Trimble is a senior captain and the only returning starter from last year's team.
The Wraparound: Do The Washington Capitals Need Another Center?
Welcome to a new episode of The Wraparound, featuring rapid-fire NHL and hockey topics.
Here's what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello, and Stephen Kerr discussed in this episode:
0:00: Can the Anaheim Ducks capture the Pacific Division title this season?
5:15: With Pierre-Luc Dubois out, could the Washington Capitals be on the hunt for a new center?
8:25: Will the Toronto Maple Leafs regret trading Fraser Minten?
12:15: Breaking down Sean Couturier’s comments on Matvei Michkov
16:10: Could Matthew Wood play a big role for the Nashville Predators this season?
21:50: What direction will Doug Armstrong take the St. Louis Blues in his last season as GM?
26:55: Looking ahead to the top candidates for the 2026 Hockey Hall of Fame class
31:02: Are the Buffalo Sabres in danger of being out of the playoff mix before American Thanksgiving?
Do The Washington Capitals Need Another Center? by The WraparoundSee below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.
Game Preview: #1 Colorado Avalanche face the #2 Anaheim Ducks
DENVER — It’s not the Stanley Cup Final, but it might as well be. The two best teams in the NHL collide tonight at Ball Arena, where the surging Anaheim Ducks—led by veteran head coach Joel Quenneville—arrive in Denver to test the red-hot Colorado Avalanche.
While it’s a tough test on paper, the Avalanche enter this matchup riding some impressive accomplishments this season. Colorado has earned a reputation as “The Streak Killers,” halting the New Jersey Devils’ five-game winning streak with an 8-4 victory last month and following it up last week with a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning to end their five-game surge. But this isn't just any game for the Ducks.
Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) on XThe sky is the limit for Gavin Brindley!For much of the past decade, the Ducks have struggled to find their identity. In fact, you might as well have called them the Anaheim Dodos—they’ve been, quite frankly, all but extinct. They’ve missed the playoffs in each of the last seven seasons. But Coach Quenneville, unlike Yoda, has emerged from exile to guide a new generation of Ducks. So far, the results have been promising—but tonight will be by far their toughest test.
“[They're a] dangerous offensive team,” head coach Jared Bednar said of their upcoming opponents “And even if it’s not in the number of chances they’re getting, they are finishing everything off. They get a chance. It’s in the back of the net.”
Led by forwards Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, and Troy Terry, the Ducks have been one of the season’s biggest surprises. It’s worth remembering, however, that Joel Quenneville—who resigned from the Florida Panthers four years ago amid a sexual assault investigation linked to his time with the Chicago Blackhawks—won three Stanley Cups as a head coach with his former team.
The Avalanche lead the league with 64 goals, with Anaheim close behind at 62. Colorado’s top trio—Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Martin Necas—have combined for 70 points, while Carlsson, Gauthier, and Terry have amassed 64. This shapes up as a true 50-50 battle.
B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) on XNathan MacKinnon’s 82-game pace …
▫️72 goals
▫️76 assists
▫️148 points
▫️364 shots on goals
EARLY SEASON DOGG MIXTAPE ➡️ https://t.co/Ll2tZL8omaIn goal, Scott Wedgewood, who tops the NHL with nine wins, will start for Colorado, while Lukas Dostal, just one win behind, will guard the net for the Ducks—underscoring just how evenly matched these teams are in terms of talent.
Let's Dance
The Avalanche (10-1-5) host the Ducks (11-3-1) at Ball Arena, with coverage starting at 7:30 p.m. local time on Altitude and TNT. Let's see who comes out on top.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Where to watch ranked rivals Kentucky vs. Louisville today: TV channel, prediction, odds
In-state rivals Louisville and Kentucky play tonight in a rare November matchup between the two schools. Here's how to watch.
Yankees free agency and trade buzz: Bombers making 'big effort' to re-sign Cody Bellinger
Here's the latest Yankees free agency and trade buzz during the 2025-26 MLB offseason...
Dec. 4, 11:42 a.m.
While other suitors are certainly in the mix, Cody Bellinger remains the Yankees' No. 1 target, and the club is making a "big effort" to bring him back, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Heyman lists the Mets, Phillies, Angels, and Dodgers as other possibilities.
ESPN's Jeff Passan has previously reported that signing Bellinger would be a "multipart move" for the Yankees, as the club would almost certainly need to move one of their other outfield pieces --potentially Jasson Dominguez or up-and-coming prospect Spencer Jones.
With Trent Grisham accepting the qualifying offer, the Yanks would have a surplus of outfielders if Bellinger was to re-sign.
Dec. 3, 8:22 p.m.
