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.

Josh Leivo’s return to the NHL could land with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who stand to gain a veteran winger with a proven pro pace. Leivo’s two-season stint in the KHL produced 49 goals and 80 points in just 62 games, showing elite scoring touch that could be a buy-low spark at the trade deadline. The Penguins would likely view him as a versatile top-nine option who could be a flexible piece for depth and secondary scoring as they chase a playoff surge.

Across the league, cap pressures loom. Florida’s near-cap ceiling has led to whispers about LTIR shuffling for Matthew Tkachuk and potential cap casualties like Evan Rodrigues, while the Olympic pursuit keeps Tkachuk active rather than opting out. In Toronto, the Nick Robertson situation remains a pivot point as the Leafs weigh future asset value versus roster fit, especially with Marner’s departure chatter simmering in the background. Marco Rossi on Minnesota’s RFAs adds another layer of deadline intrigue for teams seeking long-term pieces.

Brady Tkachuk is staying long-term with the Ottawa Senators, a move that solidifies the team’s core leadership and confidence heading into another playoff push. The decision edges the organization closer to a stable championship arc, with the downtown arena upgrade amplifying fan engagement and home-ice energy. For fantasy managers, the extension reduces risk around workload and chemistry on a team that already leaned on Brady as a top-line catalyst and power-play driver.

chatter around a potential Rangers pursuit faded as the captain committed, while his brother Matthew’s path—a stint in Calgary and now Florida—adds a meaningful backdrop to the Tkachuk family narrative. Ottawa’s core, led by Brady, aims to recapture the playoff taste, leveraging their new venue and a playoff pedigree to sustain production. The deal also signals stability for Ottawa’s offensive corps and defense in coming seasons, keeping Brady’s elite scoring and PP1 role a premium asset for fantasy rosters.

Brady’s long-term pledge aligns with Ottawa’s playoff-relevant trajectory and reinforces the team’s upside at home. Fantasy players should note that continued leadership, PP opportunities, and a growing core around Brady will likely keep his fantasy floor high, even as the Senators pursue sustained postseason contention. The downtown arena adds another layer of long-term growth potential for the franchise and its fantasy-friendly narrative.

EA Sports and the NHL are teaming up to inject NHL EDGE data into NHL 26, a move fans have craved for years. The data taps into the same metrics teams use for on-ice decisions—skating speed, acceleration, shot power, shot location, save types and more—promising a more dynamic, true-to-life hockey experience on the screen. Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk will be the game’s cover athlete, underscoring the league’s push toward data-driven realism. The game hits PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on September 12, 2025, with Cam Weber, EA SPORTS President, championing the effort as a bridge between elite analytical insights and fan-friendly gameplay.

For fantasy-minded players, the EDGE integration signals a potential rebalancing of in-game assets and projections. If the same data used by real teams informs strategies, in-game player cards could reflect sharper speed ceilings, stronger shot power, and location-specific scoring tendencies, leading to more predictive simulations and evolving roster decisions in fantasy dashboards. The result could be a more volatile yet rewarding projection landscape as performance data translates to virtual outcomes and roster-building nuance.

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.