PITTSBURGH (AP) — Florida Panthers goalie Cooper Black skated onto the PPG Paints Arena ice alone during pregame warmups on Thursday night, a time-honored hockey tradition given to rookies everywhere.
It took Black fewer strides to make the memorable lap than most.
Call it one of the upsides of being 6-foot-9.
Black made NHL history in his first career start when he became the tallest goaltender to ever appear in a regular-season game. Black is listed as two inches taller than Ben Bishop, Ivan Fedotov, Mads Sogaard and Mikko Koskinen, all 6-foot-7.
The 25-year-old from Alpen, Michigan, who started playing when he was 8 and had a 5-inch growth spurt between his junior and senior years in high school when he shot up from 6-0 to 6-5 and kept right on going, was excellent in his first period.
Black, called up from Florida's AHL affiliate in Charlotte recently after Jacob Markstrom went down with a shoulder injury, stopped Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang with his blocker pad on a wrist shot about two minutes in. He also turned aside a breakaway opportunity by Penguins forward Rickard Rakell before giving up a goal to Nick Robertson, who beat Black to the glove side.
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice praised Black's development in recent years. Florida signed Black as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2024. Black blossomed last season in Charlotte, posting a 25-13-4 record with a 2.47 goals against average and a .903 save percentage.
“A man that size, it takes a long time to grow into that body,” Maurice said before adding with a laugh, “I think he’s done.”
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 05: Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs (37) makes a save with Florida Panthers center Eetu Luostarinen (27) in front during the first period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Florida Panthers on April 5, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buffalo Sabres puzzlingly made no moves of consequence to replace the offensive firepower lost when winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram departed last summer. Tuch scored more than 30 goals in three of Buffalo's last four seasons and 33 last season. Byram scored a career-high 11 goals, third in defensive scoring behind Rasmus Dahlin and Mattias Samuelsson.
GM Jarmo Kekalainen opted to rely almost exclusively on internal growth from the club’s young forward group to make up the offensive gap, but through 10 games, the Sabres who finished 5th in the NHL with 288 goals last season (3.51 goals per game), are 20th in the NHL with 28 goals (2.8 goals per game). The club has trailed by two or more goals in nine of their 10 games, and still have a record of 4-4-2.
Playoff standout Zach Benson, who scored 13 goals in the regular season, is without a goal, while forwards Josh Doan (25 goals), Ryan McLeod (14 goals), Peyton Krebs (12 goals), Jiri Kulich, and Konsta Helenius have one. The Sabres welcomed back veteran winger Jason Zucker, who scored 24 goals last season, and he scored their only goal in a 3-1 loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday, but the lack of production is something that is beginning to concern head coach Lindy Ruff.
Which team is theb best fit for Connor Hellebuyck?
"We talked about missed nets, missed opportunities. I think we're 31st or 32nd in terms of missed nets. I thought we had some great looks in the first period. Some good looks in the second period too. I still think we miss the net too often," Ruff said. mentioned. " Our guys got frustrated.... and then we turned into trying to get a little bit too fancy when we hit the line. We had to get it below the line, win some battles. Those battles got to turn into opportunities.”
Other than Tage Thompson and Jack Quinn (each with five goals), Buffalo’s forwards have not been able to cash in on their chances. Kekalainen did not add a forward in a trade or via free agency over the summer to provide some secondary offense. A couple, Stanley Cup winner Vladimir Tarasenko and former 40-goal scorer Patrik Laine, are still on the market.
With Zucker back, the Sabres have to hope that their anemic power play will begin to produce, but more than that, they will need more than just Thompson and one or two others to begin hitting the back of the net.
Ron Duguay plays for the New York Rangers alumni team on Dec. 31, 2011, in Philadelphia. On Thursday, the Rangers announced that Duguay died at 69. (Tom Mihalek / Associated Press)
Ron Duguay, a longtime New York Rangers star who finished his NHL career with the Kings, has died of cancer. He was 69.
The Rangers announced the loss of “one of the most popular players in franchise history” on Thursday morning after being informed by Duguay’s family.
“Ron’s signature skating style — with his hair flowing as he moved down the ice — captivated The Garden Faithful, and his skill, tenacity, and charisma earned him the admiration of all New Yorkers,” the team said in a statement. “We join the hockey community in sending our condolences to Ron’s friends, family, and loved ones during this difficult time.”
