Devils cap crunch looms after Luke Hughes signs for 9M, forcing potential moves even if Dougie Hamilton remains for now. Hamilton’s 9M, three years left, and a 10-team no-trade list complicate options as the team eyes start-of-season compliance. Across the league, McDavid’s extension talks with Edmonton stay unsettled, with Bowman emphasizing ongoing dialogue and uncertainty. Makar could push toward 17–18M after two years at 9M, reframing market pricing. Lane Hutson, Kyle Connor, and the Hughes brothers fuel rumors alongside Panarin, Roslovic, Ducks expansion chatter, and Carter Hutton’s commentary anchoring the chatter.

MacKinnon’s never-ending grind fuels the Avalanche as training camp opens: Landeskog returns, Burns arrives on defense, and new pieces like Victor Olofsson bolster the depth. Colorado aims to push a healthier core toward a 2026 Stanley Cup, learning from last spring’s heartbreak against Dallas while Nichushkin, Rantanen’s old rival, and a revamped power play keep the offense humming.

Gabe Landeskog’s knee cartilage transplant comeback redefines his NHL arc, returning as a full-time core of Colorado’s attack. After a 3-year pause, he anchors a high-octane top six with MacKinnon, Makar and Nichushkin, powering a potent special-teams unit and driving leadership through a grueling 82-game schedule and an Olympic year ahead.

Colorado's Mount Rushmore debate centers on whether Patrick Roy or Cale Makar joins Sakic, Forsberg, and MacKinnon. Roy’s four Cups and Conn Smythe vs Makar’s Norris trophies and Calder frame a clash of eras. Younger fans prize Makar’s ceiling; veterans point to Roy’s era-defining dominance. Voices from Gabe Landeskog, Devon Toews, Brian Boyle and EJ Hradek weight the case, with John-Michael Liles joking that five heads might be best. Time vs legacy fuels the playful clash.