PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 19: Matvei Michkov #39 of the Philadelphia Flyers celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period of a game against the Colorado Avalanche at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 19, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The city of brotherly love was the setting, but the Avalanche didn’t really harness Rocky Balboa’s energy, and we didn’t get a hard-work montage leading to ultimate victory.
Instead, the Flyers played stingily behind a strong netminding performance, and a disjointed Avalanche club dropped a game that looked like a scheduled win. The Flyers had just one win before tonight.
An #Avs loss to this PHI team would be a real head-scratcher.
Unfortunately, the Avalanche are turning slow starts into a bad habit; for the second game in a row, the opposition seemed to bring more effort and focus. Just like their last time out against Pittsburgh, the Avalanche conceded the first goal of the evening to Matvei Michkov off a Trevor Zegras attempt at 07:41.
It just felt like the Avalanche hadn’t woken up, and things would only get worse in the middle frame.
Second Period
Michkov scored again to give the Flyers a 2-0 lead and put himself on the cusp of a hat trick. At 12:21, Matvei took a drop pass from Zegras, held the puck, and rounded the net. As he finally made a full circle back to the point, he fired a shot that was going wide but glanced in behind Blackwood.
Martin Necas got back at Philly with a seeing-eye wrist shot just after a Colorado Avalanche power play expired. Necas’ 5th of the season came on a helper from Artturi Lehkonen, who pushed his point streak to four games at 17:52.
The Avalanche had one more twenty-minute frame to clean up their bad start, but instead let Noel Acciari give the Flyers a 3-1 lead at 06:34 in the final frame.
Ooof. Avs had control, Landeskog went to circle back in the d-zone and lost the puck. His pass around the boards missed everyone and ends up in the Avs net.
Rookie forward T.J. Hughes got a few looks throughout the night and on the power play, but his net-crashing ability ultimately earned him his second NHL goal. Hughes has two goals in his last two games and logged top-six minutes (16:54 TOI) this evening.
The Flyers won 3-2, with Colorado holding Philly in their own end but unable to cash in with the net empty and an extra attacker as time expired.
Takeaways
This game was a serious dud for the Colorado Avalanche, who should have dominated given the talent imbalance. It’s the NHL, and every team can be competitive on any given night, but from my vantage, this was more about Colorado’s problems than the Flyers putting on a show. Jared Bednar felt the same way, calling it “sluggish and sloppy,” according to Corey Masisak of the Denver Post.
You can’t expect to win many games with 16 giveaways on the stat sheet.
Netminder Mackenzie Blackwood was the best Avalanche player this evening. Without a few right-pad and blocker saves, this could have been even uglier. In my opinion, Blackwood provided in the “needed save” department.
Blackwood gonna wear a sub-.900 despite being the only Av to actually show up tonight. Hockey is unfair
I’m not sure what to make of the line combinations and usage in a game like this, but it felt like either Nathan MacKinnon was being punished or T.J. Hughes and Jaden Schwartz were being rewarded. The three players spent time on the same line in a look I hadn’t seen coming into the evening. I’m not saying Hughes and Schwartz aren’t useful linemates, but MacKinnon looked off his game.
Up Next
Colorado’s road trip continues as they head to New Jersey to take on the Devils tomorrow night. Yeah, that’s right, another back-to-back.
Let us know what you thought of tonight’s game in the comments!
NEW YORK (AP) — Sean Durzi scored 78 seconds in, Dylan Garand made 29 saves and the New York Rangers defeated the travel-weary Anaheim Ducks 5-2 on Monday night to improve to 6-0-0 at home this fall.
The Rangers did not pick up their sixth victory at Madison Square Garden last season until Jan. 26, their 23rd game there. They lost 27 of 41 at home on the way to missing the playoffs and finishing last in the Eastern Conference.
There is hope of a turnaround given this start, even missing franchise goaltender Igor Shesterkin for the rest of the season. Garand was making a fifth consecutive start since Shesterkin went down, and he has allowed two or fewer goals in nine of 10 NHL appearances dating to his debut last spring.
He got support early and often, with Durzi’s goal making it three home games in a row where the Rangers have a goal in the first two minutes. That has only happened once before for New York, in March 1989.
Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice, captain J.T. Miller and Gabe Perreault each had a goal and Alexis Lafrenière recorded two assists. Pavel Dorofeyev, the team’s most notable trade acquisition over the summer, came close on several occasions but remained stuck on two goals for the season.
FLYERS 3, AVALANCHE 2
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Matvei Michkov scored two goals and Philadelphia beat Colorado for its second straight victory after opening the season with nine consecutive losses.
Michkov leads the Flyers with six goals this season. Noel Acciari also scored for Philadelphia, which lost six games in regulation and three in overtime or shootouts before breaking through on Saturday with a victory over Ottawa.
Joseph Woll made 24 saves for his first victory with the Flyers. He spent the previous five seasons with Toronto.
Martin Necas and rookie T.J. Hughes scored for the Avalanche (5-3-1), last season’s Presidents’ Trophy winners. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 21 shots.
Cole Knuble made his NHL debut for the Flyers, the team he grew up rooting for. His father, Mike, played for Philadelphia from 2005-09 and in 2013. The 22-year-old right wing had 13 minutes, 44 seconds of ice time.
