NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 29: Matthew Mayich celebrates after being selected 170th overall pick by the St. Louis Blues during the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena on June 29, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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TEMPE, Ariz. — An Arizona State hockey player and St. Louis Blues draft pick remained hospitalized Wednesday after collapsing during an offseason workout.
Defenseman Matthew Mayich collapsed during an outdoor workout last Thursday with what paramedics called a “heat-related illness.”
Arizona State is investigating the incident.
“The entire Blues organization is keeping Matthew Mayich close to our hearts as we pray for his comfort and recovery while he continues to undergo medical treatment in Arizona,” Doug Armstrong, Blues president of hockey operations, said in a statement. “His agent has kept us informed about Matthew’s medical status over the last week and we extend our deepest support to his family, friends and teammates during this difficult time.”
The Blues drafted Mayich in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL draft but he never signed an entry-level contract. The Stoney Creek, Ontario, native played four seasons with the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League before playing at Clarkson University last season.
Mayich transferred to Arizona State for the upcoming season.
The number 36 has seen a lot of players come and go over the course of the San Jose Sharks' relatively short history. There have been eight different people to wear it during their time in the Bay Area, but today we'll take a look at one of the most recent: Kaapo Kahkonen.
Kahkonen's professional hockey journey began overseas, as he spent a few seasons in his native Finland's Liiga after being selected in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL Draft by the Minnesota Wild. He made the move to North America during the 2018-19 season and joined the Wild's American Hockey League affiliate, the Iowa Wild. The following season, he established himself as a reliable backup behind Cam Talbot, but when the Wild brought in another veteran netminder, Marc-Andre Fleury, toward the end of the 2021-22 season, they traded Kahkonen to San Jose.
Kahkonen had a strong start in the Bay Area, registering a .916 save percentage and 2.86 goals-against average despite a 2-6-1 record in his 11-game stint to close out the 2021-22 season.
The following season, his numbers took a nosedive as he had a career-worst .883 save percentage and a 3.85 goals-against average. That trend continued the following season, which would become his last in San Jose. Ahead of the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline, the Sharks sent Kahkonen to the New Jersey Devils, where he finished the season.
Since departing the Sharks organization, Kahkonen has spent time with the Devils, Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, and Montreal Canadiens organizations, although most of it has been spent in the AHL. He's set to return to the Canadiens' affiliate, the Laval Rocket, this coming season.
Eeli Tolvanen remains without a contract, but the former Seattle Kraken winger apparently isn't short on options.
More than seven weeks into free agency, Tolvanen is still waiting to find his next NHL home. According to Pacific North Hockey's Rob Simpson, Tolvanen's camp has been in contact with multiple teams about a potential deal, although nothing has progressed far enough to put pen to paper.
One team that doesn't appear to be in the mix is Seattle, where he's spent the last three seasons.
The Kraken moved on this offseason, adding forwards Mackie Samoskevich and Curtis Douglas while also likely expecting more from RFA winger Jacob Melanson. Melanson brings a physical element Seattle could use after Tolvanen averaged 211 hits per season over the past three years.
The Hockey News has also heard some rumblings connecting Tolvanen to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and even the Montreal Canadiens. There appears to be interest, but with training camps only a few weeks away, the fact that Tolvanen remains unsigned isn't exactly an encouraging sign.
The 27-year-old reached the 30-point mark in each of his three seasons with the Kraken, but his production dipped last season, when he finished with 12 goals and 36 points in 78 games. His 24 assists, however, were just one shy of the career high he established the previous season. So perhaps there's something we don't know.
And it wasn't long ago that Tolvanen looked like a particularly valuable middle-six piece. He scored 23 goals in 2024-25 and has shown he can provide offense while bringing a willingness to play a physical game despite being a little undersized.
That combination should still make him an appealing option for teams looking to round out their lineup.
A one-year deal could make more sense for Tolvanen. He would get another opportunity to prove himself, potentially rebuild his offensive numbers and return to the market next summer with more leverage.
For now, the former Kraken remains unsigned, and his window to land the kind of contract he was hoping for is closing rapidly.
Anze Kopitar spent 20 years carrying the weight of the Los Angeles Kings on his shoulders, but just months into retirement, the franchise legend sounds remarkably comfortable with life away from the NHL.
Kopitar offered that glimpse into his new reality Friday in Trenčín, Slovakia, where he participated in Zdeno Chara’s farewell tribute game at Pavol Demitra Ice Stadium. The event, dubbed “Zee’s Final Shift,” brought together several of Chara’s former teammates and friends, with Kopitar among those taking the ice.
After the game, Kopitar spoke with NHL.com’s Michael Langr about retirement and made it clear that, despite spending most of his adult life playing professional hockey, he has no regrets about walking away.
“I am very happy,” Kopitar said. “It's great. Obviously, I get to spend a lot more time with my family.”
