NHL

Seattle was in playoff position before a late collapse last season. The Kraken are relying on youth, continuity and targeted additions in 2026–27.

Seattle is building around the idea that a faster, younger lineup can create offense by arriving in waves. The challenge is turning pace into dangerous chances rather than harmless motion.

St. Louis is not rebuilding in the traditional sense. The Blues are trying to lower the roster’s age while preserving enough structure to remain competitive.

Two additional games sound small; across travel, goaltending and injury risk, they increase the value of every playable roster layer.

An offer sheet can acquire a player, force a rival’s cap decision or expose a bluff; it can also lock the aggressor into a price the market helped create.

Draft night orders prospects. Development determines which skills survive the jump from projection to NHL responsibility.

Carolina did not win the Stanley Cup by pressuring everywhere. It won by making pressure arrive with support and a second answer.

A forecheck is not three forwards skating hard. It is five players controlling the next pass, the next lane and the cost of a failed pressure.