Below is a list of 10 people who will define the upcoming NHL season (and Olympic tournament) for one reason or another. Some are influential or transcendent. Others are staring down big decisions. All of them are intriguing.
Patrick Kane
The Detroit Red Wings re-signed Patrick Kane to a one-year contract extension in June. Kane isn’t chasing 100-point seasons or big paychecks at 36.
But the table is set for a special season.
Kane enters 2025-26 with 492 goals and 1,343 points. Eight more goals gets him into the 500-goal club. Thirty-two more points makes him the all-time leader among Americans, passing Mike Modano.
Fifty-seven more points puts him 23rd or 24th in NHL history to reach 1,400. Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin is also close at 1,346 points.
Then there’s the Olympics. Kane’s a long shot to crack Team USA’s roster, but his dream of competing in a third Games isn’t dead. “I don’t want to be chosen just for what I’ve done in the past or to just be another guy,” Kane said recently. “I’d love to be a guy who gets off to a great start, gets picked for the team, and can help in any way possible once you get there.”
Young Kane inspired an entire generation of playmakers.
“He was laying the foundation for the shiftiness and the hands of so many guys now,” Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy said. “He changed the game of hockey. He’s an absolute legend. And it’s great that he’s an American.”
The Red Wings haven’t made the playoffs in nine years. Kane picked the Original Six franchise as a pending unrestricted free agent in November 2023. “We really feel like we’re on the verge, and we should do it this year,” Kane said.
Bill Zito
It was never going to be easy for Bill Zito’s Florida Panthers to win a third straight Stanley Cup. The three-peat case has been weakened significantly with three forwards sustaining long-term injuries ahead of the season.
All-Star Matthew Tkachuk’s sidelined until around December. Center Aleksander Barkov’s out for seven-to-nine months with a return timeline of April-June. Fourth-line center Tomas Nosek’s gone for “several months.”
How does Zito navigate the next six months? Does the Panthers general manager acquire someone to “replace” Barkov or hope he returns in good form for the playoffs?
Zito’s a finalist for NHL General Manager of the Year in four of his five seasons in Florida.
The Panthers’ front office excels at bringing in the right pieces at the right time. Zito’s never been afraid to swing for the fences in trades.
Quinn and Jack Hughes
For Quinn Hughes, 2025-26 is vital to figuring out if the Vancouver Canucks are worth committing to over a second long-term contract. He’s eligible to sign an extension on July 1, 2026. This season is also big for proving he’s a real threat to Cale Makar for best defenseman on the planet.
For Jack Hughes, 2025-26 is key for silencing critics of his injury problems. The six-year NHLer has missed games in every season but one. It’s also important for showing he can lead the Devils to the playoffs.
The Hughes brothers will be hugely important to the U.S. Olympic squad.
Quinn missed the 4 Nations Face-Off due to injury but should log top-pair minutes in Milan. Jack has a chance to grab a premier winger spot despite looking overwhelmed at 4 Nations, where he contributed only one assist.
Connor McDavid
Connor McDavid has posted big numbers and won individual trophies consistently over the past decade. He helps define every season simply by being the best player in the world.
His 11th season could be his wildest yet.
With McDavid and running mate Leon Draisaitl dominating every night, the Edmonton Oilers automatically deserve Cup contender status. McDavid’s competing in his first Olympics and Canada has a great shot at winning gold.
McDavid remains undecided on his future. He could re-sign on a record-breaking long-term deal, go short with Edmonton, or create the biggest bidding war in NHL history by testing free agency.
Sidney Crosby
Still one of the faces of the sport at 38, Sidney Crosby will be part of the national conversation daily during his 21st season.
Crosby’s level of play is an important story. Does he remain elite or does his production begin to drop?
His future is compelling. Does he choose to endure the Pittsburgh Penguins’ rebuild or does he give management the green light to explore a midseason trade?
His international resume is a legacy-affecting story. Does Canada win a third Olympic gold medal with him as its on- and off-ice leader, or does the team struggle?
Spencer Carbery
Spencer Carbery is a superstar in coaching circles. The 43-year-old’s entering his third year behind the Capitals’ bench. Everything clicked into place in Year 2.
