The Idaho Steelheads signed forward Danny Dzhaniyev for the 2025-26 season, adding a young scorer with strong leadership pedigree to their forward group. At 22, Dzhaniyev finished a four-year stint at Penn State with 93 points in 146 games and served as an alternate captain during PSU’s historic Frozen Four run, posting a career-best 12 goals and 31 points in 40 games last season.

His development path spans the USHL with the Dubuque Fighting Saints and two seasons with the U.S. National Development Team Program, illustrating a well-rounded ladder toward pro hockey within the Dallas Stars organization. The signing reinforces the Stars’ pipeline of young talent moving through the minors, with Dzhaniyev’s playmaking and two-way versatility as potential accelerants for a future climb toward higher levels.

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.

Jason Robertson and Jake Oettinger were named to USA Hockey’s Olympic Orientation Camp in Plymouth, Michigan (Aug. 26-27), joining 42 other invitees from 24 NHL teams as Team USA gears up for 2026 Milano Cortina. The two-day camp is administrative and team-building, with no on-ice sessions. The selection marks an early step toward finalizing the Olympic roster, which already included six players announced in June: Eichel, Matthews, Brady Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk, Hughes and McAvoy.

The U.S. sits atop the IIHF rankings and is chasing its first Olympic gold since 1980, after a 4 Nations final loss to Canada earlier in 2025 and a World Championship gold in May. A full invitee list was released by USA Hockey, underscoring the depth and ambition of this roster-building phase.

USA Hockey invited 44 NHL players to a two day orientation in Plymouth, Michigan on Aug 26 27 as an early peek at the 2026 Olympic roster. The event is mainly administrative and team building with no on ice work, and attendance does not guarantee a spot on the final 25 man team, which will be announced in early January ahead of the Games in February 2026.

Among those invited are 23 players who played in the 4 Nations Face Off, 12 world championship gold medalists, and a mix of current stars and former Olympians such as Patrick Kane, Ryan McDonagh, Brock Faber, Matthew Knies and Jake Sanderson. The roster snapshot spans goaltenders, defensemen and forwards including top names like Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Connor Hellebuyck, Dylan Larkin, Jason Robertson, Kyle Connor, Tage Thompson, Brady Tkachuk and Vincent Trocheck. Noteworthy caveats include Matthews potential pace and Kane’s possible role given evolving surgery considerations for Tkachuk. The final 25 roster is due in January, with Olympic hockey scheduled for 2026.

Columbus signs Brendan Smith to a professional tryout, adding a veteran blueliner with a track record of physical play and versatility. Smith, who split last season between forward and defense with Dallas, appeared in 32 games and produced 1 goal and 5 assists while logging about 13 minutes per night. The Jackets view him as a training-camp option who could slot into a depth role if he proves he can adapt to Columbus’ system.

Smith’s career spans 15 NHL seasons and six teams, giving CBJ a mentor-type presence for their younger defensemen. Columbus GM Don Waddell framed him as a character-driven, veteran presence who competes hard and defends well in the zone. For fantasy managers, this move isn’t an immediate driver; Smith would need a defined roster spot and significant minutes to become relevant, likely in a third-pair/PK role if he earns the job.

The Stars brought him in last summer as a depth piece, but his ice time dwindled and postseason opportunities were scarce. CBJ’s move signals a depth-focused approach in camp, not an outright wage for a top-four role. Monitor preseason usage: if Smith claims minutes and special-teams time, he could become a late-season depth option; otherwise, he remains a name to know rather than a target.