It was another dreadful performance by the skaters. At one point, the Penguins were being outshot 33-10, and they finished the game outshot 45-22.
Rookie goaltender Sergei Murashov was the only reason why the Penguins stole a point and had a chance to steal the extra one. He was locked in from the drop of the puck and made several massive saves throughout the game to keep the Penguins in it.
In his first two starts, Murashov has made 75 saves on 80 shots, good for a .938 save percentage. He looks like the real deal.
He'll have Saturday off when the Dallas Stars come to town. Arturs Silovs will start in this game and needs a good performance after struggling a little bit in Washington on Wednesday.
The Penguins will play a Stars team that is 2-2 overall and has outscored their opponents 9-0 this week. They're one of the best teams in the league and are a handful to deal with.
If the Penguins want to snap their three-game losing streak, they'll need to get off to a fast start and be way more responsible in their own end. They haven't made things easy for their goaltenders over the last week, and that needs to change.
There's a chance that head coach Dan Muse tweaks the lines after Friday's shootout loss, but this is what they looked like last night:
Forwards
Rakell-Crosby-Rust
Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin
Lapierre-Kindel-Koivunen
Dewar-Lizotte-Robertson
Defensive pairs
Carlile-Karlsson
Girard-Korczak
van Riemsdyk-Letang
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. You can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
Not many in this Top 25 had the chance to play NHL games for the Devils in the “Jersey Jersey,” but Topias Vilen made his NHL debut in his. | Getty Images
Happy weekend and happy game day, Devils fans. As we wait for our matinee against the Canucks, please feel free to read about another set of our Top 25 Under 25!
The New Jersey Devils’ third pick from the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, selected at 44th overall, kicks off our top 15 this year. Nikita Shcherbakov is already looking like he might be one of the steals of the draft. Last season, Shcherbakov played seven scoreless games with Salavat Yulaev Ufa, spending most of his season in the VHL (Russian second-tier) with Toros Neftekamsk, where he had four goals and six assists in 35 games. He also had 10 assists in 15 games for Tolpar Ufa in the MHL, or Russian juniors. By our expectations, we would have been happy to see Shcherbakov have a good season in the VHL, improving from the slow production he had there last year. We would have been thrilled with some modest production in the KHL.
So, who would have expected that Shcherbakov would already have two goals and four assists in 14 games for his KHL club? For a KHL rookie, Shcherbakov positions himself aggressively enough to contribute to the offense. Of course, this might not last forever. According to the KHL website, Shcherbakov only plays about 10:06 per game, and he has neither received penalty killing nor power play shifts to this point. Still, he has a chance to make history. In the 18 years that the KHL has existed, the all-time leading scorers among 18-year old defensemen are Anton Silaev and Mikhail Gulyaev, who had 12 points in 63 and 64 games, respectively. The all-time leading per-game scorer among 18-year old defensemen is Shakir Mukhamadullin, who had 10 points in 39 games.
While he did slip a bit in these rankings, Shane Lachance still has a very good chance of making the NHL. At 6’5” and 218 pounds, Lachance’s easiest path to the big club is by establishing himself as a consistent netfront presence. Last season, we saw a glimpse of that when he scored a preseason goal against the Capitals with the Devils’ power play, but Lachance played one game for the New Jersey Devils in the regular season. On a floundering Utica Comets team for most of that season, Lachance only had 10 goals and 15 assists in 62 games after having a goal and an assist in two games for them in 2024-25 upon his departure from Boston University. It was hard not to notice that players like Lachance and Cam Squires looked outstanding immediately after leaving their juniors or college teams only to have strongly disappointing full seasons with Utica.
This season, we hope for more from Lachance. The team as a whole is built far more competitively, including multiple former NHLers such as Vladislav Kolyachonok and Colin White along with higher-scoring AHLers such as Ben Steeves and Riley Tufte. Having multiple layers of scoring threat built throughout that lineup means that games no longer hinge on whether players like Lachance, Melovsky, and Hameenaho are the absolute key to whether they win or lose, as opponents will be forced to make tougher matchup decisions. Utica played their first game eight days ago, but their season finally resumes this evening. Let’s hope for a display of improved skating and high-danger scoring from the big Lachance.
13. Matyas Melovsky (RH C) — Last Rank: 16 — Age: 22 — Team: Utica Comets (AHL)
Prior to Sunny Mehta’s trade of Jacob Markstrom for Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist, I would have thought that Matyas Melovsky was a strong candidate to make the NHL this season as a fourth-line center. The Czech right-hander was drafted in 2024 as a double-overage selection by the Devils in the sixth round, and this move has proved to be a rather solid one. Melovsky grew as a goal scorer over time in the QMJHL, going from a pure playmaker to a dual-threat with two-way success that made him one of the best players in the league at the time. Last season, in his professional debut for the Utica Comets, Melovsky had 10 goals and 16 assists in 55 games while having some of the best on-ice results on the team.
