Category: Ice Hockey

Offence was hard to come by for the Vancouver Canucks in their second pre-season game. In their 3–1 loss to the Calgary Flames, Vancouver registered a grand total of 10 shots compared to Calgary’s 31. Arshdeep Bains scored the lone goal for the Canucks, while Kevin Lankinen stopped 28 of 31 shots faced. 

Tonight’s lineup gave a bit of insight into how the Canucks’ leadership delegation could go in the future. Once again dressing a younger lineup, with Aatu Räty being the Canucks skater with the most NHL experience with 114 games, Vancouver distributed their ‘A’s to three players tonight — Bains, Guillaume Brisebois, and Tom Willander. 

Vancouver’s biggest standout in tonight’s game was by far Lankinen, who kept the Canucks in the game despite the team barely generating any offence throughout the second period. The goaltender stopped 21 straight shots before the Flames finally found the back of the net 15 minutes into the second frame. 

Neither team was able to find the back of the net during the first period, though both were given power-play opportunities to try and beat the oppositions’ goaltender. Both Vancouver’s first (Braeden Cootes, Bains, Trey Fix-Wolansky, Adam Novotný, and Willander) and second-units (Riley Patterson, Matthew Stienburg, Ty Mueller, Ilya Safonov, and Kirill Kudryavtsev) were unable to put together sustained O-zone time during their opportunities. 

Things got a little chippy halfway through the second period after Flames forward Martin Pospisil cross-checked Aatu Räty off a draw. More pushing and shoving occurred the play after, with the result being Calgary forward Maxim Tsyplakov sent to the box for grabbing Räty’s visor. Willander took an interference penalty less than 20 seconds into Vancouver’s power-play, putting the two teams on 4-on-4 for a little over a minute and 30 seconds. 

That wasn’t the end of the rough stuff, however. Flames defenceman Kevin Bahl got into post-whistle shoving matches with both Brisebois and Jimmy Schuldt, while Safonov tussled with Zayne Parekh. 

Interference penalties made a difference in tonight’s game, as the Canucks took two at two important times throughout the match. The first interference penalty was given to Willander, who caught the skate of Samuel Honzek, taking his team off a power-play and putting them at 4-on-4. The second put Ben Berard in the penalty box, with Calgary scoring on the ensuing man-advantage. 

Two of the Flames’ three second-period goals came off the rush, with the first goal, scored on the power-play, occurring after Parekh sent Joel Farabee and Matvei Gridin in on Lankinen in the midst of a Vancouver line change. The second came only a couple of minutes after Calgary’s first goal, with Flames forward Matt Coronato capitalizing on an odd-man rush. 

In an attempt to generate more offence, the Canucks switched up their line combinations during the third period. Patterson started the period with Cootes and Bains, Fix-Wolansky skated with Novotný and Brooks Rogowski, and Räty centered Berard and Mueller. 

The change seemed to work in Vancouver’s favour, as a combination effort from Cootes, Patterson, and Bains got the Canucks on the scoreboard with around 13 minutes to go in the game. Notably, Cootes and Bains showed chemistry during training camp and combined for two goals in Vancouver’s first pre-season game against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday. 

A penalty taken by Bahl with seven minutes to go in the game put Vancouver on their second full power play of the night. Afer the first unit was unable to properly break into Calgary’s zone, the second group came out with a little less than a minute to go in the man-advantage. The Canucks finished the power-play without registering a shot on goal. 

By the time the final whistle rang, the Canucks registered a total of 13 scoring chances-for throughout the entire game. In comparison, Calgary put up 43. 

While the numbers don't look pretty, the Canucks can take comfort — though not a lot — in the fact that Calgary dressed their near-full NHL lineup. It's likely that Vancouver will roll with a more-experienced lineup come their next pre-season game on Thursday night. 

Stats and Facts: 

• Canucks register first shot of the second period with 5:50 minutes remaining 
• Victor Mancini finishes with the highest TOI of all Canucks skaters with 21:51 minutes played 
• Aatu Räty registers a faceoff win percentage of 75%

Scoring Summary: 

1st Period: 

No Scoring. 

2nd Period: 

15:00 - CGY: Joel Farabee (1) from Matvei Gridin and Zayne Parekh (PPG)

17:30 - CGY: Matt Coronato (1) from Morgan Frost and Matvei Gridin 

18:58 - CGY: Samuel Honzek (1) from Zayne Parekh and Joel Farabee 

3rd Period: 

6:22 - VAN: Arshdeep Bains (2) from Braeden Cootes 

Up Next: 

The Canucks return home for the remainder of the pre-season, taking on the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night at 6:00 pm PT. As well, from the 24th to the 26th, the team will be holding their first-ever Fan Fest. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

5 Canucks Players To Watch In Pre-Season Game 2 Against The Flames

How A New Rule Is Impacting The Canucks' 2026 Pre-Season Lineups

Canucks Kirill Kudryavtsev Discusses Recovering From A Two-Month Injury, Playing For Manny Malhotra And His Goal Of Becoming A Full-Time NHLer

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Rangers gave Alberts Smits an unobstructed runway to fill a vacancy on the third pair, and the 18-year-old is preparing for takeoff.

Smits was a standout in an otherwise frustrating 4-3 loss to the Islanders in their second exhibition game of the preseason Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. Not only did he register the primary assist on the Blueshirts’ third goal, but the Latvian defenseman was sound defensively against an NHL-heavy Isles lineup.

“I felt pretty much comfortable at this speed,” Smits said after the loss, in which the Rangers blew a 3-0 lead as the Islanders scored three unanswered power-play goals.

Since the start of training camp, Smits has skated on the left side of the third pair alongside Braden Schneider.

The Rangers are giving their 2026 fifth overall pick every chance to show he’s ready to make the jump to the NHL. It’s one thing not to look out of place in training camp, but it’s an entirely different feat to look as sturdy as Smits did in his first unofficial NHL game.

Taylor Raddysh got a stick on a perfectly placed puck from Smits at the high slot to give the Rangers a 3-0 lead just under 7 ¹/₂ minutes into the second period.

Smits more than held his own in a physical, scrum-heavy environment. He was strong in the corners and unfazed with the puck on his stick. Logging 15:29 of ice time, Smits also saw 3:33 on the penalty kill.

