Bruins season preview: Five key questions that will define 2026-27 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins exceeded most expectations last season by winning 45 games and earning 100 points to make the playoffs after finishing with the NHL’s fifth-worst record the year before.

It was an impressive turnaround by the B’s, but now the hard part has arrived. Can they build on that success and maintain their status as a playoff team?

The Atlantic Division figures to be ultra competitive, especially with the Florida Panthers — who were decimated by injuries last season — healthy again and having a better roster after trading for Brady Tkachuk.

The Bruins also have an improved roster, but is it enough to get the franchise into the playoffs? Let’s break down five burning questions that will define the Bruins’ upcoming season.

How much of an impact will JJ Peterka make offensively?

The Bruins needed another top-six forward this summer to take some of the scoring burden off David Pastrnak. Pastrnak has tallied 100-plus points each of the last four seasons. No other Bruins player has eclipsed the 70-point mark during that span.

The B’s paid a steep price — two first-round picks — to get JJ Peterka from the Utah Mammoth in a draft day trade in June.

Peterka had a bit of a disappointing 2025-26 season with the Mammoth, but he still tallied a respectable 25 goals with 22 assists in 82 games. He also plays with a lot of speed — something the B’s have sorely lacked in recent years. Can he take the next step and become a 30-goal, 70-point player in Boston?

“He’s got an elite shot,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney told reporters at the draft in June. “Probably gives us another look on the elbows in a power-play situation. His power-play minutes dipped a little bit last year. His 5-on-5 production has been really good. Plays both wings. Could probably play with a couple different types of centers, help drive a line, but also complement the better guys in situations that we’re certainly trying to improve.”

Peterka has scored 25-plus goals in each of the last three seasons. He should be able to get to 30-plus if he plays with Pastrnak on the Bruins’ top line. Pastrnak is one of the league’s top goal scorers, but he’s also a tremendous playmaker. His 71 assists last season ranked sixth among all players and set a new career high.

The potential for Pastrnak and Peterka to be a very effective duo is high. If that happens, the Bruins should be much better equipped to score goals in the playoffs (assuming they qualify). They averaged just 1.25 goals over the last four games of their 2026 first-round series against the Buffalo Sabres.

Is there a No. 1 center on the roster?

Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

The biggest weakness on the Bruins’ roster remains the lack of a No. 1 center. They haven’t had one since Patrice Bergeron retired in 2023.

Elias Lindholm was supposed to be a top-six center when he signed a seven-year, $54.25 million contract as a free agent in 2024, but he has been a huge disappointment so far. He is, at best, a No. 3 center right now. Pavel Zacha is coming off a great 2025-26 campaign during which he set career highs with 30 goals and 65 assists, but he’s entering the final year of his contract. Is he even part of the team’s long-term plans?

Maybe a younger center such as Fraser Minten or James Hagens could step into the No. 1 role at some point, but that’s unlikely to be this coming season. Hagens has far more offensive upside than Minten, but he only has four games of NHL experience at the moment.

No. 1 centers almost never get to free agency anymore. So teams must draft and develop them, or find one on the trade market, which is obviously expensive to pull off.

The Bruins cashed in two first-round picks to acquire winger J.J. Peterka at the 2026 NHL Draft. If no one shows No. 1 center potential this season, the B’s might have to make another major move to bring in that kind of player. If you look at the last 15 teams that won the Stanley Cup, nearly all of them had a bonafide No. 1 center (and some of them had two).

Is Jeremy Swayman a top-five goalie again?

Swayman really struggled in the 2024-25 season after missing all of training camp due to a contract dispute. But to his credit, he bounced back with a fantastic 2025-26 campaign that resulted in him being voted a Vezina Trophy finalist for the first time in his career.

The Bruins were a poor defensive team for much of last season, but they still overcame those mistakes and reached the playoffs largely because of Swayman’s brilliance in net. He finished with a 31-18-4 record, a .908 save percentage and a 2.71 GAA. But the real story can be found in the analytics below:

There were reasons to believe that his disappointing 2024-25 season would be an outlier. He had been a very good goalie before that. But can Swayman play at a top-five or even top-three level going forward on a consistent basis?

The Bruins will need that kind of performance from him if they’re going to make the playoffs in a very competitive Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference. It’s a lot to ask of Swayman, but it’s the reality based on the construction of the roster. The Bruins don’t have enough elite offensive talent to get away with average or worse goaltending for long stretches of the regular season or in the playoffs.

Which young player(s) will step up and play bigger role?

Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Fraser Minten had a very good first full season as an NHL player last year and posted 35 points (17 goals, 18 assists) in 82 games, while also shining defensively and playing a meaningful role on the penalty kill. After signing a seven-year, $50.4 million extension last week, how much improvement will we see from him next season? Can he hit the 25-goal mark? He might end up being the first-line center, which is a big responsibility for a 22-year-old but the B’s don’t have a ton of options for that role. The Bruins outscored opponents 23-7 when Minten and Pastrnak played together at even strength last season. It would be wise of Sturm to go back to that duo to begin the season.

Hagens also could make a meaningful impact as a rookie. He’s a great skater, his playmaking skills are top tier and his shot is both powerful and accurate. He got some NHL-level experience (two regular season games, three playoff games) last season, which will definitely help him entering camp. Hagens played on the wing for Boston, where his defensive responsibilities would be less than if he played center. But long term, it would be best for both Hagens and the Bruins if he shifted to center ice at some point. Hagens’ impressive offensive skill set could make him a key component of Boston’s power play, too.

Marat Khusnutdinov enjoyed a breakout 2025-26 season, tallying career highs of 15 goals and 18 assists. His scoring production, speed and versatility made him a valuable player. Can he take another step offensively and hit the 20-goal mark, or was last season’s scoring uptick more a product of luck and an unsustainably high shooting percentage (19.2 percent)?

Matthew Poitras has shown potential at both the NHL and AHL levels in recent seasons. Can he show enough consistency offensively to earn a regular role for the Bruins?

Unless the B’s make an in-season move for a veteran forward, one (or multiple) of these young players will need to play a larger role in 2026-27.