This year, Melovsky is off to a good start with an assist in Utica’s only game to date, as he got the primary assist on a goal by Ben Steeves. What makes Melovsky so easy to project into the NHL is his skating ability and positioning. He always seems to be making the right plays, far from being a selfish player. The New Jersey Devils might not have an easy way for Melovsky to get onto the team this season, but I expect him to be the regular number one center for Utica, above Schmelzer, White, and McLaughlin, by November. Of course, I think he should already be there.
Continuing the theme of this entry of the Top 25 Under 25 being dominated by Utica Comets, Topias Vilen is the prospect in this section who played the most games in the NHL last season. Those two games might not stand out, but Vilen held his own in his cup-of-coffee NHL experience. Personally, I was not surprised by this, as Vilen has been playing professional hockey since he was 17, when he played in the Finnish Liiga. Since coming to the AHL in 2023, Vilen has been very consistent with 24 or more points in each season and a total of 80 points in 174 games.
This season, Vilen has to contend with a more stacked left side of the defense in Utica. Playing with Anton Silaev and Ethan Edwards, Vilen’s best chance of getting 20 minutes a game would necessitate him playing on the right side where Vladislav Kolyachonok is currently slated (especially while Seamus Casey remains out). Along with Kolyachonok, Vilen was among the final cuts from the New Jersey Devils’ roster going into the regular season, so there is a chance that we see him again this season. But if injuries arise, Mehta and Keefe will need to decide whether they prefer the steadiness of Vilen’s game or the potential of the speedy Edwards, the giant Silaev, or the NHL-experienced Kolyachonok.
The gap between Vilen and Ethan Edwards, in my opinion, is razor-thin. Honestly, going by pure production, Vilen is probably a bit better. Edwards is nearly a year older and was a four-year college player, where he was never a huge point producer at the University of Michigan. But Edwards’s skating has always been extremely intriguing. He has good edges and straight-line speed with the potential to be a good two-way defenseman that can close gaps quickly and join the attack. Last season, Edwards even had 10 goals for the Utica Comets, though his total of 23 points in 69 games still lagged well behind Vilen’s overall pace.
Edwards has one very big issue to take care of this season, though. In the 2025-26 season, Edwards had the third-worst on-ice goal rates out of 10 defensemen who played 10 or more games for the Utica Comets. And with most of the power play time last season going to Calen Addison, Seamus Casey, and Topias Vilen, Edwards was unable to push for power play time, while having significantly less success in extended penalty killing minutes than Vilen. First and foremost, Edwards needs to get his five-on-five play under control, proving that he can put his excellent skating to good use. Second, Edwards needs to find a special teams niche in the AHL, whether it is on the power play or penalty kill. If he can do that, he might put himself in position to push for a roster spot by next year. With Edwards being ranked so high, we are betting big on physical tools and athleticism.
The Vote
See below for the tally today.
As I mentioned yesterday, we are at the point where the variance in rankings has reduced significantly. The true average ranks for each of these players sat between 12 and 14.33, while the worst individual rank for any of them was 20 and the best individual ranks were as high as 9. This is where the slight disagreements came from everyone:
I had Nikita Shcherbakov (17->15) and Shane Lachance (16->14) in the top 20.
James had Matyas Melovsky (16->13) in the top 20 and Lachance (9->14) in the top 10.
Jared had Ethan Edwards (10->11) and Shcherbakov (9->15) in the top 10.
Jackson had Topias Vilen (17->12) in the top 20.
Tim had Lachance (20->14) in the top 20 and Melovsky (10->13) in the top 10.
The community had Shcherbakov (20->15) in the top 20 and Edwards (9->11) in the top 10.
We are largely in consensus over the general range of these prospects. By this point of the rankings, we are hoping that at least three of the five players here turn into true NHLers. They might not be superstars at this range (though Jared may have been onto something ranking Shcherbakov so high when he did), but there should be NHL depth, third pairing defensemen, or bottom six forwards of the future here. After these five, the expectations take another jump.
Your Thoughts
What did you think of today’s rankings release? Who are you excited to follow throughout this season? What do you think of Shcherbakov’s historic start in the KHL? Do you think Melovsky or Lachance will appear for the Devils this season? Do you think Vilen or Edwards might serve as injury fill-ins at some point? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and thanks for reading.
Ahead of Saturday afternoon's road game against the Boston Bruins, the Philadelphia Flyers announced a slew of unfortunate injury updates that will have major impacts on the team's short- and long-term plans.
