Daniil Tarasov will make his Florida Panthers and 2025-26 season debut today against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Panthers are set to embark on a five-game road trip after sweeping a three-game homestand to start the season. Sergei Bobrovsky was in between the pipes for the first three games, posting a .925 save percentage and a 1.68 goals against average.

Tarasov will likely play twice this week, as the Panthers play a back-to-back against the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday and the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. 

The 26-year-old recorded an. 881 SP and 3.55 GAA last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, but the Panthers are hoping to get the 2023-24 version of Tarasov, who posted a .908 SP and 3.18 GAA. 

The Panthers and Flyers met this season already, with the Panthers defeating the Flyers 2-1 in the second game of the season. Bobrovsky wasn't a busy man in that game, turning 19 of the 20 shots he faced. Anton Lundell opened the scoring in the second period before Noah Cates tied the game later in the frame. Brad Marchand scored early in the third period, and the Panthers locked the game down, allowing just five shots on net in the final stanza. 

The Panthers are hoping for a similar end result, the two points, but are probably hoping for a bigger score line. 

Panthers kick off five-game road trip in Philadelphia against winless FlyersFresh off a strong three-game homestand in which the Florida Panthers collected all six possible points in the standings, the Cats are hitting the pavement for an extended road trip.

This season, there has been a notable number of young, talented players who are entering their rookie season.

Some are fresh from the 2025 draft, which took place in late June, or had a small taste of what the NHL experience is like, making a handful of appearances last year.

This past weekend, the NHL had all 32 NHL teams play on Saturday. It would be very challenging for fans to catch every game or moment, including several rookies who scored their first NHL goals.

Matthew Schaefer, D, New York Islanders

The first overall pick from the 2025 draft, Matthew Schaefer, wasted no time getting his first career goal on the board. Schaefer’s first NHL goal was a power-play marker that came against the Washington Capitals, in unusual fashion.

The 18-year-old defenseman was standing near the offensive blueline when there was a pileup in front of goaltender Logan Thompson. Bodies were lying down everywhere as Capitals defensemen and New York Islanders forwards scrambled for the puck.

Eventually, the puck skewed free of the pile of players, and Schaefer charged from the blueline before diving and poking the puck in the net.

Schaefer spoke about his mom, who passed away in February 2024 following a battle with breast cancer.

“She’s up there with the hockey gods,” Schaefer said after the game. “Maybe (she) slipped them a little 20 (dollar bill) to get that goal. She’s definitely there to help.”

Zeev Buium, D, Minnesota Wild

Zeev Buium of the Minnesota Wild is another defenseman who scored their first NHL goal this past weekend. Buium’s was also on the power play, a little more traditional than Schaefer’s, though. 

The 19-year-old blueliner scored his goal in the third period against the Columbus Blue Jackets, cutting their lead to 5-3. 

Buium started the play when he received the puck at the point and rapidly inched closer to the slot before firing a wrist shot that went wide of the goal. However, Minnesota center Joel Eriksson Ek picked up the puck from behind the net and found Buium in the slot, who one-timed it home.

Buium also recorded another power-play point in that period, a secondary assist on a Kirill Kaprizov goal. The young D-man now has two points in two games this season.

Gavin Brindley, C, Colorado Avalanche

Gavin Brindley scored a big goal for the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. His first-career marker came against the mighty Dallas Stars. The Stars have seen the Western Conference final for three straight seasons and eliminated the Avalanche in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last year.

At any rate, Brindley’s goal put Colorado up 2-1 over Dallas at this moment. The play started as a 2-on-2 opportunity with Brindley pushing toward the slot and left winger Victor Olofsson carrying the puck on the left flank.

Olofsson made a good move in an effort to get past Stars defenseman Thomas Harley. In the process, he created a passing lane to the front of the net for Brindley, who shoved the puck through goaltender Jake Oettinger.

Sam Rinzel, D, Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Sam Rinzel secured his first goal of the season against the Montreal Canadiens. His goal was the equalizer after Canadiens right winger Cole Caufield opened the scoring less than two minutes before Rinzel’s tally.

Rinzel’s goal came off a faceoff, won by center Frank Nazar. Nazar’s draw was directed toward left winger Teuvo Teravainen, who made a drop pass to Rinzel standing at the right point. 

The 21-year-old blueliner galloped into the faceoff circle, where Nazar’s faceoff was won, and Rinzel whipped it past Habs goaltender Sam Montembeault for the first of his career.

