Who:Pittsburgh Penguins (6-10-2, 14 points, 8th place Metropolitan Division) @ San Jose Sharks (8-11-1, 17 points, 6th place Pacific Division)

When: 10:00 p.m. eastern

How to Watch: Locally televised game on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and NBCSCA, streaming for out of market at ESPN+

Pens’ Path Ahead: Monday kicked off a slack part of the schedule for the Pens, who only have three games from Nov 9 – 20. They’ll go back home and see Ottawa on Saturday night then get quite a few days off before the following game next Thursday 11/19 against St. Louis.

Opponent Track: It’s been a long November for the Sharks, who at least were able to break a five-game losing streak with a win on Monday at home against the Islanders, though it required a shootout to get there. To amend the Counting Crows line from the first sentence, there’s not much reason to believe the rest will be better than the last with games this month still to go against Utah, Minnesota, Anaheim, Vegas and Colorado.

Season Series: It won’t be too much longer before the Sharks make their trip for the year to Pittsburgh, playing the Pens again on December 6th.

Hidden Stat: The Penguins are 4-1-0 in their last five visits to the SAP Center, per Penguins PR.

Getting to know the Sharks

Projected lines

FORWARDS

Michael Misa – Macklin Celebrini – Will Smith

Mason Marchment – Alex Wennberg – Kiefer Sherwood

Ivar Stenberg – Ty Dellandrea – Tyler Toffoli

Barclay Goodrow – Zach Ostapchuk – Colin Graf

DEFENSEMEN

Darnell Nurse /Michael Kesselring

Sam Dickinson / Jacob Trouba

Dmitry Orlov / Eric Pohlkamp

Goalies: Yaroslav Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic

Potential scratches: Adam Gaudette, Nolan Allen

Injured Reserve: Igor Chernyshov and Logan Couture

• Bringing on both Nurse and Trouba (for a combined $17.5 million cap hit this season and next) was a curious move when taken together. Grabbing one veteran in that mold was seen in many places as enough (or even one too many) getting them both in an effort to level up and
• Wennberg recently returned to the lineup, he’s quietly a big piece of the team (55 points last season) and has missed half the games this season so far, which doesn’t help matters.
• The second line has some tough customers, Sherwood leads the NHL in his this season with 106. Marchment just picked up a $5,000 fine for sticking up for an Islander who boarded Sherwood last game.

Season stats
via hockeydb

• Lots of youth for the Sharks, which has led to some uneven offensive development. Giving up chances and more goals than they’ve been able to score has been a big issue. Some have risen, like Misa in his second year, some have faded away at the moment – like Graf who scored 21 goals and 46 points riding shotgun with Celebrini last year and has barely been on the scoresheet this season.
• Taking the step from tearing down and acquiring assets has gone well, now getting up the next hurdle to become a competitive team is something SJ is trying to figure out on the fly. Toffoli has been great in support, others like Sherwood and Marchment will need to step up as the veteran help the young core needs.

Key to the game: Start fast and don’t get burned by the young talent

After taking a step forward in 2025-26, San Jose is down across the board on stats so far in 2026-27. Their offense is way down and the defensive process looks as broken as ever.

Shayna Goldman at The Athletic wrote an interesting bit about the Sharks yesterday:

High-flying rebuilding teams that play a run-and-gun style (think the 2022-23 Sabres and 2021-22 Ducks) often start stressing defensive structure above all else. But sometimes that shift can suppress what makes a team so special offensively, and doesn’t actually move the needle defensively.

That has been the case so far in San Jose, where the hockey and overall team progress have been uninspiring. Now, despite an attempted shift to play more defensive hockey, the Sharks are still bleeding chances against. The team is allowing a higher rate of chances off the rush compared to last season, as well as more passes to the slot, and is failing to limit their opponents’ offensive-zone time. And unlike last year, there isn’t that same offensive punch to make up for it. The Sharks’ young guns aren’t creating nearly as many rush chances or moving the puck as well, and are overall looking disjointed after last season’s progress.

And yet, with Celebrini and Smith and Stenberg, there’s still plenty of dynamic high-end talent that can burn an opponent at any given moment, which will have to be a priority to be mindful of for the Penguins. The Sharks season, and maybe rebuild as whole, seems like it’s in a precarious and unsteady spot at the moment. That could be good timing to meet a team now in disarray, it could also make them dangerous as they look to get on track.

The start of any game is crucial – and that will hold in this. The Sharks have only scored the first goal in 5 of their 20 games this season. They have only been leading after 20 minutes on three occasions, compared to being behind at the first intermission ten times.

For the Pens, don’t give them a reason to believe and that will trap SJ in the familiar position of chasing the game from behind and likely not being able to get a result. To avoid that, shut down the first line and the Stenberg+Toffoli combo and the Sharks don’t have a lot of other pieces that have been stepping up. (All of this is easier thought out than done, especially with a defense like Pittsburgh employs..)

