RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 04: Jamie Drysdale #9 of the Philadelphia Flyers skates during the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center on May 04, 2026 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images)
NHLI via Getty Images
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Flyers have agreed to terms with defenseman Jamie Drysdale on a four-year contract worth $26 million.
Drysdale will count $6.5 million against the salary cap through the 2029-30 NHL season.
“We’re excited to have Jamie remain a key part of our organization for years to come,” Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said in a statement on Friday. “Since we acquired him, Jamie has worked extremely hard and taken big steps in his development, and has established himself as a reliable piece on our back end with the ability to impact the game in all situations. We believe his best hockey is still ahead of him, and he’s going to play an important role in strengthening our blue line as we continue to build.”
The 24-year-old Drysdale had a career-high eight goals, including three game-winners, and matched his career best with 32 points in his second full season with Philadelphia. He averaged more than 21 minutes of ice time over 78 regular-season games to help the Flyers make the playoffs.
Drysdale became the fifth defenseman in franchise history to score in his first postseason game and finished with two goals and two assists in 10 games.
Drysdale has 25 goals and 77 assists in parts of six NHL seasons with Philadelphia and Anaheim.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Flyers have agreed to terms with defenseman Jamie Drysdale on a four-year contract worth $26 million.
Drysdale will count $6.5 million against the salary cap through the 2029-30 NHL season.
“We’re excited to have Jamie remain a key part of our organization for years to come,” Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said in a statement on Friday. “Since we acquired him, Jamie has worked extremely hard and taken big steps in his development, and has established himself as a reliable piece on our back end with the ability to impact the game in all situations. We believe his best hockey is still ahead of him, and he’s going to play an important role in strengthening our blue line as we continue to build.”
The 24-year-old Drysdale had a career-high eight goals, including three game-winners, and matched his career best with 32 points in his second full season with Philadelphia. He averaged more than 21 minutes of ice time over 78 regular-season games to help the Flyers make the playoffs.
Drysdale became the fifth defenseman in franchise history to score in his first postseason game and finished with two goals and two assists in 10 games.
Drysdale has 25 goals and 77 assists in parts of six NHL seasons with Philadelphia and Anaheim.
Right when he was hired, Montreal Canadiens’ GM Kent Hughes explained that he wouldn’t be the kind of GM who buys high and sells low. He explained that he was a firm believer that players, once in the NHL, aren’t finished products and can keep improving. We’ve seen it with the likes of Cole Caufield, who has improved by leaps and bounds since graduating to the NHL and working under Martin St-Louis; the same can be said for Nick Suzuki, whose point production has skyrocketed without sacrificing his defensive game, which has improved as well.
One player who hasn’t improved, though, and that may mainly be down to injuries, is Kirby Dach. When Hughes sacrificed Alexander Romanov at the 2022 draft to get the first-round pick he flipped to the Chicago Blackhawks to acquire Dach, he was hoping that the Habs’ coaching staff could make him reach his full potential and become a big-bodied second-line center. That hasn’t happened; far from it.
Dach had a tough start to the playoffs; he was responsible for the Canadiens failing to take a 2-0 lead in the series and faced serious online backlash after that icing. With fans and media alike suggesting that he should be scratched from the lineup, St-Louis came out and stood by him, saying he would never give up on a player that hadn’t given up on himself. Dach had a great bounce-back game, but by the end of the playoffs, he was on the wing of the fourth line.
With his injury history and his struggles on the ice at the end of the playoffs, Dach’s value is at an all-time low. Not only has he failed to show he’s a center in the NHL, but at times he looks nonchalant on the ice. He’s not playing a hard game; he doesn’t come into the corners with speed to finish his checks and get the puck back. Even if he was a third-overall pick full of potential once upon a time, the last four years have taken the shine off him. While there’s a belief that there’s always a GM out there who thinks they can turn things around for a player, after all, Alex Galchenyuk had a second chance with six other teams after the Canadiens (he even had two kicks at the can with the Arizona Coyotes), it doesn’t seem to be the case for Dach, not right now. It must be said that Galchenyuk didn’t have Dach’s injury history, however.
At this stage, the forward is not only a player who has failed to reach his potential but also one who is injury-prone. He needs to prove that he can stay healthy and be a good player on the ice. Those are not great selling points. Right now, Dach is a throw-in for a larger deal; he cannot be the main piece to land a needle-moving player.
