Category: NHL

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 3 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Jersey #3 is one of the more popular numbers to be worn.

Let's take a look at who wore 3, and where they are now

František Kučera - 2001 - Drafted by Chicago in 1986. 

He played 48 games as a Jacket and had seven points in the first year of the Blue Jackets' existence. 

He retired in 2004 after returning to his home country of Czechia. 

Jaroslav Špaček - 2002-2004 - Drafted by Florida in 1998. 

Špaček played 153 games for Columbus and had 72 points in the early years of Columbus. 

His son David Špaček, born in Columbus, was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in 2022. He will start this season with the AHL's Iowa Wild. David was born in Columbus. 

Nowadays, the elder Špaček is the Director of Youth Hockey for HC Plzeň in Czechia. 

Marc Methot - 2009-2012 - Drafted by the Blue Jackets in the 6th round of the 2003 NHL Draft.

Methot played six years and 275 games for the CBJ, totaling 51 points on the Columbus blue line. He was the definition of a defensive defenseman. 

On July 1, 2012, he was traded to the Ottawa Senators for future CBJ Captain Nick Foligno. After the trade to Ottawa, he would play another 349 NHL games. 

He retired during the 2018-19 season after playing 9 games. 

Jordan Leopold - 2015 - Drafted by Anaheim in 1999. 

Leopold played 18 games for Columbus after being traded from the St. Louis Blues on November 15, 2014. On March 2, 2015, he was dealt again, this time to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Justin Falk. He retired after the 2015 season. 

He has been an assistant coach for Andover High in Minnesota for the past couple of years. 

Seth Jones - 2016-2021 - Drafted by Nashville in 2013. 

Jones played 381 games for the Jackets after coming over from the Nashville Predators. He scored 50 goals and totaled 223 points during his time in Columbus. Jones is currently second all-time in CBJ history in goals by a defenseman, second in assists, and second in points. He's also 7th in all-time assists and 10th in all-time points. 

He was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2021 in exchange for Adam Boqvist. Chicago traded him to the Florida Panthers in 2025, where he went on to win the Stanley Cup. 

The son of former NBA player Popeye Jones was described by Elite Prospects as, "A defenseman with an excellent frame. Jones' athleticism allows him to be a very good skater for a player of his size. He has excellent mobility and is solid both offensively and defensively. Jones gives a smart first pass and is also capable of utilizing his skating ability to bring the puck up himself. He has good hockey sense and is an asset on the power play thanks to his mobility, puck-handling, and a very dangerous slap shot."

Jack Johnson - 2025 - Drafted by Carolina in 2005.

Johnson played 486 games for Columbus after being traded from the LA Kings for Jeff Carter. He scored 36 goals and had 156 points in seven years.

He's bounced around since leaving Columbus, but finally won a Stanley Cup in 2022. He found his way back to Cannon City in the summer of 2024. Unfortunately for Johnson, he only played in 41 games for Columbus last year and had 6 points. 

He and Head Coach Dean Evason didn't see eye to eye, leading to Johnson being scratched most of the season. Johnson's family even boycotted the family day held ahead of the 2025 Stadium Series Game at Ohio Stadium. 

There are three days left until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Who was your favorite #3?

Game one against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena didn't end well for the CBJ. They played well; they just couldn't beat Juuse Saros. They thought they took the lead, but a very iffy goalie interference call took the goal back.

The Jackets also came out of Nashville relatively healthy. Dean Evason said that defenseman Dante Fabbro, who missed a couple of shifts in the last two periods, is going to be ok. The Jackets are in Minnesota and will practice today. 

Mathieu Olivier - “I thought our game was really good. We put a lot of pressure on them, did the right things to win. Ultimately, their goalie was really good. So was Jet. It was a very tight game, and that’s just the way it goes sometimes, but as far as the way we played, I don’t think there’s much to look at and not be satisfied with. We played well. Just not satisfied with not getting the two points, but other than that, not a bad performance by our group.”

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More From THN Columbus

Blue Jackets Play Well, But Can't Overcome The Demons Of Playing In Nashville Dmitri Voronkov (1) provided the only offense for Columbus, and Jet Greaves was stellar, making 29 saves, but the Jackets would fall to the Nashville Predators 2-1.  Cleveland Monsters Sign Defenseman Will Butcher The Cleveland Monsters have announced that they've signed defenseman Will Butcher to a one-year AHL contract. Butcher has played 275 career NHL games.  Former Blue Jackets Forward Signs With Edmonton OilersThe Edmonton Oilers have announced that they have signed former Columbus Blue Jackets forward Jack Roslovic.

