Category: Sports News

The Montreal Canadiens will be playing their third preseason game tonight, and Martin St-Louis is pulling no punches. For the first time, he’s going to be icing his full projected top six, his top defensive pairing, starter Samuel Montembeault, and Jacob Fowler.

That means that on Thursday night, against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Kirby Dach is going to see his first real action since sustaining yet another knee injury in February. There were rumours of setbacks this summer, and then, when camp started, he only took part in one of the three scrimmages, which of course prompted questions from the media. The coach said that there was a plan and he was sticking to it, before adding that Dach would see some preseason action.

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Asked what he thought about the big center so far at Camp, the pilot explained:

I think he’s really involved and intense. Now it’s time to play the game tonight, take one shift at a time, and make the plays the game calls for. Please get back into the swing of things, but we’ll continue to evaluate and stick to the plan we have for him. […] I wouldn’t call it a leash. I think Dacher is in a better place. He did things differently this summer, and I think he’s further along. So I think he will be more ready to get going right away.

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Turns out it’s time for that action now. While the bench boss said Dach was penciled in as the second-line center this season, he still needs to see what the Albertan center can offer and if some chemistry can bloom between him, Patrik Laine, and Ivan Demidov. Needless to say, everyone will be keeping an eye on that line when the puck drops on Thursday night.

Meanwhile, the Leafs have opted for a lineup that doesn’t include any of their marquee names, such as Auston Matthews, John Tavares, and Morgan Rielly. However, they are bringing along promising prospects Easton Cowan and Matias Maccelli, who might find their way into a top-six role. Former Hab Max Domi, who’s dealing with a lower-body injury, won’t be part of the roster, but there will be one former Canadien: Micheal Pezzetta. Cedric Pare, who injured Laine last year, will not be in the lineup.

As for the bottom of the Canadiens' lineup, it will include two interesting young lines: Filip Mesar, Vinzenz Rohrer, and Joshua Roy will be skating together, while Florian Xhekaj will center Jared Davidson and Luke Tuch. It will be another opportunity for these young players to showcase their abilities.

On the blueline, David Reinbacher, who had a tough outing Tuesday, will be paired with Kaiden Guhle while Lane Hutson has a day off. Ryan O’Rourke and Nate Clurman will complete the defense corps.

It will be interesting to see if the Cola Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky line can perform as well as they did on Tuesday night. At practice on Thursday morning, Slafkovsky was wearing a full cage following the skate to the face he took in the game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The puck drop is set for 7:00 PM, and this is the second-to-last home exhibition game. On Saturday, the Canadiens will face the Leafs again, this time in Toronto, before taking on the Ottawa Senators on September 30 in Quebec City and playing them again in Montreal on October 4.

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While the odds of making a loaded championship-caliber lineup are long, Atro Leppänen is making a name for himself early in the preseason with the Edmonton Oilers.

Fresh off a record-setting season in Finland’s SM-Liiga, where he led all defensemen with 63 points, he is turning heads early in Edmonton Oilers training camp, and the Finnish defenseman is embracing the challenge of adapting to the NHL. He chose the Oilers -- a team with a tough lineup to crack -- and despite the hurdles, has aspirations to play in Edmonton.  

Speaking with Leppänen after Wednesday's preseason loss to the Seattle Kraken, the defenseman shared his thoughts on adjusting to the pace of the NHL and his decision to join the Oilers.

“The speed is very fast compared to what I’m used to, but I’ve been able to move the puck well and play pretty solid defensively,” Leppänen said. "It's a little bit faster, but just to get used to a couple of shifts and then it's gone."

Leppänen, 26, signed with the Oilers in the spring after weighing options from multiple teams. “They reached out in the spring, and another team did as well,” he explained. “It was an intuition choice. The Oilers had good players and nice plays, so it was a pretty easy decision.” He also had some familiarity with the organization, having played with Finnish teammates who had connections to Edmonton.

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Adjusting to the smaller North American ice surface hasn’t been a major hurdle. “Honestly, it hasn’t been that bad,” he said. "I think, pretty fast and well, and the forecheck is harder. They check and hit harder, but just move the puck, and guys are good that you play with."

