For better or worse, the spotlight was on Brady Tkachuk for much of the night on Wednesday at Canadian Tire Centre.
It was Brady’s first game back in Ottawa since he was traded by the Senators to the Florida Panthers over the summer.
As many expected, there were plenty of fireworks both on and off the ice.
Much of the ambiance was set by the Senators fans in the stands, who pelted Tkachuk with a barrage of chants throughout the evening.
Those chants included “Brady sucks,” “F—k you, Brady,” “You eat crayons,” and “You can’t read,” among others.
To his credit, Tkachuk took it all in stride.
He smiled at the crowd as they chanted at him before the game, during his tribute video and much of the time he was on the ice.
“Were they ruthless?” Tkachuk said with a smile when asked about the crowd after the game. “It was good. It shows the passion they have.”
As for the game itself, the early stages were dominated by Ottawa, much to the delight of their fans.
The Panthers first shot on goal didn’t come until the ten-minute mark of the opening period, but it was a big one.
With Florida on their first power play of the night, Matthew Tkachuk found his brother to the right of Ottawa’s net, and Brady quickly spun around with the puck and fired a shot that went off Sens goalie Linus Ullmark and into the net.
That would basically be the end of any positivity toward Florida’s night.
Five unanswered goals later, Tkachuk and the Panthers skated off with their tails between their legs following the 5-1 onslaught by the Senators.
“It was just nice to be back,” Brady said. “Of course, it’s not the outcome we wanted, but it’s the start of a road trip. Just have to bounce back and move on to tomorrow.”
The game featured a total of 84 penalty minutes, two fights and 67 hits, though the verbal assault by the Sens fans certainly seemed more blatant and profound than anything that happened on the ice.
“It wasn’t out best game,” said Tkachuk.
Fortunately for the Cats, it won’t be long before they have a chance to make up for the rough night.
Florida will be right back in action on Thursday when they wrap up the road back-to-back with a matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“It’s a really big test tomorrow, really challenging,” Tkachuk said. “We’ve got one of the greatest to ever do it stepping on the ice tomorrow, so that’ll just get you really excited for that.”
Photo caption: Oct 21, 2026; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Florida Panthers left wingBradyTkachuk(8) salutes the crowd as he is welcomed back to the Canadian Tire Centre to play against the Ottawa Senators for the first time. (Marc DesRosiers-Imagn)
Over the summer, the Ottawa Senators traded their captain, Brady Tkachuk, to the Florida Panthers following a trade request. Of course, Brady joined his brother Matthew, who had already been with Florida for a couple of years.
On Wednesday, Brady returned to Ottawa as a road player for the first time in his career. He was met with an incredibly negative reception, which he was expecting. Whether it was passive-aggressive comments by both sides pregame, boos during his tribute video, R-rated chants during play, booing him every time he touched the puck, or extra physical play against him, there is noticeable resentment between Tkachuk and his old team and fans.
At 10:00 of the first period, Brady Tkachuk continued his showman routine by scoring the first goal of the game. From there, it was all Ottawa. They scored 5 unanswered goals and sent Brady home with a whimper.
The Chicago Blackhawks organization hasn’t dealt with a situation like that recently, as most of the returning star players received loud ovations from a crowd that adores them. Examples include Jonathan Toews with Winnipeg and Patrick Kane with Detroit.
However, there was one notable instance where a returning player received a similar negative reception as Tkachuk did on Wednesday. That came on April 17th, 1999, when Chris Chelios returned to Chicago as a member of the Detroit Red Wings.
Earlier that season, the Blackhawks traded Chelios to their bitter rival, and the fans let him have it in his return. Chelios wasn’t a Blackhawks lifer, as he was a Montreal Canadiens draft pick before playing there for 7 seasons. However, he is the Chicago-raised, Mt. Carmel native son who did play for the Blackhawks for parts of 9 years, so the fans felt a connection to him before he left.
In that game where Chelios returned to Chicago with Detroit, Red Wings head coach Scotty Bowman took him out of the game and sent him to sit with Michael Jordan in the press box. He finished the game with just 3:19 of ice time. Bowman felt that Chelios being involved kept the Chicago crowd in the game.
He may have been right, because the Blackhawks hung on to win 3-2 thanks to Tony Amante’s 44th goal of the season during the third period. JP Dumont and Ed Olczyk were Chicago's other two goal scorers in the win.
Although fans didn't love Chris Chelios that night or for many years after, those hard feelings have since melted. Not only did the Blackhawks retire his number, but he is also an official Team Ambassador here in 2026.
Is Brady Tkachuk’s departure for a division rival going to end the same way that Chris Chelios’ did? Probably not, but he had a good run as a star player in that market.
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Ron Duguay, a 12-year NHL veteran most famous for his paparazzi-and-celebrity-filled time as a Ranger, died on Thursday after a battle with colon cancer, according to his girlfriend Sarah Palin. He was 69.
Drafted 13th overall by the Blueshirts in 1977, Duguay was a speedy and skillful offensive-minded forward whose feathered curls made him easily identifiable on the ice.
His six seasons in New York were highlighted by a run to the 1979 Stanley Cup Final, where the Rangers lost to the Montreal Canadiens in five games. Over 499 games with the Rangers, Duguay finished with 164 goals and 176 assists for 340 points.
