The Montreal Canadiens have made another roster move, as they have called up defenseman Adam Engstrom from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Laval Rocket. 

Engstrom undoubtedly has earned this opportunity on the Canadiens' NHL roster, as he has had a strong start to the 2025-26 season with Laval. In 18 games so far this season with the AHL squad, he has recorded five goals, nine assists, and 14 points.

Yet, what's more encouraging is that Engstrom is only getting better as the season rolls on. The Canadiens prospect has recorded three goals and seven points over his last three games alone. This included him scoring a goal and posting four assists in Laval's most recent contest against the Belleville Senators on Nov. 22. 

With all of this, it makes all the sense in the world that the Canadiens are giving Engstrom the chance to play on their NHL roster. He has been playing some excellent hockey lately in the AHL, and it will be fascinating to see how much of an impact he can make with the Canadiens after landing this call-up from here. 

The Buffalo Sabres came into the weekend trying to climb out of the Eastern Conference’s basement, and they kicked things off Friday with a 9-3 stomping of the Chicago Blackhawks. Then, Sunday, they beat a legitimate playoff team by claiming another ‘W’ in a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. 

Combined with the Toronto Maple Leafs’ continuing slump, the Sabres now sit in 14th place in the East, and they’ve won four of their past five games. But here’s the problem – there’s still six teams currently sitting between Buffalo and the eighth and final Stanley Cup playoff spot. And most of those teams are usually playing one another, so gaining ground is difficult if you’re 10th or 11th in your division, let alone 14th or 15th.

And now, as a thanks for their recent hot streak, the Sabres get two days off before they play four games in six days. And their opponents in those four games – the Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils, Minnesota Wild and Winnipeg Jets – are either in a playoff position, close to one, or they’ve been on a hot streak of late.

Meanwhile, once that stretch is over, the Sabres head out on a six-game road trip, with the only “gimme game” coming against the Calgary Flames. Every other game comes against a solid team like the Jets, or against a win-desperate team like the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks. 

(And as a reminder, Buffalo’s road record this season is 1-5-2. So that road trip could prove disastrous to the Sabres’ playoff aspirations.)

Sabres Defenseman Escapes Serious Injury Byram left the Sabres 9-3 win over Chicago in the second period, but returned soon afterward.

Give Buffalo credit for having at least a little fight in them. The question is, has this fight arrived too late in the season? And while the answer to that right now is ‘no’, before you know it, the answer will be ‘yes’. 

Thus, to dig out of the crater they created in the first quarter of the season, the Sabres are going to need a prolonged series of wins. Another stretch of four wins in five games will go a decent way in that regard, but the sobering reality is it’s going to take many more wins than that to make any serious headway.

Inconsistent Sabres Break Out In Rout Of BlackhawksBuffalo scores season-high nine goals against Chicago backup Arvid Soderblom

That means the biggest challenge is still ahead for Buffalo. So you can see why many, if not most Sabres fans are withholding their excitement until such time that the team earns their appreciation. 

There’s a lot of hockey still to play. But Buffalo needs a lot of help, and a lot more winning, to truly turn their season around. 

Happy American Thanksgiving as we approach one of the most pivotal dates in the NHL calendar. Historically, teams sitting outside the playoff picture by Thursday face a tough road ahead to make the playoffs.

Since the NHL adopted its current wild card format, about three-quarters of the teams currently in playoff position make the playoffs. Last season, 12 of the 16 teams held onto to their playoff spot for the remaining four-and-half months.

There might be a slight wrinkle this season because the standings have been so tight, so we might see a bit more variance than normal. The only teams I can say with confidence that aren’t going to make the playoffs are the Flames and Predators, with the Blues and Canucks teetering on the edge.

Given the holiday, there will be no games on Thursday. This is the one week in the NHL calendar where Tuesdays and Thursdays won’t feature a lot of action. Only one game will be played on Tuesday with 15 games each on Wednesday and Friday. It sets up a lot of back-to-backs for Friday-Saturday, so be prepared to start or stream some backup goalies.

If you want to squeeze five games out of a single roster spot, one of the things you can do is to stream a player for Monday’s games and then pick up a Star since they’re the only team to play four games from Tuesday to Sunday in Week 8. The most obvious choice on the Stars to do so is Tyler Seguin, who’s playing top six with PP2 and available in roughly 75% of Yahoo leagues.

Good luck and have a great Thanksgiving week.

All positions and rostered percentages are courtesy of Yahoo Fantasy.

Schedule

Pick players from teams at the top of the schedule matrix to maximize games and matchups. Green is good. Red is bad. Points percentages are as of Sunday morning.

Season-long adds (< 50% rostered on Yahoo)

Adam Fantilli, C, CBJ (46% rostered)

It was a slow start but patience pays off. Fantilli scored just two goals in his first 14 games but has since scored seven in eight. Obviously, his current pace will be difficult to maintain and I don’t expect him to keep this up, but he’s really solidified himself as their 1C option recently and it’s a role I don’t think he’ll relinquish for the rest of the season.

