Jets' Thomas Milic Expected To Make NHL Debut Saturday vs. Predators

The Winnipeg Jets are turning to one of the AHL’s hottest goaltenders in hopes of ending a rough stretch. Rookie Thomas Milic is set to make his NHL debut Saturday against the Nashville Predators, stepping in at a pivotal time with star netminder Connor Hellebuyck sidelined.

Winnipeg has lost three of its last four games since Hellebuyck’s exit, with Eric Comrie handling the bulk of the workload. Comrie, who has started four straight, has allowed 13 goals in those three losses and is again expected to start Friday against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Saturday's second leg of the road back-to-back will almost surely guarantee a Milic start as Comrie will get rest and Milic will get a favorable opponent for his NHL debut against the last place Predators. 

Milic has been one of the AHL’s hottest goaltenders this season with the Manitoba Moose. He arrives in Winnipeg on a four-game winning streak, posting a 5-2-2 record with a .921 save percentage, a 2.14 goals-against average, and a shutout. His overall AHL resume includes a 29-23-8 record and a 2.88 GAA, marking him as one of the league’s most promising young netminders.

With Friday’s matchup against Carolina still to be decided, a Jets win could ease some of the pressure on Milic. But if the team drops its fourth straight, the 22-year-old BC native could get his chance to step in on Saturday, potentially becoming the hero the Jets and their fans are hoping for. If Comrie cannot end Winnipeg’s recent slide, Milic could provide the spark the team needs to rally around and secure a much-needed victory.

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Blackhawks Vs Predators: Projected Lineup, How To Watch, & More Ahead Of Game 24

The Chicago Blackhawks are playing well above expectations so far this year. Lately, lead protection has led to a slump, leaving them at 10-8-5 for 25 standings points. This total had them just one spot below the playoff line on American Thanksgiving. 

Next up for them is a Black Friday matchup against the 7-12-4 (18 points) Nashville Predators. Nashville found themselves in 32nd place of the 32-team NHL on Thanksgiving, which has become quite the milestone for teams to be in a good spot when evaluating playoff odds. 

Special Night At United Center

Fans attending this game are in for a treat. This will be the on-ice debut of Chicago’s newest black jersey. It has been over a decade since the team had a black alternate sweater, and it’s finally back. Fans are expected to wear black in an effort to create a blackout atmosphere for the game. There will be a lot of energy in the building, with it also being a Friday night of a holiday weekend. 

There is a hat giveaway to the first 2,000 fans who enter the Atrium, which will open at 4:30 CT. The United Center doors will open at 5:30. It is recommended that you be in your seat by 6:45. 

Scouting Nashville 

The Predators are struggling this year, but they still have great top players who can make a difference on every shift. They signed stars like Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault last summer to join players who have been there for a while in Filip Forsberg, Juuse Saros, and Roman Josi. They also have Ryan O'Reilly, who drives everything in their top-six. 

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Like the Blackhawks, Nashville is prepared to dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Changes are coming to the Predators organization soon, but they can still present a challenge on the ice. 

Projected Blackhawks Lines, Defense Pairs, and Starting Goalie

The Blackhawks are going to be getting Andre Burakovsky back in the lineup on Friday. He was a game-time decision on Wednesday, but ultimately didn't play.

Now, it is confirmed that he will be on the top line with Connor Bedard and Ryan Greene against the Predators. Tyler Bertuzzi will move down to play with Frank Nazar and Teuvo Teravainen. This version of the top six was magnificent for Chicago before Burakovsky's injury. 

Greene-Bedard-Burakovsky

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Arvid Soderblom is going to be back in the net for the Blackhawks against the Predators. He last played in Chicago's 9-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, so he is looking for a bounce-back performance. 

If the Blackhawks go 11/7, it will likely be without Sam Lafferty and Landon Slaggert. Oliver Moore and Colton Dach will likely get shifts with Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar throughout the night, which could lead to some depth chances. 

How To Watch

The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game in the Chicagoland area, it can be seen on CHSN. Nationally, it can be streamed on ESPN+. The puck will drop at 7:00 PM CT. 

