Category: Sports News

The New York Islanders will be without Alexander Romanov will be out 5-6 months. He will be having surgery on his right shoulder. 

The injury occured after Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen hit him from behind with 27.3 seconds to play in regulation on Tuesday night.

Rantanen received a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct. Romanov needed assistance off the ice.

On Wednesday evening, Romanov was placed on injured reserve. 

Islanders Place Alexander Romanov On Injured ReserveRomanov's season takes another hit. The defenseman lands on IR with an upper-body injury, sidelining him for crucial games.

Romanov, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery toward the tail end of the 2022-23 season, missed 18 games in 2024-25 with an upper-body injury. He had missed six games already this season for the same reason.

The 25-year-old, who signed an eight-year deal worth $6.25 million annually this summer, has recorded one assist in 15 games this season, averaging 19:27 minutes per game, skating on the third defense pairing.

He is expected to be fully recovered in time for training camp ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season.

Dallas Stars superstar Mikko Rantanen has been issued a one-game suspension by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety on Sunday.

This suspension is a result of Rantanen’s actions in Dallas’ last game against the Calgary Flames on Saturday. But it’s also related to what transpired in the late stages of the Stars’ contest against the New York Islanders on Nov. 18.

Against the Flames, Rantanen was handed a 10-minute game misconduct, among other penalties, for boarding right winger Matt Coronato. 

Just two games before that in Long Island, Rantanen also received a 10-minute misconduct for boarding Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov.

The Islanders announced that Romanov will be out for 5-6 months and is required to undergo shoulder surgery as a result of the Rantanen hit.

'That's My Coach': Fans React To Patrick Roy's Fiery Response To Rantanen Boarding RomanovPatrick Roy was not happy with Dallas Stars right winger Mikko Rantanen, who received a game misconduct for boarding New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov.

The Finnish superstar committed two game misconduct penalties in short order, and that’s what led to this one-game suspension.

NHL Player Safety provided a statement on Rantanen’s punishment.

“Dallas' Mikko Rantanen has been automatically suspended for one game under Rule 23.6, Physical Infractions Category,” they said. “In regular season League games, any player who incurs a total of two game misconduct penalties in the Physical Infractions Category, before playing in 41 consecutive regular season League games without such penalty, shall be suspended automatically for the next League game of his team.”

Rantanen will miss Dallas’ next game against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.

This suspension comes just a few days after Rantanen was fined $2,000 for embellishment. While he was slapped with the fine on Friday, this incident took place on Nov. 11 when Dallas took on the Ottawa Senators.

In 22 appearances this season, Rantanen has scored 10 goals and 28 points for the Stars. In addition to his elite ability to score and put up points, he now leads the NHL in penalty minutes, accumulating 57 in the campaign so far.

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Alexandre Texier cleared unconditional waivers on Sunday and signed a one-year contract according to his agent Dan Milstein for a reported $1 million with the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday:

Congratulations to Alexandre Texier on signing a 1-year NHL contract with the Montréal #GoHabsGo ! #WeAreGoldStar! pic.twitter.com/WfQQPa8nr8

— Dan Milstein (@HockeyAgent1) November 23, 2025

Texier became an unrestricted free agent after the forward refused an assignment to Springfield of the American Hockey League and was placed on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract.

The 26-year-old was initially placed on regular waivers after the St. Louis Bluesactivated Jake Neighbours off injured reserve on Thursday, creating a roster spot for him and the Blues designated Texier a non-roster player. 

Texier, who had one assist in eight games this season, was placed on waivers and went unclaimed by 1 p.m. (CT) on Friday and was assigned to the Thunderbirds but did not report, thus was put on unconditional waivers for purpose to terminate the remainder of a two-year, $4.2 million $2.1 million average annual value) contract signed June 28, 2024 when the Blues acquired Texier from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 2025 fourth-round pick. The $2.1 million cap hit officially comes off the books.

There had been reports that Texier had multiple suitors -- from the Eastern Conference mainly -- interested in his services but that the Montreal Canadiens were the favorites to sign him.

“For ‘Tex,’ he's an outstanding young man and just didn't find any kind of path this year to consistently stay in the lineup,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said on Thursday.

Texier will end his Blues tenure having played 39 games, including 31 last season, and finished with 12 points (six goals, six assists).

