The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to take on the San Jose Sharks on Monday for the first meeting between the two teams this season. It'll also be the first time that Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg will face each other in the NHL since they were drafted first and second overall in the 2026 draft, respectively.
With the two teams seeing each other at Scotiabank Arena on Monday night, the discussion of that 2026 draft is only natural, and Stenberg was asked about what his meetings were like with the Maple Leafs and the process of potentially being selected first overall instead of McKenna.
McKenna was the projected first overall pick of the 2026 draft, and that remained true through the official selection by the Leafs. But regardless, Stenberg felt that he didn't have a chance at being taken by Toronto back in June.
"I had met with (the Maple Leafs) during the year, but I don’t know," Stenberg said. "They wanted another guy, and I accept that. But I’m super happy I’m with the Sharks.
"You kind of feel when a team wants you or not, or how interested they are," Stenberg said. "You get a feeling, and I think that feeling was pretty (accurate)," the Sharks rookie added.
So far in Stenberg's rookie season, the 19-year-old has scored two goals and six points in eight games and averaged 15:51 of ice time per game. He's coming off a two-point performance against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, which saw him score his second goal of the year.
In comparison, McKenna has two goals and five points in the first nine games of his young NHL career, logging 14:23 of ice time per game. In the last two games, the 18-year-old hasn't gotten on the scoresheet, but had just come off a four-game point streak prior to that.
Playing in different conferences and on opposite sides of the continent, McKenna and Stenberg won't get to see each other often with their current teams. But San Jose's rookie recalls meeting Toronto's rookie multiple times before the season.
"I met him at the combine and at the draft," Stenberg said of McKenna. "He’s a good guy, really good on the ice, too."
See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source
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.
There’s
something about Cole Caufield and Saturday nights. Once again, in the Montreal
Canadiens’ 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres, the sniper scored two goals,
including the overtime winner. The game didn’t start well for the trigger-happy
forward, though; in the first frame, he went in alone on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
and, instead of showing off his smooth hands, wound up taking a slapshot in
motion that missed the net entirely. Seeing a Canadiens player miss an
opportunity on a breakaway isn't rare, but seeing the Mosinee, Wisconsin,
native do it is quite out of the ordinary.
The
diminutive winger didn’t wait long to make up for the mishap; 14 minutes in, he
got a close-range chance when linemate Juraj Slafkovsky poked the puck away
from Olen Zellweger and straight onto Caufield’s stick. The puck was buried instantly,
giving the Habs a 2-1 lead. That was his 65th Saturday night goal, and before
the night ended, he added a 66th, the overtime game-winner. It stood as his
first game-winner of the season and, of course, his first overtime goal of the
new campaign. Last year, he led the league with 12 game-winning goals and five
overtime goals.
While some
do not like the pressure of playing in a market like Montreal, Caufield revels
in it:
“Saturdays
are great here. I think the other crowd, the building, the city, you can just
feel it,” Caufield said. “I like being in those moments. I think those are the
ones that you want the puck on your stick, and you want to make a difference
and be that guy, so I get excited for those.”
The
Canadiens have a couple of players like that, guys who live for those moments,
Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov, for instance, but with the young Russian on IR at
the start of the season, Caufield’s contribution becomes even more important. Coach
Martin St-Louis thought all hope was lost when he saw the Sabres get a
three-on-one in overtime:
“You look
at that sequence, they’re going on a three-on-one, and I’m like, no way,’” he said, laughing. “They miss the net; it’s a
breakaway. You talk about the emotions of a game. I mean, I was happy it was on
his stick.”
With the
game on the line and coming in hot in front of Luukkonen, Caufield made no
mistake; he picked his spot and sent a quick wrist shot right by the masked man
to the back of the net, sending an already buzzing Bell Centre into a frenzy. He
was understandably named the first star of the match, and as he came on the ice
for an interview, the 21,000 Habs faithful assembled for Saturday mass chanted
his name in unison.
When the
media got to speak to the man of the hour in the dressing room, he was
understandably all smiles and bore an uncanny resemblance to the smiley face
embroidered on the socks he wears post-game. He got the socks in a golf shop, and they are a bit longer than the others he has, so they're more comfortable, which is why he wears them; the smiley faces are just a lucky coincidence, but he wears them well.
38 of his
66 Saturday night goals came since the start of the 2024-2025 season, and in that
season and the following one, he set near-career marks for game-winning goals,
with 8 in 2024-25 and 12 last season. How many will he add this year? It
remains to be seen. But it's fascinating that 36 of his 174 career goals are
game-winners, and that 14 came in overtime. That, right there, is being a
gamer, a player that delivers when it’s most needed. The Canadiens can thank
their luck star: at the 2019 draft, the Florida Panthers chose Spencer Knight
and the Philadelphia Flyers chose Cam York, leaving them with an incredibly
talented winger who was thought to be too small for the league at number 15,
but has delivered big performances ever since.
