Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser has officially recorded his 500th-career NHL point.
Boeser hit this milestone in his 650th-career NHL game, a Friday-night matchup against the New York Rangers. He logged the secondary assist on Elias Pettersson's fifth goal of the season.
In his 11th season as a member of the Canucks, Boeser has put together seven goals and 11 assists in 21 games played. He currently sits at second on Vancouver in points with 18.
This seasson, Boeser has already entered the franchise’s top-five in power-play goals scored after notching his 80th against the New York Islanders on October 13. Boeser also shot up to 10th all-time in power-play points by a Canuck after recording a helper on a power-play goal for Elias Pettersson in the team’s home-opener.
With his 500th-career NHL point, all as a Canuck, Boeser becomes just the eighth player in franchise history to record 500 points in their time with Vancouver. Pettersson (529*), Thomas Gradin (550), Stan Smyl (673), Trevor Linden (733), Markus Näslund (756), Daniel Sedin (1041), and Henrik Sedin (1070) are the only other players in franchise history to do so.
Oct 11, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser (6) at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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It’s been nearly two years since the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers completed a trade for J.T. Miller, though tonight will mark Miller’s second game back at Rogers Arena since the deal.
Tonight is also expected to feature Filip Chytil’s first experience playing against the organization that drafted him in the first-round of the 2017 NHL Draft, as he missed Vancouver’s other matchups against the Rangers due to injury.
On Tuesday, Chytil expressed his excitement about possibly playing against the Rangers for the first time since being traded.
“It means a lot to me, actually,” he said after Vancouver’s practice on Tuesday. “It’s been almost two years now since the trade, and I didn’t play a game against them. I don’t know most of the team now because it’s changed as well. I know just a couple of players from there, but it was still eight years in the organization — and it was an organization that gave me an opportunity to play in the league, and I have great memories from those seasons.”
Let’s take a look at the pieces acquired by the Canucks and Rangers ahead of their fifth matchup since the trade.
To New York: J.T. Miller, Erik Brännström, And Jackson Dorrington
The season after he was traded to the Rangers, Miller was named New York’s captain. In his first full season with the Rangers post-Vancouver trade, the forward put up 17 goals and 36 assists in 68 games, good for fourth on his team in points. Miller hasn’t quite found the same performance level he reached with Vancouver in his second stint with the Rangers, though he is currently up to four goals and 10 assists in 20 games with New York.
Brännström didn’t end up playing in any games with the Rangers, instead skating for their AHL-affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack. He only ended up playing in six games for the Wolf Pack before being dealt to the Buffalo Sabres for Nicolas Aube-Kubel at the 2025 Trade Deadline. After the end of the 2024–25 season, Brännström headed back to Europe, where he’s now in his second season with Lausanne HC.
The final piece acquired by the Rangers in this trade was Dorrington, who has remained with New York’s organization since. He made his AHL-debut for the Wolf Pack during the 2024–25 season, putting up a goal and an assist in nine games that year. In his first full season in the AHL, 2025–26, he scored a total of two goals and nine assists in 70 games. Throughout the 2026–27 season thus far, Dorrington has put up one assist in 13 games.
Mar 22, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers center J.T. Miller (8) battles with Vancouver Canucks defenseman Victor Mancini (90) during the third period at Madison Square Garden. Miller and Mancini were traded for each other in January. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images
To Vancouver: Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini, And A 2025 First-Round Pick
Chytil has played in a total of 34 games since being acquired by the Canucks, with the forward projected to face his former team for the first time tonight. He has scored five goals and six assists throughout his tenure with Vancouver, with two of these assists coming in the seven games he has played so far this year. While health has been a big issue for Chytil through his time with the Canucks, when he has been in the lineup, the forward has shown promise with his speed.
In his time with the Canucks thus far, Mancini has acted as more of a depth defenceman, floating between Vancouver and Abbotsford. He played in 24 games with Vancouver through 2025–26, putting up three assists in that span. The remainder of his playing time was spent with Abbotsford, during which he skated in 33 games and posted four goals and eight assists. The defenceman was sent down to the AHL on Tuesday and made his season-debut for Abbotsford on Wednesday.
