Prime Video is set to take on a bigger role in NHL local coverage in the United States, with six teams moving their regional streaming home there starting in the 2026-27 season. The list includes the defending Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes, along with the Ducks, Blue Jackets, Stars, Wild and one more team that was cut off in the announcement.
The shift comes as Victory+ dissolves, or at least that appears to be part of the chain of events, and it has triggered movement across multiple leagues. The WHL has already found its landing spot for the time being, announcing that regular-season games will move to YouTube for the start of the 2026-27 season.
That setup still leaves a lot of room for confusion, so it helps to separate the U.S. and Canadian versions of Prime. Prime in the USA is not the same service as Prime in Canada, or in any other country. That means Canadian Prime subscribers will not get these U.S. games, and American Prime subscribers will not get the Canadian teams that Prime carries north of the border.
It works the same way as other cross-border broadcast splits, with Sportsnet or TSN handling games in one country while ESPN and NHL Network carry them in the other. The difference here is that Prime games in Canada are exclusive to Prime, while the U.S. games are being carried under local streaming rights, which means the same game could still be available on television in another form.
There were also some updates on the Leafs side, where the team website has been getting daily changes, including a lot of tiny formatting tweaks and some staffing movement. The Marlies are seeing a reshuffle, too.
Denver Manderson is listed as an assistant coach for the Marlies in addition to his job as Director of Minor League Development, giving Steve Sullivan three assistants. That may have already been announced earlier.
One of the more notable promotions is Chris Bourque, who has moved up from scout to Assistant General Manager of the Marlies. Bourque came to the organization in 2022, and his hire drew strong reaction from people who cover the minor leagues.
Colin McBride is also no longer listed as head of media relations. It is not clear whether he still has a role at MLSE in the same area through the MLSE Partnerships side of the business.
The overall management picture looks different from the previous big turnover under Brendan Shanahan, and also different from the breakup that followed Kyle Dubas’s departure. There have been plenty of changes, but not the kind of sweeping one-day purge that happened before.
Elsewhere, longtime Leafs scouting executive Dave Morrison has taken a job with a new NHL club for the first time in 23 years.
And then there was the NBA’s punishment of the Clippers for circumventing the salary cap with Kawhi Leonard: a five first-round pick forfeiture from 2029 through 2033, a $30 million fine, a one-year suspension for the owner and president of business operations, and a $700,000 fine for Leonard.
Finally, there is one more item that is sad, but still carries hope with it.
In Other News...
Kawhi's Toronto Reunion Is Still Stuck For One Serious Reason
Kawhi Leonards path back to Toronto got a lot less complicated once the NBA decided not to suspend him after its investigation into the Clippers contract-related conduct. For a Raptors team that still carries the imprint of Leonards brief but unforgettable run, that ruling removed a major obstacle from any reunion and turned the conversation back to basketball and whatever form a deal might take.
Still, the trade remains unfinished, and the silence from both sides has only deepened the uncertainty around it. Toronto has not publicly confirmed anything, and there is no sign of a formal renegotiation, even as the Clippers sort through the fallout from the leagues punishment and potential legal options. For now, the idea of Leonard back in Raptors colors is alive, but the hold-up is serious enough to keep the whole thing in limbo. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Put Themselves In A Risky Spot With RJ Barrett
The Raptors offseason has been moving at a crawl, slowed by the NBAs investigation into Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers and by the expectation that Leonards long-discussed trade situation will soon finally be resolved. In the meantime, Toronto has a few different contract matters to sort through, including decisions involving Leonard and Jamal Shead as the club starts looking ahead to the next season.
RJ Barrett is the most notable one still hanging in the balance. Toronto has not yet settled on whether to extend him, and with his future still unclear, the front office is left trying to weigh timing as much as talent. The longer the process drags on, the more the Raptors risk entering the season with another major piece of their rotation carrying a cloud of uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]
Why This Raptors Core Could Be Much More Dangerous This Season
The Raptors head into this season with a core that already showed it can hang with the leagues best, and the appeal is obvious: this group has the versatility to play more than one style without losing its identity. Even after a playoff run that ended in the first round, there is a sense that the rosters two-way foundation gives Toronto a real platform in the Eastern Conference if it can stay intact and healthy.
Last seasons defense was a major part of that case, with the team finishing near the top of the league on that end and giving itself a chance in nearly every matchup. Toronto was also still part of the small group of teams in championship contention when its postseason ended, which is a reminder that the gap between a solid playoff team and something more dangerous might not be all that large. [Read more 🡒]