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Calgary Flames Sign Ryan Huska to Two-Year Extension

The Calgary Flames today announced that head coach Ryan Huska has signed a two-year contract extension, solidifying his role behind the bench through the 2026–27 NHL season.

Huska, who became the 24th head coach in franchise history in June 2023, has guided the Flames to a 79-66-19 record over his first two campaigns. Most recently, he led Calgary to within a single point of a playoff berth in 2024–25, marking steady progress for the club under his leadership.

“We’re thrilled to extend Ryan for two more years,” said Flames GM Craig Conroy.

Huska’s connection to the Flames organization spans more than a decade. He first joined in 2014–15 as head coach of Calgary’s AHL affiliate in Adirondack before guiding top prospects in Stockton, where he compiled a 135-118-27 record across four seasons.

Promoted to the Flames’ NHL coaching staff in 2018, Huska served as an assistant coach for five years before earning the head coaching role in Calgary.

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NHL Waivers: Lightning Claim Copley As 22 Players Hit The Wire On Oct. 2

The Tampa Bay Lightning claimed goaltender Pheonix Copley off NHL waivers on Thursday, the team announced.

Copley joins the Lightning as depth while starter Andrei Vasilevskiy practises while recovering from an injury. Copley could potentially challenge backup Jonas Johansson for backup duties.

The 33-year-old Copley spent the last three seasons with the Los Angeles Kings organization. In 2022-23, he played a career-high 37 games, putting up a 24-6-3 record, 2.64 goals-against average and .903 save percentage.

Despite that, Copley only played eight games in 2023-24 due to an ACL injury and then spent most of last season in the AHL, going 24-17-1 with a 2.49 GAA and .904 SP in 42 games for the Ontario Reign.

The rest of the players on Wednesday's NHL waiver wire cleared and are eligible to go to the minors. Christian Jaros, meanwhile, cleared unconditional waivers, and his contract can be terminated.

Eight teams placed 22 players on waivers on Thursday, according to PuckPedia. Here they are:

  • Columbus: Daemon Hunt
  • Calgary: Rory Kerins, Ivan Prosvetov, Ilya Solovyov
  • Edmonton: Cam Dineen, Riley Stillman
  • Pittsburgh: Sebastian Aho (defenseman), Danton Heinen, Philip Kemp, Joona Koppanen, Filip Larsson, Valtteri Puustinen
  • Seattle: Ben Meyers, Mitchell Stephens
  • Utah: Ben McCartney, Scott Perunovich
  • Vancouver: Vitali Kravtsov
  • Vegas: Dylan Coghlan, Tanner Laczynski, Raphael Lavoie, Jaycob Megna, Cole Schwindt
Danton Heinen (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

Hunt, a 23-year-old defenseman, joined the Blue Jackets in a trade that sent prospect David Jiricek the other way in November 2024. He had an assist in four pre-season games.

Prosvetov, 26, signed with Calgary in July after recording a 2.32 GAA, .920 SP and four shutouts with CSKA Moscow last season. The goaltender went 1-2-0 with a .875 SP and 3.96 GAA in parts of three pre-season games. This means Devin Cooley has earned backup duties behind Dustin Wolf for now. Cooley has gone 0-2-0 with a 4.08 GAA and .846 SP in parts of three games.

Stillman, a 27-year-old D-man, signed with the Oilers in July, and he has 163 games of NHL experience. He scored once in one pre-season game.

Heinen, 30, played 79 games last season between the Canucks and Penguins, scoring 29 points. The veteran left winger has 96 goals, 145 assists and 241 points in 566 career games. Heinen was held without a point in four pre-season contests, taking three shots on goal.

Kravtsov, 25, rejoined the Canucks after spending two seasons with KHL Chelyabinsk, recording 58 points in 66 games last year. He didn't record a point in two pre-season games.

Lavoie, 25, was the talk of last October's waiver wire. The Golden Knights claimed the 2019 second-rounder off waivers from the Oilers on Oct. 7, 2024. Edmonton reclaimed the center on Oct. 9, and then Vegas got him again on Oct. 11. After all that, he played nine NHL games, and in 16 career contests, he has yet to record his first career point.