Mitchkov scored on a power play at 7:41 of the first period and made it 2-0 at 12:23 of the second when he skated around the net and fired a long-range wrist shot past several players that beat Blackwood on the glove side.
MAPLE LEAFS 3, SHARKS 1
TORONTO (AP) — Gavin McKenna scored the go-ahead goal on a third-period power play and Toronto snapped a three-game slide with a victory over San Jose.
Auston Matthews added a goal and two assists for Toronto. Sergei Bobrovsky made 30 saves to pick up his first home win for the Maple Leafs. Nick Paul added an empty-netter.
Mason Marchment scored for San Jose, which got 28 stops from Yaroslav Askarov.
The game featured the first meeting between the No. 1 and 2 picks of the 2026 NHL draft — McKenna and Sharks winger Ivar Stenberg.
Marchment opened the scoring at 13:54 of the first when he was left alone in front of Bobrovsky after Matthews turned the puck over in the defensive zone.
Matthews made up for that mistake and got his team even with 12 seconds left in the second on a power play. Toronto’s captain took a pass from Kirill Marchenko and ripped a shot upstairs on Askarov before McKenna pushed the Leafs in front in the third.
The Rangers were business as usual Monday night back at Madison Square Garden.
On the heels of two frustrating road losses, the Blueshirts handily beat the Ducks 5-2 to remain undefeated on home ice and match the second-longest season-opening home win streak in franchise history at six games.
Access the Rangers beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting withMollie Walker about the inside buzz on the Rangers.
At the very least, in a moderately challenging schedule to start the season, the Rangers are taking care of the teams they’re supposed to.
Against the clubs projected to finish near the bottom of the standings — such as the Red Wings, Canucks and Ducks — the Rangers have won by a combined margin of 13-4.
Injuries have forced the Rangers to make recalls and dress a lineup noticeably different from opening night in Boston, but this hasn’t slightly influenced how the team is playing on home ice.
“It’s our fans. It’s an exciting time,” Sean Durzi said. “We heard what was going on tomorrow night [at the Knicks championship banner raising ceremony], so it’s nice to give back-to-back good nights at MSG. They’ve been great.”
New York Rangers goaltender Dylan Garand (33) makes a save during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks at Madison Square Garden in New York, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. Jason Szenes for NY Post
The team game that was missing in New Jersey and Columbus returned as soon as the Rangers stepped onto the ice in Manhattan.
Rookie goalie Dylan Garand played his role to the fullest, stopping 29 of the 31 shots he faced.
Scoring within the first two minutes after puck drop for the third time this season, the Rangers controlled the pace of play frequently.
Durzi’s shot through traffic from the top of the zone gave the home team a 1-0 lead just 1:18 into the first period, marking the second time in franchise history the Rangers have scored in the opening two minutes in three consecutive home games.
The Rangers could’ve easily had a multigoal lead by the first intermission had Pavel Dorofeyev put away either one of his two grade A opportunities in the opening 20 minutes. Dorofeyev continues to find scoring opportunities, but the finish hasn’t quite been there thus far.
Not only did he hit the post on a wide-open net during a 5-on-3 power play, but the 25-year-old Russian also missed entirely when on the doorstep later in the first period.
Rangers right winger Oliver Bjorkstrand (28) celebrates with right winger Taylor Raddysh (14) after scoring a goal during the third period against the Anaheim Ducks at Madison Square Garden in New York, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. Jason Szenes for NY Post
With one goal through his first 11 games as a Ranger, Dorofeyev is still looking to find his stride with his new team. The reason he was briefly taken off the top power-play unit, however, had more to do with discipline.
“I’ve been asking the power-play [unit] for a number of games now that the first unit — they have to change smarter,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “And when the puck gets dumped down two or three times, and they’ve got to go 200 feet to get it and then work back into the offensive zone, they should change — and Pav didn’t. At some point, there needs to be some accountability around it.”
From the start of the second period, the Rangers absolutely dominated play.
Center Mika Zibanejad (93) of the New York Rangers is checked on by a trainer after taking a hard hit during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks at Madison Square Garden. Jason Szenes for NY Post
The top power-play unit converted less than five minutes into the middle frame, after captain J.T. Miller redirected an Adam Fox shot from the top of the zone for his second goal of the season.
Jump-started by Alexis Lafrenière’s cross-ice backhand feed, a Rangers tic-tac-toe passing sequence ended with Gabe Perreault tapping the puck in at the side of the net. The game seemed to get out of hand from there, with the Ducks struggling to maintain possession.
Oliver Bjorkstrand then capped the second period with his third goal of the season before scoring his fourth early in the third.
“I thought we just took what the game gave us,” Sullivan said. “I thought we played well and that we created a fair amount of offense just off our own defense.”
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Matvei Michkov scored two goals and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on Monday night for their second straight victory after opening the season with nine consecutive losses.
Michkov leads the Flyers with six goals this season. Noel Acciari also scored for Philadelphia, which lost six games in regulation and three in overtime or shootouts before breaking through on Saturday with a victory over Ottawa.
