After placing defenseman Alexander Romanov on injured reserve, the New York Islanders announced that Marshall Warren has been recalled from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League. 

Islanders’ Alexander Romanov Injured After Mikko Rantanen Boarding Major vs. Stars; Patrick Roy's ResponseRomanov was injured on a late-game boarding major. A costly hit against the Stars leaves Islanders fans anxiously awaiting an update on their defenseman's status.

For Warren, Romanov's expected long-term absence creates a significant opportunity for the 24-year-old.  The Laurel Hollow native filled in for Romanov earlier this season, playing two games and recording two assists in his NHL debut.

There's two questions we must ask ourselves. 

The first being why Warren was recalled over other options, and the second being just how long Warren can last at the NHL level this year?

Warren, who has been one of, if not the best, defenseman in Bridgeport all season, has nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 10 AHL games this season, with four assists in six games since returning from his NHL stint.

The team had almost no choice but to recall Warren.

Isaiah George, who played 33 games for the Islanders last season, has been excellent defensively, with four points (one goal, three assists) in 14 games. But George is out injured with an upper-body injury of his own and is not available. Had George been available, it wouldn't have been a shock to see him recalled over Warren, just based on experience. 

Elsewhere, Cole McWard excelled with three goals and 11 points through 14 games, but he shoots right, not left, making him a non-option at the moment.

So, with both factors of Warren excelling and no other clear options, it became very easy for the Islanders to recall the Long Island native. 

That brings us back to the second question. Can Warren sustain a high enough level to excel at the NHL level and be a perfect internal solution to the Romanov injury?

There's plenty of evidence that says yes. Throughout Warren's career, he's consistently elevated his game and exceeded expectations placed on him, and at every new level, he's improved.

It's been highly evident in Bridgeport, where he entered last season as almost an afterthought, then became essential by the end of the season. Then, he impressed in both development and training camp, showing off improved skating, confidence, and physicality.

He carried that momentum into his AHL season and through his first call-up, where in two games, he didn't look even a little bit out of place against the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers. 

Now will be his biggest challenge, as he will be asked to fill the shoes of Romanov. The runway's in front of Warren. All he has to do is take off and take advantage of the opportunity.

While the Montreal Canadiens surprised most people by making the playoffs last year, they didn’t surprise themselves. They thought they had what it took to make it, and they did. Once there, though, they saw that it was a whole different game, a tougher one, a more vicious one and one they weren’t necessarily ready for. Nearly seven months later, the young Habs will get a chance to avenge their elimination at the hands of the Washington Capitals and put an end to a four-game losing streak, all in one swift motion.

Tonight’s opponents roll into two, riding a two-game winning streak and having put seven goals on the board last night against the Edmonton Oilers. The Caps are currently outside of the playoff picture, looking in, but they’re right on the doorstep, two points behind the surprising Pittsburgh Penguins for third place in the Metropolitan Division.

Canadiens: Hughes Won’t Jump The Gun
Canadiens: Injury Plague Gives Zach Bolduc A Big Opportunity
Canadiens: Slafkovsky Rose To The Challenge

After scoring at an alarming pace last season to break Wayne Gretzky’s record, Alexander Ovechkin is on pace for 29 goals this year, which would be his lowest total since the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season in which he put up 24 goals in the 45 games he played. Still, he scored a goal last night in the Caps’ offensive picnic, and with 70 career points in 60 games against Montreal, the Russian idol will no doubt be pleased to take on the Habs.

Martin St-Louis has already announced that Samuel Montembeault would be in the net tonight, despite Jakub Dobes putting an end to the Canadiens’ pointless streak on Monday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Still, it wasn’t a win, so switching goalies is understandable. The Becancour native has started five regular-season games against the Caps and has a 2-3-0 record to show for it, with a 3.49 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage. As for Dobes, he’s only faced them once in the regular season, winning that game with a 1.96 GAA and a .882 SV. Both goalies played in Montreal’s sole win over Washington in last season’s playoffs since Dobes relieved Montembeault after he was injured.

GOTTA SEE IT: Tom Wilson And Josh Anderson Fight On Capitals Bench

The Capitals have yet to confirm who will be in the net, but since Logan Thomson was on duty Wednesday night, it would make sense for Charlie Lindgren to get the nod. The former member of the Habs’ organization has a 3-1-0 record against his former team with a 2.51 GAA and a .899 SV. As for Thompson, he has a 1-0-1 record against the Canadiens with a 3.04 GAA and a .889 SV. He’s established himself as the clear number one in the American capital, having started 14 games to Lindgren’s six.

