Around the Hockey World — Friday, September 25
The day's hockey news in one place — and somewhere to talk about it.
For more granular team coverage, check out the team pages.
38 items · updated 11:35 PM
Top stories
- Flyers’ Trevor Zegras given penalty for having jersey tucked in — Daily Faceoff (Frank Seravalli)
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During Thursday’s 2-0 preseason win over the Boston Bruins , Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras was given a two-minute minor penalty for “improperly wearing his equipment.” Zegras’ fashion faux pas was tucking the back of his jersey into his pants, something the NHL is stressing as penalizable coming into this season.
- NHL estimates $127.5 million salary cap for 2028-29 — Daily Faceoff (Frank Seravalli)
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The NHL’s salary cap has substantially grown in recent years, and according to a new report, the league estimates it could reach a total of $127.5 million in 2028-29. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman first reported the potential rise in the cap on Friday morning, saying the number was provided by the league at this week’s Board of Governors meeting.
- Shanahan report makes 11 recommendations to improve Ontario junior hockey — TSN
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TORONTO — A report on junior men’s hockey in Ontario delivered by former NHL player and executive Brendan Shanahan makes 11 recommendations to improve it. Shanahan, a Hockey Hall of Famer and president of the Toronto Maple Leafs for 11 years until 2025, was asked by Hockey Canada in January to conduct a review of junior hockey in Ontario.
- Sharks hand captaincy to Macklin Celebrini ahead of third NHL season — The Globe and Mail — Hockey
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Macklin Celebrini was picked as captain of the San Jose Sharks on Friday, becoming the youngest player ever to fill that role for the team at the age of 20. Celebrini, from North Vancouver, B.C., takes over the spot that had been vacant since Logan Couture went down with a career-ending injury, becoming the 11th full-time captain in Sharks history.
- Canucks claim G Meriläinen off waivers from Senators — TSN
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The Vancouver Canucks have claimed goaltender Leevi Meriläinen off waivers from the Ottawa Senators , the team announced on Friday. Meriläinen, 24, appeared in 20 games for the Senators last season, going 8-10-1 with an .860 save percentage and 3.51 goals against average.
- Senators acquire goaltender Jonas Johansson in trade with Lightning — Sportsnet
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Ottawa acquired goaltender Jonas Johansson from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for future considerations, the team announced Friday. Johansson was originally taken in the third round (61st overall) in the 2014 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres. He's spent time in Buffalo's, the Colorado Avalanche's, the Florida Panthers' and, most recently, Tampa Bay's organizations over the span of his career
News
- MacLean on cap rising to $127-million: ‘Devastating for NHL’s bottom-third’ — Sportsnet
- Flames sign Alex Nylander to one-year contract — Daily Faceoff (Frank Seravalli)
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The Calgary Flames have agreed to terms on a one-year, two-way contract with forward Alex Nylander, the club announced Friday afternoon. Per the club release, the contract carries an NHL cap hit of $850,000. Nylander, 28, had been attending the Flames’ 2026 training camp on a professional tryout opportunity (PTO). He recorded an assist in Calgary’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Seattle Kraken on Thurs
- Report: Bruins Attempted to Trade for Blue Jackets’ Kirill Marchenko — Boston Hockey Now
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The Boston Bruins did not land Chris Kreider when he hit free agency earlier this month, but that did not stop Don Sweeney from looking for a skilled winger. On Friday’s episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas, Friedman reported that the Bruins made a trade offer to the Columbus Blue Jackets for 26-year-old winger Kirill Marchenko.
- After senseless tragedy, Arizona State shamefully focuses on hockey — The Globe and Mail — Hockey
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This week, the Arizona State University men’s hockey team soft-launched its season. Their coach, Greg Powers, did a virtual show-and-tell as part of a conference-wide media day. According to reports, Powers was keen to talk about his hopes for a better year than last, when his team lost more than it won. Reporters were more keen to ask about the critical injuries suffered by one of Powers’s playe
- Ottavainen fined maximum for serving as aggressor in Kraken's preseason game — NHL.com
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NEW YORK -- Seattle Kraken defenseman Ville Ottavainen has been fined $2,190.72, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for serving as the aggressor in an altercation with Calgary Flames forward Brennan Othmann during NHL Preseason Game No. 38 in Seattle on Thursday, Sept. 24, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.
