The Chicago Blackhawks came into their Friday night matchup against the Calgary Flames feeling good after a matchup against the Vancouver Canucks that finished strongly for them. They were mostly outplayed, but they found a way to win a hockey game thanks to their goalie, Spencer Knight, and a third-period offensive output. 

Although the Canucks are no wagon, the Flames may be the worst team in the NHL. They are the worst, based on record, as they entered with a mark of 4-9-2 for 10 points. No team wants to be in 32nd place out of 32, so the Blackhawks had to expect the Flames to come in nice and angry. 

Calgary, however, was unable to hang with Chicago. Over the course of the game, the Blackhawks took it to the Flames. It all started with Tyler Bertuzzi scoring two goals to follow up his hat trick against the Canucks. These two goals, the first two of the game, set a win in motion. 

In the third period, Andre Burakovsky put the game out of reach with his 6th of the season to make it 3-0. Connor Bedard assisted on both Bertuzzi goals and this Burakovsky goal. 

Bedard, extending his point streak to 7 games with three assists, wasn’t enough for him. With under five minutes remaining in regulation, Bedard scored on a breakaway to make it 4-0 Blackhawks. That stood as the final. A four-point night for Bedard tied him for the league lead in points at the time of the goal. 

Spencer Knight made 33 saves to earn the shutout. To say he’s been spectacular this season would be an understatement, and he finally has his first shutout in a Blackhawks sweater. 

That’s two straight wins for the Blackhawks, and a 2-2-1 record on the road trip with one game remaining. After starting 0-2-1 on the trip, they still have a chance to turn it into a positive stretch of games away from home. 

Frank Nazar Injury/Fighting

The Chicago Blackhawks announced during the game that Frank Nazar would not return after leaving the hockey game with an injury. Joel Farabee had to answer to Colton Dach in a fight for the play that led to Nazar's injury. It was a lower-body injury, and an update will be provided when available.

Not long after, Oliver Moore took a bad hit from MacKenzie Weegar, and Alex Vlasic stood up for him in a fight. Eventually, Nick Foligno took on Joel Hanley to cap off a three-fight game. 

The Chicago Blackhawks are clearly a team that stands up for each other. Winning usually follows organizations that battle for each other just as much as with each other. 

Watch Every Blackhawks Goal

Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xour first of the night🚨Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xwe're getting déjà vu👀Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xsimply perfect🤌Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xain't it beautiful🥲

Up Next For Chicago

Next up for the Chicago Blackhawks is a Sunday afternoon match with the Detroit Red Wings. This will be the sixth game out of six on the road trip, with a chance to turn it into an above .500 set. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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

Calgary’s struggles continue as Bertuzzi, Bedard lead Chicago to victory.

The Calgary Flames’ offensive woes continued Friday night as they were shut out 4-0 by the Chicago Blackhawks at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday night. 

Tyler Bertuzzi opened the scoring late in the first period, redirecting a pass at the side of the net past Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf to give Chicago a 1–0 lead after 20 minutes.

In the third, the Blackhawks pulled away. Bertuzzi struck again on a 2-on-1 rush, finishing off a crisp feed from Connor Bedard and roofing the puck for his second of the night — and fifth in just two games. 

Moments later, Bedard sparked another odd-man rush, setting up Andre Burakovsky in the high slot for Chicago’s third goal. Bedard scored the fourth goal late in the third with a highlight reel breakaway goal to go with three assists, extending his point streak to 10 games.

It was another night of frustration for the Flames, who outshot the Blackhawks but failed to convert on their chances against goaltender Spencer Knight. Calgary sits at the bottom of the NHL standings with a 4-10-2 record and just 10 points through 16 games.

There were some tense moments in the second period when rookie defenceman Zayne Parekh — back in the lineup after being scratched — collided with Nick Foligno and left the game with an upper-body injury. He did not return. 

With the team short on defence, Farabee was shifted to the blue line midway through the game to help fill the gap.

Three Takeaways:

1. Parekh shows promise before injury

Before exiting, Parekh stood out early with a strong defensive stick on Bedard and generated a shot on goal. His absence was noticeable after leaving the game following a collision with Foligno.

2. Odd-man rushes prove costly

Defensive breakdowns and turnovers continued to haunt Calgary. Three of Chicago’s four goals came off odd-man rushes after turnovers — a glaring issue that has plagued the Flames throughout the season.

