Category: NHL

The good times continue to roll in the early part of the AHL season for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins. 

After sweeping their set of games to start the season last weekend, the WBS Penguins managed to do it all again Friday and Saturday. The first was a 5-2 victory over the Hartford Wolfpack, while the second leg of the back-to-back was a 6-3 win over the Bridgeport Islanders.

And - as was the case in the first two games of the season - many of the top Penguins' prospects shined. Goaltender Sergei Murashov earned both starts, and he stopped 28 of 30 shots Friday for a .933 save percentage as well as 29 of 32 Saturday for a .906 save percentage.

Against Hartford, the scoring opened with Penguins' forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard a tick more than 12 minutes into the opening frame. Just under three minutes later, Atley Calvert - an undrafted signee who registered nine goals and 14 points in 26 games - scored his first of the season to put the Penguins up, 2-0, heading into first intermission. 

WBS Penguins Start Strong, Take Both Games Of Weekend SwingThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> are off to a 2-1 start this season, and they have played a bit better than most had expected up to this point.&nbsp;

Avery Hayes added his second of the season on a power play within the opening six minutes, and the Penguins led, 3-0. Gabe Perrault did score for the Wolfpack before the end of the middle frame, and Adam Sykora added a Hartford tally in the first part of the third period to pull the game to within one.

Then, Calvert came through again. With little more than eight minutes remaining in regulation, Calvert battled for positioning in the blue paint and was able to put one home to put the Penguins up, 4-2. Tristan Broz added his third of the season - and empty-net shorthanded goal - with less than three minutes left to cap off the 5-2 win.

Calvie from the paint ‼️ pic.twitter.com/k1fynD7dqr

— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) October 18, 2025

Saturday went quite a bit differently for the Penguins - and for Murashov - in comparison to the other three games up to that point in the season. Murashov surrendered three goals in the first period to Alex Jefferies (shorthanded), Adam Beckman, and Hunter Drew. 

Then, Murashov turned things around - and so did the Penguins. 

In a tightly-contested second period, defenseman Ryan Graves - waived by Pittsburgh at the conclusion of NHL training camp - recorded his first goal of the season with less than five minutes left until second intermission. It was the Penguins' only goal that period, but it gave them some momentum heading into the final frame, where the onslaught ensued. 

In the third, the Penguins erupted for five consecutive goals by Harvey-Pinard, Sam Poulin, Ville Koivunen, Danton Heinen, and Calvert - which was a shorthanded goal - in 11 minutes and 10 seconds. Their six unanswered goals led them to the 6-3 victory.

Heinen - also waived by Pittsburgh - led the way with six points on the weekend, giving him a team-leading seven points in four games on the young season. 

Penguins' Top Goaltending Prospect Off To Hot Start In AHLAfter an eye-opening training camp, a top <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' goaltending prospect is enjoying a hot start to his AHL season.

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The Chicago Blackhawks and Anaheim Ducks are more known for playing an exciting brand of hockey than being these defensive stalwarts. That made the 0-0 score through two periods feel a bit strange, but they will always declare a winner. 

At 9:43 of the third period, Frank Nazar gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead. He scored by sweeping in a puck that went off the crossbar via a shot by Wyatt Kaiser. On the goal, Ryan Donato made a great effort play to keep it alive before Nazar and Kaiser went to work. 

Blackhawks on CHSN (@CHSN_Blackhawks) on XNAZAR ON THE REBOUND HAWKS TAKE A 1-0 LEAD 🔥

It looked like that one goal would be all that was needed, but the tables turned very late in regulation. At 19:24 of the third period, with the goalie pulled, the Anaheim Ducks tied it on a goal scored by Mason McTavish. 

Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) on X🚨 MAC-T 🚨 TIE GAME WITH 30 SECONDS LEFT! #FlyTogether

It could be deflating to let a 1-0 lead slip away like that, but that's what seems to be different about this Blackhawks group as opposed to recent seasons. 

"I just take a drink of water and keep going," Spencer Knight said after the game when asked about how he responds to the team letting the one-goal lead slip away.

Knight was also adamant that one-goal games are important to learn to win in the NHL. He referenced the playoffs all being close matches, which he would know from his time learning in the Florida Panthers organization. 

It isn't just the mindset that separates Knight from his peers; it is his overall talent. He made 38 saves on 39 shots, which played a key role in the team getting the win. His goals against average of 1.96 (8th) and save percentage of .937 (6th) rank in the top ten of all NHL goalies. 

