Category: Ice Hockey

When Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry was placed on waivers last January, it felt like his Penguins' tenure was over. 

He was really struggling, fresh off back-to-back performances with an .824 save percentage. Overall, he had an 8-8-4 record with an .886 save percentage and a 3.31 goals-against average. The Penguins reached their breaking point and waived him before he was sent down to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, as no team claimed him on waivers. 

Jarry was down in WBS for almost two full months before he was recalled in early March due to Joel Blomqvist struggling in the NHL. This was Jarry's second stint in WBS after he was sent down on a conditioning loan last October. 

After Jarry got called back up, he played better in March, finishing the month with a .907 save percentage. He played in nine games and finished with at least a .903 save percentage in six of those games. He even won his first four starts to open the month before earning a shutout against the Ottawa Senators in his final start of March. 

Jarry appeared in five games in April, finishing with an .898 save percentage for the month. He won three of his five starts that month and had at least a .903 save percentage in three starts. Jarry looked more confident, was more aggressive in challenging shooters, and was much calmer and composed in the crease. The stakes were low since the Penguins were well out of the playoff race by the end of the season, but he at least played well. 

Fast forward to the first two months of the 2025-26 season, and he has been the best goaltender on the team. He is 8-2-0 with a 2.57 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage. Jarry has also saved 8.2 goals above expected, which is 17th among all goaltenders in the NHL. 

He made his first start of this season against the New York Islanders, and despite a shaky moment or two, he was lights out, especially in the third period when the Islanders were pushing for the tying goal. He made a lot of saves in tight situations towards the end of the game. He carried that momentum for the rest of the month, winning four of his next five starts. 

Jarry got hurt during the Nov. 3 game against the Toronto Maple Leafs when the Penguins melted down in the third period and coughed up a 3-0 lead. He missed the next three weeks before returning last Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres and hasn't missed a beat, winning three of his last four starts. 

Penguins head coach Dan Muse has started to move slightly away from the goalie rotation he had in place due to Jarry's strong play. It also has something to do with Arturs Silovs not playing well in his last couple of starts. Still, Jarry has made many timely saves for the Penguins this season and continues to ooze confidence. He's also still at the top of the crease, playing aggressive and challenging shooters. 

Penguins' GM Kyle Dubas Provides Injury Updates On Key PlayersFor the first time in a while, there is now some clarity on the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' injury situation.&nbsp;

The biggest question will be whether he can keep this up for a full season. If you look at Jarry's career splits, he has posted save percentages between .911 and .920 from October to December. Still, once the calendar flips to January and continues through the rest of the season, his save percentage has been between .897 and .905.

If Jarry can stay consistent, he'll help keep the Penguins in the playoff race, something that almost nobody thought they'd be in this season. He'd also continue to boost his value since the Penguins have a surplus of goaltenders. Kevin Weekes tweeted last week that Jarry is among the goaltenders drawing trade interest as an option for the Edmonton Oilers, who have gotten rotten goaltending from Stuart Skinner and Cal Pickard to start the season. It's a significant reason why they're not in a playoff spot right now, just one season after losing in the Stanley Cup Final again.

Let's see what the rest of the season brings for the former 2013 second-round pick.

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Whether it’s fair or not, Erik Brännström will always be remembered in Ottawa as the guy the Senators got for Mark Stone. It was 2019, and in a deal that former owner Eugene Melnyk said had been planned for some time, Stone was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights. Brännström was Ottawa's crown jewel in that deal, and GM Pierre Dorion was so excited to acquire the diminutive Swede, he initially called it his proudest day as GM.

History now shows that not only was Brännström not ready to be the impact NHL player Stone was, but he ultimately became a fringe NHL defenceman. He had back-to-back seasons of over 70 games played in Ottawa, but the Senators let him walk last year, and he began bouncing all over the league last season. 

In 2024-25, he got into 28 games with the Vancouver Canucks, and also spent time in the organizations of the Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres. At that stage, the writing was on the wall, so Brännström packed up and signed a three-year deal with Lausanne HC in Switzerland’s top league.

Six years after being seen as the guy who'd soon make Ottawa forget about losing Mark Stone, Brännström’s NHL career appeared over.

But in his first season over there, he's now writing a nice silver linings playbook. With Lausanne, Brännström is tearing it up the way Dorion once thought he might in Ottawa. In 30 games, he has 13 goals and 25 points, leading all defencemen in both categories. He’s 10th overall in league scoring, right behind a couple of former Senators draft picks.

No, neither of them is named Alex Formenton. The December 1st deadline came and went, and Formenton remains an NHL RFA, so he won’t get an opportunity to play in the NHL this season. The RFA has battled some injuries and has just nine points in 20 Swiss games, which is unlikely to impress anyone on this side of the ocean.

Brady Tkachuk Gives Montreal Grinch Exactly What He Deserves - Community PostSenators captain Brady Tkachuk had some fun with a Montreal Canadiens fan in warmups on Tuesday night. Given the fan's costume, the totally insane rendering of Tkachuk, and the absolutely terrible chirp (Tkachuk sounds like Ketchup), the fan got exactly what he deserved.

We speak of Marcus Sorensen, who has 27 points, and Andre Petersson, who has 25.

Between those two players sits a guy many Sens fans wanted over Brady Tkachuk at the 2018 NHL Draft: Filip Zadina, who has 14 goals and 26 points. Brännström is also two points ahead of another former Senator, Dominik Kubalík, who has 13 goals and 23 points. 

