Top Headlines: Week 2
(CAR) – The defending Stanley Cup Champions are picking up exactly where they left off on a 6 game winning streak (6-1-1). Top line FW Seth Jarvis is inching closer to a comeback after surgery on his right shoulder, June 24th during the off-season. Reigning Conn Smythe Trophy Winner & Stanley Cup MVP, Captain Jordan Staal will miss 1-2 months with a torn calf muscle that happened during team warmups.
(EDM) – McDavid and company are on a hot start with a 5-game winning streak. So far, it has been the “Bouchard & McDavid Show”. Evan Bouchard is currently in 2nd place in points with 6 goals and 8 assists, behind Connor McDavid who is leading the league with 17 points (4 goals, 13 assists). McDavid scored four points during his 800th NHL game against the LA Kings. Edmonton is 2nd in the Pacific Division (5-0-1).
(COL) – Colorado is off to a decent start, but the talk of the town has been Nathan MacKinnon willingly dropping the mits twice, only six games in. The Dog hasn’t fought this much since he started his career. He is playing pissed off with a major chip on his shoulder, tied for 5th in points with 12 (5 goals, 7 assists). Av’s are starting to heat up as they face the Dallas Stars for the second consecutive night.
(UT) – The Mammoth (5-2) are still atop the Central Division, just barely squeaking by Toronto in their last match. They look fast and healthy, playing high IQ aggressive hockey on a two-game winning streak.
(DET) – Red Wings just finalized a major deal to keep Alex Debrincat in Detroit for 7 more years on a $91 million ($13 million AAV) contract extension. Interim GM Shawn Horcoff shut down the trade rumors involving Simon Edvinsson stating, “I have zero interest in trading Simon Edvinsson”. Pretty cut and clear. They have yet to reach a deal, and Edvinsson is approaching the end of his 3-year $2.68 million rookie contract, so this situation should be resolved before the end of the season.
(NYI) – New York Islanders aren’t off to a bad start, but they aren’t off to a good start either sitting in the middle of the pack in the Metropolitan Division. Last week, Defenseman Alexander Romanov awkwardly skated into NY Rangers FW Mika Zibanejad tearing his ACL that’ll place him on the IR for 6-8 months.
(WAS) – Caps Captain Alex Ovechkin announced that the 2026-27 season will be his final one before he calls it a career. Ovi had the pleasure of being introduced at the Capitols home opener by his sons.
(MIN) – 32-year-old veteran defenseman Matt Dumba, who played 13 seasons (10 in Minnesota) in the NHL, calls it a career, deciding to retire after 748 games. 32 seems young but Dumba made himself an all-time great in Minnesota and is now focused solely on family.
(PHI) – Flyers (0-5-3) are hot garbage making headlines for all the wrong reasons. They were just handed their 7th “L” in a row by Carolina who put an absolute beating on them. A franchise record of seven losses to start the season couldn’t get any worse. Philly has some soul searching to do.
Dante Robinson | Senior NHL Analyst for The NSR Network
