The Montreal Canadiens have announced that forward Alex Newhook will be out for the next four months after undergoing surgery for a fractured ankle.

In addition, the Canadiens shared that defenseman Kaiden Guhle will be out for another eight to 10 weeks after undergoing surgery on a partially torn adductor muscle. 

Newhook was injured during the Canadiens' Nov. 13 matchup against the Dallas Stars, where he was limited to only 5:54 of ice time. Now, with this update, the Canadiens are expected to be without Newhook until at least mid-March. 

This is such unfortunate news for Newhook, as he has been having a strong season for the Canadiens. In 17 games this season, he has recorded six goals, 12 points, and a plus-7 rating. 

Mises à jour médicales au sujet d’Alex Newhook et de Kaiden Guhle

Medical updates on Alex Newhook and Kaiden Guhle pic.twitter.com/ohzSNVbuuG

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) November 14, 2025

Guhle has not played since the Canadiens' Oct. 16 matchup against the Nashville Predators. Now, with this latest update, the Habs will not have the key defenseman back until at least early January.

In five games this season for the Canadiens, Guhle has posted one goal, one assist, seven penalty minutes, and a plus-1 rating. 

The Edmonton Oilers placed defenseman Troy Stecher on NHL waivers and sent rookie left winger Isaac Howard to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.

Stecher, 31, has played six games for the Oilers this season but hasn’t made an appearance since Oct. 30 in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Rangers.

With that, the right-handed defenseman has been averaging 13:37 under coach Kris Knoblauch this season, the lowest average ice time in his 10-year NHL career.

Stecher has played parts of three seasons with the Oilers. Last year was when he made the most appearances for Edmonton, featuring in 66 contests and scoring three goals and seven points, averaging 13:52 of ice time.

If no team puts in a claim for the veteran blueliner, he will be assigned to the Condors in the AHL. Stecher has played only four career AHL games, dating back to his first pro campaign in 2016-17.

In addition to the waiver activity, center David Kampf cleared waivers, and his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs has officially been terminated. The 30-year-old is now a UFA.

As for Howard, the rookie doesn’t require waivers to be sent down to the minors. The 21-year-old has played 17 games this season, recording two goals and one assist while averaging 9:30 of ice time.

This roster transaction is reportedly to make space for left winger Zach Hyman, who is expected to return from injury this weekend.

Hyman, 33, still awaits his season debut after suffering an upper-body injury during the early stages of the pre-season. He's been on the long-term injured reserve, allowing the Oilers to exceed the salary cap ceiling by up to his $5.5-million cap hit. They have about $3.24 million in cap space right now with Hyman on LTIR, according to PuckPedia.

Last season, Hyman scored 27 goals and 44 points in 73 games. In the playoffs, he registered five goals and 11 points in 15 contests before being sidelined with a different injury.

The Oilers are taking on the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, and it’s expected that Hyman will make his season debut then.

---

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Before the season started, the goaltender pipeline looked something like this: MacKenzie Blackwood, the bona fide starter with his five-year contract extension; Scott Wedgewood, the reliable backup for this season and maybe an extension if he plays well; and finally, Ilya Nabokov, heading over to North America with his ELC signed. Probably the backup next season, but that has all changed to start this season.

Blackwood is starting to come back from an injury he sustained this training camp, and while he's only played a couple of games, he still looks a bit rusty. Nabokov, after having a tremendous rookie and sophomore years with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, is off to a rough junior year. The most surprising of all is how Wedgewood has been one of the best goaltenders in the league. This now puts the future of Colorado Avalanche goaltending into question next season.

Quality Goaltending Being Shown

Many thought that when Nabokov signed his ELC, he would join the Colorado Eagles in the AHL and compete with Trent Miner for the team's starting position. It would be a good way to have him acclimate to the North American style of hockey without throwing him into the NHL fire and placing unreasonable expectations on him to carry the team. However, he was loaned back to the KHL for another season, as management must have had good faith in their goaltenders this season, and that faith is being shown.

Both the Avalanche and the Eagles are the number one teams in the league, with the Avalanche at 12-1-5 and 29 points, and the Eagles at 11-2-0-1 and 23 points. Wedgewood is leading the way with a record of 10-1-2, a .913 SV%, and a 2.26 GAA. He leads the league in wins, SV%, and is third in GAA among goalies who have played more than 10 games. Isak Posch has been the guy for the Eagles, posting a 7-1-1 record, a .918 SV%, and a 1.89 GAA.

