Category: Ice Hockey

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler has been playing excellently for the Original Six club.

Now, Fowler has been rewarded by the NHL because of it.

The NHL has announced that Fowler has been named the league's Third Star of the Week from Oct. 19 to Oct. 25. When looking at how well Fowler played during this past week, it is easy to understand why.

In his two appearances this past week for Montreal, Fowler had a 2-0-0 record, a 1.00 goals-against average, and a .964 save percentage. This included him stopping 20 out of 21 shots against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 23 and saving 33 out of 34 shots against the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 25.

Fowler has been very good for the Canadiens this season in general, too. In six appearances this campaign with Montreal, he has a 5-1-0 record, a .924 save percentage, a 1.79 goals-against average, and one shutout.

With this, Fowler is only continuing to impress as he gains more NHL experience. It will be interesting to see if he can stay hot for the Habs from here.

The Chicago Blackhawks brought 8 defensemen to their NHL roster out of training camp. Two of them, Ethan Del Mastro and Kevin Korchinski, have mostly been rotational players if they are needed due to injury or performance.

Bowen Byram has missed the last handful of games with an upper-body injury. For the first few, the head coach tapped Ethan Del Mastro to come into the lineup. However, Kevin Korchinski was used on Sunday against the Florida Panthers. 

Kevin Korchinski, like most of his small sample size in the 2026-26 training camp, preseason, and regular season, played very well against the Panthers. In a lot of ways, he was the best defenseman on the team for 60 minutes. 

NHL Game Score Impact Card for Chicago Blackhawks on 2026-10-25: pic.twitter.com/aEJObmwVrQ

— HockeyStatCards (@hockeystatcards) October 25, 2026

This is the type of performance that makes you question the point of him sitting out at all. He seems to be one of the six best defensemen in the organization at this time, but he's not treated like it. Even after this game, it doesn't sound like head coach Jeff Blashill was as impressed as one would have thought. Blashill had his compliments for Korchinski, but there was plenty of "coach speak" with critiques as well. 

"I thought he did a lot of good things," Blashill said of Korchinski. "He's going to want the change back, but I thought there were moments where he did good stuff. He's got a habit of drifting back when he's got the puck in the neutral zone. We want him to plant his feet and go North. He played solid. His pair with Rinzel - both of them did a lot of good things. It's unfortunate he had the tough change."

It is hard to tell, based on Blashill's postgame quotes, whether or not Korchinski will get to follow up this game with another. Sure, he had the tough change, but that doesn't change the fact that he was the team's best defender over the course of the 60 minutes. That may be true even if you include the forwards.  

There is no easy way to approach Korchinski's situation, and he knows that. It has been a very up-and-down start to his NHL career, but he certainly has the tools to become an everyday contributor. He is aware that one good game doesn't mean he'll even get to dress in the next. Whether that's fair or not, he has accepted it and will continue to work until he is an everyday player. 

"Every day you have to earn it," Korchinski said about getting to play again after a good showing. "It starts with showing up the next day and proving myself again. The past doesn't matter. You want to be good in the present and help the team win. You have to be good every day. It's a hard league. That's the approach you want to have to be a difference maker and have a long career." 

Korchinski has the right attitude. Everything he said is spot on. However, if he doesn't play against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, the Blackhawks are announcing to the world that his being in the lineup has nothing to do with his prior performance. Would he like the one bad line change back? Sure. But other defensemen have had way worse plays that didn't result in being scratched. 

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Despite their current 10-game losing streak, not all is doom-and-gloom for the Vancouver Canucks organization at the moment. Down in the AHL, the Abbotsford Canucks have won their past five games — and, for the most part, Jacob Quillan has been part of it all.  

Quillan, 24, has had a hot start to his time as part of the AHL Canucks. Previously part of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, the forward joined Abbotsford for their home-opener on October 17 after being moved with forward Brandon Buhr for centre Aatu Räty. Since his first game with Abbotsford, Quillan has registered at least one point in each of his four games. 

Quillan’s most recent outing saw the forward score a hat-trick against the Calgary Wranglers, helping his team along to a 4–2 win. This was Quillan’s second-career AHL hat-trick — his first came in the 2025–26 season against the Belleville Senators — and now brings his season total up to four goals and two assists with Abbotsford.  

“It’s been pretty good — just pretty standard stuff, just getting a feel of the systems and the players, and getting to know the guys and stuff,” Quillan said after the game regarding the move to Abbotsford. 

Notably, Quillan has spent his past two games centering Abbotsford’s top-line, consisting of himself, Kole Lind, and Trey Fix-Wolansky. 2025 first-round draft pick Braeden Cootes previously held the role, but has been absent due to a lower-body injury that is likely to keep him out of his team’s upcoming road trip. 

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The Buffalo Sabres now have to deal with questions about their immediate future and their sluggish start to the 2026-27 season without the possibility of bringing in  goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, as the saga involving the Hart and Vezina Trophy winner and the Winnipeg Jets ended on Friday with the deal to the New Jersey Devils for center Dawson Mercer, goalie Nico Daws, 2026 first rounder Alexander Command, forward Nick Bjugstad, and a pair of draft picks. 