The high-stakes bidding war for Kyle Tucker officiallyincludes one of the Yankees' division rivals, as the superstar outfielder visited the Blue Jays' facility in Florida on Wednesday, according to a report from Robert Murray of FanSided.
It's no surprise the reigning AL champions are big-game hunting for a new bat. The club signed free-agent starter Dylan Cease to a massive seven-year, $210 million deal and right-hander Cody Ponce to a three-year, $30 million contract in the last week.
Murray reports the Blue Jays are also interested in retaining shortstop Bo Bichette, who could garner an average annual value above $20 million.
Tucker would make the Blue Jays' lineup even more imposing. In his lone season with the Cubs, the 28-year-old slashed .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs and 25 steals. His seven-year run with the Astros was far more impressive, though -- he hit .274 with 125 homers and 417 RBI.
Only time will tell if the Yankees make a legitimate run at Tucker's services. His contract demands seem too rich for their blood, and the Yankees have stated they're focused on re-signing Cody Bellinger, who'd come at a much lower price.
Dec. 1, 9:19 a.m.
The Yankees re-signing Cody Bellinger would be a "multipart move," reports Jeff Passan of ESPN.
Per Passan, the Yanks are unlikely to enter the season with Bellinger, Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham, Jasson Dominguez, and Spencer Jones all on the team.
Things got tight player-wise and payroll-wise for New York when Grisham accepted the one-year qualifying offer.
Another factor when it comes to Bellinger or other large signings/trades for the Yanks this offseason is that with Grisham now in tow, New York's payroll for 2026 is already roughly $278 million.
Pair the above with owner Hal Steinbrenner's recent comments that it would be "ideal" to lower payroll for this coming season -- and his repeated statements about not wanting to carry a payroll above $300 million -- and it's fair to wonder how much wiggle room there will be to retain Bellinger and address other needs.
Nov. 20, 9:37 a.m.
The Yankees and Devin Williams' representatives recently discussed the possibility of the reliever returning to the Bronx, per Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic.
In addition to the Yanks, Williams has reportedly drawn interest from the Mets, Dodgers, and Blue Jays, among others, this offseason.
The Yankees recently re-signed left-hander Ryan Yarbrough, but their 'pen is still in need of serious reinforcements.
In addition to Williams, Luke Weaver is also a free agent.
Nov. 13, 11:09 a.m.
The Red Sox are among the teams with interest in Devin Williams, reports Will Sammon of The Athletic, who also lists the Dodgers and Reds among teams that have expressed interest.
Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic also reported on Los Angeles and Williams, saying there appears to be mutual interest.
Los Angeles was one of the teams exploring the possibility of dealing for Williams last offseason before he was traded to the Yankees.
Williams, 31, struggled last season for the Yanks, posting a 4.79 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 62.0 innings.
While Williams was not his regular elite self, his stuff still played up as he had a strikeout rate of 13.1 per nine.
In addition to Williams, Luke Weaver is also a free agent, leaving the back end of New York's bullpen in an uncertain spot.
Nov. 12, 11:33 a.m.
A source told Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News that the Yankees have checked in on left-hander Ryan Yarbrough, and the club is "expected to be suitors" for the 33-year-old.
After signing with the Yanks last spring, Yarbrough ended up being a valuable and versatile piece for Aaron Boone's pitching staff. He started eight games and appeared in 19 games in total, pitching to a 4.36 ERA while holding opposing lefties to a .198 batting average.
Yarbrough did miss a significant chunk of the season, though, as an oblique injury kept him out from mid-June to early September. As a result, he was left off the Yankees' postseason roster.
Nov. 11, 3:45 p.m.
Historically, the Yankees have been among the highest-spending teams in baseball, but owner Hal Steinbrenner and GM Brian Cashman have reiterated multiple times over the past couple of years that having a payroll over $300 million is "simply not sustainable for us, financially," as Cashman put it.
"It wouldn’t be sustainable for the vast majority of ownership [groups], given the luxury tax we have to pay," Cashman said last May. "I’ve been a broken record [on this topic]: I don’t believe I should have a $300 million payroll to win a championship."
So how does that line of thinking impact what the Yankees will do this offseason?
Appearing on "Pinstripe Post," Joel Sherman of the New York Post laid out how he believes the Yankees can thread the needle to retain a key free agent like Cody Bellinger, whom he referred to as "the key to their offseason," while lowering their payroll beneath the $300 million number.
"I think the goal this offseason is to try to get under $300 million, luxury tax money. I think within that they’d like to re-sign Cody Bellinger, add another reliever who can pitch in the final six outs of the game… I think they’d like to find a complementary starting pitcher to help them through some injuries early in the season. I think they’d love to flip J.C. Escarra for a righty version of J.C. Escarra… and I think they’d like to find a complementary right-handed bat, and maybe plus Amed Rosario, who they liked a lot and tried in previous years to get.
