The Buffalo Sabres once again are in the midst of a letdown of a season. They’re currently in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 11-13-4 record, and they’ve lost four of their past six games. Buffalo is now about to play Game 2 of a five-game west coast road trip, and if they can’t make any headway in the standings when they take on the lowly Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks and Seattle Kraken, the Sabres’ Stanley Cup playoff hopes are going to be all but snuffed out.

But there could be some help on the horizon if Sabres GM Kevyn Adams plays his trade cards right. Because if there’s one thing Buffalo has more than enough of right now, it’s something that’s highly-prized in other NHL markets – and that’s goaltending.

As it stands right now, the Sabres have three NHL-capable netminders: starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, veteran Alex Lyon and youngster Colten Ellis. At a time when some NHL teams don’t have even a single reliable goaltending option, Adams should be able to not only find a taker for one of his goalies, but also to drum up a healthy return for them on the trade market. 

From this writer’s perspective, Buffalo’s best trade chip is Luukkonen. The 26-year-old’s individual numbers – while not indicative of an above-average performance at a .895 save percentage and 2.57 goals-against average – aren’t horrendous on an otherwise terrible Sabres team. And he’s signed to reasonable money ($4.75-million per season). The real stumbling point is that Luukkonen is signed through the 2028-29 season. But Adams has to get something for Luukkonen, and that probably means making a move well in advance of the March 6 trade deadline.

We say that because if he waits too long to cash in on Luukkonen, Adams risks the trade market drying up. So, from our perspective, if Buffalo finishes the season with these same three goalies, it will be an opportunity lost. The Sabres have some solid depth at the most crucial position there is, and they need to convert one of their assets to help them in other areas.

Adams has to recognize a trade partner or two for Luukkonen sometime soon and see if he can’t stir up a robust market for him. Because this is not a player Adams absolutely has to trade. Luukkonen is a valuable, younger player who is cost-controlled for the foreseeable future, and for better or worse, you can’t say that about many goalies in the league. Luukkonen may indeed benefit from playing in front of a defensively-sound set of forwards and defensemen, so giving him away would be a fireable offense.

Grading The Sabres At The One-Third Mark Of The Season: The ForwardsWe're handing out grades to the Sabres at the one-third point of the season, and in this file, we're grading Buffalo's forwards. And as reflects the Sabres' season, Buffalo's grade for its forwards is disappointing one.

A Luukkonen trade isn’t imminent, and who knows – maybe there’s a road to him staying in Buffalo. But in a season where the Sabres are once again playing their way out of Stanley Cup playoff contention, significant trades are going to be coming. And a Luukkonen trade would signify that Adams is open for business, so long as the price is right.

With Ellis and AHLer Devon Levi, the Sabres project to have a solid tandem for the next decade or so. And let’s be real here – Buffalo isn’t where they are in the standings right now because Luukkonen goaltended them there. He’s put in decent enough work, and in the right situation, he could challenge his career-best full-season SP average of .910. 

Grading The Sabres At The One-Third Mark Of The Season: The GoaliesIn our ongoing series, we're grading the Sabres' season at each position. And in this file, we're grading Buffalo's netminders.

Thus, Adams has to find a way to convert Luukkonen into some sort of notable asset. When NHL-capable goalies are hard to come by, having many of them should be a benefit to you by trading them for help in other areas. And for us, that goalie trade should be one that sends Luukkonen out of Western New York to a team that’s in need of him.

The New York Rangers are set to play the Vegas Golden Knights tonight at 7:00 PM EST at Madison Square Garden.

Here’s all you need to know ahead of this matchup: 

Projected Lineup:

Forwards:

Artemi Panarin - Mika Zibanejad -  Alexis Lafrenière

Conor Sheary - Vincent Trocheck - J.T. Miller

Will Cuylle - Noah Laba - Brett Berard

Jonny Brodzinski - Sam Carrick - Taylor Raddysh

Defensemen:

Vladislav Gavrikov - Braden Schneider

Carson Soucy - Will Borgen

Matthew Roberston - Scott Morrow 

Goaltenders: 

Jonathan Quick

Igor Shesterkin 

Notable Storylines: 

• Jonathan Quick is set to start for the Rangers. 
• The Rangers are coming off of a 3-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. 
• The Rangers currently hold a 15-12-3 record. 
• The Golden Knights are coming off of a 3-0 win over the Devils.

