The Final Countdown: Preseason Ends Today
Fourteen games on Saturday bring the curtain down on the 2026-27 NHL preseason — an eight-day, 65-game exhibition run that served as the league's last tuning session before Tuesday, September 29, when the regular season officially begins. Carolina hosts Florida; Toronto faces Montreal; and the scramble for early-season points starts in earnest.
Friday's penultimate preseason night produced a result that gave Washington supporters encouragement heading into the week ahead. The Capitals beat the Boston Bruins 3-2 in overtime, the deciding goal arriving just 11 seconds into the extra frame. The scorer was Jordan Kyrou, acquired in a trade from St. Louis on June 23, netting his first goal in a Washington uniform. Dylan Strome and Tom Wilson also scored for the Capitals. David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie replied for Boston. Logan Thompson made 20 saves in the Capitals' net; Jeremy Swayman stopped 32 shots but could not prevent the loss.
Ovechkin on Track for Carolina Opener
The most prominent name absent from Friday's roster was also the most closely watched. Alex Ovechkin, entering what will be his record 22nd season with Washington, sustained a lower-body injury during training camp and was ruled out of the final two preseason games. However, coach Spencer Carbery confirmed after Friday's win that the 41-year-old completed a full practice on Thursday and is expected to line up when Washington opens at Carolina on October 2.
"If he is not 100 percent there, what's the sense in rushing him?" Carbery told reporters. "I expect him to be ready. We would need a setback for him not to be ready for our opening game." Ovechkin re-signed on a one-year deal worth $4.25 million AAV over the summer, reuniting with a rebuilt supporting cast that now includes Kyrou and Alex Tuch. The October 2 road opener at PNC Arena will be the first test of how Washington's revamped forward group functions under regular-season pressure.
Around the League: Final Camp Notes
Saturday's 14-game finale features a mix of final roster battles and lineup evaluations. The New Jersey Devils edged the Islanders 4-2 at UBS Arena earlier on Saturday, wrapping up a strong preseason run. Carolina travels to Nashville for a last exhibition before both clubs launch their seasons. Across the league, coaching staffs are making final decisions on taxi-squad designations and waiver claims before the Tuesday deadline.
Ice HockeyMcKenna Debuts as NHL Preseason Opens; Oilers Rout Jets 5-2Injury notes from the final stretch: Minnesota defenceman Brock Faber was listed as precautionary after leaving Friday's 2-1 loss to Dallas following a puck to the head. Vancouver's Filip Chytil remains week-to-week with a shoulder injury. Buffalo's Olen Zellweger, who sustained a concussion, is expected to return in the opening week of the regular season. Alexander Romanov and Ryan Pulock both returned to action for the Islanders on Friday after shoulder surgeries, logging 20 and 18 minutes respectively — a positive sign for New York's defensive depth.
What to Watch When It Counts
Beyond Tuesday's Carolina-Florida and Toronto-Montreal doubleheader, the full 32-team schedule rolls out through October 2-3, when the final wave of home openers takes place. Washington goes to Carolina; Dallas hosts St. Louis; both New York franchises open on the road. The Western Conference contenders — Colorado, Dallas, Vancouver — begin their title defences against opponents eager to make early statements.
After eight days of cautious exhibition hockey, Tuesday's puck drop marks the moment every line combination, power-play unit and defensive pairing becomes accountable. The preseason's last open question — which rosters will hold up when the schedule grinds — gets its first answer in less than 72 hours.
