SUNRISE, Fla. — Niko Mikkola had an assist on a goal that gave the Florida Panthers an 8-0 lead. Problem was, he’d been kicked out of the game a few minutes earlier and nobody noticed.
It was that kind of night between the Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Florida beat Tampa Bay 7-0 in the preseason finale for both clubs Saturday night, though the score was irrelevant. There were 65 penalties for 312 minutes on the stat sheet, including 13 game misconduct penalties — seven for Tampa Bay, six for Florida. The penalty count kept rising after the game, while officials were making sure everything that was called got logged.
Florida had 17 power-play chances in the game, by the NHL’s count.
“It got silly. It got stupid by the end of it,” Florida forward Evan Rodrigues said. “It wasn’t really hockey out there.”
The parade to the penalty boxes started about two minutes into the game when Tampa Bay’s Scott Sabourin — who was among six players the Lightning called up for the game — went after Florida’s Aaron Ekblad. Sabourin got a major penalty after playing only 19 seconds.
“It made you think there might be something coming,” Florida’s Eetu Luostarinen said, when asked what he thought when he saw the Lightning called up players for the game.
What would have been the eighth Florida goal of the night, midway through the third period, was taken away 15 minutes after Jesper Boqvist scored. Off-ice officials realized that Mikkola couldn’t have had an assist on the play — since he’d been ejected earlier in the period.
The teams skated with the scoreboard saying Florida led 8-0 for about five minutes of actual game time, before officials informed both teams that the goal had been taken away and Mikkola had to leave the game.
The Lightning took nine penalties and had no shots on goal in the third period.
Saturday’s game came two nights after the teams combined for 49 penalties and 186 minutes in another preseason contest, one the Lightning won 5-2.
Tampa Bay went to three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals from 2020 through 2022, winning two titles in that span. Florida has been to each of the last three Stanley Cup Finals and has won the last two Cups. And it has long been a heated rivalry between the franchises.
“I think anybody that’s been a part of this rivalry would probably look at this box score and A, not be surprised and B, I can’t believe it’s taken this long for something like that to happen,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said.
The Flyers moved Ryan Ellis’ contract to the Sharks, along with a 2026 conditional sixth-round draft pick, in exchange for Carl Grundstrom and Artem Guryev.
Ellis was entering the seventh season of an eight-year, $50 million deal that he originally signed with the Predators. The contract had a $6.250 million annual cap hit.
Grundstrom, a 27-year-old winger, comes to the Flyers as a pending unrestricted free agent. He’s in the final year of two-year, $3.6 million deal ($1.8 million cap hit). He was placed on waivers Sunday, according to PuckPedia.com. If he clears, he can eventually head to AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.
Guryev is a 22-year-old defenseman who was selected by San Jose in the fifth-round of the 2021 draft. He played in the ECHL last season and will report to the Phantoms.
There aren’t many higher honors on a professional sports team than being the captain of a team. This article will be all about them, a rundown of current and past captains, where they come from, and interesting facts along the way.
All Active Captains
Of the 32 teams in the NHL, 30 teams have a player who wears a ‘C’. Only the Boston Bruins and the San Jose Sharks are without a captain at the moment. Last season, every team in the league had a captain going into the campaign.
The Bruins had Brad Marchand rock the ‘C’ for the team, but he was traded to the Florida Panthers at the 2025 trade deadline. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy and right winger David Pastrnak are likely next in line for that role.
As for the Sharks, Logan Couture was their guy, but he stepped away from the game due to Osteitis Pubis. There is the possibility that the Sharks will wait for Couture’s contract to expire before they name someone else captain.
Steve Yzerman holds the record for the longest-tenured captain in NHL history, as he donned the ‘C’ for the Red Wings for 19 seasons, from the 1986-87 season until 2005-06 when he retired.
Sidney Crosby will be equalling that record going into his 19th season as the captain of the Penguins. His first season as Pittsburgh’s captain was in 2007-08, his third season in the NHL.
The third-longest tenure in NHL captains' history is from Joe Sakic. He captained the Quebec Nordiques and Colorado Avalanche from 1990-91 until 2008-09.
Alexander Ovechkin deserves some love as he’ll join the top three once the 2025-26 regular season kicks off. This will be his 17th season as captain of the Capitals.
Longest Tenured Captains Currently
Aside from Crosby and Ovechkin, who are shaking hands with history in terms of being some of the longest-tenured captains in NHL history, here’s that list among active players.
Behind Crosby and Ovechkin is Avalanche left winger Gabriel Landerskog. Landeskog was named Colorado’s captain ahead of the 2012-13 campaign when he was 19 years old. After a remarkable comeback to the NHL, the Avs captain is suiting up to be the team’s captain for a 14th season.
Next in line is Jamie Benn of the Stars. He was named captain one season after Landeskog got the ‘C’. Benn was a 24-year-old heading into his fifth NHL campaign. Benn is yet to win a Stanley Cup, but has come close with a Cup final appearance and three consecutive Western Conference finals. This will be Benn’s 13th year donning the ‘C’.
The 2025-26 season will be Anze Kopitar’s last; thus, it will be his final year as the Kings captain. Kopitar became Los Angeles’ captain later in his career compared to others. This is because Dustin Brown held the captaincy before him for eight seasons. This will be Kopitar’s 20th NHL season and 10th year as Kings captain.
Shortest Tenured Captains
J.T. Miller of the Rangers is currently the shortest-tenured captain, as he was just given the captaincy on Sept. 16 and hasn’t started the regular season yet. Miller has never been captain before, but ahead of his departure from the Canucks, he was an alternate for his last four seasons.
Aside from Miller, seven players are tied, entering their second season as captains. Those players are Auston Matthews, Nick Foligno, Victor Hedman, Radko Gudas, Rasmus Dahlin, Clayton Keller and Jordan Eberle.
Keller and Eberle would be the newest captains by technicality because Keller was named captain of Utah on Oct. 4, 2024, and Eberle was gifted the ‘C’ with Seattle a couple of days later. Everyone else officially became the captain earlier than October’s arrival.
Fun fact: Wayne Gretzky has one of the shortest tenures as a captain in NHL history. In the 1995-96 season, he played 18 games as a member of the Blues after being traded by the Kings. After those 18 games, he signed with the Rangers the next season and never wore the ‘C’ again.
