Author: NHL Hockey News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Jim Montgomery knew all along.

Putting the Three Amigos are back together was in the cards all along.

The St. Louis Blues coach already knew what he had when training camp began when it came to the line of Brayden Schenn centering Dylan Holloway and Jordan Kyrou. That line was a catalyst in helping fuel the Blues’ run to getting back to the Stanley Cup playoffs a season ago.

There was no need to get an extensive look again. 

But when the Blues signed Pius Suter as a free agent on July 2 and when camp began, the Blues put Suter between Holloway and Schenn, who was playing with Jake Neighbours and whoever they would put on that right wing.

There was no sign that Schenn was playing with Holloway and Kyrou as camp progressed, and Suter was the center in the middle for two games. Was this the changing of the guard, so to speak?

Not a chance.

When the Blues got back to practice Tuesday in preparation for their season- and home-opener Thursday against the Minnesota Wild, there was Schenn back in that familiar spot. And Montgomery said, “We will see Schenn there opening night.”

Why?

“Sometimes as a coach you just trust your gut and I watched camp,” Montgomery said. “The most important part of that is Suter came here because he wants to win, and he is an extremely good locker room guy, a team guy. He can even plug-and-play. Obviously our captain, we know that about him. Having those two being able to move between the two and three hole, it makes it very flexible and one of the reasons I thought the Suter signing was really important to our team depth.”

Suter was between Neighbours and Mathieu Joseph, and that looks like the likely trio that will open Thursday, but this was all along a trial to see if the Blues could have another option in a long season should one be needed.

Montgomery is more that comfortable using either there.

“A hundred percent. Yeah,” he said. “Sometimes you get a feel as a coach that the energy’s going to be better if we put guys back together that had success last year, and that’s how we’re going to start the year. It’s going to change. I guarantee you it’s going to change.”

In the month beginning March 15 that led the charge to the playoffs, which included a franchise record 12-game winning streak, Kyrou benefited the most with 20 points (12 goals, eight assists) in 16 games, Holloway had 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 11 games before his season ended because of injury on April 5, and although Schenn had just 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 16 games, that line was so dynamic in so many different ways.

“We had some really good ‘chem’ last year,” Holloway said. “I think as a line, we all complement each other super well. Definitely real excited to be playing with those guys again and I think we should be good.

“I think that’s the goal (is) to get back to right where we were. We were playing at such a high level there for a few months in a row. I think we know what works well for us, know what we need to do to get to our game. I think as long as we play smart and playing to our strengths, we’ll get right back to it.”

That’s why the trio feels it didn’t need a full training camp together.

“I know training camp we weren’t together, but we feel like we have chemistry,” Schenn said. “For me, my job is obviously get them the puck and create room and space and go to the net. They’re obviously both very dynamic and good shooters. It’s a combination that’s worked in the past. Now it’s on us to have good communication here early. Probably watch video from last year of what made us successful and mentally dial it in and communication’s huge. Last year’s not this year and we have to find ways to be better.”

In 46 games together last year, the line had a Corsi-for edge of 489-414 and a 29-13 goals-for edge in 5 on 5 situations and fans were wondering why would the coaching staff mess with something that obviously wasn’t broken. Just for that, the option to pivot if necessary.

“Honestly in camp every year, you’re always with someone and then it switches and vice versa,” Schenn said. “What we talked about two days ago or whatever, we figured it was going to be a little bit of both with me and ‘Sutes.’ That’s what’s good about our team. We have interchangeable parts and guys who can kind of play with whoever. We’ll just kind of see how it goes with the flow.”

Blues Know Jordan Binnington Is Elite, Yet Goalie Has To Prove Once Again He's One Of The BestST. LOUIS – The NHL season for 2025-26 drops the puck on Tuesday. For the St. Louis Blues, it opens Thursday at home against the Minnesota Wild. Blues GM Gives Update On Sundqvist, Lucic MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong provided updates on two veteran forwards before the regular-season opener on Thursday against the Minnesota Wild. Blues Were Hoping To Keep Colten Ellis In Organization, Happy He Gets Opportunity In NHLMARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Part of Doug Armstrong wanted to be selfish and keep goalie prospect Colten Ellis in the St. Louis Blues organization.

Welcome to this edition of The Hockey News' Vancouver Canucks Mailbag. In this series, we answer your questions from social media about what is going on with the Canucks. Today, we answer questions about Braeden Cootes, trade targets and more. 

Does Cootes Stay With The Club All Year Or Back To Juniors After 9ish Games?

Braeden Cootes making Vancouver's opening night roster is a great sign for the future. He has earned this opportunity and, based on practice lines, may even see some power play time during his NHL trial. While he has been great throughout the pre-season, I do believe he will be heading back to the WHL after a few games, where he can dominate during his D+1 season. 

That being said, there is a scenario where Cootes plays more than nine NHL games this season. For that to happen, he would need to be the Canucks best forward at both ends of the ice and make it clear that Vancouver's play would take a dip if he was sent back to junior. If he can be a point-producing machine and show off strong two-way play, there is a chance he sticks around for the season. 

How Many Games Will Kevin Lankinen Play This Season?

How the Canucks manage their goaltenders this year will be an interesting trend to follow. With a condensed schedule and the Olympics, this season will be more complicated, not just for Vancouver, but for every team around the league. That being said, barring any injuries, Lankinen will most likely start around 30 games in 2025-26. 

Based on their records, it may also be beneficial for the Canucks to start Lankinen on the road while Thatcher Demko gets the home starts. Last year, Lankinen went 16-6-5 on the road, while Demko has historically been better while playing at Rogers Arena. This theory may not work out due to schedule issues, but it is something to consider heading into the year. 

Many Rumours Of A Trade Circulating. Who Could Be A Target?

One of the reasons why there have not been a ton of trades is the salary cap continuing to grow. In the flat-cap world, teams were more willing to move players in order to get off contracts, which seems not to be the case anymore. While Vancouver has made it clear that they are always looking at ways to improve their roster, it is hard to picture them making a move until closer to the trade deadline. 

As for potential players, bringing in a center to add depth has to be at the top of the Canucks list. Based on teams that are projected to be near the bottom of the standings, some potential trade options could be Jean-Gabriel Pageau or Alex Wennberg. As for a non-pending unrestricted free agent, one player who would fit Vancouver's system is Nazem Kadri, who is signed for four more years at $7 million per season. 

