Deen’s Daily: Avs Charity Golf Classic; Capitals Suspend Coach; Roster Projections

The Avalanche are unofficially kicking off the 2025-26 season with their annual Charity Golf Classic. Also, the Washington Capitals suspended one of their coaches and we’ve got quite a few competitions around the league for opening night roster spots.

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — September 15.

Colorado Hockey Now

We’re finally here.

The slowest offseason in years has come and gone, and today marks the unofficial start of the 2025-26 season. The Avalanche kick off each year with the Annual Golf Classic, which consists of basically the entire team and coaching staff ahead of training camp.

That event will happen later this morning. This was where Nathan MacKinnon signed his eight-year contract extension in 2022. It’s also where we get our first chance to talk to a handful of players.

Following this event, the Avs will take Tuesday off before reconvening at Ball Arena Wednesday for media day. That day will be where they take care of all the player headshots and marketing material used in commercials and on the Jumbotron (think graphics for player intros or goals, for example).

Then, Thursday and Friday are your two official training camp days on the ice and Saturday is the doubleheader of preseason games against the Utah Mammoth, both at Magness Arena and Ball Arena.

Like I said over the weekend… Strap in. The new season is upon us.

READ MORE: Makar Has Thoughts on the NHL’s Current Playoff Format

Around The NHL

Capitals Coach Suspension: In a rather surprising story on Sunday, the Washington Capitals suspended assistant coach Mitch Love pending an NHL investigation. No other information was given about it other than that.

Love spent two years as an AHL head coach in the Calgary Flames system before landing the assistant job with Caps head coach Spencer Carbery last season. Love also interviewed for the Penguins head coaching job earlier this summer.

I’m not sure what this is about and it’s not for me to speculate. But it doesn’t sound good. We’ll see what the investigation results bring.

Detroit Hockey Now: It sure feels like a make-or-break year for this version of the Red Wings. They’re not the best built team but they badly need to take a step like the Montreal Canadiens did last year, and use that to catapult them into an offseason of big additions.

On that note, they have some unsigned players fighting for a roster spot at camp this week. They also have their 2024 first-round draft looking to make an impression and earn a spot at just 19 years old.

Florida Hockey Now: The Panthers brought back almost the exact same team as the one that won the Stanley Cup three months ago. That much we know.

But there are changes coming to their lineup, at least to open the season, both in depth roles and because of injuries.