"That all told, I think the Yankees would feel, if they got the versions of the players they wanted to, they would feel that’s a 90+ win team, and they’d have a shot to line it up, and that they could do that in the high ($200 millions)."
The Yankees ended last season with a payroll of $323.7 million, for luxury tax purposes. Factoring in projections for arbitration eligible players and other players in their pre-arbitration years who are still under team control, the Yankees currently have a payroll of roughly $244 million.
Can the Yankees fit in a player like Bellinger, who is projected to make somewhere around $27 million per season, and still make other needed moves while staying under the $304 million luxury tax threshold?
If that is indeed the goal, while it does appear possible, there doesn't seem to be a lot of wiggle room.
Five college football players seek injunction against NCAA’s four-year eligibility limit.
Five college football players have asked a federal court for a preliminary injunction against NCAA rules limiting to eligibility to four seasons.
The patent absurdity of LSU trying to writhe its way out of paying Brian Kelly what it owes him
LSU had no problem with Brian Kelly's contract when they signed it. The Tigers' administrators (and the Louisiana governor) shouldn't try to weasel out of it now that things didn't go their way on the field.
Canadiens: Growth All Around
While most people’s attention was focused on the players’ growth in the Montreal Canadiens’ rebuild, someone else was growing before our eyes: coach Martin St-Louis. Much was made of the fact that he had no professional experience when he was hired to take the helm of the most storied franchise in NHL history, but not enough has been written about how he has adapted since then.
Speaking to the media earlier this week, the bench boss confessed that giving everyone their fair share of ice time in the NHL was on him, and that some players’ reduced ice time was on him, too—they didn’t necessarily deserve so little time. It was a refreshing sight to see a coach do his mea culpa, but for St. Louis, that’s just normal. He explained that if he asks his players to be accountable and face their truth, it’s only logical that he does the same:
Canadiens: For The Last Two Weekends Michael Hage…
Canadiens Will Attempt To Put An End To An Eight-Game Losing Streak Against The Kings
Canadiens Prepare For The Kings
Because I feel if I’m asking my players to self-assess with some truth, I’ve got to be able to do the same thing, So, I have to own it. If I expect my players to own it, I better own it myself.- St-Louis on accountability
His players respect St-Louis not only because of his Hall of Fame career, but also because he holds himself to the same standards he holds them to. He’s not playing the games anymore; he can’t help them on the ice, but he’s the one who decides who’s on in which circumstances and for how long. After doing his mes culpa about ice time, the pilot started the next game with the Kirby Dach, Brendan Gallagher and Zachary Bolduc line alongside his third pairing formed by Arber Xhekaj and Alex Carrier. Sure, the players the Utah Mammoth chose to start allowed him to do that; they weren’t the ones he wanted his first-line to face, but he could have gone for the Jake Evans or Oliver Kapanen lines just as easily.
Going from bantam hockey to the NHL was quite the jump for the bench boss, and while he’s improved by leaps and bounds since then, he feels he still has a long way to go:
The first game was so fast on the ice … I couldn’t believe the speed of the game. But two, three games in, it slowed way down. At the youth level, it was easy; you just rolled the lines, and everybody played the power play. It was fun, it was easy. Let’s go. At the NHL level, you got to be a little more calculated. I feel I’ve come a long way, and I’ve got a ways to go.”- St-Louis on coaching in the NHL
This is what makes St-Louis a great coach: he can be critical of his players when needed, but he can also be critical of himself. He knows his players are still growing, still learning, but so is he. While he had seen it all as a player throughout his 16-year career in the NHL, behind a bench, he’s still learning.
Last year, he was a Jack Adams Trophy finalist for guiding his young team to the playoffs; this year, he has them leading their division and showing no signs of slowing down. When St-Louis agreed to join the Canadiens, he knew he was joining a team with potential for greatness but that needed to be built up, much like his coaching career, and he’s doing a fine job of both.
Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.
Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.
Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.
Subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here.
Michigan football recruiting flips LB Kaden Catchings from South Florida
Kaden Catchings, previously committed to South Florida, flipped to Michigan football, the second recruiting flip by the Wolverines in the past week.
Former Ottawa Senator Registers First NHL Point: 'That Was For (My Mom) Tonight'
When Ottawa-born Donovan Sebrango joined the Senators, he was part of the Alex DeBrincat deal with the Detroit Red Wings. At the time, he was exiting Detroit, a team in the middle of the second-longest NHL playoff drought, to join Ottawa, a club in the middle of the third-longest NHL playoff drought.
You might assume that neither roster, in those circumstances, should have been carved in stone; that an opportunity might have been there for a useful player.