Outside of this season, Rinzel played nine games with Chicago last season, recording five assists in that span. With this goal in the Blackhawks’ third game of the season, Rinzel has six points in 12 career NHL contests.

Ben Kindel, C, Pittsburgh Penguins

Ben Kindel has looked like a regular NHL pro in his first three career games this season. To back that up, he’s another player who bagged his first NHL goal on Saturday for the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

His goal came off the rush in a solo fashion against the New York Rangers. The 18-year-old center picked up the puck neutral zone and carried it over the blueline on the right-hand side.

As he entered the right-sided faceoff circle in the Penguins’ offensive zone, he fired the puck on the short side of goaltender Igor Shesterkin, tying the game for Pittsburgh in the second period.

Like Schaefer, Kindel is one of the few players from the 2025 draft to play this season. Only Brady Martin of the Nashville Predators and Braeden Cootes of the Vancouver Canucks join them in that category.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Well, it's our first matinee game of the Colorado Avalanche regular season, folks!

We've got a bunch more of these morning/early afternoon games ahead of us, but let's focus on the now. The Avalanche are headed into this game in Buffalo coming off a devastating shootout loss to the Dallas Stars. Why is it devastating? Because it was easily their best game of the season, by far.

The third line continued to do good things, the first line finally got going on a higher level - heck, we even saw the best version of the power play so far.

The Buffalo Sabres have not gotten their first win of the season, and if last season's matchups between these two teams are any indication, they're gonna make the Avalanche work to get back into the win column.

What happened last time these two teams met?

Let's first go back to December, 3rd 2024. This current version of the Avalanche looked a lot different, namely due to the presence of Alexandar Georgiev. He started this game, the first of two during the 2024-25 season, and let in four goals in the span of 11 minutes and 49 seconds.

Enter new trade acquisition Scott Wedgewood, who the Avalanche traded for just two days before this game. Georgiev gets pulled and Wedgewood stands on his head to pave the way for Colorado's 5-goal comeback win.

The Avs and Scott Wedgewood shut the door on the Buffalo Sabres with an INSANE 5-4 comeback win.

Wedgewood's first look with the Avalanche was nothing short of impressive. This was easily his best save of the night.#GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/tyVHY4oUWR

— Bailey Curtis (@baileyycurtis) December 4, 2024

Fast forward just about a month later to January 2nd, the Avalanche host the Sabres and history repeats itself. Buffalo gets off to an early 3-0 start, snapped by a Cale Makar goal. Scott Wedgewood starts this game only to get hurt early in the third period, except the officials don't blow the play dead and Colorado goes down another goal. Mackenzie Blackwood comes in as relief and the Avalanche put on a stunning performance to force overtime, and Devon Toews eventually goes on to win the game.

Now, as much as you might love a good rollercoaster, the Avalanche could do with a straightforward game to carry on the good things they did in Saturday's game against the Stars.

When/Where/How to Find the Game

Puck Drop: 7:08 pm Mountain Time

Avalanche T.V. Broadcast: Altitude Sports Network

Avalanche Radio Broadcast: Altitude Sports Radio, 92.5 FM

Buffalo T.V. Broadcast: MSG Network

Buffalo Radio Broadcast: WGR 550 AM

---

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The Jets look to build on Saturday's victory in tough matchup against Islanders on Canadian Thanksgiving, while preparing to counter the impact of rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer. 

The Winnipeg Jets look to build on their first victory of the season as they visit the New York Islanders for an afternoon matinee matchup at UBS Arena on Canadian Thanksgiving. Winnipeg held off a late push from Los Angeles in Saturday’s 4–2 win, powered by a perfect performance on the penalty kill and a strong defensive stand in the final minutes.

Scheifele Scores Twice as Jets Take Down Kings 3-2The Winnipeg Jets are back in the win column. 

The Jets’ penalty kill has been the standout story of their first week. Winnipeg opened the season in impressive fashion, scoring two shorthanded goals against Dallas, then following it up with a flawless 5-for-5 effort on the kill versus Los Angeles.

Offensively, center Mark Scheifele has been the driving force, notching two goals on Saturday and adding three assists for a total of five points in the team’s first two games. His linemate Kyle Connor, fresh off signing the largest contract in franchise history, made an immediate impact with a hat trick in the season opener and an assist on one of Scheifele’s goals against the Kings. With several key players still sidelined by injuries, the Scheifele–Connor duo will aim to carry the load once again as Winnipeg faces an Islanders team showcasing a new wave of emerging talent.

