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:
Saturday, September 26, 2026
Canadiens Preview: Larry Robinson 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 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: Brendan Gallagher (RW), Patrik Laine (RW), Joe Veleno (C), Samuel Blais (LW), Joshua Roy (RW), Luke Tuch (LW), William Trudeau (D), Marc Del Gaizo (D)
Key Arrivals: Brett Berard (LW), Hunter McKown (C), Maksymilian Szuber (D), Samuel Poulin (LW), Reilly Walsh (D)
Top prospects: Michael Hage (C, 20), Jacob Fowler (G, 21), David Reinbacher (D, 21), Alexander Zharovsky (RW, 19), Gleb Pugachyov (RW, 18), Adam Engstrom (D, 22)
How deep is that prospect pool? A fifth-overall draft pick is third on it, last summer's first-rounder is fifth, and an NHL-ready defenseman who would be a #5 on many NHL teams is sixth. There simply isn't enough ice time to go aorund, which is why the list of names that left seem more impressive than those who were brought in to fill (mostly AHL) roster spots.
What makes their odds look good:
Nick Suzuki just had a 101-point Selke-winning season; Cole Caufield was one of just two NHL players to score over 50 goals, falling two short of Nathan MacKinnon for the Rocket Richard Trophy; Lane Hutson, in just his second season, showed he is ready to enter the Norris conversation; many think Ivan Demidov will end up a top-five forward in the NHL in a few years; Juraj Slafkovsky's 30-goal, 73-point season seems to just be the tip of the iceberg for this new era power forward; Hage will probably sign after his collegiate season and join the team for the playoffs after averaging two or three points per game in the NCAA.
Question marks:
The Montréal Canadiens have two relatively young goalies with some experience as NHL starters in Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobeš, but both of them are fully aware that the organization sees Fowler as the man between the pipes during their contention window - how long will the honeymoon between all three goalies last? Fans don't need to worry about it yet, but management sure does, especially if no-trade clauses come into play in the decision-making: should the NHL expand, the team will lose a big part of the core; who will be left unprotected?
Outlook:
The Habs are built to win between 2028 and 2031, and management's plan is that the contention window extends to the decade after that. They certainly have the potential in place to get there. But in the here and now, they are lacking an elite #2 centre, a right-shot defenseman capable of playing 20-22 minutes per game, and a clear plan in net. And, sure, they made it to the Eastern Conference Final last season after finihsing third in their division and they're expected to keep improving internally and individually, but they haven,t addressed any of these issues in the offseason, and other teams in the division improved, so I see the development cancelling the idleness to a stalemate in the standings.
Prediction:
3rd in the Atlantic Division.
Hutson is breaking all kinds of records for young Canadiens defensemen: fastest to X number ofd points, to X number of assists, assists in a rookie season, in a sophomore season, etc. - and the names he surpasses are impressive, all Hall Of Famers, like Chris Chelios, Guy Lapointe, Larry Robinson, as well as recent superstars like Andrei Markov and P.K. Subban.
People tend to forget just how good Robinson was. Sure, a Defensemen Mount Rushmore would have Doug Harvey, Bobby Orr and Nicklas Lidstrom for sure, and many would argue Ray Bourque or Cale Makar should be the fourth, but Robinson was just about right there with Bourque, despite "only" having two Norrises and a Conn Smythe (1978) in terms of individual honours. The fact that he played with fellow Hall members Lapointe and Serge Savard as the original Big Three certainly took away from the awards he could have received, whereas everyone else only had to contend with their opponents for those. But wearing the "A" on his jersey, through six Stanley Cups and three Canada Cup titles with Team Canada in 1976, 1981 and 1984 is a testament that he was important on very good teams, and even more so when you realize his performance against the Philadelphia Flyers brought the end of the Broad Street Bullies after only two seasons is the stuff of legends.
Here is Big Bird in the Canadiens' white (then-home) uniform, on card #AF-LR from Upper Deck's 2008-09 SP Game-Used Edition set and Authentic Fabrics and Dual Jerseys sub-sets:
It features not one but two matching event-worn jersey swatches.
