NHL 25/26 Thread

Bluenoser · 09-22-2025, 12:51 PM

Well, preseason is underway, so might as well get this started.

Lots of stories to follow this year, but I must start of on a sad note as we lost another legendary goaltender. Bernie Parent has left us. Thanks for the memories Bernie, enjoyed watching you play. https://www.nhl.com/news/bernie-pare...lie-dies-at-80

That's 3 of the greats all passing recently, Ken Dryden, Ed Giacomin, and Now Parent.

So what's the buzz early on?

Anze Kopitar will retire after this season, a top tier player who helped the Kings capture 2 cups. HOF is in his radar I have no doubt.

Will this be Ovi's last season? He's still undecided.

Will Crosby or Malkin get traded? My money says No Way.

What will the Leafs look like with Marner gone? Can Cowen fill some of that void?

Can the Habs take another step with the off season additions of Dobson, Bolduc and highly regarded prospect Ivan Demidov joing the club for a full season?

Super excited for this season to get underway.

GHG

Amazin69 · 09-22-2025, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

Anze Kopitar will retire after this season, a top tier player who helped the Kings capture 2 cups. HOF is in his radar I have no doubt.

Oh, **** me.

(I don't do "newsfeeds" and "alerts" and so forth. The upside is that I'm not constantly bombarded by trivial crap. The downside is that I sometimes miss the actual news.)

So, to recap,

…letting Gavrikov walk means that we traded Jonathan Quick for NOTHING,

…Ken Holland is a moron and we had the worst Free Agency in the League (not just my saying that*),

…John Kelly is a great guy and it's a disgrace what happened to him in St. Louis, but this is the first year since 1973 we've had a PbP guy whom we had to import and Kelly is 65 years old so we're going to have to hire someone else pretty soon anyhow (Alex Faust is completely lost now; he's the lead guy for FOX and he's doing NFL for them, too),

…and now Kopi is hanging them up and may never see us finally get past McDirty and the rest of those scum up in Edmonton

Grump, grump, grump. Between this and the Mets and South Carolina and the Clippers probably going to prison and Leicester being back down in the "Championship" and WWE declining into unwatchable drek and driving all the fans away (deservedly), I feel like a complete black thumb. Blechhhh.

(Yes, yes, the Cowboys got humiliated and so did Illinois, but man doth not live by schädenfreude alone. Dammit )

*—"…it's Sports Illustrated, it's Bleacher Report, it's ESPn" [/Becky Lynch voice]

Cobra Mgr · 09-25-2025, 12:40 PM

Just looked @ this short docu on the decline of hockey in Canada. I thought it was spot on. The expense has always been a hurdle. It think he neglected one other expense issue & that is the cost to view games.

I would say the personality issue is a huge reason. Hockey players give the most boring interviews, bar none. They all come w/that "Aww shucks. Why you wanna interview little insignificant me?" kinda vibe. I'm not saying they need to be Reggie Jackson, but they can't all behave like cookie cutter people. They just aren't interesting. There is no reason to listen to them give the same assembly line responses whenever they are asked a question.

That doesn't get young people's attention. As much as I didn't like Dennis Rodman & Allen Iverson, they had every bit of an affect on today's NBA fans as Micheal Jordan & Magic Johnson. Like it or not.

I've also said this: The playoff beards have got to go. You want your players recognizable. And when everyone has a square yard of carpet hanging from their face, no one stands out or is recognized the following season. And the playoffs is when the sport has the most eyes.

Cobra Mgr · 09-25-2025, 12:51 PM

As far as "what is the buzz"?.............

I'm interested in what happens w/the Wild & Kirill Kaprizov............

Are the Panthers a dynasty?.............

Can Edmonton finally break through?...........

And personally, looking @ my Canes............Can they pick up a goalie before the trade deadline?.......WIll Pyton Kocehtkov ever turn the corner?........What can Nikishin become?.........Can Ehlers produce the same as he did in Vancouver?.......Will the Canes also be in the market for a center if the Stankoven move doesn't work out?........

