Opening night has a way of dragging every unresolved storyline into the light, and the NHL’s latest round of drama hit Detroit, Toronto and Edmonton all at once.
In Detroit, the Red Wings still haven’t gotten restricted free agent Simon Edvinsson under contract with the season only two days away. He’s been seen back in Sweden training with his former club while the talks continue, and GM Shawn Horcoff said Edvinsson is not practicing with the team. The conversations are said to be happening daily, but that hasn’t eased the frustration around a situation that feels increasingly stuck.
What makes it harder for fans to swallow is that Edvinsson has handled everything the right way. He didn’t bolt to another team, he reported to camp, and he has reportedly negotiated in good faith throughout the process.
The rumored ask sits around $9-10 million, a number that doesn’t sound outrageous in today’s market, which only adds to the confusion over why this is still unresolved. And with Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat already in the pile of unfinished business, Detroit’s summer has turned into a messy one.
Toronto’s Gavin McKenna, meanwhile, finally got his NHL debut - and somehow the conversation barely stayed on the debut itself. His rookie lap was part of the standard welcome, but the internet zeroed in on Sergei Bobrovsky stepping onto the ice first for his usual pregame superstition. A Montreal columnist even joked that it said something about Toronto’s team culture, though plenty of people pushed back quickly, pointing out that this was just a goalie being a goalie, not a sign of disrespect, especially with the sense that the whole thing had been discussed beforehand.
McKenna’s actual night was a tough one. He finished with no points, one shot, a minus-2 rating and a couple of giveaways, and the advanced numbers backed up the idea that it wasn’t his sharpest performance.
He didn’t duck from it afterward, though. McKenna admitted the mistakes and said he’s glad Toronto plays again right away so he can move on and try to answer back.
Edmonton had its own mess, only this one came after a wild overtime loss. Despite Evan Bouchard delivering a massive performance, Babcock was blunt about what he saw from his team, calling the defensive effort “ridiculous” after Vancouver built a big second-period lead. He also made it clear he knew this wouldn’t be an easy fix, saying he never expected changing the structure to be simple.
Bouchard’s night was the kind that jumps off the page: five points and a hat trick in the overtime loss. It was the first defenceman hat trick on opening night since 1980, and the first five-point opener by a blueliner in NHL history.
Even that didn’t soften Babcock’s stance. He pointed to Edmonton allowing three chances in the final minute and a half of overtime, and his message was unmistakable - a great individual effort doesn’t wash out a team loss.
In Other News...
Leafs Already Face An Early Chemistry Problem Fans Will Notice
After the Maple Leafs 3-2 loss to Montreal, the conversation shifted quickly from the final score to the bigger picture around a roster still trying to find its footing. Jim Hiller used the postgame setting to talk through Kirill Marchenkos debut alongside Auston Matthews, Gavin McKennas first NHL game, and the broader challenge of blending so many new faces into one group. There were encouraging individual efforts, but the night also showed how much work remains before the lines and pairings start to feel natural.
Hiller pointed to turnovers in the defensive zone as one of the rougher signs of the evening, and it was clear the Leafs are still in that early-stage rhythm where timing and trust are a little off. He stressed that the team is working to build chemistry on and off the ice, and that some of the growing pains are part of the process as players settle into their roles. For a fan base watching every shift closely, the concern is less about one loss than about how long it takes for the group to start looking connected. [Read more 🡒]
Patrik Laine Just Added To A Fascinating Leafs Possibility
Patrik Laines name has suddenly been floating around one of the leagues most watched markets, and it is the kind of possibility that naturally gets attention in Toronto. The winger is a free agent after his contract with the Montreal Canadiens expired, and while nothing is official, there has been enough speculation and social media chatter to suggest he may be open to the Maple Leafs as he looks for his next landing spot.
For a team that is always under the microscope for ways to add scoring, Laine is the sort of player who can fuel plenty of discussion even before anything gets serious. Reports have suggested a new deal could come together soon, perhaps within the week, but until there is a real decision, the Leafs are left with a tantalizing idea rather than a finished move. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Are Suddenly Taking A Real Early-Season Goalie Gamble
The early-season goalie picture in Edmonton is already getting interesting, with Mike Babcock turning to Tristan Jarry against Vancouver in an effort to give him a chance to reset after a difficult season. Devon Levi has been the more convincing option of late, but the decision reflects how quickly a coaching staff can shift from recent form to longer-term trust, especially when a team is trying to settle one of the most delicate spots on the roster.
For Toronto, the broader market around the league is worth watching because it keeps moving pieces into play. Ryan OReilly is being floated as a possible trade candidate out of Nashville as he enters the final year of his contract without an extension expected, while Toronto has already shown a willingness to pay up when it wants a player badly, landing Marchenko from Columbus after offering Matthew Knies and other assets. Montreal reportedly balked at Columbuss ask for a more impactful piece, which helped clear the path for the Leafs to win the bidding. [Read more 🡒]