Youngest Captains
The answer to who the youngest-named captain of all time and among active players is the same. On Oct. 5, 2016, the Oilers named 19-year-old Connor McDavid captain of the team. He dethroned Landeskog of that title, as McDavid was 20 days younger than Landeskog when he was given the captaincy.
The current youngest captain in the NHL is Rasmus Dahlin of the Sabres. Buffalo’s defenseman is 25 years old, like Quinn Hughes is, but Hughes was born in 1999 versus Dahlin’s 2000 birth year. Dahlin was named captain ahead of last season.
Oldest Captains
The oldest captain in the NHL as the 2025-26 season approaches is Ovechkin. He just turned 40 years old on Sep. 17, and this will be his 21st season in the NHL.
The oldest player to ever wear the ‘C’ on his chest was defenseman Zdeno Chara. The final year of his captaincy was in 2019-20, when he was 43 years old. He still went on to play two more seasons, split between the Capitals and Islanders.
1. 12 Canadian captains (Jordan Staal, Boone Jenner, Jamie Benn, Connor McDavid, Jared Spurgeon, Nick Suzuki, Sean Couturier, Sidney Crosby, Jordan Eberle, Brayden Schenn, Mark Stone, Adam Lowry)
2. Eight American captains (Nick Foiligno, Dylan Larkin, Anders Lee, J.T. Miller, Brady Tkachuk, Auston Matthews, Clayton Keller, Quinn Hughes)
3. Four Swedish captains (Rasmus Dahlin, Mikael Backlund, Gabriel Landeskog, Victor Hedman)
4. Two Swiss captains (Nico Hischier, Roman Josi)
T 5. One Finnish captain (Aleksander Barkov), one Czech captain (Radko Gudas), one Russian captain (Alexander Ovechkin), one Slovenian captain (Anze Kopitar)
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The Rangers wrapped up their six-game preseason slate with a loss the Bruins on Saturday afternoon.
They finished with a 2-3-1 record during those games.
The results don’t matter much, but with youngsters getting their chance to show what they can do and veterans competing for a spot, there are always some positives to take away from these exhibition contests.
Here are the four biggest standouts for the Blueshirts this time around…
Noah Laba
Laba was arguably the biggest riser for the Rangers this preseason.
The youngster came into camp as a long shot for a roster spot, but his impressive play put him square in the mix for the third-line center opening. He finished the preseason with a six points in as many games, the last of which was a power play goal on a deflected Adam Fox shot from the point during Saturday's preseason finale.
It remains to be seen whether or not Laba did enough to scratch his way into the lineup, but he certainly made an extremely compelling case.
“I feel like I’m ready,” Laba said early in camp. “Obviously, you’re never ready until it actually comes -- there’s always lessons to be learned, but I feel like I’m prepared and super excited to play with any amount of guys.”
Conor Sheary
After appearing in just five NHL games last season, Sheary just wanted to prove that he could still play at this level.
“I kind of have nothing to lose,” he said.
Tampa agreed to terminate the final year of his deal prior to free agency opening, so Sheary penciled the Rangers into the top of his list of destinations, and he ended up landing with them on a PTO.
The veteran took full advantage of that opportunity, producing three points in five games -- while also bringing the tough forechecking that head coach Mike Sullivan saw so often during their time together with the Penguins.
“He’s a guy who could potentially add those elements to our team,” Sullivan said during camp.
After entering coming in as a bit of an unknown, the Rangers seem likely to keep the 33-year-old winger around on a new contract, and it appears he’ll start the season on their third line. He'd bring a strong veteran presence with playoff experience to this locker room and some much-needed familiarity with Sullivan’s system.
New York Rangers right wing Gabe Perreault (94) takes the ice against the Minnesota Wild for his NHL debut at Madison Square Garden / Wendell Cruz - Imagn Images
Gabe Perreault
Perreault came into camp looking to earn himself a spot on the opening night roster after his brief cup of coffee in the NHL down the stretch last season.
The young winger ended up falling short in that attempt, as he was assigned back to Hartford late this week, but it certainly wasn’t because of his play. He looked confident and comfortable out there, finishing second on the team with four points (one goal, three assists) while skating big minutes in the top-six over five games.
Perreault left a strong impression on the new coaching staff, but they ultimately decided it would be best for him to continue his development down in the AHL for now.
One thing is for certain, though, Sullivan saw something in his game.
“He’s an NHL player in the making,” the head coach said.
Scott Morrow
Morrow was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes this offseason as part of the K’Andre Miller sign-and-trade, and thus far, the young CT-native has been able to make a positive first impression back home with the Blueshirts.
Morrow showed plenty of positives as a playmaker throughout the preseason, but he’s still working to gain the organization’s trust defensively. With no spot for him in the lineup currently, the staff would rather see him continue that development down in Hartford.
“It’s hard to get better when you’re on the sidelines,” Sullivan said.
“We’re thrilled he’s a Ranger -- he’s a big, strong kid. I think he skates well and has some offensive instincts. He has the ability to run a power play. He’s getting better defending, and that’s an area I’m fairly confident our coaching staff can help him with.”
If the Blueshirts’ new-look defensive core struggles to start the year and Morrow is able to take some steps forward in his own zone, perhaps we’ll see him receive his opportunity skating with the big club.
From Ex-players to current players and everything in between, we've got you covered.
Did you miss anything from the past week at The Hockey News - Columbus Blue Jackets? If you did, we have you covered with the Sunday Recap. Click on each card below to read the stories from the past week.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced more cuts to their training camp roster. Yesterday, the cut more than a dozen players and now, not even 24 hours later they have made more.
The training camp roster was at 38 players, consisting of 22 forwards, 12 defensemen, and four goaltenders. After today's cuts it now sits at 25, with 13 players getting re-assigned.
Dean Kukan - 2015-2022 - Kukan is undrafted out of Volketswil, Switzerland.
Dean Kukan made his NHL debut in March of 2016 after playing the majority of the season with the Lake Erie Monsters. After playing in 8 games near the end of the season, he was sent back to Lake Erie and would help the Monsters win their first-ever Calder Cup. He had 5 points in 17 playoff games.