Last year @ this time, I was just hoping that Carolina wouldn't drop too far. THey ended up exceeding expectations by making the ECF, despite getting almost swept again by Florida. Now w/Ehlers, Nikishin & Miller, I'm expecting them to do the same, minimum. But the goalie & 2nd line center situations are still unresolved after multiple problem seasons.

Colorado · 09-25-2025, 07:28 PM

I'll keep following this if you're doing updates

Bluenoser · 09-26-2025, 12:56 PM

Bad news for the Panthers as they seek a 3 peat - Barkov could be out for the season. Having knee surgery.

https://www.nhl.com/news/panthers-ba...uring-practice

Amazin69 · 09-26-2025, 01:33 PM

Oh, boo. Sasha's one of my favorite Cats. Injuries suck.

Cobra Mgr · 09-26-2025, 10:05 PM

Just heard on the radio. Sux 4 the Fins in the Olympics too.

Cobra Mgr · 09-30-2025, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

As far as "what is the buzz"?.............

I'm interested in what happens w/the Wild & Kirill Kaprizov............

Didn't have to wait that much longer. 8yrs/$136M.

Cobra Mgr · 10-06-2025, 12:33 PM

The Florida v Tampa exhibition game was thuggery @ its worse. I don't know how the NHL doesn't suspend John Cooper for that fiasco.

Amazin69 · 10-08-2025, 06:02 PM

Kings were as humiliated as we thought they'd be by Colorado on home ice to start the season. Now we get to visit f'ing VGK on no rest. Lovely.

Also, not only is Kopitar retiring after this season, not only did Ken Holland and His Band of Idiots only sign Kuzmenko to a one-year deal as an RFA, but Kempe's contract is up after this season, too. We could lose our entire top line. Sigh.

I don't even know who is the young talent we're supposed to be excited about. Former first round pick Liam Greentree wasn't invited to Canada's camp for World Juniors and has been sent back to the OHL. The rest of our "top prospects" have terms like "could be a 5-6 shutdown defender" or "has potential as a bottom 6 forward" attached. Wow. Buy those season tickets NOW, huh?

ezpkns34 · 10-09-2025, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

Will Crosby or Malkin get traded? My money says No Way.

With McKenna as the Draft Lottery prize, I picture them trading Malkin to improve their odds

ezpkns34 · 10-09-2025, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

As far as "what is the buzz"?.............

I'm interested in what happens w/the Wild & Kirill Kaprizov............

Are the Panthers a dynasty?.............

Can Edmonton finally break through?...........

And personally, looking @ my Canes............Can they pick up a goalie before the trade deadline?.......WIll Pyton Kocehtkov ever turn the corner?........What can Nikishin become?.........Can Ehlers produce the same as he did in Vancouver?.......Will the Canes also be in the market for a center if the Stankoven move doesn't work out?........

Last year @ this time, I was just hoping that Carolina wouldn't drop too far. THey ended up exceeding expectations by making the ECF, despite getting almost swept again by Florida. Now w/Ehlers, Nikishin & Miller, I'm expecting them to do the same, minimum. But the goalie & 2nd line center situations are still unresolved after multiple problem seasons.

Canes can get to the Stanley Cup Finals if they can finally avoid having to play Florida on the way there

Amazin69 · 10-09-2025, 11:13 PM

Kings were a sieve at Vegas (even Mikey Anderson was having trouble guarding the weak-side on a powerplay) but scored often enough to pull out the 6-5 shootout win. You won't win a Stanley Cup (or even a Calder Cup) that way, but better to be the 6 than the 5.

Anton Forsberg is wearing David Rittich's old #31 jersey. Played like Dave, too. (Not a compliment.)

Cobra Mgr · 10-10-2025, 12:10 PM

Carolina Hurricanes won their season opener 6-3 in a match much closer than the score indicates. Each time the Canes scored, the NJ Devils would counter as the game was tied @ the 3:00 mark. Then Seth Jarvis redirected a shot from Ghost for the lead. Seth added an empty netter & the Canes scored another garbage time goal w/seconds remaining to reach the final score.

