Oct 14, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven (22) congratulates Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi (32) after defeating the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Former Maine Mariners' goaltender Brandon Bussi became the 769th former ECHL player to reach the NHL when he debuted with the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday at San Jose against the Sharks.

Bussi was impressive in the Hurricanes’ 5-1 victory Tuesday night, stopping 16 shots and making numerous spectacular saves to keep his team in the game and allow them to eventually grab momentum.

The Canes exploded for four goals in the final 26 minutes and didn't allow the Sharks a shot on goal in the final period.

The only blemish occurred early in the middle frame, and that was due more to a defensive breakdown on the part of the Canes than their goaltender.

William Eklund scored on a partial breakaway to knot the game 1-1 after Sean Walker lit the lamp for the Hurricanes three minutes earlier.

The 27-year-old Bussi is the 10th netminder in Hurricanes franchise history to win his NHL debut while playing for the club, and the first since Pyotr Kochetkov accomplished the feat on Apr. 23, 2022. He’s the first former ECHL player to make his NHL debut during the 2025-26 season.

Bussi signed this summer with the Florida Panthers after three seasons with the Boston Bruins organization, but was among the final cuts from the defending Stanley Cup champs. He came over to the Canes when third-string goaltender Cayden Primeau was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Maple Leafs, then Kochetkov was placed on injured reserve due to a lower-body injury.

The 6-foot-4, 218-pound netminder went 3-1-0 in four appearances with the Mariners during the 2022-23 season with a 2.50 goals-against average and a save percentage of .922.

A native of Sound Beach, N.Y., Bussi has seen action in 111 career games with Providence of the American Hockey League, where he is 63-31-12 with eight shutouts, a 2.62 goals-against average and a save percentage of .915.

Thanks to Bussi’s outstanding performance Tuesday, the Canes are one of just two teams who remain unbeaten on the young season as they head to Anaheim for a clash with the Ducks Thursday night. The Dallas Stars are the only other undefeated team.

Throughout the course of the NHL season, there are plenty of scenarios when players wish they could take a play back and do things differently. 

One such scenario - a costly one - happened for Pittsburgh Penguins' defenseman Parker Wotherspoon on Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks. 

With 1:34 remaining in regulation and in the midst of a back-and-forth, high-energy 3-3 tie, Wotherspoon had the puck on his stick in the defensive zone, readying for a breakout. There are any number of decisions he could have made in that moment, but the 28-year-old defenseman decided to try to bank the puck off the glass in order to move it out of the defensive zone.

Unfortunately, that's not what happened.

Wotherspoon ended up airmailing the puck over the glass, which resulted in a late delay of game penalty. The Ducks scored a power play goal just seven seconds later, which was Chris Kreider's second power play goal of the night - and the nail in the coffin for the Penguins, who dropped the contest, 4-3.

Rickard Rakell, Justin Brazeau, and Anthony Mantha scored for the Penguins, while goaltender Tristan Jarry stopped 18 of 22 Ducks' shots on goal.

"It was just a dumb play," Wotherspoon said. "I was trying to make the right choice and just get it off the glass. Obviously, it's super unfortunate, but I can't be doing that that late in games, so it was dumb."

Takeaways from the Ducks 4-3 Win over the PenguinsThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks">Anaheim Ducks</a> returned from their two-game road trip to play their home opener, when they hosted the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> on Tuesday at Honda Center.

Although the result was indeed unfortunate for the Penguins, they - once again - didn't do themselves any favors in this game, as they were unable to stay out of the box akin to what happened in a 6-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday. Their only power play came in the form of a delay of game after a failed offside challenge by Anaheim late in the second period, which followed Mantha's first goal as a Penguin to tie the game at 3-3.

Pittsburgh took six penalties on the evening, and the Ducks had two power play goals. If the Penguins hope to win hockey games going forward, they will need to find ways to stay more disciplined, even if the game isn't always going their way.

And they also need improve their penalty kill, which has surrendered four goals in the past two contests.

"You want to be at least even or getting more on the advantage than you are killing," head coach Dan Muse said. "So, it plays a role. At the same time, too, when we do have to kill penalties... it's an area that we're going to have to continue to work to improve."

Final from Anaheim ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/iGGjb6OsWz

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 15, 2025

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Here are a few notes and observations from this one:

- Aside from the delay of game penalty at the end of the game, I thought Wotherspoon played another solid game for the Penguins. His defense partner, Erik Karlsson, was caught out of position a few times, and - as he has done with consistency so far this season - he was able to read off of that. He was also able to break the Penguins out of danger a few times.

So, that's what made the penalty at the end all the more unfortunate. Mistakes happen, of course, but that was certainly a costly one. 

Penguins' New Top Defensive Pairing Could Be Hidden GemThere are a lot of new faces populating the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' roster this season, especially on the left side of the Penguins' blue line.&nbsp;

- Rookie teenage defenseman Harrison Brunicke was held out of the lineup for developmental purposes on Tuesday, which made way for Connor Clifton and Matt Dumba to make their Penguins' debuts.