Of The 3 Closest Defense prospects - Kudryavtsev, Mancini And EP25, Who’s Skill Profile Suggests They Will Have The Longest Career?

Now this is a good question. All three have the potential to have long careers but for different reasons. That being said, Elias Pettersson or D-Petey is the most likely of the three to have the longest career. 

The reason Pettersson is the answer is because has already developed into a reliable two-way defender who can deliver massive hits. It is becoming more difficult to find big, physical defenders who can skate well and transition the puck without issues. While Victor Mancini and Kirill Kudryavtsev are talented players who will play multiple years in the NHL, Pettersson is the most likely of the three to have the longest career. 

What’s The Current Vibe About This Year’s Canucks Team?

The vibe around this team is completely different than last year or even the year before. The players seem looser and appear to be enjoying being on the ice. Some differences from last year include more cheering when plays are made in practice, as well as better engagement when speaking to the media. 

While the vibe is a positive one now, the big question is will it stay the same all year. There are going to be up and downs all season which means changes in mood and demeanor. That being said, the players and organization appear to be in a positive place which is important heading into such an important year. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

Artūrs Šilovs Shuts Out J.T. Miller And Carson Soucy In Battle Of Former Canucks To Start 2025–26 NHL Season

How Braeden Cootes Made The Vancouver Canucks’ Opening-Night Roster

"I Believe In The Team We Have Here": Vancouver Canucks GM Patrik Allvin Speaks To The Media Ahead Of The 2025-26 Regular Season

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 5 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at everyone's favorite number - Jersey #5.

Let's take a look at who wore 5, and where they are now. 

Jamie Pushor - 2001-2006 - Drafted by Pittsburgh in 1989.

Heward played 97 games with Columbus and had 30 points. 69 of his games came during the inaugural season for Columbus.  

After several years in Europe, he returned to the NHL and retired with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2009. Heward has been an Asst. Coach for the Henderson Silver Knights since 2020. Former Monsters captain Ryan Craig is the head coach for Henderson. 

Darryl Sydor - 2004 - Drafted by LA in 1990. 

Sydor played a total of 49 games for Columbus during the 2003-04 season. He was traded to the Jackets in the Summer of 2003 and then traded to the Lightning during that season. He had 15 points for Columbus.

He went on to play another five NHL seasons before retiring on July 13, 2010. After retiring, he transitioned into coaching, serving as an assistant for the Blues and Wild. He also owns the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL. 

Christian Bäckman - 2009 - Drafted by St. Louis in 1998.

Bäckman played 56 games for the Jackets in 2008-09 after being acquired by Columbus in the trade that sent Nikolai Zherdev and Dan Fritsche to the Rangers. 

He left for Europe in 2009, where he signed with Frölunda HC in Sweden. He retired in 2015. 

Aaron Johnson - 2012 - Drafted by Columbus in the 3rd round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

Johnson played 172 games for the Jackets over two stints. Scouts said of Johnson was "A puck-moving defenseman, Johnson is a very good skater. Has good offensive instincts and can quarterback the power play. Can play a tough and physical game. Needs to improve his play in his own end."

During his time with Columbus, he also spent three years with the AHL Syracuse Crunch, where he had 73 points in those three seasons. 

In 2016, he left North America and signed on with Adler Mannheim of the DEL in Germany. He then left for England, where he played for the Sheffield Steelers of the EIHL. In 2021, he became a Player-Asst. Coach for a season. He came back home to Columbus in 2021 and joined the Jackets as a Team Consultant. Last season, he was the Team Relations Specialist for the Jackets.

Jack Skille - 2014 - Drafted by Chicago in 2005.

Skille played 61 games for Columbus and had 12 points. On July 6, 2013, Skille was signed as a free agent by the CBJ, but the following summer, he left in free agency. On October 5, 2014, Skille was claimed off waivers by Columbus, where he would play in 45 games. He left Columbus again and would play a season in Colorado and a season in Vancouver. 

In 2017, he left for Europe, where he played in Russia, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. He retired in 2021 and went into coaching. He's currently a skills coach and the Director of Skills Development for the ECHL's Utah Grizzlies franchise. The Grizzlies are moving to Trenton, New Jersey, at the end of the 25-26 season. 

Gavin Bayreuther - 2022 - Undrafted out of Canaan, New Hampshire.

Bayreuther played 103 games for Columbus and totaled 23 points over three seasons. He also played for the Dallas Stars.

He was made famous in 2021 when he was selected by the Seattle Kraken in the NHL Expansion Draft. One week later, he signed a two-year deal with Columbus, marking the end of his long tenure with Seattle.

After playing last season in Switzerland for Lausanne HC, he has come back to North America and will play for the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. 

Denton Mateychuk - 2025 - Drafted by Columbus in 2022. 

Mateychuk was called up mid-way through last season and never looked back. He played in 45 games for the CBJ and scored 13 points. He was also a plus-4, which isn't bad for a young defenseman. 

Before being called up from the Cleveland Monsters, he was having himself a season in the AHL. Playing in just 27 games, he scored 9 goals and totaled 25 points, so the Jackets had no choice but to call him up. 

Mateychuk was named to the NHL's all-rookie team for his play last season. This season, he will be looking to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump and continue to be a solid blueliner for the upstart Jackets. 

Elite Prospects said of Mateychuk in their draft guide, Constant motion allows Mateychuk to break from his team's structure in the offensive zone and seek opportunities that just aren't there for other defenseman. He prods for soft ice, finds it, and times his entrance into that space at the best possible moment for a shooting opportunity or a chance to hit his teammate elsewhere with a perfectly weighted pass for a chance of their own."

There are six days left until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Who was your favorite #6?

The start of the 2025-26 season starts this Thursday, as the CBJ travel to Nashville to play the Predators at Bridgestone Arena. 

The season kicks off this Thursday in Nashville against the Predators at Bridgestone Arena. This is going to be an interesting season, and if the Jackets can stay healthy, they should have a decent year.

Let us know what you think below.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.  

More From THN Columbus 

THN Columbus: 32 Predictions For The 25-26 NHL SeasonWith the 24-25 season starting today, The Hockey News Columbus is going to take a shot at some predictions. Spencer Lazary and I are going to do our best.   Nolan Lalonde Assigned To ECHLNolan Lalonde, the unsigned free agent from Kingston, Ontario, will be making his pro debut in the ECHL.  The Columbus Blue Jackets Opening Night Roster Is SetSay hello to the 2025-26 edition of the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

As he did last year, top center prospect Jett Luchanko has made the Philadelphia Flyers ahead of opening night, but it's still uncertain as to whether he's truly ready for NHL action.

