Hockey season is finally upon us, with the Philadelphia Flyers set to kick off their rookie camp and Rookie Series this week, immediately followed by the start of training camp.
On Wednesday, we got the official Flyers training camp roster, which included Andrew Perrott, an AHL signing I didn't know about; and Zayde Wisdom, who is going to get another crack at the NHL, as small as his odds may be.
Of the rest of the inclusions on the roster, I am most excited to see what kind of roster battles take place in the bottom-six.
From last year, the Flyers still have Nikita Grebenkin and Carl Grundstrom, but it will be interesting to see if formerly esteemed prospects like Nolan Foote and Danila Klimovich can outperform them.
Newcomer Zach Aston-Reese has some NHL experience, too, but his role has substantially decreased over the last four years since leaving Pittsburgh, and perhaps there is a reason for that.
Additionally, I think Devin Kaplan has the potential to occupy such a role for the Flyers in the future, but he is more than likely going to need at least one more year of development in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Simply put, the winger room is just too crowded right now, and some cards need to fall before we consider anything further.
In other (brief) prospect news, Egor Zavragin is on the board with his first win in his first start of the KHL season!
Flyers' Quinn Hughes pursuit gets a boost?
Most of you who have followed my Flyers coverage here and on social media know that I have long been of the opinion that a marriage between Quinn Hughes and the New Jersey Devils is inevitable.
Well, if you were hoping the Flyers would have a shot at Hughes, the superstar defenseman left all doors open during his media availability at the NHL Player Media Tour. The door that is open the widest is the one in Newark, but doors are open.
"This is going to be done whenever I feel like it needs to be done," Hughes said. "I don’t feel backed up against a wall. I’m very thoughtful. I want to make sure I’m taking my time on everything and make sure I’m making a decision that is going to be good for everyone. That’s kind of where my head has been at.
"It is my life. I’m not going to do anything to make someone else happy. Obviously, I like to think of myself as a thoughtful person to a point where it’s not good for me and I’m thinking too much about all these different things. I think that everyone’s got to do whatever makes them happy and where the chips fall they fall."
And now we can consider more fuel has been added to the never-ending fire. Know that the longer this drags out, the bigger a distraction it will become during the season for a Minnesota Wild team aspiring to compete for the Stanley Cup.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 31: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) skates with the puck during the first period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings on March 31, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Penguins have gone through a bit of a major awards drought in recent years, with Kris Letang’s Masterton Trophy in 2022-23 being the last individual award won by a member of the Penguins.
Prior to that, you have to go back to the 2016-17 season when Sidney Crosby won the Rocket Richard Award for leading the league in goals, and then took home the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Stanley Cup Playoff MVP during the team’s back-to-back Stanley Cup championship run.
Head coach Dan Muse was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award this past season, while Kyle Dubas finished in fourth place for the general manager of the year award. Those two are as close as anybody has come over the past couple of seasons. So now that the 2026-27 NHL season is inching closer, let’s take a quick look and see if there are any Penguins that might have a chance to take home an award this season.
The best chances
Dan Muse, head coach: Jack Adams Award (coach of the year)
We might as well start off with the person that was the closest this past season. Muse finished third behind Jon Cooper (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Lindy Ruff (Buffalo Sabres), receiving 18 first-place votes, 29 second-place votes and 22 third-place votes. Muse seems like the most logical candidate because the Penguins actually fit the mold for what it usually takes to actually win this thing,
In most cases it’s the coach of a team that will enter the season with low expectations and finds a way to exceed them. It doesn’t matter how the expectations are exceeded. It could be on the back of a stunning goaltending performance. Tactical coaching brilliance. A roster that’s better than anybody anticipated. Or just some plain old good luck.
The Penguins could check a lot of these boxes.
There is a preseason belief they will take a step backwards after last year’s playoff appearance, but it’s still a roster that has enough talent to be pretty good if just a few things go their way. If they are in the playoffs again, do not be surprised if Muse is back in the coach of the year discussion.
Dan Bylsma (2010-11) is the only Penguins coach to have ever won this award so far.
Kyle Dubas, general manager: general manager of the year
This offseason didn’t take on the look most people expected given the lack of a major blockbuster move, but it was still a busy offseason that saw the team overhaul half of its defense and add forwards like Nicholas Robertson and Andrei Kuzmenko. And that does not even take into account the possibility of more in-season moves, which is where Dubas made some of his most significant changes a year ago.
I’m a little higher on the offseason than most people are, because I think there is a good chance the defense is better than last year’s, and I could see a scenario where a player like Robertson puts a lot of his tools together into one tool box and has a breakout year offensively.
