MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Mathew Dumba is retiring after 13 NHL seasons with five different teams.
Dumba last played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, with stints in Minnesota, Dallas, Arizona and Tampa Bay. The 32-year-old defenseman won the 2020 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, awarded to the player who best exemplified leadership qualities on and off the ice and made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.
“Matt Dumba is officially hanging up his skates after 748 NHL career games,” the NHL Players Association posted on social media Friday. “Wishing the former blue liner and 2019-20 King Clancy Memorial Trophy winner the best of luck in his retirement!”
Dumba spent his first 10 NHL seasons in Minnesota after the Wild drafted him with the No. 7 overall pick of the 2012 NHL draft. He signed with the Arizona Coyotes in 2023, but was sent to Tampa Bay just before the deadline.
Dumba played one season with the Lightning, another with the Dallas Stars and had a goal and two assists with the Penguins in 2025-26. He spent most of the season at Wilkes-Barr/Scranton, the Penguins' AHL affiliate.
Dumba had 85 goals and 176 in 748 NHL games. He also had give goals and 10 assists in 54 playoff games.
The Vancouver Canucks are 2–3–0 through their first five games of the 2026–27 season. This isn’t the worst record that they’ve produced through the past five seasons, but it’s not the best either. Here’s how the 2026–27 Canucks’ first five games compare to previous seasons.
The 2022–23 Canucks Didn’t Register A Win In Any Of Their First Five Games
The 2022–23 season was arguably the most significant in the team’s recent history, between trading then-captain Bo Horvat to hiring Rick Tocchet as Head Coach. The first five games of this season, however, made the start of the year look startlingly bleak. The goaltending tandem of Thatcher Demko and Spencer Martin combined for the team’s second-lowest save-percentage through the first five games of the past five seasons with .859% — ranking 30th in the NHL. The lone instance where either goaltender recorded a SV% of above .900 was in the team’s 3–2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.
The 2022–23 Canucks’ first five games of the season also saw the team put up a particularly poor penalty kill with a success rate of only 58.8%.
When it came to individual stats, Horvat led the way in goals scored through the first five games with four. Quinn Hughes tallied the most assists of Vancouver’s skaters with five. Elias Pettersson was the team’s leader in points with six, scoring three goals and three assists.
Vancouver Started 2023–24 With Three Wins In Their First Five Games
2023–24 was, of course, Vancouver’s strongest season in recent history in terms of their place in the league’s standings and post-season contention. They started this particular season with a two-game win-streak, both of which were against the Edmonton Oilers. Thanks to their aggressive 8–1 win against the Oilers to open the year, Vancouver finished their first five games of the season with a total of 20 goals scored. They also logged the third-highest power-play percentage in the NHL with a success rate of 37.5%.
During this span, Vancouver put together their best combined save-percentage with .928%. Only one of these games — a 4–3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning — ended in a Canucks goaltender recording a save-percentage of less than .900. What makes this stat even more impressive is the amount of shots Vancouver allowed in each of these games. The Canucks allowed 40+ shots in both their 4–3 win against Edmonton and 2–0 loss to the Flyers, while the lowest number they permitted was 27 in their home-opener.
A four-goal performance in the Canucks’ season-opener gave Brock Boeser an early bump for the team’s goal-scoring lead, scoring six goals in the team’s first five games. Pettersson led the team in both assists and points this span of time with eight and 10 respectively.
Three Of The 2024–25 Canucks’ First Five Games Went To Overtime
The 2024–25 season started off memorably for the Canucks. They dropped their first game of the year by a score of 6–5 in overtime after climbing up to a 4–1 lead after the first period. Vancouver followed that up with a 3–2 shootout loss to the Flyers. After their third loss of the year, a 4–1 loss to Tampa Bay, the Canucks took their first win of the year in their third overtime game of 2024–25 — a 3–2 overtime win against the Florida Panthers.
2024–25 also saw Vancouver put up their lowest goals-for through their first five games in the past five seasons with 14 total. All but one of their first five games resulted in the Canucks scoring three or less goals.
