The Vegas Golden Knights have finally unveiled their Hometown Remix jerseys, and judging by the early reactions, not everyone is ready to go all in.
The casino-inspired design features a black base with green and gold accents, roulette-themed sleeves and a jade-green shoulder pattern resembling a casino table. Playing-card symbols and custom numbers add to the gambling theme, while a reference to 2017 pays tribute to the franchise's first season.
The jerseys are part of a league-wide collaboration with Fanatics, with all 32 NHL teams receiving special uniforms celebrating their hometowns.
Vegas will wear them five times this season, beginning Nov. 15 against Vancouver, followed by games against Carolina, Buffalo, Columbus and Winnipeg.
Fans can purchase them through the Golden Knights Team Store, Fanatics and select team retail locations.
Did the Golden Knights Get It Right?
I've already received multiple text messages from close friends telling me they don't like these jerseys. Others have said the complete opposite. The reaction has been pretty mixed.
Well, here's what I think. I actually think they're pretty cool.
Here's the thing. These jerseys are supposed to incorporate elements of your hometown, and if you're making a jersey about Las Vegas without putting some green on it, you're kind of missing the point.
This town is all about money. Gambling, casinos and entertainment are a huge part of what makes Vegas what it is.
And nothing says casino culture quite like this sweater.
Could they have done more? Sure.
I think they could've added a little more flair, maybe something representing other countries and cultures. After all, tourists fly into Vegas from all over the world to gamble, attend shows and enjoy everything else this city has to offer.
But I'm not an artist, so I couldn't tell you exactly how they should've pulled that off. And honestly, outside of that, I don't really see what else they could've added without overdoing it.
I like the black, the green and the overall concept. It represents Vegas, and that's what matters to me.
Would I buy one? I think so.
If another fan doesn't like it enough to spend money on it, who cares? It's not the end of the world.
We're here to watch hockey anyway, right?
And if the Golden Knights are winning games in these jerseys, I doubt anyone will care too much about what they're wearing.
Fanatics and the NHL unveiled their Hometown Remix jerseys on Monday, Nov. 2, and the New York Islanders' snarling fisherman logo has risen from the depths.
That's not a good thing.
That logo, which was first used in 1995, was derided as the "Gorton's fisherman"and lasted only two seasons. It was cut pretty early during a fan-designed contest for a third jersey in 2027-28, with a lighthouse the winning bid.
But now the fisherman jersey will be worn for select home games this season. At least, the Buffalo Sabres didn't bring back the Buffaslug jersey, opting for the snorting buffalo head, instead.
The Hometown Remix does mix things up. The currently orange Anaheim Ducks will be green. The Chicago Blackhawks also switched to green, from red. The black-and-gold Pittsburgh Penguins shift to their early colors with a mix of dark blue and light blue. The Los Angeles Kings revert to purple.
The Washigton Capitals' sharp-looking Capitol dome logo is back, and the Detroit Red Wings add Hockeytown above their winged wheel.
Some teams go a different route. The Tampa Bay Lighting feature a skull, the Carolina Hurricanes display mascot Stormy, the Columbus Blue Jackets have the scary loud cannon that causes visitors to jump, the Utah Mammoth have a U and a tusk and the Seattle Kraken use an anchor, ironically in a season when the team doesn't seem weighed down.
Stromgren has been off to a strong start in the AHL, recording three goals and eight assists for 11 points through 11 games. His point total currently ranks tied for fourth in the league.
Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
The 23-year-old forward appeared in three NHL games last season during his first career recall. He knows the opportunity is limited and will be looking to make the most of his chance.
“Three games is not a lot, just take the most out of it, but I think just ‘play it simple’ is going to be the game plan tonight,” he said of his previous NHL experience last season.
"You got to be able to adapt to play up here."
William Stromgren sounds off on getting into the lineup for tonight's clash against the Sharks. pic.twitter.com/x0kM799Qdv
The St. Louis Blues have assigned defenseman Logan Mailloux to Springfield of the American Hockey League on a conditioning assignment, the team announced on Monday.
