ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues recalled defenseman Quinton Burns from Springfield of the American Hockey League late Friday night.
The 21-year-old, a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, played in seven games for the Thunderbirds this season and had one assist and 29 penalty minutes.
After Theo Lindstein was sent down to Springfield on Thursday night, the Blues were left with six healthy defensemen, and although it is not likely that Burns makes his NHL debut on Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes, it gives the team an extra blue liner while in the midst of a five-game homestand, and it will be Burns' first taste of NHL life during the season.
The Smiths Falls, Ontario native has six assists and 121 penalty minutes in 38 AHL regular-season games.
Lindstein played for the Thunderbirds on Friday in their 3-2 loss to Charlotte.
"He’s a big part of what we want to do and we have guys playing really well," Blues coach Jim Montgomery said about Lindstein. "So this is an opportunity for him to go get some game action so when he gets back up here, it hasn’t been a week like it was the last game he played. He’s just going to come back in here and get in the lineup and take someone’s job."
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DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche are making their chances count and keeping Tampa Bay at arm’s length. Colorado took a 4-2 lead into the second intermission, answering the Lightning’s push with timely goals from Fedor Svechkov and Artturi Lehkonen, while Jake Guentzel scored twice on the power play to keep Tampa within striking distance. The Lightning lead 27-17 in shots on goal, but the Avalanche have made the most of their opportunities.
First Period
Martin Necas found Devon Toews in front of the net just 68 seconds into the game, with Nathan MacKinnon picking up the assist to give Colorado an early lead.
Jaden Schwartz appeared to tie the game nearly five minutes in, but the goal was waved off after he kicked the puck past Mackenzie Blackwood. Colorado capitalized shortly after, scoring on the power play at 5:52 with Brandon Hagel in the box for tripping. Nazem Kadri buried a pass from T.J. Hughes in the low slot to double the lead.
Martin Necas following practice on Monday.
Tampa had its chances, controlling possession at times and forcing Colorado’s defense to scramble around its own net. The Lightning also kept the Avalanche’s top line on the ice for extended shifts and tested Blackwood with a flurry of shots, but couldn’t find the back of the net.
Despite being outshot 12-9, Colorado took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.
Second Period
Fedor Svechkov made it 3-0 just 24 seconds into the period, knocking in his own rebound past Andrei Vasilevskiy. Svechkov appeared to be looking for T.J. Hughes at the backdoor, but after Vasilevskiy poke-checked the puck, the rebound fell right back to Svechkov, who finished the play.
Logan O’Connor, playing for the first time this season after recovering from a lower-body injury and dealing with the loss of his father, was called for a two-minute goaltender interference penalty. Vasilevskiy had left his crease to make a save near the backdoor, and O’Connor, closing in quickly, had little time to avoid the collision. Colorado killed off the penalty.
Tampa later earned a 4-on-3 power play after Taylor Makar tripped Conor Geekie. Following the whistle, Sam Malinski cross-checked Dominic James, sparking a brief scuffle along the boards. Both players received roughing minors. On the ensuing power play, Jake Guentzel cut into Colorado’s lead, punching in a rebound off a one-timer from Charle-Edouard D’Astous.
After Colorado killed off a tripping penalty to Lehkonen with 7:10 remaining, the winger got his own goal back. MacKinnon set him up in the low slot, and Lehkonen buried his ninth goal in 11 games to restore the Avalanche’s three-goal cushion at 4-1.
Unlike in their previous two games, the Avalanche were making their chances count while doing a better job defensively and breaking up Tampa’s plays.
Colorado was called for too many men on the ice with less than three minutes remaining, and Tampa struck again on the power play. Brayden Point fed Guentzel at the doorstep for his second goal of the night, cutting the deficit to 4-2.
The Avalanche challenged the goal, arguing that the puck had hit the upper netting before crossing the line. After an extensive review, officials determined the puck had hit the glass, not the netting, and the goal stood.
Through 40 minutes, Colorado held a 4-2 lead, but Tampa continued to pour on the pressure, building a 27-17 advantage in shots on goal.
OTTAWA — After Connor Hellebuyck was traded to the Devils on Friday, the Metropolitan Division is officially a gauntlet of goaltending.
The deal — which features Dawson Mercer, Nico Daws, Nick Bjugstad, Alexander Command, a 2027 seventh-round pick and a 2029 second-rounder as the return for the longtime Jets goalie — puts arguably the three best goaltenders in the world in the tri-state area.