Individually, Vancouver’s player stats through the first five games faced a fair drop-off compared to previous seasons. Boeser logged the team’s lead in goals once again, this time with three. He also finished with a team-high of five points. Jake DeBrusk finished with the team’s lead in assists with four.
No Canucks Averaged A Point Per Game Through Their First Five Games In 2025–26
The 2025–26 Canucks had a decent first five games of the season compared to how the year actually ended. They won three of their first five, one of which came in overtime against the Chicago Blackhawks. Thatcher Demko had a particularly strong start, recording a save-percentage of .944% in back-to-back matchups.
Vancouver’s team stats landed towards the middle of the pack through their first five games of the year. Their power-play percentage (18.8%) was tied for 16th in the league, with their penalty killing rate (78.9%) coming in at 17th. Their highest registered team stat was their save-percentage (.909%), which ranked eighth throughout the NHL.
Vancouver’s goal-scoring was a lot more spread out through their first five games of the 2025–26 season. Boeser, Filip Chytil, and Kiefer Sherwood were tied for the team’s lead with three goals. Hughes, Conor Garland, and Filip Hronek shared the lead in assists with three. Hughes and Garland split the lead in points with four each.
The Canucks Have The NHL’s Worst Penalty Kill Through The First Five Games Of 2026–27
There are both positive and negative things that can be taken away from the Canucks’ first five games of the 2026–27 season. For starters, their overall effort level has been strong, with the team sporting two wins and one loss separated by only one goal. They’ve managed a strong offensive effort, scoring 21 goals since the start of the season — the most of all seasons through the past five years. They currently sit at third in the league in goals scored behind only the Colorado Avalanche (23) and Oilers (22).
Also positive about this start are the players’ individual stats. Paul Cotter’s four goals is currently tied for fourth in the NHL, while Pettersson’s six assists and eight points lead the Canucks in both categories.
There are, however, some things about the Canucks’ first five games to be concerned about. Kevin Lankinen and Leevi Meriläinen’s combined save-percentage currently sits at .837%, the lowest of all five seasons on this list. Their penalty kill also sits at the bottom of the league with a success rate of 57.9%.
Oct 3, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goalie Leevi Merilainen (31) and defenseman Tom Willander (5) and forward Elias Pettersson (40) and forward Drew O'Connor (18) celebrate the victory against the Calgary Flames at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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After he exited last night's game against the Montreal Canadiens with an upper-body injury, the Nashville Predators have placed defenseman William Trudeau on the injured reserve.
The Predators revealed that Trudeau is considered week-to-week. Notably, Mavrik Bourque who also left the game with an upper-body injury has not been placed on the injured reserve, so he'll likely be good to go in the near future.
Trudeau, who the Predators claimed off of waivers from the New York Rangers during the preseason, is a Quebec native who started his professional career with the Canadiens organization. Montreal originally drafted the now 23-year-old defenseman back in 2021 with the 113th overall selection. He spent the last four years with the Canadiens' AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket, before being traded to the Rangers in June.
Trudeau then went on to make the Predators' opening night roster and made his NHL debut against the Dallas Stars on October 3. He left the game in Montreal after just 4:39 of ice time.
After 13 NHL seasons, former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Matt Dumba has announced his retirement from professional hockey.
Dumba spent the final season of his professional career with the Penguins organization in 2025-26. In 11 games with Pittsburgh during this past campaign, he posted one goal, three points, 16 hits, and a minus-5 rating.
Dumba also played in 27 AHL games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last season after clearing waivers. During them, he posted six goals, 14 assists, 20 points, and 43 penalty minutes in 27 games.
Following the AHL club's regular season, Dumba mutually terminated his contract with the Penguins. Now, after his Penguins tenure, the right-shot defenseman has called it career.
While Dumba had a tough finish to his NHL career, he still had a strong one overall. In 748 career NHL games split between the Minnesota Wild, Arizona Coyotes, Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, and Penguins, he posted 85 goals, 176 assists, 261 points, 558 penalty minutes, and 1,104 hits.
