Blue Jackets Preview: Kirill Marchenko Jersey Card

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.

Caveats: At this point, despite the regular season being set to start in a matter of days, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) two more star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much work left to do.

Key exits: Kirill Marchenko (RW), Miles Wood (LW), Elvis Merzlikins (G), Boone Jenner (C), Mason Marchment (LW), Danton Heinen (LW), Egor Zamula (D), Brendan Smith (D), Zach Aston-Reese (LW/RW), Brendan Gaunce (C), Ivan Fedotov (G), Dysin Mayo (D), Hunter McKown (C)

Key arrivals: Matthew Knies (LW), Steven Lorentz (C), Emil Andrae (D), Valeri Nichushkin (RW), Ryan Lomberg (LW), Colton White (D), Phoenix Copley (G), Luke Tuch (RW)

Top prospects: Jackson Smith (D, 19), Cayden Lindstrom (C, 20), Pyotr Andreyanov (G, 19), Jordan Dumais (RW, 22), Sergei Ivanov (G, 22), Oscar Hemming (LW, 18)

I was waiting for the Marchenko shoe to drop before posting my Columbus Blue Jackets review and, as expected, it turned out to be a blockbuster.

What makes their odds look good:
They still have the reigning Norris Trophy winner in Zach Werenski, who nixed a trade to the Dallas Stars this summer to remain in Columbus. Knies is a 23-year-old top-6 forward with untapped offensive potential. Jet Greaves looks solid in net. Adam Fantilli extended well into his prime as training camp came to a close.

Question marks:
As the Werenski and Marchenko sagas proved, players are impatient to win, and not everyone sees the Blue Jackets as a team who can be a Stanley Cup contender in a relatively short window; they are on most no-trade lists and thus must draft, develop and nurture talent to get there.

Outlook:
General Manager Don Wadell has experience assembling and running teams that aren't exactly a destination, having previously served in the same position with the Atlanta Thrashers (1998-2010) and Carolina Hurricanes (2018-2024), the latter winning the Cup with his former assistant Eric Tulsky tweaking the lineup just a few months ago. He got enough good pieces back in the Marchenko trade that he doesn't need to pivot to (another) rebuild, he just needs to make sure he has the right coaching and development staff so that as many prospects as possible reach the NHL and have an impact. For now, they are a bubble playoff team with the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins all fighting for a wild-card spot.

Prediction:
5th in the Metropolitan Division.

Marchenko is a tall, heavy player (6'3", over 200 pounds) with great hands who can protect the puck, deke multiple opponents on the same play and shoot accurately. He led the Jackets in goals in the last three seasons, posting nearly a point per game in 2024-25; on a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs, he has a shot at 40-goal and 85-to-90-point seasons. Here he is on the "Red Jersey" variant of card #18 from Upper Deck's 2024-25 SP Game-Used Edition set:

It shows him wearing the Jackets' blue (away) uniform, and carries a matching game-worn jersey swatch.

Avalanche Preview: Martin Nečas & Nathan MacKinnon Jersey Card

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.

Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being set to start in a couple of days, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.

Key exits: Ross Colton (C), Jack Drury (C), Valeri Nichushkin (RW), Alex Barré-Boulet (C), Jack Ahcan (D), Ivan Ivan (C), Isak Posch (G), Chase Bradley (RW), Joel Kiviranta (LW), Nick Blankenburg (D), Jason Polin (RW)

Key Arrivals: Jaden Schwartz (LW), Zachary L'Heureux (LW), Fedor Svechkov (C), Magnus Chrona (G), Fabian Lysell (RW), Vincent Hinostroza (C), Noah Juulsen (D)

Top prospects: Egor Shilov (C, 18), Ilya Nabokov (G, 23), T.J. Hughes (C/RW, 24), Gavin Brindley (RW, 21), Mikhail Gulyayev (D, 21), Lysell (RW, 23), Sean Behrens (D, 23), Francesco Dell'Elce (D, 21)

Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon once again lead this veteran team as the cream of the NHL in what is now a changed salary landscape. This is the last year of Makar's low cap hit, which likely means the Colorado Avalanche's Stanley Cup contention window will fade for a couple of seasons before opening up again in 2030. This franchise is led by elite talent, both on the ice and in management, as was cemented by Joe Sakic confirming he will stay on as Avs GM for the foreseeable future.

