Nine hours in, and Lisa's second single from the Press Play EP, a tribute to screenwriter and film director Quentin Tarantino, has already reached over 14,000,000 views:
Kids might already know Lisa (a Thai rapper not to be confused with South Korean singer Lisa or the Japanese singer LiSA) as a member of South Korean girl group Blackpink.
Her video for Tarantino was directed by James Mackel, who understood the assignment and choreographed a visually stunning hotel martial arts fight sequence reminiscent of the Kill Bill movies and Neflix/Disney+'s Daredevil TV series.
Friday, October 23, 2026
Sunday, October 18, 2026
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Maple Leafs Preview: Vincent Damphousse Autographed Card
(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)
This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on my personal blog (here) and my collectibles blog, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.
Caveats: At this point, despite the season just starting, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) two star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are tight at the top of the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.
Key exits: Joseph Woll (G), Matthew Knies (LW), Steven Lorentz (C), Dennis Hildeby (G), Nick Robertson (LW), Brandon Carlo (D), Simon Benoît (D), Matias Maccelli (LW), Henry Thrun (D), Emil Andrae (D)
Key Arrivals: Darren Raddysh (D), Kirill Marchenko (RW), Jack Roslovic (C), Sergei Bobrovsky (C), Nick Paul (LW),Zack MacEwen (RW), Brandon Duhaime (LW), Teddy Blueger (C), Colton Sissons (C),Miles Wood (LW),Elvis Merzlikins (G)
Top prospects: Gavin McKenna (RW, 18), Miroslav Holinka (C, 20), Ben Danford (D, 20),Jacob Quillan (C, 24), Noah Chadwick (D, 21), Alexander Bilecki (D, 18), Artur Aktyamov (C, 24), Ethan MacKenzie (D, 20)
I thought the Toronto Maple Leafs would make the playoffs last season despite losing Mitch Marner, but McKenna should provide some of the offense that was lost a year ago, though the leadership angle will have to wait a little bit - I don't see him taking over a locker room that already includes captain Auston Matthews and former captain John Tavares.
What makes their odds look good:
He's been away from the game for a while, but GM John Chayka still co-owned Stathletes with sister Meghan Chayka and Neil Lane, so he still kept tabs on NHL players and kept digging on the analytics front. Expect smart bets on young players coming out of their entry-level deals like he did with the Arizona Coyotes, and savvy veteran additions.
Question marks:
Is signing Bobrovsky for three years a savvy decision, though? Is Jim Hiller an NHL-caliber head coach despite what we saw him do with the Los Angeles Kings for the past two and a half years??
Outlook:
William Nylander is probably good for 90 points, Matthews should get back in the 30-to-35-goal range, Oliver Ekman-Larsson continues to defy age and Marchenko probably enjoys a year-long honeymoon in Toronto, who are very improved from last year. Enough to make the playoffs? Enough to make it interesting until the final week of the season.
Prediction:
5th in the Atlantic Division.
I tend to think of Vincent Damphousse as an important player for the San Jose Sharks and the Leafs, not as much for the Montréal Canadiens or Edmonton Oilers - but the truth is that, statistically, his highest totals have come in Montréal and his lowest were in San Jose. I'll say this though: Damphousse made the Sharks a serious team whose move to replace him as a centre after his retirement was to acquire Art Ross winner Joe Thornton in-season. To get back to the Leafs, however, they were the first team with which he broke the 30-goal and 90-point marks for the first time, going 33-61-94 in 80 games in 1989-90. Here he is wearing their classic 1980s blue (away) uniform on card #34 from In The Game's 2003-04 Original 6 - Toronto Maple Leafs set:
He signed it in-person in fading black sharpie at the Bell Centre 10-15 years ago, definitely after his ugly divorce.
This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on my personal blog (here) and my collectibles blog, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.
Caveats: At this point, despite the season just starting, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) two star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are tight at the top of the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.
Key exits: Joseph Woll (G), Matthew Knies (LW), Steven Lorentz (C), Dennis Hildeby (G), Nick Robertson (LW), Brandon Carlo (D), Simon Benoît (D), Matias Maccelli (LW), Henry Thrun (D), Emil Andrae (D)
Key Arrivals: Darren Raddysh (D), Kirill Marchenko (RW), Jack Roslovic (C), Sergei Bobrovsky (C), Nick Paul (LW),Zack MacEwen (RW), Brandon Duhaime (LW), Teddy Blueger (C), Colton Sissons (C),Miles Wood (LW),Elvis Merzlikins (G)
Top prospects: Gavin McKenna (RW, 18), Miroslav Holinka (C, 20), Ben Danford (D, 20),Jacob Quillan (C, 24), Noah Chadwick (D, 21), Alexander Bilecki (D, 18), Artur Aktyamov (C, 24), Ethan MacKenzie (D, 20)
I thought the Toronto Maple Leafs would make the playoffs last season despite losing Mitch Marner, but McKenna should provide some of the offense that was lost a year ago, though the leadership angle will have to wait a little bit - I don't see him taking over a locker room that already includes captain Auston Matthews and former captain John Tavares.
What makes their odds look good:
He's been away from the game for a while, but GM John Chayka still co-owned Stathletes with sister Meghan Chayka and Neil Lane, so he still kept tabs on NHL players and kept digging on the analytics front. Expect smart bets on young players coming out of their entry-level deals like he did with the Arizona Coyotes, and savvy veteran additions.
Question marks:
Is signing Bobrovsky for three years a savvy decision, though? Is Jim Hiller an NHL-caliber head coach despite what we saw him do with the Los Angeles Kings for the past two and a half years??
Outlook:
William Nylander is probably good for 90 points, Matthews should get back in the 30-to-35-goal range, Oliver Ekman-Larsson continues to defy age and Marchenko probably enjoys a year-long honeymoon in Toronto, who are very improved from last year. Enough to make the playoffs? Enough to make it interesting until the final week of the season.
