After winning their last two games, the Montreal Canadiens will continue their western road trip with a duel with the Vegas Golden Knights at the T-Mobile Arena on Friday afternoon. The weekday matinee stems from the fact that it’s a Thanksgiving bank holiday for our neighbours to the south.

Martin St-Louis has already shown his hand when it comes to his goaltenders, and Samuel Montembeault will be on duty against the Knights. Jakub Dobes was on duty for the last two games, but the coach has to use both netminders for the back-to-back. The Becancour native has a 1-2-2 record against Vegas with a 3.65 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage. As for Dobes, he has never taken on the Knights, and given his goaltenders’ recent form, it makes sense to keep the Czech fresh to take on the red-hot Colorado Avalanche, who have won their last 10 games, including three by shutout.

Canadiens Goalie Prospect Ranked Among Best Young Players
Canadiens Outside Looking In At The Quarter-Mark Point
Canadiens: For Better Or For Worse

Meanwhile, Bruce Cassidy hasn’t confirmed who will man the net for the host. The Knights have been without starter Adin Hill for most of the season. He has only taken part in five games and hasn’t played since October 20 because of a lower-body injury. Right now, they are making do with Akira Schmidt and Carl Lindbom, but they are expected to call up Carter Hart soon, since he’ll be eligible to play from December 1.

Schmidt has seen most of the action for the Knights this season, and he won the only game he ever played against the Habs, giving up a single goal and posting a .958 SV. Lindbom has never faced the Canadiens, and since the Knights are also playing a back-to-back, either goalie could get the nod.

Since the Knights’ inception, the Canadiens have a 6-6-2 record against the Nevada outfit, and the host has won seven of the last 10 duels while outscoring the Habs 44-34, but they haven’t been in great form of late; they are 3-2-5 in their previous 10 games and will be trying to put a halt to a three-game losing streak. As for the Tricolore, they are 3-4-3 in their last 10 games.

When he suits up this afternoon, Brendan Gallagher will skate in his 857th game with the Sainte-Flanelle, tying Tom Johnson for the 16th most games played with Montreal. The alternate captain is the Canadiens’ second most productive forward against Vegas with eight points in 11 games, second only to captain Nick Suzuki, who has 10 points in as many games. Mike Matheson rounds up the top three with seven points in 12 duels, while Cole Caufield is a point-per-game player against the host with five points in as many tilts.

Martin St-Louis has yet to confirm if he’ll make any changes to his lineup this afternoon. Still, TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie believes that he could see Alexandre Texier make his debut since Jared Davidson didn’t see a single second of action in the third frame against the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday night. The newcomer has three points in as many games against the Knights. We’ll also keep an eye on Adam Engstrom, who could play his second game at the expense of Arber Xhekaj, even though the rookie blueliner didn’t see much action in the final frame on Wednesday.

Speaking of newcomers, it’s a new member of the Knights who has the best record against the Canadiens. Former Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner has 39 points in 38 games against the Habs. As for Jack Eichel, he has 24 points in as many duels, and captain Mark Stone completes the top three with 23 points in 27 games. Eichel is the seventh top-scorer in the NHL with 31 points on the season, and he has seven points in his last four games.

You can catch the game on SCRIPPS, RDS and TSN 2 at 4:00 PM ET. At the end of the match, the Canadiens will take off for Denver and are set to arrive at 12:30 AM, 12 hours or so ahead of Saturday’s game against the Avalanche, who will have taken on the Minnesota Wild on Friday.

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DENVER — Two weeks ago, coach Jared Bednar was singing a very different tune when it came to Mackenzie Blackwood. 

Blackwood got off to a rough start in Colorado’s 6-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on November 13. The first period saw two early goals slip past him: the first from former Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram, who punched in a failed cover-up attempt, and the second a mix of shaky goaltending and defensive breakdowns. Buffalo’s Owen Power lobbed the puck into the zone, allowing Jordan Greenway to outskate two defenders and beat Blackwood with a clean shot.

Bednar Put Blackwood on Notice 

After the 28-year-old goaltender told reporters that he needed more minutes to get back to being his vintage self, Bednar provided a bit of tough love in the post-game press conference. 

"I hate to sound cruel, but that's a Blacky problem at this point," he stated. "It's not a problem for me; I have lots of confidence in Blacky and I know there's lots of minutes between here and the end of the season, but (Scott Wedgewood) is playing great, so I'm not gonna not play Wedge to play Blacky at this point, so those minutes come in practice and hard work he's been doing that and he'll get his games.” 

“I'm not gonna not play him because Blacky needs minutes. There's plenty of time to give him minutes. Right now, we're gonna play a rested goalie and play the goalie that gives us a really good chance." 

Blackwood told The Hockey News the following day that he agreed with Bednar’s take on the matter, as uncomfortable as it was to address publicly, and acknowledged it was up to him to fix the problem. And in the weeks since, he clearly has. 

Blackwood Earns Bednar’s Praise 

During their recent road trip, the Avalanche offense never fully found its rhythm, yet Colorado still escaped with wins over the Nashville Predators and Chicago Blackhawks. And in Nashville, it was Blackwood who carried them, delivering a 35-save shutout to secure a 3-0 victory and effectively willing the team across the finish line. Scott Wedgewood, who filled the void for Blackwood while he recovered from offseason surgery to repair a lower body injury and who currently leads all NHL goaltenders with 13 wins, followed with a shutout of his own in a 1-0 victory over the Blackhawks. 

But if there was any question about whether Blackwood’s performance in Nashville was merely a one-off, he put that notion to rest on Wednesday night. Facing his former San Jose Sharks, Blackwood delivered another shutout in a commanding 6-0 win, erasing any remaining doubt about his form. 

