The 2026-27 season is just a month away and for the first time in four years, the Carolina Hurricanes will don't have a certified starter in net.

With the departure of Frederik Andersen, the Hurricanes now have just two netminders left under contract in Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov, neither of which are a surefire bet to take over the net.

More than likely the Hurricanes will go with a 1A/1B split between their two goalies as has been traditionally seen with the way the team treats goaltending, but the question would then be who will be getting the tougher games and eventually the playoff starts.

Here's a look at the Hurricanes two goaltenders:

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Brandon Bussi

2025-26 Stats:
31-6-2; 0.894 Sv%; 2.47 GAA; 2 SO
7.23 Goals Saved Above Average; 0.816 High Danger Save Percentage

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One of the NHL's all-time best stories, Bussi is coming off of a storybook season that saw him breaking records and cementing himself as an everyday NHL goaltender en route to eventually helping the Canes win the Stanley Cup.

The 28-year-old netminder took the hockey world by storm after being initially claimed off of waivers right before the start of the season and after injuries gave him an opportunity, he never looked back.

Now the question is can he do it again?

The biggest skill a goaltender can have is consistency and for every hotshot rookie, there's almost always a sophomore slump waiting.

Bussi isn't your everyday rookie though, given his age and maturity, but now everyone in the league knows about him. There's video on his tendencies and teams may be prepared for the unorthodox southpaw.

But can he now prove that he wasn't a flash in the pan? Only time will tell.

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Pyotr Kochetkov

2025-26 Stats:
6-2-0; 0.899 Sv%; 2.33 GAA; 1 SO
2.62 GSAA; 0.756 HDSv%

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Kochetkov has been in the Hurricanes' goaltending rotation for four seasons now, but after back-to-back years playing 40+ games, the Russian netminder played just nine games in 2025 due to a hip injury that eventually required surgery.

Kochetkov never played another game after that December surgery, although he was an option for the team and even dressed for the final four games of the Stanley Cup Final as a backup.

The 27-year-old netminder has shown flashes of potential throughout his career (His career record of 71-38-12 with a 0.904 Sv% and 11 shutouts is nothing to laugh at), but it's a lack of consistency that has held him back over the years.

Kochetkov is a very aggressive netminder who utilizes his athleticism to make saves and surprise opponents and it's a bit similar to the way Bussi plays as well.

Whether or not that's a blessing or a curse for the team and whether or not Kochetkov can take that next step in his NHL career will be one of the Hurricanes' biggest storylines to watch for this upcoming season.

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In North America, the hockey season is almost here, with NHL training camps and preseason schedules set to begin in the coming weeks. 

Overseas in Europe, though, some leagues are already underway, and one of them, the Czech Extraliga, features a familiar face to Detroit Red Wings fans in defenseman and Michigan native Luke Witkowski.

In a video that circulated widely online, the now 36-year-old defender and part-time right winger was seen tossing around and physically overpowering an opposing player during a game for his new club, HC Kometa Brno, a moment that showed he hasn't lost a step in the physicality department even at his age. Plenty of fans online noted that his brand of grit would be a welcome sight back in Hockeytown.

Witkowski has spent the past several seasons playing overseas after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2008 NHL Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning. He appeared in just 66 games over four seasons with the Bolts, recording seven points and a minus-five rating while spending most of that time in the minors. 

Luke Witkowski se sebou, ani spoluhráči zametat nenechá!#brnenskyhokejpic.twitter.com/wNEGs4pWxM

— Brněnský Hokej (@BrnenskyHokej) August 23, 2026

In fact, the bulk of Witkowski's North American pro career was spent in the AHL, where he built a reputation as a steady stay-at-home defenseman, posting 61 points and a plus-36 rating across 346 games.

The Holland, Michigan native returned to his home state for the 2017-18 season after serving as captain of Tampa Bay's AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. He went on to play 65 games over the next two seasons with his home-state Red Wings, recording six points and a minus-six rating in what stood as the longest NHL stretch of his career, mostly as a seventh defenseman.

He built a reputation as a physical presence who dropped the gloves regularly when he was in the lineup, and the biggest moment of his NHL career came in a brawl with Matthew Tkachuk and the Calgary Flames, one that ultimately landed him a ten-game suspension.

Red Wings’ Luke Witkowski suspended 10 games for role in brawl with Flames.https://t.co/BIyVvuM0vspic.twitter.com/X1r2XeRVlU

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 16, 2017

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He bounced back to Tampa Bay before returning to Detroit's organization for the 2021-22 season, spending most of that year with the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL, where he posted seven points and a plus-six rating in 44 games. 

That stint didn't last long, though, as Witkowski moved to the St. Louis Blues' AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, before the 2022-23 season became his last in North America. From there, Witkowski headed overseas, first to Finland, where he won a league championship with Tappara Tampere, before spending the past two seasons in Sweden. 