And now for the Pens

Projected lines 

FORWARDS

Evgeni Malkin – Sidney Crosby – Rickard Rakell

Egor Chinakhov – Ben Kindel – Nick Robertson

Ville Koivunen – Tommy Novak – Justin Brazeau

Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Rutger McGroarty

DEFENSEMEN

Spencer Stastney / Erik Karlsson

Sam Girard* / Kaeden Korczak

Declan Carlile / Kris Letang

Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Sergei Murashov

Potential Scratches: Hendrix Lapierre, Andrei Kuzmenko, Ilya Solovyov

IR: Ryan Graves, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Elmer Soderblom, Bryan Rust

• Could be three new forward lines, based on practice yesterday. The first line remained the same as it has been these last few games, and then FINALLY Nick Robertson gets elevated into a bigger role after scoring as many goals as anyone for the team this year in mostly a limited and defensive line. Tommy Novak, one of the team’s best players in the last handful of games, gets a new challenge and moves back to center.
• Sam Girard missed practice yesterday with what was termed a ‘maintenance day’ and usually indicative that the team is thinking the player will still play the next game.
• Trevor van Riemsdyk, who said said to have a day-to-day injury on October 10th and hasn’t been around much ever since, has been cleared for contact and was a full participant in practice. van Riemsdyk has been limited to playing in only five games.

Rising Robertson

Muse, on potentially elevating Robertson: "He's scored a chunk of goals there for us. He's shown the ability to create offense. He drives a lot of things just with his work and tenacity. He can put that line, whoever he's playing with, in good offensive situations. So, something…

— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) November 10, 2026

There is something positive to be said about being used in the key defensive role with Connor Dewar and Blake Lizotte, as Robertson has for much of the season. That is an important line for the Penguins and one the coaches and team counts on in plenty of big situations, and not the completely typical or standard “fourth line afterthought” type of usage. The Pens have given Robertson a look on the PK and a real chance to pitch in there and grow his game and reputation as more of a two-way contributor.

That said, Robertson can score goals but has lacked the opportunity to get a lot of ice time and play with talented offensive players for much of his career, so it’s been frustrating to see him not get much of a chance to make a bigger impact so far this season. That makes it heartening to see him used with Chinakhov and Kindel today, two young and offensive-minded forwards. Robertson’s sure earned it through his play and production (tied for team-high seven goals).

There's no other way to describe the Toronto Maple Leafs right now other than to say that they are struggling this season. Losing their fourth straight home game in regulation, a 6-3 defeat to the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, the Maple Leafs have an 8-10-2 record in the first 20 games of this season.

They sit seventh in the Atlantic Division and have a .450 win percentage. In this unforgiving division, the Maple Leafs are losing opportunities to climb the standings. And the chances of making the Stanley Cup playoffs are slowly dying, despite being just 20 games into the year.

Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller was blunt about the team's performance, and it was arguably the most critical he's been of his team since being hired.

"We make multiple poor decisions, multiple," he said after the game on Tuesday. And that's usually how hockey works. Sometimes you make a bad decision, and hopefully somebody cleans it up. You can make one, two, three poor decisions in a row. And veteran players, can't have it. You just can't have it."

'We Didn't Have It': Maple Leafs' Spirit-Lacking Loss Calls For More Energetic Starts Moving ForwardThe Toronto Maple Leafs lacked spirit and couldn't claw back against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday. Where's the concern level, and what needs to change going into Tuesday's game against the Colorado Avalanche?

Hiller was referencing Colorado's fourth goal of the game, which came just under a minute after Jack Roslovic's 3-3 equalizer early in the third period. Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog tapped in his second of the game off a pass from former Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri. Landeskog was all alone in front of the net when he received the pass.

"That's how you lose," Hiller added. "It's just plain and simple. That's how hockey is. You have to be on it."

In general, this is not where the Maple Leafs envisioned being at this point in the year. With an abundance of changes to the roster and a fresh slate going into 2026-27, the team isn't far off, record-wise, from 2025-26.

In the first 20 games last year, Toronto was 9-9-2, which is better than what they are currently at, and that team went on to win the draft lottery, finishing 28th in the NHL.

"I don't want to make excuses, so our record is what it is. It's deserved," Hiller said. "I think we could have a better record, but we don't. We are what we are. And it's a lot of different things. The goal against, let's start there."

Maple Leafs Share Status Of Five Injured Players And How Long They May Be UnavailableThe Toronto Maple Leafs have lost several key players over the weekend and have been missing others for even longer. Here are the updates for five players who will be unavailable against the Colorado Avalanche.

The Leafs have the fourth-worst defense in the NHL, allowing 69 goals in 20 games, averaging 3.45 goals against per game. Only the San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks have been worse in that category.

