Former Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella isn't close to throwing in the towel on his coaching career, but the veteran bench boss was well prepared to say any talk of an NHL return right now is premature.

Tortorella, 67, is without a job at the start of a season for the first time since the 2021-22 season, when he was between jobs after spending six seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

With the Blue Jackets, of course, Tortorella worked closely with GM Jarmo Kekalainen, who just took over the Buffalo Sabres in the wake of Kevyn Adams's firing.

Longtime NHL head coach Lindy Ruff is back with the Sabres for his second stint, but there are no guarantees that arrangement remains in place with the Sabres sitting last in the Eastern Conference with a 14-14-2 record and just 32 points while playing the Flyers at the time of this writing.

As such, Tortorella, now an analyst with ESPN for the time being, was asked by reporter Emily Kaplan if he had gotten any calls from his old friend Kekalainen, which he vehemently denied in classic Tortorella fashion.

Ex-Flyers Coach John Tortorella Recounts Golden Matvei Michkov StoryTortorella dished on Michkov's surprising but enthusiastic penalty box strategy, which goes to show how well the two understood each other while they were together on the Flyers.

"No, I have not, Emily," Tortorella was quoted as saying to Kaplan by Mike Harrington of Buffalo News. "Don't even start."

Tortorella is live in-studio covering the Flyers-Sabres game on Thursday night and offered commentary, in his own way, on some things the Sabres players are doing, what they aren't doing, and how they can respond to their GM's dismissal.

One thing is for sure, though: the connection to Kekalainen and the success those two men had in Columbus with talents like Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky, Zach Werenski, and even Seth Jones, is an obvious link.

Plus, Tortorella kicked off his NHL coaching career with the Sabres, serving as an assistant coach for the franchise from 1989-90 to 1994-95 before taking over as the head coach of the AHL Rochester Americans for two seasons.

Matvei Michkov Says He Was 'Very Upset' When Flyers Fired John TortorellaThe relationship between star <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> rookie Matvei Michkov and fired head coach John Tortorella was much better than many have made it out to be.

Tortorella, of course, has been out of work since being fired by the Flyers on March 27, though he is on the United States' staff for the 2026 Winter Olympics - a team that could feature Flyers star Trevor Zegras.

A return to an NHL bench doesn't appear to be imminent just yet, but don't be surprised to see Tortorella back coaching at some point this season.

Calgary, AB — The Calgary Flames announced a series of roster moves on Thursday, including a reassignment, a recall, and a medical update.

Forward Dryden Hunt has been placed on waivers  and will be assigned to the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, pending clearance. Hunt appeared in two games with the Flames this season. At the AHL level, he has been productive, recording five goals and 18 points in 16 games with the Wranglers.

The Flames have also recalled forward Justin Kirkland from the Wranglers. Kirkland has suited up for nine NHL games this season, registering one assist. With the Wranglers, he has tallied five goals and two assists in 14 contests.

Additionally, the club announced that defenceman Jake Bean will undergo surgery and will be out indefinitely. The 27-year-old has appeared in 16 games with the Flames this season, posting one goal and two points during the 2025–26 campaign.

Pittsburgh Penguins (14-9-9) at Ottawa Senators (15-13-4)

7 pm at Canadian Tire Centre
TV: RDS2, TSN5
Radio: TSN 1200 AM, TSN1200.ca

After a 2-1-0 road trip and a couple of days off, the Ottawa Senators get back to work on Thursday night with a home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Despite being in different divisions, the two clubs have had a pretty good rivalry over the years. No team has faced the Senators in the playoffs more often than the Penguins, who own a 1-4 record in those series.

After a decade under head coach Mike Sullivan, there's a new sheriff in Steeltown. Sullivan and the Penguins agreed to part company after missing the playoffs last season for a third straight year. So he signed on to replace Peter Laviolette as head coach of the New York Rangers, while the Penguins hired Rangers assistant coach Dan Muse to replace Sullivan.

Muse isn't exactly one of those recycled coaching stories. The 43-year-old is a longtime assistant at different levels but has never been a head coach in the pros until now. So far, he has the Penguins in a playoff position (based on points percentage), and they're also one of the best road teams in the league (8-3-4).

Despite Linus Ullmark leaving practice early on Wednesday, head coach Travis Green said on Thursday that he will start in goal. Arturs Silovs will go for the Penguins.

Thomas Chabot, who has missed 11 games because of an upper-body injury, finally got in a full practice on Wednesday but he's not ready to return just yet. Shane Pinto skated on Wednesday. He's been out for the past two weeks since taking an awkward hit from New York Rangers centre Mika Zibanejad. There's no official word when he'll return.

