Sam Dickinson is poised to continue his progression in the NHL, as the San Jose Sharks have opted to keep the 19-year-old defenseman with the team rather than sending him to the Canadian National Junior Team for the World Junior Championship.

Dickinson, who was selected 11th overall by the Sharks in the 2024 NHL Draft, had been eligible to represent Canada in the prestigious tournament but will instead remain with the Sharks. The 19-year-old has appeared in 27 of San Jose’s 36 games so far this season, recording one goal and two assists. He is averaging nearly 15 minutes of ice time per game, including a notable 17:33 in the Sharks' 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.

SAM DICKINSON 🦈

He ties it late in the third with his first NHL goal! pic.twitter.com/tBlDHPrwJy

— NHL (@NHL) November 3, 2025

Sharks Considered Allowing Dickinson To Participate

Initially, general manager Mike Grier and Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky had been discussing whether it would be beneficial for Dickinson’s development to loan him to the Canadian team. Warsofsky, however, expressed some reservations about sending him back to junior hockey, citing the importance of establishing strong habits at the NHL level.

Dickinson had previously competed in the World Junior Championship in 2023 while still with the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights, a team that went on to win the Memorial Cup under coach Dale Hunter, who now also serves as the coach of Team Canada.

The Sharks currently have eight healthy defensemen on their roster, with a ninth, Vincent Desharnais, recovering from an upper-body injury.

The World Junior Championship will take place from December 26 to January 5 in Minnesota, and several Sharks prospects will be representing their countries in the tournament.

Sharks Who Are Playing In World Junior Tourney

Among them are center Michael Misa (Canada), defenseman Leo Sahlin Wallenius (Sweden), and goalie Christian Kirsch (Switzerland). Misa, selected second overall by the Sharks in June, along with Wallenius and Kirsch, both 2024 draft picks, will play for their respective teams.

Additionally, goalie Josh Ravensbergen, a first-round pick this year, is currently training with Team Canada. The final 25-man roster for Canada has yet to be announced. Center Cole McKinney, a second-round pick, remains on the preliminary roster for Team USA.

Next Game for the NHLers

The Sharks will hit the ice Tuesday to face the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. Coverage begins at 9 p.m. local time.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins had nothing going right for them heading into Sunday's game against the Montreal Canadiens.

They had lost eight in a row and were coming off back-to-back lifeless performances against the Ottawa Senators and this very Canadiens team on Saturday. They got blanked 4-0 in both games and were desperate for something positive to happen on Sunday.

They got a whole lot of positives during Sunday's game, starting with Sidney Crosby becoming the Penguins' franchise all-time leader in points (1,724). He notched a goal and an assist in the first period, giving the Penguins a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes before they snapped their eight-game losing streak with a 4-3 shootout win. They even snapped their nine-game shootout losing streak, too. 

It's the first time that the Penguins have won a shootout since Nov. 16, 2024, against the San Jose Sharks. 

Once Arturs Silovs made that final save in the shootout, it felt like a weight was lifted off everyone's shoulders, at least for this game. The players went nuts on the bench, and even head coach Dan Muse let out a few fist pumps. 

They needed to pick themselves up off the mat, and they did exactly that. This was their best overall performance since they were up 5-1 against the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 13. Yes, I know what happened after they made it 5-1, but up until then, they were skating the Sharks off the ice. It's precisely what they were doing to the Canadiens on Sunday (outside of 3-on-3 overtime). 

The Penguins finished the game with 65.2% of the scoring chances and 79.1% of the high-danger chances at 5v5. They also had 69.8% of the expected goals. 

The question now is whether the Penguins can build on this win, but for now, they got the victory when they desperately needed it. 

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And the Edmonton Oilers lineup reads as follows:

RNH - McDavid - Hyman

And that's about it.

Vintage. Classic. A one-man show times three. Whatever you want to call it, the Oilers needed a game like Sunday's 4-3 win over Vegas.

They needed a game where the top line creates an early lead that takes pressure off a goalie returning to the NHL from a very personal battle with mental illness. They needed Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Zach Hyman to carry everything because asking anyone else to do it wasn't going to work. Not on the second night of a back-to-back. Not with Connor Ingram making his first NHL start since March.

