Nov 8, 2026; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Matvei Michkov (39) skates with the puck against the Calgary Flames during the first period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Philadelphia Flyers coach Rick Tocchet said Wednesday that winger Matvei Michkov has not asked the organization for a trade.
Tocchet’s comments ahead of a game at the Edmonton Oilers came in the aftermath of a report Tuesday saying Michkov would likely want a change of scenery.
“There’s nothing to talk about because it’s not true,” Tocchet said. “There’s nothing important. You can’t comment on somebody blogging something that’s not true.”
Asked if he was happy in Philadelphia, Michkov said, “Yeah, of course.” The young Russian, who leads the team with 10 goals and is tied for the most points with 14, said he does not read the news and is focused on games.
Coming off a surprise run to the second round of the playoffs, the Flyers have lost 15 of their first 20 games as the NHL season nears the quarter mark.
The New York Rangers’ Wednesday night game against the Calgary Flames will mark the first time Brennan Othmann faces off against his former team.
Othmann had high expectations upon being selected in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft by the Rangers.
However, his game never quite translated to the NHL level, as he spent a large chunk of his tenure with the Blueshirts playing in the American Hockey League for the Hartford Wolf Pack.
The 23-year-old forward spent his final two seasons with the Rangers organization getting sent up and down from the AHL to the NHL, playing a total of 39 NHL games while struggling to carve out a permanent role in New York.
During the 2025-26 season, Othmann played in 17 games with the Rangers and 26 with the Wolf Pack, a stretch he described as “egregious.”
On Mar. 6, Othmann was traded to the Flames in exchange for forward prospect Jacob Battaglia.
Othmann described his departure from the Rangers as a “mutual thing,” while expressing frustration with the organization over a lack of opportunity.
“Just opportunity, I feel like,” Othmann said about why it didn’t work out with the Rangers via Mollie Walker of The New York Post. “I felt like when (ex-head coach Peter Laviolette) was there, I played a couple of games with (Panarin) and (Trocheck). I thought I played really well. You lose some games and stuff changes around. And then last year, I played a few games with (Will Cuylle) and (Noah Laba), and I thought we were playing well. And then a lot of people look at the product on the ice and look at stats and stuff like that too.”
All these months following the trade, Othmann is excited about the opportunity to face off against the Rangers and his former teammates.
“I’m looking forward to playing against those guys, for sure,” Othmann said. “I think it’s going to be an exciting game for everyone, for myself too, selfishly, … a couple guys already giving it to me this morning, so it’s always fun when everyone rallies around you for a game like that.”
Despite making the Flames' opening-night roster out of training camp, Othmann played in just six games before suffering an upper-body injury on Oct. 28 against the Edmonton Oilers.
“Obviously, it doesn’t feel good anytime you sit out when you’re hurt or a healthy scratch, so just been trying to grind, get back in the lineup as fast as I can,” Othmann said. “I’m just happy to be back and a full-go…
“I thought I was playing well. I know a lot of people look at … the stat sheet at the end of games, and I know it may not look like the prettiest, but I feel like I was playing pretty good hockey. I was getting good feedback from the coaching staff.”
Likely playing in a fourth-line role on Wednesday night, Othmann will have a chip on his shoulder, and he didn’t shy away from it.
Othmann has been searching for a permanent NHL role for years with the Rangers and now has the opportunity presented right in front of him in Calgary.
“The goal at the start of the year was,” Othmann said. “To win the trade, in a sense, I guess. To make the team and prove that I am an NHL player. I think I have been doing that and I just want to keep doing that. … There’s definitely a little fire going into (Wednesday), so I’m looking forward to it.”
On Tuesday, former Winnipeg Jets forward Evander Kane has signed a new deal overseas, agreeing to terms with Sibir of the KHL. It will not be Kane's first stint in the Russian league as he played for Dinamo Minsk during the 2012-13 NHL lockout.
The move is surprising, given reports that the 35-year-old, who was selected fourth overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009, had multiple offers to remain in North America. It is not clear whether those were NHL contracts, minor-league deals to play in the AHL, ECHL, or opportunities elsewhere.
Kane most recently played for his hometown Vancouver Canucks, finishing this past season with 13 goals and 18 assists for 31 points in 71 games.
Off-ice concerns have followed him throughout his career, including long-standing reports of conflicts in the locker room. This past September, former teammate Kurtis Gabriel described Kane as habitually late to team meetings and routinely unprofessional in how he dressed. Gabriel also called him a bully who leaned on his toughness to intimidate teammates.
Kane responded on social media with a cryptic message. "I can't wait for the day I decide to share my truths. The only difference? Mine will come with facts, receipts, and the actual truth," he wrote.
"A lot of people have become far too comfortable speaking publicly while relying on my silence. Enjoy it while it lasts. There are plenty of bombs with plenty of names attached."
Between 2013 and 2021, Kane also faced legal controversies, gambling-related debt and bankruptcy, and an NHL investigation into match-fixing that cleared him of betting on games, along with repeated reports of conflicts with teammates.
Now Kane will take his game to Russia, where he will face some of the best talent the country has to offer.
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The Detroit Red Wings have struggled to score goals lately, and those struggles have been on full display over their last several games.
Following Detroit’s 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday evening, their fourth straight defeat, the Red Wings have scored just four goals over their last four games. That stretch included a 4-0 shutout loss against their former Western Conference rival Colorado Avalanche.