The 23-year-old underwent surgery on his right hand on September 28 after suffering the injury in the Blues’ final 2026 preseason game, a 3-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks and has missed the first 14 games of the regular season.
The Blues announced at the time of surgery that Mailloux would be re-evaluated in eight weeks, pitting a potential timeline for a return as early as late November but perhaps it's been pushed forward like that of Alexey Toropchenko, who returned after just four weeks with a shoulder injury after he was to be re-evaluated in six weeks when he was injured in the season opener against the Dallas Stars.
It'll be interesting to see what the Blues do with their blue line when Mailloux can return. Adam Jiricek, a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, has benefited most with his playing time, and Justin Barron, a waiver wire pickup from the Nashville Predators on Sept. 28, has also greatly taken advantage of an opportunity. And there's also the case for when Tyler Tucker (knee) I'd able to return, then what? Lots of questions in the coming days and weeks to the Blues' blue line.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 22: Elias Lindholm #28 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his goal with teammate Pavel Zacha #18 against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period at the TD Garden on January 22, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to another night of Bruins hockey, folks!
We’ve got some Monday Night Hockey on tap for this evening, with the Vegas Golden Knights in town.
Vegas has been off since losing to New Jersey in Vegas on Friday, so they should be well rested.
Hopefully they flew in early to take in the sites, have a lobster roll, etc.
While not exactly an airtight effort, the Bruins emerged from Saturday’s game with Chicago with an energizing win. Let’s hope they can build off of that against what should be a tougher overall opponent.
The Buffalo Sabres practiced at KeyBank Center on Monday after returning from a successful road trip, highlighted by three wins over Pacific Division foes San Jose, Anaheim, and Los Angeles. The club appeared loose and positive after their recent success, and welcomed back a number of injured players, who are working their way back to active duty.
Jiri Kulich - The young forward was cleared from concussion protocol after taking a puck to the head area before the Sabres headed out on the road trip. Kulich skated on a line with Peyton Krebs and Tage Thompson.
"Jiri's back. He's passed his test, so he's back full bore in practice. I thought he had a good day . He had a couple of good days skating here. P robably if that trip was a little longer, he would have joined us. So we'll see what tomorrow brings for him."
Owen Power has 11 points to lead all Sabres defensemen.
Konsta Helenius - Helenius suffered an upper-body injury in the win over the Sharks on October 27, and was sent back to Buffalo for evaluation. Head coach Lindy Ruff indicated that the 20-year-old will be out week-to-week.
Zach Benson - The feisty winger left the 3-2 win over the Kings in the third period on Saturday and was not on the ice on Monday due to a maintenance day.
"We don't anticipate (him) being (out) very long,” Ruff said. “I think it's just day-to-day. I know for a fact he's going to rehab skate tomorrow. Whether he practices with us, we'll see."
Alex Lyon - After a setback last month, Lyon is cautiously optimistic that he is close to being ready to return.
"I probably just pushed a little too hard, too early, I don't even know that it was too soon. It just wasn't quite right yet, and so I kind of had to hit the pause button there and make sure things were good.” Lyon said. “The medical staff was very patient with me, and they did a great job of helping me out.”
Conor Timmins and Justin Danforth - The veteran defenseman has been out since the preseason with a lower body injury, while the veteran forward has been out since the overtime loss to Montreal on October 17. Both skated while the Sabres were on the road and Ruff indicated that they will see if there is any progress to their condition after practicing for the first time.
The Buffalo Sabres returned home to begin a four-game homestand on Wednesday against the Ottawa Senators after earning seven of a possible eight points going 3-0-1 on a four-game road trip, with an overtime loss in Washington and three wins over San Jose, Anaheim, and Los Angeles. Tage Thompson was the scoring star in the California sweep and on Monday was named the NHL First Star of the Week.
