Canucks face a thin second-line center market and tight cap space, making a blockbuster unlikely. The talk centers on internal development as the most viable path, with external options like Rossi, Roslovic, and McTavish debated but constrained by cost and teams’ willingness to move. Broader NHL chatter links Eichel, the Hughes brothers, Karlsson, and Zacha to the center market, underscoring how scarce top pivots remain and why Vancouver may lean on its own pipeline for the foreseeable future.

Chinakhov hasn’t rescinded his trade request; Don Waddell would listen to offers if the return fits. Chinakhov’s return to Columbus skating signals seriousness, while Evason will discuss misunderstandings. Crosby rumors swirl toward the Senators, Canadiens and Avalanche, with Hutson and Demidov named as likely assets. Crosby’s two-year window keeps the chatter alive.

Breakout benchmarks for fantasy hockey shift upward: since 2009-10, 281 forwards have broken into the top 100 at least twice. Median FPPG to clear is 1.89, and a player must sustain that for half a season to qualify. The typical breakout occurs at age about 24 with 143-402 career games. About 115 forwards hit that bar; the list highlights players likely to graduate from potential to proven and push into top-six minutes this season.

Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill said contract talks with Jason Robertson are ongoing as they navigate the cap landscape, with Robertson a key pillar and a life-changing extension on the horizon. He stressed there’s no urgency, but both sides want to get ahead of the situation, and there’s broad market chatter as teams call while Dallas weighs its options.