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How 3 Former Penguins Are Performing With Their New Teams In 2025-26

Change is inevitable each NHL trade deadline and offseason, even for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are going through a rebuild. 

They didn't make any significant trades at the deadline or signings during free agency, but that was their intention. They moved out some of their pending free agents for more draft picks and signed a few players to short-term contracts. They want to get back to contention as urgently as possible, but are making sure they do it right and don't take any shortcuts. 

With all of that in mind, let's look at a few former Penguins players who were on last year's team and see how they're doing on their new teams to start the 2025-26 season.

Alex Nedeljkovic

Penguins president and general manager Kyle Dubas felt it was time to shake up the crease a little bit when the season ended. He traded Nedeljkovic to the San Jose Sharks on July 1 for a third-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft. Nedeljkovic spent two seasons with the Penguins, playing in 38 games each. 

As expected, his results were mixed. There were times when he'd give them quality starts, and others when he'd look out to lunch. One of his quality starts came on January 17 of this year against the Buffalo Sabres when he became the second goaltender in the Penguins' franchise history to score a goal. He also had a .952 save percentage and made 40 saves on 42 shots. It was one of the highlights of the 2024-25 Penguins' season before they ultimately missed the playoffs for a third-straight season. 

Fast forward to the 2025-26 season, and Nedeljkovic has struggled in his two starts with the Sharks. He has a 0-1-1 record with a 4.45 goals-against average and an .878 save percentage. His goals saved above expected is also -2.6. 

He started in the Sharks' first game of the season, and it looked like he was going to help them win against the Vegas Golden Knights until he made two huge blunders. The first one came late in the third period after it looked like Sharks forward William Eklund was going to put the game away with an empty net goal. He had multiple chances to score, but couldn't find the back of the net. 

Those missed chances led to Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel scoring from the red line off a very innocent shot. It took a weird bounce, and Nedeljkovic completely misplayed it.

Things went from bad to worse for Nedeljkovic in overtime when he came all the way out of his crease to the blue line. He was trying to play the puck when he messed it up, leading to the game-winner by Reilly Smith.

The Sharks are still looking for their first win of this season, and they'll have a chance to get it on Saturday against the Penguins. Nedeljkovic will likely start in that game since fellow goaltender Yaroslav Askarov played on Friday. 

Mar 1, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Anthony Beauvillier (72) reacts after scoring a short-handed goal against the Boston Bruins during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Anthony Beauvillier

The Penguins traded Beauvillier to the Washington Capitals for a 2025 second-round pick at last season's trade deadline. It came after Beauvillier compiled 13 goals and 20 points in 63 games as a Penguin. 

Beauvillier was a solid depth piece for the Capitals down the stretch and into the playoffs. They liked his play enough that they opted to re-sign him to a two-year $5.5 million contract in early July. They let him test free agency before bringing him back. 

His solid play with Washington has carried over into this season. He already has one goal and two points in the Capitals' first five games. That goal came against the New York Rangers in the Capitals' third game of the season on October 12. It was a really nice redirect off a nice feed from Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin. 

The Capitals are off to a 4-1-0 start to the season after beating the Minnesota Wild on Friday night. 

Rookie Comes Through Shorthanded, Propels Penguins Past Kings, 3-2Rookie Comes Through Shorthanded, Propels Penguins Past Kings, 3-2<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' rookies have certainly been making their mark in the earlygoing of the 2025-26 season.

Michael Bunting

Bunting is in his first full season with the Nashville Predators after they acquired him from the Penguins for forward Tommy Novak and defenseman Luke Schenn before last season's trade deadline.  The Penguins later traded Schenn to the Winnipeg Jets since he wanted to play in the playoffs. 

Bunting played in 18 games for the Predators last season, compiling five goals and nine points. He has played in all five of their games this season and has one goal and two points. He scored the first Predators goal of the 2025-26 season against the Columbus Blue Jackets on October 9. 

The Predators won that game 2-1 to start the season with a 1-0 record, but are now 2-1-2 after losing to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night. 

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

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Canucks Complete The Comeback, Win 3-2 In A Shootout Against the Chicago Blackhawks

It was a gutsy performance for the Vancouver Canucks tonight, as they have officially won their second game in as many days with a 3–2 shootout victory against the Chicago Blackhawks. Jake DeBrusk and Max Sasson scored in regulation, while Brock Boeser was the lone scorer in the shootout. Kevin Lankinen made 31 saves on 33 shots faced, stopping all four of Chicago’s shootout attempts. 

