The Washington Capitals received a major wake-up call last season. After finishing atop the Eastern Conference in 2024-25, Washington dropped 16 points, finished fourth in the Metropolitan Division with 95 and missed the playoffs. GM Chris Patrick responded aggressively, surrounding Alexander Ovechkin with Jordan Kyrou, Alex Tuch and Boone Jenner. Neil Smith and Vic Morren see a Capitals roster that, on paper, looks significantly stronger—and determined not to repeat last season’s disappointment.

[00:00:00] Washington finishes fourth in the Metro with 95 points, a 16-point decline from the previous season, and misses the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

[00:00:25] Despite winning the Cup in 2018, the Capitals have won only one playoff series since that championship.

[00:00:40] Offense, defense, power play and penalty killing all decline as many players fail to duplicate their career seasons from 2024-25.

[00:00:55] Pierre-Luc Dubois also misses significant time with injury, contributing to a season where many of the previous year’s positives disappear.

[00:01:00] Neil describes missing the playoffs as an “ice bucket challenge” after Washington had challenged for the Presidents’ Trophy the year before.

[00:01:25] That previous season also featured Ovechkin passing Wayne Gretzky’s career goal-scoring record, creating an unforgettable year in Washington.

[00:01:45] The disappointing follow-up convinces management that dramatic changes are necessary to give Ovechkin and the existing core more support.

[00:02:00] Ovechkin re-signs July 2 on a one-year, $4.25 million contract and enters the season 71 goals away from 1,000.

[00:02:20] Jordan Kyrou arrives from St. Louis for Connor McMichael, Dalibor Dvorsky and a 2026 first-round pick.

[00:02:40] Washington then lands Alex Tuch in a sign-and-trade with Buffalo and signs longtime Columbus captain Boone Jenner.

[00:03:00] Vic views the three additions as a major statement from Chris Patrick, bringing Washington more scoring, experience and leadership.

[00:03:15] Neil likes McMichael and acknowledges Washington surrendered quality pieces, but Tuch brings another high-end player into the lineup.

[00:03:30] Kyrou provides the pure goal-scoring ability he displayed in St. Louis, while Jenner adds veteran leadership to an already mature roster.

[00:04:00] Additional depth arrives with Johnny Brodzinski, Josh Dunne, Justin Holl and 6-foot-7 defenseman Vincent Desharnais.

[00:04:25] Trevor van Riemsdyk leaves for Pittsburgh, Brandon Duhaime signs with Toronto and Brett Leason heads to San Jose.

[00:04:40] Washington also has intriguing young players pushing toward larger roles, beginning with 6-foot-5, 225-pound Ilya Protas.

[00:05:00] Protas produced four points in four NHL games last season and could become a much more significant part of the Capitals lineup.

[00:05:15] Cole Hutson, younger brother of Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson, is another prospect to watch after appearing in 14 games for Washington.

[00:05:35] Neil likes the young talent coming through the system and believes the Capitals look considerably stronger on paper than they did last season.

Washington isn’t quietly hoping for a rebound. The Capitals responded to missing the playoffs by adding Kyrou, Tuch and Jenner around Ovechkin and the established core. They sacrificed some younger assets to do it, but the message is clear: this organization still intends to compete now. After last season’s dramatic step backward, Neil and Vic see a roster built to make sure Washington doesn’t experience the same disappointment again.

The San Jose Sharks may be ready to make the jump. After finishing 39-35-8 and making a legitimate push toward the playoffs, San Jose enters 2026-27 with one of the NHL’s most exciting collections of young talent. Macklin Celebrini exploded for 115 points in his second NHL season, while Will Smith, Michael Misa and other young players give the Sharks enormous upside. GM Mike Grier has also spent aggressively, adding veteran muscle and experience around that young core. Neil Smith and Vic Morren believe San Jose could follow the same path Anaheim did a year ago and emerge as a legitimate wild-card contender.

[00:00:00] San Jose finishes 39-35-8, falling short of the playoffs but taking a major step forward under Ryan Warsofsky, who begins his third season behind the bench.

[00:00:25] Almost every major statistic improves. The Sharks jump from 32nd to 17th offensively and from 26th to 16th on the power play.

[00:00:45] The defense improves only slightly from 32nd to 30th, making goals against the biggest remaining concern.

