The NHL offseason lingers as teams wait on key restricted free agents, with Mason McTavish at the center of the swirl. Luke Hughes and Marco Rossi remain unsigned, keeping their clubs wary of optics and cap implications. Anaheim’s patience is tested as McTavish’s role under Pat Verbeek’s system remains in flux, fueling trade chatter despite the Ducks’ stated playoff goals. A cluster of destinations—Detroit, Carolina, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Philadelphia, and even Pittsburgh—are floated as viable fits, each with its own price tag and strategic upside. The conversation centers on McTavish as a potential 2C and whether Anaheim should cash in now or hold for the right return.

Across the league, teams weigh how to navigate center depth behind McTavish, while rivals eye the Ducks’ leverage with a premium. The piece also threads in related unsigned RFAs and notable roster moves, highlighting how one marquee trade could realign conferences and fantasy values alike. Until signings land and training camps open, the market circling McTavish will shape both real-world outcomes and fantasy projections for the coming season.

Colorado is leaning on the college-to-pro pipeline, signing Alex Gagne and Ronald Attard to pro deals while bringing Sean Behrens back from a knee injury and counting on Logan O’Connor and Sam Malinski to anchor the system. Gagne, a 6-foot-5 defenseman who captained New Hampshire, will begin in the AHL with the Eagles, and Attard’s two-way deal should log plenty of time in Colorado’s depth. Behrens’ return adds immediate blue-line upside, while O’Connor and Malinski provide veteran presence and internal competition. It’s a deliberate path to replenish youth after a busy trade-and-draft cycle, with the Eagles as a proving ground and COL roster depth as the ultimate goal.

The Avalanche have consistently mined college free agents, and these moves underscore a long-term plan to fill the pipeline from within. By prioritizing players who waited to turn pro and emphasizing AHL development, Colorado aims to cushion injury gaps and rotations while keeping the NHL roster competitive in a salary- and asset-conscious environment.

Philadelphia and Pittsburgh head into the 2025-26 NHL season with patience, not playoff sprint urgency. Philadelphia formalizes a new era under Rick Tocchet, shifting toward player development and a refreshed team identity after a rough finish to last season. The Flyers’ goaltending committee—Sam Ersson, Ivan Fedotov, and Aleksei Kolosov—offers opportunity but adds uncertainty in net, with Carter Hart moving on. Morgan Frost and Owen Tippett are expected to shoulder more offense, while Cam York and a budding young core aim to prove the rebuild is real.

In Pittsburgh, an aging but elite core remains, led by Crosby, Malkin, and Letang, while management searches for a sustainable bridge to the next competitive iteration. Trades like Jake Guentzel’s move (and Rakell/Rust adjustments) signal a shift to younger depth, with Tristan Jarry’s return to form and Blomqvist riding as a homegrown backup. The Penguins will lean on Drew O’Connor and Puustinen to diversify scoring, balanced by a crease that may rely on Jarry and the developing keepers. The season will hinge on small gains in roster identity, injuries, and deadline moves rather than immediate Cup contention.

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2025-26 ticket plan is live, with single-game sales starting Aug. 13 at 10:00 AM through ticketmaster.com/penguins. The package covers preseason home games and 40 regular-season contests at PPG Paints Arena, led by a home opener on Oct. 9 against the Islanders and a follow-up meeting with the Rangers on Oct. 11.

A standout feature is a home-heavy schedule with 21 weekend games. The Penguins host the Maple Leafs on Nov. 29, welcome Detroit on New Year’s Day, and duel the Flyers twice on Jan. 15 and Mar. 7. The regular-season finale lands Apr. 11 at 3 p.m. versus the Capitals. Beyond single-game tickets, fans can buy full- or half-season memberships, 12-packs, premium rentals, and group experiences with deposits.

Fantasy-minded readers should note the home-dominant layout and marquee opponents, which could favor Penguins players with strong home-production trends and make key matchups more predictable for weekly planning and DFS stacking.

Sergei Ovechkin, six years old, stole the spotlight at the Ovi Cup gala in Moscow, blasting four goals in a charity all-star game that mixed current NHL stars with Russian greats. His pace and nose for the net were evident as he struck twice in the opening frame against Igor Shesterkin, helping Team Ovechkin roll to an 11-7 win over Pavel Datsyuk’s squad. The scene was as much a family moment as a showcase for upcoming talents, with Kirill Kaprizov feeding Sergei and Matvei Michkov contributing a multi-goal performance for the Ovi side.

Alex Ovechkin watched from the bench, praising Sergei’s progress and hinting that the brothers’ hockey journeys will be supported in the spirit of a holiday for kids. The event drew a who’s who of veterans and rising stars, including Malkin’s hat trick for Team Datsyuk, plus appearances by Fetisov, Kamensky, Sergachev, Orlov, Marchenko, and Zamula. The Ovi Cup remains a fertile proving ground for Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan’s young talent, with Sergei and Ilya shaping a family legacy that will be watched closely by fantasy enthusiasts eyeing the sport’s next-generation athletes.