Q&A With CHL President Dan MacKenzie

Here is a recent Q&A with CHL president Dan MacKenzie.

Pee Dee Approved For SPHL Membership

The Pee Dee IceCats have been approved for conditional SPHL membership for the 2026-27 season. The story is here.

Vegas In Control Of Bruce Cassidy Situation

The Vegas Golden Knights can grant permission (or not grant permission) to NHL teams to speak to currently under contract, ex-head coach Bruce Cassidy. If it's true that news of Vegas denying the Edmonton Oilers permission (and all other interested teams to date) to speak to Cassidy about their head coach position was leaked from the Oilers side, it's very feasible that the Oilers may never get permission from Vegas to speak to Cassidy. Vegas could turn around and grant permission to the other teams currently looking to fill their head coach position however, likely when the Stanley Cup Playoffs have concluded. Loose lips may have cost the Oilers their shot at Cassidy! There's more here. 

2026 OHL Arena Rankings By Stadium Journey

Here are the 2026 OHL Arena Rankings by Stadium Journey.

Augusta Lynx Introduced Ahead Of 2027-28 Season Debut

The ECHL's newest team revealed its name and logo yesterday. The Augusta Lynx will play their first season in 2027-28 at the new Augusta Arena, a 10,500 seat arena under construction in downtown Augusta. The story is here. 

May Top 100 Draft Rankings For 2026 NHL Draft By Daily Faceoff

Here are the May Top 100 draft rankings for the 2026 NHL Draft by Daily Faceoff. Daily Faceoff has winger Gavin McKenna of Penn State in the #1 spot.

Richard Brodeur Opening Art Gallery

Former NHL goaltender and Vancouver Canucks Stanley Cup Playoffs hero Richard Brodeur is opening an art gallery (Gallery 35) in downtown Parksville, British Columbia on May 30. Brodeur has been painting professionally for more than thirty years. The story is here. 

Reacting To Article On Potential Partners For Sebastian Cossa Swap

In reacting to an article on potential partners for a Sebastian Cossa swap here, the obvious front-runner to trade for the Detroit Red Wings goalie are the Edmonton Oilers. Cossa seems ready to burst onto the scene in the NHL and his acquisition would give the Oilers a possible NHL star goalie for the first time in a long time. What would the cost be for the Oilers? Maybe former Michigan State forward Isaac Howard? It may be as simple as a one for one swap, but with Cossa playing the premium position and one that the Oilers desperately need to address, they also may need to send a mid-round draft pick Detroit's way to make this trade possible. 

NHL In The Wrong For Blocking Gatineau Watch Party

The NHL has blocked a Montreal Canadiens playoff game watch party in Gatineau, Quebec, citing the venue in Gatineau that the watch party would be held at is in an area where the Ottawa Senators have NHL marketing rights. Gatineau is across the river from Ottawa, Ontario, but the religion of the Montreal Canadiens throughout all of Quebec, dates back well before the Ottawa Senators ever existed. The Montreal Canadiens are the soul of Quebec and the love for the Canadiens runs through all Quebecers. The Ottawa Senators should not have had a problem in celebrating the Canadiens in nearby Gatineau and the NHL should have asked the Senators if they had a problem with the watch party before they stopped it from happening. There's more here.

Brooks Bandits Capture BCHL Cup

The Brooks Bandits have captured the 2026 BCHL Cup by defeating the Nanaimo Clippers 4-3 in overtime in Game 5 of the championship series. The story is here. 

Sioux Falls Stampede Win USHL Championship

The Sioux Falls Stampede defeated the Muskegon Lumberjacks 4-3 in double overtime on Saturday to win the Clark Cup. Sioux Falls has now won the USHL championship four times in their history. The story is here. 

2026 College Hockey Arena Rankings By Stadium Journey

If you're a college hockey fan, you need to check out these 2026 college hockey arena rankings by Stadium Journey here.

Craig Button's May Draft Rankings

Craig Button's NHL Draft rankings are out for May and one riser to take note of is Swedish forward Viggo Bjorck, now sitting at #4. The story is here. 

Hamilton's AHL Team Gets A Name

Hamilton's new AHL team will be known as the Hammers, a nod to the city's connection to metalworking. The logo features the orange and blue colour scheme of the NHL parent club New York Islanders. The story is here. 

Manny Malhotra Should Be The Only Choice As Next Vancouver Canucks Head Coach

Current Abbotsford Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra looks like the best choice to be the next head coach of the Vancouver Canucks. Here is more on that.