For each player, the rest of the NHL's clubs can submit a claim before 2 p.m. ET on Friday.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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Knicks defeat 76ers as Mike Brown offers glimpse at starting lineup plans

Head coach Mike Brown won his Knicks preseason debut at the NBA’s Abu Dhabi Games, 99-84, against the Philadelphia 76ers. Miles McBride led the effort with 12 points off the bench, with Karl-Anthony Towns adding 11 points in 17 minutes. 

Mitchell Robinson was in postseason form, scoring seven points and grabbing 16 boards in 18 minutes. Mikal Bridges added 10 while the captain Jalen Brunson had a quiet six points and four assists. 

The Knicks were without OG Anunoby due to a sprained left hand; starting in his place was Pacome Dadiet. Robinson was the fifth starter after much training camp mystery. 

Here are the key takeaways...

-- It sure looked like an overseas preseason opener out of the gates with some ugly turnovers and sloppy play early. A Dadiet offensive rebound and reverse and-one putback was the first bucket for the Knicks this season.

Tyrese Maxey looked in midseason form early with 10 first-quarter points on some quick takes inside. It took some time for New York to find their flow, but eventually Towns got some looks in transition and at the free throw line, scoring seven points in the first frame. 

-- It was McBride who exploded late in the period, hitting a couple threes and a fading two in a confident stint. He played alongside newcomer Jordan Clarkson and Brunson in a sneak peek at a new three-guard set as the teams went into the second tied at 25.

-- As the first ended, Maxey tried to intercept Josh Hart’s dribble, and the Knick wing fell and hurt his lower back, flinging the ball into the stands in the process. The officials ejected Hart, ending his afternoon as he was helped back to the locker room area. After the game, the Knicks confirmed that Hart is dealing with a sore lower back, and the team will wait to see how he feels on Friday before deciding next steps.

-- Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe ignited in the second quarter, going viral for a ludicrous attempted poster over Robinson, and finishing the half with nine points. Both teams kept it tight for most of the half, until the starters returned and got to work.

Brunson slipped inside for a couple floaters while Bridges hit a couple as the Knicks used a 15-6 run to close the half up 53-43 as the Sixers shot 1-20 from three as a team.

-- New York pulled the starters at halftime, letting the second and third units get some real burn after taking the long flight. The three guards fighting for one roster spot - Landry Shamet, Malcolm Brogdon and Garrison Mathews - got in early in the third and shared the court for a strong stretch to extend the league. 

Brogdon hit a three, got a couple paint touches that led to corner threes, and recorded a steal and assist in his first six minutes. Mathews splashed three threes as part of a 22-5 run to give the Knicks an 81-55 advantage after three. 

-- Ariel Hukporti played his only six minutes in the third quarter, scoring six points and grabbing six rebounds in a team-high +13 stint.  

The Knicks coasted from there, playing every member of their extended training camp roster.

Highlights

Up next

The Knicks take on the Sixers once again in Abu Dhabi on Saturday at 11:00 a.m.

 

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Devils' Luke Hughes Discusses 'Whirlwind' Week & Return to New Jersey

On Thursday, at 10:27 a.m., Luke Hughes smoothly skated onto the ice at RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House, marking his first day on the ice at New Jersey Devils training camp. 

Skating as an extra along with Kurtis MacDermid and Stefan Noesen (lower body), during the team's morning skate, Hughes worked through each drill, with a determined expression. 

He chose to particpate in both the club's 10:30 a.m. skate and 11:45 practice that ran for approximately 45 mintues. 

"It feels great (to be back)," Hughes shared. "Obviously, I was waiting a little bit, but really excited to be back and happy that I am in New Jersey for the next seven years."

On Oct. 1, the 22-year-old restricted free agent signed a seven-year, $63 million extension to remain in New Jersey through 2032.

"There was never a doubt during the negotiations that Luke wanted to remain a Devil," his agent Pat Brisson told The Hockey News. "We looked at his comps and what he has accomplished thus far. Where the cap is going, we felt over seven years, it was a very fair deal for both sides." 

"I know he loves living here, loves playing here," Jack Hughes said on Thursday. "I think it was a mutual fit. He's really excited to be a part of this group for a long time. He is excited with the deal he got, and he is most excited about being a part of the group and getting ready for the season."

