Category: NHL

The Red Wings play their third preseason game in three days when taking on the Buffalo Sabres. 

The Detroit Red Wings play their third preseason game in three days as they look to rebound from a 3-2 loss after blowing a 2-0 lead to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday. They look to do so against a familiar opponent in the Sabres, who the Wings trampled for a 5-2 win on Thursday. 

Red Wings' Pre-Season Winning Streak Snapped After Penguins' Comeback For the first time in pre-season play, the Detroit Red Wings didn't come away victorious. 

Before last preseason and their matchup on Thursday, the Sabres have rarely met with the Red Wings before the start of the season as the two clubs haven't played in exhibition action since the 2021-22 season. With little history between them, the Red Wings have a 2-1-1 record over their last four preseason matchups versus Buffalo.  

Our lineup in Buffalo ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/Ak43IQyYXO

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 27, 2025

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Buffalo aims to regroup and could feature a more veteran-focused lineup as each team draws further into the preseason and towards the regular season. This should be a treat for fans as they may see some of the Sabres best as star players in Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin, who both haven't played since the second game of the preseason last Tuesday versus Columbus. 

Despite it being his birthday, Red Wings top prospect Nate Danielson will likely get a much deserved day off on Saturday. He’s played in all three of Detroit’s preseason games so far, including back-to-back appearances on Thursday and Friday, tallying a goal and two assists. Sitting with him will likely be his linemate as of late in Emmitt Finnie, who also played all three preseason games and impressed with a goal and an assist in his first preseason game but has been held off the scoresheet since. 

"So Iconic": Cam Talbot Touts Red Wings History In New Mask Design For Centennial Season A steady, veteran leader is what the Detroit Red Wings gained when GM Steve Yzerman inked goaltender Cam Talbot to a two-year contract during the 2024 offseason. 

John Gibson and Michal Postava shared the crease in Friday's preseason matchup against the Penguins, but Saturday will feature a new goalie tandem with both prospects in Sebastian Cossa with Postava. Several Detroit prospects including Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Carter Mazur, and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard were held out on Friday and return to action, along with NHL regulars like Marco Kasper, Mason Appleton, Ben Chiarot, and Jacob Bernard-Docker. 

It'll be the preseason debuts of Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat, who will look to showcase they work they've put in during the off-season on their line with Marco Kasper, that has been receiving a lot of hype heading into the season as the deadliest unit on the team.

Click Here if you want to check out more expanded storylines on the Red Wings training camp roster.   

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Former Edmonton Oilers defenseman Tyson Barrie is now a member of the Vancouver Canucks' television broadcast team.

"It was an easy decision, I think it was the only decision." Barrie joked earlier this summer that his retirement from the NHL was made in tandem with 32 other NHL teams. He laughed off the idea that no one offered a contract, which made it clear that it was time he moved on to other things.   

 

Barrie showed up on the broadcast on Friday and said, "I spent 70 games in the press box last year, so I figured I could jump right into this press box this year." 

"I spent 70 games in the press box last year, so I figured I could jump right into this press box this year." 😅

Tyson Barrie makes his Sportsnet debut on the Canucks broadcast 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/5dghTmVcwC

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 27, 2025

He was asked if he'd given thought to becoming a broadcaster or analyst at some point during his playing career. He responded he'd thought about it a little, mostly when he was being interviewed by people and realized he was better at it than they were. 

Oilers' Early 2025-26 Season Projections: The Goalies

Oilers' Early 2025-26 Season Projections: The Forwards

Oilers' Early 2025-26 Season Projections: The Defense

Barrie wanted to bow out of the NHL gracefully, and while some might argue spending most of last season watching means he's retired a year or two too late, Barrie did hang up his skates on his own terms. He posted 508 points in 110 goals and 398 assists. He played in 822 games, spending time with the Colorado Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, and Calgary Flames. 

At one time, he was known as one of the NHL's top offensive defensemen, posting multiple 50-point seasons. 

It wasn't long ago that, while not a top-pairing defenseman anymore, Barrie's experience and offensive ability may have surpassed the Oilers’ current options for their bottom pair, making a return in 2024 something some fans wanted. After two runs to the Stanley Final and the Oilers building an arguably strong blue line group than they've had in years, it probably worked out best for the organization. 

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Canadian left winger John Quenneville, 29, has retired as a player and has accepted an assistant coaching position with the Binghamton Black Bears, the Federal Prospects Hockey League club announced on Saturday.

