Mike and Dan wrap up the Islanders preseason and prepare for the start of real games, while making two big announcements for this week.
The Islanders went 1-3 in the preseason, with some standout performances, a few injuries, a slew of guys sent to Hamilton and one free agent signing – hulking defenseman Logan Stanley. The games themselves didn’t do much to get us excited for the season, and some of the moves also left us feeling a little bit of deja vu. The Islanders are asking a largely holdover crew to reverse the path they’ve been on for several seasons. They can start by once again becoming hard to play against, something they haven’t been in a long, long time. It’s possible that they surprise us this season – waiving Pierre Engvall was one surprise – but we find ourselves on the doubting side when we should be at our most joyful.
In the second half, we talk about the games against the Maple Leafs and Devils that kick off the new campaign, and how beating two good but flawed teams would do wonders for our mood. The Islanders have only won 14 of 53 home openers, which is a pathetic number. It would be great to get No. 15 this Saturday. We also take a quick look around the rest of the NHL and see who we think will be good, bad, disastrously funny or fun to watch without the worry we always bring to Islanders games.
Be sure to come to Zofia’s Hideout, 84th Street in NYC on Wednesday for a meet up and viewing of the Islanders’ season opener. Or say hello to us on Saturday at the Islanders home opener at UBS Arena against the Devils. We’ll be in Sect. 101 in between periods.
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PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 28: Samuel Girard #49 of the Pittsburgh Penguins carries the puck against Colin Blackwell #15 of the Dallas Stars at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 28, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Penguins would probably figure to not use waivers to boost their lineup, given all the depth they already have. However with four players placed on IR yesterday plus the statuses of Bryan Rust (injured) and Andrei Kuzmenko (personal) still up in the air for the start of the season, the waiver wire could hold a little more intrigue now than it might have recently given the outflow of bodies from the roster in recent days.
The timing for this works out, there are currently 71 player on waivers today that could be claimed and announced at 2pm eastern. Waiver claims are typically used by NHL teams as short-term patches and temporary fixes for the sort of issues that a team like Pittsburgh is dealing with right now. The majority of players waived at the beginning of the season tend to go back on the waiver wire once claimed, which would presumably be the situation in Pittsburgh since the main goal would be to get to the other side on the injuries their players are dealing with at the moment.
Here are some currently available candidates that stand out. The Penguins currently have 48 of their 50 available pro contracts spoken for, giving them the ability to add one player via waivers if they really wanted to do so.
Colin Blackwell, C, Dallas Stars
Blackwell is a speedy, pesky fourth-line grinder with legitimate defensive value. He’s only 5-foot-8, but he plays way bigger than that, with a gritty motor and a physical edge.
Blackwell is a black hole offensively (only four goals in 70 games and poor offensive play-driving metrics), but his defensive metrics are very solid, and he’s a high-quality penalty killer, having averaged over two minutes per game on Dallas’ 13th-ranked PK last season. He’s worth a look for a team that wants some shorthanded help and fourth-line speed.
Blake Lizotte was already back at practice yesterday, and if the team senses his absence will not last much longer then adding another player in that same sort of mold wouldn’t make much sense. However, given the current centers from practice yesterday were players who aren’t traditional PKers in Sidney Crosby, Tommy Novak and Hendrix Lapierre, plus the injured Lizotte, it’s not difficult to see that that if the Penguins were to dip into waivers at all for a temporary replacement if would be someone exactly like Blackwell who is known for his PK work and defensive impacts and can work as a center. Blackwell also adds some value of being a right-handed center, which the Penguins currently don’t have any of with Ben Kindel on IR.
Pittsburgh could always choose to go with what they’ve got, but if they don’t quite like the situation of PKers around at the moment (or if they need a fairly capable stand-in for Lizotte at that fourth line center spot for a couple of days or games) then grabbing someone like Blackwell would make sense, even if they’ll have to turn around and waive Blackwell themselves in the near future.
Sam Lafferty, C, Florida Panthers
Lafferty has appealing physical traits with a heavy 6-foot-2 frame and blazing-fast speed. He can serve as a fine fourth-line winger to play an uptempo north-south, dump-and-chase style and can play center in an emergency.
Lafferty is very limited, though — his offensive value is almost nil, and he doesn’t provide the PK value that another waiver option like Blackwell does.
Lafferty is a former Penguin, though he’s been gone since 2021 and the entire coaching and management has turned over in Pittsburgh since then to render those ties moot at this point. There is some connective tissue from the past, Kyle Dubas acquired Lafftery for Toronto in 2023 that’s probably more relevant than his previous Pittsburgh stint.
Much like the Blackwell note, this would be contingent on the statuses of Rust and Lizotte. If the team is pretty confident that one or both of those players will be back soon, they wouldn’t need Lafferty. If that’s not the case, then there could be some value in picking up a veteran option who is used to bouncing from team to team and providing some speed, energy and PK to tide the team over until their own options get back.
John Beecher, C, Florida Panthers
Beecher is never going to be known for his point production, but he’s a big forward who is a top skater in the league. His puck game is a significant issue, though, and he generates his value through his speed and compete. He could have value as a depth forward for a team.
The Pens seem to like their own internal options similar to Beecher (specifically, Elmer Soderblom and Fillip Hallander) more than someone like Beecher. Still, the same notes above apply for adding a 6’3”, 220 pound center who has some speed and ability to join the PK unit as a patch is out there if they want it.
Dylan Garand, G, New York Rangers
Garand has been inconsistent as a pro after a sterling junior career. He has the quickness, technique and reads of a legit pro goaltender, but he is on the smaller side, and although he moves well, he isn’t the truly premier athlete you would want for a barely 6-foot goalie. I see the argument for a pickup, but he’s probably a No. 3 goalie for an NHL team.
