Former Golden Knights coach Peter DeBoer was honored Friday night, becoming the first person to be inducted into the inaugural Kitchener Rangers Level of Legacy.

Under DeBoer, the Rangers won two OHL championships and the Memorial Cup in 2003.

"I haven't been in this building in a long time," DeBoer told fans while addressing them from center ice. "It's a rare opportunity to look back and spend time in the greatest hockey rink in North America with the greatest fans.

"We had a lot of players come through here that bled blue and red and white for you guys, and they did it because you guys showed up every Friday night, the Ranger nation, and they wanted to, so thank you."

DeBoer finished his speech by taking fans down memory lane for what he called the "best hockey moment" of his coaching career, when the clock was ticking down and "Ranger Nation" took over the arena in Quebec City on May 25, 2003, in the Memorial Cup Final.

And on cue, the fans responded:

Peter Deboer’s speech to the fans after being inducted into the Rangers Level of Legacy @OHLRangerspic.twitter.com/VfaFZxHSJc

— Joshua Goeree (@GoereeReport) November 8, 2025

The Rangers but a bow on the night, after the ceremony, by stretching their winning streak to four games with a 5-2 victory over the Saginaw Spirit.

DeBoer, who spent 18 years as a head coach in the NHL, was 98-50-12 as coach of the Golden Knights.

During his time in Vegas, the Knights were 22-17 in the playoffs and reached the 2020 Western Conference Final before losing in five games to the Dallas Stars. They also reached the 2021 Stanley Cup Semifinals, where they were upset by the Montreal Canadiens in six games.

DeBoer was most recently the bench boss in Dallas, before being fired after last season. The 57-year-old led the Stars to the Western Conference Final in all three seasons he was in Dallas.

DeBoer compiled a 662-447-152 record as coach of the Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks, Golden Knights and Stars.

As a few of the Toronto Maple Leafs skated on Saturday morning ahead of a game against the Boston Bruins, two familiar faces peered out from the corner of the opposing team's end, behind the glass.

Former Maple Leafs Fraser Minten and Alex Steeves watched on as some of their past teammates whipped around inside Scotiabank Arena.

"It was weird. I'm used to them on this side," said a grinning Nick Robertson, who has plenty of experience being teammates with both players.

Saturday night will be the first time both Minten and Steeves will play the Maple Leafs since departing their former club earlier this year.

Minten was moved to the Bruins at the trade deadline last spring, along with a conditional first-round pick, in exchange for defenseman Brandon Carlo. Steeves departed the organization this summer in free agency, signing a one-year, $850,000 contract with Boston on July 1.

"Yeah, it's a little strange, coming back on the other side and stuff," said Minten, who's developed a full-time role early in Boston. "But you feel the excitement that you felt when you were a Leaf. Like, the big game, it's going to be a big stage, that kind of thing."

Nick Barden (@nickbarden) on XFraser Minten leads the Bruins’ stretches ahead of his return against the Maple Leafs tonight.

Steeves, two stalls over, who was called up to the NHL this morning, echoed the same sentiment.

"Some of the best years of my life, honestly," Steeves remarked.

"I still text with some of my buddies, mainly from the Marlies, every day. I never expected to get so close with guys... Four years on one team is a long time at this level, and really just made some unbelievable friends and teammates, staff members.

"I love this city. Good food, good people, and all that stuff. I absolutely loved being a Marlie and loved being a Leaf, and it's good to be back. It feels weird going back to the hotel and not my apartment right now, but it's going to be a good night."

Minten, drafted by the Maple Leafs in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft, looks back on his time in Toronto with a lot of positivity. The 21-year-old made his NHL debut with the club on Oct. 11, 2023, against the Montreal Canadiens, and even lived with John Tavares for a chunk of time that year.

Why Maple Leafs Captain John Tavares Has Welcomed Rookies Fraser Minten and Matthew Knies Into His HomeTavares extended the invite to Knies when the player joined the Leafs late last season. Minten has now been added to the mix.

At some point on Saturday night, the two former teammates will likely meet each other in the faceoff circle.

"It'll be tough, I know that for sure, but it'll be cool," Minten smiled. "He's obviously a legend of the game at this point, and cool to see all the success he's still been having...

"He's the master still, so we'll see. But I'll do my best."

The young forward has two goals and three assists through 16 games this season with a 51.5 percent success rate in the faceoff dot.

Steeves had quite a different path to the NHL with the Maple Leafs. He signed as a free agent out of college in 2021 and spent most of his time in Toronto with the Marlies. Through four seasons in the organization, Steeves appeared in just 14 NHL games and scored three points (one goal, two assists).

'I Don't Even Have A House': Maple Leafs' Alex Steeves Reacts To First NHL Goal, Doesn't Know Where Puck Will GoAlex Steeves <i>finally</i> put the puck in the net with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He started this season with the AHL's Providence Bruins, tallying eight points in his first nine games. With the AHL club being in Cleveland, Steeves had to get a car service on Friday afternoon to Toronto.

The 25-year-old played 256 games with the Marlies, scoring 108 goals and 116 assists for 224 points. He holds the Marlies record for goals and points, which he achieved in his final season with the organization.

Despite not having much runway in the NHL during his time in Toronto, which was likely frustrating, Steeves departed the organization on good terms.

"It was my first time being eligible to be a UFA, and I absolutely wouldn't trade my four years here for anything," he said.