What makes their odds look good:
They dominated the NHL so much in their first 50 games last year - 35 wins, 6 regular-time losses, 9 overtime losses - that they could afford to coast to the Presidents' Trophy despite tons of injuries to key players in the second half (and the three playoff rounds). There has been a churning of the depth, but the star players remain, and they still have the best goaltending tandem in the league. It might not be as easy as last year, because head coach Jared Bednar will want his team to pace itself, but another finish at the top is a very strong possibility.

Question marks:
Injuries can happen, as can fatigue with the head coach; but apart from that (and perhaps even despite it), this team should finish in the top-3 in both the regular season and the playoffs.

Outlook:
With secondary scoring like Brock Nelson (coming off his fourth 30-goal season), Martin Nečas (38 goals and 100 points last season, effectively replacing Mikko Rantanen, whom he was traded for), Nazem Kadri (still producing at 2 points per 3 games pace), Schwartz, tough third-linner Nicolas Roy, clutch playoff performer Artturi Lehkonen and captain Gabriel Landeskog, the Avs are the deepest team in the West with far less competition than the Florida Panthers have in the East. And that's without mentioning Olympian Devon Toews on the back end, helped by Brent Burns, Sam Malinski, Josh Manson and Brett Kulak.

Prediction:
1st in the NHL.

Today being my birthday, my kids and wife each gifted me a special hockey card - and this was the one my son chose for me:

That's card #T2-MR from Upper Deck's 2025-26 Artifacts collection and Tundra Teammates sub-set, featuring Nečas and MacKinnon, two 100-point superstars each with a piece of game-worn jersey, numbered 50/99. I likely never would have pulled it out of a box myself, and MacKinnon is one of my favourite players, so you can imagine how stoked I was to receive it.

Flames Preview: Matthew Coronato Banner Card

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.

Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being set to start in a week, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.

Key Exits: Blake Coleman (C), Victor Oloffson (LW), Étienne Morin (D), Ryan Lomberg (LW), Olli Maata (D)

Key Arrivals: Simon Nemec (D), Maxim Tsyplakov (RW), Jake Middleton (D)

Top prospects: Zayne Parekh (D, 20), Cole Reschny (C, 19), Carson Carels (D, 19), Samuel Honzek (LW, 22), Cullen Potter (C, 19), Henry Mews (D, 20), Ethan Wyttenbach (LW, 19), Matvei Gridin (RW, 20)

The Calgary Flames are one of two teams - with the Vancouver Canucks - who are at the teardown part of their rebuild, which should see them finish in the bottom two teams in the NHL.

What makes their odds look good:
Dustin Wolf is looking for a bounce-back season in nets, Nemec and Parekh will be very good on their blue line for years to come, Zach Whitecloud and Middleton makes them hard to play against right now, and there are a lot of promising forwards that should reach their prime in the next two to five years - but they're not there yet, and their ceilings have yet to be determined.

Question marks:
How long of a leash does Wolf have in net - or does it even matter if he falters since the point of this season (and the next two or three) is still to stockpile quality draft hauls? Matt Coronato led the team last season with 45 points; can someone reach 55 or 60 this year? How long does head coach Ryan Huska have to show improvement?