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The Hockey News Big Show: Should The Flames, Canucks And Predators Rebuild?

The Hockey News Big Show is here to discuss more big topics in the NHL and beyond.

Here’s what Katie Gaus, Michael Traikos and Ryan Kennedy discussed:

0:50: Could this year's Colorado Avalanche become the best regular-season team ever? And what is the key factor making them such a force this season?

5:13: To rebuild or not to rebuild? That's the question surrounding the Calgary Flames, Nashville Predators and Vancouver Canucks. Let's answer the question for each of them.

9:34: The Anaheim Ducks are finally starting to see some payoff from their rebuild. Should they take advantage of a strong start to get upgrades in the trade market right now? 

12:49: The Flyers are sitting just outside a wild-card spot right now. Do the Flyers have enough to help push themselves up in the standings? 

17:08: Kevin Weekes reported that Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry is one of the goalies drawing significant interest as an option for the Edmonton Oilers. Is Jarry a good solution to the Oilers' goalie struggles? Who else do we think they could be targeting? 

22:47: The Montreal Canadiens have claimed forward Sammy Blais off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Thoughts on this move by Montreal? 

BetMGM Playbook 

26:19: Odds for the five most likely Stanley Cup finalists. We share the five odds of what teams will play in the Stanley Cup final. Out of these matchups, which one is the most likely to actually happen? 

27:35: Which of the matchups would be the most exciting to watch? 

30:50: What matchup is your personal pick for the Stanley Cup final? 

Rapid Fire 

33:46: Which team has the most to be thankful for right now?

35:36: What do you like more: afternoon games or evening games?

38:47: The next NHL expansion team will cost $2 billion. If you had $2 billion lying around, would you pay that? And where would you want the team to be?

40:38: Yay or nay: a player shouldn't have fun the night after a loss

Should The Flames, Canucks And Predators Rebuild? by The Big ShowShould The Flames, Canucks And Predators Rebuild? by The Big Show

Watch the full episode on YouTube

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What Should The Canadiens Be Willing To Give For Ryan O’Reilly?

As reported yesterday, according to Pierre LeBrun, the Montreal Canadiens are interested in Nashville Predators’ center Ryan O’Reilly. Given how well O’Reilly is playing and the kind of leadership and experience he provides, that’s hardly surprising. However, as one of the top options available on the market, he won’t be cheap.

LeBrun believes the price could be a first-round pick and an A-level prospect. The first-round pick part shouldn’t be an issue for the Canadiens. As long as they manage to get back in a respectable shape, their first-round pick shouldn’t be too high, and nowhere near the Gavin McKenna territory, but who does Barry Trotz consider an A-level prospect in the Canadiens’ organization?

Canadiens: Demidov Reaches Important Milestone
Canadiens: For Better Or For Worse
NHL Rumors: Should Canadiens Bring Back Maple Leafs Forward?

Would he be interested in David Reinbacher? Jacob Fowler? Adam Engstrom? As things stand and given how things have gone since he was drafted, Reinbacher’s value is probably lower than it should be. The Habs' depth at right-shot defensemen isn't great, and trading him away for a temporary fix at center wouldn’t be excellent asset management.

Given how things are unfolding in the crease right now, Fowler seems like an untouchable player for the Canadiens’ management. Even if the Canadiens are not relying as much on their goaltenders as they once were because they are more productive offensively, having a game breaker in net is a crucial part of a winning team. Even if O’Reilly would be a massive addition to the Canadiens’ lineup, I can’t see a world in which Kent Hughes is willing to sacrifice Fowler to get him.

Then, there’s Engstrom, who’s been playing some incredible hockey in the AHL, earned himself a call-up and a first game in the NHL this past week. Was that because the Canadiens want to keep the likes of Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj on their toes, or does the Habs’ brass want to showcase him? This could be an intriguing possibility.

Perhaps Nashville would also want to test the water on Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky (he was drafted as a winger but has played as a center in the KHL this year). Still, it would make little sense to flip future possible centers for one that will be around for a season and a half or so.