Evgeni Malkin is the big injury for the Penguins (upper body). At 39, Malkin is still rolling with 29 points in 26 games, but won't play on Thursday.

Erik Karlsson returns to the city where he broke into the NHL. He's off to a flying start with 25 points in 32 games, good for 10th among NHL defenseman, one point behind Ottawa's Jake Sanderson. Tim Stutzle has 33 points for the Sens, including nine in his past four games.

Senators projected lineup

Brady Tkachuk - Tim Stutzle - Fabian Zetterlund
David Perron - Dylan Cozens - Drake Batherson
Michael Amadio - Ridly Greig - Claude Giroux
Kurtis MacDermid - Stephen Halliday - Nick Cousins

Jake Sanderson - Artem Zub
Tyler Kleven - Jordan Spence
Nikolas Matinpalo - Nick Jensen

Linus Ullmark
Leevi Merilainen

Scratched: Dennis Gilbert, Olle Lycksell
Injured: Thomas Chabot (upper body), Shane Pinto (lower body), Lars Eller (broken foot)

Penguins projected lineup

Rickard Rakell - Sidney Crosby - Bryan Rust
Anthony Mantha - Tommy Novak - Justin Brazeau
Kevin Hayes - Ben Kindel - Rutger McGroarty
Danton Heinen - Connor Dewar - Noel Acciari

Parker Wotherspoon - Erik Karlsson
Ryan Shea - Kris Letang
Brett Kulak - Jack St. Ivany

Arturs Silovs
Stuart Skinner

Injured: Evgeni Malkin (upper body), Caleb Jones (lower body), Filip Hallander (blood clot), Blake Lizotte (undisclosed)

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News - Ottawa

The Colorado Avalanche have opened the season in dominant fashion, racing out to a 24-2-7 record that stands as the best in the NHL. Despite that impressive start, the margin for error remains slimmer than it might appear. 

Colorado’s nearest challenger is a familiar one. Central Division rival Dallas trails by just two points, and that gap exists even though the Stars have endured a wave of injuries to key contributors, including Lian Bichsel and Tyler Seguin. The fact that Dallas remains within striking distance under those circumstances only sharpens the competitive pressure. 

Still, sitting atop the standings puts the Avalanche in an enviable position. With flexibility and momentum on their side, Colorado is well positioned to explore roster upgrades as the season unfolds — perhaps even one that blends elite talent with a touch of nostalgia. 

Ryan O’Reilly? 

It is no secret that head coach Jared Bednar would like another center. One name that continues to surface is Nashville Predators veteran Ryan O’Reilly. 

Jack Drury has handled third-line center duties for much of the season, but recent lineup adjustments have pushed him to the fourth line, with Ross Colton — far more effective on the wing — filling in at 3C. While Drury has been serviceable, Colorado will likely need a more proven option down the middle when the postseason arrives. 

O’Reilly, now 34, was selected 34th overall by the Avalanche in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and spent the first six seasons of his career in Colorado. During the 2015 offseason, he was traded alongside Jamie McGinn to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for defenseman Nikita Zadorov, forward Mikhail Grigorenko, prospect J.T. Compher and the 31st overall pick in the 2015 draft. 

Since leaving Colorado, O’Reilly has played for three other organizations. His most notable stop came in St. Louis, where he helped the Blues capture the Stanley Cup in 2019. He later spent time with the Toronto Maple Leafs before landing in Nashville. 

Through 33 games this season, O’Reilly leads the Predators in scoring with 27 points on 10 goals and 17 assists. Over the past month, however, frustration has become increasingly evident. 

Following a loss to the Philadelphia Flyers last month, O’Reilly delivered a strikingly candid assessment of his own performance, openly questioning his effectiveness as Nashville’s No. 1 center. 

“If I’m playing pathetic like that,” O’Reilly said, “as a No. 1 center.” 

“[I] turn the puck over everywhere. Can’t make a six-foot pass to save my life,” he added in a video clip that quickly went viral. “It’s stupid. I’ve had one good year in my career. I don’t have an answer, that’s for sure.” 

Even with that self-criticism, O’Reilly would represent a clear upgrade over Drury in a playoff environment. 

Colorado’s Cup Window Remains Open 

The Avalanche remain firmly within their window to contend for another Stanley Cup. O’Reilly carries a $4.5 million cap hit this season and next, and — importantly for Colorado — he does not have a formal no-trade clause. It is widely believed, however, that Predators general manager Barry Trotz would consult O’Reilly before finalizing any potential deal, given the rapport between the two. 

