Blake Coleman didn’t have to wait long to make an impact with his new team.
Coleman scored his first goal as a member of the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night against the Nashville Predators, finding the back of the net in his first regular-season game with Minnesota.
The Wild acquired Coleman from the Calgary Flames during the offseason as part of an effort to add more scoring, experience and toughness to their forward group.
The 34-year-old winger entered the season coming off his fourth 20-goal campaign and his second with Calgary and has reached the 30-goal mark once in his NHL career.
He picked up a beauty of a goal in the second period on the power play from Bobby Brink and Danila Yurov.
Coleman is the 34th player to score a goal in his first game in a Wild sweater.
Coleman has also brought a championship pedigree to Minnesota. He won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021 before signing with Calgary.
It took just one game in a Wild sweater for Coleman to get on the scoresheet — and into the goal column.
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After the U.S. Olympic hero answered some hockey questions, Mleczko said she was glad Hughes was healthy.
"Let's wrap you in bubble wrap and use plastic cutlery this year, that sound good?" she asked.
"I think that's a weird joke. Big game, but ...," Hughes said as he skated away.
Mleczko, a two-time Olympian, said on camera: "No sense of humor here in a big game, but I appreciate his time and he had a good start here this season."
Hughes would go on to score the overtime goal to beat the Flyers 3-2. He tossed his stick into the stands and it was caught by a fan wearing a Jack Hughes Team USA jersey.
The Devils' response to Hughes' goal on social media? "Can't keep him wrapped up."
Hughes had started the 2025-26 season coming off shoulder surgery in the previous season and got off to a strong start. But he needed surgery after cutting his finger at a team dinner in Chicago.
On Wednesday morning, news broke that Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who remains a restricted free agent without a contract, had returned to his native Sweden and is training with Frölunda of the SHL.
Perhaps the most startling element of this saga is not only that Edvinsson is now on the other side of the world with the start of the regular season on deck, but that the club wasn't able to hammer out a new contract with him despite his reporting to Training Camp.
Edvinsson skated with his teammates during camp, taking part in non-scrimmage drills, but he did not appear in any of the team's four preseason contests.
The Swedish defenseman, whom the Red Wings selected in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft, gave every indication that he wants to be part of the club, making his feelings clear by reporting to camp without a contract.
But for reasons that remain officially unknown, what appeared to be a layup for Red Wings interim general manager Shawn Horcoff has now turned into an extremely precarious situation for a club already facing more questions than answers.
There have been unconfirmed reports that the Red Wings would like to sign Edvinsson to a bridge-style contract, which could prove to be a considerable miscalculation given that the salary cap is expected to rise in the near future, potentially making Edvinsson's next contract even more expensive.
For a club that needs to rebuild some goodwill after a turbulent offseason, this was an unfortunate missed opportunity to build positive momentum.
Dylan Larkin wouldn't confirm whether he still wants to be traded, and he won't play in either of Detroit's first two games of the season.
Meanwhile, the club still doesn't have a permanent general manager, having spent two months before naming Horcoff, its former AGM, as interim GM, following Steve Yzerman's departure from the role on July 15.
Additionally, there has been no update on a contract extension for goal-scoring forward Alex DeBrincat, who can become an unrestricted free agent after the upcoming season.
All of that is on top of the NHL's longest current postseason drought, 10 years and counting.
Short of boarding a defunct Concorde jet, Edvinsson won't be in Detroit on Friday evening when the Red Wings open the season against the visiting New York Rangers at Little Caesars Arena.
For now, that means the Red Wings will have to make do without their second-best defenseman, who made it clear he wanted to be with the team by reporting to Training Camp despite being unsigned in a show of good faith.
Unfortunately, this only adds to the mounting uncertainty surrounding the Red Wings as they begin their 101st NHL season, with the expectation of legitimate Stanley Cup contention now feeling like a distant memory and the organization facing increasingly pressing questions about where it goes from here.
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The NHL preseason was shorter this year, and I'm sure there weren't many fans complaining about that.
Everyone had four games to get through, make their cuts and start playing meaningful hockey. Sounds pretty good when you're sitting at home waiting for the regular season to start.
What about the players though?
