Category: Ice Hockey

More than likely, the Pittsburgh Penguins won't have to wait much longer for one of their forwards to return to the lineup. 

On Wednesday, forward Kevin Hayes - who has been on injured reserve with an upper-body injury since training camp - took line rushes and was a full participant in practice. He skated on the fourth line with Blake Lizotte and Connor Dewar. 

Hayes, 33, is in the final year of a seven-year contract, and the Penguins are responsible for $3.57 million of his $7.1 million total cap hit. In 64 games with the Penguins last season, the 6-foot-3, 217-pound center registered 13 goals and 23 points.

Just days ago, it appeared that the Penguins were going to have some very hard decisions to make regarding the roster in order to activate Hayes. However, things have changed very quickly. 

On Tuesday, Pittsburgh placed three players - forwards Justin Brazeau and Noel Acciari as well as goaltender Tristan Jarry - on injured reserve and re-assigned young defenseman Owen Pickering to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) to get more AHL reps after a few shaky games at the NHL level.

In a few corresponding moves, the Penguins recalled forward Danton Heinen, defenseman Ryan Graves, and top goaltending prospect Sergei Murashov. However, because of the optioning of Pickering, the Penguins still have one open roster spot, as they're actively carrying 12 forwards, eight defensemen, and two goaltenders. This means they can activate Hayes without a corresponding roster move.

The Penguins play the Washington Capitals on Thursday, and Hayes appears poised for a potential return. Pittsburgh have yet to activate him from injured reserve. 

Penguins Call Up 3 Players & Announce Several Roster MovesThe Pittsburgh Penguins have made a series of roster moves.

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Other injury notes:

- The Penguins announced that Brazeau (upper-body) would be out at least four weeks, Acciari (upper-body) would be out at least three weeks, and Jarry (lower-body) would be out at least three weeks. No further details were given on their injuries or when they were sustained, although head coach Dan Muse said that Jarry was injured during Monday's 4-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

- Forward Filip Hallander left Wednesday's practice early on and did not return to the ice. He was briefly rotating in on the fourth line before he departed. No update was given on his status.

- Forward prospect Rutger McGroarty continues to rehab in WBS and appears close to returning to the lineup at the AHL level. The 21-year-old McGroarty missed the entirety of training camp and the first month of the regular season with an undisclosed upper-body injury he sustained sometime during the summer. 

Penguins Provide Injury Updates On Three Key PlayersThe Pittsburgh Penguins provided some injury updates to three players on Wednesday.

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Well, so much for building in the right direction.

The St. Louis Blues thought they had things figured out the past three games, ones in which they were 1-1-1 and conceivably could have won them all.

And then Wednesday happened.

Well …

They fell off a cliff. And it was a hard fall.

It was a complete fail in a 6-1 loss to the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.

And on top of the Blues’ ineffective play in this game that dropped their record to 4-8-2 overall and 1-5-2 in their past eight games, Alex Ovechkin scored his 900th NHL goal becoming the first player in league history to reach the feat.

Alexey Toropchenko did score for the Blues, their first shorthanded goal of the season:

Alexey Toropchenko with a spin-around backhand goal under the bar. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/xp2VLR5o4M

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) November 6, 2025

But it was an inept first two periods that proved costly.

Let’s look at the game observations:

* Montgomery wanted a physical lineup – Coming off a 3-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers, one might have figured the same lineup against the Capitals, but coach Jim Montgomery inserted Nathan Walker and Logan Mailloux in for Mathieu Joseph and Matthew Kessel to provide more nastiness and bite.

Well, someone forgot to check in at the door that requirements for success in this game was going to take winning wall battles, loose pucks and the like.

The Blues were torched in that department that led to a number of Capitals goals, including the first one, scored on the power play by Tom Wilson; not the actual goal itself, but the three-plus minute shift that lasted in their zone that ended with Colton Parayko, whose shift was 2:59, took a cross checking penalty (Dylan Holloway’s shoft lasted 3:01, Dalibor Dvorsky’s was 2:55):

Impeccable goal-scoring touch from 43#ALLCAPS | @aerovironmentpic.twitter.com/YLcdZnjd7v

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 6, 2025

Also the first of Anthony Beauvillier’s two goals that made it 3-0 at 4:33 of the second period was another case of a lost wall battle that led to his backhand goal into an empty cage.

And then there’s John Carlson’s goal that made it 4-0 at 9:28, a shot from the slot that turned into the Capitals winning another loose puck and being hungrier for pucks that ended Jordan Binnington’s night at four goals allowed on 15 shots, including no saves and three goals allowed in the second period.

And the greatest example of competing for wall battles was on Beauvillier’s second of the night at 16:20 that made it 5-0 when the Blues, this time, were in the offensive zone, puck was in the corner along the wall, lose that battle and the puck (again), the Capitals break out with it, make a hand pass that Mailloux either didn’t see or wasn’t aware of the rule that if he doesn’t touch the puck in that situation and Beauvillier does, the play is dead. But he dives, and it was a hustle attempt, touches the puck rendering it live and Beauvillier beats Joel Hofer from the left circle:

while we've been in 900 land, the boys decided to add three more goals

👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/9FglHRussN

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 6, 2025

It was just a microcosm of everything that went wrong from opening puck drop to that moment. One team came ready to play with an attitude of wanting to compete, the other didn’t. It’s as simple as that. No compete whatsoever from this group on Wednesday.

It's mind-boggling to think that the #stlblues held Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins without a shot on goal combined Monday for the first time with that trio in the same game during the regular season, to follow that up with this.

— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) November 6, 2025

* Despite being pulled, Binnington kept team in it in first period, slip-up started downward spiral – Binnington was busy in the first period, not diving from post to post, but with the Blues spending much of the period in their own end, he came up with some solid saves stopping 11 of 12 shots and keeping it a 1-0 deficit.

But on the Ovechkin goal, Binnington got his initial clear into the corner knocked down by the ‘Great 8’ and the puck doesn’t get cleared, it winds up back in the corner and Ovechkin blind backhands the puck from a sharp angle into the net at 2:39 of the second period to make it 2-0:

THE #GR8 IS THE FIRST PLAYER IN NHL HISTORY TO SCORE 900 GOALS pic.twitter.com/71gnsJQcYN

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 6, 2025

It marked the third time (first for Binnington) a Blues goalie has been pulled from a game this season through 14 games.

This game marks the seventh time(!) the Blues have allowed five or more goals in a game. That didn’t happen until Game 52 last season.

And on a night in which Binnington tied Mike Liut for most games played by a goalie (347) in franchise history, that's rubbing some salt in the wound. 

* The penalty kill is simply not good – Pius Suter was brought in this year to help the Blues' 28th-ranked penalty kill from last season.

I get one player isn't going to be the do-all, tell-all, but the penalty kill at the start of this season is pitiful again.

After Wilson scored nine seconds into Washington's power-play, oh by the way which was 0-for-13 coming into the game, it was the second straight penalty kill the Blues allowed a goal within the first 10 seconds (Edmonton scored eight seconds into theirs) and 11th time in 14 games the Blues' PK has allowed a goal, including the fifth straight game and eighth in nine.

And it was another case of a skater (Wilson) in front of a Blues goalie waiting for a deflection or tip with little or no resistance.  

The PK was 74.2 percent last year and is now a woeful 67.6 percent. What's amazing is that there's four teams with worse numbers than the Blues.

* Was changing the lineup wise? – I get what Montgomery was doing when he decided to insert Walker and Mailloux into the lineup, some more physicality on the fourth line and a bigger body on the blue line. But was it wise?

This group just came off a solid win with the lineup it had with Joseph and Kessel in it and deservedly winning for the first time in 16 days. I’m not a coach here, but sticking with that same group would allow these players to continue to build in the right direction.

It just looked like it was bad mojo from the outset breaking up a lineup that really worked well together on Monday, one that kept Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins all without a shot on goal for the first time in a regular-season game that the trio played together.

OK, you make a swap of Walker and Joseph, but in inserting Mailloux, who Montgomery said pregame didn’t want players sitting for too long, he started the game with putting veteran Cam Fowler there and putting Tyler Tucker with Justin Faulk because of the lack of trust in playing the two guys with the least amount of experience together.

I actually was caught off-guard by the changes at the morning skate, just because of the cohesion that the previous game’s lineup had together.

It’s easy to second-guess now with such a poor loss, but the result speaks for itself.

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The future is now for the Pittsburgh Penguins after they called up goaltending prospect Sergei Murashov on Tuesday. 

Murashov was called up to the NHL squad from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, along with forward Danton Heinen and defenseman Ryan Graves, before the Penguins announced on Wednesday that forwards Justin Brazeau and Noel Acciari, along with goaltender Tristan Jarry, will be out for multiple weeks with injuries. The Penguins also sent defenseman Owen Pickering back to WBS.

Brazeau has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury, while Acciari and Jarry sustained their injuries during Monday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

This will be Murashov's first chance to show what he can do in the NHL after lighting up the AHL to start the 2025-26 season. He was named the AHL's Goaltender of the Month on Tuesday after finishing October with a 5-1 record, a 1.68 goals-against average, a .935 save percentage, and a shutout. He also allowed only 10 goals on 154 shots last month.

He was asked about that honor after Wednesday's practice and thanked his teammates for their efforts. He also confirmed that his confidence comes from what he's doing in the process, not the results.

"My confidence always comes from what I’m doing from the process, not from results," Murashov said. "So yeah, I think it was a really good process. First and foremost, I would like to say thanks to my team. They were all battling, and efforts all around were really, really high, and I truly appreciate that. I think it’s a good to work with all of the coaches in the Penguins organization. And yeah, I think again, it’s all about the process and what I’m doing, and enjoying my time."

Overall, he's 5-2 with a 1.73 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage this year. He's a significant reason why the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are off to an 8-2-0 start. He also got time with the WBS Penguins last year and won his first 10 starts, setting a new franchise record for the longest winning streak in a rookie season. 

He always looks so calm and composed while he's in the crease. Everything comes naturally to him, and his athletic ability is freakishly good. He still needs to work on his rebound control a bit, but it has improved to start this year.

Up to this point, the Penguins have rotated starts between Jarry and Silovs, and head coach Dan Muse was asked if that will continue now that Murashov is up. He didn't want to tip his hand just yet. 

"I mean, I guess I'll even go on the start of that with the going 50/50. That's been the case up to this point. At no point did we say this is something we're locked in and has to be this way; we're like everything else. We're constantly evaluating, we're constantly looking at what those options are. In terms of right now, in terms of how we're gonna go through things, we're still having conversations," Muse said after practice. "We're having conversations with the coaching staff, conversations with (Penguins goaltending coach) Andy Chiodo, and the rest of the staff. We're gonna continue to have those conversations, make decisions based on what we think is best, and those conversations will continue to go from game to game."

