Victor Olofsson is headed to Colorado on a one-year deal, adding a proven middle-six scoring threat to the Avalanche as the 2025-26 season approaches. The 30-year-old has 20-goal seasons on his resume and posted 15 goals and 29 points in 56 games with Vegas last year after a lengthy run with Buffalo that included a career-best 28 goals in 2022-23. Across 2019-23, he produced at a 25-goal, 52-point pace per 82 games with 32 power-play goals, underscoring his offensive punch and special-teams value. Now, in the thin early stretch of Colorado’s depth, Olofsson could provide another reliable winger for the middle six and contribute on the power play. His defensive numbers showed improvement after joining Vegas, a factor that could influence Bednar’s deployment if he carries the trend into the Avalanche system. In the playoffs, he logged two goals and two assists in nine games, mostly with the man advantage, signaling a potential postseason-role ceiling if he stays productive. Colorado opens the year without Logan O’Connor due to hip surgery, and the bottom six has at least one more vacancy beyond that, even after re-signing Joel Kiviranta. The top two lines look set with MacKinnon and Brock Nelson centering flanked by a mix of Necas, Lehkonen, Landeskog and Nichushkin, but Olofsson adds depth behind them. With Kiviranta back and Olofsson in the mix, Ross Colton, Jack Drury and Parker Kelly face competition for third-line minutes, improving Colorado’s flexibility and threat level in the middle frame.

Late-summer NHL chatter points to a quiet but potentially action-packed window between mid-August and September. The Pittsburgh Penguins sit at the center of talk about unfinished business, with others like the Edmonton Oilers, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, and New York Islanders all watched closely as GM decisions and season-start evaluations loom. The Buffalo Sabres surface as a target in trade talk, while teams eye their own 2026 picks in potential moves.

On the marquee, Marc-Edouard Vlasic’s Sharks buyout prompts teams to consider whom to mentor and where to upgrade the blue line, especially with Orlov and Klingberg cited as cap-space catalysts and upgrades. Montreal’s rebuild stance is noted alongside Toronto’s offensive gaps bridged by Nick Robertson and Mitch Marner. The storyline underscores a season that could begin with a batch of calculated moves rather than a full-blown fire sale, with fantasy managers parsing goaltending tandems, defensive depth, and line-shuffling implications as training camps approach.

In fantasy terms, the focus shifts to how goaltending tandems hold up, who gains top PP time, and which underperformers might be displaced by late-summer acquisitions. The window could recalibrate value across several rosters, turning watchlists into wish lists as teams test early-season depth and role clarity before the calendar turns to October.

Buffalo Sabres are nudging toward adding a proven top-six forward, eyeing Eeli Tolvanen as a plausible midseason target if Seattle isn’t in the playoff chase. Tolvanen posted a career-high 23 goals and has one year left on his deal, making him a high-upside rental with potential cost tied to a 20-goal pace and conditional picks or blue-chip prospects such as Isak Rosen, Devon Levi, or Noah Ostlund. If Seattle dangles Tolvanen, Buffalo could pursue a package that includes a first-rounder or a strong prospect, balancing immediate impact with future assets.

The chatter also covers a broader trade-market and draft-pick dynamics around 2026 selections, with Penguins’ Kyle Dubas discussing teams attempting to re-acquire their 2026 picks and the possibility of offer sheets viewed as leverage by teams like Winnipeg and San Jose. The report lists offer-sheet candidates (Sebrango, Kupari, Holtz, Zary, Evangelista, McTavish, Rossi) and notes some teams’ interest in specific names (Zary, Evangelista, McTavish, Rossi). It also notes extension talks for Dustin Wolf, UFA Matt Grzelcyk, and various waiver/rookie-target angles shaping both teams’ in-season contorts. The piece closes with a reminder to subscribe and follow for ongoing rumor-driven discussions across the league.

The 2025–26 Norris Trophy landscape centers on three frontrunners: Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes and Zach Werenski, with a pack of seasoned stars ready to push. Makar sits as the +135 favorite, driven by 30 goals and 92 points last season, plus heavy minutes and elite power play. Hughes trails at +190, known for 60 assists and 76 points in 68 games, with durability the key risk. Werenski jumps to +850 after a 82-point breakout season, yet team context and playoff progress could swing the vote. Beyond them, the field features Dahlin, Josi and others who could seize momentum in a tight, narrative-driven race.