Category: NHL

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Mathew Barzal scored in overtime, Ilya Sorokin stopped 33 of the 35 shots he faced and the New York Islanders bounced back from allowing the tying goal to Simon Nemec with 4.7 seconds left in regulation to beat the New Jersey Devils 3-2 on Monday night.

Barzal scored 1:17 into 3-on-3 OT to get the win, not long after Nemec’s shot at 6 on 5 with Jacob Markstrom pulled for an extra attacker beat Sorokin to extend the game. Nemec’s goal was ruled good after officials spent a few minutes reviewing it.

Kyle Palmieri had put the Islanders ahead on the power play with just under three minutes left in the third period. Palmieri scored it off a rebound of a shot by No. 1 pick Matthew Schaefer who has become the favorite to win the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year.

Palmieri also assisted on Bo Horvat’s tying goal 6:55 into the second. The Devils had taken an early lead on Timo Meier’s power-play goal 2:12 in, and the Islanders did not have their first shot on net until past the nine-minute mark.

Sorokin could not be blamed on Meier’s goal after some tic-tac-toe passing, and he was screened on Nemec’s first of the season. He continued his stretch of strong play since getting some practice tips recently from coach Patrick Roy, himself a Hall of Fame goaltender.

Markstrom made 22 saves for New Jersey.

Up next

Islanders: Visit the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night to open a three-game Western Conference road trip.

Devils: Visit the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night to begin a stretch of five consecutive games away from home.

The Colorado Avalanche have started the season on a tear, breaking franchise records seemingly every game. That’s the result of an offense as explosive as Colorado’s—relentless, fast, and skillful. At the heart of it all is Nathan MacKinnon, setting the pace and leading the charge, steadily etching his name deeper into Avalanche history. 

On Sunday, MacKinnon notched a five-point night, including two goals, and in the process surpassed Peter Šťastný for third place on the Avalanche’s all-time goals list with his 381st career goal. 

Maritime Hockey (@HockeyMaritime) on XWhat a performance from Nathan MacKinnon as he had two goals and five points in the Colorado Avalanche's 5-4 OT win against the Vancouver Canucks. The 2013 first overall pick currently leads the league in both goals (14) and points (29). #GoAvsGo

There is no shortage of superlatives to describe Nathan MacKinnon, yet even we’re beginning to exhaust the vocabulary. Entering the weekend, MacKinnon sat just behind young sensations Macklin Celebrini, 19, and Connor Bedard, 20, in the NHL scoring race. The 30-year-old’s response? A figurative “Watch this.” 

Nate Dogg Is Hungry 

Across back-to-back games against the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks, MacKinnon delivered a masterclass, piling up four goals and five assists for nine points. Colorado dismantled Edmonton in a 9–1 rout, then outlasted Vancouver 5–4 in an overtime thriller—each night punctuated by MacKinnon’s unmistakable imprint on the ice. 

Just when you thought the kids were pulling away, MacKinnon—carrying a noticeable chip—took a very on-brand chip out of Celebrini and Bedard’s early scoring cushion. If the NHL adopted a tradition from Major League Baseball, MacKinnon is in contention for the hockey Triple Crown. He leads in goals (14) and points (29). However, his 15 assists are technically tied for sixth best in the NHL, as Evgeni Malkin leads the way with 18 assists, Connor McDavid is in 2nd with 17, while three players, including Cale Makar are tied with 16 assists before we find MacKinnon with 15. 

When you add it all up, MacKinnon is on track for a career-best season—an impressive feat considering he tallied 140 points in 2023–24, with 51 goals and 89 assists while playing all 82 games for the fourth time in his career. Though the season is still young, he’s pacing for 72 goals and 77 assists, totaling a staggering 149 points. For comparison, last year’s Art Ross and Ted Lindsay winner, Nikita Kucherov of Tampa Bay, finished with 121 points, but MacKinnon is showing early that he could go even further. Could we be looking at a sweep of the Art Ross, Ted Lindsay, and Hart Memorial trophies? The ceiling is sky-high for Nathan MacKinnon, but it’s just as high for the rest of his teammates. 