I don’t see a possibility for a player like Owen Beck, Joshua Roy or Sean Farrell being enough to convince Trotz to send his most prized asset to Montreal, but could he be tempted to roll the dice on the often-injured Kaiden Guhle? Granted, he’s not a prospect anymore, but when he is playing, he’s incredibly useful to the team, and he's signed to a very team-friendly contract: he’s committed to four more seasons with a $5.55 M cap hit. Is Trotz a bit of a beating man? Time will tell…


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Report: Maple Leafs, NHLPA, And William Nylander's Agent Fought To Have Argument With Sheldon Keefe Removed From All Or Nothing Series

The relationship between Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube and William Nylander is fascinating.

Over the year and a quarter that Berube has been in charge, we've seen countless interactions between the coach and Nylander where they've sputtered at each other. It's occurred during games, and we've even seen it at points when Berube talks to the media.

They have an open line of communication, which is a good thing.

In some cases, however, those interactions can turn sour. And according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, that's what happened between Nylander and former Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe at one point.

Friedman said that Keefe would often push Nylander, as Berube does, going back to their days with the AHL's Toronto Marlies after the forward was drafted by the Maple Leafs back in 2014.

"The organization has protected him a lot. He was (Brendan) Shanahan's first pick; Shanahan really protected him," Friedman said. "He was Shanahan's guy. His first-ever first-rounder, and he had a lot invested in him. They've paid him really well; that's the ultimate belief in him."

How William Nylander Has Gotten Off To The Best Start Of A Season In His NHL Career With Maple LeafsHow William Nylander Has Gotten Off To The Best Start Of A Season In His NHL Career With Maple LeafsNylander's 20 points through 11 games put him in the upper echelon of NHL scoring this season.

During the 2021 COVID-19 season, when Amazon was following the Maple Leafs for their 'All or Nothing' series, there was reportedly a moment when Nylander and Keefe got into an argument, which was removed from the final cut of the show released later that year.

"In the first Amazon (series) they did, the 'All or Nothing', there was a scene in there that the Leafs and the NHLPA and his agent all fought to have taken out, and it wasn't supposed to happen. Like, everybody was supposed to be like, 'It's there, you have to say yes.' But the Leafs, the players' association, and the agent, it was an argument between Keefe and Nylander, and those three felt strongly it made Nylander look bad," Friedman reported.

"And initially, Amazon fought it. They're like, 'Nope.' But (the three groups) put up such a stink that eventually they won their way. So this is a marriage, and like I said, I know Nylander drives some people crazy, but he's been good for them, and they've been good for him.

"Just watching (Berube and Nylander's interactions), I wonder where this is going. Because it's boiling over in a very frustrating time for the team. If it was me, I think I would be able to handle it, but I'm not seeing 100 percent what's happening, so I can't say for sure."

This report follows Nylander and Berube being pictured passionately speaking to each other during Wednesday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. A few moments prior, Nylander was the last Toronto player back during a Blue Jackets four-on-two, which Joseph Woll ended up stopping.

Nylander has been red-hot all season long for the Maple Leafs, scoring 11 goals and 31 points in his first 20 games of the year. The 29-year-old leads the Maple Leafs in scoring and is tied for fifth in the NHL for points and tied for fourth in assists.

Latest stories:

Dakota Joshua Returns To Maple Leafs Lineup After Healthy Scratch; Could Max Domi Be Out Against Capitals?

Why The Maple Leafs Have Gone Back To A Five-Forward Power Play, But With Auston Matthews As The Quarterback

Maple Leafs Lose Sammy Blais To Waivers After Canadiens Re-Claim The Forward

Red Wings Reassign Erik Gustafsson to Grand Rapids

The Detroit Red Wings reassigned defenseman Erik Gustafsson to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins on Friday, ending a short stint with the NHL club that include just one apperance.

