Category: NHL

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It's been a season of milestones for the Detroit Red Wings during their centennial campaign, as multiple rookies have not only made the team but also tallied their first of hopefully many goals at the NHL level.

And now, Nate Danielson can add his name to the list. Danielson, whom the Red Wings made their opening round selection (ninth overall) in 2023, scored the first goal of his NHL career on Tuesday evening against the Seattle Kraken. 

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Danielson redirected a shot from fellow rookie Axel Sandin-Pellikka past Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord for the historic tally. Immediately, rookie Emmitt Finnie retrieved the puck for a keepsake souvenir:

Just minutes later, Danielson would score what appeared to be a highlight-reel goal, only to have it ultimately waived off after Finnie was ruled to have entered the offensive zone an instant too early. 

While the Kraken would knot the score at 2-2 just minutes afterward, Danielson then collected an assist on a goal from Finnie, his first goal since Oct. 25. 

The Red Wings now have eight total goals scored by rookies so far this season, which is good for a three-way tie with the St. Louis Blues and New York Islanders for the second most in the NHL. 

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The Calgary Flames announced today that the organization has claimed forward John Beecher off waivers. The 24-year-old centre joins the club after spending the start of the season with the Boston Bruins.

Beecher, originally selected 30th overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, brings size, speed, and a responsible two-way game down the middle. Standing 6’3” and 220 pounds, he provides the Flames with a young, pro-ready option for depth at centre, particularly in a fourth-line role.

Beecher has appeared in 136 NHL games, recording 11 goals and 22 points over parts of three seasons. He is currently on a one-year contract valued at $900,000 and will be a restricted free agent at season’s end.

Sitting 32nd in the league standings, the Flames held top priority on the waiver wire and secured Beecher’s rights upon submitting their claim.

Beecher will join the Flames in Buffalo and will be available, if needed, against the Sabres.

The New York Rangers are set to play the Vegas Golden Knights tonight at 10 PM EST at T-Mobile Arena. 

Here’s all you need to know ahead of this matchup: 

Projected Lineup:

Forwards:

Will Cuylle - Mika Zibanejad - J.T. Miller

Artemi Panarin - Vincent Trocheck - Alexis Lafrenière

Jonny Brodzinski - Noah Laba - Conor Sheary

Juuso Parssinen - Sam Carrick - Taylor Raddysh

Defensemen:

Vladislav Gavrikov - Adam Fox

Carson Soucy - Will Borgen

Matthew Robertson - Braden Schneider

Goaltenders: 

Igor Shesterkin 

Jonathan Quick 

Notable Storylines: 

• Igor Shesterkin is set to start for the Rangers. 
• The Rangers are coming off of a 2-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. 
• Will Borgen is set to return to the lineup after missing two games with an upper-body injury.
• Juuso Parssinen will slot into the lineup in place of Adam Edström.
• Mike Sullivan has rejoined the team after a one-game absence due to personal reasons. 
• The Rangers currently hold a 10-8-2 record.
• The Vegas Golden Knights are coming off of a 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild

Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff provided an update defenseman Michael Kesselring, who left the Sabres 5-4 overtime victory over Detroit on Saturday early in the third period and was seen walking in a boot on Monday. 

"He's gonna be out an extended period of time, on the longer side……weeks,” Ruff said after the club’s practice on Tuesday.   

Kesselring was the main piece in the Sabres trade with Utah for winger JJ Peterka in June, but his Sabres career thus far has been hampered by injury. He missed a month after suffering an unspecified injury near the end of training camp, and after returning in late October, he played eight games before being sidelined again.  

Jacob Bryson took Kesselring’s spot in the lineup against Edmonton, playing the left side while Owen Power shifted to his off-side on Monday.  

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Ruff also provided some optimistic news on winger Zach Benson, who was also seen walking in the press box wearing a protective boot on Monday. 

“I talked to him this morning,” Ruff said. “I think he’ll join the morning skate (on Tuesday), so he’ll be that close.”

The 20-year-old had a quick start this season after recovering from an infection of a facial cut that required an overnight hospital stay. Benson had eight assists in eight games before suffering a lower-body injury.

Center Josh Norris and winger Jason Zucker participated in practice wearing grey non-contact jerseys on Tuesday, and Ruff indicated on Monday that the veteran winger could be available as soon as this weekend, when the Sabres play Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday and the Carolina Hurricanes in a rare Sunday afternoon matinee. 