Afterward, forward Alex DeBrincat, whom Detroit relies upon for scoring, said that the club needs to continue working hard to generate chances and thereby increase their confidence.
"Just have to keep working hard; it doesn’t come easy," said DeBrincat. "We've got to get around the net more and I think overall, we’re trying to create our chances. It’s tough to create that confidence, so we got to find a way to be confident in ourselves, make the play, and put it in the back of the net.”
"I think overall, we got to be better creating stuff in the first two periods," he continued. "Waited too long to get anything going and yeah, it’s tough to come back in this League.”
The Red Wings did strike first in the opening 20 minutes of play thanks to forward Andrew Copp, who netted his third goal of the season. But former Red Wings forward Pius Suter knotted the score early in the second period, followed by a goal from Justin Barron.
Jimmy Snuggerud gave the Blues insurance with a goal late in the third period; Detroit drew closer with goaltender John Gibson on the bench thanks to Moritz Seider's first goal of the campaign, but weren't able to come up with the equalizer despite a mad scramble in the game's final seconds.
"We scrapped a way back into a game and had a chance to pull the goalie at the end," said head coach Todd McLellan. "But obviously, when you give up three and you’re only getting one or two a night, you’re not going to win, or you’re not getting points.”
The game featured the return of both Marco Kasper and Mason Appleton, both of whom missed over a month with injury.
The Red Wings will face two straight divisional opponents, the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning, on the road for their next two contests.
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Once upon a time, long, long ago, there were two monthly sport magazines. One was simply called Sport. It began publishing after World War II and included the very best writers who scribbled about all the major leagues – including the NHL.
Sport was so successful that a writer named Bruce Jacobs launched a competitor monthly and called it Sport Life. I remember it well – so well that in my collection of hockey scrapbooks, I saved a Sport Life hockey article. Oddly enough it was not about the NHL although it did include the Rangers.
The article – authored by Jacobs, himself – was titled "MINOR LEAGUE, BUT MIGHTY GOOD."
It was all about the AHL's Cleveland Barons and its owner Al Sutphin. Few in today's hockey world ever heard of Al Sutphin but he was just inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame for a very good reason.
From the post-World War II years – and well through the 1960's – Al Sutphin built the Barons into a big league franchise in every – farm system and all – way except admittance to the NHL.
Sutphin's Barons were a kind of Rangers' farm team."We were close," said Rangers manager Frank Boucher, "because Sutphin's teams had NHL calibre players that we dealt for them more than a few times."
One of the best was defenseman Hy Buller – once a member of the New York Rovers – who made it to the NHL Second All-Star Team in his rookie year with the Blueshirts.
Another was right wing Wally Hergesheimer who instantly made a goal-scoring hit as a Ranger.
"Sutphin's Barons belonged in the NHL as its seventh team," recalls The Old Scout, "but politics – NHL power broker Conn Smythe – intervened. Unfortunately the Cleveland Arena only held 10,000 seats which was just a bit too small compared to NHL standards."
Too bad, because Sutphin's Barons – in so many ways – was better than the Chicago Black Hawks; maybe even the Blueshirts – in that Original Six era.
But that's old business; the new and refreshing story is that Al Sutphin has finally been dutifully recognized by the AHL for a lot things summed by a long ago headline:
On Tuesday, NHL Network analyst and former NHL goaltender Kevin Weekes reported on X, that Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov has the preference to be traded.
Weekes said a move is Michkov's preference and tied it to the Flyers' poor start to the season and what he described as "internal turmoil" within the organization. Michkov was the seventh overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
The situation appears similar to that of Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who is also seeking a new deal and reportedly also has the preference of being traded.
It sparked conversation around how both clubs could theoretically help each other with a potential swap. Both players need new contracts as Edvinsson is a restricted free agent, and Michkov is a pending RFA which could set up a dual sign-and-trade, with both players signing new deals and swapping teams.
Michkov would be a far more expensive acquisition than Edvinsson as the high-end winger has produced 50-plus points in back-to-back seasons and is expected to top 60 for the second time in his first three NHL campaigns. His upside is considerable at just 21 years old, and his price tag would likely reflect it.
Detroit's rebuild has leaned heavily on prospects and young players, and many have yet to produce at the NHL level. Nate Danielson, Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Edvinsson himself remain blue-chip talents who are young enough to develop into stars, but none has yet proven it in the NHL. Rather than keep waiting on that group, the Red Wings could opt for a proven commodity.
Detroit also has ample cap space to give him whatever contract Michkov wants for the foreseeable future. Landing him would give the Red Wings another young centerpiece who can reliably produce 50-plus points on offense, while prospects like Carter Bear, Max Plante and others continue to develop. It would also boost the current roster without costing it anything outside of Edvinsson departing for the City of Brotherly Love.
An offer could be built around a promising defenseman like Edvinsson and highly sought after position in center with Danielson, with draft picks and other assets possibly added. For Philadelphia, it could present a package that would let the team hit the reset button and get a promising return while two young players could get exactly what they want.
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The Anaheim Ducks are in the midst of a five-game winning streak, and entering Wednesday, they sit in third place in the Pacific Division standings with 21 points in 18 games. They’ve scored 26 goals in their last five games and have scored five or more in their last eight games.
