Listed as a two-year extension, Gamzin's current deal runs through 2027.
The 22-year-old fourth-round pick by the Islanders in the 2024 NHL Draft has been phenomenal this season. In 26 appearances this season, he owns a 14-6-4 record, leads the KHL with a 1.71 GAA as well as a .933 SV%, and has three shutouts.
Could we see Gamzin come over following the 2028-29 season?
Two of the NHL’s most exciting rookies will face off when the Vancouver Canucks take on the Montréal Canadiens later today. The Canucks and up-and-comer Zeev Buium are coming off an uninspired 5–0 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, with this being their sixth-straight defeat. Montréal and the NHL’s rookie points leader, Ivan Demidov, were also shut out in their last game, facing a 4–0 defeat to the Detroit Red Wings.
When it comes to points leaders on the season, Montréal and Vancouver both rely on a couple of defencemen to collect points for the team. Lane Hutson ranks second on the Canadiens in points with eight goals and 36 assists, while Noah Dobson ranks sixth with eight goals and 20 assists. For Vancouver, Filip Hronek is tied with Elias Pettersson for first on the team with 26 points. Their next highest-scoring defenceman is Buium, who ranks eighth on the Canucks with four goals and 14 assists.
Tonight will be an interesting matchup between two teams that were shut out in their last game. Montréal has been shut out twice within the past five games, as they also lost 2–0 to the St. Louis Blues on January 3. Between these two shutouts, however, Montréal had no issues finding the back of the net, as they scored 14 goals over the span of their three previous games. Somehow, despite being tied with the New York Rangers in shots per game with 25.9 (26th in the NHL), the Canadiens still rank within the NHL’s top-10 in overall goals-for with 149 in 45 games.
While Montréal’s lack of shots is an issue the Canucks can try to combat, it will be hard considering that Vancouver hasn’t quite been able to generate the type of quality shots that would get them more goals. Vancouver’s goal-scoring stats have slowly started to depreciate, going from three goals scored against the Buffalo Sabres, to one against the Detroit Red Wings, to none against Toronto. In all three of these games, the Canucks surrendered five goals against. To bump their current six-game slump, Vancouver will want to take advantage of Montréal’s low-shot hockey and generate good chances of their own.
Players To Watch:
Zeev Buium
Buium made his Canucks debut in electric fashion, scoring the eventual game-winner and adding an assist against the New Jersey Devils on December 14. The defenceman’s offence has cooled, as he has only registered two points since then. As a rookie, it’s not a surprise that Buium is still figuring out the NHL, especially as a defender on a team that’s been at the bottom of the standings. Regardless of whether Vancouver has been winning or not, these games will provide good experience for Buium as his NHL career progresses. With that being said, Buium’s last point came against the Boston Bruins on January 3. Tonight’s game would be a good occasion for him to provide a little more offence, especially against one of his fellow NHL rookies.
Ivan Demidov
The NHL’s rookie scoring race has been a close battle between players like Matthew Schaefer, Beckett Sennecke, and Demidov. However, Demidov managed to pull away from the group after putting together a five-game point streak that saw him put up two points in four of these five matches. Interestingly enough, since then, he has only recorded one assist in his past five games. Like with Buium, tonight feels like the night that two of the NHL’s most prolific rookies could find the scoresheet after minor dry spells.
Jan 6, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (48) plays the puck and Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood (44) defends during the second period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
Vancouver Canucks (16–23–5):
Points:
Elias Pettersson: 11–15–26
Filip Hronek: 3–23–26
Kiefer Sherwood: 17–6–23
Jake DeBrusk: 12–10–22
Conor Garland: 7–15–22
Goaltenders:
Thatcher Demko: 8–10–1
Kevin Lankinen: 6–11–4
Nikita Tolopilo: 2–1–0
Jiří Patera: 0–1–0
Montréal Canadiens (25–14–6):
Points:
Nick Suzuki: 14–34–48
Lane Hutson: 8–36–44
Cole Caufield: 21–21–42
Ivan Demidov: 10–26–36
Juraj Slafkovský: 16–19–35
Goaltenders:
Jakub Dobeš: 13–5–3
Samuel Montembault: 8–6–1
Jacob Fowler: 4–3–2
Game Information:
Start time: 4:30 pm PT
Venue: Centre Bell
Television: Amazon Prime
Radio: Sportsnet 650
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After a disappointing outing against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night, the Montreal Canadiens will attempt to get back to their winning ways when they take on the Vancouver Canucks at the Bell Centre on Monday night. It’s been a tough season for tonight’s visitors, who are currently dead last in the standings with just 37 points. In its previous 10 games, the British Columbia outfit has a 2-6-2 record and has lost its previous three.