And it was a mixed bag for both of them. Dumba was caught flat-footed on more a few occasions, and his net-front defense failed him on Kreider's first goal because he allowed the pass to get through and he didn't box Kreider out. He had some good moments as well - namely in helping generate some offense - and it's worth noting that was playing his off-side.

Clifton wasn't great on the penalty kill, either, but I thought he played a relatively solid game five-on-five. He showcased his physicality, too, and landed a few big hits. 

If Brunicke sticks around for good this season, it's unclear exactly how the defensive rotation is going to work. Caleb Jones is also in the mix. But, assuming Brunicke is back in next game on the right side, I'd like to see Clifton get a game on the left side. 

It's Only Been Three Games. But Kindel And Brunicke Should Be In Pittsburgh To Stay.Going into <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' training camp this season, it's safe to say that most folks did not have 2025 11th overall pick Ben Kindel making the NHL roster out of the gate.

- I don't think Rust played a particularly strong game Tuesday. It's definitely a factor that he is just coming back from injury and has only played two games. But, in both games, he struggled in his own zone five-on-five and on the penalty kill, his reads were off, and he sent a few errant passes.

On Tuesday, he also made a few poor decisions with the puck during the six-on-five, which led to the puck leaving the offensive zone on both occasions. 

It's early, and I won't hold anything against Rust yet. But he hasn't been great in his first two.

- I saw a lot of people getting on Jarry after this one. After all, four goals on 22 shots isn't great, right? 

On paper, no. But, honestly, I thought he was pretty good in this game for the most part. He made some key saves in opportune moments when the Ducks were coming on strong, which happened in waves during this game. The entire flow of the game was back-and-forth, run-and-gun, footrace-style hockey, and the teams were trading chances and momentum all night long.

It's reasonable to suggest that Jarry needs to be better. That's not a false statement. But this was one of those games where looking at the final stat line for him doesn't exactly tell the whole story.

- The Penguins play the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, another late one for the East Coast. I would expect them to be much more disciplined and come out strong in this one. The Penguins tend to play some of their best hockey against the Kings, who play a stingy, tight-checking brand.

I would venture to guess that Brunicke will be back in the lineup, and it's possible that Ben Kindel may not be. Muse said that the two rookies getting scratched on planned days is all part of a development plan laid out by management and the coaching staff.

Kevin Hayes made the trip and should also be returning soon. Some interesting decisions loom for the Penguins.

4 Early Trade Candidates For The PenguinsWith a few players on injured reserve and some young prospects making some pretty solid cases to stick around for good, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> will have some tough roster decisions to make in the coming days and weeks.

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To say that defenceman Ville Heinola is frustrated would be an understatement.

The Winnipeg Jets have long been a very deep defensive club.

So much so that they set NHL records last season for their strong play away from the puck. From longest streaks of games played without allowing a certain number of goals against, to blocked shots, hits and time spent in the defensive end, the Jets have been a stellar shut down defensive squad.

In order to be that, a team needs to be assembled in a particular manner: large, strong, tough and sturdy.

Think, Luke Schenn.

The veteran defenceman brought in prior to the trade deadline last season fits the exact mold set by GM Kevin Cheveldayoff. Dylan Samberg has all of those characteristics, plus a flair for smart decision-making with the puck and some added offence when needed. 

Josh Morrissey is the offensive stalwart, while Neal Pionk has proven to be a reliable, speedy option on the back-end. 

Colin Miller, whom Winnipeg traded for a couple years back, also has similar traits to that of Schenn and Samberg - he's just a bit slower, but has a heavier shot. 

Logan Stanley - who does not skate particularly well - fits the bill on the third pairing due to his towering 6-foot-7 frame and his willingness to clear the netfront. 

Haydn Fleury, who is possibly the best skater of all the Jets' defence, even found himself sitting out more often than not last year in favour of bigger, slower teammates. He has made himself at home, however, since proving his worth during last spring's postseason. 

Then, there's the curious case of Ville Heinola. 

The small, speedy Finn has not been able to find a place on the crowded blueline in Winnipeg, and on Tuesday made clear his frustration with another training camp resulting in a trip down the hallway to the AHL's Manitoba Moose dressing room.

When asked by Illegal Curve's Dave Minuk of being placed on Waivers for the first time in his career, Heinola responded bluntly.

"I mean, it's obviously not fun," he said. "To be honest, I kind of wish that someone would have picked me up. But that didn't happen, and I'm here. Happy to play." 

Asked Ville Heinola about going through the waiver process for the first time in his career.

He said he hoped he would have been picked up by another team (which is an honest answer as it would mean he remains in the NHL).