A return to Colorado would be difficult to overlook. The chance to finish a career where it began while chasing another championship with a legitimate contender is a scenario that carries obvious appeal. And if that happens, expect O'Reilly to look better than he has in years. That tends to happen to players who make their way to Colorado as of late.

Any deal would not come without cost. A move would be disappointing for Drury, though Nashville would offer a familiar landing spot, with his sister, Lilly, an up-and-coming singer, residing in the area. 

The larger question is what else Colorado would need to include to complete the deal. Recent history between the two clubs includes a notable deal that sent former Avalanche backup goaltender Justus Annunen to Nashville in exchange for Scott Wedgewood. Goaltending depth remains an area of need for the Predators, making a prospect such as Trent Miner a plausible addition. Defenseman Sam Malinski could also draw interest, though parting with him would be a far more difficult decision for Colorado. 

Miner heading to Nashville would represent a tremendous opportunity, simply because there isn’t enough room for him to truly establish himself in Colorado. With Mackenzie Blackwood entrenched, Scott Wedgewood in the mix, and Ilya Nabokov continuing his development in the KHL, the path to meaningful NHL time is narrow at best. In Nashville, however, Miner would likely step into the backup role vacated by Annunen and see far more action supporting Juuse Saros, giving him a clearer runway to carve out a role at the NHL level.

The 24-year-old Miner is 4-2 this season with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, boasting a 2.30 goals against average and a .908 save percentage.

As the trade deadline approaches, the Avalanche’s position atop the standings allows them to be selective — but the right opportunity, particularly one involving a familiar face, may be too intriguing to ignore. 

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It’s no secret that the New York Rangers are in need of more scoring depth. 

After losing two consecutive games at home while only scoring one goal in the process, Mike Sullivan called the team’s scoring woes “concerning” as they’ve struggled to find consistent offense all season long, specifically while playing at home.

In response to their dreadful two-game stretch, the Rangers called up Gabe Perreault and Brennan Othmann from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League. 

Perreault is a prospect who’s highly touted for his offensive skill set. 

The 2023 first-round pick is ranked as the 28th-best prospect on ESPN’s Top NHL Prospect Rankings.

To kick off the season in Hartford, Perreault has proven to be a lethal offensive threat, recording 10 goals, seven assists, and 17 points in 20 games. 

While the 20-year-old forward spent three games with the Rangers earlier in the season and even was given a top-six role, Perreault still dealt with a steep learning curve adapting to NHL play and Sullivan was uncomfortable putting him in difficult situations, especially defensively matched up against opposing teams’ top players. 

However, the Blueshirts’ lack of offensive firepower brought Perreault back into the fold, and now he has a golden opportunity to carve out a top-six role and a permanent spot in the lineup.

“We just want to see where his game is at, and we're trying to put him in a position to succeed,” Sullivan said of Perreault. “The last time that we called him up, we put him in the top six with our top players. The challenge with that is, is you're playing against opponent's top players also. You're getting the top defense pair, you're playing against some of the harder players to play against when you're in that situation. It's a little bit of a double edged sword from that standpoint. We're excited about Gabe's game and where it can go. We also recognize that this is a process in allowing a young player to get there...We don't want young players like Gabe to get overwhelmed.”

“Part of our job is to make sure that we protect him in that regard. We're excited about his game. Obviously, he has good offensive instincts, he's a good player. This is just part of the development process, and my experience of coaching players like Gabe along the way over the years is sometimes it takes a little bit of time for guys to figure it out, and he's going through that process. When they ultimately figure it out, everybody's different from that regard, we'll watch the games and see how he does, and hopefully make what we think are the best decisions for him and for our team. I think he's had a pretty good stretch of games in Hartford, and we like potentially what he could bring to our lineup.”

Othmann is a player who has been attempting to earn a spot with the Rangers for a couple of years, and it almost feels as if the clock is ticking on his future in New York. 

During the 2024-25 campaign, Othmann played in 22 games for the Rangers, but he failed to score a goal, and once he didn’t make New York’s opening-night roster out of training camp, trade rumors began to swirl involving him. 

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Oct. 16 that the Rangers are open to the idea of trading Othmann. 

A slow start to the season with the Wolf Pack didn’t make matters any better. However, he’s been able to flip the switch recently, scoring three goals in his past four AHL games, which led to him being called up to the NHL.

Expected to play on a line alongside Matt Rempe and Sam Carrick, Othmann is being given a chance to prove his worth to the Rangers organization. 

“I think he's playing more to his identity,” Sullivan said of Othmann. “He's playing more of a north-south game. He's getting in on the forecheck. He plays with an edge, and that's what he's capable of doing. He's getting to the net. 

