Alexander Nikishin Won't Report To Hurricanes Training Camp

The Carolina Hurricanes have announced that RFA defenseman Alexander Nikishin will not be in attendance when training camp opens on Thursday.

The Russian defenseman has been in a contract stalemate with the Hurricanes since the end of last season and without a new deal, he won't be with the team.

"Alexander Nikishin is not under contract currently, so he will not be at camp when we hit the ice on Thursday," said Carolina general manager Eric Tulsky in a press release. "We won't be commenting further at this time."

Reports also surfaced that Nikishin requested a trade in the offseason, so there's no telling what direction this all goes.

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September 16, 2026

Dylan Larkin to miss start of Red Wings' training camp with injury

Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, who has requested a trade, had announced plans this month to show up for training camp.

But he won't take part in early on-ice sessions for a different reason.

Red Wings interim GM Shawn Horcoff announced on Wednesday, Sept. 16, that Larkin would miss the start of camp because of an upper-body injury he suffered while he was training during the offseason.

He said the hope is Larkin can return before the end of camp, which runs from Thursday through Sunday, but he doesn't have a timeline at the moment.

Larkin, who is signed through 2031, made the trade request early in the offseason after the team missed the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season, but he announced on Sept. 11 that he would report to camp. The team said it would start this season without a captain, a role that Larkin had held since 2021.

Horcoff was mum about the trade request and said his priorities were a new deal for unsigned restricted free agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson and an extension for forward Alex DeBrincat.

Here are more updates as training camps are ready to get underway:

Cale Makar injury update

Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said defenseman Cale Makar has been dealing a lower-body injury recently and the team will play it safe and keep him out of the first day of practices. Bednar said Makar should be back soon.

Makar became the NHL's first $20 million player with an eight-year extension this month. The deal, which makes him the NHL's highest-paid player, begins in 2027-28.

Adam Fantilli contract update

Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell said the team has increased its offers to its No. 3 scorer after the offer sheet to Leo Carlsson changed the market, but the sides haven't been able to get a deal done. He said he expects to send another offer to agent Pat Brisson in the next 24 hours. "I feel pretty confident it's going to get done," Waddell said.

Alexander Nikishin contract update

The Carolina Hurricanes said defenseman Alexander Nikishin remains unsigned and won't be at training camp when it opens.

Mathew Barzal injury update

The New York Islanders announced that Mathew Barzal will not skate the next two weeks because he had aggravarated a previous injury and was dealing with inflammation.

Barzal led the team last season with 72 points.

The Islanders open the season at Toronto on Sept. 30, two weeks from the announcement.

Ryan Reaves announces retirement

Rugged NHL forward Ryan Reaves announced his retirement after playing for 16 seasons with seven teams.

"I never thought this day would come. I thought I was invincible," he wrote on social media. "I thought I could play forever, but like all good things, it must come to an end."

He finished with 66 goals, 74 assists, 140 points and 1,137 penalty minutes in 962 regular season games.

"You can rest easy knowing the corners are a little safer today," he wrote. "Mic drop, gloves drop. Reavo out."

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September 16, 2026

Blackhawks D Ethan Del Mastro agrees to a $1.9 million, 2-year contract

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Ethan Del Mastro has agreed to a $1.9 million, two-year contract, the team announced Wednesday.

The 23-year-old Del Mastro, a fourth-round pick in the 2021 draft, had been a restricted free agent.

The Blackhawks start training camp Thursday and play their season opener on Sept. 29 at Vegas.

Del Mastro had one assist in 19 games with Chicago last season. He also posted two goals and 16 assists in 45 games with Rockford of the American Hockey League.

The 6-foot-4 Del Mastro made his NHL debut in April 2024. He has two goals and five assists in 45 career games with the Blackhawks.

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See AP’s full NHL coverage here

September 16, 2026

Red Wings say Dylan Larkin won't skate with team at start of camp due to off-ice training injury

DETROIT (AP) — Dylan Larkin will not skate with the Detroit Red Wings when training camp starts on Thursday due to an upper-body injury, according to interim general manager Shawn Horcoff.

Horcoff said Larkin was hurt earlier this week during off-ice training.

Larkin's future with the franchise is in limbo because he asked to be traded during the offseason.

"Our focus is getting Dylan healthy," Horcoff said Wednesday when asked about the timetable to potentially make a move with Larkin.

The Red Wings announced last week that Larkin would report to training camp, adding that he's no longer the team's captain.

Horcoff was named interim general manager on Tuesday, when former GM Steve Yzerman was moved into his new role as a senior advisor. Yzerman abruptly stepped down in mid-July, and the Red Wings said any decisions about Larkin's future would be made by the next person in charge of hockey operations.

Larkin has five seasons left on the eight-year, $69.6 million contract he signed in 2023. That deal includes a no-trade clause and he initially told the Red Wings he would only accept a move to Florida, Minnesota or Las Vegas.