Our full chat: https://t.co/eMHhOfIdDfpic.twitter.com/l4olizG39X

— Dave Minuk (@ICdave) October 14, 2025

Selected 20th overall in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft, the now 24-year-old cracked the Jets out of camp that fall following the retirement of Dustin Byfuglien. He became the first player born in the 21st century to score on NHL goal, and had a goal and five points in eight games to start that rookie season prior to being sent home for further development.

Thanks to beefed up bluelines, an influx of coaches and unfortunately timed injuries, he never made the Jets out of training camp again. 

In 53 games over five seasons, Heinola has that single goal and 12 points to his name. The majority of his time has been spent with the Moose, where he has played 154 games over parts of seven seasons. He has 23 goals and 103 points over that lengthy time spent in antlers. 

Now, having been placed on Waivers for the first time in his career and having no takers of the 31 other teams, it was a bit of a low-blow for the puck-moving defender. 

"That's all I can do," Heinola concluded. "I'll try my hardest and try to play well, and hopefully something happens."

With Winnipeg's draft and develop model having worked wonders for current star players Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Cole Perfetti, Morrissey and Samberg, others, such as Heinola may be getting squeezed too thin at the AHL level.

The current flock of AHL prospects includes that of Heinola, fellow defenceman Elias Salomonsson and forwards Brayden Yager, Brad Lambert and Colby Barlow. Once Perfetti and captain Adam Lowry return from their injuries, the expectation is that both Parker Ford and Nikita Chibrikov will be sent back down to join Ville Heinola and David Gustafsson on the Moose.

Former Florida Panthers goaltender Brandon Bussi made his NHL debut last night with the Carolina Hurricanes, picking up a 5-1 win.

The 27-year-old wasn't too busy throughout the game, but the high-danger chances the San Jose Sharks did create were turned away. He finished the outing with 16 saves on 17 shots, allowing the lone goal to William Eklund, which came on a breakaway. 

Bussi's NHL debut has been a long-awaited one. He has played 111 games in the AHL, 72 in the NCAA, and another 52 in the USHL. 

"You work hard to get to moments like this, and you don’t know if it’s ever going to happen. Great effort by the team today, they made my job easy,” said Bussi after the game.

"You work hard to get to moments like this, and you don’t know if it’s ever going to happen. Great effort by the team today, they made my job easy.”

Brandon Bussi with @hannaRyates after earning a win in his NHL debut. pic.twitter.com/ZEMrePxaUE

— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) October 15, 2025

Bussi was set to be the Charlotte Checkers' No.1 goaltender this year and the Panthers' third stringer behind Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov. Unfortunately for the Panthers, the Hurricanes put a claim on him when he was placed on waivers. 

With Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov, Bussi will likely be the third-string goaltender when they are healthy. But for now, he has an excellent opportunity to be the backup in Carolina. 

With Bussi gone, Cooper Black has taken charge of the Checkers crease, picking up a win in one of his two starts this season. 

The Montreal Canadiens extended their winning streak to three games during their Oct. 14 matchup against the Seattle Kraken, as they defeated the Pacific Division club in overtime by a 5-4 final score. With this, the Canadiens now have a 3-1-0 record on the season and are tied with the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins at the top of the Atlantic Division standings. 

Canadiens star Cole Caufield was undoubtedly a huge reason why the Canadiens defeated the Kraken. The 2019 first-round pick scored twice in the Canadiens' contest against the Kraken, with one of them most notably being the overtime winner. 

ÊTES-VOUS DIVERTIS??

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!?#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/8V7jKLpPj6

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) October 15, 2025

With his impressive performance against the Kraken, Caufield has now recorded three goals, five points, and a plus-4 rating in his last three games. With this, the 5-foot-8 winger is certainly doing his job for the Canadiens early on this campaign, and there is no question that they are benefiting from it. 

It will now be very interesting to see how Caufield builds on his hot streak with the Canadiens from here. If he continues to have strong games like he has been as of late, it will undoubtedly be great news for a Canadiens club looking to take another step forward in the right direction. 

Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Wild Wednesday Rewind heads back to Oct. 15, 1989, at the Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton.

The Oilers faithful watched their former hero, Wayne Gretzky, come in as the opponent with the Los Angeles Kings, but this night carried much more significance than that with the NHL points record on the line.

Brian T. Dessart takes fans on a distinctive ride through the historic-laden NHL with the #NHLNugget. Check out NHLNugget.com to find where to follow NHL Nugget on social media.  And for past NHL Nuggets, click here.    

#Oilers Head Coach Kris Knoblauch recorded his 96th career NHL win, passing Dave Tippett for the fifth-most in franchise history! #LetsGoOilerspic.twitter.com/OkJ8YBH8rQ

— Eric Friesen 🏒 (@EricJFriesen) October 15, 2025

Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch continues to cement his place in franchise history. With a recent victory over the New York Rangers on Tuesday night, Knoblauch notched his 96th career NHL win, moving past former coach Dave Tippett to claim fifth place on the Oilers’ all-time wins list.

