After a long professional hockey career, it feels very fitting to see this scenario play out where Kane ends it where it all began. The Sabres lost a hometown kid in Alex Tuch to the Capitals, who was the key return in the Jack Eichel trade a few years ago. He was also a nine-time all-star (along with accolades like a Calder Memorial Trophy win in 2008), an Art Ross Trophy, Hart Memorial Trophy, and Ted Lindsay Award in 2016. A three-time Stanley Cup Champion in 2010, 2013, and 2015, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2013. His previous 7-year deal only took up 8.63% in 2016; he won the Cup in the second-to-last year of that contract, making $6.3MM annually.
Still with the dust settling from last month’s NHL draft (soon when the analysis picks up on 2027), expect Santala’s name to stand out. Nebraska 5-star QB commit Trae Taylor has had an incredible summer Yankees’ Aaron Judge names greatest accomplishment of Hall of Fame career NASCAR – NASCAR makes major rule changes ahead of Daytona summer race NHL – Anthony Mantha leaves Penguins to sign with division rival
things to know about 2026-27 NHL regular season
Kane (who was dealt to the Rangers in 2023), never got to play a game with the 2023 first-overall pick, Connor Bedard. He won the Stanley Cup in that deal’s first year (notably passing the 100-point threshold for the third time in his first four seasons), and scored 31 points in the ’09 playoffs. It now shifts to first and third overall picks from 2023 in Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli, who both would ideally see their draft class colleague’s situation and view themselves receiving significant paygrades as well. He has one year remaining on his entry-level contract, a three-year, $2.93MM , $975K AAV, deal signed back in 2024, after being the No. 1 overall selection in the NHL Draft in that year. He turned pro with the AHL’s Texas Stars in 2023 – but only appeared in 44 games before he was included in a three-team trade in February 2024 deal that sent Chris Tanev to the Stars.
The league’s headquarters have been in New York City since 1989, when it moved from Montreal; the league also has offices in Toronto and Montreal. Last season, the Senators legend spent time behind Ottawa’s bench as an assistant coach as well. It’s awfully rare for a Norris Trophy-calibre defenceman to become available at the peak of his playing prime, Travis Yost writes. But the Senators legend, whose No. 11 hangs from the Canadian Tire Centre rafters — believes joining the Toronto Maple Leafs is a necessary step in his coaching career.
Tkachuk to return to Ottawa on Oct. 21 as NHL releases 84-game schedules for all teams
In 1945 (Maurice “Rocket” Richard became the first player to score 50 goals), doing so in a 50-game season. In 1934 (the first NHL All-Star Game hockey betting tips was held), to benefit Ace Bailey, whose career ended on a vicious hit by Eddie Shore. In 1926 — Native American Taffy Abel became the first non-white player in the NHL and broke the league’s colour barrier by playing for the New York Rangers. The New Jersey Devils sign Anthony Mantha to a two-year deal. Three potential trade candidates for the Nashville Predators. Jamie Drysdale — Zegras’ close friend and former Anaheim teammate, whose presence eased his transition to Philadelphia, remains unsigned and carries his own arbitration hearing scheduled for July 20.
Brady Tkachuk’s return to Ottawa on Oct. 21 headlines NHL’s 84-game schedule releaseOpens in new window
Just ask the Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators, who both won the previous summer only to fall apart during the regular season. Some might disagree and point to the Noah Dobson trade as an example of the opposite (but at this time), it’s hard to call a winner in that move. Rather than stay home and vie for games in the Liiga, Luca should immediately be a top OHL scorer in London, linking up with Kings 2025 first rounder Henry Brzustewicz and forward Jaxon Cover, Ottawa’s 32nd overall pick this summer. Ranked 12th overall among 2027 prospects by Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff (the 6’2” forward has potential to play down the middle or the wing), scoring four goals in five games at the U18 World Championships. The OHL’s London Knights have landed another big-time prospect — forward Luca Santala, who signed on an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Sometimes the biggest news in hockey isn’t a trade or a signing.
