The NHL Season Starts Tonight: 14 Peterborough Connections You Should Know

By Scott Arnold

The 2026-27 NHL season gets underway Tuesday night, with a number of former Peterborough Petes and Peterborough natives listed on season opening rosters across the league.

after suiting up for the flyers their final nine regular season games last season, and ten playoff games, peterborough native porter martone is getting set for his official rookie year (photo via X, formerly twitter, @nhlflyers)

There are 14 players with Peterborough ties entering the new NHL season, including eight former Petes and six players who were born in or have strong Peterborough ties.

Former Petes

Brennan Othmann - Calgary Flames

Othmann won an OHL championship with the Petes in 2023. He spent last season between the New York Rangers and their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, before being traded to Calgary in March.

He is on the Flames' opening-night roster this season.

Season opener: Thursday, October 1st at 9pm vs. the Seattle Kraken

Jordan Staal - Carolina Hurricanes

Staal won an OHL championship with the Petes in 2006 and has gone on to become the captain of the Hurricanes.

This will be his 21st NHL season. Staal has been with Carolina since 2012 and helped the Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup last season, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Season opener: Tuesday, September 29th at 5pm vs. the Florida Panthers

Nick Lardis - Chicago Blackhawks

Lardis played parts of two seasons with the Petes from 2021 to 2023 before being traded to the Hamilton Bulldogs.

He spent last season between the Blackhawks and their AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, and is on Chicago's opening-night roster.

Season opener: Tuesday, September 29th at 10pm vs. the Vegas Golden Knights

Zach Bogosian - Minnesota Wild

Bogosian played two seasons with the Petes from 2006 to 2008.

He is entering his 19th NHL season and his fourth with Minnesota after re-signing with the Wild this summer.

Season opener: Thursday, October 1st at 8pm vs. the Nashville Predators

Declan Chisholm - New Jersey Devils

Chisholm played four seasons with the Petes from 2016 to 2020.

After playing for the Washington Capitals last season, he was acquired by New Jersey in June. He is on the Devils' opening roster.

Season opener: Thursday, October 1st at 7pm vs. the Philadelphia Flyers

Nick Robertson - Pittsburgh Penguins

Robertson played three seasons with the Petes from 2017 to 2020.

His 55 goals in 46 games during the COVID-shortened 2019-20 season remain one of the most impressive scoring seasons in Petes history. He joined Pittsburgh this summer after spending the past several seasons in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization.

Season opener: Wednesday, September 30th at 7:30pm vs. the Philadelphia Flyers

Mason McTavish - St. Louis Blues

McTavish played just over a season with the Petes, appearing in the 2019-20 season before the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the OHL schedule.

He returned to Peterborough for five games in 2021-22 before being traded to the Hamilton Bulldogs, who went on to win the OHL championship that season.

McTavish joined St. Louis in the offseason and is on the Blues' opening-night roster.

Season opener: Friday, October 2nd at 9pm at the Dallas Stars

Akil Thomas - Vancouver Canucks

Thomas briefly played for the Petes after being acquired from the Niagara IceDogs during the 2019-20 season.

He signed with Vancouver this summer and is listed on the Canucks' roster, but he will not be in the lineup to start the season.

Season opener: Tuesday, September 29th at 10pm vs. the Edmonton Oilers

Peterborough Natives

Porter Martone - Philadelphia Flyers

Martone was born in Peterborough and joined the Flyers late last season after completing his first NCAA season with Michigan State.

He played nine regular-season games with Philadelphia, scoring four goals and adding six assists, before appearing in 10 playoff games and recording two goals and three assists.

This will be his official rookie season, and he is the only Flyer on the opening-night roster who qualifies as a rookie.

Season opener: Wednesday, September 30th at 7:30pm vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins

Owen Tippett - Philadelphia Flyers

The Peterborough native is entering his seventh NHL season.

Tippett began his career with the Florida Panthers before joining Philadelphia, where he has spent the last four and a half seasons.

Season opener: Wednesday, September 30th at 7:30pm vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins

Vince Dunn - Seattle Kraken

Dunn is entering his 10th NHL season and sixth with Seattle after starting his career with the St. Louis Blues, where he won the Stanley Cup in 2019.

The Kraken open their season Thursday in Calgary.

Season opener: Thursday, October 1st at 9pm at the Calgary Flames

Barrett Hayton - Utah Mammoth

Hayton was selected fifth overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2018 NHL Draft before the franchise relocated to Utah.

Born in Peterborough, Hayton remains the highest-drafted Peterborough-born player in NHL history. He is on Utah's opening-night roster.

Season opener: Thursday, October 1st at 9:30pm vs. the Chicago Blackhawks

Corey Perry - Los Angeles Kings

Perry is entering his 22nd NHL season at age 41.

The Peterborough native is one of the NHL's oldest players and returns to Los Angeles after signing with the Kings this summer. He is on the team's opening-night roster.

Season opener: Wednesday, September 30th at 10pm at the Colorado Avalanche

Chase Stillman - Detroit Red Wings

Stillman played two seasons with his hometown Petes from 2021 to 2023 and was part of the team's 2023 OHL championship.

He spent last season in the AHL with the Vancouver Canucks' affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks, and signed a one-year, two-way contract with Detroit this summer.

Stillman is listed on Detroit's roster but will not be in the lineup when the Red Wings open their season Friday.

Season opener: Friday, October 2nd at 6:30pm vs. the New York Rangers

From Stanley Cup winners and longtime veterans to players beginning their first full seasons in the league, there will be plenty of Peterborough storylines to follow during the 2026-27 NHL season.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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