The Buffalo Sabres have a five-game homestand to start the season, which began with a 4-3 comeback victory over Chicago on Saturday. Head coach Lindy Ruff started Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in both games, but with veteran Alex Lyon on the mend, he indicated that he would be looking to get third-stringer Colten Ellis a game in short order.
That appears to the Sabres next game against Minnesota on Tuesday, which is the one-year anniversary of the St. Louis Blues draftee being claimed by the Sabres off of waivers. Ellis, who turned 26 on Monday, practiced in the starter’s net at KeyBank Center on Monday morning and is likely to get the start against the Wild, who are a 2-0 to start the season.
"It's what you worked for all summer, to finally get to showcase what you worked on, and i'm super excited to play for everybody in here and I'm really looking forward to it." Ellis said. “"Looking back a year ago , it's pretty crazy. With all that's happened in the past year. I'm super grateful for the opportunity, and not that I was expecting it or anything, but to be able to get picked up and play the whole season here was a dream come true, and you're just kind of living the dream and doing it day in and day out."
Noah Ostlund signs eight-year contract extension
The club made a few line combo changes on Monday, swapping Jiri Kulich from the fourth to third line, where he centered Peyton Krebs and Konsta Helenius, while shifting Ryan McLeod down to play center Beck Malenstyn and Sam Carrick. Ruff also tinkered with the struggling power play, moving Josh Doan off of the top unit in favor of Noah Ostlund.
In ex-Sabres news, the family matter that resulted in Bowen Byram missing his return to Buffalo on Saturday was finally explained, as the blueliner’s wife gave birth to twin baby girls on Saturday afternoon.
The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled defenseman Juuso Valimaki from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL.
The 27 year old was one of the final cuts from Canes training camp and has been one of Chicago's top defenders since joining the organization back in January.
Valimaki has 271 games of NHL experience, recording 11 goals and 72 points in that span. Charles Alexis Legault was reassigned by the Hurricanes on Saturday, leaving the team with only six defensemen as Mike Reilly slotted in against the Flyers.
Carolina is in Montreal on Tuesday to take on the Canadiens and so the 6-foot-2 Finnish lefty could potentially make his team debut then, or he might just have been recalled for depth purposes.
Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
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.
The New York Rangers have placed Matthew Robertson on waivers.
Robertson was held out of practice on Monday due to roster management reasons, as it was quickly revealed that he was waived by the team.
Selected in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft by the Blueshirts, Robertson spent multiple seasons playing in the American Hockey League for the Hartford Wolf Pack before finally getting his NHL chance during the 2025-26 season.
The 25-year-old played in 72 games for the Rangers last season, as he finally seemed to cave out a consistent role.
However, 2026 fifth-overall pick Alberts Šmits stood out throughout training camp and took over Robertson’s position as the Rangers’ third-pair left-handed defensemen.
Robertson made the Rangers’ opening-night roster out of training camp, but he has been scratched for all four of New York’s games to kick off the 2026-27 campaign.
With Robertson waived, it’s safe to say that the Rangers have confidence continuing to use Šmits moving forward and he’ll remain in the NHL barring any major regression in his play.
Joe Veleno also suffered a lower-body injury during the Rangers’ Sunday night game against the Utah Mammoth, which may have led to Robertson’s waiving since Veleno’s availability is in jeopardy and the Blueshirts only have three active centers on the roster.
After a strong start to the 2026–27 season that saw him register four goals and two assists in his first four games as part of the Vancouver Canucks, Paul Cotter has been named the NHL’s third star of the week. He currently leads the NHL in goals scored alongside Edmonton Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard and Utah Mammoth forward Nick Schmaltz.
Cotter joined the Canucks via free-agency signing during the 2026 off-season, coming to Vancouver after two seasons with the New Jersey Devils and three with the Vegas Golden Knights before that. He scored a career-high of 16 goals in his first season with the Devils back in 2024–25.