Leppänen's Path to the NHL Has Been An Interesting One

Leppänen's recent strides towards a shot at the NHL seem all the more impressive when you consider where he's come from. He recounted the challenges of balancing hockey with odd jobs during his younger years. “I worked in factories and even in a museum, watching the paintings,” he said with a laugh. "Nobody touched the painting. Yeah, that was my job.“

He said he had no interest in anything beyond hockey. "I mean, I was pretty young and had no really interest in going to school, yet I didn't really have anything that I else that I wanted to do. So why not just play? It wasn't really that hard of a decision, I wasn't thinking about too much about quitting and stuff like that most of the time. So it was just to play and had nothing else to do. So why not?"

His hard work has paid off. The defenseman signed a one-year deal with the Oilers, and while his immediate path might lead him to the AHL, head coach Kris Knoblauch didn't rule out a scenario where Leppänen could get NHL games. 

Defenseman Atro Leppänen Making Things Interesting For The OilersAtro Leppänen is quickly becoming one of the most intriguing storylines of the Edmonton Oilers' training camp and preseason. The 26-year-old Finnish defenceman is set to play in his third straight preseason game tonight, earning more looks after a string of impressive performances.

Knoblauch said when asked where Leppänen might fit on a team that seemingly has no spots, that he is looking for the best player at every position. That message seems to have been passed on to Leppänen, who isn't done fighting for a spot on the roster. When asked if he was used to fighting, he suggested that was a strong choice of words, even hinting that battling might not be the best description. 

Still, he gets the notion he's going to have to stand out to earn a spot.

When asked, "Why did you like some guys would pick a team that's easier to make, it's hard team to make two Stanley Cups in a row... Did you think about that?" He responded, "So I'm kind of used to it, and it's just kind of grind it out." He added, "I mean, it's definitely a tough lineup to crack. I think, I think there's a chance."

Leppänen Seems Appreciative Of The Opportunity

Leppänen credited the coaching staff for their guidance. “They’ve been very positive, telling me to keep moving the puck and playing my style. That’s what I plan to do,” he said.

I specifically brought up how much he's playing thus far in preseason, getting several games in a row and big minutes in those games. Was this something he wanted to keep doing, taking as many opportunities as would be tossed his way? “I mean, sure, the more you play, I think even, it can be a little bit more exhausting, but you get the feel for the game, and you can get a little bit of flow going. So it's, I think it's easier to more you play, kind of easier to go."

"I think just kind of once in a lifetime chance to come, and if you get it, get the opportunity. Just gotta take it."

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The Pittsburgh Penguins made another cut on Thursday, assigning defensive prospect Quinn Beauchesne to the OHL's Guelph Storm.

Beauchesne, a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, was at Penguins' training camp for a week before getting cut. Before that, he participated in the Prospects Challenge and was one of the Penguins' best prospects in those three games. He showcased his fluid skating, snarl, and ability to break the puck out of his zone with ease. 

Those traits can definitely translate to the NHL, but he still needs to keep developing, and the Penguins don't want to rush him. He finished last season with six goals and 24 points in 49 games with the Storm, and will be an assistant captain for them this year. 

He's a prospect that a lot of fans should keep an eye on this year. The Penguins may have gotten a steal in the fifth round. 

The Penguins will return to practice on Friday, and it's expected to be a special day, as Marc-Andre Fleury will practice with the team before his sendoff on Saturday night. 

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Utah Mammoth goaltender Connor Ingram is among seven players placed on NHL waivers Thursday afternoon.

Ingram, along with Philadelphia Flyers left winger Oscar Eklind and the Ottawa Senators' Hunter Shepard, Cameron Crotty, Wyatt Bongiovanni, Xavier Bourgault and Garrett Pilon are on waivers. 

If these players clear waivers by 2 p.m. ET on Friday, they're eligible to be sent to the minors. That said, the rest of the league has a chance to claim them.