The Avs Are a Scary Bunch 

What makes the Avalanche even more intimidating, however, is their depth. It’s one thing to marvel at the offensive exploits of the Oilers, with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl typically posting astronomical numbers as a duo, but Edmonton is top-heavy. They can deliver some big bombs, sure, but they also leave plenty of openings for opponents to exploit—evidenced by their eight-goal loss on home ice just a few nights ago to this team, and back-to-back defeats in the Stanley Cup Finals the last two seasons. 

Colorado is utterly stacked from top to bottom. You have two players in MacKinnon and Makar who are the best in their position. Forget the term arguably. It’s not even close right now. These two are the very best in their position and Martin Nečas, fresh off that eight-year, $92 million contract extension, give him a few years and maybe he’ll be in the conversation as the best winger in the NHL, but time will tell. And then you have to account for the rest of the team. 

2022 Vibes? 

15 different Avalanche players have found the back of the net so far this season, combining for a total of 64 goals. For context, the next closest team, the Montreal Canadiens, also have 15 goal scorers, but they’ve managed only 57 goals—showing that Colorado is not just spreading the scoring around, but also getting more production out of each individual through 16 games. 

And of course, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have the Nate Dogg himself driving the puck up the ice like a man possessed and snapping goals and setting up plays from every angle imaginable. But when I look at this team, there’s a lot of similarities to the 2022 Cup team.  

d (@avsinseider) on Xno championship win will ever hit as hard as the 2022 colorado avalanche winning the stanley cup. just goosebumps every single time i think about it

There’s that chemistry, the deep camaraderie, the genuine respect for one another, and a shared goal of becoming champions again. For many on this team, it would be their first taste of a championship, and for Brent Burns, a chance to cap his career at the very pinnacle. 

MacKinnon Triple Crown Bound? 

For Nathan MacKinnon, what could be more emblematic of supremacy than claiming the NHL Triple Crown? Only five players in league history have accomplished this rare feat: Howie Lorenz, Gordie Howe, Phil Esposito, Wayne Gretzky—who astonishingly achieved it seven times—and Mario Lemieux, who managed it twice. Even more remarkable, however, is that Gretzky alone paired the Triple Crown with a Stanley Cup victory in the same season, doing so three times in 1984, 1985, and 1987. In 1988, while Gretzky captured his final Cup with the Oilers, Lemieux captured his first Triple Crown that season, though the Pittsburgh Penguins somehow failed to make the playoffs despite his historical individual campaign. 

But if MacKinnon can capture the Triple Crown, he’d be the first to do it in more than 33 years. And if the Avalanche capture the Cup this season, MacKinnon will enter hockey immortality. 

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The Carolina Hurricanes’ 6-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday was a special game for two rookies. 

Both Charles-Alexis Legault and Joel Nystrom picked up their first NHL points. 

Legault recorded one goal and one assist, while Nystrom had an assist on the night, marking a memorable night for the two young players.

“You dream of scoring one since you've been a kid, so being able to get one tonight is a great feeling,” Legault said.

“Today, I got my first point, and I'm real happy for that,” Nystrom said.

Former Chicago Blackhawks goalie Malcolm Subban is taking his talents overseas.

HC Dynamo of the Czech Extraliga has announced that they have signed Subban for the rest of the 2025-26 season. 

Subban spent all of this past season at the American Hockey League (AHL) level with the Belleville Senators. In 24 games with Belleville, the former Blackhawk posted an 11-6-4 record, a .883 save percentage, and a 3.13 goals-against average. Now, with this latest move, Subban is continuing his career with HC Dynamo.

Subban spent two seasons with the Blackhawks from 2019-20 to 2020-21. In 17 games as a member of the Blackhawks over that span, he posted a 6-8-1 record, a .900 save percentage, and a 3.20 goals-against average.

Subban's time with the Blackhawks ended in December 2021 when he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for future considerations. From there, he had stops with the Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets, with his most recent NHL appearance coming during the 2023-24 season. 

Former Buffalo Sabres goaltender Malcolm Subban is on the move, as he has signed a one-year contract with HC Dynamo of the Czech Extraliga. 

Subban was acquired by the Sabres during the 2021-22 season from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for future considerations. He played four games with the Sabres during that season, where he posted a 0-2-1 record, a .871 save percentage, and a 4.85 goals-against average. 

