News staff and wire services

The Western Michigan hockey program announced a schedule change for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

Instead of the previously scheduled Friday-Saturday series against Michigan, the series will now shift to Thursday-Friday. The Wolverines will host the Broncos on Thursday, Oct. 23, and Lawson Arena will be the venue for the Friday, Oct. 24 series finale. 

The two teams split last season, with each program winning on home ice. Western Michigan went on to win the Penrose Cup, NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship and were Frozen Four finalists, losing 6-2 to Boston University in the national championship final.

The Broncos will host the USNTDP in an exhibition on Oct. 5. The regular season home opener is set for Thursday, Oct. 9 against Ferris State. WMU went 3-0 against the USNTDP and FSU last season. 

Kraken sign forward Kakko

Seattle – Forward Kaapo Kakko signed a three-year contract with the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday with an average annual value of $4.525 million.

The Kraken acquired the 24-year-old Kakko from the New York Rangers on Dec. 18 in exchange for defenseman Will Borgen, a 2025 third-round pick and a 2025 sixth-round pick. The Finland native was the No. 2 overall pick by the Rangers in the 2019 NHL Draft.

Kakko had a career-high 44 points with 14 goals and 30 assists in 79 games with the Rangers and Kraken last season. His 30 assists were also a career-best.

“Getting a contract done with Kaapo was a top priority this summer,” general manager Jason Botterill said in a statement. “We knew quickly he’d be a big part of our team moving forward. He’s got size, skill and tremendous playmaking ability, and isn’t afraid of going to the net. He fit in immediately with our group, and we’re thrilled to have him under contract.”

With the Kraken, he had 10 goals and 20 assists in 49 games. He also tied his career-high for points in a game with three assists in Seattle’s 4-2 victory against the Los Angeles Kings on Jan. 18. Kakko was tied for second in points, third in assists and power-play goals, and sixth in goals for Seattle.

NHL, NHLPA form partnership

Toronto – The NHL and NHLPA announced a content partnership with top-flight Italian soccer league Lega Serie A on Tuesday ahead of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.

NHL players will return to Olympic ice for the first time since 2014 when the men’s hockey tournament begins Feb. 11 in Milan.

The NHL-Serie A partnership involves multiple promotional activities.

Serie A stars and past greats will join NHL players for events during the NHL/NHLPA European player media tour in Milan on Aug. 22, one day before the 2025-26 season begins in Italy’s top soccer league.

NHL players, meanwhile, will visit the training grounds of several Serie A clubs and attend a match at Milan’s San Siro stadium, home to AC Milan and Inter Milan.

The NHL said a jersey exchange between Serie A greats Andrea Pirlo and Marco Materazzi, and New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad at Madison Square Garden in March sparked the “first-of-its-kind” partnership between a North American pro league and European soccer league.

Jets captain Wheeler calls it quits

Long-time  Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler announced his retirement from the NHL after 16 seasons.

Wheeler spent 13 years with the Atlanta Thrashers/Jets organization after he was acquired in February of 2011 in a trade with the Boston Bruins, and was named captain of the team heading into the 2016 season.

Wheeler contributed at least 20 goals and 60 points in seven consecutive seasons with the Jets, serving as a steady presence in the locker room through six postseason appearances in his time with the team.

He retires as the Thrashers/Jets franchise leader in games played (897), assists (550) and points (812), and ranks among the top five in most other offensive stats.

Wheeler was the fifth overall pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Phoenix Coyotes, and made his NHL debut four years later as a member of the Bruins.

The native of Plymouth, Minn. spent the final year of his career with the New York Rangers in 2023-24.

In 1,172 career NHL games, Wheeler scored 321 goals and finished with 943 points. He totaled 10 goals and 45 points in 66 playoff games.

Want to comment on this story? Become a subscriber today. Click here.