Even though the Senators do have some depth issues on the left side of their blue line, GM Steve Staios had clearly seen enough when he let Brannstrom walk into unrestricted free agency in 2024. That was also right around the time Ottawa drafted a bigger defenceman in Carter Yakemchuk in Round 1 and then an angry 6-foot-7 blueliner in Gabriel Elliason.

The Senators have a type, and Brännström, generously listed at 5-foot-10, simply wasn’t it. 

It may be his plan B, but it’s still nice to see the 26-year-old getting a fresh start and having success.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News - Ottawa

This article was originally published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Read more:

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Former Senator Unleashes Beatdown On Red Wings Star Defenseman
Senators Call Up New Defenseman From AHL Belleville
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The Winnipeg Jets wrapped up their six-game road trip with a heartbreaking 3–2 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night. It was a contest defined by highlight-reel goaltending, and big plays from both teams’ emerging stars.

Winnipeg netminder Eric Comrie delivered his best performance of the season, turning aside a barrage of high-danger chances from the opening puck drop through overtime and shootout. Comrie made multiple spectacular, goal-saving stops, including one off his mask followed by a diving save in the first period, then another dramatic sequence minutes later after a Montreal interception forced him into yet another desperation stop. His heroics continued throughout the night with five saves in overtime and only one goal allowed on three shootout attempts.

The Jets leaned heavily on their top line once again, with Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor supplying all of Winnipeg’s scoring. Their combined effort broke the ice late in the first period when Connor corralled a loose puck, weaved between two defenders, and fed Scheifele with a backhand pass, who ripped a shot past Montreal goaltender Jakub Dobeš for a 1–0 lead.

MARK FRICKIN' SCHEIFELE 🤩 pic.twitter.com/dcpKaSFyAD

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) December 4, 2025

Midway through the second, the Canadiens capitalized on a power-play opportunity after Tanner Pearson was called for slashing rookie defenseman Lane Hutson. Montreal cycled quickly before Juraj Slafkovský hammered a one-timer from the low slot to tie the game.

Winnipeg briefly regained the lead on a fortunate bounce. A deflected puck off a broken stick landed behind the Montreal net, where Gabe Vilardi retrieved it and fed Connor at the faceoff circle. Connor snapped home his shot before Dobeš could react, making it 2–1 Jets.

But Montreal’s young core answered again. Ivan Demidov, a Calder Trophy candidate, out-battled Josh Morrissey along the boards, pulled the puck free, and found Oliver Kapanen wide open in front. Kapanen buried the pass to even the score at 2–2 heading into the third.

Which Jets Could Be Bound For The 2026 Olympic Games?Discover which Jets are Olympic-bound amidst uncertainty as Hellebuyck, Scheifele, and Connor could represent their nations.

Comrie continued to anchor the Jets late, stopping seven shots in the final frame and five more in a tense overtime period. But Winnipeg’s depth scoring remained absent and their opportunities went unconverted. In the shootout, Montreal’s Cole Caufield scored the lone goal, securing the extra point for the Canadiens and handing Winnipeg a frustrating but hard-fought defeat.

The Jets now return home after their demanding road swing and will host the Buffalo Sabres on Friday at Canada Life Centre.

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NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Jason Robertson scored his 17th goal of the season, Jake Oettinger stopped all 31 shots he faced and the Dallas Stars shut out the New Jersey Devils 3-0 on Wednesday night.

While Robertson kept building his case to make the U.S. Olympic team scoring on a give-and-go with Esa Lindell, a trio of other Finns were responsible for the Stars’ other offensive production. Roope Hintz fed Miro Heiskanen for the Stars’ first goal, while Mikko Rantanen scored on a rebound to get their third.

Oettinger, also likely Milan-bound as one of three American goaltenders, was at his best at the other end of the ice to pick up his first career victory against the Devils — the last of the NHL’s other 31 teams he hadn’t beaten. Oettinger made back-to-back pad saves on Luke Glendening and Juho Lammikko late in the first period and denied Dawson Mercer (twice) and Connor Brown on some high-quality chances in the second.

Lindell and captain Jamie Benn each had two assists. The Stars have killed off 19 consecutive penalties over the past six games and improved to 12-0-0 when leading at the second intermission.

Dallas was playing its first game without its second-longest-tenured player, Tyler Seguin, who tore the ACL in his right knee Tuesday night at the New York Rangers. Coach Glen Gulutzan said Seguin will probably miss the rest of the season.

Jacob Markstrom allowed three goals on 27 shots for New Jersey, which lost a third game in a row and for the sixth time in its past nine. Top player Jack Hughes has been out this entire stretch and is expected to miss at least another month after undergoing surgery to repair a non-hockey finger injury.

Up next

Stars: Return home to face San Jose on Friday night.

Devils: Host Vegas on Friday night.

For the first time in a while, there is now some clarity on the Pittsburgh Penguins' injury situation. 

On Wednesday's GM Show, Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas provided some clarity on the statuses of forwards Justin Brazeau, Noel Acciari, and Rickard Rakell. Brazeau and Acciari made the trip to Tampa Bay with the Penguins, as they play the Lightning Thursday then head to Dallas to take on the Stars Sunday. 

However, that doesn't mean they'll hit the ice in the next two games. Dubas told Josh Getzoff on the GM Show that Brazeau and Acciari should be out roughly another seven to 10 days, while Rakell will still be out another three to four weeks. 

Brazeau, 27, and Acciari, 34, both missed all of November with upper-body injuries. Brazeau had six goals and 12 points in 12 games prior to his injury, while Acciari had led Penguins' forwards in hits and blocked shots at the time of his injury. 