“I thought he played well,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “One of the biggest challenges for young players is just the physical size and strength of the guys in this league, and I mean you guys can see it, he’s a man as an 18-year-old. His physical stature. He’s big and strong. He has the ability to battle on pucks. He’s big enough and strong enough to compete in this league, that’s one challenge I think he’s already met. He makes a really nice play on Taylor Raddysh’s goal, just looking for that stick in the high slot, just getting his head up and just the awareness to make that play.

“I thought his gaps were really good. He’s a mobile guy. He’s got a long reach. He’s got a long stick. So he’s hard to play against. I thought he had a strong game tonight. We’re real encouraged to this point with what we’ve seen.”

The Rangers deepened their pool of players who could upgrade the second power-play unit, but don’t expect to see more balanced ice time between the two groups.

“I think our second power-play unit is more of a threat with some of the people that are on it, and I think as far as how the time is distributed, I think that will play itself out,” Sullivan said. “I do believe strongly that the top power-play unit is really good, and I think they showed last year — certainly the core of that group is still back. And those guys were certainly a bright spot of the team with how they performed on the power play, and so I would anticipate them getting a long look. I think they deserve it. I also think it gives us the best chance to win.”

Sean Durzi, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Eeli Tolvanen, Gabe Perreault and Liam Greentree skated on the second unit in the loss Tuesday night.

Sullivan did not have an update on forward Adam Sykora or defenseman Vincent Iorio, who both left Monday’s game against the Devils with lower-body injuries.

The two did not skate Tuesday and were still being evaluated.

Seven of the 20 Rangers in the lineup Tuesday were acquired in the offseason. Six of them registered at least one point in the loss.

During Monday's pre-season opener against the Buffalo Sabres, everything seemed to go right for the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Unfortunately, that was not the case on Tuesday.

After a 4-1 victory in game one, the Penguins dropped their second game of the pre-season to the Detroit Red Wings, 7-4, in a game that went downhill quickly and sharply. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard led the way for Detroit with two goals, while Penguins' goaltender Arturs Silovs had a night to forget, allowing seven goals on 23 Red Wings' shots. 

Although the goaltending was subpar in this one, the team as a whole began to fall apart in the second period before surrendering four goals in the third.  

 "I thought we gave up way too much tonight," head coach Dan Muse said. "We have more games coming up, we have more practice time. Arty showed last year, too, what he can do in this league. So, it's not like we're suddenly forgetting about that. He's a guy whose game came a long way just last year, and I believe it's going to continue to come a long way moving forward."

The Penguins opened up the scoring in this one on a first-period penalty kill, when defenseman Ilya Solovyov found Nick Robertson streaking down the right side. Robertson used his speed and edgework to beat the defender one-on-one and cut across the front of the net, burying the puck blocker-side and giving the Penguins the 1-0 lead.

Nick Robertson's got his first in new colors! 💛 pic.twitter.com/ZLVzwm4pFm

— NHL (@NHL) September 22, 2026

Brandsegg-Nygard responded within the final two minutes of the opening frame with his first goal, and Mason Appleton and Axel Sandin-Pellikka scored 31 seconds apart before the five-minute mark of the second period to put Detroit ahead, 3-1. Rickard Rakell cut the deficit to one in the latter half of the period on a nice feed from Sam Girard, and 3-2 was the score going into second intermission.

That's when the wheels fell off the wagon. A little more than five minutes in, Brandsegg-Nygard scored his second to make it 4-2, and although Kaedan Korczak responded with a snipe from the right point a few minutes later, Pittsburgh never really took back control of the game. Consecutive goals by Ondrej Becher, Wilmer Skoog, and Jesse Kiiskinen sealed the Penguins' fate, even with a late goal by Rutger McGroarty off a nice give-and-go with Markus Ruck.

UNREAL PLAY FROM THE RUCK TWINS AND RUTGER MCGROARTY!

Beautiful steal from Liam Ruck, followed by an even prettier give-and-go between Markus Ruck and Rutger McGroarty!pic.twitter.com/DFllJQ1ZSX

— Pens System (@PensSystem) September 23, 2026

Here are some takeaways from game two of the Penguins' pre-season:

- Yes, it's only the pre-season, and everyone is just getting warmed up for regular season action.

But this was not a good performance by Silovs in any way.

Yes, he earned that 1A spot with his outstanding performance against the Philadelphia Flyers in Round 1 last postseason, and yes, he will begin the season on the NHL roster. Muse basically said as much during his postgame presser, when he reiterated that Silovs's performance from last season cannot be forgotten about when evaluating the situation in goal this season.

However, given how well Sergei Murashov and Joel Blomqvist have performed in the pre-season up to his point, Silovs needs to make sure a performance like this doesn't follow him into the regular season. There's a giant target on his back, and two young, promising goaltenders won't be relenting anytime soon.

'I Don't Just Want To Be Known As A Passer': Markus Ruck Excited To Start Development Journey With Penguins Penguins' 2026 second-rounder Markus Ruck is looking forward to his developmental journey with the Penguins.

- I wrote two summers ago that the Penguins should pursue Robertson (this one, anyway). And, again, it's only the pre-season, so everything must be taken with a grain of salt. 

But I really like what I'm seeing from him so far in this camp. He's easily been one of the standouts, and he looks like a natural fit on both the penalty kill unit and on the top line with Sidney Crosby and Rakell.

His speed is a huge factor, but he can shoot the puck, too. And his defensive awareness seems to be a bit better than what waas advertised when he came over from the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer.

"You saw a lot of what he's shown already throughout trainimg camp," Muse said of Robertson's game. "Just the speed, the tenacity, the ability to hunt pucks. I thought that [the shorthanded goal] was a good example. He makes good defensive reads, and we wanted to get him some time here early on and get to see him on the penalty kill. And I thought - obviously, the shorthanded goal was nice to see - but, also, just from what we've seen so far, he's shown the ability to make those reads defensively.

"We know he's going to work. I think just that speed, the quickness, the tenacity he plays with is obviously a major factor and a big part of his game."

I've seen several others say this at this point, but he reminds me a bit of Pascal Dupuis as a complementary piece on that line. His forechecking and speed are legit, but I also think there is a bit higher upside in terms of goal-scoring.

We'll see how things progress into the season, but I think this could be a really good pickup for the Penguins. 

Monday Mailbox: Who Are Some Young Penguins To Watch? Where Will They Finish? Trades On Horizon? This And More.THN - Pittsburgh Penguins editor Kelsey Surmacz answers fan questions regarding training camp, young players, and more.

