The Hockey News Big Show is here with former longtime NHL goalie Devan Dubnyk to preview the 2025-26 NHL season for each team in the Pacific Division. But first, they have big news to discuss on the contract front.

Breaking Down McDavid’s Extension And Previewing The Pacific by The Big Showundefined

Here’s what Michael Traikos, Ryan Kennedy and Devan Dubnyk discussed in this episode:

0:59: Connor McDavid signed a two-year contract extension with the Oilers worth $12.5 million annually. Thoughts?

5:19: What must happen in Edmonton for McDavid to sign a long-term contract after that?

7:30: The Oilers also re-signed Jake Walman for seven years at $7 million annually. Do we like this deal?

8:56: What are some other expectations for the Oilers?

11:40: Where do you slot the Vegas Golden Knights into the Pacific Division?

14:43: With an aging roster, what do we make of the Los Angeles Kings? Is this their last hurrah? 

19:20: Was last year an anomaly for the Vancouver Canucks? Can they make a real push for a wild-card spot? 

22:15: What will Dustin Wolf's season look like with the Calgary Flames? Will it become harder for him this year?

24:48: Is there any reason to believe the Flames wouldn’t be in a race for a playoff spot? 

27:15: In Anaheim, will we see Ducks forwards Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier and Mason McTavish reach the next stage of their evolution?

30:00: The San Jose Sharks finished last in the last two years, but they had some positive vibes last year with Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith and other youngsters in the lineup. Should the outlook be as positive if they finish last again? 

35:00: Ryan went to Mullett Arena for Gavin McKenna’s Penn State debut, and he shares what he saw.

38:11: Should the Seattle Kraken blow it up and go for Gavin McKenna, or is a shot at a playoff berth more important for the market?

41:17: Which rookies will stay for just nine games, and who will be there all year in the Pacific Division? 

45:00: Which team and player are under the most pressure this season?

46:30: Name one player who is pretty significant to his team who could be traded before 

Thanksgiving.

48:16: John Tortorella returns to ESPN as an analyst: favorite ‘Torts’ moment?

Watch the full episode here 

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

Even though rosters were trimmed to 23 on Saturday, there was no guarantee that the Pittsburgh Penguins were going to carry those exact 23 players into their season opener against former head coach Mike Sullivan and the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

But that does appear to be the case - which is good news for two top Penguins' prospects.

On Monday, Penguins' head coach Dan Muse confirmed that defenseman Harrison Brunicke and center Ben Kindel will both be making their NHL debuts when the Penguins take on the Rangers to kick off the 2025-26 season. 

Top Prospects Brunicke, Kindel Confirmed To Make NHL Debuts In Penguins' Season OpenerEven though rosters were trimmed to 23 on Saturday, there was no guarantee that the Pittsburgh Penguins were going to carry those exact 23 players into their season opener against former head coach Mike Sullivan and the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

Drop a comment and share your perspective. 

As Vladimir Guerrero Jr. smashed a grand slam into the seats at Rogers Centre on Sunday afternoon, Easton Cowan and his Toronto Maple Leafs teammates rose to their feet.

Despite being a fan of Toronto's sports teams growing up, the 20-year-old got yet another glimpse of how the city rallies around its teams during the postseason. And in seven months, Cowan could be in a position like the Toronto Blue Jays are right now, trying to bring a championship back to this city.

"It just shows how passionate Toronto fans are in any sport," Cowan said on Monday.

But before anything, Cowan needs to make the Maple Leafs. He's beaten out David Kampf and Michael Pezzetta for a spot on the roster (Kampf cleared waivers on Friday, Pezzetta was placed on waivers on Sunday).

Overall, he's had a really impressive training camp. However, on Monday at practice, the young forward was on the outside looking in, playing as the 13th forward.

In front of him were Nick Robertson (on the third line with Dakota Joshua and Max Domi) and Calle Jarnkrok (on the fourth line alongside Nicolas Roy and Steven Lorentz), who, combined, have 874 NHL games between them.