The Flyers themselves don't appear to know what they want to do yet either, and it will affect their lineup as well as the development of the player.

Luchanko, 19, played four NHL games for the Flyers last year, 46 games for the OHL Guelph Storm, 16 total games for the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and five games for the Canada U20s at World Juniors.

That's a lot of bouncing around for a player who had previously only played for Guelph and Canada's U18 and U17 squads in the two seasons prior.

"It can't be a steady diet of it, not playing. You've got to be careful," Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet said of Luchanko on Monday. "It's that rule, you know? That sweet spot, if a guy can't play in the minors, you have to send him to junior. We're stuck in that situation a little bit. It happened with Barrett Hayton with me in Arizona. You can't have guys sitting around too much, so we got to figure that out."

The NCAA could have been a viable route for Luchanko, as it was for 2025 first-round pick Porter Martone this summer, if he hadn't signed his entry-level deal with the Flyers so soon as a week after being drafted.

NHL Trade Rumors: Flyers Badly Need Defensive UpgradesThe Philadelphia Flyers are reportedly scouring the NHL trade market for much-needed defensive reinforcements, but which players are actually going to be worth their while?

The ever-divisive Zeev Buium played college hockey at the University of Denver, and Konsta Helenius, one of the 2024 NHL Draft's top center prospects, had two pro seasons under his belt with Jukurit of Finland's Liiga and was able to play in the AHL immediately.

But, the Flyers ultimately went with Luchanko as the player they thought was the best fit for them, even though they had the least control over his development path between him, Buium, and Helenius.

Now, like last year, the Flyers are stuck deliberating on a near-daily basis whether to play Luchanko or sit him.

The former 13th overall pick had 56 points in 46 games as captain of the Storm last year, but it's not as if he's blowing the doors off, even if Guelph is a bad team. Creating offense and scoring are the obvious concerns with Luchanko, and, in theory, he should be able to spend plenty of time working on that whilst trying to keep the team within reach of winning games.

However, it's clear that the Flyers are averse to this idea and prefer to keep him in-house, even at the inevitable cost of playing time.

Luchanko can and will hold his own, yes, but can the Flyers get him to do more than that? It's the golden question, and one that's hard to answer given his 19 years of age.

Flyers Preseason Stock Up, Stock Down: Chemistry and Causes for ConcernThe Philadelphia Flyers finished the 2025 preseason with a 3-4-0 record, needing a shootout to achieve each of those three wins. Despite some new players impressing, there are causes for concern, too.

What we can deduce, however, is that the Flyers didn't give themselves the best runway for developing a player by selecting Luchanko over a Helenius, for example.

Of course, Luchanko's assist in the 4-3 shootout win over the New Jersey Devils in the preseason finale came when he was on the ice with Travis Sanheim, who scored the goal, Cam York, Nikita Grebenkin, and Garnet Hathaway.

Hathaway is a fourth-liner, yes, but Luchanko's ceiling is further limited when he's paired with another in Nick Deslauriers or Rodrigo Abols.

With that said, Luchanko playing NHL games with the Flyers can work, but only if and when he plays with players who can help him reach the Flyers' aspirations for his developing scoring touch.

A new season for the Florida Panthers is off and running.

Florida raised their 2025 Stanley Cup Champions banner before hosting the Chicago Blackhawks on Opening Night Tuesday at Amerant Bank Arena.

Overall, it was a strong performance for the Cats, skating to a 3-2 victory over Chicago and starting their title defense off on the right foot.

Let’s get to the first takeaways of the new season:

STRONG START FOR PK

Florida allowed the Blackhawks three power play opportunities over the final two periods, all while the game was tied at two goals apiece.

They all could have been crucial moments in the game for the visitors, but Florida held strong, blocking shot after shot and keeping Sergei Bobrovsky’s crease relatively clean.

He only needed to make two saves on those three power plays, and less than two minutes after they killed off the third penalty, Jesper Boqvist scored the game-winning goal.

“Yeah, really nice,” Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad said of Florida’s PK. “Bob stood tall, we found a way to make their break ins hard, couple really good blocked shots, some good sticks. So yeah, that's the foundation of the PK.”

A BANNER NIGHT

It’s really something when looking up into the rafters at Amerant Bank Arena these days.

Four Eastern Conference Championship banners.

Four division championship banners.

A Presidents’ Trophy banner.

And now, not one but two Stanley Cup Championship banners.

“It's a great opportunity to enjoy it last one last time, and kind of turn the page,” said Panthers forward Brad Marchand. “The second that puck drops, it's a whole new season, a new opportunity, new challenges. We’ve already had to face some adversity this year, and it's a great opportunity to come together. It’s a pretty special feeling, being able to watch it go up, knowing that's going to be up there forever.”

STRONG KNIGHT FOR SPENCER

The return of former Panthers first round pick Spencer Knight was a strong one for the young goaltender.

Florida kept the pressure on their ex-teammate for much of the game, but Knight stood tall.

He finished with 34 saves, including 12 of the high danger variety, looking very much like the future franchise goaltender that the Panthers viewed him as during his tenure in South Florida.

“His strength is lateral (movement), and he was outstanding with that,” said Maurice. “We had some really high end looks and some pretty good shooters in there, so those are legit saves that he made, and that's the value to a young team in Chicago. Chances for and against tonight, it wasn't particularly close, but he did what he needed to do to give his team a chance to win.”

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

The Hockey Show: Postgame reaction to Panthers picking up Opening Night win over Chicago

Panthers open season with victory over Chicago after raising Stanley Cup banner

Florida Panthers play tribute videos for former goaltender, popular superfan who passed away

Panthers raise 2025 Stanley Cup Champions banner on Opening Night

Florida Panthers release official Opening Night roster, Barkov, Tkachuk, Nosek placed on LTIR

Photo caption: Oct 7, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Sam Lafferty (24) moves the puck against Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell (15) during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

While much has been written about the Montreal Canadiens’ new arrivals this summer, we haven’t heard quite as much about how former Habs are faring elsewhere. Two players were sacrificed (and some draft picks) to obtain Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders and Zack Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues. How have they done so far?