The one thing that I could see holding Dubas back here is the fact that a lot of voters and people in hockey just do not really seem to care for him, which is the only reason I can think of for why he did not finish higher than fourth a year ago.
Ray Shero (2012-13) and Jim Rutherford (2015-16) have both won this award for the Penguins.
It’s possible, but a lot needs to go right
Sergei Murashov, goalie: Calder Trophy (rookie of the year)
If he is able to eventually reach his full potential there might not be a prospect in the Penguins farm system that can dramatically raise their ceiling more than Murashov.
But he has to actually become that player, and it is almost impossible to project that for a young goalie.
It might take him a year or two to get there.
He might not ever get to that level.
He might do it right away.
It is a volatile position where it is all anybody’s guess.
If he is able to play at a high level right away and help get the Penguins back into playoff contention, that could put him into the Calder Trophy discussion. There is going to be a lot of tough competition between players like Gavin McKenna, Porter Martone, Ivar Stenberg and Cole Hutson, but Murashov’s talent, athleticism and positional value might make him a factor if he plays well. He has excelled at every level of pro hockey, and the Penguins are hoping that all translates over to the NHL.
Mario Lemieux (1984-85) and Evgeni Malkin (2006-07) are the two Penguins players to have previously won this award.
It’s a long shot, but competition will be fierce
Erik Karlsson, defense: Norris Trophy (best defenseman)
Karlsson has won three Norris Trophies in his career, and earned six votes on the ballot a year ago, enough to put him in ninth place.
If there’s a veteran player on the roster capable of winning a major award this season, Karlsson is probably the most logical fit given that he’s won it so many times and played well enough a year ago to earn some top-five votes. The problem is the Norris Trophy race might be one of the deepest in the NHL this season with players like Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Ramus Dahlin likely to be at the top, and players like Adam Fox, Moritz Seider, Lane Hutson, and Jake Sanderson all likely to be in the race.
Karlsson would not only need to repeat his 2025-26 performance, but also build on it and probably get closer to the 90-or 100-point mark again, while also finishing the season with the Penguins without getting traded before the trade deadline. Am I optimistic about all of that? No. But it is not impossible to imagine. You do not have to squint very hard to see him playing at that level.
Randy Carlyle (1980-81) is the only Penguins player to ever win this award.
Just about the only major individual award that Crosby has not won in his NHL career is the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward. Every year he seems to get at least a handful of votes, and there was a brief stretch where there was a campaign growing for him to actually win it.
I don’t think his defensive game is up to that standard anymore, and it is the one area where he has clearly slowed down quite a bit over the years. I also don’t think he has much of a chance to win it. But if it were to happen it would be some sort of an unofficial career achievement award where a bunch of voters just decide “it is time he won it.” I would not bet on that happening, but NHL award voters tend to do weird things for great players, especially toward the end of their careers.
Ron Francis (1994-95) is the only Penguins player that has ever won this award.
Barry Melrose, a former NHL player and coach who went on to become one of hockey’s most popular TV analysts, has died, according to his family. He was 70.
Melrose’s wife, Cindy, informed longtime ESPN partner Steve Levy of Melrose’s passing.
NHL Network analyst Barry Melrose speaks during an NHL Live show at the 2015 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic Build Out on Dec. 30, 2014, at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. NHLI via Getty Images
“Barry was my best friend at ESPN. A big brother figure of rock-solid values. I am shook to my core,” ESPN’s John Buccigross posted on X. “Barry gave his life to hockey and some of his ESPN family, like me, learned of his shocking death today while at a hockey rink in Las Vegas preparing for the upcoming season.
“Chilling and fitting — the rink was Barry’s home. A more beloved ESPN institution there has not been. We love you, Barry. Forever.”
Melrose appeared in 300 NHL games as a defenseman for the Jets, the Maple Leafs and the Red Wings from 1979-86 before leading Wayne Gretzky and the Kings to the Stanley Cup Final in his first season as head coach in 1993.
He posted an overall record of 84-108-29 as a coach, also including a 16-game stint with the Lightning in 2008.
Still, his true calling was in the TV studio, where he became one of hockey’s beloved figures with his flashy suits and ebullient personality.
Barry Melrose of the Maple Leafs skates against the Canucks during an NHL game on March 4, 1981, at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. Getty ImagesLightning head coach Barry Melrose talks to his players during a break in play against the Panthers on Nov. 12, 2008, at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla. NHLI via Getty Images
“He’s bigger than any team,” Gretzky once said of Melrose. “For decades, he’s been suiting up — and I mean suiting up — for the game, for the sport, for hockey.