Kukan would bounce up and down between Columbus and Cleveland until 2022. He would play a total of 153 games for the CBJ and total 30 points. Where he excelled was in the minors, though. He played in 142 games for Lake Erie/Cleveland and totaled 59 points as a fairly skilled two-way defenseman.
After the 2022 season, Kukan made the decision to return to Europe. He returned to his home country of Switzerland to play for his original club, the ZSC Lions, on a five-year contract.
Kukan is also routinely chosen to represent the Swiss in international competitions. He played in the 2025 IIHF Worlds where he scored 9 points in 10 games.
“It could go down as maybe the last goal ever on Fleury. I guess I could say I have it. It’s definitely a moment I’ll never forget. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a building that loud before. It was really electric. It was cool. I think maybe I’ll get booed every time I come here now, I don’t know.”
According to Russian Hockey Insider Artur Khairullin, Ak Bars Kazan of the KHL has listed Babcock as a candidate for their head coaching job. Ak Bars, which is based in Kazan, Russia, is located 519 miles east of Moscow.
Johnny Gaudreau - 2023-2024 - Drafted by Calgary in 2011.
After signing with the Blue Jackets on July 13th, 2022, Gaudreau would play 161 games in two seasons with Columbus. He scored 33 goals and total 134 points.
The Blue Jackets and their fans were robbed of many more years of Johnny Hockey excellence on August 29th, 2024. The death of Johnny Gaudreau shook not only Columbus, but it also shook the entire hockey-loving world.
The Columbus Blue Jackets, Calgary Flames, and fans around the world refuse to let the memories of Johnny and Mathew Gaudreau be forgotten. For the last year, there have been countless charity events for different foundations and organizations all around North America.
During his playing career, Carter spent his summers in Los Angeles, exploring the entertainment and business industries. Meeting Priority Records founder Bryan Turner influenced Carter to start his own record label, Big Up Entertainment.
Jiří Novotný - 2008-2009 - Drafted by Buffalo in 2001.
Novotný played 107 games for the Jackets and had 29 points. He never played another NHL game and left for Europe where he played until 2023.
Novotný spent time in Russia, Czechia, and Switzerland until he retired. He is now the Sports Manager for HC Motor České Budějovice.
Elite Prospects said about Novotný "Novotný is a center with a sound two-way game. With good vision and passing ability, he is more of a playmaker than a shooter. Handles the puck and skates well, too. Can kill penalties and win faceoffs."
Dylan Gambrell, who played 54 games for Cleveland last season, has signed a PTO with the Milwaukee Admirals. He was on a PTO with the Nashville Predators for training camp.
During the fight, both players landed some big punches. Gudbranson was able to catch Wilson with a few uppercuts, but ultimately Wilson scored the takedown after 30-40 seconds. Nevertheless, it was a fight that answered the bell on a questionable hit. Both players seemed to agree and had a good tilt that energized the crowd.
Per Khairullin, "Defenseman Christián Jaroš, whom Columbus placed on waivers to terminate his contract, will continue his career at Spartak." Jaroš and the Blue Jackets mutually agreed to him being places on waivers just today.
Kevin Dineen - 2001-2003 - Drafted by Hartford in 1982.
A CBJ Original, Dineen played 129 games for the Jackets and had 29 points in the early days of the franchise. He appeared in only four games in the 2002–03 season with Columbus, and on November 5, 2002, he retired from playing. In 1188 career games, Dineen recorded 355 goals and 760 points while registering 2229 penalty minutes.
After retiring, he joined the Blue Jackets front office as a Pro Scout and later as an assistant. General Manager. He was the head coach of the AHL's Portland Pirates for six seasons before being hired as the head coach of the Florida Panthers. After two and a half seasons in Florida, he was fired and hired as an assistant by the Chicago Blackhawks. He has since been a head coach for the San Diego Gulls and the Utica Comets of the AHL. After starting the 24-25 season 0-8-0-1, Dineen was fired on November 6th, 2024.
Per the NHL, Werenski is looking to become just the seventh U.S.-born defenseman in NHL history with three career 20-goal seasons.
He'd join PhilHousley (7x), ReedLarson (6x), BrianLeetch (5x), GarySuter (3x), AlIafrate (3x), and MarkHowe (3x) as the only ones to do so to date.
Chris Johnson of TSN has reported that the Minnesota Wild have claimed Daemon Hunt off the waiver wire from the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Jackets were hoping he'd clear so he could return to Cleveland, but sadly, that didn't happen.
David Výborný was drafted in 1993 by the Edmonton Oilers but never played a single game for them. When he did come to North America, he played in 76 games for the Cape Breton Oilers of the AHL. He showed his flash by scoring 23 goals and grabbing 61 points. After one season in the AHL, Výborný headed back to Europe until 2000.
9 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: David Výborný David Výborný was drafted in 1993 by the Edmonton Oilers but never played a single game for them. When he did come to North America, he played in 76 games for the Cape Breton Oilers of the AHL. He showed his flash by scoring 23 goals and grabbing 61 points. After one season in the AHL, Výborný headed back to Europe until 2000.
“I think that we've got a pretty undercover breakout guy this year, Jet Greaves, Columbus. And now he's the best performing goalie over the last three years in adjusted save percentage.”
It was finally the last preseason game at the Bell Centre on Saturday night. When the Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators published their rosters, fans feared they’d be treated to another lot of shenanigans. Still, against all odds, the Senators played hockey despite their best players, Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle, getting the night off.
For the Canadiens, it was last chance saloon for the players on the bubble, and with Ivan Demidov, Alex Newhook, and Oliver Kapanen having the night off, Samuel Blais, Owen Beck, and Florian Xhekaj were all hoping to make the most of their last opportunity.
It was the second game in which Kirby Dach played alongside Brendan Gallagher and Joe Veleno, and one has to admit he looked terrific. The big center was committed to the forecheck and was actively looking to hit opponents. Playing with Gallagher and Veleno has done Dach a world of good, and while it was logical for Martin St-Louis to try a line that included him, Patrik Laine, and Demidov, the Canadiens’ newfound depth allowed him to move on when it didn’t work.
