Friday 4: Biggest burning questions heading into coaching camps

After an extended summer season of hypothesis, debate and pondering, the time for speak is over.

Teams throughout the NHL will quickly be hitting the ice when coaching camps open with the hopes of placing the main focus again on hockey, versus low season banter. That mentioned, there are a variety of issues that stay unsettled as we march in direction of puck drop. There are commerce requests which might be nonetheless in limbo and a few gamers who nonetheless have an opportunity to signal extensions earlier than the season commences. 

Deadlines typically spur motion, and though there is no such thing as a hard-and-fast rule that every one enterprise must be taken care of earlier than opening evening, most groups don’t need sure issues hovering round as a distraction throughout the common season. 

Plus, there can be a variety of gamers who ended the 2025-26 marketing campaign on a bitter word and now have an opportunity to try to begin this yr off on the correct foot. Fans can be anxious to see how they reply and if it appears to be like like they’re in for a bounce-back season. 

Here are 4 burning questions being requested as camps get underway:

There was loads of hypothesis that Connor Hellebuyck can be dealt proper earlier than the draft, and now he’s made it completely clear that he needs out. The Winnipeg Jets goaltender went public with a commerce request on the finish of August, months after he privately requested to be moved. Now, as we’re days away from the beginning of coaching camp, Hellebuyck continues to be a Jet, and it stays to be seen if he’ll hit the ice or sit at house. 

Obviously, if Hellebuyck had been to take part, it could possibly be a distraction, one thing that Jets captain Adam Lowry thinks the crew can keep away from. 

“Helly’s a good friend of ours,” Lowry told the media earlier this week. “It’s not something that we think is going to really impact the room. It’s not going to create a big divide. It’s a personal decision he’s made and thinks is best for his family.”

If Hellebuyck does present up, he might probably threat harm, which might jeopardize a potential transfer, however lacking coaching camp isn’t superb, particularly for a goaltender. You might keep in mind Boston Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman missed coaching camp again in 2024 whereas making an attempt to work out a brand new contract, and he couldn’t catch up. Swayman completed with an .892 save proportion and a goals-against common over three that season, simply the worst numbers of his profession. 

There’s been no indication {that a} Hellebuyck commerce is imminent, so the Olympic gold medallist goes to must determine how lengthy he’s keen to sit down out if a deal doesn’t materialize quickly. 

It seems like each Batherson and Ottawa Senators normal supervisor Steve Staios wish to get an extension accomplished, however the one query is what the phrases can be. The 28-year-old is coming off a career-best 33 objectives and 71 factors, and Batherson has now elevated his level whole each season since he entered the league. 

Batherson will undoubtedly be getting an enormous elevate on the $4.9 million he’s scheduled to earn in 2026-27, and there are some current offers he can use as a comparable. Adrian Kempe signed for $10.6 million per season, and Alex Tuch landed on a $10.5 million AAV over the previous yr, however each wingers inked their pacts earlier than the NHL’s monetary panorama shifted ahead in an enormous means this summer season. You’d suppose the place to begin would no less than be round what Kempe and Tuch bought, though maybe Batherson is aiming increased after the market exploded. 

One deadline arising that might assist get a deal executed is that gamers can solely signal for eight years till Sept. 16. Both Kempe and Tuch opted for eight years, and perhaps Ottawa can be open to the identical technique if it helps get Batherson’s AAV down a bit of in change for some time period. 

Can Matvei Michkov regain his rookie kind and have a bounce-back season?

The daybreak of a brand new season means an opportunity at redemption for Michkov, who fell out of favour with Philadelphia Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet down the stretch and into the post-season final yr. Michkov averaged lower than 12 minutes per recreation within the playoffs and failed to search out the again of the web in eight outings. He was additionally scratched a number of instances final spring. 

Tocchet even famous that he felt Michkov got here to coaching camp final yr not in form, feedback he not too long ago mentioned he in all probability ought to have saved to himself. Now Michkov will try to begin this season on a extra constructive word and work his means again up the lineup and into the highest six. It can be a welcome improvement for the Flyers, who ranked 21^st in objectives per recreation final season and completed 12^th out of 16 groups in that division throughout the playoffs. Philadelphia has a handful of proficient gamers, however perhaps none have a extra dynamic talent set than Michkov. 

It was simply two seasons in the past that Michkov scored 26 instances and tallied 63 factors, placing collectively a powerful rookie yr that left Philly followers full of pleasure for the longer term. A robust coaching camp for Michkov would go a great distance in direction of the Flyers ahead regaining that spectacular kind.  

Will Red Wings have a normal supervisor in place?

It’s arising on two months since Steve Yzerman was relieved of his duties, and the Detroit Red Wings nonetheless haven’t discovered his alternative. 

The Red Wings have loads of enterprise to conduct, and issues are attending to a important juncture. For occasion, standout defenceman Simon Edvinsson is a restricted free agent and desires a brand new contract imminently. Edvinsson has mentioned he plans to take part in coaching camp even with no deal, although he can’t swimsuit up on opening evening with out one. Alex DeBrincat additionally not too long ago expressed his willingness to signal an extension in Detroit after a profession season, in order that must be taken care of as properly. 

Then there’s Dylan Larkin, who requested a commerce all the way in which again at first of June. It’s been quiet on that entrance for some time, and also you’d suppose a brand new normal supervisor would assist get that shifting. Larkin has reportedly submitted just a few groups he’s keen to maneuver to, so a brand new GM might want to try to get him to broaden his listing to see if this may be resolved. It actually does the Red Wings no good if Larkin sits at house. If he’s not keen to play in Detroit, the perfect state of affairs for the Wings is to try to get a number of property again to assist the crew instantly. 

Or is there any chance the fences could possibly be mended? We know Larkin didn’t have one of the best relationship with Yzerman, so perhaps a brand new voice might assist clean issues over. It’s in all probability price a shot to attempt to hold their captain and a Michigan native within the group, however none of that has an opportunity of taking place with no new normal supervisor in place.