Colorado’s aging core tightens the clock as EJ retires, and the Avs juggle a 29.17 average age—the fourth-oldest in the league—while navigating Landeskog’s knee rehab and Nichushkin’s prime window. The decision menu is load management, back-to-backs, and keeping a balance between health and playoff push, all against a backdrop where the Panthers’ run underscored how hard it is to sustain a title.

Past dynasties inform the plan: the team must read and react to medical updates, while the player group—MacKinnon and Makar leading a veteran-heavy depth—faces a potential window squeeze. The season looks like a marathon where every rest day and roster tweak matters for profitability in fantasy and bets alike.

Florida’s champions anchor the slate with Reinhart, Bennett, and Verhaeghe at the core, while Seth Jones joins the Panthers’ depth in a high-upside opening-night setup. The New York duo of Panarin and Fox thrives against Crosby’s Penguins, who bring Crosby and Karlsson as a potent veteran pairing. Bedard headlines Chicago’s lineup with Rinzel and Teravainen in the wings. Kuemper and Shesterkin are the go-to goalies, with Koivunen and Barkov injecting value due to early-season injuries and role changes.

Injuries shuffle lines and create opportunistic stacks, notably on the Blackhawks and Penguins, while the Kings’ Kuemper appears the safest cash option. A strong emphasis on mid-price centers and defensemen who power-play for both teams expands upside across the night. This slate rewards disciplined spending on top-lines, paired with a few contrarian secondary stacks to maximize upside in tournaments.

Connor McDavid signed a two year extension with the Edmonton Oilers worth 25 million total and 12.5 million per season, keeping the star center under contract through at least the 2027-28 window. The deal preserves his 12.5 million cap hit while extending his tenure in Edmonton after he was nearing free agency following the 2025-26 season. Edmonton opens 2025-26 vs Calgary with McDavid locked in for the near term, signaling stability as the team pursues a deep playoff run.

Market context shows McDavid joining a crowded top earners list by cap hit, with Draisaitl at 14M and Matthews at 13.25M among the league leaders. The largest NHL contracts all time are Kirill Kaprizov at 136M over eight years and Ovechkin at 124M over 13 years, underscoring McDavid’s position among the truly elite players even as the Oilers negotiate long term. The extension comes after reported talks from well respected insiders and caps off a narrative of Edmonton prioritizing McDavid as the franchise cornerstone.

Fantasy impact centers on McDavid’s continued supremacy and the Oilers’ ability to build around him. With McDavid and Draisaitl anchored, Edmonton remains a favorable environment for big point outputs, while the two year frame keeps options flexible for future roster moves. Expect McDavid to drive Shooting and Points upside while the Oilers manage cap flexibility for supporting pieces around him.