his career will end with him joining Robitaille, now the Kings president, in the Hockey Hall of Fame. He is the Kings' all-time leader in games (1,454), assists (838) and winning goals (78) and ranks in the top three in goals, points, plus-minus and power-play scores.
And just nine players in NHL history have played more games with one team than Kopitar, who has spent his entire career with the Kings.
Unlike Robitaille, he’s hardly hobbling off into retirement. He led the Kings with 46 assists and was second with 67 points last season, playing in 81 of 82 games. He also won his third Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, which goes to the player exhibiting the best sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct in the NHL.
But his two children — daughter Neza, 10, is a talented figure skater and son Jakob, 9, plays hockey — deserve more of his time and attention, he said.
“I still love to be in hockey and I’m still productive,” Kopitar said. “But on the flip side, the kids need their dad to be more present and be a dad, not a hockey player. I can walk away on my own terms and not be forced to retire because of injuries and because the body's not holding up.”
Anze Kopitar and his wife, Ines, attend a Lakers game at Crypto.com Arena in January 2024. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
That wasn’t Robitaille’s experience. A fractured ankle late in career and lower back pain so severe he could hardly get out of bed, led to his retirement in 2006, less than six months before Kopitar’s NHL debut.
“It kind of felt to me that I had squeezed everything out of the lemon. There was nothing left,” Robitaille said. “I was really at peace.”
As for what advice he’d give his captain, Robitaille said he’ll tell Kopitar to make time to stop and smell the roses on his last trip around the league.
“If you listen to 99% of the guys that retire in any sport, the one thing they miss is the [locker] room,” he said. “So when you know you’re near the end, you’ve got to make sure you pay attention to every one of those little moments that you’re going to miss for the next 50 years of your life.
“You’re playing a game. You’re 30 years old or 40 years old — 38 for Kopi — and he’s playing a game. It’s amazing. Most people don’t get to do that in their life, you know?”
Kopitar’s decision comes with the Kings at a crossroads. They tied team records for points (105) and wins (48) last season while going a franchise-best 31-6-4 at home in Jim Hiller’s first full season as coach. That earned the team second place in the Pacific Division, its best finish in a decade.
Kings captain Anze Kopitar, left, speaks to defenseman Drew Doughty during a game against the Winnipeg Jets in December 2023. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The postseason was déjà vu all over again, however, with the Oilers eliminating the Kings.
General manager Rob Blake resigned four days later and was replaced by Ken Holland, who won four Stanley Cups as GM of the Detroit Red Wings. The Kings' core is also in transition because when Kopitar steps aside, only defenseman Drew Doughty will remain from their Stanley Cup-winning teams.
“Passing the torch, [we]'ve been trying to for the past few years, been trying to mentor some of the kids in this locker room,” Kopitar said. “Maybe that's what it is.”
Holland had mixed results in his first summer with the Kings, adding forwards Corey Perry (who will miss the first month of the season because of a knee injury) and Joel Armia, defensemen Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci and goalkeeper Anton Forsberg, and re-signing winger Andrei Kuzmenko to a club-friendly contract.
Also back are leading scorers Kevin Fiala and Adrian Kempe, who had 35 goals each, wingers Warren Foegele and Quinton Byfield and goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who had a career-best 2.02 goals-against average and finished third in Vezina Trophy voting.
But Holland lost veteran defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to the New York Rangers and failed to land Mitch Marner, the summer’s most-sought player, who wound up in Las Vegas.
And now he’s the team’s first general manager in two decades who has been forced to ponder a future without Anze Kopitar.
Anze Kopitar takes the ice before a game against the Winnipeg Jets in December 2023. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“We’re really going to enjoy having Kopi in the lineup this year. But next summer it’s going to be a big void,” Holland said on the Canucks Central podcast. “He’s big and strong. And it’s hard to find big, strong, talented centermen.
“He’s very intelligent. And I think the team follows his lead.”
As for Kopitar, he’s not thinking past the next nine months. He has the rest of his life to figure out what comes next.
“I haven't really given too much thought of what's going to happen [next], except for being home for my kids,” he said. “I'll take my time and then see what, see what life throws at me.
“I'm going to miss the game of hockey. What I'm not gonna miss is working out, getting ready for the season, all the hours you’ve got to put in. But the game itself, of course, I'm going to miss it. It's been here for the better part of 35 years. But listen, the summers are going to be more enjoyable.”