Rakell, 32, was injured in an Oct. 25 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets when a shot block hit his left hand, which required surgery to repair the break. He had three goals and eight points in nine games at the time, and he was playing on the top line with Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust. 

Two Penguins Forwards Returned To Practice On Wednesday Two Pittsburgh Penguins forwards returned to practice on Wednesday.

Since all three players went down, the Penguins had a 4-5-3 in the month of November after getting off to an 8-2-2 start. However, they have won three out of their last four games and have gotten some reinforcements in Rutger McGroarty and Boko Imama, both of whom were recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) prior to Monday's win against the Philadelphia Flyers. 

After Dallas on Sunday, the Penguins return home to face the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday and begin a five-game homestand. 

Takeaways: Penguins Put Forth Dominant Effort In 5-1 Win Over FlyersFor the first time in weeks, it felt like a winning result for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> was never really in doubt throughout the game.&nbsp;

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The St. Louis Blues have recalled forward Matt Luff from their Springfield of the American Hockey League on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old is the latest recall with the Blues (9-11-7), who take on the Boston Bruins (15-13-0) on Thursday, hit by a rash of injuries to their forward group, including Jimmy Snuggerud (wrist), Alexey Toropchenko (leg burns) and Nathan Walker (upper body).

Luff, who signed a one-year, two-way contract for $775,000 NHL/$400,000 AHL, last played in the NHL in 2022-23 with the Detroit Red Wings when he had two goals and two assists in 19 games; Luff has also played for the Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators.

Luff has played in 17 games for the Thunderbirds this season and leads them in goals (seven) and points 14. This is his second season in Springfield after appearing in 50 games last season (18 goals, 27 assists).

Luff has appeared in 106 career NHL regular-season games and has 27 points (15 goals, 12 assists). He joins Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, who will make his NHL debut with the Blues on Thursday, but Luff adds an extra layer at forward with the Blues also playing games Saturday against the Ottawa Senators and Sunday against the Montreal Canadiens.

Jordan Binnington Addresses Heated Exchange With Jim Montgomery After Being Pulled -- "Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it. It is what it is"Blues goalie reaffirms not being happy with getting pulled from 4-1 loss to Ducks on Monday, has moved on from incident and says he respects coach making decisionsInjury List Grows For Blues, Walker Joins List Of Walking WoundedNathan Walker sidelined eight weeks with upper-body injury, joining Jimmy Snuggerud, Alexey Toropchenko long-term, Pius Suter on day to day basisBlues Make Minor Trade, Acquire Forward From KingsClub sends Nikita Alexandrov to Los Angeles in exchange for Akil Thomas in 1-for-1 deal

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The month of December has just begun, but it's already shaping up to be an incredible month for one of the most incredible NHL players of all-time – Pittsburgh Penguins icon Sidney Crosby. 

For one thing, Crosby is in the race for the Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy as the NHL's top goal-scorer. He has 18 goals in 25 games – only four goals behind the leader, Nathan MacKinnon.

He's also keeping the Penguins in the Stanley Cup playoff race, and on Monday, he scored his 299th and 300th goals on the road against the arch-rival Philadelphia Flyers. And he's now ninth in NHL history in game-winning goals, with 102.

But wait, there's more: Crosby now is sixth in NHL history for most wins with a single franchise, tying Detroit Red Wings legend Gordie Howe's 851 wins in the regular season and playoffs. And with 1,716 points, he's eight points shy of overtaking Mario Lemieux for the most points in Penguins franchise history and eighth-most in NHL history.

So this month, Crosby has already reached a road goal milestone and tied Gordie Howe in a stat that reflects longevity and loyalty, and he's likely going to become Pittsburgh's franchise leader in points. That's all while he leads the surprising Penguins, which are still in a playoff spot entering Wednesday's action, stays in the goal-scoring race and approaches the Olympics in Milan, Italy.

Not bad at all for a star player who is now 38. And Crosby's teammates know how astonishing he truly is.

"It shows you what kind of exceptional player and person that he is, to never be satisfied with anything," Pens winger Bryan Rust told The Associated Press regarding Crosby. "Everything he's done at a team level, at an individual level, on and off the ice. It'd be easy to kind of start to pull back the reins a little bit, but I think it's almost like it's almost fuelling him a little bit more to get more and more."

Indeed, he's not pulling back the reins at all. To the contrary.

Penguins Captain Sidney Crosby Closing In On More Penguins HistoryPittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is very close to breaking another franchise record.

There's no doubt that Crosby is a shoo-in to captain Team Canada at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics. Nobody else who could be on Team Canada has the kind of success on the international stage as Crosby. All he's done is win two Olympic gold medals, a gold medal at the IIHF World Championship and gold medals at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and last year's 4 Nations Face-Off.

Crosby has always delivered above and beyond anyone's expectations, and if the next Olympics is his last hurrah on the global stage – which, to his credit, may not be the case if he prolongs his career – Crosby is going to be motivated to go out on a high note.

At this stage, he's doing all that's been asked of him and more as he tries valiantly to push the Penguins on what could be his last, best chance to win his fourth Cup – and his first since 2016-17.

As we're going to see once again this month, Crosby will be deserving of every honor he receives. When we talk about him, we're talking about a top-five NHL talent of all-time, and maybe higher. And as Crosby continues racking up the achievements, he'll underscore his special place in hockey history.

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Flyers answer test, reel off three goals in 59 seconds to cruise past Sabres originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Rick Tocchet felt Wednesday night’s game would be a “good test” for his team to see where it was “mentally.”

The Flyers handled the test pretty well.

