Category: NHL

The Detroit Red Wings look for bounce back performance when hosting one of their biggest rivals in the Toronto Maple Leafs in a primetime showdown. 

It was a season opener to forget for the Red Wings as they wanted to make it as memorable as possible for the start of the franchise's 100th season but it quickly soured late in the first period. After defensive lapses led to an early 3-1 deficit heading into the second, the Wings couldn't recover as they eventually lost 5-1 while debuting their new Centennial uniforms.

Detroit looks to bounce back against a familar foe in Toronto. The Red Wings lost game 82 of the 2024-25 season in tragic fashion when blowing a 3-1 lead to the Maple Leafs entering the third period before losing 4-3 in overtime. They look to exact revenge on Saturday as well as make up for their lackluster start to the season. 

It'll be their 688th meeting all-time with the Buds holding the upper hand historically with a 303-285-93-6 record. The rivalry has been neck-and-neck lately, with each team taking three wins in their last six matchups. Saturday night’s showdown will break the deadlock and show who truly owns this series.

#RedWings lines at the skate before hosting Leafs tonight (7, ⁦@FanDuelSN_DET⁩):
Finnie-Larkin-Raymond
DeBrincat-Kasper-Kane
Copp-Compher-Brandsegg Nygard
Berggren-Rasmussen-Appleton
JVR-Soderblom
JVR activated today but looked like Berggren taking most reps on that line. pic.twitter.com/1pjr7dLfIr

— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) October 11, 2025

Alex DeBrincat Reflects on Missed Chances in Red Wings' Loss to CanadiensThe ultimate fate of an NHL team during any given contest can sometimes come down to a series of bounces and what some fans would simply refer to as good or bad luck. 

Lineup Storylines

The Red Wings' trio of rookies (Emmitt Finnie, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård and Axel Sandin-Pellikka) held their own in their NHL debuts, avoiding costly mistakes, though their overall impact was more limited than Detroit bench boss Todd McLellan had hope. Brandsegg-Nygård saw his chances including a low slot chance that saw Montreal goaltender Jakub Dobes turn the puck away. 

Sandin-Pellikka played heavy minutes in the season opener (3rd-most on the team at 22:34) while Finnie wasn't given many opportunities to show what he has to offer as his linemates in captain Dylan Larkin and star winger Lucas Raymond spent a sizeable amount of time working the special teams. The trio will look to have a more impactful game on a big stage like a Saturday night primetime game against a fierce original six rival. 

Rookie Trio Shows Promise Despite Tough Debuts as Red Wings Drop Season Opener to CanadiensBreaking down how Detroit’s trio of rookies handled their first NHL test against Montreal in a challenging season-opening loss.

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

This will be Detroit's first look at a Toronto team without Mitch Marner as the 28-year-old superstar winger left for the Vegas Golden Knights in free agency, giving the Maple Leafs more cap space to add more players. In the process, the Buds added Utah Mammoth winger Matias Maccelli to take over Marner's role on the top line while lower in the lineup they added Vancouver Canucks winger Dakota Joshua and got back from the Golden Knights, Nick Roy as part of a sign-and-trade for Marner. 

Player & Betting Trends (Presented By BetMGM)

DET ML (+118) | TOR ML (-142)

DET +1.5 (-200) | TOR -1.5 (+165)

O/U 6.0 Goals

When the Red Wings and Maple Leafs face off it usually means fireworks as the two clubs have totaled six or more goals in 16 of their last 23 matchups. That means relying on certain players to find the back of the net and for the Red Wings, there’s no better bet than their top scorer, Alex DeBrincat. After generating several high-danger chances in the season opener, the Michigan native looks poised for a breakout performance. The 27-year-old also has a strong track record against the Maple Leafs, posting three goals and three assists for six points over his last seven meetings with Toronto.

On the Maple Leafs’ side, their key forwards all made an impact in the opener, highlighted by William Nylander’s standout performance with a goal and two assists for a three-point night. This time, though, it could be the captain’s turn to take over. Auston Matthews has scored in three straight games against the Red Wings and has dominated this matchup historically, tallying 16 goals and 15 assists for 31 points in his last 23 contests versus Detroit.

Expect DeBrincat To Lead Red Wings in Bounce-Back Win Over Matthews, Maple LeafsDetroit's Alex DeBrincat and Toronto's Auston Matthews headline Best Bets options for Saturday's marquee matchup between the Red Wings and Leafs.