Former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican U.S. vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, who dated Duguay over the last several years, posted on social media that the one-time NHL All-Star “passed away peacefully” Thursday “after a hard-fought battle with cancer.”
“It’s with a shattered heart, but also deep peace knowing Ron is with Jesus now,” Palin wrote. “He fought so hard. Love never ends.”
On Sunday, Palin posted photos that appeared to show her holding Duguay’s hand while he was in a hospital bed. “Prayers for Ron Duguay are felt & appreciated,” she wrote.
Born in Sudbury, Ontario, Duguay was selected by the Rangers at No. 13 overall in the 1977 draft. Known for his long, curly hair and flashy lifestyle — “why, he even danced with Cher at one of Manhattan’s best-known discos,” the New York Times wrote in 1983 — Duguay became a star during the six seasons of his initial stint in New York. He helped the Rangers make the 1979 Stanley Cup Final and earned his only All-Star nod in 1982.
Ron Duguay, front left, blocks out New York Rangers' Carey Wilson as Kings teammate Marty McSorley winds up to shoot Feb. 27, 1989, at Madison Square Garden. (Ron Frehm / Associated Press)
Duguay was traded to the Detroit Red Wings in the summer of 1983 and had the two best seasons of his career, including career highs of 89 points on 38 goals and 51 assists during the 1984-1985 season. He also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and a second time for the Rangers before wrapping up his career with the Kings from 1988 to 1989.
Overall, Duguay had 673 points (305 goals, 368 assists) in the NHL regular season and playoffs. He went on to play in the minor leagues, including two seasons with the IHL’s San Diego Gulls, and spent 12 years calling Rangers games as an MSG Network analyst.
“Ron greeted each day with the biggest smile, an incredible zest for life, and a positive outlook that shone through everything he saw, everything he did, and every life he touched,” the NHL Alumni Assn. wrote on X. “He will be remembered not only for the player he was, but for the extraordinary person he was. His warmth, his laughter, his kindness, and his beautiful spirit will forever remain in the hearts of his family, friends, teammates, and the entire NHL Alumni community.”
The Kings reposted the alumni association’s statement and added: “Our hearts are with Ron’s family & loved ones and we join them in mourning his passing.”
In 2024, Duguay was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, which had started in his colon before spreading to his liver and other parts of his body, according to a post on the GoFundMe page set up by his three adult children to help pay for his medical and travel costs. He lived in Florida but had to make regular trips to Orange County for treatment.
“Early this morning, our beloved father took his final breath after fighting a long and courageous battle. He fought with everything he had, right until the very end,” daughter Shay Thomas wrote on Thursday in a separate GoFundMe post. “Our hearts are shattered, and the world feels a little less bright without him in it. He will be missed by so many, but we find peace in knowing that he is finally free from pain and suffering.
“He fought the good fight until his very last breath, and today, Heaven gained a truly special angel.”
On Thursday, the CHL announced that the Québec Remparts have been selected to host the 2028 Memorial Cup. The tournament is scheduled to be played at the Vidéotron Centre, which has a capacity of 18,200. The Remparts are one of the most successful QMJHL teams when it comes to Memorial Cup championships, as they picked up victories in 1971, 2006 and 2023.
While the tournament is a year and a half away, it is very possible that a former Vancouver Canucks prospect will play a key role for Québec. That former prospect is Pierre-Cédric Labrie, who is currently an assistant coach with the Remparts. During his playing career, Labrie was a physical winger who signed an ELC with the Canucks on July 9, 2007.
Vancouver signed Labrie after an impressive career in the QMJHL. The undrafted forward recorded 63 points and 113 penalty minutes in 69 regular-season games. Labrie also skated in 15 playoff games, where he recorded 18 points and 41 penalty minutes.
Labrie spent two and a half seasons with the organization before being traded in 2010 to the St. Louis Blues for center Yan Stastny. He would play 175 regular-season games with the Manitoba Moose, where he recorded 39 points and 256 penalty minutes. Labrie recorded 1,200 penalty minutes over his 708-game AHL career and even got a chance at the NHL level, where he played 46 games over three seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
January 24, 2012; Tampa FL, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Pierre-Cedric Labrie (76) during the third period against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Tampa Bay Times Forum. Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
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A Florida Panthers player making his NHL debut is also going to make some league history.
