The Chicago Blackhawks have many pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) this season. Because of this, the Blackhawks could be active as sellers if they find themselves out of a playoff spot as we get closer to the 2025 NHL trade deadline.
Among their most notable pending UFAs is forward Ilya Mikheyev. If the Blackhawks make him available this season, he would likely generate interest, as he is a solid forward who can score and kill penalties. He also just had a 20-goal and 34-point season in 2024-25.
Due to this, let's look at three teams that could target Mikheyev if the Blackhawks shop him this season.
Washington Capitals
The Capitals could be an interesting landing spot for Mikheyev if the Blackhawks shop him. He would offer them another solid option for their third line and could give them a bit more secondary offensive production if brought in.
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning will likely be on the hunt for forward depth this season, as their bottom six could use a boost. As a result of this, Mikheyev could fit in nicely in their bottom six if acquired. He would also give them another option to work with on their penalty kill, which would not be a bad thing for the Bolts.
Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings could also be a team to watch when it comes to Mikheyev. When looking at their roster, it is clear that they could use some help on the wing, and Mikheyev could provide them with just that if acquired.
Carolina Hurricanes - 17-9-2 - 36 Points - 5-4-1 in last 10 - 2nd in the Metro
Columbus Blue Jackets - 13-10-6 - 32 Points - 3-3-4 in the last 10 - 8th in the Metro
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 18.3% - 20th in the NHL
Penalty Kill -72.2% - 29th in the NHL
Goals For - 86 - 16th in the NHL
Goals Against - 98 - 28th in the NHL
HurricanesStats
Power Play - 15.3% - 27th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 79.0% - 23rd in the NHL
Goals For - 93 - 8th in the NHL
Goals Against - 81 - 12th in the NHL
Series History vs. TheHurricanes
Columbus is 29-30-0-5 all-time, and 13-16-0-3 on the road vs. Carolina.
The Jackets are 0-6-0 in their last six games in Lenovo Center.
The CBJ went 2-2 vs. the Canes last season.
Who To Watch For TheHurricanes
Seth Jarvis leads the Canes with 16 goals.
Sebastian Aho leads Carolina with 26 points.
Goalie Brandon Bussi is 8-1-0 with a SV% of .903. His last start was on December 6th.
Pyotr Kochetkov is 4-1-0 with a SV% of .915. His last start was on December 7th.
CBJ Player Notes vs.Hurricanes
Zach Werenski has 16 points in 31 career games against Carolina.
Kirill Marchenko has 11 points in 10 games, which includes 9 goals.
Sean Monahan has 16 points in 19 games vs. the Canes.
Injuries
Erik Gudbranson - Upper Body - Missed 21 Games - IR - No timeline for a return
Boone Jenner - Upper Body - Missed 13 Games - IR - Could return this week
Mathieu Olivier - Upper Body - Missed 6 Games - IR- No timeline for a return
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 56
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on ESPN+ & HULU. Bob Wischusen will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 93.3 THE BUS, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
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In three starts, Sorokin went 3-0-0, with a 1.33 GAA and a .960 SV%, which includes a 32-save shutout against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, a 2-0 win:
#Isles Ilya Sorokin has been named #NHL’s first star of the week:
PHILADELPHIA — Macklin Celebrini might not want to hear it, but he’s having a season for the ages.
The 19-year-old is on pace for 41 goals and 118 points. The last teenager to score that many points in a year was 19-year-old Sidney Crosby with 120 points in 2006-07.
Celebrini literally means everything to the Sharks. He has 43 points, meaning he’s been directly involved in 50.6 percent of the team’s 85 goals. Just in comparison, Nathan MacKinnon, who leads the NHL with 49 points, is credited for 42.6 percent of the league-leading Colorado Avalanche’s offense.
If Celebrini keeps this kind of involvement up, it will be literal history.
Macklin Celebrini has factored on an NHL-high 50.0% of team goals this season. Only 4 players in the modern era have been involved in more than 50.0% of team goals in a season:
But Celebrini is doing so much more than producing offense.
He’s second in the NHL with those 43 points, and according to Stathletes, he also is among the league leaders in a variety of two-way statistics.
“You see all the offensive production, how good he is there,” Alex Wennberg said. “You kind of forget how good of a job he does defensively as well.”
