The Vancouver Canucks pushed their losing streak to three games as they fell 5-2 to the Calgary Flames. Filip Hronek and Quinn Hughes scored for Vancouver while Kevin Lankinen stopped 16 of the 21 shots he faced. With the loss, the Canucks drop to 9-12-2 on the season and 3-7-1 at Rogers Arena. 

Sunday's game was yet another in a long list of frustrating performances by Vancouver. After playing a decent first period, Calgary was able to take over in the second before holding down the fort during the final 20 minutes. The Canucks energy level during the final 40 minutes was disappointing to say the least, as they were playing a Flames team that went to a shootout on Saturday night. 

A good way to gauge how this game went is to focus on the Rogers Arena crowd. At times, the crowd was silent, with only the players on the ice making noise. As many pointed out on social media, it feels as though apathy is starting to set in, as fans could not even be bothered to cheer or boo at the final whistle. 

"I know they were up to one after the first, but I thought our first period was pretty good, said Tyler Myers post-game. "Had a lot of Grade A's and we lost it. Kind of got away from getting pucks behind them, getting on our forecheck. Then we came out in the third and we're chasing the game. So it's tough to do that, being down three. Just got to regroup, find ways to be more consistent, to be harder on the puck and, you know, come out ready."

As for Head Coach Adam Foote, he also gave his thoughts on why Vancouver fell on Sunday. He said, "Well, we did have a good start. You guys saw it. We could have capitalized on a couple more chances. They capitalize on theirs at are net. They got some pucks to the net, and they beat us to some rebounds You know, that's their game. They're gonna throw pucks when they get down and try to beat you that area the blue paint. And they got a couple on us."

The question moving forward is how many more performances like this are fans going to tolerate? Fans are constantly voicing their frustrations on social media, and for good reason, as the Canucks now find themselves 30th in the NHL in point percentage. If something doesn't change soon, Rogers Arena may turn into a ghost town later on this season.  

Stats and Facts:

- Kevin Lankinen becomes the 179th goaltender in NHL history to record at least six regular-season assists. 

- With his 95th point, Filip Hronek surpasses Christian Ehrhoff for the 28th most points by a defenceman in franchise history. 

- Quinn Hughes led all skaters with six shots on goal

- Aatu Räty finished the night nine for 11 in the faceoff dot

Scoring Summary:

1st Period:

1:05- VAN: Filip Hronek (2) from Jake DeBrusk
7:33- CGY: Morgan Frost (5) Rasmus Andersson from Matt Coronato
8:08- CGY: Connor Zary (2) from Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman

2nd Period:

10:37- CGY: Kevin Bahl (3) from Nazem Kadri and Rasmus Andersson
16:31- CGY: Yegor Sharangovich (3) from Rasmus Andersson and Nazem Kadri 

3rd Period:

7:59- CGY: Blake Coleman (8) from Mikael Backlund (SHG)
8:16- VAN: Quinn Hughes (2) from Kevin Lankinen (PPG)

Up Next:

The Canucks head to California, starting with a matchup against the Anaheim Ducks. Last season, Vancouver won the season series in impressive fashion, taking three of the four games. Puck drop is scheduled for Wednesday at 7:00 pm PT. 

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

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

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With a 2-1 overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday, the Pittsburgh Penguins officially fell out of a playoff position for the first time in the 2025-26 season. 

And after a spectacular month of October - when they went 8-2-2 - November has not treated them kindly.

Pittsburgh is now 2-4-3 in November, and they have blown leads in five of those games. Maybe it's a bit extreme to say that the Penguins are in free fall, but it's safe to say that if they don't stop the bleeding soon, things could get ugly really quickly - especially with a gauntlet coming up in December.

And a large reason they're bleeding in the first place is because of their injury situation. The Penguins are without the likes of three top-nine players in Rickard Rakell, Justin Brazeau, and Ville Koivunen as well as a reliable fourth-line piece in Noel Acciari, which has dried up their scoring depth and their depth in general. 

Players like Connor Dewar and Kevin Hayes - ideally, bottom-six players - have been placed in top-six roles but haven't yet been able to account for the production lost from Rakell and Brazeau. Scoring is a legitimate problem for the Penguins right now, and they desperately need a jolt.

And that's exactly why it's time for the Penguins to pull the trigger and give some of their top young forward prospects a look. 

As a disclaimer, it's - of course - not guaranteed that these young players would come up and provide any more production than the players currently on the roster. It's hardly fair to expect young players - especially ones with little to no NHL experience - to make an immediate impact. 

Takeaways: Penguins Lose Heartbreaker To Seattle Kraken, Fall Out Of Playoff PositionAfter a <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/takeaways-penguins-no-show-in-5-0-loss-to-minnesota-wild">disappointing effort in a 5-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild</a> on Friday, <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' young goaltender Sergei Murashov declared that the team would come out much better on Saturday.

However, in this case, it's not just about the production. It's also about the youthful legs and the energy that some of these guys can bring. The Penguins have been outskated during large stretches of these last nine games, and they look a touch slower. Having younger guys in the mix can only help to provide a spark. 