New York Rangers hockey player Ron Duguay is seen on the ice during a game against the Los Angeles Kings in April 1981. Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images
“The New York Rangers organization mourns the loss of Ron Duguay, one of the most popular players in franchise history,” the team said in a statement on X. “Ron’s signature skating style — with his hair flowing as he moved down the ice — captivated The Garden Faithful, and his skill, tenacity, and charisma earned him the admiration of all New Yorkers. We join the hockey community in sending our condolences to Ron’s friends, family, and loved ones during this difficult time.
To this day, Duguay is still tied for the franchise record for the fastest goal scored from the start of the game, having netted one just nine seconds into a matchup against the Flyers on April, 6, 1980.
Madison Square Garden brought the best out of Duguay, whose widespread appeal made him a New York sensation.
Sarah Palin posted this photo asking for prayers for Ron Duguay. Sarah Palin/Instagram
“As soon as I stepped on the ice, I could feel the energy. You then become more than a hockey player,” he told TVA Sports in 2023. “You become an artist, because you entertain and you have an opportunity to make spectators jump out of their seats every time you make a check.”
Duguay was so much more than a hockey player during his time in the NHL. The boy from Sudbury, Ontario redefined the possibilities for professional hockey players and, in turn, boosted the league’s popularity.
The Sasson jeans commercial – in which Duguay and his Rangers teammates Phil Esposito, Anders Hedberg and Dave Maloney modeled the brand and memorably jingled “ooh la la” – is a notable intersection of sports and pop culture. Now, it’s just a fun piece of Rangers lore.
Duguay receiving cancer treatment in a photo shared by his daughter, Shay Thomas, earlier this year. Shay Thomas / Instagram
Duguay’s Hollywood look, Studio-54 lifestyle and fervor for life opened doors no other NHL player had walked through at the time.
In 1980, Rod Gilbert introduced Duguay to famous artist Andy Warhol, who went on to put No. 10 on the cover of his magazine, “Interview“, and featured his portrait in his “Athletes” series alongside the likes of Muhammad Ali, Mets great Tom Seaver, NBA star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and more.
Ron Duguay, center, of the New York Rangers is in front of the net during a game against the New York Islanders in April 1982. Getty Images
The introduction to Warhol led to a meeting with filmmaking royalty Steven Spielberg, who considered Duguay for the lead role in “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” He didn’t get the part, but actress and model Farrah Fawcett reportedly came over to introduce herself at another event some time after.
He got remarried in January 1993 to Kim Alexis, spending two decades with the fashion model before divorcing in 2016.
Duguay, a pillar of the Studio 54 legacy (to the ire of former Rangers coach Herb Brooks), transcended his status as an NHL player.
“Ron is the type of player who hustles a lot out there and turns on the fans,” current Blue Jackets president and general manager Don Waddell said in 1991 when he was at the helm of the San Diego Gulls of the International Hockey League, per the Los Angeles Times.
“Doogie” began his hockey legacy playing for his hometown team, the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League, from 1973 to 1977.
Posting 134 points in 61 games during the 1975-76 campaign, Duguay helped the Wolves win the Hamilton Spectator Trophy as the best team in the regular season. The club ultimately lost in the J. Ross Robertson Cup finals to the Hamilton Fincups.
The Wolves retired Duguay’s jersey as part of the team’s 35th-anniversary celebration in September 2006.
Duguay represented Canada on the international stage twice. In addition to competing in the 1977 World Junior Championship, Duguay also donned the Maple Leaf at the 1981 Canada Cup.
Making stops in New York, Detroit, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, Duguay racked up 864 games in the NHL. His final season in the league came with the Kings in 1988-89, which wrapped up his NHL career at 274 goals and 346 assists for 620 points.
Though it wasn’t the end of his hockey career. Duguay bounced around the minor leagues for a bit before retiring at the age of 41 in 1999. But hockey continued to call to Duguay into the early 2000s.
Arriving in Jacksonville to compete in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League in 2002, Duguay joined an injured Barracudas team. He appeared in six games as a player before the Barracudas fired their head coach Kurt Wickenheiser, which led to Duguay taking over behind the bench.
For four seasons, until 2006, Duguay served as the team’s head coach. He led the Barracudas to a championship during his first full season as bench boss in 2003-04. It was Jacksonville’s first hockey championship team.
“If it wasn’t for Ron, the Barracudas would not be here today,” Barracudas majority owner Steve Croskrey said when Duguay moved into an advisory role in 2006, per OurSports Central.
Duguay simply couldn’t stay off the ice.
Ron Duguay and his wife, American actress and model Kim Alexis, and their children, at a promotional event for ‘The Gym Source’, with both Alexis and Duguay wearing t-shirts bearing ‘The Gym Source’ logo, circa 1995. Getty Images
In March 2009, nearly six years after playing his final professional game, a 51-year-old Duguay signed a two-day, two-game contract with the Brooklyn Aces and the Jersey Rockhoppers in the Eastern Professional Hockey League. He pledged his earnings to the Garden of Dreams Foundation, a nonprofit organization associated with Madison Square Garden.
That same year, Duguay competed in the inaugural season of CBC’s Battle of the Blades skating competition. He was partnered with Barbara Underhill and skated for World Vision Canada, a Christian relief, development, and advocacy charity organization.
It was his eight years in New York, however, that made Duguay one of the most well-known hockey players of all time. His love of Manhattan was obvious. The lifestyle. The culture. Everything about it.
Sarah Palin aids Ron Duguay in an Instagram video. Shay Thomas / Instagram
He relished playing inside MSG. He relished being a Ranger.
