After six seasons with the St. Louis Blues, Dan Stewart is moving on.
Stewart has spent his tenure with the Blues as the NHL goaltending development coach, while also serving as the goaltending coach for their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds.
But he has now moved on, joining the New Jersey Devils as the NHL goaltending coach.
The 50-year-old has a long history as a goaltending coach, beginning his coaching career in the OJHL with the Cobourg Cougars in 2011. He then moved to the OHLβs Soo Greyhounds and U Sportsβ Univ. of Ontario Institute of Technology.
He then made the move to the NHL, joining the Blues in the 2020-21 season.
The Devils have made plenty of moves involving the front office and staff members. It began when the Devils hired Sunny Mehta as their GM. He made changes to the assistant coaches and assistant GMs.
When the Devils announced the hiring of Stewart, they also announced two new assistant coaches, Ted Donato and A.J. MacLean, as well as a new director of goaltending, Leo Luongo, the brother of Roberto Luongo.
The Blues have made several changes themselves this off-season, including promoting Alexander Steen to GM. Now, theyβll be looking for a new goaltending development coach, whether through a promotion or an external hire.
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The Detroit Red Wings took a major step toward the upcoming campaign on Thursday, releasing their full 2026-27 regular season schedule, complete with several marquee matchups and milestone celebrations.
Detroit will open the season on home ice at Little Caesars Arena against the New York Rangers on Friday, October 2nd. This season marks a first in NHL history, as the league has expanded to 84 games for every team.
As always, the Red Wings will face their Atlantic Division rivals three to four times, take on Metropolitan Division opponents out of the Eastern Conference, and play all 16 Western Conference teams twice.
One of the season's biggest moments comes on November 18th, when the Red Wings host the Boston Bruins for the Centennial Celebration game, marking 100 years since the franchise's first NHL game in 1926.
Detroit will also continue its holiday traditions, hosting its annual night before Thanksgiving game on Wednesday, November 25th against the Vancouver Canucks, and closing out the year on New Year's Eve, December 31st against the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.
Before the holiday break, Detroit will host a pair of Atlantic Division tilts, welcoming the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday, December 20th and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, December 22nd.
The new year opens with notable home dates against the Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins. With the All-Star Game returning this season, hosted by the New York Islanders in Long Island, the Red Wings will head into a nine-day break spanning from a January 30th matchup at Columbus into February.
Detroit's regular season finale is set for Saturday, April 10th on the road against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center.
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Itβs time to start circling dates on the calendar and planning road trips.
On Thursday, the NHL released its full 2026-27 schedule for all 32 of its teams.
For the Florida Panthers, there were several games and dates that jumped off the page.
As we learned on Wednesday when the league released the home opening matchups for every team, the Panthers will begin with four straight road games, starting with a Stanley Cup banner raising in Raleigh against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sept. 29 followed by a west coast trip stopping in San Jose, Anaheim and Los Angeles on Oct. 1, Oct. 4 and Oct. 6, respectively.
Floridaβs home opener is set for Oct. 10 against the Minnesota Wild.
Interestingly, the Panthers will 13 games during the month of October (not including Opening Night in Raleigh on Sept. 29), but only four of them will be on home ice.
Some other notable games in Sunrise include the return of Sergei Bobrovsky on March 6 against the Toronto Maple Leafs and the returns of Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist when the New Jersey Devils come to town on Feb. 18.
Around the holidays, Florida will have several home games.
They face the Ottawa Senators the night before Thanksgiving on Nov. 25 and are in Washington the night after on Nov. 27 before hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning the following Saturday on Nov. 28.
In December, the Panthers will go into the Christmas holiday break with home games on Dec. 19 against the Calgary Flames and Dec. 21 against the St. Louis Blues before coming out of the break on Dec. 26 against Tampa followed by matchups on Dec. 28 against the Nashville Predators and Dec. 30 against the Buffalo Sabres.
That will be one of two five-game homestands for Florida, with the other coming from March 2 through March 12.
The Panthers will have two five-game road trips, tied for their longest of the season.
The first will be in early January when they travel to Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Seattle and Minnesota over the course of 11 days, then in mid-March Florida will travel to Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Buffalo and Tampa Bay that will last 10 days.
Florida will also host the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 2 after traveling to Nashville on New Year's Day for a 1 p.m. matchup with the Preds.
The Cats will close the season with home games on April 6 against Montreal, April 9 against the Boston Bruins and April 10 against Carolina.