However good their offense has been this season, mostly due to possessing the NHL’s top power play, they’ve given nearly everything back on the defensive end. They’re presently the youngest team in the NHL, averaging 26.45 years of age on their 23-man roster, contributing to most of their issues with details and inexperience.
They’re about to inject a veteran star player directly into their forward group, as it is reportedly “likely” that Troy Terry (29) will make his season debut on Wednesday, when the Ducks host the Nashville Predators.
Terry missed the first 18 games of the season recovering from an offseason hip surgery he underwent on June 9, 2026. He was given an estimated 5-6 month timetable; Monday, Nov. 9 marked five months. He’s been skating for a few weeks, including the last 11 days with the team, in a full-contact jersey.
From Jan. 2026 until the Ducks were eliminated from the playoffs by the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round, Terry rarely skated at any point outside of games, including practices and morning skates. During the entirety of their playoff run, he only skated during games, playing through injury and finishing the season with 57 points (19-38=57) in 61 regular season games and adding 11 points (3-8=11) in 12 playoff games.
“When you start the year not with the team, you just feel very much removed,” Terry said after his first practice on Oct. 31. “Full summer, then rehab, and just feel removed from playing hockey. And then it’s hard to not be around the guys as much.”
Terry will wear an “A” on his sweater, as he was announced as part of the leadership group that will wear letters this season, along with captain Mikael Granlund and fellow alternates Jackson LaCombe, Leo Carlsson, and Alex Killorn.
“I haven’t had someone try and take the puck from me since game six against Vegas,” Terry said when asked about how it felt to battle in practice. “So it’s just being on the ice with the other guys was a little foreign. We have a fast team, so just being out there, the speed was good. I felt good.”
Terry skated on a line with center Tim Washe and rookie winger Nico Myatovic on the Ducks’ listed third line during Tuesday’s practice. Head coach Joel Quenneville typically refrains from altering a lineup that won the previous game, but he’s been struggling to find consistency in that spot on the third line between wingers Frank Vatrano and Sam Colangelo.
“I’m really excited,” Myatovic said after practice on Tuesday. “We all know what Troy can do on the ice, but he’s been huge (for me). I remember my first training camp; I played my first preseason game, and he actually just took the time to come aside and ask how things were in juniors and all these different things. I always remember that, and now I get to be on a line with him in a real regular season game. It’s pretty cool.”
Most of the Ducks’ biggest struggles this season have been defensive: rush defense, breakouts, coverage. Many of those struggles stem from the roster forwards’ inability to help their extremely young defensemen in those situations as they navigate expected growing pains. The Ducks are outscoring their problems, but they can only do that for so long before their 5v5 play catches up to them.
On the season at 5v5 to date, the Ducks are 19th in the NHL in terms of goals-for percentage (47.9%), 21st in shots-on-goal share (48%), and 22nd in shot attempts share (48.4%). The addition of Terry, a 5v5 driver throughout the prime of his career, can significantly boost those numbers when he’s on the ice for Anaheim.
“I don’t know if you watched practice today, but he looked good,” Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson said. “He’s a hell of a player. He makes plays; he’s skilled, really good off the rush. He’ll help the power play. It’s huge.
“You get a guy like that back, we’ve definitely missed him. I know we’ve been scoring a lot, but it never hurts to get a guy like that back, and he’s a great guy in the room. Guys love him, so it’s been good to see him working hard to get back out there.”
The Islanders are off Wednesday in California before resuming the three-game trip in Los Angeles on Thursday. Three injured players inched closer to their returns, so we may see multiple lineup changes on the rest of the trip.
The Islanders need to play smarter, not get sucked into chaos like they did in San Jose. [Newsday]
At practice Wednesday, J-G Pageau took a maintenance day while Matias Maccelli, Ryan Pulock and Mat Barzal practiced as regulars. [Isles]
The Islanders’ letter-wearers are a sign of its changing leadership group. [Newsday]
Kyle MacLean draws praise for ____ (if you thought that blank would be anything other than “his physicality,” you are either optimistic or cynical). [Post]
Not The Onion: “Islanders games become new hot spot to make fashion statement as female fans flock to NHL.” [Post]
Monday night in San Jose had some theatrics. How did we feel about Mason “the dirty doesn’t fall far from the tree” Marchment?
And also:
Elsewhere
Connor Hellebuyck returned to Winnipeg but wasn’t allowed to play by his team due to “win probability.” The fans gave it to him in warmups though, with chants of “coward” and referencing playoff failures. [Sportsnet | TSN]
The Jets also gave their crowd a feel-good win, with ex-Devil trade piece Dawson Mercer scoring twice against his former club. [Sportsnet]
Fans chanted Mercer’s name, ensuring he’ll never have to buy a beer in Winnipeg at least until he requests a trade. [NHL]
Hellebuyck spoke of loving Winnipeg but experiencing threats to safety or something with his family. This calls it a “mixed message” to fans. [Sportsnet]
The NHL will consider replay assistance for officials in more situations, like when they blow a non-major high sticking call. [Sportsnet]
The NHLPA and NHL will discuss “smoothing” the salary cap jumps over the next couple of years. I’m just glad they’re all peacefully deciding how to share the spoils of $16 beers, $40 hats and $50 parking, it warms the heart. [Sportsnet]
In contrast to what Kevin Weekes has reported, the Flyers are reportedly not looking to trade Matvei Michkov, which is usually the prelude to “team is looking to trade guy, actually.” [TSN]
Meanwhile, the Blackhawks are looking to do anything they can, because they’re 4-13-1. [TSN]
The thunderous hit by Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun that injured Ottawa Senators forward Nick Cousins late in the teams' game Tuesday night was determined not to be a penalty after on-ice officials reviewed the play.
