After losing three of their first four games of the 2025-26 season, the Los Angeles Kings entered Thursday night looking for a much-needed victory to get their season back on track.

However, they would have to battle through some early adversity as they would be without their captain and starting goaltender. Anze Kopitar and Darcy Kuemper were both sidelined against the Pittsburgh Penguins with injury.

The losses proved to be critical as the Kings once again fell short in a game that they should have come out on top.

Final from LA. #GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/BlqsVTx33S

— LA Kings (@LAKings) October 17, 2025

First Period: Fast Start Gets Rewarded

From the initial drop of the puck, the Kings were the better team for the entire first period. The Kings were solid on both sides of the ice. At one point, they were outshooting Pittsburgh 8-2 before finishing the period with an 11-8 advantage in shots on goal.

Less than five minutes into the opening frame, Warren Foegele buried his first goal of the season. Foegele was rewarded after winning the battle for a loose puck off the rebound of his first shot attempt. After battling for the puck, Foegele powered it past Arturs Silovs to give LA an early 1-0 lead.

FIRST FOEGOAL OF THE YEAR! pic.twitter.com/uPddEqViMa

— LA Kings (@LAKings) October 17, 2025

Just under halfway through the period, Kevin Fiala made it 2-0 Kings with his third goal of the year. Fiala finished off a beautiful passing play by Joel Armia and Quinton Byfield. Armia carried the puck into the offensive zone before dishing it over to Byfield, who then found Fiala with a gorgeous setup.

After 20 minutes of play, it was clear that the Kings were the better team. With strong play on both ends of the ice, LA holds a 2-0 lead with 40 minutes of play to go.

Second Period: All of a Sudden, We're Tied

The Kings started the second period off strong, generating an early scoring chance. Fiala rifled a shot off the post after a nice play by Byfield. This is the second post for LA as Trevor Moore rang one off the iron in the first period.

After a rare occurrence of no penalties in the first, the Kings found themselves shorthanded early in the second period after Byfield was called for hooking. Special teams hurt them once again as Evgeni Malkin beat Anton Forsberg on the man advantage. Forsberg was beaten with a wrister from the face-off dot, one that he probably wants back.

Not even one minute after Malkin cut the LA lead in half, Conor Dewar made it 2-2. Dewar scored after gaining possession of a loose puck in front of the Kings' net. Kind of a whacky goal, but another one that Forsberg probably wants another stab at.

With just under four minutes left in the middle frame, LA found themselves on the man advantage after Sidney Crosby was called for tripping. Despite the Pens captain being in the box, the Kings couldn't get anything going on the power play.

Third Period: Special Teams Prove to be not so Special

Once again, that silly red post got in the way of a potential Kings goal as Cody Ceci fired a shot off the crossbar. After a slower-paced third period, LA had a chance to redeem themselves on the power play after Crosby was called for his second stick infraction of the evening.

They did exactly the opposite. Another terrible power play proves to be costly. The Penguins managed to escape their zone, leading to a brief two-on-one that was shut down. However, the Kings fell asleep after that, and Filip Hallander took advantage by banging home the loose puck for his first career NHL goal, which was also the eventual game-winning goal.

Los Angeles pushed to tie the game, but to no avail. With 30 seconds left in the final frame, Crosby iced the gam,e making it 4-2 with an empty net goal.

Result: Penguins Win 4-2

Another disappointing loss. After a first period that looked like the Kings might run away with the game, the Penguins competed hard and battled back to steal two points. This loss is due to horrendous special teams and the lack of big saves. Hopefully, those issues can be chalked up to the absence of Kopitar and Kuemper. If not, those issues need to be figured out as soon as possible.

The Kings (1-3-1) will have their hands full next game as they face the Carolina Hurricanes (4-0-0) on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. PT, 9:00 p.m. ET.

The Hockey News Big Show is here on Friday to dive into significant topics across the NHL and beyond.

Here’s what former NHL player Drew Shore, Michael Traikos and Ryan Kennedy discussed in this episode:

00:40: Reacting to Carter Hart joining the Vegas Golden Knights organization on a tryout

03:30: How much of an impact will the layoff be for Hart?

06:20: Are you worried about the Minnesota Wild's offense?

08:30: Are there any concerns that Connor McDavid has yet to score?

11:00: Can Scott Wedgewood become the No. 1 goalie for the Colorado Avalanche?

16:40: The NHL announced a media partnership to broadcast games in Australia. How else can the NHL expand its presence internationally?

21:30: How much talk is there about players in Europe who make an NHL team? How much do European 

22:20: How many points will Connor Bedard get this season?

25:00: Do the Chicago Blackhawks need to go after Artemi Panarin?

28:00: Revisiting the Dylan Cozens-Josh Norris trade from last season between the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres

33:30: Who had the better overtime goal this week: Auston Matthews or Cole Caulfield?

35:40: How concerned are you about Evan Bouchard's defensive play for the Oilers?

38:30: Will next summer's off-season be a snooze fest? 

40:40: Who are you most impressed with and disappointed with so far?

43:00: Can the Ottawa Senators make the playoffs despite Brady Tkachuk's injury?

Watch the full episode here

Subscribe to The Hockey News Big Show on your preferred platform.

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The Guelph Storm added some depth on the backend after trading for a former high draft pick from the 2024 OHL Priority Selection, while, adjacent, the Brantford Bulldogs took advantage of their surplus of defensemen to acquire draft capital. 

General Manager George Burnett announced today that the Storm have acquired defenseman Patrick Babin from the Brantford Bulldogs in exchange for a 2nd round pick (OSH) in 2028 and a 3rd round pick (GUE) in the 2029 OHL Priority Selection.

