Category: NHL

CHICAGO - The Chicago Blackhawks came home after a quick one-game trip to play the Carolina Hurricanes. Down in Raleigh, they took down one of the best teams in the NHL in a shootout. It is better known as "The Oliver Moore birthday game". 

On Friday night, they returned to the United Center for a match against another top NHL team, the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tampa came in on a 14-game point streak, even with all of the injuries that they have been dealing with. 

Despite mostly being outplayed by the Lightning in the first period, Ryan Greene found a lane to the net and made it 1-0 with a beautiful move and shot. It isn't easy to beat Andre Vasilevskiy clean like that, but Greene made it happen. The dynamic duo of Oliver Moore and Nick Lardis collected the assists on the play. 

The Blackhawks weren't much better in the second period. Arvid Soderblom was able to keep them in the game, but Nikita Kucherov did tie it up late with a nifty backhand after receiving a neat pass from Brandon Hagel.

In the middle frame as a whole, the Blackhawks were outshot 13-2. In the game overall up to that point, Tampa led 21-6 in shots. Chicago came into the third knowing they needed a much better effort if they were going to escape with one point, let alone two. 

The play was much more even in the third period. Tampa and Chicago exchanged chances, but both Vasilevskiy and Soderblom warmed to the task. Bonus hockey was required for the second night in a row. 

In overtime, the Blackhawks had their one stretch of dominance. They had multiple grade-A chances, but Vasilevskiy stood tall as he always does.  

A shootout was required in consecutive games as well. Like the one on Thursday, it went to extra frames. Frank Nazar and Louis Crevier scored for Chicago, but Tampa scored just one extra goal and took the second point. 

Arvid Soderblom, despite taking the tough loss, was excellent. He was the only reason that the Blackhawks had a chance to win in the first place. 

“We owe a lot of credit to [Soderblom]," Ryan Greene said of his goalie. "I thought he was unbelievable. I don't think that game goes overtime without him playing the way he did.”

Soderblom made 31 saves on 30 shots during regulation and overtime. Playing in place of Spencer Knight once every few games isn't the easiest role in the world of hockey, but he has done it with class and respect for the game. 

Although they don't want to keep taking penalties, their kill continues to be excellent. Add another 3/3 performance in this one, moving their NHL lead up to 85.4 percent. Again, Soderblom played a key role in that success, along with some of the young defenders. 

That's three points out of four against two top teams for the Blackhawks. It wasn't perfect at times, but they continue to battle hard and find ways to collect points. 

Chicago, however, must clean up their play if it is going to keep getting these aforementioned points. Being outchanced 72-40 is not the way, but their goalie and some luck allowed them to nearly win. 

Watch Every Chicago Goal

the Greene machine👊 pic.twitter.com/E1Jfbahuxr

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 24, 2026

What’s Next For The Blackhawks?

The Blackhawks are back in action on Sunday night when the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers will be at the United Center. 

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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TORONTO (AP) — Mark Stone had two goals and an assist and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Maple Leafs 6-3 on Friday night in Mitch Marner’s emotional return to Toronto.

Jack Eichel Pavel Dorofeyev, Braeden Bowman and Keegan Kolesar also scored for Vegas. Adin Hill made 18 saves, and Ivan Barbashev had three assists.

Marner, who played nine seasons with the Maple Leafs before his long march out the door ended last summer, was booed every time he touched the puck.

John Tavares, Scott Laughton and Bobby McMann scored for Toronto. Anthony Stolarz stopped 25 shots in his return from an upper-body injury.

Playing in the second of a back-to-back, Vegas won for the first time in three contests following a seven-game winning streak, including a 6-5 overtime victory over the Maple Leafs last week.

Toronto has dropped three in a row and five of six.

Rasmus Andersson made his debut for Vegas after the blueliner was acquired from Calgary on Sunday.

Up next

Golden Knights: At Ottawa on Sunday.

Maple Leafs: Host Colorado on Sunday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

CHICAGO (AP) — Dominic James scored in the fifth round of a shootout and the Tampa Bay Lightning made it 15 straight games without a regulation loss, outlasting the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 on Friday night.

Tampa Bay is on a 14-0-1 tear, winning three straight after a shootout loss a week ago in St. Louis. The Lighting are 32-13-4 overall.