Joseph Woll made 24 saves for his first victory with the Flyers. He spent the previous five seasons with Toronto.
Martin Necas and rookie T.J. Hughes scored for the Avalanche (5-3-1), last season's Presidents' Trophy winners. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 21 shots.
Cole Knuble made his NHL debut for the Flyers, the team he grew up rooting for. His father, Mike, played for Philadelphia from 2005-09 and in 2013. The 22-year-old right wing had 13 minutes, 44 seconds of ice time.
Mitchkov scored on a power play at 7:41 of the first period and made it 2-0 at 12:23 of the second when he skated around the net and fired a long-range wrist shot past several players that beat Blackwood on the glove side.
Necas got the Avalanche on the board with 2:08 left in the second. Acciari restored Philadelphia's two-goal lead at 6:34 of the third, the veteran center's first goal as a Flyer.
Hughes scored at 14:40 of the third, his second straight game with a goal after he found the net for the first time in Friday's win over Pittsburgh.
Coming off a convincing 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Colorado Avalanche had an opportunity to build momentum against a Philadelphia Flyers team that entered the night with just one win through its first nine games.
Instead, the Avalanche stumbled into a frustrating 3-2 loss at Xfinity Mobile Arena, undone by defensive breakdowns, costly turnovers, and an inability to consistently protect Mackenzie Blackwood. Matvei Michkov struck twice for Philadelphia, while Noel Acciari added the eventual game-winner.
Martin Necas and T.J. Hughes found the back of the net for Colorado, but their efforts weren't enough to overcome a Flyers team that made the most of its opportunities. The Avalanche finished with 16 turnovers compared to Philadelphia's six, a disparity that underscored just how uncharacteristically careless Colorado was with the puck.
First Period
The Avalanche endured a frustrating opening 20 minutes , finding themselves trailing the Flyers 1-0 after a period in which defensive breakdowns, missed opportunities, and a string of unfortunate bounces defined the frame.
Blackwood was the primary reason the deficit remained at one, turning aside several dangerous Philadelphia chances to keep Colorado within striking distance. Meanwhile, the Avalanche struggled to generate sustained offensive pressure and even Necas take a shot to the mouth from a deflected puck off the crossbar. Despite the difficult start, Colorado closed the period with five consecutive shots on goal, offering a small glimmer of momentum heading into the second.
Colorado was tested early when Devon Toews turned the puck over, leading to a scoring opportunity for Philadelphia, but Blackwood came up with the save.
The Avalanche were subsequently penalized for too many men on the ice, and the Flyers capitalized on the power play to take a 1-0 lead. Michkov buried the rebound off Trevor Zegras' initial shot to open the scoring. Colorado challenged the goal for goaltender interference, but the challenge was unsuccessful, as officials ruled that Josh Manson had pushed Parker Martone into Blackwood, allowing the goal to stand.
Gavin Brindley was left with an unenviable task in the opening period, serving the bench minor for too many men on the ice before also serving the delay-of-game penalty resulting from Colorado's unsuccessful challenge.
Philadelphia, which entered the game with just one win in its first nine contests, continued to apply pressure early on. Zegras nearly doubled the Flyers' lead on a 2-on-1 rush, but Blackwood made an acrobatic save to deny him at the backdoor.
The Avalanche continued to struggle defensively with around eight minutes remaining in the period, as Flyers forward Sean Couturier was left all alone in the low slot. After receiving a pass from behind the net, Couturier quickly fired a shot on Blackwood, who came up with yet another outstanding save to keep the deficit at 1-0.
Things went from bad to worse for Colorado when Nathan MacKinnon set up Artturi Lehkonen for a backdoor opportunity. However, Lehkonen's shot struck the crossbar before ricocheting directly into Necas' mouth. Necas immediately went down before leaving the ice to receive medical attention.
You could have aptly titled the opening period "Friendly Fire," as Brett Kulak ripped a wrist shot that caught Brock Nelson in the leg, adding to an already frustrating first frame for the Avalanche.
Despite being outshot 13-8 through the first 20 minutes, Colorado closed the period with five consecutive shots on goal, showing signs of life after spending much of the frame under pressure. The Avalanche headed into the first intermission trailing 1-0, with Blackwood's strong performance keeping them within striking distance.
Second Period
Michkov nearly doubled Philadelphia's lead midway through the period after collecting a loose puck and attempting a flashy between-the-legs shot on Blackwood, but he couldn't quite pull off the highlight-reel finish.
The 21-year-old would make no mistake on his next opportunity at 12:22. After carrying the puck into Colorado's defensive zone, Michkov circled behind the net before working his way back toward the point and unleashing a wrist shot through traffic that beat a screened Blackwood to give the Flyers a 2-0 lead.
At the other end, Brock Nelson looked to spark a Colorado response with a slick toe-drag move on Flyers goaltender Joseph Woll, but Woll stayed with him to shut down the attempt and preserve Philadelphia's two-goal advantage.
Colorado earned its first power play of the game with 4:11 remaining in the period after Travis Sanheim took exception to a hit Cale Makar delivered on Noel Acciari. Sanheim retaliated by checking Makar from behind, drawing a roughing penalty and giving the Avalanche an opportunity to cut into the deficit with the man advantage.