And the three most likely candidates - in this case - are center Tristan Broz, right wing Avery Hayes, and right/left wing Rutger McGroarty. 

It's possible that the Penguins could have two roster spots open up as early as this week. Forward Philip Tomasino was waived Wednesday and cleared, so he is eligible to be re-assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS). In addition, there is possibly a looming AHL conditioning stint ahead for 19-year-old rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke, which would open up an NHL roster spot for up to 14 days. 

Using those two roster spots on two of the above players may just be what the Penguins need right now. 

Penguins' Rookie Defenseman Eligible For AHL StintIt has been exactly two weeks since <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke dressed for a game day.&nbsp;

Broz, 23, is off to a good start with WBS, as he has eight goals and 13 points in 18 games. He has played most of the season as WBS's first-line center, and his versatility could really help the NHL club right now. He is defensively responsible, can play on both special teams units, and - most importantly - can put the puck in the back of the net. 

Avery Hayes - who shares a birthday with Broz - has three goals and six points in 12 AHL games this season, and he just returned from injury. He impressed in training camp and saw time alongside Sidney Crosby, and his north-south style, forechecking ability, and habit of crashing the net could provide the right kind of spark for the Penguins. 

And then, there's McGroarty. This one is a little tougher, as he missed all of training camp and the first month and a half of the season with an upper-body injury. However - in his two games back in WBS - he hasn't looked a step behind, as he has two impressive goals in two games and even looks a step faster than he was in a five-game sample at the end of last season. 

Rutger McGroarty with a beauty of a shorty #ProBluepic.twitter.com/PfpeOA8Sa0

— Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) November 23, 2025

Penguins Prospect Rutger McGroarty Scores Game-Winning Goal For WBS On SaturdayRutger McGroarty scored his second goal of the 2025-26 AHL season on Saturday.

GM/POHO Kyle Dubas has said that the Penguins are going to take their time with McGroarty and easing him back into the fold, as he is an important piece for their future. But, if McGroarty shows he is ready for NHL action now, would it be something for the Penguins to consider? He would likely be an immediate upgrade in the top-six, and - like Broz - his ability to play on both special teams units effectively is a big plus.  

At the end of the day, this team as is simply isn't getting it done right now. And the Penguins may not be able to tread water much longer without some of the top players in their lineup.

So they need to consider making some changes in short order to get back on track. They need some new life, and bringing some young blood into the fold could provide them the exact kind of spark they need to hold them over until they start to get healthy again. 

Penguins' Prospect Continues Scoring Dominance In NCAAUp to this point, the 2025-26 season has been a good one for <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' prospects.

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CHICAGO - The Chicago Blackhawks took on the Colorado Avalanche at the United Center on Sunday night. Following a 9-3 defeat to the Buffalo Sabres, they were looking for a big bounce back against the top team in the league. 

Going from Buffalo to Colorado is never going to be easy based on their places in the standings, but the Blackhawks played much better. 

Although they were shut out 1-0, they played a much better hockey game. Despite having the better of the chances, including multiple grade-A's and outshooting them 11-2, the first intermission came tied scoreless. 

In the second period, the Avalanche had a push back. Colorado outshot Chicago 19-1 in the middle frame, which included a goal scored by Cale Makar. Spencer Knight was incredible in this game, but even he was unable to pick up the Makar rebound tally. 

The Blackhawks put together a ferocious effort to tie the game in the third, but Scott Wedgewood stood tall. He made 22 saves on 22 shots for the shutout as the Avalanche won 1-0. Knight made 25 saves on 26 shots, but the lack of finish by his teammates kept him from winning.

The feeling around the team is that, despite not scoring a goal, they felt much better following the debacle that took place in Buffalo a couple of nights ago.  

"Even with the second, I think if we repeat that performance, we win lots of games," said head coach Jeff Blashill. "The other team is going to push back. That's just the reality of life. I thought we did an excellent job in our structure [and] an excellent job with some of the things we talked about that we didn't do in Buffalo."

This is the first time that Chicago has lost three in a row in regulation this season. Based on where they were a year ago, it is an impressive stat, more than a deflating one. Every team has ebbs and flows throughout a season. This is a low point for the Blackhawks. Now, they will work towards coming out of the funk, and this game against the now 16-1-5 Avalanche was a step in the right direction. 

"We're going to have a couple of days of practice," Blashill continued. "Coming in and having greater urgency on Wednesday is going to be critical."

Up Next For Chicago

Next up for the Chicago Blackhawks is a home game against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night. The evening before Thanksgiving is sure to have a rowdy crowd at the United Center with the red-hot Wild in town. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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The Ottawa Senators haven’t drawn many rave reviews for their prospect pipeline of late.

With centre Stephen Halliday (4th round pick in 2022) registering his first NHL game and first NHL point last week, let’s see what kernels may be about to pop among Sens prospects 22 and under.