Jack Roslovic, C/RW, EDM (44% rostered)

This time next week, I don’t expect to see Roslovic in this space anymore. Zach Hyman’s still getting up to speed – two assists, minus-4 in five games – and it looks like the Oilers intend to keep Roslovic with Connor McDavid at even strength. Bumping Roslovic down to PP2 is a bummer, but keep in mind only one of his past nine points was scored on the power play.

Jet Greaves, G, CBJ (46% rostered)

There was a brief moment when it looked like Elvis Merzlikins was going to force the Jackets to go back to their rotation, but it looks like Greaves is really pulling away as their go-to starter. There have been some frustrating late-game collapses with the Jackets and all these games going into overtime will eventually take their toll – fatigue, mostly – but for the most part Greaves has been a solid starter all season.

Mid-term holds (< 50% rostered on Yahoo)

Tyler Seguin, C/RW, DAL (24% rostered)

I think Seguin deserves a special mention this week due to the Stars’ schedule. They’re the only team playing back-to-back Tuesday and Wednesday, and then play two more games at home after Thanksgiving. The timing’s pretty good, too, since Seguin has been on a hot streak with two goals and six points in his past five games.

Braeden Bowman, RW, VGK (7% rostered)

What a find Bowman has been for the Knights. He’s playing alongside Jack Eichel on both L1 and PP1, and the chemistry has been very good. Bowman’s a confidence offensive player who isn’t afraid to drive the net, shoot the puck or thread the needle with his passes, and his right-hand shot is an ideal replacement for Mark Stone.

Bowman’s scored a goal in three straight games, and I don’t really see him losing his spot any time soon. Even when William Karlsson comes back, Bowman has a chance to stay in his current spot. If you need offense in a pinch, Bowman’s a great under-the-radar pickup right now.

Jesper Wallstedt, G, MIN (44% rostered)

I’m very curious to see if the Wild are committed to a rotation or if they’re just playing the hot hand. Wallstedt has been very impressive lately with five straight wins, including three (!) shutouts. At this point, the Wild would be silly not to play him, and the question is what they do with their rotation when this hot streak inevitably ends. Filip Gustavsson has been playing a lot better, but we could see a rotation like we currently see with the Devils and Avalanche.

Jake Allen, G, NJ (35% rostered)

It was very interesting the Devils went right back to Allen following a 1-0 loss to the Panthers, but he ended up allowing six goals on 29 shots (.793 SP) against the Flyers. It put a damper on the prospect of Allen taking over the starting job, but I’m not sure this means he’s firmly back in a backup role. It’s only one bad start at a very volatile position, and I expect the Devils to keep rotating goalies until something drastic happens.

Eric Comrie, G, WPG (35% rostered)

Grab Comrie while you can because he won’t be around for much longer. He’ll get the bulk of the starts while Connor Hellebuyck recuperates from knee surgery, but with a sub-.900 career SP, don’t get your hopes up. The Jets will need to find a way to stay afloat until Hellebuyck returns.

The big risk to Comrie’s playing time is obviously Thomas Milic, a well-regarded prospect who’s been very good in the AHL this season. If the Jets aren’t impressed with Comrie – and I don’t see why they would be – they might give Milic a look, and if Milic plays well, he definitely has a chance to steal some starts. The Jets play the second half of their back-to-back Saturday in Nashville, and I wonder if that’s when we’ll see Milic’s first NHL start.

Kevin Lankinen, G, VAN (21% rostered)

Jiri Patera’s performance in an 8-5 loss to the Panthers likely reinforced the notion that Lankinen should be the only really seeing any playing time. The Canucks have a back-to-back on Friday and Saturday, and it’ll be interesting to see what they do. In the meantime, Lankinen’s great for high-volume starts and saves, but forget about wins or a good save percentage.

Short-term streamers (< 50% rostered on Yahoo)

Josh Doan, LW/RW, BUF (14% rostered)

Doan can shoot the puck and score goals, so at a bare minimum you’ll get plenty of shot volume. He’s playing L1 with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch, and the Sabres have won four of their past five and having little trouble scoring. It seems like the Sabres really like this line, too, with Zach Benson playing L3 with Noah Ostlund upon his return. The Sabres’ lines can change at a moment’s notice, but Doan has plenty of value right now in such a great spot.

Philipp Kurashev, C/RW, SJ (6% rostered)

Whether it’s Kurashev or Tyler Toffoli, whoever occupies the left wing on Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith’s line will get a boost in fantasy value. Kurashev’s the lucky winner right now with two points in three games entering Sunday’s matchup against the Bruins. It’s unlikely Kurashev will stay in this spot long term, but Friday’s matchup against the porous Canucks might be a good play.