Photo caption: Dec 5, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13), center Aleksander Barkov (16) and left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center. (Eric Hartline-Imagn Images)
The Chicago Blackhawks, in conjunction with the National Hockey League, have released their schedule for the 2026-27 season. It will be an expanded schedule as the league increases from 82 to 84 games.
On Wednesday, the league revealed all home openers, showing four Blackhawks games in total. They will open on September 29th at the Vegas Golden Knights. Their road trip will continue with games against the Utah Mammoth and Buffalo Sabres, before returning to Chicago on October 6th for their home opener against the St. Louis Blues.
Now, the entire 84-game odyssey can be seen below:
Most of October will see the Blackhawks play a seven-game homestand, including the Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes. This is one of three total home streaks of five games or more.
The road games are much more staggered. There are a few trips, but only one road trip goes longer than four games, which is a west coast swing in January going into February.
The holidays will be filled with Blackhawks hockey at home, including the day after Thanksgiving on November 27th against the New York Rangers. They will also face the Boston Bruins on New Year's Day. On Halloween, they will be on the road against the Bruins.
Weekends at the United Center will be plentiful, as the Blackhawks will play 22 weekend games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Part of this schedule is two games for the Blackhawks against the Ottawa Senators in DΓΌsseldorf, Germany, as part of the NHL Global Series. These games will take place at PSD Bank Dome on December 18th and 20th.
Blackhawks home games during the week are mostly going to be at 7 PM, instead of the usual 7:30. The weekend games will be at 6 PM or earlier. There are a lot of home matinees (9) on the slate.
In addition to the schedule release, the NHL announced that All-Star Weekend is returning this season, with a 10-day break for the Blackhawks from January 31st to February 9th. The event will take place on Long Island, New York.
Is this the year that the Blackhawks' rebuild takes a big step? It all begins on September 29th against the reigning Western Conference Champion Vegas Golden Knights. The promotional schedule will be released in the coming weeks.
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The Vancouver Canucks have officially released their 2026β27 regular season schedule.
The 84-game slate of matchups for the Canucks features a season-opener against the Edmonton Oilers on September 29 in Edmonton that is one of two NHL opening-night matches. Vancouver will then play in their home-opener on October 1, also against the Oilers. They will conclude the 2026β27 regular season on April 10 against the Calgary Flames.
Prior to the start of the regular season, Vancouver will play in four pre-season games running from September 19 to 26. They will travel to face the Seattle Kraken and Calgary Flames on the 19th and 22nd respectively, before returning to play on home-ice against the Oilers and Kraken on the 24th and 26th.
Full 2026β27 Season Schedule:
*Local times written
September 2026
Tuesday, September 29 @ Edmonton Oilers, 8:00 pm
October 2026
Thursday, October 1 vs. Edmonton Oilers, 7:00 pm
Saturday, October 3 vs. Calgary Flames, 7:00 pm
Sunday, October 4 vs. Vegas Golden Knights, 6:00 pm
Thursday, October 8 @ Carolina Hurricanes, 7:00 pm
Saturday, October 10 @ New Jersey Devils, 3:30 pm
Sunday, October 11 @ New York Rangers, 6:00 pm
Tuesday, October 13 @ New York Islanders, 7:45 pm
Thursday, October 15 @ Florida Panthers, 7:00 pm
Saturday, October 17 @ Tampa Bay Lightning, 4:00 pm
Tuesday, October 20 vs. Carolina Hurricanes, 7:00 pm
Thursday, October 22 vs. Detroit Red Wings, 7:00 pm
Sunday, October 25 vs. Minnesota Wild, 7:00 pm
Tuesday, October 27 @ Anaheim Ducks, 7:00 pm
Thursday, October 29 @ San Jose Sharks, 7:00 pm
Saturday, October 31 vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, 4:00 pm
November 2026
Tuesday, November 3 vs. Anaheim Ducks, 7:00 pm