One area that didn’t look better, unfortunately, was the draws. In the first frame, he took four faceoffs and only managed to come out on top once. That remains an area of concern in his game and something he really needs to work on; perhaps he could benefit from a séance with Patrice Bergeron, as Newhook did this summer.
Veleno also had a good outing. There’s no denying that he has excellent offensive skills, but as camp went on, we’ve seen him do more and more of the little things, the details that allow a player to perform at all times and not just when it’s time to pull a highlight reel play.
Engstrom Was Everywhere
With the blueline more or less set from the start, Adam Engstrom has flown under the radar this camp, but tonight, he looked like he was everywhere and in all situations as well. The Swede showed great awareness and decision-making at both ends of the ice.
Is there room for him in Montreal right now? No, but if he continues to develop like this, who knows? In the second frame, he nearly went end-to-end on a power play, and it looked really effortless. If the Canadiens cannot find room for him, he is fast becoming an interesting bargaining chip and could be used to acquire reinforcements at positions of need.
Speaking about the young defenseman, the coach said:
He left a perfect calling card. You can see he took another step last season; he has everything to have a long career in the league.
- St-Louis on Engstrom.
The bench boss even went so far as to call him a gamer.
Xhekaj Evolved
Martin St-Louis has hammered on with Arber Xhekaj that he needs to pick his moments, and the older Xhekaj has heard him loud and clear. Early on in the game, Cole Caufield hit Claude Giroux and was justifiably assessed a two-minute boarding call. It didn’t take long for a Senator to come to his aid, and Juraj Slafkovsky stepped in to support him. Last year, Xhekaj would have gone guns blazing and jumped in; this year, he approached and only pulled back a couple of guys from the scrum.
Later in the game, he was invited to drop the gloves but refused, allowing his team to enjoy a power play rather than falling into the trap that was set for him. Overall, this was a great camp from the rugged blueliner. His play has evolved, and so has his decision-making.
The Sens secured a 3-1 win tonight, thanks to goals from Shane Pinto, David Perron, and Lars Eller, in an empty net. At this stage, the result doesn’t really matter as everyone is ready for the real season to start and has had enough of dress rehearsal. However, it’s still worth mentioning that Travis Green’s team was the dominant outfit tonight, even without some of their top guys in the lineup.
The Canadiens have already announced that, despite having a day off tomorrow, the cuts will be announced tomorrow morning; there is no sense in prolonging the uncertainty for those waiting to hear their fate.
Personally, I believe Oliver Kapanen has won the role of 12th forward, and I would see Joe Veleno as the 13th forward, provided Zack Bolduc is healthy; if he’s not, both will likely be in the lineup. We haven't seen enough from Samuel Blais for him to secure one of those two roles, although he was a real impactful physical presence tonight, landing five hits; that wasn’t enough. Owen Beck led the team in hits on the night, but he wasn’t firm in other aspects of the game. If he’s not going to play in Montreal, he needs to be sent down to Laval. While that may not be what he would like, it’s ultimately what’s best for him, and for Florian Xhekaj as well.
Anze Kopitar enters his 20th and final NHL season with the Kings hopeful the team can overcome its first-round playoff demons and challenge for a Stanley Cup title. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Luc Robitaille knew his hockey playing career was over when it took him longer to get his battered body ready for a game than it did to play it.
“It became harder and harder physically,” said Robitaille, whose next stop was the hall of fame. “I think I knew at that point.”
And once his mind was made up, there was no turning back.
For Anze Kopitar, who is in the peak of good health, the decision was a little different. The Kings’ longtime center announced last month that, at 38, he will retire after this season and spend more time with his family. But, like Robitaille, there will be no turning back.
“I'm not going to change my mind,” he said.
In fact, he’s not going to change anything. Kopitar said he’s approaching this season, his 20th with the Kings, the same way he approached the first 19.
“The last few years, I told myself that I have to enjoy it because you don't know when the ending is com[ing],” he said. “So I've been enjoying it. I'm obviously having a lot of fun, still playing the game. This year won't be any different.
“The focus is still on this season.”
A season that kicks off Tuesday when the Kings host the Colorado Avalanche. But while Kopitar is starting the season the same way as always, he’s hoping for a different ending since the Kings’ last four years have ended with first-round playoff losses to the Edmonton Oilers.
Another Stanley Cup title would be a nice parting gift, especially since Kopitar, entering a team-record 10th season as captain, would be the first man to hoist the trophy, an honor that went to Dustin Brown when the Kings won in 2012 and 2014.
“I'd like to win every year. I'd like to win this year,” he said.
“My kids weren't born when we won, so I'd like to win so they can experience that feeling too.”
Kings captain Anze Kopitar skates during a game against the Chicago Blackhawks in March. (Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
However Kopitar’s season finishes, his career will end with him joining Robitaille, now the Kings president, in the Hockey Hall of Fame. He is the Kings' all-time leader in games (1,454), assists (838) and winning goals (78) and ranks in the top three in goals, points, plus-minus and power-play scores.
And just nine players in NHL history have played more games with one team than Kopitar, who has spent his entire career with the Kings.
Unlike Robitaille, he’s hardly hobbling off into retirement. He led the Kings with 46 assists and was second with 67 points last season, playing in 81 of 82 games. He also won his third Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, which goes to the player exhibiting the best sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct in the NHL.
But his two children — daughter Neza, 10, is a talented figure skater and son Jakob, 9, plays hockey — deserve more of his time and attention, he said.
“I still love to be in hockey and I’m still productive,” Kopitar said. “But on the flip side, the kids need their dad to be more present and be a dad, not a hockey player. I can walk away on my own terms and not be forced to retire because of injuries and because the body's not holding up.”
Anze Kopitar and his wife, Ines, attend a Lakers game at Crypto.com Arena in January 2024. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
That wasn’t Robitaille’s experience. A fractured ankle late in career and lower back pain so severe he could hardly get out of bed, led to his retirement in 2006, less than six months before Kopitar’s NHL debut.
“It kind of felt to me that I had squeezed everything out of the lemon. There was nothing left,” Robitaille said. “I was really at peace.”
As for what advice he’d give his captain, Robitaille said he’ll tell Kopitar to make time to stop and smell the roses on his last trip around the league.