On Thursday, goaltender Cooper Black is set to see his first NHL action when the Panthers visit the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Florida signed the undrafted netminder in April of 2024 after a standout collegiate career with Dartmouth College.
During his two-plus years with the franchise, Black has done well to move up Florida’s goaltending depth chart, placing himself as the team’s apparent third NHL goaltender heading into the current 2026-27 season.
That’s why he’s already been recalled by the Panthers from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers twice this season due to injuries to Jacob Markstrom.
He’s also a giant.
The 25-year-old Black measures in an eye-popping 6-foot-8, which will put him in some very rare air (no pun intended) once he officially makes his NHL debut tonight.
That’s because he will officially become the tallest goaltender to ever hit the ice for an NHL game.
Currently, the height record for an NHL netminder is 6-foot-7, and it’s held by five different players.
They are Ben Bishop, who played with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings, Mikko Koskinen, who played with the Edmonton Oilers, Mads Sogaard, who played with Ottawa, Ivan Fedotov, who played with the Philadelphia Flyers, and Dennis Hildeby, who played with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Congrats to Black on his historic night, it will be one that he’ll likely never forget.
The pressure for the Buffalo Sabres to make a move for Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck likely increased after a 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday. Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen has publicly said that the club will only make a deal that they believe will improve the club, but starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen lost his third of the last four starts against the once-struggling Flyers, who registered their third straight victory.
Luukkonen indicated to Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News that he spoke to the Sabres GM prior to Wednesday’s loss and said that he had trust and confidence in the club’s goaltending, and to just concentrate on performing well, but that has not silenced the speculation that Buffalo is looking to upgrade between the pipes.
Kekalainen said in a radio interview on WGR 550 on Tuesday that he is always looking at deals that could make his club better, but Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman revealed on Thursday’s 32 Thoughts podcast that the Sabres and the Utah Mammoth could be waiting for the asking price for the 33-year-old to come down.
“I think (Buffalo and Utah) are kind of hoping that Winnipeg feels a bit squeezed,” Friedman said. “I’m not sure that’s actually going to work, but that’s the way I think those teams feel.”
The Carolina Hurricanes reportedly are also interested in Hellebuyck and have an offer that does not include RFA defenseman Alexander Nikishin, who would likely not sign a contract with the Jets. Unlike the Dylan Larkin situation with Detroit, where it was revealed this week that he has expanded his trade list to 10 teams, there has not been a specific number of clubs indicated by the Jets or Ray Petkau (Hellebuyck’s agent) how many teams he is willing to go to.
The Sharks finally won in regulation, and they needed their goalie to do it.
San Jose beat the Ottawa Senators 6-2 on Thursday night at Canadian Tire Centre, earning its first regulation win of the season in the team’s 11th game. Each of the Sharks’ first five victories had come in overtime or a shootout.
Yaroslav Askarov stopped 41 of 43 shots, a career high, topping the 39 he made in a December 2024 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. Initially, he was credited with 40 saves but after the game the NHL amended his total to 41.
Askarov said his game has been trending up even when the results were not there.
“Feels like every game I feel better and better, the last few games, even like the games before when I couldn’t find a way to win, but I also felt good,” Askarov told reporters. “Just like need to keep it going, it’s a long season.”
He described his highlight save as a read that went wrong. Askarov said he was a little late on the first pass, and Tim Stützle’s fake left him with only one option.
“I was a little bit late, that’s why I had no more options, only like diving to the right side,” Askarov said.
The Senators, who entered 7-3-0, pushed hard. Stützle gave Ottawa a 1-0 lead early in the first period, and Nolan Allan tied it for San Jose. Ottawa then fired the last 12 shots of the second period, and Askarov stopped every one.
The Sharks broke the game open with three goals in 4:05 midway through the second period. Tyler Toffoli scored on the power play, and Collin Graf made it 3-1 shorthanded, redirecting a Ty Dellandrea pass on the penalty kill.
