Still searching for first road win, Panthers make stop in Buffalo

It’s been a rough week on the road for the Florida Panthers, who have yet to win a game after starting the season with three straight victories in their home barn.

They’ll be back on the ice going for the first road victory Saturday afternoon when they travel to Buffalo for a matinee with the Sabers.

As many expected, and as Buffalo fans feared, it’s been another rough start to a season for the Sabres.

They opened the year with three straight losses by a combined score of 10-2 before picking up their first win on Wednesday night, an 8-4 thumping of the Ottawa Senators.

With Florida anxious to get back on the right side of a game result, they will likely turn back to Sergei Bobrovsky in goal after giving him two of the past three starts off.

Bobrovsky has won each of his past three appearances against the Sabres, and in 26 career games, Bob holds s 16-7-2 record against Buffalo along with a tidy .916 save percentage.

Another thing to keep an eye on will be how Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice manages his forward lines.

Over the past couple games, we’ve seen several changes after there were none during Florida’s first four outings.

Don’t be surprised to see Maurice go back to what worked well for the Cats early in the season, though with Maruice, there’s just as good of a chance that we’ll see brand new forward lines, so we’ll just have to wait and see.

With the 1 p.m. puck drop, there won’t be any morning skates for either squad, so pregame warmups will be the first place we’ll see what Maurice has cooked up.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Saturday’s matinee in Buffalo:

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Brad Marchand

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sam Reinhart

Mackie Samoskevich – Evan Rodrigues – Jesper Boqvist

A.J. Greer – Luke Kunin – Jonah Gadjovich

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

Uvis Balinskis – Jeff Petry

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Photo caption: Oct 16, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Florida Panthers center Evan Rodrigues (17) celebrates his goal against the New Jersey Devils during the first period at Prudential Center. (Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images)

Penguins' Notebook: Small Lineup Changes May Happen Saturday In San Jose

The Pittsburgh Penguins have started off their California road swing even at 1-1 so far, and they will look to come out with a winning record when they face the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. 

And, as has been customary up to this point in the season, it appears more lineup tweaks may be on the horizon. 

With teenage rookies Harrison Brunicke and Ben Kindel getting the occasional lineup scratches for developmental purposes, both the defense corps and the forward unit is seeing changes game-in and game-out. Both rookies appear slated to be in the lineup Saturday.

During Friday's team practice in Los Angeles, these are the lines and pairings that the Penguins rolled with:

Forwards
Rickard Rakell - Sidney Crosby - Bryan Rust
Anthony Mantha - Evgeni Malkin - Justin Brazeau
Tommy Novak - Ben Kindel - Filip Hallander
Connor Dewar - Blake Lizotte - Noel Acciari
Extra: Philip Tomasino

Despite Healthy Scratches, 'Development Plan' Could Be Good Sign For Two Top Penguins' ProspectsDespite Healthy Scratches, 'Development Plan' Could Be Good Sign For Two Top Penguins' ProspectsEven if the Penguins sideline top prospects Brunicke and Kindel for "development," this strategic move signals a long-term commitment - possibly defying expectations of a return to juniors for both players.

Defensemen
Parker Wotherspoon - Erik Karlsson
Ryan Shea - Kris Letang
Caleb Jones - Harrison Brunicke
Extras: Connor Clifton, Matt Dumba

Goaltenders
Arturs Silovs
Tristan Jarry

It's unclear who will get the starting nod in goal against the Sharks. But, with Kindel in, Tomasino appears to be out, and with Brunicke in for a second consecutive game, Clifton and Dumba appear to be the odd men out on the blue line again.

Both Clifton and Dumba have appeared in only one of the five games for the Penguins this season, which was a 4-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.

Should Silovs Be The Penguins' Starting Goaltender?Should Silovs Be The Penguins' Starting Goaltender?Heading into the 2025-26 season, <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' head coach said Dan Muse that he didn't have a concrete plan for the goaltending split between Tristan Jarry and Arturs Silovs.&nbsp;

Other notes:

- Assuming both Brunicke, 19, and Kindel, 18, play Saturday in San Jose, they will both be suiting up for their fifth game with the Penguins. Since both of them are juniors-eligible, they can play in up to nine NHL games before the first year of their respective three-year entry-level contracts kick in.

It's unclear what the long-term plan is for either player this season, but if they're in the lineup Saturday, they will only have four games left before some tough decisions need to be made by management.

- Kevin Hayes - who has been out since training camp with an upper-body injury - did make the Western trip with the Penguins but has yet to take line rushes with the team at practice.

In order to activate Hayes from injured reserve and place him on the NHL roster, the Penguins would have to clear a roster spot, as they are already at full 23-man capacity.

How 3 Former Penguins Are Performing With Their New Teams In 2025-26How 3 Former Penguins Are Performing With Their New Teams In 2025-26A couple of former Pittsburgh Penguins players from last season are off to solid starts this year, while another is looking to shrug off a slow start.

- Pittsburgh could face former Penguins' netminder Alex Nedeljkovic for the first time since his trade to San Jose over the summer. In 76 games with the Penguins, Nedeljkovic went 32-22-12 with two shutouts, an .898 save percentage, and three points - including a goal.

