The Bruins are still in the quiet stretch of the offseason, but around the NHL, the news cycle finally picked up.
The biggest headline came out of Colorado, where the Avalanche locked up Cale Makar on an eight-year, $163.2 million extension. That deal carries a $20.4 million cap hit and makes him the first player in NHL history to clear the $20 million AAV mark. The new contract does not begin until next year, but it instantly resets the market at the top end.
There’s also fresh movement in the Connor Hellebuyck conversation after the Jets goaltender made his trade request public on Thursday. Buffalo was already mentioned as a possible fit, and Sportsnet noted the Sabres were interested at the draft and could check back in.
Ryan Dixon also pointed to a few young players who could be part of a return. Not every team makes sense as a landing spot, though.
Florida Hockey Now reported the Panthers would have made the move by now if they were going to, especially after trading for Jacob Markstrom and with their cap situation tight. New Jersey Hockey Now argued the Devils should stay out of the race, saying the fit does not make sense even though New Jersey is currently using a three-goalie rotation and new GM Sunny Mehta called on Nico Daws to win a job.
For Boston, the calendar keeps inching closer. The Bruins are one month from opening day and 18 days from the start of training camp at Warrior Ice Arena. With that in mind, there are 10 games worth circling, split evenly between home and road.
At TD Garden, five dates stand out. The home slate includes rivalry games, a jersey retirement, and visits from some of the league’s biggest names. On the road, there are reunion games, a possible final meeting with one of the game’s greatest, and a late-season trip to Florida.
The Bruins also have their full 2026-27 regular season schedule out now, giving fans the complete picture as the offseason slowly gives way to the next season.
Elsewhere on the league calendar, TSN reported that Misha Donskov is joining the Oilers as a coaching consultant. Donskov has worked with the Golden Knights, Stars, and Team Canada, and he will continue to be involved with Team Canada after taking the new role.
In Other News...
Elias Lindholm Is Suddenly Central To Bostons Biggest Camp Battle
Elias Lindholm has become one of the more important names to watch as Bruins camp approaches, and not just because of what he was supposed to bring when Boston signed him in 2024. Injuries and uneven play have kept his fit with the team from looking settled, but the Bruins still need him to become a reliable top-six center if they are going to get where they want to go.
Marco Sturm has at least given the situation a calmer tone heading into training camp, noting that Lindholm is trending in the right direction. Even so, the real question in Boston is less about optimism than availability and effectiveness, with Lindholm trying to show he can handle the job the Bruins are counting on him to fill. [Read more 🡒]
Don Sweeney Has One Bruins Trade Critics Still Have To Admit Worked
Don Sweeney has taken plenty of heat over the years for the Bruins bigger-picture decisions, but even his sharpest critics have to concede that he has found real value on the trade market. Hampus Lindholm and Taylor Hall both ended up fitting important roles in Boston, and Charlie Coyle became another example of a move that looked shrewd once the results started showing up on the ice.
Coyles arrival in particular gave the Bruins another dependable piece when they needed depth and versatility for a long postseason push. He turned into the kind of trade-deadline addition contenders hope to land, someone who can stabilize a lineup and hold up when the games get tighter, which is why his name still comes up when people revisit Sweeneys best calls. [Read more 🡒]
Mason Lohrei Enters Bruins Camp With Real Pressure On His Spot
Mason Lohrei arrives at Bruins training camp with more on his mind than simply shaking off summer rust. The young defenseman is fighting for a spot in a crowded blue-line picture, where the depth chart is packed with NHL-caliber options and every practice rep matters. After a solid regular season, Lohrei still has to show the Bruins he can handle the next step and carve out a role that sticks.
The pressure is sharper because this is also the final year of his contract, which makes camp feel less like a tune-up and more like an audition. Boston has limited room for defensemen, and Lohreis challenge is straightforward but unforgiving: prove his value quickly enough to avoid getting squeezed out by the numbers and by the competition around him. [Read more 🡒]