This is all with Blackwood playing only two games this season and boasting a 2-0-0 record, a .870 SV%, and a 3.28 GAA. Blackwood is rusty, and head coach Jared Bednar has stated in two games that he needs to be better. So if we do get Blackwood back to the form he showed last season with Wedgewood's improved play, how come the Avalanche doesn't run this tandem back for another season?

Bednar’s Tough Love Puts Blackwood on NoticeJared Bednar made it very clear that Mackenzie Blackwood needs to step up his game.

Roles Being Changed?

This has been the case recently, with Wedgwood signing a one-year extension. The team recognizes his play and, instead of waiting until free agency, when other teams will offer more money, sign him now and enjoy the fruits of his labour as he continues to play out of his mind. Though this now raises the question of Nabokov's role within the Avalanche if both spots on the main roster are taken.

Wedgewood Signs One-Year Extension With Avalanche Through 2026-27 After Stellar StartScott Wedgewood is sticking around for at least another trip around the sun.

From his first two seasons in the KHL, I thought Nabokov could come over to the Avalanche and fill the backup role, like Wedgewood did. Get into 15-20 games, start maybe 10, and be a great backup to Blackwood. Get the opportunity to grow, develop, and learn the ropes of what a full NHL season is like without being forced into the starter role, but now? A good year in the AHL might be the way.

This season hasn’t been what he has been used to seeing from Nabokov. Despite an 8-2-0 record, he boasts a .893 SV% and a 2.63 GAA with 14 games played. It is early in the season, as he finished both previous seasons with over 40 games played, so he has time to improve on those stats, but it's definitely something to keep an eye on.

A Good Problem to Have

I know, despite being on top of the league with a 12-1-5 record with 29 points, I’m still finding something to complain about, and of all things, it's goaltending? After everything this team has been through with Alexander Georgiev, we finally get quality goaltending, and we were complaining? No, just an interesting thing to look into next season, with arguably the Avalanche's top prospect being involved in this situation. Since Calum Ritchie was moved to acquire Brock Nelson, Nabokov is now the number one guy to keep an eye on, but it's hard since he plays in the KHL, and it's hard to watch games in North America, or even to remember to keep track of the scores and stats.

Goaltending has been a significant issue with the team since the 2021-22 Stanley Cup-winning team. Management has finally found/built a system where they have more than reliable goaltending to win them a Stanley Cup, but prospects in their system that continue to grow, hopefully to use one day, and that being Nabokov for one.

---

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/colorado-avalanche/latest-news/necas-throws-a-marty-party-avalanche-offense-off-the-chartsNečas Throws a Marty Party: Avalanche Offense Off the ChartsThis could be a historic season for Colorado on a number of fronts.

ST. LOUIS – Hunter Skinner was all smiles, and why not?

The defenseman will make his NHL debut for the St. Louis Blues (6-8-3) on Friday when they host the Philadelphia Flyers (8-5-3) at 7 p.m. (FDSNMW, ESPN 101.1-FM).

The 24-year-old, who will have his parents Steve and Michele as well as a brother and sister in attendance for the game, was acquired from the New York Rangers on Feb. 9, 2023 in the deal that sent Vladimir Tarasenko and Niko Mikkola to Broadway.

“Since I was a little kid,” Skinner said. “It’s a dream-come-true. I’m super-excited for tonight. Took last night and this morning to prepare for it, but I’m super-excited about it.”

Skinner will play on the third defensive pairing with Matthew Kessel.

Making his NHL debut tonight, Hunter Skinner, leads the stretch. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/DMYEhCRUyK

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) November 14, 2025

“If this is not the greatest day in his life, it’s in his top three,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “Everybody remembers their first game, you dream of it. There’s nothing like your first game in the NHL. Bright lights, big city. St. Louis Blues against the Philadelphia Flyers, legendary teams. It’s awesome that you get to have that experience. But he’s someone that over time can be a Blue.

“I got to know him in training camp really for the first time and he has energy, loves playing hockey. You can tell it pours through his pores. … What we’re wanting to see is he has poise with the puck, but he’s hard too. He plays the game with physicality and emotion, which our team can use.”

Skinner has toiled with Springfield of the American Hockey League since his arrival to the Blues organization, playing in 147 games before finally getting the chance to perform on the big stage. It never deterred him from continuing to put the work in.