In Long Island, Emil Heineman seems to have found a spot on one of the Islanders’ top lines alongside Jonathan Drouin and Bo Horvat, and plays on the second power play unit. If this proves to be a long-term position, this trade will have been brilliant for Heineman, who had a more depth role in Montreal. Just like with the Canadiens, it’s his physicality on the forecheck that has caught the attention of the coaching staff.

Canadiens: Kent Hughes Reassures Fans
Canadiens: Montembeault Makes Big Jump in 2025-26 Goalie Tiers Rankings
Canadiens: A Stronger Lineup?

Meanwhile, in St. Louis, Mailloux has been told to find himself a place to live in town, which bodes well for the young defenseman. Unlike in Montreal, the Blues’ AHL affiliate isn’t next door; the Springfield Thunderbirds are an hour and a half away from their parent club.

In other words, for now at least, Mailloux has done what he couldn’t do in Montreal: he’s made the team. With four points in as many games, Mailloux appears to have landed a third pairing spot and a role on the second power play unit.

It will be interesting to see what Bolduc and Dobson can do with their new team this season. So far, both have dealt with minor injuries, but nothing that will prevent them from playing in the first game of the season against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. The blueliner will be paired up with Mike Matheson and have first pairing duty, while Bolduc appears destined to play alongside Kirby Dach and Brendan Gallagher, bringing some much-needed speed to that line.

---

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

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

Sammy Blais is back playing with head coach Craig Berube.

The 29-year-old and goaltender Cayden Primeau were the waiver claims made by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday afternoon. Both players arrived in Toronto on Monday evening and got into their first practice with the team on Tuesday morning.

"I was happy," Blais said about being claimed by the Maple Leafs, after the Montreal Canadiens put him on waivers Sunday. "I think it's a good opportunity for me to be here and knowing some people here too for sure helps."

Blais signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with the Canadiens on the opening day of free agency in July. He was one of Montreal's final roster cuts ahead of Monday's 5 p.m. opening day roster deadline.

Once Toronto received word that their claim of Blais was accepted, they made adjustments accordingly, which included keeping Easton Cowan off the roster and calling up Jacob Quillan from the AHL's Toronto Marlies (salary cap shenanigans).

Explained: Why Easton Cowan Was Temporarily Left Off Maple Leafs Season-Opening RosterThere was some chaos around 5 p.m. ET when the Toronto Maple Leafs announced their opening night roster. Jacob Quillan was on it rather than Easton Cowan, who many expected to be.

Blais was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the sixth round (176th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft. He spent four seasons in the Blues' organization before joining the New York Rangers, with whom he tore his ACL in November 2021.

He appeared in 40 games with the Rangers in 2022-23 prior to returning to the Blues via trade. He then inked a one-year, $1 million contract in March 2023 and played one more season in St. Louis, where he scored one goal and seven points in 53 games.

"Sammy's had a history with (Berube) going back to St. Louis. He won a cup in St. Louis. If you look back, he was a real good player in St. Louis. Went to New York, went through a major injury with his knee and sort of had to rebuild himself, right?" Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving said on Tuesday.

"He's a player that had spent last year in the American League and was a big part of that team's success, winning the Calder Cup. We'd had good reports. Our staff had seen him a lot over his career, but specifically last year. Had a good camp in Montreal. Gives us some depth and a history with the coach for a player we need."

Maple Leafs Believe ‘Things Are Progressing Well’ With Joseph Woll And An Updated Look At Toronto's Goaltending Situation One day before the Toronto Maple Leafs' regular season opener, Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving provided an update on goaltender Joseph Woll, who has been absent for most of training camp to tend to a personal matter.

Blais spent the entirety of last season with the Abbotsford Canucks on an AHL contract. After a strong regular season, scoring 14 goals and 40 points in 51 games, Blais put up six goals and 19 points en route to a Calder Cup Championship.

"I think even going back in AHL last year, I thought I found my game back a little bit, like not just physically, but offensively, too," Blais said. "So I had a lot of fun last year. And I think my confidence went up a lot last year. So I'm just trying to be here and have fun and do the job."

Coming to Toronto, he has some familiarity. As previously mentioned, Blais won the Stanley Cup with the Berube-coached Blues in 2019. The forward had one goal and two assists, plus 70 hits (fourth-most on the Blues), in 15 games with St. Louis during that playoff run.

"I really like the person, the player. He's physical, and he's got good puck skills. I had him in the minors, he scored 30 goals. I mean, he's got good skills," Berube said. "I'm happy to have him back. Looking forward to working with him again here."

Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid On Track for 2028 Free Agency Together — What It Means For The Maple Leafs StarIt was a bit of a surprise when Connor McDavid put pen to paper on a new two-year contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers. While the $12.5 million average annual value matched his previous eight-year deal, he could have commanded any dollar he wanted —as seen by Kirill Kaprizov’s eight-year, $17 million contract. It’s clear McDavid wants to win, and this short-term deal allows the Oilers to continue building a Stanley Cup contender.

This reunion could work quite well for Toronto. Blais plays the style that Berube wants from his players, which, in theory, should translate into on-ice success. 

"He knows what I expect out of him, and I know what I'm getting out of him," added Berube. "I think more than anything, I know what type of player he is and what he brings to our team. And he knows what I want. So I think it's good that way."

When Blais could get into Toronto's lineup remains a mystery, though. He was the extra forward during the team's practice on Tuesday. There's also the Easton Cowan situation playing out, so who knows when he'll get into the lineup.

Nevertheless, the fit made sense, and that's what matters most to the Maple Leafs, and to Blais.

"I know what (Berube) expects from me, so I think it makes it a little easier to know someone. But I'm just excited to show that I can still play in this league."

Latest stories:

'I Was Sprinting Through The Airport': Inside Cayden Primeau’s Wild 24 Hours After Being Claimed By Maple Leafs

'I Want Him Playing': What's The Maple Leafs' Plan For Easton Cowan?

Maple Leafs Believe ‘Things Are Progressing Well’ With Joseph Woll And An Updated Look At Toronto's Goaltending Situation

Both the Kings and the Avalanche entered this game with high expectations. Colorado built its team around its core players, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, while Los Angeles added a few veteran pieces and is leaning towards their up-and-coming young talent and veterans. 

It was shaping up to be a great game, but it was the exact opposite. 

In a season opener that’s already shaping to be a statement game for the Avalanche, they surged out to a 3-0 lead through the first two periods, scoring three goals in the second period alone. 

What looked like a tight, close, cautious first period of action blew open as Colorado’s offense began to attack the Kings and found a groove, while Los Angeles struggled to find answers on both sides of the ice. 