Thursday, November 5 @ Winnipeg Jets, 7:00 pm
Saturday, November 7 @ Edmonton Oilers, 9:00 pm
Monday, November 9 vs. Philadelphia Flyers, 7:30 pm
Friday, November 13 vs. New York Rangers, 7:00 pm
Sunday, November 15 @ Vegas Golden Knights, 6:00 pm
Monday, November 16 @ Utah Mammoth, 7:30 pm
Thursday, November 19 @ Seattle Kraken, 6:40 pm
Saturday, November 21 vs. Minnesota Wild, 8:00 pm
Sunday, November 22 vs. Chicago Blackhawks, 6:00 pm
Wednesday, November 25 @ Detroit Red Wings, 7:30 pm
Friday, November 27 @ Philadelphia Flyers, 3:00 pm
Sunday, November 29 @ Boston Bruins, 5:00 pm
December 2026
Tuesday, December 1 @ Washington Capitals, 7:00 pm
Friday, December 4 vs. Buffalo Sabres, 7:00 pm
Saturday, December 5 vs. Dallas Stars, 8:00 pm
Monday, December 7 vs. Washington Capitals, 7:00 pm
Thursday, December 10 vs. Nashville Predators, 7:00 pm
Saturday, December 12 @ Los Angeles Kings, 7:00 pm
Monday, December 14 @ San Jose Sharks, 7:00 pm
Wednesday, December 16 @ Anaheim Ducks, 6:00 pm
Saturday, December 19 vs. San Jose Sharks, 8:00 pm
Monday, December 21 vs. Utah Mammoth, 7:00 pm
Saturday, December 26 @ Calgary Flames, 9:00 pm
Monday, December 28 vs. Los Angeles Kings, 7:30 pm
Wednesday, December 30 vs. Seattle Kraken, 7:30 pm
January 2027
Saturday, January 2 @ Utah Mammoth, 8:00 pm
Sunday, January 3 @ Seattle Kraken, 5:00 pm
Tuesday, January 5 vs. New York Islanders, 7:00 pm
Thursday, January 7 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, 7:00 pm
Saturday, January 9 vs. Florida Panthers, 8:00 pm
Thursday, January 14 vs. Seattle Kraken, 7:00 pm
Saturday, January 16 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, 8:00 pm
Monday, January 18 @ Colorado Avalanche, 1:00 pm
Wednesday, January 20 @ Nashville Predators, 1:00 am
Friday, January 22 @ Chicago Blackhawks, 7:00 pm
Saturday, January 23 @ Pittsburgh Penguins, 7:00 pm
Thursday, March 11 @ Columbus Blue Jackets, 7:00 pm
Saturday, March 13 @ Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:00 pm
Sunday, March 14 @ Ottawa Senators, 5:00 pm
Wednesday, March 17 vs. Nashville Predators, 7:00 pm
Saturday, March 20 vs. St. Louis Blues, 7:00 pm
Sunday, March 21 vs. Edmonton Oilers, 6:00 pm
Tuesday, March 23 vs. Los Angeles Kings, 7:00 pm
Thursday, March 25 vs. Vegas Golden Knights, 7:00 pm
Saturday, March 27 vs. Anaheim Ducks, 1:00 pm
Monday, March 29 @ Los Angeles Kings, 6:30 pm
Wednesday, March 31 @ Vegas Golden Knights, 7:30 pm
April 2027
Saturday, April 3 vs. San Jose Sharks, 7:00 pm
Tuesday, April 6 vs. Colorado Avalanche, 7:00 pm
Friday, April 9 @ Winnipeg Jets, 6:00 pm
Saturday, April 10 @ Calgary Flames, 8:00 pm
Apr 14, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Liam Ohgren (92) and defenseman Filip Hronek (17) and forward Ty Mueller (39) and forward Jake DeBrusk (74) and forward Elias Pettersson (40) and goalie Kevin Lankinen (32) celebrate their victory against the Los Angeles Kings in overtime at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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The Winnipeg Jets will open a new era of NHL hockey at home against an Original Six opponent before hosting an outdoor game later in October, as the league unveiled its first-ever 84-game regular-season schedule Thursday.
Winnipeg opens the 2026-27 campaign on Friday, Oct. 2 against the Boston Bruins at Canada Life Centre before visiting the Detroit Red Wings two days later for its first road game of the season.
Photo by David Kirouac/USA Today
The schedule also features one of the biggest events on the NHL calendar, with the Jets set to host the Montreal Canadiens in the 2026 Heritage Classic at Princess Auto Stadium on Oct. 25. A long list of Winnipeg and Montreal alumni will also meet the previous day in an alumni game at Canada Life Centre.
For the first time ever, every club will play 84 regular-season games, increasing the schedule by two contests while maintaining a balanced 42-game home and 42-game road slate.
For the Jets, that means 28 games against Central Division opponents, three meetings with each Pacific Division club and home-and-home series against all 16 Eastern Conference teams.
