Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said his focus entering the new season remains on improving the team rather than setting a specific goal such as a playoff berth or Stanley Cup title. Dubas said Pittsburgh will continue seeking young impact players while developing its current prospects and improving defensively. [Trib Live]

The Penguins will celebrate their 60th anniversary throughout the 2026-27 season with special events, giveaways and ticket packages. The yearlong celebration begins with a pregame ceremony on Oct. 3 before the Penguins’ home opener against the Montreal Canadiens, and the team has also unveiled a retro-inspired 60th anniversary logo. [KDKA]

Forward Egor Chinakhov is getting an opportunity on Pittsburgh’s top power-play unit after Bryan Rust was placed on injured reserve. Chinakhov, who scored 18 goals and 36 points in 43 games with the Penguins last season, is expected to skate alongside Sidney Crosby, Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell and Tommy Novak.

ICYMI: In an appearance on Mark Madden’s radio show on 105.9 The X, Sidney Crosby said the shortened preseason has limited his time to build chemistry with new linemate Nick Robertson, but he has been encouraged by their progress. The Penguins captain also said he hopes to play for several more years, while acknowledging that his retirement timeline will depend on how he feels physically and mentally. [PensBurgh]

News and notes from around the NHL…

Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery for a skull fracture suffered when he was struck by a puck during Friday’s preseason game against Dallas. The 24-year-old had 51 points in 80 games last season, but the Wild have not established a timetable for his return. [NHL]

Thomas Chabot has been named the next captain of the Ottawa Senators. [TSN]

Newly acquired Columbus Blue Jackets forward Matthew Knies is glad to have the trade speculation surrounding him in the rearview mirror after being dealt by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Knies said the rumors had become tiring but is excited for a fresh start in Columbus. [Sportsnet]

The NHL season is underway! Let us now enjoy all the ups, the downs and endless absurdities that are sure to follow with the “transition” 2026-27 New York Islanders, including an extra two games of angst in the expanded 84-game schedule.

They have an incredible Calder-winning defenseman who’s sure to be a Norris candidate through much of his career and delight us on even the darkest nights, a Vezina-caliber goalie whose peak may nonetheless behind him, a 38-year-old backup trying to come back with two (partial) new knees, and a bunch of aging players who will be “transitioned” out in the next few years as this season’s (hopefully) emerging youngsters take the reins.

There is a lot to scratch your head about and wonder, “How’s this gonna work?” about their opening roster, but there’s also Matthew Schaefer and Victor Eklund, two youngsters who provide hope today and should be part of the next generation if the roster one day gets out of this middling state.

PROGRAMMING/GAME THREAD NOTE: I’ll do my darndest to make sure we have a separate game thread/chat for each game. With the new SB Nation app, there is a “game chat” functionality that is supposed to work pretty well. I am not an app person and sure as Avery am not a salesperson, so I’m comfortable telling you the app is pretty useful for accessing this site and jumping around comments on mobile.

COMMENTING NOTE: And that brings up another note…the lifeblood of this site is fun, informed(???), fan-driven commentary. I know you (or at least many of you) don’t come here for my unsourced prose; you come here for the laugh or the reality-check or the well-meaning banter in comments. So please don’t abuse it, don’t abuse each other, don’t hammer the same point (whether its genius or tinfoil) 20 times per day. To help prevent trolls and bots, there is network-wide comment moderation, which means certain words or antagonistic comments toward each other may get filtered or blocked, and I won’t know about the injustice until long after the moment has passed.

Sometimes the filters or moderators overreact (don’t mention that you graduated summa cum laude!), but by and large it shouldn’t be hard to have basic, human discourse here. (Remember: The enemy isn’t each other, it’s…Isles management, or something.) There are options to mute your least favorite commenters or simply skim on by the stuff you find dumb, so consider doing that and channel your blood pressure spikes to what happens on the ice.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

Islanders News

First things first! The Islanders open the season in Toronto tonight. First Islanders Goal picks for tonight go here, with instructions in the first comment.

• Victor Eklund has switched to number 38, which I really don’t like but I guess it’s okay, as it’s what he wore in Sweden. Still, ick. [Isles]
• The Islanders will have four alternate captains — different guys for home and road — in addition to new captain Bo Horvat. I’m not going to pretend to think this means anything significant, but I’m glad Schaefer gets an A since he’ll one day lead this next generation. [Isles]
• ONLY in Newsday! What can Schaefer accomplish in his second season? [Newsday]
• It’s going to be a work-in-progress as the Isles acclimate to what Pete DeBoer wants. [Post]
• Exhausted by click bait headlines, I made 32 BOLD predictions about this season. [LHH]

Elsewhere

Last night’s NHL scores included the defending champs raising their banner but falling to the previous champs, the Leafs falling at home to the Canadiens, and the vaunted Babcockian Oilers and Islanders playoff hero Tristan Jarry giving up five goals on the first 20 shots in an OT loss to the Canucks. They got a very friendly call to help them tie it up late and force overtime, making Evan Bouchard’s hat trick worth something.