Observations From Blues' 2-1 Win Vs. IslandersWhen called upon, Binnington saved best for last; something is brewing with Schenn-Dvorsky-Buchnevich line; timely goal by Suter extends lead in second; things got dicey late

Blues Put Forward On Unconditional Waivers To Terminate ContractAlexandre Texier won't report to Springfield, will become free agent to sign with team of his choosing if unclaimed, which is expected

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This isn't the first time that the Blackhawks have faced some adversity this season, but it's the first time they've felt it since gaining the confidence that they can be a good team in 2025-26. 

During their first back-to-back situation earlier in the week, they blew a 2-0 lead and lost to the Seattle Kraken, followed by a 9-3 defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres the next night. 

Now, things don't get any easier. The big, bad Colorado Avalanche are in town with their sparkling 15-1-5 record. They and their .833 points percentage lead the National Hockey League standings by a pretty wide margin. 

For the Blackhawks to get back on track heading into American Thanksgiving week, they'd need to pull off an incredible upset win at the United Center over the league's top team. 

Scouting Colorado

The Colorado Avalanche have a solid core that leads the way, receive good goaltending, and boast unmatched depth. 

Lehkonen - MacKinnon - Necas

Colton - Nelson - Landeskog

Kelly - Drury - Olofsson

Nielsen - Bardakov - Polin

Toews - Makar

Manson - Burns

Girard - Malinski

Colorado could switch up some of their wingers in the top-six throughout the night, but this is more or less what their group will look like. Everything runs through Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, two of the five best players in the NHL. 

The Avalanche didn't play their best game against the Nashville Predators on Saturday night, but MacKenzie Blackwood made 35 saves on 35 shots to preserve a 3-0 Avalanche victory. They can win in multiple ways. 

Scott Wedgewood will likely get the start against the Blackhawks. He has been incredible this season, as well. No matter what, the Blackhawks will have their work cut out for them in terms of putting the puck in the net. 

Keeping the puck out of their own net may be an even tougher challenge, as the top players on Colorado don't need many chances. 

Projected Blackhawks Lines, Defense, And Goalie

Andre Burakovsky is going to miss another game. He was hit in the head during the game against the Kraken and hasn't returned since. Jason Dickinson, however, is going to return to the lineup for the first time in 10 games. 

Greene-Bedard-Bertuzzi

Teravainen-Nazar-Moore

Donato-Dickinson-Mikheyev

Slaggert-Dach-Lafferty

Vlasic-Crevier

Kaiser-Levshunov

Grzelcyk-Murphy

Rinzel

During the morning skate, Dickinson skated with Ilya Mikheyev and Ryan Donato. That line will likely see a ton of MacKinnon at even strength. 

Jeff Blashill confirmed that they plan to go with 11/7 again, so one of those fourth-line forwards (likely Sam Lafferty or Landon Slaggert) will be in the press box. 

Spencer Knight is going to be the starting goalie for Chicago. Blashill left Arvid Soderblom in for all nine Sabre goals last time out to preserve Knight for this game against the Avalanche. 

How To Watch

In the Chicagoland area, this game can be seen on CHSN and heard on WGN Radio AM 720. Nationally, it can be found on NHL Network. The puck drops shortly after 6 PM CT. 

The game can be seen on CHSN and heard on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. Those outside of Chicago interested in catching the game can find it on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 6 PM CT at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. 

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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On Sunday, we get an all-Canadian showdown to wrap up a strong six-game slate that rarely lands on a Sunday schedule. It is a welcome surprise filled with intriguing matchups, and the finale stands out as the most compelling. The Calgary Flames, who might finally be turning a corner after a dreadful start and two straight wins, take on the slumping Vancouver Canucks, who have lost five of their last six.

For everyone following the Pad Stack challenge, the approach remains the same. We start with $10 and grow it steadily through disciplined, well-researched wagers. Our hottest stretch topped out last Monday at a season-high $411.47, although it ended abruptly when a late empty-netter from the Florida Panthers spoiled our Vancouver spread. Even so, we regained momentum on Saturday with a win in Montreal’s decisive 5–2 victory over Toronto, which pushed the bankroll to $19.40 heading into Sunday. Now we are lining up a very confident play for the Flames–Canucks matchup.

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.

Islanders' Matthew Schaefer, Avalanche's Cale Makar Already Near-Locks in NHL Award RacesAn 18-year-old phenom and a Norris contender are dominating early NHL award races, setting impressive records and dazzling fans.