The biggest talking point heading into tonight’s game was who would step up to challenge Jason Dickinson after his dirty hit knocked Filip Chytil out for the rest of the 2024–25 season. While no players actually ended up going after Dickinson, as many thought would happen, Vancouver took three penalties in the first period. There was also a goaltender interference call that went missed, which ultimately led to a goal for Chicago after Tyler Bertuzzi fired the puck home from in front of the net. 

The night before, Vancouver shifted some pieces of their power play, putting Conor Garland on their first unit. The Canucks scored in two of their three man-advantages during that game and extended the goal-scoring streak tonight. Vancouver converted on their first full two-minute power play of the game after throwing the puck on net and jamming away at it, giving DeBrusk his third career birthday goal. While the power play looked lethal throughout the rest of the game, it was unable to capitalize on two opportune chances with five minutes left in the third period. 

One line that generated lots of chatter last night was the unit of Arshdeep Bains, Sasson, and Linus Karlsson — otherwise known as the “Calder Cup” line. The forwards continued their solid presence on the ice from the night before, putting in the extra work to win battles along the board and help Vancouver regain possession at various points in time. Their biggest shift of the game set up the team’s tying goal, netting Sasson his fourth goal in his fourth straight game at both the NHL and AHL level. 

“It’s something that we’ve talked about probably for two and a half years now, down there [in Abbotsford], to one day be in the NHL and helping out this team,” Sasson said postgame of him and his linemates. “I feel really comfortable with them. They feel comfortable with me. We’re all super close off the ice. We’ve played probably 100-150 games together. We find each other. We know where each other are. We’re dependable, and it’s working.” 

This was Vancouver’s first back-to-back of the 2025–26 season, which allowed fans their first look at how the Lankinen and Thatcher Demko tandem will operate in these scenarios. Off the heels of a stellar performance by Demko, Lankinen pitched in his own impressive effort in the team’s shootout win. He stopped nine straight shots during the first half of the first period including a break for Chicago. In overtime, he had a miraculous stretch save to stop a 2-on-1 for the Blackhawks. 

It was all Vancouver during overtime, as the Canucks controlled play for the majority of the extra frame. Elias Pettersson had a beautiful chance close in on Spencer Knight, though the Blackhawks goalie sprawled out on the puck to prevent the Canucks forward from tucking it behind him. It was ultimately Boeser who gave Vancouver the win tonight, scoring in round four of the shootout to help the Canucks win their first set of back-to-back games since January 2024. 

Oct 17, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Vancouver Canucks left wing Jake Debrusk (74) celebrates with teammates after he scores against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Stats and Facts: 

  • Jake DeBrusk scores a goal on his 29th birthday, the fifth NHL point he has tallied on October 17  
  • Canucks win both back-to-back games for the first time since January 2024 (vs. the New York Rangers and New York Islanders)  
  • Canucks extend win streak against the Blackhawks to 11 straight games   

Scoring Summary: 

1st Period: 

12:41 - CHI: Ryan Donato (2) from Andre Burakovsky and Artyom Levshunov (PPG) 

19:14 - CHI: Tyler Bertuzzi (2) from Sam Rinzel 

2nd Period: 

6:48 - VAN: Jake DeBrusk (1) from Conor Garland and Quinn Hughes (PPG) 

13:42 - VAN: Max Sasson (2) from Filip Hronek and Linus Karlsson 

3rd Period: 

No scoring. 

Overtime: 

No scoring. 

Shootout Winner: 

Brock Boeser 

Up Next: 

Vancouver will play in their third game in four straight days on Sunday in an early-morning tilt with the Washington Capitals. The Canucks won their last matchup against the Capitals by a score of 2–1, during which defenceman Elias Pettersson made his NHL debut. Puck drop is scheduled for 9:30 am PT and will be available on Sportsnet. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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Shohei Ohtani's unprecedented performance lifts Dodgers back into the World Series

Los Angeles, CA October 17, 2025 -Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani delivers during the third inning of a 5-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Two days ago, Shohei Ohtani rolled into Dodger Stadium as a man on a mission.

After struggling for the previous couple weeks — mired in a postseason slump that had raised questions about everything from his out-of-sync swing mechanics to the physical toll of his two-way duties — the soon-to-be four-time MVP decided it was time to change something up.

Over the previous seven games, going back to the start of the National League Division Series, the $700-million man had looked nothing like himself. Ohtani had two hits in 25 at-bats. He’d recorded 12 strikeouts and plenty more puzzling swing decisions. And he seemed, in the estimation of some around the team, unusually perturbed as public criticisms of his play started to mount.