Subban also spent the 2022-23 season with the Sabres' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans. In 39 games with Rochester that campaign, he recorded a 20-14-5 record, a .903 save percentage, a 2.94 goals-against average, and two shutouts. This would be Subban's final season with the Sabres organization.

Following his time with the Sabres, Subban made appearances with the Springfield Thunderbirds, Cleveland Monsters, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Belleville Senators. Now, he is set to play for his first international team by signing with HC Dynamo, where he should be a nice part of their roster. 

Former Buffalo Sabres forward Casey Mittelstadt is going to miss some time, as Boston Bruins head coach Marco Sturm shared that he is going to be out week-to-week due to a lower-body injury. 

With Mittelstadt being one of the Bruins' top forwards, they are undoubtedly going to miss him while he is sidelined. Based on Sturm's update, the former Sabre will be missing a decent amount of time, too, as he is considered week-to-week. 

Mittelstadt has recorded four goals, five assists, and nine points in 15 games this season with the Bruins. This was after he posted 15 goals, 25 assists, 40 points, and a minus-29 rating in 81 games split between the Colorado Avalanche and Bruins this past season.

Mittelstadt was selected by the Sabres with the eighth-overall pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. In 339 games over seven seasons with the Sabres from 2017-18 to 2023-24, he posted 62 goals, 124 assists, and 186 points. This included him scoring 15 goals and setting career highs with 44 assists and 59 points during the 2022-23 season with Buffalo.

Mittelstadt's time with the Sabres ended when he was traded to the Avalanche during the 2023-24 season in exchange for defenseman Bowen Byram. 

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It's been three games and three losses for the Detroit Red Wings, who disappointed on Sunday afternoon in front of a sold-out Little Caesars Arena crowd against the Chicago Blackhawks. 

Not only did the Red Wings once again not convert on multiple scoring opportunities, but they badly lost the special teams battle. The Blackhawks scored on all three power-play opportunities, while the Red Wings failed to do so on all five of their chances. 

Perhaps the biggest turning point of the afternoon was when the Red Wings barely generated any sustained offensive zone pressure during a four-minute power-play chance near the end of the game's middle frame. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Not only has Detroit's power-play slipped to the middle of the pack in the NHL, but their penalty killing, which had been vastly improved in the early goings of the campaign, has now also begun to sputter. 

"A game ago, we got scored on once and it was a back-check and a sort out," head coach Todd McLellan said about the goals Detroit surrendered while shorthandedl. "That can't happen.  The first goal, we had a clearing opportunity with a two-on-one, and we didn't get it out." 

"The third power-play goal, a walkout from below the goal line, we have the tools to take care of that and we just didn't get it done," he continued. "Much like our game right now where our power-play is scrambling, our penalty kill needs a polish up." 

The Red Wings have now scored just two goals in their last three combined games, which included a shutout loss against the powerful Vegas Golden Knights in Sin City.

They had no shortage of opportunities on Sunday with a total of 45 shots, but many of them were from distance and unscreened that goaltender Arvid Soderblom had no trouble with. 

Is putting an emphasis on scoring the greasy, garbage-style goals in close proximity to the net the cure for what ails Detroit right now? 

"You'd like to think so, but it has to happen first and then we'll see," McLellan said. "We’ve always been a pretty good entry team, make the plays and score off them. Those chances we can create. It’s the grind time, it’s the cycle time, it’s the grunt time, if you want to put it that way, where you really gotta dig in. We need to be better in those areas.”

One notable lineup switch that the Red Wings made before Sunday's game was the NHL debut of 2023 first-round draft pick Nate Danielson, who likely would have made the roster out of Training Camp had it not been for an injury. 

Lineup Shuffles Fail To Spark Red Wings, Offense Scores Just Six Goals in Last Five GamesLineup shuffles can't solve Red Wings' scoring drought. Injuries and slumps plague the offense, leaving fans searching for answers beyond Dylan Larkin.

Will there be additional changes prior to Thursday's contest? Don't be surprised, according to McLellan. 

“There will be a lot of discussions over the next few days of what we do with the units,” McLellan said.