1) CARTER YAKEMCHUK (20 yrs) – RD BELLEVILLE SENATORS

There are already six players picked after Yakemchuk in the 2024 NHL draft who are playing regularly in the NHL, and three of them are defensemen. So, some fans may have already pushed their panic buttons, thinking that the Senators may have missed out.

However, Yakemchuk is playing top-pair minutes with the B-Sens alongside veteran Scott Harrington. He's playing all situations and is logging an average of 22:30 per game this season, and his ice time has been increasing. His 13 points in 18 games lead all defencemen on the team, though his -12 rating (a team low) isn’t aesthetically pleasing. However, it was -8 and improving until the 7-2 loss to the first-place Rocket in Laval.

Clearly, Yakemchuk is being groomed slowly to ensure he plays a meaningful role when he ascends to the NHL. The Senators didn’t miss on anything. Don’t be surprised if he plays his first game at some point this season.

2) JORIAN DONOVAN (21 yrs) – LD BELLEVILLE SENATORS

Even before Thomas Chabot went down with an injury for the first time in recent memory, people had started to wonder about the left shot depth at defence within the Senators organization. Obviously, a trade was made to bring back Dennis Gilbert from the Flyers organization.

This would indicate that Donovan, the Senators' 2022 fifth-round selection, isn’t ready to take on a job in the NHL just yet. However, his stat line would indicate that he is trending in the right direction. He isn’t a top-pair defenseman. However, he has almost eclipsed his point total from the 2024-25 season (12 in 64 games) with nine in the first 18.

His 6’2” 200 lb frame is an asset, and his penalty minutes would suggest he isn’t afraid to use it.

He comes with some pedigree, being the son of former Senator Shean Donovan, representing Canada at the WJHC and winning a Memorial Cup with the Saginaw Spirit in 2024.

Point being, don’t sleep on this guy.

3) OWEN BECKNER (20 yrs) – C COLORADO COLLEGE TIGERS

The Senators didn’t pick until the fourth round of the 2023 draft, and Beckner wasn’t chosen until the seventh round.

Beckner has progressed steadily at Colorado College with a respectable freshman campaign of 27 points in 37 games last season. He picked up where he left off and is now leading the Tigers with 15 points in just 14 games.

His performance has earned him a spot on the U.S. Collegiate Selects team that will be playing in the Spengler Cup over the holiday season.

Don’t look for him in an Ottawa uniform in the next couple of years, but don’t rule out seeing him signed early out of college either.

4) LUKE ELLINAS (19 yrs) – LW KITCHENER RANGERS

While a shoulder injury has limited Ellinas to only six games played thus far, his performance since being chosen by the Senators in fourth round in 2024 has been enough to earn himself an entry level contract.

Ellinas appears to do his best work in the post-season, where his points per game increased dramatically in both his draft year and last season. He was instrumental in the Rangers' 3-0 series comeback to defeat the Windsor Spitfires last season.

Again, don’t look for Ellinas in Ottawa next year, but don’t forget about him either.

5) BLAKE MONTGOMERY (20 yrs) – LW UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN BADGERS

Montgomery was passed over in his inaugural NHL Draft year in 2023 and still ended up being a later pick in 2024. The Senators took him in the fourth round of the 2024 Draft, and his ascension has been quick. He was enticed to leave Lincoln in the USHL and join the eventual Memorial Cup champion London Knights.

Even with the move to the OHL, Montgomery made it clear he was going to head to Wisconsin and take advantage of the rule change allowing CHL players to play Division I NCAA hockey. After a slow start, he seems to have found the range with nine pts in his last nine games.

This one could be worth waiting for.

6) JACKSON PARSONS (20 yrs) – G ALLEN AMERICANS/BELLEVILLE SENATORS

Normally, when a player is assigned to the ECHL, the team that holds his NHL rights isn't waiting for him with great anticipation. This is not always the case for goaltenders.

Parsons was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Senators, and this means that despite winning the Goaltender of the Year in the CHL in 2024-25 as a member of the Kitchener Rangers, he will have to go through all the rungs on the ladder to get to the NHL.

That said, in his limited time thus far, Parsons has let it be known that last season wasn’t a fluke but rather a sign of things to come. He is 3-1 in his brief AHL tenure in place of the injured Mads Sogaard and even recorded a shutout.

With Sogaard back, Parsons may return to the ECHL at some point. But if he continues to develop at this rate, we'll hear from him again before long.

7) LOGAN HENSLER (19 yrs) – RD UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN BADGERS

The 23rd overall pick in the 2025 draft isn’t hard to find on highlight reels on X. With seven points, Hensler should easily eclipse his 12 points in 32 games in his freshman season in 2024-25.

His combination of size at 6’2” and mobility makes him an intriguing prospect to follow as Wisconsin becomes what North Dakota was in the Jake Sanderson, Shane Pinto, Tyler Kleven and Jacob Bernard-Docker era.

Like all of those players, Hensler already has a WJHC appearance under his belt, winning gold in 2025. Like Kleven, he will be playing in his second tourney in his home state of Minnesota this holiday season, where he will be expected to play a more prominent role with the likes of Zeev Buium having graduated to the NHL.