Thompson led the NHL with eight points (5 goals, 3 assists) in the three games, which improved their record to 7-4-3 this season. After assisting on the Zach Benson’s empty net goal in the 2-0 win over the Sharks on Tuesday. The big forward then scored a natural hat trick and a pair of assists in a 7-6 victory over the Ducks on Thursday, followed by a pair of goals in a 3-2 victory over the Kings on Saturday afternoon.
"(We)had a good trip out there, and started to play a little more consistent and (found) our game," Thompson said after practice on Monday. Yeah, "(I'm) feeling pretty good about where my games at. I felt good about it really all season. Some games they're going to go in for you, and some games are not. But I feel like for the most part, generating some pretty good looks and playing some pretty solid hockey. So we just gotta continue to build off it and keep finding ways to do better."
Thompson has 10 goals in 14 games, and is setting a torrid pace that would top his career-high 47 goals in 2022-23. The Sabres are relying on his production more than ever this season, as the only other player who is meeting or exceeding expectations so far is winger Jack Quinn, who is second in team scoring with 14 points (8 goals, 6 assists) and sophomore center Noah Ostlund with four goals. For the Sabres to make the playoffs in consecutive seasons, Buffalo will have to get more depth scoring contributions to stay in the tight Eastern Conference playoff race.
The Pittsburgh Penguins returned to practice on Monday after Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, but were without two players who played in that game.
Before practice started, Penguins PR posted on X that Evgeni Malkin and Kaedan Korczak would miss practice due to injuries and are day-to-day. Both players played against the Canadiens on Saturday and finished the game.
In response to this news, the Penguins called up forward Justin Brazeau from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after he was down there on a conditioning stint.
Kaedan Korczak (lower body) and Evgeni Malkin (lower body) are day-to-day and will not practice today.
Penguins head coach Dan Muse confirmed after practice that Brazeau is available for Tuesday's game against the Vegas Golden Knights. He's also not super concerned with Malkin's injury.
Muse said he’s not concerned that Malkin’s injury is anything too bad. Brazeau is available tomorrow.
- With the new injuries, the lines were a bit jumbled at practice. However, this is what they looked like:
Novak-Crosby-Rakell
Kuzmenko-Kindel-Chinakhov
Koivunen-Lapierre-Brazeau
Dewar-Lizotte-Robertson
- Putting Kuzmenko with Kindel is super interesting and it's time for the former to start producing. He has yet to score this season and that needs to change.
- I still like the fourth line quite a bit, and it was good to see the top line finally produce on Saturday, even in a loss. Sidney Crosby was sensational in that game and he'll need to keep playing at that level if the Penguins want to get out of this rut that they're in.
- The defense rotated because of Korczak's injury, but don't be surprised if Jake Livanavage comes up from WBS if Korczak goes on injured reserve. Livanavage has been great to start the year with two goals and eight points in nine games.
- The Penguins will return to action on Tuesday against the Golden Knights. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET.
In their last three games, the Edmonton Oilers have allowed one goal with Tristan Jarry and Matt Tomkins in net during the team's road trip through New York.
Jarry recorded consecutive shutouts against Calgary and the New York Islanders, while Tomkins made 27 saves in Sunday's 4-1 win over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
Edmonton has been without Frederik Andersen since training camp, and Devon Levi's recent groin injury has left Jarry and Tomkins responsible for manning the net. During which time, Jarry recorded 120 consecutive minutes without allowing a goal.
It's a positive development for a player whose future in Edmonton was being questioned there for a while after losing the confidence of Oilers fans last season.
“With Dev hurt, I knew I'd get a little bit more work,” Jarry said following Saturday's win over the Islanders. “So just being able to take care of that opportunity and kind of just run with it… It's been fun, to say the least.”
Jarry stopped 18 shots against New York after shutting out Calgary, although Edmonton's defence has been vital to their recent success.
