The Anaheim Ducks named the 10th captain in franchise history on Tuesday, Sept. 22, going with a veteran ahead of their high-paid youngster.
Mikael Granlund, 34, replaces Radko Gudas, who left in free agency to return to the Florida Panthers.
Granlund was captain of the Finnish Olympic team, winning a bronze medal at the 2026 Winter Games. He signed a three-year deal with the Ducks in 2005 and has two years left on his contract.
He ranks ninth all-time among Finnish NHL players with 651 points in 960 career games.
“Both our management group and coaching staff have seen how he leads by example and exemplifies how a captain carries themselves on and off the ice," Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said. "He personifies the professionalism, humility, mentorship and quiet intensity that will lead the various personalities of our group.”
Forward Leo Carlsson, 21, who signed a five-year, $90 million contract offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers that the Ducks matched, will be part of the leadership group.
He was one of four alternate captains named on Tuesday, joining Alex Killorn, Jackson LaCombe and Troy Terry.
List of NHL captains
Granlund is the fifth NHL captain named this month, joining the Los Angeles Kings' Drew Doughty, Chicago Blackhawks' Connor Bedard, New York Islanders' Bo Horvat and the St. Louis Blues' Robert Thomas. Here is a list of the 26 NHL captains and the six vacancies.
The Buffalo Sabres opened their abbreviated preseason schedule with mostly an American Hockey League lineup in Pittsburgh on Monday, dropping a 4-1 decision to the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. Jake Richard scored for the Sabres, who split the goaltending duties between veteran Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis.
Other than the goalies, the only players that potentially could make Sabres roster when they cut down to 23 next week were forwards Jiri Kulich and Justin Danforth, possibly veteran Conor Sheary (who lost a tooth courtesy of an elbow from Justin Brazeau) and defenseman Zach Metsa. The game was the first contest for Kulich since a blood clot issue ended his season last November, while Danforth suffered a broken knee cap in mid-October.
Kulich played nearly 20 minutes in the loss and other than Ellis, is the only player who played on Monday who will be in the lineup against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Veteran players are limited to just two preseason games, but the 22-year-old does not qualify for that restriction, and head coach Lindy Ruff indicated that his plan is to give the young Czech forward as much playing time as possible.
Noah Ostlund signs eight-year deal with the Sabres
"The rules have changed now. Actually, some of our guys want to play three, but they can't.” Ruff said. “In all likelihood, I'm going to play (Kuilch) all four games. I mean, that'll be a test for sure, but I think a year off of hockey, really highly competitive hockey, puts them in a situation to start to get comfortable on the ice."
In ex-Sabres news, Bowen Byram scored a hat trick in his debut for the Chicago Blackhawks in a 4-3 overtime victory over the Minnesota Wild. The news was not positive for former Sabre Jeff Skinner. After a strong start for HC Biel in the Swiss League (3 goals in his first two games), the 34-year-old suffered a muscle injury against the SCL Tigers. His status is unknown, but he will miss at least one game while the injury is being evaluated.
The New York Islanders' preseason rolls on as they take on the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, with puck drop scheduled for just after 7 o'clock.
The Islanders officially revealed their lineup for tonight's contest, and it's full of NHL veterans as one would expect:
The very first thought is that the incredible comeback story for Semyon Varlamov continues in earnest. It'll be Varlamov's first preseason game this year, as he and Ilya Sorokin are expected to split tonight's game.
Varlamov hasn't appeared in any NHL action since November 2024, and played two AHL rehab games last season after undergoing double knee-replacement surgery. It's one of the best stories in all of hockey, and this is another box to check for Varlamov on the road to a full NHL return.
Initial thoughts on skaters include what a massive opportunity it is for Cole Eiserman and Kashawn Aitcheson to make statements in this game, with both the Islanders and Rangers opting for NHL-heavy groups in Manhattan.
Defensively, it's a first game-look at Matthew Schaefer playing on the right side, featuring prominently on a pairing with Adam Pelech, a duo that could end up being a match made in heaven for New York.
Aitcheson's opportunity is ripe for the taking. He gets a chance to make a statement with Scott Mayfield, both of whom are willing to throw their body around as needed. It's Aitcheson's second preseason game after leading the Islanders' defense in ice time on Sunday in Newark.
Isaiah George also gets another audition, this time playing alongside Tony DeAngelo, a good opportunity for George to play off the smooth-skating DeAngelo.