Teams will have to face Igor Shesterkin (when he returns from injury next season), Ilya Sorokin and Hellebuyck during the New York-New Jersey swing.
Connor Hellebuyck was traded to the Devils on Friday. Getty Images
The Capitals also have Logan Thompson, a goalie with a career .911 save percentage, manning their net.
“I mean, Sorokin, Hellebuyck, Shesterkin, it’s a lot of good goalie [play],” Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan said after practice at Canadian Tire Centre on Friday. “There’s a lot of good goalies. It’s going to challenge our shooters.”
Since the 2020-21 season, when Sorokin made his NHL debut, the three tri-state netminders round out the top four save percentages in the league among goaltenders with at least 150 games played over that span.
Though Shesterkin leads the pack with a .916 save percentage, which is tied with Ottawa’s Linus Ullmark, Hellebuyck and Sorokin are tied with the Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy at .915.
The Rangers’ No. 1 goalie, who is out for the season with a knee injury he sustained in the club’s’ sixth game, has the best goals against average of the trio since 2020-21 at 2.51.
Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers is sidelined for the rest of the season with a knee injury. Getty Images
Hellebuyck (2.55) has a slight edge over Sorokin (2.58) in that category.
The Hellebuyck-to-New Jersey trade was a blockbuster that finally ended the 33-year-old’s saga in Winnipeg.
After missing the playoffs last season, Hellebuyck requested a trade out of Winnipeg despite five seasons remaining on his contract. The Jets, Hellebuyck and his agent made it public at the end of August.
New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin protects the net during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
Crowned the best goaltender in the world as he accepted his Olympic gold medal with Team USA in Milan in February, Hellebuyck is now bringing his talents to the East Coast.
For the second straight practice, Sean Durzi did not participate for what the Rangers are describing as “maintenance” purposes.
Asked if there was concern about the 28-year-old defenseman not being able to play Saturday against the Senators, Sullivan did not offer much.
“I don’t know. He’s got a maintenance day right now,” he said. “We’ll see how he is, and we’ll make a decision.”
Matthew Robertson was recalled from Hartford late Friday night, which gives the Rangers two extra defensemen in case Durzi is unavailable.
Late in the third period in Monday’s win over the Ducks, Durzi blocked a shot that hit his hand. It’s unclear if there’s any correlation between the play and his maintenance days, but Durzi notably didn’t log any shorthanded minutes in Toronto on Thursday.
After turning a professional tryout agreement into a one-year contract, Luke Glendening is eligible to make his Rangers debut any game now. Sullivan wouldn’t commit to when that would be.
“We’re taking each day as it comes,” he said. “You know, see how he feels, and then we’ll make decisions game by game here. But we feel like he’s getting closer.”
Eeli Tolvanen did not participate in practice Friday for personal reasons.
DENVER — Taylor Makar has been recalled to the Colorado Avalanche as the team prepares to face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night.
Makar has gotten off to a strong start with the Colorado Eagles, recording three goals and one assist in six games this season. In 12 NHL appearances last season, Makar has yet to record a point.
The 25-year-old forward was selected by Colorado in the seventh round of the 2021 NHL Draft and spent four seasons playing college hockey, including three years at UMass Amherst before transferring to the University of Maine.
In his final season at Maine, Makar recorded 18 goals and 12 assists for 30 points in 38 games. He also put up 24 points (14 goals, 10 assists) in 52 games with the Eagles last season.
Martin Necas after practice on Monday.
The Avalanche are expected to dress 12 forwards against Tampa Bay after frequently using an 11-forward, seven-defenseman lineup this season due to injuries to Nicolas Roy, Logan O’Connor and Zach L’Heureux.
O’Connor is set to return to the lineup Friday, while Gavin Brindley, who has played in each of Colorado’s last four games, is heading back to the minors.
The Avalanche (5-4-1) will face a Lightning team (6-2) coming off a 6-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday. Vegas, of course, was the team that swept Colorado out of the Western Conference Final back in May.
The Avalanche return to Denver after a disappointing road trip that saw them drop consecutive games. Colorado fell 3-2 to the Philadelphia Flyers, who entered the matchup with just one win on the season, before losing 4-3 to the New Jersey Devils. The Avalanche trailed 4-1 in that game before Artturi Lehkonen scored twice late, but New Jersey had controlled much of the matchup.