Picks: Flames +2.5 & Over 5.5 Goals (+125)

The Flames head into Sunday on the road after a surprising shootout win over the Dallas Stars on Saturday. This is the same Dallas team that just beat the Canucks 4–2 on Thursday. Using that comparison, it is reasonable to believe Calgary has a strong chance to handle Vancouver, and there are several other factors that point in the same direction. The Flames appear to be climbing out of the early-season slump that left them with only four wins in their first 18 games. They have now won two straight and have a real opportunity to build momentum with a third consecutive victory.

Many expect the Canucks to bounce back as they have won three of their last four meetings with Calgary, they are overdue for a win, and they return home with plenty of rest since they last played on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Flames are on the road and playing the second half of a back-to-back. Vancouver should put up a strong fight at home, which is part of the reason this matchup has the makings of a high-scoring game. These teams have combined for six or more goals in six of their last nine meetings.

Vancouver’s defensive struggles could push this toward the over on their own. They own the second-worst goals-against average in the league at 3.68, allowing 81 goals through 22 games. Because of this, Calgary should remain competitive throughout the night, but the safer approach is to take the two-goal cushion.

A $19.40 wager on this same-game parlay would return $24.25, giving us a total of $43.65 to work with heading into next week.

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.

With just over two months before the start of the 2026 Olympics in Milan, there continue to be concerns from the NHL and NHLPA about the main hockey rink not being complete and potentially untested until a few weeks before the start of the games. 

As for the individual nations competing in the tournament, decisions on their 25-man rosters - due on Dec. 31 - have been impacted by injuries.

Team Finland’s chances of medalling took a significant hit when Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov suffered ACL and MCL injuries during training camp.

Meanwhile, Team Canada’s depth between the pipes has become further in question with Vegas Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill out of action since mid-October. 

Three NHL Forwards Who May Have Played Their Way Off Team CanadaWhile there is an argument for several players to make Team Canada, other players from last year's 4 Nations Face-Off roster will need to be cut to make that room. Who are those players?

However, those injuries seem minor by comparison to the plethora of players slated to make Team USA on injured reserve. With six key players on the mend, USA Hockey have had poor luck regarding the health of its players.

Panthers left winger Matthew Tkachuk was injured in the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off last February and missed the remainder of the 2024-25 regular season. Later, he returned to play in every playoff game in the Panthers' second-straight Cup victory.

After undergoing off-season surgery to treat a sports hernia and a torn adductor, Tkachuk has started skating and could be back in action by December, according to The Hockey News' David Dwork. 

Matthew's brother, and Ottawa Senators captain, Brady Tkachuk, suffered a broken thumb courtesy of Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi on Oct. 13 and is on a six-to-eight-week recovery timeline following surgery.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who missed 15 games last season due to injury and scored a career-low 33 goals, has been out since Nov. 11 following contact from Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov.

Matthews is practising again, and it is expected that he will return to the Leafs' lineup at some point during their current six-game road swing that goes through November and the beginning of December. 

In a freak accident at a dinner, New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes suffered a finger which required surgery. He is going to be re-evaluated six weeks following surgery, with a six-to-eight estimated timeline, which could pass the Dec. 31st roster deadline. USA Hockey will have to be certain of his availability before putting him on the roster. 

Jack Hughes' Freak Injury Joins A Long List Of NHL's Unusual Off-Ice SetbacksIt's not every day an NHL player requires surgery after injuring themselves at a team dinner. But from eating pancakes to fixing bagpipes, Jack Hughes' freak incident doesn't stand alone.

Boston’s Charlie McAvoy was a key contributor on the back end for the Americans at 4 Nations, but missed the remainder of the regular season with a shoulder injury, resulting in a staph infection.

McAvoy has led the resurgent Bruins to the top of the Atlantic Division at different points this season, but on Nov. 15, he took a slapshot to the face in a victory over the Montreal Canadiens.

ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reports that McAvoy’s timeline depends on how he heals from facial surgery, but that the expectation is he’ll be able to return for the Olympics.

And if that were not enough, on Friday, it was announced that three-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck was undergoing knee surgery and will be out four-to-six weeks.

Once again, the timeline has Hellebuyck returning to action well before players leave for Italy, but if the Americans have any hope of unseating Canada, who have the most gold medals in men's ice hockey in Olympic history, they will need most, if not all, of these players in top form when next February rolls around.

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.