Tonight’s game is the first of three duels between the two sides this season, the other two being scheduled in January (in Washington) and February (in Montreal). The Caps have won six of the last 10 duels between the two teams, but they’ve outscored the Canadiens 40-32 in that span.

On top of Ovechkin, many Caps have enjoyed playing the Canadiens over the years. John Carlson has 26 points in 44 duels, Tom Wilson has 19 points in 28 games, and Dylan Strome has 13 points in just 12 matches.

Meanwhile, both Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield have more than a point per game against tonight’s visitors. The captain has 19 points in just 15 games, while the sniper has 13 points in 11 games. Alternate captains Brendan Gallagher and Mike Matheson also have 13 points each, but in 30 and 27 games, respectively.

Yesterday at practice, St-Louis stuck to the new lines he used against Columbus on Monday, meaning Zach Bolduc will skate on the first line and Juraj Slafkovsky on the second. Given the history between the two teams, we should be able to see St-Louis’ new power-play units at work as well.

While the Capitals were busy handing out a defeat to the Oilers last night, the Canadiens were busy donating their time at the organization’s 44th blood drive. Close to 850 people had booked appointments to donate blood, and the reward for their good deed was the opportunity to meet some of the players and members of the organization. It was all hands on deck as players relayed each other throughout the day to greet donors and sign autographs.

The initiative was launched in 1981 by the late, great Jean Beliveau, and according to an Hema Quebec representative, it has saved over 116,000 lives since its inception, meaning you could fill up the Bell Centre six times with the people whose lives it has changed. Fans in attendance tonight will hope the players won’t be as generous with their opponents as they were with their time with the donors yesterday. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM, and you can catch the game on RDS, TSN2, and MNMT.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets are on the road to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight at Scotiabank Arena. 

The Maple Leafs come into this game sitting at 9-9-2 with 20 points. They've gone 4-5-1 in their last 10 and are 1-4-1 in their last 6 games. Not exactly what you expect to see out of the Maple Leafs, but then again, this entire season has been wacky around the league. They also currently sit 7th in the Atlantic Division and 15th in the East. I know, mind blown right?

Everyone knew when Mitch Marner bolted for Vegas that they'd have a tough time replacing those 100 points, but I don't think anyone expected this. There are some mitigating circumstances though. Auston Matthews, Scott Laughton, Chris Tanev, Brandon Carlo, and Anthony Stolarz are all on IR, with Matthew Knies and Nicolas Roy also out. This is not an ideal situation for a team always expected to compete for a Stanley Cup. 

With all that being said, the Blue Jackets won't feel sorry for them, as they're dealing with injuries of their own. The Blue Jackets have historically played well in Toronto and will be looking to get back to winning and earn some points in this wacky Eastern Conference. 

The CBJ currently sits 5th in the Metro, 10th in the East, and 20th in the league. 

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 17.4% - 22nd in NHL
• Penalty Kill - 72.0% - 28th in NHL
• Goals For - 59 - 18th in NHL
• Goals Against - 64 - 23rd in NHL

Maple Leafs Stats

• Power Play - 15.1% - 28th in NHL
• Penalty Kill - 78.3% - 20th in NHL
• Goals For - 70 - 2nd in NHL
• Goals Against - 74 - 30th in NHL

Series History vs. The Maple Leafs

• Columbus is 22-20-1 all-time, and 12-9-1 on the road vs. Toronto.
• The Jackets are 5-2 in the last 7 against the Maple Leafs, and have scored 5-plus goals in every win.
• The Blue Jackets are 12-6 inside Scotiabank Arena in the last 18 games.
• The CBJ went 2-1 vs. the Leafs last season.

Who To Watch For TheMaple Leafs

• John Tavares leads the Leafs with 11 goals.
• William Nylander leads the team with 18 assists and 27 points.
• Goalie Joseph Woll is 1-1 with a SV% of .934. He last played on November 18 and won.
• Dennis Hildeby is 2-0-2 with a SV% of .904.

CBJ Player Notes vs.Maple Leafs

• Zach Werenski has 17 points in 18 career games against Toronto.
• Charlie Coyle has 25 points in 31 games.
• Sean Monahan has 18 points in 29 games vs. the Maple Leafs.
• Mathieu Olivier has 8 points in 6 games.

Injuries 

• Erik Gudbranson - Upper Body - Missed 12 games - IR
• Boone Jenner - Upper Body - Missed 4 Games - IR

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 28

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 93.3 The Bus, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

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A tough test awaits the Florida Panthers as they continue their five-game homestand on Thursday.