This offseason, he signed with HC Kometa Brno in the Czech Extraliga, bringing his physical, veteran presence to a new league, one where, as the viral clip showed, he's already making his grit known.

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The Carolina Hurricanes have barely finished celebrating their Stanley Cup win before attention shifted to next season, with sportsbooks already posting early odds for 2026-27.

As is always the case with markets this far out, some numbers track with expectations while others are bound to raise eyebrows around the league. This time, it's happening with the Winnipeg Jets. After missing the playoffs for just the second time in the last nine seasons, the sportsbooks are already counting them out, drawing much of the skepticism.

Winnipeg enters the summer with some of the least favorable odds in the entire Western Conference, listed at +15000 to win the Stanley Cup, tied with the Detroit Red Wings for the 25th-best odds in the league, a number that places them firmly outside the group of teams sportsbooks view as legitimate contenders.

The Jets find themselves just inside the top ten for odds to win the West at +5000, behind teams like the LA Kings and San Jose Sharks but ahead of the likes of the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators. 

The Central Division is routinely producing Cup contenders, and next season is no different, with the Jets' journey back to reclaiming the division title appearing to be an uphill battle. Winnipeg is listed at +3000 odds, ranking fifth in the division behind the Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars, and surprisingly behind the Utah Mammoth as well.

Winnipeg also sits at +17500 to win the Presidents' Trophy, tied for the seventh-worst odds in the entire league, a surprising number given the Jets took home that very award just two seasons ago.

There is at least one line that offers a nod to hockey's homeland, one where Winnipeg benefits collectively rather than individually. The market pricing a Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup sits at +425, making it likely the best way to back the Jets or any of the other Canadian clubs, like the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs or Edmonton Oilers, who could join Winnipeg in the chase to bring the Cup back home.

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The NHL appears headed for more expansion. In an exclusive interview with David Alter of The Hockey News, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said that the league's newest franchise could "be able to begin play as early as the 2029-30 season." While the exact destination has not yet been determined, Daly listed Houston as the priority market and Austin as an alternative.

With a new franchise on the way, the NHL will be preparing for another expansion draft. While the expansion draft is still a few years away, it is never too early to look at which players might be protected in the process. Here is what the Vancouver Canucks protected list could look like. 

Before diving in, here is a quick reminder of the 2021 expansion draft rules as per the NHL: 

• NHL teams can protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie, or eight skaters (forwards/defensemen) and one goalie

• All players with no movement clauses at the time of the draft, and who decline to waive those clauses, must be protected and will be counted toward their team's applicable protection limits.
• All first- and second-year professionals, and all unsigned draft choices, will be exempt from selection and will not be counted toward protection limits.
• In addition, all NHL teams must meet the following minimum requirements regarding players exposed for selection in the draft:
• One defenseman who is a) under contract in 2021-22 and b) played in at least 40 NHL games the prior season or played in at least 70 NHL games in the prior two seasons.
• Two forwards who are a) under contract in 2021-22 and b) played at least 40 NHL games the prior season or played in at least 70 NHL games in the prior two seasons.
• One goalie who is under contract in 2021-22 or will be a restricted free agent at the end of his current contract immediately prior to 2021-22. If a team elects to make a restricted free agent goalie available to meet this requirement, that goalie must have received his qualifying offer prior to the submission of the team's protected list.
• Players with potential career-ending injuries who have missed more than the previous 60 consecutive games (or who otherwise have been confirmed to have a career-threatening injury) may not be used to satisfy a team's player exposure requirements unless approval is received from the NHL. Such players also may be deemed exempt from selection.

Based on the rules of the last expansion draft and Vancouver's current contract situation, the only player who needs protection is center Elias Pettersson. This is because he has a no-movement clause for the 2029-30 season. The only way around exposing Pettersson if he is still with the team is if the Swedish center waives his no-movement clause. 

As for the most likely candidates to be protected, they are all currently part of the young core. This includes Zeev Buium, Tom Willander, defenceman Elias Pettersson, Marco Rossi, Braeden Cootes, Liam Öhgren and Nikita Tolopilo. None of these players are currently signed for the 2029-30 season, but they are projected to be part of the roster. 

Shifting to the experienced players, Brock Boeser, Jake DeBrusk, Filip Hronek, and Kevin Lankinen are all signed for the 2029-30 campaign but have no-trade clauses. The big debate is whether the organization elects to protect Boeser or Hronek. While both are key members of the team, Hronek is the more likely of the two to be protected. 

Based on the projected roster and current contracts, Vancouver will most likely use eight skaters and one goaltender. Once again, this list assumes the same rules as the 2021 expansion draft. Below is the potential protected list. 

