Around the Hockey World — Wednesday, September 16
The day's hockey news in one place — and somewhere to talk about it.
Today — 13 items · updated 10:50 AM
Top stories
- Canadiens re-sign Arber Xhekaj to one-year contract — Daily Faceoff (Frank Seravalli)
Excerpt
On Tuesday, Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes announced that the team has re-signed defenseman Arber Xhekaj to a one-year contract. The deal will carry a cap hit of $1.5 million for the 2026-27 season.
- Devils, Luke Evangelista agree to five-year extension — Sportsnet
Excerpt
The Devils and Luke Evangelista agreed to terms on a five-year, $36.25 million contract extension late Tuesday night. The new contract, which begins in 2027-28 and carries a $7.25 million AAV, is frontloaded and will pay Evangelista in this way:
- Hurricanes sign captain Jordan Staal to one-year contract extension — Sportsnet
Excerpt
The Carolina Hurricanes signed Jordan Staal to a one-year contract extension through 2027-28, the team announced late Tuesday night. The deal carries a $900,000 base salary with a $4 million signing bonus and up to $5.1 million in additional performance bonuses.
Also today
- Devils hire Jessica Campbell, Bryan McCabe to development staff — Sportsnet
Excerpt
Jessica Campbell has been hired as manager of player development and Bryan McCabe as vice president of prospect personnel and assistant general manager, Devils general manager Sunny Mehta announced Wednesday. The two will oversee New Jersey's prospect development and serve as a resource for its AHL club in Utica.
- Brad Marchand to return ‘early in the season’: Panthers GM — Sportsnet
Excerpt
The Florida Panthers are set to begin the 2026-27 season without Brad Marchand in their lineup, but it's not something that's keeping general manager Bill Zito awake at night. While meeting with reporters ahead of training camp on Wednesday, Zito said that he expects Marchand to return from off-season surgery "early in the season," but added that the team will be conservative in getting the veter
- ‘I actually felt like a ghost’: Sabres’ Jiri Kulich recounts blood clot struggles — Daily Faceoff (Frank Seravalli)
Excerpt
In a game against the Washington Capitals on Nov. 1, 2025, the Buffalo Sabres forward took just one shift in the third period, but something just felt off with him. A few days later, a CT scan showed that he had a blood clot, something that a 21-year-old doesn’t usually endure.
- NHL Pre-Season Predictions: Central Division Standings — The Hockey News
Excerpt
The NHL’s 2026-27 season is almost here, and it’s time for our pre-season predictions. We've assembled our best guesses as to how the season will unfold, with the caveat that we never know precisely how in-season changes will shape the way the standings look by mid-April.
6 more today
- NHL Rumor Mill – September 16, 2026 — Lyle Richardson of Spector's Hockey
Excerpt
The latest on Connor Hellebuyck , Morgan Rielly , Samuel Montembeault, and more in today’s NHL Rumor Roundup. TSN : Darren Dreger said he doesn’t expect Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to report to training camp this week. That will force the Jets to respond, likely on Wednesday or Thursday.
- NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 16, 2026 — Lyle Richardson of Spector's Hockey
Excerpt
The Ducks re-signed Cutter Gauthier, the Blackhawks name Connor Bedard captain, the Red Wings make Shawn Horcoff interim GM, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines. THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER : The Anaheim Ducks re-signed Cutter Gauthier to a six-year contract worth an average annual value of $13.5 million, making the 22-year-old winger the second-highest-paid player on the team.
- What’s changing in the new NHL CBA – and what’s already implemented — Daily Faceoff (Frank Seravalli)
Excerpt
The NHL and NHL Players’ Association have achieved unprecedented labor peace in the era beginning when Marty Walsh took over as executive director of the PA in 2023 and became the union’s primary counterpart opposite NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. In summer 2025, the two sides finalized a shiny new collective bargaining agreement running from 2026 through 2030.
- High Noon 2026: Ranking the NHL’s top 30 goaltenders — Daily Faceoff (Frank Seravalli)
Excerpt
Remarkably, only one of this year’s top 22 goalies in High Noon won a playoff series as a starter in 2026. Was this an anomaly or a roster revolution where passable goaltending is enough for postseason success ?
- Blackhawks’ Bedard becomes second-youngest captain in franchise history — The Globe and Mail — Hockey
Excerpt
The 21-year-old Bedard is the second-youngest captain in the history of the storied franchise, behind Jonathan Toews. The Blackhawks had gone without a captain since trading Nick Foligno to Minnesota in March. “Being named captain of the Blackhawks is an unbelievable honour and something I’m truly humbled by,” Bedard said Tuesday in a news release. “The captains who have come before me have left
- Will Edmonton Oilers trade for Vancouver Canucks scoring ace as a "distressed asset"? Hmm — the Edmonton Journal
Excerpt
Will Elias Pettersson, the one-time brightest of all lights of the Vancouver Canucks , be a trade target for the Edmonton Oilers later this year?
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