Prediction:
5th in the Atlantic Division.
I tend to think of Vincent Damphousse as an important player for the San Jose Sharks and the Leafs, not as much for the Montréal Canadiens or Edmonton Oilers - but the truth is that, statistically, his highest totals have come in Montréal and his lowest were in San Jose. I'll say this though: Damphousse made the Sharks a serious team whose move to replace him as a centre after his retirement was to acquire Art Ross winner Joe Thornton in-season. To get back to the Leafs, however, they were the first team with which he broke the 30-goal and 90-point marks for the first time, going 33-61-94 in 80 games in 1989-90. Here he is wearing their classic 1980s blue (away) uniform on card #34 from In The Game's 2003-04 Original 6 - Toronto Maple Leafs set:
Tuesday, September 29, 2026
Senators Preview: Thomas Chabot Autographed Card
(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)
This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on my personal blog (here) and my collectibles blog, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.
Caveats: At this point, despite the regular season being set to start today, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) two star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much work left to do.
Key exits: Brady Tkachuk (RW), Lars Eller (C), James Reimer (G), Nick Jensen (D), Dennis Gilbert (D), Lassi Thomson (D), Olle Lycksell (F), Mads Sogaard (G), Arthur Kaliyev (RW), Jan Jenik (D)
Key arrivals: William Eklund (RW), Samuel Ersson (G), André Burakovsky (LW), Samuel Blais (LW), Philip Tomasino (RW)
Top prospects: Carter Yakemchuk (D, 20), Logan Hensler (D, 19), Jonas Lagerberg Hoen (RW, 18), Blake Montgomery (LW, 21), Jorian Donovan (D, 22), Leevi Meriläinen (G, 24), Jaxon Cover (LW, 18), Xavier Bourgault (RW, 23)
The Ottawa Senators did some fine house cleaning in the offseason, clearing/cleansing the air in the (neighbouring) nation's capital.
What makes their odds look good:
Tim Stützle is a legitimate #1 centre, Jake Sanderson is an all-world defenseman, Thomas Chabot has been to an All-Star Game, Linus Ullmark is a Vezina winner, Artem Zub is a world-class defensive defenseman, Drake Batherson is a true top-six sniper, Claude Giroux still has gas left in the tank, Dylan Cozens is a good secondary centerman, Warren Foegle brings the lower-tier power forward element, Ridly Greig is a terrific wish-you-were-on-my-team pest (while Nick Cousins is the league's most-despised one), and Eklund still has untapped potential to break out as a first-liner.
Question marks:
Head coach Travis Green took a giant leap forward last season - does he have another step ahead in him? Is the Tkachuk addition-by-subtraction with the actual addition of Eklund enough to remain a wild-card team while the Florida Panthers get healthy again and the Toronto Maple Leafs have improved?
Outlook:
This is a good team with plenty of youth who can improve. They'd make the playoffs in any other division, but it's going to be a dogfight in this one.
Prediction:
6th in the Atlantic Division.
The Sens did the right thing today and righted a wrong from five years ago by naming Chabot the team captain. He had previously been a long-serving alternate captain for the team; internationally, he has worn both the "A" (2017 World Juniors, where he was tournament MVP) and "C" (2022 World Championships) in leading Team Canada to gold medals, a feat he also achieved at the 2019 Worlds.
Here he is wearing Ottawa's magnificent white (away) uniform on card # 127 from Upper Deck's 2021-22 Series 1 set, which he signed in blue charpie around 2023:
This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on my personal blog (here) and my collectibles blog, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.
Caveats: At this point, despite the regular season being set to start today, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) two star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much work left to do.
Key exits: Brady Tkachuk (RW), Lars Eller (C), James Reimer (G), Nick Jensen (D), Dennis Gilbert (D), Lassi Thomson (D), Olle Lycksell (F), Mads Sogaard (G), Arthur Kaliyev (RW), Jan Jenik (D)
Key arrivals: William Eklund (RW), Samuel Ersson (G), André Burakovsky (LW), Samuel Blais (LW), Philip Tomasino (RW)
Top prospects: Carter Yakemchuk (D, 20), Logan Hensler (D, 19), Jonas Lagerberg Hoen (RW, 18), Blake Montgomery (LW, 21), Jorian Donovan (D, 22), Leevi Meriläinen (G, 24), Jaxon Cover (LW, 18), Xavier Bourgault (RW, 23)
The Ottawa Senators did some fine house cleaning in the offseason, clearing/cleansing the air in the (neighbouring) nation's capital.
What makes their odds look good:
Tim Stützle is a legitimate #1 centre, Jake Sanderson is an all-world defenseman, Thomas Chabot has been to an All-Star Game, Linus Ullmark is a Vezina winner, Artem Zub is a world-class defensive defenseman, Drake Batherson is a true top-six sniper, Claude Giroux still has gas left in the tank, Dylan Cozens is a good secondary centerman, Warren Foegle brings the lower-tier power forward element, Ridly Greig is a terrific wish-you-were-on-my-team pest (while Nick Cousins is the league's most-despised one), and Eklund still has untapped potential to break out as a first-liner.
Question marks:
Head coach Travis Green took a giant leap forward last season - does he have another step ahead in him? Is the Tkachuk addition-by-subtraction with the actual addition of Eklund enough to remain a wild-card team while the Florida Panthers get healthy again and the Toronto Maple Leafs have improved?
Outlook:
This is a good team with plenty of youth who can improve. They'd make the playoffs in any other division, but it's going to be a dogfight in this one.
Prediction:
6th in the Atlantic Division.