Projected Vancouver Canucks 2029 Expansion Draft Protected List:

Forwards:

Elias Pettersson
Marco Rossi
Braeden Cootes
Liam Öhgren

Defenceman:

Filip Hronek
Zeev Buium
Tom Willander
Elias Pettersson

Goaltender:

Nikita Tolopilo

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Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson’s stock has risen over the last few seasons,  propelling Team USA to a gold medal at the 2025 World Championships with an overtime goal, being part of Team USA’s Olympic gold medal victory in Milano-Cortina in February, and being a big part of helping the Sabres snap their 15-year playoff drought, leading the club with 81 points last season, winning the Atlantic Division, and advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In NHL Network’s annual ranking of the league’s best centers, Thompson finished 19th in the top 20. Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Macklin Celebrini, Leon Draisaitl, and Aleksander Barkov were the top five. Former Sabre captain Jack Eichel was ranked sixth, and Atlantic Division rivals Auston Matthews (8th), Nick Suzuki (9th), Tim Stutzle (13th), Brayden Point (17th), and Dylan Larkin (20th) were also on the list.   

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“(Thompson) reminds me of [Mario] Lemieux,” NHL Network’s EJ Hradek said.  “He’s a big, long player that can play with skill and can drag that puck in and can shoot it from a lot of different places, holding the stick at different angles, so just a terrific player.”

The former St. Louis Blues first rounder was acquired in the Ryan O’Reilly trade in 2018 and after three seasons of struggling with injury, has become one of the NHL’s most  consistent scorers. After notching 38 goals in 2021-22, the Sabres signed the Arizona native to a seven-year, $50 million contract, which in retrospect has been one of the best decisions the organization has made. Thompson has followed that year up with 160 goals over the last four seasons, including a career-high 47 in 2022-23. 

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Detroit Red Wings teammates Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider were recently included in rankings of the NHL's top 20 wingers and defensemen, respectively.

Now, their current - and potentially soon-to-be-former - teammate, Dylan Larkin, has also been included in a top-20 ranking.

Larkin came in at No. 20 in a recent ranking of the NHL's top 20 centers:

Dylan Larkin (@DetroitRedWings) kicks off NHL Network's Top 20 Centers Right Now list!

📺: #NHLTopPlayers on NHL Network pic.twitter.com/xl1MaXHAmC

— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) August 23, 2026

Larkin, who has skated for Detroit since 2015-16, is coming off his fifth straight season of scoring at least 30 goals. He also helped Team USA win the gold medal for the first time in over 40 years earlier this spring in the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

However, Larkin is in the midst of a standoff with the Red Wings after requesting a trade and limiting the number of destinations to which he would accept a trade to just three.

Red Wings' Lucas Raymond Included In NHL's List Of Top 20 Wingers In a recent ranking, Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond was named among the top 20 wingers in the NHL.

Right now, the Red Wings are also in the midst of a leadership transition following the news last month that Steve Yzerman vacated his role as general manager; right now, there is no official timeline as to when a new GM will be named.

The first matter of business that Detroit's eventual new general manager will have to confront is figuring out Larkin's situation and potentially seeing if there is an avenue for reconciliation, or to convince him to expand his trade destination list.

The Red Wings begin Training Camp for the upcoming 2026-27 NHL season on Sept. 17.

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The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, and the organization’s developmental model has begun to yield results, with 2023 first rounder Zach Benson making an impact in the playoffs, and 2024 top pick Konsta Helenius appearing as one of the AHL’s top prospects the last two seasons.  

Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. These players are all 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 82 NHL games. 

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16. Samuel Meloche - Goalie (Rouyn-Noranda - QMJHL)

The Sabres continued their practice of selecting goalies, but after taking Topias Leinonen in 2022, Scott Ratzlaff in 2023, and Ryerson Leenders in 2024, the club selected a pair of netminders at the 2025 NHL Draft. With their seventh round pick, they took Belarusian Yevgeni Prokhorov, who has a longer development window in the KHL, but with the second to two fourth-round picks, Buffalo selected QMJHL goalie Samuel Meloche.

The 19-year-old broke into the Q with Rouyn-Noranda as a 16-year-old, and leading into his draft year played 51 games for the Huskies, posting an excellent 30-14-6 record. In the playoffs, he went 8-5-0, leading Rouyn-Noranda to the QMJHL semi-final, where they lost to Moncton in a four-game sweep.

Last season, he again reached the 50-game mark, going 33-13-3, with a 2.75 GAA and .897 save %, which earned him an invitation from Team Canada for the World Junior Summer Showcase in Windsor earlier this month. 

Meloche is battling Lucas Beckman and William Lacelle as the backup to likely starter Jack Ivankovic, and will be heading back to the QMJHL to play for the Saint John Sea Dogs. Like many CHL prospects, he will be heading to the NCAA and is committed to play for Northeastern in 2027.  

