Darren Raddysh’s first night as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs was certainly memorable, but for all the wrong reasons.
The Montreal Canadiens beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 in the season opener at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday. William Nylander scored 48 seconds in and again late in the third. Josh Anderson, Zachary Bolduc and Alexandre Carrier answered for the Canadiens. Raddysh, who was paired with Morgan Rielly and logged 23:47, more ice than anyone in blue and white except Auston Matthews, finished minus-2 with three shots and two blocks. He was on the ice for all three Montreal goals. The first two, in particular, followed the kind of plays that get clipped and circulated before the third period even starts.
“Obviously, you know, not what we wanted. Obviously, I think personally myself, I can do a little bit better,” he said after the game. “But, yeah, you know, I’m really excited to be here and be a part of this and just be a part of the whole organization.”
The Leafs acquired Raddysh’s rights from Tampa Bay for a 2026 fifth-round pick and signed the Toronto-area product to an eight-year, $68 million contract ($8.5 million AAV) before he could test free agency. After a 22-goal, 70-point breakout with the Lightning, the bet was simple: a right-shot who can run a power play and move pucks would stabilize a blue line that needed more than veteran stopgaps. One night does not settle that bet, but it certainly asks for a marked improvement.
On Anderson’s tying goal at 10:53 of the first, Raddysh’s attempted breakout was intercepted and the puck stayed in Toronto’s end long enough for Kirby Dach and Carrier to set up a rebound that Anderson batted out of the air. On Bolduc’s 2-1 goal early in the second, Raddysh seemed caught puck-watching in front of Sergei Bobrovsky while Mike Matheson crashed the crease.
Head coach Jim Hiller did not single him out. He framed the night as what a new group looks like when the first real game arrives before the reads do.
“I thought he was alright too, but I thought, like, we had a lot of new guys. And I thought we looked a little bit like a new team today,” Hiller said. “We just weren’t connecting with our passes. And, you know, I don’t know if that has anything to do with nerves or being in the building for the first time and the first time everybody together. So we just weren’t clean as a team.”
Raddysh heard the same thing from the other side of the stall. Training camp was short. The system is new. The names around him, Gavin McKenna, Kirill Marchenko, Nick Paul, Jack Roslovic and the rest of a remade roster, are still getting used to one another. He has seen this Montreal team plenty from his Tampa years. Nothing about their speed or their forecheck surprised him.
“Yeah, the training camp’s short. A lot of new guys and, you know, everyone’s trying to learn a new system with a new coach,” he said. “There’s a lot of new learning curves. But, you just got to be prepared for that.”
The pairing with Rielly was the other story that followed him out of the room. Camp had pointed that way for more than a week: two offensive defensemen, extra offensive-zone starts, a clean slate for Rielly under a new staff. Tuesday was the first real look. Chemistry is not built in 23 minutes against a team that plays fast and stays simple. Raddysh said as much.
“Yeah, it was good to finally play a real game with Morgan and try and build out the chemistry that we’ve had these few days of training camp. Yeah, I just got to get ready for it all.”
The schedule does not leave much room to sit with any of it. The New York Islanders are in town Wednesday. Raddysh called that an advantage.
“Yeah, it’s always good when, you know, you play right the next day, so you can kind of put this in the back and just get ready for tomorrow and be prepared for the Islanders.”
One game. A hometown contract that runs through 2034. A minus-2 that will follow him until the next one doesn’t. Raddysh already said the part that matters: he can be better. The Leafs paid for the version that usually is.
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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 29: Travis Konecny #11 of the Philadelphia Flyers handles the puck against Bryan Rust #17 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period in Game Six of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 29, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Who:Pittsburgh Penguins (0-0-0) @ Philadelphia Flyers (0-0-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. eastern
How to Watch: Nationally televised game on TNT and TruTV, streaming on HBO Max
Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins have a few days off to prepare for their home opener on Saturday night against Montreal. Next week will be a busy one with games on Monday (10/5) at home against Winnipeg, followed by road games on Wednesday and Friday in Washington and Columbus before returning back home for another Saturday home game against Dallas.
Opponent Track: Tonight’s the Flyers’ first game, they have a quick turnaround to play in New Jersey tomorrow before going back home on Saturday against Carolina. Add in road games next week against Tampa, Ottawa and Boston (followed by another Carolina game after that) and it’s a challenging start of the year for Philadelphia based on opponent strength.
Season Series: The Pens and Flyers won’t see each other again after tonight until January 31st. The two rivals then play late-season games on March 30th and April 3rd to close out the four-game set. Last year the Penguins went 2-0-2 in the regular season against Philadelphia.
Hidden Stat: Philadelphia has finished 32nd on the power play in four of the last five seasons. They’ll certainly be looking for improvement in that department this season for what’s long been a dreadful man advantage.
Hidden Stat 2.0: Pittsburgh has points in 10 of its last 15 season-opening games (9-5-1), per Penguins PR.
Getting to know the Flyers
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Owen Tippett – Trevor Zegras – Porter Martone
Alex Bump – Christian Dvoark – Travis Konecny
Tyson Foerster – Noah Cates – Matvei Michkov
Carl Grundstrom – Sean Couturier- Noel Acciari
DEFENSEMEN
Travis Sanheim /Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York / Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler / Simon Benoit
Goalies: Dan Vladar and Joseph Woll
Potential scratches: Denver Barkey, David Jiricek, Garrett Wilson
Injured Reserve: None
It stings to see Acciari cross the state after a few solid seasons in Pittsburgh. Tough to hate on the player for securing the bag (Philadelphia gave Acciari a $2.8 million AAV for two years, a bigger salary than both of his former linemates last year took to stay in Pittsburgh), even though it’s a bitter place to watch the good soldier depart for.
The Flyers are largely unchanged from the end of last season, making ancillary additions of Acciari, a backup goalie in Woll and a couple of depth defensemen. They’ll benefit from a full season of Martone, who essentially is a new add, but otherwise had minimal roster movement over the summer.