“I’d rather have Duguay the way he plays than [Mike] Bossy the way he plays,” former Rangers head coach Fred Shero once said.
From 2007 to 2018, Duguay was also an analyst for MSG Network’s broadcast coverage of Rangers games.
Duguay is survived by his daughters Shay Thomas and Amber Stavros, and son Noah Duguay, as well as his grandchildren Aiden, Jayden, Cole, Nora and Ranger.
Patrik Laine hit the free agent market almost four months ago. However, at the time of this writing, the former Montreal Canadiens forward remains unsigned.
Now, an update has been provided on Laine.
According to ESPN's Emily Kaplan, Laine is not interested in signing overseas despite still being a free agent, and his goal is to still play in the NHL.
"As Patrik Laine remains unsigned, I’m told he has zero intention of signing in Europe. The longer this goes on, the more he says he’s motivated to prove people wrong," Kaplan posted on X.
With November almost here, it seemed possible that Laine could head overseas. However, with this update from Kaplan, it is clear that the former Canadiens forward still only wants to play in the NHL.
The possibility of Laine landing a contract from another NHL club this season should not be ruled out. Injuries arise throughout the season, and that very well could help the 28-year-old get signed at some point.
Laine played in just five games last season for the Canadiens, where he posted one assist. This was after he had 20 goals and 33 points in 52 games with the Canadiens during the 2024-25 season.
In 537 career NHL games over 10 seasons split between the Winnipeg Jets, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Canadiens, Laine has posted 224 goals, 198 assists, and 422 points.
The Vancouver Canucks (2–8–1) enter their 12th game of the 2026–27 season on an eight-game losing streak. They’ll take on the Detroit Red Wings (3–3–3) tonight in hopes of registering their first win since October 3. Vancouver dropped their last game by a score of 6–3 against the Carolina Hurricanes, while Detroit is coming off a 4–3 shootout loss to the Seattle Kraken.
While Vancouver’s losing streak looks rough on paper, on a game-by-game basis, the Canucks have also dealt with one of the tougher schedules in the NHL through the start of the season. Of their 11 games, seven have taken place on the road, while six were part of a near two-week road trip against some of the league’s best teams on the east coast. All things considered, Vancouver has produced some fair attempts at comeback efforts, though certain lapses — particularly during third periods as of late — have resulted in them throwing away their leads or ties.
One of the biggest issues Vancouver has had as of late is generating shots on net. This was a glaring struggle on Tuesday night, as the Canucks produced a total of only 17 shots compared to Carolina’s 44. While the Hurricanes may be a heavy shot-suppression team, Vancouver’s shooting struggles extend past Tuesday night. They currently sit at the bottom of the league in shots per game with an average of 20.7. To generate more offence, Vancouver will want to get the puck to the net much more often.
Players To Watch:
Marco Rossi
After spending the past two games out of the lineup due to illness, Canucks centre Marco Rossi is expected to make his return to play. During Vancouver’s practice on Wednesday, Rossi skated between Paul Cotter and Brock Boeser on the team’s second line. This season, he’s skated with these two on two other occasions — October 8th’s 7–2 loss to the Hurricanes and October 11th’s 6–2 loss to the New York Rangers. Rossi’s last point came on October 1 against the Edmonton Oilers, during which he scored two goals and one assist.
Dylan Larkin
The NHL as a whole has an undoubted interest in former Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin given his status as one of a couple stars that could find themselves playing for a new team in the next couple of weeks. Reportedly, the forward recently extended his trade list to 10 teams — the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, Washington Capitals, Utah Mammoth, Carolina Hurricanes, and New Jersey Devils. In seven games this season, Larkin has a goal and four assists.
Vancouver Canucks (2–8–1):
Points:
Elias Pettersson: 3–8–11
Brock Boeser: 2–6–8
Linus Karlsson: 3–5–8
Jake DeBrusk: 3–4–7
Paul Cotter: 4–3–7
Goaltenders:
Leevi Meriläinen: 1–2–1
Kevin Lankinen: 1–6–0
Detroit Red Wings (3–3–3):
Points:
Alex DeBrincat: 6–5–11
Viktor Arvidsson: 4–2–6
Emmitt Finnie: 3–3–6
Michael Brandsegg-Nygård: 2–4–6
Lucas Raymond: 1–5–6
Goaltenders:
John Gibson: 2–3–1
Daniil Tarasov: 1–0–2
Game Information:
Start time: 7:00 pm PT
Venue: Rogers Arena
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: KiSS West Coast
Feb 2, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Jake DeBrusk (74) defends against Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin (71) in overtime at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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If you can believe it's been that long, John Tavares left the New York Islanders via free agency eight years ago via free agency to return home to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In those eight years, things have worked out quite well for the Islanders, while things did not go anywhere near how people envisioned for Toronto.
Eight years later, the NHL is a very different place. The fallout from Tavares' departure, coupled with Artemi Panarin's free agency the following year, has become crystal clear.
Teams no longer put themselves in the spot the Islanders did. If a superstar is on an expiring contract, teams are finding out two summers ahead of time if an extension is going to happen or not.
Brady Tkachuk, who becomes a free agent in 2029, told the Ottawa Senators after the 2025-26 season that he would not extend his contract.
The Senators quietly then put together a blockbuster trade with the Florida Panthers, the only team Brady would accept a trade to.