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Former New York Islanders forward Matthew Maggio has signed with the KHL's Salavat Yualev.  

I’m told that former #Isles F Matthew Maggio has signed a one-year deal with KHL’s Salavat Yulaev.

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) August 24, 2026

Maggio, 23, was selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft by the New York Islanders and became a fan favorite during his three-plus seasons with the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey League.

In 187 games in Bridgeport, Maggio recorded 35 goals with 46 assists for 81 points, serving as a leader through some dark times for the club's AHL affiliate. 

Maggio was an expiring restricted free agent but was not tenured a qualifying offer. 

The Philadelphia Flyers practically walked away empty-handed from the 2017 NHL Draft with injuries sabotaging Nolan Patrick's career, but in a new re-draft, the Flyers land the No. 1 center they always wanted.

THN's own Owen Cameron has been doing a long-running summer series of re-drafts, starting with Porter Martone and the 2025 draft earlier this month.

For years, the Flyers' draft strategy has been central to the scrutiny surrounding the franchise, and it's no secret that the 2017 draft, if executed properly, would have had a tremendous reversal on the Flyers' current outlook, both for the present and the future.

In Cameron's 2017 re-draft, superstar Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar is off the board, going first overall to the New Jersey Devils, leaving the Flyers with the lay of the rest of the land to choose from.

Interestingly, at least depending on your perspective, the Flyers select Montreal Canadiens star Nick Suzuki second overall, making the former Vegas draft pick their franchise center.

"If Rick Tocchet had Nick Suzuki, the 2026 Selke Trophy winner, he would be bouncing off the walls with excitement," Cameron opined.

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Players like Miro Heiskanen (third), Robert Thomas (fifth), Nico Hischier (seventh), and Elias Pettersson (eighth) all went later in Cameron's do-over.

What Nick Suzuki would look like on the current Flyers team

Suzuki, 27, has been one of the best centers in all of hockey over the last few seasons, breaking out with 33 goals, 44 assists, and 77 points in 2023-24, dropping 30 goals, 59 assists, and 89 points in 2024-25, then exploding for 29 goals, 72 assists, and 101 points this past season.

Adding to the 5-foot-11 center's appeal is the fact that he's appeared in all 82 regular season games in each of the last six seasons, in addition to winning north of 50% of his faceoffs in each of his last three seasons.

It was long debated on social media and in hockey circles if Suzuki, who was originally drafted 13th overall by the Golden Knights, had what it took to be a No. 1 center in the NHL, but any narrative that suggested otherwise has officially been quashed for good.

Suzuki's career really took off once the Canadiens added Juraj Slafkovsky, who has developed nicely since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2022, in tandem with the continued development of Cole Caufield.

The Flyers Free Agent Signing Nobody Is Talking AboutAn under-the-radar signing by the Philadelphia Flyers could pay major dividends if everything goes according to plan.

Oh, and the Canadiens drafted some guy named Ivan Demidov in 2024, too.

If we were to air-drop Suzuki onto the present-day Flyers, he'd fit right in and continue to produce.

The Flyers, like the Canadiens, have a talented group of young wingers, led by Matvei Michkov, Porter Martone, and Tyson Foerster. None of those three are quite at the level of Caufield or Slafkovsky just yet, but hypothetically adding Suzuki down the middle, in addition to a second year from Trevor Zegras, would be a massive boon for their development.

Unfortunately, that isn't the reality, as the Flyers swung and missed in 2017 and have since done the easy part first, assembling a syndicate of skilled wingers with different skillsets before getting their No. 1 center.

After making the playoffs this past season, picking later in the first round than normal, and striking out on the Leo Carlsson offer sheet, the Flyers' quest for a Suzuki of their own will continue for the foreseeable future.

The NHL Network has been ranking the best player at each position leading up to the start of the 2026-27 NHL season. On Sunday, August 2nd, they revealed their current top 20 wings list and ranked Martin Necas 15th. The following week, they released their top 20 list of the league's best defensemen, ranking Cale Makar 1st.

NHL Network Name Cale Makar As Best Defensemen In The NHLThe NHL Network put out a list ranking the top 20 defensemen in the NHL, and both Cale Makar and Devon Toews have made the list, with Makar ranking 1st and Toews ranking 20th.

Following it up, they have now released their top 20 centers currently in the league. NHL Network’s Jamison Coyle, E.J. Hradek, and Mike Rupp, who hosted the show, explained that while counting down the best centers in the league, they based the rankings on “player performance over the past several seasons, with an emphasis on the 2025-2026 regular season and 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, while also considering future upside.”

To no one’s surprise, they ranked Nathan MacKinnon second in their rankings for centers right now. The only other player who stood above him was Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid. In second place, he ranked above Macklin Celerini (3rd), Leon Draisaitl (4th), and Aleksander Barkov (5th).