Just as the power play expired, Necas brought Colorado back within one. Finding space in the offensive zone, Necas picked his spot and fired a wrist shot through traffic, beating Woll on the blocker side to make it a 2-1 game and give the Avalanche some much-needed momentum.
Colorado headed into the second intermission trailing by just one, but the Avalanche still had plenty of work to do. Their defensive lapses continued to leave Blackwood exposed, while the offense needed to find a way to turn late-period momentum into a sustained push over the final 20 minutes.
Third Period
The Avalanche caught a break in the opening minute of the third period, though it came at a cost to Makar, who was struck in the face by Couturier's high stick behind the net. Colorado generated some early pressure on the ensuing power play, but Woll came up with a crucial save, robbing Jaden Schwartz on a beautiful backdoor opportunity.
Philadelphia soon extended its lead to 3-1 when Noel Acciari redirected Oliver Bonk's slap shot past Blackwood. The goal came as a result of yet another defensive breakdown by Colorado, as the Avalanche lost track of their assignments and allowed Acciari to establish position in front of the net with little resistance. Toews and MacKinnon were caught occupying similar positions without effectively covering an opposing player, leaving Acciari free to screen Blackwood and get a stick on Bonk's shot.
With Colorado once again facing a two-goal deficit, Hughes gave the Avalanche a lifeline. The rookie continued his hot streak, scoring his second goal in as many games after netting his first career goal in Friday's 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins at Ball Arena.
Hughes pounced on a rebound in the low slot and fired toward the net, beating Woll, who got a piece of the shot with his glove but couldn't keep it out. The goal cut Philadelphia's lead to 3-2 late in the game, setting up a tense finish as Colorado searched for the equalizer.
The Avalanche pulled Blackwood in the closing minutes in an attempt to salvage a point, but Philadelphia held firm to secure the 3-2 victory.
Takeaways
The loss was a disappointing setback for Colorado, particularly against a Flyers team that entered the matchup with just one win in its first nine games. While Necas and Hughes provided the offense to keep the Avalanche in contention, Colorado's defensive shortcomings proved too costly to overcome.
The turnover battle told a significant part of the story. Colorado committed 16 giveaways compared to Philadelphia's six, repeatedly surrendering possession and giving the Flyers opportunities to attack before the Avalanche could get organized defensively. Those mistakes, combined with poor coverage around the net, left Blackwood with little margin for error.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, capitalized on its opportunities. Michkov scored twice, Acciari added the decisive goal, and Woll turned aside 24 shots to help the Flyers hold on for the win.
The defeat dropped Colorado to 5-3-1 on the season, while Philadelphia improved to 2-6-3. For the Avalanche, the result serves as a reminder that offensive firepower alone won't be enough if defensive details and puck management continue to fall short. They'll need a much sharper effort in those areas moving forward.
On Monday, the Winnipeg Jets announced that forward Walker Duehr is fully healthy and has been placed on waivers for the purpose of joining the Manitoba Moose in the AHL.
Duehr is not expected to be claimed as he spent the majority of last season with the Moose, apart from three games with the Jets. With Manitoba last season, the 27-year-old posted an identical 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points in 62 games.
He has spent most of his career at the AHL level, though he has shown himself to be a fringe NHL player. He has 21 points in 95 career NHL games with the Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks and Winnipeg Jets. In the AHL, Duehr has 112 points in 205 career games, and last season was his first with the Moose.
His assignment comes as Manitoba has gotten off to a 3-1-0 start, and Duehr's return should give the team added forward depth. He had been sidelined with an injury at the start of the season, and his recovery clears him to rejoin the lineup.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The New York Rangers have signed veteran forward Luke Glendening to a Professional Tryout agreement.
Glendening reported to his first Rangers practice on Monday, but isn't allowed to play in any games until the 10 days of his PTO are up.
The Rangers will be without Joe Veleno for at least three months as he recovers from a lower-body injury and have been searching for a fourth-line center in the wake of his absence.
Glendening could be a possible replacement to fill Veleno’s position until he returns.
“Luke obviously has a significant body of work in the league,” Sullivan said. “The type of player that he is, he’s been a real reliable, conscientious player. Kills penalties. Really good in the face-off circle. He built a career on that element of his game and prides himself on that.
“Obviously, we've got a little bit of challenge with respect to depth at the center position, and I think Chris (Drury) and his guys thought that we'd bring him in and see if potentially he could help us.”
The 38-year-old forward has played for the Detroit Red Wings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils, and Philadelphia Flyers throughout his 13-season NHL career, recording 85 goals, 90 assists, and 175 points.
DENVER, COLORADO - JANUARY 23: Cale Makar #8 of the Colorado Avalanche skates against Noah Juulsen #47 of the Philadelphia Flyers at Ball Arena on January 23, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
After a weekend off, the Colorado Avalanche embark on another back-to-back trip to begin the week.
Their first stop takes them to Philadelphia to meet a Flyers team that’s having some early season struggles.
