A.J. Greer has come a long way since his days with the Colorado Avalanche.
The former Avs forward scored twice Tuesday night, although it wasn’t enough to keep his team from falling 6-5 in overtime to the Vancouver Canucks. Still, it was another nice night for a guy who has turned himself into a much more productive NHL forward over the last couple of seasons.
It’s a pretty big change from what Avalanche fans saw in Denver.
Greer spent three seasons with Colorado but never really found his scoring touch, finishing his time there with just one goal and five assists. He was more of a physical depth forward, and the offensive production simply wasn’t there.
Things started to change after he moved on.
Greer bounced around a bit, spending time with the New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, and Calgary Flames before landing with the Florida Panthers. He joined Florida during the second half of its back-to-back Stanley Cup run and was part of the group that won it all in 2025.
His numbers weren’t eye-popping that first season with the Panthers. Greer put up six goals and 11 assists in 81 regular-season games during the 2024-25 campaign, then chipped in two goals and an assist during Florida’s playoff run.
But the following season was a different story.
Greer finished with 17 goals and 15 assists in 78 games, giving him 32 points and easily the best offensive season of his NHL career. For someone who had managed just six points across three seasons in Colorado, that was quite a jump.
Florida rewarded him with a four-year, $17 million contract, and he’s now continuing to show that his breakout wasn’t just a one-season thing.
Tuesday’s two-goal performance was the latest example. Even though his team came up short in overtime, Greer found the net twice and added another multi-goal game to his career totals.
He’s now done that four times in the NHL.
The first came on October 15, 2022, when Greer was playing for Boston. He recorded three points in a 6-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes.
He pulled off the three-point feat twice more during the 2025-26 season with Florida, recording three points in an 8-3 win over Nashville on November 24 and doing it again in a 4-3 victory over Buffalo in January.
It’s a pretty interesting career turn for a player who didn’t do much damage on the scoresheet in Colorado. Greer has always had the physical side of the game, but now he’s adding offense at a rate we didn’t really see during his time with the Avalanche.
Sometimes it takes a few stops before a player finds the right fit. Greer seems to have found his, and Tuesday’s performance was another reminder of how far he’s come.
Jordan Binnington has long been the subject of NHL trade rumors, and as he approaches the end of his contract, the discussions will only grow louder.
The Athletic's Chris Johnston released his trade board, expanding the list to 20 players. The second version of his trade board features St. Louis Blues goaltender Binnington, who landed in the eighth spot.
Things have changed quite considerably for Binnington and the Blues. Joel Hofer has emerged as the No. 1 netminder and is excelling in his role. He's played in all but four games this season, posting a .917 save percentage and winning four of his eight starts.
As for Binnington, he's won one of his four appearances and has posted a .845 SP and a 4.11 goals-against average.
Several factors now suggest the Blues should be eager to move on from him.
To begin, his play does not warrant a role with the Blues, whether it's as a starter, tandem, or backup. His contract is expiring, and the Blues should have no interest in bringing him back unless his play improves significantly; based on the last two seasons, he may be far gone from that level.
Another reason is the change in the goaltender trade market. Connor Hellebuyck was the big fish, and now that he is off to the New Jersey Devils, it leaves several teams inclined to improve their goaltending position with limited options.
Binnington is one of those options. In fact, Binnington is the only goaltender to appear in Johnston's top 20.
"With Hellebuyck off the market, Binnington is the most intriguing name for teams looking to add an experienced goaltender," said Johnston. "There are some warning signs with his play over the past year or two, but his long-term track record remains a source of comfort. Binnington has often delivered his best performances in circumstances where the lights are brightest. Just getting playing time has become a challenge for him with the Blues, where Joel Hofer has taken control of the No. 1 job. Binnington is a pending UFA with a 10-team no-trade list."
The Blues hope to compete for a playoff spot, and as it stands, they are four points behind the third playoff spot in the Central Division and two points behind the second wild-card spot.
Binnington is unlikely to factor into their playoff chances, and the Blues would likely be better off shedding an expiring contract by acquiring assets. With a $6 million salary, the Blues could retain salary in a deal if needed.
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Adin Hill gave the Vegas Golden Knights the kind of performance they needed on Tuesday night, stepping into the starting role and helping the team get back in the win column with a 4-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators at T-Mobile Arena.
Hill made 25 saves in a solid outing after Carter Hart suffered an apparent injury during the morning skate. Hart was reportedly seen limping, raising concerns about a possible lower-body issue. With Hart unable to go, Vegas brought up goaltender Cameron Whitehead from Henderson to serve as Hill’s backup.
Ottawa had its chances throughout the night, yet Vegas got the saves it needed when the game was still close. That proved especially important in the third period, when the Senators were looking to build on an early power play strike.
The win also snapped a three-game skid for Vegas, which had been searching for a way to get things back on track.
Things started slowly for both teams before Braeden Bowman finally broke through late in the second period. He cleaned up a loose puck near the crease after Ivan Barbashev’s attempt created an opportunity, giving the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead.
Ottawa fired right back. Shane Pinto tied the game just 34 seconds into the third period, taking advantage of a power play to beat Hill on a rush down the middle.
That set the stage for Raphael Lavoie to become the hero of the game.
The forward, who was originally not expected to play, made the most of his unexpected opportunity, putting Vegas ahead at 8:01 of the third period by collecting the rebound of Ville Heinola’s shot during a 3-on-2 rush. It was Lavoie’s first NHL goal in his 27th career game, making the moment even sweeter.
Vegas protected the lead from there, with William Karlsson scoring into an empty net at the 18-minute mark. Jack Eichel added another empty-netter with seven seconds remaining to finish off the 4-1 win.
It wasn’t a dominant performance from start to finish, but the Golden Knights got the job done. Hill delivered when called upon, Lavoie came through with a memorable first NHL goal, and Vegas finally had something positive to build on after a rough stretch.
