Former Montreal Canadiens superstar goalie Carey Price earned his $5.5 million signing bonus on Monday. During the NHL season, he will earn a $2 million salary, while his cap hit will be $10.5 million. 

That is a significant amount of cap space being allocated to a goaltender who is already retired and is a lock to be inducted into the Hall of Fame (it was shocking that he didn't get in with this most recent ballot, his first eligible year). 

For the Canadiens, a franchise looking to build on their shocking playoff appearance in 2024-25, they might want that extra $10.5 million in cap space. Trading Price's contract away is something that they will be looking to do so that they can make subsequent moves. 

The Chicago Blackhawks, along with a couple of other teams well below the cap, are the candidates to take on this type of contract. 

The Blackhawks may want to trade away a handful of veterans at the trade deadline to acquire assets that will benefit them in the future. It may be hard to do that if they are in danger of falling below the NHL's cap floor of $70.6 million. They are roughly $6 million over the floor right now, and about $18 million below the cap. 

Taking on Price doesn't even bring them close to the salary cap, and it will keep them above the floor if they trade away pieces down the road. 

Usually, the team taking on the bad contract gets assets with it. For example, a good prospect or draft pick will likely come to Chicago as a sweetener to help Montreal offload Price's contract. 

Kyle Davidson has not been shy about doing the things that are considered typical for rebuilding teams. Although they will likely be more entertaining in 2025-26, the Blackhawks are not going to win enough games to be playoff contenders. That makes them the perfect candidate to get Price on their books to make the team better in the future. 

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This upcoming season will be crucial for Brennan Othmann.

Last year, Othmann did not make the New York Rangers' opening-night roster out of training camp, but he got his chance to prove himself at the NHL level late in the season. 

In a 22-game sample size, Othmann failed to score a goal and recorded just two points. 

However, if you watched Othmann play, you could tell that he showed signs of improvement over time and really seemed to become comfortable at the highest level of play.

The 22-year-old used his size to his advantage, emerging as an impactful two-way forward, with a little physical edge to his game. 

The Rangers organization views last season as a learning lesson for Othmann.

"We're excited to see the work he has put in in the summer and what he learned last year," Rangers director of player development Jed Ortmeyer said via Dan Rosen of NHL.com.

Othmann will compete at training camp for an opening-night roster spot with the Rangers, and he has a legitimate chance at making the team.

If he does make the Rangers roster out of training camp, it will truly show the strides he’s made and the overall trust the organization has in him.

It's still early, but the Philadelphia Flyers are certainly looking to have a potential draft steal on their hands with Max Westergard.

Westergard, 17, quietly made waves last season as the only draft-eligible player to score goal in the SHL playoffs, finishing with a goal and two assists in 11 postseason contests for Frolunda HC.

That's notable, too, because Westergard only played in four regular season games for the Swedish outfit, which also ranked 15th amongst all draft-eligible skaters in the SHL last season.

But, since being drafted by the Flyers in June, the Finnish forward has continued to show growth and progress, building on a decent showing at the Flyers development camp at the beginning of July.

Playing against Lausanne HC in some Champions HL action Sunday, Westergard picked up two assists in just 8:51 of ice time.

Latest Flyers Pipeline Ranking Features 2 Big SurprisesThe young core of the Philadelphia Flyers has taken an overall step forward from last year, though some rankings will leave fans scratching their heads a bit.

One of the 2025 fifth-round pick's assists, which made the rounds on social media as a highlight, showed what Westergard can be at the peak of his powers.

The 17-year-old backchecked hard in the high slot, effectively stick-lifting an attacking Lausanne player and winning the puck back for his team with just two touches.

Westergard then raced down the right wing with relative ease, blowing past three defenders, dropped his shoulder at the right circle, and fed the puck back into the crease at the last possible moment to earn an assist.

Westergard and Frolunda ultimately won 5-2, marking a second consecutive victory for the club.

The Flyers prospect, standing at 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, will need to add more weight and play strength to successfully play this style consistently at the NHL level, but he's already more than holding his own against men in the SHL and Champions HL.

Speed and playmaking elements seem to be hallmarks of Westergard's game so far, but we'll see how far he can come with creating offense for himself with that speed.

A small sample size, yes, but Westergard is already showing signs of maturity and talent that bode well for an NHL future with the Flyers.

Mike Sullivan is one of the most established coaches in the NHL, but even he learns something new every single day on the job. 

After winning two Stanley Cups and coaching the Pittsburgh Penguins for 10 years, Sullivan still feels he has so much to learn about the game of hockey. 