• During the game broadcast, ESPN paid modest tribute to Barry Melrose. [NHL]
• The Blue Jackets are happy to be done with the Kirill Marchenko drama. [NHL]
• Speaking of whom, thank GOD Carson Soucy has found work. [TSN]
• Who else here is thrilled that the Leafs “look like a new team in emotional loss”? [Sportsnet]
• Who needs AI? Jakub Dobes proved he can get a robot to express emotion. [Sportsnet]
• Elliotte Friedman returns with some 32 Actual Written Thoughts. [Sportsnet]

Las Vegas, N.V.– With its legalized gambling, world-renowned restaurants, magic shows, and acrobatic circus acts, Las Vegas is widely viewed as the entertainment capital of the world. The Strip has something for everyone and attracts an unfathomable amount of foot traffic every day. On Tuesday, a good chunk of that traffic flocked to T-Mobile Arena for the Vegas Golden Knights’ home opener against the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Golden Knights are known for their pregame theatrics, and they didn’t cut any corners in their 10th season. The ‘Season X’ pregame show included a walk down memory lane with a nostalgic video, and finished with a call to the city’s rich history with neon signs.

Ladies and gentlemen… your 2026-27 Vegas Golden Knights. pic.twitter.com/WsLlgnA6A4

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) September 30, 2026

Even before puck drop, the building was electric. 

The good time certainly didn’t stop when the Golden Knights struck first. After spending most of the 2025-26 season playing catch-up, the fans were all-too eager to cheer as their team took a two-goal lead and spent the rest of the night fending off every push that the Connor Bedard-less Blackhawks could muster. And in the end, when the final horn sounded on a 5-2 Golden Knights victory, well, they liked that too.

1. A Milestone Knight

Usually, an NHL debut is enough cause for celebration. But tonight, 20-year-old Trevor Connelly killed two birds with one stone and became the second-ever Golden Knight to score a goal in his NHL debut.

“I mean, it’s incredible,” said Jack Eichel about Connelly’s milestone. “You see his family here before the game; it’s his first NHL game. He’s been awesome all camp. He’s a great part of our locker room, and he’s obviously a special player. [I’m] so happy to see him get his first, definitely a night and a moment that he’ll never forget.”

Eichel, too, hit a pretty big milestone tonight. With a goal and two assists, Eichel recorded his 700th career point. 

“I’ve been really lucky and grateful to be a part of this organization,” said Eichel following the 5-2 win. “But I think those things just come kind of organically. I’ve played with some great players in my career, and like I said, those things kind of just come. Yeah, it was cool.”

2. Guess Who’s Back, Back Again?

There’s been a fair bit of chatter about the Golden Knights’ new-look power play heading into the season. There are questions about how they’ll replace Pavel Dortofeyev’s 25 power play goals, and how the top unit will fare without a one-time option for Jack Eichel. They went 1-4 tonight against the Blackhawks.

Who scored the lone goal? Why, Victor Olofsson, of course! 

After a partial change, Olofsson found himself out on the ice with most of the top unit. Shea Theodore left the puck for Jack Eichel at center ice, and Eichel found Olofsson entering the zone with a full head of steam. In his first game back with the Golden Knights, Olofsson flew towards the left dot and ripped a shot past Spencer Knight.

It’s far too early to form conclusions about the power play. However, one thing is for certain: Victor Olofsson sure does know how to score goals.

3. Meet the New Boss…

Ryan Craig has been working up to his first game as an NHL head coach for a long, long time. He spent six years serving as an assistant coach for the Golden Knights, then three years as the head coach of the Henderson Silver Knights. Now, he’s back behind an NHL bench, and this time, he’s the boss.

It only took Craig one game to record his first win as head coach.

“I don’t think anyone in this locker room is surprised,” said Jack Eichel postgame. “Craiger’s an unbelievable person, and a great leader. It’s been a really seamless transition. He’s done a great job in the meetings, before the game, on the bench. 

“I’m so happy to have this opportunity, and it’s so deserved,” Eichel continued. “He’s been in the organization for a while. It was a pleasure when he was on the bench a few years ago, and now to have him back, it’s great. For him, I’m sure this is a special moment as well, his first win as a head coach. So, super happy for him, and plenty more.”

