The Los Angeles King and St. Louis Blues have completed an AHL-level trade with the Kings sending forward Akil Thomas to the Blues in exchange for forward Nikita Alexandrov.

Thomas has four goals and 13 points in 19 games for the Ontario Reign this season. He has 50 goals and 106 points in 176 career AHL games. 

The 25-year-old missed parts of last season with injury but spent the whole year in the NHL, notching three points in 25 games with the Kings.

A second round selection of the Kings in 2018, Thomas has seven points in 32 career NHL games. He scored the game winning goal for Team Canada at the 2020 World Junior Championship. 

Alexandrov has three goals and 14 points in 18 games with the Springfield Thunderbirds this season. He has 61 goals and 143 points in 188 career AHL games. 

We’ve acquired F Nikita Alexandrov from the St Louis Blues in exchange for F Akil Thomas.

Read More 📲 https://t.co/PACmlkWg7R@Enterprise | #GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/rJgGG2LD2H

— LA Kings (@LAKings) December 2, 2025

A second round selection of the Blues in 2019, Alexandrov finished second on the Thunderbirds in scoring with 49 points in 48 games last season.

The 25-year-old has three goals and nine points in 51 career NHL games, all with St. Louis. 

Both players have shown talent in the AHL and have the capability of playing NHL games, a change of scenery should help both. 

Former New Jersey Devils defenseman Callan Foote has signed a new professional contract with the AHL Chicago Wolves, the team announced.

Foote is signed to a standard AHL contract.

Defenseman Cal Foote has signed a standard AHL contract. @MidwestMovingpic.twitter.com/GyMOywIWob

— Chicago Wolves (@Chicago_Wolves) December 1, 2025

The 26-year-old has not played a game since the 2023-24 season. He took a leave from the New Jersey Devils after he was charged with sexual assault in connection with an alleged incident from June 2018. He was charged alongside Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, and Dillon Dube, all members of the Canada 2018 World Hockey Junior team.

All of the players were acquitted of the charges in July of this year.

They were all eligible to be re-signed by NHL teams, allowed to sign on October 15, and play on December 1st.

Of the five players, only Carter Hart signed with an NHL team, and he is expected to make his debut with the Vegas Golden Knights as soon as Tuesday.

Michael McLeod signed with Avangard Omsk in the KHL.

Foote will now join the AHL with the Carolina Hurricanes AHL affiliate.

The former first-round selection in the 2017 NHL Draft played with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators, and New Jersey Devils.

He will now continue his career with the Chicago Wolves. 

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The New Jersey Devils drew attention Monday by warming up without helmets, leading to a league warning.

The team hit the ice to honor Brenden Dillon’s 1,000th NHL game, wearing No. 5 Jerseys, hats, and special numbers on their sleeves. ​

While their support was evident, the NHL noted that warming up without helmets violated league rules.

​In 2023-24, the NHL mandated that all players who joined the league after the 2019-20 season wear helmets during warmups. ​The rule is officially NHL rule 9.6, which states that “it is mandatory for all players who entered the NHL beginning with the 2019-2020 season or later to wear their helmet during pre-game warm-up. To be clear, all players who entered the League before the 2019-2020 season and who are currently playing are exempt from this mandate.”​

As a result, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly issued the Devils a warning. ​Daly’s warning comes amid a continuing trend of teams deciding not to wear helmets during warmups. ​

Last Wednesday, the Ottawa Senators decided as a team not to wear helmets in hopes of shifting their luck. The Senators won that game.

​The San Jose Sharks also aimed to turn their season around by removing helmets in warmups; however, the team ultimately lost that game.

​Unlike the other teams, the Devils did not forgo helmets in hopes of turning their season around.

The team chose to wear hats to honor their teammate, who became the only active undrafted player to reach 1,000 games. ​

The night didn’t go as hoped. Dillon left the game after Dmitri Voronkov dropped the gloves and knocked the Devils defenseman to the ice. Dillon returned for the second period before exiting the game again. He did not play in the third period.

​Not only that, but the Devils also lost their second straight home game, after starting the season without a regulation home loss for the first 10 games. ​

The team was only issued a warning for violating the NHL rule–a fortunate result. ​

The Devils face the Dallas Stars next. 

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The New Jersey Devils have had a tough week. The team lost two consecutive home games after going unbeaten at home in regulation up until that point.

The Devils first lost to the Philadelphia Flyers, 5-3, allowing three goals in the second period. Owen Tippett and Matvei Michkov each scored twice.

Following their loss to the Flyers, the Devils aimed to rebound and get back in the win column against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

A milestone night honoring Brenden Dillon’s 1,000th game quickly soured.

The Devils took a 2-1 lead at the end of the first period; however, one minute into the second, a brawl broke out.

Dmitri Voronkov fought Dillon, quickly sending him to the ice.

Dillon needed help off the ice. He later returned for three shifts before leaving again, not playing at all in the third period.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe addressed the situation postgame with NJD.tv.