Read More | https://t.co/CVbCkV2tNOpic.twitter.com/rZD2YT56TN

— Guelph Storm (@Storm_City) October 17, 2025

On Thursday, the Storm announced that they have acquired right-shot blueliner Patrick Babin from the Bulldogs in exchange for a 2028 second-round pick (Oshawa) and a 2029 third-round pick. 

“Patrick is a talented young defenseman and amongst the top players in his draft class,” said Guelph GM George Burnett. “He had an exceptional year of development last season, and we are pleased to add him to our group here in Guelph.”

Babin, 17, has started this season playing in a depth role for Brantford, registering one assist in six games. He was the second pick of the second round (23rd overall) in the 2024 draft and was scouted as one of the top defensemen in his draft class. 

Last season, the Niagara Falls, Ontario, native spent developing in the OHL’s developmental hockey league, the GOJHL, playing for the Brantford Titans. Babin recorded 34 points (8 goals, 24 assists) in 39 regular season games, which was the most by a U17 defenseman. He added another 10 points (2 goals, 8 assists) in 11 playoff games. 

Maple Leafs 7th Round Prospect Announces NCAA Commitment Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Sam McCue has announced his commitment to play in the NCAA for Bowling Green State University upon completion of his OHL career.

The Bulldogs signed right-shot Czech import defender Vladimir Dravecky and welcomed back fellow countryman Adam Jiricek, strengthening the right side of their defense. Unless injuries occur, Babin may struggle to secure consistent playing time in Brantford.

However, it’s not set in stone that Babin has an immediate roster spot in Guelph. After all, their right side is also strong, featuring Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Quinn Beauchesne, 2026 NHL draft prospect Rylan Singh, and third-year pro Rowan Topp. Meanwhile, the left side has Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Grant Spada, Daniil Skvortsov, and Noah Jenken. 

To me, Brantford GM Spencer Hyman having been afforded a second and third-rounder for a player who probably wasn’t going to be a full-timer for them this season seemed too good to pass up. 

That’s not to say this is a bad deal for the Guelph Storm. The addition of Babin allows the organization to let 2009-born rookies Hayden Martin and Zackery Naish develop in the OJHL and CCHL. 

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Make sure you bookmark THN's OHL site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

Latest OHL News:

Potential 2027 #1 Pick Jaakko Wycisk Highlights OHL's U17 World Hockey Challenge RosterPotential 2027 #1 Pick Jaakko Wycisk Highlights OHL's U17 World Hockey Challenge RosterToronto Maple Leafs Prospect Suspended Pending Review For Late Blindside Hit The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs">Toronto Maple Leafs</a> took a flyer on Kitchener Rangers’ enforcer forward <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/fight-breaks-out-at-maple-leafs-development-camp-between-matthew-hlacar-and-rhett-parsons">Matthew Hlacar</a> when they selected him 217th overall in the seventh round of the 2025 NHL Draft. A new philosophy has been adopted in the way Toronto drafts under Brad Treliving compared to former GM Kyle Dubas, and the selection of Hlacar further exemplifies that.&nbsp; Heartwarming Support: Former OHL Teammates Celebrated Maple Leafs Prospect's Debut on the Big StageThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs">Toronto Maple Leafs</a> may have lost their Thanksgiving Monday matinee game against the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings">Detroit Red Wings</a>, but one former OHL MVP, a two-time OHL champion, and a Memorial Cup champion experienced a special moment after spending the first two games of the season in the press box.

It was a disappointing defeat for the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night as the Pittsburgh Penguins came back from a 2-0 deficit. The Penguins went on to win it 4-2 in a game that highlighted several issues within the Kings' team.

According to the Kings' head coach, Jim Hiller, Pittsburgh’s goaltending “was the difference in the game.”

Hiller talked about the scoring chances the team had, but credits Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs, who posted a .938 save percentage and stopped 30 out of 32 shots from Los Angeles.

“You’ve just got to find a way to put it in the back of the net and again, give the goalie credit,” Hiller told reporters after the game.

“Three posts, we beat him on those, so three posts and then some really good saves by him where we had what we like to call him Grade-A’s when you’re kind of that tight with the goaltender and he beat us,” Hiller said.

“Even (Alex Laferriere) at the end on the shorthanded (chance) had a good look right from in tight and the goaltender made the save,” he added.

There’s no doubt Silovs played a solid game. He didn’t allow many rebounds and swallowed up several opportunities thrown his way.

However, the defining moment from this game was the special teams battle, and the Kings’ bench boss touched on that, too.

“We haven’t won the special teams battle yet this season,” Hiller said. “That’s an important part of any hockey game, it’s the special teams battle.”

“Hard to win if you don’t win the special teams battle, so that’s the one. We could have scored a power-play goal, we had our opportunities there and then we gave one up. If you can point to one area, that’s the area you’re going to point to,” he added.

For context, Los Angeles is tied with the Ottawa Senators for taking the most penalties in the league, with 25 in the first five games of the season. Against the Penguins, they only took two, yet Pittsburgh took advantage of one.

Kopitar And Kuemper Listed ‘Day-To-Day’, Perry Practises For The First Time Since SurgeryKopitar and Kuemper were absent from practice on Wednesday, but Perry made an appearance, and so did Portillo on an emergency basis.

Furthermore, what hurt the Kings even more in this contest was their own power play. On the two opportunities they had, the team generated next to no chances and struggled to get a clean entry into the offensive zone.

