Unfortunately, the injury woes have continued for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

On Thursday, the Penguins were forced to recall yet another player from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) - their AHL affiliate - because of an injury to yet another player. Forward Joona Koppanen was the one who got the call, and the team also announced that forward Filip Hallander is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. 

Koppanen, 27, played in 11 NHL games for the Penguins last season and registered a goal. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound forward re-signed with the Penguins for one year this past offseason, and he was waived at the conclusion of training camp and re-assigned to WBS after going unclaimed.

He has a goal and two points in six AHL games for WBS this season, and Penguins' head coach Dan Muse confirmed that Koppanen will be in the lineup Thursday against the Washington Capitals. 

Hallander, 25, made the NHL team out of training camp and has a goal and four points in 13 games on the season so far. His injury adds to a rapidly growing list of ailments for the Penguins, as they just placed forwards Justin Brazeau and Noel Acciari - as well as goaltender Tristan Jarry - on injured reserve Tuesday. 

Forward Rickard Rakell and defenseman Caleb Jones were already on injured reserve for the Penguins, and they joined a list that already included forwards Rutger McGroarty and Kevin Hayes, goaltender Joel Blomqvist, and defenseman Jack St. Ivany, among others.

Hayes, 33, skated with the team in a full capacity on Wednesday and appears close to a return.

Penguins' Forward Appears Close To ReturnMore than likely, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> won't have to wait much longer for one of their forwards to return to the lineup.&nbsp;

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When the Toronto Maple Leafs cut ties with president Brendan Shanahan after last season, there was always a sense that it wouldn’t be long before he was back working in the NHL in one shape or form.

When TSN's Darren Dreger reported Shanahan was rejoining the NHL's hockey operations department, it wasn’t exactly a surprise.

But it may not be very long until Shanahan gets another shot at running an NHL team.

Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos listed the Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators as teams that may be looking for an executive to help them turn the corner from being out of the Stanley Cup playoff mix year in and year out.

If Shanahan showed one thing in his lengthy tenure with the Maple Leafs, it’s that he can build a team that consistently makes the playoffs by bringing in experienced staff, finishing a rebuild and adding effective pieces around their core. A current sad-sack team like the Sabres and Blackhawks should be ecstatic to hand the reins over to Shanahan.

The Sabres have the makings of a strong core with Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Alex Tuch if they re-sign him, but NHL fans know well how badly they have struggled at transitioning out of a rebuild and stepping into the playoffs.

Chicago, meanwhile, is still in the thick of a rebuilding stage and drafted Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel and Alex Vlasic. In net, they acquired Spencer Knight, who has elite potential. The supporting cast hasn't always successfully helped those young guys on the ice, however, and Shanahan could help ensure the right pieces are in place.

As for the Predators, which have first-time GM Barry Trotz running hockey operations and David Poile staying on as a senior advisor, Shanahan could provide more support to Trotz as the team tries to rebound from a disappointing 2024-25 campaign. Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, Ryan O'Reilly, Roman Josi, Brady Skjei and Juuse Saros are all in their 30s, and they're not playing like a playoff team, so Shanahan could guide this squad either through a rebuild or through a rejuvenating retool.

What If Brendan Shanahan Joined A Potential NHL Expansion Franchise?Brendan Shanahan is a free agent. But where will he go next?

When Shanahan joined the Maple Leafs in 2014-15, the team had made the playoffs only once in the previous nine years. In his 11 years there, Shanahan helped steer Toronto to the post-season nine times, or eight times if you don't include the play-in round loss in 2020.

Now, playoff success was much more difficult for Shanahan’s Leafs to come by. But that was true early in Shanahan’s career as an NHL player with the New Jersey Devils and St. Louis Blues, and he eventually managed to figure things out and win three Stanley Cup championships with the Detroit Red Wings. And clearly, there’s a possibility the same will be true for Shanahan as a hockey executive.

There’s no doubt Shanahan’s current role with the NHL is a pit stop. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly even suggested the same to Postmedia. And the lessons he learned in Leafs Land could serve Shanahan very well as he tries to get back into the winner’s circle.