“You see, hockey is more than a game, it’s a community — a finely tuned orchestra — and Barry was our conductor.”
ESPN hockey analyst Barry Melrose is pictured on the set of SportsCenter in Studio X on May 18, 2015, in Bristol, Conn. Allen Kee / ESPN Images
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman also released a statement about Melrose’s passing, calling him “a hockey original.”
“From the flowing locks of his distinctive mullet to the flared lapels of his trademark long suit coats, Barry Melrose cut an unmistakable figure whenever you were fortunate enough to run into him at a rink or catch him on your television screen,” Bettman said. “You were even more fortunate if you engaged him in conversation or listened to his analysis, because he never failed to boost your love of the game of hockey.
“A rangy and rugged defenseman from Kelvington, Saskatchewan, Barry fashioned an 11-year pro career in the NHL, AHL and WHA. But it was as a coach, who guided the Los Angeles Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final, and as a broadcaster, who spent 27 years at ESPN, that he truly made his mark upon the game. And during those countless encounters over the years with players, coaches, fans and viewers who couldn’t help but be drawn in by his enthusiasm.”
"I've had over 50 extraordinary years playing, coaching and analyzing the world's greatest game, hockey. It's now time to hang up my skates and focus on my health, my family, including my supportive wife Cindy, and whatever comes next," Melrose said in a statement at the time.
"I'm beyond grateful for my hockey career, and to have called ESPN home for almost 30 years. Thanks for the incredible memories and I'll now be cheering for you from the stands."
Melrose, a defenseman, played in the NHL and World Hockey Association and went into coaching after his retirement.
After stints in the Western Hockey League and American Hockey League, he began coaching the Los Angeles Kings in 1992 and took the Wayne Gretzky-led team to the Stanley Cup Final in his first season. The Kings lost to the Montreal Canadiens in five games in that series.
He coached the Kings for another two seasons and was fired in the third season. He also briefly coached the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008-09.
Between the coaching stints, he was a popular ESPN studio analyst noted for his observations and his trademark mullet.
"Barry was my best friend at ESPN," John Buccigross posted on X. "A big brother figure of rock solid values. I am shook to my core. Barry gave his life to hockey and some of his ESPN family, like me, learned of his shocking death today while at a hockey rink in Las Vegas preparing for the upcoming season. Chilling and fitting--the rink was Barry's home. A more beloved ESPN institution there has not been. We love you, Barry. Forever."
VANCOUVER, BC - APRIL 22: Alex Formenton #59 of the Ottawa Senators skates during the pre-game warmup prior to NHL action against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on April 22, 2021 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)
Getty Images
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Alex Formenton is the third player acquitted in the Hockey Canada sexual assault case to receive an NHL contract since the trial ended in July 2025, joining with the Edmonton Oilers.
Formenton signed with Edmonton for the league-minimum $850,000 for this season. The 26-year-old joins fellow forward Dillon Dube with St. Louis and goaltender Carter Hart in Vegas after they signed their respective deals in July and October.
Formenton has not played in the NHL since 2022 with Ottawa. He spent three of the past four seasons playing in Switzerland and the other not in hockey at all.
Michael McLeod is under contract in the KHL. Cal Foote signed this summer with a team in Sweden, which then terminated the deal after fans raised objections.
The NHL a year ago reinstated all five players, allowing them to play beginning Dec. 1. That came after a judge in London, Ontario, found them not guilty of sexual assault and McLeod additionally of a separate count of being a party to the offense, in connection with an event there in 2018 celebrating Canada’s gold medal-winning world junior team.
The 2026-27 NHL season for the Detroit Red Wings is right around the corner, as Training Camp is set to open on Thursday, Sept. 17, in Detroit.
Prior to that, the Red Wings will also take part in the 2026 Prospects Tournament along with the Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Pittsburgh Penguins
We'll be doing up a Red Wings edition mailbag piece - be sure to submit your questions below, and they'll be answered prior to the start of Training Camp next Thursday.
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Islanders rookie camp, which opens Friday to sound the unofficial starting gun of hockey season, will be the first for Victor Eklund and must be the last for Isaiah George.
The two attendees most firmly on the 23-man roster bubble are reporting to camp with opposite reasons leading to the same need for urgency. This will be the fifth rookie camp for the 22-year-old George; he is two years removed from a 33-game stint with the Islanders and in the final season of his entry-level deal. Not only is there a clear pathway to making the roster, but coach Pete DeBoer also praised George enough after July development camp to make you believe the door is open for him to knock Scott Mayfield out of an everyday job on the blue line.
