The Rangers assigned six more players to Hartford on Friday morning as they continue to cut their roster down ahead of the start of the regular season.
Among that group was forwards Liam Greentree and Cole Beaudoin.
The young duo were two of the biggest standouts throughout both rookie and pro camp and preseason play, but there weren’t many openings to be had on the NHL roster.
That doesn’t mean the organization isn’t excited about their potential.
In fact, head coach Mike Sullivan had nothing but good things to say about the both of them just hours after they received the boot from their first pro camp.
“We’re excited about them,” he said. “Great kids, very coachable, very talented -- big, strong, competitive -- they are two different players, but both have all of the attributes that are important to succeed at the NHL-level.
“They are players we believe have a ton of upside -- they are starting that journey, and I believe they have a chance to be impactful NHL players -- the energy and enthusiasm is contagious, they love hockey -- sky’s the limit for them.”
Both recently acquired prospects are heading into their first professional campaigns after enjoying successful careers with their respective clubs in the OHL.
Greentree, a scrappy high-skilled winger, has topped the 30-goal mark each of the past three seasons skating with the Windsor Spitfires and is just two years removed from a 100+ point campaign.
Beaudoin is a big center who has only continued developing his two-way game, and is coming off a season where he posted career-highs across the board with the Barrie Colts.
Though they’ll both start the season down with Hartford, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them make an impact at the pro-level this at some point now just one phone call away.
And if not now, the future is certainly looking very bright on Broadway.
The Sabres will be down two of their presumed starters on defense. Olen Zellweger is in concussion protocol but expected to be ready for the start of the regular season, Lindy Ruff said. Mattias Samuelsson, however, remains week to week with his lower-body injury.
Buffalo signed veteran Matt Grzelcyk to a one-year deal on Friday, adding depth to the left side of the defense corps. Grzelcyk will make his team debut against the Penguins, drawing into the lineup along with Zach Metsa.
How the Sabres arrange their defense pairs minus Samuelsson and Zellweger remains to be seen. The team has worked with a variety of pairs at practice, including time spent by Louis Crevier alongside both Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power.
Ruff said he intends to stick with consistent power-play units to start the season in a bid to grow chemistry. We’ve seen the same two groups of five for the duration of camp, both of which will be fully intact for today’s game:
PP1: Doan, Thompson, Benson, Quinn, Dahlin
PP2: Helenius, McLeod, Ostlund, Norris, Power
The Sabres have made their power play a focus in camp. The organization’s analytics department did a deep dive on power plays around the league during the summer and produced a lengthy report for Buffalo’s coaches, who in turn whittled it down into digestible information for the players.
In their previous preseason game featuring the NHL lineup, the Sabres went 0-for-3 on the power play but had plenty of opportunity. Today offers one final tune-up for the two units ahead of the regular season.
COLUMBUS, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 24: Zach Werenski #8 of the Columbus Blue Jackets passes the puck against against Harrison Brunicke #45 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period of the preseason game at Nationwide Arena on September 24, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Penguins have announced their roster for this afternoon (3:30pm start) against Buffalo.
6 – Kaedan Korczak 45 – Harrison Brunicke 49 – Sam Girard 57 – Trevor van Riemsdyk 58 – Kris Letang 65 – Erik Karlsson 72 – Declan Carlile
GOALIES
1 – Sergei Murashov 37 – Arturs Silovs
One forward and defenseman will need to be scratched from the list.
This isn’t a pure dress rehearsal game, new rules limit veterans of 100+ games to playing in only two preseason games. At the same time, teams must dress a certain number of veterans per game, so players like Elmer Soderblom and Connor Dewar who are likely to be in the opening night lineup to start the regular season can’t play in this one. In their spot are players like McGroarty, Broz and Zonnon.
On defense, it’s interesting to see Harrison Brunicke (and not Ilya Solovyov) take part in the proceedings, if only as the seventh defenseman who will get scratched after warmups. Brunicke hasn’t made as noisy and flashy of a run to a lineup spot in this training camp, compared to 2024 and 2025 when he was one of the biggest subjects around, yet he looks to be in good position just the same. The team has plenty of right shot defenders and may choose to start Brunicke in the AHL where he can play, but at this rate he might not remain in Wilkes-Barre for very long.
There’s no surprises in goal, where it looks as if Sergei Murashov has nudged ahead of Joel Blomqvist when it comes to nailing down an NHL roster spot. That situation played out as expected, and seemingly as the team wanted to make their star young goalie prospect the first in line for NHL minutes this season over his competition.