Shanahan is a Hockey Hall of Famer because he was one of the best competitors the game has ever seen. And the motivation to succeed is the fuel for him to demonstrate that he’s now a stronger, wiser hockey man than the one who left his Leafs job.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Thursday’s NHL slate features nine games packed with high-stakes matchups, setting the stage for fast-paced action, dramatic finishes, and plenty of highlight-reel moments. One of the evening’s most compelling showdowns is the Tampa Bay Lightning taking on the Vegas Golden Knights. 

Vegas is coming off a narrow 1-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday but has managed just two wins in its last five games. The Golden Knights will aim to build on that victory and defend their home ice, where they’ve traditionally been dominant. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay enters the game looking to bounce back after a loss to the Colorado Avalanche that snapped a five-game winning streak, a stretch that included a 2-1 home victory over these same Golden Knights.

For those new to our betting challenge, we start with a modest bankroll of $10 and work to grow it through smart, data-driven bets. In previous runs, we’ve turned our profits into triple-digit totals. Tonight’s same-game parlay zeroes in on the Tampa-Vegas matchup, offering a prime chance to regain momentum after our recent hot streak cooled off. 

Our bankroll had climbed to $264.60 before taking a loss in Tuesday’s Golden Knights-Red Wings game, but we’re back on track with a current total of $21.50 after cashing in on our picks from the Maple Leafs’ win over the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday. 

Jack Eichel’s MVP Case Strengthens Amid Golden Knights’ Dominant StartEichel's offensive explosion fuels the Golden Knights' hot streak. Can this star-studded lineup carry him to MVP glory?

All betting lines are from BetMGM Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly. 

Sign up with BetMGM, make a deposit, and place your first wager on any game using your First Bet Offer token. If that bet with the token applied loses, you’ll get your original stake paid back in Bonus Bets, up to $1,500! Get in the game today with BetMGM.

Picks: Over 4.5 Goals & Lightning First Period +0.5 (-115)

The Golden Knights rarely struggle against many opponents, but the Lightning are one team they haven’t quite figured out yet. After losing to Tampa Bay earlier this season, Vegas has now dropped four of their last five matchups against the Bolts, following a stretch where the Golden Knights had won four of the previous five. This could be a potential bounce-back game for Vegas, though history suggests a tough battle ahead. The two teams have alternated wins in all seven of their meetings in Las Vegas, and if the trend continues, Thursday would be Tampa Bay’s turn to win and even the series at four victories each.

With two elite teams on the ice, the difference-makers will need to step up, as both rosters have players capable of taking over a game. Tampa’s 2–1 win earlier this season was also the first time in the history of the matchup that the teams combined for fewer than five goals, which suggests an offensive surge could be on the horizon Thursday night.

To boost the odds, adding another leg to the parlay makes sense, focusing on Tampa Bay’s strong first-period performances with the Lightning holding a +3 first-period goal differential this season, compared to the Vegas’ -1 mark this season. That number improves to +4 for Tampa on the road, while Vegas shows a modest increase to +1 at home. 

With a current bankroll of $21.50, a wager on the Lightning and the over at -115 odds would return a profit of $18.92, bringing the payout to $40.42 in return. With a full NHL slate lined up for Friday, it’s the perfect opportunity to ride the momentum and keep building the bankroll.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

While it’s very early in the season, earlier this week, ESPN released an article listing their favourites for the NHL trophies so far, and the Montreal Canadiens are doing very well, to say the least.

While it’s not a Hab, their favourite when it comes to the Norris Trophy awarded to the top NHL defenseman, Cale Makar is. They have Mike Matheson listed as a finalist. While he struggled last season, Matheson has been nothing short of spectacular, and while he has no more power play time, he still has seven points, just one behind teammate Noah Dobson, and he’s got a plus-eight differential. Not many people could have seen that one coming, especially considering how many talented defensemen there are on this Canadiens’ blueline.

