Mitchell Marner, Canadian Charmer, Vegas First Line Wins Should Garner - NHL 2025-26

[Donuthole]

Re the title: go ahead and clap along and say it like those people who do the TikToks.

Preseason games start in just over a week. Less than a month until Opening Day. Excited to see how Marner and Eichel jell. Also excited that the 2025-26 thread title doesn't mention anyone from the Chicago Blackhawks.

[Joe Public]

Ha ha. I was just thinking about starting a thread solely to avoid having to see one of funk’s thread titles for another season.

[beefytee]

I'm hoping Peterka is the last piece to get Utah over the hump and into the playoffs.

I think once Utah experiences a competitive NHL playoff series, the state will be hooked.

[Joe Public]

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[MartyFunkhouser]

Ha ha. I was just thinking about starting a thread solely to avoid having to see one of funk’s thread titles for another season.

I was planning on a Kirill Kasperov title anyway.

This season should actually be fun. I don't expect a lot of wins by the Blackhawks, which is for the best. Got to tank to try to get Gavin McKenna. A lot of winger talent in this draft, which is exactly what the Blackhawks need right now. Here is hoping though the Blackhawks get the prize of the draft. The Misa miss from last draft is still a bummer man. I still also would have preferred Desnoyers with the 3rd pick.

Here is what I am thinking going into this year as the line pairings

Burakovsky-Bedard-Donato. I really think Bedard/Donato are going to be paired up the whole year. I am expecting Burakovsky to get some play on the top line to see if he can bounce back. I still don't know how Seattle got the Blackhawks to take him without retaining salary. If Burakovsky continues to suck, I'd actually like to see them try Moore at winger on this line.

Teuvo-Nazar-Bertuzzi. I think this is the most locked in line going into the season. The 3 players played well together. I like the idea of keeping them together. Excited to see a full season of Nazar.

Foligno-Dickinson-Mikhayev. I think you are going to see one line that is just veteran players. This is what makes the most sense, although I could see playing Mikhayev with Bedard.

The fourth line is really going to end up being which prospects make it out of camp to the roster. Moore, Greene, Slaggart, Dach are all in play here. Lafferty might get some play on this line if a lot of the prospects need time in Rockford.

Watching the defense this year is what I'm most excited for. A full season of Rinzel-Vlasic should be fun to watch.

I just hope that my dream of Kirill Kasperov in Chicago can come true.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Latest prospect tier list.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/656...tiers-2025-26/

Bedard/Celebrini in the MVP tier.

I think the Blackhawks made a mistake not drafting Demidov last year. He is currently ranked in the franchise tier. I'm really disappointed with missing out on Misa this year, who is also ranked in the franchise tier.

Nazar has really been jumping up these lists lately. I'm really excited to see what happens with him this year. The thing to watch most with the Blackhawks this year is Rinzel and Nazar. Those 2 players are going to tell the story of where the Blackhawks rebuild is actually at.

[Flystripper]

[MartyFunkhouser]

Looking forward to the day when that song, again, strikes fear into the hearts of opponents at the United Center.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Kaiser signs a 2-year bridge deal at 1.7 AAV.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Hell of a game on Sunday by Nazar. Gets the hat trick.

Also, damn, the Kaprizov deal got signed. 8 years, 138 million. That's a 17 million AAV. McDavid is definitely going to get over 18 million, he could push 19 million

[beefytee]

Hockey is getting real here. I'm excited.

My Mammoth season tickets got me tickets to the game Thursday against the Kings. I'm very interested to see how my sight line has changed with the rink surface being moved up 2 feet. It doesn't seem like that would make much difference, but we'll see.

They also are giving tours of the new practice facility. I got passes to go next Wednesday.

[Joe Public]

Hell of a game on Sunday by Nazar. Gets the hat trick.

Also, damn, the Kaprizov deal got signed. 8 years, 138 million. That's a 17 million AAV. McDavid is definitely going to get over 18 million, he could push 19 million

That was my first thought, too - McJesus is going to crush it.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Talk about a huge discount. 2 years, 12.5 million for McDavid. It looks like he is going to take a bridge deal to try to win a cup over the next 2-years before securing his 20+ million per season bag.

[MartyFunkhouser]

The puck drops tonight!

My predictions:

Stanley Cup Winners; Dallas Stars
Runners Up: Hurricanes
Hart Trophy: Connor McDavid
Vezina: Shesterkin
Norris: Makar
Calder: Sam Rinzel (going with a darkhorse here over the obvious candidates of Buium and Demidov)
President's Trophy: Jets
Lowest points: Blackhawks

The Mammoth won't make the playoffs. The division is too good.

Stan Bowman is going to start destroying the Oilers this year. Look for an absolutely terrible deadline deal that is going to hurt the team long term. Oilers will not win a cup this year, next year, or the year after. McDavid will walk and sign with the upstart Blackhawks and win 2-3 cups.

[MartyFunkhouser]

As for the Blackhawks this year, I want the team to set the line for Bedard and stick with it. Last year was a joke with the amount of shifting lines. Bedard needs to center with Donato the entire year. I would prefer just keep Burakovsky on the line the entire year as well. By the way, after this year, it is time to just accept reality and move Bedard to the wing. He is more Kane than Toews.

Teuvo-Nazar-Bertuzzi. Don't mess with that line either all year. Nazar, like Bedard, needs a chance to really develop and have consistency.

Rinzel needs to run the power play from the point all year long. Give him the entire year to develop. Levshunov runs the second unit. I'm sure there it will be tempting to give Levshunov some time on the top power play, but, again, this year needs to be about consistency. Top power play unit needs to be Bedard-Nazar-Bertuzzi-Teuvo-Rinzel. Again, keep that consistent throughout the season.

I think this year is going to be at least fun to watch, but the team is going to lose a lot of games. The Blackhawks really need to get Gavin McKenna. Hopefully, the stupid Sharks don't eff it up by being worse than the Blackhawks.