The 30-year-old center has played his entire NHL career in Detroit, which took the former Michigan star with No. 15 pick in 2014. Larkin ranks 10th in franchise history in scoring with 643 points.

Larkin was an important role player for the U.S. when it won Olympic gold at the Milan-Cortina Games in February.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

September 16, 2026

Blackwood Has $21 Million Reasons To Take Back The Avalanche Crease

The Colorado Avalanche thought they had solved their goaltending problem when they signed Mackenzie Blackwood to a five-year, $26.25 million contract.

Then Scott Wedgewood went out and made the decision a whole lot harder.

What happened last season isn’t likely to happen again, at least not to the same extent. Wedgewood and Blackwood shared the net for much of the year, but the Avalanche now have a pretty clear idea of how they want things to look.

They want Blackwood to establish himself as the starter.

Head coach Jared Bednar made that clear Wednesday during Avalanche media day ahead of training camp, although he also made sure to emphasize that nothing is being handed to anyone.

“Clean slate, to be determined,” Bednar said Wednesday at the Michelob ULTRA Mountain House. “I think the offseason — injuries, surgery, missing training camp — that kinda set Mackenzie back a little bit last year, and he worked extremely hard to get back on top of his game. This year he had an incredible offseason. Our staff has been in touch with him through the summer and he put in a tremendous amount of work to come in the best shape of his life. He’s excited about the season and we’ll see where it all goes. But I’m excited for him and the season he has the potential to have.”

On the surface, the situation is pretty straightforward.

The Avalanche acquired Blackwood on Dec. 9, 2024, and after just four starts, they committed to him long-term, signing the goaltender to a five-year, $26.25 million extension carrying an average annual value of $5.25 million.

Wedgewood, meanwhile, has spent most of his career as a backup but has developed into one of the NHL’s more reliable goaltenders. He is making $2.5 million this season and is entering the final year of his contract.

That’s where things get complicated.

Colorado clearly envisioned Blackwood as its No. 1 goaltender for the foreseeable future. Otherwise, there would have been little reason to hand him a five-year extension so soon after acquiring him.

The problem is that nobody could have expected Wedgewood to play the way he did last season.

And he didn’t just play well. He forced the Avalanche to reconsider a decision they thought they had already made.

Wedgewood has spent eight seasons in the NHL, but the early part of his career was spent bouncing between the New Jersey Devils, Arizona Coyotes and Dallas Stars. During that stretch, his numbers looked more like those of a typical backup, with a goals-against average around 3.23.

That began to change during the 2022-23 season in Dallas, when Wedgewood posted the first sub-3.00 GAA of his career in a significant workload. He went 9-8-3 in 21 appearances with a .915 save percentage.

That started to change during the 2022-23 season in Dallas, when Wedgewood posted the first sub-3.00 GAA of his career in a significant workload. He went 9-8-3 in 21 appearances with a .915 save percentage.

He then played just five games for Nashville before arriving in Colorado, where the expectation was fairly straightforward: Wedgewood would be a dependable veteran backup who could give the Avalanche quality minutes when they needed them.

Instead, his two seasons in Colorado have been anything but ordinary.

Wedgewood has posted a 2.00 GAA and .919 save percentage during his time with the Avalanche. When Blackwood was unavailable to start last season, Wedgewood was given the opportunity to hold down the crease.

He did much more than that.

Wedgewood established himself as Colorado’s starter, making a career-high 45 starts and finishing with a 31-6-6 record. Along the way, there were countless highlight-reel saves and plenty of nights when he bailed the Avalanche out of trouble, stopping goals that very easily could have changed the outcome of games.

As outstanding as “The Woodshed” has been, though, all good things eventually come to an end.

Here’s the reality: The Avalanche didn’t invest $26.25 million in Blackwood for him to get outplayed — or, in this case, out-goalied — by a goaltender making roughly 110 percent less than him. Blackwood is also the younger of the two, turning 30 on Dec. 9, while Wedgewood turned 34 last month.

The Avalanche have made their investment in Blackwood, and now they need to see a return on it.

The Hockey News was told by someone close to Blackwood in recent months that he is in the best shape they have ever seen him in and is coming into the season determined to reclaim his spot.

Of course, there is a difference between saying it and doing it.

But when Blackwood’s own head coach is emphasizing how much work he put in over the summer, there could be something to it. And based on what we’ve seen during the optional skates, Blackwood has looked significantly better than he did at this time last year.

That’s encouraging for the Avalanche.

Because if Wedgewood once again outperforms Blackwood by anything close to the margin we saw last season, Colorado could eventually be forced into an uncomfortable decision.

One of them may have to go.

For now, however, the Avalanche are giving Blackwood every opportunity to prove that the contract they gave him was justified.

There’s no doubt about it: Colorado needs its money man to play like a money man this season.