“I think in my short time here in New York, and trying to get to know his game and become more familiar with him, that's what we think his game looks like when he's at his best. That's part of it. The other aspect of it is just reliable, conscientious play, attention to detail defensively, when he doesn't have the puck, knowing what your job is, and doing your job. That's an important element of it also, so I think he's making progress in all of those areas.”

On the other side of the coin, Brett Berard was sent down to the Wolf Pack after playing in 11 games for the Rangers. 

Rangers Call Up Brennan Othmann and Gabe Perreault From AHL The New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/">Rangers</a> have recalled Brennan Othmann and Gabe Perreault from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League while sending Brett Berard and Jaroslav Chmelar back down.&nbsp;

While Sullivan liked what he saw out of Berard, there’s still an element of consistency that Sullivan feels Berard still needs to unlock. 

“I thought Brett played well for us,” Sullivan said. “He brings a lot of energy, he can skate, he gets in on the forecheck. I think there's opportunities for him to continue to improve in just the details of his game away from the puck, tracking back into coverage, knowing what his job is, understanding situations, rush, coverage, responsibilities, things like that. By no means are we discouraged with his game. I think we have a good understanding of what he is and what he can do, what he can bring to the team. He's a great kid. He brings a ton of energy and enthusiasm when he's here…

“The challenge is, when you make the jump from, you know, the American League to the NHL, is to be able to bring it consistently, night in and night out. It's always one of the biggest challenges that young players face.”

Perreault and Othmann are both expected to play on Thursday night when the Rangers face off against the St. Louis Blues.

There have been multiple reports at this point in the season that the Los Angeles Kings have been scouring the trade market for a scoring winger.

Los Angeles is among the worst teams when it comes to offense. In 33 games, the Kings have scored just 85 goals, which is tied for the second-fewest in the NHL. 

An additional scoring touch would certainly be welcomed, and it seems that the Kings are doing their homework to find the best fit.

According to the latest reports by The Fourth Period, the Kings have had three professional scouts attending Tuesday's game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks.

There are several players of those two teams who fit the "scoring winger" description.

Wingers who may be available from the Blackhawks are Tyler Bertuzzi, Andre Burakovsky, Teuvo Teravainen, and Ryan Donato.

As for the Maple Leafs, there may be fewer to choose from, given the status of the team and their aspirations to continue to be a perennial playoff team.

Nonetheless, Toronto has Bobby McMann and Nick Robertson as scoring wingers. However, they are considered middle-six forwards rather than difference-making top-six forwards. Even Matias Maccelli, a skillful playmaker, hasn't been able to crack the lineup since his last game on Nov. 28.

This isn't the first time reports have come out regarding the Kings' scouts watching for scoring wingers. 

In early November, Los Angeles had special advisor Marc Bergevin watching the Philadelphia Flyers in search of a top-six winger.

Report: Los Angeles Kings Scouting Philadelphia Flyers For Potential Top-Six WingerThe Los Angeles Kings are keeping tabs on the Philadelphia Flyers. Recent scouting reports suggest a top-six winger acquisition, potentially targeting Tippett, Konecny or Foerster to boost scoring.

The Kings have truly lacked a true scoring forward with efficient finishing in high-danger areas. In their loss to the Florida Panthers, they hit multiple posts and failed to convert on breakaway opportunities that could've led to a better result.

What Is Phillip Danault Realistically Worth On The Trade Market?Los Angeles Kings center Phillip Danault has been highlighted in the trade market over the last week or so. What could GM Ken Holland receive for the struggling veteran?

Whether GM Ken Holland finds what he's looking for with the Maple Leafs, Blackhawks, or wherever, his team could certainly use some more goals if they want to remain a playoff team.

---

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Otto Stenberg didn’t light up the scoreboard in his NHL debut, but he impressed the St. Louis Blues coaching staff with other elements of his game. 

Stenberg is listed at just 5-foot-11, 188 pounds, but he shows zero fear in getting into the dirty areas of the ice and doing whatever it takes to win puck battles. Ultimately, the Blues selected him in the first round (25th overall) in the 2023 NHL draft because of his skill, but the intangibles he brings along are a bonus. 

“I thought he was really responsible and had good puck support,” coach Jim Montgomery said. “His intelligence keeps the team connected, and we don’t get too spread apart. He puts the brakes on. He has really good habits, stops, comes right back to the house. He made some really good reads on our penalty-kill and in our D-zone coverage, too. I thought it was a really good start to his career.”

He finished his NHL debut with no points or shots on goal, but he threw a hit and skated in 13:38 of ice time, including a minute on the penalty kill. Stenberg's advanced stats don't look great, as according to Natural Stat Trick, the Blues had just 28.53 of the expected goals and a Corsi For percentage of just 23.08 percent at 5-on-5.

