Brady Tkachuk arrives early again, pushing Ottawa’s camp tempo and signaling a drive beyond the playoffs as the Senators chase a deeper run. Jordan Spence’s homecoming move adds blueline depth and a potential surge in ice time behind a rising core that includes Batherson and Pinto. The Spence trade from Los Angeles and the Leafs playoff backdrop frame a push for chemistry and a quicker, more relentless start to 2025-26.

Silver launches a formal NBA probe into a Clippers-Aspiration sponsorship tied to Kawhi Leonard’s 2021 deal, raising the specter of salary-cap circumvention and penalties that could include fines or draft-pick forfeitures. The saga intertwines Ballmer’s wealth, Leonard’s no-show clause, and a high-stakes off-court arrangement, with the potential to reshape cap rules and team-building in LA.

Fantasy managers should monitor the investigation’s outcomes, as any cap adjustments or sanctions could ripple through Clippers’ rotation and budget, affecting player usage and value. The story underscores how off-court deals can influence on-court value in a league where cap discipline and star salaries drive roster strategy.

Maple Leafs sign Dennis Hildeby to a three-year extension, two-way for 2025-26 and 2026-27, then a one-way in 2027-28, at 841,667 AAV. The 24-year-old posted 16-9-4 in the AHL with the Marlies in 2024-25 (2.55 GAA, .908 SV%) and appeared in six NHL games (3-3-0, 3.33 GAA, .878 SV%). All-Star honors in 2024 and 2025 highlight a patient, development-driven path behind Toronto’s NHL trio.

Carey Price’s Montreal contract remains a potential trade chip, but LTIR constraints and a sparse buyer pool make a deal unlikely. The chatter surfaces amid broader cap talk, as Kirill Kaprizov and Jack Eichel approach big-money extensions that could reshape teams’ 2025-26 plans. Separate notes touch Milano, Hildeby, and Prokhorov as facets of the NHL CBA landscape, signaling how cap mechanics will guide moves even beyond Price’s situation.

The piece underscores how a Price trade would hinge on LTIR-friendly teams and signing-bonus quirks, with Price still valued on the ice and as a cap asset only if the right scenario arises. Fantasy managers should watch which teams gain LTIR flexibility and how that could affect goaltending depth and cap-shaving opportunities across the league.

Some parts of the new CBA go into effect immediately, with LTIR tweaks, no deferred compensation and a tighter paper-loan policy changing how teams manage cap in 2025-26. Other provisions land later, including ELC and min-salary rules ahead of 2026-27, plus mandatory neck protection and European eligibility shifts. Opening Night kicks off 2025-26 with a tripleheader as Sonny Milano gears up for camp, Hildeby inks with Toronto, Prokhorov joins the Islanders, and Kaprizov’s contract talks heat up Minnesota.

Fantasy players should map immediate cap implications, LTIR usage, and recall limits to roster construction. The Leafs, Islanders, Wild, and Capitals headline the season’s strategic shifts, with goaltending depth and young players likely to see opportunities as rosters adapt to the new rules and timing.