According to Flyers general manager Danny Briere, forward Travis Konecny (lower-body) and Cam York (upper-body) are both day-to-day and will not play against the Bruins on Saturday.
Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who accompanied the Flyers for their three-game road trip, has been placed on injured reserve retroactive to Oct. 3, making him eligible to return as soon as he is ready to play.
With Ristolainen on injured reserve, the Flyers activated defenseman Helge Grans, who started the season on season-opening injured reserve due to a lower-body injury suffered in the preseason.
With York and Ristolainen out, Grans will make his season debut against the Bruins on Saturday on a defense pairing with Simon Benoit.
The most significant and unfortunate piece of injury news comes from a player who has hardly played in the last seven months, a trend that will linger into the foreseeable future.
Energetic young winger Nikita Grebenkin, who has not played a competitive game for the Flyers since March 21, will be out a minimum of four months after undergoing back surgery.
Grebenkin, 23, missed most of training camp with his injury but eventually returned to skate in a yellow no-contact jersey before playing against, ironically, the Bruins in a preseason game on Sept. 24.
In that game against the Bruins, Grebenkin was apparently injured by a collision along the wall, but eventually returned to the game. The Russian forward has been out since then.
Updated Flyers lineup
With the slew of injuries mentioned above, here's how the Flyers are expected to line up against Boston on Saturday, and potentially Carolina on Sunday night, too.
Christian Dvorak - Trevor Zegras - Tyson Foerster
Owen Tippett - Sean Couturier - Matvei Michkov
Denver Barkey - Noah Cates - Porter Martone
Garrett Wilson - Noel Acciari - Michael Bunting
Travis Sanheim - Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler - David Jiricek
Simon Benoit - Helge Grans
Having a back-to-back this weekend complicates things, as the Flyers have just one spare healthy skater on the roster in Carl Grundstrom.
Grundstrom did not play against Ottawa on Thursday night and will remain out in favor of the long-time tough guy Wilson as the Flyers face the hosting Bruins in the most important game of their winless 0-3-2 season thus far.
NEW YORK (AP) — New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin is out for the season after injuring his right knee Friday night in a game at Washington, the team announced Saturday.
Shesterkin did not put any weight on his right leg as he was helped off the ice by teammates after an awkward fall into his own net against the Capitals.
Shesterkin came well out of his crease to challenge a shooter midway through the second period and fell as he scrambled back to the net. The 30-year-old Russian jammed his right skate into the right post as he slid back into the crease and collapsed into the net in pain.
“It's awful, you know? He's a pillar of this team. It stinks," Rangers captain J.T. Miller said following the 3-1 loss to the Capitals.
Coach Mike Sullivan said after his team's four-game winning streak was snapped: “He's an elite goaltender and you never want to see anyone get hurt. Obviously, he's an important player for us.”
The 2022 Vezina Trophy winner missed a month last season with a lower-body injury, contributing to the Rangers finishing last in the Eastern Conference.
Shesterkin was off to a strong start this season with a 3-1 record and 1.76 goals-against average. Last week, he became the first Rangers goalie to score a goal when he lofted the puck the length of the ice into an empty net late in New York’s home opener against Tampa Bay.
“We're not going to let that take the wind out of our sails,” Miller said about Shesterkin's injury. “We love the way we're playing most of the time.”
Shesterkin stopped 13 of 14 shots and left with the score tied 1-all. He was replaced by 24-year-old backup Dylan Garand, who gave up the go-ahead goal late in the second but finished with 11 saves on 12 shots.
It was the fifth NHL appearance and second this season for Garand, recalled last week from Hartford of the American Hockey League after clearing waivers. Garand made 22 saves in a 2-0 shutout at Detroit last Friday with the Rangers playing their second game in two nights.
Garand went 2-0-1 with a 1.62 goals-against average and .948 save percentage in three starts for the Rangers last season.
New York acquired veteran goaltender Joonas Korpisalo from the Boston Bruins last summer to be Shesterkin’s backup. But the 32-year-old Finn was placed on injured reserve last week and was week to week with a lower-body injury.
The Montreal Canadiens made an early-season trade on Friday, dealing defenseman Jayden Struble to the Nashville Predators for a second-round pick.
With the Canadiens having a defensive logjam on their left side, it seemed likely that one of their defensemen would be moved. Now, Struble is the player that they have decided to part ways with.
With the Canadiens trading Struble, let's look at two more Montreal players who could be on the move next.
Kirby Dach
Questions about Kirby Dach's future with the Canadiens have come up for a while now. He has been the subject of early-season trade rumors, and he could be a good trade chip for Montreal to dangle to upgrade their roster elsewhere.
Dach is signed for the 2026-27 season and is a pending unrestricted free agent. Thus, if the Canadiens do not view him as a long-term part of their plans, it would not be too surprising if he got moved this season.