Ingram, 28, and the Mammoth plan to mutually part ways. He has not been part of Utah's training camp despite being cleared to play by the NHL and NHLPA's Player Assistance Program on Aug. 20.

"We'll at some point in time put him through waivers, and through that process, he will either get a chance to play for another NHL team, or he will go to an (AHL) team," Armstrong told reporters last week. "But at the end of the day, he will be playing, and that's what we're so excited for."

Ingram played 22 games last season before entering the NHL/NHLPA program on March 9. He put up a 9-8-4 record, 3.27 goals-against average and .882 save percentage.

In 2023-24 with the Arizona Coyotes, Ingram took over starting duties with 50 games played, a 23-21-3 record, 2.91 GAA, .907 SP and six shutouts. He received the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy that season.

Arizona had claimed Ingram off waivers from the Nashville Predators in October 2022. He did play one game for the AHL's Tucson Roadrunners last season but otherwise last played in that league in 2021-22 with the Predators' affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals.

Ingram is in the final campaign of a three-year contract with a $1.95-million cap hit.

Utah Mammoth And Connor Ingram Reportedly Parting WaysUtah Mammoth goaltender Connor Ingram will reportedly not attend the team’s training camp this week.

The other six players on the waiver wire spent most, if not all, of last season in the AHL.

Eklind, 27, played his first season in North America last year after working through the junior, second-tier and first-tier Swedish men's leagues. He had five goals and 17 assists for 22 points in 64 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Flyers' affiliate. He's on a one-year contract worth $800,000.

Senators goaltender Shepard, 29, had played all of his professional career in the Washington Capitals' system, backstopping the Hershey Bears to two Calder Cup championships in 2022-23 and 2023-24. He was named the AHL's playoff MVP in 2022-23 and the best goaltender in 2023-24. He put up a 23-11-4 record with a 2.80 GAA and .891 SP in 39 games for the Bears, along with a 2-5-0 record in the playoffs. He has five games of NHL experience and signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 with Ottawa this off-season.

Crotty, a 26-year-old defenseman, captained the Iowa Wild, AHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild, last season. He had 10 assists and 56 penalty minutes in 64 games. In 2017-18, he was part of the Boston University team that was Hockey East champions in the NCAA. The Coyotes drafted him 82nd overall in 2017, and he's played two career NHL games. The Sens signed the Ottawa native to a two-year, two-way contract worth $812,500 annually.

Bongiovanni, a 26-year-old forward who can play center or on the wing, put up 22 goals and 11 assists for 33 points in 54 games for the Belleville Senators last season. He's on a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000.

Bourgault, 22, played his first season with Belleville last year after being traded in a package that sent Roby Jarventie to the Edmonton Oilers. The 2021 22nd overall pick by Edmonton recorded 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points in 61 games. The right winger is on a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000.

Pilon, 27, captained the B-Sens last season and recorded 11 goals and 37 assists for 48 points in 68 games. He won the Calder Cup with Hershey in 2022-23 and has played three career NHL games. He's in the second campaign of a two-year, two-way contract worth $775,000.

Expect many more names to hit the NHL waiver wire over the next two weeks as teams trim their training camp rosters.

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The Philadelphia Flyers have announced 10 further cuts to their training camp roster ahead of Thursday night's preseason game against the Washington Capitals, but some names were more surprising than others.

Generally speaking, the AHL players who were cut were, by all accounts, expected to be next on the chopping block, with many not even appearing in a preseason game.

Forwards Sawyer Boulton, Cooper Marody, Garrett Wilson, and Zayde Wisdom were all cut Thursday, alongside goalies Keith Petruzzelli and and Yaniv Perets.

Oscar Eklind, who was signed as a free agent ahead of last season, was placed on waivers with the intention of being assigned to the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Then came the surprises, although it's a relative term.

Ex-Flyers Goalie Quietly Dominating NHL PreseasonIt may only be two games of NHL preseason action, but this former Philadelphia Flyers goalie has been dominant in limited ice time.