The Blues went on to beat the Winnipeg Jets 1-0. The Jets are a well-structured team with the league's best goaltender. Scoring goals was always going to be a challenge, but the Blues, alongside Stenberg, proved to be up to the challenge. 

“Maybe a little bit of a slow start point-wise, but my game overall, my 200-foot game, has been good lately,” Stenberg said. “I’ve been playing better with the puck and some points, too. Overall, my game’s been good.”

“I can play all over the ice,” he said. “I hope coach can trust me in different situations.”

Stenberg will be back in the lineup tonight and is expected to skate alongside Jake Neighbours and Brayden Schenn on the second line. 

With the injury pile-up the Blues currently face, there’s runway for Stenberg to snatch a spot on the team and lock down a position. His production will need to follow at some point, but if the 20-year-old can continue to provide two-way versatility on the wing, he could have a role on this Blues team. 

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If the Vancouver Canucks want to make a move before the holiday break, it needs to happen right away. Starting on December 19, 2025, at 11:59 pm, the NHL will start its holiday roster freeze. The freeze prevents teams from conducting trades as well as putting players on waivers and expires at 12:01 am on December 29, 2025. 

Last season, there were some trades that went down before the roster freeze came into effect. Kappo Kakko was traded to the Seattle Kraken from the New York Rangers, while current Canucks defenceman Pierre-Olivier Joseph was moved from the St. Louis Blues to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Montréal Canadiens and the Nashville Predators also made a trade, with Justin Barron and Alexandre Carrier swapping teams. 

The 2025 roster freeze is significant for Vancouver as there have been countless rumours surrounding the team. The Canucks currently sit in 32nd and could be open for business when it comes to trade. Kiefer Sherwood is a name that keeps popping up as the pending unregistered free agent leads the team with 13 goals in 33 games. 

Vancouver plays three more times before the NHL's holiday break kicks in on December 24, 2025. Their next game is scheduled for Friday at 4:00 pm PT against the New York Islanders. The Canucks next home game will be on December 27, 2025, when Vancouver welcomes the San Jose Sharks to Rogers Arena.  

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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The Philadelphia Flyers have taken a big step in the right direction this season. They currently have a 17-9-6 record and are third in the Metropolitan Division standings. When noting that the Flyers had a lot of doubters heading into the season, there is no question that they have been one of the NHL's biggest surprises so far. 

If the Flyers continue to play so well as the season rolls on, it would not be surprising in the slightest if they look to be buyers this season. In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Lyle Richardson urged the Flyers to target younger players who have the potential to improve Philadelphia's offensive production rather than rentals. 

"The Flyers have plenty of trade deadline cap space and trade assets. If general manager Daniel Briere becomes a buyer, he won't get crazy and overspend for rental players. He'll want younger talent with scoring upside or cost-effective players with playoff experience," Richardson wrote.

With the Flyers still building for the future, it would make sense for them to add players who can help them both now and in the long term. This is especially so if the Flyers continue to keep winning as the season rolls on. 

A few intriguing young trade candidates in the NHL right now include Matias Maccelli (Toronto Maple Leafs), Nick Robertson (Maple Leafs), Yegor Chinakhov (Columbus Blue Jackets), Brad Lambert (Winnipeg Jets), and Brennan Othmann (New York Rangers).

Jordan Kyrou (St. Louis Blues) and Conor Garland (Vancouver Canucks) are also two proven forwards who are under 30 who would have the potential to be impactful long-term additions for the Flyers if acquired. 

The Montreal Canadiens have had a solid start to the 2025-26 season. At the time of this writing, they sport a 17-12-4 record and are fifth in the Atlantic Division standings. However, they are also only three points behind the first-place Detroit Red Wings, so they certainly have the potential to move up the standings.

With the Canadiens being right in the playoff hunt, there is a real expectation that they will be buyers this season. Due to this, in a recent article for Bleacher Report, Lyle Richardson urged the Canadiens to bring in a legitimate second-line center this season. 

"The Canadiens' goaltending has been a recent concern, but their need for a reliable second-line center has been an ongoing issue. Since Kirby Dach was sidelined with a fractured foot, they employed rookie Oliver Kapanen in that role. However, they need someone with more experience in that position," Richardson wrote.

It is no secret that the Canadiens could use another top-six center, so it is hard to disagree with Richardson's argument. If the Canadiens brought in a proven 2C, it would be huge for a club that is looking to cement themselves as legitimate contenders. 

It will be interesting to see if the Canadiens add another center this season, but there is no question that they have the trading assets to swing a deal for one. 

