The Chicago Blackhawks have announced that they have called up goaltender Stanislav Berezhnoy from their American Hockey League (AHL) affliate, the Rockford IceHogs. 

With goaltenders Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom both sidelined with the flu, the Blackhawks needed another goalie on their roster. As a result of this, Berezhnoy has now landed his first call-up to the NHL.

Berezhnoy is currently in his first professional season in North America after signing with the Blackhawks this past off-season. In nine games this season with the IceHogs, he has recorded a 4-4-1 record, a 3.23 goals-against average, and a .889 save percentage. 

In 13 games with SKA Neva of the VHL this past season, he had a 6-3-1 record, a .931 save percentage, and a 2.49 goals-against average. He also played one game for SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL in 2024-25. 

hi Stanislav👋

📰 ➡︎ https://t.co/sKaT6Irftypic.twitter.com/AtoBZGdRni

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 10, 2026

Former Montreal Canadiens forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard is getting another opportunity in the NHL.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that they have recalled Harvey-Pinard from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Harvey-Pinard became an unrestricted free agent (UFA) this past off-season after the Canadiens elected not to tender him a qualifying offer. From there, he signed a one-year contract with the Penguins for the 2025-26 season. 

Since signing with Pittsburgh, Harvey-Pinard has only played in the AHL for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Yet, after landing this call-up from Pittsburgh, that now has the potential to change for the former Canadiens forward. 

In 32 games this season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Harvey-Pinard has posted seven goals, six assists, 13 points, 27 penalty minutes, and a plus-8 rating. 

Harvey-Pinard was selected by the Canadiens with the 201st overall pick of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. In 84 games over four seasons with the Habs, he recorded 17 goals, 14 assists, 31 points, 106 blocks, 117 hits, and a plus-3 rating. 

Harvey-Pinard's best season with Montreal was in 2022-23 when he set career highs with 14 goals and 20 points in 34 games. 

The Colorado Avalanche, coming off a monumental 8-2 win over the Ottawa Senators, are now facing off against the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second time this season. It was another complete domination of a game from the Avalanche, all while Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Martin Necas were held without a point. The depth of this team showed up big time, all while Trent Miner helped secure the 4-0 shutout win.

Period 1:

Kirill Marchenko is called for high-sticking just over 10 minutes into the period, but the Blue Jackets kill it off. Brent Burns opens the scoring and his 7th of the season as he finds the loose puck off a rebound chance and buries it to open the scoring, 1-0. Gavin Brindley with a nice burst to create the scoring chance, and Ross Colton will pick up his 4th assist in 4 periods.

If at first you don't succeed, try again. Until it works actually. pic.twitter.com/hHIwomb0C0

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) January 10, 2026

Parker Kelly finds Victor Olofsson after battling in the corner for the puck, who then buries it with a nifty backhand shot, making it 2-0. This finally breaks a long 12-game pointless drought for Olofsson.

Period 2:

Just over 10 minutes into the second period, Parker Kelly, once again with great vision, sends a cross-ice pass to Ilya Solovyov coming into the offensive zone, who steps up and rifles a wrist shot, making it 3-0. This goal is Solovyov’s first career NHL goal and his third point in three games.

MacKinnon and Olofsson are called for hooking, but the Avalanche kill off both penalties with their league-best penalty kill.

Period 3:

Adam Fantilli is called for a delay of game as he sends the puck over the glass, but the Avalanche can’t capitalize on the power play. It’s Burns again who doubles up in the game with a shot from the blue line that deflects off Brendan Gaunce and in to make it 4-0.

With this two-goal game, he joins Tim Horton, Zdeno Chara, and Nicklas Lidstrom as the fourth defenseman over 40 years old to record a multi-goal game. The Avalanche hold on to win 4-0, earning Trent Miner his first career NHL win and shutout.

The Avalanche are back in action on Mon, Jan. 12, against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

---

Gasping and Wheezing: Nelson’s Performance Silences Team USA DoubtersBrock Nelson has erased any doubt about whether or not he deserved an Olympic spot in Milan.