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: Brendan Gallagher (RW), Patrik Laine (RW), Joe Veleno (C), Samuel Blais (LW), Joshua Roy (RW), Luke Tuch (LW), William Trudeau (D), Marc Del Gaizo (D)
Key Arrivals: Brett Berard (LW), Hunter McKown (C), Maksymilian Szuber (D), Samuel Poulin (LW), Reilly Walsh (D)
Top prospects: Michael Hage (C, 20), Jacob Fowler (G, 21), David Reinbacher (D, 21), Alexander Zharovsky (RW, 19), Gleb Pugachyov (RW, 18), Adam Engstrom (D, 22)
How deep is that prospect pool? A fifth-overall draft pick is third on it, last summer's first-rounder is fifth, and an NHL-ready defenseman who would be a #5 on many NHL teams is sixth. There simply isn't enough ice time to go aorund, which is why the list of names that left seem more impressive than those who were brought in to fill (mostly AHL) roster spots.
What makes their odds look good:
Nick Suzuki just had a 101-point Selke-winning season; Cole Caufield was one of just two NHL players to score over 50 goals, falling two short of Nathan MacKinnon for the Rocket Richard Trophy; Lane Hutson, in just his second season, showed he is ready to enter the Norris conversation; many think Ivan Demidov will end up a top-five forward in the NHL in a few years; Juraj Slafkovsky's 30-goal, 73-point season seems to just be the tip of the iceberg for this new era power forward; Hage will probably sign after his collegiate season and join the team for the playoffs after averaging two or three points per game in the NCAA.
Question marks:
The Montréal Canadiens have two relatively young goalies with some experience as NHL starters in Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobeš, but both of them are fully aware that the organization sees Fowler as the man between the pipes during their contention window - how long will the honeymoon between all three goalies last? Fans don't need to worry about it yet, but management sure does, especially if no-trade clauses come into play in the decision-making: should the NHL expand, the team will lose a big part of the core; who will be left unprotected?
Outlook:
The Habs are built to win between 2028 and 2031, and management's plan is that the contention window extends to the decade after that. They certainly have the potential in place to get there. But in the here and now, they are lacking an elite #2 centre, a right-shot defenseman capable of playing 20-22 minutes per game, and a clear plan in net. And, sure, they made it to the Eastern Conference Final last season after finihsing third in their division and they're expected to keep improving internally and individually, but they haven,t addressed any of these issues in the offseason, and other teams in the division improved, so I see the development cancelling the idleness to a stalemate in the standings.
Prediction:
3rd in the Atlantic Division.
Hutson is breaking all kinds of records for young Canadiens defensemen: fastest to X number ofd points, to X number of assists, assists in a rookie season, in a sophomore season, etc. - and the names he surpasses are impressive, all Hall Of Famers, like Chris Chelios, Guy Lapointe, Larry Robinson, as well as recent superstars like Andrei Markov and P.K. Subban.
People tend to forget just how good Robinson was. Sure, a Defensemen Mount Rushmore would have Doug Harvey, Bobby Orr and Nicklas Lidstrom for sure, and many would argue Ray Bourque or Cale Makar should be the fourth, but Robinson was just about right there with Bourque, despite "only" having two Norrises and a Conn Smythe (1978) in terms of individual honours. The fact that he played with fellow Hall members Lapointe and Serge Savard as the original Big Three certainly took away from the awards he could have received, whereas everyone else only had to contend with their opponents for those. But wearing the "A" on his jersey, through six Stanley Cups and three Canada Cup titles with Team Canada in 1976, 1981 and 1984 is a testament that he was important on very good teams, and even more so when you realize his performance against the Philadelphia Flyers brought the end of the Broad Street Bullies after only two seasons is the stuff of legends.
Here is Big Bird in the Canadiens' white (then-home) uniform, on card #AF-LR from Upper Deck's 2008-09 SP Game-Used Edition set and Authentic Fabrics and Dual Jerseys sub-sets:
Friday, September 25, 2026
Flyers Preview: Ron Sutter Autgraphed 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: Emil Andrea (D), Garnet Hathaway (RW), Samuel Ersson (G), Philip Tomasino (RW), Noah Juulsen (D), Luke Glendening (C), Rodrigo Abols (C), Lane Pederson (C), Adam Ginning (D), Garrett Wilson (LW), Anthony Richard (C)
Key Arrivals: Joseph Woll (G), Simon Benoît (D), Zach Aston-Reese (C), Noel Acciari (C), Jack Stunicka (C), Nolan Foote (LW)
Top prospects: Porter Martone (RW, 19), Jack Nesbitt (C, 19), Yegor Zavragin (G, 21), Oliver Bonk (D, 21), Jett Luchenko (C, 20), Alex Bump (LW, 22)
Philadelphia Flyers General Manager Daniel Brière is undergoing a full rebuild: he must identify which players are assets that can be traded to acquire someone else that fills a need, which ones to keep as the next core to build around, who is good for team culture, and which players would represent additions by subtraction - all while aiming for a contention window that may or may not be clear to him at this time.
