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Oliver Moore Scores Late, Blackhawks Win Preseason Game 2

The Chicago Blackhawks took on the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night. It was a road match against a Blues squad playing mostly an NHL lineup. The Blackhawks were icing a young group, largely filled with players trying to snag a last-minute roster spot. 

Connor Murphy and Jason Dickinson were the veterans in the lineup, and they played like it. After being down 0-2 in the third period, the Hawks came back and won 4-2. 

Dominic Toninato scored to get Chicago on the board at 10:58 of the third. Less than a minute later, at 11:25, Toninato set up Gavin Hayes for the tying goal. 

With 3:03 remaining in regulation, Oliver Moore scored to give the Blackhawks the lead. His shot, which has needed some improvement, seems to have gotten better. It made a difference in this one after he used his speed to create a chance off an odd play. This is a big moment for him in his effort to make the NHL team. 

Jason Dickinson deposited one into the empty net to secure the 4-2 final. This comeback was a great confidence boost for the players looking to secure roster spots out of camp.  

Spencer Knight took the crease for the Blackhawks and played for the whole game. He made 31 saves on 33 shots for another sparkling performance. It appears as if Knight is getting close to being ready for things to count. 

There is a quick turnaround now. Chicago will now head to play the Minnesota Wild in St. Paul on Sunday. The lineup is sure to include some of the players who went on Saturday, in addition to more NHL roster locks. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Marc-Andre Fleury Signs Off On His Career With the Penguins In A 'Special' Night

The Pittsburgh Penguins and the entire hockey community said goodbye to goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury as he played his final NHL game. The team signed him to a PTO earlier in the month to allow him to call his career from where it all began.

Fleury spent the moments leading up to the game with his former Penguins teammates, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. The organization also provided a great gesture with a nod to his iconic nickname ‘Flower’ by creating a flower arrangement to form a No. 29, Fleury’s number.

When it was time for the walkout, Fleury strapped on his vintage all-yellow pads and gloves, just like he did when he last played a game for the Penguins over 3,000 days ago. 

Fleury didn’t start the game, but subbed in for Sergei Murashov to begin the third period against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The fans at PPG Paints Arena roared and cheered whenever Fleury appeared on the video board, made a save and every moment in between. With that, the fans chanted “Fleury” multiple times throughout the evening.

At one point, fans were chanting, “one more year!”

While the fans would like to see Fleury remain an NHLer, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun believes that there are teams around the league that want the same thing.

Whether or not Fleury agrees to come out of retirement is to be determined. But there is no doubt he left an incredible legacy behind him.

It was a poetic send-off as Pittsburgh defeated the Blue Jackets 4-1 in this pre-season outing. Seconds after earning the victory, he was embraced by Crosby and Malkin as the three hugged it out.

Marc-Andre Fleury (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

In terms of his performance, he was not out of place by any means. He faced eight shots in that third period, stopping every single one for the Penguins. Some of these saves required exceptional rebound control, and Fleury was up to the task, swallowing every puck that went his way. 

Following regulation time, the two teams competed in a shootout to give Fleury one last challenge.

After the shootout, it was time to officially say bye to the fans and his teammates. He received a long-standing ovation, followed by another loud cheer when he was named the first star of the game.

He signed off on his NHL career for the last time by reflecting on the evening and thanking the fans in Pittsburgh.

"Some of the best time of my life... It's a big part cause of you guys. Thank you for making this night special," Fleury said.

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Chicago Cubs place RHP Cade Horton on 15-day IL with right rib fracture

CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs placed Cade Horton on the 15-day injured list on Saturday, sidelining the right-hander for their first-round playoff series against San Diego.

Horton, one of the leading contenders for NL Rookie of the Year, has a right rib fracture. The IL move was made retroactive to Thursday.

The loss of Horton is a big blow for Chicago going into its first postseason appearance since 2020. The 24-year-old Horton, a first-round pick in the 2022 amateur draft, is 8-1 with a sparkling 1.03 ERA in 12 starts since the All-Star break.

Horton threw on the field before the Cubs’ 7-3 victory over St. Louis on Saturday. He was slated to throw a bullpen session Sunday before the IL move was announced.

Horton pitched three innings against the New York Mets on Tuesday before departing because of back tightness. He was sick after his previous start and was coughing, leading to issues with his back and ribs, manager Craig Counsell said.

Horton is 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA in 22 starts and one relief appearance.

President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said the Cubs received Horton’s diagnosis on Wednesday, but Horton wanted to try to continue to pitch.

