Hockey Patrol

Dylan Larkin is drawing interest from the Sharks, Kraken and Devils, but one major obstacle remains.

David Pagnotta: “Several other teams have expressed interest in Dylan Larkin, including the Sharks, Kraken and Devils, but Larkin has not yet been willing to significantly expand his list of teams.”

Connor Hellebuyck wants to join the Buffalo Sabres, potentially giving them the elite goaltender they have lacked for years.

David Pagnotta: Re Connor Hellebuyck: He wants to go to Buffalo - Hello Hockey (7/11)

Any deal would likely require a major return to Winnipeg, but landing Hellebuyck could immediately change Buffalo’s playoff outlook and reshape the NHL’s goaltending market.

Man, the Anaheim Ducks are in absolute shambles right now. 💀

Once they matched that insane $90M offer sheet for Leo Carlsson, they basically handed him the keys to the entire franchise.

An $18M yearly cap hit is wild, and now he’s basically the puppet master of the front office. With him as the king and Cutter Gauthier as the prince, the veterans are completely helpless.

Anaheim only has $9M left in cap space and they still have to pay Gauthier. Because of that, the puppet strings are pulling tight:Frank Vatrano ($4.57M) is active trade baitKreider ($6.50M) and Killorn ($6.25M) are straight up being shopped to anyone who will take them. The kids run the Ducks now.

John Carlson never believed Alex Ovechkin was ready to walk away from hockey.

Carlson said there was a “zero percent” chance Ovechkin would retire, adding that it was always his gut feeling the Capitals captain would return for another season.

After everything they’ve accomplished together, Carlson clearly knows Ovechkin better than most.

Which duo in their primes are you taking? 👀

Cale Makar & Nathan MacKinnon

Or

Nikita Kucherov & Victor Hedman

Makar and MacKinnon are a nightmare in transition. MacKinnon’s motor up the middle, Makar walking the blue line and jumping into the rush. Nobody turns speed into chances faster.

Kucherov and Hedman pick you apart. Kucherov running the show from the half wall, Hedman quarterbacking the whole thing from the back end. Two guys who make elite look effortless.

Who are you taking: Crosby or Ovechkin?

Two all-time greats with Hall of Fame resumes.

Crosby has captured 3 Stanley Cups, 2 Conn Smythes, 2 Hart Trophies and over 1,750 career points, while Ovechkin became the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer with 929 goals, won 3 Hart Trophies, a Stanley Cup, and remains the only player besides Gretzky to hit 1,000 combined goals.

Elliotte Friedman says teams have called the Rangers about Adam Fox, only to be met with a firm rejection.

Elliotte Friedman: Re Rangers: I think teams asked Drury about Adam Fox and I think he basically told them to get lost - 32 Thoughts

New York has no interest in moving its No. 1 defenceman, effectively closing the door on one of the NHL’s most intriguing potential trade targets. For teams like Toronto searching for elite help on the blue line, Fox appears completely unavailable.

Two legendary captains. Six championships. One impossible choice.

Prime Patrick Kane or Prime Evgeni Malkin?

Macklin Celebrini is reportedly set to become the cover athlete for EA Sports NHL 27.

The Sharks superstar would be the first San Jose player featured on the cover since Owen Nolan appeared on NHL 2001, ending a 26-year drought for the franchise.

Is Celebrini the right choice for NHL 27?

If this is true, it marks the end of an era in Los Angeles. 😳

Anze Kopitar has spent his entire NHL career with the Kings, winning two Stanley Cups, two Selke Trophies, and recording over 1,400 career points.