The Blue Jackets have put themselves in a tricky spot after re-signing Adam Fantilli earlier this week, but GM Don Waddell says the club doesn’t expect to lean on LTIR to get back under the cap.
Fantilli’s new six-year deal, worth $13.75MM per season, pushed Columbus over the salary cap. That kind of overage is usually the sort of thing teams clean up with LTIR placements, but Waddell told reporters including Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch that he doesn’t believe the Blue Jackets will need to go that route when it comes time to submit their season-opening roster. Whether that means Columbus will ice a smaller opening roster or has moves in the works to trim payroll is still unclear, and it’s something to watch ahead of Monday’s roster deadline.
Elsewhere in the Metropolitan Division, Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves is dealing with a lower-body injury, the team announced. He’s scheduled for further evaluation to determine how serious it is.
Graves has had a rough go since arriving in Pittsburgh in 2023 and has gone through waivers multiple times. He was probably headed for the waiver wire again in the next couple of days, but the injury has put that on hold for now.
Last season, Graves managed just one point, a goal, in 22 games with Pittsburgh, and his $4.5MM cap hit runs through 2028-29.
In Philadelphia, goaltender Daniel Vladar was back on the ice taking shots as he continues to recover from an upper-body injury, according to Siobhan Nolan of The Hockey News. Vladar was hurt earlier this week in a preseason game, but head coach Rick Tocchet sounded cautiously optimistic that he could be ready for Wednesday’s opener. Vladar was a major piece of Philadelphia’s success last season, finishing with a 2.42 GAA and a .906 SV% in 52 appearances.
The Capitals made a batch of roster moves, recalling forwards Tyler Kopff, Petr Sikora, and Alexander Suzdalev along with defenseman Jon McDonald from AHL Hershey. All four were recently cut, but they’ll get one more preseason game to make their case. Washington also announced that veteran defenseman Justin Holl will go on waivers later today, a move that strongly suggests Dylan McIlrath has locked down the number seven spot to open the season.
In Other News...
Flyers Opener Will Test How Much Tocchets Second Year Really Changed
Rick Tocchet spent practice day talking less about the novelty of Year 2 and more about what should already feel familiar for the Flyers as the opener approaches. After a preseason loss, the team got back to work with Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny both acknowledging there is still room to sharpen up, even as Tocchet pointed to the groups growing comfort in his system and the added maturity he wants to see carry over once games start to count.
Dan Vladar was also on the ice, which is at least an encouraging sign for a club getting ready to face Pittsburgh in its season opener. His availability is still something to monitor, but the larger test for Philadelphia is simpler: whether a second season under Tocchet looks like a true step forward or just a team that understands the plan without fully executing it yet. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Have A Bigger Question Than Last Years Playoff Return
Looking ahead to the 2026-27 season, there is reason to think the Flyers could finally have a lineup with more finishing talent baked into it. Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone are both viewed as the kind of young scorers who can change the shape of a forward group, and the broader sense around the roster is that Philadelphia may be getting closer to having enough punch to support a real step forward.
The bigger question, though, is how all of that scoring talent fits with the rest of the picture, especially in a league where stability in net and true top-end finishing can swing a season. Joseph Woll is part of that conversation as a possible solution behind the crease, while Tyson Foerster has also been mentioned as a player who could take another jump. The Flyers have spent enough time trying to climb back into the mix that the next test is no longer just getting there, but finding out whether the pieces around their young core can actually hold up once they do. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Opening Night Roster Reveals A Few Surprising Lineup Clues
The Flyers settled their 23-man opening night roster for the 2026-27 season, and the shape of it offered a few early clues about how they plan to open the year. The group breaks down to 14 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders, with Garrett Wilson among the names on the list and a defense corps that now includes newcomers David Jiricek and Simon Benoit.
The most immediate development is in net, where Dan Vladar and Joseph Woll are slated to form the opening-night tandem. That pairing gives Philadelphia a clear answer at the position for now, while the rest of the roster suggests the team is already leaning on some new pieces as it heads into the season. [Read more 🡒]