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With the second-overall pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks selected defenseman Artyom Levshunov. The 6-foot-2 blueliner is viewed as a massive part of the Blackhawks' future, as he has very high upside.

Levshunov appeared in his first 18 career NHL games this past season with the Blackhawks, where he posted six assists and a minus-13 rating. Overall, the young blueliner naturally had some growing pains during his first NHL action. However, he is now already showing clear signs of breaking out for the Blackhawks early on this season. 

In 17 games so far this season with the Blackhawks, Levshunov has already recorded 10 assists, with five of them coming on the power play. He has also posted 15 blocks, 20 hits, and a plus-2 rating so far this season for the Central Division club. 

Yet, what's more encouraging about Levshunov's play is that he is only heating up as the campaign rolls on. Over his last five games, he has recorded five assists. He has also posted eight assists in his last nine games, so there is no question that he is feeling it right now.

If Levshunov can continue to set up his teammates offensively and improve his all-around game, he could be in for a very big year with the Blackhawks. It will be interesting to see how he builds on his hot streak, but there is no question that he is impressing. 

Ahead of the 2025-26 season, the Buffalo Sabres claimed goaltender Colten Ellis off of waivers from the St. Louis Blues. This was after the 25-year-old netminder posted a 22-14-3 record, a .922 save percentage, a 2.63 goals-against average, and three shutouts with the Blues' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, this past season. 

The decision to claim Ellis off of waivers is already looking like a great move by the Sabres, as the 2019 third-round pick is making an impact early on for Buffalo. 

In four appearances so far this season with the Sabres, Ellis has recorded a 3-1-0 record, a .914 save percentage, and a 2.76 goals-against average. This included him stopping 32 out of 33 shots he faced against the Edmonton Oilers in his most recent appearance on Nov. 17, which equates to a .970 save percentage.

If Ellis can continue to play this well for the Sabres as the season rolls on, the Sabres' decision to bring him in will only keep looking better. It will be fascinating to see how he builds on his strong start to his Sabres tenure, but right now, he is certainly impressing as a waiver wire pickup. 

As the NHL reaches the quarter-mark of the season, it's time to look at the league's Norris Trophy race.

After last week’s Hart Trophy ranking, we move on to the current top five candidates to take home the Norris, awarded "to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position."

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar won his second Norris Trophy last season, and it won’t be a surprise to see his name at the top again this time around.

Here are my top five NHL Norris Trophy candidates, as of Nov. 18.

5. Matthew Schaefer, New York Islanders

Matthew Schaefer has been quite impressive in the first quarter of this campaign for the New York Islanders.

In 19 games, the rookie has 15 points, tied for eighth in scoring among D-men. More impressively, he leads all blueliners in goals with seven and eight assists to go along with it. Schaefer has the third-most goals on his team and is tied with Mat Barzal for second in points, only behind Bo Horvat’s 23.

In addition to his scoring, he’s been putting the Islanders in great spots to win hockey games. At the moment, they hold the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. 

A contributor to that has been Schaefer’s ability to draw penalties and be on the right side of the puck. He's tied with Connor McDavid for the second-most penalties drawn in the NHL, with 12.

More telling, Schaefer leads the NHL in net penalties (penalties drawn minus penalties taken), at nine.

BetMGMNorris Trophy odds: 51.00/+5000

Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer Takes On Miro Heiskanen After Battling Cale MakarAfter a strong showing against the league's best defender, Schaefer battles another elite blueliner.

4. Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets

Winnipeg Jets’ Josh Morrissey is playing his way on Team Canada’s Olympic team after a great 4 Nations Face-Off campaign.

This season, he has three goals and 16 assists for 19 points in 18 games. With that, he’s on a five-game point streak and has points in 10 of his last 11 games. Morrissey is one of four D-men in the NHL full-time who average more than a point per game.

At 1.06 points per game, he’ll be challenging the 70-point mark for the second time in his career and the 80-point mark for the first time.

Morrissey is third in defensemen scoring and tied in second for the most primary assists from his position with nine.

Along with his scoring prowess from the back end, he leads the Jets in plus-minus with a plus-seven rating, sharing that top spot with defenseman Logan Stanley.

BetMGMNorris Trophy odds: 61.00/+6000

3. Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars

It feels that one of these seasons, Miro Heiskanen will win something. It could be a Norris Trophy or a Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars, which have been sniffing around the final for years.