The Pens seem content and even eager to let Sergei Murashov have a shot at the NHL. Right now would be a way to pick up a goalie for free, though. Garand is 24 years old, he wouldn’t offer a lot of experience (his three career NHL games are even less than Murashov) so it might be off the table. But Garand has the ability and upside to think that some NHL team might take a chance and put a claim in for him. Dubas has been no stranger to accumulating mid-20’s talent and seeing what happens with the opportunity and it’s not like the current Penguin goaltending situation is solid enough to let this opportunity pass without even having a discussion.
—
In the end, the smart money might be on no activity this afternoon for the Pens. The appearance of Lizotte back in practice goes a long way in the hopes that his missed time won’t amount to enough to make it necessary to grab a replacement caliber player to fill in. Given the total quantity of injuries it’s at least a topic worthy of some debate to figure out just how the Penguins want to get through the early part of the season until some of their important depth players return to the lineup.
If the Senators were looking for bulletin-board material heading into the 2026-27 season, they didn't have to look very far.
They only had to visit NHL.com.
The NHL's official website released its annual predictions for the upcoming season, with 14 writers and editors selecting their division winners, wild-card teams and eventual Stanley Cup champion.
Travis Green is asked Saturday about Jake Sanderson after he left the game in his preseason debut.
Not one of the 14 picked the Senators to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Zero.
That's a pretty notable snub for a team that reached the postseason in each of the past two seasons and only one impactful player loss.
But that's clearly the biggest reason for the national skepticism: Brady Tkachuk is gone.
The Senators finished fifth in the Atlantic Division last season with a 44-27-11 record and earned a playoff berth before being swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in the opening round.
But between an early season wrist injury, a brace he'd wear for most of the season, the distraction of podcasts and Olympics, and fading interest in being a Senator, Ottawa fans are keenly aware that losing last year's version of Tkachuk isn't all bad.
Every one of the 14 panelists selected three teams from the Atlantic Division, along with two wild-card teams from the Eastern Conference. The Sens weren't included in any of those selections.
Montreal, Florida and Tampa Bay were the three teams most frequently chosen from the Atlantic, while Buffalo, Boston, Toronto, the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils also appeared among the Eastern wild-card selections.
But the Sens don't necessarily have to look outside their own locker room for reasons to believe they can remain in the playoff conversation.
The Sens finished ninth overall in goal scoring last season. Tim Stützle scored a team-high 34 goals last season. Drake Batherson scored 33, Dylan Cozens had 28 and Shane Pinto added 23. The Senators also added William Eklund, who had 53 points with San Jose last season, and veteran Andre Burakovsky to help address the offensive loss created by Tkachuk's departure.
Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot give the Senators an excellent one-two punch on the blue line.
Then there's goaltending. The Sens made the playoffs with goaltending that was well below average in the first half of the season. And that's putting it mildly.
After the Olympics last season, Linus Ullmark went 12-4-3 with a .902 save percentage and a 2.51 goals-against average over 19 games. He carried that strong finish into the playoffs against Carolina. And he now has what the Senators believe will be better support with two new Swedish goalies directly behind him on the depth chart.
And if you like intangibles, there also won't be the level of noise and controversy that swirled around this team for a lot of last season. It's amazing that the Sens powered through all that and still made the playoffs.
Yes, some preseason injuries have certainly emerged as a cause for concern in Ottawa, but no one who's nicked up has been described as having anything that's long term. And it's goes without saying that every preseason prediction about every NHL team comes with the caveat of "if they can stay healthy."
Yes, the Atlantic is deep, just like it was last year. Some will rise, others will sink. But we'll take GM Steve Staios at his word that he "has no intention of taking a step backwards this season."
That's the prediction that will matter, because no matter how much other teams have improved, 99 points will probably get you into the playoffs.
No matter what, when the season begins on Oct. 3, the Senators won't be playing for the approval of 14 NHL.com writers. They won't be playing to stick it to their former captain.
They'll be playing for each other and a third consecutive trip to the playoffs.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have 3 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Jersey #3 is one of the more popular numbers to be worn.
Let's take a look at who wore 3, and where they are now
František Kučera - 2001 - Drafted by Chicago in 1986.
He played 48 games as a Jacket and had seven points in the first year of the Blue Jackets' existence.
He retired in 2004 after returning to his home country of Czechia.
Jaroslav Špaček - 2002-2004 - Drafted by Florida in 1998.
Špaček played 153 games for Columbus and had 72 points in the early years of Columbus.
His son, David Špaček, was born in Columbus and was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in 2022. He will start this season with the AHL's Iowa Wild. David was born in Columbus.
Nowadays, the elder Špaček is the Director of Youth Hockey for HC Plzeň in Czechia.
Marc Methot - 2009-2012 - Drafted by the Blue Jackets in the 6th round of the 2003 NHL Draft.
Methot played six years and 275 games for the CBJ, totaling 51 points on the Columbus blue line. He was the definition of a defensive defenseman.
On July 1, 2012, he was traded to the Ottawa Senators for future CBJ Captain Nick Foligno. After the trade to Ottawa, he would play another 349 NHL games.
He retired during the 2018-19 season after playing 9 games.
Jordan Leopold - 2015 - Drafted by Anaheim in 1999.
Leopold played 18 games for Columbus after being traded from the St. Louis Blues on November 15, 2014. On March 2, 2015, he was dealt again, this time to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Justin Falk. He retired after the 2015 season.
He has been an assistant coach for Andover High in Minnesota for the past couple of years.
Seth Jones - 2016-2021 - Drafted by Nashville in 2013.
Jones played 381 games for the Jackets after coming over from the Nashville Predators. He scored 50 goals and totaled 223 points during his time in Columbus. Jones is currently second all-time in CBJ history in goals by a defenseman, second in assists, and second in points. He's also 7th in all-time assists and 10th in all-time points.
He was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2021 in exchange for Adam Boqvist. Chicago traded him to the Florida Panthers in 2025, where he went on to win the Stanley Cup.