The Edmonton Oilers lost 6-5 in overtime to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night, and Tristan Jarry brought up the shortened preseason afterward, albeit without making it an excuse.
“It's the first game of the season. It's always always tough,” Jarry said. “It was a short preseason, so I think just learning from every game, whether it's the ups, the downs, and just being better every single game.”
Well, it was definitely short.
The NHL cut the preseason to four games this year as part of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, extending the regular season going from 82 games to 84. The league's preseason schedule lasted eight days, beginning Sept. 19 and ending Sept. 26, before the regular season started three days later.
That left the Oilers with four games and a handful of practices to prepare for game No. 1.
Veteran players weren't necessarily playing all four of those games either. Under the new CBA, players with at least 100 games in the NHL are restricted to two exhibition games, meaning some players entered the regular season with two preseason games and a few weeks of practice together.
Jarry also spent the entire offseason working on his game with goalie coach Pete Aubry. Babcock talked prior to Tuesday night about Jarry improving his conditioning and stabilizing his game, but even he only got five periods of preseason before the games started counting.
That's not a lot of hockey before somebody asks you to start an NHL season. The same goes for everyone trying to learn Babcock's system. Edmonton has a new head coach, players moving around the lineup and several injuries that forced Babcock to spend camp trying different combinations. Then suddenly it's Sept. 29 and Vancouver is in town.
The old preseason certainly had its problems, though, don't get me wrong. Nobody needed weeks of random hockey, and fans weren't exactly sitting around in June counting down the days until preseason started.
So fans got what most of us wanted. Preseason ended quickly and the regular season started sooner.
Four exhibition games might sound like plenty when nobody cares about the score. That said, it might feel a little different for the guys expected to have everything figured out the second those games start counting.
However, it is up to the team itself to maximize it's preseason, and if the Oilers failed to properly prepare their players for this season, they can hardly blame the CBA.
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In the midst of a joyous but not raucous celebration in a Yankees clubhouse that was drenched but not flooding, Cody Bellinger provided perspective about what the club had done and had not done.
“We were here last year,” the veteran outfielder said after his three-run home run Wednesday added some late thunder in a sweep of the Red Sox in the wild-card series. “We were at this [upcoming] series.”
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Bellinger did not finish the sentence, but this upcoming series is when their run ended.
The location and opponent will be different, but the Yankees’ next series mirrors the hurdle they could not climb over last year: an ALDS matchup with an AL East champion whom the Yankees could not catch and is built on a contact-hitting approach and also flourishes at home.
Playing the role of the Blue Jays this year are the Rays, whom the Yankees did not solve in the regular season.
Will the 2026 Yankees be any different than the 2025 version?
Beginning Saturday in St. Petersburg, Fla., they will find out.
New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger connects on a three-run home run off the Boston Red Sox in the sixth inning during game two of the 2026 American League wild-card series at Yankees Stadium in The Bronx, New York, Wednesday, September 30, 2026. Jason Szenes for NY Post
“We have, hopefully, a long month in front of us,” manager Aaron Boone said. “And we know the next obstacle is a really challenging one with the Rays, but I love how [we are] playing the game.”
The Yankees are thriving on the backs of a series of aces — Cam Schlittler and Max Fried combined for 12 ¹/₃, one-run, five-hit, 16-strikeout innings against Boston, thus not even requiring Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón to pitch — as well as an offense that, for two games at least, collectively stepped up without Aaron Judge.
But they only played Tuesday and Wednesday because the league-best Rays seized control of the division June 28 and never really were threatened afterward, finishing 4 ½ games clear of the Yankees.
Tampa Bay won the season series, taking seven of the 13 games. The Rays dominated on their home turf — a term here used literally — in winning five of the seven head-to-head contests, including a memorable sweep in April in which the Rays continually put the ball in play and the Yankees continually showed their defense was not up for the challenge.
No team in baseball made as much contact as the Rays (18.8 percent strikeout rate), who play the same brand of baseball as the 2025 Blue Jays who so frustrated the Yankees’ staff — and have more speed, tops in the American League in steals.