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As things stand, ESPN wouldn’t give the Calder Trophy to a Canadiens’ player for the second year in a row; they would award it to the New York Islanders’ first-overall pick at the last draft, Matthew Schafer. Making Ivan Demidov a finalist. Given how well the young defenseman performed out of the game and how he’s become a significant part of the Islanders’ team right away, it’s understandable. I’m not sure that will hold all season, though. Demidov has now been put on the Canadiens’ first power play unit, and he’s shining brighter night after night. I’m not saying it’s impossible that he finishes as a runner-up in the Calder Trophy race. Still, with so much of the season left, he could overtake the Islanders’ rookie, especially if his point production explodes.

While Jakub Dobes isn’t mentioned as a possibility in the Calder Trophy talk in the article, his red-hot start makes him a finalist for the Vezina trophy behind Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson, who they consider the leader. Connor Hellebuyck joins Dobes as a finalist.

According to them, one Canadiens player would be a Trophy winner if the voting were held today: captain Nick Suzuki. While he’s near the top of the league in points, ESPN considers him, so far, the best defensive forward and has him as their favourite to win the Frank J. Selke Trophy. He received 24% of the first-place votes in the exercise. On top of having 18 points in 13 games, his defensive play has been exceptional, as evidenced by the fact that the Canadiens are averaging just 1.03 goals per 60 minutes when their leader is on the ice. The three finalists they mentioned all had 14% of the first-place votes, 10% less than Suzuki.

As for coach Martin St-Louis, he was surprisingly not mentioned in the early Jack Adams conversation. That can be explained by the fact that so many teams are having surprising starts to the season. The Pittsburgh Penguins, who everyone believed would crash and burn early, are playing well, and that nets Dan Muse the title of favourite, while Joel Quenneville and Andre Tourigny are the runner-ups, thanks to their team’s superb form so far this season. If the Canadiens keep playing as they are, though, I would be shocked if St-Louis wasn’t a finalist for the second year in a row when all is said and done.

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

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Game day 

Who: Philadelphia Flyers (7-5-1) at Nashville Predators (5-6-4)

Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tenn. 

When: 7 p.m. CST 

TV: FanDuel Sports Network South

Radio: 102.5 The Game 

Betting line (via BetMGM): Nashville +1.5 Montreal -1.5. Over/under: 5.5 (-110/-110) 

Predators lose to Wild in overtime on technicality 

After Steven Stamkos scored with 0.3 seconds left in the third period to tie the game, 2-2, the Wild responded with a shocking goal of their own in overtime. 

With 1:22 left in overtime, Predators goalie Justus Annunen dislodged the left mooring of the net. Minnesota's Marcus Johansson's shot attempt went off the side of the net, but rebounded back to him due to the angle at which the net was dislodged. 

Johansson put the rebound over the goal line, and it was ruled a goal, as officials deemed the puck would've gone into the net if it hadn't been dislodged. The issue comes with Johansson's second attempt, as he wouldn't have gotten the rebound if the net hadn't been off its mooring.

Stamkos sounded off after the game. 

"It's a weird play. I can see the confusion, but the confusing part for us was why it was so emphatically called a goal," Steven Stamkos said. "I get it. If the net comes off and the puck goes in right away, it's no problem. But he missed the net and the puck actually bounced back to him because the net was sideways.

"My interpretation of the rule is that if the net weren't off, the puck wouldn't have come back to him." 

Takeaways: Despite Outplaying Wild, Nashville Predators Fall In Overtime On TechnicalityThe Nashville Predators tied the game as the clock ran out in regulation, only to lose in frustrating fashion in overtime.

Zachary L'Heureux enters lineup 

Following Cole Smith's week-to-week upper body injury, Zachary L'Heureux has been recalled from the Milwaukee Admirals.

He dressed for the Predators' game against the Wild on Tuesday, but did not play, as Tyson Jost played on the left wing of the fourth line. 

L'Heureux was a regular in Nashville last season, playing in 62 games and scoring 15 points. He's played seven games in Milwaukee this season, scoring six points. 

Nashville Predators recall Zachary L'Heureux from Milwaukee AdmrialsAfter an injury sidelines a forward, L'Heureux returns to Nashville's lineup, ready to contribute to the Predators' next game.

Scouting the Flyers 

The Predators and Flyers will be facing off for the second time this season, with Philadelphia winning the last meeting, 4-1, on Oct. 30. 

