PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 22: Florida Panthers goaltender Cooper Black (31) tends net during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Florida Panthers on October 22, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Florida Panthers goalie Cooper Black skated onto the PPG Paints Arena ice alone during pregame warmups on Thursday night, a time-honored hockey tradition given to rookies everywhere.
It took Black fewer strides to make the memorable lap than most.
Call it one of the upsides of being 6-foot-9.
Black made NHL history in his first career start when he became the tallest goaltender to ever appear in a regular-season game. Black is listed as two inches taller than Ben Bishop, Ivan Fedotov, Mads Sogaard and Mikko Koskinen, all 6-foot-7.
The 25-year-old from Alpen, Michigan, who started playing when he was 8 and had a 5-inch growth spurt between his junior and senior years in high school when he shot up from 6-0 to 6-5 and kept right on going, was excellent in his first period.
Black, called up from Florida’s AHL affiliate in Charlotte recently after Jacob Markstrom went down with a shoulder injury, stopped Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang with his blocker pad on a wrist shot about two minutes in. He also turned aside a breakaway opportunity by Penguins forward Rickard Rakell before giving up a goal to Nick Robertson, who beat Black to the glove side.
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice praised Black’s development in recent years. Florida signed Black as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2024. Black blossomed last season in Charlotte, posting a 25-13-4 record with a 2.47 goals against average and a .903 save percentage.
“A man that size, it takes a long time to grow into that body,” Maurice said before adding with a laugh, “I think he’s done.”
Oct 20, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki (14) plays the puck against the San Jose Sharks during the second period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
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MONTREAL (AP) — Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki is out 2-4 weeks with what the team called an upper-body injury, ending his ironman run of 546 regular-season games that was the second-longest active streak in the NHL.
Only Colorado’s Brent Burns at 1,017 has played more consecutive games. Suzuki’s streak dating to his debut in 2019 ranked 20th in league history.
The 27-year-old center was absent from practice Thursday as Montreal prepared to face Chicago on Friday without its leading scorer.
“It’s a huge loss,” winger Cole Caufield said. “Nobody can really fill Suzy’s shoes. We know that as a group. Everybody has to step up.”
Suzuki played just over 21 minutes in Montreal’s 4-3 overtime loss to San Jose on Tuesday, scoring a goal and adding an assist. He was struck on the left hand by a shot from Sharks defenseman Michael Kesselring with just over five minutes remaining in the third period.
Suzuki, who had 101 points last season, is tied for second on the Canadiens with five goals and has 12 points in nine games.
“He’s one of the biggest parts of this team,” winger Juraj Slafkovsky said. “We can’t do anything about it. We just got to wait and fight for him.”
The loss is another blow to Montreal, which is already without promising young forward Ivan Demidov. The 20-year-old has been sidelined with a lower-body injury since early October and was seen wearing a walking boot on his right foot Tuesday.
The Minnesota Wild will be without forward Maxim Shabanov for Thursday night's game due to an upper-body injury.
Wild head coach John Hynes indicated following Thursday's morning skate that the team had one game-time decision among its forwards. That player turned out to be Shabanov, who will not suit up tonight.
The 26-year-old Russian winger has appeared in all 10 games for Minnesota this season, recording two goals and four assists for six points while averaging 14:57 of ice time per game.
Shabanov has been a productive contributor for the Wild early in the 2026-27 season, ranking fifth among Minnesota players in points.
Over his last five games, Shabanov has recorded one goal and two assists for three points. He scored against the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 12 before registering assists in consecutive games against the St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets.
He was held off the scoresheet in Minnesota's 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.
Shabanov is in his second NHL season after joining the Wild from Russia. Through 54 career NHL games, the 5-foot-9 winger has recorded seven goals and 17 assists for 24 points.
His absence leaves Minnesota without another offensive contributor as the Wild continue to navigate injuries throughout their lineup.
The severity of Shabanov's injury and whether he will miss additional time beyond Thursday's game remain unclear.
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NEW YORK - CIRCA 1979: Ron Duguay #10 of the New York Rangers skates against the New York Islanders during an NHL Hockey game circa 1979 at Madison Square Garden in the Manhattan borough of New York City. Duguay’s playing career went from 1977-99. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK (AP) — Ron Duguay, whose long, wavy hair made him stick out on the ice during an era when helmets were not mandatory in hockey and who played nearly 1,000 games in the NHL from the late 1970s through the ’80s, has died of cancer. He was 69.