What makes their odds look good:
At 29 years of age, goaltender Dan Vladar is in his prime; he will keep the team close even in games where they don't belong and may even stick around to back up whoever will be anointed to lead them to contention in a few years (he may even be that guy). Martone looks like the kind of cornerstone that is a sure bet. Captain Sean Couturier is entering the twilight of his career, but his two-way hockey IQ can still be valuable in a bottom-six role; Travis Sanheim is an elite defenseman. Let's hope for their sake that their development team is excellent, however, because they have swung big in recent drafts (Luchenko, Matvei Michkov) on players who are high-rish/high-reward.
Question marks:
Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras also strike me as big bets; how long before Team President Keith Jones starts thinking Brière has a gambling issue? Is tough coach Rick Tocchet the ideal guy to have behind the bench on a team that seems to be built on potential skill more than on will?
Outlook:
Look: I want to believe. I love bold bets and bold moves like an offer sheet that throws another team's cap into Hell and sending the entire continent's hockey media into a panic. And while I'm not sold on Zegras, Michkov, Luchenko and a few others, I do believe in Vladar, Couturier, Sanheim, Martone and the leadership of Travis Konecny. And I love a team that beats the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs.
Prediction:
4th in the Metropolitan Division.
Apart from Bobby Clarke (1973-79, plus 1983-84) and Claude Giroux (2013-22) whose reign each lasted nearly a decade, the Flyers tend to not keep their captains for many seasons. Ron Sutter suited up for the team from the 1982-83 season until he was traded to the St. Louis Blues ahead of the 1991-92 season, but he was only captain from 1989-91, with Bill Barber (1981-83), Clarke again (1983-84), and Dave Poulin (1984-89) holding the title before him.
Sutter was at his most productive in Philadelphia, with both of his 20-goal seasons and six of seven 45-point seasons coming with the Flyers (and the other one in St. Louis). Added perk: he played with twin brother Rich with both teams. Despite doing well with the Blues, he was only with them for two and a half seasons, before getting traded with Bob Bassen and Garth Butcher to the Québec Nordiques for Denis Chassé and Steve Duchesne, and he was flipped to the New York Islanders with a first-rounder (that ironically became Brett Lindros, Eric's brother), for Uwe Krupp and the 1994 first-rounder that became Wade Belak, Krupp being a key piece for the Colorado Avalanche in their first Stanley Cup run in 1995-96.
The rest of Sutter's career was spent as a bottom-six player, with the Boston Bruins (1995-96), San Jose Sharks (1996-2000) and Calgary Flames (21 games in 2000-01). To me however, he'll mostl y be remembered as a Flyer or a Blue. Here he is sporting the Flyers' orange (away) uniform on card #232 from O-Pee-Chee's 1991-92 O-Pee-Chee collection, signed in blue sharpie:
The "C" doesn't look out of place on him.
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: Emil Andrea (D), Garnet Hathaway (RW), Samuel Ersson (G), Philip Tomasino (RW), Noah Juulsen (D), Luke Glendening (C), Rodrigo Abols (C), Lane Pederson (C), Adam Ginning (D), Garrett Wilson (LW), Anthony Richard (C)
Key Arrivals: Joseph Woll (G), Simon Benoît (D), Zach Aston-Reese (C), Noel Acciari (C), Jack Stunicka (C), Nolan Foote (LW)
Top prospects: Porter Martone (RW, 19), Jack Nesbitt (C, 19), Yegor Zavragin (G, 21), Oliver Bonk (D, 21), Jett Luchenko (C, 20), Alex Bump (LW, 22)
Philadelphia Flyers General Manager Daniel Brière is undergoing a full rebuild: he must identify which players are assets that can be traded to acquire someone else that fills a need, which ones to keep as the next core to build around, who is good for team culture, and which players would represent additions by subtraction - all while aiming for a contention window that may or may not be clear to him at this time.