The Philadelphia Flyers have finally made a move to clear the burgeoning logjam on defense, cutting Egor Zamula after a series of benchings and poor performances.

As officially announced by the Flyers, Zamula, 25, was placed on waivers Thursday afternoon, exposing him to the other 31 NHL teams if they wish to claim him.

Zamula has played in just 13 games for the Flyers this season, recording one point. The formerly undrafted Russian blueliner has played just two games for the Flyers since Nov. 29, having been usurped by teammate Emil Andrae and rising prospect Ty Murchison.

Now that Rasmus Ristolainen has returned from injury, the Flyers have, as evidenced by this decision, decided to keep journeyman Noah Juulsen as their No. 7 defenseman behind Andrae, Ristolainen, Nick Seeler, Jamie Drysdale, Cam York, and Travis Sanheim.

If another NHL team opts to claim Zamula by 2 p.m. Friday, the Flyers will be rid of the 6-foot-3 defenseman's $1.7 million cap hit.

This Big Flyers Trade Just Keeps Getting BetterThe Flyers' decision to bring in this forward is continuing to pay off.

Should Zamula clear waivers and be assigned to the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Flyers will save a modest $550k against the cap, but still free up a roster spot for themselves.

The Chicago Blackhawks are going to take on the Montreal Canadiens in game number 34 of the season on Thursday night at Bell Centre. 

This is the second of two meetings between these two Original Six rivals. The first was Chicago's home opener back on October 11th. The Canadiens won that game 3-2. 

Scouting Montreal

The Montreal Canadiens are 17-12-4. Things have slipped a bit for them since their impressive start, but they are still in the mix for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. If the season ended today, they would not make it. However, a win over Chicago could put them above the line for the time being. 

Jakub Dobes will start in goal for the Montreal Canadiens. In front of him, the team is expected to line up like this: 

Caufield - Suzuki - Bolduc

Slafkovsky - Kapanen - Demidov

Texier -Beck - Anderson

Veleno -Evans - Gallagher

Hutson - Carrier

Struble - Dobson

Xhekaj - Engstrom

Dobes

There are some great forwards on this team, even without former Blackhawk Kirby Dach available. Nick Suzuki is a top-20 NHL center, while Cole Caufield is one of the best pure goal scorers around. 

Ivan Demidov, who Blackhawks fans who followed the draft in 2024 know well, is also a difference maker and a threat to score on every shift he takes. This group up front has some depth to it. 

On defense, Lane Hutson is the guy that everything runs through offensively. Noah Dobson is also a difference-making, highly paid player who impacts games. All around, this is a team that could break out at any time because they have so much talent and a solid coach in Marty St. Louis. 

Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago

The Chicago Blackhawks are without Connor Bedard, who won't be back until after the first of the year. He is on the trip with the team, but it's strictly for the camaraderie with his younger teammates.

If it were up to Bedard, he'd already be back, but the Hawks are being cautious with their superstar. Without him, expect a lineup that looks something like this:

Bertuzzi - Nazar - Burakovsky

Moore - Greene - Lardis

Teravainen - Dickinson - Mikheyev

Dach - Toninato - Donato

Vlasic - Crevier

Grzelcyk - Levshunov

Kaiser - Murphy

Knight

This will be another start for Spencer Knight, who had a terrible fate in their last game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Knight and the Hawks looked like they were going to pick up a huge win, but the Leafs scored three unanswered goals in the final ten minutes to pull out with a win. 

In Bedard's spot on the top line, Frank Nazar will play center. Tyler Bertuzzi and Andre Burakovsky are good wingers for Nazar, who is looking to break a long goal drought. He's playing the right way, but the bounces haven't gone his way in a while. If he sticks to his process, the offense will soon return. 

Dominic Toninato and Nick Lardis are expected to play again. Lardis has fit in well through his first two NHL games after a dominating start to the year with the Rockford IceHogs. Now that he's got the nerves of his first game in the NHL and first game in front of his hometown friends and family out of the way, he can just play hockey. It won't be long before his offense arrives. 

Levshunov will return to the NHL lineup after being scratched against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. The 2024 second overall pick missed the game due to being late for practice. He has been one of the best skaters on this team for a while now, so getting him back is a nice boost. 

Original Six

When this game is over, the Blackhawks will have played against four of the five other Original Six teams in a span of 9 days. They are just 1-2 (win vs New York Rangers, losses to Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs) so far, so they'd prefer to even it up with a win here in Montreal.

After this, they won't see another Original Six rival until January 17th when the Boston Bruins visit the United Center. 