So, during the team’s off-day workout Wednesday at Dodger Stadium, ahead of Game 3 of the NL Championship Series, Ohtani informed the club’s hitting coaches he wanted to take batting practice on the field.

Read more:Plaschke: 'Ohhhhhtani!' Immortal Shohei Ohtani blasts Dodgers to the World Series

It was a change from his normal routine — and signaled his growing urgency to get back on track.

“If this was a regular-season situation and you're looking at an expanse of small sample — eight, nine games, whatever it might be — he probably wouldn't be out on the field,” manager Dave Roberts said later.

But “with the urgency [of] the postseason,” the manager continued, Ohtani “wanted to make an adjustment on his own.”

Whatever Ohtani found that day, evidently (and resoundingly) clicked. He led off Game 3 with a triple. He entered Game 4 looking more comfortable with his swing. And then, in one of the incredible individual displays ever witnessed in playoff history, he lifted the Dodgers straight into the World Series.

In a 5-1 defeat of the Milwaukee Brewers that completed an NLCS sweep and gave the Dodgers their 26th pennant in franchise history, Ohtani hit three home runs as a hitter, and struck out 10 batters over six-plus scoreless innings as a pitcher.

He made his previously disappointing playoffs a suddenly forgotten memory, earning NLCS MVP honors and to the astonished amazement of all 52,883 in attendance.

Shohei Ohtani watches his second home run of the game clear the right-field pavilion roof.
Shohei Ohtani watches his second home run of the game clear the right-field pavilion roof during the fourth inning of Game 4 of the NLCS on Friday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

And he delivered the kind of game the baseball world dreamed about when the two-way phenom first arrived from Japan, fulfilling the prophecy that accompanied him as a near-mythical prospect eight years earlier.

Back then, Ohtani’s 100-mph fastball and wicked off-speed repertoire had tantalized evaluators. His majestic left-handed swing had tortured pitchers in his home country.

Not since Babe Ruth had the sport seen anything like him.

There were some early growing pains (and injuries) during his transition to the majors. But over the last five years, he blossomed in the game’s definitive face.

All that had been missing, in a resume chock full of MVPs and All-Star selections and unthinkable records even "The Great Bambino" never produced, was a signature performance in October. A game in which he dominated on the mound, thrilled at the plate, and single-handedly transformed a game on the sport’s biggest stage.

During that Wednesday workout this week, Ohtani got himself ready for one, stepping into the cage during his on-field batting practice — as his walk-up song played through the stadium speakers and teammates gathered near the dugout in curious anticipation — and swatting one home run after another, including one that soared to the roof of the right-field pavilion.

On Friday, in an almost unimaginable showcase of his unprecedented talents, he managed to do exactly the same thing.

After stranding a leadoff walk in the top of the first with three-straight strikeouts, Ohtani switched from pitcher to hitter and unleashed a hellacious swing. Brewers starter José Quintana left him an inside slurve. Ohtani turned it into the first leadoff home run ever by a pitcher (in the regular season or playoffs). The ball traveled 446 feet. It landed high up the right-field stands.

Three more scoreless innings of pitching work later, Ohtani came back to the plate and hit his second home run of the night even farther. In a swing almost identical to his titanic BP drive two days prior, he launched a ball that darn near clipped the pavilion roof again, a 469-foot moonshot that landed in the concourse above the seats in right.

Somehow, there was still plenty more to come.

Shohei Ohtani runs the bases after hitting his third home run of the game.
Shohei Ohtani runs the bases after hitting his third home run of the game against the Brewers in Game 4 of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

With the Dodgers up 4-0 at that point, Ohtani then did his best work as a pitcher, following up two strikeouts that stranded a leadoff double in the fourth — and had him excitedly fist-pumping off the mound — with two more in both the fifth and the sixth.

His fastball was humming up to triple-digits. His sweeper and cutter were keeping the Brewers off balance. His splitter wasn’t touched once any of the five times they tried to swing at it.

Anything he did immediately became magic.

Ohtani’s loudest roar came in the bottom of the seventh, after his pitching start had ended on a walk and a single led off the top half of the inning.

For the third time, he flung his bat at a pitch over the plate. He sent a fly ball sailing deep in a mild autumn night. He rounded the bases as landed beyond the center field fence.

Dodgers players celebrate after sweeping the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on Friday night.
Dodgers players celebrate after sweeping the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Three home runs. Six immaculate innings. A tour de force that sent the Dodgers to the World Series.

All of it, just two days removed from Ohtani being seemingly at his lowest.