Winnipeg will also see the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes twice within the opening month of the season. Nikolaj Ehlers and the Hurricanes visit Canada Life Centre on Oct. 17 before the Jets return the trip to Raleigh on Nov. 1.
The busiest stretch of the season comes in November, when Winnipeg plays 15 games.
Later in the year, the Jets will enjoy their longest homestand of the season, a six-game stretch at Canada Life Centre running from March 1-13.
Their longest trips away from home consist of three separate four-game road swings, although one extended stretch will keep Winnipeg away from Canada Life Centre for six consecutive games between Jan. 28 and Feb. 15. That run is split by the NHL's nine-day break for All-Star Weekend, scheduled for Feb. 5-6 on Long Island.
The Jets are scheduled to play nine sets of back-to-back games during the regular season. Six consist entirely of road contests, while two feature one home game and one road game. The only home back-to-back comes Dec. 19-20 against the Dallas Stars.
Saturday will once again be Winnipeg's busiest day of the week, with the Jets playing 19 times.
The Heritage Classic marks Winnipeg's first Canadian matchup of the season. Overall, the Jets will face Canadian clubs 14 additional times, including home dates against the Calgary Flames twice, the Vancouver Canucks twice, and single visits from the Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs.
NEW YORK (AP) β The most expansive season in NHL history will begin in September, not October, and limit most teams to four preseason games.
The league's first 84-game season since 1993-94 opens Sept. 29 as 32 teams will combine to play a total of 1,344 games. The season runs through Saturday, April 10, before the playoffs begin the following week.
The increase from an 82-game slate, which had been the standard since the mid-β90s, was agreed upon by team owners and players in the last round of talks on a collective bargaining agreement. The intent is to provide more space between the end of the Stanley Cup Final and the draft in late June before free agency commences July 1.
When the Panthers and Oilers went the distance in β24, there were just three days between Game 7 on June 24 in South Florida and the first round of the draft on June 28 in Las Vegas.
After defeating Vegas to win the Stanley Cup, the Carolina Hurricanes will raise their second championship banner on Sept. 29 against Florida.
That opening night, featuring five games, matches the earliest start date in NHL history and is the first time the regular season begins in North America before October. The Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings played games in London on Sept. 29 and 30, 2007.
The most recent β and only other β September hockey outside of exhibitions came during the pandemic playoff bubble in 2020, culminating when Tampa Bay hoisted the Cup in an empty arena in Edmonton on Sept. 28.
Games to watch
Oct. 21: New Florida Panther Brady Tkachuk returns to Ottawa. The former Senators captain plays his first game against his old team since getting traded to Florida to play with his brother, Matthew. It did not end well in Canada's capital, from Brady bristling at his name being in rumors to asking out and then the team offering to take Tkachuk No. 7 jerseys fans wished to exchange.
Oct 25: Heritage Classic. The Montreal Canadiens visit the Winnipeg Jets in the return of outdoor hockey to Canada for the first time since 2023.
Dec. 21: Stanley Cup Final rematch: The Hurricanes return to the scene of their championship triumph to face the Golden Knights in Las Vegas. The two teams meet again in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Jan. 17.
Dec. 31: Winter Classic: Utah takes center stage outside, hosting the Colorado Avalanche in the Winter Classic in Salt Lake City.
April 4: Washington hosts Pittsburgh. Alex Ovechkin is back for a 22nd NHL season with the Capitals. If this is it for him at age 41 β and it very well may not be if he wants to shoot for 1,000 career goals β this would be the last regular-season game against Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and the Penguins.
Former Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas speaks to the media during his 2025-26 exit interview.
On Thursday morning, the NHL released the regular season schedules for all 32 teams. The NHL has also expanded the regular season to 84 games, giving each two extra opportunities to grab points in their quest to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Here are five Ducks games that will be required watching in 2026-27.
Home Opener vs. Panthers - Oct. 4
The first home game of the season will be against former Ducks captain Radko Gudas and the Florida Panthers. Gudas spent three seasons with the Ducks, captaining them for the last two.
The Panthers also added Brady Tkachuk, who links up with his brother, Matthew. Accompanied by players like Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett, this Panthers team makes for an irritating matchup.
This game will also mark the first time that A.J. Greer faces his old team. Greer spent the last two seasons with the Panthers, winning the Stanley Cup with them in 2025. He joined the Ducks after his signing rights were swapped for Gudasβ signing rights and then signed a four-year, $17 million contract.