How To Watch

The game can be heard on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found locally on CHSN. It can be streamed nationally on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 6:00 PM CT. 

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

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ST. LOUIS – It’s been a week since Jordan Binnington has seen the net for the St. Louis Blues.

Binnington was last in action against the Nashville Predators and received the mercy pull in a 7-2 loss, in which he allowed six goals on 25 shots in a poor effort by those playing in front of him.

Joel Hofer has started the past three games, including a 1-0 shutout win of the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday, but it will be Binnington back between the pipes when the Blues (13-15-7) host the New York Rangers (16-15-4) on Thursday in the second of back to back games at 7 p.m. (FDSNMW, ESPN 101.1-FM).

“The team needed a reset, first of all,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “He’s been the negative benefit of our poor play. When we’ve really played poorly, it’s been in front of ‘Binner’ in these last two weeks. I think it’s given him the opportunity to work and to prepare and to get back the right mindset that makes him an elite goaltender in this league along with coach (David) Alexander.”

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The Blues will make a couple skater changes for the game Thursday, including inserting Matt Luff in at forward for Robby Fabbri, and Tyler Tucker will go in for Matthew Kessel.

For Fabbri, he started off the season with an assist in each of his two games but on Wednesday, played in just two shifts in the third period with Alexey Toropchenko taking Fabbri’s spot on the top line and double-shifting protecting a one-goal lead.

“I think that he got here, his first two games were excellent,” Montgomery said of Fabbri. “I think his last two games, and I spoke to him about this, a little less juice in his legs, not being as impactful. And on a back to back, it’s a lot. He wasn’t in a training camp, he’s not in the same hockey shape as everybody else is. It’s just an opportunity, and Luff’s been really good for us. We’re playing a bigger, heavier team tonight on a back to back, a team that’s fresh, so we’ll just get a fresh body in. It really wasn’t a negative of anything of his play. He’ll be back in the lineup soon.”

Toropchenko will start on that top line with Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich. As for how the game progresses, it will be determined if he stays there.

“He’s smart enough to play with anyone,” Montgomery said of Toropchenko, normally a fourth-line winger. “It’s not ideal that he’s in that situation, but we’re playing with a lead (Wednesday). He brings north hockey to playing with 18 and 89, who like to play east-west because they have the creativity and the ability and skill level to do it, and he allows them to be a little bit simpler and the way he reloads and the way he back-checks, his habits, his sticks, creating turnovers in the offensive zone, we just thought it would allow us to close out that game a little bit better, and he’s going to start there tonight.”

Tucker, who sat out Wednesday not necessarily as a healthy scratch but he was banged up from Monday’s loss to the Predators, is an insertion into the lineup to provide beef against a bigger lineup.

“Tucker was a little sore yesterday from the slew-foot that he received at the end of the game in the third period (Monday),” Montgomery said. “It’s just with a back to back, we weren’t going to play Tucker with him being sore. It wasn’t so much of a matchup as it was we’re in a back to back, we’re in the middle of a three in four. Kessel’s been really good for us, his numbers suggest that, we have a lot of confidence in him, but now we’re on a back to back, so we’re going to go back to Tucker. It’s that simple.”

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Montgomery was asked about Otto Stenberg, a first-round pick (No. 25) in the 2023 NHL Draft, and his successful debut in the NHL on Wednesday, playing 13:38. Here is an interesting take on Stenberg’s awareness and ability to read a game by Montgomery.

“He’s a first-round pick not because of his stature, it’s because of his brain, his instincts and his ability to make plays at both ends of the ice,” Montgomery said. “As a coach, you see the things that make a guy very effective right away, stick positioning, angling, little things, always being on the right side of the puck.

“There was a play yesterday in the third period that a defenseman was in, taking a shot off the rush, I believe it was (Philip) Broberg, and he was the last forward back. And the puck went into the corner to where he could have dove at it. He didn’t go because he read numbers. Most young players would dive in and the other team would have a 2-on-1 off his back. As a coach, it’s a confidence-builder as a coach when you see a player read numbers that quickly because the game of hockey, especially when you come to play your first game in the NHL, things happen faster than you’ve ever seen before and he read that instantly. And they got nothing. We actually reloaded above, they turned it over by the red line.”

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Injured players Jordan Kyrou (lower body), Jimmy Snuggerud (wrist) and Nathan Walker (upper body) were on the ice Thursday morning working prior to an optional morning skate.

None will play Thursday, but that’s some encouraging signs that they are on the mend.

“It’s always good when you see guys getting closer,” Montgomery said. “What’s not good is when you win a game, the fist pump line of guys not dressed is about eight long, that’s when you’re like, ‘Holy Jesus, we do have a lot of injuries.’”

