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Perhaps the biggest area of concern for the Detroit Red Wings during the 2024-25 campaign was their penalty killing, which flirted with being the lowest ranked in NHL history since the stat began being tracked in the late 1970s. 

The good news for the Red Wings among other things during their 9-5 start to the 2025-26 campaign is that their penalty killing efficiency has vastly improved.

Their penalty killing is humming along at a robust 87.2 percent efficiency, good for fifth overall in the NHL.

They've also maintained one of the better power-plays in the NHL, currently ranked 10th overall at 22.7 percent efficiency. 

When asked what he believes the biggest differences between this season and last season in terms of penalty killing that have lent themselves to such an improvement, head coach Todd McLellan said he believes it begins between the pipes. 

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"It starts with goaltending," McLellan said following Thursday's practice. "They have to make the expected save and then on the penalty kill, the goaltenders have to make the unexpected saves and we've been getting some of that." 

"We've made some changes with our structure and our approach, the way we roll some players out, and it was just a clean sheet," he continued. "It was a clean starting sheet at the beginning of the year, we started all over. We paid attention to it, and we got off to a good start. All those things lend to a bit more confidence, and there's a long way to go." 

The argument can be made that the Red Wings could potentially have attained a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season had their penalty killing been even average. Right now, it's among the best in the NHL, something they'd like to maintain. 

"We'd like to maintain that position and that number if we can, but it takes a lot of work," McLellan said. 

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It's been very difficult for the Florida Panthers to find results while playing on the road, and tonight, their task will only be tougher.

After dropping the opener of their road trip 7-3 to the Anaheim Ducks, the Panthers will remain in California to take on the Los Angeles Kings. In 2024-25, the Kings had the best home record, posting 31 wins in 41 games. 

They've surprisingly struggled to pick up wins at home, owning a 1-3-2 record on home ice, but their stingy defensive structure keeps them in every game. 

It's hard to generate a high volume of offensive chances against a team coached by Jim Hiller. The Kings are allowing 2.93 goals per game, ranking 14th in the NHL and are allowing 27.6 shots per game, ranking tied for 12th. 

Tonight's contest appears, on paper, to be a defensive showdown. Both teams are posting near league-worst shooting percentages. The Panthers are scoring on just nine percent of their shots, sitting in 30th in the NHL, and the Kings are scoring on 9.4 percent of their shots, ranking tied for 26th. 

The writing is all over the wall for this game to finish with a 2-1 or 3-2 scoreline. 

Panthers in Los Angeles looking to break out of road funk Panthers aim to rebound from a deflating loss in Anaheim against a tough Kings team in LA, a place where Brad Marchand has seen a good amount of success.

Although it's still early in the season, the Panthers are approaching desperate measures. They need to solve their road struggles before they dig themselves a hole that is too deep to climb out of. Following tonight's fixture, the Panthers take on the San Jose Sharks and the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Sharks are a high-flying young team, but have plenty of holes in their roster. The Golden Knights are among the favourites to hoist the Stanley Cup this season and have been clicking on all cylinders at home, boasting a 4-1-1 record. 

It's not must-win territory, but a win could go a long way in helping turn things around.

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Inuk NHL trailblazer Jordin Tootoo was an agitator across 723 games in 13 NHL seasons.

But some of his biggest battles took place away from cameras and microphones.

On the inside, he was struggling with addiction, mental trauma and family issues. 

“A lot of times, I was this quiet, shy guy who didn't believe in myself,” Tootoo told THN.com as he promoted his new documentary, Tootoo, now airing on Super Channel in Canada. “Every person that walks on the street is fighting a fight no one knows about.”

As the first Inuk player in NHL history, Tootoo was a pioneer of sorts. But by the time he broke into hockey’s top league in 2003 with the Nashville Predators, Tootoo had already experienced racism and turbulence on and off the ice.

When he left his childhood home in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, and began flourishing as a member of the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings, Tootoo knew he was blazing a trail for people like him.

By the time he got to the NHL, however, Tootoo had already experienced tragedy, as his older brother, Terence, died by suicide in 2002. But Terence left a note for Tootoo, and its contents stay with him to this day.

“Losing my brother at the age of 19, my path could have definitely taken a different direction, but I knew, in order for my brother's legacy to live on, I had to keep going and live by his words on a daily basis,” Tootoo said. “The note that he left me, (telling me to) go all the way, take care of the family, you’re the man – I used that to motivate me and keep inspiring me to put my head down and keep his legacy living on.”

Tootoo developed an alcohol addiction in his adult days, and it affected virtually every aspect of his life. But after entering the NHL and NHL Players Association’s Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program in 2010, he began to understand and come to terms with the anguish he was enduring day in and day out. 