The Canucks have struggled all season, as evidenced by their abysmal goal differential of minus-37, second-to-last to the St. Louis Blues’ minus-47. They have often been without starting netminder Thatcher Demko, who landed back on injured reserve on Sunday because of a lower-body injury. Since trading away captain Quinn Hughes on December 13, Vancouver has a 5-6-2 record despite going on a four-game winning streak right after the deal.
Monday night’s tilt will be the last duel between the two sides this season, Montreal having won the first in Vancouver by a score of 4-3 with Jakub Dobes in net for the Habs and Kevin Lankinen handling the Canucks’ net. The two teams have split their last 10 meetings, but the Canadiens have won the previous three.
Neither coach has confirmed their starting netminder yet, and all three of the Canadiens' netminders were on the ice with goalie coach Eric Raymond on Sunday, even though the practice was optional. Samuel Montembeault and Jacob Fowler have split the last five starts, with the former playing two games while the latter got three. As for Dobes, he hasn’t played since January 1.
Montembeault has a 3-3-1 record against the Canucks with a 4.13 GAA and a .862 save percentage, while Dobes has won his only start against them and has a 3.00 GAA and a .903. As for Fowler, he has never taken them on.
At the other end of the ice, Lankinen has a 0-2-1 record against Montreal with a 4.08 GAA and a .838 SV. As for Nikita Tolopilo, who was recalled on an emergency basis, he has never faced Montreal and has only played six games in the NHL. He’s 3-2-0 with a 2.57 GAA and a .906 SV.
Up front, captain Nick Suzuki is the Canadiens’ most productive forward against Vancouver with 19 points in 20 games, followed by Phillip Danault with 15 points in 32 meetings and Brendan Gallagher with 14 points in 31 duels. As for sniper Cole Caufield, he has just eight points, but he got them in just nine games, while Lane Hutson has four points in just three games.
Meanwhile, Evander Kane, who has just 20 points in 43 games since the start of the season, leads the Canucks in points against the Habs with 23 points in 36 games. Tyler Myers comes in second place with 20 points in 56 games, and Jake DeBrusk wraps up the top three with 18 points in 24 games.
The game is set for 7:30 PM, and you can catch it on Amazon Prime and on RDS. Dan O’Rourke and Pierre Lambert are set to officiate, with Steve Barton and Dan Kelly acting as linesmen. Tonight’s tilt will be the first of a back-to-back for the Canadiens, who’ll be travelling to Washington after the game as they take on the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night.
Things are going incredibly well for the Buffalo Sabres right now. At the time of this writing, they have a 24-15-4 record and are fourth in the Atlantic Division standings. They have also won 13 out of their last 14 games.
With the Sabres' excellent play getting them right back into the playoff race, it would not be surprising in the slightest if they looked to add to their roster by the 2026 NHL trade deadline. This is especially so when noting that they are looking to snap their 14-year playoff drought.
One area that the Sabres could look to improve by the deadline is their defensive depth. Adding another right-shot defenseman, in particular, is a need for Buffalo. Because of this, they should consider targeting Winnipeg Jets defenseman Luke Schenn.
With the Jets struggling in a big way this season, Schenn's name has emerged in the rumor mill. The right-shot defenseman is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) and would be a nice addition for a Sabres club that needs more depth and experience on their blueline.