Once the team got to overtime, there were chances on both sides. It was when Connor Bedard made a great play to find Ryan Donato in front of the net that the Blackhawks won in sudden-death overtime. Sam Rinzel, who was magnificent in all three zones, also collected an assist on the goal. 

Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on XHANG IT IN THE LOUVRE🖼️🤌

Bedard could have had a lot more than that assist. He was flying out there. A case could be made that it was his best overall game of the season, despite having just the one point. His work as a two-way center gets better and better with each passing game. 

After playing seven competitive games, the Blackhawks now have a little bit of a break. They don't play until Thursday when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning down in Tampa. This is a chance to get some rest, get a player or two back from injury, and regroup before another important stretch of games. 

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The New Jersey Devils and MSG Network have announced that two former players will join the team as TV analysts for pre- and post-game coverage occasionally over the course of the season.

The MSG Network serves as the primary broadcast home for the Devils, Rangers, Islanders, and Knicks. Cory Schneider and Mike Rupp will join Rachel Herzog and Bryce Salvador during the 2025–26 season.

Schneider played for the Devils from 2013 to 2020. He shared goaltending duties with Martin Brodeur during his first season before becoming the team’s number one goalie.

Drafted 26th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Schneider spent five seasons in Vancouver before joining New Jersey. He finished his career with the Islanders. In total, Schneider played 410 NHL games, recording 171 wins and a .918 save percentage.

Rupp also spent time with the Devils, playing for the organization from 2002 to 2009. During that period, he also played for the Phoenix Coyotes (2003–2006) and the Columbus Blue Jackets (2005–2006). His last five seasons in the league were spent with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, and New York Rangers. While with New Jersey, Rupp won the Stanley Cup in 2003.

Drafted in the third round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, Rupp played 610 NHL games over his career, recording 99 points, including 54 goals and 45 assists.

Now 45 years old, Rupp has transitioned to broadcasting. Both he and Schneider have experience as analysts with the NHL Network and bring on-air experience following their playing careers.

They are set to make several appearances throughout the season, as the former Devils start their MSG Broadcasting rookie seasons. 

While the Montreal Canadiens lost their last game to the New York Rangers by a 4-3 final score, there is no question that they are still having a strong start to the 2025-26 season. At the time of this writing, they have a 4-2-0 record and are second in the Atlantic Division.

When looking at the Canadiens' roster, there is no question that captain Nick Suzuki is standing out in a positive way. In six games so far this season, Suzuki has scored one goal and leads the team with seven assists. Furthermore, his eight points on the year have him tied for first on the Canadiens with Cole Caufield.

Suzuki has also been very consistent offensively early on, as he is currently on a five-game point streak. This includes him putting together a three-assist night against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 11. 

With this, there is no question that the Suzuki is making an impact right now for the Canadiens. It will be interesting to see how the 26-year-old center builds on his hot start to the year from here. 

The Detroit Red Wings have firmly placed the bad memories of their disappointing 5-1 setback against the Montreal Canadiens in their Home Opener in the rear view mirror, having now won five consecutive games since then. 

The Red Wings bested the visiting Edmonton Oilers by a 4-2 final score on Sunday afternoon, and once again, it was a Red Wings rookie stepping up his performance and helping his club earn a valuable two points in the standings.

Forward Emmitt Finnie, one of three rookies who made the final cut for the Red Wings out of Training Camp and the pre-season, scored his first two career NHL goals as part of the win. 

THAT'S ANOTHER #REDWINGS WIN!!!!! pic.twitter.com/1BIiFU21cz

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 19, 2025

The Red Wings are now 5-1 through the first six games of their centennial campaign and have not only overtaken the Canadiens for first place in the Atlantic Division, but are also tied with the Carolina Hurricanes for top spot in the Eastern Conference. 

Finnie cleaned up a rebound of a shot by teammate Jacob Bernard-Docker and beat Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner for the milestone tally:

EMMITT FINNIE FIRST CAREER GOAL! #LGRWpic.twitter.com/Ax4r4Ys3Qx

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 19, 2025

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He also helped seal the victory by depositing the puck into the vacated Oilers net with Skinner on the bench for an extra attacker as Edmonton was pressing for what would have been the tying marker. 

FINSANITY!#UltraMoments | @MichelobUltrapic.twitter.com/5xQqWQGNaF

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 19, 2025

He's the second rookie to light the lamp in as many games for the Red Wings, as Axel Sandin-Pellikka had scored his first career NHL goal in the previous game, a 2-1 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday evening. 

Finnie now has two goals and three assists on the season, putting him in a three-way tie with Matthew Schaefer and Zeev Buium for the lead in rookie points. 

