Category: NHL

Despite some strong recent performances from their youngsters, the Philadelphia Flyers continue to resist building an active roster based on merit.

On Wednesday, reports surfaced that the Flyers had sent Emil Andrae down to the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms after the defenseman appeared in just one NHL game for the team.

In his most recent call-up, Andrae, 23, played only 10:22, but he and the Flyers were pretty dominant in those minutes.

Making your season debut against the Florida Panthers is no easy task, but Andrae made it look so as the Flyers out-shot their opposition 7-1 with the Swede on the ice at 5-on-5.

So, while it would appear Cam York is destined to return from injury ahead of Thursday night's home matchup against the Winnipeg Jets, the Flyers still just aren't icing their best possible team.

On Monday night, Noah Juulsen skated away from a Matvei Michkov pass at the offensive zone blueline despite having ample time and space to make a play and continue possession.

Adam Ginning has been alright - and certainly better than Egor Zamula, whose struggles are being compounded by agent issues - but the bar isn't all that high.

At least with Andrae in the lineup, the Flyers are able to move (and carry) the puck up the ice with consistency.

NHL Trade Rumors: Flyers Badly Need Defensive UpgradesThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> are reportedly scouring the NHL trade market for much-needed defensive reinforcements, but which players are actually going to be worth their while?

We know the Flyers are hell-bent on building a Stanley Cup-contending defense that's stocked to the brim with size and range, but they aren't there yet. How can that be enforced reasonably against Andrae despite being a handful of years down the road?

And, further to that point, why not draft any big left-shot defensemen?

On the right side, the Flyers already have Travis Sanheim, Rasmus Ristolainen, Jamie Drysdale, Oliver Bonk, Spencer Gill, Carter Amico, Helge Grans, and Luke Vlooswyk, and on the left, the Flyers have almost no projectable defensemen.

There's Andrae, and then there's Hunter McDonald and Ty Murchison. Nick Seeler turned 32 in June, and Cam York is presumably in Philadelphia for the long haul.

If Zamula, Andrae, and Ginning are on the outs after this year, that's the list.

This is all to say that, if the Flyers want to win and play their best 19 players every night, Andrae is one of them.

Rick Tocchet Issues Blunt Warning to Struggling Flyers DefensemanThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> may have lost to the New York Islanders in Thursday night's preseason game, but their continued struggles on defense are of much greater concern.

And if the 23-year-old isn't a future asset, he can become one. But the Flyers won't have much success trading a defenseman who can't get in the lineup ahead of Juulsen, Ginning, and Zamula on a regular basis.

That's why, for better or for worse, the Flyers are still stuck in those old school ways of needing to be big, strong, and punishing. Time will tell if they have the required finesse in their locker to take the team to the next level.

Fans of the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres haven't had a ton to cheer about in the early going. Not only are their teams sitting in the bottom two spots in the Atlantic Division, they've both absorbed key injuries to first line players. Here's what to expect in Buffalo.

SENATORS (1-2-0) at SABRES (0-3-0)

7 p.m. | SN1, RDS

Shock to the System for Both Clubs

Both the Senators and Sabres have been hit hard to start the 2025-26 season — and not just on the scoreboard.

Each team lost a key piece of its core to long-term injury during the opening week of the campaign. Sens captain Brady Tkachuk and Sabres centre Josh Norris — best friends off the ice — will both be sidelined for several weeks, leaving their clubs searching for answers on both replacements and shaky starts.

Ottawa enters Wednesday night’s matchup at 1-2-0, while Buffalo has stumbled out of the gate at 0-3-0, the two worst records in the Atlantic Division. The Sabres’ biggest problem has been offense — they’ve scored just two goals total through three games. But they ran the table on Ottawa last season so nothing will be taken for granted in this one.

Game Notes

• Drake Batherson will make his season debut for Ottawa after missing the first week with an upper-body injury from training camp.

