NHL IN 60 SECONDS
Several developments set the tone: Columbus confirmed Elvis Merzlikins underwent shoulder surgery and will be re-evaluated in a few weeks, a timetable that sits alongside the club’s 16 September training-camp opening. The Maple Leafs are expected to begin 2026-27 with Morgan Rielly on the top defensive pairing alongside newcomer Darren Raddysh. Boston remains undecided on a new captain; club president Cam Neely highlighted a preference for standout leadership rather than a nominal appointment. Juraj Slafkovský’s breakout 82-game season and a top billing on a recent U23 list have pushed him into the conversation among the league’s best young forwards.
THE BIG FIVE
Elvis Merzlikins out indefinitely after shoulder surgery
Columbus confirmed goaltender Elvis Merzlikins underwent shoulder surgery. The club described the operation as successful but did not set a return timetable; the player will be re-evaluated in a few weeks. The team’s training camp opens on 16 September, a known calendar point against which the club can measure recovery progress.
IHM Signal: A scheduled re-evaluation in the coming weeks is the immediate medical checkpoint for Merzlikins, with the 16 September camp date providing a near-term timeline reference.
Coach Mark: An open-ended post-operative timeline means the Blue Jackets should treat Merzlikins’s availability as provisional; staff will need to factor that uncertainty into their camp preparations and goaltending plans.
What should the Maple Leafs expect from Morgan Rielly?
Morgan Rielly, a 13-year fixture in Toronto, is expected to open 2026-27 on the Maple Leafs’ top defensive pairing alongside newcomer Darren Raddysh. Reporting notes that Raddysh has taken on the role of the club’s highest-paid blueliner, which changes the external spotlight and conversation around Toronto’s defence.
That dynamic, as reported, should allow Rielly to operate more in the background than in previous seasons while the club seeks a bounce-back from him on the scoresheet.
IHM Signal: With Raddysh established as the higher-profile signing, Rielly’s role is framed as more complementary, shifting expectations for his season output.
Coach Mark: Pairing an established veteran with a newly acquired, higher-paid defenceman will change the spotlight and role balance; Rielly’s game can be cast into a steadier, complementary capacity while the organisation evaluates the pairing.
READ FULL STORY: What Should the Maple Leafs Expect From Morgan Rielly?
Bruins still undecided on a new captain, Neely stresses leaders not followers
Boston has not yet named a new captain. David Pastrnák and Charlie McAvoy have been mentioned as possible candidates, but Bruins president Cam Neely did not outline a plan and emphasised the club’s preference for a clear, obvious leader over a nominal appointment.
IHM Signal: The organisation is keeping the captaincy decision open, signalling it prefers a standout candidate to emerge rather than rushing a formal designation.
Coach Mark: Delaying a formal appointment preserves flexibility and gives players the chance to demonstrate leadership on and off the ice before the club commits to naming a captain.
Juraj Slafkovský ranks No.4 in Pronman’s U23 list after breakout year
Juraj Slafkovský has been placed among the top U23 players, ranking No.4 on a widely followed list. His 2025-26 season included 82 regular-season games with 30 goals and 73 points, and he played a prominent role in his team’s playoff run.
IHM Signal: Slafkovský’s statistical leap and his placement on the U23 list mark him as one of the clearer emerging young forwards in the league.
Coach Mark: A 30-goal, 73-point season and recognition on a top U23 list raise expectations for Slafkovský and confirm his standing as a core young piece for Montreal.
READ FULL STORY: Juraj Slafkovský ranks No.4 in Pronman’s U23 list
IHM SHORT ICE
Gauthier reportedly rejected a four-year, $13M AAV Ducks offer
Reports indicate Cutter Gauthier declined a four-year contract with a reported average annual value of $13 million as his negotiation with Anaheim continues. Sources cited the Ducks as having just over $9 million in projected cap space while Leo Carlsson carries a reported $18 million AAV, creating limited room without roster or cap moves.