Ryan Graves and Justin Brazeau are both off the ice recently with undisclosed injuries. It looks like Graves is far outside the NHL picture but this mysterious recent ailment might allow him to be attached to injured reserve at the start of the season instead of going on waivers at the end of training camp for the second year in a row. A conspiratorial mind could have field day on the timing of this, but we’ll see what comes of Graves’ status as the regular season approaches. No matter how it shakes out a return to the NHL roster seems the most unlikely at this point given how his preseason went from placement in practices with AHL players to more unsteady performances in exhibition games.
Defenseman Ryan Graves (lower-body) will not skate today. His status will be updated after further evaluation. pic.twitter.com/NDrrySbsX8
As the Vancouver Canucks continue to trim their roster, one familiar name remains. After missing most of the 2025-26 campaign with injury, defenceman Guillaume Brisebois is focused on becoming a full-time NHLer. The 29-year-old fan favourite has performed well through the pre-season and could be on the verge of making Vancouver's opening-night roster.
Brisebois's journey with the Canucks has been a roller coaster. The organization drafted him in 2015, but constant injuries have derailed any momentum he's tried to build at the NHL level. Over a decade since he was drafted, Brisebois remains motivated and ready to do whatever he can to impress the coaching staff.
"I approach it pretty much the same way," said Brisebois. I want to make the team and just trying to work hard and keep going. I've had some injuries. I've been battling some stuff. So feels good coming into this camp being healthy. So I don't have to really think about that anymore."
The injury issue has been a major problem for Brisebois. Since making the jump to the pros in 2017, he has played 306 AHL games and 30 NHL games, including just nine AHL games in 2025-26. As Brisebois explained, dealing with injuries is difficult, but his love for the game keeps him motivated to keep playing.
"It's been really hard. But at the same time, it's my passion for hockey. I love hockey, and I want to get better. So every time I come back from injury, that's what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to get better, and I try to persevere through it."
This past off-season, Brisebois signed a one-year extension with Vancouver. In fact, as of contract signing date, he is the longest-tenured player in the organization. When asked about his continued loyalty to the organization, Brisebois mentioned his bond with the Canucks new GM.
"Just the way they treat me and the way they've been treating me, especially through injuries. They've been there through those tough times. With Ryan Johnson also, I've been with him for the past 10 years that I've been here. We've had a really good relationship, and that's what keeps bringing me back. They help me get to the player I am and also the person, so I am really grateful for that."
If Brisebois is going to make the NHL lineup, he needs to impress not just Johnson but also his former Abbotsford Canucks coach, Manny Malhotra. The two had success in the AHL, including winning the 2025 Calder Cup. As Brisebois explained, Malhotra is not just a strong coach on the ice, but off it as well.
"He brings positivity to the group. He's an amazing leader. He's a great human. So I think the whole combination of being a good human, being a good like he's got really good hockey knowledge. So when you mix everything together, it's a really good mix, and especially for that group. I think it's going to be really beneficial."
As mentioned, Brisebois has become a fan favourite within the organization. Whether he is playing in the NHL or AHL, he receives a lot of support from Canucks Nation on social media. Brisebois is well aware of how fans feel about him with the constant support being one of the reasons he chose to re-sign yet again.
"I obviously appreciate it. I am very grateful for that, and I'm happy that they're behind me. It helps a lot. Especially through tough times, when they could say some stuff about the injuries and everything. But they've been really good to me, and everyone's been great in Vancouver. That's also a reason why I wanted to come back and make it through with them and not with another organization."
Overall, Brisebois has a simple goal this season. He wants "to play games" and wants "to be healthy". A player who is easy to cheer for, Brisebois will make an impact this year regardless of where he plays.
Dec 28, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Guillaume Brisebois (55) shoots during warm up prior to a game against the Seattle Kraken at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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.
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.
On Friday, it was announced that the San Jose Sharks have placed forward Jimmy Huntington and goaltender Eric Comrie on waivers with the purpose of reassignment to the American Hockey League.
Neither player is a surprise, as Huntington has been a mainstay at the AHL level in recent seasons. He served as an alternate captain for the San Jose Barracuda last season, recording 48 points (15 goals and 33 assists) in 71 games for the Sharks' farm team. During the preseason, Huntington played in three games for the Sharks, scoring a goal and adding a pair of assists.