To put the icing on the cake, Pittsburgh’s game-winning goal came shorthanded by Filip Hallander for his first career NHL goal.

FILIP 👏 HALLANDER 👏 pic.twitter.com/gfcg1R8hVJ

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 17, 2025

Los Angeles is now 1-3-1 to open the 2025-26 campaign, and they currently sit sixth in the Pacific Division. As Hiller said, “We’re in a hole and we’re in a funk.”

The Edmonton Oilers' recent re-signing of superstar Connor McDavid to a two-year extension with the same $12.5 million annual average value as his current deal provides them with salary-cap flexibility for next season.

With their recent addition of free-agent forward Jack Roslovic and their status as a Stanley Cup contender, some observers wonder if they might make a significant addition before the March 6 NHL trade deadline.

David Staples of the Edmonton Journalobserved that some Oilers fans are wondering if their club might target struggling teams in the hope of adding another star to the roster, such as power forward Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres.

However, Staples doesn't anticipate the Oilers will make a major addition this season. He pointed out that the club is up against the $95.5 million salary cap, and they have little to trade except their 2027 first-round pick.

Staples also noted that the only Oilers with cap hits over $2 million lacking no-trade protection are defensemen Evan Bouchard and Brett Kulak, and starting goaltender Stuart Skinner.

Bouchard isn't going anywhere after signing a lucrative long-term extension this summer. There are no better options in the trade market to replace Skinner as their starter, and Kulak won't fetch much of a return.

Staples suggested that the earliest opportunity for the Oilers to make a big move is next summer. That's when they can put their cap space to work in the free-agent market.

Meanwhile, in Montreal, Canadiens fans are wondering what other moves their club has in store. They recently re-signed Lane Hutson to a team-friendly eight-year extension and extended the contracts of management honchos Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes.

Most of the focus is on defenseman Mike Matheson, who is UFA-eligible next summer. However, some fans wonder if a couple of other players might become trade candidates.

Stu Cowan of The Montreal Gazette was recently asked if the Canadiens might move veteran winger Brendan Gallagher to clear cap space and create room to promote a promising young forward. The 33-year-old right winger is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $6.5 million and a six-team no-trade list.

Another reader asked Cowan if the Canadiens might use defenseman Jayden Struble as a trade chip to address other roster needs and make space for an up-and-coming blueliner.

Cowan doesn't see either player moving this season. He believes Gallagher still has value to the Canadiens with his gritty play, experience and leadership. The uncertainty over Matheson's contract status and David Reinbacher's ongoing injury issues should keep Struble in Montreal for now.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Detroit Red Wings look to string together their first four-game winning streak since February, when they won seven straight just before the Four Nations Face-Off break. They faced a tough test Wednesday as they faced off against the back-to-back Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers and were still able to edge out a 4-1 victory. They'll be tasked with another difficult opponent on Friday in taking on another Florida-based team in the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Friday night hockey! #LGRW

🏒 7:00 P.M.
📺 @FanDuelSN_DET
📻 @971theticketxyt
🎟️ https://t.co/vZc2Yr3p4Z
🤝 @familycoolingpic.twitter.com/yBCo2Hqd2s

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 17, 2025

Detroit's homestand to start the season has helped them get out to an early 3-1-0 record on the season as they currently sit second in the Atlantic Division. For the Bolts, their start to the campaign has been more troubling with a 1-2-1 record that will motivate them to bounce back. 

On offense, Detroit will look to kick things off with the always lethal Alex DeBrincat, who is normally known for being a deadly goal scorer. However, he's not found the back of the net this season. The Michigan native is still averaging over a point-per-game with six assists through the first four games. Tampa Bay's offense will be led by familiar faces in forwards Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel, who both have five points to start the season despite their team's lackluster start. 

With both offenses looking to leave their mark, it should culminate in a divisional showdown of the ages with both teams looking for a big win that would go a long way in nabbing a potential playoff spot.  

NHL Insider Reports Red Wings Exploring Trade Options At CenterThe Red Wings are actively seeking a center upgrade, targeting impact players to bolster their playoff push and address face-off struggles.

Lineup Storylines

While DeBrincat searches for his first goal, a handful of others are also looking for their first tally of the season as the Red Wings' notable trio of rookies have all still not scored their first NHL goals. The veteran J.T. Compher has also failed to find the scoresheet through four games and finds himself at the bottom of the team with the rookies (excluding Emmitt Finnie) and defenseman around him in terms of point production. He would love to turn things around and could be looked at for a breakout game versus the Bolts.

A surprising start to the season for the Red Wings has been free agent add Mason Appleton, who scored a pair of goals in Detroit's win over the Panthers on Wednesday and now leads the team with three on the season. Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman brought in Appleton as a veteran presence to bolster the team’s scoring depth. After making his mark as part of one of the league’s most effective lines with the Jets, Appleton has continued to deliver a similar impact early in his time with Detroit. 

The Red Wings' battle for the crease has been predominantly owned by veteran goaltender Cam Talbot to start the season but former all-star John Gibson will seemingly get a chance to redeem himself against Tampa Bay. After being acquired through a draft day trade, Gibson was expected to be Detroit's leading netminder but his debut didn't go according to plan. With five goals allowed through the first two periods, Gibson was pulled in the season opener despite most of the goals arguably not being his fault and more a cause of defensive lapses. 

Gibson Takes the Heat, But Detroit’s Defensive Lapses Deserve the Blame in Montreal RoutA closer look at Montreal’s five goals in Thursday’s victory over <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings">Detroit </a>and an assessment of how many can truly be pinned on John Gibson.&nbsp;

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

Following the loss, Talbot caught fire with three impressive starts including a stunning 38-save performance to help edge out a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs this past Monday. Gibson will look to catch a similar flame on Friday or he may start to lose more playing time than he expected due to Talbot's hot start. 