It’s nothing new for veteran Penguins players to find their names being brought up on national panels and media outlets when it comes to potential trades. Lately, Rickard Rakell has been a popular name to share among the likes of Frank Seravalli, Nick Kypreos and Chris Johnston for early season chatter about potential names to keep an eye on for a possible trade.
The trade talk is starting to pick up as the NHL regular season rolls into its fifth week.
We’ve expanded our early Big Board to 20 names, starting with Dylan Larkin.
Age: 33 Position: RW Contract term: 2028 UFA Cap hit: $5 million
No stranger to the Big Board in the past few years, Rakell may finally be in his final months with a Penguins team slowly transitioning to a younger group. He’s delivered an outsized amount of production on a reasonable contract, but it’s been a slow start for both player and team. Still, Rakell is an above-average finisher who has a history of holding his own when playing alongside highly skilled linemates. He’s scored at a 29-goal-per-82-game pace across the last four seasons.
Frank Seravalli – Oilers NOW – Penguins | Rakell up for grabs. Bryan Rust will be up for grabs. That whole core outside of the big guns are all going to be in play and in talks and look for the Penguins to take Flyers on younger players around the league that have fallen out of… pic.twitter.com/GZfZ0h0AyV
That nugget makes the mind wander back to the behind the scenes video that the Ottawa Senators shared over the summer, where they were considering moving the 25th overall pick on draft night in June in exchange for an unnamed ‘roster player’ from the Penguins. Nothing further came to light regarding who was involved, but it’s not a huge stretch to imagine that could have been an effort to move Rakell in the summer as Kypreos mentioned. It also was unclear from the video if there were more parts involved than just one roster player and Ottawa’s 25th overall pick, which they ultimately elected to hang onto and use themselves, so it’s impossible to judge from the outside just what that exact proposal might have been – if it involved Rakell at all.
As perhaps usual when it comes to Rakell, the value that the team views him considering his on ice contributions still outweigh the amount other NHL clubs are willing to offer. So then, as it is now, comes the lasting period of rumors and whispers with little other tangible information out there.
Rakell’s name isn’t the only one being spoken about. There are various reports about the availability and potential likelihood of Bryan Rust and Erik Karlsson also making the rounds. Say enough names for long enough and it’s bound to come true eventually, though it’s very clear that many eyes outside of Pittsburgh are keeping a close eye on how the Penguins do in the standings in the immediate future and what pivots that Kyle Dubas and company might choose to make as they build their team for this season and potentially beyond.
SEATTLE — John Chayka was busy this summer. The Toronto Maple Leafs GM was reshaping a club that had missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years. Landing some of the bigger names was going to command a ticket with some years attached. But what was a bit surprising was how many depth players were signed to multi-year deals. Outside of Vinnie Lettieri, Bo Groulx and Dakota Mermis, no other Maple Leaf is on an expiring deal who has played a game this season.
The Leafs were up against a permitted threshold where you are only allowed to be at 10 percent above the existing salary cap in future years. ‘Tagging’ as it’s known in the NHL's collective bargaining agreement, pertains to the amount of room a club has to add to its future-year commitments. It prevents teams from overloading contracts in future years so that they don’t get stuck in a situation where they are unable to become salary cap compliant in the following year. That number right now is $114.4 million and that includes all of your signed standard player contracts on one-way deals, buyouts, retention and pro-rated two-way deals that extend into the next season.
Getting rid of Knies’ $7.75 million cap hit for Marchenko’s $3.85 million cap hit in 2026-27 had short-term savings, but that $12.5 million AAV extension Marchenko inked that begins in 2027-28 carried a $4.75 million increase on what Knies occupied, complicating the deal from a central registry standpoint. That’s why the Leafs took on the injured Elvis Merzlikins and his $4.428 million cap hit (even though he’s on long-term injured reserve) because it expires this year. It’s also why the Leafs had to part with young defenseman Emil Andrae, who was acquired by Toronto earlier in the summer and signed to a two-year deal with an AAV of $1.55 million (although they absorbed a higher cap hit in Miles Wood based on Columbus’ ask).
Based on all the calculations, they currently only have approximately $625K in tagging room left, which means any player who is projected to make more than that at the NHL level and isn’t on a one-way deal can’t be squeezed onto the Leafs active roster without some sort of corresponding move to remove the commitment.
That’s where not being able to call up Ben Danford comes into the equation.
Danford can't be called up right now even if the Leafs wanted to do it.
Because Danford is on an entry-level contract (which is two-way), the Leafs can’t call him up right now if they wanted to because his $936,056 AAV in 2027-28 exceeds Toronto’s tagging room of $625k. It doesn’t sound like the Leafs have the desire to call him up right now anyway, but the reality is they can’t.
And if the Leafs do want to make another big swing elsewhere, they’d have to find a way to get rid of players with a financial commitment through 2027-28 to get it done.
The Leafs signed a bunch of depth forwards to two and three-year deals on July 1, eating away at their tagging room. They have the least amount of it off any NHL franchise as a result. It didn’t really become a problem until they acquired Marchenko and now it might be an issue again if the Leafs want to call up a Danford or make another bigger swing with term at the deadline.
Otherwise, they may have to settle on rental players as a means of clearing out the tagging room.
It’s not clear why this happened. But one thing is interesting to point out. This was really the first time NHL GMs had three years’ worth of projections to work with. The NHL never used to give those kinds of numbers out. But they wanted to flex the growth of the business and when you know you have $113.5 million projected for 2027-28 more than one year out, it’s kind of understandable to see how tagging may have been missed.
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Although the Philadelphia Flyers seemed as though they might have been turning the corner, winning three straight after starting the season winless through nine games, their last six periods of hockey have told a different story.
After leading 2-0 and 3-2 against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday, the Flyers blew the game and lost 5-4 in regulation, then followed that up with an awful first period against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.
