Category: NHL

The Nashville Predators have been one of the most talked-about teams in the league over the last month.  

Sitting at 6-10-4 through a month and a half of play, and losing six of their last seven, some sort of change is due for the Predators. NHL insiders across the league have speculated whether that change will come through a trade or a firing. 

@NHLRumorReport on X/Twitter has detailed every single comment from NHL insiders this season, and the Nashville Predators have been a hot topic on the account. 

With so much noise around the team, we're breaking down every rumor that has been swirling about the Predators over the last month. 

Re Steven Stamkos/Predators: If, if, if, it doesn't get better, could you not see a situation where it is beneficial to both team and player to explore [a trade]?

- Elliotte Friedman on DMase, Vingan & Daunic (Oct. 23)

There's going to be a lot about Steven Stamkos in this story. If anything, he has been the most gossiped about Nashville Predator in the league this season, and it makes sense as to why he would be. 

He's 35 years old, a future Hall of Famer, and his production has massively declined since he signed with the Predators during the 2024 offseason. It hasn't gotten any better this season as he has five points in 20 games and a plus/minus of -8. 

In the twilight of his career and with a struggling team, it would make sense that Stamkos would want to try and win one more cup before retiring. On the Predators' side of things, they could get some pieces from another team that could give them a bump. 

Vancouver and Montreal have been thrown around as potential destinations for Stamkos. 

It's not a massive contract that another team would have to take on if Stamkos was traded at three years of a 4-year, $32 million contract with a cap hit of $8 million per year, and the guess would be that the Predators would retain some of that. 

However, another rumor suggests the Predators aren't open to offloading Stamkos... yet. A big part of that has also been the contract and Stamkos's lack of production. 

There have not been any conversations between the Predators and any other team...regarding Steven Stamkos; if we get to the second half...and the Predators are out of a playoff spot...the Predators would be open to fielding calls. 
There's no team swooping in to take on the last few years of Steven Stamkos' deal with such limited production at $8m a year; no one's coming to save you...from the massive term remaining on Juuse Saros' deal.

- Top: Pierre LeBrun on Insider Trading (Nov. 6). Bottom: Frank Seravalli on Frankly Hockey (Nov. 11)

Jan. 1 would be the halfway point of the regular season, specifically Nashville's game against the Seattle Kraken in Seattle that day. However, the Predators may need to make some sort of change before that. 

Again, if it's a player being moved or a leadership change, this team needs a shift sooner rather than later. It faces a long month and a half stretch, which features games against Colorado and Florida (twice) and a seven-game road trip

 I do think both Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault are willing, will be willing, to move to a top tier contender.
Re Predators: We've wondered about Jonathan Marchessault, I've wondered about Juuse Saros with a team like the Oilers; I've wondered about a player like Filip Forsberg.
Re Ryan O'Reilly: I do believe he's a prime candidate to move this season, I'm anticipating it.

-  Top: David Pagnotta on The Sheet (Nov. 14). Middle: Jeff Marek on Sekeres & Price (Nov. 14). Bottom: David Pagnotta on The Sheet (Nov. 14). 

Juuse Saros' name has been thrown around a little bit more. He has played a critical role for the Predators this season and is one of the league leaders in shots faced and saves made. 

The big question is how good will Saros be if he had a better team in front of him? He's struggled in his last few starts, but he's kept the Predators in a lot of games where the Predators' offense has struggled to put the puck in the net.

The Predators likely want to keep Saros, and may not be entertaining the idea of trading him, but the Edmonton Oilers have emerged as a team that could be interested. Saros could be the missing piece to a Stanley Cup championship. 

The daunting thing with bringing in Saros is the contract a team would have to take on. He's in the second year of a massive 8-year, $61.92 million contract.

A trade that would benefit Nashville is one in which the receiving team would have to deal with the Predators often. Edmonton currently has just $212,500 worth of cap space. It would need to offload a ton to bring in Saros. 