The Sabres were reportedly among the leading contenders for the 33-year-old, going back to last June and the NHL Draft, but they were not alone in their interest. On the most recent episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, 

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman detailed what the various clubs offered for Hellebuyck, but he admittedly could not specify what Buffalo GM Jarmo Kekalainen was prepared to give up. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was reportedly part of a trade for Hellebuyck before July 1, but once his five-team no-trade clause kicked in, moving him to another club to clear his salary and recoup or obtain some assets likely became a complicating factor.O 

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Mrtka Looking To Take The Next Step Towards The NHL  

Another factor that killed any chances of a trade before the draft was the Sabres ask of swapping the fourth overall pick, acquired from Chicago in the Bowen Byram deal; for the Jets eighth overall selection. Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff had targeted Swedish forward Viggo Bjorck at #8, and wanted the fourth overall outright as part of the trade.

Friedman mentioned Sabres center Josh Norris, but he had heard that the Jets were concerned about his injury history. Ryan McLeod was the subject of some

speculation as being part of the deal, but was not a name that Friedman had heard. He also assumed with it well known that Winnipeg was looking for young centers or young retainable forwards that they would have asked about Noah Ostlund, Konsta Helenius or Jack Quinn. 

 

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James Reimer is set to make his first start for the New York Rangers on Monday night against the Los Angeles Kings after signing a one-year, $850,000 contract over the weekend.

With Igor Shesterkin suffering a season-ending injury and Joonas Korpisalo being placed on injured reserve, the Rangers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, brought Reimer in on a PTO.

In the wake of Shesterkin’s absence, Dylan Garand started seven consecutive games, with Spencer Martin only making one appearance in relief of Garand during the team’s 7-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 15.

Garand, who started the season off hot, giving up just four goals in his first four starts of the season, is beginning to show cracks in his game as he’s continued to shoulder a heavy workload.

After Garand gave up 10 goals through the Rangers’ most recent two-game road trip, Reimer was brought in to help take some pressure off Garand, providing a steadier goaltending presence in place of Martin.

Despite heading into a six-day break following Monday’s game, Mike Sullivan and the coaching staff deemed it beneficial to give Garand a rest and get a look at Reimer in game action.

"Well, I think we're asking a lot of Dylan,” Sullivan said. “He just had seven starts in a row, and there's a certain attentional focus that's required with the goaltending position. As I said yesterday, it's the only position where you're on the ice for the full 60 minutes, and even if the play is down the off ground of the rink, it still requires attentional focus. 

“And so I think there's a physical challenge to it, but there's also a mental challenge to it. And so we feel just based on our discussions with our goalie coaches, both in Hartford and here, that Rhymes is in a position to  go in the net and help us win. So those are the main reasons why we made the decision today."

Reimer has 16 years of NHL experience, having played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, San Jose Sharks, Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators.

The 38-year-old goaltender most recently played for the Senators during the 2025-26 season, recording a 7-4-2 record, a .886 save percentage and a 2.42 goals-against average.

“He obviously has a significant body work in the league,” Sullivan said of Reimer. “He’s been a quality goalie. It’s never easy to get thrown right into the fire, but if anyone can handle it, it’s a guy like him that has the experience level and understands the position and how he can have success.”

Korpisalo skated for the first time on Sunday since being placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury as he inches toward a return to the lineup.

At 38 years old, Reimer has done everything he’s wanted to at the professional-hockey level but is still excited about what might come of this opportunity with the Rangers.

“I'm really content with my NHL career,” Reimer said via Vincent Mercogliano of The Athletic. “I don't need to play. I want to play. I love playing this game, and so if the situation is right and it works for my family and whatnot, then it's something you stay ready for and you make it happen. That was kind of my mindset.”

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As the Detroit Red Wings wrap up their four-game road trip Monday night against former head coach Mike Babcock and the Edmonton Oilers, the deadline for RFA defenseman Simon Edvinsson continues to inch closer.

Edvinsson has emerged as Detroit's second-most important defenseman behind Moritz Seider, yet he remains unsigned 11 games into the 2026-27 season.

Edvinsson must sign a contract with Detroit (or another team if the Red Wings trade his rights) by the afternoon of Dec. 1. Otherwise, he will be ineligible to play for the remainder of the season.

Recently, NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman reported that the Red Wings are "disappointed and surprised" that they've not been able to make any headway with Edvinsson, who is back in North America and recently met with interim GM Shawn Horcoff in person. 

"I think they're a little bit disappointed about how they haven't been able to budge Edvinsson to this point," Friedman said on his recent '32 Thoughts' podcast. "I think they're a bit disappointed and surprised." 

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Edvinsson reported to Training Camp last month despite not having a contract in hand, and participated in on-ice drills with his teammates sans scrimmages.

But once the preseason began and he still didn't have a contract, his frustration reached a point where he returned to his native Sweden - a move that Horcoff said that he didn't anticipate. 

"I didn't expect that," Horcoff said on Oct. 2. "We were excited when he came over, it was encouraging. I would say that's not that common, so we were excited when he came here.

Of course it's disappointing when he went back, but, he's a priority for us."

The fact that Edvinsson met in person with Horcoff days ago and that no contract has been signed, combined with the Swedish blue liner's alleged preference to be traded, isn't encouraging for the prospects of a deal being hammered out before the Dec. 1 deadline. 

That said, there is still time for the two sides to reach a new agreement that would keep the physically imposing defenseman with the Red Wings. 