“No, not really,” he said. “Just trust in the process, just the path that I’m on. God put me here for a reason.

“Just putting the work on, trying to be as consistent as possible, keep my head down, grinding every day, not worrying about the future, just going day by day.”

Skinner said he found out, “(Wednesday) at practice, I kind of got a little nod and mostly this morning. Once I walked in and I saw the board, I was super-excited.”

Having his family here will be important.

“Parents, brother, sister, grandparents have passed away so they’re not here, but I’ll be playing for my grandma for sure and my grandpa,” Skinner said. “I haven’t really talked to (his parents) over the phone yet. I just shot them a text. I’m pretty sure they’re ecstatic, as ecstatic as I am.”

Skinner impressed the coaches during his run in training camp and wants to keep that momentum going.

“I felt good. I felt like I put my best foot forward. Hopefully it led to me getting to this point. I’m just excited about it.

“Playing simple, just be physical, hard to play against, tight gaps, getting my shot through. I think using my feet.

I played with (Kessel) and I played with ‘Tucks’ quite a few times. I’m pretty excited. Two Michigan boys.”

- - -

Skinner will replace Tyler Tucker, who along with Nick Bjugstad will be healthy scratches for the first time this season.

“It is a reset, yeah,” Montgomery said of Tucker. “I’m seeing him give up more time and space than he did last year. Last year it was consistent that he didn’t give it up, this year it’s been inconsistent. We had a good talk about it. I know when he gets back in, he’s going to be the aggressive, physical … even in the offensive zone, he’s not as aggressive as he was last year.”

Bjugstad will sit for Mathieu Joseph, who returns after missing Tuesday’s 3-2 win against the Calgary Flames with a lower-body injury.

“Defensively I think he’s done a lot of good things even in the last 2-3 games,” Montgomery said of Bjugstad, who has four goals and one assist in 17 games. “He’s just not having the same impact he was having. I don’t mean scoring, I mean building the team game, building momentum for our team. A lot of times when we talk about a good shift, it’s what you leave for the next guys going on the ice, it’s not what you actually did. You can have a great shift, two scoring chances and then you play five seconds in your D-zone and you have a bad change, I’m not leaving good ice. That’s how you want to try and build, good changes, good rhythm for the game.”

- - -

The Blues are 3-1-1 the past five games and after Friday, host the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday before heading out on a big five-game road trip starting Tuesday.

“There’s signs, but we’ve got to see consistency coming out the right way,” Montgomery said. “I liked the way we came out and started the game last game. We didn’t put them on their heels, but we played intelligently.”

- - -

Blues forward Jake Neighbours was on the ice for the morning skate, his first time with the team since blocking a shot Oct. 25 against the Detroit Red Wings.

Neighbours, who leads the Blues with six goals, started skating this past Sunday on his own and is still on target to be reevaluated in the five-week timeframe the team gave.

We have a Jake Neighbours sighting for the morning skate #stlblues    ... pic.twitter.com/5K7u3dPqX7

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) November 14, 2025

- - -

Blues Projected Lineup:

Pavel Buchnevich-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggerud

Dylan Holloway-Dalibor Dvorsky-Jordan Kyrou

Brayden Schenn-Pius Suter-Mathieu Joseph

Alexey Toropchenko-Oskar Sundqvist-Nathan Walker

Philip Broberg-Colton Parayko

Cam Fowler-Justin Faulk

Matthew Kessel-Hunter Skinner

Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Joel Hofer will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Nick Bjugstad, Alexandre Texier and Tyler Tucker. Jake Neighbours (leg) is out.

- - -

Flyers Projected Lineup:

Matvei Michkov-Sean Couturier-Travis Konecny

Owen Tippett-Christian Dvorak-Trevor Zegras

Tyson Foerster-Noah Cates-Bobby Brink

Garnet Hathaway-Rodrigo Abols-Nicolas Deslauriers

Cam York-Travis Sanheim

Nick Seeler-Jamie Drysdale

Emil Andrae-Noah Juulsen

Samuel Ersson will start in goal; Dan Vladar will be the backup. 

Healthy scratches include Nikita Grebenkin, Adam Ginning and Egor Zamula. Rasmus Ristolainen (triceps) is out.