That’s why, in the opinion of this awards voter, if Celebrini can sustain his elite two-way play and drag the surprising Sharks into the playoffs, he would be a deserving Hart Trophy winner. As of Dec. 8, San Jose is tied for the last wild-card berth in the Western Conference.
Simply put, is there any player more valuable to his team than Celebrini?
Most stats are from Stathletes and rankings are among NHL forwards in All Situations.
Turnovers Created
Celebrini has forced 67 turnovers this season, sixth among NHL forwards. Turnovers Created are the sum of steals and pass interceptions.
Puck Deflections
Related, Celebrini has 75 Puck Deflections this season, fourth in the league. These are deflected opposition passes, suggesting that Celebrini’s stick is very active, defensively, in all three zones.
Puck Battles
Celebrini has 58 Puck Battle Wins this season, best among NHL forwards.
This might be Celebrini’s most impressive micro-stat. He’s 19, taking the puck from his often much-older peers, as if he were the veteran.
“He’s not afraid. Doesn’t matter who it is. Ultra-competitiveness is probably the best word for that. He wants to win the puck like it’s life or death,” head coach Ryan Warsofsky said, also noting that Celebrini added some size over the summer. “I know that’s a very drastic and dramatic comment, but the great players in every sport [do it]. Tom Brady wanted the ball in his hand. Steph Curry wants the ball in his hand [and is going] to do whatever he can to get it back. I think [that’s] what make great players great.”
“His competitiveness and his full compete is just different from the rest of us,” Wennberg admitted.
There’s a reason why, no less, than Brad Marchand called Celebrini “a dog” because of his compete.
Recoveries
Celebrini has 495 puck recoveries this season, fifth among NHL forwards. Recoveries are loose puck and shot recoveries.
That’s a testament to Celebrini’s quickness and ability to read where the puck is going.
Closer Carries
Celebrini has 511 Closer Carries, ninth in the league. Closer Carries are carries that bring the puck closer to the net.
Successful Zone Entries
Celebrini has 186 Successful Zone Entries, tied with Kirill Kaprizov for sixth in the NHL.
These puck-carrying stats mirror those of the most puck-dominant superstars in the league, your MacKinnon and Connor McDavids.
Penalties Drawn
Celebrini leads all forwards, per Evolving Hockey, with 19 Penalties Drawn and is tied for the lead with a +9 Penalty Differential.
Slot Passes
Celebrini has 71 Slot Passes and 21 Inner Slot Passes, both seventh in the league.
Assisted Chances
Related, Celebrini has 55 Assisted Chances, ninth among NHL forwards. Assisted Chances are passes that lead directly to scoring chances.
Total Chances
Celebrini has 113 Total Scoring Chances, eighth in the league. That’s a combination of shooting and assisted chances.
So shoot, pass, carry, battle, and defend, what can’t Celebrini do?
In baseball, the five-tool player is the ideal, someone who can hit for contact and power, and has speed, a strong arm, and a good glove.
A hockey comp might be a six-tool player who can skate, shoot, pass, stickhandle, is physical, and has hockey IQ at an elite level.
That already appears to be Celebrini, at just 19, in the best league in the world.
Granted, we’re just 30 games into the season, but MVP isn’t a stretch.
“He does everything in all three zones. He’s in on half our points. He plays hard in the D-zone. He plays big minutes. He plays against top lines. He’s a key part of the power play. He’s becoming a leader in the room,” Ryan Reaves said. “He’s doing everything that you want. He’s getting better every day. So I think he’s got a strong case.”
“He’s done a really good job of not letting all the outside noise affect his game, for the most part,” Warsofsky said. “He deserves to be in that conversation, but we got a long way to go.”
The Vancouver Canucks suffered their second shutout of the season as they fell 4-0 to the Detroit Red Wings. Kevin Lankinen stopped 10 of the 13 shots he faced through two periods, before being pulled to start the third. As for Nikita Tolopilo, he looked solid in the final frame, stopping all six shots he faced.
John Gibson was the story of the night as he stopped all 39 shots he faced. The Red Wings' goaltender was impressive throughout, but really stepped up in the third as he stopped all 17 shots he faced. Gibson has dominated the Canucks throughout his career, and now improves to 14-5-2 with four shutouts in 22 games.
Monday was yet another in a long list of frustrating games for Vancouver. They won the puck possession battle, yet could not find a way to make their scoring chances count. Post-game, Quinn Hughes spoke about some of the plays that led directly to goals.