Jacob Trouba scored 78 seconds later, set up by Graf and Darnell Nurse, who received the puck as he was leaving the penalty box. Graf and Trouba each finished with a goal and an assist, and Graf’s was his fourth career shorthanded goal.
After a day off on Wednesday, the Montreal Canadiens returned to work Thursday morning at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard. Owen Beck, sent down to the Laval Rocket after the loss to the San Jose Sharks, was called back up; the team also announced that captain Nick Suzuki will miss 2 to 4 weeks with an upper-body injury. The centerman had not missed a single game since he entered the NHL, meaning his iron man streak will end at 546 games.
Suzuki blocked a Michael Kesselring shot late in the third frame against the Sharks. It’s hard to imagine the Canadiens without Suzuki; we haven't seen the Habs without him since 2019-2020, and he plays a key role at even strength, on the power play, and at times when down a man. That leaves Martin St-Louis with a real puzzle.
Who will skate with Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield? The Canadiens have other centre options: Phillip Danault, Alex Newhook, Jake Evans, Oliver Kapanen. None of them are bona fide first-line centers. Danault was the Habs’ first-line pivot when Brendan Gallagher and Tomas Tatar completed the top unit, but that was six years ago. As good as Danault is, he's gotten older and isn’t what he was then. Furthermore, he pivots the new French Connection with Alexandre Texier and Zachary Bolduc; can St-Louis afford to break them up?
Kapanen, who’s been skating on the wing since returning, should go back to center, but where? On which line? If Ivan Demidov were back, you’d likely try to rekindle that chemistry, but he’s not yet and he’s not even traveling with the team as confirmed by the team’s PR. This isn’t surprising since he’s still wearing a walking boot.
Should Alex Newhook get a look as a first-line center? Perhaps leaving Kapanen with Josh Anderson and Chris Kreider? Those wingers have speed, and Kapanen has a knack for getting to the right spot for scoring chances.
Evans could also be in line for a promotion; when Kapanen faltered in the playoffs, he landed on the second line with Demidov and Newhook. But Evans has never scored 22 goals in a season.
At practice, St-Louis chose Kapanen to center Slafkovsky and Caufield, a tall order for the youngster, but he has played with the big Slovak before. As for the coach, he is confident that the Finn can make it work:
It's a next-man-up opportunity to keep things going. He'll play with two offensively talented players, as he did all last season; his game won't change. He'll complement those guys and do his job.
As for the fact that Kapanen will also be playing on the first power play unit, St-Louis added:
He's always had potential offensively. It's not the first time he's been on the power play, but with the injuries, it gives him an opportunity. We had to juggle that a little bit, and we think it can help us. He has a good shot, and he's very predictable for his teammates.
Many will have sighed with relief to see Kirby Dach wasn’t given yet another top-six opportunity. He may have improved the details of his game, but he hasn't done anything to earn a top-six spot and doesn’t play with the required commitment and intensity. Promoting Kapanen helps preserve the combinations that have worked well so far this season.
Suzuki’s absence will be a real big test for the Canadiens; how long can they make do without their leader and top-line center? Could Kent Hughes be forced to go out and get another center? The Canadiens’ GM doesn’t like to trade from a position of weakness, and other GMs would see him coming…
Former governor of Alaska and his girlfriend, Sarah Palin, confirmed the news.
“Obviously, it’s a big loss for all of us,” Sullivan said before the Rangers took on the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena that night. “The Rangers organization, in particular. We know he was a very popular Ranger. I had the privilege to play with Ron as a teammate for a year in the International Hockey League. A great man and a terrific hockey player.”
Sullivan and Duguay overlapped as teammates during the 1990-91 season with the San Diego Gulls.
While Sullivan was at the start of his playing career, breaking into the NHL in October 1991, Duguay was nearing the end and ultimately played parts of five seasons with the Gulls.
Former Rangers star Ron Duguay died Thursday after a battle with colon cancer. He was 69. NHLI via Getty ImagesRangers head coach Mike Sullivan looks on during the first period of a game against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“I grew up watching some of these guys when he played with the Rangers and I had the opportunity to play with him and Charlie Simmer,” Sullivan said. “Two guys that had pretty, pretty successful NHL careers. It was the International Hockey League back in the day, for those of you guys that are old enough to remember it.