Final from LA. #GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/yquOPADMBw

— LA Kings (@LAKings) October 8, 2025

First Period: Tight Defense, No Goals

In the first period, both teams appeared sluggish and deficient, with both goaltenders standing strong and protecting their nets. Neither team could break the tie and score the team's first goal of the season, making it interesting to see if the entire game would go this way.

The ice was played with discipline and toughness, with a few penalties and hard hits. 

Speaking of a few hits, the biggest hit was the one Josh Manson delivered to Warren Foegele, which sparked a fistfight between Jeff Mallot and Manson, resulting in an extra 2-minute unsportsmanlike penalty. Many argue that this was the breaking point for Los Angeles.   

WHAT A HIT, WHAT A FIGHT 💥

Josh Manson lays a massive hit on Warren Foegele and then follows it up with a fight with Jeff Malott 🥊 pic.twitter.com/nag285X1Qh

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 8, 2025

Second Period: Avalanche Takes Over

Colorado came out with a statement once the second period began, putting Los Angeles on its heels. 

Avs opened the scoring 48 seconds into the middle frame, setting up forward Martin Necas for a snipe to score Colorado’s first goal of the season, assisted by MacKinnon. 

The next play that sparked a 2-0 lead came just a few minutes later when Sam Malinski scored from the left side of the ice through a maze of traffic in front of him that was a very tough shot, one that Kings goaltender Kuemper never even saw go through. 

Suddenly, what had looked like a defensive battle became a runway. As left-wing Artturi Lehkonen dived down on the ice and scored a goal off the assist from Makar to take a commanding 3-0 lead. 

Third Period: Avalanche Hold Off Kings 

The Kings managed to score in the final period with Kevin Fiala cashing in on the fast break to avoid the shutout, but it wasn’t enough to mount a comeback. 

Overall, it wasn’t a pretty night for the Kings, as it looked like mentally they weren’t in the game after the first period. Give credit to Scott Wedgewood, who came up big for his squad and spoiled Anze Kopitar’s final home opener. 

It’s just one game; there's no need to panic for the Kings. However, mentally, they let the Avs get in their heads, and they can’t allow that to happen again against superior teams in the Western Conference if they’re going to be contenders. 

 

 

It was a very “Game 1” feeling to this first period, mainly for the Avalanche. The Kings came out strong early in the period, generating a lot of chances in the Avalanche zone, but Scott Wedgewood was impressive to start. Keeping track of the puck well and making sure any loose rebounds were either batted away quickly or gloved for a whistle. 

A major standout of the Avalanche was the Landeskog-Nelson-Nichushkin second line. They were super impressive in the playoffs against the Dallas Stars, and they're keeping that chemistry to start the season. Big moment when Josh Manson lays a massive hit on Warren Foegele, and Jeff Malott steps up for his teammate. It is called for instigating, and the Avalanche gets a power play out of it, but they fail to capitalize on it.

Heck of a hit from Josh Manson 😳 pic.twitter.com/bZHoeqhhT0

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 8, 2025

It was an outburst in the second period as the Avalanche scored three goals in the period. It starts when MacKinnon wraps around the net and finds Martin Necas to open the scoring. His assist sets a new franchise record for most points by a Colorado Avalanche since moving from the Quebec Nordiques to the Colorado Avalanche, passing Joe Sakic.

Nathan MacKinnon Becomes Avalanche's All-Time Leading ScorerWith his assist on Martin Necas' goal, Nathan MacKinnon now passes Joe Sakic for most points in Colorado Avalanche history since relocating to Denver, Colorado.

Sam Malinski was able to scoop the puck off the boards and send a shot on the blue line through a crowd of players and beat Darcy Kuemper. The Avalanche get a power play opportunity when Joel Edmundson is called for slashing, but don't capitalize on it. Cale Makar makes a highlight play by dashing through the Kings' defenders, but his shot is blocked, though it's Artturi Lehkonen on the doorstep to bang it in. With 30 seconds left in the period, Edmundson takes a delay of the game penalty.

The third period was eventful to say the least, with four penalties called in the first 12 minutes. Brent Burns called for hooking, Makar called for hooking, and Foegele called for holding, all teams failing to capitalize on the power play. It won't be until Kevin Fiala is called for roughing and Necas makes it 4-0 after beating Kuemper far side right as the power play begins.

Another three penalties would be called after that, with MacKinnon penalized for interference and Manson penalized again for cross-checking, to make it a 5-on-3. The Kings capitalize on the opportunity as Fiala blasts one past Wedgewood to make it 4-1. Clarke is called for cross-checking, the seventh penalty in the period. That would end the game, with the Avalanche winning 4-1

The Avalanche play again on Oct. 9 against the newly introduced Utah Mammoths in their home opener.

For Kings’ captain Anze Kopitar, Tuesday’s NHL season-opener was the beginning of the end while for Ken Holland, the team’s first-year general manager, it was the end of the beginning.

For both it was also a night to forget, with the Colorado Avalanche skating through, over and around the Kings in a dominant 4-1 victory built on second-period goals from Martin Necas, Sam Malinski, Artturi Lehkonen and a second Necas score midway through the third.

Kevin Fiala got the Kings only score on the team’s third power play of the final period, though the goal, coming with less than five minutes to play, was little more than a murmur of protest. Kopitar picked up his 839^th career assist on the play, padding his franchise record and extending his point streak on opening day to eight games.

“That's a pretty good team,” Kings coach Jim Hiller said afterward. “They did a good job. They out-checked us, they caught us, they disrupted plays, they didn't let us forecheck.

Read more:Anze Kopitar reflects upon his decision to retire as Kings enter season at a crossroads

“That was not a good game for us. I don't want to take away from how well Colorado played. [But] we need to play better than we did.”

Kopitar, the Kings’ all-time leader in several other categories including games, announced last month that this season, his 20^th in the NHL, would be his last. And while those numbers will eventually take him to the Hall of Fame, first there will be a farewell tour around the league, one that got off to an uneven start with the sellout crowd at Crypto.com Arena saluting him with a standing ovation pregame. Kopitar wasn’t much of a factor after that, however, taking just one shot in 18 minutes.

Meanwhile for Holland, hired last May to get the Kings beyond the opening round of the playoffs for the first time since 2014, the game marked the end of his summer restructuring with his new team. And the first impression of what he built wasn’t a good one, with the Kings losing their opener for the third time in four seasons.

