Although Larkin’s NHL future remains a question with countless possible answers, the Red Wings are still confident they can convince the former captain. According to interim general manager Shawn Horcoff, the worst part of the storm may have passed. Clear skies may not lie immediately ahead, but the outlook is looking far more promising than it did months ago.

“With Dylan, a few things. He’s had a tough month,” Horcoff stated, via Brad Galli on X. “Obviously there’s a lot going on with Dylan, but I think on top of it, the injury probably came at a really inopportune time for him.

“I think it’s going to take some time, and he’s working back through that, and it’s only going to get easier for him as things go on here and he starts to find his game and his legs a little bit more. It hasn’t been easy for him.”

Detroit is standing by Larkin

When news broke of Larkin’s trade request, much was speculated about how the locker room would react. It’s not often that captains turn their backs on their teams, and it was reasonable to think his teammates might not have taken it lightly.

However, just as head coach Todd McLellan recently revealed the players’ stance on Larkin’s return from his upper-body injury, Horcoff made it clear that everybody in the organization is rooting for Larkin. Better said, they’re all rooting for the Red Wings, and as things stand, Larkin is a Red Wing. With no clear exit door on the horizon, he might stay that way for a while.

“[Larkin’s] got the full support of management and his teammates and the coaching staff in there, and he’s come back and really came to play right off the bat. And I think the fans have recognized that,” Horcoff stated.

Key takeaways

• Alex DeBrincat signed a $91 million contract extension with the Detroit Red Wings.
• Dylan Larkin requested a trade from the Red Wings following the 2025-26 NHL season.
• Shawn Horcoff stated that Dylan Larkin has the full support of Red Wings management.

Dorofeyev, who inked a seven-year, $77 million contract in The Big Apple after a tremendous scoring performance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, has struggled to find his footing. Although the Rangers have enjoyed a red-hot start to the campaign, they are still wary of their forward’s wet gunpowder.

Dorofeyev can sense the eyes across Manhattan staring at him, but he is unfazed. Instead, he made a bold statement about how he views his performance through the first few games of the season.

“I’m not focused on that stuff at all,” Dorofeyev admitted, via The Athletic. “Just trying to be myself and trying to help the team win the games. Sometimes you just have to play another way. It’s not always (about) the goals.”

NY Rangers have moved Dorofeyev around

Whether Dorofeyev cares or simply doesn’t want to admit it, it’s clear Mike Sullivan has taken notice of the Russian winger’s early struggles. New York’s head coach has made changes to the lineup, moving Alexis Lafreniere from the top unit to the second line.

Rather than serving as a punishment for Lafreniere or a reward for Dorofeyev, the move was intended to allow the former first overall pick to inject some life and scoring into the bottom half of the top six. Lafreniere did just that, but Dorofeyev, meanwhile, hasn’t benefited much from his top-line ice time. If this concerning trend continues, one can only assume Sullivan will keep throwing stuff at the wall and see what sticks. Clearly, Lafreniere can make do wherever he plays.

No reason to panic—yet

It’s still very early in the season, so the Broadway Blueshirts have no reason to panic. However, the fact that Dorofeyev, New York’s highest-paid player not named Igor Shesterkin, has just three points (one goal and two assists) and a minus-4 rating through his first eight games in New York City is hardly encouraging.

Key takeaways

• Pavel Dorofeyev signed a seven-year, $77 million contract with the New York Rangers.
• Alexis Lafreniere was moved to the Rangers’ second line by head coach Mike Sullivan.
• Pavel Dorofeyev has only three points and a minus-4 rating through eight games.

“I think [the Rangers] have actually kicked tires on Anthony Stolarz,” Darren Dreger stated on The Ray and Dregs Podcast. “He’s not [on] an expiring contract, but if you’re Toronto, why would you do that? Unless there’s an overpay, they like that combo of [Sergei] Bobrovsky and Stolarz. Sam Montembeault is another one.”

For the time being, the Rangers are content sticking with Dylan Garand as their starter. For now, the rookie is doing a great job. However, sooner or later, adversity will knock on the young netminder’s door, and it remains to be seen how he handles it.

At the end of the day, New York is without Shesterkin as well as Joonas Korpisalo. With no backup plan, Sullivan and the Rangers can’t risk leaving their season hopes in the hands of a still-wet-behind-the-ears Garand. And that isn’t taking anything away from Garand’s great start to the year.