Craig, who has been fielding questions about ‘firsts’ like a champ for the past two weeks, understandably wasn’t too interested in talking about himself following the 5-2 victory.

“It’s nice to have my family here to witness the first win,” he said following the game. “Proud of our guys and our effort, and we’ll get back to work.”

Jack Eichel reached 700 career points Tuesday night, but the number that mattered most to him belonged in the Golden Knights’ win column.

"Not much, honestly," Eichel said when asked what the milestone meant.

His contribution meant plenty to Vegas - and to the coach who trusts him to deliver at both ends of the ice.

Eichel finished with one goal and two assists in the Golden Knights’ 5-2 season-opening victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at T-Mobile Arena. His second-period goal produced his 700th career point, and he ended the night with 701. He recorded two shots while playing 18:01 across 25 shifts.

Two days after NHL Network ranked him No. 10 on its Top 50 Players Right Now" countdown, Eichel supplied a three-point illustration of his offensive ability. First-year Vegas coach Ryan Craig emphasized the broader game behind that production.

"Jack’s an elite player in this league, elite 200-foot player," Craig said. "And I think we saw it with how he can skate, how he can get to certain areas."

This top line sure is something else 😤 pic.twitter.com/lfttC4zZRn

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) September 30, 2026

Craig’s Trust Goes Beyond the Scoresheet

Craig’s assessment reflected a relationship maintained during his three seasons coaching Vegas’ American Hockey League affiliate in Henderson. Their conversations helped establish an understanding that Eichel’s status comes with demanding expectations.

"I understand how I can push Jack, how I can hold him accountable," Craig said. "He expects that out of me."

That combination of talent, responsibility and accountability has become central to Eichel’s importance in Vegas. Acquired from Buffalo in November 2021, he made his Golden Knights debut the following February after neck surgery.

In his first NHL postseason, Eichel led the 2023 playoffs with 26 points in 22 games as Vegas captured its first Stanley Cup. He later produced the two highest-scoring seasons in franchise history: 94 points in 2024-25 and 90 last season.

JACK EICHEL. 700 CAREER POINTS. #VegasBorn

🎰🎰🎰🎰🎰🎰🎰 pic.twitter.com/aVMIItO0Cz

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) September 30, 2026

His production helped earn NHL Network’s top-10 recognition and its No. 6 ranking among centers. Craig’s remarks explained why Eichel’s value extends beyond those numbers: his skating creates opportunities offensively, while his commitment to defending gives his coach confidence in demanding situations.

"He’s a guy that I can trust," Craig said.

Eichel, meanwhile, shared credit for his milestone. He praised Ivan Barbashev’s play on the goal and the preceding shift that helped create the opportunity, describing himself as "really lucky and grateful" to be part of the organization.

"I think those things just come kind of organically," he said.

Eichel Shares the Spotlight With Connelly

Eichel’s enthusiasm was more pronounced when discussing Trevor Connelly, who scored in his NHL debut. Before the game, Eichel had named a Connelly goal as something he hoped to see.

"He’s been awesome all camp," Eichel said. "He’s a great part of our locker room."

THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR: TREVOR CONNELLY'S FIRST NHL GOAL pic.twitter.com/R8OarohlEq

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) September 30, 2026

Watching the rookie score with his family in attendance gave Eichel another reason to celebrate.

"So happy to see him get his first," he said, "and definitely a night and a moment that he’ll never forget."

Eichel was equally measured about the victory, identifying encouraging offensive-zone pressure and quick transitions while acknowledging that timing and spacing still need improvement.

"By no means was it our prettiest effort, but we’re going to get better. We know that," Eichel said.

Opening night gave Eichel another career milestone and Craig his first NHL head-coaching victory. It also offered an early look at their shared expectations: an elite center willing to be pushed, and a coach who trusts him with more than scoring.

PHOTO CAPTION

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) looks on during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes in game six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena.

The Chicago Blackhawks were in Las Vegas for their first game of the season, as they had a tough matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas, of course, was in the Stanley Cup Final back in June, and now they're looking to defend their Western Conference crown while trying to finish the job this time around. 

Vegas has elite players up and down their lineup, and they are all filled with the pedigree needed to win games in bunches. Most of them were at the top of their game in a 5-2 victory over the Blackhawks on their home ice. 

The leader among them was Jack Eichel, who had a three point night (1-2--3) in the win for the Golden Knights. Victor Olofsson, Trevor Connelly (first career NHL goal), Noah Hanifin, and Mark Stone (empty-netter) also scored.