The Red Wings also got a pair of goals from Dylan Larkin, who broke the scoreless tie by one-timing a pass from Ben Chiarot past Skinner from the slot and added another tally shortly after Finnie's goal. 

Edmonton countered with goals from Noah Philp and Leon Draisaitl. 

Red Wings' Rookie Emmitt Finnie Scores First NHL Goal vs. Oilers Only one game after fellow rookie Axel Sandin-Pellikka buried his first goal in the NHL, Emmitt Finnie has now done the same on Sunday afternoon against the Edmonton Oilers.

Red Wings goaltender John Gibson was victorious in his second straight start, stopping 16 of 18 shots that he faced. Skinner stopped 20 shots in a losing effort. 

Detroit played without Patrick Kane, who was shaken up after crashing into the boards in overtime of Friday's game. 

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On Saturday, Florida Panthers left winger Brad Marchand took exception to an unwarranted cross-check from Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.

Marchand tackled Dahlin, throwing haymakers as Dahlin crouched down and shielded himself from Marchand’s fists.

In and of itself, the dust-up wasn’t different than your garden-variety NHL scuffle. One guy decides another guy has gone too far, so he attacks him. We’ve seen it before, and we’ll see it again. 

However, there is a little more to this because it was well after the two players were physically separated when Marchand took things to an embarrassing level.

After he entered the penalty box, it became clear on the broadcast that he was holding onto Dahlin’s helmet. Marchand then proceeded to rip apart the helmet with his bare hands. In response, Dahlin laughed and appeared to call Marchand a clown.

After getting into it with Rasmus Dahlin, Brad Marchand took Dahlin's helmet to the penalty box and ripped off the straps 😂 pic.twitter.com/H69NvU8nYO

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 18, 2025

In this writer’s point of view, Dahlin wasn’t inaccurate in calling Marchand that name. This was a dubious act that would be comical if it weren’t such a stain on the sport.

Ultimately, Marchand’s petty tantrum didn’t do any damage to anyone other than himself and the game. Additionally, it cost Marchand $5,000 after the league fined him on Sunday for his actions.

Panthers’ Marchand Fined $5,000 For His Actions Against Dahlin And The SabresBrad Marchand received a $5,000 fine for his actions against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday, attacking Rasmus Dahlin and vandalizing his helmet.

You don’t see nonsense like this take place in other professional sports leagues.

Imagine what would happen in pro tennis if one player destroyed all the tennis rackets of their opponent.

Think of the reaction in the MLB if a pitcher ran into his opponent’s dugout and started breaking all their baseball bats over his knee.

These are hypothetical situations, but it would be shocking if those leagues didn’t severely punish someone who degraded any notion of sportsmanlike conduct the way Marchand did in Saturday's game against the Sabres.

Indeed, Marchand’s actions landed him an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty – and the Sabres made him and the Panthers pay for it by scoring one of their goals in a 3-0 Buffalo win.

To add to the two minor penalties the Florida left winger received on the play, Marchand should’ve been hit with an additional delay of game penalty, as it took upwards of five minutes for Dahlin to find a helmet replacement that worked for him so that the game could resume. 

You can make the argument that the situations can occur in a contact sport. But the truth is, what Marchand did doesn't happen in the highly physical NFL. And if it did, there's no doubt there’d be a major penalty handed out on the spot.

Therefore, Marchand should count himself lucky that all he got was a supplemental-discipline penalty that amounted to a financial pittance to him.

What’s most disappointing is that we thought Marchand was past these sorts of antics. We’re not saying he’d become a magnanimous ambassador for hockey. But these are the kinds of actions Marchand used to be known for early in his NHL career. And on Saturday, his behavior slipped backward in a way that does nobody any good.

Sabres Beat Panthers For Second Straight Win -- But Hard Work For Buffalo Is Just BeginningDoan ignites offense, Lyon shines in net as Sabres build crucial momentum. But the pressure remains for sustained success.

At this point in his career, Marchand should know better. He can go after anyone he wants, but nowhere in hockey’s ‘code’ does it state it’s appropriate for one player to lose their marbles over a check – even if the check is borderline dirty. 

In failing to show so much as a modicum of discipline, Marchand failed himself and the Panthers. If Marchand’s actions show anything, it’s that, after all these years of NHL experience, he can still be lured into taking hot-headed actions that ultimately hurt his team. 

If he wants to be seen as a leader in Florida, he's going to have to comport himself better than that. 

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An out-of-sync Edmonton Oilers team was looking to get back on track as they took on the Detroit Red Wings in a Sunday matinee. They wanted a better start and a 60-minute effort, things that have eluded them against the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils. 