Jonathan Marchessault is another player who's been tossed around here and there with a trade. He's on a longer contract as well in his second year of a 5-year, $27.5 million deal. However, he could be a good supplemental piece on the second or third line of a contender. 

Marchessault is not having a great year in Nashville, scoring just six points in 17 games. He's also on the older side of the spectrum at 33. Trading Marchessault, the Predators could probably get some decent pieces, but it wouldn't be a massive trade. 

Filip Forsberg is not leaving Nashville. Something would have to go very, very wrong in order for him to peace out. The Predators are going to do everything to keep him in Nashville, and if they considered trading him, it'd need to be a massive deal. 

Ryan O'Reilly is interesting. Despite what he says about himself, he's having a decent year with 13 points in 20 games and is one of the players keeping the Predators' offense breathing.

He's been visibly frustrated multiple times this season, and if he were traded, he'd likely ask to leave. O'Reilly would be a big acquisition for any team on the market, but a lot of it depends if he wants out of Nashville or not. 

Michael Bunting, Erik Haula, Michael McCarron, Tyson Jost and Cole Smith, and defenceman Nick Blankenburg, are all playing in the final year of their contracts; all six players are candidates to be traded at some point. 

- The Fourth Period on Nov. 11 

This past offseason was quieter for the Predators. Based on this comment, it could be very different come July 2025. 

Michael Bunting has taken a decent jump for the Predators this season, scoring 10 points in 20 games and Nashville will likely try to resign him.

Erik Haula, on a one-year contract, has underperformed a bit with 10 points in 20 games and 18 penalty minutes. It wouldn't be surprising if the Predators had looked to get more out of him via a trade, as he is a solid bottom-six center. 

Tyson Jost, who was brought on via a paid professional tryout, will likely be traded as he has a low five points in eight games. Cole Smith hasn't been great either with three points in 13 games, but has played an important role on the penalty kill. 

Michael McCarron has four points in 20 games and 16 penalty minutes. The Predators have seemingly favored keeping McCarron, but it could be time for them to move on from him. 

Jeff Marek: It's only a matter of time before Barry Trotz is coaching the Nashville Predators again, right?; What does that mean for his GM role? I don't know, Brian Poile has been there going back to 2018 - The Sheet (10/30)
Jeff Marek: Re Predators: I've wondered about Barry Trotz going behind the bench himself, I don't think Trotz wants to do that; in the Preds organization's mind, the next man up behind the bench is Karl Taylor - Daily Faceoff Live (11/5)

- Top: Jeff Marek on The Sheet (Oct. 30). Bottom: Jeff Marek on Daily Faceoff Live (Nov. 5) 

Barry Trotz seems very committed to the general manager. He did mention in an NHL social segment at the NHL Global Series, in a conversation with Penguins GM Kyle Dubas, that the transition from coach to GM has been challenging, and that he misses being in the locker room and being directly involved with the team. 

However, Trotz has a lot to prove still as a GM and a switch to head coach could be reckless. 

Jeff Marek: What I've always heard about the Predators with Barry Trotz is that he does not want to fire Andrew Brunette, this goes back to last season; you can fire a coach or you can make a massive trade; this team needs a shakeup - Morning Cuppa Hockey (11/11)
Frank Seravalli: Re Predators: The vibes are not high; it seems to be a toxic energy that's there, and they need...to flush that; it's gonna difficult for Trotz to move some of those veteran contracts; I think they have to just make a [coaching] change - Bleacher Report (11/11)

- Top: Jeff Marek on Morning Cuppa Hockey (Nov. 11). Bottom: Frank Seravalli in Bleacher Report (Nov. 11) 

Trotz has been pressed on head coach Andrew Brunette really just once over the last seven months. At the end of the season media availability, when asked about Brunette staying as head coach, he said that he and the organization are "standing behind" him. 

The NHL Global Series seemed to be a checkpoint for the Predators and it would make sense as they don't play until Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche.