When MacKinnon’s position in the rankings was reached, Hradek said on his placement in the rankings, “He is electric. Nathan MacKinnon’s one of those guys that when you watch him, when you see him coming out of that defensive zone with the puck, he does those quick crossovers. There’s nothing like it in the NHL. He’s like a little locomotive coming up the ice. He’s able to shift gears and move laterally just as fast as he’s able to go forward. He’s a special, special player.” 

It was pretty spot on what Hradek said, and if you had to make a poll among the league's fans, players, and management, it's a fair assumption to say that, really, outside of McDavid, MacKinnon has shown these past couple of seasons that he really is the clear-cut second-best center in the league and at times could argue that he could be placed above McDavid.

This is what NHL Network said in their web article;

“MacKinnon had 127 points (53 goals, 74 assists) in 80 games last season and has had at least 111 points each of the past four. He's scored at least 30 goals in eight of the past nine seasons; he had 20 in 48 games of the 56-game 2020-21 season. He has 150 power-play points over the past four seasons, a stretch when he's an NHL-best plus-146. MacKinnon led the NHL last season at plus-57 and won the Rocket Richard Trophy as goals leader. The 2024 Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay winner has been a top-five Hart finalist in six of the past seven seasons. His 1.30 points per game in the playoffs is fifth in NHL history among players with at least 100 games, trailing Wayne Gretzky (1.84), Mario Lemieux (1.61), McDavid (1.53) and Draisaitl (1.48).” 

This past season was a special one for MacKinnon, as he scored 53 goals and 74 assists for 127 points, leading the league in goals and setting a new career high. Helping him take home his first-ever Rocket Richard Trophy, while finishing third in Hart Trophy voting and finishing inside the top 20 in Selke Trophy voting. His 53 goals tied him for the sixth most goals in Nordique/Avalanche history, tying him with Michel Goulet back in the 1985-86 season.

Nathan MacKinnon Wins The 2025-26 Maurice "Rocket" Richard TrophyWith a career-best 53 goals, Nathan MacKinnon has won the 2025-26 Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy.

The biggest critique last season was the power play; despite all the talent, the lack of execution and failure to capitalize on opportunities really stood out, and it showed in many players' stats, even though they finished with high point totals. Despite MacKinnon scoring 53 goals, only 11 of them came from the power play, while 43 were even-strength goals. That amount tied him for second in Nordique/Avalanche history, with only Goulet having scored more (43).

His even-strength point total was 97, which was the most even-strength points scored in a season since Wayne Gretzky’s 103 during the 1990-91 season. It showed how strong he and the Avalanche team were at 5-on-5, and he still finished with the third-most points of the season despite the team's power-play finishing at 17.0%

It will be another fascinating season to see how MacKinnon does, with the team making minimal offseason changes and barring any impact on his health from injuries. If we see anything similar to what he has witnessed from MacKinnon these past seasons and the power play reverts to lethal form, it will be another Hart Trophy-esque season for the “Nate Dogg”.

The Latest On Cale Makar's Future With The AvalancheJoe Sakic sounds increasingly confident that the Colorado Avalanche will get Cale Makar signed to a long-term extension before the 2026-27 season begins.

On Sunday, Aug. 23, the NHL Network announced their list of “Top 20 Centers Right Now” and ranked Anaheim Ducks franchise center Leo Carlsson at 14th. Previously this summer, NHL Network ranked Carlsson’s teammate Cutter Gauthier as the NHL’s 19th best winger and teammate Jackson LaCombe as the NHL’s 17th best defenseman.

At 14th, Carlsson’s ranking sandwiches him between Nico Hischier of the New Jersey Devils at 15th and Tim Stutzle of the Ottawa Senators at 13th. Atop the list sat Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Macklin Celebrini, Leon Draisaitl, and Aleksander Barkov at 1-5, respectively. Interestingly, Connor Bedard (1st overall in 2023), who was selected one spot ahead of Carlsson (2nd in ’23) in the same draft class and was seen as a borderline “generational talent” at the time, came in behind Carlsson, at 16th.

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The 2025-26 season was Carlsson’s (21) third in the NHL, a season where he and the Ducks enjoyed a breakout performance from their franchise player, as he tallied 67 points (29-38=67) in 70 regular season games and added 11 (4-7=11) in 12 playoff games through the Ducks’ run to the second round of the 2026 NHL Playoffs.

The story of the offseason occurred when the foundation of the NHL (and the Ducks’ cap sheet) was shaken on July 3, as the Philadelphia Flyers signed then-RFA Carlsson to a five-year offer sheet that carried a whopping $18 million AAV, the highest in NHL history. The Ducks matched the Flyers’ offer sheet, and Carlsson will remain in Anaheim for the foreseeable future.