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MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Hunter Skinner had some trials and tribulations on Sunday treking his way to St. Louis from Springfield, Mass. with plane delays, but now that the defenseman is here, the focus came along with it.

Skinner was called up from Springfield of the American Hockey League when the St. Louis Blues assigned Logan Mailloux to the Thunderbirds. The 24-year-old will be the seventh defenseman – for the time being – and just fit in any way he can after an extended training camp here in September.

“I feel good today, ready to go,” Skinner said. “Just come up here, put a smile on my face, work hard. Like I said before in camp, work hard, show them what I have, bring them what I can do to the table.”

Skinner, acquired from the New York Rangers with Sammy Blais in the trade that sent Vladimir Tarasenko and Niko Mikkola to New York on Feb. 9, 2023, has 203 games’ worth of AHL experience, including 157 the past three-plus seasons with the Thunderbirds, will do whatever is necessary and asked of him.

“I’m just going to wait on that call to get the nod to go in and if I do, make the best of my opportunity,” Skinner said. “Energy, physicality, I want to bring that to the best of my ability, honestly. Hopefully that can help turn some tides.”

Skinner, who mentioned in training camp he grew up as a forward, had career-highs in goals (eight), assists (15) and points (23) with Springfield last season and certainly grew on the coaching staff, which recognized the “energy, physicality, attitude,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “Plus he has a lot of confidence and poise with the puck. I don’t think people would describe him that way.”

* Is Sundqvist coming in, Bjugstad going out? – Monday’s practice lines had Oskar Sundqvist centering the Blues’ fourth line flanked by Alexey Toropchenko and Nathan Walker. That spot had been occupied of late by Nick Bjugstad, who was the extra with Alexandre Texier.

Sundqvist has been a healthy scratch the past two games and could be a case of getting him back in the mix somewhere. But could it be at the expense of Bjugstad, who has been solid with the Blues since signing this past simmer?

“It’s more about getting Sunny into the lineup. It’s not dead set that that’s the lineup for tomorrow,” Montgomery said of a matchup with the Calgary Flames. “Bjugstad, what I love is he’s a great pro. He’s done really good things, and he was really good in practice today. He’s going to be hard to take out.”

* Dvorsky gets shot with Kyrou, Holloway – It was the line that galvanized the Blues’ season down the stretch last season with Brayden Schenn between Dylan Holloway on the left and Jordan Kyrou on the right.

And while that combination hasn’t been used often – yet – this season, it will be Dalibor Dvorsky’s turn there on Tuesday.

“They’re going to have to take care of Dvorsky,” Montgomery said of Kyrou and Holloway. “Schenn was taking care of them last year. Now it’s on them to be leaders and take a young guy under their wing who’s got incredible potential who’s played really good hockey for us. You want to see if there’s a spark there, if there’s some chemistry.”

In the meantime, Schenn once again has altered a role that best suits a team. And playing on the wing.

“I thought he’s played really well outside of the Washington game, but that was the whole team laying an egg in Washington,” Montgomery said of Schenn. “I think he’s been getting more opportunities offensively, and defensively he’s done a good job as a winger.”

* Joseph takes tumble in practice – Mathieu Joseph was able to finish practice on Tuesday but not without a bit of pain.

The forward collided and fell along the boards during a drill, compromising something with his lower body that needed some rest and attention by the Blues’ training staff on the bench.

Joseph, who’s off to a real solid start to the season, was able to finish the practice and seemed fine in the locker room afterwards.

“I didn’t check with the trainers to see where he’s at,” Montgomery said. “We’ll have an update tomorrow.”

St. Louis Blues Prospect Report (Nov. 9, 2025)Tomas Mrsic starting to feel the scoring after adjustment at Colorado College; Adam Jiricek's offense highlighting his season at Brantford; Matvei Korotky injured in RussiaLogan Mailloux Can Always Lean On Blues Teammate Who Knows What It's Like To Break Into NHLTyler Tucker knows pipeline between Springfield, St. Louis in efforts to crack NHL lineup, finally doing it last year after almost three years of ups, downsBlues Already Moved Past Saturday's ControversyGoalie interference call that wasn't made allowed Seattle to tie it late, win in OT; Sunday's practice was more geared towards pushing each other to be better, end with bag skateBlues Assign Mailloux To Springfield, Recall SkinnerDefenseman acquired from Canadiens for Zack Bolduc will go down to AHL, play big minutes, variety of roles and get a "reset," GM said

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The Boston Bruins have the hockey world wondering if the B’s are officially back. After stringing together five consecutive wins, Boston has climbed to second place in the Atlantic Division, trailing only the Montreal Canadiens. Oddsmakers seem confident in Montreal’s strong start, giving the Habs -277 odds to make the playoffs but what about Boston’s chances?