“If you listen to 99% of the guys that retire in any sport, the one thing they miss is the [locker] room,” he said. “So when you know you’re near the end, you’ve got to make sure you pay attention to every one of those little moments that you’re going to miss for the next 50 years of your life.
“You’re playing a game. You’re 30 years old or 40 years old — 38 for Kopi — and he’s playing a game. It’s amazing. Most people don’t get to do that in their life, you know?”
Kopitar’s decision comes with the Kings at a crossroads. They tied team records for points (105) and wins (48) last season while going a franchise-best 31-6-4 at home in Jim Hiller’s first full season as coach. That earned the team second place in the Pacific Division, its best finish in a decade.
Kings captain Anze Kopitar, left, speaks to defenseman Drew Doughty during a game against the Winnipeg Jets in December 2023. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The postseason was déjà vu all over again, however, with the Oilers eliminating the Kings.
General manager Rob Blake resigned four days later and was replaced by Ken Holland, who won four Stanley Cups as GM of the Detroit Red Wings. The Kings' core is also in transition because when Kopitar steps aside, only defenseman Drew Doughty will remain from their Stanley Cup-winning teams.
“Passing the torch, [we]'ve been trying to for the past few years, been trying to mentor some of the kids in this locker room,” Kopitar said. “Maybe that's what it is.”
Holland had mixed results in his first summer with the Kings, adding forwards Corey Perry (who will miss the first month of the season because of a knee injury) and Joel Armia, defensemen Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci and goalkeeper Anton Forsberg, and re-signing winger Andrei Kuzmenko to a club-friendly contract.
Also back are leading scorers Kevin Fiala and Adrian Kempe, who had 35 goals each, wingers Warren Foegele and Quinton Byfield and goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who had a career-best 2.02 goals-against average and finished third in Vezina Trophy voting.
But Holland lost veteran defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to the New York Rangers and failed to land Mitch Marner, the summer’s most-sought player, who wound up in Las Vegas.
And now he’s the team’s first general manager in two decades who has been forced to ponder a future without Anze Kopitar.
Anze Kopitar takes the ice before a game against the Winnipeg Jets in December 2023. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“We’re really going to enjoy having Kopi in the lineup this year. But next summer it’s going to be a big void,” Holland said on the Canucks Central podcast. “He’s big and strong. And it’s hard to find big, strong, talented centermen.
“He’s very intelligent. And I think the team follows his lead.”
As for Kopitar, he’s not thinking past the next nine months. He has the rest of his life to figure out what comes next.
“I haven't really given too much thought of what's going to happen [next], except for being home for my kids,” he said. “I'll take my time and then see what, see what life throws at me.
“I'm going to miss the game of hockey. What I'm not gonna miss is working out, getting ready for the season, all the hours you’ve got to put in. But the game itself, of course, I'm going to miss it. It's been here for the better part of 35 years. But listen, the summers are going to be more enjoyable.”
With the 2025-26 NHL season opener just a few days away, the Sharks on Sunday made a move.
San Jose traded winger Carl Grundstrom and defenseman Artem Guryev to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenseman Ryan Ellis and a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Sharks announced.
TRADE 🔀
The #SJSharks acquire defenseman Ryan Ellis and a 2026 conditional 6th round pick from the Flyers for Carl Grundstrom and Artem Guryev.
Ellis, 34, hasn’t played in an NHL game since November 2021 due to injury, and currently has two years left on his contract with cap hits of $6.25 million this season and next. In 11 seasons with the Nashville Predators and Flyers, Ellis has posted 275 points (76 goals, 199 assists) in 566 games.
Grundstrom, 27, was acquired last summer in a draft-week trade with the Kings, which sent defenseman Kyle Burroughs to Los Angeles. Grundstrom appeared in 56 games with San Jose in 2024-25, scoring nine points (three goals, six assists) and 24 penalty minutes. In 292 career games with the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose, Grundstrom has scored 76 points (43 goals, 33 assists).
Guryev spent last season with Wichita (ECHL), posting five points (two goals, three assists). He was originally selected by San Jose in the fifth round (135th overall) of the 2021 draft.
The sixth-round conditional pick San Jose receives in the trade is the earlier of Columbus Blue Jackets’ (previously acquired) or Philadelphia’s selections.
After being outscored 12–1 over their previous two preseason games, the Ottawa Senators closed out their exhibition schedule on a high note on Saturday night, defeating the Montreal Canadiens 3–1 at the Bell Centre.
It was exactly the kind of performance Ottawa needed heading into the regular season – far more structured and disciplined than the past two games. Finishing their chances, however, remains troublesome as the Sens scored just 12 goals on their 187 shots in preseason.
Goaltender Linus Ullmark wasn’t heavily tested in the early going, but the Canadiens pressed more as the game went on, forcing the veteran to come up with several key saves. Ullmark finished with 20 stops on 21 shots and was calm throughout.
Unlike Tuesday’s nasty affair in Quebec City — where the teams combined for over 150 penalty minutes — Saturday’s game was a much cleaner contest, featuring just 14 total minutes in penalties as both sides focused on hockey and getting ready for the new season.
Ottawa opened the scoring midway through the first period on a perfectly executed 2-on-1. Jake Sanderson carried the puck into the Montreal zone, waited for Shane Pinto to drive the net, and fed him a perfect centring pass that Pinto tapped into an open cage for a 1–0 lead.
The Senators doubled their advantage at 11:38 of the second when Nick Jensen’s point shot was redirected by David Perron, giving Ottawa a 2–0 edge. Dylan Cozens had a great chance to make it 3-0 on a shorthanded breakaway, but he was denied by Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault.
Montreal pushed harder after that, generating several quality chances. Adam Engstrom nearly capitalized on a solo rush, easily dancing past Thomas Chabot, and Kaiden Guhle was turned aside twice — once on a 2-on-1 and again from the slot — but Ullmark stood tall.
The Canadiens finally broke through in the third when Lars Eller mishandled a puck in front of his own net. Attempting to settle it instead of clearing, that allowed Caufield to swat home the puck for Montreal's only goal.
Eller redeemed himself later, sealing the win with an empty-netter to make it 3–1.