Horton then felt discomfort and had difficulty getting extension when he threw Saturday.

“We wanted to give him a chance, but it was clear after today that it wasn’t going to be possible,” Counsell said.

Hoyer said he wasn’t sure when exactly Horton will return.

“Cade really wanted to pitch, he felt like he could do it,” Hoyer said. “He’s a tough kid.”

Chicago (91-70) clinched the top NL wild card with Saturday’s win over St. Louis. The Cubs will host San Diego in Game 1 of their best-of-three playoff series on Tuesday.

Left-handers Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga and right-handers Jameson Taillon and Colin Rea are the top options for the team’s postseason rotation.

“It’s a blow, there’s no question about it,” Counsell said. “That’s unfortunate. It means other guys are going to get an opportunity and other people are going to have a chance to impact the game and have success.”

In a corresponding move, the Cubs recalled left-hander Jordan Wicks from Triple-A Iowa. Wicks is 0-1 with a 7.94 ERA in seven appearances with Chicago this season.

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3 takeaways from Nashville Predators preseason road loss to Tampa Bay Lightning

Continuing with the trend of mixing NHL veterans with young prospects through the pre-season, Nashville Predators head coach Andrew Brunette went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen Saturday in Tampa Bay against the Lightning.

While it's typical to be inconsistent during the pre-season, the Predators appeared disjointed at times and looked like they could break through on other occasions, but fell to the Lightning 4-1 at the newly-named Benchmark International Arena.

Darren Raddysh scored at 5:34 of the first, Mitchell Chaffee tallied one in the second, Brandon Hagel got one late in the third and Gage Goncalves sealed the victory for the Lightning.

Ozzy Wiesblatt scored the only Nashville goal in an otherwise uninspiring night for the Predators, who fall to 2-1-1 in pre-season.

The two teams also met last Tuesday in Nashville, with Tampa Bay coming from behind to win in a shootout. The Predators attempted to pull a similar comeback Saturday, but came up well short.

Here are three takeaways from the matchup against Tampa Bay.

The Predators Started Sluggish

One of the biggest reasons the Predators had such a disappointing 2024-25 was their penchant for slow starts.

The first three games of this pre-season saw the opposite, with the Preds jumping out in front first. That was not the case Saturday, however, as Tampa Bay struck twice, once in the first period and once in the second, for a 2-0 lead. The Preds trimmed the margin to one, but that was as close as they came all night.

Juuse Saros, who had allowed only one goal in his first 60 minutes of pre-season action, yielded two scores on six shots through one-plus periods. He did make several key saves to keep Tampa from widening the gap before giving way to Matt Murray after 40 minutes Murray gave up the final two goals in the third.

The Predators couldn't get out of the defensive zone and had numerous erratic passes in the first 20 minutes. They picked up the pace in the middle frame, outshooting the Bolts 14-6 in the period and 29-17 for the game. But only one of those shots went in the net.

Ozzy Wiesblatt Gets An Emotional Goal

Some players were seeing their first action of the pre-season including Tanner Molendyk and Zach L’Heureux, who were both coming off injuries.

Ozzy Wiesblatt, who took a brief leave of absence following the death of his brother Orca earlier this month, also suited up for his first action of the pre-season, and he made his presence felt in an emotional way.

Wiesblatt, who played in the Gold Star Showcase Thursday and scored a goal in the five-a-side shootout, got his first goal in actual pre-season action to trim the Bolts’ lead to 2-1.

The 23-year-old forward deflected a shot from Fedor Svechkov to get the Preds on the board at the 11:48 mark of the second. Michael Bunting picked up a secondary assist.

It may not have officially counted in the career stat sheet, but it certainly counted in the hearts of all who have been pulling for the Wiesblatt family.

Ozzy’s brother, Oasiz, is also back in camp. He, too, notched a goal in the shootout in Thursday’s showcase. On Saturday, it was Ozzy’s night. He even got in a scrap in the third period, going off for cross-checking 

Wilsby Went To Work

Jan 31, 2025; Buffalo, New York, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman Adam Wilsby (83) skates away from Buffalo Sabres center Ryan McLeod (71) in the first period at the KeyBank Center. Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

One name both Brunette and general manager Barry Trotz has raved about throughout the first week of camp is Adam Wilsby. The 25-year-old left-shot defenseman is one of the candidates to make the roster with Hague out.

Wilsby was paired with Roman Josi throughout the night. With the Predators trailing 1-0 in the first, both made bids to tie the game, only to be stymied by Bolts goalie Brandon Halverson.