Dylan Holloway (high ankle sprain) and Nick Bjugstad (upper body) were not skating.

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The Blues, after wearing their old home uniforms that are now their third jerseys on Wednesday, will don the road whites at home for the first and only time on Thursday, so fans will get to see firsthand -- unless you've seen them on the road -- those sweaters.

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Blues Projected Lineup:

Alexey Toropchenko-Robert Thomas-Pavel Buchnevich

Jake Neighbours-Brayden Schenn-Otto Stenberg

Pius Suter-Dalibor Dvorsky-Jonatan Berggren

Mathieu Joseph-Oskar Sundqvist-Matt Luff

Philip Broberg-Colton Parayko

Tyler Tucker-Justin Faulk

Cam Fowler-Logan Mailloux

Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Joel Hofer will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Robby Fabbri and Matthew Kessel. Jordan Kyrou (lower body), Jimmy Snuggerud (wrist), Dylan Holloway (high ankle sprain), Nathan Walker (upper body) and Nick Bjugstad (upper body) are out.

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Rangers Projected Lineup:

Will Cuylle-Vincent Trocheck-J.T. Miller

Artemi Panarin-Mika Zibanejad-Alexis Lafreniere

Conor Sheary-Noah Laba-Taylor Raddysh

Gabe Perreault-Sam Carrick-Matt Rempe

Vladislav Gavrikov-Braden Schneider

Carson Soucy-Will Borgen

Matthew Robertson-Scott Morrow

Igor Shesterkin will start in goal; Jonathan Quick will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Jonny Brodzinski and Scott Morrow. Adam Fox (upper body) and Adam Edstrom (lower body) are out.

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Exactly three decades after he coached his first game behind the Ottawa Senators' bench, Jacques Martin is set to be immortalized by the franchise. 

The Senators announced on Thursday that Martin will be added to the club’s Ring of Honour on Saturday, January 24, before the club's home game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The date is a nice choice, falling exactly 30 years after Martin coached his first game with the Sens on January 24, 1996.

“I have been privileged to coach outstanding players and not only great players, but great people. And that was the reason I was able to get there,” Martin said in a club statement.

His addition to the Ring was one of the easiest decisions in franchise history.

The Sens' content team devised a clever plan to surprise Martin, asking him and Daniel Alfredsson to narrate a Great Moments in Sens History video. Alfredsson capped it off by revealing Martin's tribute night, a special moment that hasn’t happened yet.

Martin isn't an easy guy to make smile, but he looked like a kid on Christmas morning.

Kudos to the Sens content team for this one. It has nostalgia, emotion, and a well-executed surprise. Instantly one of my all-time favourites. https://t.co/cJljHkKhsq

— Steve Warne (@SteveWarneMedia) December 18, 2025

The Ottawa-born coach stands 16th in NHL history with 1350 games coached in the NHL and holds team records for games coached (748), wins (367) and playoff victories (31). 

He was named the NHL’s Coach of the Year in 1999, and guided Ottawa to its only President’s Trophy during the 2002–03 season. That was the season the Sens went to the Eastern Conference Final before bowing out at home in a Game 7 heartbreaker against the New Jersey Devils.

When it looked like Martin's coaching days were probably behind him, the Sens brought him back at age 71 in Dec. 2023 to be a consultant and resource to head coach D.J. Smith. 12 days later, he became Smith's replacement, guiding the Sens to the end of the 2023-24 season. Martin made way for Travis Green in May 2024 and continues to serve as an advisor to the club’s coaching staff.

Martin will be remembered for quickly righting a floundering ship in Ottawa's early years.

When he arrived in the 1995-96 NHL season, it was only January, and Martin was already their third head coach of that season. The team wasn't that much better than the historically bad expansion team (10-70-4) they had in the 1992-93 season. Rick Bowness had recently been fired after a 6-13 start in his fourth season. They were even worse, absurdly so, after promoting their AHL head coach, Dave Allison, who was fired after a 2-22-1 record.

Just over one calendar year later, Martin steered the Sens into the 1997 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Technically, Martin had three stints with the Senators. In his first run with the Senators, in a beautiful gesture, he temporarily gave up the head coaching reins to his friend and assistant coach, Roger Neilson. Neilson, who was battling cancer, officially took over the Sens' bench for the final two games of the 2001-02 season, allowing him to reach the 1000 game mark in his NHL coaching career.

Neilson died the following year at age 69.

With his induction, Martin becomes the fourth member of the Senators' Ring of Honour at Canadian Tire Centre, joining Bryan Murray, Wade Redden and Dr. Don Chow.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

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