Brady Tkachuk is suddenly the hottest goal-scorer in the NHL. And if Senators fans weren't already planning to give their former captain a rough reception next Wednesday night, the timing of his comments about Florida Panthers fans have probably sealed the deal.

Tkachuk has scored back-to-back hat tricks, giving him six goals in two games after a slow start to his first season in Florida.

But it wasn't just his scoring that made headlines Thursday night.

After his latest three-goal performance, Tkachuk was serenaded with chants of "Brady! Brady!" from the Panthers faithful, a familiar sound for anyone who followed his eight seasons in Ottawa.

The chanting occurred during his rinkside postgame TV interview, and Tkachuk couldn't have been happier with the reception.

"I'm just so grateful to be here. I'm truly blessed to play in front of the best fans in the NHL! How good is this?"

Ouch.

Tkachuk's comments come just days before his return to Canadian Tire Centre this Wednesday (Oct. 21). It will be his first NHL game in Ottawa wearing enemy colours since demanding a trade in the offseason.

It's a homecoming that already promised to be highly emotional, maybe even hostile.

There's no question that some Senators fans have completely moved on, happy that the Brady Tkachuk era is behind them. Others fully understand that every NHL player is going to say that his current team has the best fans. That's just pandering 101, playing along to get along. 

But for others, the timing of their former captain's declaration, just days before his return, may prove to be a final straw.

Tkachuk's slow start in Florida provided at least a little consolation. While the Sens are in first place in the Atlantic, enjoying a strong 6-2 start to the season, their former captain was struggling to find the scoresheet with his new club.

So there was some satisfaction in Ottawa, seeing Tkachuk discover that the grass isn't always greener elsewhere. But that consolation, if it was ever really a consolation at all, is now gone.

Tkachuk has suddenly rediscovered his scoring touch, and Panthers fans are now chanting his name, just as Senators fans once did.

The Senators have already said they will recognize their former captain with a tribute video on Wednesday, acknowledging his eight seasons in Ottawa and his contributions to the franchise.

But there's no longer much doubt about how the crowd will respond. He will be booed where he once heard fans chanting his name.

They've had plenty of chances to welcome back recent former captains like Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza, and Erik Karlsson.

But this one is way different.

After hearing Tkachuk make those comments so close to his return to Ottawa, anyone who still held some goodwill for the ex-captain may be fresh out by Wednesday night. 

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa 

On Thursday, TSN's Darren Dreger offered a new update on what the Detroit Red Wings could be seeking in a return package for center Dylan Larkin. 

The elite two-way center has returned to the Detroit lineup but has voiced that he would still prefer to be traded, and with these new details from Dreger, a deal looks more possible than ever.

Most reports have said Detroit is looking for a top-six forward in return but on the TSN show Early Trading, Dreger said the Red Wings are reportedly seeking "three or four pieces," and that the package would need to include "two A-quality prospects." It would also need to include a top-nine forward, though not necessarily a top-six one, as well as a first-round pick.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.

It is a tall asking price, but one Detroit would likely be willing to pay if it values Larkin enough. Several contenders may still struggle to meet the demands like Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights, all likely out of the running due to a lack of A-quality prospects to offer.

It could open the door for a team like the Tampa Bay Lightning, who have been among the contenders for Larkin and have prospects to offer like Sam O'Reilly, who could be packaged with an NHL-ready forward like Gage Goncalves to fill the top-nine need. The Lightning also have first-round picks in two of the next three years that could help get a deal over the line.

Sam the man strikes again 🥜

Sam O'Reilly extended the @OHLRangers lead with a highlight reel goal, earning him the @deltabingo_ Play of the Night.#GoBoltsGopic.twitter.com/VptEzYWsjh

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) May 23, 2026

The Washington Capitals, who have also reportedly been in on Larkin, could fulfill the requirements as well. They have quality prospects in Ilya Protas, Cole Hutson and Lynden Lakovic, along with NHL-ready forwards in Aliaksei Protas and Pierre-Luc Dubois.