Two of the four goals Cotter has scored so far came in Vancouver’s first game of the regular season, a 6–5 overtime win against the Oilers on September 29. He is one of only six players in Canucks history to record a multi-goal game in their debut.
Also named to the NHL’s Stars of the Week list are New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin, who scored a goal and posted a 1.67 GAA, and Bouchard, who has scored four goals and four assists in Edmonton’s first four games of the year.
Oct 1, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Paul Cotter (47) celebrates his goal against the Edmonton Oilers in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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.
Heading into their fourth game of the young 2026-27 season, the Philadelphia Flyers are in desperate need of getting back in the win column, and things aren't getting any easier for them with a road matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7 p.m. Monday night at Benchmark International Arena.
The Flyers have put themselves in a tough position to start this campaign, barely looking like a hockey team while earning just two of a possible six points, both through overtime losses, against divisional opponents in Pittsburgh, New Jersey, and Carolina.
With their goals against Carolina, Owen Tippett and Matvei Michkov became the first two Flyers forwards to score a goal this season... in the third game.
Moral victories are hardly helpful, especially against division rivals, but it is something to build off of if nothing else.
Newcomer Joseph Woll has been nothing short of amazing in net for the Flyers, saving 78 of the first 84 shots (.929) he's faced wearing the Orange and Black, though he's 0-0-2 for his efforts after facing 40+ shots on goal in each of his first two starts for the club.
At some point, the Flyers will not be able to rely on goaltending to keep them in games, and what better time to start than the present?
Flyers lines (projected) vs. Lightning
Travis Konecny - Christian Dvorak - Matvei Michkov
Rasmus Ristolainen is reportedly a game-time decision, and Denver Barkey was activated from injured reserve with Nikita Grebenkin going on injured reserve to make room for his return. Barkey figures to replace Alex Bump, who has played very little to start the year, in the lineup, at least for now.
Veteran Garrett Wilson is expected to serve as the undressed extra forward.
Monday night's Flyers game against the Lightning will be broadcast on The Spot, NHL Network, and NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Flyers player to watch
Starting goalie Dan Vladar is my Flyers player to watch tonight. Last year's breakout star is looking to shake off a season-opening 7-0 loss to Pittsburgh, and while that game wasn't his fault, Vladar now has competition from Woll for starts and ice time.
In his career, Vladar is 2-3-0 in five games against the Lightning with a 4.23 GAA and .851 save percentage.
Ovechkin has played in a lot of iconic games against the Penguins, both in the regular season and the playoffs, and has compiled 44 goals and 80 points in 83 regular season games against the Penguins.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have played against Ovechkin throughout their careers and reacted to the news to the Pittsburgh media after the morning skate.
"He's done everything," Malkin said. "He's played, what, 22 years? He understands the league really good. It's not easy; same like myself, maybe it's my last year too. I still love his game, but again, it's not easy to play every game every night. It's hard because he’s legend, fans love him. He’s done everything for team, for league. I hope he play good this year, no injury. He just stay healthy, score goals, and enjoy the game."
Crosby echoed those comments when he was asked about it.
"Definitely have had some great battles over the years, and obviously, when you get to our age, it's something you have to make decisions on, and for him, as long as he's happy and enjoying it, that's the biggest thing," Crosby said.
The Penguins will play the Capitals four times this season, including this Wednesday in D.C. Ovechkin's final game in Pittsburgh will be on Mar. 13.
In a message posted on his LinkedIn page, Ilitch addressed the fan disenchantment with the franchise, made vocal on the evening of Friday, Oct. 2 – and then again, two days later – during games at Little Caesars Arena.
"I recognize fan frustrations," Ilitch wrote. "I get it and certainly feel the same. Like our city, the Red Wings have experienced incredible triumphs and faced difficult challenges but have always met them with grit and determination.
"As the franchise begins its 101st season, I remain focused on building the championship-level organization that our Red Wings family and fans deserve."
