With the contractual futures of so many of the NHL\u2019s biggest stars up in the air, there\u2019s a distinct sense of intrigue accompanying the arrival of a new season.<\/p>\n
It should come as no surprise that this week\u2019s call for mailbag questions saw a heavy focus on what comes next for a variety of those players. There were also queries about collective bargaining agreement changes, a burgeoning Florida Panthers dynasty, Connor Bedard\u2019s growing list of doubters, the next trade board and much more.<\/p>\n
As always, thank you for taking the time to read, engage and respond.<\/p>\n
Here we go!<\/p>\n
Note: Some questions are edited lightly for length and clarity.<\/p>\n
Are you hearing anything about Kyle Connor? Where do you think he\u2019ll open the 2026-27 season? \u2014 Tim N.<\/p>\n
Some fans in Connor\u2019s home state of Michigan may be dreaming of a free-agent homecoming with the Detroit Red Wings next summer, but I have a hard time imagining him playing anywhere but Winnipeg. That city has become Connor\u2019s home away from home over nine professional seasons spent with the Jets organization. There has already been plenty of dialogue around what an extension might look like, and while that\u2019s bound to be a monster contract that pushes Jets management to the far end of its comfort zone, there seems to be a shared desire to get something done. Unless or until that changes, the smart money is on Connor staying right where he is.<\/p>\n
You answered an over\/under question last year for Kirill Kaprizov at $14 million. Here\u2019s another one: Over\/under $18 million AAV, and why? \u2014 Bryce M.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m going to hammer the under on this one. For all of the talent and game-breaking ability Kaprizov possesses, he\u2019s arguably worth more to the Minnesota Wild than he is to any other NHL team because of the extra value they\u2019d place in being able to retain a superstar-level talent unlike any other they\u2019ve had in 25 seasons. That helps explain the rationale behind the eight-year offer they recently extended him with a $16 million annual cap hit, which was turned down. If the Wild up the ante on that number, they\u2019ll be bidding against themselves. In a league in which no player brings in more than Leon Draisaitl\u2019s $14 million AAV, it\u2019s hard to imagine anyone else paying Kaprizov $16 million per season, let alone $18 million. The most money available to him will come from Minnesota, and it\u2019s already on the table.<\/p>\n
Do you think any of the big rumors could lead to a superstar playing somewhere else next year? Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov, Quinn Hughes, Sidney Crosby? \u2014 Sam D.<\/p>\n
Let me put it this way: I\u2019d be surprised if all of the players you\u2019ve mentioned there started the 2026-27 season in the same cities they currently call home. The rumors and speculation you\u2019re hearing are well-founded. However, in full disclosure, it\u2019s hard to say definitively exactly how each of these situations will play out \u2014 with McDavid and Kaprizov both pending UFAs, eligible to walk free next summer, and Hughes and Crosby with two seasons apiece remaining under contract and no-movement clauses giving them the final say in any potential transactions. These are interesting times around the NHL. Top-tier talent is bound to start moving around more than we\u2019ve seen in the recent past.<\/p>\n
Is the playoff salary cap (along with new rules complicating double retention) going to lead to even less action at the trade deadline? \u2014 Hendrick G.<\/p>\n
Based on the sentiment I\u2019ve heard in my recent conversations with front-office folks, the answer is yes. The changes made in the new CBA have removed some of the more creative lanes teams were using to sign or trade players. That said, a couple of key points are worth highlighting: The NHL and NHL Players\u2019 Association have left open the possibility of making adjustments to the playoff salary cap if they don\u2019t like how it\u2019s working, so where these rules start in 2025-26 may not be where they end up. And in the surging salary-cap environment to come, fewer teams will be spending right to the cap ceiling, which should lessen the impact of losing retention rules for trades.<\/p>\n
Why did the NHL announce three years of salary-cap projections this time around? It must have known, to some extent, what the teams\u2019 and players\u2019 responses would be. Feels like power shifted to the players with the known dollars going up \u2026 \u2014 Kirk A.<\/p>\n
Setting the salary-cap economics through 2027-28 in January was done to increase predictability for teams to operate under and ended up forming the basis of the CBA extension the league and players completed in June. It also allowed the sides to move away from the formula they had previously used, which called for a 5 percent increase to the cap each season and was often the source of consternation. As for any unintended consequences that arise from the new approach? It\u2019s safe to assume those will help dictate how the cap numbers get set again down the road.<\/p>\n