Blues Top Four Defensemen Logging Big Minutes, Especially Of Late; Are They Getting Taxed Too Soon?Parayko, Broberg, Faulk, Fowler all over at least 22 minutes a night, more so in past half dozen games; Blues will need more from likes of Tucker, Kessel, Mailloux on bottom pair as season rolls along to keep others from getting worn down

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Buffalo Sabres are continuing to struggle big time, as they fell to the Colorado Avalanche by a 6-3 final score in their last game on Nov. 13. With this, the Sabres are now sporting a five-game losing streak and have a 5-8-4 record on the season. They are also at the bottom of the Atlantic Division standings.

With the Sabres looking to snap their 14-year playoff drought, having a start like this to the season is undoubtedly concerning. The clock is ticking for them turn their season around, but things are undoubtedly looking bleak right now.

Given the way this season is going for the Sabres, it is very likely that teams are already keeping an eye on Buffalo star winger Alex Tuch. The pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) is exactly the kind of player that contenders love to add, and he should generate a ton of interest if the Sabres do not improve and he still does not have a contract extension near the deadline. 

While the Sabres are having a bad start to the year, Tuch is not. In 17 games this season, the 2014 first-round pick has recorded six goals, nine assists, 15 points, and an even plus/minus rating. With this, he is certainly chipping in offensively for the Sabres. 

It will be interesting to see what happens with the Sabres and Tuch, but interest in his services should be very high as the season carries on. 

Nov 8, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9) moves the puck as Dallas Stars goal tender Jake Oettinger (29) covers the goal during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Alan Poizner-Imagn Images

As he prepares for an important two games against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Stockholm, Sweden, Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg still found time to make an impact off the ice while visiting his home country.

The National Hockey League Players’ Association, the NHL and Forsberg are teaming up to make donations of ice hockey and street hockey equipment to Forsberg’s hometown club, Leksands IF Youth Hockey. The donation is part of the NHL and NHLPA’s ongoing efforts to support grassroots hockey worldwide and coincides with the 2025 NHL Global Series Sweden presented by Fastenal.

NHLPA Goals & Dreams and Forsberg are making a donation of 20 full sets of ice hockey equipment, at a cost of $15,000, to the Sweden-based organization.

The NHL, through its Street Hockey initiative, will provide 120 sets of ball hockey equipment to Leksands IF to provide fun, accessible and inclusive opportunities for children to experience the game and learn fundamental skills of the sport, fit for newcomers and hockey fans alike.

“It all started for me in Leksand,” Forsberg said in a statement released by the NHL Friday morning. “That’s where I fell in love with hockey, in the same arenas these kids skate in now. To be able to give back with NHLPA Goals & Dreams and NHL Street Hockey to help more kids experience that same feeling, that same opportunity, means a lot. This is what the game is about.”

New York Islanders winger Emil Heineman, also from Leksand, wrote a reference letter for the program to endorse the donation.

“Sweden has always held a special place in the history of NHLPA Goals & Dreams,” Marty Walsh, NHLPA Executive Director, stated. “It’s a country where the love for hockey runs deep, and where players like Filip Forsberg show what it means to give back. This is the true spirit of NHLPA Goals and Dreams and the Global Series – connecting the global game to the local rink.”

This contribution will be formally recognized during the 2025 NHL Global Series in Stockholm, where 12 children from Leksands IF Youth Hockey will represent NHLPA Goals & Dreams in the on-ice pregame ceremony prior to Friday’s game between the Penguins and Predators. The initiative will also be acknowledged in-arena, celebrating the ongoing efforts of NHL players giving back to communities around the world.

On Saturday, NHLPA Goals & Dreams, the NHL and Forsberg will welcome 100 guests from Leksand, including 63 youth hockey players, to watch Nashville’s open practice in Stockholm. Each child will receive a commemorative NHLPA-licensed Filip Forsberg t-shirt designed by 500 Level, an autographed photo, and the opportunity to meet Forsberg in person.

The following day, 16 additional children representing Fritidsbanken Sweden – a past NHLPA Goals & Dreams recipient – will participate in the on-ice pregame ceremony, highlighting NHLPA Goals & Dreams’ deep connection to the growth of grassroots hockey in Sweden.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.

