Over the offseason, Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman acquired goaltender John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks.
While Gibson's numbers during his first several games with Detroit weren't the best, he's now won five consecutive contests and posted a shutout twice in his last three starts, helping the Red Wings pick up multiple victories on their season-high six-game road swing.
After his second shutout in three games, Gibson has earned recognition from the NHL by being named one of their three stars of the week.
“He’s confident," head coach Todd McLellan said of Gibson following the shutout win on Saturday evening over the Chicago Blackhawks. "The guys feel really good about playing around him. Less pucks coming off him, more whistles and very efficient. Just looks like Gibby.”
His shutout on Dec. 8 against the Vancouver Canucks was his first shutout since January 2023 while he was still a member of the Ducks; he turned aside all 39 shots he faced, including an opening period barrage.
He followed that up with a 26-save shutout against the Blackhawks on Dec. 13, his 26th career shutout. Sandwiched in between those two was helping the Red Wings to a 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames on Dec. 10.
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ST. LOUIS -- In the latest of recalls from Springfield of the American Hockey League, the St. Louis Blues are dipping into their 2023 draft class once again.
Stenberg, 20, is one of three first round picks in the 2023 NHL Draft by the Blues, going at No. 25 behind Dalibor Dvorsky (No. 10) and Theo Lindstein (No. 29); he has eight points (three goals, five assists) in 21 games for the Thunderbirds this season after putting up 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 38 games there last season.
The Blues, who hosted the Nashville Predators on Monday night, have been hit by the injury bug in December, starting with Jimmy Snuggerud (wrist surgery), Alexey Toropchenko (leg burns), who returned to the lineup Monday, and Nathan Walker (upper body), Nick Bjugstad (upper body) and Jordan Kyrou (lower body).
The Blues will be in need of an extra forward and are currently employing Hugh McGing and Matt Luff as recent call-ups, plus signing Robby Fabbri, a 2014 first-round pick by the Blues, to a one-year, two-way contract last Wednesday.
With Stenberg's recall, it will give the Blues 13 healthy forwards with four more games before the Christmas break, including home games Wednesday and Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets and New York Rangers, respectively, followed by a two-game trip to play the Florida Panthers on Saturday and Tampa Bay Lightning on Dec. 22.
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With the Quinn Hughes trade complete, all eyes have turned to the assets the Vancouver Canucks acquired in the deal. The three players who came back in the deal are center Marco Rossi, defenceman Zeev Buium and winger Liam Öhgren. Vancouver also received a first-round pick in the upcoming draft.
From a value standpoint, the Canucks did a good job adding key pieces to their future. Buium and Öhgren are both under 22 years old, while Rossi is a former top-10 pick who just turned 24. As for the draft pick, it is projected to be a late first-round pick as the Minnesota Wild are now one of the favourites in the Western Conference.
When it comes to the three players acquired, the big question is, what are reasonable expectations for the rest of the season? While the playoffs are a long shot, the focus turns to development and seeing how impactful these three players may be in the future. Here are some reasonable expectations for Rossi, Buium and Öhgren during the 2025-26 season.
Marco Rossi
The key question Rossi needs to answer is whether he can be Vancouver's long-term second-line center. His last two seasons have been impressive as he has 100 points in 164 games. As for this year, while he has missed time with an injury, he still has 13 points in 18 games, which equals out to a points percentage of 0.72.
Rossi has also shown that he can be responsible in his own zone. This is key as the Canucks need to find a center who can take on some matchup roles without spending the entire time in the defensive zone. If Rossi can start winning matchups against the opposition frequently, it will go a long way in helping Vancouver establish a stronger top six.
For Rossi, a reasonable expectation would be for him to show that he can be a second-line center who can win his matchup. He also needs to get his wingers going offensively while contributing on the power play. If Rossi can provide solid two-way play while contributing 30 points over the final 49 games, the Austrian center will have shown that he has the potential to be the Canucks second-line center moving forward.
Zeev Buium
Buium is an exciting prospect who already has a multi-point game with Vancouver. The 20-year-old has a realistic shot of being a Calder finalist this year, as, based on Sunday, he could see extended time on the first power play unit this year. Adam Foote also has some experience working with him, which could help build the trust level between coach and player faster than most prospects.
As the season continues, the focus for Buium needs to be on the defensive side of the game. This is not a criticism of his defensive work, but a fact about young defensemen, as it takes time to learn how to defend at the NHL level. This also includes his ability to defend against the rush, as Buium should be able to use his skating to at least slow down his opponent.