The son of former NBA player Popeye Jones was described by Elite Prospects as "A defenseman with an excellent frame. Jones' athleticism allows him to be a very good skater for a player of his size. He has excellent mobility and is solid both offensively and defensively. Jones gives a smart first pass and is also capable of utilizing his skating ability to bring the puck up himself. He has good hockey sense and is an asset on the power play thanks to his mobility, puck-handling, and a very dangerous slap shot."
Jack Johnson - 2025 - Drafted by Carolina in 2005.
Johnson played 486 games for Columbus after being traded from the LA Kings for Jeff Carter. He scored 36 goals and had 156 points in seven years.
He's bounced around since leaving Columbus, but finally won a Stanley Cup in 2022. He found his way back to Cannon City in the summer of 2024. Unfortunately for Johnson, he only played in 41 games for Columbus last year and had 6 points.
He and Head Coach Dean Evason didn't see eye to eye, leading to Johnson being scratched for most of the season. Johnson's family even boycotted the family day held ahead of the 2025 Stadium Series Game at Ohio Stadium.
Charlie Coyle - 2025-Current - Drafted by the San Jose Sharks in 2010
Coyle was traded to the Blue Jackets in the summer of 2025. His first season in Columbus was the second best season of his career. He scored 20 goals and totaled 58 points, which was just two points off from his career high.
He was kept at last season's trade deadline by Don Waddell, leading Charlie Coyle to feel very respected by the club. He signed a six-year, $36 million extension with the CBJ over the summer. He could've left, but he told the media that he felt the loyalty shown to him by Don Waddell was important enough to get him to re-sign
There are three days left until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Who was your favorite #3?
DENVER, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 25: T.J. Hughes #13 of the Colorado Avalanche skates on the ice for the 'stars of the game' after defeating the Winnipeg Jets in a preseason game at Ball Arena on September 25, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Maclean/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Colorado Avalanche News
The Colorado Avalanche have just around 24 hours to do two more roster cuts before NHL rosters are due to be submitted. [Sports Illustrated]
T.J. Hughes to start season with Avalanche amid injuries up front. [The Denver Gazette]
Blankenburg joined the Maple Leafs on a professional tryout, then earned himself a one-year contract, after a career-best season where he posted eight goals and 16 assists with the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche. [Sportsnet]
News Around the League
Jets believe they have the pieces to compete, even without star goalie Hellebuyck. [TSN]
Edmonton Oilers go from cap heaven to cap purgatory due to five injuries. [Toronto Sun]
One bold prediction for every NHL team in the 2026-2027 season. [The Athletic]
Kuzmenko returns to Russia after father killed by bear. [BBC]
Lapsed fan’s guide to the NHL season: Top teams, players, storylines for 2026-27. [ESPN]
NHL features an 84-game season for the first time in decades. [CTV News]
Ovie retirement watch among 5 NHL storylines as season gets underway. [CBC]
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 21: Bryan Rust #17 of the Pittsburgh Penguins looks on in his 700th NHL game against the Winnipeg Jets at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 21, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The 2026-27 Pittsburgh Penguins did not waste any time when it comes to accumulating injuries. The regular season has not even started yet and the team is already looking at the prospect of playing games without Ben Kindel, Bryan Rust, Blake Lizotte, and Justin Brazeu. Andrei Kuzmenko is also not here at the moment for non-injury related reasons, and it would not be a surprise if he did not return for quite some time given the circumstances.
Not exactly a great way to open a season that has a wide range of potential outcomes in the standings.
If Sergei Murashov is good and a few players take big steps forward, this could be a playoff team again. Potentially a good playoff team.
If Murashov is not good, and if a few players regress instead of progress, you might be looking at that high lottery pick.
It is also the first 84-game season in the NHL since the early 1990s, adding a couple of more games onto the schedule.
It all begins on Wednesday night, in Philadelphia, with a rematch of their 2025-26 first-round playoff series with the Flyers.
The Flyers are a bit of an unknown this season because, like the Penguins, they are coming off an unexpected playoff campaign. They have a really good young core of talent that is led by Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone, and a solid supporting cast around them. But while there is a good core of players in place, it’s still kind of tough to get a read on what their expectations should be for this season.
They have been one of the league’s best defensive teams for a couple of years now, but the offensive upside is still something that has to be determined. The development of players like Martone and Michkov will be key in determining where that goes.
How much of a step will Martone take after his late-season debut and emergence in the playoffs? Is he a franchise player? Just a strong building block? What does a full season of him look like at 19?
Will Michkov be able to not only bounce back from a disappointing sophomore season, but also build on it? How does his relationship with head coach Rick Tocchet evolve?
Those are two of the big questions the Flyers need answered.
There are more concerns and questions beyond the development of Martone and Michkov.
The first is related to whether or not starting goalie Dan Vladar repeats his 2025-26 performance? He had a career year for the Flyers and was not only a big part of the team’s return to the playoffs, he was a major part of their ability to beat the Penguins in the first round and advance. It was an objectively great year for him, but it was also by far the best season of his career and a complete 180 from what we have seen from him in the past.
He was injured late in the preseason, leaving his status for Wednesday somewhat up in the air, but he does seem on track to play.
If he isn’t ready, or if he simply regresses this season in terms of his production, one of their big offseason additions was Joseph Woll in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Woll is a little different than Vladar because he has been a strong performer in the early stages of his career, but is coming off a down year in Toronto. He is an interesting backup option and safety net, and depending on what Vladar does could end up being an important player for them.
The second concern is that outside of Woll, as well as the addition of former Penguins forward Noel Accairi, it was a mostly quiet offseason for the Flyers in terms of new faces.
They did take a massive swing by trying to add Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson on a restricted free agent offer sheet, but the Ducks matched the offer and kept him on the west coast. Had Philadelphia managed to pull that off it would have been a potential franchise-changer by giving them a bonafide, young No. 1 center just starting to enter his prime years. But they didn’t pull it off, and all they did instead was help reset the market for salaries across the NHL.