Though the OS likely gave the Ducks pause and may have forced them to hesitate, Anaheim ultimately concluded that keeping Carlsson, even at a potential overpay, was their priority over the extra cap space, a cleaner cap sheet, and four extra compensatory first-round picks.

After long last, the Ducks emerged from one of the NHL’s longest rebuilds by qualifying for the 2026 Playoffs. Despite missing 12 games and playing through a difficult and rare thigh injury, Carlsson was the team’s top-performing forward. From a zoomed-out perspective, players of Carlsson’s talent and makeup are rare, can typically only be acquired at the Draft, and represent the very reason franchises embark on rebuilds. Rebuilds often even come and go without a team drafting a player of Carlsson’s ilk.

Equipped with a rapidly growing skill set, highlighted by a combination of speed, size, and skill, Carlsson is a high-danger chance-generating machine. Though not technically near a perfect skater, his output is undeniable, as he intelligently finds ways to pick up pucks or place himself in lanes where he catches passes at full speed and drives opposing defenders on their heels to open lanes for himself or teammates at will.

This past season, he added some change-of-pace layers to his attacks where he can cut back and better utilize the open ice he single-handedly creates. The encouraging factor for the Ducks when evaluating Carlsson is that he seems to be just scratching the surface of his potential on both ends of the ice.

Public draft evaluations in 2023 pegged Carlsson as a two-way, responsible, tactical center. The reality is the exact opposite. He’s already proven to be one of the NHL’s most dynamic young talents, operating at a high rate of speed and at his best when attacking downhill. Compared to fellow European talents like Anze Kopitar and Aleksander Barkov at the time of his draft, he’s more akin to Nathan MacKinnon in terms of his on-ice style and impact.

Moving forward, areas of needed growth for Carlsson are those Barkov/Kopitar/Bergeron-esque defensive habits, as well as higher efficiency when driving cycle sequences. Carlsson has the capability to win any number of small-area battles and turn defense into quick-strike offense while possessing the size and strength to cleverly protect pucks and fend off defenders in the tight areas of the ice.

With Carlsson now earning more than the Ducks had likely anticipated, for them to become a successful perenial Stnaley Cup contender in the near future, as is their stated long-term goal, they’ll have to operate with a top-heavy roster and cap sheet. Carlsson may not quite play to the level of an $18 million center in his first year (or even in the first couple) of his contract, but Anaheim will increasingly rely on him to lead the team’s young core and become the franchise icon and superstar player he’s now paid to be.

As was always the case, now just more prominent a sentiment, the Ducks will go as far as Carlsson, flanked by a core of Jackson LaCombe, Cutter Gauthier, Lukas Dostal, and Beckett Sennecke, can take them.

Anaheim Ducks Jackson LaCombe Ranked as NHL Network's 17th-Best Defenseman Right Now

Anaheim Ducks Cutter Gauthier Ranked as NHL Network's 19th-Best Winger Right Now

Could Cutter Gauthier Shift to Center for the 2026-27 Season?

Young Anaheim Ducks Players Who Could "Graduate" into Impactful NHL Roles in 2026-27

NEWS & NOTES

Blue Jackets Have Potential PTO Target In Ex-Blackhawks DefenderThe Blue Jackets should take a gamble on this defenseman.

If the Blue Jackets are open to adding a player on a PTO, it would not be surprising if it is a defenseman. The Blue Jackets' blueline could use more depth, and there are still some interesting UFAs left on the market.

One UFA who could make sense for the Blue Jackets to take a look at on a PTO is veteran defenseman Matt Grzelcyk. 

Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell To Get Big Honor From Alma MaterNorthern Michigan University, where <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> GM Don Waddell played his college hockey for four years, has announced that it will honor Waddell in October.&nbsp;

On October 2nd, NMU will, for the first time in program history, retire players' jersey numbers and raise banners to commemorate Waddell and two others.  

Waddell wore jersey #4 for NMU from 1976 to 1980. Waddell totaled 138 points in 120 games. He was also the team's captain during his junior year. 

Former Blue Jackets Defenseman Is Best Free Agent Blueliner LeftWill this former Blue Jackets defenseman land a contract soon?

It is a little surprising that Blankenburg has still not been signed at this point in the summer. The former Blue Jackets defenseman just had the best season of his NHL career so far. In 61 games split between the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche, he set new career highs with eight goals, 16 assists, and 24 points. 