Florida, fresh off a wild 8-5 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Monday, will welcome Nico Hischier and the New Jersey Devils to Sunrise.

The Devils are off to a hot start this season, jumping out to a strong 13-5-1 record.

This will be the second of three meetings between the Panthers and Devils this season.

New Jersey defeated the Cats 3-1 back on Oct. 16.

Despite Florida jumping out to an early 1-0 lead, the Devils clawed their way back on goals by Jack Hughes, Timo Meier and Hischier.

While the Devils are one of the league’s best teams on home ice so far this season – New Jersey is the only team in the NHL without a regulation loss at home – they’ve been much more average on the road.

Following Monday’s 5-1 loss in Tampa, the Devils are 6-5-0 on the road, which is nothing to sneeze at but pales in comparison to their 7-0-1 mark at Prudential Center.

Florida, similarly, has been quite good on home ice.

Their three-goal win over Vancouver earlier this week improved the Cats’ record at Amerant Bank Arena to 7-2-1.

Fueling Florida’s offense for much of this season has been Brad Marchand, and of late Sam Reinhart has also stepped up his game.

Marchand is currently riding an 11-game point streak during which he’s racked up an impressive 10 goals and 17 points.

Reinhart has three goals and eight points over a modest four-game point streak, but he’s also accumulated eight goals and 13 points over his past 11 outings.

The potent pair will certainly be trying to keep the good times rolling against the Devils, knowing that Florida will be entering the game as shorthanded as they’ve been all season.

Joining the team’s already extensive injured list this week were Eetu Luostarinen and Cole Schwindt, which caused the Cats to call up promising young forward Jack Devine from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers.

Devine will make his NHL debut on Thursday.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Thursday’s battle with the Canucks:

Mackie Samoskevich – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand

Jesper Boqvist – Evan Rodrigues – Sam Reinhart

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – A.J. Greer

Noah Gregor – Luke Kunin – Jack Devine

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

Uvis Balinskis – Jeff Petry

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Photo caption: Nov 1, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Dallas Stars during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

The Vancouver Canucks (9-10-2) return home for a two-game homestand, starting with a matchup against the Dallas Stars (12-5-3). This will be the second meeting between these two Pacific Division teams, with Vancouver picking up a 5-3 victory earlier in the season. Both the Canucks and the Stars are coming off losses and will be motivated to get back in the win column on Thursday night. 

This game is shaping up to be a memorable one as Quinn Hughes hits the 450 mark for his NHL career. When the puck drops, he will become just the 13th defenceman to play 450 regular-season games for Vancouver. While he is only 26, Hughes is already considered the best defender in franchise history and is in the conversation for best defenceman currently playing in the NHL.

If the Canucks are going to win this game, they need to find a way to shut down Dallas' power play. The Stars come into this game ranked second in the NHL with a 31.9% power play rate. If Vancouver's penalty kill can't find a way to step up, they could be playing from behind late in the game. 

Players To Watch:

David Kämpf:

Thursday will be the first time fans at Rogers Arena get to see David Kämpf in action. The 30-year-old had a rough first game with the Canucks, as he was on the ice for five goals against in 14:08. Projected to play on a line with Conor Garland and Brock Boeser, Kämpf should get plenty of minutes Thursday against Dallas. 

Wyatt Johnston: 

Wyatt Johnston has been virtually unstoppable on the power play this year. Of his 11 goals, eight have come with the man advantage while his 13 power play points ranks second on the team. Johnston is developing into an elite young talent who could haunt Vancouver for years to come. 

 Vancouver Canucks (9–10–2): 

Points: 

Quinn Hughes: 1–19–20

Elias Pettersson: 6–13–19

Kiefer Sherwood: 12–3–15 

Brock Boeser: 8–6–14

Conor Garland: 5–8–13

Goaltenders: 

Thatcher Demko: 5–4–0  

Kevin Lankinen: 4–5–2 

Jiří Patera: 0-1-0

Dallas Stars (12-5-3):

Points: 

Mikko Rantanen: 9-18-27

Jason Robertson: 11-14-25

Wyatt Johnston: 11-10-21

Miro Heiskanen: 3-15-18

Roope Hintz: 4-12-16

Goaltenders: 

Jake Oettinger: 8-4-2

Casey DeSmith: 4-1-1

Game Information: 

Start time: 7:00 pm PT

Venue: Rogers Arena

Television: Sportsnet

Radio: Sportsnet 650 

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.

