Entering a new NHL season, all 32 teams begin with the same record, but each of them has different goals.

Most teams are on the pursuit of greatness, looking to win a Stanley Cup, while others are in a different phase, looking for small wins to use as stepping stones.

Predicting who wins the Stanley Cup is always fun to put together, even if it's quite challenging to get it right. Each contender has their strengths and weaknesses.

Here are the five teams with the best odds of winning the Stanley Cup in 2025-26, according to sportbook BetMGM, and why they could or could not win it all.

Florida Panthers

To the surprise of very few, the Panthers are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup, currently at 7.00 odds (+600).

The Panthers are back-to-back Stanley Cup champions and are returning with virtually the same roster. Although some moves will need to be made to fit under the salary cap once Matthew Tkachuk returns from his injury, the Panthers are expected to roster a lineup as strong as it was last year after the trade deadline, when they added Brad Marchand and Seth Jones.

Why they could win: The Panthers have more depth and experience than any team in the NHL. They play a physical brand of hockey that translates to playoff success, and whether they are outmatched in skill or not, they'll outwork their opponents until they win. They have the true makings of a modern-day dynasty. 

Why they could not win: Fatigue will eventually play a role. They've been to the Stanley Cup final three straight times, have had significant injuries to key players, such as Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart, and their top players are expected to go to the 2026 Olympics. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is also 36, and he's played a lot of hockey that could catch up to him.

Chasing History: Can the Panthers Pull Off the NHL’s First Three-Peat Since 1983?By Anthony Carbone, The Hockey News intern.

Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche are tied for the second-best odds of winning the Stanley Cup at 9.00 (+800), according to BetMGM.

With superstars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, the Avalanche are always a threat to make a long run. Valeri Nichushkin, Artturi Lehkonen and Gabriel Landeskog will hopefully be healthy all season long, and Martin Necas' chemistry with MacKinnon should only improve. 

Why they could win: The Avalanche have the playoff experience as well and the stars to back it up. MacKinnon and Makar alone have the skill to win a series, but their secondary scorers and the value they provide outside of their offense can win them games.

The Avs are the fastest team in the league, according to NHL Edge. If they can use their home-ice advantage effectively, they can beat any team.

Why they could not win: Although they were crowned Cup champions in 2021-22, they haven't made it past the second round since then. In fact, they have only made it past the second round once in the MacKinnon Era. They have the roster to do so, but putting it together has proved to be a difficult task to replicate. Considering the time Landeskog and Nichushkin have missed since the Cup win, it's uncertain whether they will be able to play the full season.

Vegas Golden Knights

Tied with the Avalanche in odds are the Golden Knights, which used this off-season to bolster their lineup with superstar playmaker Mitch Marner.

Their post-season experience stretches further than the Avalanche's, and their play style differs, but they remain a threat to win their second Stanley Cup championship. 

Why they could win: The Golden Knights are the last team to defeat the Panthers in the playoffs, and they did so by being stingy defensively and physical.

Led by Jack Eichel, the Golden Knights blend skill and grit to a tee. Marner's playmaking should elevate Eichel's game, and they can balance out their scoring by separating Mark Stone from Eichel.

Why they could not win: The Golden Knights are an older team, and fatigue has caught up to them in recent years. When the playoffs roll around, the Golden Knights seem to be getting worse, increasing the mental errors a team usually cleans up by the playoffs. If their offensive philosophies remain the same and they enter the playoffs fatigued, similar results will occur. 

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Carolina Hurricanes:

The Hurricanes, too, went out and continued to chase big names, adding Nikolaj Ehlers to their core. Their odds now sit at 9.25 (+825).

Ehlers may not solve Carolina's size or physicality issue, but he'll improve the quality and the quantity of chances the Hurricanes create. The Canes never seem to have much of an issue escaping the Metropolitan Division, but the Eastern Conference final has proved to be a task too big for them to tackle.

Why they could win: Like the Avalanche, the Hurricanes play fast, are relentless on the puck and use home ice to their advantage, going 31-9-1 at home last season. The Hurricanes, at their best, can skate teams out of the building, and they are more than equipped to do so again this year. 

Why they could not win: Physical teams that shrink the ice, such as the Panthers and previously the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers, have not only defeated the Hurricanes but steamrolled them.

The Hurricanes have yet to find a way to break down these teams' defensive structure and are unwilling to change their play style to do so. If nothing changes, it'll be another year of similar results for the Hurricanes. 

Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers came out empty-handed in their two straight runs to the Stanley Cup final, but just accomplishing what they did is no small feat. The Oilers find ways to win in the playoffs, and that's a valuable trait that not many teams possess. Their odds of winning the Stanley Cup in 2025-26 are 9.50 (+850). 