With three minutes left in regulation, Chychrun forcefully lowered his left shoulder into the chest of Cousins, whose head was just tilting up after passing the puck. Cousins’ head hit off the glass and then the ice. He had to be helped off, did not return and coach Travis Green said afterward that Cousins was not doing great but did not go to the hospital.
Referees Brandon Blandina and Beau Halkidis called it a 5-minute major penalty, which allowed them to look at video replays of the hit, which was initially thought to be to Cousins' head. Because it was deemed not to include head contact, the penalty was taken off the board completely.
Green told reporters he was a little surprised about the call, adding he "thought it was a head shot to a player that wasn’t ready for it. They must have saw it differently.”
The NHL's Department of Player Safety monitors all situations like this for potential supplemental discipline, including plays that are cataloged even if not penalized or deemed worthy of a fine or a suspension.
The Capitals won 3-2 in overtime.
Chychrun played one full season and part of another with the Senators, from 2023-24, before being traded to Washington.
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 18: Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic #33 of the San Jose Sharks blocks the shot of Ben Kindel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first period at SAP Center on October 18, 2025 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Who:Pittsburgh Penguins (6-10-2, 14 points, 8th place Metropolitan Division) @ San Jose Sharks (8-11-1, 17 points, 6th place Pacific Division)
When: 10:00 p.m. eastern
How to Watch: Locally televised game on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and NBCSCA, streaming for out of market at ESPN+
Pens’ Path Ahead: Monday kicked off a slack part of the schedule for the Pens, who only have three games from Nov 9 – 20. They’ll go back home and see Ottawa on Saturday night then get quite a few days off before the following game next Thursday 11/19 against St. Louis.
Opponent Track: It’s been a long November for the Sharks, who at least were able to break a five-game losing streak with a win on Monday at home against the Islanders, though it required a shootout to get there. To amend the Counting Crows line from the first sentence, there’s not much reason to believe the rest will be better than the last with games this month still to go against Utah, Minnesota, Anaheim, Vegas and Colorado.
Season Series: It won’t be too much longer before the Sharks make their trip for the year to Pittsburgh, playing the Pens again on December 6th.
Hidden Stat: The Penguins are 4-1-0 in their last five visits to the SAP Center, per Penguins PR.
Getting to know the Sharks
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Michael Misa – Macklin Celebrini – Will Smith
Mason Marchment – Alex Wennberg – Kiefer Sherwood
Ivar Stenberg – Ty Dellandrea – Tyler Toffoli
Barclay Goodrow – Zach Ostapchuk – Colin Graf
DEFENSEMEN
Darnell Nurse /Michael Kesselring
Sam Dickinson / Jacob Trouba
Dmitry Orlov / Eric Pohlkamp
Goalies: Yaroslav Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic
Potential scratches: Adam Gaudette, Nolan Allen
Injured Reserve: Igor Chernyshov and Logan Couture
Bringing on both Nurse and Trouba (for a combined $17.5 million cap hit this season and next) was a curious move when taken together. Grabbing one veteran in that mold was seen in many places as enough (or even one too many) getting them both in an effort to level up and
Wennberg recently returned to the lineup, he’s quietly a big piece of the team (55 points last season) and has missed half the games this season so far, which doesn’t help matters.
The second line has some tough customers, Sherwood leads the NHL in his this season with 106. Marchment just picked up a $5,000 fine for sticking up for an Islander who boarded Sherwood last game.
Lots of youth for the Sharks, which has led to some uneven offensive development. Giving up chances and more goals than they’ve been able to score has been a big issue. Some have risen, like Misa in his second year, some have faded away at the moment – like Graf who scored 21 goals and 46 points riding shotgun with Celebrini last year and has barely been on the scoresheet this season.
Taking the step from tearing down and acquiring assets has gone well, now getting up the next hurdle to become a competitive team is something SJ is trying to figure out on the fly. Toffoli has been great in support, others like Sherwood and Marchment will need to step up as the veteran help the young core needs.
Key to the game: Start fast and don’t get burned by the young talent
After taking a step forward in 2025-26, San Jose is down across the board on stats so far in 2026-27. Their offense is way down and the defensive process looks as broken as ever.
Shayna Goldman at The Athletic wrote an interesting bit about the Sharks yesterday:
High-flying rebuilding teams that play a run-and-gun style (think the 2022-23 Sabres and 2021-22 Ducks) often start stressing defensive structure above all else. But sometimes that shift can suppress what makes a team so special offensively, and doesn’t actually move the needle defensively.
That has been the case so far in San Jose, where the hockey and overall team progress have been uninspiring. Now, despite an attempted shift to play more defensive hockey, the Sharks are still bleeding chances against. The team is allowing a higher rate of chances off the rush compared to last season, as well as more passes to the slot, and is failing to limit their opponents’ offensive-zone time. And unlike last year, there isn’t that same offensive punch to make up for it. The Sharks’ young guns aren’t creating nearly as many rush chances or moving the puck as well, and are overall looking disjointed after last season’s progress.