Comrie on the other hand, has been an NHL regular in recent seasons. He served as the backup to Connor Hellebuyck with the Winnipeg Jets in each of the last two seasons. Prior to that though, he was often used as a "tweener," splitting time between the NHL and AHL, which will likely be the role he serves in San Jose. If either Yaroslav Askarov or Alex Nedeljkovic suffer an injury, Comrie will probably be the first player recalled to the NHL.
Comrie appeared in one game for the Sharks in the preseason, allowing two goals against on 16 shots in just over 30 minutes of ice time.
DENVER — For nearly 39 minutes Friday night, the Avalanche looked like a team still searching for answers.
Then T.J. Hughes took over.
The rookie scored twice in the final 1:32 of the second period to erase a 2-1 deficit, then completed his hat trick late in the third as Colorado pulled away for a 5-2 preseason victory over the Winnipeg Jets at Ball Arena.
Hughes finished the night with four points, while Jaden Schwartz added a goal and two assists and Nazem Kadri chipped in two assists. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 24 of 26 shots in his latest preseason appearance.
First Period
Just 4:24 into the opening period, Nazem Kadri was sent to the penalty box for hooking, giving Winnipeg the first power play of the evening.
The Jets wasted little time capitalizing.
At 6:15, Nino Niederreiter buried a rebound past Mackenzie Blackwood after the Avalanche goaltender kicked out a shot from defenseman Neal Pionk, giving Winnipeg a 1-0 lead.
The Jets nearly doubled that advantage with just under 12 minutes remaining in the period. Blackwood left a juicy rebound in front of the net with Gabriel Vilardi closing in, but Vilardi couldn’t finish the chance.
Colorado got its first opportunity on the man advantage near the midway point of the period when Niederreiter took Noah Juulsen down along the blue line and was assessed a two-minute interference penalty.
It wasn’t much of a power play for the Avalanche, though.
Head coach Jared Bednar said in recent days that last season’s power-play unit was too slow for his liking, and Colorado’s first opportunity Friday had a similar feel. The Avalanche managed just one shot on net during the two-minute advantage.
With just under four minutes left in the period, Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg unloaded a big slap shot from the point, but Blackwood — who has been excellent with his glove throughout training camp — was there to make the save.
Colorado’s penalty trouble continued late in the frame when Gavin Brindley was called for interference after officials determined he had run into Isak Rosen, sending the Winnipeg forward crashing into the boards.
Replay, however, appeared to show Rosen lose an edge before going down.
The Jets’ power play lasted only a few seconds before Niederreiter was sent to the box for roughing, wiping out Winnipeg’s man advantage.
After 20 minutes, the Jets carried a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, while holding a 9-7 edge in shots.
Second Period
Colorado began the second period shorthanded after Brock Nelson was whistled for hooking at 1:48.
The Avalanche finally broke through at 6:09. Jaden Schwartz got a stick on a shot from T.J. Hughes, redirecting it past Jets goaltender Stuart Skinner to tie the game at 1-1. Fedor Svechkov also picked up an assist on the play.
The tie didn’t last long.
Just over a minute later, Winnipeg regained the lead after Nathan MacKinnon attempted a dangerous clear that was intercepted by the Jets. Vladislav Namestnikov quickly turned the turnover into offense, firing a shot past Blackwood to make it 2-1.
The Avalanche continued to battle some of the same issues that surfaced in the opening period.
Colorado was later called for too many men on the ice, giving Winnipeg another opportunity to extend its lead. The Jets couldn’t capitalize, but the Avalanche continued to have problems in their own zone, including defensive breakdowns, trying to make one pass too many instead of putting pucks toward the net and failing to provide Blackwood with enough support around the crease.
Then, with the second period winding down, everything changed.
Hughes scored twice in the final 1:32 to turn a one-goal deficit into a one-goal lead.
His first came with 1:32 remaining when Hughes took a pass from Kadri in the low slot and snapped a wrist shot through Skinner, with the puck sneaking underneath the Jets goaltender’s pads to tie the game at 2-2.
Hughes wasn’t finished.
With only 11 seconds left on the clock, the rookie struck again. After receiving a pass from Brett Kulak, Hughes drove the puck down the left wing before cutting his shot toward the net and banking a backhand off Skinner’s stick and into the cage.
Just like that, Colorado went from trailing 2-1 to leading 3-2 heading into the second intermission.
Third Period
The Avalanche had done the hard part by stealing the lead late in the second. In the third, they had to protect it.
For much of the period, Colorado kept Winnipeg from generating the kind of sustained pressure it needed to get back into the game, while Blackwood handled the chances that did get through.