On Tampa's end, their storylines run through their backend as they currently sit with a -3 goal differential, spearheaded by 16 goals allowed over their first four games. Their 4.00 goals against per game average is bottom five in the league, which is surprising for a team that made three straight Stanley Cup finals off the strength of their backend with physical, elite defending complemented by exceptional play out of starting goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.

Unfortunately for the Bolts, their future Hall-of-Fame netminder has seen a brutal start to the season with a 0-2-1 record with a 4.08 goals against average. If the Red Wings are going to take advantage of the Lightning’s slump, now’s the moment to do it. 

Player & Betting Trends (Presented By BetMGM)

DET ML (+125) | TBL ML (-149)

DET +1.5 (-189) | TBL -1.5 (+154)

O/U 6.0 Goals

The matchup presents a solid opportunity for the aforementioned Compher to finally find the scoresheet. We mentioned the Lightning have been struggling with their defensive side of the game and Compher could take advantage. Historically, the 30-year-old winger has done well versus the Bolts with a goal and five assists for six points over his last seven games against Tampa Bay. Vasilevskiy will be tough to beat as his numbers against Detroit are superb but maybe the Red Wings offense can catch him off guard and continue his skid. 

Detroit has gotten the better of Tampa Bay as of late with wins in five of their last seven matchups with most of the games being won with their offense rather than their defense. This should work well for a Red Wings team that is within the top ten in offense to start the season with a 3.50 goals per game average. This should help them repeat with three or more goals for the fourth time in their last seven matchups versus the Lightning. 

On the defensive side, the Red Wings will need to do their best to prevent the eventual breakout game for Bolts superstar Nikita Kucherov. The former 144-point player has just three points through four games so far and it's only a matter of time before his first game-breaking performance of the season. With 21 goals and 31 assists for 52 points in 40 career games against the Red Wings, they've struggled to limit the Russian winger in the past but will need to try their best once again if they want to emerge with their fourth straight win. 

"He Hasn't Relinquished Anything": Todd McLellan Firmly In John Gibson's Corner Detroit Red Wings coach Todd McLellan believes that John Gibson still has every right to the crease, and he'll make his second start of the campaign on Friday evening against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Goalie Matchup

Detroit: John Gibson (VS TBL: 4-5-1 record, 2.13 GAA, .932 SV% in 10 Games)

Tampa Bay: Andrei Vasilevskiy (VS DET: 16-5-1 record, 2.16 GAA, .929 SV% in 22 Games) 

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The Swedish junior league is loaded with intriguing prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft. In this piece, Jacob Smeds highlights five players who have stood out in the early weeks of the U20 Nationell season. Enjoy!

Oscar Holmertz (C), 2026 NHL Draft

Holmertz is a center with strong playmaking ability. His game relies more on hockey sense than on speed or physicality. He is confident with the puck and often finds solutions others don’t see. His vision stands out, allowing him to dictate the pace of play and bring both tempo and control to his team’s game.

Holmertz has opened the season with promising play in the U20 Nationell, earning him a spot on Linköping’s SHL roster for Thursday’s game against Örebro. He didn’t get any ice time, but just being on the bench is a sign that his SHL debut is getting closer. With his high hockey IQ and ability to process the game, it’s easy to project his skills to the professional level.

Bosse Meijer (C), 2027 NHL Draft

Bosse Meijer opened the season with a promising performance at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup for Sweden. Though one of the youngest players on the roster, he played a key role on a line with 2026 top prospects Oscar Holmertz and Elton Hermansson. Meijer stood out with his relentless work ethic and constant motor, and he showed confidence in taking shots whenever the opportunity arose.

Meijer entered the season with just a single U20 game to his name, but he’s made the transition from U18 look seamless. Along with his trademark work ethic, he has displayed strong hockey sense and a knack for threading passes behind opposing defenders. With his late-2008 birth date, Meijer emerges as one of the more intriguing Swedish prospects to keep an eye on for the 2027 NHL Draft.

Marcus Nordmark (RW), 2026 NHL Draft

Marcus Nordmark is another player who started the season with an impressive showing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He showed the different sides of his game there, mixing playmaking with scoring and proving he can rise to the occasion in big moments.

After a slow start in U20 Nationell, both Marcus Nordmark and Djurgården’s junior team are starting to find their stride. Nordmark has impressed with his improved vision, producing 13 points in 8 games without often needing to play at full speed. To his credit, the U20 league doesn’t ask for much more from a player projected to go in the first round. The real test will be how his game carries over if he gets a chance at the professional level.

Marcus Nordmark has completed the hat-trick to win the game 6-5 for Sweden.

Sweden is off to the final.

They trailed 5-2 with 12 minutes to go. #HlinkaGretzkyCuppic.twitter.com/vzGxaVAZa0

— Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) August 15, 2025

Theodor Knights (D), 2026 NHL Draft

Theodor Knights is a big, team-first defenseman who takes pride in his play in the defensive zone. He leans on his physical style to shut down opponents and is often tasked with handling the other team’s top line. Over the past year, he’s also taken steps forward with the puck, showing more confidence in moving play out of his own end.

Knights earned a chance with MoDo’s senior team during the preseason but has yet to make his league debut. Even against tougher competition, he showed his defensive upside with aggressive play in his own zone. His mix of skating ability and size could push him high in the draft.