Duguay for several years has been dating Alaska governor and 2008 Republican U.S. vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, who announced his death after being by his side throughout the illness. A spokesperson for the New York Rangers also confirmed Thursday that Duguay’s family informed the team of his passing.
“It’s with a shattered heart but also deep peace knowing Ron is with Jesus now,” Palin posted on social media. “He fought so hard. Love never ends.”
Duguay’s first six seasons came as a fan favorite with the Rangers, including an appearance in the 1979 Stanley Cup Final, after they selected him with the 13th pick in the ’77 draft.
The Sudbury, Ontario, native was an All-Star as a point-a-game producer in 1981-82.
A series of trades led him to spend time with the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings with another Rangers stint, as well. Duguay finished his career in the league with 673 points in the regular season and playoffs, then played in Germany and the minors.
“The New York Rangers organization mourns the loss of Ron Duguay, one of the most popular players in franchise history,” the club said in a statement. “Ron’s signature skating style — with his hair flowing as he moved down the ice — captivated the (Madison Square) Garden faithful, and his skill, tenacity and charisma earned him the admiration of all New Yorkers. We join the hockey community in sending our condolences to Ron’s friends, family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
Palin and Duguay’s daughter, Shay Thomas, posted several times over the past several months asking for prayers for him. His family started a GoFundMe earlier this year to offset the costs of travel and treatments.
The NHL Alumni Association in a post memorializing Duguay called his dedication and passion for hockey unwavering.
“It was a part of who he was, a lifelong love that he carried with pride and shared so generously with others,” the NHLAA said. “He will be remembered not only for the player he was, but for the extraordinary person he was.”
Long after his playing days, Duguay was known to another generation of Rangers fans for his role on broadcasts from 2007-18.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Florida Panthers goalie Cooper Black skated onto the PPG Paints Arena ice alone during pregame warmups on Thursday night, a time-honored hockey tradition given to rookies everywhere.
It took Black fewer strides to make the memorable lap than most.
Call it one of the upsides of being 6-foot-9.
Black made NHL history in his first career start when he became the tallest goaltender to ever appear in a regular-season game. Black is listed as two inches taller than Ben Bishop, Ivan Fedotov, Mads Sogaard and Mikko Koskinen, all 6-foot-7.
The 25-year-old from Alpen, Michigan, who started playing when he was 8 and had a 5-inch growth spurt between his junior and senior years in high school when he shot up from 6-0 to 6-5 and kept right on going, was excellent in his first period.
Black, called up from Florida's AHL affiliate in Charlotte recently after Jacob Markstrom went down with a shoulder injury, stopped Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang with his blocker pad on a wrist shot about two minutes in. He also turned aside a breakaway opportunity by Penguins forward Rickard Rakell before giving up a goal to Nick Robertson, who beat Black to the glove side.
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice praised Black's development in recent years. Florida signed Black as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2024. Black blossomed last season in Charlotte, posting a 25-13-4 record with a 2.47 goals against average and a .903 save percentage.
“A man that size, it takes a long time to grow into that body,” Maurice said before adding with a laugh, “I think he’s done.”
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 05: Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs (37) makes a save with Florida Panthers center Eetu Luostarinen (27) in front during the first period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Florida Panthers on April 5, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buffalo Sabres puzzlingly made no moves of consequence to replace the offensive firepower lost when winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram departed last summer. Tuch scored more than 30 goals in three of Buffalo's last four seasons and 33 last season. Byram scored a career-high 11 goals, third in defensive scoring behind Rasmus Dahlin and Mattias Samuelsson.
GM Jarmo Kekalainen opted to rely almost exclusively on internal growth from the club’s young forward group to make up the offensive gap, but through 10 games, the Sabres who finished 5th in the NHL with 288 goals last season (3.51 goals per game), are 20th in the NHL with 28 goals (2.8 goals per game). The club has trailed by two or more goals in nine of their 10 games, and still have a record of 4-4-2.