- I thought the third line of Rutger McGroarty, Bill Zonnon, and Atley Calvert got some great looks early on. Their game faded a bit as the team's overall game faded later, but overall, they were pretty solid. 

It was nice to see McGroarty notch that goal at the end, too. I'm not sure there is space for him on the NHL roster to start the season, and I'd like for him to start showing more in other aspects of the game. But that goal, although meaningless, had to feel good.

- Speaking of which, the Rucks looked really good on that McGroarty goal, too. Liam - notching his second helper of the night - forced a turnover along the wall and fed it to McGroarty in the slot. McGroarty was decisive in getting the puck over the Markus on the right side, and Markus fed it right back for a nice finish.

Honestly, I thought both twins looked pretty good in this one. It's always interesting to see how newly drafted prospects look in NHL game action during the pre-season, and they didn't really look out of place for it being their first NHL tilt.

Individually, I actually thought Liam looked right at home on that second power play unit, and he made some cerebral offensive plays to help generate chances throughout the night. Markus could stand to work on his skating a bit, but he was also attacking the offensive zone and made a few nice reads in the defensive zone, too.

Overall, it was a good first outing for both. They're likely bound for Medicine Hat - whether that's at the same time or at different times during camp - but they looked good in their first taste of NHL action.

#Pens Markus (and Liam) Ruck on preseason game opportunity with Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby pic.twitter.com/sdUmucRn8u

— 93.7 The Fan (@937theFan) September 23, 2026

- I really like how Sam Girard has looked throughout the pre-season, and he turned in a nice performance Tuesday. It's clear as day that he is healthy, he's got more jump to his step, and he's a heck of a lot more confident with the puck than he was after the trade last season.

I like the way he and Korczak tandemed, too. Korczak doesn't do anything flashy, but he is pretty solid defensively, and he and Girard were reading off each other nicely. 

I imagine this will be the Penguins' third pairing to begin the season.

- I think Solovyov was particularly noticeable in this one. He may not be the most fleet of foot, but his decision-making is quick, and his breakouts are solid. He never holds onto the puck too long, and he's rarely caught out of position despite his footspeed.

He played well in the games where he saw action last season, and yes, he is going to struggle against some of the league's faster teams. But he's a nice option as a seventh defenseman, and unless Jake Livanavage really impresses in his taste of pre-season action - presumably, on Thursday - I think Tuesday's performace probably won Solovyov that spot.

Pre-Season: Rust Leads Way As Penguins Defeat Sabres, 4-1The Penguins earned a victory in their first pre-season tilt Monday.

- Finally, a note about another new blueliner: Declan Carlile was an angry man in this one. 

He took exception to Detroit's harassment of Crosby throughout the game, and it was only a matter of time before the ticking time bomb in Carlile went off. That finally happened in the third period, when he took it all out on Skoogs and earned a double-minor for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct, and Brandsegg-Nygard scored his second goal on that four-minute man advantage. 

If anything, it's a good sign that the Penguins appear to have a few guys willing to step in when guys like Crosby are messed with. Carlile doesn't shy away from that aspect of the game, and it certainly got to a tipping point Tuesday.

"Taking that penalty at the end, I think it was just... I kind of had enough of it throughout the game, and it is what it is," he said.

I'd expect a lot of fisticuffs from Carlile this season. 

Two Penguins' Forwards Out Week-To-WeekTwo Pittsburgh Penguins forwards got injured during training camp.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!  

It took nearly two years and two partial knee replacements for Semyon Varlamov to get to this point. It took 662 days from his last NHL game — Nov. 29, 2024 — until Tuesday night, when he was staring down Alexis Lafrenière on a breakaway early in the third period in his most difficult chance since completing his improbable return.

Lafrenière had split Kashawn Aitcheson and Scott Mayfield. He moved to his backhand and then went back to his forehand. But Varlamov followed him the whole way, turning aside the shot during the Islanders’ 4-3 preseason win over the Rangers on Tuesday at the Garden.

He didn’t face many chances after taking over for Ilya Sorokin with 10:15 left in the second, only needing to make 10 saves, but it marked another promising step for Varlamov just over one week before their season opener.

“I haven’t played for a while in this league,” Varlamov said, “and, for me, it was a very special moment.”

By the time the second period dipped under 12 minutes, Varlamov had replaced his baseball hat with his goalie helmet on the Islanders’ bench. He shook his blocker, fixed his glove and then grabbed his stick as play continued, inching closer to the point when he’d finally enter. Then he skated onto the ice, tapped gloves with Sorokin as they crossed paths and returned to an NHL crease.

Through his grueling recovery, Varlamov, 38, found a way to keep his vision for inching back to the Islanders intact. He still has plenty of boxes left to check before his role is solidified. There’s a massive gap between splitting a preseason game and making 25 to 30 starts as the primary backup to Sorokin, but Varlamov said that he doesn’t need to manage his knees at this point. He also made a strong save on a tough shot from Sean Durzi with around 2:40 left in the second period.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Varlamov said. “I don’t have to do anything. The knees are feeling good, and I just have to play a few games before the season. Next time, I’ll be playing the full game, and then I really want to see how everything responds — it’ll be important for me to get through the game and get the full game to play.”

Varlamov admitted last week that his thought for the surgeries was “crazy,” a “very risky idea” and something that he knew he wanted to try because — despite a lengthy career that began with the Capitals as a first-round pick in 2006 and also included an eight-year run with the Avalanche — he didn’t want to stop playing. When he got injured in 2024, Varlamov had gone 3-4-3 with an .889 save percentage to start the season.

But it took time for Varlamov’s vision for his recovery to take tangible steps. It required David Rittich backing up Sorokin last year, though Varlamov managed to log a pair of games with AHL Bridgeport at the end of last season while on a conditioning assignment. He allowed three goals, made 46 saves, picked up a pair of wins and, perhaps most importantly, demonstrated that his improbable return actually had a realistic chance of happening.

The Islanders still braced for the worst in the offseason, inking Vitek Vanecek to a one-year deal worth $1 million in free agency. They could keep three goaltenders on their roster, though DeBoer admitted that it “does handcuff you.”

But by making his expected return to an NHL-level game, Varlamov demonstrated that he’s one step closer to stepping back into his Islanders role that — for the longest time — seemed like it was in jeopardy. And the scene once the final horn sounded at the Garden, as his Islanders teammates — starting with Matthew Schaefer, Adam Pelech and Casey Cizikas — gave Varlamov long embraces, captured the weight of the moment.