Goalie Matchup

Detroit: Cam Talbot (VS TOR: 6-5-2 record, 2.83 GAA, .901 SV% in 15 Games)

Toronto: Anthony Stolarz (VS DET: 2-0-0 record, One Goal Allowed - 0.49 GAA, .980 SV%, One Shutout in 2 Games)

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The Chicago Blackhawks are back at home for the 2025-26 season. This, their centennial season, will begin with a game at the United Center against the Montreal Canadiens. 

Chicago started their season on the road with two losses to the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins, respectively. The latter of the two came in overtime, so the Blackhawks do have one standings point. 

Over the first two games, there have been some things to like about the way that the Blackhawks played, and some things that need major improvement. 

3 Things We Learned From Blackhawks Season Opening Road TripThe Chicago Blackhawks are now 0-1-1 through two games to open their season. It began with two road Eastern Conference matches. Chicago lost to the Florida Panthers 3-2 on Tuesday night and dropped an overtime game 4-3 to the Boston Bruins on Thursday. 

Last season, the Canadiens were really hot towards the end of the season. It earned them a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs. However, the Blackhawks suffered two of their losses throughout their great run. Chicago will be looking to repeat that success against Montreal in their home opener. 

Calder Trophy Love

The Chicago Blackhawks have forward Connor Bedard, and the Montreal Canadiens have defenseman Lane Hutson. They are the last two winners of the NHL's Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie. Each of them is an impact player in their own way and will be looking to lead their teams to victory in this one. 

Bedard is a shifty center who makes incredible plays and has a high-end shot. He impacts the game with his offensive tools as a center. As for Hutson, he is a dynamic offensive defenseman who can make plays at even strength while being a top-tier power play quarterback. 

Expected Lines And Defense Pairs

Dach - Bedard - Burakovsky

Teravainen - Nazar - Bertuzzi

Donato - Greene - Mikheyev

Foligno - Reichel - Lafferty

Vlasic - Rinzel

Kaiser - Levshunov

Grzelcyk - Murphy

(Crevier)

Knight

Spencer Knight is the expected starter for the Blackhawks in their home opener. He was brilliant in Chicago's first game of the season, as the main reason they were even in the game at all. Without him, the Florida Panthers would have run away with the game. Instead, it was just a 3-2 loss. 

Jason Dickinson is notably missing from this group. He left Thursday's game against the Boston Bruins and never returned. That is a big loss for Chicago as one of their top checking centers is missing from the lineup. Expect Ryan Greene's role on the team to increase in Dickinson's absence.

Right before the game on Thursday, the Blackhawks announced that they would dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Louis Crevier was in the lineup, and Sam Lafferty was the healthy scratch. With Jason Dickinson out,  it will be interesting to see if they go that route again.

If they don't, will Lukas Reichel make his season debut? Will Sam Lafferty play, and Reichel stay out? Regardless, these are mostly what the lines are going to look like in this matchup. 

UPDATE: Jeff Blashill confirmed that Lukas Reichel will make his season debut and that Jason Dickinson is expected to miss a week with an upper-body injury. Levshunov also stayed on the ice long after the morning skate ended, which is usually the sign of a healthy scratch. 

How To Watch

Those looking for the game in the Chicago area can find it on CHSN. Out-of-market viewings can be found on NHL Network. The puck will drop at the United Center just after 6:00 PM CT. 

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

The Islanders will be without one of their free agent forward additions for their second game of the season. 

The NHL Department of Player Safety announced on Friday that Jonathan Drouin has officially been suspended one game for his cross-check late in Thursday's season opener. 

With just over 10 seconds remaining in regulation, Drouin threw a rough cross-check to the head of Penguins forward Connor Dewar during a net-front scrum. 

The veteran was assessed a five minute major and a game misconduct on the play. 

Friday morning, the league announced that he would have a hearing, and shortly after news of his ban broke. 

This is Drouin's first career suspension, but he has been fined in the past for another cross-checking incident (2022).

Prior to his absence, the winger enjoyed himself a strong debut with the Islanders, scoring the team's opening goal of the season during in the first period.  

It’s time for a quick little math lesson.

What do you get when you combine The Hockey Show with the start of a new NHL season?

The answer is…the return of the Panthers Den!