"Opening night in the NHL is always something special," Ilitch wrote. "And Friday night, as our Detroit Red Wings began a new season at Little Caesars Arena, Hockeytown showed up," Ilitch wrote. "A century of hockey, and more Stanley Cup wins than any other American NHL team, only happens with dedication and resilience. That Red Wings spirit is a constant through the seasons, from the coaches and players to the arena staff —like our incredible Ice Crew and broadcasters — and of course, generations of fans. I enjoyed visiting with many of them before the game to thank them for their part in our story and continuing it forward."
The "Sell the team!" chants come at a time of turmoil seen by the franchise since Ilitch's parents, Mike and Marian Ilitch, bought the club in 1982 from Bruce Norris (James' son), who had run it into the ground. Even during the pandemic years, when the Red Wings were showing the effects of having used first-round picks to stoke their 25-season playoff streak that lasted from 1991-2016, there was never this level of fan outrage.
The Red Wings next play at home against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday (7 p.m., Detroit SportsNet), as part of a season-opening stretch that features seven of their first eight games at LCA.
Contact Helene St. James at Hstjames@freepress.com.
There has been plenty of angst among Detroit Red Wings fans over the last several months, and it has been on full display during each of their first two games of the 2026-27 NHL season at Little Caesars Arena.
Former captain Dylan Larkin was heavily booed when he was introduced Friday evening alongside the rest of the club's inactive players, while loud "Sell the Team!" chants broke out at multiple points during both Friday's 2-0 loss to the Rangers and Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Jets.
Red Wings Governor and CEO Chris Ilitch has now responded in a LinkedIn post Monday, acknowledging the frustration among fans while once again stating, as he did during an interview with Bob Wojnowski last month, that he remains committed to building a winning hockey club.
"Opening night in the NHL is always something special. And Friday night, as our Detroit Red Wings began a new season at Little Caesars Arena, Hockeytown showed up," his post began.
"A century of hockey, and more Stanley Cup wins than any other American NHL team, only happens with dedication and resilience. That Red Wings spirit is a constant through the seasons, from the coaches and players to the arena staff —like our incredible Ice Crew and broadcasters — and of course, generations of fans. I enjoyed visiting with many of them before the game to thank them for their part in our story and continuing it forward."
Ilitch then touched on fan frustration, saying he feels the same way.
"At the same time, I recognize fan frustrations," he said. "I get it and certainly feel the same. Like our city, the Red Wings have experienced incredible triumphs and faced difficult challenges but have always met them with grit and determination."
"As the franchise begins its 101st season, I remain focused on building the championship-level organization that our Red Wings family and fans deserve."
The Red Wings will be back on the ice on Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena against the visiting Ottawa Senators.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
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.
The Calgary Flames have already made some significant roster moves early in the 2026-27 season, and those changes could open the door for a couple of young players waiting in the AHL.
One name in particular stands out.
Could Aydar Suniev be in line for an NHL recall sooner rather than later?
If I were a betting man, I’d say there’s a pretty good chance.
The decision made sense from a development standpoint. Suniev is still just beginning his second professional season, and there are parts of his game that need work before he becomes a full-time NHL player. His defensive game and play without the puck were areas he identified himself.
“I think playing without the puck and getting the puck back… that’s one of the areas I wanted to focus on,” Suniev told the media after his final preseason appearance when asked what he was focusing on and what the team had asked him to work on.
"I just try to do my best every game."
Aydar Suniev shares his thoughts on his performances during the preseason and his mindset moving forward. pic.twitter.com/FiC0FPdq0K
Calgary has opened the season 0-3, with just three goals scored and a minus-13 goal differential. At some point, the Flames are going to have to look at what they have available internally and determine whether somebody can provide a spark.
Suniev has already shown that he can produce. He scored three goals in two preseason games and also found the back of the net during the rookie NextGen game. He had additional chances that could have easily resulted in more goals if not for the post getting in the way.