That extra time has quickly become the best part of retirement.
Rather than spending his days preparing for another NHL season, Kopitar can now watch his children compete. His son plays hockey, while his daughter participates in figure skating, meaning ice rinks remain a part of his life — just in a very different capacity.
“So, there is still life in ice arenas, but I'm enjoying it very much,” he said.
That may be the clearest indication yet that Kopitar is fully embracing the next chapter.
He even had to cut his time in Slovakia short because of family commitments back home, missing out on one of the activities Chara had planned for his guests.
“I'm flying (home) tomorrow,” Kopitar said. “I've got to go home, there is some family stuff that we have going on Sunday.”
Kopitar retired this spring after 20 seasons with the Kings, finishing his career as the franchise's all-time leader in games played, assists and points. He won two Stanley Cups, two Selke Trophies and three Lady Byng Trophies while serving as Los Angeles' captain from 2016 until his retirement.
His final game came April 26, when the Kings were swept by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Now, there is no training camp to prepare for, no long road trips and no pressure to be ready for another 82-game season.
Instead, Kopitar gets to enjoy the game from the other side of the boards.
And while he still looked sharp enough to skate alongside the participants in Chara's farewell game, even Kopitar admitted appearances can be deceiving.
“If I look fresh, trust me, I did not feel fresh,” he said. “It's definitely the end.”
There will be plenty of opportunities for Kings fans to celebrate him again. Kopitar will return to Los Angeles on Feb. 24, 2027, when the Kings retire his No. 11 and unveil a bronze statue in his honor at Crypto.com Arena.
Until then, however, Kopitar seems perfectly content with the life he spent 20 years working toward — one where the most important games are his children's, and hockey no longer has to come first.
The Utah Mammoth have a lot of young talent coming, but three prospects in particular could make the biggest jump toward the NHL this season.
Tij Iginla
If there is one Mammoth prospect who enters the season with real momentum, it is Iginla.
The 20-year-old winger put together a monster 2025-26 season with the Kelowna Rockets, scoring 41 goals and 49 assists for 90 points in only 48 games. He was named to the WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team and finished as a finalist for the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy, awarded to the league’s top player.
Iginla is the son of NHL legend Jarome Iginla. Credit: Matt Krohn - Imagn Images
That kind of production is hard to overlook, especially after Iginla lost much of the previous season to injury.
Utah selected him sixth overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, and his latest season offered a reminder of why the Mammoth invested such a high pick in him. Iginla also showed well internationally, recording eight points in seven games for Canada at the 2026 World Junior Championship.
Now, the next step is obvious.
Iginla has a chance to push for an NHL job, and another strong season could make that decision increasingly difficult for Utah.
Sebastian Cossa
Cossa has already spent years hearing about his potential. Now he gets a fresh chance to show what he can actually do with it.
Utah acquired the 23-year-old goaltender from the Detroit Red Wings during the 2026 NHL Draft, giving the former 15th overall pick a new organization to work with.
There is plenty to like about Cossa's résumé.
Before turning pro, he helped the Edmonton Oil Kings win the 2022 WHL championship and finished his junior career with a 71-16-4-3 record, a 2.12 goals-against average, a .921 save percentage and 14 shutouts.
His AHL career has been strong, too. Cossa owns a 70-33-19 record with a 2.46 GAA and .911 save percentage since turning pro in 2022-23.
He has only appeared in one NHL game, but Cossa made the most of it. He stopped 12 shots after entering in relief against Buffalo on Dec. 9, 2024, helping Detroit eventually win in a shootout. Once viewed as a cornerstone of the Red Wings’ goaltending pipeline, Cossa’s unexpected departure brought that chapter to an abrupt end and raised plenty of eyebrows around the league.
Now, Utah gets to find out whether the former first-round pick can turn that untapped potential into something tangible. At 6-foot-6, Cossa certainly looks the part of an NHL goaltender. The next challenge is proving he can play like one consistently.
Max Psenicka
Psenicka is the youngest of the three and probably the biggest long-term project, but there is plenty to work with.
The 19-year-old defenseman stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 194 pounds, giving Utah an imposing presence on the blue line. More importantly, he began showing some offensive upside during his first full season with the Portland Winterhawks.
Psenicka, far left, talks things over with now-former teammates Ian Cole and JJ Peterka. Credit: Isaiah J. Downing - Imagn Images
Psenicka finished 2025-26 with eight goals and 22 assists for 30 points in 53 games. He also represented Czechia at the World Junior Championship, picking up three points in seven games as the country won a silver medal.
The Mammoth selected him 46th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft and signed him to a three-year entry-level contract in July.
Psenicka is expected to return to Portland this season, where another year of development could be valuable. He does not need to rush.
For now, Utah can afford to let him grow into his frame, round out his game and see just how much offense he can eventually bring from the back end.