Given the fact that Hughes has been unable to strike a big deal to improve his roster, it’s not surprising that Dach is still a member of the Canadiens, but he has been given a stern warning. The fact that he was presented with a qualifying offer for a two-way contract speaks volumes about where he is in the organization right now, and so does the fact that he signed only a one-year contract.
While it’s not clear which of the two camps wanted a one-year deal, it doesn’t smell good. If the Canadiens only wanted to give him a one-year pact, it suggests they are getting ready to cut their losses on the player. They’re willing to pay him this year when his rights are still under team control, but unless things change dramatically, they don’t see him as a part of the team long-term. If Dach was the one who pushed for the one-year term, it suggests that he might have had his feathers ruffled by the two-way contract offer and will want to move on from the Canadiens once he becomes a UFA.
At the end of the 2024-25 season, in his exit interview, he was told that the organization wasn’t pleased with the physical form he showed up in at the start of camp and that he needed to do better. The qualifying offer he received means that the team wasn’t pleased with him this past season either, but it wasn’t ready to just let him walk away after investing assets to acquire him.
If he’s still with the Canadiens when the puck drops on the season, the Habs’ brass will simply be hoping that he can stay healthy and play in a way that will see him regain some value on the trade market. If the fact that he’ll be playing for a new contract and attempting to prove to the NHL that he belongs doesn’t motivate Dach to play well on both sides of the puck, I don’t know what will.
Per industry sources, while this new one-year contract carries the same NHL salary that his qualifying offer would have, at $850,000, his minor league salary would only have been $82,500.
Instead his camp got his minor league salary bumped up to $130,000.
Tikkanen went 17-9-1, with a 2.65 GAA and an .897 SV% in 29 games for Bridgeport in 2025-26.
The Winnipeg Jets won't receive too many built-in scheduling advantages during the 2026-27 season, but they also won't be faced with a heavier travel/rest calendar either.
According to data compiled by Sports 1440/Daily Faceoff's Jason Gregor, the Jets are scheduled to play in just nine back-to-back sets this season, which is tied for the seventh-fewest in the NHL.
Photo by Terry Lee/USA Today
Only the Calgary Flames and Vegas Golden Knights have fewer such situations (eight back-to-backs), while the Pittsburgh Penguins lead the league with a whopping 15 back-to-backs. The Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers, Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals will each play 14 back-to-backs. (Jason Gregor on X – Back-to-back totals)
The lighter workload also compares favourably within the Central Division. Dallas will navigate 13 back-to-back sets, St. Louis 12, Nashville 11, and both Colorado and Minnesota 10, leaving Winnipeg with fewer consecutive-game situations than every division rival except Utah, which is also scheduled for 10.
The flip side, however, is that the Jets also won't have as many opportunities to capitalize on tired opponents.
Gregor's stats also show Winnipeg will face an opponent playing the second half of a back-to-back just five times this year, which is tied with Toronto for the fewest in the NHL. By comparison, the Montreal Canadiens will enjoy that advantage 19 times, while Anaheim will do so 18 times.
Number of games NHL teams have when they face an opponent on the second half of a back-to-back. Quite the difference from MTL to TOR and WPG. pic.twitter.com/yxoKwDaTrE
Although that means the Jets won't receive many built-in rest advantages, the overall picture still points towards a rather balanced schedule, overall. Winnipeg has a few back-to-backs of its own, while also avoiding many games where amount of rest is a major factor.
Last season, the Jets had no serious issue with games on back-to-back dates. Despite its overall record, Winnipeg went a decent 6-3 in the second test of a back-to-back, earning wins in 67 percent of its nine tests.
Although the sample size is relatively small, it ranked among the league's stronger performances and indicates the club has generally handled those situations well.
The Jets' schedule overall will boast a relatively favourable balance. Sure they will get some tired opponents, but will not need to play on back-to-back nights very often. That, combined with their success in back-to-backs last year, consecutive games should not be a major hurdle for what most are expecting to be a stronger regular season performance this season.
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100 short years ago, the New York Rangers entered the NHL.
In the inaugural 1926-27 season, the Broadway Blueshirts finished first in the “American Division” and went 25-13-6. Their expansion campaign came to an end when they lost to the Bruins in the semifinals.