Like Yakemchuk, Hensler represents the future of the right side of the defence in Ottawa. Yakemchuk is the closest thing to a blue-chip prospect in this list, and Hensler has that potential as well.

Does the Cup runneth over in the Senators' prospect pipeline? No. Their former blue-chip prospects – players like Tkachuk, Stutzle, Sanderson, Batherson, and Pinto – graduated to the NHL a long time ago, as have support players like Greig, Kleven, and Merilainen.

There probably aren’t too many more blue-chip seats at the Senators' table. They need players who can support the young core; foot soldiers, if you will. And that's not a bad scenario, because while they're a little shy on future superstars, there are plenty of players in the Senators' system who can fit the foot soldier mould.

Pat Maguire
The Hockey News Ottawa

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

Former Senators Prospect Finally Finds NHL Home With Rival Boston Bruins
Without His Wingman, Sens Top Gun Tim Stützle Continues Relentless Drive To Improve
Report: Ottawa Senators Place Swedish Winger On Waivers
NHL Insider Says Senators Are 'Looking To Hit A Home Run' On The Trade Market
Former Senator Returns To Ottawa In Monday Trade With Philadelphia
Senators Have Big UFA Contract Decisions In Next Few Years (Who Stays And Who Goes?)

Scott Wedgewood turned aside all 22 shots he faced, backstopping the Colorado Avalanche to a 1–0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Sunday and stretching Colorado’s winning streak to nine games. 

The shutout marked Wedgewood’s first of the season and the ninth of his NHL career. 

Cale Makar makes no mistake on the rebound! 🥬 pic.twitter.com/LeR2SoovfN

— NHL (@NHL) November 24, 2025

Cale Makar supplied the lone goal for the Avalanche (16-1-5), who have now collected points in 13 straight contests (11-0-2) and completed a polished back-to-back after blanking the Nashville Predators 3–0 the previous night. 

Spencer Knight made 25 saves for Chicago (10-8-4), but the Blackhawks dropped their third consecutive game. 

First Period 

Much like Saturday’s game against Nashville, the Avalanche were largely not in control of the puck. The only thing different was that there was not a goal within 15 seconds of the game. With under five minutes to go in the first, the Blackhawks held the Avalanche to just one shot on net. 

After killing an earlier penalty, Colorado received their second infraction of the period when Brock Nelson roughed up Frank Nazar, spinning him around and knocking his helmet off in the defensive zone. It would have been a clever move if Nelson didn’t get caught, but unfortunately, the officials were not fooled by the move and the Avs were shorthanded once again. 

Colorado killed the penalty, but the Hawks weren’t out of the fight just yet as Ryan Donato got his hands on a loose puck in front of the net and spun around and fired, but Wedgewood made the kick save. 

Avs Score and Win Again 

Burns drove the puck down the right wing in the early stages of the period, but he was turned away by Knight.  

Makar delivered the breakthrough at 18:21 of the second period. After Spencer Knight turned aside Tristen Nielsen’s initial attempt, the rebound caromed directly into Makar’s path, and he snapped it home from the left face-off circle. 

The entire sequence unfolded off a miscue by Knight, whose attempted outlet pass found Nielsen in the slot. Nielsen’s quick shot not only generated the rebound that led to the goal but also earned him his first NHL point. 

Wedgewood preserved the slender 1–0 advantage in the dying moments, stoning Frank Nazar from point-blank range with 43 seconds left. 

And after absorbing an 11–2 shot deficit in a sluggish first period, Colorado wrested back control of the game, outshooting Chicago 24–11 over the final 40 minutes to maintain their dominant ways. 

On Saturday, Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 35 saves en route to a 3-0 Avs win and now Wedgewood has followed up with another shutout. We've run all out of superlatives.

Avs… wow

— Ryan O'Hara (@OHaraSports) November 24, 2025

Next Game 

The Avalanche are back at Ball Arena on Wednesday to face the San Jose Sharks. Coverage starts at 7 p.m. local time.  

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According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Buffalo Sabres have placed goaltender Alexandar Georgiev on waivers for the purpose of contract termination. Georgiev is also expected to join Spartak of the KHL. 

Seeing the Sabres and Georgiev move on from one another is understandable. With the Sabres having Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, and Colten Ellis on the NHL roster, there was simply no room for Georgiev. This is especially so when noting that Georgiev was also behind Devon Levi on the depth chart. 

Georgiev played in just two games this season with the Sabres' AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, where he posted a 0-2-0 record, a .874 save percentage, and a .896 save percentage. This is after he had a 15-26-4 record, a .875 save percentage, and a 3.71 goals-against average in 49 games this past season split between the Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks. 

Now, after a brief stay with the Sabres organization, Georgiev will be taking his talents to the KHL. 

The Chicago Blackhawks are seeing Connor Bedard go from a great teenager to an NHL superstar quickly. He has been amongst the league leaders in points for most of this season now, and shows no sign of slowing down. 

