This year, the Montreal Canadiens’ traditional parents’ road trip has been replaced by a mentor’s road trip. While many players still opted to bring family members (Cole Caufield brought his brother Brock, and Arber Xhekaj brought his sister Sophia), captain Nick Suzuki chose differently.

The pivot’s guest on the trip is a former professional hockey player: Joey Hishon. The 34-year-old was a Colorado Avalanche first-round pick in the 2010 NHL draft, the 17th overall selection. After being drafted in 2011, he sustained a concussion that threatened his career, but he did manage to play a few games in the NHL (13). His pro career was spent mainly in the AHL, where he played for parts of four seasons before heading overseas. He then played a season in the KHL and another one in Sweden before retiring at the end of the 2017-18 season.

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Straight after that, he returned to his junior team, the Owen Sound Attack, as a regional scout and skills development coach. That’s where his path crossed Suzuki’s as he worked with him as a skills coach. Suzuki also attended his summer skills camp. Clearly, the coach had a significant impact on the captain, who decided to invite him on the trip.

Hishon’s role has evolved over the years, and his passion for hockey has enabled him to serve not only as an assistant coach but also as an assistant GM. He learned about scouting and how to build a team, everything you need to have a successful hockey career, even if it’s not on the ice, but behind the scenes.

In addition to the many mentors who have tagged along with the Canadiens on this trip, two familiar faces also rejoined the group: Kirby Dach, Kaiden Guhle and Patrik Laine. They still have some way to go before returning to play, but they made the trip according to TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie, who reports that the only injured player he didn’t see in Pittsburgh is Alex Newhook. He did add that it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s not on the trip.

The Habs players will spend a day off with their mentors on Friday, as the practice initially scheduled was cancelled after the Canadiens’ win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

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The Anaheim Ducks continued their five-game East Coast road trip on Thursday, when they traveled to Long Island to take on the New York Islanders.

The Ducks came into this game still atop the Pacific Division standings and were coming off an improbable shootout win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, one in which they were outplayed and fortunate to come out of with two points.

Beckett Sennecke has Entered the Early Calder Trophy Discussion, From Draft Day "Reach" to Rookie Scoring Leader

Takeaways from the Ducks 4-3 Shootout Win over the Penguins

The Islanders entered play third in the Metropolitan Division and having won four of their previous five games before this one.

The Ducks’ coaching staff elected to ice the exact lineup that earned them their win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Once again, the Ducks turned to Ville Husso in the crease for his sixth straight start for Anaheim. He saved 32 of 37 shots.

Opposing Husso was David Rittich in the Isles' net. He stopped 31 of the 33 shots he faced.

Game Notes

Though the Ducks were improved in the puck possession department in this game as compared to Tuesday’s, the Isles did well to lock up the interior of their zone and keep plays to the outside against Anaheim. The Ducks elected, whether by design or dictation from their opponent, for a shot volume approach, as their rush attacks and seam attempts were dismissed.

At 5v5, Anaheim held a 66-50 shot attempt advantage, but lost the shots on goal battle 29-26 and only held 45.79% of the expected goals share. Perhaps most discouraging was the lack of push in the third period, a period that they entered down 3-1 and brought to 3-2 in the first few minutes of the frame.

Penalty Kill: The defenseman at the bottom of the diamond has been exploited since the start of the season against Anaheim. When the puck is high, they’re tasked with covering both the opposing bumper and the net-front forward. However, they’ve shaded toward the bumper a bit too heavily, resulting in the more dangerous attacker, the net front forward, alone in front of the goaltender to screen and tip. Anders Lee scored the Isles’ second and third goals in an identical fashion, which practically sealed the game early.

Breakout: The Islanders either played an ultra-passive 1-2-2 or 3-2 neutral zone forecheck, which clogged ice between the bluelines and limited the number of rush opportunities for Anaheim. Anaheim did well to counter with clever chip-and-chase plays or cohesive passing sequences to advance pucks up ice.

Cycle: Anaheim manufactured multiple elongated cycle sequences in this game, utilizing their active and fearless defensemen, such as Jackson LaCombe, Olen Zellweger, and Pavel Mintyukov, and forwards kept their feet moving low-to-high and across the top of the zone to open shooting and passing lanes.