Another aspect contributing to Toronto's downfall is the penalty kill. To start the year, the Leafs' penalty kill was among the best in NHL history, executing at 97.4 percent as of Oct. 20. In fact, on several occasions, the unbeatable penalty kill was the reason for many of the Leafs' points in the standings.

But the penalty kill hasn't been nearly as good lately, allowing power-play goals in seven straight games before this Avalanche outing. They've also taken the third-most minor penalties in the NHL, and a penalty kill as good as the Maple Leafs' was at the beginning of this season can only be so sustainable with that many opportunities.

"We've had penalties at inopportune times," Toronto's coach said. "There's been a lot of things. But I like the guys. I like the team. We're going to come out of it. It just really, really sucks. And the only way I told you is stay together and work."

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Finally, Carey Price got his long-overdue goodbye from the Montreal Canadiens fans. After taking Toronto by storm over the weekend, the netminder returned to his own stomping ground to say farewell to those who watched him become the legendary goaltender he became over his 15-year career. Before the game, the Anahim Lake, BC, native fielded questions from the local media, but that will be the topic of another article because it deserves its own space, not just a passing mention.

As expected, Price received a roaring welcome from the crowd after a tribute video, and he had to wait quite some time before the crowd finally let him speak. By then, the man who was never rattled when he stood between the posts was on the verge of tears on the ceremonial carpet. True to himself, the former netminder gave a short but heartfelt speech with plenty of thanks to go around. When he turned to the Habs players and said, “To the boys, this is your time; enjoy it,” the crowd erupted in yet another cheer, and the goaltender gave a final thank you, this one in French, to the crowd who cheered him on the ice for years but still adore him off the ice.

Canadiens’ Morning Skate Update And Prolonged Auditions
Game 18- Canadiens vs. Wild: Price’s return
Canadiens’ Caufield On Pace For Another 50-Goal Season

Fitting Goaltending Battle

Given that the evening was dedicated to Price, it was fitting that the fans were treated to a goaltending battle between two of the league’s best young netminders. There weren’t many shots, but there were certainly some big ones and big scoring opportunities. After 40 minutes, the score was 0-0, and the Wild had 14 shots while the Habs had 17.

Still, Fowler made numerous saves with a Minnesota Wild player alone with him, and whenever that happened in the first 40 minutes, the Canadiens netminder shot the door quick as a cat and stayed calm. On one particular sequence, the goaltender stopped a first shot and then frustrated Michael McCarron on the rebound, stretching his leg just enough to touch the puck. In the second frame, Ryan Hartman benefited from a couple of lucky bounces to get in all alone on Fowler, and the result was the same.

What a save from Jacob Fowler 🧱 pic.twitter.com/6a6Wnnl7p2

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 11, 2026

As for Jesper Wallstedt, he stopped Texier one-on-one as the Frenchman turned on the Jets to overtake a defenseman, but he couldn’t beat the keeper. Nobody beat the goaltenders until Josh Anderson mishandled the puck, handing Bobby Brink a breakaway that he buried. As for the Canadiens, they tied the game with less than two minutes left as Suzuki jumped on a rebound to push it in. Fowler stopped 22 of the 24 shots he faced, while Wallstedt stopped all but one of the 28 shots he faced.

JESPER WALLSTEDT pic.twitter.com/muYGd9mUbe

— Spoked Z (@SpokedZ) November 11, 2026

Faceoff Prowess Isn’t Enough

While the Canadiens dominated the faceoff circle, winning 65.5% of the draws, the Wild mastered shot-blocking, with 23 to the Habs’ 12. While the Habs were good at establishing possession off the faceoffs, Minnesota was good at recovering the pucks either with blocked shots or sound defensive play.

When the Wild scored on the breakaway, the Canadiens had been cycling the puck in their zone for a good long while, but couldn’t find free shooting lanes, and as often happens, when you can’t capitalize at one end, the puck finishes in your own net.

When Montreal got power play opportunities, it was the same story: the Habs were cycling the puck, and Minnesota wasn’t giving them the shooting lanes they wanted. They were kept to the outside, looking for a certain type of opportunity that didn’t come.

Frustrated Room

While Montreal managed to tie the game with barely any time left, there was enough time for Cole Caufield to be assessed a two-minute slashing call after battling for the puck and the defenseman’s stick exploded. The Habs held off the Wild for the final 57 seconds of regulation; the four-on-three overtime was fatal. It took 21 seconds for Kirill Kaprizov to find the back of the net from a slap shot in overtime.

Cole Caufield takes a penalty late in the game. pic.twitter.com/ff2P1MVdv3

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) November 11, 2026

Needless to say, the Canadiens weren’t best pleased with some of the penalties called, not only Caufield’s but also Anderson’s hooking call in the third. Martin St-Louis in his post-game scrum explained:

It’s a shame we didn’t get a chance to take the game to overtime at even strength; it’s disappointing. It was two good teams tonight; it’s a shame that it ended that way.