Nick Paul, C/LW, TB (4% rostered)

We shall see what news come out of Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point’s injuries, but if Point is out, I expect Paul to play in more offensive situations. He scored a goal in his season debut and played 18:33 in his second game. The Lightning have a soft schedule coming up facing the Flyers and Flames at home.

Danila Yurov, RW, MIN (2% rostered)

The Wild moved up Ryan Hartman to take Marco Rossi’s place, but Hartman ended up getting injured as well. With Joel Eriksson Ek playing with Matt Boldy, Yurov has been tabbed to center the top line between Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello.

This is a prime spot for Yurov, who will surely gain C eligibility soon, and he’s responded well in his new role. He notched three assists against the Knights and Canes, and also scored a goal Sunday against the Jets. Not sure how long Rossi and Hartman will remain out, but Yurov has immediate fantasy value in his current position.

Hampus Lindholm, D, BOS (10% rostered)

Lindholm will quarterback PP1 while Charlie McAvoy recovers from surgery, though he’s not expected to be out for very long. Lindholm is a safe option and I don’t think Mason Lohrei or Henri Jokiharju are a threat to take the job, and as long as Lindholm gets the minutes, his fantasy value should rise. He’s not an offensive defenseman or a particularly effective PP QB, but he can skate and pass and that’s all the Bruins need right now.

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The Buffalo Sabres placed veteran goaltender Alexandar Georgiev on waivers for the purpose of contract termination on Sunday, according to multiple reports. In the process of becoming a free agent and after a rough year or so in the NHL, Georgiev will be returning to the KHL.

When he signed with the Sabres in September, veteran goaltender Alexandar Georgiev was hopeful of a road back to becoming a starter in the NHL.

It wasn't long ago that Georgiev was the No. 1 guy for the Colorado Avalanche. During his first two seasons with the Avs, in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns, he made 62 starts. In those two seasons, Georgiev put together a 78-34-11 record.

However, after he was dealt to the San Jose Sharks early last season, Georgiev’s numbers took a hit, as he posted a 7-19-4 record, a 3.88 goals-against average and an .875 save percentage. 

Thus, when Georgiev became a UFA this summer, no team inked a deal with him.

Then, when he signed a one-year contract with the Sabres in September, he was still well down the organizational depth chart between the pipes.

He sat behind Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon, as well as youngsters Colten Ellis, who joined the team on waivers on Oct. 6, and Devon Levi. With only one net and a handful of goalies in the system, there’s not enough ice time to go around.

So, it wasn’t a surprise that Georgiev had his Sabres contract waived, with reports he’s headed overseas to join Spartak Moscow of the KHL next.

Earlier this month, we saw another NHL-caliber goalie, Ilya Samsonov, sign a contract in the KHL.

Samsonov got the job security of a two-year deal in the KHL after NHL interest dried up, remaining without a contract well past the off-season.

The goaltending business is a cruel and fickle one, and Georgiev and Samsonov have followed a different path in their best interest, allowing them to play regularly in their home nation. 

Samsonov's decision has paid off so far in terms of his performance on the ice. In five appearances for Sochi, he's recorded a .931 SP and a 2.54 GAA.

Samsonov's Return To The KHL Reveals Cruel Reality Of The Goaltending MarketIlya Samsonov's return to the KHL shows that it's not easy for veteran goaltenders of his stature to find security in the NHL. Teams are hesitant to give that term, while that security is what goaltenders look for.

In Georgiev's two full seasons with the Avalanche, he started 124 games out of 164 games, numbers that don't often come around in the NHL anymore. Nonetheless, it was tough for Georgiev to become a regularly-picked goalie with teams following other plans in their pipeline. 

Georgiev did feature in two games with the AHL's Rochester Americans in an effort to remain with an NHL organization, but evidently, the team and player have moved on.

In the end, the interest simply wasn’t there for Georgiev anymore. At the quarter mark of the season, no team saw a fit or opportunity for him.

As it was with Samsonov, going home made a lot of sense for Georgiev. With the chance to return and play in his home country and be held in higher regard than he was in North America, could you really blame him? 

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The Montreal Canadiens have added to their center depth, as they have signed forward Alexandre Texier to a one-year, $1 million contract for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. 

Texier signing with the Canadiens comes after he mutually terminated his contract with the St. Louis Blues. Texier had been linked to the Canadiens before this signing came to fruition, so it is understandable that he is now officially heading to Montreal.

Texier will now provide the Canadiens with another center with experience, which is certainly a need when looking at their injury trouble. The 26-year-old will also be looking to bounce back after getting this change of scenery.

Texier played in eight games this season with the Blues before getting his contract terminated, where he recorded one assist. This is after he had six goals and 11 points in 31 games for the Blues this past season. 

Texier has shown in the past that he has the potential to chip in decent secondary offensive production. During the 2023-24 season with the Blue Jackets, he recorded career highs with 12 goals, 18 assists, and 30 points. He also posted 11 goals and 20 points in just 36 games with Columbus in 2021-22. 