Why they could win: With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers always have a chance to win. The duo steals games singlehandedly more than any other duo in the NHL, and it's why they've gone on long playoff runs.

Why they could not win: Goaltending and depth have been issues for the Oilers since McDavid was drafted, and it appears to be an issue again heading into the 2025-26 campaign.

At times during their playoff runs, the Oilers got plenty of depth scoring and strong goaltending, but it came in spurts. When the well dried, the Oilers felt out of place. The 2026 NHL trade deadline will be key for the Oilers, but it's hard to imagine roster changes that can fix all their holes. 

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William Nylander was already heading to Italy in February to represent Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics, but the Toronto Maple Leafs forward is going a bit earlier. The player is one of 25 who will take part in the annual NHL/NHLPA European Player Media Tour on Friday.

For the first time, the tour will be in Italy as the NHL and Lega Serie A begin to reveal more details about their content collaboration partnership that was announced last month. The media tour takes place one day before the 2025-26 Serie A season kicks off. Nylander is no stranger to the European media tour, having participated in it before. He spends his offseason in Sweden, so he doesn’t have to cross the world for it.

Both leagues have framed the partnership as an opportunity to promote both their brands and sports and create cross-sport opportunities ahead of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The partnership was inspired by a collaboration back in March that saw Scudetto’s Andrea Pirlo and Marco Materazzi exchange jerseys with New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad at Madison Square Garden.

This partnership may even lead to bigger cross-sport opportunities in the not-too-distant future, such as an exchange of jerseys between Nylander and a Serie A club player, or even the NHL's Global Series games expanding to Italy.

The Story Behind NHL's Serie A Partnership

Here's what actually matters about this NHL-Serie A collaboration.

It started back in March when Rangers center Mika Zibanejad exchanged jerseys with some Serie A legends at Madison Square Garden. Now both leagues are trying to milk this cross-sport promotion ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics. The media tour happens right before Serie A's 2025-26 season kicks off. Smart marketing timing, if nothing else.

What This Could Mean for Future Maple Leafs Content?

The partnership isn't just about photo ops and jersey swaps. We might actually see some interesting crossover content coming. Think Nylander trading jerseys with AC Milan or Inter Milan players. Maybe even some behind-the-scenes content showing how European hockey players and soccer stars train differently. Could this lead to NHL Global Series games in Italy? The league is definitely planting seeds for that possibility.

Will This Impact Nylander's Season Preparation?

This is essentially a one-day media commitment in Europe. Nylander does these European tours regularly anyway. He knows the drill, and it's not going to mess with his training schedule. The guy spends his entire offseason in Sweden, so he's already in European time zones. This won't affect his readiness for training camp or the season.

The Bigger Picture for Hockey in Europe

This NHL-Serie A partnership shows how serious the league is about European expansion. Italy isn't exactly a hockey hotbed. But with the 2026 Olympics coming to Milano Cortina, the timing makes perfect sense. The NHL wants to capitalize on that Olympic spotlight. Having star players like Nylander involved helps legitimize these international partnerships.

What Leafs Fans Should Actually Care About?

This is mostly just good PR for the NHL. Nylander gets some international exposure, which is never bad for his brand. The Leafs benefit from having a player involved in league-wide initiatives.

Latest stories: 

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have only had two players wear #54, and none since 2019. 

Today we'll look at who has worn it, what they did, and where they are now. 

Scott Harrington - Harrington played 185 games for the Blue Jackets after being traded to Columbus by Toronto with a conditional pick in 2017 NHL Draft for Kerby Rychel on June 25, 2016. Those 185 games would be spread out over six seasons, with 2018-19 being the year he played the most games at 73. He scored 7 goals and totaled 37 points in his career with Columbus, with the 18-19 season being his most productive with 17. 

During his time in the Columbus organization, he would also play 52 games for the Cleveland Monsters, scoring 7 total points. 

Harrington would sign with San Jose in 2022 and then be traded to New Jersey in February of 2023. New Jersey would then put him on waivers a few days later, where he would be picked up by Anaheim and play 17 games. 

In 2023, Harrington would leave for Europe and play for the ZSC Lions of the Swiss League. After playing just 14 games in 23-24, he would return to North America for the 24-25 season and play for the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL. 

As of now, he hasn't signed on anywhere to play for 25-26. 

Adam McQuaid - Columbus originally drafted McQuaid in the 2nd round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. McQuaid would never play for the CBJ, though. While he was still in the OHL, he was traded to Boston by Columbus for Boston's 5th-round pick in the 2007 NHL Draft, on May 16, 2007. The pick that the Jackets sent to Boston ended up being Jamie Benn. 