Knoblauch’s early success in Edmonton has been remarkable. In just 154 games at the helm, he’s won 96 (96-47-11), a winning percentage that is among the best in the NHL, particularly for the length of time he's been an NHL head coach.

While he inherited a Stanley Cup contender, he came to the Oilers under less than ideal circumstances, replacing Jay Woodcroft early in a season and essentially being told to turn the team around or else. Knoblauch did just that, taking the team to the Finals, where they've barely lost out of the Florida Panthers in two straight seasons. A key factor in his success as a coach has been his ability to stay calm under immense pressure and his effective communication with elite stars. 

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The franchise recently confirmed its confidence in Knoblauch’s abilities by signing him to a three-year contract extension, all while knowing that every decision could impact whether Connor McDavid re-signed with the team. Knoblauch signed, and then McDavid followed just days later.

This season, an important start is key for the Oilers, but so is bringing along some new faces, including young players who need to find success at the NHL level. If he's able to do so, Knoblauch could realistically pass both Todd McLellan and Ron Low, moving him into fourth on the all-time list of Oilers coaches. He would need 56 more wins to tie Craig McTavish, which, while possible, would put them in elite company. That would mean the Oilers would go 58-23-1 on the season. That's 117 points, and only the Boston Bruins (135 points in 2022-23), the Florida Panthers and Colorado Avalanche (2021-22), and Tampa Bay Lightning (2018-19) have done so in the past six seasons. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more.   Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

The Chicago Blackhawks are now through four games. The first two came on the road against the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins, followed by the next two at home against the Montreal Canadiens and Utah Mammoth. Chicago is 1-2-1 with 3 standings points.

One thing that is evident through the first four games is that the Blackhawks are going to be involved in a lot more games. All four were either a Blackhawks win or losses by one goal. They are fast, have more skill, and play hard for Jeff Blashill. 

There were some things that we learned about the team during the first two road games. Now that they have played two at home, we know even more about them. These are the three things that the first homestand of 2025-26 told us about the Blackhawks:

Ilya Mikheyev can impact games

Chicago Blackhawks forward Ilya Mikheyev is not a star player, but he did score a cool 20 goals in 2024-25. With no power play time, that is an impressive total. 

Coming into this year, it was fair to wonder how he would follow that up. So far, he’s been an impactful player all over the ice once again, which was evident in the two home games. 

In the home opener against Montreal, the Blackhawks found themselves on the penalty kill 10 times. They killed off eight of them, which is a great job by those units. Mikheyev is one of the key pieces to that success, as he was all over the ice during those kills. 

As a result of his work on the PK, and how frequently it was needed, he hardly had any even strength ice time. That’s the kind of warrior that helps build great cultures in the NHL. 

Two days later, when hosting the Mammoth, Mikheyev was rewarded with two goals. One was a beautiful effort to drive the net, and the other was an empty-netter. After the sacrifices he made against Montreal, he deserved to be on the scoresheet more than once a day later. 

Having bottom-six forwards who can do it all for your team is important. Right now, Ilya Mikheyev is a proven player who can impact games. His work on this homestand is a great sign that it will continue. 

Developing a "killer instinct" is a must

In the first game of the homestand, the home opener against the Montreal Canadiens, the Blackhawks allowed the game-winning goal with 15 seconds left in regulation. They were that close to at least getting a point, and giving themselves a chance to win in overtime. 

Once the game was over, Nick Foligno talked about developing a killer instinct. That is something that has lacked in recent years. The Blackhawks have become known for blowing leads late or letting their opponent find a way to win in the final minutes. 

One game later against the Mammoth, they did the opposite. Once Andre Burakovsky gave them a 2-1 lead, they did not allow Utah to get it tied. Instead, they threw one into the empty net and won 3-1 for their first victory of the season. 

Like Foligno said, having that "killer instinct" can be the key to winning hockey games. One game after talking about it, the team showed signs of improvement in that area. Seeing that become more of a trend is a must this year if they want to take a step as a group. 

Spencer Knight may be a high-end NHL starting goalie

Spencer Knight was a first-round draft pick by the Florida Panthers in 2019. Being selected so high is rare for a goalie, but Knight had the pedigree to live up to it. 

After some struggles on and off the ice in Florida, along with some flashes of incredible play, the Panthers included him in the trade to get Seth Jones. With Sergei Bobrovsky as their main man in net, they were able to make that deal to get another solid defenseman. 

With the Chicago Blackhawks, Knight is getting the opportunity he deserves to be a number one in the NHL. He got himself off to a good start when he came over at the end of last season, but he's gone to another level to start this year. 

Knight played both games at home and allowed only four total goals. His goals against average currently sits at 2.35 while his save percentage is .920. Knowing his team is outshot in every game, these stats look even better. 

The first game of the season on the road wouldn't have been close without Knight's brilliance. He came home and started both games, and his team had a shot to win each because of him. 

Is he going to compete for Vezina Trophies or lead them to deep playoff runs? That remains to be seen. All we know is that he dominated this homestand and looks like he may be a high-end NHL goalie.