Lineup Storylines 

The Islanders dropped their home opener 4–2 to Washington on Saturday, despite outshooting the Capitals 20–6 in the third period. The biggest headline out of the game was 2025 top pick defenseman Matthew Schaefer, scored his first career goal in the loss. Not something normal for a defenseman, but the Hamilton native has proven to be a difference maker in early action with several stunning defensive efforts like multiple chasedown stops on breakaways. 

Just an absolutely insane defensive backcheck from Matthew Schaefer on Matvei Michkov 😱

In the first overall pick’s first NHL game too 😳

(via @OSulr81) pic.twitter.com/CqRBhSJOdg

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) September 22, 2025

The Jets will need to sharpen their focus on figuring out how to break through the 18-year-old sensation, as there’s limited footage or scouting information on his game. The rookie has already led his team in ice time through the first two contests and will look to add to the scoresheet again on Monday. 

Winnipeg's expected starter Connor Hellebuyck will need to elevate their play as the back-to-back Vezina Trophy winner has struggled against the Islanders, holding a 5-7-0 record with a 3.20 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage in 12 appearances, one of his toughest matchups statistically against any team in the league. 

The Jets will need to generate some offense of their own, but that will be a tall order as they’re missing four key players in captain Adam Lowry, top-six winger Cole Perfetti, and defensemen Dylan Samberg and Haydn Fleury. With lineup changes in place, winger Nikita Chibrikov stepping in for Perfetti and veteran defenseman Colin Miller replacing Fleury will both need standout performances if the Jets hope to stay competitive in this matchup. 

Jets Bring Up Kale Clague as Insurance Following Injury to Haydn FleuryOn Saturday afternoon, Winnipeg Jets defenceman Haydn Fleury suffered a lower body injury after blocking a shot from Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe.

Player & Betting Trends (Presented By BetMGM)

NYI ML (+105) | WPG ML (-125)

NYI +1.5 (-238) | WPG -1.5 (+190)

O/U 5.5 Goals

While the Jets rarely face the Islanders due to being in separate conferences, New York has consistently had the upper hand in this matchup, boasting a 9-2-0 record over the last 11 meetings since 2019. Despite Winnipeg’s rise to Stanley Cup contender status in recent seasons, the Islanders have continued to be a thorn in their side, winning two of the past three head-to-head games over the last two years.

For the Jets to stand a chance, they'll need the offense to have a big performance and that starts with points coming out of cold sources like veteran center Jonathan Toews. Winnipeg's big free agent add has yet to find the scoresheet and will need to start contributing soon. His history in this matchup is fairly decent with seven goals and ten assists for 17 points over his last 24 matchups against the Islanders. 

Former Jets First-Rounder Signs with Edmonton OilersWinnipeg Jets' 2015 first round pick in Jack Roslovic signed with the Edmonton mid-game on Wednesday as they Oilers were playing in the Battle of Alberta with the Calgary Flames. 

Goalie Matchup

Winnipeg: EricComrie (VS NYI: 2-1-0 record, 1.02 GAA, .963 SV% in Three Games) 

New York: Ilya Sorokin (VS WPG: 3-2-0 record, 2.03 GAA, .932 SV% in Five Games)

After a two-game road trip to begin the year, the Senators are back home, just in time for Thanksgiving. They’ll play their 2025-26 home opener on Monday afternoon at 1 pm, facing the Nashville Predators. The Sens have won their last five home openers, including last season's 3-1 win over Florida. Speaking of which...

How’s It Going?

The Senators opened the season with a split of their two games in the state of Florida. Given the perennial strength of the Lightning and Panthers, the Sens can’t be unhappy with that. But the way they were taken apart by the defending champs, 6-2 on Saturday, combined with a very sluggish effort from goalie Linus Ullmark, was a little unsettling for most fans.

The Senators’ penalty kill is more than a little unsettling; it's off to a dreadful start. They’ve allowed 5 goals on 8 penalty-killing attempts, easily the worst in the NHL to open the season. On the plus side, Shane Pinto is off to the best start of his career with 4 goals in the first 2 games. Pinto's line with Claude Giroux has been the top performing line in the first two games, combining for 8 points

The Predators are 1-0-1 to start the year after defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets, 2-1, and falling 3-2 in overtime to the Utah Mammoth. The Preds are trying to shake off a wildly disappointing 2024-25 season.