If he takes another step, Psenicka could become a very interesting piece of the Mammoth blue line.
The Los Angeles Kings won’t have to wait long to take center stage.
Their 2026-27 season will open on national television, with the Kings traveling to Colorado on Sept. 30 for a TNT matchup against the Avalanche. It’s a rematch of last spring’s playoff meeting, giving the Kings an intriguing opponent right out of the gate.
That game was already known. Now, the rest of the Kings’ national television schedule has been revealed.
Los Angeles will appear in 12 nationally televised games during the 2026-27 regular season, with its schedule spread across TNT, ESPN and ESPN+/Hulu.
Here’s how the full slate breaks down.
TNT
Sept. 30: Kings at Avalanche
Nov. 4: Kings vs. Sharks
Dec. 9: Kings vs. Sharks
The Kings will make three appearances on TNT, with two of them coming against the San Jose Sharks.
That pairing makes plenty of sense. The Kings and Sharks have developed one of the NHL’s more familiar West Coast rivalries, and San Jose now has one of the league’s biggest young stars in Macklin Celebrini.
The two California rivals will meet twice on TNT this season, adding another layer to what should be two highly anticipated matchups.
ESPN
Oct. 6: Kings vs. Panthers
The Kings will make just one appearance on ESPN’s main network this season, but it comes on an important night.
Los Angeles’ home opener against the Florida Panthers on Oct. 6 will be nationally televised, giving fans their first look at the Kings on home ice with the added spotlight of ESPN.
After that, the Kings’ remaining national appearances will come through ESPN+ and Hulu.
ESPN+ / Hulu
Oct. 22: Kings at Islanders
Nov. 10: Kings vs. Predators
Nov. 12: Kings vs. Islanders
Dec. 15: Kings at Red Wings
Dec. 22: Kings at Wild
Jan. 19: Kings vs. Kraken
Jan. 28: Kings at Flyers
March 11: Kings at Kraken
That gives Los Angeles eight games on ESPN+ and Hulu, making up the largest portion of its national schedule.
For Kings fans outside the Los Angeles market who already subscribe to ESPN+ for the NHL’s out-of-market package, these games will be available through that service. Fans inside the Los Angeles market, however, will have to keep the streaming-only nature of these matchups in mind.
In other words, there are going to be a handful of nights this season when the Kings aren’t simply a channel change away.
NHL Announces Six Start-Time Changes
Along with the national broadcast schedule, the NHL also announced several changes to the start times of Kings games throughout the season.
Here are the updated times:
Dec. 9: Sharks at Kings — moved from 7:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Dec. 15: Kings at Red Wings — moved from 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 28: Kings at Flyers — moved from 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
March 7: Avalanche at Kings — moved from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
March 11: Kings at Kraken — moved from 6:40 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
April 6: Kings at Ducks — moved from 7:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
So while the Kings’ national schedule isn’t exactly overflowing with ESPN appearances, Los Angeles will still have a dozen games receiving national exposure throughout the 2026-27 campaign.
And it starts with one of the most compelling matchups possible: a trip back to Colorado for a rematch with the Avalanche on opening night.
Colorado's next goaltending battle won't be taking place at Ball Arena. It could be decided a few miles away in Loveland, where two very different paths to the NHL are about to collide.
Ilya Nabokov arrives as one of the organization's most intriguing prospects, having openly talked about his goal of becoming the best goalie in the world. Trent Miner, meanwhile, has spent years working his way through the Avalanche system and finally got his opportunity in the NHL last season. Now, the two will share the crease with the Colorado Eagles, and both will have plenty to prove.
Nabokov has already started making his presence felt.
Optional skates are, by definition, optional. But the 23-year-old has been showing up to plenty of them at Family Sports Center lately, and he hasn't exactly been treating them like a casual morning workout.
On Wednesday, Sean Behrens, Alex Gagne and Matthew DiMarsico each got their fair share of chances against him. Nabokov turned away most of them, repeatedly flashing the athleticism and quick glove that made him such an intriguing prospect for the Avalanche.
It was only an optional skate in August, but Nabokov is clearly taking the work seriously.
The 2026-27 season will be his first full campaign in North America, giving Colorado its first real opportunity to see how his game translates to the smaller ice and faster pace.
Nabokov isn't your typical prospect.
Colorado selected him 38th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, making him the first goaltender taken that year. Before coming to North America, he had already won a Gagarin Cup and been named KHL playoff MVP with Metallurg Magnitogorsk.
His résumé is impressive, but his game still has something to prove.
At 6-foot-1, Nabokov is smaller than most modern NHL goaltenders. His low stance makes him even more unconventional, but it also allows him to move quickly around the crease. His athleticism, lateral movement and ability to recover have been major reasons for his success.
The question is whether those strengths will hold up against NHL-caliber shooters.