Nonetheless, Heiskanen has been a key contributor to the team’s success and ability to get far into the post-season.

The closest the Stars defenseman has been to a Norris Trophy was in 2022-23, when he finished seventh in voting. He scored 73 points in 79 games that season. Last year, he didn’t receive a vote as he was forced to play just 50 games because of a knee injury and scored 25 points.

Heiskanen, 26, has already recorded three goals and 14 assists for 17 points this campaign, nearing last season’s point totals in much fewer games.

The Finnish D-man is not far removed from a six-game point streak, where he put up a goal and 11 assists. 

Additionally, Heiskanen is fifth in the NHL among all skaters in average ice time at 25:18.

BetMGM Norris Trophy odds: 26.00/+2500

2. Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks

Despite the Vancouver Canucks sitting sixth in the Pacific Division, Quinn Hughes has been a breath of fresh air for them.

With one goal and 19 assists, he’s second in scoring among D-men, totalling 20 points. He’s also tied with Makar for the most assists by a blueliner this season.

Among defensemen who have played a minimum of 50 minutes this season, Hughes has a 58-percent on-ice expected goals percentage, according to moneypuck.com. When he’s off the ice, the Canucks’ expected goals percentage decreases to 34.6 percent, the lowest among all D-men.

In English, the Canucks captain is vital to the team’s success offensively, even from the back end.

Furthermore, Hughes averages the most time on ice among all NHL blueliners, at 26:58 per game.

BetMGM Norris Trophy odds: 4.00/+300

NHL Hart Trophy Rankings: Bedard And Celebrini Crack A Surprising Top FiveAre the kids taking over? Bedard and Celebrini are among our top five NHL Hart Trophy front-runners so far, but there's no doubt two Avalanche superstars are crucial to their team's success.

1. Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche

It should surprise no one to see Cale Makar leading the way in these Norris Trophy rankings. He leads in enough categories that make his case to be named defenseman of the year in back-to-back seasons stronger than anyone else.

For starters, he leads all D-men in points with 25 in 19 appearances. The 27-year-old has six goals and 19 assists, leading the league with 12 primary helpers.

Makar also leads defensemen in plus-minus at plus-17, even-strength goals (six) and points (18). Incredibly enough, even with how much he does offensively, he only has 19 giveaways, according to moneypuck.com. For reference, Zach Werenski and Morgan Rielly lead in that category with 38 giveaways each.

Based on the start he’s had to this season, Makar is a candidate not just for the Norris Trophy but the Hart Trophy as well.

BetMGM Norris Trophy odds: 1.30/-333

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Macklin Celebrini nets third career hat trick for Sharks OT win vs. Mammoth originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

All the Sharks needed for an overtime 3-2 win against the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday night at SAP Center was three goals from Macklin Celebrini.

San Jose’s star center recorded the third hat trick of his young professional career and second of the season, completing the trifecta on the power play in overtime as just the third teenager in NHL history to have a hat trick that included an OT goal.

MACKLIN WINS IT IN OT 🚨 pic.twitter.com/qChCU6FVlY

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) November 19, 2025

Celebrini got off to a hot start Tuesday, scoring his first two goals within the first six minutes of the first period.

EVERYBODY LOVES A WILLMACK GOAL 🔥 pic.twitter.com/JU0jjpXxVf

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) November 19, 2025

MACKLIN X 2 🚨 pic.twitter.com/59EWMKm8BF

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) November 19, 2025

After a scoreless second period for both teams, the Mammoth struck back in the third to tie it 2-2 on two goals from JJ Peterka.

Celebrini was able to delivering the game-winning goal in OT and make more NHL history along the way, then was his usual humble self following the Sharks’ huge win.

“I mean, it’s great to find a way to win,” Celebrini told reporters after the victory. “That game probably didn’t go as we would have liked, but it’s good that we found a way.”

Celebrini also revealed that the Sharks are starting a new tradition for the player of the game, donning a shark jaw around his neck in a shirtless postgame interview — a departure from the random locker room items the team would award players before Tuesday night.

NEW WIN ITEM ALERT 🚨😂 pic.twitter.com/tk4RsLNl5w

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) November 19, 2025

Celebrini now has 30 points on the 2025-26 NHL season, making him the fourth teenager to hit that mark in 20 games or fewer after Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby and Mario Lemieux. He also is one of just six players in NHL history with three or more hat tricks as a teen, with his previous coming on Oct. 23, 2025, against the New York Rangers and April 9, 2025, against the Minnesota Wild.