And yet, with Celebrini and Smith and Stenberg, there’s still plenty of dynamic high-end talent that can burn an opponent at any given moment, which will have to be a priority to be mindful of for the Penguins. The Sharks season, and maybe rebuild as whole, seems like it’s in a precarious and unsteady spot at the moment. That could be good timing to meet a team now in disarray, it could also make them dangerous as they look to get on track.
The start of any game is crucial – and that will hold in this. The Sharks have only scored the first goal in 5 of their 20 games this season. They have only been leading after 20 minutes on three occasions, compared to being behind at the first intermission ten times.
For the Pens, don’t give them a reason to believe and that will trap SJ in the familiar position of chasing the game from behind and likely not being able to get a result. To avoid that, shut down the first line and the Stenberg+Toffoli combo and the Sharks don’t have a lot of other pieces that have been stepping up. (All of this is easier thought out than done, especially with a defense like Pittsburgh employs..)
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Evgeni Malkin – Sidney Crosby – Rickard Rakell
Egor Chinakhov – Ben Kindel – Nick Robertson
Ville Koivunen – Tommy Novak – Justin Brazeau
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Rutger McGroarty
DEFENSEMEN
Spencer Stastney / Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard* / Kaeden Korczak
Declan Carlile / Kris Letang
Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Sergei Murashov
Potential Scratches: Hendrix Lapierre, Andrei Kuzmenko, Ilya Solovyov
IR: Ryan Graves, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Elmer Soderblom, Bryan Rust
Could be three new forward lines, based on practice yesterday. The first line remained the same as it has been these last few games, and then FINALLY Nick Robertson gets elevated into a bigger role after scoring as many goals as anyone for the team this year in mostly a limited and defensive line. Tommy Novak, one of the team’s best players in the last handful of games, gets a new challenge and moves back to center.
Sam Girard missed practice yesterday with what was termed a ‘maintenance day’ and usually indicative that the team is thinking the player will still play the next game.
Trevor van Riemsdyk, who said said to have a day-to-day injury on October 10th and hasn’t been around much ever since, has been cleared for contact and was a full participant in practice. van Riemsdyk has been limited to playing in only five games.
Rising Robertson
Muse, on potentially elevating Robertson: "He's scored a chunk of goals there for us. He's shown the ability to create offense. He drives a lot of things just with his work and tenacity. He can put that line, whoever he's playing with, in good offensive situations. So, something…
There is something positive to be said about being used in the key defensive role with Connor Dewar and Blake Lizotte, as Robertson has for much of the season. That is an important line for the Penguins and one the coaches and team counts on in plenty of big situations, and not the completely typical or standard “fourth line afterthought” type of usage. The Pens have given Robertson a look on the PK and a real chance to pitch in there and grow his game and reputation as more of a two-way contributor.
That said, Robertson can score goals but has lacked the opportunity to get a lot of ice time and play with talented offensive players for much of his career, so it’s been frustrating to see him not get much of a chance to make a bigger impact so far this season. That makes it heartening to see him used with Chinakhov and Kindel today, two young and offensive-minded forwards. Robertson’s sure earned it through his play and production (tied for team-high seven goals).
Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun laid out Senators center Nick Cousins with a vicious hit that ultimately forced the latter’s exit in the third period of Washington’s 3-2 overtime victory.
Chychrun’s hit sent Cousins crashing into the boards and he did not move after falling to the ice amid a chorus of boos. Ottawa’s coach and players did not appreciate the play.
“He’s not doing great,” Senators coach Travis Green said of Cousins, who avoided a hospital trip.
With roughly three minutes left in regulation in a 2-2 game, Cousins carried the puck along the boards while Chychrun came barreling toward him before lowering his shoulder.
The brutal blow sent Cousins off his feet and into the boards back-first before he fell to the ice head-first in dangerous fashion.
Cousins still held his stick while he lay face down on the ice before the referees stopped play amid mini-scuffles breaking out.
Ottawa’s training staff and teammates attended to him after what the TSN announcer described as a “nasty” hit that “blew him up.”
“I should be careful what I say,” Senators forward Ridly Greig said. “I don’t like seeing that stuff.”
Added teammate Thomas Chabot: “I think everybody hates these scenes in hockey and any sport. … Obviously, you’re aware it’s part of the game, but it’s a lot more than the game of hockey and it sucks seeing him like that.”
Chychrun — who previously spent 94 games with the Senators across two seasons — somehow avoided a penalty.
Officials originally gave him a five-minute major, but they rescinded the sanction after a review, which left Green feeling “a little surprised.”
“You don’t usually see it where it goes from a major to no penalty, but I thought it was a head shot to a player that wasn’t ready for it,” Green said. “They must have saw it different.”
Ottawa forward Hayden Hodgson conceded that seeing Cousins hurt affected the team, and Washington ultimately scored the game-winning goal 1:14 into overtime to improve to 10-6.
The Senators fell to 11-6-2.
“He’s a heart-and-soul guy, he’s an unbelievable teammate, and it just took the life out of us,” Hodgson said. “It sucks to see.”
There's no other way to describe the Toronto Maple Leafs right now other than to say that they are struggling this season. Losing their fourth straight home game in regulation, a 6-3 defeat to the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, the Maple Leafs have an 8-10-2 record in the first 20 games of this season.