In four games so far this season, Dach has one assist and a minus-2 rating.
Samuel Montembeault
Samuel Montembeault will be sidelined for the next 10 to 14 days due to injury. Although this is the case, he is still a goalie who should be watched as a trade candidate this season
Montembeault is a pending unrestricted free agent, and the Canadiens have Jacob Fowler waiting in the wings. With that, it would not be surprising if Montembeault is traded to another team by the deadline. This is especially so if he has a solid year for Montreal once he returns from injury.
The Senators are getting one of their injured forwards back just as another heads to long-term injured reserve.
Andre Burakovsky is expected to make his Senators debut on Saturday night when they host the Nashville Predators at Canadian Tire Centre.
The veteran winger's return comes at an important time for the Senators, who just placed William Eklund on long-term injured reserve after a serious ankle injury in Thursday night's 2-1 home-opening victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.
During training camp, newcomer Andre Burakovsky, who will make his Sens debut on Saturday, looked back at his tough finish to the season in Chicago last season (Senators YouTube).
Eklund was hurt in the first period after taking a hit from Flyers defenceman Simon Benoit and awkwardly jamming his skate into the base of the boards. He needed help getting off the ice and was unable to put any weight on his left leg.
The Senators haven't confirmed the exact nature of the ankle injury or provided a timetable for his return, but head coach Travis Green said Eklund will be out for "an extended period of time."
The move to LTIR means Eklund must miss at least 10 games and 24 calendar days from the date of his injury.
Based on the morning skate combinations, it looks like Green will plug Burakovsky right into Eklund's spot alongside Tim Stützle and Drake Batherson.
Burakovsky participated in Saturday's morning skate wearing a regular jersey, as did defencemen Artem Zub and Kurtis MacDermid. While that's encouraging news on the injury front, Zub isn't ready to return against Nashville.
For Burakovsky, it's a great chance to turn the page on a very rough finish to last season.
The Senators acquired the former Stanley Cup champion from Chicago during the offseason, hoping a change of scenery might help him rediscover some of the offensive production that once made him a valuable top-six forward.
His final stretch with the Blackhawks was especially tough. Burakovsky managed just four points in his final 32 games last season, despite spending much of that time playing alongside Connor Bedard. But he started the year with 29 points in his first 43 games, and the Sens would be thrilled with that version of the player.
The Senators enter Saturday's game with a 3-1 record, having won their first two games on the road against Toronto and Boston before looking tired and stumbling in Detroit.
They bounced back Thursday against Philadelphia, with rookie defenceman Carter Yakemchuk scoring the game-winning goal on a third-period power-play one-timer.
Unfortunately, injuries have been a recurring theme in the Sens' victories this season. Jake Sanderson was injured in the opener against Toronto, Linus Ullmark left the Boston game as a precaution following a collision, and Eklund went down against Philadelphia.
Ullmark returned Thursday and was excellent, stopping 28 of 29 shots in the victory.
Nashville will provide the opposition on Saturday. It's the Predators' final stop of a three-game trip through eastern Canada, and they've already collected three of a possible four points.
They opened the trip Tuesday with a 5-4 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs before bouncing back Thursday with a 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.
On Friday, the Predators acquired 25-year-old Canadiens defenceman Jayden Struble in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick originally belonging to Vegas.
Struble, who was a healthy scratch for Montreal on Thursday, brings a strong, physical element to Nashville's blue line. He was on the ice with the Predators at Saturday's morning skate, so he's a good bet to play against the Senators.
Here's how the Sens are projected to line up on Saturday night.
Forwards
Andre Burakovsky – Tim Stützle – Drake Batherson Ridly Greig – Dylan Cozens – Fabian Zetterlund Michael Amadio – Shane Pinto – Claude Giroux Warren Foegele – Stephen Halliday – Nick Cousins
Defence
Thomas Chabot – Jordan Spence Tyler Kleven – Carter Yakemchuk Hoyt Stanley – Nikolas Matinpalo
Goaltenders
Linus Ullmark Samuel Ersson
Zub rotated in with Matinpalo and Stanley during Saturday's morning skate, but his return doesn't appear imminent. MacDermid also participated in a regular jersey.
But the biggest lineup development, of course, is Burakovsky's debut. For the Swedish veteran, there's no better time to start proving that a change of scenery was exactly what he needed.
Jaden Schwartz has never scored 30 goals in an NHL season, but four games into this year, he’s making that milestone look like a distant memory. The Colorado Avalanche forward has six points already, and he’ll look to keep it going Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Ball Arena.
