Videos · October 8, 2026 · 39 seconds
NHL 2026-27 Preview: A Goalie Scores, a Legend Leaves
The NHL's first 84-game season opened with a goalie goal and Alex Ovechkin's farewell announcement. Together they point at what will decide the year, from Washington's last run with its captain to a Stanley Cup race shaped by goaltending.
Read the full articleby Dan Chafetz
Transcript
NHL 2026-27: A GOALIE SCORES, A LEGEND LEAVES
[OPENING WEEK] A goalie scored a goal.
- On October 1st, during the second game of the NHL season for the NY Rangers, goalie Igor Shesterkin shot the puck the length of the ice into Tampa Bay's empty net, only the 21st goal by a goalie in NHL history.
- Four days later, the player with the most regular-season goals in NHL history said this season will be his last in the league.
[THE LAST SEASON] Ovechkin's final chase.
- Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, 41, whose team plays its home games at Capital One Arena, began his final NHL season with 929 regular-season goals, the most in league history.
- Counting playoff goals, he began the season 11 short of breaking Wayne Gretzky's record of 1,016, so a long Capitals playoff run would give him more games to pass Gretzky.
Read the full article at noozify.com. Images: Images: Capitals fans at Capital One Arena, DOD photo by Staff Sgt. Alexander Nieves, and a Rangers-Capitals faceoff at Madison Square Garden, by Daniel Hartwig (both CC BY 2.0); Capital One Arena at night, by Pachiscool11 (CC0); all via Wikimedia Commons. Music: an original score for Noozify.