Yesterday was a big day for the Carolina Hurricanes as they won their season opener 6-3 over the New Jersey Devils, but it was also a big moment for a few former Canes as well.

Both Brett Pesce (2015-2024) and Jeff Skinner (2010-2018) hit milestones related to the number 700, with Pesce reaching 700 NHL games played and Skinner scoring his 700th point,

Pesce, 30, played the first 627 games of his career for the Hurricanes after being selected by the franchise in the third round of the 2013 draft.

He reflects a bit on the milestone in this NHL.com feature.

The Moment Over the Milestone | FEATURE  | New Jersey DevilsBrett Pesce will play his 700th NHL game in Carolina in the Devils season opener, but it's not the milestone that matters to him: It's the moment.

Skinner, 33, scored the opening goal for his new team, the San Jose Sharks to get point #700 in memorable fashion. 

Skinner was the most productive over his career in Carolina, where he had 204 goals and 379 points in 579 games.

The former Calder Trophy winner was the 7th overall selection by the Canes in 2010.

🎙️@Jkellyhockey (first goal-call with ESPN)

“Rebound Skinner—HE SCORES! Skinner! Top corner! One-nothing Sharks!#TheFutureIsTeal | #NHLpic.twitter.com/YKDm4saQQo

— NHL Announcer Schedules (@AnnouncersNHL) October 10, 2025

7⃣️0⃣️0⃣️ for Jeff Skinner! Congrats to the @SanJoseSharks forward, who is the 3rd player from the 2010 NHL Draft class to hit the mark 🤟 pic.twitter.com/A7DYxruK6l

— NHLPA (@NHLPA) October 10, 2025

The Chicago Blackhawks have announced that they have assigned defenseman Ethan Del Mastro to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs.

Del Mastro played in the Blackhawks' 2025-26 season opener against the Florida Panthers, where he recorded two blocks, six hits, and a minus-1 rating.

we have assigned Ethan Del Mastro to the @goicehogs

👉https://t.co/axdgE6YEJIpic.twitter.com/dIRGX7618J

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 10, 2025

During this past season with the Blackhawks, Del Mastro posted two goals, four assists, six points, 21 blocks, 40 hits, and a minus-3 rating. He also played in 47 games down in the AHL with the IceHogs last season, where he recorded nine assists, 39 penalty minutes, and a plus-8 rating.

Del Mastro was selected by the Blackhawks with the 105th overall pick of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. In 27 career NHL games over three seasons with the Blackhawks, Del Mastro has recorded two, six points, and a minus-4 rating.

In 116 career AHL games with Rockford, Del Mastro has posted seven goals, 39 assists, 46 points, 93 penalty minutes, and a plus-22 rating. 

Winnipeg Jets' 2015 first round pick in Jack Roslovic signed with the Edmonton mid-game on Wednesday as they Oilers were playing in the Battle of Alberta with the Calgary Flames. 

The Edmonton Oilers made headlines late Wednesday night, announcing the signing of former Winnipeg Jets forward Jack Roslovic to a one-year, $1.5-million contract. The move ends a long summer of uncertainty for the 28-year-old, who had been skating in Columbus as an unrestricted free agent after going unsigned since July 1.

Jets Rally Late But Fall 5-4 to Stars in Home OpenerThe Winnipeg Jets will not be starting the 2025-26 season the way they did their Presidents' Trophy-winning campaign. 

For Jets fans, the news carries a hint of nostalgia. Roslovic’s NHL story began in Winnipeg, where he was selected 25th overall in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft. At the time, the speedy American center was viewed as one of the organization’s key young pieces, a dynamic, offensively gifted forward with top-six potential. After spending time with the Manitoba Moose in the AHL, he broke into the Jets’ lineup during the 2017–18 season, eventually playing 180 games for Winnipeg. Over that stretch, he recorded 26 goals and 41 assists for 67 points.

Despite showing flashes of skill and speed, Roslovic never quite found a permanent home in the Jets’ top six. His minutes fluctuated, and his role often shifted between center and wing. As his frustration with his usage grew, so did speculation about his future in Winnipeg. By the 2020–21 season, Roslovic formally requested a trade, a move that ultimately sent him, along with Patrik Laine, to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Pierre-Luc Dubois.

The trade gave Roslovic the fresh start he’d been seeking, returning him to his hometown of Columbus and providing a larger offensive role. His production ticked upward in his first full season with the Blue Jackets, and he has since carved out a solid career as a reliable middle-six scorer. He has gone on to play for four other teams, Columbus, the New York Rangers, the Carolina Hurricanes, and now Edmonton, amassing 102 goals and 158 assists for 260 points in 526 career games.