Return of the Mac - Jan. 14
In one of many offseason moves that Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek made this summer, he traded Mason McTavish to the St. Louis Blues for the 15th overall and 29th overall selections in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. Those picks were then used to select forwards Nikita Klepov and Marcus Nordmark.
It was a tough 2025-26 season for McTavish, whose contract negotiations dragged into training camp. His second half of the season was marred with inconsistency and he was even healthy scratched for a pair of playoff games. He will have an opportunity to bounce back with the Blues, though whether itβs as a center or a winger is unclear for the time being.
This game also marks the returns of Ross Johnston and Greg Cronin to Honda Center. Johnston spent three seasons with the Ducks after he was claimed off waivers from the New York Islanders in 2023. Typically relegated to enforcer and fourth line duties, he had a career year offensively in 2025-26, putting up 14 points. Cronin, who joined the Blues this summer as an assistant coach, was the Ducksβ head coach from 2023-2025, his first NHL head coaching gig. The Ducks went 62-87-15 during his tenure.
Iβve Got a Phill-ing - Oct. 24
The Philadelphia Flyersβ five-year, $90 million offer sheet to Leo Carlsson was the talk of the summer. The Ducks ultimately matched it six days after it was tendered, but this move showed that Flyers general manager Danny BriΓ¨re wasnβt afraid to go big-game hunting.
These two organizations have crossed paths repeatedly over the past couple of years thanks to the Cutter Gauthier-Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras-Ryan Poehling trades. The Carlsson offer sheet now adds another element. It will be interesting to see the fan reaction in Philadelphia when the Ducks come to town.
Running It Back - Oct. 2, Oct. 7
This might be considered cheating, as itβs two games in one. After beating the Edmonton Oilers in six games and then falling to the Vegas Golden Knights in six games, seeing how the Ducks stack up to both teams after an offseason of moves should be a good watch.
The Oilers once again retooled their goaltending tandem, bringing in 2026 Stanley Cup champion Frederik Andersen and acquiring Devon Levi from the Buffalo Sabres. They also traded defenseman Darnell Nurse to the San Jose Sharks and signed Ryan Shea in free agency to replace him. With Connor McDavidβs two-year extension kicking in this season, the Oilersβ timeline to win a Cup with him may be reaching its end.
John Tortorellaβs Golden Knights tenure is over. Ryan Craig has taken over as the new head coach and will be looking to guide the Golden Knights to a second consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearance. They cleared cap room to re-sign defenseman Rasmus Andersson by trading Pavel Dorofeyev, Keegan Kolesar and Kaedan Korczak as they look to be one of the Pacific Divisionβs top teams once again.
MaCklin Celebrini - Nov. 25
Much of the focus this summer has been on players like Carlsson, Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli, all who are (or were) RFAs this summer. The San Jose Sharksβ Macklin Celebrini wonβt be an RFA until next summer, but he is eligible to sign an extension now that itβs past July 1. Thanks to the massive offer sheet that Carlsson signed, a wrench has been thrown into the market.
Celebrini was one of the NHLβs best players this past season and will surely command a hefty salary. There have been rumors that he is also in line to become the Sharksβ next captain. A long-term extension combined with a captaincy announcement will be pure cinema. The bad news is that the Ducks have to play Celebrini and the Sharks 3-4 times a season and will surely be a team that theyβre competing with for a playoff berth in the next several years.
If you want to view the Ducksβ full 84-game schedule, you can click here.
This year's NHL schedule will feature 84 games. Per the league, "This change allows the league to establish a more balanced scheduling matrix where every team plays its division rivals exactly four times."
The exact breakdown of how a team's 84-game regular season is structured includes:
Divisional Games (28 games): 4 games against each of the other 7 teams in your own division (2 home, 2 away).
Conference Games (24 games): 3 games against each of the 8 teams in the other division within your same conference (alternating home/away balance yearly).
Inter-Conference Games (32 games): 2 games against all 16 teams from the opposing conference (1 home, 1 away), ensuring every team visits every arena at least once per year.
Important Dates for the CBJ
October 1, 2026 - Home Opener/Season Opener against the Buffalo Sabres
CBJ play 7 of first 9 games at home.
12 Saturday home games.
2 Sunday Home Games.
13 back-to-backs.Β 5-game homestand in February and March, which is a season high.
Multiple 4 game road trips will be the longest road trips.Β
PLAYTIME'S ABOUT TO BEGIN, THE 2026-27 SCHEDULE IS HERE!