“[Dillon] would never do something like that to another player. That I know for certain,” Keefe said. “I don’t like it. I don’t think Dillon knows he’s in a fight, and he’s tackled from behind. Before he knows it, his helmet’s off, his jersey is over his head, and we saw what happened from there.”

Dillon would skate for just over ten minutes in his milestone game.

Despite leading early, the Devils failed to close out the game and lost 5-3, missing chances to regroup.

These back-to-back home losses marked the first time all season the Devils dropped two straight games on home ice.

Looking ahead, the Devils face a challenging schedule, with games against the Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights, and Boston Bruins in the coming week.

The Devils play 14 games in 29 days—a heavy load before the Winter Olympic break.

Losing to the Blue Jackets and Flyers is not ideal for this team. With every team in the NHL either holding a playoff spot or within three points of one, there is little margin for error. The Devils, currently second in the Metropolitan Division with 33 points, trail the Flyers by two and the Blue Jackets by 4 in the race for a postseason berth.

Despite injuries, the Devils must find a way to win to remain atop the division, especially with the tough schedule.

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Adding to the growing list of concerns regarding the arena being built for the upcoming Milan Cortina Olympics, now there’s this: The ice surface may be smaller than those used in NHL buildings, which could be a safety concern given the speed of the game.

The International Ice Hockey Federation approved a 60-meter by 26-meter sheet of ice (196.85-foot by 85.3-foot) in Milan, a source familiar with the decision tells The Athletic, which is more than three feet shorter and only a hair wider than the 200-foot by 85-foot (60.96-meter by 25.91-meter) dimensions required under NHL rules.

The NHL has sent players to an Olympics with a 60-meter length in the past, but that was with the significantly wider surface (30 meters) typically used for international play. The agreement between the NHL, NHL Players’ Association, International Olympic Committee and IIHF for the Milan Games called for hockey to be played on a surface completed to the specifications used in NHL buildings.

The NHL did not comment on the situation Tuesday when reached by The Athletic. One source with knowledge of the league’s dealings with the IIHF and IOC on the arena said that the league is looking into it, implying that it was not previously aware of the issue.

The NHL Players’ Association also told The Athletic on Tuesday that it is “looking into the matter.”

An ice surface with a shorter length but not substantially greater width will leave players with less room to maneuver. That could put players in dangerous situations based on what we saw at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, which featured some of the fastest, hardest-checking hockey ever played at Montreal’s Bell Centre and Boston’s TD Garden.

“If we learned anything from the 4 Nations, it was like, I don’t want to say mistake-free hockey, but the checking, there was no room,” U.S. men’s Olympic team general manager Bill Guerin told The Athletic in October.

Countries’ Olympic federations have until Dec. 31 to submit 25-player rosters for the Olympics and are aware of the unique rink dimensions. Team Canada assistant coach Pete DeBoer visited Milan earlier this fall and mentioned the shorter Olympic ice surface during an interview with Fan 590 in Toronto on Monday, saying, “I don’t understand how that happened.”

Consider it the latest in a string of puzzling developments around Santagiulia Arena, a planned 16,000-seat venue scheduled to host 33 games during the Olympics, including both the men’s and women’s gold-medal finals.

Another problem? Construction is still ongoing, a little more than two months from the opening ceremony. One source well-versed on the building’s status told The Athletic that organizers needed a “big bomb,” not just a fire, lit under them with the clock ticking loudly.

The NHL has been raising alarms about the arena for years, with commissioner Gary Bettman expressing concern as far back as the Board of Governors meeting in December of 2023 about the fact that construction hadn’t started at that point. When a group of league personnel toured the site southeast of Milan in August, it found an arena still under construction, with no infrastructure complete, including no roads built to the building. They’d also yet to break ground on the practice facility.

Those delays forced a planned December test event to be pushed back to Jan. 9 to 11. While there had been growing industry speculation about potentially looking to a rink in Switzerland as a standby venue, it was determined during a mid-November meeting in Stockholm, featuring representatives from the IOC, IIHF and NHL, that there would be no Plan B, according to league sources.

Following that meeting, NHL representatives Derek King and Dean Matsuzaki visited Milan to give a precise update to the league on the status of construction.

“It appears that positive forward progress is being made with respect to the necessary hockey-related facilities in Milan,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun on Nov. 19. “We intend to continue to monitor progress as we get closer to the planned test events and the Games themselves.”

In October, the IOC said in a statement that the arena is “scheduled for completion in mid-December,” and an IOC spokesperson told The Athletic two weeks ago that the IOC stood by that statement.

The first Olympic event scheduled for Santagiulia is a women’s preliminary round game between Italy and France on Feb. 5. The men’s tournament runs from Feb. 11 to 22.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

NHL, Sports Business, Olympics, Women's Hockey

2025 The Athletic Media Company

Scott Morrow has a golden opportunity presented right in front of him. 

With Adam Fox placed on long-term injured reserve, Morrow has been jolted into a prominent position for the New York Rangers. 

He’ll have an opportunity to carve out a role in the Rangers’ lineup. 