NY Rangers search for contract-year goalies

Although Sullivan has lauded the Rangers’ buy-in after Shesterkin’s injury, it’s clear that this honeymoon period won’t last forever. When New York faces headwinds, who knows what will happen? With Shesterkin out for the year, the Rangers will need a temporary answer in net—one that can help them during the 2026-27 NHL season but can be expendable come free agency. Thus, New York is clearly looking for goalies on expiring deals.

“Obviously Chris Drury is scouring the league, but it’s not with a sense of urgency or desperation,” Dreger stated. “Because they do want to see Garand an opportunity to see if he can run with this a little bit, see what they’ve got in this guy. So now you’re looking at expiring contracts. What about Jordan Binnington in St. Louis? It’s just too early for the Blues to bite on that.”

Garand is playing lights out

There are several directions the Blueshirts can go in their search to bolster the injury-riddled crease at Madison Square Garden. However, they will take their time before making a move. What’s not broken needs no fixing, and Garand, who remains undefeated as a starter in the 2026-27 NHL season, is clearly showing no cracks for Sullivan. At least not yet.

The longer he can keep it up, the longer New York will postpone an urgent move for a goalie (likely one on an expiring contract), and the more convinced fans will become that Garand is a long-term solution behind Shesterkin. That would also raise more question marks around the eyebrow-raising trade for Korpisalo. Rangers fans should know by now, though, that you can’t win them all.

Key takeaways

• Anthony Stolarz has emerged as a potential trade candidate for the New York Rangers.
• Darren Dreger noted Chris Drury is actively scouring the league for goaltending help.
• Rookie goalie Dylan Garand remains undefeated as a starter for the New York Rangers this season.

There are many ways the Rangers can neutralize, suffocate, and dominate their opponents, and teams across the league are finding that out for themselves on a nightly basis, one at a time.

To save some time, Sullivan put the NHL on notice with a bold statement about New York’s third forward line, which is young, talented, and fearless. After some early, key contributions, Sullivan praised the line with a strong message.

I think the last two or three games, their game is at another level. It’s almost like it’s been an ‘aha!’ moment for what they’re capable of,” Sullivan said about the Rangers’ third forward group, via the New York Post. “We have no problem putting them out against anyone, and we know that they can get the job done.”

The Rangers have a two-way third line

“They get a lot of D-zone starts against top lines,” Sullivan commented. “They defend hard for us, but there’s an offensive dimension to their line — all three of those guys. I think that’s an important element of having a third line that’s capable of playing both sides of the puck and not just a checking line.“

With Will Cuylle, Noah Laba, and Eeli Tolvanen, the Rangers have a best-of-both-worlds line in their bottom six at a bargain price. The line has an average age of 24.6 years and has barely felt the impact of Adam Sykora’s tough injury break. So far in the 2026-27 NHL season, the trio has combined for six goals and six assists, totaling 12 points.

NY Rangers’ success is fueled by third line

The trio may not be made up of household names like those on other top third lines in the NHL, such as the Florida Panthers’, but they’re making just as much of an impact as any. Moreover, they help the Rangers shut down opposing top lines, giving the top six more freedom to feast, with red-hot Alexis Lafreniere and other stars leading the way.

Cuylle, Laba, and Tolvanen may not get the recognition Sullivan believes they deserve, but he’s making sure the rest of the league knows who they are. He’s giving rivals a heads-up about what’s coming when the Rangers walk into their arenas or visit the World’s Most Famous Arena.

Key takeaways

• Head coach Mike Sullivan praised the New York Rangers’ third line for reaching another level.
• Will Cuylle, Noah Laba, and Eeli Tolvanen have combined for 12 points this season.
• The third line’s average age is 24.6 years after losing Adam Sykora to injury.

According to a report out of New York City, the roster move isn’t a punishment, though. Instead, the Rangers may actually be looking out for Beaudoin’s best interests, and Sullivan feels he can’t give the former first-round pick in 2024 the ice-time he needs to develop right now.

“The New York Rangers feel it’s important for Cole Beaudoin to get more minutes in Hartford,” Mollie Walker of the New York Post reported on her X account after the Rangers announced that Beaudoin was being sent down to their minor-league affiliate.

Dowling will replace Beaudoin

In Beaudoin’s place, Justin Dowling has been called back up to the NHL lineup. Dowling played just two games for the Rangers during the 2025-26 campaign, recording no points and a -1 plus/minus rating.