Both teams played cautiously in a first period that ended with the Kings skating shorthanded after Colorado’s Josh Manson took down Warren Foegele with an elbow, a hit Jeff Malott acknowledged by chasing Manson down the ice and dropping the gloves. Both players drew five-minute fighting penalties but Malott was also given two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct.

“I like the response to the hit on Foegele,” Hiller said. “We thought it was a high hit so Malott went in. We’ve got no problems with that. I thought that was really important moment for him and for our team; that we're not going to take that.”

The Kings killed the penalty — the first of 12 on the night for both teams — but seconds after the two sides were back at full strength Necas gave the Avalanche the lead for good with a wrister from the right circle.

Malinski, a defenseman, doubled the advantage less than seven minutes later, blasting a shot from just inside the blue line through traffic and by goalie Darcy Kuemper. Lehkonen gave Colorado its third goal of the second period on a rebound with 5:18 left.

“Second period wasn't good enough,” defenseman Drew Doughty said. “We were on our heels, we were turning the puck over too much. They were getting a lot of speed up turnovers, 3 on 2s and stuff. And that hurt us.

“Definitely not even close to good enough.”

Read more:Kings' Corey Perry to miss six to eight weeks after knee surgery

Necas then made it 4-0 on a power-play goal halfway through the final period. Fiala matched that with the Kings’ first goal of the year less than five minutes later.

The Kings rarely challenged Colorado goalie Scott Wedgewood in the first two periods, playing tentatively and creating little offense, putting just nine shots on goal through the first 36 minutes. Helped by four Colorado penalties the Kings came alive in a chippy third period, putting 14 shots on goal.

“Good response in the third,” Doughty said. “But too little, too late.”

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

There were a lot of storylines heading into the Pittsburgh Penguins' season opener against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

For one, the respective head coaches of each squad - Dan Muse for Pittsburgh and Mike Sullivan for New York - swapped places and organizations this offseason. Two teenagers in Harrison Brunicke and Ben Kindel were debuting on the same day for the Penguins - the first time that's happened since Kris Letang and Jordan Staal on Oct. 5, 2006. Also, the "Big Three" - Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang - kicked off their record-shattering 20th season together.

But, despite all the noise, Pittsburgh played a smooth, sound road game - and it paid off for them.

The Penguins shut out the Rangers, 3-0, to begin their 2025-26 season, and they did it in clinical fashion. They limited high-danger chances against, and goaltender Arturs Silovs - who got the nod over veteran Tristan Jarry - stopped all 25 shots he faced. 

No one could have predicted that forwards Justin Brazeau and Blake Lizotte would carry the scoring for the Penguins, even with two of those goals being empty-netters. But perhaps the most impressive thing was that the Penguins took a 1-0 lead into the third period, and it didn't once feel like that lead was in danger of being taken from them.

They outshot the Rangers, 12-5, in the third period, locking down and playing structurally sound hockey - something that's been largely lacking over the past several seasons in Pittsburgh.

"I thought they, to a man, did a great job," Muse said. "I thought for the first game of the season, I just like the fact that you walk out of there, you get the job done. But you can look around the locker room and really feel like, to a man, everybody did something there to contribute tonight. If we start that way, and that's going to be the base that we're going to build off of, that's what I learned tonight. I'm excited about building with these guys."

2025-26 Season Predictions: THN Penguins' EditionIt’s a new NHL season, and that means it’s time for a new THN - Pittsburgh Penguins season prediction piece!

Here are some thoughts and observations from the Penguins' impressive season-opening win:

---

- Let's start with the kids.

First of all, it was a really cool thing to see Brunicke and Kindel take the ice in the opening lineup, along with three scrubs in Crosby, Malkin, and Letang (just kidding, of course). They actually had a pretty good opening shift and were pressuring in the offensive zone until the puck leaked out to the neutral zone and Brunicke took a penalty within the first minute.

To start the game, it was clear that Brunicke took some time to adjust to the speed and rigors of playing in a regular season NHL game. But after the first period, the 19-year-old blueliner - only the second South African-born player to play in an NHL game - settled in. His reads progressively got better, he got more confident in joining the rush and in playing the offensive blue line, and his defensive zone presence improved.

First game ✔️ pic.twitter.com/5gsEF78KGe

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 8, 2025

ROOKIE LAP TIME ‼️ pic.twitter.com/b3qT6dlNdG

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 7, 2025

Brunicke was good in this game. But Kindel was outright impressive.

The 18-year-old center was 80 percent in the faceoff circle, and he looked like an NHL regular from puck drop. He made a few passes and plays that were remniscent of a 10-year veteran. He was calm, composed, and confident with no panic in his game. He even generated a few chances for his line with Philip Tomasino and Tommy Novak, and he easily could have finished the evening with a few points on the board.

There are very few young players in this league that I've seen debut - and I've seen many over the years - who looked like they belonged from the very start. It's so difficult to just jump into a game against an NHL lineup for the first time as a teenager and look the way Kindel did on Tuesday.

I continue to be impressed by this kid. If he can keep this up for nine games, I'm not sure how he doesn't stick around. But, that's just it: We'll see how he looks over a nine-game sample. 

- Another player who was impressive and committed to structure tonight was Erik Karlsson.

"Karlsson" and "structure" don't typically go together in the same sentence. But, alas, he made very few mistakes - a missed outlet pass in the second period was one of them - and he looked akin to the 2022-23 version of Erik Karlsson that the Penguins thought they were acquiring from the start.

I think he and Parker Wotherspoon could, potentially, be a really solid pairing for the Penguins this season. It's obviously very, very early, but based on Tuesday's game and some camp observations, Wotherspoon plays a very stay-at-home, structurally sound, low-risk, and low-event game. A very low-event and positionally sound defenseman is an ideal partner for one of the most high-event players in the league. 

We'll see how things shake out with them. But if Wotherspoon's "unnoticeability" makes Karlsson more noticeable in a good way - and allows him to do what he does best - that's all you can really ask for. 

- Malkin was very, very good in this game. He had his gallop. And his linemate, Brazeau, seemed to be in the right place at the right time with frequency. 

'It's Super Rare': Looking Back On Two Decades Of The 'Big Three'On Oct. 5, 2006, a young, 19-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins' defenseman named Kris Letang suited up for his NHL debut against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Anthony Mantha looked a bit rusty, but that's probably because he is. He'll need time to get back up to game speed after missing nearly the entire 2024-25 season with a torn ACL, so it's nothing to be concerned about at this point. 