As expected, there were some hiccups. A high-sticking call in the first period and a somewhat questionable tripping call in the second landed Wilsby in the sin bin. Wilsby and Josi were both on the ice on Tampa’s second goal. Josi overextended and Wilsby didn’t get over in time, and the Lightning took a 2-0 lead.

Wilsby showed his athleticism throughout the game and continues to keep his name in front of Brunette and Trotz for making the roster out of camp. Having the experience and leadership of Josi as his partner can only help the younger player’s development and comfort level.

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Tigers clinch playoff berth with 2-1 win over Red Sox in Game 161, avert September collapse

BOSTON — The Boston clinch party moved across the diamond.

Less than 24 hours after the Red Sox drenched the home clubhouse at Fenway Park to celebrate their postseason berth, the Detroit Tigers were spraying Champagne in the visitors’ locker room Saturday after beating Boston to earn a spot in the American League playoffs.

“They didn’t forget to celebrate, I’ll tell you that,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told reporters as he ducked into a hallway to try to get away from the postgame mayhem. “We’re having a good time because we’ve earned it. But it’s very rewarding to get to the postseason, no matter how you do it.”

After blowing a 14-game lead in the AL Central and an eighth-inning lead on Friday night that would have secured their spot a day earlier, the Tigers beat the Red Sox 2-1 on Saturday. Assured at least a wild card, Detroit can still win the division and host a first-round series — but only with help from Cleveland.

The victory with one game to play averted a collapse that would have been among the biggest in baseball history. The Guardians, who were in fourth place and 15 1/2 games back on July 7, can still post the biggest comeback ever if they win their last two games (or one if Detroit loses on Sunday).

“We’ll be watching and paying attention to what’s going on around the league,” said Hinch, who will save ace Tarik Skubal for the Wild Card Series opener on Tuesday instead of using him to try to win the division on Sunday.

“Our guys earned this celebration,” the manager added, “and because of how good we were for the majority of the season, we were able to withstand a really tough stretch and finish with a couple of wins.”

Will Vest retired Carlos Narváez on a groundout to third for the final out, pumping his fist in celebration before his teammates joined him at the mound. Before returning to the raucous clubhouse, the Tigers donned blue “October Baseball” T-shirts – just like the red ones the Red Sox wore the night before.

“I absolutely hated it” watching Boston celebrate the night before, designated hitter Jahmai Jones said. “I hate losing. So when you feel like it’s going to happen on night one, and it didn’t, everybody kind of understood the kind of taste that left in our mouth.

“But we knew that we had a great opportunity the next day,” he said. “And we really focused today on trying to get that win.”

Inside the clubhouse, Hinch tried to pull reporters away from the commotion, but Skubal tracked him down and sprayed him so enthusiastically he broke an exit sign hanging from the ceiling (which he then fixed).

The team surrounded owner Chris Ilitch and — after giving him a chance to get his goggles on — drenched him with beer and Champagne. They made a circle and sang along to the music blasting through the room, then posed for a team picture.

“Baseball, it’s not a straight line,” Ilitch said. “It’s a long baseball season. There’s going to be ups, and there’s going to be downs. We had a lot of ups and we had some downs, but here we are.”

Even Red Sox manager Alex Cora, whose brother Joey is the Tigers’ third base coach, was feeling the tension before the game.

“It’s been tough to watch, to be honest with you. It’s the total opposite of last year,” when Detroit was 16 games back in July but rallied to earn a wild-card berth and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

“They’re a really good team. We’ll see what happens in the upcoming days. But talking to my brother throughout, it’s been a grind for them. Yesterday was tough for them. So we’ll see.”

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Mets ready to embrace Game 162 as playoff hopes remain in the balance

The Mets have been here before.

It was just under a year ago that the Mets went into Atlanta the day after the regular season ended, needing a victory to make the postseason. Mets fans know what happened that day: Francisco Lindor powered the Amazin's to a win in the first game of their doubleheader with the Braves, en route to a playoff run that culminated in an NLCS berth.

This year was supposed to be different. They weren't supposed to need Game 162 to determine their playoff fate. But here they are, in Miami, hoping they can book a ticket to Los Angeles for a date with the Dodgers in the Wild Card round. Although the Mets don't have control of their playoff destiny anymore, many in the locker room are upbeat after their crucial 5-0 win over the Marlins on Saturday.

"You feel good, obviously not ideal. We put ourselves in that position," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of the feeling after the win. "You got to 162 with a chance to clinch a playoff spot. Enjoy today and get ready for tomorrow."