As Jeff Marek said on Morning Cuppa Hock, this team needs a shakeup, whether that's a trade or a coach's firing. 

During the off-season, the Montreal Canadiens dealt Emil Heineman to the New York Islanders as part of the trade package that landed star defenseman Noah Dobson.

So far, it is fair to say that Heineman is benefiting from the change of scenery big time with the Islanders. 

Heineman has been having a strong start to the season offensively, as he has recorded nine goals, four assists, 13 points, and a plus-6 rating in 19 games with the Islanders. This is after he posted 10 goals, eight assists, and 18 points in 62 games this past season with the Canadiens. 

Yet, Heineman is only continuing to shine with the Islanders as the season rolls on, too. The former Canadiens forward has scored a goal in each of his last three games for the Islanders and also has six points in his last seven contests. With this, there is no question that he is heating up right now. 

With the way Heineman is playing this season, he is well on his way to having a breakout year with the Islanders. Sometimes a fresh start can help an NHL player, and that has certainly been the case for Heineman early on this season. 

The Hockey News Big Show is here for a new week of discussing big topics in the NHL and beyond.

Reacting To Red Wings And Rangers’ Big Scrum, Kempe’s Re-Signing And More by The Big Show

Here’s what Ryan Kennedy, former NHL goaltender Devan Dubnyk and Michael Traikos discussed:

0:36: The Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers had a bench-clearing scrum after the final buzzer when Mason Appleton shot the puck in the net. Was he out of line?

4:00: Jack Hughes will be out eight weeks after undergoing surgery on his finger for an injury he suffered at a team dinner on Thursday night. How does this affect his likelihood of making USA’s Olympic roster?

6:03: Should Hughes play center or on the wing on Team USA?

7:50: Jim Rutherford said if the Vancouver Canucks can stay the course and keep getting younger players, they can become a consistent playoff team, and Quinn Hughes’ future won’t affect that. Agree or disagree?

11:21: Would this be a good trade between the New Jersey Devils and Canucks: Dougie Hamilton and a couple of first-round draft picks for Quinn Hughes?

14:56: Will Troy Stecher at least move the needle for the Toronto Maple Leafs' defensive problems?

18:25: The Los Angeles Kings and Adrian Kempe agreed to an eight-year extension at $10.625 million annually. Thoughts on this deal for the Kings?

21:17: Devan Dubnyk shares his thoughts on Jesper Wallstedt and his development so far? 

23:38: Can the Minnesota Wild be a threat in the playoffs or make the playoffs?

25:26: Stuart Skinner moved ahead of Cam Talbot for fifth on the Oilers' all-time wins list. Does this change how we think about Skinner?

28:48: What's a storyline in the CHL you think more people should know about right now?

31:05: What's an unusual off-ice injury you can think of?

33:16: Which NHL player had the best week on the ice?

34:41: Red Wings and Rangers both wore their Centennial uniforms, making it a red-versus-blue matchup. Do you like how the jersey matchup looked on the ice?

37:00: Charlie McAvoy took a slapshot to the mouth in a game against the Habs. Where’s the worst place a puck has hit you?

Watch the full episode on YouTube

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

The Ottawa Senators have announced that they have acquired former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Dennis Gilbert from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defender Maxence Guenette.

Gilbert never appeared in an NHL game during his short stint with the Flyers organization but instead played for their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. In six games with the Phantoms this season before this trade, the former Blackhawks blueliner posted one assist, six penalty minutes, and a plus-1 rating. 

This will be Gilbert's second stint with the Senators, as the Sabres traded him to Ottawa this past season. In four games with the Senators during his first stint with the club, the former Blackhawks defenseman recorded one assist and an even plus/minus rating in four games. 

Gilbert kicked off his career with the Blackhawks, as he was selected by the Original Six club with the 91st overall pick of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. In 22 games over two seasons with the Blackhawks from 2018-19 to 2019-20, he recorded one goal, two assists, three points, 34 blocks, 40 penalty minutes, and 80 hits. His time with the Blackhawks ended when he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche in October 2020. 