However, as mentioned above, the Islanders were stingy in their end and especially around their net. East/west seams were nonexistent or were sealed quickly, as Anaheim was looking for them, and active defensive sticks swatted away rebound sequences.

Jackson LaCombe: LaCombe had been one to slow down pace of play to this point in the season, relying on poise and trusting his puck protection ability to advance pucks up ice. However, in this game, he dictated pace against a more methodical Islanders team by pushing and elevating tempo, driving defenders back toward the goal line, and attacking downhill from the point. He created multiple chances and was a dangerous presence from the backend, an encouraging sign for Anaheim moving forward.

Ross Johnston: Johnston has performed admirably through the first 30 games of the season. He’s been a quality forechecker and has even shown skill at the crease, deflecting pucks and creating space. However, the Ducks arguably ice 11 top-nine forwards on a nightly basis (when healthy), and when he’s playing alongside more offensively inclined and calculating players, he’s a step behind, physically and mentally, resulting in a reactive performance rather than a proactive one and hindering the output for his linemates.

Leo Carlsson: As mentioned, the Ducks held onto the puck for extended periods in the offensive zone in this game, and the most impactful driver of that effort was Leo Carlsson. Though his bread and butter is attacking off the rush, in this game, that aspect was eliminated by the Islanders, so Carlsson adjusted. He was not only involved, but he was winning small area battles, scanning off-puck, and exploding to soft ice or support to get pucks back on his stick.

He displayed a multidimensional game, providing an impact whether he had the puck on his stick or not. Coming into his draft year, he was praised for his attention to detail on the defensive end, but he has struggled in that area to this point in his young career. However, in this game, he was angling and engaging properly while breaking up multiple attacks in his end of the ice. He was a true 200-foot 1C in this game.

The Ducks will look for a bounce-back effort on Saturday, when they’ll travel to Newark to take on the New Jersey Devils in a matinee weekend game.

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Takeaways from the Ducks 7-1 Victory over the Blackhawks

This morning, the Edmonton Oilers acquired Tristan Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins in a blockbuster deal.

The full deal sees Edmonton receive goaltender Jarry and right winger Sam Poulin from Pittsburgh in exchange for goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak and a second-round pick in the 2029 NHL draft. The Oilers also acquired defenseman Spencer Stastney from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2027 draft.

Although it's a trade between a Pacific Division team and a Metropolitan Division team, it has implications with the St. Louis Blues. The Oilers were pondering a move to acquire Jordan Binnington from the Blues if he became available, as several reports have indicated that the Oilers had interest and the Blues were open to ideas.

The trade to acquire Jarry, at least for now, shuts that door. Whether the Blues continue to dangle Binnington to other teams as their season continues to go south is unknown, but for now, the consensus No.1 destination for Binnington has been wiped off the board. 

Despite Binnington struggling to produce wins and quality starts, his reputation draws plenty of interest. His save percentage is at a career low of .869, and his goals against average is 3.49, but his playoff performances and success on the international stage make him a prime candidate to turn his season around on a better team.

Binnington has been outplayed by Joel Hofer this season and is beginning to lose some of his starts to the 25-year-old. The Blues are committed to another season of Binnington as his contract doesn't expire until the end of the 2026-27 season, so their options are to trade him or help him find his game again. 

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A key rival to the Colorado Avalanche made a trade today that is designed to improve their longstanding issues between the pipes.

But the question is, was this the right decision?

The Edmonton Oilers made a major move Friday, acquiring Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry in a multi-piece deal.

Edmonton sent netminder Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick to Pittsburgh in exchange for Jarry and forward Sam Poulin. The Oilers later completed a second trade, shipping a 2027 third-round pick to the Nashville Predators for defenseman Spencer Stastney as they continued reshaping their back end.

“I think my game is in a pretty good spot.”