One positive that has emerged from the contract standoff is that it's given a chance for youngsters Anton Johansson and William Wallinder to showcase their skills on Detroit's blue line. 

And while both players have showcased positive aspects in their young careers, the Red Wings would be best served by having their established defenseman back in action as quickly as possible - or, if that bridge has been burned beyond repair, to recoup as many assets as possible for him in a deal. 

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It’s been an excellent weekend for the Montreal Canadiens. They picked up four points in their first two games without captain Nick Suzuki and stayed focused, even as an outdoor game brought its fair share of challenges and distractions.

Still, it wasn’t all work and no play for the Canadiens, and after Saturday’s practice, they held a family skate with friends and families. Kaiden Guhle skated with his parents on the outdoor rink; the Xhekaj brothers did the same, and other players brought their wives and kids.

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Paoloa Anderson and Daryanne Montembeault showed off the custom winter clothes the kids received, and both wore the special jackets the players’ wives and girlfriends received. As always, the Canadiens organization takes care of its own, and they made sure everyone got mementos from the event.

The most impressive looks, though, were the goalie gear worn by both Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler. Their masks were once again very well done and painted by the talented Sylvie Marsolais from Sylabrush. Unfortunately, only one goalie got to show off his gear in-game, but that’s how it goes. Still, Dobes’ mask, a tribute to both Ken Dryden and Jose Theodore, the first netminder to wear a toque over his mask at an outdoor game, was spectacular and matched his red, beige, and blue gear. You could really tell the top part was a toque. As for Fowler, his featured his nickname in the same stitching used on the Heritage Classic jerseys, along with the Canadiens’ logo for the event and the team’s nickname.

Which of these #HeritageClassic setups do you like best? 🔥

Watch the 2026 @TimHortons NHL #HeritageClassic TONIGHT at 7 PM ET on @Sportsnet, @TVASports, & @NHL_On_TNT! pic.twitter.com/rxQf7Z5ejB

— NHL (@NHL) October 25, 2026

Meanwhile, the coaches wore some very nice vintage attire, jackets and hats that looked like someone had gone back in time to grab them. Overall, some great looks were on display, but nobody lost sight of what mattered, and St-Louis’ quote about being 100% in the moment from Saturday clearly resonated with his crew. They were all in when it was time to have fun with friends and family on Saturday night, but by the time the puck dropped, they were focused on winning an important game and had forgotten the unusual setting.

Full quote from St. Louis:
“My favourite people are the people that are 100 percenters. In anything you do in life, you’re only going to be the best if you give it 100 per cent. You want to be a good dad? It’s not about being 100 per-cent present, but when you’re present you have… https://t.co/sWl13XVzX4

— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) October 25, 2026

---

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Montreal Canadiens•Laval Rocket•Luke Mittelstadt•

The 2026-27 NHL season hits one month old this week and two Connors have dominated the recent news.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid is off to a red-hot start that puts him in Wayne Gretzky territory if he can sustain it.

Meanwhile, the Winnipeg Jets and New Jersey Devils pulled off a blockbuster trade with award-winning goalie Connor Hellebuyck heading to the Metropolitan Division. The move happened on the day that Hellebuyck was eligible to return from his team-imposed suspension for failing to report to training camp amid a trade request.

How did those items affect NHL teams' outlooks? Here are USA TODAY Sports' NHL power rankings:

NHL power rankings

Number in parentheses is the change from the previous power rankings two weeks ago:

32. Vancouver Canucks (-5)

The Canucks are at the bottom of the NHL standings again amid a 10-game losing streak. The latest was to the Wild in former captain Quinn Hughes' return to Vancouver. He got a goal and his 500th career point in the game. The league's worst penalty kill gave up two more goals.

31. Chicago Blackhawks (-1)

Connor Bedard is back from injury and averaging a point a game, but offseason acquisition Bowen Byram is out with an injury. The defenseman with the $12.5 million cap hit has one point in six games.

30. Los Angeles Kings (-2)

The Kings were the last NHL team to pick up their first win of the season. Scoring (2.33 goals per game) and penalty killing (65.5 percent) have both been a problem. Mats Zuccarello will miss the Oct. 26 game.

29. Philadelphia Flyers (+2)

They finally won in their 10th game, ending a team-record worst start, and are now on a 3-1 run. Matvei Michkov has led the way with six goals and two assists in his last five games.

28. Calgary Flames (+4)

The Flames are turning things around with a 4-1 run after an 0-5 start in which they were often blown out. That includes wins against Anaheim, Carolina and Minnesota.

27. Columbus Blue Jackets (-3)

Coach Rick Bowness called out players again after a 7-3 loss to Florida. "If they're not embarrassed, we don't want them on the team," he said. The Blue Jackets played a couple stronger games afterward before a 6-2 loss to Toronto.

26. Anaheim Ducks (-20)

The Ducks rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Flyers and end a five-game losing streak. Leo Carlsson, whom the Flyers signed to an offer sheet (the Ducks matched), had a goal and an assist in the game.

25. Detroit Red Wings (+4)

With Hellebuyck traded, will fellow U.S. Olympic goal medalist Dylan Larkin be next? The Red Wings center and former captain reportedly has expanded the number of places where he'd accept a trade to 10 teams. Defenseman Simon Edvinsson remains unsigned.