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 05: Kaedan Korczak #6 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates during the game against the Winnipeg Jets at PPG PAINTS Arena on October 5, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Monday morning…
Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang recently marked 20 years since they first played together on Oct. 18, 2006. Twenty years later, the partnership—and friendships—still endure. [Post-Gazette]
Defenseman Kaedan Korczak is embracing a fresh start in Pittsburgh after spending the first several years of his NHL career with the Vegas Golden Knights, where he struggled at times to secure a consistent role. [Trib Live]
Penguins prospect Tanner Howe is entering his second professional season healthy and focused on earning a future NHL opportunity after injuries delayed the start of his career. [Trib Live]
The Penguins recalled defenseman Ilya Solovyov from the team’s AHL affiliate, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, on Sunday evening. The team also reassigned defenseman Ryan Johnson to the AHL in a corresponding move. [Trib Live]
News and notes from around the NHL…
The Florida Panthers made NHL history Saturday, becoming the first team to record natural hat tricks in three consecutive games during an 8-3 win over the Seattle Kraken. Carter Verhaeghe scored three straight goals to extend the streak after Brady Tkachuk accomplished the feat in Florida’s previous two games. [Sportsnet]
The Toronto Maple Leafs are willing to trade a premium asset to acquire a difference-making defenseman as they deal with injuries and struggles on the blue line. [Sportsnet]
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck could rejoin the team this Friday, Oct. 23, when his team-imposed suspension for failing to report to training camp is expected to end, according to reports. Hellebuyck requested a trade in the offseason and reportedly informed the Jets before their season opener that he intended to return, but his future with Winnipeg remains uncertain. [ESPN]
After some proper Sunday rest following the Ontario road trip, the Islanders return to work to prepare for this week’s visits form the SoCal teams, and we’ll learn what adjustments they’ll make with two regular forwards out with injuries.
Islanders News
From Saturday’s injury-depleted win in Toronto: Takeaways…“We stuck to our systems. We trusted each other. There were a lot of great things,” said DeBoer. [Isles] Running mates Holmstrom and Pageau as players of the game. [Isles]
The injuries to Cal Ritchie and particularly Matias Maccelli will force some lineup decisions. Kyle MacLean, we can’t quit you. [Newsday]
The situation should present some opportunity, as well as pressure on Kyle Palmieri and Anthony Duclair to produce. [Post]
In praise of Ondrej Palat having a good, turn-back-the-clock game. [Post | THN]
Matthew Schaefer continues to be the sweetest human in the NHL. He brought a very young cancer sufferer to the game in Toronto and for the pre-game, rink-side interview. [NHL]
Elsewhere
The Flyers finally got a win, sadly, against the Senators, but took some more injury hits. [NHL] Prior to the Flyers winning, Kurtz checked in with a “this probably ends with Tocchet fired” piece. [Athletic]
In which the Jets players are asked about Connor Hellebuyck, who reportedly was ready to return as of Oct. 2 but was told, “not so fast, holdout” by the Jets. [Sportsnet]
The Stars are ready to talk contract, again, with Jason Robertson. [NHL]
Having full-time, dedicated EBUGs seems popular with NHL goalies, who could use the rest during drills and practices of an 84-game season.
Kyle Okposo is working with the NHLPA to help players have more…non-player identity, or something. [Athletic]
The Philadelphia Flyers have finally remembered how to win a hockey game, so the Colorado Avalanche won’t be facing a winless team on Monday after all. That’s one storyline off the table, but Philly still has plenty to prove.
After taking care of the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 5-2 win at Ball Arena on Friday, the Avalanche are heading to Xfinity Mobile Arena to face the Flyers, who entered the weekend still searching for their first win of the season. Philadelphia finally got it done Saturday, beating the Ottawa Senators 3-1 at home to improve to 1-6-3. Better late than never, right?
One win doesn’t exactly erase what’s been a rough start for Philadelphia.
Through 10 games, the Flyers have surrendered 34 goals, tied with the Buffalo Sabres for the most allowed among Eastern Conference teams. The difference? Buffalo has scored 27 goals of its own, while the Flyers have managed just 14—the fewest in the Eastern Conference. Scoring goals apparently isn’t high on Philadelphia’s list of priorities right now.
Nazem Kadri following morning skate on Friday.
A few teams around the league have been even worse defensively. The Chicago Blackhawks have allowed 36 goals, the Calgary Flames have given up 37, and the Vancouver Canucks have surrendered a whopping 45. That leaves Philadelphia tied for the fourth-most goals allowed in the NHL. Not exactly the kind of company you want to keep.