Stuart Skinner speaks after stopping 27 of 28 shots in tonight’s #Oilers victory. @Enterprise | #LetsGoOilerspic.twitter.com/eqxI4omnNn

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 12, 2025

Jarry, 30, is in his 10th NHL season — all with Pittsburgh — and has posted a 9-3-1 record in 14 appearances this year, along with a .909 save percentage, a 2.66 goals-against average, and one shutout. His career numbers are solid, with a 2.74 GAA and a .909 save percentage. However, when the lights have been brightest, Jarry’s performance has dipped. In eight playoff games, he has surrendered 26 goals, posting a 3.00 GAA and an .891 save percentage — a noticeable drop-off from his regular season form.

Desperation?

Even in the offseason, there were reports that the Oilers were “desperate” to make a change to their goaltender situation. It was reported that Edmonton was even considering making a trade with the Detroit Red Wings for Cam Talbot, who is not exactly a spring chicken. He turns 39 years old next season. And it appears that desperation has only grown as the Oilers have the second-worst team save percentage in the NHL this season (.873). At this point, you have to consider it a miracle that the Oilers have even managed to make the playoffs the last few seasons, let alone back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals. But that speaks to how powerful their offense has been behind the leadership of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. But at some point, the ice is going to crack. Skinner and backup Calvin Pickard have been just as stable as the average marriage in the United States.

But is this an upgrade? Perhaps from a regular season standpoint. Skinner’s numbers are slightly better from a playoff perspective. We have to keep in mind that Skinner did have three shutouts the previous postseason. While he certainly gave his teammates plenty of issues, they also couldn’t have made it to the Cup Finals without him last year. Talk about a roller coaster.

Jarry is signed through the 2027-28 season with a $5.375 million cap hit.

Skinner is signed through this season, and his contract carries an average annual value of $2.6 million. Kulak is also signed through 2025-26, and his contract carries an average annual value of $2.75 million. Both are set to be unrestricted free agents next summer.

Avalanche Fans Have It Easy

We have Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood, and notably, the latter is currently tied for second in the league with 14 wins, all while posting the lowest goals-against average (2.11) of any NHL goaltender at the moment. Despite overcoming a minor back injury and a harrowing collision during the shootout against the Nashville Predators over the weekend, Wedgewood appears well-positioned to regain his momentum.

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The Buffalo Sabres have had a shaky 2025-26 season, and it has already led to multiple of their players being discussed as trade candidates. A few Sabres who have been brought up as potential trade candidates include Alex Tuch, Bowen Byram, and Ukko-Pekkka Luukkonen.

However, if the Sabres end up being sellers this season, they could have an under-the-radar trade candidate to watch: goaltender Alex Lyon. 

The Sabres are currently full of goaltenders, as they have Luukkonen, Lyon, and Colten Ellis on their NHL roster. They also have a notable goalie prospect in Devon Levi in the AHL with the Rochester Americans. With this, it certainly seems possible that the Sabres could part ways with a goalie before the season is over.

While Luukkonen's name has come up as a trade candidate, his $4.75 million cap hit until the end of the 2028-29 season could make him a hard player to move. Lyon, on the other hand, could be a valuable trade chip for the Sabres as he is a solid backup with an affordable $1.5 million cap hit until the end of the 2026-27 season. This could lead to teams calling who are looking for help between the pipes. 

In 16 games so far this season with the Sabres, Lyon has recorded a 5-6-3 record, a 3.13 goals-against average, and a .902 save percentage. Overall, he has been solid for the Sabres, and this could lead to him generating some interest. 

Less than 25 hours after their dominant win over the St. Louis Blues, the Nashville Predators have made a transaction. 

They have traded defenseman Spencer Stastney to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. 

Nashville now owns 11 selections in the 2027 NHL Draft – four in the third round; two in the fourth round; and one in the first, second, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds.

Stastney has seen a massive uptick in his game this season, scoring nine points in 30 games and recording 10 penalty minutes. It's the first season of his NHL career where he's been a regular in Nashville. 

He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2018 NHL Draft, 131st overall, by the Predators. Stastney wouldn't join the Predators organization until 2021, playing four years at Notre Dame. 

Stastney played his first professional season with the Milwaukee Admirals during the 2022-23 campaign, scoring 13 points in 56 games. He also had five points in 16 playoff games.

He also earned his first call-up that season, playing eight games with the Predators and recording two points. 