All of it, when the baseball world was most closely watching.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Plaschke: 'Ohhhhhtani!' Immortal Shohei Ohtani blasts Dodgers to the World Series

Los Angeles, CA October 17, 2025 - Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a solo home run in the seventh inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game four of the National League Championship Series, NLCS, at Dodger Stadium on Friday, October, 17, 2025. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani hits a solo home run in the seventh inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the NLCS. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

One minute he was burning through the top of the first inning with three flaming strikeouts.

Roar!

The next minute — literally — he was slugging through the bottom of the first by driving a ball 446 feet into the back of the right-field pavilion.

Roar! Roar! 

Three innings later he was doing it again, striking out two batters in the top of the fourth inning before driving a ball 469 feet underneath the roof of the same right field pavilion.

Roar! Roar! Roar!

Read more:Shohei Ohtani’s historic game carries Dodgers past Brewers and into World Series

Then in the seventh inning after he had left the mound he hammered history again, driving a ball 427 feet over the center-field fence.

Roar! Roar! Roar! Roar!

Shohei Ohtani, are you for real?

Dodger fans, do you realize what you’re watching here? Los Angeles, can you understand the singular greatness that plays here? Fall Classic, are you ready for another dose of Sho-time?

Ohtani and the Dodgers are back on baseball’s grandest stage, arguably the best player in baseball history and the defending champions returning together to the World Series Friday night, Ohtani pitching and hitting his star-struck teammates into a four-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series.

The final score was 5-1, but, really, it was over at 1-0, Ohtani’s thunderous leadoff homer after his thundering three strikeouts igniting a dancing Dodger Stadium crowd and squelching the Brewers before the first inning was even 10 minutes old.

How far did that first home-run actually travel? Back, back, back into forever, it was the first leadoff homer by a pitcher in baseball history, regular season or postseason, even the legendary Babe Ruth never did it.

The amazing unicorn basically created the same wizardry again in the fourth inning and added a third longball in the seventh in carrying the Dodgers to their second consecutive World Series and fifth in nine years while further cementing their status as one of baseball’s historic dynasties.

They are attempting to become the first back-to-back champions in 25 years, since the 1999-2000 Yankees.

Beginning Oct. 24 against either the Seattle Mariners or Toronto Blue Jays, the Dodgers will enter this World Series with something none of those past great teams — or any teams ever — possessed.

All together now… Ohhhhhtani!

And to think, before the game he was slumping, two-for-11 in the NLCS, batting .158 for the postseason, swinging so wildly that he actually emerged from his usual indoor batting cage fortress to take batting practice on the field during Wednesday’s workout.

Facing nagging questions before the workout about whether the strain of pitching was affecting his hitting, he denied any correlation.

“I don't necessarily think that the pitching has affected my hitting performance,” he said at the time. “Just on the pitching side, as long as I control what I can control, I feel pretty good about putting up results. On the hitting side, just the stance, the mechanics, that's something that I do — it's a constant work in progress. I don't necessarily think so. It's hard to say.”

Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani celebrates striking out Milwaukee Brewers Jake Bauers in the fourth inning during Game 4 of the NLCS.
The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani celebrates striking out the Milwaukee Brewers' Jake Bauers in the fourth inning during Game 4 of the NLCS. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Everyone should have known something was up during that special batting practice when Ohtani drove a ball off the right-field roof. He was clearly embarrassed by his performance and vowed to silence the critics.

His pitching was never in question — he was the winning pitcher with six strong innings in the division series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies — but he came out firing anyway Friday in the top of the first when he struck out two Brewers on 100-mph fastballs and another on an 88-mph breaking ball.

In the bottom of the first, he finally shut everybody up when he connected on a full-count slurve from the Brewers’ lefty starter Jose Quintana and drove it into oblivion.

Nearly the same scene repeated itself in the fourth inning, two strikeouts followed by a deafening home run against Chad Patrick.

By then, he was so overpowering in so many ways, in the sixth inning fans started a cheer with a timing likely never before heard at a baseball game.

They chanted, “MVP…MVP…MVP”...while Ohtani was on the mound.

When Ohtani finally left the game in the seventh after giving up a walk and a single, organist Dieter Ruehle played, “Jesus Christ Superstar” while the stadium shook with a prolonged standing ovation.

But he wasn’t done yet.

After finishing with six scoreless, two-hit, 10-strikeout innings on the mound, he came out of the dugout again in the seventh. For most great pitchers, they’d only emerge for a curtain call. But this being Ohtani, he was still in the game, and for pitcher Trevor MeGill, it was curtains.