One of Nashville's new players to watch is No. 44, Brady Martin, the Predators’ fifth overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. The 18-year-old not only claimed a roster spot out of camp, but he’s been centring Nashville’s top line between veterans Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly.

Sens Lineup Changes

It looks like the Senators may swap out their bottom pairing D for this one. Tyler Kleven is expected to return from injury to take up his usual spot on the left side. That means Donovan Sebrango comes out, while Nikolas Matinpalo might also make way for Jordan Spence’s Senator debut.

Drake Batherson isn’t expected to play, but feels good about making his season debut on Wednesday, so the Sens will probably need to send a player down to Belleville in the next 48 hours.

Thanksgiving History

When you think back to the Thanksgiving Monday afternoon classic at Canadian Tire last year, these two clubs have an impossible act to follow, entertainment-wise. In one of the wildest Senators home games in recent memory, Ottawa defeated Los Angeles 8-7 in overtime.

Though both men play for different teams now, Zack MacEwen and Josh Norris were the heroes that day, each scoring twice for the Sens. Norris ended the emotional back and forth game with the overtime winner. MacEwen was traded to New Jersey earlier this month for Kurtis MacDermid. Norris was dealt to Buffalo in March in a deadline deal that included Dylan Cozens.

Fan Fun

Here’s an outline of the home opener pre-game party the Sens have going on, according to their website: The plaza will open at 10 a.m. with a performance from Ottawa Valley country band Rainwater Whiskey.

There will be $5 beer, soft drinks, hot dogs and sausages. There are inflatables and face painting for kids. Additionally, fans will be able to purchase the Senators third jersey from the Sens Store and online beginning at 10 a.m. Fans are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item, as the Ottawa Food Bank will be on-site collecting donations at Gates 1, 2, and 3.

Upon entry into the building fans will receive a schedule magnet and a flashlight sticker to be used as part of the pre-game ceremony.

Your Handy Lineup Card (from NHL.com)

PREDATORS (1-0-1) at SENATORS (1-1-0)

Faceoff: 1 pm TV: RDS2, TSN5

Predators projected lineup

Filip Forsberg -- Brady Martin -- Ryan O’Reilly
Steven Stamkos -- Fedor Svechkov -- Luke Evangelista
Michael Bunting -- Erik Haula -- Jonathan Marchessault
Cole Smith -- Michael McCarron -- Tyson Jost

Adam Wilsby -- Roman Josi
Brady Skjei -- Nick Perbix
Spencer Stastney -- Justin Barron

Juuse Saros
Justus Annunen

Senators projected lineup

Brady Tkachuk -- Tim Stutzle -- Fabian Zetterlund
Ridly Greig -- Shane Pinto -- Claude Giroux
David Perron -- Dylan Cozens -- Michael Amadio
Nick Cousins -- Lars Eller -- Olle Lycksell

Jake Sanderson -- Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot -- Nick Jensen
Tyler Kleven -- Jordan Spence

Linus Ullmark
Leevi Merilainen

More Sens Headlines From The Hockey News Ottawa:

Another Tough Break For Former Senator Josh Norris
Senators Injuries: Kleven And Batherson Provide Health Updates
Yakemchuk Reflects On Playing First Pro Game Saturday
Senators Mauled By Florida 6-2, Penalty Killing Struggles Continue
Jordan Spence: A Healthy Scratch For Sens Season Opener

The Florida Panthers have made a roster move as they prepare to begin a five-game road trip.

Last Thursday, Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov suffered an upper-body injury during Florida’s 3-2 win over Philadelphia.

Kulikov left the game immediately and did not return, and he has since been placed on Injured Reserve by the team.

Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice said on Saturday morning that Kulikov and the team were still considering options on how to handle the injury and that a recovery timeline would be forthcoming.

While that information has yet to be revealed by the team, they did call up defenseman Toby Bjornfot from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers and he will begin the road trip with the Panthers.

Bjornfot was initially claimed off waivers by Florida from the Vegas Golden Knights during March of 2024.

He played 14 games with the Panthers last season and 50 with AHL Charlotte, racking up three goals and 18 points with the Checkers.

Bjornfot, 24, has 134 games of NHL experience under his belt and is well versed in Florida’s defensive systems.

He’ll be with the team Monday night when they begin their five-game, nine-day road trip in Philly against the Flyers.

Perhaps after Florida's morning skate, Maurice will have more of an update on Kulikov. 

Stay tuned. 