There is also a case for the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers, each of which has quality prospects and NHL-ready forwards to offer, provided Larkin would be willing to waive his no-move clause for a Canadian market.

If Dreger's report is accurate, it widens Detroit's options considerably and could bring the Larkin trade saga to an end in the near future.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are collecting former Vancouver Canucks at an impressive rate. With the acquisition of Aatu Räty, there are 11 former Canucks now either playing or working for the Maple Leafs. These former players and staff members can be found throughout the organization from the NHL level down to the ECHL. 

Starting with the NHL team, there are six players who are on the current roster who played for Vancouver. They are Troy Stecher, Teddy Blueger, Oliver Ekman Larsson, Chris Tanev, Zack MacEwen and Dakota Joshua. There are also two staff members in Goaltending Coach Curtis Sanford and Assistant General Manager Judd Brackett. 

Moving on to the AHL, there are two Toronto Marlies players who played for the Canucks. They are Räty, who was just acquired and Cole McWard. Unlike in previous years, Toronto will not be playing the Abbotsford Canucks this season. 

Finally, there is one connection in the ECHL. That is Jackson Kunz, who plays for the Maple Leafs' ECHL affiliate, the Cincinnati Cyclones. The first matchup between the Kalamazoo Wings and the Cyclones is scheduled for November 27. 

Ultimately, the list of Vancouver connections in Toronto is impressive. At this point, it appears that the Maple Leafs are committed to adding as many former Canucks as possible. The question now is: who is the next player or staff member headed from Vancouver to Toronto? 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

A Look At The Bo Horvat Trade Tree After Canucks Part Ways With Final Piece

Canucks Can’t Stop Tkachuk In 3–2 Overtime Loss To The Florida Panthers

Canucks Make Two Intriguing Bets By Acquiring Buhr And Quillan From The Maple Leafs

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The Pittsburgh Penguins will play the second game of their four-game road trip on Friday against the Colorado Avalanche. 

The Penguins will try to bounce back after losing 5-3 to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. They rallied to tie the game in the third period before goaltender Sergei Murashov allowed a backbreaking goal with just over four minutes left. The Blackhawks added an empty-net goal at the end of the game to seal it. 

The Penguins will face an Avalanche team coming off a 3-2 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars on Wednesday. It was the second game of a home-and-home series between the two teams. 

As expected, the Avalanche have already lit up the scoreboard this season, scoring 31 goals in only seven games. They've scored at least six goals in three of those seven games. 

It all starts with star forward Nathan MacKinnon, who is one of the best players on the planet. Once he gets a step on you, it's game over. He already has five goals and 12 points in seven games. 

Star defenseman Cale Makar is also off to a great start, racking up three goals and seven points in six games. He's elite in all three zones and does a great job against the toughest competition night after night. 

Don't forget about Martin Necas, Artturi Lehkonen, Devon Toews, Gabriel Landeskog, Brock Nelson, and Jaden Schwartz, either. They've all been great to start the season for the Avs. 

As for the Penguins, head coach Dan Muse is tweaking the lineup for this game. Elmer Soderblom is set to come into the lineup, and Nick Robertson has moved into the top nine. 

Here are the expected lines and pairs, based on Thursday's practice:

Forwards

Rakell-Crosby-Rust

Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin

Kuzmenko-Kindel-Robertson

Dewar-Lizotte-Soderblom

Defensive pairs

Carlile-Karlsson

Girard-Korczak

Stastney-Letang

Arturs Silovs will start in goal for the Penguins after having the night off against the Blackhawks.

Puck drop is set for 9 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. You can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'

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The Vancouver Canucks have officially parted ways with the final piece in the team’s Bo Horvat trade from January 2023. The full trade saw the former Canucks captain head to the New York Islanders in exchange for three pieces: a 2023 first-round pick, Anthony Beauvillier, and Aatu Räty. 

