2026 NHL Offseason Thread: Larkin or Lark-OUT?

[2PEENZ]

Yeah 25min/night minute muncher, never injured, good for 30pts. He's just wildly overpaid. Oilers might have to retain $2MM or take back a somewhat less bad contract but he'll move I'm pretty sure.

[2PEENZ]

I've wanted him gone for a while, but the Oil will have a hole without him no doubt. Hopefully they use that ~$7MM in savings on a cheaper 4-5 dman and useful bottom 6 forward. Could see Kulak coming back, actually.

[Alexei Ca$hin]

Nurse is still decent. Just horribly misclassed as a #1 pair guy and overpaid. Perfect candidate for a fresh start.

[Alexei Ca$hin]

Lol Nick Suzuki with 1 first place vote for the Hart. McDavid with 68 3rd - 5th place votes. Great league, great system.

[nick]

Kucherov was left off of 2 ballots entirely; Mackinnon left off of 3

[sutterfamily]

I also don't understand how Jon Cooper wins best coach if he ALSO had the MVP and MVG. Like, pick maybe 2 of three?

[nick]

Seems like Lindy Ruff and Dan Muse split the "this team was supposed to be bad but were actually good" vote (with a bunch of other guys getting first place votes too), allowing Cooper to come up the middle for what amounts to a lifetime achievement award more than anything.

Also, pretty bad that 40 broadcasters with voting privileges on this one didn't even submit a ballot?

[neuartillery]

Seems like Lindy Ruff and Dan Muse split the "this team was supposed to be bad but were actually good" vote (with a bunch of other guys getting first place votes too), allowing Cooper to come up the middle for what amounts to a lifetime achievement award more than anything.

That makes sense. Cooper may be the best coach in the sport and his not getting a Jack Adams until this point was an oversight, but that award almost always goes to a "surprise good" team's coach.

I don't know if there was a clear best goaltender this year. Looking at the advanced stats, maybe Logan Thompson, but the Vezina is rarely given to a goalie whose team didn't make the playoffs. So that cuts him, Sorokin, and Shesterkin out. Wedgewood was a platoon guy. I guess that leaves Vasi as the best classical candidate.

As for the Hart, I would've given it to McDavid. That one feels like voter fatigue.