We asked Bednar just how impressed he has been with Blackwood since challenging him to regain his sharpness. 

“Yeah, I’m really impressed,” he stated. “The Nashville game was lights out. Tonight, good again. And part of it is just, like I’ve talked about before, knocking the rust off. We have a lot of faith in this guy. Obviously it’s why we signed him. It’s why he’s our guy.”

The Avs are an unstoppable force. With Wednesday's win over San Jose, Colorado's winning streak is up to 10 games. They're now 9-0-2 in home games this season.

Check out Jared Bednar's full press conference following a 6-0 win over the Sharks. pic.twitter.com/ZAO16RLw0T

— DNVR Avalanche (@DNVR_Avalanche) November 27, 2025

Before Blackwood went on this impressive streak, Bednar told reporters that he expected more from his netminder. At the same time, he acknowledged Blackwood’s offseason injury, his slower-than-anticipated recovery, and the fact that he missed most of training camp and the preseason in stages. That measured critique was likely intentional, aimed at keeping Blackwood from becoming complacent. Now that he’s back to full strength, Bednar took this moment to speak about his recovery in detail. 

“But (when) you don’t play since the end of last year, you have a procedure in May, and that’s a long time off the ice. It’s a long time where you’re not getting reps and going through camp. You’re gonna expect him not to be at his best right away, but since he’s been healthy, putting in a lot of extra work with (goaltending coach) Jussi (Parkkila) and (Scott Wedgewood), it was a matter of time in our opinion before he was going to get to where he wanted to be and where we wanted him to be. 

“You kind of got to play him through that a little bit, you got to get him the practice time, so it took a little bit longer than what we would have liked, but we’re fortunate the way Wedge is playing, so now we got two guys at the top of  their game. It’s great for us and I’m really happy for both of those guys for what they’re accomplishing.”  

Civil War 

At the start of the season, it appeared the Avalanche might once again be derailed by injuries, with both Blackwood and defenseman Samuel Girard sidelined. Yet after Bednar described this team as the best he had seen since the 2022 Stanley Cup run, that assessment has aged remarkably well. While Wedgewood was outstanding for the Avalanche last season, few could have predicted that he would play at such a high level that Team Canada would place him on their Olympic long list for the upcoming Milan Games. Now, with Blackwood back to form, we could see both men vying for an Olympic spot at the same time—or, as our own Michael Traikos has suggested, Jon Cooper could simply bring both. 

The best team in the NHL also happens to have the 2 best goalies in the NHL.

If you’re the Avs, who have seen Wedgewood and Blackwood combine for 3 straight shutouts, this is a great problem. If you’re Team Canada, it poses a complicated questionhttps://t.co/r08UAt8KtE

— Michael Traikos (@Michael_Traikos) November 27, 2025

If Blackwood can shine tonight, I can’t recall another time in NHL history when two goaltenders from the same country, playing on the same team, were simultaneously vying for an Olympic roster spot.

Captain Canada: Civil War, but in the friendly competition sense. #goavsgo#avs…

— Ryan O'Hara (@OHaraSports) November 26, 2025

Thankfully for the Colorado Avalanche, there is no civil war, as catchy as that might sound. The real battle is against the rest of the NHL. This team is a true juggernaut, and with Mackenzie Blackwood back at the peak of his abilities, a squad that was already formidable has become downright intimidating.

And it wasn’t just a response to the critics—Blackwood made history in the process. He is the seventh goaltender in Colorado Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques history to record consecutive shutouts, joining an elite group that includes Patrick Roy, Clint Malarchuk, David Aebischer, Pavel Francouz, Darcy Kuemper, and Justus Annunen. Until Wednesday night, only Roy and Kuemper had managed to do it twice with Colorado. With his latest performance, Blackwood became the third to achieve the feat.

The rust is gone. Case closed.

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Connor Clattenburg is probably heading back to Bakersfield soon. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is close to returning, having practiced on Thursday and is expected to play Saturday in Seattle. When that happens, there simply won’t be room for the 20-year-old winger who spent the last week showing the Edmonton Oilers what they’ve been missing.

And that’s fine. That’s how it goes. But man, did Clattenburg make the most of his time.

Called up last Friday to replace Noah Philp, who was placed on LTIR, Clattenburg made his NHL debut Saturday night against Florida. Two games later, he’d scored his first NHL goal, racked up eight hits, dropped the gloves when needed, and given the Rogers Place crowd something to cheer about in an otherwise miserable 8-3 loss to Dallas.

Clattenburg scored his first career goal at 14:21 of the second period against the Stars, poking home a loose puck and celebrating like every kid dreams of doing. The Oilers were down 4-1 at the time. The game was already lost. But watching Clattenburg light up after burying that goal reminded everyone why these moments matter, regardless of the score.

A former 10th-round pick in the OHL Draft and captain with the Flint Firebirds, Clattenburg isn’t a prospect anyone expected to see in the NHL this quickly. He’d appeared in just 15 games for the Condors this season, scoring a goal and an assist while adding 59 penalty minutes—25 of which came from five fights. He’s not here to put up points. He’s here to finish checks, go to the net, and make the opposition think twice about taking liberties.

In two games, that’s exactly what he did.

Saturday in Sunrise, Clattenburg played with spice and was ready to square off with anyone willing. He finished checks. He got under people’s skin. He played with the kind of energy this team desperately needed, especially heading into a rematch with the Panthers for the first time since last year’s Cup Final.

Oilers Prospect Featured On Top Young Players ListThis Oilers prospect is being viewed as one of the top young players in hockey.