In two games with San Jose this season, Nedeljkovic is 0-1-1 with an .878 save percentage and 4.45 goals-against average.


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Should Silovs Be The Penguins' Starting Goaltender?

Heading into the 2025-26 season, Pittsburgh Penguins' head coach said Dan Muse that he didn't have a concrete plan for the goaltending split between Tristan Jarry and Arturs Silovs. 

Of course, it's early in the season, and both goaltenders have had some strong moments and some not-so-great ones. But one of the netminders is beginning to separate himself a bit, even if only in the slightest. 

The 24-year-old Silovs was traded to Pittsburgh this summer from the Vancouver Canucks, and he was coming off a 2024-25 AHL season that ended with an astounding Calder Cup run and a playoff MVP award - a run that included a 16-7 record and .931 save percentage with five shutouts.

He also represented Team Latvia for two straight World Championships in 2022 and 2023, posting save percentages of .952 and .921, respectively. The 6-foot-4, 208-pound goaltender had struggled at the NHL level during the regular season prior to his Penguins' stint, but he did help the Canucks during their playoff run in 2023-24, playing in 10 games despite what little NHL experience he had at that point - nine games, to be exact.

Now, he finds himself in a pretty decent spot for the Penguins so far. Silovs did suffer a pedestrian 6-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Oct. 11, but his other two starts have been impressive.

He earned the nod on opening night for the Penguins against the Rangers, and with 25 saves, he earned his first career NHL regular season shutout in a 3-0 win. Then, on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings, he rebounded from a bit of a rocky start and stopped 30 of 32 Kings' shots to help earn the Penguins a 4-2 win, even as there were stretches of play when he had to make a lot of tough saves in a short amount of time.

Canucks Artūrs Šilovs Named AHL Playoffs MVPCanucks Artūrs Šilovs Named AHL Playoffs MVPAbbotsford Canucks goaltender Artūrs Šilovs has been named MVP of the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs. The 24-year-old became the first goaltender in over a decade to capture the&nbsp;Jack A. Butterfield Trophy, and now joins an exclusive list which includes Robin Lehner,&nbsp;Michal Neuvirth and Carey Price.&nbsp;Šilovs picked up 16 wins during the post-season, while five shutouts were one short of the all-time record for a single playoff run.&nbsp;

On the season so far, Silovs owns a .908 save percentage and a 2.67 goals-against average - and he only seems to be getting more comfortable between the pipes for Pittsburgh. The poise and confidence that Silovs has despite only 22 games of regular-season NHL experience isn't something that comes so easily for young netminders.

And Muse believes his high-stakes experience - NHL or not - has a lot to do with that.

"He's gained some really good experiences in his career so far, and he's obviously still a relatively young guy," Muse said. "I think those things, they seem to all kind of stack up. To have that run that he had last year, and then to have the playoffs before, and then you also look at some of the different experiences that he's had in international play... you look at it and see he's not that old. He's got all these things already, and you own those now. You own those experiences, and you carry them with you."

Artūrs Šilovs Shuts Out J.T. Miller And Carson Soucy In Battle Of Former Canucks To Start 2025–26 NHL SeasonArtūrs Šilovs Shuts Out J.T. Miller And Carson Soucy In Battle Of Former Canucks To Start 2025–26 NHL SeasonWhile the current <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks">Vancouver Canucks</a> prepare for their season-opener on October 9, some former Canucks started their 2025–26 season off with a matchup against former teammates. In the second game of the NHL’s opening night, former Canuck Artūrs Šilovs and the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> shut out J.T. Miller, Carson Soucy, and the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/">New York Rangers</a> by a score of 3–0. All three players started the 2024–25 season on Vancouver’s opening night roster and all ended up on different teams via trade.&nbsp;

Silovs has a track record of showing up in big games, but he has yet to find consistency on a regular basis. Should he be given the runway in Pittsburgh this season to prove he can?

Given the Penguins' situation, there's no reason he shouldn't be given that runway.

Jarry, 30, has had some good moments so far in the young season as well. But - with 295 NHL games under his belt already - it's safe to say that the Penguins already know what they're getting in Jarry. He has a career .909 save percentage and is a two-time All-Star, but, unfortunately, he simply hasn't been able to find enough consistency throughout his career. 

Six years younger, Silovs never really got the runway to prove he could be a long-term solution for the Canucks, either. With Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen in the picture, he was never going to have a long leash to be able to prove himself at the NHL level.

Brad Penner - Imagn Images

Now, he has a chance to do that in Pittsburgh. With the goaltending picture pretty much wide-open - and, potentially, a large piece of the Penguins' future at the position in Sergei Murashov already putting up numbers this season in the AHL - Silovs has a head start on everyone else, including Murashov and Joel Blomqvist, who is on the shelf with a lowe-body injury.

The Penguins have already shown that they're not afraid to take the necessary steps to make way for deserving youth on the roster - even if that means making difficult decisions with veterans. Therefore, Muse and the Penguins should give Silovs the reigns - at least for now - and afford him the opportunity to be a starting solution for the Penguins in Pittsburgh.