While Buium is a high-end prospect, it is also important to remember that he is a rookie. Just like all rookies, he is going to make mistakes, but that is all part of the learning process. As for reasonable expectations, if Buium can continue to develop his defensive game while being able to facilitate offence on the power play, it will go a long way in showing that he can be a top-pair defender at the NHL level.
Liam Öhgren
Öhgren is arguably the most intriguing piece in this deal. While Rossi and Buium will get the most attention, the 21-year-old winger could end up being a good surprise for Canucks fans. A solid combination of speed and strength, Öhgren already has built-in chemistry with Jonathan Lekkerimäki, as the two grew up together playing in Sweden.
For Öhgren, the next step of his development is putting all his tools together at the NHL level. He has shown he can produce in the AHL, but that same scoring hasn't yet translated to the NHL. The good news is that he is trending upwards and, in recent games, has shown a willingness to get as many pucks towards the net as possible.
How Vancouver manages Öhgren the rest of the season will be interesting. He may spend some time with the Abbotsford Canucks as he is waiver-exempt, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. When it comes to reasonable expectations, Öhgren needs to show that he can not only play in the system but also be difficult to play against on a nightly basis.
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The Detroit Red Wings placed forward Jonatan Berggren on waivers Monday, a move that further underscored the lasting damage caused by the organization’s 2018 NHL Draft class and reinforced the growing belief that it stands as one of the worst drafts in franchise history.
Berggren, who was selected 33rd overall early in the second round, now appears likely to be claimed by another organization, which would make him the latest high draft pick from that class to leave Detroit without ever establishing himself as a meaningful long term contributor during a period when the Red Wings were in desperate need of young talent to anchor their rebuild.
Detroit entered the 2018 draft holding the sixth overall selection and used it on forward Filip Zadina, who had fallen out of the top five amid concerns regarding his overall projection that the Red Wings chose to overlook, a decision that became immediately controversial when defenseman Quinn Hughes was selected with the very next pick and went on to develop into one of the NHL’s premier blueliners.
The opportunity cost of that decision only deepened as other players available shortly after Detroit’s selection, including Evan Bouchard, Noah Dobson, and K’Andre Miller, each progressed into reliable and impactful NHL defensemen, while Zadina’s tenure in Detroit ultimately ended without him fulfilling the role of a top line scorer and eventually saw him return to Europe, where he now plays in the Swiss National League.
Despite already missing on a franchise altering opportunity at the top of the draft, the Red Wings still possessed three more picks within the first 36 selections and used the 30th overall pick at the end of the first round to select center Joe Veleno before turning to Berggren at 33rd overall and defenseman Jared McIsaac three picks later at 36th overall.
None of those selections produced lasting value for the organization, as Berggren has now been placed on waivers, Veleno is currently with the Montreal Canadiens and on pace for just nine points this season, and McIsaac never appeared in an NHL game before continuing his professional career overseas in Slovakia.
The extent of Detroit’s missteps becomes even more glaring when examining the players selected shortly after those picks, as the second round alone featured future NHL regulars and impact contributors such as Kirill Marchenko, Alexander Romanov, Ryan McLeod, Kevin Bahl, Sean Durzi, Jack McBain, and Martin Fehérváry, all of whom were available when the Red Wings were making their selections.
Detroit’s difficulties continued into the third round, where the organization selected defenseman Alec Regula, who is currently working into the lineup as a seventh defenseman for the Edmonton Oilers, while players chosen later in the same round, including star goaltender Lukas Dostal and forward Jakub Lauko, have gone on to carve out more stable NHL roles.
In the fourth round, the Red Wings selected Ryan O’Reilly, a player not to be confused with the longtime NHL star of the same name, and while that selection failed to yield NHL results and currently sees O’Reilly playing in the ECHL, several players taken later in the round such as Martin Pospisil, Paul Cotter, and Philipp Kurashev have since become contributors at the NHL level.
The trend persisted throughout the remainder of the draft, which ultimately produced numerous star players and dependable role players across the league, yet Detroit emerged without a single piece or even a reliable long term contributor from a class in which they held four of the first 36 selections.