Offensively, it's going to be a bit more mixed-and-matched, but based on who's playing and who isn't, one guess would be they end up looking like this:
The first and second lines for tonight are exact replicas from yesterday's practice, and have been together for multiple days at this point.
The third and fourth lines, however, are combinations of things. First, Eiserman slots in for Emil Heineman, and slots in alongside Victor Eklund and Jean-Gabriel Pageau.
For Eiserman especially, it's a huge opportunity to make a statement on how close he is to being NHL ready.
The fourth line is combination of the recent fourth-and-fifth lines, with six players- Ondrej Palat, Cizikas, Anthony Duclair, Pierre Engvall, MacLean, and Chaffee-all battling for spots in the opening night and on the roster.
MacLean and Chaffee need strong showings tonight to help their cause. It should be an exceptionally physical line with excellent forechecking, something that the Islanders love to have out of their fourth line.
It's a night for roster battles to begin to sort themselves out. The fourth line, and the bottom-two defensive pairings all have significant ramifications for how things might shape up when rosters come due next Monday.
The Penguins beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-1 in their pre-season opener Monday night and will field a different lineup for Tuesday's game.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will both be in the lineup, and we'll get a glimpse of what their lines will likely look like when the regular season starts next Wednesday in Philadelphia.
We'll also get to see Liam Ruck and Markus Ruck together after the Penguins selected both in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Goaltender Arturs Silovs will play the entire game, with Taylor Gauthier as the backup.
Here are the expected lines and pairs:
Forwards
Robertson-Crosby-Rakell
Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin
McGroarty-Zonnon-Calvert
L. Ruck-M. Ruck-Ilyin
Defensemen
Girard-Korczak
Carlile-Solovyov
Galvas-Harding
Tomas Galvas will make his pre-season debut on the third pair after being scratched on Monday. He's had a quiet camp, but will get to show what he can do in a game on Tuesday.
Forward Carter Sanderson and defenseman Phil Kemp appear to be the scratches.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
One thing the Philadelphia Flyers hoped not to see in their shortened slate of preseason games was injury, but that was quickly added to their plate in their very first contest.
On Monday, Flyers forward Denver Barkey, who has been establishing himself as a middle-six forward and embracing a new role at the professional level as a center, was forced to leave the team's preseason game against the Washington Capitals with a lower-body injury.
Barkey, 21, appeared to have suffered an injury in a first-period collision with Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary, and while Barkey did initially return for the second period, his night came to an end after just one more shift.
Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet was unable to provide an update on the injured Barkey in the immediate aftermath of Monday's game, though he had more to share after morning skate ahead of the team's second preseason game against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.
"I think he's getting evaluated now, so, yeah, I say day-to-day," Tocchet said Tuesday morning.
"I don't think it's serious. I don't want to put myself out here and the next thing is he's out for four months. But it's not going to be four months. It's just day-to-day, trust me."
Barkey's injury creates more opportunities
In the wake of the injury Barkey suffered against Washington on Monday night, another player who played in that game, Cole Knuble, will be getting a second opportunity in as many nights to continue making his bid for a roster spot.
Knuble, Jett Luchanko, Alex Bump, David Jiricek, Oliver Bonk, and Ty Murchison are among the notable prospects set to play against Boston in the second leg of the back-to-back.
As noted above, Barkey had been getting some burn as a center under the direction of Tocchet, and perhaps that opens up a legitimate possibility for Luchanko to make the NHL roster out of training camp for a third straight year.
Or, it could just define the Flyers' center depth that they already have: Trevor Zegras, Christian Dvorak, Noah Cates, and Sean Couturier.
By the time preseason game No. 3 rolls around on Thursday, we'll know a lot more about Barkey's injury and where all the adjacent pieces stand.
Dec 18, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche mascot celebrates the wino over the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
I’m sure many everyday people will agree that holidays creep up on us, and those everyday people who pour themselves into the National Hockey League have likely heard of the theory that you, more often than not, have a beat on a team and its potential successes or failures by the time Saint Nick loads up his sleigh. So what should we be looking at in the early goings-on of the Colorado Avalanche and their 2026-27 campaign? Here are five things I will be keying on!
1. A player that pops and sticks
The first thing I’ll be watching is the fit and production from newly acquired forward Jaden Schwartz. I have nothing bad to say about Schwartz as a player, but I worry about him replacing Valeri Nichushkin in the lineup.
I understand and agree that Val wasn’t clipping at an ideal pace last year, but to realize ultimate success, they need someone in the top six who operates closer to the dominant Val Nichushkin we saw in 2022 and 2023.
