Chicago Blackhawks Sign Connor Bedard To Team-Friendly Extension

In the new NHL world of healthy salary cap increases year-over-year, it appears the Chicago Blackhawks were able to sign Connor Bedard to a very team-friendly contract extension. Bedard signed a 5-year, $75-million contract ($15-million AAV) that begins in the 2026-27 season. The story is here.

Abbotsford Canucks Name Ryan Papaioannou As New Head Coach

The AHL's Abbotsford Canucks have hired Ryan Papaioannou as their new head coach. Papaioannou enjoyed a very strong season as a rookie pro head coach in 2025-26 with the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers, where he posted a 46-20-6 regular season record and guided the Nailers to the Eastern Conference Finals. The story is here.

Topeka Scarecrows Aid In Return Of Youth Hockey To Topeka

The FPHL's Topeka Scarecrows have joined with the Bison Ice Sports Association to return youth hockey to the city for the first time in 16 years. The story is here. 

NHL Off-Season Grades.......So Far

Here are the NHL off-season grades so far, by Bleacher Report. Getting 'A' grades and leading the off-season transaction race at this point are the Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, Utah Mammoth and Washington Capitals. The Montreal Canadiens were just behind those teams with an 'A-'. The teams with the worst off-season so far include the Anaheim Ducks, New York Islanders, Seattle Kraken, St. Louis Blues and Vegas Golden Knights, all with 'D' grades. The Edmonton Oilers were slightly better than those teams with a 'D+' grade. The story is here. 

Memorial Cup-Winning Coach Named Head Coach Of Colorado Eagles

2026 Memorial Cup-winning coach Jussi Ahokas has left the Kitchener Rangers to become the head coach of the AHL's Colorado Eagles. The story is here. 

A Look At The NHL 2025-26 Overall Standings In Wins And Losses

A look below at the NHL 2025-26 overall standings in wins and losses (not including the loser point for overtime/shootout loss and just in terms of wins and losses):

1. Colorado Avalanche (55 wins/27 losses) 

2. Carolina Hurricanes (53 wins/29 losses)

3. Dallas Stars (50 wins/32 losses) 

4. Buffalo Sabres (50 wins/32 losses)

5. Tampa Bay Lightning (50 wins/32 losses)

6. Montreal Canadiens (48 wins/34 losses)

7. Minnesota Wild (46 wins/36 losses)

8. Boston Bruins (45 wins/37 losses)

9. Ottawa Senators (44 wins/38 losses)

10. Philadelphia Flyers (43 wins/39 losses)

11. Washington Capitals (43 wins/39 losses)

12. Utah Mammoth (43 wins/39 losses)

13. Anaheim Ducks (43 wins/39 losses)

14. New York Islanders (43 wins/39 losses)

15. New Jersey Devils (42 wins/40 losses)

16. Pittsburgh Penguins (41 wins/41 losses)

17. Edmonton Oilers (41 wins/41 losses)

18. Detroit Red Wings (41 wins/41 losses)

19. Columbus Blue Jackets (40 wins/42 losses)

20. Florida Panthers (40 wins/42 losses)

21. Vegas Golden Knights (39 wins/43 losses)

22. San Jose Sharks (39 wins/43 losses)

23. Nashville Predators (38 wins/44 losses)

24. St. Louis Blues (37 wins/45 losses)

25. Los Angeles Kings (35 wins/47 losses)

26. Winnipeg Jets (35 wins/47 losses)

27. Seattle Kraken (34 wins/48 losses)

28. Calgary Flames (34 wins/48 losses)

29. New York Rangers (34 wins/48 losses)

30. Toronto Maple Leafs (32 wins/50 losses)

31. Chicago Blackhawks (29 wins/53 losses)

32. Vancouver Canucks (25 wins/57 losses)

 

Detroit Red Wings Could Become Analytics Focused Under POHO And GM Structure

The Detroit Red Wings could be on the verge of focusing on analytics under a president of hockey operations and general manager front office structure. There's more here.

Jacksonville Icemen Unveil New Logo And Team Colors

The ECHL's Jacksonville Icemen have unveiled a new logo and team colors ahead of the 2026-27 season. The story is here. 

Connor McDavid To Philadelphia Flyers? It Could Happen!

Connor McDavid signed a short-term deal at a discount with Edmonton, allowing the Oilers some flexibility to build up their team to take another run at a Stanley Cup. The Oilers were mediocre in 2025-26 and essentially in the middle of the pack in the NHL. They don't appear to be much better at this moment, as the 2026-27 season looms. 

The Oilers prospects to win a Stanley Cup don't appear to be realistic at this point, so we could see a time in the next year or two where McDavid looks for another situation. That situation could be with the Philadelphia Flyers! They showed recently with the Leo Carlsson offer sheet that they are not afraid to take a big swing. They have a strong, up and coming roster loaded with potential. They are also well-stocked with top prospects that will arrive in Philadelphia soon. The Flyers are already good and they're about to get really good! 