Former Buffalo Sabres defenseman Dennis Gilbert is on the move again after a brief stay with the Philadelphia Flyers organization. 

Gilbert is now returning to one of the Sabres' biggest rivals, as the Ottawa Senators have announced that they have acquired the left-shot defenseman in exchange for blueliner Maxence Guenette.

Gilbert is a player the Senators already know well, as Ottawa acquired him from the Sabres at the 2025 NHL trade deadline as a part of the deal that sent Josh Norris to Buffalo. Now, with this move, Gilbert will once again be a veteran depth defenseman for the Senators to work with.

Gilbert appeared in 25 games this past season with the Sabres, where he recorded five assists, 29 blocks, 50 penalty minutes, and a minus-3 rating. He then followed that up by recording one assist in four games with the Senators after being traded by the Sabres this past season.

 

A familiar face coming back to town!

The #Sens have acquired defenceman Dennis Gilbert from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenceman Maxence Guenette. pic.twitter.com/3kJWj9SLWm

— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) November 17, 2025

In 111 games over six NHL seasons split between the Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Calgary Flames, Sabres, and Senators, Gilbert has recorded three goals, 17 assists, 20 points, 138 penalty minutes, 146 blocks, and 259 hits. He has yet to make an NHL appearance this season, as he played for the Flyers' AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, before being traded back to the Senators. 

In his cup of coffee with the Ottawa Senators last season, defenseman Dennis Gilbert must have made a good impression.

Gilbert came over to the Senators back in March, being traded by his hometown Buffalo Sabres as part of the blockbuster Dylan Cozens-Josh Norris deal. Gilbert only played four games with the Senators before signing in the offseason as a free agent with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Now, with Donovan Sebrango being claimed on waivers by the Florida Panthers, and then Thomas Chabot being injured, Senators GM Steve Staios was in the market again for a left-shot defenseman. Staios obviously wasn't totally comfortable turning to his left-shot options in Belleville at the moment – Scott Harrington (AHL contract), Jorian Donovan, and Tomas Hamara.

Meanwhile, the Senators also had an apparent contract dispute with restricted free agent Max Guenette, an unsigned, right-shot defenseman, who's been in Ottawa's organization for five seasons.

So on Monday afternoon, Staios addressed both issues, dealing Guenette to Philadelphia straight up for Gilbert's return.

Gilbert fits nicely with the club's general desire for size on the blue line, checking in at 6 foot-3, 216 pounds. In parts of six NHL seasons, Gilbert has appeared in 111 games, scoring three goals and 20 points. He's been playing with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League this season.

Gilbert was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks, 90th overall, in the 2015 NHL entry draft, and has also played for the Colorado Avalanche, Calgary Flames, and Buffalo Sabres.

He'll likely join the Senators as the seventh defenseman for their seven-game road trip, which begins with three games in California, starting Thursday night against the Anaheim Ducks.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News

The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that they have traded defenseman Dennis Gilbert to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for defenseman Maxence Guenette.

The Flyers signed Gilbert this off-season to a one-year contract in free agency. Now, after spending a few months with the Flyers organization, he is heading back to the Senators. 

Gilbert played in six games this season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, where he posted one assist, six penalty minutes, and a plus-1 rating. This is after he recorded six assists and 50 penalty minutes in 29 games split between the Buffalo Sabres and Senators this past season.

With Guenette, the Flyers have added a younger right-shot defenseman. The 2019 seventh-round pick has yet to play this season, as he was still a restricted free agent. However, he has now signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Flyers after being acquired. 

TRADE ALERT: We’ve acquired defenseman Maxence Guenette from Ottawa in exchange for defenseman Dennis Gilbert.