In the 2024 preseason, Stastney failed to report to Predators training camp and would start the season out in Milwaukee. He'd later reveal that he had been struggling with depression and anxiety, and had entered the NHLPA's player assistance program. 

Stastney exited the program in December 2024 and was called up to Nashville in January, where he played 23 games and recorded 3 points.

During his time in the Predators organization, Stastney has played  81 games, scoring three goals and recording 15 assists for 18 points. 

The Predators face the Colorado Avalanche next on Saturday at 8 p.m. CST in Denver. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins have made a blockbuster move.

On Wednesday, the Penguins sent goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick. 

Skinner, 27, is currently in the final season of a three-year contract that pays him $2.6 million per season. He has an 11-8-4 record this season to go along with a 2.83 goals-against average and an .891 save percentage.

Kulak, 31, is in the final season of a four-year deal that pays him $2.75 million annually. The 6-foot-2, 192-pound left-side blueliner has two assists on the season and is a minus-7, and he's coming off a career year offensively in 2024-25 that featured seven goals and 25 points in 82 games. 

The Penguins have acquired goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and the Edmonton Oilers 2029 second-round draft pick in exchange for goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin.

Details: https://t.co/b80VaipsNRpic.twitter.com/ONFgHKq0Tr

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) December 12, 2025

Jarry was off to a roaring start for the Penguins this season, going 9-3-1 with a .909 save percentage through 14 appearances, which is in stark contrast to a career-worst season in 2024-25 that saw him get waived by the Penguins and featured an .893 save percentage and 3.12 goals-against average. The 30-year-old Alberta native - who played for the Edmonton Oil Kings - has three years remaining on a contract that owes $5.375 million annually, and Edmonton is responsible for that full amount.

Poulin, 24, is a former first-round pick (21st overall in 2019) who hasn't quite been able to find his footing at the NHL level. In 15 career NHL games, he has two points and six penalty minutes. For Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) this season, Poulin had nine goals and 20 points in 22 games, leading the team in both goals and points. 

Takeaways: Penguins Fail To Respond, Fall To Montreal Canadiens For Third Straight LossThere have been a handful of tough losses this season for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>, as there are for any team in the NHL. And, typically, the Penguins have been able to respond well when things aren't going their way.&nbsp;

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The Edmonton Oilers had a busy morning on Friday, just ahead of hopping on a flight to travel to Toronto for a game on Saturday versus the Maple Leafs. The Oilers made two trades, first acquiring goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Samuel Poulin from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Stuart Skinner, Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick. Second, they added defenceman Spencer Stastney from Nashville for a 2027 third-rounder.  

TRADE 🔄 The #Oilers have also acquired defenceman Spencer Stastney from the @PredsNHL in exchange for a third-round draft selection in 2027. pic.twitter.com/f8MkGxBl02

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 12, 2025

Pittsburgh did not retain any salary on Jarry in the trade and the deal is essentially money in and money out. Brett Kulak (2.75M) and Stuart Skinner (2.6M) were both pending UFAs, while Jarry has two seasons remaining on his current contract at a cap hit of $5.375 million. 

Skinner was a very well respected player in the Oilers' locker room and incredibly nice. He was always willing to talk about his ups and downs and never shied away from the tough questions, of which there were many. He backstopped the Oilers to two consecutive Stanley Cup Finals appearances, but the Oilers ultimately fell short both times to the Florida Panthers. Skinner often played well, but took a lot of heat for his inconsistencies. 

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There were rumors for a couple of weeks that the Oilers had interest in Jarry. The trade, reported by one outlet as done, had not been completed, in part because the Oilers did not want to move Skinner in the deal. A change of heart must have taken place as Skinner was beginning to find his game for the Oilers. Meanwhile, Jarry was continuing to put up solid numbers for the Penguins. 

Stan Bowman spoke to the media after the trade and said that Calvin Pickard will remain with the Oilers. He also noted on the Oilers targeting Jarry: “He’s a big part of the reason their team is off to such a great start. I think watching his performance, it solidified in our mind he is the goalie we had seen for many years.”