“Anytime you can have a stretch like that, you're obviously feeling pretty good,” Jarry said. “The guys are doing a great job keeping pucks to the outside.”
“We're trying to create a plan that works all year long, and then at playoff time,” Babcock said following Saturday's win. “Our priority right now is to be better without the puck, try not to give up as much and learn to play that way every night.”
Tomkins made his Oilers debut against the Rangers, playing his seventh NHL game and first since April of 2024. He's spent much of his professional career playing in the AHL, ECHL, and Swiss Hockey League, and was originally drafted by Stan Bowman during his time with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2012.
“It's been a long road, for sure,” Tomkins said afterward. “It's been tough, but it's been enjoyable at the same time. I love to play, my career has taken me all over the world, and I've enjoyed every step.”
Connor McDavid opened the scoring just 50 seconds into the game, Colton Dach added two goals, and Evan Bouchard finished with three points.
Tomkins made several important saves in the second period, helping Edmonton maintain its lead before the Oilers eventually secured their third consecutive win.
“He's an unbelievable dude. He worked so hard this summer in Edmonton and just so happy for him,” McDavid said. “Obviously, (MSG) is a cool place to play, a special building. I'm happy for him.”
The Oilers have now won seven consecutive road games to open the season, improving to 11-2-2 and sitting near the top of the NHL standings.
Babcock's defensive system has been producing some encouraging results, and Jarry has been making the most of his opportunity with Andersen and Levi unavailable.
Edmonton's goaltending was one of the biggest concerns heading into the season, and through 15 games, it's been one of the more encouraging parts of Babcock's team.
After a lot of teasing and anticipation, the NHL finally did a league-wide reveal of each team's new Hometown Remix jerseys for the 2026-27 season.
There were a lot of interesting designs. And the Pittsburgh Penguins certainly had one of the more interesting ones.
In a nod to the team's history and to the city of Pittsburgh, the new jerseys are navy blue with powder blue secondary coloring in the form of stripes on the sleeves, shoulder, and pants, and they have gold accents throughout. In addition, they feature the the igloo shoulder patch that has become popularized in recent years, offset detailing on the logo and the numbers, and the different colors of Pittsburgh-area neighborhoods on the bottom in-seam of the jersey — all in the unique style of '60s pop art to represent Pittsburgh native and artist Andy Warhol.
But the most noticeable and controversial element? The polka-dots on the yellow of the Penguins' logo and in the numbers, which is designed to be a comic-style design that brings out the pop art element and general graphic design elements from the '60s.
If you love Pittsburgh, here’s a new way to show it.
And, yes, the polka-dots do a lot to really bring the 60s pop art style to life, and they are quite a bit smaller and jump out in a different way than they did on the two-dimensional leaks that were circulating weeks ago. While the jersey is certainly representative of both the Penguins' history and of Pittsburgh's history, the opinion on the dots as well as the choice to go back to blue were controversial among fans and media.
Here are some of the social media reactions to the jerseys:
they are undeniably nicer in person. I was harshly skeptical, but i’m actually a fan https://t.co/OSWPlW4Nsn
Polka-dots aside, I have to say, the sublimation throughout — on the numbers, the logo, the letter — is all pretty damn cool 👌🏻🐧 https://t.co/zorRLOQ4Mq
i love that the pens went warhol themed considering they were founded in the 60s. which is the height of pop art. and brought back their 60s colors like that’s so awesome. and then you have the patch from the alternates for the 3 rivers + igloo and then you have the US steel
Personally, I love these. It's cool that the Penguins actually did something unique here and successfully incorporated both their team history and the city's history in a coherent design. Perhaps the only thing that's missing is a gold bridge on the socks or something.
If the captain approves, that's good enough for me.