Vladar and Barkey picked up minor injuries during the preseason. Especially with the Flyers having another game on deck tomorrow, one would wonder if Vladar gets an extra day off since he’ll likely only play one of the two opening games anyways. Rick Tocchet was “hopeful” earlier in the week about Vladar in the season opener, which may suggest he will play if he’s able.
The stability from last year is apparent with 14 of the top-15 scorers from 2025-26 back again this year for the Flyers (only Bobby Brink, traded at the 2026 deadline, is gone). One piece of good news for them: they should expect more than 38 total games out of Foerster and Martone this time around and other young players like Bump, Barkey and David Jiricek figure to work their way into larger impacts.
Key to the Game: Flyers offense vs. Penguins defense
This is from last season but figures to dictate the game for which team’s perceived weaker areas will perform better than the other. Will the Flyers offense be better? Can the revamped new Pittsburgh defense with three new defensemen limit more chances? How will (presumably) Arturs Silovs do as a follow-up against the Flyers given his strong postseason play? If Philadelphia scores a power play goal and piles up shots, it will be an indicator that Pittsburgh’s weaker areas can’t hold up against what has been a very limited attack in the past, if they take care of business there then it’s obviously a great sign for a positive result could be coming at the end of the night.
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Nick Robertson – Sidney Crosby – Rickard Rakell
Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin
Filip Hallander – Hendrix Lapierre – Ville Koivunen
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte* – Elmer Soderblom
DEFENSEMEN
Declan Carlile / Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard / Kaeden Korczak
Trevor van Riemsdyk / Kris Letang
Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Sergei Murashov
Potential Scratches: Rutger McGroarty, David Gustafsson, Ilya Solovyov
IR: Ben Kindel, Ryan Graves, Justin Brazeau, Bryan Rust
Non-roster: Andrei Kuzmenko
The Penguins work in five new players to make their official team debuts tonight, highlighted by half of the blueline getting turned over from last year. That will be a huge element of change as the team looks to tighten up some messy defensive numbers from 2025-26 where they were in the bottom 10 of the league in 5v5 scoring chances allowed and ninth worst in overall goals allowed.
Lizotte is on IR retroactive to his injury date of 9/24, he can come off at any time. He went through practice yesterday and could be in line to play tonight. The Penguins have 22 players on the active roster, so they don’t even need to send anyone down to make room (though they could still choose to send McGroarty back to the AHL today if they wanted).
Throw the popcorn
Per Pens PR: Evgeni Malkin (32G-67A) enters today’s game one point shy of becoming just the sixth player in NHL history to notch 100 or more points against the Flyers. Four of the five have Penguins ties: Sidney Crosby (139), Mario Lemieux (124), Jaromir Jagr (120), Bryan Trottier (117), along with Wayne Gretzky (100). Malkin likes when the Philly faithful throw popcorn at him.
Letang to set record
Other assorted milestones on the horizon:
Sidney Crosby (654) is two goals away from tying Brendan Shanahan for 14th all-time in NHL goals.
Crosby (1,107) is two assists away from tying Joe Thornton for seventh all-time in NHL assists.
Evgeni Malkin (1,407) is two points away from tying Dale Hawerchuk for 22nd in all-time NHL points.
Kris Letang (806) starts the year five points away from Sergei Gonchar and Victor Hedman for 18th place among NHL career defenseman points.
It was a full house in the press gallery at Scotiabank Arena to watch the Montreal Canadiens take on the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was not only the season opener for both teams, but also Kirill Marchenko’s debut in Leafs colors and the start of rookie sensation Gavin McKenna’s NHL career. Toronto also hoped to remain unbeaten in home openers with captain Auston Matthews in the lineup (they were 10-0 since drafting him in 2016), while the Habs just hoped to ruin everybody’s party. Interestingly enough, it looked like Sergei Bobrovsky wanted to be the first to ruin a party; the superstitious netminder insisted on going on the ice first, stealing McKenna’s thunder on his rookie lap. Funnily enough, he did that after taking McKenna’s number 72.
Sergei Bobrovsky has to be first on the ice, even if a rookie is taking their debut lap 😅 pic.twitter.com/ytIupTKdbx
Granted, Jakub Dobes didn’t look great when he allowed a goal on the second shot he faced on the night, but he more than made up for it later. He made a couple of big saves on Matthews, and at the start of the second frame, with the score tied 1-1, it looked like Montreal was falling back into its bad habit of sitting back in the second. Not Dobes, though; he was locked in and started the frame with a great glove save on new Leaf Marchenko.
That’s the kind of statement save that gives a team confidence, that says “fear not, I’ve got your back,” and five minutes later, Zach Bolduc was giving Montreal its first lead of the game. By the end of the second frame, Toronto only had six shots, five of which came in those first five minutes.
At the start of the third frame, the same pattern emerged, and Dobes flashed the leather at Nylander. The Leafs’ winger would score another goal later, but it was too little, too late.
New Look PK
Starting the season against the Leafs’ big guns while trying to implement a new penalty-killing system may sound daunting on paper, especially after the Habs struggled down a man in the preseason. Still, Montreal didn’t have its full lineup then. With a full NHL roster, the Habs rolled up their sleeves, put on their work boots, and got to work.
In the first two-minute penalty, six forwards saw some ice time: Phillip Danault, Josh Anderson, Jake Evans, Alex Newhook, Nick Suzuki and Chris Kreider. Arber Xhekaj also saw some ice time down a man, 1:29 of the 6:00 minutes the Habs were shorthanded, and he played well.
Full marks to Alexandre Carrier, however, who frustrated the Leafs on his knees, blocking the puck along the boards for precious seconds, before scoring the game-winning goal on his next shift.
More Of That Dach
On the Canadiens’ first goal, Kirby Dach made a great play. He dispossessed Darren Raddysh, held onto the puck, found Carrier in space, and that eventually allowed Josh Anderson to bat the puck out of the air and behind Bobrovsky. Great patience by the alternate captain to wait for that puck to drop low enough before hitting it, but without Dach’s play, that doesn’t happen.
That’s the kind of Dach the Canadiens need. A big player who can pressure the defence on the forecheck and hold the puck long enough to build an attack. The 6-foot-4, 221-pound winger showed urgency tonight, something we didn’t see in the preseason. If any scouts were in Toronto tonight to see Dach, they saw some good things.
