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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Picks: Capitals Over 3.0 Goals (-133)

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

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

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

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

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

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After an optional practice Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins took to the ice Wednesday for a longer session that included everyone.

And - once again - even several injured players. 

Goaltender Tristan Jarry and defenseman Jack St. Ivany took part in practice for the second consecutive day, as Jarry was a full participant while St. Ivany was still donning a white no-contact jersey. Injured forwards Rickard Rakell, Justin Brazeau, and Noel Acciari also took the ice for a second consecutive day prior to the team practice.

Little by little, the Penguins are getting healthier. And they've managed to stay afloat despite their injury struggles. Still, an important stretch of games looms, as five of their next seven opponents are currently out of the playoff picture. 

So, they know how important it is to keep banking points until their injured players come back into the fold - and in preparation for the gauntlet they have waiting for them in December, which includes a stretch of 10 games in 17 days.

"Obviously, every game is important," center Ben Kindel said. "So, right now, we just have to keep banking points and keep riding our momentum. These points are really going to matter, especially down the stretch. We all want to make the playoffs here, so every point is going to matter, and we're going to fight, scratch, and claw to get each and every one."

Starting in Sweden, Penguins Must Win Upcoming Stretch Of GamesOn Friday, the 2025-26 NHL Global Series kicks off.&nbsp;

Obviously, there is a lot of fight in this group, and it was a hard practice Wednesday - even if there were some fun and games after, which I'll get to in a second. The Penguins rolled with these lines and pairings, which included forward Sam Poulin, who was recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Tuesday:

Forwards
Connor Dewar - Sidney Crosby - Bryan Rust
Kevin Hayes - Evgeni Malkin - Anthony Mantha
Tommy Novak - Kindel - Poulin
Joona Koppanen - Blake Lizotte - Danton Heinen
Philip Tomasino

Defensemen
Parker Wotherspoon - Erik Karlsson
Ryan Shea - Kris Letang
Ryan Graves - Connor Clifton
Matt Dumba - Harrison Brunicke
St. Ivany

Goaltenders
Arturs Silovs
Sergei Murashov
Jarry

Pittsburgh Penguins Forward Has Big OpportunityThis Penguins forward has a golden chance in front of him.

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Tomasino clears waivers

Of note, Philip Tomasino did clear waivers Tuesday and will, presumably, be assigned to WBS.  The 24-year-old forward registered one point in nine games with the Penguins this season.

If Tomasino is re-assigned to WBS, it will clear a spot for another player to take his place on the roster. This will be something to keep an eye on in the coming days.

Pittsburgh Penguins Place Forward On WaiversThe Penguins have placed one of their forwards on waivers.

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Post-practice fun

At the conclusion of the formal team practice, a large group of players stayed out for a long while playing some on-ice games. And, no not an actual game, but just little minigames.

Crosby, Letang, and Dumba were the veterans among the group, and the rest of it comprised of Kindel, Poulin, Brunicke, Wotherspoon, Shea, and the two young goaltenders in Silovs and Murashov. 

There may have been a few others. But, regardless, things like this don't always happen - and it's a real testament to how much chemistry this group has. 

"I think you see [the youthful energy]," head coach Dan Muse said. "I also think it's a mix. You've got a group of guys - some guys that have been doing this for 20-plus years - and other guys that are first-year in the league, and they're just all about the game. And that's probably the biggest thing for me. When you're seeing what goes on after practice, too, sometimes we've got to put a stop clock on practice and be like, 'Alright, this has been enough.' But that's a good thing. I'd way rather that than guys that just want to get out of here. These guys truly love the game.

And I think it's the young guys, definitely, they add to it... but the veteran guys, also, they add to it a ton, too, because they're showing those young guys [that] you could be doing this for 20 years, and you can just still love the stuff after practice and being on the ice. Those things are fun, and you want to see that. I don't know if that's the case everywhere, but it is here, and these guys... they love being out there, and it's awesome."

Also, lots of good vibes today, including a post-practice on-ice game that included Brunicke, Dumba, Wotherspoon, Crosby, Kindel, Letang, Poulin and a few others.

Dumba and Wotherspoon - locker neighbors - playfully hovered and teased Bruno throughout this entire scrum afterward https://t.co/0Gk82vhyBO

— Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) November 19, 2025

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What's the plan for Brunicke?

Brunicke and Muse were both asked about whether or not they have a plan for the 19-year-old defenseman, who has now been scratched for five consecutive NHL games and is eligible for an AHL conditioning stint. 

And both were equally coy when talking about it and simply re-emphasized that there is a plan. 