Penguins Call Up 3 Players & Announce Several Roster MovesThe Pittsburgh Penguins have made a series of roster moves.

The Penguins are about to go through a stretch where they'll play three games in four days. Murashov will get at least one of those three starts, but could he get two? The Penguins are set to play Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Thursday. Wouldn't it be something to see Murashov go up against Ovechkin in his first NHL start? If he got that start, he'd get one of the two games over the weekend since the Penguins play the New Jersey Devils on Saturday and the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.

However, Muse could opt to play it safe and give Silovs the start on Thursday before splitting the weekend back-to-back. 

Nevertheless, he's going to play at some point this week (and after), and he'll have the chance to show everyone that he could be the Penguins' goaltender of the future. 

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Last season, Alex Ovechkin broke the NHL's all-time goal record previously held by Wayne Gretzky, scoring goal No. 895 against the New York Islanders.

Now, the Washington Capitals captain has become the first player ever to reach 900 regular-season goals.

He accomplished this feat with a highlight-reel goal against the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night.

Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun fired a shot on net that missed and hit the back boards. From there, Ovechkin received the puck, spun clockwise and took a backhand shot without looking at the net. It beat Jordan Binnington.

900 NHL GOALS FOR ALEX OVECHKIN!!! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/4HeKNfluoF

— NHL (@NHL) November 6, 2025

The Capitals players left the bench to celebrate their captain's historic goal.

Binnington, meanwhile, grabbed the puck from his glove, put it in his pants and returned to the crease. Linesman Michel Cormier went over to talk to Binnington, who then took the puck out of his pants and gave it to him.

However, while Ovechkin owns the goal record and is the first to reach the 900 mark, there’s still another goals record to chase.

Ovechkin also has 161 playoff goals. With that, his total number of goals in the regular season and playoffs are 977.

Gretzky, on the other hand, has 1,016 goals when combining regular-season and post-season totals. That should be Ovechkin’s next task.

Realistically, if he can remain healthy, there’s no reason why Ovechkin can’t reach that number, as he’s just 39 goals away. That means he could knock off another Gretzky record, as early as this season.

The Story Of The Ovechkin-Crosby Rivalry And His Quest To His First Stanley CupA former VP of communications for the Washington Capitals discusses Alex Ovechkin entering the NHL as an "infectious, lovable character" whose rivalry with Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby evolved in three stages.

Last year, Ovechkin scored 44 goals in 65 regular-season games. If he could keep three-quarters of that scoring pace while playing 82 games, he would still be on pace to reach 41 goals. However, the Russian is 40 years old now, and his ability to skate and remain healthy gets more difficult with age.

Nonetheless, if Ovechkin can beat Gretzky’s complete total of 1,016 goals, it will be even easier to call ‘The Great Eight’ the best goal-scorer in NHL history.

The Capitals will hold a pre-game ceremony on Nov. 26 to commemorate not only Ovechkin's 900th goal but also his 1,500th game, which he reached on Oct. 25. He's just the eighth player to play 1,500 games with one franchise.

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The New Jersey Devils’ decision to extend veteran goaltender Jacob Markstrom was a necessary move for the franchise.

On October 31, the Devils signed Markstrom to a two-year, $12 million contract, a crucial step in avoiding the goaltending carousel of seasons past.

Goaltenders are scarce in today’s NHL, with many teams still searching for stability in net. The Devils, however, have secured their tandem for the next few years.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman discussed the deal on his 32 Thoughts podcast, saying:

“I understand why New Jersey did this. They’re in win-now mode. It gives them a really good combination. And we’ll see if I’m right about this, but Markstrom’s history is to play better when he’s settled.”

Since signing the extension, Markstrom has recorded 43 saves and even added a primary assist.

Re-signing the 35-year-old netminder was critical. Although the Devils already extended backup goaltender Jake Allen on July 1, keeping Markstrom solidifies the position for the foreseeable future.

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Why It Was Necessary

The 2023–24 season perfectly illustrated why goaltending stability was essential. That year, the Devils used five different goaltenders:

• Vitek Vanecek: 32 games
• Nico Daws: 21 games
• Akira Schmid: 19 games
• Jake Allen: 13 games
• Kaapo Kähkönen: 6 games

The constant rotation left the Devils without consistency in net.

The Devils needed more reliability in net.

Now, with Markstrom and then Allen, who was acquired midway through the 2023–24 season, New Jersey finally has the stability it was searching for.

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Markstrom’s Season So Far

Markstrom began the season 2–1 before landing on injured reserve following his October 13 start.

He returned on October 28, but the comeback was rough: he allowed 17 goals over his first few games and posted a season-low .810 save percentage in an 8–4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

At that point, his record sat at 2–2–0.

Then came the extension and a bounce-back performance. In his next start, Markstrom turned aside 43 of 44 shots in a win over the Los Angeles Kings, finishing with a stellar .977 save percentage.

His season totals improved to a .875 save percentage and a 4.17 goals-against average. Through his first 144 shots faced, he even contributed offensively with an assist in the team’s November 1 win.

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Looking Ahead

With their goaltending tandem locked in for the next two seasons, general manager Tom Fitzgerald can focus on strengthening the roster around them and positioning the Devils for a deep Stanley Cup run.

Devils fans aren’t the only ones happy to see Markstrom back in the net. After signing, he told NHL.com:

“This is the best place to be and the best team I’ve been on.”

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The good news for the Detroit Red Wings is that they picked up six of a possible 10 points on their five-game road trip that included three stops in the state of California.

