Category: Sports News

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington was a hot topic on Wednesday night, but not because of a highlight-reel save or an outstanding performance against the Washington Capitals. 

Instead, fans and media personalities pointed at the Canadian goaltender because Alex Ovechkin became the first NHL player ever to score 900 regular-season goals, and Binnington appeared to put the puck in his pants before returning to his crease.

Linesman Michel Cormier noticed and stayed with Binnington until he handed over the puck. And of course, the NHL on TNT broadcast caught it all.

“His eBay account would’ve been popping off after this game,” Colby Armstrong said.  

Reactions poured in on social media about Binnington, who allowed four goals on 15 shots and was eventually replaced by Joel Hofer.

“At least he can say he saved a puck tonight,” @VIKERRonX posted on X.

Jordan Binnington Tried To Steal Alex Ovechkin's 900-Goal Puck And Hide It In His PantsThe Blues netminder wasn't happy any of the festivities after Ovechkin scored career goal No. 900.

For some fans, they were not surprised to see Binnington try to pull off a stunt like this one. He's been in the middle of scrums around his crease on more than one occasion, including when he went after Ryan Hartman for bumping into him as he scored.

He even threw a water bottle at Nazem Kadri following a loss to the Colorado Avalanche during the 2022 playoffs.

“A very Binnington thing to do,” @TheMagelk posted.

“Binner doing this checks out,” said @chi2phi.

With Wednesday's 6-1 loss to Washington, Binnington now has a 3-5-2 record this season with a 3.34 goals-against average and .859 save percentage.

With his save percentage this season, Jordan Binnington probably just wanted to see what a puck looked like. https://t.co/eLuJI7SGTw

— Ken Campbell (@Ken_Campbell27) November 6, 2025

Hockey writer Brady Trettenero contrasted Binnington’s reaction to Ilya Sorokin, who gave Ovechkin his stick and posed for a photo together when he broke the all-time regular-season goal record against the New York Islanders last season.

Barstool Sports referenced the famous Louvre heist that took place on Oct. 19.

“Jordan Binnington tried to pull off the greatest heist since the Louvre got robbed,” it said on X.

After the game, The Hockey News’ beat reporter for the Capitals, Sammi Silber, asked Ovechkin post-game about Binnington trying to steal his milestone puck.

Washington’s captain laughed.

“I’m not going to comment.”

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Sometimes it's just not your night, and Wednesday, Nov. 5, was not the Seattle Kraken's night.

Matching up with a San Jose Sharks team that has struggled to keep the puck out of their net and kill penalties, the Kraken managed just one goal and went 0-for-6 on the power play. The one goal the Kraken did score was off the stick of Ryan Winterton.

It was his first career NHL goal, scoring it in his 34th NHL game. 

With the Kraken trailing 1-0 after Macklin Celebrini opened the scoring, Winterton had what could likely be considered his best NHL shift. He flew into the zone with the puck and was turned away on a Grade A rush chance by Yaroslav Askarov. He then got himself open for a one-time opportunity in the slot, but the play was broken up. He remained engaged in the play and was first to a loose puck. Once he corralled the puck, he fired it into the top corner. 

really really winted this one! pic.twitter.com/rYvQ2wB6jn

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) November 6, 2025

Unfortunately for the Kraken, that's the only production they would get. They threw 30 shots at Askarov, but the Sharks' 23-year-old netminder turned away 29 of them. 

While the offensive aspect of the Kraken's game was fairly muted, the defensive structure was wayward. They only gave up 23 shots, but many were top-notch chances. 

The Sharks' final two goals of the game were breakaway markers, and to make matters worse, they came within 30 seconds of each other. 

A performance like last night's happens occasionally, although coach Lane Lambert would like to limit the frequency of such occurrences. The Kraken are back in action on Saturday against a St. Louis Blues team that is in a major slump. 

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Unfortunately, the injury woes have continued for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

On Thursday, the Penguins were forced to recall yet another player from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) - their AHL affiliate - because of an injury to yet another player. Forward Joona Koppanen was the one who got the call, and the team also announced that forward Filip Hallander is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. 

Koppanen, 27, played in 11 NHL games for the Penguins last season and registered a goal. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound forward re-signed with the Penguins for one year this past offseason, and he was waived at the conclusion of training camp and re-assigned to WBS after going unclaimed.

He has a goal and two points in six AHL games for WBS this season, and Penguins' head coach Dan Muse confirmed that Koppanen will be in the lineup Thursday against the Washington Capitals. 