The cumulative result was a complete failure at one of the most critical moments of the organization’s rebuild, as the draft conducted under then general manager Ken Holland and director of amateur scouting Tyler Wright squandered premium assets and left the franchise with virtually no return on investment. That failure reverberated through the following seasons and contributed heavily to Detroit’s prolonged playoff drought, as the absence of impact talent from the 2018 class created a developmental void that stalled progress and forced the organization to rely on future drafts to compensate for lost time.
When Steve Yzerman took over as general manager the following season, he inherited a system that lacked meaningful contributions from the previous draft, yet in his first opportunity at the podium in 2019 he managed to reverse course by selecting Moritz Seider, Albert Johansson, and Elmer Söderblom, all of whom are currently playing in the Red Wings lineup.
Had Detroit managed to secure even one or two impact players from the 2018 draft, the trajectory of the rebuild could have been dramatically different by the time Yzerman arrived, but instead the franchise was left navigating the consequences of a draft class that provided no lasting benefit and now stands as a stark reminder of how costly missed evaluations can be at the highest level.
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Sitting in 28th place in the NHL with major injuries to several key players, the St. Louis Blues look like they'll continue to head in the wrong direction.
Not many things, if any, have gone right for the Blues. Nearly every player is on pace to put up lower goal and point totals than they did last season, and their goaltending has really struggled. The off-season moves haven't made the Blues any better, and now, 33 games into the season, the Blues are at risk of having to write it off.
Almost every report made about the Blues highlights how they'll be sellers at the deadline, and the trading could come before that.
Several players have been named by a plethora of reporters. Brayden Schenn, Justin Faulk, and Jordan Kyrou are the players garnering the most interest, but there can be calls about the availability of Jordan Binnington, Pavel Buchnevich and Colton Parayko. How eager the Blues are to make deals will determine whether they are dealt or not.
If the Blues do become sellers, they would be committing to a bit of a mini rebuild.
They've witnessed some of their latest first-round picks and top prospects graduate to the NHL, and although they aren't stars yet, they are on the right path. Jake Neighbours has continued to improve yearly, Jimmy Snuggerud was looking like an everyday NHLer before his injury, and Dalibor Dvorsky has taken advantage of injuries to solidify his spot in the NHL.
Snuggerud and Dvorsky would love to see their production increase, but playing in the NHL is a great start.
Additionally, the Blues front office likes what they have in Otto Stenberg, Theo Lindstein, Adam Jiricek and Justin Carbonneau. They might be a year or two away from playing in the NHL, but they are developing into possible important pieces of their future.
On the NHL roster, Dylan Holloway, Philip Broberg and Robert Thomas are key contributors who the Blues see as present and future parts of their team.
That leaves several other players who could be expendable. The Blues project to land a top-five pick in a loaded draft. It's been quite a while since the Blues drafted a possible franchise player, and committing to a rebuild this season could put them in position to land players like Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, Keaton Verhoeff or Tynan Lawrence.
No team wants to tank, but if injuries and losses continue to pile up, it might be their best option.
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Montreal Canadiens forward Joe Veleno has had a tough start to the 2025-26 season. In his first 25 games of the campaign with the Habs, he recorded just one goal. This included him starting the season with zero points in his first 14 games.
With this, there is no question that Veleno has had trouble producing offensively this season. While this is the case, the 25-year-old forward is now starting to break the ice for the Canadiens.
During the Canadiens' Dec. 13 matchup against the New York Rangers, Veleno snapped a 10-game point drought by recording an assist on Jake Evans' goal. He then followed this up by scoring the Canadiens' eventual game-winning goal in their 4-1 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 14.
Veleno's goal against the Oilers was a nice one, too, as he intercepted a pass from Oilers superstar Connor McDavid before beating Edmonton goaltender Calvin Pickard with a great snap shot.
Veleno starting to produce offensively for the Canadiens is undoubtedly good to see. It will now be interesting to see if the 2018 first-round pick can build on his momentum and continue to contribute offensively for Montreal.
The Ottawa Senators have had more than their share of key injury concerns so far this season, so why would their American Hockey League club in Belleville be any different? The organization continues to wait for an injury update on B-Sens defenseman Carter Yakemchuk, who was hurt in a game against the Bridgeport Islanders on Sunday.
Late in the first period, Yakemchuk had the puck in the right corner in Belleville’s end, and just after he made a pass up ice, Bridgeport winger Hunter Drew finished his forecheck with a shoulder-on-shoulder hit.
