NHL Training Camp 2026: The Biggest Question Facing Every Team

17 September 2026

| BY Kim

The NHL training camp opens across the league this month, and every NHL team walks in with an unresolved problem. A new collective bargaining agreement reshapes this year’s calendar.

Goaltending battles, rookie debuts, and unsettled contracts all have to sort themselves out before the start of the regular season. Some franchises arrive as Stanley Cup champions with a title to defend. Others are replacing a captain, a general manager, or a star who forced his way out of town. Here’s the storyline worth watching for every team, division by division.

NHL Training Camp Storylines Take Shape Before the 2026-27 Season

Most training camps open between September 15 and 19, and the format looks different than it did during the 2025-26 season. A new collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and NHLPA reshapes several figures teams have built their calendars around for years.

Here’s how the new rules compare with last season:

The result is a shorter training camp than players are used to. A four-game preseason slate replaces what used to be six exhibition dates, two fewer preseason games than teams played a year ago. That trade-off funds two extra regular-season games on every team’s calendar.

Playing fewer preseason games gives coaches far less time to evaluate NHL players before rosters lock in. Any team that can’t begin training camp with its lineup mostly settled risks scrambling once the NHL regular season starts.

Veterans with 100 or more games of NHL experience are also limited to two of those four preseason appearances. A player who isn’t ready for the start of training camp loses reps he can’t make up later.

NHL Network’s broadcast of training camp scrimmages and rookie showcases begins the same week. Coverage from NHL.com and Yahoo Sports both flagged goaltending competitions as the storylines to watch across the league this fall.

Several of the league’s biggest names already addressed reporters at the NHL’s annual player media tour in Las Vegas. They previewed plenty of what’s still unresolved heading into camp. It’s shaping up to be a busy few weeks for hockey.

Atlantic Division: Gavin McKenna’s First NHL Training Camp Headlines the Storylines

Toronto Maple Leafs

Rookie Gavin McKenna headlines Toronto’s training camp after signing his entry-level contract as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

• McKenna, 18, signed a three-year entry-level deal and trained with San Jose Sharks centre Macklin Celebrini over the summer.
• He is set for his first NHL training camp before Toronto opens the regular season against Montreal on September 29.
• Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky signed a three-year deal after leaving Florida and reunites with backup Anthony Stolarz.
• Forward Max Domi is set to miss the start of training camp and won’t begin training camp on schedule after offseason surgery.

Boston Bruins

J.J. Peterka is Boston’s only major addition, and the Bruins need his production to rebound.

• Boston made the playoffs during the 2025-26 season with most of its roster returning intact.
• Peterka is owed four more years on a $7.7 million contract.
• His assist total dropped from 41 to 22 last season, and Boston is counting on regular minutes on David Pastrnak’s top six to reverse that.

Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo is replacing two departed free agents with a younger group up front.

• Winger Alex Tuch left for Washington, and defenseman Bowen Byram was traded to Chicago.
• Forwards Josh Doan, Zach Benson, and winger Jack Quinn are expected to cover the lost offense on the wing.

Detroit Red Wings

Dylan Larkin’s trade request remains unresolved as camp opens.

• Larkin holds a full no-movement clause on an eight-year, $69.6 million contract, so nothing happens without his approval.
• Detroit hasn’t hired a general manager to take up the post permanently since Steve Yzerman’s exit, and interim GM Shawn Horcoff isn’t authorised to make trades.

Florida Panthers

Florida replaces Sergei Bobrovsky with an unproven goalie tandem.

• Bobrovsky signed with Toronto, so Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid now share the net in Florida.
• Their combined numbers last season were nearly identical to Bobrovsky’s decline.

Montreal Canadiens

Montreal still needs a proven top-six centre behind Nick Suzuki.

• General manager Kent Hughes has cap space to work with once restricted free agents Zack Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj are signed.

Ottawa Senators

Losing captain Brady Tkachuk to a forced trade changes Ottawa’s identity heading into the season.

