PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Flyers center Trevor Zegras was the first preseason victim of the NHL's version of the tuck rule.
Zegras was given a two-minute minor penalty for delay of game in the Flyers' 2-0 win over the Boston Bruins on Thursday night for “improperly wearing equipment.”
Zegras' fashion faux pas was having his jersey tucked into the back of his pants.
The NHL is cracking down this season on how players wear equipment, including jerseys, neck guards, visors and helmets.
Jerseys are required to be untucked at the start of a player’s shift and a warning is expected to be given before a penalty is assessed.
“My jersey was tucked in before the shift,” Zegras said. “So after a warning, they said that's an automatic penalty. I started the game obviously with it tucked because that's how I usually play.”
According to the NHL website scoutingtherefs.com, the last tucked jersey penalties on record came in 2013.
Zegras signed a four-year extension with the Flyers in the offseason with an average annual value of $9.125 million. Zegras had a career-high 26 goals and 67 points last season, the second most on the team. He added two goals and four assists in the playoffs.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 24: Will Cuylle #50 of the New York Rangers scores during the shootout in the National Hockey League Preseason game between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers on September 24, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. (Photo by Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Regulation
The New Jersey Devils struck first when Vladislav Kolyachonok drew a penalty a little under nine minutes into the game, bringing the power play out. The Devils set up on the right side with Lenni Hameenaho working the wall, and he set up Seamus Casey for a point shot that was deflected over Joonas Korpisalo by Stefan Noesen for the first goal of the game! Noesen, who has been fighting for a roster spot, got off to a good start in making his case tonight.
In the second period, Amadeus Lombardi was checked in open ice by Marc Del Gaizo, and Marc McLaughlin came to Lombardi’s immediate defense. On the replay, it looked like Del Gaizo mostly got Lombardi’s head with the elbow, but the Devils naturally got the extra penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct for McLaughlin’s instigation. The Devils killed the penalty, and Colin White had a great shorthanded chance early in the penalty kill that helped set the tone for the two minutes. Not too long after the penalty expired, Ben Steeves drew a tripping call, sending Cole Beaudoin to the box and the Rangers to another kill of their own. The Devils did not do as well here as their first opportunity.
A few minutes after Seamus Casey hurt himself throwing what looked to be a poor hip check attempt at the blueline, Ethan Edwards expanded the Devils lead with an outstanding one-timer from the faceoff circle! Putting the team up two, Edwards read the cycle very well and skated low for the pass from Matyas Melovsky, wiring the puck off the iron and into the net.
A little over three minutes into the third, the Rangers finally got on the board. Gabriel Perreault went to whip a pass around through the slot, but the puck bounced off Matthew Robertson’s skate, Will Cuylle’s hip, and past Nico Daws. The first goal against was a fluke play, but the second was tough. The Devils were down on a delayed penalty that they somehow didn’t touch up, maybe, and Daws was beat at the side of the net with the extra man on when he dove over the puck, allowing Anton Blidh to tap it in.
At the halfway point of the period, the Devils ran themselves into trouble with lazy cycling. When Topias Vilen was taken into the boards int he offensive zone, Colin White was left alone with Matt Rempe in Nico Daws’s crease, and Vladislav Kolyachonok came rushing down to prevent a pass across to Will Cuylle, deflecting the puck into the net and giving the Rangers a 3-2 lead. Scott Morrow got the credit for the goal.
With just over three minutes to play, Stefan Noesen backhanded the puck from the end boards to Jesper Boqvist at the side of the net, and Boqvist rang the puck off Korpisalo’s shoulder and the crossbar. After the Rangers iced the puck, the Devils pulled Nico Daws. The Boqvist-Lombardi-Noesen line stayed out quite awhile with Hameenaho, with Noesen continuing to make good plays on the wall to keep possession. The puck eventually got out to Amadeus Lombardi, who caught the Rangers tired and lapsing. As he was being hooked and slashed, Lombardi took the puck around and beat Korpisalo five hole, tying the game with 1:44 to play!
Overtime/Shootout
The Devils started overtime with Lombardi with Matyas Melovsky and Vladislav Kolyachonok, facing off against Noah Laba, Gabriel Perreault, and Scott Morrow. The Devils took possession off the draw, and Lombardi skated up ice into the Rangers’ defensive zone before retreating for a second attempt. On the second, Lombardi turned from his backhand and took a weak shot on goal, giving the Rangers possession. Laba drew a slash by Lombardi at the other end, hitting the hands as Daws saved an easy shot from Laba. The Rangers kept their original three with Cuylle on the ice, while the Devils killed with McLaughlin, Edwards, and Silaev. After the first minute was killed, Ethan Edwards found Noesen with a long pass for a one-on-one. Noesen turned wide on the chance to kill time behind the Rangers’ net rather than take a shot, eventually losing possession to a third Ranger. The Devils killed the penalty.
At four-on-four, Ben Steeves set Lombardi up for what would have been a two-on-one tap-in, but the pass was just a bit too hard for Lombardi to redirect into the net, and play went back to three-on-three for the final 38 seconds before the game went to a shootout.
Lenni Hameenaho shot first. Hameenaho went wide and slow, but could not pick the five-hole.