We have also agreed to terms with Guenette on a one-year, two-way contract. https://t.co/T6i6n9iPhj

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) November 17, 2025

Guenette played in 58 games this past season with the Belleville Senators, where he recorded nine goals, 14 assists, and 23 points. He has eight games of NHL experience, with his most recent appearance being during the 2023-24 season with Ottawa.

Last season, when the Ottawa Senators needed goal-scoring help, there weren’t many high-end options down in the minors. Their top goal-scoring Belleville candidates were Wyatt Bongiovanni and Angus Crookshank, who each scored 22 goals. Neither finished last season among the AHL’s top 30 goal scorers.

For the record, Crookshank is now an AHL player for the Utica Comets, while Bongiovanni has six goals in 14 games, tying him with Xavier Bourgault for second on Belleville’s goal-scoring list.

But it’s newcomer Arthur Kaliyev, 24, who’s leading the way with eight goals in 13 games, tying him for sixth in AHL goal scoring, just two goals off the league lead.

Right now, Ottawa sits seventh in the NHL in team goal scoring with 64 goals in 19 games. But five players have combined for 38 of those goals: Tim Stützle (10), Shane Pinto (9), Dylan Cozens (7), Michael Amadio (6), and Drake Batherson (6).

Further down the lineup, several forwards are off to slow starts and at the quarter turn, aren’t even on pace for 10 goals this season: David Perron (2), Lars Eller (2), Ridly Greig (2), Fabian Zetterlund (1), and the 12/13 forward combination of Olle Lycksell and Kurtis MacDermid (1).

Kaliyev will never be mistaken for a Selke Trophy candidate, and he’s not going to take ice time from Greig or Zetterlund, two young players who just started new contracts. And what of the veterans, Perron and Eller? They remain strong NHL mentors, producing solid point totals despite their lack of goals.

But that final forward spot is where the discussion gets interesting. Wouldn’t Kaliyev be an upgrade in either 12th or 13th-forward role? He's been especially hot lately, with 6 goals in his past 5 games, seemingly unfazed by some of the off-ice chatter swirling around him.

It certainly doesn’t help Kaliyev’s case that he’s currently under NHL investigation following allegations from his ex-girlfriend, Lauren Mochen, who claims he scammed her out of money to fund a gambling habit. No charges have been laid, but after she gave a lengthy interview to the New York Post, the league is still looking into it. The Senators are probably just as happy to have him in Belleville while that plays out.

But once the situation is resolved, if injuries hit Ottawa’s forward group, Kaliyev would almost certainly be the next call-up. And if he keeps rolling, and some players don’t pick things up soon, that call might come even earlier.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

More Sens headlines at The Hockey News Ottawa:

Senators Have Big UFA Contract Decisions Over The Next Few Years (Who Stays And Who Goes?)
Brady Tkachuk Tests Out Wrist Injury At Practice, Provides Potential Timeline For Return
Four More Years: Ottawa Senators Sign Shane Pinto To A Four-Year Extension
Senators Lose Defenseman Thomas Chabot To Injury
Former Ottawa Senator GM Passes Away At Age 70

The Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers are battling in a crowded playoff race in the NHL's Western and Eastern Conferences.

Vancouver is 12th in the West with a 9-9-2 record and 20 points, and yet, the Canucks are only two points behind the Vegas Golden Knights, which are in the second wild-card spot. That said, five teams in the West have 22 points, so Vancouver still has catching up to do before it can try to jump ahead of the bunch.

The Rangers, meanwhile, have a 10-8-2 record and are tied in points with the Ottawa Senators, which are in the second wild-card spot in the East, with 22 each. The New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens also have 22 points.

A player on each squad had an incredible week on the stat sheet, and they're featured in this week's edition of who's hot and cold in the NHL since Nov. 10.

The Anaheim Ducks and Nashville Predators are also featured this time, but not for the reason their fans would have hoped for.

Cold: Steven Stamkos, LW, Nashville Predators

Stamkos’ decline in offensive production has been a significant area of concern for the subpar Predators.