September 16, 2026

Mat Barzal could miss start of season in Islanders injury blow

Mat Barzal will be sidelined two weeks with an injury and could miss the start of the Islanders' season.

The Islanders will open training camp without Mat Barzal — and it looks like the season as well.

Barzal won’t skate for the next two weeks after aggravating a prior injury, casing inflammation, the Islanders announced on the eve of training camp.

Given that opening night in Toronto is Sept. 30, exactly two weeks from Wednesday’s announcement, and that beginning to skate does not equate to returning to play, it seems that he will miss time to start the year as well, though how much is not clear.

Mat Barzal will be sidelined two weeks with an injury and could miss the start of the Islanders’ season. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

“He is actively working to get back to full health. There is nobody more committed than Mathew to getting his body to the level where he thrives on the ice,” the Islanders said in a statement. “We expect him to continue getting healthy and back in the lineup as soon as possible.”

Regarding the immediate impact on camp and the start of the season, Barzal’s absence punches a hole in the Islanders top six, and disrupts coach Pete DeBoer’s plan to move No. 13 back to center. Someone else — likely Brayden Schenn or Calum Ritchie — will have to fill the second-line center job in Barzal’s stead.

There is now a clear spot open as well for Victor Eklund, who is expected to push for an NHL job at training camp after a superb week at rookie camp. Eklund’s game looks like it fits best in the top six or perhaps the third line, and at least for the time being, the Islanders are in need of someone who can produce points in Barzal’s absence.

Eklund, then, has a golden opportunity to prove himself irreplaceable.

Barzal’s situation, though, might be more worrying than merely missing two weeks.

Though Barzal played 81 games last year and was never injured enough to miss games, he dealt with issues behind the scenes related to a left kneecap problem that required surgery, ending his 2024-25 season. He did occasionally miss practices or morning skates due to maintenance.

slanders center Mathew Barzal (13) looks for the open man as Tampa Bay Lightning center Curtis Douglas (42) and Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (21) defend. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

“Obviously with my injury there was stuff all year that I had to work through,” Barzal said on breakup day. “But every second of my day, really, off days or when we weren’t playing was just about managing my body. That’s just how I am.

“Injuries like I had usually take a year or two years to really start to settle in and feel normal again. I definitely had my own program of staying healthy. I could have played every game this year.”

The Islanders did not indicate in their statement whether this is related, and in response to a text asking, a team spokesman said only that it is “a previous injury.”

Barzal initially committed to play for Team Canada at World Championships last spring, but pulled out in what Hockey Canada said was “a precaution due to a minor, preexisting injury.” At that time, the Islanders released a statement saying Barzal was expected to be ready for camp.

The nature of that injury was undisclosed as well, making it unclear whether it was related to his knee.

In 2023, Barzal also missed the last seven weeks of the regular season with what was suspected to be a right knee injury.

Barzal’s production last season, at least, did not appear impacted. He scored 19 goals and assisted 53 — the total of 72 points was the third-highest of his career. He was the Islanders’ leading points-getter, with no one else breaking 60.

After an offseason in which the Islanders did not make any major additions, instead hoping that Kyle Palmieri’s return from an ACL injury would help buttress their scoring, Barzal is too critical a piece of the puzzle to lose for an extended period.

September 16, 2026

NHL offseason grades as training camps get underway

Grade: A

Winnipeg Jets

Award-winning goaltender Connor Hellebuyck asked for a trade and later made it public. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner is signed long-term, so Winnipeg needs to get a strong return. Free agent signee Stuart Skinner will be the No. 1 goalie if a Hellebuyck trade don't bring back a goalie. Viggo Bjorck was a solid draft pick.

Grade: C-

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL offseason grades as training camps get underway

September 16, 2026

Nathan MacKinnon Defends Jared Bednar After Watching Carolina Stay The Course

Carolina's long-awaited Stanley Cup breakthrough has given Nathan MacKinnon a reason to believe the Colorado Avalanche shouldn't abandon what they've built.

For the better part of two years, the Avalanche have faced difficult questions after disappointing playoff exits, with each loss bringing renewed scrutiny to the direction of the franchise. Following Colorado's first-round elimination by the Dallas Stars in 2025, much of the attention centered on the decision to trade Mikko Rantanen and the consequences that followed, particularly after Rantanen helped Dallas eliminate his former team.

Last season brought a different kind of disappointment. Colorado put together a 121-point regular season, captured the Presidents' Trophy and entered the Stanley Cup Playoffs as heavy favorites. Those hopes disappeared four games into the Western Conference Final, however, when the Vegas Golden Knights swept the Avalanche.

Once again, questions followed, including whether Jared Bednar remained the right coach and whether Colorado needed to change its approach.

MacKinnon offered a different perspective Wednesday during the Avalanche's media day at Ball Arena, pointing toward the team that just finished its own long journey through postseason disappointment.