The biggest came with about 6:20 remaining.
Namestnikov broke in alone with a chance to tie the game, but Blackwood stayed with the play and made a huge save on the breakaway. The stop preserved Colorado’s one-goal cushion and gave the Avalanche the breathing room they needed.
Then Cale Makar provided the insurance.
With 4:25 remaining, Makar took a pass from Nathan MacKinnon in the slot and snapped a shot underneath Skinner’s glove to make it 4-2.
It was Makar’s first goal of the preseason and a reminder of the impact Colorado’s top defenseman can have when he is fully involved in the offensive game.
Winnipeg had one more problem to deal with.
Hughes.
With 22 seconds remaining, the rookie completed his hat trick to cap a four-point night and put the finishing touch on Colorado’s comeback.
What began as a frustrating night for the Avalanche turned into one of their most entertaining preseason performances yet, with Hughes’ three goals providing the spark and Blackwood making the key saves when Colorado needed them.
Skinner finished with 28 saves on 32 shots, while Niederreiter and Namestnikov each finished with a goal and an assist for Winnipeg.
Next Game
The Avalanche will wrap up their preseason schedule Saturday afternoon against the Utah Mammoth on the road.
Puck drop is scheduled for 3 p.m. as Colorado gets one final tune-up before turning its attention toward the regular season.
The Buffalo Sabres are aiming to improve on their rewarding 2025-26 season, in which they finished first in the ultra-competitive Atlantic Division in the regular-season, then beat the Boston Bruins in Round 1 of their Stanley Cup playoff series before falling to the Montreal Canadiens in Round 2.
Here at TheHockeyNews.com, as part of an annual series of articles, we’re analyzing the Sabres’ Eastern Conference opponents in a series titled “Know Your Enemy”. In these files, we’re looking at how Buffalo played against every East team last season, and how they’re likely to fare against every of those Eastern teams this season.
And in this file, we’re turning the spotlight on the Tampa Bay Lightning..
The Lightning finished second in the Atlantic last year, just three standings points behind Buffalo. Tampa Bay had the same amount of wins as the Bolts did last season, so the Lightning are going to be one of the Sabres’ toughest opponents this season. Here’s this columnist’s perspective on how the Sabres should fare against the Lightning this season:
BUFFALO SABRES VS. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
NEW LIGHTNING PLAYERS: Ilya Mikheyev (LW), John Carlson (D), Dennis Hildeby (G), Jeffrey Viel (LW)
2025-26 SERIES: Sabres 3-0-1, Lightning 1-3-0
2026-27 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: November 11 at Buffalo; November 22 at Tampa Bay; January 2 at Tampa Bay; April 5 at Buffalo
CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? The Lightning were one of the best teams in the league before their off-season made them considerably better. They’ve now got a healthy Victor Hedman back, as well as free-agent signing Carlson, the long-time Washington Capitals defenseman. Carlson essentially replaced departed D-man Darren Raddysh, and that could be a significant upgrade for the Bolts.
Meanwhile, Bolts GM Julien BriseBois went out and added an above-average winger in Mikheyev, and he traded with the Toronto Maple Leafs to acquire an up-and-coming goaltender in Dennis Hildeby. The Lightning have needed a better backup for star Andrei Vasilevsky for years now. And Hildeby, who was stuck in a logjam with the Leafs, could thrive on a Lightning team better than Toronto. If he can give Tampa 25-30 games, Vasilevskiy will be fresher for the Bolts’ next playoff run.
All of which is to say, yes, the Sabres can still beat Tampa Bay, but it certainly won’t be easy for Buffalo, and there is a world in which the Sabres get swept by the Bolts. It could be a feast-or-famine type of year for the Sabres, but they clearly have a nemesis in Tampa Bay. And the Lightning have the superstars – Jake Guentzel; Nikita Kucherov; Hedman and Brayden Point; and the newcomer, Carlson – to overwhelm their opponents, Buffalo included.
The Sabres will be taking on the Lightning twice in an 11-day stretch in early November, and they’ll then clash again the day after New Year’s Day. And after that, they’ll get one more look at Tampa in their third-to-last game of the regular-season on April 5. That particular game could affect either or both team’s place in the Atlantic standings, and it could set up a first-round matchup between Buffalo and the Bolts. And that would be a first-round series Sabres fans may not be pleased with.