On the Caufield penalty, St-Louis added:

I thought Hughes sold the penalty; he created the broken stick.

It’s quite rare that the Canadiens’ coach comments on the referees without saying that the referees have a tough job, but he did say it’s a fast game on a follow-up question.

As for Anderson, he was clearly trying to hold back as he spoke to the reporters:

“You kind of look at the stat sheet. You know, we’re the most penalized team. We talk about it all the time. I mean, some of them, it’s…I’ll leave it at that, honestly. It is what it is.”

In 18 games, the Habs have now been assessed 73 penalties; that’s not quite the highest total in the league; the Florida Panthers have 80, but it’s not that far off either. The broken sticks are quickly becoming a plague on the game. The number of times sticks break on the ice is quite concerning, especially since a stick can have some wear on it and break even more easily when there is contact. Still, that’s a reality all teams must deal with.

The 2-1 overtime loss at least allowed the Habs to take one point from what was a very good game, a battle between two top teams. Montreal’s next game is Thursday night against the Boston Bruins, and given how well Fowler played, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him back in net in the city where he played college hockey.

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The Vancouver Canucks organization is well-represented in the Hockey Hall-of-Fame. 17 current and former members of the organization, ranging from players to builders, have been inducted into the HHOF since the team’s inaugural season back in 1970. Brian Burke is the most recent former Canuck inducted into the HHOF, having been honoured this past weekend in Toronto. 

Here are 17 current and former Canucks who have been inducted into the Hockey Hall-of-Fame.  

10 Current And Former Canucks Inducted As Players  

Cam Neely (2005): Drafted ninth-overall in the 1983 NHL Draft by Vancouver but only played in three seasons with the Canucks before being traded to the Boston Bruins. Established himself as one of the league’s best power forwards with the Bruins, putting together back-to-back 90+ point seasons in 1989–90 and 1990–91. 

Mark Messier (2007): Best known for his time with the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers, the latter of which saw him win a Stanley Cup against Vancouver in 1994. Posted 694 goals (9th in NHL history) and 1193 assists (3rd in NHL history) throughout all 1756 games played (3rd in NHL history) through his NHL career. Played for Vancouver from 1997–98 to 1999–2000. 

Igor Larionov (2008): An 11th-round pick by Vancouver in the 1985 NHL Draft who was finally permitted to play in the NHL four years after being drafted. Spent the first three seasons of his NHL career with the Canucks starting at the age of 28, putting up 51 goals and 92 assists in 210 games. Spent the bulk of his career with the Detroit Red Wings, but also skated for the San Jose Sharks, Florida Panthers, and New Jersey Devils. 

Cammi Granato (2010): Inducted for her time as a player, during which she won Olympic Gold (1997–98) and Silver (2001–02) for Team USA. Also won nine medals — one Gold, eight Silver — at the IIHF World Championship. Was the all-time leading scorer in women’s international hockey at the time of her induction (54 goals, 42 assists in 54 games). Joined the Canucks as an Assistant General Manager in 2021–22 and now serves as a Senior Advisor.  

Pavel Bure (2012): Made a big impression in his first game with the Canucks and went on to become one of the franchise’s most exciting players to watch. Awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy in his rookie season (1991–92) with 34 goals and 26 assists in 65 games played. Amassed 254 goals and 224 assists in 428 games as a Canuck, ranking in the club’s top-five in goals all-time. Had his jersey retired by the team back in 2013 and remains one of the most notable players in franchise history.  

Mats Sundin (2012): Spent four years with the Québec Nordiques (1990–01 to 1993–94) and 13 with the Toronto Maple Leafs (1994–95 to 2007–08) before heading to Vancouver for one season. Scored nine goals and 19 assists in 41 games as a member of the Canucks, with this being his final season before NHL retirement. Now a Senior Advisor for the Maple Leafs. 

Daniel Sedin (2022): Vancouver’s current leader in goals (393) and power-play goals (138) scored all-time in 1306 career games played. Awarded the Ted Lindsay Award (2010–11), Art Ross Trophy (2010–11), and King Clancy Trophy (2017–18). Currently one of two Presidents of Hockey Operations for the Canucks.  

Henrik Sedin (2022): Vancouver’s current leader in assists (830), points (1070), power-play assists (308), power-play points (369), and games played (1330). Served as the Canucks’ captain for a total of eight seasons. Awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy (2009–10), Art Ross Trophy (2009–10), and King Clancy Trophy (2015–16, 2017–18). Currently one of two Presidents of Hockey Operations for the Canucks.  

Roberto Luongo (2022): Spent eight seasons with the Canucks (2006–07 to 2013–14) and two as captain. Holds the franchise’s record for wins (252) and shutouts (38), as well as the second-best GAA (2.36) and SV% (.919%). Has the fourth-most wins (489) and third-most games played (1044) in NHL history. Won the William M. Jennings Trophy alongside Cory Schneider in 2010–11. 