Given Morrow’s experience with the Hurricanes, playing in 16 regular season games and five playoff games, Morrow is prepared to step into an everyday rotational role for the Rangers.

“I know I'm ready for the opportunity, Morrow emphasized. “It's not gonna be like my first game. I know what to expect, and I'll be ready to go.”

The Rangers clearly thought highly of Morrow, as the team specifically sought to acquire him in the sign-and-trade deal with the Carolina Hurricanes involving K’Andre Miller. 

Morrow’s talent is undeniable, but Mike Sullivan still wants to see him play with a certain assertive energy he hasn't really shown in his four games with the Rangers this season.

“Assertive play,” Sullivan said about what he wants to see from Morrow. “Making decisions with conviction and not being in between. Eliminating hesitation from his game.”

Jonathan Quick Making Progress In Recovery From Injury It appears as if Jonathan Quick is inching closer to making a return for the New York Rangers. 

The 23-year-old defenseman agrees with his head coach’s assessment and knows that he needs to play stress-free in order to unlock that assertive play.

“I think there's definitely an opportunity for me to be more physical at times,” Morrow said. “Sometimes when you're just coming into an NHL game, when you haven't played at this level a lot, there's a level of a little bit of intimidation, not being quite as assertive. I think I definitely need to play like it's any other game and not change my game at all.”

For now, it appears as if Morrow will hold a spot in the lineup over Urho Vaakanainen, but that could obviously change based on his performance. 

Nonetheless, this is a big chance for Morrow to prove himself at the NHL level.  

The Buffalo Sabres 5-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday has lifted them out the basement of the Eastern Conference, but the club faces the difficult task of playing their next six games on the road, where they have not enjoyed much success this season. 

The Sabres have the worst record in the NHL on the road at 2-6-2, but are coming off a 3-2 shootout victory in Minnesota on Saturday. Buffalo will play the Flyers in Philadelphia on Wednesday, before heading to Western Canada to play the Jets, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver and the Pacific Northwest against Seattle over the next 11 days.  

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"This is a big trip for us. We need to improve our road play and hopefully use that game in Minnesota as a game that kind of turns in the right direction for us." Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said after practice on Tuesday. "I couldn't remember (a) trip this long. It goes back even with the other teams I've been with. So it is different. There will be a lot of time together, practicing a couple days on the road, won't be a lot of practice, but the way the schedule unfolds, probably we get one or two."

Ruff indicated that the club will likely recall a defenseman before heading west, after they sent Zach Metsa back to AHL Rochester on Monday. He also indicated that blueliner Michael Kesselring will not travel with the team and will continue skating in Buffalo after suffering a lower body injury last month, and that forward Tyson Kozak has been hampered by an unspecified injury, 

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Deciding who deserves to be the NHL's coach of the year is an interesting exercise.

Does it always go to the best coach? Does the squad need to have significantly more points than the year before? Does the coach deserve the honor if his team's roster is stacked?

Voted on by the NHL Broadcasters' Association, the Jack Adams Award technically goes to "the NHL coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success."

Washington Capitals coach Spencer Carbery received the award last season after guiding his team to a 20-point improvement. The last coach to win the Jack Adams Award while their team captured the Presidents' Trophy was Jim Montgomery in 2022-23, when his Boston Bruins improved by 28 points to put up a record-breaking 135 points in a season.

In this ranking of our top five Jack Adams Award candidates, only one of these coaches has won it before.

Speaking of coaches who haven't won the Jack Adams, Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar deserves an honorable mention for what he has accomplished with his team. With Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, it'd be a surprise if the Avalanche weren't thriving, but if they threaten to break the Bruins' record for most points in a season, Bednar could get the award.

Here is my five for the Jack Adams Award just over a quarter of the way into the 2025-26 NHL season.

5. Martin St-Louis, Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens have been growing every season under Martin St-Louis. As the youngest squad in the NHL, according to eliteprospects.com, the organization has its coach to thank for its come-up.

Last season, St-Louis led the Canadiens to their first playoff berth since 2021, showing signs of improvement and becoming a more competitive team.

For those efforts, St-Louis was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award, finishing third in voting behind runner-up and Winnipeg Jets bench boss Scott Arniel.

This year, the Habs' coach should find himself in the mix for the award once again if his team continues to perform the way they have.

Montreal is third in the Atlantic Division with 29 points in 24 games, thanks to a 13-8-3 record. Going into November, they were leading the division, meaning they've had a bit of a slump, resulting in St-Louis dropping to No. 5.

BetMGM Jack Adams Award odds: 17.00/+1600

4. Jon Cooper, Tampa Bay Lightning

It's a true mystery and shock to think that Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper has never won a Jack Adams Award despite winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, making it to two additional Eastern Conference finals and capturing the Presidents' Trophy.

The closest Cooper got was in 2018-19 when he finished as a runner-up to New York Islanders coach Barry Trotz. He also finished third in voting in 2013-14, when Patrick Roy earned the award with the Avalanche.