They sit seventh in the Atlantic Division and have a .450 win percentage. In this unforgiving division, the Maple Leafs are losing opportunities to climb the standings. And the chances of making the Stanley Cup playoffs are slowly dying, despite being just 20 games into the year.
Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller was blunt about the team's performance, and it was arguably the most critical he's been of his team since being hired.
"We make multiple poor decisions, multiple," he said after the game on Tuesday. And that's usually how hockey works. Sometimes you make a bad decision, and hopefully somebody cleans it up. You can make one, two, three poor decisions in a row. And veteran players, can't have it. You just can't have it."
Hiller was referencing Colorado's fourth goal of the game, which came just under a minute after Jack Roslovic's 3-3 equalizer early in the third period. Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog tapped in his second of the game off a pass from former Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri. Landeskog was all alone in front of the net when he received the pass.
"That's how you lose," Hiller added. "It's just plain and simple. That's how hockey is. You have to be on it."
In general, this is not where the Maple Leafs envisioned being at this point in the year. With an abundance of changes to the roster and a fresh slate going into 2026-27, the team isn't far off, record-wise, from 2025-26.
In the first 20 games last year, Toronto was 9-9-2, which is better than what they are currently at, and that team went on to win the draft lottery, finishing 28th in the NHL.
"I don't want to make excuses, so our record is what it is. It's deserved," Hiller said. "I think we could have a better record, but we don't. We are what we are. And it's a lot of different things. The goal against, let's start there."
The Leafs have the fourth-worst defense in the NHL, allowing 69 goals in 20 games, averaging 3.45 goals against per game. Only the San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks have been worse in that category.
Another aspect contributing to Toronto's downfall is the penalty kill. To start the year, the Leafs' penalty kill was among the best in NHL history, executing at 97.4 percent as of Oct. 20. In fact, on several occasions, the unbeatable penalty kill was the reason for many of the Leafs' points in the standings.
But the penalty kill hasn't been nearly as good lately, allowing power-play goals in seven straight games before this Avalanche outing. They've also taken the third-most minor penalties in the NHL, and a penalty kill as good as the Maple Leafs' was at the beginning of this season can only be so sustainable with that many opportunities.
"We've had penalties at inopportune times," Toronto's coach said. "There's been a lot of things. But I like the guys. I like the team. We're going to come out of it. It just really, really sucks. And the only way I told you is stay together and work."
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Finally, Carey Price got his long-overdue goodbye from the Montreal Canadiens fans. After taking Toronto by storm over the weekend, the netminder returned to his own stomping ground to say farewell to those who watched him become the legendary goaltender he became over his 15-year career. Before the game, the Anahim Lake, BC, native fielded questions from the local media, but that will be the topic of another article because it deserves its own space, not just a passing mention.
As expected, Price received a roaring welcome from the crowd after a tribute video, and he had to wait quite some time before the crowd finally let him speak. By then, the man who was never rattled when he stood between the posts was on the verge of tears on the ceremonial carpet. True to himself, the former netminder gave a short but heartfelt speech with plenty of thanks to go around. When he turned to the Habs players and said, “To the boys, this is your time; enjoy it,” the crowd erupted in yet another cheer, and the goaltender gave a final thank you, this one in French, to the crowd who cheered him on the ice for years but still adore him off the ice.
Given that the evening was dedicated to Price, it was fitting that the fans were treated to a goaltending battle between two of the league’s best young netminders. There weren’t many shots, but there were certainly some big ones and big scoring opportunities. After 40 minutes, the score was 0-0, and the Wild had 14 shots while the Habs had 17.
Still, Fowler made numerous saves with a Minnesota Wild player alone with him, and whenever that happened in the first 40 minutes, the Canadiens netminder shot the door quick as a cat and stayed calm. On one particular sequence, the goaltender stopped a first shot and then frustrated Michael McCarron on the rebound, stretching his leg just enough to touch the puck. In the second frame, Ryan Hartman benefited from a couple of lucky bounces to get in all alone on Fowler, and the result was the same.
As for Jesper Wallstedt, he stopped Texier one-on-one as the Frenchman turned on the Jets to overtake a defenseman, but he couldn’t beat the keeper. Nobody beat the goaltenders until Josh Anderson mishandled the puck, handing Bobby Brink a breakaway that he buried. As for the Canadiens, they tied the game with less than two minutes left as Suzuki jumped on a rebound to push it in. Fowler stopped 22 of the 24 shots he faced, while Wallstedt stopped all but one of the 28 shots he faced.
While the Canadiens dominated the faceoff circle, winning 65.5% of the draws, the Wild mastered shot-blocking, with 23 to the Habs’ 12. While the Habs were good at establishing possession off the faceoffs, Minnesota was good at recovering the pucks either with blocked shots or sound defensive play.
When the Wild scored on the breakaway, the Canadiens had been cycling the puck in their zone for a good long while, but couldn’t find free shooting lanes, and as often happens, when you can’t capitalize at one end, the puck finishes in your own net.
When Montreal got power play opportunities, it was the same story: the Habs were cycling the puck, and Minnesota wasn’t giving them the shooting lanes they wanted. They were kept to the outside, looking for a certain type of opportunity that didn’t come.
Frustrated Room
While Montreal managed to tie the game with barely any time left, there was enough time for Cole Caufield to be assessed a two-minute slashing call after battling for the puck and the defenseman’s stick exploded. The Habs held off the Wild for the final 57 seconds of regulation; the four-on-three overtime was fatal. It took 21 seconds for Kirill Kaprizov to find the back of the net from a slap shot in overtime.