In that game, the Predators went down 2-0 in the second period off goals from Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale. Matthew Wood scored his first career NHL goal in the first period to cut into the Flyers' lead. 

Zegras scored on the power play in the third period, and Travis Konecny added an empty net goal. Zegras had three points on the night with two goals and an assist. Nashville outplayed Philadelphia, outshooting them 33-18. 

The Flyers have struggled a bit since that win, going 1-2-0 over their last three games. They suffered back to back losses to Toronto and Calgary before defeating Montreal in a shootout on the road. 

Zegras, who was acquired by the Flyers from the Ducks in the offseason, leads Philadelphia in scoring with 15 points in 13 games (four goals, 11 assists). 

The Flyers have also emerged as the most penalized team in the NHL, logging 184 penalty minutes this season. Nashville has 129 PIM. 

Divisional rankings 

Central 

1. Colorad: 14 GP, 8-1-5, 21 pts 

2. Winnipeg: 13 GP, 9-4-0, 18 pts 

3. Utah: 14 GP, 9-5-0, 18 pts 

4. Dallas: 13 GP, 7-3-3, 17 pts 

5. Chicago: 14 GP, 6-5-3, 15 pts 

6. Nashville: 15 GP, 5-6-4, 14 pts 

7.  Minnesota: 14 GP, 5-6-3, 13 pts 

8. St. Louis: 14 GP, 4-8-2, 10 pts 

Metropolitan

1. New Jersey: 13 GP, 9-4-0, 18 pts 

2. Pittsburgh: 14 GP, 8-4-2, 18 pts 

3. Carolina: 12 GP, 8-4-0, 16 pts 

4. Washington: 13 GP, 7-5-1, 15 pts 

5. Philadelphia: 13 GP, 7-5-1, 15 pts 

6. NY Islanders: 13 GP, 6-5-2, 14 pts 

7. Columbus: 13 GP, 7-6-0, 14 pts 

8. NY Rangers: 14 GP, 6-6-2, 14 pts

Earlier this week, we noted recent speculation about Evgeni Malkin's future with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

He and his teammates are off to a better-than-expected start to this season, but some observers question if it's sustainable and if Malkin would be open to a move at the NHL trade deadline.

However, Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos suggested the Penguins' strong start could take Malkin, Bryan Rust, and Rickard Rakell out of the rumor mill if they can remain in the playoff chase. Those players have frequently surfaced in media trade chatter since the summer, but Kypreos doesn't see them going anywhere if they're still in the hunt for a postseason berth.

The Penguins' start has also silenced the trade rumors that were buzzing about Sidney Crosby at the start of the season. TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported that Penguins GM Kyle Dubas' plan remains building for the future while staying competitive this season.

LeBrun wondered if the Penguins could stay in playoff contention this season but acknowledged that their current performance has ended the Crosby trade chatter, at least for now.

NHL Rumor Roundup: Latest Trade Talk About The Maple Leafs, Oilers And Penguins The Toronto Maple Leafs are trying to find a new home for David Kampf, the Edmonton Oilers could move a depth player or two to make room for returning veterans, and the Pittsburgh Penguins are in the market for a left-shot defenseman.

Meanwhile, the ongoing woes of the Calgary Flames have ensured that Nazem Kadri remains a fixture in the rumor mill.

The 35-year-old center celebrated his 1,000th NHL game on Wednesday, scoring a goal in a 6-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Some pundits have linked Kadri to the Montreal Canadiens, suggesting he would address their need for a second-line center. However, Jack Todd of the Montreal Gazette considered Kadri to be an unsuitable option, citing his age, $7 million average annual value through 2028-29 and history of undisciplined play.

Kypreos believes the Carolina Hurricanes could be a suitor for Kadri, pointing out that they've relentlessly pursued a top player in the trade market since last season. However, Kypreos also claimed that the Hurricanes are on Kadri's no-trade list.

The Hurricanes could request permission from the Flames to speak with Kadri and his agent and try to sell them on Carolina. If the Hurricanes make a substantial pitch, Flames GM Craig Conroy could try to convince Kadri to accept a trade.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.