Matt Dumba is officially hanging up his skates after 748 NHL career games. Wishing the former blue liner and 2019-20 King Clancy Memorial Trophy winner the best of luck in his retirement! pic.twitter.com/oDSI5vGDw7
Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares was absent from Friday's practice in Las Vegas for personal reasons. He travelled back home to be with his family for the birth of his fourth child, Tucker, head coach Jim Hiller revealed.
With that terrific news for the Tavares family, it also means that the 36-year-old won't be available for the Maple Leafs when they head to Denver and take on the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.
It'll be a big loss for Toronto in terms of the role that Tavares supplied in the lineup. He's scored a goal and three assists in his first five games and is averaging 17:10 of ice time per game so far.
As he's predominantly been the second-line center for his entire tenure with the team since joining in 2018-19, there is an opportunity for others on the roster.
Hiller decided to bump up Nick Paul to the second-line center position, with Easton Cowan and William Nylander as the left and right wingers, respectively. That left a third line with Gavin McKenna, Colton Sissons and Bo Groulx, and Zack MacEwen, Teddy Blueger and Brandon Duhaime on the fourth line. The first line remains the same as in the game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.
"I'm just thankful for the depth that we have in the center position," Hiller said after practice. "I think (Paul's) played really well this year. We've really liked him together with Sissons. Whether it's been McKenna or Cowan, they've been solid defensively and been a dangerous offensive line. So, I think both he and Sissons, they're solid two-way players, but there's offense there too. So, playing with Nylander and Cowan, I think that can be a good offensive line as well."
Though Paul is getting a likely short-lived promotion in the absence of Tavares on that second line, he doesn't intend to change his style of play very much.
"I think I just play the same way," Paul said. "Obviously, when plays are there to be made, obviously make them, but for me it's just hard forecheck, turn pucks over and get into their hands and in around the net. So nothing really changes from my game."
Paul has spent some time with Cowan, as they've shared the third line together for a considerable amount of time in this young season, but with Nylander is a different story. At any rate, Nylander thought their first look together at practice went well.
"I think it was clicking pretty good," Nylander said of his line at practice. "I haven't played with (Paul) yet, but I know what he's done in Tampa. I've seen him in the first couple of games here with us. I love the way he plays the game. I think it'll be a lot of fun."
Nylander nodded at Paul's competitiveness and ability to play on both sides of the puck effectively. "A very dependent guy," he said about Paul.
In Paul's first five games, the 31-year-old has put up one goal and one assist, scoring his goal against the Golden Knights, nicking the puck off his shin pad from a Darren Raddysh one-timer.
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Amid the turmoil of the Montreal Canadiens’ defeat to the Nashville Predators, defenseman Adam Engstrom finally earned a spot in the lineup after watching the Canadiens' first three games from the press gallery. The Swede was paired with Arber Xhekaj, and the youngster played on his off side, on the right.
While it wasn't easy, Engstrom made it look effortless, repeatedly picking up the puck on his backhand before quickly getting it back to his strong side. He had some early jitters and committed two giveaways, but both were in the first frame, and he tidied up his play after that.
After the game, the 22-year-old was pleased with his team’s performance despite the loss:
It felt good; we controlled the game, but they got a couple of bounces and scored on their power plays. I mean, we outshot them pretty heavily, so sometimes that stuff happens, and they got the win today, so I think we played a pretty good game.
- Engstrom on the team's performance
Even though it was his first game this season, he ended up on the penalty kill in the third frame after Arber Xhekaj got a 10-minute misconduct at the end of the second frame. That didn’t surprise him:
One of our D who usually kills got in the penalty box, so they needed me, and I’ve been practising PK; I play it in Laval too, so it was nothing special for me.
- Engstrom on playing on the PK
It’s still a big vote of confidence from the coaches, though; they could have gone with four more experienced options: Mike Matheson, Noah Dobson, Alexandre Carrier and Lane Hutson, all of whom logged PK minutes yesterday.
The Swede finished the game with a plus-one rating because he was on the ice when Alex Newhook found the back of the net, even though he wasn’t involved in the play; that also means he wasn’t on the ice for any of the Preds’ goals. He spent 11:49 on the ice and, aside from the early jitters, played well without needing the coach to shield him.