The bad news is that their road trip finale against the Vegas Golden Knights was the first time they've been shut out since head coach Todd McLellan took over in December 2024.

Golden Knights goaltender Akira Schmid stopped all 24 shots that the Red Wings fired his way for just his second career shutout; his stops included six saves on Alex DeBrincat, who had his six-game point streak snapped, as well as three attempts from Dylan Larkin.

Afterward, Larkin said it was simply a matter of not converting on their chances despite playing well overall in a tough environment. 

“We showed we can play on the road and in this building especially, I thought that was a winnable game," he said. "We just didn’t get the offense, the bounces or the puck going into the net that we needed."

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

Larkin also pointed to the strong performance by John Gibson, who turned aside all but one of the 34 shots he faced, as well as Detroit's improved penalty kill. 

"Gibby played unbelievable, which is a positive sign," he said. "The PK was good again, but it’s a good learning lesson. We got to execute better and when we get our chances, we got to bury down.”

It was one of Gibson's best performances since being acquired by the Red Wings in late June from the Anaheim Ducks, though he ultimately wasn't rewarded.

“I thought we played well, you got to credit them," he said. "They make it hard to score, block a lot of shots and play well defensively."

"That was a hard-fought game.”

The Red Wings are now set for a pair of weekend games on home ice at Little Caesars Arena, beginning on Friday evening against the New York Rangers followed by a Sunday matinee against the Chicago Blackhawks. 

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Any NHL player can pop off for a strong week, while any star can have a rough few games. It's time to take a close look at those players.

We’re beginning a new weekly series by breaking down which NHLers are on a hot streak at the moment and which stars are cold in the past week, going back to Oct. 29. Let's get to it.

Hot: Cutter Gauthier, LW, Anaheim Ducks

Gauthier came into the season looking to improve on his 20-goal, 44-point rookie campaign. Through 12 games, it's looking like he'll do it.

The 21-year-old is thriving, with 10 goals and 16 points – which includes his seven-game point streak that includes seven goals and 13 points.

In the past week, Gauthier led all NHLers in scoring with eight points in three games. His teammate, Leo Carlsson, is tied for second with Connor McDavid, both with seven points.

Gauthier stood out on Tuesday with a hat trick and assist to complete a season sweep over the Florida Panthers. We'll talk about who he scored on later.

It’s unfair to expect Gauthier to maintain this scoring pace, but he is showing people why the Philadelphia Flyers drafted him fifth overall in 2022. Gauthier engineered his way out of Philadelphia and to the Ducks, earning him the hatred of Flyers fans. But he’s playing nearly four more minutes per game than the 14:09 he averaged last season, and he’s quickly developing into one of the best young players in the league.

Five Most Intriguing NHL Odds To Make Or Miss The PlayoffsBurning questions surround five NHL teams with playoff odds that are worth a closer look.

Cold: Artemi Panarin, LW, New York Rangers

For most of his 11 NHL seasons, Panarin has been one of the best point producers on his team. And since he arrived in Manhattan in 2019, Panarin has been the straw that stirs the drink for the Rangers.

But after his offensive totals took a 31-point dip last season, the 34-year-old has come out of the starting blocks ice cold, as he’s put up only two goals and seven points in 14 games. And Panarin hasn’t put up a single point in his past six games, including the three games in the past week.

The crazy part about Panarin’s season is he’s currently averaging 21:08 of ice time, more than a minute over his career average of 19:42. Panarin also has the motivation of being in a contract year, and if he wants a pay raise on the $11.6 million he’s currently earning, he’s going to have to improve in a hurry.

Hot: Dawson Mercer, C, New Jersey Devils

The Devils started strong, sitting second in the Eastern Conference, and Mercer’s offensive production is a key reason why.

The 24-year-old has points in six of his past seven games, including four goals and five points in the past week. He and Gauthier have the most goals since Oct. 29.

That hot stretch has given Mercer eight goals and 14 points in 13 games this year, putting him on pace to demolish his current career highs of 27 goals and 56 points, two totals he set in 2022-23.

Mercer is averaging 17:57 of ice time, which is slightly better than his career average of 17:05. But on a deep, talented New Jersey team, he doesn’t have to do all the heavy lifting, and that lack of pressure on him is leading him to do great things.

NHL Power Rankings: Each Team's Biggest Surprise One Month InThe Panthers are last in the East? The Rangers were shut out again? Nearly everything's going well for the Penguins? This week's NHL power rankings features no shortage of surprises as the list continues to change.

Hot: Michael Bunting, LW, Nashville Predators

Bunting has bounced around the NHL since debuting in 2018-19, and the Predators are his fifth NHL team. Bunting generated nine points in 18 games after Nashville acquired him from the Pittsburgh Penguins in March last season, but the 30-year-old has four goals and nine points in 15 games this year.

In four games jam-packed into the past week, Bunting has two goals and six points. That's surprising, considering he averaged 14:19 of ice time in that span, well below his career average of 15:34.

He’s in the final season of a contract that pays him $4.5 million per year, and while it’s unlikely he’ll get a raise on his next deal, Bunting could play well enough, consistently enough, to have Nashville trade him to a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

Cold: Sergei Bobrovsky, G, Florida Panthers

For the last two seasons, Bobrovsky was the star goalie for the back-to-back Cup champions, so he doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone.