"I grew so much as a person, as a player, played for two different regimes, all that kind of stuff. Ultimately, I just decided that I wanted to see what kind of other opportunities were out here. Because I wasn't able to break in here. There's no bad blood or anything. I only have good things to say about Toronto. But ultimately, the Bruins presented me an opportunity, and it's something I felt comfortable with."

Two-Time Stanley Cup Winner Kyle Clifford Retires, Joins Maple Leafs In Player Development RoleFormer Toronto Maple Leafs forward Kyle Clifford is calling it a career.

Minten will center the Bruins' third line between Tanner Jeannot and Mark Kastelic. Steeves joins the second line, playing alongside Pavel Zacha and Viktor Arvidsson. Boston is second in the Atlantic Division and is on a five-game winning streak.

"It's really fun to play every night and contribute to stretches of wins like we're on right now," Minten said. "It's a good feeling to feel like you're a part of the team at a full-time rate at this point, so it's been really fun."

Whenever a former player rolls into Toronto for the first time, everyone expects them to have a "revenge game". Given Steeves' time in the Maple Leafs' organization, going up and down countless times throughout the four years, could this be his revenge game?

"Yeah, I mean, I guess it's whatever you want to call it," he smiled. "I'm just really happy to be here. It's obviously my first call-up of the season, and it's not about me tonight. It's about hopefully getting two points."

Latest stories:

Dennis Hildeby to Back Up Anthony Stolarz Against Bruins; Will He Start Sunday Against Hurricanes?

Maple Leafs' Chris Tanev Skates For First Time Since Leaving Game Against Flyers On Stretcher

How William Nylander Has Gotten Off To The Best Start Of A Season In His NHL Career With Maple Leafs

We are well into the NHL’s 2025-26 season, but there are already several NHL front office and coaching staff members who are on THN.com’s Hot Seat Radar. The place you are when you’re feeling intense pressure to either produce as expected or move on from your current team. 

In this Hot Seat Radar edition, we’re focusing on coaches and GMs who are feeling the heat. In alphabetical order:

Kevyn Adams, GM, and Lindy Ruff, Coach, Buffalo Sabres

We’re kicking off this Hot Seat Radar file with two people linked together, whose future with the Sabres could come to an end if Buffalo can’t get into a playoff position. The Sabres own a .500 points percentage with a 5-5-4 record, but that has them in a four-way tie for last place in the Eastern Conference. That’s not going to save Adams and Ruff from the firing line.

Few teams are facing more pressure, night in and night out, than Buffalo. No coach/GM tandem is on the Hot Seat the way Adams and Ruff are. It may take one prolonged losing skid to spell the end of the road for the coach and GM. But nothing short of a playoff berth will ultimately save their jobs.

Andrew Brunette, Coach, Nashville Predators

Last season, the Predators were an unpleasant surprise, posting the NHL’s third-worst record at 30-44-8. You might give a mulligan to coach Brunette if you’re a glass-half-full person. But this season, the Preds are unsurprisingly one of the league’s worst teams. In fact, they currently have the league’s fifth-worst record at 5-7-4, and their points percentage of .438 is fourth-worst in the NHL. Not a pretty picture in Music City. 

Sooner or later, Brunette has to be accountable for this group. Granted, the Predators are a dog’s breakfast of borderline talent, veteran savvy and prospects trying to establish themselves as above-average NHL talent.

But Nashville GM Barry Trotz can’t let his team meander in the standings for much longer. If the Preds continue to struggle, it likely won’t be players who are moved on from. It will be easier to send Brunette to the unemployment line if Trotz opts for it. And a new coach will be assigned to try to make lemonade out of a lemon-laden Nashville lineup.

Ryan Huska, Coach, Calgary Flames

The Flames were an inspirational story of sorts last year, flirting with a playoff berth before missing out on one by the thinnest of margins. First-year coach Huska got as much out of his roster as they could have hoped for, so he had the reins of the team for another kick at the can this season. Unfortunately, Calgary’s start couldn’t have gone worse, as their 4-10-2 record is the worst in the league.

Flames GM Craig Conroy isn’t on this list because he’s told team owner Murray Edwards that his group is a work-in-progress that still needs a lot of progress, and a whole lot of work. But Huska isn’t nearly so safe. He’s got to work with a roster that is likely to change significantly, and somehow get them to look respectable every night. That’s a tall order indeed for Huska, and if Calgary doesn’t start posting more ‘W’s soon, a coaching change could be in order in Alberta.

---

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.

Los Angeles Kings left winger Warren Foegele is set to make his return from injury in Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Foegele has been out of the lineup for about two weeks, suffering an upper-body injury in the early stages of the Kings’ matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 26.

He only played 1:29 before he headed off the ice with what looked like a shoulder or arm injury. Foegele was hit by Blackhawks center Nick Foligno and was pushed into the boards in an awkward position. He wasn’t able to continue the game.

About a week later, after the Kings’ left winger wasn’t able to finish the game, he was placed on injured reserve as of Nov. 1. That meant he wouldn’t be able to suit up for Los Angeles for at least seven days after that.

Los Angeles Kings Winger Will Not Play Against The Sharks And Will ‘Miss Some Time’The Los Angeles Kings will be without Warren Foegele against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night and could miss games later in the week, too.

Now, with the Kings’ game against the Penguins on Sunday, that would account for the seven-day waiting period, making Foegele eligible to return to the lineup.