The Calgary Flames found their footing again on Saturday in Pittsburgh, edging the Penguins 2–1 to put an end to their recent losing streak.

Devin Cooley got the nod between the pipes for Calgary and delivered a steady performance as the Flames leaned on timely scoring and disciplined defending to secure the win.

Calgary struck first in the opening period thanks to Connor Zary, who continues to heat up offensively. Zary jumped on an early breakaway and calmly beat Arturs Šilovs to open the scoring, marking his eighth goal of the season. The Flames carried a 1–0 lead into the first intermission.

Pittsburgh pushed back in the second. Sidney Crosby intercepted a puck in the neutral zone and quickly transitioned the Penguins into a 2-on-1 rush. Evgeni Malkin fed Egor Chinakhov, who wired a one-timer past Cooley to knot the game at one. The teams remained deadlocked after 40 minutes with shots even at 15 apiece.

The decisive moment came early in the third. Just 42 seconds in, Matt Coronato walked the puck into the offensive zone, froze the defender with a fake, cut into the slot, and snapped a quick release past Šilovs to restore Calgary’s lead. Mikael Backlund and Rasmus Andersson earned the assists on what would stand as the game-winning goal.

The Penguins thought they had tied the game midway through the period, but a successful goalie interference challenge wiped the goal off the board, preserving Calgary’s one-goal advantage the rest of the way.

Three Takeaways

1. Zary finding his rhythm

Connor Zary is starting to look like himself again. With four goals and one assist over his last seven games, he is making sharper reads, attacking the net with purpose, and skating with noticeable confidence — a positive trend for Calgary’s offence.

2. Stromgren seizes his opportunity

With Blake Coleman sidelined after exiting the previous game, William Strömgren re-entered the lineup for just his second NHL appearance. The young forward showed poise, flashed skill, and generated chances with his skating, making the most of his opportunity.

3. Fast starts made the difference

Both Flames goals came quickly — one early in the first period and the game-winner less than a minute into the third. Those quick strikes set the tone and proved crucial for a team looking to halt a skid. Strong starts were exactly what Calgary needed, and they delivered when it mattered

DENVER —  In his 28th career NHL game, Ilya Solovyov scored his first career NHL goal as a member of the Colorado Avalanche, a milestone moment years in the making.

The play developed moments after Columbus was turned aside by Avalanche goaltender Trent Miner. Veteran defenseman Brent Burns jump-started the transition by moving the puck to Victor Olofsson, who carried it cleanly through the neutral zone before dropping it back to Parker Kelly. Kelly lifted his head and spotted Solovyov streaking down the left wing. Solovyov took the pass in stride, walked it in, and snapped a wrist shot past Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzļikins to open his NHL scoring account.

The emotion was immediate and unmistakable. Seconds after the puck hit the back of the net, Solovyov thrust his fist into the air, kicked his right skate upward, and let out a jubilant scream before leaping into Burns’ arms. Teammates quickly surrounded him, with Jack Drury, Cale Makar, and others joining the celebration to congratulate their teammate on the long-awaited moment.

FIRST NHL GOAL FOR ILYA SOLOVYOV 🚨 pic.twitter.com/2D7QAxsNvA

— NHL (@NHL) January 10, 2026

Even as we entered the locker room for the postgame session, Solovyov remained all smiles, still soaking in what was undoubtedly the greatest night of his professional career to that point.

Solovyov Overcomes Struggles

Solovyov’s journey to his first NHL goal has been anything but easy. The 25-year-old defenseman was claimed off waivers by the Avalanche from the Calgary Flames on October 3, but initially struggled to carve out a consistent role in Colorado’s lineup. He appeared in nine games before enduring a stretch of 18 consecutive games as a healthy scratch, eventually earning a conditioning stint with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles.

What stood out during that challenging stretch was Solovyov’s persistence. He remained committed to his development, frequently staying late after practices to work with Avalanche skills coach Mark Popovic. While he wasn’t drawing headlines or spotlight attention like some of the team’s star players, his dedication and work ethic never wavered.