Against Dallas, he kept doing the simple things right. Finishing every check. Going to the net. Playing with enthusiasm. Even in limited ice time, Clattenburg made an impact that was hard to ignore.

The reality is that Clattenburg was never going to stick long-term. He doesn’t project as a high-scoring player—he brings mostly physical play. In a perfect world, the Oilers have enough healthy bodies that they don’t need to lean on a 20-year-old AHL enforcer to provide energy. But this hasn’t been a perfect world for Edmonton this season.

Nugent-Hopkins has been out since November 8th with an undisclosed injury, and his absence left a hole in the lineup that went beyond just skill. The Oilers needed someone to bring something different, and Clattenburg did exactly that.

Draisaitl Said Everything Everyone's Been ThinkingThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers#google_vignette">Edmonton Oilers</a> came home from a gruelling road trip, got a few days to rest and practice, and then lost 8-3 to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night at Rogers Place.

Now Nugent-Hopkins is back, or close enough. He centered the third line at practice Thursday with Andrew Mangiapane and Clattenburg on his flanks. When he’s officially cleared to play, Clattenburg will almost certainly be on his way back to Bakersfield. The math just doesn’t work otherwise.

And that’s okay. Clattenburg got his shot. He got his first NHL game. He got his first NHL goal. He showed that he belongs in the conversation, even if it’s not quite time yet. His ascension to the NHL was quick, and there’s no reason to think he won’t be back at some point down the line.

For now, though, his value was in reminding the Oilers what physicality and enthusiasm look like. In a season where this team has spent most nights playing soft, reactive hockey, Clattenburg spent two games finishing every check and creating energy out of nothing. That’s not a small thing.

Pickard And Skinner Timing Brutal As Insider Links Oilers to Blues In Big TradeNick Kypreos has linked the Oilers to St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington in a potential blockbuster. The timing by Skinner and Pickard on Tuesday couldn't have been worse.

He did everything he could. He showed up, played hard, scored a goal, and made himself impossible to ignore. When the Oilers needed a spark, he provided one. When they needed someone to throw hits and go to the net, he did that too.

Sometimes a player’s value isn’t measured in games played or points scored. Sometimes it’s measured in what they remind a team they’re supposed to be. Clattenburg did that in two games. That’s a pretty good run.

So when Clattenburg gets sent back down—likely in the next few days—it won’t be because he failed. It’ll be because the roster got healthy and the numbers didn’t work. That’s hockey. But the Oilers are better for having had him around, even if it was brief.

Connor Clattenburg got his moment, and he made it count. 

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It's American Thanksgiving, so any NHL team in a playoff spot by this point should be grateful.

Historically, about three-quarters of NHL teams that are currently in a Stanley Cup playoff spot end up making the post-season. As for the other quarter, they blew their opportunity.

Last American Thanksgiving, the New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks were in a playoff spot. They all fell out, and the Rangers, Flyers and Canucks even changed coaches in the off-season.

Also on the last U.S. Thanksgiving, the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens were the bottom two teams in the Eastern Conference. They made the playoffs. And in the West, the Colorado Avalanche bounced back from an ugly start, while the St. Louis Blues went on a late-season surge to make the first round.

With that said, let's examine teams currently out of a playoff spot that could climb in and who they could replace in the standings.

Edmonton Oilers

Why they're out of a playoff spot right now: Keeping the puck out of the net is the Oilers’ Achilles Heel at the moment. Edmonton ranks 31st with a goals-against average of 3.72. Starter Stuart Skinner has a 3.18 goals-against average and a save percentage of .878, but the defense in front of them hasn't been excellent. 

Why they could climb in: With Skinner and backup Calvin Pickard struggling, the chances of acquiring a new goalie is rising significantly. And with a bump in effectiveness between the pipes, Edmonton’s offense could power them into a post-season berth in the comparatively weak Pacific Division.

Who they could replace: Seattle Kraken

The Kraken have surprised many this season, posting an 11-6-6 record to put them in third place in the Pacific. But there could be some regression for Seattle, as its sub-standard offense (currently ranked 29th in the league at 2.57 goals-for per game) can only be bailed out by the defense for so long.

Winnipeg Jets

Why they're out of a playoff spot right now:The Jets started the year strongly, with a 9-3-0 record out of the gate. But they’ve since gone 3-7-0, and they’ve been outscored 33-25 in that 10-game span, dropping them down to 12th in the Western Conference.

Why they could climb in: As soon as star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck returns from injury – projected to be sometime in January at the soonest – the Jets are going to receive a major boost. So long as the Jets' offense is a top-10 offense in the NHL – and they’re currently ninth-best, averaging 3.14 goals-for per game – the Jets should rise in the Central Division standings and unseat a less-talented, less-experienced rival.

Who they could replace: Utah Mammoth

The Mammoth were this writer’s pick to be a playoff team this season – but their 5-6-2 road record is indicative of their lack of consistency. Utah has to fix its defense (currently ranked 17th in the NHL at 3.00 goals against per game) because the team is playing in the league’s toughest division.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Why they're out of a playoff spot right now: Despite their slew of injuries, the Maple Leafs haven’t had issues with their offense, as they’re ranked seventh in the league at 3.30 goals-for per game. The clear problem is their turnstile defense, which is fourth-worst in the NHL at 3.61 goals against per game – and their 2-6-0 road record is one of the worst in the league.  

Why they could climb in: The Leafs have started to get healthy in recent days, with forwards Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies and Nicolas Roy all returning to action in a 2-1 Leafs win over the Columbus Blue Jackets Wednesday. If goalie Anthony Stolarz and defenseman Chris Tanev get healthy soon, the Buds will look much like the team that won the Atlantic Division last season. 