Nikita Kucherov tied it at 1 late in the second period with his 25th goal of the season and also scored in the shootout. Gage Goncalves scored in the fourth round of the tiebreaker to keep Tampa Bay alive and, after Oliver Moore failed for Chicago, James slipped the winner past Arvid Soderblom.

Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 17 shots for Tampa Bay.

Ryan Greene scored for Chicago, and Soderblom made 30 saves. Chicago had won two straight, beating Carolina 4-3 in shootout Friday night in Raleigh.

Andre Burakovsky nearly ended it for Chicago in overtime, but couldn’t get the puck in at the side of that net as it slid across the crease.

Tampa Bay outshot Chicago 13-2 in the second period and had a 21-6 overall advantage through 40 minutes. Both teams were 0 for 3 on the power play.

Kucherov tied it with 1:18 left in the second. He cut through the slot, taking Brandon Hagel's pass on his forehand and lifting in a backhander.

Greene opened the scoring on a power play with 2:18 left in the first period with a goal that withstood a lengthy review after the Lightning challenged for offsides. Greene cut across the front and beat Vasilevskiy with a forehand shot.

Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno fought Jack Finley early in the first, with Finley getting an extra two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Up next

Lightning: At Columbus on Saturday night.

Blackhawks: Host Florida on Sunday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Two teams have repeatedly emerged as favourites to land Vancouver Canucks winger Evander Kane in a trade this year. According to Kevin Weekes, there are two teams from the Central Division to keep an eye on. On Friday, Weekes wrote via "X", "Per multiple sources, I’m told the @DallasStars and @Avalanche are among the likely destinations for @Canucks F Kane via potential trade."

Both the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars are preparing for long playoff runs. While Colorado currently is the best team in the NHL with 77 points in 48 games, Dallas ranks sixth with 65 points in 51 games. As of writing, the Stars would take on the Minnesota Wild in the first round, while the Avalanche would face the second Wild Card team. 

While Kane's season with Vancouver has not gone as planned, he still has tools that contenders would like to add to their roster. He went to the Stanley Cup Final each of the last two years and has 84 hits in 49 games. Kane is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and will be looking to show teams that he can be an impactful player moving forward. 

On top of the trade deadline, which is scheduled for March 6, there is a trade freeze that kicks in on February 4. This freeze will last until the end of the 2026 Winter Olympics, with teams able to start making moves on February 22. The Canucks have already made two significant moves this year, as they traded both Quinn Hughes and Kiefer Sherwood. 

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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One of the Montreal Canadiens' top objectives at the 2026 NHL trade deadline should be to add another top-six forward. Adding a second-line center, in particular, would be significant for a Canadiens club looking to prove that they can be true contenders. 

When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, Nashville Predators center Ryan O'Reilly is standing out as a prime potential option for the Canadiens to consider.

O'Reilly is showing this season that he is still capable of being a major difference-maker. In 50 games so far this season with the Predators, he has recorded 18 goals, 32 assists, 50 points, and a plus-8 rating. With numbers like these, the 34-year-old would be a huge pickup for the Canadiens if acquired. 

O'Reilly is only getting better as the season carries on, too. The star center is currently on a six-game point streak, where he has recorded five goals and 13 points over that span. This includes him putting together back-to-back three-point games against the Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 20 and the Ottawa Senators on Jan. 22. 

Yet, besides being red-hot right now, O'Reilly could also be an appealing target for the Canadiens because he plays a strong two-way game and is well-known for his leadership. With this, he would have the potential to benefit the Canadiens in multiple ways.

O'Reilly would also be more than a rental for the Canadiens. This is because he is signed until the end of the 2026-27 season, where he has a bargain $4.5 million cap hit. 

The Chicago Blackhawks have multiple players who are pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs). Among them is forward Ilya Mikheyev, as the 31-year-old is in the final season of his four-year, $19 million contract.

Mikheyev was traded to the Blackhawks during this past off-season in a cap dump move for the Vancouver Canucks. The change of scenery did him good, as he posted 20 goals and a career-high 34 points in 80 games during his first year with the Blackhawks in 2024-25. 

Now, in his second season with the Blackhawks, Mikheyev has recorded nine goals and 17 points in his first 45 games. While his pace of production is lower so far than it was last season, he has still been giving the Blackhawks some secondary scoring. He is also being used on the Blackhawks' penalty kill again. 