Now, I do believe in making up for production in the aggregate, and that opens the door for a member of the youth movement to show some scoring pop early on, alongside a defensively sound Jaden Schwartz. That combination will make January meetings a lot less stressful for management.
Jaden had this to say to media members at this year’s Avalanche Charity Golf tournament (via DNVR footage) when asked about joining the Avalanche:
“Such a good team, good organization. It was always a place that I thought would be awesome to be a part of… When they reached out obviously I was pretty excited.”
If the Avalanche prove that Jaden can stick in the top six, and have, say, a T.J. Hughes or Zachary L’Heureux really pop on the scoresheet, I’ll be very optimistic.
2. Clarity between the pipes
I think the biggest thing in the goalie situation is mitigating risk while taking advantage of value and depth in the position. If number one goes unsatisfied, I’d wager one of Colorado’s three most valuable goalies will be dealt in the process of stimulating the top-six scoring threat. This will be especially true if the power play keeps struggling.
I do think Colorado has two starters and a very viable backup option in Ilya Nabokov. The question is, how long will Nabokov accept playing in Loveland? What’s more valuable on the market: a high-ceiling, late-blooming but effective Scott Wedgewood, or MacKenzie Blackwood, who’s had availability issues but is paid and plays like a starter?
As Scott Wedgewood told us back in March after the 2025-26 deadline passed, “Management thinks the team has what it takes to win, but nothing is going to be handed to you…You gotta tip your hat to management for giving us what we need.”
I don’t think the Avs will shy away from a deal that will seemingly improve their chances at winning another cup, and I don’t think the cup-or-bust mentality is going anywhere.
So on the risk-mitigation side, the safe bet is to ride with the two proven net-minders you have that won a Jennings as a tandem last year. It feels easier and more reasonable to make Nabokov wait another year for his real crack at the backup NHL role. Moving either Blackwood or Wedgewood would be the riskier, more desperate play, in my opinion.
3. More team wins and better usage
Most Avalanche fans could watch Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar play hockey all day long, but I’m hoping they don’t have to to secure wins. Makar is the highest-paid player in the world (for now), so he should get less ice time in a desperate attempt to amass record-level wins.
It’s time to play the long game.
Look no further than the team that eliminated the Colorado Avalanche and made it to the Stanley Cup Final in the Vegas Golden Knights. The Knights were nowhere near the top of the Conference, but got hot and healthy at the right time.
Cale Makar told Ryan Clark, the one-time Avalanche beat writer back in 2023, that he was learning to pick his spots for exerting energy with an increased workload, stating, “I am not thinking about it. But when I come off tired, I think about the different areas where I could not have exerted myself as much and still been able to make the play.”
I, for one, hope he can scale this thought process back and return to a player who’s more comfortable with a full-go mentality for fewer minutes overall.
I want Cale to feel as excited and healthy come playoff time as he does when he walks into a Costco.
There was not enough space for this but here’s what Gary Makar had to say about how much Cale Makar loves Costco. #Avspic.twitter.com/R0jlo6FErM
I’m okay with the Avalanche losing a few more games than usual to foster growth from the young guns and give the big guns a rest; however, I still want to see focused winning efforts inside the division. Meaning, I’m less concerned about winning the division in the standings and more concerned with sustaining success against divisional opponents.
I reason that if the Avalanche take the patient approach, they will likely end up 2nd or 3rd in the division and face a divisional opponent in round one. The Central Division has won the West five of the last ten seasons, so it’s safe to say you have a good chance of catching the division winners in round two.
5. A halfway decent power play
I saved this hot-button topic for last because I think it’s the most important element to know come Christmas time. Is the power-play at least as effective as it should be given the talent level of the players that make it up? Imagine the 2025-26 Colorado Avalanche set a single-season wins record while deploying a 27th-ranked power-play unit.
Cale Makar says there's a lot of momentum to build on where the power play is concerned 🫣
It’s not a revolutionary hot take to say a team with a good power play is more dangerous than a team without one. Most importantly, the Avalanche need to make a habit of scoring timely power-play goals. Not many teams can survive a sub-20 % power-play percentage come playoff time.
In Trois-Rivières, on Monday night, the Montreal Canadiens elected to use both Jakub Dobes and local hero Samuel Montembeault against the Ottawa Senators. If the Becancour native started last training camp as the Habs starter, he’s got a spot in the lineup this season after being cast aside late last year after a disastrous season. This is a new year, and on paper, everyone starts with a clean slate. Montembeault has to show he deserves to be in Montreal and force the Habs’ brass to keep him and send Jacob Fowler to Laval.