• Brady Tkachuk is expected to be out at least four weeks after suffering a hand or wrist injury in Monday’s 4-1 loss to Nashville. It'll be a much longer absence if surgery is required. Michael Amadio will move up to play on the top line, alongside Tim Stutzle and Fabian Zetterlund.
• Leevi Merilainen makes his season debut for the Senators.

• Buffalo rookie Zach Benson returns to the lineup after missing three games with a facial injury sustained in practice on Oct. 8.

• Jiri Kulich draws in after practicing on the Sabres’ fifth line Tuesday.

• Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and forward Jordan Greenway both returned to practice Tuesday but remain out indefinitely.

Projected Lineups (from NHL.com)

Ottawa Senators

Forwards

Fabian Zetterlund – Tim Stützle – Michael Amadio

David Perron – Dylan Cozens – Drake Batherson

Ridly Greig – Shane Pinto – Claude Giroux

Nick Cousins – Lars Eller – Olle Lycksell

Defensemen

Jake Sanderson – Artem Zub

Thomas Chabot – Nick Jensen

Tyler Kleven – Jordan Spence

Goaltenders

Leevi Meriläinen

Linus Ullmark

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Zach Benson – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch

Jason Zucker – Ryan McLeod – Josh Doan

Jack Quinn – Jiri Kulich – Justin Danforth

Beck Malenstyn – Tyson Kozak – Peyton Krebs

Defensemen

Bowen Byram – Rasmus Dahlin

Owen Power – Conor Timmins

Jacob Bryson – Ryan Johnson

Goaltenders

Alex Lyon

Colten Ellis

Scratched: Josh Dunne, Mason Geertsen

Former Chicago Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane is currently in his 19th NHL season. While he is now 36 years old, he is showing early on this season that he can still be a big difference-maker for the Detroit Red Wings.

Kane has been impressing early on this season, as he currently has one goal and four points in three games this season. This includes him putting together a big night against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 11, as the 2007 first-overall pick recorded three points in that matchup for Detroit. 

Kane's hot start to the 2025-26 season comes after he posted 21 goals, 38 assists, and 59 points in 72 games this past season with the Red Wings. Now, the longtime Blackhawks star will be looking to have another strong season with Detroit this campaign from here. 

If Kane can maintain his hot start to the 2025-26 season, it would be huge for a Red Wings club looking to finally get back into the playoffs. Given his high amount of skill, the possibility of him having a big year for the Red Wings certainly should not be ruled out. 

In 1,161 games over 16 seasons with the Blackhawks, Kane posted 446 goals, 779 assists, 1,225 points, and a plus-20 rating. He also, of course, was a big reason why the Blackhawks won their three Stanley Cups during the 2010s. 

The Boston Bruins currently have a 3-1-0 record to start the 2025-26 season. Given how rough this past season went for the Bruins, there is no question that their strong start has been an early surprise. 

Former New Jersey Devils forward Pavel Zacha has undoubtedly been a notable reason for the Bruins' early season success

Zacha is having an impressive start to the 2025-26 campaign. In four games on the year with the Bruins so far, the 28-year-old forward has recorded one goal, four assists, five points, and a plus-4 rating.

With numbers like these, Zacha is certainly helping provide the Bruins with some much-needed offense early on. He is also showing no signs of slowing down, as the former Devil is currently on a four-game point streak with the Bruins.

Since being traded by the Devils to the Bruins during the 2022 NHL off-season, Zacha has become a key part of Boston's forward group. Now, given the way he is starting this season, this trend is continuing in 2025-26. 

The Devils selected Zacha with the sixth-overall pick of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. In 386 games over seven seasons with the Devils from 2015-16 to 2021-22, Zacha recorded 69 goals, 110 assists, and 179 points. 

During the 2024 NHL off-season, Teuvo Teravainen returned to the Chicago Blackhawks after spending each of the previous eight seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. The expectation was that Teravainen would be a key part of the Blackhawks' forward group after they brought him back to Chicago, and it is fair to say that he has been just that. 