During the summer, there was a lot of speculation about what Bedard's first non-entry-level contract would look like. The conversations surrounding that softened once the puck dropped for the regular season.  

Now, thanks to speculation by NHL Insider Frank Seravalli on CHSN's Blackhawks pregame show, the talk about it is back. According to Seravalli, if the contract is eight years, it will be a deal that pays him somewhere in the range of $12.5 to $15 million against the cap. 

What could Connor Bedard's next contract look like? 👀

NHL Insider @frank_seravalli joined @PatBoyle__ on Blackhawks Countdown Live to talk the latest surrounding Bedard's contract situation ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/kz1zWXdqGV

— Blackhawks on CHSN (@CHSN_Blackhawks) November 24, 2025

Bedard was eligible for an extension on July 1st, but everyone involved opted to wait. Now, it is going to be a bit more expensive than it would have been back then due to his success on the ice. This will now be a tremendously lucrative contract for a premier player.

On July 1st of 2026, Bedard will become a restricted free agent. Kyle Davidson would almost certainly rather have it done before they reach that point. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

NEW YORK (AP) — Bo Horvat kept New York alive in the third round of a shootout and Kyle Palmieri scored in the fourth to back David Rittich in the Islanders' 1-0 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Sunday night.

Rittch made 19 saves for his first shutout with the Islanders and the eighth of his NHL career, allowing only Freddy Gaudreau's opening goal in the shootout. The 33-year-old goalie is 6-2-0 as the backup to Ilya Sorokin after playing for Los Angeles the past two seasons.

Palmieri scored after Rittich stopped Seattle's Chandler Stephenson.

The Islanders won a shootout for the first time in just over a year. They have seven victories in their last nine games, rebounding from a 2-1 home loss to St Louis on Saturday after a 6-1-0 trip.

Joey Daccord made 34 saves for Seattle for his second shutout of the season and seventh overall. He stopped Horvat and Matthew Schaefer with the Islanders on a power play late in overtime.

The Kraken were coming off a 3-2 overtime win at Pittsburgh on Saturday night. Seattle is 4-1-1 in its last six games and 11-5-6 overall under former Islanders coach Lane Lambert.

The Islanders are 9-3-1 in their last 13 games and 13-5-2 since they started 0-3-0.

The Islanders said before the contest that defenseman Alexander Romanovwill be out for five-to-six months following surgery on his right shoulder.

Up next

Islanders: Host Boston on Wednesday night.

Kraken: Host Dallas on Wednesday night.

The Montreal Canadiens have made another roster move, as they have called up defenseman Adam Engstrom from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Laval Rocket. 

Engstrom undoubtedly has earned this opportunity on the Canadiens' NHL roster, as he has had a strong start to the 2025-26 season with Laval. In 18 games so far this season with the AHL squad, he has recorded five goals, nine assists, and 14 points.

Yet, what's more encouraging is that Engstrom is only getting better as the season rolls on. The Canadiens prospect has recorded three goals and seven points over his last three games alone. This included him scoring a goal and posting four assists in Laval's most recent contest against the Belleville Senators on Nov. 22. 

With all of this, it makes all the sense in the world that the Canadiens are giving Engstrom the chance to play on their NHL roster. He has been playing some excellent hockey lately in the AHL, and it will be fascinating to see how much of an impact he can make with the Canadiens after landing this call-up from here. 

The Buffalo Sabres came into the weekend trying to climb out of the Eastern Conference’s basement, and they kicked things off Friday with a 9-3 stomping of the Chicago Blackhawks. Then, Sunday, they beat a legitimate playoff team by claiming another ‘W’ in a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. 

Combined with the Toronto Maple Leafs’ continuing slump, the Sabres now sit in 14th place in the East, and they’ve won four of their past five games. But here’s the problem – there’s still six teams currently sitting between Buffalo and the eighth and final Stanley Cup playoff spot. And most of those teams are usually playing one another, so gaining ground is difficult if you’re 10th or 11th in your division, let alone 14th or 15th.

And now, as a thanks for their recent hot streak, the Sabres get two days off before they play four games in six days. And their opponents in those four games – the Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils, Minnesota Wild and Winnipeg Jets – are either in a playoff position, close to one, or they’ve been on a hot streak of late.

Meanwhile, once that stretch is over, the Sabres head out on a six-game road trip, with the only “gimme game” coming against the Calgary Flames. Every other game comes against a solid team like the Jets, or against a win-desperate team like the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks. 

(And as a reminder, Buffalo’s road record this season is 1-5-2. So that road trip could prove disastrous to the Sabres’ playoff aspirations.)

Sabres Defenseman Escapes Serious Injury Byram left the Sabres 9-3 win over Chicago in the second period, but returned soon afterward.

Give Buffalo credit for having at least a little fight in them. The question is, has this fight arrived too late in the season? And while the answer to that right now is ‘no’, before you know it, the answer will be ‘yes’. 