However, given that he’s earning $10 million per year – and because he’s in the final season of his contract – Bobrovsky has a high bar to clear. So far this year, he’s failed to clear it, posting a 6-4-0 record, a 2.82 goals-against average and a .883 save percentage in 10 appearances on an injury-affected squad.

This past week looked particularly rough for Bobrovsky, who had an .815 SP and 4.85 GAA. He allowed three goals on 22 shots in a win over Dallas (.864 SP) and then conceded seven goals on 32 shots in a loss against Gauthier and the Ducks.

Florida’s skaters in front of Bobrovsky need to step up in the absence of Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk and Dmitry Kulikov, but he also has to own his role in the Panthers’ struggles. If he’s going to strike it rich on what could be his final NHL contract, the 37-year-old Bobrovsky has to show he’s still capable of being a No. 1 option on a Cup front-runner.

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Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan has been sent down to the AHL's Toronto Marlies, but for how long is the question.

The move coincides with Scott Laughton's return to the lineup after missing the first 13 games of the regular season with a lower-body injury. The Maple Leafs had already been at the roster limit, so moving Cowan to the AHL (he was the only forward who was waivers-exempt) allowed them to activate Laughton.

Cowan scored one goal, three assists, and averaged 12:33 of ice time through his first 10 NHL games. While up with the Maple Leafs, the 20-year-old bounced throughout the team's lineup, even getting on the top line and having power play minutes.

He participated in the Maple Leafs' morning skate on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Marlies begin a six-game stretch away from Coca-Cola Coliseum. They also play on Wednesday evening, with their first game of the road trip against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

It's unknown how long Cowan will remain down in the AHL, though.

Barring an injury of any sort when the Maple Leafs face the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday night, Cowan must play in one AHL game before being able to be recalled to the NHL. It's a rule that was implemented this season to limit NHL teams from making paper transactions.

Nevertheless, Cowan could benefit from some time with the Marlies. He'll face lesser competition all while getting top minutes in all situations. While there'll still be expectations for him in the AHL, it won't be as much as it would if he were still in the NHL.

Maple Leafs Practice Notes: Laughton, Lorentz Could Return Vs. Mammoth, Carlo, Stolarz Get Maintenance DayWith a few extra bodies up front, the Maple Leafs have opted for a different-looking bottom six, featuring Laughton and Lorentz.

Laughton draws into the Maple Leafs lineup alongside Steven Lorentz and Max Domi on the team's fourth line. Lorentz missed the last two games with an upper-body injury after going awkwardly into the boards against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Laughton, on the morning ahead of his season debut, was excited to get back into the Maple Leafs' lineup.

"I think you put in a ton of work on yourself when things like that happen. The attention to detail from the staff here, right from day one of the injury, has been pretty incredible. So I owe a lot to those guys for getting me back here and getting me on the right track," he said.

"You train all summer, you come back, and something like that happens. So hopefully I don't have to see the gym for a while."

Latest stories:

'Hopefully I Don't Have To See The Gym For A While': After Long Injury Layoff, Scott Laughton Eager To Boost Maple Leafs In Season Debut

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The Chicago Blackhawks will face the Vancouver Canucks in game four of their six-game road trip on Wednesday night. The first three haven't gone according to plan, as they are 0-2-1 on the trip. 

The Blackhawks, ahead of this trip, were off to a good start to the 2025-26 season. These last three games have been a bump in the road, but this match against Vancouver is their next chance to get back on track. 

This is Connor Bedard's next opportunity for a good performance against the team he grew up cheering for. The first few games of his career didn't go as well as he would have liked, but he is a completely different player with a totally different outlook this time. 

Scouting Vancouver

Vancouver missed the playoffs last season in what turned out to be a disaster of a year for the organization. They were forced to trade J.T. Miller because he wasn't getting along with other players on the team, other players had career-worst numbers, and the year was capped off by the GM admitting that Quinn Hughes may want to leave to play with his brothers.

Despite all of that noise, they are fighting to stay afloat in the Pacific Division and Western Conference. They enter this game on the outside portion of the bubble with a record of 7-7-0. 

Kevin Lankinen is the projected starter for the Vancouver Canucks. The old Chicago Blackhawks goalie has played very well since moving to Vancouver, and he will look to keep that going against the Blackhawks in this one. 

Kane - Pettersson - Garland

DeBrusk Reichel - Boeser

O’Connor - Räty - Sherwood

Bains - Sasson - Karlsson

Hughes - Myers

Pettersson - Hronek

Pettersson - Willander

Following an injury, Quinn Hughes returned to the Vancouver Canucks lineup in their last game against the Nashville Predators. In this game, they'll be getting another boost with the addition of Conor Garland back in the lineup. 

Vancouver is coming off their own road trip, where it went 2-1-0. These additions to their lineup make them even more dangerous. 

Yes, there are three players with the last name of Pettersson in their lineup. Elias is their star center who wears number 40 on the top line. 

He isn't the only Elias Pettersson, either, though. The other is a depth defenseman who will play on the third pair and wear number 25. The third, Marcus, will play on the second pair and wear number 29. 

Kevin Lankinen isn't the only ex-Blackhawk going in this game. Lukas Reichel, who was just traded to Vancouver a couple of weeks ago, is projected to be their second-line center. That is far better for him than being a healthy scratch regularly in Chicago. 

Reichel is out to prove that Vancouver made the right decision trading for him. Although he went out with some of his teammates on Tuesday night, he is ready for business when the puck drops. 

Vancouver didn't take part in line rushes during Wednesday's morning skate, so these are projected, but the addition of Garland back to the lineup will add to their depth either way. 

