On Saturday morning, the Chicago Blackhawks announced that Ed Olczyk will be a team ambassador. He is joining Denis Savard, Chris Chelios, Jeremy Roenick, and Pat Foley in that role.
As an ambassador, he connects the franchise's past with the present. He is also tasked with helping grow the game across Chicagoland. He will also participate in many events over the years.
"Eddie Olczyk is part of the fabric of this franchise and this city. From the kid who grew up cheering in the stands, to the player who wore the sweater on home ice, to the voice that brought Blackhawks hockey into Chicago homes for years, few people have meant more to our fans," said Blackhawks President of Business Operations Jaime Faulkner. "We're thrilled to welcome Eddie home as a Blackhawks Ambassador, and we know our fans will be just as excited to see him back where he belongs."
Olczyk is a Chicago native who also played for the Blackhawks. He was their third overall pick in the 1984 NHL Draft. He also won the Stanley Cup as a member of the New York Rangers in 1994. Throughout his playing career, he also had stints with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Los Angeles Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Winnipeg Jets. He recorded 794 career points over those tenures.
When he retired, he did some coaching. He served as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins for Sidney Crosby's rookie season. After that, he had a long 16-year run as a color analyst on TV.
The Blackhawks announced that he will return to the television screens as part of this as a studio analyst on CHSN. That will be for select games, including Saturday night's game against the Carolina Hurricanes.
"The Blackhawks have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in Chicago dreaming about this team, and I got to live that dream by pulling on the sweater as a player and telling the story of this franchise as a broadcaster," said Olczyk. "To come home and represent the Blackhawks as an ambassador means more to me than I can put into words. I want to thank Danny Wirtz and Jaime Faulkner for welcoming me back and making this possible. Chicago is my home, the Blackhawks are my team, and my family and I are thrilled to be back with our fans."
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CALGARY, CANADA - OCTOBER 08: Jaden Schwartz #71 of the Colorado Avalanche and Scott Wedgewood #41 celebrate their 7-3 win against the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on October 08, 2026 in Calgary, Alberta. (Photo by Leah Hennel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After coming home with a split on the road, the Colorado Avalanche are back on home ice for another Saturday night showdown!
Tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs make their only regular season visit to Denver, with a few new faces in their lineup!
Colorado Avalanche (3-1-0)
The Opponent: Toronto Maple Leafs (2-2-01)
Time: 5:00 P.M. MDT/7:00 P.M. EDT
Watch: ALT, ALT+ (Avalanche Local Broadcast Area), NHL Network, NHL Center Ice (Outside Regional Broadcast Areas – US), SN+ (Canadian National Broadcast)
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio KKSE-FM 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
The Avs return home after splitting their first pair of back-to-back road games. They lost 3-2 on a (literal) last minute goal this past Wednesday against the Winnipeg Jets, but rebounded with a strong showing against the Calgary Flames in a 7-3 victory this past Thursday. The loss in Winnipeg was the first for Mackenzie Blackwood this season, while Scott Wedgewood earned his first win in his season debut against Calgary.
Jaden Schwartz scored three goals across both contests. Fedor Svechkov scored his first goal in an Avalanche sweater against Winnipeg. Zachary L’Heureux, acquired with Svechkov from Nashville in the offseason, made his Avalanche debut against Winnipeg and recorded his first assist on Nathan MacKinnon’s eventual game-winning goal in Calgary. L’Heureux also had his first fight for the Avs in a short bout with Calgary’s Matt Coronato.
Devon Toews, who had a career-low three goals last season, scored a pair of goals against Calgary. His defensive partner in Cale Makar also scored a pair of goals against his hometown team.
T.J. Hughes also recorded his first point of his NHL career, assisting on Schwartz’s first goal on against Calgary.
Head coach Jared Bednar said this of his third line in comments after the Calgary game. “That line’s found a little bit of chemistry. A couple of points each [Wednesday] night, again tonight. Schwartz and [Svechkov] and our young guy Hughes on that line, they’re doing some good things, and if we can keep building that chemistry, I like where that line’s going.”
When asked about what Hughes and L’Heureux have shown to this point in the season, Bednar said, “Hughes has fit in in all kinds of ways for us, including on the top power play. He’s a smart guy, doesn’t throw the puck away, really good passer. I think he he thinks the game really well, got a great brain and hockey sense. Can play on the top end skill guys and make plays.