Before joining the Avalanche, Solovyov spent the majority of the past four seasons in the AHL with Stockton and Calgary in the Flames’ system. Selected in the seventh round of the 2020 NHL Draft, the 6-foot-3 left-shot defenseman established himself as a reliable, two-way depth option. He recorded 69 points and a plus-33 rating in 229 AHL games and also gained NHL experience, appearing in 15 games with Calgary over the previous two seasons.

Now, Solovyov has reached a personal pinnacle: scoring a goal in the National Hockey League. It’s a moment that validates years of perseverance, patience, and hard work—and perhaps the first step toward turning this breakthrough into a long and productive NHL career.

The Philadelphia Flyers still have one of the worst, most ineffective power plays in the NHL, but they can get the boost they've been looking for by taking advantage of another team's plight.

Among the Flyers' most consistent issues on the man advantage has been the quarterback, or lack thereof; players like Travis Sanheim, Cam York, Egor Zamula, Jamie Drysdale, and Rasmus Ristolainen have all run units to varying degrees of success.

But, that position has been a revolving door for a reason. Inconsistency and a lack of results just perpetuate the issue, and the Flyers have no defense prospects in the system capable of alleviating it.

So, if there are no youngsters or in-house solutions available, what's the next step? That's going to be a trade.

On Saturday, the New Jersey Devils and head coach Sheldon Keefe made the move to bench star defenseman Dougie Hamilton in favor of the now-healthy Johnathan Kovacevic, who is expected to make his season debut after successfully recovering from knee surgery.

Surging Flyers Prospect Ends Dominant World Juniors with Gold MedalThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> have a new gold medalist in their ranks, and he happens to be their hottest prospect at the moment.

Hamilton, 32, has now, evidently, fallen behind Kovacevic, Brett Pesce, and Simon Nemec in the pecking order, but his agent, J.P. Barry, has fired back at the Devils for this.

Barry told TSN's Pierre LeBrun that the Devils are making this decision based on business and not Hamilton's performance, and even went as far to say that he and the player will be flexible to facilitate a trade outside the 10-team trade list.

Hamilton and his $9 million cap hit can only be traded to a third of the NHL for the remaining three seasons, including this one, on his contract, which makes things prohibitive for both sides.

It's unclear if the Flyers are on or off Hamilton's trade list, but there should be some interest coming from Philadelphia regardless.

At the time of this writing, the Flyers find themselves sitting pretty at ninth in the NHL standings.

Rasmus Ristolainen just returned from injury, Trevor Zegras and Dan Vladar look like studs, and Matvei Michkov is due for some positive scoring regression at some point.

If the Flyers want to make a move that should benefit them now and in the near future, why not move for Hamilton?

The 6-foot-6 defenseman has 28 power play points in his last 124 games despite losing his featured role to Devils teammate Luke Hughes, and Hamilton is just two injury-marred seasons removed from a career year that saw him explode for 22 goals, 74 points, and 28 power play points in 82 games.

The Flyers, who already have Ristolainen, York, and Sanheim, will not need to force-feed the offensively-oriented Hamilton minutes at 5-on-5, but they can give him as much ice time as he wants on the power play.

At 32, Hamilton wouldn't have to move himself too far away by going from Newark to Philadelphia, and he would still have the opportunity to lead and play on a competitive young team.

NHL Rumors: Flyers Skilled Winger On New Trade Board This Flyers forward has been featured on a new trade board.

The Flyers' $13.6 million in cap space is more than plenty to facilitate such a trade, and they'd have to give up little assets to pull it off considering that the Devils, in their financial situation, are at the mercy of the Flyers and other inquiring teams.

Through 42 games, the Flyers have scored just 18 power play goals, which ranks 31st in the NHL. Their overall conversion rate of 15% is equally bad and seats them 30th in the league, and that cannot remain if the Flyers are to truly push for the playoffs and then compete in the playoffs.

Buying low on Hamilton allows them to address a general need for depth on defense while giving a player with the firepower they need some motivation and a fresh start.

After an 8-2 beatdown at the hands of the league-best Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night, the Ottawa Senators are falling behind in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

But is the season lost? 

There are very few things to like about the Senators’ game as of late, specifically since the holiday break.