The Ottawa Senators currently sit in sixth place in the Atlantic Division with a 13-11-4 record, but they’re only three points behind the third-place Montreal Canadiens, and four points behind the second-place Boston Bruins.

In addition, Ottawa has two games in hand on Boston. So it’s rather remarkable the Senators remain a strong team in the playoff hunt while their goaltending is not getting the job done.

In their past four losses, Ottawa has given up 16 goals and been outscored 16-7. Their 3.29 goals-against average this season speaks to their struggles in their own zone as a team.

But if the Sens want to take a competitive step forward and contend for home-ice advantage, they’re going to have to tighten things up defensively, specifically in the crease.

For instance, starter Linus Ullmark has posted an .877 save percentage and 3.00 GAA in 21 starts this season. He’s been better of late, with an SP of .900 or higher in his last couple of games.

However, Ullmark’s career averages of a .915 SP and a 2.58 GAA suggest the 32-year-old is going to put it all together and atone for his subpar start to the season. But Ullmark can't do it all himself, and that’s where his understudy – backup Leevi Merilainen – comes in.

In seven appearances this year, Merilainen has an .876 SP and a 3.36 GAA. The 23-year-old still has only 21 games of NHL experience under his belt, but there’s no sense the Sens have given up on him.

Who Can Be The Senators' Trade Partner As They Look To Take A Big Swing?As the Ottawa Senators look to make a big swing in the trade market this season, what other team in the NHL can be a trade partner?

That said, Merilainen has to give Ottawa coach Travis Green a reason to challenge Ullmark for playing time. That means being more consistent, and given that he’s lost his past three games, Merilainen has to show he can work his way out of adversity. 

Aside from the goaltending, there’s plenty to like about the Sens as a team. Sure, the team has to be better in front of Ullmark and Merilainen, and the blame for Ottawa’s so-so start shouldn't fall on their netminders alone.

Prospect Check-In: A Glance At The Ottawa Senators Goaltending PipelineOttawa's future goalies are battling across various leagues. See how these five prospects are shaping up early this season.

But the truth is, if the Senators' tandem can find a bit more consistency and challenge each other, there's an opportunity for Ottawa to not only be a playoff team again, but possibly a club that can claim home-ice advantage for the post-season.

If the Sens are to get to the next level, they’re going to need their goalies to be better than they’ve been thus far this season. 

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.

The state of the Edmonton Oilers’ goaltending is such that trade rumors connecting potential trade acquisitions should be believed.

Where there’s smoke, there’s often fire, and the smoking ruins of the Oilers’ many defeats this season give Edmonton GM Stan Bowman good reason to shake the trees in the trade market and see what goalies could be available to change things up between the pipes for his team.

On Sportsnet's 'Saturday Headlines,' Elliotte Friedman indicated there’s interest from Edmonton in Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry. But what’s likely an obstacle to this trade being consummated is Pittsburgh’s unwillingness to retain salary on Jarry’s current contract.

The 30-year-old’s salary of $5.375 million runs for an additional two seasons after this one, and acquiring him would be a huge commitment given his roller-coaster performances in previous seasons. 

Jarry’s individual numbers this season, including a .913 save percentage and a 2.61 goals-against average in 12 appearances, are significantly better than current Oilers starter Stuart Skinner’s .889 SP and 2.86 GAA in 21 starts.

Based on goaltending statistics today, Jarry would be an upgrade on Skinner. But the real question is – are the Oilers really in a position to take on Jarry’s full contract, or is that a dealbreaker for Bowman?

To answer, Edmonton should not take on Jarry's full contract, and it should be a dealbreaker for Bowman and the Oilers that the Penguins don't want to retain his salary.

The Oilers presently have only $159,167 in salary cap space. That means they’re going to have to move out money to make space for Jarry’s salary.

If Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas was willing to retain some salary, it would be far easier for Bowman to clear out a retained amount of cap space to gamble on Jarry, rather than taking on his full cap hit.

Bowman would have to move out roster players and weaken their offensive or defensive depth, or both. All that for a goaltender who has been inconsistent in the past.