Quenneville was a free agent without a contract for the 2025-26 season. He spent most of the 2024-25 season in Finland with Tappara Tampere – where he recorded 14 points in 24 games – and spent the latter part of his career in Europe.

Quenneville was born in Edmonton and played junior hockey for the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings. He was chosen by the New Jersey Devils in the first round, 30th overall, in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. While in the New Jersey organization, he spent parts of two seasons in Binghamton with the Devils’ AHL farm club.

Between 2016 and 2020, Quenneville played 42 NHL regular-season games with the Devils and Chicago Blackhawks, recording five points and six penalty minutes. In 2020, he played two games for Chicago in the Western Conference playoff bubble in his hometown, Edmonton.

Former Devils’ First-Rounder Signs In FinlandCanadian left winger John Quenneville, 28, has signed to play the remainder of the current season with Tappara Tampere, the Finnish Liiga club announced on Saturday.

Since 2021, Quenneville has mostly played in Europe – in Switzerland with the ZSC Lions and HC Lugano and in Sweden with Leksands IF – but also had a 25-game stint with the AHL’s Belleville Senators.

Quenneville’s two older brothers also currently play in Europe. David, 27, plays in Sweden for Örebro HK and Peter, 31, plays in Finland for Kiekko-Espoo. 

Quenneville’s second cousin is former NHL player and current Anaheim Ducks coach Joel Quenneville and his uncle by marriage is former NHL player Johnny Boychuk.

Veteran Canadian Ex-NHL D-Man Signs In Finland Canadian defenseman Brad Hunt, 37, has signed a one-year contract with Vaasan Sport, the Finnish Liiga club announced on Friday.

The Winnipeg Jets lose both legs of their home-and-home with the Edmonton Oilers on Friday.

The Winnipeg Jets dropped their third straight preseason contest Friday night, falling 4-0 to the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place. It was a tough outing for the Jets, who were shut out by a mixed Oilers lineup led by several NHL regulars and a few top prospects.

Back on home ice tomorrow https://t.co/ZQ5ldRppsL | #GoJetsGopic.twitter.com/oGlnSgIorC

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) September 27, 2025

Goaltender Domenic Divincentiis, who had impressed earlier in the preseason, including a 38-save performance in the Jets’ prospect showcase win over the Canadiens, struggled in this one. He allowed four goals on 20 shots, finishing the night with 16 saves.

Edmonton opened the scoring midway through the first period when defenseman Darnell Nurse blasted a slapshot past Divincentiis at 9:12 to make it 1-0. The Oilers doubled their lead late in the period, as Josh Samanski fired a snap shot home at 18:37, assisted by David Tomasek.

The Oilers kept pressing in the second, with Noah Philp adding to the lead early in the frame at 2:26 with a snap shot of his own, set up by Troy Stecher and Nurse. In the third, Kasperi Kapanen capped off the scoring at 4-0 with a goal at 2:44, assisted by Andrew Mangiapane and Brett Kulak.

Jonathan Toews: "I'm Just Excited to Play Hockey Again"For Jonathan Toews, Tuesday night at Canada Life Centre was a long time coming.

Winnipeg iced a lineup featuring several forward regulars including Nino Niederreiter, Vladislav Namestnikov, and Alex Iafallo but the trio was held off the scoresheet and each finished with a -2 rating. Rising prospects Danny Zhilkin (-2) and Colby Barlow (-1) also struggled to make an impact.

The Jets’ blue line lacked NHL regulars aside from Logan Stanley, who was heavily involved, particularly in the third period, where he racked up multiple roughing minors and a misconduct during a physical stretch against Kapanen.

The game featured plenty of penalties, especially in the final frame. Both sides exchanged roughing calls in a chippy third period, with Kapanen and Stanley each receiving game misconducts after a heated altercation.

For the Oilers, Calvin Pickard earned a 21-save shutout, backstopping a lineup that included NHLers like Mattias Janmark, Adam Henrique, and Mangiapane. Notably, top prospects Matthew Savoie and Isaac Howard dressed but were held without points

The Jets will look to regroup as they continue their preseason schedule versus the Flames on Saturday in hopes of building momentum and refining their roster ahead of opening night.

What's The Winnipeg Jets Biggest Need Left Unattended?Evaluating what's the Winnipeg Jets biggest area of need heading into the upcoming season. 

The Chicago Blackhawks will be looking to take a step forward in their rebuild this season. When noting that they have several young players who have the potential to break out, the possibility of them being a bit more competitive in 2025-26 is there, even if they miss the playoffs again.

