“Connor Bedard isn’t close yet to joining the Blackhawks for practice, Blashill said,” as reported by Scott Powers of The Athletic Chicago.

The timing behind Blashill’s announcement on where Bedard stands in his recovery is no coincidence, either. It arrives on the heels of a recent sighting that hinted Bedard could force the Blackhawks into a rushed lineup decision, as the 38th captain in Blackhawks history was seen taking slap shots during an on-ice session.

The last time an injured Bedard was seen participating in such drills, he returned to Chicago’s NHL lineup just days afterward. It’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, though. Still, it’s clear Bedard is making progress and checking boxes in his return to the ice after offseason surgery to repair his left shoulder.

Bedard keeps original timeline despite recent positive news

For the time being, the Blackhawks haven’t updated Bedard’s timeline, meaning the original one announced back in July still stands, at least as far as the media can tell. Regardless of how smooth he may look on the ice in the videos on social media, the Blackhawks are taking things slow with Bedard, and he is still trending to miss at least the opening month of the 2026-27 NHL season.

Fans would love for him to somehow be fit to play in the home opener (Oct. 6 against the St. Louis Blues) and share the ice with Patrick Kane on such a special night for sports as a whole in the Windy City. That is most likely off the table.

Blackhawks chase the playoffs

Regardless, whenever Bedard makes his return to the United Center, the energy will go through the roof. Hopefully for the Hawks, by the time he’s back, Bedard can join a winning team with real aspirations to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

It’s been six years (since the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs) since Chicago has played playoff hockey. For a franchise that once hoisted the Stanley Cup three times over that span, it’s unfathomable.

Key takeaways

• Jeff Blashill confirmed Connor Bedard is not close to joining practice.
• Bedard underwent offseason left shoulder surgery in July.
• The captain will miss at least the opening month of the 2026-27 season.

“To give a long-term deal to a player in Perreault’s shoes would’ve gone against the Rangers‘ recent track record. The team historically prefers bridge deals,” Peter Baugh and Vince Mercogliano wrote on The Athletic.

Of course, that’s not something the Rangers will openly admit as part of the reasoning behind their decision, but it makes sense. New York passed on its last chance to ink Perreault to an eight-year deal before the Sept. 16 deadline under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the NHL and NHLPA.

In more ways than one, though, it was the right decision, and the Blueshirts are basically guaranteed to keep Perreault in the Big Apple. The catch is that it might come at a higher price, but with the salary cap rising, that may not be much of a headache, either.

Perreault isn’t a regular RFA

Once Perreault’s entry-level contract expires after the 2026-27 NHL season, he will become an RFA, but with an asterisk. That alone should be encouraging for New York, as it’s already rare for regular restricted free agents to sign with a different team than the one that drafted them. And even if the recent offer-sheet Leo Carlsson episode raised alarms, the Rangers have a luxury with Perreault, as he is offer-sheet exempt.

According to Puck Pedia, Perreault is among the players ineligible for an offer sheet, as he is a 10.2.c player without enough professional experience to be considered an RFA per se. When put together, it basically locks Perreault in New York. The only way he could leave Madison Square Garden is through a trade request. For the time being, it doesn’t look like that’s something that has even crossed Perreault’s or his camp’s minds.

However, if the Rangers remain firm on their price and Perreault isn’t in agreement, there’s no telling where it may all unfold. What’s clear is that the 21-year-old will enter a pivotal contract year with the Rangers. New York has made its decision not to extend Perreault before the puck drops, and anything can happen now.

Perreault’s next AAV is in his hands

Perreault can skyrocket his value, putting the Rangers at a crossroads where they must decide whether to go against their trend of settling for bridge contracts and pay Perreault the big bucks. Or Perreault may have a deflating year, which in turn would make New York’s wallet breathe a sigh of relief but be crushing for the team’s hopes and expectations for Perreault entering the 2026-27 NHL season.

In more ways than one, the table is set for a choose-your-poison scenario for the Rangers come the summer of 2027.

