If you think NHL rosters are 100% ready for the start of the 2026-27 regular season, think again. Below, we outline one move every team should make before the new campaign begins on Sept. 29.
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Anaheim Ducks
🔒 Re-Sign Cutter Gauthier
Gauthier, a restricted free agent, probably feels he should be paid in the ballpark of teammate Leo Carlsson's $18-million AAV after leading Anaheim in goals (41) and points (69) last season. However, Gauthier isn't eligible for an offer sheet and has no arbitration rights, giving him little leverage. A bridge deal makes the most sense for both sides.
Boston Bruins
🫡 Name Charlie McAvoy captain
The Bruins not having a captain just doesn't feel right, especially since they have two extremely worthy candidates in McAvoy and David Pastrnak. Boston can't go wrong with either, but I lean toward McAvoy because of his emotional leadership.
Buffalo Sabres
🔄 Trade for Connor Hellebuyck
Buffalo is the most logical landing spot for Connor Hellebuyck, who went public with his trade request in August. The club needs help between the pipes and has the pieces to build a solid return package for the Jets. The only issue is Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Many assume he'd need to head the other way in a deal, but his new contract includes a five-team no-trade list. If Winnipeg is on it, would he waive?
Calgary Flames
🔄 Trade Morgan Frost
The Flames likely aren't going anywhere this year, so they need to determine whether Frost, a pending UFA, is part of their future or not. If he isn't, Calgary should shop him around a league where centers are in high demand.
Carolina Hurricanes
🔒 Re-sign Alexander Nikishin
Nikishin's name was mentioned in trade rumors this summer, and the Hurricanes were right to try to use the toolsy 24-year-old defenseman to land a star player. Since that doesn't appear to be happening at this stage of the offseason, they'd be wise to get to work re-signing the RFA. Carolina has $9.8 million in cap space, which should be more than enough to get Nikishin signed long term through his prime years after a promising rookie season.
Chicago Blackhawks
🫡 Name Connor Bedard captain
It's time. Bedard may be only 21, but he's the clear face of the Blackhawks franchise and has spent the past three seasons learning under one of the game's most respected leaders in Nick Foligno. But with Foligno departing for the Minnesota Wild at the 2026 deadline, Chicago is without a captain. The Blackhawks could delay this decision, but Bedard, who made great strides last season and just signed a five-year, $75-million contract, appears ready.
Colorado Avalanche
✍️ Sign Carson Soucy
The Avalanche are capped out, but they can still bring in someone on a PTO or league-minimum deal. Soucy could provide depth on a blue line that doesn't have any capable left-handed options after Devon Toews and Brett Kulak.
Columbus Blue Jackets
🔒 Re-sign Adam Fantilli
The Blue Jackets should be doing everything in their power to lock up Fantilli for as long as possible. The 2023 No. 3 pick is coming off back-to-back seasons of at least 50 points, but he's yet to have a monstrous breakout year. Columbus has over $13 million in cap space, which should be more than enough to sign Fantilli in the six-to-eight-year range. Even if it looks like an overpay early, it's a contract that could age well if Fantilli becomes the true No. 1 center he's capable of being.
Dallas Stars
🔄 Trade Radek Faksa
The Stars are set to enter the season $1.3 million over the salary cap. They can become cap-compliant by carrying just one extra skater instead of three, but that's not ideal. They'd be better off trading Faksa, whose $2-million cap hit is a luxury Dallas can't afford for a fourth-line center.
Detroit Red Wings
🧑🏫 Hire a head of hockey operations
You can't make moves until you have a decision-maker to execute those moves. The search to find a replacement for general manager Steve Yzerman has been slow-moving, but you can bet the process is ramping up.
Edmonton Oilers
✍️ Sign Vladimir Tarasenko
The Oilers still have some cap space and could use another middle-six forward option. Tarasenko proved he still has some gas left in the tank after scoring 23 goals for the Wild last season. Being a two-time Stanley Cup winner for a team looking to get over the hump can't hurt, either.
Florida Panthers
✍️ Sign Petr Mrazek
Florida's roster is arguably the most stacked in the league. However, some extra goalie depth wouldn't hurt, since the team has no one with NHL experience behind the tandem of Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid. Bringing in a 14-year veteran like Mrazek on a PTO or a league-minimum deal could be a savvy move.
Los Angeles Kings
➡️ Move Adrian Kempe to center
Anze Kopitar's retirement has left the Kings extremely thin down the middle. Given the team's lack of quality center options behind Quinton Byfield, it would be wise to see if Kempe, a natural center, can shift back to the middle. He hasn't played center regularly in the NHL since 2018-19 and isn't the most defensively sound winger, so the move could be a tall order. Still, it's worth a shot.
Minnesota Wild
🔒 Extend Quinn Hughes
Speculation about Hughes forcing his way to the Devils to play with his brothers, Jack and Luke, will continue to run rampant until he signs an extension with the Wild. Minnesota would surely love to put that noise to rest. Now that Cale Makar has set the bar with his eight-year, $163.2-million extension, the Wild have no excuses not to get a deal done with their star defenseman.
Montreal Canadiens
🔄 Trade for Ryan O'Reilly
Montreal hasn't made a single notable addition during an underwhelming offseason, but there's still time to change that before the season starts. A second-line center is without question the team's biggest need, and O'Reilly would be the perfect fit. The 35-year-old produced 74 points with the Predators last campaign, and he remains a strong defensive player.