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For a second year in a row, the Montreal Canadiens top TSN’s core-four under-24 ranking. This year, the Habs’ core four used in the rankings is made up of Lane Hutson, Ivan Demidov, Jacob Fowler and Juraj Slafkovsky. Last year, Cole Caufield was part of that ranking, but now that he’s no longer eligible because of his age, they’ve slotted in Jacob Fowler instead.

To make up these standings, TSN rates players with grades going from AAA for superstars, AA for elite players, A for number one goaltender, first-line forward, or first pairing defenseman, B for tandem goalie, top-four defenseman or top-six forward and C for back-up goalies, depth defenseman or bottom-six forward.

Canadiens: Hughes Won’t Jump The Gun
Canadiens: Injury Plague Gives Zach Bolduc A Big Opportunity
Canadiens: Slafkovsky Rose To The Challenge

For TSN, both Hutson, the reigning Calder Trophy winner, and Demidov, a serious candidate for the Calder this year, deserve an AAA grade as superstars in the making. As for Fowler, who they believe will be the Canadiens’ starter sooner or later, they give him an A, just like Slafkovsky, who’s been a mainstay on the Canadiens’ first line over the last few years, and up until the previous game, really.

It's interesting to note that in these rankings, Hutson was labelled a B player in 2023 and an A player in 2024. It took time, but the young defenseman has finally earned the panel's respect.

Fowler’s inclusion was a logical move given the fact that he already has three shutouts in the AHL this season, and he’s sporting a .924 save percentage. TSN’s Chris Peters calls him “ as close as you get to a sure thing in goal”. Given the state of goaltending in Montreal this season, this will be music to the fans’ ears.

The Canadiens edged the Chicago Blackhawks in the rankings (the Hawks have only one AAA player, Conor Bedard),  and the San Jose Sharks  for the same reason. The complete rankings can be found here.

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The Anaheim Ducks saw the return of their captain, Radko Gudas, in their 3-2 overtime win over the Utah Mammoth. With his return to the lineup, they had seven healthy NHL-caliber defensemen on their roster.

Pavel Mintyukov has served the last two games as the Ducks’ healthy scratch, all too familiar a situation to that which he faced a season ago, when the Ducks had a logjam on their blueline. In that instance, the logjam was caused by bringing on board a plethora of veteran defensemen, which caused Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger to alternate healthy scratch duties until it was finally relieved at the 2025 trade deadline.

Takeaways from the Ducks' 4-3 Win over the Bruins

Takeaways from the Ducks 3-2 OT Win over the Mammoth

This year, the logjam has been caused by the emergence of Ian Moore, another young defenseman, who is perhaps a bit less volatile, more responsible on the defensive side of the puck, and cleaner during breakouts.

Premier NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported in his latest “32 Thoughts” blog that Mintyukov would prefer to be traded rather than be forced to sit in the press box. “After back-to-back healthy scratches, word filtered that Ducks defenceman Pavel Mintyukov would like to be moved if he’s not going to play,” Friedman reported in his piece. “He has fallen behind Jackson LaCombe and Olen Zellweger on the left side of Anaheim’s defence. Ian Moore, who had a strong camp, was elevated in Mintyukov’s place. This is the 10th overall pick in the 2022 draft, so Ducks GM Pat Verbeek will not be rushed into anything. Something to keep an eye on.”

Mintyukov is 149 games into his NHL career and has scored 50 points (9-41=50), including three points (0-3=3) in 18 games this season. He put together a quality rookie season in 2023-24, scoring 28 points (4-24=28) in 63 games and showing flashes of what he could be at the highest level of the sport.

His 2024-25 was a struggle, as he seemed to be negatively affected by the scratches or the possibility of scratches, limiting his willingness to take chances and involve himself offensively, where he thrives most.

Mintyukov is at his best when he can diagnose a rush, disrupt it, spark a counterattack, and remain involved on the offensive cycle with constant activations. He’s an instinctual player who has the potential to become a true two-way force and fill scoresheets nightly.

Unfortunately, he hadn’t seized the opportunity afforded by Gudas’ absence, and he seemed to be leapfrogged by Moore in the process. It’s simply a numbers game, and he’s been the Ducks’ seventh-best defenseman this season (opinion).

As Friedman mentioned, Verbeek won’t be rushed into a decision, but Mintyukov’s value will only go down from here. His value should still be relatively high, as he’s just four years removed from his draft (when he was Verbeek’s first-ever draft pick), had a decent rookie season, and is still only 21 years old (22 on Nov. 25).

If traded, Mintyukov would be the fourth top-ten pick of the 2022 draft traded after selection and the sixth top-15 pick. This could all be undone with another injury (it is still hockey after all) or if he finds his way into the lineup tomorrow (Thursday), as the Ducks will be on their second game of a back-to-back.