Former Colorado Avalanche defenseman Ilya Solovyov is back on waivers after the Pittsburgh Penguins made him available Friday.
Solovyov made Pittsburgh’s opening-night roster but has yet to play this season. If he clears waivers Saturday, the Penguins can assign him to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Colorado claimed Solovyov off waivers from the Calgary Flames on Oct. 3, 2025. He scored his first NHL goal with the Avalanche on Jan. 10, finding the net in a 4-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Solovyov after capturing his first NHL goal.
His stay in Colorado was brief. Ten days after scoring his first NHL goal, Solovyov was traded to Pittsburgh. The Avalanche received forward Valtteri Puustinen and a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Colorado later used the pick to select Shawn Carrier.
Solovyov Has Yet to Play This Season
Solovyov appeared in 14 regular-season games for Pittsburgh after the trade, recording five assists. He also played three games in the playoffs before the Penguins were eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers.
Across his time with Colorado and Pittsburgh, Solovyov played 30 NHL games last season. He finished with one goal and seven assists while averaging just under 13 minutes of ice time per game.
His next move depends on whether another team claims him. If he goes unclaimed, Pittsburgh can send him to the AHL, where he would have a chance to keep playing while waiting for another NHL opportunity.
The Penguins have also welcomed forward Bryan Rust back to the lineup. Rust missed the start of the season with an upper-body injury suffered during a preseason game against Buffalo on Sept. 26. He returned Wednesday against the Washington Capitals.
Solovyov has already spent time with Calgary, Colorado and Pittsburgh. With his latest waiver placement, he could soon be looking for an opportunity with a fourth organization.
ST. LOUIS -- Dillon Dube missed practice on Friday and is doubtful to play for the St. Louis Blues on Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets with a neck injury.
"We're just being precautionary, MRIs on his neck," Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. "He went into the boards there awkwardly in the first minute of the game, I think it was. Obviously a tough kid that played really well for us in the minutes that he played. Scored a big goal that should have been the game-winning goal for us. We haven't gotten the results back yet.
"I'd say doubtful (for tomorrow), but I can't rule him out. He's got a lot of Western Canadian in him. He's going to rub a little dirt on the neck and he'll be fine."
Dube played in his third straight game and recorded his first goal in the NHL since Nov. 16, 2023, and should he miss Saturday, look for Zach Dean to move into his spot and play on the fourth line alongside Pius Suter and Ross Johnston.
What does Montgomery need to see?
"Tenacity, speed, physicality, relentlessness on pucks and starting to develop habits of our structure, where to stop, where to go, routes to be run," Montgomery said. "It's really early for him and we're trying to get him as many reps as we can so he can use his God-given speed to his advantage."
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The Buffalo Sabres road to repeating as an Eastern Conference playoff team this season appeared challenging, not only because of the departure of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram would put more onus on the Sabres youngsters being able to fill the void, but also because a number of clubs looked to be better on paper. After two weeks, some of those teams are proving that evaluation is closer to reality.
The Florida Panthers, who the Sabres will host on Monday afternoon in the finale of their five-game homestand, are an unbeaten 2-0-2 and second in the Atlantic, in spite of losing team captain Aleksander Barkov and veteran winger Brad Marchand to injury.
The Ottawa Senators are tied for the lead in the Atlantic with a 3-1 record, which is somewhat surprising after the departure of Brady Tkachuk, but newcomer William Eklund suffered a severe ankle injury in a 2-1 win over Philadelphia that is expected to keep him out an extended period, while Tampa Bay is 3-1 after a 3-2 victory over Minnesota on Thursday with backup Dennis Hildeby making 34 saves.
Boston has started strong with a 3-2-0 record and throttled the Sabres opponent on Saturday, the Utah Mammoth, 6-0 at TD Garden on Thursday, while the Toronto Maple Leafs stole a point against the Vegas Golden Knights, thanks to a 40 save performance from Sergei Bobrovsky. The Leafs are 2-2-1 to start the season and Auston Matthews appears to be fully healthy for the first time in three years.