Yakemchuk saw it coming and braced hard for the hit, but it appeared to be a harder one than he was expecting. Yakemchuk lost his balance, falling backward onto one leg like he'd been slew-footed (he wasn't) before taking an awkward spill.
There’s been no word yet on the severity of the injury, but the 20-year-old had to be helped off the ice and did not return to the game, which Belleville lost 4-3 in overtime. In four words: it didn't look good.
It’s news that may delay one of the club's two obvious strategies for the player in the second half of the season. As the organization’s top prospect, Yakemchuk might continue his development in the AHL, trying to elevate his skating and the defensive part of his game.
Or perhaps he might be ready to come to Ottawa to help the club make a push. While he's certainly not a finished product, a case could be made that he might upgrade the right side of Ottawa’s blue line, currently manned by Nick Jensen, Artem Zub, and Jordan Spence.
So far this season, Yakemchuk has three goals and 18 points in 27 games, so he continues to live up to his billing as an offensive defenseman, but his skating isn't elite, and he still needs more polish on the defensive side. That said, he's still only played 27 career games as a pro and is already playing heavy minutes down in Belleville and not being sheltered at all.
Only time will tell if the 20-year-old ever emerges as an impact player in the NHL. But for now, as we wait for a diagnosis, it looks like Yakemchuk’s developmental timer has been paused until further notice.
Steve Warne The Hockey News - Ottawa
This article was originally published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Read more:
The injury fallout from Saturday’s comeback win over Pittsburgh proved far less forgiving for the San Jose Sharks, who received discouraging updates on forwards Will Smith and Philipp Kurashev.
Bad News
Both players are dealing with upper-body injuries sustained against the Penguins and have been placed on injured reserve, sidelining them for a minimum of the Sharks’ next three games.
The Sharks were originally scheduled to practice on Monday, but head coach Ryan Warsofsky opted to give his players an additional day of rest. In response to the injury news, San Jose recalled Ethan Cardwell and Igor Chernyshov from the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda.
The Silver Lining
While it’s unfortunate that injuries created the opportunity, the 20-year-old Chernyshov is set to make his NHL debut Tuesday when the Sharks face Nazem Kadri and the Calgary Flames. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound left winger is producing nearly a point per game with the 'Cuda this season, posting 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points in 25 games. Selected 33rd overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, Chernyshov was prized for his versatility and elite skating ability and was named the AHL’s Rookie of the Month in November.
As for Cardwell, the call-up is familiar territory. This marks his second recall of the season after previously appearing in 10 NHL games, during which he scored two goals, including one against the Seattle Kraken on November 5.
As for Smith and Kurashev, the Sharks and their fans will hope for a more positive update from Warsofsky at Tuesday’s morning skate.
Next Game
San Jose enters the matchup looking to extend its winning streak to three games, coming off the largest comeback in regular-season franchise history. The Sharks erased a four-goal deficit in the final 10 minutes of regulation before handing Sidney Crosby’s Penguins a dramatic 6–5 overtime loss.
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The Penguins traded Kolyachonok to the Stars during the off-season in exchange for blueliner Matt Dumba and a 2028 second-round pick. Interestingly, Dumba was placed on waivers by the Penguins last week, and Kolyachonok has now hit the wire himself with today's news.
Kolyachonok has recorded one goal, two assists, three points, five hits, and a plus-3 rating in 11 games this season with the Stars. His most recent appearance for the Stars was on Dec. 11, where he recorded one block in 11:55 of ice time.
Kolyachonok played in 12 games for the Penguins this past season after they claimed him off waivers from Utah, where he recorded zero goals, two assists, eight penalty minutes, and a minus-5 rating.
In addition to Kolyachonok being placed on waivers, Chicago Blackhawks goalie Laurent Brossoit and Detroit Red Wings forward Jonatan Berggren have also hit the wire.
Selected 33rd overall in the 2018 NHL Draft, Berggren has yet to establish himself as an everyday player in the NHL, spending the majority of his 169 career games in depth roles. Over parts of four seasons with the Red Wings, the 25-year-old Swedish winger has recorded 31 goals and 33 assists for 64 points.
Berggren now faces the possibility of being claimed by another club or being reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate if he clears waivers.
Last season, Berggren had what was arguably his most stable NHL campaign, tallying 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points in 75 games while playing primarily in a bottom-six role. This season, scoring chances have been harder to come by, as he has collected six points in 15 games, continuing in a bottom-six forward capacity with modest ice time.