The first-round pick acquired by Vancouver went on a little bit of an adventure before ultimately being used to select forward Jack Nesbitt 12th-overall. Only hours after the Canucks acquired the selection, they flipped it to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the trade that sent Drew O’Connor and Marcus Pettersson (also a member of the Rangers now) to Vancouver. Pittsburgh held onto the pick until the first day of the 2025 NHL Draft, trading it to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for picks #22 and #31.
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One year ago, Juuso Valimaki wasn't even sure if he'd ever again play in the NHL.
The 27-year-old defenseman was nine months removed from his second career ACL tear and he hadn't seen NHL action since the start of 2025.
Even before the injury, the 2017 first-round picks was being continuously healthy scratched and things looked like they were quickly heading in the wrong direction.
But fast forward to today and Valimaki is on the blueline of the best team in hockey.
"We knew when we got him what he had been going through," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour. "Lots of injuries and even last year, he played all year in the minors. Played really well, we just didn't have a spot. Then this year there was an opportunity and he's just taken it. It's nice to see that he's fully back to where he was before and maybe even better. He's really endeared himself to the group and to the coaching staff."
Not only that, but Valimaki also earned the opportunity to play in his home country in front of thousands of Finnish fans and many of his own friends and family as part of the NHL Global Series in Helsinki.
And in Game 1 of the series, Valimaki himself even got on the scoresheet, scoring the Canes' third goal in their 4-1 win over the Seattle Kraken.
"I don't think it could have really worked out any better than it did for me," Valimaki said. "Obviously we played a really good game and that's kind of the first point of it, but I'm not gonna lie and say that it wasn't cool to score, because it was. Just really, really happy and grateful for it, for sure."
"Really happy for him," Brind'Amour said on Valimaki. "That was special for him to get that goal. He's a big part of what we're doing."
"That's what you want," said forward Nikolaj Ehlers. "You obviously want the two points, but seeing [the Finns] score makes it a little more special. We're happy we were able to get the win for those guys."
It was a storybook moment for the Finnish defenseman and one that reflects all the hard work that he's put in to get back to this level.
Things haven't been easy by any means, but Valimaki has continued to grind away and find ways to keep getting better and to see him rewarded in that way is very special.
"There's been a lot of ups and downs in my career with injuries and kind of a lot of other things going on, but I think last year was finally where I felt like myself again and I was in a really good head space," Valimaki said. "Just trying to play hockey, enjoy it. There's been times where you kind of forget the fun part and for me, at least, when you're having fun and enjoying what you're doing, I think that's when you play your best. Just trying to carry the momentum now and ride that wave."
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Towards the end of October, NHL Central Scouting released its "Preliminary Ranking" ahead of the 2027 NHL Draft. There is a long way to go, and a lot of changes are expected between now and then, but most of these young prospects will have a chance to be impact players in the NHL.
Of course, this draft is currently headlined by Landon DuPont, who is currently playing at the University of Michigan. He is a dynamic defenseman who projects to be a star at the highest level.
In NHL Central Scouting's Ranking, all of the players currently projected to be selected in the first round have been given an A-rating. If the Blackhawks don't get at least one of these players, that would be shocking, as it would imply that they turned this 2026-27 season around in a big way.
This mock draft has the lottery picks (1-16) based on the best prospects who received an A-rating in October. The order was determined by the standings heading into action on Friday, November 13th, in reverse order, and includes trades. In the spring, a lottery will determine the first two picks, and more could be traded by then.
1. Vancouver Canucks - Landon DuPont, D, Michigan
2. Chicago Blackhawks - Nazar Privalov, FWD, Moskva
3. Los Angeles Kings - Sergei Skvortsov, FWD, Torpedo
4. Philadelphia Flyers - Jonah Neuenschwander, F, EHC Biel-Bienne
5. Columbus Blue Jackets - Carter Meyer, FWD, Quebec
7. Detroit Red Wings - Milan Sundstrom, FWD, MoDO Hockey
8. San Jose Sharks - Brock England, FWD, Seattle
9. Philadelphia Flyers (From Toronto Maple Leafs) - Sammy Nelson, FWD, Notre Dame
10. Calgary Flames - Alexis Joseph, C, Saint John
11. Winnipeg Jets - Andrei Pustovoy, FWD, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
12. Buffalo Sabres - Brock Cripps, D, Prince Albert
13. St. Louis Blues - Jaakko Wycisk, FWD, Guelph
14. Utah Mammoth - Jamie Glance, FWD, Jaint John
15. New York Islanders - Bosse Meijer, FWD, Frolunda
16. New York Rangers - Noah Davidson, FWD, Medicine Hat
There is sure to be somebody who was not listed here, with or without an A-rating (27 As were handed out by NHL Central Scouting), who jumps into this group. Maybe they will even be a star NHL player, but there is a lot of hockey ahead to determine that.