Meanwhile, Colorado has looked far more comfortable on both ends of the ice. The Avalanche enter Monday’s matchup with a 5-2-1 record, 36 goals scored, and 27 allowed. Only the Vegas Golden Knights (42) and Edmonton Oilers (37) have scored more than Colorado this season. Vegas has already played 10 games, while the Oilers have also had more opportunities to pad their totals. The reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes have scored 36 goals as well, though they’ve also played 10 games.
All things considered, the Avs are off to a pretty solid start.
MacKinnon and Lehkonen Are Running the Show
Here’s a stat that might surprise you heading into Monday’s game: Nathan MacKinnon isn’t the Avalanche’s outright leader in goals. Technically, he is—but he has company.
Through eight games, MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen are tied with eight goals apiece. Apparently, scoring goals is more fun when you have someone to share the spotlight with.
Philadelphia has lost four of its last five matchups against Colorado, although the Flyers did win the most recent meeting, a 7-3 blowout at Ball Arena on January 23. The last time these teams met in Philadelphia was December 7, 2025, when Colorado escaped with a 3-2 victory.
MacKinnon has six goals and 15 assists for 21 points in 22 career games against the Flyers. He’s been particularly productive lately, recording three goals and six assists for nine points in his last five games against Philadelphia. The catch? He hasn’t scored a goal in either of the teams’ last two meetings. He did, however, dish out two assists in that January 23 matchup.
Lehkonen has scored four career goals against Philadelphia. The last time he found the back of the net against the Flyers was during his first season with Colorado, about six months after the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022. So, yeah, it’s been a minute.
Cale Makar has also made his presence felt against Philadelphia, tallying three goals and three assists in his last five games against the Flyers.
Then there’s Martin Necas, whose goal total against Philadelphia might not jump off the page, but whose playmaking certainly does. He has 17 points in 20 career games against the Flyers, with 14 of those coming from assists. Clearly, he’s found a few ways to make himself useful against this team.
There's another reason for Avalanche fans to be optimistic heading into Monday's matchup: the power play may finally be finding its groove under new assistant coach Brett McLean.
Colorado scored a power play goal against Pittsburgh on Friday, offering an early glimpse of what this unit could look like under new guidance. It's only one goal, so nobody's handing out trophies just yet, but Monday presents another opportunity to show that a coaching change might have been exactly what this group needed. If the Avs can keep producing with the man advantage against Philadelphia, that early progress could start looking like something more than a one-game flash.
Blackwood Could Have a Field Day
Mackenzie Blackwood will likely get the start in net for Colorado, and if there’s a matchup tailor-made for him to put on a show, this might be it.
Blackwood took the loss in Colorado’s 7-3 defeat against Philadelphia in January, but his career numbers against the Flyers tell a much different story. In 16 games, he’s posted an 11-3-2 record, a 2.48 goals-against average, and a .917 save percentage.
Not too shabby.
He’s also coming in hot, having won his last two starts while posting a .929 save percentage. If he can keep that momentum going against a Philadelphia team that has struggled mightily to score, the Avalanche could be in for a comfortable night.
Of course, hockey has a funny way of making things complicated when they should be simple. Still, Blackwood has plenty of history against the Flyers from his days with the New Jersey Devils, and he’ll have a good opportunity to build on an already impressive record against them.
Can the Flyers Actually Score?
Matvei Michkov leads Philadelphia with four goals and one assist for five points through 10 games. Christian Dvorak and Trevor Zegras are next, each with two goals and two assists for four points.
That’s not exactly an intimidating offensive leaderboard, especially when you consider Colorado has already scored 36 goals this season.
Dan Vladar will likely get the start in net for Philadelphia. He hasn’t faced Colorado as a Flyer, but he’s familiar with the Avalanche from his four seasons with the Calgary Flames. In six career games against Colorado with Calgary, Vladar went 2-4 with a 3.88 goals-against average and a .887 save percentage.
Those numbers don’t exactly inspire confidence against an Avalanche offense that’s been lighting up the scoreboard. If Philadelphia wants to make this a competitive game, Vladar may need to stand on his head—and the Flyers will need to give him a little more help than they have over the first 10 games.
The Avalanche have the offensive firepower, the goaltending matchup looks favorable, and Philadelphia is still trying to figure out how to score consistently. The Flyers may have finally gotten that first win out of the way, but they’ll need a whole lot more than one victory to keep pace with Colorado.
Puck drop is scheduled for 5 p.m. local time on Monday at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Tampa Bay Lightning (6-2, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (8-2, in the Pacific Division)
Paradise, Nevada; Tuesday, 10:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights host the Tampa Bay Lightning as winners of three games in a row.
Vegas has an 8-2 record overall and a 5-1-0 record in home games. The Golden Knights have a 7-1-0 record when scoring three or more goals.
Tampa Bay has a 1-2-0 record on the road and a 6-2 record overall. The Lightning are 6-0-0 in games they score at least three goals.