They blew out the Sabres, 5-2, at Xfinity Mobile Arena, just a day after they learned Tyson Foerster would miss two to three months with an upper-body injury.

Travis Konecny, Trevor Zegras, Bobby Brink, Noah Cates and Owen Tippett all found the back of the net for the Flyers (15-8-3). Ten players recorded at least a point and five of them had multi-point efforts.

Tocchet said Foerster was in the locker room giving his teammates high fives.

“We all saw him,” Zegras said with a smile. “He’s still here.”

A week and a half after ripping off three first-period goals in 26 seconds against the Devils, the Flyers jumped on Buffalo with three in 59 seconds of the opening stanza. The spurt flipped a 1-0 deficit into a two-goal lead for the Flyers before the halfway mark of the period.

By second intermission, the Flyers were in total control.

Tocchet had to like his team’s response after it was rolled Monday night by the Penguins, 5-1. The Flyers have dropped consecutive games in regulation only once this season (Nov. 1-2).

“Two points after last game, so really happy about that,” Tocchet said. “I still think we run around too much when the pressure [comes]. There are certain things that we’ve got to clean up with the running around. I don’t know if that’s bad habits from before, but there are chunks [of the game] that we’ve just got to communicate more.”

This was the first of three matchups between the Flyers and Sabres (11-12-4) this season.

• The Flyers gave Samuel Ersson plenty of run support and he played well with it.

The 26-year-old converted 27 saves on 29 shots.

“He was fantastic,” Konecny said.

Tocchet’s club committed a couple of early penalties and fell down 1-0 on Jason Zucker’s power play goal.

But then Konecny, Zegras and Brink went on that 59-second spree.

The goals by Konecny and Zegras were on the power play. Buffalo was burned when it challenged Konecny’s goal, claiming Tippett interfered with goaltender Colten Ellis. The challenge was unsuccessful, which put the Flyers back on the power play and they capitalized.

“I think we took advantage of our power play chances early,” Tippett said. “That kind of set us up for the rest of the game.”

Making just his seventh career NHL start, Ellis allowed the Flyers’ five goals on 35 shots.

• The Flyers got the balanced scoring they’ll need in Foerster’s absence.

Cates and Brink looked very good being back on a line together. Nikita Grebenkin, who is set for an expanded role, joined their line and had an assist.

“He showed a lot of talent, a lot of hard work, won his battles, made a lot of good plays,” Brink said of Grebenkin. “It was a treat to play with him.”

Zegras’ goal was his 10th. The 24-year-old forward was also shaken up after being boarded by Rasmus Dahlin with 3:10 minutes left in the second period. Zegras was OK, though, staying in the game, while Dahlin was hit with a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct.

• Cam York was not on the bench for the third period.

The specifics of his injury are uncertain. The 24-year-old defenseman was involved in a melee after Zegras was boarded by Dahlin.

“We were trying to look for it, but I think he got hit behind the net, a little bit late or something,” Tocchet said. “But I haven’t talked to the doctors.”

• Rasmus Ristolainen, while wearing a non-contact jersey, took part in the Flyers’ morning skate Wednesday.

It was the first time the 31-year-old defenseman participated in a team skate this season. He has been recovering from surgery in March on a second triceps tendon rupture.

Ristolainen is now working with the Flyers’ assistant coaches rather than in a rehab setting with the club’s player development staffers. Being cleared for contact in practice would be his next step toward a return, which could come at some point during December.

“Do I have an exact date?” Tocchet said after morning skate. “No, but it’s not a month and it’s not a week.”

Rasmus Ristolainen at morning skate setting up Bobby Brink.

Good sign that Ristolainen is getting closer to returning in his recovery from ruptured triceps tendon. He’s in non-contact jersey, but it’s his first skate with the team. pic.twitter.com/xq8PVSwAAF

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) December 3, 2025

• After playing six games in 10 days, the Flyers go the next three days without a game before returning to action Sunday when they host the NHL-leading Avalanche (1 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

What we learned as Yaroslav Askarov struggles in Sharks' blowout loss to Caps originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN JOSE – So much for keeping the momentum at the Tank going.

Riding a three-game winning streak at home, the Sharks ran into the buzzsaw that is NHL all-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.

Nearing the end of his incredible hockey career, Ovechkin – a 12-time NHL All-Star – scored a pair of goals, one during a wild second period that seemed to take the life out of San Jose fans.

The Sharks never recovered and came up on the very short end of a 7-1 loss on Wednesday at SAP Center.

Ovechkin scored his 910th career goal midway through the first period when he got free in front of the Sharks’ net and scored an unassisted goal. His second came on a cross pass in front of the net from Ryan Leonard, less than three minutes into the second period.

babes wake up, the #Gr8's got a goal pic.twitter.com/9Ri3Dw1uV0

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 4, 2025

Sonny Milano’s fourth goal of the season, a shot from the left circle, gave the Caps a 2-0 lead.

Ryan Leonard scored three and a half minutes later off a deflection by rookie goalie Yaroslav Askarov before Brandon Duhaime made it 4-0 with a shorthanded goal at the 17:07 mark.

It was San Jose’s biggest deficit at the end of a first period at home since Edmonton had the Sharks on the ropes 4-0 at the end of one on Dec. 28, 2023.

San Jose eventually pulled Askarov but Washington also got to Alex Nedeljkovic for two goals in the second period and one in the third.

It was one of San Jose’s most lopsided losses of the season, dropping the Sharks to 13-12-3 and in seventh place in the West.

The Caps, on the other hand, have won four consecutive on the road and lead the Eastern Conference with 36 points.