This was a big deal. More than a few people were a little nervous about it. Ingram hadn't played in the NHL since entering the Player Assistance Program to deal with personal challenges. His return came on no rest, against a Vegas team that just lost and would be looking to respond. The margin for error was small, and everyone knew it.

McDavid, Nugent-Hopkins, and Hyman played the right way from the opening shift. And thank God they did, because a loss on Sunday night, after everything Ingram's come back from, just wouldn't have been fair.

Oilers Blitz Vegas Early, Survive Third-Period PushThe Edmonton Oilers erupted for four goals, dominating early. Vegas battled back fiercely in the third, but Edmonton held on for a crucial victory with Connor Ingram picking up his first win.

McDavid opened the scoring at 9:11 of the first period, taking a short pass from Leon Draisaitl after gaining the zone, circling in from the right dot and gliding across the front of the crease before sliding the puck past Carter Hart. It was, of course, one of those goals you'll watch three times over again and still not comprehend how something so difficult looked so effortless.

Nugent-Hopkins scored twice on the power play. His first came midway through the second period. His second came early in the third to push the lead to 4-1. Had it not been for an out-of-control third period, the Oilers would have certainly pushed for a hat-trick.

Alas, Ingrams first start back in the NHL was on the line.

“It doesn’t really matter who’s back there for us," began Nudgent-Hopkins. "We want to play as best we can in front of them.” 

Spencer Stastney Is Quietly Becoming A Very Interesting Piece For The OilersA hidden gem acquired from Nashville, Spencer Stastney's calm puck-moving and defensive reliability are proving invaluable to the Oilers' blue line depth.

Hyman scored as well, continuing a strong recent stretch. He's found his game over the past month—forechecking, winning battles, being where he needs to be, same old. Sunday was no different. He wasn't the story, but he was part of why the story had a happy ending.

“It definitely shouldn’t matter (who's in net) the way we play," continued Nudgent-Hopkins. "We’re looking for consistency in our game, consistency in our defensive game.”

They got consistency for thirty minutes give or take, then they watched a 4-0 lead turn into 4-3. Vegas scored twice in less than ten minutes, and a game that felt comfortable became very uncomfortable very quickly. Edmonton stopped skating. Stopped forechecking. Stopped doing all the things that built the lead in the first place. 

A Look Into Andrew Mangiapane's Slow But Steady Development With The OilersAndrew Mangiapane hasn't been scoring goals. That much is obvious. His last one came November 3 against Nashville, and when he finally ended the drought Saturday afternoon in Minnesota—tipping an Evan Bouchard shot past Filip Gustavsson at 13:35 of the first period—it had been 21 games and 47 days since he'd seen one cross the line.

That's a bit scary. Actually, it's more than a bit scary. When you're trying to support a goalie making his first NHL start in nine months, letting the opponent score twice in one period and turn a three-goal lead into a one-goal game is the opposite of helpful.

But Ingram stayed calm; he stayed composed.

"It's awesome. It's awesome to see a guy get rewarded," Hyman said when asked about Ingram. "I thought he played great. We gave up a lot of chances there in the third and, yeah, we bent, but didn't break and I thought he was a huge part of that.

"Whoever's playing, you have to play well in front of them," Hyman continued. "Want to make life easy for a goalie, especially a new goalie. He doesn't necessarily know all the systems or anything like that, right? They're just learning. So you want to make sure that everything's predictable and yeah, I mean, I thought we did a good job of it for the most part."

Jack Roslovic Returns, Where Will The Oilers Slot Him?Jack Roslovic is back. Where should the Edmonton Oilers' forward go in the lineup to maximize the team's offense?

For the most part is right. The first two periods were exactly what Ingram needed—early goals, a controlled game, manageable chances. The third period was a bit uncomfortable. Unpredictable. Chaotic. The kind of hockey that tests a goalie's resolve and forces him to make saves he shouldn't have to make while trying to protect a lead that shouldn't have been in question.

But McDavid, Nugent-Hopkins, and Hyman had done their job by then. They'd built the lead. They'd taken pressure off Ingram when it mattered most. The third period was a problem—one the Oilers need to fix before it costs them a game—but it wasn't enough to undo what the top line accomplished in the first thirty minutes.