That doesn’t mean Suniev is automatically the answer. It does, however, make the possibility of a recall much more interesting.
If Calgary decides it wants to inject some offence and energy into the lineup, Suniev would be one of the more obvious internal candidates.
The same could potentially be said for defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz.
With Pachal now on waivers, there is an opportunity for another young defenceman to potentially rejoin the NHL group.
Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Brzustewicz became somewhat of an odd-man out after Calgary added veteran Jake Middleton and former second-overall pick Simon Nemec during the offseason. That wasn’t necessarily surprising, but it did leave the 21-year-old back in the AHL after he had already seen NHL action last season.
Brzustewicz appeared in 34 games for Calgary last season, recording two goals and seven points while finishing with an even plus-minus.
There were things he needed to improve, particularly with his speed, decision-making and timing, but there was also enough there to suggest he could eventually become an important part of the Flames’ blueline.
But there’s another part of his game that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Offence.
Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Brzustewicz produced 92 points, including 13 goals and 79 assists, in his final junior season with the Kitchener Rangers. He followed that up with 32 points in 70 games during his first full professional season with the Wranglers in 2024-25.
We haven’t seen that offensive ability translate consistently at the NHL level yet. But that’s exactly why opportunity matters.
Would putting another young defenceman into a struggling Flames lineup be ideal?
Probably not.
But Brzustewicz has already experienced NHL hockey in Calgary. He knows what the environment looks like, and he handled himself reasonably well despite the chaos surrounding the team last season.
He could potentially provide Calgary with a mobile option on the back end while also giving the Flames another player capable of helping move the puck and contribute offensively.
None of this means Suniev or Brzustewicz is the answer to what is happening in Calgary.
Two young players aren’t going to suddenly turn a struggling team into a contender.
But that’s not really the point.
The Flames need to find something different. They need energy. They need offence. They need players who are hungry for an opportunity. Suniev and Brzustewicz potentially fit that description.
Whether either player gets the call remains to be seen. But with the Flames already making changes to the roster, it wouldn’t be surprising if the conversation inside the organization eventually turns toward the players who are waiting in the wings.
MARYLAND
HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Coming
into the NHL as a high first-round draft pick can bring with it some
loftier expectations
Dalibor
Dvorsky knows all about those, which gave the No. 10 pick in the 2023
NHL Draft a clear understanding for the forward to elevate his game,
he would have to take both the good results and bad results from a
first full season in the NHL.
Dvorsky
is coming off playing 71 games for the St. Louis Blues last season,
and even though the numbers (12 goals, nine assists) won’t stand
out, there was more to take home with him to his native Slovakia to
help him better prepare for a sophomore season this year.
“I
think I worked a lot on my speed and on my footwork and my shot,”
Dvorsky
said.
“I tried to take my game to the next level and I think I did a
pretty good job.
“I
feel better for sure. I feel like a little more calm on the ice. I'd
say last year I was maybe a little stressed sometimes, but now I feel
calmer with the puck on my stick and I think I do better decisions.”
In
other words, the game has been sort of dumbed down for Dvorsky. The
NHL pace isn’t overwhelming like it may have been last season,
knowing he’s going up against the best players on the planet. And
so far in 2026-27, even in a smaller sample size, Dvorsky has found
the net in each of the Blues’ first two games as
he searches for his first three-game goal-scoring streak when the
Blues (1-1-0) conclude a season-opening three-game trip against the
Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday.
Maybe some of that pressure and slowing the game down was helped out when Dvorsky thrived for his native Slovakia at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, where he has three goals and three assists in six games.
And
if anyone in recent memory understands where Dvorsky is coming from
as far as being more calm as you gain experience, it’s 2020
first-round pick Jake Neighbours, Dvorsky’s linemate to start the
season.
St. Louis goal!
Scored by Dalibor Dvorsky with 17:26 left in the 3rd. Assisted by Theo Lindstein.