Tampa Bay Rays’ Junior Caminero (13) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. Getty Images
No team bunted, either for sacrifices or hits, than the Rays, who play their home games at Tropicana Field, where they try to use the hard and fast artificial turf to their advantage, putting constant pressure on the opposing defense.
Where the 2025 Blue Jays had Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the 2026 Rays have Junior Caminero.
Their rotation’s ERA (3.51), anchored by All-Stars Drew Rasmussen and Nick Martinez, only trailed the Yankees’ (3.30) in the AL. Their solid bullpen helped them go 25-14 in one-run games.
For the entirety of the season, they essentially did everything well.
“They’re a good team. Pitch well. Hit for power. Hit for contact,” Bellinger said. “… We’re going to have to play good baseball.”
That will mean the club’s defensive questions — maybe most notably in center, where Trent Grisham’s hamstring or effort level gifted an extra base to Boston on Wednesday — will go under the microscope. Whether Boone favors a platoon bat or a surer defender at several positions will be curious.
New York Yankees designated hitter Ben Rice reacts after connecting on a grand slam off of the Boston Red Sox in the eighth inning during Game 1 of the 2026 American League Wild Card series at Yankees Stadium in The Bronx, New York, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. JASON SZENES FOR NEW YORK POST
Not as curious as whether Judge — two-plus weeks removed from his calf strain and doing “everything I can” to be ready, he said — will talk his way onto a roster that at least did not need him for one round.
In explaining how they knocked around the Red Sox so easily, several Yankees referenced the club’s depth — Ben Rice and Bellinger may have led the team’s attack, but the lineup received contributions from just about everyone — that it will need to lean on with or without Judge.
“Keep playing like we’re playing, and trusting one another,” said José Caballero, who knows the Rays better than anyone. “We know that we have a deep team that we can beat anyone and just keep trusting the guys behind us.”
And if the Yankees are going to get past the Rays — and an ALCS opponent and whoever awaits in the World Series — their rotation would have to continue buzzsawing through opposing lineups.
“It’s always good to celebrate,” said Schlittler, set up to start Games 2 and 5. “Hopefully we get to do it a couple more times.”
In the Sharks’ first game of the 2026-27 NHL season — and a lively home opener at that — Luca Cagnoni scored the first NHL goal of his career in overtime to give San Jose a 4-3 win over the Florida Panthers.
And in the process, he became the first player in franchise history to score his first NHL goal in overtime.
Despite the Sharks blowing a 3-0 lead late in the second period and barely hanging on just to force overtime, Cagnoni sent a raucous SAP Center crowd into a frenzy to open an anticipated campaign for the young squad.
“Unreal,” Cagnoni told Tara Slone on the ice. “The atmosphere tonight is unbelievable, so credit to all the fans here. It’s remarkable.”
Cagnoni entered this season with only nine NHL games under his belt, finally breaking into the primary San Jose squad after spending most of the last two years with the San Jose Barracuda.
And while speaking to reporters postgame in the locker room, he still couldn’t seem to believe what he has just done.
“I’d say that’s probably the best goal of my life,” Cagnoni said with a nervous laugh. “Hard to write one better than an overtime winner, I think, right? … Still kind of dazing off a little bit about it.”
"I'd say that's probably the best goal of my life."
Sharks captain Macklin Celebrini, who along with Will Smith provided the assists on Cagnoni’s game-winner, wasn’t just impressed by the 21-year-old defenseman’s overtime heroics.
“I mean, it’s amazing,” Celebrini told reporters. “We’re all so happy for him. It wasn’t just the goal or the points that he put up today, I think just the way he was skating, making plays, keeping pucks alive — I mean, it was really cool to watch.”
Macklin Celebrini praises Luca Cagnoni's all-around performance in addition to his game-winner 🙌 pic.twitter.com/zYINCSHvh7
Cagnoni wasn’t the only Shark to record his debut goal with the team on Thursday; offseason free-agent signing Mason Marchment lit the lamp for the first time in teal to put San Jose on the board in the first period.
While it’s far from the 31-year-old’s first NHL goal, it still is an extra special one from Marchment, now a second-generation Shark. His dad, Bryan, was a defenseman for San Jose from 1998-2003 then worked for the organization in scouting and player development for several years until his death in 2022.