They didn't get it as the Oilers were not at the top of their game for 50 minutes. The push from Edmonton came late in the third, but it was too late to produce the desired result. 

McDavid remains without a goal and didn't get on the scoresheet for the Oilers. Draisaitl, when asked by @DNBsports about what's gone wrong with the offense, responded, "You can't win scoring 1-2 goals a game. It's me, I'm certainly not feeling it. Take a look in the mirror and figure out a way to get going."  

First Period:

The first quality chance of the game came for Detroit after another turnover, with Andrew Copp firing a clean look that Ilya Skinner stopped with a solid save.

Connor McDavid had an opportunity coming down the slot but again opted to pass. The attempted feed to Andrew Mangiapane failed, resulting in a turnover and another chance for Detroit — though they couldn’t capitalize.

Skinner then made a strong save on Alex DeBrincat to keep the game scoreless.

Ike Howard had his first real opportunity with a one-timer, but the puck bounced awkwardly, and he mishandled the shot — the kind of look Howard needs to capitalize on if he's going to keep a spot in the lineup. 

The line of Trent Frederic, Philip, and Kasperi Kapanen showed some chemistry, cycling effectively in the offensive zone and creating pressure. There weren't many dangerous chances to show for it. 

Around the 18-minute mark, McDavid was pulled down on a play that went uncalled. Detroit quickly transitioned, but Mattias Ekholm made a smart play to break up the rush.

First Period Takeaways

Overall, the first period felt a bit choppy, but both teams managed several good scoring chances. There were no goals after one period. Skinner has looked solid so far. McDavid continues to pass up opportunities to shoot. It's baffling after he said in September, “I want to prove that scoring 50 or 60 is not a one-off. I've had 50 goals, and I've had 100 assists, and I like the goals a little bit more.”

The Oilers only had three shots on goal. 

Second Period:

Evan Bouchard fired a shot that deflected wide but bounced off the end boards and slid back through the crease, giving the Oilers a brief look. It was a perfect example of why simply getting pucks on net can create opportunities.

Kasperi Kapanen left the game after missing a hit in the corner and crashing hard into the boards. He appeared to injure his hip and was ruled out for the remainder of the game.

At the 9:51 mark of the second period, a faceoff win by the Red Wings set up Dylan Larkin in the slot, and he ripped a one-timer past Stuart Skinner to open the scoring, 1–0 Detroit.

Shortly after the goal, Jack Roslovic drew a tripping penalty to give Edmonton a power play. Matt Savoie took net-front duties as the Oilers managed a few decent looks, including a dangerous shot from Connor McDavid, but John Gibson held firm. Just as the power play expired, the Red Wings struck again — rookie forward Emmitt Finnie buried a rebound for his first NHL goal, extending Detroit’s lead to 2–0.

⚠️ FIRST NHL GOAL ALERT ⚠️

Congrats, Emmitt Finnie! pic.twitter.com/TuIicRQoM6

— NHL (@NHL) October 19, 2025

The Oilers finally responded when Vasily Podkolzin tossed a puck toward the net and Noah Philp tipped it in for his second goal in as many games, cutting the deficit to 2–1. It was a greasy goal, but they all count.

Moments later, Finnie crashed the crease on Skinner, drawing a response from Mattias Ekholm. At the other end, Ben Chiarot shoved Roslovic into Gibson, but neither play resulted in a penalty.

Savoie had another solid chance in tight, but Gibson stood tall again.

With just under three minutes left in the period, Larkin fired another puck toward the net. With Finnie and Ekholm battling in front, Skinner was screened and caught mid-movement as the shot slipped past him. It was another simple play that paid off for Detroit, pushing their lead to 3–1 and halting any momentum Edmonton had built.

Second Period Takeaways

The Oilers are through 20 minutes with only 11 shots on goal. That's simply not enough. There are too many examples, even in just this game, where putting the puck on net can produce positive results. Now down two goals, Edmonton will have to dig itself out of another hole. 

Philp is showing the Oilers that he should be staying in the lineup. He's one of the few guys playing a simple and effective game. 

Third Period

The Oilers started the third with more turnovers near the offensive blue line which led to transition chances against. The Oilers' top stars were feeling it and clearly frustrated. The first shift for the top line resulted in absolutely nothing. 

Podkolzin was elevated to the top line in an attempt to get some energy and simple plays on goal. 

The Oilers finally executed on a nice play. Leon Draisaitl got a great passed from Brett Kulak. It was a tap-in for Draisaitl to get the Oilers back to within one. McDavid won't get an assist on the play, but he started the nice sequence of passes by finding Ekholm as the trailer. 