Colorado Avalanche (5-2-1)
The Opponent: Philadelphia Flyers (1-6-3)
Time: 5:00 P.M. MDT/7:00 P.M. EDT
Watch: ALT, ALT+ (Avalanche Local Broadcast Area), NBCSP (Philadelphia Local Broadcast Area), ESPN+, NHL Center Ice (Outside Regional Broadcast Areas – US), SN+, NHL Centre Ice (Outside Regional Broadcast Areas – Canada)
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio KKSE-FM 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
The Avs head into today’s game fresh off clearing one of their biggest hurdles of the young season. They earned three of a possible four points in a split of a home and home set against Dallas, and put together an unanswered five-goal rally to defeat the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday. Mackenzie Blackwood earned wins in Dallas and at home against Pittsburgh, while Scott Wedgewood couldn’t prevail in the shootout versus Dallas in Denver.
Friday’s game marked the debut of new Avalanche assistant head coach Brett McLean. McLean, who replaced David Hakstol, will face the challenge of revamping a power play that has been woefully anemic over the past couple of years. As McLean acclimates to his new role with his one-time former club, changes that go beyond simple personnel swaps like we’ve seen implemented over the past couple of games leading up to Hakstol’s departure (exchanging Nečas for Jaden Schwartz on the top unit, for example) should be on the horizon.
Gavin Brindley was called up from Loveland on Wednesday to take the place of the injured Zachary L’Heureux. Bednar stated that L’Heureux and Nicolas Roy were considered “week-to-week”, but indicated that both will not be on the road trip. Logan O’Connor also will remain in Denver, but he will be working through on-ice drills while the team is on the road.
Minnesota’s victory over Columbus on Sunday has them occupying first place in the Central Division, but a win in Philadelphia coupled with a Pittsburgh victory over Utah tonight could put the Avs in front of Minnesota.
MacKinnon still leads all skaters in points (16) and assists (10), and is tied with Lehkonen for the team lead in goals (6). Defenseman Noah Juulsen spent the 2025-2026 season with Philadelphia prior to signing a two-year contract with the Avs this off-season.
The Avs split the season series against Philadelphia last season, with both teams earning victories as the road team.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas Gabe Landeskog – Brock Nelson – Nazem Kadri Jaden Schwartz – Fedor Svechkov – T.J. Hughes Parker Kelly – Gavin Brindley
Defense: Devon Toews – Cale Makar Brett Kulak – Sam Malinski Josh Manson – Brent Burns Noah Juulsen
Between the Pipes: Mackenzie Blackwood Scott Wedgewood
Philadelphia Flyers
Coming into this season, the Flyers had every reason to feel optimistic. They returned to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in five years this past spring and eliminated their archrival Pittsburgh in the first round. They fell to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in a four game sweep in the second round.
Flyers general manager Daniel Brière spent his off-season revamping his goaltending platoon in the hopes of building on that playoff appearance. On June 16, he acquired goaltender Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for goaltender Samuel Ersson, defenseman Emil Andrae (later traded to Columbus for Kirill Marchenko), and Philadelphia’s 2026 third round pick.
At the start of free agency, he also signed goaltender Dan Vladar to a five-year, $27.5 million dollar contract. Brière also signed right wing Noel Acciari to a two-year, $5.6 million dollar contract the same day. Garrett Wilson and Michael Bunting were late additions to Brière’s roster: Wilson signed a one-year, $850,000 contract, on September 27, while Bunting signed his one-year, $1.2 million dollar contract, on October 06.
Brière also triggered what became an unprecedented spike in player salaries when he tendered a five-year, $90 million dollar offer sheet to restricted free agent center Leo Carlsson of the Anaheim Ducks on July 03. Although Anaheim matched the offer sheet, this move was a clear statement to the rest of the League: the Flyers were on the way up, and Brière was willing pay a significant price to build on what he believed was a franchise on the rise.
The assumed ascent for the Flyers became a calamitous crash right from the opening puck drop. Philadelphia lost their home opener in a rematch with Pittsburgh by a humiliating 7-0 outcome on September 30. They followed this performance up with eight consecutive losses—a new franchise record—before finally recording their first win of the season, a 3-1 decision against the visiting Ottawa Senators this past Saturday.
Matvei Michkov leads all Philadelphia skaters in points (5) and goals (4), while the injured Konecny and Couturier currently share the team lead in assists (3). Porter Martone leads all Philadelphia skaters in penalty minutes (14). Vladar and Woll have a combined nine (9) losses in goal, with Vladar holding the single win.
Although Philadelphia is last in the Metropolitan Division, they sit one point behind Columbus, who lost to Minnesota on Sunday night.
Philadelphia heads to Buffalo on Wednesday before beginning a two game home stand at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday against Anaheim.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Trevor Zegras – Christian Dvorak – Tyson Foerster Porter Martone – Noah Cates – Matvei Michkov Denver Barkey – Sean Couturier – Michael Bunting Garrett Wilson – Jack Studnicka – Noel Acciari
Defense: Travis Sanheim – Oliver Bonk Nick Seeler – Jamie Drysdale David Jiříček – Simon Benoit
Between the Pipes: Joseph Woll Dan Vladar
NOTE: Don’t forget to download the new SB Nation app for a more mobile-friendly way to follow tonight’s action and engage with Mile High Hockey’s match threads. Commenting and interacting with your communities is easier than ever before with the Game Chat feature. The app is currently available in the U.S. and Canada on iOS and Android devices.