No more make-believe! The season comes alive on October 1st π₯ Download the full schedule now at https://t.co/vIc4cAAqaG
Β DΓΌsseldorf, Germany: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Ottawa Senators (Dec. 18 & 20, 2026).Β
The CBJ still have lots of business to take care of from now until October 1st. Don Waddell has players to sign and a farm team to stock.
Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!
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For years, Joe Sakic and Steve Yzerman were viewed as two of the greatest examples of superstar players who successfully transitioned into NHL front offices. They were Hall of Fame captains, Stanley Cup champions, Olympic gold medalists, and architects of championship-caliber teams.
Now, that comparison is over.
After the Detroit Red Wings dismissed Yzerman as general manager and executive vice president on Wednesday, Sakic is the last member of that exclusive club still standing. His legacy as both a player and executive has only grown stronger with time.
Long before he built a Stanley Cup champion from the front office, Sakic helped deliver Denver its first major professional sports championship as the face of the Avalanche.
He was the driving force behind Colorado's sweep of the Florida Panthers in the 1996 Stanley Cup Final, producing 34 points (18 goals, 16 assists) in 22 playoff games on his way to winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as postseason MVP.
As remarkable as his accomplishments were, Sakic became just as respected for the way he carried himself.
Perhaps no moment captures that better than after the Avalanche won their second Stanley Cup in 2001. Moments after NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman handed him the Stanley Cup, Sakic skipped the traditional solo celebration and immediately passed it to Ray Bourque, allowing the Hall of Fame defenseman to finally lift hockey's ultimate prize after waiting 22 NHL seasons.
That same season marked the pinnacle of Sakic's playing career.
He recorded a career-high 118 points with 54 goals and 64 assists while adding 12 game-winning goals, earning both the Hart Trophy as league MVP and the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct.
He captained Canada to its first Olympic gold medal in men's hockey in 50 years at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, defeating the United States in the gold-medal game. His performance throughout the tournament earned him MVP honors.
Years later, Sakic proved his greatness wasn't limited to the ice.
As general manager, he assembled the roster that brought the Stanley Cup back to Colorado in 2022. Afterward, he handed day-to-day general manager duties to Chris MacFarland while remaining president of hockey operations before reassuming the GM role following MacFarland's departure to the Nashville Predators.
Yzerman's second act, however, unfolded much differently.
His seven-year tenure leading the Red Wings never produced a single playoff appearance. Detroit remained stuck in rebuilding mode, and this offseason even captain Dylan Larkinβa hometown star long viewed as the face of the franchiseβrequested a trade after years of growing frustration. The organization now finds itself searching for answers once again.
None of that diminishes what Yzerman accomplished as a player.
He remains one of the greatest captains in NHL history, leading the Red Wings from 1986 to 2006 while helping Detroit win three Stanley Cups and reach four Stanley Cup Finals during an eight-year stretch between 1995 and 2002.
During his time in Tampa Bay, Yzerman built one of the NHL's premier organizations through exceptional drafting, shrewd trades, and under-the-radar signings. He selected Andrei Vasilevskiy, Anthony Cirelli, Cal Foote, Nikita Kucherov, OndΕej PalΓ‘t, and Brayden Point, signed undrafted contributors Tyler Johnson and Yanni Gourde, and acquired Erik ΔernΓ‘k, Ryan McDonagh, and Mikhail Sergachev to form the backbone of a future dynasty.
The Lightning reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2015, and that same year Yzerman became the first general manager in franchise history to win the NHL's General Manager of the Year Award. Under his leadership, Tampa Bay also established franchise records with 50 wins, 108 points, 262 goals, and 32 home victories.
The success continued.
The Lightning captured the Atlantic Division title in 2017-18 and advanced to the Eastern Conference Final before falling to the Washington Capitals.
Then, in September 2018, Yzerman chose not to renew his contract as general manager, transitioning into a senior advisor role while assistant general manager Julien BriseBois took over.
Ironically, Yzerman wasn't the executive who ultimately watched Tampa Bay raise the Stanley Cup.
The roster he built reached three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, winning back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021 under BriseBois.
Meanwhile, Yzerman returned to Detroit hoping to engineer a similar turnaround for the franchise where he became a legend.
Instead, the rebuild failed.
That's the unfortunate reality of professional sports.
Recency bias has a way of reshaping legacies. Younger fans won't remember Yzerman primarily as one of hockey's greatest captains or the architect who laid the groundwork for Tampa Bay's championship core. Many will remember a seven-year rebuild in Detroit that never got off the ground.