What makes their odds look good:
At 29 years of age, goaltender Dan Vladar is in his prime; he will keep the team close even in games where they don't belong and may even stick around to back up whoever will be anointed to lead them to contention in a few years (he may even be that guy). Martone looks like the kind of cornerstone that is a sure bet. Captain Sean Couturier is entering the twilight of his career, but his two-way hockey IQ can still be valuable in a bottom-six role; Travis Sanheim is an elite defenseman. Let's hope for their sake that their development team is excellent, however, because they have swung big in recent drafts (Luchenko, Matvei Michkov) on players who are high-rish/high-reward.
Question marks:
Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras also strike me as big bets; how long before Team President Keith Jones starts thinking Brière has a gambling issue? Is tough coach Rick Tocchet the ideal guy to have behind the bench on a team that seems to be built on potential skill more than on will?
Outlook:
Look: I want to believe. I love bold bets and bold moves like an offer sheet that throws another team's cap into Hell and sending the entire continent's hockey media into a panic. And while I'm not sold on Zegras, Michkov, Luchenko and a few others, I do believe in Vladar, Couturier, Sanheim, Martone and the leadership of Travis Konecny. And I love a team that beats the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs.
Prediction:
4th in the Metropolitan Division.
Apart from Bobby Clarke (1973-79, plus 1983-84) and Claude Giroux (2013-22) whose reign each lasted nearly a decade, the Flyers tend to not keep their captains for many seasons. Ron Sutter suited up for the team from the 1982-83 season until he was traded to the St. Louis Blues ahead of the 1991-92 season, but he was only captain from 1989-91, with Bill Barber (1981-83), Clarke again (1983-84), and Dave Poulin (1984-89) holding the title before him.
Sutter was at his most productive in Philadelphia, with both of his 20-goal seasons and six of seven 45-point seasons coming with the Flyers (and the other one in St. Louis). Added perk: he played with twin brother Rich with both teams. Despite doing well with the Blues, he was only with them for two and a half seasons, before getting traded with Bob Bassen and Garth Butcher to the Québec Nordiques for Denis Chassé and Steve Duchesne, and he was flipped to the New York Islanders with a first-rounder (that ironically became Brett Lindros, Eric's brother), for Uwe Krupp and the 1994 first-rounder that became Wade Belak, Krupp being a key piece for the Colorado Avalanche in their first Stanley Cup run in 1995-96.
The rest of Sutter's career was spent as a bottom-six player, with the Boston Bruins (1995-96), San Jose Sharks (1996-2000) and Calgary Flames (21 games in 2000-01). To me however, he'll mostl y be remembered as a Flyer or a Blue. Here he is sporting the Flyers' orange (away) uniform on card #232 from O-Pee-Chee's 1991-92 O-Pee-Chee collection, signed in blue sharpie:
Thursday, September 24, 2026
Predators Preview: Francis Bouillon 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 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: Erik Haula (C), Zachary L'Heureux (LW), Tyson Jost (C), Fedor Svechkov (C), Andreas Englund (D), Jordan Oesterle (D), Magnus Chrona (G)
Key Arrivals: Mavrik Bourque (C), Alexander Kerfoot (LW), Jack Drury (C), Ross Colton (C), Ilya Lyubushkin (D), Nils Hoglander (LW), Adam Edstrom (C), Jack Ahcan (D), Isak Posch (G), Chase Bradley (LW)
Top prospects: Brady Martin (C, 19), Wyatt Cullen (LW, 18), Yegor Surin (C, 20), Ryker Lee (RW, 19), Cameron Reid (D, 20), Joakim Kemell (RW, 22), Tanner Melendyk (D, 21)
It's been a freefall for the Nashville Predators since they reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2016-17, between first round exits and not qualifying for the postseason, losing star defensemen like P.K. Subban and Mattias Ekholm over the years, watching stars like Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg age, and surrounding them with more experience in the likes of Ryan O'Reilly, Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos, but little youthful vigor. New GM Chris MacFarland seems to want to rectify the situation.
What makes their odds look good:
Forsberg and Stamkos scored 40 goals apiece last season and are usually a lock for 30+, so the top-line wing position is under good hands; Rosi is not as quick as he used to be but can still produce at nearly a point per game from the back end; Juuse Saros might no longer be among the five best at his position in the world, but as a solid #1 goalie who is around top-15, top-20, he's good enough if the rest of the team around him doesn't require him to steal every game.
Question marks:
xxx
Outlook:
This team, like its yellow jersey, is just underwhelming enough - not quite awful enough to peter out at the bottom of the standings, but not strong enough to make an honest push for the playoffs, despite employing former star players at every position. They feel more like deadline sellers than playoff contenders.