[00:01:00] Vic compares San Jose to Anaheim from a year earlier—a young team loaded with enough emerging talent to make an unexpected playoff breakthrough.

[00:01:15] Celebrini leads the way after an extraordinary 115-point second NHL season, while Smith, Misa and Collin Graf give the Sharks an impressive young foundation.

[00:01:35] San Jose also gets significantly more experienced on defense by acquiring Darnell Nurse and signing Jacob Trouba.

[00:01:50] Those additions are expensive. Nurse arrives with his full $9.5 million contract, while Trouba signs for four years at $8.25 million annually.

[00:02:00] Mason Marchment also receives a five-year deal worth $6.75 million per season as San Jose uses its available cap space aggressively.

[00:02:15] Celebrini receives the biggest contract of all—$18.8 million per season beginning the following year, making him the league’s highest-paid player.

[00:02:30] Neil believes the investment makes sense because San Jose may already possess the best young player in hockey.

[00:02:45] Michael Kesselring arrives from Buffalo to further strengthen the defense, while Eric Comrie comes from Winnipeg to provide goaltending help.

[00:03:00] San Jose does lose William Eklund, who is traded to Ottawa for the ninth overall draft pick.

[00:03:15] The Sharks ultimately hold two first-round selections, adding even more talent to an already impressive prospect system.

[00:03:30] Ivar Stenberg becomes another high-end prospect to watch as San Jose continues assembling what could become one of the NHL’s deepest young talent pools.

[00:03:45] Shakir Mukhamadullin and Zack Sharp head to Edmonton in the Nurse trade, while Mario Ferraro signs with Winnipeg and Vincent Desharnais joins Washington.

[00:04:00] Vic believes the Sharks can make the playoffs this season, although improving defensively remains essential.

[00:04:15] Neil agrees that San Jose should at least contend for a wild-card position, but points out one difference from Anaheim’s breakthrough.

[00:04:30] Anaheim had veteran championship coach Joel Quenneville guiding its rise. San Jose remains committed to Warsofsky, who has done a good job but does not possess Quenneville’s championship résumé.

[00:04:50] That puts pressure on Warsofsky to prove how much he can get from an extremely talented roster now carrying legitimate expectations.

[00:05:00] Another major question involves Celebrini’s leadership. After three seasons and an impressive Olympic performance, could he already be ready to become captain?

[00:05:20] Neil says his performance on the ice suggests he absolutely could. Celebrini has already demonstrated he can thrive alongside older elite players.

[00:05:40] The unanswered question is whether he is ready for the responsibility inside the locker room.

[00:06:00] Neil says only Warsofsky, Grier and those closest to Celebrini can truly evaluate whether his maturity and leadership are ready for the captaincy.

The Sharks are no longer simply rebuilding. Celebrini has become a superstar, the prospect pipeline remains loaded, and Grier has surrounded the young core with expensive veteran help. If San Jose can improve defensively, Neil and Vic believe this could be the year the Sharks return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The New York Islanders enter 2026-27 looking remarkably similar to the team that missed the playoffs last season—with one major exception: longtime captain Anders Lee is gone. After finishing sixth in the Metropolitan Division with 91 points, the Islanders turn to Peter DeBoer behind the bench. Neil Smith and Vic Morren question whether DeBoer can squeeze more out of a roster that made few significant offseason additions. Ilya Sorokin remains an elite foundation in goal, Matthew Schaefer looks like a future superstar, and several promising prospects are coming, but is there enough improvement to get the Islanders back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs?

[00:00:00] The Islanders finish with 91 points and sixth place in the Metropolitan Division, missing the playoffs for a second consecutive season.

[00:00:20] Peter DeBoer takes over behind the bench after replacing Patrick Roy with four games remaining last season.

[00:00:35] Some team statistics improve, particularly the penalty kill, which makes an impressive jump from 31st to 10th overall.

[00:00:50] The power play remains a major weakness, improving only slightly from 31st to 30th.

[00:01:00] The Islanders make no offseason trade acquisitions. Tony DeAngelo re-signs for two years at $4.5 million, while Matias Maccelli arrives from Toronto.

[00:01:15] Vitek Vanecek signs a one-year deal after playing in Utah, providing insurance given the uncertainty surrounding Semyon Varlamov.

[00:01:30] The biggest departure is captain Anders Lee, who leaves for Utah. Backup goaltender David Rittich also departs for New Jersey.