Sunday night was exactly what it needed to be for Ingram's return. The Oilers scored early. They gave him support. They made his job easier by controlling the game before Vegas could establish any rhythm. The third period got scary, and they'll need to address why, but Ingram got his first NHL win since returning from the Player Assistance Program.

The Behind-the-Scenes Gamble That Had Tristan Jarry in Oilers Gear InstantlyA surprising gamble by a goalie gear manufacturer, fueled by rumors, ensured Tristan Jarry had his new Oilers equipment ready instantly.

Sometimes you need games where the lineup card might as well read: RNH - McDavid - Hyman. And that's about it.

Sunday night was one of those games. Those three played the right way. Ingram held on when it got difficult. The Oilers won despite making it harder than it needed to be.

And thank God they did.

A loud cheer echoed through Rogers Place as Connor Ingram made his first save early, getting him into Sunday night's game versus the Vegas Golden Knights immediately. "I kind of blacked out," he said when asked if he'd heard the fans cheering him on. He said he knew he'd made the save, but not what happened after that.

Well, what came after that was a barrage from the Edmonton Oilers, who applied the pressure, testing Carter Hart often and with high-danger chances, many of which got behind the netminder. 

It was the kind of start Edmonton needed, if for no other reason to put Ingram at ease. 

The Oilers were the far better team in the first 30 minutes, jumping out to a 4-0 lead. Connor McDavid drove wide and beat Hart at the 9:11 mark of the first period, then almost scored on what would have been a goal of the year candidate. He drew a call from the official, and the power play was a deadly weapon for the Oilers in the first two periods.  

McDavid was flying -- as he's been known to do over these last 10 games --, bursting through four Golden Knights at the end of the penalty and drawing one himself. 

It didn't take much time for Leon Draisaitl to find Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the man advantage to make it 2-0. Nuge snuck in on the weak side, and the Golden Knights didn't see him dropping down as Zach Whitecloud was focused on the crease. 

The Oilers got an early power play in the second and, again, made quick work of it. Nugent-Hopkins got his second of the night. He had three points on the evening. 

The Oilers continued to pour it on, and at the 7:45 mark of the second, Darnell Nurse hit the trailer in Zach Hyman, who went backhand roof for a pretty goal to make it 4-0. 

The Golden Knights Pushed Back 

The Golden Knights finally got on the board with a power play marker. Thomas Hertl got the puck in the slot and put one up higher over the blocker of Ingram. There was not much he could do, but it became clear almost immediately after that the push from Vegas was coming.

Head coach Kris Knoblauch said the Golden Knights were known as one of the league's worst first-period teams, but also the NHL's best in the third. He gave the Golden Knights credit for getting better as the game wore on. 

Vegas scored two goals early in the third to make things interesting, forcing the Oilers to call a timeout to settle things down. 

Ultimately, the Oilers withstood the push and, while they failed to score on an empty net, played solid enough in front of Ingram to pick up the win. 

"Every Day Here Is a Good Day" 

Following the game, Ingram spoke with the media and talked about his journey back to the NHL. It's unclear how long he'll be with the Oilers, but he's grateful for any and every day that he gets.

It's been a whirlwind to get back, but he's comfortable playing his part. "It's been hectic, but at the end of the day, no matter what level you're in, my job is just to stop the puck. I don't have to learn a forecheck or things like that; my job never changes. The guys did a great job making me feel welcome and showing me everything that I need to know. It's been great."

"There's a lot of days I didn't think it would ever happen again. It's just the truth of it in this world. It's a competitive game. There's 64 spots in the world to do this. You don't take it for granted any day you're up here. It's a huge honor."

Ingram is starting to feel like he's getting his game back, but he's aware there is a long ways to go.

 "It was hard. Obviously, I didn't get to go to camp, so that was a huge setback. I was in Utah when that happened, so I took two weeks without touching the ice, and that's hard to come back from right before the season." He added, "It took me a sec to get it going again. It's just hockey, you put your skates on the same way, no matter where you are. Just go out and try to do your best. Every dog has their day." 

When asked about the difference between the AHL and the NHL, "I think it's easier. In this, what you think should happen, does happen. I rely heavily in on reading the game, I've never been a guy that was fast enough or quick enough to react so I have to be one  step ahead and in this league it's just easier to do that. Where you think the puck is going to go, 90% of the time it does. It's just easier to read and kind of figure it out from there. But it's a lot faster than what I'm used to the last couple months. There's still a lot of work to be done."