The Flyers have all of the ingredients to be the perfect landing spot for McDavid when the time comes for him to find a team that can win the Stanley Cup with him. There's more here.

NHL Releases 1,344-Game 2026-27 Regular Season Schedule

The NHL has released its 1,344-game 2026-27 regular season schedule. The regular season gets going on September 29. There's more here.

New Jersey Devils Signing Of Anthony Mantha Is Smart Business

The New Jersey Devils signed free agent forward Anthony Mantha to a very reasonable two-year $9.5 million contract. It's a strong move for New Jersey to get the 33-goal scorer under contract for under $5 million a year. Mantha is expected to slot into the Devils top line alongside Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt. There's more here.

Steve Yzerman Steps Aside As Detroit Red Wings General Manager. Shawn Horcoff May Be The Logical Successor

Steve Yzerman has stepped aside as the Detroit Red Wings general manager and will run the day-to-day hockey operations until his successor is named. Yzerman will then take on an advisory role with the Red Wings. Current Detroit assistant general manager Shawn Horcoff may be the logical choice to succeed Yzerman. He's a longtime NHL player who also has ten seasons of hockey operations experience under his belt with the Red Wings. There's more here on Yzerman stepping aside. 

Shane Wright's Preferred Destination Is Vancouver If He's Traded By Seattle

It's being reported that forward Shane Wright prefers to be traded to Vancouver if Seattle moves him this summer. Both Seattle and Wright have agreed to look for a deal that will see him move prior to the upcoming season. Wright would likely be in a situation of increased playing time and responsibilities in Vancouver and he likes what Vancouver could become in a few years. The story is here.  

Predicting Remaining Unrestricted Free Agent Landing Spots

Here are predictions for the landing spots of the remaining top NHL unrestricted free agents (by theScore). 

Ottawa Charge Move To Canadian Tire Centre Needed To Happen At Some Point

The PWHL's Ottawa Charge recently announced a move to the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata and this was a move that needed to happen at some point. The team deemed the new 6,500-seat arena under construction at Lansdowne too small to accommodate their operations and now join the NHL's Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. The story is here.  

Chicago Blackhawks Willing To Defy Analytics To Go Big On Hunch

The Chicago Blackhawks have shown that they are willing to bet big on a hunch and will defy analytics if need be. The story is here. 

Unfinished Summer Business Could Lead The Edmonton Oilers To An Anthony Mantha Signing

The Edmonton Oilers summer will only get into the win column if they can sign a forward that is a lock for a top six spot or can at least challenge for a top six spot in their lineup. Anthony Mantha is one of the top free agent forwards available and the Oilers may be able to get him on a short-term deal. The Oilers have some cap space for the first time in a long time and they need to use it to put their lineup into a position to be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. There's more here.

It Sounds Like The Edmonton Oilers Sent Former NHLer Mike Commodore A Threatening Email

It sounds like the Edmonton Oilers sent former NHLer Mike Commodore a threatening email. There is more here.

Carolina Hurricanes Great Team Accomplishment Tainted By Owner's Embarrassing Move

The Carolina Hurricanes 2026 Stanley Cup victory has been tainted by team owner Tom Dundon's decision to engrave his family members' names on the Stanley Cup. These family members are not involved in the day to day operations (not listed on staff directory) of the Hurricanes and were not key contributors to the Hurricanes championship season. The story is here. 

Leo Carlsson Stays With Anaheim

The Anaheim Ducks have matched the offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers to centre Leo Carlsson. Carlsson now becomes the NHL's highest paid player and is under contract for the next five years at a $90 million total ($18 million AAV). The story is here. 

Two Finalists Named To Host 2028 Memorial Cup

The cities of Moncton, NB and Quebec, QC have been named as the two finalists to host the 2028 Memorial Cup. The story is here. 

NHL Insider Is Not Wrong. Edmonton Oilers Are A Worse Team Right Now Without Darnell Nurse In The Lineup

NHL insider Frank Corrado is not wrong. The Edmonton Oilers are a worse team right now than when they had Darnell Nurse in the lineup. They have some cap space now though and it's what they do next that will dictate if their lineup can be better in 2026-27 than it was in 2025-26. They need to add a top six forward to their lineup. There are some left in free agency that can be a top six forward for the Oilers or they can look to trade for one. If they fail to add a top six forward this summer, their off-season will be a failure.

The Oilers were just a .500 team in 2025-26, with 41 wins and 41 losses (30 regulation losses and 11 overtime losses). They didn't make the playoffs by much and while Edmonton media can talk about saving cap space for the trade deadline to add a forward then, the trade deadline will do no team any good if they aren't in a playoff position. Here is more on the Oilers current situation.