“I was in awe of those two guys because I grew up watching them play in the NHL. Just to have the opportunity to be one of their teammates was a great thrill for me as a young player.”
Dylan Garand will make his sixth consecutive start on Thursday night, but Sullivan is wary of the rookie netminder’s workload.
“I think he’s handled it fine,” Sullivan said earlier this week. “He didn’t play the full game in Jersey. Big picture, we have an eye on what the schedule looks like and how we’re going to try to utilize our goaltenders, but right now, we think he’s in a good place.”
Defenseman Sean Durzi, who missed practice on Wednesday for “maintenance,” participated in morning skate and was slated to play against Toronto.
Among players who have taken a minimum of 175 draws entering Thursday’s slate of games, two Rangers — J.T. Miller (3rd, 57.3) and Mika Zibanejad (5th, 55.4) — rank in the top five for faceoff win percentage in the NHL.
In anticipation of some positive injury updates, the Philadelphia Flyers have made another roster move, placing a well-respected tough guy on waivers to open up a roster spot.
On Thursday afternoon, the Flyers placed forward Garrett Wilson on waivers, which will clear the path to return for either Travis Konecny or Owen Tippett, who are currently on injured reserve.
Wilson, 35, appeared in two games for the Flyers this season, recording no points, and also played in three games for the club last season.
Wilson's three games last year were his first at the NHL level in seven years; the veteran enforcer last skated on NHL ice back in the 2018-19 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, when he scored two goals, six assists, and eight points in 50 games, and scored one goal in four playoff games.
Should the longtime tough guy clear waivers, the Flyers will assign him back to the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, where he's served as captain for each of the last three seasons.
A well-respected leader, Wilson has worn an 'A' or 'C' on his sweater every year since the 2014-15 season, with the exception of his one-year stint with the Toronto Marlies in 2019-20.
Flyers getting reinforcements?
Oct 15, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Owen Tippett (74) gets set during a face off in the first period against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
With Wilson leaving the picture one way or another, it would certainly seem as though the Flyers are bracing for reinforcements in the form of Travis Konecny or Owen Tippett.
Tippett was placed on injured reserve on Monday, but the designation was retroactive to Oct. 15, requiring him to miss seven days. Once Wilson's transaction is processed, the Flyers can now activate the top-six winger.
Tippett was previously deemed day-to-day after suffering an upper-body injury in a 2-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 15.
As for Konecny, Kevin Kurz of The Athleticrecently reported that Konecny is expected to begin skating soon as he looks to return from his lower-body injury.
Konecny, who has played only five games for the Flyers this season, blocked a shot off his ankle in a 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 8, and has been out of commission since.
In the absences of their two key forwards, the Flyers have enjoyed breakouts from Matvei Michkov, who has stepped up in a major way, and Cole Knuble, who scored his first two NHL goals to power the Flyers to a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.
Alex Bump has returned to the NHL after a prolific AHL cameo, and Denver Barkey is finding his legs again after missing a good chunk of training camp and the early portion of the season due to injury.
Suddenly on a three-game win streak, the Flyers are beginning to get healthy at the right time.
The Calgary Flames return to the Scotiabank Saddledome on Thursday evening to take on a Minnesota Wild team that has found its stride early in the season.
The Flames have shown signs of turning things around, picking up two wins in their last three games. They’ll have their hands full against a Wild club sitting at 6-2-2, led by the NHL’s hottest goal scorers.
Kirill Kaprizov has been off to a torrid start, leading the league with 11 goals while riding a seven-game point streak. The Flames will need to find a way to slow him down if they hope to keep their recent momentum going.
Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Thursday’s matchup also marks a return to the Dome for a pair of familiar faces. Blake Coleman and Olli Maatta will face their former team in Calgary for the first time since being dealt to Minnesota at last season’s trade deadline, a deal that brought Blake Middleton to the Flames.
Jones has been making the most of his time in the AHL, recording seven goals and nine points in seven games with the Wranglers this season. He’ll have an opportunity to carry that production into the NHL as Calgary looks to keep its offence moving in the right direction.
Devin Cooley is expected to get the start in net after delivering a 34-save performance in Calgary’s most recent win against the Carolina Hurricanes. With Minnesota bringing plenty of firepower into the game, another strong outing from Cooley could go a long way toward helping the Flames pick up another two points at home.