Tuesday's game is the first time these teams meet this season.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: Parker Wotherspoon: out (upper body), Lukas Cormier: out (undisclosed), Victor Olofsson: out (undisclosed), Kai Uchacz: out (undisclosed).
Lightning: Yanni Gourde: out (hip).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Los Angeles Kings (0-4-2, in the Pacific Division) vs. Washington Capitals (5-3, in the Metropolitan Division)
Washington; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Kings, on a six-game losing streak, play the Washington Capitals.
Washington has a 4-1-0 record in home games and a 5-3 record overall. The Capitals rank ninth in NHL play with 39 total penalties (averaging 4.9 per game).
Los Angeles has gone 0-1-2 on the road and 0-4-2 overall. The Kings are 0-3-0 in games they have more penalties than their opponent.
The teams meet Tuesday for the first time this season.
INJURIES: Capitals: Justin Sourdif: out (illness), Rasmus Sandin: out (knee), Patrick Thomas: out (upper-body), Pierre-Luc Dubois: out (illness), Matt Roy: out (lower body).
Kings: Jakub Dvorak: out (upper-body), Mats Zuccarello: out (undisclosed), Kevin Fiala: out (leg), Jan Jenik: out (undisclosed), Alex Turcotte: out (undisclosed).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
It's not a secret that the Pittsburgh Penguins have struggled to find consistency in the early going of the 2026-27 season.
But, although it has not been perfect, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) have gotten off to a pretty decent start — and that includes some of their top players.
To go along with a decent 3-2-1 start this season, forwards Avery Hayes and Rutger McGroarty have been lighting up the AHL during the season's first six games. Hayes and McGroarty each have nine points, which - as of Sunday - make them tied for third in AHL scoring. Atley Calvert (eight points) and Mikhail Ilyin (seven points) are not far behind, and neither are Tristan Broz (six points), Bill Zonnon (five points) and defenseman Jake Livanavage (five points in five games).
In addition, goaltender Taylor Gauthier - who is playing in his first full AHL season and has split time with Joel Blomqvist up to this point - is 2-1 with a .915 save percentage.
Hayes and McGroarty, especially, have been making very strong cases to see NHL action. The 24-year-old Hayes has goals in four of six games so far this season for WBS, and he has been a menace on both special teams units. In addition to two power play goals, he also has a shorthanded goal, and his versatility has, once again, proven valuable to the WBS Penguins.
McGroarty, 22, definitely qualifies as a player with something big to prove. He began the season with the NHL club and did not appear in a game before being sent back to WBS due to players coming back from injury. McGroarty has been a man-advantage weapon for WBS, scoring three power play goals, and he has averaged a team-high five shots per game so far this season. He has a four-point and a three-point game this season.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) October 17, 2026
The two of them have continued to display a high degree of chemistry on a line together, as they have flanked Broz on the first line. This is a combination that dates back to last season, and the success has followed through to this season. In Saturday's 6-3 win over the Cleveland Monsters, those three players combined for six points.
Calvert, 23, is a player to watch as well. He signed a two-year NHL entry-level contract this summer, and he is building on his productiveness from the last two seasons. The undrafted center has 28 goals and 60 points in 102 career AHL games, and his two-way prowess is beginning to make him a standout as far as the pecking order with NHL call-ups.
Zonnon - selected 22nd overall in the 2025 NHL Draft - is playing in his first full AHL season, and he's looking very much like a formidable two-way center so far. He's largely been centering a third line with Tanner Howe and Calvert, and his multidimensional, pro-ready toolset has been an asset to WBS so far.
Finally, don't sleep on Livanavage, the 6-foot, 186-pound left defenseman who the Penguins signed to a two-year entry level contract out of the University of North Dakota late in the 2025-26 season. Much focus, understandably so, is centered on Owen Pickering and Harrison Brunicke, but Livanavage has been their most prolific offensive blueliner to start the season and has helped anchor their power play.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Kirill Kaprizov broke a second-period tie with his NHL-leading 10th goal, Jesper Wallstedt stopped 13 shots and the Minnesota Wild beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 on Sunday night.
Danila Yurov also scored to help the Central Division-leading Wild improve to 6-2-1.
Adam Fantilli scored for Columbus. Cam Talbot made 32 saves.
Kaprizov broke a 1-1 tie with a power-play goal at 3:06 of the second, beating Talbot over the shoulder from the bottom of the left faceoff circle.
Both goalies stood tall early in the first period. Wallstedt denied Connor Garland on a breakaway two minutes into the game. Then Talbot made three saves as the Blue Jackets killed off a 5-on-3 power play that lasted 1:52.
Minnesota got on the board late in the first period. Yakov Trenin scooped up a turnover at the Columbus blue line, beat a defender on the way to the net, then feathered a pass across the slot where Yurov was waiting to tap it in.