The thing that sticks out the most from looking at this group is the fact that there are only two defensemen. Only 5 were given As by the league, and that includes DuPont, who is a no-brainer top-3 pick, likely first overall.
Lots of players here are going to jump up and down boards. There are hot and cold starts impacting this ranking so far. For example, Alexis Joseph was a top-three contender coming into the year, but he's been underwhelming so far with the Saint John Sea Dogs. Joseph has 8 goals and 10 assists for 18 points in 17 games. That production in the QMJHL must explode if he wants to end up being a top-five pick.
It isn't a bad start for Joseph, but not as dominant as folks believe he can be. His style is often compared to that of Nathan MacKinnon, who is a dominant top-five player in the NHL and has been for almost a decade now. Again, all of these prospects will have their peaks and valleys, and the smartest teams will be able to see through those.
Only 1 goalie, Vilmer Saleb Forsberg of Brantford, was given an A, and he is not currently projected to be a lottery pick. His position (teams don't generally draft goalies high anymore) may get him selected late in the first round or possibly even in the second round.
If the Blackhawks have the second overall pick, and they don't trade it for immediate roster help, Nazar Privalov would be a fine addition to their farm system. Their organizational pool of young players is already strong; they are just waiting for it to translate more to the NHL team. Chicago is also projected to have the first two picks of the second round, their own and Vancouver's.
The sad reality is that the Blackhawks are 5-13-1, and the likelihood of them having a good draft pick in the lottery is high. The players have not given up yet, but the organization will surely be looking at all of these rankings and will be well prepared by the time June's draft comes around.
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The Detroit Red Wings are currently dealing with two awkward standoffs with two different key players - but one of them has a deadline for a resolution.
Former Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin announced through his agent last month that he would no longer report to the team, which responded by suspending him without pay.
Meanwhile, RFA defenseman Simon Edvinsson remains without a contract and has until Dec. 1 to sign in order to be eligible to play this season.
However, Larkin's saga has gone on for several months since his trade request, which was made immediately after the 2025-26 season in the words of former GM Steve Yzerman, became public knowledge in early June.
Larkin's decision to not fulfill his end of his contract has not only drawn near universal criticism from the Red Wings fan base, but was roundly admonished by former NHL defenseman and current analyst Erik Johnson.
During Thursday night's national broadcast of the Red Wings' contest against the Florida Panthers, Johnson derided the decision by Larkin to stop playing with multiple years left on his contract.
"I can't stand these guys halfway through their contracts that they signed in good faith with their team, now bailing ship and wanting to go for greener pastures," said Johnson, who won the Stanley Cup in 2022 with the Colorado Avalanche.
However, Larkin wasn't the only target of Johnson's remarks.
"This isn't exclusive to Dylan Larkin," Johnson continued. "Lots of guys around the league are doing it. I don't like it. As a former player, I don't like these guys abandoning their team midseason, mid-contract."
"I can't stand these guys halfway through their contracts ... bailing ship and wanting to go for greener pastures."
Larkin's fellow Michigan native, Connor Hellebuyck, requested a trade from the Winnipeg Jets months ago and went public with his request in late August after general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff failed to move him.
Hellebuyck refused to report to training camp, was suspended, and was eventually traded to the New Jersey Devils.
Last month, Red Wings interim GM Shawn Horcoff said that there is no timetable for when Larkin could be moved, and that the club would take its time to find a deal which is in the best interest of the organization.