24. Pittsburgh Penguins (-2)

Forward Ben Kindel is on the injured list after he collapsed on an Oct. 22 flight. General manager Kyle Dubas described the incident as a "vasovagal episode." According to the Mayo Clinic, that occurs "when you faint because your body overreacts to certain triggers."

23. Buffalo Sabres (+3)

Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had been mentioned in trade rumors involving Hellebuyck but is staying. He has given up at least three goals in every game, including two to former Sabre Alex Tuch in a loss to the Capitals.

22. Winnipeg Jets (-8)

The Jets received goalie Nico Daws, forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, prospect Alexander Command and two draft picks in the Hellebuyck trade. They lost the Heritage Classic in their first game after the trade. Mercer had two shots and no points in his Jets debut.

21. St. Louis Blues (0)

Offseason acquisitions Mason McTavish and Connor McMichael are playing on the second line. McTavish is tied for the team lead with six goals and 10 points.

20. New York Islanders (+5)

Coach Peter DeBoer's Islanders lost 6-3 in his return to Dallas, where he led the Stars to three consecutive Western Conference finals berths before being fired. Everyone kept focus on the game, not the return. "I think what's important is the way we won the game, not who we were playing," said Stars forward Jason Robertson, who scored two goals.

19. Nashville Predators (+4)

The Predators scored four power-play goals on Oct. 25 against the Avalanche, their most in a game since 2012. That 4-for-7 performance moved them to the league's third-best power play at 33.3 percent.

18. San Jose Sharks (-2)

No. 2 overall pick Ivar Stenberg is tied for the rookie scoring lead with 12 points. He has a rookie-best seven of those on the power play.

17. Washington Capitals (-8)

With Vincent Desharnais expected to be out four to six weeks after an emergency appendectomy, the Capitals claimed defenseman Jack St. Ivany off waivers from the Jets.

16. New York Rangers (-12)

The Rangers signed veteran goalie James Reimer as they cope with a season-ending injury to Igor Shesterkin. He's scheduled to start on Oct. 26. Dylan Garand, handed the No. 1 role, has lost three of his last four games, though one was a 1-0 shootout loss.

15. Colorado Avalanche (-7)

The Avalanche dealt away some depth during the offseason and it's showing. They have fallen to a 6-5-1 record after losing three of their last four. Colorado was 7-1-4 last season after 12 games.

14. Florida Panthers (+1)

The Panthers became the first team in NHL history to record three consecutive natural hat tricks. Brady Tkachuk had the first two and Carter Verhaeghe had the third. But they have been dealt another injury blow when goalie Jacob Markstrom was hurt in practice.

13. Montreal Canadiens (+7)

Playoff hero goalie Jakub Dobes continues to struggle while Jacob Fowler continues to shine. That includes the Heritage Classic, where Fowler made 33 saves for a 2-1 win against the Jets.

12. Seattle Kraken (+1)

The Kraken's depth will be tested after Jared McCann suffered a lower-body injury. He will miss 10 weeks and has been placed on the injured list.

11. Toronto Maple Leafs (+7)

Auston Matthews has rebounded nicely from his injury-filled 2025-26 season. He's among the league leaders with 19 points in 13 games.

More: 2026 Sports Equinox: World Series, WNBA Finals, NFL, NBA, NHL on same day

10. New Jersey Devils (+9)

The Devils get a bump because they won the Hellebuyck trade sweepstakes. They were off to a solid start even before acquiring the three-time Vezina Trophy winner.

9. Ottawa Senators (+3)

Senators fans booed Brady Tkachuk on his return to Ottawa and got the win. However, goalie Linus Ullmark left the game with an injury and was placed on injured reserve.

8. Dallas Stars (+9)

The Stars have signed veteran forward David Perron as insurance after injuries to Matt Duchene and Oskar Back. He'll be playing in his 20th NHL season once he suits up.

7. Tampa Bay Lightning (-2)

Nikita Kucherov became the Lightning's all-time scorer, passing Steven Stamkos with an assist on Oct. 24. The 2025-26 MVP has 1,138 career points.

6. Utah Mammoth (+4)

The Mammoth lead the league in power play percentage at 38.1 percent, slightly above the Oilers. Clayton Keller leads the way with 10 power play points. The team also had been linked to Hellebuyck rumors.

5. Vegas Golden Knights (-2)

Despite trading 37-goal scorer Pavel Dorofeyev, the Golden Knights are scoring at a higher pace this season. Jack Eichel has 19 points in 13 games.

4. Minnesota Wild (+7)

Defenseman Quinn Hughes gave an update on his mindset as he's eligible for an extension. "My two feet are planted in Minnesota and, you know, something could happen soon. I'm not really too sure," he told reporters on Oct. 24. "I'm really enjoying playing here."

3. Boston Bruins (+4)

Rookie James Hagens has had a strong start with nine points in 12 games despite playing a little less than 13 minutes a game.

2. Edmonton Oilers (0)

Connor McDavid is having an otherworldly start, averaging three points a game during his season-opening 11-game point streak. The Oilers have the top three scorers in the league in McDavid (33), Leon Draisaitl (23) and Evan Bouchard (tied for third at 21).