“L’Heureux, this is kind of our first look at him here on this back to back […] He’s a rugged guy, straight-line player, will play through you, kind of fits the identity of our fourth line. He had a good night again tonight. I really liked his game [Wednesday] in Winnipeg. […] We’re excited about our team and some of those young guys being able to come in and help us. [Svechkov] is another young player that’s really showed up nicely for us here at the start of the season.”
While the Avs remain perfect on the penalty kill, the power play has gone three games without a goal since going 4/5 in the season opener against Los Angeles on September 30.
MacKinnon leads all skaters in points (8) and assists (5), while also sharing the team lead in penalty minutes (5) with L’Heureux. He also leads the team in goals (3), along with Makar, Schwartz, and Artturi Lehkonen.
The Avs have split every season series against Toronto going back to the 2017-2018 season. Their last victory on home ice came against Toronto was in a 7-3 victory on March 05, 2025.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas Gabe Landeskog – Brock Nelson – Nazem Kadri Jaden Schwartz – Fedor Svechkov – T.J. Hughes Parker Kelly – Nicolas Roy – Zachary L’Heureux
Defense: Devon Toews – Cale Makar Brett Kulak – Sam Malinski Josh Manson – Brent Burns
Between the Pipes: Mackenzie Blackwood Scott Wedgewood
Toronto Maple Leafs
The lottery balls finally bounced Toronto’s way this offseason, giving them the first overall pick in this year’s NHL Draft. At the draft in June, they selected left-wing Gavin McKenna, whom many projected to be the top pick of the draft. McKenna scored his first goal and assist of his young NHL career this past Tuesday in a 5-4 overtime victory over the Nashville Predators.
The draft was one of many offseason transactions for Toronto. They sent a fifth round pick in this year’s draft to the Tampa Bay Lightning for defenseman Darren Raddysh on June 19; Raddysh signed an eight-year, $68 million dollar contract with Toronto as part of the transaction. Toronto also acquired center Nick Paul from Tampa in exchange for goaltender Dennis Hildeby and a pair of draft picks in 2027 & 2028 on July 01.
As free agency began, Toronto’s overhaul continued. Free agent goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky signed a three-year, $21 million dollar contract (more on him later). That same day, noted Avalanche killer Colton Sissons also signed to a two-year, $8.5 million dollar contract, and former Avalanche forward Brandon Duhaime also signed a three-year $7.8 million dollar contract.
Shortly before the start of the season, Toronto made their biggest move: they acquired right-wing Kirill Marchenko, goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, and former Avalanche forward Miles Wood from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for left-wings Matthew Knies and Steven Lorentz, defenseman Emil Andrei, and a 2027 second round pick. Marchenko, 26, scored his first (and so far, only) goal with Toronto in a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on October 03.
With an overhauled roster come overhauled expectations. Toronto has risen to the occasion in the way only a Toronto-based hockey team can: playing .500 hockey. They are 2-2-1 to start the season, and are coming into tonight’s game off a 4-3 defeat against the Vegas Golden Knights this past Thursday. After jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first period, Toronto did the Leafiest thing possible in allowing Vegas to score three unanswered goals to tie the game and lose in the shootout round.
The loss was Bobrovsky’s third of the season, and since joining Toronto, he has yet to post a win. Anthony Stolarz, who was Bobrovsky’s backup in Florida during 2023-2024 season, has recorded both wins for Toronto this season.
Head coach Jim Hiller spoke on the challenge of facing the Avs ahead of tonight’s game. “They play a pretty unique style of game, I would say. They are a really dynamic rush team. The defense probably skate as well as six [defenders] as any other group in the League, so it presents some challenges defensively for sure.
“For us, I think, we’ve got to continue to focus on being in the offensive zone and tight support. We’ve seen some good strides that way. That’s the best defense, really: if you can just hold onto pucks and be dangerous and tire people out—which Vegas did to us—we weren’t able to create any offense because we were too tired, so that’s kind of the game we have to play against Colorado.”
Hiller also mentioned that he does not expect John Tavares to play against Colorado tonight due to the birth of his son Tucker on Friday.
William Nylander and Auston Matthews are tied for first among all Toronto forwards in points (6). Nylander leads the team in goals (3), while Matthews leads the team in assists (4).