After a couple of weeks of recovering, Foegele said he’s “feeling really good.” Reports say he could be slotting in on the fourth line on the left wing of center Alex Turcotte and right winger Corey Perry.

This will be the second and last time Los Angeles will face Pittsburgh this season. The last time they met each other was at Crypto.com Arena, which saw the Pens take the contest 4-2.

In that outing, Foegele opened the scoring with his first goal of the season. In 10 appearances, the 29-year-old has one goal, a minus-one rating and is averaging 13:22 of ice time.

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.

Dennis Hildeby is set to make his Toronto Maple Leafs season debut soon.

One day after the Maple Leafs placed goaltender Cayden Primeau on waivers, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube confirmed that Hildeby would back up Anthony Stolarz, who will make his 12th start of the season against when the club hosts the Boston Bruins.

With Joseph Woll joining the Toronto Marlies on a conditioning stint, it didn't make sense to have Hildeby stay down with the Marlies serving as the backup. And after seeing three games of Cayden Primeau in net, it appears the Leafs saw enough of what they needed to see by placing the goaltender on waivers on Friday.

Maple Leafs Sign Dennis Hildeby To 3-Year Deal—Is He Their Third Goalie This Season?The Toronto Maple Leafs put pen to paper on a new contract for prospect goaltender Dennis Hildeby. The 24-year-old signed a new<a href="https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/1962893796904952129"> three-year dea</a>l that carries an average annual value of $841,667 at the NHL level.

The 26-year-old Primeau went 2-1-0 in three starts with a .838 save percentage in his three starts with the Leafs.

Hildeby has been called up once this season, backing up in Primeau's 4-3 overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 25.

'I Got Notice And Liked It Instantly': Why Dennis Hildeby Signed Unique Three-Year Contract With Maple LeafsDennis Hildeby is excited for the upcoming season after signing <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-sign-dennis-hildeby-to-3-year-deal-is-he-their-third-goalie-this-season">a rather unique three-year, $2.53 million extension</a> with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The 24-year-old Hildeby is 2-2-1 this season with an .890 save percentage with the Marlies. He posted a .920 save percentage in three pre-season games with the Leafs in training camp.

While not confirming it, all signs point to Hildeby likely getting the nod when the Leafs host the Carolina Hurricanes on Nov. 9 at Scotiabank Arena. Given the slate of games on back-to-back nights, it's highly unlikely the Leafs would entertain the thought of starting Stolarz on consecutive days.

Latest stories:

Maple Leafs' Chris Tanev Skates For First Time Since Leaving Game Against Flyers On Stretcher

How William Nylander Has Gotten Off To The Best Start Of A Season In His NHL Career With Maple Leafs

'I Don’t Want To Create Any Distractions”: Maple Leafs Goalie Joseph Woll Speaks Publicly for First Time Since Personal Leave

The Avalanche called up forward Daniil Gushchin from the AHL on Saturday.

Gushchin was a familiar face throughout training camp in the preseason. He showed impressive skating, offensive awareness, and some underrated snap behind his wrist shot. The 23-year-old Russia native has made an impact at the AHL level this season, producing a point per game with nine goals and two assists over 11 games. 

Guerilla Sports (@guerillasports) on XDanil Gushchin's ninth goal of the season. He is tied for the AHL-lead in goals. 🚨 The @ColoradoEagles are 6-0-0 when they score on the power play.

Gushchin’s Opportunity 

In parts of three seasons with the San Jose Sharks, Gushchin appeared in 18 NHL games, posting two goals and three assists while averaging around 13 minutes of ice time. Now as a member of the Avalanche, this is a prime opportunity for Gushchin to show off his improvements to the coaching staff and perhaps earn himself a permanent spot in the future. But with how deep this team is right now, it might be a while before that happens. 

Brindley Will Play

In an earlier version of this story, we reported that Gavin Brindley was listed as day-to-day. However, in recent hours, the Avalanche reported that Brindley would start the game. We'll see how this works out. 

Avalanche vs. Oilers 

Avalanche vs. Oilers goes down at 8 p.m. local time from Rogers Place and will be televised on ESPN. Don’t miss the action.   

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.

Saturday night, primetime hockey against a Canadian team—truly, it doesn’t get much better than that. 

Tonight, the Colorado Avalanche will go toe-to-toe with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the rest of the Edmonton Oilers as they square off at Rogers Place. 

Patrik Czepiec (@CzepiecPatrik) on XSoudě dle oslavy, Martin Nečas 🇨🇿 se s Nathanem MacKinnonem už docela kamarádí 👐 Vítězný gól Čecha na 5:4 proti Oilers 🚨 Zvíře Nathan 1+3 👀

Colorado Avalanche 

MacKenzie Blackwood, who made his season debut last Saturday against the San Jose Sharks, is the presumed starter for the game. Earlier in the week, Jared Bednar acknowledged that the netminder was still working through some rust but noted that a full week of practice should help him regain his timing and sharpness.

“He missed most of training camp; he’s been working kind of on his own and lacking team practice time at this point, so that’s why I think this week will be very good for him, practice yesterday; he got some work in today, we’re practicing again tomorrow and Friday, so it’s the most practices we’ve had all year, so I think that will help him get sort of used to game situations and he’ll be ready to go for the weekend," Bednar stated on Tuesday. 