Texier has played in 240 career NHL games over seven seasons split between the Blue Jackets and Blues, where he has recorded 40 goals and 91 points. It will be interesting to see how he builds upon these career stats after joining the Canadiens from here. 

Following his contract termination on Saturday, Alexandre Texier has signed a new contract with the Montreal Canadiens.

Texier inked a one-year deal not long after he departed from the St. Louis Blues. This new contract pays Texier $1 million per year.

Montreal has been trying to manage a truckload of injuries on its roster, and bringing on Texier can give Martin St-Louis’ team some more depth and bodies.

Texier’s agent, Dan Milstein, announced the signing with a social media post on X.

The 26-year-old has played eight NHL games this season with the Blues. In that span, he recorded one assist, as well as a couple of penalty minutes.

With that, Texier has been averaging a career-low 10:15 of ice time this season. His ice time in a single match has gone as low as 5:33 on Oct. 18 in a win against the Dallas Stars.

His last NHL appearance came against the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 6. Since then, he hasn’t featured for the Blues and was sent down to the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds on Friday.

NHL Waivers: Blues' Texier, Sabres' Geertsen Hit The WireThe Blues and Sabres placed Alexandre Texier and Mason Geertsen on NHL waivers and can be assigned to the AHL if no other team claims them by Friday.

Before his termination, Texier was in the final year of a two-year contract worth $2.1 million per season. He signed that deal after St. Louis acquired him in a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets in return for a fourth-round pick in 2025.

Texier was a second-round pick by the Blue Jackets in 2017 and went on to play parts of five campaigns with them. 

His best season statistically was in his final season with Columbus in 2023-24. He scored 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points while averaging 15:11 of ice time. 

Not only was that a career-high in goals, assists and points, but also games played, featuring in 78 contests. In any other season in his career, he hasn’t come close to playing 78 regular-season games.

---

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The New York Islanders will be without Alexander Romanov will be out 5-6 months. He will be having surgery on his right shoulder. 

The injury occured after Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen hit him from behind with 27.3 seconds to play in regulation on Tuesday night.

Rantanen received a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct. Romanov needed assistance off the ice.

On Wednesday evening, Romanov was placed on injured reserve. 

Islanders Place Alexander Romanov On Injured ReserveRomanov's season takes another hit. The defenseman lands on IR with an upper-body injury, sidelining him for crucial games.

Romanov, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery toward the tail end of the 2022-23 season, missed 18 games in 2024-25 with an upper-body injury. He had missed six games already this season for the same reason.

The 25-year-old, who signed an eight-year deal worth $6.25 million annually this summer, has recorded one assist in 15 games this season, averaging 19:27 minutes per game, skating on the third defense pairing.

He is expected to be fully recovered in time for training camp ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season.

Dallas Stars superstar Mikko Rantanen has been issued a one-game suspension by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety on Sunday.

This suspension is a result of Rantanen’s actions in Dallas’ last game against the Calgary Flames on Saturday. But it’s also related to what transpired in the late stages of the Stars’ contest against the New York Islanders on Nov. 18.

Against the Flames, Rantanen was handed a 10-minute game misconduct, among other penalties, for boarding right winger Matt Coronato. 

Just two games before that in Long Island, Rantanen also received a 10-minute misconduct for boarding Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov.

The Islanders announced that Romanov will be out for 5-6 months and is required to undergo shoulder surgery as a result of the Rantanen hit.

'That's My Coach': Fans React To Patrick Roy's Fiery Response To Rantanen Boarding RomanovPatrick Roy was not happy with Dallas Stars right winger Mikko Rantanen, who received a game misconduct for boarding New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov.

The Finnish superstar committed two game misconduct penalties in short order, and that’s what led to this one-game suspension.

NHL Player Safety provided a statement on Rantanen’s punishment.

“Dallas' Mikko Rantanen has been automatically suspended for one game under Rule 23.6, Physical Infractions Category,” they said. “In regular season League games, any player who incurs a total of two game misconduct penalties in the Physical Infractions Category, before playing in 41 consecutive regular season League games without such penalty, shall be suspended automatically for the next League game of his team.”

Rantanen will miss Dallas’ next game against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.

This suspension comes just a few days after Rantanen was fined $2,000 for embellishment. While he was slapped with the fine on Friday, this incident took place on Nov. 11 when Dallas took on the Ottawa Senators.

In 22 appearances this season, Rantanen has scored 10 goals and 28 points for the Stars. In addition to his elite ability to score and put up points, he now leads the NHL in penalty minutes, accumulating 57 in the campaign so far.

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Alexandre Texier cleared unconditional waivers on Sunday and signed a one-year contract according to his agent Dan Milstein for a reported $1 million with the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday:

Congratulations to Alexandre Texier on signing a 1-year NHL contract with the Montréal #GoHabsGo ! #WeAreGoldStar! pic.twitter.com/WfQQPa8nr8

— Dan Milstein (@HockeyAgent1) November 23, 2025

Texier became an unrestricted free agent after the forward refused an assignment to Springfield of the American Hockey League and was placed on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract.