2026 Memorial Cup Tournament Field Set

With the Chicoutimi Sagueneens winning the QMJHL championship yesterday, the field of teams is now set for the 2026 Memorial Cup. The tournament will get going this week in Kelowna, with participating teams including the host Kelowna Rockets, WHL champion Everett Silvertips, OHL champion Kitchener Rangers and QMJHL champion Chicoutimi Sagueneens. The story is here. 

Niverville Nighthawks Win 2026 Centennial Cup

The Niverville Nighthawks defeated the Summerside Western Capitals 4-1 yesterday to claim the CJHL's 2026 Centennial Cup national championship. The story is here.

Summerside Faces Niverville In 2026 Centennial Cup Final

The host Summerside Western Capitals will face the Niverville Nighthawks later today for the 2026 Centennial Cup. The championship game for the CJHL will take place at 7 PM (AT) at Summerside's Credit Union Place. The game will be broadcast live on TSN+. The story is here.

San Jose Getting PWHL Expansion Franchise

San Jose will follow recent expansion announcements in Detroit, Las Vegas and Hamilton and will be announced next week as the PWHL's latest expansion franchise. The story is here.

May Rankings For 2026 NHL Draft By Jason Bukala

Here are the May rankings for the 2026 NHL Draft by Jason Bukala. Bukala's rankings may be closer than most other draft experts on how the draft will unfold. Bukala has winger Ivar Stenberg in the #1 position. 

ECHL Releases 2026-27 Schedule

With their 2025-26 schedule not yet completed, the ECHL has released their 2026-27 schedule and you can find that here.

Vancouver Canucks Get It Right With The Hiring Of Sedins and Johnson

The Vancouver Canucks seemingly have done very well in structuring their hockey operations front office, with the hiring of Daniel and Henrik Sedin as co-presidents of hockey operations and Ryan Johnson as general manager. The trio have a vast amount of experience as players and management in the NHL and will properly guide the Canucks, as they embark on a full rebuild to restore the franchise to an upper tier standing in the league. There's more here. 

SPHL Expands To Athens

The SPHL has awarded an expansion franchise to the Athens Rock Lobsters for the 2026-27 season. The Georgia-based team played for two seasons in the FPHL and will now come into the SPHL under the same brand. The story is here. 

Patience Will Land Bruce Cassidy In Edmonton

The Edmonton Oilers asked the Vegas Golden Knights for permission to speak to former Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy (currently under contract) about their head coach position. It's obvious that the Oilers will move on from current head coach Kris Knoblauch shortly. The Golden Knights have denied the Oilers permission to speak to Cassidy directly at this point, but you can't blame the Golden Knights for taking this action right now, as they won't want any distractions while they are currently involved in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Oilers just need to be patient here. They have likely been in contact with Cassidy's agent about the Oilers head coach position and it's only a matter of time (the time in which Vegas is either eliminated from the playoffs or they hoist the Stanley Cup) before Vegas grants Edmonton permission to speak with Cassidy directly. There's more on this situation here. 

PWHL Expands To Hamilton

The PWHL will be adding an expansion team in Hamilton, Ontario. The franchise is expected to become official this Thursday. The story is here. 

Las Vegas PWHL Franchise Announcement Imminent

The awarding of the PWHL's 10th franchise appears imminent, as reports suggest the expansion announcement to Las Vegas could come as soon as Wednesday. The story is here. 

FPHL Adding Stockton Franchise

The FPHL will be adding a franchise in Stockton, California later this week, bringing the league's number of California franchises to three, after recent franchise announcements to Oceanside and Fresno. The story is here.

Exploring Roller Hockey In Ecuador

Here is a great video that explores roller hockey in Ecuador!

Legendary Coach Ernie "Punch" McLean Killed In Single-Vehicle Crash

Legendary coach Ernie "Punch" McLean was killed in a single-vehicle crash on Friday near Dease Lake, British Columbia. McLean was 93 years-old. He led the famed New Westminster Bruins of the WHL to four consecutive Memorial Cup finals and two championships between 1975-78. The story is here.

Edmonton Oilers Goaltending Situation

The Edmonton Oilers may want to tweak their goaltending heading into the 2026-27 season, but moving Tristan Jarry is unlikely, given his performance with the Oilers last season and his relatively high cap hit. The Oilers will hope for a bounce back season from Jarry and they should be looking to sign unrestricted free agent Connor Ingram to a new contract. If the tandem of Jarry and Ingram can perform to or above expectations, then the Oilers should have a bounce back season, as long as they address other roster deficiencies in the off-season. One name to keep an eye on in goal for future help (which could come sooner than later) is Connor Ungar. Ungar had a very strong 2025-26 season split between the AHL and ECHL and when he was in the AHL, he put up stellar numbers (GP-13-GAA-2.51-SVP-.923-SO-1). Here is more on the Oilers goaltending and roster tweaks.

