Three NHL storylines are already setting the tone for next season, and all of them come back to the same idea: teams are trying to get ahead of their own mess before it grows.
In Edmonton, Frederik Andersen’s one-year contract looks a lot more interesting than simple depth on paper. The deal initially read like insurance, but his relationship with new head coach Mike Babcock has people around the Oilers wondering if he’s actually the early favorite to open 2026-27 as the No. 1 goalie.
Kurt Leavins of The Edmonton Journal said it’s hard to picture Andersen not being pencilled in as the starter from the start, and Babcock spoke with him before the signing. That would put Andersen ahead of Devon Levi and Tristan Jarry.
The logic is straightforward: Andersen may not be asked to carry a full workload, but a split of roughly 35 games would let Levi and Jarry handle the rest while also helping Edmonton manage its brutal travel schedule and the usual injury risk. If Babcock wants to keep everyone fresh and still stay competitive, the fit makes sense.
Toronto’s path back is less about one fix and more about a pile of things finally going right together. After a brutal 78-point season and another missed postseason, Jonas Siegel of The Athletic laid out five specific pieces that have to click at once.
Auston Matthews needs to look like Auston Matthews again. The goaltending has to be steady, even if it isn’t flawless.
The younger players have to provide real value. Jim Hiller has to sharpen the team’s defence and game control.
And the veterans have to stay healthy long enough for any of it to matter.
Then there’s Ottawa, where Brady Tkachuk’s return in a Florida Panthers jersey is already shaping up to be a hostile night. Senators fans are expected to boo him, and plenty of the reaction has turned toward the way his trade request unfolded.
Tkachuk asked for a trade in June and landed in Florida to play with his brother Matthew, but the way he handled the “am I committed to Ottawa?” questions in the media didn’t sit well with fans.
The online response has been harsh, with criticism aimed at his loyalty, his style of play and even his character. His first game back in Ottawa could be one of the loudest and most tense moments on next season’s schedule.
In Other News...
Senators Could Still Make The Scoring Swing Fans Have Wanted
After an offseason that saw Ottawa send Brady Tkachuk to Florida and bring in William Eklund, Andre Burakovsky and Samuel Ersson, the Senators still look like a club that could use one more jolt up front. The forward group has more skill than it did before, but there remains a clear opening for a scorer who can change the look of the top nine and add some bite to the power play.
Patrik Laine is the name that keeps surfacing as the kind of swing Ottawa could make if it wants to chase more offense without tying itself to a long commitment. A one-year deal would make sense for a player trying to reestablish himself, and the fit is easy to picture in a few different spots in the lineup, especially with the man-advantage in mind. For now, it is still just a possibility, but it is the sort of possibility that would make sense for a team still searching for another layer of scoring punch. [Read more 🡒]
Senators May Have Found The Top Six Scorer Fans Want Beside Stutzle
The Senators have been searching for another legitimate top-six scorer to pair with Tim Stutzle, and a fresh trade idea has put Seattle in the conversation. Jared McCann is entering the final year of his contract, and his situation is the kind that can draw attention quickly when a team is weighing whether to stay competitive or start reshaping the roster.
Seattle is reportedly evaluating its direction and could be open to moving established pieces if it means adding prospects and retooling for the future. McCann also carries a modified no-trade clause, which adds another layer to any potential deal, but Ottawas interest suggests the market could get interesting if the Kraken decide to listen more seriously. [Read more 🡒]