How does the blue line logjam shake out?

David Kirouac-Imagn Images

The Bruins have nine defensemen signed to one-way contracts: Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, Mason Lohrei, Will Borgen, Connor Clifton, Jonathan Aspirot, Jordan Harris and Henri Jokiharju.

It’s nice to have so much depth, but there’s not enough ice time for all of these guys. Frederic Brunet, the Bruins’ top defenseman prospect, has also earned a chance to make the team after a strong 2025-26 season for the AHL’s Providence Bruins. Brunet, and the nine players listed above, are all waiver-eligible, which makes figuring out this logjam even more difficult.

“I think the competition is going to play out,” Sweeney said at a press conference Wednesday when asked about the blue line. “Clearly, we had an eye toward the fact that Charlie wasn’t going to start the year for six games. … You could run into injury troubles, last year we did, and we tested that pretty quickly. We’re in a good spot there. Will we have to make a move? Time will tell in that sense, in how the players play, how their health is. At some point in time, we will have to get to the waiver question and make smart decisions as a result.”

We know McAvoy, Lindholm, Zadorov and Borgen are likely going to make up the top four. Aspirot, who played well alongside McAvoy last season, could again be a consistent part of the lineup. Clifton was signed in free agency and probably will get every opportunity in camp and the preseason to be on the third pairing (maybe second pairing during McAvoy’s six-game suspension to start the season) come Opening Night.

So where does that leave Lohrei, Harris and Jokiharju? Lohrei is in the final year of his two-year deal with a salary cap hit of $3.2 million. Jokiharju has two more years left on his contract with a $3 million cap hit. He was a healthy scratch in four of the six playoff games versus the Sabres. Harris returned in free agency on a one-year deal after missing most of last season due to injury.

If the Bruins could trade Lohrei or Jokiharju and thus clear some cap space and maybe get an asset in return, that would be ideal. If there aren’t any trades to be made, it will be fascinating to see how this logjam plays out.

We made it, folks. It’s less than two weeks to Opening Night, there’ll be an actual hockey game involving some NHL players by the end of the weekend, and before we know it we’ll be marveling at a banner being hung in the Lenovo Center rafters—which may look different if promotional materials sent out to fans and photo shoots are any clue:

As things begin Thursday and members of the media will get their first real chance to chat with members of the team before things kick into high gear, here are a couple of the storylines to keep your eye on as they take the Wake Competition Center ice.

Alexander Nikishin Missing

It shouldn’t be a surprise following the blurb that Pierre LeBrun dropped earlier this week that Nikishin won’t be on the ice to start camp. Truthfully, without any sort of contract to play, there’s no reason for him to risk injury and get on the ice.

So after the fanfare to get him over from Russia to his debut in the 2025 playoffs and then a good but not great rookie season, the two sides continue to be at a stalemate. It’s one of those situations where you truly see both sides. Nikishin and his camp see some of new contracts that young players have been signing and feel they should be getting commiserate value. The Hurricanes have the leverage though, cause no other team can sign him and he couldn’t plead his case to an arbitrator. Perhaps if he had come over to the United States earlier he’d be in a position to where he could do that, instead the Canes are understandably in a mode of not wanting to sink a lot of money when the potential is there but hasn’t fully shown itself.

As for the desire of the Nikishin side to get a trade, again the Canes have most of the leverage. While they know he may not be a great fit for them they know his value and aren’t going to just give up on him. The sole leverage the Nikishin camp has is not having any promise to sign long term to a new team, thus decreasing his value.

What does this mean now that hockey is actually starting? Really, not much. As much hype as Nikishin had coming in, no one a) expected the team to trade for K’Andre Miller last summer and b) that turn out to be one of the best moves they could have made. The Canes’ blue line looks more solid than it did when Nikishin arrived, and thus there are several young defensemen who’ll be battling to take that spot as well as depth pieces the Canes signed. We’ll see if a deadline forces movement, because in the end Nikishin loses in that he’s in the United States and not earning anything.

Stable Roster

Besides Nikishin how stable is the Canes roster? They lost all of one person from last year’s Cup winning team—Frederik Andersen who is already out with injury for Edmonton. They filled that spot from within as Pyotr Kochetkov comes back to the team fully healed from lower body surgery this past winter and with the chance in the last year of his deal to really cash in—either with the Canes or someone else as he’ll be a UFA next year. Beyond that, everyone that lifted the Cup for the Canes is back, and this is reflected in the Training Camp roster released by the team on Wednesday.

Camp is going to see two groups of players take the ice, and there’s no mixing of the groups. One group is your defending Cup Champs, the other is the group of players that will likely start the season in either Greensboro or Chicago.

So, the only chance players will have to really show what they can do with the main players is before and during the four Pre-Season games. On those days, the camp changes from the major/minor league rosters to game/non-game skaters. That’s likely where we’ll get some sort of clue of any player that has impressed.

Competition for open spots

Despite the amount of stability, the fact remains that there is at least one open spot available to players to start the year, and perhaps two depending on what happens with Nikishin.

The spot is the one belonging to Seth Jarvis. While he’s been spotted on the ice doing some drills before formal camp, there’s still every indication he’ll miss the first couple months of the season so his shoulder can finally be 100%. After a performance that won him a spot in the Four Nations, the Olympics, and hero of the Stanley Cup Game Two, he’s earned the right now to sit back and make sure he’s 100% for hopefully another long run.

Thus, the question is how the lines will be shaken up while Jarvis recovers? Will the team bring up a Bradley Nadeau to give some time, build a true enforcer fourth line with the likes of Nicholas Deslauriers, give Jesperi Kotkaniemi one last real chance to impress so they may be able to fetch a good price for him on the trade market, or all of the above? It also makes one wonder how the lines will be constructed, as Jarvis had been shuffled between the Aho and the Staal lines, and it’s difficult to see the Stankoven line being broken up at least to start.

Short lead up

If you’re thinking that we’re going from zero to hockey in a very short time, you’re not wrong. This is going to be the first season of the 84 game schedule. This was done to bring the NHL back to the setup where you play your division four times, the other division three, and the other conference twice. To commit to playing two more regular season games the players asked for concessions in the preseason which—my guess is—the owners weren’t too upset about giving up.