New acquisition Nikolai Ehlers didn't net any points, but was on ice for a couple scores. The other big addition, K'Andre Miller, surprised w/2 goals. One was a knuckler that fooled the GT. The other was one the goalie should have stopped, but he let it trickle thru. Miller only had 7 goals last year for the Rangers, so hopefully he will get some unexplained luck all season. Ghost had 2 helpers, which I think is important. Carolina has traditionally have good defensemen, but none would be confused for Paul Coffey. Ghost is the best candidate to reach 50 assists this year, which would be so helpful for the offense & PP.

Lastly, on the radio yesterday, it was said Andrei Svechnikov needed to become the Canes best player. I disagree. It needs to be Pytor Kochetkov. Last year, the Canes finished 10th in GA, 1st in the PK. That was w/goal tending that finished 24 in save percentage. Imagine how hard it would be to score vs Carolina if they had a top 10 goalie? Florida outscored Carolina 21-10 in their series last year. If the Canes had stopped 90% (top 10 level) of Florida's shots, the Panthers would have scored 9.

Anderson is to fragile to expect him to get in the net 45 or more times in a season. And too old to think he can be the #1 for the next 7 seasons. Canes hopes & moves for the future change drastically is Pytor becomes the main man in the net. Time for Pytor, and Svech for that matter, to grow up as leaders of this team.

monkeyman576 · 10-10-2025, 05:05 PM

Kraken beat the Ducks 3-1 behind a great game from goalie Joey Daccord(35 saves, 1 GA). It may not last, the Pacific Division is very strong, but it's a good start at least.

dsvitak · 10-11-2025, 12:58 PM

What the actual uckfay?

ONE game into the season, and the Blues are a minus five differential.

Amazin69 · 10-11-2025, 08:22 PM

That's what you get for dumping John Kellly, Blues!

Kelly's debut with the Kings during today's tilt at Winnipeg was fine; it's still a bit odd hearing him doing our games rather than yours, but okay. Only strange note came when the Kings took the 2-1 lead after Andrei Kuzmenko made a lovely spinning back-pass to Kopitar, who made an equally-lovely cross-slot pass to Kempe at the back post for the tip-in, causing Kelly to exclaim, "that play was lit!"

John, I don't know how they do it in Mizzou, but I think men our age aren't allowed to say "lit". I'd have to check the Middle-Aged Handbook (John is 65, I can see it from here) to be sure, but still.

And then Schiffele scored a short-hand goal late in the 2nd and the winner midway through the third, and things were not lit after all. Meh.

Kings had two PP chances in the final four minutes, but could do nothing with them. For the day, the PP was 0-5, with the shorty conceded, so that won't do.

I'm starting to not like the Kings' "5-forwards" PP, in this case the "AK" top line with Fiala and Byfield added. Is there a reason why Drew Doughty isn't out there? Don't you want somebody who can get the puck into the offensive zone? Doughty never even touched the ice down the stretch…when the Kings pulled the goalie, they put Philip Danault out as the 6th attacker, then switched it to Joel Armia. Now Danault and Armia are good players who took Montreal to the Stanley Cup Finals a few years back, but they are defense-oriented forwards. I don't get it.

Cobra Mgr · 10-11-2025, 11:26 PM

Seth Jarvis' OT goal beat the Flyers 4-3, seconds after Philly's OT goal was wiped out due to replay calling goalie interference. I still don't understand that call. Was contact made in the crease? Yes. Was the Flyers skater forced into the goalie? No. But it looked like Anderson was the one who initiated the contact. IDK if he was just trying to ward him off or give him a shove. But the contact was Anderson's fault to me.

Bluenoser · 10-16-2025, 01:44 PM

Caught some of the Blues/Hawks game as well as Flames/Mammoth

Hawks had the Blues number, Hofer was a sieve, Nazar of the Hawks is very fast.