After playing nine years in Boston, he was traded to the Rangers in 2018. But in 2019, McQuaid was traded to Columbus from New York to help the Jackets with their playoff push. He played in 14 games to end the season before suffering an injury that would ultimately end his career. 

On March 28, 2019, Montreal’s Andrew Shaw gave McQuaid a nasty blindside shot that took him out of the game, and his career. McQuaid told The Athletic, “I definitely wasn’t in a good place physically. Then it weighed on me mentally. I wasn’t feeling like myself. I had many injuries throughout my career, unfortunately. That became part of my story. I look at it more as having overcome different injuries, come back, try to play the same way and not have it affect my outlook on playing. But I was probably at a point where I had the most going on. I had so many different things that were really nagging me. I felt like I wanted to give more. But you hear guys say that they’re asking their bodies to do things and just not getting the response they want.”

McQuaid would finish his career 73 points and one Stanley Cup. 

Who was your favorite #54?

There are 54 days to go until opening night at NWA. 

Let us know what you think below.

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The New Jersey Devils will be looking to take another step in the right direction in 2025-26 after getting back into the playoffs this past spring. They certainly have a good-looking roster on paper, as they have big-time stars in Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt leading the charge.

Yet, the Devils have some players who could be nice surprises for them in 2025-26, too. Let's discuss two of them now. 

Cody Glass

Cody Glass proved to be a solid fit after the Devils acquired him from the Pittsburgh Penguins at the 2025 NHL trade deadline. In 14 games with the Devils following the trade, he posted two goals, seven points, and a plus-4 rating. This was after he had just four goals in 15 points in 51 games with the Penguins before the trade.

Clearly, the move to the Devils benefited Glass, and it is going to be interesting to see if he can build off it in 2025-26. The potential for the 2017 first-round pick to be a strong part of the Devils' top nine is there if he can tap into his offensive potential a bit more next season. 

Thomas Bordeleau 

Earlier this off-season, the Devils acquired forward Thomas Bordeleau from the San Jose Sharks. While this was one of the smaller moves the Devils made this summer, fans should not sleep on Bordeleau. He has shown in the past that he can produce at the NHL level, and it will be interesting to see if the change of scenery benefits him, like it did Glass. 

Bordeleau showed promise with the Sharks during the 2023-24 season, specifically, as he recorded six goals and 11 points in 27 games. If he gets the chance to play on the Devils' NHL roster, the 23-year-old could give them their solid secondary scoring, which is a real need. 

New Devils Projected Top Six Has Interesting LookThe New Jersey Devils certainly have some decisions to make when it comes to their NHL roster. After bringing in multiple new players, there should be plenty of competition during training camp. This is especially so when noting that they also have young players who should be competing for spots, too. 

New York Islanders forward Maxim Tsyplakov sat down for an interview with The Slippery Ice program, and he touched on a lot. 

ЦЫПЛАКОВ | Из-за Овечкина остановили игру, Разборки со Спартаком, Штрафы в НХЛ | ЛЕДИнтервью с Максимом Цыплаковым: переход в НХЛ, адаптация в «Айлендерс», жизнь в США. Максим делится историей отказа от контракта со «Спартаком», выбором «Айл...

With the help of Hockey News Hub, here's some of the tranlsation from the interview: 

Why did Tsyplakov choose the Islanders?

“I had offers from Boston, Vegas, and Florida, but with the Islanders I saw the best chance to actually play — not just 5–7 minutes a game."

“They told me they saw me with Palmieri and Nelson. At first I didn't believe it, but then I was really playing on that line."

Tsyplakov also made a note that he wasn't chasing a dream to come to the NHL and would have stayed in Russia had Spartak offered him a fair team. 

What was his first NHL season like?

“I scored in my very first game — over 21 minutes of ice time. I was exhausted."

"The NHL game is different. It's more direct - everything forward, no risky passes. At first it felt robotic compared to Russia."

“I proved to myself I can play at this level.”

Tsyplakov wished he had scored more than 10 goals, but said that he saw a lot of growth in his game and is hopeful that he can make more of an impact on the scoresheet in year two. 

Lamoriello & Fines

"Lou Lamoriello is strict - clean shave, dress code, everything. But I actually like that kind of discipline."

“I got fined around $15,000 after my suspension — that money goes into a league fund. It stings.”

“Fines for small things in the locker room are $500. You learn quickly.”

Tsyplakov was fined and suspended for his hit against Philadelphia Flyers forward Ryan Peopling back on Jan. 16. 

“I still don't fully understand why I was suspended. To me, it was a clean hit.”

“The team supported me. Lou said, 'Better not to fight this one, so they don't target you later.'”