Hallander, 25, made the NHL team out of training camp and has a goal and four points in 13 games on the season so far. His injury adds to a rapidly growing list of ailments for the Penguins, as they just placed forwards Justin Brazeau and Noel Acciari - as well as goaltender Tristan Jarry - on injured reserve Tuesday. 

Forward Rickard Rakell and defenseman Caleb Jones were already on injured reserve for the Penguins, and they joined a list that already included forwards Rutger McGroarty and Kevin Hayes, goaltender Joel Blomqvist, and defenseman Jack St. Ivany, among others.

Hayes, 33, skated with the team in a full capacity on Wednesday and appears close to a return.

Penguins' Forward Appears Close To ReturnMore than likely, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> won't have to wait much longer for one of their forwards to return to the lineup.&nbsp;

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

When the Toronto Maple Leafs cut ties with president Brendan Shanahan after last season, there was always a sense that it wouldn’t be long before he was back working in the NHL in one shape or form.

When TSN's Darren Dreger reported Shanahan was rejoining the NHL's hockey operations department, it wasn’t exactly a surprise.

But it may not be very long until Shanahan gets another shot at running an NHL team.

Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos listed the Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators as teams that may be looking for an executive to help them turn the corner from being out of the Stanley Cup playoff mix year in and year out.

If Shanahan showed one thing in his lengthy tenure with the Maple Leafs, it’s that he can build a team that consistently makes the playoffs by bringing in experienced staff, finishing a rebuild and adding effective pieces around their core. A current sad-sack team like the Sabres and Blackhawks should be ecstatic to hand the reins over to Shanahan.

The Sabres have the makings of a strong core with Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Alex Tuch if they re-sign him, but NHL fans know well how badly they have struggled at transitioning out of a rebuild and stepping into the playoffs.

Chicago, meanwhile, is still in the thick of a rebuilding stage and drafted Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel and Alex Vlasic. In net, they acquired Spencer Knight, who has elite potential. The supporting cast hasn't always successfully helped those young guys on the ice, however, and Shanahan could help ensure the right pieces are in place.

As for the Predators, which have first-time GM Barry Trotz running hockey operations and David Poile staying on as a senior advisor, Shanahan could provide more support to Trotz as the team tries to rebound from a disappointing 2024-25 campaign. Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, Ryan O'Reilly, Roman Josi, Brady Skjei and Juuse Saros are all in their 30s, and they're not playing like a playoff team, so Shanahan could guide this squad either through a rebuild or through a rejuvenating retool.

What If Brendan Shanahan Joined A Potential NHL Expansion Franchise?Brendan Shanahan is a free agent. But where will he go next?

When Shanahan joined the Maple Leafs in 2014-15, the team had made the playoffs only once in the previous nine years. In his 11 years there, Shanahan helped steer Toronto to the post-season nine times, or eight times if you don't include the play-in round loss in 2020.

Now, playoff success was much more difficult for Shanahan’s Leafs to come by. But that was true early in Shanahan’s career as an NHL player with the New Jersey Devils and St. Louis Blues, and he eventually managed to figure things out and win three Stanley Cup championships with the Detroit Red Wings. And clearly, there’s a possibility the same will be true for Shanahan as a hockey executive.

There’s no doubt Shanahan’s current role with the NHL is a pit stop. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly even suggested the same to Postmedia. And the lessons he learned in Leafs Land could serve Shanahan very well as he tries to get back into the winner’s circle.

Shanahan is a Hockey Hall of Famer because he was one of the best competitors the game has ever seen. And the motivation to succeed is the fuel for him to demonstrate that he’s now a stronger, wiser hockey man than the one who left his Leafs job.

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Thursday’s NHL slate features nine games packed with high-stakes matchups, setting the stage for fast-paced action, dramatic finishes, and plenty of highlight-reel moments. One of the evening’s most compelling showdowns is the Tampa Bay Lightning taking on the Vegas Golden Knights. 

Vegas is coming off a narrow 1-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday but has managed just two wins in its last five games. The Golden Knights will aim to build on that victory and defend their home ice, where they’ve traditionally been dominant. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay enters the game looking to bounce back after a loss to the Colorado Avalanche that snapped a five-game winning streak, a stretch that included a 2-1 home victory over these same Golden Knights.

For those new to our betting challenge, we start with a modest bankroll of $10 and work to grow it through smart, data-driven bets. In previous runs, we’ve turned our profits into triple-digit totals. Tonight’s same-game parlay zeroes in on the Tampa-Vegas matchup, offering a prime chance to regain momentum after our recent hot streak cooled off. 

Our bankroll had climbed to $264.60 before taking a loss in Tuesday’s Golden Knights-Red Wings game, but we’re back on track with a current total of $21.50 after cashing in on our picks from the Maple Leafs’ win over the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday. 