Earlier in the day, the Sharks announced they sent rookie center Michael Misa to the team’s top minor league affiliate to begin conditioning. The No. 2 overall pick in this year’s NHL Draft, Misa sustained a lower-body injury during a morning skate on Nov. 5.

Here are the takeaways from Wednesday:

Caps blitz Askarov early

Askarov had been on a roll, enjoying a month’s worth of solid work in the net.

All the momentum and good vibes he carried into the night disappeared in the span of 11 minutes in the first period when the Caps turned a scoreless contest into a one-sided runaway.

To be fair, the struggles to prevent Washington’s offense from getting loose weren’t just on Askarov’s shoulders. As a team, the Sharks repeatedly allowed the Caps to get deep into the zone for second and third shots off the same play.

100 seconds between our first two goals, and a little more than 100 seconds until we post our other two pic.twitter.com/PGHNLnrbZa

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 4, 2025

Additionally, there’s no shame in getting beaten for a goal by Ovechkin. He’s the best to ever do it and had scored against Askarov previously.

Good luck and good riddance

Though there has been no official announcement, Wednesday’s game might have been Ovechkin’s final appearance in San Jose.

The 40-year future Hall of Famer has been a pain in the Sharks’ fins for years before adding yet another chapter to his masterpiece of a career.

Ovechkin had burned the Sharks for 17 goals and 13 assists for 30 points in 29 games, and then gave San Jose a memorable, albeit painful, goodbye.

Early flurry for nothing

The Sharks came out much more aggressively than they had begun their previous two games at the Tank and had eight shots in the first eight minutes and finished the period with 11, but had nothing to show for it.

Washington withstood the early flurry, then responded with their own, a much more efficient and productive attack on the other end of the ice in a matter of minutes that flipped the game on its head.

San Jose managed only seven shots in the second period and was on the verge of being shut out before Pavol Regenda broke up the shutout when he scored off an assist from Dmitry Orlov with 7:02 remaining in the third.

Regenda* starts the comeback 😤 pic.twitter.com/tTkysFYWr2

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) December 4, 2025

Download and follow the San Jose Hockey Now podcast

The Chicago Blackhawks signed Laurent Brossoit on July 1st, 2024. He was coming off an injury sustained in the previous playoff tournament, but he has not been able to return until now. 

On Tuesday, the Blackhawks made it official that he is getting a conditioning assignment with the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL. During his stint there, the Blackhawks are seeking a trade partner.

Blackhawks Expected To Trade Laurent Brossoit After Conditioning Stint With IceHogsThe Chicago Blackhawks will move on from Laurent Brossoit after his conditioning assignment with the Rockford IceHogs.

Chicago has Spencer Knight as their number one, Arvid Soderblom as a solid backup, Drew Commesso waiting in the wings, and Adam Gajan dominating college hockey at the University of Minnesota Duluth. 

There is no need for Brossoit on the roster anymore. The idea was that he’d help them transition into a younger goalie alongside Petr Mrazek, but the injury, plus the Knight trade, changed everything. 

Now that Brossoit is healthy, it would benefit everyone for him to move to another team that can offer him NHL playing time. If they can make money work and get an asset back, there are a handful of teams that make sense. 

Winnipeg Jets

Brossoit's last NHL game came as a member of the Winnipeg Jets. Maybe his next game should be with them as well. He would certainly be familiar and comfortable with the city, fanbase, and culture there. 

Connor Hellebuyck, the reigning Hart Trophy winner and back-to-back Vezina Trophy recipient (three total), is out for an extended period of time. He will be back in time for the postseason, if the Jets make it, but Brossoit could be their guy in the meantime. 

When Hellebuyck gets back, Brossoit can go back to being his backup, which was when he was at his best in his entire career. Taking a chance on him could be an upgrade over Eric Comrie, or at worst, a solid duo. 

Edmonton Oilers

The Winnipeg Jets are not the only former team of Brossoit's that could use some help in the crease. The Edmonton Oilers might be the most desperate team in the league. 

Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have struggled, and it has cost the Oilers games this season. It's been an issue for them over the last handful of seasons, despite two straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final. 

If they brought in Laurent Brossoit, who was a young goalie trying to find his place in the league when he was last in Edmonton, they would be getting a veteran goalie who has his name on the Stanley Cup. He wasn't the starter all the way through for Vegas in 2023, but he played a role on that team that won it all. 

That kind of experience, especially in the net, could be what the Oilers need to bounce out of their early-season slump. They know they can't waste another year of Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid's prime because of standing pat at the most important position on the ice. 

Utah Mammoth

Laurent Brossoit never played for the Utah Mammoth (or Arizona Coyotes) in the past, but they could use him now. They have been a bubble team in the Western Conference for the last two seasons, but a boost in net may be what they need to get over the hump. 

Right now, Karel Vejmelka has a 2.87 goals against average and a .885 save percentage, while Vitek Vanecek has a 3.11 goals against and a .869 save percentage.

Goaltending numbers are down in 2025-26, but taking a chance on an upgrade may be just what the doctor ordered for Utah. 

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By Gary Pearson, BetMGM

If you're looking to back a long shot to advance to the 2026 Stanley Cup final, the following four teams represent my best predictions of the bunch.

Eastern Conference 

Pittsburgh Penguins (+10000)

Backing the Pittsburgh Penguins to win the Eastern Conference is my best long-shot play, thanks to various factors.

First, no team is less likely to represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup final. That’s right, even the East's 15th-place Buffalo Sabres have shorter NHL odds (+8000) to win the conference. 