The Sens did the right thing today and righted a wrong from five years ago by naming Chabot the team captain. He had previously been a long-serving alternate captain for the team; internationally, he has worn both the "A" (2017 World Juniors, where he was tournament MVP) and "C" (2022 World Championships) in leading Team Canada to gold medals, a feat he also achieved at the 2019 Worlds.
Here he is wearing Ottawa's magnificent white (away) uniform on card # 127 from Upper Deck's 2021-22 Series 1 set, which he signed in blue charpie around 2023:
Monday, September 28, 2026
Blue Jackets Preview: Kirill Marchenko Jersey Card
(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)
This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on my personal blog (here) and my collectibles blog, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.
Caveats: At this point, despite the regular season being set to start in a matter of days, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) two more star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much work left to do.
Key exits: Kirill Marchenko (RW), Miles Wood (LW), Elvis Merzlikins (G), Boone Jenner (C), Mason Marchment (LW), Danton Heinen (LW), Egor Zamula (D), Brendan Smith (D), Zach Aston-Reese (LW/RW), Brendan Gaunce (C), Ivan Fedotov (G), Dysin Mayo (D), Hunter McKown (C)
Key arrivals: Matthew Knies (LW), Steven Lorentz (C), Emil Andrae (D), Valeri Nichushkin (RW), Ryan Lomberg (LW), Colton White (D), Phoenix Copley (G), Luke Tuch (RW)
Top prospects: Jackson Smith (D, 19), Cayden Lindstrom (C, 20), Pyotr Andreyanov (G, 19), Jordan Dumais (RW, 22), Sergei Ivanov (G, 22), Oscar Hemming (LW, 18)
I was waiting for the Marchenko shoe to drop before posting my Columbus Blue Jackets review and, as expected, it turned out to be a blockbuster.
What makes their odds look good:
They still have the reigning Norris Trophy winner in Zach Werenski, who nixed a trade to the Dallas Stars this summer to remain in Columbus. Knies is a 23-year-old top-6 forward with untapped offensive potential. Jet Greaves looks solid in net. Adam Fantilli extended well into his prime as training camp came to a close.
Question marks:
As the Werenski and Marchenko sagas proved, players are impatient to win, and not everyone sees the Blue Jackets as a team who can be a Stanley Cup contender in a relatively short window; they are on most no-trade lists and thus must draft, develop and nurture talent to get there.
Outlook:
General Manager Don Wadell has experience assembling and running teams that aren't exactly a destination, having previously served in the same position with the Atlanta Thrashers (1998-2010) and Carolina Hurricanes (2018-2024), the latter winning the Cup with his former assistant Eric Tulsky tweaking the lineup just a few months ago. He got enough good pieces back in the Marchenko trade that he doesn't need to pivot to (another) rebuild, he just needs to make sure he has the right coaching and development staff so that as many prospects as possible reach the NHL and have an impact. For now, they are a bubble playoff team with the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins all fighting for a wild-card spot.
Prediction:
5th in the Metropolitan Division.
Marchenko is a tall, heavy player (6'3", over 200 pounds) with great hands who can protect the puck, deke multiple opponents on the same play and shoot accurately. He led the Jackets in goals in the last three seasons, posting nearly a point per game in 2024-25; on a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs, he has a shot at 40-goal and 85-to-90-point seasons. Here he is on the "Red Jersey" variant of card #18 from Upper Deck's 2024-25 SP Game-Used Edition set:
It shows him wearing the Jackets' blue (away) uniform, and carries a matching game-worn jersey swatch.
This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on my personal blog (here) and my collectibles blog, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.
Caveats: At this point, despite the regular season being set to start in a matter of days, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) two more star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much work left to do.
Key exits: Kirill Marchenko (RW), Miles Wood (LW), Elvis Merzlikins (G), Boone Jenner (C), Mason Marchment (LW), Danton Heinen (LW), Egor Zamula (D), Brendan Smith (D), Zach Aston-Reese (LW/RW), Brendan Gaunce (C), Ivan Fedotov (G), Dysin Mayo (D), Hunter McKown (C)
Key arrivals: Matthew Knies (LW), Steven Lorentz (C), Emil Andrae (D), Valeri Nichushkin (RW), Ryan Lomberg (LW), Colton White (D), Phoenix Copley (G), Luke Tuch (RW)
Top prospects: Jackson Smith (D, 19), Cayden Lindstrom (C, 20), Pyotr Andreyanov (G, 19), Jordan Dumais (RW, 22), Sergei Ivanov (G, 22), Oscar Hemming (LW, 18)
I was waiting for the Marchenko shoe to drop before posting my Columbus Blue Jackets review and, as expected, it turned out to be a blockbuster.
What makes their odds look good:
They still have the reigning Norris Trophy winner in Zach Werenski, who nixed a trade to the Dallas Stars this summer to remain in Columbus. Knies is a 23-year-old top-6 forward with untapped offensive potential. Jet Greaves looks solid in net. Adam Fantilli extended well into his prime as training camp came to a close.
Question marks:
As the Werenski and Marchenko sagas proved, players are impatient to win, and not everyone sees the Blue Jackets as a team who can be a Stanley Cup contender in a relatively short window; they are on most no-trade lists and thus must draft, develop and nurture talent to get there.
Outlook:
General Manager Don Wadell has experience assembling and running teams that aren't exactly a destination, having previously served in the same position with the Atlanta Thrashers (1998-2010) and Carolina Hurricanes (2018-2024), the latter winning the Cup with his former assistant Eric Tulsky tweaking the lineup just a few months ago. He got enough good pieces back in the Marchenko trade that he doesn't need to pivot to (another) rebuild, he just needs to make sure he has the right coaching and development staff so that as many prospects as possible reach the NHL and have an impact. For now, they are a bubble playoff team with the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins all fighting for a wild-card spot.
Prediction:
5th in the Metropolitan Division.