[00:01:45] Vic’s assessment is straightforward: this looks like essentially the same Islanders team as last season, except now it has lost its captain.

[00:02:00] Neil agrees. Looking at the roster on paper, he cannot identify an area where the Islanders have significantly improved.

[00:02:15] One major reason for optimism is Matthew Schaefer, who is coming off a terrific rookie season and appears to have a brilliant future.

[00:02:30] Goaltending should remain a strength as long as Sorokin stays healthy. Neil still considers him one of the NHL’s best.

[00:02:45] Varlamov remains a major question after being out of the lineup for roughly a year and a half, making Vanecek an important depth signing.

[00:03:00] The Islanders do have promising young talent coming. Cole Eiserman scored 18 goals in 32 games at Boston University last season.

[00:03:15] Victor Eklund is another intriguing prospect and gives the Islanders another potential offensive piece for the future.

[00:03:30] K'Shawn Aitcheson, selected 17th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, is another young player who could eventually push for an opportunity.

[00:03:45] But Neil separates the future from the present. The question is what New York will be in 2026-27, and his expectation is that the Islanders may look very similar to what they were in 2025-26.

[00:04:00] The conversation turns to leadership. With Anders Lee gone and Schaefer emerging as a potential franchise player, should the young defenseman already receive the captaincy?

[00:04:15] Neil says no. Being the team’s best or most talented player does not automatically mean someone should wear the “C.”

[00:04:30] Lee himself is an example. He earned the captaincy through leadership rather than simply being the Islanders’ most talented player.

[00:04:45] Neil believes Bo Horvat is the more logical choice. Horvat has established leadership qualities and previously served as captain of the Vancouver Canucks.

[00:05:00] Schaefer’s opportunity to become captain may eventually arrive, but Neil believes that responsibility should come later in his career.

The Islanders still have Sorokin, a potential star in Schaefer, and some promising prospects. But for 2026-27, Neil and Vic see the same fundamental problem: where did this team actually get better? Unless DeBoer can manufacture a major improvement from essentially the same roster, another fight just to reach the playoffs appears likely.

The Tampa Bay Lightning enter 2026-27 with Jon Cooper beginning his 15th season behind the bench after finally capturing the Jack Adams Award. But Tampa Bay’s championship core is getting older, and GM Julien BriseBois made some fascinating decisions this summer. Darren Raddysh and Nick Paul are gone, while veteran John Carlson joins a blue line already featuring Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh. Neil Smith and Vic Morren examine whether Tampa still has another Stanley Cup run left—or whether age is finally becoming the Lightning’s biggest opponent.

[00:00:00] Jon Cooper begins his 15th season with Tampa Bay after receiving the long-awaited Jack Adams Trophy as NHL Coach of the Year.

[00:00:20] One of the offseason’s biggest surprises is Darren Raddysh being signed and then traded following a breakout season on Tampa’s injury-depleted blue line.

[00:00:40] Raddysh signs an eight-year, $8.5 million-per-season contract before being sent to Toronto for a 2026 fifth-round pick.

[00:00:55] Nick Paul also heads to Toronto after establishing himself as one of the NHL’s more dependable middle-six forwards.

[00:01:00] Tampa receives goaltender Dennis Hildeby plus 2027 and 2028 draft picks in the Paul deal.

[00:01:15] John Carlson joins Tampa as a free agent, but his arrival only increases the age of an already veteran defense.

[00:01:30] Victor Hedman is 35, Carlson 36 and Ryan McDonagh 37, creating questions about how long this defensive core can remain effective.

[00:01:45] Neil notes that Hedman is reportedly healthy and ready to return after not playing following March 10.

[00:02:00] Tampa will miss Raddysh’s booming point shot and the career-best offensive season he produced before being dealt.

[00:02:20] Neil believes the Lightning need to begin stocking the organization with younger defensemen because Hedman, Carlson and McDonagh cannot remain the foundation forever.

[00:02:40] The aging issue extends up front. Nikita Kucherov is 33, Jake Guentzel 31 and Brayden Point 30, while Brandon Hagel is 27.

[00:03:00] Andrei Vasilevskiy remains an elite goaltender, but Neil points to his history of hip issues as something Tampa must continue monitoring.