But Sebrango never caught on as a full-time player in either market. As he left Detroit, he hadn't seen any NHL action in Motown after four years with the club. As for the Senators, they immediately put him in Belleville and he even spent some time in the ECHL.
They did bring him up to Ottawa twice last season and then twice last month due to the preseason injury to Tyler Kleven. When Kleven got healthy, the Sens tried to send Sebrango back down to Belleville, but he was claimed on waivers by the Florida Panthers.
At his press conference on Monday, when asked about the left side of his blue line, Staios admitted that losing Sebrango hurt the Sens' depth in that area.
Now, since the move to Sunrise, Sebrango has found more work with the defending two-time Stanley Cup champions than he did in Ottawa and Detroit combined.
Not only did Sebrango play in his fifth game in a row for the Panthers on Monday night, but he also registered two assists in the game, including his first NHL point as Florida won 3-2 in Las Vegas.
"Yeah, I mean, it's always fun to get points," Sebrango told the media after the game. "That's not why they brought me in, but it's always fun to get a couple of points, and your first ones you always remember."
Even in his short time in Ottawa, it was very clear that Sebrango is tight with his mom, Kim.
So after he got his first NHL point, it's not hard to guess who he texted first.
"She said she was so proud of me," Sebrango said. "And I want to make her proud. And that means the world to hear from her. But I mean, that was for her tonight."
But Sebrango has other admirers in Florida, where he seems to be fitting right in. He's played the last five games for the Panthers, averaging 14 minutes a night, and setting up shop alongside Jeff Petry, who's closing in on 1000 NHL games (997).
"I think (Sebrango) has played the same game (every night)," head coach Paul Maurice told the media. "And that's a really impressive thing because he doesn't have a lot of NHL experience. He's still a young man, but he has been very, very consistent in his style of game and what we expect from him. And that is highly unusual in a young player, especially on defense.
"We play a different game than he's been experiencing. So we're really impressed with his composure in the game, and we like his bite. You know, he didn't wait a long time for the first fight.
"We like that a lot."
This shouldn't be read as a Sens tale of the one that got away, which all too often haunts the fan base. For one, it's far too early for any such declaration. Secondly, even if Sebrango ends up as a full-timer in Florida or spends the next decade in the NHL, this is merely the kind of thing that can happen to good teams when they don't have enough room on the roster for everyone. He was never going to rank ahead of Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, or Tyler Kleven.
This is more a story of a young man who's worked hard and honestly for a long time, just waiting for an opportunity like this to finally come his way. Even if Florida doesn't bring Sebrango back next season, every game he plays now for the champions only serves to improve his resume.
And how do you not tip your cap to a story like that?
By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa
Read more articles like these atThe Hockey News Ottawa:
Staios On Linus Ullmark: ‘I Believe In Linus, The Team Believes In Linus.’
Four Takeaways From Senators 4-2 Victory Over Utah Sunday Night
Former Ottawa Senator GM Passes Away At Age 70
Ullmark: "There Are So Many Things I'd Like To Say To All The Doubters"
More Details On Scamming Accusations From Arthur Kaliyev's Ex-Girlfriend
Punter Zachary Hays Will be Honored as a 2026 Navy All-American
Punter Zachary Hays (Southlake, Texas/ Carroll High School), will be officially honored Wednesday as a 2026 Navy All-American during a virtual jersey presentation as part of the Navy All-American Bowl’s Road to the Dome digital series.
Defensive Back Duvay Williams Will be Honored as a 2026 Navy All-American
Defensive back Duvay Williams (Gardena, California/ Junipero Serra High School), will be officially honored Wednesday as a 2026 Navy All-American during a virtual jersey presentation as part of the Navy All-American Bowl’s Road to the Dome digital series.
Defensive Back Tory Pittman III Will be Honored as a 2026 Navy All-American
Defensive back Tory Pittman III (Omaha, Nebraska/ Omaha Central High School), will be officially honored Wednesday as a 2026 Navy All-American during a virtual jersey presentation as part of the Navy All-American Bowl’s Road to the Dome digital series.
Four-Star Elija Harmon Will be Honored as a 2026 Navy All-American
Defensive lineman Elija Harmon (Inglewood, California/ Inglewood School), will be officially honored Wednesday as a 2026 Navy All-American during a virtual jersey presentation as part of the Navy All-American Bowl’s Road to the Dome digital series.
LSU Commit Havon Finney Will be Honored as a 2026 Navy All-American
Defensive back Havon Finney (Chatsworth, California/ Sierra Canyon School), will be officially honored Wednesday as a 2026 Navy All-American during a virtual jersey presentation as part of the Navy All-American Bowl’s Road to the Dome digital series.