Welcome back everyone to Season 8 of Two Guys & Hockey Talk! Tonight we are back with another jam-packed Episode 6 with Evan Renaerts. With the regular season back in full swing, so let’s jump right into some of the biggest stories we’re tracking as we get set for the new NHL season:
- Alex DeBrincat signs Extension with Detroit – The Detroit Red Wings have been looking for some good news and it seems that they have locked up one of their big pieces, Alex DeBrincat to a 7-year, $91 million contract extension (with an AAV of $13 million annually). DeBrincat, 28, is coming off a career year in Detroit, scoring 41 goals and 85 points last season, and he’s already got 4 goals and 4 assists through the first six games of this season. Detroit brass believe that DeBrincat appears to be Detroit’s long-term plans, and this deal helps the Red Wings complete some business as they focus on also managing the Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson situation.
- Connor McDavid Reaches 800 Games – Connor McDavid continues to be a star in the NHL as he played (and celebrated a win) for his 800th career NHL game in, where he recorded a goal and 3 assists beating the Los Angeles Kings 4-1. McDavid now has 17 points through his first 6 games, helping the Oilers have a strong start to the season (5-0-1) as they remain unbeaten in regulation. The Oilers need a motivated Connor McDavid in order to have a good season, potentially finish first in the Pacific and go on another deep playoff run next April.
- Connor Bedard Returns From Shoulder Surgery – Connor Bedard has made his long-awaited return to the Chicago Blackhawks lineup Tuesday night after missing the opening portion of the season following shoulder surgery from an injury in the off-season. The former first 1 overall pick from the NHL 2023 draft, immediately made an impact, recording an assist as Chicago beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3. The team has had a tough start but they are looking to turn their fortunes around and try to compete this season in the Central.
- Charlie McAvoy Returns From Suspension – Following a great article from Grant Cummings about the upcoming western road trip Boston Bruins has, they also got a major boost on the blue line as Charlie McAvoy made his season debut following a six-game suspension dating back to last year’s playoffs (slashing Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson during Game 6 of the Eastern Conference First Round playoffs). McAvoy, 28 immediately had an impact as Boston beat the San Jose Sharks 6-3 for its third straight victory. Fraser Minten scored twice for Boston, while Jeremy Swayman made 35 saves. For a team that can often be an enigma, they seem to be doing very well as they are 5-2-0 and top of the Atlantic so far.
- Frozen Frenzy Lives Up to the Hype – Speaking of hockey, Tuesday night was a busy one for us here at Two Guys & Hockey Talk as the NHL had a 16-game Frozen Frenzy was absolute chaos. The NHL saw 112 goals scored across the 16 games, with huge performances from the Tkachuk brothers, McDavid, Bedard, Svechnikov, Lafreniere, Jack Hughes and many others. The Rangers stayed perfect at home, the Canadiens won in a shootout, and the Blues exploded for seven goals against Ottawa. It was a fun night of amazing hockey.
- Igor Shesterkin Out for the Season – Speaking of the New York Rangers, they have been dealt a massive blow as their goaltender Igor Shesterkin will miss the remainder of the 2026-27 season with a lower-body injury, in the game against the Washington Capital. It appeared that his right skate appeared to jam into the goalpost as he scrambled back into his crease bending his leg awkwardly. Shesterkin, 30, had to be helped off the ice, even though he has had a terrific start this season, going 3-1-0 with a 1.79 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage in 5 games. He also scored the first goal of his NHL career earlier this month against Tampa Bay. The problem for the Rangers is that the backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo, is also expected to be out another four weeks, which leaves just young Dylan Garand as the Rangers number 1 netminder.
- Flyers Still Searching for First Win – Things are also getting ugly in Philadelphia, as the Flyers dropped their eighth straight game Tuesday night, falling 3-2 to the Seattle Kraken in a shootout and falling to 0-5-3 to start the season. Without a win so far, reports are beginning to suggest that teams around the league are calling Flyers GM Danny Brière about doing a trade and having a shake up or even if Rick Tocchet is on the hot seat. Could we see a big change there soon? Time will tell.
- William Eklund Placed on Injured Reserve – In other injury news, the Ottawa Senators have placed forward William Eklund on injured reserve after he suffered an ankle injury during their 2-1 win over Philadelphia. Eklund, 23, who was acquired by the Senators in the off-season, was off to a solid start to the season with 1 goal and assist through 4 games after joining the Senators in the offseason, making the injury a tough blow for a team that has started the season 5-2-0. The good news is Eklund is not expected to require surgery and should return later this season.
- Dave Hakstol Leaving Avalanche for Arizona State – The Colorado Avalanche have given assistant coach Dave Hakstol permission to speak with Arizona State about becoming the Sun Devils’ interim head coach. Hakstol, is reportedly close to finalizing the move after spending the past two seasons on Jared Bednar’s staff in Colorado and brings plenty of experience having previously coached the Philadelphia Flyers and Seattle Kraken in the NHL, as well as spending 11 seasons as the head coach at North Dakota, where he reached seven Frozen Fours. The move comes as Arizona State deals with the fallout surrounding defenseman Matthew Mayich’s collapse during an August workout and the administrative leave of head coach Greg Powers.
- Aiden Kelly Commits to Wisconsin – Brantford Bulldogs forward Aiden Kelly has committed to play NCAA hockey at the University of Wisconsin. Kelly, 16, was selected 20th overall by Brantford in the 2026 OHL Draft, is off to a fantastic start with four goals and 10 assists for 14 points through the early part of the season. He was also outstanding at the OHL Cup last spring, recording 12 points in just five games, and is already being viewed as a potential 2028 NHL Draft prospect. He’s currently on pace for an impressive 95-point season, which would put him in rare company for a 16-year-old, and now the Badgers have landed one of the OHL’s most exciting young talents.
Agree? Disagree? Let’s talk Hockey! Season 8 of Two Guys & Hockey Talk, where we break down the latest news and biggest stories in hockey, interview people from around the game, and bring you plenty of opinions, discussion and more. For more hockey news, different takes, and to join the conversation, follow us on X at @hockey_two and @revinev, subscribe to us on YouTube, and visit twoguysandhockeytalk.com for articles and regular hockey content. Want to get in touch or become a partner or sponsor? Email us anytime at twoguyshockeytalk@gmail.com.
- Pawel ‘The Cat’