"I feel like they have breakdowns too," said Hughes. Ours were definitely significant tonight. I mean, our goalies have been really good, kept us in a lot of games, but just something we have to continue working on."
As mentioned, the Canucks elected to pull Lankinen at the end of the second. This was the first time Lankinen has been pulled this season in what was his 17th game of the year. Post-game, Head Coach Adam Foote spoke on the decision while also touching on Lankinen's overall play as of late.
"I thought he was a little off, even though we did have mistakes, said Foote. "The one where we double up. He had the tip guy alone. Thought it also would give the guys a little bit of a spark, as they go on in the third. Lanks has been a good pro, and sometimes it's just not your night. And it wasn't all on him. He was left alone a couple of times, but just see if we get the guys going.
Foote also gave a few injury updates post-game. When asked about center Elias Pettersson, he said, "I know he felt better today, which is a good sign. I'll know more in the next couple of days. As far as the time frame, I don't want to touch on that yet."
As for Thatcher Demko, his return could be sooner rather than later. While Foote would not give a guarantee, he did indicate that the plan is to play Demko on Thursday. Demko has been out since November 11 with a lower-body injury.
Lastly, Vancouver's home record dropped to 4-9-1 with today's loss. Just like the players, fans are tired of the losses, and it showed on Monday as there were many open seats after puck drop. When asked about the home record, DeBrusk spoke about how the troubles at Rogers Arena are something the team has discussed.
"Our record isn't great in general, said DeBrusk. "We obviously want to be there at home. I think we talked about it a lot, and we need to make this a harder place to play in general, and give some of the fans something to cheer about. They pay a lot of money, and it's never good putting up a goose egg.
Monday's game was a good representation of the Canucks season to this point. Vancouver generated scoring chances, but defensive mistakes ended up costing them a win. As mentioned, it was another frustrating result that resulted in fans leaving Rogers Arena before the final whistle.
Stats and Facts:
- Canucks are shutout by the Red Wings for the ninth time in franchise history
- Kiefer Sherwood recorded his first 10 hit game of the season
- Drew O'Connor went seven for nine in the faceoff dot
- Vancouver's 39 shots are their second-highest total this year
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
14:14- DET: James van Riemsdyk (7) from J.T. Compher and Michael Rasmussen
2nd Period:
15:15- DET: Andrew Copp (3) from Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Alex DeBrincat 15:52- DET: Nate Danielson (2) from Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Marco Kasper
3rd Period:
15:29- DET: Dylan Larkin (16) from Lucas Raymond (ENG)
Up Next:
The Canucks wrap up their four-game home stand on Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres. Vancouver and Buffalo are in similar positions this year as they both sit near the bottom of the standings. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
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This is the kind of goaltending the Detroit Red Wings were envisioning when they acquired John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks during the offseason.
Gibson turned back the clock and delivered a vintage performance, his best since joining the Red Wings, by making 39 saves and earning his first shutout of the season over the Vancouver Canucks on Monday evening.
Gibson held the fort down for Detroit, who were often hemmed in their own zone for much of the opening 20 minutes of play with several key saves. He would continue his mastery in the second period, continuing to keep the Canucks off the scoreboard while his teammates took care of the rest.
James van Riemsdyk broke a scoreless tie late in the first period with his fourth goal in as many games, the most consecutive games in which he's scored in his NHL career.
Detroit would strike twice more in the second period, as Andrew Copp tallied his second goal in as many games by capitalizing on a beautiful four-way passing play that also saw Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Alex DeBrincat, and Patrick Kane touch the puck.
Less than a minute later, rookie Nate Danielson deflected a shot past goaltender Kevin Lankinen, increasing Detroit's lead to 3-0 and giving him his second career goal.
Gibson continued to turn aside everything the Canucks threw at him in the third period, and it would be Dylan Larkin who sealed the victory with an empty net tally.
Gibson finished with 39 saves, earning his first shutout since Jan. 4,2023 against the Dallas Stars while still a member of the Anaheim Ducks.
Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen was chased from the net after the second period after allowing three goals on 13 shots against; he was replaced for the third period by Nikita Tolopilo.
The Red Wings, who are now halfway through their six-game road trip, have now moved into the top spot in the Atlantic Division.