Ottawa acquired three first-round picks and one second-round pick in the trade. They immediately used one of the picks to acquire William Eklund, an established young NHL winger with production to replace Tkachuk.
Still, despite getting a massive haul in return, the Senators and their fans circled Wednesday, October 21 on their calendar. That's the day Tkachuk would return to Ottawa.
That day came Wednesday night, and it's the closest thing to what the Islanders and their fans did to Tavares and the Maple Leafs back in the winter of 2019.
Some of the first period chants that Sens fans had for Brady Tkachuk...
Ottawa then began to steam roll the Panthers. Before the night ended, the score read 5-1 Senators.
It was a cathartic night for the Senators and their fans. They reveled in letting Tkachuk, who publicly declared loyalty to Ottawa, hear about what his secret trade request meant to them.
Therein lies the biggest difference between the Senators' situation and the Islanders' back in 2018-19.
Ottawa landed three premium assets and replenished their roster. They've got a strong core on paper anyway, led by Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot.
The Islanders got nothing. Tavares said nothing but that he wanted to be an Islander, only to walk out the door for nothing.
The Islanders had Calder Trophy winner Mathew Barzal, but when the season began, they were the odds-on favorite to finish last in the entire NHL.
Lou Lamoriello, Barry Trotz, and the whole 2018-19 Islanders' squad proved everyone wrong, but at the time, it felt like Tavares' decision to leave doomed the Islanders for a decade.
Ottawa's ability to gain assets for Tkachuk can be traced back to Tavares leaving Long Island.
It changed the game. Teams no longer trust the public word of their players. Teams don't want to be the next Islanders, the team that believed its star would stay.
That's the biggest difference between the Senators and the Islanders.
Amid a shower of deafening boos, Brady Tkachuk flashed a cheeky smile.
Once an Ottawa fan favorite, the Senators faithful instead greeted Tkachuk as if he was Public Enemy No. 1 in his first game back since requesting a trade before ultimately being shipped to the Panthers in June.
It made for a rather awkward scene Wednesday night, with a tribute video instead turning into an outpouring of angry emotions, capped by Tkachuk seemingly embracing the villain role by smiling from ear to ear while he raised his stick in acknowledgment of the reaction.
Brady Tkachuk is booed after his video tribute and he is loving it
“Were they ruthless?” he joked to a reporter about the reception after scoring Florida’s only goal in a 5-1 road loss. “It was good, shows the passion that they have. One chapter closed and, like I said, just an exciting, new chapter that we’re living in. It was nice be in front of that passionate fan base.”
Tkachuk, 27, had served as one of Ottawa’s stars for eight years after being drafted fourth overall in the 2018 NHL Draft before a series of events changed his standing with the Ottawa fan base.
After the Hurricanes swept the Senators in the first round, Tkachuk, who had signed a seven-year, $57.5 million extension and became team captain, stated publicly his commitment to the franchise.
Brady Tkachuk (8) of the Panthers salutes the crowd during a break against the Senators during the first period Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026 in Ottawa. NHLI via Getty Images
Behind closed doors, though, he asked to be traded and the opportunity arose to play alongside older brother and fellow NHL star Matthew Tkachuk with the Panthers.
The Senators ultimately traded him in June for four draft picks, including three first-rounders.
He pushed back Wednesday against a notion that he asked for a trade after being urged by his brother and his father Keith, a former NHLer.
“There’s professional, personal reasons why I wasn’t going to re-sign here,” he said before Wednesday’s game. “A lot of those things remain private … Just happened to work out this way.”
Brady Tkachuk Ottawa Senators jerseys sit on the ice during the third period of an NHL game between the Senators and the Panthers in Ottawa, Ontario, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. Tkachuk now plays for the Florida Panthers. Getty Images
He added: “There was some stuff out there that wasn’t true and I guess questioned where my mind has been at for the last little bit. That was probably the hardest part of this process, with how untrue that was … I’m excited for this next chapter and the future memories that will come with that.”
The Senators attempted to do right by their former star with the tribute video, which included his off-the-ice ventures, but the fans wanted nothing to do with it.
His former teammates tapped their sticks while he took the ice, but the crowd’s vitriol only grew louder while he did a skate with a sheepish grin to acknowledge them.
Fans throw a former Ottawa Senators Brady Tkachuk jersey onto the ice during an NHL hockey game between the Florida Panthers and the Ottawa Senators in Ottawa, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. Keito Newman/The Canadian Press via AP
Fans later chanted “F–k you, Brady,” “Brady sucks,” and “Little brother,” at him during the game, according to ESPN.
He scored the game’s first goal in the 10th minute, his seventh of the young season, before Ottawa responded with five straight.
“Everyone is entitled to their opinions. Whatever their emotions there may be, they’re entitled to it,” Tkachuk said pregame. “I know, for me, it’s not going to be taken personally. I know how I feel about this city, about this fan base, and how thankful and appreciative that I am. No matter what the reaction’s going to be, it’s not going to change how I feel about this city and this fan base.”
In the wake of a tremendous number of untimely injuries, the Philadelphia Flyers were forced to turn to their young prospects to fill the void, and they have delivered more than their fair share during this three-game win streak.
Rookie forward Cole Knuble was the latest to make his mark for the Flyers, depositing the first two goals of his young NHL career in a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night, scoring both times in close proximity to the net.