Key takeaways

• Gabe Perreault and Rangers missed a final opportunity to sign an eight-year deal before Sept. 16.
• As a 10.2.c player, Perreault remains exempt from offer sheets following his entry-level deal.
• The Rangers risk higher costs if Perreault increases his value before summer 2027.

“Per McLellan, Dylan Larkin (upper body) unavailable for Thursday Red Wings preseason game, there may be a chance he’ll be available for finale, Saturday,” as reported by Helene St. James of Detroit Free Press on X.

The fact that McLellan is still considering Larkin for Saturday’s preseason finale should indicate progress in his recovery from an upper-body injury. On Wednesday, Larkin joined the Red Wings for his first team practice in a long time. Indeed, he may be back soon. If not on Saturday, it’s reasonable to believe Larkin would be back for the season home opener on Oct. 2 against the New York Rangers.

Whether he plays on Saturday, Sept. 26 against the Columbus Blue Jackets or ends up missing both home preseason games, Larkin won’t be sidelined forever. Sooner or later, Larkin will have to come face-to-face with the annoyed fanbase in Motor City.

Hostile reception awaits Larkin

Larkin urged the fans to reconsider before booing him, but it sure feels like they will pay no heed to the former captain’s wish. If it’s inevitable, it might be best for Larkin to get the first painful experience over with during the preseason, when attendance numbers are nothing to write home about.

Make no mistake, one jeering crowd in the preseason won’t be the end of it, but it will give Larkin a taste of what awaits him in his first official home game of the 2026-27 NHL season. Still, there may be no way to prepare for such an experience.

For the time being, Larkin is still considered injured, so he has other, bigger fish to fry before fretting about the reception he’ll get at Little Caesars Arena.

Key takeaways

• Saturday preseason finale: Dylan Larkin may return for Detroit’s final tune-up game against Columbus.
• Oct. 2 home opener: The Detroit Red Wings open their regular season against the Rangers.
• First team practice: The forward recently rejoined his teammates after recovering from an upper-body injury.

It goes without saying that the Blackhawks will be extra cautious with Bedard and won’t rush him back into the lineup. No matter how great Bedard looks on the ice by himself, head coach Jeff Blashill and company will remain wary. That doesn’t mean Bedard won’t try to get his way, though.

According to a report, the latest step in Bedard’s recovery may signal that he’s closer to being fully healthy, and that only means Chicago would have to make a decision.

“Connor Bedard was taking slap shots on Jan. 6 last season as part of his rehab and recovery from his shoulder injury. He was in the Blackhawks lineup Jan. 9. Here he is Sept. 23 taking slap shots after having shoulder surgery in early July,” CHGO reporter Mario Tirabassi reported on X.

Connect the dots, and the Blackhawks may have an answer on where Bedard stands in his shoulder-surgery rehab. Still, fans should know better than to expect Bedard back in the next few days.

Different context for Bedard and Blackhawks

When Bedard returned from what he called a “freak injury” to his right shoulder during the 2025-26 NHL season, the setback didn’t require surgery. This time around, the injury to his left shoulder did, and Bedard is still recovering from the surgery he underwent in July. Moreover, the Blackhawks are in no mid-season rush to get Bedard back.

Thus, even if the slap shots may be reminiscent of how close to a return Bedard was last season, they may not translate to the present. Regardless, it’s yet another encouraging sign in Bedard’s recovery journey. For the Blackhawks, it may feel bittersweet, however.

Blackhawks remain wary of Bedard’s progress

Though it’s often the other way around, it seems many around the Hawks are concerned with the speed of Bedard’s recovery, almost as if they wished his progress were slower. Obviously, Chicago wants Bedard back in the lineup. If he somehow is able to dress for the home opener against the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 6, it would be ideal, but the sooner he’s back on the ice, the sooner he’s at risk of re-injury.

It’s a double-edged sword. Just like an overprotective mother, the Blackhawks may not want Bedard to leave the cradle, with the safety net provided by him working on his own at the team’s practice facilities.