Neither team could convert on the power play — Ottawa went 0-for-2, while Montreal was 0-for-3. The Senators outshot the Canadiens 28–21.
Pinto earned first-star honours on the game sheet after an excellent performance, while Montembeault (26 saves) was named the second star. Arthur Kaliyev, who assisted on the opening goal, took third-star honours.
The victory capped off the preseason for the Sens (3-3), who now turn their attention to final roster cuts ahead of Monday’s 5 pm deadline. The regular season opens on Thursday night in Tampa Bay against the Lightning.
The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning wrapped up their respective preseasons on Saturday night in Sunrise.
Much like the previous meeting between the two intra-state rivals that took place in Tampa on Thursday, one that ended with 186 penalty minutes being called, Saturday’s game felt like it had equal parts hockey and extracurricular activities.
In just the first period, which took 53 minutes to complete thanks to all the rough stuff, the Cats and Bolts combined for 64 penalty minutes and four game misconducts.
One of the men shown the gate was Tampa’s Scott Sabourin, who was one of several Tampa players called up from their AHL affiliate hours before the game who showed a propensity for getting physical with Panthers players right from the start.
Sabourin was tossed from the game after hitting and then cross-checking Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad in the face at the 2:18 mark of the first period, ending both of their nights after one shift.
After the game, Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice did not have an update on Ekblad, only saying that he would be reevaluated on Sunday.
As is generally the case, the Panthers didn’t let any of that phase them in pursuing of the greater good: picking up two points.
While the Lightning were racking up the ejections (three Tampa players were shown the gate during the opening period), Florida was putting the puck in the net.
Power play goals from Mackie Samoskevich and Evan Rodrigues, and an even strength tally off the stick of Jack Studnicka, sent the Cats into the first intermission with a 3-0 lead.
Unsurprisingly, the arrival of the middle frame brought more of the same.
As Tampa players continued congregating in the penalty box, Florida kept pumping in the power play goals.
Jeff Petry joined the fun, and both Samoskevich and Rodrigues tickled the twine for a second time to give the Cats a hearty 6-0 lead.
Rodrigues picked up the hat trick during the third period, and yes, as you may have guessed, it came with Florida on the power play.
Samoskevich lost his shot at a hatty when he was one of four players ejected at the 4:01 mark of the third.
When the dust settled, Florida and Tampa combined for an eye-popping 274 penalty minutes and the Panthers skated away with a 7-0 win.
For those wondering, the Cats and Bolts meet for the first time during the regular season on Nov. 15 in Sunrise.
Photo caption: Oct 2, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Eetu Luostarinen (27) pushes Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser (90) down to the ice in the third period at Benchmark International Arena. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
If there were any doubts as to whether the 5-foot-11, 182-pound Finnish winger has put himself on the Opening Night roster, he may have erased them with his performance Saturday. The Preds were in danger of falling into another lackluster spell until Kemell changed the game in a heartbeat.
The 21-year-old may not have scored a hat trick in terms of goals, but he did have a trio of big moments in the game: an overtime winning goal, a secondary assist on another, and a crunching hit on a player three inches taller that caused the Hurricanes to lose their composure.
After Carolina’s Sebastian Aho drew an unsportsmanlike misconduct penalty, Kemell got the puck at the blueline and passed to his right. Brady Skjei fed it back to Kemell, who tallied the golden goal on a one-timer at 4:44 of the extra frame. Skjei and Fedor Svechkov each picked up an assist.
Joakim Kemell speaks to the media following the 3-2 overtime victory over the Carolina Hurricanes Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 at Bridgestone Arena. Video Courtesy of the Nashville Predators
“I like to shoot, so I hit the net and I can score sometimes,” Kemell said after the game.
A modest assessment, to be sure. But it’s what Kemell did earlier that had everybody in Bridgestone Arena buzzing.
Kemell delivered a massive hit to 6-foot-2 Andrei Svechnikov at center ice, causing the Russian winger to lose his stick.
This obviously didn’t sit well with the Canes. Goalie Pyotr Kochetkov took a swipe at Jonathan Marchessault, and Aho’s unsportsmanlike misconduct set up a 4-on-3 man advantage for the Predators. Kemell made the most of the opportunity on the next shift.
“I mean, just a part of me,” Kemell said of his hit on Svechnikov after the game. “I like to play hard and I like to hit. I mean, that was good timing. I don’t know what to say… Good hit, good goal.”
Predators center Ryan O’Reilly is a 17-year NHL veteran, yet he was amazed by the intensity of Kemell’s hit.
“That’s one of the harder hits I’ve seen in hockey, to be honest with you,” O’Reilly said. “In overtime, you never really see that. That was pretty special.”
Kemell contributed to the Predators’ goal that put them ahead 2-1 at 4:59 of the second period, earning a secondary assist on Tyson Jost’s first unofficial goal as a Predator since being claimed on waivers Oct. 1.
Kemell played on a line with Jost and Svechkov, which had several quality shifts throughout the game.
"I've seen a lot of things, but I don't think I've seen a hit like that in 3-on-3," Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said. "Then, to get a goal after they were trying to get at him, was pretty fun to be a part of."
Taken 17th overall by the Predators in the 2022 NHL Draft, Kemell provided the intensity when the team needed it the most. Whether it can carry over into the regular season remains to be seen, but it at least ended the pre-season on a positive note for the Predators, who have shown a propensity for lackluster play in their last three games.
“I hope we keep that feeling, because we worked really hard for that feeling (Saturday),” Brunette said.
A player is often judged by how he responds when something is on the line. In the case of Kemell, it's a final roster spot.
With Luke Evangelista now signed and ready to join the team, that could affect Kemell securing a top-six forward spot. But Matthew Wood being placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury may have kept the door open for Kemell. Saturday's performance could have made those final decisions easier for the Preds’ brass.
The
St. Louis Blues closed out the preseason in impressive fashion with a
4-0
win against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center in Chicago on
Saturday.
The
Blues (2-3-1) used a half and half lineup, inserting a number of
younger players they still wanted to get a look at along with a
couple veterans fighting for spots.