Gustafsson was recalled last Sunday after Detroit lost Simon Edvinsson to injury, but the 33-year-old veteran drew into the lineup just once in the team's 6-3 loss on Wednesday to the Nashville Predators. He now returns to Grand Rapids, where he has been one of the key contributors to the Griffins’ remarkable 14-1-0-1 start. Gustafsson leads all Griffins defensemen in points per game, recording eight assists through ten appearances.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest newsgame-day coverage, and player features

His strong AHL play has caught the attention of teams around the league. Several insiders reported that Detroit had explored potential trade options in recent weeks to find the veteran blueliner another NHL opportunity, though no deal ultimately came together.

Gustafsson brings a long résumé of NHL experience, highlighted by his breakout 60-point campaign with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2018–19, when he tallied 17 goals and 43 assists in 79 games. He later posted 42 points with the Washington Capitals in 2022–23 and followed with a 31-point season for the New York Rangers in 2023–24.

Since joining Detroit, Gustafsson has appeared in 60 games, registering 18 points. However, he has struggled defensively during his tenure, finishing with a minus-19 rating.

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NBA Cup 2025: Four must-watch games Friday night that will set the quarterfinals field

By the time the final buzzer sounds on Friday night, we will know the eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup, the bracket-style knockout round stage of the tournament.

While we already know a couple of the final eight (the Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Lakers), the final six spots — four division winners plus one wild card in each conference — will be decided on Friday. Here are four must-watch games that will go a long way to determining who advances and starts playing for the size of their bonus check and a trip to Las Vegas.

Orlando at Detroit

The math is pretty simple here: Win and you're in. Whichever team wins this game advances to the quarterfinals and wins East Group B. If Detroit loses, it would need a lot of help to advance as the wild card. However, if Orlando loses a close game and doesn't ding its +61 point differential too much, it very likely would advance to the quarterfinals as a wild card.

Milwaukee at New York

If the Knicks win, they advance as the winners of East Group C, but if they lose, they are out. With a New York victory, both teams would be 3-1, but the Knicks would advance because they won the head-to-head matchup. If Milwaukee wins, Miami wins the group at 3-1 (the Heat do not play Friday), and the Knicks are eliminated — and if Milwaukee wins in a blowout, the Bucks become a long shot to advance as the wild card, but they need a lot of help.

Even if the Knicks win, Miami has a chance to advance as the Wild Card with its +49 point differential. However, the Heat would need some help (depending on the point differential of the other 3-1 teams, the Heat would need Orlando to lose by more than 12 and Cleveland to lose or at least beat Atlanta by less than 16).

Phoenix at Oklahoma City

Another win-and-you're-in scenario. Whichever team wins this game will be 4-0 in group play and will advance to the quarterfinals. With Oklahoma City entering the game +71 in point differential for NBA Cup games and Phoenix at +35, the loser of this game has a very good chance to advance as the wild card (but if the Suns lose they need it to be close). Also of note, Oklahoma City — which made it to the finals of the NBA Cup in Las Vegas last year — will get Jalen Williams back for this game.

San Antonio at Denver

It's another win-and-you're-in scenario, but this game is far more influenced by injuries than the others. No Victor Wembanyama for San Antonio, which makes matching up with Nikola Jokic a challenge and puts a lot on Luke Kornet's plate. Denver is dealing with injury issues itself, down two starters (Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon), and is now asking a lot more of Peyton Watson. The loser of this game could advance as the wild card if it's a close game and OKC blows out Phoenix, and Memphis doesn't blow out the Clippers.

Stuck in Neutral: The Kings' Premature Exit Leaves Them Watching Two Rivals Accelerate

Credit © Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

ANAHEIM, CA — The prevailing narrative around the Los Angeles Kings remains mystified. For years, the organization confidently asserted its structural superiority over the "rebuilding" Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks, believing it had completed the hard part and secured its place in the league's upper tier. The Kings, they thought, had earned a permanent seat among the contenders. Let’s shatter that thought.

Today, their structural advantage is revealed as a rigid, high-cost trap. Great possession team, hard to watch for flashy offensive hockey. The Kings, with their size and slow backend mobility, are indisputably a playoff team—a strong defensive club with possession metrics that guarantee relevance. Yet, they remain stubbornly outside the bubble of the truly elite, forever a team of close to the cap spenders built for launching pads for other clubs in the first round. Meanwhile, their California rivals are charting paths toward clear, high-ceiling futures, accelerating their timelines and leaving the Kings stuck in the obscure middle ground.