Jordan Greenway scored the first goal of the season for the Chicago Blackhawks, and it was a great shot to beat Carter Hart. Wyatt Kaiser made a great move that allowed Ryan Greene and Jordan Greenway to make a play, and the latter gave his team a great first impression. 

It was that fourth line with Greene, Greenway, and Cole Smith that played the best of all Chicago lines in the loss. They are the team's 4th line, but they created chances, kept Vegas at bay, and scored a goal. They will mostly need to simply be an energy line throughout the season, but they showed how good they can be in this one, despite losing the game. 

Patrick Kane scored Chicago's second goal of the game. This was the first goal that Kane has scored in a Chicago sweater since 2023, before he was traded to the New York Rangers. It was a breakaway goal that he created for himself. His hands and patience allowed him to find the back of the net. Vintage Patrick Kane was on full display there. 

In addition to the goal, Kane had 4 shots, 8 shot attempts, and managed to play 21:36. At his age, it is impressive to see him still playing at this level. The Blackhawks didn't bring him in for a feel-good story. It happens to be a feel-good story, but he is there to play well and help young guys develop. 

Spencer Knight was the main reason that the score wasn't worse than it showed. He would say he'd like to be better than four goals against, but they were hardly all on him. He made 32 saves on 36 shots, as Vegas peppered him all night long. The Blackhawks, especially early in the game, had no answer for Vegas's speed on the rush. Knight faced the brunt of that issue. 

Vegas is an incredibly hard team to face, especially for a young team like Chicago in their first game of the season. Not every opponent will be as good as they are, but they will all be difficult in their own way. For the Blackhawks, this is a process that they hope will lead to better results as the year wears on. 

Andrew Mangiapane Injury Update

Andrew Mangiapane was part of a few scoring chances in the first period, but he hurt himself one shift into the second period. He did not return for the rest of the game. Once the match ended, Jeff Blashill confirmed that Mangiapane would not play again on their current road trip, which has two more games on it. 

First Time Blackhawks

Roman Kantserov made his NHL debut in this game. He didn't score a goal or have an assist, but he clearly demonstrated high-end offensive abilities more than once. In 17:07 of ice time, he had one shot and three hits. He also didn't give the puck away once while earning a takeaway. When Mangiapane went down, Kantserov was one of the players to take a few shifts in his spot. Early on, Jeff Blashill already trusts the young star. 

Ian Cole, Bowen Byram, Cole Smith, and Jordan Greenway are the other players who made their Blackhawks debut in the game. Obviously, Greenway's goal was the most noticeable moment for any of them, but they all showed promise as they try to play a role in getting this team back on track. 

Watch Every Chicago Goal

first goal as a Blackhawk for Jordan Greenway 🚦 pic.twitter.com/hcZnn3XhAE

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) September 30, 2026

KANE YOU BELIEVE IT?! pic.twitter.com/8AIRA7mIrX

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) September 30, 2026

What’s Next For The Blackhawks?

The Chicago Blackhawks are now 0-1-0 in the 2026-27 season. They will now head to Salt Lake City for their first Central Division showdown as they take on the Utah Mammoth on Thursday night. 

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

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

The Edmonton Oilers opened their 2026-27 regular season with a loss to the Vancouver Canucks. To say the least, fans have seen this story before.

After a perfect preseason in which the Oilers allowed only five goals in four games, Edmonton allowed six to a Canucks team many aren't expecting much from. A style of play that felt all too familiar to Oilers fans, night one of the season reminded everyone how little exhibition means.

"The bottom line is, if we want to work, we want to do things right, we're going to have a lot of success. We want to play like that, we're going to be chasing the game," said Mike Babcock. "To be honest, we've got to feel fortunate we got a point."

The Game BreakDown

Paul Cotter scored first for the Canucks, a shorthanded goal after a great save by Kevin Lankinen on a one-timer from Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers had dominated up to that point, 8-3 in shots. It was a nice shot, high glove, on Jarry.  

Evan Bouchard scored his first of the season, and what would be his first of three goals on the night. It came on a long-point shot that worked through a screened Kevin Lankinen. 

The shots were 13-5 in favor of the Oilers after the first, and Edmonton dominated at 5-on-5 play. They went 0-for-2 on the power play and tried to send an early message physically, outhitting the Canucks 14-3. 

The first was not an indicator of how the rest of the evening would go. 

Babcock On His GoaltendersMike Babcock was asked Monday afternoon if he could tell us who would start in net for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers#google_vignette">Edmonton Oilers</a> on opening night.

Marco Rossi made it 2-1 for the Canucks early in the second. He got in behind the defense on a breakaway. Jake Walman made a poor choice to pinch, with Connor Murphy having gone down low; Colton Dach was the forward covering. It was just one of many odd-man rushes for the Canucks.  