Cooper's Lightning had a terrible 1-4-2 start to the season, leaving all to wonder if he's taken Tampa Bay as far as he could. However, that narrative has completely changed as the Bolts top the Atlantic as of Dec. 2.

Even though a handful of his players haven't been playing up to their standard – such as Brayden Point with three goals and 11 points in 21 games and Oliver Bjorkstrand with two goals and nine points in 25 games – Cooper has kept the team performing at the highest level.

Maybe this is the year Cooper finally gets his flowers and some individual hardware.

BetMGM Jack Adams Award odds: 11.00/+1000

3. Marco Sturm, Boston Bruins

There wasn't much of an expectation for the Bruins going into this season. At last year's trade deadline, they turned into sellers, trading away captain Brad Marchand and others for draft picks and young players.

Despite this change in the organization over the last season or so, new coach Marco Sturm has kept the Bruins in a playoff position, as they have been for most of the past decade.

With Sturm's help behind the bench, Boston is second in the Atlantic. Their power-play success rate ranks fourth in the NHL, and their penalty-kill rate ranks seventh.

After spending seven seasons with the Los Angeles Kings organization as an NHL assistant and AHL coach, this is his first year as an NHL head coach.

BetMGM Jack Adams Award odds: 31.00/+3000

2. Dan Muse, Pittsburgh Penguins

It's been truly remarkable what Dan Muse has pulled out of the Pittsburgh Penguins this season. It would be difficult to find many non-biased observers who thought this team would be in the position they are in now.

The Penguins were a write-off for this campaign, and many had them pencilled in as a lottery team. In fact, when Muse was brought in to lead duties behind the bench, there wasn't much expectation, as the highest level he'd head-coached was with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and the USHL. He was also an assistant coach for the Nashville Predators and the New York Rangers.

Since he was appointed, he's silenced all his critics, pushing the Penguins into a playoff spot as they hold on to the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. They're also ninth in the NHL.

Those results aren't bad for a rookie NHL bench boss.

BetMGM Jack Adams Award odds: 15.00/+1400

1. Joel Quenneville, Anaheim Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks haven't been to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the last seven seasons, but the fans in Orange County may not have to wait much longer.

The addition of veteran coach Joel Quenneville, who was reinstated by the NHL in 2024, was the perfect fit for the young and exciting Ducks.

Anaheim finished 25th in the NHL last season but leads the Pacific Division and ranks fifth in the league this year.

The Ducks have one of the best offenses in the NHL, averaging 3.62 goals-for. They only sit behind the Avalanche in that category.

There's an argument that this success can be credited to the players having breakout seasons. Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Jackson LaCombe and others all have a say in that.

However, Quenneville, a three-time Stanley Cup champion and Jack Adams winner in 2000, has done an effective job of handling a maturing team like his Ducks.

BetMGM Jack Adams Award odds: 3.10/+210

---

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The Wraparound is here to discuss more rapid-fire NHL and hockey topics.

Here's what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello, and Kelsey Surmacz discussed in this episode:

0:00: Breaking down Logan Cooley's injury against the St. Louis Blues

4:55: Can the management group in Calgary build toward contention in the time of their new extensions?

9:01: What has led to the Philadelphia Flyers' recent success?

12:42: Will Rutger McGroarty play a bigger role with the Pittsburgh Penguins this season?

17:22: Can the Maple Leafs' goaltending break them out of their early-season slump?

22:06: Looking at the top early candidates for the Vezina Trophy

25:50: Could Laurent Brossoit be an effective goalie on a contending team this season?

30:28: What will it take for the Winnipeg Jets to get back on track? 

Could Laurent Brossoit Help A Contending NHL Team? by The Wraparound

See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.

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The Chicago Blackhawks have hit the road for a hand full of games after a long stretch at home. Despite just recently snapping a five game losing streak, they are still right there on the playoff bubble at 11-9-5.

The first game of this road trip is against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. This is the first time that the two clubs are matching up this season.  

Connor Bedard Is The "Third Star of the Month" For November

On Tuesday, the National Hockey League announced that Connor Bedard was the NHL's "Third Star of the Month" for November. 

Blackhawks Superstar Connor Bedard Named Third Star Of NovemberChicago Blackhawks superstar Connor Bedard was named the Third Star of the Month for November.

Scouting Vegas 

The Vegas Golden Knights have one of the best rosters in the NHL. They have superstars everywhere. Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Pavel Dorofeyev, Tomas Hertl, and newly signed Mitch Marner lead the way offensively for them. On defense, Noah Hanifin and Shea Theodore lead a strong group on the back end. 

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Despite having this loaded group, they are 11-6-8. Having most of their losses in overtime has kept them afloat in the Western Conference playoff chase but they are not playing like the dominant team that most expected coming into the year. 

Their goaltending has been lackluster and Marner is a guy still trying to get comfortable in his new situation. They are also missing William Karlsson due to injury, which is a big loss because of what he provides in all three zones. 

Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago

The Chicago Blackhawks snapped a five game losing streak in their game against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. After going down 3-0, they came all the way back to win 5-3. 

Blackhawks Score 5 Unanswered, End Losing Streak With Comeback WInThe Chicago Blackhawks scored five unanswered goals to beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-3 to end the losing streak.

Although Vegas hasn't been overly impressive based on their expectations coming into the season, they still have an elite roster that is sure to be a Stanley Cup contender once the playoffs roll around. The Blackhawks must be ready for an opponent on that level in this one. 

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With their 11/7 strategy, Landon Slaggert and Sam Lafferty are the likely scratches. Spencer Knight is going to be Chicago's starting goalie for the second game in a row. 

Knight enters the game with a 2.51 goals against average and a .918 save percentage. He gives them a chance to win every start. After allowing two goals in the first minute against the Ducks, Knight locked in and eventually won the game. 

Bedard's November that earned him a "Third Star of the Month" brought him to a total of 37 points, which is third in the NHL. Playing with Ryan Greene and Andre Burakovsky gives that top line a little bit of everything. 

There is more offensive depth and speed in the middle six, and a spot on the fourth line for double shifting top players on the team.

With the 11/7 lineup, all of their defensemen are given opportunities to play more when they are on top of their game. It has been beneficial for everyone. 

How To Watch

The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. For viewing, it will be streamed nationally on ESPN+ or Hulu. The puck will drop shortly after 9 PM CT. 

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

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Leon Draisaitl spoke ahead of the optional skate for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday and noted that the league is different and that every year is a new story. One of the more interesting stories in the NHL in 2025-26 is the one being written in Minnesota. 

Over the past 10 games, an 8-0-2 Wild has proven their a force in the NHL. Meanwhile, the club is coming to Edmonton to battle an Oilers group that is still searching for its game. Goaltender Jesper Wallstedt is red hot, and the Wild have a solid team with offensive stars and players who can play a 200-foot game. Their blue line is healthy, and almost everyone is firing. 

The same can't be said for the Oilers, who while they played a much better game against the Seattle Kraken an earned a 4-0 shutout win, know that one game doesn't flip a season and point the club in the right direction. 

The Wild will be a test for the Oilers. So far this season, tests tend to wind up with a failing grade. 

Time For the Oilers To Find The Game They Want to Play

"Let's go out and, you know, keep it simple," said Draisaitl. "It's the cliche, but just get your game, you know, just make it feel like playing the game that we want to play, and have that intensity, and then we'll be fine."

When asked about what seems like a tradition of the Oilers starting slowly and then turning it on in December and January, Draisaitl said there's good and bad about that somewhat troubling habit.

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"I don't know. I try not to read too much into... every year writes its own story. You know, constantly falling behind, and in these situations, that's not ideal; it's not the way that you want to go into a year. "With that being said, we do know the situation that we're in we have been here before. We have been in worse situations than what we're in right now, so that should give you a little bit of confidence. But, at the end of the day, this is a new year, this is a new league with new teams, and  they're both different and better teams, so which, yeah, we got to get going, we got to get on the road a little bit."

"They've got a very good team, very explosive," said head coach Kris Knoblauch. He noted that their defense likes to jump up and the goaltending their getting when the Wild make a mistake is bailing them out and making it an option for them to keep gambling and capitalizing on opportunties. 

When asked about the test that is the Wild, "Minnesota is one of the best teams in the league right now," and said he certainly hopes they (the Oilers) are ready to play. 

Wallstedt Is The Talk Of A Much Better Wild Team

Wallstedt has been named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for November after a dominant 6-0-0 run with a league-best 1.14 goals-against average, .967 save percentage, and three shutouts. He's the "it guy" in the NHL these days -- not ideal for Oilers fans, considering this was a player the team could have drafted.

The 20th-overall pick from 2021 allowed two or fewer goals in five of six starts, highlighted by shutouts against Calgary, Anaheim, and Winnipeg. He also set a Wild rookie record with a 175:12 shutout streak, the longest by an NHL rookie goalie since 2016. 

The 23-year-old is now 7-0-2 with a .938 save percentage and joins elite company as one of only six rookie goalies to open a season with a nine-game point streak.

Wild head coach John Hynes said of Wallstedt's game, "He had a good offeseason. He made some real commitments to show that he wants to be able to get the best out of him. We know he has NHL talent. Now he's learning the other parts of, whether it's the game, or being the starting goalie, how important some of the things around the game are, your nutrition, rest recovery, practice.." 

If he keeps playing well, he'll keep getting opportunities. Wallsted didn't handle disappointment well last season, but he's gone through that adversity and "he took the action steps and learning lessons" said the coach. 

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Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane sustained an upper-body injury during his club's 2-1 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Oct. 17, and missed Detroit's subsequent nine games.

Since his return from the injury, he's skated in 12 games and scored once while adding eight assists. However, he's had multiple top-notch scoring opportunities that were unsuccessful, including two separate instances in which he had a gaping net to shoot at with the puck nearly on the goal line. 