Here is the full Remix jersey schedule for the Penguins:
- Nov. 3 vs. Vegas Golden Knights - Nov. 28 vs. Toronto Maple Leafs - Dec. 6 vs. San Jose Sharks - Dec. 18 vs. Seattle Kraken - Jan. 21 vs. Anaheim Ducks - Feb. 2 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning - Mar. 9 vs. Ottawa Senators - Mar. 25 vs. New Jersey Devils - Mar. 30 at Philadelphia Flyers - April 1 vs. New York Islanders
What do you think of the Remix jerseys? Sound off in the comments!
As for the game itself, there will only be one change in the Panthers lineup from their previous outing, a 5-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night.
Florida will welcome starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom back between the pipes after he was forced to miss the past five games.
Markstrom suffered an upper-body injury during practice on Oct. 19 but has been seen back on the ice in recent days, which signaled his imminent return.
So far this season, Markstrom holds a 5-1-1 record to go with a 2.21 goals against average and .897 save percentage.
He’ll be matched up against former Panthers puck-stopper Daniil Tarasov, who is expected to get the nod in net for the Red Wings.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Monday’s meeting with Detroit:
Frank Nazar get’s the first wear of the Chicago Blackhawks Hometown Remix jersey. Photo via Chicago Blackhawks X. 11-2-26.
Tonight, the Colorado Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks will meet for the first time in the 2026-27 regular season. The Avalanche come in on a two-game winning streak after victories over the New Jersey Devils and Calgary Flames last week. Conversely, the Blackhawks are on a two-game losing streak with losses to the Red Wings and Bruins. Will the Hawks buck the trend, or will the Avalanche stack another win, this time a divisional one?
now you can rep the spirit of Chicago in our brand new Hometown Remix jersey 💚 get yours now, in-store and online
The Avalanche got back to a relatively healthy lineup against the New Jersey Devils, but it lasted about 2 periods as defender Josh Manson struggled to leave the ice, and he was later announced as missing at least 8 weeks with a lower-body injury. Colorado has recalled Keaton Middleton from the Colorado Eagles, but Evan Rawal reports it’s strictly to have an extra defender for the back-to-back.
No injuries, Avs say. They want an extra defenseman for the back-to-back. https://t.co/ZHATMORvoX
Colorado has looked better since Nic Roy returned to the lineup, as his arrival has created a more balanced forward group. Moreover, the first power-play unit scored last time out on a nice shot from Martin Necas. The goal came with Necas inhabiting the flank that we are used to seeing MacKinnon on. Let’s see whether his staying on that dot is a focused approach or a one-off.
This is a game the Colorado Avalanche should win (on paper), so it will be interesting to see how they come out, as the Avalanche have struggled to start on time, especially in road contests.
Artturi Lehkonen’s 12 goals in 14 games put him on pace for 66 goals this season. Obviously, the chances of that happening are slim to none, but it’s reasonable to track whether he reaches 30 goals for the first time in his pro career, and he’s on a torrid pace. Speaking of 30-goal seasons, Gabe Landeskog is also on track toward the third of his 13-year career.
Note: Tonight’s lineup is still hard to pin down. The Avs sent Gavin Brindley back to the AHL after the Calgary game, and Logan O’Connor out for personal reasons. It’s unclear if LOC made the trip, as he’s still listed as day-to-day with no word otherwise.
Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago will be without former Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram tonight, so he will miss out on rocking the new Hometown Remix kits officially announced this morning. Chicago’s is all green, and I know the history and all, but to me it just looks like a practice jersey.
#Blackhawks D-man Bo Byram will not play this evening against the Colorado Avalanche.
It looked like the addition of Byram, accompanied by the existence of Connor Bedard and the Patrick Kane reunion, might be enough to get Chicago back to being a playoff team, but with Byram unavailable for most of October and Bedard missing the first six games of the season, they haven’t been able to garner any early-season returns.
The Hawks felt like their last game was their best performance, that being the OTL to the Boston Bruins, so perhaps they are building toward something now that Bedard is back. The first overall pick in 2023 had a goal and an assist against the B’s and will have a tough test tonight against Colorado.