Tootoo had quickly become a fan favorite in Nashville, as he was a smaller player at 5-foot-9 who never shied away from leaving his mark on opponents. But eventually, his off-ice struggles became apparent to Predators GM David Poile and coach Barry Trotz, and they helped Tootoo start to find the road to recovery.

“The first seven years of my career, I was this angry young kid who didn't take crap from nobody,” Tootoo said. “And for me, fortunately, I had Mr. David Poile and Mr. Barry Trotz in Nashville that kept pulling me into their office and trying to talk to me. It was at one point where I went on a two-day bender, and I knew that it was going to be my time sooner than later, so I had to accept the help that was offered.”

Over the years, Tootoo has also learned that the systemic racism he encountered has to do with pain and anger of the offending party, and not anything to do with himself or his background. And eventually, he came to understand that racist actions could be addressed by having empathy toward the people hurling epithets at him. 

“A lot of times, when racism comes into hand, it's not you – it's that individual who's struggling for themselves,” Tootoo said. “We're human too, right? People look at professional athletes like we have this perfect life... Fans or people see professional athletes struggling, and then they say, ‘Well, how come they're struggling – like they got the world by their hands, or you know, they got all the money in the world.’ Like, we're human.

“And when I entered rehab and got out and started having clarity, I realized, I started thinking, ‘Wow, that individual who's saying racist words to me is obviously having a lot of demons themselves that they're battling through.’ ”

After his Predators career ended in 2012, Tootoo bounced around the NHL, playing for the Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils and Chicago Blackhawks before retiring in 2017.

Since then, he’s been an advocate for therapy, Indigenous Peoples, and anyone struggling with some form of trauma. And his message – which comes through in the new documentary – is a simple one. “It's different for everybody, right?” Tootoo said. “Everyone has different rock bottoms. I'm not one to tell an individual, ‘Hey, time to smarten up.’ I'm here to share my journey and what it's done for my life and lead by example.”

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The Pittsburgh Penguins will look to snap their two-game skid when they welcome the Washington Capitals to PPG Paints Arena on Thursday night. 

The Penguins had everything going for them through two periods against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, only to throw it all away in the third period. The Penguins had a 3-0 lead heading into the final frame and didn't even get a point out of the game. 

Meanwhile, the Capitals snapped their four-game losing streak with a 6-1 win over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday. Alex Ovechkin made more history, becoming the first player in NHL history to score 900 goals. Goaltender Logan Thompson finished the game with a .958 save percentage and has been one of the best goaltenders in the league to start the year. 

Because Thompson played on Wednesday, he'll likely have the night off on Thursday, which would pave the way for Charlie Lindgren to start. Lindgren has struggled to start the year, compiling a 3.47 goals-against average and an .880 save percentage. 

Arturs Silovs will start in goal for the Penguins after having the night off on Monday. A lot of fans were hoping to see Sergei Murashov make his NHL debut after he was called up on Tuesday, but the Penguins are taking their time and easing him in. He got called up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after Tristan Jarry was placed on injured reserve.

Murashov will likely get one of the two games this weekend since the Penguins have a back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday. 

The Penguins have yet to make a decision on Harrison Brunicke for the rest of the season, but he appears to be a healthy scratch for this game. Ryan Graves and Connor Clifton appear to be returning to the lineup. Joona Koppanen also appears to be playing after he was called up from WBS on Thursday.

Ben Kindel will replace Filip Hallander on the top line since Hallander is day-to-day with an injury. Kindel has been one of the Penguins' best players to start the season and is coming off his first two-goal game on Monday. 

Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and Hulu. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'

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DALLAS - The Ducks are embarking on a two-game road trip and looking to extend their winning streak to five games. They are currently tied for first in the Pacific Division with the Vegas Golden Knights.

Anaheim has been powered by the dynamic duo of Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier, who have 18 and 16 points. Both of them are riding seven-game point streaks, the first pair of teammates to record simultaneous point streaks of at least seven both at the age 21 or younger since Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in 2016-17.

Carlsson received a five-minute major and a game misconduct on Tuesday for a hit on the Florida Panthers' Evan Rodrigues during Tuesday’s game, but did not receive any supplementary discipline from the Department of Player Safety.

Takeaways from the Ducks 7-3 Win over the PanthersGauthier ignited the offense with a hat trick, powering the Ducks past the Panthers with a dominant offensive performance.

“It happened pretty fast,” Carlsson said. “I was trying to get the puck from Troy (Terry), and I didn’t have anywhere to go. And (Rodrigues) is shorter than me, so I just go straight into him. It's just unfortunate that he was so low and I'm taller, so just went straight into his head.”