Toronto’s last victory over Colorado came on January 12th, a 4-3 overtime victory at Ball Arena last season.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Kirill Marchenko – Auston Matthews – Jack Roslovic Easton Cowan – Nick Paul – William Nylander Gavin McKenna – Teddy Blueger – Colton Sissons Brandon Duhaime – Zack MacEwen – Bo Groulx
Defense: Jake McCabe – Chris Tanev Morgan Reilly – Darren Raddysh Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Troy Stecher
Between the Pipes: Sergei Bobrovsky Anthony Stolarz
BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 22: Nikita Zadorov #91 of the Boston Bruins grabs the puck during a preseason game between the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers on September 22, 2026, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Bruins are back in action on home ice today for their first matinée game of the season.
They’ll play host to a struggling Philadelphia Flyers team that is still looking for its first win of the new campaign.
Given the early start time, you get the ever-popular PUBLIC PREVIEW!
What to know
It has been a rough start to the season for the Flyers, who come into this afternoon’s game at 0-3-2. They’re one of just three NHL teams without a win to start the season, and the only one of those three in the Eastern Conference.
They lost their last two games in regulation, dropping 4-1 and 2-1 road decisions to Tampa and Ottawa, respectively.
Offense has been a challenge for the Flyers, who come into this afternoon’s game dead last in the NHL at just 1.20 GF/G. Unfortunately for Philly, they’re also allowing the eighth-most goals per game on average, so…not ideal.
After a good season for the Flyers last year, former Bruin Dan Vladar has gotten off to a tough start this season. He’s 0-2-0 with a whopping 5.12 GAA.
At least some sections of Flyers punditry are calling this a must-win game at this early juncture of the season. That may be a little extreme, but if nothing else, it’s pretty clear that pressure is mounting on Rick Tocchet and the Flyers.
Marco Sturm noted that Sean Kuraly was “pretty upset” about being a healthy scratch again on Thursday night. While it’s certainly understandable for Kuraly to be mad about not playing, Matt Poitras has played well since drawing back into the lineup.
After scoring three power play goals in Thursday’s win over Utah, you hope that the Bruins can build on that momentum this afternoon. Philly’s PK has been below average this season, with the Flyers sitting at 22nd in the league as of this morning.
Given the 1 PM Saturday start time and the fact that this is Bruins-Flyers, you could be forgiven for assuming this would be a national broadcast.
However, because of college football and all of that stuff, these early season matinées tend to be local broadcasts instead, and this one is no different: today’s game will be broadcast on NESN and 98.5 The Sports Hub, though it’ll be on NHL Network out of market as well.
A win tonight would give the Sabres their first-ever victory over the Mammoth. Buffalo is 19-1-3 against Western Conference opponents dating back to Dec. 9, 2025.
The Sabres are 7-1-2 against Central Division opponents in that span. Buffalo is tied for the third-fewest goals allowed in the third period among all NHL teams (2) this season. Buffalo ranks fourth among all NHL teams in shot attempts differential at 5-on-5 (plus-65).
The Sabres rank second in shot attempts differential at 5-on-5 when trailing (plus-55).
Owen Power has posted five points (1+4) in Buffalo’s first four games. A point in tonight’s game would make him the first Sabres defenseman since Rasmus Dahlin (Oct. 3 to 11, 2019; 5+3) to record six or more points in their first five games of a season. An assist in tonight’s game would make him the first Sabres defenseman since Dahlin (Oct. 13 to 22, 2022; 1+6) to record five or more assists in their first five games of a season. He would become the 10th defenseman in franchise history to do so at least once.
Rasmus Dahlin (26:45) and Power (26:16) rank sixth and ninth, respectively, in time on ice per game among all NHL skaters.
Colten Ellis made his first start of 2026-27 on Oct. 6 vs. Minnesota and made 18 saves on 20 shots in the overtime victory.
A win in tonight’s game would mark the first time he has earned a win in two consecutive games in his career
The Los Angeles Kings are already facing questions about their biggest offseason signing.
Mats Zuccarello is expected to miss the next few weeks with a shoulder injury, leaving the team without one of its most notable additions just three games into the season.
The Kings recalled forward Jared Wright from the AHL’s Ontario Reign early Saturday morning after learning Zuccarello would not travel with the team to Las Vegas. NHL.com’s Zach Dooley reported that the veteran had been ruled out of Sunday’s matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Zuccarello signed a one-year deal with Los Angeles this summer, but he has recorded just one assist through three games and is now facing several weeks away from the lineup. Apparently, banking on a nearly 40-year-old to help strengthen your offense comes with a few issues.