FREE GIFT ISSUE + 12 ISSUES + FREE DIGITAL ARCHIVE + FREE SHIPPING*** Canada Post Strike update - as of October 15, 2025 -  Please be aware that Canada Post is now in a rolling strike.  While they are accepting mail, delivery times could be longer than expected.  US orders are not impacted. WHAT'S INCLUDED IN YOUR PRINT & DIGITAL ARCHIVE SUBSCRIPTION > FREE GIFT ISSUE* of your

After the Dallas Stars obliterated the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night at the Bell Centre, Martin St-Louis had set a practice at 11:30 on Friday morning for his men. Still, at 10:00, two players were already jumping on the ice. No, they weren’t Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov but Brendan Gallagher and Jake Evans.

Offensive production has been harrowing to come by so far this season for the two veterans, and they joined Adam Nicholas on the ice for some skills coaching. With both nets put together at the same end of the ice, the players had to practice their saucer passes above a row of pucks and then take backhand shots. Clearly, the row of pucks filled in for a goaltender’s stick aimed to recreate an in-game scenario.

Canadiens: St-Louis Speaks On The Eve Of His 300th Game
Canadiens Collapse In Biggest Defeat Since Last December
Canadiens: Kent Hughes Inquires About Big Forward

Then, one of the two goals was put flat on the ice in front of the other, and one of the two players was dishing out passes from behind the net, while Nicholas was putting some shots on the net of the cage that was laid flat on the ice to simulate rebounds from the goalie. Obviously, the second player was in front, trying to score on both the passes and the makeshift rebounds.

Finally, with the nets remaining in the same position, one of the two players moved to the blueline, taking wrist shots from far out, while the other had to tip them past the goal that was lying flat on the ice. Each of the mini drills lasted around 10 minutes and given that Gallagher is still looking for his first goal of the season, while Evans has only two lamplighters (one was an empty net). The alternate captain is in the second-to-last year of his contract and has 239 goals in 851 career games, the 15th-highest total in Canadiens history. He’s only four goals away from Mats Naslund, who’s 14th with 243. Having played every game this season so far, Gallagher remains on target to play 1,000 games with the Canadiens in the last game of the 2026-27 season, providing he stays healthy, of course. -net goal), the extra work may come in handy.

As for Evans, he’s in his first year of his new four-year contract with a $2,85 million cap hit, and so far, this season, the coach has yet to find a perfect fit for his fourth line. Joe Veleno doesn’t seem like the right man to skate with Evans and Josh Anderson, but who is? With Gallagher currently playing with Kirby Dach and Zachary Bolduc, technically, he’s out of the running. Still, everything could change with Alex Newhook’s injury, since the coach will be forced to go back to the drawing board.

The only other players who skated at the optional skate were Hutson, IDemidov, Oliver Kapanen and Zachary Bolduc. The rest of the team did off-ice training, and at the time of writing, there was no news on Newhook's injury or a call-up from the Laval Rocket. 

---

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

Subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. 

It is not a secret that former Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane has had a spectacular NHL career. The 36-year-old winger is continuing to make an impact with the Detroit Red Wings this season, too, as he has recorded two goals and seven points in eight games so far this season. 

Kane had a solid game against the Anaheim Ducks in the Red Wings' most recent contest on Nov. 13. The former Blackhawks forward recorded two assists in the matchup and hit a notable new milestone in the process.

With his two-point game against the Ducks, Kane has now recorded his 1,350th career NHL point. It took Kane 1,310 games to hit this major milestone, which shows just how incredible of a player he has been during his career. 

Kane is now the 31st player in NHL history to reach 1,350 career points and is on the verge of passing legends like Guy Lafleur (1,353 points in 1,126 games) and Brendan Shanahan (1,354 points in 1,524 games) on the NHL's all-time points list. 

The majority of Kane's career points came during his time with the Blackhawks, as he recorded 1,225 points in 1,161 games during his 16-year stint in Chicago. 

LAS VEGAS -- The Golden Knights lost for the fourth straight time when Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored a short-handed goal at 3:02 of overtime to lift the New York Islanders past Vegas, 4-3, on Thursday.

The Golden Knights will hit the road for a mini two-game road trip after a 1-3-2 homestand, the only win being a 1-0 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Nov. 4.

Since opening the season 5-0-2, the Knights are mired in a 2-4-3 skid since Oct. 25.

Shea Theodore, Thomas Hertl and Reilly Smith scored for Vegas, while Akira Schmid finished with 20 saves.