The younger Hughes brother said the past few days have been a whirlwind as he spent time in both New Jesey and at home in Michigan. 

"I got here yesterday," he expained. "I was in and out though. I had the NJ charity gala on Monday night. They do great work, and it is really easy to work with them. I was here for that, and then flew out and skated on Tuesday morning with my dad, and then got (the contract) done Tuesday late night. I skated again with my dad in the morning, and then flew out. Kind of whirlwind but really excited to be here, and fired up for the season."

'There Was Never A Doubt That Luke Wanted To Remain A Devil': Hughes Commits To New Jersey 'There Was Never A Doubt That Luke Wanted To Remain A Devil': Hughes Commits To New Jersey On Wednesday morning, the New Jersey Devils announced that restricted free agent Luke Hughes has signed a seven-year contract worth $63,000,000 ($9,000,000 AAV) to remain with the organization long-term. 

Head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed that Hughes will not appear in Thursday night's preseason game against the New York Rangers. The Devils will practice Friday and play their final preseason game on Saturday afternoon against the Philadelphia Flyers. 

"It is a bit of a unique situation where not only has he missed camp, but he's also coming off of a major shoulder surgery since he played last," head coach Sheldon Keefe said. "We want to make sure we give him the appropriate time to be feeling good, but he looks good. He has been through all the medicals and testing, all the things that guys would normally go through at the beginning of camp, and he is cleared."

On May 5, the Devils announced the defenseman underwent successful shoulder surgery, which Dr. Peter Millett performed at The Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado. He was expected to make a full recovery and be available for the start of camp. 

When asked if the blueliner will be ready for the start of the regular season on Oct. 9, Keefe simply said, "I don't see a reason why he wouldn't." 

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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Anaheim Ducks Sign No. 1 D-Man LaCombe To Massive Eight-Year Contract

The Anaheim Ducks signed Jackson LaCombe to an eight-year contract extension on Thursday.

While the Ducks didn't reveal the average annual salary, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported it's $9 million, which would make the total value a franchise-high $72 million.

LaCombe, a left-shot, two-way defenseman, will have a cap hit that's $2 million higher than center Mason McTavish, who ended a contract standoff last weekend by signing a six-year deal worth $7 million annually.

"We are excited to sign Jackson to a long-term contract and lock up a core player for our future," Ducks GM Pat Verbeek said in a news release. "Getting this deal done early was a priority for us. Jackson has all of the tools to be an anchor on our back end for many years to come."

The 24-year-old LaCombe put up 14 goals and 29 assists for 43 points in 75 games last season, a 26-point increase from his rookie season. He also averaged 22:18 in ice time, the most on the Ducks in 2024-25 and even more than the 21:04 that Cam Fowler played in 17 games before being traded to the St. Louis Blues.

In fact, since the Ducks traded Fowler on Dec. 14, 2024, LaCombe played the fourth-most minutes in the NHL, trailing only the Columbus Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski, Montreal Canadiens' Mike Matheson and Detroit Red Wings' Moritz Seider.

"Today is an exciting day for my family, and I am grateful to the organization for their belief in me," LaCombe said. "It was an easy decision for me to commit my future to the Ducks and Orange County. We are building something special here, and I am excited to do everything I can to help this team win."

Jackson LaCombe and Mikko Rantanen (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)

LaCombe ranked third on the Ducks in blocked shots, with 129. And on a team that finished sixth in the Pacific Division, he led regular Anaheim defenders at 5-on-5 in expected goals percentage (49.75 percent), scoring chances percentage (48.57 percent) and shot attempt percentage (49.29 percent), according to naturalstattrick.com. He was also the only Ducks defender to be on the ice for more shots-for than against at 5-on-5.

As Friedman noted, Ryan Getzlaf, Paul Kariya and Corey Perry had higher average annual values, but their contracts weren't as long, which means LaCombe set a franchise record for richest contract in terms of total value.

With LaCombe under contract for the long run, the Ducks have four pending RFAs left: Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger.

Earlier on Thursday, the Florida Panthers signed defensive defenseman Niko Mikkola to an eight-year contract as well, with a $5-million cap hit.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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Florida adds another long-term deal, giving Niko Mikkola an eight-year, $40 million extension

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The Florida Panthers and defenseman Niko Mikkola have agreed on an eight-year, $40 million contract extension that would keep him with the team through the 2033-34 season.

