Adrian Kempe remains far from an extension with the Los Angeles Kings as contract talks drag, with both sides weighing market value and cap realities and the sense that the first domino for 2026 UFAs could shift leverage. Teams are watching the process closely as they plan the coming window with eye-catching, long-term deals unlikely to come cheap.

In Edmonton, the Oilers are juggling more than just Connor McDavid’s extension—meetings are ongoing, and progress on Jake Walman’s long-term deal signals a broader strategy to stabilize the back end ahead of the season. Podkolzin’s extension in Vancouver and Pinto’s status in Ottawa underscore a league-wide focus on locking up young talent, while whispers about Hart and potential moves to Calgary or Winnipeg add a potential multi-team wrinkle to the market.

Bryan Rust navigates a rising trade rumor tide as his no-trade clause expires and Kyle Dubas says he would look at anything. The Penguins face structural questions, and Rust’s name keeps surfacing in a market where teams weigh cap, aging assets, and fit. Chinakhov’s situation amplifies the chatter around Edmonton, too, with Oilers balancing space and depth.

Edmonton’s goalie setup—Skinner’s development, a new goalie coach, and Janmark’s unsettled roster slot—along with Hyman’s delayed return and Tolvanen’s long-term Seattle link, threads a league-wide pattern: contracts, upside, and the risk of a cluttered market shaping fantasy value early in the season.

Pettersson, Shesterkin and Klingberg emerge as top positive regression candidates for 2025-26, with Pettersson eyeing a return to 30+ goals and 80+ points amid a fresh Canucks start, Shesterkin rebounding behind a steadier Rangers lineup, and Klingberg potentially reviving his PP quarterback role in San Jose. On the downside, Wilson, Walman and Kuemper carry clear regression flags: Wilson’s goal rate looks unlikely to hold, Walman’s role may shrink, and Kuemper could drift toward an average starter.

These projections hinge on health, coaching changes, and lineup stability, then translate into concrete fantasy implications: draft around risk-reward for goaltending with Kuemper, and target players like Pettersson and Shesterkin where firm performance anchors are likely despite surrounding team turbulence. The article places these players in a realistic context for 2025-26 rosters and DFS/casual fantasy planning.

Carey Price’s $10.5 million cap hit is at the center of Montreal’s cap-clearing debate, with the Canadiens aiming to move him using futures rather than gutting their current roster. They have signaled they won’t part with top prospects Michael Hage and David Reinbacher, whose rising stocks and potential as a future top-four backbone make them priceless assets in trade talks. The team is juggling LTIR timing and a September 1 bonus, while staying over the cap for now, signaling more maneuvering could follow once Price is moved.

Oilers chatter links Edmonton to cap-friendly shuffles, notably Jake Walman, as teams chase flexibility. Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk remains a wildcard, weighing a 50/50 surgery decision that could sideline him for two to three months after a torn adductor/sports hernia, a fitness-health risk coach Paul Maurice described as hampering his playoff form. The summer’s cap arithmetic and asset valuation underline a delicate, high-stakes chess game among Montreal, Florida, and rival suitors.

In short, cap space, asset value, and injury timelines are shaping a volatile market where price-tag moves could cascade into further roster reshaping for the start of the season.