Alexander Mogilny (2025): Split his NHL career with the Buffalo Sabres (1989–90 to 1994–95), Canucks (1995–96 to 1999–2000), Devils (1999–00 to 2000–01, 2005–06), and Maple Leafs (2001–02 to 2003–04). Put up 139 goals and 169 assists in 312 games with Vancouver. 

Six Former Canucks Inducted As Builders 

Jake Milford (1984): Spent nine seasons as an NHL General Manager, four of which were with the Los Angeles Kings (1973–74 to 1976–77) and five of which were with the Canucks (1977–78 to 1981–82). Helped Vancouver to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance as GM. Also served as Vancouver’s Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations from 1982–83 to 1983–84.   

Norman ‘Bud’ Poile (1990): Served as the Philadelphia Flyers’ General Manager from 1967–68 to 1969–70 before becoming the first GM in Canucks history in 1970. Spent three years as Vancouver’s GM. Also took roles with the Edmonton Flyers (1952–53 to 1961–62) and San Francisco Seals (1962–63 to 1965–66) of the WHL-Sr. 

Roger Neilson (2002): Helped coach Vancouver to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1982, a playoff run that saw the birth of his infamous ‘Towel Power’ moment. Served as the Canucks’ Head Coach from 1981–82 to 1983–84. Also served as a Head Coach for the Maple Leafs (1977–78 to 1978–79), Sabres (1980–81), Kings (1983–84), Chicago Blackhawks (1985–86), Rangers (1989–90 to 1992–93), Panthers (1993–94 to 1994–95), and Flyers (1997–98 to 1999–2000).   

Pat Quinn (2016): One of the winningest Canucks Head Coaches in franchise history with 141 victories as a bench boss (4th-most in club history). Was a member of the organization as a player (1970–71 to 1971–72), General Manager (1987–88 to 1997–98), President (1987–88 to 1997–98), and Head Coach (1990–91 to 1993–94, 1995–96). Also previously a franchise owner of the Vancouver Giants (WHL).

Jim Rutherford (2019): Vancouver’s President of Hockey Operations from 2021–22 to 2025–26. Transitioned to Senior Advisor for the Canucks at the end of the 2025–26 season. Served in various executive roles for the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes organization from 1994–95 to 2014–15. Also spent nearly six seasons with the Pittsbrugh Penguins as GM.  

Brian Burke (2026): Known for his bold moves as a GM, including making draft-day moves to select both Daniel and Henrik Sedin during the 1999 NHL Draft. Served as both Director of Hockey Operations (1987–88 to 1991–92) and GM (1999–2000 to 2003–04) for the Canucks during two separate stints. Also formerly the GM of the Whalers, Anaheim Ducks, Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, and Penguins.  

One Former Canucks Head Coach Inducted As A Referee 

Bill McCreary (2014): Inducted into the HHOF as a referee but played in the NHL with the Rangers, Red Wings, Montréal Canadiens, and St. Louis Blues. Served as Vancouver’s Head Coach for 41 games in 1974, during which the team posted a record of 9–25–7. 

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

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

Former Canucks Forward Evander Kane Signs With Sibir Novosibirsk In KHL

Abbotsford Canucks Forward Ilya Safonov Reportedly Headed Back To The KHL

Canucks Claim Crotty Off Waivers, Make Two Other Roster Moves

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Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

Connor Hellebuyck talks back in Winnipeg:

“Connor Hellebuyck said Tuesday that threats made against his family last season were what ultimately pushed him over the edge to request a trade from the Winnipeg Jets. Without disclosing the exact nature of the threats, Hellebuyck told reporters that he was already feeling unsure about his future with the organization before ‘there was some moments and some things that happened to my family that, for me, crossed the line and, as a husband and a father, I felt made that decision very certain.’” [The Athletic ($)]

Tuesday’s game in Winnipeg certainly had some juice. Dawson Mercer scored twice and helped to boost the Jets to a 4-2 win over the Devils. [Devils NHL]

An old friend talks:

Hockey Links

An interesting situation in Philadelphia:

Following up on this Kevin Weekes bombshell, I’ve been told that Matvei Michkov has not formally requested a trade from the Flyers.

