Jack Eichel inks an 8-year, $13.5M/year deal in Vegas, structured heavily with signing bonuses, while Kyle Connor lands an 8-year, $12M/year contract to stay in Winnipeg—a move the Jets had to make to retain one of their elite offensive weapons. In Edmonton, the Oilers stay active, adding Jack Roslovic on a 1-year “reset” deal and extending Mattias Ekholm for three more years, ensuring stability on the blue line. Ray shares notes from Pittsburgh’s perfect opening night, where Arturs Silovs earned a shutout and Crosby played with some large, new linemates. In Ask R&D Anything, the guys look ahead to milestones for Patrick Kane and Anze Kopitar, and discuss whether McDavid’s record-breaking speed bursts make him even harder to contain.

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On the day Connor McDavid signs a 2-year extension with the Edmonton Oilers (and Jake Walman for 7 years) we look at the powerhouses in the Pacific Division. Mitch Marner could be the ticket to put Vegas back into contention. Colorado and Dallas expected to slug it out in the Central (don't forget about Winnipeg). Tampa Bay looks to still be very much in the mix in the East... their rivalry with the Panthers will continue to be a big story throughout the season. Carolina looks to make a play to top the Metro with their offseason acquisitions... but are they built for the playoffs? We'll know a lot about the new-look Leafs in the first 20 games of the season. Plus, Ray & Dregs Stanley Cup predictions and more!

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The guys break down Luke Hughes’ 7x9M deal in New Jersey and how it sets the stage for future contracts like Lane Hutson’s in Montreal. They dive into NHL.com’s Super 16 rankings, with Vegas at #1, Edmonton sitting higher than Ray thinks they should be and Florida’s injury-driven slide. The Panthers lock up Niko Mikkola long-term after he flourished in Florida, while Carter Hart is expected to land in Vegas following his eligibility to sign. An NHL exec hints at possible expansion by 2–3 teams within three years, raising concerns about diluting the talent pool. Plus, the show reflects on the retirements of Eric Johnson, who leaves with a Cup and over 1,000 games, and Max Pacioretty, who finishes with 335 goals before moving into coaching at Michigan.

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This week the guys break down Kirill Kaprizov’s massive 8-year, $136M extension in Minnesota and what it means for any other impending extensions this year or next. Meanwhile, Anaheim bets long term on Mason McTavish with a 6-year pact that could set him up for another big payday at age 28. The Leafs lock in goalie Anthony Stolarz on a cap-friendly deal, banking on him staying healthy after a career-best season, and the Panthers face a brutal start with Aleksander Barkov out until April and Matthew Tkachuk sidelined for months. Plus, the Penguins give Marc-André Fleury a perfect sendoff with a one-day contract and preseason farewell, cementing his place as one of the game’s greats on and off the ice.

In Ask Ray and Dregs Anything, the fellas predict which non-playoff teams from last year make it to the postseason and opine on JT Miller's comments.

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On this episode, the guys break down the scrutiny in Edmonton over McDavid and Draisaitl having a rough night playing on the same line, why it’s not time to panic yet and where the team’s forward depth still looks thin without Zach Hyman. They touch on the lack of contract extensions for Edmonton’s Chris Knoblauch and Calgary’s Ryan Huska and whether Vancouver’s new coach Adam Foote brings a fresh perspective or a continuation of the Tocchet regime. The Senators look poised for another playoff run under Steve Staios and Josh Green after slashing 47 goals against last year, though the next step needs to be boosting their offence.

Then, Vancouver Canucks new bench boss Adam Foote joins the show to talk about settling into his new role, his belief of what Quinn Hughes' future with the team is, Demko’s return to health, Pettersson’s offseason work, and why Vancouver believes it has the pieces to close last season’s playoff gap.

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On this episode, the guys cover Alex Pietrangelo’s rehab in Vegas and his veiled suggestion that he might play again this season. Joe Woll takes a leave of absence from the Leafs and Alex Ovechkin enters his age-40 season with questions about how much he has left in the tank. They also look at PTOs around the league like Milan Lucic and Tyler Motte. How do the Montreal Canadiens make enough powerplay time for everyone after adding Noah Dobson to an already offensively gifted blue line. Plus, does Calgary has enough scoring punch, or could a Rasmus Andersson trade could be the key to adding more offense.

In Ask Ray & Dregs Anything, the guys the discuss the possibility of Connor McDavid trade, players who intimidate with their words and expectations for Gabe Landeskog.

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The boys are back! In our season premiere (beginning around 9:45), we look at Anze Kopitar preparing for a retirement tour after a Hall of Fame–worthy career, while big contract questions swirl around Kirill Kaprizov and Connor McDavid. Mitch Marner’s move to Vegas raises questions about fit and what the Golden Knights had to part with in order to fit him in, and in Toronto, Brad Treliving and Craig Berube face tough questions about replacing Marner’s production. We touch on Jonathan Toews in Winnipeg, the Jets’ looming Kyle Connor extension, and the future of Crosby, Malkin, and Letang in Pittsburgh as the Penguins try to stay competitive in the later years of their legends' careers.

Plus, Ask R&D Anything!

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A number of pre-deadline trades and signings took a little bit of the shine off of July 1, but the Rangers and Hurricanes swung a big deal that saw K'Andre Miller head to Carolina and then sign a big extension. Can Mitch Marner follow in Jack Eichel's path to finding another level to his game in Las Vegas? The Maple Leafs extended Matthew Knies and made a couple of trades but, much like Edmonton, they are left looking for scoring help to round out their top 6 forwards. The Edmonton Oilers cleared some cap space but also lost a number of players from last season without making a splash on Canada Day. The Vancouver Canucks surprised many by re-signing top UFA Brock Boeser, but some other moves may need to follow as they have a very crowded crease.

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