Leafs lines in practice:

Knies - Matthews - Maccelli
McMann - Tavares - Nylander
Joshua - Domi - Robertson
Lorentz - Roy - Jarnkrok
Cowan

Rielly - Carlo
McCabe - Tanev
Ekman-Larsson - Benoit
Thrun - Myers

Stolarz
Hildeby pic.twitter.com/fKIdO5dypd

— Nick Barden (@nickbarden) October 6, 2025

"No decisions have been made," said Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube after Monday's practice.

(Two hours after practice concluded, Toronto claimed Sammy Blais off waivers, which could push Cowan even further down the depth chart, depending on how things shake out.)

At some point, though, Toronto will need to decide whether Cowan makes the opening night lineup or not. And if he's not on the team for the home opener on Oct. 8, does it make sense to keep him with the Maple Leafs, or send him to the AHL's Toronto Marlies?

"I think that you've got to look at where your team's at. You've got to look at, does he help us right now? What's best for him?" Berube said. "You know, young kid, but we liked him. We liked him at camp, so he's here right now."

Cowan, on the message he's received from the Maple Leafs since more roster cuts have come down: "I’m just going to keep taking it day by day. I mean, just keep attacking it. Keep working hard. Have a good mindset, be positive, and hopefully play (in the home opener)."

'That's Still Up In The Air': Maple Leafs Weigh Options With James Reimer as Dennis Hildeby Shines at Training CampBased on how the Toronto Maple Leafs practiced on Monday, it appears Dennis Hildeby will be the club’s backup goaltender behind Anthony Stolarz when the regular season opens on Oct. 8 against the Montreal Canadiens. This means the situation with James Reimer, who is on a professional tryout, remains unclear.

You have to wonder if things would've been different had Scott Laughton not suffered a lower-body injury last week. Cowan developed strong chemistry early on with Lorentz and Laughton, and it appeared like he could start the regular season on that line.

"Yeah, well, it did (affect the lines) because we lost the center," Berube said. "And so I decided to move Max (Domi) back to the middle because I'm comfortable with it, he's comfortable with it, and he's been there a lot for us."

That then shifted Robertson into the third-line spot, with Jarnkrok skating alongside Lorentz and Roy. Either way, there are positives as Cowan remains with the Maple Leafs, especially if the forward begins his NHL career in Toronto's bottom six.

"Whether you’re in the top six or bottom six in the NHL, you’re always getting better. So for me, if I’m in the bottom six, I feel like that’s good for my development," Cowan said. "So it’s just good to really learn how to play a bottom-six role at a young age, and then you’re able to play wherever in the lineup."

Maple Leafs Projected Roster Takes Shape Following Waiver Move Of Four PlayersWith the NHL’s regular season salary cap compliance deadline set for 5 p.m. ET on Oct. 6, teams—including the Maple Leafs—are actively placing players who require waivers on the waiver wire. Players who require waivers are typically placed on the wire a day before so they can be moved to the minors before the deadline if they go unclaimed.

Cowan has admitted that playing on opening night is on the back of his mind — and why wouldn't it be? Any player in his position would want to reach for that goal. It means even more for Cowan because he grew up a Maple Leafs fan.

"I mean, you dream of it ever since you’re a kid. To still be here, I’m very grateful for that, and not going to take any day for granted," Cowan said.

What's different about Cowan's game this year versus last year's training camp is his all-around game. Berube often mentioned last fall that Cowan needed to eliminate the junior habits from his game if he wanted to make the jump to the NHL.

Nick Robertson Faces ‘Groundhog Day’ Feeling Ahead of Maple Leafs’ Final Preseason GameNick Robertson heads into the Toronto Maple Leafs’ final pre-season game in an uncertain, but familiar spot. The forward joins a mostly AHL lineup that will head southwest to take on the Detroit Red Wings in the final pre-season game of 2025.

The young forward believes his 200-foot game has grown exponentially.