Patience Needed
Some will be quick to criticize the first line's play, but Chris Kreider just arrived and has had little time to learn the Canadiens’ system. Unlike the rest of the Canadiens’ players, he’s not yet familiar with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield’s game, and that’s hardly surprising. Caufield didn’t find the back of the net, but he had three shots, and the line had six total on the night.
It wasn’t perfect, but the Canadiens do skate away with the two points, largely thanks to goaltending and their bottom-six, not unlike what we’ve seen in the playoffs, really. Winning games without your top-six finding the back of the net is something teams need to do if they want to be contenders. Of course, the big guns will have to step up eventually, but Montreal will be glad to have put an end to the Leafs’ opening-night streak and to have put that game away in regulation, something they struggled with last season.
Hockey: A general view of the logo displayed on center ice during the Pittsburgh Penguins vs Edmonton Oilers game at PPG Paints Arena. Pittsburgh PA 1/9/2025 CREDIT: David E. Klutho (Photo by David E. Klutho/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X164658 TK1)
Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…
Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said his focus entering the new season remains on improving the team rather than setting a specific goal such as a playoff berth or Stanley Cup title. Dubas said Pittsburgh will continue seeking young impact players while developing its current prospects and improving defensively. [Trib Live]
The Penguins will celebrate their 60th anniversary throughout the 2026-27 season with special events, giveaways and ticket packages. The yearlong celebration begins with a pregame ceremony on Oct. 3 before the Penguins’ home opener against the Montreal Canadiens, and the team has also unveiled a retro-inspired 60th anniversary logo. [KDKA]
Forward Egor Chinakhov is getting an opportunity on Pittsburgh’s top power-play unit after Bryan Rust was placed on injured reserve. Chinakhov, who scored 18 goals and 36 points in 43 games with the Penguins last season, is expected to skate alongside Sidney Crosby, Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell and Tommy Novak.
ICYMI: In an appearance on Mark Madden’s radio show on 105.9 The X, Sidney Crosby said the shortened preseason has limited his time to build chemistry with new linemate Nick Robertson, but he has been encouraged by their progress. The Penguins captain also said he hopes to play for several more years, while acknowledging that his retirement timeline will depend on how he feels physically and mentally. [PensBurgh]
News and notes from around the NHL…
Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery for a skull fracture suffered when he was struck by a puck during Friday’s preseason game against Dallas. The 24-year-old had 51 points in 80 games last season, but the Wild have not established a timetable for his return. [NHL]
Thomas Chabot has been named the next captain of the Ottawa Senators. [TSN]
Newly acquired Columbus Blue Jackets forward Matthew Knies is glad to have the trade speculation surrounding him in the rearview mirror after being dealt by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Knies said the rumors had become tiring but is excited for a fresh start in Columbus. [Sportsnet]
The NHL season is underway! Let us now enjoy all the ups, the downs and endless absurdities that are sure to follow with the “transition” 2026-27 New York Islanders, including an extra two games of angst in the expanded 84-game schedule.
They have an incredible Calder-winning defenseman who’s sure to be a Norris candidate through much of his career and delight us on even the darkest nights, a Vezina-caliber goalie whose peak may nonetheless behind him, a 38-year-old backup trying to come back with two (partial) new knees, and a bunch of aging players who will be “transitioned” out in the next few years as this season’s (hopefully) emerging youngsters take the reins.
There is a lot to scratch your head about and wonder, “How’s this gonna work?” about their opening roster, but there’s also Matthew Schaefer and Victor Eklund, two youngsters who provide hope today and should be part of the next generation if the roster one day gets out of this middling state.
PROGRAMMING/GAME THREAD NOTE: I’ll do my darndest to make sure we have a separate game thread/chat for each game. With the new SB Nation app, there is a “game chat” functionality that is supposed to work pretty well. I am not an app person and sure as Avery am not a salesperson, so I’m comfortable telling you the app is pretty useful for accessing this site and jumping around comments on mobile.
COMMENTING NOTE: And that brings up another note…the lifeblood of this site is fun, informed(???), fan-driven commentary. I know you (or at least many of you) don’t come here for my unsourced prose; you come here for the laugh or the reality-check or the well-meaning banter in comments. So please don’t abuse it, don’t abuse each other, don’t hammer the same point (whether its genius or tinfoil) 20 times per day. To help prevent trolls and bots, there is network-wide comment moderation, which means certain words or antagonistic comments toward each other may get filtered or blocked, and I won’t know about the injustice until long after the moment has passed.
Sometimes the filters or moderators overreact (don’t mention that you graduated summa cum laude!), but by and large it shouldn’t be hard to have basic, human discourse here. (Remember: The enemy isn’t each other, it’s…Isles management, or something.) There are options to mute your least favorite commenters or simply skim on by the stuff you find dumb, so consider doing that and channel your blood pressure spikes to what happens on the ice.
Victor Eklund has switched to number 38, which I really don’t like but I guess it’s okay, as it’s what he wore in Sweden. Still, ick. [Isles]
The Islanders will have four alternate captains — different guys for home and road — in addition to new captain Bo Horvat. I’m not going to pretend to think this means anything significant, but I’m glad Schaefer gets an A since he’ll one day lead this next generation. [Isles]
ONLY in Newsday! What can Schaefer accomplish in his second season? [Newsday]
It’s going to be a work-in-progress as the Isles acclimate to what Pete DeBoer wants. [Post]
Exhausted by click bait headlines, I made 32 BOLD predictions about this season. [LHH]
Elsewhere
Last night’s NHL scores included the defending champs raising their banner but falling to the previous champs, the Leafs falling at home to the Canadiens, and the vaunted Babcockian Oilers and Islanders playoff hero Tristan Jarry giving up five goals on the first 20 shots in an OT loss to the Canucks. They got a very friendly call to help them tie it up late and force overtime, making Evan Bouchard’s hat trick worth something.