The former Minnesota Wild had been dealing with a shoulder issue during training camp as well, albeit it is unclear whether that problem is related.
In Zuccarello’s absence, Wright gets another opportunity to make an impression. Los Angeles selected Wright in the sixth round of the 2022 NHL Draft, and he has spent the past few seasons working his way through the organization.
Wright has already had a taste of the NHL. He suited up for the Kings 23 times last season, picking up four assists while averaging just over 11 minutes per game. He also chipped in defensively, recording 18 blocked shots and 27 hits.
His offensive numbers were stronger with Ontario, where he scored 17 goals and finished with 30 points in 54 games during the 2025-26 season. Wright has carried that momentum into the new AHL campaign, recording two goals and three points with a plus-one rating through the Reign’s first two games.
Wright now has another chance to establish himself at the NHL level. He is not expected to make a huge impact but the Kings will need contributions from their depth forwards while their marquee offseason signing recovers.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 09: Spencer Knight #30 of the Chicago Blackhawks makes a save against Eric Robinson #50 of the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period at the United Center on April 09, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Carolina Hurricanes are aiming to make it four wins in a row as they continue to bounce back brilliantly from a pair of season-opening defeats with a showdown against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.
After drubbing the Vancouver Canucks by a 7-2 margin on home ice Thursday, the Hurricanes will get a crack at another one of the lower-tier teams in the Western Conference.
The Blackhawks had their sights set on making real progress toward being competitive in their rebuild this season, as general manager Kyle Davidson made a splash in landing defenseman Bowen Byram in a sign-and-trade. But an offseason injury has held 2023 No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard out for the first portion of the year, and Chicago has instead gotten off to a 1-4-0 spot that has them in the familiar spot of being last in the Central Division.
The Blackhawks are coming off of a 4-1 loss on Long Island on Thursday, and they’re led in points by the skilled young Swedish forward Anton Frondell, with four.
On the Canes’ side of things, the top guns are really humming right now. Sebastian Aho is up to eight points in five games, and Andrei Svechnikov and Jackson Blake are both over or at a point-per-game pace. Logan Stankoven’s four goals in five games aren’t too shabby, either.
In the last five seasons, Carolina owns a 9-0-1 record against the Blackhawks, who have not notched a regulation victory over the Hurricanes since the two teams were in the same division during the re-worked, pandemic-shortened 2021 regular season, when the two sides squared off eight times.
It will most likely be Brandon Bussi between the pipes for Rod Brind’Amour after Pyotr Kochetkov picked up the win against the Canucks.
Saturday is the first half of a back-to-back for Carolina, so it’s a virtual certainty that the goalie that doesn’t go tonight will get the nod in Philadelphia on Sunday.
Here’s how to check out the action…
Time: 7 PM Eastern
Location: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
TV: Hurricanes Hockey Network. Hanna Yates and Shane Willis handle the pregame duties at 6:30, and then Mike Maniscalco handles play-by-play with Tripp Tracy providing color—we’re still waiting for the NHL and DirectTV to work out whatever it is holding up them getting this channel on there.
Streaming Video:Hurricanes Hockey Network on Prime Video in the Hurricanes Footprint. Outside you’ll need to use the ESPN app and have at least an ESPN Select subscription, which comes with ESPN Ultimate.
Radio: The pregame Storm Watch with Adam Gold on 99.9 The Fan starts at 6:30 PM, At 7 PM the Hurricanes Radio Network (consisting of 99.9, 730 The Game in Charlotte, ESPN New Bern 107.5/1490, and ESPN Greenville 107.5/1570) will pick up the Mike Maniscalco and Tripp Tracy HHN simulcast.
New Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Cam Talbot beat the Pittsburgh Penguins last night in a shootout to pick up his first win in Union Blue.
But he also set two NHL records.
With the start, he became the first NHL goalie to play for nine different NHL teams. He's played for Edmonton, NYR, Detroit, Minnesota, LA, Ottawa, Calgary, Philadelphia, and now Columbus,
With the win, Talbot became the first NHL goaltender to win a game with nine different teams. Yes, NINE different teams. Some people look at this record and think he's bad. I look at this record and see longevity. Will he be able to keep it up this season? Time will tell.