One
of those is Milan Lucic, in camp on a professional tryout who scored
his first goal; Robert Thomas and
Otto Stenberg each had a goal and an assist, Logan
Mailloux had two assists, and
Aleksanteri Kaskimaki also scored
for
the Blues, who
scored three times in
the second period,
and Joel Hofer made eight
saves through
two periods before Colten Ellis cleaned up the third with nine
stops.
The
Blues will now work during the week starting
on Sunday before
opening the season Thursday at home against the Minnesota Wild.
Here
are tonight’s observations:
*
It’s going to come down to Lucic/Texier for the final roster spot –
With Mathieu Joseph out of the lineup Saturday, one has to assume the
Blues have seen enough from him to feel he’s earned his roster
spot.
As
for Lucic, this was the most noticeable he’s been since he’s
arrived in St. Louis. His goal is a perfect example of how he has to
play, work to keep a puck in the offensive zone, keep it it alive,
find the open man, then move to the net and park his big, strong
6-foot-3, 235-pound body, getting a piece of Mailloux’s shot off
the left circle at 13:13 of the second period to give the Blues a 2-0
lead:
Lucic
finished the game with a game-high eight
hits in
14:35.
He has to be making an impact with his body in order to have success.
He did so in this game.
"Establishing the front of the net winning battles," Lucic said. "I felt like I could have done a better job of winning battles coming into this game. Our whole team, it was probably our best effort as far as winning battles, keeping pucks alive, playing in the O-zone. So not only myself, a lot of guys got rewarded for that tonight."
Texier
had one really skilled play with roughly two minutes left when behind
the net, he was deceitful in coming back against the grain with a
pass to Pius Suter that was stopped in front, but this was his chance
to really make some high-end plays against a AHL-type lineup and just
didn’t do so playing on a line with Suter and Jordan Kyrou.
This
is going to be a tough call for the Blues, who do have the luxury of
extending Lucic’s PTO every 10 days if they feel like he needs more
time to showcase himself and keep from putting Texier on waivers.
I
just don’t have a sense where they will go with this at the moment.
It’s literally a 50/50 call.
"That's a better question for management, but as far as for me, it's a tough bump in the road getting a groin injury there," Lucis said. "I know a lot of people are judgmental about my skating, but in order for me to be effective, I definitely need my legs and my speed to play the way that I do. To be able to battle through the last three games with a groin injury, I felt like I got better from Tuesday to Thursday to Saturday. Happy with what I was able to do this week."
*
Stenberg, Kaskimaki will be full-time players starting next season –
Otto Stenberg and Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, playing with Dalibor Dvorsky
on Saturday, will almost certainly be full-time NHL players next
season.
We’ve
talked about Dvorsky enough, and I still think he starts the season
in Springfield of the American Hockey League, as will Stenberg and
Kaskimaki, but I feel like the latter two have had such impressive
camps. They’re good, solid, responsible players who read the game
well. And it was on display on Kaskimaki’s goal to open the scoring
at 4:04 of the second period to make it 1-0:
Tyler
Tucker reads a chance to move the puck in transition to Stenberg, who
moved it up the lefthand side before reading a play to slide the puck
in stride to Kaskimaki, whose deft redirection didn’t appear to be
much but perhaps caught Arvid Soderblom off guard just enough for the
puck to squirt through the Blackhawks goalie:
They’re
both hard workers, and I think the coaching staff has most certainly
taken notice of their work and smart abilities, whether with or
without pucks.
Neither
of them will make the roster out of training camp, but they have each
put his stake in the ground, and firmly implanted it in the ground.
It won’t be too long. Kaskimaki-Dvorsky-Stenberg
will be a solid line in Springfield this year.
*
Hunter Skinner
will be a good insurance policy – Skinner, acquired in the Vladimir
Tarasenko trade Feb. 9, 2023 with the New York Rangers, was quietly
having himself a strong camp and nipping at the heels of Matthew
Kessel for the seventh defenseman on this squad.
He
didn’t do anything to squash his resume in this game either. He had
an assist in the game when he funneled a puck towards the goal that
Thomas tipped in for a 3-0 lead at 18:10 of the second period and was
a plus-2 in 16:53:
But
I liked Skinner’s physical nature in this game, and he made a solid
defensive play with roughly eight minutes left in the second when he
hustled back and broke up a play that started off as a 2-on-1 for
Chicago.
Skinner
had five shot attempts and three hits but it sure seemed like more
than that. He will be one of the first call-ups should the Blues need
a defenseman.
As
for Kessel, this was his best preseason game, playing a team-high
21:08 with six hits. He was engaged and playing like a player that
knew someone was looking for his job. But I thought Kessel did a nice
job of breaking up a number of Chicago rushes and moving pucks
quickly back out of the zone.
I
think he cinched his place on this roster.
* Thomas, Snuggerud are going to make magic – If there was any doubt that two of the Blues' top forwards are already in sync, just watch not only tonight's game but the ones they've played previously. Forget about Snuggerud's ability to shoot, this kid can make plays; we already know Thomas can. But if they can make plays for each other and complement each other, watch out. That's all I'm going to say. And for Pavel Buchnevich, who will start on that line, you better take advantage of the elite playmaking provided by two skilled players.
"It helps when you're playing with such good players," Snuggerud said. "I feel like it's something I've been trying to improve a lot because it's needed in the game of hockey. Being able to work on things like that makes the game more fun."
*
Quick hitters – Mailloux, who finished the preseason with four
points, will be in the starting lineup on Thursday, undoubtedly. He
played 20:52 and was on the penalty kill again, something the Blues
want to work with him on and again used his long body and stick to
disrupt plays. I think he makes a good option, if needed, as a
quarterback power play with his alert play to Thomas that resulted in
Stenberg’s goal at 4:24 of the third period that made it 4-0:
Theo
Lindstein, who had an assist on the Thomas goal, had his best game of
the preseason playing 17:55 with three shots on goal. He will benefit
greatly from a full season in Springfield. This is a project that the
Blues will be patient with, and I thought Leo Loof asserted himself
much better in this game than his last one last Tuesday. He played
18:42 and also had six hits.
That’ll
do it for the preseason. The opening night 23-man roster deadline is 4 p.m. (CT) on Monday. It all starts for real on Thursday.
The Chicago Blackhawks finished their preseason slate of games with a match against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.
