UND's Ralph Engelstad Arena hosted a revived pro camp, mixing nostalgia with development. Brock Boeser, Derek Forbort, Jacob Bernard-Docker, and Matt Kiersted trained alongside two-time Cup winner Matt Greene, while Nick Schmaltz and Drake Caggiula skated for the first time with former UND stars since the CBS Line days. Europe-bound players kept the reunion partial, with >20 alumni back and campus upgrades on display. The event underscores UND's enduring NHL pipeline and the program's renewed pull.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will be featured in 16 national TV games in 2025-26, underscoring their enduring visibility even as they chase a return to the playoffs. The slate spreads across ESPN, ABC, ESPN+/Hulu and TNT, highlighted by a 10/7 opener at the Rangers and a home opener 10/9 vs the Islanders. Local coverage remains with SNP, Josh Getzoff, Colby Armstrong and Phil Bourque, plus SNP360 streaming for a buck for 30 days. Radio on 105.9 The X roars as Rupp shifts to a more national focus, leaving Armstrong and Bourque in the rotation.

Beyond the Penguins, the national lineup features meetings with the Rangers, Flyers, Capitals, Oilers, Maple Leafs, Red Wings, Golden Knights, Bruins, Avalanche and Islanders, shaping DFS angles and fantasy projections around high-profile matchups and marquee opponents. The comprehensive schedule provides fans and fantasy managers multiple opportunities to target top-line Penguins and key rivals on big stages.

Florida navigates the 2025-26 season as the odds-on favorite to seal a third straight Cup, anchored by continuity in Ekblad, Bennett, and Marchand. The front office doubled down on defense and depth, wary of playoff wear after years of deep runs. Five challengers—Maple Leafs, Avalanche, Oilers, Hurricanes, and Rangers—have revamped rosters and remain dangerous, while fatigue and health will shape Florida’s regular-season legs and postseason stamina.

Depth retention and patient acquisitions characterize Florida’s approach, aiming to keep the core intact while adding veteran postseason savvy. The league’s parity means the Cup path will demand top-level health from Ekblad and Barkov and continued secondary contributions. The Panthers enter as the team to beat, but the chase for a three-peat is a chess game with a short, unforgiving spring window.

Fantasy readers should watch internal roles emerge: Lundell and Luostarinen are poised for bigger roles; depth pieces could become playoff wildcards; and goaltending opportunities might hinge on health and schedule pressure. The season will test whether continuity can outlast the grind of four straight deep playoff runs and whether Florida can sustain elite possession and balanced scoring across seven-game series.

Canada’s Olympic plans center on a Four Nations pipeline, led by Crosby, McDavid, Reinhart, Point, MacKinnon and Makar, with the roster built to win and finalized after a Calgary orientation camp. Cooper compares the process to fine-tuning a Ferrari as Armstrong weighs a wide pool and a three-goalie race featuring Binnington, Hill and Montembeault. The Olympic return of NHL stars is framed around front-of-net play and depth, with a January roster reveal ahead of Milan’s Feb. 12 opener against Czechia.

Goaltending remains the most open competition, while the 25-man Canada squad will blend veteran leadership with high-end talent. The setup balances NHL club commitments with international success, aiming for a gold-medal performance in Milan-Cortina and signaling a new era of Canada at the Games after 2014.

News from Calgary emphasizes a structured, competitive process: players must earn their spots nightly, lines will be tested, and scouts will parse an eligible group of 50-plus names. The strategy centers on winning battles around the net and ensuring goaltending consistency, all under a clear mandate to excel on the international stage.