NHL extension season heats up as Connor McDavid’s Edmonton deal looms, setting the tone for a flurry of conversations across the league. Kaprizov in Minnesota, Eichel in Vegas, and Connor in Winnipeg emerge as top fantasy-watch names as extension talks shape salaries and cap implications. Long mid-term or short-term bets could alter line combos and surrounding value. Rumors about Erik Karlsson to Toronto and Hutson’s looming Montreal extension add further layers for fantasy bettors tracking futures and cap gymnastics.

Watch for Kaprizov’s eight-year proposal around the $120–130 million mark and McDavid’s own deal cadence; both can shift team construction and fantasy upside. Robertson’s RF A status and Dallas’ cap decisions, plus Hutson’s contract trajectory, are key dominoes. Subtle shifts in these contracts can redefine who benefits on offense and who loses a touch of opportunity in 2025+.

Montreal sits about 5 million over the cap, and moving Carey Price’s 10.5M cap hit would unlock space for immediate roster moves and a rash of deadline gambits. If no deal before opening night, Price could land on LTIR, squelching future flexibility and making performance bonuses a peril for callups. Several teams have floated a second-round pick for Price’s deal, but GM Ken Hughes insists Montreal isn’t forced to move him. The market suggests a trade is likely, even if not guaranteed.

Pittsburgh’s 2025-26 Over/Under slate centers on a veteran-heavy depth model. Anthony Mantha can push meaningful goal totals if he stays healthy, with a path to roughly a 14–15 goal pace before a potential deadline flip to a playoff contender. Justin Brazeau, Connor Clifton, and Parker Wotherspoon provide affordable bottom-six and third-pairing value, while Matt Dumba adds a veteran edge with upside softened by a lower scoring ceiling. The plan leans on controlled risk and deadline capital, anchored by Crosby, Malkin, and Jarry.

Mantha’s health and hand-eye around the net remain the keystones for optimism; Brazeau and Wotherspoon help balance depth with defensive value; Clifton slots as a versatile right-shot defenseman, and Dumba’s role hinges on carving out minutes in a crowded back end. If the Penguins can thread favorable matchups and leverage deadline leverage, these signings could pay modest dividends for fantasy and bets alike.