"I’ve never felt that good as an all-around player, so it definitely feels good that way," he said. "But just going to keep attacking each and every day, and keep getting better at little parts of the game."

And when it comes to skating out onto the ice at Scotiabank Arena during player introductions, being in the opening night lineup?

"I’m just going to keep the pedal down," Cowan said. "But you just got to stay at it each and every day. I felt like I had another good practice today, so just keep stacking good days on good days like I’ve been saying, and good things will work out."

Latest stories:

Why The Maple Leafs Claimed Cayden Primeau And Sammy Blais Off Waivers

'That's Still Up In The Air': Maple Leafs Weigh Options With James Reimer as Dennis Hildeby Shines at Training Camp

Maple Leafs Projected Roster Takes Shape Following Waiver Move Of Four Players

With the 2025-26 NHL Season set to begin on Tuesday, October 7th, I thought it would be a fun idea to use EA Sports NHL 26 to predict how the Los Angeles Kings season will go. To pull this off, I used franchise mode and simply skipped to the end of the year.

It's no secret that the expectation for Los Angeles is nothing short of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a fifth consecutive season. Although, this time they must get over the hump and make an appearance in the second round, whether they play the Edmonton Oilers for the fifth straight time or not. 

Let's see how EA Sports expects the Kings upcoming season to play out.

October Record: 5-6-1

Overall: 5-6-1 (20th in the NHL)

The Kings got off to an incredibly slow start, going 1-6-1 in their first eight games before winning four in a row to close out the month strong. Adrian Kempe was L.A.'s leading scorer after 12 games. He scored nine goals and seven assists for 16 points in October. Despite a rough start for the team, Kempe started off a contract year on the right foot. 

November Record: 6-5-2

Overall: 11-11-3 (21st in the NHL)

November was somewhat the same result as the month previous despite an incredibly hot start. To start the second month of the season, the Kings won five of their first eight games before losing their final five games. Once again, Kempe lead the team in scoring, ending November with 15 goals, 12 assists, and 27 points the first 25 games of the season. A great start for a player who's looking for a massive pay-raise next summer.

December Record: 6-7-0

Overall: 17-18-3 (25th in the NHL)

Not a great way to end 2025. The Kings continued their inconsistent play in December as they kept winning one game, then losing two. This pattern would repeat until the month finally came to an end. In his final year, Kings captain Anze Kopitar overtook Kempe for the team lead in scoring as he ended December with 10 goals and 27 assists for 37 points in 38 total games.

January Record: 9-6-1

Overall: 26-24-4 (21st in the NHL)

January was the first time that the Kings ended a month with an overall winning record. This was thanks to an extremely strong end to the month in which they won their last four heading into February, where the winning didn't stop. Kopitar remained as the Kings leading scorer with 14 goals and 33 assists for 47 points in 54 games.

February Record: 4-2-0

Overall: 30-26-4 (20th in the NHL)

The Kings their strong finish to January into February where they would win their first three games of the month, resulting in a season high, seven game win streak. However, their streak would have to come to pause due to the break for the Winter Olympics. This break proved to hurt L.A. more than anything as they finished the month losing two of three. Once again, Kopitar finished the month leading the team with 15 goals, 38 assists and 53 points in 60 games. With just over 20 games to go, the Kings must start winning games if they want to have a chance at making the postseason.

March Record: 10-3-0

Overall: 40-29-4 (12th in the NHL)

And start winning games they did. Los Angeles ended March as the hottest team in the National Hockey League, winning 10 of their 13 games throughout the month. This included a five game win streak to end the month as well. After this stretch, the Kings found themselves in third place in the Pacific Division. Barring an April collapse, L.A. was in the drivers seat to make a fifth straight postseason appearance. 'Kopi' continued his remarkable final season with a 14 point month giving him 21 goals and 46 assists for 67 points in 73 games.