Taking full advantage, the Blue Jackets quickly piled on a 3-0 lead in the opening 20 minutes while out-shooting the Flyers 7-2.
In the locker room after the game, the Flyers unanimously agreed that the dismal first period doomed them in what ended up being a 4-3 loss in overtime.
"It just felt like a weird start to the game, energy-wise, and didn't seem like really any guys had jump, which is unusual," Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim said. "Usually, you have a few guys going, and credit to the guys to find our legs and get going after a while, but it's nice to start on time."
The Flyers mounted a furious comeback over the final 40 minutes, out-shooting the Blue Jackets by a whopping 28-6 margin.
Noah Cates hounded down a leaky rebound in the blue paint behind Blue Jackets goalie Cam Talbot to get the Flyers on the board in the second period, and late in the third period, Trevor Zegras banked a shot off Talbot's midsection to pull the Flyers within one amid their late surge.
Tying the game at 3-3 in dramatic fashion, Jamie Drysdale steered in a Tyson Foerster pass with 11 seconds left on the clock and goalie Dan Vladar pulled for the extra attacker.
Momentum certainly seemed to have shifted in the Flyers' favor heading into overtime, until overtime actually happened.
The Flyers ceded a 2-on-0 breakaway early in the overtime period, with Matvei Michkov getting stripped behind when attempting to posture for a shot in the offensive zone.
Vladar made a phenomenal pad save to keep the game going for Philadelphia, and Michkov stayed on the ice in an attempt to remedy his error.
However, the late shift ended up punishing Michkov and the Flyers, as defenseman Cam York, in his first game back from injury, attempted to drive to the net for a scoring chance.
Michkov had been covering up high for York, but decided to crash the net for a rebound.
Unfortunately for him and the Flyers, York's move was stymied and the puck never made it to a dangerous area, instead springing Blue Jackets forwards Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson the other way with nobody back defending.
That time, Vladar wasn't able to play hero, and the Flyers' heroic comeback died where it stood.
A point is a point, but the Flyers lost 4-3, and have lost 11 of their first 14 games this season.
Maturity is still an issue for the Flyers; Michkov didn't need to extend his shift in overtime, and York, who has struggled all year, tried to make a low-percentage play in an overtime period with little margin for error.
"I can't keep coming here to the mic saying 'learning lesson, learning lesson'. I mean, it's a broken record. I'm just disappointed," Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet said after the loss. "The first, and then this overtime. Some the guys, I don't know what they're doing. We had a meeting about it. We sent a video on it. It's all puck possession. It's being smart. We give up two 2-on-0s. That's unacceptable."
You are what your record says you are, and right now, the 3-7-4 Flyers are the fourth-worst team in the NHL, with the third-worst points percentage.
The nine-game hole they started the season in already looked insurmountable, and foolish mistakes prevented a three-game win streak from becoming a five-game win streak. So, instead, they added two more losses to the record, wasting rare decent offensive performances from the collective group.
On Wednesday night, the Flyers will play their second leg of this back-to-back against the Washington Capitals at 7:30 p.m., and the outcome of that game will complete the picture being painted, one way or another.
DALLAS, TEXAS - OCTOBER 27: Left wing Joel Kiviranta #22 of the Dallas Stars shoots as defenseman Luke Hughes #43 and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck #37 of the New Jersey Devils defend in the third period at American Airlines Center on October 27, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
Connor Hellebuyck gave up just one goal in a strong debut on Tuesday as the Devils took a dominant 5-1 win over the Stars. [Devils NHL]
“The last time Jack Hughes played in front of Connor Hellebuyck, back in February at the Winter Olympics, he had his teeth knocked out by a high stick, returned to score a goal and helped his team win. Eight months later, in Hellebuyck’s debut for the New Jersey Devils, Hughes repeated the feat. Unfortunately for him, every last bit of it.” [The Athletic ($)]
“It’s early, but the team looks different than the past couple of seasons. They’re controlling play at five-on-five and outshooting their opponents by significant margins. It’s not just the Devils’ top players who are excelling, either. Their depth is contributing plenty. With that, let’s look at 10 stats that have stood out from the Devils’ start to the season.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]
Hockey Links
Five minutes!
Matthew Schaefer just became the first player to play ALL FIVE minutes of an overtime per Elliotte Friedman 🤯
Here's him still getting back on defense to stop a breakaway with 40 seconds left ❌ pic.twitter.com/DNxFaF8FC3
“Larkin, who has a full no-trade clause, has opened up the list of teams for which he would waive it to include 10 destinations: the Devils, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals, Utah Mammoth and Colorado Avalanche. And on its face, that’s a decent number of teams. The issue for the Red Wings: Which of those teams are in a position to make a deal for Larkin? And of those who can, how motivated are they to do so?” [The Athletic ($)]
Which teams around the league have the most interesting goalie situations? [Sportsnet]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 09: Michael Hage #19, Will Horcoff #44, Jayden Perron #18 and Malcolm Spence #27 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrate Perron's third-period power-play goal against the Denver Pioneers in a semifinal game of the NCAA Division I men's ice hockey championship at T-Mobile Arena on April 09, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
October is the usual first full month for many hockey seasons around the world. With all the interest in the Penguins burgeoning and growing prospect pool, we’re going to use today’s off day in the NHL to put the attention on how things are going across the organization for their prospects and young players, based off last summer’s list of the top 25 young players and see how their seasons have started out across the globe.
A player that didn’t even make the Pensburgh Top 25 deserves a special spotlight right off the bat. Carter Sanderson (sixth round pick, 2025) has been lighting up the WHL with a league-high 15 goals in 11 games. Sanderson is second in WHL scoring with 21 points. Major junior hockey isn’t now what it once was due to all the talent going south to the NCAA, and at 19 Sanderson is one of the older players at that level, but that type of production is enough to still stand out as a big deal. Add in a strong showing at the USA’s summer showcase and Sanderson has a real chance at making the World Junior team in a couple months. Really nice glow up for him lately, he’s definitely one of the fast-rising draft picks within the organization these days.