McDavid went in on a break wide and Gisbon stopped him. The Oilers were pushing a little after their second goal of the game. 

The top line came out for the Oilers and, on successive sequences, turned the puck over again at the offensive blue line. The game was going 12 minutes without a whistle, meaning time was starting to run out for the Oilers.  Draisaitl had a breakaway and lost the handle on the puck. 

The Oilers pulled Skinner, and the Red Wings scored to make it 4-2. Finnie got his second of the game. 

Final Takeaways:

The Oilers found some urgency in the last half of the third period, but it was too late. The execution, outside of the Draisaitl goal, just wasn't there.

 Skinner was solid again in the defeat, and Dylan Larkin was a weapon against the Oilers, putting up four points in the game. 

Finnie had two goals, which are his only two goals in the NHL. 

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Given how things have started this season under Rick Tocchet, Philadelphia Flyers fans can certainly appreciate one of ex-coach John Tortorella's fondest memories of star forward Matvei Michkov.

Tortorella, 67, now works as an NHL analyst for ESPN, giving him a larger platform to openly share stories and experiences from his decorated coaching career.

The former Flyers coach, who coached Michkov in his rookie season last year, was covering a game between the San Jose Sharks and Utah Mammoth live in-studio when a too many men penalty, served by Will Smith at the end of the second period, prompted Tortorella to tell a great story about the Russian phenom.

"Michkov, with me in Philly, every time we had to put someone in the box for something like that, a delay or whatever it may be, he'd be burning a hole through me," Tortorella said of Michkov. "He wants to go in the penalty box hoping to get a breakaway when the power play's over or whatever it may be.

"Coaches think about that, too. You'd be surprised. There's a little bit of strategy involved in that. It's interesting."

Here is a funny moment from torts on Michkov last season😆 pic.twitter.com/NtaMtcwKMW

— Flyers Stats (@Flyers_Stats) October 18, 2025

The Sharks finished the period down 3-2 and ultimately lost 6-3 with Smith failing to score out of the box, but Tortorella's assessment is spot on, especially when the player serving the penalty won't be utilized on the penalty kill at all.

It's something Tortorella did with Joel Farabee and the Flyers a good amount in 2023-24, and continued with Michkov in 2024-25 before being relieved of his duties at the end of March.

Michkov, 20, could certainly use a goal like that at some point, too. In five games under Tocchet, his average ice time is sitting at 14:50, down nearly two minutes from his rookie season 16:41, most of which came under Tortorella.

Further compounding the issue is the fact that Michkov has just one goal - his only point - in those five games, and just seven shots on goal.

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

The gruff Tortorella often took a lot of heat for his treatment of Michkov and other players, which was often conflated with how the coach conducted himself, but this latest story shows that the 67-year-old maybe knew exactly what he was doing all along.

According to Championat's Anton Pachenko, former New York Rangers defenseman Ben Harpur has signed a one-year contract with the Shanghai Dragons of the KHL. 

Harpur signing in the KHL comes after he did not land a contract with the Florida Panthers after participating in their training camp on a professional tryout (PTO). Now, the former Ranger will be playing overseas with the Dragons, where he should be a solid part of their blueline.

Harpur played in 42 games with the Rangers during the 2022-23 season, where he recorded one goal, five assists, six points, 57 blocks, 63 hits, and an even plus/minus rating. This is the last season that he played at the NHL level, but he did play the 2023-24 and 2024-25 campaigns exclusively with the Rangers' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.

In 29 games during the 2024-25 with Hartford, Harpur posted one goal, four assists, five points, 48 penalty minutes, and a minus-4 rating. 

In 198 career NHL games split between the Ottawa Senators, Nashville Predators, and Rangers, Harpur recorded two goals, 19 assists, 21 points, 143 penalty minutes, 221 blocks, and 317 hits.

The St. Louis Blues announced their Hall of Fame class of 2026, which features Alexander Steen, Barret Jackman and Al Arbour.

The announcement of the class was made in front of the Enterprise Center crowd during the first period of Wednesday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

The team will officially induct the players into the Blues Hall of Fame on Monday, Jan. 12, during a ceremonial dinner at the downtown Missouri Athletic Club. The inductees will then be honored prior to the game when the Blues host the Carolina Hurricanes the following evening at 7 p.m. at Enterprise Center. 