I'm not yet sure what to make of this line, which has a minimum height requirement of 6-foot-5. But it seemed like they were using that size advantageously, and the fact that they were mostly deployed in offensive zone starts allowed them to play to their size and their strengths.

I don't think this line sticks once Bryan Rust returns, and it certainly won't if Rutger McGroarty returns to the NHL roster. But, for now, it might just work. And Malkin deserves to have some consistency on his wings in what could be his final NHL season.

- Silovs was not tested to the extreme on Tuesday, and he was a bit shaky with his rebound control earlier on in this game. 

But, he locked in and made the saves he needed to. It was nothing flashy and nothing spectacular, but he got the job done. And he was calm and composed in the process. 

Honestly? This might just be what the Penguins need between the pipes this season. He won't be perfect, but he could very well be good enough - and he still has potential to rise above that. Muse said Jarry will get his early-season opportunities, too, but this was a really good way to start the season for Silovs.

3 Big Penguins' Storylines To Watch in 2025-26With final NHL rosters submitted and the pre-season officially coming to a close, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be an interesting team to watch for a plethora of reasons in 2025-26. 

- Many hockey people are projecting the Rangers to be a playoff team. 

To be honest, I just don't see it.

Yes, they have, arguably, the best goaltender on the planet. Their top defensive pairing is quite good, and their top-six is formidable. 

But, beyond that? Things get less than ideal. 

The bottom-six leaves a lot to be desired, even with rookie Noah Laba in the picture. The bottom-four in their defense corps isn't all that great, either, and they also don't have a whole lot to look forward to in their prospect pipeline. 

On top of all of that, their team is aging, and its best player in Artemi Panarin is on an expiring contract.

I'm not saying the Rangers won't make the playoffs. It's early, they have the goaltending, and Sullivan is a very, very good coach. But I just don't think they have the talent or the depth to really make any kind of statement this season. 

I, for one, think this team needs a whole lot of tinkering in order to make the playoffs this season. If it stays the same - and they don't end up making the playoffs - I can't say I'd be surprised.

Mike Sullivan Understands The Magnitude Of What It Means To Represent The Rangers Mike Sullivan makes his way to The Big Apple in a unique season for the New York Rangers. 

---

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!      

While the current Vancouver Canucks prepare for their season-opener on October 9, some former Canucks started their 2025–26 season off with a matchup against former teammates. In the second game of the NHL’s opening night, former Canuck Artūrs Šilovs and the Pittsburgh Penguins shut out J.T. Miller, Carson Soucy, and the New York Rangers by a score of 3–0. All three players started the 2024–25 season on Vancouver’s opening night roster and all ended up on different teams via trade. 

Šilovs, the 2025 Calder Cup MVP in the Abbotsford Canucks’ first championship in franchise history, had been named the Penguins’ opening-night starter earlier in the day. He was traded back in July in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick and forward Chase Stillman. In his Pittsburgh debut, Šilovs stopped all 25 shots faced and earned his first regular-season NHL shutout. 

On the other side of this game was Miller, who spent six seasons with the Canucks before being traded for Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini, and a 2025 first-round pick back in January. The scrappy forward was named captain of the Rangers back in September and will likely be a big piece in New York’s successes in 2025–26. He was joined by Soucy in March when the Canucks traded the veteran defenceman a day before the trade deadline. 

The next former 2024–25 Canuck who is expected to start their season is Dakota Joshua, who was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in mid-July. Joshua and the Maple Leafs will face the Montréal Canadiens tomorrow, October 8, at 4:00 pm PT. Another former Canuck, Pius Suter, will make his debut with his new team, the St. Louis Blues, on October 9 at 5:00 pm PT. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

How Braeden Cootes Made The Vancouver Canucks’ Opening-Night Roster

"I Believe In The Team We Have Here": Vancouver Canucks GM Patrik Allvin Speaks To The Media Ahead Of The 2025-26 Regular Season

Canucks Place Pierre-Olivier Joseph On IR, Recall Victor Mancini From Abbotsford

On Oct. 5, 2006, a young, 19-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins' defenseman named Kris Letang suited up for his NHL debut against the Philadelphia Flyers.

By then, 19-year-old phenom teammate Sidney Crosby already had an entire NHL season under his belt, which was a marvelous 39-goal, 102-point rookie campaign. And, less than two weeks later - on Oct. 18 - a 20-year-old Evgeni Malkin suited up for an NHL game for the first time. 

Little did those three players know that, 20 years later, they'd still be donning the same sweater and taking to the ice together. 

The trio of Crosby, Malkin, and Letang is the longest-tenured trio in North American professional sports history, and, to some, it might stand to reason that they always knew there was something special between the three of them - a bond and a partnership that could stand the test of time.

But, in reality, it's not something that was ever guaranteed - which makes it all the more unique and special.

“Honestly, I don’t know if I’ve ever felt that secure with it, to be honest," Crosby said. "I mean, [in] hockey… there’s so much turnover. I think, just in general, like all sports, you see more and more turnover. It’s pretty rare that you see guys be with one team for long periods of time, and because of that, I probably didn’t allow my hopes to get up too much. But, I think that’s what makes it even more special.

"I think that, in the back of our mind - you’d have to ask [Malkin and Letang] - but there’s no guarantees, and that’s what makes it what it is. It’s super rare, and I think it makes us appreciate knowing that [change] could have happened so many different times.”

8 Bold Penguins' Predictions For The 2025-26 SeasonIn case you haven't heard, the Pittsburgh Penguins play hockey Tuesday night against the New York Rangers. 

But, change never happened. And given the long run of success that the Crosby-era Penguins had, the thought of them spending two decades together - from an outside perspective, at least  doesn't feel unnatural in the slightest.

The trio's run of success started almost immediately, as the Penguins made the playoffs in that first season. Letang was not part of the picture - as he was sent back to juniors after just six NHL games and remained there for the rest of the season - and they did get ousted by the Ottawa Senators in five games. But it built the foundation for what was to come next with a roster one year older and more experienced. Malkin and Crosby enjoyed successful seasons individually as well, as Malkin recorded 33 goals and 85 points in 78 games and Crosby registered 120 points - and won the Art Ross Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award, and Hart Trophy. 

But it all started to peak in 2007-08 with all three of them in Pittsburgh for almost the entire season. The young Penguins peaked early, going all the way to the Stanley Cup Final against the veteran powerhouse Detroit Red Wings but ultimately falling short. 