League ranks during that stretch: 

- 2-5-0 (30th)
- 11.5% PP (24th)
- 79.3% PK (17th)
- .825 team sv% (31st)
- 32 goals against (31st)
- 31.3 shots per game (4th)
- 26.1 shots against per game (10th)

Forgive me for beating a dead horse, but the glaring issue all season has been amplified in these seven games since Christmas. The league’s worst goaltending has somehow gotten even worse.

It coincides with starting goalie Linus Ullmark taking a personal leave of absence from the team on December 28th, putting the burden of steadying the ship on Leevi Meriläinen’s shoulders, and the 23-year-old has not been up to the task at all.

He’s been pulled twice in his last three starts, rocking a .857 sv% and 3.67 goals against average since the holiday break. In the two games Meriläinen was pulled, the Senators were forced to rely on their goaltending depth, which President and General Manager Steve Staios claimed he was comfortable with just a few weeks ago.

Hunter Shepard put up a .833 sv% in relief against the Detroit Red Wings and earned the loss.

Mads Søgaard was lit up for 5 goals on 16 shots in relief against the Avalanche and did not finish the game. He was sent to the minors on Saturday with Shepard returning to Ottawa.

Every single goal was from distance tonight. pic.twitter.com/vdrUP7Zi0D

— Jack Richardson (@jackrichrdson) January 9, 2026

In the aftermath of these performances, the Senators signed 37-year-old goaltender James Reimer to a PTO contract with the club’s affiliate in Belleville. Without a timeline on Ullmark’s return and Meriläinen’s consistent struggles, there is reason to believe Reimer will have an opportunity to seize control of the crease in Ottawa. 

If Reimer can step in and provide numbers even slightly below his last two seasons in Detroit and Buffalo, the Senators will win a lot more games.

James Reimer over the past two seasons:

2024-25 | BUF
• 22 GP
• 10-8-2 Record
• .899 SV%
• 7.34 GSAx
• 1 Shutout

2023-24 | DET
• 25 GP
• 11-8-2 Record
• .904 SV%
• 7.06 GSAx
• 2 Shutouts

His numbers are quite solid. Just a matter of whether he can step in mid-season… https://t.co/DHdH9N2cM8pic.twitter.com/Xe5fOT4EGQ

— Everyday Sens (@EverydaySens) January 9, 2026

But has the putrid goaltending done too much damage already?

As of January 10th, the Senators are 6 points back of the second wild card spot in the East, and there are six other teams to jump. It’s not an impossible mountain to climb, but they need to get hot, and they need some help in the standings.

Next 7 games:

Jan. 10 vs Florida Panthers

Jan. 13 vs Vancouver Canucks

Jan. 14 @ New York Rangers

Jan. 17 vs Montreal Canadiens

Jan. 18 @ Detroit Red Wings

Jan. 20 @ Columbus Blue Jackets 

Jan. 22 @ Nashville Predators

This stretch will define the season. Three key divisional matchups and four other games the Senators should have no problem with if they are on their game. Maybe Reimer joins the team for some of these, or Ullmark comes back and finds his game.

But if the goaltending woes continue, the Senators have no chance. 

They just need some saves.

---

Jack Richardson
The Hockey News - Ottawa

Read more Ottawa Senators news and features at The Hockey News:

Senators Sign Former Leafs Goalie James Reimer To Professional Tryout
Senators GM Steve Staios Condemns 'Fabricated And False Stories' Circulating On Social Media
Batherson Aims To Continue Hot December Into New Year
The Senators' Problems Are Simple And Obvious... The Solution Is Not
There's No Getting Around It: The Senators Need a Goalie
Senators Outshoot Wings But Fall 5-3 To Red Wings on Monday Night

The St. Louis Blues have locked up former Edmonton Oilers defenseman Philip Broberg with a six-year extension carrying an $8 million AAV.

It's a deal that may have Oilers fans frustrated, but it makes sense for both the Blues and Broberg to get this done.