April Record: 3-6-0

Overall: 43-35-4 (6th in Pacific, 17th in NHL) Missed Playoffs

Oh boy. They did the one thing that they couldn't do. After only picking up three wins in the final nine games of the season, the Los Angeles Kings missed the playoffs for the first time since 2020-21. To make it worse, they missed by just one point, getting beat out by the Vancouver Canucks for the final wild card spot. Vancouver beat Los Angeles twice in the last five games as well. A brutal collapse to say the least. Lets hope something like this does not translate to the real world this season.

Statistic Leaders

Points: A. Kopitar (72) K. Fiala (64) Q. Byfield (61) T. Moore (61) A. Kuzmenko (58)

Goals: A. Kuzmenko (27) K. Fiala (26) A. Kopitar (25) P. Danault (24) A. Kempe (23)

Assists: A. Kopitar (47) T. Moore (47) D. Doughty (40) Q. Byfield (39) K. Fiala (38)

Plus/Minus: J. Edmundson (+12) T. Moore (+6) A. Kuzmenko (+5) D. Doughty (+3) Q. Byfield (+2)

Defense Points: D. Doughty (45) B. Clarke (31) B. Dumoulin (30)

Goaltending Stats:

Darcy Kuemper: 65 GP, 35-26-3, 8 SO, .914 SV%, 2.96 GAA

Anton Forsberg: 23 GP, 8-10-1, 1 SO, .897 SV%, 3.31 GAA

Successes and Disappointments

Success: Brian Dumoulin

In his first season with the Kings, NHL26 had blue liner Brian Dumoulin scoring a whopping 14 goals. This total would crush his previous career high of six that he set with the Seattle Kraken in 2023-24. His 14 goals were good for the 10th most among defensemen in the simulation.

Disappointment: Adrian Kempe

For whatever reason, forward Adrian Kempe did not do well in the simulation. Kempe took an unexpected step back from his two previous 70+ point campaigns. In 82 games, the 29-year-old scored just 23 goals and 33 assists for 56 points. This would be great season for the average player, not someone who is expected to make upwards of $10 million per year. If Kempe produced more in the simulation, L.A. likely makes the postseason. Hopefully the Kings sniper fares better than his video game counterpart.

Success: Andrei Kuzmenko

If Kings F Andrei Kuzmenko can produce like he did in this simulation, I imagine Kings fans and management will be very satisfied. Kuzmenko posted 27 goals and 31 assists for 58 points in 82 games. By far the best season of his career since his rookie season with Vancouver in 2022-23. 

Disappointment: Brandt Clarke

Blueliner Brandt Clarke is expected to a leap in the 2025-25 season. However, in this simulation not only did he not improve, he actually regressed. Clarke scored five goals along with 26 assists for 31 points in 82 games. The 22-year-old should perform better than EA thinks he will.

Awards Around the League

Although nobody on the Kings earned any hardware in the simulation I figured I should share how NHL 26 thinks the awards will be handed out at the end of the season.

Stanley Cup: Tampa Bay Lightning over Vegas Golden Knights in seven games

Conn Smythe: Nikita Kucherov (TBL)

Presidents Trophy: New York Rangers

Art Ross: Auston Matthews (TOR)

Rocket Richard: Auston Matthews (TOR)

Ted Lindsay: Auston Matthews (TOR)

Hart:  Auston Matthews (TOR)

Norris: Cale Makar (COL)

Calder: Ivan Demidov (MTL)

Vezina: Andrei Vasilevskiy (TBL)

Jennings: Andrei Vasilevskiy (TBL)

Selke: Sidney Crosby (PIT)

Lady Byng: Auston Matthews (TOR)

Jack Adams: Travis Green (OTT)

Stay tuned in with your Los Angeles Kings here at The Hockey News, as the 2025-26 season inches closer.

Anton Lundell, C, Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers have already encountered a couple of obstacles, and the regular season is yet to begin.

Earlier in the off-season, news surfaced that left winger Matthew Tkachuk would be out until December-ish with a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia.

That wasn’t the last of bad news that the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions would receive before opening night.