“I
think every hockey player goes through it when they transition to
pro, especially to the NHL,” Neighbours said. “It’s a learning
curve. I’m still learning in my fourth or fifth year, whatever it
is. I think just with every year comes more comfortability. You can
see that in him. He’s more confident this year. Like he said, he’s
more calm with the puck, he seems to have a little more poise with
it. You definitely see some improvements for sure. I think that’s
normal for any young player coming into the league. Your first year
is about learning, getting your wits about you. When you come into
your second year, you come to expect a little more of yourself.
“There
comes a point. I don’t know if it’s a certain game marker or a
stretch of good play that maybe does it for you. I think everybody’s
probably different. I think for me, I remember the year I scored 27,
there’s just that feeling that you belong in the league and you can
compete in it. Every player has that moment where they kind of figure
that out. I think ‘Devo’ has a ton of confidence; he knows he’s
a really good player in the league. Excited to play with him and
watch him blossom this year.”
Dvorsky
knows what’s out there: the hands are there, the shot is there, the
foot speed and/or foot work isn’t. So he went about it on his own
to work on it.
“Some
things off the ice,” he
said.
“On the ice, just have those quick first three steps, working on
that.”
And
having those quicker steps has perhaps slowed the game down for the
21-year-old.
“Yeah
but maybe it comes with me being more calm with the puck and also I
think I know what to do without the puck better than I did last
year,” Dvorsky
said.
“Obviously I still have to learn so much, but I feel like I'm a
smarter player than I was last year.”
“Probably
like every detail matters. Every player (is)
so
good and one small mistake, it costs a goal. Every time I'm out
there, just make the most of it.”
Blues
coach Jim Montgomery has noticed the calmness to Dvorsky’s game and
feels it’s the player is asking more advanced questions to take his
game to the next level.
“Calm
is a good word to describe it,” Montgomery said. “He seems to
understand how we want to play, the questions he’s asking are more
advanced and basic as far as what we’re trying to accomplish.
“They’re
just getting comfortable, right? Being in the NHL’s intimidating
when you first come up. It’s intimidating about who’s in the
locker room, it’s intimidating about the size of the arena, it’s
intimidating about how great a life we have on the road with the nice
hotels. There’s a lot of things to digest for it to become normal,
and then you’re going out and you might be out there and ice the
puck, now MacKinnon and McDavid are coming over (the boards) on the
ice. But you’ve just got to get used to that, right? There’s
definitely a learning curve there and adjustment mentally to, ‘I’m
playing against these guys.’ It’s not, ‘Oh wow, look who’s on
the ice.’ It does happen.”
There
may have been some of that last season, especially playing as a
second-line center behind Robert Thomas. But with the acquisition of
Mason McTavish, Dvorsky can perhaps get some better matchups and fuel
his game in the process, and in his case, hopefully avoids any sort
of ‘Sophomore Slump’ while thriving with Neighbours, Jonatan
Berggren or whoever may be on that line.
“MacT
is a great player and a great guy off the ice, too,” Dvorsky
said.
“It helps me, and it helps the team a lot.
“Both
Jake and Bergy are great players. Jakey is very strong on the puck
and so strong in battles and very smart. Bergy is so skilled and can
find players. So yeah, it's really good and easy for me to play with
those two guys.”
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.
Barkov injured his left leg Oct. 1, during a game against the San Jose Sharks. He was playing in his second NHL regular-season game since missing all of the 2025-26 season after having ACL surgery on his right knee.
The Panthers originally hoped to have an answer on Oct. 2, but the team was on the road and the center went to see a doctor on Monday, Oct. 5 after returning home.
"He's in with the doctors today, and we hope to have a more solid answer for you tomorrow," Coach Paul Maurice told reporters.