Roslovic’s 2024–25 season with the Hurricanes was one of his most consistent. He matched a career high with 22 goals and added 17 assists for 39 points in 81 games, then contributed four points in nine playoff appearances. Yet despite that production, he entered the offseason without a contract. Changing agents midway through the summer, Roslovic remained patient while skating in Columbus, waiting for the right opportunity and it arrived in Edmonton.

Former Minnesota Wild Forward Tabbed as New Captain of Winnipeg's AHL MooseWinnipeg's AHL Moose name veteran forward Mason Shaw as the 13th team captain in franchise history on Thursday. 

For Winnipeg fans, Roslovic’s latest move is a reminder of a player who once represented promise and potential. His time with the Jets ended amid frustration over opportunity, but his subsequent journey through the NHL has underscored the talent that made him a first-round pick in the first place. Now, in Edmonton, Roslovic has another chance to prove that he can still be the kind of impact player many in Winnipeg once believed he would become.

While the Montreal Canadiens were registering a big win over the Detroit Red Wings last night, former Hab Logan Mailloux was making his debut with the St. Louis Blues, and to say things didn’t go well would be an understatement.

Skating on the third pair alongside Tyler Tucker, Mailloux saw just over 14 minutes of action and was on the ice for two of the Minnesota Wild’s five goals. In 21 shifts, he landed three hits and committed one giveaway.

Meanwhile, Zack Bolduc, whom Kent Hughes acquired for Mailloux over the summer, is having an excellent start to his Canadiens’ career. In two games, he has scored two goals and is a significant contributor to the success of Brendan Gallagher and Kirby Dach, who are off to good starts to their seasons.

Beautiful passing by the #Habs here, and Zachary Bolduc has two goals in as many games in the Tricolore. pic.twitter.com/rD6floDxCg

— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) October 9, 2025

The Trois-Rivieres native is a real two-way player; he gives his whole at both ends of the ice, he’s defensively responsible, and a real handful for the opposition in the attacking zone. On Thursday night, he only scored one goal, but his battle with Albert Johansson in front of the net allowed Alex Carrier to score his first goal of the season.

It’s a small sample, but so far, Bolduc looks like a hockey player, not just someone who plays hockey —an expression that Martin St-Louis reserves for the best players. He’s willing to do it all, the small defensive details and the big offensive play.

So far, it looks like Hughes has had the upper hand in the deal with his counterpart Doug Armstrong, but it’s worth remembering that defensemen do take longer to develop than forwards normally. At this stage, it’s impossible to know precisely what Mailloux’s ceiling will be, but for now, the Canadiens’ decision to use him to get help up front after acquiring Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders looks astute.

---

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EAST MEADOW, NY --New York Islanders forward Jonathan Drouin will have an over-the-phone hearing with NHL Player Safety after cross-checking Pittsburgh Penguins forward Connor Dewar on Thursday. 

I’m told that #Isles Jonathan Drouin's hearing with @NHLPlayerSafety is over the phone, which carries a max suspension of five games.

Here’s the play. pic.twitter.com/0v6GSsl9PG

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) October 10, 2025

Drouin, 29, has never been suspended by NHL Player Safety in his career. The league has been cracking down on cross-checks, so the expectation is that, at a minimum, he'll be suspended one game and miss the home opener against the Washington Capitals on Saturday.

We'll see who draws in for the Islanders if that's the case. 

The Philadelphia Flyers started this season missing two of their top four defensemen.

Cam York is day-to-day with a lower-body injury and expected to miss the Flyers' first three games. Meanwhile, Rasmus Ristolainen is still recovering from surgery in April to repair a ruptured triceps tendon.

On Oct. 7, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the Flyers were “definitely checking what's out there on defense” in the trade market. However, he doesn't anticipate much activity this early in the season.

The Flyers have over $6.6 million in salary cap space after trading permanently sidelined defenseman Ryan Ellis to the San Jose Sharks earlier this week. Daily Faceoff's Anthony Di Marco cited sources suggesting they could use that room to bolster their blueline.

Jonathan Bailey of The Hockey News doesn't expect the Flyers to trade assets for an older defenseman or a smaller, offensive-minded blueliner. Di Marco agrees, believing they'll target an impact player if they make a move.

Di Marco indicated the Flyers were interested in Bowen Byram before he signed a two-year extension with the Buffalo Sabres earlier this year. He wondered if they might revisit their interest, suggesting they offer up winger Owen Tippett and young blueliner Emil Andrae.