The deal begins next season.

Mikkola’s contract only adds to Florida’s pile of long-term deals with current players. Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Anton Lundell and Seth Jones are under contract through 2029-30. Brad Marchand is signed through 2030-31, Sam Reinhart and Gustav Forsling have deals through 2031-32, while Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad are signed through 2032-33.

Mikkola would be 38 when his new deal expires.

“Niko has proven himself to be a dependable defenseman who uses his speed and physicality to impact both ends of the ice,” Panthers general manager and hockey operations president Bill Zito said. “He was an indispensable piece of our past two championship campaigns, and we are thrilled that Niko will be continuing his career with the Florida Panthers.”

Mikkola has been with the Panthers for two years; the Panthers won the Stanley Cup in both of those seasons. He had career-highs in goals (6), assists (16), points (22) and plus-minus rating (plus-12) during the regular season a year ago, plus led Florida’s defensemen with 137 hits.

The 6-foot-6 native of Finland has also played for the New York Rangers and St. Louis. It’s expected that he will be part of the Finnish team at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.

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Norris considers Verstappen ‘genuine challenger’ for F1 title after resurgence

  • Four-time champion has won past two races to close gap

  • Norris plays down McLaren prioritising teammate Piastri

Lando Norris has brushed off suggestions that McLaren would prioritise his teammate Oscar Piastri in the world championship fight after a resurgent Max Verstappen has emerged as a rival contender.

Norris said the Dutchman was now in a position to defend his title, as the drivers prepare for what is likely to be the most gruelling meeting of the year in Singapore, with temperatures soaring.

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Sam Rinzel Will Make Rookie Mistakes But He Deserves A Significant Role On Blackhawks

Sam Rinzel is going to be one of the defensemen who make the Chicago Blackhawks roster out of camp. He will make it alongside Alex Vlasic, Connor Murphy, Artyom Levshunov, and Wyatt Kaiser. The rest is still being sorted out.

With just nine games played so far in his NHL career, it’s impressive to have the status that he does at just 21 years old. Being a former first-round pick, he’s always had the pedigree, but now we’re seeing it show on NHL ice.

Those nine games came at the end of last season, following the end of his collegiate career at the University of Minnesota. He recorded five assists but has yet to score his first career NHL goal.

As a young defenseman, his main concern is learning to play the position well in the NHL. He skipped the AHL because of his abilities; now he’s looking to get to another level. 

Rinzel plays a two-way style that could allow him to be an impactful top-pair defenseman in the best league in the world. Still, at such a young age, there are going to be ups and downs. 

Even if Rinzel is a legitimate top-pair guy right away, it won’t be without rookie mistakes. We saw some of that in Tuesday night’s preseason game. Right after looking skilled, poised, and mature on the power play, he made a soft play that led to a Detroit Red Wings goal. 

When Jonatan Berggren came out of the box, he made a play to steal the puck from Rinzel, which set up a goal for Lucas Raymond. Rinzel would like to be more prepared for that as Berggren was coming out of the box. As he develops, he will be harder on the puck with more consistency. 

"I just think I've got to be better in that situation, just getting back to it, and I think knowing my outs, knowing what I've got to do."

Rinzel is well aware of the things that need to be better in his game. For being as young and inexperienced as he is, it seems like he's confident that his rookie mistakes won't linger. 

Part of being a young guy on a young team can be many other players on your pair throughout camp and preseason. Rinzel seems to think that he can help complement anyone's strengths as their partner, no matter who it is. 

"It doesn't matter who's your partner. Our whole [defense] core is tight-knit, so I don't think it matters who you're playing with. I just think everyone's game kind of has [its] own little niche, so I just think it's playing to your strengths, and it always complements each other well."

There is no denying the fact that Rinzel buys into whatever the Blackhawks ask of him in his game. Although he is clearly going to have those rookie lapses from time to time, and it won't end right when his first year is done, there are plenty of tools there for him to have a significant role right away. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Roki Sasaki’s dazzling postseason debut comes after rookie season filled with ups and downs

LOS ANGELES — Roki Sasaki dazzled in his postseason pitching debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers, closing out their sweep of the Cincinnati Reds with a perfect ninth inning in the NL Wild Card Series.

