A captain’s exit, a goalie with something to prove, and a coaching move that may be doing more than it says on the surface - that’s where the NHL chatter landed on September 22, 2026.
In Ottawa, Senators owner Michael Andlauer finally addressed the Brady Tkachuk trade, and he didn’t hide how personal it felt. Andlauer pointed to family as the force behind Tkachuk ending up in Florida, using the line “blood is thicker than water” and saying dad Keith and brother Matthew got “in his kitchen.”
Tkachuk has said the move wasn’t about his brother, so the two sides of the story don’t line up. What did come through clearly was Andlauer’s disappointment.
Even with that frustration, Andlauer made sure to give Tkachuk credit. He called him an awesome captain and leader, and said he did a ton for the community.
Ottawa also came away with a strong return from Florida, collecting multiple first-rounders and more, then turning one of those picks into a deal with San Jose for Eklund, Halttunen, and Svoboda. Those are the kinds of pieces that can matter down the road.
Still, the bigger reality is that the franchise now has to keep moving after losing its captain.
Stuart Skinner is another name getting a fresh start, and maybe a better one than people are willing to admit. Plenty of folks were quick to write him off after Edmonton, but that overlooks the good stretches he put together there and the playoff runs he helped fuel. What really hurt him was the defence in front of him, which never seemed to make life easy.
Winnipeg looks like a different world. With DeMelo, Morrissey, and Pionk in front of him, along with the underrated Ferraro signing, Skinner finally has the kind of support that can change the tone of everything.
The system matters too. If the Jets defend cleaner and keep things more predictable, Skinner may not need to be spectacular every night.
He just needs to be steady. That’s the sort of season that can sneak up on people.
And then there’s Edmonton, where Bryan Hayes thinks the Mike Babcock hire is about more than hockey optics. On TSN, Hayes suggested the move was designed to pull attention away from larger concerns, including Connor McDavid’s contract situation.
In his view, it’s working. Players have been praising Babcock so much that the talk around McDavid’s future has been pushed aside, and Kris Knoblauch’s Cup Final runs have faded from the conversation too.
Hayes called the whole thing “a little bit over the top and a bit performative.” Even so, he said the strategy has done what it was meant to do.
Once the season begins and the puck drops, he expects the focus to swing back to McDavid and Draisaitl on the ice. For now, though, Babcock’s arrival has grabbed the spotlight, even if only for the moment.
In Other News...
Jets Got Their First Real Hint About Life In Net
Winnipeg got its first real look at life in net in preseason, and Stuart Skinner gave the Jets plenty to think about. In his debut for the club against Colorado, Skinner was sharp behind a lineup that also got offensive help from Gabe Vilardi, Mark Scheifele and Cole Perfetti, and Winnipeg came away with a 2-1 win in a game that felt more useful than flashy.
The result mattered, but the way it unfolded may matter even more for a team still sorting out its early-season picture. The next stop is Edmonton on the preseason schedule, and after a night like this, the Jets at least have a better sense of what their crease can look like when the pace picks up and the pressure starts to climb. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks Rebuild Suddenly Faces A Huge Question In Goal
Connor Hellebuycks future in Winnipeg remains one of the more intriguing threads hanging over the Jets as the 2026-27 season gets closer. The sense around the situation is that neither side wants this to drag into opening night, yet a trade still has not come together, leaving the reigning goalie discussion in limbo for now.
Jamie McLennan floated an unexpected fit that would have plenty of ripple effects beyond Winnipeg, naming the San Jose Sharks as a possible landing spot. The appeal is obvious on paper, with San Jose carrying the kind of cap room and future assets that could make a major move possible, but for now it is still just a framework rather than a confirmed path. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Camp Competition Already Feels Different After First Preseason Look
The first preseason look at Winnipeg gave the kind of early read coaches like to lean on, with a 3-1 win over Colorado and goals from Gabriel Vilardi, Cole Perfetti and Dylan DeMelo. It was also the kind of night that hinted this camp may already feel a little different, with the club beginning to sort out roles while the attention around the organization stretches beyond the NHL roster.
Canada Life Centre also had a fresh backdrop for the opening of camp after the team unveiled a new dressing-room expansion, while the Moose opened their own training camp with a mix of AHL-contracted players and others fighting for attention. With preseason now underway, Winnipeg has a few layers to watch at once, from lineup decisions to the ripple effect those changes could have through the rest of the system. [Read more 🡒]