The Montreal Canadiens have made a roster move, as they have recalled defenseman Marc Del Gaizo from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Laval Rocket.
With this roster move, the Canadiens will now have an extra defenseman on their roster for their road game against the New Jersey Devils on Nov. 6.
Del Gaizo joined the Canadiens this off-season after signing a one-year, two-way contract with them in free agency. This was after he recorded two goals, seven assists, nine points, and a minus-3 rating in 46 games this past season with the Nashville Predators. He also posted eight goals, 12 points, and a plus-10 rating in 30 AHL games with the Milwaukee Admirals in 2024-25.
Les Canadiens ont rappelé le défenseur Marc Del Gaizo du Rocket de Laval.
Earlier this week, the Pittsburgh Penguins faced the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night. During the game, Pittsburgh legend Evgeni Malkin took an aggressive slash at Winnipeg defenseman Logan Stanley. It was quietly announced on Sunday that Malkin would be fined $5,000 for his actions.
The incident occurred late in the first period as the two players battled behind the Jets’ net. Malkin appeared to feel that Stanley was being too rough, and in retaliation, he two-handed Stanley on his left side. Malkin received a minor penalty on the play for slashing. The $5,000 fine, the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement, will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
Malkin has a long history of supplemental discipline throughout his 19-plus years in the NHL, including multiple fines and suspensions. Most recently, he was fined $5,000 last November for slashing Boston’s Nikita Zadorov and has previously served suspensions for various stick-related incidents.
Despite the penalty, Malkin recorded his 15th assist of the season on a Sidney Crosby goal. The Jets went on to win the game 5-2. The Penguins carried that frustration into Monday’s matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs, where they blew a 3-0 lead. They allowed four unanswered goals in the third period to lose 4-3, dropping their third game in their last four contests.
Stanley was back in action Tuesday as the Jets suffered a surprising 3-0 shutout loss to the LA Kings, though none of the goals came during his shifts. The 27-year-old defenseman has seen bright spots this season, being relied upon for 17-20 minutes a night while adding more point production than he ever has before in his career. So far this season, Stanley has a career-high two goals with four assists for six points in 13 games, including two multi-point games.
The Buffalo Sabres entered their match against the Utah Mammoth with a short-handed roster, as illnesses to winger Jason Zucker and center Jiri Kulich necessitated the recall of center Noah Ostlund. The 21-year-old Ostlund combined with countryman and Rochester linemate Isak Rosen for his first NHL goal in the third period, but the Sabres registered only an anemic 18 shots and lost 2-1 in overtime at KeyBank Center on Tuesday.
Alex Lyon was the standout performer for Buffalo, stopping 33 shots and keeping the game scoreless through 40 minutes and allowing only Nick Schmaltz’s goal in regulation, but for the fifth straight contest, the Sabres went to extra time. In those five games, the club has lost four in overtime to Toronto, Columbus, Boston, and Utah, and won only against Washington in a shootout on Saturday. Clayton Keller’s game-winner extended the Sabres consecutive point streak to seven, but handed them their fourth loss in five games.
“(Lyon) played great. You need your goalie to play great. The number of bodies and pieces we had to move around, we needed our goalie to play well and he did that for us.” Ruff said after the game. “(Playing) three-on-three is about winning one-on-one battles. We had our chance, (Alex) Tuch went down, but our coverage wasn’t good enough, we lost coverage on the high cycle and let Keller in.”
In a tightly compacted Eastern Conference, the lost points early in the season have the Sabres outside of a playoff spot. Had they earned the extra point in half of their overtime losses, they would be in third place in the Atlantic Division. Instead, they are one point out of last place playing mostly on home ice the first five weeks of the season.
The Red Raiders are scoring in bunches and stuffing opponents. Their oil-rich boosters are keeping the coffers full. Is this the dawn of a new era for Texas Tech?
The Yankees will be active in this winter’s trade market – they always are – and, as you read this, Brian Cashman and his staff are probably evaluating potential deal concepts that no one sees coming.
So their offseason will be a fun watch, as usual. We’ll try to play along with our list of suggested Yankees trade targets, which is below. The Yanks need relief, a righty bat, and to figure out some outfield configurations. We address it all.
We’d love them to add a contact bat. Can postseason Ernie Clement be cloned? We know the Blue Jays wouldn’t trade him to the Yankees, nor should they.
We’re unsure if the Yanks would pay the high cost of trading for Tarik Skubal, if he’s dealt. Or for the other big aces who – maybe – could be had (Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez, Freddy Peralta). But they’ll definitely inquire on that kind of talent, to at least do a price check.
A big deal like that could flip the pinstriped winter, which would change our list. If one happens, check back with us. Everything on our list, of course, is contingent on how it goes in free agency, with their own free agents and with their own desire to promote from their farm.