The Carolina Hurricanes have spent years coming up short under head coach Rod Brind'Amour, reaching the playoffs consistently but failing to get over the final hurdles. There were conference-final appearances, second-round exits and, most recently, a four-game sweep in the conference finals last season.

Carolina didn't respond by abandoning Brind'Amour or dramatically changing its identity. The Hurricanes stayed with their coach, stayed with their system and continued pushing forward.

This time, that patience ended with the second Stanley Cup championship in franchise history.

“I think that's just a little bit of inspiration, maybe, of our mentality that has to be,” MacKinnon told reporters. “Obviously, we had the Dallas thing last year. I'm not sure we can just make up something. Obviously, getting swept is awful. It sucks, but it doesn't feel like it's the same type of motivation as the Dallas series was.”

MacKinnon isn't dismissing Colorado's loss to Vegas or suggesting the Avalanche shouldn't examine what went wrong. Rather, he appears reluctant to let one disappointing series convince the organization that everything it has built needs to be torn apart.

That belief starts with the people inside Colorado's locker room.

“We have such an amazing group of guys,” MacKinnon said. “It's so fun to come to the rink with each other. Yeah, it's all we can really do. I don't know, I hope we win. I think we can, and we have a good chance, and just, you know, it's a long year.”

Bednar appears to share that belief, although he isn't approaching another season by simply running back the same formula and hoping for a different result.

The longtime Avalanche coach acknowledged Wednesday that he intends to evolve his approach, particularly with a veteran group that has heard many of the same messages over the years. Rather than spending as much time on analytical and opponent-specific preparation, Bednar wants to put greater emphasis on his own players and finding ways to help them continue developing.

“I do have intentions of changing my approach a little bit this year,” Bednar said. “You're always kind of sort of evolving as a coach.”

Bednar said he wants to “dial some of that back” and spend more time focusing on the Avalanche themselves, including individual players and areas where the team can improve.

That distinction is important. Staying the course doesn't have to mean refusing to change, just as making changes doesn't necessarily mean abandoning the identity that has made Colorado one of the NHL's most consistent contenders.

Bednar has spent nearly a decade behind the Avalanche bench, and he understands that coaching a veteran group requires evolution. His players know what he expects, but he also recognizes that a message can lose some of its impact when it has been repeated for years.

His goal is to find new ways to reach the same players and squeeze more out of a team that still believes it can win.

“I try to operate like I'm trying to prove myself every day,” Bednar said. “I don't care if I'm considered one of the top coaches in the league or not. The only thing that I want to make sure is that our players feel like I'm the right coach for this team.”

That may be the clearest connection between MacKinnon's belief in Bednar and Carolina's championship blueprint.

The Hurricanes didn't abandon their foundation after years of postseason frustration. They continued to believe in their coach and their identity while finding ways to improve, eventually turning that persistence into a Stanley Cup.

MacKinnon isn't suggesting Colorado is guaranteed to follow the same path. But after another painful ending, Carolina has provided the Avalanche with something they may need just as much as another tactical adjustment: perspective.

Colorado can acknowledge what went wrong against Vegas without convincing itself that everything is wrong.

It can evolve without starting over.

September 16, 2026

Top storylines to track at Penguins 2026 training camp

ST. LOUIS, MO - APRIL 14: St. Louis Blues left wing Dylan Holloway (81) and Pittsburgh Penguins center Ben Kindel (81) battle for the puck during an NHL game where the St. Louis Blues hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday April 14th, 2026, at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis MO (Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Penguins kick off training camp tomorrow, and it’s pretty wild how they have many of the same questions as last year – albeit in slightly different circumstances. Let’s see how much the more things have changed that they’ve also remained the same.

How does the defense sort out?
To put it charitably, there’s a lot of question marks. To put it less diplomatically, this group is looking like an outright weakness at the NHL level based on talent level no matter how it sorts out. There are way too many right shot defenders and while there are plenty of warm left handed bodies, there are more questions than sure things.

Almost every word written last year applies again in the same way. Of course, last year at this time it couldn’t have been known just how well Parker Wotherspoon and Ryan Shea would do to step in and play serviceably on the left side. Where will the answers come from this time with those two off the team? Declan Carlile figures to be in the mix. A right hand shot like Trevor van Riemsdyk might be too. Otherwise there’s various hangers around like Ryan Graves, Ilya Solovyov and Owen Pickering to stand out and grab a spot. It’s there for the taking, even though right now it looks like the Pens have more suspects than legitimate prospects for decent left shot defenders to fill out the lineup.

One big area sure to be a focus is who gets the first chance with Erik Karlsson? Last year it was Wotherspoon and the duo basically never looked back from that point. That would be a nice instance of history repeating itself, should it come to pass.

Young player watch in full effect
Harrison Brunicke went from no where to the final cut last training camp, but where he fits on a crowded right side will be a real question he could impress upon the decision makers with a great showing.