Nabokov spent his final season in Russia trying to prepare for that transition, and his numbers weren't nearly as strong as they had been the year before. His save percentage fell from .923 to .901, while his goals-against average climbed from 2.22 to 2.74.
On the surface, it looked like a step backward. There was more going on than the numbers suggested, though, as Nabokov was also working to change parts of his game before making the move to North America.
Now he'll have a full season with the Eagles to see whether those changes were worth it.
And he'll have to do it while competing with a goaltender who has plenty to prove himself.
Miner has been part of Colorado's system for several years and has spent much of that time waiting for his opportunity. He finally got one last season, and he made it count.
In January, Miner recorded a shutout in his first NHL victory, stopping all 22 shots in a 4-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. That made him just the 17th goaltender in NHL history to record a shutout in his first NHL win.
Trent Miner is congratulated by Nathan MacKinnon and now former Av Jack Drury after collecting his first NHL win. Credit: Isaiah J. Downing
Miner also made the most of his limited NHL action. He appeared in four games for Colorado, going 1-0-3 with a 2.03 GAA and .933 save percentage.
His work with the Eagles was just as encouraging. Miner went 17-8-8 during the regular season before taking his game up another level in the playoffs, posting an 11-6 record with a 1.87 GAA and .925 save percentage as Colorado reached the Western Conference Final.
Nabokov has already made it clear how high he wants to climb. In May, he said he wants to be the best goalie in the world. That's an ambitious goal, but it also sends a pretty clear message to everyone competing with him for an opportunity.
Miner is going to have to work for it.
The two goaltenders will be teammates with the Eagles, but there won't be much room for either to coast. Nabokov is trying to prove he's ready for the next step, while Miner is coming off a season that showed he may already be closer to an NHL opportunity than previously thought.
That makes the Eagles' crease more than a simple prospect development situation. It's a competition between two goaltenders with legitimate reasons to believe they belong in Colorado's future plans.
For Nabokov, a strong season would show the Avalanche that the adjustments he made in Russia are translating and that he's moving closer to an NHL opportunity.
For Miner, it's another chance to prove that what he showed last season was just the beginning.
Neither can afford to assume the job will simply be handed to him.
And the competition could have consequences well beyond the AHL.
Colorado enters the season with Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood expected to handle the NHL crease. Blackwood is under contract for four more seasons, while Wedgewood is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
That makes this season particularly important for Nabokov.
If he takes over the Eagles' crease and thrives, Colorado could have an internal option ready to challenge for an NHL job when the next opportunity opens. If Miner continues to perform at the level he showed last season, he could make that decision considerably more difficult.
That's a good problem for the Avalanche to have.
The organization would much rather have two goaltenders pushing each other than wonder where its next NHL option is coming from.
But for Nabokov and Miner, this isn't simply about helping the Eagles win games.
It's about positioning themselves for what's next.
Nabokov wants to be the best goalie in the world. Miner wants to prove he belongs in the NHL. They'll be teammates in Colorado this season, but every start will carry some weight in a competition that could shape both of their futures.
The first battle will take place with the Eagles.
And when two goaltenders are fighting for the same opportunity, there may not be room for both to come out on top.
The Vegas Golden Knights will make their 10th NHL season a nationally televised one.
Vegas is scheduled to appear in 15 nationally televised games during the 2026-27 regular season, with ESPN and Turner Sports splitting exclusive U.S. coverage. The Golden Knights will also have 69 games available regionally through Scripps Sports and KnightTime+, giving local fans access to the majority of the team's schedule.
The season marks another year of the Golden Knights' partnership with Scripps Sports, which will enter its fourth season providing free over-the-air, cable and satellite coverage of games that are not nationally exclusive. Scripps Sports will also make all 69 regional broadcasts available to stream live through KnightTime+.
All four preseason games will be carried on The Spot - Vegas 34 in Southern Nevada and streamed on KnightTime+.
Vegas' 10th season begins Tuesday, Sept. 29, when the Golden Knights host the Chicago Blackhawks at T-Mobile Arena. The matchup will also serve as the first of the team's 15 national broadcasts, with ESPN carrying the game exclusively.
The national schedule includes several marquee matchups throughout the season, including three games against the Dallas Stars, two against the San Jose Sharks and two against the Edmonton Oilers. Vegas will also take part in the 2027 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series, facing Dallas outdoors on Feb. 20.