Of course, for the franchise centerpiece duo of Celebrini and Smith, it’s far from their first time doing this. They posted three points each on the night — Smith scored both short-handed and on a power play in the second period, with Celebrini assisting on both.
Last season, the Sharks had 47 goals that featured both players, which was tied for the third-most ever by a duo in franchise history. After combining on three goals in the first game of the following campaign, Celebrini and Smith look as though they might smash that mark.
At the beginning of training camp, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek stated that they were going to react quicker when it came to their players approaching restricted free agency. They’ve done just that by tying down Tim Washe and now Tristan Luneau to long-term contracts.
Luneau’s case is a bit different from Washe’s, as the former has played just 14 NHL games over three seasons while the latter spent the second half of last season in the NHL and was an essential part of the team’s playoff performance. Luneau appeared in one NHL game last season, the last game of the regular season against the Nashville Predators, scoring a goal and helping the Ducks enter the postseason on a high note.
With the exoduses of Jacob Trouba, Radko Gudas and John Carlson, in addition to current injuries to Drew Helleson and Ian Moore, Luneau has now been handed the biggest opportunity of his NHL career. The extension that he signed on Thursday morning validates that.
“My agent called me not too long ago, saying that (the Ducks) wanted to move forward with an extension,” Luneau said. “I said I want to be part of this group, and I’m ready to get things going, too.”
Apr 16, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Tristan Luneau (67) and center Tim Washe (42) defend against an attack by Nashville Predators left wing Reid Schaefer (49) during the second period of their game at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alan Poizner-Imagn Images
This extension does carry its fair share of risk. The organization is investing $43.2 million dollars in a player who has played in less than 20 NHL games. When Jackson LaCombe signed his big-money extension prior to the 2025-26 season, he had already shown signs of becoming one of the league’s top defensemen and has now appeared in over 200 NHL games. The Ducks are hoping to get ahead of the curve by signing Luneau before his breakout has even occurred.
Luneau has been preparing for this opportunity, having made the Ducks’ opening night roster twice before only to have his NHL season cut short by both injury and a demotion. With two successful AHL seasons under his belt, both the organization and player feel that he is ready to take the next step.
“It’s a lot of trust,” he said. “(I’ve) got to live up to the expectations and trust that they put in you, and I’m ready to do that.”
Based off recent practice line combinations, Luneau will play alongside LaCombe on the top defensive pair to start the season. Both players will be entrusted to play big minutes throughout the season in all situations.
An interesting controversy has emerged from the Vancouver Canucks' season-opening 6-5 overtime win against the Edmonton Oilers. On Vancouver's first goal, many believe that Kevin Lankinen should have received an assist. Instead, Paul Cotter was credited with an unassisted goal.
According to John Shannon of the 100% Canucks With Woodley & Shannon podcast, the Canucks did submit a request to the NHL to add a Lankinen assist to Cotter's season-opening goal. The potential assist in question occurred when the 31-year-old stopped Leon Draisaitl with his blocker and deflected the puck, which led to a shorthanded marker. Shannon said, "The league reviewed it and what happened was, the league feels that if a goaltender makes a save but does not have the intent of passing the puck to a teammate than it is not a pass and therefore not an assist."
One major issue with scoring is that the same rules don't seem to apply when awarding assists to skaters versus goaltenders. For example, if a puck bounces off a skater's skate and their teammate scores, the skater gets credit for the goal. This rule applies to almost every body part as long as the play is not an intentional hand pass.
The same can't be said about goaltenders. As mentioned, Lankinen deflected the puck with his blocker, and it went to Cotter, resulting in a goal. There was also no change of possession and no additional players touching the puck during the play.
In the end, the NHL needs to review how they award goaltender assists. If a skater can be awarded an assist because a puck bounced off them unintentionally, than so should a goalie. Ultimately, there is a case to be made that the league robbed Lankinen of an assist, which would have been the eighth of his NHL career.
Sep 29, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen (32) makes a save on Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman (18) during the first period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
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The New York Islanders released their official 2026-27 Hometown Remix Jersey scheduled games for the 2026-27 season.