Now, one short century later, we know what Mike Sullivan’s club’s 100th year in existence — not 100th season due to the 2004-05 lockout — looks like now that the team’s 2026-27 schedule has been released.
After kicking off the season on the road against the Boston Bruins (who they really have been playing for a century), Igor Shesterkin and co. will play their first home game at Madison Square Garden against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, Oct. 1.
Other notable contests at MSG in ’26 include showdowns with Vincent Trocheck’s Utah Mammoth (Oct. 4), their crosstown rivals New York Islanders (Oct. 6), Connor McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers (Nov. 1), the reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes (Nov. 22) and their longtime foes, the New Jersey Devils (Dec. 7).
Following the annual ball drop in Times Square, Connor Bedard’s Chicago Blackhawks (Jan. 7), Matthew Tkachuk’s Florida Panthers (Jan. 27), the surprisingly strong Buffalo Sabres (Feb. 15), Alexander Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals (Feb. 26) and Sidney Crobsy’s Pittsburgh Penguins (March 20) will all visit the Garden.
Although not confirmed, 2026-27 may be Ovi and Sid the Kid’s final season.
If you’d like to be there, tickets are available for all 42 regular season NY Rangers home games.
Make sure to use promo code NYPOST10 for $10 off purchases over $250 at checkout (Editor’s Note: this discount is only valid for users’ first purchase on SeatGeek).
Coming into this 100th year, the Rangers have a lot to prove.
The team underperformed last season and ended up with a dismal 34-39-9 record, which put them in last place in the Metropolitan Division below the Islanders and Devils.
In an effort to make sure they’re more well-equipped for the coming run, GM Chris Drury snagged winger Pavel Dorofeyev from the Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights, acquired defenseman Marcus Pettersson and traded for Utah Mammoth stars Seaon Durzi and Cole Beaudoin.
Fingers crossed everything goes according to plan in this special anniversary seson.
For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the New York Rangers’ 2026-27 home schedule at MSG below.
When do the New York Rangers play at Madison Square Garden in 2026-27?
A complete calendar including all upcoming NY Rangers preseason and regular season home game dates at MSG, start times, opponents and links to tickets can be found below.
September 2026
New York Rangers September 2026 home game dates
New York Islanders vs. RangersTuesday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. Preseason game
New Jersey Devils vs. RangersThursday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. Preseason game
October 2026
New York Rangers October 2026 home game dates
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. RangersThursday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m.
Utah Mammoth vs. RangersSunday, Oct. 4 at 6 p.m.
New York Islanders vs. RangersTuesday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.
Vancouver Canucks vs. RangersSunday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. RangersTuesday, Oct. 13 at 7:15 p.m.
Anaheim Ducks vs. RangersMonday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m.
Los Angeles Kings vs. RangersMonday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m.
November 2026
New York Rangers November 2026 home game dates
Edmonton Oilers vs. RangersSunday, Nov. 1 at 6 p.m.
St. Louis Blues vs. RangersTuesday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m.
Philadelphia Flyers vs. RangersThursday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m.
Montreal Canadiens vs. RangersMonday, Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. RangersSunday, Nov. 22 at 1 p.m.
Calgary Flames vs. RangersSaturday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m.
Carolina Hurricanes vs. RangersMonday, Nov. 30 at 7 p.m.
December 2026
New York Rangers December 2025 home game dates
San Jose Sharks vs. RangersThursday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m.
Colorado Avalanche vs. RangersSaturday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m.
New Jersey Devils vs. RangersMonday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. RangersSunday, Dec. 13 at 6 p.m.
Nashville Predators vs. RangersFriday, Dec. 18 at 7 p.m.
New Jersey Devils vs. RangersTuesday, Dec. 22 at 7 p.m.
Detroit Red Wings vs. RangersTuesday, Dec. 29 at 7 p.m.
January 2027
New York Rangers January 2027 home game dates
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. RangersSunday, Jan. 3 at 6 p.m.
Chicago Blackhawks vs. RangersThursday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m.
Boston Bruins vs. RangersSaturday, Jan. 16 at 12 p.m.
Dallas Stars vs. RangersSunday, Jan. 17 at 6 p.m.
Philadelphia Flyers vs. RangersTuesday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m.
Seattle Kraken vs. RangersMonday, Jan. 25 at 7 p.m.