During the 2024-25 season with the Blackhawks, Teravainen recorded 15 goals, 43 assists, and 58 points in 82 games. With numbers like these, he was one of the Blackhawks' top offensive contributors this past season. Now, this has been carrying over the 2025-26 season so far. 

In four games so far this season with the Blackhawks, Teravainen has scored one goal and is tied with Frank Nazar for the team with four assists and five points. With this, there is no question that Teravainen is having a strong start to the season offensively. Now, he will be looking to keep this kind of play going as the campaign rolls on. 

Teravainen is showing no signs of slowing down, either, as he has recorded three assists over his last two games alone. Now, it will be fascinating to see if he can stay hot when the Blackhawks take on the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 15.                                     

According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, as discussed on Wednesday’s episode of the Daily Faceoff Rundown, the Detroit Red Wings are actively exploring ways to address a growing logjam on their blue line, with veteran defensemen Travis Hamonic and Erik Gustafsson reportedly available for trade. 

The moves are to correspond with the log jam of defensemen within the organization as NHL veterans like Hamonic and Gustafsson are both scratched and not playing regular minutes. Detroit’s defensive depth is under pressure from internal development. Young defenders like Axel Sandin‑Pellikka are pushing for roles, adding urgency to trimming veteran tails. The more promising younger defenders get NHL time, the more redundant veteran bottom pairing options become. 

Detroit Rookie’s Prime Role Could Make Him Calder Dark HorseWith top-line minutes alongside Detroit’s stars, this rookie is capitalizing on an ideal situation while other Calder contenders face challenges, putting him firmly in the conversation for rookie of the year.

The roster crunch stems largely from the emergence of young defensemen such as Axel Sandin-Pellikka, who are forcing their way into NHL roles. With the team leaning into its youth movement, veteran defenders on the third pairing or outside the starting lineup have become increasingly expendable. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

While speculation around Gustafsson’s availability is hardly shocking, the notion that GM Steve Yzerman might move Travis Hamonic is more eyebrow‑raising. Hamonic just recently signed a one-year $1 million deal just before the start of training camp and it would be a savvy move for Yzerman to quickly grab a free agent of value just to flip him months later. The move could potentially boost the Red Wings' draft capital or could be used as a piece in a larger deal which would again underscore a compelling move on Yzerman's part. 

How 'Bout Them Apples: Mason Appleton Happy To Come Up In Clutch For Red Wings First-year Detroit Red Wings forward Mason Appleton came through in the clutch for his team in the final minute of Monday afternoon's tilt against the Toronto Maple Leafs, which was both the game-winning goal as well as his first tally since joining the Red Wings.

Hamonic, 33, appeared in 59 games for Ottawa last season, recording one goal and six assists while averaging just over 17 minutes of ice time per game. A seasoned NHLer with over 900 games under his belt (53 goals, 189 assists, 774 penalty minutes), Hamonic brings leadership and grit but has been criticized in analytics circles for his declining possession metrics and transition struggles. This was evident in his first game of the season, when Hamonic was on the ice for three goals against with defensive lapses on his part being partially to blame. If Yzerman can find a willing trade partner it would be a sharp move on his part. 

Gustafsson, 32, signed a two-year with a $2 million cap hit this past July and could also be moved for more assets. In 60 games last season, he registered a pair of goals and 16 assists but carried a team-worst –19 rating. Over his 515-game career, he has notched 240 points and has proven to be far better than an AHL blueliner as he currently sits in Grand Rapids following a demotion in the roster crunch. 

Teams like the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks or San Jose Sharks, who are all in need of veteran leadership, could benefit from adding blueliners like Hamonic and Gustafsson. Whether a trade materializes remains to be seen, as only time will tell what Yzerman can get done. 