Aleksander Barkov heads STRAIGHT off the ice after falling awkwardly on his leg 🤕
Barkov missed all of last season after receiving right knee surgery for a torn ACL and MCL... pic.twitter.com/t4Vh9OGKTe
Maurice didn't put credence in a report that Barkov would miss 10 to 12 weeks.
"Do not bet your hard-earned money on that one," Maurice said. "I know you can bet on everything these days, but hang onto your cash, truly. If I don't don't know, nobody else does."
Aleksander Barkov injury update
Barkov, a three-time winner of the Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward, was seeing a doctor on Monday.
Maurice said an announcement should be made on Tuesday.
"We need a certain amount of information before we can make our best estimate, and we don't have that information yet," Maurice said.
It will be hard for the 1-0-2 Panthers to adjust to Barkov's absence, but they're a deep team. Plus, Brad Marchand, who was expected to miss October rehabbing from an injury, returned on Oct. 4.
On Monday, the Calgary Flames placed forward Connor Zary on waivers, a move that comes after the club reportedly tried to shop the 25-year-old over the summer.
Zary, a former 24th overall pick back in 2020, carries a modest $3.775 million cap hit this season and next. Any team that claims him would get a forward with a track record of NHL production for nothing but the cost of his contract.
One team that could take a look is the Winnipeg Jets as the team's prospect pipeline is not deep, and the club could use help up front. The Jets struggled to score last season, finishing with the eighth-worst offense in the NHL at 2.79 goals per game.
The bottom of Winnipeg's lineup is made up of older veterans like Vladislav Namestnikov, Nino Niederreiter and Alex Iafallo. Adding a younger player like Zary offers higher upside and could give the Jets a new look in their bottom six. Zary has spent his entire career with Calgary since being drafted in 2020, and a first change of scenery could be a chance to make the most of a fresh opportunity.
He would be a low-risk, high-reward type of addition and if it does not work out, Zary would only be on the Jets' payroll through the end of next season, and with the salary cap continuing to rise, his cap hit becomes easier to absorb.
In his first full NHL season, Zary recorded 34 points in 63 games, a pace that would have translated to roughly 45 points over a full 82-game schedule. If he can produce at that level in a Jets uniform at that price, he would be worth a spot in the lineup. Should Isak Rosen fail to produce on the second line alongside Viggo Björck and Cole Perfetti, Zary could be an option to join that unit in the top six.
The only problem with the move is the injury concerns around Zary and his knee injury sustained during the 2024–25 NHL season following a knee-on-knee collision. Since then, Flames fans have noticed Zary's skating that was once viewed as elite has taken a hit and could be the reason why he has seen his play start to take a downturn and is now being placed on waivers.
It would be a risk adding Zary, but with Winnipeg's offense having finished so poorly last season, and the team making only minor changes to its forward group, like drafting Björck, it begs the question of whether or not it's worth taking at least a flyer on Zary to see if that electric player is still in there prior to his knee injury.
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.
VOORHEES, N.J. - Carl Grundstrom has been a good soldier for the Philadelphia Flyers in his two years with the organization, eagerly taking up whatever role the coaching staff has in mind for him.
To start the 2026-27 season, Grundstrom has already found himself up in the Flyers' top-six, complementing offensive-minded linemates Trevor Zegras and Owen Tippett.
While the Flyers still struggle as a team, Grundstrom's stabilizing role has helped Zegras and Tippett at both ends of the ice. According to Natural Stat Trick, Zegras and Tippett were out-attempted 26-10 without Grundstrom, and out-chanced 13-1.
With Grundstrom on their line, the opponents' attempt advantage was a more modest 17-9, with chances 8-4. The Flyers' trio did, however, score a goal, while not allowing any at the other end.
That goal was none other than the game-tying goal in an eventual 3-2 loss against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night, but it was important in the sense that the Flyers finally showed some signs of life.
After several attempts, Tippett flung a shot through traffic into a yawning Hurricanes cage to tie the game at 1-1, with Grundstrom battling hard with K'Andre Miller in front of the net and flopping all over the place trying to recover the loose puck before Tippett cashed in.