Macklin Celebrini potted the overtime winner to complete his third career hat trick.

The 19-year-old @SanJoseSharks forward is one of six players in NHL history with 3+ hat tricks as a teenager.#NHLStats: https://t.co/JhhrQPsBfmpic.twitter.com/M9DGTcSvpw

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) November 19, 2025

While Tuesday night’s might have been Celebrini’s most electric hat trick yet, it certainly won’t be his last.

Download and follow the San Jose Hockey Now podcast

Jun 28, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators draft pick Tanner Molendyk shakes hands with incoming general manager Barry Trotz after being selected with the twenty fourth pick in round one of the 2023 NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena. Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

With the Nashville Predators having a six-day gap between games following their trip to Stockholm, Sweden, plenty of speculation is swirling about whether the club will make a coaching change or other moves this week.

In a Conversations and Coffee interview produced by the NHL and posted on YouTube over the weekend, Trotz and Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas sat down for a casual back-and-forth over coffee during the 2025 NHL Global Series in Stockholm this past weekend.

The two executives spent over 10 minutes quizzing each other about the state of their teams. Trotz didn’t reveal any earth-shattering news about what might come next for the Predators. He did, however, offer some insight as to where he views the team currently and moving forward.

On the subject of the team’s efforts to get younger, Trotz has often been reluctant to use the term “rebuild”. He took a similar stance in his conversation with Dubas.

“We’re in that transitional phase where we’re not in… I don’t want to say a rebuild,” Trotz said. “We sorta are, but I just call it a build. We’re starting to build. We’ve got some older players who hopefully can keep us relevant for a bit, and we’ve got some young players that we gotta wait for.”

That waiting process has become more difficult with the Preds’ disappointing start to the 2025-26 season. After earning a split with the Penguins in the two-game Global Series, the Preds stand at 6-10-4, giving them 16 points and placing them seventh in the Central Division.

Trotz acknowledged his team was short of playmakers, even joking to Dubas during their conversation, “I don’t have enough playmakers. Could you give me Sid (Sidney Crosby) or (Evgeni) Malkin for a little bit? I think they could be a little more productive.”

That alone is an indication Trotz is aware of the team's desperate need for offense, which is ranked 30th in the NHL with 48 goals.

The Penguins are in a similar situation: trying to get younger while maintaining a core of veterans in Crosby, Malkin and Kris Letang. Through 19 games this season, the Penguins are faring better than the Preds at 10-5-4 for 24 poins, good for third in the Metropolitan Division.

Malkin leads the Pens with 23 points, while Crosby is right behind with 21. Filip Forsberg, who skated in his 800th career NHL game in Sunday’s loss, leads the Preds with 15 points, followed by Ryan O’Reilly with 13.

Waiting for prospects to develop, then meshing them in with the core of veterans isn’t always easy.

“That’s the hard part in this business because we were in the playoffs for 14, 15 years, very similar to Pittsburgh,” Trotz told Dubas. “The cupboards were bare and we’re trying to fill the cupboards and now waiting is the hard part.”

Trotz also admitted during the interview there are certain aspects of coaching he still misses now that he’s in a GM role.

“One thing I miss, and I call it game day, is being in the dressing room and being a part of those quick decisions,” Trotz said. “I miss the real closeness I can have as a coach… You feel like you can affect things a little quicker.”

Which brings to mind the rumors swirling around the Predators about moving veterans in trades and a coaching change involving Andrew Brunette. Not surprisingly, Trotz had high praise for Brunette in his public chat with Dubas, calling him a “really good person for our organization.”

During media availability at the end of last season, Trotz declared both he and the organization were “standing behind him”, in reference to Brunette.

That was before the poor start to this season. If Trotz does decide to make a coaching change, would he go back behind the bench the rest of this season along with maintaining his GM duties?

One might read that sentiment into his comments about missing being in the locker room, but trying to fix a team from behind the bench and in the front office would be a lot to take on. The more likely scenario would be to bring in an interim coach, whether it’s Milwaukee Admirals head coach Karl Taylor or an assistant on Brunette’s staff.

There are no easy answers, either in the short- or long-term. One thing is clear, however: the Preds need fixing, and fast. Moves are sure to be made with trading veterans, making a change behind the bench, or both.