“Our system’s based around skating and closing on people. Your defensemen in that type of system have to be able to move, and [George’s] best assets are his feet and his speed and ability to support the rush and get back on pucks and make breakout plays. So I think it fits with his toolbox,” DeBoer said then. “I’m excited to work with him. We had him at the end [of last season] there for a couple games, but he’s done it the right way.
“He came up as a prospect. He paid his dues. He played some games, he went back down again, he didn’t pout about it. And now it looks like he’s knocking on the door to be a full-time NHLer for a long time.”
George, indeed, has been as loyal a soldier as the Islanders could ask, never outwardly displaying frustration last season when injuries and circumstances conspired against him getting a serious NHL chance while the club spent the season searching for defensemen.
At a certain point, though, it needs to become clear for George and for the Islanders alike what his future is here. This training camp, and this season, seem to be that point, with George set to hit restricted free agency next summer.
With Matthew Schaefer and Cal Ritchie having graduated rookie camp, there is little reason for George not to be the best player on the ice over the next week, as DeBoer said he was in a July intrasquad scrimmage. That would make a good start.
The 19-year-old Swede, who made his NHL debut in Game 82 last season, is in a similar spot to Ritchie a year ago. The chance is there for him to play in the NHL, but he will need to force the issue at every opportunity to convert it.
Victor Eklund of the New York Islanders takes his rookie lap prior to his first career NHL game against the Carolina Hurricanes. NHLI via Getty Images
Much as fans will want to see Eklund in blue and orange on opening night, the roster situation is such that the Islanders have 16 forwards with NHL experience reporting for what is likely 14 spots. At every turn, general manager Mathieu Darche has preached caution regarding prospects, not wanting to give them too much, too soon.
It is close to a fait accompli that Eklund — barring injury — will get an NHL chance at some point this season. It is far from guaranteed that the chance will come in Toronto on Sept. 30.
“Those guys need time also,” Darche told reporters last week. “So that’s why you don’t want to rush it because the goal is not for them to play quickly in the NHL, it’s for them to play a long time in the NHL. Some of them might come to camp and show us they belong right away. And if not, hey, maybe it’s halfway.”
Eklund’s direct competition for a roster spot — Kyle MacLean, Ondrej Palat, Anthony Duclair, Pierre Engvall and Mitchell Chaffee — won’t be on the ice until main camp.
That makes it all the more imperative for Eklund to separate himself from his age group now.
The San Jose Sharks announced their broadcast schedule for the 2026-27 season. As expected, 73 of the Sharks' 84 games will be broadcast on NBC Sports California with Randy Hahn and Drew Remenda resuming their duties behind the microphone.
Dan Rusanowsky will be back for his 36th season primarily alongside former Sharks forward Jamal Mayers. Scott Hannan, Jason Demers, and potentially other alumni will occasionally work alongside Rusanowsky as well.
Ted Ramey will return to the Sharks Audio Network while Tara Sloane and Brodie Brazil will return for their respective roles as well.
While all games will be available on the Sharks Audio Network, the Sharks' 11 nationally broadcast games will not be available on NBC Sports California. The full list of nationally broadcast games can be found here:
There is no arguing that Florida Panthers captain Sasha Barkov is one of the best hockey players in the world.
He will be a welcomed face in Florida’s locker room this season as the team looks to rebound from a rough 2025-26 campaign that saw the then-2-time defending Stanley Cup champs fail to qualify for the postseason.
Barkov suffered a devastating knee injury during training camp last September and missed the entire NHL season, eventually making it back on the ice to help his Finnish countrymen win gold medals at the IIHF World Championships in May.
He looked quite good during the World Championships, too, which was also a major milestone in his recovery, leading Finland in scoring with three goals and 11 points in 10 games.
“That was the main worry, that if I will be able to play free and not to think too much, and once the first game started, I wasn't thinking about it at all,” Barkov said on Tuesday at the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour, per NHL.com.
Now Barkov has spent the summer as he normally does, preparing his body for a new NHL season.
It certainly helps, though, that Barkov knows he’s already put his surgically repaired knee to the test, one that it passed with flying colors.
“I have a better feeling going toward this camp knowing that I played some hockey, meaningful hockey, and felt good there,” said Barkov. “Especially the more we played, the better I felt. I was really happy about that.”
Barkov and the Panthers will be back on the ice next week in Fort Lauderdale, when they open their 2026 Training Camp at the Baptist Health IcePlex.