While Stamkos did score an overtime-winner on Friday in Sweden – his fourth goal and fifth point of the season – that was his only point of the week. Stamkos managed only five shots on net in the three games he played.

The 36-year-old Stamkos was brought into Nashville to be a difference-maker, but this season, he’s been largely ineffective for the Preds. He's only averaging two shots per game this season, which is the lowest rate of his career. The previous low: last year, his first with the Predators.

Nashville’s playoff hopes are already nearly buried, and Stamkos’ inability to generate the type of offense that once was easy for him to produce is a key factor in the Predators’ woes.

Three Potential NHL Trade Fits For Steven Stamkos If Predators Don't ImproveIf the Nashville Predators don't improve, expect more trade speculation to arise about Steven Stamkos. Which NHL teams could have what he would want to waive his no-move clause?

Hot: Jason Robertson, LW, Dallas Stars

The Stars have been one of the NHL’s top teams this season, and Robertson was on fire, putting up a league-best six goals and nine points in only three games. He recorded a natural hat trick against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

The 26-year-old now has nine goals and 23 points in 19 games, a pace that would give Robertson 38 goals and 99 points.

Those would be his best totals since 2022-23, when he put up a career-high 46 goals and 109 points. And given that Robertson will be an RFA at the end of the season, he could easily be in line for a raise on his $7.75 million salary.

Cold: Lukas Dostal, G, Anaheim Ducks

Dostal earned the starter’s job in Anaheim with consistently strong play in recent years, and he's done pretty well this season. 

But in two games last week, Dostal went 0-2 with a 4.06 goals-against average and a .881 save percentage.

His outing against the Colorado Avalanche wasn't bad, allowing three goals on 35 shots and recording 1.16 goals saved above expected, according to moneypuck.com. But when Anaheim had a chance to end a two-game skid, Dostal conceded five goals on 32 shots against the Detroit Red Wings, and he had a minus-1.85 goals saved above expected.

The Ducks have lost three straight games, and Dostal now has a 2.86 GAA and .903 SP. He's posted a save percentage below .900 in three of his last five games dating back to Nov. 4.

Dostal hasn't forgotten how to be a good goalie, and the loss to Colorado was more of a team underperforming in front of him rather than him dropping the ball. But his wobbly performance between the pipes at times has had a direct impact on Anaheim’s effectiveness as a group.

Dostal is vital to the Ducks’ chances of making the playoffs, but every goalie goes through some sort of adversity, and it would not be surprising if he went on a hot streak this upcoming week.

Hot: Quinn Hughes, D, Vancouver Canucks

Hughes and the Canucks haven’t had their best start this season. Hughes even missed Friday's game due to an injury.

But Hughes still left his mark on Vancouver’s opponents, posting seven assists in two games, including a four-assist performance in Sunday's win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

With Sunday’s showing, Hughes has 16 assists and 17 points in 15 games. Those would be terrific numbers for most defensemen, but Hughes’ status as a perennial Norris Trophy front-runner sets the bar higher for the 26-year-old. If he produces anywhere close to the pace he’s been on this week, Hughes will once again be challenging Colorado’s Cale Makar for the title of the league’s top blueliner.

How The Vancouver Canucks Stack Up To The Rest Of The NHL: 20 Games InThe Vancouver Canucks are 20 games into the 2025-26 NHL season: here's how they compare to the rest of the league.

Hot: Igor Shesterkin, G, New York Rangers

The Rangers were terrible out of the gate, but they’ve been markedly better last week, and star netminder Shesterkin led the way. He went 3-0-0 while generating a 2.28 GAA and .925 save percentage.

Shesterkin’s numbers this week were better than his season average of a .913 SP and a 2.39 GAA. He’s right up there with Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck as the top netminder on the planet, and if the Rangers are to claw their way back into the playoff picture and overcome their poor start to the year, they’ll need Shesterkin to continue thriving.