During the game broadcast, ESPN paid modest tribute to Barry Melrose. [NHL]
The Blue Jackets are happy to be done with the Kirill Marchenko drama. [NHL]
Speaking of whom, thank GOD Carson Soucy has found work. [TSN]
Who else here is thrilled that the Leafs “look like a new team in emotional loss”? [Sportsnet]
Who needs AI? Jakub Dobes proved he can get a robot to express emotion. [Sportsnet]
Elliotte Friedman returns with some 32 Actual Written Thoughts. [Sportsnet]
BOSTON — The Bruins knew they had to add more high-end offensive talent and speed to their lineup during the summer after failing to generate a ton of goals in their first-round playoff series loss to the Buffalo Sabres last season.
So general manager Don Sweeney made a bold trade with the with the Utah Mammoth on the day of the 2026 NHL Draft to acquire top-six winger JJ Peterka in exchange for two first-round draft picks.
Fifty-two seconds after Fraser Minten gave the Bruins a late third-period lead, Peterka showed off his puck-handling skills by dancing around Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider and beating all-world goaltender Igor Shesterkin to double Boston’s lead. The B’s held on for a 3-0 victory — a league record-tying 11th straight home opener win.
PURE FILTH BY PETERKA IN HIS BRUINS DEBUT AND THE B'S TAKE A 2-0 LEAD LATE 🔥🚨 pic.twitter.com/TFQh2ooJov
“That was nasty,” Minten said postgame. “That was a really nice goal. He’s got sick hands and sick skill.”
Peterka’s tenacity on the forecheck, the speed he plays with, his ability to transition the puck up ice — they were all on display against the Rangers.
But the offensive skill really stood out. Outside of David Pastrnak, the Bruins didn’t really have anyone last season who could produce a highlight-reel goal from a feat of individual brilliance. Peterka gives this team another top-six forward who can generate scoring chances at an elite level.
“That’s why we got him, right?” Bruins head coach Marco Sturm said with a smile postgame. “It was nice to see because he had some really good scoring chances in the preseason, in practice, and to make a move like that today and finish the way he did, I hope it helps him moving forward.
“I also know as a new guy on a new team in a new city, playing at home you want to be good and you want to be the guy. I think that part was really nice, too. He showed everyone you got me here for a reason.”
Peterka had a slightly disappointing 2025-26 season for the Mammoth. He scored two fewer goals and tallied 19 fewer assists than the year prior. But the Bruins are confident he can get back to, or exceed, the career-high 68 points (27 goals, 41 assists) he posted in 77 games for the Sabres in the 2024-25 campaign.
Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
The Bruins celebrate JJ Peterka’s first goal with the team.
Playing with Pastrnak consistently should help Peterka reach another level as a goal scorer and hit the 30-goal mark for the first time. The Bruins generated six shots, seven scoring chances and one goal during the 13:55 of 5-on-5 ice time that Peterka and Pastrnak were on the ice together.
“It’s fun. I think we tried to look for each other a lot today,” Peterka said postgame when asked about playing on a line with Pastrnak.
“He’s playing with so much speed, so much poise with the puck. Makes a lot of great, great plays. It’s awesome. I think you guys have seen it. We have a lot of fun there together, and hopefully click in the future a couple times more.”
The strengths of that duo are aspects of the game that the Bruins as a team need to exhibit more often — speed, transition, maintaining offensive zone possession, wearing down opponents and creating scoring chances off the rush.
“Whenever we’re out there we can make something happen and it’s fun to be a part of,” Peterka said.
It was a great start for Peterka. Now the question is whether he can make this kind of impact on a consistent basis. If he can, the Bruins will be a much tougher team to play against, which was one of their goals over the offseason.
“I’m glad he’s on our team now,” Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman said. “That’s a goal scorer’s goal, and just the whole way it developed, the crowd is still buzzing from (Minten’s goal), a ton of credit to him and it shows the kind of player he can be.”
Las Vegas, N.V.– With its legalized gambling, world-renowned restaurants, magic shows, and acrobatic circus acts, Las Vegas is widely viewed as the entertainment capital of the world. The Strip has something for everyone and attracts an unfathomable amount of foot traffic every day. On Tuesday, a good chunk of that traffic flocked to T-Mobile Arena for the Vegas Golden Knights’ home opener against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Golden Knights are known for their pregame theatrics, and they didn’t cut any corners in their 10th season. The ‘Season X’ pregame show included a walk down memory lane with a nostalgic video, and finished with a call to the city’s rich history with neon signs.
The good time certainly didn’t stop when the Golden Knights struck first. After spending most of the 2025-26 season playing catch-up, the fans were all-too eager to cheer as their team took a two-goal lead and spent the rest of the night fending off every push that the Connor Bedard-less Blackhawks could muster. And in the end, when the final horn sounded on a 5-2 Golden Knights victory, well, they liked that too.
1. A Milestone Knight
Usually, an NHL debut is enough cause for celebration. But tonight, 20-year-old Trevor Connelly killed two birds with one stone and became the second-ever Golden Knight to score a goal in his NHL debut.
“I mean, it’s incredible,” said Jack Eichel about Connelly’s milestone. “You see his family here before the game; it’s his first NHL game. He’s been awesome all camp. He’s a great part of our locker room, and he’s obviously a special player. [I’m] so happy to see him get his first, definitely a night and a moment that he’ll never forget.”
Eichel, too, hit a pretty big milestone tonight. With a goal and two assists, Eichel recorded his 700th career point.
“I’ve been really lucky and grateful to be a part of this organization,” said Eichel following the 5-2 win. “But I think those things just come kind of organically. I’ve played with some great players in my career, and like I said, those things kind of just come. Yeah, it was cool.”
2. Guess Who’s Back, Back Again?
There’s been a fair bit of chatter about the Golden Knights’ new-look power play heading into the season. There are questions about how they’ll replace Pavel Dortofeyev’s 25 power play goals, and how the top unit will fare without a one-time option for Jack Eichel. They went 1-4 tonight against the Blackhawks.
Who scored the lone goal? Why, Victor Olofsson, of course!