Alexander Command (C), 2026 NHL Draft

Alexander Command took major steps forward last season and was rewarded with a debut for the Swedish national team in the final tournament of the year. In the tough competition for spots, he was left off the roster for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. I’d bet on him getting another chance with Sweden at the Five Nations in November. With his reliable two-way game, he could be an asset as a third-line center or even higher up the lineup.

Command currently sits fourth in league scoring with an impressive seven goals and 15 points in nine games. He’s a joy to watch in transition, using his smooth stride and ability to glide through the neutral zone. Command also isn’t afraid to drive to the dirty areas or throw a hit in the corners when the game calls for it. He remains one of the most intriguing players still flying under the radar for the wider audience.

Part 4: Draft-Eligible Prospects to Watch in SwedenThe Hockey News International wraps up its series spotlighting draft-eligible players to watch in Sweden. The series profiles 40 intriguing prospects, with Parts 1–3 available below.

On Thursday morning, when Montreal Canadiens’ coach Martin St-Louis told reporters that Jayden Struble would be suiting up for the game against the Nashville Predators, he added that he was looking forward to giving Joe Veleno a game.

In the midst of a four-game winning streak, it’s not easy to change your lineup, and you’ve got to be careful about who you pull out. On Thursday morning, Oliver Kapanen seemed to be the likeliest candidate. But against the Nashville Predators, not only did he score a goal, but he was much more involved and visible. Early in the first frame, his timely stick lift prevented Steven Stamkos from taking a shot from in close.

Canadiens: Caufield And Hutson's Heroics Net Two Points
Canadiens' Hutson Added To U.S. Preliminary Roster
Canadiens: Big Weekend For Fans At The Habs Summit

He might have only played 11:59, but those were quality minutes, and he’s also part of the penalty kill, which is an important role. He won his role on the team out of training camp before St-Louis thought he had an NHL-level computer. He plays a sound game, and he’s also predictable for his linemates on the ice. The way he performed on Thursday night, it’s almost as if he was telling the coach that while he was looking forward to playing Veleno, it shouldn’t be at his expense.

Meanwhile, Patrik Laine is trying his best on the fourth line, but playing a two-way game does not necessarily come naturally to him. It’s a work in process, and last night, he was on the ice when Nick Perbix scored the Predators’ second goal. He did backcheck, but he let his man go too early, when Noah Dobson wasn’t close enough to cover him adequately, as Laine skated towards the other side to cover Ozzy Wiesblatt.

Yes, he’s part of the power play, but things haven’t yet clicked for him on the man-advantage, and his presence on the fourth line is posing a challenge for Jake Evans and Josh Anderson. They are used to playing with Brendan Gallagher, who plays a simple, efficient, and predictable game, and Laine doesn’t do that, even though he’s working on it.

When the Canadiens needed an equalizer against Nashville and they deployed six skaters, Laine wasn’t on the ice; he was on the bench. I liked what I’ve seen from Laine since the start of the season. The effort is there, but right now, for me, he’s the one who should come out if St-Louis wants to give Veleno a game.

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Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

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ELMONT, NY --Matt Martin may have called it a career this summer, but his impact on the future of the New York Islanders' organization is immeasurable.

Since No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer arrived on Long Island, Martin, who was named Special Assistant to first-time general manager Mathieu Darche, has taken the recently turned 18-year-old under his wing. 

Martin, along with countless other teammates, had offered their homes to Schaefer for his rookie season, but every time we asked the young defenseman during training camp who he'd be living with, he said that he was focused on making the team first -- the right answer. 

But, during Thursday night's ESPN+ broadcast, Emily Kaplan asked Schaefer who he'd be living with. Schaefer told her that over 10 teammates offered to house him, but that he'd be living with Martin.

#Isles Matthew Schaefer tells ESPN's @emilymkaplan that he'll be living at the Matt Martin house this year.

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) October 17, 2025

Schaefer has made an incredible bond with Martin's family, which includes their daughters Winnie and Alice. Martin and his wife Sydney also welcomed two twin boys back in June, so credit to them for bringing in another kid -- jokes. 

Following the game, The Hockey News asked Schaefer about what Martin has meant to him:

NHL (@NHL) on XMatthew Schaefer might be a member of the Martin family now 🥹 (🎥: IG/sydneyemartin)

It's very common for rookies to live with vets during their rookie season. Mathew Barzal lived with Dennis Seidenberg and his family. John Tavares lived with Doug Weight and his family. 

While Schaefer's focus is developing his game on the ice, the 18-year-old is still learning a ton about life and there aren't two better people, in Martin and his wife Sydney, to learn from.

We await the social media posts of Schaefer donning an Elsa outfit. 

Islanders 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.

Anthony Stolarz's mask was popped off via a shot late in the third period against the New York Rangers, and instead of calling for an official, he bounced back up to make a save on J.T. Miller.

"I kind of just saw the rebound go to the side, and as I was going, the helmet kind of flew off, so just trying to be a competitor and slide across," Stolarz said after Toronto's 2-1 overtime win over the Rangers. "Obviously, it's not an ideal situation, but at that stage of the game, you're just trying to do anything to keep the puck out of the net."

Rule 9.6 (Helmets) in the NHL rulebook states: "When a goalkeeper has lost his helmet and/or face mask and his team has control of the puck, play shall be stopped immediately to allow the goalkeeper the opportunity to regain his helmet and/or face mask. When the opposing team has control of the puck, play shall only be stopped if there is no immediate and impending scoring opportunity."