The Penguins and Flyers differ a little in their makeup, but both teams are wild-cards that have a wide range of outcomes that are dependent on a few X-factors going a particular way.
The Penguins 2-0-2 against the Flyers in the regular season a year ago, before losing the playoff series in six games, 4-2. That is a 4-4-2 record overall.
After playing in Philadelphia on Wednesday, the Penguins return home for their home-opener on Saturday night against the Montreal Canadiens.
Montreal is coming off its second consecutive trip to the playoffs, this time having advanced all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals.
It is largely the same roster coming back, with the one notable exception being the addition of veteran forward Chris Kreider.
Kreider is a strong pickup for the price tag, and does give the Canadiens a much-needed veteran winger for its top-nine.
While it was a quiet offseason in terms of additions, Montreal has one of the league’s best young cores built around Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson, and Noah Dobson. All of them are signed long-term to team-friendly deals that are going to give management all of the cap flexibility they need to add a supporting cast around them. Their window is just now starting to open, and it should be open for a while.
As good as the Canadiens were, and as good as the young core looks, it was not a team that really excelled during 5-on-5 play, or in terms of its overall defensive play. They finished the 2025-26 season 26th in the league in expected goals against per 60 minutes, and 23rd in expected goal share. Both numbers were also among the worst when it comes to playoff teams.
You might be able to tilt the ice on them a little bit.
But it does not mean that is going to translate into goals for you, or keeping them off the scoreboard.
The big issue for the Penguins at the start is going to be the reality of playing two playoff teams, both of which advanced to the second round, without an extensive list of forwards. The entire potential third line that showed so much promise in training camp and its brief time together in the preseason is going to be out. A couple of potential fourth-line options are out. It is going to open the door for some young players at the start, but it might not be what the Penguins wanted to be at full strength to open the season.
I am curious to see how the goalie rotation between Murashov and Arturs Silovs plays out, and how they handle the line combinations. Specifically as it relates to dealing with the third-line absences, where Nicholas Robertson plays and if he gets a chance on Sidney Crosby’s line, and who plays alongside defenseman Erik Karlsson.
Splitting these two games and coming away with at least two points would be a fair start given all of the circumstances.
If the Philadelphia Flyers learned anything from training camp and the short NHL preseason, it's that they cannot depend on Aleksei Kolosov for any reason in the event of an injury to fellow goalies Dan Vladar and Joseph Woll.
Throughout their NHL careers, durability has been a question mark for Vladar and Woll, and the Flyers' depth was tested early in the preseason when Vladar suffered an innocuous upper-body injury in Game 3 against Boston, putting him out of commission for a few days.
And, while Vladar is seemingly trending in the right direction for opening night against Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Kolosov's performances were bad enough to force the Flyers to reconsider their No. 3 goalie of choice before the start of the regular season.
It would be inadvisable, at this point, for the Flyers to pay up draft capital or other assets for a reserve goalie, though other avenues, namely the NHL waiver wire, remain at their disposal.
And, fortunately for the Flyers, there are actually a few decent enough options available to them to fill the No. 3 goalie role, bumping Kolosov and Carson Bjarnason each down one peg.
On Sunday afternoon, with opening night rosters due Monday night, a number of noteworthy goalies were placed on waivers around the league, headlined by Czech veterans Vitek Vanecek and David Rittich.
Rittich, 34, was placed on waivers by New Jersey on Sunday with the club claiming goalie Remi Poirier off the waiver wire from Dallas, and the veteran is certifiably the best option available to the Flyers.
Rittich should be Flyers' top choice
The longtime NHL backup has had stops with Nashville, Winnipeg, Los Angeles, Ontario (AHL), the New York Islanders, and now New Jersey over the last six seasons, and most recently went 14-10-3 in 30 games for the Islanders last season with a .894 save percentage, a 2.76 GAA, and two shutouts as Ilya Sorokin's understudy.
The fact that New Jersey waived Rittich in favor of Poirier, Nico Daws, and Jake Allen might deter other NHL teams from claiming him to be their No. 2, and he, like the other goalies we'll discuss, will need to pass through waivers a second time to be stashed in Lehigh Valley.
David Rittich is easily the best depth goalie available to the Flyers at this time. (Photo: David Kirouac, Imagn Images)
Rittich shouldn't have any issues finding a new home somewhere in the league, though the Flyers would be wise to at least attempt to snag and stash the big Czech goalie.
As for Vanecek, the 30-year-old never quite rebounded from a brutal 2023 playoff run with New Jersey, and he's had a save percentage no higher than .890 at the NHL level since the 2022-23 season.
At the same time, he boasts a career .900 save percentage in 210 NHL regular season games across eight seasons, and behind a good Devils team, Vanecek finished the 2022-23 season with a 33-11-4 record, a 2.45 GAA, a .911 save percentage, and three shutouts.
The lows can be low for Vanecek, but the highs can be high, especially when the game is simplified for him as the Flyers did with Vladar last year, to smashing success.
Vanecek's poor 5-13-3 record with Utah last year makes it unlikely other teams will be vying for his services, but for the Flyers, he's an obvious, experienced, and more proven candidate to be the No. 3 goalie, and far less likely than Kolosov to outright lose a game for the team.
The most intriguing name at the goalie position to hit the NHL waiver wire on Sunday was Nikita Tolopilo, a 26-year-old, 6-foot-6 netminder from Belarus who made his NHL debut for the Vancouver Canucks in 2025 under current Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet.
Tolopilo is a recent Calder Cup champion who split the 2025-26 season nearly evenly with Vancouver and AHL Abbotsford, going 6-11-2 with a 3.61 GAA and .881 save percentage on an awful Canucks team.
For an Abbotsford team that was equally bad (and had just one 20-goal-scorer), Tolopilo was 8-8-3 with a 3.07 GAA and .897 save percentage.