[00:03:25] Hildeby provides another option in goal, while Tampa also adds Matt Zuccarello and Ilya Mikheyev.

[00:03:50] Jeffrey Viel and Jansen Harkins bring bottom-six depth, with Viel coming off an impressive playoff performance in Anaheim.

[00:04:00] Scott Sabourin returns on a one-year deal, giving Tampa additional toughness for matchups against its increasingly physical Florida rival.

[00:04:30] Neil likes Viel and Sabourin as players who can provide some of the grit Tampa will need against the Panthers.

[00:05:00] Corey Perry returns to Los Angeles, while Oliver Bjorkstrand joins the Rangers, Mitchell Chaffee heads to the Islanders and Declan Carlile signs with Pittsburgh.

[00:05:20] Prospects to watch include Sam O’Reilly, Dylan Duke and 2023 second-round pick Ethan Gauthier.

[00:05:45] Vic returns to the biggest offseason question: why trade Raddysh when he is six years younger than Carlson and both received $8.5 million annually?

[00:06:00] Neil believes the answer is track record. Raddysh produced one outstanding season, while Carlson has demonstrated his value for roughly a decade.

[00:06:20] Tampa is committing only two years to Carlson compared with the eight-year commitment attached to Raddysh.

[00:06:40] Neil considers Raddysh’s contract a major gamble because he has only one season that truly supports an $8.5 million valuation.

[00:07:00] BriseBois apparently decided he could not justify that long-term risk, accepted a fifth-round pick and moved on.

Tampa Bay still possesses Kucherov, Point, Guentzel, Hedman and Vasilevskiy, so the talent remains formidable. But this is now the NHL’s seventh-oldest roster, and several cornerstone players are entering the later stages of their careers. The Lightning remain dangerous—but the urgency to squeeze another championship out of this core is becoming impossible to ignore.

The Utah Mammoth took a major step forward last season, finishing with 92 points and reaching the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 bubble—and only the second time in 14 seasons dating back to the Arizona era. After losing to Vegas in six games, GM Bill Armstrong responded with an aggressive offseason built around keeping his core together while adding veteran leadership. Neil Smith and Vic Morren both see Utah as a team on the rise, with the potential to move beyond the wild-card conversation and challenge for a top-three spot in the Central Division.

[00:00:00] Utah finishes fourth in the Central with 92 points and finally returns to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

[00:00:20] The Mammoth take a 2-1 series lead against Vegas before ultimately falling to the Golden Knights in six games.

[00:00:35] Andre Tourigny enters his sixth season with the organization after overseeing significant progress dating back to the Arizona Coyotes years.

[00:00:50] Bill Armstrong focuses on continuity during the offseason with six re-signings and extensions.

[00:01:00] Utah also matches New Jersey’s offer sheet to Barrett Hayton, keeping him on a one-year, $4.775 million contract.

[00:01:15] Former Islanders captain Anders Lee joins Utah on a three-year, $5.4 million-per-season deal, adding leadership and character.

[00:01:30] Vinny Trocheck arrives from the Rangers in exchange for Sean Durzi, Cole Beaudoin and a 2027 third-round pick.

[00:01:45] Vic asks whether Utah has progressed beyond simply being a playoff team and could emerge as a major force in the Western Conference.

[00:02:00] Neil stops short of calling the Mammoth a powerhouse but believes they have broken through the wild-card bubble.

[00:02:15] Instead of scratching and clawing for one of the final playoff spots, Neil believes Utah can challenge for a top-three position in the Central.

[00:02:30] Trocheck receives particularly high marks as an addition who can strengthen Utah down the middle.

[00:02:40] Neil also loves what Lee brings in leadership and character, although he questions whether three years might be one year too many at this stage of Lee’s career.

[00:02:55] Overall, Neil believes Armstrong has done an excellent job strengthening a roster that was already moving in the right direction.

[00:03:00] Nick Schmaltz receives a major commitment with an eight-year contract worth $8 million annually.

[00:03:15] Michael Carcone, Kailer Yamamoto, Kevin Stenlund and Nick DeSimone are also retained.

[00:03:25] John Marino receives an eight-year, $6.75 million extension beginning in 2027-28.

[00:03:35] Defenseman Andrew Peeke joins Utah from Boston on a one-year deal, providing another veteran option on the blue line.