The youthful looking rookie from Japan celebrated with a beer in his hand and goggles on in the team’s batting cage after their 8-4 victory advanced the Dodgers to the National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Dodgers partied in the cage, lit up like a surgery center, rather than their remodeled clubhouse featuring high-tech screens that could be ruined by sprays of beer and Champagne.

Sasaki got Spencer Steer and former Dodger Gavin Lux on swinging strikeouts — with 100-mph pitches — before retiring Austin Hays on a lineout to shortstop that started the celebration.

The Dodgers went without a designated closer during the regular season. Did the 23-year-old from Japan earn the role for the postseason?

“I trust him, and he’s going to be pitching in leverage,” manager Dave Roberts said. “So the more you pitch guys and play guys, you learn more. I don’t think the moment’s going to be too big for Roki.”

It appeared to be too big for Sasaki early in the season. He signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers in January, receiving a $6.5 million signing bonus because he was under age 25 and subject to international signing bonus pool rules. Sasaki spent the last four seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball League

Expectations were high for the pitcher who’s been a dominant force at every other stop in his fast-rising career.

Sasaki made his major league debut with the Dodgers against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, where he walked five in three innings while throwing just 25 strikes among 56 pitches.

His Dodger Stadium debut on March 29 ended in the second inning he again struggled with his control. He issued four walks and got only five outs while throwing 61 pitches to just 12 batters.

Sasaki came off the 60-day injured list on Sept. 24 and made his first career relief appearance against Arizona. It was his first appearance in the majors since May 9 because of a shoulder injury. All eight of his previous MLB outings were starts, though he did make a few relief appearances during his stint at Triple-A Oklahoma City.

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Jazz Chisholm Jr. a gamer for Yankees in season-saving playoff win over Red Sox

NEW YORK — Left out of the starting lineup for the New York Yankees’ playoff opener, Jazz Chisholm Jr. was understandably unhappy.

Any accomplished player would be. Chisholm just has a different way of blowing off steam.

“I played `MLB: The Show’ and mercy-ruled someone,” he said. “That’s how I get my stress off.”

Back at second base, Chisholm played a huge part in saving the Yankees’ season as they beat the rival Boston Red Sox 4-3 in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card Series.

And this one was no video game.

“Anything to help us win,” Chisholm said. “All that was clear before I came to the field today. After I left the field yesterday, it is win the next game. It is win or go home for us. It is all about winning.”

The dynamic Chisholm raced all the way home from first base on Austin Wells’ tiebreaking single in the eighth inning and made a couple of critical defensive plays that helped the Yankees push the best-of-three playoff to a decisive Game 3.

“It’s what you expect. He’s a game-changer. He showed his maturity,” New York captain Aaron Judge said. “He showed up at the park today and had the biggest plays for us.”

Afterward, manager Aaron Boone said Chisholm will start Game 3 against rookie left-hander Connelly Early.

A left-handed hitter, Chisholm began Game 1 on the bench with the Yankees facing ace lefty Garrett Crochet. The two-time All-Star entered on defense in the eighth and flied out against left-handed closer Aroldis Chapman with the bases loaded for the second out of the ninth, failing to drive in a run.

That was Chisholm’s only plate appearance in a 3-1 loss that left New York on the brink of elimination.

After the game, Chisholm seemed upset about not starting. His back was turned to reporters while he answered several questions at his locker. Chisholm said Boone texted him to let him know he wouldn’t be in the Game 1 lineup.

“I did see that,” Boone said. “Every player is not going to agree with every decision that I make. I try and help make them understand my thought process and what I am thinking. I did that with Jazz. He is a guy that wears his emotions on his sleeve. So, wasn’t necessarily how I handled it, but I don’t need him to put a happy face on. I need him to go out and play his butt off for us tonight. That’s what I expect to happen.”

Boone said the two had a conversation the day before about the potential move, and he thinks Chisholm understood.

“Jazz and I are good. No concerns that he was going to go out there and get it done,” Boone said after Game 2. “He loves to play. He feels a responsibility to us, his teammates. And, you know, he and I have always been good. Despite what you may think happened yesterday, like, yeah, he’s a gamer, and he likes the stage.”