Portland Winterhawks Announce Promotions and Theme Nights

The WHL's Portland Winterhawks have announced their 2026-27 promotions and theme nights schedule. The details are here. 

Hamilton Hammers Unveil Jerseys

The AHL's Hamilton Hammers have unveiled their home and away jerseys. There is more here. 

Claude Giroux Returns To Ottawa Senators

After flirting with a reunion with the Philadelphia Flyers, veteran forward Claude Giroux signed a new contract on Monday to return to the Ottawa Senators. The story is here. 

Will Goaltending Woes For The Edmonton Oilers Continue?

Will goaltending woes for the Edmonton Oilers continue? This article here suggests there is a strong chance of that happening. 

Seattle Kraken And Shane Wright Headed For A Split

Shane Wright is looking for a fresh start and the Seattle Kraken have agreed to try to move him this summer. Seattle will only move him if the return is right for the Kraken however. The former 4th overall pick (2022 NHL Draft) is looking for a fresh start after he has failed to gain much traction as a member of the Kraken. At just 22 years-old, Wright still has plenty of time to develop into a legitimate top six center in the NHL. There is more on the impending Seattle/Shane Wright split here.

Leo Carlsson Accepts Massive Philadelphia Offer Sheet. Will Anaheim Match The Offer Sheet Or Take Four 1st Round Draft Picks From Philadelphia By Not Matching?

Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek has said that he will match any offer sheet that comes the way of Leo Carlsson. Leo Carlsson has accepted a massive 5-year, $90 million offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers and Anaheim now has seven days to match the offer. If Anaheim chooses not to match the offer, they will receive four consecutive 1st round draft picks from the Flyers. With an AAV of $18 million that would make Carlsson the highest paid player in the NHL, there's a good chance that Anaheim chooses to not spend that type of money on one player and they may very well take the draft picks. There's more on the offer sheet to Carlsson here. 

Toronto Maple Leafs Add Significant Pieces. Sergei Bobrovsky The Key Addition

The Toronto Maple Leafs have overhauled their roster for the better over the last few days, with goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky being the key addition. Bobrovsky was signed to a 3-year, $21 million contract by the Maple Leafs yesterday. There is more on that here. 

In addition to Bobrovsky, Toronto re-signed defenceman Troy Stecher just prior to free agency and made July 1 signings of forwards Jack Roslovic, Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger, Brandon Duhaime and Zack MacEwan. The Maple Leafs were also busy on the trade front and have recently brought in significant players with defenceman Darren Raddysh and forward Nick Paul among others. It looks like the Maple Leafs are far from being done in re-making their lineup heading into the 2026-27 season!

Edmonton Oilers Finally Have Premier Goalie In McDavid Era? Not So Fast!

This report here states that the Edmonton Oilers finally have a premier goalie in the Connor McDavid era. Not so fast! Frederik Andersen was signed to a very modest 1-year, $1 million contract filled with bonuses yesterday. Nice work on the contract side! Andersen has been a solid goaltender through the years in the NHL, but over the last few seasons, he's been anything but a premier goalie. He played in 52 games in the 2021-22 season, but he hasn't been close to that games played level since. In the last two seasons in particular, the 36 year-old (he will be 37 in October) played in just 22 regular season games in the 2024-25 season and posted a .899 save percentage on a very strong Carolina Hurricanes team. In the 2025-26 season, the year in which Carolina just recently won the Stanley Cup, Andersen struggled with a .874 save percentage in 35 regular season games. 

Edmonton made a smart move by throwing Andersen into the mix, on a cheap contract, with Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi to see if they have a legitimate NHL starter that can carry them to a Stanley Cup. The Oilers goaltending situation however is as shaky as it has been for several years. Maybe one day the Oilers will invest a top draft pick into a goaltender one day? Remember how Grant Fuhr worked out for this franchise? Yeah, it worked out okay!

The Edmonton Oilers Did Do Tidy Work Moving Off Of A Big Darnell Nurse Contract, But Nurse Is Now A Key Part Of A Better San Jose Roster That Plays In The Same Division

Yes the Edmonton Oilers did do tidy work moving Darnell Nurse's big contract and creating some cap room, but the defenceman now goes to a San Jose Sharks team as a key leader on a roster that is currently better than Edmonton's (and they are division rivals!). Nurse will be very motivated in every game vs. Edmonton this season! Here is more on Nurse's move to San Jose. 

Toronto Emerges As Top Destination For Sergei Bobrovsky

It appears the Toronto Maple Leafs have emerged as the top destination for free agent goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. If the Maple Leafs can secure Bobrovsky's services, it goes a long way to solidify their status as a Stanley Cup contender, knowing that there's still further work being done on their roster construction for the 2026-27 season. The story is here on Bobrovsky.