One Key Question Facing Each Atlantic Division NHL Team Heading Into 2026-27
As part of a short series on TheHockeyNews.com, we're identifying a key question for each NHL team heading into the 2026-27 season. In this file, we're focused on the Atlantic Division teams.
Video Transcript
Well, I mean, with Toronto, I think the, the, the big question mark is who's gonna play with Auston Matthews?
It seems as if they are gonna want to maintain some continuity in their top six, which means Matthew Knies probably playing with John Tavares and William Nylander.
That would give Matthews two new linemates, one of them being Gavin McKenna, which I think makes a lot of sense 'cause he's a playmaker and essentially he's, you know, a, a Mitch Marner type on the left wing, hopefully not, the way that Mitch Marner plays in the playoffs.
And Jack Roslovic gets a opportunity to be that top line right winger, and Matthews and Roslovic know each other.
If, if that doesn't work, then I think there'll, there'll be some mixing and matching there.
With the team that I cover for the Hockey News, Buffalo, with Tuck leaving, it's a question of who's gonna move up into the top line unit with Tage Thompson.
It could be, Jack Quinn moving into the top six.
It could be, Jiri Kulich moving up on the top line and Thompson moving to the wing.
There's a lot of, again, mixing and matching and moving things around.
And Buffalo, you know, I, I, I've quoted that stat before.
They're minus 44 goals going into the, from last season to this season, and it's a question of whether they can make up those goals and who will make up those goals.
Eric, any teams, any positions in particular that you're watching as camps get started here in the next couple weeks that you think are gonna be some, some intriguing battles to watch?
Yeah, I'm gonna look at West, and I'm gonna look at Minnesota.
Their, their goaltending situation there is gonna be pretty interesting to follow, I think, throughout training camp and throughout the season really.
I mean, if you look to last year, Filip Gustavsson, he started the bulk of the regular season games.
I think he, he had 50, and it was Walstead had 35.
But that was just mostly because it was Walstead's rookie year, and they didn't really wanna throw him into the fire.
And also, they're paying Gustavsson $6.8 million a year, so he is what you would consider to be the starting goal- goaltender just based on cap hit there.
But, you know, Walstead in the playoffs, though, he took over.
He had played 10 of their 12 games, and was pretty much their go-to guy throughout the entire postseason.
And you look at the offseason now, Gustavsson had, hip surgery, and it's unclear how, how good he's gonna be.
I mean, you look at a team that's trying to figure out a way to sign Quinn Hughes, getting rid of a $6.8 million cap hit is a pretty, tantalizing proposition.
So, that's gonna be something interesting to follow, and this is a contract year as well for Walstead, so, all eyes are gonna be on him.