Toronto is coming off a 4-3 shootout loss to Vegas on Thursday. The Leafs built a 3-0 lead in the first period but couldn’t hold on. Saturday marks their only trip to Denver this season.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Auston Matthews
Matthews has given Colorado trouble throughout his career. He has 23 points (12 goals, 11 assists) in 18 games against the Avalanche, including two goals and an assist in his last four appearances at Ball Arena.
He scored a hat trick in Toronto’s 8-3 win over Colorado on Dec. 1, 2021. The Avalanche were 11-7-1 at the time, months before winning the Stanley Cup.
William Nylander
Nylander has 13 assists in 17 career games against Colorado. He’s been effective at setting up teammates in this matchup, and the Avalanche will need to keep him from finding too much room.
Gavin McKenna and Easton Cowan
McKenna, the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, has one goal and two assists through five games. Cowan scored on a breakaway against Vegas on Thursday.
Both players have the speed to take advantage of turnovers. Colorado has given the puck away at times early this season, and those mistakes could give Toronto some dangerous chances.
Sergei Bobrovsky was impressive in Thursday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights, so head coach Jim Hiller may give the two-time Stanley Cup champion another start. The 38-year-old has a 12-6-2 record in 21 career games against the Avalanche, with a 2.79 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage.
Colorado Avalanche
Jaden Schwartz
Schwartz has three goals and three assists through four games, including two goals in Thursday’s 7-3 win over Calgary.
He’s never scored 30 goals in an NHL season, but his current pace has him on track for 63. It’s still early, but Schwartz has been outstanding and is giving Colorado another scoring threat alongside its star players.
Nathan MacKinnon
MacKinnon has eight points through four games this season, including a goal and two assists against Calgary. He’s also had plenty of success against Toronto, with 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) in 24 career games.
He’s recorded seven points in his last four meetings with the Maple Leafs.
Cale Makar
Makar had two goals and an assist against Calgary. He has 10 points in 12 career games against Toronto, including five in his last four matchups.
Brock Nelson is another player to watch. He scored a hat trick in Colorado’s 4-1 win over Toronto on Jan. 25, 2026. Martin Necas has 14 points in 16 career games against the Leafs, although 12 of those came during his time with Carolina.
Colorado has been finding the net with little trouble, but Toronto has the speed to make the Avalanche pay for mistakes. If Colorado can limit the turnovers, it will have a good chance to keep its hot start going at home.
If we have to make an educated guess, Mackenzie Blackwood will probably get the nod in between the pipes. The 29-year-old has a record of 2-2-1 in seven games with a goals against average of 3.52 and a save percentage of .886 against the Maple Leafs in his career. However, he has two out of his last three starts against Toronto.
Scott Wedgewood hasn't fared much better. However, he has not played against the Maple Leafs since he was a member of the Dallas Stars. The 34-year-old is 1-3-2 in six appearances with a goals against average of 4.15 and a sub.900 save percentage against the Leafs.
Bo Horvat was back on the ice with the team for Saturday’s morning skate despite taking a dirty open-ice hit from Chicago Blackhawks winger Frank Nazar late in Thursday night’s win.
Horvat was evaluated by doctors and New York’s training staff during their off day, and he’s deemed himself ready to go for Saturday night’s meeting with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“Hits like those you never know, right,” the captain said. “Anytime the principal point of contact is my head it’s always scary, but I feel fine -- the right side of my head hurts a little bit, but other than that I feel pretty good.”
Horvat, of course, took Nazar’s shoulder directly to the head after burying an empty-netter, sending him twisting in the air before landing directly on his side.
Nazar was dealt a major penalty and game misconduct for the hit, and later received a two-game suspension after meeting with the NHL Department of Player Safety.
Horvat, though, didn’t view the dangerous play as anything done intentionally.
“It was just a chain of unfortunate events,” he explained. “I definitely didn’t see him, but I don’t think he’s the type of player to go looking for that -- it just ended up working out that way.”
Either way, the Islanders are thrilled their leader won’t have to miss any time.
“It’s a huge relief,” head coach Pete DeBoer said. “Felt it was a dangerous hit, but obviously the league dealt with it -- on our end, I’m just thankful that he’s available because sometimes headshots like that you can lose a guy for a while.”
Horvat has scored four times and added an assist over New York’s first four games.
ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues announced on Saturday that forward Dillon Dube will be re-evaluated in eight weeks after suffering a neck injury in the Blues’ 3-2 overtime loss against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.
"It’s
been tough," Blues coach Jim Montgoomery said Saturday morning. "We’ve had four injuries that are 4-6 weeks minimum. But
it’s an opportunity for our depth now. We’ve talked about in our
organization having really good depth. We have a lot of really good
young players, we have a lot of good veteran players. People are
going to get opportunities."