Brunicke has had two spectacular camps in a row, he’ll need a third this year or it makes the decision easy to start him out in the AHL and get some more experience. Both Liam and Markus Ruck will be in NHL camp, and though it would seem they are very outside shots – so too was Ben Kindel before he forced his way into the picture.

Other somewhat youngish or new players will be fighting to prove themselves and stand out in the way that creates tough decisions. Smart money at this point is probably all of the Rucks, Pickering, Bill Zonnon and Tomas Galvas are starting on the outside looking in, but camp can be the time where unexpected young players stand out and earn a look.

New faces slotting in
There’s a new winger named Anthony looking to revive his career on a one-year deal, Mantha replaces Beauvillier as the main add up front. Mantha’s addition is perhaps complicated by his return from ACL surgery last November.

There’s no shortage of new faces, with potentially as many as six players from outside the organization contenders to make the NHL roster and their Pittsburgh debuts soon. Andrei Kuzmenko slides in as the new veteran winger in the Mantha mold. Nick Robertson represents the possibility for something close to a Chinakhov-esque glow-up on a new team. Hendrix Lapierre was acquired, presumably for a reason. Carlile, van Riemsdyk and Kaeden Korczak are the newest members of the blueline revamp. How all of these players are placed within the lineup and in certain roles will be a key to watch for as September moves along.

Questions in net
What will the Pens get out of Tristan Jarry? Is he going to be the guy who played his way off the team early last season? Or the capable starter? Somewhere in between?

There’s no more Jarry in Pittsburgh, but the goaltender issue shifts to other types of questions. Joel Blomqvist has had a decent run but Sergei Murashov has surpassed him via better play. One of the two figures to make the opening night roster. This question will be answered by how ready Murashov looks to take the next step. So far, so good to this point.

Something old, something new
You could easily build a Penguin opening night lineup and not include all of Kevin Hayes, Noel Acciari and Danton Heinen. All these players are in their 30’s and either slowing down mightily or not coming off great seasons, but all of them also make at least $2 million against the cap
…
The Pens have plenty of cap space to keep 30 players if they could, but the roster limit of 23 healthy players is in effect. That speaks to the broader splits of roster construction means keeping eight defensemen might make sense, which only opens up room for 13 healthy forwards.

Those three players named have all departed, but the situation is virtually the same this year with new names crowding the lineup. It also could be relevant to note that of the above, one started the regular season on IR (Hayes), another on the fourth line (Acciari) and one got waived and sent to the AHL (Heinen). Graves also joined Heinen as a preseason camp cut. Keeping veterans with big salaries on the NHL roster just because they are vets with big salaries hasn’t been a guarantee. Is that going to apply this year to Graves, Hendrix, Justin Brazeau and Ville Koivunen?

Once again this year, the 23-player roster figures to be a bigger impediment than the salary cap. Pittsburgh probably could and would keep about 30 players, if only they were allowed. But they’re not, so unless injuries pop up to provide their own answers, some tough decisions are coming up with too many decent players for too few spots. Unlike last year, it makes more sense to consider 14 forwards and seven defensemen to build the initial roster and potentially keep players like Brazeau and Koivunen around.

–

All in all, the 2026 camp starts a lot like the 2025 one did. Some of the names have changed but surprisingly enough a lot of the same concerns and questions that will have to be answered are in a very similar spot to last year. Everything worked out well last time around, with the combination of coaching and management decisions helping the Pens get off to a 10-2-2 start that set them off on the course to exceed expectations and get on a path towards the playoffs. The team will certainly be hoping that those parallels continue as they gear up for another season.

September 16, 2026

5 Things To Know Heading Into The Canucks 2026 Training Camp

The Vancouver Canucks are getting back into the swing of things. Vancouver’s training camp is set to open tomorrow, September 17, in Penticton, with pre-season starting on September 19.

Ahead of the season’s start, the Canucks’ management team held their opening press conference. Here are five things to know from the press conference heading into training camp and the pre-season.

No Timeline On Thatcher Demko, Jack Thompson Out

At their season-opening press conference this morning, the Canucks brass didn’t quite commit to an answer for Thatcher Demko, who has had yet to skate with the team during their informal summer skates. Abbotsford Canucks defenceman Jack Thompson will also miss some time due to taking a puck to the face. Canucks General Manager Ryan Johnson also noted that some of Vancouver’s prospects “had some nicks or bruises” before and after the Prospects Showcase.

In Thompson’s absence, Vancouver will be bringing another defenceman to training camp on a PTO, though Johnson didn’t share who exactly it was.

The Canucks Aren’t Rushing To Name A Captain

The last time the Canucks began an NHL season without a captain was in 2018–19, the season after former captain Henrik Sedin retired and a year before now New York Islanders captain Bo Horvat was given the ‘C’.