Detroit’s decision to place Berggren on waivers comes shortly after the team called up John Leonard, the 27-year-old New Jersey native who has been dominant to start the AHL season with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Leonard has helped lead the Griffins to a remarkable 22-1-0-1 record and currently ranks among the AHL’s top scorers with 19 goals and 10 assists for 29 points in just 20 games, finding the back of the net in 15 of those contests. His hot start has likely influenced Detroit’s move, as Leonard is expected to take over Patrick Kane’s spot on the second line and potentially move into Berggren’s former role in the bottom six.
Berggren signed a one-year contract worth roughly $1.8 million for the 2025-26 season, a “prove-it” deal aimed at solidifying his full-time NHL role. With limited success in that regard, he is now on waivers. There is uncertainty about whether another team will claim him, but his youth and pedigree as a near first-round pick make him an intriguing option. Teams such as the Vancouver Canucks, currently dealing with multiple injuries, could see Berggren as a worthwhile gamble.
Berggren now awaits the 24-hour claiming period. If unclaimed, the Red Wings could send him to Grand Rapids or retain him as organizational depth. A claim by another NHL team would provide Berggren a fresh opportunity to establish a more consistent role at the highest level.
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Few prospects blend vision, speed, and creativity like Mikhail Gulyayev.
He has been the undisputed top defensive prospect in the Colorado Avalanche system since the team selected him 31st overall in the 2023 NHL Draft—and it’s easy to see why. Gulyayev is an offensively gifted defenseman whose style perfectly complements Colorado’s identity: fast-paced, aggressive in transition, and unafraid to push play up the ice. His skating forms the foundation of his game—he covers ground effortlessly, closes gaps with speed, and handles the puck with confidence and relentless persistence.
That offensive skill set was showcased in an unusual way during Avangard Omsk’s preseason run at the Blinov Cup, when Gulyayev was briefly deployed as a forward. The move was a deliberate developmental decision, aimed at sharpening his offensive instincts and improving his comfort in high-traffic areas. Skating up front, the 20-year-old scored twice, which opened a lot of eyes. Although Avangard ultimately fell to Severstal in a 4–3 shootout, Gulyayev was the most impactful players on the ice. The experiment has sparked some early curiosity about whether his offensive ceiling could resemble a reverse Brent Burns trajectory, even if defense is where his heart truly lies.
Why Gulyayev Could Switch Positions
As it stands, the Avalanche have a surplus of defensemen, and Gulyayev is not yet ready for the NHL. By the time he is prepared to step into a lineup, Colorado’s blue line will likely look very different. Despite a relatively modest frame by KHL standards—5-foot-10 and roughly 172 pounds—the Avalanche selected Gulyayev for his versatile skill set, most notably his skating, edgework, and ability to seamlessly turn defense into offense. This profile is no accident; it reflects the organizational identity that Colorado has cultivated and maintained for nearly a decade.
Another defining pillar of the Avalanche over that stretch has been their offensive depth, and it’s worth noting that elite production doesn’t always follow conventional paths. Take Brent Burns, for example—now 11th all-time in points among NHL defensemen—who didn’t start his career on the blue line. Selected 20th overall by the Minnesota Wild in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Burns was originally drafted as a right winger after leading the OHL’s Brampton Battalion in playoff scoring during the 2002–03 season. It wasn’t until he turned pro that then–Wild head coach Jacques Lemaire converted him to defense—a move that ultimately reshaped his career and left a lasting mark on NHL history. Watching what Jared Bednar has been doing in recent games, it’s intriguing to imagine what adjustments he might unveil once Gulyayev is ready for the big stage.
Per request I am coming to you with a Minnesota Wild legend Brent Burns headshot thread starting with draft day🙌🏼 pic.twitter.com/XHxaqd9euX
Last Thursday, when the Avalanche defeated the Florida Panthers 4–2 at Ball Arena, Bednar experimented by giving Gavin Brindley shifts on the top line alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen. He liked what he saw so much that, when Colorado faced the Nashville Predators on Saturday, Brindley started the game on the top line, with both him and Martin Necas rotating between lines at various points during the contest.
In fact, similar adjustments have occurred over the last couple of games. On the road against Nashville, Gabe Landeskog was lifted from the third line to the second line, Valeri Nichushkin joined Jack Drury and Olofsson on the third line, and Ross Colton shifted from the third line to the second line as a left winger.