The 28-year-old has played in three games for the Blues this season and has 128 points (58 goals, 70 assists) in 328 games with the Blues and Calgary Flames.
Dube joins Tyler Tucker (knee), Alexey Toropchenko (upper body) and Logan Mailloux (hand) out of the lineup.
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The New York Islanders and their fans have been holding their breath on the status of captain and star forward Bo Horvat. But they can breathe a sigh of relief, as he'll play on Saturday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
On Saturday, GM Alexander Steen announced that forward Dillon Dube will miss the next eight weeks with a neck injury.
Dube was involved in an awkward collision with San Jose Sharks forward Will Smith. Dube hit the boards head-first, and it immediately looked bad for his neck.
The Blues went on to lose 3-2 in overtime after Dube scored a shorthanded goal. The goal was Dube's first goal of the season and his first since Nov. 16, 2023. Dube played three games before his injury, scoring the lone goal and averaging 11:32 of ice time.
With Dube injured and heading to the injured reserve, he joins Logan Mailloux, Tyler Tucker, and Alexey Toropchenko on the injured list. Zach Dean is expected to join the Blues lineup in Dube's absence.
Dean has skated in one regular-season game with the Blues this season and has played 10 NHL games in total. The 23-year-old plays at a fast pace and looks to dish the puck as a playmaker.
Dean will have the opportunity to step into the lineup tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
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With injuries to Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand, the Florida Panthers lineup is beginning to look different once again.
The team has moved players up and down, and off-season acquisitions are finding their way into the lineup.
Today, that will be veteran forward Sam Lafferty.
Lafferty is an NHL journeyman. The 31-year-old has played 378 career NHL games with five teams, and the Panthers will be his sixth. He's potted 41 goals and 92 points in his career, with his career high coming in the 2023-24 season, when he scored 13 goals and 24 points.
Lafferty is known for his speed, defensive work, and penalty-killing effectiveness. On occasion, Lafferty can wow opponents with slick hands off the rush, but for the most part, he is effective on the forecheck and by getting his 6-foot-2 frame in front of the net.
As Lafferty takes the fourth-line center role, Lars Eller moves on to center Brady Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart. Eller is off to a strong start this season, posting three assists in four games.
The Wild enter tonight's game after losing their previous two encounters. Like the Panthers, they're dealing with the injury bug and will be without Filip Gustavsson, Brock Faber, Nick Foligno, and likely Olli Maatta.
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The Chicago Blackhawks are back in Chicago with a 1-4-0 record. They won their only game at the United Center, but are winless on the road through four tries. Now, they are returning home to take on the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes (3-1-1).
If the Blackhawks are going to get a second win at home, they need to be on top of their game. They would need to play better than they did in any game so far this season.
Scouting Carolina
The Carolina Hurricanes have a ferocious attack, and they defend as well as any team in the NHL. They finally broke through in the playoffs last season with their current core, winning the Stanley Cup for the second time in franchise history.
There is not one forward or defenseman who drives the bus offensively, but they have a ton of talent and defend well as an overall unit.
Carrier - Aho -Svechnikov
Hall - Stankoven - Blake
Ehlers -Staal -Martinook
Kotkaniemi -Jankowski -Robinson
Slavin - Chatfield
Miller - Walker
Gostisbehere - Reilly
Bussi
Kochetkov
The Hurricanes are missing Seth Jarvis, who has yet to play this season because of off-season surgery. He is close to returning, which will be a big boost to their already stacked lineup, but it won't be against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Whether it is Bussi or Kochetkov in the net, they play strongly in front of them, allowing them to play their game and simply make saves.
Their top nine forward group is so strong. There are Olympians on all three lines who could drive the offense as well as anyone on the team. On any given night, one of them can be the trio that beats you.
On defense, they have three strong pairs. With that said, Jaccob Slavin is the best defensive defenseman in the NHL. He doesn't put up a lot of points, but he may be the hardest to play against in the league. When he's on the ice, the Blackhawks will have thier hands full when it comes to trying to create.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks are still without Connor Bedard, who is recovering from shoulder surgery. They are also without Frank Nazar now, who will miss the next two games serving a two-game suspension for an illegal check to the head.
The good news for them is that Teuvo Teravainen is good to go after missing Thursday's game with an injury.
Lardis-Greene-Kane
Kantserov-Frondell-Bertuzzi
Smith-Moore-Greenway
Donato-Toninato-Teravainen
Byram-Levshunov
Vlasic-Cole
Kaiser-Rinzel
Knight
Injuries and suspensions are forcing Jeff Blashill to make changes regularly. Ryan Greene is getting a chance to be that top-line center with Patrick Kane. Nick Lardis, who hasn't had a strong start, is getting a chance on that line as he tries to break out of it.
