Nico Watch is on, and introductions have been made between new Devils GM Sunny Mehta and Nico Hischier’s agent. [The Hockey News]
“There was a lot of negativity surrounding (Luke Hughes) on social media, with Hughes often referred to as Thanasis Antetokounmpo – insinuating he didn’t really belong and was getting special treatment because of his last name. Hughes responded after a reset during the Olympic break, dominating down the stretch. All in all, it was a fine but unspectacular campaign – but there were real positives beneath the surface. Let’s highlight a few.” [Infernal Access ($)]
“For the most part, the Devils’ stars lived up to expectations. Jesper Bratt had another 70+ point season, Jack Hughes produced at a 103-point pace, and Nico Hischier was Nico Hischier. It was mostly the supporting cast that brought down the Devils. Let’s look at which players had the most disappointing seasons.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]
“In many ways, I would expect Markstrom to have a bounce-back season in 2026-27. I don’t think he was nearly as bad as the consensus does, he has a track record of being an above-average goalie, and the assets it would take to upgrade in net would not be worth the cost. For me, there are bigger fish to fry.” [Devils’ Advocates]
🏆 The players have spoken.Macklin Celebrini, Nikita Kucherov and Connor McDavid have been chosen by their peers as the 2025-26 #TedLindsayAward finalists: https://t.co/1EXaG0erI5 pic.twitter.com/2Yz7vdTe3a
It’s not all bad. Some positive thoughts for each NHL team that missed the playoffs this season: [The Athletic ($)]
“We could see a rock-bottom franchise get a lifeline or a recently competitive club quickly set itself up to retool. And then there’s the other outcome in which the Evil Empire that is the Florida Panthers follows up consecutive Stanley Cups with a lottery win. No matter what happens, it will impact the league’s power balance for years to come. It’s time to ask the annual question: which result would piss off the NHL’s general fan base the most?” [Daily Faceoff]
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