Head coach Jared Bednar didn’t mince words when discussing his team’s performance, telling Altitude Sports Radio that they were “two of the worst games I’ve seen our team play in years.”
Colorado will look to turn things around Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Taylor Makar could provide a fresh face in the lineup. The forward is off to a strong start with the Colorado Eagles, recording three goals and an assist in six games, and will look to carry that production over as he searches for his first career NHL goal.
The Pittsburgh Penguins reshaped their blue line this summer, making a few moves to give the defense corps an entirely new look.
And one of the casualties of that reshaping became a bit of a casualty with his new team, too.
On Friday, the Winnipeg Jets placed former Penguins' defenseman Jack St. Ivany on waivers. The 6-foot-4, 197-pound blueliner was dealt to the Jets this summer in exchange for forward David Gustafsson, who is currently playing for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins, Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate.
In four games with Winnipeg this season, St. Ivany has no points, is a minus-1, and has averaged 13:31 of ice time per game.
St. Ivany, 27, was a fourth-round pick (112th overall) of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2018. He signed with Pittsburgh as a free agent in the summer of 2022, and his play for WBS that season and in his 14 NHL games during the 2023-24 season - particularly, on the defensive side of the puck - earned him a three-year contract worth $850,000 annually with Pittsburgh.
The next two seasons didn't fare quite as well for St. Ivany at the NHL level, and as a result, he was between the NHL and AHL levels from 2024-2026 before he was traded to Winnipeg. In 57 career NHL games, St. Ivany has amassed nine assists.
The Buffalo Sabres, losers of three of their last four games and tied with Montreal at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, head out on a four game road trip, starting with their first meeting with former teammate Alex Tuch in Washington on Saturday. The club will then head west for a swing through California to finish out the month of October against San Jose, Anaheim, and Los Angeles, but they could be without one of their key youngsters.
Forward Jiri Kulich was struck by a puck at the start of practice at KeyBank Center on Friday. The 22-year-old was bloodied and helped off the ice.
"(It) didn't look good. I don't have an update,” Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said after practice. “We'll get (an update) as soon as he's been evaluated, but he's at the doctor now."
The 22-year-old has three points (1 goal, 2 assists) in eight games. Kulich had his minutes limited in training camp after missing most of last season with a blood clot issue and has missed two of Buffalo’s 10 games, including last week’s 5-4 overtime win over Toronto because of precautionary reasons
#Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff on Jiri Kulich getting injured at practice "(it)didn't look good. I don't have an update....he's been evaluated. pic.twitter.com/N6mLwDL467
In other Atlantic Division injury news, Canadiens center Nick Suzuki is expected to be out two-to-four weeks with a hand injury. The Habs are tied with the Sabres at 10 points after losing to San Jose 4-3 in overtime on Tuesday, and have been looking to add a second line center since last season. The Suzuki injury leaves Montreal stretched thin even more up the middle, with Oliver Kapanen, Alex Newhook, and Kirby Dach likely have to move up into top six roles.
The Ottawa Senators got defenseman Jake Sanderson back against Florida on Wednesday, but lost former Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark to a groin injury in the third period. Ullmark was place on injured reserve on Thursday, but it is unknown how long he will be out.
The Sabres will have to keep pace in the competitive Atlantic playing on the road the rest of the month, as they trail first place Boston by seven points, and a cluster of three teams (Tampa Bay, Ottawa, and Toronto) at 14 points.
On Friday morning, before the Winnipeg Jets traded Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils, sources told The Hockey News that the New York Islanders could serve as a third team in a potential Hellebuyck deal, depending on the destination.
The Jets have also been scouting the Islanders over the last few games.
Ultimately, New Jersey and Winnipeg completed the blockbuster without needing a third team to asbord salary or take on player for roster purposes.
However, had Hellebuyck landed elsewhere, a third-party facilitator may have been necessary.
The deal: Winnipeg traded Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils for forward Dawson Mercer, injured forward Nick Bjugstad, goaltender Nico Daws, 2026 first-round pick Alexander Command, a 2029 second-round pick, and a 2027 seventh-round pick.
The Islanders, off to a 5-3-2 start through 10 games, are missing that elusive goal scorer and still have questions about their defense.
General manager Mathieu Darche currently has $1.986 million in available space, but the Islanders can create additional flexibility by moving on from injured defenseman Alexander Romanov.
Under the new CBA, the Islanders could receive up to $3.97 million in relief by placing Romanov on LTIR. They also have the option to place him on Season-Ending LTIR, which would give them $6.25 million in relief, but he'd be ruled out of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs if the Islanders qualified.