3. No finish despite pressure

Calgary outshot the Blackhawks but couldn’t find any finish around the net. They lacked any sustained offensive zone time, and Knight turned aside every Flames opportunity for the shutout. Matt Coronato had 11 shots on net in the contest. 

In the 2023-24 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins finished with a 38-32-12 record, good for 88 points. 

They missed the playoffs by three points, and a big reason for it was their power play, which ranked 30th in the league at 15.3%. It was a stagnant unit that overpassed, never went to the net, could barely gain the zone, and never had a shoot-first mentality. The power play went through a 0-for-37 slump during the season, which was insane considering the amount of firepower that the Penguins had (and still have to this day). 

The unit's failures cost assistant coach Todd Reirden his job, and David Quinn was brought in before last season to fix a broken unit. He did a great job with it, helping the Penguins finish with the sixth-best power play at 25.8% last season. They missed the playoffs by more than three points, but got back to basics on the power play. The zone entries were cleaned up. A net-front presence was established. They weren't playing patty-cake at the blue line. They had a shoot-first mentality. 

All of those qualities have been turned up several notches to start the 2025-26 season as the Penguins currently have the top power play in the league at 35.9%. The unit went 3/5 against the Washington Capitals on Thursday night, and it could've gone 4/5 or even 5/5 after spending a ton of time in the offensive zone. 

One of the biggest reasons for the PP's hot start is because of assistant coach Todd Nelson. Nelson joined the Penguins' coaching staff under head coach Dan Muse during the offseason after Quinn followed former Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan to New York. Nelson wants his players to zip the puck around with authority and keep penalty killers guessing, and both features have been on display throughout the first month of the season. 

If you go back to the first power play goal on Thursday, the Penguins moved the puck beautifully through the offensive zone before Ben Kindel delivered a gorgeous cross-ice pass to Sidney Crosby. It caught the Capitals completely off guard. 

Things you love to see: Sidney Crosby scoring against the Capitals 💪 pic.twitter.com/LmfUiXdmSb

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) November 7, 2025

Another example of these qualities in action came during the Penguins' game against the Florida Panthers on Oct. 23. They had some great puck movement before Crosby finished off a beautiful tic-tac-toe play near the goal line. The Panthers didn't see it coming.

Tic, tac, toe.

That's another power-play goal! pic.twitter.com/BsH4RFATfT

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 24, 2025

Crosby is super thrilled with the work that Nelson has put in on the PP.

"I think it has changed a little bit, just based on injuries, so I think it's about everybody being on the same page, being organized, and executing," Crosby said after Friday's practice. "For the most part, you don't want to change your game plan night-to-night, so I think that we're pretty consistent in how we want to approach it, and there are always little tweaks, depending on who you play, but I think it's been pretty clear as far as the mindset of the group. That has a lot to do with the way they are structuring it and organizing it, and it's up to the guys to go out there and execute."

Penguins Overcome Another Blown Lead, Take Down Washington CapitalsFor the first 20 minutes of their Thursday matchup - and first of the season - against the Washington Capitals, the way the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> were dominating was quite similar to what they did to the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs">Toronto Maple Leafs</a> for the first 40 minutes of a <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/penguins-suffer-epic-third-period-collapse-fall-to-leafs-4-3">heartbreaking 4-3 loss on Monday.</a>

---

While Bryan Rust's process hasn't always been there in all situations this season, he scored a beauty of a PP goal on Thursday, which turned out to be the game-winner. It came off a ridiculous feed from Evgeni Malkin, who has eight assists and nine points on the man-advantage. 

Rust echoed a lot of what Crosby said about Nelson after practice, including calling Nelson "awesome." 

"Todd's been awesome," Rust said. "He's given us a blueprint on kinda what to do and I think he's also given us the leeway to kinda play with a little bit of a creativity, which I think, there's obviously a fine line of getting too out of control, but I think we're in a good spot right now and we're trying to continue to keep getting better and keep on building."

The Penguins' PP is going to face tougher penalty kills this season, including on Saturday against the New Jersey Devils, who rank sixth in PK percentage, but as long as that unit keeps every PK guessing and on their toes, it's going to be really hard to stop. 

---

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

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

The Detroit Red Wings returned home to the friendly confines of Little Caesars Arena after a winning road swing hoping to earn some valuable points in the standings.

While the Red Wings generated several prime scoring chances against the visiting New York Rangers, they were ultimately unable to capitalize. The Rangers, on the other hand, made the most of their opportunities, scoring twice in the third period on their way to a 4-1 victory.

Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) on XBack here Sunday vs. Chicago.

The Rangers, who have a stunning 0-5-1 record on home ice, improved to 7-1-1 away from Madison Square Garden. Meanwhile, the Red Wings have now dropped consecutive games and are 9-6 through the first 14 games of their centennial campaign. 

New York struck first in the opening 20 minutes, as Will Cuylle beat Cam Talbot with a quick shot at 6:46 of the opening period while the Rangers enjoyed the man-advantage.

The Red Wings then drew even thanks to J.T. Compher's third goal of the season, as he took a pass behind the net from Mason Appleton and beat the crouched Jonathan Quick by going upstairs. 

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

From that point on, Quick shut the door on the Red Wings and was even the beneficiary of a nanosecond of hesitation from a future Hall of Famer.

Not long after the Rangers took a 2-1 lead after Northville, Mich. native Noah Laba scored, Quick had a clearing attempt batted down by Patrick Kane, who had a gaping net to shoot at. Instead, the paddle of Quick's stick prevented Kane from getting a shot off as both Carson Soucy and Braden Schneider both rushed to the aid of their goaltender. 

Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) on XJONATHAN QUICK MISPLAYED THE PUCK, AND PATRICK KANE HAD THE EMPTY NET BUT COULDN'T BURY IT 😭😵

It was Kane's first game back in the lineup since he was injured on Oct. 17 against the Tampa Bay Lightning; he had missed nine straight contests. 

The Red Wings also had a prime scoring chances early in the third period as Compher raced in on a two-on-one rush and attempted to pick the corner, only to have his shot somehow deflected by the outside cuff of Quick's glove. 

New York then added a pair of insurance goals from Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere, the latter of which followed a Detroit defensive lapse. 

Talbot finished with 22 saves, while Quick turned back the clock with his performance, making 32 saves. 

The Red Wings will have to have a short memory, as they'll host the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday afternoon. 

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

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

NEW YORK (AP) — Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist, and the Minnesota Wild beat the New York Islanders 5-2 on Friday night.

Vinnie Hinostraza, Danila Yurov, Brock Faber and Marco Rossi also scored for Minnesota in its third win in four games. Jesper Wallstedt finished with 25 saves.

Emil Heineman and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for the Islanders and David Rittich had 21 saves as New York lost its second straight and snapped a three-game point streak (2-0-1).

Kaprizov scored on a give-and-go with Mats Zuccarello to push the Wild’s lead to 5-2 at 8:33 of the third period. It was Kaprizov’s ninth goal of the season.

Trailing 2-0 after 20 minutes, the Islanders got on the board at 4:38 of the second as Heineman got a pass from Bo Horvat in the right circle and beat Wallstedt for his sixth.

Faber restored the Wild’s two-goal lead 1:18 later as he got the puck in the high slot after Matt Boldy’s wraparound try and put it past Rittich.

Rossi pushed the lead to 4-1 as he skated in on Rittich and beat him into the top right corner at 9:05.

Pageau pulled New York back within two, skating in on Wallstedt and tucking it past the goalie on the right side with 1:09 left in the second.

Hinostraza gave the Wild a 1-0 lead at 7:24 of the first, deflecting a pass from Jonas Brodin past Rittich from the right doorstep.

Yurov doubled the lead with 7:28 remaining in the opening period as he took several whacks at a loose puck in front.

Up next

Wild: Host Calgary on Sunday to open a five-game homestand.

Islanders: At New York Rangers on Saturday to open a seven-game trip.

The New Jersey Devils defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4–3 in a shootout last night, but for one player, it was more than just another game - it was a mini-reunion and a taste of home.

Devils rookie Arseny Gritsyuk was reunited with his friend Ivan Demidov before the matchup. The two played together last season with SKA St. Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), before Demidov made the jump to the NHL to join the Canadiens.

Gritsyuk told NHL.com that when he traveled from Russia to New Jersey this offseason, he stopped in Montreal to visit his old teammate.

“He told me you need to always be stronger — like always, always be ready for the hit,” Gritsyuk said of the advice Demidov shared with him to NHL.com.

The two have stayed in touch as Demidov adjusted to his first NHL season and Gritsyuk prepared for his own North American debut.

“I talked to him after Montreal lost in the playoffs,” Gritsyuk said to NHL.com. “I called him for a lot of details. He said it’s always a challenging game — every game. There’s always pressure, not much time. And the micro-battles are so important. When you go back for the puck — body check, body check, body check.”