Who they could replace: Boston Bruins

Few pegged the Bruins as a playoff team this season. Although they’ve produced a 14-11-0 record, they lack the depth to help them if the injury bug bites them harder than it already has, with Charlie McAvoy, Casey Mittelstadt, Viktor Arvidsson, Jordan Harris and Matej Blumel out of the lineup. The Bruins had a brutal six-game losing streak near the start of the season, and they’ve got a 3-4-0 record in their past seven games.

Florida Panthers

Why they're out of a playoff spot right now: While many predicted there would be a post-Cup-winning hangover for the Panthers, few thought they’d be sixth in the Atlantic and 14th place in the East with a 12-10-1 record. But the absence of star forwards Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk has decimated Florida’s offense and defense.

Why they could climb in: After the resilience Florida has shown in the past two seasons, is anybody prepared to count this team out of the playoff race? This isn’t to say they can flip a switch and turn into a world-beater team, but the Panthers still have enough talent to emerge from this funk and go on a tear. They’ll need to improve their 19th-overall defense first and foremost, but once Tkachuk returns, they’ll be a much tougher team to play against at both ends of the ice.

Who they could replace: Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins stormed out to a 6-2-0 record, but since then, they’ve gone 5-4-5 and have slid down to the second wild-card spot in the East. It's tough to believe their defense – third best at 2.59 goals-against per game – will stay as good as it has been. When they do regress in that department, teams like Florida, Montreal and Toronto will leapfrog them in the East’s standings.

Montreal Canadiens

Why they're out of a playoff spot right now: Few teams began the season as strongly as the Canadiens, which went 9-3-0 out of the gate. Since then, they’ve gone 3-4-3, suffering a five-game winless streak in November, and they now sit ninth in the East. They’ve been outscored 38-17 in their seven losses.

Why they could climb in: The Canadiens' offense has been ferocious this season, ranking third in goals-for per game, with 3.45. If they can corral their defense, which currently ranks 27th at 3.50 goals against per game, the Habs should be able to move up the Atlantic standings and get back into the playoffs for the second straight season.

Who they could replace:New York Islanders 

The Islanders have the league’s 10th-best defense at 2.79 goals against per game, but the reason they could slide out of a playoff berth is their mediocre goals-for average of 2.96 per game. You can’t teach offense, and as the Islanders continue transitioning from one era to a new era centered around youngsters like budding star defenseman Matthew Schaefer, their issues on offense make them likely to falter more frequently and wind up on the outside of the playoffs looking in.

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DENVER — On the eve of Thanksgiving, Ross Colton served up the first course himself — snapping a shot past San Jose Sharks netminder Yaroslav Askarov and giving Colorado Avalanche fans something to savor before the holiday feast. 

From that point on, Colorado did what it has done most of the season — laid down a country-style butter whipping. Nathan MacKinnon added a late first-period power-play goal to stretch the lead to 2–0, and the Avalanche blew the game wide open in the second. Colorado struck three times in a blistering 76-second span — Sam Malinski at 3:44, Josh Manson at 4:51, and then Joel Kiviranta, who buried one in his first game back from injury just nine seconds later — pushing the advantage to 5–0 and effectively ending the night for San Jose, who wound up taking a 6-0 loss. 

Colorado Stands Alone 

And the Avalanche (17-1-5) aren’t just lighting it up offensively; they’re smothering teams defensively, and the numbers make that abundantly clear. Colorado has stacked three consecutive shutouts, a feat the franchise hasn’t achieved in more than 24 years. Two of those have come from Mackenzie Blackwood, who turned aside 26 shots last night and posted a 35-save, 3-0 win over Nashville on Nov. 22. Scott Wedgewood, who opened the season as the starter while Blackwood recovered from lower-body surgery, is playing the best hockey of his career. He leads the NHL in wins (13) and was recently named to Team Canada’s Olympic long list. 

The entire team is firing on all cylinders, from goal scorers to shot blockers to goaltenders making pivotal saves. At this point last season, it was a different story. Players were finding the back of the net, but like a fighter leaving gaps in their guard, the team was absorbing too many hits and surrendering far too many chances. While no game this season has been flawless, rather than searching for every way to lose, this Avalanche squad is discovering countless ways to win, with everyone contributing to the effort. 

SAM MALINSKI TOP SHELF SNIPE #GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/WUlrsm2ScB

— PrimeMakar8 (@retro_colorado) November 27, 2025

The Hockey News spoke with Colton following Wednesday’s night win to comment on Colorado’s much-improved defensive structure. 

“I think we’re playing well. I think obviously we’re getting amazing goaltending with that tandem back there, so they give us all the confidence in the world to play our game in front of them on a nightly basis, which is awesome,” Colton said. “The whole season has has kind of what we’ve been preaching, let’s play well in the d zone, limit turnovers, because we know we got the horses in here that are going to produce some offense for us.” 

Horsepower 

The Avalanche right now are like a finely tuned race car. Every gear is operating at full capacity, and no matter the course, they’re ready for the challenge. In hockey terms, that translates to depth. Consider this: Colorado has scored 94 goals this season, and their top three scorers — Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, and Cale Makar — have combined for 40 of those goals, roughly 42 percent of the total. That’s a healthy balance. If a team’s premier players are producing more than half of its goals, concerns about being top-heavy start to emerge. While the Avalanche certainly boast a trio of generational talents, they are not carrying the team alone; their contributions are significant but proportionate, thanks to the remarkable depth across the roster. 