Marchenko is a tall, heavy player (6'3", over 200 pounds) with great hands who can protect the puck, deke multiple opponents on the same play and shoot accurately. He led the Jackets in goals in the last three seasons, posting nearly a point per game in 2024-25; on a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs, he has a shot at 40-goal and 85-to-90-point seasons. Here he is on the "Red Jersey" variant of card #18 from Upper Deck's 2024-25 SP Game-Used Edition set:
Sunday, September 27, 2026
Islanders Preview: Ryan Pulock Jersey Card
(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)
This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on my personal blog (here) and my collectibles blog, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.
Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being set to start in a few days, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.
Key exits: Anders Lee (LW), David Rittich (G), Carson Soucy (D), Adam Boqvist (D), Maxim Shabanov (RW), Marc Gatcomb (C), Travis Mitchell (D), Cole McWard (D)
Key Arrivals: Matias Maccelli (LW), Vitek Vanacek (G), Matthew Kessel (D),Mitchell Chaffee (LW), Logan Stanley (D)
Top prospects: Malte Gustafsson (D, 20), Victor Eklund (LW/RW, 19), Kashawn Aitcheson (D, 20),Cole Eiserman (LW, 20), Dmitri Gamzin (G, 23), Danny Nelson (C, 21)
Losing captain Lee and a roster's worth of depth defensemen with none of them being replaced by new arrivals (save for Stanley earlier today) means the prospect pool (ranked 9th in the NHL by The Athletic) will be asked to jump in and play important roles. Head coach Peter DeBoer will have to balance teaching, accepting mistakes and winning enough to be in the mix for the playoffs.
What makes their odds look good:
A fine prospect pool, an elite goaltending tandem (Ilya Sorokin and a returning Semyon Varlamov from a two-year injury rehab), a smart GM in Mathieu Darche, and a superstar in the making in Matthew Schaeffer are a good starting point.
Question marks:
xxx
Outlook:
Hopefully, Bo Horvat and Brayden Schenn can combine to replace Lee's leadership, but this isn't the team that will end DeBoer's streak of not winning Stanley Cups despite being the most-hyped coach on the market.
Prediction:
6th in the Metropolitan Division.
Now in his 12th NHL season, Ryan Pulock is still dependable, although no longer among the best defensive defensemen in the league who got Norris votes in 2020-21; he remains an effective pair with Adam Pelech, but they are now a second pairing playing fewer minutes against elites, while Schaeffer gets the most ice time. Here he is from a set a decade ago:
That's card #RM-RP from Upper Deck's 2016-17 Series 2 set and Rookie Materials sub-set, and features a silver swatch of a jersey worn in a rookie photoshoot.
This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on my personal blog (here) and my collectibles blog, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.
Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being set to start in a few days, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.
Key exits: Anders Lee (LW), David Rittich (G), Carson Soucy (D), Adam Boqvist (D), Maxim Shabanov (RW), Marc Gatcomb (C), Travis Mitchell (D), Cole McWard (D)
Key Arrivals: Matias Maccelli (LW), Vitek Vanacek (G), Matthew Kessel (D),Mitchell Chaffee (LW), Logan Stanley (D)
Top prospects: Malte Gustafsson (D, 20), Victor Eklund (LW/RW, 19), Kashawn Aitcheson (D, 20),Cole Eiserman (LW, 20), Dmitri Gamzin (G, 23), Danny Nelson (C, 21)
Losing captain Lee and a roster's worth of depth defensemen with none of them being replaced by new arrivals (save for Stanley earlier today) means the prospect pool (ranked 9th in the NHL by The Athletic) will be asked to jump in and play important roles. Head coach Peter DeBoer will have to balance teaching, accepting mistakes and winning enough to be in the mix for the playoffs.
What makes their odds look good:
A fine prospect pool, an elite goaltending tandem (Ilya Sorokin and a returning Semyon Varlamov from a two-year injury rehab), a smart GM in Mathieu Darche, and a superstar in the making in Matthew Schaeffer are a good starting point.
Question marks:
xxx
Outlook:
Hopefully, Bo Horvat and Brayden Schenn can combine to replace Lee's leadership, but this isn't the team that will end DeBoer's streak of not winning Stanley Cups despite being the most-hyped coach on the market.
Prediction:
6th in the Metropolitan Division.
Now in his 12th NHL season, Ryan Pulock is still dependable, although no longer among the best defensive defensemen in the league who got Norris votes in 2020-21; he remains an effective pair with Adam Pelech, but they are now a second pairing playing fewer minutes against elites, while Schaeffer gets the most ice time. Here he is from a set a decade ago:
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Sabres Preview: Martin Biron Autographed Card
(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)
This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.
Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being underway, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.
Key Exits: Bowen Byram (D), Alex Tuch (RW), Devon Levi (G), Luke Schenn (D), Michael Kesselring (D), Jordan Greenway (LW), Anton Wahlberg (C), Logan Stanley (D), Tanner Pearson (LW), Zac Jones (D), Josh Dunne (C)
Key Arrivals: Louis Crevier (D), Olen Zellweger (D), Conor Sheary (LW), Dennis Gilbert (D), Jason Polin (RW)
Top prospects: Konsta Helenius (C, 20), Radim Mrtka (D, 19), Daxon Rudolph (D, 18), Ilia Morozov (C, 18), Brodie Ziemer (RW, 20), Vsevolod Komarov (D, 22), Adam Kleber (D, 20)
The Buffalo Sabres won the Atlantic Division last season, and I really would have wanted to slot them there again this year, but the element of surprise is gone, out the door with Tuch, Byram and Levi.
