Welcome to September! Hockey fans should rejoice because Training Camps are almost here, pre-season games are just a couple weeks away and Opening Night is right around the corner. 

But first, there are several items that we should address.

Shall we start with the biggie? Of course! Edmonton Oilers fans are trying their hardest to stay sane while Connor McDavid continues to remain unsigned beyond this season. McDavid continues to say that he wants to win in Edmonton and that is his priority, along with making sure he does what’s best for his family.

However, the longer he goes without signing an extension, the more worried Oilers fans are going to get. It was once inconceivable to think that McDavid wouldn’t be a lifelong Oiler. And while the smart money is still on him re-signing (even if it’s a short-term deal), it’s no longer impossible to think that he might head elsewhere next summer. 

Numerous industry insiders have reported that they still expect him to re-sign with Edmonton for three to four years at a record AAV and then reassess after that. And while McDavid has said he doesn’t want this to become a distraction, this is one story that won’t go away until he puts pen to paper.

Next, while not on the level of McDavid, New Jersey Devils fans are growing more and more concerned about Luke Hughes remaining unsigned. At GM Tom Fitzgerald’s end-of-season media availability, he said coming to terms with the youngest Hughes brother was his top priority. Well, that was months ago and there’s still no deal in place. 

At this point, many around The League are expecting Hughes to be a holdout once camps open. Of course, as a restricted free agent, it’s not like Hughes can choose to sign elsewhere, so, in that respect, New Jersey holds the leverage. However, fans have seen situations like this before and rarely do they turn out well for all involved.

If Hughes simply holds out, misses a portion of camp and then starts the season behind everyone else, he’ll struggle for a bit and the Devils’ performance will take a hit. If Hughes holds out into the season, New Jersey will have a tough time finding an adequate replacement. Plus, once he inevitably comes back, there’s likely to be bad blood between the player and the team. 

The only way to avoid all of this is to get him signed before camp opens. But with each day that passes, the odds of that happening get smaller and smaller. 

Now, getting away from contract talks, there’s some celebrating to do. Last week, The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2025. The inductees are Bruce Bennett, Scott Gomez, Tara Mounsey, Zach Parise and Joe Pavelski. 

Devils fans (see an interview with Cam Squires @Sportsology on Instagram) and Sharks fans are especially happy, having rooted for Gomez, Parise and Pavelski for many years. Of course, the real “winner” of the class is legendary sports photographer, Bruce Bennett, who is being inducted into his second Hall of Fame THIS YEAR! Bennett was previously inducted into The NY State Hockey Hall of Fame back in July. So that’s quite the remarkable 2025 for the veteran photographer. And rounding out the class is a U.S. Olympic legend in Mounsey, who was one of the greatest female hockey players to ever play for Team USA. 

Okay, now for some sad news. Over the weekend, the hockey world lost an all-time great in Hall of Famer Ken Dryden. While his career as a goalie was brief, Dryden only spent eight years in The NHL, all for the Montreal Canadiens, he is still one of the most decorated players in history. Dryden won six Stanley Cups, five Vezina Trophies and one Conn Smythe award while compiling a 258-57-74 career record along with a .922 SV%, 2.24 GAA and 46 shutouts. 

Dryden’s battle with cancer was well documented and you can expect his former team to honor him throughout the season. We join the rest of the hockey world in extending our deepest condolences to his family.