17 ottelun tauon jälkeen heti maalin makuun! 🚨

Joel Kiviranta is back. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/2QONuAfdj2

— NHL Suomi (@NHL_fi) November 27, 2025

Players like Ross Colton are a key part of that depth. The 29-year-old has tallied three goals in his last five games, including strikes in consecutive contests. He is riding a hot streak alongside the rest of the team, which has won 10 straight, yet Colton continues to approach each game with a business-as-usual mindset. 

An absolute rocket from Josh Manson. pic.twitter.com/bW6tUYM0wk

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 19, 2025

“We do a great job managing the bodies, managing the time on and off the ice. We’ll do some video, study what we can change, and then turn the page here. We got a big back-to-back coming up here.” 

Another Back-to-Back 

The Avalanche will face the Minnesota Wild (13-7-4) on Friday at Grand Casino Arena at 1:30 p.m. local time, before quickly flying back to Denver to take on the Montreal Canadiens (12-7-3) on Saturday with a 1 p.m. start. 

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.

Sammy Blais' time with the Toronto Maple Leafs has come to an end.

The Montreal Canadiens claimed Blais off waivers from the Maple Leafs on Thursday.

Seeing the Canadiens claim Blais is not surprising in the slightest, as they lost him through waivers to the Maple Leafs ahead of the 2025-26 season. This was after the Canadiens signed the veteran forward to a one-year, $775,000 contract this summer. 

Since no other teams submitted a claim for Blais, Montreal was able to assign him to AHL Laval. 

Blais will now provide the Canadiens with more forward options after being claimed back. This is undoubtedly a need for the Canadiens right now, as they are currently dealing with injuries to Patrik Laine, Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook.

Montreal called up forwards Florian Xhekaj and Jared Davidson earlier in November to deal with these injuries. Xhekaj has one assist, five hits and a fighting major in two games, while Davidson has 10 hits in five games.

Blais, meanwhile, played in eight games this season with the Maple Leafs, where he posted one goal, two assists, three points, 28 hits and a minus-2 rating.

The Montmagny, Que., native is back in the AHL for now. He won the Calder Cup with the Abbotsford Canucks last season, recording 40 points in 51 regular-season games and adding 19 points in 23 playoff games.

His next AHL game will be the 200th of his career. He has 145 points in the 'A.' In the NHL, meanwhile, Blais has 265 career games, 28 goals and 46 assists for 74 points. He won the Stanley Cup in 2018-19 with the St. Louis Blues, which drafted him in the sixth round, 176th overall, in 2014.

Now, he will be aiming to make an impact with the Canadiens after being brought back. 

Overall, there is no risk in the Canadiens bringing back Blais with this waiver claim. He has an easily affordable cap hit and will also give the Habs more experience. 

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The Wraparound is here once again with more NHL and hockey topics in bite-sized segments.Here's what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello and Adam Kierszenblat discussed in this episode:

0:00: Could Jakob Chychrun be entering the conversation as one of the NHL’s top offensive defensemen?

4:01: What is the offensive ceiling for Morgan Geekie with the Boston Bruins?

8:05: Will Pete DeBoer end up in an NHL coaching role this season?12:11: Which teams could take a shot at signing Robby Fabbri?

15:49: Breaking down standout performers at the CHL USA Top Prospects Challenge

19:40: Is Scott Wedgewood one of Team Canada’s top options in net?

25:23: Has Cutter Gauthier earned himself a spot on Team USA?

31:00: Will the Buffalo Sabres or Toronto Maple Leafs work out their struggles on the road?

What Is Morgan Geekie's Offensive Ceiling With Bruins? by The Wraparound

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Aaron Ekblad blocked a shot late against the Philadelphia Flyers, but the news this morning is positive.

The Florida Panthers were defeated 4-2 by the Flyers despite once owning a two-goal lead. The Panthers came out firing, throwing 15 shots on goal in the first period and concluding the opening frame up 1-0. Carter Verhaeghe added the second, but four unanswered goals by the Flyers flipped the script.

Late in the third period, while trying to keep the Flyers' lead at a minimum, Ekblad blocked a shot that stung him. He finished the game with one shot on goal, two hits and three blocks in 21:43 of ice time.

There was some concern this morning, but coach Paul Maurice spoke to the media and provided a positive update, stating that he is fine and that he will play on Friday against the Calgary Flames. 

Ekblad has had a quiet season offensively, but he continues to be a vital part of their defensive system. With just one goal and seven points in 22 games, the 29-year-old is on pace for just four goals and 26 points.

Despite that, Ekblad averages the second-most ice time on the team and plays a critical role on the Panthers' shutdown unit with Gustav Forsling. 

The news is a sigh of relief for the Panthers.

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Buffalo Sabres players being on various NHL trade rumor boards has been an all-too-frequent sight and with it being American Thanksgiving and the Sabres at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, the chatter will begin in earnest now that unofficial trade season has opened. A couple interesting nuggets from Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos in his first trade board that involved the Sabres. 

The first involved winger Alex Tuch. Kypreos echoed Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman, who indicated on a recent 32 Thoughts podcast that the Sabres winger has to be looking for a deal in the same neighborhood as Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe, which would necessitate the Sabres coming off their negotiating stance prior to the season that they balked at a deal with an AAV of more than $10 million per season. Kypreos indicates there is still a large gap between the two sides, which could make the 29-year-old the most sought-after commodity before the March 6 trade deadline.

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 The other involved Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo. The Leafs acquired the big right-shot defenseman from Boston in March for the playoff stretch drive, but Kypreos reported that Toronto explored trading Carlo to Buffalo for restricted free agent winger JJ Peterka before he was dealt to Utah for Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan, and then moved on to defenseman Bowen Byram, before he signed a two-year bridge deal.