However, Bailey doesn't consider Byram the defensive stalwart they need. He noted that Thomas Harley of the Dallas Stars and Philip Broberg of the St. Louis Blues will be RFAs seeking big raises next summer but doubted they will be available. He also doesn't see the New Jersey Devils trading Simon Nemec to a division rival.

Meanwhile, in Calgary, Flames center Nazem Kadri has surfaced again in trade speculation.

Kadri, 35, has been a frequent subject of media trade conjecture for the past two years, mostly based on the Flames' position as a retooling club. For his part, Kadri has insisted he and his family enjoy living in Calgary and he has no intention of requesting a trade.

Nevertheless, the possibility of a Kadri trade hasn't gone away. During the Oct. 3 episode of Flames Nation's Barn Burner podcast, TSN's Darren Dreger suggested the Flames might consider moving the veteran center if they're out of playoff contention by the March 6 trade deadline.

If the Flames attempt to move Kadri, they might wait until the off-season. That's when his full no-movement clause reverts to a 13-team no-trade list on July 1.

Turning to the Utah Mammoth, NHL insider Frank Seravalli recently reported Logan Cooley rejected an eight-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $9.6 million, which would've made him their highest-paid player.

Cooley, 21, centers the Mammoth's top line and in the final season of his entry-level contract. Given the rising salary cap, he's likely waiting to see how the market unfolds. He could set his sights on something closer to $11 million.

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PITTSBURGH, PA -- There's no question that the New York Islanders would have loved to come away with a win to open their 2025-26 season when they battled the Pittsburgh Penguins.

There were several positives in their 4-3 loss at PPG Paints Arena, but a few issues from last season persisted, including the power play going 0-for-3 and the penalty kill allowing goals on their first two chances, finishing the night 3-for-5. 

No team wins a Stanley Cup in game one of the regular season. It's about building something, and for three of the newest Islanders to find the scoresheet, two of which found the back of the net, is so incredibly important for confidence.

No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer, who doesn't need moral victories to earn confidence, connected with a fellow newcomer on the Islanders' first goal, finding Jonathan Drouin in the high slot off a rush chance:

Drouin from Schaefer.

First #Isles 🚨 for Drouin. (Thank you @walsha )

First Schaefer NHL 🍎 in his first NHL game. pic.twitter.com/xdfcVXev2N

— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) October 9, 2025

"Our team is so easy to make plays with them, and everyone's in the right spot," Schaefer said postgame. "So yeah. I mean, I found Drouin there and it was an easy pass to him, and of course, he puts in the back of the net. So yeah. I mean, I'd have to thank my teammates for that, because they're always in the right spots.”

Drouin, who signed a two-year deal worth $4 million annually on July 1, is something the Islanders are going to rely on heavily. He was brought in to gel with Bo Horvat on the club's top line, and scoring in your first game with your new team is a heck of a start. 

The 29-year-old logged 19:47 minutes, scoring on three shot attempts. He did receive a five-minute major and a 10-game misconduct late in the third period and will be having a hearing. 

Schaefer played 17:50 in his NHL debut, which included time late with the Islanders down a goal in a 6-on-5 situation -- recording the assist with one shot on goal on six attempts -- five were blocked -- with a hit, a giveaway and a takeaway. 

The other newcomer, Maxim Shabanov, who signed a one-year entry-level deal this summer out of the KHL, came through with a one-time finish from his knee to tie the game at 2-2 with less than 30 seconds to play in the middle frame. His goal came off a wicked feed from Simon Holmström:

Shabanov 1st NHL Goal #isles 

Scoring your first NHL goal from one knee is next level! pic.twitter.com/y5wI3epg1p

— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) October 10, 2025

Shabanov had been quiet during training camp and preseason, finding the net in their exhibition finale, as he looked to get more comfortable.

He finished his NHL debut with 9:45 minutes played, scoring on his only shot while adding a takeaway. 

Emil Heineman, the only other newcomer who came over from Montreal, played 13:12, with one shot on three attempts, two hits, two giveaways, a blocked shot, and won the only draw he took. 

All four players finished the night at +1. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

Oct 9, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators center Ryan O'Reilly (90) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Coming into Thursday’s season opener at Bridgestone Arena, the Nashville Predators hadn’t lost at home to the Columbus Blue Jackets since March 30, 2019, a span of nine games.

That streak was stretched to 10 following Thursday night’s 2-1 victory. It may not have been pretty, but the Predators are already off to a better start than this time last year, when they dropped their first five games in 2024-25.