KEY MOMENT: After scoring three unanswered goals to erase a 2-0 deficit and take a 3-2 lead, the Golden Knights squandered it away and lost all momentum when New York's Mathew Barzal scored his fifth goal of the season to tie the game again, and ultimately force overtime.

KEY STAT: It's beginning to sound like a broken record with the Golden Knights, but another goose egg with the power play, as they were 0 for 5 with a man advantage. The Knights are now 3 of 34 with an extra skater in the last 10 games - coincidentally, or not - since Mark Stone has been sidelined with an injury.

WHAT A KNIGHT: Braeden Bowman took his rookie lap for warmups and roughly 30 minutes later made his NHL debut. Bowman, the AHL Henderson Silver Knights' leading scorer, landed four shots over his 16:45 time on ice.

Taylor Rocha (@TaylorRochaTV) on XBraeden Bowman, rookie lap. #VegasBorn

With injuries to forwards Stone and William Karlsson, the Knights looked to bolster their offense with the 24-year-old. Bowman skated on the right side of second-line center Tomas Hertl, along with left wing Pavel Dorofeyev. He also saw time with the first power-play unit, skating into Stone's role below the goal line.

"The rookie lap, being able to play with world-class players like Hertl and Dorofeyev, even being on the edge with (Jack) Eichel is pretty surreal and hasn’t really sunk in yet," Bowman said. "But I think that’s what I’m going to remember most."

UP NEXT: The Golden Knights conclude their season-long six-game homestand on Thursday against the New York Islanders.

PHOTO CAPTION: Vegas Golden Knights right wing Braeden Bowman (42) warms up before a game against the New York Islanders at T-Mobile Arena.

RECENT READ: Defenseman Brayden McNabb Set To Become First-Ever To Skate In 600 Games As A Golden Knight

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Hockey News Big Show is here to discuss more big topics in the NHL and beyond.

Will The Canadiens, Senators And Bruins Continue To Lead The Atlantic? by The Big Show

Here’s what Gary Pearson, Ryan Kennedy and Michael Traikos discussed:

2:00: There is now a three-way tie for the top of the Atlantic Division between the Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators. Which team(s) will stay in the top three?

5:55: Toronto's winless streak has stretched to four games after Thursday's overtime loss against Los Angeles. How concerned are you about them? 

8:50: Who will be the player to drag this team out of the slump?

10:41: After a poor start, the Los Angeles Kings are now second in the Pacific. Are the Kings looking legit again?

13:20: Are these Kings a better team than last season? 

16:27: New Jersey Devils defenseman Simon Nemec is now up to 12 points in 17 games after a hat trick against Chicago. Is the 21-year-old finally coming into his own after going second overall in the 2022 draft?

21:08: Trade rumors continue to swirl for the Blues, with Jordan Kyrou and Brayden Schenn's names being at the forefront. Who, if either, is more likely to be traded for the Blues?

25:31: Jack Roslovic has points in eight of his last 10 games. Should any teams be kicking themselves for not signing him?

31:00: BetMGM Playbook: The Sabres are the worst team in enemy rinks, sporting a .200 point percentage. How could at least a few wins on the road help them out?

32:45: Can any of the other teams at the bottom, like the Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames, overtake the Sabers for last in the league? 

36:55: Name a player that's thriving on their new team this season.

38:09: The NHL Global Series is taking place this weekend in Sweden between the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins. What country do you want to see it being held in next? 

41:08: In four games since shaving his head, Artemi Panarin has three goals, six assists and nine points. Should he just stay bald at his point? 

43:25: What quote from this week caught your eye?

Watch the full episode on YouTube

Subscribe to The Hockey News Big Show on your preferred platform.

Before the Montreal Canadiens took on the Dallas Stars on Thursday night in what was coach Martin St-Louis’ 300th game at the helm of the team, the coach gave an exclusive interview to French sports network RDS, and he had some interesting things to say.

Since becoming the coach of the most storied franchise in hockey, the Laval native has compiled a 125-136-39 record and has greatly righted the ship. Still, when asked why he’s succeeding where numerous star players have failed (think, for instance, of Wayne Gretzky), St-Louis instantly replied, “What’s succeeding? I haven’t done anything yet.”  As humble as ever, he explained that it’s too early to assess his work and that once he moves on, if he’s left the organization in a better position than when he came aboard, he will have succeeded. For now, he’s happy with where they are, but that’s it.