While dealing for Carlo is consistent with the Sabres looking for players with term remaining, and the pursuit of a righty to play with Owen Power this season, either trade would have been quite a departure for Buffalo, who have not made a significant trade with their Atlantic Division rival for 32 years (Dave Andreychuk, Darren Puppa, and a first round pick for Grant Fuhr). 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram  @MikeInBuffalo

There will be no games in the NHL today, as the league is on the American Thanksgiving break. Most of the time, when a team is in a playoff position at this stage, they end up making the spring dance, but this year seems a bit different.

With 27 points, the Montreal Canadiens are currently just outside of the playoff picture, looking in as they are in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. However, not only do they have games in hand on all the teams ahead of them, aside from the Pittsburgh Penguins, but they are also just four points behind the top spot in the east, held by the New Jersey Devils with 31 points, and three points behind the Atlantic Division-leading Tampa Bay Lightning.

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Rarely have the standings been so tight in the Conference, and it’s much tighter than in the West, where the league-leading Colorado Avalanche have 39 points, followed by the Dallas Stars with 34 points and the Minnesota Wild with 30 points. The West houses the three teams with the lowest point totals: the St. Louis Blues (21 points), the Calgary Flames (19 points), and the Nashville Predators (18 points).

In other words, anything can still happen in the standings, and if the Canadiens can keep their current winning streak going (it will be a challenge with the Vegas Golden Knights and the Avalanche coming up on their schedule), they’ll be right back in the thick of it.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Canadiens haven’t been spared by injuries so far, with Patrik Laine, Kaiden Guhle, Alex Newhook and Kirby Dach all being sidelined for a significant time. GM Kent Hughes has already brought some help in by signing free agent Alexandre Tessier, but he’s still working the phones, according to the rumours swirling around the league. There’s no denying that if he were to be able to bring some much-needed help down the middle, the Canadiens would be in a much better spot.

Putting the goaltending woes in the rearview mirror would also go a long way towards helping Martin St-Louis’ side punch its ticket for the playoffs. Jakub Dobes has been solid in his last two starts, and Samuel Montembeault is bound to bounce back; otherwise, he may end up riding the pine for the foreseeable future since the coach now seems determined to ride the hot hand.

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The Buffalo Sabres playoff fortunes may rest on the next two weeks and how they fare on the road, as the club began a stretch of eight of their next 10 on the road with a 4-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday. With the exception of a 31 -second stretch after Jason Zucker’s goal in the third period, the Penguins throughout, ending the Sabres two-game winning streak. 

"Our puck play cost us dearly, cost us on the first goal, our puck play right after we got back in the game and tied it up," Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said. "We didn't handle the puck well, gave it away, didn't execute the breakout and then ended up in the back of their net."

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The Sabres have only one victory (a 5-4 overtime win over Detroit on November 15 in which they trailed 4-1 in the third period) and two overtime losses to Toronto and Boston in nine road games this season. After their Black Friday afternoon home game against New Jersey, the Sabres play seven of their next eight games on the road against Minnesota, Philadelphia, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Seattle and 10 of their 14 December games away from KeyBank Center.  

One reason for optimism may be that Buffalo is getting most of their injured players back. Jason Zucker and Zach Benson returned in the last week, and center Josh Norris may return to action this weekend, lowering the number of players on IR to just three (Michael Kesselring, Jiri Kulich, and Justin Danforth).  Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allowed three goals on just 18 shots, so it is likely we will see either Alex Lyon or Colten Ellis get the start against the Devils.  

Follow Michael on X, Instagram  @MikeInBuffalo

 

So far, the 2025-26 NHL season has been a tale of superstars getting their paychecks and young guns like Connor Bedard and veterans like John Tavares hitting their stride.

However, while some players have found their game or remain the stars we know, others have had less-than-ideal starts to their 2026 campaign.

Here is one NHL player at each position in need of a spark.

Center: J.T. Miller

Although J. T. Miller wasn't particularly remarkable during his first stint in New York or his short time in Tampa Bay, he cemented himself as a point-per-game player following his trade to Vancouver, including a 103-point effort in 2023-24.

Miller recorded 35 points in 32 games following his trade back to Broadway in 2024-25 and was even named captain in the off-season. But his scoring fell as the Rangers struggled to score overall, especially at home.

Miller has 13 points in his first 23 games this season. Despite this, Miller has not shied away from being blunt with the media about his struggles, telling them after their 3-2 loss to the Golden Knights that he expects a “hell of a lot more” production than what he has.

A three-game point streak, with two goals and two assists, is an encouraging sign that the center is already stepping up his game.

Left Wing: Dylan Holloway

After turning his back on Edmonton and signing an offer sheet with the St. Louis Blues, Dylan Holloway surprised everyone in the 2024-25 campaign with 63 points. He even received votes for the Lady Byng Trophy and Selke Trophy in the process, although he would miss their first-round series against Winnipeg with an injury.

Though Holloway has since returned, it seems as if he’s struggled to maintain that form early in 2025-26. So far, Holloway has 11 points and a minus-9 rating through his first 24 games on a struggling Blues squad. With that said, Holloway is only 24, so in comparison to some others on this list, there is not much reason to panic just yet.

Right Wing: Mitch Marner

Mitch Marner headlined the off-season leading up to and following his divorce from the Toronto Maple Leafs, getting a much-needed fresh start with the hotter Vegas Golden Knights.

Although Marner has had hot stretches earlier this season, he has three points in his last eight games. He hasn’t finished a season averaging fewer than a point per game since his sophomore year in 2018, but he currently only has 22 points in 23 contests.