Ducks’ Young Core Learning to Be Leaders

Leo Carlsson Sees Point Streak End, How Avalanche and Red Wings Limited the Young Star

Following a game on Monday where the Anaheim Ducks rescued two points from the jaws of defeat to end their three-game losing streak, they hosted the Boston Bruins in their second home game in a string of six.

Once the highest scoring team in the NHL and currently the second, the Ducks’ offense has dried a bit of late, having only mustered six regulation goals in their previous four games, with hopes of turning that around in this game.

Game #20: Ducks vs. Bruins Gameday Preview (11/19/25)

Takeaways from the Ducks 3-2 OT Win over the Mammoth

The Bruins were playing their first game of a four-game road trip, having lost two of their last three, but having won eight of their last ten. They were without the services of regular roster players Elias Lindholm, Casey Mittelstadt, Viktor Arvidsson, and Charlie McAvoy.

The Ducks went with the same lineup that earned them their win on Monday, still without Mikael Granlund and Ryan Poehling, and with Pavel Mintyukov serving as the team’s healthy scratch.

Lukas Dostal got the start for the Ducks in net and stopped 36 of 39 shots. Dostal was opposed by Joonas Korpisalo in Boston’s crease, who saved 29 of 33.

Game Notes

After a few early dominant shifts and two early goals in the first period, Boston controlled possession for the majority of the game at 5v5. Anaheim let the Bruins back into the game, heading into the locker room after the second period with a 3-2 lead and allowing a tying goal on the power play nearing the midway point of the third.

Anaheim recovered well in the third, massively outpossessing and outchancing Boston to the point where they were able to take the lead late in the game on a clever breakout and cycle sequence that resulted in the game-winning goal from Ian Moore. Dostal put the team on his back early, and the Ducks capitalized when they had to with some pertinent in-game adjustments.

Defensive Zone Coverage: There seems to be a mandate for net front defensemen, when engaging attackers screening in the low slot, to do their best to eliminate sticks, but prioritize fronting their opponents to block those point shots. When successful, it allows the Ducks better odds to get to loose pucks and build breakout efforts with possession. When unsuccessful and pucks get through, the weak side defender can become outnumbered low and it typically results in a quality scoring chance against. It’s a double-edged sword, but with more reps, they seem to be becoming more effective in those scenarios.

Early in this game, when Boston was cycling for extended periods at a time, they often found an F3 or an activated defenseman in soft ice in the high slot with a pass from the perimeter. With the way the Ducks’ coverage system is built, more responsibility falls on wingers to anticipate, cover, and disrupt that area of the ice.

LaCombe-Helleson: the Ducks' top pair played 18:43 together at 5v5, the majority of which was against Boston’s top line and elite winger David Pastrnak. With LaCombe and Helleson on the ice at 5v5, the Ducks held a 9-7 shots on goal advantage, a 24-17 shot attempts advantage, and 61.9% of the expected goals share.

Speaking of double-edged swords, LaCombe has utilized his stick-checking ability far more this season, often subverting typical defensive fundamentals. At times, he misreads and becomes too puck-focused and reaches, which leaves him susceptible to dangles. When he’s able to strip puck carriers cleanly, he can turn pucks up ice and lead rushes the other way.

Helleson, on the other side, does everything by the book when it comes to defensive fundamentals. His gaps, angling, and sealing have been his most positively impactful traits and have become an asset to the team as a whole.

Mason McTavish/Chris Kreider/Alex Killorn: After a tough stretch, McTavish had the bounce-back game he needed, contributing two primary assists and putting a puck in the back of the net that was overturned due to goaltender interference. A key component of the Ducks turning around their possession numbers in the third period was the unheralded efforts from this trio in the small areas of the ice.

They not only extended offensive zone time, but were able to manipulate defenders, drawing them in with their puck skills, fending them off, and finding teammates to elongate cycles. They made clever plays to move pucks up ice and build plays with their speedier linemates.

The Ducks will have a quick turnaround, as they’ll host the Ottawa Senators on Thursday.

Takeaways from the Ducks 2-0 Loss to the Wild

Ducks’ Young Core Learning to Be Leaders

Leo Carlsson Sees Point Streak End, How Avalanche and Red Wings Limited the Young Star

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

Yet another milestone was set for the Detroit Red Wings during Tuesday evening's tilt against the Seattle Kraken at Little Caesars Arena. 

Rookie forward Nate Danielson, who was playing in his fifth career NHL game, notched his first-career goal during the second period as part of their 4-2 victory, which moved them into the top spot in the Atlantic Division.