Gabriel Perreault followed for New York. He approached with more pace, but Daws brought the right leg down over the slide shot.
Topias Vilen somewhat bizarrely went second for New Jersey and was stuffed on the lower pad.
Will Cuylle went second for New York and rang a shot in off the bar.
With the Devils needing to score, Amadeus Lombardi got up. He went wide and slow, and was denied by a shoulder save.
Nico Daws allowed three goals on 23 shots tonight. In total, he faced 3.12 expected goals against. So, in strictly mathematical terms, Daws played a fine game despite a not-so-fine .870 save percentage. But we have to look at things a little more deeply than that: I was hoping that the Rangers playing more NHLers might mean he faced 25, 30, or even 35 shots, but the Devils really shut the Rangers down early. And once the Rangers did break through in the third period, these were the shots that beat Daws:
A pass across the middle of the slot that was deflected by a skate towards the net, where it deflected off another player’s leg and into the net
A tap-in after the Devils’ defense broke down against an extra attacker — Daws could have had this, but he dove over the puck when Glenn Gawdin had the puck at the side of the net, leaving the puck in the crease for Blidh to score.
An own-goal by Vladislav Kolyachonok when Scott Morrow used a largely uncontested screen in Matt Rempe (“covered” by Colin White) to slide a pass across to Will Cuylle. The pass did not make it through, and it’s hard to tell whether Cuylle even could have scored on it had Kolyachonok not done it for him.
I remain disappointed that the Rangers did not dress many NHLers tonight, because I wanted Daws to be tested and not beaten by AHL-level team breakdowns.
Noesen, Lombardi, and Boqvist
I think that all of Stefan Noesen, Amadeus Lombardi, and Jesper Boqvist showed again tonight that they belong in the NHL. This makes the above point really annoying to me, as one of them could still be waived if David Rittich makes the opening night roster. Noesen scored a power play goal. Lombardi scored the game-tying goal. Boqvist was very active on the ice and continued to skate very well. But ultimately, from a polish standpoint, I still think that Stefan Noesen plays the best NHL hockey of those three. At the very least, he played the cleanest hockey. His passing decisions were good, his puck management decisions were good, and there were times the other two were a little more lacking. Lombardi had a bad shot and bad penalty in overtime, while Boqvist made a terrible pass to center ice from the offensive zone (during the four-on-four sequence) that almost led to a chance against in overtime. By comparison, I trust Noesen to play a responsible game while still sneakily creating chances below the goal line and getting out to the front of the net to deflect pucks past the goalie.
Noesen led the team with 0.52 individual expected goals, while Boqvist had 0.25 and Lombardi had 0.24. While Noesen does not have the best physical tools at his age, everyone could stand to learn a lot from how little waste there is in his game. He takes good, direct routes on the ice, still managing to get to pucks when he needs to. This is the Noesen way: move the puck up, get it below the net, and screen for point shots if the play by the net isn’t there. It’s a very efficient model of high-danger offense.
Casey’s Injury and Other Notables
Seamus Casey is hurt again. He has only played 75 games over his first two professional seasons, but he threw a bad check attempt at the blueline and hurt himself tonight. Given the early reports from Sheldon Keefe, it is not looking good for him.
Brutal injury for Seamus Casey. Definitely an awkward collision.
I admittedly find myself frustrated here. I believed a couple years ago that Casey could be a big part of the Devils’ future, but he simply gets hurt too easily. I struggle to fathom how anyone could have promoted, say, moving on from Dougie Hamilton over the last several months because the Devils have Casey. It sucks: he looks good on the ice, but he just cannot stay on it. Maybe defense just wasn’t the right position for him if he can’t hit on a zone entry without getting hurt. And I’ll say again: it sucks. You could really see how much worse the team played after he left the game.
Since Casey can now no longer make the opening night roster, it frees up the seventh defensive position. After tonight’s game, I would give the edge to Ethan Edwards. Edwards was all over the ice tonight, and probably underutilized in overtime if I were to be honest. I have no clue how Kolyachonok, who has been more limited with the puck, got out there first. Anton Silaev would be my close second. His skating ability is unreal for a guy his size, but I still would not play him in the NHL unless I was certain he was getting top four minutes. I have less of a problem with sitting Edwards for a game or three between some third-pairing opportunities.
Matyas Melovsky was also outstanding for the Devils tonight. When compared to the other AHL centers in this game in Colin White and Marc McLaughlin, Melovsky is head and shoulders above the competition. If the Devils ever need a center call-up this year, Melovsky has to be the guy over the other two. White has his moments, but I still struggle to see what McLaughlin offers other than replaceable penalty killing. Melovsky can actually create with the puck and do so consistently while making good decisions in all three zones. I don’t see a path for him right now, and I’ve never been disappointed by him before, but this was another good mark for him.
Your Thoughts
What did you think of tonight’s game? Do you think some of these guys will get back out there for the final preseason game on the Island? What do you think of the roster decisions? What do you think of Casey’s injury? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and thanks for reading.
To satisfy their long-suffering fan base, the Buffalo Sabres need to build on their pretty terrific 2025-26 season, in which they won the Atlantic Division, beat the Boston Bruins in the first round of their Stanley Cup playoff series before falling to the Montreal Canadiens in the second round.
