Welcome back to another edition of Around the NHL, as we’re just over a week away from dropping the puck on the 2025-26 regular season. The preseason is off and running as teams throughout the league have started to make significant cuts to their rosters, and each team’s lineup is starting to take shape for opening night.
The preseason has been entertaining, as bubble players are battling for spots, goaltenders are battling for starts, and rookies around the league are looking to impress their new bench boss. There’s also a ton of underlying storylines on each team, including one goaltender who has more than just NHL starts on his mind, meanwhile another goaltender who is a future hall-of-famer received the perfect send off for his career.
Here’s the very latest from around the NHL:
Blues’ Jordan Binnington wants Team Canada’s crease
After a stellar performance at the 4 Nations Face-Off back in February, St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington wants to run it back. With this NHL season being an Olympic year, Binnington hasn’t been shy that he has more on his mind than just winning hockey games for the Blues. He wants the starter’s job for Team Canada in Milan.
“It’s very special and it’s something I don’t take lightly,” Binnington said to NHL.com’s Dan Rosen. “Being at the orientation (camp) really set a vision for all of us on what’s ahead and the path to get there and what goes into it. I’m really starting to see the vision and the opportunity. It’s exciting. It’s the same old story of just focusing on what you can control, being the best version of yourself, seeing what you’re capable of and seeing where that takes me. That’s how I will direct my focus.”
Binnington heads into the 2025-26 season as the favourite to land the starting gig, especially considering he’s proven time and time again he’s capable of winning the big game. The Blues, however, struggled down the stretch so Binnington is hopeful his play can help push his team back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season. The 32-year-old Richmond Hill, ON native posted a 28-22-5 record, along with a 2.69 goals against average and a .900 save percentage last season.
The Blues’ netminder has found a mentor in Martin Brodeur, and Binnington has leaned into one of the all-time greats for a lot of advice, not only for NHL success, but also picking Brodeur’s brain on how to win at the Olympics. It’s essentially become a match made in heaven considering their career paths, and Brodeur has been very candid about how success at the Olympics will propel you above the rest.
“When I talked to him it was, ‘This is an important time in your career,’” Brodeur stated. “It was, ‘It’s going to define who you’re going to be as a goalie. “You have the net now. I don’t know if he’s going to have it, but that was my mentality when I played; until I lose, I’m the guy. So, embrace it as long as you can. I think that’s the attitude he’s going to have.”
While Binnington appears to have his name all over Team Canada’s starter’s crease, keep an eye on Sam Montembeault in Montreal, Adin Hill in Vegas, Mackenzie Blackwood in Colorado, Logan Thompson in Washington, Stuart Skinner in Edmonton, and Darcy Kuemper in Los Angeles, as this is the group Team Canada has on their radar.
Penguins give Marc-Andre Fleury the perfect send off
When the Pittsburgh Penguins signed Marc-Andre Fleury to a professional tryout agreement, it certainly turned some heads, but when the details came out about how everything was going to play out, it made perfect sense. Fleury was getting his shot to man the Penguins’ crease one last time, and end his NHL career with Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, and Kris Letang on the ice with him.
The perfect send off happened over the weekend as Fleury played the final period of Saturday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and felt the love from the Penguins’ fans as they were lined up for miles before the doors even opened.
Fleury stopped all eight shots he faced in the third period and helped the Penguins take home a 4-1 victory in his final appearance with the franchise. “I didn’t want to cost them the game,” the 40-year-old said postgame. “I didn’t want to give up six goals and look like an idiot. It ends well. I was really happy that I didn’t embarrass myself too much.”
One last win with the @penguins for Marc-Andre Fleury 👏 pic.twitter.com/MDcpn1gnM7
— NHL (@NHL) September 28, 2025
“We’ve played a lot of games and many seasons together,” said Fleury, who was overwhelmed with emotions. “We won together. I was lucky to get to live this one more time and share this moment with them. I might be sore when I wake up tomorrow, but it was worth it.”
Fleury joked that he feels bad because this is like the fourth time he’s said goodbye to his close friends in Pittsburgh and Penguins nation. Kudos to the fans who showed up and made it feel like a playoff game in September.
Quick hits from around the NHL:
- Anaheim Ducks signed restricted free-agent forward Mason McTavish to a six-year contract worth $42 million total.
- Seattle Kraken forward Kaapo Kakko is out six weeks after suffering a broken hand.
- Florida Panthers captain Aleksandar Barkov is out for at least the regular season after tearing two ligaments in his knee during practice last week.
- The Blues extended defenceman Cam Fowler on a three-year contract worth $6.1 million AAV.
- Chicago Blackhawks’ defenceman Alex Vlasic is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
- Vancouver Canucks’ forward Nils Hoglander is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.
- Calgary Flames’ Rasmus Andersson admitted the door is not closed on signing an extension with the Flames.
- Kirill Kaprizov ‘s camp and Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin continue to discuss a record-setting contract extension, but so far, no deal is imminent.
- Stars’ Jamie Benn is out at least a month after suffering a collapsed lung.
PRESENTED BY THE DAILY FACEOFF SURVIVOR POOL
Think you’ve got what it takes to outlast everyone else? Test your hockey smarts in the Daily Faceoff Survivor Pool — a high-stakes game of elimination with a $2,500 grand prize for the last fan standing. The contest continues until there’s only one survivor — and that winner takes it all. Are you ready to survive? Sign up now and make your picks!