Florida Panthers vs. RangersWednesday, Jan. 27 at 7:30 p.m.
February 2027
New York Rangers February 2027 home game dates
Winnipeg Jets vs. RangersWednesday, Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m.
New York Islanders vs. RangersFriday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m.
Buffalo Sabres vs. RangersMonday, Feb. 15 at 3 p.m.
Washington Capitals vs. RangersFriday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.
March 2027
New York Rangers March 2027 home game dates
Boston Bruins vs. RangersWednesday, March 3 at 7 p.m.
Vegas Golden Knights vs. RangersSunday, March 7 at 6 p.m.
Ottawa Senators vs. RangersTuesday, March 16 at 7 p.m.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. RangersThursday, March 18 at 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. RangersSaturday, March 20 at 8 p.m.
Washington Capitals vs. RangersSunday, March 21 at 7 p.m.
Minnesota Wild vs. RangersMonday, March 29 at 7 p.m.
April 2027
New York Rangers April 2027 home game dates
Florida Panthers vs. RangersSaturday, April 3 at 12 p.m.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. RangersTuesday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. RangersSaturday, April 10 at 7 p.m.
Want to see the Rangers on the road? A complete 2026-27 calendar including all New York Rangers away games can be found here.
How can I watch and/or stream Rangers games on TV?
There is no shortage of ways to watch Rangers games live from the comfort of your own home this season.
You can find Sullivan’s stacked squad on the MSG Network via cable providers like Xfinity, Spectrum, and Optimum.
For those who prefer to stream, DIRECTV is your best bet, with regional sports channels included in base packages.
About the New York Rangers 2025-26 season
In 2023-24, the Rangers went an impressive 55-23-4 and won the President’s Cup before squandering their season in a rough-and-tumble six-game Eastern Conference Championship series against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
The past two years have quite been the same.
Last season, the club was marred by a rough stint with newly-appointed catain J.T. Miller never commanding the locker room, a slow start where they were shut out in their first three home games and injuries. Miller, Matt Rempe and Adam Edstrom all sat more than expected leading to an underwhelming campaign across the board.
For more about the team, you can read all of the New York Post’s coverage of the New York Rangers here.
Huge 2026 concert tours
Before the Rangers officially kick off the season, many of the biggest names in music will be playing at arenas and stadiums all over New York.
Here are just five we’re most excited about headed your way these next few months.
• Bon Jovi (July 17-26)
• Phish (July 22-27)
• RUSH (July 30 through Aug. 3)
• J. Cole (Aug. 2, 4)
• Mumford and Sons (Aug. 11-13)
Who else is headed to the Garden? Take a look at this calendar that includes all upcoming events at MSG from now up until 2027.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have added multiple players to their roster this off-season. Among their newcomers is Declan Carlile, as the Penguins signed him to a two-year, $3 million contract earlier this month.
Carlile appeared in a career-high 42 games last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he posted one goal, three points, 51 hits, and a plus-5 rating. This was after he played in just four games with the Lightning over the two previous seasons.
Overall, Carlile took a nice step forward with his development last season, and it helped him land a multi-year deal with the Penguins. Now, he will be looking to take his game to a new level after signing in Pittsburgh.
When looking at the Penguins' current defensive group, it is certainly possible that Carlile will get more chances to succeed in Pittsburgh. The Penguins do not have the strongest depth on the left side of their defensive group, and this could lead to Carlile having a more significant role than he did in Tampa Bay. This could benefit the 6-foot-3 defenseman tremendously.
Furthermore, with Carlile having more experience at the NHL level, it is fair to wonder if he could improve his game next season now that he is more adjusted. It will be interesting to see what happens on that front, but there is no harm in Pittsburgh signing him to his affordable two-year deal.
Last month, on June 26th, new Vancouver Canucks coach Manny Malhotra lived out many fathers’ dreams: he saw his son drafted by an NHL team, and to make things even better, his son Caleb was drafted by his own team. Not every dad, even if they played in the NHL and made it to the Hall of Fame, gets to live that special moment. Montreal Canadiens’ coach Martin St-Louis hasn’t had the joy of experiencing it yet, as his son Ryan once again went undrafted.
