Ice hockey: the main stories of 29.09.2026

CSKA won 6-5 over SKA at home, and that is now six straight KHL wins for the Moscow side. There were 11 goals between the two clubs, and SKA took 5 of them away from CSKA's building. Nikolai Kovalenko scored twice but was unhappy afterwards. He told one outlet that CSKA had conceded far too much and must stop pucks "at any cost". SKA assistant Vadim Yepanchintsev said on the same day that the staff are trying to teach attacking hockey, and that he could not turn down the chance to work under Igor Larionov.

Toronto's newest forward may miss opening night. Kirill Marchenko agreed a six-year, $75 million deal on Monday after his trade from Columbus. Journalist Chris Johnston reports that his visa is not yet sorted. In Columbus, Don Waddell said the club never got a straight answer on why the player wanted out. The one result confirmed by several outlets came in Khabarovsk. Amur won 1-0 through Pilipenko's goal and ended Neftekhimik's three-game winning run. Igor Grishin blamed fatigue after his side's game with Barys was moved back a day. The Metallurg row has not gone away either. After Sunday's 5-1 win over Avangard, Andrei Razin went for Vladimir Tkachev in public. Agent Shumi Babaev now calls that criticism unfair. One outlet reports that the club has disciplined the coach, and Ilya Vorobyov said that in the NHL, players would have turned on Razin at once.

• Minnesota's Brock Faber had surgery after a skull fracture, caused by a Miro Heiskanen shot in pre-season, the club says.
• Thomas Chabot is Ottawa's 11th captain, taking over from Brady Tkachuk.
• Carolina GM Eric Tulsky says nothing has changed in the talks with Alexander Nikishin, who has asked for a trade.
• Matt Nieto has retired after 705 NHL games and 206 points.
• Kyle Dubas says he feels no pressure in the contract talks with Sidney Crosby.
• The Athletic's polls rank Macklin Celebrini first for the Hart and Florida as Cup favourites, 7 votes of 13.
• Leonid Tambiev defended Dynamo's start of 11 points from 11 games. Pavel Zubov took no comfort from Lada fighting back from 0-5 to lose 4-5 to Dinamo Minsk.
• Alexei Morozov ruled out a return to three points for a win.
• Semyon Der-Arguchintsev's trade is stuck on Admiral's demands, according to his agent.
• The case over a child killed by snow falling from a rink roof in Lyantor has gone to court.
• Carolina raise their Stanley Cup banner and host Florida tonight.