The Avs held an optional skate Wednesday and a full practice Friday before heading north, giving Blackwood ample opportunity to settle in. If he showed enough progress, he should get the start; if questions remain, Bednar may opt for a split with Scott Wedgewood as Colorado navigates a back-to-back that concludes Sunday against the Vancouver Canucks. They've already played one back-to-back this season, dropping both in overtime to the Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils, respectively, leaving them 0-0-2 on the season. 

As reported Friday, Samuel Girard did not travel with the team as he continues to manage an upper-body injury. However, according to the Family Sports Center schedule, an Avs injured skate is set from 3:05 to 4:05 p.m. Participants could include Girard, Joel Kiviranta—who has just resumed skating following a lower-body injury—and Logan O’Connor. 

The Avalanche met the Oilers three times last season, dropping two of those contests, though each loss came under very different circumstances. In the first matchup, on November 30, Alexandar Georgiev was still in goal, while the second, on January 16, featured Mikko Rantanen on the roster. Their lone victory came in the third meeting, following the Rantanen trade that brought Martin Necas and Jack Drury over from the Carolina Hurricanes. While the Avs now have Blackwood and Wedgewood, the Oilers, in the meanwhile, haven’t made any changes in net with Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard manning the pipes, and some of their more solid defensive pieces from last season are no longer with the club.  

Nathan MacKinnon leads the team in goals (10) and points (20), while his 10 assists rank second to Cale Makar’s 14 for the team high. 

On a positive note regarding injuries, Gavin Brindley informed The Hockey News—in the elevator just before puck drop for the Lightning–Avalanche matchup—that he had cleared concussion protocol and is expected to play this weekend. Brindley had missed time following a collision with Ivan Barbashev during the October 31 game against the Vegas Golden Knights. The 21-year-old Brindley suffered a concussion, but his symptoms were relatively minor.  

Edmonton Oilers 

Edmonton enters this contest with a 6-5-3 record, a mark that falls short of the dominance the franchise has historically exhibited. The team remains heavily top-loaded, with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl accounting for a combined 14 goals and 21 assists—38 points in total—so far this season. Yet, the potency of these two superstars cannot be understated; they remain capable of striking at a moment’s notice. Meanwhile, the Avalanche, despite boasting the NHL’s best record, have shown a vulnerability to conceding quick goals, whether due to defensive lapses or loose pucks. In a matchup of this caliber, anything can happen.  

Who’s Deeper? 

There is little doubt that the Avalanche boast greater depth. Edmonton has only three players with at least 12 points this season. We already know about McDavid and Draisaitl, but the third is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. In contrast, Colorado can count five players in that category: Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, Cale Makar, Victor Olofsson, and Artturi Lehkonen. 

Ultimately, the outcome may hinge less on star power than on execution and the ability to minimize mistakes. 

Showtime 

Avalanche vs. Oilers goes down at 8 p.m. local time and will be televised on ESPN. Don’t miss the action. 

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.

In the first period of the Minnesota Wild's game against the Carolina Hurricanes, Tyler Pitlick was ejected for a hit to the head on defenseman Jalen Chatfield.

Wild's Tyler Pitlick Ejected From Carolina Game For Hit To The Head On Hurricanes' Jalen ChatfieldA dangerous head contact from Tyler Pitlick sidelines Jalen Chatfield, igniting a fight and potentially a league suspension.

On Friday, the NHL ruled that there would be no further discipline for Pitlick. They ruled that the hit was direct head contract and more that it was not avoidable.

Chatfield is still injured and Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'amour will provide an update on the defenseman's status soon.

As for Pitlick, he did not play on Friday and was a healthy scratch against the New York Islanders.

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.

Recent Minnesota Wild Stories

'I'm Dumbfounded': Wild Put Together First Winning Streak Of The Season After A Controversial Overtime-WinnerWild snatch elusive victory with a bewildering overtime goal, finally igniting their season after a chaotic, back-and-forth battle.

- Wild's Daemon Hunt To Make Season Debut Tonight.

-'No One Else Is Going To Do It For Us': Wild Searching For Answers.

- Wild's Brock Faber Confronts His Early Season Struggles: 'I'm Better Than This'

- Wild Acquire Former Top Prospect From San Jose In A Trade.

After a productive two-game swing through Montreal and Nashville, the Philadelphia Flyers return to Xfinity Mobile Arena with four points and a little bit of tension released from their shoulders.

They didn’t just collect a road sweep; they rediscovered some rhythm. A shootout win in Montreal showed their persistence, and a 3–1 victory in Nashville demonstrated a more grounded, mature team effort. Now, as they prepare to face the Ottawa Senators, the Flyers will look to translate that steadiness into a consistent home-ice identity.

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A Team Settling Into Its Adjustments

What’s been most notable about the Flyers over the past week isn’t any individual performance but how well they’ve adapted to change. Tyson Foerster’s lower-body injury forced head coach Rick Tocchet to shuffle his forward lines, and what began as a necessity has evolved into something that’s genuinely working.

Siobhan Nolan (@SGNolan) on XTocchet had an interesting response about switching up the Flyers’ lines b/c of Tyson Foerster’s injury. Left things up in the air in terms of returning back to the lines they started the year with, even leaving things open on whether the Foerster-Cates-Brink line would return.