The Sabres are a strong team, and they did handle their business against the Lightning last season, winning three out of four games, and never losing in regulation in those four games. That’s a record against the Bolts that few teams can boast of. But the Lightning have as least as much talent, if not more, than Buffalo does.
And in the four regular-season clashes between the two teams, the one thing that’s guaranteed is we’re going to see high-quality hockey.
The San Jose Sharks announced a few more cuts to their training camp roster, including center Filip Bystedt. The Sharks' 27th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Bystedt showed improvements during the 2025-26 campaign, but seemed to struggle quite a bit during preseason outside of the latter half of his final game. Since he's still waiver-exempt, Bystedt was reassigned to the San Jose Barracuda, but it seems fair to question whether or not he'll ever make the jump to the Sharks' roster at this point.
Bystedt made more than one appearance in preseason for the first time in his career this time around, playing two games and registering three points (a goal and two assists). On paper, his production was fine, but he often felt slow, disengaged, and out of position. While other young players are running with their opportunity, he seemed content with heading back to the Barracuda.
Players like Cam Lund, who is unfortunately not playing in preseason due to injury, Igor Chernyshov, and Ethan Cardwell have all gotten the chance to play some NHL games over the past few seasons, but Bystedt is yet to make his debut despite being drafted two years before Chernyshov and a round ahead of Lund.
While late first-round picks usually aren't game changers, the Sharks undoubtedly would've preferred to see Bystedt show that he's deserving of an opportunity by now. At 22 years of age, he still has time to get to the NHL, but it won't be long before he's no longer viewed as a prospect.
This season, it seems like it's now or never for Bystedt, he needs to appear in at least one NHL game in the 2026-27 campaign, otherwise it'll be very easy for him to get left behind moving forward as more and more prospects become NHL ready.
The Senators moved quickly to restore their goaltending depth on Friday, acquiring Jonas Johansson from the Tampa Bay Lightning for future considerations. The move came just hours after the Vancouver Canucks claimed Leevi Meriläinen off waivers.
Johansson has played 105 NHL games, breaking into the league with Buffalo in 2019–20 and has also spent time with Colorado, Florida and Tampa Bay.
In 25 games as the Lightning’s backup last season, he went 11-10-2 with a 3.29 goals-against average and an .884 save percentage. Buffalo selected him in the third round of the 2014 NHL Draft. nhl.com
His most recent outing was against the Senators in April, when he gave up five goals on 31 shots in a 6-2 loss to the Sens.
If Johansson directly takes Meriläinen’s place on Ottawa’s depth chart, the Senators’ top three goaltenders would all be Swedish: Linus Ullmark, Samuel Ersson and Johansson.
There is still competition in camp for work in Belleville. The Sens still have Vadim Zherenko on a professional tryout, while youngsters Jackson Parsons of Embrun and Kevin Reidler are also in the organization’s goaltending picture. Reidler gives the Senators yet another Swedish option.
But Johansson looks to be the new number three, simply because he brings NHL experience. Given the choice, after losing Meriläinen and letting Mads Sogaard walk in free agency, the Sens didn't want to be one injury away from having to turn to a goalie with absolutely no NHL experience.
For the record, Johansson is on an NHL deal with a cap hit of $1.25 million, but he's one of 10 players that Tampa assigned to the AHL on Friday afternoon, so waivers aren't a concern.
Much has been made of the roster battle the Philadelphia Flyers were expected to have on defense, with esteemed prospects like David Jiricek, Oliver Bonk, and Ty Murchison all vying for a place in the NHL.
The forgotten name in all of this has been veteran newcomer Simon Benoit, who arrived earlier this summer as an auxiliary piece in the Joseph Woll trade.
Benoit, 28, is expected to be the Flyers' seventh defenseman this year as the team's latest flavor of reliable veteran, following in the footsteps of Marc Staal, Erik Johnson, and Noah Juulsen from the recent past.
Although the 6-foot-4 defender is still expected to have a minor role in the grand scheme of things this year, Benoit is still making his presence known.
In Thursday's preseason tune-up that featured much of the Flyers' NHL regulars, Benoit played 17:16, including 2:14 shorthanded, as the Flyers were forced to play with five defenders for the majority of the 2-0 win after Helge Grans went down with an injury.
Benoit probably would have played more, too, if he hadn't fought the Bruins' Brian Halonen, which kept him in the box for five minutes.
In the minutes he did play, though, Benoit supplied a team-leading four shots on goal and was the only Flyer to have a +2 rating on the night.