Nashville Predators
🔄 Trade Ryan O'Reilly
Clearly, the Predators won't be contending in 2026-27, or any season in the near future, for that matter. O'Reilly is in the last year of his contract and seems unlikely to re-sign. Trading him now could produce a better return than waiting until the deadline.
New Jersey Devils
🔒 Extend Cody Glass
Glass has been a great find since joining the Devils in 2025. He's posted outstanding defensive metrics as the team's third-line center behind Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier. Given the rising cost of centers, New Jersey would be smart to lock Glass up, especially since he's only 27.
New York Islanders
🫡 Name Bo Horvat captain
Anders Lee signed with the Mammoth after captaining the Islanders for the last eight seasons. It might be too soon for teenage phenom Matthew Schaefer to wear the "C," but Horvat, who captained the Canucks for parts of four campaigns, is a logical candidate to fill the void.
New York Rangers
🔒 Extend Will Cuylle
Cuylle is the only player in the NHL with at least 20 goals and 300 hits in each of the last two seasons. That combination of physicality and goal-scoring makes him somewhat of a unicorn. Considering he's still just 23 years old, the Rangers should try to extend him for as long as possible.
Ottawa Senators
🫡 Name Jake Sanderson captain
Brady Tkachuk is gone after wearing the "C" for the last five seasons, and Ottawa has some intriguing options to replace him, including veterans Claude Giroux, Thomas Chabot, and even Tim Stutzle (no laughing, Brad Marchand). But nobody makes more sense than Sanderson, who looks mature beyond his years at 24. He's the new face of the franchise and is locked up for the next six years.
Philadelphia Flyers
🔒 Extend Matvei Michkov
The Flyers could have a target on their back for offer sheets after a bold attempt to pry Leo Carlsson from the Ducks this offseason. Michkov is coming off a bumpy sophomore season, but he should still be viewed as a core player in Philadelphia. If he reaches restricted free agency next offseason, it's possible someone tries to exact revenge on the Flyers' front office and gives Michkov an offer sheet. They need to get out ahead of that and extend him ASAP.
Pittsburgh Penguins
🔒 Extend Sergei Murashov
The only goalie in the Penguins organization with NHL experience signed beyond this season is projected No. 3 Joel Blomqvist. Murashov, widely hailed as Pittsburgh's goalie of the future, was excellent in the AHL last year and didn't look out of place in his brief NHL recall. The Penguins should give him a modest extension now.
San Jose Sharks
✍️ Sign John Klingberg
Note: Klingberg retired Friday after this article was published.
The Sharks have overhauled their blue line with the additions of Darnell Nurse, Jacob Trouba, and Michael Kesselring, but none of them are fit to quarterback San Jose's top power-play unit. Bringing back Klingberg on a low-cost, one-year deal would make a lot of sense. He wouldn't need to average the 20:28 per game he logged a year ago and could instead play a sheltered, third-pairing role at five-on-five while logging key power-play minutes.
Seattle Kraken
🔄 Trade Shane Wright
Wright is coming off a rough sophomore season. While it may not be wise for the Kraken to sell low on the 2022 No. 4 pick, both sides could maybe use a fresh start. Wright still has some prospect shine and should conceivably fetch Seattle a nice haul, especially given the demand for centers.
St. Louis Blues
✍️ Sign Adam Henrique
The Blues don't have a locked-in fourth-line center, but Henrique could fill that void. The 36-year-old veteran still plays responsible defense, kills penalties, and wins faceoffs.
Tampa Bay Lightning
✍️ Sign Patrik Laine
I've been beating this drum all offseason, but the fit makes too much sense. The Lightning need a right-handed one-timer threat on the power play, and Laine could feast on the man advantage opposite Nikita Kucherov.
Toronto Maple Leafs
✍️ Sign Michael Bunting
Bunting might have to settle for a PTO at this point, which would be great for the nearly capped-out Maple Leafs. Bunting enjoyed his best years with his hometown team, and he can still offer grit and secondary scoring.
Utah Mammoth
✍️ Sign Matt Murray
Utah's roster is pretty set, but it never hurts to have more depth. The Mammoth could use an experienced third goalie behind Karel Vejmelka and Sebastian Cossa. Murray, who posted a .922 save percentage in five appearances with the Kraken last season, would be a solid option.
Vancouver Canucks
🤕 Bubble wrap Thatcher Demko
Injuries have limited Demko to just 43 games over the past two campaigns, and now he may not be ready for the start of the 2026-27 season. The Canucks should be cautious with his return, as they need him playing effectively if they hope to maximize his trade value.
Vegas Golden Knights
🔒 Extend Mark Stone
The Golden Knights front office is great at staying emotionally detached from players and cutting them loose at the right time. But they shouldn't overthink it with Stone. The 34-year-old is the heart and soul of the team and is still playing at an extremely high level. He deserves an extension.
Washington Capitals
🔒 Extend Ryan Leonard
Leonard is coming off a promising rookie campaign with 20 goals and 45 points in 75 games. The Capitals would be smart to lock him up long term before he truly breaks out.
Winnipeg Jets
🔄 Trade Connor Hellebuyck
While giving in to his trade demand may seem weak, the Jets should absolutely be willing to deal Hellebuyck if they can secure an appropriate return. At 33, Hellebuyck's best years may be behind him, and Winnipeg likely isn't winning the Cup with him this year. The Jets cashing in for young players, prospects, and picks could accelerate a much-needed retool.