Of course, it comes at a cost, and there are no doubts the Blackhawks are a worse team when Bedard isn’t in the lineup. They added pieces to the puzzle, Bowen Byram had an ideal debut (even if it was in a preseason game), and Patrick Kane’s return will draw all the attention, but the Hawks may still be Bedard-reliant. Only time will tell for certain, however.

Key takeaways

• First month missed: The captain is slated to sit out early in the 2026-27 NHL season following July shoulder surgery.
• Sept. 23 slap shots: Bedard was spotted taking slap shots, echoing his late-stage rehab timeline from last year.
• Oct. 6 home opener: The team faces a potential early return dilemma before hosting the St. Louis Blues.

“Tough break for Adam Sykora: New York Rangers say he’ll be out 4-5 months with that lower-body injury,” Vince Mercogliano of The Athletic reported on X.

Sykora wasn’t going to start the season in New York’s NHL lineup. Instead, he was set to be a top-six forward for the AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack. However, just like he did last year when making his pro debut, Sykora was expected to be called up from time to time to fill in for depth positions on Sullivan‘s team.

Sykora’s injury affects NY Rangers’ depth plans

The latest setback is a tough blow for the Blueshirts, even if its impact isn’t felt immediately. Sykora’s long-term injury also arrives on the heels of the Rangers confirming Sullivan can give up on four players (Urho Vaakanainen, Juuso Parssinen, Justin Dowling and Dennis Cholowski), who were placed on waivers.

Though pending confirmation of the exact timeline, New York could already foresee a long-term injury for Sykora based on how he left the preseason game against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center.

Thus, if Sullivan and company were confident enough to leave the four players on their way to the AHL up for grabs for 24 hours, it might not change now that Sykora’s injury has been confirmed. As reported by insider Elliotte Friedman, all four of the Rangers’ players placed on waivers cleared, meaning there are no hurdles to assigning them to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack.

With the 22-year-old Slovak forward out of the picture for at least four to five months, there will be better opportunities for other players in New York’s system, and maybe one of Parssinen and Dowling benefits from it.

Sykora enters contract year

There is no such thing as a good time to suffer a long-term injury, but Sykora’s timing is heartbreaking for several reasons. First, because it happened in the preseason opener and on his first shift of the game. Second, because Sykora really needed to showcase himself in the preseason to leave a lasting impression on Sullivan and the Rangers’ staff before heading back to the minors.

Lastly, Sykora is entering a contract year, with his three-year, entry-level contract ($2.49 million total value and $831,666 cap hit) expiring after the season, when he will become an RFA.

By the time he returns from injury, Sykora may not have enough opportunities to prove his worth and raise his price tag before free agency. When all three elements are combined, they paint a clear picture of just how crushing the lower-body injury sustained at The Rock was.

Key takeaways

• Adam Sykora out 4-5 months following a lower-body injury in the preseason opener.
• New York recently placed four depth players on waivers before the diagnosis.
• The 22-year-old forward is currently entering a contract year before restricted free agency.

‘Bill Guerin has signed a multi-year contract extension as GM of the Minnesota Wild,” as reported by ESPN’s Emily Kaplan on her X account. As is the norm with coaches’ and executives’ contracts in the NHL, Minnesota is keeping the exact term of Guerin’s new deal to itself.

Regardless, such a decision sends a loud message across the negotiation table where the Wild and Hughes’ camp have been all summer long, but virtually no progress has been made.

Minnesota’s debut in the 2026-27 NHL regular season is on Oct. 1, so the clock is ticking for the two sides to leave the drama at the door and enter the campaign with no distractions. At this point, that may be too wishful thinking.

Hughes speaks highly of the Wild, but hasn’t re-signed

Hughes has time and again brought calm—or attempted to do so—with reassuring statements about how he feels in Minnesota. Still, that may do little to ease the anxious mood in the Twin Cities.

“I just think that we’re going through the process, specifically myself, and just taking the time. I don’t feel pressure to do anything [before the season]. That’s not saying something won’t,” Hughes said, via The Athletic. “I’m really happy here. I love the guys. I love the team. And I fit in really well.”