Bouchard scored his second of the night on a pass from Connor McDavid. Alex Formenton drove the puck along the boards and got taken out, opening a lane for McDavid. Bouchard was in the slot to pick up a pass and score. 

The Canucks scored just over a minute into the third on a shot that Tristan Jarry should have had. Jonathan Lekkerimaki scored a five-hole goal. Max Sasson scored another quick one to give the Oilers a 4-2 lead. Jarry lets another one sneak by him, five-hole, on a backhand break. 

Elias Pettersson scored to make it 5-2. A nice tip past Jarry. It became clear that the Oilers were back to their old habits and had really crumbled in the second and third periods. 

Vasily Podkolzin got the Oilers back on the board with a goal on a nice loose-puck pickup from a Bouchard shot that didn't quite reach the intended target. Podkolzin had worked hard and deserved the reward. On the goal, Bouchard picked up his third point.

Bouchard scored his hat-trick goal on a long point shot that got through a crowded net.

BOUCH TRICK 🎩🧢👒 #LetsGoOilerspic.twitter.com/eM8jxMJFPI

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) September 30, 2026

Finishing off the comeback,  Podkolzin scored with 42.5 seconds left after the Oilers got a power play in the final minute. It was a bullet from Podkolzin.

The Oilers salvaged a point out of the comeback, but couldn't seal the deal with a win. Three successive good chances for the Canucks in overtime eventually led to a goal against the Oilers. 

Was it a valiant effort or a disappointing showing? Head coach Mike Babcock called it the latter. Down three goals, they tied the game at five. Still, when a player like Bouchard has five points, it makes no sense that the Oilers would lose. 

The Oilers looked solid in the first period but brutal in the second and the first half of the third. Jarry owned his poor performance, and Babcock noted there was no point in hammering home what their goaltender already knew, nor praising the individual performances of Bouchard and Podkolzin. There was a lot not to like here and Babcock said the team will get to work, and that there's a lot of work to do.

See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. 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.   

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Paul Cotter scored 1:59 into overtime to cap a two-goal game as the Vancouver Canucks got the season off to a strong start with a 6-5 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.

Marco Rossi, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Max Sasson and Elias Pettersson also scored for the Canucks, who are coming off a last-place finish in the NHL last season with a 25-49-8 record.

Kevin Lankinen made 32 stops.

Evan Bouchard had three goals and two assists and Vasily Podkolzin scored twice for the Oilers. Tristan Jarry made 17 saves for Edmonton.

Entering the third period tied 2-2, Pettersson capped a three-goal run by the Canucks 5:15 into the frame to swiftly put the Canucks ahead 5-2.

But Podkolzin scored at 8:56, followed by Bouchard’s third of the night 24 seconds later and Podkolzin’s second of the night with 43 seconds left in regulation to send it to extra time.

Cotter, who joined Vancouver as a free agent after spending the last two seasons in New Jersey, became the first player in Canucks history to score a short-handed goal in his debut with the team.

Bouchard is the first defenseman in Oilers history to record a multigoal game in a season opener and just the third defenseman in NHL history to score a hat trick in an opener. He is also just the third blue-liner in the last 30 years to have at least four points in a game to open the season.

Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra became the fourth person to represent the Canucks as both a player and head coach in his career, following in the footsteps of Marc Crawford, Pat Quinn and Orland Kurtenbach.

Up next

Canucks: Host the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.

Oilers: At the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.

___

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

BOSTON — While other NHL players were shaking off the rust following a truncated preseason, Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin had no time to do so. 

The Blueshirts abandoned their defensive structure numerous times through the first two periods of their 3-0 loss to the Bruins on Tuesday night, leaving their star Russian netminder to fend for himself on multiple odd-man rush attempts. 

Shesterkin, who finished with 20 saves on 22 shots, stood tall for every one of them, before Fraser Minten put the Bruins ahead off a snipe from the high slot late in the third period. 

“We turned pucks over in the wrong areas of the rink,” head coach Mike Sullivan said after the loss. “I thought we were trying to play a little bit too much East-West, instead of simplifying the game and playing more straight ahead. I thought we were standing on pucks instead of moving our feet when we got them. When you stand on pucks, the world closes in on you out there. We try to encourage the guys to move our feet. We turn some pucks over and we give them some grade-A looks off those turnovers, and then we gave up too many odd-man rushes. I think we gave up three 2-on-1’s in the second period. 