The 26-year-old was initially placed on regular waivers after the St. Louis Bluesactivated Jake Neighbours off injured reserve on Thursday, creating a roster spot for him and the Blues designated Texier a non-roster player. 

Texier, who had one assist in eight games this season, was placed on waivers and went unclaimed by 1 p.m. (CT) on Friday and was assigned to the Thunderbirds but did not report, thus was put on unconditional waivers for purpose to terminate the remainder of a two-year, $4.2 million $2.1 million average annual value) contract signed June 28, 2024 when the Blues acquired Texier from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 2025 fourth-round pick. The $2.1 million cap hit officially comes off the books.

There had been reports that Texier had multiple suitors -- from the Eastern Conference mainly -- interested in his services but that the Montreal Canadiens were the favorites to sign him.

“For ‘Tex,’ he's an outstanding young man and just didn't find any kind of path this year to consistently stay in the lineup,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said on Thursday.

Texier will end his Blues tenure having played 39 games, including 31 last season, and finished with 12 points (six goals, six assists).

Observations From Blues' 2-1 Win Vs. IslandersWhen called upon, Binnington saved best for last; something is brewing with Schenn-Dvorsky-Buchnevich line; timely goal by Suter extends lead in second; things got dicey lateBlues Put Forward On Unconditional Waivers To Terminate ContractAlexandre Texier won't report to Springfield, will become free agent to sign with team of his choosing if unclaimed, which is expected

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This isn't the first time that the Blackhawks have faced some adversity this season, but it's the first time they've felt it since gaining the confidence that they can be a good team in 2025-26. 

During their first back-to-back situation earlier in the week, they blew a 2-0 lead and lost to the Seattle Kraken, followed by a 9-3 defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres the next night. 

Now, things don't get any easier. The big, bad Colorado Avalanche are in town with their sparkling 15-1-5 record. They and their .833 points percentage lead the National Hockey League standings by a pretty wide margin. 

For the Blackhawks to get back on track heading into American Thanksgiving week, they'd need to pull off an incredible upset win at the United Center over the league's top team. 

Scouting Colorado

The Colorado Avalanche have a solid core that leads the way, receive good goaltending, and boast unmatched depth. 

Lehkonen - MacKinnon - Necas

Colton - Nelson - Landeskog

Kelly - Drury - Olofsson

Nielsen - Bardakov - Polin

Toews - Makar

Manson - Burns

Girard - Malinski

Colorado could switch up some of their wingers in the top-six throughout the night, but this is more or less what their group will look like. Everything runs through Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, two of the five best players in the NHL. 

The Avalanche didn't play their best game against the Nashville Predators on Saturday night, but MacKenzie Blackwood made 35 saves on 35 shots to preserve a 3-0 Avalanche victory. They can win in multiple ways. 

Scott Wedgewood will likely get the start against the Blackhawks. He has been incredible this season, as well. No matter what, the Blackhawks will have their work cut out for them in terms of putting the puck in the net. 

Keeping the puck out of their own net may be an even tougher challenge, as the top players on Colorado don't need many chances. 

Projected Blackhawks Lines, Defense, And Goalie

Andre Burakovsky is going to miss another game. He was hit in the head during the game against the Kraken and hasn't returned since. Jason Dickinson, however, is going to return to the lineup for the first time in 10 games. 

Greene-Bedard-Bertuzzi

Teravainen-Nazar-Moore

Donato-Dickinson-Mikheyev

Slaggert-Dach-Lafferty

Vlasic-Crevier

Kaiser-Levshunov

Grzelcyk-Murphy

Rinzel

During the morning skate, Dickinson skated with Ilya Mikheyev and Ryan Donato. That line will likely see a ton of MacKinnon at even strength. 

Jeff Blashill confirmed that they plan to go with 11/7 again, so one of those fourth-line forwards (likely Sam Lafferty or Landon Slaggert) will be in the press box. 

Spencer Knight is going to be the starting goalie for Chicago. Blashill left Arvid Soderblom in for all nine Sabre goals last time out to preserve Knight for this game against the Avalanche. 

How To Watch

In the Chicagoland area, this game can be seen on CHSN and heard on WGN Radio AM 720. Nationally, it can be found on NHL Network. The puck drops shortly after 6 PM CT. 

The game can be seen on CHSN and heard on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. Those outside of Chicago interested in catching the game can find it on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 6 PM CT at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. 

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

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On Sunday, we get an all-Canadian showdown to wrap up a strong six-game slate that rarely lands on a Sunday schedule. It is a welcome surprise filled with intriguing matchups, and the finale stands out as the most compelling. The Calgary Flames, who might finally be turning a corner after a dreadful start and two straight wins, take on the slumping Vancouver Canucks, who have lost five of their last six.