If the Sabres acquired Schenn from the Jets, he could slot nicely on their bottom pairing. He would also give them another option for their penalty kill if brought in.
In 30 games so far this season with the Jets, Schenn has posted one goal, five points, 35 blocks, and 88 hits. While he does not produce the most offense, he certainly would make the Sabres a tougher team to face up against due to his extremely physical style of play.
Scott McTominay has a long way to go to top his wild 2025. But his double at Inter was a very solid start
Scott McTominay said recently that he hopes to carry on playing top-level football for another decade. And, if he does, will he ever have another year better than the last one? In 2025, he won Serie A and helped deliver Scotland to their first World Cup this century – scoring sensational goals in the games that sealed both achievements. He has described himself as “obsessive” when it comes to self-improvement, but some feats are hard to top.
Still, if he was looking to set some intentions for 2026, there are worse places to do it than San Siro. On Sunday night, Napoli’s title defence would be severely tested away to Inter. But every time they strayed into danger, McTominay led them back out.
The Florida Panthers will look to build off a strong win on Saturday in Ottawa as their season-long road trip continues against one of the hottest teams in the league.
Florida is trying to make up ground in the playoff race, and one of the teams they are currently chasing are the surprising Buffalo Sabres.
After losing three straight games in early December, Buffalo has been on a tear.
They won 10 straight games through the end of the calendar year and are still riding an impressing 13-1-0 stretch.
On Dec. 8, Buffalo was last in the conference and four points south of the next-worst team (which at the time was a tie between Ottawa and Florida).
Since then, the Sabres have shot up the standings.
Entering play Monday, Buffalo holds the top Wild Card spot with 52 points through 43 games.
As for Florida, the Panthers are still anxiously waiting to bring a couple elite offensive players back into their lineup.
Injured forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Brad Marchand are both on the brink of returning. Marchand has missed two straight games with an undisclosed injury and is considered day-to-day while Tkachuk has been working his way back from offseason adductor and sports hernia surgery.
The Panthers will be off for a few days after Monday’s game in Buffalo, so it might make sense to hold both out one more game and give them a nice long stretch to heal and prepare, but we’ll see how things shake out when the Cats hit the ice.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Monday’s matchup in Buffalo:
Photo caption: Oct 18, 2025; Buffalo, New York, USA; Florida Panthers right wing Mackie Samoskevich (11) looks to take a shot on goal as Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (26) defends during the first period at KeyBank Center. (Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)
Outfielders Cody Bellinger, left, and Kyle Tucker, right, are two of the most highly sought MLB free agents this offseason. (Associated Press)
Spring training is only a month away, yet an abundance of top-flight names remain on the MLB free-agent market. This is nothing out of the ordinary, but it calls for a reset of likely destinations and contract value for the most coveted players.
Two recent signings reached average annual values (AAV) of at least $30 million, noteworthy because both players are older than 30 and add little to zero value with their gloves. First baseman Pete Alonso, 31, signed a five-year, $155-million deal with the Orioles and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, who turns 33 in March, signed a five-year, $150-million deal with the Phillies.
Juan Soto ($51 million AAV), Aaron Judge ($40 million) and Mike Trout ($35.5 million) are the only outfielders paid more than $30 million a year, although all three make significantly more. Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger are expected to join the exclusive club this offseason.
The longest contract for a pitcher is the seven-year, $210 million deal Dylan Cease got from the Blue Jays. Japanese import Tatsuya Imai landed the highest AAV when the Astros signed him for $63 million over three years.
The Dodgers can't be counted out on the biggest names, but their strategy after winning back-to-back World Series appears to prize patience over aggressive spending.
Position Players
NAME, AGE, POSITION, 2025 bWAR, CAREER bWAR
Kyle Tucker, 29, OF, 4.5, 27.3: Although the market for the left-handed hitting slugger has been guarded, Tucker should still command the highest sticker price in this free-agent class. Early projections of $400 million might be a long shot, but an AAV of more than $30 million is a near certainty, and Tucker is seeking a 10-year contract. The Dodgers are considered a suitor because they need a productive corner outfielder. However, they are content to wait and see how far Tucker's market drops before jumping in.