Here at TheHockeyNews.com, we’re analyzing the Sabres’ Eastern Conference foes in a series called “Know Your Enemy”. As part of this annual web series, we’re focusing on how Buffalo fared against each East team, and how they’ll probably fare against the 15 other Eastern teams in the East this season. In this file, we’re turning the spotlight on the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins are still built around their aging core, and for good reason – Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Erik Karlsson are all still delivering the goods. But they’re all much closer to the end of their careers than they are to the beginning of it. And the Penguins are desperate to get back into the playoffs and not waste another year of Crosby and Malkin’s career.
If healthy, the Pens have the high-end skill to be back in the playoff picture -- but they probably won't stay high in the Metropolitan Division standings and will instead be battling for a wild card berth.
With that said, here’s this columnist’s perspective on how the Penguins shape up as a Sabres opponent this season:
BUFFALO SABRES VS. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
NEW PENGUINS PLAYERS: Andrei Kuzmenko (RW), Nick Robertson (LW), Hendrix Lapierre (LW), Trevor van Riemsdyk (D), David Gustafsson (LW), Kaedan Korczak (D)
2025-26 SERIES: Sabres 1-2-0, Penguins 2-1-0
2026-27 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: November 27 at Buffalo; December 22 at Pittsburgh; March 2 at Buffalo
CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? Every time you look at the Penguins, you cannot escape looking at their core talents’ advanced age, and wonder how much gas Pens icons Crosby, Malkin, Karlsson and Kris Letang have left in their competitive tank. Crosby is now 39 years old. Malkin 40. Letang is 39, and Letang is the youngest of the group at…36 years old,
This Pens team is trying to soak every last drop of juice they can get out of their players — and given that they finished second in the Metropolitan Division last year, the Penguins got above-average performances from their core.
All this is to say the Sabres have to stomp the Penguins into the ground, because there’s going to be an air of urgency for Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas to use whatever cap space he has left – and he does have $10.9-million to spend. So help is coming for Pittsburgh, and that help will make it harder for Buffalo to deal with.
The Sabres take on the Penguins twice in a three-week period starting in late-November. That should juice up the bad feelings the two teams have for one another. But after that, Buffalo and Pittsburgh won’t play again for about three months – more than enough time for them to make significant acquisitions that could hurt or help their bottom line.
Will the Sabres take care of business against the Penguins? We believe they will. Pittsburgh’s core talent is defying their age, but the Sabres are deeper than the Pens, their goaltending is better than the Pens’ goaltending, and they should be taking advantage of Pittsburgh core’s advanced age.
It’s always going to be tough when you have not just one, and not just two – but four players en route to the Hockey Hall of Fame who are on your opponent’s roster. And you’re going to have to operate at your level best if you want to beat them. That’s where Buffalo is with Pittsburgh, and that’s why it’s crucial the Sabres put a foot down on them and earn the full six standings points.
Seeing the Penguins now mean you you're looking at surefire Hall-of-Famers near the end of their incredible careers. Thus, if the Penguins are coming to your town, you need to see them while you can. And if you’re a Sabres fan, you know Buffalo could be fighting the Penguins tooth-and-nail for a wild-card playoff berth.
Ultimately, the Sabres underwhelmed against Pittsburgh last year. And they need to turn around those results and get beyond the Pens in the NHL’s regular-season standings. A playoff spot is not assured for the Penguins, and if the Pens are winning with Crosby, Malkin, Letang and Karlsson, the Sabres need to figure out ways to turn the tables on them and lock up a playoff spot.
It may have only been an exhibition contest, but Thursday evening's tilt between the Detroit Red Wings and the divisional rival Buffalo Sabres had a playoff-like intensity to it.
Multiple skirmishes broke out, including a bout featuring Red Wings sniper Alex DeBrincat against Buffalo's Trevor Kuntar. All in all, it was the Red Wings and DeBrincat who got the last laugh.
DeBrincat's power-played goal at 33 seconds of overtime gave the Red Wings a 3-2 victory, improving their preseason record to 2-0-1 with one game remaining.
It was the Sabres who got the scoring started courtesy of Kuntar, who took advantage of a defensive miscue midway through the opening period and beat goaltender Daniil Tarasov with a quick snapshot past the glove.
Axel Sandin-Pellikka responded with a power-play goal for his second tally in as many games, knotting the score at 1-1; Anton Johansson picked up his fifth assist in two games.
Buffalo then re-took the lead early in the second period after Jiri Kulich's shot on a two-on-one rush squeaked through Tarasov, barely crossing the goal line.
Early in the third period, an on-ice melee broke out after Detroit’s Moritz Seider leveled Kuntar; DeBrincat soon dropped the gloves with him, landing multiple punches and continuing to go after Kuntar even after referee Mike Sullivan attempted to separate the two.
Detroit tied the game just before the halfway point of the third period when Sheldon Dries redirected Jacob Bryson’s shot past goaltender Colton Ellis. Ellis had replaced former Red Wings netminder Alex Lyon in the first period after Lyon left the game with an injury.
Buffalo’s Gavin McCarthy was called for holding at 18:41 of the third period, setting the stage for DeBrincat’s overtime winner.
