Sneaky. Creative. And totally within the rules. Armstrong’s predatory — and successful — double offer sheets to Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg allowed the savvy executive to swipe two young talents from the conference champs. It also ratcheted up the temperature for the Blues-Oilers in-season series and, hopefully, expedited the 2019 Cup winner’s roster reset. “Quite honestly, I’d do it to my mother if she was managing the Oilers,” Armstrong proclaimed. The Code has been broken, and with the cap on the rise, Armstrong might have started a trend. Moreover, Armstrong has been named Canada’s GM for the 2026 Olympics, and he’ll be keeping one eye on scouting for the nation. (No doubt, he’ll snatch a couple more Oilers for that team, too.)

The commissioner’s plate runneth over. Regional TV contracts are in flux, and the national Canadian package will be up for grabs soon. Hungry would-be expansion team owners are knocking down his door (U.S. applicants only?). The Olympics still need an official signoff. And a new CBA, to be bargained with the engaged union chief Marty Walsh, lies just around the corner. Bettman will continue to highlight hockey’s progress. The Coyotes’ move, Amazon Prime’s increased interest, and the 4 Nations Face-Off are all wins. Still, financially, the NBA has left the NHL in its dust, and hockey faces competition for viewership from soccer, golf, tennis, UFC, and F1.

“To the young girls who need to hear it… you can and you will.” That’s the caption Campbell posted on Instagram — appropriately punctuated with an ice-blue heart emoji — after getting the call up from the minors. The Saskatchewan native will smash barriers this fall as she joins Dan Bylsma on the Seattle Kraken staff, the first woman to coach full-time on an NHL bench. An incredible accomplishment, to be sure. But it comes parceled with the immediate challenge of rallying the Kraken back into the postseason.

Fans of the other 31 clubs are wondering why their MVP can’t be a top-10 hockey player at age 37, and why he won’t skate for a ridiculously team-friendly $8.7 million? Crosby’s commitment reinforces the Pittsburgh captain’s desire for team success — to snuff the Penguins’ playoff drought at two years — but it also piles even more pressure onto Kyle Dubas’s front office. The Metropolitan is hardly a division of world-beaters and Crosby has helped free up some spending money to turn this aging outfit into a playoff team again. Regardless, we’ll finally be treated to Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon on the same squad at the 4 Nations tourney. Meaningful hockey awaits the selfless Kid.

Mystery shrouds the Vezina Trophy finalist’s health for this critical campaign, as questions over the particulars of his injury (injuries?) and the remedies taken have lingered since he bowed out of the playoffs banged up. (That backup Arturs Silvos was also less than 100 per cent this summer increases concern.) Demko, 28, is one of the best at his position when ready to go. Yet he has never stayed healthy for a full 82. And he now reveals that his injury is so unique, no other hockey player has dealt with it. Demko’s (avail)ability is imperative if Rick Tocchet’s encouraged bunch are to prove that 2023-24’s 50-win eruption was no fluke — and could well earn him a nod for Team USA.

The life and legacy of Gaudreau — the little player that could — has impacted the cities of Calgary and Columbus, while tributes for Johnny Hockey and brother Matthew keep flowing like the brothers’ joy for the sport. “Johnny didn’t crave the spotlight, but with that big smile and those fast hands, he couldn’t outrun his fate. He was a hero,” Lanny McDonald said. “He carried this big hockey town on his small frame.” This season, the wonderful memory and senseless death of the Gaudreaus will be carried by all those around the league touched by their passion and rocked by their passing.

The projected first-overall pick of the 2025 draft broke some guy named Nikita Kucherov’s points record (22) at this summer’s IIHF U-18 World Championship, ramping up his hype as the NHL Draft Lottery’s grand prize. Hagens, 17, is off to Boston College, where the centreman will be one of the youngest players in the NCAA and aspire to raise his game above that of top-rated Canadian prospect Porter Martone. As per tradition, rebuilding clubs — Columbus, Anaheim, San Jose, Chicago, Calgary, who else? — will sell at the deadline and embrace the race for hopefuls like this playmaking stud from Long Island. Saggin’ for Hagens?

Since making the transition from agent of the Oilers’ superstar to the club’s CEO, all Jackson has done is oversee an impactful mid-season coaching change and a trip to Game 7 of the Cup Final; hire, amid criticism, Stan Bowman to replace Ken Holland as general manager; execute a much-lauded free agency without a GM in place; get hit with the rare double offer sheet; and sign off on the most expensive contract extension in the cap era. Now, Jackson’s organization — Canada’s best bet to end a 32-year curse — must clear that one final hurdle on the ice while accommodating hefty raises for arguably the most valuable pending RFA (Evan Bouchard) and for Connor McDavid, eligible to ink the NHL’s richest contract extension come July 1.