The Bruins didn’t just miss the playoffs last season; they were among the league’s bottom teams, finishing with a rough 33-39-10 record. This year, Boston’s resurgent start to the season has not done much to shift perceptions. The Bruins now hold +425 odds to make the postseason, thanks largely to their hot start and standout performances from their top players.

Bank On Blue Jackets Exploiting Oilers’ Leaky DefenseCan the Blue Jackets' offense exploit the Oilers' shaky goaltending? Expect fireworks as both teams battle to break winless streaks.

Superstar winger David Pastrnak has led the charge with eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points in 17 games, reminding fans why he’s considered one of the NHL’s elite scorers. His new linemate, 27-year-old Morgan Geekie, has been a revelation. Following a breakout 57-point campaign last year, Geekie has picked up where he left off, tallying 11 goals, which is tied for third in the league, along with four assists for 15 points through 17 games.

Offseason addition Viktor Arvidsson is also making his mark. After being traded away by Edmonton for next to nothing following a disappointing 27-point season, Arvidsson is finding new life in Boston’s top six. With eight points in 17 games, he’s on pace for just under 40 points, his best projection since posting 59 with the Kings two years ago.

Center Pavel Zacha has quietly been a consistent producer as well, registering four goals and ten assists for 14 points while anchoring the second line alongside Arvidsson. On the back end, Charlie McAvoy has been thriving offensively, racking up 12 assists in 16 games, his best pace in recent memory.

Still, Boston’s turnaround hasn’t been without questions. While their five-game winning streak has sparked excitement, it hasn’t come against the stiffest competition. Three of those victories came in overtime against the Sabres, Senators, and Islanders, and their win over the injury-depleted Maple Leafs raised some eyebrows. Their most impressive outing was a 2–1 triumph over the Eastern Conference favorite Hurricanes, where goaltender Jeremy Swayman stole the show with 28 saves on 29 shots.

The coming weeks will be crucial as Boston faces several of the same teams it narrowly edged out, including Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Carolina, before embarking on a California road trip. That stretch could prove tricky, as even strong teams like the Jets have stumbled against the improving Sharks, Ducks, and Kings.

If the Bruins drop a few games but maintain the strong fundamentals that fueled their win streak, the narrative around them could continue to shift. For now, though, it’s fair to question whether Boston’s hot streak is truly sustainable or just a temporary spark. 

Jack Eichel’s MVP Case Strengthens Amid Golden Knights’ Dominant StartEichel's offensive explosion fuels the Golden Knights' hot streak. Can this star-studded lineup carry him to MVP glory?

All betting lines are from BetMGM Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly. 

Sign up with BetMGM, make a deposit, and place your first wager on any game using your First Bet Offer token. If that bet with the token applied loses, you’ll get your original stake paid back in Bonus Bets, up to $1,500! Get in the game today with BetMGM.

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The Hockey News Big Show is here to discuss more big topics in the NHL and beyond

What Are The Oilers Missing Right Now? by The Big Show

Here’s what Ryan Kennedy, Michael Traikos and Ken Campbell discussed in this episode:

0:40: What's wrong with the Edmonton Oilers, and what can be done to fix it?

3:52: Are the Oilers really missing Corey Perry right now? 

5:55: Do the Toronto Maple Leafs have a goaltending problem or does most of their struggles fall on the defense? 

9:18: How do you think Joseph Woll’s return will affect Anthony Stolarz’s performance? 

11:18: Did people get concerned about Connor Bedard too early?

16:48: How important is Year 3 in a career for Bedard and NHL players in general?

18:37: Name a player you think has jumped into the superstar category this season.