“Just really impressive when you think about what he’s gone through in the last year, how hard he’s worked to come back, even the situation tonight — he’s playing the second half of the game, so he’s going in there cold,” head coach Pete DeBoer said. “And to play like he did, I think it’s inspirational to our group.”

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

Less than 24 hours after not finding the back of the net in their exhibition opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Detroit Red Wings opened the floodgates against the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Defenseman Albert Johansson recorded four assists, while forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygård scored twice in Detroit's 7-4 preseason win over Pittsburgh at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday evening.

Who says preseason can't be fun! pic.twitter.com/sLqXPxbndl

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 23, 2026

Johansson, taken in the fourth round (105th pick) in the 2022 NHL Draft, finished second among all Detroit defenseman in ice time behind Justin Faulk. Meanwhile, Nate Danielson picked up an assist, while Theo Rochette picked up a pair of assists. 

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

Pittsburgh struck first thanks to a SHG from Nicolas Robertson in the first period, while Brandsegg-Nygård scored Detroit's first goal of the preseason - and the first of seven on the night - with a one-timer from the right face-off circle soon afterward. 

Detroit took a quick 3-1 lead early in the second period thanks to goals from Mason Appleton and Axel Sandin-Pellikka. Appleton buried a rebound past goaltender Arturs Silovs from in tight, while Sandin-Pellikka buried a one-timer from the top of the slot after taking a feed from Viktor Arvidsson 31 seconds later.

Despite the Penguins cutting Detroit's lead to one goal late in the second period, Detroit's offense roared back to life in the game's final frame. 

Brandsegg-Nygård beat Silovs with a backhander off a rebound on the power play before Ondřej Becher added another goal by deflecting a Johansson shot into the net. 

Wilmer Skoog then buried a rebound off a Sutter Muzzatti shot for Detroit's sixth goal, while Jesse Kiiskinen soon found the scoresheet after he redirected another Johansson shot.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh scored shortly after Detroit's fourth and seventh goals. 

Top Scoring Griffins Scorer Included In Latest Red Wings Roster Trim The Detroit Red Wings continued to trim their roster as the start date of the 2026-27 NHL regular season draws closer.

Silovs played the entire contest and allowed all seven goals; he made 16 saves. Pittsburgh native John Gibson played the first two periods for Detroit, stopping 22 shots, while Trey Augustine stopped six of eight shots in the third period. 

The Red Wings, who are now halfway through the preseason slate, return home to face the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday evening from Little Caesars Arena. 

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Dan Vladar, whose steady goaltending last season helped the Philadelphia Flyers end a five-year playoff drought, left a Tuesday, Sept. 22 NHL preseason game against the Boston Bruins with an injury and didn't return.

Vladar, 29, had reached out for a loose puck in the first period and Bruins forward Tanner Jeannot appeared to clip him as he skated by. The goalie lost his stick and Boston's Michael Eyssimont scored on a deflection of a shot from the point.

Vladar then skated to the bench and a trainer appeared to be looking at his arm. The Flyers later announced that he had an upper-body injury and wouldn't return to the game.

Dan Vladar exits the Flyers’ second preseason game with an injury. pic.twitter.com/gFl4VheXIb

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) September 22, 2026

Vladar signed with the Flyers ahead of last season as a free agent and grabbed the No. 1 job with a 29-14-7 record, 2.42 goals against average and a .906 save percentage. Philadelphia beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the playoffs before losing in the second round.

The goalie signed a five-year, $27.5 million extension during the offseason.

Lineups

The Penguins bring out a lot of their big guns and mix in a bunch of players making preseason debuts in Bill Zonnon, Tomas Galvas with Markus and Liam Ruck getting in the lineup too.

Visiting Detroit brings a slightly better lineup tonight than Buffalo did last night, though it’s very much an early preseason road game type of roster.

First Period

Egor Chinakhov went to the penalty box for tripping, the Pens not only kill it off they get a goal. Nick Robertson scores on his first shot in a Pittsburgh jersey, bursting around forward Theo Rochette, driving to the net and lifting it past John Gibson. 1-0 Pens early.

Robertson gets tripped and draws a power play. Crosby, Malkin, Chinakhov, Rakell are out there, Sam Girard fills in for Erik Karlsson (not playing).

They don’t score, the following shift the Red Wings do. Arturs Silovs makes a great save but the Pens’ defensive structure is broken down. Detroit regroups and passes it around and tie the game.

Shots were 12-8 PIT after one.

Second Period

Crosby and Marco Kasper get tied up and slash each other enough to both take penalties. While at 4v4 the Red Wings score twice. First, Arturs Silovs coughs up a bad rebound that Mason Appleton bulls through Tomas Galvas to knock into the net. 2-1 Red Wings. They add another on a broken play, Malkin only got a piece of a centering pass, throwing off the timing for a Red Wing to quickly hammer home.

The Pens’ first line turns up the heat with a long shift of pressure. Ilya Solovyov and Sam Girard are all over the puck too. Eventually Girard sends the puck down to the net for Rickard Rakell, the Swede spins and shoots it in to narrow Detroit’s lead to 3-2.

Shots through two are 24-14 PIT.

Third Period

Trey Augustine is in net for Detroit, Silovs remains in there for the Pens.

Rakell gets taken down and Pittsburgh gets their third power play of the night, which comes up empty for the third time.

More tempers flare, Carlile grabs a guy and drops the gloves and ends up with a double minor and 10 minute misconduct. Detroit scores on one of their power plays after Silovs leaves a rebound and Girard can’t clear it away. 4-2 game.

Kaeden Korczak gets on the board in his Pittsburgh debut, wristing in a long shot from the right side. 4-3.

Detroit re-establishes their two goal lead with a deflection goal. 5-3 with over 10 minutes to go.

More bad news, another huuuge rebound that’s kicked out and Chinakhov isn’t quick enough to get to it. 6-3.

The damage keeps coming, off an offensive zone faceoff for the Red Wings, they get a point shot through that hits Girard and flutters into the net. 7-3.

The Pens get one before time runs out. Pretty passing between the Rucks and Rutger McGroarty leads to an open net for the latter to score on. 7-4.