No matter how much Trotz publicly sugarcoats his team’s current situation, even he realizes the status quo cannot continue.

The Florida Panthers picked up an important two points on Monday night when they hosted the Vancouver Canucks in Sunrise.

Despite falling behind 2-0, Florida eventually stormed all the way back before blowing their own three-goal lead, eventually skating to an exhausting 8-5 win at Amerant Bank Arena.

For the Cats, it was a victory that came on a night where they were already playing a bit shorthanded.

In addition to the long-term losses the team is trying to manage, they were also without one of their most productive wingers on Monday and then during the game, one of Florida’s centermen went down with an injury.

As we’ve learned over the past several seasons, a little adversity isn’t going to stop the Panthers from trying to do what they do.

Let’s get to Monday’s takeaways:

PROGRESSIVELY IMPROVED

It was a strange night for the Panthers on Monday.

While they did well to suppress much of what Vancouver was trying to do offensively, there were some leaky moments that cost the Cats dearly.

As has been the case many times in the past, once they got back to a physical, predictable game, things started to move in the right direction for Florida.

“We got better as the game went on,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “We thought we were late on a lot of our forechecking pressure in our last game, and I thought that was our strength tonight.”

BIG SETH HEATING UP

It’s been a steady season for Panthers defenseman Seth Jones, but a quiet one, too.

He logged six assists over his first 15 games but has seen his offensively production take a major uptick lately.

Over his past four games, Jones has registered three goals and two assists.

All five of those points have come on the power play, too.

“Confidence is such a big part of what we do, and I think he's been looking for it,” said Maurice. “He's had a whole bunch of good chances that just haven't gone for him, he's either missed the net or didn't get the shot where he wanted it, but now it's starting to go for him.”

FOURTH LINE WINGS STEP UP

Florida center Cole Schwindt left Monday’s game late in the first period after an awkward collision with goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and did not return.

This came on a night where the Panthers were already down one of their regular forwards, with winger Eetu Luostarinen ruled out with a lower-body injury earlier in the day.

The injury to Schwindt caused Maurice to somewhat shorten his bench, meaning the shifts for fourth line wingers Noah Gregor and Luke Kunin were suddenly more difficult to come by.

That didn’t stop the gritty forwards from making the absolute best with their limited ice time.

Gregor had the primary assist on a goal by Kunin early in the second period, and they combined for three shots and a plus-three on-ice rating.

“Those two guys, you can't look at the minutes to decide how important they were to the game when Cole (Schwindt) went down,” Maurice said. “Sometimes you get a quiet night, you got to run your top three lines hard, just get them all into the game, and so both Noah Gregor and (Luke) Kunin had an important role in our game tonight. They didn't play as many minutes as they earned or they deserved, they deserve to play more based on the quality of their game, but that's a great example of making an impact and having an impact regardless of the number of minutes you play.”

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Photo caption: Apr 28, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones (3) shoots the puck against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third period in game four of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena. (Rich Storry-Imagn Images)

The Wraparound is back with more NHL and hockey topics in rapid-fire segments.

Can The Canadiens Overcome Their Injuries? by The Wraparound

Here's what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello, and Jack Williams discussed in this episode:

0:00: Can the Montreal Canadiens overcome their injury issues?

4:17: Can the Toronto Maple Leafs save their season?

8:04: Breaking down Brad Marchand’s hot start with the Florida Panthers

11:09: Could Spencer Knight be the Chicago Blackhawks’ long-term answer in net?

15:24: Projecting how the Dallas Stars will handle Jason Robertson’s next contract

19:41: How important is it for Elias Pettersson to have a positive offensive season?

23:10: Could Josh Doan end up being a big part of the Buffalo Sabres’ future?

26:07: Looking at the most likely outcomes for the Nashville Predators this season

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

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Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat has been a streaky goal scorer throughout his entire NHL career, and he's currently on one of his usual heaters. 

DeBrincat has scored five goals in his past three combined games, including back to back contests in which he tallied twice. 

For his efforts, he was named one of the NHL's Three Stars of the Week, an honor that he described as "pretty cool". 

"It's pretty cool, there are a lot of good players in the League," DeBrincat said following practice on Tuesday. "I got a couple of chintzy goals there, but I'll take them all. But I think for us right now, it's keeping this momentum. Obviously, Buffalo wasn't great, but we had some good parts of the game and we gotta keep this good attitude going." 