What makes their odds look good:
You know who is still there, though? This generation's Eric Lindros, Tage Thompson; the next Brendan Gallagher, Zach Benson; Shane Doan's also-good-at-hockey son, Josh Doan; not one but two former first-overall picks on defense in Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power; and a third wheel who would be a #2 on most teams and perhaps a #1 on some, Mattias Samuelsson.
Question marks:
How many games can Alex Lyon suit up in? How about Josh Norris? Peyton Krebs added 11 points in each of the last two seasons compared with the previous; can he do it again, and does he have another level after that as a former first-round pick (17th overall, 2019, Vegas Golden Knights)?
Outlook:
Things are looking up; I'm convinced last year wasn't a flash in the pan after missing out on the playoffs for 14 straight seasons. They'd had the talent, they just needed to piece it together, and they have under head coach Lindy Ruff. It's just that almost everyone in the Atlantic got better last summer, and while Crevier and Zellweger can make up for the loss of Byram, Schenn and Stanley in the long run, Tuch was a strong, quick, heavy and imposing 30-goal presence on the wing that hasn't been (and may never be) replaced.
Prediction:
4th in the Atlantic Division.
Martin Biron had perhaps brief but memorable moments as the main guy in the crease for the Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers, notably, but the Hall Of Fame class of goalies he's backed up is even more impressive: Dominik Hasek, Ryan Miller, and Henrik Lundqvist.
After retiring, Biron became (and still is) a broadcaster for the Sabres, in addition to appearing many times per week on the air in Canada on both RDS (in French, mostly in Québec) and TSN (in English). Here he is wearing the team's 1996-2006 black jersey (and terrific mask):
That's card #10 from Upper Deck's 2002-03 Artistic Impressions set, which he signed in blue sharpie.
This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.
Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being underway, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.
Key Exits: Bowen Byram (D), Alex Tuch (RW), Devon Levi (G), Luke Schenn (D), Michael Kesselring (D), Jordan Greenway (LW), Anton Wahlberg (C), Logan Stanley (D), Tanner Pearson (LW), Zac Jones (D), Josh Dunne (C)
Key Arrivals: Louis Crevier (D), Olen Zellweger (D), Conor Sheary (LW), Dennis Gilbert (D), Jason Polin (RW)
Top prospects: Konsta Helenius (C, 20), Radim Mrtka (D, 19), Daxon Rudolph (D, 18), Ilia Morozov (C, 18), Brodie Ziemer (RW, 20), Vsevolod Komarov (D, 22), Adam Kleber (D, 20)
The Buffalo Sabres won the Atlantic Division last season, and I really would have wanted to slot them there again this year, but the element of surprise is gone, out the door with Tuch, Byram and Levi.
What makes their odds look good:
You know who is still there, though? This generation's Eric Lindros, Tage Thompson; the next Brendan Gallagher, Zach Benson; Shane Doan's also-good-at-hockey son, Josh Doan; not one but two former first-overall picks on defense in Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power; and a third wheel who would be a #2 on most teams and perhaps a #1 on some, Mattias Samuelsson.
Question marks:
How many games can Alex Lyon suit up in? How about Josh Norris? Peyton Krebs added 11 points in each of the last two seasons compared with the previous; can he do it again, and does he have another level after that as a former first-round pick (17th overall, 2019, Vegas Golden Knights)?
Outlook:
Things are looking up; I'm convinced last year wasn't a flash in the pan after missing out on the playoffs for 14 straight seasons. They'd had the talent, they just needed to piece it together, and they have under head coach Lindy Ruff. It's just that almost everyone in the Atlantic got better last summer, and while Crevier and Zellweger can make up for the loss of Byram, Schenn and Stanley in the long run, Tuch was a strong, quick, heavy and imposing 30-goal presence on the wing that hasn't been (and may never be) replaced.
Prediction:
4th in the Atlantic Division.
Martin Biron had perhaps brief but memorable moments as the main guy in the crease for the Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers, notably, but the Hall Of Fame class of goalies he's backed up is even more impressive: Dominik Hasek, Ryan Miller, and Henrik Lundqvist.
After retiring, Biron became (and still is) a broadcaster for the Sabres, in addition to appearing many times per week on the air in Canada on both RDS (in French, mostly in Québec) and TSN (in English). Here he is wearing the team's 1996-2006 black jersey (and terrific mask):
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Blues Preview: Two Dave Lowry Autographed Cards
(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)
This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on my personal blog (here) and my collectibles blog, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.
Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being underway, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.
Key Exits: Jordan Kyrou (RW), Jonathan Drouin (LW), Matthew Kessel (D), Justin Holl (D), Hunter Skinner (D), Akil Thomas (C)
Key Arrivals: Mason McTavish (C), Connor McMichael (C), Brandon Carlo (D), Ross Johnston (LW), Milton Gastrin (C)
Top prospects: Tynan Lawrence (C, 18), Justin Carbonneau (RW, 19), Adam Jiricek (D, 20), Maddox Dagenais (C, 18), Theo Lindstein (D, 21), Juraj Pekarcik (LW, 20), Colin Ralph (D, 20)
It seems like you can't ever really count these St. Louis Blues out; they last won the Stanley Cup in 2018-19, yet have not officially committed a rebuild since, missing the playoffs half the time, getting to the second round only once.
What makes their odds look good:
Newly-appointed captain Robert Thomas is a gem of a #1 centre, Dylan Holloway is becoming a first-line player, Jimmy Snuggerud may develop into a goal-scoring machine, McMichael will have more opportunity in St. Louis than he had with the Washington Capitals to show he can be more than a third-line player, and a team coached by Jim Montgomery always has a chance.
Question marks:
Can McTavish return on a trajectory that will lead him to NHL stardom, or will he fizzle like a meteor? Can that defense hold up? Is Jordan Binnington going to accept the backup role?