FLAMES 3, HURRICANES 2
CALGARY. Alberta (AP) — Yegor Sharangovich scored the go-ahead goal with 4:28 left and Calgary ended Carolina’s seven-game winning streak, beating the defending champions for their second victory of the season.
Morgan Frost set up the winning goal after scoring on a power play in the second period. Matvei Gridin also scored, and Devin Cooley made 34 saves to help Calgary improve to 2-6-0.
On the deciding play, Frost sent a saucer pass across the slot to Sharangovich, who one-timed it as soon as the puck landed on his stick and picked the top corner, sending goalie Brandon Bussi’s water bottle flying.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jalen Chatfield scored for Carolina, and Bussi made 31 saves. The Hurricanes dropped do 7-2-1.
CALGARY. Alberta (AP) — Yegor Sharangovich scored the go-ahead goal with 4:28 left and the Calgary Flames ended Carolina's seven-game winning streak, beating the defending champion Hurricanes 3-2 on Saturday night for their second victory of the season.
Morgan Frost set up the winning goal after scoring on a power play in the second period. Matvei Gridin also scored, and Devin Cooley made 34 saves to help Calgary improve to 2-6-0.
On the deciding play, Frost sent a saucer pass across the slot to Sharangovich, who one-timed it as soon as the puck landed on his stick and picked the top corner, sending goalie Brandon Bussi’s water bottle flying.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jalen Chatfield scored for Carolina, and Bussi made 31 saves. The Hurricanes dropped do 7-2-1.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Wild center Danila Yurov is beginning to find his offensive game, and head coach John Hynes believes the 22-year-old has the potential to become an important piece of the organization’s future.
Yurov scored his third goal in his last four games during Minnesota’s 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday, continuing an impressive offensive stretch for the former first-round pick.
But following the victory, Hynes made it clear that Yurov’s contributions extend well beyond his recent scoring success.
In fact, the Wild coach believes Yurov has the potential to become a first- or second-line center in the NHL.
“The puck pressure, the reads, the hockey sense with Yurov are, even last year, they’re, like I keep talking to him, he’s going to be a top-two line center the way that he thinks the game, sees the game,” Hynes said.
“Now, we’re starting to see his skating, his confidence, his offensive instincts, on top of his hockey smarts and acumen without the puck, which is excellent.”
It’s a significant endorsement from Hynes, particularly considering the attention surrounding Yurov’s future in Minnesota.
The 24th overall selection from the 2022 NHL Draft has been mentioned in trade speculation involving Detroit Red Wings former captain Dylan Larkin, an established NHL center who could immediately strengthen Minnesota’s lineup.
While there’s no indication a trade involving Yurov is imminent, his recent emergence presents an interesting situation for the Wild.
Minnesota has been looking for additional help down the middle, but one of its youngest centers is beginning to show why the organization invested a first-round selection in him.
And according to Hynes, the development taking place goes much deeper than the scoresheet.
Yurov’s Development Goes Beyond Scoring
WILD SCORE FIRST! 💥
Yakov Trenin makes a nice move to find a wide open Danila Yurov for the finish.
One of the biggest challenges for young centers transitioning to the NHL is learning how to handle the responsibilities that come with the position.
It’s not simply about generating offense. Centers are expected to support their defensemen, win puck battles, make responsible decisions through the neutral zone and contribute in all three zones.
For Yurov, those details have been among the strongest parts of his game.
Hynes has repeatedly praised the young Russian’s hockey intelligence and ability to read plays, qualities that have helped him earn additional responsibilities despite his limited NHL experience.
That includes time on the penalty kill, where Hynes believes Yurov has already established himself as a reliable option.
“He’s been excellent on the penalty kill,” Hynes said.
It’s an encouraging sign for a player whose offensive abilities were a major part of his appeal when Minnesota selected him in the first round.
While Yurov’s recent goals have attracted attention, his ability to contribute without the puck could ultimately determine how quickly he develops into the top-six center Hynes envisions.
And another important part of that development is taking place in the faceoff circle.
Former NHL Center Derek Stepan Helping Yurov
Yurov has been working with former NHL center Derek Stepan to improve his faceoff ability, something Hynes specifically highlighted following Sunday’s victory.
“The faceoffs, he was over 50% on the faceoff circle. He’s been working with [Derek Stepan]. He puts time and effort into it,” Hynes said.
Stepan, a native of Hastings, Minnesota, brings extensive NHL experience to the process. The former center played 890 regular-season games across 13 NHL seasons, recording 182 goals, 333 assists and 515 points.
He also appeared in 120 Stanley Cup playoff games, contributing 20 goals, 35 assists and 55 points.
Throughout his career, Stepan established himself as a dependable NHL center who understood the responsibilities of playing in the middle of the ice.