After a partial change, Olofsson found himself out on the ice with most of the top unit. Shea Theodore left the puck for Jack Eichel at center ice, and Eichel found Olofsson entering the zone with a full head of steam. In his first game back with the Golden Knights, Olofsson flew towards the left dot and ripped a shot past Spencer Knight.
It’s far too early to form conclusions about the power play. However, one thing is for certain: Victor Olofsson sure does know how to score goals.
3. Meet the New Boss…
Ryan Craig has been working up to his first game as an NHL head coach for a long, long time. He spent six years serving as an assistant coach for the Golden Knights, then three years as the head coach of the Henderson Silver Knights. Now, he’s back behind an NHL bench, and this time, he’s the boss.
It only took Craig one game to record his first win as head coach.
“I don’t think anyone in this locker room is surprised,” said Jack Eichel postgame. “Craiger’s an unbelievable person, and a great leader. It’s been a really seamless transition. He’s done a great job in the meetings, before the game, on the bench.
“I’m so happy to have this opportunity, and it’s so deserved,” Eichel continued. “He’s been in the organization for a while. It was a pleasure when he was on the bench a few years ago, and now to have him back, it’s great. For him, I’m sure this is a special moment as well, his first win as a head coach. So, super happy for him, and plenty more.”
Craig, who has been fielding questions about ‘firsts’ like a champ for the past two weeks, understandably wasn’t too interested in talking about himself following the 5-2 victory.
“It’s nice to have my family here to witness the first win,” he said following the game. “Proud of our guys and our effort, and we’ll get back to work.”
Jack Eichel reached 700 career points Tuesday night, but the number that mattered most to him belonged in the Golden Knights’ win column.
"Not much, honestly," Eichel said when asked what the milestone meant.
His contribution meant plenty to Vegas - and to the coach who trusts him to deliver at both ends of the ice.
Eichel finished with one goal and two assists in the Golden Knights’ 5-2 season-opening victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at T-Mobile Arena. His second-period goal produced his 700th career point, and he ended the night with 701. He recorded two shots while playing 18:01 across 25 shifts.
Two days after NHL Network ranked him No. 10 on its Top 50 Players Right Now" countdown, Eichel supplied a three-point illustration of his offensive ability. First-year Vegas coach Ryan Craig emphasized the broader game behind that production.
"Jack’s an elite player in this league, elite 200-foot player," Craig said. "And I think we saw it with how he can skate, how he can get to certain areas."
Craig’s assessment reflected a relationship maintained during his three seasons coaching Vegas’ American Hockey League affiliate in Henderson. Their conversations helped establish an understanding that Eichel’s status comes with demanding expectations.
"I understand how I can push Jack, how I can hold him accountable," Craig said. "He expects that out of me."
That combination of talent, responsibility and accountability has become central to Eichel’s importance in Vegas. Acquired from Buffalo in November 2021, he made his Golden Knights debut the following February after neck surgery.
In his first NHL postseason, Eichel led the 2023 playoffs with 26 points in 22 games as Vegas captured its first Stanley Cup. He later produced the two highest-scoring seasons in franchise history: 94 points in 2024-25 and 90 last season.
His production helped earn NHL Network’s top-10 recognition and its No. 6 ranking among centers. Craig’s remarks explained why Eichel’s value extends beyond those numbers: his skating creates opportunities offensively, while his commitment to defending gives his coach confidence in demanding situations.
"He’s a guy that I can trust," Craig said.
Eichel, meanwhile, shared credit for his milestone. He praised Ivan Barbashev’s play on the goal and the preceding shift that helped create the opportunity, describing himself as "really lucky and grateful" to be part of the organization.
"I think those things just come kind of organically," he said.
Eichel Shares the Spotlight With Connelly
Eichel’s enthusiasm was more pronounced when discussing Trevor Connelly, who scored in his NHL debut. Before the game, Eichel had named a Connelly goal as something he hoped to see.
"He’s been awesome all camp," Eichel said. "He’s a great part of our locker room."
Watching the rookie score with his family in attendance gave Eichel another reason to celebrate.
"So happy to see him get his first," he said, "and definitely a night and a moment that he’ll never forget."
Eichel was equally measured about the victory, identifying encouraging offensive-zone pressure and quick transitions while acknowledging that timing and spacing still need improvement.
"By no means was it our prettiest effort, but we’re going to get better. We know that," Eichel said.
Opening night gave Eichel another career milestone and Craig his first NHL head-coaching victory. It also offered an early look at their shared expectations: an elite center willing to be pushed, and a coach who trusts him with more than scoring.
PHOTO CAPTION
Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) looks on during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes in game six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena.
The Chicago Blackhawks were in Las Vegas for their first game of the season, as they had a tough matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas, of course, was in the Stanley Cup Final back in June, and now they're looking to defend their Western Conference crown while trying to finish the job this time around.
Vegas has elite players up and down their lineup, and they are all filled with the pedigree needed to win games in bunches. Most of them were at the top of their game in a 5-2 victory over the Blackhawks on their home ice.
The leader among them was Jack Eichel, who had a three point night (1-2--3) in the win for the Golden Knights. Victor Olofsson, Trevor Connelly (first career NHL goal), Noah Hanifin, and Mark Stone (empty-netter) also scored.
Jordan Greenway scored the first goal of the season for the Chicago Blackhawks, and it was a great shot to beat Carter Hart. Wyatt Kaiser made a great move that allowed Ryan Greene and Jordan Greenway to make a play, and the latter gave his team a great first impression.
It was that fourth line with Greene, Greenway, and Cole Smith that played the best of all Chicago lines in the loss. They are the team's 4th line, but they created chances, kept Vegas at bay, and scored a goal. They will mostly need to simply be an energy line throughout the season, but they showed how good they can be in this one, despite losing the game.
Patrick Kane scored Chicago's second goal of the game. This was the first goal that Kane has scored in a Chicago sweater since 2023, before he was traded to the New York Rangers. It was a breakaway goal that he created for himself. His hands and patience allowed him to find the back of the net. Vintage Patrick Kane was on full display there.
