In Vancouver, the buzz around Caleb Malhotra is already starting to sound familiar.
That kind of energy hasn’t shown up around the Canucks all that often lately, but fans are clearly buying in after Vancouver took him third overall in the 2026 NHL Draft. The comparison isn’t to say he is Quinn Hughes, but the reaction feels similar: a prospect arrives, and suddenly the future looks a little less uncertain.
Malhotra is drawing that attention because of his skill, hockey IQ, and maturity, and he also comes with a local connection. He was born in Victoria and raised in British Columbia.
There’s also a chance fans see him at the 2027 World Juniors before he ever gets to the NHL.
In Edmonton, the conversation is still centered on the same familiar theme: how far the Oilers are willing to push their Connor McDavid-Leon Draisaitl window.
That’s where Steven Stamkos enters the picture. If Nashville decides to move younger, the veteran scorer could be the kind of name Edmonton targets in a major swing.
The proposed deal has the Oilers landing Stamkos with $2 million retained, while the Predators would get Trent Frederic, Beau Akey, Quinn Hutson, a 2028 first-round pick, and a 2028 third-round pick. It’s a massive package, but the logic is simple enough: Edmonton goes all-in now, while Nashville gets a return that could fit a longer reset.
And in Chicago, Patrick Kane’s return is being framed as more than nostalgia.
His agent said Kane didn’t rush the process. He slowed things down, chose his timing carefully, and came away with the sense that Chicago’s interest was serious from the start.
About 10 teams checked in early, but Kane waited a few days while the Blackhawks kept in steady contact with him and his representatives. The result was an $8 million AAV deal with a full no-movement clause, a clear sign Chicago believes Kane still has plenty left and can help Connor Bedard right away as the Blackhawks try to take the next step.
In Other News...
Canucks Fans Are Getting Squeezed Again Just To Watch Hockey
Watching hockey in Canada keeps getting more expensive, and for Canucks fans the latest reminder comes from Sportsnets annual premium subscription plan, which has gone up again. The network still matters because it carries the NHL rights many viewers are chasing, but the convenience of streaming is starting to look less like a bargain and more like another bill that arrives every season.
TSN has already pushed its TSN+ annual price higher this year as well, adding to the sense that fans are being nudged in every direction at once. When those streaming totals get stacked against a traditional cable bundle that includes TSN and Sportsnet, the comparison gets harder to ignore, and it leaves one familiar question hanging over the whole business of watching the game. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Fans Have A Real Kirill Kudryavtsev Development Debate Now
Kirill Kudryavtsevs first full look across the Canucks organization gave fans plenty to chew on, because the young defenseman spent the 2025-26 season bouncing between Abbotsford and Vancouver while carving out a bigger role than many expected. In the AHL, he put together a steady year with 44 games, two goals and 18 assists, and he also got into three NHL games, giving the club a glimpse of how his game might translate when the pace and pressure rise.
Abbotsford needed him to do more as departures and injuries thinned the blue line, and he was asked to handle larger minutes while moving through different pairings. The season ended up feeling like a real development checkpoint for him, the kind that can shape how a prospect is viewed going forward, and it left the Canucks with a clearer sense of where his game is already reliable and where the next step still has to come. [Read more 🡒]