Season Opens as Edvinsson Remains Unsigned and Malkin Questions Persist
The 2026-27 NHL regular season opens Tuesday with five games, including Carolina raising its Stanley Cup banner before facing Florida. Detroit defenseman Simon Edvinsson remains unsigned as an RFA and cannot practice or participate in team activities until he signs. Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas made a brief comment about Evgeni Malkin's contract situation, which a team spokesman later clarified.
The 2026-27 NHL regular season starts Tuesday with five matchups, including Carolina raising its Stanley Cup banner before hosting Florida. Other games include Montreal at Toronto, the Rangers at Boston, Vancouver at Edmonton, and Chicago at Vegas.
Detroit's Simon Edvinsson, 22, remains an unsigned restricted free agent and is barred from team activities until he signs. Reports suggest talks center on a long-term deal near a $10 million average annual value. Pittsburgh's Kyle Dubas briefly addressed Evgeni Malkin's one-year contract; a team spokesman said the remark concerned media questions, not future years.
The unresolved Edvinsson and Malkin situations may affect Red Wings and Penguins fans, teammates, and front-office planning, as roster uncertainty can shape early-season performance and contract expectations. For supporters, opening week could feel less settled if key players remain unavailable or distractions linger. The wider hockey audience may see these cases as reminders of how labor negotiations and media scrutiny can influence the sport's daily news cycle.