With Mikheyev being a pending UFA, he is eligible to sign a contract extension with the Blackhawks. When noting that he is a solid part of their top nine and a key penalty killer, should the Blackhawks try to keep him around beyond this season? It is fair to wonder if they could.

For a Mikheyev contract extension to make sense with the Blackhawks, he would likely make less than his current $4.75 million AAV. Furthermore, with the Blackhawks having several young players in their system and Mikheyev being older than 30, a short-term extension would make more sense for them. 

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what the Blackhawks decide to do with Mikheyev from here.

Share your thoughts in the comments what you think the Blackhawks should do with Mikheyev. 

The Vancouver Canucks are 50 games into the 2025–26 season. After dropping 11-straight games and trading Kiefer Sherwood to the San Jose Sharks, the Canucks won their first game of 2026 against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday. This marks their 17th win of the season and fifth home win of 2025–26. Here’s how the Canucks stack up to the rest of the NHL 50 games into the season.  

Team Stats 

While the Canucks weren’t doing phenomenally before it, their 11-game losing streak didn’t exactly help their team statistics. Vancouver now ranks 32nd in the NHL in exactly half of these particular team stats. Aside from their record and points-percentage, the Canucks’ goals-against (182) and penalty kill (71.3%) sit at the very body of the league. Their highest-ranking stat remains their power play, which sits at 20th in the NHL with a success rate of 19.3%. 

Individual Skaters

Vancouver’s individual stat leaders start to shift now that Sherwood is no longer part of the team. Elias Pettersson has now taken the team lead in goals (13), while Aatu Räty now leads them in hits (94). The Canucks’ individual stat leaders chart also shows a brief glance at how big of a role Filip Hronek has taken since Quinn Hughes’ departure from the team. The defenceman shares the team lead in points with Pettersson (29), while also leading his team in assists (25) and total minutes played (1222:18). The only listed individual stats in which Vancouver ranks higher than 32nd in the league are their overall TOI (Hronek, 11th), power play TOI (Brock Boeser, 20th), and penalty-killing TOI (Marcus Pettersson, 15th). 

Goaltenders

Another injury to Thatcher Demko means that the Cancuks’ goaltending stats are likely to change again in the coming days. Demko still leads Vancouver in SV% (.895%), GAA (2.90), and wins (8), while Kevin Lankinen tops the Canucks’ charts in all other goalie stats. In the four stats that Lankinen leads in for the Canucks, three of his totals rank higher than 32nd in the NHL — his minutes played (25th), shots-faced (22nd), and high-danger shots faced (16th). Lankinen also ranks 33rd in the league in high-danger SV% with 0.807%. 

The next five Canucks games will take place on home-ice. Vancouver will face the New Jersey Devils tonight at 7:00 pm PT, then the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 3:00 pm PT matinee on Sunday, and then the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday at 7:00 pm PT. Games against the Anaheim Ducks at 7:00 pm PT on January 29th and the Toronto Maple Leafs at 4:00 pm PT on the 31st round out Vancouver’s next run of games at home. 

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 Nashville Predators' game time against the Utah Mammoth on Jan. 24 at Bridgestone Arena has moved up to 12:30 p.m. CT in response to the pending winter weather this weekend, the team announced.

The game time moved up two hours, from 2:30 p.m. to 12:30 p.m., with winter weather moving into the area in the morning of Jan. 24.

Bridgestone Arena doors will open at 11 a.m. on Jan. 24, according to the team.

The National Weather Service currently forecasts snow in the morning of Jan. 24, followed by a possible mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain throughout the rest of the day.

The Predators plan to honor defenseman Roman Josi in a pregame ceremony. He played in his 1,000th career NHL game on Jan. 22.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Winter storm warning: NHL game in Nashville moved earlier

The Buffalo Sabres did not come out of the 4-2 win over Montreal unscathed, as head coach Lindy Ruff indicated after the game that defenseman Jacob Bryson would miss some time with an upper-body injury. Bryson left the game in the middle of the second period and did not return. 

“He went back to Buffalo today and we'll find out (the severity of the injury),” Ruff said after the team’s practice on Friday. “We'll know next couple days. He'll probably see the doctors today, and we'll get a better idea.”