Projected Blackhawks Lines, Defense Pairs, and Starting Goalie

Greene-Bedard-Burakovsky

Teräväinen-Nazar-Bertuzzi 

Moore-Donato-Mikheyev

Foligno-Dach

Vlasic-Rinzel

Kaiser-Levshunov

Grzelcyk-Murphy

Crevier

Knight

Spencer Knight is the projected starter for the Chicago Blackhawks. He has been their number one all season, and is looking to lead the way to victory on Wednesday night. 

Like the Canucks, the Blackhawks didn't reveal lines during their morning skate. That is starting to become a pattern for Jeff Blashill over the last few morning skates. 

There are two reasons to believe that they will go with 11/7 again, however. The first is that they have gone with that strategy in all but two games. The second reason is that Sam Lafferty, who has been a healthy scratch in all but three games this season, was the last off the ice. 

Bedard's homecoming will see him on a line with Ryan Greene and Andre Burakovsky. Bedard is looking to extend his point streak, while Burakovsky would like to get his goal-scoring streak to four. 

On defense, this group of seven has worked very well for the Blackhawks. They had some tough moments against the Winnipeg Jets earlier in the tip, but they have been solid otherwise. 

How To Watch

The Blackhawks and Canucks can be found locally on CHSN. Nationally, it can be found on ESPN+ in the United States and on Sportsnet in Canada. In Chicago, it can be heard on WGN AM 720. The puck will drop a little bit after 9 PM CT. 

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.

One of the main concerns to kick off the New York Rangers’ 2025-26 campaign lies with the play of Artemi Panarin. 

Panarin entered the season without a contract in place, which only put more pressure on the veteran forward to perform at a high level. 

During training camp, he admitted that it’s a roller coaster ride playing without a contract extension in place.

“It’s obviously good for everyone to feel that security,” Panarin said. “I’m used to it, being in that situation. It is what it is right now. Just not (going to) complain about it, I’m ready to work hard…

“Obviously, after bad games, you are thinking too much, but after good games, you enjoy it more than usual.”

Panarin may be making it harder on himself to land the long-term commitment that he is coveting. 

Through 14 games, the 34-year-old forward has recorded two goals, seven assists, and nine points while averaging 21:08 minutes per game. 

Since arriving in New York in 2019, Panarin has been the catalyst of the Rangers’ offense and one of the leading point producers in the NHL. 

Panarin’s slow offensive start to kick off the season has been a wide point of conversation among the Rangers’ community, especially given his current contract situation. 

Mike Sullivan is not worried about Panarin’s production though, as he knows players of his caliber usually find ways to turn things around. 

“I think it's probably a little bit of both,” Sullivan said on if Panarin’s struggles are due to goaltenders playing well or if something is not clicking for Panarin. “He's definitely getting some looks. I think when he gets underneath people, and he gets inside the dots, he's really dangerous. 

“My experience in coaching players of his caliber is sometimes as coaches, we just have to be careful we don’t get in the way there. So we're trying to give him a lot of latitude with his offensive game. We share our observations with him, but obviously, those types of players, what makes them unique is they tend to think the game differently than others, and that's part of what makes them who they are. I've always been a strong believer that, I try not to get in the way of that process. So he's at his best place and in that instinctive mindset, and he's trusted his instincts, and we're trying to encourage that.”

How does Panarin’s slow start directly impact his contract negotiations with the Rangers?

According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, the Rangers are in no rush to strike a deal, with the team taking a patient approach. 

“But for the moment, my sense of the situation is that it’s very early in the season under new head coach Mike Sullivan, the Rangers want to see how things go and therefore are not in a hurry to get going more seriously on talks to extend the pending UFA winger,” Lebrun wrote.

The longer these negotiations drag out, the more pressure it puts on Panarin if his offensive skid continues. 

K'Andre Miller Opens Up About The Highs And Lows Of Playing For The Rangers K’Andre Miller returned to Madison Square Garden for the first time since being traded from the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> to the Carolina Hurricanes over the summer.&nbsp;

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Rangers wanted Panarin to take a team-friendly deal during the summer, but the two sides were unable to agree. 

“I understand, at some point in the off-season, the Rangers had that kind of conceptual conversation with Panarin: ‘Is there a way you could do for the Rangers what Kopitar did for the Kings?’” Friedman said. “Obviously, at this point and time, it hasn’t happened. I don’t know where that’s going to go, I don’t know if that’s going to be a possibility, but I do know the two sides had the conversation and, obviously, at this point, Panarin is unsigned.”

It’s still early on in the season, so there’s no need to push the panic button on Panarin just yet, but his play on top of his contract dilemma is both worth keeping an eye out for.

The Golden Knights have announced a proud partnership with Buffalo Wild Wings. 

As part of the collaboration, Buffalo Wild Wings will be prominently featured with an on-ice logo at T-Mobile Arena. 

The restaurant chain also steps into a key community role as the Presenting Sponsor of the VGK High School Hockey League, reinforcing its commitment to supporting youth sports in Southern Nevada.

Golden Knights Ignite High School Hockey In The DesertThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vegas-golden-knights">Golden Knights</a> are responsible for the widespread attention to hockey in the Las Vegas desert, a place where the sport was once considered unlikely to thrive.

“Partnering with Buffalo Wild Wings is a natural fit for the Vegas Golden Knights,” said John Penhollow, President of Business Operations of the Golden Knights. 