On October 15, Vancouver dealt the final piece, Räty, to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for forwards Jacob Quillan and Brandon Buhr. All three of Vancouver’s acquisitions from this trade are now with other teams; here’s a look at where they are, and what the Canucks received in return. 

The 2023 First-Round Pick 

The first piece of the Horvat trade to depart from the Canucks organization was the 2023 first-round pick. Vancouver used this selection, as well as a second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, to acquire Filip Hronek and a 2023 fourth-round pick from the Detroit Red Wings. Detroit used the first-round selection to draft defenceman Axel Sandin-Pellikka. Vancouver’s fourth-round selection went towards picking centre Ty Mueller, who remains with the organization as a key piece of the Abbotsford Canucks’ forward core. 

While Sandin-Pellikka remains with the Red Wings, having recorded a 21-point season in his rookie year in 2025–26, the 2023 second-round pick the team acquired from Vancouver was traded to the Nashville Predators on the second day of the draft. Detroit acquired two picks back in exchange — a second-rounder and fifth-rounder in that year’s draft — using them to select defenceman Brady Cleveland and forward Kevin Bicker. Nashville used the second-round pick to draft forward Felix Nilsson. All three players have yet to skate in their first NHL games. 

Anthony Beauvillier 

A few months after they traded the first piece of the Horvat trade, Vancouver flipped their second piece. At the end of November in 2023, the Canucks traded forward Anthony Beauvillier to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Beauvillier scored 11 goals and 17 assists in 55 games for Vancouver before being dealt. 

The fifth-round pick that Vancouver received in return took a bit of a journey before it was ultimately used to select forward Joel Svensson. Only a couple of days after flipping Beauvillier, Vancouver sent the fifth-round pick, as well as a 2026 third-round pick, to the Calgary Flames for defenceman Nikita Zadorov. Calgary later sent the pick to the San Jose Sharks for defenceman Nikita Okhotyuk at the 2024 trade deadline. Due to previous trade agreements with the Blackhakws and Maple Leafs, the pick made its way back to Chicago and was ultimately used by the very team Vancouver acquired it from. 

Beauvillier also jumped around a little bit after departing from Vancouver before finding a home with the Washington Capitals. The same year he was acquired by Chicago, the forward was dealt to Nashville at the trade deadline, playing in 15 games and scoring a goal and two assists. That off-season, he signed a one-year, $1.25M deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but was ultimately traded to the Capitals for a 2025 second-round pick by that year’s trade deadline. 

Aatu Räty

The final piece of the Horvat trade was Räty, who Vancouver held onto for over three years before ultimately trading the forward to Toronto on Thursday. Known best for his skills in the faceoff dot, Räty spent the entire 2025–26 season with Vancouver but occasionally found himself healthy-scratched. He put together four goals and 10 assists in 66 games. 

Joining Vancouver in return are forwards Jacob Quillan and Brandon Buhr. Quillan signed an entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs in April of 2024 and has played in 24 NHL games and 111 AHL games since. Buhr signed a one-year deal with Toronto in March of 2026 after spending the past four seasons in the NCAA. Both are expected to fill depth roles for the Canucks organization, with Quillan expected to join the Abbotsford Canucks and Buhr likely joining the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

Canucks Can’t Stop Tkachuk In 3–2 Overtime Loss To The Florida Panthers

Canucks Make Two Intriguing Bets By Acquiring Buhr And Quillan From The Maple Leafs

Canucks Trade Aatu Räty To The Maple Leafs For Two Forwards

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Forward David Perron is signing up for a 20th NHL season after reaching a one-year contract with the Dallas Stars.

Perron, 38, didn't get signed during the offseason but now is joining his eighth NHL team on a one-year, $850,000 contract.

The Stars were in need of scoring depth at forward after losing Matt Duchene for three months because of core muscle surgery. Plus, forward Oskar Back (upper body) was hurt on Wednesday, Oct. 14 and was placed on the injured list.