In fact, this report was news to the Flyers front office. https://t.co/MeAxR6DcHG

— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) November 10, 2026

“If the Flyers continue to hover near the bottom of the league standings, attention will turn toward individual player development, particularly the young guys. Whether Tocchet is coaching Michkov correctly, or if Michkov shoulders most of the blame for not playing as much as he wants to because of his lack of detail, is a debate that’s probably not going away anytime soon.” [The Athletic ($)]

A massive hit:

Nick Cousins was taken off the ice after this hit by Chychrun, he was up and moving after being down and able to walk off the ice with some help

Hope he’s alright 🙏 pic.twitter.com/3Lrp2FYAWl

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 11, 2026

“The NHL will continue to monitor the international hockey landscape before deciding if Russia will be included in the to-be-determined eight-team field for the World Cup of Hockey 2028, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday.” [NHL.com]

“The NHL and NHLPA will meet in the new year to discuss the possibility of ‘smoothing’ the salary cap over the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons.” [Sportsnet]

“With nearly a quarter of the NHL regular season completed, which defensemen have emerged as top candidates for the Norris Trophy?” [The Hockey News]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…

Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Erik Christensen said he is at peace being remembered as a shootout specialist, a reputation he developed during his NHL career, with the Albertan converting 52.7% of his career shootout attempts, including 14 of 23 with Pittsburgh. Speaking with Seth Rorabaugh of the Tribune-Review, Christensen reflected on his time with the Penguins and the unique role that helped make him one of the league’s most successful shootout performers. [Trib Live]

As rookie goalie Sergei Murashov finds his footing in the NHL, Murashov has publicly thanked Calgary Flames goalie Devin Cooley for sharing his perspective on the mental side of playing the position, saying Cooley’s comments have genuinely helped him. [PensBurgh]

News and notes from around the NHL…

Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin said he is willing to keep star defenseman Quinn Hughes beyond the March 1 NHL trade deadline even if the team has not reached a contract extension with him. [TSN]

The NHL will explore new replay-assist technology to help officials make more accurate calls, including a system that could quickly relay information from the league’s situation room without requiring lengthy video reviews. [Sportsnet]

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has scored just one goal through 15 games in his 22nd and final NHL season, marking the slowest start of his career. His reduced production comes as Washington has added more offensive talent and scaled back his playing time and power-play role, though coach Spencer Carbery said Ovechkin understands the changes and is focused on helping the team win. [Sportsnet]

New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck said concerns about his family’s safety and uncertainty surrounding his career contributed to his decision to request a trade from the Winnipeg Jets. The 33-year-old said incidents involving his family, which went beyond online death threats, ultimately made him feel a change was necessary. [NHL]

Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league has not decided whether Russia will be allowed to compete in the 2028 World Cup of Hockey, describing the situation as a “wait-and-see” process. [NHL]

Montreal Canadiens (11-3-4, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Boston Bruins (13-4-1, in the Atlantic Division)

Boston; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: The Boston Bruins take on the Montreal Canadiens with a four win streak on the line.

Boston has gone 13-4-1 overall with a 1-1-0 record against the Atlantic Division. The Bruins have given up 41 goals while scoring 67 for a +26 scoring differential.

Montreal is 5-0-0 against the Atlantic Division and 11-3-4 overall. The Canadiens have an 8-2-3 record when scoring at least three goals.

The matchup Thursday is the first meeting this season between the two teams.

TOP PERFORMERS: David Pastrnak has scored eight goals with 16 assists for the Bruins. Charlie McAvoy has eight assists over the past 10 games.

Nicholas Suzuki has seven goals and nine assists for the Canadiens. Cole Caufield has six goals and five assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Bruins: 7-2-1, averaging 3.7 goals, 5.8 assists, 4.9 penalties and 14.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.3 goals per game.

Canadiens: 7-0-3, averaging 3.5 goals, 6.2 assists, five penalties and 11.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.

INJURIES: Bruins: James Hagens: out (back).

Canadiens: Mike Matheson: out (lower body), Jake Evans: day to day (hand), Ivan Demidov: out (lower-body), Lucas Condotta: out (undisclosed), Bryce Pickford: out (undisclosed), Samuel Montembeault: out (lower-body).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

ST. LOUIS – St. Louis Blues coach Jim Montgomery wanted to see his team play faster in the offensive zone, wanted to see more assertion with the puck, being able to retrieve it and make opposing defenders work harder to get the puck.

It’s part of what’s been hampering the team in losing three straight (0-2-1) heading into a matchup with the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.

It wasn’t easy in the end, but the Blues were able to end their mini slide while extending Detroit’s losing streak to four in a row with a 3-2 win at Enterprise Center on Tuesday.

Jimmy Snuggerud’s team-leading 10th goal of the season late in the third period proved to be the difference; he also had an assist. Pius Suter and Justin Barron each scored, and Joel Hofer made 30 saves for the Blues, who got back to .500 at 8-8-2.

Let’s look at the key moments from the Blues’ fifth win in eight home games (5-2-1).

* That’s how the Blues need to play, at least the first two periods. Can they now sustain it? – The Blues talked about possessing more pucks, winning more battles, winning the net front, making the opposition defend more. Those were all evident signs in the first period.