Just like how they’re planning on approaching other facets of the rebuild, Vancouver isn’t in a rush to name their next captain. Rather, they’re happy to play the waiting game to see which players gravitate towards that position most.

“We’ve talked about it earlier in the summer that the leaders of this group will emerge when the time is right. That’s going to play out over the next few weeks, to see who takes hold of that type of role, and we see who the guys want to follow,” Canucks Head Coach Manny Malhotra said.

One player whose hat has been thrown in the ring for the ‘C’ often is longest-tenured Canucks skater Brock Boeser. The winger has seen Vancouver throughout a variety of contention windows and played under three different captains. Malhotra also discussed the forward’s significance to the team from a leadership perspective.

“He has the understanding of what the organization has gone through, and with that comes the awareness of the passion of the fanbase and how much they want things to turn around. So, with that knowledge for him, he’s seen what unproductive teams look like, and he has the ability to correct those things and learn from them.”

Brendan Gallagher’s Role As A Veteran

Gallagher, one of a few notable off-season acquisitions by the Canucks, heads into Vancouver’s training camp as a now 15-year NHL veteran. The winger was brought into the organization to help re-set the team’s culture, but his impact will also extend to on-ice play.

Malhotra didn’t commit to placing the forward in a particular spot in the lineup, but said the following of his ex-Montrèal Canadiens teammate.

“When you look at Gally, the thing that stands out for us is his presence in terms of the way he competes and the tenacity that he plays with and the passion that he has for the game. So for me, the importance of a guy like him in our room in terms of teaching what the game’s supposed to look like from an intensity standpoint, from a competitive standpoint, that’s going to be a big part of his role. We’ve talked about it over and over, the way we practice is going to dictate a lot of how we play. So his energy and his excitement when he comes to the rink, and the way he competes in practice, having seen it firsthand, is something that we’re looking forward to for this group.”

Expectations For Elias Pettersson

Elias Pettersson is entering the 2026–27 season with plenty of outside expectations surrounding him and his play. Within the organization, Johnson’s expectations are a bit different — he wants the player to find his love of hockey again.

“I think Petey knows he’s in a safe place here as far as people that have his back, that are going to give an environment to not be anything other than who he is, and we think with the environment that we’re going to surround him with, the players, that we expect him to be a really happy hockey player coming into the rink to practice, to work on his game.”

The Canucks GM emphasized that, for Pettersson, sticking to who he is will optimistically result in his on-ice play trending in a positive direction.

“I don’t expect him to be the loudest guy in the room. I don’t expect him to overnight turn into an alpha. I just expect him to be exactly who he is. And I think as we allow him to do that within some structure and in the environment that we want him to be able to come to the rink and work on his game every day, that we’re going to see a happier hockey player, which usually translates into some form of success or improvement.”

Mar 24, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Jake DeBrusk (74) and forward Elias Pettersson (40) and forward Brock Boeser (6) celebrate BoeserÕs goal against the Anaheim Ducks in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

A Practice Facility Update

During the team’s season-opening press conference, Canucks co-President of Hockey Operations Daniel Sedin also gave an update on the status of the team’s potential practice facility. The last piece of news had been that the team had signed an MOU with the City of Vancouver to build at Britannia Rink. However, following this announcement, the Vancouver Angels, Vancouver Thunderbirds, and Vancouver Minor Hockey Association released a joint statement sharing their concerns regarding the potential project.

Sedin shared that good things came from a meeting between the organization and the minor hockey associations regarding how they see the rink serving both the Canucks and the community best.

“[We had a] very good meeting with the minor hockey administration and good discussions. I think we’re on the same page. We’re working hard with the city to get something done [...] we would love to give something back to the community and add rinks, and that’s, I think, something we would be a dream of ours as an organization to do,” he said. “It’s a lot of hard work with the city to get something done, and I think we’re on a good path.”

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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September 16, 2026

What Fans Want To See From Training Camp

The Edmonton Oilers step onto the ice for their first day of training camp Wednesday with a new head coach, several injured players and plenty to work on after the way last season ended.

We all know who will be on the opening-night roster. Most of the interest over the next few weeks will come from seeing what Mike Babcock does with them, and there is plenty for fans to watch.

Edmonton spent last season struggling to play complete games, mistakes carried through periods and the Oilers went months without winning three consecutive games. McDavid eventually called them an “average team,” and Draisaitl said they never figured out what their “A” game looked like.

Fans should want to see a tough training camp because Babcock has talked about accountability since taking the job, and Draisaitl has already praised how direct he's been with the players. We've all heard the Oilers talk enough about mistakes that already happened. Babcock should now be able to address those mistakes in camp before we see them again in games.

“He's just so clear,” Draisaitl said of Babcock. “He knows what this team needs, and he doesn't shy away from telling you straight to your face. He's a real man about it, and we're all men in here. We all want to win; we're all here for the same reason. I think he's going to be great for us.”