And history shows he isn't alone.
Some of the greatest players in NHL history have struggled when moving into executive roles.
Joe Nieuwendyk enjoyed a Hall of Fame-caliber playing career that included two 50-goal seasons with the Calgary Flames and a Stanley Cup championship with the Dallas Stars in 1999. But as Dallas' general manager, his four-year tenure produced three last-place finishes in the Pacific Division.
Wayne Gretzky's post-playing career followed a similar path. Widely regarded as the greatest player the sport has ever seen, Gretzky never guided the Arizona Coyotes to a playoff appearance during his time as minority owner and head coach.
That's what makes Sakic so rare.
He didn't just become a successful executive after an iconic playing careerβhe became one of the very best. He built a Stanley Cup champion, sustained a perennial contender, and continues to shape one of the NHL's model organizations.
Avalanche fans have never needed another reason to appreciate Joe Sakic.
But with Steve Yzerman's tenure in Detroit now over, Sakic's place in hockey history feels even more unique.
He isn't just one of the greatest players the game has ever seen.
He's one of the few who proved he could build a champion long after he stopped playing.
The Winnipeg Jets added another name to their blue line depth chart this week, signing defenseman Jack St. Ivany. The move raises an interesting question for the 26-year-old right shot heading into training camp as to if he can take the offensive flashes he showed last season and turn them into a real foothold in the NHL?
St. Ivany split last season between the Pittsburgh Penguins and their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and the results were promising at both levels. In 20 games with Pittsburgh, he recorded seven assists, showing he could move the puck and contribute offensively even against top competition.
When he was sent down to the AHL, his production picked up even more, with St. Ivany posting six points in just eight games, a near point-per-game pace that suggests there may be more offense to unlock if given a longer runway.
The right side of the Jets' defense already looks fairly settled, with Dylan DeMelo and Neal Pionk both locked into established roles. That leaves St. Ivany looking at a competition for a third pairing spot, likely against Elias Salomonsson, one of the organization's more highly regarded defensive prospects.
He could also find himself competing for a seventh defenseman role, going up against fellow offseason addition Henry Thrun for a depth spot on the roster. For St. Ivany, the path forward comes down to consistency as his NHL sample size is still fairly small, but his numbers continue to rise each season as he further adjusts to the pro game.
If he can find that consistency, he gives the Jets a legitimate option for puck moving depth on the right side. If not, he still provides organizational insurance in a group that could use it heading into a crucial season for the franchise.
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Former Florida Panthers assistant GM and current New Jersey Devils GM Sunny Mehta continues to nab Panthers staff members, as Leo Luongo has signed with the Devils.
Luongo, the brother of Roberto Luongo, has been with the Panthers for the past 10 seasons, serving as a goaltending development coach and director of player development with the Panthers, while also serving as the director of goaltending and the head of goalie development and scouting with the Charlotte Checkers, the Panthersβ AHL affiliate.
In addition to Luongo, the Devils have added Ted Granto and A.J. MacLean as assistant coaches to work under coach Sheldon Keefe, while Dan Stewart will work as the Devilsβ goaltending coach.
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Philadelphia Flyers GM Daniel Briere has certainly made the NHL offseason interesting when he tendered a huge offer sheet to the Anaheim Ducksβ Leo Carlsson. Still, since Pat Verbeek matched it, Briere now must explore other options. Before getting back to shopping outside his own organization, however, the GM reached an agreement with RFA Trevor Zegras, thereby avoiding arbitration. At first glance, some may think that itβs better for the team than the deal Montreal Canadiens star rookie Ivan Demidov inked on July 1.
After all, Demidovβs eight-year contract has a higher cap hit at $9.150 M while Zegrasβ four-year pact has a $9.125M cap hit, but thatβs far from the reality. At just 20 years old, Demidov has put up 62 points in his only NHL season, while Zegras, after six NHL seasons and at 25, has never recorded more than 67 points. How far from his ceiling is he? Thatβs hard to say at this stage, but one thing is clear: he has far less runway than Demidov does.
Whatβs worse, though, is that the Flyers, after spending three assets to acquire Zegras in the 2025 offseason, may only get to enjoy five years of the player. His first season in Philadelphia was a good one, but with his new deal, heβll be free as a bird at the end of the four-season term to hit the market at 29 and go after a big payday. The fact that he only signed a deal to take him to UFA status also shows that either heβs not sold on what the Flyers are building or the team isnβt quite sure of what they have on their hands and whether heβs worth committing to long term.