If Knight can continue saving 81 of every 88 shots, the Blackhawks will be more than pleased.

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

It was a very relaxed and pleased Montreal Canadiens owner who met the Montreal media before his team’s home opener. You could tell by his demeanor that with the Lane Hutson contract and the Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes extensions signed, a weight had been taken off his shoulders.

Although it was not complicated to put pen to paper with the duo of executives who both wanted to continue working on the rebuild they had started together, it was essential to do so. While there was still plenty of time left to get contract extensions done since their current deal took them to the end of the season, it made sense to do it now, especially with the outside interest Gorton was receiving in the last couple of years. His promotion to the rank of president of hockey operations had nothing to do with a fear of seeing him jump ship; he told Molson time and time again that he was happy in Montreal and wanted to stay. It was essentially done to reflect today’s reality in the NHL.

Canadiens: Three Takeaways As Demidov Shines In Home Opener Win
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Canadiens Sign Hughes & Gorton To Five-Year Extensions

Molson spoke candidly about what the pair has achieved since he hired them late in 2021 for Gorton and early in 2022 for Hughes, when he was asked what their best move had been so far, though he replied:

It starts all the way up. After hiring Jeff, it was a coup to hire Kent, and then Martin St-Louis. We also made some trades to acquire first-round picks, which helped us build for the future. These trades have already borne fruit or will bear fruit in the future. It’s a lot of things; it’s all part of the plan.

- Molson on Hughes and Gorton's best move

It was a coincidence that both the Hutson deal and those two happened in such a short period of time, but these deals had been reached a little bit before Hutson’s, which came together last weekend. Understandably, the player extension was announced first, but once that was done, there was no reason to delay the announcement further.

The owner had a little laugh when he was asked if the team architects had followed the players’ lead and left some money on the table, before adding he was more than happy to pay them. It’s been a while since the general feeling has been so positive after the signature of an executive in Montreal. The last time a hire or contract extension in the front office was so well-received was when the organization appointed Chantal Machabee as the vice president of communications.

Nearly four years after Molson decided to bet on Jeff Gorton, an anglophone, to spearhead his rebuild, a move that was criticized by some, it’s safe to say that he has won his gamble. The Canadiens haven’t won anything yet, but they seem well on their way, and the business is thriving.

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Aside from two empty net goals in the third period, the Nashville Predators' defense struggled to support goalie Justus Annunen in their 7-4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. 

On four of the five goals scored with Annunen in the net, the goalie had little to no support from the Predators' defense in limiting the Maple Leafs' scoring chances. 

"We probably weren't all that sharp around the front of the net," Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said. "Those stick battles weren't quite to our standard. A little bit slow early." 

The first goal was more so on Annunen as a long shot from the point by Jake McCabe zipped through traffic, hit the right post and went in. 

The second goal was where the Predators lack of defense started showing.

On a rush into the Predators' zone, the Maple Leafs were able to get two players past the Predators' defense and Ozzy Weisblatt on the right side. That allowed William Nylander to make a cross-ice pass to Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who tapped it in for the goal. 

Nashville came back to tie the game in the second period, before Toronto took the lead off a goal from John Tavares, who scored from his knees right in front of Annunen. Roman Josi pressured Tavaraes into falling, but he had two Predator defenders on him when he had scored.

Josi also had an opportunity to clear the puck out of the crease before Tavares had scored. 

The third goal saw Bobby McMann get in front of the Predators' defense, fire a shot, get his own rebound and put it away to make it 4-3. On the goal, it had looked like Brady Skjei and Cole Smith had given up on the play before McMann fired the second shot. 

The fourth goal saw the Predators turn the puck over in the neutral zone and get caught too high, allowing the Maple Leafs to go on a 2-on-1. 

Justin Barron missed on the diving poke check, and the Predators had a little bit of a window to possibly break up the goal as Matthew Knies went for the extra pass back to Auston Matthews. Jonathan Marchessault got back, but not in time to prevent the easy tap-in goal from Matthews.

The Maple Leafs scored three of their five goals, with Annunen in the net, from below the face-off circles, meaning that they had no issue getting to the net. They also had 12 high danger chances. 

Outside of the goals, the shot totals, face-off battles, hits and even penalty minutes were all pretty even. If Nashville's defense had tightened up around the net, this could've been a different result. 

The lapse also exposes just how critical Juuse Saros has been in the first three games of the season. Not only has the Predators' starter made 89 saves on 94 shots, but he has kept the Predators in all three of their games. 

In Nashville's first two games, the team struggled in the second period, and it was Saros who allowed the Predators to have a chance to win to the end. Putting Annunen, the backup, in the net shows that the defense can't constantly rely on Saros to bail them out. 

Just under two weeks after announcing his retirement from the NHL, a former Philadelphia Flyers fan-favorite, of sorts, has resurfaced with an unsurprising new job in hockey.