Playoff standout Zach Benson, who scored 13 goals in the regular season, is without a goal, while forwards Josh Doan (25 goals), Ryan McLeod (14 goals), Peyton Krebs (12 goals), Jiri Kulich, and Konsta Helenius have one. The Sabres welcomed back veteran winger Jason Zucker, who scored 24 goals last season, and he scored their only goal in a 3-1 loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday, but the lack of production is something that is beginning to concern head coach Lindy Ruff.
Which team is theb best fit for Connor Hellebuyck?
"We talked about missed nets, missed opportunities. I think we're 31st or 32nd in terms of missed nets. I thought we had some great looks in the first period. Some good looks in the second period too. I still think we miss the net too often," Ruff said. mentioned. " Our guys got frustrated.... and then we turned into trying to get a little bit too fancy when we hit the line. We had to get it below the line, win some battles. Those battles got to turn into opportunities.”
Other than Tage Thompson and Jack Quinn (each with five goals), Buffalo’s forwards have not been able to cash in on their chances. Kekalainen did not add a forward in a trade or via free agency over the summer to provide some secondary offense. A couple, Stanley Cup winner Vladimir Tarasenko and former 40-goal scorer Patrik Laine, are still on the market.
With Zucker back, the Sabres have to hope that their anemic power play will begin to produce, but more than that, they will need more than just Thompson and one or two others to begin hitting the back of the net.
Ron Duguay plays for the New York Rangers alumni team on Dec. 31, 2011, in Philadelphia. On Thursday, the Rangers announced that Duguay died at 69. (Tom Mihalek / Associated Press)
Ron Duguay, a longtime New York Rangers star who finished his NHL career with the Kings, has died of cancer. He was 69.
The Rangers announced the loss of “one of the most popular players in franchise history” on Thursday morning after being informed by Duguay’s family.
“Ron’s signature skating style — with his hair flowing as he moved down the ice — captivated The Garden Faithful, and his skill, tenacity, and charisma earned him the admiration of all New Yorkers,” the team said in a statement. “We join the hockey community in sending our condolences to Ron’s friends, family, and loved ones during this difficult time.”
Former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican U.S. vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, who dated Duguay over the last several years, posted on social media that the one-time NHL All-Star “passed away peacefully” Thursday “after a hard-fought battle with cancer.”
“It’s with a shattered heart, but also deep peace knowing Ron is with Jesus now,” Palin wrote. “He fought so hard. Love never ends.”
On Sunday, Palin posted photos that appeared to show her holding Duguay’s hand while he was in a hospital bed. “Prayers for Ron Duguay are felt & appreciated,” she wrote.
Born in Sudbury, Ontario, Duguay was selected by the Rangers at No. 13 overall in the 1977 draft. Known for his long, curly hair and flashy lifestyle — “why, he even danced with Cher at one of Manhattan’s best-known discos,” the New York Times wrote in 1983 — Duguay became a star during the six seasons of his initial stint in New York. He helped the Rangers make the 1979 Stanley Cup Final and earned his only All-Star nod in 1982.
Ron Duguay, front left, blocks out New York Rangers' Carey Wilson as Kings teammate Marty McSorley winds up to shoot Feb. 27, 1989, at Madison Square Garden. (Ron Frehm / Associated Press)
Duguay was traded to the Detroit Red Wings in the summer of 1983 and had the two best seasons of his career, including career highs of 89 points on 38 goals and 51 assists during the 1984-1985 season. He also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and a second time for the Rangers before wrapping up his career with the Kings from 1988 to 1989.
Overall, Duguay had 673 points (305 goals, 368 assists) in the NHL regular season and playoffs. He went on to play in the minor leagues, including two seasons with the IHL’s San Diego Gulls, and spent 12 years calling Rangers games as an MSG Network analyst.
“Ron greeted each day with the biggest smile, an incredible zest for life, and a positive outlook that shone through everything he saw, everything he did, and every life he touched,” the NHL Alumni Assn. wrote on X. “He will be remembered not only for the player he was, but for the extraordinary person he was. His warmth, his laughter, his kindness, and his beautiful spirit will forever remain in the hearts of his family, friends, teammates, and the entire NHL Alumni community.”
The Kings reposted the alumni association’s statement and added: “Our hearts are with Ron’s family & loved ones and we join them in mourning his passing.”
In 2024, Duguay was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, which had started in his colon before spreading to his liver and other parts of his body, according to a post on the GoFundMe page set up by his three adult children to help pay for his medical and travel costs. He lived in Florida but had to make regular trips to Orange County for treatment.