"I've been through enough to know the sun's coming up tomorrow. No matter what happens in this life, I've got a wife and a family that loves me and that's all that really matters at the end of the day. You want to win a hockey games, but there's a lot more to life than just hockey."

Credit to the Oilers for giving him a chance to settle in. They jumped out to an early lead and made his life a bit easier, at least for the first 30 minutes. 

"I think I had a lot of help today.. it's not just me, I thought all of us played well. I think save percentage is a team stat. When we do a job like we did today, it makes my job easier. I thought it was a great effort from top to bottom."

When asked what he missed most: "Just being around it. You don't dream of playing in the AHL, you want to be in the NHL. Every day you're here is a good day." 

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The Ottawa Senators have their first four-game winning streak of the season thanks to a fantastic road performance against a key division rival. The Senators stomped the Boston Bruins 6–2 on Sunday, allowing just 19 shots in the process.

Fabian Zetterlund led the way with two goals and an assist, while Dylan Cozens and Drake Batherson each added a goal and two helpers. Claude Giroux had a goal and an assist.

With the victory, Ottawa moved to within one point of a playoff spot and has now won five of its last six games. 

The Senators jumped out to an early 3–0 lead in the first period on goals from Batherson, Giroux, and Zetterlund.

David Pastrnak scored late in the opening frame to cut the deficit to 3–1 after 20 minutes.

Ottawa came out firing in the second period, scoring on goals by Tim Stützle and Dylan Cozens, which all but sealed Boston’s fate. Former Senator Joonas Korpisalo was chased from the game at that point in favour of Jeremy Swayman, who was forced into action on the second night of a back-to-back.

Michael Eyssimont cut Ottawa's lead to 5–2 with just over five minutes remaining in the period, but Zetterlund quickly restored Ottawa’s four-goal advantage with a power-play marker, his ninth goal of the season. That would be the end of the scoring, but not the hostilities.

With the home side wanting to leave some kind of mark, Sens enforcers Kurtis MacDermid dropped the gloves twice, first with Tanner Jeannot in the second period, and later with ex-Senator Mark Kastelic in the third.

Things escalated further in the final minute of the game when David Pastrnak exchanged words with Brady Tkachuk, who was standing on the Senms bench. On the ensuing faceoff, Pastrnak appeared to catch Nick Jensen with a high stick, prompting Ridly Greig to intervene. Greig landed a couple of hard punches, leaving Pastrnak with a bloody lip as both players were escorted off the ice.

While the score was one-sided, it could have been even worse for Boston with the Sens missing a lot of other chances. Stutzle, for one, couldn't finish on two clear-cut, shorthanded breakaways.

What stood out in the third was Ottawa’s workmanlike finish. Previous versions of this team might have loosened up and excitedly tried to pad their stat lines. But the Senators took care of business, and stayed disciplined and defensively airtight.

The Senators return to action Tuesday night for their final game before Christmas, hosting the Buffalo Sabres at the Canadian Tire Centre.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

It was a moment that everyone involved with the Pittsburgh Penguins had been anticipating for quite a while now. 

Heading into Sunday's matchup against the Montreal Canadiens on home ice at PPG Paints Arena, longtime captain and future Hall-of-Fame center Sidney Crosby was just two points shy of breaking fellow Penguins' legend Mario Lemieux's franchise all-time points record. And he did just that with a first-period power play assist - his second point of the game - earning Crosby his 1,724th career point and taking sole possession of eighth place on the NHL's all-time scoring list. 

Everyone in the building was aware of what was happening. As teammates crowded Crosby and celebrated with him, the pitch in PPG was deafening. Ears were ringing. A several-minutes-long standing ovation ensued, along with a recognition graphic on the jumbotron and a personal video message from Lemieux himself to Crosby. 

SIDNEY CROSBY HAS DONE IT! 🤯

HE NOW HAS THE MOST POINTS IN PENGUINS HISTORY! pic.twitter.com/OtFkG5odqe

— NHL (@NHL) December 22, 2025

Teammates were elated. The rest of the Canadiens' bench tapped their sticks in acknowledgement to a player many of them spent at least a chunk of their childhood idolizing. This is no small feat for Crosby, and everyone knows it. 