Outlook:
This rebuild will determine GM Craig Conroy's future employment: a successful one sees him continue with the Flames, and failure will likely mean he will not get another chance anywhere else. And you never know how it'll pan out: teams usually trade veterans for draft capital, but who you trade to and where those teams finish impacts the selection rank; then you have to make the right picks - best player, most upside, best work ethic, best fit - the team determines the criteria; and you need to develop those guys into the best versions of themselves, which requires not just a good hockey staff but also training facilities, good working environment, team culture. For now, we know the Flames will not enter their new arena as contenders next season, but we have no idea how long it will be until they come knocking at the playoff's door.

Prediction:
7th in the Pacific Division.

As mentionned previously, Coronato seems to be at the front of the pack of young Flames forwards. Here he is on card #BYHC-MC from Upper Deck's 2024-25 SP Game-Used collection and Banner Year and Heritage Classic sub-sets, wearing the Flame's uniform from that game:

As stated on the back of the card, it features a piece of banner that was used at the event. Specifically, the bottom-right part of the event's logo:

Coronato has been a point-per-game player in the USHL, in the NCAA for the Harvard Crimson, and in the AHL with the Calgary Wranglers:

From what I have seen, he has good hands and isn't afraid of traffic, using physical contact to protect the puck and/or move it forward. He's a little on the small side at 5'10" and 183 pounds, but already has seasons of 24 (47 points) and 18 goals (45 points) under his belt; 30-goal seasons are not beyond his capabilities (he scored 48 in 2020-21 on his way to being named the USHL's Forward Of The Year). He is currently on a seven-year contract that will pay him $6.5M per season. In the current NHL landscape, it'll be second-line money in two or three years.

Mammoth Preview: Maveric Lamoureux Autograph Card

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.

Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being set to start in a couple of weeks, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.

Key exits: J.J. Peterka (RW), Vitek Vanecek (G), Sean Durzi (D), Ian Cole (D), Alexander Kerfoot (C), Andrew Agozzino (LW), Maksymilian Szuber (D), Cole Beaudoin (C), Scott Perunovich (D)

Key Arrivals: Vincent Trochek (C), Anders Lee (LW), Joshua Roy (RW), Sebastian Cossa (G), Zac Jones (D), Andrew Peeke (D)

Top prospects: Caleb Desnoyers (C, 19), Tij Iginla (C, 20), Maveric Lamoureux (D, 22),Cossa (G, 21), Daniil But (RW, 21), Ethan Belchetz (LW, 18), Michael Hrabal (G, 21), Dmitri Simachev (D, 21)

This franchise has pretty much always been seen as a team on the rise, but they often get caught behind the Central Division powerhouses like the Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars. But those teams seem to be in a limited window due to their aging cores; the Utah Mammoth are just entering a ten-year playoff contention window that should have a decent four-year run at the Stanley Cup in the middle of it.

What makes their odds look good:
Look at that list of Prime prospects! And the current core is also young and excellent. They are well-coached by André Tourigny, and GM Bill Armstrong is also at the top of his game.

Question marks:
Can Karel Vejmelka find the consistency that being a #1 goalie requires over many seasons? Will Clayton Keller continue his ascension into a 90-point player? Is Logan Cooley ready to produce at a point-per-game average over a full season? How long can John Marino keep playing at a pace that keeps up with the league's elite defensive defensemen?

Outlook:
This is a playoff team, and had they been in the Pacific, they might have finished first in the division, and would be second or third in the Metropolitan. There is no superstar on the team, but their balance is nearly on the level of the Carolina Hurricanes and Montréal Canadiens.

Prediction:
4th in the Central Division.

Two of the Mammoth's top prospects, Desnoyers and Lamoureux, hail from the LHJMQ, which has been a rare occurence in the last two decades. The Québec and Maritimes' top Juniors league and overall hockey ecosystem used to produce the world's best goalies (Georges Vézina, Jacques Plante, Bernared Parent, Rogatien Vachon, Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur, Jean-Sébastien Giguère, Roberto Luongo, Marc-André Fleury), Hall of Fame forwards and defensemen (Maurice Richard, Jean Béliveau, Doug Harvey, Mario Lemieux, Denis Savard, Vincent Lecavalier, Sidney Crosby), as well as more than half of the NHL's tough guys; in 2025-26, Québec-born players barely accounted for 8% of the NHL as a whole, meaning that a fictionnal Team Québec would have gone from a medal contender to barely a participant in an Olympic-like tournament.