NHL 27 Rankings Released, And The Results For The Blue Jackets Are PuzzlingNHL 27 has released its rankings&nbsp;for the 26-27 season, and a few <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> are listed.&nbsp;

#6 - Zach Werenski - 95 Overall

#68 - Kirill Marchenko - 89 Overall

#137 - Adam Fantilli - 86 Overall

#163 - Jet Greaves - 86 Overall

BREAKING NEWS: Elvis Merzlikins Has Shoulder SurgeryThe Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that goalie Elvis Merzlikins has undergone shoulder surgery on Monday.&nbsp;

“Elvis informed us a few weeks ago that he was experiencing some discomfort in his shoulder during his offseason workouts,” said Waddell. “Following an MRI, it was determined that surgery was the best course of action. He’ll be evaluated again in a few weeks, at which time we’ll have a clearer idea on when he will be back on the ice.”

Blue Jackets' U23 Pipeline Ranked As NHL's 13th-Best<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7459237/2026/08/18/columbus-blue-jackets-nhl-prospects-rankings-2026/">The Athletic's Corey Pronman recently ranked</a> each NHL team's U23 pipeline. The Columbus Blue Jackets were among the top half of NHL teams ranked by Pronman, as they were given the No. 13 spot.&nbsp;

The Athletic's Corey Pronman recently ranked each NHL team's U23 pipeline. The Columbus Blue Jackets were among the top half of NHL teams ranked by Pronman, as they were given the No. 13 spot. 

The Hockey News Magazine Predicts 26-27 Metro Standings, And Blue Jackets Fans Won't Be HappyThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets">Columbus Blue Jackets</a>&nbsp;have had an interesting summer, to say the least. From player drama with Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko to franchise drama with the releases of radio caller Bob McElligott and team reporter Jeff Svoboda, it hasn't been a fun summer for people who follow the team.&nbsp;

Where do you think the CBJ will finish this season?

OPENING NIGHT COUNTDOWNS

45 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #45The Columbus Blue Jackets have 45 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #45.&nbsp;

The Town of Yarmouth declared July 13, 2013, as Jody Shelley Day, and honoured Shelley by renaming Cottage Street as Jody Shelley Drive, and also renumbering the Mariners Centre, the local winter sports facility, as 45 Jody Shelley Drive, after his jersey number. 

44 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #44The Columbus Blue Jackets have 44 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today we look at the history of jersey #44.&nbsp;

Klesla made his NHL debut in 2000 before he was sent back to Junior. He would come up in the next season and be there full-time. He would then go on to play in 515 games for the Jackets over the course of 10 seasons. On February 28, 2011, he was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes and played the next four years. 

43 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #43The Columbus Blue Jackets have 43 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #43.&nbsp;

Jan Čaloun - 2001 - Drafted by the San Jose Sharks in 1992.

Čaloun played 11 games for the CBJ during its inaugural season, scoring three points. After his 11 games in Columbus, he would return to Europe and retire in 2010. He moved into coaching after his playing days, and currently coaches ESC Dresden U17 in Germany. 

42 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #42The Columbus Blue Jackets have 42 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #42.&nbsp;

Kevyn Adams - 2000-01 - Adams was drafted 25th overall in the 1993 NHL Draft by the Boston Bruins. 

Adams was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2000 NHL expansion draft. He would Adams would score 22 points in 66 games with the Blue Jackets before being traded at the trade deadline to the Florida Panthers alongside a 4th-round pick in the 2001 NHL entry draft in exchange for Ray Whitney and future considerations.  

41 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #41The Columbus Blue Jackets have 41 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #41.&nbsp;

Ben Simon - 2005-06 - Simon was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1997 NHL Draft. 

Simon, a native of Shaker Heights, Ohio, played 13 games for Columbus during the 2005-06 season. He totaled zero points. He left for Europe and played one season in the EIHL in England. He retired in 2011. 

40 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #40The Columbus Blue Jackets have 40 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #40. No active players currently wear the #40.&nbsp;

Bill Bowler - 2000-01 - Bowler was undrafted out of Toronto, CA. 

Bowler played a total of 9 games for the Jackets during their inaugural season and had two points. He spent most of that year with the Syracuse Crunch and totaled 79 points in 72 games. In 2002, he spent one season in Germany before retiring.

39 Days Until Opening Night: The History Of Jersey #39The Columbus Blue Jackets have 39 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #39.&nbsp;

Mike Pandolfo - 2003-04 - Pandolfo was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the 3rd round of the 1998 NHL Draft. 

Pandolfo was traded to the Blue Jackets at the 2002 NHL Draft. He played in three games for Columbus during the 03-04 season and had zero points. He spent most of his time with Columbus playing for the Syracuse Crunch.  He retired after the 2007–08 season. 

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There doesn't appear to be much panic inside the Colorado Avalanche organization when it comes to Cale Makar's next contract.

In fact, if Joe Sakic's latest comments are any indication, the Avalanche are expecting to have their franchise defenseman signed and locked in before the puck drops on the 2026-27 season.

Sakic offered his most confident update yet on Sunday while speaking before taking the ice in the University of Denver alumni game at Magness Arena.