Forward prospects Samu Tuomaala, Tucker Robertson (acquired in the J.R. Avon trade), and Massimo Rizzo were all included in this set of roster cuts, and Tuomaala was the only one who managed to appear in a preseason game.

The 22-year-old played in Sunday night's 3-2 shootout win over the New York Islanders, recording one shot on goal in 13:13 of ice time and missing his shootout attempt.

Tuomaala's early exclusion, along with the others, is a surprise in the sense that he is fairly experienced at the professional level and hardly had a chance to make an impression in the preseason.

But, on that note, sometimes the question reveals more than the answer, and Tuomaala's lack of an impression is the impression in itself.

Flyers Stock Up, Stock Down Heading into Training Camp Week 2Heading into the second week of Philadelphia Flyers training camp, a number of key players have boosted their stocks and chances of making the NHL roster. Others? Not so much.

Fortunately, the Finn isn't exposed to waivers and will remain in the Flyers organization, but it just got that much harder to envision him playing any sort of role for the Flyers in the future.

The fact that players like Devin Kaplan and Alexis Gendron lasted longer in training camp than Tuomaala says a lot about his prospects of an NHL future in Philadelphia.

As for Robertson and Rizzo, those players are/were more upside dart-throws than anything, but they are clearly on the outside looking in at this point and may end up career AHLers in the absence of meaningful preseason action.

It is a measure of his astonishing NHL playing career that Hockey Hall of Famer Martin St-Louis will never be able to top his on-ice feats, including winning a Stanley Cup championship with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2014.

But in three-and-a-half years coaching the Montreal Canadiens, St-Louis has delivered some phenomenal results, including an unlikely playoff berth last year.

So the question arises – what in heaven’s sake does St-Louis do for an encore?

He’s done as well as just about anyone could as the Canadiens continue their rebuild from the foundations, but St-Louis has raised the competitive bar for his team as they head into the 2025-26 regular season.

Without a doubt, it would be devastating for the Canadiens if they slipped a bit and missed out on a post-season berth this year. BetMGM gave the Canadiens better odds of making the playoffs (1.80, -125) than missing out (2.00, +100), after all.

But everybody knows that progress isn’t always linear. Sometimes a backward step or lateral move is what's necessary to create a team that can handle adversity and thrive in the face of it. That may wind up being true for St-Louis and this generation of Canadiens players, but not if they can help it.

Last year at this time, the expectations on Montreal was that it should be aiming for some sort of step forward. In fact, on Nov. 4, 2024, the Habs were tied for the fewest points in the NHL, and it looked like they were making no progress at all under St-Louis.

Few pundits had the Habs as a playoff team, so St-Louis more than earned his salary when he steered them to a first-round playoff appearance.

But here’s where the increased expectations come in for this season: a playoff appearance and another quick exit – like the one the Canadiens had last spring at the hands of the Washington Capitals – will not be seen as a positive for Montreal. To be sure, nothing short of a first-round win will be seen as progress for the Habs this year. And at a point in time where NHL coaches are fired on an alarmingly-regular basis, St-Louis can only assure himself of job security if he has some tangible type of progress to show for it. 

What can St-Louis do for an encore? Well, a first-round series win would be another terrific achievement for him. Or a seven-game series loss in the first round would be understandable if, say, the Canadiens lost the deciding game in a close matchup.

The bottom line would be the same – the Habs don’t yet have a team that can win home-ice advantage in the highly competitive Atlantic Division – but making them tougher in every regard would be something St-Louis could point to as an indication he’s got the Canadiens on the right path.

Montreal Canadiens' Choice For Their Second-Line Center Raises DoubtsThe Montreal Canadiens had a game-changing off-season.

The rest of the Atlantic – and the NHL – won’t hand the Habs a playoff spot this year or any year. Montreal is going to have to earn that. But under St-Louis' guidance, the Canadiens overachieved last season, and making the playoffs is now the expectation, not a pleasant surprise. There’s no evidence to declare they can’t do it again. 

If they actually do it again and then win a round, St-Louis’ impact on the Habs will be all the more impressive.