Bobby Brink has meshed surprisingly well alongside Matvei Michkov, adding energy and pace that complements Michkov’s creativity. Christian Dvorak’s line with Trevor Zegras and Owen Tippett "has been good for us," in the words of head coach Rick Tocchet — a mix of puck possession and defensive responsibility that’s given Tocchet dependable middle-six minutes.

It’s an encouraging sign for a coach who values structure but isn’t afraid to let his players breathe within it. The Flyers aren’t playing “safe” hockey right now — they’re playing informed hockey, where their system dictates their decisions rather than their nerves.

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Ersson’s Return Eases the Workload

Between the pipes, there’s more good news. Sam Ersson, who missed a brief stretch with a lower-body injury, is once again available for selection, and will get the start against Ottawa.

Dan Vladar has held his own — and then some — in Ersson’s absence. His performance in Nashville, particularly during a second period where the Predators swarmed the crease with heavy traffic, was calm and composed. He read plays cleanly, held his positioning, and managed rebounds effectively.

Still, asking any goaltender to carry consecutive games on short rest can wear thin over time. Ersson’s availability doesn’t just offer rest; it restores flexibility. Tocchet now has the freedom to manage both goalies based on matchup and rhythm rather than necessity.

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Ottawa’s Offensive Push and What the Flyers Must Counter

Ottawa arrives in Philadelphia as a team that can still score in bunches, even if consistency remains an issue. 

Cam York’s recent form, in particular, has been a bright spot. Against Nashville, he looked confident and efficient, breaking up rushes early and managing the puck with poise. If the Flyers can maintain that kind of control in their exits, they can neutralize Ottawa’s quick-strike tendencies.

Discipline will also be key. The Flyers have had their share of testy games, but they can’t afford to give them extended opportunities to find rhythm. Tocchet’s group has leaned on its penalty kill as a foundation all season, but the goal will be to spend less time relying on it.

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Continuity, Not Complacency

One of Tocchet’s subtler victories in recent weeks has been instilling patience in how this team approaches progress. The back-to-back wins weren’t always flashy, but they were composed — the kind of hockey that holds up over time.

The Flyers are still a team learning to manage momentum instead of chasing it. Their depth scoring is coming alive again, and their defensive structure looks tighter, but Tocchet has made it clear that the standard doesn’t change based on results.

That’s what will make the Ottawa game a useful barometer. Can the Flyers take the maturity they’ve shown on the road and bring it home? Can they avoid the lulls that sometimes creep in when the adrenaline of travel fades?

Those questions will define whether this recent stretch is a temporary upswing or the start of something more stable.

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Projected Lines

Philadelphia Flyers:

Forwards:

Owen Tippett - Christian Dvorak - Trevor Zegras

Matvei Michkov - Sean Couturier - Bobby Brink

Nikita Grebenkin - Noah Cates - Travis Konecny

Carl Grundstrom - Rodrigo Abols - Garnet Hathaway

Defense:

Cam York - Travis Sanheim

Nick Seeler - Jamie Drysdale

Emil Andrae - Noah Juulsen

Goalies:

Sam Ersson

Dan Vladar

Ottawa Senators

Forwards:

Nick Cousins - Tim Stutzle - Drake Batherson

Ridly Greig - Dylan Cozens - David Perron

Michael Amadio - Shane Pinto - Claude Giroux

Kurtis MacDermid - Lars Eller - Fabian Zetterlund 

Defense:

Jake Sanderson - Artem Zub

Thomas Chabot - Nick Jensen

Tyler Kleven - Nikolas Matinpalo

Goalies:

Linus Ullmark

Leevi Merilainen

The Pittsburgh Penguins will face one of the best teams in the NHL to start the season on Saturday.

They'll be in Newark to take on the New Jersey Devils, who have won 10 of their first 14 games and are tied with them for first in the Metropolitan Division. Devils forward Jack Hughes has been lighting the league on fire, compiling 10 goals and 18 points in 14 games. He's a strong contender for the Hart Trophy after the first month of the season.

Jesper Bratt has also been great, racking up five goals and 15 points in 14 games. Dawson Mercer is second on the team in goals with eight and third on the team in points with 14. 

The Devils are coming off a 4-3 overtime win over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. Bratt scored the overtime winner for the Devils. 

The Penguins are coming off a 5-3 win over the Washington Capitals on Thursday and are now 9-4-2 to start the season. They blew a three-goal lead for a second-straight game, but were able to rally in the third period thanks to a game-winning goal from Bryan Rust. 

Arturs Silovs will start in goal for a second-straight game after he was steady on Thursday. The Penguins are taking it easy with prospect Sergei Murashov and potentially saving his NHL debut for Sunday's home game against the Los Angeles Kings. 

Kevin Hayes, who has missed the first 15 games of the season due to an injury he suffered at the beginning of training camp, will make his season debut for the Penguins. He will slot in for Philip Tomasino, who continues to struggle.

Here were the lines at practice on Friday:

Forwards

Rust-Crosby-Kindel

Novak-Malkin-Mantha

Koppanen-Hayes-Koivunen

Dewar-Lizotte-Heinen

Defense

Wotherspoon-Karlsson

Shea-Letang

Graves-Clifton

Dumba-Brunicke

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Puck drop for this contest will be at 12:30 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. You can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'

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

Nov 6, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Noah Juulsen (47) and Nashville Predators center Ryan O'Reilly (90) battle for the puck during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Game Day

Who: Dallas Stars (7-4-3) at Nashville Predators (5-7-4)

Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tenn.