Certainly, the raw stats aren't very impressive, though Tolopilo has plenty of pro experience between the KHL, AHL, NHL, and HockeyAllsvenskan, and his familiarity with Tocchet and his systems works in his favor, too.
Tolopilo, like Poirier, is a fringe NHLer who could take on an opportunity elsewhere, and landing as a No. 3 goalie with the Flyers would be a good gig for him. Plus, he would get to reunite with fellow countrymen and former teammates Kolosov and Danila Klimovich, which should make for some quick and easy chemistry in Allentown.
The towering Tolopilo is older, bigger, and better than Kolosov and profiles more similarly to Vladar and Woll, which should make him an obvious option for the Flyers if they can't land someone else more seasoned at the NHL level.
The 2026-27 NHL season is about to get underway after an eventful offseason. led by two major trade requests and a boatload of money being handed out.
Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck and Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin made the trade requests and that will be hanging over their teams early this season. Fellow U.S. Olympian Brady Tkachuk was moved to the Florida Panthers.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Flyers made an offer sheet to the Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson that changed the salary structure for younger players. Carlsson's deal, which was matched, was topped by Mackllin Celelbrini and Cale Makar, who became the NHL's first $20 million player.
How does that change the power structure in the NHL? USA TODAY provides its season-opening power rankings:
New coach Manny Malhotra won an American Hockey League championship, but he'll have his work cut out to get the Canucks out of last place. Thatcher Demko and Filip Chytil are injured already. A key will be Elias Pettersson returning to form.
They added defenseman Simon Nemec after trading Mackenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson last season, but they're still in rebuilding mode.
30. Seattle Kraken
The Kraken are still looking for an identity after one playoff appearance in their first five years. Their offseason was relatively quiet outside of unsuccessfully trying to trade for Jason Robertson.
Three-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck remains away from the team while awaiting a trade. Goalie acquisition Stuart Skinner has had great - and bad - stretches, but he's no Hellebuyck. If the Jets get a good return, they'll move up the list.
Brady Tkachuk's skill set will be missed. The Senators have plenty going for them, but they are in a tough division.
26. Detroit Red Wings
Their troubled offseason included Larkin's trade request and GM Steve Yzerman stepping aside. Larkin is with the team, so that will help. But they won't end their 10-season playoff drought.
25. New York Islanders
A team with Matthew Schaefer, Ilya Sorokin and coach Peter DeBoer should make the playoffs. But the departure of captain Anders Lee hurts.
24. Los Angeles Kings
Coach Peter Laviolette usually has success in his first season with a team. The key question: Can Quinton Byfield thrive as a No. 1 center after Anze Kopitar's retirement?
23. Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks matched the offer sheet and got Cutter Gauthier re-signed, but the defense is weaker and they moved out Mason McTavish and Chris Kreider.
22. Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets were in the news a lot, but Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko weren't traded, and Adam Fantilli eventually re-signed. But even with bringing in Alexander Nichushkin, it might not be enough to end the team's playoff drought.
21. Philadelphia Flyers
Porter Martone will try to become the first Flyers player to win rookie of the year. Matvei Michkov looked better in training camp after a tough sophomore season. Still, the team didn't get its No. 1 center when the Ducks matched the offseason sheet.
The Rangers are a better team after trading for Pavel Dorofeyev and Sean Durzi. But they have a ground to make up to be a playoff team.
19. Nashville Predators
New GM Chris MacFarland added Mavrik Bourque, plus former Avs Jack Drury and Ross Colton. Trading Luke Evangelista might hurt, though.
18. Toronto Maple Leafs
New GM John Chayka lucked out with a lottery win and drafted Gavin McKenna, plus he signed two-time Stanley Cup winner Sergei Bobrovsky, 22-goal defenseman Darren Raddysh and remade the bottom six. New coach Jim Hiller will have to make it all mesh.
Franchise stalwarts Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are in the final years of their contracts. They got back to the playoffs last season. This season is not as certain, especially with Ben Kindel and Bryan Rust injured early.
The Blues moved Jordan Kyrou, kept Robert Thomas and named him captain. Offseason acquisitions Connor McMichael and Mason McTavish could push the Blues toward a playoff spot.
The Devils are deeper on the wings and Luke Evangelista was a good pickup. If their goaltending can hold up, their playoff absence could be only one season.
13. Boston Bruins
David Pastrnak leads by example with four consecutive 100-point seasons and now he has the captaincy. He, Morgan Geekie and Jeremy Swayman will lead the Bruins to the playoffs again.
12. Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights handed the coaching reins to Ryan Craig, who has been preparing for this position. He takes over a team that went to the Stanley Cup Final last season. He'll have to find a way to make up for Pavel Dorofeyev's lost goals.
The Sabres have the talent to make it two playoff appearances in a row after ending a record 14-season drought, but they have to figure how to make up for Alex Tuch's goals.
2026-27 NHL power rankings 10-1
10. Utah Mammoth
They've been spending wisely since moving to Salt Lake City, and now they've added veterans Anders Lee and Vincent Trocheck. A 100-point season seems possible.
9. Edmonton Oilers
They took a step back with a first-round exit and fired coach Kris Knoblauch. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are hoping veteran coach Mike Babcock takes them to the top.
The Lightning haven't escaped the first round since 2022 but they're still in a championship window, assuming Victor Hedman has a bounceback season. It would help if MVP Nikita Kucherov signs an extension.
7. Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens are built with a host of players on reasonable contracts growing together. That got them to the Eastern Conference finals. Now, they've added veteran power-play presence Chris Kreider to that mix.
6. Washington Capitals
The Capitals won the offseason by bringing in Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou and Boone Jenner. All-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin liked what he saw and signed a one-year deal.
5. Minnesota Wild
Bill Guerin received a contract extension and the hockey world is waiting for him to get one for Quinn Hughes. Otherwise, the Wild remain among the upper-tier teams in the tough Central Division.