Golden Knights' 2026-27 National TV Schedule
Sept. 29: vs. Chicago — ESPN
Oct. 20: vs. Tampa Bay — ESPN
Nov. 11: vs. Utah — TNT
Nov. 17: vs. Dallas — TNT
Nov. 19: vs. Dallas — ESPN+
Nov. 24: at Edmonton — TNT
Dec. 16: vs. San Jose — TNT
Dec. 22: at Anaheim — TNT
Jan. 7: vs. Minnesota — ESPN
Jan. 20: vs. Edmonton — TNT
Feb. 20: at Dallas — ABC — 2027 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series
Feb. 24: vs. Florida — TNT
March 7: at N.Y. Rangers — ESPN
March 9: vs. San Jose — ESPN+
April 6: vs. St. Louis — ESPN
The NHL also announced updated start times for six Golden Knights games. The changes include three nationally televised contests, with the March 7 matchup against the Rangers now scheduled for a 4 p.m. PT start.
Updated Golden Knights Start Times
Nov. 11 vs. Utah: 6:30 p.m. PT
Dec. 22 at Anaheim: 6:30 p.m. PT
Feb. 18 vs. Columbus: 7 p.m. PT
March 7 at N.Y. Rangers: 4 p.m. PT
March 9 vs. San Jose: 7:30 p.m. PT
April 6 vs. St. Louis: 7:30 p.m. PT
For fans outside the Golden Knights' television territory, Scripps Sports' regional broadcasts will also be available through an ESPN Select subscription.
The 2026-27 season will mark 10 years since the Golden Knights entered the NHL in 2017. A lot has changed since then, and Vegas will enter its milestone season with 15 games on the national schedule, giving the team plenty of exposure beyond its local market.
In Part Two of this series, as we evaluate the Anaheim Ducks prospect pool, we begin to see depth at every position within the organization. While Part One highlighted five players with an uphill climb to long NHL careers, a lot will have to go wrong for the prospects ranked 11-15 not to see significant NHL time in their careers.
As the Ducks will likely have to operate with a top-heavy NHL lineup in the coming years, this second-tier group of prospects will be relied on to fill secondary roles on the depth chart and support the talented core.
Author’s Note: To qualify for this list, players must be rookie-eligible in 2026-27. Unfortunately, that disqualifies Tristan Luneau from this particular exercise.
In reverse order, let’s see who came in at 11-15 on the list of the Ducks’ top prospects:
15. Mathis Preston, 18, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
W, 5-foot-11, 176 pounds, 50th overall in 2026
Preston is the exact kind of player fans often dream their team would take in the late first or second round of a draft. He was expected to be taken much higher than where the Ducks nabbed him at 50th overall in the most recent draft due to an injury, a mid-season trade, and underproducing given what his skill set should dictate.
He’s an electric skater with some of the best pure skill in his entire draft class, and he consistently makes plays and creates chances at high speeds. With easy top-six potential, the Ducks are hoping his international resume is more of an indicator of what he can become than his junior performance in his draft year. He scored seven points (4-3=7) in five games at the 2025 Hlinka and six points (2-4=6) in five games at the 2026 U18 World Championship playing for Canada, much better numbers than his 44 points (18-26=44) in 46 WHL games last season. He’ll return to the Vancouver Giants in the WHL for the 2026-27 season, where he’ll assume a premier scoring role and aim to prove himself a steal in the second round.
NHL Arrival Prediction: 2029–30
14. Tarin Smith, 20, University of Minnesota (NCAA)
LHD, 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, 79th in ’24
In 2025-26, Smith wrapped up a successful junior career, playing for the Everett Silvertips of the WHL. His production improved year-after-year, and his role, both on the ice and in the locker room, increased, culminating in being awarded his team’s captaincy last season. He was injured early in Everett’s playoff run and unfortunately missed a chance to play in the Memorial Cup, where the Silvertips lost in the Championship Game to the Kitchener Rangers.
Smith rounded into an all-situations defenseman in the WHL, blending smooth, explosive skating ability, quality puck-moving in all three zones, and a physical edge that will raise his floor at the next level. For his D+3 season in 2026-27, Smith will head to the University of Minnesota, where he’s likely to step into a role right away as their No. 1 defenseman.
NHL Arrival Prediction: 2028-29
13. Noah Warren, 22, San Diego Gulls (AHL)
RHD, 6-foot-5, 216 pounds, 42nd in ’22
Four years removed from his draft and two full seasons in the AHL with the Gulls indicate a shot at NHL games could be just around the corner for Warren. At this moment, he’s decidedly fifth on the Ducks RHD organizational depth chart, behind Drew Helleson, Ian Moore, Nick Jensen, and Tristan Luneau. However, in totality, that’s an inexperienced, unpredictable group, and a slow start or injury to one or two players could open a spot for Warren as early as this upcoming season.
His trademark attribute will always be his size, length, and physicality in small areas of the ice, but he’s progressed admirably with his puck retrieving, footwork, and first pass. He’ll never provide much offense, but could eventually eat tough minutes for a long time in the NHL as a middle or bottom-pair defenseman.