However, on Wednesday, it was announced that the 23-year-old had signed an AHL contract with the Abbotsford Canucks. The 5-foot-10 and 181-pound winger is a product of the US National Team program who has spent one season with Northeastern in the NCAA before heading to the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL for a year in which he was an alternate captain and picked up 72 points in just 58 games. From there, he headed back to the NCAA with the Bown University Bears. In 83 games with them, he scored 68 points.
In his last season with the Bears, he was the team captain and picked up 15 points in 30 games, and he was a Hobey Baker Memorial Award nominee, although he didn’t finish in the top-10 finalist lists. Though it would be understandable if the young man was disappointed about not being drafted, his father is the living proof that it doesn’t matter if you are willing to work your own way to the NHL.
The Canadiens’ coach was also undrafted before playing 1,134 NHL games and totaling 1,033 points. When the Habs hosted the NHL draft in 2022, he came to the stage to give a speech to the crowd’s applause, and he couldn’t help but say, “So that’s what that feels like”, a quick wink at the fact that he had never been on the draft podium. Now, when he attends the Canadiens’ development camp in the summer, he gives the players a speech about how hard it is to make it to the NHL and that being drafted is just one way to get there. From there, you have to make the right choices to make it to the promised land. Guest coach Caroline Ouellette was particularly impressed by his speech and just how fascinated the players were, hanging on his every word. That speech can come in handy now at the family home.
There are few names synonymous with the Calgary Flames that resonate quite like 'Iginla.' While players like Lanny, Kipper, and Theo have left their mark, Jarome Iginla is the true embodiment of the Flames' identity over the last two decades.
Jarome spent 16 of his 20 seasons in Calgary, serving as captain for a decade. He remains the franchise leader in goals (525), points (1,095), and games played (1,219). His resume is decorated with twelve 30-goal seasons, 11 years leading the team in scoring, two Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophies, an Art Ross Trophy in 2001-02, and a historic run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2004. Beyond his stats - scoring, hitting, and fighting - he was a leader both on and off the ice.
So when the Flames drafted his son, Joe, in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the excitement was immediate, as were the questions about whether Joe could replicate his father's legacy in Calgary. While it is unfair to place such pressure on any young player, it is an inevitable reality for the son of a Hall of Famer.
“It’s exciting for sure, obviously I grew up watching the Flames and rooting for them, so it’s cool,” Iginla told the media at the Flames recent development camp. “It’s been nice, I like to think I’m well received so I’m grateful and I’m happy to get going.”
With his older brother, Tij, poised to be a full-time NHLer for the Utah Mammoth, and his sister recently drafted 18th overall to the new PWHL Hamilton team, hockey is clearly in the Iginla DNA. Joe is already benefiting from that family pedigree, noting the value of learning from his older brother’s experiences.
“I was actually sleeping when I got picked… and my brother came in and tackled me,” said Iginla.” I learned tons from him. Obviously I get to learn from my dad, but my brother, he’s in it now, he goes through it. He’s a role model for sure and I learned a lot from him.”
"Grew up watching the Flames, rooting for them. It's really cool."
Joe Iginla checks in to talk about being drafted to Calgary and the influence Jarome and Tij have had on him during his hockey journey. pic.twitter.com/FEJCr6BWN5
Whatever the future holds for Joe, Calgary fans can certainly enjoy this moment of nostalgia, hoping that one day soon, the 'Iggy, Iggy, Iggy' chants will return to the rafters of Scotiabank Place.
The NHL has released the full schedule for the 2026-27 season and, for the first time since 1994, each team will play 84 games.
The Carolina Hurricanes will also be kicking off the new year with their championship banner raising ceremony set for the first scheduled game of the season.
Here's a look at some of the highlights from the 2026-27 calendar:
Carolina Hurricanes 2026-27 Schedule
2026-2027 Season
Opening Night
Sept. 29 @ 5 p.m. vs. Florida Panthers
NHL Global Series
Nov. 12 @ 7 p.m. vs. Seattle Kraken
Nov. 14 @ 8 p.m. vs. Seattle Kraken
Home Stands
Oct. 27 - Nov. 1 (3 games)
Dec. 3-13 (5 games)
Jan. 2-7 (3 games)
Jan. 28 - Feb. 13 (5 games)
Road Trips
Oct. 17-24 (5 games)
Dec. 15-21 (4 games)
Jan. 9-14 (3 games)
March 16-23 (4 games)
March 27 - April 2 (4 games)
Return Games
Frederik Andersen - Nov. 21 @ 1 p.m. vs. Edmonton Oilers
Holiday Games
Post Christmas - Dec. 26 @ 7 p.m. vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Additional Highlights
Carolina will play, 12 sets of back-to-backs. Last year the team went 16-9-5 in their back-to-back games.