Edmonton’s recent history of making bad investments in net – Jack Campbell as one example – makes the Oilers gun-shy to risk Jarry falling flat and being stuck with him for another two seasons.

They’ve already brought in Connor Ingram, and he’s struggling at the AHL level. So the thought of trading for Jarry, then shortly thereafter regretting it and being stuck with another potential buyout situation for years to come, could haunt Edmonton's front office.   

Indeed, rather than pursuing Jarry and being responsible for his full contract, it’s probably better to stay with Skinner. He’s in the final season of his contract that pays him $2.6 million, which gives the Oilers some freedom in how they'd like to handle Skinner.

Not to mention, he has been between the pipes in both of Edmonton's runs to the Stanley Cup final in the last two years.

NHL Hot Seat Radar: Oilers' Stuart Skinner Steps UpThe NHL Hot Seat Radar series highlights which NHL figures are under serious pressure to improve. The Edmonton Oilers had much better goaltending this past week, while the Flames and Kings still have scoring issues.

Besides, even if Skinner continues to struggle this season, it’s not as if Jarry is going to be the only goalie available via trade. As the year unfolds and there’s some separation in the standings, there’s likely to be other options for the Oilers in net. 

Regardless of what other options are out there, it makes sense for Bowman to be more patient and see what trade opportunities bubble up between now and the March 6 trade deadline.

If the Penguins are dead-set against salary retention for Jarry, the Oilers should move on and take their chances either with Skinner or someone else who isn’t as big a risk of failing.

Edmonton is on the clock when it comes to superstar Connor McDavid, so there should be a sense of urgency when it comes to the Oilers’ goaltending. But Jarry’s rebound season is still in its infancy, and the last thing Edmonton should want is a reclamation project that’s still in its early stages.

Bowman has to balance the needs of the moment with Edmonton's long-term needs, and that means either finding a veteran goalie who isn’t as much of a long-term risk or sticking with Skinner and letting the chips fall where they may, then possibly moving on from Skinner when he becomes a UFA in the summer.

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.

Scott Wedgewood is expected to at least dress Tuesday night when the Colorado Avalanche take on the Nashville Predators.

Trent Miner, who had been called up from the Colorado Eagles following Wedgewood’s injury, was reassigned to his AHL club after Colorado’s 3–2 win over the New York Rangers on Sunday afternoon.

We have reassigned Trent Miner to the Colorado Eagles. pic.twitter.com/PiettSLPwF

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) December 7, 2025

The 33-year-old Wedgewood was pulled early from Tuesday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks after tweaking his back en route to a 3–1 victory. Mackenzie Blackwood stepped in and stopped all 10 shots he faced.

Blackwood has been solid in Wedgewood’s absence. After a 6–3 road loss to the New York Islanders, he rebounded with consecutive 3–2 victories over the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers.

Even with three games missed, Wedgewood remains tied for the NHL lead in wins among goaltenders with 13, alongside Dallas Stars’ standout netminder Jake Oettinger. His 2.07 goals-against average ranks second in the league, just behind Washington Capitals’ Logan Thompson at 2.06. Meanwhile, Wedgewood leads the NHL with a .920 save percentage.

Credit Bednar and the Coaching Staff

It was Jared Bednar’s decision to remove Wedgewood from the Canucks game as a precaution. The coaching staff prioritized the long-term picture: Wedgewood is in the midst of a career-best stretch, and risking further injury for no reason would have been unwise. By pulling him, they protected one of the league’s top goaltenders. Now, it appears Wedgewood will be ready to step back between the pipes in just a few days.

The Next Stop

Colorado remains atop the NHL standings with a record of 21–2–6. The Avalanche will face the Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday, with puck drop scheduled for 7:30 p.m. local time.

What do the fans think of the latest news? Is Wedgewood ready? Let us know in the comments and we'll get back to you. 

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.

The Vegas Golden Knights, who visit The Garden tonight, may not be the best team in the NHL at this moment but they sure are among the most interesting.

Succeeding with a one-two – Jack Eichel-Mitch Marner – punch, The V's bring a 13-6-3 record to Manhattan and the promise of even better things to come once Double M  acclimatizes himself to coach Bruce Cassidy's system.