- 61 NHL players placed on waivers for Sept. 25 — Daily Faceoff (Frank Seravalli)
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SportsnetExcerpt
On Friday, 61 players across the NHL were put on waivers, making them available to the other 31 teams in the league. If they were to clear waivers on Thursday, they would be eligible to be assigned to their respective American Hockey League affiliates.
- NHL features an 84-game season for the first time in decades — TSN
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The league is going to an 84-game regular season for the first time since 1994 — it was in place for two seasons — and just the second time in its 109-year history. Players and owners agreed to the increase from 82 for each of the 32 teams as part of the collective bargaining agreement that is in place through 2030, doubling down on more hockey for all.
- Kreider says Marty the coach is just as intense as Marty the player was — Sportsnet
- Ovechkin expected to be ready for Capitals' regular-season opener — NHL.com
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ARLINGTON, Va. -- Alex Ovechkin will be held out of the Washington Capitals final two preseason games as a precaution while he recovers from a lower-body injury, but the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer is on track to play in their regular-season opener at the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 2 (7 p.m. ET: HHN, CARNHL, MNMT, SN, TVAS).
- Kochetkov signs 2-year, $7.9 million contract with Hurricanes — NHL.com
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Pyotr Kochetkov signed a two-year, $7.9 million contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday. It has an average annual value of $3.95 million and begins next season. The 27-year-old goalie is entering the final year of a four-year contract and could have become an unrestricted free agent after the season. Kochetkov was limited to nine games (eight starts) last season and went 6-2-0 with a 2.33
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- Sabres sign D Grzelcyk to one-year, $850K contract — TSN
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The Buffalo Sabres have signed defenceman Matt Grzelcyk to a one-year, $850,000 contract on Friday. Grzelyck, 32, spent the 2025-26 season with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he notched 12 assists in 69 regular-season games.
- Red Wings’ Dylan Larkin willing to expand no-trade list — Sportsnet
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It appears Dylan Larkin is willing to help facilitate an exit with the Detroit Red Wings . Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman reported on Friday that Larkin is now willing to accept a trade to as many as eight teams.
- NHL Rumour Roundup: Latest on Marchenko, Nikishin, Tarasenko — Sportsnet
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Several significant names remain in play as action on and off the ice heats up. Here’s a look at some players in the headlines ahead of the start of the NHL season.
- NHL Rumor Roundup: Canadiens Eyeing Mark Scheifele? Could The Stars Trade Jason Robertson? — The Hockey News
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With the 2026-27 regular season starting next week, the Montreal Canadiens' need for an established second-line center remains unaddressed. For now, the Canadiens appear content to start the season with sophomore Oliver Kapanen filling the second-line center role between wingers Ivan Demidov and Juraj Slafkovsky.
- Debuts, returns and rematches: Games to circle on this season's NHL calendar — TSN
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The NHL opens its 1,344-game regular-season schedule next week. The league’s 32 teams will play 84 contests each — up from 82 — for the first time since the 1993-94 campaign following pared-down training camps.
- Superstar poll: Summer highlights, Texas expansion team names, fan culture — ESPN
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We asked a panel of stars at the NHL/NHLPA player media tour for their takes on a variety of hot topics.
- NHL rookie watch list: Calder Trophy favorites include Hagens, McKenna, Martone, more — ESPN
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These are the top first-year players to monitor for 2026-27. Who will break out first?
- 2026-27 NHL season could be filled with milestones — NHL.com
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The 2026-27 NHL season begins Sept. 29 and in the coming days, weeks and months, there could be plenty of players reaching milestones. Here's a look at some that could occur. 950: Alex Ovechkin -- The Washington Capitals captain already holds the record for most goals in the regular season (929), and is 21 from 950. He also enters the season with 1,006 goals in the regular season and Stanley Cup
- Celebrating Global Coaches Day — the IIHF
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Did you know 25 September is Global Coaches Day? It’s a time to celebrate and reflect on what coaches do for players, teams, and communities: teaching, motivating, uniting, making people better both on and off the field of play. The International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE), which founded Global Coaches Day, estimates there are about 50 million coaches worldwide in different sports and
- Tonight's games — Friday, September 25 — NHL
Columns
- 32 Thoughts Podcast: Don’t tuck your shirt in — Sportsnet
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Hockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman & Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.