Darche has been involved in the trade market this season but has yet to take part.
To the relief of many in NHL circles, the saga swirling around goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has finally come to a close, as the Hart and Vezina Trophy winner was dealt to the New Jersey Devils on Friday for center Dawson Mercer, goalie Nico Daws, 2026 first-rounder Alexander Command, forward Nick Bjugstad, and a pair of draft picks.
Until the very end, the Buffalo Sabres were connected to the gold-medal winning netminder, as recently as this week leading up to the deal, but Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said on Thursday’s 32 Thoughts podcast that the Sabres and the Utah Mammoth were hoping that Winnipeg would feel the pressure of moving Hellebuyck prior to the end of his suspension on Friday, and that they were waiting for the asking price would come down.
Hellebuyck trade confirms that Sabres believe Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is their goalie going forward.
The rumors may have understandably caused a distraction with Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who reportedly could have been part of a trade for Hellebuyck around the NHL Draft in June, and may have been moved elsewhere had GM Jarmo Kekalainen been able to consummate a deal.
"(You) kind of learn to deal with (the rumors). You can't escape it," Luukkonen said after being informed about the trade. "I don't go automatically to read (trade rumors), but I think anybody who says that they don't see it or they don't read it. They're lying, because you can't really escape it nowadays. If I'm not on social media, my friends will send it to me. So you can't escape it and I think and it's a stupid mentality to think that ' if I don't see it, it's not happening.' "
Luukkonen is focused on being more consistent after an up-and-down start to the season, something that head coach Lindy Ruff is looking for from his starter, who is expected to make his fifth start in a row against Washington on Saturday.
" I think there's been just key saves at key times in the games for us that has really made a difference. We know that there's kind of a threshold (Luukkonen) gets to when he plays a number of games, and then we need to get somebody else in the net." Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said. "I think any time a goalie gets to roll a few games in a row, he gets a little bit of momentum and starts to feel good about parts of his game."
VOORHEES, N.J. — Cole Knuble absorbed some serious licks in his first two NHL games.
The hits were so heavy and loud, they caught the attention of the Flyers in a few ways.
In concern, but also admiration.
“He may not want to take those hits every game,” Travis Sanheim said with a laugh Friday after practice.
But the Flyers know the fearlessness of the 5-foot-10 Knuble has been a good thing. The 22-year-old forward will take a hit to make a play. He’ll attack the net without hesitation. And that has all led to early success.
In just his second NHL game, Knuble scored his first two goals, helping lead the Flyers to a 3-1 win Wednesday night over the Sabres. Both plays came right around the net.
“I think it’s just the style that he plays, he wants to go to those areas,” Sanheim said. “He competes at a high level and isn’t afraid out there as a young guy. He does a lot of the little things right, his attention to detail is great. It was nice to see him get two the other night.”
Not only has he scored a couple of goals, but he has also made winning type of plays late in the game. Ones that have required a beating on the body. Knuble has clearly embraced a bottom-six role. He has played 12:04 minutes per game, but Rick Tocchet didn’t rule out an increase in ice time.
“The thing with him, he can probably get more,” Tocchet said. “He will get more if he continues his path. But he has embraced who he is — he’s a hard forechecking guy. … He has taken the puck to the net more than anybody. He has taken three huge hits. That’s the one thing I’ve got to talk to him about. But twice he made a play, he knew he was going to get hit to make the play. That takes a lot of guts and courage.
“For him, just continue that path and then minutes will come, position will come up higher in the lineup if you continue to embrace who you are. Which he is.”
In the third period of his NHL debut Monday night, Knuble made a strong play to the net. But when he arrived there with the puck, he was flattened by a check from Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson.
Trevor Zegras couldn’t help but smile Friday when he was asked about Knuble’s moxie. His suggestion to the youngster was occasionally slowing down and finding the trailer.
“I was telling him, ‘Just pull up and hit the late guy sometimes,'” Zegras said with a laugh. “He doesn’t need to put his body on the line in every situation. But for a young guy to get to those areas and those spots, it’s pretty amazing.”
Knuble’s third game should be a fun atmosphere. The Flyers on Saturday welcome the Ducks to Xfinity Mobile Arena (1 p.m. ET/NBCSP). The two teams have become a budding rivalry, ignited by Cutter Gauthier’s refusal to play for the Flyers. Zegras, a former Duck, added a chapter to the rivalry last season.