Ahead of the game, Gritsyuk posted on his Telegram channel, Grit’s Diary, that he had invited Demidov over for dinner.

He shared a photo of the two with the caption:

Gritsyuk’s Telegram – @arsenigritsyuk81

“It was my turn to receive guests — for example, today Vanya Demidov stopped by 🤝 We had a delicious meal, chatted, and just had a great time. 😇 See you on the ice, brother 🤙”

Gritsyuk has mentioned having dinners with several familiar Russian faces during his first 14 NHL games and was happy to return the favor by hosting Demidov ahead of their matchup in Newark.

In the game, Demidov logged 10:27 of ice time, finishing with no points and two penalty minutes, while Gritsyuk played 15:29 and recorded two shots on goal.

As Gritsyuk navigates his rookie season and Demidov continues his sophomore campaign, the two continue to lean on each other for advice, familiarity, and friendship, both on and off the ice.

The Philadelphia Flyers have generally rolled with the same lineup over the last few games, but their latest transaction indicates that may not be the case for long.

On Friday, the Flyers announced that they had recalled forward Carl Grundstrom, acquired in the Ryan Ellis trade, and sent Aleksei Kolosov back to the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

That move comes on the heels of a separate switch that saw goalie Sam Ersson come off injured reserve and center Jacob Gaucher head back to the Phantoms.

The key here, though, is that Gaucher had originally been called up by the Flyers because the team needed a right-shot center.

Grundstrom, 27, is neither a right-shot forward nor a center, and he gives the Flyers 13 forwards on their active roster with Tyson Foerster still on injured reserve.

NHL Insider 'Can See' Flyers, Trevor Zegras Contract Extension Talks StartingNHL insider Elliotte Friedman is beginning to "wonder" about contract extension talks between the Flyers and Trevor Zegras.

The Flyers also, however, have eight defensemen, which is not a particularly common denomination around the NHL.

Grundstrom's sudden addition to the NHL roster, and replacing Gaucher, especially, has created some questions that will be solved sooner or later.

For instance, eccentric rookie forward Nikita Grebenkin has played fewer than 10 minutes in three of his last five games, and veteran tough guy Nick Deslauriers just played a season-high 10:01 in his sixth appearance of the season in Thursday night's 3-1 win over the Nashville Predators.

One of Deslauriers or Grebenkin could come out of the lineup for Grundstrom if the Swede is to draw in at some point, especially given that Rodrigo Abols appears to have the fourth-line center role on lock.

And, if and when Foerster does return, the Flyers will need to send another player down to the AHL.

Unheralded Flyers Defenseman Quietly Playing Like One of NHL's BestPhiladelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York has been more dominant this season than anyone had imagined.

Would Grundstrom head back to the Phantoms so soon, sticking around for just a cup of coffee? Or will the Flyers decide they've had enough of the eight-defenseman rotation on the blueline?

Adam Ginning has played just one game since Oct. 16, and Emil Andrae appears to have usurped Egor Zamula's place in the lineup with his transitional skills outweighing his lack of size.

No matter the outcome, the Flyers are almost inevitably heading towards some kind of further change to the lineup and roster, which could some as soon as the end of the weekend.

The Vancouver Canucks are 15 games into the 2025–26 season. While they most recently went 2–1–0 on their Central Division road trip, they suffered a difficult 5–2 defeat at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks last night, giving them a losing record yet again. Here’s how they’re performing compared to the rest of the NHL. 

Team Stats 

Vancouver’s recent stretch of play has skidded them into the bottom-half of the NHL in all of their team stats. Their lone stat still near the middle of the pack is their power play (19.2%). Their two lowest are their work in the faceoff dot (45.5%) and their infamous penalty kill (68%), which has allowed a goal against in each of the past four games. 

Individual Skaters

Despite some difficult numbers on offence, the Canucks nearly lead the NHL in two categories thanks to efforts from two individual players. Filip Hronek is currently third in the NHL in TOI with 370:19 minutes played since the start of the season (partially in-part due to filling in for an injured Quinn Hughes). On the other hand, Kiefer Sherwood is second in the NHL in hits with 67. This is not the only stat that Sherwood leads his team in, as he is also the Canucks’ leading scorer right now with nine goals (tied for eighth in the NHL). 