In addition to the goal, Kane had 4 shots, 8 shot attempts, and managed to play 21:36. At his age, it is impressive to see him still playing at this level. The Blackhawks didn't bring him in for a feel-good story. It happens to be a feel-good story, but he is there to play well and help young guys develop.
Spencer Knight was the main reason that the score wasn't worse than it showed. He would say he'd like to be better than four goals against, but they were hardly all on him. He made 32 saves on 36 shots, as Vegas peppered him all night long. The Blackhawks, especially early in the game, had no answer for Vegas's speed on the rush. Knight faced the brunt of that issue.
Vegas is an incredibly hard team to face, especially for a young team like Chicago in their first game of the season. Not every opponent will be as good as they are, but they will all be difficult in their own way. For the Blackhawks, this is a process that they hope will lead to better results as the year wears on.
Andrew Mangiapane Injury Update
Andrew Mangiapane was part of a few scoring chances in the first period, but he hurt himself one shift into the second period. He did not return for the rest of the game. Once the match ended, Jeff Blashill confirmed that Mangiapane would not play again on their current road trip, which has two more games on it.
First Time Blackhawks
Roman Kantserov made his NHL debut in this game. He didn't score a goal or have an assist, but he clearly demonstrated high-end offensive abilities more than once. In 17:07 of ice time, he had one shot and three hits. He also didn't give the puck away once while earning a takeaway. When Mangiapane went down, Kantserov was one of the players to take a few shifts in his spot. Early on, Jeff Blashill already trusts the young star.
Ian Cole, Bowen Byram, Cole Smith, and Jordan Greenway are the other players who made their Blackhawks debut in the game. Obviously, Greenway's goal was the most noticeable moment for any of them, but they all showed promise as they try to play a role in getting this team back on track.
The Chicago Blackhawks are now 0-1-0 in the 2026-27 season. They will now head to Salt Lake City for their first Central Division showdown as they take on the Utah Mammoth on Thursday night.
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The Edmonton Oilers opened their 2026-27 regular season with a loss to the Vancouver Canucks. To say the least, fans have seen this story before.
After a perfect preseason in which the Oilers allowed only five goals in four games, Edmonton allowed six to a Canucks team many aren't expecting much from. A style of play that felt all too familiar to Oilers fans, night one of the season reminded everyone how little exhibition means.
"The bottom line is, if we want to work, we want to do things right, we're going to have a lot of success. We want to play like that, we're going to be chasing the game," said Mike Babcock. "To be honest, we've got to feel fortunate we got a point."
The Game BreakDown
Paul Cotter scored first for the Canucks, a shorthanded goal after a great save by Kevin Lankinen on a one-timer from Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers had dominated up to that point, 8-3 in shots. It was a nice shot, high glove, on Jarry.
Evan Bouchard scored his first of the season, and what would be his first of three goals on the night. It came on a long-point shot that worked through a screened Kevin Lankinen.
The shots were 13-5 in favor of the Oilers after the first, and Edmonton dominated at 5-on-5 play. They went 0-for-2 on the power play and tried to send an early message physically, outhitting the Canucks 14-3.
The first was not an indicator of how the rest of the evening would go.
Marco Rossi made it 2-1 for the Canucks early in the second. He got in behind the defense on a breakaway. Jake Walman made a poor choice to pinch, with Connor Murphy having gone down low; Colton Dach was the forward covering. It was just one of many odd-man rushes for the Canucks.
Bouchard scored his second of the night on a pass from Connor McDavid. Alex Formenton drove the puck along the boards and got taken out, opening a lane for McDavid. Bouchard was in the slot to pick up a pass and score.
The Canucks scored just over a minute into the third on a shot that Tristan Jarry should have had. Jonathan Lekkerimaki scored a five-hole goal. Max Sasson scored another quick one to give the Oilers a 4-2 lead. Jarry lets another one sneak by him, five-hole, on a backhand break.
Elias Pettersson scored to make it 5-2. A nice tip past Jarry. It became clear that the Oilers were back to their old habits and had really crumbled in the second and third periods.
Vasily Podkolzin got the Oilers back on the board with a goal on a nice loose-puck pickup from a Bouchard shot that didn't quite reach the intended target. Podkolzin had worked hard and deserved the reward. On the goal, Bouchard picked up his third point.
Bouchard scored his hat-trick goal on a long point shot that got through a crowded net.
Finishing off the comeback, Podkolzin scored with 42.5 seconds left after the Oilers got a power play in the final minute. It was a bullet from Podkolzin.
The Oilers salvaged a point out of the comeback, but couldn't seal the deal with a win. Three successive good chances for the Canucks in overtime eventually led to a goal against the Oilers.
Was it a valiant effort or a disappointing showing? Head coach Mike Babcock called it the latter. Down three goals, they tied the game at five. Still, when a player like Bouchard has five points, it makes no sense that the Oilers would lose.
The Oilers looked solid in the first period but brutal in the second and the first half of the third. Jarry owned his poor performance, and Babcock noted there was no point in hammering home what their goaltender already knew, nor praising the individual performances of Bouchard and Podkolzin. There was a lot not to like here and Babcock said the team will get to work, and that there's a lot of work to do.
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EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Paul Cotter scored 1:59 into overtime to cap a two-goal game as the Vancouver Canucks got the season off to a strong start with a 6-5 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.
Marco Rossi, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Max Sasson and Elias Pettersson also scored for the Canucks, who are coming off a last-place finish in the NHL last season with a 25-49-8 record.
Kevin Lankinen made 32 stops.
Evan Bouchard had three goals and two assists and Vasily Podkolzin scored twice for the Oilers. Tristan Jarry made 17 saves for Edmonton.
Entering the third period tied 2-2, Pettersson capped a three-goal run by the Canucks 5:15 into the frame to swiftly put the Canucks ahead 5-2.
But Podkolzin scored at 8:56, followed by Bouchard’s third of the night 24 seconds later and Podkolzin’s second of the night with 43 seconds left in regulation to send it to extra time.
Cotter, who joined Vancouver as a free agent after spending the last two seasons in New Jersey, became the first player in Canucks history to score a short-handed goal in his debut with the team.