---

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The Detroit Red Wings have had a strong start to the 2025-26 season, and former Chicago Blackhawks forward Alex DeBrincat is certainly a reason behind it. In 19 games so far this season with the Red Wings, DeBrincat has recorded nine goals, 12 assists, and 21 points. 

Yet, DeBrincat is only continuing to impress at the season carries on. This is because the former Blackhawks forward is on fire right now for the Red Wings. 

Over his last three games with the Red Wings, DeBrincat has recorded five goals and one assist. This included him putting together back-to-back two-goal games for the Red Wings against the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 13 and Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 15. 

DeBrincat has also been rewarded for his strong play, as he was named the NHL's Second Star of the Week from Nov. 10 to Nov. 16. With this, there is no question that the former Blackhawk is playing excellently right now. 

Seeing DeBrincat put up strong offensive totals for the Red Wings is not surprising in the slightest, as he did the same thing with the Blackhawks. In 368 games over five seasons with Chicago, he posted 160 goals, 147 assists, and 307 points. 

The Vancouver Canucks are 20 games into the 2025–26 season. After taking a commanding 6–2 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning last night, Vancouver is now back to a .500 record on their season. Here’s how they’re performing compared to the rest of the NHL. 

Team Stats 

While most of their team stats hover anywhere from the 20th-place mark to the very bottom of the NHL, Vancouver still remains within the top-15 in two categories. They are currently tied for 11th in the league in total goals-for with 69, and have the 12th-highest power play percentage with 22.6%. Interestingly enough, their power play percentage is currently higher than teams like the Anaheim Ducks (21.2%), Detroit Red Wings (20.9%), and Colorado Avalanche (16.7%).  

Individual Skaters

After 20 games, Vancouver has started to assert themselves within individually-ranked standings. Kiefer Sherwood is tied for fifth in the NHL in goals scored with 12 and, unsurprisingly, leads the league in hits with 90. Filip Hronek has the highest minutes played of all skaters with 488:01 overall minutes. Center Elias Pettersson and Tyler Myers are both tied for the most shots blocked in the NHL with 42 each, while Quinn Hughes is tied for 10th in power play points. Finally, Marcus Pettersson places seventh in total time spent on the penalty kill with 65 minutes. 

Goaltenders

With Thatcher Demko having missed some time, Kevin Lankinen has surpassed him in a few goaltending stats. While Demko still has the higher SV% and GAA, Lankinen now ranks higher than him in total minutes played with 646:09 — a stat that received a big boost after Lankinen played in Vancouver’s last six games. Lankinen also leads the team in shots faced (337) and high-danger chances faced (107), placing 18th and 10th in the NHL in each respective category. 

Vancouver will play in their 21st game of the season tonight, taking part in the second-half of a back-to-back against the Florida Panthers. They’ll then return to Rogers Arena for matches against the Dallas Stars and Calgary Flames before heading back on the road to play all three California teams. 

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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Former Buffalo Sabres goalie Jonas Johansson had a tough night between the pipes for the Tampa Bay Lightning during their Nov. 16 matchup against the Vancouver Canucks. 

Johansson allowed five goals on 17 shots against the Canucks, which equates to a .706 save percentage on the night. After giving up an empty-netter during the third period, the Lightning ended up losing to the Canucks by a 6-2 final score. 

Johansson had his biggest struggles during the third period of this matchup, however. The former Sabres goalie allowed four third-period goals against the Canucks, with three coming in a span of 1:40. With this, it was undoubtedly a rough performance for the former Sabre. 

With this loss, Johansson now has a 3-2-0 record, a .890 save percentage, and a 3.26 goals-against average in six games so far this season with the Lightning. This is after he had a 9-6-3 record, a .895 save percentage, and a 3.13 goals-against average in 19 games for the Bolts in 2024-25. 