Starting the game against the Sens was great for the netminder’s confidence; he got a great dose of love from the local crowd when he was announced as the starter, and that didn’t go unnoticed:
It was really fun. I had family here as well. When they said my name as the starting goaltender, there was a lot of noise, and it’s fun to see that kind of support. I love being in Trois-Rivières. I always come back in the offseason with my whole family, so it’s great to get everyone’s support.
- Montembeault on the support he received playing in his own backyard
After a strong showing in Toronto on Saturday, Montembeault gave up a goal on the first shot of the game, and while some were quick to say that last year’s Montembeault was back, that’s a bit unfair. This wasn’t a long-range shot that makes it look like the netminder can’t stop a beach ball. We’re talking about a good play by the Sens, with a forward going behind the net and feeding it in front on the other side; Montembeault had no chance. It wasn't a wraparound he was late for.
In the end, he spent over 32 minutes in net, and he surrendered only one goal. In that sense, it’s hard to complain, although he faced only eight shots. Did he look like he was bursting with confidence? Not really; at times, he looked nervous in net, but it was still an honest performance.
Meanwhile, Dobes spent over 30 minutes in net, facing 12 shots and only allowing one goal. The Dylan Cozens shot that beat him came off a rebound after he made the first save, and there wasn’t much he could have done. If some thought the Czech netminder’s first game wasn’t all that great, he had a good one in Trois-Rivieres.
Much like he did in last year's playoffs, Dobes didn’t hesitate to leave his crease to play the puck and help his defensemen; he even got an assist on Cole Caufield’s game-tying goal in the third frame. The masked man had to make a few big saves, including two game-saving stops in OT. He stood tall on a two-on-one and also stopped a breakaway. One could argue he could have moved out of his net a bit to cut the angle, but he made the stop.
In the end, Dobes looked like a true number one: confident, inspiring his teammates with sound play and giving them peace of mind as they go all out attacking. When the Canadiens kick off their season in Toronto next week, Dobes should be the man between the pipes.
As for Montembeault, he may well be ridding the pine unless, of course, Kent Hughes finds him a new home. Looking across the league, one can wonder whether a team like the Winnipeg Jets might be tempted to acquire him, with star netminder Connor Hellebuyck suspended and not reporting to camp after requesting a trade. The Edmonton Oilers must also be wondering if they shouldn’t get an insurance policy after signing injury-prone Frederik Andersen to a one-year deal. The Dane is already injured and missing camp.
Meanwhile, Jacob Fowler did well in his only game so far, surrendering a single goal on 10 shots, and he looks like he belongs in the NHL. However, he may still end up in Laval since he doesn’t have to go through waivers to get there. Still, he’ll be with the Canadiens soon enough; he’s part of the future, while Montembeault is in the last year of his contract and won’t be getting an extension from the Canadiens.
Apr 11, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) pauses during a break in the action against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images
Philip G. Pavely/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
ARLINGTON, Va. — Alex Ovechkin is day to day with a lower-body injury, less than two weeks before the Washington Capitals’ season opener.
The NHL’s career goal-scoring leader did not play in Washington’s preseason opener against Boston, and a team spokesman said he did not practice with the non-game group either.
Their regular season starts Oct. 2 at Carolina.
The 41-year-old Ovechkin is back for his 22nd NHL season. He played all 82 games in 2025-26, scoring 32 goals with 32 assists.
The Carolina Hurricanes don't have a ton of center depth in the pipeline, but the team is hopeful that they have a potentially big piece of the future in one of their prospects in particular.
Charlie Cerrato, the team's 2025 second-round pick, has been a riser for a few years now coming off back-to-back point-per-game seasons in the NCAA.
"Strong on faceoffs, strong two-way game, smart defensively, has a lot of skill and plays exactly like how we want to play," said Canes associate general manager Darren Yorke when he was drafted. "This is a guy that would fit right into our system.
Cerrato has been around the organization ever since capping off his two-year career at Penn State earlier this year, but this year is his first NHL training camp.
"Really excited, honestly," Cerrato said. "It's been good. Just being healthy and feeling good has been great. Learning the systems has been... there's a lot of mess ups, but that's what training camp is about. It's about learning and getting better and so I'm looking forward to going out there and working hard."