“One of the most rewarding aspects of that (coaching) journey is the learning process,” Sullivan said. “What is the next frontier? What is the new move? It might be on the ice tactically. It might be the sports science. It might be all the analytics. It might be in the human performance space. Mental health. Helping players with their states of mind off the ice so they are in the right head space when the puck drops. How they deal with confidence issues. Relationship stuff.

“There are so many things involved in coaching, and that is what makes it, number one, so difficult, but also so rewarding. None of us have it figured out, and those that think they do, they obviously don’t.”

Throughout his years in the NHL, the sport has evolved, and Sullivan has had to adapt to it. 

“It is essential. The minute you think you have it figured out as a coach, you are dead in the water,” Sullivan said. “The game is in constant evolution. It changes all the time. It changes a number of different ways. It can be coaches’ staffs that come up with and design different tactics. A lot of times it is the savants of the game, the players themselves. The game evolves through them with some of their creativity and the things they do on the ice.

“As a coach if you ever have an inclination to say I have arrived, it may be time to step away. It is a journey. You don’t ever arrive. You just don’t. It is a journey.”

Now, Mike Sullivan is set for his next challenge of coaching the New York Rangers. 

Sullivan is tasked with turning around a Rangers team that didn’t make the playoffs last season, while also helping change the culture in the organization and building a strong foundation. 

Just as he always does though, Sullivan will look to adapt to his new situation and make a lasting impact in New York just like he did in Pittsburgh.

The 2025-26 NHL season will be a hot war in the Pacific Division. Still, early projections and expert analysis suggest that the Vancouver Canucks will finish higher in the standings than their division rivals, the Los Angeles Kings. 

While both franchises have made big offseason moves, it is the Canucks who are poised to stir things up and emerge as a power to be feared in the West. But which team will finish higher this season? 

Quinton Byfield, the human highlight reel 👑 pic.twitter.com/Sn8FcPQzkV

— NHL (@NHL) August 25, 2025

Rising Momentum in Vancouver 

The Canucks are approaching the season with more optimism, led by a rich roster featuring Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, and talented goaltender Thatcher Demko. Vancouver is predicted to place third in the Pacific Division by experts at The Hockey Writers, with a bold prediction that the team has an equal chance of fighting for second place if its defense and goaltending hold up.

The Canucks' depth in offense gives them the advantage, provided Pettersson maintains his top-level scoring and Hughes anchors the blue line as one of the top blueliners in the league. Vancouver's most significant question mark is consistency, however. 

However, after re-entering playoff relevance in recent years, the Canucks now appear to be entering their window of contention and are, therefore, a serious threat in the Pacific.

Kings Staying Competitive but Faced With Challenges

The Los Angeles Kings are no strangers to playoff hockey, and their recipe for success has never been about making blockbuster additions, but rather about depth and internal development. However, this offseason, the Kings made more nuanced moves than just headline additions. 

For this reason, most pundits have them trailing Vancouver in the Pacific by just a point now. While the Kings' competitiveness and miserly defense remain in place, the consensus is that their current lineup doesn't possess the same amount of top-end firepower as some other Western contenders.

The Kings' success will thrive on four players: Quinton Byfield, Andre Kuzmenko, Darcy Kuemper, and Brandt Clarke. If LA gets all of these guys A-games, the Kings will be just as good as they were last season, but that all depends on how they're coached through the season. 

Up to the challenge 💪@DooleyLAK spoke with Clarkie about preparing for the season ahead 📝📲 https://t.co/ThbFWCtHa6#GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/rM3EJTQykf

— LA Kings (@LAKings) August 28, 2025

Head-to-Head Edge Favors Canucks

As much as the Kings vs. Canucks are concerned, these are meant to be a series that will heavily influence the Pacific Division standings. Vancouver's potent offense will test the Kings' defensive adjustments, and Los Angeles' playoff experience and depth could ultimately be the difference-maker in tight, low-scoring games.

Recent encounters between these two teams have only strengthened Vancouver's case. Last season, the two teams met three times, and the Canucks won the series 2-1, including a marquee February 2025 encounter. 

Vancouver defeated Los Angeles in overtime, showcasing its toughness and ability to deliver under pressure. Statistically, the Canucks and Kings have remained balanced over recent seasons, but Vancouver's rising trajectory and offseason moves provide it with the lift it requires in 2025-26.

Verdict: Canucks Slightly Favored

Both teams can finish in the top half of the Pacific, but most initial projections have the Vancouver Canucks for the year 2025–26. Hughes' dominant defense and Demko taking over the crease space give Vancouver the balance to finish third in the division. At the same time, the Kings are expected to finish third or fourth, depending on how their defense performs.

Of course, hockey doesn't always go as planned. If the Kings' young star players can step up in the regular season and stay healthy, Los Angeles could turn the script around. But heading into the season, the Canucks look a little bit stronger on paper and should finish higher than their division rivals.