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The Calgary Flames continued their strong run at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Monday night, knocking off the Buffalo Sabres 7-4 and extending their home streak to 5-0-1 in their last six. Entering the night tied in points (26), both teams knew the matchup carried weight — and Calgary responded with one of their most assertive showings of the season.
Yegor Sharangovich scored twice, as he opened the scoring for the second straight game and added an an empty-netter and an assist, Rasmus Andersson ripped home his seventh of the year, and Jonathan Huberdeau buried his second power-play goal of the season. Meanwhile, Nazem Kadri led the offensive charge with a three-point performance (1G, 2A), and Yan Kuznetsov added his second goal of the season. Mikael Backlund rounded out the Flames scoring with an empty net goal.
Dustin Wolf battled through a chaotic night in the crease to secure his ninth win.
Calgary wasted little time establishing momentum. Sharangovich’s net-drive-first mentality paid off again when a point shot deflected off him and in. The Flames kept their foot down early, converting on a 5-on-3 powerplay when Andersson navigated traffic and wired one home, with Kadri setting up both first-period goals.
The Sabres clawed back in the second. Tage Thompson used his lethal release to beat Wolf on the power play, but Calgary responded with another powerplay marker — this time Huberdeau tapping in a slick Matt Coronato setup at the side of the net.
Buffalo briefly thought they tied it when Thompson snuck one past Wolf from a sharp angle, but an offside challenge wiped the goal off the board. The Sabres did eventually break through again when Owen Power’s point shot found a body in front and redirected in, cutting the lead to one.
However, every time Buffalo pushed, Calgary countered. Just 31 seconds after the Sabres scored, Sharangovich sprung Joel Farabee who found Kadri streaking towards the net, who finished off a clean passing sequence to restore the two-goal cushion. Rasmus Dahlin answered quickly for Buffalo, but Calgary scored quickly after — finished by Kuznetsov after a hard-working shift by Blake Coleman — re-establishing control at 5–3 heading into the third.
Sabres netminder Alex Lyon entered to start the final frame. Late in the third, with the net empty, Dahlin spotted Alex Tuch in front who redirected the shot past Wolf. Backlund responded moments later with an empty net goal, as did Sharangovich to seal it for the Flames.
Three Takeaways:
1. Flames Playing With Swagger
Confidence is a powerful thing, and Calgary showed plenty of it. Their pace was high, their puck movement sharp, and their response game was immediate — every time Buffalo scored, the Flames answered on the very next shift or within minutes. They didn’t let the Sabres build momentum, and that maturity showed throughout the night.
2. Power Play Delivers
The Flames’ power play has been searching for consistency, and it found it Monday. Calgary went 2-for-5, converting on a 5-on-3 opportunity and striking again late in the second. Andersson and Huberdeau cashed in. More importantly, the unit played with purpose — quick puck movement, strong retrievals, and decisive shooting.
3. Kadri Remains the Offensive Catalyst
Nazem Kadri continues to quietly pace the Flames’ attack. With another three-point night, he now leads the team with 26 points (6G, 20A). Beyond the numbers, Kadri is driving Calgary’s pace, dictating shifts, and elevating whoever plays on his line. When the Flames need a stabilizing presence or a momentum swing, he’s providing it.
The Los Angeles Kings (14-8-7) traveled to Utah to take Mammoth (14-14-3) for the first time this season. After scoring a season-high six goals in their victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, the Kings looked to carry over their offensive success as they face another Western conference foe.
After starting the season 9-1-2 on the road, the Kings had lost their last three road contests going 0-1-2 in that span. They managed to get back on track away from home with a 4-2 victory over the Mammoth on Monday night. Thanks to a great start and solid goaltending, the Kings pick up two points with their second straight victory.
The Mothers of the Los Angeles Kings might be good luck as they are now 2-0-0 with the Mom's in the building. They're even averaging a whopping five goals per game. Whatever they said to their sons it has worked and further proves the theory that Mom always knows best.
Strong Early Effort Gives Kings First Period Lead
Just over two minutes into the game, the Kings were headed to the power play after Mammoth rookie Daniil But was sent to the box for the first time in his young NHL career for hooking Quinton Byfield. However, the Kings power play struggles continued as they failed to get anything going on the man advantage once again.