"He brings a competitive mindset and a proven ability to perform in big moments," Stars general manager Jim Nill said of Perron. "We believe his veteran leadership and skill set will be a valuable addition to our group as we continue to build toward our goal of winning a Stanley Cup."

In Thursday night’s win over the Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane reached another remarkable milestone in his NHL career. With his assist on Connor Bedard’s opening goal, Kane earned his 895th career assist. 

This surpassed Phil Housley's record for an American-born player. Kane is already the all-time leading scorer among Americans in the NHL, and now he stands alone in terms of assists. 

Kane currently sits 4th in goals with 509. He trails Mike Modano (561), Keith Tkachuk (538), and Jeremy Roenick (513). He will jump into third by passing Roenick this season, and it will be interesting to see how far he can climb. 

Brett Hull is Canadian-born but represented Team USA nationally, so that adds confusion to the record book. He had 741 goals, which is out of reach for Kane at this point. The league recognized Kane as the all-time leading scorer when he passed Modano in points, not Hull, so you’d think they'd do the same if he passed Modano in goals.  

After the game was over, head coach Jeff Blashill was asked about this milestone for Kane. He answered in a way that may be unexpected: he sounded like a fan more than a coach. 

"I’m a huge Patrick Kane fan for what he’s done for the sport and the US - how much it’s meant to so many Americans,” Blashill said. “He’s been a special, special player in this sport and deserves every accolade he gets because of what he’s done, but also who he is."

Both on and off the ice, Kane has impressed his new head coach in a short amount of time. It’s not hard for Kane, who is one of the best players of his generation. Blashill also has ties to USA Hockey, just like Kane. 

Later in the game, Kane added career assist 896 with a helper on Artyom Levshunov’s game-winning goal in overtime. Combine that with his 509 goals for 1405 points. The numbers almost don’t feel real, but he has been so great for so long. When you select a player first overall, you think they should become a franchise player, but Kane was so much more than that. 

Kane received some high praise from his head coach, who went out of his way to compliment him outside of coach speak. That doesn’t happen often, but the 37-year-old certainly deserves it. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay up to date on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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The Rangers continued shaking up their roster Friday, recalling veteran Taylor Raddysh from AHL Hartford and assigning Jaroslav Chmelar one day after Chmelar skated just 8:35 in their 7-1 loss to the Devils at Prudential Center. 

Raddysh, who skated in 68 games with the Rangers last year and has logged 373 NHL games across his five-year career, has recorded five points — including a team-best three goals — in five games to start the Wolf Pack’s season after clearing waivers.

He finished with nine goals and 19 points in 2025-26 for the Blueshirts, even getting time in the top six and with the power play. 

In this stint, he could add a veteran presence to a fourth line that has struggled to earn ice time under head coach Mike Sullivan, with the potential to bounce around the lineup as well. 

The Rangers have relied mostly on three lines in the aftermath of Joe Veleno’s lower-body injury, which will keep him out for about another three months. Cole Beaudoin, a 20-year-old prospect acquired in the Vincent Trocheck trade, got the first chance and skated in four games as the fourth-line center, but he averaged just 8:47 of ice time and ended up going back to Hartford for more ice time. Justin Dowling was recalled Wednesday and got the next chance during the Rangers’ game against the Devils, but he was on the ice for just 7:41. Veleno, before his injury, had averaged 11:37 of ice time and was part of their penalty-kill unit. 

The disappearance of the fourth line has forced Sullivan to get creative in trying to find shifts for Oliver Bjorkstrand, who opened the season in the top six but was demoted to the fourth line in favor of Tye Kartye. Bjorkstrand, though, has demonstrated that he can contribute on offense as he scored a pair of goals against the Islanders while adding an assist in the home opener on Pavel Dorofeyev’s goal and carving out a role on the second power-play unit. 

