What is the story about?
The
NHL returns Tuesday night to kick off the 2026-27 season with five games on the schedule, including a meeting of the Southeast contenders and last three Cup champs in the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers.
Before all that, there was a huge trade between Toronto and Columbus that included two second-tier stars and a bunch of contracts.
Islanders News
- Officially now, the season-opening roster which includes Kyle MacLean and Victor Eklund, one of whom will probably make room for Mat Barzal once he’s healthy. [Isles]
- Dan and Mike lament the summer as they return for another season of Islanders Anxiety, and you can also greet them at Zofia’s Hideout for the season opener or in section 101 during the home opener. [LHH]
- Island Ice podcast with Andrew Gross: Season preview. [Newsday]
- Apparently the Islanders are selling a small stake to a group of undisclosed investors, with the $3 billion full-franchise value reflecting a six-fold increase since when Malkin-Ledecky bought it. [Newsday | Post] Apparently the entity that reported this also owns our site??? [Yahoo Finance]
- I don’t know what the hell all this is but if it makes Schaefer and the kids happy then I’m good with it. [NHL]
Elsewhere
- The Maple Leafs and Blue Jackets completed a massive trade highlighted by a swap of Matthew Knies and Kirill Marchenko. [Sportsnet]
- Marchenko, who did not want to re-sign in Columbus, signed a six-year extension with the Leafs. [NHL]
- Watching the Canes raiser their Cup banner will be “extra motivation” for their opening night foes, the Panthers. [NHL]