"Marner will have Vegas dancing in the aisles of T-Mobile Arena if he finds the same harmony

with Eichel that he did with Auston Matthews in Toronto," wrote Scott Zerr in The Hockey News Yearbook. "If Marner and Eichel click, they'll be the biggest duet on The Strip since Donnie & Marie."

Third man on the big line, left wing Ivan Barashev, is no slouch either at 10-13-23 along with a handsome plus-8. This club had no right to sing the blues.

Even without the ailing Adam Fox, the Rangers match well against the Knights' defense while Igor Shesterkin is significantly superior to either Vegas goalkeeper, Akira Schmid or Adin Hill. Ditto for Jonathan Quick, who figures to start tonight.

Zerr: "The Knights are certainly good enough to be at the top of the league again and with GM Kelly McCrimmon always eyeing more glimmer and glitz, there's every reason to believe they can lift a Stanley Cup for a second time."

Another 'Close But No Cigar' Point For The BlueshirtsThere are three ways to digest the Rangers' effort against top-rated Colorado on Saturday afternoon at The Garden.

Which is fine for the State of Nevada but who cares on Seventh Avenue between West 31st and West 33rd Streets where the Rangers concern remains steadfast.

For now, at least, the Blueshirt modest mantra has to be: PLAYOFFS – OR BUST!

Brock Nelson buried the go-ahead goal with 52 seconds remaining in the first period, and the Colorado Avalanche capped a flawless back-to-back set with a 3–2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday at Xfinity Mobile Arena. 

Brent Burns opened the scoring for Colorado, while Valeri Nichushkin extended the lead with an insurance marker early in the second period. Mackenzie Blackwood delivered another outstanding performance between the pipes, turning aside 24 shots. 

Philadelphia’s offense came from captain Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny, the latter firing a game-high nine shots on goal. Samuel Ersson—usually slotted as the backup—stood tall in defeat, recording 25 saves to keep the Flyers within striking distance. 

First Period 

The Flyers struck just 2:08 into the game when Noah Juulsen unloaded a slap shot from the point that was redirected by captain Couturier past Blackwood, giving Philadelphia an early 1–0 lead. 

Sean Couturier opens the scoring in his 900th career NHL game on his birthday 👏

📺: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/lC3NQtXMWG

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 7, 2025

A little more than six minutes later, Burns responded with his fourth goal of the season, wiring a wrist shot through traffic—thanks in part to Nichushkin’s heavy screen in front—that prevented Ersson from seeing the shot. Martin Nečas remained poised on the left circle and threaded a pinpoint pass to Burns, whose ability to get shots through, even at age 40, continues to defy logic. 

Brent Burns’ fourth of the season ties it up! 💪 pic.twitter.com/tWj7jyWC2B

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 7, 2025

Can't say enough about a 40-year-old player being the best player on the ice so far today.

Modern day Chris Chelios in Brent Burns... but I think he's better tbh.@TheHockeyNews

— Ryan O'Hara (@OHaraSports) December 7, 2025

After Juulsen was whistled for tripping Parker Kelly, Colorado capitalized on the ensuing power play. Nelson and Nathan MacKinnon both took hacks at a loose rebound, but it was Nelson who delivered the decisive tap to put the Avalanche ahead 2–1. Nečas nearly added another goal moments before, but his one-timer rang off the post. Nelson now has 10 points in his last 10 games. 

Second Period 

Just 1:47 into the frame, Nichushkin extended the lead. He corralled a cross-ice feed from Devon Toews that glanced off the skate of Victor Olofsson, then snapped a wrister from the right circle past Ersson to make it 3–1 Colorado. 

Valeri Nichushkin makes it 3-1 @Avalanche!

📺: #NHLNShowcase on NHL Network https://t.co/4H667mOUMGpic.twitter.com/vyzFDO0RJo

— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) December 7, 2025

Konecny trimmed the deficit with a clever move, selling a pump-fake toward the far post and slipping the puck five-hole as Blackwood bit on the fake, cutting the score to 3–2. 

Burns nearly restored the two-goal cushion midway through the period, springing Victor Olofsson on a breakaway, but Ersson stood tall with a blocker save. Minutes later, Burns hammered another shot from the point, only to hear it ring off the post. On the same sequence, Trevor Zegras was called for slashing Nichushkin, sending Colorado back to the power play. The Avalanche couldn’t convert, and late in the period, Nečas took a slashing penalty of his own. 