The young center has primarily spent his post collegiate time with the Chicago Wolves, but he only ever appeared in one AHL game, so for all intents and purposes, this year will be his first as a professional hockey player.
"I think the month I spent in Chicago was awesome," Cerrato said. "Just getting comfortable with a lot of the staff and a lot of the players."
And so Sunday night's preseason opener was his first real taste of the pros and you probably couldn't have picked a tougher opponent.
"It's gonna take him some time to learn just exactly how things roll, especially at this level," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour before Sunday's game. "This is going to be a big test for a guy like that, but the good news on that is that there's nowhere to hide. No matter who you're playing against, you're going to be playing against top NHL players. It's a great introduction into the league. A game that really doesn't matter how it shakes out, which I think is the best way to approach it. He has nothing to lose."
Facing off against what will essentially be the Florida Panthers' opening night lineup, Cerrato centered the Hurricanes' top line, playing 15:47 in the 6-3 loss.
Cerrato had a primary assist, a hit, a block and went 37.5% in the faceoff dot.
While none of that really jumps off the page, it's not a bad showing for a kid playing against an all NHL lineup.
And looking at some of the underlying numbers, Cerrato held his own pretty well on both sides of the ice.
The 21-year-old centerman had a 50% Corsi For, meaning the team generated just as many 5v5 shots for as against when he was on the ice, and his 54.84% xGF% means his looks his looks were more dangerous than his opponents.
And while his 5v5 faceoff numbers weren't great, he went three-for-three on power play draws, with one leading to a quick goal.
"Once you get out there, you kind of put the game face on and you just compete," Cerrato said. "So you're not too worried about who's lining up across from you. But stepping out there for warmups was a little shocking, but really cool. This is what it's all about. I was looking forward to going out there and proving it against guys that were Stanley Cup champs and really good players in the league."
His line, centering Bradly Nadeau and Felix Unger Sorum, Carolina's top two forward prospects, was the Hurricanes' most dangerous and if all three wind up in the AHL this season, they should make for a dynamic trio.
"Two amazing players and they make my job really easy," Cerrato said.
Cerrato's first professional season is going to take place with the Chicago Wolves and the team is already planning on making him a big piece of the equation.
"It'll really be important for us to give two centermen, in particular Ivan Ryabkin and Charlie Cerrato, some big time looks," said Wolves coach Spiros Anastas. "It's going to be baptism by fire for those guys."
And Cerrato is ready for it.
"Just the small details I realized are so important when you get to the next level, Cerrato said. "That's the difference in making it to the NHL. So I think just focusing on that the last couple years of my development has been huge and going into my first training camp and first year of pros, that's going to be my approach too."
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Defeats for Kartal and Boulter condemn Britain to loss
Men will play Germany in quarter-finals of Davis Cup
Great Britain’s stay at the Billie Jean King Cup finals lasted only one match as they lost against Czechia in the quarter-finals in Shenzhen. Anne Keothavong’s side were bidding to reach the last four for the fourth time in five years but were considerable underdogs and defeats for Sonay Kartal and Katie Boulter sealed their fate.
Led by the Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, the entire Czech team is ranked higher than any of Britain’s players, and it was Noskova who sealed victory with a 6-2, 7-6 (3) win against Boulter. That followed a lengthy struggle between Marie Bouzkova and Kartal lasting a minute short of three hours, which the Czech eventually won 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-4.
The Blue Jackets will play their first preseason road game on Tuesday at KeyBank Arena. The game will start at 7 PM.
This game will again feature a prospect-heavy lineup against Buffalo. Eight forwards and one defenseman who played in last night's game against Detroit will be getting another look, however. Six NHL regulars will also be playing tonight, including new Blue Jacket Ryan Lomberg.
Buffalo, on the other hand, will be sending out a heavy NHL lineup, so this will be a good test for youngsters hoping to make a good final impression.
Also per CBJ PR,
"The Columbus Blue Jackets have reduced their training camp roster by four players, club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced today. The training camp roster now stands at 45 players, including 24 forwards, 15 defensemen, and six goaltenders."
"Columbus has loaned forward Max McCue to the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters. The Blue Jackets have also announced that forwards Roman Ahcan and Tate Singleton have been assigned to Cleveland on AHL contracts. The club has also returned forward Owen Griffin to the Ontario Hockey League’s Guelph Storm."
CBJ PR
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on BlueJackets.com and the Blue Jackets Mobile App.
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The Detroit Red Wings have already completed 25 percent of their abbreviated preseason schedule, opening up the exhibition slate with a 1-0 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday evening.