NHL Arrival Prediction: 2026-27
12. Nathan Gaucher, 22, Anaheim Ducks (NHL)
C, 6-foot-3, 207 pounds, 22nd in ’22
Similar to Warren, Gaucher has paid his dues with three full seasons under his belt at the AHL level and should be in line for a shot in the NHL this season. The problem is that those three AHL seasons were unspectacular and unproductive. He got off to another slow start in 2025-26, but upped his production considerably toward the end of the year, finishing with 29 points (15-14=29) in 62 games, including nine (7-2=9) in his final ten regular season AHL games, and made his NHL debut during that stretch.
Gaucher was always projected as a high-motor, shutdown center, and he’ll likely top out as a third-liner. He’s strong, fast, tenacious, and possesses quality defensive habits. His straight-line tendencies will render him an impactful forechecker and difficult to play against at the NHL level. If he can find the back of the net with any sort of consistency, he can become a useful depth piece for a long time for the Ducks.
NHL Arrival Prediction: 2026-27 Opening Night Roster
11. Damian Clara, 21, San Diego Gulls (AHL)
G, 6-foot-6, 214 pounds, 60th in ’23
Clara’s career in Europe seems to have come to an end after two pedestrian seasons in the SHL, with a brief pit stop in Liiga. The numbers don’t jump off the screen, but they’ll hopefully improve in the AHL, backstopping a potentially improved defensive Gulls team, with newly promoted Dave Manson behind the bench. Clara announced himself on a global scale during the 2026 Olympic Games in his native Italy, where he posted a stunning .911 SV% behind a team that didn’t feature a single NHL player or prospect aside from himself.
Clara is a remarkable athlete in the crease and eliminates massive portions of the net with his 6-foot-6 frame. The next task for Clara and the Ducks’ goaltending coaches over the next few seasons will be to develop his puck tracking, angle knowledge, and game management skills. He remains raw and a project, but a few seasons in Southern California could effectively iron out those wrinkles and produce an excellent young goaltender by the time current starter Lukas Dostal’s contract is close to an end.
With just 23 days remaining until the Seattle Kraken open training camp, the long NHL offseason is finally giving way to something resembling hockey. And for fans eager to see Kraken players back on the ice, the wait is even shorter than that.
Seattle's rookie camp opens Sept. 11 before the organization heads north to Abbotsford, British Columbia, for a rookie prospect showcase against the Vancouver Canucks on Sept. 12 and 13. It will offer an early look at several young players hoping to make an impression before the main roster arrives.
The real competition begins Sept. 17, when the Kraken officially open training camp and begin sorting through the roster ahead of the 2026-27 season. While the team's top-end talent is largely established, there could be legitimate competition for jobs in the bottom six — battles that may ultimately reveal how Seattle intends to play this season.
The Kraken will have only four preseason games to make those decisions.
Seattle opens its exhibition schedule at home against Vancouver on Sept. 19 before traveling to Calgary to face the Flames the following night. The two teams meet again in Seattle on Sept. 24, and the Kraken close the preseason in Vancouver on Sept. 26.
And perhaps no player will have more to gain from those four games than Shane Wright.
At one point this summer, it appeared Wright's time in Seattle was coming to an end. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that Wright's agent, Kurt Overhardt, had held positive conversations with Kraken general manager Jason Botterill and that Seattle had agreed to move the 22-year-old center to a team in need of a young center.
But with training camp approaching, Wright is still a member of the Kraken.
That changes the dynamic considerably.
The former No. 4 overall pick is coming off the most disappointing full season of his NHL career, recording just 27 points in 74 games after posting a career-high 44 points the year before. For a player who was once viewed as a potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, the production simply hasn't come close to matching the expectations that followed him into the league.
It may be harsh to use the word "bust," especially considering Wright is still only 22 years old. But at this point, there is no denying that his development hasn't gone the way either he or the Kraken envisioned.
Wright has 78 points in 169 NHL games across four seasons. More concerning, his trade value appears to have cratered. If Seattle truly spent the offseason trying to move him and couldn't find a deal it liked, the message is clear: Wright isn't going to rebuild his value with his name or draft pedigree anymore.
He's going to have to earn it back on the ice.
That makes training camp particularly important. Wright can arrive with something to prove and begin showing that last season was an anomaly, or he can allow the doubts surrounding his future to grow even louder.
The Kraken will have only four preseason games to make their final decisions, but for Wright, those games could mean much more than simply preparing for opening night. They could represent his first opportunity to show Seattle — and the rest of the league — that there is still far more to his game than the player who managed 27 points last season.
Then comes the real thing.
The NHL's expanded 84-game schedule begins Oct. 1, giving Kraken fans two additional regular-season games — and, more importantly, bringing an end to an offseason that has felt considerably longer than it actually was.
But before opening night arrives, there will be plenty to watch. Rookie camp, training camp and a compressed preseason schedule will provide the first clues about which players are ready to take the next step, who could be fighting for roster spots and what this version of the Kraken might look like when the games begin to count.