Tom Fitzgerald was all over Keefe once the man with the sparkling 349-212-79 record and perfect post-season attendance was handed his walking papers in Toronto. Following a disappointing 2023-24 in New Jersey — hindered by injuries, inexperienced defence, and an absence of saves — many are circling the Devils as the team most poised for a resurgence in 2024-25, thanks to a healed Dougie Hamilton and Jack Hughes, plus the legit goalie tandem of Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen. Bounce-back teams generate Jack Adams candidates. If Keefe, who moves a half-step out of the spotlight, can guide the Devils to the dance, he’ll reap rave reviews.

Now seven seasons removed from his stellar 44-goal, 70-point showing as a sophomore in Winnipeg, 2016’s second-overall draft pick finds himself rehabbing another injury before debuting with his third team. If the affable sniper can rediscover his love for the game and rebound from a crushing preseason knee sprain, he could provide the Montreal Canadiens with some much-needed scoring and power-play swagger. The team and the player need each other. “I want him to be excited to play hockey. I want him to have that passion,” coach Martin St. Louis says.” I want him to be excited to come to the rink. No matter what I do, if he doesn’t have that passion, nothing else will stick.” Mercifully, Laine doesn’t need surgery, but will the Habs still be playing relevant games by the time their big off-season swing returns?

We can see the emotional Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy acceptance speech already. Should the Colorado Avalanche captain return to game action for the first time since accepting the 2022 Stanley Cup — which remains a big if — Landeskog will easily be this winter’s greatest comeback story. “He’s trying to make a return here sometime near the start of the season, and if that goes well, it would be a really big boost for us,” said coach Jared Bednar, whose club must start without suspended Valeri Nichushkin. “So, that’s something we’re all a little anxious about, but really excited about as well. He hasn’t played for us in two years.” Landeskog, 31, has kept the faith after a series of surgeries and setbacks. “Still a lot to be done, but I’m excited,” he told the Denver Post. “I feel like a hockey player again.”

For those having just now awakened from a coma: Marner is entering a contract year, and it’s a topic of discussion in Toronto. Despite no public profession from management that re-signing Marner is a high priority, the all-star right wing is back for what should be another all-star regular season. Agent Darren Ferris generally prefers his stud pending UFAs to play out 82 games and maximize their bargaining power, and it will be stunning if the two-way talent accepted a contract extension with a lower AAV than teammate William Nylander’s $11.5 million. So, what is Brad Treliving’s move here? The Maple Leafs GM could try to finagle a trade even though Marner holds full protection (unlikely), keep betting big bucks on elite talent (possibly), or simply wait and see if Marner & Co. can deliver come playoff time, putting the decision off until June.

All the world’s greatest hockey player did in 2023-24 was throw down 100 assists, turn the All-Star Skills Competition into a personal showcase, capture the Conn Smythe, push his Oilers within a couple goals of the most dramatic comeback in Stanley Cup Final history, and become a breakout reality-TV star. What could McDavid possibly cook up for an encore? Well, the man himself cares not for individual accomplishments at this stage — though Leon Draisaitl is on record saying McDavid could return to 60-goal form. McDavid’s eyes are fixed on the big prize, not the record-setting contract extension that presumably will follow next summer. Edmonton is a Cup favourite, again. Draisaitl is staying put. Support players are signing up and taking less. And McDavid is the top reason why.

GM Danny Briere’s big swing at the 2023 draft takes his talents to North America after tearing up the KHL for nearly a point per game as a teenager. The Calder Trophy frontrunner represents hope for the rebuilding Philadelphia Flyers and quite the philosophical foil for John Tortorella hockey. You all caught the clip of the rookie attempting a Michigan goal right in front of his old-school coach, right? “There’s going to be some fireworks,” Briere says of the player-coach relationship. “But he’s going to teach him to be a pro. He’s going to teach him to be the best player he can be.”

There was a time when the Washington Capitals were focused on breaking through and winning a Stanley Cup. These days, the club’s narrative revolves around the singular aim of one indestructible individual’s pursuit of the all-time goal-scoring record. Wayne Gretzky’s 894 was once believed to be untouchable, but a 39-year-old Ovechkin enters the franchise’s 50th season just 42 red lamps away from the unthinkable. Sure, Washington is hoping a refreshed Pierre-Luc Dubois and Jakob Chychrun can return them to the post-season, but in D.C., it’s all about The Gr8 Chase^TM. With Ovi signed through 2025-26, his record-breaking goal now feels like a when, not an if. Says John Carlson: “One thing I’ve learned is not to doubt him.”

When his (and Stan Bowman’s) employment ban was lifted by the NHL over the summer, Coach Q instantly became the most intriguing, accomplished, and controversial free agent on the open market. Clearly, the three-time Cup-winner wants back in the game after being banished in wake of the Kyle Beach investigation. (“By not asking more questions, I take ownership on that. Had I known more, I would’ve handled it completely different,” Quenneville says.) Considering the recent success of in-season replacement coaches such as Kris Knoblauch, expect Q’s name to pop up as soon as a team with lofty expectations hits the skids.