Over the weekend, the Panthers announced captain Aleksander Barkov suffered MCL and ACL injuries during practice and is expected to be out for seven to nine months.

With Barkov likely being sidelined for the regular season, there is a grand opportunity for Anton Lundell in Florida’s top six. The Finnish center has been a solid two-way pivot on the Panthers’ third line ever since he entered the NHL in 2021-22.

He’s been a consistent player who can score between 40 and 50 points next season, or even more in an elevated role. He put up a career-high 45 points in 79 games last season while averaging 16:43 in ice time.

Three NHL Players Who Could Be More Important Than Expected This YearEvery season, NHL teams go through some adversity, whether that’s a loss of personnel from injury or a trade that sends a key roster player from a falling team to a contender.

With the last practice of training camp in the books, the New York Rangers’ opening-night roster is looking more clearer. 

While there aren’t a ton of roster spots up for grabs, the making of the Rangers’ bottom-six forward core was the biggest question mark going into training camp. 

Mike Sullivan provided some major hints into where his head are at regarding which forwards he wants to see on opening night. 

Here were the Rangers’ line combinations:

Cuylle-Miller-Zibanejad

Panarin-Trocheck-Lafrenière

Sheary-Laba-Raddysh

Edström-Carrick-Rempe

Parssinen, Berard

The most notable hints to take away from these lines is that Noah Laba and Conor Sheary are both practicing on the team’s third line. 

Laba came into camp with relatively low expectations, given the fact that he was expected to start the season with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League. 

However, the 22-year-old center stood out during training camp and impressed the Rangers’ brass, so much so that he’s on the precipice of making an NHL roster fresh out of college.

“I think Noah has a 200-foot game. I think his offense is evolving,” Sullivan said. “With each game that he plays, you could see more of the playmaking and just his vision, whether it be with the puck or without the puck on the offensive side, just his instincts.”

During the offseason, the Rangers signed Sheary to a Professional Tryout Agreement as he looked to compete at training camp for an opening-night roster spot. 

Mike Sullivan coached Sheary for multiple seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, as they won two Stanley Cups together. 

Throughout training camp and the preseason, Sullivan has put Sheary in positions to thrive, as he has played a third-line and power-play role.

Sheary is cautiously optimistic that he’ll sign a contract with the Rangers to stay on board for the 2025-26 season. 

“I can’t really say too much. I think it’s a good sign, but nothing’s official until it’s official,” Sheary said of Monday’s practice. 

If Laba and Sheary crack the Rangers’ opening-night roster, that leaves Brett Berard and Juuso Parssinen as the odd men out. 

Mike Sullivan Lays Out Reasoning For Sending Gabe Perreault and Scott Morrow Down To The AHLMike Sullivan made a big decision regarding the makeup of the New York Rangers’ opening-night roster by sending Gabe Perreault and Scott Morrow down to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League. 

Berard played 35 games for the Rangers last season, and he certainly showed some positive attributes, but there may simply not be enough room for him to carve out a meaningful role. 

If he doesn't make the team, he’ll be sent down to the AHL. 

Meanwhile, Parssinen was acquired by the Rangers last season at around the trade deadline with the hopes he could seize the third-line center position. 

Despite earning a two-year, $2.5 million contract extension, Parssinen’s spot in the lineup was far from secure. 

Laba simply outplayed Parssinen throughout training camp and the preseason, which now puts his future with the Rangers in jeopardy.

Jonny Brodzinski also has to be added to this equation. 

He’s been a reliable depth forward for the Rangers for many seasons, but his role in New York is murky at the moment. 

Brodzinski would be an ideal candidate to serve as the Rangers’ extra forward since he’s able to play practically every position and provides an element of grit. 

It remains unclear what Sullivan has in store for Brodzinski. 

Expect all of these roster decisions to come momentarily with the Rangers set to play their season opener on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

“I’ll share it in due time,” Sullivan revealed.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Nico Daws is staying put, as he has officially cleared waivers.