Babcock has said throughout the summer that he needed to get on the ice with the players before knowing exactly what he had.

Who From Oilers Rookie Camp Could Be The Next Guy Up?The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers#google_vignette">Edmonton Oilers</a> finished rookie camp with a 6-1 win over the Calgary Flames, giving several prospects one final opportunity to show the organization what they could do before heading back to their respective organizations.

We should expect that while McDavid and Draisaitl will receive most of the attention, they should also receive some accountability for the complacency that took root last year. Babcock has decided he wants McDavid and Draisaitl playing together, and what remains to be seen is who plays on the wing. Though, let's be real here, it'll be Zach Hyman, and the rest of top-six will be a matter of who can best replace the holes that injuries have left.

That should give some young forwards a chance.

Matt Savoie was expected to enter camp as a top-six forward in Edmonton before his injury. While not all of Isaac Howard, Josh Samanski, Viljami Marjala and Quinn Hutson will be around for the entirety of training camp, some will stick around till opening out, and one will likely play in the top six.

Marjala is coming off a 60-point season in Bakersfield. Hutson scored 30 goals there. Howard is aiming for his first full NHL season, and Samanski should just try to pick up where he left off.

Oilers Going With a More Veteran Rookie Squad vs. FlamesIsaac Howard leads a seasoned prospect group into Calgary as roster hopefuls fight to prove they belong in Edmonton’s lineup ahead of the new NHL campaign.

Connor Clattenburg also played five games for Edmonton last season and left a positive impression. Babcock has talked about the type of energy he expects from his players, and Clattenburg certainly fits the mould.

Frederik Andersen's injury means Devon Levi finally gets to prove, to a team who's watching, that he can be an NHL goaltender. It's worth watching who backs up the other until Andersson returns, Trystan Jarry or Levi.

Fans should also watch how the practices are run.

“Everything’s great in June. ‘Yeah, I’m going to do this. Yeah, I’m going to do that.’ Wait till we go to camp, and we have to do that,” Babcock said on CHED 880. “They’re going to get to know me, I’m going to get to know them, and we’re going to try to make each other better.”

Oilers Reach Same Conclusion As FansConnor McDavid stood in front of reporters after the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers#google_vignette">Edmonton Oilers</a> were eliminated last spring and summed up their season in a few sentences.

Babcock has spent the summer talking to his players about building winning habits during the regular season, and going through the checkpoints required during an 82-game schedule.

Fans spent last season asking for Edmonton to play 60 minutes and establish a standard it could maintain throughout the schedule. They watched bad periods become bad games and saw the Oilers repeatedly return to the same problems.

Training camp tells us what Babcock plans to do about them, which players he trusts and what he expects from this group every day.

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September 16, 2026

Former Panthers Draft Pick Signs Max Term Contract With Capitals

On the final day before the collective bargaining agreement kicked in, former Florida Panthers draft pick Justin Sourdif signed an eight-year contract with the Washington Capitals.

Sourdif's contract will see him earn $6.35 million annually. Tuesday was the final day players could sign eight-year contracts, as the max is now seven.

The Panthers originally drafted Sourdif in the third round (87th overall) of the 2020 NHL draft. He played just four games with the Panthers before they traded him to the Capitals on June 26, 2025, for a second-round pick and a sixth-round pick.

Sourdif couldn't crack the Panthers' lineup because of their stout depth up the middle, but he was more than worthy of being called up. In his last AHL season with the Charlotte Checkers, Sourdif posted 16 goals and 34 points in 43 games.

Upon arriving in Washington, the 24-year-old thrived as a two-way center. In his rookie season, he posted 15 goals and 35 points in 78 games while maintaining his defensive awareness. He moved his way up the lineup and found himself playing on the second line at times.

With a few additions, Sourdif will likely be reduced to a bottom-six role, as the Capitals roll out Dylan Strome, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Boone Jenner, Sourdif and even Ilya Protas as their center depth. But the dollar figure and term suggest the Capitals have strong confidence in Sourdif, and he'll be given every opportunity to outperform his peers and move up the lineup.

Four Former Florida Panthers Draft Picks To Watch During The 2026-27 NHL SeasonWhile drafting and developing isn't much of an emphasis for the Florida Panthers, they drafted and traded several NHL players who are now contributors for other teams around the league. Today we highlight four former draft picks of the Panthers entering intriguing seasons.

The Panthers weren't eager to trade Sourdif because they didn't believe in him; they felt he had no avenue to progress, and he deserved one. He went to a great situation in Washington, took his opportunity, and ran with it.

The Capitals have playoff and Stanley Cup aspirations, and Sourdif will no doubt be a key figure in their success.

September 16, 2026

Ducks sign Cutter Gauthier to a 6-year, $81 million contract on the eve of training camp

Jun 14, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) controls the puck against the Edmonton Oilers during the second period in game five of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Anaheim Ducks signed forward Cutter Gauthier to a six-year, $81 million contract, getting the deal done on the eve of players reporting to training camp.