The stats, information and history throughout The Big Three's 20 seasons is endless 🧵 pic.twitter.com/tJ4KUkqdsF

— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) October 7, 2025

It was almost deja vu in 2009, but this time, the Penguins came out on top, and the young core were already Stanley Cup champions at 22, 22, and 21 years old. Playoff success may have eluded them for a while after that, but after back-to-back championships in 2016-17, it seemed that - no matter what - the legacy of the "big three" was already pretty solid.

Fast forward to the dawn of the 2025-26 season, and the Penguins have missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons. The team finds itself in the midst of a rebuild with an unclear timeline, and even with youth beginning to populate the roster, the three Penguins' legends still remain. 

It's hard to tell what's next with these Penguins and their three longest-tenured players. Malkin is entering the final season of his current contract and - at 39 years old - is contemplating retirement at the end of it. Letang, 38, still has three years remaining on his deal, and he will likely continue to settle into a lighter workload as the season progresses. At 38 years old, Crosby is still going very strong, and he is entering the first year of a two-year contract.

2025-26 Season Predictions: THN Penguins' EditionIt’s a new NHL season, and that means it’s time for a new THN - Pittsburgh Penguins season prediction piece!

The 3,705 points between them is the most by a trio on a single team in NHL history. Even if the future is a bit uncertain, they're still writing history, and they're still writing their story.

It would be easy for each of them to sit back and soak in the moments. Take it all in and enjoy everything they've built together. But that's just not how they're wired. 

They still want to win, and they want to win in Pittsburgh. As a new generation is ushered in, they're still focused on the season in front of them - and they're enjoying the ride.

And, even if his captain is pleasantly surprised that the three of them are still doing all of it together, Letang is not.

"We don't really take time to think about," Letang said. "From the beginning, we felt like we were pulling in the same direction, and we all wanted the same thing. For some reason, it doesn't surprise me that we're still here. It's just been great. Three different personalities, and it's just been fun.

"So, we're excited for another one."

3 Big Penguins' Storylines To Watch in 2025-26With final NHL rosters submitted and the pre-season officially coming to a close, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be an interesting team to watch for a plethora of reasons in 2025-26. 

---

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!  

The Florida Panthers and Chicago Blackhawks kicked off a new hockey season on Tuesday night in Sunrise.

Florida, the NHL’s back-to-back defending Stanley Cup Champions, raised their 2025 championship banner before facing off against the young Blackhawks at Amerant Bank Arena.

It’s going to be a challenging campaign for the Panthers.

Before playing a single game, the Cats were already without three of the key players from their most recent championship run: Matthew Tkachuk, Tomas Nosek and team captain Sasha Barkov.

The Panthers were able to get things off on the right foot during Opening Night, defeating Chicago 3-2 in front of a packed house full of excited Cats fans.

After the game, The Hockey Show co-hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork broke down all the action.

You can check out THS’ postgame coverage in the video below:

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Panthers open season with victory over Chicago after raising Stanley Cup banner

Florida Panthers play tribute videos for former goaltender, popular superfan who passed away

Panthers raise 2025 Stanley Cup Champions banner on Opening Night

Florida Panthers release official Opening Night roster, Barkov, Tkachuk, Nosek placed on LTIR

Panthers Sign Noah Gregor To One-Year, Two-Way Deal

 

The Buffalo Sabres are facing an uphill battle to make the Stanley Cup playoffs this season, and we’ll be honest – in our pre-season predictions for THN.com, we slotted the Sabres into sixth place in the Atlantic. And we were being generous about Buffalo in comparison to THN magazine\, which ranked the Sabres as the seventh-best team in the Atlantic.

It really comes down to easy math: you just have to ask yourself which teams are locks to make the playoffs, and how many playoff openings that leaves for the teams that aren’t playoff locks. And in the Atlantic, the math isn’t encouraging for the Sabres.

To wit: in this writer’s opinion, the Atlantic playoff locks are the Toronto Maple Leafs (who were the best regular-season team in the division last year), the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the defending-champion Florida Panthers.

The Maple Leafs made major changes, yet they still have a deep, skilled attack that’s going to be desperate to go far this year. They won't be handing Buffalo any free standings points. Neither will the Lightning or Panthers. Thus, the Sabres will be fighting it out for fourth space. And the competition for fourth place is fierce. Not only are the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins also vying for one spot – two spots if they’re good enough to steal an extra spot from the Metropolitan Division. 

It's The Calm Before The Storm For Sabres As Buffalo Aims To End Painful Playoff DroughtFor the Buffalo Sabres, it’s the calm before the storm. The NHL’s 2025-26 regular-season is about to commence, and with the new season comes a new set of expectations for the Sabres. And with this season’s Sabres, the expectation is urgent – this Buffalo team is either going to end the Sabres’ 14-year playoff drought, or there are going to be changes throughout the organization, including the firings of GM Kevyn Adams and coach Lindy Ruff.

All of this is to say the odds of the Sabres beating out every other team and sneaking into a wild card berth this year. There are too many things out of Buffalo’s control, too many what-ifs, too many ripple-effects. None of them make the Sabres’ lives easy. Buffalo could play well, and still not have their destiny in their hands down the stretch. That has to be alarming for Sabres hands who want nothing more than to cheer on their own playoff team. 

Buffalo knows they’re not going to be a popular pick to go far this season, and they need to use the underdog label to send a message – this year’s Sabres aren’t the Sabres of the past decade-and-a-half. Buffalo has sufficient talent to be a playoff team this season, and as they prepare for their first game Thursday night against the New York Rangers (another team that could hurt the Sabres landing a wild card spot), Buffalo understands they’re coming to a crossroads with this Sabres team.

Early Injuries To Key Sabres Players Can't Be An Excuse For Buffalo To Fail This SeasonWe said it earlier this summer, on more than one occasion – if the Buffalo Sabres intend on ending their Stanley Cup playoff drought at 14 years, they can’t afford to let the injury bug take a major bite out of their roster. Obviously, that’s something that only the Hockey Gods can control, but the Sabres simply don’t have the organizational depth to withstand the damage if someone meaningful is sidelined for a notable stretch of time.

Buffalo absolutely has to empty the tank to avoid losing out on simply qualifying for the post-season. Because the Sabres are going to be fighting it out with many teams for a wild card berth, and the odds are stacked against them.