“Columbus is a really good team,” Preds head coach Andrew Brunette said following the win. “They're fast, they're big. I thought we were a little nervous. We had a lot of guys, that was their first Opening Night in a Predator jersey, whether they're young kids or guys that just came in the lineup… I thought we settled down in the third. I thought it was by far our best period."

Here are three top performances from Thursday’s win.

The New Dad Lights The Lamp

Fatherhood apparently agrees with Michael Bunting.

Just two weeks ago, the 30-year-old Predators forward welcomed his son Bo into the world. Prior to Thursday’s season opener, Bo took the gold walk at Bridgestone Arena.

Michael Bunting scores the first goal of the season for the #Preds. I would imagine that puck might just go to his 2-week-old son, Bo, who also took the Gold Walk earlier today. pic.twitter.com/BJxoX7zqlH

— Brooks Bratten (@brooksbratten) October 10, 2025

Bunting scored the Predators’ first regular-season goal of 2025-26 later that evening, putting them in the lead 1-0 at the 6:45 mark of the opening period.

Bunting took the puck off a turnover, but his first shot was blocked by a Columbus defender, then bounced off another. Linemate Erik Haula fed the puck back to Bunting, and his second try went over the shoulder of Columbus goalie Jet Greaves. Haula was credited with the lone assist.

At 10:08 of the first, Bunting went to the penalty box for slashing, but former Predator Dante Fabbro also went off for interference at the same time, creating a 4-on-4.

Bunting’s goal put him four shy of 100 for his NHL career. He was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins with a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft for Tommy Novak and Luke Schenn last March.

Bunting also lit the lamp in the Predators’ last meeting with Columbus, an 8-4 loss last Apr. 1. After the Blue Jackets took a 4-1 lead in the second period, Nashville scored two goals within 43 seconds of each other. Bunting cut the deficit to 4-2 at 5:43, then Justin Barron narrowed the gap to 4-3 at 6:26.

Here's to a great start of 2025-26 for the new dad, on and off the ice.

Ryan O'Reilly Gets The Game-Winner

Last season, the Predators ranked 18th in the NHL on the power play. On Thursday, they went 1-for-4, but that goal was a big one. It came from Ryan O’Reilly to put the Preds ahead 2-1 in what would eventually be the game-winner.

At 16:41 of the third period, O’Reilly took a pass from Filip Forsberg down low, showed some adept stick-handling skills before firing a high backhand past Greaves.

Forsberg picked up the assist, giving him a point in 10 consecutive season-opening games dating back to 2016-17. He’s only the fifth player in NHL history to accomplish that milestone.

“It's a good feeling,” O’Reilly said of Thursday's win. “It wasn't pretty at times out there. They had some momentum, and we got caught on our heels, but still, to find a way to win, to kind of stay with it… It's so important to establish that right away and get that first win. It's definitely a great game to build on."

O’Reilly was on a power-play unit with Forsberg, Roman Josi, Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault. They had great puck movement on that particular shift. It’s definitely something they can build on.

Juuse Saros Slams The Door

In last season’s loss to Dallas on Opening Night, Predators goalie Juuse Saros didn’t play due to an injury. The Stars scored all four of their goals in the second period off backup Justus Annunen, and Nashville fell 4-3.

Saros was in net Thursday, and made the most of his season opener. He had several key saves in the first period after the Predators had grabbed a 1-0 lead. One was on Kirill Marchenko on a wraparound attempt going left to right.

Saros was up to the task all night, stopping 38 of 39 shots. The Blue Jackets outshot Nashville 28-18 through 40 minutes before the Predators won the third period advantage 13-10.

“Obviously, he's the backbone of our team," Forsberg said of Saros. "And then for two periods, we relied on him a lot, too, a lot more than we…want to on a regular basis. But that's why he's here. That's why he's ours and not someone else's. He's one of the best, if not the best.”

The Blue Jackets almost went ahead 2-1 with 17 seconds left in the middle frame after Mathieu Olivier put one in after Saros partially saved a previous shot by Damon Severson. However, the goal was disallowed after video review for goalie interference.

Saros’s previous performance against Columbus was forgettable. He saved 19 of 26 shots over two periods in the 8-4 loss last April before giving way to Annunen.

Thursday, the Predators saw the vintage Saros. If the club has any hope of a turnaround in 2025-26, it starts with Saros being consistent throughout the grind of a season.