If Bednar weren’t an elite-level coach, he would probably make a great scientist. He is constantly exploring new ways to improve the product, and his calm, level-headed approach has consistently benefited those around him.
Now consider the perspective of Gulyayev, who is eyeing an NHL debut as early as next season. Injuries are an inevitable part of the game, and flexibility can be invaluable. Suppose Gulyayev officially joins the roster as a defenseman—hypothetically, of course—and Joel Kiviranta suffers a lower-body injury. In that case, Gulyayev could seamlessly shift up to forward and maintain his dynamic impact.
Alternatively, imagine Bednar channeling a Jacques Lemaire–style approach by starting Gulyayev at forward. If Devon Toews then sustains an upper-body injury, the solution is simple: move Gulyayev back to defense and reconfigure the lines.
Bednar clearly possesses a vast strategic repertoire, and when Gulyayev eventually arrives in the NHL, don’t be surprised to witness a Shohei Ohtani–esque versatility from this young prospect. He appears capable of excelling at virtually any position—goalie excluded, of course.
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As a whole, Quinn Hughes will be regarded as the best defenceman in Vancouver Canucks franchise history thus far. While he’s surpassed Alex Edler in most of the team’s major records for defencemen, there are still quite a few that are held by players other than Hughes. Here are five Canucks defenceman records that are not currently held by Hughes.
Goals By A Defenceman (Career, Season, Game)
One of the major defenceman records that Hughes did not end up surpassing Edler in was all-time scoring. Throughout his 925-game career as a Canuck, Edler scored a total of 99 goals — the last of which he scored on February 25, 2020 against the Montréal Canadiens. Hughes compiled a total of 61 throughout his 459 games played with Vancouver.
In terms of goals scored by a defenceman in a single season, Adrian Aucoin currently holds the franchise record with 23 scored during the 1998–99 season. Hughes’ career-high 17 goals in one season are tied for fourth-highest in franchise history alongside Paul Reinhart (1989–90), Dale Tallon (1971–72), Jyrki Lumme (1995–96), and Ed Jovanovski (2001–02).
The sole leader in goals scored by a defenceman during a single game is Dave Babych, who scored three on November 22, 1991, against the Calgary Flames. Hughes is tied with many others for the next spot on this list with two goals scored in six different games. Active defencemen who have scored two goals in a game as a member of the Canucks are current Canuck Tyler Myers and former Canuck Nikita Zadorov.
Longest Assist Streak By A Defenceman (Season)
Surprisingly enough, Hughes did not record an assist streak longer than seven games throughout his time with the Canucks. However, there is one current Canuck who has recorded one longer than Hughes’ — that being Filip Hronek, who put together a 10-game streak from October 24, 2023, to November 12, 2023. With that being said, Hronek’s streak is not the longest in franchise history, as Dennis Kearns put up assists in 11 straight games from February 27, 1977 to March 20, 1977.
Longest Point Streak From The Start Of Career By A Defenceman
This record is a bit specific, as only three defencemen in Canucks history have managed to put up point streaks to start their career. Rick Lanz was the first player to seize this record, scoring two goals and an assist in his first two career games back in the 1980–81 season. After him was Don Gibson, who only played in 14 NHL games with the Canucks but had an assist in each of his first two games in 1990–91. Finally, former Canuck and current member of the Vegas Golden Knights, Ben Hutton, began his NHL career with two assists in two games.
Game-Winning Goals By A Defenceman, Career
No Canucks defenceman has scored more game-winning goals as a member of the franchise than Sami Salo, who put up 20 throughout his 566 games with Vancouver. The list continues after that with Mattias Öhlund scoring 19 in 770 games, Lumme and Kevin Bieksa each putting up 12, Jovanovski scoring 10, and Edler potting nine for the sixth-most in franchise history. Hughes’ eight game-winning goals as a member of the Canucks is tied with Brent Sopel, who scored the same amount in 322 games.
Youngest Defenceman To Score A First NHL Goal
Hughes was the fourth-youngest defenceman to score their first NHL goal as a member of the Canucks, doing so at 19 years and 360 days old. He did so during Vancouver’s 8–2 win against the Los Angeles Kings on October 9, 2019 in what was Hughes’ first full season with the Canucks.