The Sabres recalled defenseman Zac Jones from AHL Rochester and placed Bryson on injured reserve. Jones is leading the Amerks in scoring with 37 points (6 goals, 31 assists) in 32 games. 

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Winger Zach Benson scored the game-winner in the second period, but was on the receiving end of an elbow from Habs forward Zachary Bolduc. Benson was on the ice and showing no ill effects at the Northwell Heath Ice Center on Long Island on Friday. 

"Incidental or not, I felt it was a little bit of a cheap shot,” Ruff said. “But no, he's back smiling and laughing this morning, so he's doing good."

Team captain Rasmus Dahlin missed practice after blocking a shot in the third period against the Habs, but Ruff stated that it was for maintenance purposes and that they felt that he would be good to go. The Sabres play an afternoon game against the Islanders on Saturday, and will return home to practice before completing their road trip in Toronto on Tuesday. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

Technically, Olen Zellweger is 49 games into his third NHL season after playing 62 games in 2024-25 and 26 in 2023-24. The Anaheim Ducks selected the dynamic, “undersized” defenseman with the 34th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. As one of the youngest players in that year’s draft, he was six days from eligibility for the 2022 draft.

Following his draft, Zellweger (22) went on to a decorated junior career in his final two seasons in the WHL, scoring a combined 158 points (46-112=158) in 110 regular season games, 38 points (13-25=38) in 20 playoff games, winning two World Junior Championship gold medals, two Bill Hunter trophies as the WHL’s top defenseman, and one CHL defenseman of the year award.

Game #51: Ducks vs. Kraken Gameday Preview (01/23/26)

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In his rookie year (2023-24), Zellweger played 44 games for the San Diego Gulls in the AHL, scoring 37 points (12-25=37), earning a spot as the Gulls’ AHL All-Star representative, and he seemed well on his way to fulfilling his offensive potential.

If anyone were to convey that Zellweger would one day become a top-four defenseman in the NHL, they’d have likely guessed he’d play the role of a team’s top power play unit point man and offensive point producer, with very little defensive responsibility.

The transition into the NHL has been anything but smooth for the now 5-foot-10, 194-pound defender who oozes refined skill and is as flawless a skater as one can find. He had difficulty carving a role for himself under former Ducks head coach Greg Cronin, who favored veterans for key roles, and he, along with Pavel Mintyukov, fell victim to a logjam on the blueline in 2024-25 that caused him to serve as a healthy scratch for 20 games and play a non-conductively safe brand of hockey.

He worked tirelessly, as the last Ducks player off the ice for nearly every morning skate and practice, to refine all areas of his game and iron out any deficiencies on the defensive end, and he became a complete NHL defenseman.

Zellweger was projected as one of the players who would benefit most from the Ducks' hiring of Joel Quenneville as their new coach for the 2025-26 season. The logjam was relieved, and on paper, the wide-open, offensive, pressure system seemed perfectly catered to Zellweger’s play style.

Though his now-polished defensive prowess has earned him the third-most TOI (873:15) among Anaheim blueliners this season, following a difficult stretch for Anaheim’s power play to start the season, in which Zellweger was firmly on the team’s second unit, he’s seen his offensive responsibility evaporate completely.

“The core of strength is still, I think, our power play,” Zellweger said. “I still think I have a lot of untapped potential there (that) I need to find a way to get out. Penalty kill has been really good, a challenge for me. I hadn’t played penalty kill in the NHL until this year, so I really enjoy it. It’s super important, getting lots of kills.”

Though he’s now a bona fide top-four defenseman and is being utilized as such at 5v5, during the Ducks' 15 games since Dec. 16, Zellweger has only logged a grand total of 84 seconds on the power play and not even one second in the last four games.

On the flip side, Zellweger now holds a role on the team’s second penalty kill unit, and over the team’s last eight games, he’s averaging 2:05 TOI on the PK. The Ducks have only allowed one goal when he’s been on the ice for the PK during that stretch.

“I like that versatility in his game, that he can do both things,” Quenneville said. “I think Zelly gives us a great presence when exiting our zone, joining the attack, off the point in the offensive zone, and finding holes in spots. He’s quick to pucks as well. I think when we started him penalty killing, it was a good opportunity for him to get quality ice time as well.

“So far, in a short amount of time, he looks like he’s enjoying the opportunity, but his quickness can help him get to pucks and pressure in the right situations, and get the clear as well. Young guys on defense, that’s a big job description to get done. You gotta like the way he started.”