“It’s gonna play itself out,” Sullivan said pregame Thursday of finding shifts for Bjorkstrand. “It’s a long season, and that’s a conversation that I’ve had with him. He’s a great kid. I think he understands it. I’m trying to communicate with him what my intentions are as the coach and how to try to best utilize him within the group of 12 forwards that we have in the lineup. 

“We acknowledge what [Bjorkstrand’s] strengths are and how he can help us. He has good offensive instincts. He’s shown mobility to score in this league.” 

Chmelar, 23, impressed Sullivan in his 28-game cameo last season, earned a roster spot out of training camp over the veteran Raddysh and has rotated with Matt Rempe on the right side of the fourth line to start the 2026-27 campaign. Though Rempe would’ve needed to clear waivers before getting assigned to Hartford, Chmelar is waiver-exempt. 

Rangers defensemen have recorded 18 assists this season after Adam Fox picked up the primary assist on Dorofeyev’s goal Thursday, which ranks third in the NHL. 

Bjorkstrand and Vladislav Gavrikov were drafted by the Blue Jackets in 2013 and 2015, respectively, and they overlapped for three years in Columbus from 2019-22. 

Carson Soucy, who was traded from the Rangers to the Islanders last season, is minus-3 with an assist through five games for the Blue Jackets.

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

Nico Hischier responds to becoming the third all-time goal scorer in Devils franchise history:

JP Gambatese responded to some early-season knocks on analytics after the Devils started the season without any finish to their game. [Devils Advocates]

Last night was historic on a few levels:

Greg Wyshynski interviewed Sunny Mehta for ESPN, and Mehta took him to task before diving into a mix of fan nostalgia and current team-building philosophy. [ESPN]

Sheldon Keefe hits a milestone:

The Devils did alright in Frozen Frenzy:

Hockey Links

The Red Wings scored late in the third period to drop the Flyers to a whopping 0-6-3. The usual from Rick Tocchet: “I liked our start, but they came on a little bit. There are moments in a game when you have to come through, and we’ve been having a tough time of that.” [NHL.com]

Prior to the Red Wings—Flyers matchup, Detroit celebrated the life of Jenny Baumann, the wife of Red Wings trainer Russ Baumann, who passed away after a battle with cancer last weekend:

After Dave Hakstol left the Colorado bench to take the reigns of the Arizona State hockey program, the Avalanche hired Brett McLean as an assistant coach. [NHL.com]

Patrick Kane makes history:

While he was just an outcast from Vancouver a few seasons ago, Vasily Podkolzin has turned into a top-line goal scorer for the Edmonton Oilers this season. [The Hockey Writers]

David Perron will play his 20th season after all:

The NHL has been discussing the future of Frozen Frenzy, as they consider it a success in the United States with room to improve and grow. Cam Neely: “It’s a great concept to have all teams play the same day, although tough for an East Coast team’s fanbase to have an 11:15 p.m. Eastern puck drop. I heard plenty of complaints, for example, from our fans in New England. Maybe think of doing it all day on a Saturday after college football?” [NYT/The Athletic]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

LAS VEGAS - Mark Stone collected the hats. Jack Eichel continued collecting points.

But beneath the star power driving the Vegas Golden Knights’ early success is something coach Ryan Craig considers essential: four lines capable of keeping the game moving in the same direction.

Mark Stone recorded the @NHL's 10th hat trick of 2026-27. The only seasons with more at this stage (118 GP) over the past 30 years are 2021-22 and 1997-98 (both w/ 11).#NHLStats: https://t.co/oQaEN3PT3mpic.twitter.com/SfNmyyla2J

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) October 16, 2026

Through nine games, Vegas has received goals from 13 different players, with nine scoring at least twice. Thursday’s 6-2 victory over Calgary lifted its total to 35 goals, an average of 3.89 per game, after entering the night seventh in the NHL at 3.63.