"We have a plan for him, and we've been working through that plan," Muse said. "There have been a lot of discussions on that with him and our plan and continuing to execute it. There's on-ice, there's off-ice, there's video... I think there's a lot of things, too, that have gone on behind the scenes, which might not be, maybe, as evident there just from coming in and watching practice. But there is a plan. I'm not going to get into any more details on it past that, but we're continuing to work through that with him, and we feel like it's been going well."

Penguins' Rookie Defenseman Eligible For AHL StintIt has been exactly two weeks since <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke dressed for a game day.&nbsp;

Brunicke certainly wants to get back on the ice and into game action, but he understands that there is a process and a plan and trusts that plan. 

"I want to play. That's, kind of, the thing," Brunicke said. "Right now, it's obviously tough watching all the time, but like I said, it's my job just to show up and do the best I can, and my time will come. They have a plan for me.

"Every time I'm here with these guys, whether it's going for dinner or watching games, stuff like that... I'm taking it all in and listening to what they have to say. I got guys here that are really helping me, so yeah, that's kind of the big thing here is taking it day-by-day."

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By Gary Pearson, BetMGM

If you look up the definition of perennial, you might see these five teams as case studies.

Not only do they have the shortest Stanley Cup odds, but they’ve also either won the Cup or have been knocking on the door in recent seasons. 

And probabilities suggest one of them will be lifting the Holy Grail come season's end.  

Colorado Avalanche (+250)

The Colorado Avalanche are the best team in hockey, and it’s not particularly close at this early juncture. With just one regulation loss, Jared Bednar's squad is the class of the league.

Their plus-31 goals differential is 15 better than second-place Carolina. Nathan MacKinnon, the MVP front-runner, is accumulating points faster than a toddler collects toys, and Cale Makar is as dominant as ever. 

I don’t think either Central Division rival, the Winnipeg Jets or Dallas Stars, pose a disconcerting threat. 

The looming question is whether the tandem of Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood can hold up their end of the bargain when it counts.

Carolina Hurricanes (+360)

If at first you don’t succeed… well, you know the rest. No phrase better encapsulates the Carolina Hurricanes, which were tripped up at the Eastern Conference final in two of the previous three seasons. 

And we all know who did the tripping — those pesky Florida Panthers. As has become customary, the Hurricanes are among the NHL’s best at the quarter mark of the season. 

They arguably have the most well-rounded unit, and the callouses they’ve built from previous playoff heartbreak should help them secure the Prince of Wales Trophy for the first time since they won the Stanley Cup in 2006. 

Their path to the promised land, however, could come down to whether they can exorcize their Panthers’ demons.

Florida Panthers (+375)

Even without captain Aleksander Barkov, the defending back-to-back champions have the depth, experience and pedigree to return to the Stanley Cup final four a fourth successive season. 

The Panthers have repeatedly proven that they’re the class of the Eastern Conference, especially when it matters most. As long as they make the playoffs, I don’t think their seeding matters. 

Paul Maurice’s collective is built for the post-season, and there is no other team I trust more to do the business when the chips are down. Attrition and Barkov’s absence might be the only factors preventing them from capturing the elusive three-peat.

Which State Or Province Will Produce The NHL's 2026 Stanley Cup Champ?Will the state of Florida host a Stanley Cup champion yet again this season?

Vegas Golden Knights (+400)

Some immediate concerns have surfaced in Sin City. The good news is that time is on the side of Bruce Cassidy and the collective. Mark Stone needs to return to full health, and Vegas must find an answer between the pipes. 

We’ll see whether Carter Hart can stop the bleeding while they await Adin Hill’s return. But akin to the Panthers, these Golden Knights are built to succeed in the playoffs, with the addition of Mitch Marner reinforcing that notion. 

Edmonton Oilers (+450)

There are a few guarantees in life: the sun rises in the east, the Toronto Maple Leafs won’t make the Stanley Cup final, and the Edmonton Oilers will come good in the nick of time. 

As long as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are healthy, Edmonton will be among the front-runners to secure a third straight Stanley Cup final berth.

On a night that felt like a nostalgic echo of Ann Arbor, two former Michigan Wolverines reached significant NHL milestones on the same day as each other.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin recorded his 600th career NHL point on Tuesday, sealing a 4–2 victory over the Seattle Kraken with an empty-net goal. In Winnipeg, Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski scored against the Jets to notch the 400th point of his NHL career, becoming the first defenseman in franchise history to reach that mark.

Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) on XFriends and former teammates, Zach Werenski and Dylan Larkin hit major milestones on same night #ProBlue

The simultaneous milestones served as a fitting reminder of the immense talent that passed through the University of Michigan during the 2014–15 season, when Larkin and Werenski starred on a Wolverines roster loaded with future NHL regulars including current Red Wings Andrew Copp and J. T. Compher, along with Zach Hyman and Tyler Motte.

Detroit's AHL Griffins Bring Back Former In-State Standout On PTOMichigan native Nolan Moyle earns another AHL shot with the Griffins after dominating in the ECHL, aiming for Red Wings organization success.

Werenski’s goal on Tuesday not only secured his 400th point but further cemented his place as one of the most productive American-born defensemen of his era. With 119 goals and 281 assists in 587 games, he became the eighth-fastest American-born defenseman to reach 400 points. All 400 of his points have come with Columbus, where he has long served as the backbone of the Blue Jackets’ blue line. 

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

On the same day in Detroit, Larkin added another achievement to his growing resume. His empty-net tally secured both the win and his 600th career point, bringing him to 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points in 20 games to start the season.

Selected 15th overall in 2014, Larkin made his NHL debut in 2015–16 and has spent his entire career with the Red Wings. Now the team’s 37th captain, he has become a foundational piece of Detroit’s resurgence. In January 2025, he became the second-youngest player in franchise history, behind only Steve Yzerman, to reach 700 games played.

Red Wings' Sixth Round Pick Emerging as Surprise Gem in Prospect PipelineFrom a late-round gamble to a dominant QMJHL champion, Rudy Guimond is surprising everyone. The Red Wings' pipeline just got a whole lot more interesting.

With 254 goals and 346 assists in 754 games, the 29-year-old center now sits 11th on Detroit’s all-time points list, within striking distance of Brendan Shanahan, who has 633 points.

A decade after electrifying Yost Ice Arena together, Larkin and Werenski’s NHL careers have taken them down different paths, one captaining an Original Six franchise back toward contention and the other anchoring a younger team’s defensive core. But for one night in mid-November, the two Wolverines were in step once again in a special moment for Michigan fans. 

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We’re basically at the quarter-point of the NHL season, and the Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t going away, are they?

With points in seven of their last 10 games, a third-place position in the feisty Metropolitan Division and even balance between their home and road marks – it’s impressive in Pens Land right now.

Suddenly, at a time where we were expecting the Pens to miss the Stanley Cup playoffs for a fourth straight season, they might be in the conversation for home-ice advantage in the first round of the post-season.

And while that is clearly one of the biggest surprise developments in the NHL this season, the surprises don’t end there.

The Penguins – which were 30th in the league in goals against per game last season, with 3.50 – are now third-best in the NHL with an average of 2.47. That’s more than a goal against better for Pittsburgh’s low-expectation defense corps.

At the other end of the rink, the Pens’ reversal of fortune is equally stark.

In 2024-25, the Penguins' offense averaged 2.95 goals-for, which had them 18th in the league. But this season, Pittsburgh is averaging 3.26 goals, the eighth-most. Those are huge swings in improvement, and it’s no wonder the Pens have surged into a top-three spot in the Metro and made first-year Penguins coach Dan Muse an early candidate for Jack Adams Award honors as the league’s coach of the year.

Penguins' Special Teams Driving Bus For Hot StartNineteen games into the 2025-26 season, things are going pretty well for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>.&nbsp;

Finally, Pittsburgh’s goaltenders also deserve their share of the credit for coming out of the gate with strong showings.

Veteran netminder Tristan Jarry – who cleared NHL waivers last year – has a 5-2-0 record, 2.60 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage. Jarry's injured right now, but first-year Penguin Arturs Silovs has been even better, with a 2.44 GAA, .917 SP and 4-2-4 record. Even call-up Sergei Murashov has a .938 SP and 1.52 GAA in two starts. Last season, Pittsburgh would’ve killed to have just one goalie with those kinds of numbers. Now, they have two, maybe three.

In sum, it’s hard to think of how the Pens’ start to the season could’ve gone any better than the way it's gone. By basically every metric, Pittsburgh is an entirely different team than the feeble, weak team it was last season. And in doing so, Pittsburgh is putting the waves of trade rumors into airplane mode.

So long as the injury bug leaves them alone, the Penguins could be for real. And Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang might get one more playoff run together after all.

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The Buffalo Sabres are riding the high of beating the Edmonton Oilers, giving Buffalo a two-game win streak. But those good feelings may not last.

