Kirill Kaprizov and Philip Gustafson secured long-term extensions with Minnesota, signaling a stable core as the cap climbs and a clear path to sustained contention. Gustafson’s $6.8M cap hit stands out as a value for a high-end goalie, while Kaprizov’s $17M/year deal anchors Minnesota’s offense for seasons to come. The move also frames Jesper Volstead’s development as a parallel upside play, with health and depth playing pivotal roles in the near term.

Across the league, Nashville eyes a sharper start as leadership reshuffles and defensive systems tighten. The Predators lean on Juuse Saros to rebound, Roman Josi to anchor the blue line, and a revamped special-teams approach to improve five-on-five play. An ongoing branding dispute involving Utah Mammoth/U.S. teams adds off-ice intrigue, but the on-ice narratives remain the fantasy focal point this week.

Edmonton’s Conor McDavid contract chatter dominates the early season as a cap surge looms, with the panel signaling a short‑term deal likely well under max payrolls and clarity arriving in the next 48 hours. The discussion centers on how the Oilers balance a marquee extension with Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins, Nurse and Hyman to stay competitive as the cap expands.

In Montreal, Lane Hudson’s contract talks and RCA tax considerations color Caufield and Suzuki’s horizon. Goalie depth across the league—Sorokin, Vasilevskiy, Gustafsson, Wolf, Ingram, Markström—frames decisions for the West, where Anaheim and Calgary figure as intriguing sleepers as preseason fades into opening night.

Chicago's preseason dress rehearsal showed a fast, competitive Hawks group that can push pace and grind for greasy goals, even as a 3-2 loss to Minnesota underlined areas to tighten like the power play. Bedard piled up shot volume and elicited optimism around his growth, while Nazar, Slaggert, and the bottom six gave Chicago tangible depth. The PK and five-on-five finish remain work-in-progress, but the vibe is brighter than last season as opening-night approaches.