After a deflating 6-2 loss to the Marlins on Friday, the Mets bounced back in a big way, getting six strong innings from Clay Holmes while Pete Alonso provided the offense. The slugger drove in the game's first run in the first inning and tacked on with a solo shot in the third, and the Mets didn't look back.

"Just felt good today, felt like I had good at-bats all day," Alonso said of his performance. "Hopefully, I carry this feeling into tomorrow. It's our last day and want to be at my best."

Alonso was donning eye black on Saturday, similar to what Lindor does every game. The right-hander told SNY's Steve Gelbs after the game that he took something from his teammates to the field with him. 

"I'm wearing Juan Soto's socks, I put on Francisco Lindor's eye black, and then I used Brandon Nimmo's lotion," he said. "All my teammates, really thankful for the good vibes." 

Alonso spoke to the media after Friday's loss and was eerily calm and chipper, considering the opportunity his team had lost. Now they have to hope the Reds lose a game in the final two days. Of course, they'll need a win on Sunday and hope to get a similar performance from Sean Manaea as they got from Holmes. But as Alonso put it, "just get it done, no matter how."

That silent confidence Alonso exudes has been present with this team all season. Through the ups and downs, the veterans of this team understand what it takes to navigate a 162-game season, and it's starting to show in these final days. They handled business on Saturday, look to do the same on Sunday, and see where the chips lie after that. 

Many of this year's Mets, Alonso included, were on that 2024 squad that clinched a postseason spot on the final day. Perhaps that's why they seem ready to do it again this year. Mendoza believes the team can lean on that experience and is ready to go to battle.

"I saw it last night after the game when some of the guys were down, understandable," Mendoza said. "You saw those guys come in today. I’ve been saying it, there’s a sense of urgency. Obviously, we haven’t translated that onto the field. Here we are, 162, embrace it. Ready to go."

"Wouldn’t have it any other way," Alonso said of the season coming down to the final day. "This is exciting baseball. Everyone’s excited for the challenge tomorrow. We're excited to get to the yard tomorrow."

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Clay Holmes won't relish clutch six-inning shutout of Marlins until Mets 'finish the job'

Before the Mets embarked on their season-altering road series against the Marlins with fragile postseason hopes, manager Carlos Mendoza knew that Clay Holmes was going to take the ball for the first of two critical weekend games.

The high stakes were established. The pressure to perform was immense. No longer in full control of their playoff destiny, the Mets desperately needed their starter at his very best to ensure a meaningful Game 162 in Miami. And much to the team's delight, Holmes obliged.

While the Mets couldn't have reasonably expected flawlessness from Holmes, that wish was nearly fulfilled. The converted reliever shoved in his final start of the regular season, delivering six scoreless innings of one-hit ball in a clutch 5-0 win over the Marlins at loanDepot Park.

"It definitely felt good. It was a game we had to win today," Holmes said. "We just went out there and I kind of gave it my all. Once we finish the job and get here in the playoffs, it'll be a bit more satisfying."

Before taking the mound, Holmes was handed a lead that the Mets never relinquished. He faced the minimum through two innings, and didn't allow his first walk and lone hit until the third. While the Marlins mustered a pair of runners in scoring position against Holmes, they didn't pose a threat.

Not only did Holmes deliver quality length -- bettering the Mets' all-hands-on-deck pitching plan for Sunday -- but he also checked off performance boxes that seemed unattainable this summer. He produced his first six-inning shutout of the 2025 campaign, registered his first quality start since Aug. 23, and held the opponent to four or fewer baserunners across five-plus innings of work for a fifth time.

Holmes lowered his ERA to 3.53, a mark that places him in the top 10 among qualified NL pitchers. The 32-year-old also capped off a successful transition to the rotation, logging a career-high 165.2 innings with 129 strikeouts across 31 starts (33 games). His previous season-high was just 70 innings, set in 2021.

The gem from Holmes required just 78 pitches (46 strikes). He couldn't compile the punchouts -- his two were a season-low for a six-inning outing -- but with assistance from an effective sinker, he induced 11 groundouts and three flyouts. His teammates wasted no time giving him high-fives in the dugout. He, too, was all smiles.

After the win, Mendoza sang his praises for Holmes, who pitched one inning out of the bullpen on Sept. 24 and provided 3.2 innings of bulk relief work on Sept. 21. He hopes that the right-hander gets at least one more look once the calendar turns to October.

"Amazing, unbelievable," the Mets' skipper said of Holmes' effort. "For him to continue to take the baseball, not an easy transition when you look at the innings. For him to be feeling this good -- this time of the year and how much we've used him -- it says a lot about him and the work he put. Not only in the offseason, but throughout the season."