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

DeBrincat also tallied during Sunday evening's 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, which was overshadowed by a postgame confrontation involving nearly all players from both clubs.

It began after Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick, who was on the bench for an extra attacker, took exception to Mason Appleton firing the puck into the empty net a split second after the final horn sounded. Quick charged at Appleton as both teams made their way onto the ice, resulting in a melee. 

DeBrincat said that while he understood Quick's beef with Appleton, he didn't think his teammate broke one of the unwritten hockey codes. 

Cat Scratch Fever: Red Wings' Alex DeBrincat Recognized By The NHL Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat is being recognized by the NHL after scoring five goals and adding an assist for six total points in his last three games.

"It is what it is, I think I see his point, but I thought it was close enough to the buzzer," DeBrincat said of the experience. "Obviously, his (Quick's) view on it was different."

"It's valid, I like the fire, it was kind of fun to get in there and got some cool pictures out of it," the smiling DeBrincat continued. "It is what it is, I think everyone has their own view on the play, and maybe if it was their team, I'd have a different stance."

"But I thought it was close enough to the buzzer."

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The man who was one of several people who helped transform the Chicago Blackhawks from a bottom-feeder into a dynasty is ready to return to the NHL. 

Al MacIsaac just needs someone to give him a chance. Or rather, a second chance. 

It’s been 16 months since the former Blackhawks executive, along with Stan Bowman and Joel Quenneville, was reinstated by the NHL. But while Bowman and Quenneville are back working in the league, MacIsaac remains out of a job.

“I’ve talked to a lot of teams within the league,” MacIsaac said in a phone interview from his home in Virginia Beach, Va. “The teams that are talking to me realize that I’m ready. There’s nothing holding me back, except the right opportunity with the right team.”

Bowman was hired by the Edmonton Oilers a mere three weeks after being reinstated by the league on July 1, 2024. In his first season in Edmonton, Bowman guided the Oilers back to the Stanley Cup final, where they lost to the Florida Panthers. Quenneville waited a full year after being reinstated by the league before getting hired by the Anaheim Ducks. Since then, the Quenneville-coached Ducks have become one of the hottest teams in the NHL. 

“I’m not surprised,” MacIsaac said of the successes of his former Blackhawks colleagues. “It’s been great to see. When Stan got his opportunity to go back to Edmonton, he went in with obviously a pretty solid roster, but you’ve got to give credit where credit is due. To go to the Stanley Cup final two years in a row is very difficult. And he was able to play a part in that success. 

“Coming into Anaheim, I just think Joel slid right into that role and instantly had the respect of his players. He just has a calm approach, and he does things that players appreciate. It’s a skill to have that.” 

In a lot of ways, the successes that Bowman and Quenneville are having these days is a continuation of the success they had alongside MacIsaac in Chicago. 

From 2010 to 2015, the Blackhawks won three Stanley Cups and 15 playoff rounds. MacIsaac was there for it all. Initially hired in 2000 as GM of the AHL team, he, along with coach Trent Yawney, oversaw the development of Hall of Fame defenseman Duncan Keith and so many others who were instrumental to those three championships. MacIsaac wore many different hats in his two decades with the organization. 

Eventually, he worked his way up to senior vice-president of hockey operations, where he worked side-by-side with Bowman and reported to then-president John McDonough.  

“It was pretty unique, actually,” said MacIsaac. “I made sure that all the miscellaneous things that can bog down a GM in his day, that I was going to take off his plate. It was a  behind-the-scenes role. It’s not always glamorous, but you’re doing a lot of the heavy lifting. In the roles that I’ve had, you don’t get a lot of credit. I have championship rings  that I’m proud of. That’s all the credit that I need.” 

In a salary cap era, what those Blackhawks teams were able to accomplish on the ice was pretty special.

“We were the first team to run into a cap crunch in 2010,” said MacIsaac. “In 2013, we rebuilt and added pieces and won again. And in 2015, after losing some players, we won again. It’s hard to do. I like to think it is a dynasty.” 

Despite all the success in those years, the 2010 season was marred by allegations that then-player Kyle Beach was sexually assaulted by the team’s video coach. An independent investigation in 2021 found that Bowman, Quenneville and MacIsaac, as well as McDonough, didn’t do enough to prevent the assault from occurring or handle the allegations in a timely and appropriate manner.