The Dallas Stars are currently fifth in the league in power play percentage (31.1), powered by the likes of Wyatt Johnston, Mikko Rantanen, Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson. Johnston's four power play goals are tied for fourth in the NHL. The Ducks are middle of the pack in penalty kill percentage (79.5), but have killed 10 of their last 12 penalties.

“They’re looking to get their power play to get their game offensively, and they’re good at it,” head coach Joel Quenneville said. “The skill level’s high-end. Patience, play recognition, options. I think that (assistant coach Ryan McGill) does a nice job getting the PK ready and on our opponents and what they’re intending to do. It’ll be a good test for us as well, but I think there’s some improvement on our end of it killing-wise. Denying entries, possession, recognizing pressure points. They’re getting better.”

“You’re just trying to be in position so they can't set up exactly the way they want it,” Carlsson said. “Troy and I like to go on offense (on the PK) too, they have to have to know that. So that gives us a little bit of advantage to it.”

“They’re pretty similar (to the Panthers),” Olen Zellweger said. “Good pace, good forecheck. 
And I think Dallas is pretty good at maintaining possession of the offensive zone. Lots of good forwards, just a good team overall. Different challenges, but similar. We’re gonna have to play really sharp and execute well.”

Through 12 games, the Ducks lead the league in goals per game with 3.92. They are also top-5 in the league in shots per game with 31.4. Gauthier is currently tied for first in the league with 10 goals and is second in the league in shots with 58.

“I feel like we're playing exactly the way we want,” Carlsson said. “Sure, sometimes we make unnecessary dangles and stuff on the blue line, but I feel like we play hockey. We know when to put it deep and not. A lot of shots is the key, too.”

“We always talked last year about increasing our shots, but there’s not really a blueprint to do it,” Zellweger said. “I feel like this year, we're skating well, maybe playing more free. Creating more opportunities to shoot and get scoring chances. I don't think there's one specific thing, it’s just a bunch of different things you’re adding to create more rushes and more o-zone time.”

Roope Hintz (undisclosed) and Radek Faksa (illness) will both be game-time decisions for the Stars, who rolled out a lineup of 11 forwards and seven defensemen for their game on Tuesday. 

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Ducks Projected Lines

Chris Kreider - Leo Carlsson - Troy Terry
Cutter Gauthier - Mason McTavish - Beckett Sennecke
Nikita Nesterenko - Ryan Poehling - Alex Killorn
Ross Johnston - Jansen Harkins - Frank Vatrano

Jackson LaCombe - Drew Helleson
Olen Zellweger - Jacob Trouba
Pavel Mintyukov - Ian Moore

Lukáš Dostál (projected)

Stars Projected Lines

Jason Robertson - Wyatt Johnston - Mikko Rantanen
Tyler Seguin - Roope Hintz - Mavrik Bourque
Oskar Bäck - Sam Steel - Colin Blackwell
Adam Erne - Radek Faksa - Nathan Bastian

Esa Lindell - Miro Heiskanen
Thomas Harley - Ilya Lyubushkin
Lian Bischel - Alex Petrovic

Jake Oettinger (confirmed)

Thursday’s NHL schedule features nine games filled with high-stakes matchups, promising fast-paced action, dramatic finishes, and plenty of highlight-reel moments. One of the night’s most compelling showdowns pits Sidney Crosby and the Penguins against his longtime rival Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals.

Pittsburgh started strong at 8-2-2 but has dropped four of its last six. The team now looks to rebound at home against a Washington squad coming off a dominant 6-1 win over St. Louis and facing a quick turnaround.

This matchup offers plenty of intrigue for fans and bettors alike, with the potential for explosive scoring and standout individual performances. We’re aiming to build on early-season momentum after a perfect 3-0 Tuesday on Stars-Oilers picks, plus a win in Wednesday’s Pad Stack Challenge. That challenge now holds a 5-1 record over the past six days.

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.

Expect Offensive Fireworks As Lightning Take On Golden Knights in VegasWitness a high-octane showdown as the offensively potent Lightning aim to exploit the Golden Knights' recent struggles on home ice.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Washington Capitals Best Bets

Penguins ML (-105)

Alex Ovechkin Over 0.5 Points (-154)

Ben Kindel Over 0.5 Points (+115)

Bryan Rust Anytime Goal (+175) Longshot Pick

Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin are set to face off again on Thursday, continuing one of the NHL’s most storied rivalries. The Penguins will look to build on their rest from Monday’s game, while the Capitals aim to regroup after a dominant win on Wednesday that ended a four-game losing streak.

Both teams have split their last eight matchups, making this an evenly matched contest. Pittsburgh should be able to hold onto the upper hand of rest as Washington will have the fatigue of playing the night before as well as travelling. The Capitals also used a good amount of their offense Wednesday when blowing out the Blues 6-1 and could fail to follow up the performance. 