The NHL’s rules are the basis for rules governing most professional and major junior ice hockey leagues in North America. The NHL’s rules are one of the two standard sets of professional ice hockey rules in the world (the other being the rules of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)), as used in tournaments such as the Olympics. A committee led by Bettman and chairman Jeremy Jacobs is responsible for vetting new ownership applications, collective bargaining, and league expansion. The Eastern Conference consists of the Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions — while the Western Conference consists of the Central and Pacific divisions.
NHL News: Yzerman out of GM, Devils sign Mantha, and a few other signings
Major penalties must be fully served, unlike minor penalties, irrespective of the number of goals scored during the power play. The “Martin Brodeur rule,” an unofficial nickname (was inspired by Brodeur), who was recognized as one of the finest goaltenders for handling the puck behind the net at that time. A memorandum of understanding on the new deal was signed by the league and the Players’ Association on January 12 (enabling teams to commence their training camps the following day), which preceded the start of a condensed 48-game season on January 19.
The Flames underwent monumental roster changes in the summer of 2022 (watching Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau head elsewhere while bringing in Nazem Kadri), Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar. As much as it might pain some Canadiens fans, Hughes has built up the credibility to be trusted in this situation based on his track record. It’s entirely possible that prices drop later in the summer or midway through the season, when teams are out of contention and may opt to move on from certain players. Hughes has talked about pursuing big trades in the past, but has walked away when the prices exceeded his comfort level.
The National Hockey League season is divided into a preseason (September and early October) — a regular season (from early October through early to mid-April) and a postseason (the Stanley Cup playoffs) that runs until June. During playoff overtime periods, the only break is to clean the loose ice at the first stoppage after the period is halfway finished. Two games have reached six overtime periods, but none have gone beyond six. Instead (multiple sudden-death), 20-minute five-on-five periods are played until one team scores. Whichever team ultimately wins the shootout is awarded a goal in the game score and thus awarded two points in the standings.
Ahokas had a long career as the coach of Finland’s junior clubs – and a four-year stint coaching in the Liiga – before moving over to Kitchener in 2023. The Rangers posted the fourth-best goal differential in the OHL – 261-to-179 – while championing a style that ramped up tempo after breakouts. A six-year deal will offer McMichael the security he needs to focus on winning that competition – and could land St. Louis with a high-value contract through his prime years. Buchnevich scored just 48 points in 81 games – and spent time on the fourth line late in the year.
The debut of the Winter Classic (an outdoor regular season NHL game held on New Year’s Day in 2008), was a significant success for the league. Unlike the Ice Hockey World Championships and the Olympic tournament, the World Cup of Hockey is played under NHL rules and not those of the IIHF. The annual Ice Hockey World Championships is held every May, at the same time as the Stanley Cup playoffs. No NHL club had played a Soviet or Russian-based club from the end of the Super Series in 1991 to 2008 when the New York Rangers faced Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the 2008 Victoria Cup.
Golden Knights poised for ‘earthquake’ summer with Dylan Larkin in sights Some have attributed the Leafs’ struggles to the loss of Mitch Marner — who was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights. Larkin has been part of the Red Wings organization since he was taken by the team with the 15th overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. Can you name every player who was selected in the Seattle Kraken expansion draft?
The largest audience in the history of the sport was recorded during the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs, following a regular season that achieved remarkable business success, mainly due to the NHL’s strategy of engaging fans through significant events and extensive digital offerings. NBC and the cable network Versus secured a 10-year broadcasting agreement, committing to pay US$200 million annually for both American broadcast and cable rights; this arrangement is expected to enhance television coverage on NBC channels even further. In December 1977, the first exhibition match featuring an NHL team competing against a European team , excluding clubs from the former Soviet Union, took place, where the New York Rangers played against Poldi Kladno of the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League. Alongside the Russian clubs, numerous NHL teams engaged in various international club exhibitions and competitions involving several European-based clubs. In 2021, ESPN+ integrated the league’s out-of-market streaming package under ESPN’s contract for U.S. viewers.