Although they were unable to capitalize on an early opportunity, the Kings were bound to score as they were controlling the play early on. Surely enough, LA opened the scoring thanks to $10 million dollar man, Adrian Kempe. With just over 12 minutes remaining in the period, Kempe scored a gorgeous goal as he beat Karel Vejmelka with a slick backhand move as he came in with immense speed. The Kings leading scorer gave his team a 1-0 with his 10th goal of the season. Kevin Fiala picks up his first of two assists on the evening.
About two minutes later, the Kings doubled their lead thanks to a tremendous pass by Fiala that found Joel Armia who beat Vejmelka on a breakaway. Armia's sixth goal of the season gave the Kings a 2-0 lead as the first period came to a close.
The Kings did have a brief scare however as Brandon Tanev seemingly scored a tremendous breakaway goal, but Jim Hiller and the Kings decided to challenge and Tanev's goal was offside.
Mammoth Cut The Lead In Half
After fending off a late Utah push in the first, the Kings lead was eventually cut in half. LA began the second period on the penalty kill due to Andrei Kuzmenko being assessed an interference penalty late in the first. Just 34 seconds into the middle frame, Dylan Guenther made the Kings pay as he fired a rocket of a shot past Darcy Kuemper.
Aside from Guenther's tally, the action was limited. Both LA and Utah had their opportunities but the goaltenders stood tall to keep the score at 2-1 entering the third. With how the period started, a 2-1 score was a major win for the Kings.
The Kings wasted little time when it came to building upon their lead. Early in the final frame LA added a much needed insurance marker thanks to their captain. Anze Kopitar scored his sixth goal of the season as he was in the right spot at the right time and buried a rebound shot by Vejmelka, doubling the LA lead. Adrian Kempe and Joel Edmundson record the assists.
Once again, the Mammoth managed to cut the Kings lead in half. This time it was Utah's captain who got on the score sheet. Clayton Keller made it a 3-2 hockey game with a gorgeous backhand shot off a nice feed from Nick Schmaltz.
Joel Armia iced the game with his second of the game as he managed to find the back empty net from inside the Kings end.
Two Huge Points
They didn't score six goals again but the Kings pull off another impressive victory for their second straight win. A solid 60 minute effort moves the LA to 14-8-7 as they continue to battle for the lead in the Pacific division. The Kings are now a perfect 4-0-0 all time against the newly created Utah Mammoth franchise.
Catch the Kings next on Wednesday, December 10th when they take on the Seattle Kraken (11-9-6) at Climate Pledge Arena with puck drop at 7:00 PM ET/10:00 PM PT.
Kings Three Stars
1st Star: Kevin Fiala (2 A, +2, 1 HIT)
2nd Star: Adrian Kempe (1 G, 1 A, +2)
3rd Star: Joel Armia (2 G, +2, 4 SOG)
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While it was a slower start to his first season with the Detroit Red Wings than he would have liked, veteran forward James van Riemsdyk is more than making up for lost time thanks to his recent hot streak.
Entering Monday evening's game against the Vancouver Canucks, van Riemsdyk had goals in three straight games, and had tallied in five of his last six games.
Now, the second overall pick in the 2007 NHL Draft (one pick behind his now-current Red Wings teammate Patrick Kane) has officially set a new career mark. With his first period goal against the Canucks, he now has goals in four straight games, the longest of his career.
van Riemsdyk, who went a span of 16 games without finding the back of the net after he scored in his Red Wings debut against the Toronto Maple Leafs, has been a scoring machine of late.
He now has goals in six of his last seven outings, and a total of 334 for his NHL career.
He was signed by Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman not only for his veteran leadership and savvy play around the net, but to provide secondary scoring. Right now, he's the hottest scorer on the team.
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Mackenzie Blackwood has emerged as one of the top goaltenders in the NHL.
The 28-year-old earned that respect from NHL insider and former goaltender Kevin Weekes, who praised him Monday on NHL Tonight.
Blackwood was selected 42nd overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils, where he spent four seasons. His standout campaign came during the shortened 2019–20 season, posting a 22-14-8 record with a 2.77 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage. On the show, Weekes elaborated on why he has long admired Blackwood’s game.
“I think Mackenzie Blackwood going back to his time in (Juniors) always had the goods,” he stated. “He has the size; he has the skillset. I liked him a lot when he was with the Devils (Weekes’ former team), but he was a young goalie...but he’s really found his footing since going out West.”