Red Wings' Talbot Steals the Early Season Spotlight After Stellar Wins Over Maple LeafsVeteran goaltender Cam Talbot has emerged as the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings">Red Wings</a>’ early-season surprise, outperforming presumed starter John Gibson and forcing coach Todd McLellan to decide whether to stick with the hot hand or rotate starts.&nbsp;

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There are several young Pittsburgh Penguins' prospects who are starting off their respective 2025-26 seasons on a high note. 

And one of them has some ties to a current Penguins' rookie.

Forward Kale Dach - selected in the seventh round (201st overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft - is off to a nice start with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL in his first season with the team. In seven games so far, he is tied for the team lead in goals with three, and he has six points on the season. 

The 18-year-old center from Edmonton, Alberta spent the last two seasons with the Sherwood Park Crusaders of the BCHL, and he was signed to a WHL Scholarship and Development agreement by Calgary for the 2025-26 season. In two seasons with the Crusaders, Dach registered 32 goals and 124 points in 91 games.

It's Only Been Three Games. But Kindel And Brunicke Should Be In Pittsburgh To Stay.Going into <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' training camp this season, it's safe to say that most folks did not have 2025 11th overall pick Ben Kindel making the NHL roster out of the gate.

If the Hitmen ring a bell for Penguins' fans, it may be because they are also the junior team of NHL rookie Ben Kindel, who has played in four games with Pittsburgh and recorded his first NHL goal on Saturday in a 6-1 loss to the New York Rangers. Last season for Calgary, Kindel put up 35 goals and 99 points in 65 games, which was good enough for second among 2025 draft-eligible forwards last season.

Another Penguins' forward prospect - Tanner Howe - also plays for the Hitmen, but he is currently in recovery after ACL surgery in April. Howe has been skating but is not expected to be back in Calgary's lineup until at least the end of the calendar year.

Penguins' Prospect Shines In First KHL Action Of SeasonThere are several <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' prospects who have been making headlines as of late.&nbsp;

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Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!    

During the off-season, the Montreal Canadiens traded goaltender Cayden Primeau to the Carolina Hurricanes. The move was understandable, as Primeau needed a change of scenery. 

However, after being placed on waivers ahead of the season by the Hurricanes, Primeau was claimed by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Thus, his time with the Hurricanes came to a quick end. 

Now, Primeau has made a positive impact in his first appearance with the Maple Leafs.

Primeau made his Maple Leafs debut in their Oct. 14 matchup against the Nashville Predators. Primeau stopped 26 out of 30 shots in the Maple Leafs' 7-4 win over the Predators. 

Primeau getting a win in his Maple Leafs debut was certainly a solid way for him to leave a first impression with his new club. The former Canadiens goaltender will now be looking to build off his first victory with the Maple Leafs when given the opportunity to start again. 

Primeau was selected by the Canadiens with the 199th overall pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. In 55 games over six seasons with the Canadiens from 2019-20 to 2024-25, Primeau recorded a 13-24-7 record, a .884 save percentage, a 3.69 goals-against average, and two shutouts. He also had an 84-44-14 record, a .912 save percentage, and a 2.60 goals-against average in 149 AHL games over five seasons with the Laval Rocket. 

The Florida Panthers have claimed defenseman Donovan Sebrango off waivers from the Ottawa Senators, the team announced Wednesday. 

Sebrango had 20 points in 50 games for the Belleville Senators last season and went pointless in his first two career NHL games with Ottawa. 

The Senators signed the Ottawa native to a one-year, two-way contract just over a month ago.   

The 23-year-old played in two NHL games for Ottawa this season while averaging 15:14 of ice time.

A third round selection of the Detroit Red Wings in 2020, Sebrango has 13 goals and 45 points in 220 career AHL games.

We have claimed defenseman Donovan Sebrango off waivers.