Dmitri Simashev always has a smile every time he’s on the ice. Whether he was down in Tucson last season in the AHL or in Salt Lake City with the Utah Mammoth, the defenseman was always in a positive mood and always willing to chat with anyone who came his way.
This season, you could maybe catch him grinning ear to ear. He’s finally accomplished his dream of being a full-time NHLer, as he’s carved out a permanent spot in the Mammoth’s bottom pair alongside Andrew Peeke. Simashev couldn’t help but show his happiness when asked how he’s doing with a full-time job in Utah.
“There are no bad days in the NHL,” Simashev said.
Simashev didn’t get that NHL spot just because of his status as a first-round pick or a highly touted prospect. The defenseman earned that spot through his hard work and his growth over the past year, grinding in the NHL and the AHL.
The defenseman started the season in the NHL last year, and while it wasn’t a horrible start to his North American pro career, it wasn’t one that met his expectations. Simashev found himself playing under 15 minutes a night. He was making errors that needed correcting. Towards December, he found himself being healthy-scratched.
That’s when the Mammoth did the right thing and sent Simashev to the Tucson Roadrunners. It was never a permanent demotion. It was a chance to improve what needed to be improved in top defensive pairing minutes. Given those minutes, it was a big chance to gain more confidence, something that was clearly missing from his game.
“When you play like 26, 27 minutes in a night, and you play on the power play and PK, you see the situations like tough minutes,” Simashev said. “When you play power play, and in the last minutes when you play PK, you're just learning every game. You have confidence. You have the confidence to do something special on the ice, and it helps you in the future because every hockey mistake, you're doing this every game. It happens every day, and when you play a lot, you know what you can do in these situations in the future.”
The move to the AHL worked. Simashev played upwards of 23 minutes per night. He was making plays that no one had ever seen from him before. The defenseman was jumping forward and getting shots on net. He was scoring goals, including an overtime winner against the Bakersfield Condors in his fourth game with the Roadrunners.
At the end of the day, Simashev produced 35 points in 40 games. That was second among all Roadrunners defensemen and rookies. The defenseman also had the longest point streak among all Roadrunners. He ended up being named an AHL All-Star and was named to the AHL All-Rookie team.
“I just tried to help the guys to win the games, and we had a really good group of guys in AHL,” Simashev said. “When I start thinking about the AHL, I enjoyed my time there. It's a nice city. There are nice guys, and the AHL is a really good league.”
Keep in mind that before the 2025-26 season, Simashev had never played full-time in a North American-sized rink. He was also never relied on as an offensive player before, as that’s not a role defensemen typically play in the KHL.
Going into this season, it was obvious the Mammoth expected Simashev to make the roster full-time. They elected to trade Sean Durzi and let Ian Cole walk in order to make room for the young Russian.
Yet, that didn’t prompt Simashev to keep working hard. After being named captain of the Mammoth’s rookie camp team, the defenseman finished the rookie faceoff tournament with an assist in two games and was a key part of quarterbacking the power play and penalty kill.
So far with the Mammoth in the regular season, he’s got two assists across 10 games after only producing one in 28 games the prior season. Simashev’s been more willing to jump into the play and get to the front of the net. Part of the reason is that he knows what to expect after a year within the Mammoth organization. He knows how to handle the everyday life of an NHLer.
That, in turn, has also fed into the other part of the improvement behind Simashev’s game: the big growth in his confidence.
“I feel way more confident, way more,” Simashev said. “I already know what to expect in the games. Whenever you play against Edmonton or Pittsburgh, I know the players, the teams. I’m getting better every day. I'm a young guy. For every young player, you have to get better 1% minimum every day. I just try to play my game. Maybe spend more time with the puck, and coaches will trust me more this year.”
Head coach André Tourigny has seen the difference. It hasn’t been in just one area either. To him, Simashev has improved in a lot of key areas where he did well last season.
“I think Sima, for me, showed a really good thing last year in terms of speed, his ability to close and puck carry, his ability to skate with the puck, his ability to jump into plays,” Tourigny said. “It's the same thing this year. Just everything better, more mature, more in control.”