Just minutes later, Danielson scored again on a play that was nothing short of a highlight-reel goal that was disallowed after fellow rookie Emmitt Finnie was ruled to have been an inch offside. 

Regardless, the initial tally was still an exciting moment in the young career of Danielson.

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

“It was exciting, it was nice to get that off my back and bury one," Danielson said. “It was not the prettiest one, but they all count.”

The goal was actually a double deflection, as the shot from Axel Sandin-Pellikka was initially tipped by Mason Appleton before it hit Danielson's shin and entered the net. 

As for his would-be goal, it was a powerful drive to the net. Although it ultimately went for naught, he did pick up an assist on Finnie’s goal later in the period.

“The puck got flipped in the air, I had some speed, and I don’t think the defenseman really saw it," Danielson said of his goal that was called back. "It kind of bounced, I poked it through his legs, then took it to the net and tried to take it across the crease.”

Danielson likely would have made the Red Wings' roster out of Training Camp and the pre-season had it not been for an injury, but he used it as motivation. 

“It definitely gave me confidence,” Danielson said. “Obviously never want to get injured, but I feel like it kind of gave me that little extra motivation to get back and get back healthier knowing that I had a good chance to play here.

“Just a couple games under my belt. Feeling more comfortable and confident.”

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Nov 16, 2025; Stockholm, SWEDEN; Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Danton Heinen (43) shoots against Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) in a Global Series ice hockey game at Avicii Arena. Per Haljestam-Imagn Images

To a man, the Nashville Predators think highly of Juuse Saros. It’s more than just what he does as the club’s No. 1 netminder that makes him a valuable member of the locker room; it’s the kind of person he is off the ice that endears him to teammates and coaches alike.

That character showed itself Wednesday, as the Predators practiced for the first time since returning home from Stockholm, Sweden, after earning a split with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL Global Series.

Saros came to Wednesday’s morning skate sporting a special Hockey Fights Cancer mask that featured four members of the Predators’ organization affected by cancer.

Bigger than sports 💜

Juice debuts an extra-special Hockey Fights Cancer mask, honoring four members of our organization affected by cancer:

Craig “Partner” Baugh
Sheila Crisp
Lexi Rogers
Erin Daunic pic.twitter.com/BIuSM59bb8

— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) November 19, 2025

Those Saros was honoring included locker room attendant Craig “Partner” Baugh; Sheila Crisp, wife of former Preds broadcaster Terry Crisp; Lexi Rogers, daughter of equipment manager Pete Rogers and Erin Daunic, late wife of current Preds television play-by-play broadcaster Willy Daunic.

“A lot of people are involved, unfortunately, with cancer within the last couple years,” Saros said during media availability Wednesday. “I thought I would honor all those people by fighting against it.”

Saros also said he came up with the idea after finding out the Preds would feature a Hockey Fights Cancer Night, which will take place Nov. 22 when they face the Colorado Avalanche at Bridgestone Arena.

The mask was created by DaveArt’s David Gunnarsson, a noted designer of custom masks worn by other goaltenders around the NHL.

“He’s been doing all my masks, and obviously does a great job,” Saros said of Gunnarsson. “The portraits came out great.”

Baugh is a prostate cancer survivor. Sheila Crisp is also a survivor. Rogers was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.

Saros was emotional when talking about Erin Daunic, who passed away at 54 this past July. She worked as an executive for a nonprofit in Nashville.

“(It) was very sad news to hear,” Saros said. “Erin was nice and brought such joy to every room she walked into. Willy’s always been amazing. I thought it was the least I could do.”

Saturday's game against the Avalanche will benefit the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. Fans can purchase ticket packages that include a themed hat to benefit the 365 Pediatric Cancer Fund, an initiative established by former Preds Shea Weber and Pekka Rinne in 2013.

The mask was Saros’s way of showing his support to the cause.

“I reached out and asked if I could honor (the four), and thought this would be a good way to do that,” Saros said.

During the 2024-25 season, Brett Berard was one of the most talked-about prospects in the New York Rangers’ pipeline. 

He came into rookie camp hungry and eager to prove what he was capable of, and that’s exactly what he did.

The 2020 fifth-round pick stood out with his blazing speed and scrappy, hard-nosed style of play, which was truly impressive for a 5-foot-9 forward. 

While he didn’t make the Rangers’ opening-night roster out of training camp, Berard eventually earned an NHL spot and played a total of 35 games for the Blueshirts, recording six goals, four assists, and ten points. 