[00:03:45] Utah’s optimism extends beyond the NHL roster. The prospect pipeline includes 2024 sixth-overall selection Tij Iginla, son of Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla.

[00:04:00] Caleb Desnoyers, the fourth overall selection in 2025, gives the organization another high-end young forward.

[00:04:10] Goaltending prospects Sebastian Cossa and Michael Hrabal provide additional organizational depth for the future.

[00:04:25] Neil closes with a clear assessment: Utah has taken meaningful steps and should be considered one of the NHL’s teams on the rise.

The Mammoth are no longer simply hoping to sneak into the postseason. Armstrong has retained key players, added Trocheck and Lee, and built a prospect pipeline capable of supporting the NHL roster. After 92 points and a playoff appearance, the next challenge is establishing Utah as a consistent top-three Central Division team—and Neil and Vic believe the pieces are beginning to fall into place.

The Vancouver Canucks are starting over. After finishing dead last with only 58 points, a minus-100 goal differential and a staggering 32-point decline, the organization has undergone a major housecleaning. Ryan Johnson takes over as GM alongside co-presidents Daniel and Henrik Sedin, while Manny Malhotra replaces Adam Foote behind the bench. Neil Smith and Vic Morren aren’t talking playoffs—they’re looking for signs that Vancouver can finally begin building something sustainable.

[00:00:00] Vancouver undergoes a complete organizational reset after one of the NHL’s most difficult seasons.

[00:00:15] Ryan Johnson becomes GM, working alongside the Sedin brothers as co-presidents of hockey operations, while Manny Malhotra takes over as head coach.

[00:00:30] The numbers tell the story: 58 points, last overall, a minus-100 goal differential and a 32-point decline from 2024-25.

[00:00:45] Vancouver finishes tied for 30th offensively while ranking last in both defense and penalty killing.

[00:01:00] With expectations low, Vic asks what Johnson, the Sedins and Malhotra should consider meaningful progress this season.

[00:01:15] Neil believes the first objective is simply becoming a more unified team that competes consistently every night.

[00:01:25] Elias Pettersson becomes one of the organization’s biggest projects after his production dramatically declined.

[00:01:45] Brock Boeser remains an important piece, but Vancouver no longer resembles the roster that finished first just a few seasons ago.

[00:02:00] The most significant difference is the absence of Quinn Hughes, leaving Vancouver without the superstar defenseman who previously drove so much of its attack.

[00:02:15] Brendan Gallagher arrives in his hometown, bringing leadership, energy and the relentless style that has defined his career.

[00:02:30] Neil likes Gallagher’s competitiveness but still sees a roster nowhere close to serious playoff contention.

[00:02:40] Vic finds some positives in Vancouver’s outside additions, including Paul Cotter from New Jersey, Luke Schenn from Buffalo and Jamie Oleksiak from Seattle.

[00:02:55] Those veterans give Malhotra some size, leadership and foundational pieces as he attempts to establish a new culture.

[00:03:00] The departures continue with Nils Höglander traded to Nashville and Marcus Pettersson going to the Rangers for a conditional 2030 first-round pick.

[00:03:15] Teddy Blueger signs with Toronto, goaltender Jiri Patera heads to Boston and Curtis Douglas joins Seattle.

[00:03:30] Vic believes another seventh- or eighth-place finish is possible, but standings position shouldn’t be the only measurement of progress.

[00:03:40] If Vancouver can approach 70 points and develop a stronger team identity under Malhotra, there may finally be something to build upon.

[00:03:50] An interesting prospect storyline involves Malhotra’s son Caleb, who is headed to Boston University after ultimately being drafted by Vancouver.

[00:04:00] Neil wonders whether a strong freshman season could eventually lead Caleb Malhotra to join his father’s organization.

[00:04:15] Other prospects to watch include 2025 15th-overall selection Braeden Cootes and 2022 15th-overall pick Jonathan Lekkerimäki.

[00:04:30] Lekkerimäki has already appeared in 37 NHL games over two seasons and enters the final year of his entry-level contract with an opportunity to establish himself.

This season isn’t about expecting Vancouver to return immediately to the playoffs. It’s about rebuilding an identity. Malhotra needs Pettersson to rebound, young players to emerge and the entire roster to compete more consistently. After hitting the bottom with 58 points, even a climb toward 70 accompanied by meaningful development would represent an important first step.