Thus, to dig out of the crater they created in the first quarter of the season, the Sabres are going to need a prolonged series of wins. Another stretch of four wins in five games will go a decent way in that regard, but the sobering reality is it’s going to take many more wins than that to make any serious headway.

Inconsistent Sabres Break Out In Rout Of BlackhawksBuffalo scores season-high nine goals against Chicago backup Arvid Soderblom

That means the biggest challenge is still ahead for Buffalo. So you can see why many, if not most Sabres fans are withholding their excitement until such time that the team earns their appreciation. 

There’s a lot of hockey still to play. But Buffalo needs a lot of help, and a lot more winning, to truly turn their season around. 

Happy American Thanksgiving as we approach one of the most pivotal dates in the NHL calendar. Historically, teams sitting outside the playoff picture by Thursday face a tough road ahead to make the playoffs.

Since the NHL adopted its current wild card format, about three-quarters of the teams currently in playoff position make the playoffs. Last season, 12 of the 16 teams held onto to their playoff spot for the remaining four-and-half months.

There might be a slight wrinkle this season because the standings have been so tight, so we might see a bit more variance than normal. The only teams I can say with confidence that aren’t going to make the playoffs are the Flames and Predators, with the Blues and Canucks teetering on the edge.

Given the holiday, there will be no games on Thursday. This is the one week in the NHL calendar where Tuesdays and Thursdays won’t feature a lot of action. Only one game will be played on Tuesday with 15 games each on Wednesday and Friday. It sets up a lot of back-to-backs for Friday-Saturday, so be prepared to start or stream some backup goalies.

If you want to squeeze five games out of a single roster spot, one of the things you can do is to stream a player for Monday’s games and then pick up a Star since they’re the only team to play four games from Tuesday to Sunday in Week 8. The most obvious choice on the Stars to do so is Tyler Seguin, who’s playing top six with PP2 and available in roughly 75% of Yahoo leagues.

Good luck and have a great Thanksgiving week.

All positions and rostered percentages are courtesy of Yahoo Fantasy.

Schedule

Pick players from teams at the top of the schedule matrix to maximize games and matchups. Green is good. Red is bad. Points percentages are as of Sunday morning.

Season-long adds (< 50% rostered on Yahoo)

Adam Fantilli, C, CBJ (46% rostered)

It was a slow start but patience pays off. Fantilli scored just two goals in his first 14 games but has since scored seven in eight. Obviously, his current pace will be difficult to maintain and I don’t expect him to keep this up, but he’s really solidified himself as their 1C option recently and it’s a role I don’t think he’ll relinquish for the rest of the season.

Jack Roslovic, C/RW, EDM (44% rostered)

This time next week, I don’t expect to see Roslovic in this space anymore. Zach Hyman’s still getting up to speed – two assists, minus-4 in five games – and it looks like the Oilers intend to keep Roslovic with Connor McDavid at even strength. Bumping Roslovic down to PP2 is a bummer, but keep in mind only one of his past nine points was scored on the power play.

Jet Greaves, G, CBJ (46% rostered)

There was a brief moment when it looked like Elvis Merzlikins was going to force the Jackets to go back to their rotation, but it looks like Greaves is really pulling away as their go-to starter. There have been some frustrating late-game collapses with the Jackets and all these games going into overtime will eventually take their toll – fatigue, mostly – but for the most part Greaves has been a solid starter all season.

Mid-term holds (< 50% rostered on Yahoo)

Tyler Seguin, C/RW, DAL (24% rostered)

I think Seguin deserves a special mention this week due to the Stars’ schedule. They’re the only team playing back-to-back Tuesday and Wednesday, and then play two more games at home after Thanksgiving. The timing’s pretty good, too, since Seguin has been on a hot streak with two goals and six points in his past five games.

Braeden Bowman, RW, VGK (7% rostered)

What a find Bowman has been for the Knights. He’s playing alongside Jack Eichel on both L1 and PP1, and the chemistry has been very good. Bowman’s a confidence offensive player who isn’t afraid to drive the net, shoot the puck or thread the needle with his passes, and his right-hand shot is an ideal replacement for Mark Stone.

Bowman’s scored a goal in three straight games, and I don’t really see him losing his spot any time soon. Even when William Karlsson comes back, Bowman has a chance to stay in his current spot. If you need offense in a pinch, Bowman’s a great under-the-radar pickup right now.

Jesper Wallstedt, G, MIN (44% rostered)

I’m very curious to see if the Wild are committed to a rotation or if they’re just playing the hot hand. Wallstedt has been very impressive lately with five straight wins, including three (!) shutouts. At this point, the Wild would be silly not to play him, and the question is what they do with their rotation when this hot streak inevitably ends. Filip Gustavsson has been playing a lot better, but we could see a rotation like we currently see with the Devils and Avalanche.