Kelowna Rockets Select Forward Madden Daneault First Overall In 2026 WHL Prospects Draft

Forward Madden Daneault of the Red Deer U15 AAA Rebels has been selected as the first overall pick in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft by the Kelowna Rockets. Daneault recorded 149 points in 34 regular season games in 2025-26. The recap of the first round of the WHL Prospects Draft is here. 

Fresno Awarded FPHL Franchise

Fresno has been awarded a franchise in the FPHL, a day after the league expanded to the San Diego area in Oceanside. The Fresno team will play at the 7,600 capacity Selland Arena. The story is here.

Toronto Maple Leafs Say They Will Make Decisions Based On Proven Data. Ivar Stenberg Tops Gavin McKenna Based On Proven Data. The Fans Want McKenna. Who Will The Leafs Pick At #1?

The Toronto Maple Leafs have said that they will make decisions based on proven data. They need to have proof that data backs up a decision! Data and analytics is why John Chayka was hired as their general manager. 

The Maple Leafs just won the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery for the #1 overall selection in the 2026 NHL Draft. Winger Gavin McKenna has been promoted as the top player available by most, but when you look closer at selecting between McKenna and fellow winger Ivar Stenberg, it's Stenberg who emerges as the top player available. While the talent level is close between the two, Stenberg stands out as a much more complete player. 

Maple Leafs fans absolutely expect their team to select McKenna, but the data points to Stenberg being the best choice to be selected at #1. Will the Maple Leafs management stick to making their decisions based on proven data or will they bend to the desire of their fans and pick McKenna, who will lead to more hype and sales for the Maple Leafs. It's going to be interesting to find out!. Here is a good article comparing the two players. 

PWHL Expands To Detroit

The PWHL has announced Detroit as their ninth franchise and the league may not be done adding teams, as more expansion news is expected in the coming weeks. The PWHL could add as many as four new teams and in addition to the Detroit announcement, Las Vegas, Denver and Hamilton seem to be the leading contenders to take the league to twelve teams. The story is here. 

Keith Pelley Probably Didn't Talk To This Guy Before Hiring John Chayka

MLSE CEO Keith Pelley probably didn't talk to this longtime Arizona sports personality before hiring John Chayka as the Toronto Maple Leafs general manager. There's more here.

Toronto Maple Leafs Win 2026 NHL Draft Lottery

The Toronto Maple Leafs have won the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery and will select #1 overall in the 2026 NHL Draft. It's almost like it was meant to be, as Maple Leafs fans can now get through the ugly backlash of the John Chayka hiring much quicker, knowing that they have the #1 pick to look forward to. The story is here. 

FPHL Expanding To San Diego Area

Oceanside's Frontwave Arena is already home to pro indoor soccer, basketball and indoor football teams and now it's set to welcome an FPHL franchise this October. The minor league will need to fill in some territory around the San Diego area team, as the closest current FPHL team is the Topeka Scarecrows in Kansas. The story is here. 

Detroit PWHL Expansion Franchise Expected To Be Announced This Week

Detroit is expected to be announced this week as the next expansion franchise for the PWHL. The story is here. 

Toronto Maple Leafs Mess Gets Worse!

The Toronto Maple Leafs introduced John Chayka as their new general manager today. It didn't go well! John Chayka's reputation around the NHL is very poor. When Steve Simmons asked people around the league about the hiring, the consensus was the hiring was a sham and Chayka was called a con artist, salesman and liar, among other things. Players will ask out and fans will leave. John Chayka and Keith Pelley likely will have very short tenures as heads of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Check out an explosive part of the press conference here. 

Over Before It Starts?

Newly appointed Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka left the NHL amidst scandal and turmoil in 2020. In less than a week on the job with Toronto, Chayka has already been investigated for tampering. The story is here.

Edmonton Oilers Window Has Closed

Matthew Barnaby and Mike Commodore are being brutally honest here. The Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup window has closed. There's just too much work to be done to get the Oilers into a position to win the Stanley Cup. There's more here.  

Top Choices For Vancouver Canucks General Manager Job

The Vancouver Canucks ownership has finally climbed on board the rebuild train, but they have stated that they prefer a general manager with previous experience in the position. If that's the case, former Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams appears to be the logical choice to be hired as the team's next general manager. If Canucks ownership backtracks a bit and goes with somebody who is an assistant general manager in the NHL, then the logical choice is already in-house. Current Vancouver Canucks assistant general manager Ryan Johnson could step in very capably as the Canucks new general manager, while Abbotsford Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra would likely come in at the same time to be the Vancouver Canucks next head coach. There is more here.