To open the scoring in the first period, Knuble advanced the puck into the zone, taking on two defenders before losing the puck at the right circle. Linemate Denver Barkey was nearby in support, though, and recovered the puck and quickly sent it to Oliver Bonk at the point.
Bonk's clapper left a big rebound, and Knuble, after getting up from the ice, chased down the puck and supplied a composed finish on his backhand for his first NHL goal, sneaking behind the Buffalo defense.
In the third period, Knuble gave the Flyers a 3-1 lead by fooling Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who aggressively and incorrectly assumed the Flyers rookie would take a simple, downhill shot from the right circle.
Instead, the 21-year-old Knuble showcased his patience and poise, circling an out-of-position Luukkonen before banking the puck into the net off the unsuspecting netminder's leg from below the goal line.
And, it wasn't just the offensive aspect of the game that shone for Knuble on Wednesday.
The 2023 fourth-round pick also made a heads-up defensive play late in the game, helping the Flyers defend a 6-on-5 with the Sabres pulling Luukkonen for an extra attacker down two goals.
Winning the race to a 50-50 puck along the right wall in the defensive zone, Knuble absorbed a massive hit from Rasmus Dahlin, but still managed to chip the puck out to center ice, clearing the defensive zone at the end of his shift.
Knuble, who is listed at a fairly diminutive 5-foot-10, 184 pounds, has taken a good amount of heavy shots from opponents in his two NHL games thus far, but it hasn't deterred him or stopped him from doing what is necessary to play winning hockey. The Flyers have to be encouraged by that.
Hunter McDonald looks ready
Oct 21, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Hunter McDonald (19) controls the puck against the Buffalo Sabres during the third period at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Elsewhere in the lineup, brolic defenseman Hunter McDonald played his second game of the season, too, handling 13:20 of ice time, including 1:15 shorthanded, against the Sabres.
Late in the third period, with the Sabres attempting to mount a comeback, McDonald raced forward up the ice and activated, though his shot off Matvei Michkov's pass was blocked off the leg of Buffalo center Josh Norris.
Coming back the other way in transition, McDonald laid a booming hit on Ryan McLeod in open ice, prompting Mattias Samuelsson to chase him down and initiate a fight.
The 6-foot-4, 240-pound McDonald didn't emerge victorious, having been tied up the whole time, but Samuelsson was tagged with an instigator penalty that put the Flyers on the power play, while also being assessed a game misconduct.
By earning the team a power play, McDonald helped the Flyers sand away two more minutes of the 3-1 win, ensuring that it would be a comfortable road to victory.
The 24-year-old is running out of time to prove himself an NHL-caliber player, but in two brief games, McDonald certainly looks like a natural successor to Nick Seeler and/or Simon Benoit.
Now, if the Flyers wouldn't play Benoit at the expense of someone like David Jiricek...
Wednesday night's win over the Sabres was just business as usual for Oliver Bonk - another strong game.
The 21-year-old is already up to four assists in six games this season, adding a pair against Buffalo on the two Knuble goals.
Veteran Rasmus Ristolainen has been day-to-day for nearly three weeks, and while the Flyers would assuredly welcome him back, it looks as though Bonk has already taken his job on the top defense pair next to Travis Sanheim.
After years and years of trade rumors, now seems like the clearest moment yet when a trade truly makes sense for both sides, though that decision ultimately remains up to the Flyers.
But, this is what the Flyers' rebuild was supposed to be, and what it's supposed to be all about.
The 2026-27 season looked over before it began with an 0-6-3 start, but the prospects, called up out of necessity, have come in and helped the Flyers win three straight; they're now just three points out of a playoff spot while owning the joint-longest active win streak in the league.
The proverbial "next step" for the Flyers is this: players like Bonk, Knuble, Michkov, McDonald, and Barkey showing what they can do with ample opportunity and trust from the coaches.
Sustaining it for the next 72 games is a different conversation, but the Flyers' kids are not here just for the experience. They want, and are ready to, win now.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 04: Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates in front of Donovan Sebrango #6 of the Florida Panthers at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 4, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Who:Florida Panthers (5-2-2, 12 points, 4th place Atlantic Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (3-6-1, 7 points, 6th place Metropolitan Division)
When: 7:00 p.m. eastern
How to Watch: Locally televised game on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and Scripps, streaming for out of market at ESPN+
Pens’ Path Ahead: The Pens get to enjoy some time at home, and a somewhat light schedule coming up. They play again on Saturday, hosting Nashville then get four days off before the Utah Mammoth come to town next Thursday.
Opponent Track: The Panthers were in action last night in Ottawa for Brady Tkachuk’s return to the city where he started his NHL career. Prior to that, they won their last three games (CBJ, VAN, SEA). After tonight their road trip continues going to Chicago over the weekend.
Season Series: Tonight’s the only time FLA is playing in the ‘Burgh this season. The Pens head down to Florida on December 10th and then again on March 4th to finish out the three-game set.
Hidden Stat: Pittsburgh enters today’s game with points in six-straight games versus Florida (4-0-2), per Pens PR.
Getting to know the Panthers
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Brady Tkachuk – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Reinhart – Lars Eller
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sandis Vilmanis
Injured Reserve: Aleksander Barkov, Brad Marchand, Jonah Gadjovich, Jacob Markstrom
Injury bug has been biting the Panthers hard so far this season. Barkov went down with a knee injury (fortunately on the other leg from the knee that kept him out all of last season), Marchand joined him soon after. Starting goalie Markstrom is now out
Tall goalie alert?! The undrafted 25-year old Cooper Black could be making his NHL debut tonight being as Schmid played last night in Ottawa. Black stands 6’8” and has played mostly with AHL Charlotte since turning pro in 2024. Black would set the record for tallest NHL goalie in league history, surpassing Ben Bishop and a handful of others listed at 6’7”.