“Early this morning, our beloved father took his final breath after fighting a long and courageous battle. He fought with everything he had, right until the very end,” daughter Shay Thomas wrote on Thursday in a separate GoFundMe post. “Our hearts are shattered, and the world feels a little less bright without him in it. He will be missed by so many, but we find peace in knowing that he is finally free from pain and suffering.
“He fought the good fight until his very last breath, and today, Heaven gained a truly special angel.”
On Thursday, the CHL announced that the Québec Remparts have been selected to host the 2028 Memorial Cup. The tournament is scheduled to be played at the Vidéotron Centre, which has a capacity of 18,200. The Remparts are one of the most successful QMJHL teams when it comes to Memorial Cup championships, as they picked up victories in 1971, 2006 and 2023.
While the tournament is a year and a half away, it is very possible that a former Vancouver Canucks prospect will play a key role for Québec. That former prospect is Pierre-Cédric Labrie, who is currently an assistant coach with the Remparts. During his playing career, Labrie was a physical winger who signed an ELC with the Canucks on July 9, 2007.
Vancouver signed Labrie after an impressive career in the QMJHL. The undrafted forward recorded 63 points and 113 penalty minutes in 69 regular-season games. Labrie also skated in 15 playoff games, where he recorded 18 points and 41 penalty minutes.
Labrie spent two and a half seasons with the organization before being traded in 2010 to the St. Louis Blues for center Yan Stastny. He would play 175 regular-season games with the Manitoba Moose, where he recorded 39 points and 256 penalty minutes. Labrie recorded 1,200 penalty minutes over his 708-game AHL career and even got a chance at the NHL level, where he played 46 games over three seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
January 24, 2012; Tampa FL, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Pierre-Cedric Labrie (76) during the third period against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Tampa Bay Times Forum. Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
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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A Florida Panthers player making his NHL debut is also going to make some league history.
On Thursday, goaltender Cooper Black is set to see his first NHL action when the Panthers visit the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Florida signed the undrafted netminder in April of 2024 after a standout collegiate career with Dartmouth College.
During his two-plus years with the franchise, Black has done well to move up Florida’s goaltending depth chart, placing himself as the team’s apparent third NHL goaltender heading into the current 2026-27 season.
That’s why he’s already been recalled by the Panthers from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers twice this season due to injuries to Jacob Markstrom.
He’s also a giant.
The 25-year-old Black measures in an eye-popping 6-foot-8, which will put him in some very rare air (no pun intended) once he officially makes his NHL debut tonight.
That’s because he will officially become the tallest goaltender to ever hit the ice for an NHL game.
Currently, the height record for an NHL netminder is 6-foot-7, and it’s held by five different players.
They are Ben Bishop, who played with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings, Mikko Koskinen, who played with the Edmonton Oilers, Mads Sogaard, who played with Ottawa, Ivan Fedotov, who played with the Philadelphia Flyers, and Dennis Hildeby, who played with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Congrats to Black on his historic night, it will be one that he’ll likely never forget.
The pressure for the Buffalo Sabres to make a move for Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck likely increased after a 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday. Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen has publicly said that the club will only make a deal that they believe will improve the club, but starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen lost his third of the last four starts against the once-struggling Flyers, who registered their third straight victory.
Luukkonen indicated to Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News that he spoke to the Sabres GM prior to Wednesday’s loss and said that he had trust and confidence in the club’s goaltending, and to just concentrate on performing well, but that has not silenced the speculation that Buffalo is looking to upgrade between the pipes.
Kekalainen said in a radio interview on WGR 550 on Tuesday that he is always looking at deals that could make his club better, but Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman revealed on Thursday’s 32 Thoughts podcast that the Sabres and the Utah Mammoth could be waiting for the asking price for the 33-year-old to come down.
“I think (Buffalo and Utah) are kind of hoping that Winnipeg feels a bit squeezed,” Friedman said. “I’m not sure that’s actually going to work, but that’s the way I think those teams feel.”
The Carolina Hurricanes reportedly are also interested in Hellebuyck and have an offer that does not include RFA defenseman Alexander Nikishin, who would likely not sign a contract with the Jets. Unlike the Dylan Larkin situation with Detroit, where it was revealed this week that he has expanded his trade list to 10 teams, there has not been a specific number of clubs indicated by the Jets or Ray Petkau (Hellebuyck’s agent) how many teams he is willing to go to.