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Panthers kick off five-game road trip in Philadelphia against winless Flyers

Panthers sign forward Jonah Gadjovich to 2-year contract extension

Three Takeaways: Special teams giving Panthers a major boost, as is their depth scoring

Panthers wrap up perfect season-opening homestand with 6-2 victory over Ottawa

Panthers pay tribute to former forward Nick Cousins during Senators visit to Sunrise

Photo caption: Sep 19, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Tobias Bjornfot (22) works during training camp at Baptist Health IcePlex. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

The former Minnesota Wild defenseman Brent Burns played in his 1,500th career NHL game with the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday against the Dallas Stars.

Burns, 40, became the 23rd player and eighth defenseman in NHL history, as well as the only active player, to reach that milestone on Saturday.

The other seven defensemen are Zdeno Chara (1,680), Chris Chelios (1,651), Scott Stevens (1,635), Larry Murphy (1,615), Ray Bourque (1,612), Nicklas Lidstrom (1,564) and Ryan Suter (1,526).

In his 22 NHL seasons with four different teams, Burns has recorded 261 goals, 650 assists and 911 points. He has won the Norris Trophy which is given to the league's top defenseman during that season. Burns had 29 goals, 47 assists and 76 points during 2016-17 when he won it.

Burns was the 20th overall pick by the Wild in the 2003 NHL Draft. He spent seven seasons with the Wild before he was traded to the San Jose Sharks.

In his seven seasons with Minnesota, Burns recorded 55 goals, 128 assists and 183 points in 453 games.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Recent Minnesota Wild Stories

Minnesota Wild Vs Columbus Blue Jackets: Analytical RecapST. PAUL, Minn - I have been tracking some stats about the Minnesota Wild that I will now make available to the public. After each game I will have some analytics that I tracked. Most analytical recaps will be after home games but I may post some road ones too.

- Wild Place Nico Sturm On Injured Reserve.

- Wild Sign Kirill Kaprizov To An Eight-Year Contract Extension.

- Wild Claim Defenseman Daemon Hunt Off Waivers.

- Wild Sign Filip Gustavsson To A Five-Year Contract Extension.

- Wild's Mats Zuccarello Out For Two Months With Lower-Body Injury.

The recent signings of Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov, Jack Eichel and Kyle Connor thinned out the top talent in next summer's NHL free-agent market.

That could push up the value of Los Angeles Kings right winger Adrian Kempe, Buffalo Sabres right winger Alex Tuch and Colorado Avalanche right winger Martin Necas.

Contract talks have reportedly taken place between the Kings and Kempe and the Sabres and Alex Tuch. It's believed the Kings don't want to risk losing their leading goal-scorer, especially with Anze Kopitar retiring at the end of this season. Meanwhile, Tuch has signalled his interest in re-signing with the Sabres, but those discussions have reportedly stalled.

As for Necas, Sportsnet's Michael Amato raised the possibility that he could price himself out of Colorado.

The 26-year-old  had a career-high 83 points last season split between the Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes. Amato believes he could reach 90 points with a full season alongside superstar Nathan MacKinnon, which could push his asking price to over $10 million annually.

Complicating things is that the Avalanche must ensure they have long-term cap room to re-sign superstar defenseman Cale Makar, who is UFA-eligible in 2027. It could cost them over $17 million annually to re-sign him.

If the Avalanche sign Necas for between $10 million and $11 million annually, Amato speculates they might have to move a core player, such as Devon Toews, Brock Nelson, Valeri Nichushkin or Mackenzie Blackwood to free up sufficient space for Makar.

That could explain why some observers doubt the Avalanche can keep Necas in the fold.

Turning to the Canadiens, contract extension negotiations with Lane Hutson have dominated headlines in Montreal. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the two sides have agreed to keep those discussions out of the public eye.

Hutson's contract negotiations are overshadowing Mike Matheson's UFA eligibility next summer. The 31-year-old Canadiens blueliner is in the final season of an eight-year contract with a cap hit of $4.875 million.

Matheson has at times incurred the wrath of Canadiens fans for his occasional defensive mistakes. However, he has also garnered praise from the team for his all-around play and ability to log big minutes.

Since pairing up with off-season acquisition Noah Dobson on the Canadiens' top pair, Matheson's play has improved. TVA Sports' Renaud Lavoie pointed this out following the Habs' 5-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings.

Lavoie believes the Canadiens must do all they can to re-sign Matheson. The improved depth on their blueline will lighten his workload but still ensure his effectiveness as a top-four defenseman.