📝 » https://t.co/uSHKrQljq1pic.twitter.com/m6Hn69GNUK

— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) October 15, 2025

The Panthers also announced earlier today that defenseman Dmitry Kulikov will be out five months after undergoing surgery for a labral tear, Sebrango will step in and serve as defensive depth. 

Should he end up in the AHL Sebrango will be another big boost to a Checkers team that made the Calder Cup Finals last season. The team has added Tyler Motte, Jake Livingstone, Kevin Mandolese, and Brett Leason to PTOs in recent days. 

The best thing about a new season of hockey is that, in some cases, you can forget the last one.

The 2024-25 Nashville Predators "won" the summer by bringing in big-name veterans such as Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei, but when the puck actually dropped, the Preds fell flat. Nashville got off to a horrid start and never truly recovered, missing the playoffs and registering themselves as the biggest disappointment in the NHL that year.

But the calendar has turned, and for 2025-26, the Predators are focused on the present.

"We're not really worried about last year," said coach Andrew Brunette. "It was beaten to death – I've beaten it to death for too long, so I'm just looking at our team this year, and we're trying to build, we're trying to get better. We're trying to take another step and we're climbing up the ladder, meaning I like the way our game is coming."

The Predators dropped their first game in regulation on Tuesday night, on the second leg of a back-to-back against Toronto after beating Ottawa the night before. The Maple Leafs had their way with Nashville for much of the game, though you can debate among yourselves whether or not two empty-net goals distorted the final score of 7-4, or merely reflected the spirit of the overall contest. Both teams used their backup goalies, and both were playing their second game in as many nights, so everything else was even.

"We probably weren't all that sharp in front of the net," Brunette said. "Stick battles weren't quite to our standard – a little bit slow early. I thought we got to our game in the second period."

But at least the Predators aren't digging themselves out of a hole right now. In fact, Nashville is currently a top-three seed in the Central, if you're enough of a sicko to look at the playoff race eight days into the season. Nonetheless, it's a better spot than they found themselves in last year, when the club lost its first five games of the year.

"We're better this year than last year, that's all I can really say," said center Michael McCarron. "I can sense a difference. It's a pretty determined group. Two years in a row we started pretty sloppy, pretty slow, no pace to our game. Now we have great pace to our game. We're three-quartering-ice* teams, and we're sticking with it, as well. Our resiliency and our determination has definitely shown through the first four games, where it didn't show last year."

(*I had never heard this term, so I followed up with McCarron, who explained that it meant turning the puck back on opponents when they try to chip it in at the defensive blueline and going the other way with it, playing fast and hemming teams in once the Preds are in the O-zone.)

NHL Power Rankings: Stars Start On Top As The Movement BeginsWe can't overreact yet, but the Stars and Hurricanes lead the way while the Bruins are the biggest surprise in the NHL power rankings.

The challenge now will be to keep marrying that determination with results. Nashville is of course in the deadly Central Division, and with Winnipeg, Colorado and Dallas all at the tops of their games, the Preds are basically battling the likes of Minnesota, Utah and St. Louis for a wild-card berth (unless one of those elite teams takes a massive stumble).

On the positive side of the ledger, starting netminder Juuse Saros is off to a hot start, while the offense has been nicely balanced: nearly every regular forward has already found the scoresheet through four games.

If the game against Toronto was an aberration, then Nashville can look forward to playing meaningful contests in late spring again. If not, it's going to be another long season for the Preds. 

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During practice on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Kings were a few bodies short, including the absence of captain Anze Kopitar and starting goaltender Darcy Kuemper.

After the practice, it was reported that head coach Jim Hiller said both Kopitar and Kuemper are listed as “day-to-day” with lower-body injuries. The veteran duo last played on Monday when the Kings took on the Minnesota Wild. 

Kuemper didn’t show any signs of distress or any hint of any injury. However, at some point against the Wild, Kopitar was hit by a teammate who was trying to play the puck up ice. The puck hit Kopitar in the foot and ankle area, and his yelp could be heard on the broadcast and in the nosebleeds of Grand Casino Arena.