Season stats via hockeydb (last night’s results not included)
Brady Tkachuk registered two hat tricks in his first nine games as a Panther and no goals in the other seven.
Hat tricks have been en vogue for the team, both Bennett and Verhaeghe had three-goal nights a few days ago against Seattle.
Imama has played in all the games this season, after only playing two NHL games for Pittsburgh last season (and 16 the year before in 2024-25).
Goalie was going to be the big question for the Panthers after letting Sergei Bobrovsky go and so far the results have been…ok enough I guess? Markstrom and Schmid don’t need great individual stats, as long as they can hang in there and keep the goals down (which, Markstrom’s 2.21 GAA through the first six games definitely qualifies) that should be all this team needs to handle business over the rest of the ice.
Key to the game: Florida’s tough defense, the Penguins’ not so tough defense..
It’s early but the Panthers are showing that their drop-off last season might be a one-year aberration, rebounding their goal shares (top right corner) in a major way so far in 2026-27.
The Cats don’t give up a lot of opportunities as the NHL’s top team in limited expected goals. If there’s a ray of hope, it’s that the goaltending hasn’t matched the defense and prone to allow goals (and Florida could be playing a first-time NHLer tonight in net…)
On the flip side, the bigger battle might be in front of the Pens’ net. With a pair of Tkachuks and other net-front players like Bennett, Reinhart and Lundell, Pittsburgh’s beleaguered defense is going to have their hands full keeping the front of the crease clear for their goalies. This has been an obvious and glaring flaw for the team in their first 10 games, it’s going to receive a major test tonight in that department.
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Evgeni Malkin – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust*
Ville Koivunen – Tommy Novak – Rickard Rakell
Egor Chinakhov – Hendrix Lapierre – Andrei Kuzmenko
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Nick Robertson
DEFENSEMEN
Spencer Stastney / Erik Karlsson
Declan Carlile / Kaeden Korczak
Ilya Solovyov / Kris Letang
Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Sergei Murashov
Potential Scratches: Ben Kindel, Elmer Soderblom, Sam Girard
IR: Ryan Graves, Justin Brazeau, Trevor van Riemsdyk
Debated putting a ‘wait and see’ for this projection. Rust was injured at the end of last game and his status hasn’t yet been updated. Girard was skating before the last game, he could be getting close to drawing back in. Kindel, one would sense, isn’t likely to play after being hospitalized. How things will shake out will require waiting until the morning skate.
Otherwise, it’s just a holding pattern for now. The Pens were off the ice Monday as they traveled back from their road trip, then got an additional day off yesterday due to the delays that ensued in their return trip home.
His fault or not, Silovs has conceded five goals in four of his last five games. There’s two games ahead in the coming days before a long break and as always it will be interesting to see what the Penguins do with their goalie assignments.
Dubas speaking this morning
Kyle Dubas is expected to give a statement this morning to presumably update the status of Kindel and the events of Monday.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 04: Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins carries the puck against the Florida Panthers at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 4, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Coming off a difficult Western Conference road trip, the Pittsburgh Penguins return home this evening for a matchup with the Florida Panthers at PPG Paints Arena. Sitting on a four game losing skid, the Penguins could certainly use some home cooking to get back on track and right the ship a bit after a tough go out west.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM and will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh.
Pens Points…
Due to the medical incident suffered by Ben Kindel on the Penguins flight home from Salt Lake City, all team activities were cancelled on Wednesday. Kyle Dubas is scheduled to speak on Thursday ahead of the team’s gameday skate before taking on the Panthers. [Pensburgh]
A weekend split with Cleveland has the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins sitting at 3-2-1 through six games. Over that span, the Baby Penguins have totaled 25 goals, leading the AHL while Rutger McGroarty and Avery Hayes both sit among the Top 10 in scoring. [Pensburgh]
NHL News and Notes…
You can’t make the playoffs in October, but a good opening month can provide some cushion in case a team stumbles on tough times later in the season. This is also the case for missing the playoffs, where too big a hole early can prove a tough climb out. [Daily Faceoff]
Brady Tkachuk made his long anticipated return to Ottawa on Wednesday night after an acrimonious break up over the summer that saw the former Senators captain traded to the Florida Panthers. Upon his return, Tkachuk spoke highly of his former home and his time there. [NHL]
Barry Zito has a pair of Stanley Cups to his name as general manager of the Florida Panthers, but he’s hoping to add another title to his mantle, this one as a fan. In 1982, Zito was a bat boy for the Milwaukee Brewers the first and last time they played for a World Series. [NHL]
Previewing tonight: The Kings are…not doing well, but they’ve had a lot of narrow losses! [Isles]
Mathieu Darche had a media availability and Mat Barzal is…“progressing every day.” As are we all, but that doesn’t really pay the bills now does it. [Isles writeup | Isles video]
This mysterious status for Barzal, it sure isn’t ideal. [Newsday]
Simon Holmstrom is on a bit of a heater. He was on NHL Network after Tuesday’s win. [NHL video]
Kyle MacLean and Mitchell Chaffee were “solid” in their season debuts. [Post]
Elsewhere
The Senators lost Linus Ullmark to injury but they blew out the Panthers in Brady Tkachuk’s return to Ottawa. [NHL]
And their fans just absolutely let Tkacuk have it, which is excellent. I hope the Toronto pearl-clutching media is okay with that, I know it’s difficult. [Sportsnet]
This sinus medication has signed a three-year extension with the Bruins. [NHL]
The latest on next summer’s top 12 UFAs. [Sportsnet]
Ben Kindel is stable after suffering a medical incident on a Penguins flight. [NHL]
Bourne: The Leafs aren’t necessarily terrible. [Sportsnet]
Montreal Canadiens (4-3-2, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (3-6, in the Central Division)
Chicago; Friday, 8 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Blackhawks host the Montreal Canadiens in a non-conference matchup.