What do you expect to see from Patrik Laine this season? He seems to be in a better place mentally and finally had a full offseason of training and skating compared to the last two years, plus an entire offseason with the Montreal Canadiens as opposed to coming over in August last year. Am I crazy to expect 35 goals and 35 assists from him? \u2014 Kavan Y.<\/p>\n
This is a time for optimism, Kavan, so I won\u2019t completely rule out the possibility of your projection getting met. However, it is worth noting that Laine has only one previous 70-point season under his belt, and it came with Winnipeg in 2017-18. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then. However, it\u2019s reasonable to expect him to take another step forward this season, especially if he can get through training camp healthy. Not only is Laine playing for his next contract, but he also figures to get important top-six minutes and key power-play opportunities for a Canadiens team that needs him to be scoring.<\/p>\n
Who are some high-end players not on any trade boards now who might become available at the deadline? \u2014 Matthew D.<\/p>\n
Well, I won\u2019t be releasing my first trade board until next month, so technically, any player mentioned here will fit the criteria you\u2019ve outlined. What I\u2019ve been hearing from teams that hope to be buyers is that they\u2019ll be looking to pounce on any opponents who get off to a slow start this season and might shed veteran talent to improve their positioning for a deep 2026 NHL Draft class headed by top prospect Gavin McKenna. The Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins and New York Islanders are among the possibilities that contenders will be monitoring closely. As one league source said this week: \u201cBasically every team tried to get better this summer, so there are going to be players you\u2019re not even thinking about right now who will become available.\u201d<\/p>\n
If the Panthers were to \u201cthreepeat,\u201d would they be considered the greatest dynasty of all time, as they would have achieved this within the confines of a salary cap, whereas the Islanders pulled off their four in a row without having to worry about losing any talent year after year? \u2014 Jason I.<\/p>\n
You could probably try to make that case, but I\u2019d have a tough time placing them above the 1970s Canadiens teams that not only won four straight Stanley Cups but also dominated the league from 1975-76 through 1978-79, winning 58, 60, 59 and 52 regular-season games during that stretch. Of course, there\u2019s nothing clear-cut about comparing teams or players across different epochs. What the Panthers can unequivocally do with another Stanley Cup win in 2026 is stake claim to being the most powerful dynasty of the NHL\u2019s salary-cap era, eclipsing the accomplishments of the Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles Kings and Tampa Bay Lightning.<\/p>\n
What do you see from Bedard this year? I\u2019m starting to see a lot of people doubt his ability now. Does he take a step, or does the roster (or lack thereof) drag him down? \u2014 Chris C.<\/p>\n
Bedard was the youngest NHL player during his rookie season and still the second-youngest full-time NHLer last year behind the San Jose Sharks\u2019 Macklin Celebrini. He already has 150 games of experience under his belt, producing 0.85 points per game for a severely overmatched team while playing against exclusively older competition. Doubt him at your own peril. The sky remains the limit for Bedard, who is coming off an important summer of training and only just beginning to scratch the surface of what he\u2019s going to be. Mark me down for a prediction of 35 goals and 90 points.<\/p>\n
We know Gary Bettman is not in favor of changing the playoff format by seeding teams 1 to 8 or having a play-in round, but why wouldn\u2019t the owners push for a playoff format like we had during the COVID-19 season? That was some of the best hockey I have ever watched. \u2014 Brian J.<\/p>\n
What it ultimately comes down to is that the league doesn\u2019t want to try to fix something it doesn\u2019t believe is broken. Whenever Bettman is asked about the possibility of a format change, he mentions that the existing version of the Stanley Cup playoffs is the best in sports. However, it\u2019s my belief that change is coming eventually. Adding a wild-card play-in like the NBA and MLB already have is an obvious place to start, both because it would invigorate more markets by expanding the overall playoff field and because it would give the NHL a little more prime real estate to sell to media\/TV partners.<\/p>\n
What happened to the \u201cFACEOFF\u201d season 2 series? \u2014 Ashleigh P.<\/p>\n
The series has been shot, edited and put through production, with a scheduled release date of Oct. 3. I haven\u2019t seen an advance screening or heard much about the content they captured, so I don\u2019t have any spoilers to share. Let\u2019s hope they pushed the boundaries after a promising first season!<\/p>\n
The countdown starts NOW. \u231b\ufe0f <\/p>\n
The second season of FACEOFF: Inside the NHL drops on Oct. 3, all on @PrimeVideo<\/a>. pic.twitter.com\/p9IufouO9r<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Sports on Prime Canada (@SportsOnPrimeCA) September 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n (Top photo of Kirill Kaprizov: Nick Wosika \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n