It's a situation that could have gone horribly wrong had the shot come up and gotten Stolarz in the head area. Luckily, it didn't. But it's not the first time a goaltender has lost their mask and had to make a save this season.

lost his mask and kept going to make the save pic.twitter.com/fUVHSK5N4d

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 17, 2025

Vegas Golden Knights netminder Adin Hill took a slapshot off the mask on Oct. 14 against the Calgary Flames. The play continued, with Hill sliding across to make a stop on the rebound. The goaltender remained in the game for the rest of the first period before exiting the game.

When discussing the play post game, Stolarz brought up the Hill incident.

"Hopefully, we can find a compromise. It's not like goalies are trying to knock our helmets off. I mean, without the buckle, you can't really see the puck. You can't really track or do anything because as soon as you move your head, it falls off," Stolarz said.

"So, hopefully, the league can kind of look at it, talk to some goalies or people who have knowledge of the position, and we can kind of come to some sort of compromise where our safety isn't put at risk there."

just another day at the office pic.twitter.com/3S2GjeYUp5

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 17, 2025

Stolarz wasn't the only player on the Maple Leafs who shared their dislike for the rule.

"I didn't know about (the rule) until they came over and explained it to us," Auston Matthews said.

"I mean, I don't know. It's tough because his helmet's off and J.T. Miller's coming down the slot with a one-timer. I don't know. Thankfully, he didn't hit him there. But yeah, I was completely unaware of the rule. I thought the second the helmet's off, the play was going to be dead."

William Nylander: "I think, it's a goalie without his helmet, I mean, that's so dangerous. It should be blown off right away. I mean, I guess you could argue that sometimes a goalie can try and shake his helmet off or whatever, but I mean, I think that's pretty dangerous."

Matthew Knies said he was "a little scared" when Stolarz's mask came off and there was no whistle blown right away. "I don't know how it came to that. I thought it was supposed to be blown, but I don't know. It was a shocker for sure, for everyone, I think."

Did Cayden Primeau Show Enough In His Maple Leafs Debut To Instil Confidence As An NHL Backup?Cayden Primeau could feel the nerves building as he walked out of the tunnel inside Scotiabank Arena for his first start with the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Nashville Predators.

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube shared the same sentiment as the players: blow the play dead once a goaltender's mask is off.

"It's a tough call. I mean, your goalie loses his mask. He's in a very vulnerable position. And a position to get really hurt. I don't think anybody wants to see that, ever. So in my opinion, blow it down. But that's me."

Despite that scare in the third period, Stolarz was strong for Toronto. The 31-year-old stopped 28 of 29 shots in the win over the Rangers, improving his record to 2-2-0, and his save percentage to .907 through four games.

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After a highly entertaining home opener on Tuesday night, the Montreal Canadiens were hoping to keep their game winning streak going by hosting the Nashville Predators at the Bell Centre.

Without the tribute and the home opening ceremony, the 2025-26 introduction video took center stage, and I must say it’s nice to see the torch projected on the ice for every game; seeing the rink light up in flames gets to me for some reason. As for the video itself, it’s an interesting change of pace; there are a lot of bone-crushing hits in there, and no longer just spectacular goals and saves.

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Taking More Shots

For a second game in a row, the shot clock stayed relatively low throughout the first 20 minutes. On Tuesday, Montreal could muster only four shots in the first frame, and on Thursday, they managed just six, the same amount as the Predators.

It’s not that the Habs played poorly, but at times, they’re trying one too many passes out there. Nashville aborted multiple chances, sticks getting in the passing lanes that shouldn’t have been tried since there was a good shot opportunity available. There’s something to be said about keeping things simple sometimes.

In all fairness, though, since training camp, the Canadiens haven’t focused that much on offense, something the coach has been quite open about:

Where we can improve the most is in the offensive zone; it’s not about spending more time there, but it’s about being more efficient. We die with the pucks in the corner. I think we can do a better job of it. We’ve worked so much on the other side of the game since the start of training camp that we’re a bit behind on that side, but I’d rather be behind on that side.

- St-Louis on what his team can improve

With all the offensive talent he has at his disposal, that declaration makes sense. Tightening that side of the game was urgent, as falling behind and conceding five or six goals a game would be worse than missing some scoring chances.

Dobes’ Composure

Say what you will about Jakub Dobes, but he’s always ready when he gets the call, and he’s a calm and reassuring presence in the net. While he wasn’t tested too often in the game, when he was, he was sharp.

In the first frame, he made a great save on an odd-man rush, which resulted from Noah Dobson fanning on a shot at the opposing blueline. In the middle stanza, there was a weird bounce off the boards that nearly led to a goal, as he had come out to play the puck. Jayden Struble prevented the goal, but Dobes got back in a hurry to lend a hand.

When the Preds opened the score on a power-play goal off a Kaiden Guhle semi-block, he looked at his blueliner as if to say, 'It happens.' He stayed even keel; he has a way to handle himself that sends the message to his teammates that there’s no problem, they’ll get the goal back.

Furthermore, in the overtime period, the Predators got a two-on-zero, and the goalie stood tall; without that stop, there wouldn’t have been a game-winning goal with two seconds left.

On The Dynamic Duo

When Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield started playing with the Canadiens, they were both known as offense-first players, but a few years down the line, they are so much more than that. Suzuki receives Selke Trophy votes now, and as for Cole Caufield, his growth as a complete player has been phenomenal since St-Louis' arrival.