While a lot of this season's focus should be on the Blackhawks' youngsters, Nick Foligno's importance to the Original Six club in 2025-26 should not be ignored. 

As the captain of the Blackhawks, Foligno will continue to be relied upon because of his excellent leadership qualities. Having a veteran like him in the room is undoubtedly a great thing for the Blackhawks' youngsters, as he has 18 years of NHL experience. He was also previously captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets, so he is undoubtedly impactful as a leader.

Furthermore, at this stage of career, Foligno is still capable of providing decent secondary offensive production and plenty of grit. In 78 games this past season with the Blackhawks, the 6-foot winger recorded 15 goals, 20 assists, 35 points, and 200 hits. Thus, he should once again be a key forward for Chicago in 2025-26, and it will be interesting to see what kind of year he puts together. 

For the first time in pre-season play, the Detroit Red Wings didn't come away victorious. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins responded from what was a 2-0 first period deficit with three unanswered goals, including a pair of third period tallies, to earn a comeback 3-2 win at PPG Paints Arena in downtown Pittsburgh. 

Preseason rolls on tomorrow in Buffalo pic.twitter.com/2vG7TrD9wN

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 27, 2025

Former Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri, who agreed to a professional tryout agreement with the Penguins, knotted the score with an early third period goal, followed by a power-play tally from Philip Tomasino that ultimately stood up as the game-winner. 

As they did during their first pre-season contest earlier this week against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Red Wings iced a lineup mostly comprised of young players, most of whom will be playing in the minors this season. 

One player who will likely spend time with the Grand Rapids Griffins, but doesn’t quite fit the “young prospect” label at 27 years old, is John Leonard, a former San Jose Sharks draft pick signed to a one-year, $775K contract this offseason. 

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Leonard scored twice for the Red Wings during the opening 20 minutes of play, which included skating in down the right wing on a partial breakaway and sniping a shot blocker side past goaltender Tristan Jarry for the night's opening goal.

John Leonard snipe! pic.twitter.com/oXgJEml0VY

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 26, 2025

Leonard knows how to score goals, as he did 36 times last season while playing in 72 games for the Charlotte Checkers, the AHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers. 

His second tally was a floater from just inside the blue line that somehow eluded Jarry, who may have been partially screened. 

That's ✌️ for Leonard pic.twitter.com/8KJSrJMV17

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 26, 2025

Red Wings goaltender John Gibson, who was born in Pittsburgh, was given the start and stopped 13 of the 14 shots that he faced before giving way to Michal Postava midway through the contest. 

"Hell Of A Shooter": Todd McLellan Praises Michael Brandsegg-Nygård Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygård may be more known for his hard-nosed approach to the game, but he gave Red Wings fans a demonstration of his offensive abilities as well on Thursday night. 

Postava, making his second appearance in 24 hours for the Red Wings, was beaten twice on the six shots he faced. 

The Red Wings will now move on to play the Buffalo Sabres as they did on Thursday night, but this time at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Saturday afternoon (3:00 p.m. ET).

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The Pittsburgh Penguins did not have the best start to their Friday evening pre-season tilt against the Detroit Red Wings.

But they were able to storm back in convincing fashion.

The Penguins erased a 2-0 deficit and came back to beat the Red Wings, 3-2. Connor Dewar, Robby Fabbri, and Philip Tomasino notched three unanswered goals for the Penguins en route to the victory, and goaltender Arturs Silovs entered the game midway through the second period and stopped the seven shots he faced - including a few nice saves late in the game.

Tristan Jarry started in net for the Penguins and stopped 11 of 13 shots. 

"[Silovs] stood on his head there with some big saves," Fabbri said. "We didn't help 'Jars' out as much as we would have liked, but he played well as well. We can't win without those two."

Here are some thoughts and observations from this one:

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- There are a handful of young forwards and defensemen on this training camp roster who probably deserve to, at least, have a shot at supplanting some veterans from NHL roster spots by the end of the pre-season.

But I don't think the goaltending battle is being talked about enough.

Obviously, the injury to Joel Blomqvist - who is out for "at least four weeks" with a lower-body injury - opens up some of the logjam for the AHL and NHL spots. But Taylor Gauthier is also injured, which means the Penguins have open season on two of their affiliate goaltending slots.

As for the two NHL jobs? Again, GM and POHO Kyle Dubas said that the two best goaltenders will win the NHL roster spots. As of now, the two best goaltenders in this camp have been Silovs and Sergei Murashov.