This means a much shorter Training Camp, two less preseason games, and—much to the dismay of coach Rod Brind’Amour—no more fitness test.

Joking aside, we’ve seen the result of a reduced camp and preseason in the other big contact sport—the NFL—and while you can’t blame the players for wanting to reduce the grind, you can’t help but to think it’ll hit the Hurricanes the hardest of all the teams because of how late they played AND they were spending the time celebrating their Cup win. It’ll be interesting to hear how Brind’Amour speaks of the drills and camp with significantly less time to get his team ready to defend their crown.

The short leadup is probably also going to lead to a rush of information once camp is over. Normally the end of camp carries a four or five day break before the season opens, but this season the Canes play their last preseason game on Saturday, September 26th then open the season on Tuesday, September 29th. Thus once the final horn sounds next Saturday, expect the social media build to be fast and furious.

Are you ready for the season to begin?

The tallest order on the Anaheim Ducks’ late-summer “to do” list has been completed, and just in the nick of time. On Tuesday evening, the team announced they’d signed star forward Cutter Gauthier to a six-year contract extension that carries an AAV of $13.5 million. 

The timing of this signing was significant because not only was this contract signed hours before the expiration of the previous CBA, which limited aspects like maximum number of years and bonus structures, but pen was put to paper two days before the Ducks were set to open their 2026 training camp, thus avoiding a fourth contract negotiation in four years with a high-profile RFA extending into camp.

Ducks Sign Cutter Gauthier to Six-Year Contract Extension

Takeaways from the 2026 Ducks Rookie Camp/Tournament

This will be yet another pivotal year in the Ducks’ build toward true contention, as they’ll now hand the majority of responsibility over to their young, blossoming core and battle the repercussions of losing several key contributors to their successes a year ago. 

The Ducks released their training camp roster and details on Wednesday morning, and they’re inviting 48 players, including 29 forwards, 14 defensemen, and five goaltenders. 

Training camp will both raise and answer several questions for the team as it pertains to the upcoming 2026-27 season. Here are the top storylines to follow ahead of this relatively compressed training camp and preseason:

Who Will Start the Season as LaCombe’s Partner?

Jackson LaCombe is far and away the Ducks’ No. 1 defenseman, and in some views, their only “good” blueliner. He’s their all-situations ice time leader, and his eight-year, $9 million AAV contract kicks in this season. His partner for 861 minutes at 5v5 in the 2025-26 season, Jacob Trouba, has a new home with a division rival after signing a four-year contract with the San Jose Sharks when he hit unrestricted free agency on July 1, leaving the role as “Jackson LaCombe’s Partner” and “Top Pair Defenseman” up for grabs. 

There are several question marks surrounding each of the four candidates up for the role heading into training camp, and the lineup will likely remain a fluid situation on the blueline well into the season.

Drew Helleson (25) is a long-time close friend of LaCombe, but he had his struggles at 5v5 last season, and the pair didn’t have spectacular numbers in their 320 minutes together. The only NHL acquisition the Ducks made on the blueline was Nick Jensen (35), who’s coming off of a knee injury and his days as a top-four defenseman are likely in the rearview. Tristan Luneau (22), although technically not a rookie, is projected to play his first full season at the NHL level. Inserting him directly into a top-pair role, regardless of how talented he is, may be ill-advised. 

Ian Moore (24) may be the frontrunner for the position, as it currently stands. He has the skating ability, IQ, and habits to become a modern-day shutdown defender in head coach Joel Quenneville’s system. Though he surprisingly finished the year as a fourth-line right winger, he played 92 minutes alongside LaCombe in 2025-26, and the pair accounted for 60.6% of the expected goals at 5v5. 

How Many Rookies Will Make the Opening Roster?

From their forward group, the Ducks lost top-six pieces Mason McTavish and Chris Kreider, while Troy Terry is slated to miss the first 2-3 months of the upcoming season. Off the blueline, they lost Jacob Trouba, John Carlson, Radko Gudas, and Olen Zellweger. 

Due to the sizable (to say the least) contracts signed by Leo Carlsson, Pavel Mintyukov, and Cutter Gauthier, the front office wasn’t able to meaningfully replace those players during the offseason. However, after an elongated rebuild, the Ducks’ pipeline is teeming with players desperate for a crack at making the opening night roster and filling a supplemental scoring need. 

The two most notable and highest-profile in that group of players looking to make their NHL debuts and make an immediate impact at the sport’s highest level are Roger McQueen (10th overall in 2025) and Nikita Klepov (15th in ’26). McQueen is fresh off a successful yet relatively unproductive freshman season in the NCAA with Providence College, but brings a pro-ready frame, skill set, and habits. The Ducks surprisingly signed Klepov to an ELC, so he’s either destined for the NHL or OHL in 2026-27. He has an abundance of skill and tenacity in every facet, but has never played against professionals in his career. 

The Ducks will likely need one of, or both, these players to make an immediate impact to mitigate some of what was lost in the offseason and what they’ll be without early in the regular season. Relying on rookies to contribute off the bat can be a dangerous gamble, but the Ducks have had success in this realm in the recent past with Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, and Beckett Sennecke. 

Will Frank Vatrano Earn Back Trust?

The Ducks signed veteran forward Frank Vatrano to a three-year contract extension in the winter of 2025, and the first year of said extension didn’t go as anticipated in the slightest. After averaging 26 goals and 48 points through his first three seasons with the organization, he hit an unexpected speed bump in 2025-26.

While dealing with a new coach and system that aren’t quite conducive to his play style, Vatrano suffered a significant shoulder injury and dealt with an off-ice personal situation. Once a meaningful piece of the Ducks’ present and future, Vatrano finished the season with just nine points (5-4=9) in 50 games. 