When: 2:30 Pm CST

TV: FanDuel Sports Network South

Radio: 102.5 The Game

Betting line (via BetMGM):

Stars

-1.5 (+150)

O 6 (+100)

-160

Predators

+1.5 (-185)

U 6 (-120)

+135

Injury Report

Cole Smith (upper-body injury) is currently on injured reserve and is expected to miss 3-6 weeks.

Adam Wilsby (lower-body injury) is listed as week-to-week.

Captain Roman Josi (upper-body) is on injured reserve.

Preds Fall To Flyers, O’Reilly Expresses Frustration

The Nashville Predators carry a three-game losing streak into Saturday afternoon’s matchup against the Dallas Stars at Bridgestone Arena.

It’s been a particularly tough week for the Preds, losing two consecutive overtime games and managing only one goal in their last outing, a 3-1 home loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.

Preds forward Ryan O’Reilly expressed frustration after the Flyers’ game, not only for his team’s difficult stretch but his own play.

"I know for myself, (I'm) the No. 1 center and I'm turning over the puck," O'Reilly said following the game. "I can't make a 60-foot pass to save my life. You're not going to have much success if I'm playing pathetic like that.”

Forsberg Bobblehead Day

As the Preds play their final home game before heading to Stockholm, Sweden for the 2025 NHL Global Series presented by Fastenal, Saturday’s game is a Swedish send-off of sorts for Filip Forsberg.

The first 10,000 fans inside Bridgestone Arena will receive a Filip Forsberg bobblehead to commemorate the Preds forward and the trip to his home country that starts on Nov. 14.

The Preds will face off against the Pittsburgh Penguins in a two-game series in Stockholm. Forsberg was born in Leksand, so this series will be a dream come true for him.

Team Leaders

Speaking of Forsberg, he currently leads the team in scoring with six goals and 12 points. O’Reilly has tallied six goals and 10 points. Michael Bunting is right behind (4g-5a) with nine points, while Erik Haula (3g-5a) and Luke Evangelista (1g-7a) are tied with eight points apiece.

Juuse Saros, who was on the receiving end of the tough loss against Philadelphia on Thursday, comes into Saturday with a 5-5-3 record, 2.88 goals-against average and .902 save percentage. Justus Annunen is 0-2-1, 3.70, .872.

The Preds’ power play comes into Saturday’s matchup 7-of-49 (14.3%), 28th in the NHL. On the penalty kill, the Preds rank 14th at 82.0% (9-for-50).

Milestone Watch

The next goal Michael Bunting scores will be the 100th of his NHL career.

Scouting The Stars

The Preds have already faced Dallas once this season, falling 3-2 in an Oct. 26 meeting at Bridgestone Arena.

Jonathan Marchessault and Spencer Stastney tallied goals for the Preds, who were playing the second night of a back-to-back.

After falling behind 2-0, the Stars clawed back to score three unanswered goals for the comeback win. Saturday will be the second of three matchups between the two clubs this season.

Dallas is in a bit of a slump themselves. They’ve dropped three of their last four outings, the latest being a 7-5 loss to the Anaheim Ducks Thursday night.

Mikko Rantanen paces the team with 20 points (8g-12a), followed by Wyatt Johnston (9g-8a) with 17 points and Jason Robertson (3g-10a) with 13 points.

Jake Oettinger is 5-3-2 in goal for the Stars with a 2.89 goals-against average and .899 save percentage. Casey DeSmith is 2-1-1 with a 3.15 GAA and .876 SP.

The Stars’ power play is third in the NHL (17-of-50, 34.0%). The penalty kill is 28th at 70.5% (13-of-44).

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The Columbus Blue Jackets are on the road to face the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena tonight.   

The Vancouver Canucks come into this game 6th in the Pacific Division, 12th in the West, and 28th in the league. They've gone 4-6-0 in the last 10 and have lost 2 of their last 3 games. 

But much like every team in the league, just because they've lost a few games doesn't make them any less dangerous. Couple that with the fact that Rogers Arena is a factory of sadness for the Blue Jackets, and tonight might be a long night for the CBJ. Columbus is 11-17-0-6, all-time in Vancouver. 

Columbus has lost two straight games since their four-game winning streak and will be looking to pick up two points. Expect lineup changes for tonight, as Denton Mateychuk should return from missing the game against Calgary. 

Blue Jackets Stats

• Power Play - 16.1% - 25th in NHL
• Penalty Kill - 68.4% - 30th in NHL
• Goals For - 40 - 25th in NHL
• Goals Against - 41 - 13th in NHL

Canucks Stats

• Power Play - 19.2% - 19th in NHL
• Penalty Kill - 68.0% - 31st in NHL
• Goals For - 40 - 23rd in NHL
• Goals Against - 50 - 26th in NHL

Series History vs. Canucks

• Columbus is 26-32-2-9 all-time, and 11-17-0-6 on the road vs. Vancouver.
• The Jackets are 7-3-1 in the last 11 games against the Canucks.
• The CBJ went 1-1 vs. the Canucks last season.

Who To Watch For The Canucks

• Columbus native Kiefer Sherwood leads the Canucks with 9 goals.
• Conor Garland leads Vancouver with 8 assists and 11 points.
• Thatcher Demko is 5-4-0 with a .912 SV%. He last played on November 3rd against Nashville and won.
• Kevin Lankinen is 2-4-0 with a SV% of .880. He last played on November 5th, a loss against Chicago.