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The Vegas Golden Knights will turn to Adin Hill between the pipes Friday night as they look to protect home ice against a Nashville Predators team that has opened the 2026-27 season with an impressive 10-4-5 record.
Hill was the first goaltender off the ice during Friday’s morning skate, a strong indication that he will get the start at T-Mobile Arena. The 30-year-old netminder has given Vegas plenty of reason for confidence early in the campaign, posting a 7-2-0 record through his first nine appearances, along with a 2.54 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage.
His early-season form marks a welcome turnaround from a difficult 2025-26 campaign. Hill finished last season with a 10-9-6 record, a 3.04 goals-against average and a .871 save percentage. However, sources told The Hockey News that injuries played a significant role in his struggles, offering important context behind his disappointing numbers.
Now looking much sharper to open the new season, Hill will have an opportunity to continue building momentum against a Nashville club that has been one of the stronger teams in the early standings.
Here is how both teams are expected to line up Friday night.
Nashville Predators (10-4-5) – Projected Lineup
Forwards
Steven Stamkos – Ryan O’Reilly – Mavrik Bourque
Filip Forsberg – Shane Wright – Nils Hoglander
Reid Schaefer – Alexander Kerfoot – Vitali Pinchuk
Ross Colton – Jack Drury – Adam Edstrom
Defensemen
Roman Josi – Adam Wilsby
Brady Skjei – Nick Perbix
Daemon Hunt – Jayden Struble
Goaltenders
Juuse Saros
Justus Annunen
Scratched: Nicolas Hague, Ilya Lyubushkin
Injured: Jonathan Marchessault (lower body), William Trudeau (upper body)
Vegas Golden Knights (13-5-2) – Projected Lineup
Forwards
Trevor Connelly – Jack Eichel – Mark Stone
Brett Howden – William Karlsson – Mitch Marner
Ivan Barbashev – Tomas Hertl – Victor Olofsson
Braeden Bowman – Nic Dowd – Marc Gatcomb
Defensemen
Shea Theodore – Brayden McNabb
Jeremy Lauzon – Rasmus Andersson
Parker Wotherspoon – Dylan Coghlan
Goaltenders
Adin Hill
Carter Hart
Scratched: Raphael Lavoie
Injured: Noah Hanifin (undisclosed)
Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. local time at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where the Golden Knights will look to make the most of home ice against a Predators squad that has made a strong start to the season.
While Montreal Canadiens Cole Caufield made history Thursday night by becoming the first Hab to score in eight consecutive games against the Boston Bruins, the team also achieved an impressive feat. The 5-2 win over the divisional rival meant that the Sainte-Flanelle got at least a point in its last 12 games. That hasn’t happened since the 1992-93 season, when the team won the last of its 24 Stanley Cups, which was an unexpected one as well.
What’s even more impressive, though, is that all those games were played without Russian sophomore Ivan Demidov, a key part of the Canadiens’ core. Furthermore, six of those games were played without team captain Nick Suzuki, while defenseman Mike Matheson also missed a sizeable chunk of matches. While some will say the results were skewed by great goaltending, mainly from Jacob Fowler, the fact is that the goaltender is an integral part of the team; it’s not a cheat code.
How many games can the Canadiens take that sequence to? Time will tell, but getting Demidov back would certainly help. While the Habs haven’t spelled out a new target date for his return, they announced this week that he would take part in a public signing session on November 22. That signing session was meant to happen earlier this season, but it was postponed because of his injury. Therefore, logic dictates that he should be back in the lineup by then; otherwise, he wouldn’t have committed to a signing session.
Montreal has five games left until then: the Avalanche and the Flyers at home, and a three-game road trip in three days against the Rangers, the Devils, and the Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes. That’s bound to be a challenge, especially with the back-to-back games against the Devils and the Canes. When will Jakub Dobes come back in net? Will he be able to keep the streak intact? The next few games promise to be very interesting.
CNBC has released its valuations for all 32 NHL teams. As per the report, all valuation figures are in U.S. dollars, with multiple teams surpassing the $4 billion mark for the first time. The Toronto Maple Leafs lead the league at $5.4 billion, while the Columbus Blue Jackets are the lowest-valued team at $1.65 billion.