Cody Bellinger, 30, OF/1B, 5.0, 30.4: A Dodgers reunion is a popular topic on L.A. talk radio, but it still feels like a reach because of the stomach-churning roller-coaster ride Bellinger and the team endured during his six-year stint that ended in 2022. Bellinger has gradually rehabilitated his on-field reputation with three excellent seasons — two with the Cubs and one with the Yankees. The Athletic reported that the Yankees have offered Bellinger a deal worth more than $30 million a year, but he is holding firm with his desire for seven years.
Bo Bichette, 28, SS, 3.4, 20.8: Bichette displayed his toughness to the Dodgers by playing effectively in the World Series despite a lingering knee injury. He accumulated more than 175 hits in four of the last five seasons with above-average power — and can play any infield position. Third base would be his home should he sign with the Cubs, who appear determined to add a slugger who can play that position. The Dodgers have Max Muncy under contract for one more season, but could sign Bichette if he is willing to take a shorter deal at a high AAV.
Eugenio Suárez, 34, 3B, 3.6, 26.8: Suárez is in an enviable position even though he is older than fellow infielders Bregman and Bichette. Splitting the season between the Diamondbacks and Mariners, Suarez tied a career high with 49 home runs and drove in 118 runs. Teams that miss out on Bregman or Bichette could turn to Suárez as a short-term solution at third.
Harrison Bader, 31, OF, 3.9, 17.3: Bader declined his player option for $6.5 million after posting a stellar second half with the Phillies, who acquired him from the Twins at the trade deadline. His combined numbers were his best since 2021, and given the fact that he is a Gold Glove center fielder, Bader has suitors that include the Phillies and two other teams whose uniforms he already has worn — the Yankees and Mets.
Pitchers
NAME, AGE, POSITION, 2025 bWAR, CAREER bWAR
Framber Valdez, 32, SP, 3.8, 18.8: Valdez was impressively consistent for the Astros and should be able to choose between several multi-year offers. His age works against a long-term deal, but Sportrac estimated his AAV at $33.3 million, easily the highest among free-agent pitchers.
Ranger Suárez, 30, SP, 4.7, 18.1: The left-handed Suárez is younger than most other free-agent starters and is coming off an excellent season. He has a 1.48 ERA over 11 postseason appearances. He is well-positioned to command a lucrative contract of up to six years. Expect him to sign with one of the teams with a high payroll.
Zac Gallen, 30, SP, 1.1, 20.8: On the plus side, Gallen posted 56 wins over 126 starts the last four years for the Diamondbacks and he's only 30. On the negative side, his ERA has risen each of those four years, peaking in 2025 at 4.83. The right-hander should be looking at a multi-year deal with an AAV of about $18 million.
Nick Martinez, 35, SP, 2.3, 11.2: Martinez is a swingman who has pined for the workload and pay of a full-time starter. The Reds gave him that opportunity in 2025 and he was moderately successful, posting a 4.45 ERA in a career-high 165 2/3 innings while earning $21 million. He'll likely get another one-year deal for less money.
Chris Bassitt, 37, SP, 2.1, 18.1: Bassitt has been a dependable mid-rotation arm, making at least 30 starts four years in a row with league-average results. He is coming off a three-year, $63-million contract with the Blue Jays, but at 37 he might not be able to replicate that deal.
Justin Verlander, 43, SP, 1.2, 81.7: Alas, Verlander's dogged pursuit of 300 wins wasn't helped by a 4-11 season with the Giants. He deserved better, posting a 3.85 ERA in 29 starts. The future first-ballot Hall of Famer made $15 million, and a one-year deal at two-thirds of that number seems reasonable. No financial worries: Verlander has been paid $419 million over 20 years.
Lucas Giolito, 31, SP, 2.1, 14.4: Giolito has been an effective starter for nine seasons, with a 1-6 record and 6.89 ERA in six starts with the Angels in 2023 the most glaring blemish. The right-hander from Harvard Westlake High missed the 2024 season because of elbow surgery but rebounded to go 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts for the Red Sox in 2025.