All-Star Weekend will be Feb. 5-6.
Last game of season: April 10 @ 6 p.m. @ Florida Panthers
The Stanley Cup Final rematch will be Dec. 21 in Vegas.
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To no real surprise, the Flyers and Jamie Drysdale did not need an arbitration hearing to nail down a new deal.
The two sides got it done Friday, agreeing to a four-year, $26 million contract. The deal has a $6.5 million average annual value. It has a modified no-trade clause in Years 3 and 4, according to PuckPedia.com.
The skilled and shifty defenseman was a restricted free agent with a player-elected arbitration hearing set for this upcoming Monday, per PuckPedia.com. But general manager Danny Briere avoided it. He did the same with Trevor Zegras two days ago.
Drysdale will be an unrestricted free agent when his new contract expires after the 2029-30 season. He now makes the most money among defensemen on the Flyers.
“We’re excited to have Jamie remain a key part of our organization for years to come,” Briere said in a statement released by the team. “Since we acquired him, Jamie has worked extremely hard and taken big steps in his development, and has established himself as a reliable piece on our back end with the ability to impact the game in all situations. We believe his best hockey is still ahead of him, and he’s going to play an important role in strengthening our blue line as we continue to build.”
The 24-year-old set career highs last season with eight goals and 21:33 minutes per game. He also matched his career high in points with 32. He added two goals, two assists, 16 shots and 16 blocked shots over 10 games in his first NHL playoffs.
“I think the biggest step was just confidence level,” Drysdale said in May at his end-of-the-season press conference. … “I think just coming to the rink and believing I was a good player and could make an impact, that was probably the biggest shift for me. I guess that kind of carries all over the ice.”
At just 21 years old, Drysdale arrived to the Flyers with a ton of pressure on his shoulders. He was the player the Flyers received in the stunning Cutter Gauthier trade, so expectations were inevitably high.
His overall game has come a long way in parts of three seasons with the Flyers. In 2025-26, he had his best defensive season as an NHLer, recording a plus-1 mark at 5-on-5. The previous season, he was a minus-15.
Now the Flyers are looking for Drysdale to build on it. The next step would be his effectiveness at the point on the power play. The Flyers’ league-worst man advantage is desperate for answers.
Last season, Drysdale led Flyers defensemen in power play ice time with 2:19 minutes per game. But he had nine points (one goal, eight assists) on the power play, which was tied for 35th among NHL defensemen.
“I think there are a lot of things that I want to work on,” Drysdale said, “and I think I can bring a lot more to the table, as well, in certain areas.”
Nikita Grebenkin and Hunter McDonald are the Flyers’ remaining restricted free agents that need new deals this offseason.
The start of the regular season is still over two months away, until we officially kick off the 2026-27 season. However, the full schedule for the Los Angeles Kings has been revealed, and we now know who LA will face on the first day of the campaign.
Their season opener will be against a familiar opponent, the Colorado Avalanche, a team they met in last year's first-round playoff series, which they lost 4-0.
Not only that, but LA also hosted the Avs for last season's opener and came up short, losing 4-1 at home. This time, the Kings will have a chance to redeem themselves on the road.
Los Angeles will travel on the road for its first two games of the season, beginning with their opener against the Avs on Sept. 29 at 7:00 PM PT and Oct. 3 against the San Jose Sharks at 7:00 PM PT.
The Kings won't host their home opener until a week after their season opener, which will be on October 6 at 7:30 PM PT against the Florida Panthers.
A little history as well: this will be the first time since 2007-08 that the NHL regular season will kick off in September because of the 84-game format schedule making a comeback for this season, which hasn't happened since 1993-94.
In their last five openers, the Kings have a 2-3-0 record, with two losses to the Avalanche and one to their divisional rival, the Vegas Golden Knights.
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The Colorado Avalanche's Stanley Cup window isn't closing tomorrow.
But make no mistake—it isn't getting any wider.