Daws stood out as a potential goaltender who could get claimed off waivers. Yet, thankfully for the Devils, the 24-year-old will be staying put and can now be sent down to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Utica Comets.

While Daws cleared waivers, the NHL saw two other goalies get claimed on Oct. 6. Cayden Primeay was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Maple Leafs from the Carolina Hurricanes, while Colten Ellis was claimed by the Buffalo Sabres from the St. Louis Blues. 

Daws has appeared in 52 career games over three NHL seasons with the Devils, where he has recorded a 22-23-1 record, a .898 save percentage, a 2.98 goals-against average, and one shutout. During this past season with New Jersey, he had a 3-1-0 record, a .939 save percentage, and a 1.60 goals-against average. 

Florida Panthers center Jack Studnicka has cleared waivers and will report to the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL.

The 26-year-old signed a two-way deal in the off-season with the Panthers and is set to begin his Panthers tenure in the AHL. Although he'll start the season with the farm team, Studnicka is likely at the top of the list of players to receive a call-up if the team faces injury issues.

In four pre-season games, Studnicka impressed. He notched points in all four games, finishing with four goals and five points. While the goals and points were positive, he did affect the game in other ways. He utilized his 6-foot-1 frame to be engaged physically, throwing eight hits and firing 15 shots on goal. 

The Panthers did not place any players on waivers today and nearly made it through the pre-season unscathed, losing just one player on the waiver wire. Goaltender Brandon Bussi was the only player the Panthers lost. 

The Carolina Hurricanes claimed the 27-year-old goaltender after he too impressed during the pre-season. In his lone game, Bussi turned away 17 of the 19 shots he faced against the Nashville Predators. 

Defenseman Tobias Bjornfot was placed on waivers with Bussi, but fortunately, he went unclaimed and, like Studnicka, will report to the Checkers in the AHL.

Panthers Claim Cole Schwindt From Golden KnightsThe Florida Panthers have claimed Cole Schwindt from the Vegas Golden Knights, a year after the Golden Knights claimed him from the Calgary Flames.

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues lost goalie Colten Ellis, who was claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Sabres on Monday.

The 25-year-old, a 2019 third-round pick, would have been the starting goalie at Springfield of the American Hockey League but required waivers in order to be sent down.

The Sabres are in need of current reinforcements with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

With Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer entrenched as the 1-2 punch in St. Louis, the Blues were hoping to get Ellis through.

The Blues, however, could get Ellis back in the organization once the Sabres get UPL back from injury and re-expose Ellis on waivers. The only edge they could get is if they re-claim him, they don't ha e to keep him in the NHL and could assign Ellis immediately to Springfield. It would be a regular waiver claim process, so other teams could have dibs before the Blues so we will see how this goes.

In the meantime, Vadim Zherenko becomes Springfield's No. 1 goalie, with Will Cranley as the backup.

Also, Hunter Skinner cleared waivers and will head to Springfield; the defenseman made a strong case for himself in training camp to be the seventh defenseman, but Matthew Kessel won over the job.

Sundqvist Injured, Lucic Held Off Blues Practice For PrecautionMARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist needed help off the ice after injuring what appeared to be his right leg towards the end of practice on Sunday at Centene Community Ice Center. Blues Assign Five To Springfield, Including Three First-Round PicksMARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- The St. Louis Blues are down to their final roster cuts, and five were assigned to Springfield of the American Hockey League on Sunday.

Throughout the Ottawa Senators history, they've employed more than their share of tough guys. Mike Peluso was their first, and still holds the club record with 318 penalty minutes in a single season. Chris Neil was their greatest – one of the few NHL tough guys ever to have his number retired by his team.

Then you have the likes of Dennis Vial, Brian McGrattan, Denny Lambert, Andre Roy, Matt Carkner, Matt Kassian, Mark Borowiecki and several others.