Zellweger’s been a point producer and point defenseman on the power play at every level he’s played at below the NHL, and is finding ways to translate that skill to his new role as a defensive stalwart.

“I’ve played power play my whole life, so I think just the subtleties when I see a guy have the puck. Maybe he’s looking down, and I can pressure him,” Zellweger continued. “Small things like that, I can kind of see the seams unfolding. I think that helps me a lot going on the PK. It makes it less of a transition to be effective. Using my quickness, and trying to read a play as it unfolds and be in the right positions.”

At 5v5, Zellweger is Anaheim’s second-best defenseman, behind only Jackson LaCombe. When he’s on the ice, the Ducks account for 53.68% of the shot attempts share, 50.87% of the shots on goal share, and 51.25% of the expected goals share. He’s driving 5v5 offense from the blueline, as when he’s on the ice, the Ducks have notched 2.99 expected goals for per 60 minutes (2nd on ANA) and 3.27 goals/60 (1st on ANA). He’s either been too unproductive or hasn’t been given enough of a chance with the man advantage.

That may leave some to wonder what his role is for the Ducks organization moving forward. Is he destined to cap out as a good top-four defenseman who kills penalties on a second unit? If that’s the case, Zellweger will have tough competition nipping at his heels in the Ducks’ pipeline, with Stian Solberg (23rd overall in ’24) and Tyson Hinds (76th in ’21) in the AHL, Lasse Boelius (60th in ’25) in Liiga, Tarin Smith (79th in ’24) in the WHL, and Drew Schock (101st in ’25) in the NCAA.

He’s been passed on the Ducks’ power play depth chart by both Mintyukov and Jacob Trouba, with LaCombe assuming top unit TOI. If he can’t find consistent time with the man-advantage, one could even wonder how the Ducks’ front office views the player and if he has a long-term spot on the roster.

Zellweger has as much puck skill and skating ability as any defenseman in the NHL. He’s worked endlessly to round out his 200-foot game, performing well defensively at 5v5 and on the kill, but his biggest impact comes on the offensive side of the puck. He has 18 points (6-12=18) in 49 games this season and 47 points (15-32=47) in 137 games in his career.

Zellweger is in the final year of his entry-level contract and will be an RFA when the Ducks’ season concludes. How general manager Pat Verbeek and the Ducks’ front office approach the trade deadline, home stretch of the season, and offseason as it pertains to Olen Zellweger will be immensely telling on how they view him within the framework of the present and future of the organization.

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The Buffalo Sabres moved one step closer to a top three spot in the Atlantic Division with a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on Thursday. The Sabres followed the same script as they did in Nashville earlier in the week, jumping out to an early lead and holding on for dear life in the latter part of the game. 

Jason Zucker, Beck Malenstyn, and Zach Benson staked Buffalo to a 3-0 lead early in the second period, but the Habs responded before the end of the middle frame with tallies by Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki, and outshot the Sabres 15-3. Buffalo maintained their lead through the third, and Samuel Montembeault pulled for the extra attacker. Peyton Krebs iced the game away with an empty-netter. 

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 32 saves in the win.  

Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff spoke after the game: 

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What can you say about your team holding on to leads in these games?

We came out, played a really good first period. You've got to give Montreal a lot of credit. They had a big push in the second. We made a couple errant plays that they took advantage of. (Luukkonen) made some great saves. But then I thought we played a rock-solid third period where maybe gave up one chance in a one-goal game, which I got to give our guys a lot of credit for just locking back into our game.

Does it help your team to play in a heated environment like Montreal?

I think you can see in the East that every team is winning every night. We know how much the game meant to us, and Montreal knows how much the game means to them. And every game, you can win a game. With the run we've had, and you're sitting two points inside a playoff race. It's good training for high-intensity games. For the most part, our guys have been able to pass the test, we've been able to weather some storms, and we've been able to push through and win games.

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

The Buffalo Sabres have made a roster move, as they have called up defenseman Zac Jones from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans. 

Jones being called up to the Sabres' roster comes after fellow defenseman Jacob Bryson exited Buffalo's most recent contest against the Montreal Canadiens due to injury. Now, by recalling Jones, the Sabres have another defenseman to work with. 