Much like the case with Klepov and McQueen, there will be openings in the Ducks’ top nine heading into the season, as they’ll be without half of their top six from a year ago, at least to start the year, until Troy Terry returns from injury. If Vatrano can bounce back in any meaningful way and to any extent, coupled with internal growth from the young core and a rookie or two making an impact, there’s a real possibility the Ducks’ forward group can make up for the losses of McTavish and Kreider in the aggregate. 

Vatrano has proven that when placed in a position to succeed, he can provide his team with instant, depth scoring while impacting play with a high motor and forechecking prowess. 

Three Biggest Storylines Heading into Anaheim Ducks Rookie Camp

Report: Ducks to Place Chris Kreider on Waivers for Purposes of Contract Termination

Last season, Noah Laba proved that a strong training camp will be rewarded.

The same rule still applies as multiple Rangers rookies prepare for the first on-ice session of the 2026-27 preseason Thursday.

Of the 16 would-be rookies on the training camp roster, however, only two stand out as having the most legitimate chances before even stepping on the ice.

Goalie Dylan Garand and defenseman Alberts Smits are both in the mix for the few open spots in the Blueshirts lineup.

The backup job behind star netminder Igor Shesterkin is up for grabs after it was vacated by the since-retired Jonathan Quick.

Garand will go toe-to-toe with veteran goaltender Joonas Korpisalo for the role, which the 24-year-old started making a case for last season with a 2-0-1 record through his first three NHL games.

Korpisalo was still brought in from Boston this summer — for Kalle Vaisanen and a 2028 fourth-round draft pick — to ignite some internal competition.

“I think [Garand] showed us late in the season last year that he’s very capable of making saves in this league,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “That, in and of itself, just his overall growth and development, has given us a little bit more legitimate depth at the goaltending position. Korpy is a guy that I think is a bona fide NHL goalie that’s had success and has a body of work in this league that shows that he can be an effective goaltender, especially at the backup position.

“He’s done an admirable job in the places that he’s been. He’s done an admirable job in the places he’s beenWe feel like that position right now is competitive. I think ultimately as an organization the ultimate goal is to have fierce internal competition, healthy competition at all the positions.”

As for Smits, Sullivan noted that the 18-year-old’s history of playing in international men’s leagues has paved the way to his current position.

Despite acknowledging that Smits has a chance to make the Opening Night roster out of training camp, Sullivan also showed the organization’s caution.

President and general manager Chris Drury also has publicly stated the Rangers’ wish to do what’s best for his development.

Since the Rangers drafted him fifth overall in June, there appeared to be some distaste for the narrative of Smits being the most NHL-ready defenseman in the 2026 class and how it could affect him.

“We’re impressed with his game,” Sullivan said. “I think the most important thing is, and we have talked about this internally, is that in the big picture, the sooner that Smits becomes part of our roster the better. But we also have to make sure that we do the right thing for him, both in the short term and in the long term.

“We’ll see where it goes. We’re going to watch him in training camp with our veteran players, and his play will tell us where we think he fits and what’s best for him.”

Sullivan noted that Pavel Dorofeyev can skate on both the right and left wings. As for where the 25-year-old Russian will start the season, Sullivan said there will be some experimenting.

“I think a lot of it’s going to come down to what we think is the best fit based on the combinations that we put together,” Sullivan said. “We’re going to explore different options to figure out how we can create the balance that we think is necessary to win consistently, but also to set players up for success. Him included. I would anticipate probably seeing him on both sides throughout the course of the next couple of weeks.”

Cole Beaudoin is day to day and Aidan Thompson is week to week with undisclosed injuries.

The new CBA that kicked in Wednesday notably reduces the maximum contract term to seven years for players re-signing with their current team (down from eight years) and six years for external free agent signings.

Multiple teams locked down young talent to the maximum term late Tuesday night, such as the Capitals and Ryan Leonard (eight years, $84 million), the Sabres and Noah Ostlund (eight years, $52.8 million) and the Senators and Drake Batherson (eight years, $86 million).

Asked if there was any inclination to approach, say, Gabe Perreault, or any other of their youngsters for a maximum contract, Drury declined to reveal his stance on the matter.

“As you all know, I’m not going to get into contract negotiations publicly,” he said. “All or any conversations I have with players or agents, keep that private. We’re happy with where we’re at. We’re happy with where our roster is at. We’re happy with our cap projections going into this year and in the future. We’re excited to see Gabe and other young players continue to grow, take on more responsibility, earn more responsibility here and have good productive years for us.”

Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Ryan Reaves officially called it a career on Wednesday.

Reaves, who played for the Penguins during the 2017-18 season and compiled four goals and eight points in 58 games, announced his retirement via his official Instagram account. He played 16 NHL seasons and was one of the league's top enforcers. 

"I never thought this day would come. I thought I was invincible. I thought I could play forever, but like all good things, it must come to an end. Today, I retire from the sport I’ve loved since I was 5 years old," Reaves wrote on Instagram. "It was a hell of a ride. Thank you to everyone who supported me throughout this journey. There are too many to single out, so you’ll hear from me at some point."

"You can rest easy knowing the corners are a little safer today."

Ryan Reaves on InstagramDear Hockey, It’s hard to put into words what you meant to me. What ...

In addition to his time with the Penguins, he played for the St. Louis Blues, Vegas Golden Knights, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, and San Jose Sharks. 

Reaves compiled 66 goals and 140 points in 962 NHL games.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!    

Award-winning goalie Connor Hellebuyck, a U.S. Olympic gold medalist, did not report to the Winnipeg Jets' training camp and is being suspended as a result, the team said.

The announcement on Wedesday, Sept. 17, comes amid Hellebuyck's request to be traded. He asked earlier in the offseason and then went public with the request on Aug. 27.

"Several months ago, I privately requested a trade," Hellebuyck said in a statement released through his agent in August. "I have tried to handle the situation quietly and respectfully while giving the organization time to explore its options. With training camp approaching, I felt it was important to publicly confirm my request. My position has not changed, and I believe moving on is the best path forward for me and my family.

"I appreciate everything Winnipeg Jets fans have meant to me throughout my career and hope that a resolution can be reached soon."

The Jets said general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff will address the matter on Thursday.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — The Winnipeg Jets suspended goaltender Connor Hellebuyck on Wednesday night for failing to report to training camp.