Tarasov played the entire game for the Red Wings, making 17 saves on 19 shots.
Before leaving the game, Lyon, who spent two seasons in Detroit from 2023 through 2025, stopped seven of the eight shots he faced. Ellis finished with 16 saves on 18 shots.
The Red Wings will conclude the exhibition portion of their schedule on Saturday evening against the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets at Little Caesars Arena.
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In their first action of the preseason, several key Philadelphia Flyers got their reps in against an undermanned Boston Bruins team, gutting out a 2-0 shutout win.
Stars like Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov made their preseason debuts, as did workhorses Travis Sanheim and Rasmus Ristolainen. Michkov was the star of the show on Thursday night, scoring his first goal of the preseason and generally looking like a potential star-caliber player while paired with Travis Konecny and Christian Dvorak.
Zegras won 6 of 17 faceoffs (35.3%) but otherwise looked his usual self, setting up teammates, latching onto and making creative passes, and adding underrated defensive value with tidy stick work.
Zegras, however, did get tagged for an unusual penalty midway through the second period, and it almost got the Flyers in trouble, especially after Jett Luchanko took a penalty of his own to put the Flyers down on a 5-on-3.
Something you don't see every day: an improper wearing of equipment penalty, which Zegras admitted after the game he was initially warned about his tucked jersey before ultimately getting whistled for the penalty for a second infraction.
"They told us, in all fairness, two, three weeks ago. I didn't even think about it," head coach Rick Tocchet said of the penalty. "Then he came over and explained 'Hey, Trevor's got a warning.' I don't know what Trevor did with it. . . he obviously can't do it anymore. He's gotta put a tie down, because regular season starts, we can't have a penalty like that for a tucked jersey."
No harm, no foul, of course, as the Flyers held down the fort in the second period despite the Bruins out-shooting them 14-7.
Early in the third period, surging prospect Cole Knuble doubled the Flyers' lead to 2-0, crashing the crease and poking home a loose puck.
The play all started with Jett Luchanko, who received a pass from Jacob Gaucher and powered his way to the net despite heavy objection from a Bruins defender. Knuble did the rest, and Luchanko earned his third assist in as many preseason games.
"Yeah, I think we've played now, probably four games together, preseason, rookie camp, so building some chemistry there," Knuble said of his budding partnership with Luchanko. "He's fun to play with. He's so fast, creates turnovers. Just an easy guy to play with."
New Flyers goalie Joseph Woll, who is filling in for an injured Dan Vladar, stopped all 28 shots he faced from the Bruins to earn the shutout
"He looks big in net. I mean, he made some really good saves. There was some, especially in the second, they had a couple power plays. We were down to five 'D', and they were coming on," Tocchet remarked. "And then he made some really good saves. Solid, really solid goalie."
Defenseman Simon Benoit dropped the gloves with Bruins winger Brian Halonen and handily won the fight with a takedown.
Flyers notes
Nikita Grebenkin played 12:40 in his first game for the Flyers since March. "It's nice to get him that game so he can kind of feel it out there," Tocchet said of Grebenkin.
Grebenkin played on a line with captain Sean Couturier and newcomer Noel Acciari, a potential preview of the Flyers' fourth line for opening night.
Defenseman Helge Grans was forced to exit due to a lower-body injury after just 1:29 of ice time, forcing the Flyers to play the rest of the game with five defensemen. Grans picked up the secondary assist on Michkov's opening goal.
The Flyers will play their last preseason game on Saturday, hosting the Washington Capitals at Xfinity Mobile Arena at 5 p.m.
PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 22: Detroit Red Wings center Marco Kasper (92) skates with the puck against Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Finn Harding (50) in the preseason NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings on September 22, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Pens made some more cuts on Thursday, sending down 12 players and formalizing the movement of goalie Taylor Gauthier to AHL Wilkes-Barre after he cleared waivers.
The Penguins have assigned the following players to the @WBSPenguins (AHL): F – Brayden Edwards F – Max Graham F – Jack Horbach F – Hugh McGing F – Mark Senden F – Tiernan Shoudy F – Daniel Russell D – Finn Harding D – Daniel Laatsch G – Taylor Gauthier Forward Melvin Fernstrom…
WBS has a preseason game on Friday and they needed some more players to help fill out the team, no real surprises in the mix. All the big decisions are still to be made for players even close to the bubble.
Following Thursday’s 4-0 loss to Columbus, the Pens have one more preseason game on Saturday in Buffalo. The regular season begins for them on Wednesday in Philadelphia. By then they’ll be down to 23 healthy players and still have well over a dozen more players to trim away from the NHL camp to get there.
COLUMBUS, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 24: Charlie Coyle #3 of the Columbus Blue Jackets shoots the puck against Ryan Graves #27 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the second period of the preseason game at Nationwide Arena on September 24, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you’re like me, the geo restrictions on the stream from Columbus wasn’t co-operating, but all things considered this wasn’t a bad game to miss out on. Therefore, I don’t have a lot of impressions to make out of the Penguins’ 4-0 loss to the Blue Jackets.
