Avalanche power play overhaul is the focal point for 2025-26 as Colorado shifts to a new voice with Hakstol and a training camp packed with both returning stars and fresh options. The unit faces the challenge of reviving volume and quality of chances after a brutal seven-game playoff with Dallas, trusting MacKinnon and Makar while layering in Landeskog, Nichushkin, Olofsson and Burns to diversify looks and unleash two potent setups.

With Burns at the top of the setup and a mix of net-front and bumper options—Landeskog, Nichushkin, Lehkonen, Rantanen and others—the Avs aim for a flexible approach that could resemble PP1 and PP1.5 rather than a single elite unit. Training camp will reveal how the new depth translates to ice time, with a core built to push Colorado back to the top of the NHL power-play charts.

Landon Sim, 21, is in rookie camp with the Marlies after signing as a free agent, intent on climbing from junior success to pro status. A summer training moment with John Tavares created a tangible Leafs link, underscoring a lineage of competitiveness and earned grit. Sim’s path weaves through Memorial Cup pedigree, Blues exhibitions, and a network of rising Maple Leafs prospects, with a Montreal weekend tournament as a proving ground.

He’s driven by a family legacy (his father Jon Sim won the Stanley Cup) and the mentorship style of Craig Berube, a coach who values hard work. The feature traces his ties to Easton Cowan, Ben Danford and Jacob Quillan, his London Knights roots, and his bid to translate AHL promise into an NHL opportunity.

Rumors swirl around Kirill Kaprizov and the Minnesota Wild: a trade-list request is floated amid discussions of a mega-contract and an extension, with Kaprizov’s full no-move clause limiting options. Turned down an eight-year, $16 million per season offer, signaling his camp may be seeking even bigger terms. As market signals grow louder, Minnesota faces a potential pivot between keeping Kaprizov long-term and exploring a trade if talks stall into the season, a dynamic that could reshape Wild and league fantasy value.

The chatter ties Leafs and Crosby into the larger puzzle, with Elliotte Friedman suggesting other teams could push to outbid and Kaprizov and his reps weighing options. The situation feeds fantasy-focused narratives: who benefits if Kaprizov stays, who loses if he moves, and how price tags shift Wild assets and wider player markets. All signs point to a high-stakes, yearlong storyline that could redefine risk and upside across rosters.