The rest of the forward lines are jumbled up, but Anton Frondell and Oliver Moore are getting their chance to serve as centers.
On defense, the pairs remain the same as in the last game. For now, this might be the group that works for them. Spencer Knight is going to start in goal.
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. It can be seen locally on CHSN. Nationally, you can stream it on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 6:00 PM CT.
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On Saturday morning, the Chicago Blackhawks announced that Ed Olczyk will be a team ambassador. He is joining Denis Savard, Chris Chelios, Jeremy Roenick, and Pat Foley in that role.
As an ambassador, he connects the franchise's past with the present. He is also tasked with helping grow the game across Chicagoland. He will also participate in many events over the years.
"Eddie Olczyk is part of the fabric of this franchise and this city. From the kid who grew up cheering in the stands, to the player who wore the sweater on home ice, to the voice that brought Blackhawks hockey into Chicago homes for years, few people have meant more to our fans," said Blackhawks President of Business Operations Jaime Faulkner. "We're thrilled to welcome Eddie home as a Blackhawks Ambassador, and we know our fans will be just as excited to see him back where he belongs."
Olczyk is a Chicago native who also played for the Blackhawks. He was their third overall pick in the 1984 NHL Draft. He also won the Stanley Cup as a member of the New York Rangers in 1994. Throughout his playing career, he also had stints with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Los Angeles Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Winnipeg Jets. He recorded 794 career points over those tenures.
When he retired, he did some coaching. He served as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins for Sidney Crosby's rookie season. After that, he had a long 16-year run as a color analyst on TV.
The Blackhawks announced that he will return to the television screens as part of this as a studio analyst on CHSN. That will be for select games, including Saturday night's game against the Carolina Hurricanes.
"The Blackhawks have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in Chicago dreaming about this team, and I got to live that dream by pulling on the sweater as a player and telling the story of this franchise as a broadcaster," said Olczyk. "To come home and represent the Blackhawks as an ambassador means more to me than I can put into words. I want to thank Danny Wirtz and Jaime Faulkner for welcoming me back and making this possible. Chicago is my home, the Blackhawks are my team, and my family and I are thrilled to be back with our fans."
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CALGARY, CANADA - OCTOBER 08: Jaden Schwartz #71 of the Colorado Avalanche and Scott Wedgewood #41 celebrate their 7-3 win against the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on October 08, 2026 in Calgary, Alberta. (Photo by Leah Hennel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After coming home with a split on the road, the Colorado Avalanche are back on home ice for another Saturday night showdown!
Tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs make their only regular season visit to Denver, with a few new faces in their lineup!
Colorado Avalanche (3-1-0)
The Opponent: Toronto Maple Leafs (2-2-01)
Time: 5:00 P.M. MDT/7:00 P.M. EDT
Watch: ALT, ALT+ (Avalanche Local Broadcast Area), NHL Network, NHL Center Ice (Outside Regional Broadcast Areas – US), SN+ (Canadian National Broadcast)
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio KKSE-FM 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
The Avs return home after splitting their first pair of back-to-back road games. They lost 3-2 on a (literal) last minute goal this past Wednesday against the Winnipeg Jets, but rebounded with a strong showing against the Calgary Flames in a 7-3 victory this past Thursday. The loss in Winnipeg was the first for Mackenzie Blackwood this season, while Scott Wedgewood earned his first win in his season debut against Calgary.
Jaden Schwartz scored three goals across both contests. Fedor Svechkov scored his first goal in an Avalanche sweater against Winnipeg. Zachary L’Heureux, acquired with Svechkov from Nashville in the offseason, made his Avalanche debut against Winnipeg and recorded his first assist on Nathan MacKinnon’s eventual game-winning goal in Calgary. L’Heureux also had his first fight for the Avs in a short bout with Calgary’s Matt Coronato.
Devon Toews, who had a career-low three goals last season, scored a pair of goals against Calgary. His defensive partner in Cale Makar also scored a pair of goals against his hometown team.
T.J. Hughes also recorded his first point of his NHL career, assisting on Schwartz’s first goal on against Calgary.
Head coach Jared Bednar said this of his third line in comments after the Calgary game. “That line’s found a little bit of chemistry. A couple of points each [Wednesday] night, again tonight. Schwartz and [Svechkov] and our young guy Hughes on that line, they’re doing some good things, and if we can keep building that chemistry, I like where that line’s going.”
When asked about what Hughes and L’Heureux have shown to this point in the season, Bednar said, “Hughes has fit in in all kinds of ways for us, including on the top power play. He’s a smart guy, doesn’t throw the puck away, really good passer. I think he he thinks the game really well, got a great brain and hockey sense. Can play on the top end skill guys and make plays.