Jones has been called up several times this season by the Sabres, but he has yet to make his regular-season debut with the NHL club. Yet, he will now be hoping that changes after landing this latest call-up to the Sabres' roster. 

Jones has been simply excellent this season down in the AHL with Rochester. In 32 games so far this campaign with the Amerks, the left-shot defenseman has recorded six goals and 37 points. He is also tied for first in the AHL with 31 assists, so he has certainly been making an impact offensively with Rochester. 

Jones was also recently named to the 2026 AHL All-Star Game due to his strong play with Rochester this season. 

Craig Berube had 241 fighting majors in his NHL career, but the massive wound he showed off Friday didn’t come from dropping the gloves.

The Maple Leafs head coach suffered a nasty cut requiring several stitches across his forehead and a black out in an accident while working out at a gym Thursday.

“Yeah, I’ll address it, because you’re gonna see it tonight. I had an accident in the gym yesterday,” Berube said when asked by a reporter if he was “OK” following the morning skate ahead of Friday’s game against the Golden Knights. “The other guy looks way worse. There was three of ’em.

“No, it’s tough. It was stupid. It was just a bad accident, and it’s on me. My fault, and yeah, I’m fine.”

When asked if he expects to be behind the bench against Vegas, the 60-year-old Berube nodded and replied, “yes.”

Berube played 17 NHL seasons for five teams, including one with the Islanders in 2000-01, amassing 159 points and 3,149 penalty minutes over 1,054 games.

Leafs HC Craig Berube reveals a massive gash on his head as the result of an accident in the gym. pic.twitter.com/zVQ25tDGVi

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 23, 2026

The former enforcer in his second year coaching the Maple Leafs (76-43-13) after spending the previous six seasons with the Blues, leading them to a Stanley Cup title in 2019. The Alberta native was fired by St. Louis in Dec. 2023 following a 13-14-1 start.

On Wednesday, the New Jersey Devils called up Colton White from the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Earning four assists, White has contributed in over 23 games with the Devils this season.

Drafted 97th overall in the 2015 NHL Draft by the Devils, the 28-year-old is now back with the team.

Over six seasons, White played 107 NHL games: first with the Devils, then with the Anaheim Ducks after signing as a free agent in July 2022, before returning to New Jersey in July 2024. He has earned 14 points, all assists.

White, a defenseman, spent his first four NHL seasons with the Devils, then joined Anaheim as a free agent on July 14, 2022. 

On July 1, 2024, he rejoined the Devils as a free agent.

Meeting the Devils in Vancouver, the defenseman prepares for Friday’s match-up against the Canucks.

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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

Though it has been no secret that the Senators’ goaltending has left a lot to be desired this season, statistics have come to the fore to highlight exactly how bad.

Not since the Ottawa Senators' second season in the league, when they won 14 games out of 84, have the Senators had a lower combined team save percentage than they had a few days ago (.865).

One could hardly compare the lineup that suited up that season to the 2025-26 team that currently sits 8th in the Atlantic with a 23-20-7 record through 50 games.

The Senators have not had a great track record as an organization with drafting goaltenders.

In fact, they have never drafted a goaltender who has occupied the status of #1 starter for the Ottawa Senators. Robin Lehner in the second round in 2009 and Joey Daccord in round seven in 2015 both went on to start elsewhere but played very little for the Senators.

No sense crying over spilled milk. It’s time to examine the pipeline and see if help is on the way. For argument’s sake, Leevi Merilainen will not be part of this evaluation.

Mads Sogaard, Age 25, Belleville Senators – Selected in 2nd round of 2019 NHL Draft

Though Sogaard is on a one-way deal, he has never shown the ability to stay healthy at any level, nor has his play been consistent at the NHL level.

He has moved from the status of prospect to suspect, and unless he can seize the reins and put the B-Sens on his back for a nice playoff run, his future with the Senators could be coming to an end.

As it stands right now, his numbers in the AHL this season are very pedestrian, though injuries have limited Sogaard to only 15 starts. There is still time to make something of this season, but the sands in Sogaard’s hourglass are running out quickly.

Jackson Parsons, Age 21, Belleville Senators/Allen Americans – 2025 free agent signing

Parsons has only played 12 games thus far this season and is currently back in Allen, Texas, where he can start more regularly. He spelled Sogaard during his injury absence and acquitted himself nicely.