Some Thoughts

• It didn’t take Robertson long to flash. As we wrote this weekend, this addition could be a really big deal if the Pens can unlock his talent fully. In his size and quick skating, Robertson is reminiscent of a former Crosby winger in Conor Sheary from a decade ago. Unlike Sheary, whose hands often couldn’t keep up with his feet, Robertson has already demonstrated a higher degree of finishing ability – which was on display tonight. Gotta temper it a little bit but it’s hard to not see this as an exciting and encouraging possibility.
• It was probably a lesson that didn’t need to be taught though nice to see Declan Carlile get the memo and charge in after a whistle when a Red Wing got a stick up and was jousting with Crosby after the whistle. He was really mad! The ref had to do the old hug and drag away, with Carlile still trying to get after anyone in red. Small but nice to see.
• Tomas Galvas’ debut was unremarkable. He got caught on the ice for nearly a two minute shift on the first DRW goal, roving up in the zone at one point and unable to get possession back. Galvas got a lesson in NHL strength when the 6’2, 200 pound Mason Appleton drove through him to the net on the second DRW goal. Not the end of the world but doesn’t look particularly close to being an NHL regular at a first glance for preseason action.
• Atley Calvert has a bit of the ‘Avery Hayes condition’ in him and by that I mean the more you see, the more there is to like. Calvert looks bigger on the ice than the 6’1, 196 he’s listed at. He skates very well. He’s positionally solid and always in the right spot, good along the boards. He’s never going to win a scoring title but is just a good player. Calvert’s surely Wilkes-Barre bound in the near future but he’s showing enough to wonder if there’s something more down the line.
• Lowkey but it was smart to see the coaches stick with the Zonnon+Calvert partnership on a line tonight. The two played together extensively in the AHL playoff run last spring. That bit of familiarity had to help the 19-year old Zonnon in his first taste of NHL action. For his part, Zonnon was fine, though he too is clearly going to need a measure of time to grow his game and adapt to the pro speed.
• It’s kinda crazy to think this is the fourth decade of Malkin’s life (teens, 20s, 30s and now 40s) that he’s worn a Penguin jersey. Quiet night for the elder statesman, though at one point he was backchecking hard and battling to successfully lift an opponent’s stick and win the puck back. Observing Malkin as long as we all have, seeing a high level of engagement is always a positive indicator of where his form is at.
• The Ruck boys too in their first glimpse of NHL action, only getting a handful of shifts from the fourth line but made the most of it, Liam (the first round pick) grabbing two assists and Markus making a really nice play late to add one. Great to see them with Mikhail Ilyin, hopefully in about five years that could be a future NHL line if all the cards come together right. Long way between there and here, of course, just an idle September dream for what could be one day.
• Not a very inspiring performance in net from Silovs, but then again the stakes couldn’t be lower. Seven goals on 23 shots is what it is. Besides the sheer quantity of allowing seven goals in a game, the only major problem I had was seeing the costly rebound on three of those goals- all too common a sight last season when his game wasn’t sharp. No need to stew or analyze it too much besides hoping to see him tighten up before next week.
• Really liked what we saw out of Solovyov tonight. His moonlighting tonight in Karlsson’s spot suggests Solovyov is in-line to be the seventh defenseman, at least for the moment, and he played really well. Three shots on goal (always forget how active he is in the offensive zone). Two hits, a blocked shot and an assist (ironically he was more influential in the play where he DIDN’T get an assist officially). Solovyov doesn’t do anything great but he does a lot to a nice degree.

The best thing about any preseason game is when it’s over and now this one is in the history books. The Pens will bring a team on the road to play in Columbus on Thursday for their next one.

It's no surprise that ever since twins Liam and Markus Ruck were selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2026 NHL Draft, they've been inseparable - both literally and figuratively, in person and in print.

But starting now, their developmental journey will begin to differentiate even the smallest bit. 

Both Rucks were invited to NHL training camp and, subsequently, had the opportunity to play on the same line in Pittsburgh's second pre-season game, which came against the Detroit Red Wings Tuesday. 

Even though both still plan to play together for Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL - barring they don't make the NHL roster and sign entry-level contracts - next season and then head to the University of North Dakota in 2027-28, Markus is excited to tap into who he is as an all-around player even more, both in tandem with Liam and individually. 

And that includes unleashing his shot more. 

"For sure. I want to be an all-around player that can do whatever," Markus said. "I don't just want to be known as a passer because guys will start picking those off and reading the pass. So, I'm definitely working on that, and I want to be able to do both."

Of course, he is referring to his reputation as a playmaker, while Liam has developed a reputation as the shooter. As a tandem for Medicine Hat last season, they were first and second in WHL scoring, with Markus posting 21 goals and 108 points to Liam's 45 goals and 104 points.

Markus has a shot that can pop, too, and he plans to use it more as he develops. But, in general, he also wants to continue developing his all-around game, which he believes presents the best path to becoming an effective player at higher levels of hockey.

Detroit Red Wings At Pittsburgh Penguins Preview: Lineup, Where To WatchThe Pittsburgh Penguins will play their second pre-season game on Tuesday night.

"That's always really important for me," Markus said. "Just the little details, not cheating the game at all. There will be times where, you know, higher-point guys in leagues will cheat the game a bit, and I definitely want to focus on not doing that and just playing the right way."

And training camp has provided an excellent opportunity for him to hone some of those skills. He has been on Team 3 - the prospect group - for the duration of camp, and he earned an opportunity to suit up in that pre-season game with his brother due to some of those details he showcased within his game. He mentioned that the coaching staff has been very helpful in helping him learn the nuances of the NHL game that aren't necessarily present in lower levels.

The Ruck Era has begun in Pittsburgh!

Tonight, @tigershockey stars Liam and Markus Ruck are making their preseason debut with the @penguins. pic.twitter.com/BoHff2GbuP

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) September 22, 2026

In general, there are few better places to learn some of those details than Pittsburgh, too - whether on-ice or off-ice details - considering the NHL veteran players he is sharing the ice and the locker room with during training camp in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson. 

"It's really cool seeing those guys in person," Markus said. "Those are the guys that I grew up watching and idolizing. Seeing them around the rink and what they do to take care of their body or how they eat, I'm trying to pick up things like that because they're, obviously, some of the best to ever do it."

Monday Mailbox: Who Are Some Young Penguins To Watch? Where Will They Finish? Trades On Horizon? This And More.THN - Pittsburgh Penguins editor Kelsey Surmacz answers fan questions regarding training camp, young players, and more.