22:30: Hockey Hall of Fame talk: where does Zdeno Chara rank all-time among NHL defensemen? Is he up there with Bobby Orr and Nicklas Lidstrom?

28:50: Boston University icon Jack Parker coached the Terriers for 40 years, even when he had NHL offers. With how often NHL coaches get fired, did he have it right? 

32:36: Could we see David Carle as an NHL coach in a couple of years? 

34:00: Ken Campbell spent some time in Czechia recently and interviewed Dominik Hasek. He discusses that and whether Prague is still incredibly underrated as a city.

38:54: Who will get inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame next year? Candidates include Carey Price, Ryan Getzlaf, Patrice Bergeron, Phil Kessel and Eric Staal?

43:04: Should the NHL retire Alexander Ovechkin's number?

43:58: Who's your Hart Trophy front-runner?

Watch the full episode here

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

The Detroit Red Wings have lost four of their last five games, raising growing concerns about their offense after scoring just six goals during that stretch. Several players are struggling to find their rhythm, and expectations not being met.

Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) on XFinal

Forward Marco Kasper had his late-season breakout last year that gave many the belief that the youngster would be able to build on that success with the help of veterans Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane on his line. 

The hope was that Kasper would produce points while developing into one of the most important positions in hockey right now as a second-line center. That has not materialized, as Kasper has just three goals and no assists through 16 games and has been moved out of the top six to the third line. In Sunday’s loss to the Blackhawks, he shifted to left wing to play alongside Mason Appleton and rookie Nate Danielson, who made his NHL debut.

Once again, the only line able to generate offense was the top unit as center Dylan Larkin scored to tie the game at 1–1 before Chicago responded with four unanswered goals. Relying so heavily on one line will not be enough in today’s NHL and the Red Wings appeared to have that depth scoring early on, but several players have cooled off.

Head coach Todd McLellan made adjustments, promoting J.T. Compher to second-line center. Compher, a former 50-point player, could solidify that spot if he can build on his recent success, including a goal in Detroit’s 4–1 loss to the New York Rangers last Friday. The hope is that his presence can help elevate the DeBrincat–Kane duo into a status similar to early this season, when the two were helping Detroit win games. They saw their chances in the loss with nine shots on net but couldn't muster up a much-needed goal. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Red Wings Prospect Nate Danielson Impresses in NHL DebutDespite a scoreless NHL debut, Nate Danielson showcased tenacious play, creating chances and limiting opponents' offensive pressure.

The bottom of the lineup has seen significant changes with rookie Nate Danielson centering the third line, which has pushed other players out of the rotation. Fellow rookie forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, who began the season with the team, is back to the AHL to continue his development as roster space tightens and likely won't be back till next season. 

This competition mainly impacts forwards like Michael Rasmussen, Elmer Soderblom, and Jonatan Berggren, who are battling for a single available roster spot as it's unlikely that veterans Andrew Copp or James van Riemsdyk will be scratched from the fourth line. Soderblom earned the start on Sunday, but that could change as McLellan looks for the right combination. The Red Wings may also explore trade options for Berggren, a 25-year-old former second-round pick who still holds value around the league.

Detroit’s recent struggles and frequent lineup changes have made it difficult for players to build chemistry. Moving forward, the team hopes to stabilize its lines, make only minor adjustments, and ensure that depth players still get ice time. Above all, the Red Wings need more consistent production throughout the lineup if they want to prove they are legitimate contenders and not just an early-season surprise. Hopefully the lineup adjustments can prove to make a difference or the team will need to start exploring other options. 

Projected Detroit Red Wings Lineup (Nov. 13 vs. Anaheim Ducks)

Emmitt Finnie - Dylan Larkin - Lucas Raymond

Alex DeBrincat - J.T. Compher - Patrick Kane

Marco Kasper - Nate Danielson - Patrick Kane

Elmer Soderblom - Andrew Copp - James van Riemsdyk

Simon Edvinsson - Moritz Seider

Ben Chiarot - Axel Sandin-Pellikka

Albert Johansson - Travis Hamonic 

Cam Talbot

John Gibson

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After a deserved day off, the Montreal Canadiens were back on the ice this morning in Brossard, but one player was missing: captain Nick Suzuki, who was having treatment. This is the second practice the top-line center has missed recently, and it’s not surprising. Since he blocked a shot in the dying seconds of the game against the Philadelphia Flyers, he hasn’t had the same spring in his step, so to speak.