6 MORE YEARS OF PHILIP BROBERG!

DETAILS ➡️ https://t.co/N92LUvyIaypic.twitter.com/iInVIe2EMM

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) January 10, 2026

Trending Stories:

Oilers Schedule Eases, But Still Looks Weird

Oilers Winger Lands High Spot On New Trade Board

Lazar and Kapanen Get It: The Unglamorous Work Still Matters

St. Louis secures a core piece long term and avoids revisiting the contract if Broberg continues to trend upward, while the 24-year-old positions himself to hit unrestricted free agency at 31 after earning significant money.

Broberg has played all 45 games this season, posting 14 points, and is coming off a strong 2023–24 campaign in which he led Blues defensemen with a plus-21 rating. The former eighth-overall pick has appeared in 194 career NHL games and was recently named to Sweden’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

After joining the Blues via an offer sheet from Edmonton, Broberg quickly established himself in St. Louis’ top four. The move clearly paid off, as it’s unlikely he would have landed a contract of this magnitude had he remained with the Oilers.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more.   Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

BOSTON (AP) — Pavel Zacha recorded his first career hat trick — one of his goals coming while most of New York’s players were in the locker room at the end of the first period — and the Boston Bruins coasted past the Rangers 10-2 on Saturday.

Marat Khusnutdinov had four goals to go along with Zacha’s three, giving the Bruins their first pair with hat tricks in the same home game in club history.

The Bruins won for the fourth time in five games, avenging a 6-2 blowout loss at home against the Rangers on Nov. 28.

It’s also the first time since 1964 that two Bruins recorded a hat trick in the same game. Fraser Minten had two goals, Charlie McAvoy added one for Boston and David Pastrnak matched a team record with six assists.

Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller scored for the Rangers, who have lost six of seven. Coach Mike Sullivan remained one win short of 500 in his NHL career.

Zacha’s third goal made it 6-1 midway into the second period, prompting Sullivan to pull starting goalie Jonathan Quick.

But it was Zacha’s second that got the most interest.

The Bruins winger fired a shot from the right circle that trickled behind Quick, where defenseman Braden Schneider tried to sweep it clear of the crease before it crossed.

The period ended and most of the Rangers left the bench while the Bruins’ players remained. The goal was awarded after a review.

Khusnutdinov’s first tied at 1 just 2:31 into the first period. His third made it 8-2 in the third.

Bruins winger Morgan Geekie left the game at the end of the first period for a “family matter.”

Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman made a right-pad stop on Vincent Trocheck’s penalty shot.

Up next

Rangers: Host Seattle on Monday night.

Bruins: Host Pittsburgh on Sunday.

The St. Louis Blues (17-20-8) will try to salvage a game to end a three-game road trip when they conclude it on Saturday against the Vegas Golden Knights (19-11-12) at 9 p.m. (FDSNMW, ESPN 101.1-FM).

The Blues are coming off a 4-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth on Friday and have lost two straight, including a trip-opening 7-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday.

The Blues didn't necessarily play poorly Friday, outshooting Utah 28-23 in the game but were done i by a lack of coverage at the net front and once again: special teams, going 0-for-4 on an anemic power play that is now 0-for-17 the past six games and a penalty kill that has allowed four goals on seven attempts this trip and has allowed a goal in eight of the past 13 games.

It's the third and final meeting between the teams this season and the Blues' only visit to Vegas. The teams split two games in St. Louis, with the Blues winning the latest, 4-3 on Jan. 2.

Blues coach Jim Monntgomery will speak pregame at 7:45 p.m. (CT) to address any lineup changes since  the Blues did not hold a morning skate, but judging what he's done with Oskar Sundqvist, who scored the Blues' first goal on Friday, in the past and rested him on second of back-to-backs for load management purposes, we'll assume he will not play tonight and insert Robby Fabbri there, which is what the Blues did on Jan. 3 after Sundqvist played against Vegas but did not the following day against the Montreal Canadiens.

Also, Jordan Binnington is projected to get the nod after Joel Hofer made 19 saves on Friday but stay tuned for those confirmed lineup changes after Montgomery's availability.

We know Robert Thomas left in the third period after smacking his head on the ice but did return, and for the second straight game this trip, Jimmy Snuggerud had at least 10 shot attempts with 11 on Friday (five shots on goal, two blocked and four missing the net).