Dmitri Voronkov (1) provided the only offense for Columbus, and Jet Greaves was stellar, making 29 saves, but the Jackets would fall to the Nashville Predators 2-1. 

Bridgestone Arena is absolutely a house of horrors for the Columbus Blue Jackets. With last night's loss, they move to 9-37-1-7 all-time in Nashville. So, it's a blessing that this game was played so early in the season. 

The Jackets played really well, but just couldn't solve Preds goalie Juuse Saros. The 30-year-old Finn made 37 saves on 38 CBJ shots to stifle the young Jackets. The Jackets thought they took the lead with 18 seconds left in the second period, but upon further review, it was ruled that Mathieu Olivier made contact with Saros, so the goal was called back. That would be it for the Blue Jackets, as the Preds would of course score a power play in the third to end it. 

They played well against a tough and skilled team and playing well defensively. There's really nothing to be upset about in this one. 

Quotes

• HC Dean Evason - "A ton of positives. Obviously, their goaltender was really good. We did so many really good things in this hockey game. It's frustrating, obviously, but the guys know how hard and how well they played."
• Mathieu Olivier - “I thought our game was really good. We put a lot of pressure on them, did the right things to win. Ultimately, their goalie was really good. So was Jet. It was a very tight game, and that’s just the way it goes sometimes, but as far as the way we played, I don’t think there’s much to look at and not be satisfied with. We played well. Just not satisfied with not getting the two points, but other than that, not a bad performance by our group.”
• Jet Greaves - "Excited for the opportunity to be out there with the guys tonight. So, I felt good, but obviously like there's some positives but also some things to improve on, so it's I think it's a good step, but I think there's a lot for myself and for us to learn from going forward."

Final Stats

Player Stats

• Dmitri Voronkov scored his 1st goal of the season.
• Damon Severson tallied an assist
• Denton Mateychuk recorded an assist.
• Kirill Marchenko led the CBJ with 8 shots.
• Zach Werenski had 5 shots on the night.
• Jet Greaves made 29 saves.

Team Stats

• The Jackets' power play went 0/1 on the night.
• The Columbus PK stopped 3 of 4 Predator power plays.
• Columbus won 46.8% of the faceoffs.

Up Next: The Blue Jackets travel to Minnesota to play the Wild on Saturday night. 

Let us know what you think below.

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More From THN Columbus

Cleveland Monsters Sign Defenseman Will Butcher The Cleveland Monsters have announced that they've signed defenseman Will Butcher to a one-year AHL contract. Butcher has played 275 career NHL games.  Former Blue Jackets Forward Signs With Edmonton OilersThe Edmonton Oilers have announced that they have signed former Columbus Blue Jackets forward Jack Roslovic. Cam Atkinson To Officially Retire As A Blue JacketThe Columbus Blue Jackets and Cam Atkinson have formally announced that the forward will retire from the NHL on Thursday, October 16. He will sign a one-day contract with Columbus and thus end his NHL career. 

The Toronto Maple Leafs paid a steep price when they bolstered their blue line back in March, dealing Fraser Minten and a top-five protected first-round draft pick in 2026 for defenseman Brandon Carlo.

Now in his second season with the Bruins, Minten is making an immediate impact. The 21-year-old center scored the overtime winner to help the Boston Bruins defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3. Minten, a late-season call-up for the Bruins in 2024-25, earned a spot in the opening-night lineup after just six games with his new club. The Bruins missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years last season, but are now 2-0-0 thanks to the player Toronto selected with their first pick (38th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft.

FRASER MINTEN OT GOAL TO WIN IT IN FRONT OF THE HOME CROWD pic.twitter.com/SlXF3AlIVk

— NESN (@NESN) October 10, 2025

Minten wasn’t the only former Leafs prospect acquired at the deadline to make it to an NHL-opening roster. Nikita Grebenkin, acquired in the deal for Scott Laughton, made the Philadelphia Flyers out of camp. However, Grebenkin was a healthy scratch for Philly’s season-opening loss to the Florida Panthers on Thursday.

“I want to win every game.”

Forward Nikita Grebenkin is ready to get to work after making the Orange & Black’s Opening Night roster.@KendallSkalicky | #LetsGoFlyerspic.twitter.com/Nus4y9zojW

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) October 7, 2025

Laughton has been out of action for the Leafs since blocking a shot in a pre-season game. He remains week-to-week with a lower-body injury. His lower-body injury appears to derail Leafs prospect Easton Cowan’s opening the regular season on the fourth line alongside Laughton and Steven Lorentz. Perhaps the prospect gets his chance when the Leafs head down the 401 to take on the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesar’s Arena on Saturday

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Two games into the new NHL season, the Florida Panthers have to be pleased with the early results.