1. Carolina Hurricanes (0)

They lead the league in points and that's without defenseman Alexander Nikishin, who signed a one-year, $3 million contract on Oct. 25. Stanley Cup-clinching goalie Brandon Bussi still hasn't reclaimed his form (yielding a five-point game to McDavid) but Pyotr Kochetkov is 6-0 with a 1.70 goals-against average.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL power rankings: Connor McDavid on fire; Devils land Connor Hellebuyck

Given the way the four-game Western road trip went, and given the number of players that missed games this week due to illness or injury, it is really easy to be impressed with the way the Penguins handled this past week’s worth of games.

It did not have a great start in Utah.

But then the Penguins returned home for Thursday’s game against the Florida Panthers, and Saturday’s game against the Nashville Predators, and played what might have been their two best back-to-back games of the season. I know, Florida presented a scheduling advantage due to the Panthers’ travel and a back-to-back situation, and Nashville isn’t really a contender. But the Penguins had been in Florida’s shoes multiple times this season and nobody felt sympathy for them, and while Nashville isn’t a contender, the Predators came back on Sunday and absolutely steamrolled the Colorado Avalanche.

So, what I’m saying is, take the points where you get them.

Even better than the wins is just the reality that the Penguins played two really good, really clean games. They were the better team in both games, even if they trailed for a good portion of the Nashville game. Given the way they played it would have been incredibly frustrating to not get at least a point out of that game.

They ended up getting two.

Now they have a four-day break before their next game on Thursday night when they get a quick rematch with Utah, this time at home.

We already know what Utah is capable of, and that’s a really good hockey team that is, again, going to present a formidable challenge. They are fast, deep, and one of the best offensive teams in the league. They enter the week sixth in the NHL in goals per game (3.83) and still have the No. 1 power play unit in the league (38.1 percent). For as much as the Penguins struggled in the first meeting, they still put together a strong third period that put them into a position where they were a highlight reel, last-second save away from actually tying the game. It did not produce a point, but it did at least set some wheels in motion to maybe build some momentum for the two games that followed.

After hosting Utah on Thursday, the Penguins travel to Montreal on Saturday to play the Canadiens for the second time this season.

The Penguins won the first meeting in a wild overtime game in the second game of the season. It was a game that saw the Penguins dominate early, and then experience one of their biggest flaws from 2025-26 and let a three-goal third period lead slip away. They were able to salvage it with a Tommy Novak overtime goal.

After losing three of their first four games of the season, Montreal has responded by going 5-1-1 in the past seven games.

Saturday’s game will be its first game back home after a long road trip, while the Canadiens are also currently without top center Nick Suzuki, who will be sidelined for several weeks. That takes a big player away from them (arguably their best player), and puts a big dent in their already questionable center depth, but the rest of the roster has enough talent that will still make Montreal a tough, tough opponent.

In terms of opponents, the Penguins are still in the middle of a brutal stretch, which not only continues this week, but also into next week with home games against the Vegas Golden Knights and Boston Bruins.

While the opponents are still tough, the days off this week come at a great time. Not only due to the injuries, but also the fact the Penguins have played a lot of hockey with a lot of travel in a short period of time.

What is going to be really interesting to watch this week is what the Penguins do when some of these players start coming back.

Ben Kindel could be back at practice.

Justin Brazeau is getting closer.

Evgeni Malkin and Egor Chinakhov are probably going to be returning.

That is going to force some people back out of the lineup. Probably Rutger McGroarty. Perhaps Avery Hayes. I would not be opposed to taking Andrei Kuzmenko out of the lineup right now.

The two players I do NOT want to see come out of the lineup are Ville Koivunen and Hendrix Lapierre. Koivunen looks like a player that is starting to figure things out and get the confidence he had been lacking a year ago. He is not only producing more, he just looks like a different player. He does not look as perpetually frustrated as he did a year ago. The puck is coming off his stick quicker. The playmaking and passing has been sensational. He and Lapierre also seem to have something cooking with one another. In 45 minutes of 5-on-5 ice-time together the Penguins are outscoring teams 5-0 with them on the ice, while also having a better than 80 percent expected goal and scoring chance share. It is a small sample size, and it has come with some favorable offensive zone starts, but they are feasting on it right now. I want to see what they can keep doing.

That is going to be the big dilemma for Dan Muse, because not only are they playing well, the “fourth” line of Connor Dewar, Elmer Soderblom and Nick Robertson has also been really, really good. I also put “fourth” line in quotes because even though they are listed as fourth on the depth chart, the Penguins are balancing their ice-time so much that it does not really matter what anybody’s designation is. They also played the third-most minutes on Saturday.

The other big question: Will we see Sergei Murashov in goal this week?

Arturs Silovs has started three games in a row, and played quite well in the past two games, while Murashov has struggled early on. We should not be surprised that Murashov is having some growing pains, and he did not respond well in his most recent start after the game in Chicago. He is going to get back in there at some point, and there is still good reason to believe he will play better than he has, but I wonder how long Muse will keep riding the hot hand (such as it is after two games). You want to see Murashov play, but after the past two games Silovs played it would be tough to take him out right now. At least as it relates to Thursday’s game.

Interesting week ahead with two tough games and some big lineup decisions. Winning Thursday’s game would be a good start, and then see if you can get at least a point out of Montreal. Reasonable goal.