Chicago has a 3-2-0 record in home games and a 3-6 record overall. The Blackhawks have a 1-4-0 record in games their opponents serve fewer penalty minutes.
Montreal has a 1-1-1 record in road games and a 4-3-2 record overall. The Canadiens serve 11.8 penalty minutes per game to rank 10th in NHL play.
The matchup Friday is the first meeting this season between the two clubs.
INJURIES: Blackhawks: Andrew Mangiapane: out (lower-body), Ryan Ellis: out for season (back), Bowen Byram: out (upper-body).
Canadiens: Florian Xhekaj: out (lower-body), Ivan Demidov: out (lower-body), Mike Matheson: day to day (lower-body), Lucas Condotta: out (undisclosed), Bryce Pickford: out (undisclosed), Samuel Montembeault: out (lower-body).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
It will go down as one of the most memorable nights in Ottawa Senators history.
Former captain Brady Tkachuk returned to Ottawa for the first time in enemy colours on Wednesday night and was jeered relentlessly, from the opening warm-up right through to the end.
And the Senators made sure their fans went home happy, rolling to a convincing 5-1 victory over the Florida Panthers in an atmosphere that felt more like a Game 7 than a regular-season game in October.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss Brady Tkachuk's return to Ottawa.
Tim Stützle and Stephen Halliday each had a goal and an assist in the victory. Jake Sanderson, playing his first game since suffering a lower-body injury on opening night, picked up two assists.
Claude Giroux, Shane Pinto and Warren Foegele scored the other Ottawa goals as the Senators improved to 7-3-0.
The bad news on the night was the loss of goaltender Linus Ullmark to a lower body injury as he tried to make a routine save. Ullmark has been the club's MVP of the young season with a 7-1 record, a .945 save percentage and a 1.33 goals against average.
But the night will be remembered for the loud, fierce message the Senators and their fans sent to their former captain.
It was as if Senators fans had all been handed a program containing the various chants they had planned for the evening.
The playlist included "We Don't Need You," "Traitor," "You're a Sellout," "Brady Sucks," "Timmy's Better," "Who's Your Daddy?", "You Can't Read," "You Eat Crayons," "Brady's Balding," "Overrated," and "F--- You, Brady."
And perhaps the most amusing chant of all: "F--- Your Podcast."
Tkachuk wasn't just booed every time he touched the puck. He was booed every time he stepped onto the ice. He was booed during warm-ups, during stoppages in play and pretty much any time the crowd felt like it.
And when it came time for his welcome-back tribute video in the first stoppage, the fans didn't let up for that either.
The Senators had put together a video that focused entirely on Tkachuk's off-ice charity work during his eight seasons in Ottawa. But even that wasn't enough to sweeten the reception.
The boos continued.
When the video wrapped up, Tkachuk took a brief skate around centre ice, waving to the crowd with an awkward smile as the jeering continued.
Perhaps the funniest contrast of the evening came when the Senators acknowledged another former player, Lars Eller, who also ended up with the Panthers. Despite playing just one season in Ottawa, Eller received a full standing ovation from the same crowd that had just mercilessly booed its former captain.
The message was unmistakable. Once a Senator, always a Senator. Unless you quit on us.
After eight seasons in Ottawa, including five as captain, Tkachuk requested a trade in May with two years still remaining on his contract.
That request came just a couple of weeks after the Senators were eliminated from the playoffs, when Tkachuk had publicly insisted he was fully committed to the team and city. At the time, he also expressed frustration with the ongoing speculation about his future, describing it as an unnecessary distraction.
Sens fans clearly haven't forgotten that sequence of events. And they certainly weren't about to let Tkachuk forget it on Wednesday.
Ironically, the game couldn't have started much worse for the home crowd. Of all people, it was Tkachuk who opened the scoring, beating Ullmark with a relatively weak shot on a Florida power play.
For a brief moment, it looked as though the former captain might write the kind of story that Senators fans had spent months dreading. But that was the last thing that went right for the Panthers on Wednesday.
The Senators took over from there, playing arguably their best all-around game of the young season.
They were aggressive, physical, solid in all areas of the game, and determined to make life miserable for the visitors. Especially for the guy wearing the unfamiliar No. 8.
There was plenty of nastiness, too. Hayden Hodgson squared off with Florida tough guy Boko Imama in one of the night's fights.
Ridly Greig, meanwhile, seemed to be in the middle of everything. Greig was a constant irritant to the Panthers, getting in their faces and throwing around his weight, such as it is. After delivering a massive hit on Dmitry Kulikov, Greig found himself answering to Sam Bennett.