The big surprise is the New York Rangers, who lead the Metro and the East with a 4-1-0 record. The Montreal Canadiens are surprisingly struggling at 1-2-1 and are behind the Sabres by a point, and will have to battle the next month without star forward Ivan Demidov. Buffalo has two more games on their five-game homestand before finishing October with seven of the next eight games on the road.
What occurred last year, when Buffalo was in last place in the East in early December and finished atop the Atlantic Division is not likely to be repeated. The Sabres will need to stay within range early in the season to remain in the mix for the postseason.
The Senators may be getting one injured forward back just as they lose another for an extended period.
Following Friday's practice, Travis Green provided some encouraging news on Andre Burakovsky, who's getting close to making his Senators debut. The veteran winger could potentially return to the lineup as early as Saturday as the Nashville Predators visit.
Unfortunately, the news wasn't nearly as positive for William Eklund.
Jake Sanderson, who scored the winning goal on Thursday, talks about the 2-1 with over Philadelphia (Senatos YouTube).
The Senators confirmed that Eklund suffered an ankle injury in Thursday night's 2-1 home-opening victory over the Philadelphia Flyers and will be sidelined for an extended period.
Eklund was injured in the first period after a hit from Flyers defenceman Simon Benoit and awkwardly jamming his skate hard into the base of the boards. He needed assistance getting off the ice and was unable to put any weight on his left leg.
It's a disappointing development for the 24-year-old, who was just beginning to settle into his new surroundings. Acquired from the San Jose Sharks during the offseason, Eklund was expected to be a major contributor to the Senators' top six this season.
With Eklund now out of the picture for the foreseeable future, Burakovsky's potential return couldn't come at a better time. Whether he's ready to play Saturday remains to be seen, but the fact that it's a possibility is certainly encouraging.
Enforcer Kurtis MacDermid was also back on the ice after missing much of camp and the early part of the season.
On the other hand, defenceman Artem Zub was not out there on Friday as he continues working toward his return. Zub has yet to make his regular-season debut after dealing with an injury dating back to last April. He opted for rehab, which has turned out to be an extended one, and it remains to be seen whether that was the right choice.
There were also a couple of other interesting notes at practice.
Defenceman Hoyt Stanley is still here, while Cameron Crotty (illness) was not at practice.
Crotty has been pressed into service early in the season because of the injuries to Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub and has provided some steady minutes in a depth role. But since he was sick, Stanley was called up from Belleville in the middle of the day on Thursday, giving the Senators another option as they figure themselves out, health-wise.
Sanderson has been sidelined since suffering an injury in the season opener against Toronto, Zub has yet to play, and Crotty is sick. Now Eklund faces a lengthy absence.
For a team that has already had to make a bunch of lineup adjustments, getting some healthy bodies back can't happen soon enough.
New Jersey Devils forward Stefan Noesen has cleared waivers after being placed on Thursday afternoon.
The 33-year-old appeared in the Devils’ first two games of the 2026-27 season, averaging 7:24 of ice time per game. He was recently removed from the lineup in favor of 27-year-old Jesper Boqvist.
Noesen, a first-round pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, has recorded 83 goals and 175 points in 484 career NHL games. His 2025-26 campaign was limited to 38 games because of injury during which he registered three goals and seven points.
The winger enjoyed a career-best season in 2024-25 with New Jersey, scoring 22 goals and recording 41 points.
Noesen returned to New Jersey in July 2024, signing a three-year contract worth $8.25 million, carrying an average annual value of $2.75 million. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
Throughout his NHL career, Noesen has played for the Anaheim Ducks, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes, and Devils. He also won the Calder Cup with the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League in 2022.
With Noesen clearing waivers, the organization announced they loaned him to the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League.
The Comets are scheduled to host their home opener Saturday night against the Rochester Americans at the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. Utica enters the matchup with a 1-0-0-0 record after defeating the Providence Bruins in its season opener on October 2.
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It’s common knowledge that the Vancouver Canucks are taking this year to focus on development. That’s why some of the scores from their first five games of the season aren’t necessarily being received negatively. What has been noticeable, however, is the volume of penalties the Canucks have been taking since the start of the 2026–27 season.