Goaltenders

Again, due to the amount of games played over Kevin Lankinen, Thatcher Demko leads the Canucks in all stat categories for goaltenders. Of all goalies who have played a minimum of three games this season, Demko’s SV% (.911) and GAA (2.57) are towards the middle of the league. He has faced the 10th-most high-danger shots and has a SV% of .857 in these circumstances. Demko is currently taking time to rest, resulting in the team calling up goaltender Jiří Patera from Abbotsford in the event he is unable to play this weekend. 

The Canucks continue their current homestand with a back-to-back this weekend against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche. They take on the Winnipeg Jets next Tuesday before heading back on the road for an Eastern Conference road trip kicked off with a stop in Carolina to face the Carolina Hurricanes. 

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

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

Vancouver Canucks Head Coach Foote Provides Injury Updates On Blueger, Chytil, Höglander & Lekkerimäki

Canucks Head Coach Provides Update On Goaltender Thatcher Demko

Canucks Recall Goaltender Jiří Patera From Abbotsford Under Emergency Conditions

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

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

There have been some collective weights lifted off the shoulders of a pair of key Detroit Red Wings players in the last several games. 

Late last month on Oct. 25, forward Alex DeBrincat sniped home his first goal of the season, ending a goalless streak that included several Grade-A chances that he was robbed of by opposition goaltenders along with more than a few hit posts.

He's since scored three more goals, increasing his total to four. 

Forward Marco Kasper, who traditionally plays alongside DeBrincat, got the monkey off his back by scoring twice as part of the Red Wings' 4-3 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 30.

For Kasper, it was the first time that he'd lit the lamp since scoring against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 11.

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

The

Naturally, that goal scoring feeling came rushing back to Kasper after he tipped Axel Sandin-Pellikka's shot past Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper. 

Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) on XMARCO PPG!

"It feels good to score," Kasper said on Friday. "It's always a relief to score again, and you just always want to chase this feeling."

"It all starts with playing good, sound game overall and competing hard," he continued.

Kasper would cap a beautiful three-way passing play between Alex DeBrincat, Mason Appleton, and himself in the third period against the Kings for his second tally of the night: 

Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) on XBINGO BANGO WHAT A PLAY 93 → 22 → 92

The second half of last season was a true breakout for Kasper, who earned a call up to the Red Wings in late October and never looked back. While he got off to a bit of a slower beginning to his NHL journey, he began to thrive once Todd McLellan was hired in late December. 

From January 10 through the end of the season, Kasper led all NHL rookies with 17 goals. In that span, he also ranked fifth overall in total rookie scoring.

“I think Marco’s playing harder,” McLellan said following the win over the Kings. “The second goal, he’s going to the net, he’s stopping in the paint. So he’s a competitive individual that has put some pressure on himself. Maybe this will really get him going, but we’re counting on him, and we forget he’s like 20, 21 years old. You’d think he was 27 the way he played last year.”

The Red Wings are also set to welcome Patrick Kane back into the lineup after he missed the previous nine games with an upper-body injury.

"It's huge to get him back, just his experience and his skills on the power play," Kasper said. "It'll be fun to have him back out there."

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

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

Surging Sharks refuse to take ‘foot off the gas' in gritty win over Jets  originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

This isn’t a flash in the pan. These Sharks are hungry and in the midst of a feeding frenzy.

Coming off a resounding 6-1 win over the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday, the Sharks followed up with a signature 2-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets that had SAP Center rocking like the days of old.

NHL point leader Macklin Celebrini had an eventful first period, getting his teeth knocked out by a stick to the face before responding with an incredible breakaway goal to even things at 1-1.

Macklin Celebrini got his teeth chipped after taking a stick to the face 😬 pic.twitter.com/t0Ov6WqG1d

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) November 8, 2025

You can take his teeth but you can't take his spirit 😤 pic.twitter.com/mFesqcMdtB

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) November 8, 2025

Winnipeg and San Jose remained deadlocked through the next 41:53, before Will Smith’s clutch game-winning goal with 4:21 left in the third period.

WILL SMITH FOR THE LEAD🚨 pic.twitter.com/YYYLGRr29U

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) November 8, 2025

Friday’s win is the Sharks’ fourth in their last five games, with all four victories coming against teams currently holding playoff spots. That includes wins over the New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche, who hold the first-place spots in each conference.

Winnipeg, sitting at the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, offered a tough test for San Jose, coming off its biggest margin of victory this season after dispatching Seattle in the Pacific Northwest.

Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic had 32 saves in Friday’s win over the Jets, and the nine-year veteran had plenty of praise for San Jose’s opponent but even more for the Sharks’ ability to remain focused and avoid complacency after Wednesday’s feel-good win.

“Great test. Obviously, a top team in the league,” Nedjelkovic told reporters. “Lot of firepower up front and very solid defensively. I thought it was great. Coming back from a big win like that in Seattle, I think there might be a tendency to maybe take your foot off the gas a little bit. We stuck with it, picked up right where we left off, and we had a pretty solid first period. Coming out of there with a 1-1 score, we’ll take it.

“We just kept going, kept pressing. Couple weird bounces and we responded really well every time and we made the most of the opportunities that we got.”

Ned praised the Sharks' effort in tonight's gritty win over a tough Jets team 👏 pic.twitter.com/tIXR9myk7N

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) November 8, 2025

The Sharks have made it clear they aren’t the lovable losers of years past, and part of that mentality shift stems from entering games like this against tough opponents with having the confidence and belief that you’re capable of going toe-to-toe with the NHL’s best.

“I think you have to have that mentality. You can’t go into a game scared of anyone, but you obviously have respect but anyone can beat anyone in this league,” Smith said after his pivotal goal.

Center Alex Wennberg highlighted San Jose’s play in the second period, when neither team scored as a crucial factor in the Sharks finding a way to secure a late win over a quality opponent.

“I feel like it was a good played game by us. Winnipeg is a really good team but I feel like our second period especially was really good,” Wennberg said. “Kept pushing them back didn’t really give them any energy. We just kept going at it, obviously we talk about this game, it was going to be a tight one. Have to find a way to score a goal, rebound, whatever it is. Today Smitty came up big and had one. Got to give a shoutout to [Alex Nedeljkovic] in net who made some really good saves and kept us in the game as well.”

The energy is shifting in a major way around this Sharks team, and the raucous crowd at SAP Center gave this young team a glimpse into what the glory years in that building were like when San Jose was a perennial contender firmly situated among the NHL’s best.

That infectious enthusiasm was on full display during the final minute of the third period as the Sharks put up a heroic stand against the Jets’ last-gasp efforts to net a game-tying goal.

Heroic effort by the boys at the end to secure this win 👏 pic.twitter.com/VJcZdDi63s

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) November 8, 2025

“It gives me goosebumps at the end of the game when the crowd is this loud,” Smith told NBC Sports California’s Drew Remenda rinkside after the win.

Smith wasn’t the only one in that building with goosebumps. It’s too early to definitively say the Sharks are all the way back, but it’d be damn hard to overlook what this group is building together.

Hockey is better off when the Sharks are good. And to the rest of the NHL, I have tremendous news.

They are.

Download and follow the San Jose Hockey Now podcast

Former Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane had a strong start to the 2025-26 season. In his first five games of the season with the Detroit Red Wings, he recorded two goals, three assists, and five points.

Unfortunately for Kane, his hot start to the year had to be paused due to an upper-body injury. Now, after missing each of the Red Wings' last nine games, Kane is set to return to the lineup for the Atlantic Division club against the New York Rangers on Nov. 7. 

This is undoubtedly good news for the Red Wings, as Kane is a very important part of their forward group. Furthermore, No. 88 returning to the lineup should help the Red Wings' chances of keeping their good start to the season going. 

The Blackhawks will soon be seeing Kane, too, as they will be facing off against the Red Wings on Nov. 9. 

In 1,161 games with the Blackhawks over 16 seasons, Kane recorded 446 goals, 779 assists, 1,225 points, and a plus-20 rating. He also posted 52 goals, 80 assists, and 132 points in 136 playoff games for the Blackhawks, where he won the Stanley Cup three times. 

Oct 21, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators center Brady Martin (44) skates with the puck against the Anaheim Ducks during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

In its 2025 annual Yearbook that was released in August, The Hockey News ranked the top 10 prospects for every NHL team.

It should come as no surprise that Brady Martin was ranked No. 1 in the Nashville Predators’ Future Watch list, after the team made him the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

With roughly a month of the 2025-26 season in the books, let’s take a quick look at how each of the Preds’ top prospects are faring. Their THN rank and expected NHL arrival were as of August 2025, with some prospects seeing NHL action since then.

Brady Martin: Soo Greyhounds

After showing flashes during training camp that he deserved a spot on the Preds’ Opening Night roster, Martin appeared in just three NHL games and recorded an assist before being assigned to the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds.

