If the Philadelphia Flyers want to bolster their center depth at the NHL level without having to trade any assets away, they will have the opportunity to do so at the plight of the St. Louis Blues.

On Thursday, it was announced that the Blues had put center Alexandre Texier on waivers with the purpose of assigning him to the AHL Springfield Thunderbirds.

That's no surprise, as Texier, 26, has one assist in eight games this season and 12 points in 39 games as a Blues player. The Frenchman has not quite been worth the fourth-round pick investment St. Louis made when acquiring him from the Columbus Blue Jackets just a summer ago.

Fortunately, though, several teams around the league could use serviceable NHL forward depth, and Texier clearly needs a fresh start elsewhere.

Plus, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman noted that "it's possible" Texier goes the route of contract termination, like David Kampf last week, in pursuit of that new opportunity.

If not, at a $2.1 million cap hit for one more season, Texier is a relatively inexpensive upgrade for a Flyers team that has continued to ice Nick Deslauriers, Rodrigo Abols - who ironically scored against the Blues on Thursday night - and Garnet Hathaway.

NHL Rumors: Flyers Forward Makes New Trade BoardThis Flyers forward was featured on The Athletic's new trade board.

Suffice to say, there is very little upside to that trio, especially when it is Deslauriers who replaces Nikita Grebenkin in the lineup.

Texier is a career 0.38 point-per-game player in the NHL, which is more or less on par with the offensive production of a bottom-six forward. His career-high 12 goals, 18 assists, and 30 points with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023-24, which led to his being traded, is exactly what the Flyers need from the bottom half of the lineup if they can find that gear again.

The biggest issue with the former second-round pick has been his defensive underlying numbers; his offense has been solid, but the defense has generally been markedly poor.

But, the good news for the Flyers is that they tend to have many such success stories in the recent past; Ryan Poehling, in particular, is relevant here as a similarly-aged fourth-line forward.

That also is not inherently bad, either. We all know the Flyers are borderline starved for offense a quarter into the season, and seeing some pop from that fourth line wouldn't be all that bad.

The question is really a matter of whether or not the Flyers can stomach the $2.1 million cap hit (they can if they want to), and if not, will they beat another NHL team for Texier's services?

Given the state of the team, though, Texier seems like a perfect fit and is someone who should at least be drawing some consideration in his current situation.

The highly anticipated return of the Chicago Blackhawks' black alternate sweater is here. They will debut it for the first time on the ice on Black Friday (Nov. 28) against the Nashville Predators. That will be the first of seven times that they wear it in 2025-26. 

Both of these games are being called "Blackout games" at the United Center, as fans are being encouraged to wear all black clothes to both. 

“The long-awaited black alternate jersey returns this season as we celebrate 100 years of Blackhawks hockey, giving a nod to some of the greatest players to ever wear the sweater,” said Blackhawks Chairman and CEO Danny Wirtz. “Originally worn by Tony Amonte, Chris Chelios, Eric Daze, and Denis Savard in the 1990s-2000s, these jerseys defined an era and became a symbol of the grit, strength, commitment, and legacy that still holds true to today’s era of Blackhawks hockey.”

These sweaters were among the most popular alternates in the NHL from 1996-2009. Now, it will make its return to Chicago in time for the Centennial Celebrations. Fittingly, it will debut during the chapter that celebrates that time period. 

“We’re not just revisiting our past," said President of Business Operations, Jamie Faulkner. "We’re reactivating one of hockey’s most striking visual statements. Our fans were part of making it an icon under the United Center lights. They’ve been asking for this moment, and we couldn’t wait to give this back to them as the next generation takes the ice."

In addition to the two games immediately after Thanksgiving, the Blackhawks will wear it during their Friday Night Hockey series, as well as one road game against the Vegas Golden Knights on March 14th. 

People in Chicago have been waiting for this announcement for over a decade. Now, they can finally see the team wearing it and buy one for themselves. It can be found at the Blackhawks Store on Michigan Avenue, the Team Store at the United Center, and on CBHShop.com. 