On June 27, 2023, as a pending restricted free agent, Blackwood was traded to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2023 sixth-round draft pick. He promptly signed a two-year contract with San Jose. Blackwood made his Sharks debut early in the 2023–24 season on October 14, recording 51 saves in a 2–1 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche—ironically, the team that would acquire him the following season.
That move, however, is what Weekes said allowed Blackwood to truly hone his skills and demonstrate that he has what it takes to perform under pressure.
“And first going to San Jose and proving he can play under duress and then coming to Colorado, he’s been fantastic,” Weekes continued.
“But (against the Philadelphia Flyers) specifically and (the New York Rangers), he was absolutely outstanding. But again, keep in mind, the fact that just up the street from here, he played in New Jersey. He’s familiar with these buildings, so maybe that had something to do with it.”
Blackwood Started Season Nursing Injury
The start of the season did not unfold as Blackwood had hoped. He underwent offseason surgery to address a persistent lower-body injury, and his recovery progressed more slowly than anticipated. Having missed both training camp and the preseason, he only began taking reps once the regular season commenced, leaving it evident that he still had significant ground to make up.
After a somewhat shaky start, Blackwood has not only regained his footing but appears to be performing at the peak of his career. He currently holds an 8-1-1 record, boasting a career-low 2.21 goals-against average and a career-high .920 save percentage. While some might attribute his success to playing on a strong team, that perspective overlooks his individual contributions—most notably on Sunday, when the Avalanche defeated the Flyers 3-2 and Blackwood made several critical saves to preserve the one-goal margin. He deserves all of the credit.
Blackwood Is Elite
“I think he’s become a really complete goalie,” Weekes said. “I’m a big fan of his. What I would also say about Mackenzie Blackwood is like a lot of young people and young goalie players, he’s matured a lot, too.
“He knows Colorado is an elite team, but to me, the way he played...he played back-to-back. And I love that he played back-to-back because it’s kind of a rare thing nowadays, but I love seeing it, so good on him for the back-to-back performances.”
Blackwood recorded 25 saves against the Rangers on Saturday, helping secure a 3-2 overtime victory capped by Nathan MacKinnon’s deft backhand that eluded Igor Shesterkin. The following day, he added 23 more saves—including several highlight-reel stops—to propel the Avalanche to a second 3-2 triumph, this time in regulation.
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The Philadelphia Flyers have made another minor trade.
The Flyers have announced that they have acquired defenseman Roman Schmidt from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for blueliner Ethan Samson.
With this move, the Flyers have added a new defenseman with size to their system in Schmidt. The 6-foot-5, right-shot defenseman was selected by the Lightning with the 96th overall pick of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and has spent his entire professional career so far at the AHL level.
In 13 games this season with the Lightning's AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, he recorded one assist and 38 penalty minutes. This was after he had three goals, five points, 79 penalty minutes, and a plus-7 rating in 49 games last season for the Crunch.
As for Samson, the Flyers selected the right-shot defenseman with the 174th overall pick of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. In 10 games this season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms before this trade, he posted four assists and a plus-4 rating. This was after he had 12 goals and 24 points in 69 games for the Phantoms this past season.
The Buffalo Sabres may be having a tough 2025-26 season, but former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jason Zucker has been impactful for them. In 20 games so far this season with the Sabres, Zucker has recorded nine goals, seven assists, and 16 points. This is after he had 21 goals, 32 assists, and 53 points in 73 games during his first season with the Sabres in 2024-25.
Zucker is also continuing to perform well for the Sabres as the season carries on, as he is playing some strong hockey right now for the Atlantic Division club. The truth can be seen with his recent stats.
Zucker has scored a goal in each of the Sabres' last three games, so there is no question that he is heating up big time for Buffalo. With the Sabres looking to climb up the standings, it is certainly good for them that Zucker is producing offensively right now. The former Penguin will now be looking to build on his hot streak for the Sabres from here.
In four seasons with the Penguins from 2019-20 to 2022-23, Zucker recorded 50 goals, 45 assists, 95 points, and 457 hits.
Center Michael Misa and goaltender Josh Ravensbergen were among the 27 players named Monday to Canada’s National Junior Team training camp roster—giving the San Jose Sharks two more prospects with a strong chance to represent their country at next month’s IIHF World Junior Championship.