“As I said to the guys after the game, if we want our D to be active off the offensive blue line, off the rush, things of that nature, then as a forward, we have to build a level of trust that we’re going to replace that defenseman, and we’re going to stay out and stay above the attack until the defenseman returns. We would replace, but then we wouldn’t stay out, and then we would leak back in and dive back into the play before the defenseman returned. It happened four times in the second period. 

“That’s how we gave up the types of odd-man rushes that we gave up. I think that’s a discipline that we’ve got to develop, and we’ve got to be better about that aspect of our game.” 

Sullivan coached his 1,000th NHL game against the team he started his coaching career with and in the state he grew up in. 

“I don’t know, I think it just suggests that I’m probably getting older,” the second-year Rangers coach said before the game. “But, you know, it’s a privilege to coach in this league. I’m grateful for the opportunities that I’ve been given along the way.” 

Sullivan’s first coaching job was with the AHL’s Providence Bruins in 2002-03, during which he was only one year removed from his playing career. Later in that campaign, however, Sullivan was brought up to the Bruins to serve as an assistant. 

It turned out to all be an audition for the head coaching position in Boston. Sullivan was ultimately named the 25th head coach in Bruins history. 

Vincent Iorio was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, but the 23-year-old defenseman participated in the Rangers morning skate. He was waived in the afternoon. … Scott Morrow, Matthew Robertson and Jaroslav Chmelar served as healthy scratches in Game 1. … The Rangers enter the season with the second-youngest roster in the NHL with an average age of 26.63. 

In their 10 years of existence, the Vegas Golden Knights have seen their fair share of talented players come through the organization. The NHL’s second-youngest franchise has rostered skilled goalscorers, elite playmakers, and even future Hall of Fame goaltenders. The one thing they aren’t used to is talented rookies. 

That is no longer the case. 

Before the start of this season, only one player in Golden Knights franchise history had scored a goal in his NHL debut: first-ever draft pick Cody Glass. But on opening night of the 2026-27 season, young phenom Trevor Connelly joined that elusive club. 

Connelly made waves last year in the AHL as a 19-year-old, helping the Henderson Silver Knights make the postseason for the first time in four years. Connelly was a big part of Henderson’s regular season success, scoring 14 goals and 49 points in 46 games; in the playoffs, he scored a goal and recorded six points in six games.

“Trevor is different from any player in our organization,” said Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon at the start of training camp. “Elite hockey sense, elite talent. What he did last year in the American Hockey League as a 19-year-old… his ceiling is tremendously high.”

Due to a series of unfortunate injuries, this was Connelly’s first time attending training camp. The organization gave him the opportunity to earn his spot on the opening night roster, and he held on for dear life. Connelly played in three of the Golden Knights’ four preseason games, and though he didn’t register a point, the maturity of his game shone through.

“He played his game,” said head coach Ryan Craig at the conclusion of training camp. “What I wanted to see out of Trevor as we went through camp was, can he play with these guys? Can he keep up? Can he manage and sort out the details when he doesn’t have the puck to help us check and get the puck back? He’s continued to do that, so he’ll get an opportunity here.”

The organization’s belief in Connelly quickly paid off. Just 15:22 into the Golden Knights’ first game of the season, he scored his first NHL goal. And what a beauty it was– Connelly went to the front of the net, batted down Brayden McNabb’s shot, collected the loose puck, and elevated his shot over Spencer Knight’s outstretched pad.

Trevor Connelly, first NHL goal.

2-0, Golden Knights

pic.twitter.com/7QNQxi4xde

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) September 30, 2026

“It’s a dream come true, and I couldn’t be happier,” Connelly gushed after making the opening night roster.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Gustav Forsling hammered a shot past Brandon Bussi with 4.3 seconds left in overtime to lift the Florida Panthers past the reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes 1-0 in Tuesday’s season opener for both teams.

On a night when the defenses and goaltenders had the edge, it was a blue-liner who provided the winning play to end a matchup of the last two teams to win the Cup.

The Panthers had their final chance with the game seemingly headed to a shootout as Carter Verhaeghe brought the puck into the zone with under 10 seconds left. But Verhaeghe sent the puck back toward Forsling, who fired a one-timer from near the blue line that zipped past Bussi’s glove side to end it.

That spoiled the end of a three-month celebration for the Hurricanes since beating Vegas in June to cap a 16-3 march to the franchise’s second Cup. The final piece was the players gathering at the blue line and tapping their sticks as a championship banner rose to the rafters.

That moment came against the Panthers, who reached the Stanley Cup Final for three straight years and won it all in 2024 and 2025. They had twice eliminated the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final in their run, though injuries derailed last year.