Down 2-1 on Saturday night with the clock ticking away, the Penguins got a signature goal from their three best players on the ice to tie the score. Erik Karlsson and Sidney Crosby assisted on Rickard Rakell’s late score to tie the game. It was a goal the team desperately needed, and the type of play they haven’t made that often early in this year Crosby making a wonderful pass to put a winger in position to score, and then the winger actually scoring.

RICKARD RAKELL, FOLKS 🙌 pic.twitter.com/70JxmeLSVm

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 25, 2026

Unsurprisingly, it was a weight off Rakell’s shoulders to tally just his second goal of the season that is now 12 games old.

“It felt so good. The amount of looks I had – first off, in this game – my teammates setting me up for all these chances, it definitely feels good to put one in,” Rakell said after the game.

Despite the lack of results, Rakell has been generating chances. He’s earned that good feeling and confidence boost from scoring due to all the chances that he’s created. Rakell was stopped on a breakaway earlier in the game, and even before that few players in the league have generated as much as Rakell has at 5v5. This data is before the Nashville game, even then, Rakell didn’t score a 5v5 goal (since the Penguins had pulled their goalie, it was a 6v5 situation).

5V5 EXPECTED GOALS LEADERS · 2026-27 · through Oct 23

1. Mason McTavish — 3.8 xG | 5 goals at 5v5, 10 GP
2. Jack Hughes — 3.7 xG | 0 goals at 5v5, 10 GP
3. Joel Eriksson Ek — 3.6 xG | 1 goal at 5v5, 11 GP
4. Gabe Perreault — 3.4 xG | 4 goals at 5v5, 12 GP
5. Michael… pic.twitter.com/V1GYsMVEnb

— Hockey Alchemy (@hockeyalchemy) October 24, 2026

Rakell has 30 shots on the year, enough to lead the team by a wide margin (Kris Letang, Ben Kindel and Nick Robertson all have 23 a piece). It’s no secret or deep analysis that the Penguins need Rakell to pitch in. Rakell scored 59 goals in the last two full seasons from 2024-25 to 2025-26, in the ballpark with names like Kirill Marchenko, Brock Nelson, Bo Hovat and not too far off Sidney Crosby (62).

Rakell isn’t a player the team can afford to have in a slump and expect to get good results. The team’s record in first 11 games of the season illustrate that, as did Rakell stepping up to score Saturday in a game the Pens found a way to win in overtime.

The stakes are only raised now that Bryan Rust is on the shelf with injury for at least six weeks, the importance of a player like Rakell only gets magnified when another one of the tried-and-true options is unavailable.

The good news for the Pens may be that Rakell has been generating all those chances, it would be a more difficult conversation to have if this was a player failing to even get in position to score. That hasn’t been the problem to this point. It’s been about finishing those chances, which can be an area that ebbs and flows for even the most consistent and reliable players over stretches to go hot and cold. For someone as skilled as Rakell, enough chances will lead to goals eventually. Such was what happened on Saturday, getting a prime chance sent his way by Crosby, and then finally breaking through to put the puck in the back of the net.

Rakell was cold early in the season, the Penguins could sure benefit from it if the late goal in their last game was a sign that he is coming out of it and about to start filling the net, as he typically will do over the long haul. The Pittsburgh first line needs it, the power play needs it and the team at large would be in for a big boost if some more red lights behind the goalie follow from the chances Rakell has been generating in front of him.

CALGARY — The Toronto Maple Leafs close their final regular-season visit to the Scotiabank Saddledome on Monday before the Calgary Flames move into a new arena next season right across the street. The building’s history produced a range of reactions from the group Sunday, from personal childhood memories to complete indifference.

William Nylander, who was born in Calgary while his father, Michael, played for the Flames, has a long connection.

“It’ll be a fun one,” Nylander said. “This building’s got some character. I mean, I was here when I was born watching my dad play, so it’s been a long time, and I think the new one will be really nice, but it’ll be a fun, exciting last game.” 

Coach Jim Hiller played his first NHL game in the Saddledome in 1992. He remembered the era when the Saddledome and Joe Louis Arena were regarded as the league’s nicest buildings. 

“It was roughly a new building back then,” he recalled.

Darren Raddysh noted the distinctive architecture. 

“I scored a goal last year, when we were here, but other than that, not too many memories,” Raddysh said about his time while with the Tampa Bay Lightning. “We only came out here once a year but the history of this building is pretty cool and just to see the iconic saddle is really special when you come here. Just driving by the new rink today, it’ll be pretty cool once that’s open.”

Nylander’s brother, Alex, is spending a lot of time in the building. After signing with the Calgary Flames last year, the younger Nylander is back with the Flames’ AHL club that just so happens to share the same building.

There are sure to be a lot of Maple Leafs fans on hand for the final Toronto game. Leafs fans traveled well to Toronto’s 7-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. The Leafs have won a season-high four consecutive games.

 

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Quinn Hughes reached one of the biggest milestones of his NHL career Sunday night, and he did it in the building where it all began.

The Minnesota Wild (8-3-2) defenseman scored his 500th career NHL point in his first game back at Rogers Arena since being traded by the Vancouver Canucks in December. Hughes finished with a goal and an assist in Minnesota's 4-2 victory over his former team.

With the milestone, Hughes became the second-fastest American-born defenseman in NHL history to reach 500 career points, accomplishing the feat in just 520 games.