“Their passion for bringing fans together over great food and live sports aligns perfectly with our mission to build community through hockey. Whether it’s celebrating a big win or supporting local youth hockey through the VGK High School Hockey League, this partnership gives our fans more ways to connect with the team they love.”

Fans can enjoy six free wings (boneless or traditional) with a $10 purchase at one of ten participating Buffalo Wild Wings locations in the Las Vegas area, valid two days after any Golden Knights win, home or away.

“This collaboration provides the perfect opportunity to bring fans closer to the team they love and offer an exciting way to celebrate every Knights win,” said Phil Albanese, Senior Vice President of Company Operations at Buffalo Wild Wings. “We're excited for the season ahead and look forward to cheering on the Knights over great food and wings."

Five exciting NHL matchups are on the slate, promising fast-paced action, thrilling finishes, and plenty of highlight-reel moments on Wednesday. One of the night’s most compelling games features the young Chicago Blackhawks taking on the Vancouver Canucks, with former Blackhawks 2020 first-round pick Lukas Reichel facing his old team.

This matchup offers plenty of intrigue for fans and bettors alike, with the potential for high-scoring plays and standout individual performances. We’re aiming to build on our early-season momentum after a perfect 3-0 night Tuesday, when all three of our Stars-Oilers picks were correct, while continuing the success of last year’s player prop selections, which included winners like Mitch Marner, Mark Scheifele, Wyatt Johnston, Rasmus Dahlin, Teuvo Teravainen and Connor Hellebuyck.

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.

Mammoth Set To Push Maple Leafs in Wild Scoring FrenzyThe Red-hot Utah Mammoth challenge Toronto's high-powered offense in a potential goal-scoring explosion.

Vancouver Canucks vs Chicago Blackhawks Best Bets

Canucks ML (-169)

Lukas Reichel Over 0.5 Points (+155)

Quinn Hughes Over 0.5 Assists (-154)

Canucks Over 3.5 Goals (-105)

Vancouver has dominated Chicago in recent history, winning 11 straight matchups against the Blackhawks. Chicago’s last victory in this series came in November 2021, when they narrowly edged the Canucks in a 1-0 win. Overall, Vancouver commands a 20-2-1 record in their last 23 games against Chicago.

Wednesday’s game carries added intrigue as a “revenge” story for Lukas Reichel. Once regarded as a potential star in Chicago, Reichel has long been linked to trade rumors due to frustration with the organization. 

Struggling to secure a consistent spot in the Blackhawks’ lineup, he was traded to Vancouver, where he now gets a second chance. In Vancouver, he’s playing second-line minutes alongside experienced wingers like Jake DeBrusk and Brock Boeser. Despite a hot start to the season in Chicago, recording four points in his first six games, Reichel has yet to tally a point in six outings with the Canucks. He may finally find his footing against his former team, especially with Chicago’s defense showing signs of vulnerability.

The Blackhawks began the season solidly, posting a 4-2-2 record in their first eight games. However, they’ve struggled recently, going 1-3-1 while allowing 18 goals over their last five contests. Their offense has stalled, producing just 14 goals in that stretch, seven of which came in a single 7-3 win over the Ottawa Senators last Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Canucks have dealt with significant injury issues, with key players Nils Höglander, Filip Chytil, Connor Garland, and Teddy Blueger all sidelined. This has contributed to inconsistency, as seen in their 5-4 overtime win over the Nashville Predators on Monday. Vancouver gave up two late goals to tie the game on the road but quickly regained momentum with a game-winning goal from Brock Boeser in overtime. The Canucks have alternated wins and losses in each of their last six games, and a win on Wednesday would not only break that cycle but also give a boost to their playoff push.

Canucks captain Quinn Hughes returned from a four-game absence on Monday but did not record a point. Hughes has historically excelled against Chicago, tallying points in six straight games versus the Blackhawks, totaling ten points over his last 11 games against them. He could be primed for a bounce-back performance in this matchup and help Reichel get on the board in the process. 

Are The Pittsburgh Penguins For Real?Crosby and Malkin are revitalized, leading league-leading Penguins. Can this aging core sustain a Stanley Cup push with solid goaltending and surprisingly deep support?

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.

The Los Angeles Kings have finally secured their first win at home on Tuesday night when they defeated the Winnipeg Jets in a 3-0 shutout victory.

However, despite the big win against the Jets at Crypto.com Arena, the Kings still have another drought to end this season.

Adrian Kempe Reaches 200 Goals, Drew Doughty Sets Franchise Record As Kings Shut Out Jets Los Angeles finally found their swagger at home, shutting out the Winnipeg Jets 3-0 Tuesday night to win its first home game of the season.&nbsp;

In 14 games so far this season, the Kings have faced an Eastern Conference opponent four times. They’ve battled against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings, and New Jersey Devils. 

In those four contests, the Kings only picked up one point in an overtime loss to the Hurricanes on Oct. 18. This means they’re still looking for their first win against an Eastern Conference team this season.

Report: Los Angeles Kings Scouting Philadelphia Flyers For Potential Top-Six WingerThe Los Angeles Kings are keeping tabs on the Philadelphia Flyers. Recent scouting reports suggest a top-six winger acquisition, potentially targeting Tippett, Konecny or Foerster to boost scoring.

Los Angeles have a chance to silence their lack of wins against the opposite conference on Thursday night when they take on the defending, back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, Florida Panthers.

History says that there is a strong possibility for the Kings to best the Panthers on home ice. In the last six matchups between these two teams, the Kings have been victorious four times, with three of those wins in their own barn.