The Sabres’ next game comes Wednesday against the sad-sack Calgary Flames. Two nights later, they square off against the Chicago Blackhawks. Sounds like winnable games, right? That’s because they are.

However, after that, Buffalo takes on the Carolina Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins, and New Jersey Devils. Then, after a ‘gimme game’ against the Minnesota Wild, the Sabres will have tilts against the Winnipeg Jets twice, as well as games against Philadelphia Flyers, Flames and Oilers.

As you can see, the Sabres could get to the second week of December with a slew of losses. And although games against the Flames, Blackhawks and Wild are games that Buffalo should win, those teams also are desperate to string together a number of wins. So even the ‘gimme’ games aren’t guaranteed two standings points for them.

When you look at the standings, you can see why Sabres fans are pessimistic about this Buffalo team. If you’d told Sabres fans at the start of the season that Buffalo would be a last-place team in the third week of November, they would’ve been busting out pitchforks and torches. No matter what the excuse for that was going to be – injuries; slow starts from veterans; first-year Sabres players acclimating to a new organization – the reality is that there’s no excuse for how this team came out of the gate.

Sabres' Modest Win Streak Shouldn't Fool You – The Pressure Is Still On Buffalo To Be A Playoff TeamThe Buffalo Sabres' modest win streak has taken off some heat on them, but make no mistake -- there's going to be high-stakes pressure all season long.

Realistically, Buffalo has to start winning games at a .600-point pace if they’re going to overcome this brutal beginning to the year. And that feels like a task that is too big of an ask for a core of talent that’s never been able to win at that pace.

It’s all adding up to another bleak competitive situation for the Sabres. No opponent is going to be charitable to them. Buffalo has to immediately turn things around, and they have to sustain a winning pace week-in and week-out. 

There’s no sugar-coating it – the challenge in front of the Sabres is considerable, and the pressure on them to produce is immense. Buffalo has once again dug themselves a massive crater, and climbing out of it may take a minor miracle.

.

The 2025-26 NHL season is barely a month old, but two players are already emerging as near-locks for the league’s top individual honors. On the Calder Trophy front, New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer has taken the hockey world by storm, while Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar looks poised to make a third run at the James Norris Trophy. 

Schaefer at just 18 years old has taken the league by storm. Through 20 games, he has recorded seven goals and eight assists for 15 points, leading all rookies in scoring ahead of Montreal’s Ivan Demidov. His breakout season has not only put him in the conversation for rookie of the year but also raised discussions about his potential inclusion on Team Canada for the 2026 Olympics. Schaefer has broken multiple records in his young career, including becoming the youngest player in league history to score an overtime goal at 18 years and 70 days, surpassing Sidney Crosby’s previous mark set in 2005.

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

The Islanders defenseman also made history with his strong start to the season. In the first nine games, he recorded seven points, including two goals and five assists, during a six-game point streak, becoming the youngest defenseman ever to accomplish such a feat. He ranks fifth on the Islanders in blocked shots, second in takeaways, and has logged the most ice time on the team, nearing 450 minutes, far ahead of the second-place total. 

Schaefer plays significant minutes on both the penalty kill and power play, and his 307 shot attempts lead all Islanders defensemen. If his current pace continues, he is on track for 20 goals this season, a milestone that has only been reached three times in NHL history by defensemen, and 60 points, which would make him just the 11th rookie defenseman ever to reach that total. 

Meanwhile, Cale Makar has continued his dominance from the back end. In 19 games this season, he has six goals and 19 assists for 25 points, leading all NHL defensemen in scoring by four points over Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey. Makar also leads all defensemen with a +17 rating and has exceeded 90 points in each of the past two seasons and is on pace for 108 points this season.

Over the last four seasons, he has recorded at least 86 points in three of them, and in the one season he fell short, he missed 20 games but was on pace to surpass 86 points. He leads Colorado in ice time, totaling 485 minutes, and also leads the team in blocked shots and takeaways. 

Both players have been instrumental to their teams’ early-season success and are being reflected as such in the betting markets. Schaefer is listed with -238 odds for the Calder Trophy while Makar sits at -233 odds for the Norris, signaling strong confidence that these young stars are on track to claim the NHL’s top individual honors this season.

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Gabe Perreault's yo-yo cup of coffee routine with the Blueshirts has fans wondering when this gem of a prospect will stick with the big club.

Well, it's not really as bad for Gabe as it might seem and The Maven got this after talking to a friend who is an NHL amateur scout. Listen up for your sake and Gabe's as well.