Only Hall of Fame defenseman Brian Leetch reached the mark faster among American-born blueliners, doing so in 496 games.

Hughes also became the seventh-fastest defenseman in NHL history to reach the milestone, further establishing himself among the league's most productive defensemen.

But the circumstances surrounding his historic night made the accomplishment even more memorable.

Hughes spent the first six-plus seasons of his NHL career in Vancouver after the Canucks selected him seventh overall in the 2018 NHL Draft. During that time, he developed into one of the NHL's premier offensive defensemen, won the Norris Trophy in 2023-24 and served as Vancouver's captain.

That chapter ended on Dec. 12, 2025, when the Canucks traded Hughes to Minnesota in exchange for Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium and a 2026 first-round draft pick.

Sunday marked his first game back in Vancouver since the blockbuster trade. The reception was mixed.

Hughes was booed throughout the night whenever he touched the puck, although the former Canucks captain received cheers during a first-period video tribute recognizing his accomplishments with the organization.

Despite the emotional circumstances, Hughes delivered one of his most memorable performances of the season.

'My Two Feet Are Planted In Minnesota': Quinn Hughes Opens Up About Future With WildQuinn Hughes offered an intriguing update on his future with the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, saying he "wouldn't be surprised if something happens soon."

With Minnesota leading 2-0 in the second period, Hughes scored on the power play at 12:55 after moving behind the Vancouver net and finding Joel Eriksson Ek in front.

Eriksson Ek's initial attempt was stopped, but Hughes continued around the net and finished the rebound to extend Minnesota's lead to three goals.

The goal was his third of the season and the 500th point of his NHL career.

Hughes added another point early in the third period when he sent Kirill Kaprizov in alone on a breakaway. Kaprizov converted for his NHL-leading 13th goal of the season, giving Hughes his 501st career point.

The 27-year-old now has 69 goals and 432 assists in 520 career NHL games.

For Hughes, returning to Vancouver also meant revisiting the organization and fanbase that helped shape his career.

"The passion with the fanbase is what makes it special to play here," Hughes told reporters in Vancouver following the game. "So for me, it was cool to be back here, and exciting. And I'm glad we got the win."

500th point for Quinny 👏 pic.twitter.com/1Gjdb2wDOJ

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) October 26, 2026

Hughes has continued producing at an elite offensive pace since joining Minnesota.

Through the Wild's first 13 games of the 2026-27 season, he has recorded three goals and 13 assists for 16 points. He has registered at least one point in 11 of those 13 contests.

Minnesota improved to 8-3-2 with Sunday's victory, completing a successful back-to-back after defeating the Seattle Kraken 5-1 on Saturday.

Hughes left Vancouver with another milestone to add to his already impressive career.

And while his first return to Rogers Arena came wearing a different sweater, it was another reminder of the offensive talent that made him one of the most accomplished defensemen in Canucks history.

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Colorado Avalanche News

• T.J. Hughes is quickly adjusting to the NHL, earning praise from Nathan MacKinnon and Jared Bednar for his work ethic, hockey IQ, and ability to turn lessons into results. [The Hockey News]

• What an NHL expansion draft could mean for the Colorado Avalanche. With a potential NHL expansion team on the rise, it’s time to take a quick look at the rules of what an expansion draft could look like based on past occurrences. [Sports Illustrated]
• Avalanche prospect Egor Shilov putting together a solid season in the QMJHL. [Mile High Sticking]

News Around the League

• What we learned from Connor Hellebuyck’s first weekend with the Devils. [Sportsnet]

• Hurricanes, D Nikishin end stalemate with one-year contract. [TSN]
• NHL, Rogers need to figure out, together, how to make more games accessible. [Toronto Sun]

• McCann out 10 weeks for Kraken. [NHL]

• Connor McDavid is off to a historic start. Could some of Gretzky’s records fall this season? [CBC]

• Senators rout Panthers in Brady Tkachuk’s hostile return to Ottawa, fans chant some NSFW things, and some PG ones including “You eat crayons” and “You can’t read”. [The Score]

• Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki out 2-4 weeks with upper-body injury. [ESPN]

Rookie James Hagens has been everything Bruins need… and more originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

James Hagens is the Boston Bruins’ youngest player at just 19 years old. And through the first 12 games of the 2026-27 NHL season, the rookie forward is proving to be one of the team’s most important players, too.

Hagens has given the Bruins everything they’ve needed and more so far.

Let’s start with his offensive production.

Hagens picked up an assist on Casey Mittelstadt’s goal that opened the scoring in Saturday’s game against the San Jose Sharks at TD Garden. He gave the Bruins a 4-3 lead in the third period by cashing in on a loose puck in the crease. The goal came just 40 seconds after David Pastrnak tied the score. The Garden crowd went crazy after Hagens’ go-ahead tally.

JAMES CAME KNOCKIN' pic.twitter.com/dgxaAUPJEu

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 25, 2026

Hagens is tied for the NHL lead in rookie scoring with nine points (four goals, five assists). He has tallied at least one point in seven of his 12 games. He’s posting these numbers with third-line ice time and without being on the top power-play unit.

The speed and playmaking ability he has displayed at 5-on-5 and the power play has been impressive. The Bruins desperately needed to add high-end offensive talent to their roster after scoring just 1.25 goals over the final four games of their first-round playoff series loss to the Buffalo Sabres last season. Hagens is helping give the Bruins an offensive jolt, and he’s doing it in ways not often seen by a teenage rookie.

