The NHL’s expansion plans are suddenly moving faster than expected, with a formal announcement for the 33rd team now expected before the end of the year. And that may not be the end of it. The league could reveal a 34th franchise not long after, with the second expansion destination still unknown - and, according to the chatter, maybe Phoenix.
That was only part of a busy weekend around the league. The New York Islanders also unveiled the alternate sweater they’ll wear for the 2027-28 season, after letting fans submit jersey ideas and vote. The result landed with a thud.
Elsewhere, the rumor mill is already spinning around Connor McDavid. As he begins the first season of his two-year extension, NHL Network analyst E.J.
Hradek named three possible landing spots if McDavid ever leaves Edmonton: Philadelphia, Detroit, and the New York Rangers. Hradek said winning would be the deciding factor.
There was also a new wrinkle in Arizona’s ongoing expansion conversation. After NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Houston would likely be the 33rd team and that the league could have that finalized by the end of the year, Craig Morgan pressed him about the 34th club.
The answer? It might not be Atlanta.
The NHL could circle back to Arizona.
On the Penguins front, there’s a practical question looming: which professional tryout candidates make sense for the roster and the team’s needs? Three names fit that conversation, but Pittsburgh’s track record with PTOs in the salary cap era is not encouraging. The list of past tryouts signed by the club comes with plenty of bad news attached.
Around the rest of the hockey world, Boston had a meaningful farewell for Zdeno Chara, with former and current NHLers making the trip to Slovakia. Ray Bourque even laced them up for the game. Jack Studley did not go over for it, but he did have full coverage and video from the event.
There was even a little detour into EA Sports NHL 27, where the Flyers’ ratings are drawing debate. And in Detroit, the Red Wings’ prospect pool features J.P. Hurlbert at No. 10, one slot behind Liam Ruck - a name that may ring a bell for Penguins followers who thought Pittsburgh might have targeted him in last June’s draft.
In Other News...
Penguins Camp Could Shake Up A Forward Battle Fans Are Watching
Players are starting to trickle back for a shortened Penguins training camp, and that alone puts a little extra edge on the weeks ahead. Pittsburgh enters camp with some real roster choices to make, especially when it comes to balancing younger talent with veteran experience, and those decisions are going to be felt both on defense and up front.
Ville Koivunen and Owen Pickering are among the names worth watching closely because what they do in camp could help shape the final roster picture. For a team trying to sort out who fits where before the season begins, every practice rep and preseason look matters, and the competition for forward spots could be one of the more interesting battles to follow. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Have A Camp Battle Fans Should Be Watching Closely
The Penguins added a little extra size and intrigue up front when they brought in Elmer Soderblom from the Red Wings in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick. He didnt take long to make an impression after the move, producing five goals and 10 points in 20 games for Pittsburgh while also getting into five playoff games and scoring once, enough to keep him in the conversation as the roster starts to take shape again.
Soderblom is signed through the 2026-27 season, which gives Pittsburgh some security if his camp push carries over into the fall. The real question now is whether he can turn that brief glimpse into a more permanent spot, because the Penguins have at least one forward battle worth watching closely when camp opens. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Playoff Hopes Ride On One Risky Balance
The Penguins are heading into the stretch with plenty of familiar questions and a little more intrigue than they probably wanted. Their offensive potential is still the obvious reason to believe, and the coaching staff gives them a structure that has kept them in the conversation before, but recent roster changes have forced the group to relearn some habits on the fly. The balance between what this team still does well and what it has to prove is what makes the playoff picture feel so fragile.
Pittsburghs outlook now depends on whether the new additions can settle in quickly enough to offset the departures, especially with defensive adjustments, chemistry and physicality all under the microscope. The aging core remains the central variable, because the Penguins still need those players to drive the team while the rest of the roster finds its footing. If the mix comes together, there is a path back into the postseason, but it is the kind of path that leaves little margin for error. [Read more 🡒]