Only time will tell if he can continue to build on his success at the AHL and international levels. But the only way to find out is by giving him the games, and that's exactly what the Penguins need to do.

Rookie Comes Through Shorthanded, Propels Penguins Past Kings, 3-2Rookie Comes Through Shorthanded, Propels Penguins Past Kings, 3-2<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' rookies have certainly been making their mark in the earlygoing of the 2025-26 season.

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How 3 Former Penguins Are Performing With Their New Teams In 2025-26

Change is inevitable each NHL trade deadline and offseason, even for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are going through a rebuild. 

They didn't make any significant trades at the deadline or signings during free agency, but that was their intention. They moved out some of their pending free agents for more draft picks and signed a few players to short-term contracts. They want to get back to contention as urgently as possible, but are making sure they do it right and don't take any shortcuts. 

With all of that in mind, let's look at a few former Penguins players who were on last year's team and see how they're doing on their new teams to start the 2025-26 season.

Alex Nedeljkovic

Penguins president and general manager Kyle Dubas felt it was time to shake up the crease a little bit when the season ended. He traded Nedeljkovic to the San Jose Sharks on July 1 for a third-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft. Nedeljkovic spent two seasons with the Penguins, playing in 38 games each. 

As expected, his results were mixed. There were times when he'd give them quality starts, and others when he'd look out to lunch. One of his quality starts came on January 17 of this year against the Buffalo Sabres when he became the second goaltender in the Penguins' franchise history to score a goal. He also had a .952 save percentage and made 40 saves on 42 shots. It was one of the highlights of the 2024-25 Penguins' season before they ultimately missed the playoffs for a third-straight season. 

Fast forward to the 2025-26 season, and Nedeljkovic has struggled in his two starts with the Sharks. He has a 0-1-1 record with a 4.45 goals-against average and an .878 save percentage. His goals saved above expected is also -2.6. 

He started in the Sharks' first game of the season, and it looked like he was going to help them win against the Vegas Golden Knights until he made two huge blunders. The first one came late in the third period after it looked like Sharks forward William Eklund was going to put the game away with an empty net goal. He had multiple chances to score, but couldn't find the back of the net. 

Those missed chances led to Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel scoring from the red line off a very innocent shot. It took a weird bounce, and Nedeljkovic completely misplayed it.

Things went from bad to worse for Nedeljkovic in overtime when he came all the way out of his crease to the blue line. He was trying to play the puck when he messed it up, leading to the game-winner by Reilly Smith.

The Sharks are still looking for their first win of this season, and they'll have a chance to get it on Saturday against the Penguins. Nedeljkovic will likely start in that game since fellow goaltender Yaroslav Askarov played on Friday. 

Mar 1, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Anthony Beauvillier (72) reacts after scoring a short-handed goal against the Boston Bruins during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Anthony Beauvillier

The Penguins traded Beauvillier to the Washington Capitals for a 2025 second-round pick at last season's trade deadline. It came after Beauvillier compiled 13 goals and 20 points in 63 games as a Penguin. 

Beauvillier was a solid depth piece for the Capitals down the stretch and into the playoffs. They liked his play enough that they opted to re-sign him to a two-year $5.5 million contract in early July. They let him test free agency before bringing him back. 

His solid play with Washington has carried over into this season. He already has one goal and two points in the Capitals' first five games. That goal came against the New York Rangers in the Capitals' third game of the season on October 12. It was a really nice redirect off a nice feed from Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin. 

The Capitals are off to a 4-1-0 start to the season after beating the Minnesota Wild on Friday night. 

Rookie Comes Through Shorthanded, Propels Penguins Past Kings, 3-2Rookie Comes Through Shorthanded, Propels Penguins Past Kings, 3-2<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' rookies have certainly been making their mark in the earlygoing of the 2025-26 season.

Michael Bunting

Bunting is in his first full season with the Nashville Predators after they acquired him from the Penguins for forward Tommy Novak and defenseman Luke Schenn before last season's trade deadline.  The Penguins later traded Schenn to the Winnipeg Jets since he wanted to play in the playoffs. 

Bunting played in 18 games for the Predators last season, compiling five goals and nine points. He has played in all five of their games this season and has one goal and two points. He scored the first Predators goal of the 2025-26 season against the Columbus Blue Jackets on October 9. 

The Predators won that game 2-1 to start the season with a 1-0 record, but are now 2-1-2 after losing to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night. 


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Canucks Complete The Comeback, Win 3-2 In A Shootout Against the Chicago Blackhawks

It was a gutsy performance for the Vancouver Canucks tonight, as they have officially won their second game in as many days with a 3–2 shootout victory against the Chicago Blackhawks. Jake DeBrusk and Max Sasson scored in regulation, while Brock Boeser was the lone scorer in the shootout. Kevin Lankinen made 31 saves on 33 shots faced, stopping all four of Chicago’s shootout attempts. 

The biggest talking point heading into tonight’s game was who would step up to challenge Jason Dickinson after his dirty hit knocked Filip Chytil out for the rest of the 2024–25 season. While no players actually ended up going after Dickinson, as many thought would happen, Vancouver took three penalties in the first period. There was also a goaltender interference call that went missed, which ultimately led to a goal for Chicago after Tyler Bertuzzi fired the puck home from in front of the net. 

