The time of year has arrived when Electronic Arts teases the latest installment of its popular hockey video game series. On Thursday, the company dropped a two-minute trailer for NHL ’26 — and, as expected, they slipped in shots of players sporting their new teams’ jerseys.

One of those moments shows Mitch Marner in a fresh Vegas Golden Knights sweater, firing a shot on goal against his former team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Marner left Toronto this summer after nine seasons with his hometown club, signing an eight-year, $96 million deal following a sign-and-trade to Vegas on June 30.

Some fans were quick to claim that Marner scores in the trailer, but the footage is far from conclusive. The clip cuts right after his shot, showing no crowd or player reaction. He’ll have a real chance to test that storyline when the Golden Knights face the Leafs in a pair of January matchups. Marner is coming off a career-best 102 points in the 2024–25 season, including 27 goals.

The trailer also gave Leafs fans something to cheer about. In one clear clip, star forward William Nylander buries a goal against the Boston Bruins — complete with crowd shots and Nylander’s energetic celebration.

NHL ’26 launches September 12 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Unfortunately, there’s no version planned for the new Nintendo Switch 2, so portable hockey fans will have to wait.

Ranking The NHL’s Best Media Meals While Covering The Maple Leafs Part 4: Top 8 RevealedWelcome the fourth and final installment of the ultimate NHL Media Meal rankings. This is the moment you've all been waiting for. You know which meals are the worst and which ones are right in the middle. But what about the top eight in the NHL? Which places go above and beyond. It's time for the full reveal. Nicolas Roy Ready for Top-Six Role With Maple Leafs Whenever Called UponWhile the Toronto Maple Leafs continue their search for a top-six forward ahead of the 2025–26 NHL season, newly acquired center Nicolas Roy could help fill the gap in the meantime. Two-Time Stanley Cup Winner Kyle Clifford Retires, Joins Maple Leafs In Player Development RoleFormer Toronto Maple Leafs forward Kyle Clifford is calling it a career.

The Chicago Blackhawks had 16 amazing years with Patrick Kane. They made him the number one overall pick in the 2007 NHL Draft, and he exceeded every expectation placed on him.

His time in Chicago included three Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe Trophy, a Hart Trophy, and multiple other major NHL Awards. A player this decorated is always going to be considered a legend in their sport. 

For the last couple of seasons, the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings have had the luxury of having Patrick Kane on their roster.

Even being away from Chicago as a player, the city still means a lot to him. So do the fans that cheered him on for so long. 

On Friday, 8/8, Patrick Kane is celebrating the day in town with a few different activities. This is his way of showing his love for Chicago following an abrupt ending where he didn't get to truly say goodbye.

Part of that came with a big announcement from the City of Chicago City Council, as they announced August 8th will be known as "Patrick Kane Day" going forward. 

Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) on XThe city of Chicago has officially declared Aug. 8 (8/8) Patrick Kane Day. #Blackhawks

8/8 represents Patrick Kane's famous sweater number, which he has worn since the beginning of his NHL career. Now, every August 8th will be a reminder of Kane and what he did for Chicago both on and off the ice. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

At the 2025 NHL trade deadline, the Pittsburgh Penguins quietly acquired defenseman Connor Timmins and forward Connor Dewar from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick. While the Penguins have since traded Timmins to the Buffalo Sabres, Dewar remains on Pittsburgh's roster heading into the 2025-26 season.

Dewar will certainly be a player to watch very closely heading into next season. The 26-year-old forward left a solid first impression with the Penguins, as he recorded four goals, three assists, seven points, and 49 hits in 17 games following the trade. This was after he recorded just three assists in 31 games with the Maple Leafs before the move. 

Now, Dewar's goal will be to build off his solid finish to the season with the Penguins in 2025-26. If he does, he could emerge as a nice part of the Penguins' bottom six as they continue to retool their roster. The potential for him to chip in some depth offensive production is there, as he also scored 11 goals in 74 games split between the Minnesota Wild and Maple Leafs during the 2023-24 season. 

Nevetheless, it is going to be intriguing to see how much of an impact Dewar can make for the Penguins next season. 

Penguins: Insider Weighs In On Sidney Crosby Trade RumorsWith the Pittsburgh Penguins being far from a playoff-caliber team right now, plenty of hockey fans have speculated about the Metropolitan Division club potentially trading captain Sidney Crosby to give him the chance to play for a contender again. 

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The Florida Panthers are two-time Stanley Cup champions after winning their consecutive championship. The question now is, will you follow in the Cats' footsteps in your fantasy hockey leagues?

[Join or create a fantasy hockey league for the 2025-26 season]

It's only August, but fantasy hockey is already open over in these parts, so you can get started on your prep. Once again, generational talent Connor McDavid leads Scott Pianowski's draft rankings for the 2025-26 season, and he's joined by his frequent linemate, Leon Draisaitl at No. 2 overall.

Cale Makar leads the pack at defenseman in the first round, while Connor Hellebuyck is the topper at goaltender.

See how the rest of Scott's rankings shake out below, and bookmark/save/star this page as he'll be updating them regularly:

Who are you most looking forward to draft in fantasy hockey this season?