Colorado carried a 3–2 lead into intermission, while the Flyers entered the third with 1:53 remaining on the man advantage. 

Third Period 

After the Avalanche killed off the penalty, MacKinnon was assessed a hooking infraction on Zegras, who was sprung on a breakaway 4:54 into the period. The officials awarded a penalty shot, a dangerous situation considering Zegras’ 68% shootout success rate (17-for-25). 

But Blackwood shut the door, reading the move perfectly and turning aside the attempt to preserve Colorado’s one-goal lead. 

The remainder of the game evolved into a tactical showcase, but the Avalanche remained composed and resolute. Philadelphia pulled Ersson twice in the final minutes, pressing desperately for the equalizer, yet their efforts came up short as Blackwood stood tall and refused to yield. 

Avs win 3-2!@TheHockeyNews#GoAvsGo
Mackenzie Blackwood was outstanding. First Star in my book.

— Ryan O'Hara (@OHaraSports) December 7, 2025

Next Game 

The Avalanche (21-2-6) end their Tour De USA on Tuesday when they take on the Nashville Predators (10-14-4) at Bridgestone Arena. Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. local time.  

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.

Every week in the NHL delivers goals, chaos, and occasionally, absolute gems on the microphone. Our “Say What?” series features some of the strangest, funniest, and most telling quotes from players, coaches, and executives around the league. 

Here are the lines that made us stop scrolling and say… what?,

"I think he was disappointed with your guys' coverage on his offensive ability, or not shooting the puck. Maybe that stirred it up. I know if I've got a problem with any other players, I'll just address it with you guys." - Kris Knoblauch. 

The Edmonton Oilers head coach was responding to coverage by the media, many asking why Connor McDavid wasn’t shooting more. That was Knoblauch’s reply after McDavid scored a hat trick in the following game.

“How would they know that?” - Rasmus Andersson

The Calgary Flames defenseman talked about reports that said he’s already decided on his future and whether he’s staying or leaving the Flames as his trade value increases with strong production. 

“I saw some reports the other day (saying) ‘Oh, he doesn’t know what to do with his future,' and I’m like, ‘How would you know that?'” Andersson said.

“I talked to my agent before the season started, and then we haven’t talked. How could you possibly know if I’m undecided about my future or not? I’ve come to the point in my life where I just laugh at the things people say online, and honestly, it feels great to come to that point," he added.

“It sucks.” - Matthew Knies, “Beast came in and was unbelievable for us.” - Auston Matthews

The Toronto Maple Leafs captain and power forward talked about Dennis Hildeby taking over for Joseph Woll, who went down with an injury against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Leafs are now without Woll and Anthony Stolarz, making Hildeby the team's starting goaltender. 

It's a huge loss for the Maple Leafs as Woll has been putting up great numbers, but Hildeby has stepped up in relief and with the new role.

Hildeby Is The Leafs' Starter With Woll's Injury, Here's How We Got HereWith Joseph Woll on injured reserve, rookie netminder Dennis Hildeby is now the starting goaltender for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Here is how we got here.

"There's zero truth'' - Ken Holland 

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun said he reached out to the Los Angeles Kings’ GM Ken Holland regarding speculation of a potential coaching change. Peter DeBoer has been linked to the story, but Holland isn’t giving the rumor any more life than it's already taken on. 

The Kings will continue forward with Jim Hiller as the bench boss, with no plans to make changes in the near future.

"If there’s no rink completed, there’s no NHL players going to the Olympics." - Bill Daly

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly was asked what the percentage chance was that some NHL players might drop out of the Olympics because of the rink issues in Italy.

"Depends on % you want to place on the possibility the rink doesn’t get completed," Daly said. "If there’s no rink completed, there’s no NHL players going to the Olympics."

“It’ll change things, but who cares?” -Nathan MacKinnon

When asked about the smaller ice surface at the Olympics, Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon wasn’t overly concerned.  

Maple Leafs' Matthews also chimed in and said, “It can be a 100-by-100-foot sheet. You just want to go out there and play and have that opportunity.”

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.