It’s unclear if that’s what triggered Kopitar’s minor injury, but it could be a factor.

Nonetheless, the Kings' captain hasn’t been ruled out for Los Angeles’ contest against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday. 

The Kings’ clash against the Penguins will mark the last time Kopitar and Sidney Crosby share the ice at Crypto.com Arena.

As for the goaltending situation, Los Angeles called up goaltender Erik Portillo on an emergency basis from the AHL’s Ontario Reign. He has made two appearances for the Reign, averaging a 3.50 goals-against average and a .854 save percentage.

The @LAKings have recalled goaltender Erik Portillo from the Ontario Reign, the Kings’ American Hockey League (AHL), on emergency basis.

— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) October 15, 2025

Portillo has one NHL game under his belt from when he made his debut early last season for the Kings. He earned a 2-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks, stopping 28 of 29 shots, recording a .966 SP and was the first star.

Aside from Kopitar and Kuemper missing practice, right winger Corey Perry made an appearance for the first time in his Kings career. He was practising on Wednesday with a red non-contact sweater.

The 40-year-old veteran has been out since early September, as he required knee surgery after suffering an injury during a pre-season training session. 

After going through surgery, the timeline for Perry’s return was six to eight weeks. Up to this point, it has been just over four weeks, meaning there is still some time to go before Perry plays his first game, at least according to the initial projections of his timeline.

The Hockey News Big Show is here to discuss the big topics in the NHL and elsewhere.

Is Something Big Wrong With The New York Rangers? by The Big Show

Here’s what Katie Gaus, Michael Traikos and Ryan Kennedy discussed in this episode:

0:43: Is it time to start worrying about the Toronto Maple Leafs' top six forwards needing help?

4:45: Thoughts on Easton Cowan’s start to his NHL career?

7:36: How concerning is it that Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is hurt again?

10:09: Which team with a "bad" start will turn it around first?

12:55: Are Kevyn Adams' days numbered as Buffalo Sabres GM? Can any GM fix the Sabres?

18:00: The New York Rangers surpassed the 2001-02 Pittsburgh Penguins for the longest season-opening streak without a goal on home ice. Is this just an unlucky home start – or is something bigger wrong with the Rangers?

21:19: Which team or player with a "good" start will fall apart first?

24:24: Which team has had the most surprising start? 

28:04: Could this be the year we see the Seattle Kraken find their identity?

29:29: Will Cam Talbot be the Detroit Red Wings' bona fide starter by the end of the month?

33:05: Yes or no: after 6-foot-9 forward Curtis Douglas fought Kurtis MacDermid in his first NHL shift last week, is the enforcer role trying to have a resurgence? 

36:37: Yes or no: Nashville scratches rookie and Ontario kid Brady Martin against Toronto – Andrew Brunette says it was all part of the plan, but should they have sat him against a different team?

39:30: Minnesota Wild rookie Zeev Buium went 12th overall in the 2023 draft. Should he have been drafted higher?

41:25: The Anaheim Ducks gave away some sick old-school Duck masks at their home opener – is this one of the best giveaways ever?

42:34: Will the Toronto Blue Jays get a win tonight against the Mariners?

Watch the full episode here 

Subscribe to The Hockey News Big Show on your preferred platform.

The Florida Panthers have claimed defenseman Donovan Sebrango off waivers from the Ottawa Senators. 

The 23-year-old left-handed defenseman has played just four games in the NHL. He was drafted in the third round (63rd overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Detroit Red Wings but never played a game in the Motor City.

His four games of NHL experience came with the Senators, two this season and two in the 2024-25 season. Sebrango carries a solid 6-foot-2, 223-pound frame, but he doesn't use it as much as his former teams may have liked. 

In all, Sebrango is a depth pick-up to provide security on the Panthers' blueline. They've already had a player sustain a long-term injury in Dmitry Kulikov, and if any other Panthers defensemen suffer an injury, they need players with NHL experience ready to go.