Outlook:
I believe Snuggerud, Carbonneau, Lawrence, Jake Neighbours and Dalibor Dvorsky mean a bright future for the Blues isn't far off; Holloway, Philip Broberg, Joel Hofer and Logan Mailloux are trying to bring that energy to the present, as complements to the recent past of Cup winners like Colton Parayko and Thomas.
Prediction:
5th in the Central Division.
Dave Lowry was a tough-as-nails bottom-six forward who had his heyday in the late 1980s and 1990s, but actually suited up in the NHL from 1985-86 until 2003-04. He scored 19 goals twice with the Blues (1989-90 and 1990-91), and reached the 40-point mark once, with St. Louis as well, in 1990-91, but his 10 goals (17 total points) in 22 games as his Florida Panthers made its way to the Cup Final in 1995-96 might have been his best stretch of play.
HockeyFights has accounted for 57 fights of his, with two seasons of 13 apiece in 1985-86 (143 total penalty minutes) and 1986-87 (176 PIMs) with the Vancouver Canucks. He didn't back down from anybody, having dropped the mitts in front of Marty McSorley, Joey Kocur, Basil McRae, and Shane Churla, but his most frequent customer was Steve Smith.
Over time, he built such a base of respect, and made his way to the captaincy of the Calgary Flames, circa 2000-02, but I will always mostly picture him with the Blues, and specifically in my favourite Blues uniform, which they were from 1987 until 1994. Here is the blue (away) version, on card #349 from Upper Deck's 1990-91 Series 1 set:
And here he is rocking the white (home) uniform, on card #370 from Topps' 1992-93 Bowman set:
He signed them in (fading) black sharpie when he was an assistant coach with the Winnipeg Jets (2020-22).
Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being underway, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.
Key Exits: Jordan Kyrou (RW), Jonathan Drouin (LW), Matthew Kessel (D), Justin Holl (D), Hunter Skinner (D), Akil Thomas (C)
Key Arrivals: Mason McTavish (C), Connor McMichael (C), Brandon Carlo (D), Ross Johnston (LW), Milton Gastrin (C)
Top prospects: Tynan Lawrence (C, 18), Justin Carbonneau (RW, 19), Adam Jiricek (D, 20), Maddox Dagenais (C, 18), Theo Lindstein (D, 21), Juraj Pekarcik (LW, 20), Colin Ralph (D, 20)
It seems like you can't ever really count these St. Louis Blues out; they last won the Stanley Cup in 2018-19, yet have not officially committed a rebuild since, missing the playoffs half the time, getting to the second round only once.
What makes their odds look good:
Newly-appointed captain Robert Thomas is a gem of a #1 centre, Dylan Holloway is becoming a first-line player, Jimmy Snuggerud may develop into a goal-scoring machine, McMichael will have more opportunity in St. Louis than he had with the Washington Capitals to show he can be more than a third-line player, and a team coached by Jim Montgomery always has a chance.
Question marks:
Can McTavish return on a trajectory that will lead him to NHL stardom, or will he fizzle like a meteor? Can that defense hold up? Is Jordan Binnington going to accept the backup role?
Outlook:
I believe Snuggerud, Carbonneau, Lawrence, Jake Neighbours and Dalibor Dvorsky mean a bright future for the Blues isn't far off; Holloway, Philip Broberg, Joel Hofer and Logan Mailloux are trying to bring that energy to the present, as complements to the recent past of Cup winners like Colton Parayko and Thomas.
Prediction:
5th in the Central Division.
Dave Lowry was a tough-as-nails bottom-six forward who had his heyday in the late 1980s and 1990s, but actually suited up in the NHL from 1985-86 until 2003-04. He scored 19 goals twice with the Blues (1989-90 and 1990-91), and reached the 40-point mark once, with St. Louis as well, in 1990-91, but his 10 goals (17 total points) in 22 games as his Florida Panthers made its way to the Cup Final in 1995-96 might have been his best stretch of play.
HockeyFights has accounted for 57 fights of his, with two seasons of 13 apiece in 1985-86 (143 total penalty minutes) and 1986-87 (176 PIMs) with the Vancouver Canucks. He didn't back down from anybody, having dropped the mitts in front of Marty McSorley, Joey Kocur, Basil McRae, and Shane Churla, but his most frequent customer was Steve Smith.
Over time, he built such a base of respect, and made his way to the captaincy of the Calgary Flames, circa 2000-02, but I will always mostly picture him with the Blues, and specifically in my favourite Blues uniform, which they were from 1987 until 1994. Here is the blue (away) version, on card #349 from Upper Deck's 1990-91 Series 1 set:
Video Of The Week: Bizarre
(product links go to sponsored Amazon products, previous post links go to related pages on my blog, news and place links go to source pages)
There was a time around the turn of the millennium when Eminem was on top on the world - not just in rap, but he led the entire music industry. His albums were consistently at #1 despite boy band / girl group pop dominance, and he took it upon himself the use his tide to rise everyone in his orbit who deserved it, notably via D12 (a.k.a. The Dirty Dozen), a collective of talented artists that also included Proof (deceased in 2006), Bizarre, Denaun "Mr." Porter (a.k.a. Kon Artis) , Kuniva and Swifty McVay (the latter two keeping the mantle alive to this day); Obie Trice was a fequent collaborator.
Many of these rappers, like Eminem himself, mixed wit, sarcasm, and humour with astute observations of difficult upbringings to create a brand of hip hop that was relatively unique in the mainstream, with Bizarre being the one who would usually push the boundaries of good taste with off-kilter references and associations, such as:
Cut to today, where he doesn't seem as alert as he used to be (his speed has slowed to a Notorious B.I.G. level), is still prone to mixing the funny with the braggadocio and reality-based texts, but with more cultural references and a lot less in-your-face shock. His new song Mercy is the second single off of Don't Cross The Street and is much better than the previous one, Amityville 2: This was directed by ad agency Mic Drop Media.