In comparison to the rest of the NHL, Vancouver has taken a total of 20 minor penalties — 22 total penalties when including fights and misconducts. Only the Montréal Canadiens (21), Utah Mammoth (21), New York Rangers (21), Philadelphia Flyers (21), Ottawa Senators (22), and Carolina Hurricanes (25) have taken more minor penalties. They’re currently averaging 4.37 penalties taken per 60 minutes.
A closer look at the numbers shows that the Canucks have not taken less than three minor penalties in a single game to start the 2026–27 season. In their 9–7 loss to the Edmonton Oilers and their 3–2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, Vancouver took five penalties each game and played short-handed for 6:48 and 7:53 minutes respectively. Four of the 10 combined penalties they took in these two games were interference penalties.
Taking penalties feels pretty standard for so early in the season, and in looking at Vancouver’s previous season totals, the numbers aren’t actually that different. The Canucks actually played in more penalty-killing time last season (30:03) than they have this year (27:21). The issue this year is when, exactly, Vancouver has been taking these penalties.
In Vancouver’s first game of the 2026–27 season, a 6–5 overtime win against the Oilers, Linus Karlsson took a high-sticking call with around two minutes left in the third period and Edmonton down by only one goal. The Oilers ended up converting on the opportunity to send the game to overtime. Granted, the call on Karlsson was a little soft, and Vancouver went on to win — but the point still stands.
In their next game against the Oilers, during the third period, Vancouver’s offence heated up, cutting what was initially an 8–3 deficit down to 8–6. The Canucks’ sixth goal came on the power play, capping off a three-goal onslaught that massively swung momentum into Vancouver’s favour.
Less than a minute after Vancouver’s sixth goal, Marco Rossi took an interference penalty that put the Canucks on the penalty kill, taking away the advantage they’d managed to carve out with their possession time. Leon Draisaitl went on to score the Oilers’ ninth goal to put the game away.
Aside from Vancouver’s 4–1 win against the Calgary Flames, the pattern of taking penalties in untimely situations continues. Against Vegas, the Canucks ate into what could have been valuable O-zone time by taking back-to-back penalties after having their own power play in the first period. Given their opponents’ ability to hold onto the puck, establishing more possession time after their first power play could have made the difference in a win or a loss.
A similar situation occurred in Thursday’s 7–2 loss to the Hurricanes. Early in the first period, Vancouver earned an early power play three minutes into the game. Though, once their power play expired, Drew O’Connor took a tripping penalty that awarded the Hurricanes the advantage instead. After Andrei Svechnikov scored on that power play, as well as the penalty taken less than five minutes later, Vancouver found themselves in a 3–0 hole that they were never able to climb out of.
Taking penalties is a big part of the game. Oftentimes, the timeliness of them can be the difference between a win and a loss. For Vancouver, this is an issue they’ll want to sort out sooner, while they’re still in ‘rebuild mode’, rather than later.
Oct 8, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes left wing Eric Robinson (50) skates with the puck past Vancouver Canucks center Linus Karlsson (94) during the first period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
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Beginning the regular season at 2-2 is not catastrophic for the Buffalo Sabres, but the club is showing some similar traits to teams of recent past that did not achieve success. Through four games, the Sabres have played spotty inconsistent hockey, have not received strong goaltending from Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and have been woeful with the man advantage.
In the 4-0 loss to the Dallas Stars on Thursday, Buffalo was 0 for 3 on the power play, and so far this season, they are the only club in the NHL who does not have a goal with the man advantage (0 for 13). This is not shocking, because the Sabres have traditionally been weak on the power play, in spite of having top offensive performers in Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson.
Three years ago, Buffalo had a 16.6% effective rate on the power play (29th overall), two years ago, it was 18.8% (24th overall), and last season it was 19.5% (21st overall). In their first year under Lindy Ruff, the Sabres went 0 for 22 on the man advantage. This season, the group has started 0 for 13, and Ruff has already tinkered with the personnel on the first power play group, subbing in Noah Ostlund for Josh Doan, but they to this point have had no success.