Sanderson is committed to play at the University of North Dakota in 2027-28, where he would be a teammate of the Ruck brothers if all comes to pass and the three end up going through with that plan.
In other news, Joona Vaisanen (who missed most of last season with a major injury) is back at Western Michigan and has seven points (2G+5A) in five games. Vaisanen dropped out of the Pensburgh rankings due to the unknown around his injury, it’s nice to see him on the path to play his way back into the picture with a strong start and get back to his form from 2024-25 when he was quietly one of the top defenders in college.
With those very deserving honorable mentions out of the way, let’s go back to this summer’s Top 25 Under 25 list and catch up with the young players early in the 2026-27 season.
#25: Chase Pietila (Wilkes-Barre, AHL) — Modest stats in Wilkes-Barre (0G+2A in five games), earned his first call-up to the NHL recently, though he’s yet to play. Arrow looks to be pointed up as the organization keeps seeing progress from the 22-year old with his defensive work and physicality.
#24: Ryan Miller (University of Denver) – Has been playing mostly third line left wing so far in his freshman year. Not much statistically to speak of (1G+1A in six games) as he gets started in his college career. The positive for him should be working with head coach David Carle and one of the top programs in the country.
#23: Finn Harding (WBS, AHL) — A two-point game over the weekend has Harding up to four points (1G+3A) in seven games in the AHL. While his style of play doesn’t draw a ton of attention, quietly he’s become a key figure for the AHL club.
#22: Peyton Kettles (Kelowna, WHL) — Shoulder surgery robbed most of Kettles’ 2025-26, he’s back and looking pretty decent (1G+5A, a fight) in his return early this season.
#21: Zam Plante (Minnesota-Duluth) — Nine points (4G+5A) in eight games is good but below last year’s rate of production (51 points in 40 games). Zam’s Hobey Baker winning brother Max has only played two games on the season, they’ll likely get rolling more as the year goes along.
#21: Brady Peddle (Michigan State) — MSU is stacked with a lot of highly drafted talent. Peddle has a couple assists in five games, he has been playing on the second pair and partnered with seventh overall 2026 pick Chase Reid. Looks like a good place for Peddle to gain experience as he gets his collegiate career off the ground this year.
#20: Melvin Fernstrom (WBS, AHL) — Fernstrom is back from the shoulder injury that ended his 2025-26 season and kept him out of training camp. Hasn’t done much (1G+0A in five games) so far this season but is still just getting going and been in a lower line, limited role as he gets up to speed with what will be his first extended action at the AHL level.
#19: Tanner Howe(WBS, AHL) — Only one goal and one assist for Howe to start this season, he was playing mostly in a third line role for Wilkes so far and now is injured with an unknown return time. Injuries have unfortunately been a big part of Howe’s career story so far, it looks like more adversity could be ahead.
#18: Tomas Galvas (Liberec Bili Tygri HC, Czech) — Galvas has no goals and just three assists in his first ten games back in Czechia this season. Given how deep the Pens are in the minors at defense it’s understandable why they’re giving him an extra year to develop overseas, especially now that he hasn’t produced at the same rate as last season. Still early yet, but you’d like to see a little more there as a runway to join the AHL club by the end of the season.
#17: Pierce Mbuyi (Owen Sound, OHL) — Mbuyi (10G+9A in 14 games) is seventh in scoring in the OHL at the end of last weekend. He’s been dangerous and doing his thing as an offensive weapon to an impressive degree at the start of the season, very nice start to the year for him.
#16: Jake Livanavage (WBS, AHL) — Livanavage (2G+5A in seven games) ranks second among AHL rookie defensemen in scoring. Impressive start to his first full season as a pro.
#15: Owen Pickering (WBS, AHL) — Pickering scored a GWG over the weekend to boost his statline (2G+1A) on the season. Has been playing lately with team captain Phil Kemp in a more defensive role. In the big picture he seems to be behind Ilya Solovyov and Ryan Johnson on the depth chart as he continues his crucial draft+5 season off to the side as far as the NHL outlook goes.
#14: Tristan Broz(WBS, AHL)— It’s the story of Broz’s career, good AHL stats (3G+5A in eight games), still a bit off the NHL radar at the moment. That could change in an instant, for now it’s nice to see that at least Broz is holding up his end of the bargain and doing well in Wilkes. The challenge for him now is to keep that up and see when or if he gets an NHL opportunity.
#13: Avery Hayes (WBS, AHL/PIT, NHL) — A great AHL start of nine points (4G+5A) in six games plus injuries on the wings in Pittsburgh opened up an NHL look. Might be short-term this time around but it looks like Hayes is on track to become an NHL regular sooner or later by the end of this season given how things are going for him.
#12: Ville Koivunen (PIT, NHL) —The Pens have been patient with the $32 million man, giving him some games in a decent role and he’s starting to come through. Production was a problem last season (2G+5A in 37 games), Koivunen is almost to that level already (2G+3A in ten games). Koivunen is showing more frequent glimpses these days of why the Pens were willing to place a long-term bet on him. Has to be one of the more encouraging opening months of the season for all their young players in the organization.
#11: Hendrix Lapierre (PIT, NHL) — Interesting season for Lapierre as the Pens try to figure out what they have with him. He’s been a healthy scratch for four games and at times deep depth. Lapierre also has six points (2G+4A) on the season in just eight games and now is getting more looks. Where he might fit if/when the team gets healthier is still to be determined. driven largely with what he makes of the current chance to play.
#10: Markus Ruck (Medicine Hat, WHL) — The second round Ruck leads currently leads Medicine Hat in points (4G+9A in nine games). The scoring rate is down a bit from last year, but this season isn’t going to be much more than placeholder in the big scheme of things for the twins with a step up in competition expected next year at NCAA North Dakota.