Chicago ran with a mostly-AHL lineup against the Blues, who played a large number of players who will be on their opening night roster.
The Blackhawks kept it close in the first period, to the point where they reached the intermission 0-0. St. Louis outshot Chicago 9-6.
It was in the second period that the Blackhawks looked like the lesser team with the lesser lineup. They were outshot 11-2 and outscored 3-0. Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, Milan Lucic, and Robert Thomas scored for the Blues.
In the third period, the Blackhawks kept pace with the Blues again (outshot 11-10), but the Blues added an Otto Stenberg power play goal for the 4-0 lead. That would hold as the final score.
Arvid Soderblom took the net for the Blackhawks. The team was outmatched in front of him, which led to him giving up four goals on 31 shots. From his earlier games in the preseason with better lineups involved, he proved that he's ready to be Spencer Knight's primary backup.
It is fair to assume that none of the players who played in this game forced the hand of the coaching staff when it comes to making the opening night roster. Anything they believed going into this game likely still stands.
Outside of Soderblom, one defenseman and one forward, every player who appeared in this game is going to be sent back down to the Rockford IceHogs.
That's it. Next time, they count. The Blackhawks will make decisions and have their roster ready for the NHL's first day of the season. Chicago will be in the first game on the first day (Tuesday), as they will take on the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
Apr 29, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32) warms up before the start of game five of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild announced a five-year, $34 million contract extension for goalie Filip Gustavsson on Saturday.
Gustavsson’s extension begins in the 2026-27 season and goes through 2030-31. It’s the team’s latest move after signing star Kirill Kaprizov to the richest deal in NHL history earlier this week.
The 27-year-old from Sweden started all 58 games he appeared in for Minnesota last season, posting a 31-19-6 record with five shutouts and a 2.56 goals-against average.
Minnesota acquired Gustavsson in a trade with the Ottawa Senators for goalie Cam Talbot in July 2022. He was expected to sit behind Marc-André Fleury and learn from the veteran the following season, but quickly proved to the franchise and fans he was more than a backup.
The Wild locked Gustavsson into a three-year, $11.25 million contract after his 2023 standout season in which he went 22-9-7 with a 2.10 goals-against average.
Gustavsson was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round in 2016. He was shipped to Ottawa in 2018 as part of a three-team trade.
The Nashville Predators preseason has officially come to a close.
For the second time this preseason, the Predators needed overtime, tied 2-2, with the Carolina Hurricanes. It was a big hit by Joakim Kemell and a one-timer goal by the Finn the following shift that proved to be the difference in a 3-2 victory.
Jonathan Marchessault scored on the power play to give the Predators a 1-0 lead in the first, and Tyson Jost scored his first unofficial goal as a Nashville Predator to make it 2-1 in the second period.
Nashville wraps up the preseason with a 3-2-1 record. It's their first winning preseason record since 2022.
Here are three things we saw in the Predators final game of the preseason against the Hurricanes.
The Predators' third period and early parts of overtime were lackluster to say the least. Nashville was struggling to generate any offense and was getting sloppy with its play.
It was a blind, backhanded pass attempt from Marchessault along the boards that led to Carolina scoring the game-tying goal with five minutes left in the third period. In overtime, Nashville was again struggling to generate chances until Joakim Kemell hit the ice.
He delivered a booming hit to Carolina's Andrei Svechnikov at center ice, causing Sebastian Aho to react and commit an unsportsmanlike misconduct penalty.
14 seconds into the power play, with 16 seconds left in overtime, Kemell got a pass from Brady Skjei and let a one-time shot go from the right side of the face-off circle that beat goalie Pyotr Kochetkov high glove-side for the OT winner.
"It's just a part of me. I like to play hard and I like to hit," Kemell said. "Good hit. Good goal. I like to shoot, so I hit the net and I can score sometimes."
Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said that there are going to be some "hard decisions" to make regarding which wingers Nashville wants to keep on the roster. Kemell's overtime performance may have just cemented him a roster spot.
"It was a heck of an overtime. I don't know how many seconds he played, but they were pretty impactful," Brunette said about Kemell. "I've seen a lot of things, but I don't think I've seen a hit like that in 3-on-3. Then, to get a goal after they were trying to get at him, was pretty fun to be a part of."
Brady Martin centers first line; O'Reilly plays on wing
More and more trust is being instilled in the Predators' 2025 fifth overall pick, Brady Martin, as he centers the first line alongside Filip Forsberg and Ryan O'Reilly.
"He does so many things well," O'Reilly said about Martin. "The way he reads the game, the plays he makes, his vision out there finding guys. It's exciting to see, especially him being a young kid coming in and not having played at this level very long."
"Every day he's getting more comfortable making things happen."
The trio didn't score, but logged the second most ice time of the night at 11:37 minutes.
O'Reilly also talked about Martin's abilities at the face-off circle and said he did a solid job. He even went as far as saying that O'Reilly could've helped Martin get a higher face-off percentage in the game.
Martin won 37.5 of his face-offs as the Predators won nearly 60% of the overall face-offs on the night.
"I lost a lot of draws for him on those 50/50 pucks that I normally win," O'Reilly said. "He would've been better in the circle if I had helped him out a little bit more. I'm still getting used to the wing, so I'll blame it on that."
Slopiness was abundant for the Predators in the third period as they gave away the puck 13 times for a total of 24 times on the night. The Hurricanes ' game-tying goal was scored off a Marchessault turnover in the Predators' zone.
Not long after that, Marchessault turned over the puck again, which led to a Carolina rush going the other way. Roman Josi and Adam Wilsby gave away the puck six combined times.
While the Predators were able to make up for it in overtime, this could've been costly. The preseason results don't count, but establishing good habits is beneficial to put in place ahead of the regular season.
Still, the Predators found a way to win against the Hurricanes squad that brought most of its talent to Nashville. The Predators have not seen a lot of that at Bridgestone Arena this preseason as the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning brought depleted rosters in their matchups.
"It's hard to put a whole lot of stock in exhibition games, but that was an NHL team that we played and a good one," Brunette said. "It was a fast team that was going to test us in a bunch of different areas, and I thought we handled the test. There are some things we can definitely clean up a little bit, but lots of good."