- The Top 100 NCAA Players To Watch In 2026-27 — The Hockey News
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Welcome to my annual Top 100 NCAA players to watch list, a compendium that becomes increasingly vexing for both you and I. For you, it's about the players I did not include. For me, it's the process of actually whittling down my list to only 100 players, as the NCAA gets stronger with every passing year.
- A two-sentence thought on every NHL team before the puck drops — Sportsnet
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We forget how many questions loomed before the season really started, so I thought it would be fun to document how we we're feeling (OK, how I was feeling) about teams right before the puck actually dropped to kick off the 2026-27 NHL season.
- Why the Utah Mammoth are ready to become a Western Conference superpower — Daily Faceoff (Frank Seravalli)
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Colorado Avalanche ; Dallas Stars ; Edmonton Oilers ; Vegas Golden Knights . When thinking about Stanley Cup contenders of the Western Conference over the last five years, these are the names that jump to mind. Over the past 12 months or so, you could even add the Minnesota Wild to that mix.
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- Women’s Hockey: 2026-27 WCHA season preview — USCHO.com — U.S. College Hockey Online
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Wisconsin repeated as national champions, earning their third title in the last four years. For the fourth straight year, they faced off against WCHA rival Ohio State. Polls differ early on about which team is currently 1, but the consensus seems to be that they are the top two teams in the country. The WCHA ...
- Women’s Hockey: 2026-27 NEWHA season preview — USCHO.com — U.S. College Hockey Online
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For the first time in the past few seasons, the same team took the regular season and tournament titles. Franklin Pierce won their second championship but earned their first bid to the NCAA Tournament. Five different schools have won the NEWHA Tournament in the eight years of its existence – Assumption will be pushing to ... Read more The post Women’s Hockey: 2026-27 NEWHA season preview appeared
- Will goalies be left out of NHL’s financial boom? — Daily Faceoff (Frank Seravalli)
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Seemingly every other day this offseason, shockingly enormous contracts are getting handed out in the NHL. From Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson getting $18 million per season for five years after receiving an offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers , to Washington Capitals winger Ryan Leonard and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium signing mammoth eight-year extensions after just one full s
- Which NHL rookies have stood out the most during 2026-27 preseason? — Daily Faceoff (Frank Seravalli)
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It’s been well-received by fans, but it gives prospects a smaller opportunity to prove themselves in NHL uniforms. We’ve seen guys sneak into NHL starting-night roles because they went on absolute tears in Games 4-7. With just a week of preseason action, and most prospects only getting into two games, it’s harder to really make that same mark.
- Is the NHL cooling down on expansion a good thing? — Daily Faceoff (Frank Seravalli)
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While everyone is gearing up for the 2026-27 season, many are still looking ahead to what could be next for the NHL. While the league is at an even 32 franchises, there’s chatter that the NHL’s brass are open to adding even more teams in the near future. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly stated earlier this offseason that a new team in Texas – particularly in Houston or Austin – could come by the 202
- Friday Four: One flaw that could derail every division favourite — Sportsnet
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It’s that time of the year where it’s easy to pencil in a handful of teams that should cruise to a playoff spot or division title, but nothing is guaranteed. Michael Amato looks at the biggest potential flaws for each division favourite this season.
- Lapsed fan's guide to the NHL season: Top teams, players and storylines for 2026-27 — ESPN
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Miss anything since the end of June? Miss EVERYTHING since then? Get caught up here.
- NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 25, 2026 — Lyle Richardson of Spector's Hockey
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Recapping Thursday’s preseason action, the Blue Jackets finally sign Adam Fantilli, the Blackhawks sign Oliver Moore to a four-year extension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines. NHL.COM: San Jose Sharks rookie forward Ivar Stenberg tallied a hat trick and collected an assist in a 10-0 drubbing of the Anaheim Ducks. Michael Misa had a goal and three assists, Igor Chernyshov had two
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