You might have to re-read that sentence a few times to let it sink in. 

Sidney Crosby is on a pace for a career-best 59 goals. Only once before in his illustrious career did he break the 50-goal threshold, when he netted 51 in 2009-10. 

And while most of the Pens' stats have regressed, they are still getting solid goaltending from the resurgent Tristan Jarry and have the best power play (33.3 percent) and fourth-best penalty kill (84.9 percent). 

If you ask me, those factors alone merit a better chance of making the Stanley Cup than the 0.99 percent oddsmakers have them pegged at.

Ottawa Senators (+1800)

Picking the Ottawa Senators to make it to their first Stanley Cup final since 2007 is more a reflection of how wide open the Eastern Conference is. 

The Sens are second in the Atlantic Division despite playing without captain Brady Tkachuk for most of the campaign, while receiving consistently subpar play from Linus Ullmark. 

Ullmark's numbers don’t instill much confidence, but he's 4-1-0 in his last five starts, and Tkachuk has returned to the lineup. 

Let’s see how the team’s trajectory changes once the captain recaptures peak game sharpness. Their +1800 NHL odds represent a 5.26 percent chance.

Western Conference 

Anaheim Ducks (+2200)

What neutral hockey fan doesn’t want to see the youthful Anaheim Ducks go on a fairy-tale run? 

I would have laughed hysterically had you told me before the season that Anaheim would be atop the Pacific Division after 26 games. The only ones laughing now are Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier and the Ducks' band of effervescent upstarts, who, scoring 3.62 goals per game, boast the second-most prolific offense. 

They have the sixth-best points percentage (.635), tied with the New Jersey Devils, and Carlsson is tied with Connor McDavid for fourth in scoring. 

Lukas Dostal, meanwhile, has the 12th-best goals saved above expected (10.1).

The Ducks' +2200 odds of making it to their first final since winning it all in 2007 carry an implied probability of 4.35 percent.

Odds For The Five Most Likely Stanley Cup FinalistsWill the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers meet yet again in the Stanley Cup final? Will the Dallas Stars and Carolina Hurricanes break their conference final curses?

Minnesota Wild (+2500)

The Minnesota Wild have gotten their act together since a stretch of eight losses in nine games. Since Nov. 1, they have the second-best points percentage (.867), behind only the high-flying Colorado Avalanche (.929). 

Minnesota's recent seven-game win streak was thanks primarily to Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt's dominance. The tandem has secured five shutouts in their past 11 games, four of which were by Wallstedt. 

The 23-year-old netminder, who is 8-0-2, has five shutouts in his first 15 games in the NHL, quickly becoming one of the stories of the season.

If he and Gustavsson maintain their otherworldly form, I believe the Wild pose a threat even to the most formidable Western Conference opponents. 

The one constant in a pretty unpredictable season is the Avalanche sitting at the top of the NHL standings and power rankings. 

With only one regulation loss and a league-best plus-50 goal differential, they're burying everyone.

The separation between the Avs and the rest of the league is huge, and it's not an exaggeration to say they might be the best team in the Salary Cap Era. The 2022-23 Bruins that finished with 135 points had a plus-128 goal differential, and the Avs might blow right past that mark. Imagine what the Avs can do if they improve their 25th-ranked power play.

The Wild are the newest entry into the top five of the NHL power rankings this week, largely due to the play of the 'Wall of St. Paul,' Jesper Wallstedt. Their big Swedish tandem of Wallstedt and Filip Gustavsson have been brick walls akin to the ones in Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey, and in six starts Wallstedt has vaulted to the top of the league with four shutouts. 

We're starting to see more separation in the West with the Preds, Flames, Blues and Canucks very unlikely to make the playoffs. Mathematically, they're certainly still in contention, but you look at their play so far, and the outlook is bleak. A string of losing streaks from teams such as the Kraken, Mammoth, Jets and Oilers has kept the door wide open – it just doesn't seem like anyone's been able to take advantage.

In the East, even the last-place Sabres are just five points out of a playoff spot, and they've picked it up with six wins in their past nine games.

1. Colorado Avalanche (19-1-6, +50. PR: 1)

Parity feels like it's at an all-time high, and the Avs are just speedrunning through the regular season. I have no other notes. Moving on…

2. Minnesota Wild (15-7-5, +6. PR: 7)

Unbelievable run by Jesper Wallstedt, who needed just six starts to take over as the league leader in shutouts. Filip Gustavsson has been good, too, and the Wild have not lost in regulation since Nov. 6.

3. Dallas Stars (17-5-5, +21. PR: 2)

The Stars aren't getting enough credit for how well they're playing despite missing several key players, and they lost Tyler Seguin for an extended period of time after he left the game against the Rangers with an ACL injury.

4. Tampa Bay Lightning (16-8-2, +18. PR: 5)

Is this the year Jon Cooper finally wins the Jack Adams?! I bet you can't name four players on the Lightning blue line right now, and despite numerous injuries to numerous key players, the Lightning are somehow in the top five.

5. Anaheim Ducks (16-9-1, +12. PR: 3)

The Ducks are so good they helped Ville Husso win a game. They've cooled off a little bit following their seven-game winning streak, but with a third-string goalie in net, they're still finding ways to win. That's a sign they're legit.

NHL Jack Adams Award Rankings: Ducks' Quenneville, Penguins' Muse LeadDo the Boston Bruins or Pittsburgh Penguins have a rookie NHL coach who could win the Jack Adams Award? Will Jon Cooper finally earn the honor? Here's this month's top five.