Last year marked Berard’s coming-out party, but it’s been a different story for him to kick off the 2025-26 campaign. 

From being sent down to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League out of training camp to his slow offensive start, Berard has gone through some adversity. 

Through his first 14 games in the AHL, Berard had not scored a goal. His recent scoring slump wasn’t for a lack of chances though.

“He’s generated a lot of chances… He wants to make a play, and sometimes when he does that, his hands move but his feet don't,” Wolf Pack coach Grant Potulny said. 

On Tuesday, Berard finally did score his first goal of the season, and celebrated with a sense of strong passion and relief. 

It was a big weight lifted off of his shoulders. Berard actually feels that some of the struggles he’s gone through to open up the season helped him in a certain way. 

“It took a little bit to score, so getting that one in today was great,” Berard said. “For me, I just want to try to provide for the team. Going through a skid, you start to put a lot of pressure on yourself to produce. I mean, I've scored in this league, and it's something that I guess is different for me going through a skid like that, but I think it definitely has made me stronger and mentally tough, kind of dealing with that, especially early on in the season. 

“It's a long year. It's easy to kind of think about that too much. I mean, for me, it is just kind of generating the chances they're going to go in. It's just how hockey works, so I'm just waiting for that to happen, and today, it did. I was really happy to see it.”

Rangers' Penalty-Kill Struggles And J.T. Miller's Harsh Criticism Of Himself Headline Loss To Golden Knights The New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> started their three-game road trip on a sour note, losing 3-2 to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night.&nbsp;

During the Wolf Pack’s 3-2 win over the Springfield Thunderbirds on Tuesday afternoon, Berard played on a line alongside Dylan Roobroeck and Trey Fix-Wolansky, while playing a role on both the power play and penalty kill. 

It’s not always easy to play in a handful of NHL games and then adapt to life back in the AHL. 

Berard appeared to be in good spirits about the whole situation. He’s trying to live in the moment and focus on his role in Hartford. 

“It's awesome. I love the coaches. I love the guys in the room, but it's different. I was up (with the Rangers) in March last year, and I was back down in October, so it's a long time of being away from Hartford and away from these guys. I mean, we have a great group coming back here. It was a super easy adjustment. 

“The coaches are awesome, and they're open and honest with you about what you need to do and get better, and that's all I'm trying to do. Not focus on getting called up or not focus on what might happen. I'm here in Hartford, and I'm here to help the team win, and I love the guys in the room. I love the coaches, so it's been a blast coming to the rink every day.”

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Not only has Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider evolved into the club's top defenseman, but he's also become the team's most durable player. 

Seider, whom the Red Wings selected in the opening round (sixth overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft, has never missed a game during his career. 

He recently skated in his 346th career NHL game, officially passing the previous record of 345 consecutive games that was set by John Ogrodnick for games to begin an NHL career with the Red Wings.

Winged Wheel Podcast (@WingedWheelPod) on XSaturday's game marked Moritz Seider's 346th consecutive game played to start his career, a Detroit Red Wings franchise record. #LGRW

Seider, along with Lucas Raymond, is one of the most visible faces of the young wave of talent that emerged in the 2021-22 NHL campaign.

While both Seider and Raymond have yet to appear in a Stanley Cup Playoff game, both players understand the need to elevate Detroit's culture into the firm mindset of a team that doesn't take any games off. 

"That has to be the kind of mindset to go on every single game," Seider said following Detroit's 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Sunday evening. "We know we're a good team, but the chance can't be one night on, one night off kind of thing. It's been just too many years of that, so I think we've got to change the culture right now. This was a good step."

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

“Really Good Leader”: Todd McLellan Praises Dylan Larkin After Career MilestoneDetroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan shared his thoughts on team captain Dylan Larkin, who notched the 600th point of his NHL career as part of their 4-2 win over the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday evening.

Seider, who continues to play in all situations for the Red Wings, once again leads all players in average ice time per night, averaging 25:03 per outing. 

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The Chicago Blackhawks have been a nice surprise early on this season. The Original Six club currently sports a 10-5-4 record and is fourth in the Central Division standings. They have also won six out of their last 10 games, so they have been continuing to have early-season success.

While the Blackhawks are having a strong start to the season, pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) defenseman Connor Murphy is continuing to create buzz as a trade candidate. This is because the right-shot blueliner was given the No. 19 spot on NHL insider Chris Johnston's latest trade board for The Athletic.

With the Blackhawks having a ton of young promising defensemen, it is understandable that questions about Murphy's future in Chicago continue to arise. It would make sense for the Blackhawks to move him if they do not plan to extend him, as he would have the potential to get them a decent return. Contenders are always on the hunt for right-shot defensemen with size at the deadline, so Murphy could be a very popular target if made available. 