It’s looking like Mackenzie Blackwood vs. Spencer Knight, but only Spencer’s start has been officially confirmed. With Colorado on a back-to-back, the divisional game feels more important, so you go with your starter, Blackwood, who’s looked better and better as the season has gone on. How about that glove save against Calgary?
Spencer Knight is in the starter’s crease at morning skate. Blackhawks host Avalanche tonight.
The Colorado Avalanche have recalled defenseman Keaton Middleton from the Colorado Eagles, adding another option to their blue line ahead of a busy stretch of games.
According to Evan Rawal of The Denver Gazette, there are no reported injuries prompting the move. Colorado is bringing Middleton up to have an extra defenseman available for its back-to-back, which begins Monday against the Chicago Blackhawks at 6 p.m. and continues Wednesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets at 5 p.m.
The recall comes as the Avalanche continue adjusting to the loss of Josh Manson, who is expected to miss eight weeks with an ankle injury. Manson was injured during Wednesday's 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils, going down near the Colorado bench late in the first period. He struggled to get off the ice and needed assistance from a trainer before heading down the tunnel. He did not return.
Manson's absence has already forced Jared Bednar to make changes to his defensive pairings. Against New Jersey, Colorado deployed Brent Burns alongside Sam Malinski for the first time, hoping Burns' experience and communication could help the young defenseman find his game. The early results were encouraging, particularly after the Burns-Manson pairing had struggled in recent games.
Noah Juulsen has since stepped into Manson's spot, while Middleton gives the Avalanche another defenseman to turn to if needed.
Middleton has appeared in 47 career NHL games with Colorado, recording three assists. He played in just three games with the Avalanche last season before spending most of the year with the Eagles.
Through his first 11 appearances with Colorado's AHL affiliate this season, Middleton has recorded one assist, seven penalty minutes and a plus-2 rating.
Last season, the 30-year-old defenseman finished with four goals and 10 assists in 66 regular-season games with the Eagles. He added six points (one goal, five assists) in 17 playoff appearances as Colorado advanced to the Western Conference Finals.
Middleton is also familiar with Burns, having spent considerable time training alongside the veteran defenseman during the offseason. Should Colorado need to use him, that familiarity could come in handy.
The Avalanche will have another defenseman available as they work through Manson's extended absence. With Juulsen currently filling the opening in the lineup, Middleton's recall gives Bednar a little more flexibility without necessarily signaling another change to the blue line.
The Chicago Blackhawks (4-9-1) played an excellent game against the Boston Bruins on Saturday, but they still found a way to lose. The Bruins tied it with 10 seconds left in regulation before winning it in overtime.
Until that moment when the Bruins tied it, they had the game. They controlled play for most of the afternoon, forced turnovers, made plays in their offensive zone, and kept the Bruins’ attack at bay.
Now, the Blackhawks will look to build on their overall game in their next matchup. One of the powers in the Western Conference, the Colorado Avalanche, will be at the United Center, looking to make things incredibly difficult for the young Chicago team.
Scouting Colorado
The Colorado Avalanche (8-5-1) got off to a somewhat slow start, by their standards. Still, they are in a four-way battle with the Minnesota Wild, Utah Mammoth, and Dallas Stars for the top spot in the Central Division. It will be a battle until the very end.
Everything they do starts and ends with forward Nathan MacKinnon and defenseman Cale Makar. These are two of the five best players in the entire National Hockey League. Around them is a great supporting cast, most of whom have been there for a long time now.
Lehkonen - MacKinnon - Necas
Landeskog - Nelson - Roy
Schwartz - Kadri - Hughes
Kelly - Svechkov - Brindley
Toews - Makar
Kulak - Juulsen
Malinski - Burns
Blackwood
Wedgewood
Artturi Lehkonen and Marty Necas help MacKinnon run one of the most dominant lines in the league. Both of them are off to tremendous starts, and MacKinnon makes everyone better.