Those are the kinds of chances that Kane would normally have buried with extreme ease during his Hall of Fame career, but he admitted that he continues to battle some inconsistency since coming back.

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"I think it's kind of been up and down, a little inconsistent," Kane said of his overall play since returning to the Detroit lineup. "Some games I feel like I'm creating a lot, but overall - I think I've been back for 11 or 12 games since my injury and I could easily be sitting here with a handful more goals, right? But whether it's bearing down and just making sure when you get those chances that puck goes in, that's kind of on me."

The good news for Kane is that he's had multiple quality looks, and the more it happens, the more he's likely to begin capitalizing on them. 

"But you have to be happy with getting those looks and chances, and try to keep doing the same thing to get those because the more you get, eventually something will break," he said. 

Kane had a beautiful assist during Detroit's 3-2 shootout setback against the Boston Bruins on Nov. 29, dishing a nifty backhand feed to Michael Rasmussen at the side of the net late in regulation, helping the Red Wings knot the score at 2-2 and secure a point in the standings. 

Big Ras. #LGRWpic.twitter.com/tKlddcxoog

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) November 30, 2025

Head coach Todd McLellan isn't sweating Kane's goalless drought, noting that even the most successful players sometimes experience scoring slumps and pointing to the offensive opportunities Kane still manages to create. 

"If I was a betting man, I'd certainly bet on him finishing some of those, but for some reason, they haven't gone in," McLellan said of Kane's recent scoring chances. "Players can go through that, and even Patrick Kane can go through that at times. The simple fact that he's still creating chances, and when the power-play is going well, it's usually going through him." 

"The offense is what he's here for. He gets a little leeway defensively, but he's still providing that." 

While Kane said he felt his timing was a bit off during his initial return to play, it's simply a matter of regaining the kind of mental fortitude that's made him one of the game's best players throughout his time in the NHL. 

"Mentally, just kind of getting out of your own head a little bit and just play the game like you've done your whole career," he said of what he needs to do. 

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November was an eventful month in the NHL, filled with major storylines.

The Colorado Avalanche are the second team in 45 years to have one regulation loss or fewer entering American Thanksgiving. Youngsters Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard are emerging as superstars. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers' struggles became a frequent talking point.

However, November was also full of great plays on both ends of the ice. The Avalanche, Leafs and Oilers had some dazzling moments during the month, even though only one of those squads had a November to remember.

Here are the NHL's top 10 plays of the month.

10. Clean Pace And Puck Control Lead To Cale Makar Goal

With the Avalanche trailing 2-1 against the New York Rangers on Nov. 20, Cale Makar stepped up and delivered one of the best goals of the month to tie the game up late in the second period. 

Cale Makar flies in and puts home the wraparound tally! ✅ pic.twitter.com/Ky3BHAN7hJ

— NHL (@NHL) November 21, 2025

The play started with a 3-on-2 in the Rangers' zone. Nathan MacKinnon dropped a pass over to Martin Necas, who made a cross-ice pass to Makar. Makar sped behind the net and wrapped it behind a lunging Igor Shesterkin, who couldn't get his pad out in time.

9. Sam Reinhart, What A Goal

With just over seven minutes left in the first period of their Nov. 20 game against the New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers right winger Sam Reinhart delivered a beautiful goal, in what would be the only one of the game.

Sam Reinhart scores a beauty 😍

📺: Devils 🆚 Panthers live on SNP
📲: Stream on Sportsnet+ pic.twitter.com/EdNroujZOy

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 21, 2025

Reinhart picked the puck up at center ice and went off into Devils territory while Luke Hughes defended him. As he neared the hashmarks, Hughes tried to swipe the puck away. Reinhart slid the puck underneath Hughes' stick and followed up with a snap shot that beat goalie Jake Allen stick-side.

8. Leo Carlsson Goes Backhand Top Corner

On Nov. 8 against the Vegas Golden Knights, Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson extended the team's lead to 2-1 on one of his best goals yet.

Following a brief battle for the puck along the boards in the offensive zone, Ducks left winger Troy Terry emerged with it and fed Carlsson.

Carlsson made a quick backhand move, lifting the puck past defenseman Noah Hanifin and goalie Akira Schmid.

LEO CARLSSON ROOFS IT BACK HAND WHAT A GOAL 🤢🚨 pic.twitter.com/OI8VJAj2Wr

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 9, 2025

Carlsson has stepped his game up this year, but the quick move and accuracy on this goal were on a whole different level.

7. Beck Malenstyn Dekes Around Sebastian Aho

Buffalo Sabres left winger Beck Malenstyn is not known for piling up the points, but he surprised everybody against the Carolina Hurricanes on Nov. 23. 

BECK MALENSTYN, ARE YOU KIDDING RIGHT NOW?! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/3YlztKsQfd

— NHL (@NHL) November 23, 2025

With just over a minute remaining in the second period, Malenstyn caught a pass from Tyler Kozak, sending him into Hurricanes territory with Sebastian Aho to beat. When Aho caught up, Malenstyn pulled off a windmill deke, leaving the Hurricanes center lost. Malenstyn emerged on a mini breakaway and beat goalie Frederik Andersen glove-side for what was likely the best goal of his career.