The team said general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff would address the media Thursday morning. It did not specify the length of the suspension for the U.S. Olympic star.

Hellebuyck, a three-time Vezina Trophy winner and 2025 Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP, publicly requested a trade from the team on Aug. 27.

In a statement posted on X by his agent, Ray Petkau, Hellebuyck said he had privately requested a trade “several months ago” and that he gave the organization time to address it “queitly and respectfully.”

“Winnipeg has been my home for my entire NHL career, and I will always be grateful for my time there,” Hellebuyck said. “I have never forgotten June 23, 2012. That’s the day Winnipeg took a chance on a goalie playing in Odessa, Texas. I gave everything I had from that moment to prove that the Jets made the right decision.”

Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff had said before June’s NHL draft that he was listening to offers for Hellebuyck. At the time, he did not confirm that the goaltender had asked to be traded.

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See AP’s full NHL coverage here

The leaves are changing, there’s a nip to the air, and pumpkin spiced lattes are out in full force. All those things, and a back-to-school Target special, signal that hockey is just a stone’s throw away.

Admittedly, no temperature or aesthetic changes are happening in Las Vegas– palm trees’ leaves don’t change colors, and it’s still 93℉ and sunny. Nevertheless, the start of the 2026-27 season is right around the corner, and after a long summer, the Vegas Golden Knights are preparing to head to Training Camp.

Of course, the Golden Knights had a shorter summer than most, as their 2025-26 season didn’t end until June 14th, when they had to stand and watch as the Carolina Hurricanes were awarded the Stanley Cup. I imagine that, as the runners-up, the Golden Knights’ offseason felt impossibly long.

But finally, at long last, it’s Training Camp Eve, and the Golden Knights are just one sleep away from their revenge tour. Tomorrow, they’ll embark on their quest for redemption. Tomorrow, they’ll be given the opportunity to attempt to right all their wrongs, to write themselves a new story in which they emerge victorious.

Tomorrow, all the questions will be answered. But for tonight, here are the three biggest questions heading into training camp.

1. Who Will Become the Golden Knights’ New Goalscorer?

Turnover is inevitable in hockey, but the Golden Knights did their best to keep the band together. As it stands, their roster is almost identical to the one that fell just two wins short of the Stanley Cup. 

Almost identical. Almost.

When the Golden Knights take the ice on September 29th, they’ll do so without a former mainstay in their lineup: Pavel Dorofeyev. General Manager Kelly McCrimmon is never afraid to make difficult decisions, and he hammered that point home when he traded Dorofeyev, a sharpshooter who led the team in goals for the past two years, to the New York Rangers at the NHL Entry Draft. This year, they’ll have to look elsewhere for a late tying goal or game-winner.

But where will they look? The Golden Knights are a team that does things by committee and takes pride in their depth scoring, but 35-goalscorers don’t just grow on trees. They’ll likely need one of their two superstars to step up and prioritize shooting the puck. They’ll also probably need a healthy season from William Karlsson and a bounce-back season from Tomáš Hertl.

2. Can the Golden Knights Replicate their Elite Power Play?

Looking back, the Golden Knights’ 2025-26 season was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde– it was the tale of two seasons. 

They entered the playoffs on shaky ground, but most of their regular season failures were overshadowed by their postseason success. For three rounds, the Golden Knights would not be denied. They cut through the Utah Mammoth, shot down the Anaheim Ducks, and militaristically dismantled the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche.

Essentially, the Golden Knights’ postseason was nothing like their regular season. In the regular season, they were a fragile team. They rarely scored first and, as a result, spent a concerning amount of time trailing in games. Their defensive woes resulted in an inability to keep the puck out of the net and an occasionally devastating struggle to stop the bleeding. 

Honestly, for most of the season, the Golden Knights had just one saving grace: an utterly lethal power play. And, boy, was it ever magnificent. That power play helped Mark Stone enjoy a career year at age 34. The Golden Knights trotted out a five-forward unit with Mark Stone at the goal line, Jack Eichel at the half wall, Hertl in the bumper, Pavel Dorofeyev as the one-time option, and Mitch Marner as the quarterback. 

Now, Pavel Dorofeyev is gone, and the Golden Knights will need to find a way to replace his team-leading 20 power-play goals.

3. Which Goaltender Will Take Control of the Net?

While some teams are desperately searching for a starting goaltender, the Golden Knights have the opposite problem. Both netminders will be looking for redemption, but both Carter Hart and Adin Hill are more than capable of shouldering a starter’s load.

Carter Hart struggled during the regular season, but thrived under latecomer head coach John Tortorella and looked unbeatable until the Stanley Cup Final. Then, he came back down to earth, setting records for all the wrong reasons while showing signs of fatigue. Hart is one of the biggest reasons that the Golden Knights swept the Avalanche, and he’ll look to regain that form and prove to new head coach Ryan Craig that he’s the right man for the starting job.

Adin Hill, who backstopped the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup in 2023, is coming off of a season he’d like to forget. He fell victim to the injury bug, started just 27 games, and posted a career-worst .871 average save percentage. He lost the net to Hart when Tortorella took over for Bruce Cassidy, but with a new head coach behind the bench, Hill has the chance to reestablish himself as the starter.

A new CBA kicks in this year, and the regular season grows from 82 to 84 regular games. Both netminders will get their chance to make their case for the starting role, and only time will tell who will win the job. 

Ryan Reaves is calling it a career. 

The NHL enforcer announced Wednesday that he was retiring from hockey in a lengthy post on social media. 

“Today, I retire from the sport I’ve loved since I was 5 years old,” he wrote on Instagram. “It was a hell of a ride. Thank you to everyone who supported me throughout this journey. There are too many to single out, so you’ll hear from me at some point.

“I may not be on the ice anymore, but I know I will always be close to hockey in one way or another. You can rest easy knowing the corners are a little safer today. Mic drop, gloves drop. Reavo out.”

View this post on Instagram

Reaves, who turns 40 in January, played 16 seasons in the league with stints on the Wild, Blues, Penguins, Golden Knights, Rangers, Maple Leafs, and most recently, the Sharks. 