Pittsburgh brought a bare bones roster, saving most of their 100+ game veterans for the exhibition finale on Saturday. Tonight’s top line could make up most/all the fourth line come the regular season, otherwise it was stocked with a lot of players who will be headed off the NHL roster in the coming days, besides goalie Sergei Murashov.
Overall, NHL.com has the shots of this snore-fest at 16-15 for the whole game. That might not be good for a Columbus team that took advantage of their home game and loaded up with many an NHL regular.
Pittsburgh generated just two shots in the first period and barely got much going after that. Each team only took one penalty a piece the whole game, matching minors for Avery Hayes and a Blue Jacket for roughing.
Even the highlights left something to be desired, like this ice level view where you can’t really tell what happens but a long-range Zach Werenski wrister eluded Murashov with traffic in front for a goal in the first period that would stand up as the eventual game-winner.
Columbus would tack on an empty netter late to close out the scoring.
Murashov ends up with 13 saves on 16 shots, but considering what he had to work with on his team and about all of CBJ’s good players in there, not too much can be gleamed from the evening. Phil Bourque on the radio had complimentary things to say about Murashov’s performance so we’ll pass that along. He didn’t let in anything outrageous judging from the highlights, though fighting through traffic and finding a way to stop the puck on the first goal is going to be a challenge for him – like any NHL goalie.
Some statlines for players on the bubble or in interesting spots:
Rutger McGroarty: -2, 3 shots on goal (4 total attempts), 1 giveaway and blocked shot
Tristan Broz: -2, 2 shots on goal 2 hits, 3 giveaways, 1-for-6 in the faceoff circle
Ville Koivunen: -2, 1 shot on goal (2 total attempts), 2 giveaways and 2 blocked shots
Avery Hayes: -1, 2 PIMs, 1 shot on goal (4 total attempts), 2 hits
Murashov was charged with 4 giveaways
Some good news, if there is any, is the line of Filip Hallander, Conor Dewar and Elmer Soderblom were not on for a goal against (neither was the Owen Pickering and Harrison Brunicke pair). Dewar did only win four of his 11 faceoffs, which could loom large with the team likely needing him to start the regular season as a center after preseason injuries to Blake Lizotte and Ben Kindel.
Overall, not much to work with or analyze, which might be for the best considering the circumstances. The Pens brought a B-level team and got a B-level output of basically nothing. That’s about all we got for this one, Pittsburgh will gladly move onto the next day, where they will practice tomorrow at noon before getting ready for that last tune-up game this weekend.
Thursday night's NHL preseason game between the Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins was moving along like any old game, until Trevor Zegras was whistled for a bizarre penalty you don't see called every day.
Just about halfway through the second period of their game against the Bruins, the Flyers were called for their first individual penalty; their first of the night was a too many men penalty served by Matvei Michkov, who also scored the game's first goal.
Zegras was penalized by the referees for "improper wearing of equipment" and in real time, nobody seemed to know what exactly happened or why.
But, as we came to find, Zegras had his jersey tucked, and the NHL and its referees will apparently be cracking down on that this season.
According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman via his X account, the "league has indicated it will warn players if equipment -- neck guards, visors, helmets (during warmup) -- is not being properly worn.
Jerseys are supposed to be untucked at the beginning of a player's shift. (If it rides up during a shift, no issue.)"
Friedman added, "Procedure is a warning, followed by a two-minute penalty. So, Zegras must have been warned earlier in the game. Next violation is supposed to be a misconduct."
If Zegras and the Flyers were, in fact, warned ahead of time, it was rather innocuous and went unnoticed. Both Zegras and Travis Konecny both plead the Flyers' case to the referees, but their appeals fell on deaf ears.
Ultimately, the Flyers survived the strange Zegras penalty, which was compounded by a Jett Luchanko hooking penalty that put the Flyers on a 5-on-3 penalty kill not long after.
As is seemingly tradition, the Flyers appear to be the first team to be an example for the rule the NHL is trying to enforce, and it certainly caught everyone off guard.
Veleno then signed his first deal as an unrestricted free agent with the Canadiens and got his first taste of playoff hockey last season.
The Habs decided not to tender him a qualifying offer, thus making him a UFA for a second straight summer.
“It’s been a little difficult, for sure,” Veleno told The Post on Thursday before he suited up for his first preseason game with the Rangers, a 4-3 shootout win over the Devils at Madison Square Gardenagainst the Devils. “Not always easy, but you know what? You try to learn from those mistakes and try to avoid that happening again as best as you could. Try to find ways to improve and get better. I thought I did a good job of that last year, established myself [with] more of an identity to myself.”Obviously, running here this year.”
The 26-year-old has been penciled into the fourth-line center role since putting pen to paper with the Rangers in the summer.
On Thursday, he skated next to Tye Kartye and Matt Rempe, which very well could be the Rangers fourth line on Opening Night in Boston at the end of this month.
Joe Veleno (right) and teammate Scott Morrow look on during the Rangers’ 4-3 preseason win over the Devils on Sept. 24, 2026 at Madison Square Garden. Jason Szenes for New York Post
Veleno said he aims to be responsible defensively and contribute on both the penalty kill and in the faceoff circle. , he added, is what hHe would like to chip in offensively more of this season.