Bouchard is the first defenseman in Oilers history to record a multigoal game in a season opener and just the third defenseman in NHL history to score a hat trick in an opener. He is also just the third blue-liner in the last 30 years to have at least four points in a game to open the season.
Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra became the fourth person to represent the Canucks as both a player and head coach in his career, following in the footsteps of Marc Crawford, Pat Quinn and Orland Kurtenbach.
Bruins' Morgan Geekie (39) lines up a shot against New York Rangers' Igor Shesterkin (31) during the first period.
BOSTON — While other NHL players were shaking off the rust following a truncated preseason, Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin had no time to do so.
The Blueshirts abandoned their defensive structure numerous times through the first two periods of their 3-0 loss to the Bruins on Tuesday night, leaving their star Russian netminder to fend for himself on multiple odd-man rush attempts.
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Shesterkin, who finished with 20 saves on 22 shots, stood tall for every one of them, before Fraser Minten put the Bruins ahead off a snipe from the high slot late in the third period.
“We turned pucks over in the wrong areas of the rink,” head coach Mike Sullivan said after the loss. “I thought we were trying to play a little bit too much East-West, instead of simplifying the game and playing more straight ahead. I thought we were standing on pucks instead of moving our feet when we got them. When you stand on pucks, the world closes in on you out there. We try to encourage the guys to move our feet. We turn some pucks over and we give them some grade-A looks off those turnovers, and then we gave up too many odd-man rushes. I think we gave up three 2-on-1’s in the second period.
“As I said to the guys after the game, if we want our D to be active off the offensive blue line, off the rush, things of that nature, then as a forward, we have to build a level of trust that we’re going to replace that defenseman, and we’re going to stay out and stay above the attack until the defenseman returns. We would replace, but then we wouldn’t stay out, and then we would leak back in and dive back into the play before the defenseman returned. It happened four times in the second period.
Bruins’ Morgan Geekie (39) lines up a shot against New York Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin (31) during the first period. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
“That’s how we gave up the types of odd-man rushes that we gave up. I think that’s a discipline that we’ve got to develop, and we’ve got to be better about that aspect of our game.”
Sullivan coached his 1,000th NHL game against the team he started his coaching career with and in the state he grew up in.
“I don’t know, I think it just suggests that I’m probably getting older,” the second-year Rangers coach said before the game. “But, you know, it’s a privilege to coach in this league. I’m grateful for the opportunities that I’ve been given along the way.”
Sullivan’s first coaching job was with the AHL’s Providence Bruins in 2002-03, during which he was only one year removed from his playing career. Later in that campaign, however, Sullivan was brought up to the Bruins to serve as an assistant.
It turned out to all be an audition for the head coaching position in Boston. Sullivan was ultimately named the 25th head coach in Bruins history.
Vincent Iorio was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, but the 23-year-old defenseman participated in the Rangers morning skate. He was waived in the afternoon. … Scott Morrow, Matthew Robertson and Jaroslav Chmelar served as healthy scratches in Game 1. … The Rangers enter the season with the second-youngest roster in the NHL with an average age of 26.63.
In their 10 years of existence, the Vegas Golden Knights have seen their fair share of talented players come through the organization. The NHL’s second-youngest franchise has rostered skilled goalscorers, elite playmakers, and even future Hall of Fame goaltenders. The one thing they aren’t used to is talented rookies.
That is no longer the case.
Before the start of this season, only one player in Golden Knights franchise history had scored a goal in his NHL debut: first-ever draft pick Cody Glass. But on opening night of the 2026-27 season, young phenom Trevor Connelly joined that elusive club.
Connelly made waves last year in the AHL as a 19-year-old, helping the Henderson Silver Knights make the postseason for the first time in four years. Connelly was a big part of Henderson’s regular season success, scoring 14 goals and 49 points in 46 games; in the playoffs, he scored a goal and recorded six points in six games.
“Trevor is different from any player in our organization,” said Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon at the start of training camp. “Elite hockey sense, elite talent. What he did last year in the American Hockey League as a 19-year-old… his ceiling is tremendously high.”
Due to a series of unfortunate injuries, this was Connelly’s first time attending training camp. The organization gave him the opportunity to earn his spot on the opening night roster, and he held on for dear life. Connelly played in three of the Golden Knights’ four preseason games, and though he didn’t register a point, the maturity of his game shone through.
“He played his game,” said head coach Ryan Craig at the conclusion of training camp. “What I wanted to see out of Trevor as we went through camp was, can he play with these guys? Can he keep up? Can he manage and sort out the details when he doesn’t have the puck to help us check and get the puck back? He’s continued to do that, so he’ll get an opportunity here.”
The organization’s belief in Connelly quickly paid off. Just 15:22 into the Golden Knights’ first game of the season, he scored his first NHL goal. And what a beauty it was– Connelly went to the front of the net, batted down Brayden McNabb’s shot, collected the loose puck, and elevated his shot over Spencer Knight’s outstretched pad.
It is the eve of Pittsburgh Penguins' regular season hockey, which means another year of excitement, intrigue, and uncertainty awaits.
And the start of the season also means it's time for my annual Bold Predictions piece.
No, this one is not our regular annual predictions piece, where each assertion is rooted in reality, reason, and calculated expectation. Although still rooted - at least, somewhat - in reality, these predictions are bold for a reason: they're fun, they're high-reaching, and they operate on the premise of expecting a lot from a team that wants to take another step toward Cup contention.
Who will have a big year? Will anyone be traded? Just how good will the Penguins be?
Here are 10 bold predictions for the 2026-27 season.
1. Egor Chinakhov scores 40 goals
Ask anyone in the Penguins' locker room, and their face just lights up when talking about the 25-year-old Chinakhov.
After a change-of-scenery trade from Columbus to Pittsburgh midseason last year, Chinakhov recorded 18 goals and 36 points in 43 games, which amounts to a 35-goal, 71-point pace in an 84-game season. He put up that pace last season with little power play time, too, as just two goals and eight points came on the man advantage for him.