That experience provides Yurov with an opportunity to learn from someone who spent more than a decade competing against some of the league’s best players.
Faceoffs are particularly important for a young center looking to earn more ice time and responsibility. Winning draws can help a team establish possession, relieve pressure in the defensive zone and create offensive opportunities immediately following a faceoff.
For a player like Yurov, improving in that area could make him a more complete option for Minnesota’s coaching staff. His work with Stepan also demonstrates the commitment Hynes has noticed throughout his development.
Yurov isn’t simply relying on his natural offensive talent. He’s putting in additional work to improve the details necessary to become an everyday NHL center.
So far, it has paid off. He had the lowest faceoff percentage in the NHL last season for centermen who took at least 742 draws (39.2 percent). He's at 56.6 percent this season.
An Interesting Decision Could Be Ahead For Minnesota
Yurov’s recent emergence comes at an interesting time for the Wild.
Minnesota has been linked to Detroit's Dylan Larkin in trade speculation as the organization continues looking for ways to strengthen its center depth.
Larkin would provide the Wild with an established top-six center capable of making an immediate impact. However, acquiring a player of his caliber could require Minnesota to part with valuable young assets, potentially including Yurov.
And that’s where Hynes’ comments become particularly interesting.
The Wild are reportedly exploring the possibility of acquiring an established center, yet their own head coach believes one of their young players has the potential to develop into a first- or second-line center himself.
At 22 years old, Yurov is still in the early stages of his NHL career. There will undoubtedly be growing pains, and a four-game scoring stretch doesn’t guarantee he’ll reach the ceiling Hynes envisions.
But his recent production, defensive awareness, penalty-killing contributions and continued improvement in the faceoff circle suggest his development is moving in the right direction.
“So, it’s nice to see, particularly early in the season to see him get on the scoresheet, get some confidence that way because there’s so many things that are trending in the right direction with him, and that’s certainly one of them,” Hynes said.
For Minnesota, the challenge is balancing the desire to improve immediately with the potential of its young players.
Larkin could provide an immediate solution down the middle, but Yurov is beginning to demonstrate why he could eventually become part of that solution himself.
And when a head coach publicly projects a 22-year-old as a future top-two-line center, it raises an important question about how much the organization should be willing to sacrifice to acquire an established one.
For now, Yurov continues to make his case on the ice.
With three goals in his last four games and increasing trust from Minnesota’s coaching staff, the young Russian is giving the Wild plenty to consider as they evaluate both their present needs and their future down the middle.
See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source
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.
With some injuries piling up on the left side of the blue line, the Pittsburgh Penguins made a roster move Sunday to give them another body for the last leg of their current Western road swing.
These moves come a day after defenseman Sam Girard was injured during the second period of the Penguins' 6-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, when Girard was tripped by Vegas forward Brett Howden and flew awkwardly into the bottom of the wall shoulder-first.
In addition, Trevor van Riemsdyk is still working out in Pittsburgh and rehabbing from a lower-body injury. He is currently on injured reserve.
Solovyov, 26, began the season on the Penguins' NHL roster. After failing to appear in a game, the Penguins waived him on Oct. 9 in hopes that he would pass through waivers and join WBS to have an opportunity to be in the lineup every night. In three games for WBS, Solovyov had one assist and was a plus-6, largely playing top-pairing minutes with right defenseman Harrison Brunicke.
The 6-foot-3, 229-pound defenseman was traded to Pittsburgh during the second half last season and appeared in 14 games, registering five points to go along with a plus-1.
Johnson, 25, is a former first-round pick (31st overall in 2019) who was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 12. He has yet to appear in an NHL game this season, and he has seven assists in 47 games across three season, all of which were accrued in 41 games during his rookie season in 2023-24.
The Buffalo Sabres had a tough test Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens, but they ultimately fell to the Habs in a 4-3 overtime win for Montreal. The ‘loser’ point was beneficial to the Sabres, but against arguably the Atlantic Division’s top team, Buffalo had an opportunity to send a shot across the bow to the Canadiens, and they failed to do so.
The Sabres are by no means a perfect team, but they are very much a work-in-progress. You might say the same about every team, but Buffalo’s pressure is different in that their15-year Stanley Cup playoff drought ended last season, and they now have to take the next step forward – and that’s getting beyond the second round next spring.
But what the Sabres really need to do – something they owe their loyal, long-suffering fans – is pull off a blockbuster trade involving one player or another.
Could that be current Winnipeg Jets malcontent goalie Connor Hellebuyck? It could be. Could it be Detroit Red Wings star center Dylan Larkin? Highly unlikely, but stranger things have happened. Or could there be a star player who suddenly appears on the trade block? That’s the most-likely development for Buffalo.