In Thursday night’s game, we saw Caufield shine at both ends of the ice. Not only did he score the game-tying and the game-winning goal, but in the extra frame, when Mike Matheson broke his stick and the Habs were essentially down to two players instead of three, it was the diminutive forward who put the pressure necessary to lead to the whistle and allowed the Canadiens to survive a tricky situation. Just a year ago, that broken stick would have put an end to the night, but not anymore.

Speaking to the media after the game, Hutson explained how he feels the chemistry between the two reminds him of the Patrick Kane-Johnathan Toews combination. Since he grew up a Chicago Blackhawks fan, that’s quite a compliment from the youngster, and one that makes sense.

In the dying minutes of overtime, Suzuki missed a good scoring chance, and when the puck came to him again, he didn’t try for the shot; instead, he passed it to his partner in crime. Caufield made no mistake, scoring his second goal of the night and his fifth of the season. This duo makes the Canadiens an exciting team to watch, and it appears to be the case for the foreseeable future, with this young core locked up for years to come.

After two Hollywood-style wins in as many games at home, one has to wonder if the Canadiens forgot to introduce the script writer when they introduced the staff on Tuesday night. No moment was more impressive than when Hutson made a save in front of the empty net. For half a quarter of a second, he looked like he was thinking, “ouch, that hurt,” but then, gamer mode kicked in, and he launched the perfect pass to send Caufield on his way to to tie up the game. Finally, it’s worth mentioning that Struble did very well in his first game of the season. He spent nearly 14 minutes on the ice and made quite a few noticeable defensive plays, showing no sign of rust whatsoever.

The Canadiens will have a well-deserved day off on Friday before getting back to work on Saturday morning, ahead of their duel with the New York Rangers at the Bell Center.

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It’s been a tough few days for the Florida Panthers.

Playing their first road games of the season, Florida has lost each of the past three games they’ve played.

The three defeats have all come over the past four days, and each one saw the game either tied or a one-goal contest late into each affair.

There will be plenty for the Cats to clean up after Thursday’s loss, and they won’t have long before getting back at.

Next up for Florida is a 1 p.m. matchup with the Sabres in Buffalo on Saturday.

Before we get to that, here are Thursday’s takeaways:

TARASOV SHINES AGAIN

It’s now been two strong starts for goaltender Daniil Tarasov this season.

The Panthers were keen on Tarasov when they acquired him over the summer, and now we’re starting to see why.

He’s turned a strong training camp and preseason into a pair of steady outings for Florida.

With Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice and his staff looking to limit starting goalie Sergei Bobrvosky to around 50-55 starts, having a reliable backup is a must if Florida wants to keep Bob fresh for what they hope is another long playoff run.

“He's been great,” Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues said of Tarasov. “I think we all kind of expected it, seeing him in preseason, training camp, stuff like that. He’s given us a chance (every game) and we haven't supported him too great in his two starts. But yeah, I don't think any of us are surprised.”

NOT MUCH LEFT IN THE TANK

Playing their third road game in four nights, the Panthers had a rough time finding their legs late in Thursday’s game.

To the Devils’ credit, they look to play a similar style to Florida and did a good job of limiting the Panthers time and space.

At the same time, Jersey also utilized their time with the puck and kept Tarasov very busy. If not for him, the game could have gotten away from Florida far sooner.

“He was fantastic,” said Maurice. “A lot of lateral plays that he got across on and gave us a chance to stay in that game, especially in the back half of that game when the wheels fell off the cart for us. We didn't have much we could do, and he was great, so that's a great sign for us.”

TOO MANY BLOCKED SHOTS

One area that the Panthers will be looking to improve on is in the shots on goal department.

Florida put up only 21 and 22 shots in Detroit and New Jersey, respectively, which is a low number for this team.

It doesn’t help that over the two games, the Red Wings and Devils blocked over 40 of the Panthers shot attempts.

“You’ve got to get near the net, to start, and then you’ve got to get a puck near the net,” said Maurice. “I think we had 23 blocked tonight, 25 blocked last night, so either heat ‘em up or get ‘em by them, one of the two.”

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Photo caption: Oct 16, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (13) celebrates his goal against the Florida Panthers during the third period at Prudential Center. (Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images)

Ivan Provorov(1) scored the only goal for the Blue Jackets, and goalie Elvis Merzļikins played very well for most of this game. Ultimately, the Blue Jackets would lose 4-1 to the Colorado Avalanche. Merzļikins would end the game, stopping 

The first period was very fast, with both teams flying up and down the ice, giving each other lots of scoring chances. Both goalies had to be sharp and were, with Elvis Merzļikins getting most of the work. The Avs put 12 shots on goal and had 30 shot attempts, while the Jackets had 7 and 20, respectively. The Blue Jackets had a power play, but couldn't convert, so the period ended with neither team being able to beat each other's goalie. 

The Jackets held on as long as they could in the second period. After Ivan Provorov scored to make it 1-0, Makar and Nelson scored 1:12 apart to crush the CBJ. The law of averages caught up to the Jackets in the second. The Avs will shoot the puck, from anywhere, from anyone, and do it in short order. The Jackets thought they tied the game late in the second period when a puck went in off of Dmitri Voronkov's chest, but it was disallowed because the referee thought he had gloved it in. He did not glove it in, but it did go in off a body part, which is illegal. The Avs then scored a third goal with four seconds left on the clock to make it a 3-1 game after two periods. That goal, at the time, seemed like the nail in the coffin. 

The third period was more of the Avs just trying to end the game more than anything. The CBJ had a few chances, but the Avs shut pretty much everything down. On a good note, the Jackets killed off an Avs power play, which is something they have struggled to do this season through three games. Late in the third, the Jackets looked to have pulled to within one goal, but again the goal was disallowed due to a hand pass. The Avs would add an empty net goal to make it a 4-1 final at Nationwide Arena. 