#9: Mikhail Ilyin (WBS, AHL) — Ilyin has been productive (2G+5A in eight games) in his first full season in North America. Given his age (21) and ability, this will be a nice development season for him and it looks like it’s going pretty well so far as he gains experience and is working into becoming a key player at the AHL level.
#8: Joel Blomqvist (WBS, AHL) — Kyle Dubas admitted the shortened preseason “sucked” for someone in Blomqvist’s position. He’s off to a poor start in the AHL (1-2-1 record, 3.26 GAA, .871 save%) by the standards of his typical output down there. Doesn’t look like he’s pushing to get into the NHL picture any time soon.
#7: Liam Ruck (Medicine Hat, WHL) — The first round Ruck only has 2G+5A in nine WHL games. Not terribly impressive, but not the biggest deal at this point either since 2026-27 isn’t going to reveal a lot about the Ruck twins for the future. The lack of a great statistical start will make it easier to keep him off Canada’s WJC team, to which he was already on the outside of the equation by not being invited to the summer camps.
#6:Will Horcoff (U of Michigan) — Scoring a goal with 0.1 seconds left in a game is pretty cool. Horcoff has been playing first line left wing for most of the season, has a solid point-per-game average (3G+4A in seven games) to start his draft+2. Horcoff is an interesting prospect in that he doesn’t drive possession or often stand out as a top player, but he also has very good hands and offensive ability and still finds a way to make an impact more often than not, perfectly exemplified with this highlight goal.
#5: Bill Zonnon (WBS, AHL) — Decent output so far (3G+2A in eight games) for a player who has been put in a third line center role as a young 20-year old rookie in the AHL. Zonnon’s progressing according to plan, he just needs more time to keep growing and gaining experience for the time being. He’s getting that in spades right now down in Wilkes, exactly what one would want and hope to see.
#4: Rutger McGroarty(WBS, AHL/PIT, NHL) — McGroarty was dominant at times in the AHL (nine points in six games) and earned an NHL call-up when some recent winger injuries have hit. Now is the time for him to impress and stack some good games to enhance his position within the organization, it might take some more time still but you would figure he’s in a spot where he’ll get a long look in the second half of 2026-27 if the team remains outside of the playoff picture.
#3: Sergei Mursahov (PIT, NHL) — Murashov has settled into more of a backup than 1B type of role early in the season, but he’s still in the NHL and doing decently well. Something to be said for that as a goalie at age-22.
#2: Harrison Brunicke (WBS, AHL) — Brunicke only has two points (0G+2A) in his first eight AHL games. He’s been moved around the lineup on different pairs and roles. For a guy who made the NHL out of camp at age 19, nearly made it at 18 and was a final cut this season, it’s had to have been difficult to go back to the AHL and seen other defenders like Pietila get called up first (though he hasn’t played NHL games). Patience and more time looks required in this situation.
#1: Ben Kindel (PIT, NHL) — Kindel started the season injured, returned looking great, fell off a little and then had to go through a medical incident on the team plane. Tumultuous year, the least of which has been a rotating (and often time not that talented) group of wingers being placed by him. Here’s to hoping for good health news and him getting to settle in for the next month of the season.
The Montreal Canadiens were facing the St. Louis Blues in the third game of their four-game road trip on Tuesday night. Once again, Martin St-Louis elected to give the net to Jacob Fowler, who had won his last five games. Meanwhile, Jakub Dobes was sitting out and hasn’t played since his ill-timed penalty against the San Jose Sharks a week ago at the Bell Centre.
For the third time in the last four games, Detroit Red Wings assistant manager Kris Draper was watching the Habs’ game. With Adam Engstrom inserted into the lineup, some wondered whether that was for his viewing pleasure. For Josh Anderson, it was NHL game number 700. The power forward has been one of the bright lights so far this season, and he fully deserves the A stitched to the front of his jersey. Speaking of which, in Nick Suzuki’s absence, Cole Caufield also wore an A tonight, taking over for Jake Evans.
After Zach Bolduc gave the Canadiens the lead a little under nine minutes into the second frame, the Blues attacked desperately and had the Habs on their heels, running around the defensive zone. St. Louis had eight attempts on goal in under two minutes; Fowler stood tall and made four big saves, protecting the lead and helping the Habs regain their composure.
Having a goaltender who can shut the door in crucial moments is invaluable. When an opponent comes right back after you score, momentum swings back their way instantly, and you don't get the full effect of taking the lead. After 40 minutes, Fowler already had 22 saves.
By the end of the game, though, he had more than doubled that number. As the Blues attacked relentlessly in the final frame, he stood on his head when needed and stopped all 24 shots. As for the Habs, they had only three shots in the third as they struggled to get out of their zone.
The Canadiens’ top unit may be missing both Suzuki and Demidov, but they still have talented players on the ice and should capitalize on opportunities. Caufield and Lane Hutson still look loose and confident, but Juraj Slafkovsky and Oliver Kapanen look like they panic at times and try to make high-risk plays. Those no-look backhand passes must be driving the coach crazy, since they are the “almost” plays the bench boss mentioned last week.
It’s all about reading the play, and on paper, a power play gives you extra time to make those reads, even if the penalty killers turn up the pressure. Furthermore, you can’t score if you don’t shoot. After three power plays in two periods, the Habs only had two shots; that’s not enough. And with a player like Chris Kreider who has mastered the art of deflection, you have to give him the chance to do what he does best. He hasn't found the back of the net this season, and the Habs’ reluctance to shoot and tendency to pass over and over is a big factor.
Xhekaj Opens His Account
The Habs led 1-0 at the start of the third frame, and while one Xhekaj watched the game from above, the other, Florian, was on the ice. In just his ninth career game, the 22-year-old doubled his team’s lead. `
While a video review was needed to confirm he hadn’t tipped the puck too high, the tip wasn’t the only good thing about that play. The goal came because Xhekaj hit Adam Jiricek, not only knocking the puck loose but also immediately going to the front of the net to obstruct Jordan Binnington’s view, and it paid off. It was a textbook play and the kind of performance that will help him stay in the lineup.