Contract talks in Minnesota

Only one thing will bring peace to the Wild, and that’s Hughes’ signature on a contract extension. If it’s a three-year deal, however, it will only be a fugazi, because that would all but confirm he is aligning his contract with that of brother Jack, as both would become UFAs in the summer of 2030.

Would it be ideal for Minnesota? Probably not, but it’s far better than the alternative, and it still gives Guerin a four-year window to go all in for a Stanley Cup. The way things are trending, the recently extended general manager in Minneapolis may not get a better deal done with Hughes.

Key takeaways

• General manager Bill Guerin signed a multi-year contract extension with the Minnesota Wild.
• Quinn Hughes remains undecided on an extension while taking time through the process.
• A potential three-year deal would make Hughes an unrestricted free agent in 2030.

As reported by James Mirtle of The Athletic, the Rangers have placed defensemen Dennis Cholowski and Urho Vaakanainen, and centers Justin Dowling and Juuso Parssinen on waivers.

Over the next 24 hours, their futures in the NHL will be decided. If they clear waivers, then New York can assign the quartet to its AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack. None of the four players were waiver-exempt, meaning this was the only way for Sullivan to send them down to the minors.

All four of the players placed on waivers had participated in New York’s preseason opener against the New Jersey Devils on Sept. 21. The game ended in a 3-2 loss to the home Devils side, which featured a veteran NHL lineup.

Risky move from NY Rangers

Sullivan and the Rangers are rolling the dice. As is the case every time a player goes on waivers, another franchise can pick him up. The fact that New York placed the four players on waivers with plenty of time before the active-roster deadline (Sept. 28) may hint that the Rangers don’t want to lose these skaters and are trying to fly them under the radar while teams are too busy minding their own business and making roster cuts.

However, placing them on waivers and trying to send them to the AHL also reveals how Sullivan rates them, as well as the fact that they don’t have a spot on the NHL lineup right now. Neither Vaakanainen, Parssinen, Dowling nor Cholowski are particularly young prospects.

New York may have seen all there is to see with them. If Sullivan isn’t sold on their potential now, he may not be sold later in the season. Indeed, they may provide depth options, but there are countless other players who can do the same. By placing the quartet on waivers, it’s a sign that Sullivan can live without them if they end up being claimed. Still, the odds of all four of the Rangers’ players being claimed off waivers are slim to virtually none.

Contract situations

Cholowski, the former first-round pick in 2016, is the only one of the bunch not entering a contract season in the NHL. He already experienced that last year. This summer, he signed a two-year, $1.75 million contract with the Rangers. His is a two-way deal for the 2026-27 campaign, meaning the 28-year-old blue-liner will earn a $375,000 salary if he clears waivers, rather than his $850,000 salary in the NHL.

As for Vaakanainen, Parssinen and Dowling, they are all in the second season of two-year deals. Dowling is the only one of this trio to have a two-way deal. His NHL salary of $850,000 will go down to $450,000 in the AHL. Vaakanainen carries a $1.55 million cap hit and will make $1.45 million in total salary. As for Parssinen, he signed a two-year, $2.5 million deal in 2025 with a $1.3 million salary in 2026.

Key takeaways

• The Rangers placed four players on waivers before the 2026-27 NHL regular season.
• All four players had appeared in preseason-opening game against the Devils (3-2 loss).
• Dennis Cholowski recently signed a two-year, $1.75 million, two-way contract with New York.

Playing on the road at The Rock, the game was exactly the kind of outing where players like Sykora and Iorio, who are fighting for a starting-lineup job in New York, could showcase what they are capable of. That wasn’t the case, and it was quite the opposite.

In Sykora’s case, he left the game less than two minutes into the first period. The morning after the Rangers’ 3-2 loss to the Devils, Sullivan admitted the team doesn’t know the extent of either player’s injury yet. For the time being, they will be held out of on-ice activities as a precaution going into the NHL regular season.

“No injury updates for Adam Sykora or Vincent Iorio, who both left last night’s exhibition game vs. Devils with injuries. They’re still being evaluated and neither skated [Tuesday], per Mike Sullivan,” Mollie Walker of the New York Post reported on X.