This summer, there was another element with the Flyers’ offer sheet to Leo Carlsson. Anaheim ended up matching the offer to keep its franchise center from leaving for the Flyers.
“As players, you kind of just wait and see what happens,” Zegras said. “I mean, we never really had him. It would’ve been cool, but it didn’t work out, so it is what it is.”
The Flyers are expecting a lively crowd Saturday.
“We came in this morning, a lot of us were talking about it in the room,” Denver Barkey said. “Just remember last year’s game, how intense that was. There’s a little bit more to it this year again I think. We’re all looking forward to it, it’s a big game, Saturday, 1 o’clock, can’t beat it. Get a good sleep tonight, we’ll be ready tomorrow.”
The injury bug on the defense for the Toronto Maple Leafs continues, as the team announced that Marshall Rifai and Nick Blankenburg were both placed on IR. With that, defensemen Dakota Mermis and Cole McWard were recalled from the AHL's Toronto Marlies.
Rifai and Blankenburg's injury comes on top of the team losing Chris Tanev earlier in the season, yet 20-year-old D-man Ben Danford hasn't gotten a chance, and Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller explained why.
"I think the one mistake you can make is maybe trying to rush people, and so we've got good options," Hiller explained after Friday's practice. "So you know he was considered, but you know the time is Mermis and McWard."
Danford has played six games in the minors so far this year, recording three assists along the way for the Marlies. He missed one game this season with a lower-body injury, but has played in the team's last three games.
He first made his professional hockey debut in last year's playoff campaign. Danford featured in 16 Calder Cup appearances, scoring a goal and two points in Toronto's championship run.
Also, going back to training camp, while Morgan Rielly dealt with his viral condition, Danford filled in with the first group, which was predominantly an NHL roster.
Of the two call-ups on the back end, Mermis was the first to get reps on the third pairing with Oliver Ekman-Larsson. He played 11 games with the Leafs last season and is familiar with Ekman-Larsson.
"We have played a little bit before, so I know him well and obviously a good player and you know what you're getting," Ekman-Larsson said of Mermis. "He's a hardworking defenseman and makes that first pass easy and quick. So I like his game."
Outside of Mermis' 11 games last year, he has a total of 89 games played in the NHL. With an opponent such as the Edmonton Oilers coming up, the 32-year-old would be one of the more reliable options in Toronto's system as the team looks to fill the gaps on the blueline.
"I think that's that's easier for him for sure," Hiller said of Mermis, citing his NHL experience. "He's played a lot. He played well. Mature, strong player. I think he's you know he's kind of NHL ready I would say. So we're not worried about him if he's to go in. Played really well in the pre-season too, by the way."
McWard comes in with much less experience in the NHL. He's featured in just nine outings, three of which were with the Vancouver Canucks last year. Hiller hasn't interacted with him much, considering they're both new to the team and have never had a history before, but the bench boss understands what the 25-year-old can bring.
"Well, it's funny. I was talking to him - I think I coached against him in his first NHL game, so I've seen him play in the league," Toronto's head coach recalled. "He does a good job. Been good with the Marlies, and when he gets his chance, I'm sure he'll be fine."
The Maple Leafs open up a western Canadian road trip beginning with their battle against the Oilers this Saturday, followed by the Calgary Flames on Monday, then south of the border to visit the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday, and back up to British Columbia to see the Canucks next Saturday.
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Paul Cotter had a dream start to his Vancouver Canucks career. Over his first four games, he scored four goals and, at the time, was the only player in the NHL to find the back of the net at even strength, on the power play and shorthanded. Unfortunately, the offence has dried up for Cotter since, as he has just one assist over his last eight appearances.
Despite the lack of production, Cotter is still logging some decent ice time. He has surpassed the 14-minute mark in 11 of his 12 games and is averaging 15:01 per night. In an interview with The Hockey News, Cotter recapped his first month with the Canucks.
"I'd say that I'm very fortunate to be playing the minutes that I'm playing," said Cotter. "I've been asking and praying throughout my career to be around 15+minutes, and that's what I'm getting. So, on one hand, it's been great being put in situations that I've been asking for, and I've been on the power play, penalty kill, different situations and stuff I've done well with, but now it's the consistency to keep it. Past couple games, I don't think that I've been good enough in that role for my liking at least."