The Preds made it clear they are in no rush when it comes to Martin’s development, despite the club’s lack of depth at the center position.

The 18-year-old Martin has adjusted well to his reassignment, tallying 11 points (2-9-11) and a +6 rating in five games with the Greyhounds. He scored 10 of those points over a four-game stretch, including a between-the-legs goal against the Oshawa Generals on Nov. 1.

Martin will certainly be back in the NHL at some point, but the Preds felt he needed to bulk up and get a bit more seasoning. THN’s Expected NHL Arrival was 2026-27.

Tanner Molendyk: Milwaukee Admirals

The 20-year-old left-shot defenseman was in Preds training camp until he was assigned to Milwaukee Oct. 3, just before the club’s final pre-season game.

With the Ads so far this season, Molendyk has registered two assists in seven games with a +1 rating. He led the Medicine Hat Tigers to a Memorial Cup in 2024-25.

Scouts love his skating and hockey intellect. Drafted 24th overall by the Preds in 2023, Molendyk’s THN projection to the NHL is in 2026-27.

David Edstrom: Milwaukee Admirals

Drafted 32nd overall by the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023, Edstrom was sent to the Predators along with goaltender Magnus Chrona and the Golden Knights’ first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft (conditional) from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for goaltender Yaroslav Askarov, forward Nolan Burke and Colorado’s third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

The 20-year-old left-shot center was assigned to the Admirals during Preds training camp. He’s appeared in seven games for the Ads this season and recorded two goals.

Edstrom’s offensive numbers don’t jump off the stat sheet; he scored 19 points (7-12-19) for Frolunda in the SHL during the 2024-25 season. He has a solid 200-foot game and good net-front presence. THN projects his NHL arrival in 2026-27.

Joakim Kemell: Milwaukee Admirals

The 5-foot-11, 183-pound right-shot winger played in two of the Preds’ first four regular-season games before being assigned to the Ads. He logged 12:22 of ice time and 14 shifts against the Columbus Blue Jackets Oct. 9 and 9:46 TOI and 14 shifts against Ottawa Oct. 13.

Last season, Kemell made his NHL presence felt when he laid a big hit on the Carolina Hurricanes’ Andrei Svechnikov, drew a penalty and later scored the game-winner in a 3-2 overtime victory.

In four games with Milwaukee this season, Kemell has six points (1-5-6). THN projected his NHL arrival in 26-27, but don’t be surprised if he’s back up with the Preds sometime this season.

Cameron Reid: Kitchener Rangers

Reid has 13 points (1-12-13) in 14 games with the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers this season.

The 18-year-old left-shot blueliner was drafted 21st overall by the Predators in this year’s draft after the team traded its 23rd and 67th overall picks to the Ottawa Senators for their 21st overall pick.

Reid led OHL defenseman under the age of 17 in points per game, scoring 54 points in 67 games and 40 penalty minutes last season.

THN has the 6-foot, 183-pound Reid projected to get to the NHL in 2028-29.

Yegor Surin: Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL

The 19-year-old Russian center has 19 points (10-9-19) in 23 KHL games this season. The Preds took him with the 22nd pick in the 2024 draft.

In the KHL last season, Surin tallied 14 points (7-7-14) in 41 regular-season games and seven points (5-2-7) in 19 post-season contests en route to a league title. THN has his NHL arrival in 27-28.

Matthew Wood: Nashville Predators

When the THN Yearbook was released, Matthew Wood was listed as the Preds’ No. 6 prospect. He played six NHL games with the Preds, all coming last season, and recorded an assist. THN projected him to return this season, and he has done so in a big way.

After getting injured during training camp, Wood was assigned to Milwaukee to start the season, but came back to the Preds Oct. 23 and has made quite an impact.

Wood has three goals an three assists and a +1 rating in nine games with the Preds this season and appears to be in the NHL to stay, at least for the time being.

Ryker Lee: Michigan State

Taken by the Preds 26th overall in 2025, the 18-year-old right-shot winger has a goal and two assists in six games for the Spartans this season.

While playing for the Madison Capitols of the USHL last season, Lee collected 68 points (31-37-68) in 58 regular-season games. In the playoffs, he had three goals and three assists in six contests.

The Preds like him for his offensive instincts, but it could be a while before fans see him in the NHL; THN’s projection is for 2029-30.