During hockey season, every new episode of The Hockey Show with co-hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork will include a segment dedicated to the latest happenings in and around the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup Champs.

This week, they discussed Florida’s win on Opening Night against the Chicago Blackhawks and their victory two nights later over the Philadelphia Flyers.

Both games saw the Cats run into a hot goaltender but ultimately come out on top with the two points.

Also on this week’s show, Roy and Dave previewed Saturday’s matchup between the Panthers and their division rivals from Ottawa.

You can check out the first Panthers Den of the season in the video below:

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EAST MEADOW, NY -- New York Islanders No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer isn't satisfied with his NHL debut performance. 

Despite recording an assist and being on the ice for all of the Islanders' three goals in 17:15 TOI, here's what he wants to do better at when he plays in his second NHL game on Saturday night against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. 

Islanders No. 1 Pick Matthew Schaefer Becomes Youngest Defenseman To Record Point In NHL DebutPITTSBURGH, PA -- During the New York Islanders’ season opener on Thursday, 2025 first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer scored his first NHL point, marking an early milestone for the young defenseman. 

"I want to end plays quicker in the D zone," Schaefer said. "I think that's a big one. Maybe get more shots through, you know, use my feet more on the blue line.

"I think that's a big thing that will come over time with confidence. But you know, things like that, getting shots through, pucks to the net. I mean things like that. I think those are all things that I can work on."

If we are being picky, Schaefer did struggle to get shots through in his first game, with just one on six attempts. Five of his shots were blocked. 

The reason Schaefer was a No. 1 pick is because of how determined he is to improve each and every time his skates hit the ice. 

So, don't be shocked if he gets more shots through and skates even better on Saturday night. 

Puck drop is at 7 PM ET on MSGSN. 

According to Journal de Montreal journalist Jonathan Bernier, a contract extension for the reigning Rookie of the Year, Lane Hutson, is imminent with the Montreal Canadiens. Why is the longtime Canadiens beat writer saying so? Because on Thursday night, when the Canadiens were taking on the Detroit Red Wings, Hutson’s agent, Ryan Barnes, was taking in the game with the Habs’ GM in the Little Caesars Arena press gallery.

Barnes is based in the Detroit area; however, the fact that he was with the Canadiens’ executive bodes well for Canadiens’ fans. Bernier also adds that Kent Hughes had a reasonably busy morning in Detroit. The writer even ventures a guess, saying that he believes the AAV of a long-term deal could be similar to the deals signed by Luke Hughes and Jackson Lacombe.

Canadiens: Original Six Showdown In Chicago
Canadiens: Advantage Hughes
Canadiens: The Kids (And The Dads) Are Having Fun

I still expect the Canadiens’ GM to push for a maximum-term deal with the star blueliner. Hughes has been keen on locking up his core long-term signing maximum-term deals with Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Noah Dobson. The exception is Kaiden Guhle, who only signed a six-year contract, but given his injury history, that’s quite understandable. Furthermore, it would have been more expensive to buy unrestricted free agent years, so to speak.

The sooner a deal is ironed out with Hutson, the better. While the youngster is still the first on the ice and the last off it when it’s time to practice, he hasn’t had the best start to the season. It’s too early to talk about a sophomore slump, but it seems less effortless for him to play the game. He’s been held off the scoresheet in the first two games and has a minus-one rating.

As tough on himself as always, he blamed himself for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ game-winning goal in the season opener on Wednesday night. The bizarre sequence in which both Canadiens’ defenseman had lost their sticks, making it child’s play for Morgan Rielly to score as he walked in and received a pass that had no chance of being intercepted by the stickless blueliners. It was hardly Hutson’s fault, but the youngster likes to be the man who builds his team’s game-winning goal, not the one on the ice when the other team gets the game-winning goal.

Being held off the scoresheet in a game where his team scores five goals is not a frequent occurrence for Hutson, either, nor is it being unable to produce on the power play, especially with the kind of power play unit the Canadiens now have. Playing with the first line and Zack Bolduc, who has proven that he can be quite the goal scorer in the league already, should make it easier to pick up helpers.

It’s too early to criticize Hutson, and there’s really no reason to blame him. There’s no lack of effort in his play; you can see that he wants to do well and contribute, but the contract negotiations may be playing on his mind.