Three of his four goals have come within seven feet of the net. He has no fear driving hard to the net and battling taller, bigger and stronger defensemen. Hagens fights for good position and often gets the prime real estate around the crease. One great example came in last week’s overtime loss to the Dallas Stars.

Hagens beat Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen to the net and deflected a Mittelstadt pass past Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger to give Boston a lead in the second period.

James Hagens continues his hot start to the season with a goal 🚨

7 Points in 10 Games 🔥 pic.twitter.com/tRyDzrZEEt

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 21, 2026

“He’s smart. He’s obviously not a big guy, but for his age, he’s very smart around the net, and even the goal in Dallas, that’s even more impressive than today, I feel like, with outmuscling the D over there,” David Pastrnak told reporters after Saturday’s win. “Like I said, fun to watch and seeing him every game being more comfortable and it’s up to us to push him and be here for him and help him every day.”

For years, the Bruins have not gotten inside ice enough. Hagens is helping to turn the tide in that regard. Hagens has been a high-end skill guy at every level he’s played. He’ll be that in the NHL, too. But to score consistently at this level, you have to be willing to pay the price and battle in the tough areas of the ice.

“We’re pushing him pretty hard, getting more to the paint and getting more to the inside,” Bruins head coach Marco Sturm said after the win vs. the Sharks. “That’s where you score the goals. Good for him that he realized that. Look at his four goals he scored, right? Good for him just listening and taking it really seriously.”

Hagens is showing his toughness in other ways, too.

He leads all NHL forwards, not just rookies, with 16 blocked shots. His willingness to put his body on the line and thwart potential scoring chances is admirable. It’s a great example of how he’s doing all the little things to make an impact.

“It’s definitely something that I try to take pride in,” Hagens told reporters last week when asked about blocking shots. “It’s just the d-zone, and when a guy is getting ready to shoot, if that’s your guy, you’re going to make sure that you’re in the shooting lane.”

There are still a ton of games left in Hagens’ rookie season. There will likely be a few tough stretches, like any other rookie goes through. But the early results from his first full NHL campaign have been fantastic.

The Bruins didn’t get lucky in the 2025 or 2026 draft lotteries. In fact, they were very unlucky in those two instances.

But Hagens falling all the way to No. 7 in 2025 — when he was projected to go No. 1 overall early in his draft year — was a pretty massive stroke of luck for the Bruins that should benefit the franchise for a long, long time.

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

In case, somehow, you missed it:

WE'VE GOT A BLOCKBUSTER! 👀

Connor Hellebuyck is headed to the @NJDevils! pic.twitter.com/bqh3KJh2ZW

— NHL (@NHL) October 23, 2026

Intro presser:

On the Hellebuyck acquisition: “The fit seems obvious. New Jersey has been one of the NHL’s best defensive teams this season by every metric, except for goals against. Hellebuyck, meanwhile, has spent more than a decade establishing himself as the league’s most consistent performer at the position. But dig a little deeper into the numbers, and there’s reason to believe this could be an even better match than it appears on the surface. Perhaps Hellebuyck’s most valuable trait, especially in the eyes of Devils general manager Sunny Mehta, is his unmatched consistency.” [The Athletic ($)]

“If the Devils are serious about reuniting the three Hughes brothers over the next year, whether via trade or free agency, Mehta made the ultimate chess move. As of now, after checking in again this week, Hughes remains undecided on his future. He hasn’t told the Wild he won’t extend. However, he also hasn’t told them he will. He’s undecided, period.” [The Athletic ($)]

“By all accounts, this is the best goalie the Devils have had since Martin Brodeur. It couldn’t have come at a better time, either. As of today, the Devils rank 29th in the league in GSAx, with a blasphemously poor -5.8 in just ten games. Nico Daws and Jake Allen combined to put together some solid performances but have largely been subpar in the aggregate.” [Infernal Access ($)]

“Connor Hellebuyck is coming off a down season, but he should still be a sizable upgrade for the New Jersey Devils.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]

Arseny Gritsyuk extended his goal streak to five games, as the Devils took a 3-1 win over the Kings on Saturday. [Devils NHL]

Hockey Links

Alexander Nikishin signs a one-year deal:

One year, $3M. Nikishin had asked for a trade but the Hurricanes had been trying to convince him to sign a one year deal and both sides could re-visit things next off-season if he still wanted out. He will also be eligible for an offer sheet next summer. He wasn’t currently. https://t.co/d5UYbofVBM

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) October 25, 2026

The Rangers sign some goalie help:

James Reimer signs a one-year deal with #NYR worth $850,000 — officially joining his ninth NHL team at age 38

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) October 25, 2026

“The boys are fighting. According to the NHL, there has been an uptick in on-ice fisticuffs this season. Through 120 games, there were 34 games with one or more fights. That’s up over last season (25) and the 2024-25 season (26).” [ESPN]

A great moment:

Last game Michael McCarron apparently handed a fan $20 through a hole in the glass after knocking his beer over earlier in the evening. What a beauty 😂 #mnwild

via @seanzysix9 on TikTok pic.twitter.com/WyDG11Hag3

— Brett Marshall (@B_Marsh92) October 25, 2026

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