- - -

Blues Projected Lineup:

Jake Neighbours-Robert Thomas-Jordan Kyrou

Pavel Buchnevich-Brayden Schenn-Jimmy Snuggerud

Otto Stenberg-Dalibor Dvorsky-Jonatan Berggren

Alexey Toropchenko-Robby Fabbri-Nathan Walker

Philip Broberg-Colton Parayko

Tyler Tucker-Justin Faulk

Cam Fowler-Logan Mailloux

Jordan Binnington is projected to start in goal; Joel Hofer would be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Mathieu Joseph, Oskar Sundqvist and Matthew Kessel. Pius Suter (high ankle sprain), Dylan Holloway (high ankle sprain) and Nick Bjugstad (upper body) are out.

- - -

Golden Knights Projected Lineup:

Ivan Barbashev-Jack Eichel-Mark Stone

Reilly Smith-Mitch Marner-Pavel Dorofeyev

Brett Howden-Tomas Hertl-Keegan Kolesar

Cole Reinhardt-Colton Sissons-Braeden Bowman

Noah Hanifin-Zach Whitecloud

Jeremy Lauzon-Shea Theodore

Ben Hutton-Kaeden Korczak

Akird Schmid will start in goal; Carter Hart will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Jaycob Megna and Alexander Holtz. Adin Hill (lower body), William Karlsson (lower body), Brayden McNabb (upper body) and Brandon Saad (undisclosed) are out.

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.

Just when things seem to be getting better, the injury bug bits right back at the Pittsburgh Penguins.

One game after activating forward Evgeni Malkin from injured reserve (IR), the Penguins announced Saturday that top-line winger Bryan Rust is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury. In a corresponding move, the Penguins recalled forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS), as they had an open spot on their roster and didn't require an IR move.

It's unclear exactly when Rust sustained the injury, but he did appear to be in some pain after blocking a shot during Pittsburgh's 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. He will not be in the lineup against the Calgary Flames on Saturday.

Rust, 33, has been a fixture alongside Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell on the Penguins' top line this season, and his production will be hard to replace for whatever length of time he is out. The veteran from Pontiac, Mich. has 16 goals and 36 points in 40 games on the season, and he also plays on both special teams units, which limits the Penguins there as well.

Harvey-Pinard, 27, was signed to a one-year deal worth $775,000 during the offseason. He was waived at the conclusion of training camp and re-assigned to the AHL, where he has seven goals and 13 points in 32 games to go along with a plus-8 rating. 

Penguins Call Up Skilled Forward From AHLThe Penguins have called up this forward from the AHL.

Harvey-Pinard spent parts of four seasons with the Montreal Canadiens - who selected him in the seventh round (201st overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft - and put up 17 goals and 31 points in 84 games. 

The Penguins will look to extend their six-game win streak against Calgary, who have lost four in a row heading into the Saturday afternoon tilt at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. Forward Tommy Novak will skate in Rust's place on the first line, while Kevin Hayes - playing in his first game since Dec. 23 - will slot in as the third-line center in place of Novak. 

'I'm Lucky To Be Able To Play With Him': Penguins' Rookie Relishes Opportunity To Center All-Time GreatPittsburgh Penguins' rookie Ben Kindel is experiencing a rare opportunity to center an all-time great NHL player in Evgeni Malkin - and he hopes to make the most of it.

---

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!      

The Montreal Canadiens are gearing up for a big contest against the Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 10. With the Canadiens and Red Wings being tied at the top of the Atlantic Division standings at 55 points, this game will certainly be one to watch. 

The Canadiens will also be getting one of their very important defenseman back for the contest.

The Canadiens have confirmed that blueliner Kaiden Guhle will be back in the lineup against the Red Wings. 

It's been a long road back for Guhle, as he has not played since the Canadiens' Oct. 16 contest against the Nashville Predators. With this, he has missed each of Montreal's last 39 games. Yet, with today's news, Guhle is set to return for the Original Six club. 

With Guhle being one of the Canadiens' key defensemen, there is no question that his return is good news. This is especially so when noting that the Canadiens are looking to remain one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference as the season rolls on. 