The night before, Vancouver shifted some pieces of their power play, putting Conor Garland on their first unit. The Canucks scored in two of their three man-advantages during that game and extended the goal-scoring streak tonight. Vancouver converted on their first full two-minute power play of the game after throwing the puck on net and jamming away at it, giving DeBrusk his third career birthday goal. While the power play looked lethal throughout the rest of the game, it was unable to capitalize on two opportune chances with five minutes left in the third period. 

One line that generated lots of chatter last night was the unit of Arshdeep Bains, Sasson, and Linus Karlsson — otherwise known as the “Calder Cup” line. The forwards continued their solid presence on the ice from the night before, putting in the extra work to win battles along the board and help Vancouver regain possession at various points in time. Their biggest shift of the game set up the team’s tying goal, netting Sasson his fourth goal in his fourth straight game at both the NHL and AHL level. 

“It’s something that we’ve talked about probably for two and a half years now, down there [in Abbotsford], to one day be in the NHL and helping out this team,” Sasson said postgame of him and his linemates. “I feel really comfortable with them. They feel comfortable with me. We’re all super close off the ice. We’ve played probably 100-150 games together. We find each other. We know where each other are. We’re dependable, and it’s working.” 

This was Vancouver’s first back-to-back of the 2025–26 season, which allowed fans their first look at how the Lankinen and Thatcher Demko tandem will operate in these scenarios. Off the heels of a stellar performance by Demko, Lankinen pitched in his own impressive effort in the team’s shootout win. He stopped nine straight shots during the first half of the first period including a break for Chicago. In overtime, he had a miraculous stretch save to stop a 2-on-1 for the Blackhawks. 

It was all Vancouver during overtime, as the Canucks controlled play for the majority of the extra frame. Elias Pettersson had a beautiful chance close in on Spencer Knight, though the Blackhawks goalie sprawled out on the puck to prevent the Canucks forward from tucking it behind him. It was ultimately Boeser who gave Vancouver the win tonight, scoring in round four of the shootout to help the Canucks win their first set of back-to-back games since January 2024. 

Oct 17, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Vancouver Canucks left wing Jake Debrusk (74) celebrates with teammates after he scores against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Stats and Facts: 

  • Jake DeBrusk scores a goal on his 29th birthday, the fifth NHL point he has tallied on October 17  
  • Canucks win both back-to-back games for the first time since January 2024 (vs. the New York Rangers and New York Islanders)  
  • Canucks extend win streak against the Blackhawks to 11 straight games   

Scoring Summary: 

1st Period: 

12:41 - CHI: Ryan Donato (2) from Andre Burakovsky and Artyom Levshunov (PPG) 

19:14 - CHI: Tyler Bertuzzi (2) from Sam Rinzel 

2nd Period: 

6:48 - VAN: Jake DeBrusk (1) from Conor Garland and Quinn Hughes (PPG) 

13:42 - VAN: Max Sasson (2) from Filip Hronek and Linus Karlsson 

3rd Period: 

No scoring. 

Overtime: 

No scoring. 

Shootout Winner: 

Brock Boeser 

Up Next: 

Vancouver will play in their third game in four straight days on Sunday in an early-morning tilt with the Washington Capitals. The Canucks won their last matchup against the Capitals by a score of 2–1, during which defenceman Elias Pettersson made his NHL debut. Puck drop is scheduled for 9:30 am PT and will be available on Sportsnet. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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The Hockey News

Aleksei Kolosov Reintroduces Himself to Top of Flyers Prospect Pipeline

Nearly everyone wrote Aleksei Kolosov off after a season that was disastrous for all Philadelphia Flyers goalies, but he's just firmly put himself back on the prospect radar.

Kolosov, 23, was never going to make the Flyers' NHL roster outright this season after Philadelphia went out and signed veteran Dan Vladar to a two-year deal this summer, but the fact that Kolosov returned to the organization at all shows a renewed commitment to the goal of becoming a full-time NHLer.

That said, through two AHL games, the Belarusian has backed it up with his play.

On Friday night, playing for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms against Ivan Fedotov and the Cleveland Monsters, Kolosov posted a remarkable 35-save shutout - his first as a member of the Flyers organization and first on North American soil.

For those curious, this was Kolosov's first professional shutout since Feb. 4, 2024, when the 23-year-old made 23 saves for Dinamo Minsk in a 4-0 win over Admiral Vladivostok in the KHL.

Aleksei Kolosov Must Change Attitude Towards NHL, Legendary Coach SaysAleksei Kolosov Must Change Attitude Towards NHL, Legendary Coach SaysThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> haven't fully given up on Aleksei Kolosov yet, but has Aleksei Kolosov given up on the Flyers?

Last weekend, on Oct. 11, Kolosov earned his first win of the season for the Baby Flyers, stopping 27 of 29 (.931%) in a 5-2 thrashing of the Belleville Senators.

Overall, the forgotten Flyers goalie prospect is quietly 2-0-0 on the year with a 1.00 GAA and .969 save percentage after the shutout over Fedotov and Co., stopping 62 of the first 64 shots he's faced this year.