As for the Vancouver Canucks, they sit 15th at $2.5 billion. According to CNBC, that is up from the $ 2.2 billion reported in 2025. The Canucks did fall in overall position, as they were ranked 12th last year.
2026 CNBC NHL Team Valuations:
Toronto Maple Leafs: $5.4B
New York Rangers: $4.7B
Montréal Canadiens: $4.1B
Los Angeles Kings: $3.9B
Edmonton Oilers: $3.7B
Philadelphia Flyers: $3.6B
Boston Bruins: $3.5B
Chicago Blackhawks: $3.35B
Washington Capitals: $3.2B
New Jersey Devils: $3.1B
Detroit Red Wings: $3.05B
New York Islanders: $3B
Tampa Bay Lightning: $2.7B
Carolina Hurricanes: $2.66B
Vancouver Canucks: $2.5B
Vegas Golden Knights: $2.45B
Minnesota Wild: $2.33B
Colorado Avalanche: $2.27B
Dallas Stars: $2.26B
Calgary Flames: $2.25B
Seattle Kraken: $2.2B
Florida Panthers: $2.15B
Anaheim Ducks: $2.1B
Pittsburgh Penguins: $2B
Nashville Predators: $1.95B
St. Louis Blues: $1.9B
Utah Mammoth: $1.85B
San Jose Sharks: $1.8B
Winnipeg Jets: $1.75B
Ottawa Senators: $1.72B
Buffalo Sabres: $1.7B
Columbus Blue Jackets: $1.65B
Nov 9, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki (88) celebrates his goal with forward Brock Boeser (6) against the Philadelphia Flyers in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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The Colorado Avalanche may have to navigate the coming stretch without their biggest superstar.
Following Nathan MacKinnon’s lower-body injury in Thursday night’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre, the Avalanche have recalled forward Gavin Brindley from their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles.
MacKinnon kicking off the rush against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Credit: Nick Turchiaro - Imagn Images
MacKinnon exited Thursday night's game against Ottawa after appearing to injure his right side while attempting a reverse hit on Senators defenseman Artem Zub. His final shift came at the 8:15 mark of the second period. MacKinnon initially remained on the bench before heading down the tunnel and did not return for the remainder of the game.
Nathan MacKinnon in a previous interview.
Brindley, known for his speed and offensive ability, has been called up several times this season. He previously spent time with the Avalanche while forward Logan O’Connor recovered from a lower-body injury and during O’Connor’s absence following the death of his father, Myles Connor.
Brindley has made the most of his opportunities with the Eagles this season, recording 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 10 games. His point-per-game production has helped keep him in the conversation as an option whenever Colorado needs reinforcements up front.
He has yet to find the back of the net in five NHL appearances this season, recording one assist while averaging 8:54 of ice time per game.
Brindley has already come close to delivering a memorable moment at the NHL level this season. In Colorado’s Oct. 14 matchup against the Dallas Stars, he appeared to score a beautiful wrist-shot goal, prompting the goal horn to sound and the arena to erupt in celebration. However, the excitement was short-lived. A replay revealed that the puck had struck both posts without crossing the goal line, leaving Brindley heartbreakingly close to his first NHL goal of the season.
The Avalanche ultimately fell 3-2 in a shootout, but Brindley’s near-miss provided one of the night’s most memorable moments.
Now, with MacKinnon potentially sidelined for an undetermined period of time, Brindley gets another opportunity to make an impact at the NHL level. His speed and offensive upside could give Colorado another option as the team looks to navigate the absence of one of the most important players in its lineup.
On this day in 1999, Detroit Red Wings star winger Brendan Shanahan scored the 400th goal of his NHL career in a 1-1 tie with the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was a landmark moment for one of the league's premier power forwards, who was in the middle of a Hall of Fame career in Detroit.
Shanahan was far from finished as he would go on to retire with 656 goals and 698 assists for 1,354 points in 1,524 games, along with 2,489 penalty minutes and was one of the rare players in all of NHL history to finish with more than 600 goals and 2,000 penalty minutes.
After being the second overall pick by the New Jersey Devils in 1987, Shanahan would also play for the St. Louis Blues, Hartford Whalers and New York Rangers, and returned to the Devils to close out his career.