“He will without a doubt be a big part of the penalty kill,” head coach Mike Sullivan said of Veleno, who had five points (two goals, three assists) in 61 games last season. “I think he’s also a guy that has shown an ability, just with his defensive conscience. We can put him in defensive situations to play against other team’s top players if we need him to. The biggest thing that allows him to do that is his size and his skating ability. He can really skate. I think that’s a great attribute as a defensive player because if you get beat, if somebody gets a step on you, you have the ability to recover.
“I think Joe has that. And when you’re playing against good players, sometimes you’re going to get beat. They make good plays. Skating ability and size, reach, length, things like that, I think are a big advantage to a guy that’s going to play that type of a role and he has that.”
Montreal center Joseph Veleno warms up before the Canadiens’ loss to the Sabres in Game 4 of the second round of the NHL Playoffs on May 12, 2026 at Bell Centre. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It was predetermined that veteran goalie Joonas Korpisalo would play all of the second-to-last exhibition game Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. Rookie netminder Dylan Garand served as the backup.
“Obviously, I don’t want to let in a [late] goal,” said Korpisalo, who had Amadeus Lombardi go five-hole on him to tie the game up 3-3 with 1:39 left in regulation. “I think [the] third goal is a bad goal on my part. I got to save the puck, and game is on the line. You got to find a way to do it, but getting to OT and shootouts, it’s also beneficial.”
The Rangers cut their training camp roster by five players before Thursday’s game.
Jacob Battaglia, Brody Lamb, Dylan Roobroeck, Spencer Martin and Callum Tung were assigned to the Wolf Pack.
One of the most interesting questions at Senators' training camp is whether Carter Yakemchuk is ready to become a full-time NHL player.
There's no doubt about his ability to make an impression. Yakemchuk had a goal and an assist in his regular-season debut last March, then picked up two assists in his playoff debut against Carolina.
Tyler Kleven was asked by reporters on Thursday what his early impressions are of his preseason D partner, Carter Yakemchuk (Senators YouTube).
There's also no doubt that the Senators would love for him to be 100 percent ready for everyday duty right now.
After Nick Jensen left in free agency, the Senators had an opening on the right side of their D. With Artem Zub and Jordan Spence expected to handle the top-four duties, Yakemchuk appeared to be competing with Nikolas Matinpalo for a regular place on the third pair.
For any defenseman, there's always a massive difference between being the sixth or seventh man, but that's especially true for young ones breaking into the league. At 20, Yakemchuk needs games and minutes. Keeping him in Ottawa as a seventh defenceman, watching from the press box all too often, would do little for his development.
Now with Artem Zub out, Yakemchuk has moved up even higher in the batting order.
Zub is still recovering from the injury he suffered in Game 1 against the Hurricanes five months ago, and head coach Travis Green does not expect him to be ready for the start of the season. That creates another opening on the right side, and given that Zub has been in rehab mode for five months, it also raises questions about how long the Sens may need someone to fill it.
Yakemchuk should be the obvious candidate.
But so far, his camp and two preseason appearances have showcased a young player who's still figuring things out. He generally looks comfortable when the Sens have the puck, but his skating and reading the play defensively still pose a challenge.
Wednesday’s split-squad game in Toronto was a particularly demanding test. With Sanderson, Zub and Spence unavailable, and Thomas Chabot out for family reasons, Yakemchuk was thrown in the deep end against a loaded Leafs lineup and asked to be a number one and play top minutes (25:29).
That was a far bigger assignment than the limited, insulated minutes he received during his brief NHL appearances last season, or the number six role he's better suited to at this stage.
The Senators lost 6–1, and Yakemchuk had a difficult night. It would be unfair to judge his readiness on that game alone. The Senators will evaluate the big picture and what they’ve seen throughout camp.
Yakemchuk has been skating with Tyler Kleven, which may offer a glimpse of the third pair the Sens would like to use out of the gate.
Kleven spoke well of the rookie when asked about him on Thursday, but his comments also included references to confidence, how everyone makes mistakes early on, and how it takes time to adjust to the NHL.
Looking back, the draft day attraction to Yakemchuk is easy to understand.
In his draft year with the Calgary Hitmen, he scored 30 goals and 71 points in 66 games, along with 120 penalty minutes. A big, right-shot defenceman with that kind of offensive production, size and apparent snarl was always going to draw attention. His shot is elite and would give the Sens a fantastic weapon on the power play.
If the Senators decided Yakemchuk needs more time in Belleville, they would still need a third-pairing right-shot D behind Spence and Matinpalo. And there are no obvious candidates.
Hoyt Stanley has made a case for a longer look and had a slick backhand goal against Toronto on Wednesday. Christian Kyrou offers offence from the right side, while the 6-foot-7 Djibril Touré brings size and physicality and skates well for a man his size. Ottawa native Cameron Crotty seems steady enough and has already appeared in NHL games for the Senators.
Green could also choose a left-shot defenceman if he feels that player gives him the best lineup. But on opening night last year, he showed his preference to keep his D on their natural side. With Kleven injured, Green replaced him with another lefty in Donovan Sebrango, who had played just two career NHL games to that point, while the more experienced, right-shot Spence was a healthy scratch.