Here are our rankings. Keep reading to see No. 1:
5. OF Adolis García, Rangers
This would’ve qualified as a blockbuster a few years ago, but García, 32, has had two consecutive down seasons. Now we’ll call it a potential buy-low. If the Yankees are looking to add a right-handed bat, García might be a decent bounce back candidate – he sagged to a .665 OPS and 19 homers last season in Texas, but still ranked in the 89th percentile in average exit velocity. In 2023, García smashed 39 home runs in an All-Star, Gold Glove season. Then he had an all-time ALCS, slugging five homers and driving in 15 runs en route to MVP honors. He had three homers and nine RBI over the final two games as the Rangers rallied from a 3-2 deficit to bury Houston. Sounds like the kind of postseason results that could boost the Yanks, eh?
4. RHP Mitch Keller, Pirates
Unlike many teams, the Yankees have the elements of a strong rotation in place with Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil, and Will Warren set for the start of 2026 and early-season returns looming from Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón. But what if they use some of their young pitching (Gil or Warren) in a deal to shore up the bullpen or to find a center fielder? They’d need reliable rotation coverage, which is where Keller comes in.
He’ll turn 30 in April and he’s got three years and $55.7 million left on his contract. He might be gettable because the Pirates, unlike many teams, have an abundance of young pitching, including the incomparable Paul Skenes. Pittsburgh’s MLB-worst offense (3.6 runs per game in 2025) needs help. Maybe the Yanks can trade the Bucs some young offense for Keller, who had a 4.19 ERA in 32 starts last season and has made at least 29 starts in each of the past four years.
New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman walks on the field before game three of the 2024 MLB World Series between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
3. CF Oneil Cruz, Pirates
He’s so toolsy that it’s easy to dream on Cruz, what with his power, speed and arm strength. He tied for the NL lead in steals (38) with Juan Soto and also slugged 20 homers, all while playing center field full-time for the first time. Might he be a pinstriped answer in center, depending on how the rest of their winter goes?
Cruz ranked in the 98th percentile or better in hard hit percentage, bat speed, and average exit velocity, which is plenty enticing. But he batted just .200 with a 32 percent strikeout rate and the Yanks already have a few low-BA, big-whiff types. Maybe Cruz, who’s just 27, just had a bad year and his career arc is still trending skyward. He had a 114 OPS+ and 58 extra-base hits as a shortstop in 2024.
2. RHP Pete Fairbanks, Rays
The Yanks have some nice bullpen pieces in place, such as David Bednar, but Devin Williams and Luke Weaver are free agents, so there is significant work to be done on Bronx relief. Fairbanks, who reached career-bests in games (61) and saves (27) last season, would be a nice target as a setup man for Bednar. The Rays hold a $12.5 million option on Fairbanks for the 2026 season. That might be pricey for a reliever on a team that traditionally does not spend lavishly.
Fairbanks, who turns 32 in December, relies mostly on a 97 mph fastball and slider combo and has addressed some of the command issues that have plagued him in the past. Last season, he trimmed his walk rate to 7.4 percent, below the MLB average of 8.4 percent. One caution – he’s dealt with injuries in the past, though he was healthy for all of 2025 and notched a 2.83 ERA.
1. OF Steven Kwan, Guardians
Kwan is a little different than most of the hitters the Yankees currently employ, which might make him a nifty fit. He’s a put-the-ball-in-play type (seventh in the AL with 170 hits last season) who does not strike out (8.7 percent strikeout rate). Could be a leadoff solution – he’s got a .351 career on-base percentage, though it was only .330 last season. He’s also an expert left fielder, with four straight Gold Gloves there, and Yankee Stadium is one of the most difficult left fields in baseball.
Kwan is also an efficient base-stealer (80.7 percent in 2025; MLB average was 77.6). He doesn’t pound extra-base hits, but he’d look good scoring on a bushel of Aaron Judge bombs, no? The Guardians might not be specifically looking to deal Kwan, but they’ve swapped players as they move through arbitration before.
Rebuilding the bullpen is one of the Yankees’ main priorities this offseason, and they retained a key member of that group on Wednesday morning by picking up Tim Hill’s 2026 option.
Hill, who will make $3 million next season, was Aaron Boone’s go-to left-hander out of the pen in 2025, appearing in 70 games while pitching to a 3.09 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 67.0 innings.
The 35-year-old veteran was especially tough on left-handed hitters, holding them to a .444 OPS. Hill allowed just 23 hits to lefties all season while striking out 27 lefty hitters.
Hill was one of a number of relievers the Yanks could have lost to free agency. Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Paul Blackburn, and Ryan Yarbrough are all free agents.
Meanwhile, the Yankees declined right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga’s $5 million option, making him a free agent as well.