Players often claim that they don’t worry about contracts and let their agents handle them. Still, when a deal becomes a highly discussed topic in the market, it must be challenging, especially in Montreal, where the GM has been able to sign most of his players to team-friendly deals, leaving money on the table for the good of the team, giving the GM more money to work with and assemble a winning team.

Is it out of the realm of possibilities that it worries Hutson? Does he wonder what his teammates think about the prolonged negotiations? I don’t think so. In fact, it would just be a human reaction, and even if the youngster works tirelessly and looks like a hockey-playing robot at times, especially when he says he’s bored on days off, he remains a human being.

The sooner the contract is finalized, the better it will be for both the Canadiens and the player. I still believe Hughes is making every effort to keep his cap hit under Noah Dobson’s, and with the way the newly acquired defenseman has played since the start of the season, it’s understandable. He has played like a number-one defenseman. If Hutson signs an eight-year pact, it will take him straight to unrestricted free agency, and he’ll have time left in his career, making it possible for him to break the bank once again. That’s probably one of Hughes’ arguments to keep the cap hit reasonable.

The NHL is a Lane Hutson Respecter 🫡

pic.twitter.com/mBP8K9KT0f

— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) October 8, 2025

---

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The Blue Jackets play the Minnesota Wild tonight at Grand Casino Arena. 

The first game of the season for the Columbus Blue Jackets didn't go as they had planned, but being beaten by the Nashville Predators is a normal thing. Now they travel to Minnesota to play a Wild team that thrashed the St. Louis Blues 5-0 in game one of their season in St. Louis. 

The Blue Jackets could only muster a single goal against Juuse Saros, who was looking to have a comeback year. Now, they will most likely get to play another hot goalie in Filip Gustavsson, who shut down the Blues. Playing their first two games on the road against teams that are hosting their first home game of the season is never an easy thing to do, but for some reason, the CBJ seem to have to do it every year. 

Columbus has to put some goals in the net, plain and simple. Against Nashville, they put 38 shots on goal, so it's not like they didn't try. 

Blue Jackets Stats  

• Power Play - 0.0% - 19th in NHL
• Penalty Kill - 75% - 17th in NHL
• Goals For - 1 - 25th in NHL.
• Goals Against - 2 - 9th in NHL

Wild Stats

• Power Play – 33.3% - 4th in NHL
• Penalty Kill – 100% - 1st in NHL
• Goals For - 5 - 2nd in NHL
• Goals Against – 0 - 1st in NHL

Series History vs. The Wild

• Columbus is 32-28-1-7 all-time, and 13-17-0-5 at Grand Casino Arena.
• The CBJ went 0-2 against the Wild last season.
• The Blue Jackets are 6-4-2 in the last 12 games in Minnesota.
• Columbus has an all-time PK of 83.3% against the Wild.

Who To Watch For The Wild

• Kirill Kaprizov has 10 points in 7 career games against the CBJ. He also has 3 assists in one game this season.

• Ryan Hartman leads the Wild with 2 goals through one game.
• Filip Gustavsson recorded a shutout in the first game of the season.

CBJ Player Notes vs. Wild

• Cole Sillinger has 6 points in 8 games against the Wild.
• Zach Werenski has 6 points in 13 games vs. Minnesota.
• Boone Jenner has 3 points in 15 games against the Wild.

Injuries - None

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 0

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.

Let us know what you think below.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

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More From THN

Cleveland Monsters Sign Defenseman Will Butcher The Cleveland Monsters have announced that they've signed defenseman Will Butcher to a one-year AHL contract. Butcher has played 275 career NHL games.  Former Blue Jackets Forward Signs With Edmonton OilersThe Edmonton Oilers have announced that they have signed former Columbus Blue Jackets forward Jack Roslovic. Cleveland Monster's 2025-26 Leadership Group NamedThe Cleveland Monster's have announced their leadership group for 2025-26 AHL season.

Canadian center Nicholas Baptiste, 30, has signed a one-year contract with Dukla Trenčín, the Slovak Liga club announced on Friday.

While Trenčín hasn’t had a bad start to the season overall, sitting sixth in the 12-team league after 10 games, GM Mário Bližňák expressed concern over the fact the team has only scored 25 total goals so far.

“We need to significantly increase our offensive output – this is one of the steps,” said Bližňák, who was a center who played in the NHL, AHL and WHL. “We’ve been talking about it with the coaches and the players. I believe that everyone understands the situation and is taking our on-ice goals seriously.