There was a time around the turn of the millennium when Eminem was on top on the world - not just in rap, but he led the entire music industry. His albums were consistently at #1 despite boy band / girl group pop dominance, and he took it upon himself the use his tide to rise everyone in his orbit who deserved it, notably via D12 (a.k.a. The Dirty Dozen), a collective of talented artists that also included Proof (deceased in 2006), Bizarre, Denaun "Mr." Porter (a.k.a. Kon Artis) , Kuniva and Swifty McVay (the latter two keeping the mantle alive to this day); Obie Trice was a fequent collaborator.
Many of these rappers, like Eminem himself, mixed wit, sarcasm, and humour with astute observations of difficult upbringings to create a brand of hip hop that was relatively unique in the mainstream, with Bizarre being the one who would usually push the boundaries of good taste with off-kilter references and associations, such as:
I'm not bisexual I'm an intellectual, transsexual, with one testicleor
And I ain't saying shit just 'cause it rhymes, I got colon cancer - I'm dying
There’s no way I could be the gay rapper: I only fuck animalsShock value was his calling card.
Cut to today, where he doesn't seem as alert as he used to be (his speed has slowed to a Notorious B.I.G. level), is still prone to mixing the funny with the braggadocio and reality-based texts, but with more cultural references and a lot less in-your-face shock. His new song Mercy is the second single off of Don't Cross The Street and is much better than the previous one, Amityville 2: This was directed by ad agency Mic Drop Media.
Monday, September 21, 2026
Ducks Preview: Leo Carlsson Printing Plate
(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)
This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on my personal blog (here) and my collectibles blog, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.
Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being underway, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.
Key Exits: Chris Kreider (C), John Carlson (D), Jacob Trouba (D), Mason McTavish (C), Radko Gudas (D), Petr Mrazek (G), Olen Zellweger (D), Ross Johnston (LW), Jansen Harkins (C), Jeffrey Viel (LW)
Key Arrivals: A.J. Greer (LW), Nick Jensen (D), Jeff Malott (LW), Laurent Brossoit (G), Travis Mitchell (D), Anton Wahlberg (C)
Top prospects: Roger McQueen (C, 20), Nikita Klepov (RW, 18), Marcus Nordmark (LW, 18), Tristan Luneau (D, 22), Stian Solberg (D, 20), Lucas Pettersson (C 20), Wahlberg (C, 20), Eric Nilson (C, 19)
The Anaheim Ducks' defensive meanness and overall depth took a major beating with the departures of Trouba and Gudas and the Philadelphia Flyers' $18M a year offer sheet to Leo Carlsson that Anaheim matched and susbequent slight overpayment on Cutter Gauthier (who scored 41 goals and had 69 points in 76 games last season) for six years at a $13.5M cap hit. It's ok to want to get paid - and good on you if you can back your team into enough of a corner that they acquiesce to your salary demands. But the fact remains that cap space is limited per season, and while it's expeected to be $20-30M higher in three years, it is at $104M this season, meaning these two forwards account for 30.29% of the cap to themselves, leaving less than 70% for the rest of the roster, which is ideally 21 guys. They made the playoffs last season and seemed to open a window, but the cap crunch has postponed the playoff contention window for at leas ta couple of seasons, and with Carlsson's deal leading to free agency after five years, their actual Stanley Cup contention will have to be in years four and five of that deal, so all moves from GM Pat Verbeek from now until then have to be with that timeline in mind, and most of them winners.
What makes their odds look good:
Carlsson was a second-overall draft pick in Connor Bedard's draft class, so he was essentially pencilled in to be the Jack Eichel to Bedard's Connor McDavid. The potential is there, he just hasn't been a point-per-game player in the NHL yet. Gauthier scored over 40 goals, Beckett Sennecke had a fine rookie season that he will need to build upon, Jackson Lacombe is an Olympics-level defenseman (Team USA, gold medal, 2026)Lukas Dostal is an Olympics-level goalie (Team Czechia, 2026), and despite the loss of Kreider, there are still a lot of dependable veteran forwards in Alex Killorn, Ryan Poehling, and Mikael Granlund.
Question marks:
Where will the grit on defense come from? Who's going to stop (or at least discourage) opponents from making a straight line to the slot for prime chances on Dostal, Ville Husso and Brossoit? What if the pressure is too big for the young guys up front?
Outlook:
Honestly, on paper, the Ducks took a big step back from last year which, combined with the San Jose Sharks' step forward, might cost them a playoff spot.
Prediction:
4th in the Pacific Division.
We've heard over and over again how the Carlsson offer sheet changed the NHL salary landscape, but I disagree. It was the largest pebble thrown in the river in the first few days of free agency, but let's keep in mind that becauise it was an offer sheet, it was not eligible to be used as a comparable for arbitration hearings, for example. Bedard's $15M cap hit deal was, and would have counted as next year's highest team-signed contract value as well as value ofr a deal one year removed from the end of an ELC, and also new value for high-profile captain. And if Bedard is worth $15M, then it comes to reason that Macklin Celebrini, off being named the IIHF's Player Of The Year and with far superior statistics at his age than Bedard, would be worth more, and thus $18.8M per year; and that in itself being the best defenseman in the world, a Conn Smythe and multiple-Norris winner (Cale Makar) would be worth close to the maximum allowed - and that even if it restricts the Colorado Avalanche's contention window for 2007-28 and 2028-29 before being a far easier percentage of the cap to handle in 2029-30, he's still very affordbale this season at $9M. There is a give that's just about equal to the take. I don't necessarily see that yet with Carlsson, who shot up to the stratosphere without having an elite individual season nor taken his team to any form of true success (no Cup, no Presidents' Trophy), no Olympic medal.