The Islanders will, according to rumors, be wearing a white or crème based jersey, as multiple opponents have revealed they'll wear their Hometown Remix jerseys while on the road against the Islanders, implying New York will be in white.
The #Isles will rock their Hometown Remix jerseys 11 times this season, including 10 games at home!
Check out the full schedule and mark your calendars.
The official jersey is expected to be released in the coming weeks as teams continue to build excitement for the league-wide promotions of the Hometown Remix jerseys.
The Flyers were unable to get the bounce-back win they needed. They had to defend a lot Thursday night and fell to the Devils, 3-2, in overtime at Prudential Center.
“That was maybe a little better than last game, nice to get a point,” Christian Dvorak said. “But it’s not even about the result right now, we’ve just got to be better, play our brand of hockey. We haven’t gotten there at all yet.”
Jack Hughes scored the winner in transition. Travis Sanheim had a tough turnover that led to New Jersey’s rush.
“We need to get back to playing the way that we know we can and we know that works,” Sanheim said. “I’m not sure why we’re kind of straying away from that when it has worked in the past. We just need to get back to our game.”
Sanheim sent home an absolute missile in the third period to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead. The Flyers opened the scoring in the first period thanks to a Rasmus Ristolainen goal.
New Jersey finally cracked Joseph Woll with 2:02 minutes left in the second period on a Dougie Hamilton shot. The Devils had been dominating the Flyers in possession.
They tied the game again in the third period when Luke Hughes beat Woll. Dvorak lost the puck in the offensive zone, which sprung New Jersey the other way. Travis Konecny appeared to overplay his coverage, which left Hughes open for a good look.
Last season, Rick Tocchet’s first as the club’s head coach, the Flyers dropped their opening two games. They had the same record at 0-1-1.
Tocchet was asked if the Flyers were experiencing any rust from the shortened training camp and preseason.
“Well, yeah, but then you see Jack Hughes play,” Tocchet said. “He was pretty special tonight. We chipped away, got the point, but we’ve got a lot of work to do. We have to up our skill level, we’ve got to make some plays.”
Thursday night was the Devils’ season opener. The Flyers face New Jersey three more times.
• Woll stopped 41 of 44 shots in his Flyers debut. The offseason acquisition had to be the team’s best player, denying 29 shots before the third period even started.
“Woll was outstanding,” Tocchet said. “He was terrific.”
In the final stanza, with the Flyers on the penalty kill, Woll made a fabulous save to keep it 1-1. He sprawled out and used his right leg pad to deflect a Jesper Bratt shot from in close.
“Just disappointed we didn’t finish the job,” Woll said. “But I thought we did a great job throughout the game of keeping them to the outside. Even if they’re a puck-heavy team, being smart about the chances we allow. … I liked our battle and our compete through the end.”
The Flyers surrendered 38 shots in Wednesday night’s blowout at the hands of the Penguins.
“We’ve been leaving our goalies out to dry here these first two games,” Dvorak said. “We’ve just got to execute better, maybe just play simple hockey and build from there.”
New Jersey netminder Jake Allen turned away 23 of the Flyers’ 25 shots.
• Ristolainen scored the Flyers’ first goal of the season when he planted himself in front of the net for a deflection of a Sanheim shot. The Flyers had an extra man because of a delayed penalty.
The Flyers didn’t have a great first period, but their penalty kill was very good, going 3 for 3.
With his team trying to avoid a deficit, Nick Seeler had a pair of gutsy blocked shots on the first PK. The second blocked shot came with Woll trying to stretch for a save. Seeler, already hobbled a bit, ate the shot right in front of his goaltender.
• The Flyers are off Friday before they welcome the defending champion Hurricanes on Saturday (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
When noting that questions about Dach and Montembeault's futures have come up for a while now, it is understandable that they have made Richardson's trade board.
Dach was given the No. 4 spot on Richardson's trade board. The big forward is a pending unrestricted free agent after signing a one-year contract with Montreal during the off-season. Due to this, if the Canadiens do not view him as a long-term part of their plans, it would be understandable if they traded him this campaign.
Dach recorded an assist in his first game of the 2026-27 season for Montreal. This is after he posted eight goals and 15 points in 37 games during the 2025-26 campaign with the Canadiens.