Again, the Flyers still have Vladar and Sam Ersson, but Kolosov, like Ersson, is in a contract year.

If, for example, Ersson can't take the next step, and Kolosov even remotely maintains this level of play throughout the season, what do the Flyers do then?

Flyers Brass Not Giving Up On Aleksei KolosovFlyers Brass Not Giving Up On Aleksei KolosovThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> may appear set at the goalie position at the NHL level this year, but anything can happen, and the book isn't closed on prospect Aleksei Kolosov yet.

As it always has been, the talent is there with Kolosov, and the next step is a matter of consistency.

Clearly, he's the Phantoms' starter over first-year pro Carson Bjarnason, and the Flyers won't be seeing Egor Zavragin for a little while longer yet.

Don't count Kolosov out just yet.

John Gibson's 31 Saves, Dylan Larkin's OT Goal Help Red Wings Win Fourth Straight Game

The early goings of the 2025-26 NHL season were going to be a challenge for the Detroit Red Wings, who had to play five straight games against strong divisional opponents.

And after their dismal setback on Opening Night against the Montreal Canadiens, they've since completely reversed course with four straight victories, the latest of which was a 2-1 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday evening. 

With the win, the Red Wings secured eight of a possible ten points against their Atlantic Division competition, who earned a total of four. 

Dylan Larkin scored on a breakaway in the extra session for the Red Wings, who improved to 4-1 through their first five games. It was Larkin's third goal of the season. 

Friday evening was also a milestone night, as rookie Axel Sandin-Pellikka scored the game's opening goal, his first tally in the National Hockey League. 

The real story of the contest was how goaltender John Gibson rebounded from being pulled in the aforementioned game against the Canadiens.

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After not facing a single Lightning shot in the opening 10 minutes of play, he ultimately finished by stopping 31 of the 32 shots fired his way, allowing only J.J. Moser's screened shot late in regulation that knotted the score at 1-1. 

Among Gibson's saves were robbing sniper Jake Guentzel from in tight twice in as many seconds, along with a sprawling glove save during a furious goal-mouth scramble while flat on his chest. 

The Lightning, who got 29 saves from goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, were without former Hart Trophy-winning forward Nikita Kucherov, who was unavailable due to an illness.

Milestone: Red Wings' Axel Sandin-Pellikka Scores First NHL Goal Milestone: Red Wings' Axel Sandin-Pellikka Scores First NHL Goal Detroit Red Wings rookie Axel Sandin-Pellikka has picked up his first goal in the NHL!

Meanwhile, the Red Wings played their second straight game without Lucas Raymond, who remains day-to-day according to head coach Todd McLellan. 

The Red Wings will now prepare to face the Edmonton Oilers, the Western Conference Finalist from each of the past two seasons, at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday afternoon. Edmonton is also Detroit's first non-divisional opponent this campaign. 

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Another Player Added To The Sabres Injured List

The Buffalo Sabres practiced at Key Bank Center on Friday in preparation for the final game of their three-game homestand against the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers on Saturday afternoon. Injured defenseman Mattias Samuelsson was a full participant and indicated that he will play against the Panthers. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen took part, and winger Jordan Greenway participated, wearing a yellow non-contact jersey, but winger Justin Danforth was not on the ice.

The 32-year-old was injured in the second period of the Sabres 8-4 win over Ottawa on Wednesday and head coach Lindy Ruff indicated that his injury will keep him out for some time. 

"He's going to be out a significant amount of time," Ruff said. "More than a month."

Danforth was signed as an unrestricted free agent in July after spending four seasons with Columbus to provide veteran depth to the Sabres up front. In four games, he has averaged just under 12 minutes per game and has no points. With the injury, it is expected that either Josh Dunne or Mason Geersten will play on the fourth line against Florida.  

 

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Here is a quick update on the prospects the Sabres selected in 2021 who are not currently in the NHL:

Olivier Nadeau – RW – 97th overall

A scoring winger in the QMJHL, Nadeau had 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in 41 games for Jacksonville of the ECHL and scored a goal in a brief five-game stint in Rochester in his first pro season. The 22-year-old was sent to the ECHL again to get playing time last season,  and doubled his point total (28 goals, 22 assists in 48 games). The Amerks are playing their third game on Friday and Nadeau has not played in any of them. 

Nikita Novikov – D – 188th overall

The 6’4”, 205 lb. blueliner came to North America after playing two years with Dynamo Moscow and settled in nicely as a regular with Rochester, with 23 points (3 goals, 20 assists) in 65 games. The 22-year-old logs plenty of ice time with the Amerks and last season put up nearly the exact same numbers (6 goals, 14 assists in 68 games) this season. The question for the Big Russian is whether he will get the opportunity to be called up this season, as Ryan Johnson and Zach Metsa have been. .  

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Sabres' Week From Hell Against Atlantic Rivals Is About To Begin

Sam Reinhart (left); Owen Power (right) -- (Timothy T. Ludwig, USA TODAY Images)

After romping over the Ottawa Senators for their first win of the season, the Buffalo Sabres have a 1-3-0 record. But the schedule-maker hasn’t been particularly kind to the Sabres, who in the next seven days have a whopping five games in store. 