For Wright, though, the message may be even simpler.
The trade never happened. The opportunity is still there.
ESPN and TNT released their broadcast schedules for the 2026-27 season on Wednesday, and they feature a healthy dose of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins will have 20 national broadcasts in the 2026-27 season, tied for the most in the NHL. The Boston Bruins are the only other team scheduled to have 20 national broadcasts this year.
The Penguins will appear on ESPN four times, ABC five times, ESPN+/Hulu one time, and TNT 10 times.
Here's where you can catch the Penguins all season long! 📺
All four games between the Penguins and Washington Capitals will be featured nationally, which shouldn't surprise anyone. There's a decent chance that this will be Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin's final NHL season, so the networks want to make sure they get the top ratings for those games.
The Penguins will also play the Philadelphia Flyers twice on national television, including the season opener on Sept. 30. That game will be televised by TNT.
Locally, SportsNet Pittsburgh will carry Penguins games for a fourth season in a row. Josh Getzoff returns as the play-by-play announcer and will work alongside a rotating analyst duo of Colby Armstrong and Phil Bourque.
With just a few days left in August, Dylan Larkin, who put in a trade request to the Detroit Red Wings in June, is still a member of the Wings. The Detroit outfit has had a tumultuous summer, including legendary center Steve Yzerman stepping away from the GM role, and the team still hasn't filled the vacancy. It certainly didn’t help that Larkin gave a list of only four teams he would be willing to be traded to: the Florida Panthers, the Minnesota Wild, the Vegas Golden Knights, and the Dallas Stars.
On Tuesday, TSN’s Bryan Hayes mentioned that the Montreal Canadiens would be an ideal fit for the disgruntled center. The 30-year-old pivot would certainly fit well in the Canadiens’ salary structure. He’s got four years to go on a contract that has an $8.7 million cap hit, and in the last five years he has put up 69, 79, 69, 70 and 67 points. He’s remarkably consistent, and there’s no doubt that he could help unlock Ivan Demidov’s potential.
At 6-foot-1 and 204 pounds, Larkin isn’t small and would help increase the Canadiens’ size, but he’s not overly physical on the ice. He’s only landed 46 hits this past season and 44 the year before.
As things stand, the Canadiens have $9.7 million in cap space, so they could take on Larkin’s contract, especially if unsigned RFAs Zach Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj were part of the package put together to acquire him.
On paper, Larkin is better than the players the Canadiens currently have available to play with Demidov, but his style of play wouldn’t help correct what the Habs were missing in the playoffs. Furthermore, despite playing 11 NHL seasons, the centerman played only five playoff games, all in his rookie season. Back then, the Wings were bounced in the first round in five games by the Tampa Bay Lightning, meaning that he certainly wouldn’t bring much experience to the table on that front.
Acquiring Larkin would also mean that when Michael Hage makes the jump to the NHL, there would be a bit of congestion at center. While it wouldn’t hurt to have a veteran option when the youngster graduates, as he gets used to the NHL and craves a bigger role, Larkin's presence could hinder his progress. Unless, of course, he was included in the package to acquire Larkin, but that would only be a very temporary fix for the Canadiens since the American is already 30. If it meant sacrificing Hage, the move wouldn’t make much sense in the long term.
The main issue, though, is that Larkin hasn’t included the Canadiens on his list, and if he were to do it, could they trust that he wouldn’t be right back in the same situation next season? Is Larkin after winning, or does he want to move while remaining in America? There’s a sizeable red flag there. There’s no doubt that before even entertaining the idea of acquiring him, Kent Hughes would have to use due diligence to get to the bottom of the story. Larkin might have watched the World Cup final with Cole Caufield, but that doesn't mean he'd like to be his teammate.
The Florida Panthers weren't always a team fans turned their televisions on to watch, but after three Stanley Cup Final appearances, including two victories, the Panthers are a team to watch.
Heading into the 2026-27 season, the Panthers will have 15 nationally televised games on either ESPN or TNT, the NHL announced on Wednesday.
Overall, the Panthers have five games on ESPN, six on TNT, three on ESPN+, and one on ABC. This is the fourth consecutive season the Panthers have been featured in double-digit national games, according to the Panthers' press release.
Here is the breakdown and schedule.