He added: "It's unbelievable. There's tons of great players out here and so many staff members that are willing to help out. It's really cool, it's something that I've always dreamed of, to be in this situation. So, I've been having lots of fun and learning a lot."

Both Markus and Liam join a crop of Penguins' prospects who both fans and the organization have high hopes for. There is a lot of belief that the prospects currently developing can help usher in a new wave of talent - and winning - for the NHL club beyond the years of Crosby.

And Markus is excited to be included as part of it all. 

"There's tons of great young players here, and the staff, the organization, has done a great job of bringing in lots of great players and good people, too," he said. "It's exciting, and going forward, I think the future is bright here.

"I'm excited to be a part of it, and I've been working towards it every day to, hopefully, help his team win in the future."

'You Want To Go Places Where Success Is Always On The Forefront': Former Capitals See Similarities In Washington, PittsburghNew Penguins Hendrix Lapierre and Trevor van Riemsdyk - both former Washington Capitals - see some congruence with how each organization is choosing to look to the future.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!  

Through four preseason periods, the Philadelphia Flyers have already lost two key players due to injury, and seemingly innocuous ones at that.

On Monday, forward Denver Barkey left the team's first preseason game against the Washington Capitals with a lower-body injury after taking a hit from defenseman Martin Fehervary, though he did briefly return for the start of the second period before bowing out for the night.

Flyers assistant GM Brent Flahr had said during July's development camp that Barkey sat the scrimmage out to manage a hip flexor injury, though it's currently unclear if the new injury is related.

Then, on Tuesday, news got even worse for the Flyers, as starting goalie Dan Vladar suffered an apparent upper-body injury against the Boston Bruins and exited the contest after making six saves on seven shots in 13:31.

Vladar made a stick save on a bouncing puck before trying to lurch forward to corral the rebound, but lost his stick in the process with Tanner Jeannot skating on by.

Jeannot appeared to make very slight contact with the Flyers goalie, who was outside of his crease, but certainly nothing major that would indicate a serious injury.

Still, though, Vladar was clearly in pain and needed to remove himself from the game after the Bruins had scored and subsequently stopped play.

Heading into Tuesday night's contest, Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet said at morning skate that the plan was for Vladar to play the first two periods against the Bruins and for Aleksei Kolosov to play the third, mirroring the split Joseph Woll and Carson Bjarnason had against the Capitals the previous night.

Those plans were quickly dashed, though, and the Flyers announced that Vladar would be out for the rest of the game vs. the Bruins with an upper-body injury as the end of the second period approached.

Kolosov, at the time of this writing, has stopped all nine shots he's faced in relief of Vladar.

Kolosov, 24, has two seasons of NHL experience, posting a 5-11-1 record, 3.64 GAA, and .863 save percentage in 21 total appearances, and is set to be the Flyers' backup goalie to Joseph Woll if Vladar is to miss any time.

Vegas Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig has been saying for days that a shortened preseason means more urgency. Fringe players have less time to make their case for the few available spots. Veterans only play in two preseason games now, so they have less time to get their touches. 

The Golden Knights veterans prefer a shorter preseason.

“For me, personally, I’m excited with the way the camp is [this year]. I find that [training camps] drag on a little too much,” said Golden Knights captain Mark Stone on Thursday. “I want to play right away; I want to play the important games. The first [preseason game] is to get your feet wet, but now, let’s get going. That’s better for us.”

It’s hard to evaluate certain players based on their performance in meaningless preseason games. Still, after five days of camp and preseason action— everyone had Sunday off— there have been enough drills and scrimmages to draw some conclusions from.

Here are my biggest takeaways through five days of camp. 

1. The Howden–Karlsson–Marner line looks to be picking up right where they left off

William Karlsson spent the majority of last season dealing with various injuries. However, when he finally returned in Game 1 of the second round of the playoffs, he immediately reminded everyone just how valuable he is to the Golden Knights lineup. By Game 3, John Tortorella put him between Brett Howden and Mitch Marner, and that line became the cornerstone of the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Final. 

In the end, that line played 13 games together before Karlsson suffered a broken wrist. But in those 13 games, all three players put up excellent numbers. Marner led the way with seven goals and 20 points. Howden scored nine goals and provided three assists, and Karlsson scored three goals and nine points after missing exactly six months with a lower-body injury. 

That line began training camp together, and head coach Ryan Craig sounds like he plans to keep it that way. And why wouldn’t he? They all read off of each other like they’ve been playing together for years. And if the training camp drills are anything to go off of, they’re going to pick up right where they left off. 

2. Trevor Connelly looks like a safe bet to make the Opening Night roster

Trevor Connelly, the first-round pick of the Golden Knights back in 2024, has been the story of camp. 

Last year, Connelly was over a point-per-game in his first full season playing professional hockey. At just 19, he played 46 games and scored 14 goals and 49 points in a league made up mostly of players who are significantly older, bigger, and stronger than him. Now, he has his sights set on making the step up to the NHL. 

I really, really like his chances.

Both head coach Ryan Craig and general manager Kelly McCrimmon have said that Connelly gets the first crack at the vacant spot on the third line. He’s been on a line with Tomáš Hertl and Victor Olofsson since the start of training camp, and he seems to be passing every test that the coaching staff throws at him.

Connelly isn’t in the group heading to San Jose tonight, which actually bodes well for his chances of making the roster. The Golden Knights only sent two veteran players to their second preseason game– Marc Gatcomb and Braeden Bowman– so Connelly staying home to get more reps in with the big squad is probably a good sign.

3. The top power play unit probably won’t replicate last year’s success

On paper, this year’s top power play unit looks stacked. It’s almost identical to last year’s PP1 with one notable difference: without Pavel Dorofeyev, Shea Theodore moves back up to quarterback the top unit. 

There’s one problem with that. Without Dorofeyev, Jack Eichel, one of the best playmakers in the league, no longer has a left-handed one-time option in the right circle. Mitch Marner replaces Dorofeyev in the right circle, and he’s a player who rarely defaults to ripping a one-timer. Now, even if he wanted to, he physically couldn’t.

Is this the end of the world? No. Eichel, Marner, Theodore, Mark Stone, and Tomáš Hertl are all world-class players. Hertl has scored 14 and 13 power-play goals in the last two seasons, respectively. And no one is better below the goal line than Stone, who posted a career-high nine power-play goals and 27 power-play points. 