The Kings are paying the price for the premature exit from their rebuild during the COVID era. That rush to contend left the pipeline depleted (Brock Faber and Gabriel Vilardi traded), blocking an assortment of mid- to low-tier top-end prospects but acquiring soluble pieces towards a win-now schematic, and the cap that has been mostly restricted. The result is a structural flaw that permeates the entire offense.

The team successfully installed Quinton Byfield as the top center, and he is showing all the signs of a top-tier defensive playmaker. However, his 6.8% shooting percentage illustrates the larger problem: Byfield has yet to find synergy with elite sniper Adrian Kempe and become an elite center in this league. The organization has thrust him on a poor man’s Edmonton Oiler nuclear line, a combination that has crushed the Kings increasingly so, four seasons in a row. The Kings are forced to rely on a theoretically powerful combination that doesn't produce the output of the total skill that is thrown together. The Kings lack the organizational flexibility—the cap space or prospect capital—to get the missing winger who could unlock the roster’s ability to capitalize on the team's outstanding possession metrics and possibly Byfield’s true scoring potential. The Kings cannot get better without making a painful, difficult trade.

The Rivals’ Freedom

In stark contrast, the Ducks and Sharks are operating from positions of immense organizational freedom. The Anaheim Ducks have stunned the league and are atop the Pacific Division, their "uncohesive talent" coalescing faster than anyone predicted. They traded away players like Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale to commit to a physical, structured identity, anchored by the impressive play of Leo Carlsson. More importantly, the Ducks project to have significant cap space, allowing them to acquire a star defenseman or another high-end forward to optimize a winner without compromising their core.

The San Jose Sharks, despite the massive dead cap on their books now, are staring at a future defined by financial wealth. Their cap space clears to over $54 million next season. This will allow them to skip years of gradual building and immediately surround the young, explosive trio of Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and William Eklund with premier veteran free agents. Their long road has become a high-speed acceleration lane.

The Kings' dilemma is clear: they have built a rigid structure that locks them into being a good, but never great, team. Their cap space is gone, their draft capital is spent, the structural integrity of their offense is questionable, and their defensive core remains suspect.

Their choice is not about joining the elite but about managing the inevitable decline of Drew Doughty, as the team is witnessing in real time, and the Anze Kopitar retirement is rapidly approaching. It is pivotal that Ken Holland and company manage these contracts without collapsing into another complete rebuild, certainly not a reason he was brought in in the first place.

While the Ducks and Sharks have the flexibility to make high-impact choices that accelerate their windows, the Kings are trapped by negligible forks in the road—only able to choose between two painful options: trade the remaining future to go all in, or trade a core veteran to free up money. Right now, the team is positioned to double, if not triple down on past mistakes, sailing directly for an iceberg while continuously confirming their course. The Kings may have arrived first for playoff contention. Still, they have parked themselves in the most precarious position in the Pacific: a perennial playoff team defined not by its ambition, but by a year-to-year, ever-shrinking ceiling.

The divergence in the California triangle is perhaps best illustrated by the recent playoff picture. The Kings have achieved the organizational goal of consistency, securing a spot in the postseason for four consecutive seasons—a proud mark of stability that neither Californian rival can touch. However, this consistent relevance has only underscored their ceiling; the Kings have not advanced past the second round during this entire run, remaining a playoff fixture but never truly in the conversation for elite contender status. In contrast, the Ducks (last in 2018) and Sharks (last in 2019) have not seen playoff action in recent years, their absence a direct consequence of the organizational teardowns that yielded Carlsson and Celebrini, amongst a glut of homegrown high-end talent from both organizations.

This current quiet period for their rivals has been the necessary cost of their impending acceleration, meaning the Ducks and Sharks have traded short-term playoff droughts for the long-term promise of genuine Cup contention. The Kings' consistent just-good-enough playoff presence has solidified their current middle-ground predicament.