History suggests this could be another tight battle as Crosby and Ovechkin have squared off 99 times, with 73 regular-season games and 25 playoff matchups. Over those matchups, Crosby has racked up 125 points, with Ovechkin recorded 101 points. The Penguins hold the edge in this clash between two hockey legends with a 55-39-4 record, although recent games have often been closely contested.

Ovechkin, fresh off his 900th career goal on Wednesday versus the St. Louis Blues, remains a reliable offensive threat, having scored in his last game against the Penguins in April. Crosby continues to drive Pittsburgh’s attack, while his linemate in 18-year-old Ben Kindel has been an impactful rookie after being drafted 11th overall this past draft and looks poised to make his mark with his first career NHL assist.

Crosby or his longtime winger Bryan Rust, who scored 31 goals last season, should be able to get Kindel his milestone with Rust entering Thursday with seven goals in his last 11 games against Washington as well as four goals over his last six games.

Offensively, both teams have shown flashes of explosiveness, including two consecutive matchups with seven or more combined goals. However, the overall trend of their head-to-head history suggests that high-scoring games are not guaranteed, with only 14 of the last 25 meetings exceeding seven goals.

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.

After four days without a game, the Ottawa Senators return to action on Thursday night with a road game against the Boston Bruins. On the one hand, after six games in 10 days, the respite from a busy schedule was welcome. On the other hand, they've been playing some good hockey, going 4-1-1 in that six-game stretch, and might have preferred not to interrupt the positive momentum.

But one would imagine there's a heavy preference for the former mindset. With a condensed schedule in an Olympic year that now sees them play six games in 10 days once again, teams are happy to embrace any rest and recovery time that the schedule allows.

As the Montreal Canadiens were on Saturday night, the Bruins will be in foul humour on Thursday, looking to get even. In Montreal's case, they wanted physical revenge for Nick Cousins' slash on star rookie Ivan Demidov. For Boston, they'd like to push back after getting whalloped by the Senators in Ottawa 7-2 on Oct. 27.

The Bruins seem to have used the sting and venom from that loss as fuel. They've ripped off four straight victories since then, beating the New York Islanders twice, and also posting wins over the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes.

Overall, Boston has been a streaky lot in the first month. They won their first 3 games, lost their next six in regulation, and now they've won five of their last six.

The Bruins will welcome back their former star goalie, Linus Ullmark, who won the 2023 Vezina Trophy with the club. That performance has created sky-high expectations in Ottawa that Ullmark has yet to live up to.

Analytics: Can Senators Goalie Linus Ullmark Replace Another Slow Start With Another November Heater?An analyst recently questioned Ullmark's intensity, and Ullmark questioned some aspects of his own offseason prep. Between that and his current numbers, there are goaltending concerns again in Ottawa.

In 130 games over three seasons with the Bruins, Ullmark had an 88-26-10 record, a .924 save percentage, and a 2.28 goals-against average. Sens fans no longer need him to get back to that level.

They're more than ready to settle for something that falls just halfway between his Boston numbers and what he's done for the Sens so far this season, which is allowing 3.41 goals against per game with an .861 save percentage.

Leevi Merilainen guarded the Sens' cage in the recent beatdown of the Bruins, but Ullmark is expected to get the call on Thursday. The veteran won both starts against his old mates last season, making 14 saves in November's 3-2 overtime win, and 22 saves in a 6-3 victory in March.

The Sens lineup remains mostly the same, with newcomer Jordan Spence expected to be a healthy scratch for the ninth time in 14 games.

Face off is 7 pm.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington was a hot topic on Wednesday night, but not because of a highlight-reel save or an outstanding performance against the Washington Capitals. 

Instead, fans and media personalities pointed at the Canadian goaltender because Alex Ovechkin became the first NHL player ever to score 900 regular-season goals, and Binnington appeared to put the puck in his pants before returning to his crease.

Linesman Michel Cormier noticed and stayed with Binnington until he handed over the puck. And of course, the NHL on TNT broadcast caught it all.

“His eBay account would’ve been popping off after this game,” Colby Armstrong said.  

Reactions poured in on social media about Binnington, who allowed four goals on 15 shots and was eventually replaced by Joel Hofer.

“At least he can say he saved a puck tonight,” @VIKERRonX posted on X.

Jordan Binnington Tried To Steal Alex Ovechkin's 900-Goal Puck And Hide It In His PantsThe Blues netminder wasn't happy any of the festivities after Ovechkin scored career goal No. 900.

For some fans, they were not surprised to see Binnington try to pull off a stunt like this one. He's been in the middle of scrums around his crease on more than one occasion, including when he went after Ryan Hartman for bumping into him as he scored.