“My mistake was not fighting right away — then the guys kept coming after me.”

"In Philly, they kept cross-checking and chirping all game. Finally I dropped the gloves with Lawton. We wrestled more than punched, but at least it was done."

“Matt Martin gave me advice - who you can fight, who you shouldn't. That helped."

On his teammates:

“I asked if I could play music in the room. They said no. I put it on anyway - same as I did in Spartak.”

“Sorokin sold me out — he told everyone I blasted my playlist on day two.” (laughs)

“Palmieri, Bailey, Cizikas, Clutterbuck — the older guys all help. Having Russian guys like Sorokin, Romanov, and Varlamov also made it easier.”

Adapting to a new way of life:

“My English isn't perfect, but I studied with a tutor and forced myself to talk to foreign teammates. It gets easier.”

My wife had it harder - she didn't know English at first. Luckily, we found Russian-speaking neighbors with kids the same age."

“We rented a place, didn't buy. With a rookie contract, you don't know if you'll stay.”

"American food is so greasy. At first, it was uncomfortable. In Moscow, you get small portions - in New York, they bring a bucket of salad."

“I miss buckwheat and dumplings — we'd drive to Brighton Beach for Russian groceries."

On Patrick Roy: 

"Patrick Roy can be fiery. He once screamed at me for a mistake in the last 30 seconds of a period. He said, 'In the last five minutes, no risks — just dump it in.' I learned quickly.”

"The hardest thing was the long preseason — I felt overtrained before camp even started. Then came Roy's brutal conditioning drills. My legs were dead."

“Compared to Jamnov, Roy is more emotional and explosive.”

"Kovalchuk worked with me a lot in Spartak. He taught me how to create space near the boards and how to change tempo - slow down, then burst past a defender. That helped me in the NHL."

Agency Issues:

“My first agent disappeared after I signed. Didn't help me with housing or anything. Luckily a Russian-speaking friend of Romanov's helped with everything.”

“I later changed agents. Now I have people who actually care.”

Tsyplakov is now represented by Ryan Barnes of Quartex. 

On Facing Ovechkin:

“When Ovechkin scored, the game basically stopped. We just stood there, legs burning, watching. It was special.”

“After the game I shook his hand and told him, 'You're a machine.' It was my first time meeting him.”

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

The 2025-26 season is rapidly approaching, and it is going to be interesting to see how the Pittsburgh Penguins perform after their busy off-season. When looking at their current roster, they have some under-the-radar players who could end up being nice surprises for them in 2025-26. Let's discuss two of them. 

Philip Tomasino 

The Penguins acquired Philip Tomasino during this past season after he had a cold start to the campaign with the Nashville Predators. After posting one assist in 11 games with Nashville in 2024-25, Tomasino had 11 goals and 23 points in 50 games with Pittsburgh following the trade. Overall, the 24-year-old had a solid start to his Penguins tenure and will be looking to build off it. 

Tomasino has also shown early on in his career that he has the potential to provide decent offense when playing at his best. Perhaps this will be the year that the 2019 first-round breaks out and cements himself as a true top-six forward.

Justin Brazeau 

Justin Brazeau is a new Penguins forward who fans should not sleep on in 2025-26. The 6-foot-6 winger has shown promise early on in his NHL career, as he can provide decent secondary offense in addition to grit. During this past season, he set career highs with 11 goals, 11 assists, 22 points, and 123 hits in 76 games split between the Boston Bruins and Minnesota Wild. 

When noting that Brazeau is only entering his third NHL season, the possibility of the 27-year-old breaking out should not be ruled. Thus, he could end up being a nice surprise for the Penguins in 2025-26. 

New Penguins Top Six Projection Has Intriguing LookThe Pittsburgh Penguins brought in several new players this off-season, so their lineup will certainly look different next season. They will also have plenty of decisions to make when it comes to assembling their lineup, so they will need to be watched closely during the pre-season.

After their eight-year playoff run ended last season, the Boston Bruins made moves to bolster their roster for a bounce-back performance in 2025-26. 

They acquired right winger Viktor Arvidsson from the Edmonton Oilers and signed free agents Tanner Jeannot, Sean Kuraly, Michael Eyssimont and Jordan Harris. 

Nevertheless, there's speculation suggesting the Bruins might not be done making moves during this off-season. 

RG.Org's James Murphy recently reported Casey Mittelstadt's future in Boston could be in question. The Bruins acquired the 26-year-old center and prospect winger William Zellers from the Colorado Avalanche in the Charlie Coyle deal before the March NHL trade deadline. 

Murphy claimed some observers believe the promising Zellers was the real target for the Bruins as they restock their prospect pool. They wonder if Mittelstadt could be dangled in the trade market at some point. 