On Tuesday, it was announced that former Flyers defenseman Erik Johnson, who retired after 17 NHL seasons on Oct. 1, had taken a position with ESPN, serving as an NHL analyst for the network.

Johnson, 37, will join his former Flyers coach, John Tortorella, as an analyst on the network, appearing alongside other media personalities like Kevin Weekes, Blake Bolden, Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Ray Ferraro, Mark Messier, AJ Mleczko, T.J. Oshie, P.K. Subban, and Dave Jackson

The Flyers defenseman of two seasons, of course, played against the likes of Oshie, Weekes, and Subban at the NHL level, and should fit in on television without missing a beat.

"As a kid I idolized Thorne, Clement, Melrose, Levy & Buccigross. To call games with some of them on @espn is going to be surreal," Johnson posted to his X account after the news broke. "Can’t wait, let’s go!"

Emil Andrae Emerges As Real Solution to Flyers' Defensive CarouselUnsurprisingly, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> may have finally stumbled on an answer to their defensive woes, even if it's only temporary.

Johnson played parts of two seasons in Philadelphia with the Flyers, scoring three goals, three assists, and six points in 39 games.

The former Stanley Cup champion endeared himself to fans with his thoughtful praise of the Flyers organization and the city of Philadelphia, goofy antics behind the camera that made it into digital media content, and leadership for the young Flyers - specifically Jett Luchanko, who briefly lived with Johnson last season.

The Montreal Canadiens have a knack for making home openers memorable. No one does ceremonies quite like the Habs, and when you have to combine a home opener with a tribute to one of the best goaltenders in their history together, you’re in for a rollercoaster of emotions. They began with the tribute as Bob Gainey read an excerpt from The Game, one of the best hockey books ever written, penned by Dryden. There were several video highlights from the masked man's short but impressive career before the Jumbotron showed his teammates from the 70s, all standing behind the bench, looking up to the rafters. The emotion was palpable, and the crowd broke into one of the most heartfelt Ole. Ole, Ole ever heard.

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The show then entered act two as the personnel was introduced. Martin St-Louis received an ovation that might have been louder than any he had in his playing days, and it was clear it touched him. Asked about it after the game, the coach said:

It was flattering. I appreciate the love I get from the fans, and I love them just as much. I’m proud to be behind the bench, I grew up here, I was a Habs’ fan, I love the fans and I know that when I talk to you, you give me the platform to speak to the fans, whether it’s a good or a bad question, you’re giving me a platform to communicate with our fans and I don’t take it lightly. I try to earn respect every day.

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The players were then all introduced on the ice to the song of their own choosing, but the crowd was so vocal that it was almost impossible to recognize the tunes. Putting the title of each song would have been a nice touch, but that’s my sole criticism. Otherwise, the Canadiens pulled off another grand ceremony and it was the perfect prelude to the game against the Seattle Kraken.

St-Louis The Teacher

The Habs had an optional skate on game day, but the coach was fully dialed in. He spent a few minutes by the board talking to Ivan Demidov and demonstrating a play. Less than 12 hours later, the young Russian put the teachings to use and replicated what his coach had shown him to set up the game's first goal.

He put on the brakes in a hurry and saw acres of space, which made it child’s play for him on his strong side to send a picture-perfect pass to Alex Newhook by the side of the net. It might have been the Newfoundlander’s easiest goal ever; all he had to do was tap the puck in, and he netted a goal on the 300th game of his career.

You're going to want to see this pass from Ivan Demidov 👀 pic.twitter.com/1wUG9WrcjP

— NHL (@NHL) October 14, 2025

Asked if he cooked up that goal at the morning skate, the bench boss remained humble:

I didn’t necessarily draw it, but for a lefty, the area below the circles on the right is what I call the playmaking corner. For a righty, it would be on the other side. It’s crucial that when you’re in that spot, as much as possible, when you’re below the dot, that you bring the puck to your forehand quickly. Higher than that, you can keep it on your backhand, but the minute you get below, everything else will open up, if you understand that it’s your playmaking corner. We use him [Demidov] a lot there on the power play, so it’s essential that he has his puck on his forehand as much as possible so that he can send the pucks where the guys are open. If it’s not on the forehand quick enough, you’re going to miss some windows, and those windows are short.

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On Predictability

The coach has spoken at length since the start of camp about the need for his players to be predictable, not for the opponents, of course, but to their linemates. Sometimes, that takes time to happen, chemistry isn’t an instant receipe and in the second frame, twice the Zack Bolduc, Kirby Dach and Brendan Gallagher line was unable to exit their own zone because they didn’t anticipate what their linemate would do, it could have been minor, but it led to a tripping call on Mike Matheson which resulted in the Kraken’s power play goal.