The Stars re-signed Jason Robertson and traded Mavrik Bourque. But they get Tyler Seguin back from injury. They remain a deep, dangerous team.
3. Florida Panthers
The 2024 and 2025 champions imploded last season under major injuries, including Aleksander Barkov. He's back, the Panthers brought in Matthew Tkachuk's brother, Brady, and will be a Stanley Cup threat if the goaltending holds up.
2. Carolina Hurricanes
The defending champions are in the mix for a repeat. Brandon Bussi showed he can handle the net. They'll have to cope with Seth Jarvis' early injury and find a solution to Alexander Nikishin not reporting.
1. Colorado Avalanche
The No. 1 overall Avalanche were swept in the conference finals because of injuries to Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. If both stay healthy, the Avalanche can get to the final this year.
The Islanders threw us a curve as they wrapped up preseason cuts and reassignments by announcing the signing of Logan Stanley as Big Veteran Defenseman. Season-opening rosters are due throughout the NHL today, and certainly Stanley was not on our radar entering the weekend.
There are also several “he’s fine, it’s just maintenance” injury situations as camp winds down, so it seems there are a few moving parts that could linger into the season.
Brayden Schenn and Matthew Schaefer were described as precautionary after “tweak” during preseason, Tony DeAngelo missed for a “maintenance” day, and of course Mathew Barzal missed the whole preseason with his (presumed knee inflammation) but will travel with the team to Toronto where they open the season on Wednesday.
Islanders News
As Stanley stepped in, Isaiah George (thought by some to be poised to grab a roster spot), Cole Eiserman, Kashawn Aitcheson and Vitek Vanecek (if he clears waivers) were assigned to AHL Hamilton. [Isles]
Pete DeBoer said not to read the Stanley signing as disappointment in George’s progress, said it’s part of “the journey.” (Honestly, with all these vets and now Stanley, too, it didn’t look like a top-six job was even available unless George wowed them.) [Newsday | Post]
Stanley was skating with his old junior club awaiting a contract. DeBoer says he doesn’t buy the knock on Stanley’s skating, calling him “light on his feet,” and he likes adding a huge guy who can clear the front of the net, throw hits, fight and “can also play.” [Isles]
7 facts about Stanley, who will wear #8, is 6’7, 231 lbs., 28 years old. [Isles]
Season preview: The Isles, of course, feel they have a good hockey team. [Newsday]
Is that Ondrej Palat-Casey Cizikas-Anthony Duclair trio really gonna be a line? [Post]
Victor Eklund made every case to make the team. [Post]
Elsewhere
SO many players (71) on waivers over the weekend, most of them clearing. [Sportsnet]
Big storylines for the coming season are largely in the East. [NHL]
Once top-ranked James Hagens’ draft fall lit a fire under him. [NHL]
His new captain in Boston is David Pastrnak. [NHL]
One “bold” prediction for each team, though most are not bold. [Athletic]
COLUMBUS, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 24: Sergei Murashov #1 of the Pittsburgh Penguins attempts to make a save during the second period of the preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on September 24, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Monday morning…
The Penguins assigned Bill Zonnon, Harrison Brunicke and Joel Blomqvist to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Sunday and placed Blake Lizotte, Ben Kindel, Justin Brazeau and Ryan Graves on injured reserve. Pittsburgh must make at least two more roster moves before Monday’s deadline to reach the 23-player limit. [PensBurgh]
With Lizotte and Kindel out in the short term, forward Hendrix Lapierre is looking to capitalize on an opportunity after injuries created a hole in Pittsburgh’s bottom-six. Lapierre, acquired from Washington in the offseason, is competing with several players for a chance to fill the opening at center. [Trib Live]
The Penguins entered training camp with several goaltenders competing for NHL playing time, including Arturs Silovs, Sergei Murashov and Joel Blomqvist, giving head coach Dan Muse a problem to solve ahead of the regular season and for the team’s future. [Trib Live]
Murashov continues to make strides after two strong seasons in the AHL, putting himself in position to show his worth in the NHL. [Penguins]
Evgeni Malkin is set to begin his 21st NHL season at age 40, making him the oldest player on the Penguins and one of the oldest Penguins in franchise history. Malkin, who signed a one-year contract extension this offseason, remains part of Pittsburgh’s veteran core alongside Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang. [Trib Live]
News and notes from around the NHL…
David Pastrnak was named the 28th captain of the Boston Bruins, the team announced on Sunday. [Sportsnet]
The Carolina Hurricanes unveiled their Stanley Cup championship rings Sunday during a private ceremony honoring players, coaches and team staff. The rings feature nearly 900 diamonds and rubies and include design elements commemorating the team’s 2026 championship run. [NHL]
The B’s gave up two first-round picks to get the speedy German forward.
It sounds like Peterka wasn’t the only talented young forward the Bruins had interest in over the offseason.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported last week on his 32 Thoughts podcast that the Bruins made a trade offer for Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko. Friedman didn’t specify when the offer was made or which trade assets were involved.
“Montreal, everybody knows about, the Islanders I mentioned a couple pods ago,” Friedman said. “Toronto I think has really tried to keep their interest secret, but it’s kind of seeped out. I think Winnipeg at one point kind of looked into it.
“I heard Boston made an offer at one point. I had some people say Vegas, I had some other people say they weren’t sure it was Vegas. I have to think Seattle is around this. They’ve really been looking at trying to grab a top-end player and they could make this deal.”
Marchenko is 26 years old and will be a restricted free agent when his current contract expires after the upcoming 2026-27 season.
Marchenko and the Blue Jackets haven’t been able to reach an extension, and when recently asked about his future in Columbus, the veteran forward was non-committal.
Kirill Marchenko was asked if he wants to play hockey in Columbus.
“I want to play hockey. It’s all I can say right now.”
Should the Bruins pursue Marchenko via trade? He would be a good fit offensively.