Jack Eichel’s MVP Case Strengthens Amid Golden Knights’ Dominant StartEichel's offensive explosion fuels the Golden Knights' hot streak. Can this star-studded lineup carry him to MVP glory?

All betting lines are from BetMGM Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly. 

Sign up with BetMGM, make a deposit, and place your first wager on any game using your First Bet Offer token. If that bet with the token applied loses, you’ll get your original stake paid back in Bonus Bets, up to $1,500! Get in the game today with BetMGM.

Picks: Over 4.5 Goals & Lightning First Period +0.5 (-115)

The Golden Knights rarely struggle against many opponents, but the Lightning are one team they haven’t quite figured out yet. After losing to Tampa Bay earlier this season, Vegas has now dropped four of their last five matchups against the Bolts, following a stretch where the Golden Knights had won four of the previous five. This could be a potential bounce-back game for Vegas, though history suggests a tough battle ahead. The two teams have alternated wins in all seven of their meetings in Las Vegas, and if the trend continues, Thursday would be Tampa Bay’s turn to win and even the series at four victories each.

With two elite teams on the ice, the difference-makers will need to step up, as both rosters have players capable of taking over a game. Tampa’s 2–1 win earlier this season was also the first time in the history of the matchup that the teams combined for fewer than five goals, which suggests an offensive surge could be on the horizon Thursday night.

To boost the odds, adding another leg to the parlay makes sense, focusing on Tampa Bay’s strong first-period performances with the Lightning holding a +3 first-period goal differential this season, compared to the Vegas’ -1 mark this season. That number improves to +4 for Tampa on the road, while Vegas shows a modest increase to +1 at home. 

With a current bankroll of $21.50, a wager on the Lightning and the over at -115 odds would return a profit of $18.92, bringing the payout to $40.42 in return. With a full NHL slate lined up for Friday, it’s the perfect opportunity to ride the momentum and keep building the bankroll.

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.

While it’s very early in the season, earlier this week, ESPN released an article listing their favourites for the NHL trophies so far, and the Montreal Canadiens are doing very well, to say the least.

While it’s not a Hab, their favourite when it comes to the Norris Trophy awarded to the top NHL defenseman, Cale Makar is. They have Mike Matheson listed as a finalist. While he struggled last season, Matheson has been nothing short of spectacular, and while he has no more power play time, he still has seven points, just one behind teammate Noah Dobson, and he’s got a plus-eight differential. Not many people could have seen that one coming, especially considering how many talented defensemen there are on this Canadiens’ blueline.

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As things stand, ESPN wouldn’t give the Calder Trophy to a Canadiens’ player for the second year in a row; they would award it to the New York Islanders’ first-overall pick at the last draft, Matthew Schafer. Making Ivan Demidov a finalist. Given how well the young defenseman performed out of the game and how he’s become a significant part of the Islanders’ team right away, it’s understandable. I’m not sure that will hold all season, though. Demidov has now been put on the Canadiens’ first power play unit, and he’s shining brighter night after night. I’m not saying it’s impossible that he finishes as a runner-up in the Calder Trophy race. Still, with so much of the season left, he could overtake the Islanders’ rookie, especially if his point production explodes.

While Jakub Dobes isn’t mentioned as a possibility in the Calder Trophy talk in the article, his red-hot start makes him a finalist for the Vezina trophy behind Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson, who they consider the leader. Connor Hellebuyck joins Dobes as a finalist.

According to them, one Canadiens player would be a Trophy winner if the voting were held today: captain Nick Suzuki. While he’s near the top of the league in points, ESPN considers him, so far, the best defensive forward and has him as their favourite to win the Frank J. Selke Trophy. He received 24% of the first-place votes in the exercise. On top of having 18 points in 13 games, his defensive play has been exceptional, as evidenced by the fact that the Canadiens are averaging just 1.03 goals per 60 minutes when their leader is on the ice. The three finalists they mentioned all had 14% of the first-place votes, 10% less than Suzuki.

As for coach Martin St-Louis, he was surprisingly not mentioned in the early Jack Adams conversation. That can be explained by the fact that so many teams are having surprising starts to the season. The Pittsburgh Penguins, who everyone believed would crash and burn early, are playing well, and that nets Dan Muse the title of favourite, while Joel Quenneville and Andre Tourigny are the runner-ups, thanks to their team’s superb form so far this season. If the Canadiens keep playing as they are, though, I would be shocked if St-Louis wasn’t a finalist for the second year in a row when all is said and done.

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

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