In the end, the Canadiens won 2-0, improving their record without captain Suzuki to 3-0-0, something nobody would have predicted. It’s Fowler’s sixth straight win and his second shutout of the season. He was in the net for all but one of the Habs’ wins so far. Montreal will now head to Dallas to take on the Stars on Thursday before heading back home for a Halloween tilt with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 10: Ben Kindel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins looks on against the Dallas Stars at PPG PAINTS Arena on October 10, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…
Ben Kindel returned to full-contact practice Tuesday, one week after losing consciousness aboard the team plane following a vasovagal episode that forced an emergency landing in Salt Lake City. The 19-year-old forward, who has missed two games, said he feels good and is focused on moving forward. [PensBurgh]
Ville Koivunen is showing signs of turning a corner, with improved confidence, stronger offensive contributions and promising chemistry with fellow forward Hendrix Lapierre, giving the Penguins reason for optimism that the young forward can translate his strong AHL production into consistent NHL success after signing an eight-year, $32 million contract this offseason. [PensBurgh]
Forward Elmer Soderblom has been sidelined by an undisclosed upper-body injury and is considered day-to-day. The 25-year-old missed practice Tuesday as the Penguins prepare to host the Utah Mammoth on Thursday. [Trib Live]
News and notes from around the NHL…
Former Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien’s family shared an emotional message after returning to Winnipeg for the team’s alumni game and the 2026 Heritage Classic, describing the weekend as the farewell they never got when his NHL career ended abruptly in 2020. [TSN]
The ECHL’s Savannah Ghost Pirates, a Florida Panthers affiliate, unveiled a Halloween jersey featuring a skeleton design. The spooky look extends across the uniform, with bones printed on the sleeves, pants and socks. [NHL]
University of Michigan defenseman Landon DuPont, the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NHL draft, is among 28 players to receive an A rating on NHL Central Scouting’s preliminary list of prospects to watch for next summer’s draft. [NHL]
Boston Bruins (9-3-1, in the Atlantic Division) vs. St. Louis Blues (5-6-1, in the Central Division)
St. Louis; Thursday, 8 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The St. Louis Blues and the Boston Bruins hit the ice in a non-conference matchup.
St. Louis is 5-6-1 overall and 3-1-1 at home. The Blues have gone 2-1-0 in games their opponents serve more penalty minutes.
Boston is 4-1-1 on the road and 9-3-1 overall. The Bruins have scored 49 total goals (3.8 per game) to rank fifth in NHL play.
Thursday's game is the first time these teams match up this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jake Neighbours has scored three goals with three assists for the Blues. Jimmy Snuggerud has five goals and one assist over the last 10 games.
David Pastrnak has seven goals and 11 assists for the Bruins. Matthew Poitras has scored four goals and added three assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Blues: 4-5-1, averaging three goals, 5.3 assists, 2.7 penalties and six penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.
Bruins: 7-2-1, averaging 4.1 goals, 6.7 assists, 5.2 penalties and 14.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.1 goals per game.
INJURIES: Blues: Adam Jecho: out (personal), Torey Krug: out (ankle), Ross Johnston: out (lower body), Tyler Tucker: out (knee), Dillon Dube: out (neck), Logan Mailloux: out (hand).
Bruins: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Las Vegas, N.V.– When a team is on a three-game losing streak, they often need a big moment to swing momentum and turn things around. It could be anything: a fight, a herculean individual effort that leads to a goal, or even a big blocked shot.
For the Vegas Golden Knights, it was when starting goaltender Adin Hill left the net to play the puck to prevent a shorthanded breakaway and bowled over Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig in the process. Twelve seconds later, Braeden Bowman finally broke through and scored the first goal of the game on the power play.
“It wasn’t the best power play for us,” said Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig following the 4-1 win. “[Hill’s play] probably gave us a little bit of juice. Our bench got going after the goal ended up going in, they were all pointing down at him. Those kinds of things can get you going. It was a real grind of a victory.”
The Golden Knights started well and recorded the first two shots of the game before the Senators tilted the ice. There was a stretch of nearly 10 minutes between their second and third shot. And halfway through the second, shots were 14-4 in favor of Ottawa.
Being outplayed and outshot by such a thorough margin usually isn’t a winning recipe. But tonight, the Golden Knights managed to make it work, and that was due in no small part to Adin Hill’s spectacular play in net.
“We had to stay with it and grind,” Ryan Craig said. “In the second half [of the game], we got better. Some things bounced our way, but Hilly’s play… was one of those things that energized us, for sure.”
“He was unreal,” added forward Raphael Lavoie. “You know he’s got a hit, too, tonight? Hillsy played amazing. It’s really nice to see.”
1. So… Who Gets the Puck?
Although the Golden Knights scored the game’s first goal, they didn’t have the lead for very long. The Senators responded with their own power-play goal just 34 seconds into the third, tying the game at one. A tying goal that early in the period could have deflated a team on a three-game losing streak. Instead, the Golden Knights did what they do best: they kept rolling four lines and trusted their depth.
That decision paid off at 8:01 in the third when the fourth line scored a big go-ahead goal.
Marc Gatcomb started the play in the defensive zone with a big hit on Senators forward Andre Burakovsky, and Raphael Lavoie ended up with the puck. Lavoie carried it through center ice and dropped a pass for Nic Dowd, who slapped it ahead to Ville Heinola. Jonas Johansson made the save on Heinola’s wrister, but after Dowd crashed the net, the puck came loose, and Lavoie slammed it home.
That go-ahead goal was a milestone triple threat. It was Raphael Lavoie’s first NHL goal, Nic Dowd’s 200th NHL point, and Ville Heinola’s first point as a Golden Knight.