For everyone following the Pad Stack challenge, the approach remains the same. We start with $10 and grow it steadily through disciplined, well-researched wagers. Our hottest stretch topped out last Monday at a season-high $411.47, although it ended abruptly when a late empty-netter from the Florida Panthers spoiled our Vancouver spread. Even so, we regained momentum on Saturday with a win in Montreal’s decisive 5–2 victory over Toronto, which pushed the bankroll to $19.40 heading into Sunday. Now we are lining up a very confident play for the Flames–Canucks matchup.

All betting lines are from BetMGM Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly. 

Sign up with BetMGM, make a deposit, and place your first wager on any game using your First Bet Offer token. If that bet with the token applied loses, you’ll get your original stake paid back in Bonus Bets, up to $1,500! Get in the game today with BetMGM.

Islanders' Matthew Schaefer, Avalanche's Cale Makar Already Near-Locks in NHL Award RacesAn 18-year-old phenom and a Norris contender are dominating early NHL award races, setting impressive records and dazzling fans.

Picks: Flames +2.5 & Over 5.5 Goals (+125)

The Flames head into Sunday on the road after a surprising shootout win over the Dallas Stars on Saturday. This is the same Dallas team that just beat the Canucks 4–2 on Thursday. Using that comparison, it is reasonable to believe Calgary has a strong chance to handle Vancouver, and there are several other factors that point in the same direction. The Flames appear to be climbing out of the early-season slump that left them with only four wins in their first 18 games. They have now won two straight and have a real opportunity to build momentum with a third consecutive victory.

Many expect the Canucks to bounce back as they have won three of their last four meetings with Calgary, they are overdue for a win, and they return home with plenty of rest since they last played on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Flames are on the road and playing the second half of a back-to-back. Vancouver should put up a strong fight at home, which is part of the reason this matchup has the makings of a high-scoring game. These teams have combined for six or more goals in six of their last nine meetings.

Vancouver’s defensive struggles could push this toward the over on their own. They own the second-worst goals-against average in the league at 3.68, allowing 81 goals through 22 games. Because of this, Calgary should remain competitive throughout the night, but the safer approach is to take the two-goal cushion.

A $19.40 wager on this same-game parlay would return $24.25, giving us a total of $43.65 to work with heading into next week.

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With just over two months before the start of the 2026 Olympics in Milan, there continue to be concerns from the NHL and NHLPA about the main hockey rink not being complete and potentially untested until a few weeks before the start of the games. 

As for the individual nations competing in the tournament, decisions on their 25-man rosters - due on Dec. 31 - have been impacted by injuries.

Team Finland’s chances of medalling took a significant hit when Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov suffered ACL and MCL injuries during training camp.

Meanwhile, Team Canada’s depth between the pipes has become further in question with Vegas Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill out of action since mid-October. 

Three NHL Forwards Who May Have Played Their Way Off Team CanadaWhile there is an argument for several players to make Team Canada, other players from last year's 4 Nations Face-Off roster will need to be cut to make that room. Who are those players?

However, those injuries seem minor by comparison to the plethora of players slated to make Team USA on injured reserve. With six key players on the mend, USA Hockey have had poor luck regarding the health of its players.

Panthers left winger Matthew Tkachuk was injured in the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off last February and missed the remainder of the 2024-25 regular season. Later, he returned to play in every playoff game in the Panthers' second-straight Cup victory.

After undergoing off-season surgery to treat a sports hernia and a torn adductor, Tkachuk has started skating and could be back in action by December, according to The Hockey News' David Dwork. 

Matthew's brother, and Ottawa Senators captain, Brady Tkachuk, suffered a broken thumb courtesy of Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi on Oct. 13 and is on a six-to-eight-week recovery timeline following surgery.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who missed 15 games last season due to injury and scored a career-low 33 goals, has been out since Nov. 11 following contact from Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov.

Matthews is practising again, and it is expected that he will return to the Leafs' lineup at some point during their current six-game road swing that goes through November and the beginning of December. 

In a freak accident at a dinner, New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes suffered a finger which required surgery. He is going to be re-evaluated six weeks following surgery, with a six-to-eight estimated timeline, which could pass the Dec. 31st roster deadline. USA Hockey will have to be certain of his availability before putting him on the roster. 

Jack Hughes' Freak Injury Joins A Long List Of NHL's Unusual Off-Ice SetbacksIt's not every day an NHL player requires surgery after injuring themselves at a team dinner. But from eating pancakes to fixing bagpipes, Jack Hughes' freak incident doesn't stand alone.

Boston’s Charlie McAvoy was a key contributor on the back end for the Americans at 4 Nations, but missed the remainder of the regular season with a shoulder injury, resulting in a staph infection.

McAvoy has led the resurgent Bruins to the top of the Atlantic Division at different points this season, but on Nov. 15, he took a slapshot to the face in a victory over the Montreal Canadiens.

ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reports that McAvoy’s timeline depends on how he heals from facial surgery, but that the expectation is he’ll be able to return for the Olympics.