“L’Heureux, this is kind of our first look at him here on this back to back […] He’s a rugged guy, straight-line player, will play through you, kind of fits the identity of our fourth line. He had a good night again tonight. I really liked his game [Wednesday] in Winnipeg. […] We’re excited about our team and some of those young guys being able to come in and help us. [Svechkov] is another young player that’s really showed up nicely for us here at the start of the season.”
While the Avs remain perfect on the penalty kill, the power play has gone three games without a goal since going 4/5 in the season opener against Los Angeles on September 30.
MacKinnon leads all skaters in points (8) and assists (5), while also sharing the team lead in penalty minutes (5) with L’Heureux. He also leads the team in goals (3), along with Makar, Schwartz, and Artturi Lehkonen.
The Avs have split every season series against Toronto going back to the 2017-2018 season. Their last victory on home ice came against Toronto was in a 7-3 victory on March 05, 2025.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas Gabe Landeskog – Brock Nelson – Nazem Kadri Jaden Schwartz – Fedor Svechkov – T.J. Hughes Parker Kelly – Nicolas Roy – Zachary L’Heureux
Defense: Devon Toews – Cale Makar Brett Kulak – Sam Malinski Josh Manson – Brent Burns
Between the Pipes: Mackenzie Blackwood Scott Wedgewood
Toronto Maple Leafs
The lottery balls finally bounced Toronto’s way this offseason, giving them the first overall pick in this year’s NHL Draft. At the draft in June, they selected left-wing Gavin McKenna, whom many projected to be the top pick of the draft. McKenna scored his first goal and assist of his young NHL career this past Tuesday in a 5-4 overtime victory over the Nashville Predators.
The draft was one of many offseason transactions for Toronto. They sent a fifth round pick in this year’s draft to the Tampa Bay Lightning for defenseman Darren Raddysh on June 19; Raddysh signed an eight-year, $68 million dollar contract with Toronto as part of the transaction. Toronto also acquired center Nick Paul from Tampa in exchange for goaltender Dennis Hildeby and a pair of draft picks in 2027 & 2028 on July 01.
As free agency began, Toronto’s overhaul continued. Free agent goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky signed a three-year, $21 million dollar contract (more on him later). That same day, noted Avalanche killer Colton Sissons also signed to a two-year, $8.5 million dollar contract, and former Avalanche forward Brandon Duhaime also signed a three-year $7.8 million dollar contract.
Shortly before the start of the season, Toronto made their biggest move: they acquired right-wing Kirill Marchenko, goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, and former Avalanche forward Miles Wood from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for left-wings Matthew Knies and Steven Lorentz, defenseman Emil Andrei, and a 2027 second round pick. Marchenko, 26, scored his first (and so far, only) goal with Toronto in a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on October 03.
With an overhauled roster come overhauled expectations. Toronto has risen to the occasion in the way only a Toronto-based hockey team can: playing .500 hockey. They are 2-2-1 to start the season, and are coming into tonight’s game off a 4-3 defeat against the Vegas Golden Knights this past Thursday. After jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first period, Toronto did the Leafiest thing possible in allowing Vegas to score three unanswered goals to tie the game and lose in the shootout round.
The loss was Bobrovsky’s third of the season, and since joining Toronto, he has yet to post a win. Anthony Stolarz, who was Bobrovsky’s backup in Florida during 2023-2024 season, has recorded both wins for Toronto this season.
Head coach Jim Hiller spoke on the challenge of facing the Avs ahead of tonight’s game. “They play a pretty unique style of game, I would say. They are a really dynamic rush team. The defense probably skate as well as six [defenders] as any other group in the League, so it presents some challenges defensively for sure.
“For us, I think, we’ve got to continue to focus on being in the offensive zone and tight support. We’ve seen some good strides that way. That’s the best defense, really: if you can just hold onto pucks and be dangerous and tire people out—which Vegas did to us—we weren’t able to create any offense because we were too tired, so that’s kind of the game we have to play against Colorado.”
Hiller also mentioned that he does not expect John Tavares to play against Colorado tonight due to the birth of his son Tucker on Friday.
William Nylander and Auston Matthews are tied for first among all Toronto forwards in points (6). Nylander leads the team in goals (3), while Matthews leads the team in assists (4).
Toronto’s last victory over Colorado came on January 12th, a 4-3 overtime victory at Ball Arena last season.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Kirill Marchenko – Auston Matthews – Jack Roslovic Easton Cowan – Nick Paul – William Nylander Gavin McKenna – Teddy Blueger – Colton Sissons Brandon Duhaime – Zack MacEwen – Bo Groulx
Defense: Jake McCabe – Chris Tanev Morgan Reilly – Darren Raddysh Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Troy Stecher
Between the Pipes: Sergei Bobrovsky Anthony Stolarz