While they haven’t come easy, the Cats have clawed out a pair of tight wins on home ice as they adjust to life without several key players.

On Thursday, Florida welcomed a young and hungry Philadelphia Flyers squad with a new coach behind the bench and a new goaltender between the pipes.

As was the case with the youthful Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, the Flyers, thanks in large part to a strong game from their goaltender, kept the game tight until the very end, but ultimately came up short against the veteran Panthers.

We’ll have to see if that’s a trend that continues when the Cats start playing some of the stronger teams on their upcoming schedule.

For now, let’s get to the takeaways from Florida’s win over Philly:

SHORTHANDED DEFENSE STEPS UP

Almost exactly halfway through the game, Florida lost defenseman Dmitry Kulokov to an upper-body injury.

Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice didn’t have much of an update afterward, other than that Kulikov would get looked at the following day and there would be more information after that.

Despite playing down a D-man for the remainder of the game, Florida’s blueliners did not flinch.

They allowed the Flyers only 11 shots from that point on, including just five during the entire third period.

“(They were) really good, especially in the last 20 (minutes),” said Maurice. “I thought they were real clean with what they were trying to do. All those guys can play big minutes, they have in playoff games, and they've played deep into overtime games, so going to five (defenseman) for those guys isn't a big concern.”

WINNING TIGHT GAMES

Two games, two one-goal victories for the Panthers.

A veteran team that’s earned themselves a ton of postseason experience in recent years should be extremely comfortable in situations like that, which is exactly what we’ve seen from Florida.

It’s nothing new to use of us who have been following this team for the past several years, but for the newcomers, it’s a cool thing to be a part of.

“It's the second (game), but you can feel it, and even last game I said that you have that feeling of, there's no panic in the room,” said defenseman Jeff Petry. “And knowing that, we don't need to get away from our game just because pucks aren't going in the net. In both games we had a lot of chances, and those are going to go. To not open it up, to try to create more, I think it showed we were getting plenty of chances based on the way we were playing, so just to stick to that and we were going to find a way.”

STILL GENERATING OFFENSE

The Panthers may have only scored five goals over their first two games, but it’s not for a lack of trying.

They’ve racked up 71 shots on goal off of 132 attempts while holding their opponents to 39 shots on 88 attempts.

As for scoring chances, Florida holds an impressive 62-38 edge, so despite the relatively lower goal total, the vibes are just fine regarding the Cats’ offensive output because at the end of the day, they’re not sacrificing anything on the defensive end while trying to keep things rolling in their opponents’ end of the ice.

“I think we're generating enough, and that's kind of the expectation, that we will probably score a little less right now,” said Maurice. “Hopefully, we don't have to give up less. That's the bigger ask from our blue line especially, and our goalie, because you take a Selke (winner) out of your lineup, you should give up more, but our penalty kill was really good again tonight, so that's a real positive. There was enough generated, certainly in the last game, that we would expect to score a little bit more, but we're fine with that, in that 2-1 is a game you have to learn how to win. You're not getting a lot of looks, there's not a lot of clean offense, so we don't want to open the game up to try to find it, and we didn't do that tonight.”

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Photo caption: Oct 9, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Owen Tippett (74) moves the puck against Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling (42) during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

It was a night of firsts for several Pittsburgh Penguins' players in Thursday's home opener against the New York Islanders. 

And it was also quite the night for some Penguins' legends.

With Mario Lemieux in the house, the Penguins took down the Islanders, 4-3, on a third-period game-winning goal by Justin Brazeau, who now has three goals in two games. Rickard Rakell and Sidney Crosby also tallied goals, and Evgeni Malkin finished the evening with three points, giving him five points in two games on the season.

And, as far as "firsts," rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke scored his first NHL goal, becoming the first South African-born player in NHL history to do so. Filip Hallander registered his first NHL point with the primary assist on the goal, and Tommy Novak recorded his first point as a Penguin with the secondary helper. 

The 19-year-old blueliner admitted he doesn't remember much in the immediate aftermath of the goal.

"I don't really know, to be honest," Brunicke said. "You talk about that blacking-out feeling? That's kind of what I felt. Just a lot of excitement and happiness, for sure. It felt good."

In what was a bit of a back-and-forth game, the Penguins opened up the scoring first. Evgeni Malkin took the puck down low and fed Rakell, who missed the first opportunity. Crosby and Rakell poked away at it in a net-front scramble, and Malkin pounced on the rebound and threw it toward the empty net. The goal was originally credited to Malkin, but Rakell had tipped it on the way in.