And that includes Crosby himself. He isn't one to focus too much on records broken, milestones reached, and individual accomplishments. But this one meant something to him. He went from living at Lemieux's house as a teenager when he first entered the league with sky-high expectations to surpassing those expectations - and his former landlord and dear friend. 

Of course, it's difficult to compare the two players from two vastly different eras and with two vastly different skillsets. Back in his time, Lemieux was one-of-a-kind, born with a natural goal-scorer's skillset that was never before seen in hockey and may never be seen again. He retired with 690 goals and 1,723 points in just 915 NHL games - he is the only player in the NHL's top-42 in points to play in less than 1,000 games, and the next-lowest games played total in the top-10 is 1,348 (Marcel Dionne at sixth) - and, had he played the same amount of NHL games as Wayne Gretzky at 1,487 and maintained his 0.75 goals per game pace, that amounts to 1,121 career goals. 

BREAKING: Sidney Crosby Breaks Mario Lemieux's Franchise Record To Become Penguins' All-Time Leader In PointsPittsburgh Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby has broken a once-unbreakable Mario Lemieux franchise record

It's hard to argue that Lemieux would regularly be brought up as a legitimate contender for the NHL's "greatest of all time" had his health held up throughout his career. With so many what ifs, unknowns, and era differences with Lemieux and Crosby, it's not worth comparing the two players. They're both all-time great Penguins and all-time great hockey players in their own right. 

But something that Crosby has done all throughout his career - and continues to do at age 38 - is find new ways to redefine and reinvent greatness. And that is in comparison to everyone who has ever played the sport.

The ghost of hockey past

It's not exactly a secret that there tends to be a lot of favor given to players in the yesteryear of hockey, and it's well-earned. The Howes, the Gretzkys, the Lemieuxs, the Orrs, the Messiers, the Jagrs - they're all hockey royalty for a reason. And they all transcended the game in some way, shape or form. 

Howe - "Mr. Hockey" - transcended the game with his longevity as well as his blend of physicality and skill that set the stage for the modern era. Gretzky did it with his otherwordly talent and his typical label as the greatest player of all time - or, "The Great One." Orr completely transformed the way defensemen played the game and, essentially, created the offensive, smooth-skating blueliner archetype. Messier did it with his off-ice work, leadership qualities, and goal-scoring ability. Jagr with his European ancestry and incredible longevity, as his professional career continues to this day at age 53. 

Lemieux impacted the game with his raw talent, his size, and his unparalleled goal-scoring ability. He also transcended the game in Pittsburgh, especially, by becoming a majority owner and saving the franchise from relocation twice.

From one 🐐 to another. pic.twitter.com/M3drq86PqV

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) December 22, 2025

As for Crosby? 

Well, he's already - in a lot of ways - transcended the game. He and Washington Capitals' all-time great Alex Ovechkin quite literally saved the sport coming out of the 2005 lockout, and Crosby was the reason so many young kids ended up picking up hockey sticks. His Little Penguins youth hockey program has not only grown hockey exponentially in Pittsburgh, but across North America, as the program now has sister organizations in each NHL city. Crosby's been hockey's greatest ambassador for the better part of two decades.

Individually, he's won everything there is to win. Olympic gold twice. The Stanley Cup three times. The Conn Smythe twice. The Hart Trophy twice. The scoring title, the Rocket Richard, the World Championship, the World Cup, the 4 Nations Face-off. You name a forward or team accolade, and Crosby has probably won it at some point or could, at least, has put himself in the conversation to win it.

There's only one 87

And that brings us back to the "redefining greatness" discussion. Perhaps the most impressive thing about Crosby - and something that separates him from every other player mentioned above - is that he, quite literally, is so well-rounded to the point that he is great at everything.

He's won more faceoffs than anyone in NHL history. He has a real chance to finish - at the very least - top-five all-time in NHL points, and that will probably be higher if he decides to play a few more years after this. Heck, he may just flirt with 2,000 points. He will likely have over 700 goals when all is said and done, which would put him within the top-nine ever. He has played an elite 200-foot game for the vast majority of his career, even if his defensive play has fallen off recently. His edgework - especially down low - may be some of the best we've ever witnessed. He can play with some bite and some meanness, too. 

