The 2026 NHL Off-Season Thread: More Fools And Their Cap Space, Soon Parted

[itwasaforwardpass]

It's only American captains of their NHL teams that are forcing trades. Tage is safe. Austin Matthews on the other hand...

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Robertson? Flip Dallas 9 and something?

Wonder if Robertson goes to Ottawa, then Tuch goes to Dallas ?

 

[toddkaz]

Buffalo is going to lose Tuch and needs to improve the team without losing core roster players.

God I hope Jarmo is up to the job,

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[enthusiast]

And yet…the entire story ended with him being both of those things.

You want to believe what a podcast where they laugh at each others mouth farts as gospel…go ahead. But try and find me one actual report he wanted out or that there was even ONE conversation about a trade reported anywhere. What was the rumored return? What teams were in on that? Surely if we almost lost him that should be easy to remember or find.

Then look up the word “close” in the dictionary.

Famously, the end comes after the beginning, Ace.

 

[Chainshot]

So far it feels like a typical Buffalo offseason where everyone gets better around us. Of course its just getting started...

We've yet to see how this shakes out though.

Toronto had a giant hole to try to fill and threw money at the issue. Will Raddysh and Andrea be enough to overcome the lack of skill on their blueline to get the puck up the ice? They didn't yet address their depth issues either.

Ottawa? They have a crap ton of picks but have just shipped out their captain for nothing yet on the ice.

Tampa? We heard their fans lamenting about the state of their blueline and they just lost their top point producer who vibed so well with Kucherov on the PP and haven't replaced him... nor is there really anyone out their free to replace him on the market.

Florida? Sure... got beefier and gave up more of their near-term draft capital but still have no goalies.

Boston? Haven't heard a peep and they're not in on any of the UFA talk as of yet on a roster that looked like it overachieved. Montreal hasn't done anything yet.

Detroit? They still have the Larkin situation out there and it seems like poison to a team that again collapsed late in the year.

The division is in serious flux.

 

[toddkaz]

We've yet to see how this shakes out though.

Toronto had a giant hole to try to fill and threw money at the issue. Will Raddysh and Andrea be enough to overcome the lack of skill on their blueline to get the puck up the ice? They didn't yet address their depth issues either.

Ottawa? They have a crap ton of picks but have just shipped out their captain for nothing yet on the ice.

Tampa? We heard their fans lamenting about the state of their blueline and they just lost their top point producer who vibed so well with Kucherov on the PP and haven't replaced him... nor is there really anyone out their free to replace him on the market.

Florida? Sure... got beefier and gave up more of their near-term draft capital but still have no goalies.

Boston? Haven't heard a peep and they're not in on any of the UFA talk as of yet on a roster that looked like it overachieved. Montreal hasn't done anything yet.

Detroit? They still have the Larkin situation out there and it seems like poison to a team that again collapsed late in the year.

The division is in serious flux.

Toronto adds McKenna too.
Florida will have Barkov back next year plus Tkachuk brothers

We will probably lose Tuch.

Like I said in my post, its just getting started but the vibes are going the wrong way.

 

[Chainshot]

Toronto adds McKenna too.
Florida will have Barkov back next year plus Tkachuk brothers

We will probably lose Tuch.

Like I said in my post, its just getting started but the vibes are going the wrong way.

We knew Florida was going to get healthier.

McKenna may work out but there are enough questions about his game to question if he's going to be something. I've expressed my doubts about his game being too perimeter right now to match some of the hype coming out of the 'dub and while he blew up the fitness testing at the combine, that also points to less possible gains on his frame going forward. Good player? Probably. Great player? TBD. He isn't known for playing in his own zone which remains an issue for Leafdom.

There is no reason to panic. The sky has not fallen.

 

[toddkaz]

We knew Florida was going to get healthier.

McKenna may work out but there are enough questions about his game to question if he's going to be something. I've expressed my doubts about his game being too perimeter right now to match some of the hype coming out of the 'dub and while he blew up the fitness testing at the combine, that also points to less possible gains on his frame going forward. Good player? Probably. Great player? TBD. He isn't known for playing in his own zone which remains an issue for Leafdom.

There is no reason to panic. The sky has not fallen.

Panic? for a 3rd time I said its only the start. That means panic and sky is falling to you just because I said other teams are improving?

 

[Chainshot]

Panic? for a 3rd time I said its only the start. That means panic and sky is falling to you just because I said other teams are improving?

As I said, the division is in flux. We appear to be on the same page about this other this.