He also became the oldest goalie in Blue Jackets history to record a win with the franchise, surpassing Fredrik Norrena by almost five years.
His career record is now 279-204-53.
Next Up For Columbus: The CBJ take on the St. Louis Blues tonight at 7 PM.
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The Columbus Blue Jackets hit the road for their first game away from NWA this season and will take on the St. Louis Blues tonight at 7 PM.
St. Louis Blues - 1-2-1 - 3 Points - OTL 1 - 7th in the Central
Columbus Blue Jackets - 2-1-0 - 4 Points - Won 1 - 5th in the Metro
Player Notes Per CBJ PR
Sean Monahan has a 6-game point streak (2-7-9) against the Blues and has notched 10-11-21 in 29 career GP vs. STL.
Emil Andrae has 0-3-3 in four career games vs. St. Louis, with all points in his last two matchups, including a two-assist effort last time out at the Enterprise Center.
Adam Fantilli has notched 3-1-4 with points in four of five career games against St. Louis, including points in both road contests (1-1-2).
Dmitri Voronkov has 3-4-7 in six career GP, with points in 5 of his 6 career matchups with two multi-point efforts.
Zach Werenski has posted 3-8-11 in 17 career GP, notched 1-2-3 last season, and has collected 1-5-6 in the last 5 matchups overall.
Greaves has a career 4-0-0 record against the Blues, while stopping 139-of-147 shots against for a .946 SV% and 2.00 GAA.
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 22.2% - 15th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 72.7% - 23rd in the NHL
Goals For - 10 - 28th in the NHL
Goals Against - 9 - 8th in the NHL
BluesStats
Power Play - 10.0% - 24th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 92.9% - 4th in the NHL
Goals For - 9 - 26th in the NHL
Goals Against - 13 - 15th in the NHL
Series History vs. TheBlues
The Blue Jackets are 39-42-3-13 Overall and 14-26-1-8 at St. Louis.
Columbus went 2-0-0 in 2025-26.
Columbus has won six consecutive games against St. Louis since Dec. 8, 2023, outscoring the Blues 22-12 and sweeping the past three season series.
The Jackets have earned three straight wins at Enterprise Center and have picked up points in seven of the past 11 in St. Louis (5-4-2).
The Blue Jackets have gone 13-7-2 against the Blues since the 2014-15 season, earning points in 15 of the past 22 in the series.
Who To Watch For TheBlues
Connor McMichael leads the Blues with 2-2-4.
Mason McTavish has 2 goals and 3 points.
Jordan Binnington is 0-1-0 with a SV% of .833.
Joel Hofer is 1-1-1 with a SV% of .930.
Injured Reserve & Other Injuries
Dante Fabbro - Broken Hand - IR - 3 Games Missed
Isac Lundestrom - Achilles Surgery - LTIR - 3 Games Missed
Ivan Provorov - Lower Body - IR - 3 Games Missed
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 13
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be simulcast on The Blue Jackets Hockey Network and 97.1 The Fan, with Steve Mears behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
TV: CBJHN (Spectrum HD Ch. 320/1320; IP Ch. 349; Prime Video, Fubo)
Next Up For Columbus: The CBJ take on the St. Louis Blues tonight at 7 PM.
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After 13 seasons in the NHL, former Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba has officially announced his retirement from professional hockey.
Dumba, 32, announced his retirement Friday, bringing an end to a career that included 748 NHL games with the Wild, Arizona Coyotes, Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins.
While his playing career took him to several different cities over the past few seasons, Minnesota has always held a special place in Dumba's life. Now, with his playing days behind him, the former Wild defenseman has returned to the place where it all began.
For Wild captain Jared Spurgeon, having his longtime friend and former teammate back in Minnesota means a lot.
"Yeah, we're still very close right now," Spurgeon said. "I still remember the first road trips rooming with him. We've had a great friendship from the day he walked in here. So to see him up there and living here and putting his roots back here is awesome."
Dumba spent the first 10 seasons of his NHL career with Minnesota, appearing in 598 games and recording 79 goals and 157 assists for 236 points. During that stretch, he became a familiar presence on the Wild's blue line, helping the organization reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs eight times.
During those eight years in the playoffs, Dumba recorded five goals, ten assists, 15 points, 73 blocked shots and 104 hits in 49 games.