A member of the Yankees for the past eight seasons, Loaisiga has some absolutely electric stuff, but his last few seasons have been derailed by injury. After elbow issues limited him to 17.2 innings in 2023, the righty had to have Tommy John surgery in 2024. While he came back in 2025, a flexor strain ended his season in August.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly
trying to find a new home for center David Kampf. He's been buried in
the minors due to a roster and salary-cap crunch.
Kampf, 30, is in the third season of
his four-year contract with an annual cap hit of $2.4 million. He
also carries a 10-team no-trade list for this season.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported
Saturday that Kampf was taking some time away from the Marlies to
consider his future with the Maple Leafs. He mentioned that some
observers wondered if the veteran center might seek a mutual contract
termination to sign with another NHL club. However, that seems
unlikely given he's signed through next season.
TSN's Darren Dreger reported last
Thursday that the Leafs were also exploring the idea of trading Nick
Robertson. He claimed they have time for the 24-year-old left winger,
but if they were to move him, they'd want a comparable player in
return.
Turning to the Edmonton Oilers,
speculation persists that they could make some moves to accommodate
the return of sidelined players, such as forwards Zach Hyman and
Mattias Janmark and defenseman Alex Regula.
Friedman felt they could try to move
Troy Stecher. The 31-year-old depth defenseman is in the final year
of his contract with an affordable average annual value of $787,500.
David Staples of the Edmonton
Journalcited NHL insider Frank Seravalli saying the same thing
to Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer. Servalli also suggested defenseman
Ty Emberson as a trade candidate and didn't rule out Janmark being
shopped.
Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Penguins
could seek a replacement for sidelined defenseman Caleb Jones, who is
out of action for eight weeks with a lower-body injury.
Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now
reported sources said Penguins GM Kyle Dubas was kicking tires in the
trade market for a left-shot defenseman. One option could be Erik
Gustafsson of the Detroit Red Wings, who is currently playing for
their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids.
If you're wondering whether Dubas might
target Emberson or Stecher, they won't address the Penguins' blueline
needs because they're right-shot rearguards.
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The Blue Jackets must be careful in this game, as they might just be walking into a trap.
The Flames are currently dead last in the NHL with 8 points and are 2-6-2 in their last 10 games. They did, however, beat the Philadelphia Flyers in Philly last Sunday, so you could call them hot. But as we know, when the Jackets visit Western Canada, it's tough sledding, even when the other team is bad.
For the Jackets, HC Dean Evason said yesterday that young defenseman Denton Mateychuk is fighting an injury and may not be available for tonight's game. Dysin Mayo was called up last week to fill the hole left by injured Erik Gudbranson, and he might make his CBJ debut if Mateychuk can't go.
The Jackets absolutely need to win and get these points in the bank. The entire Eastern Conference is separated by 6 points, and the Metro by 5 points, so every point matters.
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 16.7% - 23rd in NHL
Penalty Kill - 66.7% - 30th in NHL
Goals For - 39 - 19th in NHL
Goals Against - 36 - 11th in NHL
Flames Stats
Power Play - 13.5% - 29th in NHL
Penalty Kill - 77.4% - 18th in NHL
Goals For - 30 - 32nd in NHL
Goals Against - 47 - 26th in NHL
Series History vs. Flames
Columbus is 36-25-0-8 all-time, and 15-15-0-4 on the road vs. Calgary.
The Jackets are 9-3-2 in the last 14 games against the Flames.
The CBJ went 1-1 vs. the Flames last season and are 4-1-1 in the last six.
Who To Watch For The Flames
Blake Coleman leads the Flames with 5 goals.
Nazem Kadri leads all Calgary players with 10 points.
Dustin Wolf has started 12 of 14 games for the Flames. He is 3-8-1 with a SV% of .884%
CBJ Player Notes vs. Flames
Zach Werenski has 11 points in 14 games vs. Calgary.
Sean Monahan has 11 points against his former team.
Charlie Coyle has 14 points in 33 games against the Flames.
Injuries - None
Erik Gudbranson - Upper Body - Missed 4 games
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 13
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
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Viewers have been won over by the quick-witted and quirky former England international. But do they all know about the groin-grabbing and that ‘horse’ of his?
It’s difficult to know where to begin with a not-so-quick guide to Celebrity Traitors’ breakout star, Joe Marler. The BBC series has introduced a wider public to the tattooed, 18-stone-plus former England rugby union player – fans won over by his quick-witted humour, allied to a direct, confrontational form of questioning and an uncanny knack for detective work.
Not all viewers, though, will be au fait with his backstory; the 35-year-old dungaree-wearing ex-prop forward admitted he was mistaken for a sound technician by his fellow celebrities when first on set, and then asked whether he played rugby league when he revealed his previous 15-year career. For those who know rugby union, however, Marler’s style on the show has come as little surprise, save it being slightly toned down for a wider public audience.
