Nikolaj Ehlers signs with the Hurricanes on a six-year, 8.5M AAV deal, boosting a club that has reached the playoffs seven straight seasons and seeks its first Cup final since 2006. He’ll skate on a top line with Aho and Jarvis as Carolina looks to maximize scoring depth and chemistry this season.

The move adds Miller on defense and signals a broad, multi-year retooling to balance elite talent with cap flexibility. Coach Brind’Amour emphasizes gradual chemistry-building ahead of the Oct. 9 opener vs New Jersey, as Carolina chases another deep playoff run.

NHL and NHLPA’s Milan stop launches a first-of-its-kind cross-sport activation with Serie A clubs Inter and Milan, spotlighting a shared global fan pulse for hockey and soccer. In a week of events in Milan, 26 NHL stars will mingle with European soccer icons, with a focus on Olympic visibility ahead of Milano Cortina 2026. Seven players named to preliminary Olympic rosters—Aho, Heiskanen, Seider, Raymond, Hischier, Nylander, and Zibanejad—anchor the roster as Inter hosts a training session and Milan’s opener vs Cremonese. The journey includes jersey exchanges with Serie A legends and a broadcaster summit to amplify cross-border storytelling.

The alliance aims to translate on-field star power into digital and live experiences for fantasy audiences and global fans, leveraging both leagues’ brands and broadcast ecosystems. A historic jersey swap at MSG from a March 2025 moment between Mika Zibanejad and Pirlo/Materazzi underscored the ambition to fuse hockey and soccer narratives. As Milan pivots toward 2025–26, the collaboration is framed as a blueprint for cross-sport engagement, talent mobility, and a broader, more immersive fan experience that transcends traditional league boundaries.