Cotter is the type of player who usually impacts the game outside of the scoresheet. He plays a physical game and can consistently get in on the forecheck thanks to his speed. As Cotter explained, he needs to improve those areas of his game to have a successful campaign.
"It's not even as much production. Like, scoring goals and getting assists, that's always awesome and fun. But for myself, one of my biggest assets, I think, is getting pucks back on the forecheck. Physicality is always going to be there no matter what so, really think I can work on that. I think for me, getting into the offensive zone, forecheck, getting pucks back, holding on to pucks, creating possession time in the O-zone, that's one of my strong suits. And felt for whatever reason, if I'm not connected to some guys or whatever it has been the past couple of games, that's on me. Once that starts clicking for me, that's when I start feeling good, not content and a little bit more happy with my play."
Like Cotter, Vancouver jumped out to an impressive start, winning two of their first three games. Since then, though, the wheels have come off for the Canucks, and they are currently on a nine-game winless streak. When asked about the team's morale, Cotter spoke about the challenges of staying positive when the team is constantly losing.
"It's difficult to do that. In times like this, I think the morale really isn't there as much as the perseverance and kind of being dialled in; the preparation needs to be better. Obviously, when teams are on a winning streak, or you're feeling good, things might be a little bit looser. You're able to play with a little bit more swagger. The fun comes out then. But when you're losing games in a row, that looseness isn't there. In order to get that back, we need to dial into our game. Once we're playing our game consistently, then the results should come in. That's when you know, hate to say a little bit looser, but you start to feel it a little bit more. Each guy's lines are starting to click. That's when the energy gets going, and the morale gets up."
During a rebuild, fans and the media often throw around the term moral victory. A moral victory usually happens when a team like Vancouver plays hard against a stronger team but still comes up short on the scoreboard. According to Cotter, while there are positives that can be taken away from a loss, players aren't focused on wins that don't matter to the standings.
"Yes and no. I'd say more so no. Obviously, you want positive. You want a positive mindset. You want to bring your teammates up and do what you can, especially if you're an older guy or a leader. Like, that's your responsibility. It's not always be negative, but there are times when constructive criticism comes into play. At the end of the day, we are fighting for a win. And if we don't get that, then we failed. So, in a way, yes, you can't be all negative. Have to have some positivity. Each one of us throughout the game has a couple good shifts or a couple good things that we do. We know that. But obviously, as professionals, I mean NHL players, we're perfectionists. So every mistake is magnified, especially when you're losing. And so those small victories kind of go unnoticed and disregarded when we're in a situation like this."
Based on his deployment so far, Cotter could play a big role for the Canucks this season. He appears to have earned the trust of the coaching staff, as not only is he getting time on special teams, but he has also featured in the top six on multiple occasions. A pending unrestricted free agent this off-season, a strong campaign for Cotter could also lead to a significant raise at the end of the year.
Oct 22, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Paul Cotter (47) skates in warm up prior to a game against the Detroit Red Wings at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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The day has come. The Connor Hellebuyck saga in Winnipeg has finally come to an end. The three-time Vezina trophy winner is on the move. The lucky team?
Nick Bjugstad was a part of the deal that included Alexander Command, Dawson Mercer, Nico Daws, a 2027 seventh-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick.
The trade comes at the end of the suspension by the Jets for failing to report to training camp ahead of the season. He forfeited $927,835.05 in salary over his 24-day suspension.
Bjugstad, 34, has been on the long-term injury reserve to start the season. He was acquired by the Devils last year before the trade deadline.
The former Wild center spent two seasons in Minnesota where he recorded 13 goals, 17 assists and 30 points in 101 games.
The 6-foot-6 forward from Minneapolis, Minnesota, has 163 goals, 176 assists and 339 points in 821 career NHL games.
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COLUMBUS, OHIO - APRIL 4: Connor Hellebuyck #37 of the Winnipeg Jets skates on the ice during the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on April 4, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/NHLI via Getty Images)
NHLI via Getty Images
Connor Hellebuyck finally has a new home after the Winnipeg Jets granted the three-time Vezina Trophy winning goaltender’s trade request in a deal that sent him to the New Jersey Devils on Friday.
The Devils sent center Dawson Mercer, goalie Nico Daws, prospect Alexander Command, forward Nick Bjugstad, a 2029 second-round pick and a 2027 seventh-rounder to Winnipeg for Hellebuyck.