Kurtis MacDermid is now their latest policeman, acquired from the New Jersey Devils late last week for fellow tough guy Zack MacEwen, who spent parts of the past two seasons with the Sens.

MacDermid's acquisition is a clear response to the irritation the organization felt when the Senators lost 5-0 in Montreal last Tuesday. It wasn't so much the scoreboard beatdown; it was the physical one. So they went out and got MacDermid, who brings another Cup ring into the room (Colorado), has played for Travis Green (New Jersey), and on the nights they need him, he really is one of the game's true heavyweights.

"I mean, obviously, he's one of the tougher guys in the league," head coach Travis Green told the media after the game on Saturday. "He's a tremendous teammate, sticks up for this whole team. He's a smart individual, and he understands the game."

MacDermid didn't play for Green for very long in 2024, but it was probably long enough to fully understand his expectations. MacDermid has been toiling at the Devils camp again this year, getting ready for their season, so it was a unique experience to suddenly drop into Ottawa's preseason finale in Montreal. 

"It's been a whirlwind," MacDermid told the media on Saturday. "I got in here, just tried to relax and enjoy the experience. The guys are great, the staff is awesome, so it was a really easy transition."

After the two clubs met on Tuesday and combined for over 150 penalty minutes, many wondered if the game might get out of control. But it didn't. The rematch had just 14 penalty minutes, and by comparison, it might as well have been played in a library. Did MacDermid's presence have a hand in that? Hard to say.

But before this deal went down, both MacEwen and Hayden Hodgson, MacDermid's old junior teammate, were hoping to lay claim to the Sens' tough guy role. But Friday's trade ended those hopes, and MacDermid hopes he made a good first impression on Saturday night.

"I hope so," MacDermid told the media after the game. "I just go out there and try to create space for the guys, stick up for them when I need to and just play my game and help the team in any way."

After having Connor McDavid's back for a couple of years with the Erie Otters, MacDermid eventually entered the NHL as an undrafted free agent – first with Los Angeles, where he spent six seasons. hen as part of the 2022 Colorado Avalanche team that won the Stanley Cup. Although he didn't dress for any playoff games, he played 58 regular-season games for the Avalanche during their championship season, so his name is on the Cup.

Saturday was the first time he'd played an NHL game with so little preparation, just one day after arriving.

"Yeah, I haven't done that before. You're just looking to go there and have fun and enjoy it. There's a lot of adrenaline, so that always works in your favour. So yeah, it was awesome and I'm glad we got the win."

At 6-feet-5, 233 pounds, the 31-year-old has played 288 games in the league. He's the latest in Ottawa's long line of sons of former NHL players. MacDermid’s dad, Paul, played in 690 NHL games.

The Sens now have three players, Jake Sanderson (Geoff), Ridly Greig (Mark), and now MacDermid, who top up the "My Dad Played For the Hartford Whalers" Club, filling the void left by Mark Kastelic (Ed) last year.

On the nights that he plays, what the Sens gain in toughness, they'll lose in secondary scoring potential. MacDermid had zero points in 23 games with the Devils last season and will be deployed strategically.

There's not much chance, for example, that he misses any of the four games this season against the Montreal Canadiens. The Battle of the 417 has become a matchup that's even more heated than the Battle of Ontario, but the Sens are now better equipped to deal with shenanigans.

More Sens Headlines From The Hockey News Ottawa:
Senators Land A True NHL Heavyweight In A Deal With The Devils
More Senators Broadcast Changes: Marc Methot Out At TSN
Reviewing Four Of The Nastiest Moments From Senators–Canadiens Game On Tuesday
Brady Tkachuk On Starring In Prime Video Show: 'I'm An Open Book To Begin With'
Broadcast Frustrations Resurface For Senators Fans
Sens Goalie Linus Ullmark Says He Enjoys The Struggle

The Toronto Maple Leafs have reportedly picked up a couple of players off the waiver wire ahead of their season-opener on Wednesday night.