'I'm Happy It All Worked Out': Fleury, Teammates Relish Chance To Share Ice One Last TimeNormally, NHL training camp is an all-business kind of affair, and that's exactly how it's been at Pittsburgh Penguins' camp this year.

While I strongly believe Jarry will begin the season at the NHL level by default - and Murashov will begin in the AHL both for developmental purposes and because of Blomqvist going down - I'm not so sure he is going to end up getting the bulk of the starts. Silovs has shown his capability so far in camp, and - while it is only fair to give Jarry a bit more time and runway to show in camp, as this was his first pre-season appearance - he has a track record of performing well in big games.

Keep a watchful eye on those two as camp progresses. They are, likely, the two NHL goaltenders to start the season. But the battle between the two will be fun to watch. 

- When Dewar was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs in a last-minute deal before the 2025 trade deadline, I didn't really think much of it. Defenseman Conor Timmins - who was traded on draft day to the Buffalo Sabres along with defensive prospect Isaac Belliveau for a second-round pick - was the bigger piece of that initial deal, and I assumed he would have a higher impact.

But Dewar has been a nice surprise for the Penguins, and he showed out Friday. He scored a Sidney Crosby-esque backhand in the first period to give the Penguins life, and he fought Detroit's Carson Bantle at the beginning of the third to give the team a spark.

You really DEW love to see it. pic.twitter.com/YlD763fKL5

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) September 27, 2025

Even head coach Dan Muse said he's seen a little bit of everything from the 5-foot-10, 187-pound forward.

"Him and [Blake] Lizotte have gotten a lot of time on the penalty kill in the last couple of games, and they've done a really good job," Muse said. "He's a guy that gets in on the forecheck... a big goal there. That was a time in the game, too, you talk about two big momentum swing we had, and he had his fingerprints all over it. Big goal there to get us going a little bit more offensively, and then a fight there to follow it up. And he had some other big moments there I thought late in the game as well.

"Those types of things... he's showing his ability to impact the game and swing the momentum, and he's showing it in different ways."

I'm not saying Dewar has been some kind of huge revelation for the Penguins, but he has been more than solid since his acquisition. He's fiesty, he drives the net, he's put the puck in the back of the net semi-regularly for a fourth-liner, and he's sound defensively. 

I think he's been a really solid bottom-sixer for the Penguins.

Penguins Fall To Blue Jackets In Second Pre-Season TiltAfter a hard-fought 2-1 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens in their pre-season opener on Monday, the Pittsburgh Penguins looked to carry some of that momentum into their tilt against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday.

- Another couple of forwards who stood out against Detroit? Tomasino and Fabbri.

While it's easy to point to the three goal-scorers as the standouts of the game, they truly were the best players in this one.

Tomasino is someone who really needs to have a strong camp for the Penguins. This was his second game of the pre-season, and he has looked better and better. He was making an impact from the jump on Friday, creating scoring chances and hovering around the slot and net-front areas - and he also led the team in shots on goal with five.

Those are the kinds of things - as well as honing in the details - that Tomasino needs to continue doing in order to solidify his spot on the NHL roster.

I feel that Fabbri has had a pretty good camp so far, and his middle-drive to the net leading up to his goal was refreshing to watch. He's almost always one of the hardest-working players on the ice, and he is a relentless forechecker with a little bit of bite - as well as a scoring touch. 

No quit in #12 💪 pic.twitter.com/dN8DGb9cYv

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) September 27, 2025

The former first-round pick (21st overall in 2014 by the St. Louis Blues) was signed to a paid tryout (PTO) contract prior to training camp. Yes, there are a lot of young forwards in the mix for roster spots, and there are a few injuries to veterans at the moment as well. Making the NHL roster out of camp is probably an uphill climb for Fabbri.

But, so far, I think he's earned it. He will have to come out strong for the rest of the pre-season, though, to really make a strong case for himself.

- Saturday is Fleury day. Everyone in the city of Pittsburgh - including Fleury's longtime teammates and good friends in Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang - is looking forward to it, and PPG Paints Arena is expected to be a packed house.

Get there early, folks. There is more construction around the arena than there was last season, and it's going to be nuts down on Fifth Avenue tomorrow in celebration of an all-time great.

Ticket Prices For Fleury's Final Game Keep RisingWhen the Pittsburgh Penguins signed goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to a paid tryout (PTO) contract on Friday, along with that came the announcement that he'd be appearing in one final pre-season game in Pittsburgh on Sept. 27 against the Columbus Blue Jackets before officially retiring from the NHL. 