The Chicago Blackhawks never won another Stanley Cup after Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews went from roughly $6M per year to $10.5M; the Pittsburgh Penguins went to the Final in 2007-08 and won the Stanley Cup in 2008-09 before Evgeni Malkin reached Sidney Crosby's $8.7M cap hit and Kris Letang also got a significant raise, and they were irrelevant until the NHL salary cap went to $71.4M in 2015-16 and the Pens could afford to surround them with otehr quality players.
Which is to say I'm not blaming Carlsson and Gauthier for trying to earn what they feel they're worth; but perhaps they will come to regret going that far if the decision costs them wins, championships and success - assuming they're not just mercenaries or individualistic. Here is the yellow printing plate from Upper Deck's 2024-25 MVP set and It's Their Time sub-set:
Please forgive the COMC watermark; I pulled in on UD E-Pack, and I was in too much of a hurry to have it sent to myself.
This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on my personal blog (here) and my collectibles blog, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.
Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being underway, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.
Key Exits: Chris Kreider (C), John Carlson (D), Jacob Trouba (D), Mason McTavish (C), Radko Gudas (D), Petr Mrazek (G), Olen Zellweger (D), Ross Johnston (LW), Jansen Harkins (C), Jeffrey Viel (LW)
Key Arrivals: A.J. Greer (LW), Nick Jensen (D), Jeff Malott (LW), Laurent Brossoit (G), Travis Mitchell (D), Anton Wahlberg (C)
Top prospects: Roger McQueen (C, 20), Nikita Klepov (RW, 18), Marcus Nordmark (LW, 18), Tristan Luneau (D, 22), Stian Solberg (D, 20), Lucas Pettersson (C 20), Wahlberg (C, 20), Eric Nilson (C, 19)
The Anaheim Ducks' defensive meanness and overall depth took a major beating with the departures of Trouba and Gudas and the Philadelphia Flyers' $18M a year offer sheet to Leo Carlsson that Anaheim matched and susbequent slight overpayment on Cutter Gauthier (who scored 41 goals and had 69 points in 76 games last season) for six years at a $13.5M cap hit. It's ok to want to get paid - and good on you if you can back your team into enough of a corner that they acquiesce to your salary demands. But the fact remains that cap space is limited per season, and while it's expeected to be $20-30M higher in three years, it is at $104M this season, meaning these two forwards account for 30.29% of the cap to themselves, leaving less than 70% for the rest of the roster, which is ideally 21 guys. They made the playoffs last season and seemed to open a window, but the cap crunch has postponed the playoff contention window for at leas ta couple of seasons, and with Carlsson's deal leading to free agency after five years, their actual Stanley Cup contention will have to be in years four and five of that deal, so all moves from GM Pat Verbeek from now until then have to be with that timeline in mind, and most of them winners.
What makes their odds look good:
Carlsson was a second-overall draft pick in Connor Bedard's draft class, so he was essentially pencilled in to be the Jack Eichel to Bedard's Connor McDavid. The potential is there, he just hasn't been a point-per-game player in the NHL yet. Gauthier scored over 40 goals, Beckett Sennecke had a fine rookie season that he will need to build upon, Jackson Lacombe is an Olympics-level defenseman (Team USA, gold medal, 2026)Lukas Dostal is an Olympics-level goalie (Team Czechia, 2026), and despite the loss of Kreider, there are still a lot of dependable veteran forwards in Alex Killorn, Ryan Poehling, and Mikael Granlund.
Question marks:
Where will the grit on defense come from? Who's going to stop (or at least discourage) opponents from making a straight line to the slot for prime chances on Dostal, Ville Husso and Brossoit? What if the pressure is too big for the young guys up front?
Outlook:
Honestly, on paper, the Ducks took a big step back from last year which, combined with the San Jose Sharks' step forward, might cost them a playoff spot.
Prediction:
4th in the Pacific Division.
We've heard over and over again how the Carlsson offer sheet changed the NHL salary landscape, but I disagree. It was the largest pebble thrown in the river in the first few days of free agency, but let's keep in mind that becauise it was an offer sheet, it was not eligible to be used as a comparable for arbitration hearings, for example. Bedard's $15M cap hit deal was, and would have counted as next year's highest team-signed contract value as well as value ofr a deal one year removed from the end of an ELC, and also new value for high-profile captain. And if Bedard is worth $15M, then it comes to reason that Macklin Celebrini, off being named the IIHF's Player Of The Year and with far superior statistics at his age than Bedard, would be worth more, and thus $18.8M per year; and that in itself being the best defenseman in the world, a Conn Smythe and multiple-Norris winner (Cale Makar) would be worth close to the maximum allowed - and that even if it restricts the Colorado Avalanche's contention window for 2007-28 and 2028-29 before being a far easier percentage of the cap to handle in 2029-30, he's still very affordbale this season at $9M. There is a give that's just about equal to the take. I don't necessarily see that yet with Carlsson, who shot up to the stratosphere without having an elite individual season nor taken his team to any form of true success (no Cup, no Presidents' Trophy), no Olympic medal.
The Chicago Blackhawks never won another Stanley Cup after Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews went from roughly $6M per year to $10.5M; the Pittsburgh Penguins went to the Final in 2007-08 and won the Stanley Cup in 2008-09 before Evgeni Malkin reached Sidney Crosby's $8.7M cap hit and Kris Letang also got a significant raise, and they were irrelevant until the NHL salary cap went to $71.4M in 2015-16 and the Pens could afford to surround them with otehr quality players.
Which is to say I'm not blaming Carlsson and Gauthier for trying to earn what they feel they're worth; but perhaps they will come to regret going that far if the decision costs them wins, championships and success - assuming they're not just mercenaries or individualistic. Here is the yellow printing plate from Upper Deck's 2024-25 MVP set and It's Their Time sub-set:
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