"It's awesome, and I like that. I think it shows you guys what he's capable of doing," longtime teammate Woll said of Benoit's fight with Halonen on Thursday night. "He can throw 'em with the best in the league, and, yeah, I'm pumped for him."
Something about Flyers players wearing No. 44 and getting into fights...
In any case, it's an element the Flyers have lost this year, with Nick Deslauriers being traded to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes ahead of the NHL trade deadline, and Garnet Hathaway getting dealt to the Florida Panthers early in the offseason.
That leaves Benoit's fellow defenseman, Nick Seeler, as the last remaining rough-and-tumble customer on the roster,
Seeler's physicality is on the decline, though at age 33. Seeler had 78 penalty minutes and four fights in 2023-24, but just 74 penalty minutes and four fights in the two seasons since then.
Adding Benoit, even while not an every-night regular, is an important safety valve for the Flyers to have, especially following the departures of Deslauriers and Hathaway over the last few months.
With the clock ticking fast toward opening night Wednesday in Toronto, Adam Pelech and Matthew Schaefer — on his off side — should form the Islanders’ first pair. Barring something unexpected, Alexander Romanov and Ryan Pulock would be the second.
Friday’s preseason match against the Rangers, though, was the first time the Islanders’ hopeful second pair got into any game action during camp. The Islanders wanted to give both an extra few days of practice after they had undergone shoulder surgery — Romanov soon after the hit from Mikko Rantanen that ended his season last November and Pulock after the season. That came with the tradeoff of asking both to play back-to-back nights, with coach Pete DeBoer looking to roll out an NHL lineup Saturday against the Devils.
Rusty would be an understatement to describe how they looked.
New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov (28) skates with the puck during training camp at the Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow, N.Y., Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Much of the 6-1 margin can be explained by the Rangers playing their NHL lineup against a group of mostly AHLers. Romanov and Pulock’s respective minus-3s cannot, though the rust does account for some margin of it.
Romanov, in particular, repeatedly was boxed out and often behind the play.
“I was happy to play my first game in 10 months,” he said. “First two periods was tough. I was just turning my head left and right, look at guys skating in front of me. Third period, I started feeling it. I had a couple good takeaways, interceptions.”
Pulock, for his part, sounded similar, saying he liked some pieces of his game and felt good on the ice, but knows he’ll be better with more game time.
“That’s what preseason is for,” DeBoer said. “It’s to work out the kinks, get the rust off, get a little bit better. … That first game is always hard.”
New York Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock (6) skates with the puck during the first period against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
It was largely forgotten amid the hole it created in the Islanders lineup with Romanov out, but he struggled badly in the 15 games he played last season, never looking like himself.
As for Pulock, he labored through a shoulder injury in the second half of the season, his play slipping as a result.
This is to say: The Islanders don’t need to imagine what it is like to have a diminished version of either one in their lineup. It won’t go well.
“Summer was obviously different,” Pulock told The Post pregame. “It’s the first time I’ve had a surgery like that. The rehab process, different steps. I think off the start, there wasn’t much happening [after surgery] until you can start the strengthening portion of things. I spent the summer here with our guys. I think they did a great job from a strength standpoint — all my testing is better than it was before.”
Ditto for Romanov, who said he’s dropped approximately 17 pounds and is down from 14 percent body fat a year ago to 7. He cut out sugar and junk food, monitored his gluten intake and got in more on-ice training. The Islanders brass has been impressed all camp with his physical improvement.
Playing well, though, is a different thing than coming to camp in great shape — and Friday was a reminder. And even following a season ruined by injury, Romanov still has expectations attached to him from an eight-year deal signed in the summer of 2025.
DeBoer, for his part, still is holding out a top-four spot as a carrot, pointedly using the word “potential” in describing Romanov’s chances of playing there, though there’s little reason to believe he won’t.
Mika Zibanejad of the New York Rangers is checked by Alexander Romanov of the New York Islanders during the first period of a preseason game at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. Getty Images
“He has all the tools for that and that’s what we need out of him,” DeBoer said. “There’s a spot for him in that hole. So he’s gotta come back healthy, which he is right now. He hasn’t played games in a long time. We’ve gotta give him some runway there to get back up to speed. I’m excited about what I see in practice and how it translates into the games.”
For the low stakes moment that a preseason game represents, that’s about just regaining comfort on the ice.
“I just want to remind myself how to play hockey,” Romanov said pregame, “because when you don’t play a whole year, even [though] you’re in shape, you gotta bring back this experience that you have. I’m just happy to play my first game since injury and every shift, every second, just try to play my best game and see how it goes.”