Florida will be among the favorites to come out of the Eastern Confernce and contend for the Stanley Cup once again.
“I'm really excited about going into the new season,” Barkov said.
Photo caption: Jun 22, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, UNITED STATES; Florida Panthers centerAleksanderBarkov(16) speaks to the fans during the Stanley Cup championship parade and rally. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
At long last, Philadelphia Flyers hockey is finally approaching. Training camp is just under a week away, and the official roster is here.
On Wednesday, the Flyers dropped their official training camp roster and schedule ahead of next week's camp, which will kick off on Thursday following the conclusion of rookie camp.
The forward group, in no particular order, is as follows:
Garrett Wilson, Travis Konecny, Devin Kaplan, Sean Couturier, Nikita Grebenkin, Danila Klimovich, Alex Bump, Zach Aston-Reese, Christian Dvorak, Jack Studnicka, Nolan Foote, Noah Cates, Riley Thompson, Matvei Michkov, Trevor Zegras, Zayde Wisdom, Noah Powell, Noel Acciari, Cole Knuble, Tyson Foerster, Owen Tippett, Jett Luchanko, Jacob Gaucher, Denver Barkey, Carl Grundstrom, and Porter Martone.
At the goalie position, there are no new names or faces. Starting goalie Dan Vladar returns with Joseph Woll behind him, and they are joined by prospects Aleksei Kolosov and Carson Bjarnason.
Defense, however, is where things get interesting.
Starting atop the roster, Helge Grans and David Jiricek figure to battle for a roster spot once more, as will Oliver Bonk. Travis Sanheim, Jamie Drysdale, Cam York, Nick Seeler, Rasmus Ristolainen, Simon Benoit, Hunter McDonald, and Ty Murchison are all there, too.
Recent additions like Jackson Edward and Cam Dineen will most likely play their biggest roles in the AHL, and they will, apparently, be joined by another new signing in Andrew Perrott, who took an AHL deal with Lehigh Valley in July.
Perrott, 25, is a formerly undrafted, scrappy, undersized 6-foot defenseman who was a career AHL and ECHL tweener up until last year, when he played 51 AHL games for the Rockford IceHogs, scoring one goal, three assists, and four points with a -6 rating and a staggering 117 penalty minutes.
Perrott will participate in the NHL training camp ahead of someone like Cooper Wylie, who attended Flyers camps in the past and is heading into what will be his first pro season after four years at St. Cloud State University.
Another somewhat surprising inclusion, as mentioned above, is Zayde Wisdom, who returned to the Flyers organization last year on an AHL deal.
The 24-year-old will again have the opportunity to fight for a bottom-six roster spot, competing against the likes of Kaplan, Klimovich, Grebenkin, Aston-Reese, Foote, Grundstrom, and Wilson for that kind of role.
After a terrible 2023-24 season in which he scored only three points in 49 games, Wisdom is back on the map with a total of 27 goals and 59 points across his last two seasons, and he wore the 'A' for the Phantoms for the first time last year, too.
It's notable that the Flyers are giving their former fourth-round pick a shot in training camp ahead of younger, less experienced players like Alex Ciernik and Owen McLaughlin, but Wisdom has certainly earned it.
And between Wisdom and Perrott, the Flyers won't lack in energy or physicality during training camp and the preseason.
The Anaheim Ducks are placing forward Chris Kreider on waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract, according to multiple reports.
The move will help both the player and the team.
The Massachusetts native wants to return east, according to Sportsnet, which first reported the waiver move. If he clears waivers and has the final year of his contract terminated, that makes him a free agent and a new team can sign him for less than his current $6.5 million cap hit. He already received a $1 million signing bonus.
Kreider, 35, had played the first 13 years of his career with the New York Rangers before being traded to the Ducks in June 2025.
They have a little more than $9 million left with Carlsson averaging $18 million. But they still have to sign restricted free agent Cutter Gauthier, who led Anaheim with 41 goals and 69 points last season.
Taking Kreider off the books would give them a lot more room to play with in a new Gauthier contract.
Chris Kreider stats
Though Kreider's numbers have gone down, he has scored 22 goals the past two seasons and scored 17 of his 50 points on the power play last season.
"I'm very excited to be an Oiler and look forward to trying to make the most of this opportunity," said Alex Formenton as he spoke to the press on his first day with the team. After thanking the Katz family, Stan Bowman, and Jeff Jackson, along with the coaching staff, Formenton was as ready as he could be for a very curious Edmonton-based media on Thursday.