According to TSN's Chris Johnston, the Maple Leafs have claimed goaltender Cayden Primeau and forward Sammy Blais off of waivers. Primeau was placed on waivers by the Carolina Hurricanes, and Blais by the Montreal Canadiens.

Toronto claims Cayden Primeau off waivers from Carolina.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) October 6, 2025

Toronto claims Sammy Blais off waivers from Montreal.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) October 6, 2025

Primeau spent the majority of last season with the AHL's Laval Rocket. The 26-year-old tallied 21 wins and a .927 save percentage in 26 games with the Rocket, while posting two wins and an .836 save percentage in 11 games with the Canadiens.

The undrafted goaltender signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with the Hurricanes on July 2, but with Carolina's influx of goalies, including Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov (and now Brandon Bussi, who they claimed off waivers on Sunday), they opted to try and sneak Primeau down to the AHL.

In 55 NHL games, Primeau has 13 wins and an .884 save percentage.

Cap projections had the Leafs with $729,554 in cap space with Dennis Hildeby on the roster and 22 players. Getting Cayden Primeau at $775k allows the #Leafs to save an additional $66,667 in cap space from Hildeby’s $841,667 cap hit, and thus room for a 23rd player in Blais at… https://t.co/eiEaUrxrtE

— David Alter (@dalter) October 6, 2025

This move by the Maple Leafs could mean James Reimer, who's on a professional tryout with Toronto, likely won't be with the team entering this season.

Blais is the more fascinating claim of the two. The 29-year-old is coming off a Calder Cup win with the Abbotsford Canucks, scoring six goals and 19 points in 23 games. He also has some history with winning the Stanley Cup on the St. Louis Blues alongside Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube.

The forward scored one goal and two assists in 15 games with the Blues during their cup run in 2019.

Blais has since bounced between St. Louis and the New York Rangers. In 257 NHL games, Blais has scored 27 goals and 71 points. The Canadiens hoped to get him through waivers (after signing him this summer to a one-year, $775,000 contract) and have him play with the Laval Rocket, however, that's not the case anymore.

Once Toronto sends Dennis Hildeby (who's waivers-exempt) to the AHL after claiming both Primeau and Blais off waivers, they'll be $21,221 under the salary cap, with Easton Cowan, Philippe Myers, and one of Blais, Nick Robertson or Calle Jarnkrok as a healthy scratch, per PuckPedia.

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'That's Still Up In The Air': Maple Leafs Weigh Options With James Reimer as Dennis Hildeby Shines at Training Camp

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‘We’ll See What Happens’: James Reimer Awaits Word On Future After Pre-Season Return In Maple Leafs Net

Seven months after being fired by the Philadelphia Flyers, longtime NHL head coach John Tortorella has resurfaced, joining ESPN as an NHL analyst for the 2025-26 season.

Tortorella, 67, previously expressed interest in returning to coaching (while pushing back against narratives about his unceremonious exit from the Flyers), but it would appear that those aspirations are temporarily on hold.

The three-year Flyers coach returns to ESPN for the first time since the 2021-22 season, which he spent as an analyst in between his stints with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Flyers.

Tortorella will feature as an analyst alongside Blake Bolden, Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Ray Ferraro, Mark Messier, AJ Mleczko, T.J. Oshie, P.K. Subban, Kevin Weekes, and Dave Jackson.

"John Tortorella returns to ESPN’s NHL studio coverage as an analyst this season, marking a homecoming to the team he first joined in 2021 when ESPN re-acquired NHL media rights," the ESPN press release said.

"Known for his candid insights and authentic commentary, Tortorella will bring his deep understanding of the game as a veteran coach with 23 NHL seasons behind the bench, including leading the Tampa Bay Lightning to a Stanley Cup championship in the 2003-04 season."

The 67-year-old spent three seasons in Philadelphia with the Flyers, compiling a 97-107-33 record.

Regardless of any potential NHL opportunities, Tortorella will return to the bench in 2026 when he serves as an assistant coach for Team USA for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan.