In his most recent 32 Thoughts column, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman questioned if the Montreal Canadiens could make sense as a landing spot for St. Louis Blues forward Alexandre Texier. This was after he reported that rumors are out there that Texier is considering terminating his contract with the Blues.

Following Friedman's column, the Blues placed Texier on regular waivers on Nov. 20. However, Friedman also noted that the Blues and Texier could still mutually terminate his contract if he goes through regular waivers unclaimed. 

With Texier being available on regular waivers, should the Canadiens consider claiming him before his current contract potentially gets terminated? The 26-year-old center currently has a $2.1 million cap hit until the end of this season, which is not necessarily cheap for his role. He has also not played much this season, posting one assist in eight games so far. This is after he had six goals and 11 points in 31 games with St. Louis this past season. 

Texier has shown in the past that he can produce decent offense, as he posted career highs with 12 goals, 18 assists, and 30 points in 78 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023-24. This was after he had 11 goals and 20 points in just 36 games with Columbus during the 2021-22 season. 

Overall, while Texier could be a decent depth pickup for the Canadiens, his current $2.1 million cap hit could very well make the Canadiens stay away. However, if he clears regular waivers and then gets his current contract terminated by the Blues, he could be a low-risk target for the Canadiens to bring in at a lower price through free agency. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins have had a nice start to the season, as they have a 10-5-4 record and are third in the Metropolitan Division. When noting that they had low expectations heading into the season, there is no question that fans should be happy with how they have played out of the gate. 

With the Penguins starting the year off so well, they should be open to the idea of adding to their roster. However, with Pittsburgh retooling, they should specifically pursue young players who would help them beyond this season.

Two interesting young players recently entered the rumor mill who would have the potential to be a strong addition to the Penguins' roster. Let's discuss both of them now. 

Brad Lambert, F, Winnipeg Jets 

NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported that the Jets have granted Brad Lambert permission to seek a trade. When noting that Lambert is a former first-round pick and just 21 years old, he stands out as a potential fit for the Penguins. 

Lambert has had trouble cementing himself as a full-time NHL player with the Jets, but he certainly could change that on a team like the Penguins. The young forward has good potential and could become a nice part of Pittsburgh's roster if he takes that next step. 

Pavel Mintyukov, D, Anaheim Ducks 

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman recently reported that Mintyukov would like a trade from the Ducks if he continues to be scratched. If Mintyukov does become available, the Penguins should make a major push for the young blueliner. 

The Penguins should be looking to improve the left side of their defense. A player like Mintyukov could very well grab their attention, as he is also a former first-round pick who is only 21 years old. He has also already shown promise at the NHL level, as he recorded four goals and 28 points in 63 games during his rookie year in 2023-24. 

The LA Kings are in San Jose to take on the Sharks in a key divisional matchup. 

The Kings are coming off a 2-1 loss against the Washington Capitals as they look to try to leap ahead of Vegas for second in the Pacific. The Sharks are coming off a 3-2 overtime win over the Utah Mammoth, which saw Macklin Celebrini score a hat-trick. 

Projected Kings Lines

Here are the projected lines for the Kings:

Andrei Kuzmenko - Anze Kopitar - Trevor Moore

Kevin Fiala - Quinton Byfield - Adrian Kempe

Warren Foegele - Phillip Danault - Alex Laferriere

Joel Armia - Alex Turcotte - Corey Perry

Mikey Anderson - Brian Dumoulin

Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke

Jacob Moverare - Cody Ceci

Anton Forsberg

Phoenix Copley

Projected Sharks Lines

Here are the projected lines for the Sharks: 

Philipp Kurashev - Macklin Celebrini - Will Smith

William Eklund - Alexander Wennberg - Tyler Toffoli

Adam Gaudette - Ty Dellandrea - Collin Graf

Barclay Goodrow - Zack Ostapchuk - Ryan Reaves

Dmitry Orlov - Timothy Liljegren

Mario Ferraro - John Klingberg

Sam Dickinson - Vincent Desharnais

Yaroslav Askarov

Alex Nedeljkovic

Lines and Injuries 

The Kings will be without Darcy Kuemper tonight as he is scratched, so Phoenix Copley will back up Anton Forsberg. Andrei Kuzmenko returns to the lineup after being scratched in the last couple of games, and he will be on the first line alongside Kopitar and Moore. The second line for the Kings has also been altered, with Fiala, Byfield, and Kempe now on it, which could prove deadly for the Kings. The Kings also placed Drew Doughty on injured reserve. The Sharks are missing both Michael Misa and Jeff Skinner due to lower-body injuries. 

Key Factors

The Kings have to be aware of the young guys on this Sharks team. Macklin Celebrini has been one of the best players in the NHL this season, and his connection with Will Smith is something the Kings will have to pay attention to. The Kings, on the other hand, have switched up their entire lineup, and their second line on paper is seemingly their best line heading into tonight's game, so that line will be relied upon. 

The Kings will have to attack the Sharks' defence, as per NHL Edge, which ranks last in the NHL in defensive zone play. If the Kings can be in the offensive zone and generate chances while building momentum, they will score goals and succeed. 

If the Kings can get going offensively tonight, they can push the Sharks and walk away with a win. My prediction for tonight's game is a 4-1 Kings win. 

The Providence Bruins announced they have signed Calder Cup champion defenseman Christian Wolanin and forward Shawn Element to Professional Tryouts (PTOs).

Wolanin had 40 points in 58 regular season games before adding 10 points in 17 playoff games with the Abbotsford Canucks last season, playing a major role in the team winning the Calder Cup. 

The 30-year-old was arguably the top available AHL free agent before signing the PTO.

A native of Quebec, Que., he won the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL's Best Defenseman, was named to the league's First All-Star Team and led the league in points by a defenseman in 2022-23. 

A fourth round selection of the Ottawa Senators in 2015, Wolanin is third on the Abbotsford Canucks all-time scoring list. He has 177 points in 238 career AHL games and 23 points in 86 career NHL games. 

Element has one goals, five points and 28 penalty minutes in six games with the ECHL's Maine Mariners this season.

📰 Providence Bruins Sign Christian Wolanin and Shawn Element to PTO, Recall Jacob Perreault from Marinershttps://t.co/nBTzWONixW

— Providence Bruins (@AHLBruins) November 20, 2025

The 25-year-old has 29 goals, 55 points and 263 penalty minutes in 208 career AHL games with the Ontario Reign and Syracuse Crunch.

The New York Rangers are set to play the Colorado Avalanche tonight at 9 PM EST at Ball Arena.

Here’s all you need to know ahead of this matchup: 

Projected Lineup:

Forwards:

Will Cuylle - Mika Zibanejad - Alexis Lafrenière

Artemi Panarin - Vincent Trocheck - J.T. Miller

Jonny Brodzinski - Noah Laba - Conor Sheary

Adam Edström - Sam Carrick - Taylor Raddysh

Defensemen:

Vladislav Gavrikov - Adam Fox

Carson Soucy - Braden Schneider

Scott Morrow - Matthew Robertson

Goaltenders: 

Igor Shesterkin 

Jonathan Quick 

Notable Storylines: 

• Igor Shesterkin is set to start for the Rangers. 
• The Rangers are coming off of a 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.
• Will Borgen is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. 
• The Rangers currently hold a 10-9-2 record. 
• The Avalanche are coming off of a 4-1 win over the Islanders.

Mike Sullivan made a significant shake-up to his top-six forward unit ahead of the New York Rangers’ Thursday night matchup against the Colorado Avalanche.

During Thursday’s practice, J.T. Miller was moved to a line with Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin, while Alexis Lafrenière played on a line alongside Mika Zibanejad and Will Cuylle. 

Before the start of the season, Miller and Zibanejad specifically emphasized their desire to play together to Sullivan, who obliged to their request. 

However, the duo hasn’t had the same level of success compared to the second half of last season, and Sullivan felt it was time to split them up with the hopes of elevating his top-six unit.

“We're trying to find some combinations here that give us a more consistent threat offensively,” Sullivan said of his line changes. “Although I think Troch's line has drove a lot of offense, I feel like Mika and J.T., in the last handful of games, haven't been as effective offensively. So sometimes, to effect a little bit of change from a personnel standpoint, can help those guys capture their best games.”

These adjustments also come after Miller voiced his disappointment in himself regarding his offensive struggles to kick off the 2025-26 season. 

Miller has scored just one goal over the last nine games, and he knows that he’s capable of producing at a higher level. 

“At some point you look in the mirror,” Miller said. “Speaking on behalf of myself, I certainly expect a hell of a lot more production than what I have. I've never really gauged my game on points, and I said that a lot. Typically, when I bring my game, the points come. That being said, this year, it seems like nothing's really going in the net. We've got a big enough sample size that 25% of the season is gone, and we're in a lot of 1-goal games. 

Rangers' Penalty-Kill Struggles And J.T. Miller's Harsh Criticism Of Himself Headline Loss To Golden Knights The New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> started their three-game road trip on a sour note, losing 3-2 to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night.&nbsp;

“If I can raise my personal standard and lead the team a little bit better production-wise, I think our outcome in these games are going to change. So it's making me frustrated. It's hard to control that…Trust me, it's on my mind, but same time, come a long way, in a sense, of not getting wrapped up in that s–t.”

In the middle of the Rangers’ game against the Golden Knights on Tuesday night, Sullivan elevated Jonny Brodzinski to the line with Miller and Zibanejad, moving Cuylle to the third line alongside Noah Laba and Conor Sheary. 

Sullivan admitted he made those changes because he wasn’t satisfied with what the Miller-Zibanejad-Cuylle line was giving him offensively.

“I made a switch to Mika's line just because I didn't think they were getting much, so I was trying to effect a little bit of change,” Sullivan said.

You should expect to see these newly established top-six line combinations tonight in Colorado.

The Buffalo Sabres apparently believed that they had found the winning formula after a pair of victories over Detroit and Edmonton, but must have forgotten that they had lost eight of the previous nine games and were at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. The Sabres stunning lack of consistency was on display in a 6-2 loss to the NHL bottom-dwelling Calgary Flames on Wednesday.

The Sabres allowed the Flames to take an early 2-0 lead before rallying in the middle frame with goals from Mattias Samuelsson and Tage Thompson. Calgary, who had lost 5-2 in Chicago on Tuesday and started backup goalie Devin Cooley in the second of back-to-back games, retook the lead early in the third on a Morgan Frost goal and proceeded to pull away with a pair of goals from Mikael Backlund and Joel Farabee 2:16 apart. 

After the game, Thompson was at a loss to explain the club’s inability to rise to the occasion against teams like Calgary and St. Louis on home ice, who are both at the bottom of the Western Conference standings.  

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 "I thought all game we were pretty sloppy with the puck when we did have it, especially through the neutral zone, trying to force stuff," Thompson said. "I think get a little too high on ourselves after a couple wins. I think we're better than we are. Instead of remembering what got us those wins. I thought the other game against Edmonton, we were really hard to play against. I thought today we were really easy, really light on the puck and anytime you're doing that and you're going to lose games."

Head coach Lindy Ruff was unsparing in his critique of the club, saying that his club had an opportunity early in the game to outwork the other team, but the opposite occurred and that the Sabres just wanted things to be easy. 

"In the third period, we got beat to the net. Two goals around net front. We weren't strong enough. Our power play could have changed the direction of the game. They weren't good enough. Execution. Their puck movement wasn't good enough," Ruff said.  "We lost too many battles. I mean, as a group, there wasn't a lot of players to like in the game. If you want to break down every goal, somebody got outmuscled somewhere. Somebody got a beat back up ice."

Buffalo continues their four-game homestand on Friday against Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks. 

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The NHL’s 2025-26 regular season continues to unfold, as does our weekly look at the Hot Seat Radar.

The radar focuses on NHL figures facing increased pressure, whether their jobs are at risk or not. For some, they may not be going anywhere, but they could still be feeling the heat to see improved results before a more significant problem arises.

When it comes to the hot seat, cooling down is a good thing. It means they're under less pressure to improve their situation. Of course, warming up means there's less time to turn things around.

We've talked about Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams and coach Lindy Ruff in each of the last two weeks, so this time, we're revisiting Craig Berube's situation before looking at Alberta rivals.

Cooling Down: Craig Berube, Coach, Toronto Maple Leafs

With the Maple Leafs off to a 9-9-2 start, Leafs analysts and fans have begun to question Berube's methods.

GM Brad Treliving isn't thinking about a change.

"Yeah, I've got all the faith in our coach right now," Treliving told reporters on Monday, according to The Hockey News' David Alter. "Listen, when you go through things like this, understandably, everything gets talked about and looked about. My job right now is to support our coach, support his message and support our group, and push the group."

Berube is the same coach who steered the Leafs to the best record in the Atlantic Division last season. This is a very competent bench boss.

Unfortunately, the injury bug has taken a huge bite out of the Maple Leafs’ roster, as veterans Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, Chris Tanev, Anthony Stolarz, Nicolas Roy and Brando Carlo all are currently on the sidelines. But that can’t be an excuse – at least, when it comes to Toronto sitting in second-last place in the Atlantic and Eastern Conference. 

From this writer’s perspective, Berube’s job is still safe. Now, he can’t afford another five-game losing streak, but given that the Leafs’ next six games include two games against the Columbus Blue Jackets and games against the disappointing Washington Capitals and Florida Panthers, that shouldn’t be a problem.

Do The Maple Leafs Have 'Too Much Vanilla' Or Not Enough Marner?Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving said the solution to dealing with the team's bad start is not to point fingers and dig in together. But they seriously need Marner's two-way play right now.

Cooling Down: Ryan Huska, Coach, Calgary Flames

Huska was firmly on the hot seat coming out of the gate, as the Flames quickly fell into the bottom of the Pacific Division and league with abysmal performances left, right and center that led to an eight-game losing streak.

However, with four wins in its past nine games, Calgary has made modest improvements and is on the precipice of climbing out of the Western Conference basement and past the Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues.

Calgary’s latest win – a 6-2 romp over the lowly Buffalo Sabres – took some of the heat off of Huska. And some of that heat got transferred back to the Sabres' Adams and Ruff.

If the Flames aren't going to make the playoffs, they at least need their young players and their trade bait to put up some points. That wasn't really happening in October. But in the past week, Matt Coronato has five points in four games, and Frost has four points. Pending UFA defenseman Rasmus Andersson is showing how valuable he could be for another squad with two goals and six points in four games.

The management and coaching game is a zero-sum business, so while the Flames have to be feeling slightly more competitive with their performance in November, it will only take another three- or four-game losing skid to warm up Huska's seat yet again. Calgary isn’t likely to make a surge in the standings, so Huska could find himself in the pressure cooker in short order.

Warming Up: Kris Knoblauch, Coach, Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers have been one of the bigger disappointments in the league this season with a 9-9-4 record. But it isn’t just that Edmonton is struggling that puts Knoblauch on the Hot Seat Radar for the first time this season. It’s how the Oilers are losing that increases the pressure on Knoblauch to turn things around before any questions about his job arise. 

Edmonton has lost six of its last nine games – including five in regulation – being outscored 40-26 in that span.

In this past week, the Oilers lost three of four games: 5-4 to Columbus, 5-1 to Buffalo and 7-4 to Washington.

We’re not telling you Knoblauch will be fired anytime soon, but if the Oilers want to try to get back to the Stanley Cup final, Knoblauch has to address the defense first and foremost.

Yes, the team's save percentage of .857 is quite poor. But the Oilers likely won't get an upgrade in net in the trade market. The solution has to come from within the dressing room.

The Oilers have the eighth-most expected goals against this season at 68.72, according to naturalstattrick.com, and the most actual goals against, with 80. So even though they're allowing the sixth-fewest shots against per game, they need to reduce the quality of chances against.

Edmonton is not where it was two years ago when the team fired coach Jay Woodcroft following a 3-9-1 start. The league's increased parity this season plays a part in the team sitting fifth in the Pacific Division.

But if the losing continues for the Oilers, Knoblauch’s job security will eventually come into question.

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After beating the Boston Bruins 4-3 on Wednesday, the Ducks are right back at it on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators on Hockey Fights Cancer Night. A win against the Senators would give the Ducks a three-game win streak.

“Winning at home is important,” Ryan Strome said after their win against the Bruins. “We’ve got a great record here. Our fans have come out really strong this year and supported us. 
You could just tell by the enthusiasm. It’s so great to see, and they're so excited for us.

“Ottawa’s a hungry team right now and they're going to be well-rested, waiting for us, so we've got to be ready to go. 
It’s going to be another tough game, so try to get some rest here and get ready to go. crack some things. All in all, finding ways to win, especially on home ice, is so key. Trying to carry that (into) tomorrow is huge.”

Takeaways from the Ducks' 4-3 Win over the BruinsDucks defeat Bruins with clutch play and timely adjustments. Dostal's stellar goaltending paves the way for crucial offensive chances.

Petr Mrázek is expected to start for Anaheim after Lukáš Dostál started and made 36 saves against the Bruins. Any lineup changes for Anaheim won’t be known until warmups due to no morning skate, but defenseman Pavel Mintyukov will likely be a healthy scratch for the third consecutive game.

Late Wednesday night, a report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman revealed that Mintyukov would prefer to be traded if he continues to be scratched.

The Senators will be without Thomas Chabot, Olle Lycksell, Ridly Greig and captain Brady Tkachuk. Chabot, Lycksell and Tkachuk are all on injured reserve while Greig is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

Ducks forward Chris Kreider will play in his 900th game, his 17th with the Ducks after spending the previous 13 seasons with the New York Rangers. Kreider has added a much-needed netfront presence to the Ducks after coming over from the Rangers as an offseason acquisition this past June. He helped create the game-tying goal on Monday against the Utah Mammoth and the game-winning goal on Wednesday against the Bruins.

---

Ducks Projected Lines

Chris Kreider- Leo Carlsson - Troy Terry
Cutter Gauthier - Mason McTavish - Beckett Sennecke
Frank Vatrano - Ryan Strome - Alex Killorn
Ross Johnston - Jansen Harkins - Nikita Nesterenko

Jackson LaCombe - Drew Helleson
Olen Zellweger - Jacob Trouba
Ian Moore - Radko Gudas

Petr Mrázek (projected)

Senators Projected Lines

David Perron - Tim Stützle - Drake Batherson
Lars Eller - Dylan Cozens - Fabian Zetterlund
Michael Amadio - Shane Pinto - Claude Giroux
Nick Cousins - Stephen Halliday - Hayden Hodgson

Jake Sanderson - Artem Zub
Tyler Kleven - Jordan Spence
Nikolas Matinpalo - Nick Jensen

Linus Ullmark (confirmed)

The Pittsburgh Penguins made multiple moves this off-season. Among the most notable was them acquiring goaltender Arturs Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks.

The decision to bring in Silovs is already looking like a very good one by the Penguins, as the young goaltender has played excellently for the Metropolitan Division club so far. In 10 games so far this season, he has posted a 4-2-4 record, a .918 save percentage, and a 2.44 goals-against average. He also recorded his first career NHL shutout in his Penguins debut on Oct. 7, stopping all 25 New York Rangers shots he faced. 

Now, Silovs' strong start to the season has gotten him some big-time praise.

Silovs was ranked as the sixth-best rookie in the NHL in The Athletic's latest Calder Trophy rankings. With this, he ranked ahead of other promising rookies like Yaroslav Askarov (San Jose Sharks), Zeev Buium (Minnesota Wild), and Jimmy Snuggerud (St. Louis Blues).

Given how well Silovs has started the season, it is understandable that he is being viewed as one of the top rookies in the NHL right now. It will be interesting to see how he performs as this season rolls on from here. 

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Having just recorded a new career-high in points last season, Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond is beginning to heat up once again. 

Raymond is currently riding a five-game point streak coming into Thursday evening's tilt against the New York Islanders, having tallied twice while adding eight assists during that span. Among his points was scoring the game-winning goal against the New York Rangers on Nov. 16 late in the third period as part of Detroit's 2-1 win. 

Right now, he's on track to reach 90 points, which would be a new career-best. And he's doing it while having already missed two games because of an upper-body injury. 

The good news for the Red Wings is that Raymond is feeling good - and that's bad news for the rest of the NHL. 

"I feel good, physically just coming back from an injury, it's always a little slow in the beginning, but I feel good," Raymond said following practice on Thursday morning. "I think the team has been playing some really good hockey games as well lately, so that helps.

"I feel good, it's a long season and you're always going to be battling something. Very rarely do you feel a hundred percent, so I feel good. There's nothing that's bothering me."

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

It wasn't long ago that Raymond was a fresh-faced rookie himself during the 2021-22 NHL campaign, having to navigate through the rigors of not only playing in the top league in the world but also living on a new continent on the opposite side of the globe.

Playing in his fifth NHL season, Raymond is happy to see the progression of new rookies on the club like Nate Danielson, Emmitt Finnie, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka. 

"First, it's a lot of fun, I think everything is new," Raymond said while looking back at his rookie season. "A lot of new impressions, every arena that's new and you play for the first time in against a bunch of players you watched growing up, there's a lot of excitement, and I think you want to enjoy as much as possible." 

Rising Rookies: Emmitt Finnie Snaps Drought Playing With Nate Danielson Detroit Red Wings rookie forward Emmitt Finnie was happy to end his scoring drought on Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken, his first goal since Oct. 25 against the Blues.

Naturally, there's going to be a learning curve for even the most highly-touted young professionals.

"At the same time, it can be tough," Raymond said of the introduction to life in the NHL. "You want to play well and have a good impact. But a lot of fun and something I'll take with me." 

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One area that the Philadelphia Flyers would benefit upgrading is the left side of their defense. 

Due to this, let's take a look at two defensemen who are interesting targets for the Flyers to consider pursuing.

Bowen Byram, Buffalo Sabres 

The Sabres have had a shaky start to the 2025-26 season, and they very well could be sellers if they do not turn things around. If the Sabres do end up selling, blueliner Bowen Byram would be a clear player to watch.

Byram was the subject of trade rumors this off-season before signing his two-year, $12.5 million bridge deal with the Sabres. If the 24-year-old becomes available due to Buffalo's struggles, he would undoubtedly provide the Flyers' top four with a nice boost if acquired. In 20 games this season, he has recorded three goals and nine points.

Pavel Mintyukov, Anaheim Ducks 

Pavel Mintyukov is a new name in the rumor mill who should grab the Flyers' attention. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that the young defenseman "would like to be moved" if he continues to be scratched. 

With Mintyukov being a 21-year-old former first-round pick with good upside, he is somebody who would make a lot of sense for the Flyers to target. In 18 games so far this season, he has recorded three assists and a plus-1 rating. He also showed offensive potential during his rookie year in 2023-24, scoring four goals and setting career highs with 24 assists and 28 points in 63 games.

On Thursday, the Winnipeg Jets have granted 2022 first-round pick Brad Lambert permission to seek a trade, Daily Faceoff has learned.

League sources say #GoJetsGo have given 2022 first round pick Brad Lambert's representation permission to find a trade partner.

Lambert, 21, has one goal in four games for #nhljets in limited minutes this season.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) November 20, 2025

Insider Frank Seravalli confirmed that Lambert’s camp recently received approval to explore potential landing spots as his path to full-time NHL duty has tightened in recent weeks.

The Jets have welcomed back a wave of injured regulars, which has created a crowded forward group and limited Lambert’s opportunities despite a promising start to the season.

Jets Ink Five-Year, $25 Million Extension With Captain Adam Lowry Captain Adam Lowry commits his future to the Jets, securing a $25 million, five-year extension.

The 21-year-old has appeared in four NHL games this season, scoring one goal while seeing very limited minutes. In total, he has dressed for ten career NHL games over three seasons with one goal and two assists.

Lambert scored his first career goal just two weeks ago in a game versus the Pittsburgh Penguins, however this didn't last long as he was again sent back down to the AHL this past Tuesday.

Once regarded as a potential top-five pick in the draft, Lambert fell to the Jets due to his final junior season. He still has two years left on his entry-level deal. 

While the Jets remain high on his long-term potential, the organization also understands Lambert’s growing frustration with being stuck in the minors. Lambert's camp likely believes he will have a clearer route to NHL minutes with another club.

Lambert has been a consistent performer at the AHL level with the Manitoba Moose, recording 30 goals and 63 assists for 93 points in 141 games. 

The Finnish forward was an important contributor for his home country at the 2022 World Junior Championship, where he helped secure a silver medal. Before reaching the professional ranks, he excelled at the junior level with the Seattle Thunderbirds, producing 38 points in 26 games.

For Winnipeg, this decision does not necessarily indicate a desire to trade Lambert, but it does reflect the reality of his stalled development path. If another team can offer a clearer opportunity and the Jets receive an appropriate return, both sides may see a move as beneficial. 

As for what the return could be is hard to say as Lambert has shown some upside at the NHL level with his production so far but has been very limited. The last thing the Jets organization will want is to trade away a high-end prospect that can easily produce 25-30 points tomorrow with room to go even higher and get left with a lesser return.

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The Wraparound is back with more NHL and hockey topics in rapid-fire segments.