Since he started skating in the NHL, Suzuki has not missed a single game, a 470-game streak in a tough league. Hockey players being what they are, it’s evident that there have been times when the captain has played through bumps and bruises and perhaps even a little bit more than that, as evidenced by the fact he turned down Team Canada’s invitation to play in the World Championships a couple of times in the past.

Canadiens: Caufield And Demidov Putting Up Impressive Numbers
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Former Canadiens Winger Is Red-Hot Right Now

There’s no denying that Suzuki is the motor of the team, and any length of absence from him would be a disaster for Martin St-Louis’ team. As things stand, there are no indications that he could miss Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings.

Speaking to the media after practice, Zachary Bolduc said the Habs needed to work on their shot volume, which makes sense. In their last three games, they could only manage 23, 19 and 20 shots. While that may suffice on some nights, it probably wouldn’t cut it against a red-hot goaltender, but Martin St-Louis isn’t worried about it. Asked how he plans for the moment his team won’t be able to keep up its 13% shooting rate, the bench boss explained that he doesn’t plan for the moment his team won’t score as many goals, and nobody can blame him for that.

As for defenseman Mike Matheson, he was asked what explains the fact that, last season at this stage, the Canadiens were dead last in the standings, and that they are now at the top of the division and flirting with the league lead. The veteran explained that it was all a matter of consistency. The Habs are definitely doing things better than they did last year, and they are doing so consistently. It makes sense, especially since St-Louis has been telling us for years that consistency is what’s harder to get from young players.

For me, the best example of the Habs doing it the right way is how the five-man unit is committed to playing the defensive side of the game. On Saturday night against the Utah Mammoth, it was Kirby Dach’s active stick on defence that allowed him to take flight and score the Tricolore’s sixth goal of the season. As for Juraj Slafkovsky, he’s now playing a more physical game on the forecheck, and he’s doing it every game. In 15 games, he has 27 hits and battles a lot more by the boards, even when he doesn’t come throwing his body around.

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For the week ending on November 9th, Connor Bedard was named the Second Star Of The Week in the NHL. This comes after a dominant week on the road in which he scored three goals and seven assists for ten points in four games played. 

Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche was the first star with four goals, six assists, and ten points in four games. Leo Carlsson of the Anaheim Ducks had five goals and four assists for nine points to earn the third star honors. 

NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) on XNathan MacKinnon, Connor Bedard and Leo Carlsson have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Nov. 9. 3 Stars of the Week presented by @GEICO #NHLStats: https://t.co/dglLfX1W08

Each of the first two picks in the 2023 NHL Draft, Bedard and Carlsson, are stars of the week. They are more than happy to share the spotlight with a player like Nathan MacKinnon, who is on the fast track to the Hall of Fame. 

Bedard is deserving of NHL recognition. He took some time to break out as a top scorer in the league, but he always had the talent to do so. The team around him is better, and he is starting to show the maturity needed on the ice to take those talents to the next level. 

With his abilities, expect Bedard to be a star of the week many times during his NHL career. As he continues to put together an Olympic-worthy resume, the point totals are going to continue climbing up. 

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According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Buffalo Sabres have placed forward Carson Meyer on waivers. 

Meyer being placed on waivers indicates that he is ready to get his 2025-26 season started. The 28-year-old forward had been sidelined since the start of the season due to injury. 

The Sabres signed Meyer this off-season to a two-year, two-way contract in free agency. This was after the Powell, Ohio native spent this past season with the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League (AHL), posting nine goals, 12 assists, 21 points, and 20 penalty minutes in 29 games. 

If the Meyer clears waivers, he will join the Sabres' AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans and should be a key part of their forward group. 

In 41 career NHL games over three seasons, Meyer has recorded two goals, four assists, six points, 14 penalty minutes, 90 hits, and a minus-4 rating. He last appeared at the NHL level during the 2023-24 season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he posted one goal, one assist, and a career-high 37 hits.