For the time being, Beaudoin’s NHL journey will be put on hold. The 20-year-old Ontarian played four games for New York without recording a single point. However, many point to the fact that the fourth line, where Beaudoin played, didn’t see much ice time, so he isn’t entirely to blame for his virtually invisible performances.

Sporadic action for Beaudoin

While the third line has been on a tear, prompting Sullivan to put the NHL on notice about the Rangers’ unsung heroes, the fourth line has barely seen the ice lately.

“The fourth line didn’t get much ice time last night. Beaudoin played 3:29. He got a taste of the NHL, but he needs to play more. He’ll get big minutes in Hartford,” Colin Stephenson of Newsday Sports stated.

Back to the AHL

Indeed, Beaudoin will head back to the AHL, where he was leading the Wolf Pack in points (five, a goal and four assists) through the first two games of the season and was tied for second among all skaters in the league. His return to the AHL isn’t a punishment for his lack of production in the NHL.

Instead, New York believes he might be going to waste by playing only a handful of minutes in Manhattan. This move may actually be better for both parties, especially in the long run, which is what the Rangers are investing in during Beaudoin’s rookie year.

Key takeaways

• The New York Rangers reassigned rookie forward Cole Beaudoin to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack.
• Forward Justin Dowling was called up to the Rangers’ NHL lineup in Beaudoin’s place.
• Beaudoin recorded no points while averaging minimal ice time across four games for New York.

Still, after the win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, head coach Jeff Blahill reminded his star duo not to take any shortcuts and play the game the right way. If Bedard, Kane, and Chicago want to keep the wins coming, they can’t afford to cut any corners. In the NHL, teams must fight for every inch of the ice and second of possession.

The Blackhawks are no exception, and in fact this is only magnified for them as they lack the offensive firepower and depth other teams boast. Thus, an all-out forechecking effort is required, and the duo of Bedard and Kane, along with rookie linemate Roman Kantserov, aren’t exempt. In case it wasn’t clear by now, Blashill reminded them after the win at home over Pittsburgh.

“When [Kane, Bedard, and Kantserov] check for their offense, they’re going to be really good. They’ve got to make sure they don’t cheat for offense,” Blashill said after the 5-3 win against the Penguins at United Center, via Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times.

New Chicago with Bedard back

During Bedard’s season debut, the Blackhawks finally showed signs of life in the 2026-27 NHL campaign. Bedard will be the first to take credit away from him and give it to the rest of the lineup, but that’s not completely true. There’s a reason Chicago hadn’t looked a bit like it did with Bedard back when it was missing its captain.

With his return to the ice, the Blackhawks can finally say the season is underway. Better late than never, and even if it took a long summer and seven games, the Hawks are finally complete with their star back, and shining in full force. The top line of Bedard, Kane, and Kantserov hadn’t played a single minute together, but they looked like they had been together for years. Blashill believes they have already found their identity.

“Roman [Kantserov] is very happy going to the net, so you still have a guy who will go to the net on the line. Because sometimes those kind of lines get too spread out and you don’t get any plays at the net. They did a pretty good job of doing that,” Blashill commented on the top forwards’ line.

Blashill preaches shoot-first mentality

Though the win at home over the Penguins is definitely a strong indicator of what this team can do with Bedard healthy, Blashill would still like the team to fix some areas of their game. That’s not limited to the top forward line but the whole group.

“We passed up a ton of shots. We had opportunities when we could really strike and attack and we didn’t shoot,” Blashill stated after the game.

What’s next for Blackhawks?

Hoping his Hawks will take the instructions to heart and clean up their issues, Chicago will host the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 15. Having snapped their two-game losing streak and won their second game in seven outings, the Blackhawks have reason to be excited again. Finally, No. 98 is back, and it showed.

Key takeaways

• Chicago Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill warned Connor Bedard and Patrick Kane not to cheat offense.
• Chicago beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 at United Center following a two-game losing streak.
• The Blackhawks will host the Winnipeg Jets on October 15 for their next home game.

“Word is team and Alex DeBrincat closing in on approximately 7 x $13M extension,” Elliotte Friedman reported on his X account. Putting pen to paper on a maximum-term contract in the NHL, DeBrincat became one of the first players to do so since the new CBA was introduced in mid-September. He stayed true to his word that he wanted to remain in Motor City and could very well spend the rest of his career in his home state of Michigan.

Not only that, but The Cat is now signed to the biggest contract in the organization, surpassing Larkin’s $69.6 million deal ($8.7 million AAV). However, because DeBrincat has one season left on his previous contract and Larkin is signed through 2030-31 in Detroit, here’s how the math adds up for the money the Wings are committed to paying.