Alex Nylander, brother of William, was in the Toronto Maple Leafs' organization for the last two years.
For 2024-25, he signed a one-year contract at $775,000 with the Maple Leafs, and one year later signed an AHL contract with the Toronto Marlies. The majority of those two campaigns were spent in the minors, playing a total of 129 regular-season games for the Marlies.
Last year, Nylander scored 24 goals and 53 points in 65 appearances and went on to win the Calder Cup with Toronto later in the year. In terms of production, that was his best season in professional hockey.
In the NHL with the Maple Leafs in that span, Nylander featured in just five regular-season outings, recording four penalty minutes, a minus-one rating and averaging 9:53 of ice time.
In total, the 28-year-old has played 126 NHL games, scoring 25 goals and 49 points. In the AHL, he's made 459 regular-season appearances, registering 141 goals and 307 points in his career.
See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source
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.
It won't be long before the Detroit Red Wings open the 2026-27 regular season, with just one exhibition game remaining before the real action begins Oct. 2.
Between now and Monday, however, every NHL team must trim its roster to 23 players or fewer. The Red Wings took another step toward that requirement with their latest round of roster moves.
17 players have been sent to the American Hockey League affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins, including:
F Ondřej Becher
F Cameron Butler
F Noah Dower Nilsson
F Sheldon Dries
F Dylan James
F Jesse Kiiskanen
F John Leonard
F Sutter Muzzatti
F Théo Rochette
F Dominik Shine
F Wilmer Skoog
D Ronnie Attard
D Jacob Bryson
D Shai Buium
D William Lagesson
G Trey Augustine
G Michal Postava
Additionally, forward Kienan Draper and defensemen Justice Christensen, Alex Kannok Leipert, and Jacob Truscot have all been released from their professional tryouts; All four players will return to Grand Rapids.
This means that players like Nate Danielson, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, and Anton Johansson all still have a chance to make the Opening Night roster.
Last fall, Brandsegg-Nygård and Sandin-Pellikka, along with Emmitt Finnie, earned roster spots thanks to their strong performances in Training Camp and the preseason.
The Red Wings have one game remaining on their exhibition slate, as they'll host the Columbus Blue Jackets to Little Caesars Arena on Saturday evening.
The Red Wings suffered their only loss of the preseason thus far against the Blue Jackets, a 1-0 setback via the shootout. They followed that with a 7-4 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, along with a 3-2 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres.
Detroit opens the regular season on Oct. 2 against the New York Rangers.
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.
New York Islanders' Pierre Engvall pursues New York Rangers' Alberts Smits during the second period at UBS Arena, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y.
When the Rangers routed the Islanders 6-1 on Friday in their preseason finale, it served as “the closest thing to a full lineup that we’ve had of any of the exhibition games to this point,” head coach Mike Sullivan.
Access the Rangers beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting withMollie Walker about the inside buzz on the Rangers.
And that means that fourth-line winger Matt Rempe and rookie defenseman Alberts Smits are seemingly in the driver’s seat for the final two spots for the Blueshirts’ opening-night group. Nothing will become official until the Rangers make their final cuts by Monday, but the scene at UBS Arena that essentially served as a dress rehearsal was telling. Rempe was with the fourth line and picked up an assist on Tye Kartye’s goal in the second period.
Smits skated with Braden Schneider and logged 18:18 of ice time.
While Sullivan didn’t provide many hints about the final calls, he said that Smits — drafted No. 5 overall in June — has “certainly made a compelling argument through his play that he’s capable of playing in the NHL.” Smits impressed Sullivan with his physicality and sharp passing as an 18-year-old, but similar to the Rangers’ call with Gabe Perreault last training camp, when they sent him to AHL Hartford, they want to ensure that Smits can be an impactful player on their roster.
New York Islanders’ Pierre Engvall pursues New York Rangers’ Alberts Smits during the second period at UBS Arena, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“It’d mean a lot,” Smits said postgame when asked what it’d mean to make the roster, while leaving the decision as to whether he’s done enough up to the coaches and saying that he has to show daily that he’s ready to make the jump.
The presence of Rempe alongside Tye Kartye and Joe Veleno continued the trend throughout training camp of the 6-foot-9 forward settling back in after being limited to just 26 games last year. He underwent two procedures on his left thumb, limiting what he could contribute with his stick. Rempe would need to clear waivers too, while Jaroslav Chmelar can get assigned without the risk of being picked up by another team.