It should be noted that we don’t know if the Bruins made this reported Marchenko offer before or after the Peterka trade with Utah. It’s possible they wouldn’t want to part with the assets needed to get Marchenko after giving up two first-rounders for Peterka.
But the B’s still need additional top-six forwards. Marchenko remains in the early stages of his prime, so he could help the team contend with its current veteran core (David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, etc.) and what could be the next core (James Hagens, Fraser Minten, Peterka, etc.).
Marchenko is an impressive offensive player. He has scored 21-plus goals in each of his four NHL seasons. He posted career highs in goals (31) and assists (47) in 79 games during the 2024-25 campaign. He scored 27 goals with 40 assists in 76 games last season. He has not been surrounded with a lot of high-end talent in Columbus, so it would be fair to assume that on a better team, such as the Bruins, he could score 30-plus goals and post 70-plus points pretty consistently.
In addition to his scoring prowess, Marchenko has very good size at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds.
The cost to get Marchenko would likely be massive, especially if a bunch of teams have interest. The B’s still have all of their own first-round picks in upcoming drafts, plus an unprotected Toronto Maple Leafs first-rounder in 2027 or 2028. Boston’s prospect pool was ranked 19th in the league by The Athletic in March, and young players such as Matt Poitras and Mason Lohrei still have upside. Would Columbus have interest in Pavel Zacha? He’s entering the final year of his contract and can become a UFA next summer.
What kind of assets would the Blue Jackets be looking for?
“We don’t want draft picks and prospects,” Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell told The Athletic. “We want the best player possible to replace him.”
Marchenko is not a center, and you could certainly argue that if the Bruins are going to spend their remaining premium trade assets on an impact player, then it should be for a No. 1 or No. 2 center, or perhaps a top-four defenseman. If a team does trade for Marchenko, signing him to an extension wouldn’t be cheap, either. But the salary cap is expected to rise quite a bit in future seasons, and the B’s don’t really have any burdensome contracts on their books (aside from Elias Lindholm’s deal).
Hagens or Minten could eventually slide into a top-six center role some point soon. In fact, Minten might be a top-six center on Opening Night depending on how the lineup shakes out.
The bottom line is the Bruins desperately need more high-end offensive players to take some of the scoring burden off Pastrnak. Marchenko can score goals and play a physical brand of hockey. He’s also just 26. He’s the type of player worth taking a chance on. The Bruins need to be aggressive to maximize the Pastrnak/McAvoy/Swayman core’s window to win.
New York Rangers center Matt Rempe (73) is separated from New Jersey Devils defenseman Topias Vilen (38) during the first period of a game at Madison Square Garden in New York, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026.
After entering training camp on the bubble, Matt Rempe — the 6-foot-9 forward known for his crushing hits and fights — found a way to stick on the Rangers’ opening night roster.
That became clear Sunday when the Rangers placed Taylor Raddysh on waivers, clearing the way for Rempe (who isn’t waiver-exempt) and Jaroslav Chmelar (who is) to make the initial 23-man group that’ll break training camp and head to Boston for Tuesday’s opener.
Rempe, who was limited to just 26 games last season after undergoing a pair of procedures on his left thumb, knew he entered training camp with a lot to prove to the coaching staff. And he seemingly did just that, carving out a space with the Blueshirts to start the year.
New York Rangers center Matt Rempe (73) is separated from New Jersey Devils defenseman Topias Vilen (38) during the first period of a game at Madison Square Garden in New York, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
At the Rangers’ first preseason sessions, though, Rempe was just a forward rotating in. He didn’t log the first reps with the fourth line initially. He strung together 14 hits, a pair of assists and two blocked shots during his three preseason appearances.
Friday against the Islanders, when the Rangers treated it like a dress rehearsal, Rempe — who has logged 96 games across the regular season and playoffs, picking up 12 points and 10 fights — skated alongside Tye Kartye and Joe Veleno on the fourth line.
It all marked a return of the healthy version of Rempe, who struggled with shooting and handling pucks in 17 games after the first thumb procedure last season. Before the Rangers’ first exhibition, he last skated in an NHL game Feb. 5.
New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe skates on the ice against the New Jersey Devils in the first period at Madison Square Garden in New York, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. JASON SZENES FOR NEW YORK POST
“You have to acknowledge that he’s missed a lot of hockey, so he’s — to a certain extent, he’s trying to recapture all of those things that help players have success,” head coach Mike Sullivan said of Rempe on Friday. “Speed, timing, conditioning, all of those things. … It’s hard to simulate NHL game intensity in a practice, so he played in three games, three out of the four, and that was by design because he’s missed so much.
“Remps has been a big part of this team, and I think the guys really appreciate what he does for the group.”
The NHL dreams of 27 hockey players at Senators camp will have to wait for another day.
The team released five players outright on Sunday, including defenseman Scott Harrington. Harrington played 68 games for Belleville last season and he's a veteran of 255 NHL games. He was on a professional tryout with the Sens, as were the other releases: Landen Hookey, Luke Mistelbacher, Cal Uens and goalie Vadim Zherenko.
Zherenko seemed to be the plan B in case the Senators lost Leevi Merilainen on waivers. They did lose Merilainen, thanks to a Vancouver Canucks' claim, but the Sens brought in outside help instead, trading for Jonas Johansson. They picked Johansson up for future considerations from Tampa after they sent him to Syracuse.
So Zherenko obviously didn't quite do enough at camp to win the Senators over.
Ten players were loaned to Belleville and everyone on this list is waivers-exempt: Djibril Toure, Oskar Pettersson, Kasper Halttunen, Tomas Hamara, Eskild Bakke Olsen, Matthew Andonovski, Gabriel Eliasson, Lucas Ellinas, Jackson Parsons and Kevin Reidler.
The other Belleville-bound players will have to clear waivers first, including Tyler Boucher, their 10th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. Others include Samuel Blais and Philip Tomasino, who had excellent camps, along with Samuel Bolduc, Xavier Bourgault, Philippe Daoust, Ryan Suzuki and Christian Kyrou.