Essentially, there is nothing Sidney Crosby cannot do. If he feels he needs to work on something, he perfects it and comes back the best at it the next season, and he's been doing that for years on years.

He may not be as otherwordly talented as Gretzky. Not as physically gifted as Lemieux. Not as blazing fast and smooth a skater as Orr. But he works his tail off night in and night out to perfect his craft, and - at the end of the day - he is still in most discussions as one of the greatest at most things in the sport. 

Not only that, he's been doing it for almost 21 years. At the age of 38, he's still over point-per-game. His work habits have not changed. His on-ice product hasn't changed much in terms of impact, either.

Crosby not only has the longevity to simply keep playing hockey as long as possible, he has the work ethic and the ability to sustain an elite level of play for a length of time that no one else in NHL history has achieved. 

And he's doing it in an era when the bar of talent is much higher. When the game is much, much faster. When it's much, much harder to score. In fact, a large chunk of his career was mired in somewhat of a mini-dead-puck era, and what would have been the two best seasons of his NHL career were lost to concussions. And in those seasons, he was far and away dominating everyone. 

Sidney Crosby continues to redefine and reinvent greatness because - even though he has passed Lemieux as the Penguins' all-time points leader and continues to climb the NHL leaderboard - he has shown that greatness isn't always about the stat sheet. It sure helps, and he will have his fill there, too.

But he is quite literally the gold standard for work ethic, all-around competence, universal outreach, and an unwavering commitment to and track record of winning. 

And that is something that is, and always will be, uniquely 87 - no matter where he ends up on any list.

After Eighth Straight Loss, Where Do The Penguins Go From Here?The Pittsburgh Penguins are at a crossroads after their 4-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, which handed them their eighth straight loss. What's next for the organization?

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!   

With the holiday season virtually upon us, we always take the time to offer up gift ideas for our loved ones. And although fans around the NHL have different wish lists, there’s one thing that Buffalo Sabres fans want for a Christmas present: hope.

No, we’re not talking about faint-hope, or pretend-hope. We’re talking about legitimate hope. Hope that the Sabres are going to have a legitimately-solid season. Hope that this management change – the firing of Kevyn Adams last Monday, we mean – is going to lead to Buffalo being a playoff team for the first time in 15 years.

There’s are other types of hope Sabres fans have: one type is false hope – the type of hope that gives fans unrealistic expectations that this Buffalo team is going to leapfrog other teams in the Atlantic Division and somehow end their 14-year Stanley Cup playoff drought. Because barring some miracle in the final 48 games of the year, the Sabres will be out of the playoff yet again this year.

But by getting on a roll of late – they’ve won five straight games and they’re 7-3-0 in their past 10 games – the Sabres are starting to instill some confidence in their fan base. Now, unless there’s consistently above-averages the rest of the way this season, Buffalo is once again on the fringes of the post-season race. So what could happen is an exercise in yanking the football away from famous cartoon character Charlie Brown. 

The Time For New Sabres GM Kekalainen To Make A Trade Or Firing Happen In Buffalo Has Already ArrivedNew Buffalo Sabres' GM Jarmo Kekalainen can't be preaching patience with this Sabres group. Whether it's trading a star player or firing coach Lindy Ruff, Kekalainen must shake up the organization if Buffalo is to salvage their season.

The Sabres’ strong play of late is somewhat encouraging, but if they can’t find a level of performance and stick to it, they’ll fall back into the Eastern Conference basement. And if that’s what happens, Buffalo’s long-suffering fan base is going to have the last dribbles of hope disappear.

Ultimately, professional sports leagues are in the business of selling hope. And that comes in many forms: there’s the hope fans have that their team can not only win a championship, but multiple championships. Then there’s the hope that a team’s young players develop into stars. The latter has happened with Sabres core components Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson, but it hasn’t happened yet with youngsters Owen Power and Devon Levi.

If Sabres Are To End Cycle Of Disappointing Seasons, GM Kekalainen Has To Take Chances WIth Big Swings On Trade MarketNew Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen can't do what former GM Kevyn Adams was infamous for doing – namely, being unable to pull off big trades. Kekalainen must abandon caution and swing big on the trade market, as the Sabres need bold moves, not safe plays, to end their playoff drought.