Needless to say, the Canadiens weren’t best pleased with some of the penalties called, not only Caufield’s but also Anderson’s hooking call in the third. Martin St-Louis in his post-game scrum explained:
It’s a shame we didn’t get a chance to take the game to overtime at even strength; it’s disappointing. It was two good teams tonight; it’s a shame that it ended that way.
On the Caufield penalty, St-Louis added:
I thought Hughes sold the penalty; he created the broken stick.
It’s quite rare that the Canadiens’ coach comments on the referees without saying that the referees have a tough job, but he did say it’s a fast game on a follow-up question.
As for Anderson, he was clearly trying to hold back as he spoke to the reporters:
“You kind of look at the stat sheet. You know, we’re the most penalized team. We talk about it all the time. I mean, some of them, it’s…I’ll leave it at that, honestly. It is what it is.”
In 18 games, the Habs have now been assessed 73 penalties; that’s not quite the highest total in the league; the Florida Panthers have 80, but it’s not that far off either. The broken sticks are quickly becoming a plague on the game. The number of times sticks break on the ice is quite concerning, especially since a stick can have some wear on it and break even more easily when there is contact. Still, that’s a reality all teams must deal with.
The 2-1 overtime loss at least allowed the Habs to take one point from what was a very good game, a battle between two top teams. Montreal’s next game is Thursday night against the Boston Bruins, and given how well Fowler played, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him back in net in the city where he played college hockey.
The Vancouver Canucks organization is well-represented in the Hockey Hall-of-Fame. 17 current and former members of the organization, ranging from players to builders, have been inducted into the HHOF since the team’s inaugural season back in 1970. Brian Burke is the most recent former Canuck inducted into the HHOF, having been honoured this past weekend in Toronto.
Here are 17 current and former Canucks who have been inducted into the Hockey Hall-of-Fame.
10 Current And Former Canucks Inducted As Players
Cam Neely (2005): Drafted ninth-overall in the 1983 NHL Draft by Vancouver but only played in three seasons with the Canucks before being traded to the Boston Bruins. Established himself as one of the league’s best power forwards with the Bruins, putting together back-to-back 90+ point seasons in 1989–90 and 1990–91.
Mark Messier (2007): Best known for his time with the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers, the latter of which saw him win a Stanley Cup against Vancouver in 1994. Posted 694 goals (9th in NHL history) and 1193 assists (3rd in NHL history) throughout all 1756 games played (3rd in NHL history) through his NHL career. Played for Vancouver from 1997–98 to 1999–2000.
Igor Larionov (2008): An 11th-round pick by Vancouver in the 1985 NHL Draft who was finally permitted to play in the NHL four years after being drafted. Spent the first three seasons of his NHL career with the Canucks starting at the age of 28, putting up 51 goals and 92 assists in 210 games. Spent the bulk of his career with the Detroit Red Wings, but also skated for the San Jose Sharks, Florida Panthers, and New Jersey Devils.
Cammi Granato (2010): Inducted for her time as a player, during which she won Olympic Gold (1997–98) and Silver (2001–02) for Team USA. Also won nine medals — one Gold, eight Silver — at the IIHF World Championship. Was the all-time leading scorer in women’s international hockey at the time of her induction (54 goals, 42 assists in 54 games). Joined the Canucks as an Assistant General Manager in 2021–22 and now serves as a Senior Advisor.
Pavel Bure (2012): Made a big impression in his first game with the Canucks and went on to become one of the franchise’s most exciting players to watch. Awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy in his rookie season (1991–92) with 34 goals and 26 assists in 65 games played. Amassed 254 goals and 224 assists in 428 games as a Canuck, ranking in the club’s top-five in goals all-time. Had his jersey retired by the team back in 2013 and remains one of the most notable players in franchise history.
Mats Sundin (2012): Spent four years with the Québec Nordiques (1990–01 to 1993–94) and 13 with the Toronto Maple Leafs (1994–95 to 2007–08) before heading to Vancouver for one season. Scored nine goals and 19 assists in 41 games as a member of the Canucks, with this being his final season before NHL retirement. Now a Senior Advisor for the Maple Leafs.
Daniel Sedin (2022): Vancouver’s current leader in goals (393) and power-play goals (138) scored all-time in 1306 career games played. Awarded the Ted Lindsay Award (2010–11), Art Ross Trophy (2010–11), and King Clancy Trophy (2017–18). Currently one of two Presidents of Hockey Operations for the Canucks.
Henrik Sedin (2022): Vancouver’s current leader in assists (830), points (1070), power-play assists (308), power-play points (369), and games played (1330). Served as the Canucks’ captain for a total of eight seasons. Awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy (2009–10), Art Ross Trophy (2009–10), and King Clancy Trophy (2015–16, 2017–18). Currently one of two Presidents of Hockey Operations for the Canucks.
Roberto Luongo (2022): Spent eight seasons with the Canucks (2006–07 to 2013–14) and two as captain. Holds the franchise’s record for wins (252) and shutouts (38), as well as the second-best GAA (2.36) and SV% (.919%). Has the fourth-most wins (489) and third-most games played (1044) in NHL history. Won the William M. Jennings Trophy alongside Cory Schneider in 2010–11.