But Dumba's impact in Minnesota extended well beyond what he accomplished on the ice.
During the 2019-20 season, Dumba received the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and makes a significant humanitarian contribution to his community.
His connection to Minnesota has remained strong even after leaving the organization following the 2022-23 season.
Dumba returned to Grand Casino Arena earlier this month to deliver the ceremonial "Let's Play Hockey" call ahead of the Wild's home opener against the Boston Bruins.
For Spurgeon, seeing his former teammate back in a Wild jersey was a reminder of the years they spent together.
"We see him outside the rink a lot as well, but see him back in that jersey it feels right," Spurgeon said.
The two defensemen spent a decade together in Minnesota, developing a friendship that has continued long after their time as teammates ended.
Now, with Dumba settling back into Minnesota, Spurgeon and other members of the organization will have more opportunities to see him away from the rink.
And although Dumba's NHL career has officially come to a close, Spurgeon believes the next chapter of his life will be just as meaningful because of the person he is.
"Yeah, for sure," Spurgeon said when asked about Dumba's next chapter. "I think you can see just the energy he has, and just the joy he brings people around him. He's a very special person."
Nov 27, 2018; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise (11) celebrates his goal with forward Nino Niederreiter (22), defenseman Matt Dumba (24), and defenseman Jared Spurgeon (46) in the second period against Phoenix Coyotes at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.
Dumba finishes his NHL career with 85 goals, 176 assists and 261 points in 748 regular-season games.
The numbers tell the story of a lengthy NHL career, but in Minnesota, his legacy stretches beyond goals, assists and games played.
For 10 seasons, Dumba was part of the Wild's identity, both on the ice and in the community. And while he may no longer be wearing a Wild jersey on game nights, his connection to the organization and the people inside it remains.
After stops in Arizona, Tampa Bay, Dallas and Pittsburgh, Dumba's hockey career has come full circle.
He's back home in Minnesota.
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Nick Blankenburg could make his Toronto Maple Leafs debut against the Avalanche on Saturday at Ball Arena.
Blankenburg hasn’t played in any of Toronto’s first five games this season. It’s still unknown if he’ll be in the lineup against his former team.
The Maple Leafs signed him to a one-year, $1.4 million contract on Sept. 27 after bringing him in on a professional tryout. Blankenburg earned the deal after putting together the best offensive season of his NHL career.
Colorado acquired the right-handed defenseman at last season’s trade deadline to add depth to its blue line for the playoff push. He played 12 regular-season games with the Avalanche, scoring twice and adding an assist. He also appeared in five playoff games.
Blankenburg’s biggest moment in Colorado came in Game 2 of the second-round series against the Minnesota Wild. He scored his first career playoff goal with his parents watching from the stands, giving him a memorable moment during his short time with the Avalanche.
Colorado ultimately decided not to bring him back in free agency and signed Noah Juulsen, who has appeared in three of Colorado's four games this season, including on Thursday when the Avalanche defeated the Flames 7-3 on the road, as Sam Malinski was benched by head coach Jared Bednar reportedly due to poor play.
Blankenburg moved on to Toronto after finishing the 2025-26 season with eight goals and 16 assists between the Predators and Avalanche. Both totals were career highs.
He has appeared in 178 NHL games, recording 18 goals and 40 assists.
Blankenburg now has a chance to get his season started with Toronto. If he plays Saturday, he’ll do it against the team that acquired him at the trade deadline last season and gave him an opportunity to chase a Stanley Cup.
Thursday's game kicks off at 5 p.m. from Ball Arena.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 28: Tommy Novak #18 of the Pittsburgh Penguins moves much against Lian Bichsel #6 of the Dallas Stars at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 28, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Who:Dallas Stars (2-2-0, 4 points, 6th place Central Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (2-2-1, 5 points, 4th place Metropolitan Division)
When: 7:00 p.m. ET
How to Watch: Locally televised and streamed on Prime Video and SportsNet Pittsburgh, streaming for out of market at ESPN+
Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins get two days off after this weekend’s back-to-back before beginning a four-game road trip, which starts Tuesday in Chicago and continues Friday in Denver and Saturday in Las Vegas.
Opponent Track: The Stars were outscored 6-1 in a pair of season-opening losses against the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators, but bounced back by outscoring opponents 9-0 in wins over the San Jose Sharks and Buffalo Sabres.