And if that were not enough, on Friday, it was announced that three-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck was undergoing knee surgery and will be out four-to-six weeks.

Once again, the timeline has Hellebuyck returning to action well before players leave for Italy, but if the Americans have any hope of unseating Canada, who have the most gold medals in men's ice hockey in Olympic history, they will need most, if not all, of these players in top form when next February rolls around.

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On Sunday, the Winnipeg Jets will try to tap into the football crowd by hosting their Hockey Fights Cancer game in an afternoon matinee against the Minnesota Wild. The matchup should bring plenty of excitement, as it features two divisional rivals trending in the right direction. 

Hockey Fights Cancer 💜

🎟️ https://t.co/kVMjUvSyPcpic.twitter.com/Y0oLFmJNK9

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) November 23, 2025

Minnesota enters the game red hot after winning four straight and going 8-1-1 since the start of November. The challenge increases on the road, where they will face a Jets team that has begun to steady itself with three wins in its last five. One of the losses came with Connor Hellebuyck unavailable, forcing Eric Comrie to step in on short rest. Winnipeg will look to rebound, possibly with help from a rookie goaltender.

Lineup Storylines

Sunday could feature an NHL first for the Jets, who recalled surging AHL goalie Thomas Milic to back up while Hellebuyck recovers from a minor arthroscopic knee procedure. Comrie has started the last two games, and although he led line rushes at Saturday’s practice, it would still be surprising to see him get a third straight start.

The possibility of Milic making his NHL debut adds an intriguing storyline. He has been outstanding with the Manitoba Moose this season, recording a 5-2-2 mark with one shutout and a .921 save percentage through nine games. He arrives on a four-game winning streak with a 2.14 goals-against average, and his overall AHL record of 29-23-8 with a 2.88 GAA has made him one of the league’s most underrated young goalies.

Winnipeg is also expected to make subtle adjustments to the lineup. Captain Adam Lowry is projected to move up to the second line, separating him from his usual partner Nino Niederreiter. Veteran center Jonathan Toews will shift to the third line while the wingers on both lines remain the same. Cole Perfetti is set to skate with Lowry in an unusual combination, and Toews will reunite with Gustav Nyquist after the pair opened the season together. Depth forward Alex Iafallo will take Nyquist’s place on the fourth line. The final defense pairing remains uncertain as the team decides between Luke Schenn and Colin Miller. 

The tweaks come at a time when several players have hit rough patches with Toews going four straight games without a point, Tanner Pearson appears to be coming out of the lineup after a 13-game drought, and Nyquist, who registered an assist in Tuesday’s 5-2 win over Columbus, is still searching for his first goal of the season while currently on his worst scoring drought to start a season in his career. 

Minnesota counters with its own momentum, led by star forwards in Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov. The two are not skating together at even strength, with Kaprizov on the top line beside Mats Zuccarello and Boldy on the second line with Joel Eriksson Ek, however, they do share time on the power play, where they have combined for four goals in their last ten games. They have also combined for eight goals at even strength during that stretch. Their balanced scoring threat will pose a significant challenge that Winnipeg’s defense will need to be ready for.

Goalie Matchup

Winnipeg: Eric Comrie (Season: 4-2-0 record, 2.84 GAA, .899 SV% | VS MIN: 0-1-0 record, 4.95 GAA, .846 in two games) 

Minnesota: Jesper Wallstedt (Season: 5-0-2 record, 2.20 GAA, .926 SV% | VS WPG: 0-1-0 record, 5.02 GAA, .792 SV% in one start)

NHL Insider Weighs In On Jets' Brad Lambert Situation, Potential Trade ReturnNHL insider reveals the Jets' strategy for trading prized prospect Brad Lambert, drawing parallels to a past high-profile deal.

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Apr 16, 2010; Chicago, IL, USA; Nashville Predators right wing Jordin Tootoo (22) battles for the puck as he is hit between Chicago Blackhawks right wing Tomas Kopecky (left) and defenseman Jordan Hendry (right) during the first period of game one in the first round of the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the United Center. Jerry Lai-Imagn Images

It’s easy for fans of any sport to idolize athletes or put them on a pedestal. After all, they do things most “average” people cannot, right?

Perhaps, but there eventually comes a sobering reality: athletes are human, too.

When former Nashville Predators forward Jordin Tootoo first undertook the task of putting together a documentary based on his life and playing career, that was the one point he wanted to get across: there’s a human side to everyone, even hockey players.

Tootoo, who spent eight of his 13 NHL seasons with the Predators, hosted a screening of his documentary, simply titled “Tootoo”, prior to the Preds’ game against the Colorado Avalanche at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday.

Along with the goals, the reckless abandon with which he played the game and the Tootoo train whistles that turned up in the stands each time he scored a goal or made a physical impact, there was another, darker side to Tootoo, the first Inuk player in NHL history.

Tootoo was fighting another battle many fans couldn’t see: alcoholism.