"We obviously made some changes. We had a couple of great opportunities. I mean, our first power play wasn't any good. I'm not going to try to disguise that. Our second one, we had Benson all alone in front of the net, and you get a couple whacks. You got to put that in the back of the net. (Thompson) had one right in the slot that, normally, he finds a hole." Ruff said. "I think (we're) squeezing the sticks a little bit. We had some guys that abnormally didn't handle a puck very well, and that really hurt us."
Buffalo are 2-1 on their five-game homestand, and take on the offensively gifted Utah Mammoth on Saturday and the Florida Panthers on a Columbus Day matinee.
On Thursday night in New York, the Chicago Blackhawks were defeated by the New York Islanders. There is some debate online about the type of loss it was, but the fact is that the Blackhawks played an okay hockey game. They were on the losing end, mostly because the goalie on the other side gave them nothing.
One of the key stories that followed was the hit that Frank Nazar laid on Islanders forward Bo Horvat. It earned Nazar a five-minute major and a 10-minute misconduct for an illegal check to the head.
Frank Nazar’s hit here earned him a five minute major.
Many wondered if Nazar would be hearing from the league about this, and we have an answer. On Friday morning, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced that Nazar would have a hearing.
Chicago’s Frank Nazar will have a hearing today for an illegal check to the head against NY Islanders’ Bo Horvat.
There is going to be some sort of fine or suspension for this play. If there wasn't going to be anything, he wouldn't have a hearing.
After Nazar made the hit, he stopped and clearly had regret on his face. He did not mean to cause any harm to Horvat, and he has no history of being a dirty player in the NHL. Still, when they conclude what punishment is needed, he will have to take it.
The announcement of their decision will likely come later on Friday night or on Saturday at some point. The Blackhawks are back in Chicago ahead of their Saturday night game against the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.
If Nazar is suspended and Teuvo Teravainen can't suit up, a call-up may be needed. With Dominic Toninato already up, Landon Slaggert may be next in line.
As soon as the NHL Department of Player Safety announces its decision, we will have more on that and the fallout.
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The strengths of the Senators can be categorized into three main pillars: 1) their quality of young centre depth; 2) their defensive structure; and 3) the quality of their blue line.
I want to focus on the latter.
When healthy, the Senators have one of the best and deepest blue lines in the league.
Carter Yakemchuk talked about the Senators' home opening 2-1 win over Philadelphia on Thursday (Senators YouTube).
That may sound strange, given it is an unconventional group. Their top four doesn't feature big, strapping, physically imposing players that were hallmarks of the game from the 1990s through the 2010s.
The Senators have a modernized group that can skate, close and move the puck efficiently.
“It's the way everybody can skate,” Thomas Chabot explained. “We try to take advantage of that year after year. Obviously it's a fast league, and there's not much time out there. The way everybody can move keeps us from giving the other team time and space to gain our blue line or gain the red line.
“We force teams to have no space, so when they get to the red line, they have to put it behind you, and from there we all have good skills. We can break the puck out, and our forwards play a very good system of coming back low and supporting each other. Ask any top-six forward in the NHL, and they'll never want to dump the puck in.
"They want to come in, make some plays, and create offence off the rush, and that's what we try to eliminate. Anytime you get them to dump the puck in, then it becomes frustrating to play against, and then that's exactly our goal.”
The process certainly worked last season as the Senators finished the season ranked tenth in the league for collective points produced by blue liners (193). The Senators also posted some of the league's best five-on-five defensive metrics, per Natural Stat Trick.
Percentage of shots for (CF%): 52.85, 5th
Percentage of shots on goal (SF%): 54.08, 4th
Percentage of total goals for (GF%): 52.34, 11th
Percentage of expected goals for (xGF%): 54.54, 3rd
Rate of shots allowed (CA/60): 51.85, 3rd
Rate of shots on goal allowed (SA/60): 23.37, 3rd
Rate of expected goals allowed (xGA/60): 2.32, 3rd
The numbers speak for themselves, and the Senators returned their entire blue line, except for Nick Jensen. The group is headlined by Jake Sanderson, one of the best two-way defencemen in the league and a viable Norris Trophy candidate. Artem Zub is one of the best analytical defensive defencemen in the game, and Jordan Spence has taken Jensen’s spot in the top-four alongside the veteran puck-moving Thomas Chabot.