Prediction:
7th in the Central Division.
Fourteen NHL seasons, two teams: three stints with the Montréal Canadiens, two stints with the Preds: that's the steadiness of Francis Bouillon. A dependable, tough defenseman who played much bigger than his 5'8" (though he did play at 198 pounds, which tells you how solid he was on his feet and along the boards to some extent).
Here he is wearing one of the worst uniforms of the modern era, the Preds'white-and-grey Rbk Edge atrocity with yellow piping (wearing the alternate captain's "A"), on card #267 of Upper Deck's 2011-12 O-Pee-Chee collection:
It's signed in blue sharpie; I think I got it off of Ebay because I wanted a signed card of this jersey.
He's currently a big part of the Habs' player development team, and he helped take one of the youngest teams of the NHL last season (youngest at season's beginning, second to the Chicago Blackhawks after the deadline) to the Eastern Conference Final.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: Erik Haula (C), Zachary L'Heureux (LW), Tyson Jost (C), Fedor Svechkov (C), Andreas Englund (D), Jordan Oesterle (D), Magnus Chrona (G)
Key Arrivals: Mavrik Bourque (C), Alexander Kerfoot (LW), Jack Drury (C), Ross Colton (C), Ilya Lyubushkin (D), Nils Hoglander (LW), Adam Edstrom (C), Jack Ahcan (D), Isak Posch (G), Chase Bradley (LW)
Top prospects: Brady Martin (C, 19), Wyatt Cullen (LW, 18), Yegor Surin (C, 20), Ryker Lee (RW, 19), Cameron Reid (D, 20), Joakim Kemell (RW, 22), Tanner Melendyk (D, 21)
It's been a freefall for the Nashville Predators since they reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2016-17, between first round exits and not qualifying for the postseason, losing star defensemen like P.K. Subban and Mattias Ekholm over the years, watching stars like Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg age, and surrounding them with more experience in the likes of Ryan O'Reilly, Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos, but little youthful vigor. New GM Chris MacFarland seems to want to rectify the situation.
What makes their odds look good:
Forsberg and Stamkos scored 40 goals apiece last season and are usually a lock for 30+, so the top-line wing position is under good hands; Rosi is not as quick as he used to be but can still produce at nearly a point per game from the back end; Juuse Saros might no longer be among the five best at his position in the world, but as a solid #1 goalie who is around top-15, top-20, he's good enough if the rest of the team around him doesn't require him to steal every game.
Question marks:
xxx
Outlook:
This team, like its yellow jersey, is just underwhelming enough - not quite awful enough to peter out at the bottom of the standings, but not strong enough to make an honest push for the playoffs, despite employing former star players at every position. They feel more like deadline sellers than playoff contenders.
Prediction:
7th in the Central Division.
Fourteen NHL seasons, two teams: three stints with the Montréal Canadiens, two stints with the Preds: that's the steadiness of Francis Bouillon. A dependable, tough defenseman who played much bigger than his 5'8" (though he did play at 198 pounds, which tells you how solid he was on his feet and along the boards to some extent).
Here he is wearing one of the worst uniforms of the modern era, the Preds'white-and-grey Rbk Edge atrocity with yellow piping (wearing the alternate captain's "A"), on card #267 of Upper Deck's 2011-12 O-Pee-Chee collection:
It's signed in blue sharpie; I think I got it off of Ebay because I wanted a signed card of this jersey.
He's currently a big part of the Habs' player development team, and he helped take one of the youngest teams of the NHL last season (youngest at season's beginning, second to the Chicago Blackhawks after the deadline) to the Eastern Conference Final.
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: Erik Haula (C), Zachary L'Heureux (LW), Tyson Jost (C), Fedor Svechkov (C), Andreas Englund (D), Jordan Oesterle (D), Magnus Chrona (G)
Key Arrivals: Mavrik Bourque (C), Alexander Kerfoot (LW), Jack Drury (C), Ross Colton (C), Ilya Lyubushkin (D), Nils Hoglander (LW), Adam Edstrom (C), Jack Ahcan (D), Isak Posch (G), Chase Bradley (LW)
Top prospects: Brady Martin (C, 19), Wyatt Cullen (LW, 18), Yegor Surin (C, 20), Ryker Lee (RW, 19), Cameron Reid (D, 20), Joakim Kemell (RW, 22), Tanner Melendyk (D, 21)
It's been a freefall for the Nashville Predators since they reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2016-17, between first round exits and not qualifying for the postseason, losing star defensemen like P.K. Subban and Mattias Ekholm over the years, watching stars like Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg age, and surrounding them with more experience in the likes of Ryan O'Reilly, Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos, but little youthful vigor. New GM Chris MacFarland seems to want to rectify the situation.