“It means a lot,” Lavoie smiled postgame. “It’s been a long time coming, I think, and it feels really good.”
2. Them’s The Breaks!
Here’s a fun fact: Raphael Lavoie, who scored his first NHL goal and recorded the game-winner tonight, wasn’t originally supposed to play. In this morning’s line rushes, Jonas Røndbjerg skated in Lavoie’s spot on the fourth line.
However, Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart left morning skate early with an apparent injury, forcing the Golden Knights to recall a goaltender from AHL Henderson. In a corresponding transaction, they had to send Røndbjerg down to become cap compliant.
“I wasn’t thinking of playing tonight,” Lavoie said after the 4-1 win. “I wasn’t in the lineup, and then suddenly, just before I left the rink, they told me I was playing. That’s how it was supposed to happen, I guess.
“We’re always ready to play,” Lavoie finished. “I did a lot of extra work in the morning because I didn’t think I was playing, but I just had to nap a little longer.”
3. King of the Hill
Adin Hill made headlines tonight for his quick decision to play the puck, and it’s for good reason. That could’ve gone south very easily. It takes quite a bit of confidence for a goaltender to venture that far from their crease and brave that kind of contact.
“I think I’ve maybe been further from my net,” joked Hill following the 4-1 win, “But that’s the first flying butterfly I’ve done.”
However, the best part of Hill’s game tonight wasn’t the extreme “flying butterfly”; it was his steady play between the pipes. He kept the Golden Knights in a game that they had no business being in. He made 25 saves in total, none better than the one he made on Tim Stützle early in the second period.
“Kind of a little breakdown there,” Hill said postgame. “They had a mini 3-on-2. They made a double back-door play, and at that point, it’s just desperation to do whatever you can and try and keep the puck out of the net.”
LAS VEGAS — Raphael Lavoie arrived at the rink expecting to sit out. He left with his first NHL goal and a game-winner.
Lavoie broke a third-period tie, and Adin Hill stopped 25 shots as the Golden Knights defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-1 on Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena, snapping a three-game losing streak.
“Just before I left the rink, they told me I was playing,” Lavoie said. “So yeah, guess that’s how it was supposed to happen, I guess.”
Braeden Bowman scored on the power play, while William Karlsson and Jack Eichel added empty-net goals for Vegas, which improved to 9-4-1. Shane Pinto scored Ottawa’s lone goal, and Jonas Johansson finished with 25 saves.
“We needed to kind of turn the corner there and come away with a win tonight,” Hill said. “So that was big for our guys. It’s a good hockey team over there, the Senators. So yeah, we found a way to get it done.”
Lavoie was projected as a healthy scratch before the Golden Knights adjusted their roster after Carter Hart’s morning-skate injury. Given his opportunity, he delivered the decisive finish at 8:01 of the third period, putting Vegas ahead 2-1.
It was his first goal in 27 NHL appearances and his 10th game this season.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Lavoie said.
Ville Heinola and Nic Dowd assisted, with Dowd reaching 200 career points. Heinola earned a point in his Golden Knights debut.
Coach Ryan Craig credited Marc Gatcomb’s defensive work at the start of the sequence and Heinola’s willingness to join the rush, helping create an opportunity that Lavoie finished around the net.
“Pretty much everybody on the ice touched the puck,” Lavoie said.
For Craig, Lavoie and Hill provided examples of players responding when circumstances changed.
“Sometimes it’s just a matter of taking advantage of your opportunity,” Craig said. “Those are two guys that did tonight.”
Hill supplied the foundation long before Lavoie’s breakthrough.
Ottawa held an 11-4 shot advantage in a scoreless first period. Early in the second, Hill denied Tim Stützle with a sprawling save, moving across the crease to stop a dangerous back-post opportunity.
“At that point it’s just desperation, doing everything you can to try and keep the puck out of the net,” Hill said.
His most consequential intervention came late in the middle period while Vegas was on the power play.
With Ridly Greig threatening on a shorthanded breakaway, Hill charged out toward the right faceoff circle and poked the puck away. The Golden Knights turned the play back toward Ottawa’s net, where Bowman finished a rebound from Ivan Barbashev’s shot with 11 seconds remaining.
Hill said the puck slowed more quickly than he expected on the worn ice, forcing him to adjust as he raced toward Greig.
“At the end of it, just did a butterfly, kind of aimed to make sure he didn’t get the puck through me,” Hill said. “And yeah, we had a little collision there.”
The sequence transformed a potential Ottawa lead into a 1-0 Vegas advantage entering the second intermission.
“I thought our bench got going after the goal ended up going in,” Craig said. “They’re all pointing down at him. So, you know, those kind of things can get you going.”
That lead lasted just 34 seconds into the third.
Drake Batherson found Pinto for a power-play goal that evened the score, extending Vegas’ streak of games allowing a power-play goal to six.
Vegas gradually improved its puck management and work away from the puck, two areas Craig identified as central to the turnaround after the opening period. The Knights generated more sustained offensive-zone time by playing off shots and recovering pucks.
“It was a grind of a victory,” Craig said. “Ottawa’s a very good team. You can see the skill they have, very structured. They do a good job. They can capitalize on opportunities. For us, we had to stay with it and grind, and in the second half we got better.”
Lavoie restored the lead, and Vegas protected it until Karlsson scored into an empty net with two minutes remaining. Eichel added another with seven seconds left.
Hart’s availability remained uncertain, leaving Hill focused on preparing for the next game.
“We don’t have an update on Carter at all yet,” Hill said. “So yeah, I mean, we’re on to the next game and just get ready, approach every game like I would normally.”
KEY MOMENT: The save
Hill’s aggressive challenge on Greig prevented a shorthanded chance from becoming a potential deficit. Bowman’s goal at the other end gave Vegas the lead seconds later and energized the bench.