CBJ Player Notes vs. Canucks

• Zach Werenski has 8 points in 14 games against the Canucks.
• Sean Monahan has 29 points in 48 games.
• Kirill Marchenko has 6 points in 5 games vs. Vancouver.
• Elvis Merzlikins is 5-2-1 with an .892 SV% against Vancouver.

Injuries - Gudbranson on IR

• Erik Gudbranson - Upper Body - Missed 4 games - IR
• Denton Mateychuk - Undisclosed - Missed 1 game

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 15

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.

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OTTAWA SENATORS (6-5-3) at PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (8-5-1)
Faceoff: 1 pm, TSN5, RDS2

The Senators go another round with the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday afternoon. The two clubs met in Ottawa back on October 23rd with the Senators winning a defensive struggle, 2-1. Former Flyer Olle Lycksell scored the winner early in the second period before the two clubs completely shut each other down the rest of the way.

The State of Sens Nation

That win over the Flyers was the start of better things for the Senators. With the inclusion of that victory, the Sens have only lost once in regulation (4-1-2) since, though they have dropped their last two in overtime, falling 3-2 to the Boston Bruins on Thursday night and 4-3 to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.

Much of the dialogue in Sens Nation has centred on goaltending. With Linus Ullmark just 12 games into his four-year, $33 million contract, he hasn't come close to living up to the expectations that come with being the Senators' second-highest paid player. Ullmark stats so far are among the worst in the NHL, with an .863 save percentage and a 3.36 goals against.

While official lineups aren't out until closer to game time, backup Leevi Merilainen will get a look either Saturday or Sunday. He's only started in two games so far this season.

It's been a slow start for three Senators who are all just starting their new contracts. Along with Ullmark, Ridly Greig (4 years at $3.25 million per) and Fabian Zetterlund (3 years at $4.275 million per) are scuffling. In 14 games, Greig has 1 goal and 3 assists, while Zetterlund has 1 goal and 2 assists.

The Senators are on their Dad's trip so they made a father-son visit to Lincoln Financial Field to tour the Eagles' facility, dressing room, and even got to pose with the two Vince Lombardi Trophies the Eagles have won. Sens fans would love to see some of that championship aura rub off on the fellas.

They also whipped across the street to Citizens Bank Park to tour the Phillies' building and even take some swings in their batting cages. That was a special treat for centre Shane Pinto, who's apparently a big Philies fan.

This will end a stretch of three road games before the Sens open a four-game homestand on Sunday night versus the Utah Mammoth.

The Opponent

In their preseason NHL forecasts, not many of the experts saw the Philadelphia Flyers logo pop up in their playoff crystal balls, but the Flyers currently hold down a wild card with a record of 8-5-1 so far this season. That said, the Eastern Conference parity borders on the bizarre. Only six points separate first from 16th, and everyone in the conference is above .500 (points percentage).

The Flyers have gone 5-2-0 over their last seven games, and they've been relatively stingy, allowing just 2.6 goals per game. But when it comes to these routine-destroying 1 pm starts, a lot of trends tend to go out the window.

This may be the year that Trevor Zegras' point production catches up with his sublime skill level. Zegras leads all Flyers in scoring with 15 points in 14 games, so the change of address this season after five years in Anaheim appears to have served him well.

Former Ottawa 67's captain Travis Konecny is on a six-game point streak after a goal and an assist in the Flyers' 3-1 victory in Nashville on Thursday.

Senators projected lineup (subject to change)

Nick Cousins -- Tim Stutzle -- Drake Batherson
Ridly Greig -- Dylan Cozens -- David Perron
Michael Amadio -- Shane Pinto -- Claude Giroux
Kurtis MacDermid -- Lars Eller -- Fabian Zetterlund

Jake Sanderson -- Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot -- Nick Jensen
Tyler Kleven -- Nikolas Matinpalo

Linus Ullmark
Leevi Merilainen

Flyers projected lineup (subject to change)

Owen Tippett -- Christian Dvorak -- Trevor Zegras
Matvei Michkov -- Sean Couturier -- Bobby Brink
Nikita Grebenkin -- Noah Cates -- Travis Konecny
Nicolas Deslauriers -- Rodrigo Abols -- Garnet Hathaway

Cam York -- Travis Sanheim
Nick Seeler -- Jamie Drysdale
Emil Andrae -- Noah Juulsen

Samuel Ersson
Dan Vladar

Steve Warne
This article was originally published at The Hockey News/Ottawa

Related: Analytics: Can Linus Ullmark Replace Another Slow Start With Another November Heater?

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.

Flyers' rally comes up empty in overtime loss to Senators originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers saw a comeback bid fall short Saturday afternoon as they suffered a 3-2 overtime loss to the Senators at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Matvei Michkov and Jamie Drysdale provided the Flyers’ goals. Michkov trimmed Ottawa’s lead to 2-1 in the second period before Drysdale tied the game a little over halfway through the third period.

But the Senators recovered as Tim Stutzle scored the OT winner with his second goal of the day. Trevor Zegras was a step behind in coverage after skating toward the bench for an attempted change.

“He wanted to come off, but you’ve got to be decisive,” Rick Tocchet said. “It was a tough play, but you’ve either got to come hard or you’ve got to stay on.”

The Flyers (8-5-2) have lost their last three home games, scoring just 1.67 goals per game.