Known more for his fights than his play, Reaves carved out a career as one of the NHL’s most feared enforcers.

Last October, Reaves got into an on-ice fight with Rangers enforcer Matt Rempe, who was left with a broken thumb.

After coming over in a trade with the Golden Knights in 2021, Reaves quickly became a fan favorite at Madison Square Garden.

His first fight as a Ranger came that November, when Canadiens rookie Michael Pezzetta challenged him at the Garden. Reaves pummeled Pezzetta in the one-sided bout before earning a standing ovation from the home crowd.

He played 81 games with the Blueshirts, recording five goals and 13 points, and appeared in 18 playoff games during their run to the Eastern Conference Final in 2022. 

The Rangers traded him to Minnesota that November.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound winger finished with 66 goals and 140 points in 962 regular-season games, while piling up more than 1,100 penalty minutes.

He finished his career with three goals in 50 games for San Jose last season.

The San Jose Sharks's 2026 Training Camp is set to start on Thursday, so let's take a look at each individual player and discuss a question surrounding each of them heading into the 2026-27 season.

Forwards:

Alex Barre-Boulet: Can he bring elite scoring to the Barracuda, or potentially even steal an NHL roster spot? 

Filip Bystedt: Is it finally his time to break into the NHL?

Ethan Cardwell: Has he been passed on the depth chart by too many players to ever have a chance at cracking the NHL roster?

Macklin Celebrini: How many of his own franchise records can Celebrini break this year?

Igor Chernyshov: It's clear he belongs in the NHL at this stage, so where does he fit and whose job does he take? 

Ty Dellandrea: Can he hold off some young guns pushing for a roster spot or will be be buried in the AHL?

Tye Felhaber: Can Felhaber get back to his AHL scoring pace from the 2024-25 season?

Andre Gasseau: Historically, Rookie Faceoff standouts tend to regress in training camp against stiffer competition. Can Gasseau be the exception?

Adam Gaudette: Does Gaudette's edge on goal-scoring save him from being the 13th forward or does he sit on most nights?

Patrick Giles: What does Giles need to do to move from a fringe player to legitimately competing for an NHL job? 

Barclay Goodrow: If enough young players outperform Goodrow in training camp, how far can his leadership and off-ice qualities go toward keeping him in the lineup?

Collin Graf: Considering Stenberg seems set for the first line in an ideal scenario and both Marchment and Chernyshov are expected to get top-six roles which line makes sense for Graf?

Jake Gustafson: How much can Gustafson learn in his first NHL training camp and what effects does it have on his WHL performance this season?

Donavan Houle: Can Houle establish himself as a full-time AHL option or is the ECHL in his future once again? 

Jimmy Huntington: Can Huntington's experience and leadership help him earn a few depth call-ups this season?

Brett Leason: After a season spent mostly in the AHL, can Leason return to his previous form and force himself into an NHL role once again?

Cam Lund: While it's clear he's a talented player, can Cam Lund stay healthy enough to earn another chance in the NHL at some point this season?

Mason Marchment: Many on social media have stated that they feel signing Marchment was unnecessary given the Sharks' logjam of forwards, can he prove them wrong?

Michael Misa: The Sharks are banking on Misa being their second-line center of the future, but after a relatively disappointing Rookie Faceoff, can he take that role right out of the gate?

Quentin Musty: Does Musty's new style of play, which embraces the grit required to play a bottom-six role, help him break into the NHL?

Zack Ostapchuk: Even though his new contract carries a relatively low cap hit, signing any bottom-six player with just over 100 games of NHL experience for four years is risky. Can Ostapchuk show that he's worth that commitment?  

Kiefer Sherwood: Sherwood's goal-scoring dropped off considerably after joining the Sharks, can he return to the same pace he had with the Vancouver Canucks last season?

Will Smith: Is this the season that Smith joins Macklin Celebrini in superstardom and massive contracts?

Ivar Stenberg: How quickly can he adapt to the North American style of play and do the Sharks follow the same development plan they've used with Smith and Misa?

Tyler Toffoli: Is age starting to catch up with Toffoli or was last season just an outlier?

Anthony Vincent: Can Vincent maintain his role with the Barracuda despite the new additions?

Alexander Wennberg: How long can Wennberg hold off Misa and remain the Sharks' 2C?

Carson Wetsch: Can Wetsch use his momentum from the Rookie Faceoff to snatch away a bottom-six role at the NHL level in his first professional season?

Defensemen:

Nolan Allan: Allan hasn't played in the NHL since the 2024-25 season when he appeared in 43 games for the Chicago Blackhawks, can he take the final defensive job?

Luca Cagnoni: Are the Sharks confident enough in Cagnoni's ability to play with on his off-hand side to give him the final spot on the blue line?

Sam Dickinson: Early last season, Dickinson seemed like he wasn't quite ready for the NHL but had to be there due to a lack of options. Is he truly ready now?

Libor Hajek: North American hockey fans haven't seen Hajek in roughly four years, is he an NHLer or AHLer at this stage?

Mattias Havelid: Havelid missed some time with the Barracuda last season, appearing in just 44 games. Can he stay healthy enough to provide a boost to the blue line?

Alexander Karmanov: Karmanov's size was a huge advantage and helped overcome his skating issues in the Rookie Faceoff, will he look out of place against NHL level talent?

Michael Kesselring: Last season, Kesselring struggled to get anything going in Buffalo. Will he bounce back to being the player we saw in Utah?

Roland McKeown: Can McKeown's leadership help the Barracuda when times get tough?

Darnell Nurse: Will Nurse's change of scenery truly be beneficial?

Mack Oliphant: Will Oliphant be able to secure himself a full-time role with the Barracuda or is he Wichita bound?

Dmitry Orlov: Heading into the final season of his contract, do the Sharks look to prioritize youth and play the veteran in a lower role or do they give Orlov substantial ice time on a nightly basis?

Eric Pohlkamp: Pohlkamp looked solid at the Rookie Faceoff and his shot seems to be a game-changer on the power play, can that elevate him into the NHL right away?