This season may represent Colorado's best opportunity to win another championship with its current core. The problem? The Avalanche have run out of easy answers. Their trade assets are limited, their prospect pipeline has been depleted by years of win-now moves, and another blockbuster deadline acquisition could come at the expense of the very players they're counting on to extend their championship window.
At some point, every contender reaches a crossroads.
The Avalanche may have arrived there.
Colorado's roster, as it's currently constructed, might be as good as it's going to get.
If Chris MacFarland wants to make another splash at the trade deadline, he'll have to get creative. The Avalanche simply don't have the collection of draft picks and top prospects they once did. To land a meaningful piece, the conversation likely starts with players such as Fedor Svechkov or Zach L'Heureux.
That creates a problem.
Why spend the offseason getting younger, tougher, and more difficult to play against if you're just going to ship those players out a few months later? At that point, what was the point of making those trades in the first place?
The Avalanche didn't bring in Svechkov and L'Heureux just to flip them for another rental. They brought them in because this team needed a different identity.
For years, Colorado has leaned almost exclusively on skill. It worked well enough to win a Stanley Cup, but recent playoff exits have exposed a different issue. When the game slows down, the ice shrinks, and every inch has to be earned, the Avalanche haven't always had enough players willing to make life miserable for the opposition.
L'Heureux changes that.
He's never been projected as a top-line scorer, and that's okay. His value comes from making opponents uncomfortable. He finishes checks, gets under people's skin, and has no problem being the player everyone on the other bench loves to hate.
The Avalanche desperately needed someone like that.
Svechkov is just as important, albeit in a different way.
Colorado's track record of developing young players over the past several years hasn't exactly inspired confidence. Too often, prospects have either been traded before they had a real chance or struggled to carve out meaningful roles once they arrived.
This time, the Avalanche don't really have a choice.
Svechkov has an opportunity to become the fourth-line center this team has been searching for. There will almost certainly be growing pains, but that's part of the process. If Colorado wants inexpensive, reliable depth, it has to stop expecting it to magically appear from somewhere else.
The irony is that last season's success probably hid some of the team's biggest flaws.
The Avalanche led the NHL in goals scored. They allowed the fewest goals in the league. They finished with the best regular-season record in franchise history.
Those accomplishments were remarkable.
They also made it easy to overlook the lack of bite in the bottom six and how little secondary depth the team truly had once the playoffs became a war of attrition.
That depth looks even thinner now.
Jack Drury is gone. Ross Colton is gone. Valeri Nichushkin was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Suddenly, Colorado is asking a lot from players who have yet to establish themselves at the NHL level.
Can Svechkov handle an everyday role? Can L'Heureux become the type of energy player every contender seems to have? Can Jaden Schwartz stay healthy long enough to provide the secondary scoring this lineup will need?
Those aren't minor questions.
They could determine whether the Avalanche are playing into June or watching someone else compete for the Stanley Cup.
That's also why Colorado has to resist the urge to chase another rental if things aren't perfect by February.
Every season, contenders convince themselves they're one player away. Sometimes they're right.
More often, they pay a premium for a player who leaves a few months later, while the young talent they gave up develops somewhere else.
The Avalanche have lived that reality before.
At some point, the organization has to trust what it's building instead of constantly looking for the next shortcut.
Nathan MacKinnon once said, "I really don't think you can win the Stanley Cup with young players."
History says otherwise.
Every year, young players become Stanley Cup champions. The difference isn't their age. It's whether they're ready, whether they fit, and whether their coaches are willing to trust them when the games matter most.
That's where the Avalanche are now.
Not at the end of their Stanley Cup window.
But perhaps at the beginning of its most important chapter.
If you ask the average Senators fan what's still missing on their roster, the most common reply you'll hear is the need for another top-six forward.
In fact, most fans felt that way at the start of the summer, before Brady Tkachuk was traded.
Shane Pinto is asked about the exits of Brady Tkachuk and Daniel Alfredsson (Senators YouTube)
Tkachuk's spot in the top six was ultimately refilled by the acquisition of William Eklund from the San Jose Sharks. Eklund is a very nice player, but to be brutally honest, he's a downgrade on Tkachuk in every way, including offence.
Over the past five years, Tkachuk has averaged 73 points per season, while Eklund has averaged 56.
As a result, any season-end desire for another elite player in the top six has only increased.