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When the Toronto Maple Leafs' non-playing group stepped onto the ice for practice on Thursday, William Nylander wasn't out there.

He's the latest player to miss a skate during camp. Already, Toronto has had Max Domi, Nicolas Roy, and Simon Benoit held off the ice at one point during camp. However, when asked about Nylander after practice, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube poured cold water on whatever's going on with the forward.

"Just maintenance," the head coach said. "Camp kind of stuff. Get a little banged up, but he's fine."

We'll find out on Friday morning if there's anything to worry about. Nylander has been fairly healthy over the course of his NHL career. The 29-year-old has played three straight 82-game seasons and hasn't been out of the lineup — aside from the 2024 playoffs — since April 4, 2022, against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Nylander began camp alongside his usual center, John Tavares, and Bobby McMann, who has played on the line before. With McMann headed to Montreal to play against the Canadiens later on Thursday, Tavares skated with Nick Robertson and Calle Jarnkrok on his wings at practice.

Maple Leafs non-playing group lines at practice:

Knies - Matthews - Domi
Robertson - Tavares - Jarnkrok
Barbolini - Roy - Valis
Boyd - Haymes - A. Nylander

Rielly - Carlo
McCabe - Tanev
Ekman-Larsson - Danford
Smith - Prokop

Stolarz
Akhtyamov

— Nick Barden (@nickbarden) September 25, 2025

Max Domi and Nicolas Roy skated with the non-playing group on Thursday. After dealing with injuries (both lower-body ailments) early on in camp, Domi may get into Saturday's game at home against Montreal. He skated with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies at practice.

"I mean, there's a chance [he could play]. I don't know for sure right now," Berube said. "But he could possibly."

Maple Leafs Lineup For Pre-Season Matchup Against Canadiens Revealed And Where To WatchThe Toronto Maple Leafs will visit the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on Thursday as they drop the puck on their third pre-season game.

The only other injured player is Simon Benoit. The defenseman hasn't skated with the team since Sept. 19 and is dealing with an upper-body injury. Benoit skated before the two groups on Wednesday, but didn't get on the ice on Thursday.

"That was the plan," Berube said. "He'll be on the ice tomorrow."

Benoit was paired with Oliver Ekman-Larsson on the first day of training camp after the two were a duo for most of last season. Benoit played 78 games last year, scoring one goal and nine assists while averaging 16:33 of ice time.

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Michael Pezzetta’s journey to the NHL has been a long one, yet he recalls a special pre-season night that marked his breakthrough.

Five years after the Montreal Canadiens drafted him in the sixth round (160th overall) in the NHL Draft, Pezzetta finally got his pre-season opportunity against his hometown team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. He scored twice—including an empty-netter—in a 5-4 victory on September 27, 2021.

“I just remember how cool that was, and I remember them talking about it on the panel on television, being like, ‘It's a cool experience for this kid, but he's probably never going to make it. It was a cool experience for him to get those two goals,’” Pezzetta recalled. “I ended up making it later that year, so I just remember that. It was funny."

Pezzetta has since played in 200 NHL games. This summer, the Maple Leafs signed Pezzetta to a two-year deal worth an average annual value of $812,500.

On Thursday, he will wear the Maple Leafs uniform for the first time.

Even though it’s just a pre-season game, Pezzetta is excited about the opportunity to return to the Bell Centre.

“It's always a game that if you can't get up to that game, there's probably something wrong with you because they're exciting,” Pezzetta said. “They're usually on a Saturday night. It gets going. They're just a lot of fun to be a part of, and I think it's something special, and I think it's something I'm so grateful that I've had to experience it.”

Pezzetta is a long shot to make the Leafs’ roster and will probably start this season with the Toronto Marlies. But anything can happen. Even though his two-goal pre-season performance in 2021 was dismissed, the forward went on to play 51 games with the Canadiens in 2021–22. Depending on what the Leafs need as injuries and personnel shifts arise, Pezzetta could be called upon at some point.

And if he has another memorable outing in Montreal, he'll probably get the panel talking about him again.

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