Tobias Bjornfot was called up from the Charlotte Checkers to be the seventh defenseman, and Sebrango will serve as the eighth. 

Florida recalls defenseman Tobias Bjornfot from AHL Charlotte in wake of injury to Dmitry KulikovThe Florida Panthers have made a roster move as they prepare to begin a five-game road trip.

Oct 9, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators center Brady Martin (44) skates with the puck against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Four games into the 2025-26 season, the Nashville Predators have made one thing clear regarding Brady Martin's development: They're in no hurry.

The Predators’ fifth overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft has been a healthy scratch through the first two games of the team’s four-game Canadian road trip after seeing action in the previous two games at Bridgestone Arena.

Preds head coach Andrew Brunette has addressed Martin’s healthy scratches on multiple occasions this week. Following the 7-4 loss in Toronto against the Maple Leafs, Brunette provided his latest explanation.

“We want to put him in positions to feel comfortable, to get better,” Brunette told reporters after the game. “I think there’s no better opportunity right now to learn from our veteran guys, be in practice, be around them.”

Martin made the final roster prior to the season opener against Columbus after having a solid training camp. He saw 12:44 of ice time and was the center on the top line with Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly in the Predators’ 2-1 victory over the Blue Jackets.

In the Preds' 3-2 overtime loss to the Utah Mammoth two nights later, Martin once again centered the top line in 10:40 of ice time. He recorded his first NHL point after assisting on Forsberg’s goal that tied the game 1-1 at 7:23 of the first period, finishing the evening with a +1 rating. He was 1-for-3 on faceoffs after winning just 28.6% (2-for-7) of the draws he took against Columbus.

The Preds Have Options

Why the sudden healthy scratches the last two games?

Martin himself may have given a clue following the win over the Blue Jackets when he addressed his being outmuscled on several occasions.

“Need to hit the gym,” he said following the game.

There may also be less urgency to rush Martin after forward Luke Evangelista returned to the club following the signing of his two-year, $6 million contract extension just as the regular season began.

Matthew Wood, who suffered a lower-body injury during the Predators’ Gold Star Showcase intrasquad scrimmage, was assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL Oct. 10. He, too, was impressive in camp.

Depending on how Wood responds coming off the injury, the Preds could call him up and send Martin back to the OHL’s Sault Ste. Greyhounds.

Martin is allowed to appear in a total of nine NHL games before the Preds have to make a decision whether he will stay and continue developing at the NHL level or finish out the season in juniors.

Since the nine-game span only includes games he plays in, Martin can still practice and travel with the Preds until a decision is made.

In other words, Brunette and Preds general manager Barry Trotz have options when it comes to Martin's development plan. They may be walking a fine line by sitting Martin when he could be getting another year of seasoning in the OHL as a top-line center.

Where To From Here?

In 109 games for the Greyhounds, the 18-year-old tallied 43 goals and 57 assists for 100 points, plus six points in 16 post-season games.

Had he been active for Tuesday’s road game in Toronto, Martin would have gotten a chance to play in his home province. He grew up on a farm in Elmira and is one of six Preds from Ontario.

As exciting as it would have been to play just 200 miles from his farming community, Brunette made the decision he felt was best for the team.

“I think (not getting to play) will add fuel to his hunger to make sure he’s playing next time we’re here,” Brunette said.

For now, Martin will have to be content to take things day-by-day. Sitting on a bench for a lengthy period, even in the NHL, could be risky to Martin’s development. If he continues to be a healthy scratch, chances are he’ll be back in Sault Ste. Marie sooner rather than later.

Either way, Brunette gave no clear indication what the next move will be regarding Martin’s immediate future.

“He’s handled every step so far,” Brunette said. “I expect him to continue to grow as a player whether it’s up here or wherever he goes. We’re ecstatic to have him in our organization.”