Season Series: The Penguins lost both games in this season series last year, starting with a December shootout loss and ending with a 6-3 home defeat in late March.
Hidden Stat: The Stars have scored nine straight unanswered goals over their last two games. They could set a franchise record if they manage to score five more without allowing a response, per NHL Stats.
Getting to know the Stars
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Sam Steel – Wyatt Johnston – Mikko Rantanen
Jason Robertson – Roope Hintz – Jamie Benn
Justin Hryckowian – Arttu Hyry – Tyler Seguin
Oskar Back – Radek Faksa – Colin Blackwell
DEFENSEMEN
Esa Lindell / Miro Heiskanen
Thomas Harley / Nils Lundkvist
Lian Bichsel / Tyler Myers
Goalies: Jake Oettinger and Casey DeSmith
Potential scratches: Kyle Capobianco, Joel Kiviranta
Injured Reserve: Matt Duchene
Joel Kiviranta is sitting out the Stars’ two-game road trip with a lower-body injury. The Stars called up Colin Blackwell from the AHL to slot in on the fourth line in his absence.
Jake Oettinger started the Stars’ season opener, during which he allowed two goals on 22 shots in the shutout loss. He’s been perfect since then after stopping 39 consecutive shots against the Sharks and Sabres. The Stars have two days off after tonight’s matchup before a back-to-back against the Colorado Avalanche, so Oettinger could potentially get a third straight start tonight.
Stars first-line winger Mikko Rantanen is heating up. He scored a highlight-reel goal against the Sharks before recording the first four-point night (1-3—4) of his regular-season Stars career in his team’s Thursday night win over the Sabres.
The Stars’ power play, which had struggled through the first three games of the season, broke through Thursday when Rantanen, Wyatt Johnston and Roope Hintz finished off a passing play against the Sabres.
Another aspect that started clicking for the Stars recently is the addition of Sam Steel, a player Stars coach Glen Gulutzan has described as a “utility knife,” to the top line. He scored his first goal of the season Thursday against the Sabres.
The Penguins defense could be tested tonight with limiting some of their quickest opponents yet. Rantanen said after the Stars’ Thursday win he felt the key to his team’s recent victory streak was better skating.
“We had our legs again, I think that’s the key,” Rantanen said, per NHL.com’s Heather Engel. “Playing well, you need to skate well, and I think the last two games we’ve been playing really fast.”
And now for the Pens
Projected lines (based on Friday’s lineup)
FORWARDS
Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin
Hendrix Lapierre – Ben Kindel – Ville Koivunen
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Nick Robertson
DEFENSEMEN
Declan Carlile / Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard / Kaeden Korczak
Trevor van Riemsdyk / Kris Letang
Goalies: Arturs Silovs (Sergei Murashov started last night)
Ilya Solovyov was listed as a scratch for Friday’s game against the Blue Jackets despite being waived earlier that day. So was newcomer Spencer Stastney, who joined the Penguins Friday but did not play against the Blue Jackets. Muse indicated he could still potentially draw into the defensive lineup going forward.
Bryan Rust moved back up on the top line alongside Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell ahead of Friday’s game. This line often got hemmed into their own zone Friday and found themselves on the ice for both of the Blue Jackets’ regulation goals, although Rust also scored for the Pens.
Arturs Silovs is in line to start Saturday. Sergei Murashov is in line for some well-deserved rest after weathering 45 shots on goal in Friday’s 3-2 shootout loss.
The Hamilton Hammers will be without 22-year-old defenseman Isaiah George for the foreseeable future after he sustained an apparent upper-body injury in their 5-4 shootout loss against the Toronto Marlies.
"He'll be out for a bit," Hammers head coach Jay McKee said postgame.
Since joining the Islanders organization in 2024-25, George has struggled to stay healthy, dealing with multiple injuries seemingly every season.
In 2024-25, George played 33 NHL games, but halfway through the season, he sustained a concussion after a reverse hit from Max Domi's elbow. When he returned, he struggled to regain his effectiveness.
Then, in 2025-26, when defenseman Alexander Romanov went down with a few injuries, the Islanders couldn't recall George because he was injured on both occasions. That led to the Islanders ultimately having to acquire Carson Soucy to fill the hole.
The Islanders began this season with tremendous depth, particularly on the left side.