“Nick should be one of the offensive leaders, he has experience from the top leagues, and he is also at the ideal hockey age,” Bližňák said about the 30-year-old center. “In addition, he is an assertive, hard-working player, and that is exactly what we will expect from him here.”

Born in Ottawa, Baptiste played junior hockey for the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves and Erie Otters, and was chosen in the third round, 69th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

Lawrence Pilut Will Return To Play This Season – Signing Imminent After not playing at all in the 2024-25 season, Swedish defenseman Lawrence Pilut has been working out all summer and is expected to soon sign with the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of Switzerland’s National League, Swedish media outlet Expressen reported on Friday.

Baptiste played 47 NHL games for the Sabres between 2016 and 2018, recording 10 points and 20 penalty minutes. He also played in the organizations of the Nashville Predators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and Dallas Stars.

Baptiste has played in Europe since 2021 – in Finland for both Ilves and Tappara Tampere, in Germany for Kölner Haie and the Augsburger Panther, and 11 games in the KHL for Vityaz Moscow Oblast.

Internationally, Baptiste won a gold medal with the Canadian team at the 2013 IIHF U-18 World Championship.

Ex-Shark, Sabre, Duck Signs In Germany German-born American forward Danny O’Regan, 31, has signed a one-year contract with the Schwenninger Wild Wings, the DEL club announced on Sunday.

In his first ever AHL game, this recently traded former Philadelphia Flyers goalie earned an impressive shutout.

On Friday night, in the head-scratching absence of NHL hockey, the Cleveland Monsters, the AHL affiliates of the Columbus Blue Jackets, faced the Utica Comets in their first regular season game of the year.

Ivan Fedotov, who was traded to the Blue Jackets by the Flyers on Sept. 14, started for the Monsters against the Comets, out-dueling top New Jersey Devils goalie prospect Nico Daws, making 21 saves in a 1-0 victory.

Fedotov's 21-save shutout is his first professional shutout since Feb. 26, 2024, when he made 38 saves in a 4-0 win against Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the Gagarin Cup playoffs while playing for CSKA Moskva.

Ex-Flyers Goalie Quietly Dominating NHL PreseasonIt may only be two games of NHL preseason action, but this former Philadelphia Flyers goalie has been dominant in limited ice time.

As for the Flyers, they're content with the 2026 sixth-round pick and the cap space they received for trading Fedotov, as much as they would have liked things to work out differently on the ice.

Heading into 2025-26, the Flyers and the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms will boast a goalie depth of Aleksei Kolosov and Carson Bjarnason - two prospects younger than Fedotov who needed the playing time more.

While the NHL wasn't always his speed, Fedotov, 28, is off to a flying start to life in the AHL. With time and adjustments, it's certainly still possible the 6-foot-7 netminder can put the pieces together and grow into a serviceable NHL goalie.

The Florida Panthers will look to start their 2025-26 campaign with three straight wins when they wrap up their first homestand of the season on Saturday night.

Coming off one-goal victories over the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers, the Panthers will face their first playoff team from a season ago when they host the Ottawa Senators at Amerant Bank Arena.

In recent years, meetings between the Panthers and Senators have often featured a plethora of penalty minutes and punches thrown.

Perhaps things will be more subdued this time with Florida missing their emotional leader, Matthew Tkachuk.

While he and his brother Brady, the captain in Ottawa, haven’t gone toe to toe, they are often the catalysts to much of the fun extracurriculars.

The Senators arrive in Sunrise fresh off an exhilarating season opening victory.

Ottawa overcame a pair of two-goal deficits while playing the Tampa Bay Lightning in Amalie Arena, clawing back on the Bolts and earning a 5-4 statement win.

Now the Sens will face a Panthers squad looking to complete a perfect three-game homestand.

Florida has picked up one-goal victories over the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers over the past several days, but will now face what should be their toughest test of the young season in Ottawa.

The Panthers will be forced to utilize a different lineup than what they’ve deployed during their first two outings after defenseman Dmitry Kuilkov suffered an upper-body injury during Thursday’s win over Philly.

Kulikov has since been placed on IR by Florida, according to the team’s roster on the NHL Media site, which means Uvis Balinskis will see his first action of the season.