If so, it'll mark the third time since March 2024 that Mittelstadt would be on the move. Back then, he was sent to the Avalanche by the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for defenseman Bowen Byram.

The Hockey News’ Michael DeRosa said Mittelstadt is one of the Bruins’ top centers, but he only put up six points and a minus-17 rating in 18 games after last season’s trade. At his age, he has bounce-back potential.

Murphy also indicated that trade rumors have dogged Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo and forward Pavel Zacha since the NHL draft in late June. However, Korpisalo's agent denied that his client was unhappy in Boston and wanted out, while Zacha's representative dismissed the chatter as “just rumors.”

Boston Hockey Now's Andrew Fantucchio dismissed the notion of Mittelstadt or Zacha being shopped this summer. He indicated the Bruins intend to contend for a playoff berth this season, which they can't do by further depleting their depth among their top-six forwards.

DeRosa, however, says it would not be surprising if the Bruins shake up their roster during the season if they struggle again.

NHL Summer Splash Rankings: No. 17, Boston BruinsWe’re now reaching the halfway point of The Hockey News’ NHL summer splash series with the Boston Bruins at No. 17.

Meanwhile, David Staples of the Edmonton Journal cited a recent rumor suggesting the Bruins could be cooking up a deal that would see them ship right winger Fabian Lysell to the Oilers. 

Lysell, 22, was the Bruins' first-round pick in the 2021 draft. However, he's struggled to establish himself as a full-time NHL forward. 

Staples rejected speculation suggesting the Bruins' asking price for Lysell might be promising forward Matthew Savoie or speedy winger Vasily Podkolzin. He doesn't see Lysell as a fit with the Oilers unless he's a ferocious checker like Savoie. 

The move would make sense if the Oilers were attempting to shed Podkolzin's $1-million cap hit. They currently have around $225,000 in cap space. However, acquiring Lysell's $835,000 wouldn't be much of a savings. Sending him to the minors after trading away Podkolzin would leave them thinner up front.

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NHL GMs are under pressure every year to prove they can craft a successful squad.

Every team's GM must ensure they have the pieces in place to compete for a Stanley Cup, whether it's right away or down the line. If their team's stuck in a rut, and they can't prove they can craft a roster, coaching staff and management group that takes the franchise to another level, then it's time to swap them out for someone else.

Some of the five NHL GMs with the most to prove in 2025-26 are undoubtedly on the hot seat, while others might not be at risk of getting fired but do have to show their vision can work.

In alphabetic order, here are five NHL GMs who must prove they're on the right track with their clubs.

Kevyn Adams, Buffalo Sabres

No GM in the NHL has more to prove than Adams, who's held the Sabres job since June 2020.

Instead of ending a lengthy playoff drought, the Sabres have extended it by five years under Adams to a shocking 14.

Not only does Adams have to prove he can build the Sabres into a playoff team, but he also has to prove he can make Buffalo an attractive destination for NHL players. 

That has been a serious challenge for Adams’ predecessors in the Sabres’ front office. Until Buffalo makes the playoffs, it’s going to be an uphill battle for Adams & Co. to convince NHLers the Sabres are a legitimate threat to win the Stanley Cup. 

Adams likely has only this year to get that job done, because if Buffalo fails to make the playoffs for the 15th straight season, someone else will likely be Sabres GM next season. The Sabres are a laughingstock, and nothing less than a post-season appearance will prevent Adams from being dismissed next summer – or sooner.

Kyle Dubas, Pittsburgh Penguins

Dubas has been Penguins GM since June 2023.

While he did prove he could build a championship team at the AHL level by steering the Toronto Marlies to a Calder Cup victory in 2018, he hasn’t done the same thing in the NHL. His five years as Toronto Maple Leafs GM resulted in only one playoff series win – and Pittsburgh has failed to make the playoffs both years under Dubas.

Dubas now has to prove he’s putting the Penguins on the right road to success, including guiding them to a playoff spot in the next season or two and/or setting up the franchise to thrive in the long term. Thus far, Dubas hasn’t achieved either goal, and Pens fans accustomed to consistent playoff runs aren’t going to sit by idly if Pittsburgh’s struggles continue. He has made steps to restock the prospect cupboard, which is a decent start toward looking toward the long term, but there are still veterans he could move and hasn't, which makes it important that they be a competitive squad.

Dubas can still show he’s the right man for the job this upcoming season. But the pressure to achieve something positive is very real, and time will tell whether he’s succeeded in one form or another.

Five NHL Goaltenders With The Most To Prove In 2025-26With the skill level and speed at which the current game is played, NHL goaltenders have struggled to perform at a high level season-to-season.

