In light of the trade bringing forward Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Pittsburgh Penguins will need to clear out a roster spot in order to make room for him to join the team. 

And it appears that said move is in the works. 

On Monday, the Penguins designated defenseman Ryan Graves as non-roster with the intent to place him on waivers Tuesday. The move would clear the necessary space for Chinakhov to join the NHL roster prior to Pittsburgh's game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.

It will mark the second time this season that Graves was sent to waivers, as he was waived on Oct. 4 following Penguins' training camp. 

The Penguins acquired Chinakhov from Columbus in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 third-round pick, and forward Danton Heinen, who was designated non-roster for the purpose of waivers prior to the Penguins' tilt against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday. Chinakhov, 24, has recorded three goals and six points in 29 games for the Blue Jackets this season.

Graves, 30, is in the third year of a six-year contract that pays him $4.5 million per season, and he was recalled from the AHL on Nov. 4. In 17 games for Pittsburgh this season, he has one goal and is a minus-4. 

BREAKING: Penguins Acquire Chinakhov From Blue Jackets For Heinen, Two Draft PicksThe Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Florida Panthers picked up an exhilarating comeback win on Monday night in the Sunrise hockey barn.

Falling behind early in the third period, Florida battled back thanks to standout performances from several veterans, taking down the visiting Washington Capitals by a final score of 5-3.

Washington’s top goal scorer got things started, but it’s probably not who you think.

Tom Wilson (not Alex Ovechkin) scored his team-leading 18th goal off a tough rebound after Martin Fehervary’s shot caught Sergei Bobrovsky up high at the 3:53 mark.

It didn’t take long for Florida to tie things up.

A turnover by the Capitals in their zone that came directly off a Sam Reinhart forecheck saw the puck picked up by a wide-open Jeff Petry at the point.

He skated toward the net and wound up for a slapshot, but instead noticed Anton Lundell at the back post and sent a slap-pass to the Finnish forward, who tapped the puck into a wide-open net behind a surprised Logan Thompson to knot the score at one just 42 seconds after Wilson’s goal.

Washington was called for back-to-back penalties midway through the period, and the second one would bite them in the behind.

With Ethen Frank in the box for slashing against Niko Mikkola, Reinhart walked into the right circle and wired a shot that went off the skate of Trevor van Riemsdyk and over Thompson’s shoulder, giving Florida a 2-1 lead with 7:15 to go in the period.

Unfortunately for the Cats, another goal by Wilson in the final seconds of the period would keep Florida from taking a lead into the locker room.

The score remained tied at two until early in the final frame, when a long wrist shot by Dylan Strome got past a screened Bobrovsky to give the Capitals a 3-2 lead with 16:49 on the clock.

Just over a minute after Washington scored, Ovechkin took a penalty for interfering with Aaron Ekblad, and while Florida didn’t cash in on the man advantage, they did score quite literally a moment later.

After Thompson stopped a Sam Bennett one-timer, Brad Marchand got a stick on the fluttering rebound in midair to knot the score back up at three.

Florida continued to control much of the possession and eventually went back in front thanks to a goal off the stick of Aaron Ekblad.

A laser of a pass out of the corner from Reinhart found an open Ekblad in the high slot, and his quick clapper went right over Thompson’s glove and into the back of the net with 6:48 on the clock.

Reinhart’s second of the game and 21st of the season went into a vacated Capitals net, cementing a solid home victory for Florida.

On to the Canadiens.

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Photo caption: Dec 29, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (5) and center Anton Lundell (15) celebrate his goal against the Washington Capitals during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Jeff Romance-Imagn Images)

Calvin Pickard wasn't just good on Monday night as the Edmonton Oilers pulled out a 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. He was the best player on the ice, stopping 41 of 42 shots, a season high for the Jets. 

As TSN's Ryan Rishaug wrote after the game, "Impressive night from Pickard. He’s being pushed this season for his job, and he’s had a couple of major statement games. [Tristan] Jarry and [Connor] Ingram have had some good starts, but neither has done recently what Pickard did tonight - Flat out steal a game."

Related: NHL Rumors: 2 Trade Fits For Oilers' Andrew Mangiapane

Pickard’s strong play and him stealing a win comes at just the right time for him personally. Despite earlier fan frustration with the Oilers goaltending, Pickard’s recent performances have been welcomed, with the sentiment that his emergence gives the Oilers a good problem to have and something fans can feel excited about.

It wasn't long ago that the Oilers probably felt like no one could make a save. Now, Ingram, Jarry, and Pickard are all putting on solid performances. It's a significant change. 

The question now will be, does Pickard get the start against the Boston Bruins on New Year's Eve. One factor to consider is how waivers will work with Ingram. Because Ingram is on an Emergency Recall, he can play up to 9 NHL games (backups do not count), then be returned to the AHL without requiring waivers. 