He didn't give direct answers to some fairly direct questions, but he talked about the process that led him to Edmonton and emphasized that he'll do his best to show he has no intention of wasting this chance he's been given.
The news of his signing -- a one-year, one-way deal worth $850K -- dropped just before today's on-ice session, so media scurried to the Downtown Community Arena to catch a glimpse of Formenton on the ice. A good dozen or so gathered to ask him questions after the session (an unusually long one) was over.
Upon first glance, Formenton looks fast. That was always his talent: being speedy. Before he was forced to leave the league, that's where most analysts believed he'd be able to carve out a solid NHL career. A few years later, whether that speed can translate into success at the NHL level remains to be seen.
Formenton has been out of the league for some time now. Following a very public trial in which he and other members of the 2018 Hockey Canada team were charged with sexual assault, it wasn't clear he'd ever get back to the NHL. He played the past three seasons playing in Switzerland with HC Ambri-Piotta.
As much as the Oilers might take some heat from fans for their decision to sign a forward who was acquitted of sexual assault charges, there will be some scrutiny over the fact Formenton wasn't necessarily a difference-maker overseas.
What makes the Oilers feel like he can get his game back?
"I think being away from the NHL for the past four seasons, I've been eager to get back, working hard to become the player I was and slash, taking a step forward. I'm going to do everything I can on and off the ice, in whatever role that I need to to help this organization."
Penalty killing and a depth forward role seem to be the most logical assigments early. He was skating with Trent Frederic and Mathieu Joseph at captains skates.
"I'm very excited to be an Oiler & look forward to trying to make the most out of this opportunity."
Clearly, the Oilers think there's something there. They could have signed any number of UFAs still out there on the market. Many might have been more obvious choices and come with less baggage. Management knew about the potential backlash.
According to TSN's Ryan Rishaug, Stan Bowman described the process behind signing Formenton. He noted that Hockey Canada's recent support for reinstatement was a factor.
“I think that played a big role for us in our decision-making. They were certainly the closest to this; they had the most information, so for them to single Alex out as the one deserving of reinstatement immediately, we did feel like that played a large role.”
They spoke with Formenton about it. The team, the coach, and management all came to mututal decision: this was a decision they were comfortable making, hoping the potential benefits would outweigh the risk.
“I’ve had a chance to have multiple conversations with Alex and go over lots of things…. We’ve reached the decision we think this is the right move to bring Alex in and help our group.”
Bowman added that Formenton is very determined to make a positive impact on and off the ice. "I know he has a heartfelt desire to make a good impression and we certainly hope that's the case."
As for why the Oilers did this from an on-ice perspective: "Yeah it really this kicked into gear when Matt Savoie sustained his injury and it became obvious that he was not going to be ready to start our season. You know, looking at our PK as an area that we think has to improve, Matt was one of the bright spots last year, but with him being unavailable we felt we needed to look around at our options."
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On Tuesday, as Cole Caufield was away from the Montreal Canadiens' informal practice attending the NHL 2026-27 player media tour, Kirby Dach skated alongside Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky in the red-vs.-white scrimmage. Don’t read too much into that line combination. A spot on the circle-of-friendship win celebration may get you a spot on the top line for a scrimmage game, but it doesn’t get you a spot there when Martin St-Louis is calling the shots.
Cole Caufield’s chair on the top line is more than safe; it’s guaranteed, and if someone ever were to unseat him, it wouldn’t be a player who has yet to manage to prove anything at the highest level. Of course, Dach has been hampered by numerous injuries, and while everyone feels for him, it doesn’t get him a fast pass to the front of the most thrilling ride in Habsland.
While Dach has a certain pedigree, he was drafted third overall in the 2019 draft; after all, he still finished the playoffs on the fourth line on the wing. Furthermore, the Canadiens found a way around signing him to a four-million-dollar qualifying offer by making it a two-way contract, which prompted Dach to file for arbitration; in the end, he signed a one-year, $3.6 million contract.
As things stand, Dach is not on solid ground with the Canadiens, and he won’t start the season ahead of players such as Alex Newhook and Oliver Kapanen in the depth chart; at least, he shouldn’t. While the Albertan was inconsistent in the playoffs, Newhook delivered a fantastic performance, not only putting up 10 points in 19 games but also scoring two of his seven goals in Game 7; he had both series-winning goals. One could argue that the goaltenders weren’t exactly great on those plays, but it doesn’t matter; when the Canadiens needed a goal, Newhook found a way.