The Flyers pulled off a pretty big upset Monday night with a 3-2 win over the high-powered Avalanche at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Matvei Michkov scored two goals and Trevor Zegras collected three assists. Noel Acciari also found the back of the net.
Rick Tocchet’s club was missing five key players (more on that below). As a result, the head coach’s lineup featured eight players with under 100 games of NHL experience.
“Next-man-up mentality,” Acciari said. “The season’s not going to wait for us to get healthy, so we’ve got to do it ourselves. I thought the guys that jumped in were great for us. It was a big win as a team.”
Colorado came in scoring 4.50 goals per game. So this was a highly commendable effort from the Flyers.
“We knew we were in a hole, nobody was going to feel sorry for us,” Zegras said. “We had to dig our way out, I like what we’re doing so far. There’s a lot of hockey left and we know that. You’ve just got to keep building your game every day.”
The Flyers and Avalanche (5-3-1) meet again March 9 in Denver.
• Joseph Woll did his job yet again, denying 24 of 26 shots.
The 28-year-old has surrendered three or fewer goals in five of his six starts and entered the night with a .916 save percentage.
Martin Necas trimmed the Flyers’ lead to 2-1 with 2:08 minutes left in the second period. It was a shot through traffic and it came just three seconds after Colorado had a power play expire.
But Acciari responded in the third period with his first goal as a Flyer. He broke his stick on a deflection off a shot from Oliver Bonk.
T.J. Hughes cut the Flyers’ lead back to one with 5:20 minutes remaining in the game. The Flyers, though, found a way to nail things down after that.
Avalanche netminder Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 21 of the Flyers’ 24 shots.
• Michkov is on a three-game goal streak and has six markers through 11 games.
“The guy’s out of his mind,” Zegras said.
Last season, it took Michkov 22 games to record six goals.
His second goal extended the Flyers’ lead to 2-0 in the second period. The 21-year-old winger was buzzing around the offensive zone before firing a shot from distance.
The possession was all set up by excellent defensive work from Noah Cates. The Flyers’ center stripped superstar Nathan MacKinnon in the defensive zone to quell a Colorado threat.
Earlier in the second period, Michkov nearly brought the house down with a silky move at the doorstep. But he couldn’t quite finish on the backhand shot.
His game-opening goal came on the power play in the first period. Michkov buried a puck that was loose from a blocked shot.
“I’ve been a fan of this team my whole life,” Knuble said Monday morning, “so I think it’s extra special.”
His father and mother Megan Knuble were in attendance. The 22-year-old forward skated on the fourth line with Denver Barkey and Alex Bump.
In the second period, Knuble set up a nice scoring chance for Bump. He had a shot in the third period and played some clutch minutes late.
The Flyers clearly went with a young fourth line for matchup purposes. They probably didn’t want too many of their youngsters going up against the Avalanche’s big boys.
• The Flyers were without Travis Konecny, Owen Tippett, Tyson Foerster, Rasmus Ristolainen and Cam York.
Foerster missed his first game of the season. The 24-year-old winger took a shot to his right hand Saturday night. After missing practice Sunday, he tested things out at Monday’s morning skate. Foerster left at one point, but then returned for some more work. However, he didn’t look real comfortable.
Tyson Foerster testing out his right hand. He took a shot there last game and missed practice Sunday.
After this, he talked to the trainer. He shook his head slightly, doesn’t look like it feels great for him. He ended up leaving skate just now. pic.twitter.com/YwgSrMmfM7
Konecny, Tippett, Ristolainen and York are all on injured reserve.
Tippett missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury. He wasn’t on the ice for Sunday’s practice or Monday’s morning skate.
Konecny has missed the last six games because of a lower-body injury. He hasn’t been seen on the ice with Ristolainen and York. The two defensemen have been rehab skating recently, including Sunday morning.
Ristolainen has missed the last eight games with an injury to his left hand. York has missed the last five with an upper-body injury.
On Monday, the Winnipeg Jets recalled highly touted prospect Brayden Yager from the Manitoba Moose. The 21-year-old, drafted 14th overall in 2023, appears to be rounding out his game after recording five goals and four assists for nine points in six games with the Moose this season.
The strong start comes on the heels of a fairly disappointing first full pro season, in which the Saskatoon native posted 10 goals and 20 assists for 30 points in 68 games.
Yager appears to have used the offseason to work on adjusting to the pro style of play. After appearing in three games with the Jets at the end of last season, he is aiming for a longer run with the big club and hopes to build on his hot start and record his first NHL point.
It is not yet clear where Yager will slot into the Jets lineup, but the team could use his offense. Winnipeg has scored 23 goals through its first eight games, an average of 2.88 per game that ranks in the bottom 12 of the NHL.
More details on his role will likely come when Yager joins the team at practice at some point this week as the Jets are currently on a brief two-game road trip against the St. Louis Blues before flying south to face the Dallas Stars.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Calum Ritchie will miss 4-6 weeks and Matias Maccelli 2-4 weeks after both suffered lower-body injuries Saturday night in Toronto, the Islanders announced Monday, confirming another blow to the top of their lineup.