Jacob Rombach: University of Minnesota

Rombach is currently enrolled at the University of Minnesota after being drafted by the Preds in the second round (35th overall) in 2025. The 18-year-old left-shot defenseman has appeared in 10 games for the Golden Gophers with no points and a +4 rating.

The Preds love Rombach’s size (6-foot-6) and his defensive instincts, which are still developing. THN’s NHL projection is 2030-31.

Reid Schaefer: Milwaukee Admirals

The 22-year-old left-shot winger has five assists in seven games thus far with Milwaukee this season. He was assigned to the Ads Oct. 1 after recording a goal in the Preds’ 4-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes during the pre-season.

Schaefer was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers 32nd overall in the 2022 NHL Draft, but was traded to the Predators in the 2023 off-season. He suffered a shoulder injury last season and appeared in 19 games with the Admirals, scoring 14 points. THN has him projected to reach the NHL in 26-27.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.

FREE GIFT ISSUE + 12 ISSUES + FREE DIGITAL ARCHIVE + FREE SHIPPING*** Canada Post Strike update - as of October 15, 2025 -  Please be aware that Canada Post is now in a rolling strike.  While they are accepting mail, delivery times could be longer than expected.  US orders are not impacted. WHAT'S INCLUDED IN YOUR PRINT & DIGITAL ARCHIVE SUBSCRIPTION &gt; FREE GIFT ISSUE* of your

The Philadelphia Flyers have made a roster move, as they have recalled forward Carl Grundstrom from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Grundstrom was acquired by the Flyers ahead of the 2025-26 season as a part of the deal that sent Ryan Ellis' contract to the San Jose Sharks. Following this, he was placed on waivers by the Flyers and started the season with Lehigh Valley after not getting claimed. Now, he is getting a chance on Philadelphia's NHL roster with this latest roster move. 

Grundstrom has appeared in 11 games this season with Lehigh Valley, where he has recorded three goals, three assists, six points, and a plus-4 rating. This is after he posted three goals, six assists, nine points, and 172 hits in 56 games this past season with the Sharks. 

In 292 career NHL games split between the Los Angeles Kings and Sharks, Grundstrom has recorded 43 goals, 33 assists, 76 points, 108 penalty minutes, and 736 hits. 

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

There was nothing short of a collective feeling of excitement and anticipation amongst the Detroit Red Wings fan base when it was announced that defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka was among the three rookies that made the final roster cut out of Training Camp and the pre-season. 

While fellow rookie Michael Brandsegg-Nygård has been returned to the American Hockey League, both Sandin-Pellikka and Emmitt Finnie continue to ply their trade at the NHL level representing the Red Wings. 

Naturally, there's been a bit of an adjustment period for Sandin-Pellikka, who has been utilized in all situations by head coach Todd McLellan. 

"I've learned it's a tough League, the best in the world," Sandin-Pellikka explained following Friday's practice. "You learn something every game, and you can't always be perfect. I try and tell myself that when Im pissed off at myself after a not-perfect game."

Sandin-Pellikka, who was arguably the most highly-regarded prospect in the Red Wings system and who enjoyed tremendous success while playing in his native Sweden, said he's still adjusting to the speed of the top hockey League in the world. 

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

"The defensive part is one thing, the gaps and picking your guy up early, that's one thing I've learned," he said. "And in the offensive zone, it's not as easy to get pucks through as it has been before. I'm still learning and I'm getting more comfortable each game." 

McLellan acknowledged that there have been improvements in Sandin-Pellikka's ability to anticipate the play and put himself in the best position, while there is still always room for improvement. 

"He gave the answer that in my opinion he should give, because there is the pace of the play and the puck has been really good," McLellan said. "He makes some really good plays, but the play away when he's away from the play or something is going to happen, he needs to get used to that pace of reading and reacting a bit quicker."

"It's gotten better from where it was during exhibition, and he's improving," McLellan continued. "But the League is improving with him at the same time. He's hard on himself, but he's also a really good self-evaluator, so the answer he gave is a pretty accurate one."

Sandin-Pellikka has averaged just under 19 minutes of ice time per game so far in the 14 games that he's skated in, during which he's scored a goal while adding three assists. His plus/minus rating of -8 isn't what he'd like it to be, but that will change in time. 

While it's still early in his NHL career, there's tremendous untapped potential still inside of the Swedish-born defenseman, who could ultimately become a building block down the line for the Red Wings. 

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

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