Zub’s absence, combined with a lack of other obvious options, places Yakemchuk comfortably in the driver's seat to start the year in Ottawa. Whether this is the best place for him to continue his development at this time is a wait-and-see.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published in The Hockey News. For more Sens coverage at The Hockey News, click on one of the latest THN Ottawa headlines below:
The 21-year-old winger moved extremely well. His hands and legs were at a different gear.
“Mich I thought was skating really well and felt it with the puck,” Rick Tocchet said. “It was really nice to see.”
Michkov scored just 4:02 minutes into the game on a rebound. During that sequence, he displayed some crisp passing in the offensive zone.
In the second period, he had a nifty touch pass through his legs to spring Christian Dvorak for a scoring chance.
Michkov would have had two goals if he buried a Grade A look in the third period. He was excellent, though, and provided a really good sign of him bouncing back from his sophomore slump.
“He was awesome,” Porter Martone said. “He played really well. … I think we should expect a big season from him.”
“He looks big in net,” Tocchet said. “He made some really good saves.”
It was a good tune-up for the 28-year-old. We’ll see if Woll will be needed on opening night. Dan Vladar is day to day with an upper-body injury.
• Zach Aston-Reese, Jack Studnicka, Danila Klimovich, Nolan Foote and Cam Dineen cleared waivers Thursday and were loaned to AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.
Carl Grundstrom also cleared, but he’ll stay with the big club for now. That’s likely related to the uncertainty around Denver Barkey’s status for opener. The 21-year-old forward has been considered day to day with a lower-body injury.
We were talking to Rick Tocchet when this happened. Tocchet said Barkey would maybe be a possibility for Saturday's preseason finale, but not sure if that will still be the case. We'll see about his status for next Wednesday's regular-season opener. https://t.co/IGxAUA3YlG
If Barkey is unavailable for the regular-season opener, the Flyers could turn to Grundstrom or Nikita Grebenkin. Grebenkin has to be healthy, though. He exited briefly in the third period after taking a hip check into the boards. The 23-year-old had a delayed start to training camp because of a flare-up with his injury from last season.
It’s also possible Knuble has forced his way into the conversation. The Flyers have given him a good look and he hasn’t wasted it. In three preseason games and one rookie game, Knuble has put up three goals. The Flyers are high on the 22-year-old prospect. Tocchet didn’t rule out Knuble making the season-opening roster.
“Yeah, it could happen,” Tocchet said. “There’s a numbers game, but he’s definitely pushing some people.”
Jett Luchanko has also played in all three preseason games and has collected an assist in each one.
“We’re building some chemistry there,” Knuble said. “He’s fun to play with, he’s so fast, he creates turnovers — an easy guy to play with.”
Helge Grans left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury and didn’t return. The 24-year-old defenseman recorded an assist on Michkov’s goal.
BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 22: David Pastrnak #88 of the Boston Bruins chases the puck down during a preseason game between the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers on September 22, 2026, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Welcome to preseason game 3 of 4, folks!
The Bruins and Flyers will renew acquaintances tonight in Philadelphia, just a couple of days after the B’s beat the Flyers at TD Garden by a score of 5-1.
Per the NHL website, this game will be broadcast on NESN+ locally, so you should be able to watch if you have a subscription/cable.
Per the Bruins yesterday, here’s who you’ll see tonight:
It took Adam Fantilliholding out for the first week of Blue Jackets training camp, but the team's top young center has agreed to a six-year contract worth $82.5 million ($13.75 million AAV) to finally put negotiations behind him and join his team at Nationwide Arena.
“Adam Fantilli has all of the tools you look for in a player ... speed, size, skill along with a competitive drive to succeed,” Blue Jackets president/general manager Don Waddell said in a statement. "He is one of the most exciting young players in the NHL and a big part of what we are building in Columbus, so this is a very exciting day for our organization and our fans."
Fantilli, 21, became a restricted free agent without arbitration rights July 1. Had he signed a big offer sheet, like Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson did with the Philadelphia Flyers, the Jackets would’ve been forced to match it or let Fantilli leave for a package of compensatory draft picks.
That didn't happen, allowing Waddell to seek a more team friendly cap hit than what Fantilli and agent Pat Brisson initially wanted. Getting their price, however, wound up costing Fantilli valuable preparation time with his teammates prior to opening the season against the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 1 at Nationwide Arena.
The Ducks weren't as fortunate from a cap perspective, swallowing hard before matching the Flyers’ offer sheet that now pays Carlsson at $18 million a season for the next five years. Carlsson was selected second overall in 2023, one pick ahead of where the Blue Jackets got Fantilli, a comparable top young center who’s similar in size, age and stats through their first three seasons.
According to PuckPedia, the Blue Jackets had just under $12.7 million in cap space prior to signing Fantilli, so they're about $1.2 million over the cap ceiling of $104 million for this season. That number, however, counts salaries for 14 forwards, seven defensemen and three goalies — including injured center Isac Lundestrom (Achilles surgery) and goalie Elvis Merzlikins (shoulder).