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The Buffalo Sabres' 2025-26 season is about as high-stakes as it gets. The Sabres will be aiming to end the organization's 14-year drought on the Stanley Cup playoff front. And while certain players will not be long for Buffalo if the Sabres fail to make it into the post-season this year, the reality is the Sabres' most prominent coaching and management members -- coach Lindy Ruff and GM Kevyn Adams -- could be getting their final kick at the can in their jobs -- at least, at the NHL level.

To be sure, Ruff is an NHL lifer who has 1,856 games of regular-season games-coached. At 65 years old, Ruff is part of the old guard of the league, and at a time when teams fire coaches faster than ever before, Ruff may never get another shot as an NHL bench boss. He's a Sabres icon, but without the appropriate results, he's going to get shown the door at the end of the season or sooner.

Meanwhile, Adams is also going to be facing serious ramifications if the Sabres fail to thrive this season. The 50-year-old has been groomed for a role in Buffalo's braintrust for years now, but if he doesn't get this Sabres team into the playoffs, it's not like teams will be forming a line to snap up his services. He wouldn't be the first one-chance-and-done GM at the NHL level, and he won't be the last.

You can see where we're headed with this article, right? Adams and Ruff desperately need positive results this season, because there will be a cavalcade of critics ready to pick at their bones. A disastrous season for the Sabres will lead to a slew of changes in Buffalo's front office -- and the Sabres all know it.

Thus, no one should feel sorry for Ruff or Adams if things don't go their way. They're getting opportunities many hockey lifers never get. And if they can't deliver positive results, Sabres ownership is going to look for a new GM and coach. That may not be fair, but it is the law of the jungle in the zero-sum industry that is being an NHL coach or GM.

 

Sabres Will Start This Season As Playoff Underdogs -- But Here's Why That Could Be Good For ThemThe Buffalo Sabres are going to have a tough time contending for a Stanley Cup wild card position this year. But when this writer submitted his pre-season predictions for the Atlantic Division, he had the Sabres in…sixth place in the Atlantic, ahead of only the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. And while it pains us to predict more misery ahead for long-suffering Sabres fans, we wouldn’t be telling it like it is if we told you Buffalo wasn’t going to be picked as a playoff team by most pundits. They won’t be.

The Sabres can't afford to not come out of the gate strongly, because if they do, Ruff or Adams may not make it to the end of the season in their current roles. Buffalo can't afford any missteps, and if they do make errors, it could spell the end of the line for Adams and/or Ruff.

The time has come for Ruff and Adams to step up or step aside. This season is going to be a make-or-break season for the Sabres. And the way the team responds will dictate Buffalo's future -- and the future of Adams and Ruff. 

It was a packed house for Friday's Pittsburgh Penguins training camp practice since Marc-Andre Fleury made his triumphant return to the ice after signing a professional tryout contract with the team on September 12. 

Fans wanted to see Fleury take the ice for one last practice with the Penguins before he plays in Saturday's preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and they weren't disappointed. Fleury took the ice to a bunch of cheers from all the fans in the stands and started taking shots from Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang before he got to participate in the full practice session.

Fleury got the crowd really excited when he made a stacked pad save on captain Sidney Crosby before Crosby batted the puck in from mid-air. 

Marc-Andre Fleury robs Sidney Crosby with rolling pads. Crowd goes nuts pic.twitter.com/eDIB2lT0hy

— Dan Kingerski (@TheDanKingerski) September 26, 2025

After that, he took some shots during numerous drills and even had nice conversations with fellow goaltenders Sergei Murashov and Filip Larsson. After practice, Fleury was asked what he told them and what advice he'd give them, and joked that he's coming to take their spots before getting serious. 

"You better try hard because I'm coming to take your spot," Fleury said. "No, just try to get to know them a little bit. You know, they’re both really nice kids, and good goalies, obviously. Just chit-chat a bit, see how they’re doing, how camp is going, wished them the best for the upcoming season.”

Fleury will play part of Saturday's preseason game against the Blue Jackets in front of a packed PPG Paints Arena before sailing off into the sunset. 

Outside of Fleury, let's look at a couple of other observations from this practice. 

The power play gets some work

The Penguins have spent a lot of time doing even-strength drills during training camp, but that changed on Friday. They started doing a lot of special teams work and fans got to see the top power play in action.