"Grunny's great. I've played with him a handful of times now, and he plays with a lot of speed. He plays physical, he's heavy, he gets to the dirty areas, and he's not afraid to shoot the puck," Tippett said of Grundstrom after the game. "I enjoy playing with him, and he brings a lot."
It's a familiar role for the 28-year-old Swede, who also spent time flanking Noah Cates and Matvei Michkov last season.
While unsustainable, Grundstrom did show flashes of his offensive potential, scoring seven times in 11 games for the Flyers between Dec. 9 and Dec. 30, including a four-game streak during which the Flyers won three of four games.
Grundstrom is reprising that type of role early this season with Zegras and Tippett, and he's relishing the opportunity.
"Obviously, two really, really good hockey players. I love playing with those guys. I just try to be hard on the forecheck, play physical, play my game to help them out," Grundstrom glowed to The Hockey News after Sunday's practice.
Grundstrom was placed on waivers by the Flyers back on Sept. 23 and eventually cleared, though if claimed, could have been playing hockey elsewhere.
With injuries to Denver Barkey and Nikita Grebenkin, the Flyers made the move early in the event they needed to make roster space for the return of one of their two younger players.
Grundstrom isn't fazed by that, though.
"Just try to play my game... play my game and work hard. That's my mindset."
Grundstrom has played no fewer than 47 games in each of the last six seasons, and while he is an established bottom-six rotational piece at worst, his grip on an NHL roster spot is tenuous... for now.
If he continues to prove his value with his physical attributes and pace of play, the Flyers will have tough decisions to make going forward.
If the end goes as Alex Ovechkin plans, his final NHL game will occur in the postseason in pursuit of another Stanley Cup title. But the end is near for the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer, regardless of how the 2026-27 season plays out for the Washington Capitals.
Ovechkin announced on Monday, Oct. 5, this will be his final NHL campaign after 22 years in the league. It means, after 1,575 career games, limited opportunities remain to watch the "Great 8" skate against the world's best hockey players. Only 82 games are left in the regular season.
So what are the matchups you can't miss? Here are the 10 most significant games left during Ovechkin's final regular season with the Capitals:
Ovechkin's first game after announcing this would be his last season will be against the rival he's been linked to since the beginning of his NHL career. The enduring debate and classic games between Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby helped define a generation of the league.
Monday, Dec. 28 vs. Edmonton Oilers
This is the last of two games Ovechkin will play this season against the NHL's best all-around player, Connor McDavid, who has matched Ovechkin with three Hart Trophy wins. McDavid's career has mirrored Ovechkin's in that the remarkable individual accomplishments during the first decade of his career have not yet resulted in a Stanley Cup title. Ovechkin won in his 13th season.
Saturday, Jan. 16 vs. Colorado Avalanche
Ovechkin faces the NHL's leading goal scorer from last season (Nathan MacKinnon) for the final time. Ovechkin recently named MacKinnon as the current player best suited to carry on his signature style of yellow skate laces and a dark, tinted visor on the ice. MacKinnon, Ovechkin and Mario Lemieux are the only players in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup, Hart Memorial Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award, Calder Trophy and lead the league in goals.
This will be Ovechkin's final game against the NHL team he grew up rooting for in Russia. The Sharks also feature Macklin Celebrini, who recently signed a five-year contract extension that, at the time, made him the highest-paid player in the league based on average annual value. Ovechkin signed the league's first $100 million contract when he was a rising superstar in 2008.
This is the final meeting between the Capitals and defending Stanley Cup champions, and the two teams have been division rivals throughout Ovechkin's NHL career. He has faced the Hurricanes more than any other team in the NHL (97), and has scored his second-most goals against them (53).
Monday, March 15 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
This is Ovechkin's final game against Lightning star Nikita Kucherov, who has supplanted Ovechkin as the best Russian hockey player in the NHL in recent years.