KEY STAT: Hill's save percentage
Hill stopped 25 of 26 shots for a .962 save percentage, earning his fifth victory of the season.
“He looked solid back there,” Craig said. “He looked like he was prepared and ready to play, and good on him.”
WHAT A KNIGHT: Lavoie's first
Initially expecting to sit out, he scored his first NHL goal midway through the third period. It held up as the game-winner.
The Senators did a lot of things right to open their five-game Western road trip on Tuesday night, but like so many others before them, they're leaving Las Vegas empty-handed.
Raphael Lavoie scored his first career NHL goal midway through the third period to break a 1-1 tie, leading the Knights to a 4-1 victory over the Senators.
Shane Pinto scored the lone goal for the Sens, who now have to deal with yet another injury in a season that's already been full of them.
Travis Green looks ahead to Tuesday's game against Vegas after Saturday's win over the New York Rangers (Senators YouTube).
Warren Foegele went down on a knee-on-knee hit from Jeremy Lauzon. Foegele left the game with assistance, not putting any weight on his right leg.
The Senators were, by far, the better team in a scoreless opening period, outshooting Vegas 11-4 but failing to capitalize on several great chances.
Fabian Zetterlund and Dylan Cozens each provided a couple of elite scoring chances, but in both cases, they couldn't get their stick blade on the puck to punch it into a wide open net.
Despite the lack of scoring, you wouldn't describe the opening two periods a defensive struggle. Both goaltenders were busy, with dangerous chances at either end.
Tim Stutzle had another fantastic chance in the second, but Adin Hill made an amazing glove save on his one-timer, similar to the one that Yaroslav Askarov made on Drake Batherson in the game against San Jose last week.
Vegas pushed back hard in the second, outshooting the Sens 15-7 and finally broke through late in the second period following a wild sequence on a Knights power play.
After a sprint up ice, Ridly Greig dove for a loose puck, attempting to chip it past Hill but crashed hard into the Knights goaltender, leaving him caught up ice as Vegas quickly transitioned the other way.
As Greig headed to the Sens bench for a change, that gave Knights a brief two-man advantage and seconds later, after a shot trickled through Jonas Johansson, Braeden Bowman stuffed the puck into the open net to give Vegas a 1-0 lead.
The Senators responded early in the third period on the power play, thanks to some great work by Pinto. After making a strong defensive play, Pinto turned on the jets, outskated Mitch Marner, took a nice feed from Drake Batherson, and fired a shot past Hill to tie the game at 1.
But the Senators couldn't build on that.
Midway through the period, Lavoie pounced on a juicy rebound and buried it for his first NHL goal, putting Vegas back in front.
It was a memorable moment for him, but a frustrating turn of events for a Sens team that had generated more than enough chances to be leading at that point.
The Sens continued to push for the equalizer, but Vegas put the game away with a pair of empty-net goals.
William Karlsson scored the first before Jack Eichel added another, just minutes into his 30th birthday.
For the Senators, it was a tough to come away with no points to start to a lengthy road trip. They did plenty of things well, particularly in the opening period, but their inability to finish was their undoing.
They'll try to get back on track on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Kings.
The San Jose Sharks hosted the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night. Much like in their game against Edmonton, this game seemed like it should be a barn-burner on paper, but oddly we ended up with one of the most unexpected goaltending duels of the season.
Colten Ellis saved all 24 of the Sharks' shots in route to a 2-0 shutout victory. At the other end of the ice, Yaroslav Askarov saved 38 of 39 shots. He likely deserved a better result, but a lack of goal scoring, and a considerable number of shots missing the net, caused the Sharks to drop a game they could've won.
Recap:
In an odd turn of events, both teams opted to start their fourth line. Nothing really came of it, but Collin Graf and Olen Zellweger had a bit of a shoving match in the opening minute. Louis Crevier gave the Sharks their first power play chance of the night after taking a delay of game penalty, but Josh Norris earned a breakaway and forced Mason Marchment to take a penalty of his own just 11 seconds later.
Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini had back-to-back scoring chances in the ensuing 4-on-4, but bother were denied by Buffalo netminder Colten Ellis. Early on, the Sabres were getting the majority of the chances, but it felt like the few that San Jose got were of higher quality. The Sabres did force Yaroslav Askarov to make some big saves though as the period progressed.
The Sharks got another power play opportunity later in the first when Ty Dellandrea was run over by Crevier, who looked like a freight train on the play, but again, nothing came of it.
Just 50 seconds into the second period, former Anaheim Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger was able to slot the puck past Askarov and into the net, giving the Sabres a 1-0 lead.
Askarov was forced to make a couple more big saves near the middle of the period, keeping his team within a goal.
The Sharks had a massive scramble in front of the net, but despite multiple attempts on the rush, they were unable to get it past the prone goaltender before Buffalo's defensemen piled into the crease. Less than a minute later, Ellis broke out the splits to make another massive save.
Ty Dellandrea was called for high-sticking with 8:51 remaining in the middle frame, giving Buffalo their first full power play of the night. On the power play, Buffalo nearly scored and a review was initiated by the official to see if the puck crossed the line at one point, but there was no conclusive evidence to overturn the call on the ice.
Luca Cagoni was taken down in the corner after taking a swinging high-stick to the face, but no penalty was called by the officials despite a clear dangerous play.
With just over 26 seconds remaining in the period though, Zach Benson was sent to the penalty box for holding, giving the Sharks an opportunity to tie things up.
The Sabres not only killed off that penalty, but earned a power play of their own shortly afterwards, as Adam Gaudette was called for holding Tage Thompson.
Ellis once again robbed the Sharks, this time Kiefer Sherwood, with just over four minutes remaining in regulation.
Zach Benson then scored his first goal of the year with just under a minute left in the game, scoring on the empty net to double Buffalo's lead.
The Sharks will be back in action on Thursday night as they'll host the Vancouver Canucks.