The Mets' bullpen also picked up right where Holmes left off, delivering three scoreless innings to complete an impressive one-hit shutout. The combination of Brooks Raley, Tyler Rogers, and Edwin Diaz combined for three strikeouts on 37 pitches.

Holmes is no stranger to postseason-level tension. He spent three-plus seasons as a high-leverage reliever for the Yankees, and in five World Series appearances against the Dodgers last season, he delivered 4.1 scoreless frames with six strikeouts. The weight of Game 161 only fueled him.

"Whether it's the World Series or the second-to-last game of the season, those games mean a lot," Holmes said. "You can definitely feel that. Just going into the game, it took me back to last year, losing the World Series and how bad I want to be a part of that, especially with this group here."

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Mets' Sean Manaea to start Sunday with postseason berth on the line

After a much-needed win on Saturday against the Marlins, thanks to a herculean performance from Clay Holmes, the Mets will look to Sean Manaea to try and do the same in the regular season finale on Sunday.

The Mets announced Manaea will start Game 162 shortly after Saturday's win as New York looks to punch their ticket to the postseason. Barring the result of the Reds-Brewers game on Saturday night, the Mets will need a win and a Reds loss to grab the final wild-card spot. 

Pegging Manaea as Sunday's starter doesn't come as too much of a surprise. Manager Carlos Mendoza has already used all of the starters on the active roster, and the second-year skipper did leave the southpaw starting the final game of the regular season as an option when discussing Holmes' start before the series opener on Friday.

Now, how far Manaea will pitch is anyone's guess. The left-hander last pitched on Wednesday against the Cubs, allowing two runs on two hits in his one inning of work out of the bullpen. Prior to that, he started last Sunday's loss to the Nationals, allowing three runs in three innings. 

It's been an almost lost season for Manaea, who started the season on the IL and returned in mid-July. The southpaw returned but is pitching through a loose body in his elbow, which could be affecting his pitching. In 14 appearances (11 starts) this season, Manaea has pitched to a 5.80 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP.

David Peterson was also a candidate to start Sunday's game, but Peterson was ineffective in his outing on Tuesday. He allowed five runs in 1.1 innings against the Cubs, continuing his troubling second half. 

With Sunday being the final regular season game, all hands are on deck. Fans should expect to see Peterson out of the bullpen as they look to lock down their 84th win of the season. 

The Mets will have to get to talented young right-hander, Edward Cabrera when they play the Marlins on Sunday afternoon.

 

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Mets' bats come alive in season-saving 5-0 win over Marlins

The Mets defeated the Marlins, 5-0, with a combined one-hitter in Miami on Saturday, assuring themselves of at least being alive on the final day of the season, as they wait to see if the Cincinnati Reds beat the Brewers in Milwaukee on Saturday night.

The game was relatively close at 3-0 before the Mets added two runs in the top of the ninth.

Clay Holmes and Pete Alonso were the stars of the game, as Holmes allowed only one hit over six innings and Alonso sparked the offense early with an RBI double in the first inning and a solo home run in the third.

Here are the takeaways...

-- With the Mets desperately needing a well-pitched game, Holmes came up big, delivering six shutout innings, allowing the Marlins’ only hit, a line-drive single to center by Xavier Edwards in the fourth inning. Holmes’ signature sinker was a dominant pitch, as he got 11 ground-ball outs among the 18 he recorded. He struck out two hitters while walking three. It was the first time Holmes had gone six innings since Aug. 23 and only the second time since June 7.

-- Overall, Holmes' final regular-season start finished off a successful transition from reliever to starter. His six innings on Saturday give him a total of 165.1 frames for the season, nearly 100 more than his next-highest total of 70 in his big-league career, which he reached in 2021. His ERA of 3.53 will put him in the top 10 in the NL.

-- The Mets got three hitless innings from their bullpen, as Brooks Raley, Tyler Rogers, and Edwin Diaz finished out the one-hitter. Carlos Mendoza had Ryan Helsley warming up alongside Diaz as the Mets tacked on runs in the ninth, but decided the 5-0 lead wasn’t big enough to trust anyone but his star closer. Diaz threw only 13 pitches, so he should be available, if necessary, on Sunday.

-- Alonso is finishing his impressive season in style, as he hit his 38th home run of the season and his league-leading 41st double. His two RBI gave him 126 for the season, second in the NL to Kyle Schwarber’s total of 132. With one triple on the season as well, Alonso now has 80 extra-base hits, the second time in his career he has reached that number. The other was in his 2019 rookie season, when he hit 53 home runs.