Balinskis played 76 games for the Cats last season, finishing with four goals and 18 points while earning the trust of his coaching staff with steady defensive play.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Saturday’s showdown with the Sens:

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Brad Marchand

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sam Reinhart

Mackie Samoskevich – Evan Rodrigues – Jesper Boqvist

A.J. Greer – Luke Kunin – Jonah Gadjovich

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

Uvis Balinskis – Jeff Petry

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Photo caption: Feb 20, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) punches Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)

On Thursday night against the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins' rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke became the first teenager to score a goal for the Penguins since Daniel Sprong in 2015.

On the surface, this doesn’t seem all that crazy. After all, teenagers playing in the NHL, period, is a bit of a rarity, and it’s something that certainly doesn’t happen on a yearly basis for most teams. But when considering the tendency of the Penguins to have largely favored veterans for a large chunk of the last decade, true youth populating the roster seemed like something that happened a lifetime ago.

This season, things are different.

Of course, there are a few reasons for that. It’s important to distinguish the fact that - prior to the 2025-26 season - the Penguins had simply lacked legitimate youth talent in their system for a long while. Years of winning championships, 16 consecutive postseason appearances, and going all-in at the trade deadline does that to an organization. 

But because Pittsburgh has missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, they have already shifted into rebuild mode, and they’re focused on collecting high-value assets and infusing talent into their system. As a result, there are better young players and, therefore, more legitimate opportunities for those young players - such as Brunicke and 18-year-old center Ben Kindel - to populate the NHL roster. 

However, the mere existence of young players isn’t the only factor. New head coach Dan Muse - hired this summer - along with the rest of his staff that is focused on development, is also giving the kids some runway to show what they can do at the NHL level. That kind of leeway wasn’t as easy for former head coach Mike Sullivan and his staff to grant while the organization was still prioritizing making the playoffs.

The prevailing sentiment heading into this season was that the Penguins would likely be a pretty far cry from playoff contention. Yet - two games into the 2025-26 season - something about this team simply feels different. Feels rejuvenated. Energized.

Now, getting too far ahead of anything would be foolish. To declare the Penguins a playoff hopeful after two regular season games is unrealistic, especially since most people have them finishing in at least the bottom-10 this season. On top of that, GM and POHO Kyle Dubas himself said at the end of the 2024-25 season that the Penguins making the playoffs this season would be “an accomplishment.”

That said, there is a certain energy - and structure - around this team that has been lacking in recent years. The team is playing faster. Smarter. Tighter. More risk-averse. In the two games so far this season - both wins against each team from New York - they were the better team in the final 20 minutes of play, generally doing a good job of limiting opposing chances, controlling play, and shutting things down, as they haven’t allowed a third-period goal. 

And it’s not as if the youth on their team is sitting back and letting the veterans do all the work. Yes, Evgeni Malkin has five points in two games. Justin Brazeau has three goals in two games. Sidney Crosby has a goal and an assist as well. 

But Kindel has been driving play on the third line, both in the offensive zone and in his own zone. The work of his line led to Brunicke’s goal on Thursday, and Brunicke himself has been quarterbacking the second power play unit and helping to generate offense in transition and off the rush. 

Filip Hallander has six points in six games dating back to the pre-season. Ville Koivunen does not have a point yet, but fans and the organization got a glimpse of what Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty - currently on injured reserve - are capable of at the end of last season. 

The kids are providing a spark and an energy that this team has desperately needed. They have, so far, proven capable of playing with NHL competition, even if there are some bumps along the way with their development and learning curve. They have given a dead-in-the-water team some new life - a new identity - and it’s translating into team performance. 

Muse said that the goal of the coaching staff - and the biggest thing that they want to see out of this 23-man unit - is for the team to play “connected.” And, so far, that’s exactly what has happened. They have played well within structure, they have developed chemistry in a short period of time, and they have shown that they have a lot to play for, even if outside noise says otherwise.

That "connectedness" is, in essence, their identity. And the mix of youth and experience on the roster is cultivating a perfect environment for that identity to thrive.

There is no telling how this season will unfold. The Penguins could certainly still use improvement in some areas, and there are going to be some tough roster decisions to make as veterans Bryan Rust and Kevin Hayes work their way back from injury. With a current roster at full capacity, some players will need to go. 

But one thing is for certain: The kids are alright. And they’re giving some much-needed life to a team - and a fanbase - that craves a strong dosage of hope for the future.

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The ultimate fate of an NHL team during any given contest can sometimes come down to a series of bounces and what some fans would simply refer to as good or bad luck. 