Erik Karlsson, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, and Rickard Rakell were on PP1 and were zipping the puck around the offensive zone against the penalty killers. Malkin was down by the goal line during a lot of the sequences as a backdoor option, while Crosby was doing some work in the right wing spot. To round out the group, Karlsson was running things at the point, Rakell was in the bumper spot, and Rust was in the left wing spot before sliding down closer to the net.

The top power play of Crosby, Malkin, Karlsson, Rust, and Rakell is getting some work in today: pic.twitter.com/ptRWEWGF0Q

— Hunter (@HunterHodies) September 26, 2025

Kris Letang, Ville Koivunen, Anthony Mantha, Benjamin Kindel, and Justin Brazeau were on PP2. There was also a significant emphasis on movement during those drills, making things more challenging for the penalty killers. 

Benjamin Kindel may get a big opportunity on Saturday

Kindel played in the Penguins' first two preseason games and really impressed. His skating was on display in the first game before he showed the ability to create dangerous scoring chances out of nowhere in the second game.

He even had a mini breakaway during Wednesday's game against the Blue Jackets and made a nice move, but couldn't tuck the puck home. 

Kindel skated on a line with Ville Koivunen and Rickard Rakell during Friday's practice, a sign that he could be in Saturday's lineup when it gets announced by the team. The lineup is expected to feature many veteran players, given that Fleury will be participating. Gaining this type of experience could be crucial for Kindel's development before he returns to the WHL.

Saturday's preseason tilt between the Blue Jackets and Penguins will start at 7 p.m. ET.

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Normally, NHL training camp is an all-business kind of affair, and that's exactly how it's been at Pittsburgh Penguins' camp this year.

That is, until a certain Penguins' legend waltzed into the rink at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Pa. for practice on Friday.

"It’s been a few years, you know?" said Marc-Andre Fleury - the aforementioned Penguins' legend - after practice. "But it didn’t feel like it. It’s so good to see the guys, obviously, and you guys [the media], and other staff members are still the same... so, definitely very fortunate to be able to come back for a couple days.”

And players, coaches, and media weren't the only ones who got to see the 40-year-old goaltender - who officially called it a career at the end of his 2024-25 campaign with the Minnesota Wild - take the ice for one last practice. 

Fans showed up in droves. Parking lots were full. There was a line outside of the facility prior to the morning skate that preceded practice. There were cheers every time Fleury made a save and groans every time any one of the Penguins' players scored on him. 

There is so much love between Fleury, his teammates, and the city of Pittsburgh, and it's a bond that hasn't faded since 2003 - even with an eight-year absence between now and his last appearance as a Penguin in 2017. Ultimately, the chance to play for that bond one last time is what made him want to do it, even given some initial hesitation after Penguins' GM and POHO Kyle Dubas approached him about signing the paid tryout (PTO) contract - which he did end up signing on Sept. 12 with the Penguins - at the end of last season.

Penguins Sign Marc-Andre Fleury To Professional Tryout ContractPittsburgh Penguins fans are getting their wish to see Marc-Andre Fleury one more time in Pittsburgh.

"I was like, ‘I don’t know, I feel like I’ve said goodbye, like, 17 times already to everybody’, you know?" Fleury said. "I was a little banged up, too, after the season. I wasn’t planning on working out or skating.

He continued: "We talked a few weeks back... and I was like, yeah, it’d be fun and come in and spend some time with the guys, the staff, and see the fans, you know? I miss them, too. I’m happy it all worked out.”

It seems, too, that it worked out for just about everyone. Fleury brings an energy to the rink - as he is known to do - that simply just fills a room. It was all smiles for pretty much the entirety of practice, and especially for his longtime pals in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang.

“Just trying to enjoy it," Crosby said. "You know, you [practice with him], like, hundreds of times, a thousand times, and you take it for granted. To get a chance to do that today was a lot of fun.”

Fleury absolutely robs Crosby of a golden opportunity on a rare 5-on-0. #LetsGoPenspic.twitter.com/V2WevK1nje

— Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) September 26, 2025

There was even a moment before the main practice when the veterans were all taking turns and shooting pucks in Fleury's direction five-on-zero in the offensive zone. They kept passing the puck around and trying to get pucks past Fleury, and Crosby was fed a pass in the right circle. He walked in a bit and fired, with Fleury making a barrel save with his toe.

However, Crosby made sure to clear the air with the media post-practice about what happened with the rebound off of Fleury's toe.