Quite surprised the Mammoth drew just under 12,500 for their home opener. A 20,000 seat arena, tons of hype for the Team sporting their new Uni's/Logo and they don't sell out the home opener?

They played a very good game and got the win too. A lot of good young talent on the Utah team, could be a surprise WC this season.

09-25-2025, 12:51 PM	#4
Cobra Mgr Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Parts unknown Posts: 8,542	As far as "what is the buzz"?............. I'm interested in what happens w/the Wild & Kirill Kaprizov............ Are the Panthers a dynasty?............. Can Edmonton finally break through?........... And personally, looking @ my Canes............Can they pick up a goalie before the trade deadline?.......WIll Pyton Kocehtkov ever turn the corner?........What can Nikishin become?.........Can Ehlers produce the same as he did in Vancouver?.......Will the Canes also be in the market for a center if the Stankoven move doesn't work out?........ Last year @ this time, I was just hoping that Carolina wouldn't drop too far. THey ended up exceeding expectations by making the ECF, despite getting almost swept again by Florida. Now w/Ehlers, Nikishin & Miller, I'm expecting them to do the same, minimum. But the goalie & 2nd line center situations are still unresolved after multiple problem seasons. __________________ If a man is guilty 4 what goes on inside of his mind, then let me get the electric chair 4 all my future crimes. - Prince Batdance June 7, 1958 - Apr 21, 2016 Don't fall for the spin

09-26-2025, 10:05 PM	#8
Cobra Mgr Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Parts unknown Posts: 8,542	Just heard on the radio. Sux 4 the Fins in the Olympics too. __________________ If a man is guilty 4 what goes on inside of his mind, then let me get the electric chair 4 all my future crimes. - Prince Batdance June 7, 1958 - Apr 21, 2016 Don't fall for the spin

10-06-2025, 12:33 PM	#10
Cobra Mgr Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Parts unknown Posts: 8,542	The Florida v Tampa exhibition game was thuggery @ its worse. I don't know how the NHL doesn't suspend John Cooper for that fiasco. __________________ If a man is guilty 4 what goes on inside of his mind, then let me get the electric chair 4 all my future crimes. - Prince Batdance June 7, 1958 - Apr 21, 2016 Don't fall for the spin

10-08-2025, 06:02 PM	#11
Amazin69 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Palmetto Pride! Posts: 4,093 Infractions: 0/2 (2)	Kings were as humiliated as we thought they'd be by Colorado on home ice to start the season. Now we get to visit f'ing VGK on no rest. Lovely. Also, not only is Kopitar retiring after this season, not only did Ken Holland and His Band of Idiots only sign Kuzmenko to a one-year deal as an RFA, but Kempe's contract is up after this season, too. We could lose our entire top line. Sigh. I don't even know who is the young talent we're supposed to be excited about. Former first round pick Liam Greentree wasn't invited to Canada's camp for World Juniors and has been sent back to the OHL. The rest of our "top prospects" have terms like "could be a 5-6 shutdown defender" or "has potential as a bottom 6 forward" attached. Wow. Buy those season tickets NOW, huh? Last edited by Amazin69; 10-09-2025 at 11:14 PM.