Had it not been for Detroit goalie John Gibson robbing former Red Wings draft pick Jonatan Berggren with the paddle early in the period and a couple other key saves, it could have been a comfortable lead for St. Louis.

Yeah, the Blues made a mistake by icing the puck late in the period (Cam Fowler). Yes, they didn’t win the D-zone face-off, and yes, the Red Wings grabbed a 1-0 lead on Andrew Copp’s redirection of a Ben Chiarot left point shot with 12.3 seconds left in the period.

Late period goals like that tend to deflate teams, but the Blues felt good about the way they were playing.

“That was the messaging between periods is that we thought we had a really good period,” Montgomery said. ‘We were playing north, we were playing vertical. We weren’t passing up shots, we were getting to hard areas and we felt it was just a matter of time before it would come and the Suter line started off the second period with great fashion. Another rimmed puck to a forecheck, a couple bodies out, then we cycle it and then we get it to the crease and we bang home a puck.

“I really liked the way we started the game, I thought our first 40 minutes might have been our best first 40 minutes of the year.”

The Blues had a good start to the hockey game on Saturday too in a 3-1 loss to the Nashville Predators but this time, stuck with it.

“I think we were from the get-go we were moving our legs, getting pucks, shooting pucks deep and kind of rolled them,” Suter said. “I think it was one of our best games regarding that. I think we had a lot of O-zone time and that tired them out and at the end of shifts, get some chances.

“I think we felt good about our first until that goal. I think we played them down low and did a good job on the blue lines and obviously just keep going at them and get two goals quickly, that was a nice reward to the play we played in the first.”

Barron added, “I thought that was probably one of our better games in terms of starts and first periods. Obviously they got one at the end of the first period there, but I liked the way we responded at the start of the second. We got right back to kind of how we finished the first period.”

“We knew if played like that for a full 60 minutes, we were going to have success. I thought we did a good job of just buying into that tonight.”

* Two quick goals reward for solid first period – And with that, the Blues were rewarded quickly, with goals by Suter and Barron 1:57 apart to forge ahead 2-1.

Suter struck 37 seconds into the second after his linemates Alexey Toropchenko and specifically, Ross Johnston, won a wall battle, got the puck down low to Toropchenko, and the forward moved it towards the net and put a puck through the crease for Suter to finish on the backside for his 100th NHL goal and 200th point:

St. Louis goal!

Scored by Pius Suter with 19:23 left in the 2nd. Assisted by Alexey Toropchenko and Brandon Carlo.

STL: 1 | DET: 1#DETvsSTL#StlBlues#LGRWpic.twitter.com/xEvKcTaNIQ

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) November 11, 2026

“You always try and get something going,” Suter said. “Get pucks back and then hold the line and low-to-high and just get them on net, especially our line. Ross is such a big presence in front of the net. He makes the other guys try to move him and so we always have somebody at the net.”

Montgomery has been utilizing Suter’s line to begin periods more frequently here. Why?

“They’ve given us an identity of playing to how we want to play,” Montgomery said. ‘They go out and play a simple game and they execute it well and it’s a great illustration to the next lines that are coming up that this is how we go wave after wave.”

Suter said, “I think the last few games have been kind of what we want to do. It gets the team some momentum and start the period right and set the tone a little bit and I think we are kind of finding that groove a little bit.”

* Barron keeps earning his wings – The defenseman, claimed off waivers from the Nashville Predators, continues to shine.

His goal came as a result of him jumping into a rush for a 3-on-2 and finishing off the arm and leg of Gibson at 2:34 to make it 2-1, converting a Robert Thomas pass:

St. Louis goal!

Scored by Justin Barron with 17:26 left in the 2nd. Assisted by Robert Thomas and Jimmy Snuggerud.

STL: 2 | DET: 1#DETvsSTL#StlBlues#LGRWpic.twitter.com/ljuMZM1CGn

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) November 11, 2026

“I just saw we had numbers,” Barron said. “I thought we did a good job killing plays in the D-zone tonight. It just allows us to get into our rush game. I saw numbers, tried to drive the middle lane and ‘Tommer’ made a great play into the middle and put one on net.”

Barron now has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 15 Blues games after just nine assists in 52 games with the Predators last season. His fit with a team that likes to play aggressively with its defensemen has been a perfect fit.

“He’s done it long enough to think this is the best version of him,” Montgomery said of Barron. “He wasn’t a first-round pick by mistake. That’s clear by his talent, and now he’s just putting it all together and it’s awesome watching someone blossom like that. Again, great job by our pro scouts.”

Barron has done such a solid job. So solid that the team assigned first-round picks Theo Lindstein and Adam Jiricek to Springfield of the American Hockey league.

“I just came in and tried to make the most of my opportunity,” Barron said. “’Lindy’ and ‘Jiri’ are great players and I’m sure they’ll be back at some point. I thought they both played good at the start of the year. They’re obviously young with a ton of talent. I’m sure they’ll be back up.”