The fastball disappeared into the crowd and what eventually emerged was surely the greatest postseason stat line in baseball history.

Read more:Shaikin: Shohei Ohtani could pull off a playoff feat even Babe Ruth never achieved

Three home runs at the plate, six shutout innings with 10 strikeouts on the mound, in an NLCS game that sent his team to the World Series.

Before the game, Manager Dave Roberts basically called it, saying, “I think this is his opportunity to make his mark on this series. And, so, we're going to see his best effort. So, I feel good that he's pitching for us.”

Pitching and hitting and winning, all at heights never before reached in the long history of this grand old game.

Unbelievable.

Ohhhhhtani.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Knicks to waive guard Garrison Mathews

The Knicks will waive guard Garrison Mathews ahead of Saturday’s 5 p.m. deadline, league sources told SNY’s NBA Insider Ian Begley.

New York has been impressed by Mathews’ play during the preseason and training camp, but with the club financially restricted by the second apron, there was no space for the 29-year-old veteran.

Mathews, off that strong preseason, is expected to draw interest from teams around the league looking to add shooting ahead of the regular season.

Entering the preseason, the Knicks had veterans Landry Shamet and Malcolm Brogdon battling with Matthews for the final available roster spot. With Brogdon announcing his retirement earlier this week and Matthews' release, the final spot will go to Shamet.

Shamet joined the Knicks last year, appearing in 50 games off the bench, averaging 5.7 points on 46.1 percent shooting (39.7 percent from three) in 15.2 minutes.

Mathews did not play in New York's preseason finale on Friday. Shamet logged 20 minutes off the bench, scoring 11 points on 3-for-5 shooting (all from three) and was a plus-3 in the 113-108 win over Charlotte.

Mathews, undrafted out of Lipscomb in 2019, broke into the league with Washington, where he spent two years before bouncing to Houston for parts of two seasons and spending the last two years in Atlanta. In 314 career games (64 starts), the six-foot-six guard has averaged 6.5 points on 40 percent shooting (38.2 percent from three) in 17.5 minutes.

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Aleksei Kolosov Reintroduces Himself to Top of Flyers Prospect Pipeline

Nearly everyone wrote Aleksei Kolosov off after a season that was disastrous for all Philadelphia Flyers goalies, but he's just firmly put himself back on the prospect radar.

Kolosov, 23, was never going to make the Flyers' NHL roster outright this season after Philadelphia went out and signed veteran Dan Vladar to a two-year deal this summer, but the fact that Kolosov returned to the organization at all shows a renewed commitment to the goal of becoming a full-time NHLer.

That said, through two AHL games, the Belarusian has backed it up with his play.

On Friday night, playing for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms against Ivan Fedotov and the Cleveland Monsters, Kolosov posted a remarkable 35-save shutout - his first as a member of the Flyers organization and first on North American soil.

For those curious, this was Kolosov's first professional shutout since Feb. 4, 2024, when the 23-year-old made 23 saves for Dinamo Minsk in a 4-0 win over Admiral Vladivostok in the KHL.

Aleksei Kolosov Must Change Attitude Towards NHL, Legendary Coach SaysAleksei Kolosov Must Change Attitude Towards NHL, Legendary Coach SaysThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> haven't fully given up on Aleksei Kolosov yet, but has Aleksei Kolosov given up on the Flyers?

Last weekend, on Oct. 11, Kolosov earned his first win of the season for the Baby Flyers, stopping 27 of 29 (.931%) in a 5-2 thrashing of the Belleville Senators.

Overall, the forgotten Flyers goalie prospect is quietly 2-0-0 on the year with a 1.00 GAA and .969 save percentage after the shutout over Fedotov and Co., stopping 62 of the first 64 shots he's faced this year.

Again, the Flyers still have Vladar and Sam Ersson, but Kolosov, like Ersson, is in a contract year.

If, for example, Ersson can't take the next step, and Kolosov even remotely maintains this level of play throughout the season, what do the Flyers do then?

Flyers Brass Not Giving Up On Aleksei KolosovFlyers Brass Not Giving Up On Aleksei KolosovThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> may appear set at the goalie position at the NHL level this year, but anything can happen, and the book isn't closed on prospect Aleksei Kolosov yet.

As it always has been, the talent is there with Kolosov, and the next step is a matter of consistency.

Clearly, he's the Phantoms' starter over first-year pro Carson Bjarnason, and the Flyers won't be seeing Egor Zavragin for a little while longer yet.

