The Hockey News

We examine the impact of all the off-season moves in our Meet The New Guys issue. Inside, you’ll find features on NHLers Gavin McKenna, Brady Tkachuk, Bowen Byram, John Carlson and Mason McTavish and PWHLers Caroline Harvey, Andrea Brandli, Hayley Scamurra and Grace Elliott. Plus, we break down the PWHL’s expansion, rate the NHL’s winners and losers from this summer and look at how 3ICE is growing overseas.

MASTHEAD

NIGHT TURNS TO DARK

HOCKEY CANADA CEO & CHAIRMAN • Unfit to Serve Canadians

RIDING THE WAVE • Thanks to the growth of women’s sports, the PWHL has never been in a better spot. And if the league’s new teams can find success, further expansion could be coming

BEHIND THE MASK

JERSEY HOUND

MATCHED-O-METER • After a fallow period, the offer sheet seems to be coming back into vogue, with four inked in the past three off-seasons. But the cheeky gambit doesn’t always pay off. Here are the six largest (but failed) attempts to pry away a star

IN THE CARDS

PUCK CULTURE • It isn’t every day an NHL legend makes a comeback. But when Mario Lemieux came out of retirement, he made an impact, and the card companies noticed. Here are six ways trading-card companies commemorated Super Mario’s return

THE COUNTDOWN • In an age where massive paydays are more common, which NHL teams shell out the most for their top dogs?

FROM ICE TO FELT • Greg Mueller went from playing hockey overseas to pushing in the chips at the World Series of Poker. The money’s changed, but the crowd atmosphere hasn’t

A FAN FROM THE START • From the joy of the brand’s birth to covering a mountain of memorable moments, THN has provided a spark for each of its eight decades

SPOTLIGHT READY • Although GAVIN McKENNA will be expected to produce in Toronto, he’s confident he has what it takes to find success in the NHL. And with the support of his family and community behind him, he already has what is required to succeed

SHARKS HAVE BITE • With a boatload of offensive talent already in tow, San Jose GM MIKE GRIER knew simply running out the same blueline as last season would be malpractice. So he gambled big to revamp his D-corps, making it a lot bigger, a lot meaner and a LOT more expensive

HONEYMOON PERIOD • BOWEN BYRAM started life as a Blackhawk and a married man this summer, and he knows the expectations that precede him in both of his new titles. But that pressure is nothing he isn’t used to – or prepared for

TKACHUK SQUARED • Landing BRADY TKACHUK to join brother Matthew puts Florida back on the Stanley Cup radar. Call it big-game hunting, but it’s more a case of hunting down the players who yearn to play in the big game

NEW ALEX IN TOWN • ALEX TUCH had his dream stolen by the Capitals eight years ago. Now, Alex Ovechkin & Co. could help the balanced behemoth achieve the ultimate goal – and vice versa

NUMBERS ADVANTAGE • Whether it’s through his ability to create odd-man situations by joining the rush or his power-play prowess, JOHN CARLSON looks set to tilt the ice in Tampa’s favor this year

CLIMBING THE ARCH • MASON MCTAVISH struggled to improve on a career campaign as the Anaheim Ducks flew upward in the Pacific. Just like the St. Louis Blues, however, he’s not one to sit back

JACK OF ALL TRADES • From gigs as a professional musician and poker player to getting his start in the NHL, SUNNY MEHTA has authored an intriguing journey to the GM chair. And as the New Jersey native takes the reins for the Devils, he’s looking to leave a legacy that stretches beyond the ice

2026 OFF-SEASON WINNERS & LOSERS • A lot of cash was splashed this summer, and while some teams built on their already impressive array of talent, others were punished by the extra cap space

LEGO MY EGO...