The news leaves the Islanders without one of their best-performing wingers in Maccelli for at least their next six games, starting with the two-game homestand that begins Tuesday against Anaheim. Ritchie, in a best-case scenario under this timeline, would return when the Islanders are in Winnipeg a month from now.
On top of that, coach Pete DeBoer said that Mat Barzal’s return-to-play program would not be sped up on account of other injuries, adding that there is still no timetable for Barzal to return to practicing with the team.
Islanders center Calum Ritchie (64) and Canucks defenseman Elias Pettersson (25) battle for control of the puck. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
While no one has used the word “setback” in relation to Barzal, a timeline that was couched in optimism throughout training camp — general manager Mathieu Darche didn’t rule him out for opening night when the injury was first announced — is now shrouded in mystery. After traveling with the team opening night, Barzal did not make the trip to Ottawa and Toronto.
Barzal has been skating on his own since at least Oct. 8, but if you are reading the tea leaves, that is not a good sign.
Less than 10 games into the season — and the injuries make it even more obvious that Victor Eklund will stay with the club beyond the nine-game mark at which he uses a year of his contract — the Islanders are down half of their preseason projected top six.
The news Monday came after the Islanders called up Mitchell Chaffee on an emergency basis, clearing a roster spot by moving Alexander Romanov (torn ACL) to injured reserve.
atias Maccelli #63 of the New York Islanders stickhandles the puck against Michael Amadio #22 of the Ottawa Senators. NHLI via Getty Images
“[He] just worked hard, good detail to his game, really professional,” coach Pete DeBoer told reporters of Chaffee, who was one of the last cuts at training camp. “What I liked best about home as he was disappointed when he went down, as he should have been, because he had a good camp. But the way he handled it, he went down and had a hat trick in their opener. That’s a great lesson on how to handle adversity.”
As of now, the Islanders have just 12 healthy forwards on their roster, so it remains to be seen whether they’ll look to call up an extra now that there’s clarity on Ritchie and Maccelli.
Chaffee and Kyle MacLean — who has been the extra forward all year — practiced on the fourth line Monday. Ondrej Palat moved up to the third line, Emil Heineman moved up to the second line and Kyle Palmieri moved back to the first line, having been dropped to the fourth against the Leafs. Brayden Schenn also shifted from left wing to center on the second line.
After missing all of training camp and the preseason because of an offseason training injury, as well as the first two games of the 2026-27 season, Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin now has six games under his belt.
Larkin scored a goal and added an assist in his season debut during Detroit's 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 6. He has since added another assist, coming in the Red Wings' 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 15.
However, he hasn't quite looked like himself yet, going without a goal in his last five games while also committing a handful of uncharacteristic turnovers.
Is Larkin still feeling the effects of his original injury, or is he simply playing catch-up after missing so much time during training camp and the preseason? According to head coach Todd McLellan, it's the latter.
"I don't know about it if he is; I haven't been told anything from him or the trainers," he responded when asked if Larkin is still dealing with an injury. "But his injury prevented him from doing what everybody does right before camp, a month before you really ramp it up. The skates become more intense; body contact begins.
You play in tighter areas, you stop and start more than when you skate in late July, because you're taking it up."
The NHL regular season is even more of a grind now with 84 games being played. Because of the shortened Training Camp and preseason schedule, all players had quicker acclimations to the new season.
Unfortunately for Larkin, who wasn't able to participate in Camp or any of Detroit's four preseason games, it's been baptism by fire.
"Everybody knew that camp was short this year, so I think the summer skates became a little more important," McLellan said. "He had none of that, so he's playing catch-up. He simply is."
Regardless, the Red Wings are going to hope for Larkin to contribute more regularly on offense as they embark on a four-game road swing that begins on Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
During Monday's episode of his 32 Thoughts podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman gave a lengthy update on the situation between the Winnipeg Jets and superstar goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, revealing new details about how the standoff has unfolded.
According to Friedman, the 33-year-old was not simply sitting out of the Jets lineup. He was suspended by the team, even though he had informed the club around the season opener that he was ready to return with the suspension running through this Friday, October 23rd.
"Because he had left them and not shown up without permission, the Jets had some added power under the CBA, where they could give him a suspension of reasonable length," Friedman explained. He said the league and the Players Association settled on a window of roughly two and a half to three weeks for what counts as reasonable.
That leaves the Jets with a new deadline and three options. They can trade Hellebuyck before Friday. They can keep him out of the lineup while paying him, since a team cannot bar a player under contract from playing and also withhold his pay. Or, most intriguingly, they can welcome him back in the Jets lineup.
Friedman does not expect Hellebuyck to play anytime soon as days after the suspension expires on Saturday, October 25th, Winnipeg hosts the Montreal Canadiens in the Heritage Classic at Princess Auto Stadium. Friedman said the organization does not want the Hellebuyck storyline to overshadow the outdoor game.
The following Tuesday, the Jets host the Florida Panthers, a date that will likely carry the storyline into the next week and could mark a Hellebuyck return if Winnipeg's leadership decides it is the right call.