Gauthier, 22, was the most prominent restricted free agent still unsigned with two weeks left before the start of the season. He will count $13.5 million against the salary cap through the 2031-32 season.

“We are pleased to get Cutter signed to a long-term deal and have him in camp on time,” general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement announcing the contract. “He’s a major part of our young core: a pure goal-scoring talent that will continue progressing into an elite NHL player.”

Gauthier led Anaheim with 41 goals and 76 points last season and was also their leading scorer in the playoffs. He has 126 points in 171 games with the team since joining it in a trade from Philadelphia in January 2024.

After matching Leo Carlsson’s five-year, $90 million offer sheet, he signed with the Flyers earlier this summer, the Ducks had to make room to keep Gauthier. They agreed with veteran Chris Kreider to terminate his contract, which cleared $6.5 million.

September 16, 2026

Former Minnesota Wild GM Lands Senior Advisor Role With Seattle Kraken

Chuck Fletcher's long NHL executive career continues as the former Minnesota Wild GM has agreed to join the Seattle Kraken as a senior advisor.

Fletcher spent nine seasons with the Wild as the GM and five as the executive vice president of hockey operations. During his time with the Wild, Fletcher negotiated the now-infamous 13-year contracts for defenseman Ryan Suter and winger Zach Parise.

Although those signings never resulted in a Stanley Cup, the Wild made the playoffs six times during Fletcher's tenure in Minnesota.

Minnesota was Fletcher's first chance to be an NHL GM, but he had multiple stops with different NHL franchises before that. He first worked as an assistant GM of the Florida Panthers from 1993 to 2002 before moving to the Anaheim Ducks and then to the Pittsburgh Penguins, both as an assistant GM. After his time in Minnesota, he worked as a senior advisor for the New Jersey Devils, then took the GM job with the Philadelphia Flyers before returning to his senior advisor role with the Devils.

Now, Fletcher has taken another senior advisor role with the Kraken. The Kraken are in a difficult situation. They feel pressure to be competitive, but they lack the high-end talent to do so. They haven't committed to rebuilding with their young pieces, but haven't been able to go all in either.

Kraken Make Unexpected Move, Add Former NHL General ManagerThe Seattle Kraken have added former NHL general manager Chuck Fletcher as a senior advisor to GM Jason Botterill, bringing decades of front-office experience to Seattle’s ongoing effort to build a Stanley Cup contender.

They've tried to blend young prospects and veterans, but it's amounted to just one playoff appearance in five seasons. Current Kraken GM Jason Boterill has been tasked with developing his prospects and fighting for the playoffs, but so far it's proven to be too tall an order.

With Fletcher's resume, Boterill hopes he can help him and the Kraken get to where they want to be.

September 16, 2026

Nate Danielson Aiming For NHL Roster Spot With Red Wings

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Following the 2026 NHL Prospects Tournament, the Detroit Red Wings are ready to focus on the beginning of Training Camp, which officially begins on Thursday, Sept. 17.

One player who participated in two of the tournament's three games was 2023 first-round (ninth overall) pick Nate Danielson, who began last season with the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins before eventually being called up to the Red Wings.

Danielson, who appeared in 28 NHL games last season, recorded two goals and five assists before being returned to the AHL. However, he suffered a stress fracture in mid-February that sidelined him for the remainder of the Griffins' season.

This time around, Danielson has his sights set on earning a spot on the Red Wings' roster out of Training Camp.

"For sure," he said of his goal to make the Red Wings' roster. "I mean, I want to come into Camp and definitely earn a spot. I mean, ultimately my goal is to be an impact player in the League this year and be someone who contributes. That's kind of my goal for the year."

Danielson got his first taste of NHL action with the Red Wings last season, and while he viewed the experience positively overall, he believes he can improve his ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities.

"I feel like there's a lot of different things you can work on," he said. "I think finishing is definitely something I kind of need to bear down on. I felt like last year, I lacked that at times."

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Griffins head coach Dan Watson, who coached Detroit during the Prospects Tournament, believes Danielson is almost overly focused on his defensive responsibilities to the point where it hinders his offensive abilities.

“His vision, the way he thinks the game, he’s very responsible, maybe sometimes too responsible," Watson said of Danielson's attributes. "And that sometimes can hurt you, but I just think his willingness to go to the net, his willingness to create some more offense around the net; that’s what he was asked to do last year, and he started to do that with us before he got injured.

"So, hopefully he’s been able to rehab himself, to feel stronger, get stronger, and have the ability to do that."

Danielson appeared in 18 games with Grand Rapids last season, recording three goals and 12 assists. The previous season, his first full campaign with the Griffins, he posted 12 goals and 27 assists in 71 games.

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