Washington grabbed 111 points to earn the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Alex Ovechkin scored Goal 895 earlier than expected. Dylan Strome, Aliaksei Protas, and many others enjoyed career years.
The flip side of all that success: Regression is probably around the corner.
The Caps probably won’t finish first in the league in shooting percentage again. They probably won’t get stellar goaltending from the Logan Thompson-Charlie Lindgren tandem every night. Ovechkin is 40, no longer chasing history, and perhaps playing his final season.
Washington’s lineup is strong enough to grab one of three playoff spots in a weak Metropolitan Division. Nothing will be given to them. Carbery’s ability to elevate a team will be tested often.
Ivan Demidov
Ivan Demidov put up 49 points in 65 KHL games last season as a teenager. He arrived in Montreal in April and impressed in seven NHL games.
The 2024 fifth overall pick has continued adding to his highlight reel during preseason action. He looks set to begin his rookie campaign in a big role on the second line alongside Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine.
Demidov is a exciting talent already being compared to countryman Nikita Kucherov for his skating, dangles, and offensive instincts.
The 19-year-old playmaking winger will be spotlighted for several reasons. He plays in a major market. The Canadiens are on the rise. He’s the exact brand of player the Habs desperately need.
It would be surprising if Demidov didn’t win the Calder Trophy.
Kevin Cheveldayoff
Kevin Cheveldayoff didn’t make our “people under the most pressure” list because his job in Winnipeg appears secure under owner Mark Chipman.
The second-longest-tenured GM in the league lands on this list because this Jets season has many layers.
Cheveldayoff is betting that Jonathan Toews is the answer at second-line center after two-plus years away from the game. The front office and coaching staff must figure out the right way to lessen starting goalie Connor Hellebuyck’s regular-season workload.
The reigning Hart Trophy winner needs to peak in the playoffs, not in December or March.
The Jets haven’t advanced past the second round since 2018. They didn’t directly replace departed pending unrestricted free agent Nikolaj Ehlers in the offseason. Cheveldayoff is armed with first-round picks and enough prospects to pull off a big trade ahead of the March 6 deadline.
Winnipeg has 10 pending unrestricted free agents on its roster, most notably top sniper Kyle Connor. Cheveldayoff can’t mess up the Connor negotiation.
Gavin McKenna
Gavin McKenna may not be officially affiliated with the NHL at the moment, but viral highlights and the multi-team race to the bottom for the opportunity to draft him next June will soon thrust him into the spotlight.
Is he a future Shark? Blackhawk? Penguin? Islander? Kraken? Flyer?
McKenna’s a talent worth tanking for. He’s the unquestioned top prospect for the 2026 draft and the caliber of player who can change a franchise’s trajectory overnight.
The 17-year-old winger is a tremendous skater and thinker with the passing and shooting abilities to make him a true dual threat at the NHL level.
McKenna left junior for the NCAA in the offseason. He’ll star for Penn State while making a reported $700,000 in name, image, and likeness money.
Paul Theofanous
Paul Theofanous doesn’t have the name recognition of fellow player agents like Pat Brisson, Judd Moldaver, or Darren Ferris. Make no mistake: The rep will be highly influential behind the scenes over the next 10-12 months.
Theofanous just finished negotiating the most lucrative contract in history. His client Kirill Kaprizov signed for $136 million over eight years with the Wild.
Kaprizov doesn’t boldly turn down $128 million a few weeks ago without first discussing the risks and rewards with Theofanous.
Kaprizov’s front-loaded, signing-bonus-heavy deal carries a $17-million average annual value. It sets the bar for the rest of the 2026 pending unrestricted free agent class, which is stacked with impact forwards.
The deal resets the overall landscape as the salary cap rises from $95.5 million to $113.5 million over the next two years.
Theofanous reps nine NHLers, including pending unrestricted free agents Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky. Panarin’s stock is up with Kaprizov now off the market.
The agent keeps a low profile, but what we know about him is interesting. Theofanous has served on three separate enlistments with the U.S. Army’s Special Forces, deploying twice to Afghanistan since 9/11, according to one online bio.
He speaks Russian, studied at the University of Denver and Harvard, and sits on the Special Forces Trust board.
John Matisz is theScore’s senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter/X (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email ([email protected]).