He even threw a water bottle at Nazem Kadri following a loss to the Colorado Avalanche during the 2022 playoffs.

“A very Binnington thing to do,” @TheMagelk posted.

“Binner doing this checks out,” said @chi2phi.

With Wednesday's 6-1 loss to Washington, Binnington now has a 3-5-2 record this season with a 3.34 goals-against average and .859 save percentage.

With his save percentage this season, Jordan Binnington probably just wanted to see what a puck looked like. https://t.co/eLuJI7SGTw

— Ken Campbell (@Ken_Campbell27) November 6, 2025

Hockey writer Brady Trettenero contrasted Binnington’s reaction to Ilya Sorokin, who gave Ovechkin his stick and posed for a photo together when he broke the all-time regular-season goal record against the New York Islanders last season.

Barstool Sports referenced the famous Louvre heist that took place on Oct. 19.

“Jordan Binnington tried to pull off the greatest heist since the Louvre got robbed,” it said on X.

After the game, The Hockey News’ beat reporter for the Capitals, Sammi Silber, asked Ovechkin post-game about Binnington trying to steal his milestone puck.

Washington’s captain laughed.

“I’m not going to comment.”

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Sometimes it's just not your night, and Wednesday, Nov. 5, was not the Seattle Kraken's night.

Matching up with a San Jose Sharks team that has struggled to keep the puck out of their net and kill penalties, the Kraken managed just one goal and went 0-for-6 on the power play. The one goal the Kraken did score was off the stick of Ryan Winterton.

It was his first career NHL goal, scoring it in his 34th NHL game. 

With the Kraken trailing 1-0 after Macklin Celebrini opened the scoring, Winterton had what could likely be considered his best NHL shift. He flew into the zone with the puck and was turned away on a Grade A rush chance by Yaroslav Askarov. He then got himself open for a one-time opportunity in the slot, but the play was broken up. He remained engaged in the play and was first to a loose puck. Once he corralled the puck, he fired it into the top corner. 

really really winted this one! pic.twitter.com/rYvQ2wB6jn

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) November 6, 2025

Unfortunately for the Kraken, that's the only production they would get. They threw 30 shots at Askarov, but the Sharks' 23-year-old netminder turned away 29 of them. 

While the offensive aspect of the Kraken's game was fairly muted, the defensive structure was wayward. They only gave up 23 shots, but many were top-notch chances. 

The Sharks' final two goals of the game were breakaway markers, and to make matters worse, they came within 30 seconds of each other. 

A performance like last night's happens occasionally, although coach Lane Lambert would like to limit the frequency of such occurrences. The Kraken are back in action on Saturday against a St. Louis Blues team that is in a major slump. 

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Unfortunately, the injury woes have continued for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

On Thursday, the Penguins were forced to recall yet another player from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) - their AHL affiliate - because of an injury to yet another player. Forward Joona Koppanen was the one who got the call, and the team also announced that forward Filip Hallander is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. 

Koppanen, 27, played in 11 NHL games for the Penguins last season and registered a goal. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound forward re-signed with the Penguins for one year this past offseason, and he was waived at the conclusion of training camp and re-assigned to WBS after going unclaimed.

He has a goal and two points in six AHL games for WBS this season, and Penguins' head coach Dan Muse confirmed that Koppanen will be in the lineup Thursday against the Washington Capitals. 

Hallander, 25, made the NHL team out of training camp and has a goal and four points in 13 games on the season so far. His injury adds to a rapidly growing list of ailments for the Penguins, as they just placed forwards Justin Brazeau and Noel Acciari - as well as goaltender Tristan Jarry - on injured reserve Tuesday. 

Forward Rickard Rakell and defenseman Caleb Jones were already on injured reserve for the Penguins, and they joined a list that already included forwards Rutger McGroarty and Kevin Hayes, goaltender Joel Blomqvist, and defenseman Jack St. Ivany, among others.

Hayes, 33, skated with the team in a full capacity on Wednesday and appears close to a return.

Penguins' Forward Appears Close To ReturnMore than likely, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> won't have to wait much longer for one of their forwards to return to the lineup.&nbsp;

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When the Toronto Maple Leafs cut ties with president Brendan Shanahan after last season, there was always a sense that it wouldn’t be long before he was back working in the NHL in one shape or form.

When TSN's Darren Dreger reported Shanahan was rejoining the NHL's hockey operations department, it wasn’t exactly a surprise.

But it may not be very long until Shanahan gets another shot at running an NHL team.

Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos listed the Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators as teams that may be looking for an executive to help them turn the corner from being out of the Stanley Cup playoff mix year in and year out.

