Questions facing the Panthers this season, Carey Price weighs in on the Canadiens, the latest on Alex Ovechkin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: How well Brady and Matthew Tkachuk play together as NHL teammates is among three questions facing the Florida Panthers this season.

The Ottawa Senators traded Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers on June 21. (NHL Images).

The Tkachuk brothers were reunited after the Panthers acquired Brady from the Ottawa Senators in June. They’ve played together for Team USA in international tournaments, including the 2026 Winter Olympics, but this season will be the first time they are NHL teammates.

How well Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid can replace departed starting goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is another question facing the Panthers, along with the health of their roster.

Bobrovsky departed on July 1, signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Markstrom was acquired in a trade with the New Jersey Devils and Schmid in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights.

Injuries were the significant factor in the Panthers missing the playoffs last season. Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Brad Marchand, Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett, Seth Jones, Dmitry Kulikov and Niko Mikkola were among a long list of Panthers regulars sidelined for long periods last season. Barkov missed the entire season with a knee injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The goaltending and the health of the roster are bigger issues than whether the Tkachuks can play well together.

Markstrom was a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2022, but his performance declined over the past two seasons with the Devils. Meanwhile, Schmid struggled to establish himself as a full-time NHL goalie.

On paper, a healthy Panthers roster should make the playoffs and (with good goaltending) become a Cup contender again. However, many of those who were sidelined last season have played more hockey than their peers around the league over the past four seasons, and that does take its toll. Some also have injury histories that could affect their performances.

NHL.COM: Former Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price believes his former club has a bright future. “It sure feels like they’re a contender,” Price said. However, he cautioned that many things need to go right for them to win the Stanley Cup.

Price praised young Canadiens goaltenders Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler, and noted their different styles of play.

“I really love Dobes’ compete level; he’s got that ‘grrr” in his game, he’s got that swagger. I really enjoy watching that. Fowler kind of reminds me more of myself, a little more reserved. He plays a very quiet game like I did. It’s their mentality that has them where they’re at.”

Price played his entire 15-season NHL career with the Canadiens, finishing as the franchise leader with 361 wins and games played (712). He’ll be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber reports no player has more slap shot goals over the past decade than Alex Ovechkin. The Washington Capitals captain has 107, three more than Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos. Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak was third with 76 goals.

Ovechkin was second in snap shot goals with 94. Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers was the leader in that category with 145.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Blackhawks rookie forward Anton Frondell has an opportunity to be the club’s first-line center for at least the first month of this season. The 19-year-old could start this season filling in for sidelined star Connor Bedard.

Frondell showed promise as a center in nine of his 12 NHL games last season, but he struggled with faceoffs and defensive assignments. He’s working on improving those areas of his game for the coming season.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins announced five new jersey numbers for 2026-27.

Winger JJ Peterka will wear No. 10 and defenseman Will Borgen wears No. 17. Center Ivan Ivan is No. 49; returning defenseman Connor Clifton is No. 75; and forward Lukas Reichel wears No. 76.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Vancouver Canucks signed prospect forward Adam Novotny to an entry-level contract. Novotny, 18, was chosen 24th overall by the Canucks in the 2026 NHL Draft.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stefen Rosner reports the New York Islanders have narrowed down 80,000 global fan submissions for their third jersey for 2027-28 to eight finalists.

Round one of voting runs from Aug. 12 through Aug. 14. Round two is from Aug. 15 to 17, with the final round taking place from Aug. 18 to 20.