While the lineup consisted primarily of young players looking to secure a full-time roster spot, two notable absences stood out - both belonging to players essentially racing against the clock with the regular season rapidly approaching.
Former captain Dylan Larkin has yet to hit the ice after suffering an upper-body injury during a gym training session shortly before the start of Training Camp. Meanwhile, restricted free agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson remains without a contract.
Edvinsson participated in on-ice drills during Training Camp, but didn't skate in the club's scrimmages as he awaits a new deal.
Head coach Todd McLellan explained that essentially, Larkin is at the mercy of how quickly his body heals before he can return to the ice.
"With Larks, Mother Nature has to take care of that; he's hurt," McLellan said. "It's no different than if he had an injury in December or another time; he has to heal. We can't rush that, so Mother Nature is in charge of that.
We're hoping that he'll be ready to go, but if he isn't, then we move on."
He then pointed out that the business side of Edvinsson's situation, with the 23-year-old having emerged as Detroit's second-best defenseman behind Moritz Seider, isn't in his or the team's available players' hands.
"Simon, on the other hand, is the business side of it for two parties; they have to get involved and get things done," McLellan said." And they're working diligently at that. Really, both of them are out of control as coaches and out of the existing players' control.
We have to worry about what we worry about, and that's who we have right now."
During his introductory press conference last week, Red Wings interim GM Shawn Horcoff indicated that a new deal for Edvinsson is a "priority".
Neither player will be suiting up in Detroit's second preseason contest on Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena.
Meanwhile, each passing day brings the Red Wings closer to their opening regular season contest on Oct. 2 against the New York Rangers at Little Caesars Arena.
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Jack Finley provides stability, bringing a calming two-way game for the St. Louis Blues, but if you asked coach Jim Montgomery, that isn't enough.
"Excellent penalty-killer, excellent defensively," said Montgomery. "He's got to learn about building the momentum of the game. There's no momentum tilts when he's on the ice."
It's a fair criticism for Finley, who, in 22 games with the Blues last year after being claimed off waivers from the Tampa Bay Lightning, posted just two assists while averaging 11:00 of ice time.
He threw just 15 shots on goal in those 22 games, and the Blues were outscored 4-1 at 5-on-5, according to NaturalStatTrick.com. Just five goals in total over a 22-game span. As Montgomery mentioned, he's not hurting the team in any way, but he isn't changing the game either.
"We're not going to give up anything, but we're not creating big hits, we're not creating momentum, we're not getting our fans in our home building into the game," Montgomery continued. "We've spoken to him about it - 'You're fighting for a spot, you've got to create some momentum for us.'"
With a 6-foot-6 frame, Finley has the tools to be a momentum shifter. The 24-year-old was a second-round draft pick of the Lightning in 2020 but has never really been a high-end point producer. In the AHL, his career high was 32 points in the 2023-24 season, and in the WHL before that, his best point total was 50 points in 60 games.
Expecting him to be a point-per-game player in the NHL is unrealistic, but Montgomery isn't asking him to do that. Finley can remain potent defensively while adding physicality to his game. He can serve as a sparkplug for his team when needed.
Finley's direct competition is Oskar Sundqvist and Pius Suter, two reliable veteran centers. Finley needs to stand out; he needs to do something better than they can.
If not, Finley will find himself on the trade market, on waivers, or back in the AHL. With two pre-season games remaining, Finley has little time to prove himself as he enters make-or-break territory.
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ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 26: Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Alek Thomas (9) bats during the MLB game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves on August 26, 2026 at TRUIST Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Dodgers minor league center fielder Alek Thomas on Monday was named Pacific Coast League player of the week for the final week of the regular season, after a strong five games for Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Thomas joined teammate Jackson Ferris, who won pitcher of the week for last week.
Thomas had nine hits in 17 at-bats on the road at El Paso last week with two triples, two doubles, and four walks, hitting .529/.636/.882 with six runs scored, four RBI, and one stolen base. He finished off his season with four consecutive multi-hit games.
Thomas played five years for the Arizona Diamondbacks before getting designated for assignment in May. The Dodgers acquired him on May 12 for minor league outfielder Jose Requena. Thomas hit .305/.378/.537 with 36 extra-base hits in 68 games for Oklahoma City, his 131 wRC+ his best in the minors since 2021.
Oklahoma City plays for the Pacific Coast League championship in a best-of-3 series beginning Tuesday night on the road against the Las Vegas Aviators, an A’s affiliate.