How the Jets proceed is still up for debate as Friedman again said he believes general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff will not accept a bad trade for the three-time Vezina Trophy winner. If no deal materializes, the question becomes whether the team and its leadership would welcome Hellebuyck back or have him sit out with pay.
Friedman and former NHLers Kevin Bieksa and Luke Gazdic, his colleagues on the Sportsnet panel, disagreed on the point with Friedman saying he does not believe the players would want Hellebuyck back, while Gazdic argued that the goaltender would be welcomed back given his experience and that it would benefit the team.
The Jets are currently 4-2-2 with a 3.00 goals-against average, a mark that sits in the middle of the pack in the NHL. Combining Hellebuyck with Stuart Skinner, who has been Winnipeg's starter this season, could give the Jets their best goaltending tandem in years.
A return would not be unprecedented as elsewhere in the NHL this season, Dylan Larkin, who requested a trade from the Detroit Red Wings, was not granted one and returned to the team with his captaincy removed. Friedman likened Larkin's situation to a "weird limbo," in which a player waits for a trade while playing out the season, and said Hellebuyck could do the same.
When Larkin came back, he played as well as he could and won back some favor in Hockeytown. If Hellebuyck follows that path in Winnipeg, it raises the question of whether Jets fans would soften their stance on the Olympic gold medalist.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
After the San Jose Sharks' loss to the Boston Bruins, a dejected Luca Cagnoni spoke to the media following a disappointing performance on both a team and individual level. He was then going to be a healthy scratch against the Nashville Predators in the Sharks' next game, but Darnell Nurse wasn't ready to go and he drew into the lineup, recording the second-lowest ice time amongst Sharks defensemen. Then, when the Sharks went to Detroit to face the Red Wings, he was out of the lineup.
Tonight, the Sharks are set to face the Toronto Maple Leafs and he's back in the mix.
Cagnoni's performance against Boston was certainly one he'll want to forget. "[It was] not very good," he said." A couple bad bounces, but gotta be better."
Analytically, the data backed up Cagnoni's assessment of the game as HockeyStatCards' Game Score Breakdown had him listed as by far the worst performing player on the ice:
With that being said, Cagnoni is a 21-year-old, 5-foot-9 defenseman playing in the NHL. Outside of rare exceptions like Lane Hutson with the Montreal Canadiens, there are going to be growing pains. "It's frustrating, but [it's a] long season, I guess," Cagnoni added.
So far, Cagnoni's rookie season has had exorbitant highs and very low lows. His first career NHL goal was an overtime winner, the type of goal that kids dream of scoring in their driveways. Just a few weeks later, he had the worst showing of his young career. With that being said, Cagnoni has overcome significant odds to even reach this point, so it wouldn't be wise to bet against him moving forward. He's shown glimpses of how valuable he can be in the long-run, he just needs to find consistency and he'll get there.
Ten years to the day that the first two picks in the 2016 NHL Draft, Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine, faced one another for the first time in the NHL, the first picks in the 2026 NHL Draft will do the same. Tonight, we'll see San Jose Sharks forward Ivar Stenberg face off against the only player picked ahead of him at the draft: Gavin McKenna.
Stenberg and McKenna are two of the favorites to win the Calder Trophy this season, alongside Anton Frondell and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard:
With that being said, Stenberg and McKenna are the youngest players in the race as well. They're the only players from the 2026 draft class to record a point in the NHL at this point and only five players were able to crack an NHL roster right after the draft in general. Points wise, Stenberg and McKenna are on a similar pace. Both have scored two goals so far, but Stenberg has six points compared to McKenna's five, despite the Maple Leafs forward having an extra game played.
Despite being the most effective part of their game to this point in the season, the Sharks won't be able to rely on special teams to help them in Toronto. The Maple Leafs have a nearly perfect penalty kill through nine games, as they lead the league with a 96.4% success rate. Their power play isn't anything to disregard either, as they've converted on 26.7% of man advantages, the seventh best rate in the NHL.
The Maple Leafs do have a few major injuries though. Chris Tanev and John Tavares are amongst those on the injured reserve and William Nylander is set to be a game-time decision due to an illness that kept him out of the morning skate.
Toronto's Matthews has scored at nearly a goal-per-game pace against the Sharks in his career, lighting the lamp 14 times in 16 games. If Nylander is out due to his illness, that'll be huge for the Sharks as well considering he has 21 points in 16 games against the team in teal. Surprisingly, defenseman Nick Blankenburg also scores against the Sharks at a high rate, with five points in six games.
As for the Sharks, captain Macklin Celebrini has just two points in four games against the Maple Leafs and has yet to score a goal. Mason Marchment and Alex Wennberg have had considerable success against Toronto throughout their careers. Michael Misa, who had one point against the Maple Leafs in his only appearance against his hometown team, is the only player on the Sharks who has scored at a point-per-game pace against the Leafs.
Sergei Bobrovsky is expected to be in net for the Maple Leafs, and he's been dominant against San Jose. In 23 games, he has a 15-6-2 record with a .932 save percentage and a 2.25 goals against average. Yaroslav Askarov, who will be starting for the Sharks, has yet to play the Maple Leafs in his short career.