• General manager Steve Staios brought in forward William Eklund from San Jose to help fill the void.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay upgraded its blue line and backup goaltending this offseason.

• Defenseman John Carlson signed in free agency.
• Goaltender Dennis Hildeby, acquired by trade, could take starts away from Andrei Vasilevskiy and stretch out his career.

Metropolitan Division: Carolina Hurricanes Defend Their Title as Tkachuk Changes Ottawa

Carolina Hurricanes

Carolina brought back nearly its entire championship roster, but loses a key winger to injury.

• Seth Jarvis is recovering from shoulder surgery and could miss four to six months. That’s a real blow for a team trying to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.
• Goaltender Frederik Andersen also left in the offseason, traded to Edmonton.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Adam Fantilli’s next contract will shape how far Columbus can climb.

• Adam remains unsigned as camp approaches, though general manager Don Waddell says he’s confident a deal gets finalised before puck drop.
• The market has set a high bar this offseason. Connor Bedard signed for $15 million a year in Chicago, and Leo Carlsson landed an $18 million offer sheet in Anaheim. Macklin Celebrini also locked in an $18.8 million cap hit in San Jose.
• Zach Werenski remains the anchor on Columbus’ blue line regardless of how the Fantilli talks resolve.

New Jersey Devils

Coach Sheldon Keefe is working under new general manager Sunny Mehta.

• A slow start could put Keefe in the same hot seat as several other NHL coaches this fall.

New York Islanders

Full-time head coach Peter DeBoer gets a complete training camp for the first time.

• He’s tasked with closing the eight-point gap that kept the Islanders out of the playoffs last season.

New York Rangers

General manager Chris Drury overhauled the roster around goaltender Igor Shesterkin.

• New additions include winger Pavel Dorofeyev and defensemen Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi.
• A coaching change looms if results don’t follow.

Philadelphia Flyers

Joseph Woll’s health is Philadelphia’s biggest question mark heading into training camp.

• Philadelphia’s training camp opens September 17.
• Woll has topped 25 appearances in a single season only twice in his career, and a setback now would reopen those same durability questions.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh is betting its ageing core still has enough left in the tank.

• Sidney Crosby enters his 22nd NHL season on a roster that still leans on veterans Kris Letang, Erik Karlsson, and longtime centre Evgeni Malkin.
• The four players carry decades of combined NHL experience into a season after a first-round exit last season.

Washington Capitals

Washington spent big this summer to chase the top of the Metropolitan Division.

• Free-agent additions Alex Tuch, Boone Jenner, and Jordan Kyrou headline the offseason moves, alongside Carolina as the division’s top contender.

Every one of these storylines is already moving the board before camp battles even settle. Sportsbooks are adjusting in real time to goaltending changes, contract holdouts, and new arrivals.

Fans can check the current NHL odds and markets on Betya to follow along as camp plays out.

Central Division: Quinn Hughes, Bedard, and Connor Hellebuyck Define the Questions

Chicago Blackhawks

Connor Bedard’s shoulder surgery complicates an already crowded training camp battle.

• Bedard is expected to miss the first month of the regular season; Chicago hasn’t made the playoffs in a full season since 2019-20.
• Frank Nazar and Emil Frondell are competing for a second-line role while Bedard recovers.
• New arrival Bowen Byram put up 42 points across 82 games last season in Buffalo. His extension carries a $12.5 million cap hit starting in 2027-28, the richest deal for a defenseman in the league.

Colorado Avalanche

Colorado has talent but little trade capital if problems arise during the season.

• The reigning regular-season leaders enter NHL training camp with Joe Sakic back as general manager.
• Thin draft capital gives the Colorado Avalanche little room to make in-season trades.

Dallas Stars

Jake Oettinger needs a bounce-back season in net.

• He stopped shy of 90% of the shots he faced across 54 outings last season.
• Oettinger still has seven years left on his contract, and Dallas needs him to be sharper.

Minnesota Wild

Quinn Hughes’ next contract is Minnesota’s biggest storyline.