As for Kapanen, who finished the playoffs centering the fourth line after being a healthy scratch at times and playing in only 10 of the 19 playoff games, he was a rookie. It’s not new for a rookie to hit a proverbial wall and lose speed towards the end of a grueling first complete season in North America. That doesn’t erase the fact that he managed to score 22 goals in his rookie season, and while some will be quick to say that it’s easy to score with a magician like Ivan Demidov feeding you the puck, one fact remains: you still need the instinct to get in the right spot and to actually put the puck in, which is much easier said than done.
If Kent Hughes had managed to get a second-line center in a trade this offseason, Kapanen’s spot would be far from guaranteed, but as things stand, you can’t erase history. The line formed by Newhook, Kapanen, and Demidov was doing very well until Newhook was injured, and it deserves another go now that everyone is rested and healthy again. It’s also worth mentioning that Newhook is entering a contract year, and he’ll be eager to prove that he deserves to be added to the Canadiens’ core for a long time. After the playoffs he’s had, he certainly deserves that opportunity.
Could Dach get another look in the top six down the line? Certainly, but he’ll have to earn that look; it won’t just be given to him, or at least it shouldn’t.
The Buffalo Sabres have yet to do anything consequential to replace the offense lost from the departures of winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram this summer. Other than adding defenseman Olen Zellweger in a trade with Anaheim, Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen seems to be relying on internal improvement from some of the club’s young forwards to make up over 100 points in production the two veterans produced last season.
Buffalo has once again been connected in rumors to Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck, but it may still be possible that they are looking to add a veteran forward to provide some insurance. One potential option became available on Wednesday, when it was announced that the Anaheim Ducks and forward Chris Krieder agreed to mutually terminate the final year of his contract.
The 35-year-old was part of the dismantling of the NY Rangers by former Sabre Chris Drury and was dealt to the Ducks in June 2025. Kreider posted 50 points (22 goals, 28 assists) in 75 games last season.
The Ducks were in cap trouble after matching the five-year, $90 million offer sheet to center Leo Carlsson and needed to clear cap space with 40-goal scorer Cutter Gauthier still unsigned. Kreider was placed on waivers on Wednesday, and if he clears, the Ducks will open up $6.5 million in additional cap space. The 35-year-old would then become an unrestricted free agent.
Where will Connor Hellebuyck end up?
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, indications are that Kreider desires to return to the east, closer to his family, where he spent the first 13 years of his NHL career, and will not report to a team that claims him if it is not a place he wants to play.
Adding Kreider would make perfect sense for the Sabres. Even though he is slowing down, the big veteran can still move and is capable of playing in the top-six. Buffalo is a more attractive destination after making the playoffs and winning the Atlantic Division last season, but it is possible that the Boxford, MA native may prefer to finish his career with the Atlantic rival Bruins.
Longtime Islanders superfan and “sign guy” Patrick Dowd still inspires with his witty and motivational messages — 25 years after he played a pivotal role in post-9/11 healing with his wildly popular “always believe” sign.
“9/11 inspired my sign,” declared Dowd, well known among blue-and-orange faithful for holding his posters up on the glass when the Islanders take the ice.
“Really, it was a model of always having faith through crises in life – whether it’s on the ice or not,” he told The Post about the uplifting sign that has appeared at every major game in the decades since.
Islanders Eric Cairns was moved by the events of 9/11 and its impact on Long Island. Neil Miller for NY Post
The message struck a universal chord during the unforgettable 2001-2002 season, which brought a long-awaited playoff return and much-needed jubilation to anguished fans whose worlds had been shattered by the terror attacks.
The 9/11 devastation sank in for Islanders defenseman Eric Cairns, a Canadian who was heartbroken hearing stories of loss his Garden City neighbors suffered while living on Long Island.
It hit even harder when he and then-head coach Peter Laviolette’s promising team visited Ground Zero and saw the “emotional,” seemingly never-ending photo wall of the many missing people in Lower Manhattan.
“I think we chose to let it galvanize us as a team – and really vibed off that.”
Things started with a rare moment of unity during an exhibition game against their arch-rival Rangers, where the usual bad blood was cooled to the temperature of the ice.
Seeing the devastation of Ground Zero galvanized the Islanders in the 2001-2002 season. Paul Martinka for NY Post
“We all lined up on the blue lines as one – Ranger, Islander, Ranger, Islander,” he said.
“Which doesn’t happen very often, if at all.”
Fans were without a doubt ready to believe in something, said Bill Kain, the Isles vice president of sponsorship that season.
“Everybody had been to a lot of funerals, a lot of services, including myself.”
“It just made it really hard to enjoy life again,” added Kain, a diehard season ticket holder in his personal life.