Stone leads Vegas with six goals after his third-period hat trick, while Eichel has five goals and 16 points. Yet the supporting cast has helped the Golden Knights reach 7-2-0 and top the NHL standings.

Lonely at the top?#NHL#VegasBornpic.twitter.com/PuBZNos4nv

— WillieGRamireZ (@WillieGRamirez) October 16, 2026

“When we’re at our best, we’re rolling four lines,” Braeden Bowman said. “We have everybody contributing and doing their thing, and you know when the full team’s going, we’re a pretty tough team to beat.”

Bowman supplied a timely example Thursday.

After Calgary scored shorthanded to cut Vegas’ lead to 2-1, the fourth-line winger converted on the second power-play unit, restoring the two-goal cushion.

“We talk about those kinds of reset shifts all the time,” Craig said. “That was one from the second unit going out there and getting the job done.”

That contribution followed Tuesday’s victory at Nashville, when five different Golden Knights scored. Beyond the leading duo, Tomas Hertl and injured Victor Olofsson have four goals apiece, while rookie Trevor Connelly and Brett Howden have three each. William Karlsson, Mitch Marner and Bowman have two each.

Ivan Barbashev added three assists against Calgary, illustrating that the contributions extend beyond finishing chances.

“Everybody’s stepping up in our team,” Barbashev said. “It’s fun to play right now.”

More Than The Headliners

For Craig, the depth begins with what happens before a scoring opportunity develops. Forwards working back, defensemen moving the puck quickly and connected support allow different combinations to turn defensive stops into attacks.

“The depth of our lineup maybe allows us to do that with whatever line is on the ice,” Craig said.

Bowman embodies that flexibility. Alongside Marc Gatcomb and Nic Dowd, he brings forechecking pressure and dependable defense. His special-teams opportunities expand the ways he can contribute.

“He can play up and down our lineup. He can play on the special teams,” Craig said. “Braeden’s a very responsible, detail-oriented player.”

Stone sees a benefit that reaches well beyond October. Sharing the workload now can help preserve the players Vegas will need most when the season reaches its decisive stretch.

“If you can have your top guys playing 16 to 18 minutes a night and rolling over lines, it’s the formula for us going into that time of year,” Stone said.

“It’s a good thing to have four lines that are ticking.”

The stars remain the headliners, sure, but Vegas’ encouraging development is seeing many teammates help carry the show.

PHOTO CAPTION

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against the Nashville Predators during the first period at Bridgestone Arena.

The New York Islanders continued their inconsistency on Thursday in Canada's capital, as the Ottawa Senators knocked off the Islanders 2-1 in a shootout.

Matias Maccelli scored with 12 seconds left in the first period, giving the Islanders a 1-0 lead.

However, Ridley Greig, who was picked using the Islanders' 2020 first-round pick dealt to Ottawa for Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored with under five minutes to go in the second period.

Long Island native Shane Pinto scored the shootout winner, knocking off the Islanders 

Semyon Varlamov, in his second start of the season, made 18 saves and played a terrific game.

“He looked like the old Varly, which is great to see, and it’s great for us because we’re going to need him.”

Pete DeBoer on Semyon Varlamov's bounce-back performance against Ottawa.

More @TheElmonters#Isles Free Friday ⤵️https://t.co/HSpwsjHzao

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) October 16, 2026

Outside Varlamov, it was inconsistent and frustrating play that plagued the Islanders on Thursday.

That's to be expected when learning an entirely new system of a play from a brand-new coach in just the seventh game of the season.

With the score tied 1-1, and with both teams pushing for a winner, Islanders' Head Coach Pete DeBoer made the call to shorten his bench.

#Isles HC Pete DeBoer sat three players for the remainder of the third:

Ritchie: 11:30 left (penalty, on ice for GA in 2nd)

Duclair: 9:25 left (penalty in 2nd)

Kessel: 12:30 left

“The players make those decisions for me.”