The Sabres have $1.8-million in salary cap space, so if they are going to acquire a name-brand player with a high salary, they’re going to have to move out money, either in the blockbuster trade, or in a subsequent move. But the other thing Buffalo GM Jarmo Kekalainen could use in a blockbuster swap is his first-round draft picks. The Sabres have all of their first-rounders in the next three drafts, so peeling off one of them wouldn’t hurt a win-now team like Buffalo.
The Sabres don’t need any high-end talent on ‘D, but their current goaltending setup doesn’t inspire much confidence. Veterans Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Colten Ellis have sub-.900 save percentages, and that’s why Buffalo has been linked to Hellebuyck. But the other area Buffalo could target is their top-six group of forwards. If the Toronto Maple Leafs had the assets to acquire star winger Kirill Marchenko from the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Sabres have enough trade capital to pick up a similar type of player.
Kekalainen has yet to orchestrate a blockbuster move of any sort in his one year (approximately) running the team. The truth is, Buffalo played so well that Kekalainen didn’t have an acute problem to deal with. But now that the Sabres have settled in a little bit, they could significantly shift the balance of power by bringing in a Grade-A talent.
You can give a player like Ryan McLeod his due for being an above-average NHL talent, but is he a star? No. And that’s what Buffalo needs – star power. That’s what Buffalo fans deserve – a player who can impose their will on games and electrify long-suffering Sabres fans. Some of Buffalo’s youngsters could evolve into superstars some day down the line. But in this moment in the Sabres’ competitive cycle, they need to be swinging for the fences on the trade market.
Sometimes, you never know what players come available. And if Kekalainen shakes the trees in the coming weeks and months, a high-end player could fall into Buffalo’s lap. The Sabres have every reason to bring in a star-caliber player, and if Kekalainen can acquire a top forward or goalie, that could prove to be the final piece of Buffalo’s championship puzzle.
Even though the Philadelphia Flyers are badly hurting due to injuries, especially at forward, they just created some intrigue by cutting loose more healthy bodies than they replace them with.
On Sunday, shortly after the conclusion of the Flyers' practice session, head coach Rick Tocchet revealed that forwards Tyson Foerster and Sean Couturier are game-time decisions ahead of Monday night's game against the Colorado Avalanche.
They join a growing list of Flyers players ailing and out of the lineup, with Travis Konecny, Cam York, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Owen Tippett all injured at the moment as well.
Later Sunday, the Flyers placed York on injured reserve, creating a free roster space, while sending forward Jack Studnicka and defenseman Helge Grans to the AHL.
The only corresponding move the Flyers made was calling up defenseman Hunter McDonald, a 6-foot-4, 240 pound defenseman who made his NHL debut last season against Montreal, recording an assist, a +3 rating, and four penalty minutes.
With the 24-year-old McDonald now on the roster, the Flyers still have two free roster spots available for use, though it's curious that they haven't made use of them just yet.
For instance, in Studnicka's case, the journeyman had recently overtaken the fourth-line center position with Couturier moving up higher in the lineup, as the Flyers preferred Studnicka at center over the versatile Noel Acciari.
Including Tippett, Foerster, and Couturier, the Flyers have 12 forwards on their roster, and they would assuredly need to call up at least one forward to help close the gap.
What are the Flyers' options?
Travis Konecny is eligible to return from injured reserve for the Flyers. (Photo: Eric Hartline, Imagn Images)
Perhaps Travis Konecny, who is now eligible to return from injured reserve after missing seven days of action, is ready to hit the ice, though he wasn't spotted at practice on Sunday.
If needed, players like Jett Luchanko and Alex Bump are candidates to be called up by the Flyers, though, again, it's interesting they haven't already done so.
Bump, 22, would be especially interesting given that he has seven goals in five AHL games this season, including an overtime winner on Saturday night.
It's no secret the Flyers are starved for offense, and Bump would easily be the most deserving candidate for a call-up amongst the forwards.
Luchanko, with six points in six games, has been no slouch either, but the Flyers may prefer their top center prospect to have more development time in the AHL rather than serve as a band-aid solution for a rash of injuries for a game or two.
As for someone like Carl Grundstrom, the Swede was unavailable for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms due to personal reasons on Saturday night, so he might not be an option for the Flyers at the moment.
Other veterans in the AHL, like Nolan Foote and Danila Klimovich, are banged up and likely unavailable, too.
Also of note, the NHL no longer allows paper transactions, so Studnicka must return to the AHL and report for at least one game before he returns to the NHL; the Flyers can't assess Tippett, Foerster, and Couturier and then decide that they need Studnicka back for the Avalanche game.
This latest roster move from the Flyers is clearly a precursor to something more, though it is just unclear what that is at this time.
New York Rangers defenseman Alberts Smits, right, jumps in front of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Charlie Coyle during the first period of a NHL hockey game in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026.