What happened to Sykora and Iorio?

In his first shift of the night, Sykora battled for a puck near a corner in the offensive zone. Sykora didn’t keep his head on a swivel, and before he knew it, Devils defenseman Mikael Diotte landed a big shoulder check between Sykora’s chin and left shoulder.

However, the Rangers’ 22-year-old former second-round pick appeared to injure his right knee, which got tangled up against the boards. Sykora was slow to get back on his feet and needed to be helped off the ice by two teammates. Needless to say, it was a tough way to start—and end—his night.

As for Iorio, it remains unclear what exactly happened to him, but he’s reportedly dealing with a lower-body injury, too.

What’s next for Rangers?

The Rangers have two games left in preseason before the 2026-27 NHL regular season: Sept. 22 against the New York Islanders and Sept. 24 against the Devils, both at Madison Square Garden.

Key takeaways

• Rangers players Adam Sykora and Vincent Iorio exited the preseason opener due to injuries.
• Head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed both players were held out of Tuesday practice.
• New York plays preseason games at MSG on September 22 and September 24.

“Patrick Kane is skating with the scratches this morning, so it doesn’t look like he’ll play in the preseason home opener,” Charlie Roumeliotis of WGN Radio reported on his X account.

With him held off the ice ahead of the rivalry game against the Wild in Chicago, Kane’s chances of playing during the shortened NHL preseason are limited to just one game. If not, Kane’s official homecoming in the Windy City will come in the regular season, when it truly matters.

Considering the Hawks are set to start the season without Connor Bedard, there’s reason to believe they will avoid all unnecessary risks when it comes to Kane’s availability. Chicago may remain cautious, but must be careful, because being too cautious can also have a negative side effect.

When could Kane play first game with Chicago?

The 2026 preseason is unlike any other, as it’s shortened with the regular season in the NHL extending to 84 games per team. Still, old habits die hard in this league. Most veteran players don’t play in away games during the preseason and are saved for the home matchups.

Kane, who didn’t play Chicago’s road game against Minnesota, however, may not play in the home games, either. It’s surprising, but not entirely unheard of. With only one home game of the preseason left after the one against the Wild, Kane will have one last chance to lace up his skates and get a taste of live action before the real thing.

“It’d be out of the norm to keep a veteran out of the home preseason games, but we’ll see about Saturday’s home game. Saturday is also the final tune-up game before the regular-season opener,” Scott Powers of The Athletic Chicago stated.

The Blackhawks host the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 6:00 p.m. CT. Once the final buzzer sounds, the final countdown to the 2026-27 NHL regular season will begin. The Blackhawks kickstart their season on the road against the 2026 Stanley Cup runner-ups, the Vegas Golden Knights, on Sept. 29 at 9:30 p.m. CT.

Kane may have no need for preseason action

Entering his 20th season, Kane doesn’t have to be reminded what NHL action looks like, though. Indeed, the game evolves and veterans must adapt, but “Showtime” has passed these tests a long time ago and can be given a pass. Playing Kane in the preseason is more of a treat for the fans who attend the game than because Chicago really needs to evaluate him or Kane needs the test drive.

Key takeaways

• Patrick Kane held out of the Chicago Blackhawks’ preseason home opener against Minnesota.
• The 84-game regular season structure in 2026 led to a shortened NHL preseason schedule.
• Chicago hosts St. Louis on Saturday, Sept. 26 in their final tune-up game.

While Larkin admitted he has no regrets about his trade request and accepts the consequences of his actions, his body might tell a different story. Many times, there is a psychological side to injuries, and Larkin’s latest one may be an example. After head coach Todd McLellan warned Larkin amid the trade drama in training camp, a new update on Larkin’s status all but confirms the center could miss the preseason entirely.

As reported by Bleacher Report Open Ice, the Red Wings have assigned a week-to-week tag to Larkin’s injury. With the shortened NHL preseason and extended 84-game regular season, there’s a scenario in which Larkin is only healthy again by the time the puck officially drops.