Predictability is not easy for players who possess a very high hockey IQ and creativity, such as Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov, for instance. They are so shifty and deceptive that they can create opportunities out of thin air, and that’s hard to predict. Whenever they are on the ice together, however, they don’t appear to catch each other off guard. There’s some definite chemistry there, which comes easier because both are so talented individually. One day, we may even see them on the same power play…

It Was A Rough Outing For Samuel Montembeault

Being a goaltender is not an easy task, especially not on a rebuilding team that likes to attack a lot, but tonight, Samuel Montembeault had a rough night. He gave up four goals on 22 shots, giving him a save percentage of just .818. In the third frame, he allowed two goals on just six shots, including one on a shot from far out that wasn’t deflected at all.

Later in the frame, when Alex Carrier drew a penalty, the goalie failed to notice and wasn’t coming out of his net for the extra man. It didn’t matter in the end as the Habs were able to equalize, but it was far from ideal.

Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney was in the house tonight, on scouting duty for Team Canada in preparation for the Milano Cortina Olympics. I can’t imagine that Montembeault is pleased with what he showed.

Overall, it was an entertaining night at the Bell Center with Demidov shining bright with two points, including the game-tying goal late in the third frame, and Cole Caufield sending everyone home happy with a beautiful game-winner in overtime. With this 5-4 OT win, the Canadiens are now 3-1-0 and have caught up to the Florida Panthers and the Bruins atop the Atlantic division with six points. Montreal will hold its practice at the Bell Centre this morning as its team picture day, and St-Louis and co. will play their next game on Thursday night against the Nashville Predators.

Demidov brakes, passes to Newhook who scores on a tap in. This morning St-Louis was discussing that play with Demidov at practice 1-0 MTL #GoHabsGo@TheHockeyNewspic.twitter.com/UXsPIwIWSL

— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) October 14, 2025

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Let the hunt begin!

On Wednesday, October 15th, Upper Deck releases the first installment of its flagship product, as 2025-26 Series One hits the shelves. 

Series One and Two are highly anticipated due to the coveted Young Guns that are released within the set. These are considered the "main rookie card" for each play, and are highly collectible. 

The Young Guns set includes a 50-player checklist each year, and here is a list of the top-five players to chase in Series One. 

1. Ivan Demidov, Montreal Canadiens. 

Habs fans call him the 'Demi-God', and the demand for his marquee rookie card from Series One flagship will be high. The Russian rookie burst onto the scene late last year and played the final two games of the regular season for Montreal, finishing with a goal and an assist, while adding two more points in five playoff games. He is projected to be a top-six star in Montreal, and already has three points in four games ahead of the Series 1 release (Oct. 15th, 2025).

2. Jimmy Snuggerud, St Louis Blues.

Snuggerud was a first-round draft pick of the Blues in 2022. He played the final seven games of the 2024-25 season, scoring a goal with three helpers in those games. He also added two goals and two assists in the Blues' seven-game playoff series against Winnipeg. The 21-year-old forward is off to a hot start this season as well, with two goals and three points in the team's first three games before the release of his Young Guns. 

3. Ryan Leonard, Washington Capitals.

Leonard had a great NCAA collegiate career, notching 61 goals across two seasons with Boston College. He also captained Team USA's U20 team at last year's World Junior Championships, where he tallied five goals and five assists in 10 games. He's gotten off to a slower start at the NHL level with just two goals in his first 14 games, but the scoring abilities are off the charts, and he's expected to be a big-time piece of the post-Ovechkin puzzle in Washington once '8' hangs them up. 

4. Zayne Parekh, Calgary Flames.

It's not too often a rookie defenseman creates buzz around the NHL, but Parekh scored in his NHL debut in the Flames' final game of the 2024-25 season. He's yet to find the scoresheet early in 2025, but has impressed with his smooth skating and playmaking abilities. He filled the scoresheet in the OHL, putting up 87 goals and 240 points in 177 games at the junior level. It's that level of production that has scouts and fans excited about what he could develop into, given the recent trend of young puck-movers putting up strong production from the back-end. 

5. Sam Rinzel, Chicago Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks have two young blue liners featured in Series One, but it's Rinzel that I believe will have the most hobby relevance. He was a 2022 first-round draft pick of the Hawks, but played two years of collegiate hockey at the University of Minnesota, scoring 60 points in 79 games at that level. Rinzel then debuted for the Hawks late last season, collecting five assists in nine games. The young defender has just one goal so far in four games this season, but he is a member of the Hawks' top power-play unit, so I'd expect him to produce once that young group gets going. 