This brings Jarry back to Edmonton, although he never played with the NHL club. The Oilers wrote in their release: "A former Edmonton Oil King and 2014 Memorial Cup champion, Jarry was Pittsburgh's second-round selection in the 2013 NHL Draft (44th overall) and appeared in 307 games for the club over 10 seasons including his single game debut in 2016-17. The Surrey, B.C. native has also appeared in eight playoff games over three postseasons."

Jarry brings a strong resume, posting a 9-3-1 record, 2.66 GAA, and .909 save percentage in 14 games this season, along with two NHL All-Star appearances and 161 career wins.

Defenceman Spencer Stastney adds depth after recording nine points in 30 games this season.

Forward Samuel Poulin provides organizational scoring, tallying 135 points in 207 AHL games and appearing in 15 NHL contests.

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A former Montreal Canadiens defenseman is on the move.

The Edmonton Oilers have traded former Canadiens defenseman Brett Kulak to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a big swap.

Here are the full trade details, which include the Oilers bringing in goaltender Tristan Jarry from Pittsburgh. 

Oilers Get: 

• Tristan Jarry
• Samuel Poulin

Penguins Get: 

• Stuart Skinner
• Brett Kulak
• 2029 Second-Round Pick

While Kulak is not the biggest name in this trade, he still has the potential to be a very solid addition to the Penguins' roster. It is no secret that the Penguins needed another left shot defenseman, and Kulak now gives them a good one with plenty of experience. 

Kulak appeared in 31 games this season with the Oilers before being traded to Pittsburgh, where he posted two assists and 38 blocks. 

In four seasons with the Canadiens from 2018-19 to 2021-22, Kulak recorded 11 goals, 34 assists, 45 points, 96 penalty minutes, 216 blocks, 258 hits, and a plus-4 rating in 215 games.

Alexander Wennberg buried the winner just 2:49 into overtime, capping a spirited San Jose comeback as the Sharks erased a two-goal deficit and edged the Toronto Maple Leafs 3–2 on Thursday night.

Following an offside review, the goal was confirmed and the Sharks improved to 15-14-3 on the year, while the Leafs fell to 14-11-5

John Klingberg delivered a standout performance with a goal and an assist, while Dmitry Orlov supplied the remaining offense for San Jose (15-14-3). Alex Nedeljkovic was sharp throughout, turning aside 28 shots, and Wennberg—who orchestrated much of the Sharks’ push—added two primary assists to accompany his OT heroics.

Auston Matthews and Dakota Joshua found the back of the net for Toronto (14-11-5), which couldn’t hang on to its early cushion. Dennis Hildeby made 29 saves in a solid outing, and William Nylander chipped in with a pair of assists as the Leafs settled for a single point despite a strong start.

SHARKS CLAW BACK

Matthews pushed the lead to 2–0 midway through the second period, ripping home a power-play marker for his 13th of the season — and his fourth in the past seven outings. The strike finally broke Toronto’s brutal 2-for-28 slump with the man advantage, offering a momentary sigh of relief for a unit that has labored for weeks.

San Jose fought back when Orlov snapped Hildeby’s shutout streak at 132 minutes, six seconds, wiring home his first of the campaign to cut the deficit to 2–1 heading into the intermission. Klingberg later dragged the Sharks level, blasting a point shot through traffic in the dying minutes of regulation after Barclay Goodrow’s earlier pinball-style tally was negated on an offside challenge in the third.

Toronto’s night grew even more precarious on the back end. Already missing top defenders Chris Tanev (upper-body) and Brandon Carlo (lower-body), the Leafs lost Oliver Ekman-Larsson early in the final frame when Sharks winger Adam Gaudette fell awkwardly onto his left ankle along the boards.

Notables

Wennberg sealed the victory in overtime with a slick, instinctive finish, deftly kicking the puck from his skate to his stick in tight before sliding it past Hildeby for the decisive goal.

Matthews scored career goal #414, pulling within seven markers of  Mats Sundin (420) for the most goals in Maple Leafs history.

Next Game

The Sharks travel to face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Pens will look slightly different entering the game as they'll have a new starting goaltender. 

The Penguins traded goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin to the Edmonton Oilers in a deal that sends Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round draft pick back to Pittsburgh.

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