Don't count Kolosov out just yet.

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John Gibson's 31 Saves, Dylan Larkin's OT Goal Help Red Wings Win Fourth Straight Game

The early goings of the 2025-26 NHL season were going to be a challenge for the Detroit Red Wings, who had to play five straight games against strong divisional opponents.

And after their dismal setback on Opening Night against the Montreal Canadiens, they've since completely reversed course with four straight victories, the latest of which was a 2-1 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday evening. 

With the win, the Red Wings secured eight of a possible ten points against their Atlantic Division competition, who earned a total of four. 

Dylan Larkin scored on a breakaway in the extra session for the Red Wings, who improved to 4-1 through their first five games. It was Larkin's third goal of the season. 

Friday evening was also a milestone night, as rookie Axel Sandin-Pellikka scored the game's opening goal, his first tally in the National Hockey League. 

The real story of the contest was how goaltender John Gibson rebounded from being pulled in the aforementioned game against the Canadiens.

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After not facing a single Lightning shot in the opening 10 minutes of play, he ultimately finished by stopping 31 of the 32 shots fired his way, allowing only J.J. Moser's screened shot late in regulation that knotted the score at 1-1. 

Among Gibson's saves were robbing sniper Jake Guentzel from in tight twice in as many seconds, along with a sprawling glove save during a furious goal-mouth scramble while flat on his chest. 

The Lightning, who got 29 saves from goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, were without former Hart Trophy-winning forward Nikita Kucherov, who was unavailable due to an illness.

Milestone: Red Wings' Axel Sandin-Pellikka Scores First NHL Goal Milestone: Red Wings' Axel Sandin-Pellikka Scores First NHL Goal Detroit Red Wings rookie Axel Sandin-Pellikka has picked up his first goal in the NHL!

Meanwhile, the Red Wings played their second straight game without Lucas Raymond, who remains day-to-day according to head coach Todd McLellan. 

The Red Wings will now prepare to face the Edmonton Oilers, the Western Conference Finalist from each of the past two seasons, at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday afternoon. Edmonton is also Detroit's first non-divisional opponent this campaign. 

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Shorthanded Knicks overcome Hornets for 113-108 win in preseason finale

The deliberately short-handed Knicks wrapped up their preseason slate on a high note, outlasting the Hornets, 113-108, on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.

Here are the takeaways...

-- As much as the Knicks wanted their final exhibition game to serve as a proper dress rehearsal with the regular season opener less than a week away, head coach Mike Brown ultimately erred on the side of caution with a few banged-up starters. Before the game, he ruled out Josh Hart (back), Karl-Anthony Towns (quad), and OG Anunoby (ankle) as preventative measures. Mitchell Robinson (load management) was also given the night off.

-- The emphasis on quicker ball movement and frequent three-point shooting was apparent from the jump. As the Knicks' only lineup regulars, Jalen Brunson tallied 15 first-quarter points (12 shots) with two assists and two rebounds across 11 minutes, while Mikal Bridges added five points with four boards in seven minutes. The planned rest for key players pushed Jordan Clarkson into the starting five, and he demonstrated his value as an impact bench scorer by posting eight points with a pair of made threes. Overall, the Knicks shot 39 percent (7 of 18) from beyond the arc in the period.

-- Among the bench players competing for a roster spot is Landry Shamet, and the veteran guard showed some shrewd physicality in the second quarter by forcing a couple of Hornets turnovers. He also scored five points in 11 minutes. Tyler Kolek logged the fewest first-half minutes (6) in the 10-man rotation, and before halftime, Brunson produced 20 points (7 of 15 shooting) and appeared to debut a new archery-style hand celebration. Circling back to that stress on three-point shots -- the Knicks took 30 through 24 minutes. At the break, they held a 64-54 lead on 47-percent shooting.

-- Brunson and Bridges didn't treat the preseason finale like a practice session. They maintained regular-season rhythms in the third quarter, combining for 12 points to push their game totals to 27 and 14, respectively. There was a brief injury scare for Miles McBride midway through the period, when he landed awkwardly on the baseline after having a runner emphatically rejected. While he got up gingerly with a limp, he stayed in the game and appeared to jog off the discomfort. The Knicks were outscored by seven points in the third, but still held a 90-87 advantage.