His ten seasons in Detroit were the defining stretch of his career as over a decade in a Red Wings sweater, he won three Stanley Cups in 1997, 1998 and 2002, and added an Olympic gold medal with Canada at the 2002 Winter Games. His historic career would earn him a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013 and was named one of the NHL's 100 Greatest Players in 2017.
Shanahan's influence continued after he hung up his skates as he served as the NHL's senior vice president of player safety, then became president of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014, a role he held through 2025.
During that time, he oversaw a major rebuild of the franchise, including the hiring several general managers and the drafting of core players like Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Toronto made the playoffs every year of his tenure, though it struggled to break through in the postseason.
With his time in Toronto over, Shanahan's next move is one of the more intriguing storylines around the league. Detroit remains the team most closely tied to his legacy, and a return to the organization where he won his Cups would carry obvious appeal.
The Red Wings, who are chasing their first playoff berth in more than a decade could benefit from bringing back the franchise icon. Any reunion is speculation for now, and neither side has publicly said a deal is in the works.
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The Buffalo Sabres were hoping that their success this season on the road would provide a magic tonic after regulation losses to Ottawa, Vegas, and Tampa Bay on their four-game homestand, but in spite of playing a more disciplined game against the club with league’s second worst record and worst goal differential, the Sabres lost 3-2 to the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime at the United Center on Thursday.
The loss is the Sabres third in a row and fourth in the last five games, and in those defeats, they are averaging less than two goals a game.
Owen Power and Tage Thompson scored for Buffalo, but Frank Nazar scored his second of the game midway through the third period to tie the game and should have been penalized in overtime after what Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff considered an obvious interference penalty. Ryan Donato scored at 3:12 of overtime to snap the Hawks six-game losing skid.
“It’s a penalty in any league. It’s a call you’ve got to get. It’s a call that has to be made. The guy turns and sticks his ass out and dumps our guy. Make the call.” Ruff said. “You can’t interfere with the guy, just basic interference, the call’s right there in front of them.”
Do the Sabres need to consider trading for a scorer?
Buffalo has earned points in eight of their nine road games (4-1-4), but their under .500 record at KeyBank Center has them falling behind in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Currently, the Sabres are eight points behind Tampa Bay and Montreal, and seven points in back of Boston for the top three spots in the Atlantic, and six points in back of Ottawa and four points behind both Florida in the race for the two wildcard spots.
“We’ve got to start winning games for sure.” Ruff said. ”Getting a point is OK, but we have to start winning games.”
GM Jarmo Kekalainen reportedly is looking to add some offensive help, but only a few clubs are expected to be willing to make trades at the quarter poll of the season. The club’s current struggles are symptomatic of Kekalainen’s inability or unwillingness to bring in offensive help after the departure of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram last summer, and an overreliance on the club’s youngsters being able to step up.
The New Jersey Devils and the Washington Capitals are at an uncanny halfway point in their matchups. Both teams are in the middle of a home-and-home matchup and have played two of the four games in the season series. The Capitals took the first meeting on their home ice 4-2, and the Devils evened up the score with a 5-2 win on Thursday night on their home ice.
The Capitals and Devils are also shaping up to be in the playoffs and Cup conversation by the end of the season. The Devils are 14-6, and after acquiring Connor Hellebuyck, they look like a team moving full steam ahead to the top of the Eastern Conference. The Capitals, at 10-7, haven’t looked like a juggernaut but have the talent to be a top team by the end of the season.
Both teams will likely buy at the trade deadline, or even beforehand. They are in a position to make a move or two and possibly a splash that changes their outlook by the end of the season. It wouldn’t shock anyone if the Capitals or Devils make the big trade, and the question is which team is more likely.
The Capitals Have The Pieces To Make The Next Big Swing
The fascinating aspect of the Capitals is that they have a great roster but also prospects on top of prospects. Specifically, they have young NHL-caliber players who can’t crack the lineup. Ivan Miroshnichenko is a healthy scratch on most nights, while Bogdan Trineyev is a 24-year-old power forward that teams look for come playoff time, yet is stuck in Hershey.
Speaking of the Hershey Bears, the Capitals' American Hockey League affiliate, they have prospects who will make an impact soon enough. Those same prospects can also be a big part of a blockbuster trade.