But just a month into this season, they've lost Romanov to a torn right ACL, and now George goes down as well.
That means Long Island native Marshall Warren is now the No. 1 left-side defenseman in the system.
The Islanders currently have right-shot defenseman Matt Kessel at seventh defenseman, with Scott Mayfield expected to start for a second straight game.
The best ability is availability and it's just been tough sledding for George, who is now in the final season of his three-year entry-level deal.
Chicago Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar has been suspended for two games by NHL Player Safety for his illegal check to the head on New York Islanders captain Bo Horvat at 18:27 of the third period in Thursday's 4-1 Islanders victory:
Horvat was forced to go down the tunnel, likely due to concussion protocol. He was still being evaluated when we spoke with head coach Pete DeBoer on Friday morning.
Through four games this season, Horvat has four goals and one assist.
The Philadelphia Flyers enter their sixth game of the season carrying an 0-3-2 record, and they are the last team in the Eastern Conference without a win. Things won't get any easier on Saturday afternoon, as they'll face a 3-2-0 Boston Bruins team at TD Garden at 1 p.m. in their first midday game of the season.
On Thursday, the Flyers played their best game of the season against Ottawa, though the bar, at this point, is pretty low for that standard.
Matvei Michkov scored the Flyers' first power play goal of the season, and new free agent signing Michael Bunting made his Flyers debut, though he took the penalty the Senators would score on to tally the game-winning goal in the 2-1 defeat of Philadelphia.
With Joseph Woll getting the start on Thursday night, it is likely Dan Vladar's turn to tend goal for the Flyers as head coach Rick Tocchet and Co. look to rotate their goalies on this back-to-back; the Flyers will come home to host Carolina on Sunday night.
Veteran defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen accompanied the team for this three-game road trip, but it's currently unclear if he'll return for Saturday afternoon's game against the Bruins.
If not, the Flyers are in action again on Sunday night and Tuesday night.
In any event, this is clearly the Flyers' first must-win game of the season, especially with so many players struggling at the moment. If they lose six in a row, well, they'll have lost their last 10 games dating back to last season's playoffs, and this season's playoffs will begin to look like a pipe dream.
Flyers lines vs. Bruins
Travis Konecny - Sean Couturier - Porter Martone
Trevor Zegras - Christian Dvorak - Owen Tippett
Tyson Foerster - Denver Barkey - Matvei Michkov
Michael Bunting - Noah Cates - Noel Acciari
Travis Sanheim - Jamie Drysdale
Cam York - David Jiricek
Nick Seeler - Simon Benoit
Dan Vladar (S), Joseph Woll
Bruins lines for Flyers game
Morgan Geekie - Pavel Zacha - David Pastrnak
Marat Khusnutdinov - Fraser Minten - J.J. Peterka
Casey Mittelstadt - Elias Lindholm - James Hagens
Tanner Jeannot - Matt Poitras - Mark Kastelic
Hampus Lindholm - Will Borden
Nikita Zadorov - Connor Clifton
Frederic Brunet - Mason Lohrei
Flyers special teams
Power play: 1-for-15, 6.7% (29th)
Penalty kill: 15-for-20, 75% (22nd)
Bruins special teams
Power play: 3-for-14, 21.4% (16th)
Penalty kill: 15-for-18, 83.3% (14th)
How to watch the Flyers game
Saturday afternoon's Flyers game can be found on NHL Network, NBC Sports Philadelphia, NESN, Sportsnet East, and TVAS. 97.5 The Fanatic will have the radio broadcast.
Flyers player to watch
Porter Martone has not had an easy go at the start of his first professional season, but he's too smart and talented to stay quiet for this long.
Martone was dragging his teammates into the fight against Tampa Bay on Monday night, though he finished the game without a shot on goal, the third such instance for him this season.
The 19-year-old scored his first NHL goal, an overtime winner, against the Bruins back on April 5, in addition to his assist on Christian Dvorak's tuck to open the scoring.
The Flyers haven't quite depended on Martone so much as, say, Tyson Foerster, and his flying under the radar might create the opportunity for him to do some damage against the Bruins on Saturday afternoon.
Damn, Igor Shesterkin had to be helped off the ice. That could be bad news for the Smurfs. Captain J.T. Miller said it’s awful and a shock to the team. [NHL | Sportsnet]