DeBoer cited puck management issues and penalties.

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) October 16, 2026

Cal Ritchie and Anthony Duclair can only look to use it as a learning moment. 

It's very easy to forget that Ritchie is still just 21 years old and has only played 79 NHL games in his career. He's still learning the ropes, as much as anyone could, and has had three head coaches in those games (Jared Bednar in COL, Patrick Roy, DeBoer).

Ritchie is going to be just fine.

Duclair, meanwhile, is someone DeBoer has already been happy with and publicly praised for his effort last week following the win over the Chicago Blackhawks:

"I thought he had an excellent camp," DeBoer said after the Chicago game. "I thought he was great the first two games. I thought he took a step back in the Ranger game, and I talked to him this morning and said, 'I need you to get back to what you were doing because he was becoming a really important part of our group,' and he responded tonight. 

"He did a great job, and I'm glad he got rewarded because that's a little while coming. He could have had a couple in the first couple of games."

The easy thing to do is jump to conclusions about what it may or may not mean for Duclair long-term when Mathew Barzal returns.

This isn't that. This is a player DeBoer believes in, and wants to get the very best out of. Sometimes, that means taking a hardline approach in a tight situation.

As for Matthew Kessel, it might even be less about him and his play and more about wanting to maximize Matthew Schaefer's minutes.

Schaefer played over 29 minutes in the shootout loss Thursday, and that meant Kessel's late ice time got sacrificed.

For all three players the takeaway should be simple: Take care of the puck, and don't take unnecessary penalties on the road. In other words, don't put the team in a bad spot.

The Islanders are next in action Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, whom they lost to begin this season. We'll see if there's any major lineup changes then.

On Thursday, the Winnipeg Jets came close to engineering an epic comeback, but the Chicago Blackhawks held on for their third win of the season, a 4-3 overtime victory.

It was a hard-fought night for the Jets, who were left chasing a Chicago team that has been energized by the recent return of captain Connor Bedard. The boost was already evident Tuesday, when the Blackhawks surprised the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 5-3 win.

Winnipeg was stunned by Chicago's start as Bedard broke the ice with a power-play goal eight minutes into the game, and Frank Nazar, back in the lineup after serving a two-game suspension, added a goal later on.

The Jets may have found their interim Josh Morrissey replacement in Neal Pionk, who was fresh off a multi-assist game in Winnipeg's 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, he stayed hot with his first goal of the season, a blast from the point. The Blackhawks did not back down, though, scoring their third goal of the period when Ryan Donato netted his second of the season.

Pionk'ed 💥 pic.twitter.com/T7DADsdRhs

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) October 16, 2026

Winnipeg was slow to get back into it, but they gradually chipped away, outshooting Chicago 25-12 over the final two periods. Kyle Connor scored Winnipeg's second goal of the game in the second period, and early in the third, Alex Iafallo tied the game at three with his second goal of the season.

Jets fans may remember one of the last times Winnipeg visited Chicago and lost in overtime, when Bedard beat Connor Hellebuyck for the game-winner. Fate repeated itself Thursday. Patrick Kane and Bedard passed the puck back and forth before Bedard dropped it to Artyom Levshunov, and the former second overall pick ripped a shot from the high slot for the winner, repeating history for the Jets in the Windy City.

It was a standout night for Pionk, who recorded his second straight multi-point game and assisted on the two other Jets goals he did not score. Mark Scheifele, Morgan Barron, Isak Rosen and Brad Lambert also recorded assists.

It was the first tough outing of the season for Stuart Skinner, who has been steady for Winnipeg so far. On Thursday, he allowed four goals while stopping 24 of 28 shots in a close game.

The Jets return home Saturday for one of their biggest matchups of the season, an afternoon matinee against the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.

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The Senators' 2026-27 NHL season is barely underway, but they've already used more defencemen than any other team in the league.