Andrew Cristall, for example, is a 21-year-old winger with the skill to play on an NHL team’s middle six. However, the Capitals have a surplus of wingers, with many of them locked in long-term, including Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou, who were both acquired in the offseason.
Eventually, the Capitals must make a decision on these prospects and young NHLers. They can flip them for another elite talent who helps them win now and still have enough in the system not to worry about mortgaging the future.
Mehta Operates Differently & Won’t Stop Making Big Moves
The Devils' general manager Sunny Mehta has proven he’s a unique executive. His aggressive moves in the offseason, the Hellebuyck blockbuster, and the decision to sit Hellebuyck after his much-anticipated return to Winnipeg prove that he’s not a traditional GM and is willing to make bold moves, even if they are questioned.
During Hellebuyck’s 22-minute press conference on Tuesday before the game against the Winnipeg Jets, the goaltender spoke about his decision to ask for a trade. He also mentioned something fascinating about the Devils' front office when asked about the decision to start the backup, Jake Allen, instead.
“They handle business differently than I’m used to,” Hellebuyck stated in his presser. While he was talking about the goaltending decision, it also applies to how the front office, specifically Mehta, operates.
He’s willing to be aggressive and make a big trade. He’s also shown creativity in making big trades, whether it’s moving depth players or adding players through minor moves to create flexibility. It’s why it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Devils make another big move at some point.
“We’re never done. We’re never done,” Mehta stated ahead of Hellebuyck’s introductory press conference with the Devils. If the Devils are one of the best teams in the league by the trade deadline and they are trending in that direction, Mehta can make a small, under-the-radar deal or take another swing.
The Capitals Are All-In This Season
This isn’t a typical season for the Capitals. It’s Alexander Ovechkin’s last season in the NHL. The all-time leader in goals and one of the game’s greats announced that he’s retiring after this season.
The Capitals want him to retire on a high note. Ideally, that’s another Stanley Cup title, something Ovechkin and the team experienced in 2018, yet haven’t come close to since. This is the year for them to have that success.
The offseason moves set them up for a successful season. Plus, the Capitals already have a strong roster in place and young, emerging stars, including Cole Hutson and Ryan Leonard. It puts them in a position to become buyers at the trade deadline and make an all-in push for a deep playoff run.
What Move Will The Capitals Or Devils Make Next?
Dylan Larkin has both the Capitals and the Devils on his trade list. He also checks off a few boxes for both teams as a top-six center who can move to the wing and impact the game in multiple ways. While the Capitals and Devils have their top-six centers at the moment, they can use more versatility in their lineup, especially come playoff time.
Zach Werenski is a fascinating name to keep tabs on. The Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman who won the Norris Trophy last season is a free agent after next season and might look to sign elsewhere if the team continues to struggle (so a trade is possible). The catch is that the Capitals have two scoring defensemen already on their roster, while the Devils have Luke Hughes emerging as an elite two-way defenseman (plus, there’s another Hughes the Devils might have their eyes on).
For the Capitals specifically, Nikita Kucherov would be an intriguing addition. The Tampa Bay Lightning have no interest in trading the reigning Hart Trophy winner, and Kucherov’s style of play doesn’t fit in the Capitals' top six. That said, he’d take them to another level, and from a sentimental perspective, he’ll play alongside his fellow countryman Ovechkin.
The Capitals and the Devils are in positions to make a move or two. It will be intriguing to see which team ends up putting the next blockbuster together.
After eight years of serving in the U.S. Army, James King received some news that made a difference for his family: medical debt tied to his wife’s hospitalization had been erased.
King and his family attended the Vegas Golden Knights’ Military Appreciation Night on Wednesday, Nov. 11, where the team recognized veterans who benefited from a new NHL debt relief initiative.
The Golden Knights, Buffalo Sabres and NHL teamed up to erase $1.5 million in debt for more than 600 U.S. veterans and their families in recognition of Veterans Day. The relief came through Operation Line Shift, the league’s partnership with ForgiveCo.
Veterans in the Las Vegas area received $500,000 in debt relief. Another $400,000 went to veterans and families in Western New York.