The Blackhawks trading Murphy would certainly be notable, though, as he is currently in his ninth season with Chicago. With this, he has been a key part of their roster for nearly a decade. 

In 19 games this season with the Blackhawks, Murphy has recorded three assists, 17 hits, 20 blocks, and a minus-1 rating. 

New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov has been placed on injured reserve after sustaining an upper-body injury in their 3-2 win against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. 

Islanders’ Alexander Romanov Injured After Mikko Rantanen Boarding Major vs. Stars; Patrick Roy's ResponseRomanov was injured on a late-game boarding major. A costly hit against the Stars leaves Islanders fans anxiously awaiting an update on their defenseman's status.

Romanov, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery toward the tail end of the 2022-23 season, missed 18 games in 2024-25 with an upper-body injury. He has missed five games already this season for the same reason.

The 25-year-old, who signed an eight-year deal worth $6.25 million annually this summer, has recorded one assist in 15 games this season, averaging 19:27 minutes per game, skating on the third defense pairing.

Islanders’ Likely Call-Up If Alexander Romanov Misses TimeRomanov's injury sparks potential call-up. Islanders may tap AHL's top blueliner, Marshall Warren, to bolster defense.

Wednesday features a small NHL slate with only four games, but it includes a standout matchup between two playoff-caliber teams that have stumbled out of the gate. The Edmonton Oilers have been one of the weakest defensive clubs in the league, allowing 73 goals through 21 games while still managing a 9-8-1 record. 

They meet a Washington Capitals team that appears to have spent much of its early-season energy pushing Alex Ovechkin toward the goal record. Washington sits at 9-8-2, kept afloat by strong play from goaltender Logan Thompson, who leads the league with a 1.85 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage.

For anyone following our Pad Stack challenge, the mission has not changed. We began with a ten dollar bankroll and continue to grow it through calculated, research-driven plays. Our previous run ended on Monday at a season-high total of $411.47 before a last-minute empty-netter from the Florida Panthers spoiled our Vancouver spread. We are now rebuilding after resetting to $31, boosted by Tuesday night’s winning play on the Maple Leafs. Our aim is to keep climbing with a confident selection from Wednesday’s Oilers versus Capitals matchup.

All betting lines are from BetMGM Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly. 

Sign up with BetMGM, make a deposit, and place your first wager on any game using your First Bet Offer token. If that bet with the token applied loses, you’ll get your original stake paid back in Bonus Bets, up to $1,500! Get in the game today with BetMGM.

Are The Detroit Red Wings For Real?Detroit's surprising start defies middling stats. Can a youth-fueled surge finally end the playoff drought?

Picks: Capitals Over 3.0 Goals (-133)

Yesterday, we avoided the trap set by the sportsbooks. We explained why the Leafs’ matchup with the Blues looked almost guaranteed to be a high-scoring shootout, yet the odds suggested the books knew something the public didn’t. All the signs pointed to a goal-heavy game, which is exactly what they wanted bettors to believe. Instead, we backed the Maple Leafs and the under, and it paid off as Toronto pulled out a 3–2 overtime win.

A similar situation appears to be unfolding on Wednesday when the Oilers face the Capitals. Many will expect an Oilers bounce back, especially since they have won only three of their last eight games and have allowed 33 goals during that stretch. The Capitals have been slightly better with three wins in their last seven games. Their challenge is not defense but offense. Before last season’s breakout, Washington struggled to generate scoring, and that issue has resurfaced. They rank ninth worst in goals per game at 2.79, though there has been modest improvement with 11 goals in their last four games.

I expect Edmonton’s defensive issues to continue. The public will assume the Oilers will push hard to respond, but the Capitals should be ready for a tough battle. Choosing a side is tricky because Washington is at home while Edmonton is 3–1 against the spread this season as an underdog. The Capitals have also won four of their last six meetings with the Oilers, scoring three or more goals in each of those wins, including a 7–3 blowout in February. Even in losses, Washington still finds ways to score on Edmonton with three or more goals in eight of their last ten matchups.

A $31 wager on the Capitals to score at least three goals would return a profit of $23.25, bringing the total to $54.25 plus if Washington finishes with exactly three goals, the bet results in a push.

Islanders' Matthew Schaefer, Avalanche's Cale Makar Already Near-Locks in NHL Award RacesAn 18-year-old phenom and a Norris contender are dominating early NHL award races, setting impressive records and dazzling fans.

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.