Making matters worse, each of the Sabres’ next five opponents are all their Atlantic Division rivals. And if Buffalo suffers a string of losses this week, it could prove to be the difference between making and missing the Stanley Cup playoffs for the 15th-straight season.

The week from Atlantic Division Hell for the Sabres begins Saturday, when Buffalo hosts the back-to-back defending Cup-champion Florida Panthers. Then, two days later, the Sabres head out on the road to take on the white-hot Canadiens in Montreal. Two days after that, Buffalo hosts the Detroit Red Wings. Any or every one of these three teams could hand the Sabres a loss.

Finally, the Sabres cap off the week next Friday and Saturday when they host the Maple Leafs in Game 1, then travel to Toronto in Game 2. The Leafs dominated the Sabres last season, so it’s entirely possible Buffalo comes up empty in their showdowns against the Buds. 

You see what we’re getting at here, right? The Sabres don’t have an easy game this week. The opposite is true. They have five teams that can steal their lunch, and they already can ill afford another sub-par stretch if they’re to be a playoff team this season.

Sabres' First Win Of Season Shouldn't Cause Buffalo Fans To Think Sabres Are Out Of The WoodsSabres' First Win Of Season Shouldn't Cause Buffalo Fans To Think Sabres Are Out Of The WoodsA hard-fought victory offers a glimmer of hope, but alarmingly porous defense and a daunting path mean Sabres' anxiety is far from over.

We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: you can’t earn a playoff berth in the first month of the season, but you definitely can go a long way toward burying your playoff aspirations with one bad month. By this time next week, Buffalo could be staring disaster in the face.

There’s a very real possibility the Sabres will come out of their first nine games with exactly one win to show for it. You can’t get off to much of a worse start than that. That’s about as calamitous a start as it gets. 

More Misery For Sabres As Buffalo Loses Third Straight Game To Start New SeasonMore Misery For Sabres As Buffalo Loses Third Straight Game To Start New SeasonAny way you want to frame it, losing three straight games to start the season is a disaster for the Buffalo Sabres. <a href="http://thn.com/buffalo">The Sabres</a>' third straight defeat came Monday at the hands of the <a href="http://thn.com/colorado">Colorado Avalanche</a> -- a legitimate Stanley Cup frontrunner -- and once again, offense was a problem for Buffalo.

Buffalo can only control their fate from this point on. But if the present looks anything like the most recent past, there’s going to be big trouble on the horizon. And it may turn out to be what brings more long-term agony to a Sabres franchise that has had far more than its share. 

Milestone: Red Wings' Axel Sandin-Pellikka Scores First NHL Goal

Friday evening's game will forever be known as a career milestone for one of the most highly-regarded young players in recent Detroit Red Wings memory.

Defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka, who earned a roster spot thanks to his strong showing in Training Camp and the pre-season, scored his first goal in the National Hockey League during the first period against the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning. 

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Sandin-Pellikka's wrist shot from near the top of the slot beat Lightning goaltender Andre Vasilevskiy on his blocker side: 

Not only was it his first NHL goal, but also his first point. 

He gave an exuberant fist pump in celebration and leapt into the glass in the same way that Alexander Ovechkin has done numerous times throughout his career, and was mobbed in a massive hug by his teammates.

Among those on the ice for his goal was fellow rookie Emmitt Finnie, who picked up his first NHL point himself last week against the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

Dylan Larkin and Mason Appleton picked up the assists for Sandin-Pellikka, who could very well go on to be an instraumental part of Detroit's blue line for years to come. 

The goal gave the Red Wings the 1-0 lead over the Lightning, who are the fourth straight divisional opponent Detroit has faced to begin the 2025-26 campaign. 

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NHL Trade Rumors: Flyers Defenseman Has Western Conference Admirer

Despite being benched just a handful of games into the new season, one struggling Philadelphia Flyers defenseman has at least one admirer out in the Western Conference.

On Friday afternoon, Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff reported that the Calgary Flames, who did business with the Flyers as recently as January with the Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee trade, are looking for a young defenseman. They also reportedly want to move some defenders out.

 "Sounds like the Flames are looking for a young, left shot defenseman with size. They have too many bodies on 1-way deals on defense and want to move some out; Bean and Miromanov being two, I'm told," Di Marco wrote on his X account.

"PHI's Zamula, who played JR in CGY, I've heard CGY likes."

If the Flames indeed like Zamula enough to make an offer to the Flyers for his services, there could be mutual motivation to get a deal over the line.

Rick Tocchet Issues Blunt Warning to Struggling Flyers DefensemanRick Tocchet Issues Blunt Warning to Struggling Flyers DefensemanThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> may have lost to the New York Islanders in Thursday night's preseason game, but their continued struggles on defense are of much greater concern.

Zamula, 25, has been on the ice for 11 high-danger chances against at 5-on-5 in his two games this season - having been benched for the Flyers' last two - and has been on the ice for only three high-danger chances for, according to Natural Stat Trick.

The formerly undrafted Russian's 27.27% on-ice share of high-danger attempts is the lowest amongst Flyers defensemen by a large margin; Nick Seeler is the next closest at 48.15%.