If Shanahan showed one thing in his lengthy tenure with the Maple Leafs, it’s that he can build a team that consistently makes the playoffs by bringing in experienced staff, finishing a rebuild and adding effective pieces around their core. A current sad-sack team like the Sabres and Blackhawks should be ecstatic to hand the reins over to Shanahan.

The Sabres have the makings of a strong core with Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Alex Tuch if they re-sign him, but NHL fans know well how badly they have struggled at transitioning out of a rebuild and stepping into the playoffs.

Chicago, meanwhile, is still in the thick of a rebuilding stage and drafted Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel and Alex Vlasic. In net, they acquired Spencer Knight, who has elite potential. The supporting cast hasn't always successfully helped those young guys on the ice, however, and Shanahan could help ensure the right pieces are in place.

As for the Predators, which have first-time GM Barry Trotz running hockey operations and David Poile staying on as a senior advisor, Shanahan could provide more support to Trotz as the team tries to rebound from a disappointing 2024-25 campaign. Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, Ryan O'Reilly, Roman Josi, Brady Skjei and Juuse Saros are all in their 30s, and they're not playing like a playoff team, so Shanahan could guide this squad either through a rebuild or through a rejuvenating retool.

What If Brendan Shanahan Joined A Potential NHL Expansion Franchise?Brendan Shanahan is a free agent. But where will he go next?

When Shanahan joined the Maple Leafs in 2014-15, the team had made the playoffs only once in the previous nine years. In his 11 years there, Shanahan helped steer Toronto to the post-season nine times, or eight times if you don't include the play-in round loss in 2020.

Now, playoff success was much more difficult for Shanahan’s Leafs to come by. But that was true early in Shanahan’s career as an NHL player with the New Jersey Devils and St. Louis Blues, and he eventually managed to figure things out and win three Stanley Cup championships with the Detroit Red Wings. And clearly, there’s a possibility the same will be true for Shanahan as a hockey executive.

There’s no doubt Shanahan’s current role with the NHL is a pit stop. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly even suggested the same to Postmedia. And the lessons he learned in Leafs Land could serve Shanahan very well as he tries to get back into the winner’s circle.

Shanahan is a Hockey Hall of Famer because he was one of the best competitors the game has ever seen. And the motivation to succeed is the fuel for him to demonstrate that he’s now a stronger, wiser hockey man than the one who left his Leafs job.

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Thursday’s NHL slate features nine games packed with high-stakes matchups, setting the stage for fast-paced action, dramatic finishes, and plenty of highlight-reel moments. One of the evening’s most compelling showdowns is the Tampa Bay Lightning taking on the Vegas Golden Knights. 

Vegas is coming off a narrow 1-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday but has managed just two wins in its last five games. The Golden Knights will aim to build on that victory and defend their home ice, where they’ve traditionally been dominant. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay enters the game looking to bounce back after a loss to the Colorado Avalanche that snapped a five-game winning streak, a stretch that included a 2-1 home victory over these same Golden Knights.

For those new to our betting challenge, we start with a modest bankroll of $10 and work to grow it through smart, data-driven bets. In previous runs, we’ve turned our profits into triple-digit totals. Tonight’s same-game parlay zeroes in on the Tampa-Vegas matchup, offering a prime chance to regain momentum after our recent hot streak cooled off. 

Our bankroll had climbed to $264.60 before taking a loss in Tuesday’s Golden Knights-Red Wings game, but we’re back on track with a current total of $21.50 after cashing in on our picks from the Maple Leafs’ win over the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday. 

Jack Eichel’s MVP Case Strengthens Amid Golden Knights’ Dominant StartEichel's offensive explosion fuels the Golden Knights' hot streak. Can this star-studded lineup carry him to MVP glory?

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.

Picks: Over 4.5 Goals & Lightning First Period +0.5 (-115)

The Golden Knights rarely struggle against many opponents, but the Lightning are one team they haven’t quite figured out yet. After losing to Tampa Bay earlier this season, Vegas has now dropped four of their last five matchups against the Bolts, following a stretch where the Golden Knights had won four of the previous five. This could be a potential bounce-back game for Vegas, though history suggests a tough battle ahead. The two teams have alternated wins in all seven of their meetings in Las Vegas, and if the trend continues, Thursday would be Tampa Bay’s turn to win and even the series at four victories each.

With two elite teams on the ice, the difference-makers will need to step up, as both rosters have players capable of taking over a game. Tampa’s 2–1 win earlier this season was also the first time in the history of the matchup that the teams combined for fewer than five goals, which suggests an offensive surge could be on the horizon Thursday night.

To boost the odds, adding another leg to the parlay makes sense, focusing on Tampa Bay’s strong first-period performances with the Lightning holding a +3 first-period goal differential this season, compared to the Vegas’ -1 mark this season. That number improves to +4 for Tampa on the road, while Vegas shows a modest increase to +1 at home. 