Jake Allen, G, NJ (35% rostered)

It was very interesting the Devils went right back to Allen following a 1-0 loss to the Panthers, but he ended up allowing six goals on 29 shots (.793 SP) against the Flyers. It put a damper on the prospect of Allen taking over the starting job, but I’m not sure this means he’s firmly back in a backup role. It’s only one bad start at a very volatile position, and I expect the Devils to keep rotating goalies until something drastic happens.

Eric Comrie, G, WPG (35% rostered)

Grab Comrie while you can because he won’t be around for much longer. He’ll get the bulk of the starts while Connor Hellebuyck recuperates from knee surgery, but with a sub-.900 career SP, don’t get your hopes up. The Jets will need to find a way to stay afloat until Hellebuyck returns.

The big risk to Comrie’s playing time is obviously Thomas Milic, a well-regarded prospect who’s been very good in the AHL this season. If the Jets aren’t impressed with Comrie – and I don’t see why they would be – they might give Milic a look, and if Milic plays well, he definitely has a chance to steal some starts. The Jets play the second half of their back-to-back Saturday in Nashville, and I wonder if that’s when we’ll see Milic’s first NHL start.

Kevin Lankinen, G, VAN (21% rostered)

Jiri Patera’s performance in an 8-5 loss to the Panthers likely reinforced the notion that Lankinen should be the only really seeing any playing time. The Canucks have a back-to-back on Friday and Saturday, and it’ll be interesting to see what they do. In the meantime, Lankinen’s great for high-volume starts and saves, but forget about wins or a good save percentage.

Short-term streamers (< 50% rostered on Yahoo)

Josh Doan, LW/RW, BUF (14% rostered)

Doan can shoot the puck and score goals, so at a bare minimum you’ll get plenty of shot volume. He’s playing L1 with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch, and the Sabres have won four of their past five and having little trouble scoring. It seems like the Sabres really like this line, too, with Zach Benson playing L3 with Noah Ostlund upon his return. The Sabres’ lines can change at a moment’s notice, but Doan has plenty of value right now in such a great spot.

Philipp Kurashev, C/RW, SJ (6% rostered)

Whether it’s Kurashev or Tyler Toffoli, whoever occupies the left wing on Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith’s line will get a boost in fantasy value. Kurashev’s the lucky winner right now with two points in three games entering Sunday’s matchup against the Bruins. It’s unlikely Kurashev will stay in this spot long term, but Friday’s matchup against the porous Canucks might be a good play.

Nick Paul, C/LW, TB (4% rostered)

We shall see what news come out of Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point’s injuries, but if Point is out, I expect Paul to play in more offensive situations. He scored a goal in his season debut and played 18:33 in his second game. The Lightning have a soft schedule coming up facing the Flyers and Flames at home.

Danila Yurov, RW, MIN (2% rostered)

The Wild moved up Ryan Hartman to take Marco Rossi’s place, but Hartman ended up getting injured as well. With Joel Eriksson Ek playing with Matt Boldy, Yurov has been tabbed to center the top line between Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello.

This is a prime spot for Yurov, who will surely gain C eligibility soon, and he’s responded well in his new role. He notched three assists against the Knights and Canes, and also scored a goal Sunday against the Jets. Not sure how long Rossi and Hartman will remain out, but Yurov has immediate fantasy value in his current position.

Hampus Lindholm, D, BOS (10% rostered)

Lindholm will quarterback PP1 while Charlie McAvoy recovers from surgery, though he’s not expected to be out for very long. Lindholm is a safe option and I don’t think Mason Lohrei or Henri Jokiharju are a threat to take the job, and as long as Lindholm gets the minutes, his fantasy value should rise. He’s not an offensive defenseman or a particularly effective PP QB, but he can skate and pass and that’s all the Bruins need right now.

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The Buffalo Sabres placed veteran goaltender Alexandar Georgiev on waivers for the purpose of contract termination on Sunday, according to multiple reports. In the process of becoming a free agent and after a rough year or so in the NHL, Georgiev will be returning to the KHL.

When he signed with the Sabres in September, veteran goaltender Alexandar Georgiev was hopeful of a road back to becoming a starter in the NHL.

It wasn't long ago that Georgiev was the No. 1 guy for the Colorado Avalanche. During his first two seasons with the Avs, in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns, he made 62 starts. In those two seasons, Georgiev put together a 78-34-11 record.

However, after he was dealt to the San Jose Sharks early last season, Georgiev’s numbers took a hit, as he posted a 7-19-4 record, a 3.88 goals-against average and an .875 save percentage. 

Thus, when Georgiev became a UFA this summer, no team inked a deal with him.

Then, when he signed a one-year contract with the Sabres in September, he was still well down the organizational depth chart between the pipes.

He sat behind Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon, as well as youngsters Colten Ellis, who joined the team on waivers on Oct. 6, and Devon Levi. With only one net and a handful of goalies in the system, there’s not enough ice time to go around.

So, it wasn’t a surprise that Georgiev had his Sabres contract waived, with reports he’s headed overseas to join Spartak Moscow of the KHL next.

Earlier this month, we saw another NHL-caliber goalie, Ilya Samsonov, sign a contract in the KHL.