Why is Karl-Anthony Towns' scoring boom or bust to start Knicks season?

The Knicks' offense is off to a hot start under head coach Mike Brown’s new system, producing over 120 points per game and ranking third in efficiency, en route to an 11-6 start despite multiple missed games from key starters and reserves. However, there is a lone, striking fault in the early returns: Karl-Anthony Towns’ struggles.

The former No. 1 overall pick is off to a slower offensive start, averaging 22.4 points per game on 51.7 percent shooting from two and 32.6 percent shooting from three. Those shooting numbers, percentage-wise, would be career lows by a longshot if sustained, which naturally has fans concerned about the team’s second option.

Towns has put up some major performances in contrast — 39, 37 and 33 points in wins against the Heat, Nets and Wizards, respectively — but he’s had many more snoozers. So, is this just a rough shooting patch, an adjustment to the new offense, or something more?

Let’s dive into his two-point conversions first. Towns should be benefitting from the increased spacing this season, yet hasn’t converted in the paint to his usual standards. 

The good news here is that Towns was playing through a Grade 2 quad strain to start the year, and that appears to be the likely culprit. His first six games, he shot sub-40 percent from two, and has been at a career-average mark of 57 percent since. 

It’s apparent when comparing the film between the first games and more recent ones: Towns was moving with real discomfort and generally looked grounded. Now his explosiveness on drives and leaps to the rim has returned, and the numbers have backed it up.

With the inside scoring seemingly solving itself with time, that leaves Towns’ normally deadeye three-point shooting, which has not bounced back similarly. He’s seen an uptick in volume, but just compared to last year, this is a normal amount of attempts for him, and they’re coming from largely the same geography.

Though he is an especially rough 1-13 on the right wing, he’s shooting worse consistently from every spot. Opponent pressure doesn’t appear to be the case, first with the new rules protecting shooters’ hands, second as he’s getting a higher frequency of wide open shots than last year, per NBA.com stats data.

They haven’t fallen at the same rate, dropping from 46.7 percent to a staggering 26.2 percent clip. These looks, however flawed in their classification, make up about half of Towns' threes and should be his easiest buckets, yet they aren’t going down.

There was nothing reported about Towns tweaking his jumper nor does it look like he has. He’s not taking a material amount of threes from further out, and has always been comfortable with deep range anyway.

Could Brown’s new offense be putting Towns in some discomfort that’s affecting his shooting? Towns did have a quote about figuring out his role earlier in the year, but he’s looked in sync otherwise and increasingly been put in beneficial positions.

It’s possible his workload has changed a bit, with the Knicks’ pace increasing 3 percent year over year and Towns potentially setting more screens. Neither of these would make such a huge dent in his shooting, and would theoretically impact him as the season went on, not right out of the gates.

With a shooter and scorer like Towns, sometimes the simplest answer is also the correct one. He’s going through a random shooting rut and will shortly shoot his way out of it. 

Knicks fans are quick to ring alarm bells, especially in a season with stakes like this one. But among the many valid issues to worry about, Towns turning his scoring around is not one of them. 

Canadiens Make Mike Matheson Their Fourth D-Man Signed Through At Least 2031

The Montreal Canadiens locked up defenseman Mike Matheson to a five-year, $30-million contract extension on Friday.

The 31-year-old's new $6-million cap hit kicks in next season and runs through 2030-31.

Matheson, 31, is in the final year of his eight-year contract he signed with the Florida Panthers in October 2017. Across those eight years, he carried a $4.875 million cap hit.

Matheson becomes the fourth Canadiens defenseman to be signed to a contract through at least the 2030-31 campaign. Kaiden Guhle signed a six-year contract extension in July 2024, while Noah Dobson and Lane Hutson signed eight-year deals this year.

In 22 games played this season for the Habs, Matheson has four goals and 10 assists for 14 points. He’s second on the team behind Dobson in scoring among blueliners. 

The Pointe-Claire, Que., native also has a plus-13 rating, which is a team high. It's tied for 13th-best in the NHL, sharing that spot with Colorado Avalanche D-man Josh Manson and Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli.