-- The start of the fourth quarter didn't mark the end for the Knicks' pair of stars. Bridges continued to hustle in transition, pulling off a highlight-reel swat that preceded a one-handed slam midway through the period. Brunson, who was subbed out with 3:33 left in the third, checked back in with 7:41 remaining in regulation. Of course, it wasn't a dress rehearsal for three Knicks starters, but their captain lived up to midseason form with a laudable 31 points in 34 minutes. Bridges also performed at a high level, racking up 16 points with seven rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks across 33 minutes.

-- “I thought we did some pretty good things tonight, especially starting two young guys in [Mohamed Diawara] and [Trey Jemison], but we played in spurts too many times,” Brown said. “We just gotta be a little more consistent with what we’re doing. And if we do, we’re gonna have a chance to be pretty good.”

-- Brown has set a goal for the Knicks to average 40 threes per game this season, and they met the mark by posting 48 with a success rate of 38 percent. While the team struggled to contain Hornets starters Miles Bridges and Collin Sexton -- they combined for 41 points -- they still forced 21 turnovers and won the rebounds (44-41), steals (11-9), and paint points (40-34) battles. McBride found a groove off the bench, scoring 15 points with four assists in 24 minutes, while Shamet added six second-half points to finish with 11 over 20 minutes. Clarkson reached 13 points over 23 minutes.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks will begin regular-season play at home on Wednesday night, in a highly anticipated matchup with the Cavaliers (7 p.m. tip-off).

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Heat, Tyler Herro 'doubtful' to reach terms on contract extension as team keeps options open for 2027

Miami has talent on its roster — Bam Adebayo is widely respected as one of the better two-way centers in the league, Tyler Herro was an All-Star last season, and the addition of Norman Powell brings more scoring — but it doesn't have a top-10 player, a championship cornerstone kind of player on the roster.

That appears to have impacted contract extension talks with Herro, as discussed by Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst at ESPN. Herro has two seasons and $64 million still on his contract and would like to discuss an extension, but that went nowhere, Windhorst reported.

"Tyler Herro is coming off an All-Star season and is definitely interested in extending with the Heat, but there haven't been substantive talks to his point and a deal is doubtful, sources say."

Miami wants to keep max cap space heading into the summer of 2027 — when the class could theoretically include Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Karl-Anthony Towns, Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Trae Young, Kyrie Irving and others — Bontemps reports. Not having an extension with Herro adds flexibility (the only locked-in salaries on the Heat books in the summer of 2027 are Bam Adebayo at $53.8 million and Nikola Jovic at $14.9 million).

That cap space is more about flexibility, max players are not jumping teams via free agency very often under the current CBA. Plus, look at the names on that list. Jokic has said he wants to be a Nugget forever, and they just retooled the roster to better fit around him. Whatever happens with Antetokounmpo will be decided next summer when the Bucks offer him a max contract extension and he either signs it or Milwaukee entertains trade offers. New York is likely to extend Towns next summer. The rest of that list likely doesn't get to true free agency, either.

What is clear is that when a big name becomes available via trade, the Heat will be one of the teams in the mix. A lot of those elite players would fit nicely next to Herro, but it looks like Miami wants to keep its options open.

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Another Player Added To The Sabres Injured List

The Buffalo Sabres practiced at Key Bank Center on Friday in preparation for the final game of their three-game homestand against the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers on Saturday afternoon. Injured defenseman Mattias Samuelsson was a full participant and indicated that he will play against the Panthers. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen took part, and winger Jordan Greenway participated, wearing a yellow non-contact jersey, but winger Justin Danforth was not on the ice.

The 32-year-old was injured in the second period of the Sabres 8-4 win over Ottawa on Wednesday and head coach Lindy Ruff indicated that his injury will keep him out for some time. 

"He's going to be out a significant amount of time," Ruff said. "More than a month."

Danforth was signed as an unrestricted free agent in July after spending four seasons with Columbus to provide veteran depth to the Sabres up front. In four games, he has averaged just under 12 minutes per game and has no points. With the injury, it is expected that either Josh Dunne or Mason Geersten will play on the fourth line against Florida.  

 

Other Sabres Stories

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

Norris Out Eight Weeks At Least

Here is a quick update on the prospects the Sabres selected in 2021 who are not currently in the NHL:

Olivier Nadeau – RW – 97th overall

A scoring winger in the QMJHL, Nadeau had 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in 41 games for Jacksonville of the ECHL and scored a goal in a brief five-game stint in Rochester in his first pro season. The 22-year-old was sent to the ECHL again to get playing time last season,  and doubled his point total (28 goals, 22 assists in 48 games). The Amerks are playing their third game on Friday and Nadeau has not played in any of them. 