6. William Nylander Fakes Out Jordan Binnington

In a game where the Maple Leafs needed a win badly, John Tavares, William Nylander and Morgan Rielly combined for arguably the team's best goal of the year so far.

WILLIAM NYLANDER SCORES AN ABSOLUTE BEAUTY FOR THE OT WINNER 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5XPAK4W4OM

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) November 19, 2025

With just under a minute left in overtime against the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 18, a battle for the puck ensued along the boards in offensive territory. Tavares emerged with the puck and made a back-heeled pass to Rielly, who sent it over to Nylander. Moving in, Nylander slid the puck past Dylan Holloway before deking out goalie Jordan Binnington on a backhand move that allowed him to tap it in.

5. Tyler Bertuzzi, Sam Rinzel And Connor Bedard Combine For A Beauty

The Chicago Blackhawks have been in a long rebuild, so it's fair to say their fans were pretty surprised when forwards Connor Bedard, Tyler Bertuzzi and Sam Rinzel combined for one of the nicest goals the team has scored in years.

Genuinely one of the prettiest plays the Blackhawks have executed in years:pic.twitter.com/uH2orWXJZV

— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) November 27, 2025

The play began with Bedard skating in the offensive zone and leaving the puck for an incoming Bertuzzi, who sent it across the ice to Rinzel. Rinzel made a quick pass over to Bedard, who cut in front of the net and tipped it in over lunging Minnesota Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson.

4. Mikko Rantanen Pulls Off Spinning Backhand Goal

There are plenty of reasons Mikko Rantanen signed an eight-year, $96-million contract with the Dallas Stars last year. His ability to find the back of the net no matter the situation, as he did against the Vancouver Canucks, is definitely one of them.

Take a bow, Mikko Rantanen 🤯 pic.twitter.com/TsbVai6fDj

— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) November 21, 2025

With just over a minute left in the third period of their Nov. 21 game against the Canucks, Rantanen moved into the offensive zone in a 1-on-1 against Brock Boeser. As he neared the hashmarks, Rantanen spun and sent a no-look backhand shot on goal that beat goalie Kevin Lankinen over his left shoulder.

3. Andrei Vasilevskiy Makes An Incredible Game-Saving Stop

Anybody who said Andrei Vasilevskiy isn't the same goalie he used to be is dead wrong, and this game-saving play against the  Oilers couldn't be better proof.

With just over three minutes remaining in overtime, the Oilers emerged on a 3-on-2 in Lightning territory, with defenseman Darnell Nurse in control of the puck. Vasilevskiy stopped Nurse's shot, but the puck redirected right in front of the net for Oilers right winger Jack Roslovic, who appeared to have an easy scoring chance.

As Roslovic went to raise the puck over Vasilevskiy, the goalie lifted his pad and stopped the shot.

VASILEVSKIY MAKES AN INSANE OT SAVE AND THE BOLTS GO DOWN AND WIN IT 🤯⚡️ pic.twitter.com/FrYk28F29X

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) November 21, 2025

With Oilers defenders struggling to get back, the Tampa Bay Lightning charged down the ice and scored the game-winning goal.

2. Connor McDavid Also Scored A Spinning Backhand Goal

If you thought Mikko Rantanen's spinning goal was incredible, just brace yourself for what Oilers superstar Connor McDavid did just a week-and-a-half earlier.

Just under a minute into the third period of the team's Nov. 10 game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, McDavid entered the offensive zone, trying to make something happen.

OH MY GOSH CONNOR MCDAVID THAT WAS FILTHY 🤢 pic.twitter.com/4EvPquPiBf

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 11, 2025

Coming down the left boards, he skated across the ice, spun at the top of the right faceoff circle and delivered a no-look backhand shot that beat goalie Jet Greaves' glove side.

McDavid also sent Blue Jackets defenseman Denton Mateychuk flying to the ground during his spinning shot, making the play even more impressive.

1. Jonathan Quick Robs Patrick Kane Of Wide-Open Net Goal

Yes, there's one play that beats McDavid's thrilling goal, and that's a defensive play by Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick.

With just under 11 minutes remaining in the second period of the Rangers' Nov. 7 game against the Detroit Red Wings, Quick came out of his net to play the puck.

However, it deflected off the stick of Patrick Kane, who had an open net.

Just before it looked like Quick's blunder would be one of the biggest misplays of the month, he dove in the direction of Kane. Quick took his stick and pulled Kane's twig away from the puck.

This might be the best defensive play of the decade by Quick pic.twitter.com/QhnS1ZaZcA

— Empty Netters (@EmptyNettersPod) November 8, 2025

The Rangers, who were up 2-1 at the time, ended up adding two more for the win. Quick's save wasn't only incredible but also prevented a momentum shift, leaving it as the best play of the month.

Michael Hapanovich is an intern with The Hockey News.