Considering his infamous playoff underperformances in Toronto, Marner could be working with a shorter leash than expected if he can’t recapture that regular-season consistency that was his bread and butter in Toronto.

Defense: MacKenzie Weegar

Arguably Calgary’s top defenseman the past few seasons, MacKenzie Weegar has had perhaps a more drastic fall than anyone else on this list. The once-dependable two-way defenseman has a mere four points in 25 games, all assists, and a rating deep in the minuses at minus-20.

Weegar is on pace for the lowest production of his career since he was a rookie in Florida. Although the Flames’ issues run deeper than any one player, losing Weegar’s production has certainly hurt the team, which currently finds itself hanging around the bottom of the Western Conference.

With Jonathan Huberdeau’s struggles also continuing, the Matthew Tkachuk trade looks worse than ever before for the Flames.

Goalie: Dustin Wolf

Staying on the topic of underperforming Flames, Dustin Wolf is also on the list.

Last season, Wolf nearly willed the Flames into the playoffs on his own. But since signing his seven-year contract extension, Wolf's stats fell. His .890 save percentage and 3.17 goals-against average both mark significant regressions from that campaign, and it’s no surprise the Flames have struggled the way they have partly because of it.

The silver lining is Wolf is still young and locked up long-term, with plenty of runway to turn it around.

Benjamin Kirshenblatt is an intern at The Hockey News.

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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.

Sammy Blais is headed back to the Montreal Canadiens after a brief stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The forward was placed on waivers by Toronto on Wednesday afternoon and, according to TSN's Chris Johnston, was claimed by the Canadiens 24 hours later.

Toronto initially picked up Blais off waivers on Oct. 6, via the Canadiens, who tried to get him through waivers to send him to the AHL. Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube has familiarity with the forward, going back to their days with the St. Louis Blues, when they won the Stanley Cup.

Former Maple Leafs Defender Tyson Barrie Reveals Mike Babcock Story Which Occurred After Joining TorontoBarrie's game with the Maple Leafs transformed after the club fired Babcock and promoted Sheldon Keefe in November 2019.

Blais played eight games with the Maple Leafs, scoring one goal and two assists. He played a bottom-six role for Toronto and Berube, averaging 8:17 of ice time through his entire tenure.

The Maple Leafs recouped a couple of their injured players on Wednesday, including Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, and Nicolas Roy. They needed to make a few roster moves to activate all three players, and waiving Blais was one of them.

Toronto also sent Jacob Quillan back to the AHL's Toronto Marlies after he played two NHL games.

The Maple Leafs have activated F Auston Matthews and F Nicolas Roy from IR.

F Jacob Quillan has been assigned to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).

F Samuel Blais has been placed on waivers.

— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) November 26, 2025

The Maple Leafs are also dealing with a couple of injuries to their defensemen and Anthony Stolarz. Chris Tanev remains out long-term with an upper-body injury after going off on a stretcher in their game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Nov. 1.

Brandon Carlo (lower body) skated with teammates for the first time in practice on Thursday in Washington, one day ahead of Toronto's matchup against the Capitals. Carlo has been out since Nov. 13 versus the Los Angeles Kings.

Stolarz hasn't been seen since leaving after one period with an upper-body injury against the Boston Bruins on Nov. 11. The hope one week ago was that Stolarz would skate last Friday, however, that didn't happen.

It's unknown if he's been on the ice since Toronto left for a five-game road trip on Tuesday afternoon.

Craig Berube Encourages ‘Glass Half Full’ Mindset As Maple Leafs Prepare or Longest Road Trip Amid Struggling SeasonDespite sitting dead last in the East, head coach Craig Berube is urging the Maple Leafs to embrace a "glass half-full" mentality to spark a turnaround on their critical five-game road trip.

Blais being claimed by the Canadiens means Montreal can now send him straight to AHL Laval, since they were the ones who first placed the forward on waivers at the beginning of the season. However, the Canadiens do have a roster spot open for Blais if they choose to keep him in the NHL.

In 265 NHL games, with the Blues, Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers, Blais has scored 28 goals and 74 points.

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The Montreal Canadiens have added to their forward group. 

According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Canadiens have claimed forward Sammy Blais back off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

When it was announced that Blais was placed on waivers, the Canadiens were certainly considered a team to watch. This is because the Canadiens lost Blais to the Maple Leafs through waivers right before the start of the 2025-26 season. Now, Blais will once again be a part of the Canadiens' roster after being claimed back by Montreal.

The Canadiens originally signed Blais to a one-year, $775,000 contract back in July through free agency. This was after he posted 14 goals, 26 assists, and 40 points in 51 AHL games with the Abbotsford Canucks during the 2024-25 season. 

Blais recorded one goal, three points, four penalty minutes, and a minus-2 rating in eight games with the Maple Leafs before being claimed back by the Canadiens. 

American Thanksgiving is upon us, and that means folks start talking benchmarks, playoffs, and trade deadline storylines around the NHL. 

And with some kind of playoff picture coming into focus, the Pittsburgh Penguins sure have a lot to be thankful for this season. 

After a scorching 8-2-2 start to the season in the month of October, the Penguins are still in the East's second wild card spot despite a tough 3-4-3 stretch in November. Regardless of where things go from here, the Penguins have exceeded many outside expectations, and there have been several contributing factors to their early-season success.

Here are five things the Penguins should be thankful for this season.

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Their goalies

Goaltending has taken the Penguins places this season after being a glaring weakness in the last several seasons. 

This year, Tristan Jarry, Arturs Silovs, and Sergei Murashov have combined for a .911 team save percentage, which is good for fourth in the NHL. The league's average save percentage this season is .891.