Such was the case for Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat on Thursday evening during his team's Home Opener loss to the Montreal Canadiens at Little Caesars Arena. 

He had multiple prime scoring chances that were denied by goaltender Jakub Dobes, or as was the case early in the second period, by the post. 

DeBrincat's ringer off the left post came just minutes before the Canadiens grabbed a 4-1 stranglehold over the Red Wings; had the puck been literally an inch to the right, it would have been a 3-2 hockey game. 

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"It seemed like I missed both of those, and then they went down and scored shortly after, so it could have been a whole different game if those went in," DeBrincat said on Friday. "Sometimes those are the bounces, that first one hit his shoulder and then the post. I hit my spot, and sometimes they go in, sometimes, they don't." 

Like McLellan, DeBrincat reiterated that the setback against the Canadiens wasn't the result of any single player but by the team getting away from the fundamentals. 

"Letting in five, we shot ourselves in the foot," DeBrincat said of the loss. "We gave up too many chances, and they're a skilled team so they're going to convert on those. Everything they got, we kind of gave to them. It was unfortunate." 

"We Earned Those": Todd McLellan Says Red Wings Deserved Fan Boos After 5-1 Loss Throughout his first Training Camp as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, Todd McLellan emphasized the importance of mental fortitude and responding the right way when things inevitably go wrong over the course of an 82-game season.

"I think we talk about these things of how we're going to play and the systems, and we have our blueprint; we just didn't follow it," he continued. "We knew what they were going to do, we knew from the start of the game. We just didn't execute on defense and gave them too many chances." 

DeBrincat was Detroit's leading goal scorer last season with 39 tallies, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him reach a similar number this season. Speaking of offensive firepower, the Toronto Maple Leafs still boast no shortage of said despite the offseason trade of Mitch Marner. 

In order for the Red Wings to avoid a similar collapse like what they experienced against the Canadiens, the key will be tightening up defensively. 

"Staying above them, playing on the defensive side of the puck," DeBrincat said on how to defend against the Maple Leafs. "Just in general, forechecking hard. We did a little bit of that yesterday, but not enough. If we want to win games, we're going to need to get more opportunities, and give up less." 

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The Belleville Senators announced on Friday that defenseman Scott Harrington has signed a two-year American Hockey League contract with the club.

Harrington, 32, brings a wealth of NHL experience to Belleville. Originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the 2011 NHL Draft, the Kingston, Ontario native has suited up for 255 NHL games, most of them with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He's also suited up for Pittsburgh, Toronto, San Jose, and Anaheim, along with 247 career AHL appearances.

“We’re excited to welcome Scott to the Belleville Senators family,” Belleville Sens GM Matt Turek said in a team press release. “Scott’s impressive NHL career, character and leadership ability will all be keys in helping our group to take the next step. As a native of Kingston, growing up just down the 401 from CAA Arena, he'll be a fantastic representative of the Senators and 613 Country.”

Outside of the NHL, Harrington has shown a knack for winning. He captured an OJHL championship with the Kingston Voyageurs, followed by back-to-back OHL titles with the London Knights, where he served as captain in 2012–13.

On the international stage, Harrington represented Team Canada at multiple levels, earning gold at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, silver at the World Under-17 Championship, and bronze at the World Junior Hockey Championship. He's represented Canada twice at the World Juniors. 

Harrington's last NHL season was 2022-23, when he got some looks as Erik Karlsson's D partner in San Jose before being included in the blockbuster Timo Meier trade that season with the New Jersey Devils. The Devils waived Harrington the day after the trade, and Anaheim claimed him. 

Seven years earlier, Harrington was part of an even bigger trade when Phil Kessel was traded from Toronto to Pittsburgh. Harrington came back the other way, and unlike the Meier deal, Harrington was a much bigger piece in this one. In fact, he made the Leafs' opening night roster for the 2015–16 season. 

Two seasons ago, Harrington tried his hand in Switzerland. He was injured for much of that season but returned with Zurich for the 2024 playoffs, and he won yet another championship, skating alongside former Senators Rudolfs Balcers and Derek Grant.

After Harrington returned to North America last season and signed a one-year deal with AHL Springfield last season and now returns for another AHL tour of duty with the B-Sens.