In the four years since then, MacIsaac has reflected on what he could have done differently, while also trying to pave a path forward. He spent time at home with his wife and three daughters. And for a couple of years, he volunteered stocking shelves at a local food bank. It’s his way, he said, of trying to make amends for a moment in his career that still carries a weight of regret.

“I had an opportunity to do a lot of things in my community that were really important to me to give back to the community in some ways,”  said MacIsaac, who said he and Beach have spoken a number of times. "I know it doesn’t do justice for Kyle, but it does help others. And I was trying to give back to the community to help others in the way that I wish I could have helped Kyle.” 

In his career, MacIsaac has been part of seven championship teams in four different leagues. He won a Memorial Cup as a player in 1986, won both as a player (1992) and then as a GM (1998) in the ECHL, a Calder Cup in the AHL (1993) and three Stanley Cups (2010, 2013 and 2015) with Chicago. 

“I started at the bottom as a general manager at 25 years old in the ECHL. I’ve ridden the bus for 16 years,” said MacIsaac, who in 2014 was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame. “And I have achieved the ultimate success of winning the Stanley Cup.”

Now, MacIsaac just wants to get back to what he loves. Like Bowman and Quenneville, he is just looking for the right opportunity.

“I’ve talked to a lot of teams in the league,” said MacIsaac. “I know I have the skill sets where I can come into any organization in any number of roles. But I’d love to come back in the same role, obviously, as a senior executive. I want to basically do a similar role, where I’m working alongside the general manager, and the president or ownership to build a Stanley Cup-winning team.

“I’ve been fortunate to be a part of three Cups and anyone who’s been a part of one will tell you they want another. You want to win again.”

The Calgary Flames claimed forward Johnny Beecher off NHL waivers from the Boston Bruins,  according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

In addition, Friedman reported thatPittsburgh Penguins forward Philip Tomasino and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Maxence Guenette were placed on waivers.

With Beecher being a 2019 first-round pick carrying a cheap $900,000 cap hit, it is not necessarily surprising that he was claimed. It is no secret the Flames need help on offense, sitting last in the NHL with 2.10 goals-for per game.

In six games this season with the Bruins, 24-year-old Beecher scored one goal and had a minus-1 rating. Last season, he had three goals and 11 points in 78 games.

Tomasino could very well generate some interest on waivers, as he is also a 2019 first-round pick and is still just 24 years old.

While he has recorded just one assist in nine games this season with the Penguins, he also had 11 goals and 23 points in 50 games for them last season after being acquired from the Nashville Predators. He also had 20 points in 41 games for Nashville in 2023-24.

Teams looking for help on offense could consider taking a chance on Tomasino with a low-risk waiver claim. This is especially so when noting that he has an affordable $1.75-million cap hit. 

As for Guenette, he was just acquired by the Flyers from the Ottawa Senators on Monday in exchange for defenseman Dennis Gilbert. He has yet to play a game this season, as he was an RFA before signing a one-year, $775,000 contract with the Flyers following the trade.

Guenette has recorded zero points and a minus-2 rating in eight career NHL games, with his last NHL appearance being during the 2023-24 season with Ottawa.

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The Montreal Canadiens have announced that defenseman Marc Del Gaizo has been reassigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Laval Rocket. 

Del Gaizo was called up to the Canadiens' NHL roster ahead of their Nov. 17 contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets, but did not play. Now, he is heading right back to Laval after being scratched for the Canadiens' matchup against the Blue Jackets. 

This is not the first time that Del Gaizo has been called up by the Canadiens to serve as an extra defenseman and then sent right back down. The 26-year-old blueliner is also still looking to make his regular-season debut with the Original Six club.

Del Gaizo will now be looking to make an impact after being sent back down to Laval. The Basking Ridge, New Jersey native has played in 11 games this season with Laval, where he has posted four assists, six penalty minutes, and a plus-4 rating. 

Les Canadiens ont cédé le défenseur Marc Del Gaizo au Rocket de Laval.

The Canadiens have loaned defenseman Marc Del Gaizo to the Laval Rocket. pic.twitter.com/YdBiZPRQXY

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) November 18, 2025

Del Gaizo signed with the Canadiens this off-season, ending his time with the Nashville Predators. In 55 games with Nashville over two seasons, he posted two goals, 10 assists, 12 points, 23 penalty minutes, and a minus-1 rating.