Heading into hockey season, one name is on the lips of fans from coast to coast: Connor McDavid. Will this finally be the year the Edmonton Oilers superstar brings the Stanley Cup home to the Great White North? Or will the young, hungry Montreal Canadiens or a revamped Toronto Maple Leafs squad steal his thunder and end our long championship drought?
We’ll have to wait until next June to find out. In the meantime, if you’re counting down the days until the 2026-27 NHL season gets underway in two short weeks, consider this your warm-up. From slap shots and body checks to highlight-reel goals, scoring records and eye-popping salaries, here’s a numerical preview of what’s in store – and why, in Canada, there’s no better time of year than hockey season.
71 | The number of goals Washington Capital forward Alex Ovechkin needs to hit 1,000, a nice round figure that would crown his record-breaking career. Heading into the season, the 41-year-old Russian star said nyet to rumours that he was considering hanging up his skates, apparently overruled by his wife, model Anastasia Shubskaya.
3 | The number of 40-something players slated to start the upcoming regular season: Ovechkin, Brent Burns, and Evgeni Malkin still have a ways to go to match the record set by the ageless Gordie Howe, who skated for the Hartford Whalers at the ripe old age of 52.
21 | The number of consecutive seasons that 39-year-old Sidney Crosby has averaged at least a point per game, an NHL record. If the Canadian hockey god matches that pace this year, he could surpass Howe for fourth place in all-time points scored list – which means we should probably start looking for a bridge to name after Sid the Kid.
3 | The number of outdoor games on this year’s NHL schedule, inducing the Winnipeg Jets hosting the Montreal Canadiens for the Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic on Oct. 25.
74 | The age of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, who recently shut down speculation that he might finally be planning to step down with this Mark Twain-inspired quip: “Reports of my demise or retirement are greatly exaggerated.”
59 | The number of years that have passed since the Toronto Maple Leafs last won the Stanley Cup, a streak of futility that’s almost old enough to start collecting Old Age Security.
18 | The age of Toronto’s super-prospect, Whitehorse-born Gavin McKenna, the latest wunderkind tasked with ending the 59-year drought. As if the pressure of fans’ expectations wasn’t intense enough, McKenna was introduced on draft night by global pop sensation – and LeafNation superfan – Justin Bieber, with his recent single Yukon fittingly playing in the background.
1993 | The last year that a team from north of the border – the Montreal Canadiens – won the Cup. How has life changed over those 33 long seasons? Biebs hadn’t been born yet; we were still calling each other on landlines; Brian Mulroney was the prime minister; and we had an excellent trade relationship with the U.S.
50/1 | The lengthy odds (a two percent chance) that sportsbooks are offering for either the Vancouver Canucks or Calgary Flames to put an end to Canada’s Cup-less streak. If fans of these Western cellar dwellers are feeling lucky, a $100 ante would deliver a tidy $5,000. But you won’t be able to place that bet on Wealthsimple’s new trading app Predict – they’re prohibited from taking action on entertainment, politics – or sports.
$20 million | The value of Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar’s annual salary. While Makar will make $8 million more this season than Connor McDavid, the NHL’s top player, he still lags far behind Canadian NBA superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who hauls in an absurd $71 million; and the Toronto Raptors’ newly acquired guard, Kawhi Leonard, who earns $50 million a year (not counting side hustles).
0 | The number of players born in the Cayman Islands who have suited up for an NHL club. This year, Ottawa Senators prospect Jaxon Cover is hoping to become the first. “I want to teach kids from unconventional places that … you can still play a sport that you love,” he told NHL.com. Speaking of unconventional, Cover’s route to the NHL falls under that category: he grew up playing roller hockey in the Cayman Islands before transitioning to ice hockey as a teenager, moving to Canada and eventually starring with the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights.
5 | The number of decades that TV host Ron MacLean has been dishing out terrible puns as host of CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada.
74 | The number of years that Canadians gathered around their TVs on Saturday night to watch HNIC. Sadly, with Sportsnet ending its relationship with the CBC this year, the beloved tradition won’t make it to 75.