It didn’t take long for Alberts Smits to provide a glimpse of what Mike Sullivan had hinted at.
Late in the first period Thursday, less than a minute before the Devils goal that began the Rangers’ unraveling at Prudential Center, Smits slammed his stick on the ice four times from the left circle. As play cycled behind the net, Smits knew he had an open shooting lane. Alexis Lafrenière slid the puck over. And Smits, the No. 5 pick in June’s draft, sent a shot toward the net around traffic that Nico Daws turned aside.
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.
So much of Smits’ acclimation to the NHL, as a rookie who skated on the third pair from the first day of training camp and never looked back, has revolved around the defensive layers. But the Rangers also think he has “an offensive dimension to his game that might be untapped,” Sullivan said.
There have been flashes through 10 games, even as Smits has yet to log a point — and, entering Monday’s game against the Ducks, remains the last Blueshirts regular without one. But the Rangers, who remain impressed with how he has performed with inevitable growing pains and mistakes mixed in, think that part of his game will eventually emerge too.
“I think the offense is gonna come,” Smits said Thursday. “Just gotta take care of the defense first. So that’s what I’m focusing on right now.”
Smits, who recorded a pair of assists with Latvia across four games at the Winter Olympics while stringing together six goals and 13 points in 38 games with Finland’s Jukurit last year, picked up his first unofficial point in the preseason — sending a nifty pass toward the slot that Taylor Raddysh deflected into the net. Sullivan has continually raved about Smits’ passing and physical poise, about how he doesn’t look like an 18-year-old on the ice, and that served as a tangible example in a game setting.
New York Rangers defenseman Alberts Smits, right, jumps in front of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Charlie Coyle during the first period of a NHL hockey game in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. AP Photo/Paul Vernon
The Rangers have waited for the first instance of that in the regular season. They entered play Sunday with 20 points — two goals and 18 assists — from defensemen this season, tied for the eighth most in the NHL, according to StatMuse, but have gotten 19 of those from their top four and the 20th via an assist from Braden Schneider. There hasn’t necessarily been a drop-off with Smits, though. Smits rank second on the Blueshirts in expected goals per 60 minutes (0.22) behind just Adam Fox this season, per MoneyPuck, and when Smits was on the ice Saturday, the Rangers carried an expected goals for percentage of 82.94, which marked the highest rate on the team, according to Natural Stat Trick. The Blueshirts also had a team-best expected goals against number (0.25) during Smits’ shifts in the team’s 1-0 overtime loss in Columbus too.
Smits was on the ice for the Blue Jackets’ winning goal at 4-on-4 in overtime — unable to disrupt a pass fully in the neutral zone and unable to get his stick on two others in the Blueshirts end before Kent Johnson’s winner — and only logged five shifts after the second period.
Part of the ice time issue, Sullivan said, stemmed from the Rangers being on the power play three times in the final frame. He has yet to carve out a role on either special teams unit, limiting his availability, and Smits skated just 14:46 — the lowest number among Rangers defenseman by over four minutes — in Columbus.
New York Rangers’ Alberts Smits (12) and Columbus Blue Jackets’ Sean Monahan (23) battle for control of the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. NHLI via Getty Images
“That’s [assistant coach David Quinn’s] call back there,” Sullivan said of Smits’ limited shifts in the third. “He’s running the defense.”
The sentiment echoed by the Rangers since the start of training camp hasn’t strayed from Smits looking like he belongs. Sullivan reiterated that again Thursday, labeling miscues as “mistakes of enthusiasm.”
Smits, when asked about evaluating his game so far, said Thursday that he has continued to try and get better each game, to stay on the right development track. The Rangers have given him the runway for that, opting for Smits’ upside over more experienced left-handed defensemen such as Matthew Robertson or Urho Vaakanainen. They embraced the potential for growing pains and learning curves that’d inevitably follow.
“The biggest challenge [for young defensemen] is the reads,” Sullivan said. “When to be aggressive. When to cut your losses, stay inside the dots, manage the dots, let the play come to you a little bit. That’s the hardest part, I think, of playing defense in this league, and that’s, I think, Smitty’s challenge moving forward. But we love his aggression.”
The defensive play, for the most part, has transferred to the regular season. The offense, for now at least, remains a work in progress from a production standpoint, with Sullivan believing that the Rangers — over time — could unlock more.
Amid Injuries And Three Consecutive Losses, Maple Leafs Call Up Vinni LettieriLettieri has yet to have a regular-season opportunity in his second season in the Leafs' organization. But now could be the right time.
'I Trust Him': Gavin McKenna Reveals Talk With Maple Leafs Coach Jim Hiller About Being Benched Against SabresToronto Maple Leafs' rookie Gavin McKenna and coach Jim Hiller revealed their conversation following the decision to bench the 18-year-old for the second half of the game against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.
