The 2026 NHL season is only one week old, but the early picture is already taking shape for a few teams. Some clubs have sprinted out of the gate. Others are still trying to find their game.
One of the loudest early statements has come from Pittsburgh. The roster may look old on paper, with Kris Letang, Sidney Crosby, Erik Karlsson, and Evgeni Malkin all in their late 30s, but that hasn’t stopped the Penguins from rolling through Week 1 with authority. They opened by hammering the Philadelphia Flyers 7-0, then followed that up with an overtime win over a strong Montreal Canadiens team.
There are still real questions hanging over this group, starting with health. Anthony Mantha, who scored more than 30 goals for them, is gone, and that production has to be replaced.
Even so, the Penguins should still have plenty of offense. Nick Robertson lining up on the top line with Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell should give his scoring a meaningful lift.
Goaltending is another storyline worth watching. Arturs Silovs is the starter, and he’ll be asked to carry most of the workload while Sergei Murashov settles into the NHL. Murashov put together a strong stretch in the AHL, posting a .931 SV% in the AHL playoffs and a .919 SV% in the regular season.
Philadelphia, on the other hand, has had a rough opening stretch. Rick Tocchet’s teams usually start fast in their first year before the identity fades, and this is not being labeled as that same situation - but the Flyers have not looked sharp.
They were blasted 7-0 at home by Pittsburgh, then lost in overtime to Carolina. Their big names need to show more, and the goaltending situation is already under the microscope.
Dan Vladar’s numbers were solid last season, but the extension carries risk. He has never played more than 50 games in a season outside of last year, and his career .898 SV% is part of the concern now that he has been paid.
Utah has also come out looking dangerous. Before their loss to the New York Rangers - a team that also appears to be in good shape - the Mammoth had outscored opponents 10-1.
That kind of start turns heads, and for good reason. They have scoring punch, speed, and a capable goalie in Karel Vejmelka.
This is a team built around pace and skill. They are not going to overwhelm opponents physically, but they will create chances, generate odd-man rushes, and make life difficult in transition. Young, talented, and sprinkled with veterans, Utah looks like a group that could be a problem in its division.
Dallas is on the other side of the ledger, though there’s no reason to sound the alarm yet. The Stars are off to a rare 0-2 start, and the offense has been uncharacteristically quiet. Scoring just one goal in six games is not what people expect from this team.
That’s especially true with the kind of talent Dallas has up front. Mikko Rantanen, Wyatt Johnston, and Jason Robertson have not found their rhythm together yet, and that has shown up in the results.
The last time the Stars opened 0-2 was in 2019, so this is unfamiliar territory early in the year. The real question now is how they respond to the first bit of adversity and whether the offense wakes up soon.
In Other News...
Flyers Make A Tough Lineup Call As Barkey Returns
Denver Barkey is on track to give the Flyers another look against Tampa Bay, with the young forward expected to make his season debut after working back from a lower-body injury. Rick Tocchet confirmed Barkey is likely to play and pointed to the qualities that make him intriguing for this roster, especially his hockey sense and ability to create offense. It is the kind of return that can quietly shift the feel of a lineup, particularly for a team still sorting out which young pieces are ready for bigger minutes.
The move also comes with a tough decision elsewhere, as Alex Bump is expected to come out of the lineup to make room. For a club trying to balance development with immediate performance, those calls can say plenty about where the staff sees its depth chart right now. Dan Vladar will also be back in goal for his second start of the season, adding another layer to a game that will offer a clearer picture of how the Flyers want to line up as Barkey re-enters the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Linked To A Young Defenseman Worth A Bold Push
Contract talks in Detroit have turned into one of the more closely watched subplot lines of the offseason, and a young defenseman with size and upside is now at the center of it. Philadelphia is among the teams reportedly monitoring the situation, with the kind of blue-line profile that tends to draw attention if it becomes available.
Simon Edvinssons frustration with his contract negotiations has opened the door to the possibility of a move, even as the Red Wings still want to work something out. Seattle and Pittsburgh are also said to be in the mix, which means any team serious about making a push may have to come in aggressively before Detroit is forced to decide whether to keep negotiating or listen more seriously to outside interest. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Get Timely Boost Before Tampa Bay But Two Statuses Loom
The Flyers got a little healthier at the right time as they prepared for Tampa Bay, with the latest injury report bringing some encouragement to a lineup that has had to absorb its share of bumps. Denver Barkey appears close to returning from a lower-body injury, and his progress gives Philadelphia another option as it looks to sharpen its depth for a tough matchup.
There is still some uncertainty, though, because Rasmus Ristolainen remains in the mix after leaving a recent game with a hand issue. Barkeys possible return also comes with a procedural wrinkle, since he would have to come off injured reserve first, which could mean a corresponding roster move before he is available. [Read more 🡒]