Bill Guerin, Minnesota Wild

The Wild made the post-season in five of the last six seasons, but winning a round has been another story altogether. They haven't won any in that span, including the qualifying round in 2020. Guerin has to be given credit for running things for the Wild since August 2019, but at the same time, he has yet to make a roster that can go deep in the post-season.

Guerin has the respect of the hockey world – you don’t get named GM of Team USA for the 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics team if you’re not doing a lot of things right. That said, Minnesota fans have been aching to have a Wild team capable of winning a Cup.

Sooner or later, Guerin needs to demonstrate he can be the architect of a team that’s a playoff menace. Securing a contract extension for Kirill Kaprizov and doing something with Marco Rossi would be crucial steps.

Barry Trotz, Nashville Predators

Trotz has enjoyed tremendous success as an NHL coach, winning a Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2017-18. However, he’s still in his early days as a GM in hockey’s top league, rejoining the Predators as GM in 2023. Since then, the Preds have lost in the first round in Trotz’s first year as GM, then missing the playoffs completely last season.

Needless to say, Trotz has to show that last season’s disappointing results were an anomaly, and the Predators can not only make the playoffs in 2025-26 but also do some actual damage once they get there.

As a coach, Trotz has nothing to prove to anyone. But he understands that the Preds haven’t had many long post-season runs in their 26-year history, and he has to show fans the future is bright. 

Right now, the Preds’ future is cloudy. And Trotz’s job is to clear that up and instill a sense of optimism that better days are immediately ahead.

Five NHL Wingers With The Most To Prove In 2025-26As is the case in every NHL season, certain players are coming in with something to prove. Whether it’s to justify a pay raise or a trade or to bounce back from a subpar year, some players have every motivation to improve on their results at any given time.

Steve Yzerman, Detroit Red Wings

Yzerman has a ton of pressure to prove himself in Detroit. The Red Wings have missed the playoffs for the past nine seasons, and although Yzerman has only been GM for six of them, there's not much time left to be patient.

Yzerman’s was an on-ice legend with the Red Wings, and he’s had a lot of trust and time to rebuild the roster and develop a new Stanley Cup contender. But Red Wings fans accustomed to decades of playoff appearances and four Cup wins in the last 30 years are clearly nearing their wits’ end watching this team flail and wail.

Yzerman won’t have much longer to prove to Wings fans that his blueprint for success is working. If there is more misery this coming season, you’d have to think Yzerman’s time running the team will be coming to an end.

If he gets the Red Wings into the playoffs this year, Yzerman buys himself more time. But if Detroit is once again on the outside of the post-season picture looking in, Yzerman will be looking to prove himself a top-tier GM with another organization.

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On Tuesday night, news broke that unrestricted free agent Victor Olofsson was getting close to choosing his team for the 2025-26 season. 

The Hockey News confirmed that the Islanders were not involved in any discussions with Olofsson's camp during the free agent process. 

The #Isles are not involved in this. https://t.co/iqAURd4uQ2

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) August 20, 2025

Puckpedia shared that they believed he would be signing a one-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche.

UFA F Victor Olofsson is expected to sign with #GoAvsGo for 1 year deal https://t.co/s8qU8unJ8Ahttps://t.co/WjUKCKH5Gm

— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) August 20, 2025

For the New York Islanders, Olofsson would have made sense early on in free agency as a player who could help them at 5-on-5, but more importantly on the power play.

He also always seemed to be a player, especially during his time in Buffalo, who would always find the back of the net against the Islanders. He has 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 22 games against Long Island, the second-highest point total behind his 17 against the New Jersey Devils (seven goals, 10 assists).

However, as free agency progressed, the Islanders brought aboard wingers to bolster all parts of their offense. They have Jonathan Drouin, Maxim Shabanov, and Emil Heineman now, along with a hopefully rejuvenated Anthony Duclair. 

While we don't expect any forward that wasn't on the NHL roster a year ago to push for a roster spot outside of Calum Ritchie, we've touched a lot about the options Patrick Roy has when filling out his lineup card.

Islanders 2025-26 NHL Projected RosterOn Tuesday, NHL.com posted Stefen Rosner's New York Islanders team reset piece. Included in that story was his projected lineup for the 2025-26 season:

That's going to be the biggest thing to watch during training camp. All we know right now is that Drouin will be skating alongside Bo Horvat, and Mathew Barzal will be going back to center-- that's at least the plan. 

Colorado doesn't seem like a great fit for Olofsson, with power-play time going to be hard to come by, but it's never a bad thing to bring in scoring depth, especially on a cheap short-term deal. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

The Carolina Hurricanes have released their theme-night schedule for the 2025-26 season.