With over $36.7 million in projected cap space for 2026-27, and with 15 active roster players under contract for next season, the Canadiens have the room to re-sign Matheson, depending on how much he'll seek. However, they must ensure they have sufficient long-term cap room for Hutson and rookie right winger Ivan Demidov, who'll need a new contract in 2027.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Blue Jackets host the New Jersey Devils at Nationwide Arena tonight in the home opener. 

The home opener for Columbus is always a great event. Before, during, and after the game is always a fun time in the arena district. I encourage you to attend. 

Now for the game. The Blue Jackets seem to always have a hard time winning against the Devils, so this one could be tough. The CBJ are coming in off a crazy game in Minnesota, where they gave up four power play goals and took 8, yes 8, penalties. That cannot happen again if they stand a chance against the NJD.

The Devils come into Columbus having beaten the Tampa Bay Lightning by a score of 5-3 on Saturday. Connor Brown scored a pair of goals in the win. Jacob Markstrom has started both games for New Jersey so far and expect him to get the nod in favor of Jake Allen tonight. 

CBJ defenseman Erik Gudbranson took a hard shot from Marcus Foligno that sent him from the game on Saturday night. We'll find out later if he can go, or if Jake Christiansen will need to step in. 

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 25% - 9th in NHL
• Penalty Kill - 58.3% - 30th in NHL
• Goals For - 8 - T-4th in NHL
• Goals Against - 6 - T-2nd in NHL

Devils Stats

• Power Play - 0% - 28th in NHL
• Penalty Kill - 85.7% - 12th in NHL
• Goals For - 8 - T-4th in NHL
• Goals Against - 9 - T-7th in NHL

Series History vs. The Devils

• Columbus is 29-21-1-3, and 17-11-0 at home all-time vs. New Jersey
• The Blue Jackets went 1-2 vs. the Devils last season, and lost the only game played at NWA.
• The CBJ have killed 27 of the last 30 Devils power plays over the last 14 games at NWA.

Who To Watch For The Devils

• Luke Hughes leads the Devils through two games in assists and points with 4.
• Jesper Bratt leads NJD with two goals.
• Jacob Markstrom is 1-1 with an .837 SV%.

CBJ Player Notes vs. Devils

• Sean Monahan has 25 points in 20 career games against NJD.
• Zach Werenski has 9 points in 24 games against the Devils.
• Boone Jenner has 20 points in 36 games against New Jersey

Injuries - None

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 0

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.

Let us know what you think below.

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

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More From THN

Former Blue Jackets Forward Scores First NHL GoalLast night, former Columbus Blue Jackets' forward Gavin Brindley scored his first NHL goal as a member of the Colorado Avalanche. The Hockey News Sunday Recap: Columbus Blue JacketsFrom Ex-players to current players and everything in between, we've got you covered.  Zach Werenski Moves Up A Spot In The CBJ Record BooksLast night against the Minnesota Wild, Zach Werenski had another one of "those" nights. He played over 25 minutes, had 7 shots, and had a plus-4 rating. He also scored a goal and assisted on two others. 

The New York Islanders have sent forward prospect Calum Ritchie to Bridgeport of the American Hockey League. 

The 20-year-old was rather impressive during training camp and the preseason, but due to a lack of an opening in the top nine, especially at the center position, it was unlikely that he'd make the team.

Calum Ritchie Continues Making Waves In Bid for Islanders Roster SpotNEW YORK, NY -- The chances of New York Islanders prospect Calum Ritchie making the team out of training camp are slim -- it's not zero. 

Because Ritchie sustained a minor lower-body injury in the Islanders' preseason finale against the Philadelphia Flyers, he began the season on Season-Opening Injured Reserve. 

The belief was that when he was healthy, if the Islanders were healthy, he'd be heading back to Bridgeport, where he could play big minutes for head coach Rocky Thompson and a new and improved AHL squad.

Quick explanation as to why I said there’s no opening:

1. Playing him on fourth line stifles his offensive instincts
2. Don’t think he’s ready to be a top-six forward
3. Isles liking what they see from Barzal back at C
4. Could play wing but they want him developing as a C
5.… https://t.co/R7gWPjVdOw

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) October 12, 2025

Ritchie had practiced the last two days, so it was only a matter of time before he was optioned to the AHL.

Last season, after making the Colorado Avalanche out of training camp, Ritchie played seven NHL games -- all on wing -- scoring one goal, which happened to come against Ilya Sorokin.