The Islanders played in the name of their hurting fans the season after Sept. 11. New York Post
Hockey finally returned to the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in mid-October, when an eagle flew down to the American flag-draped surface before puck drop.
Newly acquired and beloved captain Mike Peca wore an NYPD uniform and an ESU pin as teammates skated out with FDNY and police gear, while famed boxing announcer Michael Buffer called their names.
Long Island native Joan Jett then introduced the NYPD and FDNY’s hockey teams, who unfurled a massive American flag on the ice to thunderous “USA!” chants – just before “Sopranos” star and Jericho’s Jamie Lynn Sigler belted out the national anthem.
“It gave me goose bumps…you could just feel the patriotism,” center Shawn Bates recalled.
Shawn Bates got chills during the Islanders home opener that season. Neil Miller for NY Post
“Just the camaraderie between everyone during that tragedy…it was inspiring,” added the Massachusetts born player.
“Even though 9/11 kind of brought you down a notch,” Dowd said, “in another way, it bonded us closer.”
The new-look Islanders, who also onboarded 32-goal scorer Alexei Yashin and quick-stick goalie Chris Osgood, became the hottest thing on ice with only one October loss in an emotional year that coincided with the team’s 30th anniversary.
It was a stark contrast to the franchise’s notorious blunders of the decade prior, which started with getting swept by the Stanley Cup-winning Rangers in the 1994 playoffs – the Isles’ most recent postseason appearance at the time.
They became the NHL’s bottom feeders by 1996 and endured the humiliation of fraudster and criminal new owner John Spano around that time.
“When they were relevant again and the [post-Spano] ownership, the new players, and renewed excitement,” Kain said, “I think that was what brought everybody back to a feeling of, ‘wow, we can have a little fun with this team.’”
Islanders superfan Patrick Dowd created his iconic “always believe sign” in the wake of 9/11. Courtesy Patrick Dowd
The 42–28–8–4 Islanders drew the Maple Leafs in first-round playoff action that reinvigorated the raucous Coliseum, nicknamed “Fort Neverlose” from the palpable energy it gave during the team’s four-straight Stanley Cup dynasty of the early 1980s.
New York was the tri-state’s only team in that postseason and put up an epic seven-game grudge match that Isles nation talks about fondly.
“We laid it on the line every shift, every game, every minute,” Bates said.
Darren Van Impe of the New York Islanders celebrates Alexi Yashin’s goal against Curtis Joseph of the Toronto Maple Leafs during game six of the Stanley Cup playoffs at the Nassau Coliseum in Hempstead, New York, on April 28, 2002. The Islanders won 5-3. Getty Images/NHLI
“People that lost loved ones who were still coming to the games, we wanted to show some appreciation for their loyalty.”
Cairns earned his iconic Isles moment of punching the lights out of Leafs Shayne Corson at the end of a must-win Game 6 that the Islanders took 5-3.
“Prior to warm-up, you could hear them cheering from the dressing room,” Eric Cairns said of that electric postseason in Nassau County.
“If you can’t get up for something like that, what can you get up for as an athlete?”
But the showstopper belongs to Bates in a heroic goal fans put up there with the dynasty days.
Deadlocked at 3-3, he drew a penalty shot in Game 4 with two and a half minutes remaining while trailing the series two games to one.
The forward buried an immortalized game-winner against sharp goalie Curtis Joseph – and “kind of almost blacked out” as the fever pitch of fans let loose and nearly shook the ground.
Lifelong fan Jonathan Ansbacher doesn’t remember all the details from 25 years ago, but will never forget, “that penalty shot was the loudest I’ve ever heard the Coliseum.”
Bates agreed.
“The old Coliseum goal horn – that thing seemed like it just kept going and going,” added Kain.
With a late lead to defend, Bates just remembers “it was just so loud – so loud.”
The Shawn Bates penalty shot became one of the most special moments in Islanders history. Neil Miller for NY PostThe Islanders 2001-2002 season has a special spot in the hearts of fans. Neil Miller for NY Post
“I was like, ‘Is this really happening?’ It certainly did.”
The Shawn Bates penalty shot turned into a moment as cathartic as Mike Piazza’s tear-jerking homer when the Mets brought baseball back to the Big Apple after Sept. 11, and touched heavy hearts similar to the Yankees’ World Series run.
“It was the highlight of my NHL career.”
Bates’ only regret is that the Islanders couldn’t beat the Leafs in the double-elimination game, bringing the moving season to a close.
Fans like Dowd say the team did its job in bringing joy and excitement back to those who needed it most, regardless of the outcome.
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