The Blue Jackets will be fine. It's only been four games, but it's obvious where the help is needed, and that's scoring. We saw a glimpse of that against the Minnesota Wild in game two of the season when they poured in seven goals. The CBJ goalie tandem has been playing lights out for the most part, and that's a very good sign. 

The Blue Jackets honored the great Cam Atkinson before this game. Earlier in the day, Atkinson held a press conference where he signed a one-day NHL contract and then formally announced his retirement from the NHL. After warmups, Atkinson came back to the ice, dressed in his familiar #13 Blue Jackets jersey, and made a lap around the ice as the Nationwide Arena faithful went nuts. As he worked his way around the arena, he stopped to slap the glass at fans and give fist bumps through the glass as well. At one point, he even kissed the CBJ crest on the jersey, just before pointing up the Johnny Gaudreau banner that hangs on the east side of the arena. He stopped to say hi to his wife and kids and then finished his lap, as the Avs were coming onto the ice. He stayed on the ice for the National Anthem and then disappeared down the hallway. Later in the game, a couple of tribute videos were shown, most of which featured his former teammates from years past in Columbus. After one of those videos, Cam was seen chugging a beer with a massive smile on his face. Cam Atkinson was a legend for Columbus, and the fans of the CBJ should be honored to have been able to watch him play all those years. 

Even before Cam Atkinson officially retired, the #13 was never going to be worn again, but after Cam took the ice wearing it one more time, it's safe to say that that number, although not officially retired by the Jackets, will never be worn again. 

Final Stats

Player Stats

• Ivan Provorov played in his 700th career NHL game. He also scored his first goal of the season.
• Kirill Marchenko tallied an assist, his first of the season.
• Zach Werenski had 3 shots on the night.
• Elvis Merzļikins stopped 32 of 35 Colorado shots.

Team Stats

• The Jackets' power play went 0/2 against the Avs.
• The Columbus PK stopped the only Avs man advantage they had on the night.
• Columbus won 45.3% of the faceoffs.

Up Next: The Tampa Bay Lightning visit Columbus on Saturday night. 

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Carolina Hurricanes rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin has scored his first career NHL goal, just four games into his regular season career.

The highly touted Russian blueliner has been close quite a few times, especially when he hit the goal post on a 2-on-1 on Tuesday, but he finally got his.

Early into the third period, Nikishin found some soft space in the slot as the Hurricanes' top line was going to work and Sebastian Aho quickly found the activating defenseman.

Nikishin made no mistake, rifling the puck past Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal and you could tell how much that first one meant to him.

Niki with his first, welcome to the NHL‼️ pic.twitter.com/9CbaIrkltk

— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) October 17, 2025

That first NHL goal feeling 🥹 pic.twitter.com/t90p7rSfb6

— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) October 17, 2025

Here's to many more, Niki!

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LAS VEGAS -- The Golden Knights got at least one point from 11 skaters Thursday night, led by William Karlsson's two goals, as Vegas defeated the Boston Bruins, 6-5.

"This was one of our more - it might sound funny - complete games, especially offensively," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "I thought we were the better team most of the night. We gave up the first goal again, but answered right away. And then I thought we took it to Boston in a lot of different areas."

Vegas has given up the first goal in 15 straight games dating back to last postseason, through the preseason and over the first five games of the regular season.

"I thought the score was a little more complimentary than the game myself," Cassidy said. "I'm sure they may feel differently, but that's how I felt as a coach, and that's a good thing. That means we're moving in the right direction.

"Do we have some things to fix? Of course, you do. It's game five. It's the middle of October. We'll have things to fix for a while, but I'd like the direction the game went tonight. We're just going to keep emphasizing better starts. Some of that's puck management."

Jack Eichel became the first player in the NHL to hit double digits in points this season as he finished with a goal and an assist to extend his season-opening point streak to five games.

Eichel leads the league with 11 points, including five goals.

Everything is going in for Jack Eichel right now 👏 pic.twitter.com/174eDplfH6

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 17, 2025

Captain Mark Stone finished with three assists, upping his season tally to a league-leading nine helpers.

Pavel Dorofeyev scored his sixth goal of the season and moved into a league-leading tie with Ottawa's Shane Pinto.

we lost track of how many goals Pavel is on pace for but it's a lot 🚨 pic.twitter.com/wr04XropbW

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 17, 2025

Cole Reinhardt scored his first goal as a Golden Knight, while Tomas Hertl also scored for Vegas.

🦏 THE RHINO 🦏 pic.twitter.com/QdMfKuLRSz

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 17, 2025

"We got four lines that can do a lot of damage in various ways," defenseman Zach Whitecloud said. "I don't want to specify anyone, because everyone has some things that they do really well that other lines don't necessarily have their identity as, but they can all score and create problems down low, especially off the rush.

"I think we're a good team creating off the rush, especially when we're breaking pucks out well. And I've said it all the time, as long as we get our forwards going with possession out of our own zone, more often than not, they're going to do a great job creating up the ice and managing pucks."

Karlsson finished with two special teams goals, one short-handed goal near the end of the second period and a power-play goal early in the third. It was the latter that not only ended up being the game-winner, but that also moved him within one point of his 400th point as a Golden Knight.

and here's his power-play goal! 🤠 pic.twitter.com/je3QJgwur9

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 17, 2025

Goaltender Akira Schmid improved to 3-0-0 after stopping 19 shots in what was his third appearance but just his second start of the season.