They’ve played a lot of close games this season, with nine being decided by one goal. They’re 4-3-2 in those games.

Tocchet’s club is 0-1-1 against the Senators (7-5-3) with one more matchup to go Feb. 5 back here in Philadelphia.

• Samuel Ersson made his first start since Oct. 28 after being activated off injured reserve before Thursday’s game.

The 26-year-old converted 10 saves on 13 shots. The Flyers were able to shore things up after a rocky start and allowed just one shot in the third period.

But it wasn’t enough and an early hole didn’t help.

“I’ve got to do a better job getting the team ready,” Tocchet said.

Ottawa jumped out to a 2-0 lead not even six and a half minutes into the game. The goals came in the span of one minute and five seconds.

On the first goal, Bobby Brink was unable to play the puck up the boards, which allowed the Senators to find a wide-open Stutzle for a blast from the circle.

The Flyers were poor in coverage again on the second goal when Michael Amadio made a move in close off a nice pass by Claude Giroux.

Two days ago, the Flyers gave up a goal just 1:44 minutes into the game, but they went on to beat the Predators, 3-1.

“Obviously I’ve got to look at myself,” Tocchet said. … “We’re a little bit slow starting the game, we just seem a little bit off. That falls on me.”

Senators netminder Linus Ullmark stopped 20 of the Flyers’ 22 shots.

“That’s two games now that the other team comes out stronger than us and out-battles us,” Sean Couturier said. “It makes it hard on us to come back. But as much as it could have been a frustrating day, we didn’t give them a whole lot after the first [period].”

• Michkov has scored a goal in back-to-back games, a really good sign for the Flyers.

“Every game, I feel better and better,” Michkov said through translator Slava Kuznetsov, a Flyers consultant.

The 20-year-old winger fended off Ottawa defenseman Jake Sanderson before making a move toward the net and ripping home a shot. He screamed to the crowd in celebration.

“Our staff, since we’ve been here, has been stressing body position before the puck,” Tocchet said. “That was classic, what he just did. A lot of times, guys will go to the puck and they get stripped. We’re a team that still has to get better at that. What Mich did is something that we’re preaching all of the time, and that was textbook.”

In the first period, the Flyers had a failed power play. Michkov and Travis Konecny had some words on the bench. It didn’t look like they saw eye to eye on what they were trying to execute.

But after Konecny recorded an assist on Michkov’s goal in the middle stanza, he gave the youngster a fist-pound and patted him on the head. Two competitive guys working through things.

• Giroux has enjoyed seeing his old team.

His first-period helper gave him 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 11 career games against the Flyers.

Claude Giroux back in Philadelphia for one of two trips here this season. pic.twitter.com/vsYY6v8Sef

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) November 8, 2025

• Carl Grundstrom, who was acquired in the Ryan Ellis trade, made his Flyers debut after being called up Friday from AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.

The 27-year-old winger came to the Flyers with 292 games and 43 goals on his NHL résumé. He wore No. 91 and opened the game on a line with Konecny and Noah Cates.

• The Flyers have three days before their next game Wednesday when they host Connor McDavid and the Oilers (7:30 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

The NHL saw several players find new homes in free agency this season. Among the most notable were Mitch Marner (Vegas Golden Knights), Nikolaj Ehlers (Carolina Hurricanes), Mikael Granlund (Anaheim Ducks), and Vladislav Gavrikov (New York Rangers).

Yet, there were also some under-the-radar signings this off-season that are already looking like home runs early on. Due to this, let's take a look at three players who have been big surprises with their new clubs early on this season.

Justin Brazeau, RW, Pittsburgh Penguins 

The Pittsburgh Penguins signed Justin Brazeau to a two-year, $3-million contract in free agency this summer. When this move was made, it was expected that the 27-year-old winger would simply provide the Penguins with more forward depth for their bottom six.

Yet, Brazeau has been far more than that early on for the Penguins. 

Brazeau had a spectacular start to the season with the Penguins, posting six goals and 12 points in 12 games. He also cemented himself a spot in Pittsburgh's top six, playing on a line with Evgeni Malkin and Anthony Mantha. 

However, the Penguins announced earlier this week that Brazeau will be out for at least four weeks due to an upper-body injury, which is such tough news for the red-hot forward. 

Victor Olofsson, RW, Colorado Avalanche 

Victor Olofsson signed a one-year, $1.575 million contract with the Colorado Avalanche in late August. This was another move that did not get a ton of attention, but it has been paying off tremendously for Colorado early on. 

Olofsson is thriving with the Avalanche, as he has recorded five goals and 12 points in 14 games. This included him putting together a three-goal, five-point performance against the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 26. 

The Avalanche's primary reason for acquiring Olofsson was to bolster their secondary scoring. So far, the 5-foot-11 winger is providing far more than just that.

Corey Perry, RW, Los Angeles Kings 

Corey Perry, 40, is turning back the clock with the Los Angeles Kings.

After signing a one-year, $2-million contract with the Kings this summer, which also includes $2 million of potential performance bonuses, Perry has been fantastic for Los Angeles.

In nine games this season with the Kings, Perry has recorded six goals, nine points, and a plus-4 rating. He is also continuing to stay hot, as he has four goals and six points in his last five games. 

When noting that his cap hit is only $2 million for this season, the Kings are getting fantastic value from the 21-year NHL veteran.

---

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