After a day off on Wednesday, the Montreal Canadiens returned to work Thursday morning at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard. Owen Beck, sent down to the Laval Rocket after the loss to the San Jose Sharks, was called back up; the team also announced that captain Nick Suzuki will miss 2 to 4 weeks with an upper-body injury. The centerman had not missed a single game since he entered the NHL, meaning his iron man streak will end at 546 games.
Suzuki blocked a Michael Kesselring shot late in the third frame against the Sharks. It’s hard to imagine the Canadiens without Suzuki; we haven't seen the Habs without him since 2019-2020, and he plays a key role at even strength, on the power play, and at times when down a man. That leaves Martin St-Louis with a real puzzle.
Who will skate with Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield? The Canadiens have other centre options: Phillip Danault, Alex Newhook, Jake Evans, Oliver Kapanen. None of them are bona fide first-line centers. Danault was the Habs’ first-line pivot when Brendan Gallagher and Tomas Tatar completed the top unit, but that was six years ago. As good as Danault is, he's gotten older and isn’t what he was then. Furthermore, he pivots the new French Connection with Alexandre Texier and Zachary Bolduc; can St-Louis afford to break them up?
Kapanen, who’s been skating on the wing since returning, should go back to center, but where? On which line? If Ivan Demidov were back, you’d likely try to rekindle that chemistry, but he’s not yet and he’s not even traveling with the team as confirmed by the team’s PR. This isn’t surprising since he’s still wearing a walking boot.
Should Alex Newhook get a look as a first-line center? Perhaps leaving Kapanen with Josh Anderson and Chris Kreider? Those wingers have speed, and Kapanen has a knack for getting to the right spot for scoring chances.
Evans could also be in line for a promotion; when Kapanen faltered in the playoffs, he landed on the second line with Demidov and Newhook. But Evans has never scored 22 goals in a season.
At practice, St-Louis chose Kapanen to center Slafkovsky and Caufield, a tall order for the youngster, but he has played with the big Slovak before. As for the coach, he is confident that the Finn can make it work:
It's a next-man-up opportunity to keep things going. He'll play with two offensively talented players, as he did all last season; his game won't change. He'll complement those guys and do his job.
As for the fact that Kapanen will also be playing on the first power play unit, St-Louis added:
He's always had potential offensively. It's not the first time he's been on the power play, but with the injuries, it gives him an opportunity. We had to juggle that a little bit, and we think it can help us. He has a good shot, and he's very predictable for his teammates.
Many will have sighed with relief to see Kirby Dach wasn’t given yet another top-six opportunity. He may have improved the details of his game, but he hasn't done anything to earn a top-six spot and doesn’t play with the required commitment and intensity. Promoting Kapanen helps preserve the combinations that have worked well so far this season.
Suzuki’s absence will be a real big test for the Canadiens; how long can they make do without their leader and top-line center? Could Kent Hughes be forced to go out and get another center? The Canadiens’ GM doesn’t like to trade from a position of weakness, and other GMs would see him coming…
Former governor of Alaska and his girlfriend, Sarah Palin, confirmed the news.
“Obviously, it’s a big loss for all of us,” Sullivan said before the Rangers took on the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena that night. “The Rangers organization, in particular. We know he was a very popular Ranger. I had the privilege to play with Ron as a teammate for a year in the International Hockey League. A great man and a terrific hockey player.”
Sullivan and Duguay overlapped as teammates during the 1990-91 season with the San Diego Gulls.
While Sullivan was at the start of his playing career, breaking into the NHL in October 1991, Duguay was nearing the end and ultimately played parts of five seasons with the Gulls.
Former Rangers star Ron Duguay died Thursday after a battle with colon cancer. He was 69. NHLI via Getty ImagesRangers head coach Mike Sullivan looks on during the first period of a game against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“I grew up watching some of these guys when he played with the Rangers and I had the opportunity to play with him and Charlie Simmer,” Sullivan said. “Two guys that had pretty, pretty successful NHL careers. It was the International Hockey League back in the day, for those of you guys that are old enough to remember it.