Guhle paired with Arber Xhekaj at the Canadiens' morning skate. With this, Jayden Struble is not expected to be in the lineup against Detroit. 

RETOUR AU JEU POUR KAIDEN GUHLE CE SOIR

KAIDEN GUHLE RETURNS TO PLAY TONIGHT#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/VzToJON7kQ

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 10, 2026

In five games this season with the Canadiens, Guhle has recorded one goal, one assist, 16 hits, and a plus-1 rating. This is after he had six goals, 12 assists, 18 points, 104 hits, and 124 blocks in 55 games for Montreal this past season.

The Chicago Blackhawks will play the second half of a back-to-back on Saturday night in Nashville. This comes one night after a tough 5-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Friday night.

This loss to Washington snapped a four-game winning streak for Chicago, but the lineup was compromised in the defeat. What head coach Jeff Blashill called a “stomach bug” is floating around the locker room, causing players to either miss or play under the weather. 

They have a chance for a quick turnaround against the Nashville Predators on Saturday night, but the stomach bug doesn’t seem to have fully left them yet. It will likely be another game that the guys who do play have to battle extra hard. 

Scouting Nashville

The Nashville Predators had a horrific letdown year in 2024-25. After signing veterans like Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei, they expected to take their playoff team from the year prior and elevate it to a Stanley Cup contender. Instead, they were a lottery team. 

This season, it looked like they would be a lottery team once again at the start of the year. They couldn’t buy a win early. Lately, however, they have been hot enough to get themselves back in the Western Conference playoff race. Nashville is 7-3-0 in its last 10 games, 20-19-4 overall, and sits three points outside of a playoff spot. 

This team that once looked like a lock to trade all of its stars now has an eye on a different prize. With that, the Blackhawks are next on their list of potential victims. Nashville came to Chicago on November 28th and beat them at the United Center 4-3. 

Forsberg - O'Reilly - Stamkos

Bunting - Haula - Evangelista

Jost - Svechkov - Wood

Schaefer - McCarron - Smith

Josi - Perbix

Skjei - Wilsby

Hague - Blankenburg

Saros

Marchessault is dealing with something that has him listed as day-to-day. That leaves Filip Forsberg, Ryan O’Reilly, and Steven Stamkos as their big guns offensively. 

On defense, Roman Josi leads the way, along with goalie Juuse Saros. To break through, the Blackhawks just need to continue their effort on the forecheck. The Predators have been playing well lately, but this is a team the Blackhawks have the firepower to overcome, as long as they have their legs going.

Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago

The Chicago Blackhawks called up goalie prospect Stan Berezhnoy ahead of the game. That means that Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom are not yet better as they deal with the stomach illness that forced Drew Commesso into action on Friday night. 

Bertuzzi-Greene-Burakovsky

Bedard-Moore-Lardis

Teravainen-Dickinson-Donato

Dach-Foligno-Slaggert

Vlasic-Murphy

Kaiser-Levshunov

Korchinski-Grzelcyk

Berezhnoy

This is how the Blackhawks lined up their forwards and defense on Friday night against the Capitals. It is unclear if the illness has hit anyone else, but Berezhnoy was the only call-up to this point. Commesso and Korchinski, who were call-ups on Friday, may be dressed on Saturday as well. 

Jeff Blashill said that Ilya Mikheyev will travel to Nashville and likely play. If that's the only change to the skaters, expect Slaggert to come out and for Mikheyev to go back in. We won't know the changes this causes for the lines until warmups. 

How To Watch

The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found locally on CHSN. The puck will drop shortly after 7:00 PM CT. 

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

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

The Buffalo Sabres are hoping to keep their red-hot pace to start a very busy homestand of five games in eight days against the Anaheim Ducks at KeyBank Center on Saturday night. The Sabres have won 12 of the last 13 games, but are still on the outside looking in on the Eastern Conference playoff race, trailing the Washington Capitals by two points and the Pittsburgh Penguins by one point for the two wildcard spots. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is expected to get the start for the Sabres. 

Head coach Lindy Ruff spoke to the media after the club’s morning skate:

What is the status of defenseman Michael Kesselring?