Losing that lethal one-time option is going to be a hard pill for the Golden Knights to swallow, and only time will tell how they go about replacing Dorofeyev’s team-leading 20 power-play goals.

After falling on Saturday, the Vancouver Canucks return to action on Tuesday for Game 2 of the 2026 pre-season against the Calgary Flames. Vancouver will be travelling to Calgary, with game time scheduled for 6:00 pm PT. Here are five players to watch on Tuesday. 

Arshdeep Bains

Where Arshdeep Bains plays this year will be an intriguing storyline to follow. The 25-year-old is most likely headed for the AHL, but would need to clear waivers to be assigned to the Abbotsford Canucks. Projected to play on a line with Aatu Räty and Matt Stienburg, Bains needs to stand out on Tuesday if he wants a shot at making the NHL roster. 

Kevin Lankinen

Tuesday will be Kevin Lankinen's first start of the campaign. The 31-year-old did not have the strongest training camp, but it will be easier to judge his performance against an opposing NHL team. With Thatcher Demko's status still unknown, the Canucks will likely lean heavily on Lankinen again this year, as he is currently the team's projected night-one starter. 

Victor Mancini

Victor Mancini is another player currently on the bubble to make the NHL team. The 24-year-old struggled on Saturday against the Seattle Kraken and is currently in a battle for the seventh defender slot. Mancini is expected to get plenty of ice time on Tuesday and will need to show he can be reliable in his own zone against NHL competition. 

Aatu Räty

Tuesday is a big night for Räty as it will be his final game of the 2026 pre-season. Due to the new CBA rules, the 23-year-old will be ineligible to play any more games, as he has already hit his maximum of two. Projected to start the season as Vancouver's fourth-line center, Räty needs to show he can contribute at both ends of the ice. 

Canucks Projected Lineup For Game 2 Of The 2026 Pre-Season Versus The Calgary FlamesThe Vancouver Canucks battle the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night.

Brooks Rogowski

One prospect to keep an eye on Tuesday is Brooks Rogowski. The 2026 second-round pick had a decent training camp and is now ready to show what he can do against NHL competition. Listed at 6'7", 235 lbs, it shouldn't be hard to tell when Rogowski hits the ice during his pre-season debut. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

How A New Rule Is Impacting The Canucks' 2026 Pre-Season Lineups

Canucks Kirill Kudryavtsev Discusses Recovering From A Two-Month Injury, Playing For Manny Malhotra And His Goal Of Becoming A Full-Time NHLer

"I Feel Like We Executed The Days The Way We Wanted It To': Canucks Head Coach Manny Malhotra Speaks Following 2026 Training Camp

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

With the NHL’s new CBA changes eliminating eight-year contracts, making seven-year contracts the longest a player can re-sign with his own team, along with the salary cap increase, we saw multiple young players sign multi-year contract extensions before they were set to hit restricted free agency.

Notably absent from that group of young players was Gabe Perreault, who is set to become a restricted free agent next offseason and did not sign a contract extension with the New York Rangers. 

Perreault seems to be comfortable playing the final season of his rookie deal without an extension in place. 

“I’m not focused on that at all,” Perreault said about whether or not he’s still thinking about a future contract extension. “I’ll kind of let my agent handle that, and we’re just going to focus on day-by-day and having a big year. It'll take care of itself.”

When asked about contract negotiations between the Blueshirts brass and Perreault’s camp, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury declined to go into details. 

After starting the 2025-26 campaign with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, Perreault burst onto the NHL scene in December, staying with the Rangers for the remainder of the season.

In 49 games, the 21-year-old forward recorded 12 goals, 15 assists, and 27 points while averaging 15:59 minutes. 

Over the course of the season, it was evident that Perreault continued to build confidence, which allowed him to make more of an offensive impact. 

“I think my game progressed a lot during the year,” Perreault said. “The details, getting more confident, making more plays, kind of knowing when to make a play, I kind of think I grew a lot in that. I grew in the details of my game defensively too and on the forecheck. Those were the big things I focused on.”

By the end of the season, the 2024 first-round pick was putting his high hockey IQ and playmaking skills on display, eventually stepping into a top-six role.

Through observing the progression of Perreault from behind the bench, Mike Sullivan feels that the game was able to slow down for him as he grew more accustomed to the NHL game.

“I think the biggest thing for Gabe was the adjustment to the speed and the pace of the NHL game and the size and strength of the players,” Sullivan said. “I think he’s adjusted to the pace of the game and I think the game has slowed down in his brain, which is one of the challenges every young player has to overcome. When they are trying to make the NHL.”

A large portion of Perreault’s success came when he played on a line with Alexis Lafrenière and Mika Zibanejad. 

Last season, that line outscored opponents 14-10 at five-on-five while they had a 48.57 percent expected goal rate according to Natural Stat Trick.

Through the first few days of training camp, Sullivan has reassembled the Perreault-Zibanejad-Lafrenière line with the hopes they can emulate their previous triumph. 

“I think we're all kind of smart players. We kind of think the game pretty similarly, and I think we kind of bring something a little bit different to the line,” Perreault said. “At the same time, there are similarities, and I think we clicked well. Those guys are easy to play with for me, so it went really well at the end of the year, and hopefully we can keep it going.”

Entering a contract year, it’s critical that Perreault continues to progress his game and take a big leap in his first full NHL season with the goal of earning a long-term extension and becoming a cornerstone piece for the Rangers.

“Our expectation is that he’s going to build on the season he had last year,” Sullivan said. “Our expectation is that he will build on that (last season) and grow.”

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

The Detroit Red Wings have already completed one-fourth of their preseason schedule, and by the end of Tuesday evening, they'll be halfway through.

Following their 1-0 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday evening, the Red Wings will be back on the ice 24 hours later against the Pittsburgh Penguins. And before their second exhibition contest, they've moved closer to finalizing their roster for the upcoming 2026-27 NHL campaign.

Multiple Detroit players hit the waiver wire, including John Leonard, who was the leading scorer for the American Hockey League affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins last season.

Among the other names waived by the Red Wings are forwards Dominik Shine, Sheldon Dries, Cameron Butler, and defensemen William Lagesson and Jacob Bryson. 

Waivers: 9/22/26@PuckPediahttps://t.co/SEwCuzihn1pic.twitter.com/EIk19tjZc2

— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) September 22, 2026

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

Leonard originally joined the Red Wings on a one-year, $775,000 contract last summer after spending the previous season with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. He later made his Detroit debut in December after leading the AHL with 19 goals through his first 20 games.