The Avalanche returned him to the OHL's Oshawa Generals for the remainder of the season, as he was not eligible due to his age to play in the AHL.

He'll likely get his first taste of that league, when Bridgeport on Friday, Oct. 2 host the Providence Bruins at 7 PM ET. 

Bridgeport is coming off a 6-2 win over the Belleville Senators and is 1-0-1-0 on the young season. 

Defenseman Marshall Warren is tied atop the AHL leaderboards with four points (two goals, two assists).

One @AHLIslanders prospect that has been super impressive since development camp has been Marshall Warren📈.

Today, the defenseman scored two goals🚨, helping Bridgeport to a 1-0-1 start, rebounding from last season’s campaign. pic.twitter.com/vdFoyFUxge

— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) October 12, 2025

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The Philadelphia Flyers badly need adequate reinforcements on defense, and what better way to get them than for free from the NHL waiver wire?

After passing on Victor Soderstrom towards the end of training camp and the preseason, the Flyers again will have an opportunity to claim a young player with some pedigree and throw a dart at the void that is their defense.

On Sunday, it was announced that the San Jose Sharks had placed defenseman Jack Thompson on waivers, exposing him to the Flyers and the other 30 NHL teams.

Yes, he was just cut from the Sharks, of all teams, but at just 23 years old, there's plenty to like about Thompson and what he could potentially bring to the table, even for a brief cameo.

After appearing in just three NHL games prior, Thompson broke through for the Sharks last season, playing 31 games in San Jose and scoring four goals, six assists, and 10 points while bouncing around between the Sharks and the AHL Barracuda.

Between the AHL and the NHL, the former third-round pick scored a total of seven goals, 17 assists, and 24 points in 58 games.

In the 2023-24 season, playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch, Thompson produced a solid five goals, 27 assists, and 32 points in 46 games.

At 6-foot-2, Thompson is neither particularly nimble nor physical; his skating metrics from last season rank below the 50th percentile in nearly every category, according to NHL EDGE, while he made just 12 hits in 31 games with the Sharks.

What Thompson can bring the Flyers, however, is the ability to move the puck and defend at a level that was high enough to look decent on a team like San Jose.

The right-shot blueliner could conceivably carve out an NHL career as a bottom-four defenseman with some improvements to skating and/or the addition of a physical element, which the Flyers were looking for and haven't gotten from Helge Grans yet.

The Egor Zamula, Adam Ginning, and Noah Juulsen experiments haven't worked out at all so far, and the Flyers have already decided they'd rather see Emil Andrae than Dennis Gilbert on the NHL roster after the first two games of the year.

Should the Flyers successfully claim Thompson off waivers from the Sharks, they add another young and fairly experienced player to the fold with some semblance of offensive upside.

That's more than what they can say about most other internal options at the position at the moment.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Easton Cowan has been keeping tabs on good friend Fraser Minten.

Minten, who was the Maple Leafs' second-round (38th overall) pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, joined the Boston Bruins after being traded with a conditional 2026 first-round pick and a 2025 fourth-round pick for defenseman Brandon Carlo.

The 21-year-old was drafted a year before Cowan, who was a first-round (28th overall) pick by Toronto in 2023. Minten and Cowan developed a strong relationship off the ice as two of the Maple Leafs' top prospects in the system.

Cowan, set to make his NHL debut against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday afternoon, revealed ahead of rookie camp that he's renting Minten's place. Minten had bought a place in Toronto while splitting last season between the AHL and NHL before being traded to Boston in March.

Minten got off to a strong start with the Bruins, scoring the overtime-winner against the Chicago Blackhawks in the second game of the season. It was his second goal with Boston after scoring one in six games last year.

"I watched (the overtime-winner) live, actually," Cowan smiled. "Then we FaceTimed the next night, so it was good. Obviously, such a great player and just really good to see that he's succeeding over there."

FRASER SAYS: DOWN GOES CHICAGO 🥊 pic.twitter.com/eFOqTbsnQu

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 10, 2025

It's Minten's fourth goal through 28 career NHL games split between the Maple Leafs and Bruins. Minten is currently occupying the third-line center spot on the Bruins, a spot in the lineup that people had him projected to play during his years as a prospect in the Maple Leafs organization.

As Cowan prepares for his NHL debut, what has he learned from Minten over the years about being a consistent player at the pro level?

"Just details. Like everyone says, you got to be good on the boards and stuff like that, and I feel like I've done a great job of that so far," Cowan said. "So just gotta keep going, like I said, and I'll give him a call, let him know I'm in (Toronto's lineup), so he'll be pumped."