The long-awaited trade ends months of speculation, a failed bid to move the U.S. Olympic gold medal-winner and 2024-25 NHL MVP in June, and the Jets’ suspension of Hellebuyck for failing to report to training camp in a standoff that required the involvement of the league and the Players’ Association.
The 33-year-old Hellebuyck, who backstopped the U.S. to Olympic gold at the Milan-Cortina Games in February, leaves Winnipeg after spending his entire 11-year career there. Hellebuyck joins Jack Hughes, who scored in overtime of the final to defeat Canada, with the Devils and immediately puts them closer to being a Stanley Cup contender.
When training camp opened, new Devils general manager Sunny Mehta said he was very comfortable with the team’s goaltending situation. Since then, Jake Allen and Nico Daws have combined for an .880 save percentage, which ranks 23rd among 32 teams.
It was not immediately clear how soon Hellebuyck might be ready to play for his new team. He has been skating in his home state of Michigan while trade talks were ongoing.
Hellebuyck has five seasons left on a seven-year contact with an annual salary cap hit of $8.5 million.
On Friday morning, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report that the New Jersey Devils were working with the Winnipeg Jets on a potential deal to bring 33-year-old goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to New Jersey.
Sources: New Jersey and Winnipeg are working on a Connor Hellebuyck deal.
Hellebuyck, who helped lead the U.S. men’s hockey team to Olympic gold in February alongside Devils star forward Jack Hughes, requested a trade from Winnipeg this summer and did not report to training camp in September. His suspension for failing to report was set to expire Friday, Oct. 23.
In the afternoon, it was reported that in return New Jersey sent 24-year-old versatile foward Dawson Mercer, goaltender Nico Daws, 2026 12th overall pick Alexander Command, veteran forward Nick Bjugstad, a second round draft pick in 2029, and seventh round pick in 2027 to Winnipeg.
Last season, Mercer spoke with The Hockey News about the seemingly never-ending trade rumors that had followed his name.
“It has honestly been for a few years now, different trades, but that stuff is white noise,” he said back in January. “It doesn't matter. I don't really pay much attention to that stuff. That is all stuff out of your control. I come in here, try to get better every day, and help the team win. I love it here, so it is coming in and going out there every day with the guys.”
Mercer made his NHL debut with the Devils on Oct 15, 2021. He appeared in 410 consecutive games over the next five seasons, collecting 209 points (103 goals, 106 assists). He broke Scott Gomez's Devils/Colorado Rockies/Kansas City Scouts record when he played his 141st consecutive game to start an NHL career at Prudential Center on Feb. 25, 2023.
Selected in the fifth round of the 2012 NHL Draft, Hellebuyck has spent his entire 11-season NHL career with the Jets. Winnipeg reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs in seven of those seasons, making its deepest run in 2017-18, when it advanced to the Western Conference Final before falling to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games. Individually, Hellebuyck has earned three Vezina Trophies as the NHL’s top goaltender and one Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the league’s most valuable player.
The 33-year-old Michigan native is in the third season of a seven-year, $59.5 million contract.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
New Jersey opened the 2026-27 season with Jake Allen, 36, and 25-year-old Daws sharing goaltending duties. The duo has helped the Devils to a 6-4-0 record through 10 games, good for 12 points and the Eastern Conference's second wild-card spot, behind the Toronto Maple Leafs. Additionally, Mehta claimed netminder Rémi Poirier off waivers from the Dallas Stars in late September.
The Devils are scheduled to face the Jets in Winnipeg for the first time this season on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
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The St. Louis Blues defeated the Vegas Golden Knights by a 6-2 final score on Thursday night.
Former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Justin Barron played a major role in the Blues' win, as he had a monster game.
Barron scored a goal and recorded four points in the Blues' victory against the Golden Knights. With this, the former Canadiens defenseman had a game that he will remember for a long time.
After this impressive performance, Barron now has one goal and five points in seven games this season. This is after he had zero goals and nine assists in 52 games with the Nashville Predators this past campaign.
The Blues claimed Barron off waivers from the Predators ahead of the 2026-27 season. Clearly, after this game, St. Louis must be happy that they took a chance on the former Canadiens defenseman.
Barron spent four seasons with the Canadiens from 2021-22 to 2024-25. In 109 games with the Habs over that span, he posted 13 goals, 18 assists, 31 points, 131 hits, and a minus-11 rating.
Barron's time with the Canadiens ended when he was traded to the Predators in the deal that brought defenseman Alexandre Carrier to Montreal. This is a trade that has aged excellently for the Canadiens.
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