New York Rangers’ Alberts Smits pursues New York Islanders’ Mitchell Chaffee (26) during the second period at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Rempe knew entering training camp that he had a lot to prove, said he “wants to be here bad” and then collected eight hits during the Rangers’ preseason game against the Devils on Thursday. And Sullivan, who reiterated that Rempe simply needs to play games, said Friday that the 24-year-old can be more than someone capable of fights and a few hits.
“I think he has to be,” Sullivan said. “When you look at the nature of how the game’s being played today, if a player, if their value is only in their ability to fight, how many fights does the average NHL fighter get in the course of a season? Half a dozen?
“So if he’s only gonna make an impact five or six times a year … you would all say that there needs to be other elements to a player’s game. And I think Remps brings other elements.”
Igor Shesterkin made 15 saves and nearly delivered a preseason shutout against an Islanders team of mostly AHL players before Pierre Engvall’s shot beat him with just over eight minutes left. … Perreault, Oliver Bjorkstrand, J.T. Miller, Will Cuylle and Mika Zibanejad scored the Rangers’ other five goals. … Nathan Aspinall, Liam Greentree, Drew Fortescue, Cole Beaudoin, Jackson Dorrington and Carey Terrance were all assigned to the Wolf Pack. Anton Blidh, Marc Del Gaizo, Glenn Gawdin and William Trudeau were placed on waivers, according to multiple reports.
With just one preseason game left to play, the Philadelphia Flyers have all but decided on their final 23-player roster ahead of the start of the regular season.
On Friday, the Flyers announced four more cuts to their training camp roster, sending surging prospects Jett Luchanko and Cole Knuble back to the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, alongside power forward Jacob Gaucher and top defense prospect Oliver Bonk.
The Flyers' current roster now stands at 26 players, and they need only make three more cuts to finalize their roster ahead of opening night.
For Knuble and Luchanko, it is a bit of a shame, as Knuble had two goals and an assist in his three preseason games with the Flyers, while Luchanko recorded an assist in each of his three preseason games, too.
This is the unfortunate result of a numbers game for both players, though this was a decision largely made in the best interest of Luchanko's development ahead of time, too.
In an offseason Q&A with The Hockey News, Danny Briere had already strongly indicated that Luchanko would spent the season in the AHL with the Phantoms unless he had clearly established himself as one of the Flyers' 12 best forwards.
With Trevor Zegras, Christian Dvorak, Noah Cates, and Sean Couturier all still ahead of him in the pecking order at the center position, Luchanko will spend the season in the AHL until if and when the injury bug strikes.
Jett Luchanko recorded an assist in all three of his preseason appearances for the Flyers. (Photo: Kyle Ross, Imagn Images)
At the same time, Bonk was not especially impressive in the preseason and made a few uncharacteristic mistakes that undermined his standout hockey IQ, his top trait as a pro player.
That's fine, though, as Bonk hasn't even played a full professional season yet after missing the start of last year due to injury. The Flyers will be happy to let him marinate for another year.
Projecting Flyers' final cuts
So, the Flyers have three more cuts to make, and they are all fairly obvious moves, depending on the health of the rest of the team.
Prospect Aleksei Kolosov, the Flyers' de facto No. 3 goalie, remains on the roster with Dan Vladar temporarily on the shelf with an upper-body injury.
If and when Vladar is healthy, Kolosov will return to the Phantoms and reprise his role as their starting goalie, working with Carson Bjarnason as his backup.
On defense, Helge Grans remains on the roster for now after suffering a lower-body injury in Thursday night's 2-0 preseason win over the Boston Bruins.
Grans played his best game of the preseason in the brief 1:29 he skated for before exiting with a dubious injury, and he will require waivers to be assigned to the AHL. Perhaps the Flyers are waiting until other teams all make their cuts at the same time to reduce the chance Grans is claimed.
Veteran tough guy Garrett Wilson remains as the one notable AHL player yet to be cut by the Flyers; Wilson fought Dylan McIlrath in the Flyers' first preseason game against the Capitals, and that's been about it for him since then.
And, in the event the Flyers need roster flexibility, Carl Grundstrom already cleared waivers earlier this week, which protects him for the next 10 games he plays or for the next 30 days on the roster, whichever comes first. Then, he'll need to clear waivers again.
Knuble and Luchanko were the two toughest remaining cuts for the Flyers, and now that the decision has been made, the Flyers' NHL roster ahead of opening night is virtually set in place.