10-10-2025, 12:10 PM	#15
Cobra Mgr Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Parts unknown Posts: 8,542	Carolina Hurricanes won their season opener 6-3 in a match much closer than the score indicates. Each time the Canes scored, the NJ Devils would counter as the game was tied @ the 3:00 mark. Then Seth Jarvis redirected a shot from Ghost for the lead. Seth added an empty netter & the Canes scored another garbage time goal w/seconds remaining to reach the final score. New acquisition Nikolai Ehlers didn't net any points, but was on ice for a couple scores. The other big addition, K'Andre Miller, surprised w/2 goals. One was a knuckler that fooled the GT. The other was one the goalie should have stopped, but he let it trickle thru. Miller only had 7 goals last year for the Rangers, so hopefully he will get some unexplained luck all season. Ghost had 2 helpers, which I think is important. Carolina has traditionally have good defensemen, but none would be confused for Paul Coffey. Ghost is the best candidate to reach 50 assists this year, which would be so helpful for the offense & PP. Lastly, on the radio yesterday, it was said Andrei Svechnikov needed to become the Canes best player. I disagree. It needs to be Pytor Kochetkov. Last year, the Canes finished 10th in GA, 1st in the PK. That was w/goal tending that finished 24 in save percentage. Imagine how hard it would be to score vs Carolina if they had a top 10 goalie? Florida outscored Carolina 21-10 in their series last year. If the Canes had stopped 90% (top 10 level) of Florida's shots, the Panthers would have scored 9. Anderson is to fragile to expect him to get in the net 45 or more times in a season. And too old to think he can be the #1 for the next 7 seasons. Canes hopes & moves for the future change drastically is Pytor becomes the main man in the net. Time for Pytor, and Svech for that matter, to grow up as leaders of this team. __________________ If a man is guilty 4 what goes on inside of his mind, then let me get the electric chair 4 all my future crimes. - Prince Batdance June 7, 1958 - Apr 21, 2016 Don't fall for the spin Last edited by Cobra Mgr; 10-10-2025 at 12:12 PM.

09-22-2025, 12:51 PM	#1
Bluenoser Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In The Moment Posts: 14,183	NHL 25/26 Thread Well, preseason is underway, so might as well get this started. Lots of stories to follow this year, but I must start of on a sad note as we lost another legendary goaltender. Bernie Parent has left us. Thanks for the memories Bernie, enjoyed watching you play. https://www.nhl.com/news/bernie-pare...lie-dies-at-80 That's 3 of the greats all passing recently, Ken Dryden, Ed Giacomin, and Now Parent. So what's the buzz early on? Anze Kopitar will retire after this season, a top tier player who helped the Kings capture 2 cups. HOF is in his radar I have no doubt. Will this be Ovi's last season? He's still undecided. Will Crosby or Malkin get traded? My money says No Way. What will the Leafs look like with Marner gone? Can Cowen fill some of that void? Can the Habs take another step with the off season additions of Dobson, Bolduc and highly regarded prospect Ivan Demidov joing the club for a full season? Super excited for this season to get underway. GHG

09-25-2025, 12:40 PM	#3
Cobra Mgr Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Parts unknown Posts: 8,542	Just looked @ this short docu on the decline of hockey in Canada. I thought it was spot on. The expense has always been a hurdle. It think he neglected one other expense issue & that is the cost to view games. I would say the personality issue is a huge reason. Hockey players give the most boring interviews, bar none. They all come w/that "Aww shucks. Why you wanna interview little insignificant me?" kinda vibe. I'm not saying they need to be Reggie Jackson, but they can't all behave like cookie cutter people. They just aren't interesting. There is no reason to listen to them give the same assembly line responses whenever they are asked a question. That doesn't get young people's attention. As much as I didn't like Dennis Rodman & Allen Iverson, they had every bit of an affect on today's NBA fans as Micheal Jordan & Magic Johnson. Like it or not. I've also said this: The playoff beards have got to go. You want your players recognizable. And when everyone has a square yard of carpet hanging from their face, no one stands out or is recognized the following season. And the playoffs is when the sport has the most eyes. __________________ If a man is guilty 4 what goes on inside of his mind, then let me get the electric chair 4 all my future crimes. - Prince Batdance June 7, 1958 - Apr 21, 2016 Don't fall for the spin

09-25-2025, 07:28 PM	#5
Colorado Major Leagues Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 404	I'll keep following this if you're doing updates

09-26-2025, 12:56 PM	#6
Bluenoser Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In The Moment Posts: 14,183	Bad news for the Panthers as they seek a 3 peat - Barkov could be out for the season. Having knee surgery. https://www.nhl.com/news/panthers-ba...uring-practice

09-26-2025, 01:33 PM	#7
Amazin69 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Palmetto Pride! Posts: 4,093 Infractions: 0/2 (2)	Oh, boo. Sasha's one of my favorite Cats. Injuries suck.