How much is Larkin making?

Larkin is set to earn an $8 million salary this season and the following two, as well as $7.6 million in 2029-30 and $7 million in 2030-31. In total, the Red Wings are set to pay Larkin $38.6 million over the next five years.

Whether the former captain will actually be in Detroit to collect those checks is a whole other question, one that remains unanswered and is surrounded by far more speculation than certainty.

Highest earners in Detroit

Because DeBrincat is making a $6.75 million salary and Larkin $8 million this season, defenseman Moritz Seider is actually the highest-paid Red Wing in 2026-27, thanks to his $8.55 million salary under his seven-year, $59.85 million deal. Lucas Raymond ranks second, with an $8.075 million salary this season.

• Moritz Seider: $8.55 million salary
• Lucas Raymond: $8.075 million salary
• Dylan Larkin: $8 million salary

DeBrincat could be in for promotion, too

Still, it’s clear that after next season, DeBrincat will take home the biggest salary by a wide margin, as his $13 million will be leagues away from the rest of the team. Perhaps DeBrincat’s new contract is an indication that another big thing is in store for The Cat.

The captain role is still up for grabs, and if DeBrincat has another strong season like his 41-goal campaign in 2025-26, he could very well add a C to his jersey, just like he added a couple of zeros to his new seven-year contract.

Key takeaways

• The Detroit Red Wings re-signed Alex DeBrincat to a seven-year, $91 million contract extension.
• Dylan Larkin will earn $38.6 million from the Detroit Red Wings over the next five years.
• Moritz Seider is the highest-paid Detroit Red Wings player in 2026-27 at $8.55 million.

“Chicago’s Frank Nazar has been suspended for two games for an illegal check to the head against NY Islanders’ Bo Horvat,” the NHL‘s Department of Player Safety announced on its X account, @NHLPlayerSafety.

The league’s administration had previously informed Nazar that he was scheduled for a virtual meeting. Had it been an in-person hearing at the league’s office in New York City, Nazar would’ve faced a minimum suspension of six games.

Nazar’s hit to Horvat’s head

Nazar was caught in the eye of the storm during Chicago’s 4-1 defeat against the New York Islanders during the 2026-27 NHL season. The former first-round pick (13th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft delivered a vicious, late shoulder check directly to Bo Horvat’s head.

Although the Isles’ captain still managed to score into an empty net and put the game away, the rest of the Islanders reacted and went after Nazar, as Horvat was slow to get back to his feet.

The incident didn’t stop there at UBS Arena after the final horn, as the NHL’s Department of Player Safety stepped in. Opinions differ on the length of the suspension, with some fans agreeing with it and others believing it wasn’t long enough.

Nazar’s suspension length

Nazar will miss the first two games of a seven-game homestand at the United Center. Nazar was suspended for Chicago’s 5-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes—the Blackhawks’ second straight defeat and fifth in six games this season—and will miss the Penguins game, too. He will return to the lineup when Chicago hosts the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 15.

So far in the 2026-27 NHL season, Nazar has played in five games, scoring two goals (tied for the most on the Blackhawks) and adding an assist. His three points are the second-most on the team, underscoring the struggles in the Windy City to start the season as the Blackhawks have missed Connor Bedard.

Key takeaways

• Frank Nazar was suspended for two games for an illegal check to Bo Horvat’s head.
• The Department of Player Safety scheduled Nazar for a virtual meeting regarding the hit.
• Frank Nazar scored two goals and has three points across five games this season.

The Blackhawks’ latest injury update on Bedard appeared to remove all mystery surrounding his return date, and it pointed toward Oct. 13, when the Blackhawks host the Penguins at the United Center, being Bedard’s first game of the 2026-27 NHL season.

“First game as Captain. It’s a special honor. Just looking forward to that,” Bedard admitted ahead of his first game of the 2026-27 NHL season, which will be at home in Windy City.

When was Bedard’s last game for Chicago?

In order to relive Bedard’s last NHL appearance for the Blackhawks, one must travel all the way back to April 16. In the 2025-26 season finale, the Blackhawks defeated Bedard’s good friend Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks by a final score of 5-2.

In an interesting meeting between two former first overall selections, Bedard finished the night with a pair of assists and was named the second star of the game in the comeback victory, rallying from a deficit to score five unanswered goals, while Celebrini went scoreless and finished with a plus/minus of -3.

