In Sportsnet’s One player who has to deliver for every Atlantic Division team writer Ryan Dixon tabbed Jacob Markstrom has the man who has to come through for the Florida Panthers.
Look around the Cats lineup and, even for a team coming off a horrendous injury-filled season, there are a lot of sure things.
You can’t say that about the crease.
The one prominent UFA to leave the championship nest in the past few summers was goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, for whom the Cats obviously didn’t want to shell out too much money. Now, another veteran stopper — albeit a less accomplished one — is tasked with providing Cup-level goaltending to a team that will settle for nothing less than a third title in four seasons.
The 36-year-old Markstrom, originally a second-round pick of the Panthers back in 2008, had an .892 save percentage the past two seasons during his largely unsatisfying stint in New Jersey.
If you’re looking for some positive news, Markstrom was very strong in the five playoff games he played for the Devils, posting a .911 save percentage in 2025 for a club that was outgunned by the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round.
Markstrom doesn’t have to be spectacular — let’s face it, Bobrovsky had his ups and downs — but his predecessor was always good when he needed to be and that will be the ask for the big Swede, too.
Liiga squad Tappara will take on Kölner Haie of the DEL today in action from the 2026-27 Champions Hockey League. Panthers prospect Vilho Vanhatalo scored a power-play goal for Tappara in their 6-3 win over Bílí Tygři Liberec earlier this week. Let’s see if he’s in the lineup for this one.
The Vancouver Canucks signed defenseman Zeev Buium to an eight-year, $75.04 million contract extension that carries an AAV of $9.38 million. Buium, 20, appeared in 45 games with the Canucks after he was acquired from the Minnesota Wild as part of the return for Quinn Hughes, producing three goals and nine assists. Buium will play this season under the final year of his entry-level contract.
The Seattle Kraken signed restricted free agent forward Jacob Melanson to a three-year, $4.35 million contract. The 23-year-old winger posted two goals, three assists and 188 hits in 36 games with the Kraken last season.
Zach Metsa and the Buffalo Sabres have decided to prolong their relationship through the 2027-28 season as the versatile defenseman has inked a one-year, $900K contract extension. Metsa had two goals and four assists in 43 games for Buffalo while adding two goals and 13 assists in 15 AHL games with the Rochester Americans.
The Toronto Maple Leafs signed unrestricted free agent forward Brendan Brisson to a one-year, two-way deal worth $850K. Brisson, 24, split the 2025-26 season between the New York Rangers and Hartford Wolf Pack. He recorded an assist in three games with the Rangers, and put up 19 goals and 37 points in 66 games with Hartford.
After news about one of Atlanta’s two competing expansion bids caught fire on the internet, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly quickly doused it, telling The Athletic Atlanta is “not even remotely close to an application phase” after the development team behind The Gathering in South Forsyth posted an update saying it submitted a final financing packet to the league for review and approval.