2. The Penguins have eight 20-goal scorers and four 30-goal scorers
Speaking of goal-scoring, anyone who thinks Anthony Mantha was the key to the Penguins' playoff berth last season is probably overreaching a bit, even if he led the team in goals. The Penguins had a league-high 10 players with 15 or more goals.
Besides, instead of just one Anthony Mantha this season, how about two? Or, maybe, at least one and a half?
Andrei Kuzmenko scored 39 goals in his rookie season and 22 in his sophomore season before getting traded five thousand times and seeing a decline in production. He, like Mantha, is primed to break out again next to playmaking centers in Pittsburgh. Nick Robertson has increased his goal production by one each of the last three years, but he never played consistently with anyone the likes of Sidney Crosby.
Crosby, Kuzmenko, Chinakhov, and Rickard Rakell score 30. Robertson, Kindel, Rust, and Malkin score 20. I'll go even further and say they could have nine if Tommy Novak or Erik Karlsson are healthy all season long, but "healthy" is a lot to ask for these Penguins.
3. Erik Karlsson is traded... regardless of the situation
Speaking of Karlsson, his situation will be one of the most interesting stories to follow this season.
Karlsson wants a Cup. That is not going to change. Even if the Penguins are good enough to be a playoff team - and I do think they make the playoffs again this season - he's 36 and will want to go to a more surefire contender, as Pittsburgh's best shot at a Cup in the next couple of years is by catching lightning in a bottle.
So, if he has no intention to re-sign, Kyle Dubas will pull the trigger to get value no matter the circumstance. He'll just make sure he's getting talent in return.
4. Sergei Murashov and Joel Blomqvist are the tandem by season's end
To be clear, this is not necessarily a knock on Arturs Silovs. He has a proven track record of being a big-game goaltender and getting it done when it counts. The problem with him is finding that consistency.
But while Silovs is finding that consistency, Murashov will slowly take over as the No. 1, and Blomqvist will play well in WBS to the point where it's difficult to justify keeping him down there. Whether pushed out by others' performances or performing well enough to be flipped for assets by the trade deadline, Silovs will find himself in a different uniform by the end of the season, and the other two will be in the NHL for good.
Oh, and, Taylor Gauthier gets a game this season. I don't know when. But he will.
Well, what's the next step after being a Jack Adams nominee? A Jack Adams winner, of course!
As I mentioned before - and as Dubas mentioned in his press conference - the Penguins have no plans to take a step back this season. Muse and the rest of his staff managed the get the most out of their roster last season, and after adding a few more defensive-minded defensemen and new forwards to the mix, the staff will, once again, have the opportunity to elevate and maximize each player's potential and make the team hard to play against.
This guy is a good coach. If the Penguins make the playoffs again and win a round or two, he'll be worthy.
6. Harrison Brunicke is the top-pairing right defenseman by season's end
Honestly, this might be the most bold prediction on this list. Will Brunicke be ready for top-pairing minutes? Most likely, not quite. But, if my other prediction of Karlsson leaving does come to pass, who else is going to do it? 39-going-on-40 Kris Letang? Defensive defenseman Kaedan Korczak with Sam Girard on the left side?
Unless the Penguins get another top-four right defenseman for Karlsson, it will be Brunicke's time to show what he is capable of at the NHL level, especially assuming he takes care of business in the AHL first.
And he will take care of business there, and in the NHL. Unlike his last NHL stint - where Brunicke sank - he will have his breakout and swim this time, helping the team make the playoffs.
Ok, things are starting to get a bit crazy here. But, hey, we said "bold," right?
As it happens, I'm not quite as down on Koivunen, 23, as others are. Even if the term confounded me, I understand the logic behind Koivunen's eight-year, $32 million contract, and with Dubas and the Penguins betting on a young player's talent and potential to help them in the future.
So, for our purposes, why not jump on the train and take a bet on a young player? Koivunen has some work to do, but he showed well in the Penguins' final preseason game, and he did start his NHL career with seven points in eight games, an initial NHL stint that showcased his potential and that everyone seems to have forgotten about.
I expect to see more of that Koivunen this season.
I love seeing Ville Koivunen get on the scoresheet, especially when he's going hard to the net! pic.twitter.com/d4p4NWk2v2
8. The Penguins have a 10-game win streak in the stretch run to make the playoffs again... and they win two rounds
Hey, why not some random win streak proclamation? The Penguins had plenty of win streaks last season, even if they never reached double digits.
They also played their stretch run largely without their legends in Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and they still earned the points and dragged themselves to the postseason. With a healthy Crosby and Malkin, and with a deeper forward group? This team, like last year's, will go through stretches where they simply overwhelm and dominate opponents with their offensive attack.
The Penguins may be streaky this year, but their winning streaks will be longer. And that will extend into the Stanley Cup Playoffs because they'll get hot at just the right time, somehow advancing to the Eastern Conference Final.
9. Ben Kindel flirts with point-per-game
Yes, Kindel (lower-body, week-to-week) is beginning the season on injured reserve, but he was supposed to start the season with Rust and Kuzmenko - both of whom won't begin the season with the team, either - on his wings. Rust has scored 30 goals. Kuzmenko has scored 30 goals. There are other options in the lineup, too, if those guys don't work out.
Once Kindel is healthy - and if the other two are also healthy - this has the potential to be a legitimate scoring third line for the Penguins, and the biggest beneficiary will be Kindel, who can both produce on his own and have scoring wingers to distribute the puck to.
He'll be pretty darn close to point-per-game this season with those two at his side.
If Dubas is to finally get his wish and execute on a "big-game hunt," this is quite the deadline to consider it. And, by then, maybe a few of his NHL-ready prospects and NHL assets, like Bill Zonnon, Will Horcoff, Owen Pickering, Rakell, Rust, and Karlsson, will have marinated a bit more and could prove valuable enough to be part of a bigger splash.
After all, I said this would come at a cost. And it's going to cost a top prospect, the Penguins' star defenseman, and more - especially if we're talking about Jason Robertson.
I think one of these three names is wearing a Penguins uniform come the trade deadline this season. Maybe younger Robo will put in a good word for Pittsburgh to his big bro during his breakout campaign.
Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
