Welcome back everyone to Season 8 of Two Guys & Hockey Talk! Tonight we are back with another jam-packed Episode 5 show last night 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 Ovechkin Announces his Final NHL Season – Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin revealed that the 2026-27 campaign will be the final season of his legendary NHL career. The 41-year-old enters the year as the league’s all-time leading goal scorer and one of the most decorated players in hockey history after spending his entire career with the Capitals. Draft #1 overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Ovechkin has gone on to score 929 goals and 759 assists in 1575 games along with some impressive hardware (and a cup in 2018). He informed teammates before the season began as the Cap are hoping to make one last deep playoff run. We wish him all the best this season and perhaps we see him in the KHL in the future.
- Trade Requests Becoming a Growing NHL Problem – NHL commissioner Gary Bettman publicly addressed the increasing number of players using no-trade and no-movement clauses to influence their destinations, calling the trend concerning for teams, fans, and the league. The comments come amid several high-profile situations around the NHL, including Dylan Larkin, Connor Hellebuyck, and Detroit and Simon Edvinsson. Bettman indicated that if the trend continues, the NHL and NHLPA may eventually need to revisit how these clauses are structured in future collective bargaining discussions.
- Igor Shesterkin’s Goal Has the Hockey World Buzzing – New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin has scored a goal in a recent tilt with the Tampa Bay Lightning, which is always a highlight reel. The Rangers, who were seen as a potentially bottom team in the league have come out flying to a current 4-1-0 record, and having contributions up and down the lineup. It has been fun to watch the team and see them be successful and perhaps make a big push for the post-season this year. One player to watch for the team is Cole Beaudoin, a former first round pick by the Utah Mammoth who was acquired in a trade, alongside Sean Durzi and a 2027 third-round pick, in exchange for Vincent Trocheck.
- Flames Place Connor Zary and Brayden Pachal on Waivers – The Calgary Flames had placed forward Connor Zary and defenceman Brayden Pachal on waivers following the club’s disappointing 0-3 start. Zary, a 25-year-old former first-round pick has been a regular NHL player for Calgary over the past three seasons. He recorded 1 assist in two games this season and has 87 points in 193 career NHL games, but after being scratched over the weekend. Pachal, meanwhile, has yet to appear in a game this season after spending much of last year in and out of the lineup. Both players have cleared waivers, but they may be assigned to the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, giving the Flames an opportunity to recall some other younger prospects. This is a situation to monitor as the season progresses.
- Islanders Sign Vladimir Dravecky to Entry-Level Contract – The New York Islanders continued investing in their future by signing defenseman Vladimir Dravecky to a three-year entry-level contract. Dravecky, selected in the 5th round (141st overall) of the 2026 NHL Draft, has quickly emerged as one of the organization’s more intriguing defensive prospects. The 19-year-old enjoyed a strong season in the OHL with the Brantford Bulldogs, posting 28 points in 58 games while earning praise for his offensive instincts, skating ability, and competitiveness. Islanders development staff have been particularly impressed with his growth, with former coach Jay McKee even calling him one of the steals of the 2026 draft. Dravecky also represented Czechia at the World Juniors, helping his country capture a silver medal. This is a good signing for the team and keep an eye on him as the Islanders go through the season.
- NHL Pulls Plug on ‘Hot for Hockey’ Campaign – In a bizarre story within the NHL, they have ended its short-lived “Hot for Hockey” marketing campaign just days after launch following widespread criticism. The campaign attempted to capitalize on the popularity of hockey romance novels and the BookTok community by releasing short audiobook-style stories featuring real NHL players in romance-inspired scenarios. However, many fans felt the NHL missed the mark, saying the stories didn’t feel like real romance and seemed more like a promotional campaign to get people to watch hockey games on TV. Whatever the situation, it was quickly stopped and no longer in play (pun intended).
- Canadiens and Jets Unveil Heritage Classic Jerseys – Speaking of the NHL, they (along with Fanatics) have unveiled the special jerseys the Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets will wear for the 2026 Heritage Classic coming up on October 25, 2026 at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg. The Jets are going back to their roots with a design inspired by the jerseys and logo they wore during their first NHL era in the 1980s and ’90s. Montreal is also leaning into its history, keeping its traditional red and blue colours while adding a vintage off-white look and details such as “Les Habitants” stitched inside the collar and a fleur-de-lis on the loop label. You can go check it out online as they look pretty nice to use, and the outdoor matchup will be the eighth Heritage Classic and Montreal’s first outdoor game since 2017. It should be a great game.
- Brad Marchand Suffers Another Injury – The Florida Panthers did beat the LA Kings 2-1 but lost forward Brad Marchand to a left-leg injury. Marchand was driving toward the net late in the second period when he was high-sticked by Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke, causing him to twist awkwardly and crash into the goal post. Marchand immediately grabbed his left knee and was unable to put weight on the leg before being helped off the ice by teammates. The injury is especially concerning because Marchand had only just returned to the lineup Sunday after offseason surgery for a lingering lower-body injury. We never want to see an injury and the Panthers are already without captain Aleksander Barkov, who is expected to miss 6 to 8 weeks with a lower-body injury, depleting their top 9. We wish Marchand a speedy recovery.
- Flyers Sign Michael Bunting to a One-Year Deal – The Philadelphia Flyers, who have been struggling early in the season have signed forward Michael Bunting to a one-year contract worth $1.2 million. Bunting, 31, split last season playing for the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars, and putting up 14 goals and 33 points in 74 games. Bunting has 252 points in 418 career NHL games and is best known for his two 20-plus-goal seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, including a career-high 63 points in 2021-22. The Flyers are hoping Bunting can bring more energy, physicality and secondary scoring to a team that has struggled badly out of the gate, going 0-2-2 and being outscored 17-5 through its first four games. We wish Bunting all the best with the Flyers.
- Ivan Demidov Out Two-to-Four Weeks – The Montreal Canadiens have announced that Ivan Demidov will miss the next 2 to 4 weeks with a lower-body injury. Demidov, 20, had a goal and an assist in his first two games of the season, including both points in Montreal’s 6-5 overtime loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday. Demidov missed Monday’s practice, which was initially described as a therapy day, before the team revealed the injury. The setback comes after an impressive rookie season in which Demidov led all NHL rookies with 62 points, including 19 goals and 43 assists, and helped the Canadiens reach the Eastern Conference Final. We also wish Demidov a speedy recovery.
Agree? Disagree? Let’s talk Hockey!
Tune in every Wednesday at 7 PM MST for 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’