With a current bankroll of $21.50, a wager on the Lightning and the over at -115 odds would return a profit of $18.92, bringing the payout to $40.42 in return. With a full NHL slate lined up for Friday, it’s the perfect opportunity to ride the momentum and keep building the bankroll.

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.

While it’s very early in the season, earlier this week, ESPN released an article listing their favourites for the NHL trophies so far, and the Montreal Canadiens are doing very well, to say the least.

While it’s not a Hab, their favourite when it comes to the Norris Trophy awarded to the top NHL defenseman, Cale Makar is. They have Mike Matheson listed as a finalist. While he struggled last season, Matheson has been nothing short of spectacular, and while he has no more power play time, he still has seven points, just one behind teammate Noah Dobson, and he’s got a plus-eight differential. Not many people could have seen that one coming, especially considering how many talented defensemen there are on this Canadiens’ blueline.

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As things stand, ESPN wouldn’t give the Calder Trophy to a Canadiens’ player for the second year in a row; they would award it to the New York Islanders’ first-overall pick at the last draft, Matthew Schafer. Making Ivan Demidov a finalist. Given how well the young defenseman performed out of the game and how he’s become a significant part of the Islanders’ team right away, it’s understandable. I’m not sure that will hold all season, though. Demidov has now been put on the Canadiens’ first power play unit, and he’s shining brighter night after night. I’m not saying it’s impossible that he finishes as a runner-up in the Calder Trophy race. Still, with so much of the season left, he could overtake the Islanders’ rookie, especially if his point production explodes.

While Jakub Dobes isn’t mentioned as a possibility in the Calder Trophy talk in the article, his red-hot start makes him a finalist for the Vezina trophy behind Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson, who they consider the leader. Connor Hellebuyck joins Dobes as a finalist.

According to them, one Canadiens player would be a Trophy winner if the voting were held today: captain Nick Suzuki. While he’s near the top of the league in points, ESPN considers him, so far, the best defensive forward and has him as their favourite to win the Frank J. Selke Trophy. He received 24% of the first-place votes in the exercise. On top of having 18 points in 13 games, his defensive play has been exceptional, as evidenced by the fact that the Canadiens are averaging just 1.03 goals per 60 minutes when their leader is on the ice. The three finalists they mentioned all had 14% of the first-place votes, 10% less than Suzuki.

As for coach Martin St-Louis, he was surprisingly not mentioned in the early Jack Adams conversation. That can be explained by the fact that so many teams are having surprising starts to the season. The Pittsburgh Penguins, who everyone believed would crash and burn early, are playing well, and that nets Dan Muse the title of favourite, while Joel Quenneville and Andre Tourigny are the runner-ups, thanks to their team’s superb form so far this season. If the Canadiens keep playing as they are, though, I would be shocked if St-Louis wasn’t a finalist for the second year in a row when all is said and done.

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Game day 

Who: Philadelphia Flyers (7-5-1) at Nashville Predators (5-6-4)

Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tenn. 

When: 7 p.m. CST 

TV: FanDuel Sports Network South

Radio: 102.5 The Game 

Betting line (via BetMGM): Nashville +1.5 Montreal -1.5. Over/under: 5.5 (-110/-110) 

Predators lose to Wild in overtime on technicality 

After Steven Stamkos scored with 0.3 seconds left in the third period to tie the game, 2-2, the Wild responded with a shocking goal of their own in overtime. 

With 1:22 left in overtime, Predators goalie Justus Annunen dislodged the left mooring of the net. Minnesota's Marcus Johansson's shot attempt went off the side of the net, but rebounded back to him due to the angle at which the net was dislodged. 

Johansson put the rebound over the goal line, and it was ruled a goal, as officials deemed the puck would've gone into the net if it hadn't been dislodged. The issue comes with Johansson's second attempt, as he wouldn't have gotten the rebound if the net hadn't been off its mooring.

Stamkos sounded off after the game. 

"It's a weird play. I can see the confusion, but the confusing part for us was why it was so emphatically called a goal," Steven Stamkos said. "I get it. If the net comes off and the puck goes in right away, it's no problem. But he missed the net and the puck actually bounced back to him because the net was sideways.

"My interpretation of the rule is that if the net weren't off, the puck wouldn't have come back to him." 

Takeaways: Despite Outplaying Wild, Nashville Predators Fall In Overtime On TechnicalityThe Nashville Predators tied the game as the clock ran out in regulation, only to lose in frustrating fashion in overtime.

Zachary L'Heureux enters lineup 

Following Cole Smith's week-to-week upper body injury, Zachary L'Heureux has been recalled from the Milwaukee Admirals.