Sunday, March 21 at New York Rangers
This will be Ovechkin's last game at Madison Square Garden against a team that eliminated him from the playoffs four different times.
Ovechkin's final meeting with Crosby and the Penguins will also be the final home regular-season game of Ovechkin's career. The two famously had dueling hat tricks when they met in Washington D.C. during a 2009 Stanley Cup playoff series for the first time. The cheapest available ticket, as of 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 5, is more than $1,100.
Saturday, April 10 at Philadelphia Flyers
Should Ovechkin remain healthy and available through the end of the regular season, his final scheduled game at the moment will occur on the road against another familiar foe. The Flyers were the first team Ovechkin faced in the Stanley Cup playoffs back in 2008.
Brad Marchand has some harsh critics out there, but it seems no one is harder on Brad than he is on himself.
Marchand made his regular season debut on Sunday night when the Florida Panthers visited the Anaheim Ducks after missing the first two games of the season while recovering from summer surgery.
He wasn’t expected back into Florida’s lineup until sometime in November, but his early arrival couldn’t have come at a better time as the Panthers just had to put their captain, Sasha Barkov, on LTIR with a lower-body injury that is expected to keep him out for an extended period of time.
“I felt it was a bit of a rude awakening, being out there,” Marchand said after the game. “I've only had a couple morning skates with the guys and one practice yesterday, so the speed of the game and the intensity definitely ramped up a ton, but it was great to be back out there. It's going to take some time to get the timing of everything back and conditioning back, but it was incredible being back out there and being part of the team again.”
Sunday in Anaheim, Marchand skated on Barkov’s line, alongside Sam Reinhart and Brady Tkachuk.
Marchand looked like his quick, physical self on the ice, and he impacted the game quite positively for Florida.
With the Panthers trailing 2-1 late in the third period, it was Marchand who found the back of the net to send the game to overtime before Florida ultimately fell 3-2.
Along with the goal, he finished the night with three shots on five attempts, a hit, a giveaway, a takeaway and a plus-one on-ice rating.
“He’s not far off,” said Panthers head coach Paul Maurice. “All the time, he’s touching the puck and something happens. He’s really competitive.”
It’s certainly not a night to sneeze at, and when diving into the advanced metrics on Natural Stat Trick, Marchand’s night starts looking even better.
Of Florida’s four forward lines, none showed out better in terms of chances for vs. chances against at even strength.
The trio generated five scoring chances while only allowing two, and they were credited with two high danger chances, allowing none.
“As they learn, he’s an unusual player, and his linemates and get more and more comfortable with him, they’ll be able to do some things,” Maurice said of Marchand.
There were also no rush attempts against the line, though to be fair, Florida gave up zero rush attempts at 5-on-5 during the entire game, per NST.
Not too shabby, right?
Well, not if you ask Brad.
As he explained postgame, until he gets his legs back under him, he feels he’s holding two All Star caliber players back.
“The potential is there for sure, they're both incredible players, and both make great plays,” said Marchand. “We had a few looks tonight, but it's tough for those guys. They know I'm just getting back, and it's been, I don't know, six months since I played a game, and I’ve only been skating for a month now, so I kind of bring them down a little bit just with my timing and my speed and all that. We're working through that together, and when I get back to speed, I think we have great potential to be a really good line. We all dog the puck and can make plays when necessary and get around the net, so we have the makings to be a good line for sure.”
They’re going to get a chance to realize that expectation, too.
Maurice said he plans to give the group some time to grow together, while also allowing Reinhart some patience while he adjusts to playing the center role.
He’s taken a good amount of faceoffs over the past several years in Florida, but that’s been while still primarily playing the wing position.
It should be interesting to see how things grow between the group as Marchand continues to work his way back into shape and Reinhart gets better acclimated to playing down the middle.
Photo caption: Jan 6, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Florida Panthers left wingBradMarchand(63) skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. (Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images)