Sep. 29, 2026, Panthers at Hurricanes, 5 pm ET, ESPN
Oct. 6, 2026, Panthers at Kings, 10:30 pm ET, ESPN
Nov. 4, 2026, Panthers vs. Blackhawks, 7:30 pm ET, TNT
Nov. 10, 2026, Panthers Blue Jackets, 7:30 pm ET, ESPN+
Nov. 12, 2026, Panthers vs. Red Wings, 7:30pm ET, ESPN+
Dec. 10, 2026, Panthers vs. Penguins, 7 ET, ESPN
Dec. 15, 2026, Panthers at Bruins, 7 pm ET, TNT
Jan. 14, 2027, Panthers at Wild, 9:30 pm ET, ESPN
Jan. 27, 2027, Panthers at Rangers, 7:30 pm ET, TNT
Feb. 16, 2027, Panthers at Lightning, 7:30 pm ET, ESPN+
Feb. 24, 2027, Panthers at Golden Knights, 9:30 pm ET, TNT
March 4, 2027, Panthers vs. Penguins, 8:30 pm ET, ESPN
March 23, 2027, Panthers at Lightning, 7 pm ET, TNT
April 3, 2027, Panthers at Rangers, 12:30 pm ET, ABC
April 4, 2027, Panthers at Devils, 4:30 pm ET, TNT
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There are some changes coming to the Florida Panthers’ schedule for the upcoming 2026-27 season.
All the alterations have to do with game start times.
On Wednesday, the NHL announced dozens of changes to the start times of games taking place during the upcoming season.
Nine of those games feature the Panthers.
They are:
Tuesday, Nov. 10 at Columbus, time changed from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 12 at Detroit, time changed from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 2 vs. Montreal, time changed from 4 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 14 at Minnesota, time changed from 8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 1 vs. NY Islanders, time changed from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 16 at Tampa Bay, time changed from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 4 vs. Pittsburgh, time changed from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 3 at NY Rangers, time changed from 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 6 vs. Montreal, time changed from 7 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
The main takeaways from Florida’s changes are the three-hour change from 4 p.m. to 1 p.m. for the Jan. 2 home game against the Montreal Canadiens, and the March 4 Thursday home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins that will now begin at 8:30 p.m. local time.
The rest of the alterations are all fairly marginal.
Six of the nine games that had their start time changed are set to be nationally broadcast.
Three are airing on ESPN+/Disney+/Hulu – Nov. 10 at Columbus, Nov. 12 at Detroit, and Feb. 16 at Tampa Bay.
The Dec. 10 game against Pittsburgh and the Jan. 14 matchup in Minnesota will both air on ESPN, and the April 3 game at Madison Square Garden against the Rangers will be featured on ABC.
Opening Night remains set for a national ESPN broadcast on Tuesday, Sept. 29 in Raleigh when Florida faces the defending Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes.
Photo caption: Apr 28, 2025; Sunrise,Florida, USA;FloridaPantherscenter Aleksander Barkov (16 and Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Nick Paul (20)faceoffduring the first period in game four of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena. (Rich Storry-Imagn Images)
With training camp fast approaching, the group of unsigned former Philadelphia Flyers players continues to shrink, even if only temporarily.
On Tuesday, the Washington Capitals announced that former Flyers goalie Cal Petersen will join them for 2026 training camp on a PTO, giving the southpaw netminder an opportunity to earn himself a contract for the 2026-27 season.
Petersen, 31, spent the 2025-26 season with the Iowa Wild, Minnesota’s AHL affiliate, appearing in 33 games and posting a bog-standard 13-16-2 record with a 2.73 goals-against average, a .896 save percentage, and four shutouts.
The former fifth-round pick has 106 games of NHL experience, which primarily came with the Los Angeles Kings as the once-heir-apparent to Jonathan Quick.
Petersen, $5 million cap hit and all, was traded to the Flyers organization in 2023 as part of the three-team deal that sent Ivan Provorov to Columbus in the last big subtraction of the Flyers' rebuild.
Petersen's time with the Flyers was unremarkable and understandably brief--the Kings' big-money salary cap dump was 2-2-0 in five games with the big club in 2023-24, but stumbled to the tune of a .864 save percentage and 3.90 GAA as Philadelphia scrambled to replace Carter Hart.
The Waterloo, Iowa, native's last NHL game came back on Feb. 25, 2024, when he allowed seven goals on 32 shots (.781 save percentage) in a 7-6 loss to the rival Pittsburgh Penguins with the Flyers still alive in the playoff chase.
Since then, Petersen has spent the past two seasons exclusively in the minors, including an unsuccessful 2024-25 run with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and this surprise opportunity with the Capitals is his latest attempt to revive an NHL career that once appeared to be on a promising trajectory.
Overall, Petersen boasts a 46-44-10 record, a 2.96 GAA, and .903 save percentage across his six-year NHL career.
The Capitals already have Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren established as their NHL tandem, while Clay Stevenson and Mitch Gibson are the incumbent holdovers from the AHL Hershey Bears.
That leaves Petersen facing an uphill battle for a roster spot at either level, but his NHL experience could make him a depth option for Washington in the event of injury.
For a goaltender who hasn't played an NHL game in more than two years, the PTO with Washington is effectively the final chance for Petersen to put himself back on the radar in North America.