The Senators have dressed 10 different D-men this season, and as of Oct. 16, that's the highest total in the league. The Philadelphia Flyers, who are 0-6-3 and host the Sens on Saturday, are next with nine.

For the Sens, it's a crazy amount of turnover, especially for a team that's in first place in the tough Atlantic Division with a 6-2 record.

The list of defencemen used by the Senators so far includes Thomas Chabot, Jake Sanderson, Jordan Spence, Tyler Kleven, Carter Yakemchuk, Nikolas Matinpalo, Cameron Crotty, Hoyt Stanley, Jorian Donovan and Artem Zub.

The Senators began the season without Zub, who was still recovering from an injury suffered last season. Then, in the season opener against Toronto on Oct. 3, they lost Sanderson, their best all-around defenceman and probably their most important player. He'd already been dealing with a nagging lower body injury all through camp.

Losing two of their top three defensemen was a major blow, but the injury problems didn't stop there.

Matinpalo was injured on Saturday against the New Jersey Devils after being hit from behind by Anthony Mantha. It appeared to be a concussion, leaving the Senators without three regular defencemen.

For rookies like Yakemchuk, Stanley and Donovan, the situation has created great opportunities. For Yakemchuk, it's been more ice time and responsibility. For Stanley and Donovan, it's a chance to show they can play in the NHL.

The blue line turnstile has also put extra pressure on Chabot, who's had more than his share of injuries in the past. He's not only returned to the heavy time-on-ice totals of the past, his current 26:59 average is higher than any season in his career.

Zub's welcome return on Thursday shaved two and a half minutes off Chabot's workload against the Islanders, and as Zub played well and got through the game without tweaking anything, the Sens hope this marks the beginning of a healthier stretch.

After all, it's only mid-October, and the Sens have already gone through enough defencemen to fill up nearly two NHL blue lines.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks “3 Standouts From The Game.” In this recurring series, The Hockey News’ Canucks team will do a deep dive into three standouts from Vancouver’s last game. This article will focus on the Canucks’ most recent 3–2 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers. 

Leevi Meriläinen

Another game, another strong performance from Leevi Meriläinen. Thursday’s game marks the third consecutive matchup he’s played in that saw him face 30+ shots. He’s also, impressively, stopped 30+ shots in each of these three games. In Thursday’s effort, Meriläinen faced a total of 39 shots and stopped 36. 

While Vancouver did help him out during the second period, Meriläinen had to be sharp in the first period to help the Canucks build and keep their lead. He stopped all 15 shots faced from Florida during the opening frame, also turning away 10 high-danger chances for the Panthers. 

Defenceman Elias Pettersson 

Elias Pettersson has been the Canucks’ best defenceman to start the 2026–27 season. On Thursday, he continued to assert that idea. The defenceman scored his third goal of the season, tying himself with Jake DeBrusk and Marco Rossi for the second-most on the team. 

Away from the scoresheet, Pettersson has continued to make a positive impact on both sides of the ice. He’s become a staple on Vancouver’s main penalty-killing unit alongside Filip Hronek, also showing that he has developed a better sense for jumping up into the play when needed. It’s clear he has gained Canucks Head Coach Manny Malhotra’s trust, as he finished last night’s game with the second-highest minutes played for Vancouver with 22:35. 

Filip Chytil 

Regardless of how he played last night, all eyes were bound to be on Filip Chytil heading into his first matchup of the season. For a player that hasn’t seen a regular-season game situation since the beginning of February, he made a fair impact. Chytil flashed the speed he’s best known for to help his team try and generate some offence, utilizing this to battle for the puck along the boards and feed Pettersson for Vancouver’s second goal of the game. 

While there were some moments that saw Chytil cough the puck up or overcomplicate a play, as a whole, he had a strong season debut for Vancouver. His effort saw him log the third-most minutes of Vancouver’s forwards with 18:30, behind only Brock Boeser (22:18) and Elias Pettersson (21:36). 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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