Boy, that escalated quickly 😳

The @Canucks have scored three times in 1:40! pic.twitter.com/vEeOtdqmT0

— NHL (@NHL) November 17, 2025

Johansson was selected by the Sabres with the 61st overall pick of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. In 13 games with the Sabres from 2019-20 to 2020-21, he posted a 1-8-2 record, a .888 save percentage, and a 3.40 goals-against average. 

As the Montreal Canadiens keep losing players to injury lately, a sizeable portion of the fan base wishes the organization would call up Florian Xhekaj. White, the 21-year-old, had a great training camp and stuck around until the very end; he hasn’t had a good start in the AHL.

This often happens to youngsters who thought they might make the big team, only to land back in the AHL. Whichever way you look at it, it’s a disappointment for them, and that’s understandable, but they’ve got to get over that hump.

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At rookie camp, Laval Rocket coach Pascal Vincent spoke about the youngest Xhekaj and said he wanted to get him to take the next step this season, after he put up 35 points, including 24 goals, last year.

In 15 games this season, he has only managed to gather four points (two goals and two assists) and has spent much of his time in the bottom six because things weren’t clicking. He did skate on the first line alongside Laurent Dauphin and Alex Belzile on Saturday’s game after Joshua Roy was called up, but that was the exception and not the rule.

Calling up Xhekaj, who had a good training camp despite a bad start to the season in the AHL, would be unfair to the other prospects plying their trade with the Rocket and would send the wrong message. Performance with the Rocket has got to mean something if you want to keep the kids motivated and engaged.

With both Roy and Jared Davidson now up with the Canadiens, Xhekaj will likely end up with more quality ice time, and it’s up to him to make the most of it. Alex Newhook and Kirby Dach are both set to miss significant time, and it’s not set in stone that Roy and Davidson will stay in the NHL for the duration. If they struggle to make an impact, the Habs’ brass could come knocking on the Rocket’s door again, and in case they do, Xhekaj must make the most of his increased role to earn his own opportunity.

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The biggest question facing Maxim Shabanov's return to the New York Islanders' lineup was where he'd play. 

Given the win streak and the strong play of the top nine, it seemed that the only spot for Shabanov to start would be on the fourth line. And that's exactly what happened on Sunday night against the Colorado Avalanche, skating alongside Calum Ritchie and Casey Cizikas. 

Ritchie, who had shown well defensively since being recalled, had not shown much offensively through his first eight games with the Islanders. 

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Could Shabanov's offensive instincts and skating help create more for Ritchie in the offensive zone?

While Ritchie didn't record a shot on goal in his 6:54 minutes, a line that eventually was taken out of the rotation with the Islanders in need of a goal -- Shabanov continued to play -- the fourth line played more in the offensive zone than they had previously. 

When he and Ritchie were on the ice (5:13), the Islanders owned a Corsi For% % of 77.78, holding the Avalanche to one shot -- that last goal -- garnering two shots of their own and two scoring chances. 

Despite missing 12 games due to an upper-body injury, Shabanov looked locked in. 

In 9:19 minutes, Shabanov recorded two shots on goal, with three individual scoring chances, two of which were considered high-danger. 

The goal they were on the ice for came in garbage time. 

"I thought he played well," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said of Shabanov. "With the type of injury he had, upper body injury, you're curious to see how someone's going to react to contact because you don't really get hit in the practices. So I thought he didn't shy away from any of that."

Roy was asked postgame how he saw Ritchie and Casey Cizikas feed off Shabanov?

"I thought they had good buzz," Roy said. "And, when they were out there, I thought that they possessed the puck. I thought they had a great game, the three together."

The Islanders' fourth line had an identity for ages and this current iteration of the bottom three has struggled to find their game consistently, regardless of who has been on the line. 

Every team is at their best when they can roll four lines and with Cizikas-Ritchie-Shabanov is the fastest version of this fourth line that we have seen so far. 

We'll see if Roy tweaks his lines ahead of their Tuesday night showdown with the Dallas Stars, but if not, look for that threesome, particularly Shabanov and Ritchie, to build on their performance against Colorado.