Andy Devlin via Getty Images

The Florida Panthers are two-time Stanley Cup champions after winning their consecutive championship. The question now is, will you follow in the Cats' footsteps in your fantasy hockey leagues?

[Join or create a fantasy hockey league for the 2025-26 season]

It's only August, but fantasy hockey is already open over in these parts, so you can get started on your prep. Once again, generational talent Connor McDavid leads Scott Pianowski's draft rankings for the 2025-26 season, and he's joined by his frequent linemate, Leon Draisaitl at No. 2 overall.

Cale Makar leads the pack at defenseman in the first round, while Connor Hellebuyck is the topper at goaltender.

See how the rest of Scott's rankings shake out below, and bookmark/save/star this page as he'll be updating them regularly:

Who are you most looking forward to draft in fantasy hockey this season?

The Chicago Blackhawks have several promising young players to keep an eye on during the 2025-26 season, and one of them is defenseman Kevin Korchinski. While the 2022 seventh-overall pick has had some growing pains early on in his career, he still has the potential to become an incredibly important part of Chicago's future and will be looking to take a big step forward in his development next season. 

During this past season with the Blackhawks, Korchinski posted one goal, one assist, and a minus-5 rating in 16 games. This was after he recorded five goals, 10 assists, and 15 points in 76 games with the Blackhawks during his rookie campaign in 2023-24.

Korchinski spent the majority of the 2024-25 campaign in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Rockford IceHogs, however, where he posted three goals, 27 points, and a minus-17 rating in 56 regular-season games. He also had two goals and four points in seven playoff games for Rockford. 

Overall, Korchinski has yet to have that big breakout season for the Blackhawks, but this certainly has the chance to change in 2025-26. The left-shot blueliner has the tools to blossom into an impactful NHL defenseman, and it is exactly why he was selected so early in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

Now, Korchinski's goal heading into next season will be to tap into his high potential more. If he does, he would undoubtedly give the Blackhawks' blueline a serious boost. We will need to wait and see if he can do just that from here. 

Blackhawks Trade Target Expected To Stay PutEarlier this summer, The Fourth Period reported that the Chicago Blackhawks are one of the teams linked to Florida Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues. Given the Blackhawks' need for more skilled forwards, it is understandable that the Blackhawks have been connected to a two-time Stanley Cup winner like Rodrigues.

While the Toronto Maple Leafs continue their search for a top-six forward ahead of the 2025–26 NHL season, newly acquired center Nicolas Roy could help fill the gap in the meantime.

Speaking with Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill on Leafs Morning Take, Roy shared that he has already spoken with head coach Craig Berube about expectations for his role. During his time with the Vegas Golden Knights, Roy often stepped into a top-six spot when the team dealt with injuries or needed a replacement.

“I definitely see myself as someone who can play in the top six if needed, and in different roles,” Roy said. “I can handle various situations—power play, penalty kill, big faceoffs. I enjoy that part of the game.”

Toronto acquired Roy in a sign-and-trade deal that sent star forward Mitch Marner to Vegas. Marner agreed to an eight-year, $96 million contract with the Golden Knights. His departure leaves a huge hole in the Leafs’ top six—last season, he led the team in points with 27 goals and 75 assists for a total of 102 points.

So far, no free agent has emerged as a clear replacement, making a trade seem like the most likely path forward. Still, it’s been a quiet offseason despite Toronto having some salary cap flexibility.

'Nobody Expects Them Not To Do Things Before Puck Drops': Could Maple Leafs Still Move Nick Robertson After Contract Signing?Although the Toronto Maple Leafs and Nick Robertson settled on a one-year, $1.825 million contract on Saturday, could the young forward still be on his way out?

For now, the Leafs may try to replace Marner’s production by committee. Along with Roy, they’ve added forwards Matias Maccelli and Dakota Joshua, and re-signed Nick Robertson to a one-year, $1.825 million deal.

Roy recorded 15 goals and 16 assists in 71 games last season. Over his career, he has 10 goals and 22 assists in 79 playoff games and was part of Vegas’s 2023 Stanley Cup win.

'I Think He Really Wore It': Matt Martin Reflects On Mitch Marner's Move To Golden Knights And His Two Seasons With Maple LeafsMatt Martin might be retired, but he remembers playing with Mitch Marner on the Toronto Maple Leafs like it was yesterday. 'I Was Just Being Honest': Ryan Reaves Defends Advising Mitch Marner On Vegas While Still Technically With Maple LeafsWhen Mitch Marner made his first public comments as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights, he mentioned speaking with former Toronto Maple Leafs teammates Ryan Reaves and Max Pacioretty about their experiences with living arrangements in the city during the final weeks of June. This revelation upset some Maple Leafs fans, who felt Marner had been disengaged for weeks. While perhaps not as infuriated as they were upon discovering Marner spoke to current Vegas Golden Knights players in February while competing for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off, fans were still displeased. Why The Maple Leafs Shouldn't Target Jack Roslovic After Other Free Agency MovesThe Toronto Maple Leafs have enough depth players.