Sorely underpaid at $5.66 million, the New York Rangers’ No. 1 goalie strolls into his walk year as both the most valuable member of the defending Presidents’ Trophy champs and the goalie union. Will Shesterkin push hard to become the highest-paid netminder since GMs got squeamish after the massive contracts signed by Carey Price and Sergei Bobrovsky? Or will the locked-in Russian do Chris Drury a solid and leave some dough on the table (see: Hellebuyck, Connor) to accommodate raises for pending RFAs Alexis Lafreniere and K’Andre Miller, and help extend New York’s window of contention?

The savvy 46-year-old entrepreneur rushes into the NHL with deep pockets and grand ideas. As proud owner of the Utah Hockey Club, Smith has injected money and, more importantly, hope into a franchise that felt deserted in Arizona. Armed with picks, prospects, plenty of cap space, a sold-out NBA arena, plus a revamped top four (Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino), Salt Lake City is poised to soar as it rises from the ashes of Phoenix. “(Smith) just sat us down and said, ‘You know, I want to know what you guys need to feel comfortable,’” Clayton Keller says. “Everything has come true. He’s really made us feel at home.”

General manager of both the Boston Bruins and Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off squad, Sweeney’s roster decisions will arguably be the winter’s most scrutinized. Rankled by back-to-back playoff defeats to Florida, the Atlantic Division’s undisputed king, Sweeney splashed the pot in free agency — adding Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov — before engaging in a stubborn, testy, and unusually public RFA contract negotiation with stud goalie Jeremy Swayman. Swayman, an American, could well be the one standing between Sweeney’s other roster (mercifully uncapped) and a 4 Nations championship come February… in Boston. (P.S. Did we mention cap-friendly captain Brad Marchand is stepping into a contract year?)

Nashville’s second-ever GM started rebuilding on the fly and now he’s ready for the good ship Predators to soar. Showing the stomach for the bold move, Trotz was the first star of free agency, landing not one but two 40-goal forwards (chip-on-their-shoulder Cup-winners Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault) as well as coveted top-four defenceman Brady Skjei. He recommitted to Juuse Saros and traded the hottest goalie prospect around. Sure, the tax breaks are in Trotz’s favour, but he’s swiftly cultivated a contender in Music City. And now the team that has long relied on defence might have the scoring punch to make noise in the crowded Central.

After six straight post-seasons in which they’ve won at least one round but failed to reach the Stanley Cup Final, the Carolina Hurricanes are earning a rep as a good team that’s never good enough. Long-serving and influential assistant Tulsky steps up for departed GM Don Waddell (now with Columbus) and must not only keep the boat afloat but push it to a new horizon. Not an easy task considering the talent lost in free agency and the demands of managing up (owner Tom Dundon wants his say) and down. A Harvard grad with a PhD in chemistry from Berkeley, young Tulsky is hardly a member of The Old Boys Club. His success (or lack thereof) could well influence more outside-the-box hires.

Another off-season, another big swing in the Senators’ crease. Remember Matt Murray? Cam Talbot? Joonas Korpisalo? If you do, you’ll also recall that none of those veteran starters could muster so much as a .900 save percentage behind Ottawa’s inexperienced skaters. Enter good-vibes Ullmark, only one season removed from winning the Vezina, William Jennings and Presidents’ Trophies (and scoring a sick goalie goal). With arena relocation desires, a new head coach, and an ambitious owner, it’s no secret that a step toward playoff-race relevancy is overdue in Canada’s capital. The lads could use a few saves. “We all play to win. We don’t play for fun,” Ullmark says.

The union chief made strides in Year 1, working with the league to establish an international calendar, diving into Babcockgate, and seeing a happy conclusion to the disgruntled Arizona chapter of the PA’s membership. He also helped sell the players on Amazon’s all-access docuseries, Faceoff. Walsh already has had some contentious individual cases cross his desk in the pre-season — Robin Lehner in Vegas and Ryan Johansen in Philadelphia, and the cap floor in Columbus. He has managed them quietly. Work on those must be balanced with big-picture items such as how to best escalate the cap and keep peace during preliminary CBA talks with Bettman.

How long would patience last in Detroit if the Red Wings were not being run by an on-ice icon and the architect of a championship in Tampa Bay? Yzerman enters his sixth year at the helm in Hockeytown as both the longest-tenured active GM yet to make the playoffs and overseer of the NHL’s second-longest active post-season drought — the longest in franchise history at eight seasons and counting. The Red Wings have a shiny new barn but attendance issues. They locked in two young stars in the nick of time (Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider), and they’re banking on some fading ones (Patrick Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko). The man in charge can’t lace ’em up to save the day. Stevie Y needs a W.