Below is the full checklist of 2025-26 Series One Young Guns class: 

201 Artyom Levshunov, Chicago Blackhawks

202 Gabe Perreault, New York Rangers

203 Olivier Rodrigue, Edmonton Oilers

204 Carter Mazur, Detroit Red Wings

205 Ivan Demidov, Montreal Canadiens

206 Tim Washe, Anaheim Ducks

207 Jimmy Snuggerud, St. Louis Blues

208 Jack Finley, Tampa Bay Lightning

209 Jani Nyman, Seattle Kraken

210 Karsen Dorwart, Philadelphia Flyers

211 Riley Duran, Boston Bruins

212 Ozzy Wiesblatt, Nashville Predators

213 Luca Cagnoni, San Jose Sharks

214 Ryan Suzuki, Carolina Hurricanes

215 Sam Morton, Calgary Flames

216 Oliver Moore, Chicago Blackhawks

217 Rodrigo Abols, Philadelphia Flyers

218 Colton Dach, Chicago Blackhawks

219 Noah Ostlund, Buffalo Sabres

220 Niklas Kokko, Seattle Kraken

221 Nikita Tolopilo, Vancouver Canucks

222 Michael Callahan, Boston Bruins

223 Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks

224 Quinn Hutson, Edmonton Oilers

225 Jacob Gaucher, Philadelphia Flyers

226 Dalibor Dvorsky, St. Louis Blues

227 Owen Sillinger, Columbus Blue Jackets

228 Matthew Wood, Nashville Predators

229 Donovan Sebrango, Ottawa Senators

230 Jacob Melanson, Seattle Kraken

231 Marc Gatcomb, New York Islanders

232 Ian Moore, Anaheim Ducks

233 Ville Koivunen, Pittsburgh Penguins

234 Dominik Shine, Detroit Red Wings

235 Rory Kerins, Calgary Flames

236 Zayne Parekh, Calgary Flames

237 Joakim Kemell, Nashville Predators

238 Ryan Leonard, Washington Capitals

239 Matthew Robertson, New York Rangers

240 Ethen Frank, Washington Capitals

241 Jacob Quillan, Toronto Maple Leafs

242 Cam Lund, San Jose Sharks

243 Justin Robidas, Carolina Hurricanes

244 Jakub Skarek, New York Islanders

245 Victor Ostman, Seattle Kraken

246 Parker Ford, Winnipeg Jets

247 Skyler Brind’Amour, Carolina Hurricanes

248 Sam Rinzel, Chicago Blackhawks

249 Dylan Duke, Tampa Bay Lightning

250 Ivan Demidov/Artyom Levshunov CL, Montreal/Chicago Canadiens/Blackhawks.

Starting to skid.

The Calgary Flames (1–3–0) dropped their third straight game Tuesday night, falling 4–2 to the Vegas Golden Knights (2–0–2) at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Calgary built a 2–0 lead early but couldn’t hold off a Vegas rally that saw the defending champs score four unanswered goals.

Mikael Backlund opened the scoring with his first of the season, finishing off a slick setup from MacKenzie Weegar, who disguised his slap pass perfectly to freeze Adin Hill. Blake Coleman added another late in the first, jumping on a turnover and wiring a shot over Hill’s shoulder to make it 2–0.

But Vegas — as they’ve done all season — stormed back. Jack Eichel scored twice, Kaedan Korczak added another from the slot, and Tomas Hertl sealed it with an empty-netter as the Golden Knights continued their early-season trend of comeback victories.

Here are three takeaways from the loss:

1. Kadri Line Creating Momentum

The trio of Matt Coronato, Nazem Kadri, and Matvei Gridin was one of the Flames’ bright spots. The line was active all night, driving play with speed and creativity. Kadri’s veteran poise blended nicely with Coronato’s offensive instincts and Gridin’s youthful energy, giving Calgary consistent offensive-zone time. 

2. Third Period Continues to Frustrate Flames

It’s becoming a worrying pattern — the inability to protect leads. The Flames have now surrendered multiple third-period goals in three straight games: four to the Vancouver Canucks, two to the St. Louis Blues, and another two against Vegas. Tuesday’s collapse came despite a strong start and a solid first 40 minutes. Until Calgary can lock things down defensively in crunch time, wins will continue to slip away.

3. Zary’s Development Path Getting a Test

Connor Zary is currently being tested in a fourth-line centre role — not a natural fit for his offensive skillset. Still, he was taking offensive-zone draws late in the game, suggesting the coaching staff is pushing him to take big offensive draws while also rounding out his defensive game. It’s a learning curve for the young forward, but one that could pay dividends if he transitions into a full-time top-six centre down the road.

The Flames will look to rebound quickly as they face the Utah Mammoth tomorrow night.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby continues to climb the all-time ranks in several categories this season. 

Crosby came into Tuesday's game against the Anaheim Ducks tied for ninth for the most assists in NHL history with 1,063, and is now ninth by himself after getting the secondary assist on Rickard Rakell's goal in the first period. Crosby now has 1,064 assists and is 15 assists away from tying Adam Oates for eighth on the all-time list. 

ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR SID 🙌

Sidney Crosby now sits ninth all-time in career assists! #NHLFaceOffpic.twitter.com/LFajBR8rD6

— NHL (@NHL) October 15, 2025

Crosby has a legit chance to pass Jaromir Jagr on the all-time assists list, who finished his NHL career with 1,155. The former came into this game with two points in three games and now has his third point to start the year.

He'll try to get his fourth later in this game or on Thursday when the Penguins travel to Los Angeles to take on the Kings.  

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