And Barron, who’s predominantly been playing with Colton Parayko, is getting acclimated on his off side on the left.

“It’s a little bit different in the D-zone getting passes,” Barron said. “You tend to look across ice instead of up the ice first and there’s a little bit of a bling spot there, but that’s something I’ve been working on. I think in the offensive zone, it’s nice being on your one-sider time. It’s great for early positioning in the offensive zone as well.”

* Hofer stood tall – As the goalie said, he wasn’t too busy for 40 minutes having faced only 12 shots, but down a goal, the Red Wings pushed and prodded to the tune of 20 shots in the third period, and Hofer had to stop 19 of them.

“Not a lot of action (in the first two periods), to finally get some shots and feel the pressure a little bit, but it was obviously good the way we played,” Hofer said. “It was a huge win for us.

“It can be tough for sure. Obviously the handles help me stay in the game and just stay present, but obviously they’re going to get a push at some point. I just tried to stay ready for that.”

Hofer is now 7-5-1 with a 2.33 goals-against average and .920 save percentage.

“He was standing tall,” Suter said. ‘They threw some pucks in his feet and I also think they did a good job, the defensemen, and forwards to kind of box the guys out to make sure those couple pucks that lay there and we got enough sticks on it so they can’t put it in. Obviously a good win by us.”

Hofer had a nervy moment at 8:37 of the third during Detroit’s lone power play when the Red Wings sent multiple bodies to the net and a play was close enough for a lengthy delay before the call on the ice stood in a 2-1 game,

“It was a long delay,” Hofer said. “From the replay that I saw, I didn’t think that it was a goal, but yeah, I wasn’t really thinking too much to be honest.

“I honestly thought it went in (at first), to be honest, but I was more like they kind of pushed my leg in, so I was like, ‘It’s not going to count regardless,’ but it obviously didn’t go in, which was nice.”

* Thomas line very noticeable – Thomas, Snuggerud and Dylan Holloway need to impact games more regularly, and this was the right way Tuesday.

They helped account for two of the three goals, including Snuggerud’s game-winner when he made a defensive play that started a rush.

Sure, it was a fortuitous bounce when Holloway’s pass was deflected right to Gibson, but the veteran goalie swatted it into Snuggerud’s path, off his skates and into the net at 15:58 to seal what would be a one-goal win. But Snuggerud made the play defensively, joined the rush with his skating and kept moving his feet. It made it 3-1 at the time:

St. Louis goal!

Scored by Jimmy Snuggerud with 04:02 left in the 3rd. Assisted by Dylan Holloway.

STL: 3 | DET: 1#DETvsSTL#StlBlues#LGRWpic.twitter.com/23eLATDNuq

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) November 11, 2026

The line had 12 shots on goal, including seven by Holloway, who was robbed at one point by Gibson.

“They had two goals in the game and I thought they were really dynamic tonight,” Montgomery said. ‘But I thought they played fast, I thought they played north. At the end of the second, there’s a chance where Thomas could have carried that puck in, but he just chips it into the goal line, we go forecheck it and we draw a penalty the last minute. That’s the way we have to keep playing and we’re going to keep rewarding ourselves if we keep playing that way.

“hey pushed, they were down, they pushed, I thought we took our foot off the pedal, but we managed the puck well. We kept making them come against pressure. That’s why we extended the lead.”

* Mailloux helps stabilize the D – Logan Mailloux returned for the first time and made his season debut after missing 17 games with a broken right hand.

By playing with Philip Broberg and playing 18:09, it allowed Barron and Parayko to play together as well as veterans Fowler and Brandon Carlo.

“I thought he looked great,” Barron said of Mailloux, his former teammate with Laval of the AHL. “For missing some time, I thought he played really well. I got to play with him in Laval for a little while. It was a lot of fun. He’s a great teammate, a great player.”

* Admiration for WWII veteran – This is a salute to Mr. Bob Schultz, a World War 2 Marine who dropped the ceremonial first puck prior to Tuesday's game and doing it at the age of 104 on Salute to Military Night. That's amazing:

104 year old WWII veteran Bob Schultz drops the ceremonial first puck with Robert Thomas and Justin Faulk on Salute to Military Night #stlbluespic.twitter.com/Aboprn0jac

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) November 11, 2026

"I want to start off by recognizing what I think is a true hero," Montgomery said starting off his press conference. "I'm glad our players got off the bench to recognize Mr. Schultz, the World War 2 hero. I think that's inspirational, and I love the ovation our crowd gave him."

A great moment from the Greatest Generation.

We were extremely honored to have Bob Schultz, a 104-year-old World War II veteran and retired Marine, join us for the ceremonial puck drop. After the ceremony, the entire team lined up to shake his hand and say thank you.

He was… pic.twitter.com/2f4CKdgZQK

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) November 11, 2026

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