Parsons is something of a late bloomer who was never drafted, yet he won goalie and overage player of the year for the 2024-25 OHL season.

For a rookie season, he got on the radar in a good way, and now that Hunter Shephard is back in the AHL, Parsons can continue his development with regular work. The 21-year-old Embrun native is a work in progress, but his trajectory is headed in the right direction. His numbers have been very respectable, and at 6’2” and 200 lbs, he has the frame of an NHL goalie.

The real issue is that the Senators need an NHL goalie, and right now, Parsons is still proving himself as an ECHL starter.

Definitely a prospect, but a starter prospect? Time will tell.

Kevin Reidler, Age 21, Penn State University – Selected in 5th round of 2022 NHL Draft

The 6-foot-6 Swedish netminder has never had a save percentage below .900 since being drafted. But except for his time in Dubuque (USHL), he hasn't been a starter.

Last year at the University of Nebraska/Omaha appears to have been a write off with only eight starts due to some issues with his back. But he did post a .920 save percentage in those games.

Through the transfer portal, Reidler is now at Penn State, playing with the presumptive number one overall selection in 2026, Gavin McKenna. Reidler has also played more than half the games with some impressive results (9-3, 2.92, .910).

Again, until he proves himself capable of being a number one goalie in the NCAA, it’s hard to view him as more than a B-level prospect.

Reidler's height is intriguing,  assuming he has the athletic ability to leverage it. But if the 6-foot-7 Mads Sogaard is any indication, Reidler may need extra time to adjust to his height before becoming a goalie who could suit up for the parent club.

More to follow on this one.

Vladimir Nikitin, Age 21, New Hampshire Mountain Kings (NAHL) – Selected in 7th round of 2023 NHL Draft

To say that Nikitin has taken the scenic route since being drafted would be an understatement.

The Kazakh goaltender has played in the BCHL (2023-24), RUS-MHL (2024-25 top junior league in Russia), back to the BCHL with the Nanaimo Clippers (2024-25), USHL (2025-26) and moving yet again to the NAHL (2025-26) where he currently resides.

He also represented Kazakhstan at the World Junior Hockey Championships in Ottawa in 2025.

Changing teams in two of the three seasons since being drafted does not scream prospect and his numbers are just okay.

His WJHC appearance revealed a vulnerable trapper.

Not writing him off, but like the Senators in the current NHL standings, Nikitin doesn’t just need to improve his play, but he also has other people ahead of him that he needs to catch.

Lucas Beckman, Age 18, Chicoutimi Sageneens, Selected in 4th round of 2025 NHL Draft

This one is a little intriguing. Up until recently, Beckman was playing for the worst team in the QMJHL, Baie Comeau, where he was getting shelled almost every night as their starting goalie.

Somehow, he still managed to post a .905 save percentage.

Beckman has now been traded to Chicoutimi, the best team in the league, and after missing some time with injury, he's now returned to the lineup. The Senators are hoping he can go on a long playoff run and get some valuable experience.

Still just 18, with a good run the rest of the season, Beckman could end up as part of Canada's World Junior conversation. He represented Canada at the World U18s last year. 

The key point here is that Beckman has a starting goaltender pedigree and a potential championship QMJHL team thought enough of him to acquire him for their run.

It’s too early to ordain Beckman as the future but it seems clear that he has one.

Andrei Trofinov, Age 19, Magnitigorsk RUS-MHL, Selected in 7th round of 2025 draft

With the likes of Bobrovsky, Vasilevskiy, Shesterkin, Sorokin and even Askarov all starting in the NHL with pretty impressive starting goalie resumes, it’s hard to blame the Senators for wanting to see if they could strike gold in Russia as well.

That said, two of them were first round selections and none were chosen in the seventh round after being passed over in their first year of eligibility.

It’s early with this one and if the Russian Federation starts to take note of him, Sens Nation should as well, but not before then.

The Senators have not drafted a goalie in the first round since Mathieu Chouinard in 1998, and they drafted him twice.

Things could change, but looking at this stable of goalies, other than Beckman, it’s hard to see anyone who is currently tracking to be a potential starting goalie in the NHL. Regardless, their help is still years away, and barring a trade, the Senators have no choice but to rely on their current group to hold the fort.

Pat Maguire
The Hockey News - Ottawa

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