CANADIENS 3, MAPLE LEAFS 2

TORONTO (AP) — Josh Anderson and Alexandre Carrier each had a goal and assist as Montreal beat Toronto.

Zachary Bolduc also scored for Montreal, which got 25 saves from Jakub Dobes.

William Nylander scored twice for Toronto. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 21 shots in his first game with the Maple Leafs.

No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna and Russian winger Kirill Marchenko also made their Toronto debuts – along with seven other teammates – following an off-season of change after the Original Six franchise missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade last spring.

The Canadiens, meanwhile, are coming off a campaign that saw them take a massive step following a long before falling to the Stanley Cup-winning Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final.

Nylander opened the scoring just 48 seconds into the first period when he stepped around Montreal captain and reigning Selke Trophy winner Nick Suzuki at the blue line before ripping a high shot past Dobes. Nylander tied Zdenek Nedved (Oct. 7, 1995) for the fourth-fastest goal to start a season-opener in franchise history.

BRUINS 3, RANGERS 0

BOSTON (AP) — Fraser Minten broke a scoreless tie with just over four minutes left, followed by goals by JJ Peterka and an empty-netter by Mark Kastelic 23 seconds apart, and Boston beat New York.

The three goals, over a 75-second span helped the Bruins extend their streak to 11 consecutive wins in home openers.

Jeremy Swayman finished with 24 saves for Boston, his 19th career shutout. Igor Shesterkin had 20 save for New York.

It was dream start for Minten, who recently signed a new seven-year deal.

Elias and Hampus Lindholm assisted on Minten’s goal. Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov assisted Kastelic.

The Rangers outshot the Bruins 24-23, but the Bruins were more aggressive throughout the night, finally breaking through when Minten got a clear path on the left side and knocked it through just past the glove of Shesterkin.

The Carolina Hurricanes got their championship rings this week, they raised their Stanley Cup banner on Tuesday, Sept. 29, and they have their first loss of the season.

They did pick up a point as the Florida Panthers and Hurricanes pushed their scoreless tie to overtime in the NHL's 2026-27 season opener.

But Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling scored with 4.3 seconds left in overtime to get a 1-0 win as Florida tries to return to the playoffs after the two-time Stanley Cup champions were crushed by injuries last season.

The NHL had five games on the schedule. Here are the winners and losers of the early games from opening night:

After waiting all summer for hockey to return, the Bruins made you wait another 40+ minutes before their 2026-2027 really began.

The Bruins got three goals just 75 seconds apart late in the third period to turn what had been a relatively sleepy affair into a 3-0 Opening Night win.

Fraser Minten broke the deadlock with a laser past Igor Shesterkin with 3:46 left in the third period, then that was followed by JJ Peterka’s first goal as a Bruin and an empty-netter by Mark Kastelic to sew up the win.

The Bruins controlled play for the majority of the first two periods but were unable to solve Shesterkin. The Rangers had a bit more push-back in the third, but never really managed to turn the tide in their favor.

Minten led the way for the B’s with the game-winning goal and an assist on Kastelic’s goal, while Jeremy Swayman made 24 saves in the shutout win.

The B’s had a few good chances early in the game and hit a couple of posts, but the game remained scoreless into the last five minutes of the third period.

That’s when Minten, fresh off of a new contract, beat Shesterkin top corner to make it 1-0 Bruins.

Peterka saw that rocket from Minten and raised him an undressing of Braden Schneider and a five-hole goal against Shesterkin to make it 2-0 Bruins just 52 seconds later.

Mike Sullivan would pull the goalie shortly after, and…it didn’t work.

Kastelic scored into the empty net just 23 seconds after Peterka’s goal, and that was all she wrote.

Bruins win, 3-0.

Game notes

• Well that all happened pretty fast, didn’t it? This game started as “yes, hockey is back!” then had a long period of “we waited all summer for this?” However, all’s well that ends well, particularly when the end features three goals in less than two minutes.
• While the Rangers outshot the Bruins in both the second and third periods, it never really felt like this game was getting away from the B’s. Whether that speaks more to the offensive ineptitude of the Rangers, the stinginess of the Bruins, or just general early-season hockey remains to be seen, but it was ultimately a sturdy overall performance from the home team.
• This game featured just two penalties, one per side and both in the first period.
• Mason Lohrei deserves a lot of credit for gloving the puck out of the air immediately before Minten’s goal, turning what may have been a Rangers clear into a scoring chance for his team. While Lohrei Hockey is often quite an experience, he had a good game tonight.
• Speaking of an experience, Connor Clifton received a hefty “welcome back” in the form of leading the B’s in ice time. Clifton skated 23:23, almost two minutes more than second-place Nikita Zadorov.
• Peterka’s goal was a DOUBLE LINDHOLM, as both Hampus and Elias recorded assists. I don’t know if that’s rare or not, but I enjoyed it.
• The giveaways/takeaways stats are often murky at best, but tonight’s seem like they tell a pretty accurate story: the Rangers were charged with 20 giveaways, compared to just 10 for the Bruins.
• James Hagens had a relatively quiet night, recording just one shot on goal. However, he was credited with two blocked shots, tied for second-most on the team.
• Per the ESPN broadcast, tonight’s win was the 11th consecutive home opener win for the Bruins; that ties the NHL record previously held by the Montreal Canadiens.
• In a weird bit of coincidence, Minten scored the game-winning goal in last season’s home opener as well; that one was an OT goal against Chicago.