See where we’re going here? Buffalo has let down its fans so often, Sabres fans are going to be pessimistic about the likelihood of turning their competitive trajectory around for the better. Because after so many years of being hurt, Sabres fans have little-to-no idea about what the best type of hockey hope feels like. 

And until Buffalo does succeed enough to give Sabres fans legitimate hope, it’s going to be another long winter in Western New York.

Filip Forsberg's 16th goal of the season and a Steven Stamkos empty-netter were all the offense the Nashville Predators needed in a narrow 2-0 win over the New York Rangers on Sunday at Bridgestone Arena. 

Stamkos found the empty net with 48 seconds left in the game. 

Justus Annunen picked up his second win of the season. He made 16 saves on 17 shots in the victory. Annunen's other win was against the Detroit Red Wings, 6-3 on Nov. 26.

Here are three takeaways from the Predators' victory over the Rangers.  

Forsberg, O'Reilly extend point streaks

Forsberg and O'Reilly, who combined for the Predators' only 5-on-5 goal of the game, have been riding a wave of success through December.

Forsberg extended his point streak to eight games, scoring 11 in that run. With O'Reilly recording the assist, he's extended his point streak to seven games and has 16 points in 13 games.

On the goal, O'Reilly entered the zone and lost the handle on the puck. He was able to regather it and make a drop pass to Forsberg, who beamed it glove side past Jonathan Quick. 

"I knew he was going to drop me the puck," Forsberg said. "He does that in practice, he does that in the game and for almost three years now. I didn't move. I didn't take any strides. I had feeling it was coming and it was right on the tape, as usual." 

A lot of the Predators success on offense has be contributed to their ability to break the puck out and enter into their opponents zone. The only game where that has stuttered in this month long run was the 4-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. 

"We've done a good job of being predictable in our own end, which has led to that rush offense," O'Reilly said. "It's fun when you get 2-on-1s and 3-on-2s. It's exciting when you have the puck in your hands and speed, but it starts in our own end." 

Big Juice gets a big win 

One of the Predators players that has had the roughest year of the bunch is Annunen. Coming into Sunday's game, he had a 3.73 goals against average, a .865 save percentage and a 1-5-1 record. 

His GAA and save percentage are some of the worst in the NHL, but he had a bounce back performance against the Rangers.

Annunen was 37 seconds away from his first shutout as a Nashville Predator and first perfect game since March 4, 2024 in a 5-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks when he was with the Colorado Avalanche. Jonny Brodzinski ended the shutout bid. 

Brunette said was complimentary of the Predators game, but had wished they were able to get "big juice" a shutout.

He also justified Annunen's struggling numbers, saying that he was put in some "unideal situations." 

"He's (Annunen) a highly competitive kid," Brunette said. "He's put in some situations that weren't ideal for him and then he's gone through stretches because Little Juice has been so good he hasn't played for a while. We have to be really fair when we evaluate them. We put him in some hard places, and we put him when he's a little bit rusty."

Nashville eyeing .500 

The Predators are now 15-16-4 on the year, approaching .500 for the first time since 4-4-2 on Oct. 26. With 34 points, they are now the lone team in sixth place in the Central Division.

A win over the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, if the standings hold, would give them 36 points and move them into fifth place in the Central Division past St. Louis. They'd also be at .500 going into the Christmas break.

It also may be too early, but a win over the Wild would put them three points outside of a Wild Card spot. 

"We're not where we want to be, but we're trying like heck to get there," Brunette said. "Today was a great example of that. 
We are going through the process and we're building something. Now, we haven't got to where, we talked about building an identity. 
We're starting to, but we're not the finished product isn't quite there yet. We've got to stack these games." 

With the team playing well, the focus remains on winning the day. The playoff window maybe opening a creak, but Nashville is currently focused on beating the Wild on Tuesday. 

"We're crawling back into this thing," O'Reilly said. "It's a lot more fun, everyone is contributing and it's fun coming to the rink. It was pretty dark there for awhile, but to everyones credit, they're working hard. There's still a lot of work left. Let's get this next one before the break." 

Up next: Nashville Predators (15-16-4, 6th in Central) at Minnesota Wild (22-10-5. 3rd in Central) on Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 7p.m CST at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minn.