Alexander Mogilny (2025): Split his NHL career with the Buffalo Sabres (1989–90 to 1994–95), Canucks (1995–96 to 1999–2000), Devils (1999–00 to 2000–01, 2005–06), and Maple Leafs (2001–02 to 2003–04). Put up 139 goals and 169 assists in 312 games with Vancouver.
Dec 14, 2023; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Robert Luongo and Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin are shown on the overhead screen during an on ice presentation prior to a game against the Florida Panthers the Vancouver Canucks celebrate and honour the career of the former Vancouver goalie. During the ceremony Luongo was inducted into the Vancouver Canucks Ring of Honour at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports.
Six Former Canucks Inducted As Builders
Jake Milford (1984): Spent nine seasons as an NHL General Manager, four of which were with the Los Angeles Kings (1973–74 to 1976–77) and five of which were with the Canucks (1977–78 to 1981–82). Helped Vancouver to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance as GM. Also served as Vancouver’s Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations from 1982–83 to 1983–84.
Norman ‘Bud’ Poile (1990): Served as the Philadelphia Flyers’ General Manager from 1967–68 to 1969–70 before becoming the first GM in Canucks history in 1970. Spent three years as Vancouver’s GM. Also took roles with the Edmonton Flyers (1952–53 to 1961–62) and San Francisco Seals (1962–63 to 1965–66) of the WHL-Sr.
Roger Neilson (2002): Helped coach Vancouver to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1982, a playoff run that saw the birth of his infamous ‘Towel Power’ moment. Served as the Canucks’ Head Coach from 1981–82 to 1983–84. Also served as a Head Coach for the Maple Leafs (1977–78 to 1978–79), Sabres (1980–81), Kings (1983–84), Chicago Blackhawks (1985–86), Rangers (1989–90 to 1992–93), Panthers (1993–94 to 1994–95), and Flyers (1997–98 to 1999–2000).
Pat Quinn (2016): One of the winningest Canucks Head Coaches in franchise history with 141 victories as a bench boss (4th-most in club history). Was a member of the organization as a player (1970–71 to 1971–72), General Manager (1987–88 to 1997–98), President (1987–88 to 1997–98), and Head Coach (1990–91 to 1993–94, 1995–96). Also previously a franchise owner of the Vancouver Giants (WHL).
Jim Rutherford (2019): Vancouver’s President of Hockey Operations from 2021–22 to 2025–26. Transitioned to Senior Advisor for the Canucks at the end of the 2025–26 season. Served in various executive roles for the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes organization from 1994–95 to 2014–15. Also spent nearly six seasons with the Pittsbrugh Penguins as GM.
Brian Burke (2026): Known for his bold moves as a GM, including making draft-day moves to select both Daniel and Henrik Sedin during the 1999 NHL Draft. Served as both Director of Hockey Operations (1987–88 to 1991–92) and GM (1999–2000 to 2003–04) for the Canucks during two separate stints. Also formerly the GM of the Whalers, Anaheim Ducks, Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, and Penguins.
One Former Canucks Head Coach Inducted As A Referee
Bill McCreary (2014): Inducted into the HHOF as a referee but played in the NHL with the Rangers, Red Wings, Montréal Canadiens, and St. Louis Blues. Served as Vancouver’s Head Coach for 41 games in 1974, during which the team posted a record of 9–25–7.
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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WINNIPEG, CANADA - NOVEMBER 10: Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck #37 of the New Jersey Devils leaves the ice following the pre-game warm up prior to NHL action against the Winnipeg Jets at the Canada Life Centre on November 10, 2026 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
Connor Hellebuyck talks back in Winnipeg:
“Connor Hellebuyck said Tuesday that threats made against his family last season were what ultimately pushed him over the edge to request a trade from the Winnipeg Jets. Without disclosing the exact nature of the threats, Hellebuyck told reporters that he was already feeling unsure about his future with the organization before ‘there was some moments and some things that happened to my family that, for me, crossed the line and, as a husband and a father, I felt made that decision very certain.’” [The Athletic ($)]
Tuesday’s game in Winnipeg certainly had some juice. Dawson Mercer scored twice and helped to boost the Jets to a 4-2 win over the Devils. [Devils NHL]
An old friend talks:
Hockey Links
An interesting situation in Philadelphia:
Following up on this Kevin Weekes bombshell, I’ve been told that Matvei Michkov has not formally requested a trade from the Flyers.
“If the Flyers continue to hover near the bottom of the league standings, attention will turn toward individual player development, particularly the young guys. Whether Tocchet is coaching Michkov correctly, or if Michkov shoulders most of the blame for not playing as much as he wants to because of his lack of detail, is a debate that’s probably not going away anytime soon.” [The Athletic ($)]
A massive hit:
Nick Cousins was taken off the ice after this hit by Chychrun, he was up and moving after being down and able to walk off the ice with some help
“The NHL will continue to monitor the international hockey landscape before deciding if Russia will be included in the to-be-determined eight-team field for the World Cup of Hockey 2028, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday.” [NHL.com]
“The NHL and NHLPA will meet in the new year to discuss the possibility of ‘smoothing’ the salary cap over the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons.” [Sportsnet]
“With nearly a quarter of the NHL regular season completed, which defensemen have emerged as top candidates for the Norris Trophy?” [The Hockey News]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