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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DENVER — At the outset of training camp, Jared Bednar told reporters that having captain Gabe Landeskog available for a full season would make “a huge difference.” A little more than two months later, Bednar is reiterating that very point as his Colorado Avalanche continue to set the pace for the entire league. Colorado remains the NHL’s top team and is now riding a seven-game winning streak after Thursday’s 6–3 victory over the New York Rangers at Ball Arena. 

Avs Fight Back, Dominate Down The Stretch 

Colorado didn’t get off to a great start. J.T. Miller, who scored two of New York’s three goals on the night, opened the scoring on a Rangers power play just 2:26 into the first period, finishing a seamless tic-tac-toe sequence from Adam Fox and Mika Zibanejad with a tap in. Nathan MacKinnon pulled Colorado even at 1–1, swatting home a rebound off a Martin Nečas shot to surpass Peter Šťastný for the second-most points in Avalanche franchise history.  

Cale Makar flies in and puts home the wraparound tally! ✅ pic.twitter.com/Ky3BHAN7hJ

— NHL (@NHL) November 21, 2025

But it didn’t take long for the Rangers to pull back ahead as the Avs struggled in the early stages with puck control, allowing for New York to go on a series of odd-man rushes. This allowed Sam Carrick to move the puck up the ice, and he set up Adam Edstrom for a redirect that went right over Scott Wedgewood to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead nearly four minutes into the second period. 

After a long stretch marked by pronounced ebbs and flows, the Avalanche finally caught a break in their own zone when Artemi Panarin lost control of the puck. MacKinnon seized the opportunity, carrying it up the ice before sliding a pass to Nečas, who then fed Makar for one of the most exquisite wraparounds you’ll see at any level of hockey, knotting the game at 2 entering the final period.  

Despite a second J.T. Miller goal in the third period, the rest of the frame was essentially one-way traffic, as the Avalanche operated in lockstep to overwhelm New York with a four-goal onslaught. Colorado cashed in on a power-play strike from Brock Nelson, saw MacKinnon notch his second of the night, and sealed the win with empty-netters from Makar and Ross Colton.  

Just when it looked as though the Avalanche might be in for a fight, they snuffed out any suspense—again—for the seventh straight game. With the win, Colorado becomes only the fourth team in NHL history to suffer just one regulation loss through its first 20 contests, joining the 1927–28 Montreal Canadiens (15-1-4), the 1979–80 Philadelphia Flyers (16-1-3), and the 2012–13 Chicago Blackhawks (17-0-3). Now, the Avalanche (14-1-5) take their place on that rarefied list. But of the previous four teams, only the Blackhawks wound up winning the Stanley Cup at the end of the season. Perhaps we should make room for the Avalanche, but time will tell. But one thing is clear, it’s the leadership on this team that is making an impact. 

Leadership Matters 

There have been stretches this season when the Avalanche have looked vulnerable, yet somehow, they always manage to claw their way back and pile up goals in bursts. After wins, Landeskog often reminds reporters that the performance was far from perfect, then calmly walks through the adjustments and refinements that allowed Colorado to clean up its mistakes. 

He isn’t overly emotional or theatrical. He’s simply himself—a steadying, understated presence. And that demeanor has long served this team well. It carried them through the 48-point heartbreak of the 2016–17 season, through multiple years of playoff disappointment, and ultimately to the summit with their 2022 Stanley Cup championship. 

For the past three seasons, the Avalanche have been forced to navigate without that presence as Landeskog recovered from major knee surgery. His absence was palpable. But now that he’s back—and now that Colorado has bolstered its depth while its superstars continue to perform at elite levels—the Avalanche look more dangerous than ever. 

“It’s the focus of the whole entire group,” Bednar said at the post-game press conference. “If we get off track or things aren’t going the way we want it to go, the leadership group has done a nice job of getting guys back on track and focusing on the right things. 

“The message on the bench is not just coming from the coaches; it’s coming from the players and what needs to be done and what we can do better in certain areas. And on top of that, I like the way they’re delivering that message, too. It’s not just yelling and screaming, it’s delivered the right way, and guys are taking accountability if they’re making mistakes and moving on to the next play.” 

