Welcome to the new season
Hockey is back, We The Hockey People. The NHL drops the puck on the 2026-27 season on Monday, September 29, and it's a big one on our home network: a nationally televised tripleheader on ESPN in the United States and a doubleheader on Sportsnet up in Canada.
The night opens the way every season should — with a banner going up. The Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes raise their flag in the opener against the Florida Panthers at Lenovo Center (5 p.m. ET, ESPN). From there it's the New York Rangers at the Boston Bruins (8 p.m. ET), then the Chicago Blackhawks visiting the Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights (10:30 p.m. ET) to close the tripleheader.
Real hockey is 23 days out. Our draft is even closer — so let's get organized.
🏆 All hail the champ
Before we look ahead, we tip the cap. Congratulations to Josh Davidson and Eagle Fang, your reigning We The Hockey People champions. A 15-6 run capped by a title is no fluke — that was a season to remember. The banner hangs in the Hall of Fame forever. Everyone else: the bar is set. Come take it.
Vote: when do we draft?
We need to lock in a draft date. Four options are on the table — pick your preference below, then fire it to the front office to make it count.
Draft Date — Live Poll
Pick a slot, add your name, and cast your vote. Results update live below.
Live Results
Two things we need from you
- Rule changes: if there's anything you want to tweak for this season, email your proposal to the front office so we can put it to the group before the draft. Nothing changes without a vote — but nothing gets discussed if it doesn't get sent in.
- Playing or not? If you do not intend to return this season, notify the front office as soon as possible so we can line up a replacement GM and keep the league at a full 12.
League dues & payouts
The buy-in is again $50 per person, payable via Venmo to @Paul-Stojanovski. Please get it in before the draft — you must be paid up to pick.
The Pot — Payouts
- Champion$300
- Runner-Up$60
- Most Points (regular season)$120
- Weekly Winner · $5 × 24 weeks$120
How to pay
- Amount
- $50 per GM
- Venmo
- @Paul-Stojanovski ↗
- Deadline
- Before the draft
Scan the code or tap the handle. Paid up = draft eligible.
Set your keeper
Every team must declare one keeper before the draft — and this is where seasons are quietly won or lost. Don't guess. We've already done the math for you:
- Keeper Value Analysis — all 12 rosters scored on a blend of last year's production and where ESPN's 2026-27 board has each player going, with your best-value keeper surfaced and every eligibility flag applied.
- The Rulebook — all 8 keeper rules in plain language, including the no-three-peat rule and the re-keep surcharge that makes holding a star more expensive every year.
Head to Draft Central, find your team, and lock in the smart pick.
Vote on the date, pay your dues, set your keeper, and email the front office with anything on your mind. Let's have a great one.
— The Front Office