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The Buffalo Sabres are just one game into the 2025-26 regular season, and already the adversity is starting to pile up. After being without defenseman Owen Power and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for the first game of the year Thursday against the New York Rangers, the Sabres released some ominous-sounding inormation about star center Josh Norris, as well as an injury to winger Zach Benson, although the injury to Benson may prove to be far less significant that they injury to the often-injured Norris.

When the Sabres acquired Norris from the Ottawa Senators last season, the book on Norris was he was a talented player, but one who was unfortunate on the health front. In five NHL seasons, the most Norris has played in a single season was 66 games, and he's only played 60 or more games twice in that span. Clearly, it's reasonable to be worried about Norris' durability.

And now, it's possible -- emphasis on "possible" -- that Norris could miss significant time. That would be devastating for the Sabres' Stanley Cup playoff hopes. But that was the tone Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff struck in describing Norris' health status.

"I know that he's not dealing with (the injury) very good," Ruff said of Norris. "(H)e's pretty disappointed with where he's at with this injury."

Sabres' Schedule Is Punishing Out Of The Gate -- And It Could Be Why Buffalo Misses Playoffs For 15th Straight SeasonThe Buffalo Sabres’ 2025-26 regular-season is here at last, and the Sabres would certainly like to win their first game – a home game against the New York Rangers Thursday night – an analysis of their schedule tells Sabres fans they need to buckle down and get ready for a true test of this team, right out of the starting block.

Let's be clear: if you're Norris and you have a minor injury, you're not feeling disappointed. You're feeling fortunate if the injury is only minor. So Ruff's choice of words says a lot about the likelihood that Norris will be back anytime soon. Again, that would seriously hamper Buffalo's playoff aspirations.

Sure, Norris' absence opens up an opportunity on the top line for one of Buffalo's other centers. But it will take a minor miracle for any youngster to power the Sabres to a playoff berth in the hyper-competitive Atlantic Division. 

Will Sabres Have Any Individual Award-Winners This Season?Full disclosure: the Buffalo Sabres aren't particularly interested in the NHL's individual awards. But who's kidding who -- you always like to perform well, and that's somthing  the league de facto acknowledges by handing out end-of-season honours. 

And while poor luck health-wise will be an excuse if Buffalo misses the playoffs for a 15th straight season, it won't matter a lick to exhausted Sabres fans. All they'll know is the bottom line, and the bottom line could once again show the Sabres simply don't make the right roster choices to be a consistent playoff team.

On October 9, Vancouver Canucks first-round draft pick, Braeden Cootes, made his NHL debut less than half a year after being selected by the team. The 18-year-old carved out a path for himself on Vancouver’s roster after a strong showing during training camp and his pre-season games. Which other Canucks prospects could follow Cootes’ steps and make their NHL debuts this season? 

Tom Willander

Willander is arguably the prospect Canucks fans are most excited to watch this season. The defenceman will be starting the season with the Abbotsford Canucks, as he was one of the final players cut from Vancouver’s main roster at the end of the pre-season. With Vancouver’s D-core set for the time being, it’s unlikely that Willander makes his NHL debut any time within the first few weeks of the season. However, in the event that Vancouver faces injury issues or an early end to their season, Willander would be a favourite to earn his first call-up and play in his first ever NHL game. 

Danila Klimovich 

Klimovich, a 2021 second-round draft pick, is entering his fifth season in the Canucks organization but has yet to make his NHL debut. A few factors have resulted in the forward not quite making the cut, such as injury-riddled seasons and struggles with consistency. To his credit, Klimovich has been able to round things out a little more in the past season or so, though the goal-scorer still has a little more work to do. It will probably take quite a bit for the forward to make his NHL debut this season, but a hypothetical early end to the Canucks’ season could help that.  

Vilmer Alriksson 

One of the most intriguing names in the Canucks organization is Alriksson, who is known for his skills as a hulking forward who can effectively move the puck. 2025–26 is his first pro season, as he previously spent two years in the OHL. Whether he can make the push for an NHL debut will depend on how his game transitions to AHL play, though based on his performance during the prospects showcase, fans have lots to look forward to from him. 

Chase Stillman

The key piece that came back to Vancouver in the Artūrs Šilovs trade back in July, Stillman is preparing to start his third professional season in the AHL. As a 22-year-old, the forward has yet to make his NHL debut, but is looking to change that this season. He’ll be a prime candidate to fill in as a depth bottom-six forward if injuries chip away at the Canucks’ forward core. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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