He finished the season with two goals and two assists in 11 NHL appearances while leading Grand Rapids with 32 goals and 21 assists in 46 games.

He also added a goal and four assists in eight Calder Cup Playoff games. Following the season, he was given a one-year extension worth $850,000. 

Shine, a Michigan native, has spent his entire professional career with the Griffins and was named their captain prior to last season. He made his NHL debut with nine appearances in 2024-25 before scoring three goals in 18 games with Detroit last season.

He also recorded 21 goals in 40 games for Grand Rapids and was Detroit's 2026 Bill Masterton Trophy nominee. 

Michigan Native Dominik Shine Nominated For 2026 Masterton Trophy The Detroit chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association has officially nominated forward Dominik Shine as the club's 2026 nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy.

Having played at Western Michigan, Dries went undrafted but has NHL experience with the Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks. He signed with Detroit in 2024 and scored 23 goals and 45 points in 57 games for Grand Rapids last season. The Red Wings re-signed him to a two-year, two-way deal in February.

Butler also went undrafted and has one NHL game with Columbus, along with time in the Minnesota Wild organization. He signed a one-year, two-way deal with Detroit this offseason.

Lagesson, drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 2014, has 107 NHL games under his belt, including seven with Detroit in 2024-25. He added three goals and 18 assists in 61 games with Grand Rapids last season.

Bryson, a 2017 pick of the Buffalo Sabres, split last season between the Sabres and Winnipeg Jets before signing a one-year, $850,000 deal with Detroit. He has six goals and 45 assists in 304 NHL games.

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Welcome to another edition of preseason Bruins hockey, folks!

After starting the preseason with a 3-2 shootout win over Washington on Sunday night, the B’s will host the Philadelphia Flyers at TD Garden tonight.

The Flyers played their first preseason game last night, losing to Washington 5-2 in a game played in Hershey, PA.

One of Philly’s goalscorers in that game was none other than Jack Studnicka, now plying his trade with Philly.

In the “Feel Old Yet?” file, the other Flyers goalscorer was Cole Knuble. Yes, Mike Knuble’s son.

The Flyers played a very NHL-light lineup last night, with guys like Sean Couturier, Travis Sanheim, and Travis Konecny sitting out.

For the B’s, JJ Peterka and Will Borgen will make their Bruins debuts, while David Pastrnak, Morgan Geekie, and Elias Lindholm are all expected to participate as well.

Bruins! Flyers! Preseason!

Discuss.

Beckett Hamilton's first NHL preseason game was only the latest step in what has been an impressive month for the Colorado Avalanche prospect.

From development camp to his time in San Jose and, finally, his first taste of NHL competition, the 18-year-old forward has steadily given the Avalanche more reasons to be excited about what he could become.

Hamilton's latest opportunity came Sunday at Ball Arena, where the Avalanche defeated the Utah Mammoth 4-1. Playing alongside established NHL talent, including Martin Necas, Hamilton scored his first preseason goal and showed enough of his offensive skill to leave another positive impression.

Hamilton opened the scoring at 8:54 of the second period after finding himself in the right place at the right time.

Utah defenseman Maveric Lamoureux attempted to clear the puck from the zone, but Necas knocked down the pass and immediately fed Hamilton. The young forward made no mistake, lifting the puck over the goaltender to give Colorado a 1-0 lead.

It was the kind of goal that came from simply staying involved in the play and refusing to let off the gas pedal.

Hamilton may have looked overwhelmed at times by the pace, but he continued to push through it. Had he not kept battling, he likely would not have been in position to capitalize when the puck came his way.

That persistence has been a recurring theme throughout his time with the Avalanche this month.

Hamilton scored in Colorado's 7-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks' prospects on Sept. 12 before finding the net in the shootout against the Vegas Golden Knights' rookies two days later. Vegas ultimately won 6-5, leaving Colorado with a 1-0-1 record at the tournament.

New Colorado Eagles head coach Jussi Ahokas was behind the bench for those games and came away impressed with what he saw from Hamilton.

"I think he's really skilled," Ahokas said. "He finds plays. [He's] creative."

Those qualities have continued to stand out as Hamilton has moved through each stage of his first experience with the Avalanche organization. His offensive instincts have been noticeable, but so has his willingness to stay involved when things don't necessarily go his way.

That caught the attention of Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar as well.

“He’s a young kid,” Bednar told Colorado Hockey Now’s Aarif Deen and other reporters Tuesday. “He’s got top-nine potential, I think. That’s what he has. He’s a skilled player.”

Bednar also wanted Hamilton to experience the difference between playing against younger competition and trying to make plays against established NHL players.

That's why the Avalanche put him on a line with players such as Necas, who's coming off his first 100-point season in the league.

"I wanted to play with some skill and I wanted to play against other teams' top guys, so he could kind of feel like where he needs to grow and what he's got," Bednar said.

Hamilton got a firsthand look at that difference Sunday.

"You could tell in the game that everything was happening fast for him," Bednar said.

There were moments when Hamilton appeared to be processing the game rather than reacting to it.

"Sometimes it gets a little quick for him," Bednar said. "You can see him thinking and not reacting. And he was the same way in the game."

That's just a part of the process, but what carried significant weight for the Avalanche was that Hamilton continued to compete, found ways to create offense and made the most of his opportunity.

Bednar said the coaching staff, including Ahokas, was impressed with what Hamilton showed in San Jose, where he stood out as a noticeable impact player. That carried into training camp, where the young forward continued to make an impression.

"I talked to Jussi about him, and everyone raved about his rookie camp," Bednar said. "So I thought he did a nice job in practices."

Now, that first stretch with the Avalanche is over for Hamilton.

The club reassigned him Tuesday morning to the WHL's Red Deer Rebels, where he'll continue his development after making the most of his opportunity in Colorado.

Bednar said Hamilton is aware that there is still work to do before he's ready for the NHL.

"He's got a good head on his shoulders," Bednar said. "I think he's aware that he's a little ways away from getting to the NHL."

That's not necessarily a bad thing.

"It was nice to see him score in his first game," Bednar said. "We send him off back to junior on a good note and a good experience in training camp."

For Hamilton, it's an opportunity to continue growing his game and take the next step in his development. For the Avalanche, the focus remains on winning another Stanley Cup, but they may have another promising depth piece on the way.