He dressed for the Predators' game against the Wild on Tuesday, but did not play, as Tyson Jost played on the left wing of the fourth line. 

L'Heureux was a regular in Nashville last season, playing in 62 games and scoring 15 points. He's played seven games in Milwaukee this season, scoring six points. 

Nashville Predators recall Zachary L'Heureux from Milwaukee AdmrialsAfter an injury sidelines a forward, L'Heureux returns to Nashville's lineup, ready to contribute to the Predators' next game.

Scouting the Flyers 

The Predators and Flyers will be facing off for the second time this season, with Philadelphia winning the last meeting, 4-1, on Oct. 30. 

In that game, the Predators went down 2-0 in the second period off goals from Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale. Matthew Wood scored his first career NHL goal in the first period to cut into the Flyers' lead. 

Zegras scored on the power play in the third period, and Travis Konecny added an empty net goal. Zegras had three points on the night with two goals and an assist. Nashville outplayed Philadelphia, outshooting them 33-18. 

The Flyers have struggled a bit since that win, going 1-2-0 over their last three games. They suffered back to back losses to Toronto and Calgary before defeating Montreal in a shootout on the road. 

Zegras, who was acquired by the Flyers from the Ducks in the offseason, leads Philadelphia in scoring with 15 points in 13 games (four goals, 11 assists). 

The Flyers have also emerged as the most penalized team in the NHL, logging 184 penalty minutes this season. Nashville has 129 PIM. 

Divisional rankings 

Central 

1. Colorad: 14 GP, 8-1-5, 21 pts 

2. Winnipeg: 13 GP, 9-4-0, 18 pts 

3. Utah: 14 GP, 9-5-0, 18 pts 

4. Dallas: 13 GP, 7-3-3, 17 pts 

5. Chicago: 14 GP, 6-5-3, 15 pts 

6. Nashville: 15 GP, 5-6-4, 14 pts 

7.  Minnesota: 14 GP, 5-6-3, 13 pts 

8. St. Louis: 14 GP, 4-8-2, 10 pts 

Metropolitan

1. New Jersey: 13 GP, 9-4-0, 18 pts 

2. Pittsburgh: 14 GP, 8-4-2, 18 pts 

3. Carolina: 12 GP, 8-4-0, 16 pts 

4. Washington: 13 GP, 7-5-1, 15 pts 

5. Philadelphia: 13 GP, 7-5-1, 15 pts 

6. NY Islanders: 13 GP, 6-5-2, 14 pts 

7. Columbus: 13 GP, 7-6-0, 14 pts 

8. NY Rangers: 14 GP, 6-6-2, 14 pts

Earlier this week, we noted recent speculation about Evgeni Malkin's future with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

He and his teammates are off to a better-than-expected start to this season, but some observers question if it's sustainable and if Malkin would be open to a move at the NHL trade deadline.

However, Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos suggested the Penguins' strong start could take Malkin, Bryan Rust, and Rickard Rakell out of the rumor mill if they can remain in the playoff chase. Those players have frequently surfaced in media trade chatter since the summer, but Kypreos doesn't see them going anywhere if they're still in the hunt for a postseason berth.

The Penguins' start has also silenced the trade rumors that were buzzing about Sidney Crosby at the start of the season. TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported that Penguins GM Kyle Dubas' plan remains building for the future while staying competitive this season.

LeBrun wondered if the Penguins could stay in playoff contention this season but acknowledged that their current performance has ended the Crosby trade chatter, at least for now.

NHL Rumor Roundup: Latest Trade Talk About The Maple Leafs, Oilers And Penguins The Toronto Maple Leafs are trying to find a new home for David Kampf, the Edmonton Oilers could move a depth player or two to make room for returning veterans, and the Pittsburgh Penguins are in the market for a left-shot defenseman.

Meanwhile, the ongoing woes of the Calgary Flames have ensured that Nazem Kadri remains a fixture in the rumor mill.

The 35-year-old center celebrated his 1,000th NHL game on Wednesday, scoring a goal in a 6-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Some pundits have linked Kadri to the Montreal Canadiens, suggesting he would address their need for a second-line center. However, Jack Todd of the Montreal Gazette considered Kadri to be an unsuitable option, citing his age, $7 million average annual value through 2028-29 and history of undisciplined play.

Kypreos believes the Carolina Hurricanes could be a suitor for Kadri, pointing out that they've relentlessly pursued a top player in the trade market since last season. However, Kypreos also claimed that the Hurricanes are on Kadri's no-trade list.

The Hurricanes could request permission from the Flames to speak with Kadri and his agent and try to sell them on Carolina. If the Hurricanes make a substantial pitch, Flames GM Craig Conroy could try to convince Kadri to accept a trade.

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