Who Are Buffalo And Calgary's Top Trade Candidates? by The Wraparound

Here's what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello and Stephen Kerr discussed in this episode:

0:00: Should the Vegas Golden Knights be concerned about their goaltending situation?

4:42: Could Macklin Celebrini receive significant Hart Trophy consideration this season?

8:10: Will Jesper Wallstedt’s rise cause a shake-up in net for the Minnesota Wild?

11:30: Breaking down Adam Lowry’s five-year extension with the Winnipeg Jets

15:10: Could Charlie McAvoy’s absence bring the Boston Bruins down to earth?

18:50: Should the Anaheim Ducks look to trade Pavel Mintyukov?

22:10: Could Alexandre Texier end up terminating his contract with the St. Louis Blues?

25:26: Looking at the top trade candidates for the Buffalo Sabres and the Calgary Flames

See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.

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Thursday's slate of NHL action is chalk full of marquee matchups across the league with 12 games for fans to enjoy. One of the most intriguing games on the board features the surging Capitals that have won three of their last five games with close losses to the Florida Panthers and the New Jersey Devils. 

After winning in decisive fashion on Wednesday versus the Edmonton Oilers, Washington will play their second leg of a back-to-back on the road versus the slumping Montreal Canadiens. The Habs started off the season in flying colors with a 9-3-0 record through their first 12 games but have since dropped six of their last seven games. 

A win on Thursday could a long way for both teams and should culminate in a hard fought game in one of the best arenas in all of hockey at the Bell Centre. 

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Maple Leafs Set For High-Scoring Clash Versus Marchenko, Blue JacketsThe Toronto Maple Leafs have won just three of their last nine matchups versus the Columbus Blue Jackets with winger Kirill Marchenko recording points in three of their last four meetings for a total of one goal and three assists.

Montreal Canadiens vs Washington Capitals Best Bets

Over 6.0 Goals (-120)

Habs ML (-139)

Habs First Period Over 0.5 Goals (-189) Parlay Add

Tom Wilson Over 0.5 Points (-149)

Josh Anderson Anytime Goal (+475) Longshot Pick

Nick Suzuki Anytime Goal (+175)

The Habs are clear favorites in this matchup, and for good reason. They are long overdue for a win after their recent slump and have yet to secure a strong home record, splitting their ten home games this season with five victories. However, the Capitals usually perform well against Montreal, winning seven of their last nine games and taking three of the last four trips to Montreal.

Adding to the challenge, Washington will be traveling the day after a tough game against the Oilers, in which they scored seven goals in a 7-4 shootout. This fatigue is likely to be exposed early by a Habs team that is tied for 12th in first-period goals, alongside five other teams, with 18 goals and a +5 first-period goal differential.

Montreal will also benefit from facing the Capitals without their top goaltender, Logan Thompson. Thompson has been outstanding this season but started on Wednesday, leaving backup Charlie Lindgren in net. Lindgren, a former Montreal goaltender signed as an undrafted free agent by Washington, has a 2-3-1 record and a 3.17 goals-against average (GAA) this season.

Montreal’s starter, Sam Montembeault, has struggled this season, holding a 4-5-1 record and a 3.56 GAA. His career numbers against Washington are also underwhelming, with a 2-3-0 record, a 3.49 GAA, and a .893 save percentage over six appearances. Public opinion is fairly divided on this game, with 56 percent favoring a Habs win at home, while nearly 80 percent believe Montreal will not cover the spread.

This game is likely to turn into a high-scoring affair, but Montreal should find a way to win. They are overdue for a strong response and could do so by taking an early lead and maintaining momentum offensively. For Washington, leading scorer Tom Wilson will be key. He is averaging a point per game over 20 contests this season and has accumulated nine points over his last eight games against Montreal, including five goals and four assists.

Wilson will also be motivated after last season’s postseason brawl with Montreal’s Josh Anderson. Anderson is expected to respond offensively, having scored twice and assisted once for three points over his last four games entering Thursday.

Montreal captain Nick Suzuki is another key player to watch. In 20 career games versus Washington, he has tallied 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points. Suzuki is due for a big night, having earned just one point over his last four games.

Islanders' Matthew Schaefer, Avalanche's Cale Makar Already Near-Locks in NHL Award RacesAn 18-year-old phenom and a Norris contender are dominating early NHL award races, setting impressive records and dazzling fans.

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