This is what the bird dog, who has studied Perreault for years, reports:

"Gabe might be as smart as any player I've scouted or watched at the amateur level. The comment as 'being a first-round pick means that someone thinks at some point you can be a very special player.' 

"That being said, he very well might be, but it won't be tomorrow. Staying at BC and riding shotgun with James Hagens might have been a better idea than turning pro. He needs the schedule that allows him to work on his physical strength and how it applies to today's NHL game for a player like him.

"He'll be an NHL player and, despite being a winger, he can drive a line. He's that skilled. 

Was Jonathan Too Quick To Start An Unnecessary Post-Game Scrum?The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> certainly know how to make a mountain out of a molehill. (Make that one Ranger.)

The Rangers staff at the AHL level is excellent for player development but the NCAA 34-game schedule might have been better to build his body for pro hockey."

Excellent insights. Now we have to see how the Blueshirt brass handles the top prospect

for the rest of the season.

The Buffalo Sabres are currently at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with a 7-8-4 record and 18 points. This is certainly not the kind of start the Sabres wanted to have, especially when noting that they are aiming to snap their 14-year playoff drought.

Now, with the Sabres off to a shaky start to the season, one of their top players is continuing to create chatter in the rumor mill as a trade candidate: forward Alex Tuch.

Tuch, who is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), was given the No. 3 spot on Chris Johnston's latest NHL trade board for The Athletic.

"He’s the kind of player it makes sense to keep around long-term, but he’s also too valuable to potentially lose for nothing, especially if the Sabres aren’t firmly in the playoff race come the trade deadline," Johnston wrote about Tuch. 

This is not the first time that Tuch has been discussed as a trade candidate, and it likely won't be the last. With the star forward being a pending UFA, he should get a lot of interest around the NHL if he does not have a contract extension signed with the Sabres once we get closer to the deadline. 

Tuch is once again having a strong season with the Sabres, too, as he has posted seven goals, nine assists, 16 points, and a plus-2 rating in 19 games. This is after he had 36 goals, 31 assists, and 67 points in 82 games this past season with the Sabres. With numbers like these, he would be a big-time addition for a playoff team looking to improve their top six. 

For much of the past two seasons, Colorado Avalanche fans have been eagerly following 22-year-old goaltending prospect Ilya Nabokov. This year, the highly touted netminder has posted numbers that fall short of expectations, though the decline is not as severe as it might appear.

Before Colorado selected him in the second round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, one of the main concerns about his game was his size. At 6-foot-1, he is considered relatively small for a modern NHL goaltender, and his unusually low stance only adds to that concern. In the KHL, that style has worked in his favor, as his athleticism allows him to move quickly across the crease and make difficult, highlight-worthy saves from sharp angles. Yet many within the hockey world remain fixated on numbers rather than acknowledging the fundamental differences between North American play and the KHL, or they may simply be unaware of those differences altogether.

KHL (@khl_eng) on XIlya Nabokov says NO

Styles Make Goalies

Nabokov currently has a record of 9-3 with a 2.63 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage. On paper, it appears he is having the worst season of his career, especially compared with his last two years with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, where he posted an average save percentage of .928 and a goals-against average of roughly 2.18. But people are missing the point.

At the KHL level, Nabokov’s low stance is generally not a liability, as the league does not feature the same concentration of elite snipers found in the NHL who would torch him like a volcano top shelf if he utilized that same style. He is not suddenly a fragile goaltender; rather, he is developing and adjusting to a more North American style of play. This transition has inevitably affected his KHL statistics, but it should not be a cause for widespread concern.

Avalanche Loaded With Goaltending Depth

The Avalanche are in a good position right now, with a strong group of goaltenders—a luxury they haven’t had much of since winning the Stanley Cup in 2022. Scott Wedgewood is leading the way in this goaltending resurgence. Since joining Colorado, he’s played at the highest level of his career, a performance that earned him a well-deserved contract extension last week. The 33-year-old signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal, keeping him with the Avalanche through the 2026–27 season.

It’s clear the team still believes Nabokov is their goalie of the future. If that weren’t the case, Wedgewood likely would have received a longer deal. Based on that, it’s reasonable to expect Nabokov will spend next season with the Colorado Eagles in the AHL, while also getting a chance to start for the Avalanche. If Wedgewood continues to perform well and Nabokov struggles adapting to the North American game, the team could reconsider a bigger deal for Wedgewood. There’s also the Mackenzie Blackwood situation to factor in—he’s still working to get back into form. For now, Wedgewood seems to be the guy, Blackwood is still finding his rhythm, and Nabokov remains a developing talent in Russia, quietly sharpening his skills.

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.