Cowan is set to make his NHL debut on the Maple Leafs' top line with Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews. The Bruins and Maple Leafs will play their first game of the season against each other on Nov. 8 in Toronto.

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Sam Rinzel, a 2022 first-round pick, is developing into one of the best young defensemen in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Blackhawks. Even Kyle Davidson would admit that Rinzel has exceeded all expectations up to this point. 

On Saturday night, Rinzel scored his first career NHL goal. It was an impressive goal as he was the recipient of a good play made by Frank Nazar and Teuvo Teravainen before he skated through a lane to the net and sniped it. It’s the type of goal that serves as evidence that he could be a dynamic star on the back-end. 

"To get the first one, it feels good," Rinzel said after the game. "It definitely gives you some confidence for sure."

With this goal, Rinzel has 6 points (1-5–6) in 12 career games. That type of production, if kept up or even built on, would make him one of the best offensive defensemen in the world. However, his positioning and defense have been special, too.

Rinzel is an all-purpose player. He plays well at even strength, he is the quarterback of the top power play unit, and he can kill penalties. With an average of 23:26, he leads the Blackhawks in time on ice by almost two minutes. For being 12 games into his career, it is impressive to see how quickly he has earned the trust of the coaching staff.  

The organization has made it obvious that Rinzel is in the long-term plans. His first career NHL goal was just a small milestone compared to the expectations that are on him as a defenseman in the long term. He is now in the conversation with guys like Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Artyom Levshunov, Anton Frondell, and Alex Vlasic, amongst others, as a core piece. 

Vlasic, whom the Blackhawks also really like and is second on the team in average time on ice, is Rinzel's defense partner to start the year. With Vlasic, who also has the capabilities of a two-way player despite leaning towards a defensive mindset, Rinzel is free to play the position how he feels comfortable. It is apparent early that they feed off each other. 

If Rinzel continues to stack up points, lead Chicago in ice time, and prove himself as a great player in his own end, the NHL may begin to talk about him in the Calder Trophy conversation.

Now, Rinzel can completely focus on playing hockey the right way while continuing to get better. With that mentality, goals, assists, and so much more will come. 

It must be remembered that he is still very young and inexperienced. There will be rookie mistakes that make you wonder. However, the process is correct, and he is already well beyond his years. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

Fresh off a strong three-game homestand in which the Florida Panthers collected all six possible points in the standings, the Cats are hitting the pavement for an extended road trip.

The first stop for Florida will be on Monday night in the City of Brotherly Love as the Panthers will face the Philadelphia Flyers for the second time in the young season.

It was Thursday night when the Cats defeated Philly in what was the season opener for the visiting squad, a 3-2 victory that saw Florida dominate in several areas.

If not for an outstanding effort in goal by Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar, the score would have been much more lopsided.

In the time since, Philly made a stop in Carolina, dropping a 4-3 effort in overtime against the Hurricanes on Saturday night, before arriving back in Philadelphia for their home opener.

Now they’ll have to face the defending champs again.

Florida has done well in recently against their friends from Philly, with wins in four of the past five meetings.

The Cats also appeared to adjust well to their first game without defenseman Dmitry Kulokov.

Uvis Balinskis seamlessly slid into Florida’s lineup, playing on a pairing with Jeff Petry and gobbling up 17:40 of ice time that included a shift on the penalty kill.

One thing that will be interesting to keep an eye on this week, as the Cats will play four games over the next six days, is how they manage their goaltenders.

Sergei Bobrovsky has played each of Florida’s first three games, skating to a sparking 1.67 goals against average and .925 save percentage while allowing only five goals over the three wins.

At some point, and likely soon, new backup Daniil Tarasov will see his first action in a Panthers sweater, but Florida may want to hold off at least one more game.

That’s because Bobrovsky, who broke into the NHL with the Flyers all the way back in 2010, has an excellent record against his former club.

Bob owns a 21-8-1 record when facing the Flyers, along with a 2.37 goals against average and .920 save percentage.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Monday’s matchup in Philly:

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Brad Marchand

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sam Reinhart

Mackie Samoskevich – Evan Rodrigues – Jesper Boqvist

A.J. Greer – Luke Kunin – Jonah Gadjovich

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

Uvis Balinskis – Jeff Petry

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Photo caption: Oct 9, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes a save against Philadelphia Flyers right wing Matvei Michkov (39) during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)