Having Brock Nelson and Nazem Kadri down the middle behind a superstar like MacKinnon makes them incredibly difficult to play against. Captain Gabriel Landeskog is set to play on the second line with Nelson, and he is fully back to being a solid NHL contributor.
Devon Toews is the perfect partner for Makar. They are so good as a pair that Team Canada brought Toews with them to the Olympics to keep that pair together. They aren't as strong on the back end as they once were, but that top pair makes it easier to navigate. One player to note is Brent Burns, who is one of the oldest players in the NHL, but he's a former superstar who remains fun to watch in his final years.
Whether it's MacKenzie Blackwood or Scott Wedgewood, the Avalanche run out a high-end starting goalie in every game. They also play a great team game in front of the goalie, making it easier for them to perform.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks played one of their best games of the season against the Bruins on Saturday, but they are making one lineup switch. Teuvo Teravainen will rejoin the lineup in place of Jordan Greenway.
Kantserov-Bedard-Donato
Bertuzzi-Frondell-Mangiapane
Moore-Nazar-Kane
Smith-Greene-Teravainen
Vlasic-Cole
Kaiser-Levshunov
Del Mastro-Rinzel
Knight
Teravainen is set to play on the fourth line with Ryan Greene and Cole Smith. It's a line with some skill and speed, but it can also bring a bit of physicality.
Any line with Connor Bedard will create chances. Ryan Donato and Roman Kantserov will play with him once again. The notable line right now is Anton Frondell, centering Tyler Bertuzzi and Andrew Mangiapane. On Saturday, Frondell was incredible, and as a trio, they are looking to continue that run.
Oliver Moore, Frank Nazar, and Patrick Kane are starting to gain some chemistry as well. For now, they will remain together, as Blashill doesn't have any plans to break up those top two lines.
On defense, things will stay the same. Bowen Byram was not skating with the team during morning skate. Blashill said he's seeing a specialist to figure out how to get over the last hump before returning. Byram has not yet been cleared medically to play.
Spencer Knight finally had a game off on Saturday, but he'll be right back in against the Avalanche on Monday.
Hometown Remix
On Monday morning, the National Hockey League and Fanatics revealed the 'Hometown Remix' collection for every team. The Chicago Blackhawks will don a new, fully green sweater and gear.
The Blackhawks will wear the new uniform on Monday night against the Avalanche, which will be their first of six times wearing it.
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. It can be seen locally on CHSN. Nationally, you can stream it on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 7:00 PM CT.
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TORRANCE, CA — Erik Gustafsson played two NHL games last season. He spent the rest of 2025-26 in Grand Rapids, where he posted 37 points in 39 AHL games for Detroit's affiliate. That ended a nine-season run as an NHL regular across eight clubs, a stretch of 226 points in 474 games without a single stop in the minors.
On paper, Gustafsson and a Los Angeles Kings team desperate for a rebound looked like a poor match, especially since he was the sole signing brought in to bolster one of the most stagnant defense corps in the league last season.
Bewildering to most, Ken Holland had already doubled down on the Kings archetype defenseman with Joel Edmundson and then padded it with Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci, all on a roster that already iced Mikey Anderson, a shutdown defenseman, and an aging stalwart in their newest captain, Drew Doughty. Brandt Clarke was the only true puck mover left from last season, a lone island in a sea of outdated archetypes after Jordan Spence’s departure.
After last season’s woeful results despite a caddy cornered divisional playoff gift, the Kings replaced the master and commander of their playing style and deployment with Peter Laviolette. With Gustafsson, they handed him some aging veterans, layering into the same personnel to run a new system.
Gustafsson has already quintupled his NHL games from last season. Laviolette has paired him with Clarke, and the Kings finally have a puck-moving, offensive pairing they missed for all of last season. A defenseman who spent 98 percent of last season in the AHL now plays over 20 minutes a night, at or near the top of the corps. He started the season as the seventh defenseman.
