Martin Necas’ breakout season puts Colorado at a cap crossroads. A path toward a $10M+ deal looms as MacKinnon’s $12.6M anchor and Makar’s looming extension tighten the books. The Avs may ride the season with Necas or move him before the deadline to avoid losing him for nothing while keeping room for the core.

Patrik Laine’s slipping role under Martin St. Louis and an $8.7M cap hit raise questions about his fit and future, potentially prompting a change of scenery if he doesn’t rebound. Evgeny Kuznetsov’s KHL detour, driven by family and questions about his game, adds another layer to the veteran market as rumors swirl around Pittsburgh’s interest that Kuznetsov disputes.

Rantanen’s $12M ceiling, Kaprizov’s extension trajectory, and the ongoing debate over how teams finance high-end talent frame the discussion for next summer’s contracts and possible trades.

Montreal rolled to a 5-0 preseason win over Ottawa behind Patrik Laine and Alexandre Carrier scoring in the second period, with Oliver Kapanen, Lane Hutson and Kirby Dach also finding the net. Brendan Gallagher posted three assists as Jakub Dobes earned the shutout; Ottawa goalie Leevi Merilainen stopped 18 of 23. Montreal went 3-for-10 on the power play, while Ottawa was 0-for-2 despite a 102-minute penalty load.

In a separate NHL showcase, Minnesota edged Winnipeg 3-2. Marcus Foligno broke a 2-2 tie with a short-handed marker in the second, while Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov doubled the Wild’s lead on the power play. Kaprizov signed a historic $136 million, eight-year deal in the lead-up to the season. Connor Hellebuyck took the loss for Winnipeg, with Cole Koepke and Vladislav Namestnikov supplying the Jets’ goals.

St. Louis enters his fourth Canadiens camp with a deeper roster and one forward spot to decide, while top-line stability is clear but the middle six remains unsettled. Kapanen appears to have the inside track thanks to a mature two-way game, and Newhook shifts to a defensive, penalty-killing role as he chases improved faceoffs. Montreal’s 82-game grind looms, with Demidov, Bolduc, Dach and Laine pushing for secondary lines behind Suzuki, Caufield and Slafkovsky.