Single-game ticket sales will go live to the general public on Thursday at noon EST, but season ticket members will be able to purchase tickets a day earlier.

In addition, fans can get early access to single-game tickets on Thursday morning by signing up for the team’s text alerts by texting SGT25 to 919-705-0896.

But here's what fans can expect to see this season:

(The team's official website also states that additional theme nights will be announced at a later date).

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Opening Night

The Carolina Hurricanes will kickoff their season at home, facing the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.

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Margaritaville Night

vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Saturday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.

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Hispanic Heritage Night

vs. Vegas Golden Knights
Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m.

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Halloween Celebration

There's no game on Halloween day, but the Canes will be celebrating spooky season with a Thursday night matchup (Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.) against the New York Islanders.

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Women in Sports Night

vs. Minnesota Wild
Thursday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m.

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Veterans Day

vs. Washington Capitals
Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m.

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Hockey Fights Cancer

vs. Vancouver Canucks
Friday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.

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First Responders Night

vs. Calgary Flames
Sunday, Nov. 30 at 5 p.m.

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Stanley Cup 20th Anniversary Celebration

The Hurricanes will be celebrating the 20th Anniversary of their 2006 Stanley Cup championship across two games. Sunday, Dec. 7 at 5 p.m. against the San Jose Sharks and Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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Holiday Hockey

vs. Florida Panthers
Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 7 p.m.

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Star Wars Night

vs. Dallas Stars
Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 7 p.m.

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Hockey is For Everyone Night

vs. Florida Panthers
Friday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m.

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Kids Day

vs. Buffalo Sabres
Monday, Jan. 19 at 1:30 p.m.

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Whalers Night

It'll be the battle of large mammals as the Hurricanes don the Hartford Whalers gear and take on the Utah Mammoth on Thursday, Jan. 29 at 7 p.m.

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Olympic Send-Off Game

The Hurricanes' final home game before the Olympic Break will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. against the Ottawa Senators. Carolina has three confirmed Olympians in Sebastian Aho, Frederik Andersen and Nikolaj Ehlers plus a few hopefuls like Jaccob Slavin and Seth Jarvis.

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Special Needs Night

vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Tuesday, March 10 at 7 p.m.

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NC Night

Celebrate local art, food and culture as the Hurricanes take on the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, March 12 at 7 p.m.

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Mental Health Awareness Night

vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Wednesday, March 18 at 7 p.m.

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Military Appreciation Night

vs. Montreal Canadiens
Sunday, March 29 at 5 p.m.

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Grateful Dead Night

vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
Thursday, April 2 at 7 p.m.

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Fan Appreciation Night

Carolina's final home game of the regular season, a Tuesday night matchup against the Boston Bruins (April 7 at 7 p.m.) will be Fan Appreciation Night. Usually the night features a lot of giveaways and ends with the team giving the jerseys off of their backs to a few lucky fans.

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Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story. 

The Buffalo Sabres' 2025-26 schedule has been out for some time now, and in this ongoing THN.com Sabres site series, we're breaking down Buffalo's chances against every team in the league.

We've worked our way through the Atlantic, Metropolitan and Central division teams, and for the last week or so, we focused on the Pacific Division. And in this file, we're examining a team that swept the Sabres last year -- the Seattle Kraken.

The Kraken made some notable changes this summer, but they're a team that missed out on the Stanley Cup playoffs last season. So a team like the Sabres needs to target Seattle as a team they can play well against this year. With that said, let's look at the Kraken and see how we believe Buffalo should fare against them:

BUFFALO SABRES VS. SEATTLE KRAKEN

NEW KRAKEN PLAYERS: Mason Marchment, LW; Frederick Gaudreau, C; Ryan Lindgren, D

2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 0-2-0, Seattle 2-0-0

2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER:  December 14 at Seattle; March 28 at Buffalo 

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM?  The Sabres got a big dose of the Kraken in a short span last season, playing Seattle twice in a nine-day span in mid-January. And the Kraken handed Buffalo their hats, winning the first game 6-2 in Buffalo, then beating the Sabres 6-4 in Seattle.

Thus, you can see why the Kraken would feel confident in their chances against Buffalo this coming season. However, from this writer's perspective, the changes Seattle has made still aren't enough to make them a playoff team in the Western Conference next season. And Buffalo's desperation to make the playoffs means they can't afford to drop both games to any team, the Kraken included.

One of the differences between last season's Buffalo/Seattle series is the fact their games are spread out much further than they were last year. Indeed, the second game in the series will be the Sabres' ninth-to-last game of the regular-season -- and that means Buffalo could be fighting for its playoff life at that point in the year.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Pacific Edition: Sweeping Rebuilding Sharks Should Be No Problem For BuffaloThe Buffalo Sabres' 2025-26 schedule has been out for a while now. And although Sabres fans have known when and where their team will be playing at any given time, it's still worthwhile to examine each Buffalo opponent next year -- and specifically, how the Sabres should fare against team NHL team in 2025-26.