Give him his due. He is posting his highest average ice time since 2022-23, and he has seized the opportunity with aplomb. His lone goal came on the power play, a semi-breakaway born of his own skating and creativity through the breakout, something completely unimaginable for four of their defensive regulars. Beyond his lone goal thus far, he brings an element this corps simply did not have outside of Clarke.
This is not the 2018-19 Blackhawks Gustafsson who posted 60 points in 79 games, and nobody signed this version to be a top pairing defenseman, yet over his brief tenure he has become somewhat like that, someone to throw out on a powerplay unit and deploy in offensive situations.
As much as this is a hat tip to Gustafsson, it raises the obvious question: how does an AHL defenseman blitz past practically the entire Kings blue line in a month? The answer says far more about the blue line than it does about him, and about a franchise that has glossed over major holes through the Rob Blake and Holland eras, running into a wall that gets harder to climb every season.
Doughty has turned back the clock lately with multiple three-point games, passing Gustafsson in production, but a hot stretch does not change his inevitable decline, his pending next contract, or the presence of Cody Ceci, with whom the Kings have yet to win a game while dressed this season.
The pairing data makes the case on its own. Five Kings pairings have cleared 50 minutes together this season, and only one holds a positive expected goals share. You have probably already guessed it: Clarke and Gustafsson at 60.7 percent (23rd best pairing in expected goals for). Among 136 NHL pairings with 50 minutes together, Edmundson and Doughty (48.1 percent) rank 77th, Anderson and Dumoulin (44 percent) rank 99th, and Anderson and Ceci (35.3 percent) rank 125th. Every pairing outside of Clarke and Gustafsson carries more expected goals against than goals for, and Anderson's pairings with Ceci or Dumoulin sit a full goal or more underwater. It is early, but a gap between 60.7 and 35.3 percent is not noise, and no small sample caveat explains it away.
Corsi tells the same story, with shot attempts cratering the moment Gustafsson and Clarke leave the ice. The fifth and sixth defensemen are not supposed to be a team's Achilles' heel, but when the third through sixth defensemen all statistically buckle in their minutes, one has to wonder what management had in mind.
There was a time when right-shot defensemen were the most coveted commodity in this league, and the Kings still roster like that time never ended. Ceci's right shot is the strongest case for his $4.5 million, and handedness balance does matter, but it all comes down to the impact a player makes on the ice, and Ceci's impact sits 125th of 136 pairings. That outdated thinking has seemingly lived risk-free in Los Angeles until now. A $4.5 million defenseman sits in the press box while a defenseman who spent nearly all of last season in the AHL plays over him and drives more offense than as many as three of the six defensemen deployed.
Ran their team's power play, rostered in under 30% of leagues (Oct 31):
Kasperi Kapanen EDM 64% of the PP (7:18) Corey Perry LAK 74% of the PP (6:27) Erik Gustafsson LAK 55% of the PP (4:48) Kyle Palmieri NYI 51% of the PP (4:32) Brayden Schenn NYI 51% of the PP (4:31) pic.twitter.com/N2nK38cIzD
It is a black eye for an organization whose gaping holes, once again, are papered over with parchment. What is happening with Gustafsson proves exactly what this roster needs: legitimate puck movers. Alexander Nikishin was the fish that fit this exact category of change, and adding a puck mover of his caliber, or anywhere close, fundamentally changes the ceiling of this wavering franchise.
If one AHL defenseman can climb to the top of this corps in a month, imagine what a true top-four puck mover would do.
For a franchise that has spent near the cap, management's capacity for change and control is dubious at best when the team rests in the cellar of the league. As much as 'the move' is as obvious as it gets, which includes a center hunt, the franchise has proven far more stubborn under Holland than expected in addressing glaring red flags.
Teams that spend to the cap are typically in their contender phase. It doesn't take a magician to prove that this is a mirage in Los Angeles.