Lamoureux is a unique player: 6'7", 215 pounds (projected to play at 220-225 in the NHL), gifted offensively, able to pass cross-ice between skaters, very physical with good gaps. Chosen 29th overall in 2022, he projects to have a higher ceiling than what was originally thought of Hall Of Fame defenseman Zdeno Chara when he was drafted 56th overall in 1996. I do not necessarily see that for Lamoureux, but am not against seeing him with a career path like a harder-to-play-against one-time All-Star and Stanley Cup champion Kevin Shattenkirk.

Here he is on the signed insert version of card #314 from Upper Deck's 2023-24 CHL collection and Stars sub-set:

It shows him wearing the Drummondville Voltigeurs' white (home) uniform (and alternate captain's "A") at a face-off, and features a blue on-sticker autograph that was added to the card.

Kraken Preview: Matty Beniers Jersey Card

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.

Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being set to start in a couple of weeks, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.

Key Exits: Jaden Schwartz (LW), Jamie Oleksiak (D), Eeli Tolvanen (RW), Matt Murray (G)

Key Arrivals: Mackie Samoskevich (RW), Curtis Douglas (C)

Top prospects: Chase Reid (D, 18), Jake O'Brien (C, 19), Jani Nyman (RW, 22), Blake Fiddler (D, 19), Jagger Firkus (RW, 22), Oscar Fisker Molgaard (C, 21)

xxx

What makes their odds look good:
Some of their best prospects are young enough to build sustainable success around... if they break through. Samoskevich coming via trade with the Florida Panthers this summer and Bobby McMann from the Toronto Maple Leafs last year show that new GM Jason Botterill may indeed be the right person to build this team up (and/or he has excellent assistants in Ricky Olczyk, Alexandra Mandrycky, and Ryan Jankowski, to which former Vancouver Canucks GM Patrik Allvin was added this summer, along with all the analytics staff).

Question marks:
Will Matty Beniers fulfill the promise of his Calder Trophy-winning season and join the ranks of the All-Stars ot elite? Will Shane Wright get traded, or improve? Will Lane Lambert provide stability (i.e. a four- or five-year run) behind the Seattle Kraken bench for the first time in franchise history?

Outlook:
Like the Detroit Red Wings in yesterday's post, the Kraken seem mired in mediocrity and non-playoff futility. Unlike the Wings, however, their prospect pool includes a lot of players aged 20 or younger, especially among the highest-rated players. There is a light at the end of the tunnel even if the currect crop of players does not get to find success themselves.

Prediction:
6th in the Pacific Division.

Key among players hoping to take another step and either make the jump to the next wave instead of just bridging the gap to it is Beniers, the second-overall pick of the 2021 draft; to be fair, only Jesper Wallstedt (20th, Minnesota Wild) and Wyatt Johnston (23rd, Dallas Stars) have established themselves as top players in the first round from that draft class, with Josh Doan (37th, Arizona Coyotes), Logan Stankoven (47th, Stars), Matthew Knies (57th, Leafs), J.J. Moser (60th, Coyotes), and Jackson Blake (109th, Carolina Hurricanes) looking like steals in the later rounds.

With three 20-goal seasons under his belt, Beniers hasn't been a flop by any means, but the 24 goals, 33 assists and 57 points he registered in his rookie season remain career highs to this day:

Internationally, he has been successful in depth roles on Team USA, winning gold at the 2021 World Juniors and 2025 World Championships, as well as bronze at the 2019 World U-18s and 2025 Worlds.

Here he is on card #60 from Upper Deck's 2024-25 SP Game-Used set and Red Jersey sub-set:

It features a dark blue game-used jersey swatch.