For now, it would appear that newcomer Andre Burakovsky will get the first shot at bolstering the top six. At this point, it's not clear yet if Burakovsky will be an upgrade on some of the Senators' bottom six options, let alone the top six. The Senators are praying they get the player he was in the first half of last season, not the last half.
In truth, it may be overly ambitious to expect either player to show major improvements in Ottawa because they won't have the likes of Macklin Celebrini or Connor Bedard so frequently at their sides.
So it's not unreasonable to suggest that, on paper, the Sens' top six group could use a boost. Of course, finding that boost is far easier said than done.
Good teams tend to hang on to those types of players. If they are willing, they'll want you to sacrifice something from your existing roster.
Poor teams will want top picks and prospects, but with the draft behind us, the pressure is off. Their best returns may come by waiting until the trade deadline, when teams feel the pressure of being a legit contender.
And what about free agency? Sure, it would have been nice for Steve Staios to go shopping on July 1 to find an obvious upgrade, but at that point, you were dealing with players who had, or believed they had, a lot of options. Unless you're from here, Ottawa is rarely at the top of free agent destination lists.
Today, as NHL free agency enters its third week, it will soon be time for lowered expectations, and remaining UFAs will expand their list of potential destinations while lowering their contract demands.
As of Wednesday, the five most intriguing UFA forwards were:
- Patrick Kane - Anthony Mantha - Vladimir Tarasenko - Michael Bunting - Patrik Laine
Are there any clear solutions there?
Mantha came off the board on Wednesday, signing a two-year contract worth $9.5 million ($4.75 million in average annual value) with the New Jersey Devils. At that price, some fans wondered whether the Sens had missed the boat on a 33-goal scorer last season. But always beware of the veteran player who has a career year in a contract year.
It was around this time in 2023 that the Senators signed Tarasenko. He's a UFA again and still available, but he wouldn't be a clear upgrade at this point, so why take on the cap hit?
According to Chris Chelios, who spoke with the player, Patrick Kane is down to two teams: Buffalo and Chicago, his hometown and his longtime NHL home.
Michael Bunting is intriguing because he could help deliver some of the edge that was lost when Tkachuk left and he has been productive in the recent past.
2021-22 TOR 63 pts 2022-23 TOR 49 pts 2023-24 CAR/PIT 55 pts 2024-25 PIT/NAS 38 pts 2025-25 NAS/DAL 33 pts
But those point totals have drifted noticeably in the last couple of seasons, and while I think he'd look good in a third-line role, the last thing the Sens need is more forwards who'd look good in a third-line role. He's also about to bounce to his sixth team in three years.
Laine is a one-dimensional player, but it's the very best dimension: goal scoring. Despite his injuries, he's probably still looking for a standard big-money contract. But if he ever gets to a stage where he'll accept a lower salary drenched with goal-scoring bonuses, he's someone you might consider. Maybe.
Right now, it looks like Steve Staios wants to see if the areas for improvement can come from within.
"We have a lot of new faces coming in, but they're good players," Shane Pinto told Sportsnet as he prepared for a golf tournament this week. "Another year in the NHL, we have more experience, and hopefully we can take another step and make the playoffs and continue to go further and further."
With so many key players at 25 and under, taking another step is more than possible. It's to be expected.
That includes Pinto (25), Jake Sanderson (24), Tim Stutzle (24), Dylan Cozens (25), William Eklund (23), Ridly Greig (23), Stephen Halliday (24), Jordan Spence (25), Tyler Kleven (24), and (maybe) Carter Yakemchuk (20).
Is it really so far-fetched to think that if Pinto or Greig, for example, moved up and became everyday top-six players, they might be capable of that next step and produce those standard top-six offensive numbers?
The locker room will also be quite different with the exit of a huge personality in Brady Tkachuk. Sometimes, when a star player leaves, other players find a new level while also providing fresh new leadership that can energize a group, not unlike the new coach bump.
That's why patience may be the right play right now.
The Senators have enough talent to prove they're ready to contend, and if they are, they'll have opportunities to add a top-six forward once the NHL's sellers are identified in the back half of the season.
Until then, the biggest improvements will have to come from the players already wearing the centurion crest. And if they improve enough, maybe they won't need to add at all.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published in The Hockey News. For more Sens coverage at The Hockey News, click on one of the Sens headlines below:
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