The Golden Knights hosted the Utah Mammoth at T-Mobile Arena, while the Sabres welcomed the Tampa Bay Lightning. Both teams used the games to recognize members of their military communities as part of the NHL’s 2026 Veterans Appreciation Night, which was also featured on TNT Sports platforms and presented by Navy Federal Credit Union.
The broadcast included an interview with Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin, whose family has several members with military service. Hanifin was listed as week-to-week after suffering an injury during Sunday’s 4-1 win over Buffalo.
The support wasn’t limited to Las Vegas and Buffalo. All 32 NHL teams took part in military appreciation events throughout the season, with special games and in-arena recognition for active service members, veterans and their families.
Through Operation Line Shift, the NHL and its teams had erased a total of $3.75 million in debt for more than 2,100 veterans and their families.
For families like the Kings, that help meant one less financial burden to carry. And that’s a lot more meaningful than any pregame ceremony.
While most of the Montreal Canadiens’ offense came from depth players in Thursday night's 5-2 win over the Boston Bruins, one member of the first line got on the boards: Cole Caufield. The American sniper, picked 15th overall in the 2019 draft, found the back of the net for the eighth straight game against the Habs’ divisional rival. That’s an impressive feat on its own, but he’s the first player in Sainte-Flanelle history to do it.
That’s right, no Canadiens player had ever scored in eight consecutive duels against the Bruins before Caufield on November 12, 2026. That’s a first in nearly 102 years. The Habs may be nearly 117 years old, but the Bruins will “only” turn 102 years old on December 1, 2026.
Caufield now has 14 points in 15 games against Boston, including 12 goals. The sharpshooter is at his best against the Bruins; the only teams he’s scored more goals against are the Ottawa Senators and the Buffalo Sabres, with 13 lamplighters against both. However, he’s faced the Senators 17 times and the Sabres 20 times, giving him more opportunities to find the back of the net.
His least frequent victims? The Los Angeles Kings (a single goal in eight games), the Winnipeg Jets (two goals in 13 games, both in the same game 10 days ago), and Saturday’s visitors at the Bell Centre: the Colorado Avalanche (two goals in eight games). It’s interesting to see he has so few goals against the Jets, even though he played them so many times in 2020-21, when the league realigned its divisions because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Given his knack for finding the back of the net on Saturday night, Mr. Saturday night, as many call him, may add to his total against Colorado. Although the Habs' next visitors are only 11th in the league with 25 points in 20 games, the Canadiens have only won four of their last 10 games against Jared Bednar’s team. They could definitely use some goals from their scoring ace Saturday night, even if the Avs are without Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon, who both exited the game against the Senators on Thursday night.
The Detroit Red Wings have now lost five straight regulation games, with the latest setback the toughest to swallow.
The Red Wings held a 4-1 lead over their divisional rival Florida Panthers midway through the second period Thursday evening, only to watch the host Panthers score four unanswered goals and seize victory from the jaws of defeat.
"We didn't do a good enough job of attacking in the third period, and we sat back too much," said forward J.T. Compher, who scored his second goal of the campaign in the first period.
Goals from Compher, Andreas Englund, Lucas Raymond and Marco Kasper gave Detroit a 4-1 advantage before Florida began to shift the momentum with a goal in the dying seconds of the second period, giving the Panthers some life heading into the third.
"Momentum is a funny thing in sports," said head coach Todd McLellan. "We had all of it until the goal at the end of the second period, and had a chance to regroup coming out into the third, and then took a penalty 30 seconds in a long way from our net, and they really got rolling."
While McLellan believes the group found their footing in the third period, they didn't sustain it.
"We just couldn’t sustain it enough," he said. "We lost that aggressiveness to go the other way. We were trying to play mistake-free hockey, and they capitalized.”
The Red Wings will lament the fact that Thursday was another game in which they held a multi-goal lead and ultimately ended up with zero points in the standings.
"There’s been games this year where we didn’t have it and we went back and got it, so we got that down," said McLellan. "But today, we gave it back.”
Detroit has no choice but to immediately try and regroup for when they conclude their road swing against the Tampa Bay Lightning, who defeated them by a 4-1 final score earlier this month to begin the current five-game skid, on Saturday evening.
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