The Landeskog Effect 

The way Bednar talks about the team’s growing cohesion only strengthens the idea that Landeskog’s influence is making a meaningful impact. When The Hockey News asked him how the leadership dynamic had changed without Landeskog in the room, and whether the absence led to more yelling than constructive feedback, Bednar didn’t hesitate to draw a clear contrast. 

“(Landeskog) certainly has a calming effect on the room,” he explained. “He’s a very well-respected guy for obvious reasons. Everyone has their own leadership style, but Landy seems to complement all the other leaders that we have in the room, or they complement his leadership style. 

“He’s the first one to recognize things and when he’s saying (something), everyone listens. His delivery is perfect; he’s going to deliver the message the right way. Other guys can sit back, relax a little bit more, and keep going about their business, but still leading. It’s just that when your captain is in the room, it’s more of a calming influence than we have without him.” 

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For a second year in a row, the Nashville Predators are struggling mightily, and it’s time for Barry Trotz to admit that his free agent shopping spree in the 2024 offseason didn’t pan out. The experienced GM went out and added players like Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei, which, on paper, looked like good signings. That was after bringing in Ryan O’Reilly, Gustav Nyquist and Luke Schenn the previous offseason. Still, the sauce didn’t take in the 2024-25 campaign, and it’s not this season either.

The Preds are currently 31st in the league, and it seems like it’s time for Trotz to bite the bullet and admit defeat. There are worse seasons to become a seller, though, considering Gavin McKenna will be up for grabs at the next draft. Given the expensive and lengthy contracts Trotz gave to aging players, it won’t be easy for the Preds to get out of their predicament.

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On Thursday night, two Predators scouts took in the game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Washington Capitals from the Bell Centre press gallery. With rumours swirling around about a few of the Preds’ players, this was an interesting development. TSN insider Pierre LeBrun recently revealed that, according to his sources, the Canadiens could be interested in Marchessault.

The soon-to-be 35-year-old winger is currently in the second year of a five-year contract that has a $5.5 million cap hit. Speaking to RDS after signing that deal with the Preds, Marchessault had said the Canadiens were interested in signing him but weren’t willing to give him a five-year deal. Even with their current injury predicament, I struggle to see how Kent Hughes could now believe it would be a sound decision to take on that contract. Furthermore, he has only 6 points in 17 games.

The same argument also applies to Stamkos, who has two more years left at an $8 M cap hit and is already 35. As good as he once was, he’s barely a shadow of his former self now, with five points in 20 games.

Given the Canadiens’ depth issue at centre, which is likely to get even worse now that Jake Evans exited Thursday night’s game after a high hit from Tom Wilson, Ryan O’Reilly would be a much more enticing option. The rugged center might already be 34, but at least he’s only got one more year at $4.5 M left on his deal, and he is still producing. The big center has 13 points in 20 games and has a 56.4% success rate in the faceoff department.

Unlike many of his teammates, O’Reilly’s contract doesn’t include a no-movement clause, meaning he has no say on whether or not he gets traded. It might be worth remembering that the 6-foot-1, 207-pound pivot refused to sign a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs after landing there as a rental because he didn’t want to be in the spotlight of a big market and didn’t enjoy the media attention. There would be plenty of that in Montreal; could that prevent him from reporting if a trade was made? One would have to think the Canadiens would make sure it wouldn’t be the case before pulling the trigger on a deal.

If the Preds were to go ahead and trade O’Reilly, however, it wouldn’t send a great message to the room. The center is their second-highest scorer and one of just six players to reach double digits this season.

O’Reilly could definitely help the Canadiens, and his contract means he wouldn’t overstay his welcome either, but the question then becomes, what would the Preds need to trade one of their very few productive players right now? The Habs currently have nine picks at the next draft, including their first-round and two second-rounders, thanks to the Patrik Laine trade. Considering how stale the trade market is right now, Trotz could be in a position to be greedy; many teams would like to improve down the middle. The Predators are certainly one team to watch right now…

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