Amed Rosario played second base in Chisholm’s place and batted fifth. A right-handed hitter, Rosario was 6 for 9 with a home run and a double in his career against Crochet before going 0 for 3 in the playoff opener.

Chisholm is 0 for 4 with three strikeouts and a walk against Crochet.

“There is never a problem between me and Aaron Boone. He’s been my manager all year, and I’ve stood behind him all year,” Chisholm said after the Game 2 win. “We always have disagreements. I mean, I played third base this year, and we had a little bit of a disagreement in that."

“But at the end of the day, I always stand with Booney because he always understands where I come from. He knows I am a passionate player. He knows I wear my feelings on my sleeve. He knows I am there to compete.”

New York also put two other dangerous left-handed hitters on the bench against Crochet in Ben Rice and Ryan McMahon. Neither got in the game.

With right-hander Brayan Bello on the mound Wednesday night for the Red Sox, Chisholm was back at second base and batting sixth. Rice was at first base and hit a two-run homer on the first postseason pitch he saw. McMahon played third and went 1 for 3 with a walk.

With the score tied in the seventh, Chisholm saved at least one run with a diving stop to his right of an infield single by pinch-hitter Masataka Yoshida. Chisholm also made a tough play to start an inning-ending double play with two on in the third.

There were two outs in the eighth when he worked the count full and drew a walk. Chisholm was running on another 3-2 pitch when Wells pulled a line drive that landed just inside the right-field line and caromed off the low retaining wall in foul territory.

Right fielder Nate Eaton made a strong, accurate throw to the plate, but the speedy Chisholm barely beat it with a headfirst slide.

“He’s a special player. He’s one of the best players in the game. Exciting. One of the best athletes I’ve ever seen,” Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz said. “I knew he was scoring no matter what.”

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NHL's Best Forward Pairings To Watch This Season

In the NHL, winning games and having a successful line often comes down to finding the right chemistry among pairings. 

Typically, the word “pairings” is linked to defense, but there are duos at forward in the NHL who can be game-changers. Some of the NHL’s most dangerous duos are already generating buzz as training camps and pre-season action heat up. 

Each pairing below has an intriguing story as the 2025-26 NHL season begins. Not all are just about on-ice production. Which duos should we be watching?

Jack Eichel And Mitch Marner, Vegas Golden Knights

In Vegas, Jack Eichel and newly acquired Mitch Marner hit the ice with Ivan Barbashev, instantly showing chemistry and even connecting for a highlight-reel goal in their first session. 

Eichel, fresh off a career year, is also in a contract season. The likelihood is he gets a deal done far before it becomes worrisome, but if negotiations drag into the season, or Kirill Kaprizov’s new whopper of a deal slows things down, how these two play together could have an impact on Eichel’s numbers and what the Golden Knights see their long-term future looking like. 

Each player said they are excited to play alongside the other, with Marner suggesting the focus will be on using each other’s skills to “open each other up” offensively.

As far as playoffs go, Eichel will need to help Marner achieve post-season success he wasn’t able to accomplish in Toronto alongside Auston Matthews.

Connor McDavid And Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers

Ideally, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are pushing their own respective lines in Edmonton, but who are we kidding? Every season, these two superstars wind up together, and they are arguably the most dynamic duo in the NHL. 

McDavid has three Hart Trophy wins, while Draisaitl has one. Either could win it again this season, with McDavid at 2.90 (+190) and Draisaitl at 11.00 (+1000), according to BetMGM.

They complement each other so well that it’s hard for the Oilers not to go back to the well and go to these two often. 

Another star player in a contract year, McDavid is trying to decide what to do about an extension. He wants to win the Stanley Cup, which has eluded him for the last two finals. How does playing with Draisaitl this season impact his decision about signing or moving on? Is he pushing for this combo? Or, does McDavid prefer to spread out the offense?

If McDavid is considering playing elsewhere next season, he’d have to be open to playing somewhere that doesn’t have the yin to his yang.

Oilers Double Down On McDavid-Draisaitl Duo Despite Depth ConcernsOilers Double Down On McDavid-Draisaitl Duo Despite Depth ConcernsEDMONTON - The Edmonton Oilers’ decision to reunite Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the top line heading into the 2025-26 season is generating some discussion.