Montembeault, on the other hand, was ranked at No. 6 on Richardson's trade board. This is another one that makes a lot of sense.
Not only is Montembeault a pending unrestricted like Dach, but the Canadiens also have exciting young goalie Jacob Fowler waiting in the wings. Montembeault was also a very popular name in the rumor mill this summer, so it would be surprising in the slightest if he ended up getting dealt.
In 25 games last season for Montreal, Montembeault had a 10-8-4 record, a 3.43 goals-against average, and an .872 save percentage.
The St. Louis Blues have high expectations for Adam Jiricek, and although he may be entering his NHL career sooner than they anticipated, they aren't going to shelter him completely.
Practice lines indicate he'll start on the third pairing alongside veteran Cam Fowler, but given Jiricek's progress, it wouldn't be surprising to see him earn minutes alongside Philip Broberg.
"When you have a thoroughbred, you let'em out of the stable."
Jiricek is exactly that. Standing 6-foot-3, Jiricek has the size and skill to be a top defenseman in the NHL. At just 20 years old, Jiricek has proven at countless levels and tournaments that he has the offensive and defensive game of a modern-day NHLer, mixed with the skating and athletic ability to be a high-end player.
With Logan Mailloux out, the Blues need a defenseman to run a power play unit. Broberg will likely quarterback the top unit alongside Robert Thomas, Dylan Holloway, Jimmy Snuggerud and Mason McTavish, but Jiricek should find himself with Jake Neighbours, Connor McMichael, Pavel Buchnevich, and Dalibor Dvorsky.
Last season in the OHL, Jiricek posted 19 goals and 59 points in 55 games. Of Jiricek's 19 goals and 59 points, nine goals and 31 points came on the power play. His 31 points led all OHL defensemen in 2025-26.
With the vision to distribute the puck and a heavy enough shot to threaten a goaltender, Jiricek is a difference-maker on the man advantage.
There may be parts of his game he'll have to refine in the NHL, and there will definitely be learning curves, but what Jiricek has shown throughout his hockey life is that he can be a threat offensively.
Montgomery wants to see Jiricek play his game and be a difference maker.
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Young NHL players continue to cash in with big contracts based on expectations.
The Ducks, who had to deal with another team's offer sheet this summer to Anaheim's top center, signed defenseman Tristan Luneau to a six-year contract extension on Thursday, Oct. 1. It's worth a reported $43.2 million or a $7.2 million average per year.
Luneau, 22, has played only 14 NHL games, totaling two goals and two assists.
He has spent nearly all of his two-plus-season professional career on the American Hockey League's San Diego Gulls and scored a goal in his lone NHL game last season.
Here are some reasons for such a big payday for a player who has such limited NHL experience:
The Ducks like his potential
"We see him as a top-four defenseman for years to come," general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement about the 2022 second-round pick.
During his time in the AHL, Luneau has 95 points in 135 games. Among all AHL defensemen the past two seasons, he ranked third in points (93), fourth in assists (74) and sixth in goals (19).
The Ducks need defensemen
Anaheim seems weaker on the blue line this season. Trade deadline acquisition John Carlson signed with Tampa Bay, Radko Gudas signed with Florida, Jacob Trouba signed with San Jose and Olen Zellweger was traded to Buffalo.
Jackson LaCombe and Pavel Mintyukov are signed long-term, but the remainder of the blue line was signed for two or fewer years.
If the 6-foot-1, 211-pound Luneau does develop into a top four defenseman, he's now signed until 2033. And $7.2 million will seem less significant with the salary cap continuing to rise. Plus, he gives up two years of restricted free agency.
The #FlyTogether signed 22 y/o D Tristan Luneau to a six year $7.2M cap hit contract
Yr 1: $1.75M Salary, $3M Signing Bonus Yr 2: $4.75M Yr 3-4: $7.813M Yr 5-6: $9.038M
“Getting the deal done before the season started was a key part of our planning for now and the future," Verbeek said.
In other words, sign him before the potential of an offer sheet next July. That's probably the biggest key.