Three defencemen scored their first NHL goals at a younger age than Hughes’. The youngest was Lanz, who scored his first NHL goal in his first career game — a 5–3 win against the Detroit Red Wings on October 10, 1980. Lanz was only 19 years and 24 days old at the time. The second-youngest to score his first NHL goal was J.J. Daigneault, who was 19 years and 29 days old when he scored Vancouver’s opening goal against the Minnesota North Stars in 1984. Michel Petit rounds out the top-three in this list, scoring his first goal at 19 years and 309 days in a 3–2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on December 18, 1983.
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Detroit Red Wings star Patrick Kane will miss the next two games with an upper-body injury, head coach Todd McLellan confirmed Sunday. McLellan said Kane is considered day-to-day after tweaking something in his upper body during Saturday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The injury comes at an inopportune time for Kane, who continues to climb the NHL record books. The 37-year-old moved to within two goals of becoming the 50th player in league history to score 500 career goals after finding the back of the net in Detroit’s 4-0 shutout win over his former team on Saturday night. Kane is also just nine points shy of passing Mike Modano for the most points by a U.S.-born player in NHL history.
With Kane sidelined, recently recalled forward John Leonard is expected to step into a sizeable role. According to The Athletic’s Max Bultman, Leonard is slated to take Kane’s spot on the second line alongside Andrew Copp and Alex DeBrincat, making his Red Wings debut during the upcoming homestand.
Detroit recalled Leonard late Sunday night from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, rewarding one of the hottest scorers in the minors. The 27-year-old New Jersey native has been dominant this season, helping lead the Griffins to a remarkable 22-1-0-1 record. Leonard currently sits as one of the AHL’s top scorers with 19 goals and 10 assists for 29 points in just 20 games, finding the back of the net in 15 of those 20 contests.
Leonard was named the AHL’s Player of the Month for November after posting 24 points in 15 games. Despite playing fewer games than many of his peers, he trails the league’s scoring lead by just two points behind two forwards tied atop the leaderboard.
Kane’s absence is expected to be brief as the Red Wings begin a four-game homestand with a quick home-and-home detour that includes a visit to the White House and a matchup in Washington. The coaching staff appears to be giving Kane rest to recover from the nagging issue, with a potential return penciled in for the third game of the homestand next Sunday against the Capitals.
Despite being one of the oldest players in the NHL, Kane has remained a difference-maker this season, recording 23 points in 24 games. His recent surge has helped unlock Detroit’s depth scoring, particularly alongside longtime teammate DeBrincat. Kane has produced 14 points over his last 12 games, a stretch that has coincided with the Red Wings heating up offensively as a group.
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Tristan Jarry is a fine NHL goaltender, having a good year. He went 9-3-1 with a 2.66 GAA and .909 save percentage through 14 games with the Panguins. Those numbers matter, and they're a big reason why the Edmonton Oilers traded for him.
But here's what makes this different: Jarry genuinely wants to be here. He wants to play in Edmonton.
In a league where seven-team no-trade lists are common—and we all know what those lists usually mean—it's refreshing to hear a player express excitement about coming to Canada. About coming to Edmonton specifically.
Jarry won the Memorial Cup with the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2014. He stopped 32 of 35 shots in the championship game against Guelph, helping bring the Canadian junior hockey title back to Edmonton after 48 years. He was a WHL champion that same year. He grew up in this city during his time with the Oil Kings, and when he had the opportunity to buy a home as a professional, he chose a place about 15 minutes outside Edmonton.
"Just my time playing there with the Oil Kings. I enjoyed it so much," Jarry said. "I had a lot of friends there, and I kind of grew up there a little bit, so when I had the opportunity to buy a home, that was kind of where I decided to set roots."
His wife, Hannah, and their son, Bennett, spend summers in Alberta. Jarry has skated regularly with Connor McDavid during the offseason. The connections were already there before Friday's trade made them teammates.
Kyle Dubas acknowledged those ties when explaining the trade from Pittsburgh's perspective. "It'll be a great opportunity for him in Edmonton, where he's had success in junior with the Oil Kings and they made their homes there," Dubas said.
This isn't a player grudgingly accepting a trade to a Canadian market. This is a player who chose to live here, who built a life here, who wanted to come back.
It's no secret that Edmonton is a pretty solid team. They've got two of the best forwards in the NHL in McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Their rookies—Matt Savoie, among others—aren't half bad. The defence could use some work, but fans aren't losing too much sleep over it. And they went to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, losing to Florida both times.
But still, as a fan, you can appreciate Jarry's desire not just to play for the Oilers, but to want to be in Edmonton. That distinction matters more than people realize.
Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas mentioned that Jarry had repeatedly said he wanted to stay with the Penguins. But when the trade became inevitable, Edmonton was where he wanted to go. The connections here, the memories here, the life he'd built here during his junior career—all of that made this more than just another NHL destination.
His first game went pretty well too. Twenty-five saves in a 6-3 win over Toronto on Saturday night. He looked comfortable, composed, and ready for the opportunity ahead of him.
"It's cool," Jarry said before that debut. "It's an opportunity and I'm fully embracing it. I think it's going to be a fun challenge. I think being able to have a chance to reach the pinnacle of sports, you always want that opportunity, to be on this team, to be able to do that."
There's something to be said for a player who views coming to Edmonton as an opportunity rather than an obligation. Who sees Rogers Place as a place to chase a Stanley Cup rather than a market to avoid. Who spent his summer skating with McDavid and now gets to line up beside him.
Jarry is signed through the 2027-28 season at $5.375 million per year. The Oilers have their goalie for the next three playoff runs. Whether he becomes the answer to their goaltending questions remains to be seen. But at least he wants to be here while finding out.
In a league where Edmonton often appears on no-trade lists, where Canadian markets struggle to attract free agents, where players sometimes view northern cities as career detours rather than destinations, Jarry's genuine enthusiasm stands out.
He won a Memorial Cup here. He built a home here. He chose to spend his summers here. And when the opportunity came to play here professionally, he embraced it.
That's worth appreciating, regardless of what happens on the ice.
Who: Nashville Predators (12-15-4, 8th Central) at St. Louis Blues (12-14-7, 7th Central)
When: 7 p.m. CST
Where: Enterprise Center, St. Louis, Mo.
TV: FanDuel Sports Network South
Radio: 102.5 The Game
Line (via BetMGM): Predators (+1.5) Blues (-1.5). Over/under 6 (+100/-120).
Bouncing back
The Nashville Predators saw a two-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday, falling to the top-ranked Avalanche, 4-2, in Denver. Jonathan Marchessault scored on the power play and Tyson Jost added a goal in the late third period.
Despite the loss, both Andrew Brunette and Marchessault said it's a loss the team isn't losing much from. Marchessault said it was more about playing against a high-caliber opponent rather than the Predators not playing well. Brunette was happy with his team's effort on the road.
It came down to the Predators giving the Avalanche too many scoring chances as they had 42 shots on net, the second time this season that Colorado has gotten 40+ on the Predators' goalie.
Dominating bottom of league
Despite their standing in the standings, the Predators have been highly successful against the league's worst teams.
Nashville is 7-2-1 against the nine lowest-ranked teams in the league, with losses to the Winnipeg Jets, 5-2 and 4-1, and the Vancouver Canucks, 5-4, in overtime. In four of those wins, the Predators scored four goals or more.
In their last two games, where they've faced teams in a similar position in the standings, Calgary (Dec. 2) and St. Louis (Dec. 11), the Predators outscored their opposition 12-3.
In that St. Louis result at home, Steven Stamkos scored four goals and Luke Evangelista had three assists.
Opening a busy, challenging week
From Monday to Monday, the Predators will play four games, including their final home games of the 2025 calendar year. After traveling to St. Louis, they host Carolina (Wednesday), Toronto (Saturday) and the New York Rangers (Sunday).
Following Sunday's game, the Predators kicked off a seven-game road trip, and won't return to Bridgestone Arena until Jan. 8.
The stretch this week only gets more difficult as Nashville has gone 1-3-0 against those four opponents, and in all three of those losses, the Predators lost by three goals.
This week is a massive opportunity to not only avenge earlier-season losses and feel good going into the Christmas pause, but also ramp up momentum before a long road trip.
Scouting St. Louis
The Predators have seen and will see more of the Blues this month. In addition to Nashville playing them last week and Monday, they will travel to St. Louis again on Dec. 27, meaning they'll face the same opponent three times in a little over two weeks.
After last week's thumping, the Blues responded with a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks at home. Backup Joel Hofer picked up the win, making 27 saves on 29 shots.
Against the Predators, Hofer came in relief of Jordan Binnington at the start of the third period after Binnington allowed six goals on 19 shots. Hofer made six saves on seven shots. The Blues could look to start him on Monday.
The Blues are also looking to get out of the basement of the NHL, sitting in 28th place and seventh in the Central Division.