6. Carolina Hurricanes (16-7-2, +16. PR: 4)

So… is Brandon Bussi their new No. 1? The Canes will return to action on Thursday after a three-day break, and it'll be interesting to see who starts in net going forward. The knock against Frederik Andersen is that he's really good but never healthy, but this season, he just hasn't been very good at all, losing five straight with a .878 SP on the season.

7. Washington Capitals (16-9-2, +21. PR: 19)

Pretty amazing what an 8-1-1 run will do in a league that has been so tight. The Caps were 8-8-2 just two weeks ago, 15th in points percentage this time last week and now enter Wednesday's games ranked sixth. Logan Thompson and Tom Wilson are making impeccable cases to be included on the Canadian Olympic team.

8. New Jersey Devils (16-9-1, +4. PR: 9)

After a hot start, the Devils just can’t seem to get into a rhythm, winning three games but then subsequently losing to the Flyers and Jackets on home ice with 10 goals allowed. 

9. Los Angeles Kings (12-7-7, -4. PR: 6)

All of a sudden, winning games seems to have become very difficult. Both of their recent regulation wins came against the Sens in one-goal games, and they've lost three of their past four games in extra time. They've failed to score more than two goals in six of their past eight games.

10. Vegas Golden Knights (12-6-8, +1. PR: 14)

If Carter Hart can at least solve some of their goaltending woes, the Knights might go on a run. Last season, they went 19-5-4 following two separate four-game losing streaks. They went 0-2-2 to cap off a six-game homestand and 0-2-2 to finish November before winning against the Sharks and Hawks. The wins showed the Knights aren't going anywhere despite a clear changing of the guard with the West's upstart teams.

11. Detroit Red Wings (14-11-2, -11. PR: 10)

A win against the Bruins snapped a four-game losing streak, but it was a close call with the Wings allowing two goals late in the third period. It doesn't seem like either John Gibson or Cam Talbot really wants the starting job. By the way, Sebastian Cossa just won goalie of the month honors in the AHL, so… 

12. Ottawa Senators (13-9-4, -2. PR: 11)

Getting Brady Tkachuk back is huge, and the Sens are somehow grinding their way up the standings without a top scorer and really mediocre goaltending. Coming out of a seven-game road trip with a 4-3-0 record, where they had to play the Pacific's best and then stop in Dallas and Montreal, was pretty impressive.

13. Pittsburgh Penguins (13-7-5, +8. PR: 17)

I'm convinced that as long as Sidney Crosby is wearing the black and gold, the Pens will never be a bad team. Buoyed by the league's best power play – who saw that coming?! – the Pens are in a good position to make the playoffs. Aside from a lousy stretch from late October to mid-November, when there was a ton of travel, the Pens have been much better than expected on defense and in net, the two areas considered their weaknesses coming into the season.

14. Philadelphia Flyers (14-8-3, +2. PR: 20)

The Flyers are 6-3-0 with some impressive wins, and like the in-state rival, they've been much better than expected thanks to some above-average goaltending. The best part is that their rivalry with the Pens is so much more interesting when both teams are competitive, especially when you have Trevor Zegras – of all people – trying to goad the Pens into doing something stupid. 

15. San Jose Sharks (13-11-3, -7. PR: 13)

The wins following a 6-0 loss to the Avs and 4-3 to the Knights showed the Sharks can be a really resilient bunch. With the Macklin Celebrini-Will Smith combo thriving and Yaroslav Askarov playing up to his potential, the only thing missing now is a marquee defenseman. 

16. Chicago Blackhawks (11-9-6, +6. PR: 12)

Connor Bedard is truly a human highlight reel and worth watching even though the Hawks are mired in a 1-4-2 slump. Other than a 9-3 drubbing by the Sabres, the silver lining is all of those losses were by just one goal. 

17. New York Islanders (14-10-3, even. PR: 15)

It's been a tough homestand so far, with only one regulation win. The Isles suddenly look like the Isles of old, once again having a lot of trouble scoring goals. 

18. Seattle Kraken (11-7-6, -7. PR: 16)

The Kraken may have 11 wins, but they rank third-last in regulation wins with seven. It's been difficult for them to get on a sustained run of any kind, and injuries certainly are not helping. Once they got Jared McCann back, Jaden Schwartz went out.

19. Winnipeg Jets (13-12-0, +2. PR: 8)

Did anyone think the Jets would be good without Connor Hellebuyck? Their scoring has certainly dried up, which doesn't help at all, and they've now lost five of their past six, sitting two points out of a playoff spot. 

20. Montreal Canadiens (13-9-3, -8. PR: 21)

Much better than previous weeks when they lost seven of eight, but a three-game winning streak was brought to an ugly halt with two straight losses and 12 goals allowed. There's a big gap between Nick Suzuki and whoever they deem to be their No. 2 center, and along with subpar goaltending, it's been killing them.

NHL Rumor Roundup: Latest On Canadiens' Defensemen, Senators Still Shopping AroundIt's speculated that the Montreal Canadiens could once again draw on their blueline depth to acquire a forward, while the Ottawa Senators continue to explore the trade market for roster depth.

21. New York Rangers (14-12-2, +2. PR: 26)

The Rangers played a good game at home… and won?! Things will be really tough without Adam Fox, but this may be the sort of thing that galvanizes an underperforming unit. Tough matchups loom against the Avs and Knights, and it'll be important to keep their momentum going, having won four of their past five.

22. Boston Bruins (15-13-0, -4. PR: 22)

It's a good thing they banked 14 points during their winning streak, because since then, they're 4-6-0 with only two regulation wins.