The B’s will be back in action on Friday night in Winnipeg, as the NHL graciously gives them several days to take horses and buggies to the lone NHL city without an airport.

Hey, an Oregon Trail-style journey to Manitoba feels better with a win stashed amongst your provisions.

BOSTON — For the second straight year, the Rangers were shut out on opening night.

Indeed, for the first time in franchise history, the Blueshirts have been blanked in back-to-back season openers after suffering a 3-0 loss at the hands of the Bruins at TD Garden on Tuesday night.

In the first game of a season that is supposed to be different, it was much of the same for the Rangers.

“We’ve got a ways to go,” head coach Mike Sullivan said.

While it was a scoreless affair for over 56 minutes, the Bruins broke through with two quick goals — as well as one empty-netter — in the span of 1:15 to take the first of 84 games this season.

It was a game that was well within reach for the Rangers, who were also shut out 3-0 by the Penguins to start last season.

Once Fraser Minten scored from the high slot with 3:56 left in regulation, the Bruins broke the game open without much pushback from the Rangers.

JJ Peterka then made a nasty move around Braden Schneider and buried his first goal as a Bruin less than a minute later.

And just 23 seconds after that, Mark Kastelic put the puck into an empty Rangers net.

“I thought our effort was good,” Sullivan said. “I just didn’t think our execution was great.”

The shortened preseason was apparent in the Rangers-Bruins game, as well as across some of the NHL’s other four matchups. Neither Sullivan nor captain J.T. Miller considered it to be a factor — especially since all 32 clubs are dealing with it — but there were signs of rust on both sides as the two teams attempted to kick-start the season with one fewer week of preparation.

Despite generating nearly the same number of shots as the Bruins, the Rangers bled odd-man rushes through the first two periods.

Star goalie Igor Shesterkin had to bail out the team on numerous occasions, whether it was a 2-on-1 opportunity or an uncontested breakaway. He ultimately finished with 20 saves in the loss.

Miller chalked it up to puck management and coverage issues, noting that the team’s “timing was off with reloading the forwards.”

“Recognition, a little bit,” Miller said of all the odd-man rushes against. “We want our D to be a part of the play a lot. I mean, that’s how a lot of offense is generated in the league. Just the timing of when the forwards need to come down and replace. We’ll get better at it. It’s Game 1.”

The Rangers were most proud of their third-period performance despite the trio of goals against. Not only did they tighten up their defensive positioning to avoid getting caught as much as they were earlier, but the Rangers also made a significant push offensively early on. They unloaded five consecutive shots to open the frame and had a significant edge in shots on goal for much of the period.

“I thought we got better as the game went on,” Miller said. “I thought the third was our best period. We were coming. It was a pretty hard-fought game. It’s always the first game, seems to just kind of getting your legs and timing. We’ll get better.”

That first goal, however, continues to elude the Rangers.

Paul Cotter has scored the Vancouver Canucks' first goal of the 2026-27 season in their season-opener against the Edmonton Oilers.

FIRST GAME AS A CANUCK.
FIRST GOAL AS A CANUCK.

That's a shorthanded goal for PAUL COTTER❗️ pic.twitter.com/b6vsyXM1jZ

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) September 30, 2026

The goal came 9:51 minutes into the first period while Vancouver was on the penalty kill after Tom Willander took a holding penalty. This is Cotter's first goal as a Canuck and his first career short-handed goal. 

Cotter signed a one-year, $2.15M contract with Vancouver during the 2026 off-season, joining the team after stints with the New Jersey Devils and Vegas Golden Knights. In 2025-26, he scored nine goals and six assists in 79 games played. 

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.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

Canucks Announce Leadership Group For The 2026-27 Season

Canucks CHL Prospects Roundup: September 2026

After Months Of Waiting, Brendan Gallagher Is Excited To Make His Regular Season Debut With The Vancouver Canucks

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.