What makes their odds look good:
Forsberg and Stamkos scored 40 goals apiece last season and are usually a lock for 30+, so the top-line wing position is under good hands; Rosi is not as quick as he used to be but can still produce at nearly a point per game from the back end; Juuse Saros might no longer be among the five best at his position in the world, but as a solid #1 goalie who is around top-15, top-20, he's good enough if the rest of the team around him doesn't require him to steal every game.
Question marks:
xxx
Outlook:
This team, like its yellow jersey, is just underwhelming enough - not quite awful enough to peter out at the bottom of the standings, but not strong enough to make an honest push for the playoffs, despite employing former star players at every position. They feel more like deadline sellers than playoff contenders.
Prediction:
7th in the Central Division.
Fourteen NHL seasons, two teams: three stints with the Montréal Canadiens, two stints with the Preds: that's the steadiness of Francis Bouillon. A dependable, tough defenseman who played much bigger than his 5'8" (though he did play at 198 pounds, which tells you how solid he was on his feet and along the boards to some extent).
Here he is wearing one of the worst uniforms of the modern era, the Preds'white-and-grey Rbk Edge atrocity with yellow piping (wearing the alternate captain's "A"), on card #267 of Upper Deck's 2011-12 O-Pee-Chee collection:
He's currently a big part of the Habs' player development team, and he helped take one of the youngest teams of the NHL last season (youngest at season's beginning, second to the Chicago Blackhawks after the deadline) to the Eastern Conference Final.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: Erik Haula (C), Zachary L'Heureux (LW), Tyson Jost (C), Fedor Svechkov (C), Andreas Englund (D), Jordan Oesterle (D), Magnus Chrona (G)
Key Arrivals: Mavrik Bourque (C), Alexander Kerfoot (LW), Jack Drury (C), Ross Colton (C), Ilya Lyubushkin (D), Nils Hoglander (LW), Adam Edstrom (C), Jack Ahcan (D), Isak Posch (G), Chase Bradley (LW)
Top prospects: Brady Martin (C, 19), Wyatt Cullen (LW, 18), Yegor Surin (C, 20), Ryker Lee (RW, 19), Cameron Reid (D, 20), Joakim Kemell (RW, 22), Tanner Melendyk (D, 21)
It's been a freefall for the Nashville Predators since they reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2016-17, between first round exits and not qualifying for the postseason, losing star defensemen like P.K. Subban and Mattias Ekholm over the years, watching stars like Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg age, and surrounding them with more experience in the likes of Ryan O'Reilly, Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos, but little youthful vigor. New GM Chris MacFarland seems to want to rectify the situation.
What makes their odds look good:
Forsberg and Stamkos scored 40 goals apiece last season and are usually a lock for 30+, so the top-line wing position is under good hands; Rosi is not as quick as he used to be but can still produce at nearly a point per game from the back end; Juuse Saros might no longer be among the five best at his position in the world, but as a solid #1 goalie who is around top-15, top-20, he's good enough if the rest of the team around him doesn't require him to steal every game.
Question marks:
xxx
Outlook:
This team, like its yellow jersey, is just underwhelming enough - not quite awful enough to peter out at the bottom of the standings, but not strong enough to make an honest push for the playoffs, despite employing former star players at every position. They feel more like deadline sellers than playoff contenders.
Prediction:
7th in the Central Division.
Fourteen NHL seasons, two teams: three stints with the Montréal Canadiens, two stints with the Preds: that's the steadiness of Francis Bouillon. A dependable, tough defenseman who played much bigger than his 5'8" (though he did play at 198 pounds, which tells you how solid he was on his feet and along the boards to some extent).
Here he is wearing one of the worst uniforms of the modern era, the Preds'white-and-grey Rbk Edge atrocity with yellow piping (wearing the alternate captain's "A"), on card #267 of Upper Deck's 2011-12 O-Pee-Chee collection:
He's currently a big part of the Habs' player development team, and he helped take one of the youngest teams of the NHL last season (youngest at season's beginning, second to the Chicago Blackhawks after the deadline) to the Eastern Conference Final.
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 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: 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 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: 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):
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