Tyler Kleven and Nik Matinpalo stand in contrast to the rest of the group. Although both skate well, their size creates a different wrinkle: they can assert themselves physically or use their reach advantage to disrupt plays.
Carter Yakemchuk is the wild card.
The high-upside defender was the seventh overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft, and he has already showcased the offensive aptitude that made him such a desirable pick.
In eight career NHL games, Yakemchuk has contributed two goals and six points, including the game-winner in last night’s 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
For a blue line that is already incredibly strong, his development and progress could catapult this group into being the best in the NHL.
Chabot is clearly excited about the Yakemchuk's potential impact as he develops,
“It's unreal,” Chabot said. “If you look at all the teams that win Stanley Cups, if you look at their back end, everybody plays a ton of minutes, and the ice time is spread out.
“Defence wins games. We've seen it through a lot of the times last year when we end up winning games two or three one, and you give up 12 to 15 shots, you make life easier for your goalies. And usually, it means you're not giving up many Grade A scoring chances. The more we can all spread the work and be a really solid back end, it will give ourselves a chance every single night to win.”
Thursday night’s game-winning goal was the perfect example of what Yakemchuk can bring to the table. Although Tyler Kleven, who possessed the hardest recorded in-game shot last season, can bring the heat, nobody else on the Senators poses the threat from the top of the blue line that Yakemchuk does.
And for a power play that tends to pass it around on the outside looking for the perfect bumper play or chances down low, Yakemchuk’s shot can help keep the opposition honest.
Over a small sample size, that success has been there, but the coaching staff has done a phenomenal job insulating Yakemchuk. Although he has averaged 16:10 of ice time through four games this season alongside Tyler Kleven, no player on the Senators has a higher percentage of offensive zone starts (69.70) than the rookie.
That usage is because Yakemchuk, like any young defenceman finding his way in the league, has warts in his defensive game. The hope is that, in time, his experience and maturity will help with his defensive reads, pivots, and gap control.
After an offseason in which he worked hard to improve his fitness and skating, Yakemchuk fulfilled his goal of making the opening roster, but he recognizes there will be ups and downs this season.
Part of that will be finding that delicate balance of recognizing that not every play he makes needs to be a home run.
“Even in Belleville last year, there were times I struggled with (that balance) every shift,” Yakemchuk admitted. “I want to make a difference or make a big play, but I just need to let the game come to me and focus on the defensive side first, and then the offence takes care of itself.”
Chabot emphasized that every young, offensive defenceman has to go through this process.
“That's the biggest learning curve because you come from junior or wherever you are, and you're usually the best players by far on the ice,” he stated. “You get away with more things. Whereas here, you make one little sneaky play that becomes a turnover, and usually ends up in the back of your net because you’re in the NHL.
“It's just learning those things, and I think (Yakemchuk’s) done a hell of a job. (Travis Green) and (Nolan Baumgartner) are there for him too to help him learn, go through those learning curves, and so are we. It’s important to help him out and support him as best we can.”
It is that recognition of responsibility that makes Chabot such an important figure in Yakemchuk’s first year as a regular.
“That's what we got to do as older guys on the team is support him through it,” Chabot acknowledged. “He's done really well, but it's through 84 games of doing the same thing over and over again, and we've all been through it. We know how hard it is to do it the first time.
“The good thing for him is he's got Jake (Sanderson). He has guys in front of him that he doesn't have to go out there and be the only guy to do it. We can all do it as a group and support him. Obviously, I'm 29 years old, and some nights you're gonna have shitty games. That's just life. But you're there for the young guy. You want to support him every night. You want him to be free and go out there and do his thing.”
After the game, Yakemchuk was asked whether he got all of it on his game-winner.
“Yeah, I think so,” he said through a laugh.
The Senators will have to support Yakemchuk throughout the year to ensure that they get all of it - the positive development that could launch an already talented back end to one of the preeminent groups in the NHL.