“I was in awe of those two guys because I grew up watching them play in the NHL. Just to have the opportunity to be one of their teammates was a great thrill for me as a young player.”
Dylan Garand will make his sixth consecutive start on Thursday night, but Sullivan is wary of the rookie netminder’s workload.
“I think he’s handled it fine,” Sullivan said earlier this week. “He didn’t play the full game in Jersey. Big picture, we have an eye on what the schedule looks like and how we’re going to try to utilize our goaltenders, but right now, we think he’s in a good place.”
Defenseman Sean Durzi, who missed practice on Wednesday for “maintenance,” participated in morning skate and was slated to play against Toronto.
Among players who have taken a minimum of 175 draws entering Thursday’s slate of games, two Rangers — J.T. Miller (3rd, 57.3) and Mika Zibanejad (5th, 55.4) — rank in the top five for faceoff win percentage in the NHL.
In anticipation of some positive injury updates, the Philadelphia Flyers have made another roster move, placing a well-respected tough guy on waivers to open up a roster spot.
On Thursday afternoon, the Flyers placed forward Garrett Wilson on waivers, which will clear the path to return for either Travis Konecny or Owen Tippett, who are currently on injured reserve.
Wilson, 35, appeared in two games for the Flyers this season, recording no points, and also played in three games for the club last season.
Wilson's three games last year were his first at the NHL level in seven years; the veteran enforcer last skated on NHL ice back in the 2018-19 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, when he scored two goals, six assists, and eight points in 50 games, and scored one goal in four playoff games.
Should the longtime tough guy clear waivers, the Flyers will assign him back to the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, where he's served as captain for each of the last three seasons.
A well-respected leader, Wilson has worn an 'A' or 'C' on his sweater every year since the 2014-15 season, with the exception of his one-year stint with the Toronto Marlies in 2019-20.
Flyers getting reinforcements?
Oct 15, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Owen Tippett (74) gets set during a face off in the first period against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
With Wilson leaving the picture one way or another, it would certainly seem as though the Flyers are bracing for reinforcements in the form of Travis Konecny or Owen Tippett.
Tippett was placed on injured reserve on Monday, but the designation was retroactive to Oct. 15, requiring him to miss seven days. Once Wilson's transaction is processed, the Flyers can now activate the top-six winger.
Tippett was previously deemed day-to-day after suffering an upper-body injury in a 2-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 15.
As for Konecny, Kevin Kurz of The Athleticrecently reported that Konecny is expected to begin skating soon as he looks to return from his lower-body injury.
Konecny, who has played only five games for the Flyers this season, blocked a shot off his ankle in a 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 8, and has been out of commission since.
In the absences of their two key forwards, the Flyers have enjoyed breakouts from Matvei Michkov, who has stepped up in a major way, and Cole Knuble, who scored his first two NHL goals to power the Flyers to a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.
Alex Bump has returned to the NHL after a prolific AHL cameo, and Denver Barkey is finding his legs again after missing a good chunk of training camp and the early portion of the season due to injury.
Suddenly on a three-game win streak, the Flyers are beginning to get healthy at the right time.
The Calgary Flames return to the Scotiabank Saddledome on Thursday evening to take on a Minnesota Wild team that has found its stride early in the season.
The Flames have shown signs of turning things around, picking up two wins in their last three games. They’ll have their hands full against a Wild club sitting at 6-2-2, led by the NHL’s hottest goal scorers.
Kirill Kaprizov has been off to a torrid start, leading the league with 11 goals while riding a seven-game point streak. The Flames will need to find a way to slow him down if they hope to keep their recent momentum going.
Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Thursday’s matchup also marks a return to the Dome for a pair of familiar faces. Blake Coleman and Olli Maatta will face their former team in Calgary for the first time since being dealt to Minnesota at last season’s trade deadline, a deal that brought Blake Middleton to the Flames.
Jones has been making the most of his time in the AHL, recording seven goals and nine points in seven games with the Wranglers this season. He’ll have an opportunity to carry that production into the NHL as Calgary looks to keep its offence moving in the right direction.
Devin Cooley is expected to get the start in net after delivering a 34-save performance in Calgary’s most recent win against the Carolina Hurricanes. With Minnesota bringing plenty of firepower into the game, another strong outing from Cooley could go a long way toward helping the Flames pick up another two points at home.