Steen, the Blues' soon-to-be general manager, played 12 seasons with the organization, scoring 195 goals and 496 points in 765 games. The Winnipeg, Man., native won a Stanley Cup with the Blues, playing as a depth forward with veteran leadership later in his career. Steen ranks fourth in Blues history in games played, sixth in assists and points, and 10th in goals. He is also one of five players in franchise history to dress in at least 90 playoff games.

Jackman played 13 seasons with the Blues, skating in 803 games and scoring 28 goals and 181 points. Jackman was a first-round pick (17th overall) of the Blues in the 1999 NHL Draft. Jackman leads all defensemen and ranks second in franchise history overall in games played, while his 1,026 penalty minutes are fourth. In 2002-03, Jackman was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team and became the first player in franchise history to earn the Calder Trophy. Jackman was named the Director of Alumni earlier this season.

Arbour, the first captain in Blues history and was a member of the original Blues team in 1967-68 after being drafted from Toronto in the 1967 expansion draft. Arbour spent four seasons with the Blues, leading them to the Stanley Cup Final in each of the team’s first three campaigns. The Sudbury, Ontario, native was a 1969 NHL All-Star and finished fifth in voting for the Norris Trophy that season. Arbour also served as head coach of the Blues for parts of three seasons (1970-71 to 1972-73), leading them to the NHL Semi-Finals in 1971-72.

The Calgary Flames wanted progress this season. What they’ve shown is uncertainty.

Calgary enters the week sitting tied for last in the NHL standings and the frustration is mounting. At 1.67 goals-per-game, the offence is stagnant, and the defensive structure is unraveling.

Now the whispers around the team have already shifted toward the long game — or more precisely, the 2026 NHL Draft and expected first-overall pick, Gavin McKenna. The potential of adding a franchise-changing forward is tempting, but - hypothetically speaking - what kind of environment would he be walking into?

That’s the real question for Calgary.

General Manager Craig Conroy made his intentions clear last season: this organization isn’t about shortcuts. It’s about competing, developing, and sustaining a culture that hates to lose. Tanking, at least philosophically, isn’t part of the plan. But with a 1-5-0 start and a minus-15 goal differential, the Flames look far from the kind of team that embodies that mindset.

Saturday’s 6–1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights was the latest example of their problems. Vegas dictated the pace, picked apart the Flames’ defensive coverage, and exposed just how disorganized Calgary has been in its own zone. Odd-man rushes, missed assignments, and poor coverage around the crease continue to hang goaltender Dustin Wolf out to dry.

Wolf, fresh off signing a seven-year deal, hasn’t been perfect — but the defensive breakdowns in front of him have made it nearly impossible to evaluate his play. For a goaltender expected to anchor the next era of Flames hockey, the lack of structure around him is concerning.

The path forward is murky. Calgary needs defensive stability, but trading a top-pair blueliner like Rasmus Andersson (as rumoured in the offseason) seems almost counterintuitive. Veterans such as Nazem Kadri or Blake Coleman could bring value back, but both are key dressing-room voices on a team already light on identity.

If there’s a silver lining, it’s been the effort from the fourth line— particularly Ryan Lomberg and Adam Klapka. Lomberg’s energy and willingness to step up physically, including his fight with Colton Sissons in response to an earlier hit on rookie Zayne Parekh, injected some spark. Klapka’s forechecking, fighting and physical presence have followed suit. However, when your fourth line is your best line, it’s a symptom of a bigger problem.

The schedule doesn’t get easier — two games against Winnipeg and a visit to Montreal loom. While it’s far too early for Conroy to make panic moves, the questions are starting to pile up faster than the answers.

If the Flames truly want to build a culture around competitiveness, it has to start showing up in the results. As tempting as the McKenna sweepstakes might be, culture and complacency don’t coexist — and right now, Calgary is teetering dangerously close to the wrong side of that equation.

Detroit Red Wings rookie forward Emmitt Finnie picked a good time to score his first goal in the NHL, only one game after his fellow rookie Axel Sandin-Pellikka did the same. 

Finnie buried a rebound of a shot by Jacob Bernard-Docker past Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner midway through the second period of Sunday afternoon's game for the milestone marker: 

EMMITT FINNIE FIRST CAREER GOAL! #LGRWpic.twitter.com/Ax4r4Ys3Qx

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 19, 2025

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Immediately after the goal was scored, Red Wings team captain Dylan Larkin, who had just scored himself minutes earlier, retrieved the puck out of the net for a keepsake souvenir he'll keep for the rest of his life. 

The Red Wings drafted Finnie in the seventh round (201st overall) of the 2023 Draft, and he's quickly made a name for himself in his short time since making the team. 

Sandin-Pellikka also recently notched his first career goal, beating Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy with a quick wrist shot from near the top of the slot on Friday evening.