Leo Sahlin-Wallenius: How quickly can Sahlin-Wallenius adapt to North American hockey, especially in a rough league like the AHL?

Phillip Sinn: Coming out of the DEL, not much is truly known about Sinn at this point in time. What does he bring to the table and at what level?

Jacob Trouba: Trouba's contract has earned the Sharks a lot of flak this summer, can he prove that he's worth his cap hit?

Goaltenders:

Yaroslav Askarov: Can Askarov truly step up and prove that he deserves to be the Sharks' long-term starting goaltender or should they start looking toward a future with Ravensbergen?

Eric Comrie: While many feel like Comrie is destined for the AHL, he's been in the NHL for quite a while at this point. Can he use his experience to unseat one of the Sharks' other goalies?

Matt Davis: Can Davis do enough to convince the Sharks to sign him to a two-way deal or will he remain on an AHL contract moving forward?

Brady Knowling: At the Rookie Faceoff, Knowling seemed to be playing well above expectations. Can he keep the momentum rolling?

Alex Nedeljkovic: Can Nedeljkovic unseat Askarov as the starting netminder, will he remain the backup, or will he be passed by Comrie?

While quite a bit of the Sharks' roster already seems set, there are a lot of questions that still need to be answered and only time will reveal the true answer.

]The Buffalo Sabres’ 2025-26 season was a huge relief to long-suffering Sabres fans, as they finished first in the ultra-competitive Atlantic Division. They also beat the Boston Bruins in their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series before falling to the Montreal Canadiens in Round 2. Things are definitely looking up for this Sabres squad.

Meanwhile, here at TheHockeyNews.com, we're analyzing the Sabres’ Eastern Conference opponents in an online series titled “Know Your Enemy”. For the second straight season, we’re breaking down how Buffalo played against each East team, as well as how they’re likely to fare against them in 2026-27. And in this particular file, we’re focused on the New Jersey Devils. 

The Devils made some notable changes – first and foremost, in net. But what can we expect from New Jersey this year?.

BUFFALO SABRES VS. NEW JERSEY DEVILS

NEW DEVILS PLAYERS: Sunny Mehta (GM), David Rittich (G), Anthony Mantha (LW), Evan Rodrigues (RW), Jesper Boqvist (LW), Luke Evangelista (RW)

2025-26 SERIES: Sabres 2-1-0, Devils 1-2-0

2026-27 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: December 26, at Buffalo; January 12 at Buffalo; February 20 at New Jersey

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? The Devils dealt veteran Jacob Markstrom to the Florida Panthers, and to replace him, New Jersey signed journeyman Rittich, who posted a save percentage of .894 or worse in each of the past two seasons. That shouldn’t cause Devils fans to be overly optimistic about their chances of making the playoffs this year – unless, say, new GM Mehta pulls off a blockbuster trade for Winnipeg Jets superstar netminder Connor Hellebuyck. If that happens, all bets are off for the ceiling for New Jersey. 

However, as it stands, the Devils are a very beatable group. The Hughes Bros., Luke and Jack Hughes, may be waiting on brother Quinn Hughes if he leaves the Minnesota Wild. And again, if that’s the caliber of player Mehta can bring in, suddenly New Jersey rockets near or at the top of the Metropolitan Division. 

The Sabres will see the Devils three times in less than two months, beginning on Boxing Day and ending 55 days later. But two of the games against New Jersey will take place in Buffalo, and the Sabres need to take advantage of that. Buffalo’s home record last season was a solid 26-10-5, and that means there’s no excuse for them not to make the most of their games at KeyBank Center. And that goes double against the Devils, who were a thoroughly-mediocre 21-20-0 on the road.

New Jersey is clearly still a work-in-progress, so the Sabres can’t take their foot off the gas simply because the Devils aren’t particularly imposing at the moment. If Buffalo is to repeat as Atlantic regular-season champs, they have to make the most of games against teams they ought to beat – and right now, the Devils are most-definitely a team they ought to beat this season.

Giving up valuable standings points to non-elite teams will only hurt the Sabres, and coach Lindy Ruff must ensure his team are stone-cold killers against weaker opponents.

On Thursday, the Philadelphia Flyers will kick off their on-ice portion of their 2026 training camp, and with a shorter overall camp and preseason this year, the roster battles and jostling for ice time will be as fierce as ever.

But, before anywhere, we have to establish the present to give context to the future. After all, the NHL roster is already looking considerably different than it did this time last year.

Rookies Porter Martone, Alex Bump, and Denver Barkey are all primed to stick out of the gate this year, while players like Noah Juulsen, Egor Zamula, Sam Ersson, Garnet Hathaway, Nick Deslauriers, Rodrigo Abols, and Bobby Brink are all out of the picture entirely.

Until we see how things stack up, it'll be nearly impossible to predict how the Flyers will line up and who will play with who, which is why an assessment of the overall depth chart will be our most useful tool in the meantime.

As a reminder, these aren't line combinations or predictions, but more of a representation of a given player's role and usage in the lineup.

Forwards

Tyson Foerster - Trevor Zegras - Travis Konecny

Owen Tippett - Christian Dvorak - Matvei Michkov

Denver Barkey - Noah Cates - Porter Martone

Nikita Grebenkin (inj.) - Sean Couturier - Noel Acciari

Alex Bump - Jett Luchanko - Carl Grundstrom

Zach Aston-Reese - Jacob Gaucher - Danila Klimovich

Nolan Foote - Jack Studnicka - Cole Knuble

Noah Powell - Riley Thompson - Devin Kaplan

Rationale

The placements of players like Matvei Michkov, Martone, Barkey, and Bump is going to depend largely on how head coach Rick Tocchet wants to deploy them.

If Michkov is really in much better shape than he was this time last year, he should be squarely ahead of the less experienced Martone.

Barkey and Nikita Grebenkin, who is currently dealing with a setback, have skills that lend themselves better to a bottom-six role than what Bump has, though I expect all three to make the NHL roster.