Samsonov got the job security of a two-year deal in the KHL after NHL interest dried up, remaining without a contract well past the off-season.

The goaltending business is a cruel and fickle one, and Georgiev and Samsonov have followed a different path in their best interest, allowing them to play regularly in their home nation. 

Samsonov's decision has paid off so far in terms of his performance on the ice. In five appearances for Sochi, he's recorded a .931 SP and a 2.54 GAA.

Samsonov's Return To The KHL Reveals Cruel Reality Of The Goaltending MarketIlya Samsonov's return to the KHL shows that it's not easy for veteran goaltenders of his stature to find security in the NHL. Teams are hesitant to give that term, while that security is what goaltenders look for.

In Georgiev's two full seasons with the Avalanche, he started 124 games out of 164 games, numbers that don't often come around in the NHL anymore. Nonetheless, it was tough for Georgiev to become a regularly-picked goalie with teams following other plans in their pipeline. 

Georgiev did feature in two games with the AHL's Rochester Americans in an effort to remain with an NHL organization, but evidently, the team and player have moved on.

In the end, the interest simply wasn’t there for Georgiev anymore. At the quarter mark of the season, no team saw a fit or opportunity for him.

As it was with Samsonov, going home made a lot of sense for Georgiev. With the chance to return and play in his home country and be held in higher regard than he was in North America, could you really blame him? 

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The Montreal Canadiens have added to their center depth, as they have signed forward Alexandre Texier to a one-year, $1 million contract for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. 

Texier signing with the Canadiens comes after he mutually terminated his contract with the St. Louis Blues. Texier had been linked to the Canadiens before this signing came to fruition, so it is understandable that he is now officially heading to Montreal.

Texier will now provide the Canadiens with another center with experience, which is certainly a need when looking at their injury trouble. The 26-year-old will also be looking to bounce back after getting this change of scenery.

Texier played in eight games this season with the Blues before getting his contract terminated, where he recorded one assist. This is after he had six goals and 11 points in 31 games for the Blues this past season. 

Texier has shown in the past that he has the potential to chip in decent secondary offensive production. During the 2023-24 season with the Blue Jackets, he recorded career highs with 12 goals, 18 assists, and 30 points. He also posted 11 goals and 20 points in just 36 games with Columbus in 2021-22. 

Texier has played in 240 career NHL games over seven seasons split between the Blue Jackets and Blues, where he has recorded 40 goals and 91 points. It will be interesting to see how he builds upon these career stats after joining the Canadiens from here. 

Following his contract termination on Saturday, Alexandre Texier has signed a new contract with the Montreal Canadiens.

Texier inked a one-year deal not long after he departed from the St. Louis Blues. This new contract pays Texier $1 million per year.

Montreal has been trying to manage a truckload of injuries on its roster, and bringing on Texier can give Martin St-Louis’ team some more depth and bodies.

Texier’s agent, Dan Milstein, announced the signing with a social media post on X.

The 26-year-old has played eight NHL games this season with the Blues. In that span, he recorded one assist, as well as a couple of penalty minutes.

With that, Texier has been averaging a career-low 10:15 of ice time this season. His ice time in a single match has gone as low as 5:33 on Oct. 18 in a win against the Dallas Stars.

His last NHL appearance came against the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 6. Since then, he hasn’t featured for the Blues and was sent down to the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds on Friday.

NHL Waivers: Blues' Texier, Sabres' Geertsen Hit The WireThe Blues and Sabres placed Alexandre Texier and Mason Geertsen on NHL waivers and can be assigned to the AHL if no other team claims them by Friday.

Before his termination, Texier was in the final year of a two-year contract worth $2.1 million per season. He signed that deal after St. Louis acquired him in a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets in return for a fourth-round pick in 2025.

Texier was a second-round pick by the Blue Jackets in 2017 and went on to play parts of five campaigns with them. 

His best season statistically was in his final season with Columbus in 2023-24. He scored 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points while averaging 15:11 of ice time. 

Not only was that a career-high in goals, assists and points, but also games played, featuring in 78 contests. In any other season in his career, he hasn’t come close to playing 78 regular-season games.

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The New York Islanders will be without Alexander Romanov will be out 5-6 months. He will be having surgery on his right shoulder. 

The injury occured after Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen hit him from behind with 27.3 seconds to play in regulation on Tuesday night.

Rantanen received a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct. Romanov needed assistance off the ice.

On Wednesday evening, Romanov was placed on injured reserve. 

Islanders Place Alexander Romanov On Injured ReserveRomanov's season takes another hit. The defenseman lands on IR with an upper-body injury, sidelining him for crucial games.

Romanov, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery toward the tail end of the 2022-23 season, missed 18 games in 2024-25 with an upper-body injury. He had missed six games already this season for the same reason.

The 25-year-old, who signed an eight-year deal worth $6.25 million annually this summer, has recorded one assist in 15 games this season, averaging 19:27 minutes per game, skating on the third defense pairing.

He is expected to be fully recovered in time for training camp ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season.