(He's) progressing? I think (Sunday is) an off day for him. Monday, we'll get him involved in some physical stuff and see how he reacts to that. Midweek will hopefully have a decision on whether he can play or not…….There's only one person (when it) gets to a point with anybody's situation, that only they know how they feel. So he'll let us know when he feels well enough. I think once he's cleared, seeing him on the ice today means he's cleared to probably 90%. We get Monday, Tuesday and it's how he reacts to more physical stuff, where you have to push off more, you have to grind more, you have to battle more, than just skating around shooting pucks.

How will injured players get their work in to get back into the lineup?

Let's be realistic. There's not a lot of practice time for us, with the way the schedule is going to unfold. It's more about playing and getting rest with the number of games we've got in the short period of time coming up…….They'll be ready. Those guys get their work in. They're putting a lot of work on the ice, put a lot of work off the ice. I think you've seen where guys have stepped in and played well. Look what our boys have done when they've stepped in. Our job is to have these guys ready when they're called and a guy like (Tyson Kozak), if you stuck him in tonight, he's ready to go.

Other Sabres Stories

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

 What do you attribute the offensive spike from Mattias Samuelsson to?

I don't know. I've said in the past, he should talk really well. I think you saw an example that on that shorthanded(goal in New York), he's got a real hard shot, and he's put himself in a lot of good situations. Look at the the first goal we scored, he ripped the wrist shot that broke the guy's stick, recovered the puck, and then set Doan in. He's been able to put the puck past the goaltender when he's got himself in good position.

What has been the secret to the improved penalty killing this season?

It's a lot of things. We've had big saves at big times. We have a lot of pucks to go through us. We've stayed away from the seem plays where teams can expose you and go back door. We're a lot better at getting the puck down the ice. Last year, we got burned a lot of times where failed clears would hurt us. So it really isn't just one thing. I think it's a combination of three or four things that have improved from day one at camp, and those are probably the major things.

Follow Michael on X, Instagram  @MikeInBuffalo

Forward Maxim Tsyplakov will return to the New York Islanders' lineup on Saturday night when they battle the Minnesota Wild. 

Tsyplakov, in his second NHL season, has played in only 23 of the Islanders' 44 games, with 1 goal in an average of 9:49 per game. 

He last played on Jan. 3, a 3-2 overtime win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

But, despite finding himself out of the lineup more often than not after signing a two-year extension this past summer worth $2.25 million annually. 

Where Things Stand Between Tsyplakov & Islanders Tsyplakov filed for player-elected salary arbitration on July 7.

“We have a lot of players that are playing well," Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche said on Thursday morning. "He had a tougher start to the year, and now if you look at our record, a lot of guys are playing well. Are we perfect? By no means. Is everybody playing outstanding every game? No.

"It’s not that he forced us to take him out — it’s just that the other guys have been a bit better. But I still believe in Tsyplakov. He still has the ability. When he gets the opportunity, he has to take it and force us to keep him in the lineup. Right now, it’s not that he forced us to take him out — the other guys have forced us to keep them in.”

It is worth mentioning that Tsyplakov sustained an injury during training camp, which forced him to miss all but one of the preseason games, playing in the finale against the New York Rangers. 

The notion that Tsyplakov isn't an NHL-caliber player is false. Does he fit the Islanders' system to a tee? No. Would he likely be better suited in a different system, one that allows for more East-West work than just going North, like head coach Patrick Roy wants? Yes.

But the reality of the situation is that he is with the Islanders, and with forward Kyle Palmieri out for the season with a torn ACL and no one having yet won that job, there's still an opportunity for Tsyplakov to leave his mark.

Is there any bigger momentum booster than your general manager having your back?

Tsyplakov will skate alongside Casey Cizikas and Marc Gatcomb against the Wild. 

#Isles HC Patrick Roy had a convo with Maxim Tsyplakov:

"We want him to be physical & we think that he has the game to play against these guys. Foligno & Tarasenko, they're very physical, so we think that'd be a good time for him to play."

(H/t @NYIslanders)

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) January 10, 2026