The Flyers only want Jett Luchanko in the lineup if he's going to play and one of the 12 best forwards on the team, but in the event of injury (particularly long-term), he should be the first man up for them.

Cole Knuble has been impressive throughout rookie camp, but some of the journeymen are going to be ahead of him in the pecking order for now having considerably more NHL and AHL experience.

With their penalty-killing skills, I expect Tyson Foerster and Travis Konecny to be the two wingers deployed the most, with Trevor Zegras reprising his role as the go-to guy for this Flyers team.

Defense

Travis Sanheim - Jamie Drysdale

Cam York - Rasmus Ristolainen

Nick Seeler - David Jiricek

Simon Benoit - Oliver Bonk

Ty Murchison - Helge Grans

Hunter McDonald - Cam Dineen

Jackson Edward - Spencer Gill

Rationale

When it comes down to it, defense should be the most polarizing group on the Flyers' roster. Although trade rumors persist and on an expiring contract, Rasmus Ristolainen remains with the Flyers, while Jamie Drysdale continues to trend towards becoming one of the better two-way defenders in the NHL.

Cam York is a fine second-pair guy, and everything after those four is a bit murky.

Veteran Nick Seeler regressed last year and turned 33 years old three months ago, while David Jiricek, still just 22 years old, must prove himself at the NHL level or risk being exposed to waivers for the first time in his young career.

Newcomer Simon Benoit is the likeliest to take up Juulsen's mantle as the meat-and-potatoes No. 7 guy, though Flyers GM Danny Briere left the door open to carrying eight defenders when doing his press conference on Tuesday.

That means opportunity for someone like Ty Murchison, who could very well grow into an option superior to Benoit or Seeler at a lower price, or Oliver Bonk, who has continued to impress after earning an NHL debut and Stanley Cup playoff debut late last season.

For now, Hunter McDonald and Helge Grans remain on the outside looking in, though they could jump up the depth chart quickly with tidy preseason performances. The numbers game just doesn't work in their favor, and especially not for Grans.

I could see McDonald and Murchison replacing Seeler and Benoit by season's end, particularly if the Flyers are sellers at the trade deadline.

You all know how much I like Spencer Gill, but with the considerable amount of time he's missed due to injury since being drafted in 2024, I think the Flyers are committed to letting him spend the full year in the AHL to gain experience and continue developing.

The NHL's most famous beard is gone.

Well, not gone but trimmed to respectability.

Brent Burns, the 41-year-old defenseman who's entering his 23rd season in the NHL, showed up at the Colorado Avalanche's training camp on Wednesday, Sept. 16, with a different look.

Gone is the long hair and long bushy beard. It's replaced by a trimmed look that makes him appear younger. His gap-toothed look is gone, too.

The facial hair had been legendary and Burns embraced it by wearing a Chewbacca mask at the 2016 NHL All-Star Game skills competition in Nashville.

Here is how Burns looks this week, plus how he looked last season:

Fresh look for Brent Burns heading into this season 👀 pic.twitter.com/Tkrp11ySvh

— Bailey Curtis (@baileyycurtis) September 16, 2026

Hey, things change.

Even Joe Thornton shaved the NHL's second-best beard once.

Brent Burns can set record this season

Burns is entering an important season after he signed a one-year deal to give him a second season with the Avalanche.

He's still seeking his first Stanley Cup and the Avalanche will be among the favorites again this season.

He has skated in 1,007 consecutive games and needs 58 games this season to top Phil Kessel's ironman record.

Burns, who hasn't missed a game since 2013-14, averaged nearly 19 minutes a game and scored 12 goals and 35 points last season.

The San Jose Sharks are set to kick off their 2026 Training Camp on Thursday, and ahead of the annual event they announced which players have been invited to participate. 

There are 28 forwards set to attend this fall's training camp. While the NHL regulars like Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and Tyler Toffoli will be there, quite a few players expected to play for the San Jose Barracuda will also attend.

Forwards:

Alex Barre-Boulet 

Filip Bystedt

Ethan Cardwell

Macklin Celebrini

Igor Chernyshov

Ty Dellandrea

Tye Felhaber

Andre Gasseau

Adam Gaudette

Patrick Giles

Barclay Goodrow

Collin Graf

Jake Gustafson

Donavan Houle

Jimmy Huntington

Brett Leason

Cam Lund

Mason Marchment

Michael Misa

Quentin Musty

Zack Ostapchuk

Kiefer Sherwood

Will Smith

Ivar Stenberg

Tyler Toffoli

Anthony Vincent

Alexander Wennberg

Carson Wetsch

There are also 15 defensemen and five goaltenders set to participate in this year's training camp.

Defensemen:

Nolan Allan

Luca Cagnoni

Sam Dickinson

Libor Hajek

Mattias Havelid

Alexander Karmanov

Michael Kesselring

Roland McKeown

Darnell Nurse

Mack Oliphant

Dmitry Orlov

Eric Pohlkamp

Leo Sahlin-Wallenius

Phillip Sinn

Jacob Trouba

Goaltenders:

Yaroslav Askarov

Eric Comrie

Matt Davis

Brady Knowling

Alex Nedeljkovic

Interestingly, recently signed netminder Ilya Samsonov will not be attending training camp.

San Jose Sharks fans, and players for that matter, have had different opinions on Ryan Reaves during his time in the NHL but it's now been confirmed that his last NHL season was spent with the team in teal. On Wednesday, the veteran winger took to social media to officially announce his retirement.

For many years, Sharks fans hated Reaves due to his time with the Vegas Golden Knights, but it didn't take long for the public opinion to change once he arrived in the Bay Area. His personality off the ice quickly turned him into a fan favorite, even with some of those who weren't happy with his on ice contributions. 

Now 39 years old, Reaves started his career with the St. Louis Blues organization after they drafted him 156th overall in 2005. Roughly five years later, he made his NHL debut and remained in St. Louis through the 2016-17 season. He then had stints with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the aforementioned Golden Knights, the New York Rangers, the Minnesota Wild, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and eventually, the Sharks. 

Reaves finishes his career with 962 games played, 66 goals, 74 assists, and 1,137 penalty minutes.