If Zegras keeps improving and reaches a new level, Briere might really have to break the bank to retain his services, and thatβs if Zegras wants to stay there. He will be within his rights to hit the market and assess just how much he could get from another team. In three short years, when heβs about to enter the final year of the contract, his situation is sure to attract a lot of attention and create a big distraction.
Of course, Demidov will also be a UFA at the end of his eight-year deal in 2035, but the Canadiens will have enjoyed 11 years of their fifth overall pick at the 2024 draft. The absolute maximum a team can get from a drafted asset, and they will have done so at a cost-controlled price as well.
ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Wild continued adding to their prospect pipeline this week, signing goaltender Filip Ruzicka to a three-year, entry-level contract.
At 6-foot-8, Ruzicka immediately becomes one of the tallest goaltending prospects in the NHL and gives the Wild another intriguing project to develop over the coming years.
Minnesota selected Ruzicka in the fifth round (137th overall) of the 2026 NHL Draft after an impressive season with the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings.
Rather than waiting to secure his rights, the Wild wasted little time signing the Czech netminder, signaling their confidence in his potential.
The first thing that stands out about Ruzicka is his size.
Standing 6-foot-8 and weighing more than 220 pounds, he naturally covers a significant portion of the net before even making a save. Goaltenders with that kind of frame are rare, and when they combine size with athleticism, they can become extremely difficult to beat.
Of course, size alone doesn't make an NHL goaltender.
Modern goalies must move efficiently, recover quickly, and stay technically sound. Those are all areas Ruzicka will continue refining as he develops, but his physical tools give him a foundation that few prospects possess.
Ruzicka earned the Wild's attention with a solid 2025-26 season for the Brandon Wheat Kings.
He appeared in 41 games, posting a 26-14-1 record with a .906 save percentage and a 3.19 goals-against average while helping Brandon remain one of the stronger teams in the Western Hockey League.
The native of Trinec, Czechia, also started four games in the 2026 WHL playoffs for Brandon, recording a 2.47 goals-against average and .936 save percentage.
Like most goalie prospects, Ruzicka remains a work in progress, but the Wild clearly believe his upside is worth investing in.
Many NHL starters don't reach the league until their early-to-mid 20s, making development one of the longest processes at any position.
Fifth-round selections are never guaranteed NHL players, but they're often where organizations search for high-upside talent.
With Ruzicka, Minnesota is betting on exactly that.
His combination of size, athletic ability, and recent progression made him an appealing prospect during the draft, and now he'll begin the next stage of his development under the Wild's system.
Whether he ultimately becomes an NHL backup, a starter, or simply organizational depth remains to be seen.
For now, Ruzicka remains a long-term project. But with a 6-foot-8 frame and intriguing upside, he'll certainly be one of the more fascinating prospects for Wild fans to follow over the next several seasons.
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ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Wild officially know where their 2026-27 season will begin.
The NHL announced the home openers for all 32 clubs on Wednesday, confirming that the Wild will open the regular season on Thursday, Oct. 1, against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena.
Two days later, Minnesota will return to Saint Paul for its home opener against the Boston Bruins on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Grand Casino Arena. The remainder of the league's 84-game schedule is set to be released on Thursday.
For Minnesota, the opener presents an immediate Central Division test. Nashville has often been a difficult building for opponents, and division games carry even more weight this season following the NHL's move to an 84-game schedule, which adds two additional divisional matchups for every team.
The Wild will then waste little time returning home, welcoming an Original Six opponent in Boston for what should be one of the most anticipated home openers in recent years.
The matchup gives Minnesota fans an early opportunity to see Bill Guerin's revamped roster on home ice after an offseason that included several notable changes.
The Bruins also figure to be looking for a strong start after an eventful offseason of their own, making the Oct. 3 contest an intriguing early-season measuring stick for both clubs.
Wednesday's announcement only reveals each team's opening games, but anticipation won't have to wait much longer.
The NHL is expected to unveil the complete regular-season schedule on Thursday, providing Minnesota with its full 84-game roadmap for the 2026-27 campaign.
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Blues Hire Former NHL First Round Pick As Organizational Skills CoachThe St. Louis Blues have hired former 2010 first-round pick Joey Hishon as an organizational skills coach, GM Alexander Steen announced on Wednesday. 