Why was Bedard sidelined?

Since then, Bedard has been named the 38th captain in franchise history, but he hasn’t made his official on-ice debut as captain because he has spent the past few months rehabbing from offseason left-shoulder surgery. Still, Bedard has defied the Blackhawks’ original timeline.

At the time of the procedure, the club in Chi-town announced a four-month timeline for Bedard’s return to action, but he’s now back much earlier than expected. As Bedard will play against Pittsburgh on Oct. 13, he will return to the ice 97 days after his mid-summer surgery on July 8.

Key takeaways

• Connor Bedard is active to play against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 13.
• His last NHL game was a 5-2 win over San Jose on April 16.
• Connor Bedard is returning 97 days after undergoing shoulder surgery on July 8.

As much as Garand is enjoying his sudden rise to stardom in the Big Apple and has strung together superb outings, he’s also well aware of the high stakes riding on his shoulders. Garand isn’t turning a deaf ear to Shesterkin‘s injury. He and the rest of the Blueshirts know something is amiss with their star goalie out of the picture for the remainder of the NHL campaign.

“It’s obviously tough when you lose your best player in [Shesterkin] a guy who plays so well for this team for so long and is such a big part of it,” Garand admitted, per NHL.com. “It’s tough. It’s a blow to the group for sure.“

Garand is ready for the challenge

As big an opportunity as it is for Garand early in his NHL journey, the 24-year-old also shed light on how Shesterkin’s injury affects morale in the locker room. For a young netminder with only a few career games under his belt, it’s definitely a tall order for the Rangers’ former fourth-round selection in the 2020 NHL Draft.

Regardless, it’s nothing he hasn’t seen before, even in his limited professional experience, albeit now magnified to an unforeseen level. Garand is ready to meet the challenge.

“But it happens sometimes. It’s pro sports, players get injured. I think the guys did a great job of stepping up and we’re going to need more of that for sure,” Garand concluded.

Key takeaways

• Dylan Garand took over as the New York Rangers’ starting goaltender following Igor Shesterkin’s injury.
• Dylan Garand called losing Shesterkin “a blow to the group” after becoming the starter.
• The 24-year-old netminder was originally selected in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft.

“Connor Bedard is ‘trending’ toward playing [Tuesday, Oct. 13] vs Pittsburgh, Jeff Blashill says,” Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reported on his X account.

It was a long time coming for Bedard, who had more than once spoken his truth amid his rehab journey, and had been making progress in various fronts before his return was (apparently) finally signed off by doctors and the Blackhawks’ coaching staff.

What better game to be back than against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins, the exact same matchup Bedard made his NHL debut back in the fall of 2023.

Bedard was ready, but needed final confirmation

Asked about his thoughts after shedding the non-contact jersey for the first time in practice, Bedard made it clear the ball wasn’t on his side of the court. Just like Patrick Kane had put pressure on the Blackhawks to re-activate Bedard, the young star voiced a firm statement on his progress, as well.

If it were up to him, Bedard would’ve been back on the ice a long time ago. Even if it’s been to Chicago’s detrimental record-wise, it’s a good thing he wasn’t. In the end, the patience exercise has paid off, and the wait is finally over—and worth it— for the 38th captain in franchise history.

“I feel really good. I feel pretty normal for the most part. It’s obviously on [the doctors] who know to let me play,” Bedard stated, via NHL.com, about his recovery from shoulder surgery.

Bedard could join Kane upon return to lineup

“I will be as vague, and tell you guys, as little as possible. Keep saying day by day,” Bedard said it after Monday’s practice, before Blashill revealed that playing the next day was very much in play. It’s not as if Chicago did a great job covering its tracks, though, as many speculated that Bedard could be back. The fact that he attended regular practice for two straight days may have been telling enough.

“Bedard skating with Kantserov and Kane again. Certainly looks like the Blackhawks are preparing for him to play [Tuesday],” Scott Powers of The Athletic Chicago reported.

Thus, Bedard’s return game may not have been the only information leaked; which line he’s set to join may have been revealed, too. With the Hawks in need of a spark, it looks like Blashill is going down the nuclear route, playing Bedard on the same line as Patrick Kane and rookie Roman Kantserov.

Key takeaways

• Connor Bedard is trending to return from shoulder surgery on Tuesday against Pittsburgh.
• Bedard was cleared for contact after shedding his non-contact jersey in team practice.
• Bedard skated alongside Patrick Kane and Roman Kantserov during drills.