23. Toronto Maple Leafs (12-11-3, -1. PR: 28)

Just… maybe? Leafs Land feels hopeful again after a 7-2 win against the Pens and a 4-1 win against the Panthers, both on the road. 

24. Columbus Blue Jackets (12-9-5, -7. PR: 24)

All these games going into extra time just feels like a coin flip. The Jackets are 1-1-3 in their past five but could easily be 3-1-1 if the bounces went their way. The margins are tiny and the Jackets are still only two points out of a playoff spot. 

25. Florida Panthers (12-12-1, -5. PR: 18)

Last week, I mused whether the Oilers would miss the playoffs after making the Stanley Cup final again, becoming the only team to do so twice following 2006. The East is tighter, so it's harder to say, but could the Panthers join this ignominious club? It truly feels like 2006 again.

26. Buffalo Sabres (11-11-4, -6. PR: 25)

Slow and steady, right? Getting Josh Norris back was huge, and the Sabres have now won six of their past nine as they try and move out of the league basement. 

27. Edmonton Oilers (11-11-5, -15. PR: 27)

Sometimes they can't defend, sometimes they can't score. Sometimes they can't buy a save, and sometimes they shut out their opponents. The only thing that everyone seems to agree on is that the Oilers look spent, often making simple errors with the puck. An upcoming stretch where they face the Kraken, Jets, Sabres, Wings and Leafs is crucial because the West's general mediocrity is still leaving the door wide open.

28. St. Louis Blues (9-11-7, -26. PR: 30)

Are we sure Jordan Binnington should be starting for Team Canada? At what point does goodwill run out? After getting pulled against the Ducks, Binnington appeared to have strong words for Jim Montgomery, but it wasn't just that game. Binnington ranks 64th out of 79 goalies in total goals saved above average at 5-on-5, according to naturalstattrick.com.

29. Utah Mammoth (12-12-3, -3. PR: 23)

They have so much talent on paper, yet they have the league's worst-ranked power play. They started off hot, but they've struggled mightily since, losing four straight and 11 of their past 14. 

30. Nashville Predators (9-13-4, -24. PR: 32)

Barry Trotz's criticism might've sparked something because they've won three of their past four. I wouldn't be surprised if reports of 'toxic' environment help galvanize a veteran team that doesn't need reminding of how poorly they've been playing. There are captains, former captains and Stanley Cup champions in that dressing room.

31. Calgary Flames (9-15-4, -21. PR: 29)

The Flames were perking up, but then lost three of their next four, including an ugly 5-1 loss to the Preds, where they trailed 4-0 going into the third period. You can't embarrass yourself like that in a matchup to see who the league's worst team might be. Fortunately for them, neither of them is the worst team this week.

32. Vancouver Canucks (10-14-3, -18. PR: 31)

Quinn Hughes is playing so much, and the Canucks are leaning on him so heavily, you wonder if he has enough in the tank to last all season. The Canucks have lost nine of their past 11 and simply do not defend well enough to really give themselves – or their goalies – a real chance to win. 

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The Detroit Red Wings made sure they enjoyed a better result in their second consecutive meeting against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday evening.

Detroit managed to build a 5-2 lead by the midway point of the third period, and despite a late comeback attempt by the Bruins, they held on for a victory to snap what was a four-game winless skid. 

For Red Wings goaltender John Gibson, it was his first victory since Nov. 13 and he did so while making a season-high 34 saves.

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The scoreboard will show that Gibson did allow four goals for the fifth time in his last six outings, but he was completely dialed in for most of the game with several critical saves. 

Head coach Todd McLellan would say afterward that while it was more of a "roller coaster" style victory for the entire club, a win is still a win for Gibson and that he earned it. 

"There were some really tough saves and there were periods of nothing, and the game was under control, and then it wasn’t,” McLellan said. “So, it was a very much a roller coaster-type game for a goaltender to play in. At the end of the night, he got the win, so it can’t do anything but help his confidence, the team’s confidence. I'm happy for him."

"It's been a while since he got one (a win), and I'm happy for him." 

Red Wings Snap Winless Skid By Holding On For 5-4 Win Over Bruins The Detroit Red Wings built up a 5-2 lead over the Boston Bruins at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday evening and hung on for a 5-4 victory, ending their four-game losing streak.

Gibson's numbers since being acquired by the Red Wings during the offseason from the Anaheim Ducks aren't what he'd like them to be, as he currently sports a goals-against average of 3.62 along with an .868 save percentage. 

But with a critical six-game road swing ahead of them, during which Gibson will get playing time, the victory on Tuesday evening should go a good way toward building his confidence. 

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The Vancouver Canucks have made two roster moves. Vancouver has assigned goaltender Nikita Tolopilo and defenceman Elias Pettersson to the Abbotsford Canucks. As per NHL rules, both will need to play at least one AHL game before being called back up. 

Tolopilo has played five games for Abbotsford this season. The 25-year-old has a 1-3-1 record while recording a save percentage of .901. Tolopilo started two games for the Canucks on their recent road trip, but flew back to Vancouver early after his wife went into labour. 

As for Pettersson, he has spent the entire season up to this point in the NHL. The 21-year-old has two points in 24 games, but was a healthy scratch in each of the Canucks last two outings. In 46 career AHL games, Pettersson has 15 points and 44 penalty minutes. 

Abbotsford's next game is scheduled for Wednesday when they take on the Calgary Wranglers. The season has not gone as the AHL Canucks planned, as they sit 31st in the league with a 4-14-1-2 record. Game time for Wednesday is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT from the newly named Rogers Forum. 

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