#nhl-preseason

#nhl-preseason

As if you need another reason to say F*** Vegas. It sounds like the Golden Knights are the frontrunners to sign goaltender Carter Hart, one of five former Hockey Canada players who were on trial and accused of sexually assaulting an extremely intoxicated woman in a hotel room. Hart was the only one of the five players to testify in the trial. While the woman, identified as E.M. said she felt pressured into having oral sex with Hart, he said it was consensual.

The standout player so far for me during the preseason has to be Oliver Moore, scoring a beauty of a goal against St Louis, and showcasing that blistering speed he is known for. Having four assists during his brief stint with the Hawks last season wasn't enough to show us what we really want to know about Oliver Moore, but his preseason performances so far have proved why he is a pending superstar.

Aleksander Barkov had knee surgery on Friday and will be lost to the Florida Panthers indefinitely. Barkov is set to miss the entirety of the 2025-26 regular season and the 2026 Olympics in Italy. Let's cross our fingers that Florida's captain will somehow be able to be back for the playoffs, but with the time frame for his return set at 7-9 months, it's not looking good.

For a moment on Sunday night, UBS Arena went silent as young defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson crumpled to the ice after a center-ice collision with Flyers defenseman Noah Juulsen. The 19-year-old immediately grabbed at his leg and needed help off the ice, putting no weight on it-a frightening scene for fans in his first preseason game. Fortunately, the injury wasn't as serious as it appeared.

The New York Rangers kick off their preseason today in Newark, taking on the New Jersey Devils. The Rangers are dressing a handful of NHLers, mostly bottom six players, and giving some kids and potential depth players a look in a game setting. It will be interesting to see how some of the kids who are not expected to make the team out of camp look, especially as guys like Noah Laba and Gabe Perreault are expected to be midseason call ups.

"This past year everyone witnessed how beloved and respected Marc is in the game of hockey, but the adoration goes beyond his accolades and career. Marc means so much to our team, our fans and the City of Pittsburgh because of the person he is and the example he set. The Penguins feel he and his family are most-deserving of this opportunity to celebrate this full-circle moment back where it all started in front of the black and gold faithful."

The Vegas Golden Knights have announced their preseason schedule, starting on Sept. 21 against the San Jose Sharks and concluding on Oct. 3.