10-09-2025, 11:13 PM	#14
Amazin69 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Palmetto Pride! Posts: 4,093 Infractions: 0/2 (2)	Kings were a sieve at Vegas (even Mikey Anderson was having trouble guarding the weak-side on a powerplay) but scored often enough to pull out the 6-5 shootout win. You won't win a Stanley Cup (or even a Calder Cup) that way, but better to be the 6 than the 5. Anton Forsberg is wearing David Rittich's old #31 jersey. Played like Dave, too. (Not a compliment.)

10-10-2025, 05:05 PM	#16
monkeyman576 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 3,558	Kraken beat the Ducks 3-1 behind a great game from goalie Joey Daccord(35 saves, 1 GA). It may not last, the Pacific Division is very strong, but it's a good start at least.

10-11-2025, 12:58 PM	#17
dsvitak Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 5,328	What the actual uckfay? ONE game into the season, and the Blues are a minus five differential.

10-11-2025, 08:22 PM	#18
Amazin69 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Palmetto Pride! Posts: 4,093 Infractions: 0/2 (2)	That's what you get for dumping John Kellly, Blues! Kelly's debut with the Kings during today's tilt at Winnipeg was fine; it's still a bit odd hearing him doing our games rather than yours, but okay. Only strange note came when the Kings took the 2-1 lead after Andrei Kuzmenko made a lovely spinning back-pass to Kopitar, who made an equally-lovely cross-slot pass to Kempe at the back post for the tip-in, causing Kelly to exclaim, "that play was lit!" John, I don't know how they do it in Mizzou, but I think men our age aren't allowed to say "lit". I'd have to check the Middle-Aged Handbook (John is 65, I can see it from here) to be sure, but still. And then Schiffele scored a short-hand goal late in the 2nd and the winner midway through the third, and things were not lit after all. Meh. Kings had two PP chances in the final four minutes, but could do nothing with them. For the day, the PP was 0-5, with the shorty conceded, so that won't do. I'm starting to not like the Kings' "5-forwards" PP, in this case the "AK" top line with Fiala and Byfield added. Is there a reason why Drew Doughty isn't out there? Don't you want somebody who can get the puck into the offensive zone? Doughty never even touched the ice down the stretch…when the Kings pulled the goalie, they put Philip Danault out as the 6th attacker, then switched it to Joel Armia. Now Danault and Armia are good players who took Montreal to the Stanley Cup Finals a few years back, but they are defense-oriented forwards. I don't get it. Last edited by Amazin69; 10-11-2025 at 08:23 PM.

10-11-2025, 11:26 PM	#19
Cobra Mgr Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Parts unknown Posts: 8,542	Seth Jarvis' OT goal beat the Flyers 4-3, seconds after Philly's OT goal was wiped out due to replay calling goalie interference. I still don't understand that call. Was contact made in the crease? Yes. Was the Flyers skater forced into the goalie? No. But it looked like Anderson was the one who initiated the contact. IDK if he was just trying to ward him off or give him a shove. But the contact was Anderson's fault to me. __________________ If a man is guilty 4 what goes on inside of his mind, then let me get the electric chair 4 all my future crimes. - Prince Batdance June 7, 1958 - Apr 21, 2016 Don't fall for the spin

10-16-2025, 01:44 PM	#20
Bluenoser Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In The Moment Posts: 14,183	Caught some of the Blues/Hawks game as well as Flames/Mammoth Hawks had the Blues number, Hofer was a sieve, Nazar of the Hawks is very fast. Quite surprised the Mammoth drew just under 12,500 for their home opener. A 20,000 seat arena, tons of hype for the Team sporting their new Uni's/Logo and they don't sell out the home opener? They played a very good game and got the win too. A lot of good young talent on the Utah team, could be a surprise WC this season.