It’s been a great start for Simashev this season. He’s looked strong defensively, and you can tell the offense will come, especially if he keeps making the confident plays to move the puck up the ice and to the net.
For the defenseman, he’s happy to be with the Mammoth. As he said, there are no bad days in the NHL. This is what he’s always wanted to do, and being able to do it is unfathomable for him.
“I'm living my life and my dream,” Simashev said. “It's actually unbelievable to be around these players, to play against the best players in the world. Play against McDavid, Draisaitl, and Geno. He was my favorite player when I was a kid.”
Every day is a new day of growth for Simashev. He wants to find a way to improve in every game, every day of practice, every day of the NHL. Because while his dream might be accomplished, his goal isn’t. Simashev has his mind set on one thing, and that’s trying to be one of the best players in the league.
“For me, the game for me is slowing down every day, and I think every game I'm getting better because I want to be one of the best players in this league,” Simashev said. “I just want to be a good player here.”
If Simashev can continue working as hard as he’s been over the past couple of months, there’s no telling what his ceiling could end up being. As time goes on, he will climb up the blueline and more than likely be a top-three defenseman at some point.
However, no matter how far he gets, if you ever wonder how he’s doing, he’ll give you the same answer that he gave at the very beginning of his career with a smile; there are no bad days in the NHL.
Despite making the NHL roster out of training camp, the St. Louis Blues have placed Zach Dean on waivers for the purpose of being assigned to the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Dean had an impressive pre-season and training camp. He flashed his speed and skill on multiple occasions, earning a roster spot to start the season. He started the season as an extra forward, but due to injuries, found his way into the lineup.
Dean dressed in three NHL games but recorded no points. The 23-year-old averaged 9:58 of ice time, recorded no shots on goal, and won 41.7 percent of his faceoffs.
Dean will return to the Thunderbirds if he clears waivers. The former 2021 first-round pick has played 96 AHL games, scoring 14 goals and 32 points in his career.
Ultimately, Dean wasn't a factor in his limited appearances to warrant staying on the NHL roster. The Blues also likely felt Dean was better off playing in the AHL and continuing to develop, rather than watching games from the press box.
This week, the Blues recalled Aleksanteri Kaskimaki and Otto Stenberg, who are set to play their second consecutive game.
Currently, the Blues have six players on the injured reserve, but Alexey Toropchenko appears close to returning, as he's been skating with the Blues in non-contact. If Toropchenko is near a return, there is no need for Dean to be on the NHL roster.
Placing Dean on waivers carries some risk, but with most NHL rosters either at full capacity or at the salary cap limit, teams are less likely to claim players off waivers at this point in the season.
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As the clock ticks on the Detroit Red Wings and Simon Edvinsson, the trade chatter is only getting louder.
The latest report adds the San Jose Sharks and the Boston Bruins among the 10 teams interested in the 23-year-old defenseman. The St. Louis Blues are also reportedly among those teams interested, as they are believed to be keen on adding a defenseman like Edvinsson or Alexander Nikishin.
The Red Wings on the other hand have stated they will re-sign Edvinsson, although, the player is said to "prefer" a trade away from Detroit.
According to TSN's Pierre LeBrun, who also had the report that Sharks and Bruins have entered the Edvinsson sweepstakes, he suggested trades like Mikhail Sergachev to the Utah Mammoth, Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens, Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks, and Simon Nemec to the Calgary Flames as comparables for what the Red Wings would want in return.
The Mammoth gave up J.J. Moser, Conor Geekie, and two draft picks to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Sergachev. For Dobson, the Canadiens sent forward Emil Heinenman and two first-round picks to the New York Islanders.
The Buffalo Sabres received blueliner Louis Crevier, a first- and a second-round pick, from the Blackhawks, while the Flames parted with two conditional first-round picks, a second-round pick, and blueliner prospect Etienne Morin.
With this in mind, the Blues could formulate a deal around Dalibor Dvorsky, like Sportsnet's Ryan Dixon suggested earlier this month. If they chose a different route, they could send a package of prospects like Theo Lindstein and Otto Stenberg, or draft picks.
Whichever way they choose to go, they'll still need to sign Edvinsson to a contract, who is believed to be seeking about $10 to $11 million annually.
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