"The one where I batted it out of the air and scored? That's the one you're talking about?" Crosby said, smiling. "Yeah, it was a good initial save, for sure." 

The quips didn't end there, either. They never do with Fleury around, and he got a good one of his own in, too. During the practice session, Fleury had the chance to chat with Penguins' goaltending prospects Sergei Murashov and Filip Larsson, and when asked what was said and what advice he would give to the young netminders, he remained deadpan.

For Fleury And The Penguins, A Storybook Ending Is In StoreWhen a young netminder from Sorel, Quebec made his NHL debut on Oct. 10, 2003, it's difficult to imagine that folks in Pittsburgh, Pa. knew what was in store for the next decade and a half. 

"You better try hard because I'm coming to take your spot," he said in response before cracking a smile and adding that he wished them luck this season. 

And what would a visit from Fleury be without a good prank or two? Not only did Fleury put "29" stickers on Letang's and Crosby's cars in the parking lot, his son also pranked his own father as well as Malkin prior to practice by placing little wind-up cockroach toys in their equipment.

It's those little things that make Fleury so endearing to everyone around him. And Crosby hopes that some of the younger players in the locker room can take his demeanor and the way he carries himself - as well as the effort he puts into building relationships - as lessons for themselves.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree... 👀 pic.twitter.com/oQIfXAOQ49

— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) September 26, 2025

Even if Fleury is in town for just a few short days, that is. 

"I think that just observing someone like that… obviously, everyone’s got to be themselves, you know?" Crosby said. "It’s gonna be hard to be another Marc-Andre Fleury, but I think just seeing the compete that he brings to practice, the enthusiasm, the bond that he has with the guys that he’s played with and how unique that that is… that’s a part of our culture, and that’s something that I think is special.

"So, hopefully, they can see that, and just get to meet him, get to know him, and see what a great person he is above and beyond all the stuff that he’s accomplished.”

Ticket Prices For Fleury's Final Game Keep RisingWhen the Pittsburgh Penguins signed goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to a paid tryout (PTO) contract on Friday, along with that came the announcement that he'd be appearing in one final pre-season game in Pittsburgh on Sept. 27 against the Columbus Blue Jackets before officially retiring from the NHL. 

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Kickstart the weekend with rapid-fire NHL and hockey topics on The Wraparound.

How Injuries And Absences Will Affect The Stars, Leafs, Panthers And More by The Wraparoundundefined

Here's what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello and Stephen Kerr discussed in this episode:

0:00: How much will Jamie Benn’s absence affect the Dallas Stars to start the season?

5:03: Can the Toronto Maple Leafs’ goaltending situation hold up without Joseph Woll?

9:15: Is Alex Pietrangelo hinting at a potential return this season?

14:39: Are the Florida Panthers still Stanley Cup contenders without Aleksander Barkov?

19:05: Who will have to take on a larger role for the Nashville Predators with the injury to Nic Hague?

24:03: Breaking down potential trade destinations for Connor Ingram

28:05: Making sense of Alex Tuch’s extension talks with the Buffalo Sabres

31:55: How will the Montreal Canadiens structure their third line?

See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.

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Through three NHL preseason games, several Philadelphia Flyers roster battles look far from being decided any time soon.

In losses to the Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals, the Flyers very much looked like an uninspired team out of gas and out of ideas. Not unusual, given the nature of training camp, but concerning.

The best the Flyers have looked through three preseason games was, incidentally, in their first game against the New York Islanders, when Nikita Grebenkin, Trevor Zegras, and Matvei Michkov stole the show in a 3-2 shootout win.

A glass-half-full way of looking at things is that the Flyers also look like a team undoing three years of John Tortorella, clearly still learning Rick Tocchet's new systems.

For many young players, including Michkov, Tortorella's systems were all they ever had and are having to learn a new set of NHL systems all over again. Rome wasn't built in a day.

But, overall, you'd like to see a group of young guys rise to the occasion and steal a roster spot when they see an opportunity. That hasn't happened yet.

Flyers Stock Up, Stock Down Heading into Training Camp Week 2Heading into the second week of Philadelphia Flyers training camp, a number of key players have boosted their stocks and chances of making the NHL roster. Others? Not so much.

Winger Alex Bump, for example, was one player I praised after the loss to the Canadiens. He started the game (strangely) paired with Nick Deslauriers and Jett Luchanko, and eventually started making plays after moving up to the top line with Sean Couturier and Bobby Brink.