Finnie, Sandin-Pellikka, and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård are all playing in their inaugural campaigns in the NHL as rookies thanks to their strong showings in Training Camp and the pre-season. 

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The Vancouver Canucks pulled together a gusty effort to take a 4–3 win against the Washington Capitals today, though this victory was not without worry, as Vancouver lost two players due to injury by the start of the second period. Elias Pettersson, Tyler Myers, Kiefer Sherwood, and Teddy Blueger scored for the Canucks, while Thatcher Demko made 29 saves on 32 shots faced in his fourth start of the season. 

After lots of chatter surrounding the play of Pettersson to start the season, it was the center who found the first tally of the game less than a minute into the first period. He fired a traditional seeing-eye shot past Charlie Lindgren to nab his first of the season. Pettersson finished the game with two shots and two timely blocks near the end of the third period. 

As a result of Brock Boeser’s absence, Vancouver shifted things around on their power play once again. In Boeser’s place was Sherwood, who got his first little bit of first-unit power play time of the season and made the most of it immediately. The forward honed in on the net at the perfect time, taking advantage of Washington’s poor penalty killing to start the season. 

Despite the excellent start to the game, things took a turn near the end of the first period when Tom Wilson took Filip Chytil out with a big hit. The center, whose injury issues have been well-documented throughout his career, had trouble getting off the ice and needed assistance from the training staff and teammate Conor Garland. While the hit was initially called as a major, the referees decided it was a “good hockey hit” and took the penalty away completely. Chytil was ruled out for the rest of the game.  

By the time the second period rolled around, the news kept getting worse. Jonathan Lekkerimäki, who came into the lineup for Boeser, was also taken out of the game. His ailment looked like it was sustained as the result of a hit from Matt Roy committed late in the first period. 

The rough stuff continued into the second period. Victor Mancini dropped the gloves with Brandon Duhaime, with both players feeding one-another big punches in an impressive effort for the young Canucks defenceman. Arshdeep Bains, part of the speedy Calder Cup line that has been fantastic at bringing pucks to the net, crashed into more than just the net today after he collided with Lindgren. 

Vancouver’s solid play was made even more notable considering their circumstances. Not only were they playing well when down to 10 forwards today, this was also their third game played in four days. For a team that’s been playing more often than not, especially at an early hour in pacific standard time, their early effort was notable. Players stepped up when needed and did well when taking on extra minutes. 

The third period was all Washington, with the home team controlling play more effectively in the o-zone than the Canucks. This included a brief stretch of o-zone time for the Capitals even during a Vancouver power play with around five minutes left in the third. Despite a full-sale push for the Capitals, including a late goal to cut their deficit to 4–3, Vancouver came up when they needed to and sealed their third straight win of the road trip. 

Stats and Facts: 

• With an assist on Kiefer Sherwood’s goal, Quinn Hughes extends personal point streak against the Capitals to five games 
• Quinn Hughes passes Thomas Gradin for sixth in career assists (354) scored by a Canuck 
• Tyler Myers scores his 100th career NHL goal 
• Conor Garland leads all forwards in TOI with 22:20 played 

Scoring Summary: 

1st Period: 

0:59 - VAN: Elias Pettersson (1) from Conor Garland 

17:11 - VAN: Tyler Myers (1) 

17:52 - VAN: Kiefer Sherwood (4) from Conor Garland and Quinn Hughes (PPG) 

2nd Period: 

4:54 - VAN: Teddy Blueger (1) from Evander Kane and Tyler Myers

13:42 - WSH: Ryan Leonard (2) from Tom Wilson and Dylan Strome (PPG) 

3rd Period: 

9:01 - WSH: Jakob Chychrun (2) from Hendrix Lapierre and Rasmus Sandin 

17:46 - WSH: John Carlson (1) from Dylan Strome and Tom Wilson 

Up Next: 

Vancouver’s next match of their road trip takes place on Tuesday, in what will be their fourth of five away from Rogers Arena. The Canucks will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in what will be their first time facing former goaltender Artūrs Šilovs since trading him back in July. Puck drop is scheduled for 4:00 pm PT. 

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 Ottawa Senators raised some eyebrows on Sunday morning with the announcement that backup goalie Leevi Meriläinen has been loaned to the AHL’s Belleville Senators. In a corresponding move, Mads Søgaard has been called up from the B-Sens.

At a glance, one might think the Senators had suddenly lost faith in Meriläinen, four days after he and the team were shelled in Buffalo on Wednesday night, falling 8–4 to the Sabres. But this probably isn't a demotion, not after only one game, and not after you see that Sogaard isn't off to a great start either. This is about getting Merilainen some real game action.