In addition to Zamula's performances on the ice, agent Shumi Babaev had some recent viral comments on his client's perceived lack of opportunity to succeed and reach his full potential, so it's just another unwanted fire the Flyers may have to put out.

As for Jake Bean and Daniil Miromanov, it's not likely the Flyers would have much interest in either, though Bean, 27, has 263 games of NHL experience and can move the puck at a high level.

Flyers Reportedly 'Open' to Trading Emil AndraeFlyers Reportedly 'Open' to Trading Emil AndraeAfter Emil Andrae failed to make the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> roster out of training camp, the team is reportedly open to moving on from the undersized defenseman.

Bean has one year left on his contract at a $1.75 million cap hit, so if Rick Tocchet and the Flyers want more finesse from the back, that could be an option for them; Bean is 6-foot-1, while Emil Andrae, for example, is 5-foot-9.

Miromanov, 28, is mostly a reclamation at this point, especially given his age. The formerly undrafted Russian has one year left on his deal at a $1.25 million cap hit and finally broke though as an NHLer last season, scoring two goals, seven assists, and nine points in 44 games for the Flames to go with a respectable +2 rating.

The upside lies in his being 6-foot-4 as a right-shot defenseman, but, again, he's already 28.

As far as defensemen go, the Flames and the Flyers would be making lateral moves unless they find other teams to be takers for these players.

It is, however, interesting that the Flames have interest in Zamula, given that the two teams made a rather large trade with each other earlier in the calendar year.

That line of communication is open, so there certainly could be something there down the road.

Canucks Blueger Will Make 2025-26 Season Debut Against The Blackhawks

The Vancouver Canucks will be making a lineup change ahead of their matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks. As per Sportsnet's Dan Murphy, center Teddy Blueger will make his season debut, replacing Aatu Räty. As for the starting goaltender, that will be Kevin Lankinen, who started his NHL career with the Blackhawks

Blueger has been out of the lineup with a suspected knee injury that he suffered during the pre-season. The 31-year-old center didn't miss a game last season, recording 26 points in 82 games. While the exact line combinations are not yet known, Blueger will most likely play on the third line with Kiefer Sherwood and Drew O'Connor, as well as on the penalty kill. 

Vancouver continues its five-game road trip on Friday against Chicago. The Canucks have had plenty of success against the Blackhawks over the last few years, as they have not lost since the 2021-22 season. Game time is scheduled for 5:30 pm PT and will be broadcast on Sportsnet. 

Mar 22, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Vancouver Canucks center Teddy Blueger (53) skates against the New York Rangers during the second period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images

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3 Takeaways From Nashville Predators' First Week Of 2025-26 Season

Oct 11, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9) celebrates goal with center Brady Martin (44) against the Utah Mammoth during the first period at Bridgestone Arena. Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The Nashville Predators have completed the first week of the 2025-26 season.

Through five games, the Preds have a 2-1-2 record for six points, good for second in the Central Division. They have lost just once in regulation: a 7-4 road defeat against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 14. The other two losses came in overtime to Utah and Montreal.

The sample size may be small, but there are numerous positive and negative aspects to the Predators’ first week of action. Here are three takeaways from the week.

The Predators Are Ahead Of Last Season’s Pace

Oct 16, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) celebrates his goal against the Montreal Canadiens with his teammates during the second period at Bell Centre. David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Things couldn’t have started off much worse for Nashville in 2024-25. The club began 0-5 in the season’s first week before winning its next two.

Filip Forsberg, who ended up leading the Preds in scoring, was averaging a point per game through the first five. The offense was averaging 2.00 goals per game while opponents were averaging 4.60.

Juuse Saros sported an 0-4 mark with a 3.64 goals-against average and .875 save percentage.

After six games this season, Erik Haula (2-2-4), Jonathan Marchessault (2-2-4) and Roman Josi (1-3-4) each have four points. Haula, Marchessault and Nick Perbix are in a three-way tie for the team lead in goals with two.

The Preds are averaging 2.80 goals per game while giving up a 3.00 average to the opposition.

Saros has been lights-out with a 2-0-2 record, 1.94 goals-against average and .935 save percentage. Backup Justus Annunen suffered the only other OT loss, allowing four goals in Toronto.

To say the Predators look like a team who could contend for the playoffs is unrealistic, as the overtime loss against the Canadiens Thursday in Montreal proved.

The Preds held a 2-1 lead until Cole Caufield scored with just 19 seconds left in regulation to require overtime, then tallied the golden goal to give the Habs a come-from-behind win.

“(It) sucks when you're 19 seconds away from pulling out of the win and you only get one point,” Preds forward Steven Stamkos, who scored his first goal of the season, told reporters following the loss.

The goal-scoring hasn’t come in bunches, and the defense, while showing some flashes, has had costly breakdowns. Nevertheless, the Predators will take what progress they can get.

Special Teams Have Had Mixed Reviews

Last season, the Predators finished 18th in the NHL on the power play at 21.9%. Through six games in 2025-26, it has been abysmal.

The power-play unit is 2-for-19 through five games. It snapped a string of 13 consecutive chances without a goal when Stamkos scored on a power play at the 11:36 mark of the third period in Montreal.