Once Ingram hits 10 games, waivers are triggered. So far, he has played three. Do the Oilers roll with the hot hand? Or, do they go back to Ingram because he's been sitting? Jarry's injury may also factor into that decision. 

Oilers Pull Out A Different Kind of Win

The Oilers bent, but didn't break. It's the kind of game the Oilers used to win a lot last year, but have struggled to pull two points out of in 2025-26.

The Jets limited Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to just two shots between them. Going in, if you'd told the Jets that was a solid game plan, they'd have taken it. Ultimately, it was Max Jones who got a goal from the fourth line, and Jack Roslovic who scored from the second-unit power play. Zach Hyman got the empty-net goal.

Edmonton was flooded with shots, but Pickard stood tall, and the Oilers limited the rebound chances. The blue line on the Oilers was pressed hard and did a solid job of keeping the Jets from breaking through. 

The game had a bit of everything. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins got involved in a spirited scrap, which told a much more aggressive and physical Jets team that the Oilers wouldn't be intimidated. 

What About Andrew Mangiapane?

Going into the game, the storyline was Andrew Mangiapane. Pickard stole the spotlight from that surprising narrative that began on Monday afternoon. Still, the questions remain. 

Is Mangiapane on the verge of being traded? Reports were that he was open to the idea, and while he was pegged to be on the fourth line, he wound up being a healthy scratch just prior to puck drop. Many wondered if the move was trade-related. It might be, even if nothing is imminent and reports are the forward and his agent have not been told a trade is coming. 

Jones was inserted into the lineup and he scored a goal. The last 24 hours have been quite the turn of events. 

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There’s no two buts about it – one way or another, the year 2026 is going to be huge for the Buffalo Sabres. 

In the next 12 months, the Sabres are either going to continue their current strong stretch and end their 14-year Stanley Cup playoff drought, or they’re going to fold like a cheap suit, miss the playoffs for a full decade-and-a-half. 

That has to be something Sabres fans look forward to, right? Either they get a team they can really invest their time and emotion in, or they throw up their hands in exasperation after yet another lost season. It’s really that simple. Feast or famine. And there is no in-between.

This is why we believe Sabres fans should welcome the new year. In short order, we’ll see if Buffalo’s current win streak was just a mirage, or whether they’re at best a Mushy Middle team – too flawed to make the post-season, but too good to land a generational player at the top of the draft. And that result would still be considered a massive failure for the Sabres. If ever there was a “playoffs or bust” team, it’s this season’s Buffalo team.

The Sabres are beyond moral victories and games to build on. Prior to this current win streak, Buffalo was well on its way to cratering their season yet again. So while winning eight straight games has pushed the Sabres up the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference standings, the reality is that Buffalo is still out of a playoff spot, and they could easily slip back down the standings with a bad week or two.

The road ahead for the Sabres is lined with solid teams who are desperate to make the playoffs. But nobody needs a playoff appearance more than Buffalo. And new Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen needs to make some hard decisions in advance of the March 6 trade deadline – because he has to decide whether to be a buyer on the trade market, or a seller.

Here's Why Sabres' Next Stretch Could Decide Whether Buffalo Makes Or Misses The Playoffs The Buffalo Sabres' Stanley Cup playoff hopes hinge on a brutal upcoming schedule. Can they survive facing top NHL contenders after their current winning streak ends?

That’s what’s at stake for these Sabres players. They’re going out every night and the stakes for them are sky-high. They’re playing for the job security of coach Lindy Ruff, and they’re playing to keep their families in Western New York. Because if the rest of the season goes sideways for them, Kekalainen is going to start trading Sabres players to the highest bidders. 

This is why the next 12 months will be so compelling to Sabres fans. In short order, they’re going to find out what this Buffalo team is made of. If the Sabres rise to the occasion and end their playoff drought, Buffalo fans will be thrilled, and the core of the team will almost assuredly be kept intact. If they embarrass themselves and fall short of the playoffs yet again, Sabres fans will demand Kekalainen smash this team into pieces and radically remake the franchise’s depth chart.

Patience, Sabres Fans – World Junior Success Doesn't Guarantee Buffalo's Prospects A Successful NHL FutureThe Buffalo Sabres will have four players at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. But success at the World Junior tournament offers little guarantee prospects of NHL success. While World Junior glory would be great, the Sabres' youngsters need more time and patience to develop.

Thus, Sabres fans should brace themselves for the coming year. There’s going to be drama one way or another, but there’s still time for Buffalo to salvage their season and show their fans they deserve their support.

2026 is going to be a huge year for the Sabres organization, and the hockey they play in the coming months will dictate their direction for the coming years.