The Ducks' cap situation was thrown out of whack when the Philadelphia Flyers gave restricted free agent Leo Carlsson a five-year, $90 million offer sheet that makes him the highest-paid NHL player this season. Then, the Ducks matched it.
Verbeek had played hardball in the past with some other restricted free agents who lacked arbitration rights. But the Luneau extension suggests a change in strategy.
Tristan Luneau #67 of the Anaheim Ducks controls the puck during the first period of a preseason game against the Los Angeles Kings.
Tristan Luneau is $43.2 million richer.
The Ducks defenseman scored a historic six-year NHL deal on Thursday worth an average of $7.2 million per year.
Luneau’s contract is the largest ever handed out to a player with just 14 games of NHL experience on their résumé.
Tristan Luneau #67 of the Anaheim Ducks controls the puck during the first period of a preseason game against the Los Angeles Kings. Getty Images
“Signing Tristan to a long-term contract was a priority as we see him as a top-four defenseman for years to come,” GM Pat Verbeek said in a statement. “Getting the deal done before the season started was a key part of our planning for now and the future.”
It’s a big bet on the 22-year-old, a 2022 second-round pick in the final season of a three-year, $2.85 million entry-level deal, who has posted a pair of goals and four points in his three-year NHL career.
Over 135 games with AHL San Diego, Luneau has post 19 goals and 95 points while dealing with injuries. He’s set to start the season on the Ducks’ top pairing with Jackson LaCombe.
Ducks defenseman Tristan Luneau (67) skates with the puck during a preseason game against the Kings. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Anaheim, which snapped a seven-year playoff drought last season, is no stranger to handing out massive contracts to what it believes is rising young talent.
Lacombe, for instance, received an eight-year $72 million extension that kicked in this season, which was the largest deal ever handed out by the franchise at the time.
It was later eclipsed this past offseason by an offer sheet-induced five-year, $90 million deal for 21-year-old Leo Carlsson that, at an $18 million AAV, that will be the largest in the league — only to be outdone at the start of next season when Cale Makar’s eight-year, $163.2 million deal and Macklin Celebrini’s five-year, $94 million extension kick in.
Winger Cutter Gauthier is set to enter the first season of a six-year, $81 million deal when Anaheim kicks off its season on Friday in Vegas.
The Buffalo Sabres continue to proactive in getting their own players signed to long-term extensions prior to them getting close to becoming unrestricted free agents. Previously, GM Jarmo Kekalainen has done so with forwards Zach Benson, Josh Doan, Beck Malenstyn, and Noah Ostlund. On Thursday, prior to the regular season opener in Columbus, the club announced the signing of defenseman Louis Crevier to a four-year, $16 million contract extension.
The big 25-year-old blueliner was obtained just prior to the NHL Draft from the Chicago Blackhawks along with the fourth overall pick (Daxon Rudolph), and a second round pick (later flipped to Anaheim for Olen Zellweger) for defenseman Bowen Byram.
The 6’8” 236 lb. righty defenseman was entering the final year of a two-year, $1.8 million bridge deal ($900,000 AAV) after scoring 25 points (7 goals, 18 assists) in 78 games for the Hawks in a top four role, so the new deal with the Sabres will begin at the start of next season.
Noah Ostlund signs an eight-year contract extension.
“(I’m) just really happy. I think it’s something I’ve worked for a while now, and I’m just super glad that it’s behind me. Just having stability is just going to help me a ton to play hockey.” Crevier said on Thursday. “At the end of the day, we are hockey players, I just want to play hockey. If a team wants me for five more years, I couldn’t really refuse it.”
Crevier had one more year of control before qualifying for unrestricted free agency in 2028, so the new deal buys three UFA years.
The Sabres take on the Columbus Blue Jackets in their season opener at Nationwide Arena on Thursday. The club got some good news regarding the health of defenseman Mattias Samuelsson, who will start after being listed as week-to-week with a lower body injury during the preseason.
Blueliner Olen Zellweger was placed on injured reserve on Thursday and Dennis Gilbert was recalled from AHL Rochester. Zellweger according to Ruff on Wednesday has still not cleared concussion protocol, but could be available as soon as Saturday for the home opener against Byram and the Crevier’s former team, the Blackhawks.
