NHL Hockey 24 Hours

Last updated: September 23, 2026, 10:08 PM ET

Coaching Controversy

The Edmonton Oilers' decision to hire Mike Babcock as an assistant coach has drawn sharp criticism from franchise legend Mark Messier, who said he was horrified by the move given the accusations of mistreatment against Babcock. Meanwhile, Arizona State head coach Greg Powers defended himself as the right guy for the job despite declining to answer questions about a player's collapse during practice.

Injury & Roster Updates

Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson is listed as week to week with a lower-body injury and is at risk of missing the start of the season. The Anaheim Ducks have named forward Mikael Granlund as the 10th captain in team history after his 19-goal, 22-assist debut season. The Minnesota Wild have locked in general manager Bill Guerin with a multiyear extension, sources confirmed.

Season Preview & Predictions

ESPN's NHL analysts have released bold predictions for all 32 teams, including surprise award contenders and potential trade-deadline moves, with one forecast suggesting the Sabres could make a deadline deal. The league's Stanley Cup contender tiers rank every team into six groups, with the top challengers identified as the favorites for the throne.

Fantasy Hockey Focus

Greg Wyshynski's fantasy draft cheat sheet highlights the top 10 players to target in every draft, with Macklin Celebrini and Schaefer among the plant-my-flag picks. For those seeking bounceback candidates, a separate analysis identifies fantasy stars poised to turn back the clock and regain past success this season.