Islanders No. 1 Pick Matthew Schaefer Becomes Youngest Player To Record Point In NHL DebutPITTSBURGH, PA -- During the New York Islanders’ season opener on Thursday, 2025 first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer scored his first NHL point, marking an early milestone for the young defenseman. 

Then, the Islanders responded. Jonathan Drouin halfway-whiffed on a shot from the high slot, and the puck softly knuckled in and dropped, fooling Penguins' goaltender Tristan Jarry and tying the game headed into first intermission. The goal also gave Isles' 2025 first overall draft pick Matthew Schaefer his first NHL point. Kyle Palmieri also scored blocker-side on a lazer from the right circle a little more than four minutes into the second period to put the Isles up, 2-1.

Then, about a minute and a half later, Brunicke pushed a puck up to Novak in the defensive zone, who dove to push it ahead to a breaking Hallander. Hallander pulled up just inside of the offensive blue line, dishing a soft backhand touch pass to Brunicke, who was coming into the slot with speed. Using Islanders' defenseman Scott Mayfield as a screen, Brunicke snapped the puck past Ilya Sorokin for his first in the NHL  to put the game back into a tie. 

"A big piece of the coaching staff is d-men join the rush," Brunicke said. "We talked about that [Thursday] morning, me and [defensive coach Mike Stothers] there. So, I found some ice. Lucky enough, the puck found me. And I put it in."

GRAB THAT PUCK 🗣️

Harrison Brunicke has his first NHL goal! #NHLFaceOffpic.twitter.com/7WA4Nt57Ic

— NHL (@NHL) October 10, 2025

A few minutes later, Crosby parked at the net front on one knee, refused to budge, and redirected home a Malkin pass on the power play to put the Penguins ahead, 3-2. However, in the final minute of the period, Islanders' forward Maxim Shabanov - making his NHL debut - tied the game again for New York. 

The score remained tied until late in the third, when Malkin worked some magic yet again. From his own zone, he fed Brazeau a stretch pass by banking it off the left wall and leaving Brazeau all alone. The 6-foot-6 forward deked forehand-to-backhand, putting it past Sorokin and calling game for the Penguins.

BRAZ FOR THE LEAD! 🚨

HIS 3RD GOAL OF THE SEASON! pic.twitter.com/EGVu3mvJe2

— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) October 10, 2025

Things got a bit dicey toward the end, but Jarry stood tall to the task. He stopped 34 of 37 Islanders' shots, several of which came near the end of the game.

"He was awesome, especially early," Brazeau said. "I thought we maybe didn't have our best stuff, and I thought he did a really good job of keeping us in it and allowing us to kind of find our game and get going there. He did a great job keeping us in it tonight."

And on this night of firsts, the Penguins also opened the game with a celebration of 20 years of the Big Three - Crosby, Malkin, and Kris Letang - in Pittsburgh. With another three-point individual effort in the books, Malkin is aware that it may have been his final home opener. 

But he is enjoying every moment, and he is proud of the two decades of hockey that the three have put together.

“It’s very special. Time is flying," Malkin said. "I feel like 20 years ago, it’s one day. It’s amazing. Love to play with Sid and (Letang). Same team together 20 years. It’s special. People talk a lot about that. I try to do my best.

"Who knows? Maybe last year. I do my best and try to help the team to win. Sid, a special kid. (Letang), too. Lots of (memories), lots of wins together. Keep going.”

'It's Super Rare': Looking Back On Two Decades Of The 'Big Three'On Oct. 5, 2006, a young, 19-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins' defenseman named Kris Letang suited up for his NHL debut against the Philadelphia Flyers.

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Despite OT loss to Golden Knights, can Sharks sustain surprisingly good play? originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.

For a San Jose Sharks’ fanbase that’s as tired of losing as owner Hasso Plattner is, this is going to be cold comfort, after a truly unbelievable 4-3 OT loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.

But I don’t care about the honestly fluky goals that Alex Nedeljkovic gave up that turned a hard-fought 3-2 opening night victory into a wild defeat.

This is what I care about: The Sharks, and it’s just one game, did a lot more good than bad, against a Cup-contending Vegas squad. In fairness, the Golden Knights were on a back-to-back.

Is the good sustainable? We’ll see, but I thought Macklin Celebrini had gotten faster, William Eklund carried over his assertive pre-season, Ty Dellandrea actually excelled as third-line center, and Barclay Goodrow also got quicker.

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