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The Chicago Blackhawks have a superstar on their hands with Connor Bedard. He has been a top-five scorer in the NHL all season long, and he took his game to another level in November. 

Bedard scored 10 goals and added 13 assists for 23 points in 14 games played during the year's 11th month. That earned him the honor of the "3rd Star of the Month" for November of 2025.

stick taps for our 3rd Star of the Month!⭐️ pic.twitter.com/b6FAJQSVHZ

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 2, 2025

He comes in behind Jacob Robertson of the Dallas Stars (second star) and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche (first star). That is some pretty elite company for Bedard to be in, but that's becoming normal for him as he enters superstardom. 

Nathan MacKinnon, Jason Robertson and Connor Bedard have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the month of November.

3 Stars of the Month presented by @GEICO#NHLStats: https://t.co/2mhysPZzyhpic.twitter.com/yJMoxvRa24

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) December 2, 2025

For his season total, Bedard is up to 16 goals and 21 assists for 37 points in 25 games. Those 37 points have him as the third leading scorer in the entire National Hockey League. 

Connor Bedard has been impressive to begin his NHL career. It wasn't always perfect when he was a teenager, but his game has risen to a new level. This won't be the last time he receives an accolade from the league. 

Bedard's first chance to impress in December will come on Tuesday night when the Blackhawks visit the Vegas Golden Knights. 

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Six and a half months ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs were sent packing by the Florida Panthers in the second round of the playoffs.

That Panthers team went on to win a second straight Stanley Cup.

Toronto was facing its own questions following the series defeat, including what was next for its star forward, Mitch Marner. Ultimately, he left for the Vegas Golden Knights, and in return, the Maple Leafs got Nicolas Roy.

Not only that, they added Matias Maccelli and Dakota Joshua to replace the production Marner left.

Since then, it hasn't gone too smoothly for the Maple Leafs. But you can say the same for the Panthers, who, like Toronto, are decimated by injuries. That all goes out the window when they face each other on Tuesday evening in Florida, their first rematch since half a year ago.

'It Hurts Right Now': Craig Berube Urges Maple Leafs to Remember Playoff Disappointment, Pins Game 7 Loss on StructureCraig Berube didn't mince any words about why he felt his team struggled in Game 7 and other points in the Toronto Maple Leafs' second-round playoff loss to the Florida Panthers.

Both teams are trying to climb out of the Atlantic Division's basement, and a win would do just that.

"It's going to be a big one for us," Oliver Ekman-Larsson said on Monday. "And obviously, we've got to make sure that we're ready because every game is so important right now, and we need this one. But at the same time, we want to build from what we did last night and obviously put some wins together."

The Maple Leafs took a step in the right direction on Saturday night, soundly defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-2. It was their most lopsided win of the season, and one that likely moved them in the direction they've wanted to go since the beginning of November.

'That's What Happens When You Get Scratched': Max Domi Responds With Big Game Vs. Penguins After Maple Leafs' BenchingDomi's two points came in the back half of Toronto's lopsided win over the Penguins.

If they manage to defeat the Panthers, more fuel will be added to the fire.

"Yeah, I mean, they're obviously been the standard of the league over the last two, three years," Auston Matthews said, when asked if he'll use what occurred last spring as motivation.

"I think you use it as motivation. I think at the same time it's a divisional game. Looking at where we're at in the standings and just how important these games are, especially against your own division, I don't think there's really any extra motivation needed.

"We know we have to be ready to play. They're a very detailed, structured team, physical team. Got a lot of depth throughout their lineup. So for us, it's just all about competing out there, setting each other up for the next shift, taking care of pucks and just making sure that we're winning the net-fronts as well."

Not only would a win pull them out of the basement, but it could also move them closer to a playoff spot again. As of Tuesday afternoon, Toronto is four points out of a playoff spot. If the Montreal Canadiens lose and the Maple Leafs win, that gap shrinks to two points.

Even if the Panthers are dealing with numerous injuries (like the Maple Leafs), they'll still have Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, and Carter Verhaeghe. Plus, a fully intact defense core.

'I Grew Up A Leafs Fan': Panthers': Brad Marchand Owns Toronto Again, But Doesn't Believe Fans' Pressure Is JustifiedFlorida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones shook his head, agreeing with Brad Marchand after the veteran forward, who's now ousted the Toronto Maple Leafs from the playoffs on five separate occasions, <a href="https://www.nhl.com/panthers/video/fla-at-tor-jones-marchand-postgame-6373044656112">said the fans beat the pressure into this team</a>.

No matter who's injured, they're going to be a tough team to beat, and that's what Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube expects.

"It's going to be like we always play Florida. We know how they play, and we know what type of game it's going to be. Their game's not going to change. And we just got to build off last game," he said.

"We did a lot of good things with the puck, and we're going to have to do that again tonight. And even looking back to the playoffs last year, we had some real good success against them in that series, and then not so good success. So there's certain things that we can do tonight that will give us success, and that's what we're going to focus on."

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