On paper, that looked like a mismatch, but Greig handled himself extremely well in the scrap, adding another memorable moment to a night filled with them.
There was also plenty to like beyond the emotion and physical play.
Sanderson's return provided an immediate boost to a blue line that's been battered by injuries and just lost Thomas Chabot for at least a couple of weeks. Sanderson's two assists were a welcome reminder of just how important he is to the Senators at both ends of the ice. The power play suddenly looked a million times better.
But this night will always be remembered as the night Tkachuk returned to Ottawa, and it wasn't just the fans who pushed back with boos, chants and ex-captain jerseys thrown on the ice.
Oct 21, 2026; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators jerseys of former team captain Brady Tkachuk are thrown onto the ice throughout a game between the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn
Some of Tkachuk's former teammates obviously had a problem with him as well.
After the morning skate, Stützle was asked if he had gone to dinner with Tkachuk on Tuesday night.
"I have a chef at home, so I didn't go for dinner," Stützle said.
The Senators were physical with Tkachuk at every opportunity, causing multiple scrums with him. Artem Zub knocked him down on the first shift. Greig was in his face all night. Dylan Cozens, who had his best game of the year, got into it with Tkachuk as well. And there was a full evening of yapping between Tkachuk and the Sens bench.
After the game, the Senators celebrated the statement win by playing Tkachuk's personal theme song, "Mr. Brightside," on a loop in the dressing room.
For months, October 21 had been circled on calendars across Ottawa. There was so much hype leading up to this game, it had the potential to disappoint.
And yet it somehow surpassed all expectations by a mile.
The healing begins, but there's no rest for the Senators, who are right back at it on Thursday night when they welcome Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks to Canadian Tire Centre.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Rookie forward Cole Knuble scored twice to help the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-1 on Wednesday night.
Knuble, playing his second career game, scored his first two goals in front of his father, former NHL forward Mike Knuble, who played 1,068 games with five teams.
Trevor Zegras also scored and Dan Vladar made 27 saves to give the Flyers their third straight win after starting 0-6-3.
Jason Zucker made his season debut following sports hernia surgery and scored for Buffalo. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 23 shots for the Sabres, who are 1-1-2 in their last four games.
Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin returned to the lineup after missing four games with an upper-body injury.
The Flyers grabbed a 2-0 lead late in the first period after Knuble’s first career goal at 14:49 and a power-play goal from Zegras at 19:17 when he batted a rebound of Matvei Michkov’s shot out of the air past Luukkonen.
Zucker’s power-play goal at 19:25 of the second cut it to 2-1.
Knuble’s second of the game 3:03 into the third made it 3-1 after he banked in the puck off Luukkonen’s skate.
Flyers forward Tyson Foerster returned to the lineup after a one-game absence because of an undisclosed injury.
SENATORS 5, PANTHERS 1
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — With fans chanting “We don’t need you!,” Ottawa defeated Brady Tkachuk and Florida.
Tkachuk, who spent eight seasons in Ottawa, including five as captain, was given a hostile reception in his return. He was booed regularly and the crowd aimed chants at him throughout the evening.
A number of fans even threw Tkachuk jerseys on the ice.
The Senators (7-3-0) lost goaltender Linus Ullmark to an apparent injury early in the third period. Ullmark, who allowed one goal on 18 shots, made a pad save on Tkachuk and then needed assistance getting off the ice.
Sam Ersson faced one shot in relief.
Tim Stutzle, Claude Giroux, Shane Pinto, Warren Foegele and Stephen Halliday scored for Ottawa.
Tkachuk scored the lone goal for the Panthers (5-3-2), who had won three straight. Akira Schmid made 25 saves
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — With fans chanting “We don’t need you!,” the Ottawa Senators defeated Brady Tkachuk and his Florida Panthers 5-1 on Wednesday night.
Tkachuk, who spent eight seasons in Ottawa, including five as captain, was given a hostile reception in his return. He was booed regularly and the crowd aimed derisive chants at him throughout the evening.
A number of fans even threw Tkachuk jerseys on the ice.
The Senators (7-3-0) lost goaltender Linus Ullmark to an apparent injury early in the third period. Ullmark, who allowed one goal on 18 shots, made a pad save on Tkachuk and then needed assistance getting off the ice.
Sam Ersson faced one shot in relief.
Tim Stutzle, Claude Giroux, Shane Pinto, Warren Foegele and Stephen Halliday scored for Ottawa.
Tkachuk scored the lone goal for the Panthers (5-3-2), who had won three straight. Akira Schmid made 25 saves.
Emotions boiled over in the third. Tkachuk, his brother Matthew and their Panthers teammate Sam Bennett got into it with Senators players in front of Ottawa’s bench. Brady Tkachuk got into a heated exchange with Senators center Dylan Cozens.
Earlier in the period, Bennett fought Ottawa forward Ridly Greig.
Foegele gave the Senators a 4-1 lead by finishing off a great feed from Cozens at the eight-minute mark of the third. Halliday made it 5-1 when he scored off Stutzle's drop pass.
The Senators scored twice in the second. Giroux scored his second goal of the season through traffic from the top of the slot midway through the period.
Pinto made it 3-1 at 17:18.
Despite the hostile environment, Tkachuk seemed unfazed and opened the scoring with a power-play goal midway through the first period on a feed from his brother.
Stutzle tied the game just more than four minutes later with a one-timer off a pass from Jake Sanderson.
: NHL on Prime) 