Four players will be headed back to junior for another season. That includes Jaxon Cover (London, OHL), their first round draft pick in June. Other junior players heading back are Louis-Félix Bourque (Drummondville, QMJHL), Adam Nemec (Sudbury, OHL) and Blake Vanek (Calgary, WHL).
So there are now still 29 players remaining on the roster, and the deadline for getting down to the max roster of 23 is 5 pm Monday. So assuming the Sens carry the max, a combination of six players, depending on their situations, will have to be released, placed on waivers, sent directly to Belleville, or placed on injured reserve.
The goaltending is locked in with Linus Ullmark and Samuel Ersson. Things get good and muddy after that.
The Senators' list walking wounded includes Artem Zub, Jake Sanderson, Shane Pinto, Warren Foegele, Andre Burakovsky, and Kurtis MacDermid. Sanderson and Burakovsky both left Saturday's action due to injury.
We also know that Ridly Greig will miss the first two games after being suspended for a sucker punch he threw in last spring's playoffs.
Zub is the only injured player who's officially not expected to be available to start the season. Donovan is still here because injured players can't be sent down.
Beyond that, the list below has the probable NHL roster in bold, if/once everyone gets healthy. Players in regular font are likely still here to fill in.
The only real debate in our projection is whether Carter Yakemchuk did enough to be in the top six. If he didn't, Nikolas Matinpalo would likely be the Sens' sixth D, and because you want Yakemchuk to keep playing, Ben Hutton might be a better option as the seventh defenseman.
Defensemen
Thomas Chabot Jake Sanderson (injured) Artem Zub (injured) Jordan Spence Tyler Kleven Nikolas Matinpalo Carter Yakemchuk
Cameron Crotty Jorian Donovan (injured) Ben Hutton (PTO) Hoyt Stanley
Forwards
Michael Amadio Drake Batherson Andre Burakovsky (injured) Nick Cousins Dylan Cozens William Eklund Warren Foegele (injured) Claude Giroux Ridly Greig (suspended for first 2 games) Shane Pinto (injured) Tim Stützle Fabian Zetterlund Stephen Halliday Kurtis MacDermid (injured)
Hayden Hodgson Blake Montgomery
The roster deadline is here, but injuries have made the Senators’ final decisions anything but simple.
The NHL Network concluded their annual top-50 NHL player countdown on Sunday evening, and unsurprisingly a member of the San Jose Sharks made it into the top five.
Macklin Celebrini, the Sharks' new captain, was named the fifth-best player in the NHL in the most recent countdown, behind just Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Nikita Kucherov, and Cale Makar. Celebrini is also the youngest player inside of the top 10 by quite a ways, with the next closest being Quinn Hughes who is 26 years old.
Last season, Celebrini's 115 points were the fourth-most in the NHL and set a new Sharks franchise record, surpassing Joe Thornton's total of 114 during the 2006-07 season. Celebrini also finished tied for fourth in the NHL for goals, lighting the lamp 45 times.
It's no surprise that Celebrini has catapulted himself into superstardom after a pheomenal sophomore season with the San Jose Sharks. Now, it's just a matter of seeing how he can build on it in his third season.
Now that we know who will be on the San Jose Sharks' roster to start the 2026-27 season, it's time to look at who will play where when they take the ice on opening night.
The forward lines will likely remain exactly the same as they were in the Sharks' final preseason game against the Vegas Golden Knights. While an argument could be made to swap Sherwood and Toffoli, Ryan Warsofsky seemed to really like the top two lines during their time together, so it seems unlikely much will change there. Brett Leason will remain on the Sharks roster until Adam Gaudette is ready to return, then he'll likely be waived for the purpose of reassignment to the Barracuda. Dellandrea will cycle in as needed throughout the season.
Projected Defensive Pairings:
Darnell Nurse - Michael Kesselring
Luca Cagnoni - Jacob Trouba
Sam Dickinson - Dmitry Orlov
Scratches: Nolan Allan
This is where things got a little bit difficult. During preseason, Jacob Trouba played almost exclusively with Nolan Allan and logically, that would continue into the regular season. With that being said, since the Sharks opted to keep Sam Dickinson in the NHL, I'd assume they're not planning on sitting him in the press box when he could be developing in the American Hockey League. If they don't want Dickinson in the lineup, they could've easily kept Libor Hajek in the NHL as the seventh defenseman and allowed their 20-year-old prospect to regain his confidence at the AHL level.
Throughout the preseason, Dmitry Orlov split his time between playing with Dickinson and Luca Cagnoni. As a result, it was difficult to figure out where exactly to put them each in the lineup. Orlov and Cagnoni are both comfortable playing their off-side, which gives them some flexibility as well. Ultimately, I opted to put Cagnoni with Trouba simply so he doesn't have to play his off-hand while adapting to the NHL.
More than likely, the Sharks will scratch Dickinson and play Allan with Trouba and Cagnoni with Orlov. With that being said, given the lack of asset management in that approach, I prefer to see Dickinson in the lineup. If a team is keeping a 20-year-old in the NHL, they need to be on the ice. While sitting and watching can be valuable at times, Dickinson already has a full NHL season under his belt. In the past, I've been critical regarding the idea of sending Dickinson to the AHL based on how it has affected other players' development in recent years, but if it's between that or not playing, the choice is clear in my mind.
Goaltending:
Yaroslav Askarov
Alex Nedeljkovic
Heading into the preseason, I thought that there was a legitimate chance that the season began with Alex Nedeljkovic as the Sharks' starting netminder and Yaroslav Askarov as the backup. Askarov put in quite a bit of work during the summer though and looked like a much more confident goaltender during the preseason. Whether that'll be sustained in the regular season remains to be seen, as consistency has been his biggest issue to this point, but he did enough in my mind to maintain the starting job for the time being.