• Hughes is playing out the final year of his current deal at a $7.85 million cap hit and has been extension-eligible since July 1.
• General manager Bill Guerin has close to $45 million in cap space heading into 2027-28 to make an extension happen.
• Rumours persist that Hughes could instead chase unrestricted free agency to join his brothers Jack and Luke in New Jersey.

Nashville Predators

Andrew Brunette’s leash may be short in Nashville.

• New general manager Chris MacFarland inherited a significantly improved roster.
• MacFarland won’t wait long to bring in a new coach if Nashville stumbles out of the gate.

St. Louis Blues

Jordan Binnington’s contract situation looms over St. Louis.

• Binnington enters the final year of his contract.
• New general manager Alexander Steen has to decide between extending the 2019 Stanley Cup-winning goaltender and trading him before the deadline.

Utah Mammoth

Utah added proven veterans to push for a top-three finish in the Central Division.

• Forwards Anders Lee and Vincent Trocheck joined this offseason.
• Goaltender Sebastian Cossa was also acquired to round out the roster.

Winnipeg Jets

Connor Hellebuyck’s trade request looms over Winnipeg’s entire season.

• Hellebuyck publicly confirmed his trade request on August 27, saying moving on is the best path for him and his family.
• He carries a full no-movement clause and five years left at an $8.5 million cap hit, so any deal needs his approval.
• Winnipeg has already lined up goaltender Stuart Skinner as insurance in case a trade comes together before the deadline.

Pacific Division: Edmonton and San Jose Build Around a Young Player Core

Anaheim Ducks

Leo Carlsson has to justify the richest contract in the NHL.

• Carlsson arrives at NHL training camp having signed a five-year offer sheet worth $18 million average annually.

Calgary Flames

Calgary still doesn’t have a true franchise player to build around.

• General manager Craig Conroy needs an offer sheet, a trade, or better draft luck to find one.

Edmonton Oilers

Goaltending remains Edmonton’s biggest question mark.

• Frederik Andersen is already dealing with an injury.
• Devon Levi is unproven at the NHL level.

Los Angeles Kings

The Kings added veterans but have little room to fix mistakes.

• Mats Zuccarello, Erik Haula, and Corey Perry all joined this offseason.
• Los Angeles has almost no cap space left to fix things if the lineup doesn’t produce a playoff run deeper than round one.

Seattle Kraken

Jason Botterill’s use of cap space will define Seattle’s season.

• General manager Jason Botterill has $17.8 million in cap space and tried to trade for winger Jason Robertson this summer.
• How he spends that money will decide if Seattle escapes the bottom of the division.

San Jose Sharks

San Jose’s young player core is deep enough to make the Sharks a playoff team this season.

• Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and Michael Misa headline the group, even as several are still chasing a full-time NHL role.
• Celebrini has already cashed in. He signed a five-year extension worth an $18.8 million cap hit that kicks in next July. That will be the highest cap hit of any forward in the league once it starts.

Vancouver Canucks

New general manager Ryan Johnson isn’t finished trading veterans in Vancouver.

• Marcus Pettersson and Nils Hoglander have already been moved ahead of NHL training camp.
• Elias Pettersson and goaltender Thatcher Demko could be next as the rebuild continues.

Vegas Golden Knights

Vegas is out of moves after years of blockbuster trades.

• General manager Kelly McCrimmon built the Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup roster through deals for stars like Mitch Marner and Jack Eichel.
• Vegas is now out of cap space and draft capital heading into 2026-27. That leaves little room to add before training camp battles settle the final roster spots.

NHL Training Camp 2026 Sets the Tone Before the Season Begins

Every division walks into NHL training camp with something on the line. Defending champions are protecting their roster, and rebuilding teams are leaning on rookies and long-shot bets.

Injuries, holdouts, and trade requests will keep shifting the picture in every division right up until the puck drops. Camp battles that look settled in September can still change before opening night.

For a closer look at how these storylines translate into odds, lines, and matchups, visit our full NHL betting guide. It covers every NHL market ahead of the 2026-27 season.