Canadiens Collapse In Biggest Defeat Since Last December
Canadiens: Kent Hughes Inquires About Big Forward
Ex-Canadiens Goalie Having Good Start To Season

Speaking about the current state of his team, he reports that they have a good idea of how they want to play the game on both sides of the puck and that they’ve set their own expectations, even though they’ve managed to block out the outside noise and expectations. He’s proud of the progress accomplished so far, but he cannot pinpoint one thing that stands out or one player. For him, it’s been a collective process; everyone’s improvement has allowed the team to be where it is now.

Asked specifically about Cole Caufield, he states that he’s proud of him, that it’s been an excellent progression, and that, if you go back 250 games, he’s not the same player. While he still finds the back of the net, now he can play a 200-foot game and face any match-up that’s thrown his way. For the Canadiens’ coach, a person who plays hockey becomes a hockey player when they can do what the game demands of them on the ice, rather than just what they like to do.

The bench boss had plenty to say about his captain, Nick Suzuki. He praised the 26-year-old not only for his play but also for the way he leads by example on the ice and for his growth in his leadership role. He was never told how to lead, but he found his own way and confidence in the role.

Even if it was a short interview, it was worth watching. St-Louis always has interesting things to say, and what you see is what you get with the Canadiens’ coach.

---

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

Subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. 

The Edmonton Oilers' inconsistent goaltending has some observers calling on GM Stan Bowman to scour the trade market for an upgrade.

Those calls reached a crescendo following their humiliating 9-1 defeat at home to the Colorado Avalanche last Saturday.

Embattled starting goalie Stuart Skinner rebounded with back-to-back wins over the Columbus Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers. However, that hasn't stopped the demands for Bowman to replace him.

Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators is one suggested option. The 30-year-old netminder is in the first season of an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $7.74 million. He also carries a full no-movement clause, but some pundits wonder if he might waive it to join a contender.

Saros was first suggested as an Oilers trade target by Daily Faceoff's Jeff Marek on Nov. 6. Four days later, The Athletic's Allan Mitchell pondered the cost of acquiring the Predators' starter. He pointed out that it would be difficult, given that the Oilers have limited salary cap room and few trade assets.

Sportsnet's Mark Spector also acknowledged those issues. Meanwhile, Bleacher Report's Frank Seravalli noted that Saros' performance hasn't been much better than Skinner's and questions whether he has the size and ability to win in the post-season.

Mitchell felt that the Predators would have to take on two players and retain part of Saros' cap hit to make the dollars work. He suggested that replacing struggling backup Calvin Pickard would be a more prudent (and affordable) move.

As for the Predators, there is no indication that they are considering moving Saros. In other words, don't expect to see Saros suiting up for the Oilers anytime soon.

Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, the Penguins' better-than-expected start has some observers wondering if it changes their trade plans for this season.

Defenseman Erik Karlsson and forwards Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust were fixtures in the rumor mill throughout the summer and into training camp. However, the speculation surrounding those players has largely vanished in recent weeks. The same applies to longtime Penguins stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who surfaced briefly in the rumor mill at the start of this season.

Josh Yohe of The Athletic believes Karlsson, Rakell and Rust won't be going anywhere as long as the Penguins remain in the playoff hunt this season. He doesn't anticipate GM Kyle Dubas would spoil an opportunity for Crosby to skate in the postseason again.

Yohe also doesn't see Dubas being a major buyer at the March 6 trade deadline if the Penguins remain in playoff contention. He believes the Penguins GM won't sacrifice the future for quick fixes.

---

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

York Knights full-back Toa Mata'afa has signed a new deal to remain with the newly promoted Super League club.

The 28-year-old joined the club for 2025, having spent two seasons in France with Baroudeur de Pia and later FC Lezignan.

He made 19 appearances for the Knights in 2025 and scored 12 tries, helping them win the 1895 Cup and reach the Championship Grand Final.

"I'm really excited to continue my journey with the York Knights and step up into the Super League," Mata'afa said.

"It's a great opportunity to keep developing and help the team build on the achievements this year."

Prior to his move to the northern hemisphere, Mata'afa played for North Sydney Bears in the NSW Cup.

"For me, he's a player whose ceiling limit could be anywhere. He's got a really cool head on him, some great leadership ability, great skill and athleticism," Knights head coach Mark Applegarth said.

"The best part about Toa is I think we've barely scratched the surface with him yet and I'm really looking forward to working with him again."