Tyler Anderson, 36, SP, 2.0, 16.8: The dependable former Angels and Dodgers starter is coming off a three-year, $39-million contract. Anderson's 2025 season ended in August because of an oblique strain, and he was 2-8 with a 4.56 ERA in 26 starts. A two-year deal at a reduced AAV isn't out of the question.
Max Scherzer, 41, SP, 0.2, 75.6: The future Hall of Famer has no intention of retiring, even after posting a 5.19 ERA and giving up 19 home runs in 85 innings for the Blue Jays. Scherzer might take a steep pay cut from the $15.5 million he made in 2025, but he's already been paid $366.5 million in his 18-year career. Dodgers fans remember him as a 2021 trade-deadline acquisition going 7-0 with a 1.98 ERA in 11 regular-season starts but bowing out of a start in the NLCS.
Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.
It doesn’t take an NHL general manager to figure out that the Sharks need to improve their defense to get to the next level.
That’s no disrespect, truly, to their current blueliners, who have done admirable work to help San Jose to a surprising 23-19-3 record.
But if the Sharks are going to be a Cup contender, like their counterparts on Sunday night, the Las Vegas Golden Knights, they’re going to need some internal and external growth on the blueline in the coming years.
This isn’t an overreaction to a 7-2 loss on Sunday to Vegas.
Here’s what a league source, not with the San Jose Sharks or Knights, texted San Jose Hockey Now during the game.
Crystal Palace’s stars wilt, Manchester City’s youngsters shine, and Liam Rosenior starts in stylish fashion
Playing against lower-league opposition as a top-flight side in the FA Cup is like batting on the first morning of a Test match – you cannot really win and failure can prompt humiliation and reputational damage. To that end, some members of the Crystal Palace side deservedly beaten by Macclesfield perhaps learned a valuable lesson at Moss Rose. Marc Guéhi and Adam Wharton are linked regularly with big moves away from Palace, but part of succeeding at elite clubs – the pair are admired by Manchester City and Manchester United respectively – is coping with being overwhelming favourites. Oliver Glasner, too, may have designs on bigger things, with United again a possible destination, but to see his side schooled by part-timers was a blow to his burgeoning reputation. Glasner slammed his players after the defeat but the Austrian must take a portion of the blame. They must all do better. Dominic Booth
Former Australian captain Alex Blackwell has encouraged national selectors to recall Nicola Carey ahead of this year’s T20 World Cup, with the all-rounder making an impressive start in her maiden Women’s Premier League campaign.
After finishing the 2024-25 season with the Knicks, forward Precious Achiuwa did not find his next landing spot until just before the start of training camp. A few weeks after signing with the Heat, who selected him with the 20th overall pick in the 2020 draft, Achiuwa was waived. It would not be until November that he agreed to a deal with the Kings, and a few months later, Precious would emerge as a player who could be a fantasy league winner.
Since the All-Star break, the 6-foot-8 forward has averaged 16.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.2 blocks and 0.7 three-pointers in 32.0 minutes per game. In those 13 appearances, Achiuwa has shot 59.8 percent from the field and 76.5 percent from the foul line. His fantasy value since the break has been elite, and Achiuwa has shown no signs of slowing down.
After scoring six points in 20 minutes in his first game of Week 20, Achiuwa reached double figures in scoring in each of his final three appearances, recording 20-point double-doubles in wins over the Clippers and Jazz to end the week.
The Kings are one of the lottery-bound teams that boast multiple players with "silly season standout" potential, as rookies Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford have been popular pickups, and Killian Hayes may also be in the mix. That said, there's no denying that Achiuwa, if available, is by far the best pickup for managers seeking a player who can be a league-winner.
→ Watch the NBA on Peacock on Monday, as the Magic visit the Hawks at 7:00 pm EDT, followed by the Lakers visiting the Rockets at 9:30 pm EDT and the Clippers hosting the Spurs at 10:00 pm EDT!
Raphielle Johnson