-- Jeff McNeil broke out of a big slump to push the Mets’ lead to 3-0, lining a double down the right field line in the top of the sixth inning, driving home Alonso from second. McNeil was in a 3-for-40 funk at the time, his season average down to .246.

-- With two walks in the game, Juan Soto broke the Mets’ season record of 126, set by John Olerud in 1998.

Game MVP: Clay Holmes

Holmes not only delivered a gem when the Mets needed it most, but by going six innings, he also gave Mendoza more flexibility for Sunday, since the manager didn’t have to use either Sean Manaea or David Peterson -- the two most likely candidates to start the season finale.

Short starts have been at the root of the Mets’ problems over the last three months. Since the now-famous date of June 13, when they had the best record in the majors, Mets starters entered Saturday with 421 innings logged, the fewest of any team in baseball.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets (83-78) will play their critical regular-season finale on Sunday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 3:05 p.m.

The Mets have not announced a starter, but the Marlins will send out Edward Cabrera (7-7, 3.66 ERA).

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Kings 2025-26 Player Previews: Joel Armia

On July 1st of this past summer, the Los Angeles Kings made a plethora of moves, one of which included signing 32-year-old forward Joel Arima. Armia and the Kings came to agreement on a two-year contract worth $2.5 million per year. 

Los Angeles will be Armia's fourth stop in his 12-year NHL career. In the 2011 NHL draft, the Finnish native was selected with the 16th overall pick by the Buffalo Sabres. Despite being drafted high by Buffalo, Armia only played one career game with the team in the 2014-15 season. He was later sent to Winnipeg as part of the package for Evander Kane. After three seasons in Winnipeg, the Jets traded Armia to the Canadiens in a minor deal. For seven years the winger was a staple in the Habs lineup until the end of last season. He now comes into the 2025-26 season looking to help LA get over the hump that is the first round.

2024-25 Season

In his final year in Montreal, Joel Armia was finally healthy through the whole season as he played a career high 81 games. His presence played a role in the Habs somewhat unexpected postseason birth. In those 81 games, the veteran scored 11 goals to go with 18 assists for 29 points, which is one shy of tying his career high of 30. Armia spent the season in the Canadiens bottom six, so the numbers were very respectable considering his role. 

Montreal's first playoff appearance since their miraculous run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021 was short-lived but the newly-signed Kings winger did play well. Armia and the Habs fell to the Washington Capitals in the first round, losing in five games. In those five games, 'Army' registered two assists.

Let's not forget that earlier in the season, Armia's named was swirling in trade rumours as the NHL's deadline approached. Before Montreal decided to keep the big winger, the LA Kings were amongst the teams that kicked tires on him. Seems that Joel Armia was destined to be a Los Angeles King.

2025-26 Expectations and Stat Predictions

PuckPedia currently has Armia slotted on the fourth line, playing right-wing with Jeff Mallot as his counterpart on the left side and Alex Turcotte playing centre. The fourth line will likely be where he spends majority of his time, with chances on the third line due to injuries or lack of production. He will be heavily relied upon when it comes to killing penalties though as PuckPedia currently has him projected to play on LA's first penalty killing unit.

When it comes to his numbers, I expect the 12-year veteran to produce almost identical to what he has in the past. I have Armia scoring 12 goals to go with 14 assists for a total of 26 points. That is exactly the type of production the Kings should expect from a guy making $2.5 million while playing fourth line minutes.

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

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Penguins To Feature Intriguing Lineup Saturday. And Fleury, Too.

The Pittsburgh Penguins enter Saturday on the back leg of a pre-season back-to-back, and everyone in North America is aware that a special someone is back in town for one last hurrah.

But Marc-Andre Fleury won't be the only source of entertainment when the Penguins take on the Columbus Blue Jackets for second and final time this pre-season. 

In their 3-2 comeback win against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday, the Penguins featured mostly a prospect- and AHL-focused lineup. There were a few exceptions in guys like Danton Heinen, Blake Lizotte, Philip Tomasino, Connor Dewar, and Matt Dumba, but may others were players fighting for role positions on the NHL roster.

That's not the case for Saturday's game.

Not only are the big veteran players in Fleury, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, and Rickard Rakell slated to start, they will also ice most of their top organizational prospects - offering fans a glimpse into what the future could look like for the Penguins. 