After five days off, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be back in action on Friday against the Nashville Predators for the first of two games in Sweden. 

These two games are part of the NHL's Global Series for this season. The second game will take place on Sunday. 

The Penguins are coming off a 3-2 loss against the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday, while the Predators lost 6-3 to the New York Rangers on Monday.

Things haven't been going well for the Predators this season, having lost five in a row and eight of their nine heading into Friday's game. They have a 5-9-4 overall record, good for only 14 points. 

Filip Forsberg leads the team in goals with seven and points (14). Despite the Predators' struggles, he's one of the top goal scorers in the NHL. Ryan O'Reilly has also had a good season, compiling six goals and 13 points in 18 games. The Predators also still have Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, who can hurt teams at any time. 

The Predators will be without the services of top defenseman Roman Josi in these two games since he's on injured reserve. It's a major loss for them since he does everything as their No. 1 defenseman. 

Going back to the Penguins, they took line rushes during Thursday's practice, and first-round pick Ben Kindel remained on the top line alongside Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust. Evgeni Malkin was still centering Tommy Novak and Anthony Mantha on the second line.

Here were the full practice lines:

Forwards

Kindel-Crosby-Rust

Novak-Malkin-Mantha

Dewar-Lizotte-Koppanen

Koivunen-Hayes-Tomasino

Defense

Wotherspoon-Karlsson

Shea-Letang

Clifton-Brunicke

Dumba-Graves

---

Time will tell if Brunicke gets back into the lineup on Friday. He has been a healthy scratch for three games in a row after last playing on Nov. 3 in Toronto. 

Head coach Dan Muse confirmed after the morning skate that Arturs Silovs will start in goal after he didn't play last Sunday.

Puck drop is set for 2 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh and NHL Network. You can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'

---

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!    

LAS VEGAS -- To challenge for goaltender interference or not to challenge for goaltender interference -- that is the question that the New York Islanders faced twice on Thursday night against the Vegas Golden Knights. 

At 18:56 of the second, Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore shimmied to the front of the net before pushing the puck and Ilya Sorokin's right pad into the goal:

Really surprised they didn’t challenge, thought for sure this was interference. https://t.co/DEf2Coddsipic.twitter.com/4h5qxAtrrM

— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) November 14, 2025

The Islanders took a good-hard look at it, but chose not to challenge. 

"It was a tough call," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said postgame. "I mean, I think part of us wanted to challenge it, but at the same time, I mean, we felt like the puck was loose, and it was like a loose puck. He definitely pushed the pad. There's no doubt about that, but we thought it was a loose puck, so that's why we didn't do it."

Here's what Sorokin said postgame: 

"Yeah, I feel [my pad was pushed in there]. I think it was 50/50," Sorokin said.  "Because I watched the review in the game, and I feel it's an insane moment, puck goes in the net."

Later on in the game, at the 10:45 mark of the third period, Reilly Smith buried the 3-2 go-ahead goal. But, the Islanders did in fact challenge for goaltender interference as Brett Howden pushed Kyle Palmieri into Sorokin, limiting the ability for the star netminder to make a play on the shot. 

21 ➡️ 20 ➡️ 19 ➡️ 🥅 pic.twitter.com/jU85Zuvtr8

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) November 14, 2025

"I mean, the Hawkeye went down, and I thought the league should have done something about this, and then they should have reviewed themselves and decided if it was a good goal or not," Roy said. "Rule 69.1 says that when the player pushes an opponent into the goalie...So I don't know if the writing is it means something anymore, you know, and if doesn't, if it's not the case, they have to redo the rule book."

One thing about this last challenge is Roy's confidence in the penalty kill, which is now  10-for-11 on this road trip and 23 for their last 25.

“We have a lot of trust in the way we’re killing the penalties right now, and Boughner deserves a lot of credit for working so hard with our guys, and our guys deserve a lot of credit to put a lot of pride into it,” Roy said. “But at the same time, it allows you to take chances. Example, on that challenge call. I mean, if you didn’t trust, you would not challenge, but you believe that you’re going to kill it.”

The Islanders ultimately overcame their non-challenge and challenge, winning 4-3 in overtime courtesy of a Jean-Gabriel Pageau shorthanded goal. 

They play game five of a seven-game road trip on Friday night against the Utah Mammoth. Puck drop is at 9 PM ET.