“We continue talking,” Sakic told reporters. “I'm pretty confident that he'll be signed before the season starts.”

For Avalanche fans, that might be the most encouraging update yet surrounding the biggest piece of unfinished business facing the organization.

Makar is entering the final season of the six-year contract he signed with Colorado in 2021, carrying a $9 million salary-cap hit. He became eligible to sign an extension on July 1, and while an agreement has yet to be announced, Sakic made it clear that negotiations continue to move in the right direction.

There also doesn't appear to be much concern from either side.

Sakic said the conversations have been productive, and that once the two sides reach an agreement, it will be announced. He also expressed hope that a deal can be finalized before training camp.

If the Avalanche can get Makar signed before the middle of September, Colorado would still be able to offer the superstar defenseman the maximum eight-year term. Once the NHL's new contract rules take effect, the longest deal available would drop to seven years.

For a player like Makar, an extra year is hardly insignificant.

Joe Sakic’s full comments on where things are at with Makar extension

When asked about the September 16th cut off for an 8-Year deal: “I’m not really worried about it. Whenever a deal is agreed to, both sides will be comfortable with the term” pic.twitter.com/kM091cwRF4

— Jesse Montano (@jessemontano) August 24, 2026

The 27-year-old has established himself as one of the defining players of his generation and arguably the most valuable defenseman in hockey. Since arriving in the NHL full-time during the 2019-20 season, Makar has put together a résumé that already includes a Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe Trophy, two Norris Trophies and six All-Star selections.

He has also been named a Norris finalist in each of the last six seasons.

And the production has been equally remarkable.

Through 470 NHL games, Makar has recorded 507 points — a staggering total for a defenseman and another reminder that Colorado isn’t simply negotiating with a good player entering his prime. It’s negotiating with one of the most productive defensemen the NHL has ever seen at this stage of his career. For comparison, Quinn Hughes — a Norris Trophy winner, Olympic gold medalist and one of the league’s premier defensemen — has recorded 485 points through 507 games. Makar has reached 500 points in 37 fewer games, underscoring just how rare his offensive production has been.

And the market for elite defensemen is only getting more expensive. Bo Byram, while not generally viewed in the same tier as Makar, Hughes or the NHL’s other elite No. 1 defensemen, recently landed a six-year, $75 million extension from the Chicago Blackhawks. Meanwhile, Erik Karlsson is set to lead all NHL defensemen with an $11.5 million cap hit next season. The numbers make one thing clear: If Colorado wants to keep Makar long term, the Avalanche are going to have to pay at the very top of the market.

Makar's next deal could push the market even further or perhaps the Avalanche are cooking up a team-friendly deal. 

Colorado has quietly created more room to maneuver as it prepares for Makar's next contract Between moving Valeri Nichushkin, Ross Colton and Jack Drury, the Avalanche have cleared significant salary from the books, giving the front office additional flexibility as negotiations continue with their franchise player.

And while the exact numbers remain unknown, Sakic has never sounded particularly worried about where these negotiations are headed.

At the Avalanche's end-of-season press conference, which was also attended by Josh Kroenke, Sakic was asked about Makar's future and made his intentions crystal clear.

He said Makar would finish his career in Denver.

Sunday's comments suggest that confidence hasn't changed. But as we've reported at The Hockey News, these massive, long-term extensions don't come together overnight. Negotiations take time, so until the deal is officially done, it's probably best to take everything you hear — and everything you feel — with a grain of salt.

The Avalanche still have work to do, and until Makar's signature is officially on the contract, there will be questions about the numbers, the term and exactly how Colorado will structure the deal.

But Sakic's message was clear.

The conversations are continuing. Both sides appear comfortable with where things stand.

And if the Avalanche president and general manager is right, one of the most important contracts in franchise history could be taken care of before Colorado opens another season with Stanley Cup expectations.

Former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Matt Dumba still remains an unrestricted free agent with September almost here.

Dumba still being a free agent comes after he had a tough 2025-26 season with the Penguins. In 11 games for Pittsburgh this past campaign, he posted one goal, three points, 16 hits, and a minus-5 rating. 

Dumba was waived by the Penguins back in December and then sent down to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins after the fact. In 27 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he posted six goals, 20 points, 43 penalty minutes, and a plus-3 rating.

Dumba's time with the Penguins organization officially came to an end before the AHL playoffs, as he mutually terminated his contract with Pittsburgh.

Given how this past season went for Dumba, he may need to settle for a professional tryout (PTO) agreement if he hopes to continue his NHL career. However, the possibility of him signing overseas should not be ruled out if he wants to keep playing. 

NHL teams looking for more defensive depth could consider taking a gamble on Dumba with a PTO. It will be interesting to see what happens with the former Penguins defenseman from here.