During the summer, we released our full Top-20 Penguins' Prospects list. As it turns out, many of them are going to be in the lineup Saturday for the Penguins. Top-five prospects Harrison Brunicke, Ville Koivunen, Ben Kindel, and Sergei Murashov are all listed on the roster, as are Owen Pickering, Tristan Broz, Filip Hallander, Finn Harding, and Avery Hayes. 

It should be a nice blend of past, present, and future, gift-wrapped within a game that may not have any meaning in terms of standings and points but hold significant emotional value.

"We felt like this was one... today's a little bit unique," head coach Dan Muse said. "You got the uniqueness there of Marc-Andre Fleury being here and the celebration of him going into the game, so I think this is just the way it lined up."

Blue Jackets At Penguins Preseason Preview: Marc-Andre Fleury Returns To Pittsburgh Blue Jackets At Penguins Preseason Preview: Marc-Andre Fleury Returns To Pittsburgh The Pittsburgh Penguins picked up their first preseason win on Friday night against the Detroit Red Wings. 

Here are the lines and pairings for Saturday's game:

Forwards
A. Hayes - Crosby - Rust
Anthony Mantha - Malkin - Justin Brazeau
Koivunen - Rakell - Kindel
Boko Imama - Broz - Rafael Harvey-Pinard
Hallander

Defensemen
Parker Wotherspoon - Karlsson
Caleb Jones - Letang
Pickering - Brunicke
Harding

Goaltenders
Murashov
Fleury

It is already known that Fleury will suit up for the third period and Murashov will anchor the opening two. Murashov has emerged as a legitimate prospect candidate to take the reins as the Penguins' goaltender of the future, as his dominance at every level of professional hockey has been something to marvel at. 

In some ways, Murashov is remniscent of a young Fleury - quick, athletic, agile, cool, confident, and poised. So it's only fitting that - akin to the rest of the roster - past and future get to suit up in the same game. 

And Fleury's advice for Murashov and other young Penguins' goaltenders?

"You better try hard," Fleury said Friday. "I'm coming to take your spot."

And for one night, one period only, he will.

'I'm Happy It All Worked Out': Fleury, Teammates Relish Chance To Share Ice One Last Time'I'm Happy It All Worked Out': Fleury, Teammates Relish Chance To Share Ice One Last TimeNormally, NHL training camp is an all-business kind of affair, and that's exactly how it's been at Pittsburgh Penguins' camp this year.

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Sabres' Tage Thompson Continues Rampage Vs. Red Wings In 5-2 Pre-Season Win

Something about playing against the Detroit Red Wings seems to agree with Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson, be it during regular season play or in Saturday afternoon's instance, pre-season play. 

Thompson scored twice as part of Buffalo's 5-2 win over the Red Wings at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. With the setback, the Red Wings are now 2-2 through four pre-season games. 

Thompson has 23 points in the 19 regular season games that he's played against the Red Wings, including 12 goals, the highest number of tallies he has against any other team in his NHL career.

While his goals on Saturday won't officially be added to his total, it continued a trend of overall dominating play on Thompson's part against Detroit. 

His first goal came just 14 seconds into the second period, while his second tally was with the man-advantage in the third period. In both instances, it restored a two-goal cushion for Buffalo. 

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The Sabres initially grabbed a 2-0 lead in the opening 20 minutes of play thanks to tallies from Rasmus Dahlin and Radim Mrtka. Buffalo native Patrick Kane halved the Sabres' lead with his first goal of the pre-season late in the frame. 

Also scoring for Detroit was Marco Kasper, who put home a rebound past former Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon a bit past the midway point of the second period to bring his club back to within a goal. 

Josh Norris added an empty net goal for Buffalo in the waning seconds of regulation. 

Sebastian Cossa played the entire game for the Red Wings and stopped 16 of the 20 shots that he faced. Lyon, who was not re-signed by the Red Wings and accepted a two-year contract with the Sabres, made 26 saves. 

The Red Wings will return to Little Caesars Arena for a Monday evening matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins (7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+). 

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1-On-1: Kevin Rooney Discusses PTO With Devils, Depth Role & More

As summer wound down, Kevin Rooney found himself sifting through PTO opportunities from a couple of teams around the NHL. 

When the 32-year-old saw the New Jersey Devils were one of those teams, he felt it was a "no-brainer" to sign a professional tryout with his former club. 

"I have already been here, and I am familiar with the organization," he told The Hockey News on Saturday. "With the uncertainty of not knowing where you stand, I wanted to go someplace where I would be comfortable because training camp is quick. It is two weeks where you have to show yourself. 

"I am really happy to be back," he continued. "It has been a great experience so far being back in New Jersey." 