To be sure, the Kraken are a proud bunch that is fully intent on earning a post-season berth. But while the addition of Marchment from the Dallas Stars is a solid deal for Seattle, additional additions Gaudreau (formerly of the Minnesota Wild) and Lindgren (most recently, a Colorado Avalanche defenseman) don't move the needle. 

That said, the Kraken still have $4.5-million in salary cap space, so the Seattle team Buffalo faces in Game 1 of their series next season could be significantly different from the Kraken team the Sabres face after the trade deadline. But even then, unless Seattle GM Jason Botterill hits a home run with a difference-maker on the trade market, it's difficult to envision the Kraken being a force to reckon with. 

As the NHL's newest team, the Kraken are still on an expansion timeline. That means improvement isn't always linear for them, and more struggles could be ahead as their young core establishes their identity.  And that's where the Sabres need to come in and answer back for last season's struggles against Seattle. The Sabres are a better team on paper than the Kraken, and they need to make that translate into the win/loss columns.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Pacific Edition: New-Look Kings May Be Vulnerable In Sabres Series Next SeasonThe Buffalo Sabres' pursuit of its first Stanley Cup playoff appearance in 15 years means that there's no room for error for them, at any time of the season.  A prolonged losing streak can and will knock down any team's post-season hopes, but the Sabres are particularly desperate, so Buffalo fans will be watching each and every game in the hope the Sabres can secure a playoff spot.

We've said it before, but it bears repeating: the line between making and missing the playoffs could be one or two standings points. So if Buffalo loses both games against the Kraken -- and worst-case scenario, lose both games in regulation-time -- it could be disastrous for the Sabres' playoff hopes. Buffalo has to get at least one win against the Kraken, but to ease Sabres' fans anxieties, Buffalo should be aiming to win both games -- or one win and one loss in overtime or the shootout.

The Sabres have little-to-no-room-for-error next season. Ultimately, if they don't win more series than they lose, a playoff berth is going to be a pipe dream for Buffalo. And beating non-playoff teams like the Kraken has to be a priority for the Sabres. Because if they can't take care of business against the NHL's lesser lights, Buffalo doesn't deserve to be a playoff team.

The Pittsburgh Penguins brought in several new players this off-season, so their lineup will certainly look different next season. They will also have plenty of decisions to make when it comes to assembling their lineup, so they will need to be watched closely during the pre-season.

The NHL's official Facebook account recently shared its top six projection for the Penguins, and it offers a mix of everything.

For the Penguins' first line, they are predicting that Sidney Crosby will center Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust. If Rust and Rakell both end up not being traded this off-season, it would not be surprising if they played on a line with Crosby. They both are coming off career-best seasons and have great chemistry with Crosby. Thus, if this ends up being the Penguins' first line, they should make a big impact offensively.

As for the Penguins' second line, they have Evgeni Malkin at center, which is a no-brainer. However, things get interesting when it comes to Malkin's wingers, as the NHL's official account has newcomer Anthony Mantha and prospect Ville Koivunen playing with No. 71. When healthy, Mantha has shown during his career that he can be an impactful second-line winger, so testing him out with Malkin would be understandable. As for Koivunen, he is one of the Penguins' most promising prospects, so having him play with a legend like Malkin could be excellent for his development.

It will be interesting to see what the Penguins' top six ends up being at the start of the season. Some other candidates who could compete for a spot in the Penguins' top six include Rutger McGroarty, Philip Tomasino, and Tommy Novak, if he plays on the wing.

Penguins Star Invited To USA's Olympic Orientation CampTeam USA has announced their 2026 Olympic orientation camp roster, and one Pittsburgh Penguins star has made the cut - forward Bryan Rust.

The Buffalo Sabres need all hands on deck if they're to be a Stanley Cup playoff team next season. And no matter who they play, the Sabres will be focused on winning every series against each of their 31 opponents next year. 

With that in mind, THN.com's Sabres site has been producing a series in which we focus on every NHL team's games against Buffalo last year, and what that might mean for their season series this time around. We've made our way through the teams in the Atlantic, Metropolitan and Central divisions, and in our latest files, we've been analyzing teams in the Pacific Division.

That said, let's turn our attention to the latest Pacific team -- the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks were the NHL's worst team last year, but they split the series against the Sabres, with one win apiece.

But we want your opinion -- how do you think San Jose will fare against the Sabres in 2025-26? Let your voice be heard by commenting below.