Auston Matthews And Matthew Knies, Toronto Maple Leafs

In Toronto, Auston Matthews looks to play his first season without Marner, and the narrative surrounding what that looks like could get interesting. 

With Matthew Knies, Matthews and Marner on a 5-on-5 line last season, the Leafs averaged 3.63 goals per 60 minutes. Without Knies and Matthews together without Marner, the Leafs averaged 2.87 goals per 60, according to naturalstattrick.com.

The hope is that Knies steps up, and these two go on a tear regardless of who plays right wing, making the loss of Marner less painful for Leafs Nation.

The Leafs signed Knies to a new long-term extension, and pairing these two as a successful duo would solve many potential problems for the team, which has tried to pick up several depth pieces and fill holes with quantity over quality. 

The Maple Leafs’ lack of playoff success has been their Achilles heel. It was finally time to change things up, move on from the “Core Four” and go with different pairings. Whether it works remains to be seen.

Rickard Rakell and Sidney Crosby (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

Sidney Crosby And Bryan Rust/Rickard Rakell, Pittsburgh Penguins

The future of the Penguins’ top line will be a season-long storyline.

Sidney Crosby has made it clear time and again that Pittsburgh is where he wants to be, even after his agent said it’s always a possibility he could leave. But Crosby does want to win.

How the Penguins play this season may shape what happens to Crosby’s linemates, Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell. The wingers set career highs in points last year – 70 points for Rakell and 65 for Rust – and Penguins GM Kyle Dubas has hung onto them despite making moves elsewhere to bring in the youngsters.

Rust and Rakell were the subject of trade speculation this summer. While the Penguins only have 7.00 (+600) odds of making the playoffs, according to BetMGM, Crosby’s line could help Pittsburgh pull off some kind of surprise and keep the team from selling the captain’s wingers soon.

Nathan MacKinnon And Martin Necas, Colorado Avalanche

Colorado broke up its dynamic duo last season when it traded then-pending UFA Mikko Rantanen in January. The Avalanche then put Martin Necas on Nathan MacKinnon’s right wing, and they didn’t really miss a beat. 

The Avalanche scored 15 times in nearly 270 minutes with the Artturi Lehkonen-MacKinon-Rantanen line on the ice, according to naturalstattrick.com. With Necas replacing Rantanen, the Avs scored 13 times in 218 minutes, which is actually a higher rate.

Necas is expected to skate alongside MacKinnon again to start the season. But now, Necas is the pending UFA, and although negotiations are ongoing, there’s no certainty that he’ll re-sign.

Will things change as these two build chemistry together? Are they successful enough that Necas wants to stay where he is and sign a new deal? We’ll just have to watch.

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Why Seth Curry hilariously couldn't take Steph's No. 30 Warriors jersey from him

Why Seth Curry hilariously couldn't take Steph's No. 30 Warriors jersey from him originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Move over Steph, there’s a new Curry in town.

The Warriors signed Seth Curry to a one-year free-agent contract on Wednesday, bringing together the two sharpshooting brothers in the Bay for the 2025-26 NBA season.

And Seth wasted no time having fun with his new team and the local media. He told reporters on Thursday in San Francisco about his lighthearted effort to take Steph’s iconic No. 30 Warriors jersey.

“I tried to buy it from him,” Seth said about Steph’s jersey number. “He said he didn’t need the money. [I] don’t think the NBA would like it either.”

Steph … probably doesn’t need the money. The 37-year-old has made just $410.5 million entering his 17th NBA season — all with the Warriors.

Regarding his brother, though, maybe Seth truly deserves the right to wear No. 30. After all, the 35-year-old has worn No. 30 often over his 11 NBA seasons and holds the higher career 3-point shooting percentage, with 43.3 to Steph’s 42.3.

Though Steph has made 4,058 career triples compared to Seth’s 945. And the two have vastly different trophy cases, to say the least.

Steph has worn the No. 30 on his back for all of his 1,181 career games — including 155 NBA playoff games.

So, sorry, Seth, but there is no universe where he steals No. 30 as Steph’s teammate on the Warriors. He’ll have to make do with No. 31.

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