Nikita Novikov – D – 188th overall

The 6’4”, 205 lb. blueliner came to North America after playing two years with Dynamo Moscow and settled in nicely as a regular with Rochester, with 23 points (3 goals, 20 assists) in 65 games. The 22-year-old logs plenty of ice time with the Amerks and last season put up nearly the exact same numbers (6 goals, 14 assists in 68 games) this season. The question for the Big Russian is whether he will get the opportunity to be called up this season, as Ryan Johnson and Zach Metsa have been. .  

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Sabres' Week From Hell Against Atlantic Rivals Is About To Begin

Sam Reinhart (left); Owen Power (right) -- (Timothy T. Ludwig, USA TODAY Images)

After romping over the Ottawa Senators for their first win of the season, the Buffalo Sabres have a 1-3-0 record. But the schedule-maker hasn’t been particularly kind to the Sabres, who in the next seven days have a whopping five games in store. 

Making matters worse, each of the Sabres’ next five opponents are all their Atlantic Division rivals. And if Buffalo suffers a string of losses this week, it could prove to be the difference between making and missing the Stanley Cup playoffs for the 15th-straight season.

The week from Atlantic Division Hell for the Sabres begins Saturday, when Buffalo hosts the back-to-back defending Cup-champion Florida Panthers. Then, two days later, the Sabres head out on the road to take on the white-hot Canadiens in Montreal. Two days after that, Buffalo hosts the Detroit Red Wings. Any or every one of these three teams could hand the Sabres a loss.

Finally, the Sabres cap off the week next Friday and Saturday when they host the Maple Leafs in Game 1, then travel to Toronto in Game 2. The Leafs dominated the Sabres last season, so it’s entirely possible Buffalo comes up empty in their showdowns against the Buds. 

You see what we’re getting at here, right? The Sabres don’t have an easy game this week. The opposite is true. They have five teams that can steal their lunch, and they already can ill afford another sub-par stretch if they’re to be a playoff team this season.

Sabres' First Win Of Season Shouldn't Cause Buffalo Fans To Think Sabres Are Out Of The WoodsSabres' First Win Of Season Shouldn't Cause Buffalo Fans To Think Sabres Are Out Of The WoodsA hard-fought victory offers a glimmer of hope, but alarmingly porous defense and a daunting path mean Sabres' anxiety is far from over.

We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: you can’t earn a playoff berth in the first month of the season, but you definitely can go a long way toward burying your playoff aspirations with one bad month. By this time next week, Buffalo could be staring disaster in the face.

There’s a very real possibility the Sabres will come out of their first nine games with exactly one win to show for it. You can’t get off to much of a worse start than that. That’s about as calamitous a start as it gets. 

More Misery For Sabres As Buffalo Loses Third Straight Game To Start New SeasonMore Misery For Sabres As Buffalo Loses Third Straight Game To Start New SeasonAny way you want to frame it, losing three straight games to start the season is a disaster for the Buffalo Sabres. <a href="http://thn.com/buffalo">The Sabres</a>' third straight defeat came Monday at the hands of the <a href="http://thn.com/colorado">Colorado Avalanche</a> -- a legitimate Stanley Cup frontrunner -- and once again, offense was a problem for Buffalo.

Buffalo can only control their fate from this point on. But if the present looks anything like the most recent past, there’s going to be big trouble on the horizon. And it may turn out to be what brings more long-term agony to a Sabres franchise that has had far more than its share. 

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Milestone: Red Wings' Axel Sandin-Pellikka Scores First NHL Goal

Friday evening's game will forever be known as a career milestone for one of the most highly-regarded young players in recent Detroit Red Wings memory.

Defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka, who earned a roster spot thanks to his strong showing in Training Camp and the pre-season, scored his first goal in the National Hockey League during the first period against the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning. 

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Sandin-Pellikka's wrist shot from near the top of the slot beat Lightning goaltender Andre Vasilevskiy on his blocker side: 

Not only was it his first NHL goal, but also his first point. 

He gave an exuberant fist pump in celebration and leapt into the glass in the same way that Alexander Ovechkin has done numerous times throughout his career, and was mobbed in a massive hug by his teammates.

Among those on the ice for his goal was fellow rookie Emmitt Finnie, who picked up his first NHL point himself last week against the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

Dylan Larkin and Mason Appleton picked up the assists for Sandin-Pellikka, who could very well go on to be an instraumental part of Detroit's blue line for years to come. 

The goal gave the Red Wings the 1-0 lead over the Lightning, who are the fourth straight divisional opponent Detroit has faced to begin the 2025-26 campaign. 

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