Matheson also leads the team with 24:50 of average ice time, which is less than he’s averaged in the last two campaigns. He ranks 10th in the NHL in that category.

Speaking of Matheson’s last two seasons, that’s when he struck a career high. In 2023-24, he matched a personal best of 11 goals and beat other bests with 51 assists and 62 points. He finished third on the team in points that season, sitting behind captain Nick Suzuki and right winger Cole Caufield.

Matheson has played parts of 11 seasons in his NHL career since the Panthers drafted him 23rd overall in 2012. His new contract sets him up to play through another five. He’ll be 37 once his new deal expires.

He's played 649 career games in the NHL, registering 78 goals and 279 points.

Correction: Matheson's cap hit is $6 million, not $5 million.


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NHL Rumor Roundup: Could The Oilers Pursue Jordan Binnington Or Tristan Jarry?

Heading into the American Thanksgiving weekend, the Edmonton Oilers were two points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

That's prompting media conjecture that they could pursue a goaltending upgrade in the trade market.

Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos claimed “the strongest speculation” tied the Oilers to Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues. Meanwhile, ESPN's Kevin Weekes stated that Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins was among the goalies “drawing significant interest as a potential option” for the Oilers.

Concerns over the performance of goaltenders Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have kept the Oilers in the rumor mill since the regular season began.

One suggestion was that they should attempt to sign Sergei Bobrovsky when the Florida Panthers starter becomes a UFA next July. Apart from the fact that the Panthers will likely re-sign Bobrovsky, waiting until next summer won't help the Oilers now.

Another proposed that the Oilers pursue Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators. That was assuming Saros would agree to waive his no-movement clause, while ignoring the fact that the Oilers can't afford his $7.74 million average annual value.

Kypreos considers Binnington unlikely to be part of any retooling project by the Blues because he has a year left on his contract. As for Jarry, he has three more seasons remaining on his deal. He shares the Penguins' net with Arturs Silovs, while promising Sergei Murashov and Joel Blomqvist are with their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

As part of the return for Binnington, Kypreos suggested the Oilers send Skinner to St. Louis. He felt they could also try to pry away a defenseman from the Blues. Meanwhile, Weekes pointed out that Jarry played his junior hockey with the WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings.

David Staples of the Edmonton Journalobserved that Binnington carries an average annual value of $6 million while Skinner's is $2.6 million. He felt it would take a significant sweetener to convince the Blues to retain part of Binnington's salary to make the dollars work for the cap-strapped Oilers.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry reacts after being named a star of the game against the Buffalo Sabres at PPG Paints Arena on Nov. 26. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

Staples cited Oilers insider Bob Stauffer claiming that he felt the Jarry rumor made more sense. However, Stauffer also noted the difficulty the Oilers would face taking on Jarry's $5.375-million cap hit. The Penguins wouldn't have much need for taking on Skinner in return because of their goaltending depth.

Acquiring Binnington or Jarry is a long shot for the Oilers, assuming they're not on their respective no-trade lists. They'll have to convince the Blues or Penguins to retain salary, and that could cost them what few promising youngsters they have in their system, along with their 2027 first-round pick, since they no longer have one in next year's draft.


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Los Angeles Lakers' NBA Cup court deemed ‘unplayable' for Friday's game: Report

Los Angeles Lakers' NBA Cup court deemed ‘unplayable' for Friday's game: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Los Angeles Lakers’ court for the NBA Cup is a late scratch for Friday’s game.

The alternative court, with its bright yellow color scheme and NBA Cup trophy decals, will not be used when the Lakers host the Dallas Mavericks during the in-season tournament matchup at Crypto.com Arena after being deemed “unplayable,” according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

Technicians from the league’s court vendor determined the floor is in need of repair because of safety concerns, The Athletic reported.

Friday’s game will instead be played on the Lakers’ regular home court.

Lakers star Luka Doncic had complaints about the NBA Cup court after the team played on it for the first time Tuesday in a win against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Lakers' courtAdam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers’ alternative NBA Cup has been determined to be unplayable due to safety concerns, per reports.