Last season, Los Angeles and Florida split the season with one regulation win apiece. The Panthers got the last laugh with a 3-0 win on Jan. 29.

Nonetheless, the Kings could be looking at their first win against an Eastern Conference opponent for the first time this season, just after they earned their first home win of the campaign on Tuesday.

To help the Kings’ case against the Panthers on Thursday, Florida currently sit last in the Eastern Conference, despite having a 6-6-1 record. Furthermore, their coming off a 7-3 loss to open their California road trip against the Anaheim Ducks.

In the process of Los Angeles potentially solving their case against Eastern Conference opponents, a win would push them into the top three of the Pacific Division, even if they have a few more games played than their divisional counterparts.

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.

There have been a ton of boxes checked for Pittsburgh Penguins' rookie sensation Ben Kindel in the last two months.

First, the 18-year-old center impressed so much during training camp that he earned a spot on the opening night NHL roster, which was not necessarily something that was expected. Then, he impressed even more as the team's third-line center during his nine-game trial that he earned an NHL stay and activated his three-year entry-level contract. He also earned the chance to play on the Penguins' top power play unit in the injury absence of Rickard Rakell, and he already has two power-play goals.

Now, it appears he will get to check yet another box. 

During Wednesday's practice, Kindel was taking line rushes with future Hall-of-Fame center Sidney Crosby and top winger Bryan Rust on the team's first line, which is a good indication that he will slot there in the lineup when the Penguins take on Washington Capitals on Thursday. 

And for the rookie center - who has five goals in 12 games on the season already - it will be yet another earned opportunity for him to play a bigger role on this Penguins' team. 

"If I get that opportunity to play with two elite players like that, I'm very honored and grateful to have that opportunity," Kindel said. "Just going to do whatever I can to help that line."

And it's no secret that playing with an all-time great player doesn't always come easy to players. But, given how Kindel has adjusted to the NHL up to this point, it may be a piece of cake for the young center.

For one, Kindel has switched from center to the wing before, so this is nothing new to him. He has played wing for Canadian national team camps, and he switched between center and wing last season for the Calgary Hitmen, when he put up 35 goals and 99 points in 65 WHL games. 

But even more so than the positional familiarity is the hockey sense that Kindel possesses at such a young age. That has been on display during his entire first taste of NHL action, and he hasn't missed a beat. He reads plays in all three zones akin to how a 10-year NHL veteran would. He knows how to expose the soft areas of the ice. He's a workhorse down low and uses some high-end edgework to his advantage. 

Penguins Provide Injury Updates On Three Key PlayersThe Pittsburgh Penguins provided some injury updates to three players on Wednesday.

Does that sound a bit familiar? It's not unlike his new linemate - even if expectations aren't quite as high as they were for that guy at 18. Crosby and Kindel think the game on a similar level, and that will probably lend to them developing some chemistry.

Crosby said Kindel's speed and compete in puck battles will help, too. But, at the end of the day, it's about communication, as it is with any other linemate - not just a young one.

"I think that you always want to communicate," Crosby said. "You can [try to] accelerate that learning curve as best you can, but ultimately, you've just got to go through things and read off each other. I think that the more you can talk things out, the better you can do that. That's going to be part of it."

Kindel himself also identified his ability to win puck battles and get the puck to some of the best players on the ice as things he can do to help out his new veteran linemates.

"Just kind of trying to work as hard as I can," Kindel said. "They're all very smart players, and I'm just trying to read off them as much as I can and just trying to move the puck to them, win puck battles, just keep plays alive, stuff like that. You know, things like that... I think it's going to be really important."

With a boatload of injuries and a roster shakeup - the Penguins placed three players on injured reserve, sent down young defenseman Owen Pickering, and recalled three more players Tuesday - there is bound to be a lot of experimentation going forward. Kindel's third line was really getting the job done in recent games - including controlling 95.5 percent of the expected goals share against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday - but with two regular top-six players missing from their lineup in Rakell and Justin Brazeau, things were probably going to change eventually.

Penguins' Third Line - Led By Rookie Ben Kindel - Thriving In Key Analytics CategoryWell, it appears that word travels fast across hockey circles, and the rest of hockey is quickly learning that <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' rookie center Ben Kindel is the real deal.&nbsp;

And head coach Dan Muse thought it was the right time to give Kindel a try in the top-six, especially since he's played on the wing in the past, during training camp, and even in some game action.

"It's something we wanted to see today in practice," Muse said. "Like I said before, we're still going to have some conversations and make some final determinations in terms of how things are going to look [Thursday]."

He added: "There's been enough of an evaluation in the past for us to feel comfortable with seeing what that looks like. Obviously, those guys are together on the power play, and we've seen them be able to read off each other, make plays with each other. So, it's something we wanted to look at. It's just another option. It's nice when you have practice days, especially when we had some new faces in there today and some things that we needed to shuffle around."

For Kindel, playing with Crosby is an opportunity to really start to show the rest of the hockey world what he can do. He's already starting to get some of that outside recognition, especially after a dominant two-goal performance in hockey's biggest market Monday.

But, at the end of the day, the young rookie is just grateful for his opportunity to keep playing and keep thriving at the NHL level. And he will get the opportunity to share the ice with another NHL legend Thursday against Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals.

"Obviously, every night you're playing against different elite NHL talent, but playing against a guy like that, Ovechkin, like... I mean, such a legend in the league," Kindel said. "Very few guys come around that have that kind of status. So, I'm really excited to have the opportunity to play against him."

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