Rooney began his NHL career with the Devils in March 2017. He appeared in 330 games with New Jersey before continuing his career with the New York Rangers, and eventually, the Calgary Flames. 

Now, he is competing for a bottom-six role on the Devils for the 2025-26 season. The Massachusetts native has plenty of competition for the fourth-line center position with veteran Luke Glendening on a PTO as well.

On Friday, The Hockey News asked Devils' head coach Sheldon Keefe for his thoughts on his players who are on professional tryouts at this juncture of his training camp. 

"I think they have shown well," Keefe shared. "They have both shown what we had expected in terms of what they can provide. We are going to continue to put them in different positions to show that and see how they fit in, and trying to use them in different situations with different types of lineups and different linemates and all these sorts of things.

"(We want) to see them in games when they don't have a lot of support from our top guys, so they got to take on a lot more in terms of heavy lifting and match-ups and all of these sorts of things," Keefe continued. "Then, a game like we played the other day, we have a lot of our top guys, so now it is a little bit more like their role would actually feel like in a regular game. That is what I am going to try to do the rest of the way here. The games are coming quick now, and we are going to try to keep putting them in different spots and seeing how the fit is." 

Off the ice, Rooney has spent time with Glendening as the two are staying at the same hotel during camp. 

"It has been awesome having a guy like that here," Rooney said. "He is a guy I have looked up to throughout my career. He is obviously a little older than me, but we have been going to dinners and stuff together. It has been awesome getting to know him." 

© Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Throughout his career, Rooney has averaged 11:38 of ice time per game. As a depth player, he understands and enjoys his role, explaining what it takes to be effective in limited ice time. 

"I think just staying in the game, you know? I mean (it could) be communication on the bench," he said. "I am a guy who loves to talk to my linemates and talk throughout the game, letting people who are on the ice know if they have time with the puck and whatnot. It is just doing those little things that keep you involved in the game in a little bit different of a way. 

"Obviously, you feel your best when you are playing 12 to 15 minutes, but that is not realistic every night," he continued. "You have to find ways to contribute, whether you get eight minutes or 10 minutes. It is something that, over the years, I have just gotten better at." 

One thing that affects the ice time of players like Rooney is the TV timeouts during games. 

"I don't know if it is actually true, but it feels like the fourth line is always about to go, and then there is a TV timeout," he said with a chuckle. "Then it resets." 

It is a small facet of the game that can go unnoticed not only to fans but to other players in the NHL, who are accustomed to more ice time on a nightly basis. 

"I actually have a funny story. One of my really good friends is Adam Fox," Rooney shared. "He played in the 4 Nations Face-Off, and wasn't getting his normal 20 to 25 minutes (of ice time). When I was hanging out with him this summer, he said he had a better appreciation for guys like me who don't play as many minutes. You know, it is harder, and it is cool to see a guy like that appreciate it." 

The Devils have four preseason games remaining with a split squad on Sunday. Half of the team will be at Prudential Center hosting the Washington Capitals, while the other group travels to Quebec City to play the Ottawa Senators. 

There is still time for Rooney to make a positive impact on the Devils' front office before the regular season kicks off on Oct. 9 in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the center knows what is at stake and that he, in essence, has to seize the moment. 

"When you get your opportunities, you really have to make the most of them, because it doesn't come around often, honestly."

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Former Canadiens Forward Hits Waivers

Alex Barre-Boulet (© Eric Bolte-Imagn Images)

Several players were placed on waivers on Sep. 27 in the NHL. Among them was former Montreal Canadiens forward Alex Barre-Boulet, as he was placed on waivers by the Colorado Avalanche.

Barre-Boulet signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Avalanche this off-season. This was after the Canadiens did not re-sign him before July 1.

Barre-Boulet spent the majority of this past season with the Canadiens' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Laval Rocket. He was certainly an impactful player for Laval, as he posted 22 goals, 41 assists, 63 points, and a plus-18 rating in 64 games. He also played in 13 playoff games for Laval this past spring, recording three goals, eight assists, and 11 points. 

Barre-Boulet also played in two games with the Canadiens during the 2024-25 season, where he posted zero points, two penalty minutes, and three hits. 

A team looking for more forward depth could consider taking a shot on Barre-Boulet with a waiver claim, given his impressive AHL resume. However, if he passes through waivers, he will be joining the Avalanche's AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. 

In 70 career NHL games over five seasons split between the Tampa Bay Lightning, Seattle Kraken, and Canadiens, Barre-Boulet has posted 12 goals, 18 points, and 47 hits.