Save percentage of @penguins goalies:
.914% - Tristan Jarry
.913% - Sergei Murashov
.907% - Arturs Silovs

.891% - NHL average save percentage

Pittsburgh's goaltenders have been difference makers a quarter of the way through the season 👏 pic.twitter.com/D3umloHGYn

— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) November 27, 2025

And, let's not forget Joel Blomqvist, who is off to a torrid start in the AHL after missing the first six weeks of the regular season with a lower-body injury. In three games, he has an impressive 1.34 goals-against average and an unreal .952 save percentage.

The goaltending depth in this organization is very real, and the Penguins should certainly thank those guys for their early success.

Report: Penguins' Goaltender Drawing 'Significant Interest' From Western Conference TeamAn NHL insider has linked Pittsburgh Penguins' goaltender Tristan Jarry to the struggling Edmonton Oilers

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The kids

Another two people the Penguins should be grateful for are GM and POHO Kyle Dubas and VP of Player Personnel Wes Clark, who have managed to completely overturn the Penguins' prospect pool and outlook on youth talent in a matter of two-plus years. 

But at the end of the day, the kids are the ones getting it done. 

Murashov is advanced for a goaltender of his age at 21. Rutger McGroarty - who missed all of training camp and the first month and a half of action due to an upper-body injury - has three goals and five points in three games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) and appears to have a long-term outlook in the organization. Teenagers Ben Kindel and Harrison Brunicke earned spots on the NHL roster out of training camp, and Kindel - drafted this year - has particularly impressed.

Penguins' Top Prospect Rutger McGroarty Extends AHL Goal-Scoring Streak<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' top prospect Rutger McGroarty can't stop scoring goals for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins.

Overall, the Penguins have iced nine rookies this season, which is the top mark in the NHL. All of a sudden, this isn't really an old team anymore, even if their high-performing veterans skew the number otherwise.

And, hey, after 20 years of witnessing greatness in the Crosby era, the Penguins should be thankful that there is, potentially, some greatness on the horizon, too.

Pittsburgh's 2021 second-round pick (58th overall) Tristan Broz will make his NHL debut tomorrow against the Sabres.

Broz will be the ninth rookie to suit up for the @penguins this season, which is the most in the NHL. pic.twitter.com/HAyU2KOx8t

— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) November 25, 2025

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A new coaching staff

New head coach Dan Muse and his staff have gotten a lot out of a roster that a lot of folks doubted heading into the season. 

Todd Nelson has elevated a good Penguins' power play from last season to the best unit in the league, and his work with the forward unit has been spectacular. Mike Stothers has reformed the Penguins' penalty kill to be a top-five unit and has endeared himself to a better-than-anticipated defense corps. Nick Bonino and "eye in the sky" Rich Clune have done a fantastic job with the group as well, especially as coaches with less experience than the others. 

A fuming #LetsGoPens head coach Dan Muse:

"We have a weekend here where we get one of four points. That's not good enough."

— Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) November 23, 2025

Then, there is Muse himself. The players love him and his energy. He knows how to develop players. He knows how to work with the vets. He knows when to give his team positive reinforcement and when to challenge them. He has taken a locker room with an air of staleness and helped revitalize it. 

The organization is surely grateful for this staff, and the team should be, too. 

Penguins' Special Teams Driving Bus For Hot StartNineteen games into the 2025-26 season, things are going pretty well for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>.&nbsp;

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A middling Eastern Conference

Even if the Penguins have had a 3-4-3 skid in the month of November, they - thankfully - haven't lost much ground at all. They are still in a playoff position, and they partially have the rest of the East to thank for that. 

With no team truly pulling away, the Penguins are just four points out of both the divisional and the conference lead that's held by the New Jersey Devils at 31. They have been challenged, injury-depleted, and not playing their best hockey as of late, yet they are still in the thick of things.

That says a lot about both the Penguins as a team and about the rest of the East. It is worth noting that the Penguins are only five points out of the basement of the conference, too. But they're getting healthier, and they were the best team in the East at near-full-health. 

In a season seemingly of "meh" in the East, it's the perfect time for the Penguins to take advantage of that. And they should be thankful that they're getting back to full health so they have the opportunity to do just that. 

Penguins Have Passed The Thanksgiving BenchmarkThe Pittsburgh Penguins are in a playoff spot at Thanksgiving, which could be huge.

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The naysayers

If there is one thing that tends to motivate anyone, it's others casting doubt. It makes a person or a team want to prove those others wrong.

And guess what? The naysayers spoke, and the Penguins have largely rejected narratives this season.

Three of their oldest players in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Erik Karlsson are playing at a very high level to start the season, and they seem to have drowned out the noise. "Take a chance on me" players like Silovs, Justin Brazeau, Anthony Mantha, and Parker Wotherspoon have been three of the Penguins' better players this season, too, despite limited hype surrounding those acquisitions. 

New Penguins' Winger On Pace For Career-Highs This SeasonOne year ago, right wing Anthony Mantha tore his ACL on a freak kind of play as a member of the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/calgary-flames">Calgary Flames</a>.&nbsp;

Even the Penguins' own GM said at the conclusion of last season that the playoffs would be "an accomplishment" this season, and the team is defying those words so far. 

If naysayers didn't exist, the Penguins wouldn't be able to defy everything they've been saying. A lot of publications - not this one, for the record - had the Penguins finishing bottom-five at best, and in a lot of cases, bottom-three.

A lot can still happen. That much is for certain. But be thankful that you get to watch these Penguins on a nightly basis because they've - simply put - been a fun team to watch this season. 

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