It was only when Tootoo had a meeting with then-general manager David Poile and Barry Trotz, then head coach and now the Preds’ GM in 2010, that Tootoo changed his life.

“My documentary isn’t just a hockey documentary,” Tootoo told reporters on Friday at Bridgestone Arena. “This is to hopefully inspire more people to speak up and speak the truth and hopefully inspire them to make changes in their lives.”

Tootoo made his debut with the Predators in the 2003-04 season, after the club selected him in the fourth round of the 2001 NHL Draft. He quickly became a fan favorite for his seemingly fearless, physical style of play.

The documentary is a brutally honest look inside Tootoo’s life, on and off the ice. It covers moving away from his hometown of Churchill, Manitoba, to being drafted by the Predators, his struggle with alcoholism and the loss of his brother to suicide.

Tootoo and his family share his journey to sobriety and how his resilience continues to impact the lives of others who may be fighting similar battles.

“Especially in the Indigenous communities, we’ve been silent for too long,” Tootoo said Friday. “Hopefully, this will open up those doors and those avenues for more men especially to be comfortable with not being OK, articulating their thoughts and putting them to words. Even as hockey players, we tend to hold a lot in and we release it out on the ice. For me, I needed the game to release that anger.”

The Preds honored Tootoo back in 2019, nearly 10 years after his meeting with Poile and Trotz. On Friday, he signed his puck on the Wall at Bridgestone Arena. On Saturday, he held a meet-and-greet with Smashville Loyal members and addressed fans prior to the screening.

Tootoo often looks back and reminisces on his hockey career, the first eight seasons of which he spent in Nashville. He feels honored to be welcomed back to Nashville, and hopes those who see the documentary will gain a greater appreciation for what a professional athlete goes through.

“We all fight a fight no one knows about,” he said. “A lot of people look at professional athletes especially, and have the mindset of, ‘how bad can their life be’?... At the same time, we’re human too, we’re not ironmen. Hopefully, when people watch the doc, they’ll have a better understanding and have a little more compassion.”

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov is officially a trade candidate to watch in the NHL.

Mintyukov would like to be traded by the Ducks "if he’s not going to play," according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. This comes after the young blueliner was healthy scratched in back-to-back games. 

If the Ducks were to shop Mintyukov, there is no question that he would generate interest. The 2022 10th-overall pick has plenty of potential, and he would be a nice addition for a team looking to improve its blueline. 

Due to this, let's look at three teams that could make sense as landing spots for Mintyukov.

NHL Rumor Roundup: Canadiens Shopping For Help, Ducks' Mintyukov Could Seek A TradeHaving cooled off from their hot start, the Canadiens could be seeking help in the trade market. Meanwhile, promising D-man Pavel Mintyukov's future with the Ducks is in question.

Detroit Red Wings 

The Detroit Red Wings could be an excellent landing spot for a young blueliner like Mintyukov. The Original Six club is finally taking that next step and is a legitimate threat for a playoff spot right now, evidenced by their 13-8-1 record, and leads the Atlantic Division. 

Yet, it is clear that one of the Red Wings' biggest needs right now is a top-four left-shot defenseman. With Mintyukov having the potential to become just that, it would make sense if the Red Wings made a push for the young defenseman. 

Philadelphia Flyers 

The Philadelphia Flyers and Ducks have had their fair share of trades with each other in recent years. Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, to name a couple. Could they make another trade, this time centering around Mintyukov? It would make sense for the Flyers to pursue him. 

When examining the Flyers' current roster, it is apparent that they require assistance on the left side of their defence. With Rasmus Ristolainen out, Travis Sanheim currently plays on the right side. Down the left is Cam York, Nick Seeler and Emil Andrae.

Due to this, Mintyukov stands out as a prime potential target for them. This is especially so when noting that the 21-year-old Mintyukov is young enough that he could fit perfectly into Philadelphia's rebuild. 

NHL Rumor Roundup: More Owen Tippett Speculation, And The Latest On The Senators After a hot start to the season, Owen Tippett's production has cooled, prompting speculation that his time with the Flyers could be numbered, plus a look at what Senators GM Steve Staios could be seeking in the trade market.

Winnipeg Jets 

On Nov. 20, NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported that the Winnipeg Jets have granted forward Brad Lambert permission to seek a trade elsewhere. The 2022 first-round pick could be a promising young player for a team on the rise, like the Ducks, to add to their system.

NHL Insider Weighs In On Jets' Brad Lambert Situation, Potential Trade ReturnNHL insider reveals the Jets' strategy for trading prized prospect Brad Lambert, drawing parallels to a past high-profile deal.

The Jets, on the other hand, could use another impactful left-shot defenseman on their roster. If they brought in Mintyukov, he would at least provide them with an upgrade to their bottom pairing. However, he also could compete for top-four minutes if he took that next step with Winnipeg. 

Could the Ducks and Jets swap their disgruntled former first-round picks?

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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.