Misa, 18, the second overall pick in June’s NHL Draft, is one of 15 forwards invited to the camp, set for Dec. 12–22 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Ravensbergen, selected 30th overall and who turned 19 in November, is one of three goaltenders vying for a roster spot.
Assuming no injuries or last-minute changes, both players are projected to be on Canada’s roster when the tournament opens Dec. 26 in Minnesota. Each nation may carry 22 skaters—typically 14 forwards and eight defensemen—along with three goalies.
Misa scored his first career NHL goal on October 26 en route to a 6-5 win over Kirill Kaprizov and the Minnesota Wild.
The Future Is Here
Misa, a native of Oakville, Ontario, recorded three points in seven games with the Sharks before suffering a right ankle sprain during a Nov. 5 morning skate in Seattle. After steady progress in his recovery, he was placed on long-term injured reserve last week and assigned to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda for conditioning.
He notched an assist in the Barracuda’s 4–3 overtime win over Tucson on Friday and was held off the scoresheet in Saturday’s 6–2 loss in the rematch.
Ravensbergen, a North Vancouver, B.C. native, was named the WHL Goalie of the Month for November after an outstanding stretch in which he won eight of 10 starts and posted a .940 save percentage with the Prince George Cougars. He currently leads the league with 16 wins and ranks fourth overall with a .921 save percentage.
Although Ravensbergen didn’t appear in any preseason games for the Sharks, he made a strong impression at the organization’s development camp in July and again during rookie camp in September, reinforcing his status as one of San Jose’s most promising young goaltenders.
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Former San Jose Sharks star Tomas Hertl has had a solid start to the 2025-26 season with the Vegas Golden Knights. In 28 games so far this campaign, the 32-year-old forward has recorded 13 goals, nine assists, and 22 points. With this, he has certainly been one of the Golden Knights' top offensive contributors early on this season.
Hertl is only continuing to make a big impact for the Golden Knights as the season carries on, too. The former Sharks forward is red-hot right now for Vegas, as he has scored four goals in his last four games. This, of course, included him scoring two goals against the Sharks on Nov. 29.
Seeing Hertl putting up good numbers for the Golden Knights is not surprising in the slightest, as he certainly did just that during his days with the Sharks. He also had a strong season for the Golden Knights this past campaign, as he recorded 32 goals, 29 assists, and 61 points in 73 games with the Pacific Division club.
It will now be interesting to see how Hertl builds on his hot streak with the Golden Knights. Clearly, the former Shark is feeling it right now.
It appears that at least two prospects from the Pittsburgh Penguins could be headed to the World Junior Championship (WJC).
Last week, forward Will Horcoff was named to Team USA's prelimary roster for the WJC, and Monday, it was defenseman Harrison Brunicke's turn. Brunicke, 19, was officially named to the WJC training camp roster for Team Canada along with 26 other players, and - assuming he is a lock for the roster - it will be his second time representing his country, as he won gold with the U18 team for the WJC back in 2024.
However, this will likely be his first time representing at the highest level of junior hockey, as he broke his hand last season prior to the tournament and was unable to participate despite getting the invite to camp.
The 6-foot-3, 201-pound blueliner - selected 44th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft with the second-round pick acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes in the Jake Guentzel trade - made the Penguins' NHL roster out of training camp. Despite registering a goal in his second NHL game and starting off the season well, his play declined in the latter part of his nine-game trial run, and he found himself a frequent healthy scratch.
As such, he was loaned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins on conditioning for the team's last five games, and he put up three points in five games and was a plus-2 with 13 shots on goal. Brunicke has yet to play in his 10th NHL game this season to activate his entry-level contract, and the Penguins will have until Jan. 3 - their 40th game of the season - to determine whether or not he will stick around, as that is the day they lose a year of restricted free agency at the end of his current deal.
Therefore, a loan to Team Canada for the WJC - which is expected to be made official at some point this week by the Penguins - could be good for the young, talented blueliner. He figures to log significant minutes, should his roster spot be finalized, on the right side in a top-four role, and he may be in the mix for the country's leadership group, too.
Brunicke would join fellow NHLers in San Jose Sharks forward Michael Misa and Calgary Flames defenseman Zayne Parekh on the squad as well as forwards Gavin McKenna and Porter Martone. Those five figure to fill some of the biggest roles on the team, assuming they are all on the final roster.