“It’s just slippery. It’s dangerous,” Doncic told reporters after the game. “I slipped. I slipped a lot of times, and you could see a lot of players slipped. And that’s dangerous, man.”

Despite the slippery surface, Doncic managed to score 43 points while leading the Lakers to a 135-118 victory over the Clippers.

Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Los Angeles Clippers on November 25, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena. (Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

With the win, the Lakers improved to 3-0 in NBA Cup play and won Group B in the Western Conference to secure a spot in the tournament’s quarterfinals. With a win over the Mavericks on Friday, the Lakers will clinch a home game for their quarterfinal matchup the week of Dec. 8.

The ensuing semifinal matchup will be hosted by the higher seed of the two advancing teams. The championship game will be played in Las Vegas.

The Lakers’ NBA Cup court will be returned to the vendor for repairs and is expected to be ready in two weeks, per The Athletic.

“That was bad,” Lakers forward Rui Hachimura told reporters Friday about the court. “I felt it right away when I was warming up. It just felt weird. Just like oily, slippery. Everybody was on the floor, literally, every second…I don’t know if they fixed it or they changed it…We’re going to do the normal court, so it will be fine.”

Los Angeles Lakers' NBA Cup court deemed ‘unplayable' for Friday's game: Report

Los Angeles Lakers' NBA Cup court deemed ‘unplayable' for Friday's game: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Los Angeles Lakers’ court for the NBA Cup is a late scratch for Friday’s game.

The alternative court, with its bright yellow color scheme and NBA Cup trophy decals, will not be used when the Lakers host the Dallas Mavericks during the in-season tournament matchup at Crypto.com Arena after being deemed “unplayable,” according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

Technicians from the league’s court vendor determined the floor is in need of repair because of safety concerns, The Athletic reported.

Friday’s game will instead be played on the Lakers’ regular home court.

Lakers star Luka Doncic had complaints about the NBA Cup court after the team played on it for the first time Tuesday in a win against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Lakers' courtAdam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers’ alternative NBA Cup has been determined to be unplayable due to safety concerns, per reports.

“It’s just slippery. It’s dangerous,” Doncic told reporters after the game. “I slipped. I slipped a lot of times, and you could see a lot of players slipped. And that’s dangerous, man.”

Despite the slippery surface, Doncic managed to score 43 points while leading the Lakers to a 135-118 victory over the Clippers.

Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Los Angeles Clippers on November 25, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena. (Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

With the win, the Lakers improved to 3-0 in NBA Cup play and won Group B in the Western Conference to secure a spot in the tournament’s quarterfinals. With a win over the Mavericks on Friday, the Lakers will clinch a home game for their quarterfinal matchup the week of Dec. 8.

The ensuing semifinal matchup will be hosted by the higher seed of the two advancing teams. The championship game will be played in Las Vegas.

The Lakers’ NBA Cup court will be returned to the vendor for repairs and is expected to be ready in two weeks, per The Athletic.

“That was bad,” Lakers forward Rui Hachimura told reporters Friday about the court. “I felt it right away when I was warming up. It just felt weird. Just like oily, slippery. Everybody was on the floor, literally, every second…I don’t know if they fixed it or they changed it…We’re going to do the normal court, so it will be fine.”

NHL Nugget: Calgary Flames' Blake Coleman's Birthday Backcheck

Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Birthday Backcheck features Calgary Flames right winger Blake Coleman, who turns 34 on Nov. 28.

Coleman scored his 300th career point in his 649th game against the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 23. He's been a valuable secondary scorer who isn't afraid to throw hits when needed.

The player the New Jersey Devils selected 75th overall in 2011 became a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning. But some of the Plano, Texas, native's biggest goals came against his home-state squad, the Dallas Stars. Watch the full video for more in Coleman's Birthday Backcheck.

Brian T. Dessart takes fans on a distinctive ride through the historic-laden NHL with the #NHLNugget. Check out NHLNugget.com to find where to follow NHL Nugget on social media.  And for past NHL Nuggets, click here.