Merzlikins, who underwent shoulder surgery Aug. 17, and Lundestrom will almost certainly start the season on IR, and both could be placed on long-term injured reserve to gain flexibility against the cap. Utilizing LTIR allows teams to exceed the cap ceiling by the amount that injured players placed on it puts them over. So, adding Merzlikins' $5.4 million and Lundestrom's $1.3 million salaries would provide plenty of cushion.
Teams are allowed to exceed the cap in the offseason by up to 10% of the ceiling, but must be cap compliant before 5 p.m. on Sept. 28.
Fantilli is now the Blue Jackets’ highest-paid player by a wide margin, exceeding the salary of reigning Norris Trophy winning defenseman Zach Werenski ($9.58 AAV) by roughly $4.1 million this season and next.
Though it doesn't come close to matching Carlsson's annual cap hit, Fantilli's salary now sits between Ducks power forward Cutter Gauthier's new deal for $13.5 million over the next six years and Connor Bedard's $15 million AAV for the next five with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Gauthier was selected fourth overall by the Flyers in 2022 and traded to the Ducks, while Bedard was the 2023 draft's first overall pick. Carlsson went second that year and Fantilli, whose numbers stack up comparably, went third. Fantilli has totaled 140 points on 67 goals and 73 assists through 213 games with the Blue Jackets, while Carlsson has give the Ducks 141 points on 61 goals and 80 assists and in 201 games.
Bedard tops both with 203 points on 75 goals and 128 assists in 219 games for the Blackhawks, but he's done it while posting a -98 plus/minus for a team that has lagged near the bottom of the NHL's overall standings.
Carlsson, who has a -1 plus/minus, helped the Ducks get back into the playoffs last season while Fantilli (-30) has narrowly missed the postseason the past two years with the Blue Jackets, a team that most analysts didn't consider a playoff contender.
Now, Fantilli is locked in with the Blue Jackets for six more years as an elite young center they'll need to continue improving over the course of this contract. Those type of gems are almost always drafted, rarely traded and almost never signed as free agents, which boosts their value immensely.
The NHL’s best teams typically follow the same roster construct, starting with goaltending and defense before shifting to center ice. The Blue Jackets are doing well in those areas, especially after locking up Fantilli for a forward group that lost center Boone Jenner in free agency but has Sean Monahan, Charlie Coyle, Lundestrom and Cole Sillinger as additional center options.
Apr 12, 2026; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli (19) looks to pass as Boston Bruins center Mark Kastelic (47) trails the play during the first period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images
Russell LaBounty/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Blue Jackets re-signed center Adam Fantilli to a six-year, $82.5-million contract.
Fantilli was a restricted free agent and missed the first week of training camp as the two sides worked on a deal. He becomes the Blue Jackets’ highest-paid player with a contract that averages $13.75 million per year.
The 21-year-old Canadian was the third overall pick by Columbus in the 2023 NHL draft after winning the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey at the University of Michigan.
Fantilli was second on the team with 24 goals and was third in scoring with 59 points last season. He is the third player in franchise history with multiple 20-goal campaigns before turning 22.
“Adam Fantilli has all of the tools you look for in a player — speed, size, skill — along with a competitive drive to succeed,” general manager Don Waddell said in a statement. “He is one of the most exciting young players in the NHL and a big part of what we are building in Columbus, so this is a very exciting day for our organization and our fans.”
Chicago’s Connor Bedard and Anaheim’s Leo Carlsson — the top two picks in the 2023 draft — both signed five-year contracts. Bedard’s averages $15 million while the Ducks matched an offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers that had an $18 million per season average.
San Jose’s Will Smith was picked fourth overall but remains on the final year of his entry-level contract.
Fantilli is expected to center Columbus’ top line with Kirill Marchenko and Valeri Nichushkin. Marchenko led the Blue Jackets with 27 goals while Nichushkin was acquired from Colorado during the offseason.
Defenseman and reigning Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski has two years remaining on his contract as the Blue Jackets look to get to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
The Sabres sustained two injuries to their defense corps during Tuesday’s preseason game, with Mattias Samuelsson now week to week with a lower-body injury and Olen Zellweger in concussion protocol.
With those absences comes an opportunity for some of the defensemen in tonight’s lineup to solidify a potential spot in the opening night lineup. Zach Metsa and Dennis Gilbert would figure to be the two frontrunners for the job, having both spent camp practicing with the NHL group. Metsa excelled in his role as Buffalo’s seventh defenseman last season and led the team in ice time during Monday’s preseason game.
Radim Mrtka and Ryan Johnson are two more names to watch. The two defensemen opened camp with the AHL practice group but joined the NHL squad on Wednesday with Samuelsson and Zellweger absent. Johnson has 47 NHL games on his resume; Mrtka is entering his first pro season after being drafted ninth overall in 2025.
The Sabres have had 14 forwards in their NHL practice group throughout camp. Assuming they stick with three goalies to begin the regular season, they’ll likely only be able to carry 13 forwards on their 23-man roster for opening night.
Tyson Kozak and Justin Danforth – both in tonight’s lineup – have been the extra forwards at camp thus far. Kozak performed well in a fourth-line role with Buffalo last season; Danforth is healthy after missing most of 2025-26 with a broken kneecap.
Assuming the line stays together, tonight will be a chance to see how it fares against outside competition – and a possible preview of a look we’ll see during the regular season.