READ FULL STORY: Gauthier Reportedly Rejects Ducks’ $13M Offer
Four things the Blues must fix to reach the playoffs
St. Louis’s off-season was active under new general manager Alexander Steen, who made multiple trades and signed free agents. The team still needs greater offensive output from Robert Thomas after a 64-point season if it hopes to climb back into playoff contention.
READ FULL STORY: Four Things the Blues Must Fix to Reach the Playoffs
Former NHL candidate Ahokas says he negotiated with Oilers staff
Jussi Ahokas, now the head coach of the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, said he was close last year to joining an NHL coaching staff. He described talks that would have involved a role working with forwards and the power play linked to Edmonton’s organisation.
NHL to stage four regular-season games in Germany in 2027-28
The league announced it will return to Germany in 2027-28 for four regular-season games, split evenly between Munich and Cologne, as part of its international regular-season programme.
NHL off-season ranking lists Minnesota Wild at No.15
An off-season ranking places the Minnesota Wild at No.15 in the list, leaving questions about how management will position the club heading into the next season.
IHM NHL PULSE
Camp calendars versus medical uncertainty
Items about Elvis Merzlikins converge into a short-term league story: surgery has been confirmed and a re-evaluation is scheduled in a few weeks, while the Blue Jackets’ training camp start is set for 16 September. Those linked checkpoints create a near-term timeline for how the club will monitor the player’s recovery.
Leadership and role recalibration
Boston’s open captaincy and Toronto’s defensive pairing decision both reflect teams managing leadership and role clarity. One organisation is keeping the decision open pending a clear leader; the other is reshaping responsibilities around a newly acquired, higher-profile defenceman.
Contract pressure across age groups
Rostering decisions now balance veteran roles, high-priced newcomers and restricted youngsters. Cutter Gauthier’s reported rejection of a large offer highlights cap friction, while Raddysh’s standing as the higher-paid blueliner in Toronto shows how contracts are influencing roster conversations.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING NEXT
Merzlikins re-evaluation
Columbus will re-assess Elvis Merzlikins in a few weeks; that exam is the immediate condition that will clarify his short-term availability.
Leafs pairing to open the season
Watch whether Morgan Rielly and Darren Raddysh open the 2026-27 season together on the top defensive pairing, which will indicate how the club intends to deploy its new alignment.
Cutter Gauthier’s next contract move
Gauthier’s negotiations remain unresolved; the next public checkpoint is whether he signs a new deal and how Anaheim addresses the associated cap implications.
SHORT ICE Q&A
Q: What exactly is Elvis Merzlikins’s status?
A: Merzlikins underwent shoulder surgery that the club described as successful. No return date was given; he will be re-evaluated in a few weeks and that assessment will inform his availability relative to the club’s 16 September training camp.
Q: How will Darren Raddysh’s arrival affect Morgan Rielly?
A: The Leafs plan to pair Rielly with Raddysh on the top defensive pairing. Reporting indicates Raddysh’s higher-profile contract has shifted external attention and framed Rielly’s role as more complementary.
Q: Who are the leading candidates for the Bruins’ captaincy?
A: David Pastrnák and Charlie McAvoy have been most frequently mentioned. Club president Cam Neely has said the organisation prefers a clear leader and is not rushing the decision.
Q: Where does Juraj Slafkovský stand among young NHL players?
A: Slafkovský ranked No.4 on a recent U23 list after a breakout season in which he played 82 games, scored 30 goals and collected 73 points, and took on a prominent role in his team’s playoff run.
Q: What is the situation with Cutter Gauthier and Anaheim?
A: Reports indicate Gauthier turned down a four-year offer at a reported $13 million AAV. The Ducks, with just over $9 million in projected cap space and Leo Carlsson carrying a reported $18 million AAV, face cap pressure to complete any new deal.
FAN PULSE
Given Toronto intends to pair Morgan Rielly with Darren Raddysh, should the Maple Leafs prioritise protecting Rielly’s role as a complementary stabiliser or push him into a more offensive, bounce-back mandate? Choose one: protect stability or demand offence.