So far, Bump's game has been just that: flashes at times, but nothing sustained yet. For a solid 6-foot, 200-pound guy, he gets knocked over quite a bit, too.

If I had to call it today, Nikita Grebenkin makes the NHL roster with ease, if for no reason other than his ability to (apparently) play with different types of players in addition to his size and aggression.

The other forward spot is up for grabs.

It's between Bump, Jett Luchanko, Rodrigo Abols, and maybe Denver Barkey, but the edge has to go to Abols at this time. The experienced Latvian can play center and wing and has put in some good shifts in the preseason.

If Bump makes the roster and Deslauriers is the only extra forward, the Flyers would be without a reserve forward who can play the middle, and that's something they need to consider when constructing the roster.

On defense, Emil Andrae looked good in the first game against the Islanders and hasn't played since.

Noah Juulsen has been making it a point to play with physicality, but he got lucky with the Kashawn Aitcheson hit in the first game and was penalized for a very similar hit against Ilya Protas on Thursday.

Flyers Make 10 More Roster Cuts, Including A SurpriseThe Philadelphia Flyers have announced 10 further cuts to their training camp roster ahead of Thursday night's preseason game against the Washington Capitals, but some names were more surprising than others.

Helge Grans has been just okay so far and was bad against the Capitals on Thursday, but as Tocchet remarked after the game, everyone was bad and probably tired, too. That led to the Flyers having the day off on Friday.

Tocchet prefers to have a lefty and righty on each defense pairing, but right now, the only two horses making serious claims for a roster spot are Andrae and Gilbert. I see a world where both make it and Egor Zamula is the odd man out and subsequently cut.

For all his size and physical tools, Zamula is still a very slow skater and plays slow, and it's hard to predict what Tocchet's patience level will be for that compared to the other options in the cupboard.

Fortunately, the Flyers have four more preseason games, including Saturday's preseason home opener against Boston, before they open their regular season on the road against the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, who are now without captain Sasha Barkov, on Oct. 9.

There's plenty of time for the youngsters (and some vets) to turn the page on a slow start to the preseason, but, so far, impressive moments have been far and few between.

A dark cloud hovered over The Hockey Show this week.

Just as THS hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork were preparing to record the episode, they found out that Florida Panthers captain Sasha Barkov was undergoing knee surgery.

He suffered the non-contact injury during Thursday’s training camp practice at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale.

Joining the show this week to discuss the fallout from the Barkov injury was Panthers studio host Jessica Blaylock.

In addition to the discussion about Barkov, which included listing players who could step up in his absence and how the forward lines could shake out, they also chatted with Jess about how the Atlantic Division could shake out, whether Alexander Ovechkin is still a Top 50 player in the NHL and which sports movies she watched as a youngster that helped shape her career in sports journalism.

This week’s wins and fails included some new old uniforms in Minnesota, an OHL coach being showered with broken glass, someone showing up for a Dallas Stars game dressed in full goalie gear, a gorgeous new goalie mask in South Florida and a ridiculous fail by the San Jose Sharks that ended up in the rafters of their home arena.

You can check out the full show and interview with Jessica in the videos below:

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Panthers captain Sasha Barkov suffers significant knee injury, expected to miss regular season

Paul Maurice explains what he's thinking while watching Panthers endure Training Camp hell drill

REPORT: Panthers Fear Captain Aleksander Barkov Could Have ACL Injury

Daniil Tarasov Turns Away 47 Shots; Early Positive Results For Panthers Backup Netminder

Panthers captain Sasha Barkov injured during training camp practice

Ryan Greene is one of the many Chicago Blackhawks prospects who have the potential to blossom into impactful NHL players in the near future. Because of this, there is no question that the 21-year-old forward is a Blackhawks prospect to watch with the 2025-26 season almost here.

Greene got his first taste of NHL action this past season after signing his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks in April. In two games with the Blackhawks following this, he recorded one shot and three blocks. Overall, while the 2022 second-round pick did not get on the board offensively, he showed promise with his two-way play.

When looking at Greene's play at Boston University, there is no question that he has good potential. In 118 games over three seasons with the school, he recorded 34 goals, 71 assists, and 105 points. He also ended his collegiate career by having his best season, setting career highs with 13 goals, 25 assists, and 38 points in 40 games. With this, he has certainly been trending in the right direction with his development.

Now, Greene is gearing up for his first full professional season in 2025-26. Whether he starts the year with the Blackhawks or in the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs, he is undoubtedly a player to keep a very close eye on this campaign.