The Senators don’t have a back-to-back situation in their game schedule until October 27–28. The Sens will host Edmonton on Tuesday of this week, the Flyers on Thursday, then travel to Washington on Saturday before hosting the Boston Bruins a week from Monday. Barring injury, it's likely that Ullmark will start all of those games, including the one against his old team, then the Sens will probably turn to Meriläinen in Chicago on the 28th.

Travis Green After Senators 5-4 Loss To Islanders: 'A Lot Of Things We Took Pride In Last Year, We Weren't Good At Tonight'Sens head coach Travis Green: "It hurts that we didn't get a point tonight, and I think our game's a little sloppy right now."

In the meantime, the Senators want to get Meriläinen playing for two reasons. First, they don’t want him getting rusty from going almost two weeks without playing, and just as importantly, they don’t want him stewing too long about his difficult season debut in Buffalo.

Merilainen is starting for the B-Sens on Sunday afternoon when they host the Syracuse Crunch. They may also let him start again in Laval on Wednesday, and one of the two games against Toronto on Saturday and Sunday before bringing him back.

As for Søgaard, he recently cleared waivers after camp, so he's waiver-exempt for a couple of more weeks. In the meantime, the Sens just need him for practice and to wear the ball cap on the bench in Ottawa. Based on his two games so far in the AHL, his current .864 save percentage isn’t exactly a statistic that demanded an immediate call-up to the NHL.

So Meriläinen’s assignment to Belleville should not be regarded as a demotion, but instead as a much-needed tune-up – both physically and mentally.

More Sens headlines at the Hockey News Ottawa:
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The Toronto Maple Leafs had to be concerned that the departure of Mitch Marner would result in an offensive dropoff this season, as they have been dependent on the “Core Four” group carrying the bulk of their scoring load for most of the last decade.

Through the first six games of the regular season, Toronto is third in the NHL with 22 goals, and part of that excellent production has been the play of defenseman Morgan Rielly. 

The longest tenured Maple Leaf had a difficult season adjusting to new head coach Craig Berube’s style of play last season.

Like he has in previous seasons, Rielly cycled through numerous D-partners until it was finally remedied when Leafs GM Brad Treliving acquired Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins at the trade deadline.

The right-handed Carlo provided a stable defensive presence for the offense-minded Rielly, who finished with a subpar 41 points last season. However, the 31-year-old did produce in the playoffs, scoring four goals and three assists for seven points.

Rielly’s defensive issues have always been a focal point of criticism, and that was highlighted in Game 7 of their second-round loss to the Florida Panthers when he put up a minus-three rating.

That led to off-season rumors that Treliving would try to get the veteran to waive his no-movement clause.

Instead, he spoke to Rielly after the season about needing more from him. That resulted in him coming to training camp in great shape, with a new attitude, and that has been displayed on the ice, as he appears less tentative and willing to jump into offensive situations. 

'My Goal Was To Leave No Stone Unturned': How Morgan Rielly's Summer Could Set Him Up For Success With Maple LeafsShortly after the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-reveal-73-player-training-camp-roster-for-2025-26">Toronto Maple Leafs</a> were eliminated by the Florida Panthers in May, Morgan Rielly and general manager Brad Treliving sat down to review the year.

“I thought (Morgan) had a really good game, skated well, moved the puck well, good reads, defended well, he was solid," Berube told reporters after Rielly scored the game-winner against the Montreal Canadiens in the season opener.

"(It) was great to see him have a good game. (There was) a lot of good, and there’s stuff that we’ve got to work on, but we did a good enough job to win the game. I thought our third period was our best period, (we did a) good job protecting the lead, closing it out,” the Leafs' bench boss added.

His six points put him tied for third in the league among defensemen, behind Cale Makar and Shayne Gostisbehere.

Rielly's scoring includes goals against the Habs and on Saturday in a 4-3 overtime loss to the  Seattle Kraken. The biggest change for Rielly is his return to being the quarterback of Toronto's power play after Marner took the point of the team's five-forward power-play unit last season.

The unit with Rielly at the helm has struggled early in the year, going just two for 14, striking at 14.3 percent, which is tied for 24th best in the league.

The blueliner’s lack of a heavy shot from the point has always been a criticism, but in the past, he has made up for that with his excellent playmaking.

The effectiveness of the Leafs on the man advantage will be a significant factor in whether Toronto can have the same level of success they had with Marner in previous seasons and perhaps advance further than they did with him in the playoffs.  

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