The Preds were 0-for-6 with the man advantage in their 4-1 victory in Ottawa against the Senators Oct. 13. It didn’t affect the outcome in that game, but through the course of an 82-game season, that won't be the case.

the Preds had the chance to put the game against the Senators out of reach with a 1-0 lead in the third period after David Perron went off for tripping, but failed to convert.

"We've got to put teams away in those situations, especially when you get a power play in the third period," forward Jonathan Marchessault said after the Ottawa win.

Such paltry numbers are sure to turn around to some degree. With Roman Josi, Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Ryan O'Reilly making up the first unit, the Preds have to get better production.

Meanwhile, Nashville’s penalty-kill unit has been near-perfect. Entering the Montreal game, the Preds successfully killed off 11 of 12 penalties (91.7%), good for sixth in the league. They were a perfect 3-for-3 against the Habs. The only chance they failed to kill was a 6-on-4 against Ottawa.

The stellar play of the PK has thus far rolled over from last season, when the Preds finished seventh in the NHL at 81.5%.

Juuse Saros Has Been Money

Oct 13, 2025; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros (74) prior to the start of the game against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-IMAGN Images

Some eyebrows may have been raised when the Predators inked goaltender Juuse Saros to an eight-year, $61.92 million contract in July 2024. After posting a 2.98 GAA and .896 SP in 2024-25, the doubters got louder.

Saros has been spectacular in the four games he has started. Even in the heart-breaking 3-2 overtime loss to the Canadiens, he made a number of crucial saves amid a barrage of shots during sequences when the Preds’ defense failed to protect him.

The Finnish netminder has answered the bell in the early going, but even a great goaltender can’t do everything by himself. The back end has failed to protect both Saros and Annunen in key situations.

Such was the case in Toronto, when at least four of the Maple Leafs’ goals were scored when Annunen had little help.

"We probably weren't all that sharp around the front of the net," Preds head coach Andrew Brunette said after the 7-4 loss. "Those stick battles weren't quite to our standard. A little bit slow early."

If Saros continues to be great, the Preds will be in most games. At some point, however, the defense must be stronger around the net, especially when closing out an opponent.

NHL Rookies Schaefer And Nikishin Chase Scoring Streak Record

Rookie defensemen Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders and Alexander Nikishin of the Carolina Hurricanes are off to a dream start in the NHL.

Schaefer and Nikishin are on a four-game scoring streak to begin their NHL regular-season careers, with a goal and three assists each. 

On Thursday night, Nikishin scored his first career NHL goal against the Anaheim Ducks in a 4-1 victory, as the Hurricanes remain the only undefeated team this season. Nikishin has averaged 16:33 of ice time to start this season.

On the same day, the Islanders defeated the Edmonton Oilers for their first win of the season. Schaefer’s assist on the game-winning goal by center Bo Horvat made him the youngest player in NHL history to record a four-game point streak to begin their NHL career.

Islanders Rookie Matthew Schaefer Becomes Youngest In NHL History To Open Career With Four-Game Point StreakIslanders Rookie Matthew Schaefer Becomes Youngest In NHL History To Open Career With Four-Game Point StreakSchaefer broke another NHL record, becoming the youngest ever to record a point in four consecutive games to start his career. His impressive debut lights up the league.

Schaefer has also averaged 21:53 of ice time under Isles coach Patrick Roy.

While that’s an impressive feat for the 18-year-old blueliner, who missed most of his draft year with a broken collarbone, he’s still chasing a greater point-streak record.

Although Nikishin played four playoff games for Carolina last season and is 24 years old, the rulebook still considers this regular season the first games of his career, meaning the Russian D-man is also eligible to chase a bigger record.

Former defenseman Marek Zidlicky holds the record for a blueliner with the longest point streak to begin an NHL career.

Zidlicky accomplished this with the Nashville Predators during the 2003-04 season, scoring in six straight games to begin his career. He scored two goals and five assists in that span, and he went on to record 53 points in 82 games that year, the most he would score in his career.

Schaefer and the Islanders play the Ottawa Senators and San Jose Sharks in the next two games, while Nikishin and the Hurricanes face the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights.

Both players are tied for seventh on the list. If they extend the streak to five games, they'll be tied for second. Only Zidlicky reached six games.

Alexander Nikishin Scores First Career NHL GoalAlexander Nikishin Scores First Career NHL GoalRookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin nets his first NHL goal, a thrilling moment in his young career.

As for other active NHL defensemen who appear on the list, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski had two goals and three assists for five points in his career-opening four-game point streak in 2016. Colorado Avalanche D-man Cale Makar is tied for second, with six assists in five regular-season games in 2019 after he first appeared in the previous campaign's playoffs.

The longest point streak to start a career for any player belongs to two players: the Montreal Canadiens' Joe Malone, who scored in 14 straight games to start the NHL's first-ever season in 1917-18, and Boston Bruins left winger Dimitri Kvartalnov, who had 12 goals and 10 assists for 22 points in 14 games to kick of the 1992-93 season. Malone is a Hockey Hall of Famer, while Kvartalnov put up 91 points in 112 games before returning to Europe.

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