Larkin’s return is a mystery

With the Red Wings making their regular-season debut on Oct. 2 against the New York Rangers at Little Caesars Arena, there’s a scenario in which Larkin doesn’t even make it in time for the home opener. If that’s the case, the buzz and speculation around his injury will only grow louder.

As things stand, many have their doubts about the veracity of his upper-body injury, seeing it as the perfect way to avoid the spotlight. Although Larkin urged Red Wings fans to reconsider before booing him throughout the season, his words likely changed nothing. There will be jeering. The levels of it could very well exceed those of the days when the late Claude Lemieux and the Colorado Avalanche were public enemies No. 1 in Motor City.

It will surely get ugly when Larkin touches the puck for the first time in the 2026-27 NHL season, and the former captain may be looking for a way to avoid it. And he may have found the perfect one in the form of his upper-body injury. That’s not to say the issue isn’t real, but there’s an argument to be made that perhaps Larkin won’t battle as hard to return to the ice as he normally would.

Larkin hasn’t been one to miss many games

Throughout his 11-year career in the league, Larkin hasn’t missed many games, only 45, which translates into an average of 4.1 games missed per season. If, somehow, he were to start missing games with more regularity now, it would be peculiar and eyebrow-raising, to say the least.

Still, that’s the way things are looking, as Larkin has received a week-to-week status, potentially staying off the ice for the entire preseason. If that happens, it would take some time for him to reacclimate and get back into a game-day rhythm before returning to the lineup.

Unless he’s traded overnight, Larkin likely won’t get to “hide” forever, but being away for the home opener against the Rangers could be a best-case scenario, as that night he’d have to face the pent-up emotions of a fanbase coming off a 10th-straight season of playoff-less hockey in Hockeytown.

Shortly after Larkin admitted he had no regrets about requesting a trade out of Detroit during his first press conference since the end of the 2025-26 NHL season, McLellan voiced a statement of his own. Though McLellan admitted he and the Red Wings will still welcome the former captain, he dropped a subtle warning reminding Larkin of his obligations.

“Who wouldn’t want Dylan Larkin on their team? He made a commitment to the team signing a contract,” McLellan said, via Helene St. James of Detroit Free Press. “We made a commitment to him to provide an opportunity to play and that’s where we’re at right now.”

McLellan reminds Larkin he’s under contract

Although the timing of Larkin’s recent injury raised eyebrows ahead of training camp, the former Red Wings captain made his intentions clear: to be with the team during the NHL preseason. Regardless, just in case, McLellan made sure to remind Larkin that he made a commitment to Detroit and must stick to it.

For the time being, the 30-year-old homegrown center is holding up his end of the bargain. Though not healthy enough to participate, Larkin did report to Day 1 of training camp. Larkin would have been subject to a team suspension otherwise, like Connor Hellebuyck was after he failed to report to the Winnipeg Jets’ training camp. Curiously enough, both were teammates on Team USA’s gold-medal Olympic team. Still, Larkin said that experience had nothing to do with his desire to leave the Red Wings.

In the meantime, fans remain wary of Larkin’s untimely—or timely—setback. If Larkin is indeed using it as a thinly veiled way to avoid participating in team activities, it could backfire tremendously. Larkin did urge Red Wings fans to reconsider before booing him on home ice, but at some point, Larkin will have to face the music. And it’s trending toward an ugly melody. As for how McLellan and his teammates will treat Larkin, he may have no reason to fret.

McLellan will use Larkin for as long as he has him

Whether he’s upset at Larkin for the troublesome spotlight he’s brought upon the Red Wings or not remains unknown. What’s clear, though, is that McLellan still sees the great qualities in Larkin’s game. As long as he’s available to the head coach, McLellan will utilize Larkin in a big role. That was all but confirmed when McLellan stated: “Who wouldn’t want Dylan Larkin on their team?”

McLellan plans to play Larkin as long as he is still around Motor City. Whether Larkin actually is fit to play, though, that’s a different question. As things stand, it’s the million-dollar question in town, along with whether the trade request is still standing or not. After Larkin’s press conference, neither has been answered, and nobody knows when Larkin will become available to the media again.